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Kady Pascual

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

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The Wild Kai Shaka Bus

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Shaka Smiles</title>

Today’s Social Media Find comes from @the_wild_kai, showing us that special moment when TheBus says mahalo.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Shaka Smiles

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Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Crime & Courts

A Wahiawā man is one of more than 400 U.S. veterans owed millions by Iran for injuries sustained during the War on Terror, a U.S. District Court has ruled.

Four hundred and twelve U.S. veterans and their families have successfully sued the Islamic Republic of Iran for the country’s involvement in state-sponsored terror attacks that led to injury or death among the U.S. Armed Forces in the Middle East.

Foreign countries are, for the most part, immune from lawsuits in U.S. courts under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. However, the FSIA has an exception: countries designated by the U.S. State Department as a state sponsor of terrorism are not immune to suits involving claims of injury or death caused by state-sponsored terrorist attacks.

Throughout the War on Terror — and, in fact, for decades prior — Iran has been alleged to support, train and finance various militant groups throughout the Middle East and beyond. This includes alleged ties to Al Qaeda and other groups in Iraq and Afghanistan that directly attacked U.S. troops.

One of those soldiers was current Wahiawā resident, Staff Sgt. Kurt Taito, who was in Tal Afar, in the northwestern region of Iraq, on May 16, 2005. His unit was occupying the second floor of a building to watch a nearby hospital, which was considered a hotspot for insurgent activity.

Taito was playing a card game with his comrades when a rocket-propelled grenade struck the building. The projectile entered the building through a second-floor window and exploded near a bathroom; Sgt. Jacob Simpson, who had left the game to use the restroom, was killed.

“Taito lost consciousness; he doesn’t remember how long,” said Doug Kreis, attorney for the plaintiffs. “He had a traumatic brain injury … he had vertigo. He still takes vertigo medications today.”

Furthermore, Taito’s close proximity to the blast led to hearing loss and tinnitus in both ears, Kreis said.

Ultimately, Taito’s physical injuries were less extreme than other plaintiffs in the case, some of whom suffered permanent paralysis, limb amputations or death during their deployments, Kreis said, adding that the psychological impacts were still severe: “A lot of anxiety, a lot of depression, PTSD.”

“The RPG attack in Tal Afar changed my life forever,” Taito told Aloha State Daily via email. “I internalized what I saw and experienced, but memories don’t end when you come home. I’ve rebuilt with the support of my family and fellow veterans."

As such, Iran is liable for compensatory damages in Taito’s case. Exactly how much is yet to be decided, something Kreis said will likely be determined in hearings next year.

Seven plaintiffs and their families were named as “bellwether plaintiffs,” whose cases were used to determine Iran’s culpability in the attacks for all 412 plaintiffs. On May 30, District Court of the District of Columbia issued a ruling, finding that Iran is not exempt from liability through the FSIA, and awarding damages ranging from $13 million to $99 million to the bellwether plaintiffs, for over $573 million in total.

However, no representative of Iran appeared in court, and Iran is unlikely to pay up directly. But Kreis said the damages will be paid through 

the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund

, a federal fund that has paid out more than $7 billion to victims since its establishment in 2015.

The USVSST Fund is supplied primarily through asset seizures, Kreis said. “Whether it’s bank funds, oil tankers that are seized and resold, whatever it is that the state department and U.S. government seizes from time to time, that money goes into the terrorism fund.”

Once the plaintiffs are awarded their judgment, the USVSST Fund will pay out 1% to 5% of that judgment each year, depending on how much money is in the fund, Kreis said. He added that he hopes more veterans and their families become aware of the fund and can file their own claims for damages.

“It sounds like a lot of money, but there is no amount of money they can repay and make these families whole,” Kreis said.

“Being part of this case is my way of standing up for others like me; keeping the fight alive; and remembering Sgt. Jacob Simpson,” Taito said via email. “It’s part of my healing, and my hope that more veterans get access to additional financial support they’ve earned after being injured in Iraq or Afghanistan in the War on Terror."

The court’s ruling comes at a time when Iran is, once again, the focal point of a potentially global conflict. After Israel’s June 13 “preemptive strike” on dozens of sites in Iran, the nation launched a retaliatory strike against Israel, escalating tensions throughout the region and eventually leading President Donald Trump to call for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” on June 17.

