ASD Staff

Adopt a Pet

The nonprofit said, "He's a 4-year-old boy with a big heart and an even bigger love for toys, treats, and cuddles."

Being in the shelter is really hard for him; he gets stressed, scared and just wants to be part of a family where he can give all his love, MHS added.

A loyal companion, Kahe can be your "best friend, your shadow, and your snuggle buddy." He does great with structure, playtime and affection.

[{"type":"text","text":"Come say \"hi\" to Kahe at the Maui Humane Society."}]

Kahe

<title>Adopt-a-Pet Maui June 5, 2025: Kahe just wants to be part of a family where he can give…</title>

According to the Maui Humane Society, "He's a 4-year-old boy with a big heart and an even bigger love for toys, treats, and cuddles."

Adopt-a-Pet Maui June 5, 2025: Kahe just wants to be part of a family where he can give all his love

Meet Kahe, Maui Humane Society’s Pet of the Week!  The nonprofit said, "He's a 4-year-old boy with a big heart and an even bigger love for toys, treats, and cuddles." Being in the shelter is really hard for him; he gets stressed, scared and just wants to be part of a family where he can give all his love, MHS added. A loyal companion, Kahe can be your "best friend, your shadow, and your snuggle buddy." He does great with structure, playtime and affection. Come say "hi" to Kahe at the Maui Humane Society.

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Business & Tourism

Aloha Spirit

From shave ice to rainbows, bunches of flowers, crackseed stores – and even slippers or Hawaiian Sun cans at Long’s, Steffy Simms loves a good Hawaiʻi-inspired color pallete that inspires her latest clothing designs at 

“I do love to doodle and draw. I love cute things and color,” she told Aloha State Daily.

The self-taught designer is decent with an iPad and illustrating apps Adobe and Procreate, she said. “I don’t consider myself an expert in anything, especially art because I can’t paint. I think being tenacious and industrious are two of my strengths. I pay close attention to detail, work hard and tend to jump into things headfirst.”

 leaned into her love for bright colors, and the palaka and puakenikeni prints as best sellers right now.

Simms began the paperwork for the business in late 2023, she said, while on maternity leave. Its first collection went live in June 2024, shortly after the birth of her son, Nazzy.

The name Guava Jammies is a nod to her family’s multi-generational home in Mānoa, which has a guava tree on property perfect for making “the best guava jam,” she said with a smile.

Simms, who also teaches physics and robotics at ʻIolani School, is the brand’s sole employee currently, though she said her husband of five years, Andrew, helps with photography and “provides the manpower for marketing.”

“I think the only reason I can make this happen is because of the support of my family,” she said. “Being able to watch my son grow up with his grandparents, with four adults in the house who love him, is just invaluable. My husband supports everything that I believe in and dream of.”

The company uses bamboo fabrics and non-toxic dying methods that are safe for wearers with sensitive skin, something Simms learned early on in motherhood when addressing her son’s eczema. “That’s kind of the origin story of Guava Jammies – we really wanted it rooted in safety and sustainability. ... We want you to love them hard and pass them down.

While looking around for products that would be safe for his skin, she found this health concern common among other families, too. “Plus, the hot, humid weather here really doesn’t help.” 

breathable alohawear so comfortable it felt like pajamas," was born, she recalled. As a slow fashion brand, manufacturing is limited and mindful of production standards, often exceeding U.S. Safety Standard Regulations, according to Simms. 

She added, the best place she receives feedback about her product is out in the community at pop-ups including the Merrie Monarch Festival, Made in Hawai’i Festival, and more regularly, the Mom Made Market at Kahala Mall and Mālama Hawaiʻi Makers Market at Ala Moana Center.

Upcoming pop-ups to catch Guava Jammies at:

June 14: Mālama Hawaiʻi Makers Market at Ala Moana Center
July 19: Mom Made Market at Kahala Mall 
August 15-17: Made in Hawaiʻi Festival

In addition to online sales, Guava Jammies can also be purchased in various shops across the Islands, including The Growing Keiki in Haleʻiwa, Turquoise in Waikīkī, Banana Patch Studios on Kau’i and SCP Hilo Hotel, according to Simms. She said her customers are mostly kamaʻāina, though one of her goals is to get into stores across the east and west coasts and in Japan.

“I would love to be on every island, and we are looking at hotel chains because I think Hawaiʻi authentically represented by local brands for our tourist community and global audiences is so important.

