Displaced military families have moved back into their homes at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, now that the Navy has cleaned up the drinking water contaminated by a fuel leak late last year, Military Times reported. DOD has established a rapid response hotline to address any concerns that arise. “We all recognize this has been a hardship for those families and want to thank them again for their patience and resilience,” Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said….

Republicans in the New York Senate are asking Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to include $5 million in the state’s budget for military base retention, KPVI reported. “We now need the state of New York to consider funding us and the military affairs advocates across the state of New York again,” Niagara Military Affairs Council Chair John Cooper said….

Fairbanks North Star Borough in Alaska recently passed a tax exemption for new multi-family housing developments to help with the area’s housing shortage, KTVF reported. “The last time we saw a large number of these developments being built in either the city of Fairbanks or [the city of] North Pole was back in the 1970s and the early 80s, and what we know of these higher densities is they do provide more affordable housing,” Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Bryce Ward said.

Air National Guard photo of Fort Drum, New York by Tech. Sgt. Sarah Mattison