Community

Family, friends and their fellow brothers in blue gathered to celebrate and honor the contributions of the officers to community safety and dedication to serving Kaua‘i as they step into new leadership positions.

Residents, businesses and other organizations can bring unwanted or unneeded items for reuse — including clothing, small furniture, children’s toys, books and shoes — from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to the Kaua‘i Resource Center, located at 3460 Ahukini Road.

The collection event on Jan. 18 is part of a statewide drive to improve the vision of people around the world.

As a fresh start to the new year, Hawaiʻi State Federal Credit Union has several upcoming free online eudcation opportunities to get your questions answered and support your financial goals.

Phase 1 seed funding totaling $400,000 from the Hawaiʻi Film and Creative Industries Development Fund will be used to support local filmmakers, media makers and content creators with the goal of growing Hawai‘i-made media content to be licensed and distributed worldwide.

Aria Labrador entered the world on the night of Jan. 1.

In 2025, Mālama Kauaʻi plans to grow farm-to-school efforts, keep food distribution programs operating and develop programming to provide land access to beginning farmers.

The Kaua‘i Historical Society is celebrating “Mu‘umu‘u Month” with a slate of events beginning on Jan. 3.

“The class is not your typical classroom experience; it’s a transformative journey for high school students to explore their role as change-makers in the fight against climate change,” said Kaua‘i County Office of Economic Development Director Nalani Brun.

Dreamland Skateparks, a family-owned business, has constructed public and private facilities throughout the world and now will build two on Kauaʻi.

Hoʻōla Nā Pua (New Life for Our Children), which has offices and provides services and programs on the Garden Isle, is committed to preventng sex trafficking throughout Hawaiʻi while providing care for girls who have been exploited.

The member services and communications manager at Kauaʻi Island Utility Coopeative oversees internal and external communications and services to more than 33,000 residential and commercial members. Her position includes community engagement and service projects, grants and legislative priorities.

About 300 Kaua‘i teenagers, some of whom graduated high school during production, worked to create “Too Much Life.”

First West Kauaʻi Mo‘olelo Festival kicks off evening of celebration Saturday, including a showing of the short film “Aletha,” which debuted at the 2024 Hawai‘i International Film Festival and in which Aletha Goodwin Kaohi shares lessons from her 93 years of life in Waimea in the final days before her death.

Kaua‘i Police Department, Target, Friends of the Children’s Justice Center, other first responder agencies on Garden Isle, along with partners including Child Welfare Services, YWCA Kaua‘i and Kaua‘i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, become ‘Heroes and Helpers’ again this year

More than 100 Early College program participants, including students from Kapaʻa, received a full-day campus visit Monday, which included classes, tours and workshops during Chaminade’s Early College Summit.

“We thank all of you who accepted the challenge to contribute to the future success of the Kaua‘i Fire Department and [Kaua‘i County] Ocean Safety Bureau,” said Gibson. “These men maintain high morale and integrity, and our department is better because of that. When they learn together and train together, they reinforce each other. Everyone around them becomes better.”

The Brothers Cazimero emerged during the Hawaiian Renaissance of the 1970s to tour the globe for decades.

With 2024 coming to a close, Kaua‘i Now is looking back at some of the top stories that this year shaped the Garden Island.

Kaua’i County Parks and Recreation announces tennis and basketball courts at park will be closed through Jan. 24, 2025, as project progresses, weather permitting.