During the first half of this INSIGHTS, four-term West O‘ahu incumbent Senator Will Espero is scheduled to face outspoken community activist Kurt Fevella. Improving education and cooling classrooms are top District 19 issues. “I don’t just hear about the problems in ‘Ewa – I live them,” says Fevella.

INSIGHTS hosts live candidate discussions for two hotly contested neighbor island races:   –Kaua‘i State House District 14 incumbent Derek Kawakami has opted out of running for re-election, choosing instead to run for Kaua‘i County Council. Kaua‘i County managing director Nadine Nakamura and activist Fern Rosenstiel are vying for this seat.

INSIGHTS kicks off Election 2016 coverage with an overview discussion on key local races and the issues driving these races – including the messy Presidential contest, local elections for Mayor and your district’s state representative. Leaders from Hawai‘i’s Democratic and Republican parties, along with political analysts, take a look at what’s at stake.

The Honolulu Zoo lost its accreditation after the Association of Zoos and Aquariums determined that the zoo receives inadequate funding from the City and community partners, and suffers from inconsistent leadership and political wrangling. City leaders vow to turn things around.

Hawai‘i legalized medical marijuana in 2000, but it’s been a long and bumpy road to establishing a dispensary system. The latest delay came on April 13, with the State Health Department saying it needs more time to access criminal histories of finalists for licenses to grow and sell medical marijuana.

State lawmakers have passed the halfway point in the 2016 legislative session, marking the key juncture in the session known as “crossover.” This is when surviving House bills cross to the Senate for consideration, and vice versa.

In Hawai‘i, a drug conviction can lead to jail time, especially when the drug is crystal methamphetamine, the state’s top drug threat.

As the state and counties look for solutions to the homeless crisis in Hawai‘i, some people are finding creative ways to give the homeless shelter and opportunity. From faith-based organizations to individuals providing rooms in their own homes, these innovators are blazing their own trails to help the homeless.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has made numerous improvements since a 2014 audit showed Hawai‘i had the longest delays in the nation for veterans trying to see their doctors for the first time. But veterans say more needs to be done to ease the transition back into civilian life.

July marked the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA. The legislation prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities and transportation.