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ASD Staff

Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai'i Skies was captured by Bonnie Oda on King Street. "

The sun and rain casts a ghostly impression just beyond the King Street Catholic Cemetery. The spirits are ushering Halloween with a bit of spark."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

25 10 22 Bonnie Oda 16x9

<title>Hawai'i Skies: Haunting season opens</title>

Today's Hawai'i Skies was captured by Bonnie Oda on King Street.

Hawai'i Skies: Haunting season opens

Today's Hawai'i Skies was captured by Bonnie Oda on King Street. "The sun and rain casts a ghostly impression just beyond the King Street Catholic Cemetery. The spirits are ushering Halloween with a bit of spark." 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.

Andrea Cavaliere

Arts & Entertainment

Kona Thriller Halloween Party at Willie's Hot Chicken

Willie’s Hot Chicken in Kailua-Kona presents the Kona Thriller on Friday, October 31. Presented by Off the Grid Productions, the event will feature music by Unit:E, SPCTR, and B. Lively. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Time: Friday, Oct 31 | 9 PM–2 AM | 21+"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Ola Brew Costume Party"}]

Ola Brew hosts a Halloween costume party with live music, themed drinks, and prizes. Music acts are yet to be announced, but sure to be an exciting and late night!

[{"type":"text","text":"Time: Friday, Oct 31 | Evening | 21+"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"MyBar Halloween Costume Party"}]

MyBar in Kailua-Kona hosts its annual Hallo-Scream Party on Friday, October 31, featuring live DJs, themed cocktails, and a costume contest. The event begins in the evening and continues late into the night, making it one of Kona’s most energetic Halloween gatherings. Entry is free before 9 PM, with a cover charge afterward.

Uila Records Presents: Surprise Funk and Punk – Halloween Theme Show

Uila Records in Waimea presents Surprise Funk and Punk – Halloween Theme Show, with a live concert featuring John Norwood Fisher and John Steward of Fishbone alongside Luis Oliart of Oliart and the Hinges. The event runs from 7 to 10 PM on Friday, October 31 and includes a preshow meet-and-greet, limited-edition posters, and a record signing.

[{"type":"text","text":"Time: Friday, Oct 31 | 7–10 PM | Tickets: $15 advance \/ $20 door"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Palace Theater: The Rocky Horror Picture Show"}]

The Palace Theater in Hilo presents its annual Halloween screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This show is known for lively audience participation and elaborate costumes. The evening includes a pre-show costume contest, prop kits, and a full sing-along to the cult-classic soundtrack.

[{"type":"text","text":"Time: Friday, Oct 31 | 8 PM | 18+| Tickets: $12 advance \/ $15 door"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Aloha Theatre: Carrie The Musical"}]

The Aloha Theatre presents Carrie: The Musical, a haunting adaptation of Stephen King’s classic story that blends classic horror with powerful live performance. With themes of fear and revenge, this production is perfect for Halloween night.

Time: Friday, Oct 31 | 7:30 PM | All Ages | Tickets: $35 Adult / $30 Seniors / $15 Youth

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hilo Town Tavern: Halloween Friday"}]

The Hilo Town Tavern is hosting its annual Halloween party on Friday, October 31. 

usic by Rhythm X, a costume contest, and spooky drink specials, it is sure to be one of the liveliest parties in downtown Hilo.

[{"type":"text","text":"Time: Friday, Oct 31 | 9:30 PM"}]

Palace Theater Rocky Horror

<title>Big Island Halloween 2025 roundup</title>

Looking for something to do with your ghosties this Halloween? Aloha State Daily has your guide to Halloween on the Big Island. From costume contests to musicals, you and your ghouls are bound to have a creepy good time!

Big Island Halloween 2025 roundup

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Aloha Spirit

Keoni Vaughn, the longtime executive director of Lāna‘i Cat Sanctuary, has spent much of his life — and career — around animals.

He showed dogs professionally for years as a child and young adult, mostly in Hawai‘i but in other areas of the Mainland, too.

Vaughn told Aloha State Daily that he "kind of went on with my life and then I stumbled across animals again in a different way and started working for the Hawaiian Humane Society on O‘ahu.”

He was hired as an “animal pick-up guy,” picking up stray animals, then worked his way into becoming a humane investigator, which Vaughn says showed him a different side of the spectrum.

“While I was doing that, I really started to take interest in the cat situation and the problems that were going on.”

Eventually, Vaughn became the chief investigator, and later the director of operations and vice president for the humane society.

