Stories by Jessica Else

Music to their ears

The youngsters at Bandwagon Institute for the Arts got a surprise on Tuesday afternoon: 20 boxes filled with brand new gear and instruments.

An extreme future

New research out of the University of Hawaii forecasts more frequent and extreme El Niño events, and that could mean more unpredictable rainfall, hurricane activity, sea-surface temperatures and changes in sea levels around Hawaii.

The business of climate change

LIHUE — The sea level is predicted to rise at least 3.2 feet by the end of the century, and it’s already impacting coastal areas in Hawaii, as the ground beneath highways and shoreline buildings starts to erode.

Free to fly

LYDGATE — Island School students River Summer and Xochitl Morales-Widner said they thought it would be cool to someday release a shearwater.

BYOB-ulk container

KAPAA — Single-use plastics come in all shapes and sizes and in the effort to reduce the amount of plastic going into landfills and the environment, grocers are developing a new strategy: BYOB.

Peace, Love and Transformation

Shrin Hunt has a heart as sweet as her name and a fire as spicy as the pepper sauce she slings out of the Tropical Tacos kitchen and sells at retailers islandwide.

Farm-to-everywhere

LIHUE — Hawaii is leading the nation in the effort to serve farm-fresh food in school lunches, according to research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Farm to School Network.

Ready for rain

It’s going to be a rainy wet season across Hawaii, and Hanalei could be looking at potential flooding throughout the season.

Dangerous times

KILAUEA — Kauai is coming up on peak fledging season for the endangered Newell’s shearwater and other seabirds, and that means it’s peak fallout season, too.

Southwest on the way

LIHUE — In less than a month Hawaii travelers will have another option for inter-sland travel with Southwest Airlines firing up the first routes two months earlier than planned.

‘When in doubt, throw it out’

LIHUE — Your recycling could be ending up in the landfill if you’re not sorting it right when you drop it off, and a new sign on the Kauai Recycles green drop bins is now reminding the public: “when in doubt throw it out.

Making strides in renewable energy

Hawaii has landed on a new list of states making big strides in renewable energy, tying with Vermont at number 14 on the list that looks at state policies and incentives as well as carbon emissions and renewable energy production.

More space for humpbacks

More of the Pacific Ocean could be designated as critical habitat for three populations of endangered humpback whales, potentially protecting the migrating mammals from things like gear entanglement and boat strikes.

Westside farmers market accepts EBT

WAIMEA — You can now use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) cards for local produce at the Westside Hale Puna farmers market.

‘Hawaii’s coral reefs are dying’

LIHUE — The Trump administration caught another lawsuit as a strong marine heat wave is starting to impact Hawaii’s coral reefs, including reports of coral bleaching on Kauai.

Closing the cesspools

LIHUE — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced the closure of five illegal cesspools in Hawaii in 2019, part of ongoing action to replace all cesspools in the state by the year 2050.