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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

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[{"text":"\"A honu world!\" had us dying.","type":"text"}]

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<title>Hawaiʻi Scene on Social: Making up all any kine</title>

In today's social media find, @islandmagicmike riffs on Hulu, Disney and more.

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social: Making up all any kine

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

Government & Politics

Columnists

Last week, State Sen. Brenton Awa rose on the Senate floor. He clarified that the Senate doesn’t “condone violence.” Then he held up a letter of recognition for “Mister Ambassador of Aloha.” The commendation was intended for a shirtless man recorded beating a tourist on Maui. The tourist had been filmed earlier throwing a rock at a monk seal.

The clip of Awa’s remarks has been viewed 29.3 million times on his 

. In the chamber where laws are made, a sitting senator stood to commend a man for a beating.

The tourist was wrong. That part isn’t in dispute. Throwing a rock at a protected animal earns charges, and ought to. The question is why a senator commended the man who beat him.

Awa represents State Senate District 23, which includes Kāneʻohe and the rural areas of the North Shore, including Kahaluʻu through Lāʻie, Kahuku to Mokulēʻia. It is one of the most conservative and religious districts in the state, with a significant presence of Christians and Mormons. Though they differ on major theological issues, they share most moral commitments. Many of them read Scripture and try to live by it.

Paul tells the Roman church plainly: never avenge yourselves, for vengeance belongs to the Lord, and He will repay. He says this in Romans chapter 12. In the next chapter he describes the magistrate as the servant of God who carries the sword on God’s behalf. The magistrate is the appointed avenger of wrath against the wrongdoer. Awa sits in the office Paul describes. To commend a man for taking justice into his own hands is to undercut the office God established to do that work.

A reader may reply that the justice system fails locals, that private justice is what’s left when the courts won’t act. There are two answers. The first is that the system was working. The whole state was outraged. The tourist was being identified and pursued. The vigilante did not help. He committed a crime of his own, and gave the tourist a grievance to point to.

The second answer is older. Vigilante justice doesn’t end disorder. It feeds it. Shakespeare worked this out in Verona, and the Capulets and Montagues are not a model anyone wants for Hawaiʻi. Due process is the rope that pulls communities out of that pit.

The seal speech was not a stray moment. Awa brought a polygraph to the floor during the $35,000 paper bag scandal. He has made props a feature of his floor speeches. He posted a video walking viewers to Rep. Linda Ichiyama’s office after she killed his bill prohibiting foreign ownership of land, and she received death threats. His congressional campaign website celebrates his record of voting no more than any other legislator. The posture is consistent: media first, lawmaking second.

A rock thrown at a seal and the beating of a tourist got Awa to stand and speak. The everyday violence in Hawaiʻi — robberies, killings, home invasions — has not moved him the same way. Neither has abortion, though his Christian and Mormon constituents care about it as deeply as any voters in the state. Awa casts his no votes and counts them on his campaign website. But a ceremonial no vote does not save a life.

He has a platform few legislators command. He could use it to speak about the issues his district cares about. He has chosen to use it to glorify lawless violence.

Moral leadership in a minority caucus is possible. It starts with respect for the office, since God has established it. The slow work of building coalitions and passing bills must follow, since social media clips don’t affect statutes. Underneath all of this lies the harder discipline of applying Christian conviction even-handedly. It must name the sins of allies as readily as opponents, the populist right as readily as the progressive left. A lawmaker who held those things together would be doing something that all of Hawaiʻi has been waiting for.

On opening day this session, Awa quoted James: “Be quick to listen and slow to speak.” He should have taken his own advice. Later in that 

, he told his colleagues, “We can accomplish impossible feats just by showing aloha. In other words, the next time you’re feeling like throwing blows, throw aloha.”

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Awa upscaled

<title>'Mister ambassador of aloha'</title>

It's a bad look for the word "aloha" when it's used to commend a vigilante beat down, as state Sen. Brenton Awa did last week, says ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa.

'Mister ambassador of aloha'

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Food & Dining

Looking for ways to enjoy the weekend on Oʻahu? Aloha State Daily pulled together this list of 10 things to do without leaving the island, with events happening on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Friday, May 15"}]

 The singer and songwriter’s new documentary, “

 on Thursday, May 14, at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall. There will also be a screening on Friday, May 15. The documentary follows Johnson’s journey from surfer to filmmaker to musician. Today, the North Shore artist has more than 

 on Spotify. Some of his most popular songs on the streaming platform include “Better Together,” “Banana Pancakes,” and “Upside Down.” 

