Iopa Maunakea: Standing Firm with the Men of PA‘A
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Dry land taro plants are being hand-watered by two young men, one with headphones and the other holding a sprayer, in the Pāhoa morning sun. Banana trees, young la‘i (ti leaf), coconut, ‘ulu, and other thriving endemic…
Savoring the Moment with Kailee Spark
By Sara Stover It was 1997 and Kailee Spark was sitting in a sunny patch on the floor in her California home, listening to her parents’ CD Wacky Favorites over and over. The more that little, sapphire-eyed Kailee played the…
A Kipuka for All: Kaulana Manu Trail
By Rachel Laderman Near an ancient trail in the saddle between Hawai‘i Islandʻs two largest volcanoes, at 5,600-feet elevation and often wrapped in a misty cloud, is an oasis. It is a rejuvenating place for human travelers, and for birds, too.…
Ka Puana: Tiny is the flower, yet it scents the grasses around it.
Featured Artists: Barbara Hanson & Candace Lee
Featured Cover Artist: Barbara Hanson Barbara Hanson’s gallery in Hōlualoa Village is an experience that is best done in person, so people can see the process, touch the material, and see the different stages of her artwork coming together. Barbara…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: O2 Lab of Hawaii
In 2005, Dr. Eric Mizuba received the phone call that any child dreads. His father, Seth Mizuba, had a major stroke after his 60th Hilo High reunion. Although his father survived, his physical impairments were significant. After 6 months, Seth…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Volcano Heritage Cottages
Lorna Larsen-Jeyte saw Tutu’s Cottage while taking a walk down Hale Ohia Road, thinking it was for the first time. She and her husband Albert had just come back from vacationing in Norway and Lorna saw a for sale sign.…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Studio 7 Fine Arts
When Hiroki and Setsuko Morinoue opened Studio 7 Fine Arts Gallery, they opened it as an educational experience. Setsuko explains, “In 1979 there was no place for contemporary artists to exhibit on the west side.” Looking back, they realize itʻs…
Ka Puana: “Is Hilo light?” ”Yes, Hilo is light for lack of water.”
Kevin Rhinehart—Always Pushing His Limits
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Life for Kevin Rhinehart changed drastically when he suffered a life-threatening stroke in January 2012 at the age of 53. At the time, his career as a successful psychotherapist was flourishing and he performed regularly as a…
Ka‘apuni da Big Island (Keep on Pedaling)
By Lillian Lim It was late summer 2020 and Covid had already changed island life dramatically. One of the joys that still remained and could be safely done without risk to others was cycling. One afternoon, a handful of cyclists,…
Mālama Mokupuni—Caring for Our Island Environment: Cats vs. Pups—A Feline Parasite Threatens Monk Seals
By Rachel Laderman When you’re at a Hawai‘i beach park, you’ll often spot free-roaming cats dashing between the shadows. Well-meaning cat-lovers can be seen restocking kibble in dishes left for cats. This animal-loving activity sadly contributes to a disease that is the…
How Running Found Jockey-Turned-Coffee Horticulturist, Jon Kunitake
By Sara Stover Growing up in Hōlualoa, Jon Kunitake’s knowledge of horses was limited to the paniolo (cowboys) of Waimea. His early life revolved around coffee, leaving little time for any extracurricular activities. Born in a house on a coffee…
Justin Young Keeps Moving!
