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Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai'i Skies was captured by Ron Freed at Ala Moana Park. "The sunset before the storm. Looking out over Ala Moana Park."

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<title>Hawai'i Skies: Before the storm</title>

Today's Hawai'i Skies was captured by Ron Freed at Ala Moana Park.

Hawai'i Skies: Before the storm

Today's Hawai'i Skies was captured by Ron Freed at Ala Moana Park. "The sunset before the storm. Looking out over Ala Moana Park." To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Honolulu Police officers will work full-time at three O‘ahu high schools as part of a Department of Education pilot program that began this week.

The program, a partnership between HIDOE and HPD, places officers at Kaimukī, Kapolei and Wai‘anae high schools to serve as School Resource Officers, or SROs.

HPD’s Interim Police Chief Rade Vanic said Wednesday that these are the first schools on the island to adopt SRO programs, although HPD is drawing from similar programs implemented on Maui, Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island.

The three schools were selected based on their existing programs to help provide students a pipeline toward careers in law enforcement. For example, Kapolei Principal Wes Shinkawa told Aloha State Daily that his school’s Law and Public Safety Academy offers three years of instruction to prepare students for jobs not just with the police, but with emergency responders or the fire department.

“Since we already had that program, it was a no-brainer, really,” Shinkawa said of Kapolei’s new partnership with HPD.

Wai‘anae and Kaimukī high schools are similarly developing their own police career pathway programs. Vanic added that HIDOE wanted to select schools on both the island’s east and west sides, and schools within urban Honolulu and without.

HIDOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi said the program will last for the remaining duration of the 2025-2026 school year — that is, until summer — whereupon both partner agencies will evaluate the results and consider possible expansions of the program.

Vanic said the hope is for SROs to become friendly mentor figures for students. The officers selected to serve as SROs have histories of volunteering and working with children and students through programs such as D.A.R.E.

“Officers are there to mentor students, not replace school discipline,” Vanic said. He explained that SROs will be present on campuses and can intervene if necessary if students act out, but reassured that schools will not use officers to handle things like dress code violations.

On the other hand, Vanic confirmed that all SROs are authorized to carry out arrests if necessary, although as a last resort.

Kapolei SRO Jason Kawano‘ole said he and other officers will be on campus between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on school days. He said they may hold lessons for students on subjects like conflict resolution, or participate in extracurricular activities — he said he has already been called upon to judge a school cooking contest.

Kawano‘ole also said his presence alone has already defused a fight between students on campus.

Vanic said HPD is paying the wages of the SROs at union rates, about $96,000 per year. With nine SROs selected — three per school — that puts the total cost of the program at about $864,000. 

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<title>School resource officers arrive at three O‘ahu schools</title>

The pilot program, a partnership between HIDOE and HPD, will run through the end of the school year — that is, until summer — whereupon both partner agencies will evaluate the results and consider possible expansions.

School resource officers arrive at three O‘ahu schools

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 — a brand-new condo with 972 residential units and two, 44-story towers — is also home to a new food hall.

Located on the ground floor of the Liona Tower, 

 is celebrating its grand opening from 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, Jan. 17. The food hall is soft opening with limited hours (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.) from Jan. 9 to 16.

[{"type":"text","text":"The food hall features both indoor and outdoor seating."}]

The space features 12 locally owned restaurants, and offers customers a variety of local and international flavors. Not all of the vendors are open yet; some have limited menus for the soft opening.

Vendors include FEAST by Jon Matsubara, King Thai Cuisine, Mangiamo Gelato, Middle Eats, Ninja Sushi, Sadie’s BBQ Honolulu, Serg’s Mexican Kitchen, Soul Chicken and more.

During today’s friends and family preview, participating vendors were serving samples and were open for business.

Serg’s Mexican Kitchen features the same menu as its Mānoa location. Meanwhile, the food hall is the first location for new vendors like Mangiamo Gelato.

On grand opening day, families are invited to enjoy keiki activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To access Midtown Eats, customers can enter the parking garage from the building’s Liona Street entrance and park on floors 1 to 2.5. Validated parking will be available.

Midtown Eats interior 010826

<title>New Honolulu food hall is now open</title>

Midtown Eats, the new food hall at The Park on Keʻeaumoku, is celebrating its grand opening from 10 a.m. to midnight on Jan. 17. The food hall is soft opening during limited hours from Jan. 9 to 16. Aloha State Daily got a tour of the new space.

New Honolulu food hall is now open

 partnered to launch a unique culinary collab that launches today, Nov. 3.

The kalo noodle kit, which commemorates Sig Zane’s 40th anniversary, is inspired by Hawai

i’s rich cultural heritage and commitment to sustainability. This is Hawai

i’s first kalo-based, shelf-stable noodle kit; only a limited number of these kits will be produced.

