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Kady Pascual

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Let's go Bows!"}]

Hawaii_Drumline

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Pokémon go</title>

Today’s social media find comes from @Hawaii_Drumline, who may have gotten the coolest pull.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Pokémon go

Let&#039;s go Bows!  Make sure you follow @Hawaii_Drumline on Instagram!

AKINA portrait 2

Keliʻi Akina

Viewpoints

Government & Politics

Honolulu officials recently received a national innovation award for the safety and technology of the city’s Skyline rail — the country's first driverless rail system — but the recognition coincides with more bad news about the project’s ever-ballooning budget.

 last week revealed that a new risk analysis conducted by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation puts the potential final cost of the project at $10.19 billion, a $111 million increase over the current estimate. This has triggered a Federal Transportation Authority consultant to review the system’s budget.

[{"type":"text","text":"Of course, nobody in Hawaiʻi should be surprised by this."}]

The pattern goes all the way back to 2006, when the city unveiled a draft transportation plan projecting the cost of a 28-mile rail line at $2.5 billion. Just four months later, the estimate jumped to $3 billion for a 24-mile system, not including the cost of the train cars. Now, having surpassed $10 billion, the track has been whittled down to just shy of 19 miles.

 tracks the steady creep of the rail’s price tag, allowing the nostalgic reader to remember 2010, when residents were outraged that construction costs were expected to blow past a mere $5.5 billion.

Meanwhile, we are left to wonder if Honolulu’s allegedly temporary GET surcharge, which helps pay for the project, will ever go away. It was initially set to run from 2007 to 2022 but was extended to 2027 and later to 2030. An effort earlier this year at the Legislature to extend it again quickly fizzled.

Even after the rail is fully completed, we can expect operations and repair costs, plans for expansion and an endless list of other demands for taxpayer dollars.

Do we trust that HART, or any of our elected officials, will ever use our money wisely, or are they — and thus we — merely the victims of the sunk cost fallacy when it comes to the rail?

 it, the sunk cost fallacy “describes our tendency to follow through on an endeavor if we have already invested time, effort or money into it, whether or not the current costs outweigh the benefits.”

So far, every request for more money or an extension of the county’s general excise tax surcharge has come with detailed justification. What we haven’t seen is any attempt to reassure taxpayers that fiscal accountability is an important part of the plan.

Instead, in the nearly 18 years since Honolulu voters first approved the project, it has become the most expensive rail line per capita in the world and one of the most delayed and over-budget public works projects in U.S. history. 

The completion date is currently March 2031, but HART officials expressed a lack of confidence in making that deadline during the board’s July meeting.

Hawaiʻi residents should not be shy about demanding transparency and accountability regarding the rail or any other government project. And we must be incredibly cautious about committing to more expensive, taxpayer-funded public construction plans.

In the end, the money we earn for our families is at stake. We must demand whatever oversight is needed to rein in the rail’s runaway budget.

Reprinted with permission from the Aug. 15, 2026 "Presidentʻs Corner" of 

HART rail car jpg

<title>Community Voices: Will sky-high Skyline costs ever stop climbing?</title>

"So far, every request for more money or an extension of the county’s general excise tax surcharge has come with detailed justification," writes Keli‘i Akina. "What we haven’t seen is any attempt to reassure taxpayers that fiscal accountability is an important part of the plan."

Community Voices: Will sky-high Skyline costs ever stop climbing?

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

, known for its affordable bentos, just opened its third location on Young Street. This store is in the former space of J-Shop.

U-Kitchen offers a variety of musubi, bentos, bowls and curry. The menu is the same here as its downtown Honolulu store, according to business owner Yudai Fukuda.

Popular bentos include butterfish ($13.99), mochiko chicken ($10.99) and chicken katsu ($10.99). The musubi selection ranges from salmon ($2.99) and spicy tuna ($3.19) to unagi ($4.79) and mentai mayo ($3.29).

U-Kitchen’s original location is in Kalihi; its downtown Honolulu store, which is in Topa Financial Center, is currently closed due a power outage in the building, according to Fukuda. He says the downtown Honolulu store — 

“Our peak time (at that location) was from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” he says, nothing the shop’s popularity with the downtown Honolulu lunch crowd.

He says that Topa Financial Center was supposed to reopen on Aug. 24, but says the re-opening was delayed further after Hurricane Lala.

U-Kitchen’s Young Street store is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. Customer parking is available in the shop's lot.  

Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays, closed Sundays

U Kitchen Young Street worker 081826

<title>U-Kitchen opens a new bento and musubi cafe</title>

The business, whose original location is in Kalihi, just opened a third location on Young Street in the former J-Shop space. The business’s Downtown Honolulu store has been temporarily closed since July 23, according to U-Kitchen owner Yudai Fukuda.

