ASD icon blue inverse lighter

ASD Staff

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"The Three Stooges..."}]

Smile 26 3 5

<title>Daily Smile: Thursday, March 5, 2026</title>

The Three Stooges...

Daily Smile: Thursday, March 5, 2026

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

A planned housing development for teachers in Mililani is still on schedule.

 on a 95-unit workforce housing project at Mililani High School is set to begin late next year and be completed by late 2029. After an environmental assessment of the project was completed last month, project managers are now seeking permits and funding for the development.

Audrey Awaya, executive director of project developer Pacific Housing Assistance Corp., told Aloha State Daily that the company is still determining the full cost of the project and working on securing funding from the state and private sources.

 published in May lists an estimated development cost of approximately $80 million.

The project began life in 2023, when the State Legislature tasked the Hawai‘i School Facilities Authority with developing workforce housing for teachers in an effort to improve teacher retention in a state with soaring costs of living.

“Teachers who come here are discouraged by the cost of living,” Awaya said. A DOE 

 in 2025 determined that more than 40% of DOE employees are considered “retention risks,” and could leave the state within five years because of housing costs.

The Mililani project won’t necessarily be exclusive to teachers, but Department of Education teachers and staff will be given priority. The units will be available to households making up to 120% of the area median income.

Initially, the development was pitched as a 109-unit project, but a change in the project site required it to be downsized slightly to 95 units, with 56 one-bedroom and 39 two-bedroom units.

The initial site for the project was located on top of an agricultural field used by Mililani High School, which stirred controversy among students. Instead, the project site was moved to a 1.9-acre lot on the corner of the school campus, near the ballfields on Meheula Parkway.

Currently, the site contains a 48-stall parking lot and little else. The development will include a 150-stall ground-floor parking lot for residents, while Mililani High School will be required to relocate the existing lot elsewhere on campus.

The development itself will be a four-story residential building elevated above a parking lot with about 150 parking stalls. Also on-site will be an “Amenity Hale,” including a recreation room and other services.

Awaya said the residential building will also include a teacher resource room where teachers can collaborate on lesson plans and other projects. The entire development is pet-friendly and will be fenced off from the greater Mililani High School campus.

The publication of the environmental assessment means the project team can refine the project’s design. Awaya said the project will apply for building permits this summer.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Map of WH Site 16x9

<title>Mililani teacher housing project still on schedule</title>

95 apartments for Department of Education employees are scheduled to be move-in ready by late 2029 or early 2030.

Mililani teacher housing project still on schedule

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

Films from around the world are heading to theaters on Maui as part of the upcoming 

inaugural Wailuku Film Festival, hosted by the Maui County Film Office and the County of Maui

Tickets for the five-day event are on sale now.

One of the films screening at the festival is “Lahaina Rising,” which was created by a 

, the documentary’s director and a third-generation Maui resident. The film is one of two directed by Schweitzer that will screen at Wailuku Film Festival.

 Lahaina wildfire that destroyed much of historic Lahaina town and killed more than 100 people. “Lahaina Rising” explores water rights, personal stories of how the Maui fires impacted families and the political movement that grew out of tragedy. Last year, the documentary won the 

Hawaiʻi International Film Festival’s Made in Hawaiʻi award for best feature film

“The thing that really inspired me and made me want to tell the story was the community,” Schweitzer told Aloha State Daily. “There was just so much going on. We weren't sleeping much for the first few weeks. But there were a couple moments where really time almost stood still because so many people were helping, so many people were moving, so many people were organizing and bringing in boats — and with how sad we all were at the time — it was beautiful. There were a couple of moments that just really stood out to me where I'm like, ʻThis is the best of humanity, right here.’”

Schweitzer is also the director of “Finding True North,” which will also screen at the Wailuku Film Festival. That documentary features Josh Bogle, a quadruple amputee who found purpose in surfing.

At the moment, these films are not on public streaming services, so events like the 

 are opportunities to see them on the big screen.

The Wailuku Film Festival features the work of more than 55 Hawaiʻi filmmakers, as well as ones from Aotearoa, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Fiji, France, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Tonga, and the continental U.S.

For independent filmmakers, film festivals are often a place to build an audience and eventually make connections with streaming services.

“Unless we have a previous connection with Netflix or a major distribution platform, the way to do it is hit the film festival circuit for a full year — try to gain as many awards and recognitions as possible — which will hopefully get the attention of a distribution platform,” Schweitzer said.

