Kauai News

The double-hulled traditional voyaging canoes spent 4 meaningful and emotional days this week in the French Polynesian community that included a powerful homecoming ceremony, activities to support vulnerable youth and a Vaʻa Symposium.

Lane closure schedules can change at any time without notice. All projects are weather permitting. Check to see if any of the planned closures will impact your commute during the next week.

This year’s Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response survey collected valuable data from a total of 186 completed interviews about island residents’ basic household demographics, emergency supplies, concerns about climate change impacts, infectious disease awarness and concerns as well as general health and well-being.

Kaua‘i voters approved a Kaua‘i County Charter amendment in 2024 that allows junior and senior high school students to become members of county boards and commissions, creating new opportunities for youth involvement in local government.

Lifeguards will now reassess the situation July 12; if there are no other shark sightings, the beach will reopen to ocean activities. This marks three sharks sighted in the bay in 2 days.

Unlocked vehicles and valuables left in plain sight are involved in many of the incidents. Police say common targets include electronics, wallets, purses and other easily seen items.

In 1965, NASA officially contracted a 23-acre site in Waimea from the State of Hawai’i for its Kōkeʻe Park Geophysical Observatory, and has operated from there ever since. 

Hawaiʻi Department of Health — working with national, state and county traffic safety partners — developed and launched the Vision Zero Hawaiʻi initiative to assert that commitment to the public and raise awareness about how residents with a shared vision can help.

While it is challenging that a small portion of the Kīlauea monitoring network is impacted by the ongoing summit eruption, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory says maintaining the network during eruptions comes with the job when it’s monitoring one of the most active volcanoes on Earth.

Aimed at strengthening oversight, transparency and accountability of immigration enforcement,the Visible Identification Standards for Immigration-Based Law Enforcement, or VISIBLE, Act of 2025 would require immigration enforcement officers to display clearly visible identification during public enforcement actions.

The resort and spa located near Poʻipū on the South Shore awarded $3,500 scholarships to 14 employees and their children this year to help with their pursuits of academic and professional goals.

“Today, we are re-envisioning the path forward in the roadmap of wildfire prevention and recovery,” Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green said. “We are taking action from both ends of the wildfire spectrum — building a more robust fire prevention framework within the state and enacting historic legislation that will aid in timely access to compensation following disaster.”

It will be the third observatory decommissioned under University of Hawaiʻi’s Maunakea Comprehensive Management Plan, following Caltech Submillimeter Observatory and University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s Hōkū Keʻa Observatory, both completed in 2024.

Drivers should plan accordingly, allow extra travel time if driving through the work areas and avoid parking in the work zones.

A pump motor at the Maka Ridge Pump Station failed April 4, affecting a 250,000-gallon water storage tank; a resulting water conservation request for the Hanalei and ʻAnini Beach areas was lifted and pump fixed last weekend, 3 months later.

The state is inspecting local stores to ensure that the recalled products are no longer available for sale.

The theme of year’s events “Holomua: Riding the Waves of Change” invites guests of the Poʻipū shopping and dining destination to reflect on the past while celebrating Kaua‘i’s rich plantation heritage through storytelling, music and culinary experiences.

The first event is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to nooon July 14 in Kaumakani. The second is slated for later this summer in Waimea. “By coming together as neighbors and staying informed, we can help protect each other,” Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami said.

Message boards are posted along Kaumualiʻi Highway in both directions to remind motorists about the closure.

Contribute to the county’s long-term planning efforts with three more public workshops planned for the East Kauaʻi Community and Circulation Plan.