Capitol Modern, the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, is partnering with Mundo Reggae, a broadcasting and media production company, to host Island Pulse, an event that highlights Island, roots and reggae music at the museum on the third Friday of each month. This week, the headliners are Kanakamon and Kapu System with opening performances from Royce Kane and Pana, as well as special guest DJ Alibaba. The event, which runs from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., is hosted by Miss Lulu. Museum galleries will be open. There will also be local artists and vendors from Art + Flea, plus opportunities to purchase food. 

Enjoy live music from Kalaʻe Camarillo at Victoria Ward Park, 

 on the third Friday of the month as part of this series: Aloha Friday Music in the Park. The green oasis provides a spot for picnics and leisure. The monthly music series runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Forgot a picnic? Grab food and drinks from nearby eateries. Free. 

Listen to Kalaʻe Parish, Kalenaku, Dillon Pakele and more. 

Kapolei High School is celebrating its 25th anniversary with alumni performances from 

 and Dillon Pakele, as well as B.E.T. and Kalenaku. There will be campus tours, performances from students in the Kapolei High School performing arts program and Polynesian Club, and opportunities to play games, order from food trucks and support local vendors. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Saturday, May 16"}]

There are a number of farmers markets throughout the state each weekend. One spot to stop on Saturdays is the 

, which occurs from 8 a.m. to noon. Another popular spot is the 

Kapiʻolani Community College Farmers Market

 which is open from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the community college’s campus. The 

 is also open on Saturdays and runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Old Waialua Sugar Mill. 

 using this guide from the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau.

It is kitten season and the Hawaiian Humane Society is looking for help. Attend an open house event at 3 p.m. at the Mōʻiliʻili Campus (2700 Waiʻalae Ave.) on Saturday, May 16, or at noon at the Kosasa Family Campus at Hoʻopili (91-1945 Fort Weaver Road) on Sunday, May 17, to learn about fostering kittens that need around-the-clock care outside of a shelter. No experience is needed. The foster care team will share details about how to join the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee and will introduce you to kittens that need fostering. The Hawaiian Humane Society also needs donations. The 

special exhibit "Ea Mai ʻEiwa: Patterns of Practice,"

 which honors the work of a trio of Hilo-based artists: 

. The evening will highlight new work created by Sig Zane, which is titled “Hoʻopuka: Left Light.” Tickets to this special event, which starts at 6 p.m., include a four-course dinner catered by Tammy Smith of Hale Kealoha, select items from the museum’s Shop Pacifica, and a private tour of the exhibit with the artist and 

Celebrate Brian Keaulana’s contributions to the film industry. 

Waikīkī Film Awards will recognize Brian Keaulana with The Lifetime Achievement Award. The Mākaha waterman started in the film industry with stunts and eventually worked his way up to being a producer for Apple TV’s “Chief of War,” and Fox’s “Rescue: HI-Surf," among other recent productions. The event, which starts at 6 p.m., will celebrate his career in the film industry and is being presented by Outrigger Waikīkī Beachcomber Hotel, Hawaiian Aroma Caffe and Hawai'i Film Alliance. There will be live music, food and cocktails. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Sunday, May 17"}]

The Honolulu Museum of Art opens its doors for Community Sunday on the third Sunday of each month. Explore the galleries and enjoy outdoor spaces, plus two art activities. The event starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m. The special exhibit “Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within,"

innovative artist with Hawaiʻi Island roots

Did you capture an amazing photo of sunrise? Or sunset? Please share your pictures with us! Include information like your name and where the picture was taken. Tell what you saw and why it was special. Submitted photos may be featured in our Hawaiʻi Skies series. 

Jack Johnson

<title>Jack Johnson, farmers markets and more: Your guide to the weekend</title>

Ready to make plans for Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Oʻahu? Whether you are looking for some live music or a farmers market, Aloha State Daily put together this list of ideas, which includes how to round up ingredients for banana pancakes … or listen to Jack Johnson sing about them.

