The Conversation

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The Conversation is a weekday show on HPR’s news and information program stream, KHPR 88.1FM. For, by, and about the people of Hawaii, The shows host Chris Vandercook will be talking to all sorts of people about all sorts of things, from the state’s budge

Hawaii Public Radio


    • Sep 18, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 50m AVG DURATION
    • 1,917 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Conversation

    The Conversation: Red Hill reopens; U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2026 32:52


    The U.S. Navy announces the decision to reopen a shaft involved in the Red Hill water crisis; U.S. Poet Laureate Arthur Sze discusses his work with poetry and translation.

    The Conversation: Gov. Green on Kauaʻi; Homeroom Hawaiʻi Skies

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2026 33:31


    Gov. Green speaks after assessing storm damage after Hurricane Lowell on Kauaʻi; HPR returns with the latest installments of its segments 'Homeroom Hawaiʻi' and 'Hawaiʻi Skies.'

    The Conversation: Kamehameha Schools' tax status targeted; Pokémon 30th anniversary

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2026 33:20


    Former University of Hawaiʻi Law School Dean Avi Soifer explains how and why Kamehameha Schools could lose their tax-exempt status; HPR joins Pokémon fans in line trying to catch ‘em all on franchise's 30th anniversary.

    The Conversation: Senate President Kouchi on Kauaʻi's recovery; Learning from disaster

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2026 52:03


    State Senate President Ron Kouchi shares how f Kauaʻi is recovering after Hurricane Lowell; UH Professor Karl Kim shares what disasters — both manmade and natural — can teach us.

    The Conversation: Live from the Ala Wai Canal

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2026 53:50


    Today, The Conversation is broadcasting live on the Ala Wai Canal — on the edge of Waikīkī.

    The Conversation: Bringing power back to Kauaʻi; Homeroom Hawaiʻi

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2026 53:57


    Hawaiian Electric Company VP of Communications Jim Kelly shares the latest on Kauaʻi's recovery efforts; HPR returns with the latest installment of Homeroom Hawaiʻi.

    The Conversation: KIUC works to restore power on Kauaʻi; Punahou president remembers 9/11

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2026 51:45


    Kauaʻi's electric utility works to restore power across the island; Punahou president Mike Latham remembers alumni who died; Filmmaker talks LNG documentary

    The Conversation: Kauaʻi mayor assesses Hurricane Lowell damage; Updates on Oʻahu storm impacts

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2026 53:53


    Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami addresses Hurricane Lowell impacts; HPR's Mark Ladao has more on Lowell on Oʻahu; UH researcher talks pilot whale study

    The Conversation: Disaster fatigue; Climate fund

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2026 53:51


    Handling the constant storms and disasters; Honolulu takes part in Youth Climate Action Fund; Volcano Minute; Lahaina resident's mail woes; Director Destin Daniel Cretton talks Maui film lab

    The Conversation: Most profitable companies; Costly disasters

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2026 51:46


    Hawaii Business magazine's list of most profitable companies; Database tracks billion-dollar disasters; AI and the backbone of the American economy

    The Conversation: Skyline stretches towards the city; Hawaiʻi documentary

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2026 53:55


    HART CEO Lori Kahikina talks about the timeline on the latest leg of the Skyline into Honolulu's urban core; Filmmaker Stephan Boeker shares his award-winning short film documenting the work of a Maui architect.

    The Conversation: Monitoring ICE on the islands; Public transit plans

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2026 51:41


    Gaye Chan, of the Oʻahu Rapid Response Coalition, shares their mission to monitor ICE activity on Oʻahu; Honolulu Director of Transit Jon Nouchi shares how the city's public transportation plans are progressing.

    The Conversation: Tommy Waters speaks; Connecting through cards

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2026 52:00


    City Council candidates speak after the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruled Tommy Waters ineligible to run in the general election; Maui-based motivational speaker Eric Saperston shares his new card game creation, "Three Things."

    The Conversation: Hawaiʻi Island Mayor on Hurricane Lala; Center for Oral History

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2026 54:05


    Hawaiʻi Island Mayor Kimo Alameda shares recovery updates after Hurricane Lala devastated areas like the Nāʻālehu Cemetery; The Center for Oral History at UH Mānoa plans new projects after receiving over half a million dollars in new funding.

    The Conversation: HECO Updates; Homeroom Hawaiʻi

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2026 52:05


    HECO shares updates on getting the lights back on after Hurricane Lala; HPR shares more stories from students and staff across the islands in the second installment of “Homeroom Hawaiʻi.”

    The Conversation: Upcoming weather disturbances; ‘Super Saturday' at Capitol Modern

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2026 54:03


    John Bravender, of the National Weather Service, shares news of a third weather disturbance forming after Tropical Storm Moke; Capitol Modern combines several art festival events into one day: "Super Saturday."

