Trump could be banned from Hawaii ballot, more than 2k testify on bill prohibiting foreign land buys, judge allows Maui mosquito release, shaka could become official state gesture, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Bill to ban candidates for insurrection passes first hearing.  A bill that could bar former President Donald Trump from appearing on November’s Hawaii election ballot received considerable pushback Tuesday from his supporters, some of whom came to the state Capitol dressed in patriotic wear. Star-Advertiser.

Foreigners would be banned from buying property in Hawaii under new proposed bill. More than 2,000 people submit testimony for a bill prohibiting foreigners from purchasing any type of land in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Hawaii lawmakers consider overruling regulator on solar energy program rates. A pair of bills sought by the rooftop solar industry seek to increase rates that residential and business rooftop solar system owners receive for helping Hawaiian Electric balance its power needs on Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Hawaii island under a program approved by the state Public Utilities Commission in December and scheduled to begin March 1. Star-Advertiser.

Legislators look at bills to improve and maintain Hawaiʻi's irrigation systems. The state Legislature is considering several bills that would fund or improve Hawaiʻi’s irrigation systems to support local agriculture. Hawaii Public Radio.

‘Harm to students registry’ bill is intended to halt predators. A measure to establish a “harm to students registry” of Hawaii school employees and volunteers found to have committed sexual abuse, physical assault or other harassment against children, and to revoke the teaching licenses of educators who resign or retire in lieu of termination, has been advanced by two state Senate committees. Star-Advertiser.

Testifiers overwhelmingly support BAC reduction, committee vote deferred. A parade of testifiers Tuesday urged the state House Transportation Committee to lower the legal intoxication threshold for motorists from 0.08% blood alcohol content to 0.05%. Tribune-Herald.

Lawmakers aim to ban gas powered mopeds to help quiet the noise. Mopeds. To some they are cheap and convenient, but others said they are too noisy. There are several bills targeting mopeds this legislative session. KHON2.

Measure to be heard today aims to make the shaka the official state gesture. The state Legislature will be hangin’ loose today as lawmakers discuss whether to make the shaka the official “state gesture” of Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

Group appeals ruling for Haiku Stairs’ removal. The legal battle continued this week to save 4,000 feet of steel steps built on a sheer ridgeline above Kaneohe from a City and County of Honolulu demolition project. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu housing market starts year on upswing. Data from sales of previously owned homes in January shows a gain in volume for the first time in two years for single-family houses and 19 months for condominiums. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Kaneshiro Bribery Trial Delayed By New Judge. The pay-to-play corruption case against Honolulu’s former prosecuting attorney will be delayed following the sudden appointment of a new judge who is grappling with a flurry of legal motions, including some that are hidden from public view.  Civil Beat.

Sick juror delays trial of alleged Hawaii crime lord Miske. After 17 days, the trial of alleged Hawaii crime lord Michael J. Miske Jr. is on break until Feb. 12 because a juror fell ill, according to federal court documents. Star-Advertiser.

Families Stopped Paying Rent During The Red Hill Water Crisis. Now Their Landlord Wants To Collect. Their houses lacked usable water after the Red Hill leaks, but their landlord has referred the debts for rent and utilities to a collection agency. Civil Beat.

Oʻahu's new crisis center offers insight to gauge next steps in mental health legislation. The state Department of Health will soon expand its care options to include a behavioral health crisis center for people suffering from severe mental illness. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Hawai‘i County Council presents resolution urging lawmakers to increase penalties for vicious dog attacks. Hawai‘i County Council gave a favorable recommendation to a resolution urging state lawmakers to increase fines and penalties for dog owners whose animals attack a person.  Big Island Video News. Big Island Now.

Five students suspended following altercation at Hilo High School. A Hilo High School administrator was injured and taken to a hospital “as a precaution” after a police officer collided with her during a student brawl Tuesday morning, authorities said. Big Island Now. Star-Advertiser.  Hawaii News Now.

