WEATHER ALERT
Hawaii wildfire victims made it just blocks before becoming trapped by flames, report says
Read full article: Hawaii wildfire victims made it just blocks before becoming trapped by flames, report saysA new report shows that more than 60% of the 102 people who died in last year's Lahaina wildfire had tried to flee the flames.
Hawaii lawmakers say Congress should replenish disaster relief fund to help Maui
Read full article: Hawaii lawmakers say Congress should replenish disaster relief fund to help MauiHawaii's congressional representatives say the nation’s disaster relief fund needs to be replenished so the U.S. government can continue to help survivors of Maui’s deadly wildfires and other disasters around the country.
Tropical Storm Hone increases to Category 1 hurricane strength while approaching Hawaii
Read full article: Tropical Storm Hone increases to Category 1 hurricane strength while approaching HawaiiTropical Storm Hone has increased to a Category 1 hurricane while continuing its steady approach toward Hawaii late Saturday.
Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono wins Democratic primary for third term, will face McDermott in general
Read full article: Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono wins Democratic primary for third term, will face McDermott in generalU.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and Hawaii's incumbent congressional representatives have won their state Democratic Party primary races.
How Lahaina's more than 150-year-old banyan tree is coming back to life after devastating fire
Read full article: How Lahaina's more than 150-year-old banyan tree is coming back to life after devastating fireThe deadly wildfire that tore through Lahaina last August scorched the 151-year-old banyan tree along the historic town's Front Street.
Parties in lawsuits seeking damages for Maui fires reach $4B global settlement, court filings say
Read full article: Parties in lawsuits seeking damages for Maui fires reach $4B global settlement, court filings sayA court filing says the parties in lawsuits seeking damages for last year’s Maui wildfires have reached a $4 billion global settlement.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green tells AP a $4 billion settlement for 2023 Maui wildfire could come next week
Read full article: Hawaii Gov. Josh Green tells AP a $4 billion settlement for 2023 Maui wildfire could come next weekHawaii Gov. Josh Green says the parties in Lahaina wildfire lawsuits against Hawaii, Maui County and utilities are close to a global settlement of claims that will be worth a little over $4 billion.
Hawaii governor says Biden could decide within days whether to remain in the presidential race
Read full article: Hawaii governor says Biden could decide within days whether to remain in the presidential raceHawaii Gov. Josh Green says President Joe Biden could decide within days whether to remain a candidate for reelection.
Former pro surfer known for riding huge Pipeline waves dies in shark attack while surfing off Oahu
Read full article: Former pro surfer known for riding huge Pipeline waves dies in shark attack while surfing off OahuA well-known Hawaii lifeguard who was killed in a shark attack on Oahu’s North Shore was a former professional surfer with acting credits to his name.
Hawaii officials stress preparedness despite below-normal central Pacific hurricane season outlook
Read full article: Hawaii officials stress preparedness despite below-normal central Pacific hurricane season outlookForecasters say this year's hurricane season for waters around Hawaii will likely be “below normal” with one to four tropical cyclones across the central Pacific region.
Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii crowned Miss USA after previous winner resigned, citing mental health
Read full article: Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii crowned Miss USA after previous winner resigned, citing mental healthSavannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii has been crowned Miss USA 2023, more than a week after the previous titleholder resigned for mental health reasons.
WWII soldiers posthumously receive Purple Heart medals 79 years after fatal plane crash
Read full article: WWII soldiers posthumously receive Purple Heart medals 79 years after fatal plane crashThe families of five Hawaii men who served in a unit of Japanese-language linguists during World War II have received posthumous Purple Heart medals on behalf of their loved ones nearly eight decades after the soldiers died in a plane crash in the final days of the conflict.
Honolulu agrees to 4-month window to grant or deny gun carrying licenses after lawsuit over delays
Read full article: Honolulu agrees to 4-month window to grant or deny gun carrying licenses after lawsuit over delaysHonolulu has agreed to approve or deny applications to carry guns in public within four months of submission in response to a lawsuit by residents who complained of delays of up to a year.
No sign of widespread lead exposure from Maui wildfires, Hawaii health officials say
Read full article: No sign of widespread lead exposure from Maui wildfires, Hawaii health officials sayHawaii health officials say testing on west Maui residents shows no evidence of widespread lead exposure from last summer’s wildfires.
