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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"text":"Itʻs so hard to stay on top of things!","type":"text"}]

I Stock 1445555124

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Curses, foiled again!</title>

Todayʻs social media find comes from jasonpolakaw, a collection of foil board fails.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Curses, foiled again!

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Now let's all enjoy a dog showing a cat how to take a bath..."}]

Smile 26 4 10

<title>Daily Smile: Friday, April 10, 2026</title>

Now let's all enjoy a dog showing a cat how to take a bath...

Daily Smile: Friday, April 10, 2026

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Since breaking off from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2018, the six-team Big West Conference has been viewed as one of the toughest in collegiate men's volleyball from the very beginning. 

 in the conference are ranked in the AVCA national collegiate poll. 

With two full weekends remaining, the University of Hawai‘i men's volleyball team has a chance to rise from the gauntlet and win the Big West regular season title as soon as Friday. The Rainbow Warriors are currently 23-3 overall and 6-0 in conference play with series sweeps over 

Conference play for the 'Bows continues with matches at UC San Diego on Friday and Saturday, with first serve beginning at 4 p.m. HST for each contest. 

If UH were to win both matches, they would automatically clinch the Big West regular season title and top seed in the conference tournament regardless of what happens in its final home series of the year against CSUN on April 17-18. By virtue of their victories over Long Beach State (18-4, 4-2 Big West) and UC Santa Barbara (13-9, 4-3), the two teams beneath them in the conference standings, Hawai‘i has already clinched the tiebreaker over both squads. 

"It's not a place where you really go and think about but I like 6-0 better than 0-6 for sure," Hawai‘i head coach Charlie Wade said when asked about the team's favorable position in the standings. "We've been pretty consistent. There's been some peaks and valleys, but at the end, before the night's over, we've found a way to win. And that part, we've been consistent."

UH's road series at UC San Diego will serve as the second consecutive week the 'Bows have been on the road. After its most recent series against UC Irvine ended last Saturday, the UH returned home to O‘ahu, with Wade placing value in his players sleeping in their own beds and attending classes in person during the first half of the week. 

Another trek to Southern California means another opportunity for the program's Mainland fans to support the 'Bows, which Wade says has come in bunches. 

"It really is pretty special. I wouldn't say we expect it, we're really appreciative of everybody coming out, more so on the West Coast, but even when we get all the way to the East Coast and different places, there's a lot of lot of people wearing green in those crowds," Wade said. "And it's pretty awesome."

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

UH men's volleyball 040926

<title>Hawai‘i men's volleyball closes in on Big West regular season title</title>

The Rainbow Warriors could see themselves clinch the top seed in the conference tournament as early as Friday.

Hawai‘i men's volleyball closes in on Big West regular season title

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Food & Dining

[{"type":"text","text":"Looking for a jolt of java? You're in luck."}]

Honolulu has been ranked the No. 7 on a list of the 

. The annual awards "celebrate the best in culinary travel around the world."

More than 400 chefs, travel experts, food and travel writers, and wine pros from around the world were polled "for their top culinary travel experiences," and the results were then turned over to a global advisory board who ranked the top nominees in each category.

"Hawaiʻi has grown coffee for over 200 years, and maintains a deep love of the drink," the ranking reads. "In the capital city, coffee shops are almost as plentiful as palm trees. On the second floor of Ward Center, in the creative community space BoxJelly, find 

 for a focus on brewed coffees and classic espresso drinks from a wide variety of sources. ... 

’s Mānoa honey iced latte is a must-have. The extensive pour-over menu at 

 features categories like fruity and floral or adventurous, including Kona-grown Geisha that goes great with a kinako cinnamon roll."

[{"type":"text","text":"Austin, Texas, took the top spot on the 10-best list. "}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Coffee first arrived in the Islands in the early 19th century."}]

 in Hawai‘i, published by Honolulu Magazine in 2014, 

 first planted coffee on O‘ahu in 1813. More than a decade later in 1825, Chief Boki, governor of O‘ahu, brought plants from Brazil, which were then planted in Mānoa Valley.

In 1828, the Rev. Samuel Ruggles planted cuttings from Boki's coffee in Kona, and less than two decades later, in 1845, Hawai‘i began exporting coffee.

The Hawai‘i Coffee Association also provides a history of the crop in Hawai‘i 

Coffee production continues to play an "important role" in Hawai‘i's economy "by contributing to employment, tourism, cultural heritage and the livelihoods of small farmers who make up the majority of coffee growers," a 

 on coffee production, exports, and labeling and blend requirements, shared by the state Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, notes.

According to that paper, coffee was cultivated on about 1,000 farms across 7,400 acres on five islands in the 2023-2024 season, accounting for 4% of Hawai‘i's total crop land.

