Hawaii
Lawsuit seeks to strike down blood quantum rule for Hawaiian homestead leases
A conservative law firm has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the blood-quantum requirement that determines eligibility for Native Hawaiian homestead leases, opening a legal battle over a program…
Man who threw rock at endangered seal in Maui says he was ‘protecting turtles’
A Washington state man accused of throwing a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal on Maui never meant to harm the animal and thought he was shielding nearby sea turtles, his attorney said. A Good…
Native Hawaiian group aims to buy back ancestral land
A Native Hawaiian community organization is working to acquire more than 55,000 acres of ancestral land from a Hong Kong-based billionaire investment firm for $260 million. A long history: The…
Honolulu Chinatown acid attack suspect was previous target of hate crimes
A 34-year-old man arrested in connection with a recent acid attack in Honolulu’s Chinatown was himself the victim of alleged hate crimes and police misconduct in recent years, court documents show.…
Shohei Ohtani and agent accused of derailing $240 million Hawaii real estate project
Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo, are being sued in Hawaii Circuit Court by a real estate investor and broker who allege they were wrongfully removed from a $240 million…
Brutal acid attack in Hawaii’s Chinatown leaves man critical
An acid attack in Honolulu’s Chinatown last week has left a 30-year-old man hospitalized in critical condition and residents fearing for their safety. What happened: The victim was walking near Smith…
Hawaii becomes 1st state to tax tourists for climate change
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green enacted legislation on May 27 establishing the country’s first tourist tax designed to fund climate resilience efforts, adding a 0.75 percentage point increase to lodging fees…
Fear grips Hawaii’s Filipino teaching community after ICE home raid
A federal immigration raid at a Maui residence housing Filipino teachers has heightened anxiety among educators and drawn sharp criticism from Hawaii lawmakers. What went down: Immigration and…
Daniel Dae Kim to produce Hawaii’s biggest indie film with 8 Native Hawaiian directors
“Hawaii Five-0” star Daniel Dae Kim has signed on as executive producer of “Makawalu,” an indie feature film co-directed by eight Native Hawaiian filmmakers. Initiated by the Hawaii International…
Hawaii crowned the happiest state in America
Hawaii claimed the top spot in personal finance company WalletHub’s annual “Happiest States in America” rankings, followed by Maryland, New Jersey, Utah and Delaware in the top five. Meanwhile,…
Hawaii man scammed out of $275,000
Alan Sue, a 78-year-old Asian man, wired $275,000 to Dream Auto Collection in Hollywood, Florida, to buy a 2023 Mercedes Benz G63 with a rare BRABUS package he found online but never received. Sue…
Hawaii basketball standouts join Team Japan for Paris 2024
Akira Jacobs, a 20-year-old prospect from the University of Hawaii and Hugh Watanabe, a 25-year-old standout from ‘Iolani School have secured spots on Japan’s basketball squad for the upcoming Paris…
Miss Hawaii takes over Miss USA crown amid organizational turmoil
The first runner-up at the 2023 Miss USA pageant, Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii, has taken over the crown after the previous titleholder, Noelia Voigt, relinquished her title amid accusations of a…
5 WWII soldiers awarded posthumous Purple Heart medals 80 years after plane crash
Five Hawaiian men who served with Japanese-language linguists during World War II were posthumously awarded Purple Heart medals nearly eight decades after they died in a plane crash. Key points:
Hawaii’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ being permanently removed over trespassing tourists
Honolulu has begun its permanent removal of iconic landmark Haiku Stairs, known as the Stairway to Heaven, due to safety concerns and illegal tourist behavior, such as trespassing. Key points:
Quarter honoring former Hawaii representative Patsy Mink is released
The U.S. Mint released a new quarter that honors former Hawaii Representative Patsy Takemoto Mink as part of its 2024 American Women Quarters collection. Key points:
Hawaii lawmakers honor Bretman Rock for positive impact
Filipino American influencer Bretman Rock was recently honored while visiting the Hawaii State Capitol for his positive impact on the Hawaiian, Filipino American and the LGBTQ+ community. Key points:
US cities kick off Lunar New Year celebrations
Multiple cities across the U.S. have gone ahead with Lunar New Year celebrations over the weekend, calling for luck as they usher in the Year of the Wood Dragon. Where it happened: The Lunar New Year…
Man arrested for chemical attack on Chinese teacher in Honolulu
A 29-year-old male suspect has been arrested in Honolulu for a recent chemical attack on a 25-year-old Chinese woman. What happened: Danying Zhang was walking in the Ala Moana area on Tuesday night…
‘Last Hawaiian princess’ Abigail Kawānanakoa’s $100M wealth to go to Native Hawaiian causes
After the death of Abigail Kawānanakoa at the age of 96, the finalization of her estate reveal that over $100 million will be dedicated to supporting Native Hawaiian causes. Kawānanakoa’s wealth:…
Rare video showcases sunken WWII Japanese submarines off Hawaii’s coast
At the end of WWII, both vessels were surrendered to the U.S. Navy and intentionally scuttled off the coast of Oʻahu in 1946
Hawaii to be 1st state to teach Filipino history course in schools thanks to its student creators
Hawaii high schools are introducing a first-of-its-kind social studies course called CHR 2300 Filipino History Culture, which was created by a group of Filipino students who felt their stories…
