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“Rain from incoming Kona low expected this afternoon (Thursday), flood watch issued through weekend.”

Views expressed in this Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai news update are those of the reporters and correspondents.

Accessed on 19 March 2026, 2329 UTC.

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18 lane closures scheduled during week of March 14-20 on Big Island state roadways

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Big Island News 

March 19, 2026 · 1:00 PM

Hāmākua Energy to host virtual community meeting on March 24

Hāmākua Energy will share its plans and provide a recap of the company’s activities in the past quarter during the virtual community information meeting.
March 19, 2026 · 11:03 AM

Action star Chuck Norris hospitalized on Kauaʻi after medical emergency

Chuck Norris, the 86-year-old iconic film star and martial artist, was hospitalized in Kauaʻi for a medical emergency on March 18, sparking concerns among fans.
March 19, 2026 · 10:54 AM

Rain from incoming Kona low expected this afternoon, flood watch issued through weekend

There will be a lull in rain on Friday, but it is expected to pick up on Saturday and could continue into Monday, according to a meteorologist from the National Weather Service.
March 19, 2026 · 9:00 AM

SNAP replacement benefits available for weather-affected households

Eligible households must submit a written report within 10 days to secure reimbursement based on the destroyed food’s value.
March 19, 2026 · 7:00 AM

Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope remote observer next up at Hawaiʻi Keiki Museum podium

The Waikōloa museum’s Island Science Lecture Series continues today, March 19, with Jessica Nagasako, who will share some recent science updates from the Mauna Kea observatory and answer the question, ‘How do we get that data?’
March 19, 2026 · 5:00 AM

Top 10 things to do on Big Island for March 20-26: Toes tapping, feet hiking, business thinking, art viewing and more

Have a good time this weekend and beyond; don’t let the weather weigh you down too much. Check out this week’s top 10 things to do for some good tunes, outdoor fun, entrepreneur wisdom, eco-art and more.
March 19, 2026 · 3:00 AM

State funds to improve safety, accessibility at Pololū Valley may remain on budget bill

The state budget bill has moved from the House to the Senate, who will consider $1 million in funding going toward the Pololū Trailhead and Historic Trail Improvements Project.
March 19, 2026 · 1:00 AM

Parker School senior recognized for positive impact, named as a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholar

Parker School’s Oscar Amos was selected as for the prestigious Coca-Cola Scholars Program, earning a $20,000 scholarship for leadership, service, and academics.
March 18, 2026 · 8:33 PM

Konawaena High will transition to distance learning during storm repairs

Hawai‘i Department of Education reports majority of instructional space at Konawaena requires professional cleaning and structural repairs following last weekend’s kona low; department continues damage assessments at campuses statewide.
March 18, 2026 · 7:35 PM

Hilo man faces theft, drug charges following series of Jeep rim, tire thefts in Hilo area

31-year-old Shalton Estocado’s bail was maintained at $160,000 and he was ordered Wednesday, March 18, to appear March 30 for an appointment of counsel hearing; he faces 3 counts of second-degree theft, 3 counts of habitual property crime and 2 counts of third-degree promoting a dangerous drug.
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*Couples Lomilomi Massage* with Malama Honua Massage Therapy.

Sun, Mar 22, 2026 · 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

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Local Entertainment 

March 19, 2026 · 7:00 AM

Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope remote observer next up at Hawaiʻi Keiki Museum podium

The Waikōloa museum’s Island Science Lecture Series continues today, March 19, with Jessica Nagasako, who will share some recent science updates from the Mauna Kea observatory and answer the question, ‘How do we get that data?’
March 19, 2026 · 5:00 AM

Top 10 things to do on Big Island for March 20-26: Toes tapping, feet hiking, business thinking, art viewing and more

Have a good time this weekend and beyond; don’t let the weather weigh you down too much. Check out this week’s top 10 things to do for some good tunes, outdoor fun, entrepreneur wisdom, eco-art and more.
March 15, 2026 · 3:00 AM

Police to host HI-PAL free movie night in Waikōloa with showing of ‘Dog Man’

The featured movie “Dog Man” will be shown from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 18 in the cafeteria at Waikōloa Elementary and Middle School.
March 14, 2026 · 9:00 AM

Hawai‘i County Department of Water Supply to host Fix a Leak Week events

The department is celebrating the 2026 installment of the special observance by helping customers learn how to identify and fix common household water leaks; events to be hosted in Hilo and Kailua-Kona, with chances for prizes.
March 13, 2026 · 3:00 PM

