Hawaii's Sea Life Park has a new owner, a positive shift for those who want the marine attraction tied more closely to Native Hawaiian culture and education.
The Hawaiian Council finalized a deal to buy the 62-year-old marine park on Oahu.
The price was not disclosed.
The new owners plan to use the park to share Native Hawaiian culture, animal stories, education, and community ties.
The park will keep running as usual for now, with no immediate disruption for visitors.
Outlook: Expect a gradual shift toward more cultural and educational programming while day-to-day operations stay the same in the near term.
The Hawaiian Council has bought Sea Life Park in Waimanalo, aiming to turn the 62-year-old attraction into a Native Hawaiian-led cultural and educational spot — a hopeful shift for the park and local community.
The Hawaiian Council bought the park from Herschend Family Entertainment; the price was not shared.
No layoffs are planned during the handover, and the park stays open.
The new owners want a Native Hawaiian-led place that tells Hawaiian stories for both locals and visitors.
The park keeps its current lease setup with the state land department and Hawaii Pacific University.
Outlook: Plans are still being shaped, but expect the park to slowly add more Hawaiian cultural and educational features while staying open.
Hawaii's Republican Party has picked a candidate to fight for an open State Senate seat, setting up a party contest in a normally Democratic-leaning state.
The GOP named Kelly Kitashima to run for the District 18 seat covering Mililani, Waipahu, and Waipio.
The seat opened up after Senator Michelle Kidani retired in June.
Kitashima will appear on the November general election ballot; she previously ran for City Council in 2018.
Governor Josh Green just appointed Democrat Danielle Bass to hold the seat until the election, giving her an incumbent edge.
Outlook: Kitashima and Bass are set to face off in November for the full-term seat.
Two of Hawaii's tightest legislative primary races remain undecided after a recount, and hundreds of rejected ballots could still flip the results.
A 13-hour recount left both races unchanged: Bob McDermott leads Curt Favela by seven votes for a state Senate seat, and Kainani Sousa leads by a single vote for a House seat.
More than 1,100 ballots on Oahu are still marked invalid, mostly because signatures were missing or didn't match.
Those voters were mailed notice and can fix the problem online, in person, or by mail before the ballots are opened and counted.
The uncounted ballots are more than enough to change either outcome: 90 could be cured in the McDermott race and 36 in the Sousa race.
Outlook: The races stay open until Friday at 4:30 p.m., when the fixed ballots are counted and could decide the winners.
A Maui police lieutenant is accused of taking bribes to protect illegal cockfighting and drug trafficking, and his boss is now trying to reassure a shaken public.
Lieutenant Michael Vaituulala is jailed without bail after a judge denied bail, accused of being paid to shield cockfighting and drug operations.
Police Chief John Pelletier admitted a personal connection to the lieutenant, who helped scatter his father's ashes and attended family events over several years.
The department says it was blindsided — the lieutenant showed no sudden spending or lifestyle changes during the two years the alleged bribes took place.
He had been an FBI task force officer until October 2025, meaning the FBI had fully vetted him.
Once the federal probe surfaced, he was put on leave, stripped of his badge and gun, and the intelligence unit he ran was shut down.
Outlook: An internal review and an outside look by Hawaii County's police chief are planned, with the chief promising accountability if the accusations hold up.
An Oahu grand jury has formally charged a couple with torturing and kidnapping a child, a serious criminal case that could put both parents behind bars for life.
Jasmine Kios Pelle, 35, faces torture and kidnapping charges.
James Hefernon, 36, is charged with kidnapping and helping in the torture.
Because both are repeat offenders, prosecutors say they qualify for extended prison terms that could mean life sentences.
Both are being held without bail.
Outlook: The case now moves toward trial, where prosecutors will push for the extended, life-in-prison sentences.
A Honolulu youth choir is opening its doors to new singers, good news for local families looking for a low-barrier arts program for their kids.
The Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus, the state's longest-running youth choral group, is enrolling now for its 66th season.
Kids in grades K through 12 from across Oahu can join, with no audition and no experience required.
Rehearsals start August 22nd in Bonoa, and tuition help is available for families who need it.
Separately, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is planning televised candidate forums ahead of the November 3rd election, airing statewide the week of October 12th.
Outlook: Enrollment is open now, with the new season kicking off later this month.
Hawaii comedian Tumua Tuinei is coming home for his biggest local show yet, set for Valentine's weekend at Honolulu's Neal S. Blaisdell Center — good news for local fans.
The show lands on Valentine's weekend and is pitched as a date night for couples and singles alike.
It caps a heavy touring run — 24 cities, 14 states, five islands, two countries.
He saved Oahu for last on purpose, playing everywhere else first to build hometown demand.
Nearly 10 years into stand-up, he credits Oahu as where his career started and says he's living out a goal he set years ago.
A coffee company collaboration and a custom drink are also on the way later this month.
Outlook: Presale tickets open first on Ticketmaster, with general public seats going on sale Friday.
A new one-man play brings surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku to the stage in Waikiki, celebrating Hawaiian culture and history.
