Howard Dashefsky is enjoying his return to KHON2, having first arrived in 1990 as sports director.
It’s also where he experienced one of the biggest moments of his career, launching Hawaii’s first-ever morning newscast with co-anchor Leslie Wilcox on Sept. 7, 1992.
His second career-defining moment came just four days after that, when Hurricane Iniki devastated Kauai.
“It was a day we will never forget for obvious reasons. Since we were the only station doing a morning news, we were on the air for several hours before any other station got on the air,” he recalls. “Suffice it to say, we dominated that day and it put KHON2’s morning news on the map for good.”
Since then, Dash has worked at various news outlets and most recently handled play-by-play and pre- and post-game duties for both the University of Hawaii and local high school athletics. It was a natural fit for the former starting first baseman.
Throughout his career, Dash has met three presidents, played golf with Michael Jordan, and flown with the Blue Angels.
But his most memorable story, and favorite “chicken skin” moment, was visiting the USS Arizona Memorial with a Pearl Harbor survivor and a former Japanese fighter pilot. “They met on the memorial, placed wreaths in the water and set aside 50 years of bitterness,” he says. “To witness that moment, between these two men, was something that will live with me together.”
On Sept. 8, 2014, Dash returned to KHON2 to help launch another new broadcast, KHON2 News at 9, with Marisa Yamane.
When he isn’t working, Dash can most likely be found in his favorite spot with his dogs, Guinness and Jäger: “People who know me well know it’s my own house. I’d rather cook in my kitchen and eat and hang out in the backyard.”
Howard with daughters Kylee and Briana, and Guinness and Jäger
