'At What Point Does Hawaii Not Become Hawaii Anymore?'

In the three-stoplight, agricultural town of Waimea on Hawaii's Big Island, more than 600 acres of land have been scooped up by billionaire Marc Benioff. And while tech tycoons buying vast tracts in Hawaii isn't a new story (or if it is to you, please meet Mark Zuckerberg's doomsday bunker), NPR's Dara Kerr decided to find out what Benioff plans to do with all this valuable property. Kerr, who grew up in Hawaii, centered her question on what the outside influence of extreme wealth means to locals, where the median income is $74,000. "At what point does Hawaii not become Hawaii anymore, if no Hawaiians are here?" one anonymous resident asked. Benioff's acquisitions were shrouded in secrecy, and speculation over his intentions ranged from housing his software company, Salesforce, to donating it for local good (the CEO with a net worth of about $10 billion is known for his philanthropy).

Kerr ultimately discovers that the 59-year-old is indeed donating a good chunk of the land to charitable causes, with a focus on affordable housing, while another good chunk (24 of 38 parcels) is for his family's personal use. Kerr also describes how the story took an odd turn. As her research kicked off, Benioff began digging around, asking contacts at NPR what exactly her intentions were. When the pair connected, he demanded to know what she was titling her article, then casually slipped in that he knew where she was staying. "Unnerved, I asked how he knew, and he said, 'It's my job. You have a job and I have a job.'" This intimidation tactic continued when they met, when she says he inserted personal details about her life and family into their conversation. And after the meeting, he "texts constantly" to draw attention to his previously anonymous Hawaii philanthropy. Read the full story here. (Or read more Longform recaps.)