Community

Pāhoa and Honokaʻa High and Intermediate Schools created the latest “Drive with Aloha” murals on the Big Island to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving.

Ryan Carvahlo, 14, was initially reported missing on Nov. 23.

All County of Hawaiʻi offices will observe the Thanksgiving holiday and return to normal operations on Monday, Dec. 1.

Three new Ford F-450 brush trucks will bolster firefighting and speed up response times in more repost areas.

The Christmas Treasures Gift, Jewelry, Art and Crafts Fair will take place this week on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday.

Self-service options are available in many retail lobbies during post offi ce closures for holidays, including the upcoming Thanksgiving celebration, Nov. 27.

It’s the largest public pre-kindergarten expansion on Hawaiʻi Island’s eastside under Hawaiʻi Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke’s Ready Keiki initiative.

Individual and team registration options available from Nov. 24 through Dec. 22 for Elementary (grades 3-5) and Intermediate (grades 6-8) groups. Season runs Jan. 26 through March 11, 2026.

Studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments will be available for residents earning up to 50% of the area median income, with the first units anticipated to be ready in early 2026.

Hawai‘i Tropical Fruit Growers named recipients of its annual appreciation awards during the recent 35th annual Hawai‘i International Tropical Fruit Conference at Hilo Hawaiian Hotel.

The Kona Open Space Network Conceptual Plan is a community-initiated goal of the Kona Community Development Plan to connect and preserve public open spaces by linking corridors such as trails, bike paths, shorelines, and roadways that support multimodal access.

Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids now account for 15% of new vehicle registrations; utility continues work to enhance charging equipment reliability.

There will be a three-day Ho‘olaule‘a starting Friday night, marking the completion of the sanctuary restoration, as well as marking the 205th anniversary of the congregation.

The bill that passed the Hawaiʻi County Council on Wednesday included amendments to address community concerns about the number of hens allowed, coop requirements and the prohibition of selling eggs or birds.

The annual festival — now in its 33rd year — celebrates blossoming of the historic cherry trees planted in 1972 in Church Park Row, the festival’s headquarters. Fred Nonaka helped plant them and now at 89 years old, he’s still on pruning duty. Meanwhile, his wife Nancy Nonaka was the spark behind the many cultural demonstrations and hands-on activities offered each year at Kamuela Hongwanji Mission.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi has awarded $263,000 in grants to bolster food security and health equity in the islands, supporting programs such as the Food Basket’s DA BUX.

Hawaiʻi County Mass Transit now has 16 vehicles in its Hele-On Kakoʻo Paratransit Services fleet, helping increase on-time performance and reliability for users.

Rooted in compassion and opportunity, the Kruschel Endowment to Reduce Insecurity will provide direct assistance to University of Hawai’i at Hilo students facing financial hardship, focusing on such basic needs as housing, food, transportation, communication, technology and access to essential resources.

Organization responds to 20% more home fires during the holiday months, many of which are sparked by cooking accidents, unattended candles or unsafe decorations.

Wailuku River State Park (Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots) in Hilo and Kekaha Kai State Park in Kona will begin charging parking fees for nonresidents and commercial vehicles; Hawaiʻi residents, however, will continue to receive free parking.