Franco Ordoñez is a White House Correspondent for NPR's Washington Desk. Before he came to NPR in 2019, Ordoñez covered the White House for McClatchy. He has also written about diplomatic affairs, foreign policy and immigration, and has been a correspondent in Cuba, Colombia, Mexico and Haiti.
A lawsuit challenges Hawaiʻi's new tourist tax on cruise ship passengers, claiming it is unconstitutional. Gov. Josh Green signed the legislation in May. It boosts taxes to address climate change issues like eroding shorelines and wildfires. Starting next year, an 11% tax will be levied on cruise ship bills.
There have been 55 traffic fatalities on Oʻahu so far this year — more than twice as many as there were at this point last year. The city held a news conference asking drivers to be more careful.