"When I was in that role, I did a lot of legislative stuff, helping to strengthen the cruelty laws, did a lot of dangerous dog cases, and then also dealt with one of the most contentious topics, which were basically free-roaming cats," he says.

A large portion of the thousands of cats coming into the humane society each year were feral and unsocialized.

In 2014, he had the chance to go work on Lāna‘i, where there was a “very small rescue group” and cat sanctuary.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Early days of the sanctuary"}]

 got its start in the early aughts, it was a small operation.

"With 25 cats, a horse corral and a dream, Lāna‘i Cat Sanctuary was born," its website reads.

The nonprofit was founded by Kathy Carroll who had moved to the island from Illinois and “was shocked to see the large homeless cat population,” the site states.

“She vowed to stop the suffering of cats struggling to survive and rallied volunteers to help,” the sanctuary website notes.

Meanwhile, Vaughn says a conservation group had discovered a petrel colony and found that free-roaming cats were preying on the endangered birds.

Vaughn says Carroll reached out and was given 30 days to catch and relocate as many cats as she could. She negotiated with the Four Seasons to use a horse corral to house the captured creatures.

There were about 25 to start. Within a year, she had 100 cats, and in 2009, Vaughn says she made a deal to acquire a few acres of land “in the middle of nowhere, a quarter mile away from the airport.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Then and now"}]

When Vaughn started in 2014, the cat sanctuary had 350 cats, three staff, about $30,000 in reserves and a $100,000 operating budget.

Today, there are more than 760 cats on four acres, 18 staff members and an operating budget of $2.1 million.

Stepping into the role, Vaughn says he had to first take care of the cats but at the same time consider the organization’s revenue sources.

“With only 3,000 people on the island, you really can’t raise that much money off the residents,” he says. “I had to kind of flip the model a little.”

Before he was involved in animal welfare, Vaughn worked for a large travel company on O‘ahu.

“I [thought], well, it is Hawai‘i. It’s a tourist destination. What if we make this a really fun and quirky place to visit, first, and then, once we convince everybody to come here to visit because it’s a fun and quirky place, then we tell them about our mission, we tell them about our nonprofit and hopefully people will appreciate it and donate.

“So that’s what we’ve always tried to do — maintain that fun, quirky place in the middle of nowhere.”

When Vaughn spoke to ASD in September, about 85% of the nonprofit’s funding came through donations — many who donate have never been there — while the remainder comes from a county grant.

But lingering impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2023 Maui wildfires continue to affect the sanctuary.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Before and after"}]

Prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, Vaughn says the sanctuary was doing well.

[{"type":"text","text":"Then Covid hit."}]

Because it was a popular tourist attraction, “and we were bringing all these people into Lāna‘i,” Vaughn says he made the call to close to the public before pandemic-related government mandates were implemented.

“We knew that when we did that, we were going to lose a lot of funding,” he told ASD. “But it was the right thing to do. … We didn’t want to be the reason why Covid came to the island.”

The sanctuary weathered that storm but as visitor counts were recovering, wildfires that ravaged parts of Maui and destroyed much of Lahaina town struck in August 2023, “and tragically, everything came to a halt.”

The harbor in Lahaina was lost. Tourism to Maui dropped in the wake the fires. The ferry between Lāna‘i and Maui moved and rates increased, Vaughn says.

“There’s all these barriers,” Vaughn says. “And if you think about it from a travel industry perspective, it’s already hard enough to try to convince these visitors out of their average five-day stay, to dedicate one full day to come to the cat sanctuary, to get on the ferry and go to Lāna‘i.”

According to Vaughn there were 1,329 visitors to the sanctuary in July. In July 2023, just before the Maui fires, there were 2,033 visitors.

“It’s hard,” he says. “It’s really, really hard. Then we have to shift our mindset on how we’re going to generate that revenue.”

[{"type":"text","text":"The sanctuary got creative."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"For example, you can adopt a cat virtually."}]

And during Covid, the sanctuary offered people a chance for their own piece of “

Vaughn thought it would be amazing to sell 10. They sold 170. A year later, 60% renewed their leases.

“Now it’s an ongoing program for us and it’s just fantastic,” Vaughn says. “That’s one of the many opportunities and creative ways I think that we do try to stay relevant, stay in business, keep up with the operating costs.”

Vaughn says, too, that the sanctuary also does its part to support the local economy. After all, the people who come to visit have to each lunch and want to go shopping, he noted.

“I just feel like it’s a really good thing overall. We’re helping the cats, the birds and the community.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Adoption and current needs"}]

Vaughn says that any cats brought into the sanctuary that are trapped from a bird nesting area won’t be adopted to anyone locally on island.

