Happy
Honolulu
Monday, November 17th, 2025
Good morning, Honolulu. Here's your local news at a glance for Monday, the 17th of November.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Ko Olina Resort will deliver 4,000 complete Thanksgiving meals to West Oahu on November 22 with help from more than 100 volunteers including resort employees, culinary students, and community partners. Leeward Community College students will prepare over 2,700 pounds of turkey while UPS drivers and other groups will deliver meals to 25 churches, shelters — and veterans' organizations from Waianae to Waipahu. KITV
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Travel companies have urged Gov. Josh Green and tourism officials to boost state marketing — warning that Hawaii is losing ground to global competitors with aggressive campaigns as visitor numbers slip. Hawaii Tribune-Herald
- ➤ Hawaii ranks second highest for female representation in construction as apprentice carpenter Leanne Tacadena has noticed more women on Honolulu job sites during her two years in the field. She earns enough money to help her siblings—showing an increasing role for women in the industry. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Tonight, the sky above Waikiki will be aglow as a fireworks show gifted from Sakai in Japan lights up the area — the display marks a gesture of goodwill from Japanese officials. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ UH Manoa’s Kennedy Theatre will host Dancing in the Diaspora, a dance production that honors 50 years of Filipino cultural heritage with diverse styles from hip-hop to indigenous choreography — cultural practitioners and UH Manoa dance students have collaborated to prepare the shows scheduled for Nov. 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 23 at 2 p.m., with a pre-show chat on Nov. 22 and tickets priced from $6 to $25. Hawaii News Now
- ➤ Submissions for the 2025 Holiday Wreath Contest open today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Lane Gallery in Honolulu Hale. Entries with completed forms must reflect the Navigating by the Stars theme and will be displayed from Nov 29—Dec 31 with winners announced by Nov 21. KITV
- ➤ On Sunday, November 16th, attendees gathered at Capitol Modern in Honolulu—joining ACLU Hawaii’s Peoples’ Fair to mark 60 years of defending civil rights with art, music, and community spirit. The fair featured cultural displays and live performances that highlighted decades of civic engagement. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Today, the FAA ended mandated flight cuts at 40 major U.S. airports, including Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, effective at 1 a.m. in Hawaii to ease restrictions imposed during the federal shutdown. Officials said the decision comes as staffing concerns steadily declined — airlines reported only 0.25% flight cancellations. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
- ➤ A civilian-led group collected new DNA from family members to help identify unknown remains from the USS Arizona that sank at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7. The milestone pushes the campaign forward — a step nearly 84 years after the attack — as researchers plan further testing. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
- ➤ Hawaii officials are working to restore SNAP benefits for tens of thousands of residents after weeks of a shutdown disrupted food assistance programs. The federal government is now reopened and a recent court order is blocking limits on SNAP payments this month—posing new challenges for the program. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
- ➤ Today the U.S. Department of Education finalized a rule that bars government units and nonprofits with a substantial illegal purpose (such as aiding immigration law violations or engaging in illegal discrimination) from the student loan forgiveness program. A coalition of 22 states including Hawaii is suing in Massachusetts federal court to block the rule. Hawaii Free Press
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ The Chaminade and UH Hilo women’s volleyball teams will compete in the PacWest Championships starting Thursday at McCabe Gym—games will draw strong local support. Honolulu Star-Advertiser
- ➤ Tua Tagovailoa led the Miami Dolphins to an overtime win over the Washington Commanders in Madrid, Spain with a final score of 16 to 13. Marcus Mariota passed for 213 yards and Tagovailoa threw for 171 yards as Miami will host the New Orleans Saints next week and Washington will welcome the Denver Broncos. Hawaii News Now
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.
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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.
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