ASD Staff

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"text":"For those who sit in a lot of traffic on the Islands, this one's for you.","type":"text"}]

Firefly traffic cones on an island 81689

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: A hot take on how roadwork planning gets done</title>

Ever wonder how Hawaiʻi handles an abundance of traffic cones? Check out this oldie but goodie from @kaitlyn.hoefling reposted by @808viral.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: A hot take on how roadwork planning gets done

For those who sit in a lot of traffic on the Islands, this one's for you. 

Adopt a Pet

"Sarang is a 20-pound, 3-year-old terrier mix, who has been in our care since November 2024," says 

"This playful and affectionate little girl has an incredibly sweet demeanor that brings joy to everyone she meets. Sarang loves her emotional support stuffies and will contentedly relax on a comfy couch next to you with her favorite toy in clutch. Her happy place is a warm patch of grass where she can roll around and bask in the sunshine. 

"Sarang is a Reid Krucky Memorial Fund recipient, which means her adoption fee is waived and she will go home with a special bundle of goodies to help her settle in with her new ʻohana."  

You can adopt Sarang from the Hawaiian Humane Society’s Kosasa Family Campus at Hoʻopili, open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

For an up-to-date listing of available pets, 

Sarang 4 22 2025

<title>Adopt-a-Pet April 22, 2025: Meet sweet, smiley Sarang</title>

"This playful and affectionate little girl has an incredibly sweet demeanor that brings joy to everyone she meets," says Hawaiian Humane Society.

Adopt-a-Pet April 22, 2025: Meet sweet, smiley Sarang

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Government & Politics

There are long-term plans in the works for the redevelopment of Iwilei, but before that can take place, infrastructure there will need to be improved.

That includes the water systems. Sewer lines. Roads. Drainage. Electrical systems. Telecommunication systems.

The Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corp. recently published the final environmental impact statement for the Iwilei Infrastructure Improvement Master Plan and Liliha Civic Center project.

According to the EIS, which was published in the state's 

 late last month, the Iwilei infrastructure plan covers 555 acres in Iwilei-Kapālama and proposes improvements that will help help advance state and City and County of Honolulu's transit-oriented development goals there.

Randy Chu, HHFDC's development branch chief, told Aloha State Daily that redevelopment in Honolulu is moving west.

"The next area where we foresee that redevelopment is going to happen is moving westward, so it's Iwilei, Kapālama, Kalihi," he said.

HHFDC — the state agency that oversees affordable housing finance and development in Hawai‘i, its website notes — commissioned the master plan to determine what will be needed to facilitate redevelopment, Chu says, noting that the lack of infrastructure is one of the biggest issues preventing development from moving forward.

"The roads, the sewer lines, the water lines were all designed 40, 50 years ago," he explained. "Now that we want to increase the density, there's more demand, so you have to upsize all these facilities, the infrastructure. That's what we wanted to do — identify what do we need to do to enable development or redevelopment of the area."

For the master plan, Chu says HHFDC spoke with the various landowners in the area and the city, then determined what was need to improve the sewer lines, water lines, drainage lines, the electrical system, telecommunication systems and streets.

Based on the goals of the Kalihi Neighborhood TOD Plan and the Downtown Neighborhood TOD Plan to transform the area into a"high-intensity, full-service mixed-use district" over the next three-plus decades, the EIS says that the infrastructure master plan aims to find the potential alignment, phasing and costs for improvements to the existing infrastructure systems. 

These improvements will allow for the development of some 27,500 new housing units and the change in use of nearly 2 million square feet of existing commercial, institutional, industrial and mixed-use space, it notes.

Any work will need to be a phased approach — Chu says the cost to improve the infrastructure is estimated to be around $1.3 billion.

Meanwhile, the Liliha Civic Center Master Plan proposes a mixed-use development on nearly 3.8 acres in Iwilei in a collaboration between HHFDC and the state Department of Accounting and General Services.

