$124.4M pandemic hazard pay for corrections officers, changes coming to Honolulu City Council, ag crime bill awaits governor's signature, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

State Must Fork Over $124.4 Million In Pandemic Hazard Pay For Prisons. Hawaiʻi corrections officers will receive hazard pay worth 25% of their wages, including thousands of hours of overtime they worked during the pandemic, under a series of arbitration decisions that will cost the state an estimated $124.4 million. Civil Beat.

Number of ICE arrests in Hawaii remains unknown. Homeland Security Investigations Honolulu has said that more than 100 people Opens in a new tab have been arrested for alleged violations of immigration law in Hawaii so far this year. Information on exactly how many over 100, where they were arrested and for what reason has not been made public. Star-Advertiser.

Forfeiture, mandatory jail time part of effort to curb crime on agricultural land. New law would bring stiffer penalties for thieves, vandals and trespassers. Hawaii landowners lost about $3.3 million last year due to theft and vandalism, according to a report by the Department of Agriculture. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii DOH could seize unregulated THC products in 2026 . Delta 8 and Delta 10 are just a few lesser-known cannabinoids that can still get a user high, but they have never been regulated in Hawaii like regular cannabis. That will change on Jan. 1, 2026.  KHON2.

With The HTA In Chaos, A New Hawaiʻi Tourism Leader Has Emerged. The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority faces a major restructuring, staff defections and legal drama. The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement is filling the void. Civil Beat.

Beginning July 1, Hawai‘i drivers to pay more for annual vehicle safety inspections. Starting July 1, 2025, the fee for a Hawai‘i vehicle safety inspection will increase by 75 cents to $25.75 for automobiles and trucks and to $17.75 for motorcycles and trailers. Maui Now. KHON2.

Board of Regents approves Matt Elliott as next athletics director at University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa. During a special meeting on Monday, the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents unanimously approved the appointment of Matt Elliott as UH Mānoa’s next athletics director. Big Island Now. KITV4. 

Oahu

Honolulu City Council leadership changes proposed. A special meeting of the Honolulu City Council today may lead to the political shake-up of its leadership. Star-Advertiser.

Heated moments at Makaha meeting on transitional homes project. Opponents and supporters of a tiny homes project for homeless young adults in Mākaha experienced some tension as they came together Monday. It was the first time the project held a meeting at someone’s house. Hawaii News Now. KITV4. 

Lawsuit Asks Court To Halt Haʻikū Stairs Demolition, Citing State Flip-Flop. The State Historic Preservation Division hasn’t adequately explained why it now supports the stairs’ removal, the suit says. Civil Beat.

ICE agents arrest Russian woman at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have arrested a Russian woman in the United States illegally at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

County housing office still working to implement auditor’s recommendations. Hawaii County’s top housing official said the Office of Housing and Community Development “has implemented or is actively working on all seven of the county auditor’s recommendations” to prevent future fraud such as the affordable housing credits scam that led to the federal convictions of four Big Island residents. Tribune-Herald.

Kilauea fountaining draws locals and visitors like moths to a flame. Since the start of the on-again, off-again eruption Dec. 23, Halemaumau Crater within Kilauea has seen fountaining episodes that have lasted anywhere from hours to days, with molten lava spraying up to 1,200 feet. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Kahikinui fire 93% contained; evacuation orders lifted. Evacuation orders for Kahikinui were lifted at 7 p.m. Monday, June 16, due to increased fire containment, according to Maui Emergency Management Agency.  Maui Now. Hawaii News Now. KITV4. 

Lahaina wildfire debris transfer work begins. A large fleet of trucks began hauling Lahaina wildfire debris Monday from a temporary holding area in Olowalu to a permanent landfill 19 miles away in Central Maui. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. 

Kauai

Here's what you need to know about KIUC's wildfire mitigation work. The Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative has submitted a wildfire mitigation plan to the Public Utilities Commission. It lays out KIUC's strategy for reducing wildfire risk, as well as its associated costs, over the next three years. Hawaii Public Radio.

Water service shutdown scheduled in Hanalei to replace water main infrastructure. The shutdown, which will occur starting at 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will impact customers located on a portion of Weke Road, from Mālolo Road to the north end of Weke Road; Kūhiō Highway, from Mālolo Road to Waikoko, in the vicinity of the hairpin turn, according to a press release from Kaua‘i County. Kauai Now.