Civil Beat Staff

April Estrellon

As Civil Beat’s interactive developer and multimedia producer, April Estrellon designs and develops web applications to help bring news stories to life.

Since joining Civil Beat, she has created numerous videos, graphics and animation for the website, as well as produced Civil Beat’s award winning Offshore podcast.

April has degrees in journalism and anthropology from the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa. She once had dreams of being an archaeologist, but soon realized that it’s nothing like Indiana Jones and that she prefers telling stories to digging and lab work.

April is often glued to her headphones, but you can get her attention by emailing her at april@civilbeat.org

The Hawaiʻi Legislature’s Biggest Travelers Léo Azambuja/Civil Beat/2024

The Hawaiʻi Legislature’s Biggest Travelers

Island lawmakers travel near and far, often on the taxpayer’s dime. Data shows who went where.

Photo Essay: Wahiawā Facility Helps Entrepreneurs Turn Food Into Business Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

Photo Essay: Wahiawā Facility Helps Entrepreneurs Turn Food Into Business

The year-and-a-half old product-development center in Central Oʻahu helps grow Jina Wye’s limu cracker company.

Why These Photos Were Made With A Toy Camera And The Wrong Size Film Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

Why These Photos Were Made With A Toy Camera And The Wrong Size Film

For investigations editor John Hill’s series When No One Is Watching, about dysfunction in Hawaiʻi’s child welfare system, the photographer used a method that exploits imperfections for unexpected results.

Photo Essay: A Honolulu Bike Ride Like No Other Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

Photo Essay: A Honolulu Bike Ride Like No Other

The Hawaiʻi Bicycling League celebrated its 50th anniversary with Sunday’s Honolulu Century Ride — a 100-mile journey from Waikīkī to Kaʻaʻawa and back.

Shootz! Acroyoga Takes Flight On The North Shore Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

Shootz! Acroyoga Takes Flight On The North Shore

The Hawaiʻi Acrofest 2025 fesitval brought practitioners to Waialua from as far away as Australia last weekend.

Photo Essay: Kalaupapa National Historical Park Reopens Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

Photo Essay: Kalaupapa National Historical Park Reopens

Kalaupapa Saints Tour brings visitors back to Molokaʻi’s top tourist attraction.

Portraits In Sound: Navigating Parenthood In Hawaiʻi Kawika Lopez/Civil Beat/2025

Portraits In Sound: Navigating Parenthood In Hawaiʻi

Six Hawaiʻi residents reflect on the challenges — and benefits — of raising kids in the islands, and the values they are trying to pass on to the next generation.

The View From Above: How Far We’ve Come Since The Maui Fires Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2024

The View From Above: How Far We’ve Come Since The Maui Fires

Here’s what progress has looked like from an aerial perspective over the past year in Lahaina, Upcountry and Olowalu.

Hawaii Island’s Population Drop Signals An Ominous Economic Trend April Estrellon/Civil Beat/2024

Hawaii Island’s Population Drop Signals An Ominous Economic Trend

A natural decrease in population portends fewer younger working people supporting older residents.