Hawaii News

This is the Big Island volcano’s third eruption this year, and all three happened in different parts of the mountain — the Southwest Rift Zone, East Rift Zone and now the summit caldera. The last time eruptions happened in all of these areas in the same year was 50 years ago!

Taro officially becomes the state plant, the definition of ‘beer’ gets expanded and more. Take a look at those laws and others that will go on the books Jan. 1 as the Hawai‘i Legislature gears up for its 2025 session, which starts Jan. 15.

Polynesian Voyaging Society prepares to mark 5 decades of legendary iconic traditional double-hulled voyaging canoe reviving the Hawaiian culture, advocating for the environment and renewing a connection to the Earth and ocean.

Benefits of receiving a National Heritage Area designation include economic development opportunities, environmental restoration, quality of life improvement and more. The bicameral legislation passed the U.S. House on Dec. 4 and the U.S. Senate on Dec. 16 before being sent to the president’s desk.

“Inflation of the summit following the shutdown indicates that a resumption in activity is possible in the coming days, but not certain,” said Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in its daily Kīlauea update just after 9:30 a.m. today.

The volunteer bird counters also helped set and replenish traps that help keep predators like rats, cats and mongoose away from the birds.

Vigorous fountaining from vents in the southwest corner of Halemaʻmaʻu Crater within Kaluapele, the volcano’s summit caldera, rapidly died down a few minutes just before 11 a.m. Lava then began draining back into tthe vent at nearly the same time summit tiltmeters started recording a change from deflation to inflation.

U.S. officials granted Claus and his team a special transit permit Monday. Don’t forget you can track the Big Man in Red’s every move, too, with NORAD’s official Santa Tracker or even on Google this year.

Fountaining of lava began to increase in vigor by about 11 a.m. today, signaling the onset of the second episode of the eruption, which started early Monday within and remains confined to the volcano’s summit caldera and downdropped block.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports that at about 3 p.m. today, tilt at the summit stopped showing deflation and seismic tremor began decreasing. By 3:30 p.m., lava fountains were barely visible, and by 4 p.m. fountaining had stopped and seismic tremor was close to background levels. Visible volcanic gas emissions also decreased significantly.

A study commissioned by the Hawai’i Seaglider Initiative has found that 78% of Hawai’i residents support the introduction of an interisland sea glider service, according to an announcement.

The Hawai‘i Department of Taxation has updated its income tax withholding tables to reflect upcoming changes in a new state law.

Gov. Josh Green proclaimed 2024 “Makahiki o nā Manu Nahele: Year of the Forest Birds,” but it was complicated with troubling declines and new rays of hope.

After the review process, the information is ready to be shared and can support decision-making, raise community awareness and increase knowledge and understanding of our volcanic environment.

Plant quarantine inspectors with the Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture trapped an opossum overnight at a big-box store in Iwilei. This marks the third opossum that has been captured on Oʻahu this year. The storage container where the opossum was trapped was not used for shipping.

The National Wildlife Federation photo contest judged images from 3,200 photographers.

Chondria tumulosa was discovered 2,000 miles away form the national marine monument, leading to question whether the alga has spread across the North Pacific or has been established.

The Rainbow Legacy Scholarship application is still open for LGBTQIA and MVPFAFF+ youth planning a secondary education.

The new interactive online resource is more than a collection of data about the quality of life and well-being of Hawaiʻi’s residents — a researcher and University of Hawaiʻi educator says it’s a call to action to tackle the state’s most pressing challenges.

Total requests for general funds amount to $10.4 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $10.5 billion in fiscal year 2027, which will be used to create a safer, more affordable Hawaiʻi.