Honolulu rail construction uncovers a historic 1800s Chinatown structure beneath Nimitz Highway, which archaeologists documented before it was paved over.

Honolulu rail workers dug up a hidden piece of Chinatown's past — then paved over it

Honolulu rail construction uncovers a historic 1800s Chinatown structure beneath Nimitz Highway, which archaeologists documented before it was paved over.

hawaiinewsnow.com

Queen Kaʻahumanu, after converting to Protestantism, ordered the 224-acre Ka Punahou tract in Makiki to be given to missionaries, who established a boarding school. The academy still stands today, needing no introduction as Punahou School.

Jeta: Unifying Makiki’s Unspoken Creative Culture

To recognize what is already growing, sometimes we just need to look a little closer.

civilbeat.org

“We’re thrilled to be able to bring the story of our ancestors, first of all,” said playwright Jackie Pualani Johnson. “But the most important thing is that the script was developed through the words of people who actually lived through this experience and their descendants.”

‘Chegamos’: New play explores story of Portuguese immigrants in Hawaii

The play by Jackie Pualani Johnson captures the struggles, hardships and triumphs of early Portuguese immigrants in Hawaii.

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Nate Rouette and his brother Nelson went shark fishing on Cape Cod hoping for an exciting catch, but were shocked by what they reeled in -- a tropical species of shark with a reputation for eating everything it can swallow.

Tiger shark caught off Massachusetts could be sign of warming waters

Nate Rouette and his brother Nelson went shark fishing on Cape Cod hoping for an exciting catch, but were shocked by what they reeled in.

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"Our research shows that Hawaiian corals may be exposed to unprecedented human-induced heat stress in the coming decades,” said study lead author Kate Feloy. “However, our results also provide some surprising hope that Hawaiian corals may be able to adapt to increasing temperatures.”

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa oceanographers find Hawaiian corals can possibly adapt to future heat stress | Big Island Now

Researchers used high-resolution modeling that includes small-scale processes to examine projected heat stress on coral reefs during the 21st century.

bigislandnow.com

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recognized Oahu’s public transit system’s use of innovation and technology. Skyline was recognized for having the first driverless public transit in the U.S. The APTA gives out yearly awards for the public transportation industry.

Honolulu Skyline wins national innovation award

Skyline was recognized by the American Public Transportation Association for having the first driverless public transit in the U.S.

hawaiinewsnow.com

Trout need cool water to survive, but record heat this summer has driven water temperatures to lethal levels for fish. Wildlife officials are banning fishing during certain hours on rivers and streams across the U.S. West, following an exceptionally dry winter and amid widespread drought...

Fishing closures are becoming routine as record heat warms rivers in the US West

Trout need cool water to survive. But record heat this summer has driven water temperatures to levels that can kill fish.

apnews.com

It’s been almost 20 years since Argentina launched what was at the time the world’s first attempt at reintroducing the giant anteater to a landscape it had disappeared from. 19 years later, the local population grew from 0 to around 200 individuals.

The World's First Giant Anteater Reintroduction Appears to Be Succeeding in Brazil

19 years later, and the initiative has been nothing if not successful, with the local population growing from 0 to around 200 individuals.

goodnewsnetwork.org

The whale was first reported Tuesday off Kaanapali. Witnesses described the young whale repeatedly swimming back and forth near a jetty, behavior they said appeared unusual. “It just seemed really distressed, and it was sad, very sad,” Maui resident Robin Cynar said.

Researchers investigate lone humpback whale spotted off Maui

Researchers are working to determine whether a lone whale is an orphaned calf whose mother died off Molokai earlier this month or a young whale that failed to migrate north.

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"The only thing that runs in the forest in nature is food, food for a predator,” Sarah Bruce, a park ranger at Katmai, said. “I think that there is some of those basic instincts at play here where it’s like, ‘This thing is running from me, therefore it is probably something that I can eat,’ and ..."

Female brown bear seen killing and eating spring cub at national park

A female brown bear was caught on camera killing and eating a spring cub at an Alaskan national park.

hawaiinewsnow.com

I looked at what was available on Uber Eats and was pleased to find that Chogajip opens at 8 am - unusual for a Korean restaurant. Bibimbap looked good, but Bulgogi Bibimbap looked even better. I placed my order and resumed working, occasionally checking on the progress of the delivery...

