$55M Cut Threatens Convention Center Leak Fixes

The Hawai‘i Convention Center’s two-year construction-­related shutdown may not resolve its decades‑old leak problems if lawmakers uphold a proposed $55 million funding cut, raising the likelihood the center will reopen in 2028 with ongoing water intrusion and safety concerns.

Star-Advertiser.

Most Dams in Hawaiʻi Classified as High Hazard

Nearly all of Hawaiʻi’s regulated dams are classified as “high hazard,” meaning their failure could result in loss of life — a designation that state officials say reflects downstream development, not the likelihood of collapse.

Star-Advertiser.

AccuWeather Estimates $2B in Damage After Storms

As Gov. Josh Green asks the federal government for an emergency designation to secure funding for recovery efforts, AccuWeather estimates the back-to-back Kona-low storms caused around $2 billion in damage and economic loss across the state.

Star-Advertiser.

Airbnb as Tax Collector? It’s a Familiar Debate in the Legislature

Lawmakers are trying to solve how to get people who rent their properties short-term to actually pay their taxes. One answer: get the companies that host property owners’ listings to collect the taxes and pass them on to the state. But the state tax department says it won’t rat out illegal rentals to counties.

Civil Beat.

Energy Affordability Signaled as State Priority With PUC Decision

The first decision and order issued by Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission, under the direction of Chairperson Jon Itomura, signals energy affordability as a state priority. That would support broad state initiatives for affordable housing, health care and a firm commitment to reduce the cost of living for Hawaiʻi residents.

Big Island Now.

O‘ahu Headlines

Hawaiʻi Land Board Approves Acquiring Wahiawā Reservoir as Costs Increase

A budget request from Gov. Josh Green puts the new price tag on repairs to the dam and reservoir, which rose to dangerous levels during the recent Kona low, at more than $60 million.

Civil Beat. Associated Press. Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Neglected North Shore Plantation Waterways Fueled Damaging Floods

Former sugar and pineapple plantation irrigation systems on Oʻahu’s North Shore have been neglected for years. Waialua farmers and residents say that while the historic rainfall this month was unavoidable, the extent of the damage was. They blame the culverts, ditches, bridges and overgrowth that became dams for the detritus carried downhill by the storm.

Civil Beat.

Scrutiny of Kaukonahua Stream Grows After the Devastating North Shore Flooding

Families who have lived for generations along the waterway describe a system choked with debris, tangled in jurisdictional confusion and left without consistent maintenance — conditions they say turned a severe storm into a near-deadly event.

Star-Advertiser.

Homeless Program Hit Hard by Flood Wants to Help Others Affected

A homeless program on Oʻahu’s windward side that was hit hard by the flooding during the Kona low storms now wants to help others who were affected.

Hawaii News Now.

‘No Dictators’ Demonstrators Allowed to Return to State Capitol After Bomb Threat

Demonstrators participating in the “No Dictators” protest were allowed back onto the grounds of the State Capitol around noon Saturday after a bomb threat temporarily closed the area.

Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

Expansion of Hilo Benioff Medical Center Making Progress

As part of the ongoing expansion of the Hilo Benioff Medical Center campus, a new 20,000-square-foot clinic building is preparing to open in June and a 55,000-square foot building with 55 patient beds is expected to be completed in early 2027.

Big Island Now.

Legislation Seeks to Bolster Pāhoa

The Hawaiʻi County Windward Planning Commission will consider three bills at its meeting Thursday that would rezone parts of downtown Pāhoa, allowing for a greater scope of commercial activities including agricultural processing, co-working office spaces, cultural enterprises and indoor sports arenas.

Tribune-Herald.

Growing Agritourism on Hawaiʻi Island

Agritourism has become a powerful tool for Hawaiʻi farmers looking to diversify their income and connect with consumers. Farm tours, tastings and hands-on experiences are ways for Hawaiʻi farmers to help people understand the labor behind food and the value of farm-to-table.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Kona Area to Adopt Protocols to Limit Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

The state Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity has approved new measures to limit the spread of coconut rhinoceros beetles on Hawaiʻi island. The coconut rhinoceros beetle is an invasive pest that feeds on palm trees and food crops like banana and kalo. They bore into trees and plants, often creating irrevocable damage.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

More Than 3,200 Turn Out for ‘No Kings’ Rally

The sidewalks on both sides of Kamehameha Avenue in downtown Hilo swelled with protesters Saturday as thousands turned out for the third “No Kings” National Day of Nonviolent Action.

Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.

Maui Headlines

Lahaina Wastewater Plant Spilled 200,000 Gallons. Why Did People Still Swim?

Last week’s storm caused backwash of partially treated wastewater from a sewage treatment plant to spill into a beach area at Kāʻanapali. Despite the brown water, some continued swimming near popular resorts. Although the county posted sparse warning signs, the Lahaina spill was notably absent from the Clean Water Branch’s online public advisories, leaving many unaware of the potential health risks in the water.

Civil Beat.

Floods Compound Lahaina Fire Damages

Wildfires make soil hydrophobic, meaning the soil repels water rather than absorbs it, which can cause greater flash flooding and erosion, according to climatologist and University of Hawaiʻi affiliate faculty member Abby Frazier.

Star-Advertiser.

Displaced by Storm Damage, Over 100 Kula Hospital Patients Cope With Separation Between Maui, O‘ahu Facilities

As Maui’s only hospital outside Wailuku, Kula Hospital is a critical access facility featuring a 105-bed skilled nursing unit and the nine-bed Hale Makamae. For many long-term patients, the hospital has been home for decades. But now they’re displaced, scattered between facilities on Maui and O‘ahu.

Maui Now.

Kaua‘i Headlines

Probe of Helicopter Crash to Begin

Federal agencies have begun to investigate the cause of Thursday afternoon’s crash of a tour helicopter off Kauaʻi’s Nāpali Coast that killed three people and injured two.

Star-Advertiser. Kauaʻi Now. Hawaii News Now.

Kaua‘i Homeowners Can Soon Get a Free Wildfire Home Assessment

Fires are getting bigger and more frequent in the islands. Is your home ready? Kauaʻi County will launch a free program this summer to provide folks with free wildfire home assessments. You may be able to do more to prevent the spread of wildfire than you think.

Civil Beat.

Kauaʻi Speaks Out

Nearly 2,000 people of all ages turned out on Saturday, March 28, 2026, to become part of a nationwide protest to protect democracy at the “No Dictators” rally on Rice Street fronting the historic County Building in Līhuʻe.

Garden Island.