Hawaii news

• Idle DOE Funds

  12-01-2026 17:00 via hawaiireporter.com
  This year, much of our legislative session is going to be about finding enough money to counter massive cuts in federal funding that we used to depend on.  New credits and incentives are going to be a tough sell.  We will be fighting hard against new “revenue raisers,” i.e., taxes, that are certain to be […]
  The post Idle DOE Funds appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• New Incentives and Rules Prompt Homeowners to Upgrade Fire-Prone Homes

  07-01-2026 11:01 via nytimes.com
  Leaders use a mix of new rules, visual aids and incentives to convince residents to protect their homes — and entire neighborhoods — from wildfires.
  
  Read more

• Three things our state legislators could do to make 2026 a great year

  05-01-2026 22:24 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina The first day of 2026 was two days ago, but it’s never too late to make resolutions about how we can improve ourselves. This applies as well to our state lawmakers, who will gather later this month for another legislative session that, for good or bad, will affect all of us who […]
  The post Three things our state legislators could do to make 2026 a great year appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Fierce Storm Expected to Wallop Hawaiian Islands

  05-01-2026 18:30 via nytimes.com
  Strong winds will make travel difficult on Monday, and forecasters warned of more than half a foot of snow on some mountains.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Charitable Giving This Year?

  03-01-2026 06:43 via hawaiireporter.com
  I’m sometimes asked about what the tax laws are with regard to charitable deductions.  Do our governments allow a tax benefit for donations to charitable organizations such as the Tax Foundation of Hawaii (shameless plug there)? Well, they do, and then they don’t. This year, both the federal and state governments allow an itemized deduction […]
  The post Charitable Giving This Year? appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Ring in new year with ideas promoting freedom, opportunity, prosperity

  02-01-2026 22:08 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina At the dawn of a new year, it’s always nice to take stock of where we have been and where we are going. It’s also a good time to identify harmful old ideas that have done nothing to help and should be sent to the scrapyard. One of those is that more […]
  The post Ring in new year with ideas promoting freedom, opportunity, prosperity appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Post-Pandemic Pandemonium: The Reason for our Crazy Times

  31-12-2025 15:47 via hawaiireporter.com
  For anyone who still looks at the news, the world seems on the brink. Many nations are experiencing internal conflict between increasingly alienated political parties, with free speech being limited and violence surging. Ethnic unrest is challenging the social fabric of many western societies, as nationalists clash with immigrants. At the same time, there is […]
  The post Post-Pandemic Pandemonium: The Reason for our Crazy Times appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Judge Blocks Conditions Imposed on States Seeking FEMA Grants

  24-12-2025 03:16 via nytimes.com
  The Trump administration had sought to require states to account for population losses tied to deportations in order to receive emergency preparedness grants.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Gaming This Year?

  23-12-2025 22:21 via hawaiireporter.com
  The revenue news that has been put out recently has been less than encouraging.  Federal support is dropping.  Prices of things are rising.  Tourism numbers are getting softer. At recent events, our Governor said that he wanted to tap into the Rainy Day Fund to help balance the budget, and that the historic tax cuts […]
  The post Gaming This Year? appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Reworked Christmas song highlights pitfalls of Hawaii’s medical ‘CON’ laws

  23-12-2025 00:24 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina I’ve had a funny old Christmas song running through my head lately — “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. But I’ve changed the lyrics a bit after reading the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii’s newest white paper about how to improve healthcare in Hawaii by reforming the state’s rules concerning medical certificates of need. […]
  The post Reworked Christmas song highlights pitfalls of Hawaii’s medical ‘CON’ l
  
  Read more

• Plastic Wrapped: The Hazards of Tight, Toxic Clothing

  17-12-2025 18:59 via hawaiireporter.com
  Adam, of Adam and Eve fame, was probably the first fashion designer. Using fig leaves, he created a loin cloth to cover his nasty bits. Ever since then, people have been covering their entire bodies with clothing, and for all sorts of reasons, including modesty, protection, status display, or just to look cool.  The material […]
  The post Plastic Wrapped: The Hazards of Tight, Toxic Clothing appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Exploring Hawaii’s Big Island on a Budget

  17-12-2025 11:00 via nytimes.com
  Rural stays booked on the Hipcamp platform allow budget visitors to save money while reveling in the outdoors.
  
