This Is Now (August 4, 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 at noon, doubts and confusion remain today that the U.S.-Iran war was nearing a resolution as Tehran pushed back against President Trump's assertion that ceasefire talks were underway. Keir Starmer Simmons reports from Qatar. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is saying that there could be the announcement of a deal at any moment. And the Qatari foreign ministry, when I questioned them today here in Doha, says that there is a draft or drafts of a deal being passed around between capitals. It's a kind of telephone diplomacy led by, it seems, Oman, which is the country on the other side of the straits of Hormuz. What that deal would exactly involve? Well, there have been suggestions that perhaps, for example, one channel in the strait would be supervised by the Iranians for vessels to enter the Gulf here, and that the other channel would be for vessels to exit. And there have also been questions over whether there would be tolls or fees or any other kind of charges. Now, that would be completely different from the way that the Strait of Hormuz was. before the war, but at least it would be the opening of that vital waterway. And we have seen oil prices drop as a result of the potential for this deal. It can also all go wrong, just as it almost did last weekend, with President Trump suggesting that he was about to launch a major attack on Iran. In Iran, there are many different competing voices. We will see whether or not... the two countries and internally are able to come to a resolution, albeit an imperfect one. Kia Simmons, NBC News, Doha. Back here at home, a long-shot congressional candidate was jailed on Maui after a violent clash in South Kihei.

Video shows 40-year-old Kirill Basin swinging a beach chair and a man knocking him out Saturday afternoon at Kiavokapu Beach. MPD says it started when a man asked Basin to turn down his music. Basin allegedly threatened the man and implied he had a firearm and would shoot the victim's wife. Now, during the altercation, Basin allegedly armed himself with a knife and threatened multiple people before throwing it into the ocean. The knife was laid. later recovered. Let's be honest, we didn't know who he was before. You can't get any better than a congressional candidate in his underwear at the beach. And he's posting weirder stuff. So it starts to make you wonder, okay, so is it a mental health issue? Is it a stunt? Police arrested Basin for two counts of first degree terroristic threatening and set his bail at a million dollars. His attorney had no comment. Kauai police are on the hunt for teenagers suspected of vandalizing a locally owned business. Dylan Anceta spoke to the shop owners who are hoping someone gets these boys the help they need. Gary McGuire got into the furniture liquidation business sort of as a passion project about 15 years ago. The retired Air Force veteran takes pride in keeping quality furniture and works of art out of the landfill and helps his community whenever there's a need. But an act of vandalism at his Kukui Grove location Saturday evening left him in need of helping hands to clean up and tipsters to come forward. He had broken off. water sprinker line above and that they had tagged the back area. Some high valued arts and commission art along with the walls. His employees saw three teen boys, possibly between ages 13 and 16, running away after allegedly wreaking havoc in the store. They got in likely through the back loading dock. It's disappointing because I'm here for the community more and we try to recycle things and be positive, taking things. and actually donate a lot of stuff to people in need. And then when this happens, because we're a small business, it's hard enough just trying to make ends meet. The full damage estimate still isn't known, but it's well into the tens of thousands of dollars. It hurts because... You always root for someone who roots for others, and that is my dad completely. I mean, he really, I can't say it better than a labor of love. His shop doesn't have security cameras, so he said mall management is reviewing theirs. Meanwhile, Kauai Police also confirmed the investigation remains active. Longtime customers and friends have reached out offering help and support in the cleanup efforts. These people that show up for him, they're diehard, you know, shoppers that. They truly appreciate him as much as he appreciates them. McGuire hopes someone out there will identify the work of the vandals and help get them arrested. You've seen the tags. It looks like it's a signature mark of one of the individuals. The other two aren't very artistic in their art and they probably need work on it. If they don't fix it now, later on they will pay the price when they're in jail and so with the parents. Dylan and Chatsup, Hawaii News now.

Meanwhile, police are investigating another act of vandalism at a Winward Oahu Elementary School. Here's what happened to artwork made by students at Icahi Elementary School. The decorative tiles on the campus playground had encouraging messages and a small memorial for Maile Gilbert. The six-year-old was abducted and murdered back in 1985, prompting the creation of Hawaii's Amber Alert system named after her 20 years ago. Now, current and former Icahy students were disappointed by the... damages this kind of has like affirmations and stuff like do good in school have like a good heart and stuff yeah so it's just sad I've gone there for seven years so all me and my friends would like that's our main main place to hang out we would look at the tiles sit on the benches it was yeah it's sad The school's principal says they are working together to restore the special space, which will remain closed until repairs are complete. Please call HPD if you have any information on this.

