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Daily Smile

When you're fixated on annoying your dog but he enjoys it more than you do...

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<title>Daily Smile: Wednesday, January 14, 2026</title>

Daily Smile: Wednesday, January 14, 2026

 When you're fixated on annoying your dog but he enjoys it more than you do...

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

For Doug Pederson, it was Jordan Mailata, a football beginner out of Australia who had all the tools to thrive and eventually did. 

For Mike Singletary, it was watching Troy Polamalu and his free-flowing hair from afar. 

, which kicks off at 4 p.m. on Friday at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, will feature a pair of former NFL coaches in Pederson and Singletary. Pederson will lead Team Makai, while Singletary helms Team Mauka. Although neither are of Polynesian descent, both shared a deep reverence for the Pacific Islanders they encountered in their football paths. 

Pederson remembers coaching the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl title in 2018, then seeing the franchise take a flyer on Mailata a few months later. Mailata blossomed into an All-Pro tackle and is still in the league.

"We worked out a bunch of kids, especially college kids, and Jordan never quit," Pederson recalled at Monday's Polynesian Bowl opening press conference. "We got him into Philadelphia. The smile on his face, first of all, his love for life, his love for the game, his passion to want to excel, really exposed me to Polynesian culture, such a family type thing."

Singletary, who won NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards as a Chicago Bears linebacker in 1985 and 1988, went on to coach for the Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers as an assistant coach. He was the head coach for the 49ers from 2009 to 2010, and although he never coached Polamalu, seeing the way he played resonated deeply with him. 

"There's a young man who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers: Troy Polamalu. I looked at a special on him the other night, and I was inspired by what I saw," Singletary said. His ability to be able to dictate a particular game. There were games that I saw him take over simply because of his ability to be in tune with the game. ... When I think of the Polynesian people, I think there's a lot to be shared with African Americans. It's being able to have the opportunity and then being able to take advantage of the opportunity that you have."

At practices held at multiple O‘ahu high schools during the week, Pederson and Singletary were seen sharing their wisdom with the next generation of football stars. The 2026 Polynesian Bowl roster is perhaps its most talented yet, with 19 five-star recruits in both the classes of 2026 and 2027. 

"It is an honor and a privilege to be here pouring into these young men. It gives me a lot of energy, a lot of excitement to be here, period," Singletary said. "Anytime I come back to Hawai‘i, it's always a tremendous blessing. The people here, the energy here, is always fantastic, inexpressible to me to be coaching these kids today, this week, along with Coach Pederson. It gives me great joy and very excited to do that. And for me, it's all about the kids. It's all about the young men and helping them to get to their next step, their next plateau, or their next mountain."

Added Pederson: "It's an honor to be out on the football field with such tremendous athletes. Guys are gonna go on and have futures in college, and hopefully one day, step onto the NFL field. It's an honor to be able to coach them and kind of pour into them a little bit, not only about football, but about life and what it means to be a to be a pro, to represent your families, your schools, your cultures. And it's just a great honor. So, I'm just thrilled to death to be here this week and look forward to working with these men, and obviously the game on Friday."

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Mike Singletary Doug Pederson 011326

<title>Former NFL head coaches bask in Polynesian Bowl experience</title>

Mike Singletary and Doug Pederson will man the sidelines during Friday's Polynesian Bowl, which boasts the game's deepest roster yet.

Former NFL head coaches bask in Polynesian Bowl experience

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Aloha Spirit

Over the next four years, researchers from The University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine will begin gathering stories from the community, including physicians in rural areas, to improve health care and attract more doctors on the Neighbor Islands with the help of Artificial Intelligence.

The project is funded by a $1.1 million from the 

American Medical Association’s Transforming Lifelong Learning Through Precision Education Grant Program

, which in total awarded $12 million nationwide to advance technology and strengthen the physician workforce, it was announced Tuesday.

Leading the initiative, Project HANAI (Health and Nurturing Artificial Intelligence), is 

, the medical school’s Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence principal investigator and director. For this program, she will oversee a core team of five people and is looking to expand.

