Square Kady Pascual Headshot RGZ5762

Kady Pascual

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"type":"text","text":"If you know, you know."}]

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Erwin paulino realtor TRAINING BRA

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Learning a new language</title>

Today’s social media find comes from @ erwin.paulino.realtor, with a local kine joke

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Learning a new language

If you know, you know.  Make sure you follow @erwin.paulino.realtor on Instagram!   For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter!

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

Columnists

 The official history of Freemasonry in Hawai‘i begins in 1843, when Joseph-Marie Le Tellier, captain of the French whaler 

, established Lodge Le Progres De L’oceanie, chartered under the auspices of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite under the Supreme Council of France. Lodge members consisted of mariners and business owners from Europe and America.

In 19th century Honolulu, joining the Freemasons meant far more than belonging to a private club. Freemasonry offered fellowship, a structured moral code, and a sense of belonging in a world so far from  home. Members could build networks of trust and cooperation with merchants, professionals and government officials, gaining both social standing and practical advantages. At the same time, the rituals and symbols of the lodge taught ideals of integrity, charity, and fraternity. For newcomers in a distant land like Hawai‘i, Masonic membership provided an instant community of brothers who spoke a common language of loyalty and shared values.

In time, the interest in Freemasonry in Hawai‘i reached the very highest ranks of society, with a few Hawaiian kings becoming members of the fraternity. The first Native Hawaiian raised in the brotherhood was Prince Lot Kapuāiwa, who later became King Kamehameha V. Prince Alexander Liholiho followed his brother into the craft, later becoming King Kamehameha IV. Several other ali‘i were raised as well, including King David Kalākaua, his brother Prince William Pitt Leleiohoku II, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole, and Prince David Kawānanakoa. Other notable Freemasons in Hawaiian government include John Owen Dominis, husband to Queen Lili‘uokalani, Archibald Cleghorn, father of Princess Ka‘iulani, and Governor Wallace R. Farrington.

Only Hawai‘i can claim to have had two monarchs who sat as masters of a Masonic lodge during their reign: King Kamehameha IV and King David Kalākaua.

In Honolulu, a number of prominent landmarks bear cornerstones set in place with full Masonic ritual and ceremony. Among them are the Kekuanaoa Building, better known as the Territorial Building, the stately Ali‘iōlani Hale that houses Hawai‘i’s State Supreme Court, Queen’s Hospital, and even the regal ‘Iolani Palace. For the Freemasons, such ceremonies were a way of imbuing stone and mortar with ideals of stability, morality, and permanence, linking the rising architecture of Honolulu with a tradition that stretched back centuries.

Though many of these buildings still stand as testaments to that legacy, the fraternity’s own gathering places were just as significant. Several spaces in Honolulu were home to Masonic Temples over the years until a cornerstone was laid at the corner of Makiki and Kinau Streets in 1937. Within the halls of Makiki Temple, solemn ceremonies unfolded, and secrets were carefully guarded behind closed doors. After decades of ritual, secrecy, and charged atmosphere, the very weight of those gatherings seemed to seep into the walls of the temple itself.

A few years ago, a chilling story began to circulate about a houseless man who, seeking warmth on a cold night, managed to slip inside the lodge building. Wandering through the building’s dark corridors, he found his way upstairs into a wide, windowless chamber. The air was still and heavy, but warmer than outside, so he lay down on the floor, exhausted and hungry, and drifted into uneasy sleep.

In the middle of the night, neighbors across the street awoke to bloodcurdling screams echoing through the darkness. They described the cries as raw terror, as though someone were fighting for their very life. When police arrived, they found the man pleading desperately for help. For some reason, he couldn’t open the doors to leave, so he tried to escape through a second-story window. There he was, halfway out the window, hanging on for dear life. The officers were forced to summon the lodge’s caretaker to gain entry.

Once upstairs, the police quickly arrested the man for trespassing, but what happened next unsettled even them. As they escorted him downstairs, they passed through the large dining hall. The caretaker flipped on the light, illuminating the walls, and there, lined from corner to corner, were black-and-white portraits of the past Masters of Hawai‘i’s lodges. Each man was dressed in their Masonic regalia, gazing sternly from their frame.

The houseless man froze in his tracks. His eyes widened, his face drained of color, and then he erupted into screams that filled the hall.

“That’s them! Those guys! They were walking in a circle around me, coming closer and closer… like they were gonna do something to me! That’s them, all of them! That’s them!”