Jack Johnson, farmers markets and more: Your guide to the weekend

Cheryl Tsutsumi

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi

Aloha Spirit

Ron Montgomery’s introduction to aerodynamics came in the form of model airplanes that he made when he was a teen growing up in East Orange, New Jersey, near Newark.

“A rubber band was the planes’ ‘engine,’” Montgomery said. “It was attached to the propeller, which I turned to wind the rubber band real tight. I let the propeller go from a standing position. The rubber band provided enough propulsion for the plane to fly about 20 feet, six feet in the air. It was great fun. I did it again and again, using different planes, and the thrill never died.”

After graduating from high school in 1958, Montgomery enrolled in the Teterboro School of Aeronautics, 16 miles from East Orange. He graduated in 1961 and passed the Federal Aviation Administration test for an Airframe and Powerplant license, enabling him to perform repairs and maintenance on U.S. aircraft.

But Montgomery was eligible for the draft, which presented a challenge. “Employers were reluctant to hire men who might have to report for military duty at any time,” he said. “They didn’t want to deal with the possibility of high worker turnover and the expense of having to find and train replacements.”

So Montgomery joined the Navy and embarked on a 28-year career as an aircraft mechanic and air crewman. His first duty station was with a patrol squadron at Naval Air Station Barbers Point (this base was decommissioned and renamed Kalaeloa Airport/John Rodgers Field in 1999).

“When I landed at Hickam Air Force Base, it was 80 degrees,” Montgomery said. “Palm trees were swaying in the wind, and there were a couple of showers that left a rainbow in the sky. I got to Barbers Point, where I had a cold beer and saw beautiful beaches. I thought, ‘Wow, I’m never going back to Jersey!’”

Montgomery was based at Barbers Point from 1962 to 1966, but during that time, his squadron served six-month stints in Japan, Okinawa and the Philippines. In 1964, he spent another six months training as a flight engineer for the 

 a four-engine turboprop plane designed for anti-submarine and maritime surveillance.

Armed with flight engineer credentials, Montgomery participated in patrols and search-and-rescue operations off the coast of Vietnam aboard P-3s. “I loved it!” he said. “I was the mechanical guy on the plane. If anything went wrong with, for example, the engine, rudder, propellers, landing gear, hydraulic system, wing flaps, or cabin temperature and pressure, I was the one responsible for troubleshooting it.”

During his naval career, Montgomery also was stationed in Florida, Midway and Alaska. He returned to Hawai‘i in 1970, again assigned to Barbers Point. By then, he was married; he and his late wife, Teruko, had tied the knot in Tokyo the previous year, and their son, Richard, was born in 1971.

In 1978, Montgomery was offered a position as a flight engineer for a VIP P-3 that was used to transport high-ranking naval officers, government officials and other dignitaries. The combat and surveillance equipment on that plane had been removed; instead, it was furnished with amenities that included furniture, a galley, restrooms and passenger seating.

“That was a fantastic opportunity that I enjoyed my last 11 years in the Navy,” Montgomery said. “I flew with prominent people all over the world, including France, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, Africa, the Aleutian Islands and the Soloman Islands.”

Montgomery retired from the Navy in August 1989, and two months later, he started a 25-year career with Hawaiian Airlines, most of that time in supervisory positions. He retired for the second time in 2014. Teruko had passed away five years earlier and Richard was working as a physician in San Diego, but Montgomery remained in Hawai‘i.

During a 2018 visit to O‘ahu, Richard and his family toured the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (PHAM) with Montgomery. There, they met the restoration shop manager, who, upon learning about Montgomery’s background, urged him to join PHAM’s team of volunteer aircraft restoration technicians.

“I’m there Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” Montgomery said. “We do corrosion control, sheet metal repair and painting for a variety of vintage planes, mostly World War II-era, that the museum has acquired. None of them have engines; we work on the exteriors, which often takes years to finish. Our camaraderie reminds me of my time in the Navy. If something needs to be done, everyone jumps in and does it.”

In addition, Montgomery keeps busy with online Japanese language classes and volunteering as a counselor at the Retiree Activities Office at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. He lives in the same modest three-bedroom house in ‘Ewa Beach that he and Teruko bought 56 years ago with two poi dogs, Milton and Coco, to keep him company. He does all the household chores and drives everywhere he needs to go in either his 2019 Nissan SUV or 1998 Ford Ranger.

