The Rick Hamada Program

Rick Hamada welcomes Mike Hanson to the program to talk about the Jones Act--a law that has lasted more than a century and remains the center of debate in Hawaii. Does the Jones Act harm Hawaii with higher prices...or does it protect Hawaii and the maritime industry by demanding only US flagged ships to carry our goods?

Rick Hamada spends a few moment with John Hiltz, CEO of the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, to talk about the museum's role in the community, scholarships, and more.

Rick Hamada connects with good friend and former KNUS/Denver talk show legend Steffan Tubbs...talking about the headlines of the day and getting Steffan's thoughts about the Trump administraiton, immigration, and more.

Rick Hamada start Monday morning talking to the man behind Hawaii's fastest growing news website--Cam Napier of Aloha State Daily (alohastatedaily.com). Rick and Cam talk about today's biggest headlines in government and more.

Episode 81 (25 April 2026): Today’s Freedom Hour – Sine Die: Who Governs Hawai‘i When the Legislature Goes Home? As Hawai‘i’s Legislature approaches sine die and the Lt. Governor steps aside amid controversy, a deeper question emerges: who holds power when lawmakers are no longer in session? This episode explores the “people’s power gap,” emergency authority, and the balance between branches of go...

It's time to check in again with Richard Cricchio and Hawaii's housing market. It's another look at interest rates, prices, conditions and more with Help-U-Sell Hawaii.

Rick Hamada is joined by FOX Sports Radio's Jonas Knox to talk about the devastating loss of the Sony Open--a tournament that has happened since the 1960s in Hawaii, now gone forever.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi is on a diplomatic trip to China, so Chief Of Staff Andy Sugg joins Rick Hamada for a great conversation this morning about the inner workings of city government, plus some of the exciting things that Mayor Blangiardi's team is working on for the rest of 2026 and beyond.

In this episode of Sustaining Hawaii, we speak with Laura Ediger of GoFarm Hawaii about boosting local food security, alongside Candice Fajardo and Michelle Kitashiro from March of Dimes. We explore agricultural resilience and the upcoming March for Babies walk, empowering listeners to support both our local farmers and community health.

Rick Hamada spends time with Ira Mehlman from F.A.I.R., talking about the latest with illegal immigration, court cases, ICE, and more.

Rick Hamada speaks with Chad Blair from Honolulu Civil Beat (civilbeat.org) about the breaking news from Sunday that LG Sylvia Luke would not be running for re-election in 2026. However...she also will not be resigning her position, leaving Governor Josh Green in an awkward position. Rick and Chad discuss this and more!

It's the Pacific Resource Partnership Hour, and Andrew Pereira is back with Rick Hamada, presented by the Hawaii Carpenter's Union. Andrew highlights an upcoming event at the Hawaii State Capitol and talks about April 15th--not only "Tax Day" but "Tax Fraud Awareness Day"...and PRP's focus on weeding out fraud.

Rick Hamada talks with NFL Hall Of Fame coach Tony Dungy about the coach's upcoming keynote address at the Hawaii Prayer Breakfast.

Rick Hamada spends a full hour with Honolulu City Councilman Tyler Dos Santos Tam, talking about current issues and bills that are moving through the City Council right now.

Episode 80 (18 April 2026): Today’s Freedom Hour – From Challenge to Action: A Path Forward for Hawai‘i. After nearly 2 years examining the challenges facing Hawai‘i—from cost of living and housing to trust in government—this episode marks a turning point. With Gary Cordery entering the 2026 governor’s race, we shift from identifying problems to exploring solutions. What does it look like to lead...

In this episode of Sustaining Hawaii, leaders from the Hawaii Farm Bureau, the Hawaii Agricultural Foundation, and Bayer discuss the devastating recent floods, a new agricultural relief fund, and Bayer's $5,000 donation to help local farmers recover.

Episode 79 (11 April 2026): Today’s Freedom Hour – Crisis, Control, and the Future of Hawai‘I. This episode, we examine a pattern emerging across major legislative efforts—from emergency powers and housing to taxation and public health. Are these policies simply addressing urgent challenges, or reshaping how decisions are made in Hawai‘i? By connecting bills with broader policy resolutions, we exp...

Episode 78 (28 March 2026): Today’s Freedom Hour - Who Decides Hawai‘i’s Future? Community vs. Control. Who is really shaping Hawai‘i’s future—our communities or centralized government systems? In this episode, Tara Malia Gregory joins us to explore the growing tension between local voice and top-down decision-making. From cost of living to election management, to emergency powers, we break down w...

On this week's episode of Community Matters, Rick Hamada talks with Andrew Pereira from the Pacific Resource Partnership about the current state of Hawaii's economy and why the construction industry is a driver of jobs and economic prosperity.

Episode 77 (21 March 2026): Today’s Freedom Hour – Serving Our Community in the Storm. This episode is dedicated to disaster preparedness and supporting Hawai‘i’s communities as Kona Lows bring flooding, outages, and uncertainty across the islands. We focus on what people need to know right now—how to stay safe, where to find help, and how to prepare for rapidly changing conditions. From immediate...

On this week's episode of Community Matters, Rick Hamada talks with Chef Lee Anne Wong about the role of food both as a community necessity and a community cultural touchstone.

On this week's episode of Community Matters, Rick Hamada talks with Rep. Diamond Garcia about current bills pending in the Hawaii Legislature.

Episode 76 (14 March 2026): Today’s Freedom Hour – Crossover at the Capitol: The Bills Shaping Hawai‘i’s Future. Crossover is a pivotal moment in the Hawai‘i legislative session, when only a small number of bills survive to continue moving toward becoming law. This episode explores several of the most consequential crossover bills — from emergency powers and election administration to immigration...

Rick Hamada is joined by Duke Ah Moo, Vice President and Commercial Director, Hawaii and French Polynesia will represent Hilton. Listen now!

Hawaii Theatre Hour is back with Wine Before Nine! Listen now!