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Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Julie Ford at Magic Island just "as the sun peaked over the back of Diamond Head."

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Hawaii Skies 2.26.26

<title>Hawaiʻi Skies: Magic Island magic</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Julie Ford at Magic Island.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Magic Island magic

Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Julie Ford at Magic Island just &quot;as the sun peaked over the back of Diamond Head.&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.

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

Government & Politics

Columnists

On Thursday, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs board will decide whether to spend $172,500 for due diligence. The question is whether to buy a television station. Sources close to the deal point to KITV-KIKU: the local ABC affiliate plus a smaller station with Japanese and Filipino programming.

Both stations are owned by Allen Media Group. The company is quietly offloading more than a dozen stations to pay down debt. Allen bought KITV in 2020 for $30 million. It added KIKU a couple of years later for an undisclosed price.

: jobs, portfolio diversification, and more sway over Native Hawaiian storytelling and public messaging.

Twenty years ago, the OHA board considered a similar move. They turned it down without spending a dollar. In 2006, OHA trustees rejected a proposal to buy KGMB. They even voted not to fund due diligence. At the time, critics raised the obvious concern. A state agency would control a local news outlet.

There is, to be fair, a Hawaiian precedent OHA could cite. In the mid-1840s, King Kamehameha III bought a press. It belonged to a struggling weekly called the Polynesian

 The paper had recently been made the Official Journal of the Hawaiian Government.

An American transplant named James Jackson Jarves had founded the paper. Under his watch, it had been bleeding money. Royal ownership steadied it. The Polynesian published the laws, the criminal codes, and the legal notices. News, editorials, and the occasional puff piece appeared alongside. It remained the Kingdom’s voice until 1861.

But the Polynesian lived in a world without radio, television, or internet. Only a handful of papers competed. Most subscribers had nowhere else to turn for shipping schedules and government notices.

Today, the Star-Advertiser keeps its readers in part for similar reasons. It is the paper of record where legal notices must run. Many subscribers buy it for the Longs ad. But print newspapers are dying.

Over-the-air television has also been losing audience for decades. It bleeds viewers to cable, to streaming, and the rest of the internet. Allen isn’t selling KITV because the station is thriving.

What’s striking about the Polynesian under royal ownership is not what it printed. It is how it justified the arrangement. In 1845, the journal 

 “the government of a nation as a whole, from its commanding position and centering within it the local knowledge to be derived from all its constituent parts, is most likely to arrive at a correct conclusion of what is for the general welfare.” A government, it went on, was the “head and lungs and arms of the body politic, by which it thinks, speaks and acts.”

It is a tidy metaphor. It was also, in 1845, already five years out of date.

, opens by citing Acts 17. “God hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the earth.” It declares that all laws of the islands shall be in consistency with the general spirit of God’s law.

The Kingdom did not locate the source of correct conclusions in its own commanding position. It located the source elsewhere. It put the work of government under that higher rule.

Polynesian’s account of authority did not match the Kingdom’s constitution. But the official journal pushed it anyway. That is the temptation of state-owned media. A government’s press tends to puff up the government.

OHA wants to buy a mouthpiece from the wrong century. It is making a case it cannot quite say out loud. The case: public messaging, properly controlled, can build a nation. It cannot.

Even the Polynesian, with the throne behind it, was one voice among many. KITV in 2026 will be one voice in a roar.

Television antenna i Stock 489607186 16x9

<title>The news according to OHA</title>

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has shown an interest in purchasing a television station. ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa thinks this might not do for OHA what the agency would like in terms of controlling the message.

The news according to OHA

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawai‘i History

The name Kīpapa means “paved” or “placed prone,” as in the corpses of an invading army were placed prone along the base of the gulch. This gulch is also the site of a plane crash, missing hikers, numerous car crashes, suicides, hauntings, and even a night marchers’ trail.

Before modern roads, the passage to Mililani and beyond was long and circuitous, forcing travelers to descend a steep path, cross the gulch, and then ascend another steep path to reach the other side. The route was slow and dangerous, and accidents that caused serious injuries and fatalities were common.

When the Roosevelt Bridge was finally built, travel was much faster, but not necessarily safer. With increased speed, there was also an increase in auto accidents. A 1958 newspaper article stated that the narrow section of the highway at Kīpapa and the neighboring Waikakalaua Gulch had claimed an average of one life per year since 1942. Despite road improvements, it’s gotten only slightly better since then.

Although it’s a vital artery to Honolulu, I know a few people who refuse to drive across the bridge after nightfall. Many people believe that the accidents that happen in, over, and around the gulch are the result of supernatural influence.

