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Kady Pascual

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"I’d gladly take a bag of cone shells!"}]

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RonniAllegos sand dollars

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Sand dollars</title>

Today’s social media find comes from @RonniAllegos, with a different kind of currency.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Sand dollars

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Christian Shimabuku

Sports

The University of Hawai‘i football team finished spring practices in March without a permanent strength and conditioning coach, a role viewed as essential in the physical development of players, particularly in the offseason. 

Associate head coach Chris Brown assisted in the role in the interim while also leading the national search for role, a void left by former UH football strength coaches Ryan Ishihara and Kody Cooke. 

The search led UH to Bobby Thomas, who was living in Georgia at the time as the head strength and conditioning coach at Morehouse College, an NCAA Division II school in Atlanta. Thomas, who was also an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons from 2021 to 2023, was alerted of the Hawai‘i opening from former UH performance and sports scientist Trevor Short. Thomas and Short both attended Humboldt State. 

After Thomas had conversations with Brown, UH head coach Timmy Chang and general manager Matt Chon, he was completely sold on the job. Thomas decided to go all-in on the move, selling his house in Georgia. 

"They called and offered, and then from there, it's just, what do you do and how do you do it? Do you sell everything? You could ask a thousand different people, and you're gonna get a thousand different answers," Thomas told Aloha State Daily of the move. "It was chaotic. We were coming from Georgia at the time, so that's a long way to go."

Thomas initially moved to the Islands by himself while his wife and two young daughters stayed to finish out the school year. 

"I was out here for three months, and then they finished school. Once we were done, we went back, packed up the house, sold the house and then we came out here, and it's just been great."

Thomas' all-in attitude carries over to his players, where his booming voice is a constant in all phases of team practices. 

"The team, the staff, administration, the football players, everybody's just been very, very helpful and made this transition easy for us, and so we're super grateful, and we've really enjoyed everything. It's just a unique opportunity and one that you know you don't regret taking, and you know you just got to make the most of every situation. So, that's what we're here for."

In their first two full weeks of fall camp, the 

Rainbow Warriors have held practices in the late mornings and early afternoons

 in anticipation of their season opener against Stanford on Aug. 23 at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. The game kicks off at 1:30 p.m. 

"It is for a purpose. It is hard, it is demanding. There is a lot that goes into that," Thomas says of the sweat-filled practices. "Who are we going to be in times of adversity and how are we going to show up, and how are we going to rise up? We got to take advantage of the situation, especially going into week one. We get an opportunity to host somebody in this time. Why not take advantage of the environment and put ourselves in a position to be successful? 

"When you get into that heat and you get into a practice, two hours plus, where's your mentality at? Adversity is hitting. Where are you at? What's your mindset? How are you approaching it the day before, the morning before? I'm glad we were able to get the opportunity to do it, because it gives us an advantage going into week one, but also it's going to make us it's gonna make us tougher mentally and physically."

As rigorous as practices in the summer heat have been for the Rainbow Warriors, fall camp has pushed the 'Bows physically in a bevy of other ways. Led by Thomas, the team also has weightlifting sessions almost every day along with conditioning workouts. 

Because of variability of positions in football, each player on the roster has a different plan. Some are directed to lose weight, while others have been told to add muscle without losing speed. During practices, members of the team have also been seen in Kinexon vests, which are designed to track a variety of metrics, such as speed and heart rate. Players are also required to take ice baths to reduce inflammation and aid in recovery for the next set of workouts and practices. 

"Camp is a tough grind. There's a mental fatigue aspect to it and it's just, how do you respond to it? How do you adapt to it? You get new stressors, and then you adapt to it again," Thomas says. "The body weights, nutrition, and then hydration, how are we doing? What are guys looking like? And then recovery process, we're pushing guys into the cold tub. Everybody gets to see this stuff, the practice and what we're doing but we have our lifts, and we got to get those things in because we still have to maintain the strength that we've gotten throughout the summer.

