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Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai'i Skies was captured by Stephanie Salmons on a flight home. "Nothing like flying into Hawai‘i and being greeted by blue skies, the blue sea and sunshine."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

25 10 16 STEPHANIE SALMONS

<title>Hawai'i Skies: Flying home</title>

Today's Hawai'i Skies was captured by Stephanie Salmons on a flight home.

Hawai'i Skies: Flying home

Today&#039;s Hawai&#039;i Skies was captured by Stephanie Salmons on a flight home. &quot;Nothing like flying into Hawai‘i and being greeted by blue skies, the blue sea and sunshine.&quot; To submit your Hawai&#039;i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

MĀNOA — As the sun set at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on Saturday evening, the University of Hawai‘i football team had 15 minutes left to inject one last shot of hope into a spiraling 2026 campaign, one that started with 

 and has outdone itself in disappointing moments each week. 

With a 3-point lead and a path to the end zone ahead of him, Hawai‘i quarterback Micah Alejado had the ball punched out by New Mexico's Drew Speech at the 1-yard line, recovered by Lobo linebacker Mercury Swaim. 

Taking advantage of Hawai‘i's costly error, New Mexico pieced together a methodical seven-minute drive, capped by quarterback Toa Fa'ave's 21-yard jaunt into the end zone. 

On Hawai‘i's next drive, a lethargic 17-yard effort spread across six plays, the 'Bows resorted to a punt after its seventh penalty of the game, a flag for unnecessary roughness. Then on the very next play, New Mexico's 

Scottre Humphrey took a handoff 49 yards to the house, the final dagger in a 21-10 comeback victory for the Lobos, the latest heartbreak for the Rainbow Warriors. 

While New Mexico improved to 5-1 for the 2026 season and its first 2-0 Mountain West Conference start in program history, Hawai‘i fell to 1-6 overall, including 0-4 in Mountain West play following its most recent discovery in finding creative ways to avoid victory. 

The guys gave them all that they can handle," Hawai‘i head coach Timmy Chang said as he stood emotionless at the postgame press conference podium. "Just a few more plays remain on that side of the ball. So, the result is losing by 11. 

"I think no doubt that they're hurting, and they should hurt. They put so much effort and work into trying to be good and trying to win these games and trying to play for the state, and for whatever reason we come up short, and so these are good life lessons for them on how to how to deal with adversity, how to handle it, what type of person we're going to be during this time, and I know more than ever they're going to stick with each other and and play hard."

Hawai‘i scored first on a 27-yard Sean Olvera-Harle field goal with 7:51 left in the first quarter, but their red zone woes continued in the second quarter when a 32-yard Olvera-Harle attempt was missed with 10:14 left in the half. By the time Saturday's game was said and done, UH's red zone conversion rate of 62.50% is 133rd out of 138 teams in the country. 

With six seconds left in the first half, Hawai‘i receiver 

 hauled in his first career college touchdown from one yard out to give the Rainbow Warriors a 10-0 lead at halftime. Lacaden finished with a team-high seven receptions for the second straight week, finishing with 41 yards. 

"That doesn't satisfy me. I'm a team player. Team comes first. That's one of the rules and the standards that we hold here in this very lecture hall," Lacaden said during the postgame press conference, which takes place in UH's meeting room. 

The homecoming crowd of 11,878, most of which left and booed after New Mexico's final score, witnessed how the Rainbow Warriors slowly let New Mexico off the hook. 

The Lobos, built on discipline and dominating the line of scrimmage under head coach Jason Eck, didn't show either during the first half. New Mexico committed six penalties each on offense and defense in the first half, yet the Lobos trailed just 10-0 at halftime. 

To begin the third quarter, the Lobos converted a key fourth-and-2 with a trick play, then scored on a 1-yard Scottre Humphrey rush with 9:43 left in the third quarter to cut the UH lead to 10-7. The Rainbow Warriors were poised to extend their lead back to 10 points before Alejado's fourth quarter fumble and never scored again. 

"Not really much to say," said Lacaden, a redshirt freshman, when asked about the team's struggles. "We got to clean up the little things. I feel like that's the story every week for us."

Hawaii football 101726

<title>Hawai‘i football melts down in homecoming loss to New Mexico</title>

The Rainbow Warriors faltered against the Lobos on Saturday, falling to 1-6 for the 2026 season.

