SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families.
Highlights include acknowledgments of the project’s completion, actions taken during a previous water crisis, and the significance of the water infrastructure improvements. Key speakers include Col. Rachel Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, who both expressed gratitude to the engineers, plumbers, and other essential workers involved. Additionally, Maj. (CH) Kim performed an invocation, and Kahu Kordell Kekoa led a traditional Hawaiian blessing and untying of the lei ceremony, emphasizing the cultural and practical importance of water. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families.
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Highlights include acknowledgments of the project’s completion, actions taken during a previous water crisis, and the significance of the water infrastructure improvements. Key speakers include Col. Rachel Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, who both expressed gratitude to the engineers, plumbers, and other essential workers involved. Additionally, Maj. (CH) Kim performed an invocation, and Kahu Kordell Kekoa led a traditional Hawaiian blessing and untying of the lei ceremony, emphasizing the cultural and practical importance of water. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a ribbon-cutting and Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families.
Highlights include acknowledgments of the project’s completion, actions taken during a previous water crisis, and the significance of the water infrastructure improvements. Key speakers include Col. Rachel Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, who both expressed gratitude to the engineers, plumbers, and other essential workers involved. Additionally, Maj. (CH) Kim performed an invocation, and Kahu Kordell Kekoa led a traditional Hawaiian blessing and untying of the lei ceremony, emphasizing the cultural and practical importance of water. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families.
Highlights include acknowledgments of the project’s completion, actions taken during a previous water crisis, and the significance of the water infrastructure improvements. Key speakers include Col. Rachel Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, who both expressed gratitude to the engineers, plumbers, and other essential workers involved. Additionally, Maj. (CH) Kim performed an invocation, and Kahu Kordell Kekoa led a traditional Hawaiian blessing and untying of the lei ceremony, emphasizing the cultural and practical importance of water. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers participate in a Maile ceremony for a new water tank, April 17, 2025. The new concrete tank replaces the old decommissioned steel tank that was out of service for extended period of time, will support the needs of 35,000 soldiers and their families.
Highlights include acknowledgments of the project’s completion, actions taken during a previous water crisis, and the significance of the water infrastructure improvements. Key speakers include Col. Rachel Sullivan and Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, who both expressed gratitude to the engineers, plumbers, and other essential workers involved. Additionally, Maj. (CH) Kim performed an invocation, and Kahu Kordell Kekoa led a traditional Hawaiian blessing and untying of the lei ceremony, emphasizing the cultural and practical importance of water. (Photo Credit: Eric Tagayuna)
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — In a ceremony rooted in tradition, partnership, and shared responsibility, U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii commemorated a new 2-million-gallon concrete water tank—a key milestone in the Army’s $1.2 billion, 10-year plan to modernize water infrastructure across its Oahu installations.
On behalf of the garrison, Deputy to the Garrison Commander David Roudybush welcomed guests and opened the event, which featured spiritual blessings from Capt. (CH) David Kim and Kahu Kordell Kekoa, and musical performances by the 25th Infantry Division Woodwind Quintet—each reinforcing the ceremony’s emphasis on unity, cultural respect, and community care.
“This tank is more than steel and concrete,” said Col. Rachel Sullivan, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii. “It’s part of a promise we’ve made—to rebuild, modernize, and secure our water system not just for the Army, but in a way that complements and respects our neighboring communities and shared resources.”
Awarded in late Fiscal Year 2021 at a cost of $16 million, the project replaces an aging water tank with a new, resilient structure designed to meet the daily needs of Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Airfield. Importantly, the project supports the Army’s efforts to be a responsible steward of local water infrastructure—preserving access for residents within and beyond the installation footprint.
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Sullivan noted that the tank’s added capacity is critical to emergency response and system resilience—not just for Army families, but for the surrounding region that relies on a common aquifer system.
“Our role is to ensure our infrastructure supports readiness without compromising the broader community’s access to water,” said Sullivan. “This project strengthens our system without taking away from our neighbors.”
She also reflected on a near-crisis in 2023, when three of five Clearwell pumps failed. Thanks to emergency conservation and assistance from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, the Army was able to maintain water service without interruption. When a fourth pump failed, an emergency replacement was quickly installed, and water was carefully distributed across 12 linear miles of pipeline—preventing outages for more than 5,000 homes and 40 barracks.
