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Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai'i Skies was captured by Cindy Evans in South Kohala, Hawai’i Island. "

Magical Moment. I felt blessed to witness a gift from the sky."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

25 11 6 Cindy Evans

<title>Hawai'i Skies: A gift from the sky</title>

Today's Hawai'i Skies was captured by Cindy Evans in South Kohala, Hawai’i Island.

Hawai'i Skies: A gift from the sky

Today&#039;s Hawai&#039;i Skies was captured by Cindy Evans in South Kohala, Hawai’i Island. &quot;Magical Moment. I felt blessed to witness a gift from the sky.&quot; To submit your Hawai&#039;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.

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

Columnists

Somewhere on Nehoa Street, outside Roosevelt High School, there was a fight. A gang from another school had shown up after the bell. What followed was the kind of chaos that burns into memory. Boys spilling into the road, thudding sounds, the feeling of not knowing whether to stay and watch or walk away. I couldn’t tell you how it started. I couldn’t tell you how it ended. The details have faded the way details do when nobody was recording them.

That’s the thing about human memory. It compresses, softens, and eventually lets go. A fight that felt huge at the time becomes, 20 years later, a blur of raised voices and adrenaline.

Hawai‘i has always had a fighting culture. Anyone who grew up here knows this. The scraps behind the gym, the girls smacking each other and pulling hair in the cafeteria, the boys heading to a nearby park to settle something. None of that is new. Schools have never been the sanctuaries we pretend they are. Something in the tenor of what happens in them now feels different.

What is new — truly new — is that the fight never has to end.

There are Instagram accounts built around filming street fights in Hawaiʻi. They get shared in group chats and stitched into highlight reels. The culture that produced Worldstar HipHop — filming strangers on their worst day — has been handed down to teenagers. They have taken to it eagerly.

The camera doesn’t just record a fight. It changes the fight. It adds an audience that’s hungry, and a hungry audience changes the performer. The boy who might have walked away now has a reason not to. The girl who threw the first slap throws three more because someone is watching. The recording doesn’t capture the event. It becomes the event.

Consider Carly Ng — a woman with special needs, beaten by a group of teenagers more than once, the attacks 

. The response was swift, and it too went live. Neighbors hunted down the alleged attackers in crowdsourced justice, 

Shakespeare set the same sequence in Verona. A wrong done, then avenged, then avenged again. The tragedy doesn’t belong to any single act but to the momentum the original act creates. Someday soon, someone in these videos is going to die. It might be a victim who hits the pavement wrong. It might be someone who stepped into the final act of a very old play.

The spectacle is the problem. The performer needs an audience, and we’ve been a willing one. What does it mean to scroll past a video of a teenager getting knocked out and feel nothing — or worse, feel something like satisfaction?

Paul’s instruction in Philippians is not a polite suggestion to think nice thoughts. “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Our appetite is not neutral. What we feed it trains us in what to want. A generation raised on this content is being trained toward something. It is not honorable or lovely.

Put the phone down. Don’t record fights; don’t watch them. None of this requires a new law or a task force. It requires the older, harder thing: deciding that the appetite for spectacle is worth resisting.

The worry is that we have already gone further than we realize. In fight videos, you can sometimes see the fencing response — the reflexive arm stiffening that signals serious brain trauma. It’s the same thing that ended Tua Tagovailoa’s career in Miami. It is a body responding to a life in crisis. The crowd, meanwhile, holds up its phones, eager for more.

Pray we don’t record what comes next. By then, we won’t know we should have looked away.

High school fight Stock 1032319976 16x9

<title>The fight never has to end</title>

There have always been beefs and scraps in Hawai‘i's schools. Now fights are social media events, incentivizing kids to put on bigger and more violent shows for the audience, writes ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa. This is going to get someone killed.

The fight never has to end

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 — known for its modern Turkish cuisine — recently launched its new spring menu. The menu now features lighter and brighter flavors to coincide with the season.

Instead of adding new dishes every season, the menu changes quarterly to reflect seasonal ingredients, according to chef Ahu Hettema.

“The flavors are more bright and simple; we work around the farmers’ schedule,” she says.

The eatery will feature the spring menu until around mid-June; then, the menu will change to highlight summer ingredients and flavors, according to Hettema.

The Mosaic meze platter ($45) is one of the most popular appetizers at the eatery. It features a tasty — and aesthetically pleasing — assortment of hummus (topped with chickpeas); muhammara (sun-dried tomato spread with roasted bell peppers, cinnamon and walnuts); baba ghanoush (smoked eggplant with black garlic); labneh (housemade yogurt) and spinach borek (filo dough filled with spinach and feta cheese); served with the eatery’s housemade sourdough.

