University of Hawai‘i Removes ‘Diversity’ From Key Office in Effort to Safeguard Federal Funding

President Trump issued an executive order last month to eliminate DEI programs. UH President Wendy Hensel says the university could lose nearly $400 million in federal funding if it doesn’t comply. Its Office of Student Equity, Excellence, and Diversity was renamed the SEED office and now has an ambiguous mission statement: “cultivating the SEEDs of student success for a brighter future.”

Hawaii News Now. Spectrum News.

Hawai‘i Attorney General Anne E. Lopez at Forefront of Fight Against Trump Orders

A team of deputy attorneys general are coordinating legal counterattacks to what they call President Donald Trump’s “blatantly unconstitutional” efforts to reshape funding for states and how the federal government manages its citizens. By filing lawsuits and joining actions seeking preliminary injunctions against Trump’s executive orders, Attorney General Lopez’s team is working with colleagues across the country to push back.

Star-Advertiser.

Multiple Agencies Back DLE Director Nominee Mike Lambert

Honolulu Police Major Mike Lambert faced senators in a confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 19 after being nominated by Governor Josh Green to succeed outgoing director Jordan Lowe. The Senate Public Safety and Military Affairs Committee unanimously voted to recommend Lambert as the new director for the state’s Department of Law Enforcement.

KHON2.

Proposed Leadership, Rule Changes to Water Commission Seek to Curb Political Conflicts

Changes could be coming to the state Commission on Water Resource Management, including some meant to address political conflicts of interest in managing and protecting Hawaiʻi’s water.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Bill to Ban Algorithmic Price-Setting in Hawaiʻi’s Rental Market Moves Ahead in Senate

A bill aimed at protecting Hawaiʻi renters from algorithmic price-setting has cleared the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, which has recommended passage on second reading and referral to the Judiciary and Ways and Means committees.

Maui Now.

O‘ahu Headlines

These 5 Bridges Across the Ala Wai Got Top Public Votes

Honolulu has settled on five proposed designs for a future pedestrian bridge over the Ala Wai Canal after hearing an earful of opinions from residents. The city will now form a three-person advisory committee, ahead of a bidding process beginning this summer. The bridge, which will bridge a mile-and-a-half gap between Ala Wai crossings, is scheduled to open in 2029.

Civil Beat.

To Rescue the Cliffs Below Diamond Head, This Group Went Rogue

A dedicated group of volunteers that have been restoring the scenic slopes below Diamond Head for the past five years got hit with a surprise last month – a police report about their work. That’s because the Kuilei Cliff group has been stewarding and planting without proper city approvals, which the volunteer group says is unnecessarily onerous.

Civil Beat.

A Rare Conviction for Selling Illegal Fireworks Ends With Supervised Release

A Kapolei man avoided jail time but was given a $5,000 fine on Wednesday for the distribution of illegal fireworks, representing a rare win in the state’s crackdown on unlicensed pyrotechnics. The case is one of only two felony convictions as a result of the Department of Law Enforcement’s Illegal Fireworks Task Force.

Civil Beat.

Latest Phase of Kailua Roundabout Project Frustrating Park Users

A project aimed at easing traffic has been causing gridlock in Kailua. And efforts to reduce the construction gridlock has led to another set of frustrations, this time for users of Kailua Beach Park.

Hawaii News Now.

The Cost to Fix Hawaiʻi State Hospital Has Climbed to Nearly $37 Million

Lawmakers are furious that shoddy construction of the Hawaiʻi State Hospital’s three-year-old Hale Hoʻōla Building may cost taxpayers nearly $37 million to fix, and are pointing fingers at developer Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Lawmakers on Wednesday saw pictures of deteriorating air conditioning equipment, clogged drains that somehow became filled with grout, and leaks and mold throughout the building.

Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

HFD Battalion Chief Accused of Sexual Assault

A 25-year veteran of the Honolulu Fire Department was arrested Tuesday afternoon in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 33-year-old woman at the department’s main station on Valentine’s Day.

Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

Kīlauea Continues Erupting After Brief Pause

This will be Episode 10 of the ongoing eruption within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that began on Dec. 23, 2024. Each episode of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since December has continued for 13 hours to 8 days and episodes have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days.

Big Island Now. Big Island Video News.

Bill Eyeing Geothermal on Hawaiian Home Lands Draws Opposition

A state proposal to locate possible geothermal well sites on Hawaiian home lands has Big Island residents pushing back.

Tribune-Herald.

Maui Headlines

New Species of Bee Discovered on Molokaʻi

The newly identified bee species, named Hylaeus paumako — paumākō meaning “mourning” or “grief” in Hawaiian — was distinguished by its all-black face, a unique characteristic not seen in any other known male bee species on Moloka‘i.

Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Local Food Coalition Backs Bills to Boost Hawai‘i Farm Grants, Infrastructure

The announcement comes in anticipation of the Hawai‘i Farm Bureau’s annual “Ag Day at the Capitol” on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Hawai‘i State Capitol.

Maui Now.

Kaua‘i Headlines

Kaua’i County Council Chair: ‘We’re in Crisis Mode’ With Lone Landfill Approaching Capacity

About 90,000 tons of waste enter the Kekaha Landfill on the West Side of Kaua‘i each year. But current permits do not allow the landfill to operate beyond November 2027.

Kaua‘i Now.

Life-Saving Efforts Honored

A fast-acting samaritan along with several first responders were honored for their collaborative life-saving efforts that saved a woman’s life last December.

Garden Island.