Maui

Judge rejects attempt to stop mosquito release. The project aims to save rapidly diminishing native Hawaiian honeycreeper forest birds from extinction, but a Maui-based group called Hawaii Unites went to court to stop it, describing the effort as an experiment that could go wrong and that needs more study. Star-Advertiser.

MPD After-Action Report omits evacuation plan recommendations. The preliminary after-action report offers 32 recommendations how to improve MPD’s response to disasters. Not a single recommendation addressed improving evacuation routes or acknowledging how road closures hindered the evacuation. KITV4.

$4.9 million county grant sought to cover rising building costs for Kīhei housing project. ʻĀina Lani Pacific is seeking a Maui County grant of more than $4.9 million to help pay for steeply rising construction costs projected for the developer’s 28-home Kilohana Makai project in Kīhei. Maui Now.

New Planning Director Will Guide Maui Through Lahaina Rebuilding And Affordable Housing Crisis. Kate Blystone takes over a department reeling with low morale, a backlog of permits, a staffing shortage and other issues while dealing with the fire recovery. Civil Beat.

Bills To Monitor Maui’s Air And Water Quality After The Lahaina Disaster Are Moving Forward. The measures aim to keep that effort going after the debris removal from the wildfires ends. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Kaua‘i County officials hold groundbreaking for Puhi Road Rehabilitation Project.  This phase of the project will continue the improvements from Kaneka Street to Haleukana Street. The scope of work includes road repaving, drainage improvements, restriping, updating signage, installing sidewalks, curbs, and gutters, and road widening to provide on-street parking in some areas. Kauai Now.

Comments for proposed affordable housing development in Puhi accepted until Feb. 21. This proposed housing development would include up to 60 multi-family affordable units as well as include a planned education center on County-owned land in Puhi. The proposed project seeks to accommodate a blend of affordable incomes. Kauai Now.

Interior Department issues new Hawaiian language guidance, Green pushes climate fee, Saiki, Roth out-raising challengers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Department of the Interior releases new guidance to honor, elevate Hawaiian language. A comprehensive new Departmental Manual chapter underscores the Department’s commitment to further integrating Indigenous Knowledge and cultural practices into conservation stewardship. Kauai Now.

Full text of new Department of the Interior chapter can be found here.

Bill to raise Hawaii DOE superintendent pay cap sparks controversy. Hawaii DOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi currently makes $240,000 a year. A bill would raise that cap to $350,000, but there’s no shortage of frustration when talking about pay increases for government officials. Hawaii News Now.

Lawmakers consider bills to address childcare staffing shortages. SB 2603 and its companion bill, HB1964, would require the Department of Human Services to establish a childcare subsidy and bonus program for workers caring for children six weeks to 3 years old. KITV4.

Hawaii’s Governor Wants To Finally Get A Climate Fee Passed, But Will It Be Enough? The state is falling short by hundreds of millions of dollars each year to protect its environment, conservationists say. The new proposal would raise about $70 million annually. Civil Beat.

Bills would regulate short-term rentals. A bill that seeks to give the counties the power to control short-term rentals — even phase them out— is moving in the state Legislature. Other bills under consideration are geared to encouraging better regulation of short-term rentals, or providing incentives to convert them into longer-term housing. Star-Advertiser.

House Speaker Well Funded In Rematch With Persistent Opponent. Scott Saiki has 10 times the amount of cash in his campaign war chest compared with Kim Coco Iwamoto. Civil Beat.

Wildfire issues take center stage among Hawaii lawmakers. Predicting wildfires using artificial intelligence, banning new overhead high-voltage power lines and paying for catastrophic fire property losses could be in Hawaii’s future depending on state lawmaker decisions this year. Star-Advertiser.

HECO-Backed Bill Would Help Protect Utilities From Litigation Over Wildfire Damage. Utilities, insurers, large landowners and the state would pay into a "wildfire relief fund" to help pay for property damage claims. Civil Beat.

