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Kady Pascual

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"That doggo has a good hang paw technique!"}]

808SurfClips

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Man’s best friend</title>

Today’s social media find comes from @808SurfClips, with the best tandem partner.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Man’s best friend

That doggo has a good hang paw technique!  Make sure you follow @808SurfClips on Instagram!

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Stephanie Salmons

Aloha Spirit

Government & Politics

When fire swept through Lahaina on Aug. 8, 2023, the banyan tree on Front Street remained standing, shielding the buildings behind it from the flames.

Only a small portion of the tree trunk caught fire, and that’s because it was near a post that caught fire, Duane Sparkman, chair of the Maui County Arborist Committee, told Aloha State Daily this summer.

, on Maui in June, ahead of the third anniversary of the fire, which killed more than 100 people and destroyed much of Lahaina town.

And while it survived the fire, the banyan, planted more than 150 years ago, was dried out by the ambient heat from the inferno engulfing neighboring buildings.

All of that heat, says Sparkman, “was basically microwaving the tree; it was cooking the tree.”

According to the arborist, the banyan itself saved the harbor bathrooms behind it, blocking the heat and the brunt force of the fire, and stopping the flames from reaching the building.

[{"type":"text","text":"Today, the banyan is still on the mend, and will be for a while."}]

Sparkman told ASD that following an assessment with arborists in May, it was decided to keep the banyan fenced off for another two years.

“It’s going to be two years of healing still for that tree,” he says. “It really needs it. It does. It’s hard to say how truly damaged the inside of the tree is because the species that it is can literally wrap itself around the branches and start to heal itself. But we’re nervous about the interior heartwood of the tree, so if that heartwood is at all damaged by borer beetles or twig borers, then we have a problem and it becomes fragile, then the public’s at risk, so we have to wait. But that's OK. It needs it.”

These trees can live to be 1,000-plus years old, Sparkman says, so at 153 years old, “it’s still a baby and it just went through a fire, so let’s give it a break.”

Although the tree is fenced off, you can still view it from the street. On a recent walk along Front Street, there were a number of visitors stopping to take a look — from a respectable distance, of course.

Sparkman says that by keeping the tree closed to the public for two more years, "it'll allow that tree to not be climbed on. It'll allow that tree to set aerial roots into the soil and pull more nutrients and heal faster. Those are the No. 1 factors. There's less compaction from human interaction, so the roots can actually heal faster and distributes nutrient throughout the tree faster. So, there's a lot of reasons why we want to keep people out of it."

He said, too the tree had "a lot of scars" from people carving into it, "so we know that's going to come back, and our thing is to reduce that for a while, let that healing go throughout the tree, all the way up into the upper canopy. It is still 56 feet tall. [The fire] didn't burn the tree. The tree is completely alive, so the whole entire canopy is regrowing. It's just this upper canopy is growing much slower than the lower canopy, and since we're seeing that, that's what makes us [say], 'OK, we're going to slow down access to the public.'"

Since the fires, more than a dozen "air layers" have been pulled from the tree, some of which are on display at Maui resorts. While Sparkman says that the original intent was to plant them back into the park, "we don't know what we're going to do with them. They don't belong to me. They don't belong to Treecovery. They belong to all of us in Maui County. We pay our taxes and the taxes maintain the tree, so they're public assets."

When asked if this is where he thought the recovery of the banyan would be three years post-fire, Sparkman says he had "no idea" and has no expectations, having never been through this experience before.

, the banyan was planted on April 24, 1873, by Sheriff William Owen Smith. The sapling was a gift from missionaries in India and was planted to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission in Lahaina, HHF notes.

Lahaina banyan1 070826

<title>Lahaina banyan tree to remain fenced off for two more years</title>

The 153-year-old tree was damaged by the heat produced in the August 2023 wildfires but remained largely unburned.

Lahaina banyan tree to remain fenced off for two more years

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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

, always had a passion for baking. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she began baking more for family and friends.

“While Kaʻamilo Sweets Stand officially launched on June 10 this year, the dream started in 2020,” she says. “I love creating treats that bring people together, and sharing them with my community.”

Kaʻamilo Sweets Bake Stand opened earlier this summer and is currently open from 7 a.m. until sold out on Wednesdays and Fridays.

“Kaʻamilo Sweets is named after the street I grew up on, and where this dream first began,” Pilialoha says. “It represents home, ‘ohana and the place that inspired me to turn my passion into a business.”

The bake stand is located in ‘Aiea; customers can find the directions to find the business on its Instagram page (it’s located close to the Boston’s North End Pizza Bakery). The business operates on a first-come, first-served basis and usually posts what will be featured at the stand.

“Our banana bread is our signature item and top seller,” Pilialoha says. “I started perfecting the recipe in 2018. Our double chocolate brownies ($5) and chocolate chip cookies (two for $6) are also family favorites that have been enjoyed at many family pāʻinas before making their way onto our menu.”

During the time of our visit, the bake stand also featured chi chi dango ($7) butter mochi ($7) and bottled brown sugar cinnamon lattes ($7). The lattes are made with espresso, brown sugar, cinnamon and soy milk.

Customers can pay for the baked goods using exact cash or by scanning a QR code at the stand to pay using Venmo.

Stay tuned for updates by following the business’s 

“I’m a busy mom of six with a dream of opening my own bakery,” Pilialoha says. “We also offer catering for special events, and customers can reach us through Instagram.”

Currently open Wednesdays and Fridays from 7 a.m. until sold out

Kaamilo Sweets Stand owner 062626

<title>Kaʻamilo Sweets is a new bake stand in ‘Aiea</title>

Inspired by owner Tiana Pilialoha’s love for baking, the business is usually open on Wednesdays and Fridays, and sells treats like brownies, chocolate chip cookies and banana bread.

Kaʻamilo Sweets is a new bake stand in ‘Aiea

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Members of the public should expect crowds and delays at the opening day of the Hawai‘i State Legislature’s 2026 regular session on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

While initial proceedings for opening day begin at 10 a.m., the State Capitol will open for the public at 9:30 a.m. The House Majority Caucus 

 that seats at the House and Senate galleries will be available only on a first-come, first-served basis.

Public attendees will be subject to updated security measures and must present photo ID and pass a metal detector. Attendees are advised to limit what they bring, as bags will be subject to searches, and to anticipate delays. Screening checkpoints open at 7 a.m.

No public parking will be available at the Capitol and drivers are advised to seek alternative parking elsewhere, such as public lots at ‘Iolani Palace.

People will also be able to watch opening day proceedings online via livestreams on the official YouTube channels of the state 

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Man’s best friend

Kady Pascual

Social Media & Marketing Manager

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Man’s best friend

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’

Hawai‘i Scene on Social meets Hawai‘i Skies

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Neighborhood weather updates

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Island vibes

Most read