South Kona shaken by magnitude of damage caused by major earthquake

Troy Branco-Liu for most of his life never imagined leaving Lahaina. However, after the 2023 Maui wildfire upended his community, a University of Hawaiʻi scholarship opened a door the Lahainaluna High School graduate never expected, an opportunity to start over at Hawaiʻi Community College in Hilo on the Big Island, which would ultimately change the course of his future.

Homes were rattled off their foundations, cracks appeared in walls, windows were broken, giant boulders blocked residents in, stone walls collapsed, power went out and more following the magnitude-6.0 temblor just before 10 p.m. Friday, May 22.

Flags shall be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon on May 25 at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol, all state offices and agencies, and the Hawaiʻi National Guard.

Hawaiʻi’s Preschool Open Doors program opens applications on May 29, offering tuition assistance for families with children ages 2 to 4 for the 2026-27 school year.

No safety power shutoffs were implemented during the past few days as the electric utility monitored weather conditions in areas at high risk of wildfire exposure, especially with a wind advisory that was previously in place for the same locations.

A total of about 1,000 Hawaiian Electric customers in South Kona, where the quake was centered Friday night, May 22, lost power, with only about 70 remaining in the dark by about 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 23.

38-year-old Michael Gardner of Mountain View faces several firearms charges following his arrest during a May 21 incident that spurred significant public safety concerns.

“ARDA-Hawai‘i is honored to support the Kona Hospital Foundation as they elevate patient care and expand healthcare services in West Hawai‘i,” said Imanaka Asato LLLC Managing Principal and ARDA-Hawai‘i Chairman Mithcell Imanaka. “This donation reflects our dedication to supporting accessible, high-quality health care on Hawai‘i Island.”

Use all necessary caution when inspecting your property for damage, especially around utilities such as gas and power lines.

The need for general surgeons is especially high in rural and other underserved communities; there is a 14% shortage of surgeons in Hawai‘i overall, with Hawai‘i Island alone at a 40% shortage, forcing many residents to travel off-island to receive care they need.

Humanity Hale has raised $350,000 and needs $150,000 more to reach its financial goal to buy land to build a transitional housing village for young adults aged 18 to 24.

After decades of sharing them with students, friends and the community, Richard Stevens finally puts his stories of adventure, hardship, discovery, resilience and people and places that shaped his life into ‘Storyland,’ available now on Amazon.

This weekend marks the unofficial beginning of summer, with Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, and the Big Island, especially Puna, has plenty to do for revelers looking to celebrate during the long holiday break.

Punahou School student Safa Ahmed as the 2026 Hawaiʻi Youth Poet Laureate, which is a program to connect young voices and writers from across all islands.

Polynesian Voyaging Society traditional Hawaiian voyaging canoe will return to the island nation for the first time in 20 years; dates will tentatively be from April to September next year.