West Hawaii News

Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort, teams up with two of Sonoma County, Calif.’s most celebrated talents for exclusive inaugural 4-day wine festival.

The west-northwest to northwest swell is expected to rapidly fill in Saturday evening and peak during the day Sunday, likely producing surf of 12 to 18 feet, with some even larger sets possible, for West Hawai‘i shorelines.

‘Tis the week after Thanksgiving, when what to our wondering eyes should appear, but the arrival of Christmas and holiday events aplenty, from far and near.

Kealakehe has adanced to the next round of the International Public Policy Forum –a program that gives high school students the chance engage in written and oral debates on issues of global importance.

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

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.

In observance of Thanksgiving, there will be no contraflow or lane closures Nov. 27 unless otherwise permitted. Otherwise, be sure to check if any of these upcoming road closures and projects will impact your commute this coming week.

The county Department of Environmental Management respectfully asks for your kōkua — please do not litter or illegally dump any materials at the closed facilities.

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

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.

Hawai‘i joins the nation this year in observing the annual Smokeout today (Nov. 20), and Hawaiʻi Department of Health encourages island residents to use this date to quit — even if it is for a day.

The holidays are officially upon us as we head into Thanksgiving week, and the top 10 definitely reflects the most wonderful time of the year, with several events celebrating Turkey Day 2025 and another holiday market. Be sure to check them out now!

There will be two Big Island locations community members can find the big red vending machines to donate to people in need; one will be at Prince Kūhiō Plaza in Hilo and the other at Queens’ Marketplace in Waikōloa.

37-year-old David Jossy and 36-year-old Amy Fattorosi were arrested and charged with several drug offenses following the execution of a narcotics search warrant Tuesday (Nov. 18) at a residence on Lapanui Street in Kona; Lapanui Street runs adjacent and near Kealakehe Intermediate School.

While all the spots are filled for wreath-making, there is still plenty of native flora that will be available for free during the Laʻau Love Fest at the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center on Saturday.

Secondary traffic crashes are the No. 1 cause of death nationwide for emergency responders.

West Hawaiʻi residents are urged to stop the movement of host materials for the invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle.

Employees donate rice for local food banks; holiday recipe contest celebrates cooking with local ingredients

Lane closure schedules can change at any time without notice. All projects are weather permitting. Will any of these planned closures impact your commute or fun? Take a look and plan ahead now.

42-year-old Earl Kekuanaoa Hind, who was last known to have launched his fishing vessel Makalapua Onalani from the South Point area, has not been heard from since that day on April 7.