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<title>Hawai‘i Skies: Sunrise to start the day</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Craig Washofsky at Kailua Beach.

Hawai‘i Skies: Sunrise to start the day

Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Craig Washofsky at Kailua Beach. &quot;What a great way to start the day!&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.

Arrasmith Portrait

Perry Arrasmith

Hawaii History

Columnists

Kentucky has Bourbon and Tennessee has Whiskey.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Hawai‘i has ‘ōkolehao. "}]

The alcohol is distilled from the kī — known also as ti — root, resulting in a strong liquor comparable to rum or tequila. It was likely introduced and refined in the years and decades following 1778, when British sailors introduced the technology of distillation with iron implements to Native Hawaiians. Since then, the debate over ‘ōkolehao’s status in the Hawaiian Islands has aged for over two centuries.

Confusion surrounding the drink’s status in Hawai‘i are arriving at a new, fascinating chapter in the 2026 Legislative Session. It is inspired by a fear that the term ‘ōkolehao may be abused by out-of-state brands intent on capitalizing on the beverage. 

, have been making their way through the 2026 Legislative Session. Both measures aim to provide stricter labeling requirements for products made with ‘ōkolehao.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"An Underground Past"}]

Hawai‘i has either been embarrassed or proud of ‘ōkolehao. It is illegal and disgraceful or legal and venerated. It is a mark of sin or a source of pride. 

Century-old newspapers, for instance, advertise the sale of "ales, wines, and liquors" while reporting on the arrest of Native Hawaiians for the distribution of ‘ōkolehao. This was largely because ‘ōkolehao was typically made in the underground, where it was untaxed and unregulated. Only the poor (often Native Hawaiian) made the beverage. A law passed in 1892 effectively criminalized its production without a $250 liquor production license (or 

 by Queen Lili‘uokalani on January 13, 1893, less than four days before the Hawaiian Monarchy’s overthrow.

However, it was also a beverage of rising class–and taste. A formative moment arrived for the beverage in 1889, when a smuggled bottle reportedly won a 

 for the Kingdom of Hawai‘i at the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris. 

Even though it was ironically all-but-illegal to produce, political officials at the time like Lorrin Thurston and Sanford Dole were reportedly keen on procuring bottles for themselves, according to the smuggler, Eben P. Low.

Low, a paniolo from Hawai‘i Island, had managed to win the medal on the Kingdom’s behalf. Nearly 50 years later, Low still had a bottle of his 1889 ‘ōkolehao. 

In the early years of statehood, Hawai‘i attempted to encourage the development of locally based alcoholic beverages, enacting a measure (

) that exempted ‘ōkolehao and pineapple wine from the state excise tax on wholesale liquor sales.

The measure’s constitutionality ultimately earned ‘ōkolehao some infamy at the 

. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately determined that the State’s preferential treatment of ‘ōkolehao to the detriment of out-of-state products violated the U.S. Commerce Clause. During the whole debate, ‘ōkolehao was recognized as a local brandy. 

With ‘ōkolehao’s steady return, there is a push to rectify this mis-labeling of sorts. 

As of this writing, at least three distillers produce ‘ōkolehao across three different islands. 

 operates out of Kilauea, Kaua‘i. Meanwhile, I continue to spy bottles of ‘ōkolehao from 

 of Honolulu, O‘ahu distributed at Costco and Safeway. Perhaps the most dogged producer, however, is Ola Brew of Hawai‘i Island. 

Ola Brew operates from Hilo, is another such venue. According to founder Philip Fukushima, Iron Bottom Spirits of Kailua-Kona also aims to begin production shortly. 

On February 13, House Bill 2475 had received a hearing before the House Committee on Economic Development & Technology. The measure was co-introduced by nearly every member of Hawai‘i Island’s delegation in the State House. 

It also ultimately earned the support of two members of the Hawai‘i County Council: Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba (the Council Chair) and Rebecca Villegas.

Among the proponents of the measure is Nahealani Breeland, a co-founder of Ola Brewing Company of Hilo, Hawai‘i Island. Breeland appeared in-person before the February 13 hearing. 

In a vein similar to Kona Coffee, Breeland believes it is important that the State of Hawai‘i formally protect ‘ōkolehao as a beverage uniquely tied to cultivated kī leaf production and distillation in the islands.

“Because ‘ōkolehao has never had a clear legal definition,” Breeland explained, “it has been diluted, mis-represented, [and] commercialized in ways that have erased agriculture–our agricultural and cultural foundation.” 

