HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – On this episode of Spotlight Now, we’re exploring how changes to the U.S. Department of Education and its dismantling are affecting schools and public education in Hawaii.

Here to shed light on the impacts are:

• Keith Hayashi, Schools Superintendent
• Logan Okita, Hawaii State Teachers Association Vice President and Nimitz Elementary teacher
• Karen Lee, Honolulu Community College chancellor

Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

The Cal women’s water polo team, fresh off its first victory over USC in 14 years, earned a berth in the NCAA Championships and will open play against No. 4 seed Hawaii on Friday, May 9 at Indianapolis.

Hawaii (21-4) own a 12-11 win over the Bears (19-5) at a tournament Irvine in February. The teams split two regular-season matchups a year ago before Cal beat the Rainbow Wahine 9-6 in the NCAA tournament to advance to the title game for the first time since 2011.

This is the Bears’ 11th appearance in the NCAAs, including four years in a row. Cal has missed playing in the NCAAs just three times since 2019. 

They lost 7-4 to top-seeded UCLA in last year’s national championship game. 

If Cal beats Hawaii it will advance to the semifinals on May 10 against the winner of a quarterfinal game between top-seeded Stanford (22-1) and either Wagner (21-8) or McKendree (21-7).  The Cardinal beat the Bears 12-8 in their only meeting this season.

In the opposite bracket, UCLA (19-5) is seeded No. 2 and USC (27-4) is No. 3.

The championship game will be held on Sunday, May 11 at noon. The game will be aired on ESPNU.

Cal finished third at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament last weekend at UCLA. The Bears lost 15-14 to the Bruins in the semifinals before knocking off No. 2 seed USC 13-12 — their first victory in the series since 2011.

Center Feline Voordouw, a sophomore from the Netherlands, scored three goals in the win over the Trojans. Ruby Swadling, who leads the club with 55 goals, scored twice Sunday, as did Elena Flynn and Eszter Varro’.

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KONA (HawaiiNewsNow) – A kayaker has gone missing near Keauhou Sunday.

Jared Willeford, 42, was last seen launching his kayak the area at around 8 a.m. at the Keauhou boat ramp wearing orange bib pants.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it was notified by the Hawaii County Fire Department dispatch about an unmanned yellow kayak 400-yards offshore at around 10 a.m.

Willeford’s family and HFD confirmed that his truck and trailer are still at the boat ramp.

The Coast Guard said it is working with the county’s fire department in the search, and has deployed a HC-130 Hercules and MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from USCG Air Station Barbers Point, alongside the USCG Cutter Oliver Berry.

The county fire department said they suspend their search efforts at sunset and resume at sunrise. Helicopter crews will continue to search through the night.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Coast Guard’s Honolulu Command Center at (808) 842-2600.

Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.