Collectively, the officers dismissed his outburst as the ravings of a disturbed man. Yet one officer later admitted, almost reluctantly, that even with the dining room lights blazing, the room was darkly oppressive. He said it felt as if there was still life behind the watchful eyes in the portraits, and that the room held far more than the living men who stood inside it.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Makiki Masonic Temple Large

<title>Watchful eyes at Maikiki Temple</title>

Only Hawai‘i can claim to have had two monarchs who sat as masters of a Masonic lodge during their reign: King Kamehameha IV and King David Kalākaua. Freemasonry offered brotherhood and a moral code — and a sense of mystery, with a strange tale emerging about the Makiki Temple.

Watchful eyes at Maikiki Temple

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

MĀNOA — With barely any knowledge about how to speak English or how to kick a football, Japan native Kansei Matsuzawa moved to the United States when he was 21 years old with aspirations of becoming a college kicker. 

While on a trip to the continental United States, Matsuzawa watched an NFL game and knew he wanted to play the sport himself. Matsuzawa, who played soccer for 

Makuhari Sogo High School in Chiba, Japan, taught himself how to kick footballs via YouTube. Other YouTube videos aided in learning the language. While paying for Hocking College, a junior college in Ohio, Matsuzawa was so low on personal funds that he learned how to cut his own hair.

Matsuzawa, now 26 and in his second year as the starting kicker for the University of Hawai‘i football team, was one of the heroes of the team's 23-20 season-opening win over Stanford on Saturday afternoon at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. He made all three of his field goal attempts, including a 38-yarder as time expired. He also made both of his extra point attempts on Saturday, making himself a perfect 5-for-5 on kicks for the day.

Of all the things Matsuzawa has taught himself over the years, no tool proved to be more valuable on Saturday than the ability to move on to the next kick. 

At the end of one of UH's practices during 

, there was a competition that involved splitting the Rainbow Warriors into two teams. Players lined up on the hash marks, barking loudly at each other during some friendly banter. The final competition involved Matsuzawa and backup 

Sean Olvera-Harle alternating between 50-yard attempts from the right hash. The winner was decided by whoever would make the kick first. Matsuzawa missed three straight attempts, allowing 

Olvera-Harle to eventually nail the winning kick. 

When asked about that practice on Saturday, Matsuzawa said his confidence was never shaken from it. 

"All the coaches and the team (were) kind of worried about me, I think," Matsuzawa joked on Saturday. "But I never lose my confidence. It was like, after practice, my legs are already dead. ... But after (those) misses, it is what it is, and just I focused on like the next play, and I execute."

Later on, Matsuzawa was able to prove himself in scrimmages, where it became evident his teammates and coaches "still believe in me, and then I just believe myself," he said. 

Hawai‘i ultimately pulled out the victory on Saturday, a scenario that seemed unlikely during the team's putrid start.

Stanford's first drive took more than half of the first quarter. The Cardinal settled for a 22-yard field goal with 7:14 left in the first period. On the ensuing kickoff, Brandon White called a fair catch on a ball that already bounced, and Hawai‘i was forced to start from its own 1. Quarterback Micah Alejado was sacked on the first play for UH and fumbled, which was recovered in the end zone by Stanford's Wilfredo Aybar. Suddenly Stanford was up 10-0 with 7:08 left in the first quarter. 

Hawai‘i got on the board with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Alejado to Pofele Ashlock with 2:19 left in the first quarter, which was set up by a 30-yard run by Alejado deep into Stanford territory. Stanford lined up for a 34-yard field goal on its next possession, but it was blocked by UH defensive tackle 

Although the Rainbow Warriors appeared to settle down, Stanford added to its lead with 3:39 left in the second quarter on an Emmet Kenney field goal. UH took the lead at the end of the first half with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Alejado to Jackson Harris with 48 seconds left in the first half. 

On its first possession of the second half, 

 went down with an ankle injury, staying on the ground for a handful of minutes. The turnstile crowd of 13,368 at a sold-out Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex fell silent, a symbol of the hope having Alejado behind center represents. Backup quarterback 

 entered for one play, his lone pass attempt batted down by a Stanford defender. 

UH held a narrow 17-13 lead through three quarters, as a 40-yard Matsuzawa field goal was the lone score in the third for either team. Alejado continued to play, limping between plays. 

Stanford took a 20-17 lead in the fourth quarter with a 20-play drive that took 9:37 off the clock. 

