Personnel with Hawai‘i Police Department Area I Criminal Investigation Section, Hawai‘i Fire Department and a body removal service extricated the bodies from deep within the tangled debris of downed banyan tree, which fell July 12.

Preliminary observations indicate the women were likely struck by falling tree limbs. Both were pronounced dead at 4:28 p.m. Sunday.

Autopsies will be conducted later this week to determine their exact cause of death. Police do not suspect foul play at this time.

The identities of the victims have not been released, pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

Police responded to the scene at 9:41 a.m. after reports of possible human remains being located deep within the fallen banyan tree — just up the street from Chiefess Kapi‘olani Elementary, not too far from Cafe 100, and across the street from Roxy’s Salon, right behind Just Cruisin Coffee, a short walk from the Hilo Burger Joint.

Hawai‘i Fire Department personnel confirmed the presence of human remains, but were unable to extricate them because of safety concerns.

Crews from Hawai‘i County Department of Public Works, a county-contracted tree trimming company and Hawai‘i Fire Department spent several hours cutting away large branches to gain access to the victims.

Kīlauea Avenue, between Mohouli Street and Pauahi Street, was closed for several hours while debris was removed and officials conducted search and recovery efforts.

Hawai‘i Fire Department and Hawai‘i Police Department personnel responded to the scene of the downed banyan tree — the first unit arrived at 3:46 p.m., just 6 minutes after the surprise uprooting — July 12 to find its branches laying across all lanes of Kīlauea Avenue and on top of a portion of Calvary Chapel Hilo.

One vehicle was also found under the fallen tree’s branches on the roadway. The occupants were able to get out of the vehicle and from under the banyon’s felled canopy prior to the arrival of first responders.

Video from a surveillance camera at Roxy’s Salon looking makai across the street captured the moment mere seconds before 3:40 p.m., when the giant banyan tree begins to topple.

About 10 seconds — less time than everyone inside the salon can react — is all it takes for the huge Ficus to fall.

Several power and utility poles are violently yanked from the adjacent cement sidewalk when the cascading canopy catches one, hooks lines connecting others and they fall like dominoes — at least one snapping like a twig — eventually leaving power lines snaking across both sides of the street blocked by the buckled banyan.

A total of 24 Hawai‘i Fire Department personnel responded along with 13 various emergency and other units, including two engines, three Fire Department medic units, the on-duty battalion chief, one ladder truck, one rescue unit, one heavy rescue unit, one investigation unit, two additional specialized units and one American Medical Rescue ambulance unit.

The discovery of the two women within the banyan tree debris came as a sorrowful revelation to many as they learned and read about it Sunday across social media.

Especially after the community’s resounding relief when it seemed no one was seriously injured — or worse — in the estimated by many 100-plus-year-old tree’s uprooting.

Hawai‘i Fire Department reported the day the banyan fell that the surrounding area was searched and evacuated.

Calvary Chapel Hilo, which was damaged by the tree falling on part of its building, was searched and cleared. Bystander videos of the banyan toppling over were even reported to have been reviewed to account for pedestrians or other vehicles that might have been caught under the tree.

A Hawai‘i Fire Department drone was used to obtain an aerial survey of the incident area.

Fire Department personnel were at the scene for nearly 2 hours before turning it over to Hawai‘i Police Department, Hawaiian Electric, Hawai‘i Department of Public Works and Hawaiian Telcom, with the department’s last unit back in quarters by 5:53 p.m.

The recovery of the two women’s bodies also came 2 days after Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda spoke briefly about the banyan tree situation in his weekly update on social media.

He continued to express the community’s sense of relief, giving thanks that no one go hurt, before speaking about the efforts of crews to get Kīlauea Avenue open again and utilities and communications reconnected after the tree fell without knowing anything about the tragedy that would unfold this past weekend within the now twisted branches of its collapsed canopy.

“I just want you to know, that’s not the county’s banyan tree. That’s the state and maybe even Kamehameha Schools,” Alameda said in his July 18 update. “But because of public safety, our crew, along with Hawaiian Tel and HECO were down there, restoring electricity and communication lines. And what I thought would take 3 days before the road could open took 1 day. Unbelievable.”

Kīlauea Avenue was closed between Mohouli Street and Hōkū Street from shortly after the banyan tree fell just before 4 p.m. July 12 until Hawai‘i Police Department reported at 6:36 a.m. July 14 that both lanes of traffic were again open.

“I CANNOT BELIEVE that a more thorough assessment/investigation of the situation and area was not done at the time the tree fell. And we all been driving by like nothing,” replied Tiffany Kahumoku to a KHON2 post on Facebook about the human remains being found Sunday under the banyan tree. “Condolences to the family.”

Kristie-Lee Oshiro explained in a reply to the same post that her first thought when the banyan toppled over was that first responders would search for people among the tree’s fallen branches “because we all know homeless sleep under these big trees.”

She just assumed they’d automatically check that: “I guess not.”

Many commenters were confused why ownership of the property where the banyan tree fell or the tree itself mattered for police or first responders to have the authority to search for human remains, bodies, victims or survivors during an incident such as this.

“Church property or not, it needed to be checked,” Liz Myhre replied to the KHON2 post, adding she hopes the two women “passed quickly” and weren’t stuck alive under there for awhile.

“I hope they passed quickly as well,” wrote Mary Urbanski in reply to Myhre. “Sickens me to think otherwise.”

Anyone with information related to this investigation is urged to contact Detective Sybastian Keltner with Hawai‘i Police Department Area I Criminal Investigation Section at 808-961-2378 or via email at sybastian.keltner@hawaiicounty.gov.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.

News reporter Nathan Christophel contributed to this story.

Original post at 12:25 p.m. July 20, 2025: The Hawaiʻi Police Department advises motorists to avoid Kīlauea Avenue between Mohouli Street and Pauahi Street near the fallen banyan tree.

Police are currently investigating reports of human remains found in the area while road crews are working to clear portions of the tree for the next six hours.

Anyone with information relative to this investigation is encouraged to call the Hawai’i Police Department’s non-emergency number at 808-935-3311.

Story will be updated with any changes to information available.

Last week, nine high school students participating in the Neighbor Island Medical Scholars Program flew to Oʻahu to attend the Medical Diagnosis and Treatment program — a weeklong, hands-on experience at the John A. Burns School of Medicine.

Following the program, students return to their home islands to shadow local Kaiser Permanente physicians and other health care partners in their communities, gaining real-world exposure to clinical care while applying what they’ve learned in the classroom.

“Having these bright and motivated students on our campus last week was incredibly rewarding,” said Dr. Jill Omori, director of the Office of Medical Education. “For the students to have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned at Medical Diagnosis and Treatment in a real clinical setting with physicians from Kaiser Permanente is truly invaluable in nurturing their growth and commitment to health care careers.”

The Neighbor Island Medical Scholars Program aims to inspire local students to pursue careers in medicine and return home to care for their communities. By removing financial and geographical barriers and creating meaningful learning experiences, the School of Medicine and Kaiser Permanente cultivate a homegrown workforce that reflects Hawaiʻi’s diversity and values.

“Our partnership with the John A. Burns School of Medicine is one of the most meaningful ways we can support the development of future physicians — especially those from the neighbor islands,” said Dr. John Yang, president and medical director of Hawaiʻi Permanente Medical Group. “When students feel connected to their home communities and a deep sense of kuleana to give back, they’re more likely to return and serve where they’re needed most. That’s one of the ways we can address the physician shortage across Hawaiʻi.”

Nea Portillo, a student at Kīhei Charter School on Maui, expressed her gratitude to the John A. Burns School of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, and all the partners that made this program possible.

“After seeing how my community was impacted by the Maui wildfires and knowing that there is a great need for more people to serve in our health care industry, it makes me want to step up and help fill a role,” Portillo said. “That way, if our community is ever in a crisis moment in the future, I want to be able to help take care of our community.”

This is the first year Kaiser Permanente has joined the three-year-old Neighbor Island Medical Scholars Program as a partner, and the addition has proven invaluable for some students interested in the medical field.

Colten Clarke, a student at Kealakehe High School in Kona, was ecstatic to experience how physicians use what they learned in school in their daily lives.

“I love getting to actually do what I’m learning in school, what I’m interested in, and getting awesome hands-on experience,” Clarke said. “I love all the labs we’re doing about anatomy and learning more about patient encounters. I can’t express how awesome it is that I’m getting to do what I want to do at only 16 years old.”

The north vent stopped erupting around 6:35 p.m., marking the end of the episode; the weakly-active south vent had stopped erupting several hours earlier.

Lava fountains did not exceed 330 feet during this episode, as most lava was sprayed laterally within Halemaʻumaʻu crater. An estimated 1.8 billion gallons of lava erupted during the episode, covering approximately 80% of the crater floor.

Visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park can expect the spatter deposits and lava flows from this episode to exhibit slow movement and incandescence within the southern part of Kaluapele as they cool and solidify over the coming days.

Volcanic gas emissions have greatly decreased since fountaining stopped, and the sulfur dioxide emission rate will likely range from 1,200–1,500 tons per day during the new eruptive pause.

The Uēkahuna tiltmeter recorded approximately 18.5 microradians of deflationary tilt during this episode. The end of the episode was coincident with a rapid change from deflation to inflation at the summit and a decrease in seismic tremor intensity.  

Original story at 12 p.m. on Sunday, July 20: Dome fountains and lava overflows can be observed as Episode 29 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption continues from early Sunday morning.

Precursory low-level activity for Episode 29 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption began around 3:55 a.m. Sunday, July 20, with spattering at the north vent, followed shortly after by dome fountains and lava overflows starting around 4:11 a.m.

According to the National Weather Service, winds are forecast to blow from the north to northeast today, which suggests that volcanic gas emissions and volcanic material may be distributed to the south and southwest.

In previous episodes, low-level precursory activity—eruptive vent spattering, small dome fountains, and lava overflow—has lasted from a few hours to a few days. Due to the heightened level of pressurization reached during the most recent eruptive pause, precursory activity for Episode 29 may be brief, and sustained high lava fountaining may begin soon.

