Senator Tim Richards

09/27/2026

Please avoid the roads - Kohala Mountain Road is still closed 🚧

09/11/2026

We all remember where we were on September 11, 2001—the moment we heard the news and watched our nation change forever.

Today, we pause to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost, the first responders who ran toward danger, the families who still carry that loss, and all who answered the call to serve in the years that followed.

May we also remember the courage, compassion, and unity Americans showed one another in our darkest hours.

We remember. We honor. We will never forget. 🇺🇸

09/08/2026

⚠️ HIGH SURF WARNING — WEST HAWAIʻI

Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense reports that dangerous surf conditions continue today, Tuesday, September 8.

A High Surf Warning remains in effect for south- and west-facing shores of Hawaiʻi Island, with a High Surf Advisory for east-facing shores.

Due to dangerous surf and shoreline debris, all State and County beach parks in West Hawaiʻi, including Hōnaunau Boat Ramp, are closed today.

Please stay out of closed areas, use extra caution near the shoreline, and follow instructions from Ocean Safety officials. High surf can create dangerous shore breaks, strong currents and unexpected waves even for experienced swimmers and surfers.

Stay safe, Hawaiʻi Island. I’ll continue to share updates as conditions change.

— Senator Tim Richards

09/08/2026

🌧️ HURRICANE LOWELL UPDATE — TUESDAY MORNING

Good morning. Hurricane Lowell remains well northwest of Hawaiʻi Island, but we still need to pay attention to the weather it is bringing our way.

As of 5 a.m., Lowell had sustained winds of 110 mph and was moving north at 18 mph.

For Hawaiʻi Island, the primary concerns today are heavy rain, possible flooding and high surf.

➡️ A Flood Watch remains in effect through this afternoon. Some areas could receive 4–8 inches of rain, with isolated totals as high as 12 inches.

➡️ A High Surf Warning remains in effect for south- and west-facing shores, with a High Surf Advisory for east-facing shores.

➡️ State and County government offices and Hawaiʻi Island schools are open today.

➡️ All Public Facilities and beaches are open at this time.

Use extra caution in flood-prone areas and around streams, shorelines and low-lying roads. This is especially important in communities still recovering from Hurricane Lala, where conditions can change quickly.

I’ll continue sharing important updates as we receive them. Please stay safe, stay aware, and continue following Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense for official information.

09/07/2026

On Labor Day, we recognize the working people who keep our communities strong.

Across North and South Kohala, North Kona, Waikoloa, Honokaʻa and Hāmākua, people show up every day to care for our families, teach our children, grow our food, operate our businesses, protect our communities and keep Hawaiʻi moving.

Whether you work on a ranch, in a classroom, at a hospital, on a jobsite, in public service or behind the counter of a local business, your work matters.

Mahalo for everything you contribute to our island and our state. I hope you and your ʻohana have a safe and restful Labor Day.

08/31/2026

For Hawaiʻi’s ranchers, rain is never simply good or bad.

At Kahua Ranch, we have received approximately 50 inches of rain—about a year’s worth—in just six months. The beneficial rain from the March Kona low was largely erased by drought by May. Then the rain returned and kept coming.

“But it’s been raining ever since, which is paradoxical because we’re supposed to be in El Niño.”

Across Hawaiʻi Island, ranchers are dealing with dramatic swings between drought and destructive rainfall. Storm Lala brought greener pastures, but it also damaged roads, fences and water systems, cut off livestock and created new concerns about wildfire if all that new grass dries out.

Our ranchers are resilient, but resilience does not mean they should have to face these challenges alone. Protecting agriculture means investing in reliable water systems, infrastructure, emergency access and disaster recovery that recognizes the realities of working lands.

Read the full Civil Beat story link below 👇🏽

08/31/2026

🚧 District 4 Roadwork: August 29–September 4

HDOT has announced several lane closures affecting District 4 communities and routes frequently used by our residents.