"It creates a long day. We're no different than anybody else in the country, but it's the guys that are able to adapt and continue to keep pushing and pushing and not give in to that other guy on the side that's saying, 'Hey, you're tired, man, don't go hard today.' I keep preaching to these guys, if you can just stay consistent in your work, stay consistent in your recovery process and all those things, you're going to be successful."

Other stops in Thomas' career as a strength and conditioning coach include USC, Stanford, North Carolina State, Fresno Stare, Western Kentucky and South Dakota. Although he says he's entered rebuilding programs before, he doesn't view Hawai‘i as one of them. 

"Everything that I heard and seen is they came into a really, really tough situation, and for where this team is at now and what I'm coming into, it's just a testament to those coaches and those players that have had to grind," Thomas said. "The place that these players are in (physically), that's just a testament to the players and the coaches. I get to do the fun stuff and it's refreshing to come into a staff that has high standards and high expectations and discipline. 

"These guys have upheld the standards and the players, the leadership group, it's just a great group to work with. We're just super grateful and super appreciative, and I'm just glad that I got to come in and just be another resource for these guys to help them be successful and chase their dreams. I'm just excited to be here, and hopefully we can do some things to make this community proud and happy this year."

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Bobby Thomas 080125

<title>Hawai‘i football strength and conditioning coach Bobby Thomas goes all-in on new gig</title>

Thomas joined the program in March, moving to the Islands from Georgia.

Hawai‘i football strength and conditioning coach Bobby Thomas goes all-in on new gig

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

The Honolulu City Council postponed indefinitely a controversial housing proposal in Hale‘iwa on Wednesday.

Hale‘iwa residents have been incensed about a proposal by a company called Hale‘iwa Backyards LLC which would build a 150-unit affordable housing project on a 7.5-acre parcel alongside Joseph P. Leong Highway.

Each council and committee meeting about the company’s request for a boundary amendment to reclassify the parcel from the Agricultural District to the Urban District has been prefaced by hours of fervid testimony by residents about how the project will negatively impact the area.

On Wednesday, the Council met to hear the proposal on its third and final reading, and once again opponents gathered to oppose it. Many testifiers wore green shirts reading “keep country country,” and cheered each other on as they spoke against the project.

State Sen. Brenton Awa, who represents Hale‘iwa, called the project a “land flip” by investors who had purchased agricultural land and sat on it until they could get it rezoned and thereby increase its value.

Awa mentioned the Ho‘opili housing development in West O‘ahu, which was similarly built on formerly ag-zoned land. Previously, he said, that land was valued at $100,000 to $150,000 per acre, but after the rezone, “that one acre, you can fit about 20 homes in it and each of those homes are almost $1 million.

“What you get is generation wealth for investors and unaffordable housing for the rest of us,” Awa continued.

Barb Luke-Boe said the proposed development fails on three levels: safety, capacity and agriculture.

On the first level, Luke-Boe said last week’s tsunami alert was acutely felt in Hale‘iwa, where traffic ground to a standstill as people attempted to flee the inundation zone. Several testifiers said they took hours to travel no more than a five-minute drive, and that an additional 150 units will pack the streets even more.

By the same token, Luke-Boe and others said the town’s infrastructure — including its roads and wastewater treatment — are insufficient to the task of accommodating another 150 households.

And as for agriculture, Luke-Boe said Hawai‘i needs as much agricultural land as it can keep if it is to meet the mandates set by the 2021 Farm to School Program Bill, which requires that 30% of all food served in public schools consist of locally sourced products by 2030.

Resident Denise Antolini added that she believes the proposal is based on insufficient data. A traffic study used for the project, she said, is 10 years old and does not reflect the current state of the area.

“If you vote yes, it is a moment in history that cannot be reversed,” Antolini told the Council, a point that many other testifiers echoed.