“It just seemed like a really great marriage of Artificial Intelligence, as well as providing opportunities for education in the state for our physician trainees. And so, the call was put out there, people within the medical school suggested that we write a grant for it, … [and I] thought that it would be a great opportunity to instill cultural values into the AI and just try it out,” Hosoda said of the application process.

In terms of execution, she said the next six months will look like “bringing people together to collect data and talk story.”

’s an investment into our future and will support trainees who are going to serve our communities of most need, which is really what the funding is going to, as well as supporting those physicians who are already practicing,”

she holds a Ph.D. in information computer sciences from the University of Hawai

, where she studied natural language processing and learned how to use AI to improve search engine algorithms for the Hawaiian language.

“For the AI, we plan to create our own localized model – we

not pulling ChatGPT off the shelf – but getting it trained specifically on all of those stories that we

re collecting,” she said. “AI can be seen as a scary tool, but it's an opportunity to amplify voices that are not usually heard and create efficiencies.”

People will be involved in the project, too, she said, adding that the “culturally responsive AI” will be used more as "a guiding tool."

The overall goal, she says, is developing individualized learning plans for JABSOM

“We're approaching it differently and curating how we're teaching the AI,” Hosoda said. “I think that is why the AMA was very excited for our project because it has this opportunity to be a pilot project that can serve all of our rural communities throughout the nation. … More locally, I think that this could go on to any system that is using AI.

“For us, the intention to pursue rural practice in Hawaiʻi is really our benchmark of success in these four years, right? I don't think we're going to be able to to increase the number of physicians in rural practice within four years, just because the training process takes so long," she continued. "The fact that people have that desire and intention to go to those types of communities and have it at the forefront of their mind is really what we're after in this first four years.

For more information about Project HANAI, formerly named “Developing Culturally Responsive AI for Rural Health: Utilizing Precision Education and Precision Coaching to Strengthen Hawaii’s Rural Physician Workforce,” visit 

JABSOM AI

<title>JABSOM aims to create AI that will help recruit physicians</title>

One solution to Hawai’i’s physician shortage, particularly in rural areas, is being tested thanks to a recent grant awarded to The John A. Burns School of Medicine Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence from the American Medical Association. Meet the team of researchers who will be carrying it out.

JABSOM aims to create AI that will help recruit physicians

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

Columnists

For nearly four decades, the Honolulu Club was more than a gym. It was a routine, a meeting place, and for many, a second home.

The Honolulu Club opened in 1980 across from the Neal Blaisdell Center, with a major focus on racquetball. After a 2012 bankruptcy and major reinvestments in 2014, the renovated club boasted a lounge, a 32-foot pool, steam rooms and saunas, hot tubs, cold plunges, personal training, and dozens of classes each week.

Members came for training sessions or group classes, but often lingered long after their workouts, talking story in the lounge and around the pool. The club quickly developed a reputation for networking and a camaraderie that extended far beyond its walls.

However, after temporary shutdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic, followed by renewed restrictions and declining membership, the club's owners made the difficult decision to permanently close. In its farewell message, the club emphasized that it had always been about more than fitness — it was about ‘ohana.

Another popular hangout in the building was T.G.I. Friday’s. People who worked in the building and in the surrounding area made the restaurant their regular lunch spot for years. Concertgoers and event attendees often stopped by for a meal before and after their events at the Blaisdell Center. Like the Honolulu Club, regulars enjoyed the camaraderie and the family-style atmosphere. With its sudden closure in 2007, patrons and staff were shocked to be left uninformed.

Other businesses housed within the structure included physicians’ offices, a hair salon, real estate firms, and investment and insurance advisors. Although all of these establishments are gone now, people who have worked in or visited the building often seem to describe the same uneasy moments.

Tales of furniture that refused to stay where it was left, doors that moved without wind, and persistent, uneasy feelings in certain areas of the building and the parking garage are examples of similar accounts that connected the various businesses. Some club members have described shadows glimpsed from the periphery or fully formed apparitions roaming the steam room and the weight room.