At the start of previous episodes, precursory activity has rapidly escalated into sustained high fountaining over minutes to tens of minutes. During previous episodes, fountains reached heights of more than 1,000 feet and the eruptive plume reached heights of up to 20,000 feet above ground level soon after sustained high fountaining began.

The Uēkahuna tiltmeter at the summit has recorded approximately 17.8 microradians of inflationary tilt since the end of the last episode, during which it recorded 15 microradians of deflationary tilt. Low-level seismic tremor continues beneath the Halemaʻumaʻu crater.

All eruptive activity is confined to the Halemaʻumaʻu crater within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, and airports in Hawaiʻi County will not be affected by the activity.

Three Kīlauea livestream videos can be watched on the U.S. Geological Survey Youtube account.

Most episodes of Halemaʻumaʻu lava fountaining since Dec. 23, 2024, have continued for around a day or less and have been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting at least several days. A timeline of eruptive episodes is available online.

No changes have been detected in the East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. Another notification will be issued when sustained high lava fountaining begins, marking the start of Episode 29, or earlier if an update is needed.

Honua Ola Bioenergy on Hawai‘i Island and Hawaiian Electric are in the midst of negotiations on an agreement in which the plant will sell energy and capacity to the utility.

A joint letter submitted to the state’s Public Utilities Commission and filed on June 3 informed the commissioners that Hawaiian Electric received an offer from Hu Honua, which owns Honua Ola Bioenergy, to sell energy and capacity by Hu Honua as a qualified facility under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, also known as PURPA.

This federal law is designed to encourage energy conservation, efficient use of energy resources and development of renewable energy sources. It does this by obliging electric utilities to purchase electricity from qualifying facilities that meet certain criteria.

This letter comes less than a month after Honua Ola Bioenergy filed a lawsuit in 1st Circuit Court on O‘ahu seeking relief from anticompetitive and other unlawful conduct designed to foreclose competition and restrain trade in the wholesale market for firm power generation (power that is guaranteed to be available at all times, even during adverse conditions).

Joint Letter to PUC From Hu Honua Bioenergy and Hawaiian Electric by Tiffany De Masters on Scribd

The lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric, the state’s largest power supplier, claims the company has created a monopoly that has resulted in the renewable energy plant being unable to operate. The next hearing on the matter is scheduled for Aug. 12.

It is unclear how these negotiations will affect the impending lawsuit.

Honua Ola Bioenergy is a new 30 megawatt firm, renewable biomass facility located in Pepe‘ekeo. When operating, it would generate renewable and sustainable energy by using locally produced biomass feedstock from eucalyptus crops and invasive species. The plant would also create more than 220 direct and ancillary jobs in the greater Hilo community, the company said.

The June 3 letter indicates the facility is already constructed, essentially complete and ready for commissioning in short order.

According to a fact sheet from Hu Honua, enough renewable energy would be produced to power more than 19,500 homes, which also supports wind and solar by stabilizing the grid, delivering nearly 20% of Hawai‘i Island’s power.

Documents filed with the state’s Public Utilities Commission indicate the two companies have made substantial progress and have reached a power purchasing agreement in principle on the major terms. The parties are now working on completing all of the components to implement the agreement.

The documents don’t outline the terms of this agreement.

The commission responded to the letter on June 23 stating that “given the current uncertainty around global supply chain- and tariff-related issues, as well as the age of the original IRS (Interconnection Requirements Study) for this project,” the Commission advises the two parties to file the power purchasing agreement and any associated waiver request with the Commission when the study update is complete and final.

The parties are in the process of conducting an updated study, which was originally done in 2010.

“Honua Ola continues to pursue all available paths to starting operations at its renewable energy facility, which will provide reliable and affordable energy for Hawaiʻi Island’s ratepayers,” said Warren Lee, president of Hu Honua.

He said starting operations at the plant will reduce Hawaiʻi Island’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and help shield residents and businesses from spikes in oil prices that drive volatility in monthly energy bills.

“Adding a new source of always-available, reliable energy will bolster the grid and help avoid rolling power blackouts, while affordably achieving the state’s clean energy goals,” Lee said.

Honua Ola’s facility also will reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to the island’s fossil fuel-powered facilities, he said.

The company also is committed to growing and planting trees and other crops that sequester greenhouse gas.

Hawaiian Electric declined to provide further comment on the matter, citing its policy not to discuss ongoing negotiations.

Hawaiian Electric first entered into an agreement with Hu Honua in May 2012 for the generation and sale of electricity from the power plant.

Application for the agreement was initially approved by the state with Hawaiian Electric emphasizing that Hu Honua would help “reduce HECO’s reliance on fossil fuels” and “increase its overall renewable energy portfolio.”

Hawaiian Electric ultimately terminated the agreement because Hu Honua missed certain contractual milestones, according to the May lawsuit documents.

This time it’s Puna incidents involving alleged vehicle theft as well as robbery and assault.

Hawai‘i County prosecutor’s office reports Ha‘aheo Chan of Mountain View is charged with:

• Second-degree robbery.
• First-degree theft (theft of a motor vehicle).
• First-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle.
• First-degree unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle.
• Third-degree assault.

Second-degree robbery and first-degree theft — the most serious offenses with which Chan is charged — are Class B felonies, each punishable by a maximum 10 years in prison if convicted.

Chan made his initial appearance July 17 in Hilo District Court.

The court denied his request for supervised release and maintained his bail at $143,000. Chan was ordered to return at 2 p.m. July 21 to Hilo District Court for a preliminary hearing in the case.

Prosecutors notified the court they intend to seek a mandatory prison term, with no eligibility for probation, if Chan is found guilty as charged.

This is not the first time the 28-year-old Mountain View man has been accused, arrested, charged and/or pleaded in connection with incidents involving similar charges.

Chan was arrested and charged in August 2024 for stealing a John Deere all-terrain vehicle from Kea‘au High School.

He was out on supervised release after stealing the Kea‘au High ATV when he was arrested and charged in November 2024 for making off with a trailer Oct. 2, 2024, from Hawaiʻi Academy of Arts and Science Public Charter School campus in Pāhoa.

During the execution of a search warrant in a bedroom thought to be Chan’s at a Sandalwood Drive home in Pāhoa where the trailer was found Oct. 30, 2024, Hawai‘i Police Department officers also recovered a .22-caliber Jennings pistol, .22-caliber ammunition, 10-plus grams of methamphetamine and a glass smoking pipe, leading to additional drug and theft charges.

Online court documents show Chan pleaded no contest — a plea in which a defendant does not admit guilt but does not contest the charge — to all charges in those two incidents last year as part of plea deals with prosecutors in exchange for 4 years probation and paying restitution.

He was supposed to appear Aug. 22 in Hilo Circuit Court for a proof of compliance and restitution hearing.

Instead, as the prosecutor’s office reports, Chan was arrested and charged most recently — while on probation — in connection with two separate incidents July 13 in Puna.

One involved the alleged theft of a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon reported stolen from the parking lot of Sundari Gardens in Pāhoa.

The same day, the second incident involved the alleged robbery and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle as well as a reported assault taking place on the shoulder of 37th Avenue in Orchidland Estates.

Hawai‘i Police Department Area I Crime Reduction Unit officers found and arrested Chan on July 16 at a Mountain View home.

A motion to revoke his probation and proposed motion for the revocation of his probation and resentence along with an application for an arrest warrant in connection with the cases from August and November last year were filed July 18 in Hilo Circuit Court by Hawai‘i County prosecutors.

Hawai‘i Police Department Puna Patrol Officer Dallas Arce initiated the most recent Puna robbery investigation while the July 13 motor vehicle theft investigation was initiated by Officer Jason Lin with Puna Patrol.

Hawai‘i Police Department Area I Criminal Investigation Section Detective Michael Matsumura led the July 13 felony investigation.

Deputy Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorneys Woodrow Pengelly and Patrick Muñoz are prosecuting the new case.

But within less than an hour, the National Weather Service Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat and canceled the watch.

The warning center in Honolulu issued the tsunami watch for Hawai‘i following what at first was recorded as a 7.5-magnitude earthquake reported at 8:49 p.m. located 89.5 miles east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia.

Forecasters issued the watch because available data at the time indicated there might be the threat of a possible destructive tsunami generated by the quake off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia, that could impact coastal areas even far away from its epicenter.

Further updates were planned for every hour — or as conditions warranted — until the threat passed.

If one of the terrible series of large ocean waves was heading toward Hawai‘i, the earliest estimated time of arrival would have been about 5 hours and 40 minutes after the watch was issued, at 2:43 a.m. July 20.

It took forecasters less than an hour, however, to pour over the data and determine whether there was a tsunami threat to the islands.

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center sent out a new notification at 9:42 p.m. declaring the tsunami watch canceled and with a slightly downgraded magnitude for the earthquake of 7.4.

“Based on all available data, there is no tsunami threat to the state of Hawai‘i,” the agency said in its later notification. “This will be the final message issued for this event unless additional data are received.”

After people began to realize there no longer was a threat, a giant sigh of relief washed over social media, with many thanking God or “the Lord” and saying amen for the good news. There was at least one “Hallelujah.”

“[Watch] has been cancelled,” replied Judy Kelley to her own post in the Everything Kaua‘i group on Facebook. “Relax. Enjoy your Mai Tai.”

U.S. Geological Survey explained that the 7.4-magnitude quake occurred as the result of reverse faulting at a depth of about 12 miles.

At the location of this earthquake, the Pacific plate is moving west-northwest with respect to the North America plate at about 3 inches per year.

Note: The North America plate extends westward beyond the North American continent. The earthquake’s location and sense of motion is consistent with the faulting on the subduction zone plate interface of the Kuril-Kamchatka Arc.

While commonly plotted as points on maps, earthquakes of this size are more appropriately described as slips over a larger fault area.

The Kuril-Kamchatka arc has frequent moderate to large earthquakes and has hosted 29 additional 6.5-magnitude or above events within about 155 miles of the July 19 earthquake throughout the preceding century.

