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The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is cracking down on owners of beachfront properties trying to illegally prevent homes from collapsing into the sea. They’re facing fines as high as $1 million.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi wants Colleen Hanabusa and the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board to quit picking on CEO Lori Kahikina. An investigation into complaints of bullying is underway.

Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz is one of the most prolific campaign fundraisers in Hawaii, likely because he chairs the important Ways and Means Committee which decides how state money gets spent. He isn’t up for reelection this year but is holding fundraisers anyway even though he has more than $1 million in his campaign coffers. Many speculate the senator has his eye on a higher office in 2026.

Defendants in a federal corruption case including former Honolulu prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro and businessman Dennis Mitsunaga were acquitted on bribery charges after defense attorneys argued that pay-to-play is a common practice when giving campaign donations, not bribery.

The two oldest candidates ever for the U.S. presidency are set to square off in June and September.

Lori Kahikina’s future as executive director for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is an open question following a lukewarm annual evaluation and challenges in recruiting and retaining top staff.

Hawaii Senate President Ron Kouchi was for years among the closet allies of Milton Choy, the recently convicted businessman with deep political connections. No evidence has emerged that Kouchi benefited financially from the association, however.

Dennis Mitsunaga, a high-profile architect and prolific contributor to political campaigns, is on trial for bribery in a case that also involves former Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro and several others. A federal judge recently ordered the 82-year-old Mitsunaga locked up for the the duration of the trial for alleged witness tampering.

A loophole in Hawaii’s campaign finance laws have allowed government contractors to pour millions of dollars into politicians’ campaign bank accounts. A lot of money has changed hands at lavish parties over the years.

The Hawaii Legislature is advancing a bill that could lead to higher utility bills to pay for Hawaiian Electric Co.’s wildfire mitigation efforts. Many ratepayers are not cool with that.