Some claim to have seen a ghostly woman walking along the bridge late at night. Others say she is a hitchhiker who disappears as you get closer, or that it’s the ghost of a woman who killed herself by jumping off the bridge. Many say that if you see her, your car goes out of control, causing you to crash. The most common belief is that there has been too much death in the area, and the spirits of those who died there remain, showing themselves at the most inopportune moments.

In our oral traditions, it is said that the ali‘i nui, Ma‘ilikūkahi, lived sometime around the turn of the 15th century. Prior to his reign, life on O‘ahu was full of turmoil, and land divisions were in a state of confusion. Ma‘ilikūkahi sent his ali‘i to survey the entire island, then created the ahupua‘a, or land division, system that we’re familiar with today. This created concise kuleana, or responsibilities, for both commoners and ali‘i, preventing land disputes that were once common and often ended in bloodshed.

Additionally, Ma‘ilikūkahi prohibited ali‘i from plundering the maka‘āinana, the commoners, and defying this order was punishable by death. Although his rule began a long period of peaceful leadership that lasted for generations, Ma‘ilikūkahi wasn’t a pushover. He proved to be a fierce defender of his land and people.

Some restless ali‘i from Maui and Hawai‘i Island attempted a raid on O‘ahu. They met Ma‘ilikūkahi and his forces at Waikakalaua, an upland ‘ili of Waikele, where a bloody battle ensued, moving toward Kīpapa. By the time the invading army was defeated, the casualties were so great that the floor of the valley was “paved with their bodies.”

While Kīpapa Gulch is said to be haunted by the spirits of those warriors, it is also the location of ke ala o ka huaka‘i pō, a path of the night marchers. Could the impression of the deaths of a thousand warriors still hang over the gulch, causing the numerous car crashes? And could the huaka‘i po be responsible for some of them as well? Might the spirits of the victims of these unfortunate events still be present?

One night, I hosted a caravan-style ghost tour where my guests and I piled into our own vehicles and traveled to haunted locations that couldn’t accommodate a minibus or a full-sized motorcoach. We ended up on a back road that overlooked Kīpapa Stream. There, in the darkness broken only by a few flashlights, I shared the sobering history of Kīpapa.

Nervously, the members of our group moved about, taking pictures, videos, and audio recordings. One distinct instruction I gave was that they must claim their noise, meaning they must be aware of any personal movement, talk, laughter, or bodily functions that could show up on any recording.

Afterward, guests shared the anomalies that turned up. On one recording, we could hear a woman singing. On another, was an expletive that said, “Dirty F****r!”

Everyone was overcome with chicken skin, as each person in the group was certain that those sounds were not their own. This was enough to signal that it was time to move on, and we decided to travel to our next stop in Wai‘anae. The next day, I received an email with a video link.

The message attached stated, “We didn’t hear the voice at first until we played it back. My girlfriend heard it the second time. It’s freaky. No one else was near us when this happened.”

It was a video of haole koa bushes lit by someone’s flashlight. A conversation between the boyfriend and the girlfriend can be heard. It was during the couple’s few pauses in their nervous exchange that a third voice was heard.

[{"type":"text","text":"“Don’t leave me here, don’t leave me here. Don’t leave.”"}]

I often say that when it comes to audio recordings with electronic voice phenomena, or EVP, it could be anything. However, these results seemed different. Clearer.

A few months later, an opportunity came up to bring a small group down into Kīpapa Gulch after hours. I thanked that person for thinking of me, but I graciously declined. Kīpapa is always bustling with activity, even if we can’t see it. While we are always interested in the paranormal, we also don’t want to push our luck.

Roosevelt Bridge over Kipapa

<title>Ghosts Run This Gulch</title>

From ancient battles to modern car crashes, a lot has happened around Roosevelt Bridge, where Kamehameha Highway crosses over Kīpapa Gulch. Is it any wonder it has a reputation for hauntings?

Ghosts Run This Gulch

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Real Estate

The redevelopment of a West O‘ahu site that once housed a popular lū‘au is underway, and when the work on Waianiani at The Cove is done, the property will be open to the public for the first time in four decades.

Cove Campbell Kobayashi LLC is working to redevelop the 10.85-acre oceanfront property adjacent to the Ko Olina resort area in to a mixed-use entertainment, dining and shopping venue and community gathering place.

The 75/25 joint venture is led by property owners James Campbell Co., a nationally diversified private real estate company headquartered in Kapolei, with assets valued at 

, in partnership with Kobayashi Group, a locally owned and operated real estate development firm; and BlackSand Capital, a Hawai‘i-focused private real estate investment firm.