Actor Moses Goods stars as Duke Kahanamoku in a solo show at Blue Note Hawaii on Thursday, August 20th, with two performances that night.
The play digs past Duke's icon status to show the full man — including that his first language was Hawaiian and moments like his famous ocean rescue of boaters in California.
Goods builds the role by researching the facts, then imagining the emotional weight of Duke's real-life experiences rather than using method acting.
The project ties into a wider revival of Hawaiian and Polynesian representation, following Goods' recent work on the series "Chief of War."
Outlook: After the Blue Note dates, the production heads out on a tour of the other Hawaiian islands.
A new 30-minute TV special spotlights how Hawaii's military, businesses, and community groups team up before and after disasters — a neutral, feel-good look at local readiness.
The special, "Stronger Together, Ready When It Matters Most," shows how partnerships keep Hawaii safe before, during, and after an emergency.
The Hawaii Military Affairs Council links the military with local groups on national security, readiness, jobs, and community ties.
The National Guard trains in Hawaii so troops know the terrain and can respond fast when a disaster overwhelms local first responders.
By law, the Guard can only act once the governor, a mayor, or first responders formally request help — but it stands ready to step in.
Outlook: The program airs locally in Hawaii, aiming to show residents the Guard is always on call when the next storm or disaster hits.
Fake charities and phony fundraisers are stealing millions from people who think they're helping others, so donors need to verify before giving.
Scammers pose as charities on social media and crowdfunding sites to pocket donations meant for people in need.
Nearly $4 million in charity and fundraising fraud has been reported in Hawaii over two years; FBI figures put the national yearly loss near $96 million.
Crooks jump on disasters like the recent Colombia earthquakes and the Spokane, Washington fires to run fake relief campaigns.
Trusted platforms like GoFundMe don't guarantee a fundraiser is real — imposters often run unapproved campaigns there.
Before giving, check the organizer on official sites like BBB.org or Give.org, follow how the money is handled, and report anything suspicious.
Outlook: Scam attempts will keep spiking around each new disaster, so verifying who you give to remains the best defense.
Hawaii families struggling with school costs could get help from a new federal tax-credit program, but Governor Green faces a tough political call on whether to join it.
A new federal program starting next year would help families cover school costs, at both public and private schools.
Hawaii's teachers union opposes it, saying it uses taxpayer money to fund private school tuition.
The union backed Green in his last two elections, so opting in risks angering a key supporter.
The plan may also clash with Hawaii's constitution, which bars public money from going to private schools.
Under the program, people who donate to scholarship groups get up to $1,700 back in tax credits, and local scholarship demand already outstrips supply.
Outlook: Analysts expect Hawaii to opt in eventually, but Green is likely to hold off in the near term over the legal and political risks.
A round-up of Hawaii sports news, led by a big win for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Junior Caminero hit a 2-run homer as the Rays crushed the A's 12-4, keeping them on top of the AL East.
That blast tied Caminero with Matt Olson, Kyle Schwarber, and Yordan Alvarez for the most home runs in baseball, all at 35.
Hawaii football opens camp missing star receiver Pofele Ashlock, out with a knee injury, so the team is looking for others to step up before their August 29 opener at Stanford.
Kauai's Little League team, from Kapaa, must beat Arizona in an elimination game today to stay alive in the West Regional.
The Savannah Bananas may come to Hawaii, with state tourism officials in talks to bring the traveling baseball show to Les Murakami Stadium.
Outlook: Kauai plays a must-win game today at 3pm Hawaii time, and Hawaii football keeps building toward its season opener.
Miss Hawaii 2026 Carly Oshida gave the keynote at a two-day emergency management symposium in Honolulu, spotlighting disaster preparedness as storm and wildfire risks grow.
The International Association of Emergency Managers Region 9 Symposium brought together public safety and community leaders at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii.
Sessions focused on disaster preparedness, climate resilience, public safety, and community recovery.
Carly Oshida keynoted on building disaster resilience, tied to her "Weather the Future" emergency-preparedness platform.
The timing lines up with tropical disturbances now being tracked near Hawaii and ongoing wildfire threats.
Wildfires were framed as a global problem, not just a Hawaii one, with fires burning on the mainland and beyond.
Outlook: The symposium continues, and Oshida heads next to the Miss America competition.
Honolulu's Department of Environmental Services is running a public survey to decide which water projects to fund next — good for residents who want a say in local priorities.
The O'ahu Clean Water Survey asks people what they care about: beaches, fishing, flooding, or brown water in their area.
The results will steer which wastewater and stormwater projects the city plans and fixes first.
The survey is meant to be quick — five minutes — and can be done by phone via a QR code or at honolulu.gov/env.
The goal is to stop guessing and let community concerns set the priority list.
Outlook: The survey stays open until late August, giving residents a few more weeks to shape upcoming water projects.
A warm human-interest story from Hawaii about how a simple four-string instrument brings people together, heals, and passes memories down through families.
Longtime ukulele teacher Jodi Kamisato sees the instrument as a universal language that sparks instant connection wherever it's played.
A trip to South Africa, jamming for village kids, convinced Kamisato the ukulele stands for unity, peace, and joy.