In April 2021, Ola Brew debuted their ‘ōkolehao at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. “We didn’t have a bottle, so naturally we entered our ‘ōkolehao in a plastic jug with some blue construction tape on it saying, ‘FDA-approved. Please enjoy.’”

Like the Paris Exposition in 1889, Ola Brew’s ‘ōkolehao attracted international attention in San Francisco in 2021, 

 two medals at the competition. The traction has been enough for Ola Brew to pursue expanded operations and greater protections for ‘ōkolehao.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Is ‘ōkolehao Hawaiian?"}]

Marshall Fawley, an attorney with Lehrman Beverage Law (a firm based out of Virginia), is presently representing Ola Brew as it confronts many of the hurdles associated with alcohol production and protections at the state and federal levels. 

At the February 13 hearing, Fawley shared that his firm continues to petition the U.S. federal government to recognize ‘ōkolehao as a unique class of alcohol. Currently, the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau (TTB) regulates alcohol production in the United States. 

Recognizing ‘ōkolehao as a beverage uniquely produced in the State of Hawai‘i could result in added federal pressure. Currently Fawley tracks products that have applied for labeling before TTB as ‘okolehao. Standards run wild and are inconsistent. 

Since 2015, Fawley estimates that nine products have applied for labeling as ‘ōkolehao. “Several are described as rums. Some are just described as spirits. One is even a blend of bourbon, whiskey, rum, and spirits distilled from cane and ti roots.” 

Fawley argues that a clear, state-based definition of ‘ōkolehao can bring some stability to the market. “When you have a product that is unique, is authentic to a specific place, and has clear definitions so consumers know what they’re getting, they’re more likely to purchase that product than a product that they really don’t know.” 

At least one international producer of ‘ōkolehao, Alexander Molyneaux of the United Kingdom, cautions that ‘ōkolehao itself is an international beverage. “ʻŌkolehao’s heritage is rooted in a centuries-old Pacific cultural exchange between British and Polynesian communities, encompassing but not limited to Hawaiʻi,” Molyneaux contends. 

To his point, the British production of ‘okolehao was a common across Polynesia. However, that does not give a non-Hawai‘i company the free license to use the Hawaiian branding to create products that bear no relation to Hawai‘i’s products, farms, and businesses. 

It is a dilemna that has already played out with Macademia and Coffee production. Products with little to no relation to Hawai‘i still invoked Hawai‘i to sell their products without providing any economic benefit to Hawai‘i businesses. 

The logistics of regulating ‘ōkolehao’s production and labeling still face logistical hurdles. So far, the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity has publicly supported this measure. However, it has requested that the legislation provide one full-time equivalent position for a Measurement Standards Inspector (whose pay shall be $65,000). As their testimony explains, this person shall oversee the development of inspection processes and product regulation. 

On Feburary 17, Senate Bill 3248 passed out of the Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs without any in-person testimony. Both measures, for now, are alive. 

‘Okolehao may get more hearings in the future.

Hawai‘i Island’s farmers, elected officials, and existing ‘ōkolehao producers are especially invested in these measures. 

"If we wait,” Breeland warns, “history shows us what happens." 

Ki bush Getty Images 150358245 Large

<title>‘Ōkolehao gets a hearing (or two)</title>

Modern-day local distillers of ‘ōkolehao, the Hawaiian spirit distilled from ki plant roots, are before the Legislature this session, looking for the sort of legal protections afforded to such local products as Kona coffee, in competition with outside brands trying to capitalize on the name. It's the latest chapter in Hawai‘i's 200-year on-again, off-again love affair with what has been called Hawai‘i's brandy or moonshine at different times. Here's a look at its colorful past — King David Kalakaua loved it, Queen Lili‘uokalani tried to curtail it — and the present-day quest to define and preserve ‘ōkolehao as a uniquely Hawai‘i product.

‘Ōkolehao gets a hearing (or two)

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Dog loves to nap with her best friend..."}]

Smile 26 2 23

<title>Daily Smile: Monday, February 23, 2026</title>

Dog loves to nap with her best friend...

Daily Smile: Monday, February 23, 2026

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

, known for its Japanese-style negitoro bowls, is opening its third O

ahu location this Sunday, Feb. 15. The business’s new location is on the second level of 

Aiea Shopping Center, next to Ice Garden and Koa Pancake House.