Following public testimony, Council member Esther Kia‘āina — who represents Waimānalo, Kāne‘ohe, Kailua and other communities in northeast O‘ahu — moved to defer action on the proposal and send it back to the Council Committee on Zoning and Planning for further discussion.

Dawn Apuna, Director of the County Department of Planning and Permitting, told Kia‘āina that DPP could explore the possibility of acquiring the land for the city to determine a more appropriate use for it.

[{"type":"text","text":"The Council voted unanimously to defer the proposal."}]

“I think it’s historic,” Antolini later told Aloha State Daily. “We were on the precipice of an irreversible land use change. We were on the precipice of an urban future for this historic plantation land.”

Antolini acknowledged that the conflict has not ended, but hoped that Council’s willingness to pause and listen to community outcry will “provide a new pathway for new collaboration.”

[{"type":"text","text":"No representative of Hale‘iwa Backyards LLC spoke at the meeting."}]

Haleiwamap

<title>Council pumps the brakes on Hale‘iwa development</title>

Housing proposal in Hale‘iwa generates outcry once again.

Council pumps the brakes on Hale‘iwa development

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Business & Tourism

Aloha Spirit

 that Chuck E. Cheese at the Pearl City Shopping Center would close this month after more than 30 years in business.

Entertainment America Inc., dba Chuck E. Cheese, President Jodie Hasche confirmed with Aloha State Daily Wednesday that its last day in operation will be Saturday, Aug. 9.

The business plans to host a mahalo party from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 8.

“This special event is our way of saying thank you to the community that has supported us for the past 30 years,” Hasche told ASD by email. “We invite everyone to come celebrate with us, share memories and enjoy one last magical evening together."

Items from Chuck E. Cheese’s Pearl City location are up for auction online at 

Caring Transitions of Honolulu’s website

. Bidding ends Aug. 11, with item pickups scheduled for Aug. 13.  

According to the site, the auction features nearly 200 items such as video and arcade games, as well as food service, restaurant, kitchen equipment and supplies, including a double decker pizza oven and cotton candy machine. Also available are commercial grade chairs, tables, booths, racks, mobile countertops, utility carts, prep stations, kitchen tools, food storage, TVs and more.

Proceeds from the auction "will be reinvested into enhancing our Kapolei location, with a focus on refreshing and upgrading our current offerings — like our popular trampoline and Superhero playground,” Hasche said. “Our goal is to ensure guests continue to enjoy the latest and greatest experiences that Chuck E. Cheese has to offer.”

A portion of the funds will support Chuck E. Cheese’s local community initiatives, with donations planned for sports teams and schools such as Kaleiʻopuʻu Elementary and New Hope Christian Academy, she noted.

Caring Transitions of Honolulu President Steve Tokita told ASD by email that the auction will benefit small restaurants including food trucks, as well as the hospitality industry in general.

“The history behind these items makes them special. Over 30 years of memories from a place that created many special moments,” he said.

According to its website, Caring Transitions of Honolulu offers professional 

“This is what we do: help provide lots of great used (sometimes new) items to the general public, while helping families and businesses with a big problem and headache in what to do with all of their stuff,” Tokita said. “We help repurpose things and give them a new life while getting rid of the stress of dealing with it by the original owners.”

When asked to reflect on the past 30 years in Pearl City, Hasche said, “One of the most meaningful experiences has been watching generations of families grow up with us.”

“We've celebrated countless birthdays, honored achievements like good report cards and helped create special moments that have become cherished childhood memories for so many. Our guests have truly become part of our extended family, and being a part of those milestones is something we hold dear.”

Another highlight has been the staff, she said. “We've been fortunate to have incredible team members who brought energy, creativity and heart to those performances, making each visit unforgettable.”

Hasche added, “What many people may not realize is that the Chuck E. Cheese locations in Hawaiʻi are locally owned and operated. We’re proud to be small business owners, who are deeply invested in our community and our local economy.