One of the challenges of creating “Lahaina Rising” was deciding which stories would make the final cut, 

Schweitzer said. Determining which devastation scenes to include — and which to leave out — was also challenging.

“There are over 10,000 people that experienced what happened in Lahaina on August 8, and there's truly over 10,000 stories,” he said. “Everyone has such an important story.”

In April, “Lahaina Rising” was screened at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York, which focused on health, conflict and disaster. 

“The biggest thing I want people to take away is I want them to have hope for humanity,” Schweitzer said. “I want them to have hope for mankind and for our earth. Again, there are all these issues that we talk about — and especially for people not from Lahaina and not from Hawaiʻi — the story shows how our Island has been stripped away, and our rights have been stripped away, and our water has been stripped away, yet our people still have so much hope. Our people still have a fight in them. We're not giving up. We are still optimistic. There are so many ways in here where I hope people can see how strong individuals can be when we come together as one as a community.”

 for screenings at the ʻĪao Theater and Naylor Theater are $15, while those for the 

 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center are $20. Readers can also visit 

 to help bring “Lahaina Rising” to communities across the nation.

Lahina Rising Stills 13 1 43 2

<title>Documentary spotlights Maui wildfire</title>

"Lahaina Rising"  focuses on how the devastating Lahaina wildfire of August 2023 changed lives and ignited already existing concerns about water rights and land. Director Matty Schweitzer shares more about the award-winning documentary, which will screen at the inaugural Wailuku Film Festival in June.

Documentary spotlights Maui wildfire

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

ahu. The Kapahulu store — located close to Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice, in the former space of Karaoke Hut — is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The store is similar to its other two locations in 

; customers can find a variety of snacks, gimbap, musubi and other grab-and-go foods. There’s also a selection of Tucker & Bevvy wraps and sandwiches.

Customers can also find frozen treats from local business Pop Culture Artisan Pops.

Slushes are exclusive to this location. Customers can choose from flavors like Coca-Cola, Jolly Rancher green apple, Sour Patch watermelon slush and Jarritos mandarin freeze. So far, the Jolly Rancher and Sour Patch flavors have been customer favorites.

Customers can take advantage of the DIY smoothie machine. Smoothies come in flavors like mango banana kale, strawberry banana, mixed berry and acai.

i locations, this store has the Ramyun Library, where customers can make their own tteokbokki and ramen. Simply follow the instructions on the machine.

To celebrate its Kapahulu opening, CU Hawaiʻi is giving away tickets to the BTS World Tour Arirang until June 4. Individuals must scan the QR code inside the store and follow the instructions to enter; no purchase is necessary to enter the giveaway.

[{"type":"text","text":"Customer parking is available. "}]

CU Hawaii Kapahulu sign 060126

<title>CU Hawaiʻi opens third store on Oʻahu</title>

The popular Korean convenience store brand recently opened in Kapahulu. Customers can enjoy popular features like the smoothie machine and Ramyun Library, in addition to slushy machines that are exclusive to this store. To celebrate its Kapahulu opening, CU Hawaiʻi is giving away tickets to BTS World Tour Arirang until June 4.

CU Hawaiʻi opens third store on Oʻahu

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Earlier this week, Aloha State Daily columnist 

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees’

 interest in buying "certain assets and real property controlled by a production and/or broadcast company serving the Hawai

i market" — widely understood to involve the Allen Media Group-owned stations KITV and KIKU, valued at $30 million in the 2020 deal.

The interest, however, was short lived when on Thursday, May 28, the OHA board voted 4–5 during an executive session to reject the proposal, which would have authorized up to $172,500 to conduct confidential due diligence to acquire the local news stations. 

The item was waived from Budget and Finance Committee to the full board for deliberation

Higa notes a similar pattern in behavior; in 2006, OHA trustees rejected a proposal to buy KGMB.

But this time around, there was purpose in discussions “about the future of Native Hawaiian ownership, influence, and participation within major economic and communications sectors,” OHA wrote in a Friday statement.

“This was never just about a television station. It was about whether Native Hawaiians are willing to lead boldly in the spaces that shape public understanding and public conversation,” OHA Board of Trustee Chairperson Kaiali

i Kahele said in a statement. “Greater investment in multimedia storytelling has the power to transform how the world sees us, and just as importantly, how we see ourselves and our future.”

