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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"text":"Things can go wrong when you try to make a good impression!","type":"text"}]

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<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Must be the "seefood" diet</title>

Today's social media find comes from hawaiisonly, living off the bounty of the ocean.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Must be the "seefood" diet

Things can go wrong when you try to make a good impression! 

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

 continues ahead of its 2029 target, the current University of Hawai‘i football team is set to play its home games at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on the UH-Mānoa campus through 2028. 

Though upperclassmen on the team may not get the opportunity to play in the new stadium as Rainbow Warriors, current freshmen on the team who stay through their senior seasons will be rewarded as the first crop to take the field in Hālawa. 

Starting this summer, Aloha Stadium Executive Director Michael Yadao says UH coaches are welcome to show the stadium in its current form to recruits the school is courting. 

"Our offer to the UH team, and we mean it, is as they're recruiting players, and if they want to see how the demo is progressing, or if they want to see the plans for the future build up, we want to be a part of that process," Yadao told Aloha State Daily. "We want them to be able to say to the high school senior, 'Hey, if you stick with UH you're playing at TC Ching, but you could potentially be in the inaugural season of the stadium in front of your friends and family, and playing for the University of Hawai‘i' and what that could mean."

The Rainbow Warriors have played on campus at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex since 2021, a process that began with the old Aloha Stadium being deemed unsafe to hold crowds of any capacity during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Memories of the first era of Aloha Stadium, from its 1975 opening, remain prominent at various levels of football across the state. Multiple members of the current Hawai‘i coaching staff were former UH players themselves, including head coach 

"Timmy Chang stayed in Hawai‘i, Chris Brown stayed in Hawai‘i. They both coulda had opportunities elsewhere," Yadao said. "We want to use the stadium to be a draw for UH players to stay, hopefully."

Chang and Brown were both present in person at a live demolition of Aloha Stadium's northwest bowl on April 23. Attendees that observed from the stadium's parking lot in Hālawa were required to wear personal protective equipment, including safety vests. Yadao says that will also be the case during tours of the stadium while it is under construction. 

"Chris would call, or Timmy would call and say, 'Hey, Mike, can we?' We haven't done it yet, but we're open to it and and they know that, and we want to," Yadao said. "I would be like, 'Bring them down, tell me when,' and we'll show them what's happened. I'd call (stadium developer) 

 and we'd go up to the site and show them, or I'd bring them here and show them the schematics or the boardroom, and we do our best to help Chris and Timmy keep good talent here."

Yadao and Brown in particular go back a long way. The two became friends as classmates at Damien Memorial School, graduating in 1998. Both went on to attend UH-Mānoa. 

"What kind of encapsulates who Chris is, I would see him in a weight room or on a football field, and he is a big, scary, intimidating guy. He was always carved out of granite, you know? But the second a kid or a woman would walk by, he's a gentleman, he tones it down," Yadao said. "Chris has always been a good human being."

Although active demolition is underway, the master development agreement (MDA) between the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District (NASED) and the stadium's developer, Aloha Hālawa District Partners (AHDP), continues to be negotiated. 

The new Aloha Stadium, slated to open in time for the 2029 college football season, will have a seating capacity of 31,000 with room for expansion in addition to a natural grass playing surface. The first game on UH's 2029 schedule is an Aug. 25 contest against Arizona. 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Aloha Stadium 052126

<title>Aloha Stadium tours to be made available to University of Hawai‘i football recruits</title>

Executive Director Michael Yadao believes it's important for prospective players to be able to take a look at their future home.

Aloha Stadium tours to be made available to University of Hawai‘i football recruits

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Hawai‘i residents should prepare for a stronger than average hurricane season, warn state and county officials.

An early outlook by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that the Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean could see anywhere between five to 13 tropical cyclones this hurricane season. NOAA meteorologist John Bravender said an average year sees around four or five cyclones.