“I’m sure the Hawaiʻi brand is worth something in the billions, but when you look up the companies that are selling poke on the continent or using the word ‘aloha,’ most of those brands are not owned by 

“As a kamaaina with plantation settler roots,” Simms said she initially set out to create pieces that spoke to her. “I wanted to see and be able to pass down things from my childhood to my son and other families.”

Year-over-year, the company’s revenues have more than doubled from what she had in mind at the onset, she said. This year, she joined the fourth cohort of nonprofit 

Purple Maiʻa Foundation's accelerator Hawaiʻi FoundHer

Looking ahead, Simms is hopeful about blending Guava Jammies with her experience as a STEM educator, collaborating with other local designers and nonprofits that serve keiki, releasing a women’s collection and continuing to grow her support network.

“If the business we to close tomorrow, that would be one of the most significant fruits of all of this labor – the network of women who are raising families and building businesses and doing it all alongside each other.”

Guava Jammies

<title>Mom from Mānoa grows alohawear company for ʻohana</title>

Guava Jammies turns one this month. Small business owner Steffy Simms shares her story as a self-taught designer with an eye for color and heart for Hawaiʻi-made products. She also works full-time as a teacher and has a second child on the way.

Mom from Mānoa grows alohawear company for ʻohana

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday, June 15. Whether dad prefers steak, a buffet or seafood, check out these options:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Air Park Karaoke Lounge"}]

: 510 Pi‘ikoi St. (second floor), Honolulu

: In honor of Father’s Day, the business is offering 50% off any room rental on any Thursday during June when you bring your dad (or, if you’re a dad, when you bring your kids). The karaoke lounge recently launched its first zero-proof menu. Signature mocktails include Pink Passion, Melona Bliss, Lychee Dream and Tornado Twist. 

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

: This Artizen Feast ($295) is designed to feed six people. It includes Caesar salad, corn and bacon hush puppies, smoked brisket, Andouille sausage, fried butterfish, coleslaw, corn on the cob, cornbread with garlic butter, roasted potatoes and a peanut butter s’mores candy bar for dessert. Preorder deadline is June 12. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Buffet at Hyatt"}]

: Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Beach Resort and Spa, 2424 Kalākaua Ave., Honolulu

: The Buffet at Hyatt is offering a Father

’s Day brunch ($105 per person) and a Father’s Day dinner ($105 per person). Children ages 5 years and under eat free; children ages 6 to 12 years enjoy 50% off admission. Buffet highlights include rosemary and Hawaiian salt-crusted prime rib with au just and horseradish cream; grilled rack of lamb with mint yogurt; Alaskan snow crab legs; Goosepoint oysters; ‘ahi poke; made-to-order temaki handrolls; crab meat frittata; roasted Hawaiian kampachi with ponzu; pipikaula poke; a chocolate fountain; Oreo cheesecake with caramel drizzle and more. 

: June 15; brunch (seatings 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.) and dinner (seatings at 5 and 7 p.m.)

: Enjoy a variety of specials during Father’s Day weekend, including a smoked beer-brined Cornish hen finished with the eatery’s dry rub and served with cornbread and two sides ($27); burger and beer special with one side and a 16-ounce beer ($22); and Lagerita, which is a margarita made in a 32-ounce mug and topped with a Modelo ($15). The burger and beer special features a Three Little Pigs burger, a combo of a beef patty with spicy pork sausage and pulled pork, topped with two strips of bacon in a brioche bun. The eatery will also have a Father’s Day raffle for a mug filled with goodies for Dad; customers must spend $75 at Dixie Grill during the first two weeks of June to be eligible. The winner will be announced on June 15. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hy’s Steak House"}]

: This Father’s Day brunch buffet ($150 per guest, $75 for children ages 6 to 12 years, free admission for children ages 5 years and under) includes everything from Hy’s signature Caesar salad, dynamite ‘ahi poke and oysters on the half shell to smoked salmon eggs Benedict, Hy’s slow-roasted prime rib, marinated flank steak, steamed snow crab and banana fosters flambe for dessert. Note: a 1.5 hour dining time will be enforced. 

: June 15, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (last seating at 1 p.m.) 

: Royal Hawaiian Center, 2233 Kalākaua Ave., Building B Level 2, Honolulu

: Enjoy a limited-time selection of Father’s Day desserts, including a Father’s Day beer roll ($17.50) — an airy chocolate roll cake shaped like a beer mug — and Father’s Day Beard bear puff ($6.50). The latter features a decorated chocolate cream puff with a bearded bear motif. 

