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Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"If my dogs had a cellphone..."}]

Smile 26 2 27

<title>Daily Smile: Friday, February 27, 2026</title>

If my dogs had a cellphone...

Daily Smile: Friday, February 27, 2026

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Hawai‘i may be crawling its way out of a recession already, according to an optimistic forecast from the University of Hawai‘i.

The University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization published Friday

 predicting the state’s economic outlook for the first quarter of 2026. And, despite 

 about the state’s shaky economy, this latest paper suggests that the latest recession may be moving into the rear-view mirror.

According to the report, while the number of visitor arrivals in the state has declined through 2025 and into 2026, the amount of money spent by visitors has increased. The report estimated that, on average, visitors were spending $270 each day in the last quarter of 2025, the highest rate in a decade, which suggests that higher-end tourists are bolstering the visitor economy.

On the other hand, adjusting for inflation, visitor expenditures are still below the state’s highest historical peaks: in Feb. 2001, the average visitor was spending the equivalent of $367 in 2026 dollars each day, and more than $400 per day in 1991.

UH professor Steven Bond-Smith said Thursday that international visitor rates remain weak, which limits the tourism industry’s overall growth trajectory. However, he said that first-time visitor rates from Japan are approaching pre-pandemic ratios — about 32% of all Japanese visitors — which the report frames as an opportunity to attract a younger, more budget-conscious generation of Japanese tourist.

Bond-Smith said UHERO predicts this state of affairs won’t continue long-term. Rather, he said, visitor spending is expected to gradually decline while visitor rates continue to recover, although the report doesn’t anticipate a substantial recovery in arrivals until 2027.

Meanwhile, beyond tourism, UHERO expects that the year will end with more new jobs than it began, an improvement from last year, when available jobs dwindled and layoffs, particularly in federal positions, were common.

UHERO Executive Director Carl Bonham said 2025 saw a monthly average of only 15,000 net jobs created across the entire nation — “basically nothing,” he said. But preliminary estimates for January alone saw about 130,000 new jobs.

In Hawai‘i, UHERO predicts modest job growth over the next several years: a 0.2% increase in non-farm jobs both this year and in 2027, and a 0.3% increase in 2028. At this rate, the report estimates the year will end with approximately 644,000 non-farm jobs — an increase of about 100,000 from last year — which will rise to 647,000 by the end of 2028.

However, Bond-Smith and Bonham said all of these cautiously optimistic predictions hinge on a still-volatile political situation. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled this month that President Donald Trump’s wide-ranging tariffs are not constitutional, Bonham said there will, presumably, be some sort of impact to tourism and the economy. What that impact is, however, is difficult to say.

“I think we’ll know what the impact is the same time you do,” Bonham told reporters Thursday.

At the same time, Bonham said weak visitor rates from Canada — which were reduced by about 10% following the Lahaina wildfires and haven’t really recovered since — might be in a better spot now “if we weren’t talking about making Canada the 51st state.”

The report speculates that “sometimes vehement negative reactions abroad” to Trump’s policies and rhetoric could be slowing recovery rates, but doesn’t quantify this possibility.

“While it seems unlikely that the U.S. standing in the world will improve in the near-term, we suppose anything is possible,” the report reads.

UHERO’s report concludes that the long-term prospects for Hawai‘i's economy remain unclear as residents continue to leave the state for more affordable pastures and as the potential impacts of widespread AI investment and adoption are felt. But nonetheless, the report repeatedly notes that its forecast is much more rosy than its 

, which predicted a net loss of jobs in the state this year.

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Bonham 16x9 2

<title>UHERO report: Hawai‘i to recover from recession this year</title>

UHERO economic forecast for the year is cautiously optimistic.

UHERO report: Hawai‘i to recover from recession this year

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

New federal funding coming to Kaua‘i County will support housing and transportation projects on the Garden Isle.  

The county will receive nearly $7.5 million for three projects: $3.15 million for the Lima Ola affordable housing subdivision in ‘Ele‘ele; $2 million for the Kīlauea Town Expansion Project; and $2.3 million for the construction of a shared-use pedestrian and bicycle path between Waimea and Kekaha.