U-Kitchen opens a new bento and musubi cafe

IMG 1445

Rick Hamada

Columnists

[{"type":"text","text":"Lala has left the building."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Yes, her impact was profound."}]

Friends and families on the Big Island bore the brunt while the rest of the island chain took its lumps as well.

The anticipation of yet another major weather event may have given some fatigue, especially since recovery from the two recent Kona Lows was somewhat still underway. Honestly, fatigue wasn't the only effect. I would submit that fear was the dominant emotion and partly fear of the unknown.

I try to be as empathetic as possible with those who are so negatively impacted. My family and I live in a secured high rise with diesel generator backup to mitigate power loss; we live high enough above ground where flooding is not a major threat, and we've been blessed in literally weathering every storm for so many years. These statements are not intended to gloat or brag but to share perspective. We have not suffered as others have suffered, yet we're saddened for those who have and we are prayerful for a speedy recovery. It's truly heartbreaking.

It's important that in times of trouble that the collective objective is to learn and not to repeat. If that's an acceptable and reasonable policy goal, then what happened?

[{"type":"text","text":"Why is our infrastructure so fragile?"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"It's not like inclement to hurricane force weather is breaking news."}]

Since 1949 when storm tracking officially began, Hawaii has counted 69 tropical cyclone encounters. Yes, some are counted where a minimum amount of impact was made, but it also includes Hurricane Nina (1957), Dot (1959), Iwi (1982), Iniki (1992) and now you can count Lala (2026). Interestingly, there are documented reports of cyclonic activity in the Hawai‘i chain dating back to September 1843 and more so on August 9, 1871.

Again, this is not breaking news that we are susceptible to damaging storms. If we have foreknowledge that we are exposed to brutal elements, then what have we done to prepare ourselves?

[{"type":"text","text":"I mean we've had a 183-year heads up."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"OK, I can hear it already."}]

Hamada, you simply don't understand. Since when did you become a civil engineer? Do you realize how much money and how much impact to the community it would be to retrofit, replace or even repair vulnerable spaces? If it breaks, we fix it.

[{"type":"text","text":"That's one point of view."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Here's another."}]

In 1959, the first year of statehood, the total of all taxes paid in Hawai‘i was 

. That's everything; federal, state, county taxes, gas taxes, all of it. By 1969, annual total was $922 million. 

In today's dollars, that's $3.6 billion and $8.4 billion, respectively, just in those two bookend years of our first decade as a state.

[{"type":"text","text":"The issue is prioritization."}]

During that decade we had the opportunity to declare that, along with public education and health and human services (the two largest budget expenditures of the state), infrastructure preparedness would have received some love. 

The widely accepted notion is that the essential role of government is to defend her people and create a safe environment for all. 

[{"type":"text","text":"What is the essential life blood of a free society."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Infrastructure."}]

It's electricity. It's water. It's transportation. It's waste treatment and removal. 

[{"type":"text","text":"The same afflictions of the past haunt us today."}]

Post-Lala we have tens of thousands still without power. You're rendered virtually into seclusion. You cannot communicate, you cannot preserve your expensive food, you cannot have lights, or fans, or air conditioning in your home. No laundry, no dishes, no bathing or other water-centric needs. It takes a toll on your mental health. It exposes families to inordinate amounts to stress and oftentimes children are affected. Roads may be impassible, you may live in a "one-way in, one-way out" community or public and closures have an impact on your lives, too. And you pray that you can flush the toilet because the health implications are grave.

[{"type":"text","text":"The essential role of government is to keep her people safe."}]

Over the past several decades have the previous generations of leadership fulfilled this directive?

[{"type":"text","text":"I maintain that Hawai‘i does not have a revenue problem. Never has."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"But it's always had a spending and prioritization problem."}]

Government stresses that we must be prepared in times of great challenges.

But that siren call for preparedness extends to providing excellent infrastructure so we can live and survive during those challenging times.

If over the past century we invested in the best power generation and distribution, road construction and maintanence, quality upgraded water mains and sewers then perhaps we would not have to contend with such devastation. Rather our mutual preparedness would be complimentary in mitigating the suffering of so many, time after time.

Until that time comes we must acknowledge and celebrate those first responders, dedicated crews, volunteers and non-profits, public and private sector staffs and teams, small and large businesses taking care of so many and everyone else who graciously help those in need. 

Let's call upon excellence in our public policies but never waver in our support and appreciation for those who live aloha to so very many.