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

: This MW Feast ($695) is designed to feed 6 to 8 people. It includes ‘ahi poke nachos, crab cakes, truffle mushroom arancini, ginger chicken salad, seafood boil (lobster, shrimp and clams, sausage, corn and potatoes), Brandt Brand prime rib with au jus and wasabi sour cream, roasted vegetables, and an 8-inch Hibiki Japanese whiskey “dream cake.” Pre-order deadline is June 12. 

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

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

: This Father’s Day brunch buffet ($125 per guest, $63 for children ages 6-12 years, free admission for keiki ages 5 years and under) includes slow-roasted prime rib, crispy Mountain View Farms pork belly, smoked baby back ribs, Pacific oysters, king crab tails, snow crab claws, doughnut ice cream sandwiches, apple banana croissant bread pudding with crème anglaise and more. Guests can enjoy a two-hour dining period. 

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

: 1296 S. Beretania St. Ste. 103, Honolulu 

: Sushi You is usually closed on Sundays, but will be open on Father’s Day and offering its omakase ($110 per person). The omakase features around 13 courses, including chutoro ‘ahi nachos, octopus carpaccio, smoked salmon with lotus root, assorted sashimi and a variety of nigiri. The eatery is BYOB. 

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

: Royal Hawaiian Center, 2301 Kalākaua Ave., Honolulu 

: This Waikīkī steakhouse is offering a Father’s Day Prime Rib-eye dinner. The prix fixe ($150 per person) Father’s Day menu includes a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, Wolfgang’s signature extra thick slice of bacon, a 24-26 ounce Prime bone-in rib-eye steak, and sides of mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. 

Fathers Day part 1 Dixie Grill 060525

<title>Where to go on Father’s Day 2025 – part 1</title>

Treat dad to unforgettable dining experiences.

Where to go on Father’s Day 2025 – part 1

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Government & Politics

A live, three-and-a-half foot non-venomous ball python was captured by state agriculture inspectors Sunday. The serpent was found in the backyard of a Kaimukī residence.

According to the state Department of Agriculture, the homeowner saw the snake in the afternoon but thought it was a child's toy. He called 911 after he noticed it moving later in the evening.

Police officers on the scene contacted inspectors from the Plant Quarantine Branch, who arrived at the home around 11:30 p.m. and used snake tongs to capture the animal, the DOA said in an announcement Tuesday.

"While being captured and handled, PQB inspectors noted the snake was very docile, likely making it an escaped pet," the department said. The animal is being safeguarded at the PQB.

How often does the Department of Agriculture get reports of snakes? Aloha State Daily asked, but department officials could not immediately provide a number.

Last November, though, a live nonvenomous gopher snake was found in a container of Christmas trees being unloaded in Hilo, the department 

. Another non-venomous ball python was found in a Waipahu home in 

, and a non-venomous gopher snake was found in a shipping container in Molokai in 

Snakes have no natural predators in the Islands and pose a threat to Hawai‘i's environment "because they compete with native animal populations for food and habitat," the department says. Species like the ball python also prey on birds and bird eggs which can threaten endangered bird species, while large snakes can pose a threat to humans, pets and other domestic animals, the announcement noted.

According to the DOA, the animals are illegal to import or possess in the state. Anyone found with illegal animals may be charged with a class C felony, face fines of up to $200,000 and may face up to five years in prison.

Anyone who might have illegal animals can voluntarily surrender them without penalty at any DOA office, local Humane Society or municipal zoos under an amnesty program, the department said, noting that animals turned in under the amnesty program won't be euthanized.

Have information on illegal animals? Call the state's toll-free pest hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378). You can also call the hotline if you see a snake in the wild — or call 911 if you don't know the hotline number, a department spokesperson said.

 that a third opossum had been trapped in Honolulu. Another opossum was caught at a big box store in Kona 

. A skunk was captured at Honolulu Harbor in 

Kaimuki snake2 6 1 25

<title>Snake captured in Kaimukī</title>

According to the state Department of Agriculture, inspectors noted the snake was very docile, likely making it an escaped pet.

Snake captured in Kaimukī

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

[{"type":"text","text":"Another meeting, another month closer to a new Aloha Stadium.  "}]

Thursday morning's regular Stadium Authority meeting at the end of the month was the penultimate meeting prior to a self-imposed deadline of June 30 between the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District (NASED) and 

 and May's meeting were made in order to build the new stadium, including a $9 million demolition permit filed by AHDP. 