“These investments reflect years of planning and coordination among county departments, federal partners and community stakeholders,” the county said in a recent announcement, noting that it will “work closely with federal agencies to finalize grant agreements and advance each project into the next phases of design and construction.

“These federal earmarks represent meaningful progress toward some of Kaua‘i’s most pressing needs,” Mayor Derek Kawakami said in the announcement. “We appreciate the strong partnership and advocacy of our federal delegation, which allows us to invest in affordable housing and safe, connected infrastructure, and to continue building communities where local families can live, work and thrive.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Lima Ola"}]

According to the county, the $3.15 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Fund will be used for the construction of subdivision infrastructure in the third and fourth phases of the Lima Ola development.

Construction is underway on the 75-acre, county-owned subdivision. When it’s finished, it’ll offer approximately 600 affordable homes constructed across multiple phases, making it Kaua‘i County’s largest affordable housing development, the announcement notes.

The first phase of the project is about 95% finished and includes a 40-unit building for senior rentals, a 45-unit workforce rental complex, 32 supportive housing units for residents experiencing homelessness and 36 single-family homes.

A county spokesperson told Aloha State Daily in an email that 75 single-family homes and approximately 100 multi-family rental units are planned for the second phase, and an additional 300 multi-family units are tentatively planned for the third and fourth phases.

The development of the subdivision infrastructure in phase one totaled $19 million, the spokesperson confirmed, while vertical construction in this phase is roughly estimated to be around $66.7 million.

The spokesperson, however, noted that construction costs were paid by development partners and the county only directly developed the supportive housing project for homeless families at a cost of about $5.5 million. 

 was selected in 2022 to develop the multi-family and senior projects in phase I, the 

The projected subdivision development costs for all remaining phases, including highway improvements, is roughly $31 million, the spokesperson says.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Kīlauea Town Expansion"}]

The $2 million in funding for the Kīlauea Town Expansion Project also is supported through HUD’s Community Development Fund.

According to the county, this money will advance first-phase site preparation for a new affordable housing subdivision in Kīlauea.

The project is expected to offer about 350 affordable rental and for-sale homes while also integrating parks, commercial space and future county services, the county notes.

Following a “lengthy series” of community meetings, Kaua‘i County completed a project conceptual plan and is now working to “wrap up predevelopment studies and an environmental assessment based on the concept plan,” the county spokesperson says. After the EA is completed, the county will submit a 

 application for required land use entitlements.

“The next step will be to complete final construction and engineering plans for the subdivision infrastructure,” the spokesperson explained. “At this stage, it is premature to provide a definitive total project cost. However, based on our analysis of recent comparable projects, we estimate that the full development of the subdivision may require roughly $30 million and will likely be carried out in at least two phases.”

Housing continues to be a need across the Islands.

Statewide, Hawai‘i will need an estimated 64,490 additional housing units by 2027 to meet demand, according to the Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corp.'s 

That same study found that Kaua‘i County needs a total of housing 4,914 units by 2027 — 2,156 for ownership and 2,758 rental units. Of those, 3,258 units are needed for those making 80% or below of the area median income.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Shared-use path"}]

Meanwhile, the $2.3 million secured for the shared-use pedestrian and bike path comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation Highway Infrastructure Programs.

According to the county spokesperson, plans call for the path to be constructed on the mauka side of Kaumuali‘i Highway between Carl Furutani Street in Waimea and Kekaha Road in Kekaha. The new path will connect with existing sidewalks on Carl Furutani Street, previously Huaka‘i Road, and Kaumuali‘i Highway in Waimea as well as to proposed sidewalks on Kekaha Road, which will be part of another project.

“The main goal of this initiative is to establish a shared-use bike and pedestrian path that enhances safety and comfort for both residents and visitors to Kaua‘i,” the spokesperson says. “It aims to provide a safer alternative for pedestrians and cyclists traveling between Waimea Town and Kekaha Town, offering a more pleasant experience than using the shoulders of Kaumuali‘i Highway.”

According to the spokesperson, the path will be designed to accommodate people of ages and skill levels, which means it’ll be accessible to a range of bicyclists and pedestrians.

