“Residents discuss ideas, concerns for proposed state wilderness park on 283 acres in Hilo.”
Views expressed in this Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai news update are those of the reporters and correspondents.
Accessed on 19 December 2025, 2233 UTC.
Content and Source: “BigIslandNow.com.”
URL–https://bigislandnow.com/
Please check URL or scroll down to read your selections. Thanks for joining us today.
Russ Roberts (https://hawaiinewsjournal.com).
Hotel workers at Royal Kona Resort on Big Island go on strike
Those on strike include housekeepers, maintenance workers, bellmen, cooks, and more.
Community‘Keeper of the Bay’: The Kohala Center, Kahilu Theatre partner for screening of…
AstronomyBalloon as big as football field flies over Antarctica, aimed at deciphering mystery of…
Residents discuss ideas, concerns for proposed state wilderness park on 283 acres in Hilo
Hawaiʻi State Rep. Matthias Kusch has proposed purchasing the land on ʻĀkolea Road in the Kaūmana area of Hilo for a wilderness park after plans for a subdivision went nowhere.December 19, 2025 · 6:22 AM HST
AstronomyGreenish glow of interstellar visitor Comet 3I/ATLAS revealed in new Gemini North image
Hawai’i State NewsU.S. Senate passes fiscal year 2026 defense bill that includes key Hirono-led…
In Case You
Missed It:
Missed It:
Flood advisory issued for leeward portion of Hawai‘i Island
Marijuana could be reclassified as a less dangerous drug
E Ala E Hawaiian Cultural Center awarded $210K grant to support fellowship program
Mauna Kea discoveries reveal hidden worlds around accelerating stars once too faint to see
Next gen scientists will get help tackling urgent issues, more with grant from Moore…
Get your telescopes ready: Rare interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS coming closest to Earth on…
Gamache and Quiocho named Kona Officers of the Month for December
Ernie Els leads field at PGA Tour Champions’ 30th anniversary tournament at…
New political action committee aimed at electing inclusive, equality-driven leaders
25 holiday happenings on Big Island for Dec. 18-25: More holiday markets, sing-along…
2 men rescued from life raft near Molokaʻi after their vessel begins taking on water
President Trump issues executive order classifying illicit fentanyl as a Weapon of Mass…
Hilo keiki win two divisions of Hawai‘i State Junior Golf Association Tour Championship
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Stay in-the-know with daily or weekly
headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Big Island News
December 19, 2025 · 11:00 AM
‘Keeper of the Bay’: The Kohala Center, Kahilu Theatre partner for screening of film featuring Aunty Cindi Punihaole
Punihaole’s stewardship and education efforts at Kahalu‘u Bay preserved one of the Big Island’s most vibrant marine sanctuaries and inspired a community movement to protect it for future generations.
December 19, 2025 · 8:13 AM
Hotel workers at Royal Kona Resort on Big Island go on strike
Those on strike include housekeepers, maintenance workers, bellmen, cooks, and more.
December 19, 2025 · 7:00 AM
Balloon as big as football field flies over Antarctica, aimed at deciphering mystery of dark matter
Unlocking the mystery of dark matter would help to get a grasp on what most of the universe is actually made of and potentially reveal fundamental new physics that could revolutionize the understanding of how everything works.
December 19, 2025 · 6:22 AM
Residents discuss ideas, concerns for proposed state wilderness park on 283 acres in Hilo
Hawaiʻi State Rep. Matthias Kusch has proposed purchasing the land on ʻĀkolea Road in the Kaūmana area of Hilo for a wilderness park after plans for a subdivision went nowhere.
December 19, 2025 · 5:00 AM
Greenish glow of interstellar visitor Comet 3I/ATLAS revealed in new Gemini North image
Community observing program Shadow the Scientists took the public on a tour of the famous interstellar visitor — sporting a holiday hue — with live observations from the Gemini North telescope control room on the Big Island.
December 19, 2025 · 3:00 AM
Volcano Watch: Highlighting the hazards after 1 year of Kīlauea’s episodic summit fountaining
Visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, where the volcano is located, see remarkable views during the episodic eruptions within the summit, but the latest episode — No. 38 — reminds us how quickly hazards associated with this dynamic activity can change.
December 19, 2025 · 1:00 AM
U.S. Senate passes fiscal year 2026 defense bill that includes key Hirono-led provisions
The fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act includes more than $1.1 billion for infrastructure in Hawai‘i and includes language encouraging the U.S. Army to fully develop and communicate plans for leased training lands — such as those at Pōhakuloa on the Big Island.
December 18, 2025 · 9:07 PM
REMINDER: Fire hydrant flow test slated for tonight in Honōkohau Harbor area
Water customers along Kealakehe Parkway, makai of Queen Ka‘ahumanu, including all side roads and lanes, could experience slightly discolored and turbid water for several hours after the test.
December 18, 2025 · 4:43 PM
Flood advisory issued for leeward portion of Hawai‘i Island
At 4:16 p.m., radar indicated heavy rain over the leeward Big Island north of Keahole Point. Rain was falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour.
December 18, 2025 · 4:18 PM
Marijuana could be reclassified as a less dangerous drug
President Trump signed an executive order to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III drug.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ironman
Get ready to roll: Aloha Skate Roller Draft Tournament to hit Big Island
November 6, 2025 · 1:00 AM HST
80-year-old grandmother becomes oldest woman to finish Ironman World Championship in Kona
October 19, 2025 · 5:00 AM HST
Big Island triathletes cross finish line at Ironman World Championship in Kona
October 11, 2025 · 10:11 PM HST
UPCOMING FEATURED EVENTS:
Every 3rd Saturday of the Month · 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Kanikapila Monthly Concert Series
Every Monday · 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Weekly Hula
Every Thursday · 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Queens’ Culinary Market
Local Entertainment
December 18, 2025 · 5:00 AM
Ernie Els leads field at PGA Tour Champions’ 30th anniversary tournament at Hualālai
Secure your tickets now and celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at the renowned Hualālai Golf Course in 2026.
