REAL ID is live and going surprisingly well. Wednesday was the first day that travelers were required to show a REAL ID-compliant credential or other accepted identification when flying domestically. Read more
Fox TV’s cancellation of “Rescue: HI-Surf,” the prime-time drama about lifeguards on Oahu’s North Shore, is lamentable. Read more
The ouster of state Rep. Kyle Yamashita as chair of the powerful House Finance Committee seemed sudden, coming as it did mere days after the 2025 Legislature adjourned amid lawmakers’ self-congratulatory comments and back pats. Read more
The U.S. Department of Education says Native Hawaiian, American Indian and Alaska Native history aren’t “diversity, equity and inclusion” or “critical race theory” — both banned in public education under threat of withheld federal funds or other retributions. Read more
Hawaii has repeatedly turned to the courts to seek relief from a series of draconian federal cutbacks, and it happened again on Monday — when the state, as part of a coalition with 18 other states and the District of Columbia, sued the Trump administration to block cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Read more
At a time when more credible news sources — not fewer — are needed, it’s chilling that President Trump has issued an executive order calling for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to terminate support for information stalwarts NPR and PBS. Read more
Honolulu’s Elite Massage Academy allegedly scammed the Department of Veterans Affairs for more than $9.1 million between 2016 and 2022 — packing courses with vets who were students on paper only, and charging higher rates than civilians paid. Read more
Ask any animal lover: the death of a furry friend is heartbreaking. More tragic: a lost pet is accidentally hit and killed by a car, and the remains are disposed of without the owner’s knowledge. Read more
The Trump administration filed suit to block Hawaii from suing oil companies in state court. The next day, Hawaii did just that. Read more
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Perhaps it was inevitable. Following news that funding for the East-West Center (EWC) was in doubt due to an expected halving of the U.S. State Department’s budget, the center is now extending voluntary buyout offers to 80% of its 137 employees. Read more
Thousands of miles and an ocean away from the White House, humble Hawaii and its climate consciousness have caught the attention of the Trump’s administration’s Justice Department. Read more
Countdown mode: Starting May 28, Southwest Airlines says “aloha” to its “two bags fly free” policy for all ticket-holders. Read more
Here comes another round in a strategy for coping with an ongoing — and nationwide — shortage of school bus drivers. It’s good, at least, that the state Department of Education seems to be moving early on its blueprint. Read more
Hawaii’s Thunderstorm Artis has been voted onto the Top 10 on “American Idol” — a remarkable achievement for the soulful singer, just two years after Kahuku’s Iam Tongi took it all the way as the Season 21 winner in 2023. Read more
In the end, state legislators weren’t able to muster enough political will to pass House Bill 371, which would have banned campaign donations from executives of state and county contractors and grantees plus their immediate family members. Read more
The Hawaii Tourism Authority will no longer be an independent agency, should Senate Bill 1571 become law: The bill removes executive authority from the HTA board, making it an advisory body, with purse strings controlled by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Read more
Traveling the world is still high on the list for youth, but it’s certainly not carefree these days. So Charlotte Pohl and Maria Lepere discovered recently on arrival in Honolulu when their plans to vacation “spontaneously” did not pass muster with immigration officials. Read more
Most of Honolulu’s parks are off-limits to dogs — a reasonable rule, so that dogs don’t “go” where people plank or picnic on the grounds. Read more
When it comes to sense of place and connection to the land, the people of Hawaii certainly maintain a deep bond. Read more
There’s a huge gulp factor in legislators deciding to deposit half of $807.5 million into a trust fund next fiscal year — that’s nearly $404 million — as the state’s first-half portion of a major settlement. Read more
Take a deep breath, and celebrate that two areas in Hawaii — urban Honolulu and Kahului, Maui — rank among the cleanest cities in the nation in the American Lung Association’s 2025 “State of the Air” report. Read more
