DOE Says It’s Made No Progress on Farm to School Mandate

A state law passed in 2021, has mandated the Department of Education to locally source 30% of the food it serves by the end of the decade. An October report to lawmakers said that the department bought $64.1 million worth of food from July 2022 through June 2023. Of that, it reported that 6.1% was spent on locally produced food.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Climate Advisory Team Unveils Policy Recommendations

The Climate Advisory Team, established by Gov. Josh Green, on Tuesday released its policy paper describing actions Hawaiʻi can take immediately while simultaneously building the foundation for long-term policies that will help Hawaiʻi survive and respond to future disasters.

Maui Now.

Lawmakers Learn Price Tag for Fireworks Crackdown

The state Department of Law Enforcement Tuesday laid out details of what it will cost to crack down on fireworks, but some lawmakers are suggesting even more should be spent.

Hawaii News Now.

Fireworks Come to Hawaiʻi on Passenger Jets ‘Almost Daily’

Illegal fireworks are being transported to Hawaiʻi on passenger airplanes on an “almost daily” basis, challenging the presumption that explosives only come here inside shipping containers and raising the specter of a mid-flight explosion, a top state law enforcement official said Tuesday.

Civil Beat.

Biden Honors Hawaiians Who Served On Remote Pacific Islands

The U.S. sent 135 men before and during World War II to secure land claims. The White House has posthumously honored the service and sacrifice of members of Hui Panalāʻau and renamed the Pacific Remote Islands National Marine Monument as the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument.

Civil Beat.

O‘ahu Headlines

Some State Legislators Unhappy With Proposed Site for New Oʻahu Landfill

The City and County of Honolulu wants to build it in Wahiawā, but some lawmakers ask if there are alternatives. On Dec. 10, the city announced that an area northwest of Wahiawā was the favored location for the new landfill. It is on agricultural land to the west of Kamehameha Highway and north of Paʻalaʻa Uka Pūpūkea Road.

Civil Beat.

Blangiardi Requests Confirmation of His New Executive Cabinet

Those being tapped for the city and county’s key leadership roles are positions many have maintained since Mayor Rick Blangiardi first assumed the city’s top elective office on Jan. 2, 2021.

Star-Advertiser. 

Honolulu Teacher Housing Complex Faces Possible Delays, Funding Shortfalls

Community members and developers are closer to a compromise on where to build a new teacher housing complex at Mililani High School, but the proposed solution will likely require more time and money.

Civil Beat.

OHA Will Host Community Meeting on Kakaʻako Makai

Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs will host a community meeting on proposals for workforce housing and development on lands in Kakaʻako Makai on Wednesday night.

Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

State to Hold Fireworks Amnesty Event Saturday at Aloha Stadium

The event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., allowing participants to turn in fireworks for safe disposal with no questions asked.

Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. KHON2.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

State Offers Funds to Battle Coffee Pests

Big Island coffee farmers could once again get thousands of dollars in state funds to pay for pesticides to combat a pair of devastating pests.

Tribune-Herald.

UH Hilo Botanical Garden Gets a Nod from World’s Largest Plant Conservation Network

The Botanic Gardens Conservation International has offered formal accreditation to UH Hilo’s garden, which specializes in bromeliads, palms, and cycads, a type of cone-bearing plant.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Vog Lingering Over Hawai‘i Island While Kīlauea Eruption Is Paused

While the Dec. 23 eruption at Kīlauea paused again on Saturday, the lingering vog has smothered much of the island, resulting in poor air quality for some communities.

Big Island Now.

Maui Headlines

Kama Holds on as Housing and Land Use Committee Chair; Minority Ouster Attempt Fails

By a 5-4 vote, Maui County Council Member Tasha Kama maintained chairmanship of the Housing and Land Use Committee last week, although it came with diluted committee responsibilities and no jurisdiction over proposals for increasing housing availability or affordability.

Maui Now.

Maui Homeless Suing County Over Sweep Celebrate After Ruling

Two women, with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Hawaii, are suing Maui County for taking and destroying all their belongings during a homeless sweep at Kanaha Beach Park four years ago.

Hawaii News Now.

Maui United Way awards $1.15M in Mā‘ona Food Security Grants

Maui United Way announced the recipients of its Mā‘ona Food Security Grant, a new initiative aimed at addressing critical food security challenges in Maui County.

Maui Now.

Kaua‘i Headlines

Kauaʻi Rooster Farm Stokes Cockfighting Criticism

On Kauaʻi, where thousands of feral chickens freely roam, residents are accustomed to rooster noise. But in this neighborhood on the island’s east side, the owners of $2 million homes on land zoned for agriculture say the disruption from a rooster farm next door is unreasonable.

Civil Beat.