[{"type":"text","text":"There's no reason we can't have both."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"italic"}],"text":" "}]

Tropical Storm Lala

<title>Hamada: Lack of investment in infrastructure taking a toll</title>

This state has never had a money problem, it's had a problem setting priorities to deliver the basics and we pay the price every time a storm strains the system.

Hamada: Lack of investment in infrastructure taking a toll

i Kai Shopping Center. It’s located nearby sister company Island Brew Coffeehouse, in the former space of Kawaii Ice Wave. 

Pastries and breads are baked fresh daily. Right now, the bakery is open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Customers can find a variety of sweet and savory pastries, according to manager Rocco Baez. The selection includes salt bread, butter croissants, dark chocolate cranberry scones, oatmeal raisin cookies, biscuits with honey butter and more. The bakery is also known for its focaccia loaves.

“The salt bread is the top seller, but the spinach puffs are my favorite,” Baez says. “We’re experimenting (with flavors) every day. People like our oatmeal raisin cookies and gluten-free pastries as well.”

The bakery’s salt bread ($4.50) is available in its original flavor for now, but additional flavors, like chocolate, may come in the future.

Pastries are available for grab-and-go, and the shop offers limited outdoor customer seating.

The shop sells other desserts and treats, including croissant sundaes, Moku Pops, locally made ice cream, crepes and bingsu. Bingsu flavors range from mango and matcha to strawberries and cream and peanut butter dream.

Bakehouse by Island Brew is celebrating its grand opening this Saturday, Aug. 8. starting at 8 a.m. Follow the biz on 

Bakehouse by Island Brew manager 080426

<title>Bakehouse by Island Brew is open in Hawaiʻi Kai</title>

The new bakery, whose sister company is Island Brew Coffeehouse, is celebrating its grand opening this Saturday, Aug. 8. The shop offers freshly baked pastries like chocolate chip muffins, salt bread, biscuits with honey butter and oatmeal raisin cookies. It also features gluten-free pastries and other desserts like bingsu.

Bakehouse by Island Brew is open in Hawaiʻi Kai

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

It’s not every day that singers and songwriters get to visit the home of Simon Cowell, one of the best known judges of 

 But that is exactly what happened for Nyjah Music and Zyah Rhythm, the

North Shore brothers competing in Season 21 of the television show, who were invited to film a judges callback round at Cowell’s house in Malibu, California.

, allows each judge to pick acts to audition a second time before a panel decides who will advance to live shows. Watch the episode at 7 p.m. Central Standard Time, which is 2 p.m. in Hawai’i, on Tuesday, Aug. 4, on NBC, to see if the brothers advance. The episode will also be available on Peacock the next day.

Here is an exclusive clip of Cowell giving the brothers feedback.

Getting an invite to the judges callback round from Cowell, who is known for being a tough judge, meant a lot to the duo.

“We were pretty stoked,” Nyjah told Aloha State Daily. “Just being there was amazing.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"He was like an uncle, Zyah added."}]

“So I actually would have thought that Simon would be hard on us, just because of the videos and stuff,” he said. “He has turned down some people. But just going to his house, he made it feel like he was more of an uncle to us. It was super chill. He was super inviting and super open with his house. He told us we could jump in his pool, if we wanted.”

They did not in fact jump in the pool. They did not have swimsuits, Zyah added.

Currently, Nyjah Music and Zyah Rhythm have more than 250,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Last year, their cover of “Burning Love,” which was produced by their uncle, Bruno Mars, was featured in Disney’s live action 

 Today, that song has more than 13 million streams on Spotify.

But even with a hit like that, the auditions for “America’s Got Talent” had them nervous. Waiting backstage for 

their audition, which aired on Tuesday, June 9, on NBC

, was “pretty nerve-wracking,” Zyah said.  

“But then once we stepped on stage, we're pretty comfortable,” he added. “We did hear some people from Hawai’i in the audience. It got us pretty comfortable with the stage.”

By hearing Hawai’i, he means they heard a cheehoo.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Did they expect that? Zyah shook his head."}]

“It kind of shook the nerves away,” he said. “And it just showed that we have some people from home watching us.”

They performed their latest release, “Heartbeat,” an original single, which dropped on streaming platforms on June 15.

“It's really a universal song for people that want to show how much they love someone and how they want to be a part of someone because the lyrics are, ‘Can I be your heartbeat or the flower in your ear?’ and stuff like that,” Zyah said. “That person for us is our grandma. We dedicate it to our grandma, and it just shows how much we love our grandma, how she started it all, but she did pass away when we were little. But yeah, it's just about our grandma.”

