Latest News from Big Island Times

The Judiciary has taken steps to increase accessibility to menstrual products by installing dispensers in restrooms at two additional facilities.

Kaua‘i District Health Office invites public to National Public Health Week open house

The Kaua‘i District Health Office (KDHO) of the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) is set to observe National Public Health Week 2025 by hosting an open house.

Hawai'i Department of Health closes Hilo restaurant for repeated food safety violations

The Hawai‘i Department of Health (DOH) Food Safety Branch has issued a red "closed" placard to Hiro’s Place in Hilo following several repeated food safety violations.

Ramen Bones reopens in Kahului following pest control measures

The Hawai‘i Department of Health's Maui Food Safety Branch has reopened Ramen Bones after a follow-up inspection on March 27, 2025.

Lawmakers press HUD Secretary Turner to reinstate civil servants following field office cuts

Senators Mazie K. Hirono and Alex Padilla, alongside U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver and over 100 Democratic colleagues in Congress, have issued a letter to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner, expressing their...

Chief Justice Recktenwald appoints Sonya Toma as Maui family court judge

Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald has appointed Sonya H. Toma to a judicial position in the District Family Court of the Second Circuit, covering Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi.

Visitor spending rose in February 2025, despite decline in visitor numbers

According to initial figures from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), Hawai‘i saw an increase in visitor numbers and spending in February 2025.

Senators urge hearings on alleged mishandling of military information by Trump administration

U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono and 15 Senate colleagues have called for hearings to investigate the alleged mishandling of classified military operations information by members of former President Trump's national security team.

Hawai‘i DCCA issues alert on 23andMe bankruptcy and consumer rights

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) of Hawai‘i has issued a consumer alert following the bankruptcy filing by 23andMe, a company offering direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

Māla Boat Ramp dredging begins March 31; completion expected by September

Dredging work at Māla Boat Ramp in Maui is set to commence on March 31, 2025, with an anticipated completion by late September of the same year.

Hirono leads condemnation against Trump's move to dismantle Department of Education

U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, alongside Senator Adam Schiff and 17 other colleagues, has introduced a resolution condemning President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education.

Senators oppose Trump's immigration registration policy revival

U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, along with Senator Ed Markey and seven other senators, has expressed strong opposition to the Trump administration's plan to reinstate an immigration registration requirement.

Lawmakers push resolution to advance Equal Rights Amendment

U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, representing Hawaii, has joined forces with fellow lawmakers to reintroduce a bipartisan resolution aimed at advancing the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).

Hirono leads inquiry into Trump officials' use of unsecured chat for military planning

U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, along with 13 other senators, has addressed a letter to President Donald Trump concerning the use of an unsecured group chat by senior administration officials for military planning.

Hawai‘i State Commission on Fatherhood announces 2025 awards and sponsorship opportunities

The Hawai‘i State Commission on Fatherhood (HS-COF) has announced its 2025 awards and sponsorship opportunities.

Grant supports Native Hawaiian businesses at 2025 Merrie Monarch Festival

The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) in Hawaii has announced that its Community-Based Economic Development (CBED) Program is awarding an $8,000 grant to the Institute for Native Pacific Education and Culture...

Attorneys general challenge Trump's plan to dismantle Department of Education