Hawaii News

Recovery from Hurricane Lowell remains a central thread across the islands. On Kauaʻi, county officials are still describing cleanup, repairs and reconstruction in the wake of the storm, while candidates for County Council are talking about disaster response as a campaign issue in Kauaʻi Now’s coverage of the council races and the county’s ongoing recovery updates. The storm’s effects are also showing up in public works and housing: Kauaʻi Now reports a weekend closure for a southbound lane of Kūhiō Highway in Līhuʻe, and an extension of the application period for the Residential Cesspool Conversion Grant Program 2 because of Hurricane Lowell impacts.

On Hawaiʻi Island, the storm aftermath is also driving local response. Big Island Now reports a mobile medical van with 4-wheel drive serving rural Kaʻū after the hurricane shuttered a health center, with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies and Direct Relief stepping in to provide care. The island’s public safety and transportation updates are more routine but still important: police say North Kohala Police Station phone lines are back up, and Highway 11 near the 111-mile marker has reopened to all traffic.

Statewide, the material includes several government and civic actions. Gov. Josh Green has ordered flags lowered to honor former lawmaker Patricia Saiki, and U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono have introduced a resolution recognizing Hawaiian History Month, as covered by both Big Island Now and Kauaʻi Now. Maui Now also reports that the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office is supporting applications for the Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project, aimed at coastal, remote and island communities, while the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is being noted for its global ranking. Across the islands, weather and safety advisories remain active: Maui and Kauaʻi are both carrying forecasts, Kauaʻi has brown water advisories and a canceled flood advisory, and Maui reports some forest reserves and the Polipoli recreation area remain closed after Hurricane Nolo. The mix of recovery, public health, and government action suggests communities are still balancing cleanup with day-to-day services and planning.