A magnitude-9 Kamchatka earthquake in November 1952 resulted in a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami that reached the shores of Hawai‘i, causing damage on the Big Island and elsewhere.

Information from University of Washington College of the Environment Department of Earth and Space Sciences shows tsunami waves destroyed boats, knocked down telephone lines, destroyed piers, scoured beaches and flooded lawns in 1952.

A small bridge connecting Cocoanut Island to the shore at Hilo Bay was destroyed by a wave when it was lifted off its foundation and smashed down when water swept in with a runup of 12 feet.

Elsewhere around Hilo Bay — which recorded the highest levels of runup from the 1952 tsunami generated by the magnitude-9 Kamchatka quake — water levels could have gotten as high as 11.5 feet. The water level rose to 11 feet at Reed’s Bay.

The July 19 temblor struck roughly 45 miles northeast from the 1952 quake’s epicenter.

Some on social media said it’s still important to be vigilant regardless if there is no longer a threat of tsunami waves striking Hawai‘i shores.

“Just FYI,” replied Rob Jr. See to a Facebook post by Dane DuPont in the Hawai‘i Tracker group letting people know the tsunami watch was canceled. “I’ve been through a lot of watches and warnings. The surge still exists. I’ve seen many pulled out to sea because of this. Stay vigilant. Don’t be stupid and think you’re invincible while picking ʻopihi or diving during this time.”

A member of a private Hawaiian Paradise Park group on Facebook informed people the watch was canceled, but encouraged everyone to “feel free to sleep with surfboard tonite for extra precaution.”

The U.S. Geological Survey showed at least an additional nine earthquakes, aftershocks, of magnitude-5 or above — one magnitude-6.6 and another magnitude 6.7 — had followed the 7.4-magnitude monster that caused the tsunami excitement.

Adding in quakes of magnitude-4 or above, there were 15 more strong shakers before this story was published.

Visit the National Weather Service Honolulu forecast office website or call the automated weather line at 808-245-6001 for weather updates

Visit the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center website for additional tsunami information.

Police report that Sarah Coultas and her 6-year-old daughter Violet Coultas-Benson were last seen together at 4 p.m. July 6 at the top of Miloli‘i Road in South Kona.

Coultas most recently lived in Pa‘auilo and worked in Hilo, but she might frequent the Kona and Ka‘ū areas.

Coultas is white, 5-fooot-11, 160 pounds, with straight brown hair and hazel eyes. Her daughter Violet is also white, 3-foot-10, 43 pounds, with blond hair and hazel eyes.

Coultas could be driving a silver 2005 or 2006 Toyota Corolla with a faded hood; license plate number is unknown.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Coultas or Violet is urged to call Hawai‘i Police Department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311 or contact Detective Carrie Akina at 808-326-4646, ext. 278, or via email at carrie.akina@hawaiicounty.gov.

Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 808-961-8300.

It’s timing is not a coincidence. Much of the state is more than parched, including the Big Island, where nearly 90% of the island is abnormally dry or experiencing some level of drought. 

That trend is expected to persist and even worsen for some areas of the islands during the next few months, especially the hottest — and possibly driest — months of summer August and September, increasing ignition risk for wildfires.

“Our goal is simple — stop wildfires before they become disasters,” Hawai‘i National Guard Commander-in-Chief Green said in an announcement for his emergency proclamation, calling the move a proactive step that will “help save lives, protect property and strengthen our state’s overall emergency response.”

Operation Hoʻopauahi — which means “to extinguish fire” in Hawaiian — will initially keep a Hawaiʻi Army National Guard CH-47F Chinook helicopter crew mobilized to respond as soon as the point of wildfire ignition.

The copter and its crew will be immediately dispatched to provide aerial firefighting support in any of the state’s counties, increasing capacity to contain and extinguish a fire in its early stage.

“This authorization and Operation Hoʻopauahi also will allow us to quickly and effectively activate other Hawaiʻi National Guard resources such as evacuation teams, traffic control and security missions,” added Hawaiʻi Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Stephen F. Logan in the governor’s announcement. “This is an opportunity where the Guard can help to enable a safe, secure and thriving state.”

The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency and Hawaiʻi National Guard are consistently in communication with county emergency managers and stand ready to offer support when needed.

Green’s latest emergency proclamation comes on the heels of multiple wildfires that ignited during the first half of July throughout Hawaiʻi, including two on O’ahu that required evacuations; one of which also resulted in the death of a 94-year-old woman, who suffered smoke inhalation and second-degree burns.

It’s also a pre-emptive strike to make sure the state is ready to respond, especially since weather outlooks for the next few months agree there is significant danger of wildfire in much of the state, especially Oʻahu, Maui and the Big Island.

The National Interagency Coordination Center monthly/seasonal outlook issued July 1 for the months of July through October — compiled using data and information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park — projects above normal significant fire potential, especially in leeward areas of the state, from Oʻahu south through the Big Island.

Average temperatures during the next few months should also generally be above normally, which falls in line with typical Hawaiʻi summer weather as August and September tend to be the hottest months of the season.

Precipitation, on the other hand, looks to be more hit and miss, the outlook says, as impacts from tropical cyclones are expected to be below normal for the next few months, meaning much of the state likely will be drier.

Some modeling, however, does suggest a slightly wetter signal in the northern tier of the islands, such as Kauaʻi.

The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center concurs, forecasting an increased chance of below normal precipitation through October in already parched parts of the state, but less of a dry signal for Oʻahu and Kauaʻi.

“As of July 15, 2025, the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that approximately 53% of the state is experiencing moderate, severe or extreme drought conditions,” Green’s emergency proclamation says. “An additional 33% of the state is experiencing abnormally dry conditions.”

About 87% of the Big Island is experiencing abnormally dry conditions or some level of drought as of July 15, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, with 56% under moderate to extreme drought.

There’s about 3% of the island in the South Kohala/Hāmākua area that’s most parched, experiencing extreme drought that has persisted for at least a couple of weeks now.

In comparison, about 41% of Kauaʻi is seeing abnormally dry conditions or some level of drought as of this week, with the about 9% of drought-stricken area under moderate drought.

The Climate Prediction Center forecast through October calls for drought to persist in those areas already suffering, with other already abnormally dry places on the Big Island, Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi worsening into drought conditions.

As the state dries out more and drought expands, so, too, will the amount of fuel available to consume for any wildfire that sparks.

More moisture-deprived vegetation and plants that couldn’t take the stress of drought or dry conditions dying — both drying out even more — will become easy pray for any flames looking for a snack.

“Dry brush is widepread throughout the state,” Green’s proclamation states.

All of those factors together, as well as increasing temperatures during at least the next couple of months bringing more heat to the state — and less rain in the forecast — will only benefit wildfires, turning much of the state into a tinderbox that could go up in flames at any moment.

“Even small wildfires may quickly intensify and expand to threaten entire communities, requiring widespread evacuations and government response,” the emergency proclamation says.

The catastrophic wildfire that destroyed Lahaina 2 years ago in August 2023, killing more than 100 people and causing $5.5 billion in property damages, is one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history.

It’s also a powerful reminder about how wildfires are “high-risk threats to the people of Hawaiʻi.”

“Drought and other conditions exist which contribute to an increased risk of severe wildfires, and which constitutes an imminent danger threat of an emergency or disaster throughout the state” Greeen’s proclamation states.

As seen already with the fires earlier this month on Oʻahu and elsewhere in the state, considerable government resources will likely be “required to mitigate these risks and to contain such wildfires as they ignite to protect the life, health and safety of the public.”

Green’s emergency proclamation is in place through Sept. 16.

You can read the full text of the proclamation online.

News reporter Nathan Christophel contributed to this story.

KANOELEHUA AVENUE (HIGHWAY 11)

HILO

• Single lane closure on Kanoelehua Avenue (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 2.8 to 3.0, in the vicinity of East Palai Street, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for maintenance on the pocket lane markings and crosswalk.

MAMALAHOA HIGHWAY (HIGHWAY 11)

PAHALA

• Single lane closure on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 49 to 50, in the vicinity of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for cutting grass.

NAALEHU

• Single lane closure on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 68 to 69.5, in the vicinity of 68 Mile Road and Red Cinder Road, on Saturday, July 19 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for cutting grass.

OCEAN VIEW

• Single lane closure on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 70 and 76, vicinity of Easement Road, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for removal of existing striping, striping, installation of centerline, rumble strip and pavement markers.

PAPA

• Single lane closure on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 84 and 86, vicinity of Old Mamalahoa Highway, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for removal of existing striping, striping, installation of centerline, rumble strip and pavement markers.
• Single lane closure on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 89 and 93.5, vicinity of Papalani Place, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for removal of existing striping, striping, installation of centerline, rumble strip and pavement markers.

CAPTAIN COOK

• Single lane closure on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 106 to 107, in the vicinity of Honaunau School and Rabbit Hill Road, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for cutting grass and shoulder work.
• Single lane closure on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 107 to 109, in the vicinity of Rabbit Hill Road and Koa Road, on Saturday, July 19 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for cutting grass and shoulder work.

VOLCANO ROAD (HIGHWAY 11)

MOUNTAIN VIEW

• Single lane closure on Volcano Road (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 17 to 19, in the vicinity of Lehuanani Street, on Saturday, July 19 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for mowing and shoulder work.
• Single lane closure on Volcano Road (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 17 to 19, in the vicinity of Lehuanani Street, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for mowing and shoulder work.

VOLCANO

• Roving lane closure on Volcano Road (Route 11) possible in either direction between mile post 28 to 29, in the vicinity of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. for HELCO installation of new pole and wires.

HAWAII BELT ROAD (ROUTE 19)

PAPAIKOU

• Single lane closure on Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) possible in either direction in the vicinity of mile post 8, near Indian Tree Road, on Saturday, July 19 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for bridge maintenance.

NINOLE TO OOKALA

• Single lane closure on Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) possible in either direction between mile post 17 to 29, in the vicinity of Moonlight Road, on Saturday, July 19 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for cutting grass.
• Single lane closure on Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) possible in either direction between mile post 17 to 29, in the vicinity of Moonlight Road, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for cutting grass.