Hawai‘i football melts down in homecoming loss to New Mexico

Kam Napier Headshot

A. Kam Napier

Crime & Courts

Columnists

 with frustration as I observe the deaths of three children and a teacher. The only good thing about the situation: An 

 driving by Silver Rail Elementary School heard the shots, parked, ran into the danger and shot and killed the school shooter before he could kill any more children. 

[{"type":"text","text":"He ended the threat before police could even get on the scene."}]

It’s yet another horrible example of two true things. One, there are psychopaths who want to shoot up school kids. Two, they can only be stopped by shooting them. 

My frustration is that Hawai‘i has stubbornly refused to acknowledge either reality and we are damned lucky we don’t have dead schoolchildren of our own.

If you think our keiki are being kept safe by our gun laws, you haven't thought past your feelings. In the real world, they are corralled into unprotected facilities with only police response time standing between them and death. That's exactly what happened at Silver Rail, where guns have been banned by state law since 2021.

One of the main sources of this vulnerability is our Act 52, the Statewide 

Sensitive Places Law, signed by Gov. Josh Green on June 2, 2023. He made this statement at the time:

“In observance of today’s National Gun Violence Awareness Day, I’m pleased to be signing two bills – SB1230 and HB1239 – as gun violence represents an urgent public health and public safety issue,” 

 Green. “These bills strike a very appropriate balance between public safety, and protecting people and children in Hawaiʻi, along with respecting the Second Amendment right of individuals.”

, banning guns from, among other places, all schools and universities, public or private.

HB1239 became Act 53, mandating “active shooter training” in the DOE. Well, sort of mandated, as it allows students to opt out. Here’s an example of such training at Hawai‘i Pacific University’s website,

 it’s the “run, hide, fight” method

. I assume this same method is taught throughout the Department of Education for public schools.

And it doesn't work. There's evidence it makes things worse. Read “

Unfortunate Outcomes for Popular Safety Programs,

. This is a business leadership trade organization for independent schools. Author Michael Dorn says of run, hide, fight and similar programs, “It has become evident, however, that in multiple school attacks, these training approaches have resulted in what can only be described as tragic failures that have increased rather than decreased casualties.”

That was two years before Hawai‘i made such training the law of the land for our schools and universities.

Here's what happens to "run, hide, fight" in real life when unarmed children and teachers are attacked by school shooters:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Get shot in the back while you run. "}]

Get shot wherever the shooter finds you hiding. 

Get shot in the face while you fight ... with what, exactly? Algebra books?

These school shooters always end up being 

social misfit weirdos with chips on their shoulders

 who are going to make the world pay. They range from depressed and bullied to malicious and evil to inhumanly psychopathic. But they are generally not stupid. They select schools for a reason that ought to be jaw-droppingly obvious:

Schools are the only things weaker than the shooters themselves. The children are small and harmless. The teachers are nice people unaccustomed to violence. And, most importantly, from the shooter's perspective, they are all unarmed. No one can fight back.

Every school shooter knows this. They know it because there’s a stupid sign on the school that says, “gun-free zone.”

[{"type":"text","text":"You know what that sign says to a school shooter?"}]

Oregon's Silver Rail Elementary itself is the proof, where three students were killed before that armed father stopped the shooter. "

Oregon School Shooting District Had Banned Staff From Carrying Guns

These laws are not safety. True safety comes from stopping the shooter immediately. True safety comes from would-be school shooters knowing they will be shot on sight so fast that it isn’t worth it, they’ll never achieve what they’ve set out to do. They need to know it’s a suicide mission with no pay-off — and note, many of them do end on suicide, but only 

 they’ve killed others. They want their body count first. Take away their prize and school shootings will stop.

This is reality. Under these laws, our children are no safer than the ones at Silver Rail. As far as I'm concerned, those c

hildren are human sacrifices to the moral vanity of the gun control advocates who left them undefended.

If you've seen me make this next point before, well, I'm going to make it again because it's still true.

I’ve worked Downtown for 30 years and have seen countless armored cars making deliveries, with their armed guards openly carrying guns on their hips.

No one even looks twice. No one squawks. No one freaks out, “OMG! That guard has a 

Why? Because it’s obvious that sacks of money tempt robbers, including the armed-robbery type. We all collectively agree that people who transport money are at risk, the money is at risk, and if an armed robber gets killed during a robbery, well, too bad, you shouldn't have tried to steal the money and shoot the guards. That's if anybody gives this any thought at all, which, they probably don't because it's such obvious common sense that it's hardly worth noticing. Literally no has a problem with this. No marches on the state Capitol with a "no blood for armored cars!" sign.