Department of Public Works employees Burt and Dan Ewen, plant operators Jareth and Josh, and key engineers from the Hawaii Infrastructure Task Force were among those recognized for their around-the-clock efforts during the emergency and beyond.
Lt. Col. Adrian Biggerstaff, District Commander for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Honolulu District, reinforced the shared benefit and fiscal responsibility of the project.
“This tank holds the equivalent of three Olympic swimming pools, or 16 million bottles of water,” Biggerstaff said. “And we built it at a fraction of that bottled cost—without a single reportable injury and with long-term resilience in mind. It’s a win for the Army and for the people of Hawaii .”
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The tank was delivered in partnership with CCI Facility Support Services, with oversight from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Schofield Barracks Area Office, ensuring every aspect met safety and engineering standards, from 757 cubic yards of concrete to intricate post-tensioned cable systems.
The ceremony concluded with a traditional Hawaiian blessing led by Kahu Kordell Kekoa, who invited key contributors to place handprints on the tank using sacred rainwater—symbolizing the living, communal value of water and the people it sustains.
“Water is life,” said Kekoa. “And it must always be shared and protected—with aloha—for all who live here now and for the generations yet to come.”
As the lei was untied and the Army song echoed across the installation, the new tank stood as a lasting symbol of partnership, preparation, and shared stewardship—a commitment not only to the Army’s mission, but to the island community it calls home.
With approximately six years until Social Security benefits must be cut, one group of Hawaii legislators has come up with a simple plan to prevent a shortfall.
It’s no secret that Social Security, as we know it, is in a pinch. According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB), the Social Security and Medicare trust funds are six years away from insolvency.
The combination of more retirees, fewer people in the workforce, and the impact of President Trump’s big, beautiful bill (OBBBA) leads the CRFB to estimate a 24% Social Security cut in late 2032 if nothing is done. In addition, retirees could face an 11% cut in Medicare Hospital Insurance payments.
This isn’t the first time the trust funds have been in trouble. In 1982, the fund that helped cover the cost of monthly Social Security benefits faced a significant shortfall and was forced to borrow from other funds to pay benefits on time. Congress was able to work together long enough to raise taxes on some, adjust benefits, and prevent insolvency.
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With a similar problem facing the trusts 44 years later, Hawaii’s Senator Brian Schatz and Representative Mazie Hirono (along with Rep. Jill Tokuda) believe they have a simple solution. Here’s what their proposal, called the SAFE Social Security Act, would do.
Image source: Getty Images.
Lift the payroll tax
To ensure payroll taxes apply fairly across the board and that the rich pay their share, the proposal includes a plan to phase out the payroll tax cap so that no one can stop paying into Social Security once their income hits $184,500.
Adjust benefit calculations
The trio suggests adjusting the way current benefits are calculated, a move that would increase the average monthly benefit by more than $150.
Update how cost-of-living adjustments are determined
As of today, cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from the third quarter of the previous year to the third quarter of the current year. In theory, using inflation tied to CPI-W is supposed to help retirees keep pace with the rising cost of living.
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For years, however, senior citizen advocacy groups have insisted that the wrong index is being used because working adults and retired adults spend money differently. For example, an older retiree is likely to spend more on medical care than a younger person still in the workforce.
The Hawaii legislator’s plan would address the issue by basing the COLA on an index that tracks inflation related to seniors’ spending. Specifically, they’re talking about the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E).
Sen. Schatz believes that the SAFE Social Security Act will expand Social Security and put more money in the hands of those who rely on it. It will also strengthen the program for the next generation of retirees, ensuring today’s workforce has something to look forward to.
Watch as Hawaii’s Kīlauea puts on spectacular lava display
Hawaii’s Kīlauea has erupted again, spewing massive fountains of lava that reached over 800 feet high, according to USGS.
Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano had its latest eruption on Jan. 12, flowing lava for nearly 10 hours and attracting heavy traffic to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The volcano began erupting at 8:22 a.m. with lava fountains reaching nearly 800 feet high into the sky, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. By 6:04 p.m., the eruption ended with lava flow covering approximately two-thirds of the Halema’uma’u crater floor.
