Final maps for legislative districts approved Friday by the Hawaii State Reapportionment Commission include keeping the current Senate district that combines portions of Hawaii Kai, Waimanalo and Kailua and reducing the number of House districts on Oahu by one as Hawaii island gained a seat. Read more
The most notable change the Council is considering is increasing the minimum stay to three months from 30 days for short-term rentals without a special permit. Read more
The Honolulu City Council is again considering a measure that would alter the rules for short-term rentals, notably increasing the minimum stay proposal to three months from 30 days unless a special permit is granted. Read more
A new temporary tent shelter for homeless adults infected with COVID-19 opened Friday at Sand Island. The Institute for Human Services set up the shelter in response to the need to isolate those infected with the coronavirus from individuals at its homeless shelters. Read more
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi stopped short of announcing any policy changes Wednesday during a press conference with Hawaii’s hospital leaders, but implored residents to get tested and boosted amid the recent COVID-19 surge in omicron cases. Read more
Oahu has postponed its Point-in-Time Count of unsheltered homeless people due to the surge of COVID-19 cases. Read more
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A coalition of about 25 groups ranging from education advocates to the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii are pushing political candidates and lawmakers to support more early childhood care and development initiatives, and already seeing some success. Read more
The city wants the public to weigh in on how it should spend the $386 million awarded through the American Rescue Plan Act. Read more
Hawaii’s Reapportionment Commission will take up the latest version of its proposed state legislative map today. It addresses some of the outstanding issues pressed by community members — and gives Hawaii island a new House seat, while taking one away from Oahu. Read more
Honolulu Emergency Medical Services is facing high call volumes, many of which are nonemergencies, straining limited resources. Read more
Tryouts for 25 coveted lifeguard positions drew 80 hopefuls Friday, when the city’s Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division put potential recruits through a grueling physical test in the waters off Ala Moana Regional Park. Read more
The Hawaii State Reapportionment Commission voted Thursday to redraw the maps for state lawmakers after the state Office of Elections received new numbers for military members who are not permanent state residents. Read more
Indoor events with over 1,000 people on Oahu will be limited to 50% capacity beginning Monday. Read more
Oahu could lose a state House of Representatives seat to Hawaii island after new numbers for military members who are not permanent residents of Oahu were released over the New Year’s holiday. Read more
Honolulu Councilman Augie Tulba’s starring role in a commercial for a rental car company is raising questions about the rules for elected officials in advertisements. Read more
Portions of the city’s disposable food ware ordinance banning plastic foam containers and single-use plastic utensils, plates and drink ware that were to have gone into effect Saturday have been pushed back to later in the month out of concern for food vendors hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Wednesday stopped short of imposing new COVID-19 restrictions before the New Year’s holiday but asked residents and businesses to voluntarily practice what he termed a “soft lockdown.” Read more
A law that bans commercial activity at North Shore city beach parks has gone into effect, and the city is working on sending out notices to businesses about compliance. Read more
Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie joined a small gathering of neighborhood board members and concerned residents outside the state Capitol on Thursday to register their opposition to the Hawaii State Reapportionment Commission’s redrawn map of Oahu voter districts. Read more
The effort to redraw state district maps for House of Representatives and Senate seats is drawing criticism from concerned residents and neighborhood boards and raising questions about transparency. Read more
State Department of Health officials Monday said additional omicron variant coronavirus cases brought the statewide total of the highly transmissible variant to 50. Read more