During Thursday's meeting, Stadium Authority chair Brennon Morioka clarified that the $9 million figure was a "placeholder." Organizers are hoping the permit gets approved in the summer prior to the beginning of demolition in August. 

"Once all of that is known, we'll update the permit," Morioka told Aloha State Daily following the meeting. "And so dollar value, our guess is somewhere around $20 million or so is what it's probably gonna flesh out to be."

Both Aloha Stadium interim manager Chris Sadayasu and Morioka have stated that the self-imposed June 30 deadline for execution of a contract is also a placeholder of sorts in itself, and that negotiations could carry into July. The goal remains to have demolition start in August, to be completed in 10 months. 

From there, having the new Aloha Stadium built in time for the 2028 college football season is the main objective.

All-hands meetings between members of NASED and AHDP are held every other week. Talks between the two parties remain cordial and productive, says Sadayasu. 

"I think they're going really well," Sadayasu says of the discussions. "We are excited. We are close, but I think a couple of the business terms need to be ironed out. One of them is financing, and that's always been a challenge. But as the design is being refined, then they get to understand the true cost and then how much that they have to put in for above the $350 million (allocated by the state towards the project in 2019)." 

"We're super excited," Morioka added. "I'm optimistic by nature. I think we're on progress to completing the contract execution documents over the summer. I've been a part of some of those meetings, and the tenor has been extremely collaborative and professional. You know, some of these kinds of negotiations can become contentious, but it has not been. 

"And so I appreciate that level of professionalism on both sides, AHDP and our team, and so I think that's why we've been successful in negotiating through some of the very difficult terms. I'm pretty optimistic that we're going to get this contract execution done in a fairly timely manner."

The Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) has also been briefed on discussions towards the new stadium.

Implosion was briefly considered as a demolition option, but Morioka says complications due to the heavy amounts of steel in the current complex made organizers opt for the 10-month plan. 

When asked about the beginning of the demolition, Sadayasu said steel work on the makai side of the stadium while a dust screen is placed around the perimeter potentially could be one of the first items completed. Then in the summer of 2026, the race to having a new stadium by 2028 would be underway.

"It will be a challenge. The developer has indicated that, but they're going to do their best to make that," Sadayasu said of the target date of 2028.

Aloha Stadium 052925

<title>Aloha Stadium inches closer to demolition</title>

Demolition of the current stadium is projected to begin in August and take 10 months. A demolition permit was filed on May 23.

Aloha Stadium inches closer to demolition

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

Columnists

, Antionette Withington wrote about an interview with a man named George. She didn’t give a last name, but she stated that in his younger days, old George was an interpreter in King Kalākaua’s court. Everyone who knew George highly respected his experience and opinions.

In the interview, George said he saw a procession of ghosts when walking home in Waikīkī. It was early in the evening, just as the sky began to get dark, and he was alone. He said he saw a strange cloud of dust ahead of him, but it was silvery. Looking up, he saw just a sliver of a new moon, so he knew it wasn’t the moon that caused the dusty cloud to shine.

As he watched the cloud, he began to see figures of people, and he knew it must have been the huaka‘i pō, the night marchers, on their way to the old heiau on the slopes of Diamond Head. He crouched beside a boulder so the figures couldn’t see him. At first, all was silent as he watched the crowd of people, both young and old, walk toward the heiau. Then he heard the drums.

Standing as a sentinel at the far end of Waikīkī, Lē‘ahi is an iconic landmark that draws up to 3,000 daily visitors. Postcards, travel articles, and movies are plastered with the volcanic tuff cone’s silhouette whenever an image is needed to invoke the tropical allure of Hawaii’s sun-kissed shores. The mountain was once compared to the lae (brow) of the ‘ahi (yellowfin tuna) by Pele’s sister, Hi‘iaka, giving it the original name, Lae‘ahi. The distinctive mountain formation was later called Lē‘ahi.

Around the turn of the 19th century, Western explorers found shiny crystals in the rocks at the base of the mountain and believed they had found diamonds. As it turned out, they found calcite crystals of no value, but Diamond Head became the dormant volcano’s common nickname.

On the slopes of Lē‘ahi sat Papa‘ena‘ena, a heiau of po‘okanaka class (at which ancient Hawaiians offered human sacrifices). Papa‘ena‘ena heiau was once Kamehameha’s sacrificial temple dedicated to his war god, Kūka‘ilimoku.

