Showing posts with label Annie E. Casey Foundation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Annie E. Casey Foundation. Show all posts

Thursday, June 18, 2026

Hawaii in bottom third of states for academic and economic outcomes, sugary drinks banned from SNAP purchases, state Supreme Court asked to free elephants at Honolulu Zoo, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Report: Teen Pregnancy Is Down But So Are Test Scores. Hawaiʻi ranks in the bottom third of states for academic and economic outcomes for kids, even as it posted improvements in other areas. Hawaiʻi is seeing fewer teen pregnancies and improvements in child mortality rates, but student achievement has yet to fully recover after dipping during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a recent report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.  Civil Beat.

State to restrict sugary drinks for SNAP recipients. Along with alcohol and tobacco, those using their EBT cards will not be able to buy sugary beverages. KITV4.

Ed Case Says No To Debating Jarrett Keohokalole In Congressional Race. Experts say there’s little advantage for incumbents to debate their opponents even though the event benefits voters. U.S. Rep. Ed Case said he will not debate state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole in advance of the Aug. 8 Democratic primary, arguing that his opponent has had nothing substantive to offer in terms of policy or explaining how he would better represent Hawaiʻi in Washington.   Civil Beat.

Military leaders from 25 countries gather in Waikiki to talk coastal warfare. About 300 service members from 25 countries are meeting at the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies for the 12th Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium, a gathering organized by U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific that each year takes place in different locations around the region. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Should Other Animals Have Human Rights? Hawai‘i Court To Decide. The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court is being asked to free two elephants at the Honolulu Zoo based on the idea that the animals are entitled to legal personhood. Civil Beat.

New HPD Chief Lazar meets with police commission ahead of swearing in. Honolulu’s next police chief met with the Police Commission as he prepares to take office. David Lazar emphasized recruitment, retention, and modernization efforts. He will be officially sworn in on July 2nd. KITV4.

Honolulu Ocean Safety Department goes digital. The City and County of Honolulu’s Ocean Safety Department is moving to a fully digital reporting system, which will replace the previous manual system that required lifeguards to handwrite incidents on paper logs. Hawaii Public Radio.

Makiki Community Garden members happy that city finds funding.
After false starts and a funding mistake, Honolulu officials announced it is finally installing fencing around the Makiki Community Garden. KHON2.

Police presence to rise amid Oahu accidents. Oʻahu has recorded 19 traffic fatalities in 2026, and multiple crashes causing serious injuries. This includes Saturday’s, June 13, multi-vehicle crash, which involved six vehicles, one with multiple children in it, including a 5-day-old infant.  KHON2.

Lawmakers host Manoa emergency prep forum after Kona low flooding. On Wednesday, a forum was held at Noelani Elementary School. Organizers said the meeting aimed to provide information to prepare for weather emergencies or other public safety threats, as well as to highlight “lessons learned” from the recent flooding. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Council postpones eminent domain resolution targeting Puna land. The Hawaii County Council on Wednesday agreed to postpone a resolution calling for the acquisition of 3.74 acres of coastal Puna land using eminent domain to widen Government Beach Road — a measure described by opposition testifiers as “criminal” and an attempt to “trample” on the landowner’s rights. Tribune-Herald.

FEMA joins county, state emergency management teams to assess South Kona earthquake damages. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is in South Kona this week to assess properties damaged by the 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck on May 22, rocking homes off their foundations and destroying dozens of catchment systems that left residents without potable water. Big Island Now. Big Island Video News. 

Meeting set to discuss Kona airport master plan. The state Department of Transportation is holding its third community information meeting for the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole master plan update. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Council panel rejects charter amendment to set aside transient accommodations tax for climate fund. A Maui County Council committee decided against a proposed Maui County Charter amendment to dedicate a fifth of the County’s transient accommodations tax revenue to climate change and impacts.  Maui Now.

Affordable-housing project awaits County Council action Friday. The project is on more than 160 acres of vacant land connected to Hansen and Pūlehu roads, with a variety of commercial, recreational and light-industrial uses and 1,608 multifamily housing units, including about 800 affordable units. Maui News.

Maui Police Chief: Recent Scare Underscores Lax Security At County Offices. After a suspect flashed what he implied was a gun at a planning office, Police Chief John Pelletier and others are calling for urgent action. Civil Beat.

‘Īao Valley emergency flood repairs approved; but questions arise about long-term impacts to river. On Tuesday, the Hawai‘i Commission on Water Resource Management decided the work done by residents in the days after the flood to move rocks with excavators and redirect the Wailuku River was in line with emergency rules and won’t require additional permitting. Maui Now.

