East Hawai‘i News

Hawaiʻi County has secured a two-month lease extension until Sept. 1 from Black Sand Beach LLC to continue discussions about the future of the beach that is a natural and cultural treasure.

Hawaiʻi Police Department is hosting a school supply drop box at Hilo Police Station, located at 349 Kapiʻolani St., in Hilo as part of the effort. Community members are encouraged to donate new school supplies for East Hawaiʻi Keiki and can do so now.

Meetings rotate around Hawaiʻi Island and provide residents an opportunity to meet directly with Big Island Police Chief Reed Mahuna and district commanders to share concerns, ask questions and discuss public safety issues in an open, conversational setting.

Despite having breaks in activity during this ongoing eruption at the Kīlauea summit on the Big Island, monitoring data indicates activity is still elevated and the eruption is not finished, even if we don’t always see lava at the surface.

Applications open now for discounted ENERGY STAR refrigerators and freezers.

Lum Family Enterprises and the Hawaiʻi County Department of Public Works have agreed to work together to come up with a fair solution for all parties about the widening of a Puna road before the matter comes before the County Council again on Aug. 5.

June continues to offer a full slate of events, activities and festivals around the island.

Hawai‘i Police Department advised motorists shortly before 9:30 p.m. June 16 to avoid the roadway at the intersection of Niuhi Street.

Mackenzie Valentin of Hilo was driving west in a 4-Runner multi-purpose vehicle when she lost control the morning of June 4, hydroplaned into the opposite lane and was broadsided by a Ford F-450 commercial truck.

“We have always believed that the best way to experience Hawaii is to truly get into it — its canyons, its waterfalls, its wild beauty. These two new tours let guests do exactly that, whether they’re seeking the ultimate adrenaline rush or a serene moment in the mist,” said Botanical World Adventures Managing Partner Mark Robinson.

Winners Rianne Angelique Kealohaokalani Kalama Empaynado and Mari Iwata were honored during the club’s Scholarship Dinner Reception, which also featured Hilo-born kānaka maoli surf journalist and communications and marketing professional Daniel Ikaika Ito as keynote speaker.

Tropic Care returns to Hawaiʻi Island from June 19 to 28 to offer free medical, dental and optometry services at sites in Keaʻau, Kaʻū and Kailua-Kona.

“This gathering is not only about remembrance — it is also about connection, conversation and collective action,” says information from an event flyer posted on Facebook.

Events in Hilo and North Kohala scheduled today, June 11, in observance of King Kamehameha Day, which honors King Kamehameha I — also known as King Kamehameha the Great — who in 1810 became the first ruler of a fully unified Kingdom of Hawai‘i.

Magnitude-4.7 about 14 miles east of Pāpa‘ikou was also likely related to stress from the weight of the island bending the Pacific plate; light shaking was reported, with no damage expected.

Hawaiʻi International Science Experience is hosting a five-day program designed to break barriers and connect local and global youth in STEM.

Kazama’s chancellorship — including as interim — is marked by an era of growth, stability and renewed momentum for Hawaiʻi Community College.

Electronic Processing and Information Center — Hawai’i County’s online portal for permits, plan submissions, inspections, payments and public records — will be unavailable from 1 a.m. June 11 through 8 a.m. June 12.

The nonprofit, along with KTA Super Stores, on June 5, 2026, treated staff and employees of Hawai’i County, first responders, hospital staff and other public servants around the Big Island to deliveries of aloha in the form of hundreds of donuts, celebrating the people making a positive difference in their communities.

Duke Escobar’s interest in medicine began in high school while taking a health academy course that introduced him to medical problem-solving through activities such as diagnosing cases from the TV show “House.”