Happy
Honolulu
Saturday, October 18th, 2025
Good morning, Honolulu. Here's your local news at a glance for Saturday, the 18th of October.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ The third edition of Hawai‘i Disaster Preparation Guide is now available from aio Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Home + Remodeling magazine and Hawai‘i Community Foundation — it compiles stories, tips and resources to help residents prepare for disasters. Honolulu Magazine
- ➤ Many families in the islands face growing food insecurity as tariffs, federal funding cuts and a government shutdown push up food prices while local food banks serve more than 160,000 households monthly—farmers risk losing up to $175 million in funds and the state may see a $1.3 billion economic loss. Local leaders say immediate support for local agriculture is critical to ease the crisis. KITV
- ➤ Mālama Hulēʻia hosts a restoration day today (marking its 10th anniversary) as volunteers rebuild the historic ʻAla-koko fishpond wall. KITV
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Common Kings kicked off Oʻahu’s first Holo Holo Music Festival with a launch party Friday night in Waikīkī—debuting their new vodka—and teasing surprise guests. KITV
- ➤ Descendants of a rare land snail species last seen in 1924 now live at Bishop Museum’s Kāhuli Research Center—offering a unique glimpse into Hawaii’s natural heritage. KITV
- ➤ The Common Kings kicked off Oahu’s first Holo Holo Music Festival with a launch party Friday night at The Alohilani Resort Waikiki — the event introduced their new Uncle Ed’s Damn Good Vodka and teased surprise guests set to perform at the festival scheduled for October 18-19 at Bishop Museum. KITV
ECONOMY NEWS
- ➤ Union workers at Kapiolani Medical Center began striking at 7 a.m. today—demanding fair wages, better benefits, and protection against burnout. KITV
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Honolulu’s Hawaiʻi State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations has launched the Hele Imua Internship program to support local farms by pairing students with hands-on training and paying $20 per hour for up to 19.5 hours weekly. The 12-week program, developed with Hawaiʻi Agricultural Foundation and Ulupono Initiative—opens applications through Oct. 24 to build a future workforce for local agriculture. KITV
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ Last Friday, Kilauea erupted record-breaking lava fountains — the south vent reached 1,300 feet and the north vent reached 1,100 feet, USGS said. Hawaii News Now
FINANCE NEWS
- ➤ The Bank of Hawaii is offering financial relief to federal employees and contractors with a 24-month personal loan of up to $5,000 and forbearance on residential mortgages, home equity loans — all fees are waived and applicants must provide a paystub dated August 31 to verify federal employment; applications can be submitted online or in person at a nearby branch. Hawaii News Now
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ The Hawaii Department of Health confirmed that Meadow Gold half-pint chocolate milk with an October 16 expiration was recalled after about 70,000 units sent to schools led to 15 children falling ill at four elementary schools—officials said schools on O‘ahu, Maui and Kauai received the product—and are contacting affected sites while advising consumers to avoid any milk that appears or smells unusual. Hawaii Free Press
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The longer you wait to do something, the more likely you are to find a reason not to do it.
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