Stories

Three major forces are at the center of any discussion about Hawaii’s ability to work through its problems: Communities – our people and the ties that bind them – Leadership in the political, business and civic sectors, and Native Hawaiians, who are becoming a dynamic political voice.

All Communities Leadership Native Hawaiians Community Voices

How A Maui Solar Farm Reached An ‘Unprecedented’ Deal With Neighbors

Advocates say the agreement between a renewable energy company and a community group in West Maui could be a model for resolving disputes.
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Raucous Roosters Are Invading Neighborhoods On Lanai

Residents say an influx of roosters is laying bare an age-old spat over two sometimes conflicting hallmarks of country life: agriculture and peace and quiet.
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SLIDESHOW: Diving For Tires And Trash In Kaneohe Bay

Divers and other volunteers conducted a major cleanup effort of the bay on Sunday.
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Why This Big Island Woman Is Spending Every Sunday Picking Up Trash

Lei Robinson is spearheading a volunteer movement to keep the streets of Hilo as clean as possible.
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SLIDESHOW: Cleaning Up In Waimea Valley

Civil Beat photographer Ronen Zilberman tagged along on an environmental restoration project in the Waimea Valley this weekend.
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A Kauai Family Gave Homeless People A Place To Live. Now They All Face Eviction

Marcia and Buna Leialoha felt they had no choice but to offer homes to those evicted from a nearby temporary homeless camp, but their landlord thinks otherwise.
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Danny De Gracia: Hawaii Is Getting A Taste Of Its Own Neglect

Investments in public infrastructure need to be made now to bring the state into the 21st century before it devolves into chaos.
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How Neighbor Islands Are Working To Address Overtourism In Hawaii

As the Hawaii Tourism Authority shifts from marketing to tourism management, the counties are taking matters into their own hands with new hotel bans and airport shuttle systems.
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How Local Opposition Is Derailing Efforts To Develop Homeless And Housing Facilities

Projects aiming to provide housing or services to low-income residents are meeting resistance from communities that don't want them in their neighborhoods.
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Fault Lines 2021: It’s A Good Time For A Reboot

There's so much to talk about as we emerge from the pandemic with some of the same old arguments, and plenty of new ones.
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This North Shore Community Has Had Enough Of Towering Wind Turbines

But clean energy advocates and power producers are pushing back against new Honolulu City Council proposals meant to protect communities from large wind energy projects.
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Danny De Gracia: Hawaii Is Becoming An Unpleasant Place To Live. Arguing Doesn’t Help

We need to cool down and de-escalate community conflicts. That starts by being more tolerant of people with opposing views.
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Is Hawaii Learning To Live With The Coronavirus?

Message fatigue has become a real concern as Hawaii officials gear up public service announcements reminding people they need to wear masks, wash their hands and stay away from each other.
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Hospital Workers Are Feeling Pressure As Hawaii Gets Ready To Restart Tourism

Administrators say they can make space for more patients, but health care workers are concerned about intense workloads and staying safe.
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Why Is This New Super PAC Spending Big Bucks On Maui Council Races?

Little is known about Hui O Maui Citizens For Change but the group is backing conservative-leaning members.
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COVID-19 Is Revealing Problems With How Hawaii’s Government Uses Data

There doesn't seem to be a clear data strategy for the virus response.
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Hawaii DOE Has Struggled To Cope With The Pandemic. Can It Do Better?

As the district debates reopening metrics and reels from a problematic online education platform, parents are left to pick up the slack so students can continue learning.
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Hawaii Has A Plan To Restart Tourism Safely. Will It Work?

The state's pre-travel testing program is set to launch next month, but other destinations with similar programs have struggled to keep COVID-19 cases from spiking.
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Chad Blair: Why Politics In Hawaii May Never Be The Same Again

Voters will demand competent leaders that talk straight and act decisively, while revenue losses will force unenviable budgetary decisions.
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Hawaii Businesses Are Dying. Is Government Helping Or Hurting?

Many local businesses have cut back or closed, putting tens of thousands out of work. Economists say don't expect a turnaround until at least the middle of next year.
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Hawaii Has A New COVID-19 Response Team. Will It Make A Difference?

Decisions about programs and policies to combat the virus are happening faster under a newly restructured leadership team.
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Hawaii Failed In Its Pandemic Response. It Has Another Chance To Get It Right

The pandemic has revealed deep cracks in Hawaii's government and social system, but also created an opportunity for real change.
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Breaking Quarantine In Hawaii? A Citizens’ Group Is Watching

The group, seeing gaps in enforcement, has helped state and local investigators track down scofflaw tourists.
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16 New Solar Farms For Hawaii But Utility Won’t Say Where Exactly

The public might have to wait 30 days for details of plans for 16 solar-plus-storage or standalone storage projects on three islands
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Lawsuit: Closed-Door Board Of Ed Meeting Violated Sunshine Law

The new Kahuku wind turbine project is at the heart of a dispute over Hawaii's open meetings law.
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COVID-19 Crisis Poses Risks For Hawaii’s Renewable Energy Plans

Even the most optimistic solar developer said extended disruptions to projects will have unavoidable consequences.
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Denby Fawcett: A Community Sounds Out

Every Friday at 7:30 p.m., make a thunderous sound of thanks for first responders and other essential workers. One to 2 minutes will do it.
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Coronavirus Won’t Stop Father And Son From Finishing Community Project

