Undersea cable planned to connect 6 islands, gambling bills struggle in Legislature, Intermediate Court of Appeals judicial nominees named, Luke fallout continues, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Draft EA Details Undersea Fiber Optic Cable Between Hawaiian Islands. A University of Hawaiʻi proposal to install a subsea fiber optic cable system connecting the six main Hawaiian Islands is detailed in a new draft environmental assessment.  The subsea cable system would improve and expand high-speed internet access and availability to the six main Hawaiian Islands. Big Island Video News.

Full 1,587-page environmental assessment on Undersea Fiber Optic Cable can be found here.

Gambling bills struggle to remain alive amid Hawaii’s prohibition on wagering.  A bill that would allow cruise ship gambling — even while ships are docked in Hawaii ports — stalled in a House committee Wednesday while another bill that would allow sports betting squeaked through as the state Legislature continues to debate whether to end Hawaii’s prohibition on gambling. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi eyes expanded automatic voter registration with driver's licenses. A state proposal could automatically register eligible residents to vote in elections — unless they explicitly “opt out” of that opportunity. Hawaiʻi already has an automatic voter registration system, but it follows an “opt-in” model.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Election advocates warn of political fallout following recent scandal. Several bills are already teed up this session to crack down on bribery and money-driven influence over lawmakers. Advocates say funding elections publicly is another way to bring ethics back to politics. KHON2.

Unlicensed Teachers Want To Work In Hawai‘i Schools For Longer. The state has become increasingly reliant on emergency hires in recent years, but educational leaders are split on what role they should play in schools moving forward. A package of bills that would allow emergency hires to work in schools for five years is now sparking debate around the role unlicensed teachers should play in Hawaiʻi classrooms.  Civil Beat.

Bill would help repay teachers’ student loans.  A bill moving through the state Legislature would create a new student loan repayment program for public school educators, aiming to ease financial pressures and help address Hawaii’s ongoing teacher shortage. Star-Advertiser.

Bill advances for disclosure and safeguards on conversational AI services in Hawaiʻi. Senate Bill 3001, known as the Artificial Intelligence Disclosure and Safety Act, the measure establishes consumer protections and safety standards for conversational artificial intelligence services operating in Hawaiʻi.  Maui Now.

Gov. Josh Green to choose judge from list of nominees for Intermediate Court of Appeals. The Judicial Selection Commission submitted the following nominees: Lance D. Collins, currently president and principal attorney of the Law Office of Lance D. Collins and a per diem District and Family Court judge; Daniel M. Gluck, currently a deputy corporation counsel for the City and County of Honolulu; Nickolas A. Kacprowski, currently a partner at Dentons US LLP; Robert T. Nakatsuji, currently a deputy prosecuting attorney for the City and County of Honolulu. Big Island Now.

Hawaiʻi Democratic Party eyes local and national midterm elections. Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Chair Derek Turbin stopped by The Conversation on Monday morning to talk about criticism aimed at national leadership and the possible effects on various state and local-level races. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Luke Donor And Friends Cashed In On City-Funded Covid Testing Program. In a public health crisis, Tobi Solidum saw a business opportunity, and his company made millions from a Honolulu-funded program. Now he’s at the center of a public corruption scandal.  Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Student homelessness rises on Oahu’s west side. The number of students experiencing homelessness is rising on Oahu’s west side, according to Hawaii State Department of Education officials who say they are seeing the highest numbers in years. Hawaii News Now.

‘Let the kids play’: Legal dispute cancels flag football league for hundreds of keiki. Scott Nunotani, who started the NFL Flag Football Hawaii organization, was slapped with an injunction last Friday by his former employer, Ultimate Lokahi Sports, for starting the company and improperly competing against them. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu woman sentenced for threatening to kill Presidents Biden and Trump on Facebook. A 49-year-old woman was sentenced to seven months in prison on Tuesday after she pled guilty to threatening to kill Presidents Biden and Trump in multiple Facebook posts and comments. KITV4.

Hawaii Island

$33 million well spent? Resolution seeking audit of county homeless fund spending passes. The Hawaii County Council on Feb. 4 voted 8-0 to approve a resolution requesting the county auditor conduct a performance audit of the Office of Housing and Community Development’s Homeless and Housing Fund, a five-year program established by the council in 2022 to combat homelessness. Tribune-Herald.

Grand opening Friday for new Hilo Goodwill store. Goodwill Hawaii has announced that the Hilo Store and Donation Center will be relocating to its Hawaii Island Campus (17 Makaala St.), which offers a larger retail space, more parking and a convenient donation drop-off. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

High court blocks appeal of $4 billion Maui wildfire settlement, but payouts still delayed. For the second time in two years, the Hawaii Supreme Court has blocked insurance companies from acquiring part of a $4 billion Maui wildfire settlement. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Housing Policy Divides Top Candidates For Mayor This Election. Maui County Council member Yuki Lei Sugimura is trying to unseat Mayor Richard Bissen in a closely watched race this election. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Kauaʻi Small Business Energy Efficiency Grant program continues through this year. The grant operates alongside the utility co-op’s Commercial Retrofit Program, which provides funding for efficiency upgrades of existing items and units — including air conditioning, motors and refrigeration. Kauai Now.