“I’m living my best life, and many guys need a truck to do that,” Montgomery said. “Even one who’s 84 years old like me.”

[{"type":"text","text":"PHAMily Fun Day"}]

Monthly except January and December, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum hosts PHAMily Fun Day, a community event that usually includes talks, demonstrations, special exhibits and hands-on activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The theme of the May 23 event is Armed Forces Appreciation.

Admission is $10 at the door; $5 for kamaʻāina and military aged 4 and up if purchased online by 11:59 p.m. the day before; and free for PHAM members and keiki 3 and under. For more information, 

Author Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi can be reached at 

Montgomery

<title>Uncles and Aunties: Ron Montgomery, finds 'thrill' repairing planes</title>

Ron Montgomery served in the Navy for 28 years as an aircraft mechanic and air crewman, and shortly after worked a 25-year career with Hawaiian Airlines. Now, you can find him volunteering to restore a variety of vintage planes, mostly World War II-era, at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. On May 23, the museum will hold a community event, themed Armed Forces Appreciation.

Uncles and Aunties: Ron Montgomery, finds 'thrill' repairing planes

Kam Napier Headshot

A. Kam Napier

The rhetoric on Friday when the Legislature passed SB2471, was 

. All but one of the legislators voted for this attempt to nullify the Citizen’s United decision for Hawai‘i, and did so with bold claims. We’re standing up for Hawai‘i! We’re standing against dark money! We’re making history! We’re protecting democracy!

These people are acting like they personally threw Sauron’s ring into Mauna Kea and are just waiting for the eagles to carry them away now that Hawai‘i is free of Corporate Mordor’s dark money.

[{"type":"text","text":"But now, consider these names:"}]

Bain Capital. The United Arab Emirates. Walmart. Citigroup. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Chan Zuckerberg. Bill & Melinda Gates. Service Employees International Union. Mitsubishi. Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office.

Tens of millions of dollars in donations from corporate interests, from foreign entities, from Silicon Valley, from Wall Street, from billionaires and their foundations, from the biggest unions in America.

Am I talking about the sources of dark money that ruined America’s democracy, drowning out the voices of everyday citizens in a flood of corporate spending?

No. I’m talking some of the many donors, over the years, who have funded the Center for American Progress, according to 

The same Center for American Progress that was credited again and again by Hawai‘i state legislators as they passed SB2471 on Friday. The same Center for American Progress mentioned directly to me by lawmakers I interviewed.

“We’re the little state that could,” said Rep. Della Au Belatti on Friday as she urged the Legislature to pass the bill. She described CAP’s Tom Moore as “the legal mastermind behind this effort” and said “this state shouldn’t turn away the experts like CAP.”

This isn’t some disinterested, academic public policy institute. 

, the White House chief of Staff for Pres. Bill Clinton from 1998 to 2001, 

This is an organization described, sometimes admiringly, as Bill Clinton’s post-defeat shadow government, as Hillary Clinton’s government-in-waiting, as the brains of the Obama administration, as the adults actually in charge of the Biden administration while the 

 through his duties. Its staff and board of directors are, and always have been, a revolving door of people in and out various 21st-century Democrat administrations.

CAP, on its website, currently conceals its list of top donors, claiming this is to protect them from retribution by the Trump administration but in fact, as the 

 reported in 2015, the organization has a long and controversial history of hiding the names of its supporters.

At that time in 2015, as the Washington Post reported, Podesta was “set to run [Hillary] Clinton’s presidential campaign,” and the group’s then president 

 was “a longtime Clinton confidante and adviser.”

Just a reminder, folks: The group Citizens United won its Supreme Court case in pursuit of showing a documentary critical of Hillary Clinton. CAP has been avenging this insult to her honor ever since.

That’s the Center for American Progress. Capital Research Center calls it, “

Oh, and it has a fundraising arm, as well, the Center for American Progress Action Fund. In 2024, it donated $147,332 directly to leftwing candidates and causes, from Kamala Harris to 

With all that in mind,  think of the power plays being made here. Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole and Rep. Della Au Belatti stood out as fervent champions of this bill. And are both 

This move burnishes their credentials with the DC power players. This bill doesn’t move the needle on corruption in Hawai‘i but it does a lot for for these two. When Belatti praises CAP, she’s reminding them she did them a favor.

