Hawaii's high cost of living major focus of Ige's state of the state speech, attorney general seeks TMT protest group bank records, University of Hawaii gets new football coach, Honolulu honors fallen police officers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Ige address the 2020 Legislature PC:Capitol TV screen capture

Governor Calls For Major Housing, Cost-Of-Living Initiatives In State Of The State Speech. Gov. David Ige delivered his sixth State of the State address Tuesday, laying out details about efforts worked out with legislative leaders that aim to address Hawaii's high cost of living in areas that include housing and child care. Hawaii Public Radio.

Governor promotes proposals for working families. Gov. David Ige on Tuesday outlined a plan to boost preschool education, housing and tax relief for families as he delivered his annual state of the state address. Associated Press.

Ige Delivers 2020 State of State Address. State and county leaders and community members gathered in the House Chambers at the State Capitol as Gov. David Ige delivered the 2020 State of the State Address Tuesday morning. Big Island Now.

Governor avoids talk of crime, mental health in State of the State. In his State of the State address Tuesday, Gov. David Ige paid tribute to the two officers killed in an ambush in Diamond Head on Sunday. But beyond that, he didn’t talk about crime or mental health in his speech. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. David Ige's 2020 State of the State Address. Full text here.

Senate President Ron Kouchi’s address on opening day of the Hawai‘i State Legislature Jan. 15. Here.

House Speaker Scott Saiki's opening day remarks. Here.

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Sunday Shooting Overshadows Hawaii Governor’s State Of The State. The public can expect a more concerted effort to close gun loopholes but proposals to address Native Hawaiian issues remain uncertain. Civil Beat.

Gov. Ige hails slain officers in his State of the State address. Gov. David Ige began his annual State of the State address Tuesday with a moment of silence for slain Honolulu Police officers Tiffany Enriquez and Kaulike Kalama, describing them both as heroes. Star-Advertiser.

State of the State: Ige still believes TMT can be resolved peacefully. At his State of the State address this morning, Gov. David Ige reiterated his belief that the conflict surrounding the Thirty Meter Telescope can still be resolved peacefully. Tribune-Herald.

Governor Remarks On TMT Situation During State Address. Governor David Ige made some brief remarks on the Thirty Meter Telescope during his State of the State address on Tuesday, in a bid to bring together both sides of the controversial project planned for Maunakea. Big Island Video News.

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Lawmakers consider ban on lending of guns. State lawmakers said Tuesday that they were considering changes to Hawaii gun laws this session even before Sunday’s shooting deaths of two Honolulu police officers at a Diamond Head home presumably at the hands of a man who had no permit to own any guns. Star-Advertiser.

For 5th Year Running, Lawmakers Consider Giving Airports More Autonomy. After years of failing to address infrastructure problems at state airports, lawmakers will once again consider making a change this session. Hawaii Public Radio.

Creating More Treatment Options in Hawaii’s Fractured Mental Health System. A key feature of the proposed reforms includes diverting the mentally ill from ERs into outpatient and residential programs more tailored to their needs. Civil Beat.

Interagency task force provides update on fight to eradicate invasive species. Lawmakers have been updated on a 10-year inter-agency plan launched two years ago to help manage biosecurity risks. KITV4.

Hawai‘i Health Officials Offer Guidance on Novel Coronavirus Outbreak in China. Hawai‘i Department of Health is providing guidance to healthcare providers in the state for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus outbreak in China, which has already includes more than 300 confirmed infections and several deaths in China. Maui Now.

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Former ASU football coach Todd Graham hired as head coach at Hawaii. Former Arizona State University head football coach Todd Graham will be introduced Wednesday as the next head coach of the University of Hawaii football program, school officials announced Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Todd Graham picked to lead University of Hawaii football team. In a move that was surprising in its quickness and choice, Todd Graham was selected as the Hawaii football team’s head coach. Star-Advertiser.

Former Arizona State coach Todd Graham to become new Hawaii head coach. Former Arizona State head coach Todd Graham will become the 24th head coach in program history, per a UH release. KHON2.

Todd Graham set to take over as UH head football coach. Announced around 6pm on Tuesday that Todd Graham will become the 24th head coach in UH football program history. KITV4.

Oahu

Police Chief: State’s handling of mentally ill who pose threat should include ‘tough love’. The suspect in Sunday’s deadly rampage at Diamond Head showed signs of mental illness for years. Now Honolulu's police chief is demanding more tools for her officers to use in cases where mental health is involved. Hawaii News Now.

