Emma Caires
UH Legislative News InternEmma Caires is the Legislative News Intern during her final semester at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where she majors in journalism and minors in communicology. With strong familial ties to Kāneʻohe, she loves being able to report on things that hit close to home, both politically and personally.
Emma started her college career at De Anza College in the Bay Area, California, where she was editor-in-chief for the student publication, La Voz. In her free time, she can be found out in nature, probably meditating, doing yoga, or anything that makes her feel grounded again.
Contact Emma at ecaires@hawaiipublicradio.org
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In the 2024-2025 school year so far, the department has hired 125 new drivers and has reinstated 125 of the 138 canceled routes. The improvement is partially due to the department's decision to change the qualifications for school bus drivers. -
More Hawaiʻi families may soon be eligible for free school meals. A bill passed Thursday would allow students who qualify for reduced-priced meals to get them for free starting in July. -
Over 45 federally funded projects totaling nearly $30 million at the University of Hawaiʻi have been frozen or terminated, or received stop work orders as of April 15, according to documents obtained by HPR. By Monday, University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel announced that the cuts had increased to $36 million. -
The newly established Essential Rural Medical Air Transport program is teaming up with Pūlama Ka Heke on Molokaʻi and Lāna‘i Kinā‘ole to allow air transportation for non-emergency medical services that aren't offered on these islands. -
Environmental groups are urging lawmakers to pass a measure that would increase taxes on tourists and fund climate initiatives. Two bills still alive this legislative session, SB1396 and HB504, consider raising the 10.25% transient accommodations tax by 1 percentage point. -
After the event, all collected guns will be destroyed, except stolen firearms. Redulla stated that law enforcement officers will do their best to return the guns to their initial owners. -
Gov. Josh Green has announced a $10 million grant to further cancer care on Oʻahu for Queen’s Medical Center - West Oʻahu and Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children. -
House Bill 348 would ban small single-use plastic bottles in hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts — essentially any place with 50 or more lodging rooms — starting next year. Once 2028 rolls around, this ban will apply to any location that provides one or more rented rooms for lodging. -
A measure aims to require children under age 16 to wear helmets while skateboarding. Current law prohibits young bike riders from riding without a helmet. -
Hawaiʻi County Prosecuting Attorney Kelden Waltjen noted that local children who run away from their families face the highest risk of being trafficked because of their vulnerability and lack of stability.
