Top headlines from across Hawaiʻi

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AI-generated from recent headlines

Statewide

Hawaiʻi is still in storm-response mode as Tropical Storm Moke moves through the Central Pacific and Lala recovery continues to dominate on the Big Island, where power restoration and damage repairs remain a major concern. State and county crews are also preparing for more rain, with transportation workers clearing drains and saturated hillsides and forecasters expecting Moke to bring additional impacts to Kauaʻi. At the same time, the post-storm picture is becoming clearer: Hawaiʻi is moving toward a federal disaster declaration after Lala, while reports from Maui and the Big Island point to ongoing housing, water, and utility pressures. Beyond the weather, Maui County is weighing costly desalination options and accepting FEMA modular units for permanent housing, underscoring how recovery and resilience remain front-and-center statewide.

Maui

Maui County is juggling long-term recovery planning and immediate storm prep. The biggest local developments are a proposal to rename Kula Park for Gladys Coelho Baisa, new FEMA-backed modular housing headed to Kīlohana, and county discussion of expensive desalination plans as water demand grows. Officials are also preparing for Tropical Storm Moke and tracking weather and surf conditions across the island.

Big Island

The Big Island remains the hardest hit by the recent storm cycle, with more than 8,800 Hawaiian Electric customers still without power and frustration growing over how long some outages have lasted. Recovery work is continuing in the south and southeast, including a mobile clinic bringing care back to Nā‘ālehu and ongoing response efforts tied to Lala. At the same time, forecasters say Moke could bring another round of heavy rain and gusty winds, with a wind advisory in effect for parts of the island.

Kauaʻi

Kauaʻi is watching Tropical Storm Moke closely, with forecasters saying it should weaken as it passes south of the islands but still bring some rain. Outside the weather, the island’s arts and food scene is active, from the 2026 Trashion Show to a new Harvest Dinner series centered on Kauaʻi’s land and culinary history. There is also broader context from the storm season, including Hawaiʻi’s move toward a federal disaster declaration after Lala and a detailed look at the scale of rainfall that fell during the storm.

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