ASD icon blue inverse lighter

ASD Staff

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Why dogs need play-by-play announcers....."}]

Smile v2 25 1 8

<title>Daily Smile: Thursday, January 8, 2026</title>

Why dogs need play-by-play announcers...

Daily Smile: Thursday, January 8, 2026

 Why dogs need play-by-play announcers.....

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

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

[{"type":"text","text":"A facility to develop hydrogen fuel could be coming to Kapolei."}]

The Hawai‘i Board of Land and Natural Resources will consider an application by the Delaware-based Eurus Energy America LLC to build a facility in within Kapolei’s Campbell Industrial Park that would extract hydrogen from water.

The facility, according to a Department of Land and Natural Resources 

, would be constructed on a 100-acre government-owned parcel in Kapolei, directly adjacent to another parcel where the Honolulu Board of Water Supply has 

Currently, the lot is owned by the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and is unused, having previously been used as a feedlot. In 2022, DAB discovered tenants had been misusing the property by storing abandoned vehicles and equipment on the site, leading to their eviction. Now, DLNR seeks to take over most of the parcel from DAB for renewable energy development.

About 90 of the 100 acres would house a photovoltaic panel array capable of generating about 20 megawatts of electricity. That energy would then power electrolyzers and other equipment that would strip hydrogen from recycled water via an existing Board of Water Supply pipeline.

The oxygen left behind by the electrolysis process would simply be released into the atmosphere, while the hydrogen would be compressed and loaded onto trucks for transport offsite.

Alternatively, the document also mentions the possibility of transporting hydrogen offsite via a pipeline. However, if that option was pursued, the pipeline would be built and operated by a third party.

The project document estimates that the facility could produce between 500,000 and 800,000 kilograms of hydrogen per year, enough to fuel a semi-truck for up to 7 million miles, according to Department of Energy estimates.

While the document states that the facility could begin operations by late 2027, the project is still in early stages. The facility’s design remains under development, and the BLNR has not yet approved Eurus’ use of the land.

The BLNR will discuss the project at its meeting on Friday, Jan. 9, and may authorize a pair of future public meetings where Eurus representatives will present more information about the project at an undetermined date.

[{"type":"text","text":"Aloha State Daily reached out to Eurus for comment."}]

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

H 2a 2 16x9

<title>BLNR to discuss proposed Kapolei hydrogen plant</title>

Delaware-based energy company Eurus Energy America proposes to generate nearly 1 million kg of hydrogen fuel per year.

BLNR to discuss proposed Kapolei hydrogen plant

For those missing Japan’s creamy soft serve, here’s some good news: You can find a similar treat at Mānoa-based 

Choco le ‘a is known for its dark chocolate truffles, but the shop is also home to other desserts like its chocolate drink and 

The latter was on hiatus during the holiday season, but it

’s now available once again in-store every Saturday.

The treat ($6.99) is made with Hokkaido milk powder, and is designed to resemble the creamy soft serve you’ll find in Japan. Choose from Hokkaido cream vanilla, Choco leʻa chocolate or a swirl.

Customers can add toppings like housemade chocolate syrup and sprinkles (50 cents).

The soft cream was introduced to the public in March 2024 and quickly became a customer favorite. It will be available only on Saturdays until further notice.

Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesdays to Saturdays

Choco lea soft cream without topping 010626

<title>This iconic soft cream dessert is back</title>

Choco le‘a’s Japan-inspired soft cream treat is available once again in-store. The dessert was on a short hiatus during the holiday season, but customers can now get it on Saturdays in Mānoa.

This iconic soft cream dessert is back

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Arts & Entertainment

The people have voted and three Hawai‘i eateries have made the list of 

 in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The awards aim to rank the 10 best in several areas of travel and lifestyle.

The three restaurants were among the field of 20 vying for a spot on the list. Voting took place in December and the winners were announced Jan. 2.

, located at 116 Wailea Ike Dr. Suite 2204, in Wailea, tops the list at No. 1. The eatery invites visitors to “come as they are for every occasion” and aims to “forge a meaningful connection between the food, the island and the community,” its website states. Chef Chris Cosentino is a Top Chef Masters winner and James Beard Award nominee.