For many Hawaiian families, music itself is the heirloom, handed down from one generation to the next.
One couple says playing together keeps them present and has even helped them heal faster through health struggles.
Kamisato found the ukulele deeply comforting while caring for a father with late-stage cancer, using it to lift his spirits without words.
Outlook: The ukulele's role as a source of comfort and connection looks set to keep binding Hawaiian families and communities across generations.
Dozens of Hawaii food companies got a shot at a much bigger customer base, good news for local businesses and the military families who buy their products.
70 companies showed off more than 1,000 items, many made in Hawaii, at a food show aimed at getting them into military stores.
The goal is to land shelf space in commissaries and exchanges on the mainland and in Southeast Asia, reaching over 260,000 active-duty members, families, and retirees.
Vendors are also chasing spots in Walmart, ABC Stores, and 7-Eleven, with some pricing their goods cheap to win over military shoppers.
After the show, sellers meet one-on-one with buyers who can open doors to mainland expansion.
Outlook: Vendors who impress buyers could see their local products spread to military bases and stores far beyond Hawaii.
Two razor-close Republican primary races in Hawaii went to an automatic recount, with the outcome still up in the air.
Two Republican primary races on Oahu's West Side were decided by just one and seven votes, close enough to trigger an automatic recount under state law.
Sitting officials Sen. Kurt Fevella and Rep. Kanani Souza faced challengers Sheila Maderas and Bob McDermott, all on hand to watch ballots fed back through the counting machines.
Ballots were unsealed, recounted, then resealed and secured, with candidates allowed to observe the process in the open.
Dozens of invalid votes in both races could still swing the result, and those won't be settled until Friday.
Outlook: Recount results are expected tonight or tomorrow, but the final call waits on the disputed ballots being resolved Friday.
A Maui police lieutenant will stay in jail while he faces federal corruption charges, a case that paints a picture of a trusted officer allegedly selling out to criminals.
Lt. Michael Bitolas is accused of taking cash from people running illegal cockfights and drug trafficking, and of leaking confidential police information to them.
A federal judge denied his release, saying no conditions could stop him from obstructing justice or endangering confidential informants.
Prosecutors called him a flight risk, pointing to a deleted Instagram account after an FBI meeting and his house being put up for sale.
His lawyer argued for release based on 18 years on the force, no criminal record, and surrendering his passport and guns.
Prosecutors said the 31-page indictment does not even cover the full extent of the evidence against him.
Outlook: The defense could appeal the detention order, but the case heads toward a grand jury indictment and trial that could take months.
Hawaii's state land department is blocking Maui County's push to take over the island's biggest water system, setting up a fight that upsets local farmers and environmentalists.
East Maui Irrigation pulls water from streams on Haleakala and pipes most of it to Mahipono, a large farm on 50,000 acres of old sugar land.
Maui County wants to take over and run one unified water system, saying it understands local needs better than the state.
State land managers are rejecting that and instead want to keep control and auction Mahipono a 30-year license for up to 89 million gallons a day.
Taro farmers and environmentalists say they feel betrayed and don't trust the state's cozy ties with Mahipono.
Mahipono says traditional and cultural users would come first and it gets water only after everyone else is served.
Outlook: The state land board takes up the latest proposal this Friday, and with the state having lost eight East Maui water cases in the last decade, another legal fight looks likely.
A Hawaii husband-and-wife art team is turning hidden-detail murals into a growing business that now stretches from the islands to the mainland and the Middle East.
Matt and Roxanne Ortiz paint under the name Wooden Wave, known for playful, eco-themed murals and illustrations of treehouses.
Their work weaves in sustainability touches like solar panels, water catchments, skate ramps, and surfboards.
They design each piece with hidden details meant to reward viewers who look closely.
Painting partners since college, they have now finished close to 30 murals, most in Hawaii.
Outlook: With demand spreading beyond Hawaii, the pair look set to keep landing mural projects farther from home.
Recovery in West Maui has stalled, and most families hit by the fires are still worse off than before — a grim update for a community trying to rebuild.
A new UN report says jobs and incomes for West Maui residents have flattened out.
Unemployment stayed stuck at 42% for the second year in a row.
Poverty dipped over the past year but is still far above where it was before the fires.
FEMA cuts and shrinking aid mean about half of affected households now get no help at all — some who still need it.
Only 1 in 6 displaced households have made it back to West Maui.
Outlook: With federal and social aid drying up, many families face a slow, uncertain recovery unless new support arrives.
Honolulu has finished a new facility at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, a plus for Oahu's beaches and ocean water quality.
A traditional Hawaiian blessing marked the completion of the plant's first secondary-treatment phase.
The upgrade uses a fine filtration system called membrane bioreactors, which cleans water better than older methods.
After filtering, UV light disinfects the water before it goes back into the ocean.
The city says the plant will handle 48 million gallons of wastewater, and officials frame it as part of a broader push to modernize the island's aging infrastructure.
Outlook: The project is meant to be the first step in a longer effort to keep Oahu's beaches clean and build more resilient infrastructure for the years ahead.
