Housing & Transit Finance: Rep. Ed Case introduced a bipartisan Transit Oriented Development Act to boost the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit for affordable projects in higher-density areas near rail, bus, harbor or waterways—an approach that could unlock new funding tools for Hawaiʻi, including potential sites beyond Oʻahu. Native Hawaiian Community: The 25th annual Native Hawaiian Convention returns July 20-22 at Neal S. Blaisdell Center, with 2,000-plus expected, followed by the Queen Liliʻuokalani Keiki Hula Competition & Festival (July 23-25). Public Health Policy: Gov. Josh Green signed HB 1969 to remove financial barriers to colorectal cancer screening and treatment by requiring coverage of follow-up colonoscopies after positive tests with no co-pays for eligible patients. Local Workforce Support: Neighborhood Place of Puna opened the Puna ʻŌpio Hub, a drop-in youth resource and workforce program for ages 14-25, funded by the Kīlauea Recovery Grant. Business Climate Watch: Hawaiʻi was ranked last for business by CNBC, citing weak infrastructure and cost of doing business, plus gaps in workforce, capital access and innovation. Energy & Infrastructure: Hawaiian Electric scheduled an overnight North Kona road closure (Mamalahoa Highway north of Kuahewa Road) for utility pole replacement July 23-24. Aquaculture Expansion: Kona-based Ocean Era won approval for an offshore Florida aquaculture pilot to raise red drum in federal waters, building on its prior West Hawaiʻi demonstration work. Safety & Compliance: Honolulu businesses and artists are raising alarms after social media bans and account deletions, saying Meta’s moderation decisions can be sudden with little recourse.