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ASD Staff

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Baloney search and rescue mission..."}]

Smile 26 1 17

<title>Daily Smile: Saturday, January 17, 2026</title>

Baloney search and rescue mission...

Daily Smile: Saturday, January 17, 2026

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

University of Hawai‘i head football coach 

 has agreed to a long-term contract extension to remain the head coach of the Rainbow Warriors. 

In a Q&A with Aloha State Daily, UH athletics director Matt Elliott confirmed that the two sides have a deal in place that includes an increased salary pool for the football team's assistant coaches, as well as two-year deals for multiple assistant coaches. Many coaches on the UH football staff operate on one-year contracts. (Click 

The deal is pending university approval and will be announced by the school upon completion, Elliott says. 

"We have a deal," Elliott said. "It's just a matter of going through those signature processes. We'll announce it very soon. But yes, we have a long-term extension.

"He and I reached a deal in the in the winter. His focus was, 'I want to get deals done for all my staff,' so that's where we spent some time. In a lot of cases, we're doing two-year deals for a lot of the assistant coaches, so kind of getting all those in place first, and now we've been just going through it, and it takes regent approval. It takes different levels of our university to approve the contract. So, it's done. It's just a matter of getting it all signed."

Chang, who was hired in January 2022, has gone 22-29 in his four seasons at the helm. The Rainbow Warriors went 9-4 in a breakthrough 2025 campaign, ending their season with a dramatic comeback victory over California in the 

Prior to the extension, Chang's contract was set to expire following the 2026 season. His initial four-year deal with the school was extended by one year in December 2024. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Hawai‘i opens its 2026 season at Stanford on Aug 29. "}]

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Timmy Chang 061526

<title>Timmy Chang, UH agree to long-term contract extension, UH AD Matt Elliott says</title>

Chang's current contract was set to expire following the 2026 season.

Timmy Chang, UH agree to long-term contract extension, UH AD Matt Elliott says

LAS VEGAS — On Wednesday morning, Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez stepped up to the podium and ushered in the conference's new era. 

Three new full-time conference members joined the Mountain West in Hawai‘i, UTEP and UC Davis on July 1. Additionally, Northern Illinois and North Dakota State joined the conference as football affiliates and sent representatives to the league's football media days, which take place from Wednesday to Thursday at the Palms Casino Resort. 

For the University of Hawai‘i, the school departed the Big West Conference and became full-time members of the Mountain West on the 

 with Hawai‘i News Now kicked in at the beginning of the month. 

Change is certainly in the air for Hawai‘i, and one of the central figures leading the school through it all is athletics director 

Aloha State Daily sat down for a Q&A with Elliott, who recently finished his first year as UH's athletics director, on what's next for him and the school.

A year into the gig, what are some of your main takeaways from Year 1?

 "An excellent foundation. Really good people, great staff, great coaches, wonderful student-athletes, and then as everything's changed so much, we have incredible potential that we wanted to harness and see how we could grow, and that's still true going into Year 2. But I think we navigated the new NIL system very well. We created a structure that was good for our student-athletes. Had really good success from our teams' standpoint. Very competitive and successful academically, which is awesome. Two of the highest GPAs that we've ever had between the fall and the spring semester, over 3.3 cumulative GPA in the spring semester, which was unbelievable. So, the takeaways is things are in really good shape, but the challenges are significant. How do we generate enough revenue to cover those expenses, to cover our NIL needs, to cover our new travel costs, all that kind of stuff. That's where we have to keep growing and building. We have to do more in fundraising. We can sell more tickets. We can definitely get more sponsorships. Those are areas we can grow, but we got at the same time, keep our eyes on how the students are doing, what their experiences are. We feel great. We're very excited."

What is it like being here today and being celebrated as a new full-time Mountain West conference member, along with the other schools?

, but we haven't been here, right? It does feel complete. I've been confused all year when I can vote in meetings and when I can't because sometimes we were not allowed to. They put (UH) president (Wendy) Hensel on the executive committee. They picked her as a representative to the College Football Playoff board. We are at the table. We are in the room, and I think this is a group of people from the athletic directors, the presidents that I've gotten to know, and the conference leadership that we're all in together, we see upside collectively. We're all going to compete on the field, obviously, but we're not in an every man for himself mentality."