Plan to expand facilities at Makena State Park sparks criticism. Some Maui residents are critical of a plan to expand the facilities at Makena State Park in South Maui, saying the project would threaten endangered hawksbill turtles and increase the likelihood of serious spinal injuries. Maui News.

Kauai


Kauaʻi grand jury indicts Billy Sinclair on all 28 counts following homicide in Hanalei. Fifth Circuit Court Chief Judge Michael Soong issued a no bail warrant for the 51-year-old murder suspect who has been in custody since he was captured by law enforcement on June 8 after a two-day manhunt.  Kauai Now. Garden Island. 

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Child poverty rises, UH paying displaced employees $20M biweekly during federal shutdown, new regs could reopen West Hawaii reefs to aquarium trade, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Child poverty in Hawaii rises and may get worse, report says. A new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows a concerning rise in child poverty in Hawaii, and forecasts it potentially could double without the support of public policies and programs. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

University of Hawaiʻi is paying affected employees out of pocket during shutdown. Over 830 University of Hawaiʻi employees are at least partially paid through federal dollars, with thousands more in positions that are fully federally funded. It costs more than $20 million a pay period — every two weeks — for the system to match their salaries. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hundreds rally to defend Kamehameha Schools’ admissions policy. Under a mix of hot sun and passing rain, hundreds of students, alumni, lawmakers and community members gathered Tuesday morning on the grounds of Iolani Palace — a site steeped in Hawaiian history — to show solidarity with Kamehameha Schools and its long-standing admissions policy favoring Native Hawaiian students. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2. 

Oahu

City Council considers Honolulu’s transit fare policy. A Honolulu City Council resolution urges the city administration to quash a decades-old cost recovery policy for the city’s mass transit system to stave off service cuts and potential fare increases for low-income riders on Oahu. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now. 

Businesses affected by Skyline construction can apply for $10K grant. The City and County of Honolulu is accepting grant applications for businesses affected by Skyline construction, the city announced on Oct. 21. KHON2.

Kapahulu man surrenders, ending 15-hour barricade after deputy sheriff shot. A state Sheriff’s deputy was shot in the hand during the execution of a federal search warrant Tuesday morning, starting a barricade situation on Herbert Street in Kapahulu. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. 

Man indicted for allegations of stealing over $450k in Covid-19 relief funds in Hawaii. According to court documents, Justin Likout used several companies he created in 2018 to make legitimate-looking business accounts in order to get funds. Those companies include No Ka Oi Tours Oahu, No Ka Oi Oahu and Hale Me Ke Malama LLC. KITV4.

Water main break floods homes, prompts road closures in Manoa. The water actually came from a 20-inch main break that the Board of Water Supply said happened at around 4:20 p.m. on Dole Street, about a mile away from the drenched homes.  Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Environmental groups to challenge proposed West Hawai‘i fishing rules. New fishing rules would once again allow commercial aquarium fishing in West Hawai‘i waters. Aloha State Daily.

Hawaiʻi Police Expand Crisis Intervention Team. The Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) recently gained 18 new members following an intensive 40-hour CIT course in Hilo. Big Island Video News.

Beach clean up encourages stewardship of Kona shoreline.
The Kailua Village Business Improvement District hosted the cleanup to protect the shoreline environment and ecosystem, and to encourage community members to contribute to the health and beauty of the coastline whenever possible. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui Council panel advances park agreement for Waikapū Country Town.
The Maui County Council’s Water Authority, Social Services and Parks Committee recommended adoption of a resolution Monday that would authorize the county to execute a park assessment agreement with Waiʻale 905 Partners LLC, the developer of the Waikapū Country Town project. Maui Now.

Lahaina’s affordable Front Street Apartments will be rebuilt with more units, but not soon enough for some former residents. The 142 units at the Front Street Apartments were among more than 700 affordable housing units that were destroyed in the fire. Maui Now.

Maui man faces federal charges of scamming crypto investors.  Alton Joseph Franco of Makawao is charged with wire fraud and money laundering in a Sept. 25 federal criminal complaint. Star-Advertiser.

Packed Maui Animal Shelter Makes Desperate Plea For Help. The 2023 wildfires exacerbated the housing shortage on an island that’s already one of the hardest places to find a place to live with a dog or cat. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Ex-Kauaʻi Cop Accused In Airport Death Lacked Security Guard License. A fired Kauaʻi police detective later hired to provide security at the Līhuʻe airport did not have a state security guard license when he and two others were accused in the death of a 53-year-old man they had restrained. Civil Beat.

Native snails thought to be extinct crawl back into sight
. Big news for native snails, or kāhuli, this fall: Bishop Museum announced last month that crews out in the field discovered two species of snails on Kauaʻi that were thought to be extinct.  Hawaii Public Radio. Kauai Now.