The stronger storm season is due to a developing El Niño event, Bravender said. El Niño, part of a cyclically shifting global weather pattern, is marked by warmer waters in equatorial Pacific waters.

The second-most active Pacific hurricane season on record, in 2015, was caused by the last strong El Niño event. That year saw 26 named storms, the most since 1992.

This year, Bravender said, ocean temperatures are starting a bit cooler than in 2015, so meteorologists are not predicting quite so busy a storm season. However, he added, it is difficult to predict how intense an El Niño event will be this far in advance, so the number of cyclones generated this year will depend on how quickly or gradually ocean temperatures rise.

Bravender added that NOAA’s estimates only consider how many storms might be generated this year, not how powerful those storms may be or whether they strike Hawai‘i.

Nonetheless, state and county officials have urged residents to begin preparations for the hurricane season now. Quoting Sun Tzu, Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, director of the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, said “Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small.”

Gov. Josh Green advised residents to have at least 14 days of non-perishable food and water on hand in case access to supplies is cut. Residents should make sure they have extra batteries, sufficient food for pets, and copies of important documents kept in safe places.

Bravender suggested that residents begin stockpiling food piecemeal in order to defray the cost.

Elton Ushio, administrator of the Kaua‘i Emergency Management Agency, said households should discuss ahead of time whether their priority is to shelter in place or evacuate in the event of a severe storm.

Ushio said that a well-constructed home that’s up to code should be sufficient shelter in most storms. But residents of a home that isn’t up to standards, or that’s located in a flood zone or along a coast susceptible to storm surges, should seek more secure refuges, either among friends and family or at public shelters.

However, Ushio added that public shelters will be crowded and will not have many services available for users: residents will be responsible for their own food, and their pets will need to remain caged.

Furthermore, many shelters have not been designed to withstand hurricanes. HIEMA Administrator James Barros said the state is compiling a list of hurricane-safe shelters.

Following the severe Kona Low storms in March, Green said teams and high-water vehicles are being preemptively positioned around flood-sensitive areas.

“We’ve gotten adept at dealing with storms,” Green said, noting that the 2023 Lahaina wildfires were triggered by Hurricane Dora, a storm that never directly contacted the Islands, but whipped up winds to quickly spread the flames.

 from HIEMA and their respective county emergency management agencies.

 For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Bravender

<title>NOAA predicts strong hurricane season</title>

An early forecast of this year's hurricane season estimates between five and 13 tropical cyclones in the Eastern and Central Pacific, and Hawai‘i residents are advised to start preparing now.

NOAA predicts strong hurricane season

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Business & Tourism

The business’s second store is located in Kāhala — specifically Kāhala Korner, the same plaza where 

The new store — which is in the former Subway space — will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Due to its size, this location is more conducive to takeout.

While this store is smaller than the business’s Downtown Honolulu location, it includes some of its most popular features.

Customers can take advantage of the store’s smoothie machine and DIY ramen machine. Smoothies ($4.99 each) come in flavors like acai; strawberry and banana; and blueberry, strawberry and banana.

Customers can also choose from the extensive ramen selection, then use the machines to cook their ramen.

The store also features a large selection of grab-and-go hot and cold foods.

Hot foods include fried mandoo ($3.39), potato corndogs ($3.49), and tornado potatoes ($3.49). The latter — which features a crispy, spiral-cut potato on a stick — is a customer favorite.

Cold options include sweet and savory sandwiches, musubi, and kimbap.

Similar to its Downtown Honolulu location, this store offers a variety of assorted snacks and customizable drinks.

Customers can also find CU Hawaiʻi  x Sig Zane merch, along with popular Korean skincare products.

CU Hawaii Kahala sign 022526

<title>CU Hawaiʻi opens in Kāhala</title>

The Korean convenience store just opened its second location in Kāhala Korner, the same plaza as Kapa Hale and Olive Tree Café. The store opened in the former Subway space, and while not as big as the brand’s Downtown Honolulu location, it includes some of its most popular features.

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Authors

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