OOKALA TO PAAUILO

• Single lane closure on Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) possible in either direction between mile post 30 to 35, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for mulching, tree trimming, and shoulder work.

HONOKAA

• Single lane closure on Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19) possible in either direction between mile post 42 to 44, on Saturday, July 19 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for mulching, tree trimming, and shoulder work.

MAMALAHOA HIGHWAY (HIGHWAY 190)

WAIMEA

• Single lane closure on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 190) possible in either direction between mile post 0 to 1, in the vicinity of Lindsey Road and Lalamilo Farm Road, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for striping.

SOUTH KOHALA

• Single lane closure on Mamalahoa Highway (Route 190) possible in either direction between mile post 12.2 to 16.4, in the vicinity of Saddle Road on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for striping.

KOHALA MOUNTAIN ROAD (HIGHWAY 250)

KAPAAU

• Single lane closure on Kohala Mountain Road (Route 250) possible in either direction between mile post 8.5 to 11, in the vicinity of Kohala Ranch Road on Saturday, July 19 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for tree trimming and shoulder work.

HAWI ROAD (HIGHWAY 250)

HAWI

• Single lane closure on Hawi Road (Route 250) possible in either direction at mile post 19, in the vicinity of Akoni Pule Highway on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for tree trimming and shoulder work.

PUAINAKO STREET (HIGHWAY 2000)

HILO

• Single lane closure on Puainako Street (Route 2000) possible in either direction between mile post 0.5 to 2.2, in the vicinity of Kanoelehua Avenue and Komohana Street, on Monday, July 21 to Friday, July 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for striping and installing new raised pavement markers.

Lane closure schedules can change at any time without notice. All projects are weather permitting.

A map of lane closures can be found online.

The number is a nearly 5% decrease (4.97%) from the 523 total DUI arrests police made by this time in 2024; however, it is more than half, 52%, of the total 964 DUI arrests during all of last year.

And there’s still more than 4 months left in 2025.

Hawai‘i Police Department data reveals the majority of those arrests seemingly happening consistently the most in Kona, Hilo and Puna, and in that order, respectively. However, the top two occasionally shift.

The past 2 weeks are good examples.

During the week of July 7-13, a total of 13 motorists were arrested for DUI on roadways around the island, four of whom were involved in traffic crashes.

Five of those arrests were made in Kona, with 4 reported in Hilo and 2 in Puna.

Big Island police arrested a total of 24 motorists for DUI during the week of 4th of July, from June 30 to July 6, with Hilo more than dominating the numbers.

The East Hawai‘i district accounted for 13 of the DUI arrests that week, more than half of the weekly total and the same amount of DUI arrests made the entire next week.

Kona was second on the list during the holiday week with 5 DUI arrests and Puna had 3.

The West Hawai‘i district still has a slight edge in total DUI arrests so far this year, however.

Police in Kona have booked 180 motorists for the offense up to this point in 2025, which is 52% of the total 347 DUI arrests made — or 167 less — in the aread throughout all of 2024.

Hilo follows in close second with 169 total DUI arrests so far in 2025, just 11 fewer than Kona but at nearly 60% of its total 297 made — or 128 less — during all of last year.

Puna remains the consistent third, with a total 93 DUI arrests so far this year, 47% of the total 196 DUI arrests made — or 103 less — throughout all of 2024 in the East Hawai‘i district.

DUI ARRESTS BY DISTRICT FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 7-13

Hawai‘i Police Department Traffic Services Section also reviewed its updated crash records and found 558 major crashes so far this year. That marks a nearly 5% increase (4.89%) compared with the 532 major crashes recorded by the same time in 2024.

That also represents 57% of the total 987 major crashes on Big Island roadways throughout all of last year. There’s a difference of 429 between last year’s annual total and where the stats stand now.

Major crashes already increased 17.1% in 2024 from the 843 recorded in 2023.

Fatal traffic crashes and fatalities have seen a much welcomed decrease so far in 2025.

There have been 13 fatal crashes so far this year on Big Island roadways, a decrease of 23.53% compared with 17 that happened by this point last year. Those crashes resulted in 14 fatalities, a 26.32% decrease from the 19 fatalities resulting from those 17 fatal crashes.

Last year was brutal and deadly on Big Island roadways.

There were a total of 26 fatal crashes and 29 fatalities because of them. Compared to 2023, with 14 fatal crashes and 15 resulting fatalities, the island saw its numbers of fatal crashes and fatalities skyrocket by 85.7% and 93.3% in 2024.

Fatal crash and fatality numbers are right now at essentially half of what they were for all of last year — and essentially even with 2023, but with one less in each category.

Hawai‘i Police Department says DUI roadblocks and patrols will continue islandwide.

News reporter Nathan Christophel contributed to this story.

Hawai‘i County prosecutor’s office reports that Aysa Kalei Delos Santos appeared July 17 in Hilo Circuit Court for sentencing in the case.

Delos Santos on May 15 pleaded no contest to second-degree promoting a dangerous drug, second-degree attempted promoting a dangerous drug and operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.

After hearing arguments from the parties, the court on July 17 sentenced Delos Santos to 10 years in prison for the second-degree promoting a dangerous drug and the second-degree attempted promoting a dangerous drug charges.

He also received 30 days in jail for operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant.

If the sentences were ordered to be served consecutively, Delos Santos would have faced a little more than 20 years behind bars. However, the court ordered them to be served concurrently, or at the same time, so the sentence is essentially cut in half to 10 years.

Second-degree promoting a dangerous drug and second-degree attempted promoting a dangerous drug are Class B felonies punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

The charges stem from a Sept. 17, 2023, incident when Hawai‘i Police Department officers contacted Delos Santos after receiving a report of a reckless driver near Ice Ponds on Kalanianaʻole Street in Hilo.

Officers with the Police Department’s VICE East Section responded to the scene and executed a narcotics search warrant on Delos Santos’ vehicle.

They recovered more than half a pound of methamphetamine, syringes, more than 50 zip packets, a digital scale and $4,439 cash.

The traffic stop and arrest were made by Hawai‘i Police Department South Hilo Patrol Officer Kristopher Palea. The felony drug investigation was handled by Lt. Kelly Moniz with the Police Department’s VICE East Section.

Deputy Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorney Elyssa Correia Keltner prosecuted the case.

The 28-year veteran of the force will handle the top cop duties while the Hawai’i County Police Commission searches for a new chief to replace departing Ben Moszkowicz, whose last day is Aug. 31.

During the Commission’s monthly meeting on Friday, the members voted 6-2 to appoint Mahuna. Commissioners Jacob Tavares and Wendy Botelho opposed the appointment, wanting to solicit letters of interest for the position from within the department.

Manuha, 49, expressed his gratitude to the commission for its support.

“I will not let any of you down in this temporary capacity,” Mahuna said.

His appointment comes after Moszkowicz’s retracted letter of resignation was not accepted by the commissioners during a special meeting on July 10.

Moszkowicz, who took over the department in December 2022, submitted his resignation on June 4 in order to become interim chief of the Honolulu Police Department. He did so after Honolulu City and County Mayor Rick Blangiardi recommended Moszkowicz for the interim position after the unexpected retirement of Joe Logan.

While Moszkowicz rescinded his resignation the same day, he remained a candidate for the interim position with Honolulu. Both actions raised questions by some about his loyalty to the Big Island.

Mahuna was named Acting Deputy Chief on July 1, 2023, and permanently appointed as Deputy Police Chief on Jan. 16, 2024.

Mahuna also served as Major of Area I Operations, overseeing the Criminal Investigation Division, which includes vice, juvenile aid and the criminal investigation sections, as well as the crime lab.

He has also served as Major of the Technical Services Division, which includes the department’s communications dispatch center, communications maintenance section, computer center, records and identification section, and traffic services section.

During the Friday police commission meeting at the West Hawai‘i Civic Center in Kona, several testifiers spoke about finding a chief who will cancel agreements with Immigration and Customs and Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations.

Testifiers overwhelmingly said the Memoranda of Understanding, also known as MOUs, erode trust with the community and Hawai‘i Island police.

“A successful police chief needs a combination of strong leadership skills, deep law enforcement knowledge, and the ability to foster positive community relationships,” one testifier stated. “Key qualities include integrity, communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to ethical conduct and accountability.”

The testifier continued that the community needs a police chief dedicated to the Big Island’s unique mix of people and concentrating on the needs and safety of residents.

“Assisting the whims of federal immigration agencies like ICE … erodes trust within immigrant and other communities who agree that Hawaiʻi is a melting pot of immigration,” the testifier stated. “When local police are seen as extensions of federal immigration enforcement, residents and others become less likely to seek police protection when it is actually needed.”

Another testifier thanked the commissioners for making “the necessary decision” to remove Moszkowicz. She continued: “That was the right step, but it did not end there.”

“Today, I’m urging you to ensure the new police chief protects our people over collaborating with ICE,” the testifier stated. “Let’s be very clear about what is happening. Families are being racially profiled, hunted and kidnapped, often through deceptive welfare checks or traffic stops.”

In June, Moszkowicz confirmed the police department has two memorandums of understanding with the Homeland Security Investigations, one that allows them to share office space with two special agents when they work with them on drug and human trafficking cases and the other authorizes the department to have task force officers cross-deputized for specific enforcement relating to drugs and violent crimes.

Moszkowicz clarified at that time that these agreements do not include civil immigration enforcement.

“I have publicly committed that the Hawai‘i Police Department will not sign any 287(g) agreements with the Department of Homeland Security,” Moszkowicz said in June. “Our commitment remains to keep people safe, protect their rights and provide whatever humanitarian support we can to anyone in Hawai‘i. We have not, do not and will not conduct civil immigration enforcement.”

Tavares said it is clear the community wants a transparent and open process in the selection of the interim and permanent police chief.

“We need to find someone who is just going to be totally passionate about it, who’s going to eat, slee, and digest this job,” Botelho added.