As far as the Liliha Civic Center Master Plan, Chu says site is a state-owned property at the corner of King Street and Iwilei Road. Potential plans call for two towers, one with space for government offices and the second that would have up to 600 affordable units, he said.

"Why at that location? Because the Kūwili rail station is a couple hundred yards away," he said. "It would be ideal for TOD or transit-oriented development. And King Street is a main artery for the bus, too. So, perfect location where it's close to town, where people can work and live."

, or TOD, is a mixed-used development within a five- to 10-minute walk of a rail station.

Now that the final EIS has been published, Chu says implementation is the next step. That means "finding the money to do it and doing it in a phased order such that we can afford it."

As far as a timeline, the EIS notes that the master plan was analyzed in four phases and expected to completed in the next five to 30-plus years.

Iwilei is, indeed, primed for redevelopment. The City and County of Honolulu is among the property owners with big plans in the works, centered around the rail development.

, the city acquired the former First Hawaiian Bank building at 445 N. King St. for $8.4 million and in January 2024 it acquired the Iwilei Center for $51.5 million.

, says these acquisitions, which total nearly five acres of land, "will form the catalyst of its redevelopment and revitalization efforts around the Kūwili Rail Station in Iwilei, consistent with the Downtown TOD Neighborhood Plan."

In March, the city's Department of Land Management, in partnership with the mayor's Office of Housing, issued a 

 for the redevelopment of the Iwilei Center.

Late last month, the city also announced it was moving forward with the next phase of the Kūwili Station TOD area redevelopment, and that the Department of Design and Construction, in partnership with the Department of Land Management and the Mayor’s Office of Housing was beginning outreach to property owners along Ka‘aahi Street to start the acquisition process for additional parcels of land.

"Acquisition of these additional parcels of land is necessary to advance its master planning efforts for the Kūwili Station TOD Redevelopment Area by enabling the redevelopment of key blocks into new affordable housing, infrastructure improvements, and public amenities that support a vibrant, transit-oriented neighborhood," the city said in a March 31 announcement. "In addition to supporting affordable housing and improved accessibility, these land acquisitions aim to address critical environmental concerns, including flooding and rising sea levels. These risks will be assessed and mitigated as part of the city’s comprehensive master planning effort, ensuring that redevelopment in the Kūwili Station area is resilient and sustainable."

"Redevelopment is not a bad thing," Chu said. "When you really think about it, what was built 50 years ago was adequate at that time — single-family homes, one-story buildings. But this is a different time, where land is so expensive that you need to make better use of the land. ... At this point in time, we've got to look at using more density to maximize the use of the land."

The EIS, which includes a list of impacts and proposed mitigation, can be 

I Stock iwilei

<title>What's planned for Iwilei infrastructure, Liliha Civic Center</title>

The final environmental impact statement includes an infrastructure plan that covers 555 acres in Iwilei-Kapālama and proposes improvements that will help spur redevelopment, and the Liliha Civic Center Master Plan, which proposes a mixed-use development on 3.79 acres in Iwilei.

What's planned for Iwilei infrastructure, Liliha Civic Center

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Arts & Culture

Aloha Spirit

With the help of lawmakers, Hawaiʻi Theatre Center, the nonprofit that operates the iconic Hawaiʻi Theatre in Downtown Honolulu, is seeking a lifeline from the state to purchase the property and pay off its mounting property insurance premiums. 

No purchase is imminent. The state Legislature has approved a resolution to talk about the possibility of buying the and maintaining the building, where the nonprofit would continue to manage its programs.

, which passed the Senate on April 15, urges “the state to acquire the Hawaiʻi Theatre to promote local culture and arts, preserve its historic and cultural significance, and facilitate its continued public use.”

, the state “has invested approximately $30 million in public grants and assistance for the renovation and preservation” of the theater. It also reads, “public ownership of the Hawaiʻi Theatre by the state would ensure its long-term preservation, allow for necessary renovations and improvements, and expand access to arts and cultural programming for residents and visitors alike.”