, located at 1312 Front St. in Lahaina. The restaurant is a casual dining spot led by owner and Chef Alvin Savella that offers “a blend of Mexican, local, American and seafood cuisine,” its website notes. Read 

, located in the Romer House Waikīkī at 415 Nāhua St. The restaurant offers “iconic local flavors inspired by nostalgic island dishes,” according to its website. Chef Brad Dodson “strives to reflect Hawai‘i’s melting pot of cultures through his cooking, which showcases a blend of classical and modern techniques,” Aloha State Daily’s food and dining reporter Kelli Shiroma Braiotta 

, Cirque du Soleil’s first resident show in Hawai‘i, ranked No. 4 on the 10Best list of 

, which also were announced on Jan. 2. The show, staged in a 784-seat theater at the Outrigger Waikīkī Beachcomber Hotel, recently marked its 

 and tells the story of Hawai'i from the Polynesian migration to the golden age of tourism. ASD previously interviewed one of the show's hula dancer's, Oriana Mahealani Lulu, 

Coco Deck sign 031325

<title>Hawai‘i restaurants, Cirque du Soleil ‘Auana recognized on 10Best lists</title>

USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for Best New Restaurants and Best New Attractions were announced Jan. 2.

Hawai‘i restaurants, Cirque du Soleil ‘Auana recognized on 10Best lists

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

When University of Hawai‘i men's volleyball standout libero ‘Eleu Choy was a youth, he had bounced from school to school. His parents, Barney and Terri-Ann, vowed from the very beginning to support him and place him in an optimal environment.

A young ‘Eleu Choy proved to be aptly named from an early age. ‘Eleu, which means energetic and active in Hawaiian, was a name brainstormed by Terri-Ann. The name stuck, and it continues to be an accurate description for ‘Eleu Choy, who has amassed 191 digs for the Rainbow Warriors thus far in 2025. 

"It's funny how it turned out to fit the person," Barney Choy told Aloha State Daily. "It doesn't happen very often, but it fits him to a T."

As a preschooler at Seagull Schools, ‘Eleu Choy was the only student in his class that wouldn't fall asleep during nap time. While the rest of his classmates were sleeping, he would be found roaming around by himself. 

Though ‘Eleu was never one to make trouble, his teachers eventually met with his parents and encouraged him to undergo testing. 

"He's not doing anything naughty or anything bad," Barney Choy recalled. "He just gets up and he doesn't bother anybody and just kind of does his thing."

The next step in ‘Eleu Choy's educational journey took him to Wilson Elementary near his Wai‘alae home. After some time in the special education program, he rejoined the general education students in the third grade. 

"When he was young, he had some challenges, some little nuances. We used to take him to UH for therapies and that kind of stuff," Barney Choy said.

Although his parents appreciated Wilson's support system, they sought a more structured academic regimen for ‘Eleu, enrolling him at Mary, Star of the Sea.

In middle school, Choy was wait-listed at ‘Iolani, the same school where his sister, Bailey, was a rising volleyball star. ‘Eleu Choy eventually enrolled at University Lab School. His parents thought he had finally found his niche at University Lab, a K-12 school in Mānoa with a student enrollment of about 450, lending itself to more focused learning environments than that of a public school. 

Then one day, ‘Eleu Choy told his father he wanted to enroll at Farrington High School, citing its engineering program. 

"Everyone always asked me, like, 'Why? Why'd you go to Farrington?' I heard about the opportunities I could get there at Farrington," ‘Eleu Choy recalled.

Barney Choy wasn't so sure at first, but he also wanted to hear his son out. ‘Eleu shadowed Farrington principal Al Carganilla for one school day, and continued to ask his daughter, Kylie, how things were at the school. 

Barney and Terri-Ann Choy eventually decided to let ‘Eleu enroll at Farrington prior to his freshman year of high school, citing his pure eagerness to do so and how thorough he was in explaining why. 

Life at Farrington can be rugged at times, and Choy was certainly not an exception. He was bullied and called a nerd for answering too many questions in class. One student taunted him and struck him in the face, and both of their families were called in to the main office. After a forced apology, Choy responded by telling the student he forgave him and told him he still sees the good in him. 