An Eagle Scout candidate and his troop started building the Makiki Community Garden toolshed. Then the pandemic downsized the crew.
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The Fastest-Growing Ethnic Group In Hawaii Is Also The Most Invisible

About 11% of Hawaii residents claim Hispanic heritage, a number that's expected to grow. But Latinos are also the least likely to respond to the census.
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This Startup Is Trying To Ease The Ventilator Shortage in Hawaii

A former Harvard Medical School professor is teaming up with local engineers who have designed products for firms like Apple, Google and Tesla.
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Residents And Policymakers Battle Over Hawaii Wind Energy Projects

Some policymakers want to keep wind turbines away from homes but energy developers say there's not much room to maneuver on a small island.
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Include The Community As Partners In Energy Projects

We must lead by implementing policies in a right and pono way.
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Hawaii Storytellers: A Letter To Our Hapa Daughters

Mark Noguchi and Amanda Corby Noguchi share how the love for their community brought them together.
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Recent Protests Raise Concerns About Political Representation

The Hawaii Legislature has simply grown too distant to be effective.
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Denby Fawcett: 8 Months To Pave A Parking Lot? Kaimuki Businesses Are Outraged

The city says it will take months to repave the lot at Waialae and 12th Avenue but worried business owners are pushing back.
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Last Of Its Kind: This Small Neighborhood Market Is Still A Big Part Of Life On Kauai

Kauai's last mom and pop market is fighting to stay in business and nurture a new breed of local entrepreneurs.
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Full Independence For Hawaii Looks Unfeasible For Now

If the goal is for Hawaii to form its own nation, many legal and political barriers block the way.
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How The Faithful Took It Upon Themselves To Save This Unique Painted Church

Lava took a heavy toll on this Big Island congregation and almost destroyed the church. Now the problem is how to pay for its upkeep.
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Demographic Shifts Pose Tremendous Risks For Kauai

The island’s population growth is largely a result of the island becoming home to more retirees.
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Can Hawaii Totally Separate From America?

In the wake of the Mauna Kea protests, Native Hawaiians might look to the Maori in New Zealand.
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This Oahu Developer Is Planting A Native Hawaiian Forest

A Hilo-born haole plants Hawaiian trees and flowers every chance he gets.
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Hawaiian Language Makes A Comeback In Hana’s Schools — And Homes

The establishment of a popular Hawaiian immersion program several years ago has had an impact on the broader community, says the Hana High & Elementary principal.
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Building A Hawaiian Language Curriculum Classroom By Classroom

As Hawaiian immersion programs soar in popularity, the lack of a common curriculum remains a big challenge.
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Hawaii Isn’t The Only Place Where Local-Born People Are Leaving In Droves

The lure of better jobs, cheaper housing and other opportunities beckons many residents, particularly in western states.  
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Neal Milner: I’m Happy Being An Outsider In Hawaii

The term "local" is so overrated. I've spent decades contributing to the public well-being without embracing that culturally sensitive label.
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Danny De Gracia: Forget The Blue-Ribbon Commission. Just Fix The Problems

Hearing Native Hawaiians oppose major projects over ancient graves, cultural artifacts and environmental concerns is not only predictable, it is inevitable under poor economic conditions.
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Want To Build Affordable Housing More Quickly? This Bill Would Sidestep Public Input

Hawaii's leaders are offering developers a chance to skip a major vetting procedure, which could undermine efforts to protect public lands.
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Four Ex-Hawaii Governors Say They Fear For Our Future

Civil Beat interviewed four of Hawaii's most prominent leaders. They had a lot to say about our growing social and economic problems and the lack of leadership to help resolve them.
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We Need Better Renewable Energy Siting Guidelines

Poorly planned green energy projects can tear Hawaii communities apart.
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Kauai: Hawaiians Use Shuttle To Drop Knowledge On Tourists

A company worked with scholars to develop a message that educates visitors en route to the North Shore about the place and its people.
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Hanapepe: ‘This Is The Town That Keeps Refusing To Die’

The Kauai town has its flash points, but a shared sense of pride continues to hold this community together.
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Mauna Kea Ignited A New Wave Of Hawaiian Pride. Where Does It Go From Here?

The protests are seen as part of a long push toward more self-determination for Native Hawaiians, but there is little consensus on how best to achieve that.
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Hawaii’s Push For Renewable Energy Could Stall Over Public Opposition To Facilities

Hawaiian Electric says it sees growing issues concerning land use and where to site projects.
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Denby Fawcett: Can A White Person Ever Be ‘Local’ In Hawaii?

Local is still mostly about race in Hawaii, but talking about shared experiences can help us overcome some of those differences.
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TMT Hot Potato: Hawaii Leaders Are Ducking Responsibility On Mauna Kea

Since protests resumed six months ago, top elected officials have struggled to take ownership of resolving issues surrounding a major telescope project.
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How These Makaha Neighbors Saved A County Park From Crime And Weeds

When police and social services agencies couldn't help, this small band of neighbors took matters into their own hands. And it worked.
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Measuring Hawaii’s Social Capital In The Age Of Disconnect

Whether you vote in local elections and how well you trust your neighbor has an impact on your community's social capital.
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Are You Local? What These Hawaii Scholars Have To Say Might Surprise You

Local identity originated with a famous murder in the early 1930s. Today, it can unite us as a society but all too often divides us.
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Fault Lines: Bridging The Growing Disconnect In Hawaii

It's time to have a long talk about what's going on in Hawaii these days. We're convening a far-reaching community conversation on how to move forward despite our differences.
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