New CPR machines coming to Wilcox. Hawaii Pacific Health announced on Tuesday that the Leona M. and Harry B. Hensley Charitable Trust is funding new lifesaving equipment for cardiac emergencies all the Hawaii Pacific Health (HPH) system with a grant totaling nearly $360,000. Garden Island.

Cloud over the Capitol: Calls for independent investigation as Governor's Office caught up in $35k bribery scandal; Big Island businessman sentenced in affordable housing credit scam; Japanese archery range draws opposition, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

$35K Case: New Development Sparks Calls For Independent Probe.  Because Attorney General Anne Lopez is appointed by the governor’s office, she and Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke are both part of the executive branch. The Clean Elections Hawai‘i Coalition, made up of 40 pro-democracy organizations, said in a press release on Tuesday afternoon that an “impartial special prosecutor” is now needed to ensure public trust in the investigation.  Civil Beat. KITV4.  Hawaii News Now. 

Hawaii Gov. Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke comes under more scrutiny. The Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission will investigate whether Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke violated state law when she failed to report $16,000 in campaign contributions, including $10,000 tied to a businessman involved in a high-profile bankruptcy. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. 

Sylvia Luke Quietly Took Thousands From This Lobbyist Linked To Cullen. The lieutenant governor is only now reporting money she received four years ago as a bribery scandal continues to roil the Hawaiʻi Legislature. Civil Beat.  Hawaii News Now. 

Luke’s campaign spending reports fuel more questions, uncertainty.  Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke will have a cloud over her whenever she fills in as acting governor — and heading into the August Democratic primary election — as long as she is tied to the case of the “influential state legislator” who allegedly accepted $35,000 in a bag in 2022, said current lawmakers who served with Luke at the time, and others. Star-Advertiser.

Speed-limiting devices could be coming for Hawaii repeat offenders. A bill moving through the Legislature would let judges order speed-limiting devices in the cars of habitual offenders, similar to ignition interlocks for drunk drivers. KHON2.

Hawai‘i Doctor Shortage Has Patients Paying Fees For Fast Care. Direct primary care is a burgeoning business model that bypasses insurance. If widely adopted, it could lessen the state’s dire shortage of primary care doctors — or make things worse. Civil Beat.

‘It Is Not A Fraud’: Schatz, Murkowski Blast Attack On Native Contracting. The two senators are leading a bipartisan push to protect the SBA’s 8(a) program amid the Trump administration’s ongoing effort to eliminate DEI initiatives. Civil Beat. 

Oahu

State affordable-housing project fails to gain traction. The endeavor to develop one leasehold condo tower on state land in Kakaako as a pilot project for envisioned replication ran into trouble several months ago over concerns that unit prices and use restrictions would deter buyers, who would receive 99-year leases instead of fee-­simple ownership. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai’i Pacific Health, HMSA partnership plans proceeding. Hawaii Medical Service Association insures more than 750,000 people statewide, while HPH operates major hospitals including Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women &Children, Pali Momi Medical Center, Straub Medical Center and Wilcox Medical Center on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Council urges city to secure lower cost ambulance services. The Honolulu City Council is urging the city to work with state officials to establish a federally funded program aimed at reducing the city’s cost of ambulance serv­ices for low-income people. Star-Advertiser.

Plan for Japanese archery range draws some opposition from Kaimukī neighbors. For decades, the 125-year-old Hawaiʻi Kyudo Kai club has been looking for a permanent home. The search may soon be over as the nonprofit Hawaiʻi Kyudo Foundation and the city announced last year that it would build a kyudojo at the Mauʻumae Nature Preserve, located on 16th Avenue and Claudine Street. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Another Big Island man sentenced for affordable housing scam. Rajesh Budhabhatti,  65-year-old Big Island businessman who prosecutors said “played a central role in the conspiracy and scheme” to earn millions of dollars illegally using Hawaii County affordable housing credits, was sentenced Friday in Honolulu to 7 1/2 years in federal prison. Tribune-Herald.

Public invited to provide feedback on HTA’s destination management plan. The Hawaii Tourism Authority's  Hawaii Island virtual meeting is from noon to 1 p.m. this Thursday. Registration is required to receive the Zoom links to the virtual meeting. Register at: hawaiitourismauthority.org/what-we-do/events/ Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiʻi Care Choices is expanding services, care options to North Hawaiʻi this month.  Beginning this month, the Kupu Palliative Care Program will be available through a dedicated clinic space within the North Hawaiʻi Hospice office, extending palliative care services to residents of Hāmākua, Waimea, North Kohala, and South Kohala. Big Island Now. 

Maui

Maui Cops Could Still Aid Feds Despite Council Immigration Concerns. A Maui County Council committee on Tuesday voted to kill a bill that would have authorized Mayor Richard Bissen to re-up a now-controversial agreement between the county’s police department and the FBI-Joint Terrorism Task Force. But the council committee’s 8-0 recommendation on Tuesday that the full council file Bill 92 did not alter or overturn the existing agreement with the FBI task force, which has been in place for more than two decades. Civil Beat.

Supreme Court ruling deemed ‘huge milestone’ for Maui wildfire settlement. A ruling from the Hawaii Supreme Court on Tuesday could allow for the more than 21,000 Maui fire survivors in a $4 billion settlement to begin receiving payments in a matter of weeks, an attorney for the victims said. Hawaii News Now.

