Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

B.J. Penn was arrested again on the Big Island on Thursday morning, continuing his 

[{"type":"text","text":"Hawai‘i Island police arrested Penn for violating a restraining order. "}]

"Upon responding to the area of Pu‘u‘eo Street in Hilo at 11:15 a.m. Thursday morning to investigate a report, officers learned that Penn had entered within a residence, violating the terms of a temporary restraining order in which Penn is the respondent," the Hawai‘i Police Department posted on its official Instagram account. 

Penn's mother, Lorraine Shin, filed a temporary restraining order against him in late May. 

Penn was arrested on May 25 and 26 on charges that stemmed from abuse of a household or family member. He was then arrested on May 31 after failing to appear in court. 

Thursday's arrest marked the fourth arrest in three weeks for Penn. 

According to court documents, Shin believes Penn suffers from 

Capgras delusion. Cleveland Clinic defines Capgas delusion, or Capgras syndrome, as "a 

type of delusional misidentification syndrome. You believe a family member or close friend is an imposter. Certain neurological conditions or mental health conditions increase risk of Capgras syndrome. Treatment includes antipsychotic medication and managing the underlying condition."

Penn's personal Instagram account contains multiple posts where he is accusing his mother of not being the real Lorraine Shin. 

Penn continues to post from his Instagram account on a regular basis. 

BJ Penn 052725 16x9

<title>B.J. Penn arrested again amid ongoing family issues</title>

Penn was arrested on Thursday morning for violating a temporary restraining order.

B.J. Penn arrested again amid ongoing family issues

B.J. Penn was arrested again on the Big Island on Thursday morning, continuing his string of recent legal troubles.  Hawai‘i Island police arrested Penn for violating a restraining order.  "Upon responding to the area of Pu‘u‘eo Street in Hilo at 11:15 a.m. Thursday morning to investigate a report, officers learned that Penn had entered within a residence, violating the terms of a temporary restraining order in which Penn is the respondent," the Hawai‘i Police Department posted on its official Instagram account.  Penn's mother, Lorraine Shin, filed a temporary restraining order against him in late May.  Penn was arrested on May 25 and 26 on charges that stemmed from abuse of a household or family member. He was then arrested on May 31 after failing to appear in court.  Thursday's arrest marked the fourth arrest in three weeks for Penn.  According to court documents, Shin believes Penn suffers from Capgras delusion. Cleveland Clinic defines Capgas delusion, or Capgras syndrome, as "a type of delusional misidentification syndrome. You believe a family member or close friend is an imposter. Certain neurological conditions or mental health conditions increase risk of Capgras syndrome. Treatment includes antipsychotic medication and managing the underlying condition." Penn's personal Instagram account contains multiple posts where he is accusing his mother of not being the real Lorraine Shin.  Penn continues to post from his Instagram account on a regular basis. 

"Warriors Don't Bully" event at Hawai‘i Elite MMA

 served as a gathering for some of the state's most prominent mixed martial arts figures. 

Fighters and coaches came together to instruct approximately 54 children on a bevy of self-defense techniques in response to a viral bullying incident that occurred in Wahiawā. 

Throughout the course of the three-hour event, instructors at the event stressed concepts such as diffusing a situation and running away from a dangerous occurrence if possible, especially if one is outnumbered. 

Taking care of one's health, both physical and mental, was also a topic touched on by fighters present at the event. Former UFC fighter Martin Day, for example, said he hopes the keiki present integrate some sort of consistent training into their lives in order to develop discipline and self-confidence. 

Former and current UFC fighters were at the event. So were former champions, such as former Bellator flyweight champion Ilima-Lei Macfarlane. Macfarlane, who flew in from her residence in California to organize the event, rounded up some of the biggest names in the sport, past and present, to come together for a cause that resonated with many.

One name that would have fit the description if not for legal struggles was Hawai‘i native B.J. Penn, viewed as perhaps the most influential figure in the history of Hawai‘i MMA. Penn, 46, was a UFC champion at welterweight and lightweight, just the second person in the organization's history to become a champion in two different weight classes behind Randy Couture. The UFC has opened four UFC B.J. Penn Gyms in O‘ahu, as well as an additional B.J. Penn Gym in Hilo. 

