This is Now (June 25, 2026)

Aloha Warrior fans, the news is out. UH games are coming home to K5. All the games, UH shows, athlete profiles, and throwbacks to your favorites are all in one place. Hawaii News Now. Celebrate the home team with us and let's go Bose. This podcast is sponsored by Long's Drugs. Download the CVS app today and make Longs a part of your day. First that noon, search crews are back out racing to find any sign of a father and son who went missing after a hike in East Oahu. As Casey Lund tells us, conditions remain dangerous near the coastline. Aloha from Sandy Beach Park. We're sort of... in the middle, from the shoreline vantage point anyway, of where that Coast Guard helicopter has been searching this morning. It's been three days now since that father and son first went missing. 7 a.m. on Tuesday is the last time they were seen leaving their hotel room in Waikiki, going on that hike. I want to show you the video that we gather, though, of that Coast Guard dolphin helicopter patrolling the shoreline from beyond Montalua Bay all the way. down to Makapu Beach Park. We've seen it past several times this morning, scanning the area very far out in the ocean. But again, back to what we know about that day. They went on that hike at Honoma Bay Ridge Trail and came to that rock bridge, an infamous part of that hike where ocean safety says people get swept away and it's a really dangerous situation. What we do know is that at some point other hikers that weren't in their party found some belongings, a wall at a cell phone. They weren't able to find who it belonged. to they called authorities and that's what launched this large search effort. I want to play out a little bit of the interview that we had yesterday with a member of the U.S. Coast Guard talking about their strategy and just how much effort and assets they've put toward this rescue effort searching around 162 square nautical mile. Are we working closely to make sure when our our assets are up? We're searching locations and then when ours goes down, there's always an air asset in the air. Working with providing our ocean safety members and partners, any data that we get in, and especially like the data market buoys that we insert in the water that helps us determine if there's, you know, so many floating in the water, going with the currents, that'll mimic that effort. And so we use that data to ensure that our search areas are in the right location. And in that interview, that Coast Guard representative said they'll continue these search efforts until tomorrow and then they'll reassess things. What we do know is that that man and his son, a 49-year-old man and his 16-year-old son, were visiting with other family members from South Korea. We know that the Korean consulate here on Oahu has been working with that family as well as an organization that helps folks that get into these tragic situations. We're certainly hoping for the best, but as each hour passes. things become a little more grim. If you have any information, of course, you're asked to call authorities. Call 911. If you have any details, may have seen them on that hike on Tuesday. We'll keep you updated as we learn more throughout the day on air and online at hawaiianewsnow.com. For now, we'll send things back into the newsroom. Thank you, Case.

The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a Hawaii gun law ruling the state's licensing requirement for carrying firearms in public is unconstitutional. In a six to three decision, the justices ruled that people do not need permission to carry guns into privately owned properties such as malls, stores, and hotels. That is, unless those private owners expressly ban firearms from the premises. The state's gun restrictions for places like beaches, parks, and restaurants. with alcohol, those are still in place since those rules were not before the high court. In another win for Second Amendment advocates today, the court also found that marijuana users cannot be banned from owning a gun. U.S. Senator Maisi Hirono is condemning the Supreme Court's decision, saying the ruling is, quote, placing political ideology above protecting lives and makes the state less safe. Hirono says she'll continue working toward what she calls common sense gun safety policies. And Congresswoman Jill Tokuda is also criticizing the decision, calling the ruling. quote, wrong for Hawaii, wrong for public safety, and seeing the law simply required concealed carry permit holders to get permission before bringing firearms onto private property. Two adults and three children are without a home this morning on Oahu after a two-alarm fire in Pearl City. Crews were called out to the two-story home on a hoo-hoo street just before eight last night. They were able to get it under control in about half an hour. The Red Cross has been tapped to help the five people who have been displaced. An investigation into the fire's cause is now underway. Two new cases alleging child sex crimes and both involve the online messaging platform Snapchat. Experts say it's the app of choice for sexual predators. Ben Guterres has the story. Two Hawaii men are in custody in separate cases after allegedly using Snapchat to entice teenage girls for sex. The company says it's doing all it can to keep predators off its platform. Federal prosecutors charged 43-year-old Jeremy Tallis Arend with producing, receiving, and distributing child pornography. Authorities say the Oahu man rented an Airbnb on Hawaii Island last year to meet up with a 15-year-old girl he met on Snapchat. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Kainalu Palik of Honokkaa was arrested for allegedly using Snapchat to exchange sexually explicit messages with a 14-year-old girl over several days. You posted a picture and it disappears in the week? bit. That came from Snapchat. Like that was an original Snapchat feature. So when Instagram brought that in and more people just kept doing Instagram, I think people just forgot it existed. The platform has reportedly been linked to hundreds of thousands of child sex crimes globally. As experts say disappearing messages, location sharing, and algorithm-based friend recommendations make it a tool for predators. But nothing really disappears online.