Aloha on this Tuesday. We've got some pretty calm weather. Granted, it's going to be a little cloudy in the morning. We are expecting more sunshine in the afternoon. Rainfall will be minimal. Windward sides will likely pick up a few light showers through the day. And then those winds running slow today, and because of those slow winds, it might be a little bit more sticky with higher humidity levels. As far as the surf, the biggest waves still rolling into the east shore, we still have some fun-sized waves in town, but no significant swells are expected anytime. soon. Thank you, Guy. In Washington State, crews are trying to contain three fires in and around the state's second largest city. Officials say about 60,000 people are evacuating. Chris Van Cleave has more from Spokane. Across the Spokane area, residents stood witness as the firestorm destroyed homes, cars, and businesses. That's her house right there. It's about to go down in flames. Late Monday, the Spokane Sheriff said 37-year-old Aaron Franacci, who was convicted of manslaughter for killing his father in 2010, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree arson in connection to one of several fires burning in Washington State. What did the deputies find on him when they initially stopped him? He was found to be in possession of some waterproof matches. You know, and this is all in public documents. So, you know, a box that should have had 25 matches in it, you know, seemed to be 10 or 11 matches short. A butane lighter and a pack of cigarettes, you know, things that could be very easily used to start a fire. Footage from over the weekend shows fire crews trying to save homes as flames ripped through entire neighborhoods. That's a war zone. when you finally get in there and you finally look at the devastation and the damage. Despite the destruction, we've received no reports of any major injuries or deaths. Firefighters we talked to say they believe a factor in that was that this firestorm came on during the day. So people saw the danger coming, were able to get what they could and get out. For my kids, it would mean anything for them to find. anything, even if it's broken up stuff. Cammy Faelig searched for any keepsakes amid the ruins of her burnt out home. My sister died almost 19 years ago now and I lost her ring. It's the only thing that I have of hers. Now firefighters are spending the day trying to gain some level of containment on the fires while the weather remains favorable. Chris Van Cleve, CBS News, Spokane, Washington. As the three-year anniversary of the Maui wildfire disaster approaches this week, 17 homes are becoming available for survivors. Chelsea Davis spoke with the nonprofit organizations who are making it all possible. The first four Wailuku homes are secured and under renovation. For Hawaiian community assets, keeping fire survivors from moving off island is key to Maui's long-term recovery. Our O'Halaala program is a rent with option to purchase. And so it's really to help renters become homeowners. And so the families are able to buy the house they're renting within two years or less. And this really is just another pathway to home ownership for people.

In 2024, HCA launched Oaxale-A-Ella, the first project of its kind in the state, renovating existing homes, providing immediate rentals and creating a plan for renters to become homeowners. To secure the homes, HCA received a $6 million grant from Hawaii Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund and House Maui Initiative. As we reflect back on three years, we think about, you know, all of those souls we lost in the fire. as well as the immense opportunities that are yet to be seen for some of the survivors. And we continue to put money into the community, invests into our nonprofit sector to support their recovery. The first homes will be moving ready at the end of the month. I hope it provides hope. I think it definitely helps us. provide hope for our clients or for the community. It doesn't solve all problems, but it's a great representation of what can happen when organizations partner together to find solutions, real solutions for people. For a link to apply or learn more, go to Hawaii NewsNow.com. Just click on this story. Reporting in Wailuku. I'm Chelsea Davis for Hawaii News Now. The Department of Hawaiian Homelands is set to hit a record this year for the number of land leases given out. Last month, more than 1,000 project leases were offered for multiple homestead communities on Hawaii Island and Oahu. For the first time, in two decades, 200 residential homes were awarded project leases for a new homestead in East Hawaii County. The department is projected to award nearly 3,000 leases across the state by the end of the year. The Trump administration says there's progress toward a deal with Iran. I'm Natalie Brand with what negotiators are saying about the discussion. Also ahead on, this is now. New data shows back-to-school spending has remained flat since before the pandemic. The reason in two minutes. Coming up at 1230, it's Spotlight Now. We hear from Congresswoman Jill Takuta, who's back from Capitol Hill to give us an update on what's happening in Washington, D.C. Plus, Chief Elections Officer Scott Nongo on what voters need to know, as Hawaii's primary election draws near. Catch Spotlight Now streaming on the H&N streaming app, available on Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire.

