Hawaii

Kamehameha graduate learns he's the third Native Hawaiian to become a Navy admiral

Published

2 years ago

October 4, 2024

Kamehameha graduate learns he's the third Native Hawaiian to become a Navy admiral

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – 51-year-old Rear Admiral Ryan Mahelona, a native of Kāneʻohe and reserve deputy commander for the U.S. Navy’s 10th Fleet in Maryland went back to middle school Thursday at Kamehameha Kapālama.

It’s where he started in 7th grade focusing on academics and athletics with hopes of becoming an engineer. He ended up working in cyber security in San Diego.

Doing online research, Mahelona discovered he’s the third Native Hawaiian to become an admiral in the U.S. Navy. The first was the namesake of the USS Chung-Hoon, Gordon Paiʻea Chung-Hoon and the second was Robert Kihune who will preside over Mahelona’s promotion ceremony onboard the USS Missouri Saturday.

“It’s crazy. It’s hard to believe, right,” Mahelona told Hawaii News Now.

He spoke to students interested in Native Hawaiian leadership and government. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he didn’t think he would be breaking barriers.

“I got more senior, I started to realize that, hey, you know, it’s not that far off. It’s something that is achievable,” said Mahelona.

“You set your mind to what you want to achieve and that’s what happened to me,” he added.

Mahelona stresses the importance of education, culture and aloha.

“I think it was very inspiring and powerful,” said Alazel Antonio, a Kamehameha 8th grader.

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Hawaii

Evacuations ordered for Buildings 4 and 5 of the Lofts in Waikōloa as firefighters continue response to brush fire | Big Island Now

Published

9 hours ago

July 11, 2026

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Evacuations ordered for Buildings 4 and 5 of the Lofts in Waikōloa as firefighters continue response to brush fire | Big Island Now

July 10, 2026, 6:19 PM HST
* Updated July 10, 6:20 PM

This story was updated at 6:19 p.m. July 10, 2026.

Hawai‘i Fire Department issued a wildfire warning and is responding to a brush fire in the Waikōloa area of South Kohala, with evacuations ordered for Buildings 4 and 5 of the Lofts in Waikōloa Village.

An evacuation shelter is open at Waikōloa Elementary School cafeteria, located at 68-1730 Hoʻokō St.

Waikōloa Road from Paniolo Avenue to Highway 190 is closed. Hawai’i Police Department advises motorists to avoid the area for at least the next 4 hours.

Only local traffic will be allowed on Waikōloa Road from Paniolo Avenue to Queen Ka‘ahumanu Highway.

More information will be provided as it becomes available. Hawai’i County Civil Defense is providing updates as conditions change.

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Hawaii

Magnitude 4.5 earthquake strikes off Hawaii island | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Published

19 hours ago

July 10, 2026

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Magnitude 4.5 earthquake strikes off Hawaii island | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

COURTESY USGS

This U.S. Geological Survey map shows the location of a magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck off Hawaii island’s southwest coast Friday night.

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck off the southwest coast of Hawaii island Thursday night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The epicenter of the quake, which hit at 8:17 p.m., was about 34 miles west-southwest of Captain Cook at a depth of about 24 miles below sea level, USGS officials said. It did not generate a tsunami threat to the islands, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

USGS said in a statement that the earthquake “was related to bending of the ocean crust and upper brittle mantle (the lithosphere) by the weight of the islands.” No impact to the Mauna Loa volcano nor the ongoing Kilauea eruption was expected.

The USGS self-reported “Did you feel it?” online survey for the earthquake generated well over 200 responses, mostly on the Big Island but including several from Oahu and Maui.

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Hawaii

3 candidates to be considered for District 18 seat

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2026

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3 candidates to be considered for District 18 seat

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Democratic Party of Hawaii selected three nominees to fill the vacant Senate District 18 seat, serving Central Oahu, Mililani, Waipio and Waipahu, after Sen. Michelle Kidani’s retirement.

Kidani’s retirement took effect on June 30.

The party announced Thursday that Sechyi Laiu, Beth K Fukumoto, and Danielle Bass were submitted for selection to fill the seat.

Laiu is a senior Hawaii civil service administrator with more than 15 years of experience in commercial, family, immigration and legislative law. He is the litigation coordinator for the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and was a staff attorney for the city on transportation, public safety, legal affairs and salary compensation.

Fukumoto is a political columnist, longtime Miliani resident and former state representative. She served as vice chair of the House committees on Tourism and Veterans, Military and International Affairs and Culture and the Arts.

Bass is a fourth-generation, lifelong Miliani resident, with more than 20 years of experience serving Central Oahu and Hawaii. She served as Legislative and Committee Manager in the House and advanced sustainability and resilience initiatives and policies as the state’s sustainability coordinator.

The governor will choose one of the three to serve as the next state senator for Central Oahu.

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