Happy
Honolulu
Saturday, October 25th, 2025
Good morning, Honolulu. Here's your local news at a glance for Saturday, the 25th of October.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Honolulu is hosting the Priced Into Paradise expo at the Blaisdell Center today to show affordable housing options like the Plugin House (built with 37 insulated panels in less than a day) and Continest homes. City Council member Andria Tupola said experts from the Department of Planning and Permitting and financing companies will help residents on-site, and registration is free online. Hawaii News Now
ACCIDENTS NEWS
- ➤ State transportation officials reported that as of Oct. 24, 2025, 106 people died on Hawaii roads—up from 102 in 2024—and planned projects will install raised crosswalks and speed tables to help reduce fatalities. Hawaii News Now
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Alaska Airlines apologized after an IT outage on Thursday led to the cancellation of more than 400 flights and disrupted travel for over 49,000 passengers. The airline resolved the issue by 8:30 p.m. and is working with outside technical experts — adding extra customer support to help affected travelers. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Olukai will open its new Haleiwa store tomorrow with opening day proceeds benefiting the Eddie Aikau Foundation from 4-7 p.m. at the Haleiwa Store Lots. KITV
CRIME NEWS
- ➤ The Shine the Light operation began in 2020 to find missing children at risk and has recovered 42 children so far, with 10 teens aged 13 to 18 found in its latest October effort. Officials say families should report missing children right away—police do not require a 24-hour wait to take a report. KITV
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ The City and County of Honolulu and the Hawai‘i Kyudo Foundation are partnering to build O‘ahu’s first public kyudojo on 0.57 acres of undeveloped land at Mau‘umae Nature Park—an area in Kaimukī near 16th Avenue and Claudine Street. Construction will begin in early 2026 and archery lessons will start by summer, with the facility open three days a week—ensuring safety with a rangemaster on site. Hawaii Free Press
ECONOMY NEWS
- ➤ A new report from Hawai’i Appleseed revealed that outdated parking mandates raised new home construction costs by adding tens of thousands to building prices, including over $68,000 extra for a rental unit's mandated parking. The report calls on government leaders to adopt flexible, market-based rules—an effort meant to lower costs and boost housing production. Hawaii Free Press
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ State officials announced a paid 12-week agriculture internship program that pairs students with local farmers+ to build a stronger farming workforce. The program will offer hands-on work experience and practical skills training for students. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Glenn Medeiros, a pop star known for Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You, is now president of Saint Louis School and shares his life lessons in his new memoir—One Stage to Another. He will sign the memoir at Barnes and Noble in Ala Moana Center on Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. Hawaii News Now
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ The City and County of Honolulu announced it secured financing for the Kuhio Park Terrace affordable housing project at 1449 Ahonui St. in Kalihi. The $115 million investment will create 302 new low-income rental units, replace 60 aging units with three mid-rise buildings, and begin construction before November—completion is set for mid-2028. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Federal workers and contractors are facing financial stress as they miss their first full paychecks due to the shutdown — the Pantry in Kalihi has launched a special program to help those affected. KITV
- ➤ On Oct. 22, Hawaiian Electric proposed a two-year pilot rebate program to help low-to-moderate income households and customers with special medical needs in wildfire risk areas purchase backup power equipment, offering up to $500 for portable generators or $1,000 for batteries in PSPS zones on Maui, Molokai, Hawaii Island and Oahu. Pending approval from the Public Utilities Commission, the program will distribute about $3 million per year—aiming to serve roughly 4,800 homes and support commercial resilience hubs. Hawaii Free Press
- ➤ The Hawaii Department of Transportation announced that northbound lanes on Kamehameha Highway in Waipahu will close today at 3 a.m. through 8 p.m. Sunday for a mural project by high school students from Pearl City, Mililani and Waipahu who will transform nearly three-quarters of a mile of the busy roadway into a visual story of Waipio Ahupuaa—motorists must follow detours redirecting traffic along southbound lanes and through the Lumiauau inlet/outlet to Lumiaina Street while special duty police assist with safety. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ A UH study published on October 23 shows a 19-year life expectancy gap among Hawaiʻi groups where Native Hawaiians live 77.4 years and Other Pacific Islanders live 69.6 years while Chinese live 88.2 years. Researchers link these differences to social and economic conditions and suggest that tailored programs may help improve health outcomes. Hawaii Free Press
- ➤ HMSA announced that Jenny Smith will become its new president and chief operating officer effective Nov. 1—she is the first woman to hold the post in the organization’s 87-year history. Dr. Mark Mugiishi will remain as CEO to oversee the overall operations of HMSA. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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