    The Conversation: Hurricane insurance; Fighting the transgender military ban

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2026 51:59


    HPR reports on hurricane insurance and how much home insurance policies actually protect; Army Sgt. Clara Davis fights her discharge from the military following President Trump's transgender military ban.

    The Conversation: Measuring Moke's impact; HPD Chief on public safety

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2026 52:01


    Recovery efforts continue on Hawaiʻi Island after Lala while Moke makes its way across Molokaʻi; recently appointed Honolulu Police Chief David Lazar talks public safety after Lala took out power on Oʻahu.

    The Conversation: A call-in show on questions about Lala's storm damages

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2026 53:48


    Today, we are discussing how communities can access information on how to rebuild following the destruction caused by Hurricane Lala. Lala left many without power and damaged homes across the islands.

    The Conversation: Preparing for potential storms; Homeroom Hawaiʻi

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2026 54:03


    Gov. Josh Green shares information about another potential tropical storm, and why hurricane season isn't over; HPR presents Homeroom Hawaiʻi, a segment that shares the stories of students and staff across Hawaiʻi's schools.

    The Conversation: Restoring power after Lala; How to hurricane prep

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2026 53:53


    HPR's Savannah Harriman-Pote reports on HECO's progress restoring power to the islands; Peter Oshiro, head of the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health's Food Safety ranch, advises on how to prepare food for a hurricane.

    The Conversation: Hurricane recovery across the islands

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2026 53:58


    Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami shares how the Garden Isle fared during Hurricane Lala; business owners and residents from O'ahu and Hawai'i Island share how they're rebuilding amid storm damage and continued power outages.

    The Conversation: Recovering after Lala

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2026 53:32


    City and state officials deliver the latest updates on Hawaiʻi's recovery after Hurricane Lala; residents share their experience in the aftermath.

    The Conversation: Tracking Tropical Storm Lala; Trask family responds to possible deepfake ad

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2026 51:56


    HPR's Bill Dorman reports with the latest developments on Tropical Storm Lala; Mililani Trask, sister of Haunani Kay-Trask, responds to a possibly AI-generated use of her late sister's likeness.

    The Conversation: AI-generated commercial concerns; New Punahou learning commons

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2026 54:05


    HPR speaks with state Sen. Karl Rhoads about concerns around a possibly AI-generated campaign commercial; Punahou School President Mike Latham discusses the new Mary Kawena Pukui Learning Commons.

    The Conversation: OHA election outcome; Fully-electric test flights

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2026 54:03


    HPR's Cassie Ordonio reports on the results for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs races; Mokulele Airlines begins test flights with BETA Technologies' fully-electric Alia aircrafts.

    The Conversation: Election results; Capturing the solar surface

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2026 54:03


    HPR reviews the results of the 2026 primary election; national Solar Observatory scientists capture the highest-resolution images of the surface of the sun ever taken.

    The Conversation: A hana hou show on civic engagement

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2026 52:02


    On the eve of the 2026 primary election, The Conversation highlights past stories about engaging in the democratic process.

    The Conversation: Bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu; Voters react to Tommy Waters' disqualification

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2026 52:05


    Bishop Michael Thomas Tupou Castori speaks with HPR about his journey and connection with the Pacific; HPR speaks with District 4 voters and Tommy Waters about his ousting from the election.

    The Conversation: JERA Vice President; Fingerboards and kendama

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 5, 2026 52:04


    JERA Vice President of Development Erik Montague answers questions about liquefied natural gas; fingerboard and kendama enthusiasts share where their passions have taken them.

    The Conversation: Rep. Jill Tokuda; AI-powered permit applications

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2026 53:48


    U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda speaks with HPR about her time spent in Maui three years after the Lahaina fires; Honolulu Department of Planning & Permitting director Dawn Takeuchi Apuna explains why CivCheck, an AI tool, is required for residential permit applicants.

    The Conversation: Prescription pilot program; Reality TV stars

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2026 49:16


    Clinical psychologist Dr. Amithea Love explains a new pilot program to ease the state's mental health physician shortage; HPR speaks with Hele Rolls food truck owners and America's Got Talent duo Nyjah Rhythm and Zyah Rhythm.

    The Conversation: Sylvia Luke pleads not guilty; Podcaster Kamaka Dias reflect on the Peace Corps

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2026 53:57


    HPR's Mark Ladao reports on the latest developments in the bribery case involving Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke; Podcaster Kamaka Dias reflects on his time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Madagascar.

    The Conversation: A call-in on a cell phone ban in Hawaiʻi public schools

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2026 53:59


    Today, our panel discusses a new statewide policy to restrict student cell phone usage beginning next school year — which starts next week.

