Hawaii County

HILO, Hawaii — Big Island residents whose homes were destroyed by the 2018 eruption of the Kilauea volcano will get an opportunity to sell the properties through a federally funded recovery program.

Supporters of the Honua Ola Bioenergy company held a rally Monday in an attempt to ward off an order that could permanently stop construction of the firm's long-delayed power plant on Hawaii Island.

Doctors traveling to Hawaiʻi to in state hospitals on the Big Island will now be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test to begin work.

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii — The mayor of Hawaii County has said the state will not be ready to reopen to tourists Sept. 1 or accept university students from outside the state by Aug. 24.

HILO — Three former Big Island jail guards pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting an inmate and lying about it, Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Thursday.

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii — Hawaii County's mayor has issued new guidance enabling short term vacation rentals to begin operating again following a forced closure resulting from the coronavirus outbreak, but said the rule applies only to renters not subject to mandatory 14-day quarantines.

HONOLULU — A group of 21 travelers arrested on suspicion of violating Hawaii's coronavirus quarantine order has agreed to leave the state because of threats from residents, a member of the group said Monday.

A judge has imposed a $260 fine on one of three fisherman in Hawaii who was accused of violating the state's ban on aquarium fishing and recovered an illegal catch worth more than $37,000 in February, court officials said.

Last updated: 5/27/2020

Information -- it's inoculation against the anxiety that can take hold as COVID-19 spreads, jobs are lost and lives are frayed. Hawai‘i Public Radio is compiling resources and information to help the community deal with the hurdles ahead as we navigate life during a pandemic.

Updated: 5/7/2020, 12:06 p.m.

Hawaii legislative leaders announced today that lawmakers will convene on Monday to deal with a projected $1 billion budget shortfall in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim has confirmed he plans to seek another term in office.

HILO, Hawaii — The Hawaii County Council has accepted a $5.3 million agreement with the state for reimbursement of law enforcement overtime costs during demonstrations against the Big Island giant telescope project.

Counties around Hawai’i have closed public gathering spaces as confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to rise. But one county remains an exception.

See yesterday’s updates: Hawaii schools closed until April 7, Kauai imposes a curfew, Maui and Honolulu close dine-in.

Updated: 3/19/20, 7:00 p.m.

House Speaker Scott Saiki, calling the response to the pandemic "utterly chaotic," implored Gov. David Ige to shut down the state for 15 days.

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii — Multiple road construction projects in Hawaii could start sooner under a $103 million bond measure advanced by a county council committee.

HILO, Hawaii — The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Hawaii County agreed on an $82 million damage assessment to be used to repair roads inundated by lava during a massive volcanic eruption.

KAILUA-KONA — Hawaii County's mayor has made public a $625.9 million budget proposal for the next fiscal year that includes a $7.8 million increase in retirement benefits for county employees.

HILO — The Puna Geothermal Venture power plant is expected to restart operations in the second half of 2020, later than a previous estimate, according to its owner.

HILO — The Solid Waste Advisory Committee in Hawaii has proposed a plan that includes 82 waste management recommendations covering nine programs.

HILO, Hawaii — The mayor of Hawaii County has identified six legislative priorities ahead of a scheduled meeting with all four county mayors to begin the regular legislative session.

HILO — The Hawaii County Council fell one vote short of overriding a mayoral veto of a bill to ban the use of herbicides on county property.

A revised contract between Hawaiian Electric and Puna Geothermal Venture could lower power bills for Big Island residents.