Budget priorities topic of discussion at South Maui community town hall on Feb. 24. Maui County Council member Tom Cook will host a South Maui town hall at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Malcolm Center, 1305 N. Holopono St., Suite 5, to gather input on the community’s budget priorities. Maui News.

Power restored to ~10,000 in West Maui after safety shutoff.  Hawaiian Electric says it has re-energized all West Maui circuits impacted by the Public Safety Power Shutoff program. Approximately 10,000 customers in West Maui had been out of power for approximately 24 hours. Hawaii News Now.

West Maui schools to reopen Wednesday. Department of Education officials say electrical service has been restored following required utility inspections, and water intake has been cleared. With utilities restored, campuses are able to safely resume normal school operations. Maui Now. KITV4. 

Kauai

Free tax preparation opens. Due to the large amount of people needing tax returns — both federal and state — hours have been extended on opening day for several of the sites. Garden Island.

Sylvia Luke may be mystery legislator in paper bag bribery scandal, immigrant protection bills advance, state mops up after wind gusts up to 60 mph, 20" of rain, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Lieutenant governor says she may be the ‘influential state legislator’ referred to in federal case. Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke says she didn’t take $35k but may be lawmaker behind months-long mystery. Luke said Monday amid the ongoing furor that she did not take $35,000 in a paper bag in front of state House colleague turned FBI informant Ty J.K. Cullen during a January 2022 dinner, but did accept $10,000 in checks for her campaign from two people whom Cullen introduced her to that night. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. 

Package of immigration protection bills passes out of first committee. State lawmakers are advancing a package of bills to increase immigration enforcement protections. The House Economic Development and Technology Committee advanced six measures on Friday — all of them providing more guardrails for immigration enforcement. Hawaii Public Radio.

Long-vacant state jobs with languishing funds on rise in Hawaii. The number of stagnant state job vacancies tying up taxpayer revenue jumped last year after flattening in 2024, expanding a pile of cash that some Hawaii lawmakers want to use for urgent needs amid looming budget uncertainties. There were 485 civil serv­ice positions unfilled for over four years as of Nov. 1, up from about 420 in each of the two preceding 12-month periods, according to a Jan. 8 report from the state Department of Human Resources Development. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers are discussing an “ambitious” proposal that would make public transportation free across Hawaiʻi. House Bill 2451 would require Hawaiʻi’s counties to implement “fare-free” access to their public transit systems. Hawaii Public Radio.

Bills To Address Dementia, Alzheimer’s Gain Traction At State Capitol. The legislation may be getting a boost by the revelation that a state senator is struggling with mental decline. Civil Beat.

Will Disaster Insurance Overhaul Increase Protections For Future Survivors? Hawaiʻi consumers would have additional protections folded into their insurance coverage after a disaster declaration if a bundle of new Senate bills introduced this session are codified into law. Civil Beat.

Pacific plays strategic role, Air Force official says. Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Lohmeier wrapped up a tour of the Pacific last week that took him to Hawaii, South Korea and Japan as the service works out its strategy for the region.  Star-Advertiser.

State, county, schools reopen after weather shutdown. State and county offices, public schools and most government services across Hawaii are reopening today after widespread closures Monday due to severe weather, officials said. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.

Power restored to more than 114,000 customers since Saturday. Hundreds of Hawaiian Electric employees and contractors have restored power across Oʻahu, Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island to more than 27,300 customers since Sunday and and more than 114,000 customers since Saturday. Maui Now.

Oahu

Native Hawaiian-led productions anchor $10M push at Ko Olina. More than $10 million in investment tied to “Kaula Lu‘au” and related contracts is poised to deliver hundreds of jobs and multi- million‑dollars in work to Ko Olina, injecting new momentum into a resort district that has long fought to draw visitors — and their spending — to Oahu’s West Side. Star-Advertiser.

Dog attack leaves 11 sheep dead in West Oahu. A devastating dog attack at Ka’ala Farm in Waianae has decimated the farm’s sheep flock and dealt a major blow to wildfire prevention efforts. KHON2.

Oʻahu high school students protest ICE actions. Hundreds of high schoolers across Oʻahu gathered after school Friday to protest recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement violence. Hawaii Public Radio.

Damage reported across Oahu following severe weekend storm. Heavy rains flooded neighborhoods while fierce winds uprooted trees that stood for decades. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

‘Unreal’: Storm gusts rip roofs off Oahu homes, 12 displaced. Sunday’s whipping winds ripped roofs off 22 structures, the Honolulu Fire Department reported. One of the buildings with a blown roof was an apartment complex in Nanakuli along Helelua Street, leaving 12 people without a home. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Hawaiʻi Volcano: Neighborhoods Still Littered With Ash And Debris. The 41st episode of the Big Island’s latest eruption threw ash and tephra, a general word for volcanic debris, thousands of feet in the air and the Kona winds sent it as far as Hilo over 20 miles away. It is the first time a debris and ashfall like this has happened in over 1,000 years, said Don Swanson, a long-time geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Civil Beat.

Storm damage minimal for Big Island. Heavy rain fell in the Hamakua and North Hilo districts. For the 48-hour period ending at 8 a.m. Monday, a gauge above Laupahoehoe measured 20.48 inches, while Honokaa checked in with 19.3 inches. The Hawaiian Electric station on Ala Kahua Drive in Waimea clocked 60 mph gusts at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, while Kohala Ranch measured 59 mph winds. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

National Fight Over Immigration Enforcement Roils Maui County. County’s agreement with FBI provokes alarm among activists and, now, council members. The focus is Bill 92, a long-standing agreement between the Maui Police Department and the FBI that came up for renewal last year, which has suddenly prompted deep soul searching among County Council members. Civil Beat.