  Read more

• More Grief Over SNAP

  15-12-2025 17:00 via hawaiireporter.com
  We recently wrote about additional confusion surrounding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP for short, that the U.S. Department of Agriculture administers with assistance from the States.  The program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, serves as a critical resource for low-income individuals and families by giving them monthly benefits to purchase food. What’s […]
  The post More Grief Over SNAP appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Hilo fire recovery dependent on lifting burdensome regulations

  08-12-2025 22:13 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina Last weekend, separate fires in Hilo claimed the lives of two people, displaced nearly three dozen other residents and razed at least five buildings. Even amid ongoing investigations and debris cleanup, Hawaiʻi County lawmakers should be taking steps to help business and property owners get back on their feet — and they […]
  The post Hilo fire recovery dependent on lifting burdensome regulations appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Making a Federal Case Out of the Green Fee

  08-12-2025 17:00 via hawaiireporter.com
  From recent news, you have probably heard that the 2025 Legislature’s enactment of the “Green Fee” bill not only raised taxes on land-based transient accommodations but expanded the tax to sleeping quarters on cruise ships.  This, not surprisingly, did not go over well with the cruise ship industry.  Its trade group, the Cruise Line Industry […]
  The post Making a Federal Case Out of the Green Fee appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Grassroot Institute among finalists for Atlas Network’s Templeton Freedom Award

  03-12-2025 23:44 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina This Thanksgiving, I thought a lot about the familiar phrase “Lucky we live Hawaii.” It’s not just a tourism gimmick. There is truth to be found in those words. I am lucky to be living life here. More than that, I’m thankful. Even though, as president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, […]
  The post Grassroot Institute among finalists for Atlas Network’s Templeton Freedom Award appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• SNAP Confusion…On Us

  01-12-2025 17:00 via hawaiireporter.com
  We wrote a few weeks ago about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.  In that article we mentioned that under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, States’ feet are going to be held to the fire because if States make mistakes (as judged by the federal government) in how they administer SNAP benefits, they […]
  The post SNAP Confusion…On Us appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• How Measuring Blood Pressure Causes High Blood Pressure

  26-11-2025 19:42 via hawaiireporter.com
  The only things certain in this world are death, taxes, and never being taken off blood pressure medication.  It’s important not to be on medication for blood pressure when you don’t need it, since this causes low pressure that can result in light-headedness, dizziness, fatigue, increased falls, and other side effects from the drug. It […]
  The post How Measuring Blood Pressure Causes High Blood Pressure appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• ‘Focus on making the state more affordable, not throwing more money toward marketing’

  24-11-2025 21:18 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina When you make it difficult for people to visit you, they tend to take the hint and stop coming. That’s a good strategy for dealing with unwanted houseguests, but not the smartest move for a state that depends on visitor dollars to fuel its economy. Hawaii already has some of the highest […]
  The post ‘Focus on making the state more affordable, not throwing more money toward marketing’ appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Pitfalls in Tax Appeals

  24-11-2025 17:00 via hawaiireporter.com
  People sometimes get into a disagreement with the Department of Taxation over the amount of tax they owe, or whether they owe tax at all.  To solve these disputes, there is a tax appeal process.  To help taxpayers understand this process, the Department typically sends two documents to taxpayers who they are auditing:  Tax Information […]
  The post Pitfalls in Tax Appeals appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• My All-Star Gear Update: Reviewed products that continue to perform flawlessly

  24-11-2025 02:10 via hawaiireporter.com
  Over the past couple of years I’ve reviewed a wide range of consumer products for HawaiiReporter.com—from speakers to safes to tools—and what stands out is how consistently these particular items keep performing long after the review cycle ends. These are the “all-stars,” the products I continue to use because they work exactly as advertised. Here’s […]
  The post My All-Star Gear Update: Reviewed products that continue to perform flawlessly appeared firs
  
  Read more

• Honolulu Charter amendments: ‘Let’s make the most of it’

  17-11-2025 20:59 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina Every 10 years, Oahu residents get a chance to vote on suggested changes to the Honolulu Charter. This time around, there are many changes that have been proposed. The Honolulu Charter Commission, which reviews the suggestions, announced this week that more than 250 were submitted by the Nov. 7 deadline. That compares to 154 a decade […]
  The post Honolulu Charter amendments: ‘Let’s make the most of it’ appeared first on Hawaii Re
  
  Read more

• Student Loan Forgiveness

  17-11-2025 17:00 via hawaiireporter.com
  If you have a student loan and you’re thinking that you might be able to get forgiveness of that loan by working for the government or for a nonprofit, better watch out because there are changes coming to that program. Recently, the U.S. Department of Education adopted a final rule saying that a government entity […]
  The post Student Loan Forgiveness appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Eligible Charges