By Sara Stover Justin Young was drifting off to sleep on what seemed like a grassy knoll near South Point when a roar of thunder shook the night. The thunder woke up a dog, which woke up its owner, who…
Featured Artists: Cindy Coats & Anthony Dohanos
Featured Cover Artist: Cindy Coats You Are Here, the image on our cover, was created for the 2011 Ironman triathlon. Artist Cindy Coats says, “The shape of the island is so distinctive and recognizable, and because of that it’s like a…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Tanya Power, RS
Tanya Power’s life consists of helping her clients achieve their dreams. She is experienced in the nuances of real estate on the Kona and Kohala coasts, and says, “How great is it to go to work and assist someone to…
The Creative Adventures of Kawika Singson
By Sara Stover Daredevil. Lava chaser. Photographer. Host of television series Everything Hawaii. While all are accurate descriptions of Kawika Singson, the moniker he prefers is “creative adventurer.” “I don’t call myself a photographer. I just like to be creative,”…
Featured Artists: Stephen Davies and G. Brad Lewis
Featured Cover Photographer: Stephen Davies Stephen Davies grew up in central Florida. He attended the University of Virginia for a couple of years, before heading to Spain for a year, where he taught English at Berlitz School. While Stephen was…
Talk story with an Advertiser: Alternative Termite Innovations
Got termites? Chances are, if you live anywhere in the tropics and your home is built with wood, you do. Lloyd Frazier, owner/operator of Alternative Termite Innovations, says, “In Hawai‘i there’s only two types of houses—one that has termites and…
Talk story with an Advertiser: William Heard, RS
Bill Heardʻs decades as a building contractor is what makes him stand out as a Realtor in West Hawai‘i. He has been building homes for 41 years in California and Hawai‘i. This background enables him to be of service to…
Ka Puana: ‘A ‘ole e ‘ōlelo mai ana ke ahi ua ana ia
Fire Will Never Say That It Has Had Enough
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Allure Laser Med Spa
Allure Laser Med Spa opened in Hilo a year ago and its staff has been busy helping people since they opened their doors. Conveniently located in the Hilo Shopping Center on Kilauea, Allure’s staff is headed by founder Lehuanani Akau,…
Talk Story with an Advertiser: Dr. Randall Juleff
Dr. Randall Juleff has a passion for educating people about venous insufficiency, meaning veins in the legs aren’t working properly. Dr. Juleff explains, “Venous disease is tremendously undertreated, often because people don’t know they are having vein problems. Only one…
Athlete and Adventurer Tutu Lorna Just Keeps Moving!
By Sara Stover Lorna Larsen-Jeyte has always been on the move. The lifelong swimmer and 81-year-old adventurer does not, however, workout for the sake of working out. “It is about being outside and in nature,” she says of the active…
Ka Puana: I ulu no ka lālā i ke kumu.
Mālama Mokupuni—Caring for Our Island Environment: Cultivating Resilience
By Rachel Laderman Can there be such a thing as “regenerative tourism,” where visitors can balance the consuming nature of tourism by contributing to island sustainability? It’s a tall order, but sisters Kalisi Mausio and Angela Fa‘anunu, the co-founders of Hawaii…
Adventure on the Seas with Pete Hendricks
By Ma‘ata Tukuafu Pete Hendricks knows something about curiosity: it’s why he’s done so many different things over the course of his lifetime. Born on August 1, 1938 in Los Angeles, Pete grew up nearby in Long Beach with four…
Alison Teal: Surfing Waves for Environmental Justice
By Taylon Faltas Alison Teal is a survivalist, world traveler, hula dancer, surfer, filmmaker, free-diver, environmentalist, and was named by Time magazine as the female Indiana Jones—what can’t she do? Alison’s passion for environmental advocacy allowed her to break into…
Hale Ohia: Volcano’s Enchanted Road to Old Hawai‘i
By Sara Stover Less than two miles outside the entrance to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, in the heart of the small artists’ community of Volcano Village, is the Hale Ohia tract. Hidden by a thick grove of ‘ōhi‘a and Sugi…
Mālama Mokupuni/Caring for Our Island Environment: Life and Death in the Stream—‘O‘opu, ‘Opae, and Tahitian Prawns
By Rachel Laderman On the east side of Hawai‘i Island, north of Hilo and along the Hāmākua coast, streams cascade down steep slopes, flow quickly over boulders, leap into wailele (waterfalls), rest briefly in calm ki‘o wai (pools), and riffle…
