Hawaii

Sources: Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement Director steps down

Published

1 year ago

January 15, 2025

Sources: Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement Director steps down

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Amid a slew of controversies, the director of Hawaii’s Department of Law Enforcement is stepping down, and a Honolulu Police Major has accepted the position, HNN Investigates confirmed Tuesday.

Jordon Lowe was appointed to the role in 2020.

He oversaw the split of the Public Safety Department when DLE became its own entity separate from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in 2024.

In June, a civil lawsuit accused Lowe of ignoring sexual harassment complaints that a sheriff deputy made against former Deputy Director William Oku Junior.

Oku Jr. was accused of making lewd comments about female coworkers and exposing himself on duty in 2022.

When asked for comment on that lawsuit, the DLE declined to respond.

One month later, Lowe confirmed three separate criminal investigations involving nine sheriff deputies were opened; allegations included derogatory comments about gay people and racial harassment.

One of the suspended deputies, Jordan Kagehiro, was found dead weeks later. Multiple reports say DLE supervisors were pressuring the 32-year-old about misconduct investigations.

The DLE has not provided an official reason for Lowe’s resignation.

It’s unclear when HPD Major Mike Lambert could officially take the role of director.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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Related Topics:department of law enforcement DLE Featured hawaii Jordan Lowe resigns steps down

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Hawaii

Magnitude 4.5 earthquake strikes off Hawaii island | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Published

2 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Magnitude 4.5 earthquake strikes off Hawaii island | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

COURTESY USGS

This U.S. Geological Survey map shows the location of a magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck off Hawaii island’s southwest coast Friday night.

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck off the southwest coast of Hawaii island Thursday night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The epicenter of the quake, which hit at 8:17 p.m., was about 34 miles west-southwest of Captain Cook at a depth of about 24 miles below sea level, USGS officials said. It did not generate a tsunami threat to the islands, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

USGS said in a statement that the earthquake “was related to bending of the ocean crust and upper brittle mantle (the lithosphere) by the weight of the islands.” No impact to the Mauna Loa volcano nor the ongoing Kilauea eruption was expected.

The USGS self-reported “Did you feel it?” online survey for the earthquake generated well over 200 responses, mostly on the Big Island but including several from Oahu and Maui.

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Hawaii

3 candidates to be considered for District 18 seat

Published

12 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

3 candidates to be considered for District 18 seat

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Democratic Party of Hawaii selected three nominees to fill the vacant Senate District 18 seat, serving Central Oahu, Mililani, Waipio and Waipahu, after Sen. Michelle Kidani’s retirement.

Kidani’s retirement took effect on June 30.

The party announced Thursday that Sechyi Laiu, Beth K Fukumoto, and Danielle Bass were submitted for selection to fill the seat.

Laiu is a senior Hawaii civil service administrator with more than 15 years of experience in commercial, family, immigration and legislative law. He is the litigation coordinator for the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and was a staff attorney for the city on transportation, public safety, legal affairs and salary compensation.

Fukumoto is a political columnist, longtime Miliani resident and former state representative. She served as vice chair of the House committees on Tourism and Veterans, Military and International Affairs and Culture and the Arts.

Bass is a fourth-generation, lifelong Miliani resident, with more than 20 years of experience serving Central Oahu and Hawaii. She served as Legislative and Committee Manager in the House and advanced sustainability and resilience initiatives and policies as the state’s sustainability coordinator.

The governor will choose one of the three to serve as the next state senator for Central Oahu.

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Hawaii

First 5 Hawaii is a comprehensive online resource that helps families with young children find and connect to state and federal programs and services.

Published

23 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

First 5 Hawaii is a comprehensive online resource that helps families with young children find and connect to state and federal programs and services.

Honolulu (KHON2) – Navigating the many programs and services available for young children can be overwhelming, but First 5 Hawaii is making it easier for families to find the support they need.

Designed for families with children from birth to age 5, First 5 Hawaii is the state’s first comprehensive online resource that helps connect parents and caregivers with state and federal programs they may qualify for.

By answering a few simple questions, families can quickly discover resources tailored to their specific needs.

The website serves as a one-stop shop, partnering with 18 state and federal programs to help connect families with services such as preschool, child care assistance, health coverage, nutrition programs including WIC and SNAP, parenting support, developmental screenings, and special needs services.

Parents can also explore age-appropriate activities, child development information, and helpful parenting resources.

What sets First 5 Hawaii apart is its personalized eligibility screening tool.

Instead of searching multiple websites and applying for programs one at a time, families can use a single resource to identify benefits they may qualify for across early learning, health care, nutrition, housing assistance, and more.

Even families who aren’t sure they qualify are encouraged to give it a try. The online eligibility screener is free, confidential, and only takes a few minutes to complete.

Many families are surprised to learn they may be eligible for programs they didn’t know existed.

By bringing trusted resources together in one convenient location, First 5 Hawaii helps remove barriers for busy parents and makes it easier to access services that support healthy child development during the most important early years of life.

To learn more or complete the eligibility screener, visit the First 5 Hawaii website.

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