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Long-term funding could finally be coming to the state’s DA BUX program. The initiative cuts the price in half for eligible produce grown by Hawaiʻi farmers, and this year’s state budget bill could allocate a recurring $1 million annually to DA BUX.
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A state legislative bill to create a pilot program for a state-initiated expungement process for Hawaiʻi County passed a final reading in the House and will be transmitted to Gov. Josh Green for approval.
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The owner of the property selected for Lahaina's fire debris disposal site has filed a lawsuit against Maui County and its eminent domain actions to acquire the 20 acres. As HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports, the property owner tried to donate 5 acres, but the county said it needs all 20 acres.
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A new report released by Hawaiʻi Attorney General Anne Lopez includes a minute-by-minute analysis of the actions taken by emergency organizations and first responders, as well as an assessment of the environmental conditions that exacerbated the Lahaina fire in August 2023. It does not, however, determine the cause of the fire. HPR's Ashley Mizuo and Savannah Harriman-Pote have more.
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Herbal cigarettes don’t contain tobacco or nicotine but can still be harmful to users, so the Honolulu City Council wanted to limit their accessibility to Oʻahu’s youth via Bill 1.
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The Maui Fire Department released a separate report this week about its response to the deadly August wildfires. Chief Brad Ventura said staffing was not an issue as firefighters from across the state flew in to help — but the limited amount of vehicles and equipment available on Maui posed challenges. HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports.
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The report indicates that environmental and geographic factors combined with preparedness and response conditions enabled the Lahaina fire to rapidly intensify in August 2023. In the coming days, the HPR news team will bring you stories about how the report impacts local government, Hawaiʻi's main electric utility, and the community.
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The 2024 Hawaiʻi legislative session is heading into the home stretch. Both chambers must discuss and agree on changes to measures that have survived this far. Here's how that process works.
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Hawaiian Electric faces its share of recovery costs and legal fees related to the Maui wildfires. State lawmakers are debating whether or not to allow the utility to recoup some of those expenses through securitization — a fancy term for public financing of utility debt. HPR's Savannah Harriman-Pote has more.
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U.S. Army leases on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island expire in five years, and the Board of Land and Natural Resources is considering a land exchange as an alternative to new leases. This idea was met with overwhelming opposition at a recent BLNR meeting. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi has more.
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The Maui Fire Department is expected to release a report Tuesday detailing how the agency responded to a series of wildfires that burned on the island during a windstorm last August.
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The Board of Land and Natural Resources’ ongoing practice of issuing temporary permits to divert water from East Maui streams was upheld in a decision by the Hawaiʻi appeals court. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi reports.