“I’ll never forget the day our father [Wayne Hayami] passed the torch to us, saying it was our turn to carry the business forward. I spent 10 years as general manager of the Pearl City location before taking on the challenge of building our Kapolei location from the ground up. That experience — navigating permits, overseeing construction and launching a new business — taught me invaluable lessons about what it truly takes to build and sustain a successful operation.”

Next steps for Hasche and the family business is “to continue investing in our locations and our community. We're committed to innovation, growth, and ensuring every guest continues to create joyful, lasting memories where a kid can be a kid!”

After the closure, Chuck E. Cheese will have two remaining locations on Oʻahu in Kalihi and Kapolei.

Chuck E Cheese auction

Real Estate

You have a week to browse and bid on the biz’s furniture, equipment and more.

DB Ward Istock

Dave & Buster’s liquidation sale from former Ward Village spot happening now

Stephanie Salmons

The fundraiser for Habilitat is happening now and open through 6 p.m. Aug. 1.

Habilitat

Ongoing auction will benefit Kāne‘ohe nonprofit

<title>Pearl City’s Chuck E. Cheese auction underway</title>

Bidding has begun for this auction of food/restaurant items to arcade games that bring you back to childhood now through Aug. 11. A community celebration is also planned for this Friday, Aug. 8, from 4 to 8 p.m., at the Chuck E. Cheese located at Pearl City Shopping Center.

Pearl City’s Chuck E. Cheese auction underway

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 has a new eatery in West Oʻahu. Haliʻa by Side Street Inn, located in Wai Kai (in the former Kitchen Door restaurant space) officially opened yesterday to the public.

Opening a west Oʻahu restaurant location has been in the works for years, according to Lisa Meyer, who co-owns Hali‘a by Side Street Inn, Side Street Inn on Da Strip and the original Side Street Inn on Hopaka Street with business partner Cheryl DeAngelo. (DeAngelo also co-owns Bubbly & Bleu, a Kaimukī-based charcuterie business, with her husband, chef Fred DeAngelo.)

“People have been asking for so long, ‘When are you coming to the west side?’” she says. “Colin (Nishida) always wanted to open someplace on the west side. When we came here (to Wai Kai), it felt good; it’s very family oriented. We’re just happy we’re here; everybody’s so excited.”

“We have been looking at various locations for Side Street Inn on the west side,” DeAngelo adds. “This location came at the perfect time, and we love everything about it — amazing views, perfect size and lots of parking!”

The name “Haliʻa” means “fond remembrance,” according to Meyer, who says the restaurant name was chosen to honor Nishida, who died in 2018. Prior to his passing, though, both Meyer and DeAngelo came on board to help their friend with his business.

“When we thought of the name, we wanted to honor him,” she says. “It’s Haliʻa by Side Street Inn, people will know it’s Side Street food.”

The food menu is the same as Side Street Inn’s other two locations. The ‘Ewa Beach location will eventually have seafood specials, but that’s still to come.

The fresh, island-style poke (market price) comes highly recommended; choose from options like shoyu and spicy ‘ahi, along with kimchi tako poke, limu tako poke and ocean clams poke.

We opt for the spicy ‘ahi poke, which features a spicy-mayo style with sweet onions, green onions, tobiko, Sriracha drizzle and furikake. The fish tastes fresh and the poke packs some heat, due to the generous amount of Sriracha.

If you’re craving something lighter, go for the tofu salad ($13 half portion, $20.50 full portion). It features spring mixed greens topped with tofu, bonito flakes, kizami nori, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, sesame seeds and oriental dressing. The pieces of tofu are so soft, and we enjoyed the salad’s refreshing flavors.

If you order the eatery’s boneless kalbi, it’s served on a sizzling platter, just like the sizzling rib-eye steak (market price). While I usually order bone-in kalbi when getting Korean-style short ribs, I highly recommend this boneless version because it’s buttery and boasts that melt-in-your-mouth texture. The short ribs’ tenderness, along with the marinade’s sweet-yet-savory flavor, makes this one of the most memorable dishes of the evening.