The property was previously home to the Paradise Cove Lū‘au, which 

 after 47 years; the closure allowed the long-planned redevelopment to move forward.

More than 200 people gathered at the site May 21 for a ground blessing ceremony.

Waianiani will include a new oceanfront entertainment amphitheater with nightly lū‘au shows from Tihati Productions; three full-service restaurants, including Duke's at the Cove, the chain's first West O‘ahu location; a cultural pavilion and open-air activity lawn; and a 20,000-square-foot "village walk" marketplace, with retail space that aims to showcase local artisans and produce, a May 21 announcement noted. Meanwhile, an existing wedding chapel will be retained and improved for future use. The redevelopment will create nearly 500 permanent jobs.

James Campbell Co. President and CEO Kevin Penn told Aloha State Daily after the blessing that the company has contemplated the redevelopment for about a decade. 

"This is such an iconic location, such an iconic place. The ‘āina is very, very important to the James Campbell family," Penn says. "... For the last 40 years, the only way you could get access to this land was through buying a ticket to go to the show. Our project will be open to the public. There'll be a pathway and a walkway to go through the retail. There'll be restaurants that are opening [for] lunch and dinner, and then the show will operate. Opening this property up — opening it up to the West Side, opening it up for the people that are visiting our island — was important to us, and we're excited about that."

According to Penn, construction is expected to be finished at the end of 2027 and the project is anticipated to open in the first quarter of 2028.

When asked how the partnership with Kobayashi Group and BlackSand Capital came about, Penn said that James Campbell Co. "really wanted to partner with a group that brought the hospitality perspective. ... They've done hospitality and entertainment venues before. The James Campbell Co. has not. ... This is a perfect marriage of what we can bring together."

Kobayashi Group CEO and Partner Alana Kobayashi Pakkala told ASD that the developer has been "admiring this opportunity for many, many years, so we were incredibly excited when we were offered the opportunity to present our ideas for the ability to partner with James Campbell Co."

Pakkala says that — among the reasons Kobayashi Group was interested in the opportunity — the company feels strongly that there's an "incredible opportunity" to grow key entertainment areas of the island.

"We have some of the most talented people here and to be able to share the Hawaiian culture and stories and music, both with our local residents and with visitors, that was really an incredibly interesting opportunity," she said.

Pakkala says, too, that Kobayashi Group are "strong believers in the West Side," and has been developing in the area for decades.

on land owned by the City and County of Honolulu, Kobayashi Group was 

 as the preferred negotiating partner for the redevelopment of nearly 14 city-owned acres in Kapolei into an affordable rental community).

, the cove property — acquired by James Campbell in 1877 — has been used commercially since the 1970s and was last redeveloped in the early 1990s.

According to Thursday's announcement, when completed in 2028, Highgate will oversee daily operations and 

 is just one of five active development projects in progress for JCC, a "high water mark" for the company and its history, Penn says.

Among those projects is another joint venture with Kobayashi Group and BlackSand Capital in Waikīkī, as well as an affordable rental project in Kapolei called Nāliko, which 

Waianiani at the Cove groundbreaking 052126

<title>West O‘ahu redevelopment breaks ground</title>

A blessing ceremony was held Thursday for the redevelopment of the former Paradise Cove Lū‘au site near Ko Olina.

West O‘ahu redevelopment breaks ground

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

, known for its sunset views, local entertainment and lively ambiance, recently launched a new late-night menu.

The “Last Wave” late-night menu is served nightly from 9 to 10:30 p.m. at the bar for dine-in only. This menu is not available for takeout and features exclusive dishes, according to executive chef Randy Manuel.

“Other places close early now,” he says. “After the Covid-19 pandemic, the late-night crowd is gone. We tried to create something cheap for Waikīkī so people can go out for a late-night dinner for the price of lunch.”

The late-night menu features plate-lunch style entrees like boneless prime barbecue short ribs ($24), steamed fish with ginger and soy ($22), Hawaiian chopped steak ($22) and liliko

i barbecue chicken ($20). Plates include a choice of starch — brown or white rice or mashed potatoes — and mac salad.

“The prime boneless short ribs are the most popular,” Manuel says. “All late-night plates come with the macaroni salad; we make our own mac salad.”

Customers who want to dine earlier can take advantage of the eatery’s Surf Break three-course menu, which costs $61 per person. It’s offered daily from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The Surf Break menu includes a starter — Caesar salad, chopped salad or cup of clam chowder — entrée and dessert.

Entrees include scallop and shrimp scampi, grilled or baked swordfish, Paniolo baby back ribs, fire-grilled New York steak and Island-style jidori chicken.