Eventually though, about 40% of the sanctuary’s cats become socialized and adoptable. About 100 are adopted out each year, with about 90% of those cats going off-island and out of state.

As for the sanctuary’s biggest needs right now, Vaughn is honest: donations.

“Because our tourism is down because of the fires. Because I think governments are getting a lot stricter with their grants and their funding,” he says. “It’s getting harder and harder. We provide high-quality care and we do a lot with very little, but we still need the donations.”

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Lanai cat sanctuary 6

<title>Prowling around with Lāna‘i Cat Sanctuary</title>

Aloha State Daily recently spoke with the nonprofit's Executive Director Keoni Vaughn about the organization and its efforts to save cats and protect birds. The organization has seen both growth and challenges over the years on its way to becoming a bona fide visitor destination.

Prowling around with Lāna‘i Cat Sanctuary

Government & Politics

Businesses affected by the Skyline rail construction along Dillingham Boulevard can now apply for grants from the City and County of Honolulu’s Transit Construction Mitigation Fund, or TCMF.

The online portal is now open and accepting applications.

According to the city, the program was created “to support eligible businesses that have been financially impacted by construction of the Honolulu Rail Transit Project.”

In this grant cycle, 40 grants of $10,000 will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, a 

The grants are available to impacted businesses located 

 between 2312/2339 Kamehameha Highway to the intersection of North King St.

Among other eligibility requirements, businesses must be in an eligible zone, have been at the current physical location on or before Dec. 1, 2020, be majority owned by city residents, have generated $1 million or less in revenue last year, and experienced a 10% decline in business revenue in 2023 and/or 2024, answers to some 

According to the FAQ, grants can be used for ordinary and necessary business operating expenses, including the likes of advertising, payroll and benefits, utilities, insurance, rent/lease/mortgage and property taxes for the business. The funding cannot be used for non-business-related expenses.

Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6. Virtual assistance will be available from 8 to 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 27 and Nov. 5, the site notes.

More information about eligibility requirements and the application process can be 

 and spans just under 11 miles with nine stations. The second segment 

, a 5.2-mile stretch of guideway that now carries riders beyond Aloha Stadium to the Middle Street Transit Center and has four new stations.

HART, or the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, the public transit authority responsible for planning and building the rail system for the City and County of Honolulu, 

 on the next phase of the project, the city center guideway and stations.

 The CCGS project includes the construction of nearly three miles of elevated guideway and six rail stations, starting near Kahauiki, or the Middle Street Transit Center station, and ending at the the Civic Center station, just east of the intersection of Halekauwila and South streets, ASD previously reported. Construction is expected to be finished by 2030.

Utility work for this segment of the rail has been underway for the last two years

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

Dillingham blvd2 42425

<title>Grants available for businesses affected by rail construction</title>

Businesses along Dillingham Boulevard impacted by the work can now apply for grants from the City and County of Honolulu’s Transit Construction Mitigation Fund.

Grants available for businesses affected by rail construction

 to Teapresso Bar LLC, alleging violations of state franchise laws.

State officials, however, say that only applies to the company as a franchisor and does not apply to Teapresso franchisees.

“In other words, the preliminary order to cease and desist does not require any Teapresso franchisee to close its business or stop services," says 

Ty Nohara, commissioner of securities at the 

state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Teapresso Bars specialize in coffee and boba tea.

The preliminary cease-and-desist order, issued by Nohara on Oct. 14, alleges that between December 2016 and July 2021, Teapresso, whose sole managing member was Thanh “Steve” Nguyen, granted 26 Teapresso Bar franchises in Hawai‘i in violation of franchise laws.

The state alleges that Teapresso Bar LLC failed to provide an “offering circular” to prospective franchisees before franchises were sold and also failed to file required documents with the commissioner, as required by state law. Teapresso has been ordered to stop offering or selling franchises in the state and pay a civil penalty of $100,000.

Nohara told Aloha State Daily via email that an offering circular is now more commonly known as a franchise disclosure document —  a comprehensive document that the law requires a franchisor, or seller of the franchise, provide to franchisee, or the buyer of a franchise, at least seven days before any contract is signed or money is paid to the franchisor.

“The purpose of an offering circular is to ensure that potential franchisees receive certain key information about the franchisor’s business operations to help them make informed decisions before investing in the franchise,” Nohara says, adding that state laws outline specific information that must be provided in the document, “including, but not limited to, detailed information about the franchisor's affiliates, business history, financial condition and regulatory history, if any, as well as any other known risks associated with the franchise.”