So now SB2471 awaits the signature of Gov. Josh Green. Do you think the heavyweights who back CAP are white-knuckled in fear that their influence will be silenced?

As far as I know, the only Legislator sounding a cautionary note on Friday was Rep. Scot Matayoshi who, while praising it, also said, “We spent an inordinate amount of time trying to pass this bill in a responsible way, in a way that would ensure that Hawai‘i interests are not harmed at the expense of Mainland interests coming in to spend money here. … My fear is that bill will work a little too well.”

You see, SB2471 restricts Hawai‘i-based corporations and other entities from spending on elections, either locally or on the Mainland. But it also says that corporations based in other states are bound by the same restrictions if they do business here. That, he says, it likely to get challenged and he seems to believe it’s a challenge we’re likely to lose.

So the bill contains what Matayoshi calls a fail-safe. Others might call it a poison pill. If a single court anywhere decides a case against any part of SB2471, its fail-safe language says that all of SB2471 self-destructs. It will be null and void, in its entirety.

Maybe that’s what will happen, if Green signs this into law and it takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. There are  other reasons it could be challenged that I 

The legislators pushing this clearly believe, for some reason, that this bill will not put them out of office or harm their ability to gain financial support. They seem pretty self-assured that they’ll remain in power after this passes, maybe win their runs for bigger and better offices. Now why might that be? 

Maybe, at heart, this bill isn’t revolutionary at all. Maybe it just preserves the status quo.

When you get right down it, SB2471 doesn’t change anything about the influence of money on politics in Hawai‘i. Note the bill’s emphasis: Electioneering. It seeks to remove a corporation’s ability to spend money in any way, for or against candidates running for office, or for or against initiatives put on ballots.

It does not otherwise remove any ability to spend money on 

Big money groups can still spend millions all year long on high-priced lobbyists who meet with legislators. They just can’t spend any money to speak directly to voters.

Big money groups, including Mainland interests, could still do what CAP has done here and simply write legislation for Hawai‘i lawmakers and hand it over to them to introduce.

 in front of politicians, promising a cushy life after office. None of that changes.

On Friday, Sen. Karl Rhoads, who introduced the bill, described the growth of so-called “dark money” spending in elections, from mere millions before Citizens United to tens of billions in the last presidential election.

 last week that bills like this do nothing to stop billionaires who simply spend their money on elections as individuals, rather than as corporations.

Hawai‘i legislators have said they needed to pass this legislation to “restore people’s trust in elections.”

But is corporate spending really the reason people in Hawai‘i don’t trust elections and 

, with no meaningful check on voter IDs, no default to the privacy and safety of the ballot booth. Legislators could fix this any time but won’t, in fact, they’re the ones who instituted this weak imitation of true elections. This session, they further weakened election integrity by passing a law that automatically opts-in to voter registration anyone who gets a Hawai‘i driver’s license.

3. Their poor results once in office. This very bill being a case in point. Think of all the time spent on this Mainland crusade — an “inordinate amount of time,” Matayoshi said —  when it could have been spent solving Hawai‘i's real problems.

[{"type":"text","text":"When the session ended, we still didn’t know who took the $35,000."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Passing SB2471 didn’t change that one bit."}]

A. Kam Napier is editor in chief of Aloha State Daily. His opinions in Pipikaula Corner are his own and not reflective of the ASD team.

pulling strings I Stock 1401030941

<title>Pipikaula Corner: How the Clinton White House just bamboozled Hawai‘i</title>

The Legislature was jubilant as it passed SB2471 on Friday, seeking to overturn the effects of the Citizens United decision in Hawai‘i and get big money and outside influences out of our elections. The irony is, Mainland power players were pulling our strings the whole time.

Pipikaula Corner: How the Clinton White House just bamboozled Hawai‘i

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

 is popular for its seafood and prime buffet, which is offered from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays to Sundays.

The eatery recently launched a new chef selection dinner buffet option, available from 5 to 9 p.m. every Monday to Wednesday. This buffet experience costs $62 per adult and $42 for children 6 to 10 years old.

Instead of featuring action stations like prime rib, hand rolls and steamed crab legs, this buffet focuses on specialty items and elevated offerings. The new buffet menu comes from Prince Waikīkī’s new executive chef, Brooke Tadena.