Things can still be found, and it depends on send and receiver. If they're recording, if they're storing, it may be on their device. There's timestamps involved, you know, showing a link between two or IP addresses. Congress is also trying to help. Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz is pushing the Kids Off Social Media Act, which would block children under 13. The way to protect kids is to simply delay the onset of the use of social media. which we have a perfect right to do under statutory law. The White House is also reviewing the federal law that provides immunity to websites hosting user-generated content. Meanwhile, there are apps that allow parents to monitor their kids' online use. The one that's the most famous that's really incredible is something called Bark, but Bark is like $30 a month, right? So a parent would have to be willing to give up that much money a month in order to put a situation where they can see all conversations that happens with their youngies. I had with my kids is so long as you're online, I'm your number one friend. I can get to see what's going on. And there should be a parental relationship that way. Snapchat's rules prohibit sexual exploitation. And the company says it uses automated and human review systems to prevent abuse. It has also introduced features meant to make it harder for adult strangers to contact young people. Ben Guterres, Hawaii News Now. Thank you, Ben. A demand for accountability as the state's public corruption investigation widens. Lynquhuan reports on the calls for disclosure by government leaders or lawmakers with ties to the case. Even if you're just a witness, you should come forward. That's the appeal from their colleagues and watchdog groups. Current and former high-ranking politicians or state department leaders are wrapped up in the Attorney General's criminal investigation, which spawned from the federal bribery case that landed former Hawaii representative, Tai Cullen, and former Senator Kalani English in prison. As the probe widens, other government officials are calling for disclosures from anyone else with ties to the case. That if you are a current sitting legislator and you are involved in the attorney general's investigation, in any capacity, whether it was being subpoenaed, whether you received a target letter, or whether you were just questioned generally to provide insight, you should come forward. Somebody coming forward and taking accountability would be something that could restore a lot of faith, not just in the system, but also in community. However, I do not think we should hold our breath for that. Activists say it's especially important in an election year, so voters aren't left guessing who might be next. This is going to continue to be investigated. We don't know who else may be. dragged into this ultimately. People are going to go to the polls. Nobody is going to have faith if they might be voting for somebody who potentially took influential money. There is a cloud of suspicion as the case continues with few substantial updates from the AG's office, citing secrecy to preserve the integrity of the process. You should be transparent because the people of Hawaii deserve to know the truth. And we should know if any current sitting legislator is actively

involved in this investigation. The primary election is August 8th. I'm Lynn Kawano, Hawaii News now. Aloha on this Thursday. The weather's going to be pretty nice. Granted, it's going to be a little on the windy side for the next couple of days. We are seeing a few windwarded showers this morning. Not a lot of rain for leeward sides. And these winds will be blowing brisk and breezy today and tomorrow. And then they'll be at moderate speeds for the weekend. So get used to these gusty winds. It's going to be a gorgeous day, though. Again, a few showers this morning. We'll have a fair bit of leeward sunshine today. Enough so much so that the temperatures will run into the upper 80s. Thank you, Guy. Well, the state is now classifying Kauai and Lanai as infested with the invasive coffee Bari Weiss boar. The beetles lay eggs in coffee berries, causing crops to die. The islands of Hawaii and Oahu were previously deemed infested. A permit is required for the inter-island movement of coffee plants and seeds. For more on the new rules, contact the state's plant quarantine branch.

A pair of powerful earthquakes, leveled neighborhoods in Venezuela, killing nearly 200 people. The race defines survivors ahead on This Is Now. Plus this. The Senate reverses course on a war powers resolution. It passed earlier this week. I'm Natalie Brand with what led a key lawmaker to change his vote. Coming up today on Billy V. Live, that's going to be my live stream, radio personality, Kamsami Kong, brand new Miss Hawaii and Miss Hawaii Teen, and Hawaii Oyster's latest venue. That's coming up on the live stream today at 1230 p.m. right after this is now on the H&N streaming app on Roku, Amazon, Fire, and Apple TV. Aloha Warrior fans, the news is out. UH games are coming home to K5. All the games, UH shows, athlete profiles, and throwbacks to your favorites are all in one place. Hawaii News Now. Celebrate the home team with us and let's go Bose.