"It was kind of rough because I was trying to adapt to the environment," ‘Eleu Choy recalled. "I was more used to sheltered, more controlled environments. Everyone at that school, we're just trying to get our degrees and try to figure out where our future is going to be. Granted, that might be different paths, but we all have that common goal that we were trying to get somewhere where we want to be.  

"I think that's what Farrington taught me, is to not be so close minded. Don't be strict on one path, but be open to everything, because you never know what really is going to happen."

While ‘Eleu Choy was being proactive academically, he also dabbled in a variety of sports. His first love was baseball. As a youth, he even gave karate a try. Farrington's new turf field at Skippa Diaz Stadium was the talk of the school in 2017, so Choy joined the soccer team as a goalkeeper. 

Growing up, ‘Eleu Choy says he idolized his sister, who had all the accolades he didn't have as a youth volleyball player. Bailey Choy (now De Vos) was the Hawai‘i consensus Player of the Year in 2015, then chose to play volleyball at the University of Utah over a bevy of other scholarship offers. 

‘Eleu Choy was surrounded by volleyball, following his father to Na Keiki Mauloa practices, a prominent girls club volleyball team based on O‘ahu. Barney Choy, who is the president of Na Keiki Mauloa and is the head coach of three of its teams, says he prefers coaching girls and their attention to detail and discipline compared to the boys. That meant when ‘Eleu played club volleyball, Barney was mostly an observer. 

‘Eleu played club volleyball for Ku‘ikahi for five years. Practices would end with scrimmages in which players were picked to each team. 

"I am not exaggerating when I say he was the last guy chosen every single night," Barney Choy said. "Every time comes in the car I go, 'Hey, how was it?' He would say, 'Oh, dad, that was so much fun.' He's the last guy chosen. He's the only guy standing there. He runs to the team (enthusiastically). And this went on for about three years."

‘Eleu Choy didn't play volleyball for Farrington until his junior year. In a win against Kalani, he had seven kills, five assists and four digs, outdueling future teammate 

In the club circuit, Choy caught the eye of UH coaches Joshua Walker and Charlie Wade, who continued to keep tabs on him.

Choy's senior year at Farrington came and went with all his future goals intact. He was set to graduate with 21 transferrable credits to UH-Mānoa and get a head start on his engineering degree. A scholarship to assist UH women's coach Robyn Ah Mow as a student manager was on the table, but playing was not in the cards. Then a few days before he was set to graduate from Farrington, Walker offered him a spot on the men's team as a walk-on. 

‘Eleu Choy committed on the spot, but Walker told him to talk it through with his family first. As with his initial desire to attend Farrington, ‘Eleu Choy's parents wanted to make sure it was something his heart truly desired. At the time, the Rainbow Warriors were coming off a 28-3 season in 2019, boasting a team that some believe is the best in school history, despite the fact that they lost in the national championship match to Long Beach State. The only condition Barney gave ‘Eleu was that if he committed, he couldn't quit. 

As a 17-year-old stepping into the UH practice gym for the first time, Choy was a 5-foot-7 true freshman walk-on competing against names such as Rado Parapunov, Patrick Gasman, Colton Cowell and Jakob Thelle, some of the giants in the sport at the time. 

"It was definitely daunting. I remember my first day like it was yesterday. I was so nervous," Choy recalled. "You see all these juggernauts, like here are these guys, senior veterans, played the game at a high level for a long time. ... I'm like, God, I feel so misplaced, like a black sheep.

"It was just an absolutely huge honor to see people like that committed to their craft and spent their whole lives playing volleyball. I was like, wow, this is an amazing opportunity."

Although Choy was a freshman, he already knew some of the players on the team, including James Anastassiades, who helped coach Na Keiki Mauloa.

"I knew ‘Eleu prior, and he was always this sweet, bubbly kid," Anastassiades said. "He always made an effort to be social, and just this adorable kid, like, he's just awesome. The first open gym we had he's like, 'I rode my bike six miles to get here.' I was like, what? That's crazy, but I respect that commitment."

