Rick Hamada discusses another angle of the 2026 midterm election -- the makeup of the Hawaii Legislature and how that may affect the Honolulu Rail Project...a project that has ballooned in costs over the past two decades and costs Oahu citizens a surcharge on G.E.T.  Rick talks about the project's impact on the community, including the lack of ridership and the perceived benefits...and makes his position clear.

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In this clip from the pre-Election Day Rick Hamada program, Rick continues his thoughts on what is driving everything from voter apathy, world events, and costs that are major issues in this election.  Rick's attention turns towards another issue: the efforts of the Office Of Elections and Scott Nago to basically "lock out" the Hawaii Elections Commission from doing its job.  Rick reacts to the ruling Friday from the Hawaii Supreme Court which was a rebuke of the Office of Elections...and plays a clip from this weekend's "Freedom Hour" broadcast discussing actions that were not only absurd on the part of the Office of Elections, but also a dereliction of duty.

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Rick Hamada shares a candid perspective on the state of Hawaii's economy and the impact of rising costs on its residents...including the deceptively low state unemployment rate, which is touted as a success story, but Rick argues that it's a misleading narrative.  Corruption, lack of transparency, costs on top of taxes, on top of other factors are driving Hawaii residents completely out of the state.

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Rick Hamada talks with the next great comedian to hit the stage at Blue Note Hawaii next week (November 8th):  Billy Gardell!  Listen to Billy talk about his early years as a stand-up comedian to his time on popular TV shows like Mike and Molly and Young Sheldon.  And...the boys talk football with a fun back-n-forth about the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Bears!

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Election Day is Tuesday...and Rick Hamada welcomes Chad Blair from Honolulu Civil Beat to the show once again on NewsRadio 830 KHVH.  One of the big issues this election season:  voter apathy.  A sense of fatigue and frustration is palpable among voters and voter turnout is down once again.  Rick and Chad dive into the reasons behind this apathy, from the dominance of one party to the familiar faces on the ballot.  Other topics include a series of investigative reports by Civil Beat that has shed light on the lack of transparency in how public funds are being spent.

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Honolulu Police Chief David Lazar returns to studio with Rick Hamada on Ask The Chief...and returns with a lot of issues percolating in the public.  Listen to Chief Lazar discuss the recent reassignment of 100 officers to patrol duties, the importance of community policing, and the importance of situational awareness and the need for people to be mindful of their surroundings, especially in crowded areas like Waikiki...plus much more and your phone calls too!

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Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi returns to our studios on Ask the Mayor, this week talking about the past year's progress and the work still to be done. He also discusses the city's efforts to combat homelessness, including the recent 22% drop in unsheltered homelessness, and the importance of providing affordable housing options like the Ho'oiki and Kalihi Palama projects...looking to create mixed-income, mixed-use neighborhoods with access to public transportation, employment opportunities, and community services.  Your phone calls take priority too...and the mayor fields all that come in this week.

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Ask The Mayor with Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Rick Hamada is full of your calls and timely conversation--including the steps the City and County of Honolulu has taken in light of the expected heavy rain through Thursday.  Your calls are always the priority and the mayor takes calls on  concerns about property taxes, parking issues in Kapolei, and affordable housing.  Mayor Blangiardi also discusses the release of a new report on the city's finances.

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Rick Hamada is joined by Andrew Pereira about his work with the Hawaii Employers Council, an organization that provides human resource services and support to businesses across the state. He invites listeners to learn more about the council and its resources, including a free Disaster Preparedness Toolkit.

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