Hawai‘i News
President Biden signs new laws to support Native Hawaiian language schools, programs
“As we have seen in Hawai‘i, Native speaker-led language programs have proven that culturally based instruction is key to revitalizing and maintaining indigenous knowledge and traditions,” Sen. Brian Schatz said.
Maui big-wave surfing pioneer dies while surfing Nazaré in Portugal
Marcio Freire was surfing 40- to 50-foot faces when he caught a wave a little too deep and it swallowed him at Nazaré on the central coast of Portugal.
NTSB releases report on air ambulance crash in Hawai’i waters 6,000 feet deep
The Hawaiʻi Life Flight air ambulance was on its way to Waimea to pick up a patient when it crashed with three crew members aboard.
Alert level for Kīlauea raised to warning/red as eruption is monitored overnight
Lava flows have inundated much of the crater floor, which is nearly 300 acres
New report finds fewer Hawaiʻi residents getting COVID-19 boosters as negative impacts from virus widen
The report by the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization is based on responses from 1,627 adult Hawaiʻi residents to a survey administered in partnership with the Pacific Alliance Against COVID-19 during fall 2022.
U.S. Representatives Ed Case, Jill Tokuda of Hawaiʻi begin new terms in 118th Congress
On Tuesday when the 118th Congress convened, U.S. Rep. Ed Case (HI-01) began his fifth term and U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02) began her rookie term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Lānaʻi and its changing landscape showcased in virtual exhibit
The Lānaʻi Culture & Heritage Center celebrates the new year with the opening of a virtual audio and visual exhibit that takes visitors on a journey to explore Lānaʻi’s past as a way to better understand the island of today.
Hawaiʻi House Finance Committee to hold first briefings on budget proposals
The Hawai’i State House Committee on Finance will hold its first informational briefings of 2023, during which various state department representatives will provide updates and requests on their budget proposals.
Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawai’i sworn into Congress for new term
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) won reelection to a second full term last November, garnering more than 71% of the vote – the largest margin of victory by any Senate candidate in 2022.
UH students offers free online coding classes for youth in Hawaiʻi
This year, a computer science club at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa will offer a free online or in-person 3-month introductory coding class for 6th to 12th grade students on how to create websites.
4.0 magnitude earthquake shakes Hawaiʻi Island
The earthquake was at a depth of 12 miles below sea level; and it occurred in a region of stress interaction between Mauna Loa and Kīlauea volcanoes.
8.7% Social Security increase could affect SNAP benefits for some in Hawai’i
SNAP eligibility and benefit amounts are based on income limits set by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Nutrition Services.
Hawaiian Church of Hawaiʻi Nei to hold workshops about iwi kūpuna repatriation
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ Iwi Kūpuna Repatriation and Reinterment Program is providing $50,000 over two years to The Hawaiian Church of Hawaiʻi Nei for a series of workshops.
Kauaʻi weekly lane closures: Dec. 31, 2022-Jan. 6, 2023
Hawai‘i Department of Transportation weekly lane closures for Dec. 31, 2022, through Jan. 6, 2023.
Balloon releases now banned in Hawaiʻi to protect marine life
In Hawaiʻi, a new statewide law banning the intentional release of balloons — and the strongest such measure in the country — went into effect Jan. 1, 2023.
UPDATE: High surf advisory for Kaua‘i, Ni‘ihau now through 6 p.m. Wednesday
Surf along north-facing shores is expected to rapidly rise to 20 to 30 feet and 15 to 20 feet for shorelines facing west.
Volcano Watch: ‘Your job sounds so cool! How does someone become a volcanologist?’
There are as many different specialties within volcanology and as many paths you can take to get there as there are tools of the trade.
New warden named for Kaua‘i Community Correctional Center
Jerry Jona, who has been employed at the correctional center since 1999, will become the facility’s next chief administrator effective Jan. 3, 2023.
National Weather Service cancels high surf advisory for portions of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau
The National Weather Service in Honolulu reports that surf has fallen below advisory levels.
$1.7 trillion spending bill has provisions to help Hawaiʻi small businesses, tourism
The recently passed $1.7 trillion Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill includes several initiatives to strengthen Hawaiʻi’s dominant tourism and small business economies and assist Hawai’i workers with their retirements.
