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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"text":"This guy went to public school, guaranteed.","type":"text"}]

I Stock 494559465

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Why you do not wanna get into a fight with a local guy</title>

da_local_haole offers words to keep living by in today's social media find.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Why you do not wanna get into a fight with a local guy

This guy went to public school, guaranteed. 

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Food & Dining

What’s the best sandwich shop in Hawai‘i?

That, of course, depends on who you ask, but the newest 50 Best list from Only in Your State — devoted to the 

According to Only in Your State, Sprout “focuses on fresh, vibrant sandwiches that feel lighter but never boring. Known for creative veggie-forward options alongside meatier builds, the shop emphasizes texture, crunch and bold sauces.”

A number of factors were evaluated when selecting the list, including accessibility, inclusivity, affordability, hours, overall value and more.

The locally owned shop at 1154 Koko Head Ave. has been serving up “fresh, handcrafted sandwiches” using locally sourced ingredients since 2014, 

“With more than 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, co-owners and longtime friends Stephanie Leonard and Steven Ashcraft created Sprout with a clear mission: to build a neighborhood sandwich shop that supports a variety of dietary needs while serving delicious food the whole family can enjoy,” its website notes.

 is a “local travel and discovery resource” that highlights “off-the-beaten-path attractions and unique natural wonders” of each state. 

 is a monthly series that spotlights the best dishes, restaurants and food traditions across the U.S.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

I Stock kaimuki 020626

<title>Kaimukī sandwich shop named best in Hawai‘i on new 50 Best list</title>

The newest 50 Best list from Only in Your State — devoted to the 50 Best Sandwich Shops Across the U.S. — has declared its winner.

Kaimukī sandwich shop named best in Hawai‘i on new 50 Best list

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Valentine’s Day is about one week away — if you’re still searching for the ideal dining option across the Islands, take a look at the following:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Arancino at The Kāhala"}]

: This special six-course menu ($150 per person) by chef Daisuke Hamamoto is only available on Valentine’s Day. 

: Guests will be welcomed with chocolate mignardises and roses. Valentine’s Day menu highlights include herb-roasted rack of lamb with cherry compote jam, mushroom croquette and black truffle jus ($85) and strawberry sherbet with rose watery Chantilly, dark chocolate sauce and pistachio ($14). 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Bali Oceanfront"}]

Hilton Hawaiian Village, 2005 Kālia Road, Honolulu,

: The Valentine’s five-course dinner ($135 per person) includes Hudson Valley foie gras mousse with local starfruit compote and black truffle aroma; Maine lobster and lump crab spiced chowder with saffron, cumin and cilantro; intermezzo of Japanese yuzu granita; pan-seared Angus beef tenderloin au poivre; fresh Island snapper with ‘Ewa sweet red onion confit, Okinawan sweet potato and Big Island palm heart with a tawny port wine sauce and citrus miso glaze; chocolate and berries dessert featuring Guanaja mousse, raspberry cream, crispy tuile and raspberry-hibiscus sorbet.

In addition to the prix fixe meal, the eatery will also offer an a la carte dinner menu featuring select restaurant favorites. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Black Angus Steakhouse"}]

: Feast on the steakhouse’s campfire feast dinner for two, which includes a steakhouse start, two entrees, four sides, and a dessert. For those who want a little more, the dinner for two surf ‘n’ turf includes two 6-ounce filet mignon, two lobster tails, one steakhouse starter, four sicks, molasses bread and one dessert. Individuals who order from the a la carte menu will be able to order flutes of bubbly as Prosecco splits. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Da Burger Wing Hub"}]

: The eatery is featuring a dinner for two deal ($150) for all of February. It includes a salad or appetizer, any of the restaurant’s featured entrees, and dessert. The featured dessert is a New York cheesecake or root beer float.

The restaurant’s February entrée specials include surf and turf, pork belly and shrimp carbonara, and double down burger made with a wagyu patty and topped with fried chicken. Other dessert specials include strawberry cookie skillet and strawberry New York cheesecake. 

: Starting Feb. 6; available for the whole month 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Dell’s Kitchen & Bakery"}]

: This Valentine’s dinner for two ($80) will be available for takeout only. It includes ‘ahi katsu, seafood croquette and shrimp cocktail; Greek salad; U.S. Prime beef stew pie; and earl grey tea chocolate cake for dessert. Pre-orders are accepted through Thursday, Feb. 12.

