Hawaiʻi Public Radio

10/22/2025

A rally organized by Kamehameha Schools at ʻIolani Palace on Tuesday was in response to a lawsuit filed by the Virginia-based group Students for Fair Admissions.

The lawsuit was expected after the group — led by Edward Blum, a leading opponent of affirmative action — set up a website posing the question, “Is your child barred from Kamehameha Schools based on ancestry?”

The lawsuit doesn't include any named or anonymous plaintiffs other than Students for Fair Admissions. The complaint says the group has members who are “injured by Kamehameha's discrimination," and members who are “ready and able” to apply to Kamehameha Schools, which has an endowment valued at more than $15 billion.

This isn't the first time Kamehameha has had to defend its admission policy. In 2005, a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the policy, ruling it violated federal civil rights law. Kamehameha sought a rehearing.

The following year, the court upheld the policy. Kamehameha later settled with the family of the student who brought the case when he was denied admission. According to the recent lawsuit, that settlement was $7 million.

"This is a very passionate issue that affects more than just graduates. It's really a Hawaiian community issue. So it's really an opportunity, I think, for the school to really rally the broader community and really the broader state, to help folks realize and to educate them about how important the princess's will is, and why it's so important at this time that people come together to really do everything we can to defend the trust," said Jacob Aki, the president of the Oʻahu Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs.

Full interview with Aki: https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/the-conversation/2025-10-21/kamehameha-schools-lawsuit-affirmative-action-landscape

📸: Kamehameha Schools students and community members gather at ʻIolani Palace on Oct. 21, 2025, in response to a lawsuit challenging the KS admission policy. (Mark Ladao/HPR)

10/21/2025

With the government shutdown hitting the three-week mark, federal workers across the state are worried about their next paychecks.

Over 830 University of Hawaiʻi employees are at least partially paid through federal dollars, with thousands more in positions that are fully federally funded.

UH has been able to pay them with internal funds, but it costs more than $20 million a pay period — every two weeks — for the system to match their salaries.

UH President Wendy Hensel updated the Board of Regents on the current situation, stating that reimbursement for the loss of these internal funds is not guaranteed.

“The challenge really is primarily cash flow. The past practice, and certainly the statutory practice, has been to reimburse universities at the end of shutdown for any prepaid federal salary. In this case, President Trump has indicated that may not be the case,” Hensel said.

UH has been able to pay them with internal funds, but it costs more than $20 million a pay period — every two weeks — for the system to match their salaries.

10/21/2025

A law passed this year to better regulate midwifery also made some changes to a controversial 2019 law that effectively barred traditional Native Hawaiian midwives from practicing, and included criminal penalties for violations.

Last year, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and the Center for Reproductive Rights represented midwives who brought a lawsuit against the state over the 2019 law. The parties settled the case last week.

Last year, the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation and the Center for Reproductive Rights represented midwives who brought a lawsuit against the state. The parties settled the case last week.

10/21/2025

Hawai‘i film advocates and unions have condemned the synthetic performer and are urging state and federal lawmakers to create laws to regulate the rapidly evolving technology.

A new actress is putting the film industry on edge, because she’s made by artificial intelligence. HPR’s Cassie Ordonio spoke with advocates in Hawai‘i’s film industry who fear that AI might replace human talent.

10/21/2025

Protesters demonstrating against the policies of President Donald Trump gathered across the state on Saturday, joining the national day of “No Kings” rallies.

In Hawaiʻi, the events were called “No Dictators," and crowds gathered from Hilo, Kona and Waimea on the Big Island to Kahului on Maui. HPR news staff covered the gathering outside the Hawaiʻi State Capitol in Honolulu.

📹️: Emma Caires & DW Gibson / HPR

10/21/2025

Protesters demonstrating against the policies of President Donald Trump gathered across the state on Saturday, joining the national day of “No Kings” rallies.

In Hawaiʻi, the events were called “No Dictators," and crowds gathered from Hilo, Kona and Waimea on the Big Island to Kahului on Maui.

Outside the Hawaiʻi State Capitol in Honolulu, HPR spoke with several people about why they came out to protest, including Joyce Neeley and James Hildenbrand. They've been to three local rallies and said more and more people turn out each time.

