Happy
Honolulu
Friday, January 9th, 2026
Good morning, Honolulu. Here's your local news at a glance for Friday, the 9th of January.
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Kiso Store celebrated its 80th anniversary as a family-owned landscaping supplier today along Waipahu St. across from Hans L’orange Neighborhood Park and the Filipino Community Center. The store offers building materials and garden supplies (open Mon-Sat 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sun 8 a.m.-noon). Hawaii News Now
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ ‘Awa Hou Kava Lounge in the former Glazer’s Coffee shop on South King Street offers fresh Hawaiʻi Island kava plus community events such as live music, pop-ups and workshops. Owner Rami Kayali sets happy hour from 1 to 4 p.m. on weekdays with discounted prices to invite students and locals. Honolulu Magazine
- ➤ The Hawaii Cannabis Expo 2026 will take place at the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall from Friday, Jan. 30 to Sunday, Feb. 1; the event will feature educational speakers, exhibits, and a new cannabis bar experience. It is strictly educational, cultural, and community-focused (without sales or consumption). Hawaii News Now
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ The state is launching a $150M kitchen in Whitmore Village to expand school meals, with construction starting Jan. 29 and a pilot (serving four or five Leilehua Complex schools) before full service reaches Mililani and Waialua; the facility will serve 60,000 meals daily when it opens in June 2027. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ A new regional kitchen is starting small to serve locally-sourced meals in schools and will expand to provide 16,000 meals per day for more than 80 schools. Hawaii News Now
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Department of Hawaiian Home Lands awarded 2,600 homesteads in 2025 using a combined approach in Kapolei and other areas. The agency faces over 29,000 waitlisted beneficiaries and is seeking additional funding to meet rising housing demand & boost community living. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Across Hawaii, flags were lowered — honoring Hawaii County Fire Chief Kazuo Todd's decades of service as a tribute to his long public career. KITV
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ The Hawaii State Department of Health and the Department of Human Services announced a new SNAP-WIC link to help eligible families access nutritious food (and health support) by simplifying enrollment. The referral process will let SNAP participants qualify for free WIC services for pregnant individuals, new parents, and young children. KITV
- ➤ HMSA and HPH will unveil a connected healthcare proposal today at 2:30 p.m. in Honolulu—aiming to improve affordability, access, and quality for families—and will follow with a Q&A session. KITV
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Aaron Hunkin-Claytor, a sophomore guard for Hawaii’s Rainbow Warriors, has led the team with 55 assists this season plus the squad holds an 8-2 nonconference record. He will face UC Irvine this weekend in a Big West Conference contest. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ UH's No. 2 men’s volleyball team outplayed No. 7 Loyola Chicago on Thursday as Trevell Jordan and Tread Rosenthal celebrated key points that made the team’s first Top 10 opponent appear routine. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.
Know who said this? Send us an email!
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.
Advertising Opportunities
Advertising with us will make sure you stay at the top of everyone's mind—in Honolulu and across Hawaii. You can learn more here. We'll work together to build a custom plan to hit your goals this year.
Alternatively, you can submit events, announcements, real estate listings, and job postings. We'll include them in our newsletter on whichever dates you like.
Community, delivered
Our hyper-local media company activates communities through daily email newsletters that curate the most positive, impactful local news + events – all for free.
Subscribe to Happy Honolulu
A free Honolulu community newsletter.
- Daily local news
- We curate the most positive, impactful local news + events.
- 6AM City
- A publication of 6AM City, the nation's leading local newsletter-first media network. Nominate your city.
© 6AM City Inc. 2025. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. Questions? Contact us here
Sitemap: https://happyhonolulu.com/sitemap