Big Island

Ranches Cover A Fifth Of Hawaiʻi. Extreme Drought Is Clouding Their Future Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

Ranches Cover A Fifth Of Hawaiʻi. Extreme Drought Is Clouding Their Future

Big Island ranches stand out for their commitment to grass-fed beef. As climate changes, they are offloading more calves to the mainland.

Will Bailey: The Everyday Reality Of Living Off The Grid In Puna Will Bailey/Civil Beat/2025

Will Bailey: The Everyday Reality Of Living Off The Grid In Puna

There’s no trash pickup or mail service and sometimes no power. But there’s plenty of rainwater if you can catch it.

Big Island Chief Forced Out After Trying To Withdraw Resignation

Big Island Chief Forced Out After Trying To Withdraw Resignation

UPDATED: Hawaiʻi County police commissioners said the chief had lost trust with the community after prematurely submitting his resignation and expressing interest in the Honolulu interim chief job.

Will Bailey: Puna’s Long Wait After Lava Cut Off Pohoiki Boat Ramp Kevin Dayton/Civil Beat/2020

Will Bailey: Puna’s Long Wait After Lava Cut Off Pohoiki Boat Ramp

The state has finally started dredging, but it shouldn’t have taken this long to restore a heartbeat of the community.

Lee Cataluna: Ben Moszkowicz Promises He’ll Never Do It Again Tim Wright/Civil Beat/2024

Lee Cataluna: Ben Moszkowicz Promises He’ll Never Do It Again

The Big Island police chief may have done too much damage to his relationship with the community.

Plan For Plastic Recycling Plant Alarms Big Island Officials, Residents Alicia Lou/Civil Beat/2022

Plan For Plastic Recycling Plant Alarms Big Island Officials, Residents

A Hawaiʻi County commission calls for a pause in the project until the state establishes rules regulating discharge of micro- and nanoplastics.

Preparing The Elderly For Disaster: Efforts Are Finally Picking Up in Hawaiʻi Jeremy Hay/Civil Beat/2025

Preparing The Elderly For Disaster: Efforts Are Finally Picking Up in Hawaiʻi

Resilience hubs like those pioneered on the Big Island are seen as a possible model for the rest of the state.

Hawaiʻi Wants More Geothermal Power Plants But Doesn’t Yet Know Where Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat

Hawaiʻi Wants More Geothermal Power Plants But Doesn’t Yet Know Where

The state must spend millions to see if more electricity can be produced using heat deep under the earth. And it will have to convince residents to support such an effort.

Hawaiʻi Needs New Tech To Clean Up Old Bombs Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2020

Hawaiʻi Needs New Tech To Clean Up Old Bombs

Magnetic detection can only go so far in an island chain made of volcanic rock. Experts say other methods could be a game-changer.