HECO’s Board Chair Is Suing His Own Utility Over The Maui Fires. Timothy Johns has recused himself from some HECO decisions, as an activist shareholder calls for overhauling HECO's board. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s New $120M Undersea Cable Project Is A ‘Serious Poke’ To Shake Up The Market. The state will retain a 20% ownership interest in the interisland network, which will compete with Hawaiian Telcom. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Lawmakers Consider Banning Excessive Delirium As A Cause Of Death. The term already isn't being used by the Medical Examiner's Office and most doctors, officials said. But advocates want to ban it officially. Civil Beat.

Hawaii retail market faced exodus, but some are optimistic. Times are tough for those in retail, but some retailers are still forging ahead with the opening of new stores, with hopes of betters times to come. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

HART mulls scrapping internal audit. A plan to scrap a previously sought top-down internal review of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is underway. Star-Advertiser.

29 Honolulu police officers disciplined in 2023. Twenty-nine Honolulu police officers were disciplined in 2023 in connection with 28 incidents, including covering up police pursuits that ended in crashes and acquiring parts to build a ghost gun. Star-Advertiser.

Navy water system sees increase in tap water, air quality complaints. The Navy is responsible for maintaining water quality, as the water purveyor for the water system, and is therefore primarily responsible for water testing, under regulatory oversight by the state Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Star-Advertiser.

Backlog of repairs plagues UH Manoa student housing as officials try for revitalization. Serious plumbing problems are a major reason the 656-bed Hale Wainani apartments are considered by UH officials to be at risk of becoming the next aging UH student housing complex to be closed, following the neighboring 530-bed Hale Noelani apartment complex, which has been shuttered and silent for nearly seven years. Star-Advertiser.

New housing development planned at former Saint Francis School campus. Saint Francis School closed its doors in 2019, and developer Avalon Group has bought the property for $23.35 million, according to brokerage firm CBRE. Star-Advertiser.

Concerns rising for Oahu's homeless kupuna. The city and state are working together to find more health care and social service workers to help homeless people on the streets and develop the most appropriate course of treatment. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Big Island Mayor Outpaces Lone Challenger In Election Fundraising. Mitch Roth's war chest is tens of thousands of dollars larger than that of rival candidate Kimo Alameda with nine months to go before the election. Civil Beat.

‘Safe Spaces’ plan underway: County officials eyeing possible sites for homeless camps. Homeless individuals could begin congregating in Hawaii County-authorized “Safe Spaces” in Hilo and Kailua-Kona under a new housing initiative. Tribune-Herald.

National park launches volcano summit makeover. Nearly six years after the 2018 Kilauea eruption landed crippling blows to the buildings and roads of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, the National Park Serv­ice has launched a $28 million project to rehabilitate the summit area of Kilauea Volcano. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Bill seeks to expedite rebuilding of homes and businesses in Lahaina and Upcountry Maui. Bill 21 (2024), submitted by the county’s Department of Public Works, would amend the Maui County Code in an effort to broaden the applicability of emergency-repair provisions and clarify the review and approval procedures for emergency-repair permits.  Maui Now.

Developer selected for proposed ʻUkiu Energy biofuel-powered generator project on Maui. The ʻUkiu Energy 40-megawatt (MW) biofuel-powered generator proposed by Ameresco Inc. is aimed at helping to move Hawai‘i closer to its clean energy goals, while adding critical grid reliability with firm renewable energy.  Maui Now.

Kaiser to open temporary West Maui Clinic in Kaanapali. Kaiser Permanente recently announced plans to open a temporary West Maui Clinic on the grounds of the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort in Kaanapali.  Star-Advertiser.

HECO, Maui County may be sued for harm to seabirds from streetlights and power lines. The Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi and the American Bird Conservancy, represented by Earthjustice, submitted notice this week that they may file a lawsuit seeking to "put an end to HECO's and the County's illegal conduct," according to a statement.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Vidinha Stadium to temporarily close for repairs. Director of Parks and Recreation Pat Porter said the repairs are needed to extend the life of track. Track users, including the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation, may continue to use it until the main track and field replacement projects get underway. Kauai Now.