    The Conversation: TheBus budget; Swimming science

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2026 54:07


    Increased fuel prices from the Iran war place a burden on TheBus budget; Former UH head swim coach Jans Prins breaks down the biomechanics of swimming in his new book, "Freestyle Biomechanics."

    The Conversation: Tommy Waters ineligible; Truck bed-riding restrictions

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2026 53:57


    Honolulu Civil Beat's Ben Angarone and UH political science professor Colin Moore discuss City Councilmember Tommy Waters' ineligibility to run for office; Hawai'i residents react to the new restrictions on truck bed-riding.

    The Conversation: RIMPAC draws to a close; Cyclosporiasis grows

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2026 53:56


    International military officials share their thoughts as RIMPAC 2026 concludes; Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Nathan Tan explains the recent national outbreak Cyclosporiasis

    The Conversation: A hana hou show on Hawaiian literature

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2026 52:38


    The Conversation takes a look through the archives to curate a list of local literature to add to your library.

    The Conversation: Sen. Karl Rhoads reflects on 20 years; Preserving coconut palms

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2026 54:05


    Sen. Karl Rhoads, longtime chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reflects on his career in the State Legislature; Vicky Durand and Indrajit Gunasekara, of the Koali Niu Coconut Gene Bank, share how the nonprofit preserves and protects the native coconuts of Hāna Maui.

    The Conversation: Remembering Master Navigator Sesario Sewralur; The new face of Anna O'Brien's

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 22, 2026 54:39


    Nainoa Thomspon, CEO of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, and Chamorro navigator Ron Acfalle pay tribute to the late Grand Master Navigator Sesario Sewralur; musical artist Tavana becomes the new owner of beloved bar and music venue Anna O'Brien's.

    The Conversation: Guam Red Cross; Kauaʻi's native birds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2026 51:59


    Ken Quintanilla, executive director of the Guam Red Cross, delivers recovery updates after Super Typhoon Bavi; animal researchers Dr. Lisa "Cali" Crampton and Justin Hite raise awareness about the decline of Kauaʻi's native birds.

    The Conversation: Ethics Commission gets new director; Irish pub gets new owner

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2026 54:03


    Sandy Ma discusses her new title as Executive Director and Legal Counsel for the Honolulu Ethics Commission; Business owner Bill Comerford makes his Irish exit as he sells beloved live-music bar Anna O'Brien's.

    The Conversation: Gov. Green and the National Guard; Hawaiʻi ranks last in business

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2026 53:56


    Gov. Josh Green explains why members of Hawaiʻi's National Guard are deployed in the nation's capital; Sherry Menor, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, reacts to the state scoring last on CNBC's Top States for Business ranking.

    The Conversation: A call-in on Hawaiʻi's media landscape

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2026 54:03


    Have a question or comment on Hawaiʻi's media landscape? Send a note to talkback@hawaiipublicradio.org or leave a voicemail at 808-792-8217.

    The Conversation: Makaha Mangoes; A look at Liquefied Natural Gas

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 14, 2026 54:00


    Mark Suiso, of Makaha Mangoes, shares tips on mango farming and explains why mango season is late this year; HPR and Canary Media team up to report on the debate around Liquefied Natural Gas.

    The Conversation: Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago; Record-breaking solo row

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2026 53:55


    Hawaiʻi Chief Election Officer Scott Nago discusses preparations for the primary elections; rower and social media sensation Kelsey Pfendler celebrates her record-breaking solo rowing voyage from California.

    The Conversation: A hana hou show on planes, trains, and automobiles

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2026 53:58


    The Conversation takes a trip back to past broadcasts on the world of travel and transportation.

    The Conversation: Super Typhoon Bavi strikes Rota; New Driver's License

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2026 54:07


    Northern Mariana Islands journalist Thomas Mangloña II shares his firsthand account of the destruction left by Super Typhoon Bavi; Hawaiʻi locals and city officials share their thoughts on the Driver's License redesign.

    The Conversation: Bringing golf back to Hawaiʻi; Funding foster youth

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2026 52:04


    A new pro golf tournament, Play Hawaiʻi Golf, is being organized to replace The Sentry tournament by the PGA Tour; Maui philanthropist Ed Freedman talks about funding investment accounts for Hawaiʻi foster youth.

    The Conversation: New UH Chancellor; Street psychiatry

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2026 54:02


    Vassilis Syrmos, the new Chancellor of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, speaks with HPR about his new role; Honolulu street psychiatrist Chad Koyanagi shares his story helping those suffering on the streets.

    The Conversation: Super Typhoon Bavi; Supreme Court ruling reflections

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2026 51:59


    HPR's Cassie Ordonio reports on a super typhoon passing through Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands; Common Cause Hawaii director Camron Hurt discusses the U.S. Supreme Court's final rulings for 2026.

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