News briefs for May 3: Poi, new board member, film tax credit, Rocket League champs

State public schools expand menu with Hawaiian staple food of poi

Hawaiʻi Department of Education remains committed to farm-to-school initiatives and student wellness, adding a local staple to the regular rotation of school meals — fresh, locally-sourced poi.

Poi was previously featured for special meals; however, this marks the first statewide procurement of the traditional Hawaiian food — made from cooked, mashed taro root and mixed with water to make a smooth, paste-like consistency — as part of a regular contract. The department intends to continue offering poi as a regular menu item moving forward.

HPC Foods and Aloha ʻĀina Poi Company are supplying schools with poi for the 2025-26 academic year.

Poi is featured as a key ingredient in the new kalo yogurt bowl parfait, a breakfast item blending traditional flavors with a local twist. For lunch, schools are serving poi alongside kalua pork and cabbage and kalua pork sandwiches. Additional menu pairings are in development for the 2026-27 school year.

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Veteran registered nurse confirmed for seat on Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing advisory panel

Kaiser Pemanente 34-year veteran registered nurse Terilyn Carvalho Luke is the newest advisory board member for Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing after her confirmation by Hawai‘i Senate.

Carvalho Luke looks forward to serving on the board and improving patient care throughout the islands by representing the perspective of bedside nurses in shaping future public policy.

“Nurses at the bedside understand the realities facing patients and healthcare workers every day,” said Carvalho Luke in a release about her confirmation, adding that the state is building a healthcare system where nurses “can stay, thrive and provide the level of care that every person in Hawai‘i deserves.”

She is president of Hawai‘i Nurses and Healthcare Professionals, a union representing more than 1,200 registered nurses and other healthcare professionals throughout the state, and was instrumental in bringing a year of negotiations with Kaiser to a close, when members in March ratified a new, 4-year contract that includes safe staffing improvements to provide better care for patients.

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State lawmakers reach agreement on film tax credit

State lawmakers Friday, May 1, reached an agreement in conference committee on Senate Bill 2580, relating to the Motion Picture, Digital Media and Film Production Income Tax Credit.

Included in the measure is a 5% incentive boost for productions that hire at least 80% local workers, increasing the credit to 27% on O‘ahu and 32% in neighbor island counties. The change is intended to drive local hiring, increase paychecks for Hawai‘i residents and strengthen the state’s workforce.

The bill also requires taxpayers claiming the credit to submit an independent third-party certification verifying qualified production costs, local hires and other reporting requirements.

SB 2580 now advances for final readings in both chambers before heading to Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green’s desk for his signature.

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University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Rocket League team claims national esports crown

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Rocket League team members captured their first national championship in their first year of competition, finishing the spring 2026 season undefeated at 10-0 and sweeping the grand finals with a 4-0 record.

This win is the latest milestone for University of Hawaiʻi Esports. Formally launched during the 2018-19 academic year, the program in just 4 years earned national acclaim in 2022 as the best collegiate esports program in the United States.

It now includes more than 100 student-athletes competing year-round in the Mountain West Conference and national tournaments for multiple games, including Rocket League, League of Legends, Overwatch and Valorant.

“Esports at [University of Hawaiʻi at] Mānoa is about leadership, teamwork and creating opportunities for students to represent their university at the highest level,” said University of Hawaiʻi Esports Director Sky Kauweloa in a release about the team’s success. “What this team accomplished in its very first season shows the talent we have here in Hawaiʻi and the kind of community we’re building through this program.”