Hawaii residents are getting squeezed as inflation picks up again and gas prices near $6 a gallon across the islands — bad news for families already stretched after recent storms.

• Consumer prices rose 3.7% over the past year, more than expected, with gas the main driver.
• Gas jumped more than 9% in September alone and is up over a third from a year ago; Kauai now tops $5.89 a gallon.
• Grocery prices were roughly flat, the one bright spot.
• Maui's prosecuting attorney says Mayor Richard Bissen was never the target of a criminal investigation, and accuses Police Chief Pelletier of a false claim; the state attorney general now handles the case to keep it clear of county politics.
• State senators are weighing a Native Hawaiian task force as nonprofits and Hawaiian-serving institutions face a wave of legal challenges tied to the federal push against DEI.

Also in the news: Duane "Keffe D" Davis was sentenced to 40 years to life for orchestrating Tupac Shakur's 1996 murder; Netflix picked up broadcast rights to the 2030 World Cup while cutting about 1,000 jobs, its biggest layoff since 2022; and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is awarding more than $4 million to 11 charter schools for laptops and classroom technology.

Outlook: Gas prices show no sign of easing, so cost-of-living pressure on island families is likely to continue into the holidays.