“Furthermore, this improvement will create safe routes to school for students attending Kekaha Elementary School in Kekaha, as well as Waimea Canyon Middle School and Waimea High School in Waimea, since students from both towns often attend both schools,” they continued. “Additionally, the path will benefit future residents and users of the ‘

’ property, which the county owns and is currently planning for development. The project is expected to commence in 2028.”

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

I Stock Kauai

<title>Federal funding will support housing, transportation projects on Kaua‘i</title>

Kaua‘i County will receive nearly $7.5 million for three projects.

Federal funding will support housing, transportation projects on Kaua‘i

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Known for its nightlife and late-night hours, 

 recently launched a new food menu. The revamped menu comes from the venue’s new chef, Julio Gutierrez. Gutierrez was the former chef/owner of Tlaxcalli, which closed last August.

Bar 35’s new menu now emphasizes shared pūpū and dishes that pair well with the bar’s drink menu. 

“I streamlined it (the menu) to the stuff that works for a bar,” Gutierrez explains. “We’re not going to do big dishes or anything like that; (instead focusing on) whatever can be shared.”

The eatery’s fries are perfect for sharing. Options include Cajun ($8), Parmesan truffle ($11) and carne asada fries ($14). The latter is the most popular; the fries are loaded with carne asada, cheese, guacamole, sour cream and pickled jalapenos.

When it comes to new dishes, the tacos (three for $15) have been extremely popular. Choose from carne asada, chicken or al pastor; all tacos feature corn tortillas served with cilantro, onions and roasted salsa.

Sliders (three for $16) include American cheese, grilled onions and pickles. Other menu options include breaded chicken wings (eight pieces for $16) — choose form buffalo, hot honey and mango habanero — quesadillas ($15), salmon gravlax crostini ($15) and fried brussel sprouts ($10). The crostini features house-cured salmon gravlax.

Bar 35’s happy hour is from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays. While the happy hour menu doesn’t include food specials, customers can take advantage of drink discounts like $4 select Bar 35 cocktails, $7 Hangar 1 Vodka and select Bar 35 martinis, $3 off draft beers and $2 off select 12- to 16-ounce bottled and canned beers. 

Open 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays

Bar 35 tacos 021126

<title>This late-night Chinatown spot has a new menu</title>

Bar 35’s new food menu launched in December and now includes tacos and more shareable dishes. Its new chef, Julio Gutierrez, came from now-closed Tlaxcalli — and brought his popular tacos with him.

This late-night Chinatown spot has a new menu

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Business & Tourism

Tripadvisor named its top 10 beaches across the nation in its 

2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best Beaches

 list, and four are located in Hawaiʻi. Other states with beaches that made the list include California and Florida.

The travel guidance platform compiles the list using reviews from the Tripadvisor community over a 12-month period. Out of 8 million listings, less than 1% are recognized on Tripadvisor’s lists. Descriptions of beaches were based on reviews and summarized by artificial intelligence, according to Tripadvisor’s website.

Poʻipū Beach Park on Kauaʻi was the first location in the state to make the nationwide 

 Beach Park,” shares Tripadvisor’s website. “Strap on a snorkel and check out the lava rocks and their colorful fish inhabitants. Or, stick to the shore to catch Hawaiian monk seals lazily lounging by day and sea turtles making their way onto the beach by sunset.”

Next on the list is Waikīkī Beach on Oʻahu, which takes the No. 4 spot.

“Waikīkī Beach is known for its lively atmosphere, beautiful sunsets and stunning views,” shares the Tripadvisor website. “It's clear waters are perfect for swimming, surfing and water sports.”

With its aqua waters and silky sand, Lanikai Beach took the No. 5 spot on the list.

“Lanikai Beach is a calm and relaxing spot that rarely gets too crowded,” shared the Tripadvisor website. “It's clear waters are perfect for swimming, snorkeling and kayaking. It's easy to spend the entire day there, and you'll definitely want to get there early — the sunrise views are next level.”

The final Hawaiʻi-based beach on the list, which took the No. 7 spot, was Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach on Hawaiʻi Island. 

"With its volcanic sand and coconut palm-lined shores, Punalu'u Black Sand Beach is all about postcard-worthy views," shared Tripadvisor.

. One beach also made Tripadvisor’s worldwide 

 list. Poʻipū Beach Park on Kauaʻi took the No. 21 spot on that list. 

