HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Newly redesigned Hawaii driver’s licenses and state IDs are beginning to arrive in mailboxes statewide.

The Department of Customer Services said more than 50,000 residents who renewed or obtained a license or state ID starting in mid-May began receiving the new cards last Friday.

Officials said the updated cards are made of 100% polycarbonate, with laser-engraved photos and added security features intended to deter tampering, fraud and identity theft.

The department said existing driver’s licenses and state IDs remain valid until their expiration dates and do not need to be replaced.

“There’s no reason for them to request a duplicate unless they would like the new card design,” said Kim Hashiro, director of the Department of Customer Services.

Residents were also reminded that temporary paper licenses are not accepted by the Transportation Security Administration for air travel. Travelers using a temporary credential should bring another acceptable form of identification, such as a passport.

Permanent plastic cards are typically mailed within six to eight weeks after an application is submitted, officials said.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Maui dive shop will welcome customers back this weekend after its Lahaina storefront was destroyed in the 2023 wildfires.

Maui Diving & Sporting Goods will hold a grand opening on Ulupono Street on Saturday, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

“Losing the shop in the fire broke my heart, but reopening in Lahaina was never in question,” said store owner Jessica Pickering. “This town gave me everything I have right now. Rebuilding right here in Lahaina is my way of saying we’re still standing, we’re still here for our community, and we’re ready to enjoy this life with you.”

The business will offer the same services it’s known for at the new locations, including scuba instruction, guided dives, snorkel tours, freediving, as well as gear rentals and sales.

The grand opening will include a blessing followed by giveaways, games, and other activities.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – After Super Typhoon Bavi whipped through the northwestern Pacific over the weekend, volunteers with the American Red Cross are preparing to provide aid.

Traveling through Hawaii for a quicker connection, volunteer Deborah Blaze is among a handful of volunteers staying in Oahu as they await flights to the Northern Mariana Islands. Airport closures have delayed the timeline for volunteers headed to the archipelago.

Blaze is returning to the islands after joining Red Cross relief efforts in the aftermath of another Super Typhoon, Sinlaku, which caused an estimated $1.5 billion in damages there in April.

“The people are so phenomenal. That’s the reason I wanted to go back because I was in Saipan. I was managing a shelter and we became like a family,” Blaze recalled.

Sinlaku claimed 17 lives and displaced thousands, making it the deadliest storm in Micronesia since 2002.

When asked to describe the storm’s devastation, Blaze said, “It was like, it was like a post-war scenario when we first got there. All the trees are ripped off and houses are destroyed.”

As the islands continued to recover, Bavi whipped through the Northern Mariana Islands over the weekend with winds as high as 180 miles an hour.

“We had over a thousand people in the shelter. And when I talked to those residents, a lot of them said, you know, we’ll be back tonight,” Red Cross volunteer Peter Teahen said.

Teahen has been in Saipan since before Bavi’s arrival and drove around the island to assess damage Monday afternoon after a mandated lockdown was lifted.

Because Sinlaku left so much destruction, Teahen said it is unclear what Bavi left behind, adding the damages are, “just not obvious from, you know, just driving down the street. It was a common phrase that I heard. ‘We just have to clean up again.’ You can kind of hear the exhaustion in there.”

To ease the burden on those impacted, hundreds of Red Cross volunteers provided shelter, meals and supplies after Sinlaku and will do so again when it’s safe.

“I get a sense of a very positive culture here and very private culture that, they know that they’re going to have to take care of themselves, but they will need the help of the Red Cross,” Teahen said.

Aubry Hocog, mayor of Rota, an island hit hard by Bavi, told Hawaii News Now, “A lot of our utility poles have been damaged especially in the Songsong area and so really there’s going to be a lot of work that we are going to have to do, but we’re ready for that. I know that our people are concerned, our people are scared, our people are worried, but I know that by working together, communicating with each other, being transparent, that we can overcome this.”

Click here if you want to donate to the Red Cross’ relief efforts. You can also call 1-800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999.

If you want to become a volunteer, more information is available here.