Maui County severe weather impacts — final update, Feb. 9.  All County of Maui offices on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi are scheduled to reopen Tuesday, Feb. 10. The Olowalu Recycling and Refuse Convenience Center is set to reopen Tuesday, Feb. 10. County parks will be inspected early Tuesday by County crews before reopening Tuesday, Feb. 10. Maui Now.

Kauai

US Rep. Jill Tokuda meets with Kauaʻi residents to address local, national concerns. U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda visited Līhuʻe on Saturday to meet with residents and hear their questions and concerns about a variety of issues, including Immigration & Customs Enforcement operations, rising costs for farmers and accountability in Washington. Kauai Now.

Flood advisory upgraded to flash flood warning; allowed to expire early today. The National Weather Service upgraded the flood advisory previously in effect for Kaua’i to a flash flood warning because of heavy rains happening over the island. Kauai Now.

State and local governments, schools, universities closed today as storms continue; mayors scrap GET tax extension request; recreational marijuana bills effectively dead; Blangiardi asks Taiwan to fix Chinatown Cultural Plaza, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

State, DOE schools, UH campuses close due to rain, flood and winds. State offices, public schools and all University of Hawaii campuses will be closed today as a powerful storm brings heavy rain, flash flooding and damaging winds across the islands, Gov. Josh Green announced at a Sunday news conference. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now KITV4.  KHON2.

Hawaiʻi Mayors Scrap Controversial Tax Pitch In Election Year. The mayors decided against asking the Legislature for a 20-year extension of the general excise tax surcharge for rail and other transportation projects to allow time for more due diligence. The excise tax surcharge generated more than $351 million for Honolulu in 2024, money that was used to help fund the rail project. Maui County received about $77 million that year from the surcharge, and Hawaiʻi County received more than $74 million. Kauaʻi County received nearly $37 million in surcharge revenue that year. Civil Beat.

DOE Travel: $4 Million, 8,000 Trips And Few Details On Educational Value. The Department of Education’s failure to provide detailed travel records is part of a broader pattern of poor record-keeping for Hawaiʻi schools, lawmakers and government transparency advocates say. Civil Beat.

Tighter laws, tougher penalties sought by lawmakers. More bills aimed at “clean government” have been introduced again this legislative session ahead of the November general elections that will determine the future of all 51 House seats and 13 of the 25 Senate seats amid an ongoing Attorney General’s investigation into the identity of a mystery legislator who allegedly accepted $35,000 “in funds.” Star-Advertiser.

Bills seek to rein in free-roaming cat population in Hawaii. Both animal welfare groups and conservationists agree there is a cat overpopulation problem in the islands requiring action, and are backing a pair of bills before the state Legislature to rein in free- roaming cats. Star-Advertiser.

Bills aimed at legalizing recreational marijuana lack support. Two bills aimed at legalizing recreational marijuana — or even creating marijuana guardrails — are effectively dead, according to House Speaker Nadine Nakamura and Rep. David Tarnas, who has pushed for legalization for years. Star-Advertiser.

Teacher harassment prompts push for protections. Reports of harassment and threats against Hawaii public school teachers have gained more traction since the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting renewed calls from educators and union leaders for stronger state protections — even as a package of proposed safety bills failed to advance last legislative session. Star-Advertiser.

Global rivals start to gain ground amid flat growth. Hawaii entered 2026 with a visitor industry still well below its prepandemic peak, and new forecasts point to another year of modest gains as Maui’s recovery drags and international markets — especially Japan and Canada — continue to lag. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

HART rail planning to UH Manoa rolls toward approval. A Honolulu City Council measure, which calls for plans and feasibility studies toward construction of future city rail routes to the University of Hawaii at Manoa or to West Oahu locations near Ko Olina resort, is rolling toward its final approval. Star-Advertiser.

‘Incredibly Frustrating’: Affordable Oʻahu Rentals Sit Empty For 10 Months. As the city housing program behind it comes under the microscope, the Makiki building has struggled to clear the last bureaucratic hurdles. Civil Beat.

Blangiardi wants Taiwan to fix crumbling, crime-plagued Chinatown Cultural Plaza. A “beyond frustrated” Mayor Rick Blangiardi is pressing Taiwan to fix its deteriorating Chinatown Cultural Plaza in Honolulu, taking his appeal directly to President Lai Ching‑te and arguing that years of inaction have turned the 4-acre complex into a magnet for crime and a public‑safety threat. Star-Advertiser.

Tenants describe decades of decline at Chinatown plaza. Tenants at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza say worsening safety hazards, deteriorating facilities and years of management inaction have hollowed out what was once a bustling commercial hub and threaten the survival of the few businesses left. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu ‘Hell-Hole’ Building Now Without Water. Despite the deteriorating condition of the building, embattled Honolulu developer Chad Waters is defending his record of managing 1136 Union Mall. Civil Beat.

