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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Fire debris cleanup is still ongoing, and amid the many losses, the Lahaina Restoration Foundation just discovered what they call a “bright light.” HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol reports on the miraculous find. -
We've heard that a lot of Maui residents have moved off the island in the wake of the 2023 wildfires. Officials previously believed that number to be in the thousands, but HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol brings us the latest estimates from researchers. -
Starting next month, Maui renters can be evicted for not making payment — circumstances that had been previously protected following the wildfires. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol explains. -
There’s trouble on the interisland airline front again as Mokulele Airlines has temporarily halted flights this week. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol has more. -
Two Lahaina boat captains who lost their business in the fire have just reopened their new charter boat for whale watching tours. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol reports they're offering free seats to fire survivors. -
Bargaining teams from Maui Health/Kaiser Permanente and United Nurses and Health Care Employees of Hawaii representing more than 900 workers on Maui and Lānaʻi have come to an agreement on a historic new contract that was ratified this week by union members. -
Educational partnerships on Moloka’i are allowing more homegrown medical workers to pursue their careers while staying on island. HPR’s Catherine Cluett Pactol has more. -
The temporary classroom units of King Kamehameha III Elementary campus are now covered with colorful murals, in a collaboration that involved artists and students. -
In the November election, former South Maui Councilmember Kelly King lost to incumbent Tom Cook by just 97 votes. King and a group of 30 voters filed a lawsuit challenging the results. This week, the Hawai’i Supreme Court upheld the election results and denied King's request for a new election. -
After spending months preparing, Maui County established a special program office within the Office of Recovery to oversee the management and use of the funds.