No visit to Side Street Inn is complete without its loaded fried rice. This savory staple ($25) is loaded with bacon, Portuguese sausage, char siu, green onions, peas and carrots. Its slightly smoky flavor and savoriness is just as good as I remember.

Of course, if you want to upgrade your fried rice, you could get “The Works” version ($29), which includes kimchi and lup cheong.

Side Street Inn’s famous pan-fried pork chops ($33) are a crowd pleaser. They’re thick, meaty and sure to satisfy.

If you’re dining with a group, you can also opt for Colin’s Classics prix fixe menu ($161 for 4-5 people, $317 for 8-10 people), which features a variety of the eatery’s bestsellers. The menu includes edamame with Alae salt; farmer’s salad (mixed greens topped with grape tomatoes, avocado, Maui onions, capers, and bay shrimp with red wine vinaigrette and Okinawan potato curls); signature fried rice; garlic fried chicken; famous pan-fried pork chops and sizzling boneless kalbi.

Desserts include the eatery’s signature peanut butter crunch ($15), brownie served with Roselani’s vanilla ice cream ($13), Mom’s sweet bread pudding ($13), lilikoi creme brulee ($13) and chocolate haupia puff ($14). The peanut butter crunch was something I remember ordering at Side Street Inn’s Kapahulu location, so we just had to get it.

The decadent dessert features a bread pudding-like base topped with a layer of peanut butter crunch, Roselani’s vanilla ice cream and a chocolate drizzle. It’s dense and indulgent, but that crunchy peanut buttery layer will keep you coming back for more.

Stay tuned — the eatery plans to start a weekend brunch menu and add new seafood specials to its dinner menu in the upcoming months. Customers can also enjoy live music, which will be starting soon.

“We are excited that we get to be a part of the west side,” DeAngelo says. “People travel to our locations in town, and we are excited that we can bring our food to them. In addition to dine-in, we will be doing a lot of takeout and catering. The events at Wai Kai are awesome, too.”

Open 4-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, open 4-11 p.m. Fridays-Sundays

Halia by Side Street Inn chef Fred De Angelo 080425

<title>Haliʻa by Side Street Inn is now open in ‘Ewa Beach</title>

The new eatery is in the former space of Kitchen Door at Wai Kai. You can still find Side Street Inn’s classic dishes, including that signature fried rice and pan-fried pork chops, along with new seafood dishes and brunch coming soon.

Haliʻa by Side Street Inn is now open in ‘Ewa Beach

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

A Waikīkī project more than five years in the making has hit a milestone.

Developers last week topped off Ka Haku, a Hilton Club, a new timeshare property under construction by Hilton Grand Vacations, an Orlando-based timeshare company.

Dozens celebrated the topping off Friday at the Honolulu Zoo, including leaders and from HGV and Nordic PCL, the project's contractor, among others.

A senior superintendent told the crowd gathered that getting to this point was a group effort.

"There's a lot of work that's been put into this project, and it does take the group to get to where we're at," they said. "The structure top-off is a major milestone. Let's celebrate it today. Let's enjoy ourselves today. But we still have a lot of work to do."

Located at the former King's Village site at 131 Ka‘iulani Ave., the timeshare offers 213 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites; a private arrival and departure lounge; state-of-the-art fitness center, pool and pool bar; and a Japanese-style bathhouse.

Tyler Middleton, senior director of development for Hilton Grand Vacations, told Aloha State Daily on Friday that construction on the project began in 2019, "and we were about a year into all of the underground work and then Covid hit."

"We made the decision to shut the project down," he continued. "We quickly became the most expensive parking lot in Waikīkī."

Middleton says the developer got approval to restart the project in spring 2023 and "remobilized" that fall. Ka Haku is expected to be finished and open in summer 2026.

