Hawaiian Electric reports 3,431 customers are without power as of 11:30 a.m. The outage area is along Palani Road toward the intersection north on Highway 190 in the Makalei area. Crews from the power company are responding. Hawaiian Electric spokesperson Kristen Okinaka said restoration may take longer than usual due to the wildfire safety procedures. An estimated time of restoration was not provided as crews are still investigating the cause of the outage. The cable and internet company Spectrum is also reporting an outage in the area and estimates restoration of service to be 1:30 p.m ..read more

Hilo Today: Partly sunny. Numerous showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 76 to 82 near the shore to around 66 at 4000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent. Tonight: Mostly cloudy with occasional showers. Lows 64 to 70 near the shore to around 55 at 4000 feet. Southwest winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80 percent. Saturday: Mostly cloudy with numerous showers. Highs 75 to 82 near the shore to around 66 at 4000 feet. South winds up to 10 mph shifting to the east in the afternoon. Chance of rain 70 percent. Kona Today: Mostly sunny in the mo ..read more

Forecast for Big Island Windward and Southeast Shores Today Saturday Surf Surf AM PM AM PM North Facing 1-3 1-3 1-3 1-3 East Facing 4-6 4-6 3-5 3-5 South Facing 2-4 2-4 1-3 1-3 TODAY Weather Partly sunny. Numerous showers. High Temperature Around 80. Winds East winds 5 to 10 mph. Tides Hilo Bay Low -0.3 feet 09:46 AM HST. High 2.4 feet 05:16 PM HST. Sunrise 5:54 AM HST. Sunset 6:42 PM HST. TONIGHT Weather Mostly cloudy. Occasional showers. Low Temperature In the upper 60s. Winds Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Tides Hilo Bay Low 0.7 ..read more

Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. This week’s article is by HVO geologist and GIS analyst Mike Zoeller. The production of maps to track the progress of ongoing eruptions has long been part of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) mission to inform the public about volcanic hazards in Hawaii. The methods used to collect, interpret, and disseminate map data have been evolving ever since HVO’s founding in 1912, and a digital tool newly available to the public continues that legacy o ..read more

A Volcano man is dead after being struck by a vehicle while walking along Highway 11. Hawai‘i Island police responded to the crash at 12:25 p.m. on Thursday where a 52-year-old man, driving north on Highway 11 in a 2012 Chevy pickup, reportedly hit a 44-year-old man at the Ali‘i Koa intersection. Multiple witnesses confirmed the pedestrian was standing by the stop sign before running into the road in front of the pickup truck. The pedestrian was located unresponsive at the scene of the collision. He was transported to Hilo Medical Center and pronounced dead at 4:17 p.m. An autopsy has been ord ..read more

Hawai’i Island police are investigating a traffic crash that lead to the closure of Akoni Pule Highway for three hours near Kawaihae Harbor on Wednesday. Responding to a 2:30 p.m. call, police determined that a 2001 Peterbilt dump truck was traveling west on Akoni Pule Highway near the three-mile marker, when the driver lost control of the truck, veered off of the roadway, struck a guardrail and overturned, spilling its load of asphalt. The driver of the dump truck was able to extricate himself from the truck.  He sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was treated and released at the ..read more

The Hawai‘i Police Department reports that a portion of Highway 11, also known as Volcano Road, is closed in Upper Puna near the transfer station in the vicinity of mile marker 24 due to a traffic accident. The road will be closed so police can conduct an investigation. Old Volcano Road may be used as an alternate route. More information will be provided as it becomes available ..read more

Hawai’i Island police is requesting the public’s help in locating an Ocean View man who is wanted for an outstanding bench warrant and also for questioning for a separate criminal investigation. The suspect, Jordan Blevins, 42, is 6 feet tall, 140 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. He is known to frequent the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates area. Blevins was scheduled to appear in court on March 25 to pay a $150 fine after pleading no contest to disorderly conduct. When he was a no-show, Kona District Court Judge Kimberly Tsuchiya issued a bench warrant for the 42-year-old’s arrest. The Hawai ..read more

Hawai’i Island police initiated an unattended death investigation after human remains were discovered on a property located in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision. On Tuesday, shortly before 12:40 p.m., detectives assigned to the Area II Criminal Investigations Section responded to a property located on the 92-8700 block of Lotus Blossom Lane for a report of a decomposed body on the property. When they arrived, officers determined the body found was a male and injuries were suspicious. Due to the body being in advanced stages of decomposition, the identity of the male and the exact cau ..read more

Authorities are investigating an assault that resulted in the death of an Ocean View man. The incident occurred on April 14 when Hawai‘i Island police were dispatched at 6:30 p.m. to a property located on the 92-8300 block of Koa Lane for a report of an unknown type of disturbance. After receiving the initial call, police dispatch received a second call from the same area regarding an unresponsive male possibly suffering from a medical condition. When Ka‘ū patrol officers arrived on scene they made contact with a woman, 53, of Ocean View, who reported she was assaulted by her neighbor, Melissa ..read more