Growing wildfire risk leaves states grappling with how to keep property insurers from fleeing
Read full article: Growing wildfire risk leaves states grappling with how to keep property insurers from fleeingMonths after a catastrophic fire burned more than 2,200 homes and killed 101 people in Hawaii, some property owners are getting more bad news — their property insurance won’t be renewed because their insurance company has deemed the risk too high.
Takeaways from this week's reports on the deadly 2023 Maui fire that destroyed Lahaina
Read full article: Takeaways from this week's reports on the deadly 2023 Maui fire that destroyed LahainaOfficials are still trying to determine exactly what went wrong when the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century burned through a historic Hawaii town, more than a half-year after the disaster.
Maui Fire Department report on deadly wildfire details need for more equipment and mutual aid plans
Read full article: Maui Fire Department report on deadly wildfire details need for more equipment and mutual aid plansWhen wildfires broke out across the Hawaiian island of Maui last August, some firefighters carried victims piggyback over downed power lines to safety and sheltered survivors inside their fire engines.
Communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without alerts amid Maui fire
Read full article: Communications breakdown left authorities in the dark and residents without alerts amid Maui fireA new report shows that the head of Maui's emergency management agency dragged his heels about returning to the island as wildfires ripped across the island last August.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in US more likely to believe in climate change: AP-NORC poll
Read full article: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in US more likely to believe in climate change: AP-NORC pollAsian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the United States are slightly more likely than the overall adult population to believe in human-caused climate change.
Maui's mayor prioritizes housing and vows to hire more firefighters after Lahaina wildfire
Read full article: Maui's mayor prioritizes housing and vows to hire more firefighters after Lahaina wildfireMaui’s mayor says he is prioritizing housing, evaluating evacuation routes and hiring more firefighters as his Hawaii community recovers from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.
Biden wins Democratic caucuses in Hawaii as he moves closer to seizing the nomination again
Read full article: Biden wins Democratic caucuses in Hawaii as he moves closer to seizing the nomination againPresident Joe Biden won the Democratic caucuses in Hawaii on Wednesday, propelling him closer to winning his party’s nomination again after romping through the Super Tuesday contests earlier this week.
AP Decision Note: What to expect in Hawaii's Democratic presidential caucuses
Read full article: AP Decision Note: What to expect in Hawaii's Democratic presidential caucusesHawaii Democrats will hold a presidential preference vote on Wednesday as President Joe Biden moves closer to securing the delegates needed to clinch nomination for a second term in the White House.
In Hawaii, coral is the foundation of life. What happened to it after the Lahaina wildfire?
Read full article: In Hawaii, coral is the foundation of life. What happened to it after the Lahaina wildfire?A deadly wildfire burned more than 2,000 buildings in the Hawaiian town of Lahaina on Maui in August and left behind piles of toxic debris.
Hawaii's high court cites 'The Wire' in rebuke of US Supreme Court decision that expanded gun rights
Read full article: Hawaii's high court cites 'The Wire' in rebuke of US Supreme Court decision that expanded gun rightsA ruling by Hawaii’s high court saying that a man can be prosecuted for carrying a gun in public without a permit uses pop culture references in an apparent rebuke of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that expanded gun rights nationwide.
Better equipment and communications are among Maui police recommendations after Lahaina wildfire
Read full article: Better equipment and communications are among Maui police recommendations after Lahaina wildfireBetter communications and equipment are among the recommendations being made by the Maui Police Department following the wildfire that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina nearly six months ago.
Judge in a bribery case against Honolulu's former top prosecutor is suddenly recusing himself
Read full article: Judge in a bribery case against Honolulu's former top prosecutor is suddenly recusing himselfA month before the start of a trial against Honolulu’s former top prosecutor for allegedly taking campaign donation bribes in exchange for prosecuting an employee of an engineering and architectural firm, the judge who has been presiding over the case for several years is unexpectedly recusing himself.
Hawaii lawmakers open new legislative session with eyes on wildfire prevention and housing
Read full article: Hawaii lawmakers open new legislative session with eyes on wildfire prevention and housingHawaii lawmakers are opening a new session of the state Legislature vowing to address glaring problems laid bare by the deadly wildfire that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina in August.
$100M will be left for Native Hawaiian causes from the estate of an heiress considered last princess
Read full article: $100M will be left for Native Hawaiian causes from the estate of an heiress considered last princessThere will be at least $100 million left in the estate of the so-called last Hawaiian princess to support Native Hawaiian culture.