A three-month-old Hawaiian monk seal pup was found dead in a fishing net off Oʻahu's North Shore, a blow to one of the world's most endangered seal species.
The pup, born in late April, was tangled in an unattended fishing net just offshore at a North Shore beach park.
A necropsy will check whether anything besides the net contributed to its death.
A separate monk seal death in May, a year-old animal found on the same coast, was caused by toxoplasmosis.
Toxoplasmosis, a parasite spread through cat feces, is one of the leading killers of monk seals in the main Hawaiian islands.
Outlook: Wildlife officials will keep pressing beachgoers to remove nets and gear, as human hazards and disease continue to threaten the fragile monk seal population.
A local company has put fresh-flower lei vending machines in several Hawaii hotels, and guests are loving the convenience.
The Orchid Lei Company (in business over two decades) rolled out the machines in the last two years, placing them in three Waikiki hotels and one other location.
They solve a common problem: people heading to banquets or dinners who forgot to grab a lei can now buy one on the spot.
The machines run 24/7 and are temperature-controlled, keeping the fresh lei good for up to six days, with staff checking quality every other day.
Visitors like being able to browse photos and pick exactly what they want with no pressure, instead of driving to Chinatown or the airport.
Keepsake "forever" lei are also sold, and front desks can point guests to the machines when asked where to find lei.
Outlook: If the response stays strong, expect the company to expand the machines to more hotels and locations across the islands.
Maui's mayoral race is set, with incumbent Richard Bissen facing County Council vice chair Yuki Lei Sugimura in a rematch shaped largely by the recovery from the Lahaina wildfire.
Bissen led the primary comfortably, taking 47% to Sugimura's 34%, and now moves on to the November 3rd general election.
A win would make Bissen Maui's first mayor to earn a second term since Linda Lingle in the 1990s, bucking a long streak of one-term leaders.
The central issues are keeping locals able to afford to stay on Maui and keeping residents safe, both tied to the aftermath of the 2023 Lahaina disaster.
Sugimura enters the runoff as the clear underdog after finishing well behind in the primary.
Outlook: The two head to a general election on November 3rd, with Bissen the favorite but needing to overcome Maui's history of turning out incumbents.
Honolulu police say a mix of new enforcement and a fresh state law has cut down on illegal e-bike and electric dirt bike trouble on Oahu — good news for residents after a year of crashes and deaths.
Illegal electric dirt bikes and e-bikes are showing up less on Oahu roads, especially in the Eva Beach and leeward coast area.
Residents are filing fewer complaints, and police have handed out more citations, arrests, and seizures than last year — 49 citations so far this year.
Riding an illegal electric dirt bike is treated like driving without a license, which can get a rider arrested.
A new state law, Act 259, lets police seize and auction off illegal devices and sets safety standards.
A school campus ban on e-bikes may be discouraging teens from riding them.
Outlook: Police plan to keep up enforcement, so the drop in illegal e-bike use on Oahu is likely to hold.
Hawaiʻi is celebrating August as Kapa month, with an all-day public event on the grounds of ʻIolani Palace this Friday and a pop-up gallery on Oʻahu's west side.
Friday's free event runs from 10 to 5 at ʻIolani Palace, with demonstrations of every stage of making kapa — the traditional Hawaiian bark cloth — and a chance to try it yourself.
The gathering is part of a wider conference reuniting the elders who revived kapa-making during the Hawaiian Renaissance with a younger generation now carrying it on.
The palace is opening up its own rarely-seen kapa collection, beautiful pieces most practitioners had never viewed before.
About 15 to 16 makers have created handmade and kapa-inspired goods to sell, part of a program aimed at keeping the craft alive and earning income from it.
A kapa art gallery is set up in the back of a west-side shop at Kamakana Aliʻi, open through the end of the month, so locals can walk through and get inspired.
Outlook: Organizers hope the palace event and gallery draw new interest and keep Hawaiian kapa evolving as a living craft rather than a museum piece.
A lighthearted local Hawaii lifestyle segment marks the day with birthday wishes and a look at what's coming up next.
The show closes out its episode by wishing viewers a happy birthday for August 11.
Tomorrow's lineup features Adventist Health Castle's team talking about their healthy bone clinic and its specialized services.
Young singer Zia is set to perform for "Wednesday" and share a water-saving tip as part of a conservation concert series backed by the Board of Water Supply.
The hosts play up Zia as Hawaii's "princess of soul," teasing her voice as the highlight of the next show.
Outlook: The next episode leads with the bone clinic health segment and Zia's musical performance plus a conservation tip.
A light entertainment roundup led by Hawaii ukulele star Jake Shimabukuro's national TV moment.
Jake Shimabukuro appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live as part of the Cletones band, not just a one-song guest.
Taylor Swift keeps piling up honors — after June's Songwriters Hall of Fame induction as the youngest woman ever, she's now set for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame later this year.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day stays at number one, topping $1.67 billion worldwide in 10 days and running as the year's biggest film, with talk of eventually reaching $3 billion.
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey crossed $1 billion in its fourth weekend, a career best for him.
