Brittany Lyte

Honolulu

Staff Writer at Honolulu Civil Beat

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Articles

Maui Water Wars: A&B Drops Out Of Battle For Long-Term Water Control

4 days ago | civilbeat.org | Brittany Lyte

A legacy plantation company is stepping away from its generations-long hold on a consequential East Maui water system. Alexander & Baldwin, one of Hawaii’s largest commercial real estate holders, has ended its 150-year control of the infrastructure that powers one of the state’s most plentiful water sources, granting full ownership of the East Maui Irrigation Co. to a farming company owned by a Canadian pension fund.
Kauaʻi Cops Are Using Virtual Reality To Boost Their Firearms Training

1 week ago | civilbeat.org | Brittany Lyte

With real-time simulations and a high-tech shooting range, the Kauaʻi Police Department hopes to quadruple weapons drills. For Kauaʻi cops, getting in firearms practice has meant navigating a winding, unpaved access road to a remote, often muddy shooting range — an ordeal that, weather permitting, can take all day.
Drones Could Be Dispatched As First Responders To Crimes Scenes In Hawaiʻi

1 week ago | civilbeat.org | Brittany Lyte

State police want to use license plate readers and drones to fight crime on Hawaiian homelands. Futuristic law enforcement technology could also be deployed soon in Waikīkī. A crime reported on Hawaiian homelands may someday trigger police to dispatch a flying drone with the quick press of a button.
Affordable Housing Gets A Big Boost In Maui County's $1.56 Billion Budget

2 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Brittany Lyte

Maui County Council members said the budget is aimed at catching up on development projects and social services after years of being focused on the wildfires and Covid-19. The tiny island of Lānaʻi is poised to reap major affordable housing gains with the passage this week of Maui County’s $1.56 billion spending plan, which includes $47 million to bankroll countywide residential development projects and badly needed infrastructure to support them.
The Search Is On For New Kauaʻi Police Chief

2 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Brittany Lyte

Todd Raybuck’s tenure was clouded by controversy, but the outgoing police chief says he is leaving the Kauaʻi Police Department in better shape than when he arrived in 2019. Kauaʻi Police Chief Todd Raybuck leaves behind a department struggling with sinking morale and a high rate of officer vacancies as he turns in his badge and retires Thursday. The state police union, which has been critical of Raybuck’s tenure, is urging the Kauaʻi Police Commission to hire a “team builder” as his successor.
Could Kauaʻi’s Mayor Ride Wave Of Strong Fundraising To Statewide Office?

3 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Brittany Lyte

Mayor Derek Kawakami has not decided his next move, which may depend on a looming decision by Hawaiʻi Senate President Ron Kouchi, whom he calls a mentor. Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami is sizing up his 2026 plans. Kawakami, 47, has made no secret of his aspirations to jump into bigger contests, musing publicly over the years about a future run for lieutenant governor or governor.
Kauaʻi Tackles Child Care Crisis With New Spaces And Baby-Friendly Workplaces

3 weeks ago | ruralnewsnetwork.org | Brittany Lyte

Solving the problem is seen as an important step in helping recruit and retain much-needed workers on the Garden Island. Initiatives could be models for the rest of the state. Three months after giving birth to her first child, Elizabeth “Bitta” Lindsey-Poe returned to her Kauaʻi County finance job. She quit a week later. “I just said, ‘I can’t do this anymore,’” said Lindsey-Poe, 29, of Hanapēpē.
Kauaʻi Tackles Child Care Crisis With New Spaces And Baby-Friendly Workplaces

4 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Brittany Lyte

Solving the problem is seen as an important step in helping recruit and retain much-needed workers on the Garden Island. Initiatives could be models for the rest of the state. Three months after giving birth to her first child, Elizabeth “Bitta” Lindsey-Poe returned to her Kauaʻi County finance job. She quit a week later. “I just said, ‘I can’t do this anymore,’” said Lindsey-Poe, 29, of Hanapēpē.
The 2026 Kauaʻi Mayor's Race Is Off To An Early Start

1 month ago | civilbeat.org | Brittany Lyte

Two familiar faces on the Garden Island have emerged as frontrunners, declaring their intent to run months before it’s even time for candidates to register. With the primary election more than a year away, the 2026 Kauaʻi mayor’s race is shaping up as a competition between two well-liked candidates with longstanding ties in government and overlapping policy stances but drastically different political styles.
Maui Asks Feds To Flex Rules Governing $1.6 Billion Wildfire Recovery Grant

2 months ago | civilbeat.org | Brittany Lyte

The county wants to use some of the money to rebuild accessory dwelling units but is primarily focused on securing final approval. Maui County is asking for greater flexibility in how it’s allowed to spend $1.6 billion in federal recovery money meant to help residents rebound from the 2023 wildfires while making tweaks to ensure the action plan it submitted last week to regulators wins approval.