: This Valentine’s Day dinner for two ($160) includes a mini raw bar (lobster cocktail, Hokkaido scallop ceviche, ‘ahi sashimi); herbed cheese salad (pickled beets, macadamia nuts, arugula and aged balsamic ginger dressing); Small Kine Farms mushroom butter rice; roasted bok choi, butterfish nitsuke; decadence truffles, Hawaiian tea cookies and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Dipped by Dee"}]

: Dipped by Dee has a variety of themed treats, including Valentine’s Oreos ($4.50), strawberry crunch dipped apples ($12), Valentine’s apple ($13.50), Love Kitty apple ($14.50), Cupid’s assorted minibox ($20), romance kit ($22), berry much in love box ($55), love at first bite box ($60) and the love in bloom box ($80). 

: Pre-orders open through Feb. 8 to schedule for pick-up from Feb. 1 to 15 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Eleven"}]

: This Valentine’s weekend brunch buffet ($55 per person, $24 per child ages 10 years and under) includes options like assorted mini breakfast pastries, chilled poached shrimp, prime rib fried rice, strawberries and cream French toast, assorted breakfast meats, carving station with rosemary and garlic crusted chuck roast, char grilled chicken, pork sausage and veal meatballs, lavender honey glazed oven roasted salmon, and assorted rotating dessert selections. 

: Feb. 14 to 15, 8:30 a.m. (first seating) to 1:30 p.m. (last seating) 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Empire Steak House"}]

: This Valentine’s Day prix fixe menu ($145 per person) includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"et al."}]

: This three-course prix fixe menu ($78) includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Fig & Ginger Honolulu"}]

: The sweetheart grazing box ($65) is designed to feed two to four people. It includes two cheeses, two charcuterie, fresh and dried fruits, veggies, organic truffle honey, fruit jam, olives, truffle marcona almonds, chocolate cake pops and crackers. Only a limited amount are available. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Foodland Hawaiʻi"}]

: This Valentine’s dinner from Foodland Hawai

i’s chefs is designed to serve two ($119.99). It includes:

Order by Feb. 11; takeout meals must be pre-ordered at least 72 hours in advance. They will be available cold and need to be re-heated.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Fujiya Hawaiʻi"}]

: Specialty items include Valentine’s Day sets ($25) — eight pieces of dipped chocolate strawberry mochi, chocolate brownie mochi, chi chi dango and chocolate raspberry manju — and 10-ounce Valentine’s Day senbei ($13.95), comprising half strawberry and half chocolate flavors. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Graze Craze Honolulu"}]

: The new charcuterie business features a variety of small, medium and large boards, along with picnic boxes. 

: The business is usually open from Monday to Friday only, but will be open on Feb. 14. 

: The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Kā‘anapali, 2365 Kāʻanapali Pkwy., Lahaina

: This chef-crafted Valentine’s tasting experience includes coconut lobster bisque with calamansi coconut cream, compressed strawberry salad with burrata and lilikoʻi balsamic, Kona coffee-rubbed filet and lump crab cake, pan-roasted scallops with Hamakua mushroom risotto, and white chocolate cheesecake with caramelized pineapple and mac nut crumble. 

: This three-course set menu ($45 per person) includes wild mushroom soup with crème fraiche and chives or farmers salad with red wine vinaigrette; choice of seared blackened ‘ahi with wasabi soy beurre blanc with mixed greens and lemon vinaigrette, braised beef short rib with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and corn relish or ginger scallion crispy fried chicken with white rice and Asian vinaigrette; and dessert of dragon fruit sorbet or liliko

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hokulani Bake Shop"}]

: The dessert shop is offering a variety of specials, including:

: Preorders available; pre-orders required for Valentine’s Day four-pack and mini chocolate cupcake box 

Kamuela Provision Company (Hawaiʻi island)

69-425 Waikōloa Beach Drive, Waikōloa Village

: This special Valentine’s Day menu highlights starters like an Island crab salad, passion fruit mango shrimp ceviche, and lobster bisque; entrees like grilled rack of lamb, filet mignon, king salmon and a grilled tomahawk steak; and desserts like molten red velvet cake and caramel coffee cake. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Kapa Hale"}]

: This Valentine’s menu ($135 per person; optional $30 wine pairing) includes:

A vegetarian menu ($135 per person) is also available.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Lahaina Noon (Maui)"}]

: The restaurant is hosting a multi-course dinner ($240 per couple) called Love, Uncorked: A Valentine’s Pairing Experience. The menu includes:

Limited reservations available; all guests must be ages 21 years and older

: Feb. 13 to 15; two seatings at 6 and 7:30 p.m. 