 How do you feel about the outcome of the school's new TV deal for athletics? 

 "I think it's great. I love the idea that our games are going to be on K5. I love that they're going to do 110 live events, and then we're going to supplement that with campus broadcasts. Our fans are going to see more UH games than they've ever seen before. 'We can only watch volleyball tonight, nobody can see baseball.' That won't be the case anymore. You'll be able to do both. ... I think the partnership is going to be really strong, and I'm excited for the transition. There's always going to be bumps and whatnot, but at the same time, it's really good content for our fans, and then you add access on the Mountain West app to be able to see every road game, everything that you know across all of our sports. That's what we want. We want to highlight exposure as much as possible."

Since we're here at football media days, has 

"We have a deal. It's just a matter of going through those signature processes. We'll announce it very soon. But yes, we have a long-term extension. 

 for details on the Timmy Chang contract renewal.)

How has your experience living on O‘ahu and going out in public differed from when you got the UH AD gig as opposed to 

 "Totally different [laughs]. Yeah. A huge adjustment, but it's sure fun, though. People are so nice and respectful and fun, and I love it. It's super cool. It's been a blast, and I think the the overriding sentiment is people love UH, so they just want to talk about our teams or our players, and they're just really excited about what we're accomplishing, and people have been really fun."

Is the football team close to a jersey patch deal? [Note: The NCAA approved jersey patches for teams in January as additional income streams for schools.]

 "We are in very serious talks with one specific sponsor, so I would love to have that done in the next few weeks so that we can announce it. We're doing it different. We're not doing a department-wide jersey patch. We're out there negotiating and selling for individual sports. We're trying to get football and women's volleyball done as soon as possible, so that then we have a little more time to get basketball, baseball."

Do you anticipate any repeat sponsors on UH patches, or will each team have a different sponsor? 

 "There could be, yeah. We've had a conversation about one sponsor that could want both basketball teams, for example, something like that."

 from the state legislature for NIL funds, an effort that didn't fully come to fruition. What were your takeaways from that, and will you and the school continue to seek NIL funds in that same arena? 

"I don't know. The honest answer is that'll be a decision that we make with president Hensel and chancellor 

, what their strategic plan in terms of what the university is going to ask for next year. I'm not sure what the ask will be. My takeaways are that I actually think, despite the outcome, we succeeded because we educated our community about NIL and it gave us a platform to talk about what is the new reality of college sports in a way that was widely discussed. The $5 million became almost the sideshow, NIL and what it is was widely discussed. And then to be fortunate enough to have the teams do well at the same time, you understand that if we want to continue to win bowl games or go to the NCAA Tournament or win national championships, that's not going to happen without NIL. I think most people in our state get that. I don't know if that was fully appreciated and understood a year ago because it was so different, because it was all collectives and behind the scenes. But now the institution gets to do it. My takeaways are that obviously I wish it had gone through. I wish we had more resources that we would be able to plug in right away. But I understand that they have to make tough decisions, and I'm very happy that we had the venue, the opportunity to talk about it as much as we need."

 Another part of your first year was a pair of unexpected resignations in 

. Do you view two searches of that magnitude in one year as a sort of anomaly? 

 "Probably. We re-signed (baseball coach) Rich (

), we re-signed (men's basketball head coach) Eran (Ganot), we re-signed Timmy. We hired 

. Of the six revenue sports, to have five major decisions have to be made is very unusual to all happen in the same year. With those two specifically, for Laura and Robyn to be in the places where it's time to do something different, I think that won't happen very often. You never can guess and never predict. Despite how we had to reprioritize some things to make sure that became the focus, I think we're in a really good place. I think Khalilah and Joshua are both outstanding hires, outstanding people. We've already seen and are starting to put together what the future looks like, and I'm very excited about it. The bottom line is, if you were to ask Robyn and Laura right now how they feel, I think they both would say they're thrilled with where these programs are going to go from what they built."

