Catherine Cruz

1 day ago | hawaiipublicradio.org | Catherine Cruz

When President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing commercial fishing in the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument last week, a familiar face stood to his left in the Oval Office. The executive director of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council was there. Kitty Simonds has served on the council for decades. She's the first Native Hawaiian woman to lead the agency.

1 day ago | hawaiipublicradio.org | Catherine Cruz

He called himself a reluctant principal. Babā Yim had to be talked into stepping into the role of administrator in his career as an educator. Yim is in the driver's seat of the only K-12 Native Hawaiian immersion school. Ke Kula Kaiapuni ʻo Ānuenue is a Title I school nestled in Pālolo Valley. Behind his desk in his office is a large picture of three teachers: a young Nainoa Thomson of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, Micronesian master navigator Mau Piailug, and Yim's mentor Eddie Ka’anana.

2 days ago | hawaiipublicradio.org | Maddie Bender |Catherine Cruz

HPR's Maddie Bender reports on how federal funding cuts are impacting the University of Hawaiʻi | Full Story Kitty Simonds, executive director of the Western Pacific Fishery Council, responds to environmentalists' concerns about a Trump order allowing commercial fishing within the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument Honolulu Civil Beat's Chad Blair debriefs the new state budget | Full Story John Letoto, owner of Kalo & Cream, prepares handmade sodas and coffee drinks to sell at...

3 days ago | hawaiipublicradio.org | Catherine Cruz |Maddie Bender |DW Gibson

Audio will be added after the show. The Conversation airs weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon on HPR-1.

6 days ago | hawaiipublicradio.org | Catherine Cruz

Today, The Conversation hosts a call-in show to discuss Social Security concerns. On the campaign trail, President Trump promised he wouldn't touch the Social Security Administration, which provides monthly benefits to about 70 million people. But staff reductions are straining the program's systems, and more services may be on the chopping block. Our guests are:Gary Simon, AARP Hawaiʻi Volunteer State President Kealiʻi Lopez, AARP Hawaiʻi State DirectorAre you worried about your benefits?