Probably the last human sacrifice held at Papa‘ena‘ena Heiau was that of Kanihonui, Kamehameha’s nephew, who was hanai (adopted) to Kamehameha and Ka‘ahumanu. Historical accounts say that Ka‘ahumanu seduced the handsome 19-year-old, and when Kamehameha found out about their affair, he had no choice but to make an example of the young man.

After the fall of the kapu system, Papa‘ena‘ena heiau was destroyed. The property changed hands a few times before finally coming into the hands of Walter F. Dillingham, who built a home in the style of a villa he admired in Tuscany and named it La Pietra. After his death, the property was sold and is now La Pietra Hawai‘i School for Girls. But the mana of the past remains.

The building and dedication of a heiau involves a great deal of ceremony and protocol, which included long processions of men bound by strict kapu going to and from the heiau. During sacred ceremonies throughout the year, when the moon was in a particular phase and the ho‘ailona (signs) were affirmative, the men would march, sometimes carrying their ali‘i (chiefs) in a mānele (palanquin). The kapu of these marches was so severe that when the procession would pass, everyone in the vicinity would lie prostrate, ensuring their gaze did not fall upon the passing ali‘i. The punishment for breaking the strict kapu was a swift death. These processions are the basis of the legend of the huaka‘i pō, in which the warriors carry on in death the duties they performed in life.

The legend of Hawaii’s night marchers has endured over time, and the ghostly procession is still seen today all around the islands, even at Lē‘ahi.

In 2019, we hosted an evening picnic at Kapi‘olani Park. We ate, laughed, and shared ghost stories as our family and friends gathered near the bandstand. Later, I took about half of our group on a mini tour to a few spooky places in the immediate area. We walked to a group of three trees that seemed to hold the negative energy of past unfortunate events. I talked about how some unseen force attacked former police officers and literally dumped them out of their Cushman carts.

We walked along Kalākaua Avenue, and I pointed across the street where the Castle Estate used to be. I shared with my friends that in 1901, when workers were digging for a sewage system, they made a gruesome discovery. Ancient bones lay just a few feet below the sandy surface. In a three hundred foot long trench of four feet deep and less than two feet wide, over a dozen skeletons were found. Historians of the time believed that the bones must have been those of warriors, as some skeletons were six feet long. When I finished the story, I turned toward Lē‘ahi, and the group followed suit.

[{"type":"text","text":"Suddenly, someone shouted, “Look!”"}]

About twenty of us stood there in awe and wonder as we watched what appeared to be a line of torch lights coming down diagonally from the top of Lē‘ahi ridge to the base of the mountain, right near La Pietra school. For nearly a minute, no one spoke. We all just stared. A few people tried to take photos with their phones, but it was dark and the images were unclear.

Did we go closer to investigate? Of course not… my mother taught me better than that. But as a group, we collectively decided it was time to go home.

Diamond Head Evening

<title>Strange occurrences at Diamond Head</title>

The legend of Hawaii’s night marchers has endured over time, and the ghostly procession is still seen today all around the islands, even at Lē‘ahi, the Hawaiian name for Diamond Head.

Strange occurrences at Diamond Head

Lot Kapuāiwa Kalanikupuapaikalaninui Kalanimakua Ali‘iōlani, grandson of King Kamehameha I, ascended the throne in 1863 following the death of his brother. As King Kamehameha V, he dedicated his reign to strengthening the Hawaiian Kingdom, preserving its sovereignty, uplifting its people, and bolstering its economy.

At the time, Hawaii’s government offices were scattered throughout Honolulu, making administration difficult. By 1866, the need for a centralized government building was clear. Although the legislature appropriated funds toward building a new palace and a new government building, delays shifted priorities. The plans for a palace were repurposed to construct the government building instead.

As Kamehameha V was a proud member of the Hawaiian Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Honolulu, construction of the new government building began on February 19, 1872 with the laying of the cornerstone with full Masonic rites. Sadly, the King would not live to see its completion. In honor of his vision and legacy, the structure was named Ali‘iōlani Hale, the house of Heavenly Kings, by King Kalākaua.

Upon its completion in 1874, the massive concrete structure was among the grandest and most imposing ever built in Hawai‘i. The building housed the legislature, the judiciary, the law library, and the first National Museum in the Kingdom. Over decades, it became the backdrop for defining moments in Hawaiian history. Standing silently in the center of town, it oversaw the Wilcox insurrection, the overthrow of the monarchy, and landmark trials such as the Myles Fukunaga and the Thalia Massie cases. It even faced demolition in the 1930s to make way for a new Judiciary Building. Fortunately, it was preserved for its historical significance, and the stately building remained a symbol of Hawaii’s legal and cultural heritage.

