The Conversation

HECO executive Jim Kelly discusses the hurdles utility crews faced as they tried to restore power in areas impacted by the Kona lows; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii's Keliʻi Akina discusses whether a temporary waiver of the Jones Act should be permanent

John Bravender with National Weather Service says forecasters were caught off-guard by the degree of flooding in Mānoa; University of Hawaiʻi spokesperson Moanikeʻala Nabarro shares efforts to keep students and faculty safe amid flooding near the Mānoa campus

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi shares the latest on Oʻahu's storm recovery effort; The Dept. of Transportation is working on road repairs after a landslide near Waimea Bay

Today, we're bringing you a show highlighting talented professionals who have spent years mastering their craft.

Gov. Josh Green discusses the aftermath of the storm and whether liquefied natural gas should power Oʻahu's grid; Noelani Kalipi with the U.S. Department of Defense's Hawaii Coordination Cell walks through the process of how military leases are being renegotiated

Today, our panel discusses a new statewide policy is set to restrict student cell phone use beginning next school year.

Community members from around the islands share their experiences of the weekend's storm; The Honolulu Department of Environmental Services is rolling out a compost pilot program meant to cut residential food waste

Hawai'i has been roiled by allegations that a prominent lawmaker accepted $35,000 in a paper bag in 2022. The Conversation's panel will discuss what comes next to restore trust in our public officials.

On today's program, we're rebroadcasting a few of our favorite interviews with local musicians.

U.S. Rep. Ed Case shares his thoughts on the Iran war and the top concerns of his constituents; Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami delivers his final State of the County address

UH religions professor Michel Mohr shares details about an upcoming conference on the universal appeal of Buddhism; Hawaiʻi comedian Charlene Kaye returns home for a set at the Blue Note

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen discusses the future of Maui's water resources; Bishop Museum CEO Kristofer Helgen describes two recently rediscovered marsupial species thought to have been extinct for thousands of years

U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda discusses the war in Iran and efforts to provide relief to U.S. farmers impacted by tariffs; Immigration attorney Kevin Block provides a snapshot of immigration enforcement actions on Maui

Maj. Gen. Lance A. Okamura discusses the military's partnership with Oʻahu officials to ensure Kolekole Pass can serve as an evacuation route; Hawaiʻi's new state poet laureate Lee Tonouchi says he plans to use his role to uplift marginalized voices

Maui County Councilmember Gabe Johnson, who represents Lānaʻi, discusses the first affordable housing project to be built on the island in over 35 years; Kauaʻi County Councilmember Fern Holland provides an update on immigration raids that took place on Kauaʻi in November

Kristine Altwies, former head of Hawaiʻi's lead international adoption agency, shares concerns about protections for adoptees without U.S. citizenship; Maj. Gen. Kelly K. McKeague discusses efforts to retrieve a sunken Japanese ship that carried hundreds of American prisoners of war

Hawaiʻi Chief Energy Officer Mark Glick discusses what oil supply disruptions due to the Iran war mean for Hawaiʻi; Devaki Murch and Steven George share their experiences as Vietnamese children brought to the United States for adoption as part of Operation Babylift

Hawaiʻi economist Carl Bonham discusses how the rise in global oil prices after U.S. military strikes on Iran may affect Hawaiʻi energy costs; HPR's Cassie Ordonio reports on what's causing a shortage of ADHD medication

Former Miss Hawaiʻi Cheryl Bartlett travels to Brazil in hopes of being reunited with her husband of 17 years, Rogerio Araujo, who was detained by ICE agents last fall; Astronomer Roy Gal shares tips for viewing next week's lunar eclipse

Andy Langhurst, head of the Public Access Room at the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, sheds light on the legislative process; Daniel Zitterbart, co-inventor of the "Whale Spotter" system, talks about how the AI technology can help avoid whale strikes

Hawaiʻi political analyst Colin Moore discusses President Trump's State of the Union address; Featherworker Enoka Phillips' career takes flight with his second solo exhibition

Fraud prevention expert Doug Shadel shares tips on how to avoid become a victim of fraud; Shawn "Speedy" Lopes captures Hawaiʻi's punk rock music scene in the new book "Local Unrest"

HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports on the challenges facing business owners in Lahaina; Kapena Baptista talks about his win at the Ka Makou Kōnane Invitational Tournament, held earlier this month

Gov. Josh Green discusses Hawaiʻi's economy and reports about Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke's campaign contributions; Hawaiʻi Rep. Della Au Belatti is calling on Gov. Green to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate claims that an "influential state lawmaker" accepted $35,000

50 years ago today, the executive order that forcibly removed thousands of Japanese Americans from their homes and send them to incarceration camps during WWII was formally repealed. The Conversation is rebroadcasting interviews that discuss the experience of Japanese Americans on the continent and here in Hawaiʻi during internment.

