Hawai‘i News

This honor highlights the property’s architectural value as well as its contribution to Lahaina’s history and serves as a symbol of the strength and resilience of the people of Maui.

The Reuniting Families Act would reduce visa backlogs, boost efficiency throughout the immigration process and ensure a fairer, more humane process for immigrant families.

Senate President Ronald D. Kouchi, who represents Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau, said the body realigned chairpersons and committee assignments for the upcoming 2026 session because of the retirement of O‘ahu Sen. Henry Aquino.

During the past year, the Democratic U.S. senator from Hawai‘i worked to protect federal funding for the islands amid national cuts, secured more than $1 billion to support Maui’s recovery, improve infrastructure, expand high-speed internet throughout the state.

Kaua‘i numbers followed the same statewide trend in November 2025, with the total number of visitors to the Garden Isle down 1% compared with the year before and visitor spending up by 13.1% compared with November 2024.

A team of astronomers using a variety of telescopes — including W. M. Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea on the Big Island — seem to have discovered a possible “Superkilonova,” or a kilonova spurred by a supernova that forms a pair of dense, dead stars called neutron stars than then smash together.

Since Dec. 23, 2024, the north and south vents within Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, inside Kaluapele, the summit caldera, have erupted in 39 lava fountaining episodes.

2026 honorees join the ranks of those who have enriched Hawai‘i’s cultural, artistic and humanitarian landscape. Find out more about the 2026 honorees by following the link below.

‘Shop Local’ by Katelyn Chong was selected as the winning short film script during the first year the annual intensive workshop was paired with ‘Ohina’s inaugural Producers Lab.

Hawai’i Permanente Medical Group said moving forward it plans to expand access to primary and specialty care, strengthen telehealth services, and invest in programs that address social and cultural determinants of health.

Talia Jimenez, 21, of Kōloa, was identified as the victim in the first traffic fatality of 2026, following a single-vehicle crash on Kūhiō Highway.

At 3:59 a.m. on New Year’s Day, Hawaii’s first baby of 2026 made his debut at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center.

Hawaiʻi’s new first-in-the-nation climate impact fee to be paid by tourists will take effect Jan. 1, but for now it will not include cruise ship passengers due to an 11th hour ruling by a federal appeals court.

Online resource platform aims to strengthen early childhood and family support throughout the islands.

2026 Safe Roads Challenge turns traffic safety into a game with a free safe driving app, available on Apple and Android smartphones, created to reward users for driving responsibly.

Four-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner and Grammy nominee features 13 mele on his new album, including original compositions and select favorites, honoring the people, places and moments that shaped him throughout his life and musical journey.

Cybercriminals are creating deceptive web addresses to trick users into providing sensitive personal information or login credentials.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection joined a coalition of 50 attorneys general announcing a nearly $150 million settlement with Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC and Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

DLNR’s Deputy Director Ryan Kanaka‘ole will serve as acting chair and director of the state agency, effective immediately.

The all-hazard Outdoor Siren Warning System for Public Safety is one part of the Hawai‘i Statewide Alert and Warning System used to notify the public during emergencies.