Catherine Cluett Pactol
Maui Nui 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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On Maui, more than 100 acres in Kula will one day be native forests — and it’s starting with a newly completed restoration nursery. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol was there for its blessing ceremony. -
Just days after the Kula community observed the two-year mark of the 2023 wildfires, a fire burned a beloved upcountry Maui restaurant. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol has more. -
Friday marked two years since the Maui wildfires. HPRʻs Maui Nui reporter Catherine Cluett Pactol was at Hanakaʻōʻō Beach Park on Maui to report as residents honored the 102 lives lost in the wildfires. -
Friday marked two years since the wildfires that killed 102 people and destroyed more than 2,200 structures on Maui. In Lahaina, home construction is picking up and fire debris is being transferred to its final resting place. But as HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol reports, for survivors, recovery is a very uneven journey. -
As we mark two years since the Maui fires this week, we're hearing from different voices in the community. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol takes us to Kula, where residents have been facing different challenges than in Lahaina. -
Two years after the fire, Maui survivors are still facing challenges with housing, insurance, FEMA assistance, building permits and a laundry list of other obstacles. As HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports, under the surface, many are fighting an invisible battle — one that’s harder to talk about. -
This week marks two years since the 2023 wildfires that burned the town of Lahaina and parts of upcountry Maui. Throughout the week, we’ll share special stories and community voices — starting with a community project to plant native species above Lahaina. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol brings us the story about a place where hope and healing are taking root. -
A contentious bill that would phase out about half of Maui’s vacation rentals took a big step toward passage Thursday. The committee’s vote came after eight meetings of public hearings and deliberations. HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol has the latest. -
Using grazing animals to help with fire prevention isn’t a new solution, but on Maui, goats are helping with the task. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol reports that a recent partnership between Hawaiian Electric and Surfing Goat Dairy has highlighted the goats’ abilities — and appetite. -
Six Maui County businesses got a boost through a grant contest. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol shares more from the top winner.
