Hawaii

The Government Promised to Return Ancestral Hawaiian Land, Then Never Finished the Job

Native Hawaiians are still waiting for state and federal officials to fulfill the promises of land legislation that was signed into law 25 years ago. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” said one former governor.

  • By Agnel Philip and Rob Perez, ProPublica

The Covid Detection Method That's Been Right Under Our Noses—Literally

Four dogs in Hawaii are training to detect Covid-19 by scent, part of a large international research study to determine whether it's possible—and how it might be used.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Americans Aren’t Actually Quarantining

Many states have quarantine requirements for visitors, but only one really enforces them: Hawaii.

  • By Olga Khazan, The Atlantic

Russia and Iran Obtained Voter Information to Meddle in Election, Federal Government Says

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Colorado aims to safely reopen ski resorts ... Wichita man accused of threatening mayor over mask ordinance is charged with criminal threat ... University of Michigan places students on lockdown as coronavirus surges.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Hawaiian Island Can Create ‘Resort Bubbles’ for Quarantined Visitors

STATE AND LOCAL NEWS ROUNDUP | People in Alabama and Florida dealing with ‘historic and catastrophic’ flooding … Vermont governor vetoes climate legislation … Minnesota governor asks presidential candidates to follow Covid precautions.

  • By Laura Maggi and Emma Coleman

Trump Administration Weighs in Against Hawaii Quarantine Mandate for Travelers

Restrictions on out-of-state arrivals in several states have drawn court challenges. Meanwhile, New York and two other states moved ahead with a policy like this on Wednesday.

  • By Bill Lucia

Unemployment From the Coronavirus Varies Dramatically Between States, Analysis Finds

The percentage of each state's workforce filing for unemployment as a result of the pandemic ranges between 8% to 33%, largely depending on the industries that drive local economies.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

In a Hawaii Sewage Case, Supreme Court Bolsters Protections Under Clean Water Act

Environmental activists expect the ruling will force a Maui County wastewater treatment plant to obtain a permit regulating its sewage discharge into groundwater.

  • By Andrea Noble

Travelers Ignoring Mandatory Quarantine Orders? One Mayor Thinks You're a 'Covidiot.'

Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami debuted the term after three people disregarded Hawaii's mandatory 14-day self-quarantine for travelers. Two more people have been arrested since.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

The Disappearing Songs of Hawaii’s Endangered Native Birds

Six of the seven birds native to Kauai’s forests are in a state of precipitous decline.

  • By Danielle Beurteaux, Undark

Why Some Hawaiians Are Fighting a Massive Flood-Control Project

A flood could devastate the tourist zone of Waikīkī in Honolulu, but a federal plan to fortify the Ala Wai Canal has met with strong local resistance.

  • By Timothy A. Schuler, CityLab

How to Save a Dying Language

The Hawaiian language nearly went extinct. Now it’s being taught in dozens of immersion schools.

  • By Alia Wong, The Atlantic

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Honolulu Passes Strict Single-Use Plastics Ban

The Honolulu City Council last week passed a sweeping single-use plastics ban that affects the entire island of Oahu, home to 70 percent of Hawaii residents.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Using Social Media to Monitor Endangered Species Uncovers Surprising Information

Federal researchers used Instagram to collect information on human interactions with endangered monk seals and found that the posts contained data that was missing from traditional reports.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

'Gravely Disabled' Homeless Forced Into Mental Health Care in More States

Nearly a third of U.S. homeless people are living with serious, untreated mental illness.

  • By Teresa Wiltz

The Pros and Cons of 'Banning the Box'

New Mexico became the 12th state to prohibit private employers from asking about criminal records on job applications, a practice designed to reduce recidivism by helping ex-offenders gain employment.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Could Hawaii Be Paradise For Hydrogen-Powered Public Transit?

Hawaii has been overhauling its transportation systems, and hydrogen-powered public transit may be next.

  • By Laura Bliss, CityLab

Some Sunscreens May Kill Corals. Should They Be Banned?

Some scientists say there’s not enough data to limit sunscreen that may be harmful to corals.

  • By Rebecca Beitsch

The States With the Best and Worst Levels of Well-Being

Gallup releases its latest index on the topic, based on over 100,000 survey responses.

  • By Bill Lucia

‘Consultants Often Manage Consultants, Who Manage Other Consultants’

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Historic city hall burns to the ground … ‘Rays of hope’ in Pennsylvania … and Virginia state senators approve Equal Rights Amendment.

  • By Michael Grass

Evacuation Center Needs Time to Recover From Disaster Recovery

Hundreds of Kīlauea lavaflow evacuees ended up at a recently built rec center on the Big Island. Now it needs to close for months of repairs.

  • By Michael Grass