Hawai‘i Supreme Court issues gun rights ruling
HONOLULU — A ruling by Hawai‘i’s high court saying that a man can be prosecuted for carrying a gun in public without a permit cites crime-drama TV series “The Wire” and invokes the “spirit of Aloha” in an apparent rebuke of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that expanded gun rights nationwide.
Connecting to Kaua‘i’s endangered forest birds
LIHU‘E — The primary objective of Makahiki o na manu, or the Year of the Forest Birds, is to rekindle people’s pilina, their relationship, with the native forest birds, said Julie Diegmann of the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project on Wednesday.
Short-term vacation rental bill blasted
HILO, Hawai‘i — A proposal to rewrite how Hawai‘i County regulates short-term vacation rentals led to hours of backlash from residents accusing the Hawai‘i County Council of overreach.
Alaska judge will preside over upcoming Hawai‘i bribery trial after an unexpected recusal
HONOLULU — A U.S. judge in Alaska will preside over an upcoming bribery trial in Hawai‘i against Honolulu’s former top prosecutor after a judge suddenly recused himself.
Council chair to host series of town halls
LIHU‘E — The Office of the County Clerk, Council Services Division announced on Monday that Kaua‘i County Council Chair Mel Rapozo will host a series of town halls throughout the island starting on Jan. 25.
Hawai‘i governor hails support for Maui in State of the State address
HONOLULU — Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green on Monday used his annual State of the State address to lead lawmakers and guests in a moment of silence for victims of the Lahaina wildfire and to propose aggressive steps to shift more vacation rentals into residential use to meet both Maui and the state’s acute housing needs.
Rotary Club of Kaua‘i feted
LIHU‘E — The Rotary Club of Kaua‘i, including its president Ryan Fussell and vice president Laurie Yoshida, was recently celebrated by the Kaua‘i County Council with a certificate “for continuously organizing the Lights on Rice Christmas Parade to welcome the holidays.”
Major state land shift underway
Gov. Josh Green said Thursday his administration has made major steps toward putting more state-owned land into agricultural production.
Hawai‘i lawmakers have eyes on wildfire prevention
HONOLULU — Hawai‘i lawmakers on Wednesday opened a new session of the state Legislature vowing to address glaring problems laid bare by the deadly wildfire that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina in August: the threat posed by wildfires and the lack of affordable housing.
Kaua‘i County Council member receives ‘credible threat’
LIHU‘E — A threat against a sitting member of the Kaua‘i County Council prompted a set of new security measures at the Historic County Building.
Wildfire prevention atop legislative agenda; Helping Maui fire victims also a top priority
HONOLULU — Hawai‘i lawmakers are due to convene this week for the first time since the burning of historic Lahaina awakened the state to the deadly and costly threat posed by wildfires in an age of climate change.
New ocean stewardship fund takes effect
KAILUA-KONA, Hawai‘i — A bill passed into law in 2021, which established an ocean stewardship special fund, took effect on Jan. 1.
Legislators attempt to revive election reform
KAILUA-KONA, Hawai‘i — State legislators announced plans to reintroduce a bill calling for full public financing of elections in Hawai‘i.
Hawai‘i Senate Majority announces priorities for 2024 session
LIHU‘E — A sweeping list of priorities have been targeted by lawmakers days before the 32nd Hawai‘i Legislature convenes in Honolulu.
Bringing awareness to human trafficking
LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i joined other counties in Hawai‘i in having Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami issue a proclamation on Tuesday designating January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
Nakamura named Act 279 Working Group chair
LIHU‘E — Hawai‘i House Majority Leader Nadine K. Nakamura of Kaua‘i (District 15) was named chair of a legislative working group, whose role will be to oversee the execution of millions of dollars aimed at whittling down a beneficiary waiting list for housing.
Minimum wage hike falls short on Kaua‘i
LIHU‘E – The Kaua‘i County Council is aiming to address the island’s high cost of living for working residents, following the recent announcement that the minimum wage increased to $14 per hour on Jan. 1, 2024.
Landfill expansion project in the works
LIHU‘E — As the County of Kaua‘i’s only landfill runs out of space, local officials have not yet been able to expand the current landfill’s capacity, find a new landfill location, or implement an alternative solution to help manage the decades-long issue of the island’s overflowing waste.
County seeks approval for ‘Waimea 400’ affordable housing
LIHU‘E — As the County of Kaua‘i Housing Agency works to obtain land use and environmental approvals for a new affordable housing development on the island’s westside, the agency is asking members of the public to weigh in on plans for the future project.
Kaua‘i County Council approves phone hacking device for police
LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Police Department will soon have access to a controversial phone unlocking device, giving officers the ability to hack into both iPhone and Android devices.