“Will the United States be pulled into the conflict is going to be a question,” Kreis said. “And we’re going to have potentially, initially marines and different support groups deployed, at least in the region, so that may mean, unfortunately, that there could be more claimants in the future.”

Taito Kurt A 2022 11 22 Uniform photo 2021 00774 16x9

<title>Wahiawā veteran wins lawsuit against Iran</title>

Staff Sgt. Kurt Taito one of 412 veterans to receive damages from Iran over injuries sustained during the War on Terror

Wahiawā veteran wins lawsuit against Iran

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Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

  — whose family of brands include Maui Gold Pineapple, Maui Pineapple Tour, Maui Pineapple Store, Maui Chocolate Tour, Lahaina Honey Company and Maui Farm Events —

 has recently expanded its executive leadership team.

Julie Strong has been named director of finance, a newly created role, while Edgar Cordero has been named general manager of Maui Gold Pineapple, the company said in a recent announcement. They started in their roles on May 5.

Cordero, who was formerly the Maui Gold farm manager, replaces former General Manager Rudy Balala who will now step into a new role as a full-time pineapple tour guide with Maui Pineapple Tour, the announcement noted.

Strong, who has more than 15 years of experience in senior financial roles, most recently was chief fiscal officer for 

In her new role, Strong will oversee budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting and strategic planning across the company's brands, the announcement noted.

Born in Rockford, Illinois, she moved to the Islands when she was 12 after her dad, who was active duty in the U.S. Navy, received orders to Barbers Point, Strong said in an emailed response to questions from Aloha State Daily. She spent the next two decades on O‘ahu before moving back to the Mainland, but ultimately returned to Hawai‘i and made Maui her home.

Farming has always been close to my heart. My grandfather was a corn and soybean farmer in Illinois, and I spent my childhood summers helping him in the fields or assisting my grandmother in her half-acre garden," she said. "After moving to ‘Ewa Beach in the early ’80s, I was surrounded by sugarcane and pineapple fields, landscapes that have since been replaced by homes and businesses. When I saw the opening for director of finance at the last locally owned pineapple farm in Hawai‘i, I knew I had to apply. It felt like an opportunity to reconnect with my roots and contribute to something meaningful."

Strong says her first priority in the new job is to "establish a solid financial foundation by creating comprehensive budgets and a clear financial plan."

Ultimately, though, she says, her goal is to help Maui Gold sustainably grow and expand, "ensuring a strong future for Hawai‘i’s last locally owned pineapple farm."

Meanwhile, Cordero joined Maui Gold nine months ago. Before that, he told ASD that he spent seven years as the farm operations lead for Bayer in Kīhei.

Cordero, who was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico, told ASD in an emailed response to questions that with a passion for both the ocean and agriculture, he earned a bachelor's degree in animal sciences from 

the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.

He began his career in agriculture with Dow AgroSciences in southern Puerto Rico but joined Monsanto three years later and moved to Maui in early 2014, he said.

"My time as a farm manager allowed me to gain an in-depth understanding of pineapple farm operations, from the field level to logistics," Cordero says. "The biggest difference in stepping into the GM role is the broader scope of responsibility. It requires more leadership, strategic planning and full accountability for all aspects of the business."

Cordero says that his top priorities in the new position are to "ensure a smooth transition, enhance sustainability practices, strengthen agronomic performance and maintain a strong focus on safety and regulatory compliance."

When asked about the challenges Maui Gold faces — and also what's good about business today — Cordero is succinct.

"Our biggest challenges are attracting the next generation of farm workers and upgrading our aging fleet of pineapple-specific equipment," he said. "On the positive side, we have a deeply experienced team and a strong commitment to preserving and growing the legacy of pineapple farming on Maui."

Hawai‘i Farm Project CEO John White said in the announcement that the company was excited to welcome the pair to their new roles.

“Their expertise will be instrumental as we strengthen our financial foundation and elevate our commitment to sustainable agritourism, ensuring the continued growth of our brands while honoring the communities we serve.” 

Hawaii farm project julie strong edgar cordero

<title>Hawai‘i Farm Project expands executive leadership team</title>

Julie Strong has been named to a newly created role, while Edgar Cordero is now the general manager of one of the company's most notable brands.