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In a Facebook post announcing the latest eruption, the National Park Service warned visitors to “expect the park to be busy with heavy traffic.” Typically, thousands more visitors than usual flock to the park during eruptions, congesting roads and parking lots for the overlooks.
Considered one of the most active volcanoes in the world, Kilauea has been erupting episodically since Dec. 23, 2024. Most eruptions end within 12 hours with pauses in between that can be as long as several days to two weeks. As of Jan. 13, the volcano remains under an orange “watch” alert, with USGS saying the next lava fountaining episode is “likely about two weeks away.”
Such volcanic eruptions are considered sacred in Hawaiian culture and are tied to Pele, the goddess of creation and destruction who is believed to live in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Here’s what travelers should know.
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Forget ‘aloha’: Every traveler should learn this word when they visit Hawaii
Is it safe to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park?
Yes, it’s safe for travelers to visit the park and view the lava as the eruption took place within a closed off area of the park and does not pose a risk to the community, according to the USGS.
However, it’s important that travelers are mindful of their safety by only parking in designated parking lots and staying away from closed-off areas. Last June, a 30-year-old man from Boston plummeted 30 feet off a cliff when he strayed off a trail in an attempt to get a closer look at the lava during nighttime. A tree broke his fall and the visitor was rescued by park rangers, only suffering minor injuries.
Tips for viewing the Kilauea volcano
Here are a few tips to for visitors eager to witness the Kilauea lava flow, according to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park:
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Go early or at night to avoid crowds, with peak hours at the park being between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. (And if you do visit in the evening, pack warm clothes as it’s chillier than you may think.)
Prime viewing overlooks include the Welcome Center, Uekahuna, along Crater Rim Trail and old Crater Rim Drive.
Check the air quality before you go by visiting the NPS website. Volcanic gas and other particles from the eruption can be hazardous, especially to travelers with pre-existing respiratory conditions or children.
The 2026 season kicks off this week at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu with the Sony Open in Hawaii. Nick Taylor is the event’s defending champion, taking down Nico Echavarria in a playoff last year to win.
There’s a pretty stacked field being the first event of the year, with plenty of notables heading to the middle of the Pacific for one week before the West Coast Swing begins.
Here’s a look at the purse and total prize money for the first PGA Tour event of 2026, the Sony Open in Hawaii.
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What’s the total purse for the 2026 Sony Open in Hawaii?
The total purse for the 2025 Sony Open in Hawaii is $9.1 million. That’s up from $8.7 million a year ago.
How much money does the winner make at the 2026 Sony Open?
The winner of the Sony receives $1.638 million, or 18 percent of the total purse. Taylor earned $1.566 million for his win in 2025.
The field size is 120 this time around, as compared to 144 last year.
Sony Open in Hawaii 2026 prize money payouts
Position
Prize money
1
$1,638,000
2
$991,900
3
$627,900
4
$445,900
5
$373,100
6
$329,875
7
$307,125
8
$284,375
9
$266,175
10
$247,975
11
$229,775
12
$211,575
13
$193,375
14
$175,175
15
$166,075
16
$156,975
17
$147,875
18
$138,775
19
$129,675
20
$120,575
21
$111,475
22
$102,375
23
$95,095
24
$87,815
25
$80,535
26
$73,255
27
$70,525
28
$67,795
29
$65,065
30
$62,335
31
$59,605
32
$56,875
33
$54,145
34
$51,870
35
$49,595
36
$47,320
37
$45,045
38
$43,225
39
$41,405
40
$39,585
41
$37,765
42
$35,945
43
$34,125
44
$32,305
45
$30,485
46
$28,665
47
$26,845
48
$25,389
49
$24,115
50
$23,387
51
$22,841
52
$22,295
53
$21,931
54
$21,567
55
$21,385
56
$21,203
57
$21,021
58
$20,839
59
$20,657
60
$20,475
61
$20,293
62
$20,111
63
$19,929
64
$19,747
65
$19,565
65
$19,565
Where is the Sony Open in Hawaii played?
Waialae Country Club originally was designed by famed golden-era architect Seth Raynor and opened in 1927 alongside Kahala Beach. The layout, which first hosted the PGA Tour in 1965, will play to 7,044 yards with a par of 70. Of note: The standard routing is altered for the Sony Open, with the nines reversed to better take advantage of the scenic sunsets.