So, why would a state agency look to control private media? “Because of its potential to create multiple, mutually reinforcing benefits for the Native Hawaiian community,” OHA said, adding such reasons as diversifying revenue streams, sharing Native Hawaiian stories and values, creating jobs and improving “fairness, accuracy and dignity in the representation of Native Hawaiians across media platforms.”

Part of what made the board pause about this proposal was the infrastructure of operating at this scale and complexity, and alignment with OHA’s fiduciary obligations and institutional priorities like the Kaka

ako-Makai and Iwilei development projects. 

public testifier "Pikachu" of ʻOhana Unity Party, though in support of the proposed acquisition, raised concerns about production staffing, the Federal Communications Commission licensing, and even potential difficulty implementing ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi subtitle capabilities. OHA Trustee Keli'i Akina showed concern about fiduciary due diligence and public transparency for beneficiaries. 

Aloha State Daily reached out to Akina for comment.

“This conversation will continue,” Kahele stated. “The future of our lāhui requires institutions willing to think beyond maintaining the status quo and toward building enduring pathways for Native Hawaiian success and self-determination.”

Television antenna i Stock 489607186 16x9

<title>OHA Board decides not to pursue proposed KITV- KIKU acquisition</title>

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees voted Thursday against funding due diligence for the potential purchase of local television stations KITV Island News and KIKU TV.

OHA Board decides not to pursue proposed KITV- KIKU acquisition

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

It's no secret — or surprise — that Toyota Tacomas are popular in the Islands.

In fact, according to Servco Pacific, which has exclusive distributorships of Toyota, Lexus and Subaru in Hawai‘i, it's been the top-selling vehicle in the Islands for 25 years. 

To commemorate that milestone, Servco has unveiled a Hawai‘i-exclusive special edition of the best-selling truck and just 25 will be available statewide, Servco says.

"Hawaiʻi has embraced the Toyota Tacoma as part of its ‘ohana for a quarter of a century,” 

, president and CEO of Servco Pacific Inc

, said in an announcement Friday. "This special edition is our way of saying mahalo to the community that has made this truck the undisputed favorite across the Islands."

The truck comes in the color "mudbath" and comes with a "comprehensive suite of custom components designed to enhance both aesthetics and functionality," the announcement notes.

[{"type":"text","text":"The special build includes:"}]

Dames told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions that the goal was to create something that feels "authentically local" and pay tribute to the community that has made the Tacoma the best-selling vehicle for the past 25 years.

"We're excited to see how customers respond because this edition was inspired by the people who drive Tacomas every day in Hawaiʻi," he says. "We know there's a strong sense of pride around the Tacoma locally, and we think many customers will appreciate seeing that connection reflected in a vehicle designed with Hawaiʻi in mind.

"More than anything, we hope it resonates with the communities, families, small business owners, outdoor enthusiasts and longtime Tacoma owners who have helped make the truck such an iconic part of life in Hawaiʻi."

Dames says that the Tacoma's popularity in the Islands goes beyond transportation.

"The truck is incredibly versatile and well-suited to island life. Whether you're heading to work, spending time with family, going to the beach, exploring the outdoors or supporting a small business, the Tacoma fits naturally into many aspects of daily life.

"Just as important, Tacoma owners in Hawaiʻi have built a strong community around the vehicle over the years. For many families, it's a truck they've trusted for generations," he continued. "That combination of capability, reliability, and deep local connection has helped make the Tacoma one of the most recognizable and beloved vehicles in Hawaiʻi."

You'll be able to reserve the truck in person beginning June 6 at Servco Toyota and Maui Toyota dealerships across the Islands. The TSRP, or total suggested retail price, is $44,770 and $7,999 for the Hawai‘i edition accessories.

In 2025, Tacomas made up 7.1% of the market share in Hawai‘i, according to a 

 from the Hawai‘i Automobile Dealers Association.

MY26 Tacoma Hawaii Edition 22

<title>Servco Pacific unveils exclusive Hawai‘i edition Toyota Tacoma</title>

The Tacoma has been Hawai‘i's top-selling vehicle for 25 years.

Servco Pacific unveils exclusive Hawai‘i edition Toyota Tacoma

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

Columnists

The most powerful man in the world got his start firing people on reality television.

For years Donald Trump leaned across a boardroom table and told contestants they were fired, and millions watched. When he ran for President, the bluntness that had been a television gimmick became a qualification for office. He spoke without a script and often without a filter. A great many Americans discovered they preferred a man who acted badly to men who performed well.

