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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"text":"We can't argue, it the best way to make Portuguese sausage.","type":"text"}]

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<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: "Burn dat buggah!"</title>

Alex_farnham has a very particular drive-through order in today's social media find.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: "Burn dat buggah!"

We can&#039;t argue, it the best way to make Portuguese sausage. 

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Little girl has her dogs say grace before dinner..."}]

Smile 26 2 20

<title>Daily Smile: Friday, February 20, 2026</title>

Little girl has her dogs say grace before dinner...

Daily Smile: Friday, February 20, 2026

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, an Autograph Collection property on Hawai‘i Island’s Kohala Coast, has unveiled a new $180 million-plus renovation it says is the “most extensive transformation in the property’s 60-year history.”

The renovation, which spans both the hotel’s Main Tower and Beachfront Wing, includes 252 “fully reimagined” guest rooms and suites, along with a refreshed family resort pool with a new oceanfront hot tub and five private cabanas, a recent announcement noted.

Additions throughout both wings include handcrafted textiles, ceiling fans and plantation shutters, bedside lighting control panels, glass lānai doors, bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and more.

There’s also a new oceanfront wellness retreat with a state-of-the-art, 2,500-square-foot fitness center and an adults-only infinity lap pool along with refreshed public spaces with a curated gallery from the Rockefeller Art Collection.

According to the hotel, photovoltaic solar panels that supply about 45% of the resort’s overall electrical energy needs have also been added.

Other enhancements include the redesign of the Mauna Kea Golf Course by Robert Trent Jones Jr., the opening of the 28,000-square-foot 

, upgraded in-room amenities, and updates to the hotel’s restaurants, the announcement notes.

, for example, is a “re-concepting” of the resort’s beachfront dining venue, the announcement notes. Its lunch menu will include items like salads, burgers and Baja-style fish tacos, and evenings will feature contemporary regional Mexican dishes.

 restaurant also received a “refresh and introduced a new hyper garden-to-table menu” the hotels says is centered on local and seasonal ingredients that come from Big Island farmers, fishermen, ranchers and the resort’s new ‘Ulu Garden.

And coming this spring is The Spa at Mauna Kea, which will offer 11 treatment rooms, purification gardens, steam and sauna facilities, a pool and more.

“This renovation was always part of our long-term vision for Mauna Kea Beach Hotel,” hotel manager Kansas Henderson said in a statement provided to ASD. “Plans for the transformation were already underway prior to the [Covid-19] pandemic, and while it understandably paused our timeline, it did not pause our commitment. 

“As travel resumed around the globe, ownership recognized it was the right time to bring this long-planned vision to life, honoring our responsibility to preserve the hotel’s historic legacy and its culturally significant art collection while delivering the elevated and unforgettable experience today’s guests expect. The timing ultimately reflects both commitment and responsibility, ensuring Mauna Kea continues to create lasting memories for generations to come.”

Henderson says that on average, the hotel hosts approximately 25,000 visitors each year.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel opened with 154 rooms in July 1965.

“It was while swimming in the turquoise waters of Kauna‘oa Bay, surrounded by a vast landscape of lava rock and ranchland with clear views of Maunakea’s summit, that American conservationist and venture capitalist Laurance S. Rockefeller decided to build Hawai‘i Island’s first resort,” a history on the 

. “His inspiration to capture the spirit of this special place and ensure the hotel conformed to, rather than intruded upon, these beautiful natural surroundings, became today’s Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.

Its $15 million build-out made the hotel the most expensive hotel ever built at the time, the site states. Room rates started at $43 per night and included breakfast and dinner. The hotel expanded in 1968 with the Beachfront Wing and has undergone other renovations over the years.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel shares 1,839 oceanfront acres with The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort and Mauna Kea Residences, which together form the Mauna Kea Resort.

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Mauna Kea Beach Hotel 1

<title>Mauna Kea Beach Hotel debuts $180M renovation</title>

The hotel says this is the “most extensive transformation in the property’s 60-year history.”