Hawai‘i Farm Project expands executive leadership team

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Christian Shimabuku

Sports

The Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League opened up minicamp on Maui on Tuesday, engaging in multiple community event and activations across the Valley Isle. 

After arriving on Maui on Monday, the Rams took the field at War Memorial Stadium on Tuesday in Wailuku. Star players such as quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Puka Nacua were present and greeted by fans.

"It feels like home," said Nacua, who has been on O‘ahu a handful of times as a player and special guest at the Polynesian Bowl. "As soon as we got off the plane, the first person, he gave me a big hug and he said, 'Oh, thank you so much for everything you do for the Polynesian community.' That's how I expected it to be: To have a warm welcome and a hug. I thought he was going to have a spam musubi, but it's alright."

Activities included a free flag football clinic for Maui youth, as well as a team practice. 

On Tuesday, it was also announced that the Rams, in collaboration with 

Hollman Lockers, plan to refurbish and renovate the locker rooms at Lahainaluna High School. 

The Rams will practice again on Wednesday in a session that is free. However, tickets are required for attendance. 

The Rams' week in Maui, also known as "Mauicamp," runs through Thursday, June 19. The Rams have supported the island of Maui ever since the 2023 Lahaina wildfires, printing Rams-themes "Malama Maui" T-shirts in which funds raised went toward wildfire relief. 

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<title>Los Angeles Rams open minicamp on Maui</title>

The Rams engaged in a bevy of community activations in the Valley Isle on Tuesday.

Los Angeles Rams open minicamp on Maui

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Katie Helland

Entertainment

Arts & Culture

Looking for some weekend fun? Aloha State Daily compiled this list of summer activities to entertain keiki and their families.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Friday, June 20"}]

Keiki can enjoy foam machines starting at 1 p.m. at 

n Kapolei. Access to bubbles is included with admission. Kamaʻāina tickets are $37.99. 

Broadway in Hawaiʻi is presenting the musical “Six,” which explores the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII. The musical won the 

for Best Original Score. The shows run through June 29 at Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall. There are 16 performances. Tickets start at $50. 

Enjoy alternative, rap, rhythm and blues, and reggae music at 3rd Space by Harbors Vintage, located at 1269 S. Beretania St., in Honolulu. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The event starts at 6 p.m. Featured headliners include Royce Fisherman, Joby!, Byeadd, Steven Kou, PK Dreamz, and Omnimadit. Tickets are $22. 

4.    “The Princess and the Iso Peanut.” 

Mānoa Valley Theater presents “The Princess and the Iso Peanut,” which explores what happens when a fairytale princess falls in love with a Japanese prince. This adaptation of the “The Princess and the Pea” is based on a book by Lisa Matsumoto. It is directed by Pat Fujioka with music directed by Roslyn Catracchia, and choreography by Ka'ohi Yojo Daniels and Ahnya Chang.

Tickets range from $25 - $47. Shows run Thursday to Sunday through July 6. 

5.    Inside the Exhibition: Mary Cassatt at Work.

 The Honolulu Museum of Art has a new exhibit featuring the work of impressionist artist Mary Cassatt. Called “Mary Cassatt at Work,” the exhibit runs through Oct. 21. Jennifer Thompson, Emily Beeny and Alejandra Rojas Silva, who a curators of the exhibit, will share some of the choices they made as it traveled from Philadelphia to San Francisco and now Honolulu. The event starts at 7 p.m. in the Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Museum of Art. 

Kumu Kahua Theatre presents “Ryan Okinaka’s The Golden Gays,” which is inspired by “The Golden Girls” and asks “What does it mean for a drag queen to be in their 70s, for a sexual player to keep up his game, for a divorced man to explore being gay for the first time, for a widower to date again?” according to the theater group’s website. Performances run Thursday to Sunday through June 29. General admission is $28. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Saturday, June 21"}]

Keiki petting zoo and Dive’n’ Movie Night. 

