Hopes For Legal Marijuana In Hawaiʻi Dashed As Politicos Flip-Flop. Less than 48 hours after approving a bill to make marijuana use legal for Hawaiʻi residents aged 21 and older, the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives on Thursday punted the measure until next year. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio.
UH Cancer Center backs bills to boost cigarette tax 2 cents. The University of Hawaii Cancer Center would receive a welcomed funding boost if the Legislature increases the state’s cigarette tax by another 2 cents, while a separate Senate bill would have forced the center to merge with the UH medical school, which UH previously said would jeopardize the center’s accreditation. Star-Advertiser.
Increased harbor inspections and penalties on the table to combat illegal fireworks. The state Legislature is considering several measures to crack down on illegal fireworks. Lawmakers are exploring different tactics from more inspections at the harbors to increasing penalties for violators. Hawaii Public Radio. Maui Now.
Proposed police pursuit policy clears committee. Police could only initiate a pursuit if an individual in the vehicle being chased is believed to have committed murder, manslaughter, negligent homicide, felony assault, sexual assault, domestic abuse, escape or DUI — and the vehicle pursuit “is necessary to identify or apprehend” the suspect. Tribune-Herald.
Senate committee defers bill to subsidize school bus driver certification. The Senate Education Committee on Monday killed a bill that would have created a school bus driver certification subsidy pilot program within the state Department of Education for the next school year. Hawaii Public Radio.
State high court probes conditions of Maui wildfires settlement. Hawaii Supreme Court justices posed many exacting, and sometimes skeptical, questions Thursday to attorneys in a case pertaining to the validity of a $4 billion deal to settle Maui wildfire litigation. It may be weeks before the court’s five justices render a decision. Star-Advertiser. Associated Press. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.
Oahu
Honolulu Transit Rates Could Go Up. The Honolulu Rate Commission, which reviews the city’s transit rates, is holding four public meetings next week for people to provide feedback. Civil Beat.
Queen’s eliminating positions to adapt to ‘evolving needs’. The Queen’s Health Systems is eliminating about 100 positions at its hospitals to maintain sustainable operations and adapt to changing times. Queen’s did not specify which positions, how many or when, exactly, they would be eliminated. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.
Honolulu launches $5M grant program to support low-income rental housing. The Department of Land Management is soliciting proposals from nonprofit entities and public agencies for funding opportunities through the Affordable Housing Fund, or AHF, which typically provides funding to develop and expand affordable rental housing for households earning 60% or less of area median income. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.
Oahu home sales gain as inventory expands. Single-family home resales increased by 6.5% compared with January 2024, with 196 homes sold in January from 184 a year ago. Condominium sales also rose, climbing 6.8% to 312 transactions from 292. Star-Advertiser.
North Shore farmer with no criminal record detained by ICE. Hanjun Shen, 60, has been in Hawaii for 16 years and owns JM Farm in Laie, an 18-acre farm which grows Thai basil, Okinawan sweet potato, taro leaf and other herbs. The undocumented immigrant was under a removal order since his application for asylum was denied. Hawaii News Now.
Kakaako dog owners: Kolowalu Dog Park is opening. After months of anticipation, Kakaako residents will have a place to let their four-legged friends run around and have fun. KHON2.
Hawaii Island
Bill Could Allow Maunakea Authority To Side Step Sunshine Law. House Bill 144 was heard by the House Committee on Water & Land on Thursday, although lawmakers have not yet given their recommendation. Big Island Video News.
Volcano Watch: Assembly of volcano scientists to gather in Hilo. Volcano scientists from around the world will gather from Feb. 9-14 in Hilo for the American Geophysical Union Chapman Conference on Caldera-forming Eruptions at Basaltic Volcanoes: Insights and Puzzles from Kīlauea 2018 and Beyond. Big Island Now.
‘We’re watching a coup in real time’. Dozens of West Hawaii activists flocked to the highway Wednesday afternoon in support of a nationwide protest in opposition to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, President Donald Trump and his administration’s ties to Project 2025. West Hawaii Today.
Maui
CDC Report Finds Traces Of PFAs In Maui Firefighters’ Blood. Firefighters who responded to the Maui wildfires had elevated levels of PFAs, a manmade chemical linked to cancer, in their bloodstream, according to a new wildfire report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Associated Press.
Lahaina seaside owners want accelerated rebuilding process. Native Hawaiian Warren Freeland wants to see his family’s historic Pioneer Inn rebuilt as it was before the 2023 wildfire that destroyed a large portion of Lahaina, and he hopes government officials will find a way of accelerating the permitting process in the face of rising construction costs. Maui News.
Air travel crisis on Molokai: Survey reveals devastating impacts to families. An effort is underway aimed at improving the island’s limited access to air travel. This comes after Mokulele, the island’s only air carrier, scrapped dozens of flights last month due to a series of unscheduled aircraft inspections leaving travelers stranded for days, even weeks. Hawaii News Now.
Kauai
Graveyard Of Kauaʻi Cattle Killed By Anthrax Could Undermine Luxury Homes. A judge will hear a lawsuit that Princeville residents have filed against the developer on Tuesday. The lawsuit that seeks to shut down the development on Kauaʻi’s North Shore claims the dead cattle left behind millions of still-dangerous anthrax spores capable of sickening and animals — and maybe people — if unearthed during construction. Civil Beat.
Kapa‘a Satellite DMV brings services to island’s largest residential area. There is a new shortcut to service at the Kaua‘i County Division of Motor Vehicles, due to a new satellite office that launched in January in Kapa‘a town, the largest residential area on the island. Kauai Now.