Raymond K.'s review of Chogajip

I've been trying to improve my diet, in increments, when eating away from home. Depending on where…

yelp.com

The first bon dance in Hawaii is believed to have taken place at a plantation in Wainaku on Hawaiʻi Island, shortly after the arrival of the first large group of Japanese immigrants, known as gannenmono. “They left their families, and their familiar way of life to journey across the Pacific ..."

Obon season highlights legacy of early Japanese immigrants in Hawaii

Obon was officially introduced to Hawaii in the late 19th century by early Japanese immigrants working on the sugarcane and pineapple plantations.

hawaiinewsnow.com

My artist name “Jeta” is a portmanteau combining the first two letters of my first and last names. Calling these islands home eventually led to my exodus from tech and into a second life as an artist. Since embracing this new identity, I have healed in ways that a lifetime of talk therapy ...

Jenny 'Jeta' Tang: The Artist They Told Me Not to Be

She found life in Silicon Valley tech unfulfilling, moved to Hawaiʻi, embraced her art and today launches a new column for Civil Beat.

civilbeat.org

The nonprofit Healthy Seas teamed up with Hyundai to recover tons of the tangled nets, and some of the fibers and plastic are being separated for recycling to become new floor mats in Hyundai cars. Now they’re bringing the mission to America, after years of working together in Europe and Korea.

Hyundai Partners with Healthy Seas to Turn Scourge ‘GhostNets’ into Floor Mats for Cars

GNN joined divers for Healthy Seas on a mission to collect “ghost nets” threatening wildlife on shipwreck near Catalina Island in California.

goodnewsnetwork.org

Researchers grew two short-grain rice varieties in Kapaa, Kauai, during the summer of 2025. The crops produced yields comparable to those in Japan and reached maturity in just 97 days—more than a month faster than crops grown in Tokyo.

New study explores reviving rice production in Hawaii

Researchers said establishing local rice production could play an important role in strengthening the state’s food security.

hawaiinewsnow.com

Officials confirmed that Hurricane Fausto is forecast to pass North of Hawaii Island late Monday or early Tuesday. A significant warning level surf is also forecast to begin later Sunday evening and expected to last through Wednesday.

Hurricane Fausto to pass north of Hawaii Island late Monday

Hurricane Fausto is expected to pass north of Hawaii Island by Tuesday, bringing significant high surf and potential flooding, prompting local officials to advise storm preparation.

kitv.com

With a wild population numbering as low as ten, the vaquita is perilously close to extinction—an outcome caused by their entanglement in gillnets, which are used to illegally catch another banned species for the international black market. Measuring a compact 5 feet in length, Phocoena sinus is ...

On Brink of Extinction, the Vaquita Porpoise is Being Preserved By Digital Image

The most endangered marine mammal on Earth, the vaquita porpoise is being preserved by digital scans free for all to study–or print–in 3D.

goodnewsnetwork.org

Kauaʻi’s native honeycreepers could disappear from the island by the end of the year unless emergency conservation efforts succeed, a state wildlife biologist told the Kauaʻi County Council earlier this month during a sobering briefing on the rapid collapse of several endemic bird populations.

State races to save Kauaʻi’s endangered forest birds through captive breeding and relocation | Kauai Now

A state wildlife biologist warned that Kauaʻi's iconic honeycreepers are at imminent risk of extinction by the end of the year unless urgent conservation efforts are implemented.

kauainownews.com

The daily roundtrip service picks up passengers in Waikīkī and Ko Olina and takes them to Waialua for one hour and Hale‘iwa for 2.5 hours, all for $5. There’s a small but simple catch: You need to show proof that you bought something at a local business to secure your ride back.

We Tried It: North Shore Huaka‘i Shuttle to Support Local Businesses

The new $5 roundtrip service to Waialua and Hale‘iwa brings people and dollars to spur economic recovery after the Kona low storms.

honolulumagazine.com

An assortment of design and construction problems on the Honolulu rail project may push back the opening date for the last segment of the 18.9-mile Skyline system by more than a year, to April of 2032, according to a report by an outside consultant that oversees the project for the FTA.

