Boosting Hawaii’s Minimum Wage

HONOLULU — Hawaii lawmakers opened a new session of the Legislature on Wednesday with House leaders proposing to raise the state’s minimum wage to $18 an hour and spend $600 million on housing for Native Hawaiians on the waiting list for Hawaiian homelands.

After years of false starts and aborted attempts, 2022 may be the year the Legislature finally passes a minimum wage hike, said a state lawmaker from the Big Island.

A measure privatizing or creating public-private partnerships to handle wastewater projects is Mayor Mitch Roth’s top priority for the 2022 legislative session that started Wednesday.

Mayor Mitch Roth has decided to abandon efforts to acquire a trail to Papaikou Mill Beach, county officials said Tuesday.

Executives for a stalled $10.5 million composting project addressed a County Council panel Tuesday, extolling the virtues of a centralized system, while other island recycling groups pushed for a distributed system of smaller facilities across the island.

Hawaii County Council members expressed frustration Tuesday that the county has not yet appointed a new film commissioner.

A Kona police officer and five residents were honored by the County Council Tuesday for heroic efforts that saved the lives of two women caught in high surf last year.

The Big Island may have escaped major damage Saturday when a tsunami triggered by a volcanic eruption in Tonga reached Hawaii, but the event should serve as a reminder for newcomers and residents alike to be prepared for natural disasters.

With the legislative session kicking off Wednesday, the County Council has been eager to hear about Mayor Mitch Roth’s priorities for Hawaii Island.