Big Island

A helicopter pilot flying over Kilauea recently found something unusual. There was water in the main crater, and that discovery has sparked a lot of questions.

Hawaii Island has more public charter schools than any other island in the state. Most charter schools do not get funding from the state for physical facilities. But as the new school year gets underway, students and faculty at one Big Island charter school are looking forward to getting brand new facilities. And in this case, those are paid for by the state.

Though not in the news every day, the 2018 Kīlauea eruption continues to reverberate in people’s lives. Currently, at the East Hawai‘i Cultural Center, an artist’s experience of total devastation has given rise to an installation that reflects on roots.

One consistent challenge across all islands in the state is drug abuse. Treatment centers are in short supply and opioid abuse has been on the rise. But local law enforcement officials agree with a finding from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency last year that a particularly severe problem for Hawaiʻi remains crystal methamphetamine.

Mauna Loa Volcano last erupted in 1984.  Since then, it’s had some restless times, but for the past year, has been at the normal, lowest, alert level. But recently things have been changing. 

A panel of Big Island business leaders recently talked about challenges and transitions across multiple industries. One of the key sectors: the hospitality business.

In discussions about homelessness in Hawai’i, much of the attention is often focused on O’ahu. But it’s a statewide issue — with different situations on each island. That includes Hawai’i Island.

When you think of elections in 2020, you might think first of the presidential election. But there are others — including a number of important county races across the islands. One of them is Hawaii County — where the mayor’s race is drawing interest from someone who’s already a public official.

Today is Kamehameha Day, a state holiday honoring the chief who first unified the Hawaiian Islands. Some say the most heartfelt celebrations happen on Hawai‘i island, in Kohala, where Kamehameha was born.

Two former Hawaiʻi County police officers have been indicted on a variety of charges involving cases from drugs to gambling.

Hawaii County is part of a nation- and state-wide effort to keep opioids and other powerful pain medications from being misused. 

It's been nearly a year since Kīlauea erupted on the Big Island's lower East Rift Zone. The event destroyed more than 700 structures and displaced hundreds, if not thousands, of residents. Scientists are still studying the eruption, but they think they know what did, and didn't, cause it.

On Hawai‘i Island, the County Charter serves as the local “constitution” — setting the basic framework for how Hawaii County operates.  Once every ten years, it’s reviewed, and the Charter Commission members are now asking for public input.

A Big Island composer has created several musical works highlighting events and people in Hawaiian history. This weekend, he is premiering a symphonic suite that recalls one of the most significant battles in Hawaiian history.

It’s been more than ten months since a lava flow devastated parts of lower Puna on Hawaiʻi Island. More than 700 structures were lost, and the event disrupted other parts of life for many residents. And that includes small businesses in the area – which are now getting some help from a unique combination of organizations.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory recently put out a preliminary lava thickness map, based on last summer’s Kilauea lava flow. They’ve created similar maps before, but mostly for official publications. Now this map is on the HVO web site.

The East Hawai‘i Cultural Center is in a stately stucco building, white with green roof, that used to house Hilo’s police headquarters.  On the Wailuku River side of Hilo, this active community art center now offers art classes, a gallery, plus a theatre and café.   HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports, over the past couple of years, a slow regeneration has been underway.

Garbage disposal is a huge issue for our entire state. On Hawai’i Island there are two landfills, and one is running out of space. Recycling has become more complicated with China’s decision to stop accepting recycled materials. And that’s left many community members wondering what’s happening with their trash.

Hawai‘i Electric Light crews have been scrambling to restore power to customers hit by the weekend wind storms. And while that work continues on the ground, there is change at the management level. Earlier this month, the president of Hawaiʻi Electric Light retired. And the new president of Hawaiʻi Island's electric utility is Sharon Suzuki — who is also president of Maui Electric. That's led to questions about how the needs of the state's largest yet least populated island will be handled.

Hawaiʻi County is facing a number of significant challenges this year. That includes recovery from the summer 2018 lava flow and the 50 inches of rain from Hurricane Lane. Another challenge is figuring out how to manage the budget in a period with many competing financial demands.

Hawaiʻi County Mayor Harry Kim has set up a task force to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on the island.  With 32 traffic fatalities in 2018, and two so far this year, Hawaiʻi County has the highest per capita death rate from car crashes in the state. And another 1,200 people have suffered serious injuries.