Halau Hiiaka Makalehua placed fourth in the Kane division at the second annual Mele Hula Festival, which streams online with proceeds supporting the participating halau.
Outlook: Spider-Man: Brand New Day is expected to keep climbing toward a possible record $3 billion global haul.
A Hawaii nonprofit is trying to build the island's first sanctuary for neglected and abused chickens, a positive story for animal welfare but one still short on funding and political backing.
Troopers Chicken Rescue takes in hurt and dumped chickens across Oʻahu, including roosters injured in cockfighting and left on the roadside.
The group has no real sanctuary yet and runs out of volunteers' private homes, caring for birds ad hoc.
Founder Brian Burns is pushing lawmakers to make cockfighting a felony, arguing the abuse trickles down into wider animal cruelty and reaches children.
So far only one representative, Cory Chun, has backed the effort, with most legislators silent until after November.
Rising costs for lumber, feed (about 100 pounds a day), and medical care mean the group leans heavily on donations at trooperschickenrescue.org.
Outlook: The group plans to re-engage lawmakers after November to secure land and funding for a permanent chicken sanctuary and to start thinning the island's feral flock by controlling eggs.
Travel agents are pushing 2027 trips to Europe and Alaska, plus tickets to see the University of Hawaii football team.
Europe is billed as the hot destination for 2027, with land tours, river cruises, or ocean cruises to choose from.
First-timers are steered toward a multi-country "panorama" tour before picking a river cruise on the Danube or Rhine.
Alaska cruises are pitched for families and grandkids, with an option to add lodge stays and wildlife trips before the cruise.
Group tickets to UH Rainbow Warriors home games are nearly sold out, down to the last 50 seats.
Outlook: Expect continued demand for Europe and Alaska trips heading into 2027, and a push to grab the remaining UH football seats before the season heats up.
Honolulu's Punahou School opened a new building named for Hawaiian scholar and educator Mary Kawena Pukui, a bright note as students returned for the first day of school.
The Mary Kawena Pukui Learning Commons debuted as students arrived for the new school year.
It honors Pukui, a scholar who bridged traditional Hawaiian culture, music, and dance to the 1970s Hawaiian Renaissance, and who taught at Punahou in the 1930s.
The building holds a library, engineering and emerging-tech labs, a teaching kitchen and café, plus collaborative classrooms built around project-based learning.
A history wall shows what stood on the site before, tying the school's 185-year past to the new space.
The building sits on Punahou's original 1841 location, where a small limestone schoolhouse grew into today's campus of nearly 4,000 students.
Outlook: The commons opens as a campus hub meant to push hands-on learning and community service in the year ahead.
A look at how retirees can use charitable giving to lower taxes, create retirement income, and pass more wealth to their heirs.
Baby boomers moving into retirement are asking bigger questions than just investment returns — how to fund retirement, care for family, and support causes they believe in.
Charitable planning done strategically can create income, cut taxes, strengthen an estate plan, and sometimes leave heirs more money, not less.
Options include giving from an IRA, donating appreciated stock, or setting up a charitable gift annuity or remainder trust.
The biggest opportunity is real estate — retirees holding investment properties with large gains and low cost basis can use those assets to fund retirement, diversify, and give, all at once.
Tax law changes mean inherited assets like IRAs can hit heirs with heavy tax bills, pushing families to plan ahead.
Outlook: Expect more retirees to fold charitable giving into their estate plans as a way to manage taxes and pass on wealth.
A Hawaii solar company is pushing a new option to add batteries and panels to older home solar systems, which is good news for homeowners facing higher power bills and storm outages.
The RetroKit add-on lets people with existing solar bolt on battery storage and extra panels without losing their old net metering deal with the utility.
Batteries are the big draw now — they cut electric bills and keep the fridge and lights running when storms knock out the grid, as recent Kona low outages showed.
Hawaii's state tax credits for solar and batteries are still generous this year, but changes kick in next year that make them less attractive.
Extra help comes from Hawaiian Electric rebates on batteries and local credit union loans with no interest and no payments for two years.
Outlook: Homeowners have a narrow window to lock in the current, richer tax credits before the state trims them in 2027.
A cardiac arrest survivor is speaking out to push CPR training, positive news for anyone who could one day need help in an emergency.
A woman collapsed into sudden cardiac arrest while giving a speech at her grandfather's funeral three years ago.
Cousins started CPR immediately and used an AED that shocked her heart twice before paramedics arrived, and she woke from a three-day coma.
Doctors told her she would not have survived without the fast CPR and the AED being on hand.
Nine out of ten people who go into cardiac arrest outside a hospital do not survive, which is why bystander training matters.
The American Heart Association has trained 35,000 people in CPR this year and wants every household in Hawaii to learn hands-on CPR.
Outlook: The Hawaii Heart Walk takes place Saturday at Kapiolani Park, with free hands-on CPR lessons, activities, and a space to remember lost loved ones.
Seventeen young filmmakers from Maui's Hisako Film Lab saw their short films play on the big screen at the Regal Maui Mall, right before showings of the new Spider-Man movie.