HPU says active shooter alert sent by mistake. An active shooter alert was accidentally sent out, according to Hawaii Pacific University officials on Sunday. The initial text said there was a lockdown in place. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

County, state announce weather-related school and facilities closures. Shelters are open in North Hilo, Hamakua and Kohala districts. They include: Waimea Community Center, 65-1260 Kawaihae Rd., Waimea; Ikuo Hisaoka Gymnasium, 54-382 Kamehameha Park Rd., Kapaau; Honokaa Sports Complex Gym, 45-541 Lehua St. Honokaa; and Papaaloa Park Community Center, 35-1994 Government Main Rd., Papaaloa. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.

Snow Covers Hawaiʻi Summits, Winter Storm Warning Continues. The summits of Maunakea and Mauna Loa are buried in snow and closed to travelers. Webcams show snow covering the roads surrounding observatories at the Maunakea summit. Big Island Video News.

HPD’s new chief discusses his approach to policing, priorities for the department. Policing is in the DNA of Hawaii County’s new top cop, Reed Mahuna. Born and raised on Hawaii Island, Mahuna, 49, is the son of retired HPD Chief Lawrence Mahuna. Tribune-Herald.

Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority to host last 3 community workshops this month. The series of 10 workshops have taken place across the state intentionally to create space to listen to more voices and co-create a new management paradigm for Mauna Kea. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui County opens shelters, asks drivers to stay off roads. The Maui Emergency Management Agency is asking residents and visitors to stay off roadways unless travel is essential during the severe weather event that began Saturday and is anticipated to extend into Tuesday. Maui News. Maui Now. 

Committee meetings canceled, Office of Council Services closed on Monday. The Water Authority, Social Services and Parks Committee meeting and the Water and Infrastructure Committee meetings that were scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9, have been canceled because of the continuing threat of severe weather, the Office of Council Services announced. Maui Now.

St. Anthony School to cease Grades 9-12, with preschool to eighth grade continuing. The planned closure of grades 9-12 will become effective in the next school year, allowing existing St. Anthony High School students to complete their current academic year without disruption. Maui Now.

Kauai

County services to continue Monday pending weather updates. As severe weather continues, Kauaiʻi County operations are set to remain open and continue services. County of Kauaʻi officials are still urging the public to stay home, avoid all unnecessary travel, and prioritize safety as severe weather continues today and into next week.  Kauai Now. Hawaii News Now. 

Kauaʻi County awards 15 culturally-based projects, events with grant funding. Grant funding has been awarded to 15 community-based cultural projects and events that will strengthen Kauaʻi’s cultural landscape, celebrate place-based knowledge, and create meaningful experiences for residents and visitors. Kauai Now.

Trash Pickup: 1 In 5 Chance Yours Could Run Late On Kauaʻi. Residential trash on Kaua‘i is only picked up four days a week, but over the last nine months there’s been a nearly 1 in 5 chance on any given service day that at least one area of the island would experience a delay.  Civil Beat.

Legislature mulls saving night skies, controlling corporate campaign spending, allowing rodeos and events on ag land, unmasking federal agents; Kauai chicken pox outbreak intensifies, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Supporters of night sky bill say people are 'in the dark about light'.  Efforts to protect Hawaiʻi's night skies are gaining momentum at the state Legislature through a new bill that would regulate artificial lighting. HB1579 would establish outdoor light fixture requirements based on the Kelvin scale and the direction of the light, and it suggests that the fixtures operate on a timer or motion sensor basis. Hawaii Public Radio.

ICE unmasking bill is amended. The first of several bills designed to unmask federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents was amended Thursday in response to concerns from the Honolulu Police Department and state Department of Law Enforcement to allow some of their non-undercover officers to cover their faces in certain instances. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. 

Could Hawaiʻi pioneer this 'untested' approach to stop corporate campaign spending? Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Karl Rhoads said he wants to get corporate spending in elections under control. In 2024, the last election year, the largest single donation to a political candidate running for state office did not come from a person. It came from a housing development company. Hawaii Public Radio.

Rodeos could be permitted on Hawaiʻi's agricultural land. Rodeos and related activities could be permitted on Hawaiʻi agricultural-zoned land — if a proposal passes through the state legislative session this year. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii's economy remains stable, says Gov. Green at State of Economy event. Governor Josh Green expressed optimism about Hawaii's economy at a State of Economy event on Thursday, stating it is stable and likely to remain so for the rest of the year. KITV4.

SHOPO seats new leadership following 27.5% pay increase. Don Faumuina, SHOPO State President, is a 25-year veteran of Honolulu Police Department. Star-Advertiser.

Report shows strong use of Hawaii medical cannabis program. A new independent economic analysis commissioned by the state Department of Health’s Office of Medical Cannabis Control and Regulation finds that the state’s medical cannabis program captures the vast majority of patient spending and is effectively serving registered users, while also outlining how a future adult-use cannabis market could reshape demand, regulation and public health risks. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council defers affordable housing bill. A Honolulu City Council measure that seeks to amend the city’s affordable housing requirements to allow below-market-rate for-sale and rental units either to be sold or leased more quickly was first under review then just as quickly postponed this week. Star-Advertiser.

Red Hill Victims Dealt A Blow In Their Fight Against The Navy. Red Hill water contamination victims accused the federal government last year of tainting fuel samples which they say would’ve been key to their pending lawsuit, but a federal judge on Wednesday rejected those claims. Civil Beat.