What makes these stories hard to dismiss is not just who experienced them, but where the building stands. A land survey conducted during recent construction stated that they found no visible archaeological remains during surface inspection. Yet even in its careful, technical language, the report leaves important questions open. Background research indicates that this stretch of King Street followed a major Hawaiian trail that was in use for centuries before Western contact, suggesting that traditional cultural deposits in the area cannot be ruled out. More pointedly, the survey acknowledges the possibility that burials associated with the Roman Catholic Cemetery next door may extend beyond its present boundaries and into the area of the concrete building. A walk through the cemetery shows marked graves just inches away from the building’s west-facing wall.

The building’s basement, which spans the entire footprint, is nearly nine feet below street level. The report ultimately concludes that this makes the survival of intact burials or subsurface cultural deposits unlikely. But unlikely is not the same as impossible. The report still doesn’t actually answer the question that keeps surfacing whenever unexplained activity is discussed: Is the building partially built over graves?

Today, after a complete renovation, the building has entered a new chapter as the Liliʻuokalani Center, a community hub supporting Native Hawaiian youth in culture, creativity, technology, and exploration.

On my visit there, I met someone who works at the new facility. She gave me a thorough tour of the state-of-the-art building, and then she said, “There is one place I want to take you. You tell me what you think.”

We took the elevator to the basement, and when the double doors opened, I felt it immediately. 

[{"type":"text","text":"“Burials?” I asked."}]

Nodding, my friend pointed to a corner and said, “During construction, they uncovered iwi. That’s where they put them.”

[{"type":"text","text":"“Were they able to identify the remains?” I asked."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"This person shrugged and left it at that."}]

But as I left the building, I saw a thick mist floating from the main doors through the intersection. It moved as if it had an intended destination. Vehicles swerved a bit or slowed down, so I know I wasn’t the only witness. Despite the minor chaos, the mist drifted over to Thomas Square, where it dissolved into nothing.

Is this part of the reason people think the building is haunted? Was it a previous resident from the building? Or perhaps a traveler from ancient days following the old trail?

Whatever it was, the imprint of the past remains on the newly renovated building, but we’ll find out soon enough whether its spirits remain as well.

 For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Liliuokalani Center

<title>Hauntings at the old Honolulu Club</title>

The former home of the Honolulu Club and T.G.I. Friday's has a new life as the Liliʻuokalani Center. But according to reports, spirits older than any of these entities remain there.

Hauntings at the old Honolulu Club

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Crime & Courts

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday in a case challenging West Virginia and Idaho laws that ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s and girls’ sports.

, originated in 2020, when Idaho was the first U.S. state to enact a law prohibiting “students of the male sex” from participating in athletic teams designated for women or girls. Lindsay Hecox, a transgender student at Boise State University who wanted to join the college’s women’s cross-country team, sued Bradley Little in his capacity as Idaho Governor.

The U.S. District Court for Idaho blocked the law in 2020, and Ninth Circuit Appeals Court upheld that ruling in 2023, after which the case went to the Supreme Court.

In the lead-up to oral arguments on Tuesday, lawmakers staked their positions on both sides of the aisle. In November, 121 House Representatives and nine Senators filed an 

 — a legal submission in a case by people who are not direct parties in that case — in support of Hecox.

Among those 130 lawmakers was Hawai‘i Sen. Mazie Hirono, the lead Senate representative on the brief, and Rep. Jill Tokuda.

That amicus brief argued that a categorical ban on athletic participation based on gender identity will cause greater harm to women and girls by subjecting their gender expression to intense scrutiny. It cited several incidents where cisgender girls were accused of being trans based on their physical appearance and were subject to harassment and bullying.

The brief also opined that such a ban cannot meet basic legal justifications. For the government to impose gender-based segregation legally requires “an exceedingly persuasive justification,” but a categorical ban would “promote unfairness by precluding students from obtaining the benefits of youth sports on the basis of sex.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, 207 lawmakers — all women, none from Hawai‘i — submitted 

The brief in support of the law argued that equal treatment of the sexes requires the preservation of spaces reserved for biological women alone and that compromising those spaces to allow transgender athletes to participate will place women and girls at a competitive disadvantage, based on physiological differences between the sexes.