The platter now features strawberry balsamic with Turkish cured olives in the center. The labneh — which is whipped to a crème fraiche consistency — is topped with a seasonal lilikoʻi honey.

Aegean pearls with Osetra caviar ($86) is a new appetizer. It features crispy feuilletine — like a thin crepe — filled with Waianae cultured cream and topped with pistachio and 1 ounce of Osetra caviar. The delicate pastry “cups” boast a wonderful crunch, while the cream filling is similar to a yogurt in consistency. Its subtle sweetness is balanced nicely by the slightly salty, briny caviar.

The restaurant’s Sultan’s Sofra ($325) — designed to feed four people — is also revamped. It now includes appetizers, a mezze platter, entrees, sides and desserts. Before, the family-style meal was focused more on proteins. It now includes a little bit of everything, including lamb tenderloin, wagyu rib-eye and jidori chicken kebabs, tzatziki, saffron pilaf, spring salata and Mercimek (red lentil, carrots and chili-mint oil) soup.

The manti of the spring hearth ($66) is a must-have dish for sharing. The hand-rolled pasta is filled with Miyazaki A5 wagyu and served in a housemade yogurt whip sauce. It’s garnished with chili oil and edible flowers. The pasta, which is like an elevated ravioli, is cooked perfectly, but its flavorful, tender, beefy filling is the star of the show. It pairs nicely with the creamy yogurt, which boasts a slight spice from the chili oil.

For those familiar with the Sultan’s cilbir dish on the eatery’s weekend brunch menu — this hand-rolled pasta dish features the same creamy yogurt sauce. 

This steak — a 9-ounce portion is pictured — is served with a zucchini sauce on the bottom and comes with roasted vegetables. The meat is topped with karat gold and edible flowers, and is served with saffron rice on the side. We’re told this is one of the eatery’s most popular entrees; the creamy zucchini sauce is an updated element.

The eatery’s pirzola ($57), or dry-aged lamb chops, now features a seasonal cherry pistachio praline sauce. The palace tagine ($43) — a Jidori chicken entrée — is now topped with fennel pollen, Kula orange and lemon blossom oil; the latter is the newest component. The chicken is tender and flavorful, and the subtle floral flavors complement it nicely.

At the time of our visit, a new dessert wasn’t added to the menu, but we’re told a new matcha baklava will be available soon.

Open for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays to Mondays; closed Tuesdays

Istanbul Hawaii chef Ahu 041426

<title>Istanbul Hawaiʻi launches its spring menu</title>

The Kakaʻako eatery’s new spring menu features lighter flavors and seasonal ingredients. Enjoy revamped dishes like hand-rolled pasta filled with Miyazaki A5 wagyu, chicken tagine with Kula orange and lemon blossom oil, and aged steak with zucchini sauce.

Istanbul Hawaiʻi launches its spring menu

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Aloha Spirit

Business & Tourism

The National Park Service is soliciting feedback from the community, particularly descendant

Kauleolī, via an in-person meeting and online surveys scheduled now through May 15 to protect cultural sites along the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail

NPS acquired the 95-acre Kauleolī shoreline parcel in two phases: 63 acres were acquired in August 2016, and an additional 32 contiguous acres were acquired in 2021, according to 

the Kauleolī Unit Management Plan website

“Prior to acquisition, Ala Kahakai received community support, particularly from descendants, on the acquisition of the property. Kauleoli was acquired to protect the ala loa (aka Kingdom Road), associated cultural and natural resources; and the view plane from Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park to the south,” Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail

 Superintendent Aric Arakaki told Aloha State Daily by email.

“Lands in the state conservation district, like Kauleolī, allows for the construction of one dwelling. Hence the acquisition and the support received from community,” he continued. “The NPS has heard initial ideas to address needs from community and staff members. This is the kickoff of the public engagement; no broad public engagement has occurred before now.”  

The plan aims “to guide natural, cultural, and biocultural resource protection and establish appropriate uses for the unit, with an emphasis on recognizing and supporting the important connections of community to Kauleolī,” the website reads.

 said that management costs will be determined when the Unit Management Plan 

for Kauleolī is completed and adopted. He anticipates that this plan will be completed by 2027 and funded by NPS’ fund source for Unit Management Plans.

