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ASD Staff

Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Martha Penhall from the Honolulu Tower in Chinatown. "I was watching the 6 o'clock news that night showing all the flooding on the West Coast, and I looked out onto my lanai from my couch and witnessed this spectacular sunset. How blessed we are to live in Hawaiʻi!"

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25 12 30 Martha Penhall 16 X9

<title>Hawai‘i Skies: A spectacular sunset</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Martha Penhall from the Honolulu Tower in Chinatown.

Hawai‘i Skies: A spectacular sunset

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Martha Penhall from the Honolulu Tower in Chinatown. "I was watching the 6 o'clock news that night showing all the flooding on the West Coast, and I looked out onto my lanai from my couch and witnessed this spectacular sunset. How blessed we are to live in Hawaiʻi!" 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.

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Aloha Spirit

Two Hawai‘i museums are vying to be the best in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The awards aim to rank the 10 best in several areas of travel and lifestyle.

 a part of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, is up for a spot on the 10Best list of Best Science Museums. It’s one of 20 museums nominated for the list by an expert panel.

At ‘Imiloa, you can learn about the traditions and knowledge of Polynesian navigators as well as Hawai‘i’s role in science and astronomy, and visit Hawai‘i Island’s only planetarium.

 is up for Best Small Town Museum, again one of 20 nominated by a panel of experts.

According to its website, MHS aims to preserve and share Maui’s history with the local community and those abroad.

The museum boasts a 2,000-piece artifact collection; archives that include maps, manuscripts, genealogies, biographies and more; a research library; a photo collection of more than 8,000 historic pictures, and more, its website notes.

The polls for both lists close at 7 a.m. Monday, Feb. 9. Winners will be announced on Feb. 18.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Imiloa Astronomy center istock 011626

<title>Two Hawai‘i museums nominated for best-of lists</title>

Voting is underway now for Best Science Museum and Best Small Town Museum in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

Two Hawai‘i museums nominated for best-of lists

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"\"Crimes my puppy has committed this week...\""}]

Smile 26 1 15

<title>Daily Smile: Thursday, January 15, 2026</title>

"Crimes my puppy has committed this week..."

Daily Smile: Thursday, January 15, 2026

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

“We’re not your tūtū’s shave ice,” says Bill Tobin, owner of recently opened 

 — pronounced “sinister” — Shave Ice. “We worked really hard to curate the (shave ice) flavors for you, so you don’t have to worry about what you’re picking.”

The biz is designed to be what Tobin calls “third wave shave ice.”

“A lot of products go through different waves,” he explains. “We think of the first wave of shave ice with Matsumoto’s and Waiola Shave Ice. The second wave would be Ululani’s and Island Vintage. But nobody’s going with a rotating menu — a curated menu of flavors.

“We have chefs who created (shave ice) flavors that go together, so people aren’t picking flavors they end up not liking,” Tobin adds. “They’re curated flavors and specifically have been made so when you get to the bottom, it’s going to be delicious.”

The shop soft-opened on Jan. 10 in Waikīkī and its grand opening is expected to be in a few weeks.

The shop is different in that it features four classic flavors that are available year-round, along with four rotating flavors that will change each month, according to Tobin.

“Chef Ronnie (Nasuti) from Tiki’s Grill & Bar was working together with us to create these flavors,” says Tobin.

SinIceStir is leasing the spot from The Twin Fin Hotel, according to Tobin, who explains the business’s name is inspired by the “dual personality” concept.

“(Originally) we wanted to do a bar that maybe had shave ice,” he says. “We created this dual personality — naughty and nice — and we thought, ‘This works for shave ice alone.’

“We’re a little bit mischievous, but not anything that’s evil,” he adds. “It’s just to have fun.”

All desserts start with fluffy layers of shave ice over a soft serve ice cream base. Vanilla is currently featured, but other soft serve flavors are in the works.  

Of the shop’s permanent flavors, the Shark Bait ($10) has been the most popular. It’s SinIceStir’s version of the classic rainbow shave ice, and features blue vanilla, lilikoʻi and strawberry syrups with mochi balls, condensed milk drizzle and two gummy sharks on top.

All syrups are housemade, according to Tobin, who says that Adult Supervision ($10) — a seasonal flavor with Fruit Loop and lavender honey syrups, topped with Fruit Loops, condensed milk and mochi balls — is another popular order and his personal favorite.

“It’s made from actual Fruit Loops and the flavor comes through; it’s fantastic,” he says.

If you want something unique, go for the Blackout ($10), a combo of white chocolate seaweed and black sesame syrups topped with condensed milk, furikake and mochi balls. It’s sure to satisfy adventurous eaters who prefer savory flavors.

“We worked really hard on making the best-tasting flavors possible,” Tobin says.

The shop is currently open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sin Ice Stir owner Bill Tobin 011326

<title>SinIceStir Shave Ice opens in Honolulu</title>

This new spot features chef-curated combos — complete with savory flavors — and a rotating line-up of specialty shave ice desserts.

SinIceStir Shave Ice opens in Honolulu

Hawaiian Airlines and Honolulu Community College are teaming up to train the next generation of aircraft mechanics, expanding their workforce development partnership with the launch of the Maintenance Technician Development Program.

MTDP offers "significant financial and professional support" for selected students enrolled in the school's Aeronautics Maintenance Technology Program, or AERO, an announcement from Honolulu CC noted. 