 What was your reaction to the NCAA's new 5-for-5 rule? [Note: In June, the NCAA declared that athletes will have five full years to play five full seasons, starting when a student-athlete graduates high school or turns 19, effectively eliminating the redshirt.]

"Honestly, there's been so much change in eligibility [ruling]. Two years from now, we could have a different rule. These rules are so fluid. We're looking at the Protect College Sports Act, and does that pass? And if that passes, then we might have a different system. But to your specific question, five for five makes sense. Just consistency. What I don't like is when you have thousands of waivers, no predictability about whether a student can play or not. It's not fair to the students. It's not fair to schools. But they really can draw a line, and it's pretty firm, five for five, and there's only limited exceptions for pregnancy and military service and religious service. OK, at least we're all in the same [five-year window]. 

 Thank you for your time. Anything you'd like to add? 

"Really excited for football season to start, for women's volleyball season to start. Football season tickets are on sale. I hope people are excited as I am to be there game one. UNLV is going to be an absolutely amazing, amazing battle. So excited for that. And then we're making some significant changes to the football pregame experience this year. We're going to introduce something called the Rooftop Pā‘ina. We're going to have a pregame kind of fan fest experience on the fifth floor of the parking deck overlooking the stadium, and that's going to be really exciting. Tons of energy and opportunities for fans to come together, have fun, and really get hyped up before the game. I think that's going to be a cool change."

Matt Elliott 071526

<title>Q&A: Hawai‘i director Matt Elliott looks ahead as school officially enters new era</title>

Elliott reflected on his first year at the helm as both he and UH embark on a new era as full-time Mountain West members.

Q&A: Hawai‘i director Matt Elliott looks ahead as school officially enters new era

IMG 1445

Rick Hamada

Government & Politics

Columnists

[{"type":"text","text":"You're picking up your loved one at the Honolulu International Airport."}]

It can be a bit chaotic depending on the time of day, so you do your best to find your party, load up and get out.

I've been dropped off and I've picked up family and friends from HNL three times in as many weeks.

[{"type":"text","text":"I understand it."}]

Imagine for just a moment the anticipation and happiness at spotting your loved one (let's say your spouse) at curbside baggage claim.

  You stop and get out of your vehicle, give a quick "welcome home kiss" and help load his/her luggage into the trunk.

[{"type":"text","text":"SOP - Standard Operating Procedure."}]

While you're relishing the return, a criminal lurking nearby chooses you. Yeah, you're the one. You and your ride.

He's a carjacker. He targets innocent people to steal their property. But he's different than a typical car thief. His goal is to confront you personally and use whatever force or actions necessary to obtain your vehicle. The carjacker makes it personal.

[{"type":"text","text":"This sounds like a plot line to a thriller on the screen, but it's not."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Meet Lawrence and Rose Ching."}]

, Rose Ching makes weekly trips to the Big Island and her husband routinely picks her up. This time Lawrence Ching stated that he had exited with the car running while helping Rose load her luggage into the trunk. “I hear the (car) door open, which was a little bit odd because I shut my driver’s door,” said Lawrence Ching. “I turn really quickly and I see someone just jump into my car. I dropped what I was doing and ran as quickly as possible to stop it," said Ching.

A motivating factor was knowing their teenage daughter was in the back seat.

“Usually, my wife goes on days that line up with our daughter’s hula practice, so our daughter was in the car,” said Lawrence Ching.

“I was just worried about my daughter, and I was in fear of her life,” said Rose Ching. “I didn’t know what was going to happen to her, and I was just worried about her safety.” 

The state Department of Law Enforcement said Garrett Spencer, 25, took the vehicle with the young teenage girl in the back passenger side seat and tried to make a getaway through the congested terminal area, with Lawrence Ching in pursuit. 

Investigators said Spencer released the girl, unhurt, a short distance away.

Spencer escaped the confines of Honolulu International Airport, drove west on H-1 exiting on the Joint Base Pearl Harbor - Hickam off ramp leading him to the security check point gate where he was apprehended.  Nice work first responders.

[{"type":"text","text":"Here's where it gets interesting."}]

Spencer was initially charged with first-degree theft, first-degree unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle and kidnapping. He was also cited for criminal trespass by DOD police officers at the Hickam gate. However, just days later, the charges of kidnapping were dropped.