Born in Honolulu and raised in Wahiawā, Tadena brings more than a decade of culinary expertise to his new role at Prince Waikīkī. He attended McKinley High School and Kapiʻolani Community College, and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America.

His previous experiences included serving as chef de cuisine for Hoku’s; executive sous chef and banquet chef at Hilton Hawaiian Village; executive sous chef at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa; and restaurant chef for the iconic House Without A Key at Halekulani. 

Highlights from the new buffet include specialty options presented in sample-sized portions, like skirt steak with cilantro garlic chimichurri, fried beef ravioli with marinara sauce, seared fresh catch, and braised beef with creamy potato puree.

Other options from the hot station include angry mac n cheese, mushroom risotto, Spanish-style potatoes, guava barbecue pork ribs, jalapeno corn bread, and lamb ragu campanelli. We’re told the buffet offerings will change occasionally.

Meanwhile, the cold bar features maki rolls, shrimp cocktail, marinated seafood ceviche and nairagi crudo with citrus and pickles.

The salad bar offers mixed greens, Greek salad, assorted breads, assorted imported and domestic cheeses, and charcuterie.

Customers can also enjoy featured desserts like panna cotta, espresso tiramisu, creme brulee, cheesecake and the signature Prince bread pudding.

Tadena has also updated the eatery’s a la carte menu. The majority of dishes featured on it — ranging from margherita pinsa flatbread ($24) and taro burgers ($24) to pappardelle burrata pasta ($32) and lobster rolls ($36) — are brand new.

So far, the ‘ahi poke nachos ($23) have been the most popular appetizer. They feature a medley of chips — won ton, sweet potato, shrimp and taro — topped with shoyu ‘ahi, avocado, spicy mayo, yuzu crema, green onions, pickled red onions, pea tendrils, kizami nori and edamame.

The eatery’s lobster roll ($36) has also been a crowd favorite. It features a New England-style hoagie roll stuffed with lobster mixed with yuzu mayo and fresh dill; it’s served with  fries or salad.

The lobster rolls are on the eatery’s a la carte menu for both lunch and dinner, so customers can enjoy it all day long.

Other popular entrees include the coffee-rubbed rib-eye ($38) — a 12-ounce beef rib-eye served with potatoes, arugula salad with tarragon dressing and coffee demi glace — and Kona kanpachi ($35). The latter features a skin-on filet with hijiki edamame Japanese rice and dashi ponzu.

Conclude your meal with new desserts ($15 each) like mango cheesecake with calamansi sable; creme brulee; and Maui Ku’ia Estate chocolate crunch cake. The latter has been a bestseller so far, and features dark chocolate mousse, sea salted caramel, and Kula Maui strawberry compote.

Chef’s selection dinner buffet is from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays to Wednesdays

100 Sails buffet cheese 021026

<title>New weekday dinner buffet at Prince Waikīkī</title>

100 Sails Restaurant & Bar just launched a new chef selection dinner buffet, available from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays to Wednesdays. This buffet costs $62 per adult; instead of action stations like prime rib or sushi handrolls, it features specialty items like roasted beef tri tip, guava barbecue pork ribs, mushroom risotto and more.

New weekday dinner buffet at Prince Waikīkī

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Real Estate

Interior improvements are underway this year for housing at 

 “to provide high quality housing for our service men and women.” 

According to Brent Arakaki, director of development for Hunt Military Communities, which manages ‘Ohana Military Communitiesʻ more than 7,000 residential units on Oʻahu, the company “retains a recapitalization and long-term sustainment plan, which is updated annually, to replace aging assets in the housing portfolio.”

“Our asset plan is based on lifecycle replacements of major components in the homes, such as water heaters, [air conditioning] systems, roofs, playgrounds and infrastructure, to name a few,” he said in an email to Aloha State Daily. “Cyclical replacements are planned at the end of each asset’s useful life to ensure our project has enough funding to support large scale replacement scope. This is a proactive approach to develop replacement projects, in lieu of our maintenance teams replacing systems during systemic failure.”

He added that on average, ʻOhana Military Communities reinvests “tens of millions" of dollars back into local communities per year. 

This year, ‘Ohana Military Communities has two ongoing interior renovation projects amounting to $36 million, which will add to an existing recapitalization program for a total of $50 million, 

 (238 homes at MCBH), which started in January 2023, will [be complete] by Q3 2025. The second renovation project at 

(190 homes at JBPHH) started in July 2024 and will [be] complete in 2027. 