Hawaiʻi Journalism Initiative's Colleen Uechi reports on community push back against the U.S. Air Force's plans to construct more telescopes on Haleakalā; Devin and Tyler Wong of Fujiya Hawaiʻi discuss keeping sweet traditions alive at their family-owned mochi shop

County of Hawaiʻi Mayor Kimo Alameda lays out his priorities for 2026; University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Professor Karl Kim shares takeaways from a conference on democracy in South Korea

Office of Hawaiian Education Director Kauʻi Sang talks about the Kaiapuni placement request process; HPR’s Maui Nui reporter Catherine Cluett Pactol reports on a Hawaiian language immersion classroom on Molokaʻi

Pedro Haro, the executive director of the American Lung Association in Hawaiʻi, shares the longstanding push to regulate the tobacco industry; Melanie Islam, American Institute of Architects — Hawaiʻi Chapter president, on efforts to fund the State Building Code Council

HPR's Ashley Mizuo talked with Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke on details of a January 2022 meeting where she received two checks amid a current investigation on an "influential lawmaker" accused of accepting $35,000; New York Times journalist Jodi Kantor on her career and what she learned along the way

Honolulu Civil Beat's Christina Jedra reports on how Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke says she may be the lawmaker mentioned in the $35,000 payment allegation; Ed Noh, executive director of the Hawaiʻi State Public Charter School Commission, talks about the benefits and challenges of charter schools

Hawaiian Electric spokesperson Darren Pai shares the latest on power outages and preparedness during heavy winds; Hawaiian Rent-All co-owner Scott Jung talks about the company’s history of poking fun at current events via its sign overlooking Beretania Street

Professor Rudy Guevarra Jr., author of "Aloha Compadre: Latinx in Hawaiʻi," discusses the response to a hit new song by singer Bad Bunny about Hawaiʻi's history of colonization; HPR's Catherine Cluett Pactol reports on how Kalaupapa on Moloka’i's north shore is facing a big change

Honolulu's Department of Customer Services is ramping up efforts to renew expiring licenses for more than 110,000 motorists; Retired cartographer Tom Patterson discusses the artistry that goes into map-making

The Friends of ʻIolani Palace historians offer a historical perspective on measles as modern U.S. cases rise; A Kaimukī High School special education teacher is helping students design and sell t-shirts to raise money for their program

Politician Shirlene Ostrov returns to head the Hawaiʻi Republican Party; Investigative journalist Lois Parshley looks into claims of censorship from one of the country's largest owners of local newspapers, including several Hawaiʻi publications

Honolulu Marathon President Dr. Jim Barahal shares the economic impact of the most recent race; Researchers Kawika Winter and Kristen Harmon discuss whether Native Hawaiians caused the extinctions of birds like the flightless ibis or moa-nalo

Today, we're spotlight people and organizations who are coming up with innovative ways to deal with marine debris.

The state has reached an agreement with FEMA to extend temporary housing assistance for Maui wildfire survivors; Palolo Boxing Club coach Joel Kim talks about the impact his job has had on the community

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke talks about a federally funded effort to boost internet connectivity across the islands; Queen's Health Systems CEO Jason Chang shares his concerns about the proposed merger between HMSA and Hawaiʻi Pacific Health

Hawaiʻi Senate President Ron Kouchi reacts to Gov. Josh Green's State of the State address; Dean Minakami, executive director of the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation, shares details on state programs to help first-time homeowners get into the housing market

Gov. Josh Green delivers his State of the State address; Oʻahu residents gathered to protest over the weekend in response to the second killing of a U.S. citizen by federal agents in Minnesota

ACLU President Deborah Archer discusses how the work of the organization has changed under the second Trump administration; Chef Jason Peel discusses his decision to close Nami Kaze at Pier 38 and his next culinary venture

HPR's Ashley Mizuo says affordability ranks among lawmakers' top priorities heading into the new legislative session; Musician and kumu hula Robert Cazimero discusses the new exhibition "Ke Kilo Lani," which highlights his work as a steward of Hawaiian cultural heritage

HPR heads to the state Capitol for opening day of the 2026 legislative session; State lawmakers plan to put forward measures regulating AI use among kids

The U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments today in a case challenging a 2023 Hawaiʻi law that bans firearms by default on private property; The state Legislature convenes a new session tomorrow

On today's program, we're revisiting stories about Kahoʻolawe.

Gov. Josh Green talks about immigration and rising health care premiums; Musician Clara Kim kicks off the new music series "Noise Cabinet" at Capitol Modern

A panel of immigration experts will be taking your calls on immigration in the islands. Have a question or comment for our guests? Send a note to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at 808-792-8217.

Tourism consultant Keith Vieira talks about the current state of the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority; 2025 was deadliest year on Hawaiʻi roads in nearly two decades