Reporter
Thomas Heaton
Thomas is a reporter for Civil Beat. He joined the news outlet in 2021 as a Li Center for Global Journalism Fellow at Honolulu Civil Beat.
At Civil Beat, Thomas focuses on agricultural, environmental and sustainability issues. He has a deep interest in Pacific affairs.
A Kiwi by birth, Thomas made his start with a regional daily newspaper in New Zealand, where he covered social issues, health, local politics and general news. He was a finalist for Regional Reporter of the Year at the national media awards for his coverage of regional flooding, and regional health care issues, in his first year of reporting.
Thomas has a propensity for slow travel and secondary fun, and he is always planning the next meal. Despite his army brat upbringing and nomadic life, the Pacific has always been home.
Feel free to contact him with tips and ideas at theaton@civilbeat.org
Courtesy of Ian Nelson/2018
Oʻahu’s North Shore: Where The Buffalo Roam?
If the state Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity approves, American bison from Montana will soon be on a plane to Hawaiʻi.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025
‘Godzilla’ El Niño And Recent Floods Bring Risky Fire Forecasts To Hawaiʻi
This year’s heavy rain has turbocharged the growth of vegetation statewide. When the inevitable dry months come, it will become extra fuel for wildfires.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025
Honolulu’s Right To Food, A Trailblazing Proposal, Faces The Axe
More than a dozen groups are calling on the Honolulu Charter Commission to disregard recommendations to kill a proposal to make food an inalienable right.
David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023
How To Stop Your North Shore Farm From Flooding? Move, Developer Says
Waialua farmers were flooded again last weekend, the fifth time since February. A local developer says it’s time to look for new land, but for many that’s unfathomable.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024
Wahiawā Dam Takeover: State Signs Off On Acquisition
The state is one step closer to acquiring the dam, which has a price tag for repairs in excess of $60 million.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024
Palm-Killing Beetle Found On Molokaʻi For First Time, Rediscovered On Maui
The beetle has become emblematic of the state’s decades-long struggle to contain and mitigate the impacts of invasive species throughout the islands.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026
Toxic Mud? North Shore Flooding Likely Diluted Pesticide Risk
Residents are worried the mess they are wading through is contaminated by chemicals sprayed on farms upstream. Test results are pending.
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.
Thomas Heaton/Civil Beat/2026
Hawai‘i Farmers Confront $11M In Flood Damage Without A Safety Net
Crop insurance is hard to attain in Hawaiʻi, and federal programs are tailored to mainland agriculture.