And the Ching family was incredulous. How can this be? How is this not kidnapping; a child was stolen?!?!  

According to the State Attorney General's office the crime did not rise to the legal definition of kidnapping nor even lesser charges. The current charges, as I mentioned earlier, are now just theft and unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle. No kidnapping. And that's leaving so many with questions.

In response to the Ching's statements and others, the Department of the Attorney General sent HNN the following statement:

“We understand the concerns expressed by parents and members of the community. 

Prosecutors evaluate the specific facts and evidence in each case to determine which criminal charges are supported by the evidence. Based on the evidence in this case, the alleged conduct does not meet the legal elements required to charge Kidnapping or Unlawful Imprisonment.

Retired Honolulu police deputy chief John McCarthy told the station, “I totally agree with the family,” recalling similar cases in the past in which the suspect was charged with kidnapping

“He basically took that person against their will. They weren’t free to leave. They didn’t ask to go along on a joy ride. They didn’t ask to be stolen, basically have their person stolen for whatever time it was,” McCarthy added. 

I invite you to take a look at the statutes cited by the Office of the Attorney General.

Ok, perhaps this case does not rise to the technical definition of kidnapping. The perp did none of the above, so I'll leave it to legal experts to opine.

[{"type":"text","text":"I ask you to consider this:"}]

A dedicated and learned prosecutor could and should levy charges of Unlawful Imprisonment in the First Degree. The perpetrator knowingly restrained the daughter twice. Firstly, when Lawrence Ching clung to the escaping vehicle undoubtably yelling for the perp to stop while invoking his daughter's name proving that another person was in that car. Ergo, the daughter was restrained 

 of serious bodily injury with risk being the operative word.

It's also apparent a case could definitely be made for Unlawful Imprisonment in the Second Degree given the above summation.

Because the criminal let the girl go. It was an admission by action that the daughter was not in that car of her own free will. By allowing her to exit confirms at the moment of the carjacking the perp knew that he committed this crime and wanted to avoid more serious charges.

[{"type":"text","text":"But it was too late."}]

The effects of this crime do not end with thievery. It's a crime against innocence.

The Ching's report that their daughter now lives in fear; that she suffers from PTSD, and they are engaged in family therapy. The daughter poses the common question, "Is he going to get out? Is he going to come back?

Prosecutors prioritize having a winning record in court. The higher percentile of victories can enhance careers and propel one further on their professional path. Not all prosecuting attorneys but likely most.

If you agree with the Ching family, legal pundits, and with your own conclusions that charges against Spencer must be elevated then do something.

, respectfully, and urge more strident prosecution of Garrett Spencer for what he illegally inflicted upon this family.

Doing so could advance the pursuit of justice for the victims.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Carjacking i Stock 521975360 16x9

<title>Hamada: Airport carjacker skating on kidnapping charge</title>

Lawrence and Rose Ching are stunned that the man who carjacked them at Honolulu International Airport — driving off with their teen daughter in the back seat — isn't getting charged with kidnapping. ASD opinion columnist Rick Hamada agrees and takes a close look at the definition of the crime.

Hamada: Airport carjacker skating on kidnapping charge

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawai‘i History

On the eastern edge of Hilo Bay, the small Waiākea Peninsula was one of the most fertile and abundant landscapes in East Hawaiʻi Island. This peninsula was fed by freshwater streams and springs, creating thriving estuaries that supported generations of skillfully managed agriculture and aquaculture.

Fresh water was diverted from the streams through a system of ʻauwai (ditches) to the loʻi kalo (taro patches) before being returned to the sea. The loko iʻa (fishponds) were carefully maintained, full of mullet and milkfish, shellfish, limu, and other marine life. These food systems provided sustenance not only for the residents of Waiākea but also for the aliʻi that governed the region. By the time the first Western ships arrived in Hilo, the peninsula had already been shaped by centuries of careful stewardship.

Throughout the Waiākea Peninsula stood fishing shrines (koʻa), heiau, family shrines, homes, and burial grounds, creating a landscape where daily life and sacred obligations were inseparable.

