Some of the workers on the front lines of Hawaii’s tourism industry work in fancy hotels but are employed by contractors. They’re still supposed to receive union wages under a collective bargaining agreement, but that doesn’t necessarily happen despite legal action and union grievances.

The islands seem to be part of a phenomenon one expert dubbed “suicide tourism,” in which some people seek out final-destination spots in well-known places.

Marine biologists have been studying the clash of humans and sharks since two people were killed off the coast of Maui in 2013.

George Szigeti will take over as president and CEO of the state’s tourism agency.

Hawaii can learn from other coastal areas on the mainland when it comes to planning for the effects of sea-level rise.

Sand erosion already has exacted a huge toll and it’s expected to accelerate. Scientists say it’s time to take aggressive steps to save the island’s remaining shoreline.

Last year, the proposed 665-acre conservation easement on the North Shore seemed like a done deal. Now, its prospects aren’t so rosy.

UPDATE: A House committee deferred a bill that would have extended funding for preservation of hundreds of acres.

Efforts are under way at the Legislature and across the street at Honolulu Hale. High housing prices are partially blamed on short-term rentals.

The city hopes to raise $600,000 annually from local businesses to combat chronic erosion, but some are balking at the proposal. Would the efforts merely stave off the inevitable?