The baby back ribs and scallop and shrimp scampi are especially popular, according to Manuel, who also notes that the swordfish features an updated presentation.

“The shrimp scampi is one of our specialties for pasta,” he says. “The Island chicken has a housemade sauce; instead of regular teriyaki chicken, I made a liliko

For desserts, choose from crème brulee, sorbet of the day or New York style cheesecake.

Late-night menu available from 9 to 10:30 p.m. for dine-in at the bar

Chart House chef 051326

<title>Chart House Waikīkī has a new late-night menu</title>

The eatery’s new late-night menu is served nightly from 9 to 10:30 p.m. at the bar for dine-in only. Customers can enjoy plate lunch-style entrees like Hawaiian chopped steak and boneless prime barbecue short ribs.

Chart House Waikīkī has a new late-night menu

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Aloha Spirit

PĀLOLO — With Diamond Head glistening in the distance to his right and the public housing units he grew up in situated just up the street to his left, Jayden Maiava stood firmly on his roots when explaining to the man directly across from him where it all started. 

Last week, Maiava held a free youth football clinic at Pālolo Valley District Park, the place he honed his football skills as one of college football's top quarterbacks. Gov. Josh Green made an appearance, and Maiava gave Green a walking tour. 

"It was unbelievable. I didn't think he was going to show up. It a great surprise," Maiava said afterwards. 

Green wished Maiava luck ahead of his senior year of USC, where in 2024, he became the storied program's first Polynesian starting quarterback. Green, an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, enthusiastically told Maiava he hopes that's where he ends up. 

If the 2026 season goes as planned for Maiava, dozens of other NFL teams will more than be interested. 

After relocating to Las Vegas with his family in middle school, Maiava returned to O‘ahu ahead of his sophomore year at Kaimuki High School in 2019, leading the Bulldogs to an OIA Division II championship. As the Covid-19 pandemic wiped out the high school sports season in 2020, Maiava moved back to Las Vegas, finishing at Liberty High School in Henderson, Nev. 

Maiava eventually won the starting quarterback job as a redshirt freshman at UNLV in 2023, then parlayed his success into a spot on USC's roster in 2024. 

In his first year as a full-time starter in 2025, Maiava threw for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns, completing 65.8% of his passes as the Trojans went 9-4. His efficiency, combined with the fluidity he shows in carrying his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame, had NFL scouts intrigued. Maiava decided to return for his senior season in 2026, where combined with one of the country's top recruiting classes, hopes remain high in Los Angeles. 

Life's moving fast for Maiava nowadays. Visits back home, and opportunities to give back, are steps in the journey he views as essential. On May 18, boys and girls aged 6 to 14 received a free shirt and were able to engage in a handful of fun games, some of which featured Maiava himself. Afterwards, Maiava took the time to sign autographs and take pictures with every single participant and their families, a session that lasted over an hour. 

Maiava received constant reminders of both his old and new life. While he was back on his old stomping grounds, multiple cameras were pointed at him the entire time. USC's media team in particular sent a contingent of nearly a dozen, filming him in his element, in addition to multiple family outings over the weekend. The plan for USC is to launch a full-fledged social media campaign centered around Maiava. 

"Being the first ever Samoan quarterback to start at SC is really big," Aaron Amaama, USC's director of high school recruiting relations, told Aloha State Daily. "He's an icon for our people."

Following the 2026 season, Maiava will try his hand at the NFL. It's a destination he dreamed of as a keiki, a place that feels closer than ever. On his way there, he hopes he can show other kids from Pālolo their dreams can be cultivated where their feet are. 

"It means everything," Maiava said of the Island youth. "When I was their age, I'd never thought I'd be throwing my own camp here, but being able to do that with the people around me, with the help that I've been lended, just being able to come back to the community and be present.

"It still hasn't hit me yet. I just try to stay in the moment, reflecting on where I came from, and this is where it all started. So, seeing all the kids, all my uncles and aunties, and just everybody who showed up, really just inspired me to just continue to do what I do to the best I can. I haven't accomplished nothing yet, so I think just for me, just being able to stay grounded and remember where I come from, and just continue to have that mindset of I still ain't doing nothing. Just keeping my head down, keep swinging, and relying on the people around me."

Jayden Maiava Josh Green 1 052226

<title>Pālolo proud: Jayden Maiava doesn't shy away from his roots along football journey</title>

Maiava, the first Polynesian quarterback to start for USC, took some time back home before the most consequential season of his young football career

Pālolo proud: Jayden Maiava doesn't shy away from his roots along football journey

A new memorandum of understanding between Maui County and Maui Land & Pineapple Co. sets the stage for the county to acquire MLP's West Maui water infrastructure.