"Without a gender–based classification in competitive contact sports, there would be a substantial risk that boys would dominate the girls’ programs and deny them an equal opportunity to compete in interscholastic events," the brief read.

 on Tuesday discussed all of these arguments and more. While much of the discussion took the form of technical debates about interpretations of prior case law, a recurring point throughout the three-hour-long hearing was whether Idaho’s law constitutes discrimination against transgender people.

Little’s legal team has consistently argued that the law merely imposes sex-based classifications, and any impacts on transgender participation are simply the downstream effects of that classification. Hecox’s team has argued that is a distinction without a difference, and that the practical upshot of the law is de facto anti-trans discrimination.

The court also discussed whether the case should even be heard at all: Hecox, still a BSU student, had moved in September to have the case dismissed as moot, writing that she no longer intends to participate in women’s sports at BSU, and that she fears escalating harassment if she continues the lawsuit.

The Supreme Court did not reach a verdict on Tuesday, although one is expected by this summer.

[{"type":"text","text":"ASD reached out to Hirono for further comment."}]

Hironohirez 16x9

<title>CONGRESS WATCH: Supreme Court hears arguments in landmark trans athletics case</title>

Hawai‘i Sen. Mazie Hirono was a lead signatory of a brief supporting trans athletes last year.

CONGRESS WATCH: Supreme Court hears arguments in landmark trans athletics case

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

From a new food hall to a free museum exhibit featuring portraits normally displayed on Maui, there is plenty to do on Oʻahu. 

Here are some of the events happening this weekend: 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Saturday, Jan. 17"}]

The Sony Open returns to the Islands this week with the Third Round Sony Open in Hawaiʻi on Saturday, Jan. 17, and the Final Round Sony Open in Hawaiʻi on Sunday, Jan. 18. The event brings together 120 of the world’s top golfers at the Waiʻalae Country Club. Tournament-generated charity proceeds now reach 

 and go to local nonprofits, according to its website. 

This visiting special exhibit, which opened Jan. 2 at Capitol Modern, the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, in Downtown Honolulu, includes a selection of 40 portraits from the Schaefer Portrait Challenge. The exhibit features artists living on five islands: Maui, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi and Lānaʻi. The portraits were previously on display at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center’s Schaefer International Gallery.This exhibit also includes some portraits from

 the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts’ Art in Public Places Collection. 

Capitol Modern is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. 

The new food hall at The Park on Keʻeaumoku, Midtown Eats, is celebrating its grand opening from 10 a.m. to midnight. The space features a dozen restaurants with local and international flavors. ASD’s Food & Dining Reporter 

 invitees from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Center Court at Ka Makana Aliʻi. There will be live music. 

Billabong x Andy Irons Signature Collection. 

Billabong is hosting a gathering to launch its first Billabong x Andy Irons Signature Collection. The collection is a tribute to Irons, who was born on Kauaʻi and went on to become a three-time world champion surfer. Proceeds from the collection benefit the Andy Irons Foundation, which continues his legacy by supporting mental health for youth in addition to addiction recovery and community-based programs across Hawaiʻi. The event, which starts at 5 p.m. and runs until 10 p.m., brings together his friends, family and other surfers at the Center for Radical Education in Haleʻiwa. There will be surf films, live music and catered food, as well as Andy Irons memorabilia and photography. In attendance will be Shane Dorian, Seth Moniz, Joel Parkinson, Mark “Occy” Occhilupo, Laura Enever, and more. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Sunday, Jan. 18"}]

for the HURT100, the annual 100-mile endurance run through the rain forest about the City of Honolulu, which is organized by the Hawaiian Ultra Running Team.

Hikers that day can also cheer on the runners they see along the route. Volunteers are still needed. 

 These are some of the restaurants opening in 2026. 

 to see which other spots are ready for business or opening soon.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Monday, Jan. 19"}]

The parade is expected to have about 700 marchers, 30 vehicles, four floats and two bands. It starts at Ala Moana Regional Park and proceeds along Ala Moana Blvd. to Kalakaua Ave. and then Monsarrat Ave., ending at the parking lot for the 

Want to know what is coming up in Hawaiʻi sports? Check out this 

 from Aloha State Daily’s Sports Reporter 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Midtown Eats Sadies BBQ 010826

<title>What to do on Oʻahu for the three-day weekend</title>

Ready to make plans for the long weekend? We have your guide to fun on Oʻahu for Saturday, Jan. 17, through Sunday, Jan. 19. From new food spots to a free parade in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., there are many events happening in the next few days.