Connecting to Kaua‘i’s endangered forest birds. Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami issued a Makahiki o na manu proclamation dedicating the year to raising awareness about native forest birds. Garden Island.

Lawmakers mull statewide vacation rental ban, HECO cleared to spend $190M to harden electric grid, money pouring in to campaign coffers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

A Statewide Ban On Vacation Rentals? The Idea Is Gaining Steam After The Maui Fires. Lawmakers are considering making it easier for counties to do away with short-term rentals altogether. Currently, 5.5% or 30,000 of Hawaii’s 557,000 total housing units operate as short-term rentals, according to the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization’s “Hawaii Housing Factbook,” published in June. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Gets The Green Light On Its $190 Million Resiliency Plan To Harden The Grid. State energy regulators have given their conditional approval to a five-year, $190 million plan by Hawaiian Electric to retool some of the most vulnerable parts of its grid as the company looks to address wildfire dangers and other threats related to climate change. Civil Beat. Tribune-Herald.  KHON2.

Hawaiian Electric says to prepare for outages ahead of severe weather. Hawaiian Electric is urging customers to prepare ahead of time for the heavy rains and winds forecast to hit most of the state on Friday and Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian, Alaska leaders tout airline deal. The top executives of Hawaiian and Alaska airlines said their companies are moving forward on an upcoming merger that they characterized as pro-consumer and pro-competitive because it allows them to compete more effectively in an industry dominated by larger carriers Delta, United, American and Southwest, which together make up 80% of the U.S. market. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

Should the state increase the unemployment compensation? Some said it’s needed to offset the high cost of living, especially after the Maui wildfires. Others fear it would only encourage apathy. KHON2.

Preschool subsidies expand to Hawaii families over income limit. An estimated 2,000 more preschool children across the state are expected to receive early childhood education through subsidies made possible after the Legislature in 2023 increased funding to $50 million from $12 million to expand the “Preschool Open Doors” program, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers push back on state's $2M request to fight youth-led climate change lawsuit. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Karl Rhoads would rather see the money go toward implementing policies that reduce emissions. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hirono Posts Solid Fundraising Numbers In Reelection Bid. More than six months out from primary day, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono has nearly $1.8 million in campaign cash and faces no Democrat in the Aug. 10 contest and a relatively unknown Republican in the Nov. 5 general election. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Campaign Donations Roll In For Honolulu Mayor’s Reelection Bid. Mayor Rick Blangiardi received about $289,000 in campaign donations during the second half of last year, more than the combined total received by the five council members up for reelection in 2024. Civil Beat.

‘Big win’: City gets long-awaited federal funds to help build rail line to Kakaako. With the stroke of a pen, $744 million will be released to finish Honolulu’s rail system all the way to Kakaako. Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed an amended Full Funding Grant Agreement on Thursday. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Miske Defense Calls Key Government Witness A Career Criminal Who ‘Fooled Everybody’.  A lieutenant of alleged Hawaii crime boss Michael J. Miske Jr. was an oxycodone addict who sold methamphetamine while on federal probation and working as an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, defense attorneys established Thursday. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Removal Of Buildings Underway At Summit Of Kīlauea Volcano.  Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is preparing to demolish the landmark Jaggar Museum. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.

Hilo rezoning request draws opposition from neighbors. The Windward Planning Commission on Thursday discussed, but made no decision regarding, a proposal by Big Island developers to rezone a property at the corner of Manono and Lanikaula streets to allow for the construction of an approximately 5,000-square-foot one-story building to be used for unspecified retail purposes. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Has Yet To Launch A Covid-Era Housing Program That Could Provide $24 Million In Relief To Fire Survivors. County council members want the Bissen administration to take advantage of the federal money before it's too late.  Civil Beat.

A popular tavern becomes the first business to reopen on Lahaina’s main street. Mala Ocean Tavern is the first business on Front Street to reopen after the devastating fires nearly six months ago. Front Street is known as “ground zero” because most of the businesses on the famous street in Lahaina were destroyed. Hawaii News Now.

