Kauai helicopter crash

HONOLULU — The remote and rugged terrain on the Hawaiian island of Kauai where a sightseeing helicopter crashed, killing all seven people aboard, could make it difficult or even impossible to piece together what led to the wreck.

HONOLULU — The Hawaii state auditor suspended an audit of limited liability companies owned by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs after the board of trustees denied full access to the minutes of its meetings.

HONOLULU — As 2020 dawns on Maunakea, the fate of the Thirty Meter Telescope seems less certain now than it did a decade ago when the billion-dollar-plus project was first proposed.

As we enter a new decade, here’s to West Hawaii Today’s top stories of the 2010s as voted by the newspaper’s editorial staff:

KAILUA-KONA — The final year of the decade — 2019 — may have flown by, but there was still plenty of time for big news on the Big Island.

KAILUA-KONA — Hawaii native Bill Coney and his partner Dr. Susanne Otero are on a mission to save the coral reefs in their home state and around the world.

HILO — A retired Hawaii County police detective is under investigation for allegedly assaulting another county official while still a member of the department in the vicinity of a building that houses government offices.

KAILUA-KONA — The Honokaa Public Library is one of two Hamakua properties nominated to the National Register of Historic Places.

HILO — The county is poised to receive $4 million from the Hawaii Housing Finance &Development Corp. to build a road accessing the Kukuiola emergency shelter project and Village 9 affordable rental community project on Kealakehe Parkway.

KAILUA-KONA — State transportation officials are targeting a new source of funding to help cover some of the cost of extending Daniel K. Inouye Highway to Queen Kaahumanu Highway.