Lanikai Beach

<title>Four Hawaiʻi beaches make Tripadvisor’s best U.S. beaches list for 2026</title>

Tripadvisor’s list of best beaches in the nation includes one location on Kauaʻi, another on Hawaiʻi Island and two on Oʻahu. Make your guesses for which beaches made the list ... 

Four Hawaiʻi beaches make Tripadvisor’s best U.S. beaches list for 2026

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

HĀLAWA — More signs of progress toward a New Aloha Stadium were visible on Thursday morning, as the Stadium Authority convened for its monthly meeting in its new temporary offices in the facility's lower Hālawa lot. 

 for the new offices in Hālawa, which was paired with the first visible piece of outward demolishment of the old stadium. 

Aloha Stadium interim manager Michael Yadao gave a handful of updates on Thursday, including a handful of notes about the stadium's dismantling ahead of its targeted completion of March 2029. Aloha Hālawa District Partners, the developer of the new stadium and surrounding district, disconnected power to the stadium on Monday. Yadao also said that active demolition and dismantling of the stadium should be visible at street level by some point in March. 

The New Aloha Stadium and Entertainment District (NASED) and its contracted developer, Aloha Hālawa District Partners (AHDP) have continued to proceed with the new stadium despite multiple key agreements not yet signed as of Thursday morning. Yadao shared at both Feb. 17's blessing and Thursday morning that the two parties have agreed in principle on a master development agreement (MDA), but legal teams on each side are continuing to parse the details. 

Parties are also hopeful that the remaining Reciprocal Easement Agreement (REA) and intertwining Reciprocal Easement Shared Infrastructure Agreement (RESIA) can be signed in March.

Thursday's meeting was also the first for Walter Thoemmes as the Stadium Authority's new chair. Thoemmes (rhymes with famous) assumed the role after former chair 

Eric Fujimoto announced he was stepping down in January's meeting

"Probably just being a lot closer to the actual discussions and negotiations versus having it reported to me, being actually more involved sitting in the meetings with 

, with our legal team and consulting," said Thoemmes when asked about his new role with the Stadium Authority. He was previously a regular attendee as board member. "It gives me the opportunity to be a little closer to the action, and then I can share in more real time kind of what I think about it. (NASED and AHDP) all combine to sign very complex agreements, but each individual piece needs to just be assessed and agreed upon. 

"It's like building a house of bricks, one brick at a time, and you kind of get over each one, and you understand what the counterparty is needing and what the state needs, and come to an agreement, and then get to the next one. I'm happy with the progress that I've seen."

Thoemmes' new role with the Stadium Authority comes during a whirlwind in his professional life. On March 3, he'll begin as the new president and CEO of YMCA Honolulu. He was previously with Kamehameha Schools for over 30 years, most recently as the 

managing director of the Kamehameha Schools commercial real estate division. 

"It's a little stressful," Thoemmes says of balancing his two title changes. "I celebrated 30 years at Kamehameha Schools, worked on a lot of great projects, built campuses, commercial projects, but 'the Y' is also really close to me, as I grew up there. They actually have some development projects that they're planning with a new Nu‘uanu Branch and other real estate aspects."

With his decades of experience in the field, Thoemmes remains optimistic about the new stadium's spring 2029 deadline. He also shared excitement about the stadium's surrounding entertainment district. 

"I've worked on much more compressed timelines than this. I do think the critical path that you're seeing, which is demoing a stadium, getting the schematic designs going, those things are not being held back by the current negotiations," Thoemmes said. "I understand from Stanford and team, they're really busy working on it. So, if we were stuck and not ready to demo a stadium or to work on designs, then I'd be worried. But given the fact I know those things are happening, I feel pretty good."

Walter Thoemmes 022626

<title>Aloha Stadium Authority holds first meeting at new location</title>

Thursday morning's meeting also served as the first for Walter Thoemmes as the new Stadium Authority chair.

Aloha Stadium Authority holds first meeting at new location

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

Columnists

Everyone says they want economic growth. Politicians promise it. Business leaders demand it. But a new 

 from the University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization shows we’re being left behind economically. The reason is simple: Growth requires people.

We can’t have economic growth without either making more people or welcoming more people. Hawai‘i’s elites aren’t doing either.

