Gov. Green announces progress on Kauaʻi: 72% of power restored; Infrastructure repairs continue

Gov. Josh Green announced significant progress in Kauaʻi’s recovery from Hurricane Lowell, with approximately 72% of the island’s power restored on Friday afternoon; and state, county and utility crews continuing around-the-clock work to restore essential services, reopen transportation routes and repair critical infrastructure.

Hurricane Lowell has damaged Kaumālapaʻu Harbor and disrupted supply deliveries to Lānaʻi. The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife advises hunters participating in the remainder of the 2026 Lānaʻi Mouflon Sheep hunting season to bring their own supplies whenever possible.

Hawaiian Electric is monitoring the development of Tropical Storm Norbert as it moves across the Pacific while also supporting the restoration of electric service on Kauaʻi following Hurricane Lowell. 

The US Department of Agriculture announced today that households impacted by Hurricane Lowell on Kauaʻi Island could be eligible for replacement of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

To understand the storm’s full impact, a University of Hawaiʻi team reconstructed Hurricane Lowell hour by hour across Kauaʻi and the state using observations from the Hawaiʻi Mesonet, a statewide network of weather stations, alongside experimental high-resolution mapping tools.

Hawaiʻi State Department of Education public schools in Kauaʻi County are preparing to welcome students back to campus Monday, Sept. 14, following a week of closures due to impacts from Hurricane Lowell. The HIDOE will make a determination on Kīlauea Elementary and Hanalei Elementary by 4 p.m. today on whether or not to resume operations on Monday.

Hawaiʻi’s economy is on track to grow just 1.3% this year, a slowdown from 2.5% growth in 2025, according to the state’s latest quarterly economic forecast released Thursday.

The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation has deployed an additional $265,000 through its Stronger Hawaiʻi Initiative to support disaster response efforts on Kauaʻi and Niʻihau following Hurricane Lowell.

The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation is reporting progress to restore Kaumālapa‘u Harbor on Lāna‘i following the impacts of Hurricane Lowell. HDOT is estimating the waterway will be clear and the harbor will be ready for operations by Sunday, Sept. 13.

The County of Maui Department of Housing is seeking applications for affordable housing projects that will be funded by its Affordable Housing Fund in Fiscal Year 2028. The projects must propose housing for families earning 140% and below the County of Maui’s median family income.

Kennard Hinano Boyd Kekona, 58, was sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and carfentanil, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carfentanil.

Lāhainā Think Space will go on the road to New York City for an event on Sept. 18, marking the first time the Think Space experience extends beyond Hawaiʻi to a national audience, according to an announcement. The event is being organized through a collaboration of Maui County, Maui Public Arts Corps and New York […]