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Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Pushing through the week like..."}]

Smile 26 3 13

<title>Daily Smile: Friday, March 13, 2026</title>

Pushing through the week like...

Daily Smile: Friday, March 13, 2026

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

[{"type":"text","text":"The PGA Tour will no longer hold tournaments in Hawai‘i. "}]

On Monday, the world's leading golf organization announced it was relocating The Sentry away from Maui's Kapalua Plantation Course. From 1999 to 2013, as well as from 2024 to 2025, the PGA Tour would begin its season in the Valley Isle. 

Prior to what would have been the 2026 Sentry, the PGA Tour announced it 

would not hold the tournament due to water issues on the course on Maui

Despite the absence of The Sentry in 2026, the PGA Tour 

still began its season in Hawai‘i with the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club

During its announcement on Monday, the PGA Tour said it was planning to transition the Sony Open from a PGA Tour to a PGA Champions Tour event. The PGA Champions Tour is reserved for golfers 50 and over, whereas the regular PGA Tour is the organization's main division. 

“We are grateful to The Plantation Course at Kapalua, Kapalua Resort, Maui County and the state of Hawaii for their longtime support of our season-opening PGA TOUR event, as well as the fans, partners and volunteers across Maui who have supported the event throughout the years,” the PGA Tour said in a statement.

The 2027 season will mark the first time in 56 years that a PGA Tour event has not been held in Hawai‘i. The Associated Press reported that it's possible The Sentry relocates to Torrey Pines in San Diego. 

In response to the PGA Tour's removal of Maui, TY Management, which owns both golf courses at Kapalua, said in a statement provided to Aloha State Daily that it is working to address the water issues that caused the cancellation of the 2026 tournament. 

"We feel a profound sadness that the PGA won’t be coming back to Kapalua Golf in 2027," general manager Kenji Yui said. "Since 1999 it’s been a fantastic partnership that included The Sentry sponsorship from 2018. This has always been a win-win-win for professional golf, the state of Hawai‘i, Maui County, local small businesses and the many nonprofits and junior golf associations that benefited from generous donations and volunteer opportunities during the tournament. 

"This is one of the reasons why TY has proposed a solution to the water problems that led to this outcome -- a solution that will benefit the entire community, won’t ask taxpayers to foot the bill, and will result in a better water system for everyone, owned not by private business but by the public.”  

"Now is the time to focus on the future of sports tourism in the islands. We need to unite the local golf community, hospitality industry and state and local leaders to ensure the state doesn’t lose visibility as a destination."

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Sony Open 042126

<title>PGA Tour confirms exit from Islands in 2027</title>

On Monday, the PGA Tour announced The Sentry will no longer be held on Kapalua. Meanwhile, the organization is exploring plans to turn the Sony Open from a PGA Tour event into a PGA Tour Champions event.

PGA Tour confirms exit from Islands in 2027

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

Ready to make plans for the weekend? Here are a few of the events happening on Oʻahu this weekend. 

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Catch the final shows of “Blu’s Hanging.”

 The production is based on the coming-of-age novel by Lois-Ann Yamanaka and is on stage now at Kumu Kahua Theatre. The story follows a Hansen’s Disease survivor as he mourns the death of his wife and struggles to provide for their kids. Shows run Thursday through Sunday with the last performance on this Sunday, April 26. Tickets start at $28, plus fees. There are discounts for group orders and seniors. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Saturday, April 25"}]

The 2026 Waikīkī Spam Jam Festival returns this year with more than 40 food and retail booths. The event features food vendors with a 

creative line-up of dishes featuring Spam

, including nachos, manapua and gelato. There will also be a Spam-themed drone show and limited-edition OluKai slippers. Check out Aloha State Daily’s booth where you can play games and win prizes, including a plushie of our mascot, the pueo. 

Enjoy live music, rides for keiki, resource booths, ʻono food and local crafts at the ʻEwa Fest at Hoalauna Park. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free for keiki and kūpuna who show IDs. There will be food vendors and craft booths. 

Love cars? And coffee? Combine them with this event hosted by the ʻOhana Motorsports Foundation. There are 350 spaces, so RSVP online. There will be food, coffee and snack options on site at the Ko’olau Center, located on Oʻahu’s Windward side. 

Catch Ho'onua'a live at Moani Waikīkī. Christian Yrizarry and Jared Keo, the voices behind Ho'onua'a, recently released new music. The duo also performed at the 

 concert on Oct. 25, 2025. Pre-sale tickets for the upcoming show are $20. Seating is first-come, first-served. Doors open at 9 p.m. for the one-night only show. Limited VIP and bottle service is available. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Sunday, April 26"}]

The recent storm led to evacuation orders for residents of Haleʻiwa and Waialua. It 

. Senior Editor Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros compiled this guide for 

, including the Hawaiʻi Farmers Union Foundation’s Hawaiʻi Flood Response Fund, which has an 

anonymous donor matching gifts up to $100,000. 

