Top headlines from across Hawaiʻi

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AI-generated from recent headlines

Statewide

Across the islands, the biggest throughline is recovery and readiness after Hurricane Lala, with utilities still clearing the last outages on Hawaiʻi Island and some critical facilities only now getting back to normal. Big Island readers are seeing that in the push to restore power and reopen services, including Hawaiian Electric’s remaining outage work, fuel deliveries for generator-dependent communities, and Kaʻū Hospital’s return to grid power. At the same time, officials and researchers are flagging longer-term resilience concerns, from new findings on stronger short, intense storms across Hawaiʻi to Maui’s FEMA-backed repairs for King Kamehameha III Elementary. Beyond storm recovery, the day’s coverage also points to steady community and economic change: Maui is seeing leadership transitions and service expansions, Kauaʻi is moving ahead on infrastructure and health projects, and statewide gas prices remain elevated heading into Labor Day travel, per AAA Hawaiʻi.

Maui

Maui’s biggest local story is the new FEMA funding for repairs at King Kamehameha III Elementary, which keeps attention on post-disaster rebuilding after the Aug. 8 wildfire. The island also saw a notable nonprofit transition, with Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui CEO Kelly Maluo-Pearson announcing her retirement after nearly 30 years of service. On the health and hospitality side, Maui Diagnostic Imaging is expanding services, while Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea has opened a new café concept.

Big Island

The Big Island remains focused on storm recovery, with Hawaiian Electric still working through the last pocket outages and donated fuel being delivered to communities still relying on generators. Kaʻū Hospital’s power restoration is another sign of gradual recovery, while Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park reopening most areas shows activity resuming after the weather disruption. Separate from the storm response, the island also has a mix of civic and cultural updates, including a new University of Hawaiʻi men’s volleyball event in Hilo and new research showing short, intense storms are strengthening across Hawaiʻi.

Kauaʻi

Kauaʻi’s main local threads are practical ones: traffic impacts from ongoing Kōloa construction tied to the Poʻipū Road Safety and Mobility Project, and Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative’s proposed purchase of its longtime Līhuʻe headquarters. Health and environmental infrastructure also stand out, with Wilcox Medical Center opening a new interventional radiology suite and the next round of the cesspool conversion grant program opening next month. The island’s coverage also includes the new statewide storm-study findings and local weather and surf forecasts, which remain useful as residents watch for fast-changing conditions.

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