  12-11-2025 10:23 via hawaiireporter.com
  Our issue of the week has been brought to us by an alert reader. He noted that some health insurance programs don’t cover general excise tax that we in Hawaii impose on health care charges.  So, sometimes a patient gets a bill for the GET on a medical charge.  As one health insurer’s website states:  […]
  The post Eligible Charges appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Strange DPP case emphasizes need to keep pushing for permitting reform

  10-11-2025 23:41 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina Is Honolulu’s building permit process so broken that fast-moving approvals are automatically suspicious? A recent Honolulu Civil Beat article tells the strange story of Kim Kehrwieder, who was fired last year from her job as a building plans examiner for the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting. The problem? She expedited permits in violation […]
  The post Strange DPP case emphasizes need to keep pushing for permitting reform appeared first o
  
  Read more

• In Alaska and Hawaii, Higher Food Prices Intensified SNAP Anxiety

  10-11-2025 02:13 via nytimes.com
  Some residents are receiving benefits, but the uncertainty over the past weeks has burdened many in the two states, where the cost of food is the highest in the nation.
  
  Read more

• My All-Star Gear Update: Seven products that continue to perform flawlessly

  10-11-2025 02:10 via hawaiireporter.com
  Over the past couple of years I’ve reviewed a wide range of consumer products for HawaiiReporter.com—from speakers to safes to tools—and what stands out is how consistently these particular items keep performing long after the review cycle ends. These are the “all-stars,” devices I continue to use because they work exactly as advertised. Here’s a […]
  The post My All-Star Gear Update: Seven products that continue to perform flawlessly appeared first on H
  
  Read more

• In Alaska and Hawaii, Higher Food Prices Intensify SNAP Anxiety

  10-11-2025 00:58 via nytimes.com
  Some residents are receiving benefits, but the uncertainty over what will happen over the coming weeks has many worried.
  
  Read more

• 36 Hours Kauai, Hawaii: Things to Do and See

  06-11-2025 11:03 via nytimes.com
  With its pristine jungles and small towns, this Hawaiian island retains the unmanicured charm of Old Polynesia with few modern intrusions.
  
  Read more

• UPS Plane Crash Near Louisville Airport Kills at Least 9, Officials Say

  05-11-2025 15:12 via nytimes.com
  The plane crashed and exploded shortly after taking off from a Kentucky airport, disrupting operations at the delivery company’s main air cargo hub.
  
  Read more

• UPS Plane Crash Near Louisville Airport Kills at Least 7, Officials Say

  05-11-2025 04:22 via nytimes.com
  The plane crashed near an airport shortly after takeoff, and two businesses were struck.
  
  Read more

• UPS Plane Crash Near Louisville Airport Kills at Least 4, Officials Say

  05-11-2025 04:06 via nytimes.com
  At least 11 people were injured, the Kentucky governor said, and two businesses were struck.
  
  Read more

• UPS Plane Crash Near Louisville Airport Kills at Least 3, Kentucky Governor Says

  05-11-2025 02:42 via nytimes.com
  At least 11 people were injured, the Kentucky governor said, and two businesses were struck. Data from Flightradar24 showed that a cargo plane bound for Honolulu reached an altitude of just 175 feet before swiftly descending.
  
  Read more

• 3 People Dead After UPS Plane Crashes in Louisville, Police Say

  05-11-2025 02:21 via nytimes.com
  At least 11 people were injured, officials said, and two businesses were struck. Data from Flightradar24 showed that a cargo plane bound for Honolulu reached an altitude of just 175 feet before swiftly descending.
  
  Read more

• UPS Plane Crash Near Louisville Airport Leaves Multiple Injured, Police Say

  05-11-2025 00:55 via nytimes.com
  Data from Flightradar24 showed that a cargo plane bound for Honolulu reached an altitude of just 175 feet before swiftly descending.
  
  Read more

• Injuries Reported After UPS Plane Crashes in Louisville, Police Say

  05-11-2025 00:21 via nytimes.com
  Data from Flightradar24 showed that a cargo plane bound for Honolulu reached an altitude of just 175 feet before swiftly descending.
  
  Read more

• Injuries Reported After Plane Crashes in Louisville, Police Say

  04-11-2025 23:58 via nytimes.com
  Data from Flightradar24 showed that a UPS plane bound for Honolulu reached an altitude of just 175 feet before swiftly descending.
  