The last of the concrete has been poured and the roof has been completed, but Middleton notes that the crane will remain on site for a few more months to lift some heavy equipment onto the rooftop and into the tower.

As for the work that remains, he told ASD, "It's just going to be all the interior work," including mechanical, plumbing and electrical, furniture, mill work, finishes, paint, wall coverings, tile, flooring and more, as well as the work in the public areas.

[{"type":"text","text":"There will be two retail spaces on the ground floor, Middleton says."}]

After nearly six years, Middleton says it "feels great" to reach this point.

"[At the] end of the day, Hilton Grand Vacations has had very little to do with it other than selecting a great team to build the project, and [we] couldn't be more proud of everyone that's had their hands, their fingerprints on this project and to get us where we are today."

HGV currently operates 13 resorts across four islands, including six on O‘ahu. Ka Haku — which HGV says is named in honor of Prince Albert Kamehameha — is the 14th Hilton Grand Vacation resort in the state and is the only Hilton Club in Hawai‘i. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Middleton says Hilton Club is the company's \"luxury brand.\""}]

[{"type":"text","text":"He declined to disclose the cost of the project."}]

When asked what the project means for the Waikīkī community, he said, "This is just a continued testament that Hilton Grand Vacations is 100% committed to Waikīkī, O‘ahu, the Hawaiian Islands."

According to Middleton, the project has generated more than 500 construction industry jobs during the build, and will support 150 to 175 full-time employees once it opens.

He said, too, that HGV also will make a $1 million contribution to support projects selected by the Honolulu City Council that will "benefit both residents and visitors here in Waikīkī." Additionally, HGV will make a donation to the Waikīkī Community center for every sale, approximately $10,000.

Ka haku hilton grand vacations

<title>Waikīkī timeshare hits major development milestone</title>

Developers last week topped off Ka Haku, a Hilton Club, a new timeshare property under construction by Hilton Grand Vacations.

Waikīkī timeshare hits major development milestone

[{"type":"text","text":"Searching for an estate on a world-famous beach?"}]

An oceanfront home that sits on a half-acre of land on Lanikai Beach might be what you're looking for. With a $16 million asking price, it currently is the most expensive property on the market in the Lanikai neighborhood.

Listing agent Anne Oliver with Coldwell Banker Realty says the property is one-of-a-kind.

“You don’t often find a home in Lanikai that features this level of privacy and direct access to the ocean," Oliver said in an announcement from CBR. "This kind of property, which defines the standard for luxury, rarely comes on the market.”

Located at 958 Mokulua Dr., the property has 7,000 square feet of interior living space, five ensuite bedrooms and four full- and one half-baths. Among its features is an "ultra-spacious" primary suite with a private ocean-view lānai; an open-concept kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances and custom finishes; a courtyard pool and expansive oceanside lawn, CBR says. You can find the 

Although the open kitchen is a "special, central feature of the home," Oliver told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions that her favorite feature is the "expansive, luxurious primary suite" that looks down at the beach, "and I could easily spend a week without leaving it at all!"

As for what makes the property a rarity, Oliver told ASD it's one of the few remaining large parcels on the sandy beach in Lanikai, found "on the choice center spot of the beach" and set back from shore with an "expansive lawn ensuring privacy and a peaceful, tranquil sanctuary. This is Pu’uhonua."

"This is a once-in-a-generation legacy property so the hope is that a young family will be the buyers to carry on its legacy for the next generation enjoying the beach, the ocean, kayaking, canoe paddling and the unique sense of community that is Lanikai," she said.

Lanikai is often considered among the world's best beaches. In 2024, 

 declared it the best in the U.S. and the No. 14 best beach in the world.

Interested in a private showing or want more information? Contact Oliver at 808-292-2800 or 

As of Wednesday morning, there were 15 properties actively listed for sale in the Lanikai neighborhood, according to the 

. The lowest-priced home is on the market with a $2.89 million asking price. You can 

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Sand dollars

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

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Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

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