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel debuts $180M renovation

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

A proposal to gradually remove the state’s tax on groceries has expired.

 would have reduced Hawai‘i's general excise tax on groceries and nonprescription drugs each year until removing it entirely in 2034, a House committee on Wednesday recommended that the bill be deferred, effectively killing the proposal.

At Wednesday’s hearing of the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, committee chair Rep. David Tarnas said he “can’t in good conscience move forward with a bill that might have a quarter-billion dollars in fiscal impact,” citing estimates mentioned previously in the hearing by fellow Rep. Elle Cochran.

Cochran had told the committee that her office had projected an annual revenue loss of up to $250 million, but added that this was merely a “guesstimation.”

State tax research officer Baybars Karacaovali told Aloha State Daily 

 that, by 2034, revenue losses would reach more than $460 million, but that the first stage of the tax cutback — which would have reduced the GET from 4% to 3.5% in 2027 — would only lead to a reduction of about $17.4 million that first year.

However, no firm projection has yet been released, and possibly never will be. Eliza Watson, administrative rules specialist for the state Department of Taxation told the committee on Wednesday that a revenue impact statement was being prepared for the bill’s eventual appearance before the House Finance Committee; with the bill deferred, that hearing will likely not take place.

Tarnas said the Department of Taxation should work closely with lawmakers and the Hawai‘i Tax Foundation to better understand the proposal’s impacts. He said he was reluctant to defer the measure, and noted its wide popularity among individuals, organizations and state agencies alike.

Several people spoke in support of the bill Wednesday, touting its potential to save low-income families hundreds of dollars each year.

“It’s not important that we tax the struggling families on a basic necessity,” said Nate Hix, policy director for the Hawai‘i Public Health Institute. “We can move our tax structure to a different tax on something that’s much more progressive and not burdening the low-income families the most.”

HB1611 was not the only bill introduced this year that would remove the GET from certain essential purchases. 

 would exempt groceries eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program from the GET — regardless of whether the groceries were purchased via SNAP — along with nonprescription drugs, medical supplies, feminine hygiene products and baby diapers.

A Wednesday hearing of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services voted to recommend the bill’s passage, although no estimate about its potential revenue impact was discussed. The bill has been referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee but no hearing date has yet been scheduled.  

 For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

State capitol 022725

<title>Tax on groceries to stay, for now</title>

One proposal to scale back the General Excise Tax on groceries and nonprescription drugs has died in the Legislature although another still stands.

Tax on groceries to stay, for now

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Located at Pier 38 — in the former space of Nami Kaze Hawai

, but then closed to fine-tune its menu. It officially opened for dinner service Feb. 18; it’s currently open for dinner only from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays to Fridays.

The eatery still focuses on serving the freshest seafood possible, according to manager Dong Dang.

“It’s still supposed to harbor-centric; we’re really going to work toward utilizing as much fish as possible and highlight those ingredients,” he says. “What we envisioned with this concept is a gathering place — someplace you can go and get really good seafood.”

The dinner menu — which will eventually expand to include more dishes — offers small plates meant for sharing, as well as larger entrees. Start with dishes like hamachi crudo ($17), maguro cabbage ($19), poke crackers ($10) and cabbage Caesar ($14).

The hamachi crudo, comprising yellowtail served with sinigang gazpacho and Ho Farms tomato, is light and refreshing. The maguro cabbage is a highlight for restaurant chef de cuisine Daysen Masuda, who came up with the eatery’s new menu.

“Growing up in Hilo, everything is cabbage and ‘ahi (instead of daikon and ‘ahi),” he says. “This is a play on that; it’s topped with ginger scallion, ginger garlic cilantro, green onions and ikura zuke.

“I think the whole menu, in general, is pretty approachable,” he adds. “It’s local flavors that you’re familiar with, but elevated a bit more.”

Of everything we try, the poke crackers ($10) are one of my favorites. Each order includes two rice crackers topped with local big-eye tuna, spicy aioli, avocado and tare.

