Community

An open-air tasting night experience returns at the end of this month to the shopping center in Waikōloa, when chefs from several restaurants will serve up bites, plus cocktails and mocktails, all to benefit Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative; tickets are available now.

The workshop is from 1 to 4 p.m. today (March 12) at Hilo Food Hub on Kalanianaʻole Street, with Brett Carey of We Make HI as featured presenter.

We bring you this week’s top 10 with one caveat: this week’s top 10 remained as scheduled Wednesday afternoon; however, a powerful kona low could end up crashing the party.

One Hawaiʻi family embodies the trend, showing how service shared across generations is shaping the future of Red Cross volunteerism; demographic estimates show people of all ages — from Gen Z to the Silent Generation — help make up the nearly 1,900 volunteers who support the American Red Cross in the Pacific Islands Region.

‘Most small businesses don’t realize they’re a target until it’s too late,’ said University of Hawaiʻi Kapi‘olani Community College assistant professor of information technology and cybersecurity and session lead David Stevens in announcing the clinic. ‘You don’t need a big budget to protect yourself, but you do need to know where your risks are.’

Officer Dallas Arce and Battalion Chief Kaʻāina Keawe were celebrated as the Aloha Exchange Club of East Hawaiʻi’s Officer and Firefighter of the Year for 2025.

“A few days ago, a good Samaritan found an abandoned pet cat in heartbreaking condition and reached out to KARES for help,” wrote the organization in a Saturday morning (March 7) Facebook post. “What we discovered was something no animal should ever endure.”

Comedy for a Cause unites humor and heart to support positive community change through anti-bullying awareness and youth empowerment nonprofit BRAVE Hawaiʻi’s programs for youth and families throughout the state.

The summit brought together county officials and community members in an effort to improve public safety, animal welfare and community well-being.

Two art exhibits from Edwin Kayton and Brook Kapūkuniahi Parker will bring images of historical events and moʻolelo from kūpuna to Kahilu Theatre from March 14 to April 12,

Gavin Vasilescu, 18, is preparing for crucial competitions this month in Southern California, where he hopes to excel at the national level and inspire more Hawaiʻi sailors to compete nationally.

Budding cooks should create a 5- to 7-minute video preparing a healthy recipe with at least one locally sourced fruit, vegetable or protein; winners receive an immersive farm and food adventure, going behind the scenes to learn directly from professionals in the culinary arts and local agriculture.

The Kohala Centerʻs ReefTeach program and Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources ask and urge the public to refrain from swimming, snorkeling and surfing in Kahaluʻu Bay during the closure to support the successful reproduction, settlement and recruitment of new cauliflower coral, as well as give Kahaluʻu this brief — yet essential — time for rejuvenation.

State employees have supported the drive since 1999, collecting food and raising funds for Hawaiʻi Foodbank and its statewide affiliates; this year’s drive runs through May 8.

This event is connected to the Wounded Warrior Project and its acclaimed Project Odyssey program — a no-cost, 12-week mental health initiative that uses adventure-based learning to help warriors manage and overcome the invisible wounds of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety and depression.

Saturday is a busy day in Hilo with the Kuleana Health Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium and the 75th anniversary of Hilo Public Library beginning at 9 a.m.

The state of Hawaiʻi and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa are asking residents to again share their experiences by completing the 2026 survey, which asks about health and well-being, housing and cost of living, transportation, community concerns and solutions, work and school, access to services and more.

The global business degree is a pioneering 90-credit, 3-year undergraduate degree designed from the ground up to be fast, flexible and future-focused.

“This event is about more than a legal victory,” said Parker School Head of School Stephen Dunn in announcing the upcoming event. “It’s about civic engagement, kuleana for our environment and empowering young people to understand that their voices matter.”

Music is in the air this week as several venues around the island are hosting concerts, live bands and even dance shows featuring a variety of tunes in several different styles; but that’s not all — check out this week’s top 10 now!