Just as the Cardinal appeared prepared to deliver a knockout blow, Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen intercepted Stanford quarterback Ben Gulbrandon at the UH 31. Hawai‘i drove down the field promptly after that, tying the game on a 37-yard Matsuzawa field goal with 2:01 left.

Hawai‘i's defense continued to have its way with Gulbranson, forcing a three-and-out. After getting the ball back, Alejado calmly led the 'Bows back into field goal range. Stanford called a timeout in an attempt to freeze Matsuzawa, but he stayed composed as teammates nearby told him they were looking forward to exalting him as the game's hero. 

In the post-game press conference, Matsuzawa joked he was more nervous speaking to the media than he was lining up to kick Saturday's game-winner. 

"I'm kind of nervous right now, more than when I (kicked the) game-winning field goal," he said. "Speaking English is tough, but yeah, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the moment. And when we gave up the second touchdown to Stanford, then I was like, 'Oh, this is gonna be my game.' And I just prepared for the game-tying field goal and also game-winning field goal. I knew it was going to happen. ... Control what I can control. That's everything I do."

The Rainbow Warriors began Year 4 of the 

 era on a winning note, notching their first victory over a Power Conference member since 2019. Chang said the team's offseason preparation, from January to kickoff on Saturday, was the best it's been since his time at the helm. 

"They put in a lot of work this offseason to (win) these close games," Chang said. "We talk about these close games and being on the other side of them, and how we're going to get on the other side of them. Really early on...10-0, to sit here and say that we came back in a close three-point game, I mean, that's just resilience."

Chang credited the toughness of Alejado, who completed 27 of his 39 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions despite being a compromised version of himself in the second half. Alejado also totaled 36 rushing yards on 10 carries while getting sacked four times. 

Alejado, who exclusively hopped on his left leg in order to get to the postgame podium, said there was no question about finishing the game. 

"There wasn't really no need to talk my way back in," Alejado said. "I told the team before we came out, I'll die for them, and I know they would die for me. I truly live by that."

Next up for the Rainbow Warriors is a game at Arizona on Aug. 30. The game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. HST and will be televised on TNT. 

[{"type":"text","text":"\"I'll be good. I'll be back next week,\" Alejado said of his injury. "}]

In spite of the victory, the Rainbow Warriors acklowledged they missed opportunities within the game. 

"We kind of gave away 10 points there," Alejado said. "I gotta know that and have better ball security, so I take full accountability for that. The way we started off, it was bad on my part. But the defense kept rallying. Offense kept rallying. We had adversity, and we knew we were gonna come and hit adversity, and as a team, we were (better) for it. 

"All three phases were great. Special teams, a great blocked field goal, and then the Kansei big clutch field goals. He's a great guy. I love him. You know his underdog story, and he's showing who he is today."

After delivering a lasting memory for UH fans on Saturday, Matsuzawa hopes it wasn't the only one he'll provide throughout the course of his senior season. 

"I was really happy," he said. "It was a great moment in my life, but I know it's one of many."

Kansei Matsuzawa 082325

<title>Matsuzawa's perfect day leads Hawai‘i football to season-opening victory over Stanford</title>

The Japan native made all five of his kicks on Saturday, including a game-winning field goal as time expired.

Matsuzawa's perfect day leads Hawai‘i football to season-opening victory over Stanford

Another football season kicked off in the fall of 2024, Micah Alejado's first at the collegiate level as a true freshman at the University of Hawai‘i. For as long as Alejado could remember, game days were an opportunity for him to shine at quarterback. Yet in Hawai‘i's season opener against Delaware State, senior Brayden Schager got the expected start and led the Rainbow Warriors to victory. Alejado didn't see the field. 

The plan for Hawai‘i's coaching staff in 2024 was to have its seasoned senior in Schager hold on to the reigns. Meanwhile, Alejado could play up to four games and preserve a redshirt season. That meant Alejado would have to do something he hasn't done much of in his football career — he would have to wait his turn. 

During his high school days at Bishop Gorman, a powerhouse in Las Vegas, Alejado was a four-year starter. After fending off a late push from UNLV, Hawai‘i successfully got Alejado to enroll early in the spring of 2024. Being the Rainbow Warriors' quarterback of the future was a hard reality for someone who was used to being the quarterback of the present. But as steps into the role on a full-time basis in 2025, Alejado is grateful for the time he got to sit and learn. 