"Green coffee production totaled 3.4 million pounds, valued at $67 million, with an average price of $19.50 per pound," the paper states. "In 2023, Hawaiʻi exported $5.8 million worth of green coffee beans and $3.8 million worth of roasted coffee to the international market, making coffee Hawaiʻi’s top agricultural export commodity in terms of total dollar value.

"Despite accounting for 0.1% of global coffee production, Hawaiʻi coffee holds a prestigious position in the international market due to its high quality, unique flavors, and limited supply."

But for those looking for a quick cup, Honolulu has a number of spots. Among some of the newer shops, Kooks Coffee 

 last month. You can find more from Aloha State Daily's Food and Dining Reporter

Unsplash generic coffee mike kenneally 040826

<title>Honolulu named one of the best U.S. cities for coffee</title>

Hawai‘i's capital city was ranked as part of Food & Wine's 2026 Global Tastemakers Awards.

Honolulu named one of the best U.S. cities for coffee

WAIKĪKĪ — As he stood on the balcony of his penthouse suite overlooking Waikīkī Beach, Anthony "AC" Carter still finds it hard to believe at times that this is where life has taken him. 

Carter grew up in an unstable household, as his mother developed a drug habit and all seven of his uncles were incarcerated at some point in their lives. 

As a teenager in Atlanta, Carter dropped out of high school after his freshman year.

Basketball was Carter's refuge. He would interact with drug dealers, but only as a means to make money playing pickup ball. He eventually decided to pursue the sport on a more organized level, latching on at Saddleback Community College in California. From there, he earned a scholarship offer to play basketball for the University of Hawai‘i, where from 1996 to 1998, he became one of the most decorated players in program history. 

Despite playing just two seasons in Mānoa, Carter scored 1,070 career points, just one of 18 players in program history to surpass 1,000. His 6.9 assists per game remain a program record. One of his most memorable moments in a UH uniform was his 19 points and seven assists in a 76-65 win over No. 2 Kansas on Dec. 30, 1997. 

Although his individual honors included two All-Western Athletic Conference selections and two All-America honorable mentions, Carter was also remembered for being one half of a dynamic duo with backcourt mate Alika Smith. 

Following his collegiate career, Carter joined the Yakima SunKings of the Continental Basketball Association before embarking on 13 seasons in the NBA, where he played for six different franchises (Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors).

Following his playing career, Carter went on to become a respected assistant coach in the league, where he was on the bench for the Spurs, Sacramento Kings, Heat, and most recently the Memphis Grizzlies in 2025.

Though Carter doesn't live in the Islands, he's currently back in his old stomping grounds. On Saturday, Carter will become just the second player in University of Hawai‘i men's basketball history to have his 

 when his No. 23 goes up in the rafters as part of AC Carter night. Not bad for a guy who only attended high school for one year. 

"It's been awesome to be back. I've seen a couple of familiar faces, and it's good to walk around and just bring back some memories," Carter said. "Being able to be back for this special moment is awesome and something that I never expected. Shout out to the coaching staff over there and some of the people that thought I was a good enough guy to get his jersey retired. It's been very special so far."

Normally during this time of year, Carter is stuck in grind of the NBA season. Though its been nearly three decades since he ascended way from the Islands to continue his basketball career, Carter has always been fond of his alma mater. In 2019, he donated $100,000 towards UH's scholarship fund. 

Carter's jersey retirement ceremony will be held during the University of Hawai‘i's game against UC Santa Barbara at 5 p.m. on Saturday. The game will also be televised nationally on ESPNU. 

"We're very fortunate here at UH to have some great former teams, former players, that put us in the position we are in today," Hawai‘i head coach Eran Ganot said. "He and his teams, incredible teams that sold out this arena more than any other team for any sport, and so I really hope we have a sellout for him and for our guys. There's a combination of things coming into this week, and we're honoring great players, great teams. ... We're going to do everything we can to continue to honor those."

As part of the week's festivities, Carter will also hold an autograph session following UH's 7 p.m. game against Cal Poly on Thursday. After Saturday, he will be just the second player in program history to have his jersey number retired, following Bob Nash. Carter will also visit the Rainbow Warriors during practice and offer his advice. Eager players are likely to ask him what it takes to make it to the NBA, and the answer he'll offer in that regard may surprise them.

"Never look at it as you're trying to make it to the NBA. That's the advice I will give players these days. Just go and play the game," Carter said. "Somebody's gonna find you, just like somebody found me and gave me a second chance to go to junior college. I just was playing the game. I wasn't expecting to be able to go back to school. Guys always say, 'I'm gonna make it to the NBA. I'm gonna do this,' it's a lot of pressure on different guys. 

"I didn't have pressure because I was a high school dropout and I got a second chance. I never thought of seeing myself making it to the NBA. It was all about just having fun and bringing joy to people in junior college and the University of Hawai‘i.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Curses, foiled again!

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Curses, foiled again!

Authors

ASD Staff

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