Other commissioners expressed a desire to focus their time and energy on finding a permanent chief.

Commission Vice Chair John Bertsch said if the body solicits letters of interest and goes through taking testimony and interviewing candidates for the interim position, it could create more frustration for the public and may not be in their best interest.

“I think we might be creating more confusion and possibly more anxiety in doing that two-step process as opposed to focusing all our efforts on the permanent chief,” Bertsch said.

Commission Chair Rick Robinson said if the commissioners were to go through the process of accepting applications for the interim position, it would energy spent on someone who would potentially only be chief for three months.

The bottom line for Botelho is finding the right person for the interim job.

“If it takes us a lot of time, then it takes a lot of time,” she said, referring to the selection of the interim chief. “It’s not going to be done quickly. I want to take my time.”

With the appointment of Mahuna, the commission will discuss the process in searching for a new chief during its Aug. 22 meeting.

After the meeting, Mahuna said the concerns testifiers voiced during the Friday meeting were also his concerns.

“We are all in this together,” Mahuna said. “I have to make sure that they feel comfortable in trusting their police department.”

With the loss of faith in Moszkowicz following his resignation and attempted retraction, Mahuna knows he will have to reach out to stakeholders and affirm his support and commitment to the community.

“They have to know how I feel about certain things,” said Mahuna, who was born and raised on the Big Island. “What they’ll find is that in a lot of ways we agree on a lot of issues.”

Mahuna said he does intend to apply for the permanent position as chief when the time comes.

Hawai‘i Island police are once again asking the public for help with locating a missing teen reported as a runaway.

Authorities report that 16-year-old Erlyen Sangau was last seen at 3 p.m. July 16 on Leila Road in Volcano, wearing a pink T-shirt and black skirt with floral designs.

She is 5-foot-7, 90 pounds, with a tan complexion, black braided shoulder-length hair, brown eyes and thin build.

Anyone with information about Sangau’s whereabouts is urged to call Hawai‘i Police Department’s non-emergency line at 808-935-3311.

The first three years of the monthly support groups were funded privately by Cockrell Electric, with about 20 people helped through referral from HOPE Services Hawaiʻi.

In January, the Women’s Fund of Hawaiʻi awarded a $10,000 grant to He Hoʻomaka Hou Ana O Puna to help expand its program and allow self-referrals from women in need.

With that funding, Rivera has been able to better reach women in remote areas of Hawaiʻi Island, develop a mentorship initiative for past participants, and enhance community outreach efforts.

He Hoʻomaka Hou Ana O Puna also was awarded in January a Peer 2 Peer Grant for $75,000 by the National Center for Victims of Crime. This funding has allowed the organization to expand trauma-informed peer mentoring programs for survivors of crime, including domestic violence and sexual assault.

The main program creates a puʻuhonua (safe and culturally affirming space) that encourages kukākūkā (courageous conversations) to promote deep healing and resilience. Participants engage in group and one-on-one mentoring sessions to address intergenerational trauma and work toward individual and community healing.

“Healing is a ladder that we are climbing one step at a time,” said Renee Rivera, the program’s co-director and lead mentor. “Sometimes it feels like I’m starting over all the way at the bottom myself. There is no perfect mother, child, sister, friend. There is no perfect woman, but it’s okay, because there are other women we can lean on and learn from.”

Participants commit to regular kukākūkā sessions and complete required assignments, looking for solutions that lie within ancestral roots, including huakaʻi to wahi pana (trips to sacred or culturally significant spaces).

A 2024 study by the Hawaiʻi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence found that domestic violence is a prevalent problem in the state, with 18% of adult residents saying they have experienced physical violence or intimidation from an intimate partner and that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the violence and isolation for some.

The study also found that Native Hawaiians and Filipinos experienced the highest rates of domestic violence in Hawaiʻi at 30% and 24%, respectively

“Many Native Hawaiians have either lost touch or have never had access to their own culture, which we need in order to heal from past trauma and change the future for ourselves,” Rivera said. “Before anyone can rebuild their life, they have to be given the space to heal, and sometimes all they need is just one person to support her, teach her, and love her no matter what she’s experienced in life.”

Rivera brings lived experience as a Native Hawaiian survivor of homelessness, sexual assault, domestic violence and substance addiction. She hosts group sessions and has created a community of supportive wāhine who are able to heal, embrace Native Hawaiian culture even if they are not Native Hawaiian, and nourish themselves through food, outdoor activities and kukākūkā.

Jerry, who did not wish to provide her last name, said she has been in the Haumana Kukākūkā program for about a year and has experienced a transformation.

“I can’t pinpoint when it started, but it is a direct result from being part of this,” she said. “We are not with each other all the time, but the connections we make with each other are so strong and real that we are always connected. It is healing.”

Kodie, who also did not give her last name, joined Haumana Kukākūkā in October after experiencing a domestic incident that left her without a support system for emotional and mental strength.

“When you have people to lean on, it makes a big difference,” Kodie said. “We all have different stories, but our culture is what ties us all together, even for those who aren’t Hawaiian. Renee always tells us to keep showing up as you are. She reminds us that even if we aren’t flawless, we still matter.”

Jerry added: “We have hope and faith in one another, and we stand up with each other for a greater purpose. We’re always thinking of the next sister, and the next and the next that we can bring in to heal.”

Rivera said she six women who have been in the program now attending college for the first time. She also has place a woman into housing after 16 years living on the street. And, a member of the support group a couple of years ago now is an intern with the program.

“I’m so proud of them and what we have been able to do together,” Rivera said. “We have been able to set a foundation for them, and I wish I could reach even more people.”

One of the first women to participate in the program said Rivera’s mentorship has completely changed her life at 56 years old.

“Renee has supported me through everything I have done,” said the woman who wished to remain anonymous. “She has pushed me to have higher expectations for myself and be a better version of me.

“I never thought my life would change, but now I have a sponsor, I’m on the drug court committee, and I went to college at 54. She helped me through it all.”

After facilitators, like Rivera and peer mentors, understand a person’s unique needs, they work with various local agencies to find housing, health care services, and mental and behavioral health services, as well as other programs or services that individual participants require.

“I’m so thankful that we have funders and community partners who believe in our vision,” said Jessica Ipina, director and founder of He Hoʻomaka Hou Ana O Puna. “We are creating pathways for women to heal, rebuild, and thrive.”

According to Ipina, the nonprofit will continue offering these important programs with the long-term goal of fostering individual and community-wide multigenerational healing.

“This was my way of giving back to my hānai family and the women who saved my life and changed its direction,” Ipina said. “I wouldn’t be here without them, and I feel just as committed to fostering this supportive environment that I see is making a difference.”

More information on Haumana Kukākūkā and the Peer to Peer mentoring can be found on the He Hoʻomaka Hou Ana O Puna website.

The project is aimed at improving parking access and safety for hospital staff, patients, visitors and the community.

It is part of critical infrastructure improvements for the Kona hospital funded by the Hawai‘i Legislature and Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green through the Risk of Closure Capital Improvement Project.

Work is expected to continue through mid-October.

Parking is still available at the hospital during the project, but patients and visitors should expect to be rerouted to different parking areas as work continues.

Additional parking is also available at the old courthouse lot just below the hospital for anyone who chooses to use it.

Traffic control personnel is on-site as needed to help direct vehicles and ensure safe and efficient access to the hospital.

Kona Community Hospital Regional Director of Marketing, Legislative Affairs and Strategy Jane Clement said the hospital appreciates everyone’s patience and understanding during this important project.

“Our goal is to continue supporting every patient, every day by improving accessibility and ensuring a safe, welcoming experience for everyone coming to the hospital,” Clement said in a release about the parking lot upgrades. 

Regular project updates will be posted on the Kona Community Hosptial website and shared via social media on the hospital Facebook page and @westhawaiiregion on Instagram.

Lava fountains at the summit of Kīlauea have been shining a spotlight on Hawai’i’s most active volcano, but let’s not forget the larger one looming in Kīlauea’s background.

Mauna Loa is now quiet, so it’s a good opportunity to remember the 1950 Southwest Rift Zone eruption — the volcano’s most recent eruption to cause significant damage — 75 years ago.

Mauna Loa erupted frequently prior to 1950. Consistent written records of Mauna Loa eruptions begin in 1843. Between then and 1950, there were 30, meaning that before 1950, Mauna Loa erupted on average every 3 to 4 years.

Fast forward to 2025 and there have been only three eruptions during the past 75 years since: 1975, 1984 and 2022.

While the frequency of eruptions has decreased since 1950 compared to the century before, Mauna Loa remains an active volcano that will erupt again someday.

Eruptions of Mauna Loa generally start high in the summit region, above 12,000 feet in elevation. From there, eruptions can migrate into one of the two rift zones — the Northeast Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone — or, less commonly, radial vents on the volcano’s northwest flank.

Mauna Loa inflation because of magma accumulating beneath the surface was evident on monitoring stations during the spring of 1950 at the summit of Kīlauea.

Seismic activity under Mauna Loa increased in May of that year, with the largest earthquake — a magnitude-6.4 temblor — happening May 29.

A swarm of earthquakes shook the volcano June 1, and the night sky was illuminated at 9:25 p.m. with red glow as a fissure system 2.5 miles long opened high on the southwest flank of Mauna Loa’s summit region.

Activity at the initial fissure system lasted just a few hours, and lava flows stalled at about 9,000 feet in elevation. Soon after, two other sets of fissure vents opened lower on the Southwest Rift Zone, between 10,500 and 8,500 feet and 8,200 and 7,810 feet in elevation.

Lava fountains nearly 200 feet high fed a system of complex braided lava flows moving nearly 5 miles per hour down Mauna Loa’s steep west flanks.

About 3 hours after those lower fissures opened, the first lava flow crossed Highway 11 and entered the ocean, destroying a gas station, post office and several homes along the way.

Fourteen and a half hours after the eruption began, another lava flow crossed Highway 11. This second flow destroyed several homes and entered the ocean about 1.2 miles south of the first flow.

Activity at both lava flows and their ocean entries ceased within about a day.

