Even as the Washington Huskies make the short lists for some of their top offensive line targets in the 2027 class, Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff hasn’t stopped the nationwide search for more talent in the trenches.

On Monday, that search took Fisch and offensive line coach Michael Switzer to Hawaii, where Washington became the latest program to offer four-star offensive tackle Isaiah Bertola, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound product of Farrington High School in Honolulu.

Ranked as the No. 34 offensive tackle and No. 2 player in the state by the 247Sports Composite, Bertola has received significant interest from all over the country, with Arizona, Auburn, Nebraska, Penn State, and Utah among the 18 programs that have offered him a scholarship.

The Huskies have made some promising headway with some of their top targets at tackle in the 2027 class, including three-star DaJohn Yarborough, who added UW to his top ten on Tuesday, and legacy Tye Kennedy, while they’re still pushing for four-star Jake Hildebrand, three-star Ben Lowther, and several others, but that hasn’t stopped them from getting in the mix for Bertola.

Hawaii residents could be allowed to kill feral chickens in their community in the latest effort to help resolve a perennial issue that continues to divide neighbors who both hate and love them.

Two bills being considered this legislative session would allow residents to kill feral chickens, under House Bill 1852 and the latest version of HB 980, which stalled in the 2025 legislative session but automatically rolled into this one.

Neither bill limits how chickens could be killed, but they both would outlaw “torture and extreme abuse.”

HB 1852 and HB 980 represent merely the latest effort from legislators to address their constituents’ complaints about chickens overrunning homes, parks, businesses and schools.

People typically complain that feral chickens threaten Hawaii’s fragile ecosystem and could spread disease, especially with the increase in avian influenza cases.

In 2023 alone, legislation focused on enforcing fines for feeding feral chickens, statewide control and authorization of trapping chickens using electronic devices.

In 2025, some bills included a five-year eradication program, legal liability for property owners and public education.

This year, HB 1852 and HB 980 take a different approach.

According to HB 980, feral chickens “have become a persistent nuisance” by wandering onto private property, agitate household pets and create dangerous situations for drivers.

It also cited cases of bird flu and emphasized its danger to native bird populations and humans.

As of February 2025, according to the bill, there were 68 reported infections and at least one confirmed death of bird flu since March 2024.

“The uncontrolled presence of feral chickens increases the risk of spreading the disease and highlights the urgent need to take action,” according to HB 980.

Killing feral chickens would be allowed only on private land and with written permission of the landowner.

The bill also requires that the killing must be done humanely with methods consistent with American Veterinary Medical Association euthanasia guidelines.

HB 1852 takes a broader and less restrictive approach.

“No person shall be prohibited from killing a mongoose or a feral chicken in any manner not prohibited by law, including by trapping,” according to HB 1852.

Unlike HB 980, HB 1852 does not limit where a person can kill a chicken nor requires landowner permission.

HB 1852 also removes feral chickens from the definition of “wild birds,” which excludes them from wildlife protections.

The bill amends animal cruelty laws to exempt acts against feral chickens, while still prohibiting torture and extreme abuse.

No one had submitted written testimony on behalf of HB 1852 as of last week.

But last year, Kayla Marie submitted written testimony in opposition to HB 980.

“The methods of killing chickens outlined in this bill are cruel,” Marie said. “I feel that the state should focus on other methods to manage the chicken population that doesn’t involve the slaughter of animals.”

The Hawaiian Humane Society also opposed HB 980.

“A far more impactful response to avian flu concerns would be to shut down cock fighting operations and the breeding of roosters on agricultural lands,” according its written testimony.

But, Thomas Haia wrote in support and argued, “this measure is necessary to permit landowners the right to protect their land, livestock and pets.”

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A new report says last year was the second-driest year in more than a century.

According to the inaugural Hawaii Annual Climate Report, 2025 was Hawaii’s sixth warmest year since 1920 statewide, and Maui experienced its driest year on record, while Hawaii Island reported its second driest year.

The report was published by the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program and aims to connect communities, resource managers, and policymakers with the climate data behind what many experienced firsthand, providing essential information to support climate preparedness and long-term planning across the islands.

“Throughout 2025, we heard people across the state talking about just how hot and dry the year felt,” said Ryan Longman, director of the Hawaii Climate Data Portal. “Now we have the data to show what people were experiencing on the ground.”

“Hawaii as a state was the second driest year in 106 years,” Longman said. “We saw that 11 out of the 12 months had a below-average rainfall. Regarding temperature, we saw that all 12 months were warmer than average in the last 36 years.”

UH said the report reflects decades of effort to monitor Hawaii’s climate and conduct research, through more than eight years of collaboration by a team of climate and data scientists to develop climate maps and decision support tools.

The university added that the report will continue to improve the quality and detail of future reports by expanding on-the-ground climate observations with data from the Hawaii Mesonet.

The report will also have monthly climate update summaries, which are expected later this spring.

“We hope this type of reporting helps connect residents to their own lived experiences with Hawaii’s climate and gives communities the information they need to plan for what’s ahead,” Longman said.

Click here to learn more and view the report.

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