Man charged with threatening to kill federal officer and family. A 40-year-old Waianae man is free on bond and facing a criminal charge after he allegedly threatened to kill a federal law enforcement officer and their family. Nehemiah Kealoha was indicted on Jan. 22 for threatening to assault and murder a federal law enforcement officer in connection with a Nov. 7 incident, U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson announced in a statement. Star-Advertiser.

HPD Officers Fired For Burglary, Assault And Fraud Could Be Rehired. Discharges are usually challenged and can be bumped down to suspensions, the records show, allowing cops to return to work. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. 

City pushes to install paved sidewalks in congested McCully neighborhood. The city’s Complete Streets program is looking at increasing safety in a McCully neighborhood where the streets are narrow, traffic is heavy, and the sidewalks are missing. The densely populated neighborhood is just west of McCully Street, between Kapiolani Boulevard and South King Street. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. 

Makiki Community Garden hit again as fencing plans remain unfinished. Police detectives were in the garden asking questions and hearing from others about the ongoing theft problem. HPD said they are currently investigating the incident as a Theft 4. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Officers’ misconduct detailed. Two Hawaii Police Department officers were fired in 2025, although neither dismissal is final, and an officer fired in 2023 for burglary and assault is seeking to return to the force after a deferred plea acceptance resulted in his conviction being expunged from the record. That’s according to the department’s annual disciplinary report for 2025 to the state Legislature, which also lists 16 incidents of officers being suspended from duty without pay ranging from a day to 30 days. Tribune-Herald.

Mauna Loa Seismic Activity Increased Over Past Month. Seismic activity under Mauna Loa increased slightly over the past month, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported in its monthly update on the massive Hawaiʻi island volcano, published Thursday.  Big Island Video News.

West Hawai‘i Region of Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation to celebrate opening of new infusion center on Big Island. West Hawai‘i Region of Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation invites the public to join the celebration for its newly expanded infusion center at Kona Community Hospital in Kealakekua on the west side of the Big Island. Big Island Now.

Maui

Hawaiʻi Wrongly Jailed Him For 20 Years. Reparations Came Too Late. Alvin Jardine fought for nearly a decade to be paid under the state’s wrongful conviction compensation law. He died before receiving payment. Civil Beat.

Man whose mother was found among 189 decaying bodies tells the story. Derrick Johnson buried his mother’s ashes beneath a golden dewdrop tree with purple blossoms at his home on Maui’s Haleakalā Volcano, fulfilling her wish of a final resting place looking over her grandchildren.Then the FBI called. Hundreds of families learned from officials that the ashes they ceremonially spread or kept close weren’t actually their loved ones’ remains. The bodies of their mothers, fathers, grandparents, children and babies had moldered in a room-temperature building in Colorado. Associated Press.

Judge unseals ‘salacious’ evidence in Maui doctor attempted murder case. New details in the case of a Maui doctor accused of trying to kill his wife revealed shocking claims on both sides, and the judge decided new evidence should be unsealed. Hawaii News Now.

Maui leads state in whale sightings during January survey of koholā. Volunteers counted 694 humpback whales off the shores of Maui during the annual Great Whale Count, the highest number recorded among the islands during the first coordinated survey of the 2026 season. Maui Now.

Kauai 

Kauai chickenpox outbreak increases to 10 cases across 4 schools.  In addition to the five cases reprted last week, reported last week linked to Kilauea Elementary School, five additional cases were reported this morning from three other schools — Hanalei Elementary, Kaua’i Christian Academy and Island School. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Jennie Chahanovich confirmed to serve partial term on Kauaʻi County Fire Commission. Kaua’i Mayor Derek Kawakami on Wednesday nominated and confirmed Jennie Chahanovich to fill a partial term that was vacant on the Kauaiʻ County Fire Commission. Kauai Now.

Kauai sees the most whales statewide according to most recent count. On Kauai, the total number of whales observed during the day’s count was 467 from the participating sites. According to the statewide results of the Sanctuary Ocean Count released on Thursday, Kauai saw more whales during the count period than any of the other participating islands. Garden Island.

Taxes: Governor seeks $126M for 'Green fee' projects; lawmakers mull luxury home tax, new rental car fee to fund DHHL; private-sector construction workers want public-sector benefits, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Governor Asks Lawmakers For $126M In Green Fee Projects. The source of all that extra cash is an increase in the state hotel room tax, from 9.25% to 10%, and a new levy on cruise ships. Some lawmakers are questioning the administration’s plan to fund the projects through a combination of the new fee and bonds. Civil Beat.

Higher Luxury Home Taxes? State Eyes New Ways To House Hawaiians. State lawmakers are introducing plans to create new and permanent sources of funding for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands including higher taxes on the sale of luxury homes as well as new taxes on rental cars.  Civil Beat.

‘Vienna model’ bill advances to limit rental housing fund surpluses to more housing. A state Senate committee has advanced a bill that uses the “Vienna Model” of housing in Austria, where limited-profit housing associations create a sustainable cycle of money available for future development. Maui Now.

Hawaii construction workers want state taxpayer support. Private-sector construction workers in Hawaii are seeking public financial benefits at the Legislature this year, including a paid holiday and retroactive hazard pay. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Sen. Michelle Kidani Says She’s Capable Of Handling Her Job. The 77-year-old lawmaker is trying to defuse concerns that she suffers from an illness that is affecting her performance. Civil Beat. Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.