“That dish alone is nostalgic,” Masuda says. “Growing up, you buy a container of poke and you’re either dipping shrimp chips or rice crackers into it and eating it together. That’s the perfect combination. I wanted to use rice crackers because that texture is so nice and crunchy, and it stays crunchy.” 

The cabbage Caesar is a tasty way to incorporate greens into the meal. It features a miso Caesar dressing — the miso flavor is subtle — along with Parmesan and fried anchovies for texture.

If you want something a little more indulgent, go for the shrimp toast ($10). Each order contains two petite sandos featuring shokupan bread and savory shrimp filling. It’s served with a makrut (kaffir lime) sauce for dipping.

When it comes to entrees, the fried whole moi ($36), furikake king salmon ($38), and ‘ahi steak ($28) come highly recommended. The moi features a Alii mushroom and lup cheong stuffing.

“A lot of the dishes (here) are different from what you would find anywhere else, but the moi, to us, is a standout,” Dang says.

“The moi is definitely something I’m very proud of,” adds Masuda. “In Hilo, when you go to someone’s house or party, there’s always someone who has steamed fish. That’s our play on that.”

Moist and buttery, the Big Glory Bay king salmon is topped with a delectable furikake crunch and served with garlic aioli. Meanwhile, the ‘ahi steak features local big-eye served with confit potato and watercress salad.

Other entrée options include huli huli chicken with lemongrass huli glaze, watercress and kabocha, and braised short rib ($34).

The eatery also features specialty cocktails — including toasted rice old fashioned ($17), gin mint gimlet ($15) and chili water margarita ($16) — and will be expanding its beverage menu in the future.

The restaurant is accepting reservations via 

. Stay tuned — it will be launching lunch service and happy hour in the coming months.

Thirty Eight chef Daysen 021926

<title>New seafood restaurant opens at Pier 38</title>

Located in the former space of Nami Kaze Hawaiʻi at Pier 38, Thirty Eight restaurant just opened to the public for dinner. The menu focuses on fresh seafood; customers can enjoy dishes like hamachi crudo, poke crackers, shrimp toast, and a fried whole moi.

New seafood restaurant opens at Pier 38

Crime & Courts

Another investigation into a fatal police shooting has cleared the officers of wrongdoing.

In 2024, four Honolulu Police officers shot 56-year-old Eric Walsh 15 times in a Waikīkī apartment building. On Wednesday, Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm announced that the officers’ use of lethal force was justified and that no charges will be filed against them.

While the incident that ended in Walsh’s death took place between July 18 and 19 in 2024, the events that led to it began weeks before. On July 3, a man matching Walsh’s description entered a bank in Kāne‘ohe and delivered a teller a handwritten note reading “This is a robbery. Do not move your hands or feet or say a word.”

[{"type":"text","text":"The teller complied and gave the robber $1,100 in cash before he left."}]

Five days later, another robbery took place at another bank in Kailua. The robber delivered a teller a similar handwritten note and walked away with about $5,200 in cash, though not before apologizing to the teller for the stressful situation.

By the time a third robbery took place at a Pearl City bank on July 16 — during which the robber made off with approximately $6,646 — HPD detectives had identified Walsh as the primary suspect. Walsh had 27 prior felony convictions, mostly for various forms of identity theft, and his probation officer identified Walsh in the banks' surveillance footage.

On July 18, officers learned that Walsh was staying with a girlfriend at an apartment building on Ala Wai Boulevard in Waikīkī. While the girlfriend initially told officers that she hadn’t seen Walsh, a neighbor later told officers that Walsh was in her apartment and that he was armed with a handgun.

This initiated a lengthy standoff, with two teams of officers stationed in the apartment hallway, counter-sniper teams across the street, and a police robot physically blocking the apartment door. Walsh repeatedly shouted that he wouldn’t comply and reportedly racked his firearm loudly and frequently.