December 18, 2025 · 1:00 AM
25 holiday happenings on Big Island for Dec. 18-25: More holiday markets, sing-along, cookie and toy exchanges, Charlie Brown and much more
We’re heading into the homestretch, Big Island, with just a week before Christmas, and there is everything but silent nights — or days — as a flurry of holiday events is again scheduled from one end of the island to the other. Check them out now!
December 17, 2025 · 1:00 AM
Public invited to 2nd annual Hui Waiwai hosted by Hawaiʻi Community Lending
Hawai’i County Mayor Kimo Alameda will deliver the keynote address during the event set from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 22, 2026, at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu; attending and supporting the event is one way community members can help the organization fulfill its mission.
December 14, 2025 · 9:00 AM
‘Hawai‘i to the World’ finale features top talent from throughout Hawai‘i
After 4 weeks of show-stopping performances, emotional stories and unforgettable moments from throughout the pae ʻāina, the stage is set for one of the five finalists — including Pohai from the Big Island — to walk away with a $10,000 grand prize.
December 12, 2025 · 5:00 AM
Volcano Watch: Lava fountains of knowledge; events for January Volcano Awareness Month
Join Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff and its partners Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense in January 2026 for a series of programs around the island that will discuss eruptions and earthquakes, how Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists monitor them and the hazards associated with them.
Hawaii Public Housing Authority
Housing Public Housing Supervisor V
Hilo · 2 weeks ago
Housing Public Housing Supervisor V
Hilo · 2 weeks ago
Island Fish and Chips
Island Fish and Chips FOH & BOH Positions – FT & PT
Kona · 2 weeks ago
Saarman Construction, Ltd.
Experienced Interior Painters – Occupied Homes
Hilo · 3 weeks ago
Experienced Interior Painters – Occupied Homes
Hilo · 3 weeks ago
Big Island Polls
Big Island Now poll results: County garage is answer to downtown Kona’s parking woes
June 1, 2025 · 3:00 AM HST
Big Island Now poll: What is solution to parking woes on Ali‘i Drive in Kailua-Kona?
May 18, 2025 · 3:00 AM HST
Reminder: Permanent restrictions remain on the transport of ʻŌhiʻa
April 19, 2025 · 1:55 AM HST
Hawai’i Volcano Blog
Volcano Watch: Highlighting the hazards after 1 year of Kīlauea’s episodic summit fountaining
December 19, 2025 · 3:00 AM HST
Volcano Watch: Lava fountains of knowledge; events for January Volcano Awareness Month
December 12, 2025 · 5:00 AM HST
Steady glow continued overnight following Kīlauea eruption
December 10, 2025 · 10:24 AM HST
Ocean Blog
2 men rescued from life raft near Molokaʻi after their vessel begins taking on water
December 17, 2025 · 9:10 PM HST
Links between land-sea nutrients, impacts found through new research involving UH
December 10, 2025 · 1:00 PM HST
UPDATE: Coastal flood statement to carry over another day, through Sunday morning
December 6, 2025 · 9:32 AM HST
Volunteers remove thousands of feet of fishing lines from west, north Hawaiʻi reefs
November 30, 2025 · 5:00 AM HST
Maui Now
US Navy ordered to provide information on potential harm to Guam’s wildlife
Guam is home to many imperiled species found nowhere else on Earth, including the ababang, or eight spot butterfly, a rare native insect that depends on intact forest habitat and healthy native plant communities to survive.
MEO 2026 Gala honoring state Sen. Troy Hashimoto sold out
Maui Economic Opportunity’s 2026 Gala, which honors state Sen. Troy Hashimoto, is sold out.
Grassroot Institute white paper suggests repealing ‘certificate of need’ process for improved healthcare
A new white paper released by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaiʻi suggests that state lawmakers should ease or repeal “certificate of need” regulations to improve healthcare access, particularly in rural and Neighbor Island communities such as Maui County. The report, titled “Improve healthcare access in Hawaiʻi by reforming medical certificates of need,” argues that existing […]
Discoveries from Maunakea reveal hidden worlds around accelerating stars
Groundbreaking research from W. M. Keck Observatory and Subaru Telescope highlight continued leadership in imaging new worlds by Big Island’s Maunakea.
ʻĀina Momona invites community input to shape community-led climate solutions
ʻĀina Momona, a Native Hawaiian-led nonprofit organization dedicated to land and ocean stewardship, is inviting community members across Hawaiʻi to participate in a public survey to help shape a community-led framework for climate solutions.
Kaua‘i Now
Inclement weather shuts Kīlauea HI5 redemption center
Kīlauea’s HI-5 Redemption Center is closed today, due to severe weather, but alternative locations in Kapaʻa and Līhuʻe remain available with adjusted hours.
Road and lane closures are set for smaller roads in Puhi subdivision beginning Monday
Road closures set for the smaller roads with cul-de-sacks in the Puhi subdivision in Līhuʻe will not prohibit access to properties from Dec. 22 to Jan. 30.
State reminds households to use $250 food support funds before they expire
Any unused Hawaiʻi Emergency Food Assistance Program balance cannot be carried over or reissued in 2026 and will be expunged at the end of the year.
Update: Flood advisory canceled for Kaua‘i
Radar shows that the heavy rain has diminished.
Strong thunderstorm hitting Kaua‘i this morning
At 8:21 a.m., Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Kekaha, or 21 miles west of Līhu‘e, moving east at 15 mph.
Discover more from Hawaii News Journal
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.