Penn's last victory in the UFC came against Matt Hughes at UFC 123 on Nov. 20, 2010. His career ended with a draw against Jon Fitch on Feb. 27, 2011, followed by a string of seven consecutive losses, the most recent to Clay Guida at UFC 237 on May 11, 2019. 

Penn has had legal struggles dating back to the time he was still with the UFC. In 2015, he was arrested in Kihei after fighting another man outside of a bar. In 2019, his former partner 

Shealen Uaiwa filed a restraining order against him. That same year, he also fought a bouncer outside of a Honolulu strip club and was involved in a bar brawl in 

Pāhoa. In 2021, he was changed with a DUI in Honoka‘a. 

Penn's most recent legal troubles saw him get arrested three times in the span of six days in May. He claimed on his personal Instagram account that family members of his had been killed and replaced by imposters. Penn was arrested on May 25 and 26 on charges that stemmed from abuse of a household or family member. Penn's mother, Lorraine Shin, filed a temporary restraining order against him. Penn was arrested again on May 31 after failing to appear in court. 

State court records show that a Hilo family court judge extended a protective order against Penn until Nov. 23. He is scheduled to appear in court on June 24. Penn was also sued — successfully — by Kealii Bertelmann in a civil case over accusations Penn made that Bertelmann had stolen from Lahaina fire victims, impersonated Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green, and more, according to online records and 

In light of B.J. Penn's legal struggles, Aloha State Daily asked a handful of fighters at Sunday's Warriors Don't Bully event about their thoughts on what Penn is going through. Each fighter voiced genuine concern towards Penn while expressing the desire that he gets help. Below are their answers in full:

[{"type":"text","text":"Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, former Bellator champion:"}]

"Oh my gosh, braddah B.J. I mean, it's sad, and I think that as much as we love fighting, I think all the other fighters in the room today can attest to this, but as much as we love the sport, we do need to protect our health, and not just our physical health, but our brain health, our mental health. It's a tough sport and that's one of the big reasons why I wanted to retire sooner than later. It's because we have to protect our brains. I think that in B.J.'s case, I'm no doctor or expert, but I'm pretty sure there is some combination of CTE involved, and I'm hoping that he's able to get treatment, and I'm hoping, too, that the UFC is able to provide some kind of, you know, as fighters, there's no union. We don't get health insurance. There's no promotion that offers health insurance or medical benefits or anything like that, which is sad, because, again, we're sacrificing. We're literally putting our lives on the line to step inside that cage. So, I really hope that the UFC steps up and they come and help B.J., somebody who's made literally millions of dollars for their promotion and has contributed a lot to the fight sport. I really hope that they step up and they get him some help. And I hope that maybe this is a wake-up call for other fighters that we really need to take care of our brains."

[{"type":"text","text":"Brad Tavares, current UFC middleweight:"}]

"That's another situation that breaks my heart, because I've known B.J. for years. He's a really solid dude. I feel like I kind of seen it a while ago, and at first when he started making weird posts, I don't think the majority of people really was keen to it. But then I think when the focus started shifting to close friends and family of his, I think then people started really paying attention, like, oh, something is wrong there. But I've been praying for him. And I mean, I feel like right now that's all we can do, is just pray for him. Continue to pray for the Penn ‘ohana, and I just hope that he gets whatever help or whatever it is that he needs, because like I said, I've known him for years, always been a good, solid dude, probably one of the the greatest fighters to ever come out of Hawai‘i, as one of those guys that we all looked up that made an impact on our lives, so just wishing the best for him and his family."

[{"type":"text","text":"Martin Day, former UFC bantamweight:"}]

"B.J. is a personal friend of mine, my heart goes out to him and his family. I really hope and pray that B.J. gets the help that it looks like he needs. I mean, shoot, if B.J. hears this, or family hears this, I just I pray for that guy, and I wish him the best, and I hope he can take care of whatever it is going on with him, because he's loved by many. I mean, one of the inspirations that I had coming up as a fighter, and not just a fighter, but just a person in general in Hawai‘i. So much love for that guy, not just for me, but from the entire state of Hawai‘i and the whole world. So, I wish him the best, and if he needs anything, or family needs anything, I'm happy to help."

