Convention center and stadium could sport ads, Senate bill limits youth firearms use, rolling blackouts continue, 101st Maui fire victim ID'd, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Bills would allow outdoor ads on stadium, convention center. Naming rights for the Hawai‘i Convention Center would be allowed despite Hawaii’s general ban on outdoor advertising after a key Senate committee approved a bill Tuesday despite concerns. Star-Advertiser.

Bills For A New Ride-Share Fee And A Climate-Impact Fee Advance. State lawmakers gave tentative approval Tuesday to a new fee that would be charged to users of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft and another proposed new climate-impact fee mostly aimed at tourists. Civil Beat.

State Senate to consider bill on firearms, ammunition regulation changes on Wednesday. A Senate Bill that proposes to prohibit people under the age of 21 to own, possess and control ammunition is drawing fire from gun enthusiasts. KITV4.

Enthusiasm surrounds measure to provide universal free school meals. House Bill 1775 would make meals free for all students. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lawmakers consider a bill that would make it easier to become a teacher in Hawaii. A bill is moving through the Hawaii legislature that would allow individuals who have an associate’s degree or a high school diploma with certain additional coursework to become teachers. KITV4.

Senate bill on legalizing adult-use cannabis moves forward. If passed into law, the measure would establish the Hawaiʻi Cannabis Authority and Cannabis Control Board within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to regulate all aspects of the cannabis plant. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.

State lawmakers consider lowering penalty for possession of marijuana. A measure that passed its second reading in the House of Representatives would decrease the fine to $25 and increase the amount of decriminalized marijuana to less than 1 ounce. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiian Electric keeps profit up, seeks financing as Maui wildfire costs loom. Hawaii’s largest electrical utility is maintaining financial stability in the face of still-growing legal claims and recovery expenses from the Aug. 8 Maui wildfire disaster. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

Affordable Connectivity Program ends soon that helped subsidize internet costs for low-income households. A federal program reimbursing low-income households for their internet bills will end within months. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

City auditor reviews building permit department. A follow-up audit on the city Department of Planning and Permitting found prior recommendations related to the quicker issuance of city building permits to the public have been met, in some cases, but not yet been achieved in other instances. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii flight attendants picket amid worldwide protests. Local flight attendants picketed at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on Tuesday as part of a Worldwide Day of Action to demand fair contracts. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

State prevails in multimillion-dollar federal lawsuit over Big Island housing development. The State of Hawai‘i prevailed in a multimillion-dollar federal lawsuit brought by a developer claiming damages after a decision to revert its Waikōloa project – Villages at Aina Leʻa – from an urban to an agricultural district.  Big Island Now.

Rolling Power Outages Hit Hawaiʻi Island Tuesday Night. At 7:10 p.m., Hawaiian Electric reported over social media that about 8,300 customers were already without power in parts of Hawaiʻi Island. Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.

Kona airport closed again. The state Department of Transportation announced the airport did not open as scheduled at 6 a.m. after overnight paving of the runway due to equipment malfunction and asphalt cooling. West Hawaii Today. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.

Cosmic Drive heading to Naniloa: Nighttime Top Golf-like experience will utilize hotel’s driving range. The Grand Naniloa Hotel’s driving range is about to look very different in the evening when it becomes home to Hilo’s newest nighttime attraction — Cosmic Drive. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Lahaina man, 76, identified as the 101st fire victim. Paul Kasprzycki, 76, had been one of three remaining people on the official list of those reported as missing to the Maui Police Department after the Lahaina fire. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.  Hawaii Public Radio.  Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.

$15,000 hotel bill for Maui evacuee sparks call for new housing solutions. For the first time, the public is getting an idea of how much it’s costing to house just one wildfire survivor in a Maui hotel. That tab is more than $15,000 per month — and advocates say it shows why intermediate housing is needed now. Hawaii News Now.

Officials Confront Lahaina’s Fire Evacuation Route Problem With Computer Simulations. Narrow roads, gates and parking are playing into how the county and residents should rebuild certain neighborhoods. Civil Beat.

Survey on Permanent Maui Disposal Site closes on Thursday. The County of Maui reminds residents that the last day to respond to its survey on a permanent disposal site for wildfire debris from Lahaina is this Thursday, Feb. 15.  Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai visitors spend a record $2.76 billion in 2023. The willingness of people to dig deep into their pockets, while spending time on the island of Kaua‘i, produced a record-setting year for visitor spending. Garden Island.