News
Watch: Red sprites dance over Maunakea on Big Island
On Feb. 5, red sprites briefly — and we mean briefly — danced before the eyes of people watching the Subaru-Asahi Star Camera at the Subaru Telescope atop Maunakea on the Big Island.
What’s your favorite extraterrestrial event in 2023? Take Big Island Now’s 30-second poll
In 2023 there have been some extraterrestrail events spied from Earth that have had the public, internet and social media buzzing. What was your favorite?
UPDATE: Salvage ship will attempt again to free grounded luxury yacht from Maui coastline
Honolulu-based Visionary Marine used a salvage ship late Sunday to attempt more than a dozen “pulls” of the grounded luxury yacht Nakoa during high tide. In the dark, and on the final pull, the vessel moved 10 to 20 feet.
UPDATE: Highway 137 between mile marker 13 and 14 in now open
Highway 137 between mile marker 13 and 14 has reopened.
Fire hydrant flow test scheduled in North Kona
Customers along Kealaka‘a Street between Palani Road and Manawale‘a Street, including all side roads and lanes, may experience slightly discolored and turbid water for several hours after the test.
Visitors satisfaction compensated for inflation in latest Hawaiʻi tourism survey
Hawai‘i’s largest major market area, the U.S. West, saw 80.6 percent of visitors indicating an interest in returning, followed by 77.8 percent of those from Korea, 67.1 percent from Canada, 64.7 percent from the U.S. East and 61.6 percent from Oceania.
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority updates cultural resource ‘Ma‘ema‘e Toolkit’ for visitors
Since its first edition in 2010, Ma‘ema‘e has evolved from a resource for media to a living toolkit for anyone who has a role in representing Hawai‘i.
Volunteers count 997 humpback whales in Hawaiian Islands on Saturday
Maui volunteers spotted the most humpback whales on Feb. 25 with 596, followed by O’ahu with 232, the Big Island with 105 and 64 for Kaua’i.
East Hawai’i finally sees the sun, after 10 days of rain — and snow on the summits
Beginning Feb. 16 in East Hawai’i, back-to-back Kona Lows followed by persistent showers ushered in by returning trade winds drenched places from Honomū to Pāhala, but the rain finally stopped long enough on Saturday to give the saturated ground a chance to dry out a little, at least in Hilo.
Defueling of grounded luxury yacht on Maui done; $460,000 plus salvage operation next
A 120-ton, 94-foot luxury yacht that grounded in a Maui bay now is defueled. Next is a $460,000 plus salvage operation.
Distant 6.2 earthquake near Papua New Guinea; no tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirms there is no tsunami threat to Hawaiʻi Island or the State of Hawaiʻi.
Reminder: Tickets for 60th Annual Merrie Monarch Hōʻike go on sale Sunday
Tickets for the non-competitive hula exhibition scheduled for Wednesday night, April 12, will be available in person from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., or until they are sold out, at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium box office in Hilo.
UPDATE: High surf advisory extended for east-facing Hawaiʻi shores until 6 p.m. Tuesday
Strong trade winds will bring large and rough surf of 7 to 10 feet to east-facing shores through Saturday afternoon.
Gardening in Hawaiʻi with Tom Timmons: Why should you play in the dirt?
Simply put, dirt is dead soil or at least soil on its last organic breath. It contains rocks, sand, clay and other inorganic components.
Clintons attend blessing for new parish center at St. Michael the Archangel in Kona
Former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary were in Kailua-Kona on the island’s west side and attended the blessing of the new Grace Parish Center on Thursday at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish. The new parish center shares its name with Grace Wilsey, who is an inspiration for the church’s congregation.
Big Island task force, doctor, former opioid addict plead case for Buprenorphine
Amanda Deguair told her story of being addicted to opioids during a press conference Friday morning hosted by the Hawai‘i Island Fentanyl Task Force that not only highlighted the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s support of lifting all restrictions on a life-changing medication called Buprenorphine that can help addicts recover, but also urged medical providers around the Big Island and throughout the state to prescribe it to appropriate patients with opioid use disorder.
Owner of grounded luxury yacht in a Maui bay will get $460,000 plus salvage bill
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Land and Natural Resources said it has hired Visionary Marine of Honolulu to do the salvage operations of the luxury yacht that grounded in Honolua Bay.
Elusive skunk captured in Hilo by resident trapping mongoose with teriyaki chicken bait
While attempting to catch mongoose on his property in the Keaukaha area, Hilo resident Chris Owens caught a skunk, which are prohibited in Hawai’i.
Former Department of Education business manager on Big Island charged with stealing $7,000
Karie Luana Klein was charged on Feb. 16 for allegedly falsifying Department of Education mileage and parking forms and using purchase orders and a “P-Card” to steal more than $7,000 from the department.
Update: Missing child located in good health
Update: Missing child was located in good health in Hilo.