Maui County officials unveil three potential permanent Lahaina debris disposal sites. Two West Maui locations and the Central Maui Landfill are under consideration as permanent disposal sites for an estimated 400,000 cubic yards of ash and debris to be removed from Lahaina wildfire burn zones. Maui Now.

Maui visitor arrivals up to highest levels in five months; December spending down. Maui visitor arrivals were up in December to the highest levels in the nearly five months since the August Lahaina wildfire disaster, according to preliminary statistics from the Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. However, the month’s Valley Isle arrivals of were 24.8% less than December 2022 and 28.7% less than December 2019. Maui Now.

Kauai

West Kauaʻi to address pollution at Kīkīaola Small Boat Harbor in settlement with community groups. Community groups Nā Ki‘ai Kai and Surfrider Foundation, represented by nonprofit environmental law organization Earthjustice, have settled with the County of Kauaʻi and the Department of Health to clean up pollution from drainage ditches discharging into the ocean along West Kaua‘i, including the Kīkīaola Small Boat Harbor. Kauai Now. KITV4.

Government employees lose retiree benefits lawsuit, property tax surcharge for education bill revived, Hawaii Democrats announce presidential primary candidates, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawai‘i AG prevails in class-action lawsuit involving state retiree health benefits. After nearly 18 years in court, the Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General has prevailed in a class-action lawsuit in which retired government employees sought to recover hundreds of millions of dollars in claims relating to retiree health benefits provided by the Hawai‘i Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund.  Big Island Now.

AG swamped with hundreds more cases after city prosecutor’s ‘unilateral’ decision. Honolulu City Prosecutor Steve Alm has ended the practice of prosecuting cases from state law enforcement agencies — a decision made late last year that’s resulted in about 600 additional cases for the state Attorney General’s Office. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiʻi Democrats announce presidential primary candidates for March 6 ballot. President Joe Biden and four other candidates will be on the March 6 Democratic Party presidential primary election ballot, the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi announced. Maui Now.

Bipartisan Maui wildfire legislative package focuses on prevention and preparedness. After the last legislative session, House Speaker Scott Saiki created six working groups to evaluate topics related to the Maui wildfires. The bipartisan group issued a package of 10 bills and two resolutions that aim to prevent wildfires statewide and be more prepared. Hawaii Public Radio.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment Would Let Hawaii Use Property Taxes To Fund Schools. A measure that would have Hawaii voters decide on whether residential investment property valued at $3 million or more should be subject to a surcharge in order to increase funding for local public education passed out of the state House Education Committee on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

House Majority introduces bill package for 2024 Hawaiʻi Legislative Session. The majority caucus of the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives has introduced nine bills aimed at addressing several critical issues throughout the state as part of its bill package for the 2024 Hawaiʻi Legislative Session. Big Island Now.

Working Families Legislative Caucus sponsors several bills aimed at boosting economic justice. A group of 14 state lawmakers focused on helping Hawai’i’s working families is sponsoring several bills during the 2024 legislative session intended to boost financial security for the state’s vulnerable residents. Big Island Now.

Republican bill would let only current, former residents buy Hawaii homes. Only current and former residents would be allowed to purchase homes under a House Republican bill designed to lower prices and make Hawaii housing more affordable across the state. Star-Advertiser.

State Health Department determines awa, also known as kava, to be safe. The traditional elixir is known as awa in Hawaii and was brought to the islands by the early Polynesian settlers. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.

Officials say Hawaiʻi needs more plant quarantine inspectors. Officials who oversee the inspection of goods coming to Hawaiʻi say they can’t do it properly because of a staffing shortage. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Condemned Waikiki walk-up is eyed for affordable housing. Following nearly two years of condemnation proceedings, Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration said in a news release Tuesday that the city finally assumed ownership of the derelict, 9,454-square-foot property at 1615 Ala Wai Blvd. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Rolling Power Outages On Hawaiʻi Island As Generators Trip Offline. 30-minute rolling power outages were initiated across the Island of Hawaiʻi on Tuesday, due to the unexpected loss of several large generators. Big Island Video News.