87-064 Farrington Hwy. 2nd Floor, Waianae

: This Valentine’s pop-up bar will feature a variety of themed shots — pink starburst, purple passion, girl crush and more — and specialty cocktails with cheeky names like Dump Him, Put a Ring on It and Heat of the Moment.

The pop-up will also feature specialty dishes like the chocolate lava cake ($12).

The restaurant’s full tavern menu and specials will be available, so customers can still order bestsellers like mauka to makai nachos ($30), pūpū steak ($25) and classic prime rib plate ($48). 

: 12 to 10 p.m. Thursdays to Sundays, all month long; reservations are accepted 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Mahiai Table"}]

: This special three-course prix fixe menu ($70) includes:

: This Valentine’s Day menu ($322 for two) includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Mugen"}]

: Mugen is offering a special Valentine’s Day afternoon tea ($130 per person) that includes five savory courses and five sweet confections.

[{"type":"text","text":"The tea includes:"}]

Mugen will also feature a special prix fixe Valentine’s menu ($220 per person). It includes:

: Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. (Valentine’s Day afternoon tea); Feb. 13 to 14 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. (special prix fixe Valentine’s dinner)

: The Valentine’s menu is inspired by classic Italian flavors and modern Island influence. The menu includes dishes like hamachi crudo or badger flame beets and ricotta; entrees like kampachi al cartoccio and filetto di manzo “Rossini,” and vanilla bean panna cotta with strawberry conserva and white chocolate tuile for dessert. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Ōlena by Chef Ron Simon"}]

: This Valentine’s surf and turf bento ($65) includes pan-seared fresh salmon with lemon beurre blanc sauce, duck confit with black truffles and mushroom sauce, garlic roasted vegetables, potatoes au gratin, red pickled onions and red velvet or salted caramel cupcakes for dessert. Pre-orders are accepted online. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"ONKEE Korean Grill House"}]

: This special set ($90 per person, two person minimum) includes Caesar salad with salty shrimp dressing, kimchi stew, banchan, truffle potato pancake, dry-aged rib-eye, prime tenderloin, washugyu short rib, marinated short rib, kimchi, souffle egg, berry shave ice and chocolate truffles. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Over Easy"}]

: This special tasting menu ($125 per person) includes surf and turf (beef carpaccio with scallop and truffle vinaigrette, citrus and kalo crostini); bowl of happiness (butterfish and braised vegetables, burdock sushi rice and lotus chips); duck duck goose (foie gras and duck rillette, date stuffed gnocchi); heart beet lobster (lobster ravioli and beet); and lava lava (decadent chocolate lava cake). 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Roy’s Hawaiʻi Kai"}]

6600 Kalanianaʻole Hwy. Ste. 110, Honolulu

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Roy’s Ko Olina"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Ruth’s Chris (Maui)"}]

Valentines part 3 Lanterns 020426

<title>Where to eat on Valentine’s Day – part 3</title>

From prix fixe menus and specials to limited-time desserts, we’ve got your Feb. 14 covered.

Where to eat on Valentine’s Day – part 3

Kam Napier Headshot

A. Kam Napier

Government & Politics

Columnists

," by UH’s Economic Research Organization. That paper described how Hawai‘i doesn't only have a high cost of living, it has an intrinsically weak, slow-growth local economy of stagnant wages.

"ʻA byzantine labyrinth of laws, bureaucratic red tapeʻ [are] choking Hawai‘i's business climate. "Government intervention in the marketplace could be tolerated when the economy was booming ... but the economy has [since] been stagnant and the business climate and economic development have emerged as major political issues."