After being off Island, Nyjah and Zyah look forward to local foods. For Nyjah, that usually involves a poke bowl at Foodland, with iced tea on the side. After flying in, Zyah likes to stop at 

"America's Got Talent"

<title>Exclusive video: North Shore brothers talk about ʻAmerica’s Got Talent’</title>

Nyjah Music & Zyah Rhythm, the North Shore brothers who are also the nephews of Bruno Mars are back on “America’s Got Talent.” Catch them singing for Simon Cowell at his house in an episode that airs Tuesday, Aug. 4. They also unpack their latest single “Heartbeat,” which was inspired by their grandmother, and the cheehoo that calmed their nerves during auditions.

Exclusive video: North Shore brothers talk about ʻAmerica’s Got Talent’

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

In the spring of 2024, Hawai‘i did something unusual: It cut income taxes.

Its backers called it the largest income tax cut in state history. A family of four earning the median household income of $91,000 would see their tax bill drop by 

Rep. Kyle Yamashita, then House Finance chair, 

 “a foundational piece in restructuring our tax code.” For once, the language wasn’t empty — because Yamashita had a plan.

Hawai‘i has some of the lowest property taxes in the nation — low enough, he argued, to draw out-of-state buyers in. About 30% of homes statewide are owned by outside buyers, 

, driving up prices and pushing local families out. The problem? The state doesn’t control property taxes. Counties do. And counties, facing their own pressures, weren’t going to raise them on their own.

, Yamashita suggested cutting off the GET surcharge revenue the state shares with the counties: “We stop giving the counties money, and then they have to make that shift.” The cut wasn’t only relief for working families. It was the opening move in a longer game — starve state revenue, force spending cuts, and squeeze the counties into doing what the Legislature couldn’t: raise property taxes.

The plan rested on a quiet bet that Yamashita would still be Finance chair when it came time for Step Two.

When Nadine Nakamura took the speakership, the factions that had kept Yamashita in place shifted around him. Rep. Chris Todd 

 as Finance chair. The memo offered no reason, only that “the House has decided to move in a new direction.” Todd said “basic math” meant lawmakers would have to recoup the lost tax revenue.

 the last five years of the cuts, keeping roughly $1.8 billion in state revenue. The House 

 39 to 11. The Senate has held firm. Ways and Means Chair Donovan Dela Cruz called the 2024 cuts “landmark legislation” while noting 

 — and a clash between the two chambers is coming.

Hawai‘i has been here before — the state passed an income tax cut in 1998. Then came the Great Recession. In 2009, 

. The pattern holds: the first thing cut when revenues fall is whatever tax relief was promised last.

Yamashita’s read on the tax structure was correct as far as it went. Hawai‘i taxes income hard and property lightly — a levy on people who work here and a break for people who park wealth here.

But the reason the state taxes heavily and the counties lightly is because PreK-12 education is handled at the state level. Hawai‘i is the only state with a statewide school district. We’re budgeting around $2.6 billion for that district this year. All other states handle education at the county level. The most direct path to reform runs through education.

Yamashita saw the bind: the state had to shed power to the counties — starting with education — or find new ways to tax. But his solution was naive. A state income tax cut was never going to shrink state government. It was going to produce exactly what happened: A push to reverse the cuts and hand the state 

 to the state — two provisions that sit on opposite sides of the same problem. Changing those provisions takes a constitutional amendment or a constitutional convention. That is a long, hard fight. It needs staying power that Hawai‘i’s shifting politics cannot provide.

Yamashita’s removal proved something. Reform depends less on good ideas than on staying power. The people pushing reform have to outlast it, or the next person through the door reverses it.

In any policy fight, the temptation is to find the right champion and trust the outcome to him. Hawai‘i is more prone to this than most. It’s a small state where a few chairs hold great power, and one upset can shuffle the whole deck. We look to princes because the system makes princes look powerful. But the psalmist had seen enough throne rooms to know how that ends: 

Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.

Lawmakers who voted for those cuts owe their voters something: cut spending first. The harder talk still needs to happen — a constitutional amendment, or a constitutional convention. That’s the only path to reform that doesn’t depend on one chairman keeping his seat.

Yamashita

<title>The missing step</title>

When the Hawai‘i state Legislature passed historic tax cuts in 2024, it was meant to be the first step in a two-step plan to restructure Hawai‘i's tax code by state Rep. Kyle Yamashita, then chair of the House Finance committee. Then he lost the chairmanship, the House voted to take back the cuts and Yamashita's plan has gone missing. ASD columnist Sterling Higa explores what might have been.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Pokémon go

Kady Pascual

Social Media & Marketing Manager

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Pokémon go

Authors

Kady Pascual

Social Media & Marketing Manager

More in Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Enter for a chance to win tickets to see Disney’s live action adaptation of the animated film ‘Moana’

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