Good morning, Honolulu.

Honolulu police are searching for a man who robbed a gas station in Waipio today shortly after 4:30 a.m.—he used a black handgun while wearing a hockey mask and a yellow hooded rain jacket and fled on foot with cash after demanding money from a 52-year-old cashier.

Police reclassified Diane Suzuki’s disappearance as a homicide after new tests with luminol showed blood in the bathroom where she was last seen—evidence that ended years of searching for clues.

More than eight years after University of Hawaii student Diane Suzuki disappeared, a Honolulu grand jury heard key evidence in her murder case — the panel declined to indict the person of interest after days of testimony.

Local performers from Ohana Arts will show Peace on Your Wings at UH Kennedy Theatre on July 12 and 13 before they travel to Hiroshima in August for the Peace Memorial Ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings.

The musical tells the story of Sadako Sasaki, a 12-year-old who folded 1,000 paper cranes to wish for healing — the show has toured 10 cities and will soon be licensed for other theater groups.

Governor Green signed House Bill 1001 into law today—establishing a Maui Wildfires Settlement Trust Fund that puts aside $807.5 million for the state’s share of a $4.037 billion settlement.

The City and County of Honolulu have selected Native Hawaiian-owned firm DTL & partners BDP Quadrangle, Wilson Okamoto Corporation & Nippon Koei to master plan a transit-based community in Iwilei-Kapalama that will boost access to public transit and support affordable housing.

The project, centered on the Kuwili Station TOD Redevelopment Area and funded by a $2 million Federal Transit Administration grant, will break ground this summer and be completed in phases through 2027.

Gov. Green activated the National Guard on Tuesday in response to wildfires in West Oahu and South Maui — the move lets aircrew members respond quickly to emergencies and help contain fires before they spread.

Major Amanda Feindt – a whistleblower – raised water safety concerns in 2021 after speaking with military leaders and Congress and said an Air Force colonel retaliated.

The DOD Inspector General found her claims plausible and credible and referred the case to the Air Force Secretary while Feindt urged better whistleblower protections.

O‘ahu condo owners face higher insurance rates that lower sale prices and extend market days as older buildings need costly repairs.

In May, state lawmakers passed a bill to ease insurance burdens and fund repairs—lenders advise buyers to review property records before purchasing.

Hawaii homeowners face a hidden capital gains tax when selling because outdated 1997 exemptions mean that 79.1% of single owners and 46.0% of married couples exceed federal limits—risking tax bills that may discourage sales and squeeze the market.

By 2035 nearly all homeowners are expected to exceed these limits, and advocates are pushing a bill to adjust the thresholds to inflation.