"When I grow up and get older, I'll look back at that time and think it was probably one of the greatest lessons of my life that I had to learn," Alejado recently told Aloha State Daily. "I was still growing and graduating early and leaving early. It was hard for me, for sure, not being able to finish out high school. But when I look back, I'm gonna value that a lot. It just taught me a lot as a person and helped me grow a lot as a person, spiritually and emotionally. 

"It was tough because I've been in the spotlight, and sitting back last year and having last year go the way it went, it was tough for everybody for sure, but I trusted God's plan. That's just how I go on about my day. So, I'm just thankful for the lessons that I've learned from last year."

Born and raised on O‘ahu, Alejado trained under renowned quarterback coach Vince Passas. A native of ‘Ewa Beach, he also spent time training with fellow southpaw Tua Tagovailoa and his father, Galu, at ‘Ewa Beach Community Park. 

"I've always wanted to be my own QB, but growing up, it was always Tua," Alejado said when asked if there's any players he modeled his game after. "The things he was doing in high school, and just being able to throw with him on the weekends and become close with their family, it just made me see how humble he is as a person, and see how he carried himself, that did inspire me a lot."

Alejado would spend time throwing to his brother, Noah, who also caught touchdown passes from Tagovailoa at the varsity level at Saint Louis. After making a name for himself on the youth circuit, the Alejados made the decision to move to Las Vegas. Instead of becoming the next great Saint Louis quarterback, it was up to Alejado to create his own legacy at Gorman. 

"At first it was hard because I was young and I still wasn't matured yet and didn't know how to think about it and stuff, but I was enjoying it at the same time," Alejado said of making the move to Las Vegas as a middle schooler. "Some days would be hard, just being homesick, and Hawai‘i was all I knew. But then over time, I just got more acclimated to Vegas and fell in love with it. Went through high school, made all my new friends, met a lot of people. So, I love Vegas. It was fun, and that's my home, too."

At Bishop Gorman, Alejado went 39-2 as the starter, passing for 9,233 yards, 125 touchdowns and just four interceptions. In his senior year, the Gaels went 11-0 as Alejado didn't throw a single interception. 

"I already knew he was different," said UH quarterbacks coach Chad Kapanui, who was also Alejado's quarterbacks coach at Gorman. "He carried himself like a real professional, especially at the high school level. He always wanted to watch film. He always had questions. At the same time, when we asked him questions, he already knew, and then he also asked the right questions to us, too.

"I guess you could say he's a hidden secret right now, but I think if you know Hawai‘i football, you know the quarterbacks throughout the years, and he's one of those guys that could build his own legacy here too at the same time. We're excited about him and we're hoping for a big year for him."

Because of his 5-foot-10 frame, Alejado didn't get the Power Four offers other players with his statistics may have garnered. Alejado appeared in four games in 2024, preserving his redshirt. After a knee injury to Schager, Alejado's lone start came in the team's season finale, a 38-30 win over New Mexico on Nov. 30. His numbers looked similar to his box scores at Bishop Gorman, completing 37 of his 57 passes for 469 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. The Rainbow Warriors finished 5-7, but Alejado's performance drew intrigue to followers of the program. 

From that day forward, Alejado has been the unofficial face of the program, making appearances at local events and buying meals for teammates with NIL money. Even during spring practices, coaches on the offensive side of the ball made the claim that the team belongs to Alejado. 

On Saturday, as the Rainbow Warriors kick off their 2025 season against Stanford at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, Alejado will become the first UH freshman to start a season opener at quarterback since Tyler Graunke in 2005. The game will also be televised nationally on CBS, a chance for country to get a closer look at the player that has piqued the interest of fans across the state. 

"It's not necessarily pressure, because we have everybody on the team having the same mindset and having the same goals and having the same ambitions to go win on Saturday," Alejado said. "It's more so passion that's gonna go into it when Saturdays come, because growing up, this is what I dreamed of. Being able to be a college starting quarterback and go play some games is amazing, and I'm truly blessed. And we're ready to go show out on Saturdays for the state."

Micah Alejado 082125

<title>Hawai‘i quarterback Micah Alejado steps into spotlight</title>

On Saturday, Alejado will become the first freshman to start a season opener at quarterback for UH since 2005.