When asked why this plan is needed now, he noted, “Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail did not own land prior to the acquisition of Kauleolī. Managers need guidance on protecting resources, responding to environmental changes, and identifying activities and experiences that are desired and appropriate. The plan will also evaluate the facilities and infrastructure that are needed.”

A public meeting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, at the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook. Those interested in attending can expect trail managers to share preliminary concepts, answer questions, gather ideas, and learn about Kauleolī. Any updates will be made 

To submit comments virtually through May 15, 

NPS says its overall goal is “to meet legal and policy requirements and fulfill its kuleana to Kauleolī.”

“We have much to learn about Kauleolī and hope the public can share knowledge about her past, what has changed, and how she should be cared for in the future,” Arakaki said. “The plan will outline a long-term vision for Kauleolī, aiding trail managers in protecting resources, exploring ways to enhance meaningful visitor experiences, and identifying necessary facilities and infrastructure for visitor use and NPS management.”

He adds: “Ala Kahakai NHT Comprehensive Management Plan call for ahupuaʻa community-based management of the trail. Consistent with this, the overall goal is to engage those with ancestral and historic ties to the area in management planning and plan implementation in a manner that is inclusive of all residents.”

More information about Ala Kahakai can be found 

The next major phase of the process will include identifying and drafting documents about environmental impacts.

Kauleoli2 NPS Photo

Government & Politics

G70 and Maui County Department of Parks and Recreation have partnered to bring community spaces and facility programs back to West Maui. Residents can submit feedback in-person and online starting May 19 to June 14.

West Maui 2024

Public input sought for proposed community center in West Maui

Now through Oct. 4, The National Park Service is seeking public feedback for the sites it manages on Ford Island, which include six bungalows and the USS Oklahoma and USS Utah memorials. Pearl Harbor National Memorial Superintendent Tom Leatherman shares why the proposed long-term site management plan is needed now and how community members can weigh in via in-person and virtual meetings, as well as an online survey.

Ford Island Public meeting 02

‘First real opportunity’ for public input on Ford Island’s future

<title>Public input sought for Kauleolī plan in South Kona</title>

Now through May 15, The National Park Service is seeking public feedback to help shape the long-term vision of the Kauleolī Unit of Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail on Hawaiʻi Island. A community meeting will be held on April 18 at the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook, where trail managers will share preliminary concepts, gather ideas and answer questions.

Public input sought for Kauleolī plan in South Kona

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

 teamed up with Tree Moss Hawaiʻi and Nothing Without a Company to present Mana Wahine: A 24-Hour Play Festival, where six plays — written that weekend — were performed for a live audience on Sunday, April 12.

The event brought together 30 Hawaiʻi-based artists to create and perform six new 10-minute plays all created within a single 24-hour period. The works were created by six playwrights, six directors and 18 actors, who were sorted into teams and had to imagine, write and rehearse their plays before a final public performance.

“I wish more theaters did this or had these kinds of challenges, because it's so much fun,” said Wil Kahele, one of the playwrights who participated in the festival. “And you meet your other fellow thespians and directors and playwrights — and their families because they come to watch it at the end of the 24-hour festival. It's just cool.”

, who has appeared in “Hawaiʻi Five-0,” “Under the Blood-Red Sun,” “Haole," "Next Goal Wins” and more, according to his IMDb profile.

In this challenge, playwrights had to capture an entire story in just 10 minutes on stage, he added. When Kahele met the actors for this challenge, he asked what they do and do not like to do.

“Cause I don’t want to put kissing in my script, if you do not like to kiss,” Kahele said. “I’m not gonna put singing in my script if nobody knows how to sing or play an instrument, so you need to find out what everybody's strengths and weaknesses are.”

He also had to practice letting go, just like a parent, which is something he learned from 

“And then you just see what happens because every director, every actor is going to interpret your work differently,” Kahele said.

Also participating in the festival was Playwright Jeannie Barroga, who moved to Hilo in September after years of living in the Bay Area. She has written about 80 plays but “that doesn't mean they were all produced,” she said. In her early days, Barroga wrote a play each month.

“I just challenged myself to see if I could do that,” she said.

Now, a number of her plays are held in a collection at 

Barroga flew in from Hawaiʻi Island to participate in the festival. After meeting her team on Saturday, April 11, she wrote until 2:30 a.m., she said. The script had to be handed in by 7 a.m. on Sunday, April 12.

“Others wrote right up to the seven o'clock deadline, where we had to turn it in and they make copies,” she said.

By 8 a.m., teams started rehearsals. The show was performed to a live audience that evening. 

