HONOLULU (AP) — The owners of a family ukulele business on Oahu will celebrate their deep musical roots at a cultural festival in Portugal. Joe Souza and his wife, Kristen, have been invited by the Portuguese government to perform in the island of Madeira’s ukulele festival next month, ...

BEIJING (AP) — Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen left Thursday on a tour of diplomatic allies in the Pacific that will end with a stopover in Hawaii. Taiwan has struggled to shore up its dwindling roster of allies as countries are choosing instead to establish relations with Beijing, which ...

The Associated Press Committees reject plastic ban bills HONOLULU — Two state legislative committees have rejected proposals that would have banned a variety of plastics used by the food service industry. The committees on Wednesday amended an anti-plastics bill to delete a section ...

$9.2 billion rail line is the largest public works project in state history HONOLULU (AP) — A rail contractor whistleblower says the U.S. Department of Transportation’s inspector general has inquired about his claims. A lawsuit filed by 55-year-old Edward Morris says he was fired last ...

By JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER The Associated Press HONOLULU — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday left in place Hawaii court rulings that found a bed-and-breakfast owner violated the state’s anti-discrimination law by refusing to rent a room to a lesbian couple. The justices rejected an ...

HONOLULU (AP) — Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro is on paid leave because he’s a target in a federal investigation but that hasn’t kept him away from the office. Acting Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Nadamoto insisted he’s in charge of day-to-day operations at the office ...

The Associated Press Hawaiian Airlines to add daily SFO flight HONOLULU — Hawaiian Airlines plans to add an additional daily flight to San Francisco in the fall. The Garden Island reported Sunday that the airline will add a third daily service between Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye ...

HILO (AP) — County councilors in Hilo are seeking details about how administrators plan to spend millions in disaster funds resulting from the volcanic eruption last year. Hawaii County Council members asked county administrators Wednesday for details of a possible $60 million payout for ...

By AUDREY McAVOY The Associated Press HONOLULU — A bill that would have made Hawaii the third so-called sanctuary state for immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally has died at the state Legislature. The state Senate passed the bill and sent it to the House. But Rep. Gregg Takayama, ...

HONOLULU (AP) — A U.S. judge on Wednesday approved the sale of a home belonging to a retired Honolulu police chief and his former prosecutor wife mired in a corruption investigation. A buyer is offering more than $1.3 million in cash for Louis and Katherine Kealoha’s home in Hawaii Kai, ...

The Associated Press Hawaiian Airlines offers $98 fares HONOLULU — Hawaiian Airlines has dropped prices to $98 for some round-trip flights as Southwest Airlines enters the Hawaii market. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports the Honolulu-based airline was offering low airfares Monday ...

HONOLULU (AP) — The Honolulu City Council has agreed to pay $550,000 to a retired police lieutenant who claimed that Police Chief Susan Ballard had tampered with recruits’ test scores when she was in charge of the training division. The council approved the payment Friday to settle the ...

HONOLULU (AP) — The Honolulu City Council is urging the state Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reject the military’s plans to prevent leaks of enormous fuel tanks near Pearl Harbor. Hawaii Public Radio reports the council adopted a resolution Friday that ...

HONOLULU (AP) — The state Senate has approved a bill that would make it the second “sanctuary state” for undocumented immigrants. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that the Senate bill has been referred to the House for consideration. The proposal allows local law enforcement to ...

HONOLULU (AP) — The state auditor has canceled a $700,000 contract with an outside accounting firm to examine change orders and other cost items of the 20-mile rail line under construction on Oahu. The office terminated the contract with BKD LLP because it was not happy with the work, state ...

HONOLULU (AP) — The Honolulu City Council has approved hiring a law firm to represent the city’s prosecutor against an impeachment effort launched when he became a target in a federal corruption investigation. The council voted 5-2 Friday to pay up to $75,000 to represent Prosecuting ...

HONOLULU (AP) — Shipping delays between Hawaii and the Mainland have left some grocery store shelves empty on Oahu, officials said. Officials with Honolulu-based Matson Inc. confirmed Tuesday that deliveries have fallen behind schedule because of a combination of bad weather and mechanical ...

HONOLULU — Honolulu’s top prosecutor said Thursday he would take a leave of absence from his office, a move that comes after he has been made a target of a federal corruption investigation. Keith Kaneshiro said in a statement he was acting to “avoid further distraction” and ensure the ...

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii is allowing visitors who are qualified to receive medical marijuana elsewhere in the U.S. to register and buy it from dispensaries in the state. The state Department of Health announced Tuesday that it is also rolling out an online registration system for medical ...

HONOLULU — Hawaii lawmakers have passed several bills to make it easier to vote and boost confidence in elections. In the state House, the measures include requiring automatic recounts when victory margins are exceptionally narrow, voting by mail across the state and automatic voter ...