Hawaii House seeks free school lunch for all students, state panel researches legalized gambling, eight applicants to be interviewed for Big Island police chief, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Bill would feed every public school student for free. Every public school student — regardless of family income — would receive free meals at school under a bill introduced Thursday by nearly half of all 51 House members. Hawaii’s public schools — not including charter schools —currently educate about 150,000 students across the state. As of Dec. 30, just over 10,400 students qualify for reduced-price meals. Star-Advertiser.

State panel begins research for legalized gambling. A new state working group that critics say will pave the way for legalized gambling in Hawaii held its first meeting Thursday under a directive to deliver results for the Legislature to consider about a year from now.The Tourism and Gaming Working Group, which stems from a resolution state lawmakers adopted last year after a divisive vote, is in part tasked with developing a comprehensive tourism gambling policy framework for Hawaii. Star-Advertiser. KHON2. 

House GOP Caucus Wants Voters To Pick Chief Election Officer. Hawaiʻi GOP lawmakers rolled out their priorities for the legislative session on Thursday in an announcement that was critical of their Democratic counterparts for focusing too much on the Trump administration and its potential impact on the state budget. Civil Beat. KHON2. KITV4. 

Shoring up the state's social safety net is a focus of 2026 Legislature. The state Legislature is back in session, and its focus this year will be on federal funding impacts and addressing the cost of living in Hawaiʻi.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Microsoft Global Outage Impacts Hawaiʻi State Senate. The Hawaiʻi State Senate reports it is experiencing delays in email communications due to the global Microsoft Exchange outage. Big Island Video News.
 
Hawaiʻi Democrat Seeks Federal Review Of Native Hawaiian Contracting Program. U.S. Rep. Ed Case is walking a thin line between his longstanding concerns about the SBA program and his desire not to join in the Trump administration’s anti-DEI campaign. Civil Beat.

FAA redesigning Hawaii flight paths. The Federal Aviation Administration is redesigning flight paths nationwide, starting in Hawaii, and residents are using the process as an opportunity to speak up. Hawaii News Now.
 
Oahu 

Illegal gameroom crackdown brings new city law. Arcade-style games aren't just for kids anymore, the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) said some are being used for illegal gambling. KITV4.

Hawaii red light, speed camera program to expand. The Hawaii Department of Transportation is expanding its red light and speed camera program on Oahu. KHON2.

HART board of directors cancels today’s meeting. A scheduled meeting today for the board of directors of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation was canceled. The meeting, which was to start at 8 a.m. with the convening of committees prior to the full board meeting, was rescheduled to Jan. 30. Star-Advertiser.

Kaiser Permanente begins construction on new oncology wing. Kaiser Permanente Hawaii celebrated the start of construction on a new hematology and medical oncology wing at Moanalua Medical Center. The 12,500-square-foot wing will be on the first floor of the hospital’s Diamond Head Tower and nearly triple the size of the existing space.  Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Seven men and a woman in running for Big Island’s top cop. Eight applicants, including two current members of the Hawaii Police Department, will be interviewed by the Hawaii County Police Commission for the vacant chief’s position. The two local candidates are Interim Chief Reed Mahuna and Assistant Chief Kenneth Quiocho.  Other applicants are Chad Janis, captain of the Yakima Police Department in Yakima, Washington; Jennifer Krauss, assistant chief of the Cheverly Police Department, in Cheverly, Maryland; Anthony Kumamaru, retired lieutenant of the Las Vegas Department of Public Safety in Nevada; John Matagi, a captain of Washington State Patrol; Timothy Wilson, former chief of police in Niue, South Pacific; Paul Yang, retired lieutenant, San Diego Police Department, California. Tribune-Herald.   Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now. KHON2. 

Maui

Maui Properties Get State Money For Preservation. After an emotional and sometimes tearful two-day meeting in Wailuku, the state Legacy Land Conservation Commission announced it had chosen four iconic properties to recommend for purchase under a cash-strapped state-funded program that rescues at-risk real estate. Civil Beat.

Maui Powerhouse Gym announces plans for facility and retail village adjacent to Kahului Costco. Maui Powerhouse Gym has announced the acquisition of a 2.2-acre property adjacent to Costco in Kahului, paving the way for a new flagship gym and wellness-focused commercial village designed to serve the Maui community for generations.  Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauaʻi Security Guard Made Off With $400K. Police Still Haven’t Caught Him. A former Loomis employee is accused of stealing cash from a truck that was making deliveries to three banks on the island. Civil Beat.

Invasive ramie moth caterpillar found on Kauai. An invasive pest that has already spread through the islands of Maui, Hawaii and Oahu has now been detected on Kauai. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said that a single live ramie moth caterpillar was reported to the Kauai Invasive Species Committee.  Hawaii News Now.