As 2025 comes to a close, Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s daily news and talk show, The Conversation, has brought some of HPR’s most compelling stories to life.
From inspiring tales of triumph to in-depth discussions on public affairs, the team behind the show that brings listeners an hour of what’s happening in Hawaiʻi each day is looking back on their favorite headlines for this end-of-year roundup.
While this list ranges from uplifting interviews to federal funding threats, each story comes to you from the producers and host of The Conversation.
In the Hakalau Forest on Hawaiʻi Island, these birders of a feather flock together and Hakalau refuge marks 4 decades of conservation amid funding threats
“I think of these as a pair because they’re both big narrative swings we took this year on the same topic. One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at HPR has been forging relationships with sources and checking in with them as time passes. It’s a refreshing alternative to 'parachute journalism' and makes me confident that I’m helping give listeners the full story.” — Maddie Bender, executive producer
Historian on how tariffs played a role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom
“I still think about this interview regularly, mainly because Ronald Williams is so clear-eyed about the sweeping effects of tariffs. It’s so helpful to have a clarifying perspective on a topic that can, at times, be so hard to follow from day to day.” — DW Gibson, producer
Living with blindness, Vickie Kennedy is on a mission to help others adjust
“This story fell into my lap after talking with a Backyard Quiz winner who left a positive first impression on the phone. I learned how Vickie had grown up in Kaimukī, but had left to live on the continent before retiring in Hawaiʻi. I sent her a follow-up email to stay in contact and share future story ideas. Turned out SHE was the story. Here’s what her husband wrote:
‘My name is Jim Kennedy and I am the husband of a truly remarkable woman, Vickie Kennedy. My honey is totally blind, and I help her with emails she gets. Vickie does not know I’m writing you this email! Answering the HPR question about a fish named after a former president (Obama), Vickie recently won a green bag from HPR and I saw your email, mentioning something about possible story ideas. To that end, I believe my honey deserves a sainthood award of some kind! I know I am prejudiced, but I have to let you know some things about Vickie. She is not quite (age) 79, and was diagnosed going blind about 46 years ago. When she learned that, it changed her life! A single mom then, with an active 10-year-old son, she thought her world was ending.’
That was the beginning of booking Vickie on The Conversation, sharing how she’s successfully living with her blindness and being a dynamic advocate for her community. She’s supported by loving family and her guide dog, Buddy, is a sweetheart too.” — Lillian Tsang, senior producer
Falls of Clyde vessel leaves Honolulu Harbor for the last time
Catherine Cruz has been covering the Falls of Clyde for a long time. As the historic vessel journeyed to its final undersea resting place on Oct. 15, 2025, Cruz was there to speak with folks with the Friends of the Falls of Clyde and the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation as they said their final goodbyes.
Discourse: Should Hawaiʻi County ban feeding animals on government property?
“I’m not typically in the business of making public New Year’s resolutions, but I’ve wanted for a while to get a segment off the ground that gives space for civil discourse and fosters respectful dialogue. Running a show like The Conversation offers a unique opportunity to dig into nuanced discussions and engage one another beyond the talking points. I have some ideas for future segments of this nature, but please email talkback@hawaiipublicradio.org if you have ideas for future 'Discourse' topics or potential guests. My resolution is to feature more segments like this one next year!" — Maddie Bender
NPR's Michel Martin on why public media is important
"There’s no other journalist I admire more than Michel Martin so it was special getting to interview her. And her grit and drive really comes across in this conversation about the importance of public radio." — DW Gibson
Midway Atoll project safeguards endangered finch species
"This was an uplifting interview, spotlighting success of the Laysan finch translocation project. Cool to connect and talk story with Jared Underwood, Superintendent for the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, while he was still in the field at Midway Atoll. This story aired a couple of days after Hawaiʻi went through a major tsunami warning. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service quickly updated us that all translocated birds were safe and not harmed by the tsunami waves. As it happened, the ʻekupuʻu release had taken place a week prior to Hawaiʻi going through major tsunami warning. I still remember walking through horrible Waikīkī gridlock to pick up kūpuna and mass migration over Kalākaua Avenue bridge… We sheltered in place past midnight. Can only imagine what creatures in the natural world go through with raging elements pounding an atoll." — Lillian Tsang
What comes next for survivors, insurers and HECO in $4B Maui wildfire settlement?
"I expect that the insurance market will continue to be a theme to watch in 2026, as will the rebuilding process in West Maui. The legal ruling in March paved the way for the $4 billion global settlement to go through, compensating victims of the fires for damages and losses." — Maddie Bender
A call-in show on illegal fireworks
The Conversation opened up its phone lines to discuss the crackdown on illegal fireworks ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, and about seven months after a deadly illegal fireworks explosion killed six and injured at least a dozen more on New Year's.
"We did a great call-in show and a segment with first responders, fire, and ambulance about what it was like getting the call on New Year's." — Catherine Cruz
This Waimea Bay lifeguard has been reading the waves and the crowds since 1989
"The idea of a lifeguard on the North Shore of Hawaiʻi can be fantastical for a lot of people but what I really like about this interview with Kerry Atwood is that he brings the work he does to life in a very humanistic way. He gives listeners a sense of the realities he faces on the job every single day." — DW Gibson