Politics runs downstream of culture, the saying goes, and culture runs downstream of whatever screen we happen to be staring at. The television screen that made Trump plausible has been retired. Now the glowing screens that replaced television are in the hands of the children who will pick his successor.

Each generation is raised by a medium, and they seldom notice. The grandparents had radio and the evening news. Their children had cable and a remote in hand. The next generation had broadband by high school. The youngest among us have clutched a glowing rectangle since before they could read.

David Foster Wallace once told a room of college graduates about two young fish. An older fish asks them how the water is. The two swim on for a while before one turns to the other and asks, “what’s water?” The hardest thing to see is the thing you are swimming in. And the water now is streaming.

A stream is a strange thing to describe to anyone who has never sat through one. A young woman plays a video game. A column of text races up the side of the screen, faster than a person can read, full of strangers shouting for her attention. The game is built to dole out small rewards on no fixed schedule, which is the same feature that keeps a gambler seated at a slot machine. Most of the time nothing happens. The viewer stays anyway. He’s probably playing his own game on another screen, and he is waiting, half there, for the day something interesting happens.

Children grow attached to these streamers. Many spend more hours each week with their favorite streamer than they do with their parents.

The streamer does not pose and does not edit. They sit for hours on end, and the rawness is part of the product. The generation before this one built careful profiles and took flattering photos, forever arranging the self for the selfie. This one lets the camera roll.

The printed word once demanded forethought. Ink is permanent, and a man preferred not to look a fool in something that would outlive him. A stream asks for nothing of the kind, only a camera, a connection, and a willingness to be watched doing very little.

If you do not recognize the names Ninja, Kai Cenat, iShowSpeed, or Pokimane, you are not swimming in the stream. But your 16-year-old nephew knows them well. His heart is being trained to speak as they speak and act as they act.

Someone will object that this is the worry of every graying generation. Plato fretted over the written word, our grandmothers over MTV, and the children always turn out fine. Perhaps, but a child reading a book after bedtime is one thing. That same child sitting beside a stranger late into the night, while their parents sleep, is another.

Who pays for all of this? As the saying goes, “whose bread I eat, his song I sing.” For most of history the bread came from a single hand: a patron, a publisher, a network. The streamer’s bread arrives from 10,000 hands, a few dollars at a time.

The man on camera learns, the way Pavlov’s dog learned, which tricks ring the bell. He drifts toward whatever is loud and lurid, because that is what loosens the audience’s pursestrings. And the streamer’s purse, more often than anyone cares to admit, is filled by the small donations of the lonely and unwell. The performer fancies that he is leading his audience. In reality, the audience is training the performer.

None of this stays in the world of entertainment. It is now, almost precisely, how a person raises money and wins office.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez raised more than $20 million last year. Most of that came in small sums from ordinary people. It’s the same $5 gesture that lands in a streamer’s account, pointed at a political campaign.

Television made Trump famous, and only later made him a candidate. With AOC it went the other way around. She was on camera before she was anyone, and the politics grew out of that.

 her journey to attend the Standing Rock protests. Then she got a call to run for office. Ten years later, she is an early front-runner for her party’s 2028 nomination.

AOC never stopped streaming. In 2020, she sat down to play a video game with Pokimane, then the most popular female streamer on Twitch. They drew a live audience of 400,000 people. This was two weeks before the election, and AOC was stumping to register voters.

 with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was then running for Vice President as a Democrat. A few days earlier, Republican candidate Donald Trump sat for a 

 Joe Rogan interview. This was a week before the election.

The Psalmist said that men who trust in idols become like them. Our streaming idols never stop talking but rarely say anything. They speak through the night, whispering into our children’s ears. They perform for a few dollars at a time, taken from 10,000 hands. And soon, they may choose our President.

Kai Cenat livestream

<title>The politics downstream</title>

Presidents used to emerge out of whistlestop tours, radio address, television and cable. Now, for the youngest voters and voters-to-be, political power gathers in the frenetic world of livestreams. ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa talks about what this means.

Daily Smile: Thursday, March 5, 2026

ASD Staff

More in Daily Smile

Daily Smile: Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Daily Smile: Monday, June 1, 2026

Daily Smile: Sunday, May 31, 2026

Daily Smile: Saturday, May 30, 2026

Most read

Daily Smile: Thursday, March 5, 2026

Authors

ASD Staff

More in Daily Smile

Daily Smile: Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Daily Smile: Monday, June 1, 2026

Daily Smile: Sunday, May 31, 2026

Daily Smile: Saturday, May 30, 2026

Most read