, State Sen. Karl Rhoads – who co-wrote the resolution with State Sen. Chris Lee – and Culture & Arts Committee Chair Jeanne Kapela said taxpayers could end up subsidizing the operation and maintenance – but that it’d be worth it, in their view.

Rhoads told Aloha State Daily by email, “Having a venue like Hawaiʻi Theatre brings benefits to the local community and the whole state above and beyond the costs involved. These include increased economic activity around the theatre, more positive activity in the neighborhood and the intangible, but real benefits of preserving Hawai‘i’s unique culture for generations to come.”

Hawaiʻi Theatre serves about up to 100,000 patrons annually, 

, with about $4 million in revenues in 2023, 

President and CEO of Hawaiʻi Theatre Center Gregory Dunn 

, saying that during his tenure, he has expanded the theater’s programming. “However, we have been challenged this year with a massive 4,500% increase in our property insurance premiums over the prior year's premium. This massive financial burden makes it nearly impossible for the theater to continue to provide an affordable venue for local arts and cultural organizations to present their programming.

“In Fiscal Year 2023-24, we paid around $2 per $1,000 of property insurance coverage. In FY2024-25, we were forced to pay $90 per $1,000 of property coverage, and our base policy was limited to only $5 million dollars, significantly short of the $45 million dollars of coverage we were previously able to secure.”

According to testimony from Hawaiʻi Theatre Center Board of Directors Vice Chair L. Richard Fried, “This resolution will begin the discussion of the state's acquisition of the theater and a lease back to the nonprofit.”

[{"text":"ASD reached out to Hawaiʻi Theatre Center for comment.","type":"text"}]

Hawaii Theatre

<title>Will the state acquire Downtown Honolulu’s Hawaiʻi Theatre?</title>

Beset by mounting insurance costs, the historic theater's nonprofit operator hopes the state can take ownership.

Will the state acquire Downtown Honolulu’s Hawaiʻi Theatre?

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, May 11. Whether mom prefers brunch, buffets or a take-out meal, check out these options:

[{"text":"100 Sails Restaurant & Bar","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: Prince Waikīkī, 100 Holomoana St., third floor, Honolulu 

: The Mother’s Day brunch buffet ($109 per adult, $54.50 for children ages 6-10) includes options like snow crab legs, seafood scampi, herb panko crusted baked salmon, smoked lamb chops, slow-roasted prime rib, porchetta, slow-roasted prime rib, smoked ‘ahi tartlets, s’mores cookies and more. 

The Mother’s Day dinner buffet ($107 per adult, $53.50 for children ages 6-10) includes similar offerings. 

: May 11, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Mother’s Day dinner buffet is May 8-11, 5-9:30 p.m. 

[{"text":"Artizen by MW","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: 888 Kapiʻolani Blvd., Ste. 102, Honolulu 

: The eatery’s Artizen Feast ($295) is designed to enjoy at home and can feed six people. The feast includes spinach and artichoke dip with won ton chips; ‘ahi nicoise salad with confit ‘ahi, long beans, kalamata olives, tomatoes and potato; garlic shrimp scampi with campanelle pasta; bucket of jidori fried chicken; Brandt beef pot roast; Small Kine Farms mushrooms and garlic jus; roasted vegetables and garlic potatoes; and Artizen chocolate cake. 

: Feast is available May 11; preorder deadline is May 9.

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

: Foodland Farms Ala Moana, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 

: Eleven Honolulu’s Mother’s Day weekend brunch buffet ($55 per person, $24 per child) includes assorted mini breakfast pastries, quiche Lorraine, a raw bar with local catch sashimi and Goose Point shucked oysters, ginger and orange glazed carrots, mochi waffle station, soft scrambled eggs, breakfast meats, carving station with herb and garlic crusted striploin roast, yuzu sake glazed salmon and assorted rotating desserts. 