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. Welcome back. A new survey will help determine how good of a job the state is doing at protecting survivors of domestic violence. The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women is partnering with the judiciary and the coalition against domestic violence for the project. It takes a look at the effectiveness of Hawaii's current protective order and stalking laws. The anonymous survey is open to any Hawaii residents who have experienced stalking, harassment, domestic, or sexual violence. It takes about five minutes to complete. For a link, visit our website and look for the As Seen on Sunrise tab. Well, Todd Blanche is now one step closer to becoming the permanent Attorney General after he agreed to put in writing that he would not move forward with a controversial settlement between the Justice Department and President Trump. Natalie Brand has the details from the White House. The clerk will call the roll. Senate Republicans on the Judiciary Committee advanced the nomination of Todd Blanche to be the next Attorney General of the United States. Well, I think it's affirmation that he's immensely qualified and he's done a good job. I think he's refocused the department on taking on violent crime and actually taking on fraud that we've seen in Minneapolis and California and other places. The committee approved his nomination along a party line vote after Todd Blanche put in writing that he would not move forward with a controversial fund to compensate people who claim. to have been unfairly prosecuted under previous administration. I thought it was an insult to the police officers and the people that defended us on January the 6th. It's done. It's been rescinded and I am satisfied. I will tell you, it's virtually unenforceable. I don't understand whether these two senators are happy with this outcome. I'm not. Democratic lawmakers have questioned the validity of the agreement reached with Todd Blanche, noting it was not signed by President Trump who has still expressed support for the fund. The ability to cheat on his taxes and get out of jail free card and the slush fund. But clearly we didn't get that. this agreement that they got isn't worth the paper that's writing on. Some other Senate Republicans still have questions. I've talked to some of them, Senator Susan Collins, for example, last night, and I think everybody's trying to process this. Todd Blanche can afford to lose only two Republicans and still be confirmed once his nomination goes before the full Senate. Natalie Brand, CBS News, the White House. Back to school, shopping is underway, and despite years of inflation, families may not be spending much more than they did before the pandemic. Ivan Rodriguez tells us how parents can stretch their budgets.

From new backpacks and shoes to notebooks, calculators, and computers, the back-to-school shopping list can add up quickly. But Lending Trees analysis found total K through 12 back-to-school spending has remained almost flat since before the pandemic. The biggest reason, electronics. Electronics prices had basically fallen a little bit. over the past six or seven years. Estimated spending on devices fell from $338 in 2019 to $296 in 2025. Prices for common school electronics, including Chromebooks and calculators, have also fallen more than 12%. I don't think there's any question that some families are spending less and dialing back their spending a little bit and maybe letting that laptop or that tablet last another year or two rather than investing in a newer one. But the rest of the shopping list is getting more expensive. Spending on clothing, accessories, shoes, and school supplies increased. Schultz says the numbers also reflect a case-shaped economy. When you have a significant group of Americans who are spending freely and another significant group of Americans who are dialing things back, you add it all up and it comes out to basically flat spending, which is what we're seeing. I'm Ivan Rodriguez reporting.