Rep. Lauren Matsumoto on tax relief, housing bills, transparency. House Minority Leader Lauren Matsumoto is pushing legislation to eliminate taxes on food and medical services as part of her cost-of-living agenda for the 2026 legislative session. Hawaii News Now.

Will Disaster Insurance Overhaul Increase Protections For Future Survivors? Other states impacted by similar disasters are reforming their insurance laws. Legislators here are teeing up bills to follow suit.  Civil Beat.

New study shows spending on medical cannabis, possible revenue from legal recreational use. According to the analysis by Cannabis Public Policy Consulting, Hawaii’s 30,000 registered patients spent $5.3 million a month at legal dispensaries. Hawaii News Now.

State saw a hot, dry 2025, UH report finds. Last year was one of the driest and warmest on record in the state, with the temperature being above average each month and rainfall below average in all but one month, according to the Hawai‘i Annual Climate Report from University of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

2 HPD officers arrested, dozens disciplined in 2025. Officer Keone Kissinger, 32, was arrested in connection with two alleged domestic abuse cases. Officer Chad Fuller was arrested Sunday morning and is accused of driving under the influence after crashing into a guardrail on Farrington Highway. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Hawaii man sentenced to life for trying to assassinate Trump. Ryan Routh, the former Hawaii resident accused of hiding in the bushes of a Florida golf course with a semi-automatic rifle to try to assassinate Donald Trump less than two months before the 2024 U.S. election that returned him to the presidency, was sentenced by a judge Wednesday to life in prison. Routh was originally from North Carolina but lived in Laie for several years before the attempted assassination on Sept. 15, 2024. Reuters.

Bus routes expansions could lead to 24 hour availability for airports. During a testimony before the City Council on Wednesday, Feb. 4, Jon Nouchi, Department of Transportation Services Deputy Director, spoke about a new project in the works. KHON2.

TheBus, Skyline ‘combined’ ridership grows, city officials say. Since the more than $10 billion rail project opened its Segment 2 line past the airport in October 2025, the city Department of Transportation Services states TheBus’ rapid ridership routes — or express buses, which run to downtown Honolulu, the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Waikiki — when included with the Skyline route from East Kapolei to the Kalihi Transit Center, currently average about 20,820 rides daily. Star-Advertiser.

Family complains about lack of toilet paper at Halawa Correctional Facility. Worried family members are complaining about no toilet paper at Halawa Correctional Facility (HCF). It’s unclear how widespread the issue is at the state’s largest prison, but advocates say it’s a basic hygiene right. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

UH report confirms 2025 was isle’s second-driest year on record. A study released Wednesday by the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program found that Hawaii Island experienced its second-driest year in 106 years, with 2010 the only year that was drier. Tribune-Herald.

Water Restriction Notice Issued For South Kohala Due To Drought. The town of Waimea and its surrounding subdivisions must reduce water use by at least 25 percent. Big Island Video News.

Goodwill Hawai‘i relocating Hilo store, donation center to new campus. The new location at the campus, located at 17 Maka‘ala Street, offers a larger retail space, more parking and convenient donation drop-off point. Big Island Now.

Stuck in paradise: Non-native brown pelican spotted along Hawaiʻi Island’s south shore. A non-native brown pelican, nicknamed “Kiko,” was spotted Jan. 22 at Punaluʻu Beach, marking what appears to be the first modern record of a brown pelican arriving in Hawaiʻi. KITV4.

Maui

Humpback whale counts on Maui show stable numbers. Pacific Whale Foundation chief scientist Jens Currie said the numbers counted from 8:30 a.m. to noon Jan. 31 at 11 sites totaled 694 compared to 700 last year. Maui News.

Investigation into illegal poaching on private ranch land in Haʻikū nets two arrests. The Maui Police Department arrested two individuals during a coordinated enforcement operation in response to multiple complaints from local ranchers regarding ongoing illegal night hunting activity in Haʻikū. Maui Now.

Maui boat tour operator pleads guilty to wire fraud, false statement. A Hawaii boat tour operator that crashed off Lanai in 2022, which sent five people overboard, pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to wire fraud and making a false statement to the U.S. Coast Guard. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.  KITV4. 

Kauai

Grove Farm sells land to DHHL. The Grove Farm Company has sold 260 acres of land, situated in Lihue mauka of Isenberg Park, to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Garden Island.

One-on-one with Kauaʻi’s new police chief, Rudy Tai. New Kauaʻi Police Chief Rudy Tai’s interest in law enforcement began long ago in Pearl City, Oʻahu, where the mentorship and coaching of local cops inspired him to become a junior police officer at Highlands Elementary. He was just 12 years old. Kauai Now.

Ostrov returns to head Hawaii GOP, bills advance unmasking ICE agents, Waikiki instituting major drone surveillance program, Rudy Tai named Kauai police chief, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Head of Hawaiʻi Republican Party talks state priorities, President Trump. The Hawaiʻi Republican Party has had a revolving door with three different party chairs in the last six months. Shirlene Ostrov is back in the driver's seat after a stint five years ago.  She said that between then and now, the local party went through nine elected chairs. Hawaii Public Radio.