Aiea location is in the former space of a sandwich shop. Construction on the space started after the business’s sister restaurant, Marujuu Hawai

i will be open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and from 5 to 8:30 p.m. for dinner Thursdays to Mondays (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays). The business will be open for walk-ins only; no reservations will be accepted.

The menu at this location is the same as the ones at the business’s Kaimukī and 

Totoya’s original negitoro — which is made fresh daily with local fresh ‘ahi — is the base for the majority of its bowls. Its tokujo bowl ($38.90) — a premium option with original negitoro, salmon roe, sea urchin (Hokkaido uni) and snow crab — is the most popular order.

The eatery’s Fukuju bowl ($39.50) is the second most-popular dish. It features original negitoro with tuna and salmon, red shrimp, scallops, sea urchin, snow crab, tobiko and two pieces of nori.

The salmon bowl with salmon roe ($19.50) is a local favorite. All bowls come with your choice of miso soup — Aosa seaweed miso soup, or upgrade to shrimp head ($3.90) or crab ($4.90) miso soup — or half-size udon noodles ($4.90).

Other dishes on the menu include fresh shrimp combination bowl ($27.90); rainbow trio bowl ($25.90); matsu bowl ($26.90) with Hokkaido uni and salmon roe; and more.

Customers now have the option to add an “ikura shower” when they order Take, Matsu and Tokujo bowls. The “shower” includes a tripleamount of ikura for an additional $9.80.

Open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and from 5 to 8:30 p.m. for dinner Thursdays to Mondays

Totoya Aiea kaisen don 021326

<title>Viral seafood rice bowl spot is opening in ʻAiea</title>

Totoya Hawaiʻi, known for its negitoro bowls, is opening in ʻAiea Shopping Center on Sunday, Feb. 15. The menu here is the same as the business’s other two locations in the Ala Moana and Kaimukī neighborhoods. Customers can now add “ikura showers” when ordering specific seafood bowls.

Viral seafood rice bowl spot is opening in ʻAiea

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

The Hawai‘i Elections Commission has requested the state to audit the results of the state 2024 election.

For the last several months, the commission has conducted a series of investigations into the ballot tabulations processes on all islands following the 2024 elections. Those investigations allegedly turned up a repeated lack of transparency that makes much of the election data unverifiable.

 by a group of commissioners, the Office of Elections repeatedly denied requests for data or a third-party inspection of voting machines.

Without access to that data — which includes images of ballots themselves, and the audit documentation used to certify the results of the election — and without an inspection, the report states that the commission cannot confirm simple facts such as whether the number of ballots reported by the Office of Elections matches the number of ballots cast in reality.

Confirming the number of ballots is particularly important, given that ballot counts from Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i counties were inconsistent, according to the report.

The report states that the official tally of mail-in ballots counted from the Big Island during the 2024 general election was 76,595, while county records on the island only report collecting 57,553 ballot envelopes, a discrepancy of nearly 20,000 in an election where, for example, Mayor Kimo Alameda defeated incumbent Mitch Roth by less than 10,000 votes.

Commissioner Ralph Cushnie, who co-authored the report, told Aloha State Daily that Big Island elections officials said the discrepancy was the fault of the U.S. Postal Service, which transports the ballots from the Big Island to O‘ahu.

“They said that the post office didn’t always provide the receipts,” Cushnie said. “So, you’d think that the next thing they would have done would be to reach out to the post office to see if they had the receipts, but they never did.”

 by a different group of commissioners rejects Cushnie’s conclusion, claiming that the Big Island does not, in fact, rely on USPS receipts to reconcile ballot counts.

That September report concluded that claims of a voting discrepancy on Hawai‘i Island have no apparent basis and “unnecessarily feed mistrust in voting.”

But the August report also found discrepancies between the county election data from Kaua‘i and the state-certified election results. On Kaua‘i, the county reported 26,633 mail ballot envelopes, less than the 27,075 reported by the state.

Cushnie said that one might expect the state certified count of ballots to be less than the number of envelopes counted in the counties — after all, some ballots are bound to be invalid for one reason or another and wouldn’t be included in the final count.

“But there shouldn’t be any way for more ballots to be added,” Cushnie asserted.

The report touches on other problems. Both Maui and O‘ahu provided no records regarding the transfer of ballots from the counties to the state counting center, but Scott Nago, Hawai‘i's Chief Election Officer, only confirmed this to the commission in March, months after certifying the election results.

