Kauai getting $78K for wildfire preparedness
The County of Kaua‘i is receiving $78,000 in federal funds as part of a $197 million nationwide effort to mitigate wildfire risks in the midst of an ongoing wildfire crisis.
Hawai‘i gun control bill moves forward
LIHU‘E — A bill aimed at restricting who can obtain firearm permits and where they can carry them passed its second reading in the state House of Representatives, moving it one step closer to becoming law.
Koloa Rum to build new facility in Koloa
Koloa Rum is moving from Kalaheo to its namesake town.
Hawai‘i congressional members seek $55M to combat rapid ‘ohi‘a death
Money may not grow on trees, but it can certainly protect them.
Swimming through sewage — study shows high bacteria count in Kaua‘i waters
Environmental organization Surfrider Kaua‘i’s Blue Water Task Force has found large amounts of bacteria in several of Kaua‘i’s waters this month, suggesting that ongoing concerns over fecal contamination of the Garden Isle’s streams and beaches are far from over.
Kaua‘i DOCARE presence nearly doubles as 41 new officers commissioned
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources significantly bolstered its ranks on Monday, as 41 new Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers were deployed for their first assignments.
Kaua‘i’s Josh Quinlan to compete at UFC Fight Night 223
‘ELE‘ELE — On April 29, undefeated mixed martial artist Josh “Bushido” Quinlan (6-0, 1 NC) will face Ange “The Last Ninja” Loose (9-3) at UFC Fight Night 223.
Hawai‘i congressmembers urge feds to fund forest bird protections
LIHU‘E — Congress members from Hawai‘i are urging the National Park Service (NPS) to commit federal funds toward protecting the state’s critically endangered native forest birds.
‘Unsolved Mysteries’ podcast brings renewed attention to Amber Jackson’s murder on Kaua‘i
LIHU‘E — A nearly 13-year-old unsolved murder on Kaua‘i is receiving renewed national attention after being featured on a prominent true crime podcast.
Rainfall pounds Hawai‘i after long drought
LIHU‘E — As early as October 2022, the National Weather Service forecast that the state’s rainy season would produce particularly large amounts of rainfall.
Kaua‘i County ‘scrambling’ to collect $230K in homelessness funds
Kaua‘i County is rushing to receive at least $230,000 in federal funds for homelessness prevention after a sudden shift by the state upended the county’s access to a grant program.
Drag racers rev up in Kekaha
KEKAHA — The Garden Isle Racing Association (GIRA) fired up its 2023 season with roaring engines and success at Kekaha’s Kaua’i Raceway Park on Saturday.
‘We’re going to miss them’ — Kaua‘i says goodbye to Ishihara Market
After nearly 90 years of service, West Side staple Ishihara Market will permanently shut its doors Saturday evening, citing lingering fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic as a contributing factor.
Hawai‘i senators squabble over recreational pot bill
While a bill to decriminalize recreational cannabis for adults passed Hawai‘i’s Senate 22 to three this week, its passage was not without heated debate over the merits of legalizing the nation’s most used illicit substance.
Abortion rights, recreational pot bills pass Hawai‘i Senate
LIHU‘E — From enshrining the right to abortion to legalizing recreational cannabis to providing full public funding of electoral campaigns, the state Senate passed a litany of bills on Tuesday with potentially immense impacts for the state.
Hawai‘i DOH offering up to $20,000 for cesspool conversions
LIHU‘E — The state Department of Health has announced an anticipated $5 million pilot grant program offering up to $20,000 for qualifying households that upgrade or convert their cesspools, or connect to an available sewage system.
End of pandemic-era SNAP benefits hits Kaua‘i’s food insecure
Low-income households relying on food stamps will have significantly less money to spend on groceries as Congress phases out a major pandemic-era financial assistance program.
Sen. Rhoads ‘guardedly optimistic’ about Hawai‘i clean elections bill
Prominent state Senate Judiciary Chair Sen. Karl Rhoads (D-District 13) has put his weight behind a bill that would eliminate the need for campaign financing in Hawai‘i.
Mushrooms in Hawai‘i recalled for possible contamination
A Taiwan-based produce company has announced a voluntary recall of enoki mushrooms sold in Hawai‘i due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a disease-causing bacterium.
Visitors to Hawai‘i report high satisfaction, high likelihood they’ll return
LIHU‘E — Following a lull in international travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of visitors to the Hawaiian Islands are highly satisfied with their travels and intend to return soon, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.