 Still need to make plans for Mother’s Day coming up Sunday, May 10? Aloha State Daily’s Food and Dining Reporter Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can help. Check out the guide to 

Where to celebrate Mother’s Day – part 2

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Waikiki Spam Jam 2026 Waikiki Shokudo 041526

<title>Spam Jam, ʻEwa Fest and more: Your guide to this weekend on Oʻahu</title>

Ready to make plans for the weekend? Aloha State Daily has you covered. From Spam Jam to ʻEwa Fest, there are plenty of family friendly events happening on Oʻahu this weekend.

Spam Jam, ʻEwa Fest and more: Your guide to this weekend on Oʻahu

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 just opened in a bigger space. The Honolulu eatery — which used to be on the second floor of the Hee Hing Plaza — just opened in the first floor of the same plaza (in the former space of Growlers USA).

 that it would be relocating to the new space. 

The bigger space now has around 75 seats; we’re told this is 1.5 times the amount of seating the eatery’s former upstairs restaurant had.

It now also features both counter and table seating. Walk-ins only are currently accepted for April; when you get to the restaurant, sign in to join the waitlist.

Each table is given eggplant, pickled daikon and gobo. Customers can also choose a rice — seasoned mixed rice, shiso seaweed rice or Hokkaido brand Nanatsuboshi — and miso soup (red miso soup with either clam and green onions or tofu and seaweed; or white miso soup with clam and green onions or tofu and seaweed).

The menu is the same as before. Sets include premium Japanese rice, miso soup, cabbage and pickles. Signature options include the Jyukusei (aged) pork loin katsu sets ($32.50 to $38) and Jyukusei pork tenderloin katsu sets ($32.50 to $35).

The combo sets — ranging from shrimp and pork tenderloin katsu ($35) and shrimp and chicken katsu ($35) to mix katsu set ($36) — are also customer favorites.

Takeout orders are also available. Customer parking is available at Hee Hing Plaza.

Open 4 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays to Fridays; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 5 to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays

Tonkatsu Tamafuji shrimp and tenderloin katsu 041626

<title>Tonkatsu Tamafuji is now open in an expanded space</title>

The popular tonkatsu spot just opened on the first floor of Hee Hing Plaza (downstairs from its former location). The new space features 1.5 times the amount of seating, with both counter and table seating available. Tonkatsu Tamafuji is only accepting walk-ins for the month of April.

Tonkatsu Tamafuji is now open in an expanded space

ako farmers market. Business owner Leah Garwood remembers starting out with a small coffee menu.

Since then, the business has expanded — customers can find the trailer at the Kailua farmers market (at Castle Hospital) on Sundays now, and the biz opened its first brick and mortar three years ago on Oneawa Street. It’s in the former space of 22 Kailua, which moved to a different location (at 326 Kuulei Road).

“We have created a warm and welcoming environment for locals and visitors to spend their days working and relaxing,” business owner Leah Garwood says.

The coffee bar just expanded further to include more dining space. Rise & Grind Coffee Bar celebrated the grand opening of its new “diner” space on March 28.

“The space used to be occupied by Aloha Sweet Remedies, a fresh pressed juice shop,” Garwood says. “We expanded our kitchen to the new side and added additional seating.

“Rise & Grind Coffee Bar is the whole business name,” she adds. “We’ve just been referring to this space as the diner because it gives off diner vibes.”

With a bigger kitchen, the coffee bar is able to expand its food offerings. The food menu now includes more breakfast and lunch options; smoothies will be added soon, too, according to Garwood. She says that before the expansion, the coffee bar featured pastries and bagel sandwiches, but on a smaller scale.

“We now offer a variety of breakfast sandwiches, burritos and bowls, as well as paninis and wraps for lunch,” she says. “Keiki options are available as well.”

The love child bagel sandwich ($13) and breakfast bowl ($15) are popular breakfast options. The bagel sandwich features egg, bacon, turkey, cheddar, pesto and a spicy aioli. The breakfast bowl is a filling combo of potatoes, kale, mushrooms, peppers, an over-easy egg and the eatery’s housemade green goddess dressing.

Those craving lunch entrees can choose from dishes like the Italian sandwich ($17) — a panini stuffed with salami, pepperoni, prosciutto, Havarti, sundried tomato, banana peppers and housemade Italian dressing — a chicken wrap ($15) and adult grilled cheese ($13). Lunch entrees usually come with a side of chips or salad.