How Native familes make salt at one of Hawaii's last remaining salt patches
Read full article: How Native familes make salt at one of Hawaii's last remaining salt patchesA salt patch on the island of Kauai is one of the last remaining locations in all of Hawaii where sacred salt is made by Native Hawaiian families following methods that are several centuries old.
Powerful Pacific swell brings threat of more dangerous surf to California
Read full article: Powerful Pacific swell brings threat of more dangerous surf to CaliforniaBulldozers have built giant sand berms to protect beachfront homes in one of the California coastal cities hit hard this week by extraordinary waves generated by powerful swells from Pacific storms.
Maui's economy needs tourists. Can they visit without compounding wildfire trauma?
Read full article: Maui's economy needs tourists. Can they visit without compounding wildfire trauma?Hawaii’s governor and mayor are welcoming tourists back to the west side of Maui months after August wildfires killed at least 100 people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings.
Huge surf pounds West Coast and Hawaii, flooding some low-lying areas
Read full article: Huge surf pounds West Coast and Hawaii, flooding some low-lying areasPowerful surf is rolling onto beaches on the West Coast and Hawaii as a big swell generated by the stormy Pacific Ocean pushes toward shorelines.
Hawaii governor wants 3,000 vacation rentals converted to housing for Maui wildfire survivors
Read full article: Hawaii governor wants 3,000 vacation rentals converted to housing for Maui wildfire survivorsHawaii Gov. Josh Green says he he wants 3,000 condos and homes normally rented to Maui tourists converted to long-term housing for displaced wildfire survivors who are still living in hotels.
Lacking counselors, US schools turn to the booming business of online therapy
Read full article: Lacking counselors, US schools turn to the booming business of online therapyAs schools across the U.S. grapple with the student mental health crisis, the use of telehealth therapy for students has skyrocketed.
Brady Hoke to retire as San Diego State coach at end of the season after 6 years with the school
Read full article: Brady Hoke to retire as San Diego State coach at end of the season after 6 years with the schoolSan Diego State coach Brady Hoke says he will retire from leading the Aztecs after this season, having guided the program for six years over two stints that included three bowl appearances.
Mobile and resilient, the US military is placing a new emphasis on ground troops for Pacific defense
Read full article: Mobile and resilient, the US military is placing a new emphasis on ground troops for Pacific defenseAs China's navy grows and its land-based missile systems expand, the United States is reworking its strategy in the Indo-Pacific, particularly as it relates to the defense of Taiwan.
Hawaii agrees to hand over site to Maui County for wildfire landfill and memorial
Read full article: Hawaii agrees to hand over site to Maui County for wildfire landfill and memorialHawaii’s land board says it will hand over state land on Maui to be used for a wildfire memorial and fire debris disposal.
Mayor says West Maui to reopen to tourism on Nov. 1 after fire and workers are ready to return
Read full article: Mayor says West Maui to reopen to tourism on Nov. 1 after fire and workers are ready to returnMaui County's mayor says all of West Maui except for burned-out sections of historic Lahaina will reopen to tourism on Nov. 1.
Lahaina family finds cherished heirlooms and devastation in first home visit after deadly wildfire
Read full article: Lahaina family finds cherished heirlooms and devastation in first home visit after deadly wildfireAmong the first families to return to the burn zone in Lahaina is that of Leola Vierra, who spent nearly 50 years living in a home she designed before it burned down Aug. 8 in the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century.
Lahaina residents brace for what they'll find as they return to devastated properties in burn zone
Read full article: Lahaina residents brace for what they'll find as they return to devastated properties in burn zoneLahaina residents are bracing for what they'll find when they return to the ruins of their homes after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century killed at least 97 people and destroyed thousands of buildings.
The Maui Invitational is relocating to Honolulu in the wake of the wildfires that devastated Lahaina
Read full article: The Maui Invitational is relocating to Honolulu in the wake of the wildfires that devastated LahainaThe Maui Invitational will be held in Honolulu this year because of the wildfires that devastated Lahaina, where the tournament usually is played.
Most of West Maui will welcome back visitors next month under a new wildfire emergency proclamation
Read full article: Most of West Maui will welcome back visitors next month under a new wildfire emergency proclamationMost of West Maui will officially reopen to travelers next month under a new wildfire emergency proclamation signed by Hawaii's governor.
The number of people missing following devastating Maui wildfires has dropped to 66, governor says
Read full article: The number of people missing following devastating Maui wildfires has dropped to 66, governor saysOne month after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century leveled the historic town of Lahaina, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green says the number of missing has dropped to 66, the death toll remains at 115, and authorities will soon escort residents on visits to their property.