Yet another set of fissure vents opened even lower on the volcano later the night of June 1, between 8,200 and 7,810 feet in elevation. A lava flow from this fissure entered the ocean by the afternoon of June 2, farther south than the two earlier flows.

Lava would drain from Mauna Loa for the next 3 weeks via this channelized lava flow into the ocean.

Before the eruption ended June 23, Hoʻokena village was destroyed, including a post office, church, gas station, cemetery and at least 5 homes.

Structures of the Magoon Ranch, ʻŌhiʻa Lodge and several other vacation/fishing cottages were also destroyed. Lava flows crossed Highway 11 in three locations.

One man — who was looking after cattle on a ranch — was trapped between two lava flows for 28 hours before being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Thirty-five homestead lots were later opened in Kona for people whose property had been covered by lava in 1950.

The 1950 eruption was the largest-volume eruption of Mauna Loa’s Southwest Rift Zone since written records began; lava flows moved quickly down steep slopes in the region to enter the ocean within hours of the eruption onset.

Mauna Loa has been quiet since the 2022 Northeast Rift Zone eruption, but monitoring data indicates magma is slowly accumulating within the volcano.

As communities on the flanks of Mauna Loa continue to grow, Hawaiʻi Island residents should not forget these past eruptions.

While 75 years is a long time to humans, it goes by in the blink of an eye for an active volcano.

Volcano Activity Updates

Kīlauea has been erupting episodically within its summit caldera since Dec. 23, 2024. Its U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Alert Level Remains at Watch.

Episode 28 of the ongoing eruption happened July 9, with about 9 hours of fountaining from the north vent. Summit region inflation since the end of Episode 28, along with persistent tremor, suggests another episode is possible.

Current inflation data indicate Episode 29 is likely to start between July 17 and 18.

Sulfur dioxide emission rates are elevated in the summit region during active eruption episodes. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.

Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Alert Level remains at Normal.

One earthquake was reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week:

• MAGNITUDE-3 located 3 miles south-southwest of Pāhala at a depth of 19 miles at 6:14 p.m. July 15.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

Visit the volcano observatory website for past “Volcano Watch” articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

Hawai‘i County prosecutor’s office reports that Frank William Funes of Pāhoa appeared July 16 in Hilo Circuit Court for sentencing.

A Hilo jury in September 2024 found Funes guilty as charged of first-degree burglary, a Class B felony, and the included offense of second-degree assault, a Class C felony. He was originally charged with second-degree attempted murder for the attack on his ex-girlfriend.

Funes received the the maximum penalties for both offenses, which the court ordered to be served consecutively.

First-degree burglary is punishable by either 10 years in prison or 4 years probation and up to 18 months in jail. Second-degree assault carries a penalty of either 5 years in prison or 5 years probation and up to a year in jail.

Funes on July 8, 2021, broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home in Hawaiian Beaches and proceeded to stab her with a large folding lockback knife, like a Buck Knife, in the left and right sides of her chest and left back side of her chest, left armpit and left arm.

The woman also sustained a collapsed lung in the assault.

The felony investigation was handled by Detective Gavin Kagimoto with the Hawai‘i Police Department Office of Professional Standards/Criminal Intelligence Unit and formerly a member of the Area I Juvenile Aid Section.

Deputy Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorneys Heipua Ahloy and Ha‘aheo Kaho‘ohalahala prosecuted the case.

Have you ever thought about being the person who brings a smile to someone’s face no mattter “rain nor heat nor gloom of night” when you deliver the ONE package they waited days to receive or put THE letter from a loved one they haven’t heard from in years into their excited hands?

The U.S. Postal Service is looking for good men and women like you to fill rural carrier positions in several Big Island communities.

Job fairs are scheduled July 18-19 at five post offices around the island during the 2-day period. Positions are available in Hilo, Kailua-Kona, Waimea and other areas.

Meet postal employees who will provide information about the assistant rural carrier and rural carrier associate positions available in those areas and help candidates apply on-site during the job fairs.

Times, dates and locations for Big Island hiring events:

• WHEN: 10 to 11 a.m. July 18
  WHERE: Kealakekua Post Office, 81-990 Halekiʻi St., Kealakekua
• WHEN: Noon to 1 p.m. July 18
  WHERE: Hōlualoa Post Office, 76-5921 Māmalahoa Highway, Hōlualoa
• WHEN: 2 to 3 p.m. July 18
  WHERE: Kailua Post Office, 74-5577 Palani Road, Kailua-Kona
• WHEN: 9 to 10 a.m. July 19
  WHERE: Kamuela Post Office, 67-1197 Māmalahoa Highway, Waimea
• WHEN: 1 to 2 p.m. July 19
  WHERE: Hilo Post Office, 1299 Kekuanaoa St., Hilo

Assistant rural carrier and rural carrier associate salaries start at $20.38 per hour.

They also receive the Territorial Cost-of-Living Allowance, which is an additional payment to compensate postal employees who work in facilities outside the continental United States — such as Hawai‘i, Alaska and Guam — because of higher costs of living in those areas.

Driving is required for these positions.

Applicants must have a valid state driver’s license, safe driving record and at least 2 years unsupervised experience driving passenger cars or larger.

Join a diverse team with a variety of positions, training and advancement opportunities to maximize your skills and interests.

Applications are also accepted at the U.S. Postal Service website. Job postings, with requirements, are updated weekly, so check back frequently for additional opportunities.

A Kona District Court judge reduced bail by $100,000 for a 37-year-old man who is facing drug charges after being found with almost 2 ounces of suspected methamphetamine.

James Haskins, of Kailua-Kona, was arrested at Kohanaiki Ohana Fuels on July 14 after a search of his vehicle by Hawai‘i Island police Vice officers yielded 47.2 grams or 1.67 ounces of a substance that tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine, an operable digital scale, multiple clean and unused zip type packets, two clear glass smoking pipes, and a debit card belonging to another person.

Initially being held on $220,000 bail, Judge Kimberly Tsuchiya granted a reduction in bail to $100,000 during Haskins’ initial court appearance on Wednesday, over the prosecuting attorney’s objections.

Haskins was ordered to appear for a preliminary hearing on Friday. He is being charged with first-degree attempted promotion of a dangerous drug, first-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and unauthorized possession of confidential personal information.

Both drug charges are class A felonies and carry a penalty of either a 20-year prison term or 10 years probation and up to two years in jail.

There’s a ton of stuff happening this weekend and heading into the end of the month that we had to sift through so we could bring you some of the best.

For example, if you’re looking for a place to leave your worries behind, shed off those troubles and chuck your responsibilities, Hilo Education Arts Repertory Theatre has a place where you can lose yourself opening at a familiar spot in Downtown Hilo.

The theatre troupe’s production of “Cabaret” premieres this weekend for a 3-week run at the historic Palace Theater.

Audiences will experience the seedy, dazzling and decadent world of 1930s Berlin along with all the drama of the Kit Kat Club. Once you’re seduced by the scandals and the oh-so-sexy comedy, darlin’, you won’t want to leave.

Tickets are $25 for general admission.

Maybe a more chill vibe is your style? Don’t want to get too worked up? Downtown Hilo’s newest coffee spot might have event more in your lane.

Coffee Notes is your new home away from home — where coffee, culture and community blend perfectly. It’s hosting one of its first events, featuring Hilo jazz musicians Bradley Leighton and Bub Pratt, on Friday night.

The event is free, too, unless you bring your own beverages. Then there’s a $2 corkage fee.

If it’s a different kind of thrill and seduction you seek though — perhaps of a 4-wheeled variety — head to Hilo Drag Strip on Ho‘olaulima Road, past the Hilo transfer station and Hawai‘i County Mass Transit headquarters, for Big Island Auto Club’s Drag In July event this weekend.

Crowds will be treated to 2 days of drag racing, rumbling engines, lightning quick bikes and motorcycles and more during a Summer Showdown. It’s the Jardine ‘ohana memorial race as well, honoring and remembering the life of Lawrence “Turtle” Jardine.

Relay For Life of the Big Island also returns this weekend to Francis Wong Stadium in Hilo, shiking a bright light of hope on a future without cancer as teams and community members gather to and raise funds in support of the American Cancer Society.

Everyone on the island is invited — and encouraged — to come out and participate.

There are plenty of activities planned from the survivors and caregivers laps, lighting of the luminaries, family fun, food trucks, games, tons of items for sale, line dancing, of course Zumba and a lot more.

So don’t just sit there Saturday night. Get up, get out and get to Relay and make a difference.

There’s one more event we’ll mention before you peruse on your own, and it’s because you need your keiki to become a trainer to attend.

They’ll probably want to have a desire to at least catch all of the pocket monsters, anyway.

Gam3Escape in Hilo is hosting its July Pokémon Day this weekend, with Professor Jim returning to teach prospective Pokémon trainers how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Crowd-favorite Pokémon Bingo will return and a Pokémon Trading Card Game League Challenge tournament will be offered for anyone who wants to participate.

No opportunity will be missed to help everyone catch as many Pokémon as possible that day.

So, see, we told you there was a lot to go through — and there’s even more to do.

Here’s our top 10 things to do on the Big Island for July 18-24.

* * * * * * * * *

No. 1 — “Cabaret” (Hilo, July 18-21, 25-27 and Aug. 1-3)

When: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Sundays; doors, box office and concessions open 1 hour prior to performance time

Location: Hilo Palace Theater, 38 Haili St.

Leave all your worries at the door. Shed off those responsibilities. Hilo Education Arts Repertory Theatre invites you to a place where life is beautiful, the girls are gorgeous and the music never stops! Experience the dazzling, decadent world of the seedy Kit Kat Club of 1930s Berlin interpreted by a live orchestra, 35 of Hilo’s most dynamic performers and unforgettable songs such as “Don’t Tell Mama” and the title classic “Cabaret.” Trust us, darlin’, you’ll get one taste of the music, dance and drama with the seductive, scandalous and oh-so-sexy musical comedy, you won’t want to leave. Tickets are $20 for students, $25 general admission and $30 for priority orchestra seating.

