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Hawaii launches campaign for new corrections officers
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawaii’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is looking for new recruits.
The DCR is trying to fill nearly 400 vacant adult correction officer positions statewide and is launching a recruiting campaign.
“The campaign officially kicked off yesterday and our goal is to recruit qualified adult corrections officers for our correctional facilities statewide,” Director Tommy Johnson said. “When we are fully staffed, our facilities require about 1,500 adult corrections officers. Right now, we need approximately 400 officers to fill vacant positions. We encourage all those who are interested to go to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s website to apply.”
Johnson said their goal is for inmates to be reintegrated back into the community after serving time in their facilities.
“We believe everyone deserves a second chance. We’re looking for adult corrections officers who have a heart for people. They should have a genuine interest in helping others grow and change. We’ve transitioned to a rehabilitative model. Our adult corrections officers are mentors and coaches that still demand tough love. That’s why our campaign theme is: “Unlocking Potential.” Starting pay for adult corrections officers is slightly more than $60,000 a year.”
DCR believes that corrections officers play a critical role in the islands.
“These may be people who don’t believe there is another way forward for them,” Johnson said. “They may feel it is too hard to try to change. When we create a culture of care and support, we start to believe they can change and they start to see their lives in a new way. This is how we can begin to see real change and avoid people returning to prison, and creating a safer community for everyone.”
He is confident that they will be able to recruit enough adult corrections officers to fill vacancies.
“I’m pleased that those on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation team are really thinking outside the box and looking at different ways to recruit adult corrections officers. We are reaching them in theaters and on their phone. And we are onboarding them faster to get them into our facilities.”
If you’re interested in applying, you can go to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation website and click on the employment tab at the top, and view the job description.
Jamm Aquino / jamm.aquino@staradvertiser.com
Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado (12) threw a pass against the Cal Golden Bears during the first half of Wednesday’s Hawaii Bowl at the Ching Complex.
Reserve quarterback Luke Weaver came off the sideline and threw a 22-yard scoring pass to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds left to deliver the Hawaii football team a 35-31 victory over California in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Wednesday.
The Golden Bears took a 31-28 lead with 1:57 to play on Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele’s 1-yard sneak.
The Warriors drove to the 22 on quarterback Micah Alejado’s 13-yard pass to Cam Barfield. But Alejado was hurt on the play, and he hobbled to the UH sideline.
Weaver, who was activated for this game, then lofted the decisive scoring pass to Cenacle.
Weaver was limited to four regular-season games to preserve his redshirt season. But the redshirt limit does not apply to the postseason, clearing Weaver to be activated.
The Warriors scored 21 points in a row to tie it at 21 with 13:50 to play.
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Down 21-13, Micah Alejado lofted a 3-yard pass to the threshold of the end zone. Pofele Ashlock made a leaping catch, then curled the ball around the right pylon for the touchdown.
On the 2-point play, Alejado under-handed a shuttle pass to Barfield, who found the end zone to tie it.
Led by Campbell High graduate Sagapolutele’s accurate passing — many on side-armed throws to the flats — the Golden Bears scored on their first three possessions for a 21-0 lead.
But the Warriors eventually got on the board in the second quarter. A play after Pofele Ashlock dropped a screen, he made a one-handed grab for a 30-yard gain. The Warriors drove to the 13, from where Alejado found Ashlock at the end of a corner route to cut the deficit to 21-7 with 3:57 left in the half.
On the Bears’ next possession, Matagi Thompson broke up Sagapolutele’s third-down pass. On fourth down, reserve defensive back Riis Weber blocked Michael Kern’s punt. That set up Kansei Matsuzawa’s 29-yard field goal.
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More UH football coverage
A federal judge’s ruling allows Hawaii’s new tourist tax, which includes a levy on cruise ship passengers, to take effect in 2026
HONOLULU — A federal judge’s ruling clears the way for Hawaii to include cruise ship passengers in a new tourist tax to help cope with climate change, a levy set to go into effect at the start of 2026.
U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake on Tuesday denied a request seeking to stop officials from enforcing the new law on cruises.
In the nation’s first such levy to help cope with a warming planet, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed legislation in May that raises tax revenue to deal with eroding shorelines, wildfires and other climate problems. Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually.
The levy increases rates on hotel room and vacation rental stays but also imposes a new 11% tax on the gross fares paid by a cruise ship’s passengers, starting next year, prorated for the number of days the vessels are in Hawaii ports.
Cruise Lines International Association challenged the tax in a lawsuit, along with a Honolulu company that provides supplies and provisions to cruise ships and tour businesses out of Kauai and the Big Island that rely on cruise ship passengers. Among their arguments is that the new law violates the Constitution by taxing cruise ships for the privilege of entering Hawaii ports.
Plaintiff lawyers also argued that the tax would hurt tourism by making cruises more expensive. The lawsuit notes the law authorizes counties to collect an additional 3% surcharge, bringing the total to 14% of prorated fares.
“Cruise tourism generates nearly $1 billion in total economic impact for Hawai‘i and supports thousands of local jobs, and we remain focused on ensuring that success continues on a lawful, sustainable foundation,” association spokesperson Jim McCarthy said in a statement.
According to court records, plaintiffs will appeal.
Hawaii will continue to defend the law, which requires cruise operators to pay their share of transient accommodation tax to address climate change threats to the state, state Attorney General Anne Lopez said in a statement.
The U.S. government intervened in the case, calling the tax a “scheme to extort American citizens and businesses solely to benefit Hawaii” in conflict with federal law.
December 23, 2025, 9:01 PM HST
Episode 39 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began at 8:10 p.m. HST on Dec. 23, according to an update from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Sustained lava fountains approximately 100 feet in height are currently erupting from both north and south vents, with increasing heights.
Past episodes have produced incandescent lava fountains over 1,000 feet high that produce eruptive plumes up to 20,000 feet above ground level. According to the National Weather Service, winds are blowing from the northeast direction, which suggests that volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material may be distributed to the southwest.
- All eruptive activity is confined to Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park; commercial airports in Hawai’i County (KOA and ITO) will not be affected by this activity.
- Three Kīlauea summit livestream videos that show eruptive lava fountains are available here: https://www.youtube.com/@usgs/streams
- KPcam and MKcam provide views of the plume height for aviation purposes
Episode 39 was preceded by overflows of degassed lava that began at approximately 6:41 p.m. from the south vent and continued to increase in intensity until 8:10 p.m., when sustained fountaining began, according to the HVO.
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Most episodes of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since Dec. 23, 2024, have continued for around a day or less and have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting generally at least several days.
No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
Kīlauea Volcano Alert Level/Aviation Color Code remain at WATCH/ORANGE. All current and recent activity is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.
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