, you will find the Supreme Court of the State of Hawai‘i, a law library, the court administration offices, and the Judiciary History Center. Having just celebrated its 150th birthday, the building serves a monument to the evolution of law in the Hawaiian Islands.

Beyond its architectural grandeur and historical legacy, Ali‘iōlani Hale still carries the emotional residue of the past and the people who walked its halls. Some people believe lingering energies like these echo through time, creating a psychic imprint.

Over a century and a half, this grand building has witnessed political struggles, passionate testimonies, and life-altering decisions. These emotional extremes don’t simply fade away, they saturate the environment, leaving behind a subtle feeling like an ionic charge that some individuals can still sense.

At one time, we were privileged enough to host evening programs inside Ali‘iōlani Hale. We’ve been told that inexplicable events are common in the building: eerie sounds and whispers, unexplained shadows, and the like. We wondered if the psychic imprint of the past is affecting the present. We intended to explore and attempt to capture the metaphysical residue of more than a hundred years of intense and often overwhelming emotions.

On a sunny summer afternoon, my wife and I arrived to fill out the application and make arrangements for our event. We passed through the security checkpoint and waited for our meeting in the rotunda, but my wife had to step away for a bit. The executive director of the Judiciary History Center met me near the museum. I followed him to his office outside the main doors at the end of the Diamond Head lānai. My wife called me, and I explained where we were, and she came to meet us in the office.

When she arrived, she looked very confused. Her eyes darted around the room filled with books, and then settled on me and the executive director standing there.

[{"type":"text","text":"“Where is everyone?” she asked."}]

I had no idea who she was talking about since the director and I were the only people in the office, “Where is who?”

“When you answered, it sounded like there were dozens of people all around you. It didn’t even take me a whole minute to get here.”

The director looked as puzzled as I felt, “No one was here, it’s just the two of us.”

My wife rubbed the chicken skin on her arms and explained, “I kept asking ‘what?’ because I couldn’t hear you. It sounded like so many people were talking and trying to talk over each other. It wasn’t traffic or mechanical sounds, it was 

She smiled at the oddity of it, but was sad that she didn’t think right away to try to record the sounds. We all chuckled a bit and then continued our business. Just another funny occurrence in Ali‘iōlani Hale.

A few weeks later, we stood with our group outside the tall double doors of the Supreme Court building in the heat of a summer evening, just before sunset. A cool wind embraced us as we prepared to enter the building. The anticipation and excitement were tangible.

I sat the group in the courtroom museum, which was designed to look like it did in 1913. Our guests explored the room, taking in the atmosphere. Some took the opportunity to sit in the jury box, while others sat in the gallery.

There, I began to recount the details of the 

. It was full of dramatic twists and turns, high emotions, and inconsistencies in Thalia Massie’s story that she had been attacked by five local boys. After just three weeks, the trial ended abruptly with a deadlocked jury. Then, I explained the tragic aftermath in Massieʻs relatives kidnapped and murdered of one of the five defendants, young Joseph Kahahawai. During that time in Hawai‘i, racial tensions were at a boiling point, and the events surrounding the case exposed deep divisions within the community. They, in turn, were put on trial.

When I finished explaining the case, we walked to the back of the foyer. When they were all seated on the wooden benches that lined the walls, I instructed everyone to set their phones on video or audio recording. I asked several questions out loud, inviting any spirits that might be present to communicate with us. After I gave everyone a few moments to review their recordings, an older Hawaiian woman called me over.

She replayed her recording, and I heard my last question repeated, “If spirits from the Massie trial are present, please come forward and identify any living descendants in our group.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Then, a second later, we heard a distinctly male voice say, “Nani.”"}]

“My papa,” she said, “Always called me Nani. His name was John Clooney. He was Horace Ida’s arresting officer in the Massie trial. My papa said those boys were set up. They were never guilty of hurting that woman.”

We had done what we intended, to explore and capture the metaphysical residue of the intense emotions of one of Hawai‘i’s most notorious criminal cases.

Whether you believe in the metaphysical or not, it’s hard to stand inside Aliʻiolani Hale without sensing the weight of its past. A quiet, almost unspoken energy in its halls and courtrooms suggests the building remembers more than just its physical history.

Adopt-a-Pet Maui June 5, 2025: Kahe just wants to be part of a family where he can give all his love

ASD Staff

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Adopt-a-Pet Maui June 5, 2025: Kahe just wants to be part of a family where he can give all his love

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