Top headlines from across Hawaiʻi

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Statewide

Across the islands, local governments and public agencies are dealing with a mix of routine services, public safety, and longer-term planning. Maui County is moving toward a $1.6 billion budget vote, while the Big Island is preparing for a Kīlauea fountaining episode and Kauaʻi is facing a water shutdown in Kekaha tied to hydrant upgrades. Public health and safety also show up across the feeds, from Big Island DUI arrests to a DOH warning about 7-OH and a missing-child case resolved safely. At the same time, the state’s economic and political picture is still in motion, with unemployment edging up, Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami entering the lieutenant governor race, and Maui tourism officials continuing to look for higher-spending visitors, especially from Japan, through a new market strategy.

Maui

Maui County Council is set to take up a $1.6 billion budget Friday, one of the biggest near-term decisions on the island’s public agenda. Beyond government, MauiNow.com is tracking a new ILWU endorsement in the District 14 race, Lahaina Third Saturdays returning this weekend, and a state tourism push aimed at filling Maui’s visitor gap. The island also has a steady mix of community and culture coverage, including a teacher honor, Molokaʻi transit news, and surf and weather updates as conditions stay breezy.

Big Island

The Big Island’s most urgent thread is volcanic activity, with experts saying the next Kīlauea fountaining episode could begin anytime in a window running through May 14. Public safety remains a parallel concern, as 11 DUI arrests were logged in one week and police also found a missing 13-year-old girl in good health. There’s also practical community news, including scholarships for health care students, cleanup updates for the Waikōloa Maneuver Area, and business recognition in Hilo. Weather and surf reports from BigIslandNow.com point to a wet, unsettled pattern on the windward side.

Kauaʻi

Kauaʻi’s immediate concerns are mostly practical: water service in Kekaha will be shut off for hydrant work, and the Kapaʻa pool is closed until repairs are finished. On the public policy side, the island is also seeing a lieutenant governor campaign launch from Mayor Derek Kawakami, alongside a state unemployment update and a DOH warning about 7-OH. There’s also lighter community coverage, from a Kapaʻa teen’s strong finish at the World Fireknife Championships to free summer meals at three public schools.

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