The café’s housemade pastries ($6 each) continue to be popular. Options range from lemon blueberry muffins to lemon poppyseed rolls and earl grey blueberry scones.

“We make all of our pastries in house, not to mention a wide variety of housemade coffee syrups,” Garwood confirms.

She encourages customers to try the coffee bar’s featured spring flavors, which include Hawaiian (coconut, mac nut and vanilla), wildflower (hibiscus, lavender and vanilla), chocolate chip banana bread and lavender honey lattes ($6.75, additional $1.50 for housemade syrup).

“My favorite drink right now is the banana bread latte,” she says. “The blueberry donut latte is made with blueberry and organic maple syrup. Both of these are housemade syrups and there’s a cold foam on top.

“Everybody loves these flavors, so we will probably have them for a bit; at least for another month or two,” Garwood adds.

Garwood says that the coffee bar will eventually expand its menu and hours.

“We are a small husband-and-wife business,” she says. “Our goal is to create a safe and welcoming place for everyone to enjoy. We love coffee and Kailua, and are doing our best to continue to come up with new, exciting flavors and menu items. We’ll eventually keep the diner side open later and do more lunch throughout the day. We wanted to start doing evening things — now that we have the space, we have a lot of opportunities to do stuff.”

Open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays

Rise and Grind owner 040926

<title>Rise and Grind Coffee Bar expands</title>

The business started in 2021 as a coffee trailer. Since then, it’s expanded to a brick-and-mortar storefront in Kailua — and recently expanded its space to include a larger kitchen and additional seating.

Rise and Grind Coffee Bar expands

Mother’s Day is coming up Sunday, May 10. Whether you’re looking for an extravagant buffet or specialty desserts, check out the options below:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Artizen by MW"}]

: 888 Kapiʻolani Blvd. Suite 102, Honolulu

: This Mother’s Day bento ($45) is available for takeout. It includes roasted garlic beef shortrib, shoyu chicken, miso-honey glazed butterfish, vegetables, rice and a Valrhona chocolate cake. 

 to pre-order; pre-order deadline is May 8

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Bird of Paradise"}]

: Highlights for this Mother’s Day brunch buffet ($98 per adult, $49 per child ages 6 to 12 years) include:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Chef Chai"}]

: This all-you-can-eat lobster buffet costs $139 per person (50% off for children under 10 years old). The buffet will include:

: May 9 and 10; dinner seatings at 4, 4:30, 7 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday brunch at 9 and 9:30 a.m.; 12 and 12:30 p.m. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hy’s Steak House"}]

: This Mother’s Day brunch buffet costs $140 per adult ($105 for seniors ages 65 years and older, $65 for children ages 6 to 12 years, free admission for children ages 5 years and under).

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"The buffet will include:"}]

Diners can enjoy a 1.5-hour dining time. 

: May 10; brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., last seating at 1 p.m. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"La Palme D’Or"}]

: Ala Moana Center, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu

: This dessert shop is offering a variety of decorated treats. Choose from the rose strawberry shortcake ($65-$90), carnation strawberry shortcake ($58-$85), strawberry roll cake ($40), “Berry in Paris” raspberry mousse cake ($65), chocolate covered strawberries (three for $25, five for $35), icing cookies ($8 each), cake pops ($5.50 each), cheesecakes ($60), espresso sets ($8.50) and macaron sets ($15). 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"MW Restaurant"}]

: 888 Kapiʻolani Blvd. Suite 201, Honolulu

: This MW Feast to-go ($695) is designed to feed six to eight people. It includes crab and lobster dip, tofu and ‘ahi poke Sumida Farm watercress salad, pork short rib with Italian sausage tomato stew, miso honey glazed butterfish, Brandt beef prime rib, roasted potatoes and vegetables, and MW dessert platter. 

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

: Orchids Mother’s Day brunch costs $132 per adult ($75 for children ages 5 to 10 years old). It includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Plumeria Beach House"}]

: The Kahala Hotel & Resort, 5000 Kahala Ave

: Customers are invited to celebrate Mother’s Day at The Plumeria Beach House restaurant and Maile room. The buffet ($137 per adult, $55 per child ages 6 to 12 years) will include carving stations, chef specialties, fresh seafood and desserts. 

