Catherine Cluett Pactol
General Assignment ReporterCatherine Cluett Pactol is Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s Maui Nui reporter. She lives on Molokaʻi and is HPR’s first full-time employee based on a neighbor island. Having served as a contributing HPR reporter on and off since 2008, she officially joined the HPR newsroom in summer 2023.
Previously, she worked at The Molokai Dispatch, Molokaʻi’s only newspaper, for 15 years and served as its editor for more than a decade. During that time, she led the paper’s small team to win more than 30 Excellence in Journalism awards from the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaiʻi chapter, while also freelancing for magazines and publications across the state. She has a degree in creative writing from Bates College, and her work has been led by a passion for storytelling through community journalism.
Contact her at cpactol@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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As fire survivors transition out of hotels and into longer-term housing, community organizations are coming together to provide furniture to make their houses feel more like homes. For the past several months, Makani Christensen of Brown Kross Hui has been using his truck to pick up donated furniture and deliver it to families. HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports.
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Lahaina’s King Kamehameha III Elementary School was damaged beyond repair in the August fire. Since then, students have moved locations several times. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol reports how the school community joined to bless a new temporary campus, which will open for learning on April 1.
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The county council unsuccessfully attempted to reach an agreement with the current landowner, Komar Maui Properties, which bought the parcel in 2015. Councilmembers at a recent committee meeting heard passionate testimony from Lahaina residents in favor of using eminent domain. HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports.
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After the fires that devastated Maui, Pacific Birth Collective was one of many local organizations to spring into action. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol reports they brought critical services to new and expectant mothers, on an island they already called a “maternal healthcare desert.”
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A young Maui resident has found that playing music for kūpuna is healing. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol reports she’s now working to expand musical sharing by founding a nonprofit.
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The last year in Maui County marked the deadliest fire in modern U.S. history, and Mayor Richard Bissen described the state of the county as "heartbroken" in his annual address. HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports from Maui Nui.
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Air travel is a lifeline for the community of Lānaʻi. However, the primary airline for the island's residents says it will need federal subsidies to continue the service. Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi were deemed Essential Air Service airports in 1983 but have never had subsidized service. As HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports, that's about to change.
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A recently passed ordinance requires all Maui County wastewater to be disinfected by 2039, promoting water efficiency. Last year, the county experienced severe drought and multiple water shortages.
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After waiting months to see specialists off-island, Moloka’i and Lāna’i residents say they often miss their appointments because of delayed or canceled flights. What's on the horizon to help? HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol looks at possible solutions.
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Kamalei Kawa’a wowed judges on the music competition show with his emotional rendition of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song.” The 26-year-old Hawaiian musician is from Paukūkalo, where his ‘ohana has lived for generations. Kawaʻa said the goal is to represent all Native people. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol has more.