Bills introduced for dangerous dogs, involuntary manslaughter. Big Island lawmakers have introduced a pair of bills in the state House that would make the owners of a dangerous dog or dogs that fatally maul a person subject to felony charges. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Presentation on Permanent Disposal Site on agenda for Lahaina meeting, Jan. 31. The community is encouraged to learn more about the status and process of selecting a Permanent Disposal Site for ash and debris from the Lahaina wildfire at the County of Maui Disaster Recovery Community Update meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, at the Lahaina Civic Center. Maui Now.

Maui’s Martin gets new post as Public Affairs Director; Abraham to lead Communications and Government Affairs. Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen announced today that Mahina Martin, his Chief of Communications and Public Affairs, will take on a new role as Director of Public Affairs. He also appointed his legislative liaison and executive assistant, Laksmi Abraham, as Director of Communications and Government Affairs.  Maui Now.

FEMA Is Developing A ‘Last Resort’ Plan To House Maui Fire Survivors In Kaanapali. Hawaii Sen. Angus McKelvey said "dignified" modular housing should be installed in this area near Lahaina to keep the community together. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Bill To Speed Construction Of Ohana Houses On Maui Adopted. The legislation will make it possible for homeowners to get paid to build accessory dwelling units on their properties. Civil Beat.

Grand Wailea spa shakes up amid court fight. Counsel for spa workers who are part of an “upcoming mass layoff” of independent contractors at the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf-­Astoria Resort, said workers had until this morning to decide whether they would sign an arbitration agreement to keep their jobs, which are converting into W-2 positions. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Businesses Are Supposed To Have Priority For Wildfire Cleanup Jobs. Do They? The mainland contractor overseeing the work doesn't have to reveal who is getting hired even though it's a taxpayer-funded job. Civil Beat.

2 month road closure between Alelele and Lelekea Bridge in East Maui due to erosion. Motorists are advised that the highway in the Kīpahulu area of southeast Maui is closed near Mile 39 from Alelele Bridge to Lelekea Bridge due to erosion damage to the road caused by recent heavy rains.  Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai Residents Want Next County Budget To Address Housing, Disaster Preparedness, Environment. The public can weigh in on county spending priorities at six listening sessions scheduled islandwide through early March. Civil Beat. Kauai Now.

Ranchers seek more land, deepfake political messaging targeted, Senate to hold public hearing on vacation rental bill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Ranchers Want More Land Transferred To The State Agriculture Department. Gov. Josh Green's administration has moved quickly to shift thousands of acres out of DLNR's control to boost ag production but more remains on the table. Civil Beat.

Deepfake political messaging is targeted. In an effort to keep artificial intelligence — or deepfake — messaging out of Hawaii elections, two bills would ban false information of a candidate or party, and a third would make it a petty misdemeanor to distribute — or conspire to distribute — fake political messages. Star-Advertiser.

Candidates began ballot process Thursday. Candidates for this year’s Primary and General elections can begin the process to have their names on the ballot starting Thursday. Star-Advertiser. Kauai Now.

Hawai‘i State Senate to hold public hearing on vacation rental bill. On Friday, three Senate Committees will hold a joint public hearing on Senate Bill 2919, which establishes certain State Regulations for short-term vacation rentals, allows the counties to adopt zoning ordinances and regulations for the amortization or phasing out of certain lands or structures, and applies the TAT to shelters and vehicles with, or advertised as including, sleeping accommodations. Big Island Now.

Proposed state-wide ban on single-use plastics pushes for truly green alternatives. It’s been over a year since a ban on single-use plastics went into effect on Oahu, but lawmakers are looking at a new proposal that would ban it statewide and ensure the alternatives aren’t adding to the problem. KHON2.