The aspiring aircraft technicians who apply and are selected for the program will receive a $10,500 stipend and up to $1,800 reimbursement for airframe and power plant certificate exam fees, as well as mentorship from Hawaiian Airlines mechanics, according to the announcement.

Graduates also will be given "a contingent job offer with Hawaiian Airlines, securing a clear path to employment," Honolulu CC says.

MTDP began accepting applications on Sept. 3. The program is just the latest collaboration between the airline and the college.

According to Honolulu CC, the two organizations developed the Aircraft Mechanic Apprenticeship Program, or AMAP, in 2016. As part of that program, students take classes during the day and work part-time at Hawaiian's maintenance hangar, "gaining hands-on experience and getting paid to perform maintenance and repairs," the announcement noted.

“The need is significant now in part in our case, because Hawaiian Airlines is growing and in our combination with Alaska Airlines, we're adding a number of new aircraft maintenance technician positions in Honolulu and throughout our system, but there are also many retirements happening,” 

Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex Da Silva told Aloha State Daily in an email that the airline currently has 570 airline mechanics — or aviation maintenance technicians — and continues to "hire regularly to meet demand as we grow our business through our Alaska Airlines combination and also to account for retirement."

[{"type":"text","text":"That number includes more than 50 AMAP grads, HCC says."}]

So far this year, Da Silva says the airline has hired 58 aircraft mechanics across its system and is projected to fill more than 600 Hawai‘i-based frontline positions by the end of 2025, including pilots, flight attendants and airport operations teams. Looking for a new gig? You can 

Starting pay is about $75,000 a year, with the potential to earn $113,000 or more, according to Da Silva. 

"These are specialized, highly skilled jobs and increasing access and opportunities to training and certification is a big challenge — which is why our Honolulu Community College partnership is so critical," Da Silva says. "We know that many Hawai‘i students would prefer to build a career right here [in] the Islands, and as Hawai‘i's airline, we want young people to stay and see a path to join our company, where they get the best of both worlds in a large, Hawai‘i-based company that is also global."

“Hawaiian Airlines has been such a great partner to us and our AERO maintenance program. And the fact that they've come to us and they said that they're going to provide this scholarship and work opportunity — we are very grateful to them for this,” Honolulu CC Chancellor Karen Lee said in a provided video clip.

According to the announcement, Students can apply for both the 

 programs, but they will need to choose one to participate in, if selected. More information is available by emailing 

Alaska Air Group, Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. 

 that Alaska Airlines would acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal that was valued at approximately $1.9 billion, including $900 million of Hawaiian’s net debt, according to an announcement at that time. The acquisition was 

The distinct Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines brands will be maintained but a singular loyalty program, 

HCC Hawaiian airlines

<title>Hawaiian Airlines, Honolulu Community College and the next generation of aircraft…</title>

A newly launched Maintenance Technician Development Program offers "significant financial and professional support" for selected students enrolled in the school's Aeronautics Maintenance Technology Program.

Hawaiian Airlines, Honolulu Community College and the next generation of aircraft mechanics

Real Estate

[{"type":"text","text":"Looking for some oceanfront acreage? A home with a Hollywood heritage? "}]

An oceanfront estate on Kaua‘i's North Shore has hit the market with a $29.5 million price tag, listed by Hawaii Life's Neal Norman. A recent article from 

 notes that Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts and her husband, cinematographer Danny Moder, owned the property from 2009 to 2020.

Located at 5-8192 Kūhiō Highway, Limahuli Ocean Estate sits on 8.29 acres at "the end of the road" in Hā‘ena.

The property has a total of four bedrooms and four bathrooms. There's a 3,123-square-foot main home with lānai and floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as a one-bedroom, one-bathroom caretaker's cottage and a 490-square-foot pool, 

Norman told Aloha State Daily in an email that 360-degree views that include the beach, the ocean, mountains and waterfalls, are part of what make the property, which also has more than 400 linear feet of beachfront, special.

"The view is unimaginably beautiful — I cannot exaggerate enough how gorgeous it is."

Norman said the home, which was built in 1970, was "masterfully remodeled" in 2011 by San Francisco architecture firm 

"The pool, the grounds, the stream and the ability to build more structures and homes is unequaled in perhaps the whole state for a location as magnificent as this," he told ASD. "The home has also been meticulously maintained and updated with solar and Tesla systems and other state-of-the-art mechanical systems."

[{"type":"text","text":"The property is 20 minutes from Hanalei town."}]

"It nearly joins the Nāpali Coast trail, which is known as one of the most wild, rugged and beautiful parts of Kaua‘i," Norman said, adding that the property sits quite literally at "the end of the road," just on the edge of Hā‘ena State Park and, past that, Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park.

"The proximity to these parks makes some of the island's most incredible beaches, hiking and waterfalls part of the lifestyle of residing in this area."

Norman says the ideal buyer is one who appreciates "privacy, legacy, amazing architecture and enjoys the amazing water sports that the ocean in this area has to offer."

"This is as rare as it gets," he said of the property. "Once every 10 years something like this might become available. It is the combination of the majestic location, architectural significant, level of privacy, 360-degree views, and ability to improve the land further with other homes or structures that make this so exceedingly rare."

Hawai‘i Skies: A spectacular sunset

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Authors

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