Hawaiʻi Island
CommunityNews & Updates
October 14, 2026
Civil Beat

Nalukai and the Effort to Keep Talent Here

A Hilo nonprofit, Nalukai, is helping high school students tackle local problems and see career paths at home as Hawaiʻi works to address its brain drain.

Nalukai program facilitator Auston Stewart, left, works with students to develop a prototype of an app that would promote safer driving in Hilo.
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More stories and updates from Kohala Coast Community Fund.

Kealakehe’s Presidential Scholars

Two 2026 Kealakehe High School graduates who completed the school’s STEM Academy were named U.S. Presidential Scholars, the first two students from the same Hawaiʻi public school to receive the honor in the same year.

Daniel Chen
Hawaiʻi's Workforce Is Shrinking as Residents Age and Leave

Hawaiʻi's labor force continues to shrink, raising fears of a deeper workforce crisis as the population ages and younger workers leave for more affordable states.

Osa Tui Jr.
Harvey Stone on Workforce Housing

In a Civil Beat op-ed, Harvey Stone argues that training programs on Hawaiʻi Island will fall short if the workers they produce can’t afford to live here, and calls for workforce housing to be part of economic development planning.

Aerial view of Haili street in Hilo
Hawaiʻi's Doctor Shortage Is Getting Worse Not Better

The doctor shortage in Hawaiʻi has not only persisted, but worsened, according to the most recent report tracking the numbers.

Medical student leaving a building