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Today's Big Stories

1. Fifth person dies from injuries sustained during New Year’s fireworks explosion

A 29-year-old man died Tuesday from injuries sustained during the New Year’s Eve fireworks explosion in Aliamanu, according to the Honolulu Police Department. 

He is the fifth fatality from the fireworks explosion.

The 29-year-old victim was one of six people injured in the explosion that were flown on Jan. 4 via military transport to the Arizona Burn Center to receive treatment for their injuries. 

The New Year’s Eve fireworks explosion in Oahu’s Aliamanu neighborhood has now killed five people and seriously injured about 20 others. Two female victims, 61-year-old Carmelita Benigno, 58-year-old Nelie Ibarra, were found dead at the scene. Two other victims, 23-year-old Jennifer Van and 3-year-old Cassius Ramos-Benigno, died later at hospitals.

Related: Woman seriously injured after apparently setting off a firework

2. Kilauea eruption starts and stops again, marking seventh episode

The eruption at Kilauea started again on Monday at 6:41 p.m. — two days after the eruption paused, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. But on Tuesday at 10:47 a.m. the eruption abruptly stopped. 

This marked the seventh episode in the eruption that began on Dec. 23, 2024.

Before episode 7 started, around 1:30 p.m., small, sporadic spatters started emerging from the two fountains inside Halemaumau Crater. These spatters continued to increase in intensity until 6:41 p.m., when sustained fountaining began. 

On Monday night around 7:40 p.m., fountains from the north vent were up to 200 feet high and were feeding multiple lava streams. The flow had covered about 20% of the crater floor. A small fountain was visible in the south vent and there was a small lava flow emerging from the south side of its cone.

The next day, the southern vent stopped erupting at 10:43 a.m., and the north vent shutdown four minutes later.

In the early evening of Jan. 22, just a few hours into the fifth episode of Kilauea's summit eruption, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists captured this view of lava fountains at the northern eruptive vent (right) within Halemaumau crater. The southern eruptive vent (left) was degassing but not actively erupting at the time. (Photo courtesy of USGS/M. Zoeller)
In the early evening of Jan. 22, just a few hours into the fifth episode of Kilauea's summit eruption, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists captured this view of lava fountains at the northern eruptive vent (right) within Halemaumau crater. The southern eruptive vent (left) was degassing but not actively erupting at the time. (Photo courtesy of USGS/M. Zoeller)

3. Case reintroduces BLUE Pacific Act

U.S. Rep. Ed Case reintroduced last week an expanded version of the already expansive Boosting Long-term U.S. Engagement in the Pacific Act, which builds on developments in both Pacific Island communities and U.S. policies over the last few years. 

“The lands and waters of the jurisdictions spread across Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia comprise an area larger than the land areas of China and Russia combined and represent a major portion of the vast Pacific Ocean and our Earth’s surface,” Case said in a statement issued on Saturday. “The peoples of these islands have developed their own proud cultures and identity over millennia, and for centuries now have shared common values and visions and historic, cultural, economic and strategic ties with the United States. Our presents and futures are entwined; they are being and will be determined jointly.”

Case was joined in the reintroduction of the measure by members of the Congressional Pacific Island Caucus, including Reps. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii; James Moylan, R-Guam; Rick Larsen, D-Wash; Brad Sherman, D-Calif.; Dina Titus, D-Nev.; Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.; Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J.; Zachary Nunn, R-Iowa; and Donald Norcross, D-N.J.

Tokuda said the measure would “recenter” foreign policy on regionalism and sovereignty, people-centered development, democracy and human rights, and climate change and the environment — issues most relevant to Pacific Island nations.

4. Schatz pushes back against DHHS pause on public warnings

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and nine other senators are raising a red flag over the new Trump administration’s pause on the Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes on Health releasing public health warnings and other critical communications pending a review. 

The pause, effective through Feb. 1, includes publication of rules and regulations in the Federal Register and the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

“People deserve to have timely and accurate information about dangerous disease outbreaks or contamination in their food,” Schatz said in a statement released over the weekend. “This shouldn’t be controversial or political. It’s about keeping people healthy and safe.”

Schatz joined Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif.; Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Dick Durbin; D-Ill.; Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Peter Welch, D-Vt.; Ed Markey, D-Mass.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; and Tina Smith, D-Minn., in introducing a resolution calling for uninterrupted health warning services for the American people.

5. Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Trump administration freeze on federal grants and loans that could total trillions of dollars.

U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan blocked the action Tuesday afternoon, minutes before it was set to go into effect. The administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday.

The White House had planned to start the pause as they begin an across-the-board ideological review of federal spending.

The plan sparked confusion and panic among organizations that rely on Washington for their financial lifeline.

The funding freeze by the Republican administration could affect trillions of dollars and cause widespread disruption in health care research, education programs and other initiatives. Even grants that have been awarded but not spent are supposed to be halted.

"The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve," said a memo from Matthew Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, sent out on Monday.

Medicare and Social Security benefits will be unaffected by the pause, according to the memo. But there was no explanation of whether the pause would affect Medicaid, food stamps, disaster assistance and other programs. The memo said it should be implemented "to the extent permissible under applicable law."

Related: States' access to Medicaid cut off amid funding freeze. White House claims payments are unaffected

Your Notes for Tomorrow

Wednesday, Jan. 29

  • Federal Open Market Committee decision on interest rates
  • Senate Finance Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services 
  • Senate Judiciary Committee business meeting on nomination of Pam Bondi to be attorney general
  • Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee nomination hearing Howard Lutnick
  • Harvey Weinstein in court as prosecutors continue push for retrial
  • Sentencing of former Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, convicted of conspiracy to act as agent of a foreign principal by allegedly providing sensitive U.S. Government information to aid Egyptian interests and conspiracy to commit bribery for a corruption scheme prosecutors claim that he and his wife Nadine were involved in
  • Court hearing for suspect charged in Gilgo Beach serial killings case 

 

In Case You Missed It


Dr. William H. Tettelbach, educator and national leader in wound care, discusses wound debridement best practices with Maui healthcare professionals during the 2024 Wound Healing Symposium. (Photo courtesy of Maui Health)
Dr. William H. Tettelbach, educator and national leader in wound care, discusses wound debridement best practices with Maui healthcare professionals during the 2024 Wound Healing Symposium. (Photo courtesy of Maui Health)

Maui Memorial offers advanced wound training for healthcare professionals

Maui Memorial Medical Center Wound Care and Hyperbaric Therapy hosts its second annual Wound Healing Symposium at Maui Memorial Medical Center Auditorium, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 31.

All levels of physicians, nurses, clinicians and medical personnel are invited to learn about the latest in advanced wound care and hyperbaric medicine taught by the wound clinic’s staff, local wound care specialists and national industry leaders.

The event is free, preregistration is required. The Maui Memorial Medical Center Auditorium is located at 221 Mahalani Street in Wailuku.