Devastation in Venezuela where a pair of powerful earthquakes have killed at least 188 people. Christian Benavides has the latest. Rescue teams in hardheads and bike helmets are carefully searching collapsed buildings in Venezuela, trying to reach people who may be buried alive. Video shows survivors holding each other on the outskirts of Caracas as a pair of powerful earthquakes leveled neighborhoods. This video captures the moment the ceiling at Simon Bolivar International Airport gave way, sending travelers scrambling. The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 100 miles west of Caracas Wednesday evening. Followed less than a minute later. by a magnitude 7.5 tremor. The house in some moments was like jumping. Journalist Tony Frangy Mawad was headed to watch the World Cup, but he became trimmed in his building's elevator. I felt that moving and then moving really fast. We just hoped for the best, and I started to pray and to press every bottom, waiting for it to open up. Venezuela's acting president, Belzi Rodriguez, has declared a state of emergency, saying the focus is on saving lives. While some people have been found in the rubble, the U.N. says the level of devastation is overwhelming local authorities. You've got to get people out of that rubble within 48 hours or they won't survive. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says search and rescue teams from California and Virginia have been deployed to the region. They have a much of collapsed buildings, and so they'll need a lot of help in terms of digging through that. The U.S. is also sending medical resources and humanitarian aid. Christian Benavides, CBS News. Meanwhile, a strong earthquake off northern Japan did not generate any kind of tsunami risk here in Hawaii. The magnitude 6.9 quake happened at around 7.30 a.m. local time, about 20 miles off the coast of Honshu Island. The shaking was felt as far away as Tokyo. Now, despite some strong jolts, there are no reports of injuries or major damage. The country's nuclear facilities are all operating normally. To Capitol Hill, President Trump is claiming a major win after Senate Republicans reversed course on a key vote. Natalie Brand has the latest from Washington. The Senate reversed course on the Iran war powers resolution late Wednesday night, with two Republicans, Kentucky's Rand Paul and Louisiana's Bill Cassidy changing their votes. The yays are 47, the nays are 50. One senator is voted present. The motion is not agreed to. Bill Cassidy's decision came after he requested and got a White House briefing following a dramatic clash with President Trump during a GOP meeting on Capitol Hill. Bill Cassidy says at the meeting he demanded more information about the administration's Iran strategy. I was trying to get answers for the American people, and I'm not going to be bullied when I'm trying to get answers for the American people. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is wrapping up a visit to Gulf allies skeptical that Iran will abide by the tentative agreement with the U.S. If they've changed their mindset...

or if they change their approach to their relations with the United States and their neighbors, then we're going to give this thing a chance to work. As the conflict's economic impacts hang over the upcoming midterms, President Trump is doubling down on his efforts to push through his elections overhaul legislation called the Save America Act. I don't know that he realizes it's not possible. Republicans don't have the votes to overcome the Senate filibuster. Democrats don't actually oppose the bill, arguing it will disenfranchise voters. House Speaker Mike Johnson is scheduled to meet with the president today to discuss fast-tracking the legislation through reconciliation. The American people want safe and secure elections. And the Save America Act does that. That's why it is such a big priority for him and for us. And we're going to get right on that. Johnson says he will also talk to the president about signing the housing bill. Congress passed with strong bipartisan support. Natalie Brand, CBS News, the White House. All right, let's take a look outside with our tower cam on this Aloha Thursday. This is a live lookout at Aloha Tower, where it is 81 degrees, and I'm sure you can tell, but those trade winds are back. Breezy conditions outside, Guy Hockey's going to have your full forecast in two minutes.

