Hawai'i State News

Launch window opens at 12:24 p.m. Hawai‘i Standard Time — in less than T-minus 30 minutes now — for the first crewed flight in more than 50 years to blast off on a path toward the moon.

April is Volunteer Month throughout the nation; recent data show additional federal funding cutbacks are placing unprecedented strain on organizations that provide backbone of support for the state’s social, environmental and educational safety nets.

“Michael’s leadership is nothing short of visionary,” wrote Hawaiʻi State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus (LGBTQ+) Commission in a joint statement. “From shaping policy to building community, he has dedicated his life to ensuring that LGBTQ+ people in Hawaiʻi are not only protected but empowered to thrive.”

Hawaiʻi Mesonet and Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal data show the accumulated rainfall throughout 14 days in March during back-to-back kona lows reached as high as 3,000% of normal historical levels for this time of year, culminating in a destructive “rain bomb” over Oʻahu.

New marine mammal surveillance revolutionizes the response to mass stranding events by allowing immediate, on-site detection.

The National Weather Service in Honolulu has lifted the high surf advisory for north-facing shores of Hawaiʻi.

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo student Iran Rosales has been awarded the prestigious Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship from NOAA and is one of only 130 scholars selected.

Bill funds initiatives to support suicide prevention, train medical professionals In suicide prevention and lethal means safety.

Commission heeds calls for rate accountability in Hawaiian Electric’s 75-year-old Waiʻau power plant repowering; “We have a credible proposal on the table to make energy more affordable,” concluded Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green. “People want change — this administration will continue to deliver change that prioritizes the needs of the people of Hawaiʻi.”

“These rankings highlight the exceptional work and commitment of our faculty, students and staff,” said University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Interim Provost Vassilis Syrmos in a university release. “They showcase the university’s global standing and reinforce that [University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa] offers outstanding educational opportunities and experiences for both our local community and those joining us from around the world.”

Visitors are welcome back as shops and restaurants reopen and Oʻahu’s North Shore recovers.

Department will conduct precautionary sampling and testing of nearshore waters — as well as flood-carried mud and sediment — to understand contaminant levels in the environment; personnel also actively monitoring mosquito populations and taking targeted action in impacted areas.

Citizen scientists on Hawai’i Island observed 37 humpback whales March 28; a total of 435 whales were observed from shorelines at 37 sites throughout the islands.

“This regime — as it attempts to rewrite history all over the place — it’s no surprise that they’ve set their sights on our national parks,” said the Democrat senator from Hawai‘i. “The millions of visitors to our national parks will not get a full picture. Apparently, that is exactly as this regime intends.”

Residents on neighbor islands whose homes suffered severe damage and are temporarily uninhabitable may be placed in available short-term rentals.

A Hughes OH-6 Cayuse operated by Airborne Aviation crash-landed Thursday, March 26, 2026, on a sandbar about 100 yards off the coast at Kalaula Beach off Nā Pali Coast in northwest Kaua’i killing three of its five occupants and injuring the other two people who were aboard. Officials identified the helicopter as being operated by Airborne Aviation, with one pilot and four passengers aboard at the time of the crash Thursday at the remote beach on Nāpali Coast in northwest Kauaʻi.

Geochemical analysis of erupted tephra samples during the past decade help scientists understand the temperature of Kīlauea’s shallow magma system under the summit — and things have been “heating up!”

‘Spin is a fossil record of how a planet formed,’ said study lead author and researcher at Northwestern University Dino Chih-Chun Hsu in an announcement about the discovery. ‘By measuring how quickly these worlds rotate, we can start to piece together the physical processes that shaped them tens to hundreds of millions of years ago.’

If you plan to be on Kaua‘i this May, sign up to walk with the affordable housing nonprofit in the 2026 Kaua‘i Charity Walk, or you can still help by donating if you live off-island; the more community members who participate will literally multiply PAL Hawai‘i’s impact.

Their artwork also was featured in the final exhibition for its exceptional craftsmanship, creativity and originality, and they now move on to the national level; 427 regional winners were chosen from 2,550 total submissions in this year’s art competition.