Hawaiian Homelands Chair Embarks On 'Aggressive' Agenda At Legislature. Kali Watson is asking lawmakers for more time to spend $600 million for Native Hawaiian homesteads as well as more influence. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Proposed bill will require Olelo Hawaii as high school graduating requirement. A new bill has been proposed that will require students to take two years of Hawaiian language as a requirement for high school graduation. KHON2.

From tents to barns, Hawaiʻi charter school advocates say it's time for a permanent campus. Advocates are urging state lawmakers to introduce a resolution to address the facilities issue as charter schools have long grappled with the problem that charter schools don't get funding for capital improvement projects. Hawaii Public Radio.

Alaska Airlines creates local advisory board as it moves to acquire Hawaiian Airlines. Alaska Airlines announced Monday that it has established a Hawai‘i Community Advisory Board, or HICAB, to honor the legacy and significance of the Hawaiian Airlines brand as the airlines work toward combining as well as to reinforce Alaska Airlines’ expanded role in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Council bill for affordable rental housing advances. The Honolulu City Council has advanced a first-reading measure meant to give private developers of affordable rental projects more financial incentives to build. Star-Advertiser.

DOH orders Navy to retest Waiawa Shaft after complaints from users. The state Department of Health ordered the Navy to retest Waiawa Shaft after being informed of about 50 tap water and air quality complaints from Navy water system users. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Prosecuting attorney investigating Thursday’s shooting by police officer. The Department of the Prosecuting Attorney is investigating Thursday’s fatal shooting by a police officer in Makaha while the Hono­lulu Police Department also works to determine whether the man was armed when he lunged at officers. Star-Advertiser.

Concern Hawaii acid attack could chill Chinese tourism. The suspect in an acid attack appeared in court Monday and will be back in court Wednesday. Sebastian Mahkwan has been charged with attempted murder and assault charges. KITV4.

Family-run Wahiawa egg farm Peterson’s Upland Farm to close. Peterson’s Upland Farm, a family-run egg farm in Wahiawa, says it will be closing after 114 years in business. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

A Birth On A Hilo Sidewalk Reflects Challenges In Helping A Growing Homeless Community. The infant's homeless, mentally ill mother is back on the streets as law enforcement wrestles with whether to charge her. Civil Beat.

Kona legislators introduce stricter coffee labeling laws. The move comes in response to deceptive labeling concerns and a recent report from the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture, which offered clear economic justification for the Legislature to increase the minimum content required for a product to bear the Kona name on its packaging. Big Island Now.

Measures seek to ease Puna’s insurance crisis. With Universal, one of the last providers offering coverage in lower Puna, abandoning ship, most homeowners will be left with only one insurance option: the state-run provider of last resort, Hawaii Property Insurance Association, whose yearly rates for basic coverage have ballooned to thousands of dollars. Tribune-Herald.

Proposed Kona Vistas project to go before Land Use Commission. A proposed Kona development that has spent decades in planning and is vehemently opposed by neighboring communities will be in front of the state Land Use Commission on Feb. 7 to address questions related to the project. West Hawaii Today.

BISAC launches detox clinic. As substance abuse continues to plague vulnerable populations, Hawaii Island’s first nonprofit detoxification clinic will open for clients this Thursday. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

One year later: Haleakalā fuel cleanup nears final remediation. A year ago today, nearly 700 gallons of diesel fuel spilled at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex at Haleakalā’s summit. Since then Air Force reports its officials have worked with the Maui community and Native Hawaiian organizations to remediate the site. Maui Now.

Boat groundings on Maui continue to escalate. The state has awarded an $842,000 contract to salvage one grounded boat and is considering a large fine against the owner of another — part of a year that saw an unusual number of vessels get stuck on the shorelines of Maui County. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.  Maui News.

Kauai

Safeway helps nourish neighbors on Kaua‘i. The crew at the Hawai‘i Foodbank Kaua‘i wrapped up a busy week by accepting 13 pallets of food at its Puhi Industrial Park offices and warehouse on Friday afternoon. Garden Island.