Hawai‘i quarterback Micah Alejado steps into spotlight

Behind an ornate iron gate, adorned with gilded crowns and seals, lies Mauna ʻAla, the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaiʻi. It is the final resting place of kings, queens, princes, and princesses who once shaped the destiny of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Today, a weathered, old kamani tree stands as a guard just behind the gates, branches reaching low across the driveway, seeming to hold back unwanted visitors. The manicured lawns roll gently across the grounds, tended with care to preserve both their beauty and gravity. The sound of birdsong and the scent of flowers invoke a sense of calm and dignity.

But beneath the tranquility, the ‘āina, the land, whispers stories upon the breeze. These are tales of sacred duty, moonlit processions, and a people’s most profound respect for their ali‘i.

In the Hawaiian tradition, the iwi, the bones, of aliʻi were not merely human remains; they were vessels of mana, carrying one’s spiritual essence and power. To ensure that one’s enemies could not dishonor or desecrate one’s bones, or use the iwi for their own power, the highest priority lay in safeguarding them once the ali‘i has passed. Only a few people were chosen to carefully conceal the bones of an ali‘i, an action that was veiled in secrecy and strict protocol. This tradition continued even up to the death of King Kamehameha I.

After his death in 1819, his iwi were hidden in a secret location to protect his immense mana from falling into the wrong hands. According to oral tradition, the two brothers entrusted with this sacred responsibility were Ho‘olulu and Ulumaheihei, also known as Hoapili. Both were among Kamehameha’s closest advisors and companions, chosen because of their loyalty and courage. They carried out the secret ritual of concealing his bones, and the location of his final resting place remains one of the most closely guarded mysteries in Hawaiian history.

After Kamehameha’s death, the remains of Hawaii’s subsequent ali‘i rested at Pohukaina, a sacred royal burial site, off-limits to most people, on the grounds of ʻIolani Palace. By the mid-1800s, however, Pohukaina was becoming overcrowded. Western-style coffins took up more space than the traditional burials of earlier times. King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma envisioned a new resting place that would be both secure and fitting for the dignity of their ali‘i status. They chose a site in lush Nuʻuanu Valley, where cool mountain breezes and the sound of flowing water created a serene sanctuary. This place would be named Mauna ‘Ala.

In October 1865, the remains of 21 Ali‘i were transferred in a midnight ceremony from Pohukaina to Mauna ‘Ala. The quiet procession, lit by flickering kukui torches that cast long shadows, was flanked by the Royal Guard and led by kahu who knew the proper chants and prayers. Thousands of people accompanied the movement of their ali‘i as the silent march wound its way through the streets of Honolulu up into Nuʻuanu Valley. At the front walked King Kamehameha V himself, accompanied by his father, Governor Mataio Kekūanāoʻa, guiding the solemn parade on foot through the darkened streets.

When they reached Mauna ʻAla, the new mausoleum stood ready to accept its dignified occupants. As the caskets were placed inside, the torches were extinguished one by one until the valley was once again wrapped in darkness.

Mauna ‘Ala has a reverence about it. Whether you’re there day or night, there’s a constant haunting presence that is palpable.

Former Kahu of Mauna ‘Ala, William Kaihe‘ekai Maioho, affectionately called “Uncle Bill,” once told me that the kūpuna come out at night, and there were things he had to do to malama them. He never explained what he had to do. He never really said much more than that, but his smile shared volumes.

There’s a heaviness there that, if you’re open to it, will leave you in tears. But we don’t tell ghost stories here. There is no need because the place and the chicken skin you feel will tell you all you need to know. Here, we share the mo‘olelo of the ‘āina, of each of the ali‘i who lie in eternal repose here, of the kuleana shouldered by the one chosen to be kahu, the keeper of Mauna ‘Ala.

The kuleana of guarding ali‘i iwi did not end with the brothers Ho‘olulu and Hoapili. There have been keepers of Mauna ‘Ala since its inception. Up until 2024, the Kaihe‘ekai ‘ohana, lineal descendants of High Chief Ho‘olulu, have continued this sacred duty, serving as caretakers of Hawaii’s ali‘i. For seven generations, the Ho‘olulu family has preserved this tradition, ensuring that the resting places of Hawaii’s ali‘i remain protected, dignified, and treated with the reverence their mana deserves.

The stories of our ali‘i are never told with fear, but with reverence. For Hawaiians, the presence of the aliʻi is not something of which to be frightened. It is a reminder of the responsibility they carried, the sacrifices they made, and the enduring connection between the land, the people, and their leaders.

