Hawai'i State News

AlohaCare members — or their family members — are eligible to apply; the application period is open through March 16.

Alaska Flight 255 left at just before 3 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 5) from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and was back in Alaska within just about 5.5 hours after pilots declared emergency and decided to turn around because of a reported maintenance issue.

Like the “Did You Feel It?” earthquake reporting tool helps make maps of areas affected by shaking, the new tool helps scientists map areas affected by tephra fallout; observations will be used to assess the character and size of the eruption plumes from Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island, along with the dispersal pattern of tephra fall.

Hawaiʻi police are urgently requesting the public’s assistance in locating 17-year-old Laclyn Urbano-Pepee.

Good was was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officer last month in Minneapolis, Minn.; letter emphasizes that the Justice Department’s decision not to investigate represents a broader trend.

Commission members serve on a voluntary basis; terms will run 4 years from July 1 through June 30, 2030. Applications are due by Feb. 13.

Costco’s Mini Beignets Filled with Caramel are recalled in Hawaiʻi due to undeclared hazelnuts and filberts, posing a severe allergy risk.

Heavy rain is possible as early as Saturday, but most likely Sunday into Monday; flash flooding appears to be most likely for Maui County and the Big Island, particularly windward locations, and strong winds are most likely to impact Kaua‘i and Maui County.

The new advisory is in place through 6 p.m. today (Feb. 5); a high surf advisory previously in place for northern shores of the Big Island was also canceled and northwest swell is on the downward trend.

The discussion will focus on the national wildfire insurance crisis, triggered by wildfires throughout the United States during the past 5 to 8 years.

Hawaiʻi State Judiciary reports people statewide are receiving alleged Department of Motor Vehicles text messages saying that unless payment is made for unpaid traffic citations, the recipient’s driving privileges and vehicle registration will be suspended, and they will be assessed an additional fee.

Fourth annual Research Day allowed about 100 undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, faculty and staff to share their work with state legislators through informational displays, demonstrations and interactive activities.

The state agency hosted more than 30 in-person and online community listening sessions from September to December 2025 throughout the Hawaiian Islands, allowing residents to share ideas for tourism that preserve cultural, historic and environmental resources, while supporting community well-being, ensuring alignment with each island’s unique identity and values.

Published by the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program, this first-of-its-kind report uses plain language, along with easy-to-interpret maps and figures, to summarize statewide rainfall, temperature, and drought conditions over the past year.

Mālama Honua Home Improvement/Renovation Program is a pilot grant project for income-qualified Native Hawaiian homeowners ineligible for traditional loans because of income or credit limitations; the agency is seeking a nonprofit partner to administer the program.

New 2-year pilot program requires mediation before non-payment of rent eviction filings.

The advisory council reviewed over 600 projects worth $2 billion before selecting the final 75 for recommendation, including several measures to improve hazard prevention and awareness after the 2023 Lahaina wildfires.

“The new funding will improve our roads and infrastructure, and provide people with health care, housing and other essential services,” U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said.

Hawaiʻi House of Representatives passage of resolution follows notice that federal authorities will share evidence with state officials, allowing the state attorney general to move forward with a parallel review.

A new report shows Hawaiʻi’s wages and productivity have lagged the rest of the country for more than three decades, placing the state among the most economically distressed in the U.S.