  Read more

• Jones Act, taxes and rail among ‘spooky creatures’ haunting Hawaii

  03-11-2025 23:54 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina Halloween was yesterday, but we still have a lot of spooky creatures in Hawaii to worry about. I’m thinking of the Jones Act goblin, the budget banshee and the grasping rail, among many others. The Jones Act goblin’s purpose is to frighten people away from reforming or repealing the Jones Act, which […]
  The post Jones Act, taxes and rail among ‘spooky creatures’ haunting Hawaii appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• TATmas Tree

  03-11-2025 17:00 via hawaiireporter.com
  We wrote last week about how our Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is facing the outright cancellation of a 2026 Native Hawaiian Block Grant because of our good friends in the federal government. DHHL proposes to make up for it by hiking our Transient Accommodations Tax.  Again.  We just hoisted it as a result of […]
  The post TATmas Tree appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Recorridos turísticos para turistas que no quieren serlo

  01-11-2025 08:01 via nytimes.com
  Puesto que algunos visitantes se interesan cada vez más por las realidades sociales y políticas de los lugares turísticos más importantes del mundo, algunos guías locales están adaptando sus ofertas.
  
  Read more

• ‘Anti-Tourism’ Tours Show Visitors a Different Side of Vacation Hot Spots

  29-10-2025 21:53 via nytimes.com
  With visitors increasingly interested in the social and political realities of global tourist hot spots, some local guides are adapting their offerings.
  
  Read more

• Small victories keep Lahaina rebuild inching onward

  28-10-2025 00:41 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina The rebuilding of Lahaina in the wake of the 2023 wildfires might not be happening fast, but there are signs that it is inching forward. The complex web of state and county regulations has significantly hampered that effort — including rules about building in the state’s Special Management Areas, especially along shorelines; […]
  The post Small victories keep Lahaina rebuild inching onward appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Spend That Money, Vought Is Watching

  27-10-2025 17:00 via hawaiireporter.com
  For many years now, the federal government has provided Native Hawaiian Block Grants, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to help with housing issues surrounding our kanaka maoli.  One of our biggest problems with that money is that we haven’t been using it.  We have written about that issue before, […]
  The post Spend That Money, Vought Is Watching appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• This School Has Taught Native Hawaiians Since 1887. Is That Discrimination?

  23-10-2025 04:25 via nytimes.com
  The admissions policy of Kamehameha Schools gives preference to Native Hawaiians. A new lawsuit calls it “blood-based discrimination.”
  
  Read more

• Presenters find common ground at event about Hawaii’s housing crisis

  21-10-2025 03:36 via hawaiireporter.com
  Photo by Sofia Luczak By Keli‘i Akina I often tell my colleagues at the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii that we owe it to our principles to know how to win. For example, if we want to make sure we all have places to live in Hawaii, we have to find common ground with others to […]
  The post Presenters find common ground at event about Hawaii’s housing crisis appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Even More TANF Hoarding

  20-10-2025 18:00 via hawaiireporter.com
  This week we revisit Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF.  Under TANF, the federal government provides a block grant to the states, which then use these funds to run their own programs for relief of the poor.  To receive federal funds, states must also spend some of their own dollars on those programs, known […]
  The post Even More TANF Hoarding appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Let Oahu voters vote on major decisions regarding runaway rail?

  13-10-2025 22:05 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina When it comes to the future of the Honolulu rail, it feels like we’re on a runaway train — pun intended. The Skyline project has blown way past its construction deadlines and cost estimates, and there’s little evidence that anyone is fully in control. It is becoming increasingly apparent that at some […]
  The post Let Oahu voters vote on major decisions regarding runaway rail? appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• Rebelling Against the Culture of Silence

  13-10-2025 18:00 via hawaiireporter.com
  For a very long time, there has been a culture of silence within Hawaii state government. This culture has manifested in various ways.  In our Legislature, for example, Civil Beat recently reported that legislators just vote yes to move things along, 98% of the time.  UH Professor Colin Moore found this to be just one […]
  The post Rebelling Against the Culture of Silence appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

• What Hawaii’s Tiny Homes Reveal About the Housing Crisis

  09-10-2025 19:04 via nytimes.com
  They show the promise of modular construction in response to housing shortfalls.
  
  Read more

• Resist resolution to reverse recent gains in Hawaii housing reform

  09-10-2025 04:08 via hawaiireporter.com
  By Keli‘i Akina If we want to solve Hawaii’s housing shortage, we need to embrace change. My prime example at the moment is the importance of defending Act 39. State lawmakers enacted this landmark housing reform measure last year with the intent of expanding the use of accessory dwelling units as a way to help ease Hawaii’s housing […]
  The post Resist resolution to reverse recent gains in Hawaii housing reform appeared first on Hawaii Reporter.
  
  Read more

Follow @NewslockHawaii on Twitter!