All right, let's take a live look outside with our tower cam out at Aloha Tower. Cloudy conditions outside on this Aloha Tuesday. Guy Hagi is going to have much more coming up in your first alert forecast. 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. First Alert Weather with Guy Huggy. How's it on this Tuesday? The overall trade wind weather pattern will continue. That means a few early morning overnight showers for windward sides. And this band of high clouds now moving over the state, so it's going to be a little cloudier today than the last couple of days. We're still expecting leeward sunshine in the afternoon. But you can see, there's just not a lot of rain out there to be had. The winds are slowing down. They'll run fairly slow today through Thursday. Stronger winds are due back in on Friday. And that means it's going to be a little sticky today. and cloudy to start. We're expecting afternoon sunshine, and with those winds running slow, might be a little bit sticky today. Meaningful rainfall, though, not really expected until Thursday. Surf is going to be rather small today, island-wide. The biggest waves still continue to roll into the east side. Conditions still a little rough and choppy out there, though. So we've got a fairly calm weather for the next several days. However, look for a boost in rainfall, especially for windward neighborhoods Thursday through Friday. In fact, windward neighbors will likely be soggy through the weekend. But if you're on the leeward side, expect a lot of sunshine over the weekend. Also, with the winds running slow through Thursday, it's going to be a little bit sticky. Stronger trade winds, lower humidity levels, really nice conditions due in from Friday on. Sounds good, guy. Thank you. Still to come, the Maiden Hawaii Festival takes over the convention center this month. Casey Lund has a preview in two minutes. And join Hawaii News now for the primary election. We'll bring you live results, reaction, and analysis on air and online beginning Saturday at 5 o'clock. 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. Let's end the show with some good news now. Tickets just went on sale for one of the most highly anticipated annual events. Casey Lund has details on what to expect at this year's Maiden Hawaii Festival. Aloha, Maiden Hawaii Festival, celebrating 32 years. It's happening to get at the convention center. There's some new things and, of course, some of our favorites that are always there. And with the ladies from Fighting Eel. We've got Carrie and Lynn with us. General Manager Kerry, first, before we get into kind of the event, which there is a lot of new things. There's VIP access, all that kind of stuff. But talked about us what we have on the table. We've got a special print here. This is highly coveted, right? So we are absolutely branded and on our iconic fish print. And something that we've just created. within the last year is our denim and our chambre that we've added to our assortment and now our fish is swimming back into our booth on this chambray one of the things that i well whoever wants to kind of take this question but i know that this is hugely important to you to get to we're at the made in hawaii festival and getting all of our products are made in hawaii tell me a little bit about the the journey you guys took to get there Oh, Made in Hawaii two years ago, we didn't know what we're in for. We had a little booth in the middle of the convention floor, and it was a tornado of people. We didn't know what we're doing, but now we know what we're doing. So first year, we bought 60% exclusive made in Hawaii. This year, it's 80% last year. Everything in our booth this year is exclusively for the Made in Hawaii show. So you can't get it in our stores at our five locations. You have to come to Megan, made in Hawaii to get these things. Very good. And I want to talk to Carrie just about that. Seeing your guys' grand grow has probably been really special for you, folks. I know that. But the demand at those festivals, it is like... It's like piranhas. They're swimming around, like trying to grab everything. So what is it like on that day, getting everything ready for the festivals? I know this isn't the only thing, but this is obviously huge, right? It just takes incredible planning. I mean, and luckily our company is comprised of a lot of very talented individuals, and we have delegated teams who handle floor ops or line ops or express window and whatnot. So I think as long as the planning is there, we're able to handle the load, and we just want to bring the joy. with all of our hard work and love that we've put into our pieces so everybody can enjoy. Very good. Thank you guys for being with us today. Really quickly, I want to talk about the access that is for VIP, the early access, those opportunities to be first on the convention floor. $25 on Thursday for the VIP access. And then on Friday, a $20 price point to get you the early access, 630 to 10 at the convention center. And then, of course, generally mentioned they're going to run out of stuff on Thursday.

Friday so if you don't or cannot make it on those evenings don't worry you can still do the weekend thing nine and eight dollars there really quickly I want to bring my dear friend Olinn before we are done there's something special about parking to where just about 30 seconds left can you explain it to it so you need to pre-purchase your ticket along with your priority shuttle pass in advance for Saturday and Sunday and then you can park at Kaimuki High School or Stan Sheriff Center then you get on the shuttle and then you have priority pass entry straight in so you have to pre-purchase it you get a little benefit from parking off-site, but then you get a ride right up to the front of the door. So that might be the way to go. Yes. If you missed any of those details, you want to learn more about the tickets that are on sale now for VIP or early access, you can go to Hawaii News Now.com. Let's send things back downstairs for now. Thank you so much, Case. And here's a look at what's coming up today on our H&N streaming app, available to download for free on your smart TV. Let's take a look outside. Don't forget, spotlight now right after this. Thanks for watching. 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 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.