Enjoy a petting zoo and pony rides from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Wet ’n’ Wild Hawaiʻi in Kapolei. Featured animals include alpacas, miniature horses, donkeys, rabbits, chickens, goats and more. The water park will also host a Dive ’n’ Movie Night, with showings of the movie “Paddington in Peru” at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. The park has extended hours until 7 p.m. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Sunday, June 22"}]

Each Sunday, Henry Kapono and others play live music at Duke’s restaurant within the Outrigger Waikīkī Beach Resort. Music starts at 4 p.m. and goes until 6 p.m. on Sundays. Can’t make it in person? 

Know of an upcoming event that should be featured in the weekend guide? Email us.

<title>Eight things to do on Oʻahu: Friday, June 20, to Sunday, June 22</title>

Aloha State Daily rounded up some fun things to do this weekend. From live music for adults to a petting zoo and movies for keiki, here's what happening   on Oʻahu this Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Eight things to do on Oʻahu: Friday, June 20, to Sunday, June 22

Across the ever-changing world of collegiate sports, university alignment from the president on down is viewed as paramount to any successful program. 

Following a saga that began with the sudden removal of former University of Hawai‘i athletics director Craig Angelos on Nov. 19, 2024, the new leadership in place in Mānoa believes it has the alignment it's been seeking for over half a year. 

Angelos was the pick for former UH president David Lassner on May 12, 2023, then was officially voted in by the Board of Regents six days later. Lassner retired at the end of 2024, but not before removing Angelos from the position. Lois Manin had served as the acting UH-Mānoa athletics director since Dec. 2, 2024. 

Since Wendy Hensel began her tenure as the new University of Hawai‘i president on Jan. 1, the athletics director search was a subject she was asked frequently about publicly. In turn, Hensel continued to provide 

 in her first months on the job, originally stating that the new hire could be in place by August, if not sooner. 

unanimously approved by the Board of Regents 

as UH-Mānoa's new athletics director, confirming the choice Hensel publicly announced on June 5. His first official day is set for June 30. 

"We have to be in alignment for it to be a success, especially when every part is moving, not just for collegiate athletics, but for higher education at this moment. And so Matt and I talked, for example, [Monday] morning, about having him be part of the leadership team, not just the leader of athletics, so that he can be part of those conversations, and we can work across the university to really elevate both academics and athletics synergistically," Hensel said. 

"And so, I'm really excited about that. I've never been the person or leader that didn't understand the value of athletics to the university. It brings people to the front door. It gets them excited. It helps the engagement. I love it. I think you've seen me out there cheering for every sport that I can possibly attend, and I'm excited to keep doing with that."

Added Elliott, "[Hensel] has said from day one that she's looking for somebody to be her partner, I think the same way as a teammate, to be able to navigate this space together. You need alignment between your president and your athletics director, and then that brings in all the other constituents as well, right? Your regents, your governor, your mayor, your legislators, all those folks getting on the same page. But it certainly starts with her cabinet and the athletics director being on that same page."

During the search process, Hensel stressed the importance of having an athletics director with a true contract rather than an at-will agreement like Angelos had. Elliott's first day on the job will mark the first day of a five-year contract. His annual salary will be around $425,000.

Even after the hire was made official, Hensel says she found herself increasingly impressed by Elliott. 

"Matt is the full package. I've been teasing him that his nickname now is unicorn, after the 

 you all have published, but I think there's a lot of truth to that," Hensel said. "It's hard to find somebody who is both a strategic thought leader and deeply steeped in athletics and great with students and focusing on the student-athlete."

Elliott, 48, comes to UH with 13 years of experience as an administrator in UCLA's athletic department, where he is credited in helping the Bruins move from an unstable Pac-12 Conference to the Big Ten Conference, one of the top conferences in collegiate sports. 

Elliott recalls hearing from student-athletes at UCLA that they wanted more resources in a bevy of areas: Nutrition, mental health, academic support and travel. 

"All of that costs money, and the opportunity to go to the Big Ten represented a way to create some financial security, to create those resources, to be able to do those things, because you want to compete," he recalled. 

Along with USC, UCLA entered the Big Ten as fully vested members of the conference, while another pair of Pac-12 transplants in Oregon and Washington will receive half-shares until 2030. According to USA Today, the Big Ten pulled in $928 million in revenue in 2024. 