What to do on Oʻahu for the three-day weekend

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

To celebrate nearly a decade of beer, community and connection, 

 is hosting its nine-year anniversary party at its flagship location on Queen Street on Friday, Jan. 16. The 

party is from 5 to 10 p.m. and is open to the public; no tickets are required.

“Reaching nine years is a milestone we’re really proud of, especially in Hawai

Candice Ishikawa, Aloha Beer Co.’s head of marketing & brand. “Some of the biggest highlights have been watching our taproom and beer garden grow into a true neighborhood gathering place — a space where locals, families and visitors regularly come together.”

ako doors in 2016, Aloha Beer Co. has brewed numerous locally inspired beers, partnered with Hawai

i-based nonprofits and organizations and hosted community-driven events.

“Going into this next year, I’m most excited about continuing to refine what we do best — great beer, thoughtful food and an experience that feels distinctly Hawai

Ishikawa says. “Our focus is on consistency and quality across our core beer offerings, while finding creative ways to keep the taproom experience feeling fresh through events, collaborations, offsite activations and menu development.

“After nine years, we feel grounded, but still curious — and that balance is a really good place to be,” she adds.

At the anniversary party, attendees can look forward to live music, $9 small plates — which are only available on Jan. 16 — a keg hoisting competition, surprise “golden ticket” giveaways and the business’s Red Zeppelin IPA can launch.

“Red Zeppelin is one of our longtime flagship IPAs and a beer that’s been with us for years,” 

Ishikawa explains. “It’s a favorite among regulars, with a cult-following and really represents our early days as a brewery. We chose to celebrate the anniversary with this release because it felt like a full-circle moment: taking a classic Aloha Beer staple and finally putting it into cans for the first time, as we mark nine years in Kakaʻako.”

The anniversary party will feature a line-up of $9 anniversary specials, which will only be available on Jan. 16. Each plate incorporates one of the business’s draft beer styles, according to 

“It felt like a fun way to tie the food directly back to the brewery,” she says.

The Red Zeppelin barbecue-buffalo burger sliders feature brioche buns filled with seared beef patties, barbecue-buffalo sauce, blue cheese crumbles and ranch mayo. The sliders — which come with fries — feature a nice balance of sweet, tangy and slightly spicy flavors.

The chicken katsu-Queen Street Pils curry features fries topped with chicken cutlet and Queen Street Pils curry sauce. The crispy chicken strips contrast nicely with the creamy curry.

Meanwhile, the Aloha Blonde-bacon-Parmesan mushrooms feature a mouthwatering combo of garlic butter mushrooms sautéed with Aloha Blonde, and topped with bacon, Parmesan and parsley.

Finally, the pepperoni-mushroom roll’d pizza comprises marinara, mozzarella, pepperoni and mushrooms, served with creamy Hop Lei cheese sauce and Ranch.

While customers are encouraged to try the limited-time specials, 

Aloha Beer Co.’s full food menu will still be available.

th year, customers can anticipate continued collaborations and “opportunities to expand Aloha Beer’s presence beyond the taproom,” according to

“We have a few exciting things in the works,” she says. “As we continue to grow, we’re focused on inviting more people to experience Aloha Beer where it all comes together — in our taproom and beer garden — while staying true to who we are.

“More than anything, we’re just grateful,” she adds. “Opening a brewery is one thing — sustaining it for nine years is something entirely different. We wouldn’t be here without our team, our partners and the community that has supported us along the way, and this anniversary feels like a moment to say ‘thank you.’”

Aloha Beer Co anniversary specials 011326

<title>Aloha Beer Co. celebrates nine-year anniversary</title>

The business is celebrating nine years in Kakaʻako with an anniversary party, complete with $9 plates, surprise “golden ticket” giveaways, live music and the debut of its Red Zeppelin cans.

Daily Smile: Wednesday, January 14, 2026

ASD Staff

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Daily Smile: Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Authors

ASD Staff

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