Waikiki

The Safe and Sound Waikīkī initiative is entering its second year as a partnership between the City and County of Honolulu, nonprofits and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney to restrict repeat criminal offenders from the area and establish routes for care. HPR's Sabrina Bodon reports from the press conference.

The Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting did not make Dior take down the entire display, but it did require the company to remove its name from the signage. It gave Dior one week to make the changes.

Business is back in Waikīkī this summer. While visitor numbers are not at pre-COVID levels, developers and residents alike sound optimistic about the future. Pacific Business News editor-in-chief A. Kam Napier has more.

Hawaiʻi has some of the toughest anti-billboard laws in the country. The Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting issued a notice of violation to Dior on July 6, requiring that it remove Dior logos and signs. However, they did not ask the store to remove the entire canvas of clothing on display. Read and listen to the full story from The Conversation's Catherine Cruz.

Many will be celebrating Father’s Day this Sunday, including a local family who is the driving force behind a new restaurant in Waikīkī called Umi. The eatery is a tribute to the abundance of the sea, something owner and chef Vikram Garg is very familiar with.

A major improvement project along Kalākaua Avenue will start Thursday, June 15. Crews will work between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on weekdays.

An organization supporting drag queens is hosting a drag brunch and awards show at Blue Note Hawaii to commemorate national Pride month.

A young Hawaiian monk seal has weaned and relocated, allowing Kaimana Beach to reopen after it was made off-limits to protect the endangered pup while it nursed. After weaning over the holiday weekend, the seal pup was relocated to an undisclosed location.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is closely monitoring Pualani, the Hawaiian monk seal pup who became a local celebrity after her beach birth on April 14. It is common for pups to be relocated from busy areas to more remote shorelines so they learn to coexist among other wild species. HPR's Zoe Dym has more.

Hawaiʻi residents eat 7 million cans of Spam per year. That's five cans per person. But at least one doctor is concerned that overconsumption of the salty meat could lead to dangerous health outcomes. HPR's Cassie Ordonio spoke to consumers, sellers and a health expert about Hawaiʻi's favorite canned delicacy.