Historical accounts describe Kūakaʻananuʻu as a massive heiau that once towered almost 60 feet above the shoreline of Hilo Bay, near the area where the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel now stands and directly across from Mokuola, commonly known as Coconut Island. Unlike many Hawaiian temples, Kūakaʻananuʻu featured a distinctive pyramidal design with two platforms and a central chamber, making it one of the more unusual heiau described in Hawaiʻi.

Dredging, harbor improvements, land reclamation, road construction, and hotel development have substantially altered the landscape over the last two centuries. Since much of the original shoreline was destroyed before modern archaeological documentation, the precise extent of the heiau complex is impossible to determine. However, it is estimated that the heiau occupied what is now the shoreline between Banyan Drive and the bridge to Mokuola and may have been part of or immediately adjacent to the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. 

Kūakaʻananuʻu was a luakini heiau, where men were sacrificed to the gods. There were a number of ceremonies performed during and after a sacrifice that included the body being laid out for several days while kāhuna offered pule (prayers) to the gods. Once the protocol was finished, about 20 days later, the body might be returned to relatives to be stripped. The flesh was thrown into the luapaʻu, a refuse pit in the luakini enclosure, and the bones were taken to the tiny island of Kaulaʻinaiwi to dry.

While Kūakaʻananuʻu has been destroyed, Hawaiians often believe that the mana, the spiritual essence, of the past is not separated from the present. Our kūpuna (ancestors) remain connected to the places they lived in and loved. The sacred ground of Waiākea was never just a piece of land. It is a living landscape shaped by generations of people from ancient moʻolelo to modern history. It is perhaps fitting, then, that stories continue to emerge from this place long after the voices of earlier generations have faded.

For years, people have shared their tales of strange events at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Many of those reports involve guests watching spheres of light dancing about their rooms. These silent orbs are said to be visible to the naked eye and drift from corner to corner unimpeded. No source for the lights could be found: no headlights from outside, no reflections, and no malfunctioning electronics. Witnesses insist that they were wide awake, certain of what they saw.

Two former housekeepers at the hotel have said these experiences are not uncommon. One of them said she tried to ignore any weird happenings, kept her head down, and cleaned the rooms as quickly as possible.

Far more unsettling are the accounts of guests startled from sleep without explanation, heart racing for no apparent reason. When they look around, they see an elderly man dressed in old-style clothing, standing at the foot of the bed or resting against the wall. He remains silent and still, watching them until he vanishes moments later.

One friend shared that one year, as hundreds of hula dancers and spectators descended upon Hilo for the Merrie Monarch Festival, the women of her halau stayed at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. One night, she awoke to the sound of electricity crackling near the bathroom. An elderly woman suddenly appeared, floated a bit near the window, and then settled on the edge of her bed. The kupuna wore a mu‘umu‘u with a handkerchief around her neck and a papale (hat) on her head. Unfortunately, my friend said that even with the soft, warm light of the morning sun, she didn’t recognize her silent visitor.

Even though the landscape of a place changes, imprints of the past often remain. The Waiākea Peninsula has been inhabited for hundreds of years. Who were these ghostly visitors and what did they have to do with this particular location?

Hilo Hawaiian Hotel

<title>Silent Spirits at the Hilo Hawaiian</title>

Life thrived along Hilo Bay and Waiākea Peninsula, with abundant taro lo‘i, fish ponds, for centuries before Western contact. Spiritual life was ever-present and the landscape was dominated by the towering Kūakaʻananuʻu heiau, where men were sacrificed in elaborate ceremonies. Now the site is home to Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, and guests share stories of spectral visitors from long ago.

Silent Spirits at the Hilo Hawaiian

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Hawai‘i will prohibit the sale of “99.9%” of all e-cigarette products in the state starting next year, per Gov. Josh Green, who signed a pair of bills into law Tuesday.

 establish heavy regulations, or outright prohibitions, on the sale of electronic smoking devices in the state, with Green promising Tuesday that more regulations will continue in the years to come.

 of the measures emphasized the negative health impacts to keiki caused by vaping.