Another Delay For Honolulu Rail? The Timeline Appears To Be Slipping Again

A consultant that monitors the project for the Federal Transit Administration reports the entire rail line will probably open a year later than the city planned.

civilbeat.org

Maui’s Micah Diaz is climbing through the boxing ranks on an astronomical ascent. Last month, he won his fourth national championship at the USA Boxing Junior Olympics in the 101-pound weight class. The 14-year-old only stepped into the ring three and a half years ago.

Maui teen claims 4th national title at USA Boxing Junior Olympics

Maui’s Micah Diaz, 14, won his fourth national title at the USA Boxing Junior Olympics, taking the 101-pound crown and earning outstanding boxer honors.

hawaiinewsnow.com

Hele Rolls owners Jaz Milam and Kawai Lopez shared their small-batch baking and rotating flavors, which are set to be featured on the Food Network.

What’s Cooking: Local favorite Hele Rolls heads to Food Network

Hele Rolls owners Jaz Milam and Kawai Lopez shared their small-batch baking and rotating flavors, which are set to be featured on the Food Network.

hawaiinewsnow.com

The current forecast track has Fausto tracking just north of the islands sometime Tuesday into Wednesday. It is expected to be a tropical storm by that time, and could even be a remnant low. While the storm is expected to weaken, residents are urged to stay prepared and monitor updates as follows:

Residents urged to prepare as Hurricane Fausto approaches Hawaii

The current forecast track has Fausto tracking just north of the islands sometime Tuesday into Wednesday.

hawaiinewsnow.com

Caught on camera: a 300 strong humpback whale supergroup gathering to feed

Caught on camera: a 300 strong humpback whale supergroup gathering to feed

Caught on camera: a 300 strong humpback whale supergroup gathering to feed

apnews.com

“I’ve come to realize I was bamboozled by Russian propaganda and I came to believe a lot of untrue things about Ukraine. I used to think that this was a country full of Nazis,” Loomer told Zelenskyy as she interviewed him for her show on Rumble, an online video platform.

Exclusive: In a Ukrainian bomb shelter, Laura Loomer explains shift on Russia’s war

Laura Loomer became infamous for spreading conspiracy theories online. Now, as she travels across Ukraine to see the damage inflicted by Russia in its yearslong war, she wants to admit that she fell f...

apnews.com

“This study advances our understanding of the relationship between the gut microbiome and biological aging. We found that microbial patterns in the gut were significantly associated with molecular measures of aging, even independent of chronological age.”

New University of Hawaiʻi study finds gut bacteria tied to biological aging | Kauai Now

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers found certain gut bacteria are linked to how quickly the body ages, providing new insight into the connection between the gut, health and longevity.

kauainownews.com

Everette applied for a box at the Kurtistown post office, much closer to her home, when she moved to the area from California in 2020. She’s been waiting to hear back about an open space for six years. This scenario isn’t unusual in Puna, a place where many residents have told Civil Beat consis...

In Puna, It Takes Years To Get A Mail Box At The Post Office

In the fastest growing part of Hawai‘i, a post office box shortage has made voting, shopping online, accessing important paperwork and sending packages an ongoing challenge.

civilbeat.org

Hurricane Fausto is moving westward in the central North Pacific on a track that will take it close to Hawaii early next week. The National Hurricane Center said in data valid at 11 a.m. Friday, Fausto was 1,460 miles east of Hilo and was moving west at 15 miles per hour.

Hurricane Fausto moving westward on track toward Hawaii

The current forecast track keeps it slightly north of the islands Tuesday or Wednesday as a weakening tropical storm.

hawaiinewsnow.com

With Hurricane Fausto approaching and possibly reaching the islands early next week, Hawaiian Electric urges its customers to review their emergency plans, ensure they have supplies they need on hand and keep close watch on the development of the storm.

Hawaiian Electric monitoring Hurricane Fausto, preparing for possible impact | Big Island Now

Hawaiian Electric urges customers to take precautions as the hurricane approaches.

bigislandnow.com

The number of measles cases in the U.S. has surpassed the record-breaking tally for all of 2025, with five more months of 2026 still to come. The nation had 2,289 cases in 2025, the worst year for measles in more than three decades. Now, 2026 has easily become the U.S.’s worst year for measles ...

There are already more US measles cases this year than in all of 2025

The U.S. has surpassed 2025’s record for measles cases, with five months left in 2026. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday it has logged more than 2,300 cases of measles as...

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