General News

Starting Monday, a new pilot program for bulky trash collection takes effect for Honolulu's urban core. City officials say it's an effort to prevent illegal dumping in neighborhoods, and minimize trash on curbs and sidewalks.

A measure to promote the building of affordable rental units in Honolulu is now a law.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell says the city's $9.2 billion rail project isn't in danger of losing federal funds, so long as it builds all 20 miles of the planned transit line.

State lawmakers are asking federal officials to either ground all tour helicopters in the islands or ban flights over residential neighborhoods. Following Monday's deadly helicopter crash in Kailua, four senators signed a letter asking for action by the Federal Aviation Administration and state Department of Transportation.

HONOLULU — Hawaii lawmakers have passed bills instituting all-mail voting and automatic recounts for races with narrow victory margins, measures lawmakers hope will boost voter turnout and confidence in elections.

HONOLULU — A bill making it a misdemeanor to lie to government investigators or inspectors during building inspections won approval from both houses of the Hawaiʻi Legislature.

A measure that would have implemented red light cameras at intersections will instead call for further study.

After completing an inaugural flight from Kahului to Honolulu yesterday morning, Southwest Airlines is offering $29 fares for interisland flights.

After several years of debate, a measure to regulate monster homes on Oʻahu is awaiting Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s signature. The bill passed the City Council Wednesday, but the head of the department that will enforce the proposed rules says some details need to be hammered out.

KALAOA, Hawaii — A weekend earthquake that struck Hawaiʻi was not related to volcanic activity, scientists said.

UPDATED: 3:23 PM, 4/15

An inmate who escaped from a Hawaii jail has been found.

Police arrested Troy Diego Monday after an island-wide manhunt. The search began when he and another inmate escaped from Maui Community Correctional Center on Sunday.

HILO, Hawaii — Scientists in Hawaii are monitoring increasing activity surrounding one of the Big Island's volcanoes.

The Federal Transit Administration is withholding payments for Honolulu's rail system until officials make changes to its plan to get the $9 billion project back on track.

HONOLULU — Former Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle wants to return to his old job as the city's top prosecutor because of a growing corruption scandal, he said Wednesday.

Due to emergency electrical repairs on the Likelike Highway, the state Department of Transportation will be temporarily reopening the Pali Highway this Sunday, April 14. 

According to a new Point in Time Count, the overall number of homeless individuals and families has decreased on the neighbor islands since last year. 

HONOLULU — Hawaii lawmakers eager to gather tax revenue from the state's flourishing, yet mostly unpermitted, vacation rental sector on Tuesday passed legislation that would require websites like Airbnb to collect and pay taxes on behalf of short-term rental hosts.

If you have been procrastinating on doing your taxes, here's a friendly reminder that they are due pretty soon. The deadline to file your federal income tax return is next Monday, April 15th. But the state deadline to file is a week later, on April 22nd.

Two Honolulu police officers arrested Friday are innocent of allegations they forced a man to lick a urinal, a defense attorney said.

Officers John Rabago and Reginald Ramones were charged with depriving a man of his civil rights.

Federal authorities knew about the allegations for more than a year before the officers were indicted, said , Megan Kau, Rabago's defense attorney.

"This is not a complicated case," she said. "This is a case of one man saying that two police officers forced him to a lick a toilet bowl."