Happy
Honolulu
Thursday, September 11th, 2025
Good morning, Honolulu. Here's your local news at a glance for Thursday, the 11th of September.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ KSSK Radio Legends has raised millions for keiki and families over 19 years through a Radiothon with Kapiʻolani Medical Center— the next fundraising event will be held soon. KITV
- ➤ Waikiki residents will join a live viewing party—honoring reggae legend George Fiji Veikoso—at Auto Source Event Center this Saturday. The event invites community members to celebrate his lasting impact on local music. KITV
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Larry Ellison, an 81-year-old tech mogul (owner of 98% of Lanai), became the world’s richest person as of Wednesday when his net worth hit about $393 billion after Oracle announced major investments in cloud and artificial intelligence and passed Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Hawaiian Airlines announced that Diana Birkett Rakow will become the new CEO on Oct. 29 when Joe Sprague retires. She is currently senior vice president at Alaska Airlines and her appointment follows a $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Holdings (which started the leadership transition). Honolulu Star-Advertiser
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Siua Ikaleʻo (a Polynesian actor raised in Tonga) made his network debut on NCIS: Hawai‘i in 2022 and now stars as Nāhi, Jason Momoa’s younger brother in Apple TV+’s epic series Chief of War (he is based in Honolulu). KITV
- ➤ Kimber Collins was crowned Scuba Queen USA 2025 in Pensacola from September 5 to September 7—she is an advanced open water diver, journalist, and TV personality who will represent the US in Malaysia this November. The three-day event celebrated women divers and highlighted ocean conservation. KITV
- ➤ The 2025 Kumulipo Showcase will be held on Sept. 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at ʻIolani Palace grounds—featuring five hālau performing all 2,102 lines of the genealogical chant to honor Queen Liliʻuokalani and her translation legacy as part of Kamaʻāina Sunday. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Pat Popovich, a Kailua native who loved adventure and curling, left a generous gift that supports Hawai‘i through the CHANGE Framework. Her bequest made after her passing in 2024 will provide flexible funding in times like the Maui fires—honoring her lifelong love for the islands. Hawaii Business
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Hawaii lawmakers are considering an anti-squatter law that would allow law enforcement to remove unlawful occupants faster and ease financial losses for homeowners, after one landlord in Hawaii Kai experienced $60,000 in lost rent. The measure, which could shorten eviction times like those seen in other states, faces opposition from law enforcement and legal groups and will be revisited next session — promising further debate. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Honolulu City Council introduced Bill 60 to extend the city's $10-billion Skyline rail to the University of Hawaii at Manoa in response to decades of local support — HART's executive director and CEO said the bill will allow planning to estimate the rail extension cost. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
- ➤ A federal judge ruled that Hawaii County must process firearm permit applications from people with non-domestic misdemeanor convictions older than 20 years in line with Hawai‘i Revised Statutes—this decision came from a court-approved agreement in the Shiroma case. The ruling stops the county from denying permits based solely on those old convictions. Hawaii Free Press
- ➤ The City is marking the 24th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001 today with a ceremony near the Eternal Flame outside Honolulu Hale and blue lights at Honolulu Hale and Neal S. Blaisdell Arena—City officials said the public is invited and flags will fly at half-staff to honor nearly 3,000 lives lost including nine linked to Hawaii. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ The Honolulu Fire Department began using a new twin-engine Bell 429 helicopter to improve search and rescue missions across Hawaii. The helicopter — which flew in a two-day exercise with the Coast Guard and local lifeguard services — can fly longer, carry more patients, and will be used to aid boaters, swimmers, and others in need. Hawaii News Now
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Investments in health care are changing West O‘ahu as the new Straub Benioff Medical Center Mililani Clinic and Urgent Care opened in August at the Town Center of Mililani with 55 exam rooms and urgent care hours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. — Queen’s Medical Center-West O‘ahu will expand its emergency department to add 32 care spaces and triple its size, with the project set to finish early 2029. Hawaii Business
- ➤ Honolulu bars and restaurants must now have Narcan on site to help prevent opioid-related emergencies—officials say the rule is expected to improve safety for patrons. KITV
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Your goal in life is to find the people, business, project, or art that needs you the most.
~ Naval Ravikant
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