Good morning, Honolulu.

The County of Hawaii secured the $6.2M purchase of the 81-acre Kawainui Makai site on the Hilo-Hamakua coast, preserving a cherished spot for recreation and cultural use (spurred by community advocacy).

The county will work with local partners for ongoing stewardship of the area.

Seven WWII nisei soldiers were posthumously promoted to 2nd lieutenant in a ceremony at Ke‘ehi Lagoon Memorial State Park on Monday & their legacy is honored for overcoming discrimination during the war.

Hawaii Kaiser Permanente workers have begun striking today over alleged unfair labor practices (joining 31,000 California workers who started their walkout Monday) as part of a broader dispute over work conditions.

HB 1559 proposes banning cellphones in public schools to boost learning and focus, but teachers and parents remain divided on its impact.

Legislators cite benefits seen in other states and call for clear enforcement guidelines from the Department of Education.

Honolulu Parks and Recreation will remove a 70-foot Bodhi tree from Manoa Road on Monday, Feb.

2, closing the road for up to 10 days due to safety hazards to nearby structures — traffic will be redirected via Gore Way.

Honolulu resumed its unsheltered Point in Time count Monday as outreach teams and city officials surveyed Chinatown and other areas — the count, held for the first time since 2024, revealed gaps in local support that will guide future efforts.

In Honolulu, a father-daughter practice stops taking insurance and adopts a direct primary care model this month.

They charge a $200 monthly fee so patients can enjoy longer visits and more attentive care.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said the state’s $188M rural health award boosts its per-capita ranking to sixth among states.

Developed through the Hawaii Rural Health Transformation Plan, the award—followed by further rounds through 2030—requires revised state budgets to unlock funds.

Campbell Sabers basketball player Jaynalyn Sotelo has been challenging girls basketball opponents with both offensive and defensive skills.

Her strong play in recent games has energized the team in local contests.

Kalani and Campbell high school girls advanced to the OIA basketball final after strong play in earlier rounds.

The championship game will be held in Honolulu soon, officials said.