More info/tickets: Visit the Palace Theater website.

* * * * * * * * *

No. 2 — Jazz Event (Hilo, July 18)

When: 8:30 p.m.

Location: Coffee Notes, 116 Keawe St.

Your new cozy neighborhood spot, where coffee, culture and community blend perfectly, is hosting one of its first events. More than just a café, Coffee Notes is your home away from home, and this Friday, it’s bringing Hilo jazz musicians Bradley Leighton and Bub Pratt right into your living room. So come out and catch some cool vibes at Downtown’s newest spot. Free to attend, but there is a $2 corkage fee if you bring your own beverage.

More info: Call Coffee Notes at 808-767-8887 or click here.

* * * * * * * * *

No. 3 — Drag In July (Hilo, July 19-20)

When: Gates open at 8 a.m. both days

Location: Hilo Drag Strip, 2295 Ho‘olaulima Road

Presented by Big Island Auto Club, expect 2 days of fast cars, rumbling engines, lightning quick bikes and motorcycles and more during this Summer Showdown event that will include time trials, junior dragsters, bracket racing, bikes and motorcyles. The weekend also serves as the Jardine ‘ohana memorial race, honoring and remembering Lawrence “Turtle” Jardine. Admission is $10 for adults. Keiki 12 years old and younger are free. All programs are subject to change based on participation/racers.

More info: Contact Big Island Auto Club at biachawaii@gmail.com or follow the club @biac808 on Facebook and Instagram.

* * * * * * * * *

No. 4 — Stewardship at the Summit: Rain Forest Restoration (Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, July 19)

When: 8:45 a.m.

Location: Meet project leaders Paul and Jane Field at Kīlauea Visitor Center parking lot

Volunteer to help remove invasive, non-native plant species that prevent native plants from growing in the national park. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and long pants. Bring a hat, rain gear, day pack, snacks and water. Gloves and tools are provided. Parents or guardians must accompany participants younger than 18 years old. 

More info: Visit the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park website.

* * * * * * * * *

No. 5 — “A Little Night Music” (Waimea, July 19-20)

When: 3 p.m. both days

Location: Kahilu Theatre, 67-1186 Lindsey Road

This elegant and bittersweet musical — presented by Hawai‘i Performing Arts Festival featuring a full orchestra — waltzes through the follies of love and longing under the glow of the midsummer night. It blends sharp wit, heartbreak and sumptuous melodies — including the iconic “Send in the Clowns” — to tell a tale of intertwined romances and second chances. Tickets start at $40. Improve your experience for free by adding on a pre-performance conversation with the artistic team behind “A Little Night Music,” exploring the vision, challenges and creative journey behind bringing the musical to the Kahilu stage.

More info/tickets: Visit the Kahilu Theatre website.

* * * * * * * * *

No. 6 — July Pokémon Day (Hilo, July 19)

When: 3 p.m.

Location: Gam3Escape, 57 Shipman St.

Does your child like Pokémon? Do they have to catch them all? Professor Jim returns to Gam3Escape this month to teach participating trainers how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The afternoon and evening will also include crowd-favorite Pokémon Bingo and a Pokémon Trading Card Game League Challege (deck lists are required; players will be divided into age divisions when possible). Keiki younger than 13 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Each participant will receive a starter deck, booster pack and a promo pack. Entry fees are $10 for learn to play and Pokémon Bingo and $10 for tournament.

More info: Contact Gam3Escape at 808-498-4095 or via email at g3ecustomerservice@gmail.com.

* * * * * * * * *

No. 7 — Relay For Life of the Big Island 2025 (Hilo, July 19)

When: 5 to 10 p.m.

Location: Francis Wong Stadium, 323 Manono St.

The Big Island community is invited — and encouraged — to come out and participate in this annual event that supports the American Cancer Society, raising funds for and awareness about the fight against cancer. Walk or run a lap — or 10. Decorate a luminary for a loved one who survived their battle with cancer or another who lost theirs. Cheer on cancer survivors as they walk triumphantly in their lap. There also will be lots of family fun with a dunk tank, horsehoes, cornhole, a “human slot machine” and more, plus food trucks, team contests, free entertainment, line dancing and great items for sale, among other activities, all with the goal of making sure hope is not lost but instead the light that guides the path to a future without cancer.

More info: Click here, follow Relay For Life of the Big Island on Facebook or email Kittrin Cade at kittrin.cade@cancer.org.

* * * * * * * * *

No. 8 — Improv Comedy Night (Hilo, July 19)

When: 7 to 8:30 p.m.; doors open half an hour before the show

Location: The Keawe Theater, 280 Keawe St.

Get ready for an unforgettable evening of side-splitting laughter, quick-witted improv fueled by audience-driven antics and endless creativity during this hilarious show presented by Hilo Community Players and Big Island Comedy Theater. Parental discretion is advised as the show could contain mature content. General admission is $10. Tickets are $5 more at the door.

More info/tickets: Click here.

* * * * * * * * *

No. 9 — 3D Printing Fun (Waikōloa, July 21-25)

When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day

Location: Hawai‘i Keiki Museum, 69-250 Waikōloa Beach Drive

Kids ages 8 to 15 years old will explore the world of computer-aided design by learning to use TinkerCAD to design and then printing their own toys. The 5-day workshop will include discussions about their toy design, sharing their design with other participants, exploring the exhibits at the musuem, working with TinkerCAD and then finally printing their 3D computer-aided designed toy and showing it to everyone to share what they learned. Cost is $250 per child.

More info/register: Visit the Hawai‘i Keiki Museum website.

* * * * * * * * *

No. 10 — Hilo Orchid Show Gala Preview Party (Hilo, July 24)

When: 6 to 9 p.m.

Location: Edith Kanaka‘ole Multi-Purpose Stadium, 350 Kalanikoa St.

Where’s the best place in Hilo to get wine, beer and food while you have fun with friends, fellow community members and neighbors plus get to bask in the sweet smell of orchids on display? It’s this party, silly, the “fun”-raiser that kicks off the annual Hilo Orchid Show and Sale while also raising funds for peace and agriculture. The evening gala features hard and soft beverages, catered food, live music plus orchid viewing and pre-sales. Tickets are $100 and can be purchased at The Most Irresistible Shop and Ku’ikahi Mediation Center in Hilo or online.

More info/tickets: Visit the Ku‘ikahi Mediation Center website. You can also contact Carol at 808-935-7844, ext. 8, or via email at carol@hawaiimediation.org.

* * * * * * * * *

Check for yourself to see what’s happening around the Big Island

We admit. We can’t fit everything going on each week in our top 10. So here are websites for some popular Big Island venues that you can peruse to discover other events, activities, shows, festivals or workshops that pique your interest.

• Willy’s Hot Chicken, Kailua-Kona: https://willieshotchicken.com/
• Aloha Theatre, Kealakekua: https://apachawaii.org/
• Blue Dragon Tavern, Kawaihae: https://www.bluedragontavern.com/
• Donkey Mill Art Center, Hōlualoa: https://donkeymillartcenter.org/
• East Hawai‘i Cultural Center, Hilo: https://ehcc.org/
• Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park: https://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
• Hilo Town Market, Hilo: https://hilotownmarket.co/events
• Hilo Town Tavern, Hilo (on Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100041333509786
• Honoka‘a People’s Theatre, Honoka‘a: https://www.honokaapeople.com/
• Kahilu Theatre, Waimea: https://kahilu.org/
• Keauhou Shopping Center, Kailua-Kona: https://keauhoushoppingcenter.com/experience/
• Kona Commons, Kailua-Kona: https://www.konacommons.com/events
• Lava Shack, Pāhoa (on Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/lavashackpahoa/?hl=en
• Lyman Museum, Hilo: https://lymanmuseum.org/
• MyBar Kona, Kailua-Kona: https://www.mybarkona.com/
• Palace Theater, Hilo: https://hilopalace.com/
• University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Performing Arts Center, Hilo: https://artscenter.uhh.hawaii.edu/
• Volcano Art Center, Volcano: https://volcanoartcenter.org/
• Wailoa Center, Hilo: https://www.wailoacenter.com/

Eventually, with no change since 2012, the park stagnated, becoming more generic than gnarly and leaving nobody stoked.

So Kona Skatepark ʻOhana — a group that supports the skatepark at Kailua Park in Kailua-Kona — grabbed its deck and dropped in to bring Kailua-Kona a long-overdue upgrade and expansion of the facility.

The park support group joined Hawai‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation along with an army of community partners and volunteers July 16 for a blessing ceremony and opening celebration for the new and significant addition to the Kona Skatepark.

The newly completed expansion project more than doubles the size of the skatepark and includes new quarter pipes, rails, a pyramid and other obstacles.

Completion of the project follows 2 years of fundraising, planning, design and construction led by a dedicated group of volunteers with support from Hawai‘i County.

“Our initial plan involved a patchwork of concrete mini ramps and obstacle additions to existing infrastructure, as we knew that some areas were not designed with skateboarding in mind,” Kona Skatepark ʻOhana wrote in a July 15 Instagram post. “It was unused social area that could be utililized as skate space.”

It was through collaboration and discussion with local skateboarders and other partners that numerous designs were created and compiled.

Further discussion with consultant Abstract Builders Hawai‘i — which also assisted with construction of the park expansion — fine-tuned the project to be more simple and practical in size and flow, which Kona Skatepark ‘Ohana said added “unique elements that compliment skateboarding, our culture and ʻāina.”

Volunteer Flaunn Elder-Jamieson, who helped spearhead the expansion project, thanked the Kona Skatepark ‘Ohana team, the many community volunteers and the county, adding there are “too many contributors to name” who made the project possible.

“It’s like no other feeling I’ve ever had — the feeling of completion and celebrating with the people who really backed us in this project,” Elder-Jamieson was quoted in a county release as saying during an opening blessing and celebration July 16 for the new expansion. “It’s such a sense of pride.”

In addition to private donations and volunteer contributions, Hawai‘i County Council Chairman Holeka Inaba and Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas also provided funding.

Parks and Recreation provided various materials, supplies and services in support of the effort as well.

