Welcome to the Hawaii State News update from Hawaii News Digest.
Top Story: Kobe Bryant’s wife says her family is completely devastated by the loss of her husband and daughter.
Views expressed in this Hawaii News summary are those of the reporters and correspondents.
Content supplied by the “Honolulu Star-Advertiser” and the Associated Press.
Accessed on 30 January 2020, 1525 UTC, Post 20200.
Source:
https://www.staradvertiser.com/category/breaking-news/
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TOP NEWS
‘We are completely devastated,’ Kobe Bryant’s wife says
The Bryants would have celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary this April. Read more
Philippines-based church with ties to Hawaii involved in immigration, fundraising fraud, FBI says
Authorities allege church members were forced to solicit donations for the Children’s Joy Foundation USA, claiming the money would help support impoverished children in the Philippines. Read more
24 Big Island officers either fired or suspended in 2019
There were 12 police officers fired and 12 others suspended in 2019 on Hawaii island, according to a recent report by the Hawaii Police Department. Read more
4 injured in head-on collision near Kalama Valley
The Honolulu Emergency Medical Services reported that the 7:25 p.m. incident involved two 68-year-old women and two men, one 24 and the other 18. Read more
Hawaii baseball team picked sixth in Big West preseason coaches poll
Ten days away from the season opener, the Hawaii baseball team is predicted to place sixth in the nine-team Big West this year. Read more
LIVESTREAM: Trump impeachment trial gets more pointed with Bolton book at the center
White House lawyer Pat Philbin said there’s nothing wrong with the president acting on a personal as well as national interest. Read more
Judge appears willing to allow subpoena of anti-TMT group’s financial records
A Circuit Court judge today said he was inclined to allow the state Attorney General’s office to subpoena financial records of a non-profit group devoted to Hawaiian issues,. Read more
Death toll of virus outbreak in China rises to 170 as evacuations continue
The death toll has risen to 170 in the new virus outbreak in China, with 7,711 cases reported within the country. Read more
Mild earthquake rattles southeastern Big Island
It struck at about 12:23 p.m. at a depth of less than half a mile, according to the USGS. Read more
Honolulu prosecutor candidates tout need for reform
The five candidates all agreed about the need to restore trust and accountability in the prosecutor’s office after its recent troubles but also carved out their own visions for tackling the job. Read more
Annual visitor arrivals to Hawaii exceed 10 million for the first time
As many as 10,424,995 visitors came to Hawaii in 2019, an increase of more than 5% from 2018 when 9,888,845 tourists visited Hawaii. Read more
Longtime tax critic advocates for a new fee to recruit Hawaii police
At the start of this year the Honolulu Police Department was “short” 318 officers, with many more eligible for retirement, Ward said in his statement. Read more
Hawaii football team hires former Arizona Cardinals assistant
Sam Bennett, who spent the past season as an assistant with the Arizona Cardinals, is joining the University of Hawaii football coaching staff, the school announced today. Read more
U.S. budget deficit projected to break $1 trillion this year
Most economists say the most relevant way to look at the deficit is to measure it against the size of the economy, with deficits at 3 percent or so of gross domestic product seen as sustainable. Read more
Warren Buffett gets out of the newspaper business
He’s selling all of Berkshire Hathaway’s publications to Lee Enterprises for $140 million, including the Omaha World-Herald in Nebraska and The Buffalo News in New York. Read more
High surf advisory in effect for most islands as wet weather nears Kauai
The National Weather said a “dangerous, long-period northwest swell” is expected to travel down the isle chain today and tonight, and to hold through Thursday. Read more
Trump signs USMCA trade deal with Mexico and Canada
Much of the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement simply updates the 25-year-old NAFTA, with new laws on intellectual property protection, the internet, investment, state-owned enterprises and currency. Read more
HMSA selects new president and CEO
Dr. Mark Mugiishi is replacing Michael Stollar, who is stepping down due to health reasons. Stollar became president and CEO in January 2018. Read more
Fed leaves key rate unchanged at low level amid global risks
The Fed sketched a mostly positive picture of the U.S. economy in the statement it released after its latest policy meeting. It also repeated its pledge to “monitor” the world economy, which may be held back in the coming months by China’s viral outbreak. Read more
Washington Post reverses suspension of reporter who tweeted about Kobe Bryant rape case hours after crash
Her tweet came in the hours after Bryant, 41, died in a helicopter crash Sunday. Read more
Kobe Bryant’s body, other crash victims identified
The bodies of Kobe Bryant and three other people killed when a helicopter smashed into a foggy Los Angeles-hillside have been identified, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said Tuesday. Read more