Kauaʻi

Kauaʻi County Mayor Derek Kawakami spoke with The Conversation about some of the priorities he outlined in his State of the County address last week. He, along with the other three mayors, gives an annual address on how he plans to keep the county humming.

For close to three decades, Pacific Biodiesel has been plugging away in Hawaiʻi, using crops for fuel and recycling cooking oil waste from restaurants. The Conversation caught up with co-founder Kelly King to talk about the company's expansion to Kauaʻi.

Each Hawaiʻi mayor gives an annual State of the County address in March. Housing, infrastructure, jobs, education and tourism consistently remain top of mind for the local leaders. HPR reporters have been tuning into this year's speeches on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island to learn the latest.

Mayor Derek Kawakami focused on making Kauaʻi and its residents more resilient in his State of the County address. He shared his plans for infrastructure upgrades, retaining county workers, preparing for disasters and more. HPR's Mark Ladao has more.

A traditional Hawaiian fishpond on Kauaʻi's north shore is now permanently in the hands of the community. This is welcome news to generations of Hanalei families who pushed back against resort development more than 40 years ago. HPR's Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi reports.

The Kauaʻi Fire Department said Tuesday an aircraft operated by Jack Harter Helicopters crashed at Honopū Beach on the Nāpali Coast, which is a rugged stretch of Kauaʻi that is only accessible by hiking, kayaking or aerial tour.

The online website allows the public to report real-time sightings of the invasive birds that devastate local crops and upset the ecological balance of the island.

The next chancellor of Kauaʻi Community College is down to four candidates. The finalists are set to participate in a final round of interviews, which includes a series of public forums beginning this Thursday. HPR’s Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi has more.

A salt patch on the island of Kauaʻi is one of the last remaining in all of Hawaiʻi. Salt makers from 22 Native Hawaiian families gather here in the summer months to do the hard work of making paʻakai, or Hawaiian salt.

The Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative posted on social media that they lost generation at Port Allen around 2 p.m., which led to the island-wide outage.