[{"type":"text","text":"Yancy Medeiros, current Bellator and former UFC fighter:"}]

"B.J. Penn is my friend. For one thing, he's always seeing things a different way from everyone else, and whether it's something true or not, I hope he finds the help he needs, because he's still my friend. People go through hardships and have hard times, and I don't know what's really going on, because I've only seen what the media approach is, but I know him personally, and I just hope that he's around the right people to help him make the righteous choices. It's not about right and wrong, it's what is righteous, what is the right thing to do, and all I can do is be there for B.J. I hope that he can find the peace and grace with his family and what's going on and he can see what truths he has to see. Because I don't know, I'm not there. I cannot judge him, but I do know him on a personal level, and I've always felt he was good to me and true and real. He was always real with me, so I'm not judging him for what he's going through. I just hope that he finds peace and closure and grace with whoever's around him and it gets to a healthy situation. I just see drama and politics, and that's not what I want to entertain. It's unfortunate. I hope things get better. Who am I to judge him? I don't know. I'm not living his life, you know? I just really think, I really hope, because he's my friend, that things get better for him. Whoever's right and wrong is just, I think about his kids. I think about his family, that's the ones you really gotta think about and I hope that they find a good closure to what's going on."

<title>Hawai‘i MMA fighters express concern toward B.J. Penn amid legal troubles</title>

Penn, one of the most influential mixed martial artists in the state's history, was arrested three times in a span of six days in late May.

Hawai‘i MMA fighters express concern toward B.J. Penn amid legal troubles

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 is back — well, sort of. The biz just launched its new burger concept, 

, which is still in Kaimukī — specifically in the former Hokkaido Ramen spot at 1108 12th Ave.

The biz announced its June 9 soft opening via 

, and the community showed up to support. We got there on the second day of soft opening around 11:40 a.m., and there was already a line outside the burger spot.

Note: Boarded Up will announce its hours for the day via social media; for the past two days, the biz has been open from 12 to 9 p.m. or until sold out.

[{"type":"text","text":"So, here’s what you need to know:"}]

Right now, only in-person ordering is accepted (no online ordering yet). When we stood in line, we were given a menu to look at. The menu is currently more limited and different from the one from Chubbies Burgers, but you’ll find some familiar flavors.

While there are a few tables for dine-in inside Boarded Up, the spot is more conducive to takeout. There are a few tables outside the eatery as well.

You’ll still find sides like Chubbies signature crinkle-cut fries ($5), which are always crispy and cooked with 100% trans-fat free, highly sustainable rice bran oil. Eating them was like greeting a long-lost friend — just as good, if not better, than what you remembered. Some fries are worth standing in line for.

If you want to take your fries to the next level, you can add a sauce for $1 more. Choose from 1950 sauce, garlic sesame aioli or Carolina Dijonnaise; the latter comes highly recommended. It reminded us of creamy Thousand Island and was positively addictive.  

You could also opt to bring the heat to your meal with spicy garlic fries ($8), complete with Spicy Nashville sauce, fresh garlic and garlic-sesame aioli.

All burgers come on soft potato buns — featuring Chubbies’ house recipe — that are baked fresh locally. You can opt for a single ($8-$10) or double ($12-$14).

There are currently four burger options — O.P. style, Carolina onion, The 1950 and a cheeseburger.

If you’ve been craving a Chubbies’ smashburger since the eatery closed in its original Kaimukī spot on Feb. 1, go for The 1950 ($10), which is described on the menu as “the bad boy version of a Chubbies’ classic.”

The smashed beef patty is topped with American cheese, housemade red onion relish, shredded lettuce, tomato and 1950 sauce. It’s simple, flavorful and comforting. The smashburger still boasts that signature, crispy, caramelized crust and flavorful patty that the eatery is known for.

If you want something with more texture, opt for the O.P. Style — smashed beef patty with American cheese, grilled onions, housemade hot pickles and garlic-sesame aioli — or Carolina Onion, complete with thin-sliced griddled onions.