Mauna ʻAla is not just a cemetery. It is a place where history lives in stone and shadow, in lei placed gently at the tombs, in the quiet conversations between visitors and the spirits they honor. Descendants of the aliʻi still come to pay respects. Cultural practitioners visit to chant and offer hoʻokupu, gifts of lei, mele, or hula.

[{"type":"text","text":"The air here is different, thick with the weight of memory."}]

The name Mauna ʻAla means “Fragrant Hill,” and perhaps that is fitting. For though time and politics have changed the islands, the fragrance of respect, tradition, and aloha for our aliʻi still lingers here. If you come in the daytime, you’ll realize that chicken skin, those goosebumps that run up your back, are not caused by the wind.

And perhaps, if you find yourself walking past its gates on a moonlit night, you’ll remember that torchlit procession of long ago—the one that carried Hawaii’s rulers to their final home. The flames may be gone, but their light has never truly gone out.

Mauna ‘Ala is now managed by the State of Hawai‘i as a state monument. For information on visiting, click 

Mauna Ala Royal Mausoleum Large

<title>Ali‘i are ever-present at Mauna ‘Ala</title>

In October 1865, a solemn procession of ali‘i moved 21 sets of royal remains from the grounds of ‘Iolani Palace to a then-new final resting place in Nu‘uanu Valley, Mauna ‘Ala, the Royal Mausoleum.

Ali‘i are ever-present at Mauna ‘Ala

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Government & Politics

Construction of the third section of Honolulu's Skyline rail system has taken another step forward as transit officials ready for the second segment to open this fall.

A blessing and groundbreaking ceremony was held earlier this week at the future site of the 

Ka‘ākaukukui, or Civic Center, station in Kaka‘ako for the next phase of the project, the city center guideway and stations.

The CCGS project includes the construction of nearly three miles of elevated guideway and six rail stations, starting near the 

Kahauiki, or Middle Street Transit Center, station and ending at the the Civic Center station, just east of the intersection of Halekauwila and South streets, an announcement from HART, or 

the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, noted. Construction is expected to be finished by 2030.

The first part of the work will begin in the Iwilei area and includes drilling shafts for the columns that will support the guideway, the announcement noted, adding that working hours will span from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays as needed. HART officials say the hours, though, depend on where they're working.

HART — the public transit authority responsible for planning and building the rail system for the City and County of Honolulu —  

 for the design and construction of the CCGS project to Tutor Perini Corp. in August 2024.

CEO and Executive Director Lori Kahikina told Aloha State Daily Monday afternoon that reaching this point is "very meaningful for this team."

It's the second or third time that HART has tried to procure the last segment, she said, "and to finally actually do it, what a milestone it was for all of us."

Utility work for this segment of the rail has been underway for the last two years, but Kahikina said the hope is that the utilities will be finished in the Downtown Honolulu area by the end of the year and the Dillingham corridor by next summer.

"But soon you'll start to see the shafts being drilled and the columns coming up also before the end of the year," she says. 

"Then, once you start seeing the columns come up, of course then the guideway goes on top of that, but simultaneously, they'll start the stations," Kahikina continued. "So maybe in about two years, you'll see stations start to come up."

"Everything's going to be foundation work, then you'll just slowly start to see structure come up out of the ground," Deputy Project Director Matt Scanlon told ASD.

Kahikina says it's premature to talk about possible detours and general road closures, but she noted that the state Department of Transportation director had some "questions and concerns, so we want to see how can we change some of the maintenance and traffic to make sure we minimize the impact."

"We're not going to be able to eliminate it — it is a reality of construction — but hopefully it's not going to be as intrusive as Dillingham  ... . But [it's] a little bit premature to share how many lanes we're going to be closing and in what direction."

Anyone who's driven Dillingham Boulevard in recent years has witnessed the ongoing work that has shifted traffic patterns and caused delays.

Scanlon says that once contractors begin building the guideway, "they'll put down more of a permanent barrier."

On Dillingham, they'll largely be "building in the middle, so you'll see more of a fixed maintenance of traffic setup and then they'll just have an assembly line," he explained. "They'll start with the foundations and then the columns and they'll build the guideway, so it'll start to look like an assembly line going down the road and a little less haphazard than the utilities were, with cones moving around a lot."

