Bill seeks cellphone ban at schools, Kaiser Permanente strike begins today, Schofield soldiers doubling up in barracks as US military beefs up Hawaii presence, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Teachers, parents divided over proposed school cellphone ban. Cellphones and all other telecommunication devices would be banned in Hawaii’s public schools under a House bill that attempts to resolve a divisive issue, even among Hawaii’s public school teachers. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Are Full Of Ideas For Improving Schools. Few Will Pass. Lawmakers are prioritizing free meals for students and stronger protections for school employees this session, but less than 10% of education bills become law each year. Civil Beat.

Math at the center of Hawaii’s education priorities as leaders look ahead. Math readiness has emerged as a defining education issue for Hawaii as lawmakers and school leaders prepare for the 2026 legislative cycle, framing numeracy not only as an academic concern but as a foundation for workforce readiness, economic mobility and long-term student success. Star-Advertiser.

Japanese American soldiers once branded ‘enemy aliens’ to be promoted posthumously. Seven Japanese American soldiers will be promoted to officer ranks in a solemn ceremony Monday, eight decades after they died fighting for the U.S. during World War II despite having been branded “enemy aliens.”  The seven were students at the University of Hawaii and cadets in the Reserve Officer Training Corps, on track to become Army officers, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.  Associated Press.

Kaiser strike set to begin despite union offer to resume bargaining. Hundreds of Kaiser Permanente Hawaii employees are set to walk off the job on Monday at 7 a.m. Approximately 240 pharmacists, rehabilitation therapists and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) in Hawaii will be joining thousands of others in California from the United Nurses Association of California and the Union of Health Care Professionals. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

'We have to push back,' ACLU president on mission to uphold civil liberties. Deborah Archer has been the president of the national ACLU since 2021. She spoke with HPR about how the ACLU has changed during the second Trump administration. Hawaii Public Radio. 

Hawaiian Kingdom enters lawsuit against Kamehameha Schools. The Council of Regency, as interim government of the Hawaiian Kingdom, on Jan. 21 filed a motion to intervene with an accompanying motion to dismiss in the Students for Fair Admissions vs. Kamehameha Schools lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court. Big Island Now.

Oahu

Schofield soldiers forced to ‘double up’ in barracks with more troops coming. Some soldiers on Oahu are being told they might be living “doubled up” in their barracks rooms for at least 15 months or longer as the U.S. Army increases the number of troops in Hawaii under a major force restructuring. The Army has been putting increased emphasis on Hawaii as a hub for Pacific training and operations amid tensions with China. Star-Advertiser.

City seeks new headquarters for Ocean Safety Department.  HOSD’s plans include a proposed land swap arrangement involving the Kapiolani Park Trust to temporarily accommodate mobile trailers near its existing headquarters in the Waikiki area. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Fireworks Citations Offer Glimpse Into Use Of New Laws. Fireworks citations and fines were up on Oʻahu, but the jury is still out on how effective aerial drones will be. Civil Beat.

Hawaii slows speed camera expansion after warning period. The state Department of Transportation is declaring its recently activated automated speed limit enforcement program in urban Honolulu a success, but expansion is going to be slower and smaller than previously planned. Star-Advertiser.

Strike at Kaiser Moanalua set to begin today. No resolution is yet in sight over a new contract between Kaiser and the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, which represents 31,000 registered nurses, pharmacists and others, including about 250 in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

For those who depend on coconuts, few options exist to fight invasive beetles. The invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle, or CRB for short, has killed thousands of coconut trees on Oahu since its arrival in 2013. Around 1-1/2 years ago, it first appeared in Kahana Valley. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Update On Ashfall, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park After Episode 41. The ongoing eruption at the summit of Kīlauea volcano is once again paused, following the high lava fountaining of episode 41 that covered the surrounding area in tephra and dispersed fine ash as far as Hilo.  Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now. 

New artificial intelligence degree debuts later this year at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. The College of Business and Economics is launching a new artificial intelligence concentration in the bachelor of business administration program beginning in the 2026 fall semester. It will formally interface with the university’s data science program. Big Island Now.

Police investigating Thursday afternoon affray in Hilo. At 3:17 p.m., police responded to a report of a disturbance involving an estimated 30 to 40 teenagers at Mohouli Park. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Mayor Bissen to make annual appearance with Hawai‘i mayors before state lawmakers. Mayor Richard Bissen will join the state’s other three mayors in making presentations Monday afternoon before members of the Senate Ways and Means and House Finance committees at the State Capitol. Maui Now.

Federal Housing Programs For Maui Fire Survivors Extended Until 2027. Federal officials approved the state’s request to extend for a year the program that hundreds of Maui wildfire survivors still rely on for temporary housing and financial assistance, Gov. Josh Green announced on Friday afternoon. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kaiser Permanente releases Maui pharmacy closure details ahead of Monday strike. Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi announced operational plans Saturday for Maui County ahead of an open-ended strike by unionized health care workers scheduled to begin Monday. Maui Now.

50 Years On Kahoʻolawe: Inside The Journey To Rescue Hawaiʻi’s Target Island. The goal isn’t just to heal the environment, activists say. It’s to forge an island where Hawaiians can reclaim their culture. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Tsunamis, Floods And Not Enough Space: Kauaʻi Is Moving To Replace Its Jail. With an upcoming highway-widening project expected to encroach on a third of the Wailua facility’s property, the state is finally moving forward with plans to construct a new rehabilitation-focused KCCC on empty agricultural land in Hanamā‘ulu.  Civil Beat.

Updated leadership in Hawaiʻi House of Representatives named for 2026 state legislative session. Members of the Kaua‘i House delegation will be taking leadership roles on the House floor and in committees, including House Speaker Nadine Nakamura (Hā‘ena, Wainiha, Hanalei, Princeville, Kīlauea, Anahola, Keālia, Kapa‘a, portion of Wailua, Kawaihau) and Majority Floor Leader Dee Morikawa (Ni‘ihau, portion of ‘Ōma‘o, Kōloa, Po‘ipū, Lāwa‘i, Kalāheo, Ele‘ele, Hanapēpē, Kaawanui Village, Pākalā Village, Waimea, Kekaha). Kauai Now.