The students had just eight weeks to make the films, which premiered alongside "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" at sold-out theaters.
The film lab was started by Maui native Daniel Cretton, who directed the new Spider-Man, to teach movie-industry skills to local kids.
The Backstreet Boys are returning to the Sphere in Las Vegas for New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and January 2nd, with pre-sale on August 18th and general sale August 21st.
Mattel is releasing a Whitney Houston Barbie in a purple tank dress with heels and beaded earrings, a nod to her "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" video.
Outlook: Backstreet Boys tickets go on sale later this month, and the Whitney Houston doll will hit stores soon.
Hawaii sports roundup: a rookie standout at 49ers camp, a coaching change on Kauai, Little League on national TV, and young track champions.
Hawaii's Stribling is impressing at San Francisco 49ers training camp after being drafted in the 2nd round this year, with quarterback Mac Jones nicknaming him the "Flyin' Hawaiian" for his speed.
He runs a 4.36-second 40-yard dash and has big hands for a wide receiver, missing only a few days with hamstring tightness.
Kapaa High football coach Mike Tresler is stepping down after 5 years and 2 state titles, handing the program to former assistant Ryan McKeague while staying on to help.
The Kapaa Little League team plays Southern California today on ESPN, coming off a 7-3 win over Arizona.
Two Hawaii high school track stars, Leilehua's Avery Elgin and Punahou's Penelope Stay, won gold at the National Junior Olympic championships in California.
Outlook: UH Rainbow Wahine volleyball opens its season August 28-30 with the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Classic under new head coach Joshua Walker.
A lighthearted trend piece: a floating hot tub now cruises Boston Harbor, and a Texas raccoon made headlines after getting stuck in a mayonnaise jar.
A custom floating hot tub is now carrying up to six people around the calm waters of Boston Harbor.
It comes with changing tents, waterproof pouches, a speaker, and a preset water temperature, and the water is swapped out between every trip.
The idea sparked local comparisons to the old "umbrella boats" that once carried people for leisure rides on Honolulu's Ala Wai.
In Texas, a raccoon nicknamed Mayonessa was freed by animal officials after wandering a Dallas-area neighborhood for days with a giant mayonnaise jar stuck on her head.
She was slightly dehydrated but otherwise fine after rescuers snuck up behind her and popped the jar off.
Outlook: Expect these floating hot tubs to keep spreading to other harbor cities as a novelty summer attraction.
A former Halawa inmate is raising claims of violence and corruption inside Hawaii's prison system after a murder there, which is bad news for the state's Department of Corrections.
A 66-year-old inmate, Denise "Godwin" Foster, was beaten and strangled to death at Halawa Correctional Facility, and the death was ruled a murder with no suspect yet in custody.
Ryan Spencer, who spent 10 years inside, says he witnessed violence, weak security, and possible corruption that rarely reaches the public.
He says high-risk inmates are housed with lower-risk ones, and guards are too slow to break up fights when violence starts.
Inmates often stay silent out of fear, which lets problems continue unchecked.
Corrections director Tommy Johnson denies violence is hidden, saying every incident is reported and staff review surveillance footage, and that the department has fired and arrested corrupt staff before.
Outlook: Pressure is likely to grow for a closer look at Hawaii's prisons, but with no suspect named and inmates reluctant to talk, the Foster murder case could stay unresolved.
A Hawaii Republican state senate primary came down to just seven votes, triggering an automatic recount.
In District 20, challenger Bob McDermott edged out incumbent Kurt Fevella by seven votes, with the lead swinging on the final printout.
McDermott ran an anti-establishment campaign with no fundraising, going door to door, while Fevella focused on schools in this traditionally red area.
State law forces an automatic recount for any race decided by 100 votes or less, so results here aren't final.
In the Maui County mayor race, incumbent Richard Bissen beat council member Yuki Sugimura by more than 12 points, but both advance to the general election.
Outlook: The recount happens tomorrow morning at the Office of Elections, which will decide the final winner.
A Waianae, Hawaii couple has been jailed on accusations they tortured, starved, and confined a teenage boy for two years, in a case that has stunned their neighbors.
A 13-year-old boy escaped his home on St. John's Road late Thursday and told police his parents had tortured him.
His mother, Jasmine Kidos Pelle, and stepfather, James Hefernan, were arrested Friday and appeared before a judge for the first time.
Police say they found evidence consistent with torture, including a pattern of physical abuse, starvation, and confinement.
Neighbors described hearing the mother screaming daily and seeing the boy wandering outside alone at 3 a.m., looking depressed.
Child welfare workers took three children into protective custody.
Outlook: The couple remains behind bars as the case moves through court and child welfare handles the children.
A packed Hawaii news day, dominated by a disturbing child abuse case and messy primary election results, with mostly bad news across the board.
A Honolulu mother and stepfather pleaded not guilty to torturing and imprisoning a 13-year-old boy for years; he escaped and told a neighbor, and he and two younger siblings are now in protective custody.
On Maui, two men were charged with murdering a 71-year-old man over a dispute about bright headlights, and Honolulu police are hunting three suspects in an Eva Beach shooting.
