West Hawaii News

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.

National Weather Service forecasters in Honolulu say surf along Big Island eastern shorelines has fallen today (Nov. 14) and will decline further through tomorrow as trade winds ease.

We’ve said it before and will likely say it again, but when you read the headline on this week’s Top 10 things to do on the Big Island and don’t think diverse, unique or even a little quirky, maybe even a “Huh?”, we’d really like to know where you live.

The intentionally informal events have no agenda, meant for everyone in attendance to get to know each other and talk. So come have a simple cup of joe — or other favorite morning beverage — with the officers sworn to serve and protect your community.

The plan is meant to guide preservation priorities, partnerships and strategies around Hawaiʻi through 2034 — public input is vital to ensure it reflects the voices and values of Hawaiʻi residents.

There have been 770 DUI arrests so far this year compared with 813 during the same period last year, or a decrease of 5.29%. DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue island wide.