The August report concludes with a series of recommendations: an external audit of all ballot envelopes, mail-in ballots and USPS receipts for each county; returning to in-person voting only to eliminate the heavy reliance on USPS; and Nago’s termination.

The commission endorsed that first recommendation at its 

 on Dec. 3, albeit not unanimously. Commissioner Jeffrey Osterkamp — a co-author of the September report — said the claims of 19,000 unaccounted-for ballots on the Big Island are “complete fiction.”

“We’re trying to create a circus,” Osterkamp said. “The idea is to create a big spectacle and create additional concern by the public about the voting process … We all know at some level that this whole 19,000-vote supposed discrepancy is complete fiction and we’re going to see that it continues to be repeated over and over and over without any evidence whatsoever.”

However, the commission voted 4-4 — and therefore did not pass — on a motion by Cushnie to formally request a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into possible mail fraud in the 2024 election.

“When the entire election relies on the mail, the integrity of mail tracking becomes the foundation of the system,” Cushnie told the commission. “Inconsistent or missing USPS records, unexplained increases in envelope counts, the absence of required chain of custody logs … these gaps are not minor.”

[{"type":"text","text":"The commission did not discuss Cushnie’s motion further."}]

Cushnie told ASD the commission will continue to discuss the state audit issue at its next meeting in January.

Hawaii State Capitol

<title>State Elections Commission calls for 2024 election audit</title>

Series of reports raises concerns about unverifiable mail-in ballot numbers.

State Elections Commission calls for 2024 election audit

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Real Estate

A Waikīkī project more than five years in the making has hit a milestone.

Developers last week topped off Ka Haku, a Hilton Club, a new timeshare property under construction by Hilton Grand Vacations, an Orlando-based timeshare company.

Dozens celebrated the topping off Friday at the Honolulu Zoo, including leaders and from HGV and Nordic PCL, the project's contractor, among others.

A senior superintendent told the crowd gathered that getting to this point was a group effort.

"There's a lot of work that's been put into this project, and it does take the group to get to where we're at," they said. "The structure top-off is a major milestone. Let's celebrate it today. Let's enjoy ourselves today. But we still have a lot of work to do."

Located at the former King's Village site at 131 Ka‘iulani Ave., the timeshare offers 213 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites; a private arrival and departure lounge; state-of-the-art fitness center, pool and pool bar; and a Japanese-style bathhouse.

Tyler Middleton, senior director of development for Hilton Grand Vacations, told Aloha State Daily on Friday that construction on the project began in 2019, "and we were about a year into all of the underground work and then Covid hit."

"We made the decision to shut the project down," he continued. "We quickly became the most expensive parking lot in Waikīkī."

Middleton says the developer got approval to restart the project in spring 2023 and "remobilized" that fall. Ka Haku is expected to be finished and open in summer 2026.

The last of the concrete has been poured and the roof has been completed, but Middleton notes that the crane will remain on site for a few more months to lift some heavy equipment onto the rooftop and into the tower.

As for the work that remains, he told ASD, "It's just going to be all the interior work," including mechanical, plumbing and electrical, furniture, mill work, finishes, paint, wall coverings, tile, flooring and more, as well as the work in the public areas.

[{"type":"text","text":"There will be two retail spaces on the ground floor, Middleton says."}]

After nearly six years, Middleton says it "feels great" to reach this point.

"[At the] end of the day, Hilton Grand Vacations has had very little to do with it other than selecting a great team to build the project, and [we] couldn't be more proud of everyone that's had their hands, their fingerprints on this project and to get us where we are today."

HGV currently operates 13 resorts across four islands, including six on O‘ahu. Ka Haku — which HGV says is named in honor of Prince Albert Kamehameha — is the 14th Hilton Grand Vacation resort in the state and is the only Hilton Club in Hawai‘i. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Middleton says Hilton Club is the company's \"luxury brand.\""}]

[{"type":"text","text":"He declined to disclose the cost of the project."}]

When asked what the project means for the Waikīkī community, he said, "This is just a continued testament that Hilton Grand Vacations is 100% committed to Waikīkī, O‘ahu, the Hawaiian Islands."

According to Middleton, the project has generated more than 500 construction industry jobs during the build, and will support 150 to 175 full-time employees once it opens.

He said, too, that HGV also will make a $1 million contribution to support projects selected by the Honolulu City Council that will "benefit both residents and visitors here in Waikīkī." Additionally, HGV will make a donation to the Waikīkī Community center for every sale, approximately $10,000.

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