In an announcement Monday, the county says this move marks the first phase of a broader effort that aims to also secure other private water systems in Olowalu and Launiupoko. 

"This will increase public stewardship of West Maui's drinking water systems from 45% to 93% while supporting much-needed housing development for local residents," the announcement notes.

If the acquisition is approved, here are the West Maui water assets the county stands to gain, according to the announcement:

An existing upcountry well in Piʻiholo would also be acquired, along with land for additional well sites and water storage, and non-water infrastructure assets that include a Mokuʻula land parcel, Kahana roadway and land in Hāliʻimaile for a police substation and a fire station, the county says.

Additionally, the MOU also "creates opportunities for the county to increase workforce and affordable housing supply for local families," the county says.

"We want to restore balance in our community," Mayor Richard Bissen said in a video posted to the 

. "Part of that comes with making sure we have an adequate water supply that we can provide not only for homes being built, but for emergency response, for agriculture, for environmental uses. This is a long-term, generational resource."

Throughout 2025 and into 2026 alone, much of Maui County experienced varying drought conditions. (You can find current and historical drought conditions 

"As this severe drought has demonstrated, Maui needs greater interconnected infrastructure and system resiliency to ensure reliable service during emergencies, including drought and wildfire events," MLP CEO Race Randle told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions. "More interconnected systems create important redundancy and operational flexibility, helping ensure water can continue flowing where it is needed most during critical moments while also supporting the rebuilding of Lahaina and future housing opportunities for local families.

“Since I became CEO, MLP’s leadership team has focused on realizing the full potential of the company’s assets to help meet Maui’s needs today and for future generations," he continued. "The MOU represents an important step toward strengthening Maui’s long-term, island-wide water security while also supporting efforts to expand housing opportunities so local families can continue to live and thrive on Maui."

Randle says that a strategic review of the company's water infrastructure began in early 2025 and MLP has been in active discussions with the county for roughly a year.

The agreement, Randle says, "reflects a shared commitment to responsible stewardship of Maui’s water resources and long-term resiliency planning for the community.” 

If successful, the transition of water assets into public stewardship would be a "positive outcome" for both the county and the company, he told ASD.

“MLP has been a careful and responsible steward of these lands and water systems for generations, and we are encouraged by the county’s commitment to continue that stewardship for the benefit of the Maui community," Randle says. "MLP’s Honokōhau Ditch System is highly efficient and continues to deliver water from Honokōhau Stream to oﬀstream users whenever sufficient water is available for diversion and in accordance with state regulations. We believe this collaboration can help build on that foundation and create a more resilient and sustainable future for Maui.”

According to the county, the purchase price will be established through formal county appraisals and system assessments, but as of Monday, estimates were not yet available.

Conditions of the final sale are still being negotiated and the acquisition must be approved by the Maui County Council.

Bissen earlier this year announced that the county is in negotiations with MLP, Kamehameha Schools and West Maui Land to acquire "key water system assets" that include the Olowalu and Launiupoko irrigation and water companies, the announcement noted.

"If successful, water systems in West Maui, including both drinking and irrigation, will transition from 25% to 65% publicly owned," the county says. "More importantly, public stewardship of drinking water systems in West Maui will increase from 45% to 93%, representing a major step toward ensuring this essential resource is managed in the public trust."

 was founded in 1909 and today stewards more than 22,000 acres of land and approximately 247,000 square feet of commercial properties.

 in Maui Circuit Court alleged that MLP failed to maintain its Honokōhau ditch system to the detriment of nearby property owners and businesses.

TY Management Corp., the owner and operator of the Kapalua Plantation Golf Course — where the PGA previously hosted the 

 — and Kapalua Bay Golf Course; Hua Momona Farms LLC; Plantation Estates Lot Owners' Association; Association of Apartment Owners of the Coconut Grove on Kapalua; and the Association of Apartment Owners of the Ridge at Kapalua filed the complaint.

, accusing TY management of breach of contract for failing to responsibly reduce its water use during drought conditions.

 filed last September by TY and the Plantation Estates Lot Owners’ Association, accused MLP of improperly annexing land to seize power within the Kapalua Resort Association.Trials for both cases are long way off. The former suit has a trial date scheduled in March 2027, and the latter has a trial date in June 2027.

Aloha State Daily reporter Michael Brestovansky contributed to this article.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Magic Island magic

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Hawaiʻi Skies: Magic Island magic

Authors

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