As it relates to his new gig, Hawai‘i is about to be a part of the next wave of college realignment, jumping from the Big West Conference to the Mountain West Conference as full-time members in the summer of 2026. 

"There's a 100% parallel situation were it carries over right now, whether it's the revenue sharing piece or whether it's moving to the Mountain West, we're going to do the same thing," Elliott said. "We're going to get ourselves ready so that we can make this transition and be there, that we can be successful. We're 

winning conference championships right now

. We're competing for national championships. 

"None of that should change because we're going into a new conference, and we should be the standard in that conference. That's our job. Our job is to be the best school we can be in the Mountain West and whoever we're competing against."

An independent audit at a Board of Regents meeting in December 2024 revealed that the UH athletics department had expenses of 

$59,858,160 and revenue of $57,738,306 from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. Meanwhile, UCLA's athletic department had $179.89 million in operating expenses in 2024, per the Los Angeles Times. 

How did Elliott respond when asked about the difference between UCLA and UH in terms of financial resources available?

"I just think it's all relative, right? We want to be the best possible school," Elliott said. "We want to excel at the highest level. ... I think you just look at what is your space. How do you use those resources the most effectively? A lot of the work that I want us to do over the course of the next year is, what does it mean to compete? Where are you doing in football? What does it mean to compete in basketball or baseball, or whatever the sport is at that Mountain West level? What are our peers doing? How are they investing in their student athletes? And that's the work, right? 

"If you can get yourself ready by understanding the background, then you put together your plan, and at the end of the day, you make it. You make do with what your resources are. But it's also my job as an athletic director to go out and grow that pool, right? I have to go out and I have to raise money, and our staff has to go out and raise money. We have to take advantage of corporate sponsorships. We have to sell tickets. All of those things can add to our budget. And then tell our story again, to this community, to our legislature, to our entire administration, our government, to say this is what you're investing in. This is why it's so important, because this place is everybody's team, right? If we can be successful, then everybody's successful, and everybody's a part of that. 

"So, that's the job. That's what we have to do. And we do it right now. We start right away."

Matt Elliott Wendy Hensel 061725

<title>New UH president and athletics director share vision of alignment</title>

Matt Elliott emerged as Wendy Hensel's pick for new UH AD after a monthslong nationwide search.

New UH president and athletics director share vision of alignment

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Aloha Spirit

Dakota Briley, 20, is "fighting for his life" at a Honolulu hospital in critical condition, according to a 

 identifying him as the pedestrian who was critically injured while on the side of Kamehameha Highway in Hale‘iwa on Saturday, June 14.

“Dakota was pinned between two vehicles and has sustained serious and extensive injuries to his body,” said fundraiser organizer Haunani Sullivan. “Dakota is suffering from multiple fractures in his legs, pelvis, ribs and skull. His spine has also endured unthinkable injuries.

, which said Saturday the investigation is ongoing, reported that “a vehicle operated by an 18-year-old male was traveling westbound on the highway and crossed into the eastbound lane and onto the eastbound shoulder, where it collided with a traffic sign and the pedestrian, who was standing on the shoulder next to the unoccupied vehicle.

 … The motorist and his 18-year-old female passenger were not injured.”

In just three days since the incident, more than 1,000 donations amounting to nearly $120,000, out of the $170,000 goal, had come in to help cover his medical expenses.

“For those of you who know the Briley ʻOhana, you know they are the salt of the earth, a family of great faith in God and have hearts of gold,” Sullivan said.

Briley, who lives on Oʻahu’s North Shore and frequents its beaches often to surf, is one of three sons of Pipeline surf icon 

His brother Ryder added, “At times, he appears as so solid, it's hard to handle, but I know that his stubbornness, strength and the fight he has in him is what is going to get him through this. We believe he will get through this.

“He has a lot more battles to fight through, and if anyone can do it, it's Dakota.”

Briley Ohana 16x9

<title>Dakota Briley, son of Big Wave surfer Shawn Briley, in critical condition after recent…</title>

A GoFundMe page identifies 20-year-old Dakota Briley as the pedestrian “pinned between two vehicles” on June 14 at Oʻahu’s North Shore. As of Tuesday, more than 1,000 donations amounting to nearly $120,000 have come in to help cover his medical expenses.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Shaka Smiles

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

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Authors

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

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