Aloha Warrior fans, the news is out. UH games are coming home to K5. All the games, UH shows, athlete profiles, and throwbacks to your favorites are all in one place. Hawaii News Now, celebrate the home team with us, and let's go Bose. Now, first alert weather with Guy Hug. How's it on this Thursday? The weather's going to be pretty nice. Granted, it's going to be a bit windy today and tomorrow. Not all that bad, right? And that also means great air quality, comfortable humidity levels. Now, there are clouds embedded with showers upstream. They'll be running through the state for the next couple of days. We're not talking about a lot of rain, but most of the rain will fall on windward neighborhoods. Most of the rain will fall in the early morning and overnight hours. Plus, two, whatever rain comes in will be moving out quickly because the winds will be pretty swift. today. Already they're in double digits and it's early. But as the day progresses, those winds will get stronger. But that also means great air quality, comfortable humidity levels. So we get a standard textbook trading weather day. A little on the windy side, though. High temperatures running into the upper 80s, so make sure you load up on the sunblock. And if you're going surfing, heads up, we got a nice little boost rolling into south and west shores today. Not a big swell, definitely below advisory levels. Another below advisory level swell coming into south shores. sometime over the weekend. And East Shore is rising, but also pretty messy out there. And it's messy because of the winds running 15 to 25 miles an hour. So a little windy today and tomorrow. Hold on to the little kids. Still, lots of sunshine expected. A few windward and milkish showers expected, probably through the weekend. And then on Tuesday and Wednesday, we could see a disturbance, which could bring in more heavy, more rainfall and maybe some spots of heavy rain as well. Thank you so much, Guy. The World Cup has brought millions of international fans to the U.S., and something unexpected is happening off the pitch. Tourists are pulling out their phones not just to capture the goals, but to document what American life is like. Ivan Rodriguez has more. Many soccer fans travel thousands of miles to watch the beautiful game. And yes, there have been plenty of moments of magic, but scroll social media and you'll also find tourists losing their minds over everyday American life. Buckys is like America in a box, a very, very large box. But you know, you go in there, it's very colorful. There's all these kind of gifts. all this different food and smells and stuff. And it's just fantastic. That sense of wonder has been playing out on social media as some fans encounter parts of America for the first time. German content creator Finn Augustinelli put it simply. In Europe, we have a lot of rather negative news about the Americans in the last five years. Let's say that. And I think we are all enjoying, like, the fact that this country is so great to visit. People are amazing, so welcoming. Tourism expert Dr. Rachel Fu of the University of Florida says what's fueling all of this isn't just novelty. It's authenticity. And one of the many main reasons, those videos have become so viral because they...

present authenticity. Dr. Fu says every viral video of a fan falling in love becomes, in her words, a marketing person for America. But perhaps the most unexpected audience for all of this is us. Americans, seeing our country reflected back through someone else's eyes. For Americans, ourselves, those videos remind us how kind we are. We should keep being kind people. I'm Ivan Rodriguez reporting. Have you ever heard of an offeneur? It's someone who's an expert in one subject, cheese. I'm Michael George, with whether you have what it takes to be a cheese master. And before we go to break, here is the lineup for today's live stream programs. Catch all these and more on your H&N streaming app. That's available on Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire. We'll be right back. Aloha Warrior fans, the news is out. UH games are coming home to K5. All the games, UH shows, athlete profiles, and throwbacks to your favorites are all in one place. Hawaii News Now. Celebrate the home team with us, and let's go Bose. All right, let's end the show with some good news now. If you think eating cheese sounds like a dream job, you're not alone. Michael George explains what it really takes to become a cheese master. You could call Josh Windsor the big cheese at the famous Murray's cheese in New York. He's earned a title that even most cheese lovers have never heard of, Otheneur. An aeneur is someone who refines cheese, and in our world that means the person who ages or matures the cheese. But how Josh became an Ophineur is a much simpler story than you'd think. Cheese was something that I loved, and so I literally googled cheese jobs in New York City and found an internship in the Murray's Cheese Games. After that came years of training, tasting over a thousand cheeses, learning how they're made and then making it yourself. Aging cheese is part art, part science. Josh calls it caring for the cheese. Some cheeses are padded. We pat down the rinds a little bit. Some cheeses are washed, so we're washing with salt water. Some cheeses, you know, get herb treatments. And it takes patience. Inside the Murray's cheese caves, some cheeses are aged for up to a year and a half. Then comes the best part. I have to imagine one of the most fun parts of the job is just eating a lot of cheese. It is a joy. That's really good. When customers like Jeff Hanover need a recommendation, they go to the experts. I'm a regular. I may live uptown, but when I get cheese, I come down here. So strong, but not too overpowering. I like the first one. It was smooth, sharp. So if cheese is your passion, becoming an offeneur, maybe for you. I love working in these very ancient traditions and thinking about how we can apply them to modern cheese making. Spending every day, living out every cheese lover's dream. Michael George, CBS News, New York. And we're going to stick on the topic of dairy. If you're looking at Cool Off, Yelp has released its list of the 50 most saved ice cream shops in America.

Five Hawaii favorites made the cut, and three of them are here on Oahu. That includes Henry's Place, which ranked 10th, via gelato at 19th, and sweet creams at 27th. A pair of Maui shops are also featured. Kahului's Tasaka Guri Guri Shop and Island Cream Company in Lahaina came in at 12th and 17th, respectively. Now, the list authors say some ice cream trends are emerging this year, including more global-based flavors. Thanks for watching. This is now. More news for us at 4 right here on K-Channel. Aloha. This podcast is sponsored by Long's Drugs. Download the CVS app today and make Longs a part of your day. Aloha Warrior fans, the news is out. UH games are coming home to K-5. All the games, UH shows, athlete profiles, and throwbacks to your favorites are all in one place. Hawaii News Now. Celebrate the home team with us and let's go Bose.