Big Island middle schools among those to create LEGO mosaics for newest Bishop Museum exhibit

‘Aloha Bricks ’26: Stories of Hawaiʻi’ exhibit also includes other LEGO-inspired creations that all will take over Castle Memorial Building beginning March 14.
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Hawai‘i Business 

Top 10 things to do on Big Island for March 20-26: Toes tapping, feet hiking, business thinking, art viewing and more
Vibrant Hawaiʻi launches request for storm assistance form for Big Island residents
Business Monday: New California owner hopes to revitalize The Shops at Mauna Lani
How to creatively spotlight Hawaiʻi’s rarest birds? Put them on press-on nails

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: Kīlauea Episode 43 reaches new lava fountain height record, causes tephra fallout on nearby communities
March 13, 2026 · 3:00 AM HST
‘Episode 43 produced some serious tephra’: Fallout from Kīlauea lava fountains blown as far as Hilo
March 11, 2026 · 2:00 PM HST
Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense, partners to open tephra information center in Volcano
March 11, 2026 · 1:00 AM HST

Ocean Blog 

18-year-old Big Island sailor makes waves in high-level, competitive sailing
March 7, 2026 · 5:00 AM HST
Kahaluʻu Beach Park in Kailua-Kona to be closed several days at beginning of May
March 6, 2026 · 1:00 PM HST
Sign up today for The Kohala Center’s next stewardship experience at Kahalu‘u Bay and Beach Park
March 1, 2026 · 3:00 PM HST
State warns of potential public health risks from whale carcass in waters off Kona Coast
February 26, 2026 · 5:38 PM HST

Maui Now 

Dawn Joao-Harris earns CDL on Molokaʻi, helps restore MEO bus routes

Dawn Joao-Harris became the second Molokaʻi resident to earn a Commercial Driver’s License through an Maui Economic Opportunity training program and will allow MEO to restore five routes on the island suspended due to a driver shortage.

Baldwin High School wins 30th Annual Honolulu Festival Maui Mikoshi Contest

The Honolulu Festival Foundation announced Baldwin High School as the winner of the Maui Mikoshi design contest at the 30th Annual Honolulu Festival. The winning mikoshi design was unveiled on Saturday, March 14, at the Hawai‘i Convention Center.

MEO seeks community responses for its 2026 Client Survey

Maui Economic Opportunity is seeking responses from clients across Maui, Moloka’i, and Lana’i for its 2026 client survey.

HECO 9 a.m. update: 1,450 without power in Hawaiʻi including 290 on Maui

Overnight, crews brought more customers back online and today will focus on restoring about 290 remaining customers without power on Maui. Pending favorable weather conditions, a helicopter will be assisting crews with restoration efforts. Due to the upcoming storm forecast, some customers are being directly contacted to prepare for their outage to possibly extend into next week.

County DEM encourages residential green waste removal ahead of new kona storm

With a new kona low storm approaching, the County of Maui Department of Environmental Management encourages residents to remove clean, vegetative debris and other green waste from their properties by taking it to green waste collections locations.

Kaua‘i Now 

New Kona low system arrives on Kaua‘i; flood watch issued statewide

Flood risk is relatively low on the Garden Island, but it’s not zero as heavy rain in the mountains can produce large amounts of runoff to streams and rivers.

Action star Chuck Norris hospitalized on Kauaʻi after medical emergency

Chuck Norris, the 86-year-old iconic film star and martial artist, was hospitalized in Kauaʻi for a medical emergency on March 18, sparking concerns among fans.

American Sign Language students expand access at University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa games

It’s the first known partnership of its kind between American Sign Language students and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Athletics; students volunteer their time to sign the national anthem, cheerleader chants, university fight song and more during games.

State House passes transportation-related bills aimed at making Hawaiʻi roads safer

“These bills reflect our committee’s priorities: making streets safer, improving enforcement and traffic safety and ensuring the well-being of our residents,” said House Transportation Committee Chairperson Rep. Darius Kila of Oʻahu in a state House release about the measures.

Kalalau Trail open again today after state crew discovers less damage than anticipated

A four-man crew from Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of State Parks on Wednesday, March 18, checked the trail from Hanakoa to Kalalau; state Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers accompanied the crew, citing 10 people — none with valid permits — for being in a closed area.

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kh6jrm@gmail.com

I am the retired news director of Pacific Radio Group stations on the Island of Hawaii. I am a retired Lt. Col., USAF Reserve. I am a FCC-licensed Amateur Radio Operator, holding the Amateur Extra Class License. I am a substitute teacher for the state of Hawaii Department of Education.

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