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Segment Two"}]

 and spans just under 11 miles from East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium. This section includes the rail's first nine stations: K

aualakaʻi (East Kapolei), Keoneʻae (University of Hawai‘i-West Oʻahu), Honouliuli (Hoʻopili), Hōʻaeʻae (West Loch), Pouhala (Waipahu Transit Center), Hālaulani (Leeward Community College), Waiawa (Pearl Highlands), Kalauao (Pearlridge), and Hālawa (Aloha Stadium).

The second section, running 5.2 miles from Aloha Stadium to the Middle Street Transit Center, is on track to open in October.

This portion will add four more stations to the route: Pearl Harbor, the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Lagoon Drive and Middle Street.

Trial operations just began late last month and the safety certification is being done in coordination with city state and federal agencies, 

(Eastbound passengers take note: you have to exit the train at the Aloha Stadium station before it enters segment two. Once the train returns westbound to the station, you can board the train to continue your trip).

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced during his State of the City address in March this segment of Skyline would 

According to Kahikina, segment two is in "system demonstrations," which measures the train's service availability and evaluates its performance and reliability.

Tsuda said they need to reach a 30-day rolling average of 98.5% availability.

"Once we finish that, then we have met all the requirements and we can turn it over to DTS for revenue service," he says. "Right now, based on where we are, we are still on track for the Oct. 15 grand opening and then the 16th ... for passengers to ride."

HART also has to "safety certify the system," which will run concurrently with this demonstration, he noted.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Lessons learned"}]

What lessons have HART learned from earlier segments of the rail that they can use during the construction of the third?

[{"type":"text","text":"There's a whole list, Kahikina says."}]

"We've gone through a number of items as we finished off segment one and turned over to [Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services], and as DTS has been operating segment one, they've provided some lessons learned that we're implementing," Project Director Vance Tsuda told ASD.

Among the changes you might see include the canopies on the station platforms, he noted. For example, segment one and two have a tensile fabric canopy but segment three will have a more traditional metal roofing material.

Scanlon said, too, that the way the guideway is being built is also changing.

The first two segments have been constructed with "precast segmental construction," where individual segments, "almost like Lego pieces," were built off-site in West O‘ahu and trucked in, he explained. The segments were then assembled with an overhead gantry, or overhead suspended crane, and tensioned together.

"We're going to be building the city center with a more traditional pre-cast girder system," Scanlon continued.

Before, the stations were tired more to when the guideway came through, he says.

[{"type":"text","text":"\"We're building for the first time six stations at once.\""}]

Scanlon says that building the guideway and stations independently will allow the contractor to start the stations much sooner than in the first two segments, and will save both time and money.

More information about the rail project can be found at 

25 0227 CCGS Blessing Site 33

<title>HART breaks ground on next phase of Honolulu rail project</title>

A blessing and groundbreaking ceremony was held Aug. 11 at the future site of the Ka‘ākaukukui, or Civic Center, station in Kaka‘ako for the next phase of the project, the city center guideway and stations.

HART breaks ground on next phase of Honolulu rail project

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

A Hawai‘i lawmaker is attempting to halt ongoing mass layoffs at federal science agencies.

This year, the Donald Trump administration has laid off more than 3,000 employees at various agencies: 2,000 from NASA, 150 at the National Science Foundation, 800 at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and 70 at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

In response, Hawai‘i Sen. Mazie Hirono introduced four bills on Wednesday that would impose moratoria on further reductions of workforce at each of those agencies.

The bills are titled the “Saving NASA’s Workforce Act,” the “Saving NOAA’s Workforce Act,” and so on, and are all functionally identical, but with the names of the pertinent agencies swapped out as appropriate. Each bill stipulates that no workforce reductions for the agency can be made until the agency’s fiscal year 2026 budget is signed into law.

“Our federal science agencies do critical work to keep our communities safe, while also promoting and fostering innovation, conducting important research, and encouraging exploration in various fields,” Hirono said in a statement. “These reductions in our federal workforce will cause irreparable damage to this country and this regime’s blatant disregard for these agencies, as well as the well-being of the federal workers employed by them, is unacceptable.

Hirono co-introduced the bills with Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen, who said in a statement the layoffs are “threatening key engines of innovation that benefit the American people and our economy.”

[{"type":"text","text":"The bills await reading by the full Senate."}]

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Learning a new language

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

More in Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Use your head

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Hawaiian local album covers

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Get boogie with it

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Customer service in Hawaiʻi

Most read

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Learning a new language

Authors

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

More in Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Use your head

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Hawaiian local album covers

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Get boogie with it

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Customer service in Hawaiʻi

Most read