Local Media Publications

Lihue Airport has needed fixing for years, and most people who fly to or from Kauai already knew that. After the 2022 master plan collapsed amid community resistance to added gates and expansion, the state Department of Transportation has returned with something narrower and harder to object to.

Kauai’s only rescue helicopter flew into Kalalau twice in two days. Thursday, a 46-year-old from California. Friday, a 63-year-old from New York. Same trail. Same helicopter. Two days apart during a very busy spring break period.

The Kauai Poke Fest became the only festival in Hawaii to be recognized this year as one of the best in the U.S. “This recognition reflects how much Kauai Poke Fest has grown each year,” said Aaron Bambling, general manager of Koloa Landing Resort. “What started as a celebration of Hawaii’s most iconic dish has quickly become a nationally-recognized culinary event.”

Chuck Norris, 86, was reportedly hospitalized at Wilcox Medical Center in Lihue after a medical emergency on Kauai this week. Norris owns a home on the island’s North Shore. Most visitors do not think about this until something goes wrong. Kauai has medical care, but the system is less robust than many travelers assume.

About 40,000 years ago, the first Pritchardia (fan palm)seed arrived on Hawaiian shores, carried by bird or ocean currents from a distant Pacific island. Over time, this single ancestral introduction evolved into over 20 distinct species of endemic loulu. As Hawaiʻi’s only native palm, loulu is featured in numerous Hawaiian chants and legends.

Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife seeks community feedback on a proposed fencing project to protect an additional 2,400 acres of the Alakaʻi Wilderness Preserve on Kauaʻi.

Windward Oahu resident Jim Anthony credits the coconut for his ability to stay sharp at the ripe age of 91. He has some body aches and pains, he said, but coconut water is “vital” for his kidney function and has kept him mentally sharp...But now, the invasive coconut rhinoceros beetle has put that vital food source at risk.

Summer travel to Hawaiʻi has always been expensive. Let’s face it. That was understood, budgeted for, and often tolerated because the trip still felt worth it once you got here. What changed this year is that summer pricing crossed a line where the numbers no longer make sense for many visitors who once came routinely in summer.

Researchers discovered that Hawaiian monk seals use a surprisingly complex range of underwater sounds, including new call types never documented before. The findings could transform how scientists monitor and protect this endangered species in an increasingly noisy ocean.

Respected Kauaʻi cultural practitioner, educator, community leader and star of the Apple TV+ series “Chief of War” Kaina Makua will be the keynote speaker for Toastmasters District 49 2026 Annual Conference and International Speech Contest this spring on Oʻahu.