Choy continued to be dedicated to becoming the best libero he could be. Whether it was by himself, teammates and coaches, or even members of the UH women's team, Choy craved the extra work, digging thousands of balls in the gym. 

Freshman are expected to set up the practice gym at UH as an initiation tactic, but from year one to six, Choy never relinquished those duties in order to maximize his time on the court. 

After appearing in five matches in 2020 and redshirting in 2021, Choy still had four years of eligibility entering the 2022. He contemplated leaving multiple years of eligibility on the table and accepting a job offer after getting his bachelor's degree, but he eventually decided to stay and get his master's degree. Choy won the starting job as a redshirt junior in 2024, starting all 30 matches. In 2025, he's been the only player on the roster to play in all 31 matches for the 26-5 Rainbow Warriors. 

"If he's not the best libero in the country, he's damn close," Wade said of Choy following the team's 

win over No. 1 Long Beach State on April 12

. The 'Bows defeated The Beach again two weeks later. In UH's starting lineup, Choy was the only player under 6-foot-5. 

The demands of being the team's full-time libero for two straight years has surely taken a toll on Choy's body. 

"A lot of fatigue," Choy said. "My body would just be naturally tired, and a lot of pain in my knees, because we have to stay low for long period of time. But other than that, I always tell myself, 'Hey, you're not getting it as bad as the hitters.' Those guys jump all the time." 

That type of humility has endeared Choy to teammates, coaches and followers alike over the years. 

"When I think of people who have sacrificed for this program, I can't think of anyone who's sacrificed more than ‘Eleu Choy," middle blocker Kurt Nusterer said earlier in the season. "He's the heart and soul of this team, and you've never seen anybody sacrifice and work as hard and have as much integrity as person like that."

"He is a real, genuine human and you're not going to find much better than ‘Eleu Choy," Wade added.  

Choy earned Honorable Mention when the AVCA announced its All-America team, as well as when the Big West announced its All-Conference team. Not bad for a walk-on from Farrington, but many thought he was worthy of more. 

"I think this year, I easily argue he's become the best libero in the NCAA," said Anastassiades, an analyst for Spectrum Sports and founder of Volley Method, a local volleyball training organization. "His journey was nothing but hard. But he's the epitome of what it takes. From the day he walked in to the day he walked out, he was always the first one in and last one out."

The days and weeks ahead will be a whirlwind for Choy. On Thursday, the 

Rainbow Warriors will face Penn State in the quarterfinals 

of the NCAA Tournament, with first serve set for 7:30 a.m. HST. The Rainbow Warriors missed the NCAA Tournament in 2024, but made four straight title games from 2019 to 2023. 

He'll also graduate with his master's degree and start his engineering career at Fukunaga & Associates, the same company that oversees athletic venues across the Islands, from baseball fields in Maui to Kahuku High School's turf football field. 

"I always want to give back to the community, because I know that the community always gave me so much, too," Choy said. "I was so blessed. My family, friends, uncles, aunties, they sacrificed so much for me. And I always wanted to give back."

Taking an engineering job out of school means Choy is not pursuing a professional volleyball career, something he is fully at peace with. Generations of Farrington alums have approached him over the years, expressing their gratitude in him representing the Governors in the way that he has. 

With his volleyball career set to come to an end, Choy says he has no regrets because he knows where he started from. 

"He's probably changed the lives of so many local kids with the dream to go play in college," Anastassiades said. "And I don't think there's a more special kid out here that could do something like that, just because of his personal background and his struggles, which is, again, what blows my mind. I get emotional talking about it and thinking about it."

Daily Smile: Thursday, January 8, 2026

ASD Staff

More in Daily Smile

Daily Smile: Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Daily Smile: Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Daily Smile: Monday, January 5, 2026

Daily Smile: Sunday, January 4, 2026

Most read

Daily Smile: Thursday, January 8, 2026

Authors

ASD Staff

More in Daily Smile

Daily Smile: Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Daily Smile: Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Daily Smile: Monday, January 5, 2026

Daily Smile: Sunday, January 4, 2026

Most read