Japanese visitors are still missing from Hawaiʻi's hospitality picture. Last year, the number of visitors who came to Hawaiʻi from Japan was less than half the number who came in 2019. It's not just the lingering effects of the pandemic keeping some of them away. Hawaii Public Radio.
Hawaii visitors bureau to explore beyond HTA contracts. The Hawai‘i Visitors &Convention Bureau, a more than century-old member of Hawaii’s visitor industry, has for years shaped how visitors think of Hawaii and how residents perceive tourism. Star-Advertiser.
Hawaiʻi constitutional amendment proposed as protest of unlimited campaign spending. Senate Bill 311 would advance a proposed amendment to the Hawaiʻi State Constitution to provide that its freedom of speech protection does not include the expenditure of money to influence elections. Kauai Now.
House bill advances to speed up historic preservation reviews of development projects. House Bill 738 appears aimed at removing one of the “systemic barriers” identified in a report by the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp. The report said such barriers in Hawaiʻi constrain housing production and lie at the root of the state’s housing shortage and residents’ high cost of living. Big Island Now.
Bills would require local UH med students to stay in state after graduating. House Bill 221 and Senate Bill 101 would require students who pay in-state tuition to attend UH’s John A. Burns School of Medicine to work in Hawaii for two years after they graduate. If they don’t, they would have to pay the state the difference between their in-state tuition and the cost, nearly double, of nonresident tuition: $36,372 for each academic year, compared with $71,328. Star-Advertiser.
24,000 In Hawaiʻi Call Federal Government Their Boss, For Now. Most federal employees in Hawaiʻi work in the defense sector, but about 5,000 work for other agencies including Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Interior and Commerce, that could be affected by cutbacks under the Trump administration. Civil Beat.
Bill to ban loitering at bus stops sparks concerns about treatment of homeless people . People without housing may no longer be able to use bus stops as places to sleep or rest for long periods of the day. House Bill 1486 states that loitering within 20 feet of a bus stop will be considered a disorderly conduct offense. The bill allows law enforcement officers to immediately remove anyone who violates this order. Hawaii Public Radio.
Lawmakers try again to legalize recreational pot. A state bill that would legalize adult personal use of marijuana — as well as regulate recreational cannabis, medical cannabis and hemp within a single office — will get its first committee hearing this week. Tribune-Herald.
Bills aiming to ban flavored vapes reintroduced. Hawaii health advocates are once again pushing for legislation banning flavored nicotine and vape products to protect youth from becoming victims of the harmful substance. Star-Advertiser. Kauai Now.
Free school meals on legislative menu, once again. During the 2024 legislative session, a number of bills aimed at providing free school meals passed the House but ultimately stalled in the Senate. Star-Advertiser.
Hawaiʻi Passed A Law to Pay The Wrongfully Convicted. No One Has Been Paid. The law requires people to prove they’re innocent to get paid. Even after their convictions have been set aside, no one has been able to meet that standard. Civil Beat.
Hawaii Marines train with new anti-drone fighting system. Marines in Hawaii are testing out a new anti-drone fighting system as they prepare for a deployment to the Western Pacific later this year as part of Marine Rotational Force Southeast Asia. Star-Advertiser.
U.S. Mint's new $1 coin features Native Hawaiian scholar Mary Kawena Pukui. A new $1 coin will feature a Native Hawaiian scholar that many credit with preserving and protecting ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. Hawaii Public Radio.
Oahu
Honolulu officials preparing for more 'targeted' attempt at federal funding freeze. The City and County of Honolulu administration expects another attempt at a federal funding freeze, and is preparing for what could be a more “targeted” approach. Hawaii Public Radio.
Cameras almost ready to ticket drivers. Photo enforcement of speed limits at 10 intersections in urban Honolulu is expected to start with a warning period later this month or in early March after being authorized by state lawmakers last year. Star-Advertiser.
Officials urge action on speeding problem. During a town hall meeting Tuesday at Prince David Kawananakoa Middle School, residents of District 27 — Pacific Heights, Nuuanu and Liliha — voiced concerns about speeding on Pali Highway and in residential areas. Star-Advertiser.
Effluent at Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant meets standards. The test result taken Saturday showed that the enterococcus bacteria count is within the daily National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit limit for the Kailua wastewater treatment plant, and that the exceedance present on Jan. 31 is not continuing. Star-Advertiser.
Sinkhole repairs trigger partial closure of Kalanianaole Highway. The roadway was closed between Kealahou Street and the vicinity of the Makai Research Pier from 5 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. Hawaii News Now.
Hawaii Island
Questions raised about DEM pick, but ultimately Segawa is approved by council. Mayor Kimo Alameda in November named Wesley Segawa — owner of Big Island consulting engineering firm Wesley R. Segawa and Associates — to serve as the director of the Department of Environmental Management. Tribune-Herald.
Sen. Hirono Questions Army Secretary Nominee On Pohakuloa Training Area. The U.S. Army’s effort to retain lands at Pōhakuloa for military training was briefly discussed at a recent Senate Committee hearing in Washington. Big Island Video News.
What’s next for Banyan Drive? Mayor, state legislators mull future of Waiakea Peninsula. During Wednesday’s meeting of the Banyan Drive Hawaii Management Agency, Mayor Kimo Alameda and three Big Island lawmakers discussed their visions for the peninsula. Tribune-Herald.
Tropical Gardening: Coffee flowering now means abundant harvests coming this fall. This year harvest should be concentrated thus making the harvest short and heavy if all else goes well. Tribune-Herald.
Maui
Hawaii Supreme Court considers fate of $4B wildfire settlement. On Thursday, the Hawaii Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments primarily from three groups of litigants with huge stakes in the outcome of more than 600 lawsuits seeking compensation from wildfires that destroyed most of Lahaina and properties in Upcountry Maui on Aug. 8, 2023. Star-Advertiser.
Maui Lawmakers Seek To Speed Up Rebuilding For Some Fire Victims. As temporary housing for survivors has cropped up around the island, efforts to replace permanent housing have been slowed by a special state coastal permit process. Civil Beat.
As eviction moratorium ends, Maui’s renters face pricier market than before wildfires. Rents have dipped in recent months, but they’re still higher than they were before the fires. And even as dozens of people rebuild their burned homes and temporary housing projects go up, early data shows a dip in Maui’s population that economists and advocates worry will only worsen without more safety nets. Maui Now.
Woman killed in police shooting on Saturday. A woman armed with “an edged weapon” was shot dead by a Maui police officer Saturday. Maui Police Department officials said that at about 3:46 p.m., police received a report of an abuse case at a Noho Place residence in Pukalani. Maui News. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.
Molokaʻi residents turn to risky boat crossings as Mokulele flight cancellations continue. Taking a fishing boat to the doctor's has become commonplace for Molokaʻi families in recent weeks. Hawaii Public Radio.
Kauai
Kauaʻi County schedules lane closures for week of Feb. 3-7, announces updated playcourt completion dates. Kauaʻi County Department of Public Works and its contactors announce lane closures. Kauaʻi County Department of Parks and Recreation also updated its schedule for completion of playcourt resurfacing projects at three parks in Wailua and Puhi. Kauai Now.
36 hours in Accra, Ghana
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Visitors to Accra, Ghana’s capital, are often jolted by the mix of a
crowded, developing city of 2.7 million alongside low-rise bungalow
communities wher...