Mauna Loa Observatory still isolated, but new funds could make it fully operational

In this Nov. 30, 2022, file photo, scientists and members of the media take photos and videos of lava from Mauna Loa as it slowly crosses Mauna Loa Observatory Access Road. (Kelsey Walling/Tribune-Herald)

More than one year after the eruption of its namesake volcano, the Mauna Loa Observatory remains high, dry and largely cut off from the rest of the island.