Hawaii County is planning to jump into electric buses in a big way with 10 new buses planned as early as next year and an East Hawaii charging network as a pilot project.

A bill giving counties the power to take private property where civil fines have accrued and sell it to clear up the debt has passed the state House and its first Senate committee.

A small parcel at the northeast corner of the Hoea Road/Akoni Pule Highway intersection is raising big concerns from those worried about a rezoning request for a food truck lot that some fear will cause increased traffic at the gateway to the historic North Kohala village of Ka‘auhuhu.

Two Senate measures that would have concentrated more legislative power on Oahu at the expense of the neighbor islands were shut down last week in their first House committee.

A divided Hawaii Supreme Court made quick work Wednesday denying a citizen petition that challenged state political maps drawn by the Reapportionment Commission and lifting a stay on candidate qualifying for the state Legislature and U.S. House.

It took more than four years, but the county has finally implemented a whistleblower hotline, one of the recommendations of a scathing 2017 audit that found questionable hiring practices in county government.

An array of promised community benefits was enough Tuesday to propel a Waikoloa Beach Resort timeshare project out of a County Council committee with a positive recommendation.

The state Reapportionment Commission on Monday created a special committee to help the attorney general defend it from a lawsuit filed by a citizen coalition challenging maps featuring new political boundaries for the state Legislature and U.S. House.

The Hawaii County Council plans to continue keeping council chambers closed to the public until at least April, despite Mayor Mitch Roth lifting all crowd restrictions for the county, and state legislative leaders announcing the state Capitol will be open to the public starting Monday.

Mayor Mitch Roth is asking the County Council to approve a $139.5 million bond authorization that will take the county smack up against the recommended debt ceiling for sound financial management.

Buoyed by rising property values from a robust real estate market, the annual budget proposed Tuesday by Mayor Mitch Roth comes in at $689.9 million, a 13.1% increase over the previous year.

Consultants hired by the county to evaluate the best alternative for the intersection of Waikoloa Road and Paniolo Avenue seem to be leaning toward a roundabout rather than traffic signals.

Candidates for most political offices can begin pulling nomination papers today, elections officials clarified after two state Supreme Court orders left some would-be candidates wondering.

The Hawaii Supreme Court late Thursday issued an injunction temporarily stopping candidate filing that was to start Tuesday until it can consider a petition filed by 11 residents from three islands questioning the process by which the state Reapportionment Commission drew legislative boundary maps.

Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung, jogging Wednesday morning prior to the County Council meeting, came upon a large “Aloha, Welcome to Kona” sign.

Former County Councilman and Na Leo TV CEO Stacy Higa was sentenced Tuesday to 46 months in prison for embezzling from AmeriCorps and also for offering a bribe in return for federal coronavirus relief funds.