A joint hearing of the Senate Higher Education and Labor and Technology committees passed the latest version of House Bill 546 to establish an “aloha intelligence institute” at UH that would “develop, support, and advance artificial intelligence initiatives statewide,” according to the bill. Read more
Senate Bill 1149’s deferral comes amid national conversations about what constitutes hate crimes and discriminatory actions, especially as President Donald Trump begins rolling out investigations into antisemitism on college campuses following protests over the war in Gaza. Read more
The fire that killed 102 people and scorched 2,000 acres also burned the Mo‘olele, rendering the 42-foot, double-hulled coastal canoe unusable. Read more
Christopher Lucrisia’s death put an end to a three-day manhunt for the convicted felon after he allegedly shot a police officer in the head and forearm Friday during an attempted arrest in Hilo. Read more
The catamaran, owned by Kapalua Kai Sailing Inc., ran aground at the rocky shoreline of Honolua Bay following a late January storm. Read more
The state Department of Education’s Ka Papahana Kaiapuni Hawaiian immersion school program has played a key role in helping restore a critical mass of Hawaiian speakers in Hawaii and expanding the use of Hawaiian among residents and visitors. Read more
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The amended version of HB 740 defines ADUs as a “second dwelling unit that includes its own kitchen, bedroom and bathroom facilities, and is attached or detached from the primary dwelling unit.” Read more
The state Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ new mortgage- backed program to assist Native Hawaiians achieve home ownership has generated a high amount of interest in its first weeks after launching. Read more
Hawaii’s union membership was the highest in the nation in 2024 with 26.5% of employed wage and salary workers belonging to collective-bargaining units, according to a recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Read more
Hokule‘a was built in the 1970s without the benefit of modern carpentry to disprove claims that the first Polynesian settlers had simply happened upon the island chain by chance. Read more
In the wake of the federal crackdown on illegal immigrants, the Filipino Community Center (FilCom) will host a citizenship outreach Saturday to provide legal and informational resources to all, regardless of immigration status or ethnic background. Read more
Earl Anzai, the no- nonsense and feisty former attorney general and director of budget and finance under former Gov. Ben Cayetano, died Sunday. He was 81. Read more
The Hollywood strike that has united writers and actors for the first time in 60 years also has left hundreds of crew members in Hawaii without paychecks as work on Hawaii-based television shows and movies has been suspended. Read more
Two free divers were spearfishing at a popular diving spot on Oahu’s North Shore for the first time with a group of work friends early Sunday morning when they went missing for hours and were later found unresponsive. Read more
Honolulu and the state both recently enacted laws establishing “sensitive places” where the “public carry of firearms” is prohibited, but the measures conflict when it comes to how properties that do allow guns on the premises are required to communicate that to their customers. Read more
As the summer travel season peaks in Hawaii, Alaska Airlines is hiring employees at unprecedented levels, expanding direct flights to the state and taking further steps to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Read more
The center opened in June after sitting vacant for a year — treating homeless people with medical conditions that are too serious for shelters to handle but not severe enough for hospitalization. Read more
About 100 members of Hawaii’s chapters of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Writers Guild of America, rallied Tuesday afternoon at the state Capitol to vocalize their support for Hollywood’s first industrywide strike in 63 years, shutting down television and film productions around the globe. Read more
The city Building Board of Appeals heard final arguments of an appeal by developer Christy Lei, who is asking to resume construction on the homes on a 19,000-square-foot property in the 3600 block area of Sierra Drive. Read more
Former Mayor Kirk Caldwell plans to write a new book about historic efforts to create Honolulu’s rail system after just publishing a book in May about 25 state leaders and their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
The Fourth of July holiday was relatively quiet this year — at least in Boulder, Colo., and Salt Lake City. Read more
