Medicaid Legal Fight: New York and 20 other states sued the Trump administration over a finalized HHS rule that would block federal Medicaid/CHIP reimbursement for gender-affirming care for youth, with an Oct. 13, 2026 effective date. Southwest Premium Push (Honolulu): Southwest Airlines will open its first airport lounges—Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu (Daniel K. Inouye), and Nashville—starting late 2027, with access tied to a new Chase premium Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card. HMSA Contract Fallout: A Hawaii insurer’s attribution clause is cutting roughly 450 patients off primary care panels and reducing about $162,000 a year in payments, raising alarms for local practices under claims-based attribution. Pacific Defense Contract: Three tribally owned firms won a $400M Air Force advisory deal covering bases across the Pacific, including Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Geothermal Power Deal: Fervo Energy and Google signed a record 396-MW geothermal PPA to support around-the-clock clean power for data centers, with expansion options up to nearly 1 GW. FAA Denies Helocast Restart: The FAA rejected a Hawaii helicopter operator’s bid to resume “helocast” snorkeling/scuba jumps over safety-equivalency concerns. Hurricane Watch: Two Category 4 hurricanes (Lowell, Karina) and a strengthening Tropical Storm Marie churn in the Pacific, with uncertainty about possible trade-wind and rainfall impacts on Hawaii.