Lawyers claim cable TV and phone companies are also responsible in Maui fires
Read full article: Lawyers claim cable TV and phone companies are also responsible in Maui firesLawyers for residents and business owners of the Hawaiian town devastated by last month’s fires on Maui told a court that cable TV and telephone companies share responsibility for the disaster.
President Biden announced $95 million to help Maui recover from wildfires
Read full article: President Biden announced $95 million to help Maui recover from wildfiresPresident Biden to talk about what the federal government can do to respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia in Florida and the recent deadly wildfires in Maui.
Hawaiian Electric shares plunge after utility is sued over devastating Maui fires
Read full article: Hawaiian Electric shares plunge after utility is sued over devastating Maui firesShares of Hawaiian Electric Company’s parent fell more than 19% Friday, one day after the utility was sued by Maui County over the fires that devastated Lahaina.
Maui County sues power company, saying utility did not turn off electricity during deadly wildfires
Read full article: Maui County sues power company, saying utility did not turn off electricity during deadly wildfiresMaui County has sued Hawaiian Electric Company over the fires that devastated Lahaina, saying the utility negligently failed to shut off power despite exceptionally high winds and dry conditions.
Local business owner, Clay County firefighter stepping in to help recovery efforts after deadly wildfires in Maui
Read full article: Local business owner, Clay County firefighter stepping in to help recovery efforts after deadly wildfires in MauiA business owner that once lived in Jacksonville and a local firefighter are doing their part to help Maui, Hawaii recover after the devastating wildfires that ripped through the island.
Biden says federal government will help Maui ‘for as long as it takes’ to recover from wildfire
Read full article: Biden says federal government will help Maui ‘for as long as it takes’ to recover from wildfirePresident Joe Biden told survivors of Hawaii’s wildfires that the nation “grieves with you” and promised that the federal government will help Hawaii “for as long as it takes” to recover from the deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than a century.
FEMA has paid out more than $5.6 million to Maui survivors, a figure expected to grow significantly
Read full article: FEMA has paid out more than $5.6 million to Maui survivors, a figure expected to grow significantlyThe Federal Emergency Management Agency said Friday it has approved more than $5.6 million in assistance to nearly 2,000 households in Maui so far as the federal government tries to help survivors of the devastating wildfires.
In Hawaii, concerns over 'climate gentrification' rise after devastating Maui fires
Read full article: In Hawaii, concerns over 'climate gentrification' rise after devastating Maui firesThe fires that broke out on Maui last week have exacerbated Hawaii’s housing crisis as more than 3,000 buildings in Lahaina were damaged or destroyed, leaving many wondering if homeowners can afford to rebuild.
Identifying victims of the Maui wildfire will be a challenging task. Here's what it entails
Read full article: Identifying victims of the Maui wildfire will be a challenging task. Here's what it entailsOfficials face a formidable challenge identifying the remains of more than 100 victims of the Maui blaze as agonized loved ones yearn for information on those missing after the United States’ deadliest wildfire in more than a century.
Maui fire survivors are confronting huge mental health hurdles, many while still living in shelters
Read full article: Maui fire survivors are confronting huge mental health hurdles, many while still living in sheltersMany survivors of the wildfire that consumed Lahaina are experiencing depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder even while still living in mass shelters filled with grim reminders of their escape.
As people fled the fires, pets did too. Some emerged with marks of escape, but many remain lost.
Read full article: As people fled the fires, pets did too. Some emerged with marks of escape, but many remain lost.Pets and people are recovering this week after fleeing Maui wildfires that claimed over 90 lives and decimated a historic town.
Death toll from devastating Maui fire reaches 101, Hawaii governor says
Read full article: Death toll from devastating Maui fire reaches 101, Hawaii governor saysHawaii's governor says the blaze that burned through the town of Lahaina on Maui last week has killed at least 101 people, as recovery efforts continue.
Maui officials and scientists warn that after the flames flicker out, toxic particles will remain
Read full article: Maui officials and scientists warn that after the flames flicker out, toxic particles will remainOfficials in Maui are warning residents that it remains too early to return to some parts of the island where firefighters have extinguished flames.
As Maui rescue continues, families and faith leaders cling to hope but tackle reality of loss
Read full article: As Maui rescue continues, families and faith leaders cling to hope but tackle reality of lossFor scores of families still hoping to reunite with loved ones, it was not yet time to give up, even as Hawaii authorities predict that more remains would be found in the ashes left behind by a wildfire that gutted the once-bustling town of Lahaina.