School grounds, on the other hand, must be made as absolutely defenseless as possible or we simply can't live with ourselves. This is so important to us that we pass laws with fanfare and press conferences to celebrate how defenseless we've made the schools.

[{"type":"text","text":"I don't get it."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"What we're willing to protect with deadly force is what we truly value."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Looks to me like we love money more than we love children."}]

As for Green, he's surrounded by armed guards, at taxpayer expense. Kids on state property aren't, but he is. I guess we love our governors more than we love children, too.

[{"type":"text","text":"How nice for him."}]

People sometimes grumble when opinion writers rant about a problem without proposing a solution, so here's mine: Free guns for school employees and the training needed to safely shoot straight. Does this need funding? Well, the state of Hawai‘i knows exactly how much I paid in state income taxes last year. Start with that, every penny. I'd like to pay for something that works for a change.

A. Kam Napier is editor in chief of Aloha State Daily. His opinions in Pipikaula Corner are his own and not reflective of the ASD team.

Silver Rail Getty Images 2299891218

<title>Pipikaula Corner: What Oregon should teach Hawai‘i</title>

The Oregon school shooter was stopped by one thing and one thing only — a good, brave man with a gun. Hawai‘i offers its students and teachers only "gun-free zone" signs and some training that they run for their lives. But note this: Oregon's Silver Rail Elementary was a "gun-free zone" school, too.

Pipikaula Corner: What Oregon should teach Hawai‘i

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

A former Moanalua High School girls’ wrestling coach was charged in U.S. District Court last week with possession of child porn.

Sean Sakaida, 44, was arrested Thursday for receiving and possessing explicit photos of one of his former wrestling students, after someone tipped off the FBI about a possible inappropriate relationship between an adult and a minor earlier this year.

According to an FBI affidavit, a member of the Moanalua girls’ wrestling team told an investigator in January that Sakaida had a relationship “beyond that of coach and athlete” with another member.

When FBI agents broached the subject to the alleged victim’s mother, she did not initially cooperate. However, in July, the mother provided the agents with a recording of a WhatsApp conversation she found on her daughter’s phone, in which an unidentified user — although one who used a phone number investigators recognized as Sakaida’s — solicited sexually explicit images of the victim.

Subsequent reviews of Sakaida’s WhatsApp account activity showed that Sakaida sent and received images to and from the victim on a near-daily basis, along with frequent video calls. During a 25-day period between Aug. 21 and Sept. 14, Sakaida contacted the victim more than 5,600 times via images, texts, telephone and video calls.

The FBI then executed a search warrant on Sakaida’s iCloud account, where they found copies of the WhatsApp photos received between December of last year and January.

The affidavit notes that Sakaida’s iCloud account also included wrestling-related notes that included players’ birthdates, including the victim’s, indicating that he knew she was a minor.

While the affidavit does not mention finding images or conversations with other minors in Sakaida’s accounts, the FBI has urged other potential victims of Sakaida to come forward, alleging that Sakaida reportedly targeted other wrestlers as far back as 2012.

The FBI’s Honolulu Field Office has set up a 

 for people to submit information about their contact with Sakaida. Such information will be kept confidential.

Sakaida appeared in court Monday for an initial appearance. U.S. attorneys filed a motion asking to detain Sakaida without bail; that motion will be resolved at a detention hearing on Sept. 30.

Sakaida has not yet made a plea. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 13.

If convicted, Sakaida faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison, and a maximum of 20 years, along with possible fines of up to $250,000.

I Stock 2163789360

<title>Former wrestling coach arrested for child porn</title>

Sean Sakaida, 44, was arrested Thursday for receiving and possessing explicit photos of one of his former wrestling students, after someone tipped off the FBI about a possible inappropriate relationship between an adult and a minor earlier this year. If convicted, Sakaida faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison, and a maximum of 20 years, along with possible fines of up to $250,000.

Former wrestling coach arrested for child porn

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawai‘i History

Banyan trees are a wonder of nature, where myths, legends, and ancient knowledge intertwine like the roots that hang from their branches.

In Buddhism, the banyan tree symbolizes enlightenment. In Hinduism, it is associated with the gods. And Asian folklore connects the banyan to spirits and magic. If the main trunk of a banyan is damaged or destroyed, it can continue to grow through its numerous roots, making it a symbol of eternal life and rebirth.

The Indian banyan (Ficus benghalensis) is the national tree of India, and represents longevity, strength, resilience, and the enduring bonds of community. A 700-year-old tree in Munger, Bihar, India is considered the oldest banyan in the world, with radiocarbon dating of its wood samples confirming it has been standing since the 1300s.