At one point, Walsh shouted that he was high on meth and taunted officers, telling them to “come in here and get me.”

But in the early hours of July 19, Walsh — having endured multiple rounds of tear gassing — left the apartment. As he walked toward officers, raising his pistol, the four-officer team opened fire.

Alm said Wednesday that 15 shots struck Walsh, but added that more shots were likely fired that missed the target.

“It may seem like a lot, but each officer in that situation assumes they’re the one who has to shoot,” Alm said.

According to the prosecuting attorney’s report, Walsh seemingly shot two officers during the final gundown, but they were uninjured. Officers found Walsh was only armed with an air pistol, a replica Glock handgun only capable of firing BBs. No other weapon was found on Walsh’s body or in the apartment.

Alm said Wednesday that the pistol did not have the orange tip on the barrel that typically distinguishes air guns from real firearms, and looked like the genuine article from a distance.

“These realistic replicas have caused some real problems, here and on the mainland,” Alm said, adding that he is unaware of any legal regulations that apply to the sale of realistic replica guns.

 does require that all toy and imitation firearms transported or sold within the country have markings such as the orange tip, although there is no law against removing or painting over those markings.

 prohibit the public display of air guns or replica guns and require that any transaction involving an air gun take place between parties at least 18 years old, unless a child’s parent or guardian is involved in the transaction.

Walsh, declared dead shortly after the shooting, was found to have meth, cocaine and benzodiazepines, a category of depressant drugs.

Alm’s office has investigated in the past year

, Alm concluded that the incident was yet another case of “suicide by cop,” that Walsh clearly wanted to be killed and, by appearing to be a “violent and desperate” man, forced officers to oblige.

“I wish that folks who felt this depressed, who feel that living is too difficult, would get the help they need,” Alm said.

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PXL 20260218 210639371 16x9

<title>HPD justified in 2024 Waikīkī fatal shooting</title>

Eric Walsh was shot 15 times in Waikīkī following a string of bank robberies.

HPD justified in 2024 Waikīkī fatal shooting

A Honolulu man was sentenced Feb. 11 to 15 years in prison after coercing underage girls into producing and sharing sexually explicit content.

Devan Caulk, 21, pled guilty last October to a charge of producing child pornography after a series of incidents throughout 2025 involving minors on Instagram.

 by the FBI’s Honolulu Division, Caulk used Instagram to reach out to two minor users in Canada and Washington. Using multiple accounts, he claimed in one instance to be 15 years old and in another to be 19 years old, and requested nude photos of the two minors.

After receiving those images, Caulk then reportedly coerced the minors into producing more sexual content by threatening to release those photos to their friends and family. Throughout these exchanges, the victims repeatedly told Caulk they were underage and one of them said she would kill herself if Caulk leaked the photos.

Instagram itself tipped off law enforcement about Caulk’s actions. The FBI report states that Meta Platforms Inc. — Instagram’s parent company — forwarded the FBI a tip in April 2025 that a user was sexually extorting minors via Instagram.

Meta’s tip indicated that an AI “adult classifier” model determined the victims’ true ages — one of the victims had listed her age as 17 on Instagram but told Caulk she was 13 — and determined based on the victims’ interactions with Caulk that they were being exploited.

The victim from Washington told law enforcement that Caulk never turned on his camera or showed his face, leading her to believe him to be the same age as her. She said Caulk claimed that he knew where she lived and threatened to hurt people around her if she didn’t do what he said.

The FBI visited Caulk’s residence in July 2025, when Caulk confirmed he had sexually explicit conversations with both victims, that he knew they were minors and that he threatened them into sharing more sexual material. He also told officers he was engaged in similar activity with another minor victim in the Philippines via the communication app Discord.

A U.S. District Court judge sentenced Caulk to 15 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. The terms of his release will require him to have no contact with minors without the permission of a probation officer and will have his access to the internet and computers closely monitored. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: "Burn dat buggah!"

ASD Staff

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: "Burn dat buggah!"

Authors

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