Barroga is part of Tree Moss Hawai‘i, a collective of Hawaiʻi playwrights who meet monthly to collaborate on projects and are focused on the development of new plays. The current cohort includes nine individuals, who call Hilo, Honolulu, New York and more, home. The hui is “especially interested in playwrights who share a unique perspective of Hawaiʻi through their writing,” according to its website.

Nothing Without a Company was the third partner in the festival and is a Chicago-based group that is bringing theatre to non-traditional spaces, such as bars, apartments, street corners, parks, alleyways, garages and more, according to its website. 

Looking to catch a show? Kumu Kahua Theatre has “Blu’s Hanging” on stage now, which is based on the coming-of-age novel by Lois-Ann Yamanaka. The story follows a 

, as he mourns the death of his wife and struggles to provide for their kids. The production runs Thursday to Sunday through April 26. Tickets start at $28, plus fees, and there are discounts for seniors and group orders. 

Kumu Kahua Theatre

<title>Hawaiʻi-based artists participate in 24-hour play festival</title>

More than 30 Hawaiʻi-based artists came together this past weekend to create six new plays, which were performed before a live audience at the end of the festival.

Hawaiʻi-based artists participate in 24-hour play festival

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

How are current world events influencing travelers in the U.S. and their travel plans?

 asked and hundreds responded. The travel site surveyed more than 300 people in March to gauge traveler sentiment. Here’s what they found:

“Historically, during periods of global conflict — including 9/11, the Iraq War and the Ukraine war — Americans consistently pull back from international travel while maintaining or increasing domestic trips,” a recent announcement from 

 notes. “Destinations like Hawaiʻi benefit from that shift because they offer an international-style experience without the perceived risks or friction of leaving the U.S.

, recently told Aloha State Daily that the March survey wasn’t “solely in reaction to the recent troubles in Mexico, but it is a fact that if there is trouble in parts of the world that are directly competitive with Hawai‘i, suddenly there is a surge in searches for Hawai‘i, which I guess is to be expected. … Families in particular are risk-adverse, so we wanted to just formalize that thought, which is not shocking, that if people are scared, they’re less likely to want to go to a place. I think the thing that, I won’t say it was surprising, but was reassuring, is that of all the alternatives that people think about, Hawai‘i was No. 1.”

When it comes to the size of the survey, Rogers says that “more is always better,” but a survey with 300-plus respondents is “certainly big enough to give you a [base], particularly since you’re talking to the exact audience you want, which is high-intention travelers. … I think that makes the 300 more powerful than if you had 5,000, 4,000 of which were never planning to go to Hawai‘i anyway or even travel.”

Visitor arrivals to Hawai‘i were up 3.6% in February compared to the same month in 2025, according to preliminary statistics from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, which were 

That month, 787,024 visitors came to the Islands — 760,790 of whom arrived by air, largely from the west and east regions of the U.S. Mainland, and 26,234 of whom arrived via out-of-state cruises, DBEDT notes.

 recently relaunched as a “fully reimagined digital destination designed to inspire travelers and help them plan authentic experiences across Hawai‘i,” an announcement in February noted. 

Rogers says the site has been owned by newspaper companies for more than two decades before the current ownership took control.

Canadian investors Canso Investment Counsel Ltd. and Deans Knight Capital Management Ltd., along with Carpenter Media Group," which owns Star-Advertiser and other newspapers 

[{"type":"text","text":"Rogers says the site is largely complete, but work on it will continue."}]

According to the February announcement, the revamped site features "

expanded, locally sourced stories, insider guides and curated itineraries created by seasoned travel journalists and local experts," but a new AI-powered itinerary builder that lets travelers personalize their trip based on budget and interest, is on the way.

Kuhio beach 052825

<title>How world events are influencing travel decisions</title>

Hawaii.com surveyed more than 300 people in March to gauge traveler sentiment. Here’s what they found.

How world events are influencing travel decisions

Mother’s Day is coming up Sunday, May 10. Whether you’re looking for an extravagant buffet or specialty desserts, check out the options below:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Artizen by MW"}]

: 888 Kapiʻolani Blvd. Suite 102, Honolulu

: This Mother’s Day bento ($45) is available for takeout. It includes roasted garlic beef shortrib, shoyu chicken, miso-honey glazed butterfish, vegetables, rice and a Valrhona chocolate cake. 

 to pre-order; pre-order deadline is May 8

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Bird of Paradise"}]

: Highlights for this Mother’s Day brunch buffet ($98 per adult, $49 per child ages 6 to 12 years) include:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Chef Chai"}]

: This all-you-can-eat lobster buffet costs $139 per person (50% off for children under 10 years old). The buffet will include:

: May 9 and 10; dinner seatings at 4, 4:30, 7 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday brunch at 9 and 9:30 a.m.; 12 and 12:30 p.m. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hy’s Steak House"}]

: This Mother’s Day brunch buffet costs $140 per adult ($105 for seniors ages 65 years and older, $65 for children ages 6 to 12 years, free admission for children ages 5 years and under).