“The third interior renovation project is planned for 

 (237 homes), also at MCBH, with a projected start in summer 2025, and a three-year construction duration. The projects are completed during change of occupancy (unit vacancy), which takes roughly three years before a full neighborhood churn.”

ʻOhana Military Communities has 105 contracted workers, with 12 to 30 workers on-site for the Pa Honua interior renovation project, according to Arakaki. “For Hokulani, we peaked at roughly 50 workers last year and are stabilized at around 15 workers. For Hawaii Loa Interior renovation project, we will average roughly 20 workers on the project.”  

The general contractor for all three interior renovation projects is Unlimited Construction Services Inc., he said, adding that other local companies involved include Goodfellow Brothers, Takano Nakamura Landscaping, Society Contracting LLC, Century Flooring, Vans Flooring & Tile, Advance Plumbing Systems, Gordon Mechanical LLC, Redmond Valleywide, Tabla Mechanical LLC, Protech Roofing LLC, Evolution Builders, Road Builders, ICON Builders, ROMSCO, Inter-Island Solar Supply, American Floor & Home and more.

When asked about how these projects are funded, he said, “ʻOhana Military Communities deposits a portion of its revenue into reserve accounts and reinvests its resources back into the neighborhoods per its long-term sustainment plan. ʻOhana Military Communities is a 50-year partnership between Hunt and the Navy, to develop, renovate and maintain military family housing for both the Navy and Marine Corps.”

In addition to interior renovations, ʻOhana Military Communities is proud of its sustainability efforts, which "support OMC’s overarching mission to provide safe, comfortable and environmentally responsible housing for military families,” Arakaki said. 

“One of our key initiatives is our 16.5 mega-watt rooftop solar program, which reduces dependence on traditional energy sources, lowers overall community carbon emissions, contributes to cost-savings, long-term energy resiliency, and promotes a sustainable lifestyle for our residents. In addition, we recently launched a water conservation retrofit project impacting more than 1,000 homes over the last four years, with the most recent upgrades completed in March 2025 in the Pearl City Peninsula, Hālawa and Knob Hill neighborhoods. This initiative includes upgrading fixtures and systems to low-flow versions to reduce water consumption without compromising comfort or functionality.”

He continued, “ʻOhana Military Communities is responsible for utility payments over most of its portfolio. Cost savings that are generated from operations will increase deposits into the reserve accounts and allow for continuing reinvestment back into the communities.” 

Future partnerships, he said, will include the Department of Defense’s Resident Energy Conservation Program, a homeowner utility billing program “designed to encourage conservation by offering incentives and rewards for energy efficiency,” according to Arakaki.  

“I enjoy developing projects that improve our military families’ quality of life. These are projects that improve curb appeal, reduce maintenance work orders and enhance the overall military housing experience with certain reinvestment projects,” he told ASD. “Asset improvement projects always keep the end user in mind, when done right.”

ʻOhana Military Communities’ spends $1.5 million to update its warehouse in Pearl City

According to Arakaki, ʻOhana Military Communities’ $1.5 million warehouse renovation project "is still on target to complete mid-May."

"ʻOhana Military Communities’ maintenance staff is located at its main office near the Honolulu International Airport," he said. "Overall, OMC has 210 employees on Oʻahu. The renovation of this satellite warehouse will relocate roughly 22 maintenance personnel closer to OMC’s central neighborhoods (approximately 1,000 homes).  

As for other benefits? "Customer response times and service work orders will improve." The support staff and their materials and equipment will be closer to the the west and north side of Pearl Harbor that are located far from the main base, he said, adding, "In addition, it eliminates costly, stressful drive times for our employees, as well as reduces congestion on the highway system and overall fuel costs. Making it a win for our employees, our residents and our overall Oʻahu community."

For more information about Hunt Military Communities, 

Radford Terrace

<title>‘Ohana Military Communities invests millions in military housing improvements in 2025</title>

Brent Arakaki, director of development for Hunt Military Communities, which manages ‘Ohana Military Communitiesʻ more than 7,000 residential units on Oʻahu, says it reinvests “tens of millions" of dollars back into local communities on average per year. Hereʻs what the company is spending on this year.

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