Happy
Honolulu
Wednesday, April 8th, 2026
Good morning, Honolulu. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 8th of April.
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ After a 28-year break, Ka Pa Hula Hawai‘i is returning to the Merrie Monarch Festival stage this week as the men's division celebrates its 50th anniversary. The dancers, many of whom competed in the 90s, will revive their traditional style for this special event. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Skyler Tiogangco, a deaf dancer and Hilo Sack ’N Save employee, became the first deaf dancer to compete at the Merrie Monarch Festival in 2015 and returned in 2017. He credited support from his hula brothers (and rigorous training) with inspiring the deaf community to chase their dreams. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Lee A. Tonouchi, known as Da Pidgin Guerrilla, became Hawai‘i’s new Poet Laureate for three years from state cultural groups — he shared his favorite poetry books for National Poetry Month and Da Shop in Kaimukī stocks rare works. Honolulu Magazine
- ➤ The Kāhala announced Daniel and Lynnette D. as the winner of its Memories of Alan Wong’s contest after reviewing hundreds of community entries. The Kahala will use these cherished memories — to create new traditions as it opens its doors and continues the spirit of aloha. Honolulu Magazine
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Hawaii Community College is promoting its Hawaiian Studies degree with a focus on traditional hula to help students connect with their heritage — a program that preserves cultural traditions and is available for those seeking to learn the art. KITV
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ Dole Food Company began drawing down its Wahiawā reservoir system in February to prepare for heavy rain and will monitor the dam and water systems 24/7 during severe weather. The company urged local officials to adopt a watershed-based approach to monitoring conditions. KITV
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ The state used the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund to lower condo insurance costs for island buildings after rates jumped 100 — 500%. In nine months, about 100 condos have signed up, saving roughly $100,000 per building and yielding over $12 million in savings that pressured private insurers to lower their rates. KITV
- ➤ The Department of Planning and Permitting launched the Rebuild Donation Match Registry to help homeowners and businesses affected by the storm get construction materials and volunteer support. The program matches documented requests with donor offers through a process of four steps — permit compliance is required for repairs. KITV
- ➤ State lawmakers honored over 100,000 veterans and their families at the Capitol today with a special floor presentation that included support organizations, while weather officials warned that flash flooding may affect multiple islands from Wednesday morning through Friday afternoon. KITV
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Lynn Matsuoka, associate director at a sex abuse treatment center, warned that online offenses such as sexting, sextortion, and deepfakes are rising and urged parents to stay engaged (protecting children is key). Her message supports local efforts to raise awareness of digital risks. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Queen's Medical Center West Oahu opened its new high-capacity ambulance bay today (doubling capacity to six stalls) to boost patient access and ease traffic at the state's second-busiest emergency department. KITV
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Start with repetition, not perfection.
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