Good morning, Honolulu.

The Department of Planning and Permitting is hosting its second Rebuild Oahu event on Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Laie Hawaii Stake Center, where residents can access resources and one-on-one appointments — help provided by city and state representatives and nonprofit partners.

Hundreds of residents affected by last month's Kona low flooding visited a pop-up assistance center in Waianae on Saturday to receive help; the center served communities along the Leeward coast.

Kawaii Kon drew thousands to Waikiki today as eager attendees waited over an hour to enter the exhibit hall and explore a wide range of crafts and art.

The event highlighted local creativity with a focus on community and culture.

Spam Jam returns tonight in Waikiki and will draw thousands to its 22nd annual event featuring food, fun and community giveback, organizers said.

Forty-three top public high school seniors were honored as Citizen-Scholars last week at Prince Waikiki in recognition of academic excellence and community leadership.

The ceremony included local education and tourism leaders (including Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association President Mufi Hannemann and Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi).

A sustainability expo in Honolulu will feature innovative solutions to high energy prices + strategies to strengthen power outage resilience.

Organizers will announce further details soon.

A corpse flower called “Stink-182” began blooming on Friday at Foster Botanical Garden and will remain open for visits through the weekend (pollinating flies are drawn by its strong smell).

A federal judge dismissed the antitrust claim by six flyers seeking to undo the 2024 merger of Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines, saying they did not meet legal requirements (under U.S. law) for divestiture.

He invited the plaintiffs to submit a letter to address remaining antitrust issues.

Following a cleanup (April 1 and 2) by DLNR and partners, Waikiki beach's homeless encampment was largely cleared even as some visitors said the area felt less appealing, and US Army, City officials, and state agencies will continue joint operations to balance outreach and community order.

On Wednesday at 3:20 p.m., the Coast Guard medevaced a 78-year-old man from the Celebrity Solstice 58 miles offshore — he was taken to Queen’s Medical Center in stable condition in Honolulu, with a Navy MH-60 Seahawk providing support.

Hawaii Living with Anne Lee explored the Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa in Honolulu, where Paris Baguette served freshly baked pastries and SERA provided refined dishes (reported April 25).

The tour highlighted upscale comfort at a central, luxurious hotel.

Kansei Matsuzawa – the first consensus All-American from UH with 26 consecutive field goals – signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Las Vegas Raiders and will report to mini camp in the coming days.