Rick Blangiardi

Mayor Rick Blangiardi would support a charter amendment giving whoever is the Honolulu mayor the ability to hire and fire the city’s chief of police. He also appears open to changing how the chiefs of the city’s fire and ocean safety departments are picked.

In the bill, HPD would need to provide access to its dispatch radio communications to local media outlets. The department encrypted its scanners in 2022, denying access to the public and media.

Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan announced his retirement and will step down at the end of the month.

The Honolulu City Council has reappointed Jim Ireland to head the Honolulu Emergency Services Department. This comes after some former employees testified against Ireland. HPR's Mark Ladao has more.

The Honolulu City Council will hold another hearing to reappoint Dr. Jim Ireland to lead the Honolulu Emergency Services Department — after postponing it following complaints from former employees.

The Honolulu Department of Environmental Services is proposing to bump up residents' sewer fees by more than 100% over the next decade to pay for wastewater upgrades. But on Tuesday the council suggested a modest 4% that applies only to next year.

The council is reviewing Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s budget for the next fiscal year and is looking to cut expenses — largely to pay for other projects like wastewater infrastructure.

During his State of the City address, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced that the second segment of the Skyline rail will open to the public on Oct. 1. The Conversation talked to HART Director and CEO Lori Kahikina, who was a bit surprised by the commitment.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s fifth State of the City address was filled with plans, announcements and highlights of his efforts to help Oʻahu residents and improve city services during his second four-year term. HPR's Mark Ladao has more.

The Honolulu City Council is urging Mayor Rick Blangiardi's administration to find ways to generate funds without forcing residents to shoulder most of that burden. Last week, Blangiardi proposed a $5.14 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, up more than $400 million over last year’s budget.