February 5, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Thursday, February 5, 2026

February 5, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 10:58 AM :: 91 Views

FTC settles with prescription drug middleman giant to lower pricing

After burning $10B, rail is roughly equal to a single bus line

SA: … Since the more than $10 billion rail project opened its Segment 2 line past the airport in October 2025, the city Department of Transportation Services states TheBus’ rapid ridership routes — or express buses, which run to downtown Honolulu, the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Waikiki — when included with the Skyline route from East Kapolei to the Kalihi Transit Center, currently average about 20,820 rides daily.

(TRANSLATION: These bus lines have double the ridership of rail—and they didn’t require $10B to set up.)

Overall, TheBus sees 127,468 weekday rides, to date, DTS indicates.

(TRANSLATION: TheBus has 12x the ridership of rail.)

Route 1, from Kalihi to Kaimuki, and Route 2, from Kalihi to Waikiki, run the most rides on a daily basis, DTS states. Route 1 averages 10,176 rides per day, while Route 2 averages 11,247 rides each day.

Based on ridership numbers, both routes are considered among the city’s top 10 bus routes, according to Jon Nouchi, DTS director of transit….

He added “we’re very happy to find that our ridership is increasing to serve a little bit shy of 12,000 people a day.”

As of February, Nouchi said Skyline’s top five busiest stations include the Lagoon Drive station with 1,758 daily riders; the Kalihi Transit Center station with 1,467 riders daily; and the Daniel K. Inouye Airport station with 1,369 riders each day.

Two other stations — West Loch and UH West Oahu — respectively see 1,369 riders and 993 riders per day, DTS says.

Nouchi said if you combine TheBus and Skyline as a single route, from East Kapolei to Kalihi, “this was the first time that Skyline has landed at the top of the list” for most riders.

(TRANSLATION: After burning $10B, rail is roughly equal to a single bus line.)

He noted this Skyline route has 11,798 weekday riders currently. “It shows kind of the importance of where Skyline lands, and how it’s going to be a part of our integrated multi-modal system,” Nouchi said….

NR: Skyline sets weekday ridership record, providing a reliable option during unexpected congestion and traffic | Department of Transportation Services

KHON: 'Good' problem hitting Skyline - lack of parking

read … Skyline sets record with nearly 13K riders in one day

read … TheBus, Skyline ‘combined’ ridership grows, city officials say | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Private Sector construction workers want state taxpayers to pay them for their days off

SA: … Private-sector construction workers in Hawaii are seeking public financial benefits at the Legislature this year, including a paid holiday and retroactive hazard pay….

Officials with the trade union organization told committee members it’s unfair that unionized Hawaii public sector workers receive 13 paid holidays while unionized construction workers receive none….

(IQ TEST: How hard are you laughing?)

A state House of Representatives committee on Tuesday advanced one bill that proposes covering the cost of giving construction workers Labor Day, a federal holiday, as a paid day off by providing a refundable tax credit to employers that give those workers the day off with pay.

House Bill 2028 was advanced by the House Labor Committee after an initial hearing where nearly all supportive testimony came from representatives of the Hawaii Iron Workers Stabilization Fund….

(TRANSLATION: We own you. Pay up.)

Cliff Laboy, another Iron Workers lobbyist, told the committee that it’s not just one construction industry union and their members backing the bill.

Laboy mentioned more than a dozen other trade unions representing 35,000 Hawaii construction workers.

(TRANSLATION: We own you. Pay up.)

HB 2024 proposes to have the state provide construction workers with a $20,000 one-time hazard pay bonus if they meet eligibility criteria for working during the pandemic.

This bill, introduced by eight House members also led by Kila, has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.

Four state senators led by Sen. Brandon Elefante (D, Aiea-Pacific Palisades-Pearl City) introduced their own bill, Senate Bill 2664, for the same purpose. Like its House companion, SB 2664 awaits potential scheduling of an initial public hearing….

