Senior Reporter

Kevin Dayton

Kevin Dayton is the former Capitol Bureau chief for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. He was formerly Capitol Bureau chief and Big Island Bureau chief for The Honolulu Advertiser, which was Hawaii’s largest circulation daily newspaper until it closed.

He also reported for the Hawaii Tribune-Herald in Hilo, the Honolulu bureau of the Associated Press, Sun Press weekly newspapers in Kaneohe, and the Tucson Citizen.

He also worked as an executive assistant and executive director for Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi, and is a former U.S. Army sergeant and infantry fire team leader.

He holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of Hawaii Manoa, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Arizona.

He and his wife Mahealani live in Hilo and have six children, five of them grown. They have been state-licensed foster parents since 2009.

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Sen. Brian Schatz: Failures At Hilo Veterans Home ‘Infuriating’ Tim Wright/Civil Beat

Sen. Brian Schatz: Failures At Hilo Veterans Home ‘Infuriating’

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Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim has called for the nursing home operator to be removed.

COVID-19 Cases Plummet At OCCC, Waiawa Inmates Test Negative Cory Lum/Civil Beat

COVID-19 Cases Plummet At OCCC, Waiawa Inmates Test Negative

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Department of Public Safety officials say the first mass testing of a state prison found no cases among the convicts.

Hilo Veterans Home Deaths: Rev. Richard Uejo Ministered To Many In Hawaii Courtesy: Carolyn Uejo Kuntemeyer

Hilo Veterans Home Deaths: Rev. Richard Uejo Ministered To Many In Hawaii

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He was a nisei World War II veteran who died in the COVID-19 outbreak at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home.

Hawaii Has Spent Only A Small Fraction Of CARES Act Money Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Hawaii Has Spent Only A Small Fraction Of CARES Act Money

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The state and neighbor island counties are required to expend nearly $863 million by the end of the year — or they will lose it.

14th Death Reported At Avalon’s Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home Tim Wright/Civil Beat

14th Death Reported At Avalon’s Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home

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So far 68 residents and 30 staff have tested positive for COVID-19 at the skilled nursing facility.

2 Senate Staffers Test Positive For COVID-19 Cory Lum/Civil Beat

2 Senate Staffers Test Positive For COVID-19

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The Senate president says social distancing and other protocols were observed and the risk of spread remains low.

Hilo Veterans Home Deaths: War Veteran And Storyteller Melvin Tomita Was A Fighter To The End Courtesy Photo: Roxsanne Ruff-Tomita

Hilo Veterans Home Deaths: War Veteran And Storyteller Melvin Tomita Was A Fighter To The End

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The retired Honolulu firefighter was one of 12 residents of the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home to die with COVID-19.

Jail Disturbance Was Triggered By Search For Contraband

Jail Disturbance Was Triggered By Search For Contraband

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Inmates at Hawaii Community Correctional Center set fire to mattresses, plastic chairs and books.

State Tax Collections Forecast To Drop $200 Million Next Year Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat

State Tax Collections Forecast To Drop $200 Million Next Year

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The Council on Revenues predicts Hawaii tourism will be doing a very modest business by November, but will recover slowly.