“Vaping is bad, period,” Green said. “It leads to young people getting addicted to nicotine and it affects their physiology and development. And they get hooked on cigarettes later.”

SB 2175 will prohibit the sale or distribution of any disposable e-cigarette devices beginning Jan. 1, 2027. Any violation of the law will incur a $100 fine per day per product.

While Green discussed SB 2175 Tuesday largely from a health perspective, he added that disposable vapes have increasingly been identified as an environmental problem: not only are they common litter, but the lithium batteries within them can cause fires or release toxic metals into the environment.

HB 1573 is more extensive, requiring that the only e-cigarette and vape liquid products allowed to be sold in Hawai‘i be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Rep. Scot Matayoshi, a co-introducer of the bill, said Tuesday that limits the number of products to only 45, most of which do not have the sweet flavorings that have made vapes attractive to young people.

However, Matayoshi acknowledged that the most recent vape products approved by the FDA include two fruit-flavored vape pods. Nonetheless, he said the vast majority of fruit- or candy-flavored vape products are not FDA-approved and will be much harder and more expensive for children to access.

In any case, Green said “market forces alone” will likely strongly discourage manufacturers from attempting to gain a foothold in Hawai‘i.

“It’s very difficult for anyone to be in the industry in a market where, let’s be honest, we don’t want them here in Hawai‘i,” Green said.

As written, HB 1573 requires that, beginning Oct. 1, all vape manufacturers attempting to distribute products in the state must submit proof of their compliance with state and federal laws, proof of an FDA marketing granted order and a $1,000 payment for each product line certified with the state.

Then, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, the state Department of the Attorney General, will publish an updated directory of all brand names, products and manufacturers certified in the state. Attempting to sell any product not included on that list will incur a $500 fine for each individual product for sale for a first violation, and increasing incrementally up to $2,000 per product for a fourth violation.

Should the manufacturer itself be found to be offering non-approved products for sale in the state, the manufacturer could be fined up to $10,000 for each product, and could be found guilty of a misdemeanor.

Kalaheo High School student Maya Butts said vaping continues to plague Hawai‘i schools, saying that her school’s bathrooms no longer feel like functioning restrooms, but instead are just “places to vape.”

“I’ve watched my smart, athletic friends completely lose their motivation,” Butts said. “They got hooked on these devices that taste like candy, move on to other substances, then lose their spark altogether.”

Although vapes and e-cigarettes have been used to help wean tobacco smokers off of normal cigarettes, Green said he is skeptical that such a use case outweighs their harm.

“The biggest problem has been getting an entire generation … innumerable middle schoolers and high schoolers hooked,” Green said. “Society has found ways to quit traditional cigarettes through medical means, through behavioral techniques; we should lean on those.”

Lola Irvin, administrator of the state Department of Health’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division, said adults who have concurrently used traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes are less likely to successfully quit smoking, while young people who begin using e-cigarettes are more likely to transition to smoking traditional cigarettes.

Furthermore, Irvin said that e-cigarette use has been linked to increased risk of lung and oral cancers, and concluded “it is not a safe product to use for quitting.”

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

GreenVape

<title>'99.9%' of vapes to be banned under new laws</title>

A pair of new laws Gov. Josh Green signed Tuesday will strongly curtail what e-cigarette products are permitted to be sold in the state.

'99.9%' of vapes to be banned under new laws

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

From live music to movies, there are lots of events happening on Oʻahu this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here are more than a dozen things Oʻahu residents can plan for.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Friday, July 10"}]

Disney’s live action adaptation of the animated film “Moana” will be in theaters on Friday, July 10. It stars Catherine Laga'aia as Moana and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Maui. Auliʻi Cravalho, who was the voice of Moana in the original animated movie, which was released in 2016, is one of the executive producers. The production includes some filming in Hawaiʻi. Aloha State Daily will be giving away tickets this month! Subscribe to our daily edition for more. 

Go to the Kamaka 110th Anniversary Concert. 