: May 10; 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. breakfast; 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. brunch buffet; 3 to 8 p.m. dinner buffet 

kahalaresort.com/dining/plumeria-beach-house/

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Red Salt (Kauaʻi)"}]

: Ko‘a Kea Resort on Poʻipu Beach, 2251 Poipu Road, Koloa 

: This prix fixe brunch experience will feature a multi-course menu that showcases brunch classics with Island-inspired twists. Guests can also include unlimited MOM-osas. 

koakea.com/experience/event-calendar/mothers-day-brunch-at-red-salt/

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

: Lilia Waikīkī, 2380 Kūhiō Ave. Ste. 105, Honolulu 

: This Mother’s Day brunch costs $80 per person. It includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Tiki’s Grill & Bar"}]

: This Mother’s Day brunch buffet costs $89 per person ($40 for children ages 5 to 12 years). It includes:

Tables are reserved for two hours from the reservation time.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Waikele Country Club"}]

: The brunch buffet costs $99 per adult ($63 per child ages 4 to 9 years old). Highlights include an omelet station with a variety of toppings, roasted prime rib, Pulehu short rib, steamed basa, sauteed mahi with lemon butter and capers, spicy pork, chicken pesto with penne pasta, assorted desserts and more.

The dinner buffet costs $129 per adult ($74 per child ages 4 to 9 years). It includes ‘ahi poke with limu, spicy ‘ahi roll, roasted prime rib, snow crab with drawn butter, garlic miso chicken, fire braised pork ribs with western barbecue sauce, seafood cioppino, garlic lemon herb rack of lamb with red wine demi glaze, garlic mashed potatoes with white truffle oil and more.

: May 10; brunch from 9 to 11 a.m., 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.; dinner from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. 

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

: The Waikīkī eatery is offering two special sushi platters for Mother’s Day. Platter one ($190) includes maguro, kanpachi, salmon, hamachi, ikura, scallop, kappa roll, tekka roll and a yuzu hamachi roll. Platter two ($400) includes otoro, chutoro, maguro, uni, salmon, hamachi, ikura, scallop, spicy salmon roll and a spicy tuna roll.

Customers must pre-order by Friday, May 8. 

Mothers Day 2026 MW Restaurant 040826

<title>Where to celebrate Mother’s Day – part 1</title>

Whether you’re planning to dine-in or takeout, we’ve got you covered.

Where to celebrate Mother’s Day – part 1

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

One week after the Wahiawā Dam came feet away from failing, the state will begin to take over ownership of the area’s irrigation system.

The century-old dam’s current owner, the Dole Food Company, has been unwilling or unable to mitigate various safety issues, leading the company to propose donating the properties to the state.

Two weeks ago, the Board of Land and Natural Resources was scheduled to officially take over management of lands associated with the Wahiawā Reservoir, but the board meeting was postponed due to the first Kona low storm of the month. On Friday, after the second Kona low emphasized the dam’s weaknesses, the Board will finally decide whether to approve the transaction.

Should the Board approve the acquisition, lands associated with the Reservoir will fall under the care of the DLNR’s Division of State Parks, while repairs to the dam and spillway will be carried out by the state Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, Andrew Laurence, DLNR’s Communications Director, told Aloha State Daily. 

However, the state Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity is responsible for acquiring the dam and spillway, and making any necessary improvements to that infrastructure. 

Once DAB’s improvements to the dam are complete, the dam and spillway will be transferred again , this time to the state Agribusiness Development Corporation, a division of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The Reservoir will remain with DLNR

Dole initially proposed donating the dam to the DLNR in 2021, after the DLNR fined Dole $20,000 for failing to address the dam’s undersized spillway, which doesn’t meet modern federal design standards.

, written prior to the storms this month, noted that “the dam is anticipated to overtop during storm events” and that “the aging concrete spillway structure integrity is uncertain and may potentially be compromised during a significant flow event.”

Following Dole’s 2021 proposal, the state Legislature passed 

 allocating $26 million to DLNR to acquire the dam and spillway and bring them up to safety standards. That bill set a deadline: the transaction must be completed by the end of June or else the funds will lapse.

Following the 2023 bill, Laurence said the DLNR has been conducting various assessments of the Reservoir parcels involved in the transactions. Amid those assessments, teams found several environmental violations, including improperly stored petroleum products leaking onto the soil, floor drains from a neighboring autobody shop emptying onto the land, and more.

These violations are cited in the BLNR report as additional justification for the DLNR to take over the land.

Several farmers and agricultural groups have submitted testimony supporting the state takeover of the dam, although that testimony was written before last weekend’s flooding.

The Hawai‘i Farm Bureau wrote that the Wahiawā Irrigation System cannot be replaced by individual farmers in Central and North O‘ahu, who rely on the irrigation system to sustain their operations, particularly during drought conditions. Consequently, state ownership is preferable to the possibility of Dole selling the land to other private owners which may raise water rates or disrupt water availability.

Dole itself also testified in support, noting that the company has been seeking to transfer the property to the state for years.

Daily Smile: Friday, March 13, 2026

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Daily Smile: Friday, March 13, 2026

Authors

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