Happy
Honolulu
Monday, January 5th, 2026
Good morning, Honolulu. Here's your local news at a glance for Monday, the 5th of January.
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Activists celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Protect Kahoolawe movement on Sunday with ceremonies and field trips that honored the legacy of its founders. Organizer Walter Ritte and other advocates urged young community members to continue protecting our lands (a call to keep aloha aina alive). Hawaii News Now
- ➤ The Hawaii Tourism Authority launched its global campaign (Hawaii stays with you) at the Los Angeles Rams game at SoFi Stadium, showcasing Hawaiian culture and community. Coverage runs today and will continue tomorrow at 5 a.m. on Hawaii News Now Sunrise. Hawaii News Now
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ UH Manoa earned top global rankings from Shanghai Ranking Consultancy with oceanography at No. 5 nationally & No. 7 worldwide, atmospheric science at No. 8 nationally & No. 11 globally, and hospitality management at No. 12 nationally. The evaluation covered nearly 20 academic disciplines and showed strong academic performance. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
- ➤ UH Manoa earned high marks in nearly 20 subjects as the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy placed its oceanography program No. 5 in the U.S. & No. 7 globally and atmospheric science No. 8 nationally, with strong results in hospitality management showing broad academic excellence. KITV
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ After power outages occurred in Kapolei, Makailo and Nanakuli at about 4:40 p.m. Sunday, HECO has been working to restore power for nearly 6,000 homes — crews are checking on the repairs and updating customers. The restoration efforts continue as the utility monitors progress. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Hawaiian Electric is working to restore power to nearly 6,000 customers on Oahu after outages began at 4:40 p.m. Sunday in Kapolei, Makakilo, Nanakuli, and Ko Olina, with repairs expected to finish by around 7 p.m. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Dept. of Accounting and General Services repaired a classroom leak at Kealakehe Elementary School during winter break (helping a sister agency outside their regular agreement with the Department of Education). KITV
REAL ESTATE NEWS
- ➤ Buyers are showing more optimism as Clarice Casamina of House of Finance notes a drop in the 30-year mortgage rate to 6.15% and stabilizing home prices, though supply remains low. She advises buyers to improve credit scores and down payments to secure better loan terms. Hawaii News Now
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ The No.2 UH men’s volleyball team swept NJIT on Sunday night to open its season 2-0, limiting opponents to 17 points per set with Kristian Titriyski leading 11 kills and three aces (players celebrated their 2025 Big West rings) and will host Loyola Chicago on Jan. 8. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ At Bankoh Arena on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, Hawaii dominated NJIT as returning players received championship rings for last year's Big West tournament win. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
- ➤ Kohala boys basketball remained unbeaten after beating the Kamehameha-Hawaii Warriors 46-36 on Saturday night on the road; it was their second win over the Warriors this season. Hawaii Tribune-Herald
- ➤ Hawaii men's volleyball team swept NJIT (25-17, 25-16, 25-17) yesterday at Bankoh Arena in Honolulu before a crowd of 5,267. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The fool wonders, the wise man asks.
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Reveal the authorAbout Happy Honolulu
Welcome to the Happy Honolulu, your community newsletter that's anything but snooze-worthy, packed with positive, impactful local news + events across the Honolulu, Hawaii community. If you like the Happy Honolulu, support us by subscribing to our email newsletter and sharing us with your friends and family in Honolulu.
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