The UHERO report lays bare what nominal income figures obscure. When adjusted for Hawai‘i’s cost of living, our real per capita income sits alongside Alabama and West Virginia. Our labor productivity ranks among the nation’s worst-performing states. We’re not just expensive, we’re poor.

The economic bind is straightforward: You can’t grow an economy without growing the workforce. That means two options: Have more children, or attract newcomers.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"So why aren’t we doing either?"}]

Listen to the dominant cultural narrative: “Hawai‘i is full.” “Mainlanders are ruining our Islands.” “Stop moving here.” This is the prevailing sentiment found in comment sections on social media.

And it isn’t new. Even 50 years ago, when George Ariyoshi was Governor, concerns about growth were driving political agendas. The difference is that back then, the population was still growing. Now we’re actually shrinking, but the rhetoric has only intensified.

The irony cuts deep. The same people lamenting our economic decline are making newcomers feel unwelcome.

Housing is exhibit A. We say we want affordability, but we fight every new housing development. Why? Because more housing means more people, and we don’t actually want more people.

The truth is blunt: hostility toward newcomers is a feature, not a bug. It keeps the Islands exclusive.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The One-Child Elite"}]

Now shift to the other side of the equation: reproduction. Look at Hawai‘i’s upper-middle-class families. How many children do they plan to have?

 that American adults plan to have only 1.7 children, well below the replacement rate of 2.1. For elites, these children will be heavily resourced. Private schools, SAT tutors, Mainland colleges, trust funds. The entire parenting philosophy is intensive investment in a small number of children.

Some are choosing to forego children entirely, giving rise to the 

Contrast this with the Biblical vision of children as blessing, not luxury goods. Contrast it with the demographic reality that below-replacement fertility makes economic decline more likely, as economic growth in Hawai‘i has typically tracked population growth.

My mother was one of five children. Obaachan was one of seven. Grandpa was one of 10. These weren’t wealthy families; they were normal. Large families used to be the default, not the exception.

Today’s low fertility families are self-defeating. These same families will later bemoan the brain drain when their own kids leave for the Mainland. But they’ve made two choices that guarantee that outcome: don’t have enough kids to sustain a workforce, and don’t welcome newcomers to fill the gap.

You can’t complain about labor shortages when you’ve chosen to have one child and oppose the immigration — domestic or international — that would solve the problem.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Economic Bind"}]

Every culture has to answer a basic question: are children a blessing or a burden? The Biblical answer? “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28). That’s not outdated religious poetry; it’s the foundation of human flourishing. Economic growth doesn’t happen in the abstract. It requires human beings. Societies that treat children as blessings get more of them. Societies that treat them as expensive lifestyle choices get fewer.

The progressive solution fails. You can’t redistribute your way out of a shrinking workforce. You can’t tax and spend your way to higher productivity. You need people.

The local conservative solution fails too. You can’t complain about economic stagnation while opposing people moving to the Islands and opposing the development necessary to house newcomers.

Both sides want the fruit of growth without the root of growth: more humans.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Challenge"}]

The data shows Hawai‘i is following the economic trajectory of West Virginia, not California. We’re being left behind. The question is whether we actually want growth, or whether we want a gated community for people who already live here.

If we want growth, we need to do one or both of these things:

First, have more children. Not one or two. Three, four, five, or more! Make large families normal again, not a marker of religious devotion or lower-class irresponsibility.

Second, welcome immigrants. Stop the “Hawai‘i is full” rhetoric. Build more housing.

Right now, Hawai‘i’s elites are choosing decline. They’re just pretending otherwise.

It’s easy to blame them. Harder to admit we’ve absorbed the same assumptions, that kids are expensive, that newcomers are problems, that growth is bad. Maybe it’s time to question what we’ve been taught.

 For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Hawaii children i Stock 184290957

<title>The growth we say we want in Hawai‘i (but really don't)</title>

Hawai‘i constantly says it wants economic growth but has been allergic to one thing necessary to make that happen: More people. We need bigger families, not smaller, and to be more welcoming to people moving to the Islands.

Daily Smile: Friday, February 27, 2026

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Daily Smile: Friday, February 27, 2026

Authors

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