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Five organizations will host a free open webinar to address a national insurance crisis, triggered by wildfires across the US over the last 8 to 5 years.

The Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities, and Hawaiʻi State Public Library System announced the selection of Lee A. Tonouchi as the new Poet Laureate of Hawaiʻi. 

The report, prepared by Cannabis Public Policy Consulting, shows that Hawaiʻi’s regulated medical cannabis system captures approximately 86-87 percent of all cannabis spending by registered patients and that monthly medical cannabis sales total about $5.3 million.

Sen. Michelle N. Kidani released a statement on Wednesday regarding a media inquiry on her ability to serve.

HandsOn Maui, the County of Maui Volunteer Center, encourages nominations for the annual Volunteer Hero Celebration of Service, an initiative that highlights residents who actively volunteer to improve their Maui County communities.

Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian Language Month) is observed each Pepeluali (February), and the University of Hawaiʻi is hosting a series of events to uplift Hawaiʻi’s native tongue. This year’s UH-sponsored events are underway. An Ola Ka ʻĪ event is planned on Maui on Feb. 14, 2026.

Pacific Whale Foundation and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced a new partnership to expand the Keiki Whale Watch program, significantly increasing access to hands-on ocean education for Maui students in grades 2-8.

US Rep. Jill Tokuda recently held a series of agriculture listening sessions across Hawaiʻi to hear directly from farmers, ranchers, and producers about the challenges facing local agriculture and food systems in advance of a potential markup of a Farm Bill in the House Committee on Agriculture. 

The Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization is accepting applications for its Executive Director position. 

This week Thursday marks the launch of a new statewide Pre-Eviction Mediation Filing Program. The two-year pilot requires landlords to participate in mediation before filing residential eviction cases involving non-payment of rent.

A state Senate committee has advanced a bill that uses the “Vienna Model” of housing in Austria, where limited-profit housing associations create a sustainable cycle of money available for future development.

Local ranchers reported repeated incidents of poachers unlawfully hunting deer and killing cattle at night on private property, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in livestock losses and raising significant public safety concerns.

Feb. 4, 2026 marks three years since Firefighter Treʻ Evans-Dumaran lost his life in the line of duty. “For Treʻ’s family, this is not a day of programming, celebration, or public achievement — it is a day of grief, remembrance, and the ongoing weight of fighting for justice while still trying to heal.”

Hospice Maui invites community members living with grief to participate in The Art of Transforming Grief, a multi-week bereavement class beginning Feb. 19, 2026. Designed for individuals experiencing grief from past or present losses, the class offers a supportive environment to explore loss through reflection, creativity, and shared experience.

Reports have surfaced of individuals pretending to be government officials contacting licensees, falsely claiming an investigation is being conducted into their professional license.

A High Surf Warning is in effect for the north and west facing shores of Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu and Molokaʻi; the north facing shores of Maui; and the west facing shores of the Big Island. A High Surf Advisory is also in effect for the north facing shores of the Big Island.

US Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02) on Tuesday voted against a Fiscal Year 2026 government funding package, which includes two weeks of stopgap funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

Owners of a grounded vessel are hoping to get the boat removed from the Kīhei shoreline today. The vessel, Na Nahiku, ran aground on the shore fronting 131 S. Kīhei Road fronting the Kīhei Youth Center on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026.

On Maui, Rep. Tokuda visited King Kekaulike High School on Maui to surprise Chelsey Miguel, who placed second for ReefWatch, a conservation platform that allows people to document coral reef health and update records.  

Hawaiʻi State Federal Credit Union is now accepting applications for its 2026 Investing in Education grant program, continuing its long-standing commitment to education. Grants of up to $500 will be awarded to eligible public school teachers across the state to help fund classroom supplies and basic necessities, such as books, technology, and other learning resources. Applications are available now through April 3, 2026.