Reporter
Blaze Lovell
Blaze Lovell is a reporter for Honolulu Civil Beat. His work focuses on government accountability and ethics.
Blaze’s reporting has exposed improper state spending on Aloha Stadium and loopholes in Hawaiʻi’s contracting and campaign finance laws. Previously, Blaze was part of the inaugural class of the New York Times Local Investigations Fellowship. He’s worked as a reporter and intern at Civil Beat since 2017.
From Pearl City, Blaze attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he earned a bachelors degree in journalism and played rugby. You can still find him packing down in scrums.
Blaze welcomes equally hard hitting tips. You can reach him at 808-650-1585 or at blovell@civilbeat.org. He rarely checks social media.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024
Luke Fallout Continues With Third Target In Bribery Investigation
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke has continued to amend her campaign filings to include more previously unreported contributions.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025
New Acting Lt. Gov. Chosen As Luke Takes Leave Of Absence
The announcement comes a day after Luke’s lawyer acknowledged that she is a target in a bribery investigation. State Comptroller Keith Regan is named acting LG.
Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026
Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Shelve Petition To Further Probe $35K Paper Bag Case
House Speaker Nadine Nakamura tabled the citizen petition with little advance notice or discussion.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024
Auditor Issues Urgent Warning About Key Hawaiʻi Homeless Program
A Civil Beat investigation prompted a review, which found problems in the homeless program requiring “immediate attention.”
AP Photo/Mengshin Lin/2025
Family Suing Kamehameha Schools Can Stay Anonymous For Now
Their identities will be revealed to the school’s attorneys and the judge presiding over the case.
Courtesy TMT International Observatory
Aia Ke Ō Nei Ka ʻOhe Nānā He Kanakakolu Mika — No Ka Manawa
Aia ke nānā hou ʻia nei ka papahana TMT no ke kākoʻo kākoʻo pekelala, e pono nō naʻe e hoʻokō ʻia he keʻehina hakulau hope loa me ke kākoʻo ʻole ʻia e ke kālā ʻauhau.
Satellite image ©2026 Vantor
Neglected North Shore Plantation Waterways Fueled Damaging Floods
Sugar and pineapple acreage was sold off over the years, divided into hundreds of smaller plots for farming and housing. After the deluge, everyone is pointing fingers.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024
Hawaiʻi Land Board Approves Acquiring Wahiawā Reservoir As Costs Increase
A budget request from Gov. Josh Green puts the new price tag on repairs to the dam and reservoir, which rose to dangerous levels during the recent Kona low, at more than $60 million.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026
Flying Blind: Honolulu Officials Held Off On Evacuations As North Shore Flooded
By the time emergency management officials told people it was time to evacuate in Waialua and Haleʻiwa, some residents had already been swimming for their lives.