Made with a blend of locally grown kalo and premium wheat flour, the noodles (two servings are included in each kit) are paired with a refreshing, citrusy yuzu shoyu sauce. The kit comes in an illustrated box that features a Sig Zane design, and it’s created with both home cooks and chefs in mind.

Starting today, the kalo noodle kit is available at select retailers, including Foodland Farms (Ala Moana, Waimea, Pukalani, Kailua, Pearl City, Aina Haina, Ka Makana Ali

i and Kāhala Market locations); on Sun Noodle’s website; and at Sig Zane’s shop and website.

The kalo noodle kit is part of Sun Noodle’s role in the “Kalo – Nourishing Hawai

i and Sharing It with the World” program with the Hawai

i Executive Collaborative. This initiative launched in 2022 to elevate kalo as one of Hawai

i’s most important food sources, and reflects a vision to support local agriculture in Hawai

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<title>Sun Noodle’s new kalo noodle kit celebrates 40 years of Sig Zane</title>

To commemorate Sig Zane’s 40th anniversary, Sun Noodle partnered with the business to launch a limited-edition kalo (taro) noodle kit.

Sun Noodle’s new kalo noodle kit celebrates 40 years of Sig Zane

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Hawaii History

Kāhala Mall — the first enclosed, air-conditioned shopping center in the Islands — celebrates its 55th anniversary in October.

“Celebrating 55 years really means the world to us, and we truly couldn’t have done it without the incredible partnerships we’ve built with our merchants, the loyalty of our customers and the unwavering support of this amazing community,” 

Ezy Paeste said in statement. “Over the years, we’ve witnessed so many special moments unfold here — teens landing their first jobs, couples on their first dates, families and friends turning visits into lasting traditions. Some folks have been coming here for generations, and now we’re seeing their children and grandchildren strolling through the same halls. It’s been an absolute honor to be part of those memories and to grow alongside this community through the years.”

Now home to nearly 100 retailers, restaurants and service providers, the East Honolulu retail hub opened in 1970. But its origins date back even earlier.

What was then called the Wai‘alae Shopping Center opened in November 1954 by Bishop Estate, according to a timeline included in a recent announcement from the mall. It featured a Piggly Wiggly grocery store, later Star Market, and Longs Drugs, and had the state's first Woolworth variety store and Wai‘alae Bowl.

In 1957, Kāhala Barber Shop, which is still in operation today, opened in phase 2. The next year, Liberty House opened in a 70,000-square-foot space.

[{"type":"text","text":"Here are some more timeline tidbits:"}]

 formed the Kāhala Center Co. to redevelop the open-air Wai‘alae Shopping Center into the state's first fully enclosed, air-conditioned shopping mall.

: Construction begins and the existing anchor stores — Longs Drugs, Liberty House and Star Market — remain opened. The H-1 freeway is also under construction at the same time.

: Kāhala Mall officially opens, with anchor tenants that include JC Penney, Longs Drugs, Liberty House, Star Market and other early merchants like Yum Yum Tree, Zales, Kāhala Barber and Reyn's.

: Compleat Kitchen opens in 1976 and Calista by Cotton Cargo opens in 1979. Both shops are still open today.

: Consolidated Theatres opens its eight-screen complex, which underwent a complete renovation in 2020-21, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

: California Pizza Kitchen opens its first restaurant in the Islands — and the first outside of California.

Pizza Hut (1986), Jeans Warehouse (1987), The Paperie (1991), Marsha Nadalin Salon & Spa (1993), Sanrio Surprises, GNC (1996), 

, American Savings Bank (1997), GameStop, Pictures Plus (1998), Panda Express (1999) and Chili’s (2000).

: Starbucks opens its first Hawai‘i location at Kāhala Mall.

: Flash flooding on March 31 damages about 60 of the mall's 90 businesses but the mall quickly reopens.

: Whole Foods Market opens its first Hawai‘i location in the space formerly occupied by Piggly Wiggly and Star Market.

: Kāhala Mall spans 414,000 square feet with nearly 100 tenants. Thirty merchants have operated there for a decade or more.

commemorative merchant flags featuring photographs of longstanding tenants will be displayed throughout the center, the announcement noted.

According to the mall, popular gift-with-purchase promotions will showcase the colors and design of the Kahala Mall carpet, a recognizable feature of the center for decades. You can receive these limited-edition gifts in September and throughout the holiday season.

Follow @kahalamall on social media to see photos of the Center's early days and through the years. Customers also can share their own memories of Kahala Mall by tagging #KahalaMall55 for a chance to win Kahala Mall gift cards and a grand staycation at the Kahala Hotel & Resort.

Kahala Mall is located at 4211 Waialae Ave., and open from 

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