“The offering circular must also include detailed information pertaining to the franchisee’s obligations, including payment of initial fees, operational standards, requirements, and limitations and future financial obligations, such as payment of royalties or other fees, as well as the franchisee’s rights of sale, transfer or assignment of the franchise.”

And to allow for state oversight, franchisors must also file with the commissioner a copy of the same document provided to franchisees at least seven days before the sale of any franchise in the state, she explained.

The Teapresso Bar corporate team addressed the matter on social media and reiterated that all stores will remain open.

“Each Teapresso location is independently owned and operated under an individual licensing agreement that allows local business owners to use the Teapresso brand,” an Instagram post reads. “This is the matter of administrative compliance with the state — not a shutdown order. All Teapresso stores will continue to operate as usual. We remain committed to ensuring all locations continue to provide the same great drinks, service and experience that our customers love. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.”

The state says that anyone who purchased a Teapresso Bar franchise, or who may have information about this matter, should contact the DCCA’s Securities Enforcement Branch at 808-586-2740 or 

According to a DCCA spokesperson, the last franchise preliminary cease and desist was issued by against Shannon Fuller and E-Z Roadside on May 13, 2013.

Teapresso sign

<title>State issues preliminary cease-and-desist against Teapresso Bar</title>

The state alleges violations of Hawai‘i franchise laws. Existing stores, however, will continue to operate as normal.

State issues preliminary cease-and-desist against Teapresso Bar

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

A long-running battle between conservation groups and commercial fishers is flaring up once again.

The Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources is preparing to adopt 

 administrative rules governing aquarium fishing off the western shores of Hawai‘i Island.

These new rules would permit commercial aquarium fishing of eight specific species by up to seven permittees. Those permit holders would be subject to collective annual catch limits for each of those eight whitelisted species.

Despite the severe restrictions posed by the proposed rules, they would be a boon for a moribund industry, as aquarium fishing has been entirely banned in West Hawai‘i following a 2017 ruling by the State Supreme Court — the court found that DLNR had improperly permitted aquarium fishers to take vast amounts of fish without any environmental review.

But environmental groups believe the new rules fly in the face of the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ previous rulings on the matter.

“It’s a pretty big betrayal,” Rene Umberger, executive director of environmental group For the Fishes, told Aloha State Daily.

Umberger, who was one of the plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case that halted aquarium fishing, said that the BLNR in 2023 directed the DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) to develop stringent rules to regulate aquarium fishing, having decided that a total ban was not feasible or fair long-term.

At a 2023 meeting, BLNR Chair Dawn Chang told DAR that the new rules may determine an acceptable level of aquarium fishing that is “short of zero.” Umberger said that she and other environmentalists figured that “short of zero” would still be close to zero.

Instead, Umberger said, the catch limits within the new rules are unacceptably high. She claimed that, before the ban on aquarium fishing, seven permit holders could collectively bring in about 56,000 fish every year, but the new rules allow seven permittees to bring in more than 200,000.

“They’re just letting aquarium collectors back on the reef,” Umberger said.

Umberger said she and other advocates had suggested alternate rules that would still allow aquarium fishers to operate. For example, she said allowing unlimited take of non-native species could be beneficial for the ecosystem and would still allow fishers to collect attractive and photogenic specimens.

Alternatively, Umberger said she suggested a ban on taking yellow tang or other species currently available through captive breeding.

Instead, Umberger said, DAR has proposed rules that she believes cannot stand.

“I believe that the board will see that this is not what they asked for,” Umberger said. “I really don’t think the board will approve this.”

But the board on Friday is no doubt in for a long day. The 2023 hearing on the subject lasted for three days as hundreds of people testified, mostly in opposition to aquarium fishing.

A statement by For the Fishes published last week cited a poll that found that 84% of O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island residents support permanently ending the catching of reef fish for commercial aquariums.

However, commercial fishers disagree. Commercial aquarium fisher Ron Tubbs has filed a contested case against the BLNR’s 2023 decision, although the board seems poised to deny it.

When asked to comment on the new rules, Tubbs presented ASD with a 2024 DAR 

 that found negligible differences in targeted fish populations across multiple ocean management areas before the ban on commercial aquarium fishing.

That report concluded that DAR found no clear evidence that previously proposed take limits — some of which were higher than those currently being discussed —  will result in population declines that will impact the population’s long-term viability, and that DAR can effectively manage and mitigate any potential negative impacts by commercial aquarium fishing.