"This is our duty. We have to do this for our grandchildren, and we have a great-grandchild now, too, so we have to do it for him," Hildenbrand said.

Organizers reported no major issues across the state. Indivisible Hawaiʻi estimated the rallies drew about 22,000 people statewide.

Full story here: https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2025-10-20/voices-and-images-from-the-no-dictators-protest-in-honolulu

📸: Hawaiʻi Public Radio news staff

10/20/2025

On the opening day of the new Skyline segment last week, passengers included folks from the westside heading into town for work, college kids getting off at the transfer station to catch TheBus, and first-time riders who hopped on just to test it out.

Segment 2 of Skyline is now open from Middle Street to Aloha Stadium, including the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. HPR rode along and asked riders how they feel about the new addition.

10/19/2025

Thanks to you, Hawaiʻi Public Radio is going strong as a 100% community-supported organization. Check out the latest memo from our CEO highlighting recent milestones at HPR — including that we’re now the most listened-to stations across the Hawaiian Islands, according to the latest Nielsen ratings.

Here's what to know about HPR right now: hawaiipublicradio.org/hpr-station-updates/2025-10-15/ceo-memo-five-things-to-know-about-hawaii-public-radio-right-now

10/19/2025

Nestled in the ahupuaʻa (land division) of Paukaʻa, in the ʻili (section of land division) of Pāhoehoe on Hawaiʻi Island, lies 9 acres of land that Kāwika Lewis and his ʻohana steward called ʻĀina University — a place for the community to grow, gather and grind.
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At ʻĀina University, visitors from keiki to kūpuna can learn about the ahupuaʻa system, food security, Native Hawaiian plants and crops, and more.
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Lewis, a kanaka mahiʻai (farmer), told HPR that ʻĀina University is about more than learning how to plant and farm.

“I believe everybody needs to get reconnected again to something that's greater than themselves, which is our culture,” Lewis said. “I’m not just going to show you how to plant vegetables. You learn the work ethic, the culture, the language, the protocols, to be hardworking, respectful, to work as a team, a hui, a people. It's not just planting and farming, it's about life.”
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📹️: ʻĀina University

10/19/2025

Megan Conley performed in August 2025, part of our multi-platform event series "Live from the Atherton," recorded live in the Atherton Performing Arts Studio. Her program explored the instrument’s stunning range through a selection of diverse compositions by Queen Liliʻuokalani, Leilehua Lanzilotti, Claude Debussy, and Brandee Younger.

See the full concert, part of our Classical Music Performance Series, at hawaiipublicradio.org/watch
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Live from the Atherton is sponsored by HMSA.

10/18/2025

Segment two of Skyline opened on Thursday with four new stops from Middle Street to Aloha Stadium, including the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.⁠
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HPR's Emma Caires decided to see how long it would take to walk from Terminal 1 baggage claim to the new Honolulu rail station at the airport. ⁠
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To celebrate the opening of the new segment, passengers can ride all city transit for free this weekend with a HOLO card. The new hours of operation are from 4 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily.⁠
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📹️: Tori DeJournett / HPR

10/18/2025

It’s the weekend, finally! Enjoy these photos of Hawai‘i from our community. These photos were also featured in our Akamai Recap weekday newsletter, which turned 1 this week! Thank you for reading with continued curiosity, engagement, fandom and more!

1. Celebrating Akamai Recap’s first birthday!! - from the HPR Newsroom

2. This sweet pup, Curls, takes a moment to watch surfers at Honoliʻi, Hawaiʻi Island - submitted by Barbara

3. Gorgeous mountain views heading up the coast by Kualoa Ranch - submitted by Joe

4. A nēnē on the Poipu Bay Golf Course, spotted from Māhāʻulepū on Kauaʻi - submitted by Marsha

5. A wispy sunset as seen from Haleakalā on Maui - submitted by Elaine

Sign up for the Akamai Recap, our weekday recap featuring local stories, insights and inspiration. This newsletter really takes a village here at Hawaiʻi Public Radio, but at the end of the day, YOU make it possible. Cheers to many more.

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