[{"type":"text","text":"Wait, hold on. That quote is not from UHERO's February 2026 report. "}]

It's from me, in a September 1998 cover story for Honolulu Magazine called "We Were Warned," and most of it is, in turn, from a September 1985 Wall Street Journal article. 

Kama‘āina of certain age will recall that while the Mainland boomed through the hot dot-com ’90s, Hawai‘i stagnated, badly, seemingly endlessly. "We Were Warned" was a detailed history of all the times local observers and Mainland business journalists noticed the flaws in Hawai‘i's economy, going back as far as 1973. Again and again, observers went into great detail about how Hawai‘i was buoyed up by external money while being dragged down by internal weaknesses — small, isolated, no manufacturing, no exports post-sugar and post-pineapple, expensive transportation costs, all overseen by an overbearing government class that treated profit as an evil.

It is a strange feeling to read our article this week about UHERO's report, then get up, walk past ‘Iolani Palace, march into the main State Library and pluck my nearly 28-year-old story off the shelf.

The pages were all yellowed. Because that issue is 

generally, the lost decade of the 1990s never really ended but rather it has persisted for 35 years." That quote does indeed come UHERO's lead authors, Steven Bond-Smith and Erich Schwartz. 

Their report directs our attention from the high cost of living to the low wages, seeing the latter problem as more significant, particularly when they looked at the motivations of people who have moved away over the past two-plus decades years. 

"Crucially, the combination of high prices and low incomes predicts as much outmigration as in some of the nation’s most struggling cities, where low costs of living typically cushion economic disadvantages," they write. "In short, Hawaiʻi’s residents face a unique mix of high prices and low incomes that, together, match the economic pressures found in struggling regions more than in prosperous, high-cost cities."

I applaud their efforts to qualify this mathematically. But my Gen X friends and I have literally been joking for decades, "We have the highest cost of living in the nation ... and we make up for it with the lowest wages!"

The UHERO authors have a prescription for their diagnosis.

"Revitalizing growth will require deliberate, well-designed policies that identify and remove barriers to diversification and innovation, supported by strong governance that emphasizes continuous monitoring, accountability, and adaptation," they write.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Sounds great!"}]

But what I learned writing that 1998 article, and have seen repeated since, is a consistent pattern:

Someone publishes a report critical of the structures that impede the local economy. If the report comes from a Mainland writer, local leaders react with rage and denunciation. Eventually, the political class notices that we, the people, actually agree with the report and are quite angry. Then politicians announce, with some fanfare, a Task Force to identify the barriers to economic growth and diversification.

Former governors George Ariyoshi and Ben Cayetano had a Task Force. 

More recently, former Gov. David Ige created a Task Force during his Covid-19 panic. Remember when he 

 Alan Oshima, retired CEO of Hawaiian Electric, to be the Hawai‘i Economic and Community Recovery and Resiliency Navigator?

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"That effort went nowhere. "}]

Just like the findings of all the previous Task Forces. There's a press conference for the big debut of the Task Force, then crickets when its final report is filed away. These reports are probably on a shelf somewhere just yards away from my old article.

I think the reason for that failure to act is that the last thing our government class wants to do is exactly what these reports have said over and over.

It needs to get out of our way. Deregulate. Cut taxes.

We are all partly to blame for this. We, collectively, continue to beseech governor after governor, legislature after legislature — please, diversify our economy. Please, do something about the economy!

But the economy doesn't come from the government. The economy is just you and me, exchanging goods and services for money.

 make the economy. Government comes after, ideally to facilitate our interactions. It's handy, for example, when we have it build roads or standardize weights and measures. Less so when it behaves, decade after decade, as if its purpose were still to constrain the Big Five sugar companies.

[{"type":"text","text":"So simple, and yet so complex that you need a Ph.D. to be a UHERO author."}]

Here's the reality going on in the Big Square Building: The Legislature gave some mighty fine speeches on opening day about affordability, about economic diversification, about housing opportunities, about stemming the tide of kama‘āina fleeing for better pay and lower costs on the Mainland, all that.