: May 10-11, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (last seating) 

[{"text":"Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: Haleakalā Gardens, 3850 Wailea Alanui Drive, Wailea 

: The resort’s Mother’s Day brunch ($175 per adult, $65 per child) includes a raw seafood bar with crab claws, oysters, Hawaiian ‘ahi poke and sushi rolls; chocolate hazelnut French toast topped with crème anglaise, banana and Nutella sauce; Grand Wailea Benedict with crispy pork belly and spicy Hollandaise sauce; kimchi fried rice loco moco with Maui onion gravy; Chinese steamed dim sum, crispy Hawaiian snapper; Kona lobster mac and cheese; lilikoʻi meringue tart, mango crème brulee and fresh berries flambe on pineapple rum cake with vanilla ice cream. 

[{"text":"Hy’s Steakhouse","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: Hy’s Mother’s Day brunch buffet ($150 per adult, $75 for children ages 6-12, free admission for children ages 5 and under) includes Hy’s signature Caesar salad, eggplant spinach quiche, assorted charcuterie and cheeses, spicy and shoyu ‘ahi poke, smoked salmon with herb roasted crostini, crab cake eggs Benedict, Hy’s slow roasted prime rib, honey glazed ham, leg of lamb with mint jelly, steamed snow crab, Mediterranean baked fish, chocolate decadence brownies, strawberry crunch trifle and more. 

: May 11, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (last seating 1 p.m.) 

[{"text":"Kulu kulu Cake","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: Royal Hawaiian Center, 2233 Kalākaua Ave., Honolulu

: Mother’s Day cakes are available in two flavors: strawberry shortcake (small $45, large $55) and strawberry rare cheese roll ($17.50). Preorders are accepted in-store and online. 

[{"text":"MW Restaurant","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: 888 Kapiʻolani Blvd. Ste. 201, Honolulu 

: The eatery’s MW Feast ($695) is designed to enjoy at home and can feed six to eight people. It includes sashimi salad (‘ahi and Hamachi sashimi, crispy Asian slaw and soy wasabi vinaigrette), crab cakes with wasabi koji sauce, eggplant and tomato dip with toast points, miso honey glazed butterfish, taegu watercress salad, seafood lasagna, garlic Brandt beef prime rib with garlic au jus and wasabi sour cream, roasted vegetables and Yukon gold potatoes, and strawberry cheesecake for dessert. 

: Feast is available May 11; preorder deadline is May 9. 

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

: This Mother’s Day special menu ($150 per person) includes a mini seafood platter with lobster tail, scallop and tuna poke; braised short rib served with a truffle cream sauce; beef platter with tenderloin, Miyazaki wagyu sirloin, fresh short rib and outside skirt; choice of Doenjang (soybean paste stew) or kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew); and mango bingsu for dessert. 

[{"text":"Orchids","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: Halekūlani, 2199 Kālia Road, Honolulu 

: Orchids Sparkling Mother’s Day brunch costs $128 per adult ($68 for children ages 5-10 years). Highlights include a seafood bar with deep water snow crab legs, lobster tails and shucked oysters; assortment of sushi, nigiri and maki rolls; chef’s carving station with Waimanalo raised suckling pig, prime rib, sage-roasted turkey, roasted brisket and flank steak; housemade ice cream and sorbet station; and desserts like classic Halekulani coconut cake, red velvet cheesecake, warm chocolate bread pudding, lilikoʻi meringue tarts and more. 

[{"text":"Quiora Waikīkī","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: The Ritz Carlton Residences, Waikīkī Beach, 383 Kalaimoku St., Honolulu 

: Quiora Waikiki’s Mother’s Day brunch buffet ($125 per adult, $63 for children ages 6-12, free admission for children ages 5 and under) includes options like Hy’s famous prime rib, crispy Mountain View Farms pork belly, assorted breakfast meats, corned beef and sweet potato hash, snow crab claws, Pacific oysters, matcha mousse cake, apple banana croissant bread with crème anglaise and more. There is a two-hour dining period. 

: May 11, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (last seating 1 p.m.) 