HPD Chief says more needs to be done to track the mentally ill. After Sunday’s shooting, HPD Chief Susan Ballard says more needs to be done to track the mentally ill. KHON2.

Diamond Head landlord was ‘closest to family’ the attacker had. The suspect and victim, presumed to have died in or before the fire at the house the blaze started, had a trusting friendship for more than a decade prior to the Sunday attack, shootings and fire. KHON2.

Police confirm second set of human remains found on Hibiscus Drive. Honolulu police have confirmed that a second set of human remains was located at the site of 3015 Hibiscus Drive this afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

2 sets of human remains found in ashes of Diamond Head property. Police cadaver dogs have led investigators to two sets of human remains in the ashes of a Diamond Head home where the suspect in Sunday’s violent rampage and his landlord are believed to have died, sources confirmed to Hawaii News Now. Hawaii News Now.

Suspect may have used his landlord’s gun collection to ambush officers. The suspect who fatally shot two police officers in the Diamond Head area Sunday shouldn’t have had access to guns. Hawaii News Now.

Mourners gather to remember officer. Hundreds turned out Tuesday for a candlelight vigil for fallen Honolulu police officer Tiffany Enriquez, bringing an emotional end to a day that was as much about celebrating lives as it was confirming losses. Star-Advertiser.

Candles and memories shine bright at a vigil honoring HPD’s 2 fallen officers. Family and friends of Honolulu Police Officer Tiffany Enriquez, who was killed in the line of duty in Diamond Head on Sunday, organized a candlelight vigil in Waikiki on Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Officer Kaulike Kalama remembered: ‘A good friend to all who knew him’. Officer Kaulika Kalama, affectionately known as “KK,” was a nine-year veteran of the Honolulu Police Department when he was fatally shot. Hawaii News Now.

Communities gather to mourn fallen HPD officers. A vigil was held in Waikiki to celebrate the life of Officer Enriquez, while a statement from the family of Officer Kalama was released. KHON2.

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U.S. seeks forfeiture of 2 more properties connected with illegal gaming. The U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Hawaii announced Tuesday it is seeking forfeiture of two more properties involved in an illegal gambling operation. Star-Advertiser.

Plastics Ban: What’s Next. O‘ahu’s new law restricting single-use plastics has business owners scrambling to comply with the impending bans – just as happened on the Neighbor Islands after similar bans were imposed. Hawaii Business.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii AG Is Seeking Bank Records Of Mauna Kea Protest Group. The AG argues the Native Hawaiian nonprofit is illegally using donations to fund civil disobedience; the organization says the request is intimidation. Civil Beat.

India Wary Of TMT Construction On Mauna Kea. India’s Department of Science and Technology is part of the Thirty Meter Telescope consortium. Civil Beat.

Testifiers at public hearing urge recycling. The Solid Waste Advisory Committee, convened every 10 years, took the 10,000-foot view of the island’s trash issues. But many of the two dozen or so people attending a public hearing in Hilo Tuesday evening had very specific concerns. West Hawaii Today.

Fears of Invasive Beetle Spreading to West Hawai‘i. An invasive beetle caught the attention of Big Island farmers in the Spring of 2018 because of its assault on fruit trees in East Hawai‘i. Big Island Now.

Maui

Catching drunken drivers. 5 vehicles towed under new law; Friday was first day of enforcement. Maui News.

Weekend DUI Enforcement Nets 8 Arrests, 5 Vehicles Towed on Maui. Maui police arrested eight individuals for driving under the influence of an intoxicant and towed a total of five vehicles during a weekend enforcement effort in which police utilized Maui’s new DUI Tow law. Maui Now.

County Seeks Housing Project Ideas. The request through the Housing Division of the Department of Housing and Human Concerns would use the Experimental and Demonstration Housing Projects Fund for the provision, protection and expansion of experimental and demonstration housing projects, including the rehabilitation of existing structures, land purchase or other acquisition of land or property entitlements, planning, design and construction. Maui Now.

Kauai

Land developer sues county. A North Shore property owner is suing the Kauai County Planning Commission over its refusal to allow him to develop 134 acres of agricultural land in Moloa‘a. Garden Island.

Learn history on Historic Hapa Road. Koloa ohanas can now use the Historic Hapa Trail to get to the beach thanks to four men who have continued the legacy of caretaking the trail. Garden Island.