Free Republic

Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) on Wednesday announced that he would be signing an executive order bringing back some coronavirus restrictions in light of the surge of new delta variant cases. "With COVID-19 cases going up, the State of Hawaiʻi is taking precautions now to avert a strain on our healthcare systems. To that end — I’ll be signing an Executive Order that will limit social gatherings, effective immediately," Ige wrote. As per his executive order, social gatherings will be limited to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors. When at restaurants, groups must be seated at least six feet...

Governors press release at link

The Thirty Meter Telescope is being built atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii's tallest mountain Illustration showing the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea on Hawaii's Big Island.Thirty Meter Telescope / via AP file HONOLULU -- Construction on a giant telescope will start again next week after lengthy court battles and passionate protests from those who say building it on Hawaii's tallest mountain will desecrate land sacred to some Native Hawaiians. State officials announced Wednesday that the road to the top of Mauna Kea mountain on the Big Island will be closed starting Monday as equipment is delivered. Scientists revere the...

Hawaii’s “No License to Discriminate” bill is expected to become law Wednesday, which would make the state the ninth in the country to offer “Gender X” as a category on driver licenses. Gov. David Ige, a Democrat, is expected to sign HB 1165 into law, which will allow drivers to select “X” if they prefer not to identify as either male or female on state-issued licenses, KHON-TV reported. The measure also protects a person from having to provide documentation, such as a birth certificate, to prove their gender before choosing “Gender X,” according to Hawaii News Now. …

The fallout continues from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency’s false alert this month warning the public of an incoming ballistic missile. On Monday, Gov. David Ige told reporters a reason for the delay in clarifying the alarm was that he didn’t know the password for his Twitter account. Since the incident, which spread panic across the state with people scrambling to take shelter, an investigation by the agency and the Federal Communications Committee revealed that Hawaii did not have a protocol in place to reverse the false alarm.

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige signed SB 2954 (ACT 108) which authorizes county police departments in Hawai‘i to enroll firearms applicants and individuals registering their firearms, in a criminal record monitoring service. The system, also known as the “Rap Back” system, is a service of the Federal Bureau of Investigation that provides continuous criminal record monitoring for authorized government agencies such as law enforcement agencies. The service notifies the agencies when a firearm owner is arrested for a criminal offense anywhere in the country. This will allow county police departments in Hawai‘i to evaluate whether the firearm owner may continue...

Hawaii Gov. David Ige says the state would welcome refugees from Syria with aloha. Ige said in a statement Monday that Hawaii and the U.S. have a long history of welcoming refugees affected by war and oppression. Ige spokeswoman Jodi Leong says it's too early to speculate on how many may come to Hawaii as the governor hasn't been contacted by President Barack Obama or his administration. The governor says "Hawaii is the Aloha State, known for its tradition of welcoming all people with tolerance and mutual respect." Ige says safety is his first priority. He says the U.S. accepts...