Bills advance to identify ICE agents. The first of several bills that would unmask federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents was met with concerns Tuesday from the Honolulu Police Department and state Department of Law Enforcement that backup officers from their departments also could be identified while supporting local undercover operations. No representatives for ICE or any federal agency testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee or submitted written testimony regarding SB 2203. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Homeowners Need More Options To Get Rid Of All Cesspools By 2050. State lawmakers are taking up a bill this week that would create a low-interest loan program. All property owners in Hawaiʻi have until 2050 to get rid of their cesspools under state law. But daunting cost challenges have left 83,000 cesspools intact across the island state, with only a few hundred getting removed annually. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers hear passionate testimony on plan to study potential geothermal sites. State lawmakers heard passionate testimony opposing geothermal exploration by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) during a House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection hearing. The department is asking the legislature for $15 million to study geothermal energy and says beneficiary meetings will start in April and May. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii looks to fend off federal fossil fuels lawsuit. A lawsuit the federal government filed against Michigan over fossil fuels has been thrown out — prompting Hawaii to use that case to bolster its own of efforts to hold private companies accountable for their role in climate change. The federal government filed a lawsuit against Hawaii on April 30 after Gov. Josh Green announced he planned to sue private fossil fuel companies for deceptive marketing that contributed to climate change harms. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi’s Cost Of Living Is High. But There’s Another Huge Problem. Policymakers and media outlets often point to Hawaiʻi’s high cost of living when discussing why people flee the state for greener economic pastures. But a study by economists at the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization argues there’s another, equally important factor: a lack of high-paying jobs. Civil Beat.

How a media censorship case in Alaska relates to Hawaiʻi newspapers. A recent story in the Columbia Journalism Review highlighted the owner of Oahu Publications Inc. Its flagship publication is the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, which it created in 2010 after purchasing the Honolulu Advertiser from Gannett.  The Alabama company Carpenter Media Group acquired Oahu Publications and its media brands in 2024. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Sheriff Drones May Be Watching You In Waikīkī. A major drone surveillance program could be coming to Waikīkī as soon as March as part of a statewide push to use modern technologies to fill gaps in policing. Sheriffs plan to fly drones over the tourist district to watch for crimes being committed in public spaces during peak busy hours, festivals and large events.  Civil Beat.

Lawsuit is filed against city over approval of new Turtle Bay hotel. Earthjustice filed the suit Tuesday in First Circuit Court on behalf of the nonprofit groups Center for Biological Diversity and Conservation Council for Hawaii, and community group Kapa‘a Kuilima. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Dozens of tenants forced out of low-rise apartments for 'Iolani School demolition. Landowner ʻIolani School is beginning a long-planned expansion, knocking down five aging apartment buildings next to the campus. From keiki to kupuna, dozens of families over the weekend got notices to vacate and are now scrambling to find homes. KITV4.

Council bill seeks online database of city funds. A Honolulu City Council measure requiring the city administration use real-time, web-based software to grant greater public access to the annual, multi-billion dollar budgets and day-to-day finances of the city advanced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Car dealers say DMV registration delays slowing business on Oahu. For car dealers on Oahu, the biggest holdup isn’t selling vehicles, it’s registering them. Several dealers say limited appointment availability at the Satellite City Hall in Kapalama has turned registration into a waiting game, delaying deliveries and frustrating customers. Hawaii News Now.

Power outage sparks renewed push to restructure HECO. After a massive power outage that left thousands across the island in the dark yesterday, lawmakers are pushing a proposal to restructure Hawaiian Electric, raising new questions about reliability and accountability. KHON2. 

Pearl City woman sentenced for threatening Trump, Biden. A Pearl City woman was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release Monday while she continues her mental health treatment after pleading guilty to threatening to assassinate Trump or Biden, whoever was in the White House at the time. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Tephra cleaup continues: Kilauea volcano’s recent episode made a mess of things. A week-and-a-half after episode 41 of Kilauea’s yearlong summit eruption deposited tephra — lightweight volcanic glass debris — over a sizable area surrounding Halema‘uma‘u crater, residents of Volcano are still digging out. Tribune-Herald.

Police ID women killed in Hilo fire. Hawaii Island police have identified the two women who died in the Nov. 29, 2025, structure fire at the former Puueo Poi factory building on Kekuanaoa Street in Hilo. The victims have been identified as 72-year-old Antoinette Amii and a 56-year-old Neilla Lee, both tenants of the building. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now. KITV4. 

Maui

KCWA hosts Community Conversation on how Maui’s watersheds really work, Feb. 5. The Kula Community Watershed Alliance will host its next Community Conversations event on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at 6 p.m., featuring hydrologist Christopher Shuler of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Water Resources Research Center. Maui Now.

Response underway to remove grounded boat from Kīhei shoreline. Owners of a grounded vessel are hoping to get the boat removed from the Kīhei shoreline today. The vessel, Na Nahiku, ran aground on the shore fronting 131 S. Kīhei Road fronting the Kīhei Youth Center on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. Maui Now.

Kauai

Rudy Tai named next Kauai police chief. An Oahu man who retired Monday as the deputy chief of the San Diego Police Department was selected Tuesday to be Kauai’s next police chief. The Kauai Police Commission appointed Rudy Tai from a pool of 51 applicants. Star-Advertiser. Kauai Now.  KITV4.

Mayor Kawakami attends U.S. Conference of Mayors in D.C. Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami recently returned from Washington, D.C., where he attended the U.S. Conference of Mayors, joining mayors from across the country to collaborate on shared challenges and national priorities impacting local communities.  Garden Island. Kauai Now.