. What have they done so far? I see a parade of bills that mainly 

There's lot of tax-raising getting discussed over there. The fear is palpable in the Legislature, an extension of Gov. Josh Green's sudden hesitancy to let us keep the tax breaks he once bragged about. That fear is, "The economy is lousy and the feds are cutting back: Where are we going to get the money for 

Every buck they extract from a local business is a dollar that employer doesn't have for salaries. Every buck they extract from you eats into your buying power. 

And it's totally going to happen if you don't speak up. These people really, seriously want their state revenue. 

You and your needs will not come first in the Legislature if you don't demand it. Follow the bills. Testify. Call your representatives, email them. Show up for hearings. Ask them, "How does bill grow the economy, build houses or lower costs? If it doesn't do any of those things, why are you wasting time on it?" 

Even better: It's an election year — run for office! Encourage good, smart people to run for office. Campaign for better representatives. I'm seeing this Legislature advance bad bills over business-group opposition simply because individual legislators are filled with paternalism and too few of their peers are opposing them. Ultimately, running for office is the most meaningful thing you could do, as the legislators are remarkably resistant to public opinion.

[{"type":"text","text":"If you don't like where we're going, change the navigators."}]

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.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Hawaii State Capitol 7 29 25

<title>Pipikaula Corner: Economic diagnosis déjà vu</title>

Something about the new report from UHERO about Hawai‘iʻs weak economy seemed awfully familiar ... namely, everything. Here are things you need to know about what's been going on for decades and what you can do about it.

Pipikaula Corner: Economic diagnosis déjà vu

Last October, The Kāhala Hotel & Resort announced that 

Alan Wong’s would be replacing Hoku’s as its signature restaurant

The resort announced today that, after 30 years of service, Hoku’s at The Kāhala will conclude its last dinner service on Feb. 20. The restaurant’s closure will lead to the opening of Alan Wong’s Kāhala Hotel & Resort, scheduled to debut on March 25.

Hoku’s last Sunday brunch service will be Feb. 15. On Feb. 23, restaurant reservations for Alan Wong’s Kāhala Hotel & Resort will be available via OpenTable for dining on and after April 8.

The Veranda — known for its afternoon tea — will temporarily close during the transition and reopen with regular service upon the opening of Alan Wong’s. Customers can also look forward to the return of the resort’s popular Sunday brunch on March 29 with no changes to the current menu selection.

Guests who want an earlier dining experience at Alan Wong’s can book The Kāhala Hotel & Resort’s 

. The package includes a dining credit, exclusive restaurant reservations during its first two weeks of operation, daily breakfast buffet at Plumeria Beach House and spa credit. The eatery will open to the general public on April 8.

These milestones are part of The Kāhala’s “Legacy of Aloha” celebration, which honors the resort’s rich history. As part of the celebration, the resort has undergone an extensive refresh of its suites and guest rooms; upgrades include new flooring and local collaborations.

“The Legacy of Aloha represents everything The Kāhala stands for — genuine hospitality, deep respect for place, and meaningful guest experiences,” states Joe Ibarra, general manager of The Kāhala Hotel & Resort. “As we bid farewell to Hoku’s and prepare to welcome Alan Wong’s, we are entering an exciting new chapter that further elevates The Kāhala as a destination for exceptional dining and refined luxury.”

For more information, visit The Kāhala Hotel & Resort’s 

Alan Wongs at The Kahala staff photo 020526

<title>Alan Wong’s Kāhala restaurant is opening March 25</title>

Hoku’s at The Kāhala’s last dinner service is Feb. 20. Alan Wong’s Kāhala Hotel & Resort will open to the general public on April 8; guests who book The Kāhala Hotel & Resort’s Legacy of Aloha package can secure early access to experience the new restaurant.

Alan Wong’s Kāhala restaurant is opening March 25

House Bill 1636, which wanted businesses to pay $500 fines when their shopping carts are stolen and dumped. On Jan. 31, the House Committee on Economic Development and Technology held a hearing on the bill. 

No one spoke in favor of it. It was opposed by Hawai‘i Food Industry Association, KTA Super Stores, and Retail Merchants of Hawai‘i. 

, with seven ayes from Representatives Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Yamashita and Gedeon. 

Rep. Greggor Ilagan (D) seemed to be one of the bill's biggest champions, so on Feb. 2, I emailed his office to ask:

"If no one testified in favor, and the only people who participated in the democratic process spoke against the bill, what was the point of advancing it?  Seems to me, and probably seems to my readers, like that should have been the end of it. Genuinely interested in hearing more about how this happened."