[{"text":"Slice by HB Baking","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: Kilohana Square, 1016 Kapahulu Ave., Ste. 150, Honolulu 

: This dessert shop is featuring a fresh strawberry pie ($69) for Mother’s Day. It includes Tahitian vanilla bean pastry cream and citrus-glazed strawberries. 

[{"text":"Vintage Books","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: 3660 Waiʻalae Ave. Ste. 101, Honolulu 

: This Mother’s Day prix fixe brunch ($70 per person) includes a mini scone flight (trio of house-baked scones), dim sum remix (smoked salmon gau gee), silken tofu with POG syrup and tapioca pearls, choice of entrée (‘ahi Benedict, shrimp and grits, French toast crunch or the eatery’s version of a loco moco), and chocolate sesame roll (three mochi sesame balls filled with warm chocolate and rolled in black sesame and poppy seeds) for dessert. The Mother’s Day prix fixe dinner ($90 per person) includes ong choi and Aliʻi hamakua mushroom salad, kimchi pork belly pancake, choice of entrée (crispy crab rice cakes, wagyu flat-iron steak, crispy brined roast chicken or summer squash masa cakes), and coconut flan for dessert. 

: May 11, brunch is 10 a.m.-3 p.m., dinner is 4:30-9:30 p.m. 

[{"text":"Wolfgang’s Steakhouse","type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}]}]

: Royal Hawaiian Center, 2301 Kalākaua Ave., Honolulu 

: This special prix fixe menu ($79 per person) includes a glass of bubbles, choice of Beverly Hills chopped salad or Manhattan-style clam chowder, petite filet with au poivre sauce and garlic mashed potatoes, and New York cheesecake with a jumbo strawberry.

Mothers Day part 1 Wolfgangs Waikiki 041825

<title>Where to go on Mother’s Day 2025: Part 1</title>

Treat mom to unforgettable dining experiences.

Where to go on Mother’s Day 2025: Part 1

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

At a recent Board of Regents meeting, new University of Hawai‘i president Wendy Hensel provided multiple new updates on UH-Mānoa's athletics director vacancy. 

, while the search process is being spearheaded by national firm Parker Executive Search. 

In the BOR meeting, Hensel said Parker Executive Search is "actively now recruiting candidates from across the country, and here in Hawai‘i, they have already conducted a series of listening sessions with key stakeholder groups, including coaches, staff, student-athletes, faculty, alumni and community partners to inform and guide the search process."

Hensel acknowledged the ever-changing collegiate sports landscape and how upcoming changes will affect UH as it relates to the new AD. 

"As we all know, there's a lot going on in collegiate athletics right now," Hensel said. "Our current timeline anticipates that Parker will present a pool of qualified applicants in the next few weeks, followed by the first round of interviews and background checks. If all continues as planned, I expect to bring a finalist to this board by mid-summer, if not sooner. 

"I hope you can tell from the process that we're following, however, that while we are moving efficiently, we are not rushing the process because of the significance of this selection. It is critical, and our goal is to conduct a thorough, transparent and inclusive search that ensures we attract the very best possible candidate for this important role."

Hensel also said the next athletics director will sign an agreement different than former UH AD Craig Angelos, who officially served as UH-Mānoa athletics director from June 5, 2024 to Dec. 1, 2024. 

Angelos' salary was in the "mid-$300,000s," Hensel acknowledged. He was also an at-will employee, meaning he did not have a formal contract. Hensel intends to give the next athletics director a formal employment contract. 

UH, which is currently a member of the Big West Conference, is currently a member of the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member. The Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine will join the Mountain West as full-time members beginning in the summer of 2026. 

Hensel said she hopes to give the next athletics director a salary commensurate with other ADs in the Mountain West, with a base salary starting at $400,000, with up to an additional $100,000 that can be earned with incentives such as team performance, student-athlete GPAs, fundraising and other areas. 

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Daily Features

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: A hot take on how roadwork planning gets done

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Authors

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