In Chinese culture, banyan trees are notable for their excellent feng shui and symbolize longevity and perseverance. They are also home to earth gods that protect their villages. In Hainan, China’s smallest and southernmost province, the banyan tree is regarded as a spirit tree that can ward off evil spirits and communicate with God. Shrines are often built at the base of these trees, and in many cases, people worship the trees themselves.

Throughout the Philippines, banyan trees are often believed to be home to engkantos, environmental spirits, as well as frightening beings like the Tikbalang and Kapre. Stories of encounters with these spirits have led many people to show respect when passing them and to leave the trees untouched, never cutting them down. Offerings were once made to appease the spirits they thought dwelled within the trees.

Across Asia, many people believe that spirits, ghosts, and deities inhabit banyan trees. The folklore in many of these cultures warns against sleeping or lingering beneath them, especially after dark, for fear of disturbing restless spirits or malicious entities.

While it’s quite common to see massive banyans in Hawai‘i, many don’t realize that these trees are not native to these islands. Archibald Cleghorn, Princess Ka‘iulani’s father, planted the first banyan tree in Hawai‘i around 1870, at ‘Ainahau, their family estate in Waikīkī. In April 1873, missionaries from India gifted a banyan to Maui Sheriff William Owen Smith, who planted it in Lāhainā to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission to Lāhainā.

The original banyan at ‘Ainahau is no longer there, which makes the one in Lāhainā one of the oldest banyans in the U.S. Although it was significantly damaged during the great fire in 2023, the Lāhainā banyan stands today as a cultural and historical landmark and represents the enduring spirit of Lāhainā and the people of Maui.

For more than 150 years, banyans have been planted all across our islands. The giant trees provide comforting shade beneath their sprawling canopies, while aerial prop roots that grow down from their branches offer endless fun for children.  

The two banyan trees adjacent to Ali‘iolani Hale in Downtown Honolulu are estimated to have been planted between 1882 and 1887. There is no record as to who planted them, but they are listed in Honolulu’s Register of Exceptional Trees and are protected under that status.

The trees are home to birds, including the indigenous manu o kū (white tern or fairy tern), the occasional four-legged pest, and perhaps something more. 

Rumors of hauntings and lingering spirits within the confines of the banyans have been around for years. One night, I came across a sheriff rushing past the trees on his way to his car. I offered a greeting, and he stopped to look at me.

[{"type":"text","text":"“You’re that ghost guy, yeah?” He pointed."}]

When I confirmed I was who he thought I was, he decided to share his story.

The sheriff said that the night before, he parked his car under the banyans because he had to visit the Kekuanaoa Building next door to check on some electricians working in the basement. When he was finished, he got back in his car, buckled his seatbelt, and then turned on his a/c. He paused to type a note into his phone and said he felt two hands come up from behind, grab his duty belt, and readjust it as he sat there. Barely a second later, he felt fingertips run through his hair, and he heard a voice call him by his name.

The man jumped out of his car, hand on his sidearm, ready to confront whoever was hiding in his vehicle. But no one was there.

Looking around, heart pounding and completely puzzled, something in the canopy above him caught his attention. The sheriff looked up and saw a thin, black figure walking from branch to branch. It stopped just above him and leaned down, as if to get a better look.

He said that while he knew the banyans near the Supreme Court Building are from India, the feeling he got from them was similar to what he encountered in the Philippines, where deceased relatives were presented to the banyan, or balete, as offerings for the ancestors, the spirits, and the gods. 

“I park in the main lot now,” the sheriff said. “If those guys need something, they can text.”

Banyans at Aliiolani Hale

<title>Haunted Banyans at Ali‘iolani Hale</title>

The two banyan trees next to Ali‘iolani Hale were planted in the 1880s. Such trees carry a wealth of symbolism throughout Asian cultures — enlightenment, divinity, magic, longevity, strength, and more. Legends also surround banyan trees as the abodes of ghosts and mysterious spirit beings. That was the experience of one Hawai‘i sheriff, who shared a frightening encounter with our authors.

Hawai'i Skies: Flying home

ASD Staff

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Hawai'i Skies: Flying home

Authors

ASD Staff

Reporter

More in Hawai'i Skies

Hawaiʻi Skies: Zoomed in

Hawaiʻi Skies: Canʻt wait for time in the water

Hawaiʻi Skies: Rain showers

Hawaiʻi Skies: Just a casual walk

Most read