Maui Mayor Richard Bissen enacted Bill 9 to address housing shortages by reducing transient vacation rentals and reassigning units for long-term residential use, amid ongoing tourism and financial considerations.

Aina Haina Public Library introduced Pepper, a humanoid robot that greets patrons and teaches coding, amidst concerns over privacy and job replacement, though officials ensure no personal data is collected.

A new Hawaii-based PAC launched Saturday to back mahu and LGBTQIA+ candidates and press for state-level equality measures. Organizers named Michael Golojuch Jr. as president.

Hawai‘i Island sees a decrease in DUI arrests with 849 this year, down from 902 the previous year, and notable reductions in fatal crashes and fatalities.

Todd English will cook a five-course, truffle-forward tasting at The Ritz‑Carlton Maui on Jan. 10 with wine pairings and kamaʻāina pricing.

A downtown Honolulu holiday drive handed out more than 500 gifts and four tons of food, with buses bringing families from Kalihi and Mayor Wright Homes.

Maui officials lifted water conservation restrictions following wastewater pump station repairs, urging continued prudent use and progressing with cleanup after a recent spill.

A 24‑year‑old former Bank of Hawaii teller was indicted after prosecutors say she embezzled roughly $44,000 from customer accounts, including two seniors.

A mechanical failure at Kihei Pump Station No. 6 left part of Kalama Park cordoned off and prompted county requests for South Maui residents to limit water use.

HART filed a counterclaim against Hitachi alleging breach of contract and violations of Hawaii's False Claim Act by submitting misleading statements, seeking treble damages and additional penalties.

A Kauai woman was sentenced to 151 months after pleading guilty in a trans‑Pacific meth trafficking case tied to large drug seizures and multiple defendants. The move caps the first sentencing from a multi‑island probe.

Hawaii experiences calm weather today, but a significant front is forecasted to increase showers and thunderstorms over the weekend, affecting western parts of the state.

Maui county facilities, including the Department of Liquor Control and island pools, will close briefly in December for staff training; services will resume the following day.