Hawaii's primary is settled at the top — Governor Josh Green and Congresswoman Jill Tokuda cruised — but several state legislative races are down to a handful of votes, with one House seat separated by a single vote.
Trump says the U.S. is in talks with Iran but wants war reparations of its own, as Iran demands sanctions relief and payment to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, pushing oil prices up.
More than 40 large wildfires are burning across the U.S. West and 100-plus in western Canada, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate, while a Taylor Farms recall and a flesh-eating bacteria warning add to a rough summer for food and water safety.
Outlook: A developing central Pacific cyclone, possibly named Lala, could hit Hawaii with strong winds and heavy rain starting Friday, and the razor-thin legislative races may drag toward recounts or special elections.
Hawaii's Republican candidates for governor and lieutenant governor are launching a long-shot bid to break the Democratic Party's grip on the state, though the numbers show a steep uphill climb.
Contractor Gary Cordray won Saturday's GOP primary and now takes on Democratic Governor Josh Green, who pulled in roughly five times as many primary votes.
Cordray has been holding twice-a-month online forums from his home, drawing about 50 people each, and plans to keep courting voters virtually until Election Day.
His running mate, farmer and activist Daniel Anthony, trailed the Democratic pick for lieutenant governor, Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami, by a wide margin.
The pair say they'll focus on tax reform, including breaks for Native Hawaiian homeowners, and on making state government more open.
Outlook: The general election is set for November 3rd, but the lopsided primary results leave the Republican ticket as heavy underdogs in a deep-blue state.
A fugitive convicted of stealing millions meant to help sick children is living freely overseas, a bitter outcome for his victims.
Michael Madarasingan, who ran a Guam bingo hall that claimed to fund flights for sick kids to Honolulu's Shriners Hospital, was photographed in Manila.
He was sentenced in absentia to over 21 years in prison and ordered to pay $10 million to the Aloha Shriners.
The scam was first flagged nearly a decade ago by a Shriners Hospital worker who reported the bingo hall's false claims.
The Philippine Consulate says US authorities have not yet reached out about the case, and he remains on the FBI's most-wanted fraudsters list.
Outlook: The photo gives investigators a location to work from, but without a formal request to Philippine officials, his capture is far from certain.
Two burglars broke into an elderly woman's home in Honolulu while she slept, a frightening reminder that home break-ins are climbing across Oahu.
Two people cut a window screen and climbed into a 90-year-old woman's Moanalua Valley home around 2 a.m., wandering the house for about 20 minutes while she slept.
They took her purse and keys off the kitchen counter and drove off in her car, which police later recovered in Honolulu.
Police classified the case as first-degree burglary, one of 375 such cases opened on Oahu so far this year.
The woman is shaken and traumatized, and her family has spent the week closing and reopening accounts and dealing with the fallout.
Outlook: The case is still under investigation, and neighbors say they are staying more alert after seeing how easily it happened.
Maui County is stepping in to buy aging private water systems, a change welcomed by farmers who depend on them but questioned over the cost.
The county plans to buy the systems from West Maui Land for $6 million after the 2023 wildfires exposed how weak the old plantation-era water setup is.
These systems date back over a century, when they carried stream water to reservoirs for sugar fields; today they sell irrigation water and pipe drinking water to 500 customers.
Farmers like Eddie Garcia back the deal, saying broken ditches, a failing reservoir, and week-long water shutoffs have already cost them hundreds of thousands in crop and infrastructure damage.
Fixing everything could run into the tens of millions, and one council member warned the county could end up losing money on it.
The mayor says the wildfires proved private water systems can't be trusted, and the old setup favored rich hillside subdivisions over downstream taro farms.
Outlook: The council gave early approval to the purchase, so the county is set to take over the systems and face a large, long-term repair bill.
Civil rights groups in Honolulu are pushing back against surveillance tech firm Palantir, warning it threatens privacy and due process.
The ACLU of Hawaii, Oahu, and the Rapid Response Coalition protested outside the Pacific Guardian Center, where Palantir has opened a new local office.
Palantir builds data and AI tools tied to ICE, the CIA, and militaries around the world.
Protesters say the company enables mass surveillance and predictive policing that tramples personal privacy.
Their core demand is that no one's data be accessed without a warrant and that every American get due process.
Palantir did not respond to requests for comment about its new Honolulu office.
Outlook: Expect more local pushback as Palantir expands in Hawaii and its government contracts draw scrutiny.
A new learning center at Honolulu's Punahou School opens tomorrow, named for the late Hawaiian scholar Mary Kawena Pukui — a feel-good moment for the school and for Hawaiian culture.
The 53,000-square-foot Mary Kawena Pukui Learning Commons sits in the former Cooke Library on the Punahou campus.
Pukui, who taught at Punahou from 1938 to 1941, worked to preserve the Hawaiian language and culture and helped seed the 1970s Hawaiian Renaissance.
The center holds an archive of her writings and songs, still used in classrooms today.
Beyond Hawaiian studies, it includes a design lab, computer science stations, a food-prep kitchen, and a video production studio.