Hawaii churches offer prayers for the dead and the missing after devastating Maui wildfires
Read full article: Hawaii churches offer prayers for the dead and the missing after devastating Maui wildfiresParishioners mourned the dead and prayed for the missing in Hawaii churches as communities began looking ahead to a long recovery from last week’s wildfire on Maui.
In deadly Maui wildfires, communication failed. Chaos overtook Lahaina along with the flames
Read full article: In deadly Maui wildfires, communication failed. Chaos overtook Lahaina along with the flamesIn the hours before a wildfire engulfed the town of Lahaina, Maui County officials failed to activate sirens that would have warned the entire population of the approaching flames and instead relied on a series of sometimes confusing social media posts that reached a much smaller audience.
Searching for the missing on Maui, some wait in agony to make contact. And then the phone rings
Read full article: Searching for the missing on Maui, some wait in agony to make contact. And then the phone ringsAs smoke cleared from the fires in Maui that killed at least 80 people and wiped out a historic town, the firestorm left hundreds of people searching desperately for missing loved ones.
They lost everything in the Paradise fire. Now they're reliving their grief as fires rage in Hawaii
Read full article: They lost everything in the Paradise fire. Now they're reliving their grief as fires rage in HawaiiAs wildfires tear through the Hawaiian island of Maui, residents of a Northern California town are reliving their own harrowing experience with a similar conflagration.
'Ash and debris': Journalist covering Maui fires surveys destruction of once-vibrant Hawaii town
Read full article: 'Ash and debris': Journalist covering Maui fires surveys destruction of once-vibrant Hawaii townA Las Vegas-based video journalist for The Associated Press dispatched to cover devastating wind-fueled wildfires in Hawaii says the scene over Maui was one of the worst he’s seen in more than eight years of covering the disasters.
Flash drought, invasive grasses, winds, hurricane and climate change fuel Maui's devastating fires
Read full article: Flash drought, invasive grasses, winds, hurricane and climate change fuel Maui's devastating firesA dangerous mix of conditions appear to have combined to make the wildfires blazing a path of destruction in Hawaii particularly damaging, including flash drought, high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation.
Hiroshima peace park and Pearl Harbor memorial will work together to promote peace
Read full article: Hiroshima peace park and Pearl Harbor memorial will work together to promote peaceHiroshima and Pearl Harbor, two symbols of World War II animosity between Japan and the United States, are now promoting peace and friendship through a sister park arrangement.
Long heritage of Native Hawaiian gender-fluidity showcased in Las Vegas drag show
Read full article: Long heritage of Native Hawaiian gender-fluidity showcased in Las Vegas drag showThe concept of gender-fluidity -- or “mahu” -- has existed in Hawaii for hundreds of years and is the hallmark of a culture that allows space between the concepts of male and female.
Hawaii allows more concealed carry after US Supreme Court ruling, but bans guns in most places
Read full article: Hawaii allows more concealed carry after US Supreme Court ruling, but bans guns in most placesHawaii Gov. Josh Green has signed legislation that will allow more people to carry concealed firearms.
Family's Alaska fishing trip becomes nightmare with 3 dead and search over for 2 more
Read full article: Family's Alaska fishing trip becomes nightmare with 3 dead and search over for 2 moreAn Alaska fishing adventure became a nightmare for a family of eight when the wreckage of one of the two boats they’d chartered over the Memorial Day weekend was found partially submerged off an island.
Recent shark bites in Florida are scary, but serious injuries remain vanishingly rare
Read full article: Recent shark bites in Florida are scary, but serious injuries remain vanishingly rareRecent shark bites in Florida and Hawaii and a suspected case in New Jersey have piqued interest in the age-old summer question of whether it's safe to go in the water.
Fatal Hawaii shooting shows dangers of popular cockfights
Read full article: Fatal Hawaii shooting shows dangers of popular cockfightsPolice in Hawaii have vowed to step up illegal gambling enforcement after one of the most serious shootings in state history called attention to the dangers that come with cockfighting.
Dirty money: Ex-lawmaker gets 2 years for cesspool bribes
Read full article: Dirty money: Ex-lawmaker gets 2 years for cesspool bribesA former Hawaii lawmaker has been sentenced to two years in prison in a federal corruption case that’s drawn attention to a perennial problem in the islands: the tens of thousands of cesspools that release 50 million gallons of raw sewage into the state’s pristine waters every day.