Hāmākua and North Hilo

• Honomū–Hakalau: Tree trimming and vegetation work
• Hakalau: Bridge deck work near Chin Chuck and Leopolino roads
• Nīnole: Mowing and improvements to Nānue Stream Bridge
• ʻŌʻōkala: Improvements to Kaholo Stream Bridge

North Kohala

• Kohala Mountain Road: Shoulder work between mile markers 13 and 19
• Akoni P**e Highway in Kapaʻau: Vegetation work near Makapala Road

Daniel K. Inouye Highway

• Emergency roadway safety improvements continue between mile markers 5.1 and 13.9, including Saturday work.

Most closures will run Monday through Friday during daytime hours. Drivers should expect delays, allow additional travel time and watch for crews directing traffic.

This is only the District 4 portion of HDOT’s islandwide roadwork notice. The complete Hawaiʻi Island closure list and interactive map are available here:
https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/roadwork/

All schedules are weather permitting and may change without notice. Please drive carefully and mahalo for your patience while this work is completed.

08/29/2026

⚡ Hawaiʻi Island Power Restoration Update — Friday, Aug. 28, 4:00PM

Hawaiian Electric reports that crews restored power to approximately 1,030 customers yesterday. Fewer than 400 customers remain without electricity, meaning about 99.4% of those impacted by Hurricane Lala have now been restored.

That is encouraging progress, but if you are among the families still waiting, I know the percentage offers little comfort.

Crews are working today throughout Hawaiʻi Island, including Hāmākua and North and South Kohala. Much of the work now involves going neighborhood by neighborhood to locate individual service-line outages and complete the remaining repairs.

If your neighbors have power but you do not, please report your outage again:

📞 1-855-304-9191
🌐 hawaiianelectric.com/reportbigislandoutage

Mahalo to the Hawaiʻi Island, Oʻahu, Maui and Southern California Edison crews—as well as the contractors and support teams—continuing to work around the clock. I will keep sharing updates until every remaining customer who can safely receive power is restored.

08/28/2026

Hurricane Lala didn’t just leave families without water. It also created an urgent situation for ranchers trying to keep their cattle and livestock hydrated.

“The clock is running, and you can’t run indefinitely like that.”

Emergency water hauling is helping meet the immediate need, and I’m grateful to the County and State agencies, Hawaiʻi Cattlemen’s Council, local ranchers, Parker Ranch, Isemoto Contracting and West Hawaiʻi Concrete for stepping up.

But hauling water is only a temporary solution. Our work must remain focused on:

• Keeping water moving to livestock now
• Restoring service through damaged pipelines
• Rebuilding water sources and infrastructure for the long haul

As a rancher and veterinarian, I know how quickly inadequate water can threaten animal health. We will keep working with everyone involved until reliable water service is restored.

Mahalo to KHON2 for helping tell this story.

Big Island ranchers are facing critical water shortages for their livestock, prompting county and state officials to implement temporary hauling solutions while seeking more permanent alternatives.

08/24/2026

POWER RESTORATION UPDATE — SUNDAY, AUG. 23

Hawaiian Electric reports that approximately 3,200 Hawaiʻi Island customers have had power restored since yesterday morning, while about 6,460 customers remain without power as of this afternoon.

For several communities in Senate District 4, crews are still dealing with significant storm damage:

⚡ Pāʻauilo Mauka: About half of customers have been restored. Those still without power should expect outages to continue at least through tomorrow, with some smaller pockets taking longer.

⚡ Kohala Mountain: About one-third of customers have been restored. Restoration work will continue through tomorrow, with some smaller pockets potentially taking longer.

⚡ Āhualoa: Crews are working in the area, but Hawaiian Electric is now advising customers to prepare for an extended outage of approximately 5–7 days.

⚡ Kaloko Mauka: Some customers have been restored, but remaining customers should prepare for outages extending beyond 48 hours because extensive pole repairs are still needed.

I know these extended outages are difficult, especially for families who have already been without power for days. My office will continue following these areas closely and pressing for updated information as restoration progresses.

If your neighbors have power but you are still out, please report your outage directly to Hawaiian Electric at 1-855-304-9191. Reporting individual and pocket outages helps make sure they remain on the restoration list.

I’ll continue sharing updates as I receive them.