Good morning, Honolulu.

Starting mid-December, Alaska Airlines will launch new nonstop seasonal flights from Honolulu to Boise and Spokane, and add three weekly flights to Las Vegas during peak holiday periods — while Hawaiian Airlines will discontinue its seasonal flight to Auckland.

Hawaii finished last in CNBC’s 2026 business ranking, scoring lowest in infrastructure and business costs, officials said.

Business leaders and DBEDT officials urged lower costs and better infrastructure investments — measures they believe can help local companies grow.

The 22nd Annual Korean Festival Hawaii will take place Saturday, Aug.

8 at Kapiolani Park. The event will feature local Korean food, live performances, and a hanbok fashion show.

Public high school students are set to gain paid agricultural and aviation internships this summer through state-funded programs that connect them with employers like Aloun Farms and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum for hands-on training at $20 per hour; Outrigger Resorts will add opportunities later this year.

Camp Erdman has spent 100 years teaching keiki Hawaiian values, outdoor learning, and practical life skills.

The camp remains a valued part of education in our community — acknowledging its century-long tradition.

Surfrider Foundation's 2025 beach cleanup report shows that volunteers removed nearly 340,000 pounds of trash from U.S. coastlines, including 1,132 pounds gathered in a cleanup after the Kona Low storm on Oahu.

The report highlights heavy one-day cleanups on Kauai, like the 3,202 pounds taken from Anahola Bay.

Downtown Business Improvement District launched on July 1 and brings ambassadors in bright pink clothing to clean downtown Honolulu and offer outreach to those in need.

The program will add equipment and expand services in the fall as part of a $1.9 million plan to boost local business activity.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green signed Act222 on July 9, requiring hospital emergency departments to send real-time health data to the state Department of Health as an early warning system for emerging threats.

The law allows officials to set up a state-based system & expand data collection to better respond to local needs.

Michael Chin (31) set a new record by running up and down Koko Head staircase five times in less than 85 minutes, beating the previous record of 1 hour 25 minutes.

He trained for three months and used social media feedback to help break the time mark.