The BLNR will discuss scheduling public hearings on the new rules at its Friday hearing at 9 a.m.

I Stock 1793487708

<title>Environmental groups to challenge proposed West Hawai‘i fishing rules</title>

New fishing rules would once again allow commercial aquarium fishing in West Hawai‘i waters

Environmental groups to challenge proposed West Hawai‘i fishing rules

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

MĀNOA — Following victories, the University of Hawai‘i football team likes to celebrate with Waka Flocka Flame's "Grove St. Party" blaring in the background. The song, selected by head coach Timmy Chang, was part of Wacka Flocka Flame's 2010 mixtape "Flockaveli."

The celebratory anthem made its welcomed return to the team's locker room following a 44-26 over Utah State at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on Saturday night, Hawai‘i's first win over the Aggies since 2010. 

 in eight tries over the last 14 years heading into Saturday's matchup, triumphed behind quarterback Micah Alejado, who completed 34 of his 54 passes for 413 yards and three touchdowns, all of whom were caught by 

. Alejado, who turned 21 on Saturday, overcame an interception and five sacks to deliver another signature performance. 

The Rainbow Warriors, who improved to 5-2, can party like it's 2010. Regardless of which era it chooses to commemorate, the 2025 'Bows have yet to run out of reasons to celebrate. 

"It didn't feel like my birthday, really. I focused on the game all day," Alejado said after the game. "But now that we won, I'll probably celebrate 21 how everyone should celebrate 21."

[{"type":"text","text":"As for the Waka Flocka Flame song? "}]

"Coach Chang, that's his song," Alejado said. "And he brought it up before during the fall camp, and we played it every Thursday practice to get the mood going. That's all coach Chang."

Chang coached with an ultra-aggressive approach on Saturday, dialing up a fake punt in the second quarter and surprise onside kick in the third quarter, both of which were unsuccessful and ultimately led to a pair of Aggie touchdowns. 

"I think we just look for opportunities, and if opportunities present themselves, we make the most of it," Chang said. 

UH's high-powered offense on Saturday was complemented by a stingy defense, particularly in a fourth quarter in which the Rainbow Warriors outscored the Aggies 17-0. 

"Our defense is tough. We talk about tough guys, and there's a bunch of them on defense," Chang said. "The biggest thing is making smart football players, disciplined football players, detailed guys, and you want them to carry those (attributes) on and off the field. There's a locker room full of them and so we're very proud of them and how they play."

The Rainbow Warriors and Aggies were tied at 3 in the first quarter after exchanging field goals, which included Kansei Matsuzawa's 17th field goal of the season in as many tries. Hawai‘i then got in the end zone on a 18-yard touchdown pass from Alejado to Ashlock. 

Utah State briefly held momentum in the first half after a failed fake punt by Hawai‘i set up a 30-yard Utah State touchdown on a double pass from Anthony Garcia to Javen Jacobs with 8:11 left in the second quarter, but consecutive touchdowns from Alejado to Ashlock gave the Rainbow Warriors a 24-20 lead at halftime as the duo connected for three scores in the first half alone. 

The Aggies began the second half at the Hawai‘i 44 after a failed onside kick attempt and promptly took advantage with a 32-yard Broc Lane touchdown reception with 14:01 left in the third quarter. The ensuing extra point was blocked by 

Lester Lagafuaina, and the Aggies did not score again due to an opportunistic Hawai‘i defense. 

Hawai‘i then took a 27-26 lead on Kansei Matsuzwa's 46-yard field goal with 3:20 left in the third quarter, his 18th consecutive made field goal to begin the 2025 season. He also tacked on a 36-yard field goal in the third quarter, upping his 2025 mark to 19-for-19 on field goal attempts. 

Jamih Otis was Hawai‘i's standout defensively, forcing two Utah State turnovers in the fourth quarter. The first was a forced fumble recovered by Jalen Smith, while the second was an interception at the UH 17 on the next possession. Otis also added five tackles. In between his two turnovers, Hawai‘i took a three-possession lead on a 4-yard Landon Sims rushing touchdown with 3:48 remaining, a score that was preceded by a 22-yard reception by Ashlock on fourth-and-3 despite being in field goal range at the Utah State 29. 

"I feel like for us as receivers, we want each other to ball, and we want each other to eat as well," said Ashlock, who finished with 113 yards on eight receptions. 

Next for Hawai‘i is a road game at Colorado State on Oct. 18. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. HST. 

Hawai'i Skies: Haunting season opens

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Authors

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