Big Q: Should private-sector construction workers get a publicly paid holiday and/or hazard pay? | Honolulu Star-Advertiser ‘NO’ = 83%

CLUE: Ironworkers vacation and holiday pay plan

read … Hawaii construction workers want state taxpayer support | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

After Screwing Insurers out of Subrogation, Legislators find even more ways to jack up your insurance rates

CB: … Senate Bill 2961 would require insurance companies to make living expenses or loss of use funds available within seven days of a total loss and guarantee at least three years of coverage….

SB 2964 would require insurance providers to provide a clear current rebuilding cost estimate annually and offer options so homeowners can keep replacement coverage up to date….

SB 2966 would prevent insurers from requiring premiums to continue to be paid on destroyed properties, and allow policyholders to use the additional living expense money to purchase a mobile or temporary home to place on their home site….

SB 2963 would eliminate the need for arduous paperwork over personal contents….

SB 2951 would require mortgage providers and servicers to pay interest on insurance funds that they are holding in escrow accounts, a major complaint of many policyholders….

(TRANSLATION: Your homeowners insurance rates will go up, thus making housing less affordable.)

read … Will Disaster Insurance Overhaul Increase Protections For Future Survivors? - Honolulu Civil Beat

Legislators Affordable Housing Plan? Impose another tax on housing

CB: … House Bill 2049, would allocate up to $60 million a year to DHHL from the home sales tax, known as the conveyance tax. It would also allocate up to $80 million a year to state programs that develop affordable and rental housing. Rep. Luke Evslin, who chaired a committee of lawmakers who monitored how the department spent the $600 million allocated four years ago, introduced the bill ….

read … Higher Luxury Home Taxes? State Eyes New Ways To House Hawaiians - Honolulu Civil Beat

Governor Asks Lawmakers For $126M In Green Fee Projects

CB: … The administration on Wednesday proposed $126 million in projects Green intends to finance with money from the new fee, ranging from $1 million to close out cesspools in Hōnaunau on the Big Island to nearly $20 million for beach restoration projects at Ala Moana, Waikīkī and in West Maui….

read … Governor Asks Lawmakers For $126M In Green Fee Projects - Honolulu Civil Beat

DelaCruz Pork Kitchen Can be Killed off after $28M is Wasted on Phase 1

SA: … Being rolled out in three phases, the design-build contract for Phase I is estimated at $28 million, while construction for all three phases totals about $130 million….

(TRANSLATION: After Phase 1 fails, the rest of this useless project can be cancelled.)

read … Editorial: Efficiency prime for central kitchen | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

A history of epidemics, vaccinations during the Hawaiian Kingdom

HPR: … A year after a smallpox epidemic in 1853, a vaccination law was passed. “The Minister of the Interior was to appoint vaccination officers and go to different districts. And every child born after the first day of June 1854 shall, within six months after the birth of such child, go to the vaccination clinic and get vaccinated,” Cup Choy said.….

read … A history of epidemics, vaccinations during the Hawaiian Kingdom | Hawai'i Public Radio

More Bureaucracy: University of Hawaiʻi to search for separate Mānoa campus chancellor

HPR: … the result: Wendy Hensel is MRC Greenwood ….

read … University of Hawaiʻi to search for separate Mānoa campus chancellor | Hawai'i Public Radio

‘Vienna model’ bill advances to limit rental housing fund surpluses to more housing

MN: … A state Senate committee has advanced a bill that uses the “Vienna Model” of housing in Austria, where limited-profit housing associations create a sustainable cycle of money available for future development….

… Under Senate Bill 2194, eligibility for the Rental Housing Revolving Fund would be limited to government agencies or organizations. They would be required to reinvest all financial surpluses into building more housing in the state. The fund is administered by the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp….

…The Senate Committee on Housing recommended second-reading passage of the measure. Committee Chair Stanley Chang said the bill is modeled after the Vienna, Austria, limited profit housing association system. In that model, associations are permitted to make a profit but must use those funds for future housing development….

read … ‘Vienna model’ bill advances to limit rental housing fund surpluses to more housing : Maui Now

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