The International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi Gala Party will hold the Kamaka 110th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Hawaiian Theater, which recognizes 110 years of Kamaka ʻUkulele. There will be live performances from Raiatea Helm, 

, Kris Fuchigami, and Jeff Peterson, as well as Makena, which brings together Ho‘okena and former Makaha Sons members Moon Kauakahi and Eric Lee. The event includes a lū‘au buffet dinner before the gala concert and occurs ahead of the third annual International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi. Tickets are $170, with discounts for kamaʻāina. 

The well-known Irish pub is now under the management of singer and songwriter Tavana, who is known for his Island-inspired rock and blues. The upstairs space, now known as Tavana’s at Anna’s, will include a new stage, while the downstairs will remain Anna O’Brien’s with pool tables and darts. The space will have its soft opening under new management on Friday, July 10. The 

 for July is now listed on social media. 

The Honolulu Surf Film Festival kicks off on Thursday, July 9, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 2. This month, catch the world premiere of “Increments of Fear: The Buzzy Trent Story,” as well as the 

Jack Johnson documentary “Surfilmusic.”

 a short film that explores Indigenous knowledge of surfing and the ocean. 

Catch to the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival. 

The Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation’s Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival will celebrate its 37th anniversary with films, live performances, filmmaker conversations and showcases of LGBTQIA+ stories from Hawaiʻi, the Pacific, Asia and more. The festival opens on Friday, July 10, with a red carpet event at Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Park, adjacent to Hawaiʻi Theatre Center, which will be followed by screenings at Hawaiʻi Theatre Center. The three-day festival includes screenings at Hawaiʻi Theatre Center, so check the 

 and times. There will be a Drag Brunch at Pewa on Sunday, July 12. Individual tickets to screenings are $18. VIP passes are $75, or $55 for kūpuna and students. 

Trainers across the globe can participate in the Pokémon Go Fest. The two-day event runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12. The event is open to longtime fans and new players. On Oʻahu, there is a meet-up at 

Head to Waimea Bay to join in this jumping competition. There are three weight classes and prizes for the top contestants in each division. The competition starts at 10 a.m. The entry fee is $5. 

The Hawaiʻi State Farm Fair will take place over the weekend at Whitmore Village. Homegrown vegetables, bouquets and more are on display this Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12. 

Learn the winners of the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards. 

The winners of this yearʻs Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards will be announced at the Sheraton Waikīkī Beach Resort on Saturday, July 11. These are the 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Sunday, July 12"}]

Catch the International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi. 

The third annual International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi will take place at Kapiʻolani Park, where Roy Sakuma hosted his iconic ʻukulele festival for more than 50 years. The event starts at 10:30 a.m. and includes performances from musicians around the world, as well as an ʻUkulele Hall of Fame presentation. Free. 

The second Sunday of each month is Kamaʻāina Sunday. Self-led audio tours are available for the first 500 attendees. There will be ʻono food, local vendors, live entertainment and more. Admission to ʻIolani Palace is free. There will also be entertainment and workshops sponsored by Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority through the Kūkula Ola Program. Free. 

Get a 12-ounce prime rib for $30 when dining at 8 p.m. or later at 

 is back. This year, readers can participate by reading 800 minutes or eight books. 

Physical books, audiobooks, eBooks, graphic novels and more

 count toward the contest. The challenge runs through July 31. The theme of the reading challenge is “E Heluhelu Kākou: ‘Umeke Kā‘eo” and celebrates a calabash overflowing with knowledge and wisdom. Readers who log reading get a chance to unlock rewards and possibly win the grand prize of roundtrip tickets from Alaska Airlines / Hawaiian Airlines. 

 Send us your pictures of sunrises, sunsets and more. Submitted photos may be featured in our reader submission series called Hawaiʻi Skies. Tell what you saw and why it was special. 

"Moana"

<title>Disney’s live action 'Moana' sails into theaters and more: Oʻahu weekend guide</title>

Ready to make weekend plans? Catch Disney’s live action version of “Moana,” which opens in theaters on Friday, July 10. The Honolulu Surf Film Festival, the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival, and the International ʻUkulele Festival of Hawaiʻi will also be happening this weekend on Oʻahu.

Daily Smile: Saturday, January 17, 2026

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Daily Smile: Saturday, January 17, 2026

Authors

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