Every Punahou student now studies Hawaiian language in early grades and takes a Hawaiian history course.
Outlook: The commons opens to students tomorrow after a weekend preview for Pukui's family.
A week of tribute events on Maui marks one year since a police officer was shot and killed on duty, with the community pushing a gun-safety bill in her name.
Officer Suzanne O was shot and killed on August 15 last year while responding to a trespassing call.
Sign-waving events run every morning this week across Maui County, from 10 a.m. to noon.
The events back a bill named for her, aimed at strengthening Hawaii's gun laws in the coming legislative session.
The bill would make it a felony to carry or possess a firearm while under the influence of a controlled substance.
Outlook: Supporters hope the show of community backing helps the bill pass when lawmakers meet next session.
A local sports era ends as Kailua High School's longtime baseball coach steps down after three decades, a bittersweet moment for the school and its community.
Corey Ishigo, known for his signature white glasses, is retiring after 30 years coaching baseball at his old high school, Kailua.
He built one of Hawaii's most consistent programs, winning two state titles, nine league championships, and reaching the state tournament 25 of his 26 years.
A former standout infielder for both Kailua and the University of Hawaii, he said his real goal was helping players grow into good men, not just win games.
Ishigo will keep teaching at Kailua and stay involved in the sport through his Hawaii Baseball Academy.
Outlook: Former assistant coach Shane will take over the Surf Riders program next season.
A family-run Southeast Asian spot at Honolulu's Market City Shopping Center is drawing crowds with signature crab dishes — good news for local food lovers.
Yi Xin Café serves authentic Singaporean-style seafood, with its signature chili crab and Singapore black pepper crab as the standouts.
Other favorites include sweet-and-sour pork with fresh pineapple, a basil dish, and a photogenic "Teddy Bear" dessert.
The restaurant is family owned and operated, part of what regulars say gives it a warm, personal feel.
It sits at the 78-year-old Market City Shopping Center on Kapiolani Boulevard, Hawaii's oldest family-owned shopping center and home to the original Foodland.
It's open daily from 10:30am, with lines often forming at dinner.
Outlook: Expect the café to stay a busy neighborhood draw, with new signature crab dishes and specials shared on its Instagram.
A local home building and remodeling show comes to Honolulu this weekend, offering homeowners a place to plan projects and meet contractors — useful for anyone weighing a renovation.
The BIA Hawaii show packs over 70 vendors and 110 booths under one roof at the Blaisdell.
Homeowners can meet licensed contractors, designers, and kitchen and bath experts, whether they are just dreaming or ready to build.
Seminars cover design trends, outdoor living spaces, and how to save money and time on projects.
Experts will also explain the new FEMA flood maps and how they affect Hawaii homeowners.
Outlook: The show runs Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, with a $3-off coupon available online.
A Waianae mother and stepfather appeared in court facing torture and kidnapping charges, in what could be one of the first tests of Hawaii's new child torture law.
Jasmine Carroll's Pele and James Heffernan are accused of abusing her 13-year-old son over several years.
The boy ran away last week and told police he was denied food, locked in his room, tied with zip ties, stabbed, punched, and attacked by the family dogs.
Officers said they found injuries, scarring, and evidence at the home backing up his account.
Pele is held on $400,000 bail and Heffernan, named as an accomplice, on $200,000; all three children in the home are now in state custody.
The case tests Hawaii's new child torture law, which carries up to 20 years in prison, though poverty and being unable to afford basics can be a legal defense.
Outlook: The couple is due back in court soon as prosecutors move to apply the new law.
Two Republican primary races in Hawaii are so close they've triggered an automatic machine recount, with invalid ballots likely to decide the winners.
The Kapolei-Makakilo House seat is separated by just one vote, and the Ewa Beach Senate seat by seven.
The House race pits incumbent Kanani Souza against Sheila Maderas; the Senate race pits incumbent Kurt Fevella against former state rep Bob McDermott.
A machine recount starts Tuesday morning, run the same way ballots were first counted, as state law requires.
Voters have until end of business Friday to fix invalid ballots, such as those with a bad signature — 36 are in play in the House race and 45 in the Senate race.
Outlook: Recount results should firm up this week, but the deadline to challenge any primary result in the state Supreme Court runs to August 24th.
Hawaii solar owners are being pitched a way to add batteries and backup power to panels they already have, framed as a money-saver as the state's payback rules get stingier.
Hawaii used to let solar owners sell power back to the grid at full value, but new rules pay a lower rate for what you export.
The fix being pushed: store your daytime solar in a home battery and use it yourself at night instead of selling it cheap.
Batteries also keep the fridge and appliances running during outages — timely with hurricane season and a storm possibly forming next week.
New "AC coupling" tech lets a battery bolt onto existing panels from any installer without breaking your current Hawaiian Electric plan.
State tax credits, utility rebates that cut you an upfront check, and no-interest solar loans are pitched to make the upgrade cheaper this year before the credits shrink in 2027.
Outlook: With state tax credits set to be trimmed next year, expect a push for Hawaii homeowners to add batteries now while the incentives are still full.