When it comes to pucker power, this lemonade ($5) delivers. Cold and sour, it was refreshing after a savory burger — but if you’re on the fence about tart flavors, you might want to get the POG lemonade instead.

I was craving a Ghirardelli chocolate milkshake ($8), but alas, it wasn’t available during my visit. Neither were Chubbies new premium vanilla soft serve or Cali fries (topped with American cheese, grilled onions, 1950 sauce and diced pickles), which will be coming soon to the menu … and gives me another excuse to go back.

Boarded Up sign 061125

<title>Chubbies Hawaiʻi is back as Boarded Up Burgers</title>

The new smashburger concept soft opened in the former Hokkaido Ramen spot with a revamped menu and support from the Kaimukī community.

Chubbies Hawaiʻi is back as Boarded Up Burgers

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Entertainment

Arts & Culture

With big brown eyes and golden fur, Badger, the dog, just made her debut in the movie business with an appearance in Disney’s live action movie “Lilo & Stitch.”

She is one of many dogs that animal trainer Sue Chipperton has prepared for scenes on the big screen. The movie, which debuted in theaters on Friday, May 23, also features Chipperton’s chickens, goats, and some of her other dogs. Badger plays the friendly pooch who teaches the movie’s star blue alien, Stitch, how to act like a dog so he can find a home with Lilo, who becomes his best friend.

“Stitch is looking around to try and figure out how to fit in and what he needs to do to look normal as the dog,” Chipperton told Aloha State Daily.

He looks up and sees a shelter adoption poster with a dog hugging a human. Then, Stitch makes eye contact with Badger, who is barking. He retracts his antennas, and Badger —  who was just seven months old at the time — stops barking.

“That was her first time on set,” Chipperton said. “Your dogs have to be really stable, solid, outgoing, fearless dogs to be on a movie set, because there's so many crazy things going on. There's so many people — [and there’s] equipment.”

Also featured in the Disney movie are Chipperton’s chickens and goats. Chipperton wears a few different titles. She is an animal trainer and coordinator for movies like “Lilo & Stitch,” through her business 

. She has also trained animals for television shows, such as Hawaiʻi Five-0, Magnum, P.I., and NCIS: Hawaiʻi. She is a 

Chipperton previously spent more than 20 years working for Studio Animal Services, which keeps its animal stars on an eight-acre ranch just north of Los Angeles. In 2013, she was working in Hawaiʻi to train dogs for the movie, “Godzilla.” For other films, she has worked with horses, cats, mules, pigs, crabs, fish, pigeons and guinea pigs.

She eventually moved to Oʻahu in 2014. Following that, she trained animals for “Jurassic World.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Her favorite part of the job?"}]

“I mean — just being an animal trainer,” she said with a laugh. “I'm not working in an office all day long. It's always diff

Sue Chipperton

<title>This “Lilo & Stitch” movie star barks!</title>

The cast for Disney’s live action “Lilo & Stitch,” which launched, Friday, May 23, includes dogs, chickens and goats. Meet Hauʻula-based Sue Chipperton, the North Shore animal trainer who got them camera ready.

B.J. Penn arrested again amid ongoing family issues

Christian Shimabuku

Sports Reporter

More in Sports

Hawai‘i MMA fighters express concern toward B.J. Penn amid legal troubles

Standout quarterback Maika Eugenio set to return home after committing to University of Hawai‘i football team

Hawai‘i MMA community comes together for anti-bullying event

Citing spiritual connection, NBA champion Patty Mills named GM of Hawai‘i men's basketball team

Most read

B.J. Penn arrested again amid ongoing family issues

Authors

Christian Shimabuku

Sports Reporter

More in Sports

Hawai‘i MMA fighters express concern toward B.J. Penn amid legal troubles

Standout quarterback Maika Eugenio set to return home after committing to University of Hawai‘i football team

Hawai‘i MMA community comes together for anti-bullying event

Citing spiritual connection, NBA champion Patty Mills named GM of Hawai‘i men's basketball team

Most read