[{"type":"text","text":"I've received no reply."}]

 before being heard in a floor session of the House on Tuesday. You can 

 in this recording of session (at 23 minutes in) being a bit smug about how the new version doesn't punish businesses at all. We love business!

In fact, he said, the new version forbids the counties from fining businesses when their shopping carts are stolen, forbids counties from charging an impound fee. Instead it requires — not merely authorizes, but requires — the counties to set up lots where they can collect the shopping carts and return them to business ... for a fee. A $500 fee, same amount as the fine that isn't a fine anymore because of legislator word magic.

[{"type":"text","text":"It's not a fine. It's a \"buy-back\" program now."}]

The store didn't buy the carts from the government in the first place, in what sense would they be buying them back?

Well, in this sense. Picture it: Your house gets robbed and miracle of miracles, the cops bust the thief who did it and recover your jewelry. Then HPD calls you up and says, "We have your jewelry. We need you to bring $500 to the station right away and we'll release it back to you. No money, no jewelry." 

You might think that call was a scam, or perhaps placed by some sort of mafia. But no, it's just the county, oh so helpfully offering you a chance to buy back your own stolen property. This is what the new version proposes, holding stolen property for ransom.

Any pretense at business friendliness from Ilagan was thrown right out the window by Rep. Scot Matayoshi (D), one of the representative who introduced the bill.

At 24 minutes in the video linked above, he said "shopping carts are a blight on our community."

"The cost for removal falls upon usually the city and county or private landowners to remove them and deal with these fairly expensive shopping carts," he said. "What this bill does is it gives the counties, like the previous speaker said, an option to remove them and tries to fund it where we're not trying to do an unfunded mandate here. We're trying to hold the people responsible for allowing these shopping carts to leave the premises — even if they were stolen I would argue the fine should be the same. Measures need to be put in place by the businesses to secure their own property."

 still intend to punish businesses. It their fault. They made it too easy.

Yeah, abandoned shopping carts are a blight. They get into the streams, clutter the roadsides. This bill exists, and is being stubbornly defended over public opposition, because lawmakers absolutely will not name the actual culprits who steal and dump the carts and will not do anything about them. Worse still, this bill exists because these same lawmakers, who have failed to maintain any kind of law and order, know full well they will never recover from the homeless the cost of clearing out their stolen carts. The homeless don't have money.

[{"type":"text","text":"But the businesses do. "}]

And the businesses have addresses. The businesses are law-abiding. The businesses follow the rules and pay every tax demanded of them. So the businesses must pay even more.

That's the mindset of Democrats pushing this bill, so it's moving forward to other committees. Track it, and submit testimony on it, 

Shopping cart 2

<title>Pipikaula Corner: Shopping Carts II — This time, it's buy-back!</title>

The bill to punish businesses when their shopping carts get stolen and abandoned moved forward, and got weirder.

Pipikaula Corner: Shopping Carts II — This time, it's buy-back!

Aloha Spirit

Lifelong friends Meleana Estes and Noel Shaw never set out to start a business.

Three years ago, though, they launched HIE Heirlooms of Hawai‘i, a “modern fine jewelry collection created to perpetuate the tradition of Hawaiian heirloom jewelry — in particular, the inscribed gold Hawaiian bangle bracelet,” its website notes.

Heirloom bracelets date back to the Hawaiian monarchy. The future Queen Lili‘uokalani was pictured in a solid gold bracelet in the early 1860s, the 

, inspired by England’s Queen Victoria.

[{"type":"text","text":"But the pair’s endeavors were inspired in part by their own heirlooms."}]

HIE got its start “after a decade-long search for bracelets for their children as special as the ones they’d been handed down,” the website states. “In the end, they decided to design their own custom versions, inspired by the bracelets owned by their female mentors and forebears.”

Founded in 2023 by lifelong friends Meleana Estes and Noel Shaw, the brand offers a modern fine jewelry collection that aims to continue the tradition of Hawaiian heirloom jewelry — in particular, the inscribed gold Hawaiian bangle bracelet.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Why you do not wanna get into a fight with a local guy

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