“This skatepark is an example of what we can accomplish when the community comes together to support our youth,” Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda was quoted in the release as saying during the blessing ceremony. “Mahalo to the volunteers and partners who helped make this significant expansion happen.”

The new skatepark expansion was opened to the public following the blessing ceremony, and skateboarders wasted little time getting into the park to try out its new features.

Kona Skatepark is located at Kailua Park, next to the old runway at Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area which is inside the park located at 75-5500 Kuakini Highway, in Kailua-Kona.

Kailua Park is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Kona Skatepark ‘Ohana extended its deepest mahalo to everyone who contributed to the expansion project.

“Your collective support has empowered and inspired our community and lifted our spirits!” the group exclaimed in its July 15 Instagram post. “The Aloha Spirit in action!”

Fundraising efforts continue in hopes of supporting ongoing and future park improvements.

“We look forward to enhancing the park with additions like a tent shade system for the street and bowl sections, an improved alternative path, perhaps concrete sidewalk and benches throughout,” the group wrote in a July 2 post on Instagram. “Your contributions have been instrumental in driving progress, and we encourage you to continue supporting our mission.”

Parks and Recreation is also moving forward with other upgrades at Kailua Park.

A project to demolish the old terminal building and construct several new restroom facilities and a concession building at Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area is expected to go out to bid for construction later this year.

“This skatepark addition is a major improvement, and we really appreciate the efforts of all the volunteers,” Hawai‘i County Director of Parks and Recreation Clayton Honma is quoted in the county release as saying during the opening celebration Wednesday. “We look forward to continuing to make significant upgrades at Kailua Park, which is such a vital recreational resource for the West Hawai‘i community.”

News reporter Nathan Christophel contributed to this story.

The Hawai‘i County prosecutor’s office reports Justin Yamauchi of Mountain View is charged with:

• First-degree theft (theft of a motor vehicle).
• First-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle.
• Habitual property crime.
• Driving without a license.
• Two counts of second-degree resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle.

Yamauchi made his initial court appearance July 16 in Hilo District Court, where his bail was maintained at $135,000. He was also ordered to appear July 18 for a preliminary hearing.

The most serious offense, first-degree theft, is a Class B felony punishable by either 10 years in prison or 4 years probation and up to 18 months in jail.

Yamauchi was arrested and charged with the alleged theft of a Subaru Outback reported stolen June 29 from a Kino‘ole Street home in Hilo, as well as two separate incidents July 7 and 14 when police ordered him to stop and he is reported to have resisted.

Police reports say Hawai‘i Police Department Crime Reduction Unit officers arrested Yamauchi on July 15 at the Kurtistown 7-Eleven after he was seen driving the stolen Subaru.

The 30-year-old Mountain View man was also arrested at the same time on two unrelated outstanding arrest warrants.

Hawai‘i Police Department South Hilo Patrol investigated the reported SUV theft and Puna Patrol initiated the resisting an order to stop investigations.

The Police Department’s Area I Criminal Investigation Section Crime Reduction Unit Officers Edward Petrie and Sean-Tyler Kepoo led the felony investigation.

Deputy Hawai‘i County Prosecuting Attorney Woodrow Pengelly is prosecuting the case.

Update at 7:38 p.m. July 16, 2025: Hawai‘i Island police report that 11-year-old Navaeh-Marie Serrano, who was previously reported as an endangered runaway, was located in at 7 p.m. July 16 in good health.

Original story posted at 6:58 p.m. July 16, 2025: Hawai‘i Island police are asking the public for help with finding an endangered 11-year-old girl who was reported as a runway.

Navaeh-Marie Serrano is 5-foot-6, 180 pounds, with a medium complexion, brown hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen at 2:30 p.m. July 16 on Mokihana Street in Mountain View, wearing a purple shirt and beige pants.

Navaeh-Marie is considered endangered because of her age.

Anyone who has information that can help safely locate Navaeh-Marie is urged to call 9-1-1 or the Hawai‘i Police Department non-emergency line at 808-935-3311 immediately.

Hawai‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation is host the open ocean swimming race Aug. 30 at Richardson Ocean Park in Hilo. It begins at 9:30 a.m.

This 1-mile swim is designed for strong swimmers with strong swimming skills who can handle the sometimes rough course conditions, including currents and waves.

There are rocks and could be waves breaking over an outside the reef near the channel entrance. There also could be ocean swells with a strong current along the coastline.

Racers can swim with or without fins; any swimmer wanting to use a snorkel must also register in the “FINS” category. Those using fins or snorkels must indicate that on their entry form.

No flotation devices, wet suits or hand gloves/paddles are allowed.

Registration information

• Entry fee: $30 (includes entry, registration, timing service and swag for swimmers).
• Payment method: All payments must be paid in cash, money order or check ONLY (payable to Hawai‘i County Director of Finance).
• Mail entry forms and fee to: 2025 Roughwater Swim, 799 Pi‘ilani St., Hilo, HI 96720.
• Deadline: All registration forms and fees must be mailed in and postmarked no later than Aug. 13. Mail-in registration only. No registrations accepted day of the event.
• Towels: Participants will receive a race towel, while supplies last. (Towels are limited in quantity.)

Entry forms and event information are available on the Parks and Recreation website.

“FINLESS” age group categories

• 10 to 14 years old (Keiki).
• 15 to 19 years old.
• 20 to 34 years old.
• 35 to 49 years old.
• 50 to 64 years old (Masters).
• 65+ years old (Seniors).
• 80+ years old (Kūpuna).

Awards will be given for first place in the “FINLESS” categories only.

Email the Parks and Recreation Aquatics Section at aquatics@hawaiicounty.gov for additional information.

Acidification of waters around the main Hawaiian Islands is expected to follow suit; however, a new study led by University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa oceanographers reveals it will reach unprecedented levels within the next three decades.

That news comes at the same time as the National Marine Fisheries Service announced critical habitat designations for five threatened coral species living in the Pacific Ocean.

The agency’s final rule also protects 92 square miles of marine habitat around American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Pacific Remote Island Areas and Hawaiʻi.

Researchers in professor Brian Powell’s laboratory group at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology used advanced, fine-scale computer models to project how ocean chemistry around the main Hawaiian Islands might change during the 21st century.

The extent and timing of the changes varied depending on the amount of carbon added to the atmosphere.

Increased ocean acidification is harmful to marine life, leading to issues such as weakening the shells and skeletons of organisms such as corals and clams, amplifying the effects of existing stressors and threatening ocean-based ecosystems.

Corals are experiencing dramatic global declines because of climate change, ocean acidification, pollution and overfishing.

An estimated 50% of coral reefs worldwide have already been lost to climate change and about one-third of reef-building coral species are at risk of extinction.

“We found that ocean acidification is projected to increase significantly in the surface waters around the main Hawaiian Islands, even if carbon emissions flatline by mid-century in the low emission scenario,” said lead author of the new paper Lucia Hošeková in a release from the university.

The School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology research scientist added that the team found in all nearshore areas, the increases will be “unprecedented compared to what reef organisms have experienced in many thousands of years.”

In the high‐emission scenario, the team found ocean chemistry will become dramatically different from what corals experienced historically, potentially challenging their adaptability. Even in the low‐emission scenario, some changes are inevitable, but less extreme and occur more gradually.

The team also calculated the difference between projected ocean acidification levels and the acidification corals in a given location experienced in recent history.

They discovered that various areas of the Hawaiian Islands could experience acidification differently. For example, windward coastlines consistently exhibited future conditions that deviate more dramatically from what coral reefs experienced in recent history.

“We did not expect future levels of ocean acidification to be so far outside the envelope of natural variations in ocean chemistry that an ecosystem is used to,” said study co-author Tobias Friedrich in the release.

The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Department of Oceanography research scientist said this is the first ocean acidification projection specifically for Hawaiian waters to document that.

Previous studies showed that a coral exposed to slightly elevated ocean acidity can acclimatize to those conditions, thereby enhancing the coral’s adaptability.

Researchers remain hopeful, as some organisms have shown signs of adapting to the changing waters.

Data and information provided by the new University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa study helps researchers, conservationists and policymakers understand the future challenges facing Hawai‘i’s coral reefs and provides information for preserving these critical ecosystems for future generations.

The team will continue to investigate the future changes in Hawaiian waters, specifically, heat stress, locations of possible areas where coral could be more sheltered from stress and changes to Hawai‘i’s fisheries.

Powell said the study’s results show potential conditions of acidification corals could experience; however, that extremity varies based on the climate scenario the world follows.

Best case scenario: corals will be impacted, but it could be manageable.

“This is why we continue new research to examine the combined effects of stresses on corals,” he said in the release. “This study is a big first step to examine the totality of changes that will impact corals and other marine organisms and how it varies around the islands.”

Some of the impact is already being felt, but Center for Biological Diversity staff attorney David Derrick was breathing a sigh of relief earlier this week after seeing the National Marine Fisheries Service finally safeguard five threatened Indo-Pacific coral species with critical habitat protections.

“These designations give struggling corals a much-needed fighting chance. Protecting corals’ homes is a crucial step toward reversing the crisis of reef die-offs,” Derrick said in a release announcing the designation. “These ecosystems support ocean biodiversity around the world, and we need to do much more to save such vulnerable species and all the ocean critters that depend on reefs.”

The Pacific coral species covered by the new designations and where they occur in the United States are:

• Acropora globiceps: Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Pacific Remote Island Areas, and at Lalo (French Frigate Shoals) in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
• Acropora retusa: American Samoa and the Pacific Remote Island Areas.
• Acropora speciosa: American Samoa.
• Fimbriaphyllia paradivisa (formerly Euphyllia paradivisa): American Samoa.
• Isopora crateriformis: American Samoa.

The designations follow a March 2023 lawsuit filed by Center for Biological Diversity against the National Marine Fisheries Service for failing to finalize protections for 12 threatened coral species throughout the Caribbean and Pacific, including the five that received habitat designations this week.

All the species were listed under the Endangered Species Act in 2014 but did not receive the critical habitat designation the law requires.