Civil Beat photographers captured sunsets, a new school’s first day and defendants in a high-profile corruption case. Oh, and an elusive comet.

Despite a strong side wind and rain obscuring Central Maui, professional surfer Jackson Bunch of Paia does and air at Pavilions off Ho’okipa Beach Park Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Maui. Life is returning to normal for some on the Valley Isle. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Life is returning to normal for some on the Valley Isle. Despite a strong side wind and heavy rain on Central Maui, professional surfer Jackson Bunch of Paia gets in some surfing at Pavilions off Ho’okipa Beach Park on Tuesday. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Can you see it? Comet P12/Pons-Brooks continued to make its presence know in the northern evening skies this week and if you looked hard enough it was visible. This image was photographed from the Haleiwa monument looking west about two hours after sunset. The top star in that triangle of three in the top left quadrant here is showing its tail. That’s the Comet P12/Pons-Brooks heading for the southern hemisphere on its 77-year cycle. A case of wrong lens, right time but definitely not photographic intertia! (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
As the sun sets to the west of Haleiwa, crew members lower the sails to make a powered entry into Haleiwa Harbor, having spent Easter Sunday cruising the North Shore of Oahu. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
As the sun sets to the west of Haleiwa, sailboats head toward Haleiwa Harbor while beachgoers watch the sun drift toward the horizon on Easter Sunday. (David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024)
A rainbow forms over supporters and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recovery field office commander Col. Eric Swenson as they welcome students to the temporary Pulelehua campus of King Kamehameha III Elementary School Monday, April 1, 2024, in Lahaina. Kam 3’s original build was destroyed in the Aug. 8 fire. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recovery field office commander Col. Eric Swenson and others were on hand to welcome students to the temporary Pulelehua campus of King Kamehameha III Elementary School on Monday. The original school building was destroyed in the Aug. 8 fire that swept through Lahaina. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Hugs and signs of support welcome students to the temporary Pulelehua campus of King Kamehameha III Elementary School Monday, April 1, 2024, in Lahaina. Kam 3’s original build was destroyed in the Aug. 8 fire. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Hugs and signs of support greeted students and parents as they arrived at the Pulelehua campus of King Kamehameha III Elementary School on Monday. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Supporters welcome students to the temporary Pulelehua campus of King Kamehameha III Elementary School Monday, April 1, 2024, in Lahaina. Kam 3’s original build was destroyed in the Aug. 8 fire. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
School officials strategically placed people at the new school on Monday to help parents navigate the new drop-off procedure. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Keith Kaneshiro enters the Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Federal Building and United States Courthouse for his corruption trial Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Honolulu. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Keith Kaneshiro enters the Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Federal Building and courthouse in Honolulu on Thursday as his corruption trial continued. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Chad Michael McDonald pushes a cart of documents to entrance of the Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole Federal Building and United States Courthouse for the Kaneshiro corruption trial Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Honolulu. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Chad Michael McDonald, a defendant in the federal corruption trial involving his employer, Mitsunaga & Associates, and the former county prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro, pushes a cart of documents up the ramp at the federal courthouse on Thursday. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Clouds obscure Kapilau Ridge, Puu Lio and Puukukui mountains above homes in the Upper Wailuku neighborhood are photographed Tuesday, April 2, 2024, from Kahului. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)
Clouds obscure Kapilau Ridge, Puu Lio and Puukukui mountains above homes in Maui’s Upper Wailuku neighborhood on Tuesday. (Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024)

Before you go

Civil Beat is a small nonprofit newsroom that provides free content with no paywall. That means readership growth alone can’t sustain our journalism.

The truth is that less than 1% of our monthly readers are financial supporters. To remain a viable business model for local news, we need a higher percentage of readers-turned-donors.

Will you consider becoming a new donor today? 

About the Authors