University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

A new study revealed sewage pollution along Hilo's coastline.

Researchers at UH Hilo sampled 16 locations from Keaukaha to Honolii each month from 2020 to 2022, found low concentrations of wastewater detected at every site along the coastline.

Officials say these findings could help prioritize cesspool replacement near existing sewer lines and guide upgrades to Hilo's wastewater treatment system.

The goal with this data is to empower the communities, to be able to provide them with this information so that they can seek funding for solutions to improve water quality, to make it safe for everybody in the community to be able to use these waters safely.

Um, but yeah, good stuff.

So then we were headed towards Saddle Road from the restaurant, and we were turning by University of Hawaii Hilo, and I saw a hawk fly out of the treetops-

Yeah

... and into the woods.

The recordings you'll hear are courtesy of Zeno Kanto and should sound familiar to our O'ahu listeners.

Here's University of Hawaii Hilo professor Patrick Hart.

The red-whiskered bulbul is one of two bulbul species that are commonly seen on O'ahu.

They don't actually have red whiskers, but they do have a bright red patch of feathers on their cheeks below their eye.

Yeah, last day here.

Checked to University of Hawaii Hilo women's volleyball team, the Vulcans, who have gone undefeated while we've been here.

Raucous atmosphere in the gym, Jason.

Always cool to sort of get to see college sports close and personal, especially when you've got a rooting interest.

Yeah

... and, uh, Portland, you're playing, uh, Hilo, I, you know, I don't know, you know, those aren't household names.

You expect to win a lot of those games.

Yeah.

We've got their calls, thanks to the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

Here's University of Hawaii at Hilo professor Patrick Hart.

White-tailed tropic birds, or kawaekea, are possibly the most distinctive seabirds we might commonly see on the main Hawaiian islands.

Bright white with striking black bars across the top of their wings, they have two long, streaming tail feathers that sets them apart from all other birds.