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"The buffet will include:"}]

Diners can enjoy a 1.5-hour dining time. 

: May 10; brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., last seating at 1 p.m. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"La Palme D’Or"}]

: Ala Moana Center, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu

: This dessert shop is offering a variety of decorated treats. Choose from the rose strawberry shortcake ($65-$90), carnation strawberry shortcake ($58-$85), strawberry roll cake ($40), “Berry in Paris” raspberry mousse cake ($65), chocolate covered strawberries (three for $25, five for $35), icing cookies ($8 each), cake pops ($5.50 each), cheesecakes ($60), espresso sets ($8.50) and macaron sets ($15). 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"MW Restaurant"}]

: 888 Kapiʻolani Blvd. Suite 201, Honolulu

: This MW Feast to-go ($695) is designed to feed six to eight people. It includes crab and lobster dip, tofu and ‘ahi poke Sumida Farm watercress salad, pork short rib with Italian sausage tomato stew, miso honey glazed butterfish, Brandt beef prime rib, roasted potatoes and vegetables, and MW dessert platter. 

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

: Orchids Mother’s Day brunch costs $132 per adult ($75 for children ages 5 to 10 years old). It includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Plumeria Beach House"}]

: The Kahala Hotel & Resort, 5000 Kahala Ave

: Customers are invited to celebrate Mother’s Day at The Plumeria Beach House restaurant and Maile room. The buffet ($137 per adult, $55 per child ages 6 to 12 years) will include carving stations, chef specialties, fresh seafood and desserts. 

: May 10; 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. breakfast; 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. brunch buffet; 3 to 8 p.m. dinner buffet 

kahalaresort.com/dining/plumeria-beach-house/

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Red Salt (Kauaʻi)"}]

: Ko‘a Kea Resort on Poʻipu Beach, 2251 Poipu Road, Koloa 

: This prix fixe brunch experience will feature a multi-course menu that showcases brunch classics with Island-inspired twists. Guests can also include unlimited MOM-osas. 

koakea.com/experience/event-calendar/mothers-day-brunch-at-red-salt/

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Capital Grille"}]

: Lilia Waikīkī, 2380 Kūhiō Ave. Ste. 105, Honolulu 

: This Mother’s Day brunch costs $80 per person. It includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Tiki’s Grill & Bar"}]

: This Mother’s Day brunch buffet costs $89 per person ($40 for children ages 5 to 12 years). It includes:

Tables are reserved for two hours from the reservation time.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Waikele Country Club"}]

: The brunch buffet costs $99 per adult ($63 per child ages 4 to 9 years old). Highlights include an omelet station with a variety of toppings, roasted prime rib, Pulehu short rib, steamed basa, sauteed mahi with lemon butter and capers, spicy pork, chicken pesto with penne pasta, assorted desserts and more.

The dinner buffet costs $129 per adult ($74 per child ages 4 to 9 years). It includes ‘ahi poke with limu, spicy ‘ahi roll, roasted prime rib, snow crab with drawn butter, garlic miso chicken, fire braised pork ribs with western barbecue sauce, seafood cioppino, garlic lemon herb rack of lamb with red wine demi glaze, garlic mashed potatoes with white truffle oil and more.

: May 10; brunch from 9 to 11 a.m., 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.; dinner from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. 

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

: The Waikīkī eatery is offering two special sushi platters for Mother’s Day. Platter one ($190) includes maguro, kanpachi, salmon, hamachi, ikura, scallop, kappa roll, tekka roll and a yuzu hamachi roll. Platter two ($400) includes otoro, chutoro, maguro, uni, salmon, hamachi, ikura, scallop, spicy salmon roll and a spicy tuna roll.

Hawai'i Skies: A gift from the sky

ASD Staff

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Hawai'i Skies: A gift from the sky

Authors

ASD Staff

More in Hawai'i Skies

Hawaiʻi Skies: Pink moon

Hawaiʻi Skies: Magnificent sunsets

Hawaiʻi Skies: A priceless sunset

Hawaiʻi Skies: High surf

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