Head of Hawaiʻi Republican Party Talks State Priorities, President Trump

The Hawaiʻi Republican Party has had a revolving door with three different party chairs in the last six months. Shirlene Ostrov is back in the driver’s seat after a stint five years ago.  She said that between then and now, the local party went through nine elected chairs.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Bills Advance to Identify ICE Agents

The first of several bills that would unmask federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents was met with concerns Tuesday from the HPD and state DLE that backup officers from their departments also could be identified while supporting local undercover operations. No representatives for ICE or any federal agency testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee or submitted written testimony regarding SB 2203.

Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiʻi Homeowners Need More Options to Get Rid of All Cesspools by 2050

Hawaiʻi property owners have until 2050 to swap their cesspools for septic tanks. Key lawmakers are interested in moving a bill to advance a low-interest loan program to remove cesspools. A $5 million state program to help low- and moderate-income property owners replace cesspools ran out of money within a week of its launch in 2022.

Civil Beat.

Lawmakers Hear Passionate Testimony on Plan to Study Potential Geothermal Sites

State lawmakers heard passionate testimony opposing geothermal exploration by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) during a House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection hearing. The department is asking the legislature for $15 million to study geothermal energy and says beneficiary meetings will start in April and May.

Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiʻi Looks to Fend Off Federal Fossil Fuels Lawsuit

After a federal lawsuit against Michigan regarding fossil fuels was dismissed, Hawaiʻi is leveraging that precedent to hold private companies accountable for climate change. This follows a federal suit filed against Hawaiʻi on April 30, which came after Governor Josh Green announced plans to sue fossil fuel firms for deceptive marketing practices that contributed to environmental harms.

Star-Advertiser.

O‘ahu Headlines

Sheriff Drones May Be Watching You in Waikīkī

Officials are looking to roll out a major drone surveillance program, marking the first time in Hawaiʻi where drones would be used as first responders. All this comes as HPD grapples with critical vacancies and law enforcement agencies across the nation increasingly turn to drones, to the chagrin of privacy advocates and watchdog groups.

Civil Beat.

Lawsuit Is Filed Against City Over Approval of New Turtle Bay Hotel

Earthjustice filed the suit Tuesday in First Circuit Court on behalf of the nonprofit groups Center for Biological Diversity and Conservation Council for Hawaii, and community group Kapa‘a Kuilima.

Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Dozens of Tenants Forced Out of Low-Rise Apartments for ‘Iolani School Demolition

Landowner ʻIolani School is beginning a long-planned expansion, knocking down five aging apartment buildings next to the campus. From keiki to kūpuna, dozens of families over the weekend got notices to vacate and are now scrambling to find homes.

KITV4.

Council Bill Seeks Online Database of City Funds

A Honolulu City Council measure requiring the city administration use real-time, web-based software to grant greater public access to the annual, multi-billion dollar budgets and day-to-day finances of the city advanced Tuesday.

Star-Advertiser.

Car Dealers Say DMV Registration Delays Slowing Business on Oʻahu

For car dealers on Oʻahu, the biggest holdup isn’t selling vehicles, it’s registering them. Several dealers say limited appointment availability at the Satellite City Hall in Kapālama has turned registration into a waiting game, delaying deliveries and frustrating customers.

Hawaii News Now.

Power Outage Sparks Renewed Push to Restructure HECO

After a massive power outage left thousands across the island in the dark yesterday, lawmakers are pushing a proposal to restructure Hawaiian Electric, raising new questions about reliability and accountability.

KHON2.

Pearl City Woman Sentenced for Threatening Trump, Biden

A Pearl City woman was sentenced Monday to time served and three years of supervised release for threatening to assassinate “whoever was in the White House”—be it Trump or Biden. She is also continuing to receive mental health treatment.

Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

Tephra Cleaup Continues: Kīlauea Volcano’s Recent Episode Made a Mess of Things

A week-and-a-half after episode 41 of Kīlauea’s yearlong summit eruption deposited tephra — lightweight volcanic glass debris — over a sizable area surrounding Halema‘uma‘u crater, residents of Volcano are still digging out.

Tribune-Herald.

Police ID Women Killed in Hilo Fire

Hawaiʻi Island police have identified the two women who died in the Nov. 29, 2025, structure fire at the former Puueo Poi factory building on Kekuanaoa Street in Hilo. The victims have been identified as 72-year-old Antoinette Amii and a 56-year-old Neilla Lee, both tenants of the building.

Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.

Maui Headlines

KCWA Hosts Community Conversation on How Maui’s Watersheds Really Work

The Kula Community Watershed Alliance will host its next Community Conversations event on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, at 6 p.m., featuring hydrologist Christopher Shuler of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Water Resources Research Center.

Maui Now.

Response Underway to Remove Grounded Boat From Kīhei Shoreline

Owners of a grounded vessel are hoping to get the boat removed from the Kīhei shoreline today. The vessel, Na Nahiku, ran aground on the shore fronting 131 S. Kīhei Road by the Kīhei Youth Center on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026.

Maui Now.

Kaua‘i Headlines

Rudy Tai Named Next Kauaʻi Police Chief

An Oʻahu man who retired Monday as the deputy chief of the San Diego Police Department was selected Tuesday to be Kauaʻi’s next police chief. The Kauaʻi Police Commission appointed Rudy Tai from a pool of 51 applicants.

Star-Advertiser. Kauaʻi Now. KITV4.

Mayor Kawakami Attends U.S. Conference of Mayors in D.C.

Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami recently returned from Washington, D.C., where he attended the U.S. Conference of Mayors, joining mayors from across the country to collaborate on shared challenges and national priorities impacting local communities.

Garden Island. Kauaʻi Now.