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Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"When a service dog sits in front of you on a plane..."}]

Smile 26 3 18

<title>Daily Smile: Wednesday, March 18, 2026</title>

When a service dog sits in front of you on a plane...

Daily Smile: Wednesday, March 18, 2026

 When a service dog sits in front of you on a plane...

Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Scott Dillon at Diamond Head Beach. "Start of another beautiful day in paradise. Ready for some time in the water."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

Scott Dillon

<title>Hawaiʻi Skies: Canʻt wait for time in the water</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Scott Dillon at Diamond Head Beach.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Canʻt wait for time in the water

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

A state audit of Gov. Josh Green’s Kauhale homelessness support initiative found $13.7 million of mismanagement, including sex toys bought on the state’s dime.

The Kauhale Initiative, which Green proposed during his 2022 gubernatorial campaign, establishes small communities and shared spaces for homeless people in an effort to reduce homelessness statewide. As of June, the state 

 26 Kauhale projects throughout the state, offering more than 900 units.

 by the State Auditor released Wednesday found that the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions, which administers the project, did not properly oversee the public funds it spent, neglecting to implement basic accountability measures such as signed agreements with contractors.

In some cases, the audit found that SOHHS allowed work on projects to begin before contracts were signed; in at least two cases, a 20-home project in Kalihi Valley and a now-closed medical respite unit, no contracts were signed at all.

The audit highlights SOHHS’ relationship with HomeAid Hawai‘i, a contractor selected to develop plans for many of the Kauhale communities. In actuality, SOHHS awarded HomeAid several no-bid agreements before those plans were even developed, thus committing the state to paying for work before the scope of that work was ever made clear.

For example, on two contracts — for the Ka Malu Ko‘olau Kauhale near Windward Community College, and the Ho‘okahi Leo project in Kalihi, both HomeAid projects — SOHHS paid out more than $1 million more than was approved in budgets, the audit states.

These budget overruns were possible because SOHHS did not require proper accountability for project changes. The audit notes that at one project, the Alana Ola Pono development in Iwilei, HomeAid replaced a planned $500,000 communal facility with imported South Korean units that cost about $1.23 million. Despite this cost increase, the project only constructed 45 units instead of the 75 units specified in the agreement.

Furthermore, HomeAid reportedly included “10% indirect costs” in its development agreements, for which the state paid out more than $3.3 million across the nine HomeAid contracts the audit reviewed. But SOHHS records reportedly do not reflect how that 10% figure was derived or what those indirect costs were.

Ultimately, the audit identified $7.7 million in unauthorized expenditures that SOHHS paid out: for example, for the Alana Ola Pono project, SOHHS paid a $2.5 million advance to HomeAid before a contract was ever signed, and the subsequent agreement did not document that advance.

In other cases, SOHHS paid more than $110,000 for expenses that were explicitly given zero-dollar budgets in its development agreements. A HomeAid contract that budgeted $0 for vehicle rentals nonetheless paid out more than $3,000 for the HomeAid CEO — potentially current CEO Kimo Carvalho, although the audit does not specify — to rent a vehicle for two months.

Other HomeAid expenses on the state’s dime include a $5,020 bill for an unnamed HomeAid CEO to attend a conference in Las Vegas in 2024. That bill included two $54 charges for an “intimacy kit,” which the audit confimed included “condoms, lubricant, vibrators, restraints, an eye mask and a feather tickler.” Carvalho 

 the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that those charges were mistakenly incurred when he inadvertently moved the kit in his Vegas hotel room's minibar, which he believed triggered an automatic charge.

On top of the unauthorized $7.7 million was another $5 million the audit deemed “questionable,” as SOHHS could not establish whether those expenses were directly related to the contracted work. Some of those expenses included a $78,000 bill for a condo rental in Wailuku, whose purpose for the Kauhale project was never confirmed.

And SOHHS never documented work done to justify another $1 million in HomeAid personnel costs.

While the audit notes that HomeAid “had little experience as a planner or developer” when it was first selected for the Kauhale project, it does not identify who at the state is responsible for placing such heavy reliance on the company — coordinators and state officials variously pointed fingers at each other, the report found.

In the face of this mismanagement, the audit issued recommendations for SOHHS, including the establishment of written policies and controls for the Kauhale projects that require fully executed contracts before work begins, procedures for reviewing payment requests, a comprehensive review of all HomeAid payments, and more. It also recommends that the department “recover from HomeAid amounts that the comprehensive review determines were not reimbursable under the applicable agreements.”

Green’s office announced Wednesday that SOHHS has accepted all recommendations within the audit, but asserted that the report contains “significant factual errors.”

Among those errors, according to Green’s office, were several of the “unauthorized payments” identified in the audit. Green’s office stated that the $2.5 million Alana Ola Pono advance, along with another $2.4 million to HomeAid for a pre-development agreement, were authorized.

Green’s office also reported that SOHHS has “aggressively taken steps” to recover improper expenses, including more than $16,000 in unauthorized travel expenses.

“We welcome accountability and will continue strengthening the program,” Green stated. “But we will not lose sight of what matters most: kauhale are working, they are changing lives — and we are going to keep building on that progress because the people of our state deserve a real solution to this generational problem.”

Green’s office stated that, since 2024, the number of homeless people statewide dropped by 13.1%.

 to the audit Wednesday, stating that the audit “misses the full value” of the company’s approach to deeply affordable housing.

“We believe the audit gave insufficient attention to how the Kauhale Initiative can deliver safe, affordable homes to those most in need,” read HomeAid’s statement.

The statement argued that many of the suspect $13.7 million have already been reconciled, and that “fewer than 5%” of those reconciled transactions have required correction in favor of the state. In fact, the statement goes further, and claims that HomeAid has not been reimbursed for an additional $1.7 million.

The statement went on to note that the audit only investigated nine HomeAid contracts, less than half of the Kauhale Initiative’s total $88.2 million budget.

“We believe that concentration leaves the public without a complete evaluation of program outcomes and value,” HomeAid’s statement read.

Kauhale 16x9

<title>State audit finds Kauhale Initiative made $13.7 million in unauthorized payments</title>

Statewide homelessness initiative saw project changes, airfare and more ballooning budgets, alleges audit.

State audit finds Kauhale Initiative made $13.7 million in unauthorized payments

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Aloha Spirit

O‘ahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association will wrap up its 2026 season on Sunday with the Molokai Hoe, a 40.8 mile journey that begins in Molokai then ends in O‘ahu after teams cross the Ka‘iwi Channel. 

In the 2026 edition, a total of 104 crews from over four countries and multiple states will compete. In the 2025 race, 

 won the Molokai Hoe for the first time, dethroning three-time defending champion Shell Va'a, another team based in Tahiti. 

"It's more than just excitement now," OHCRA race director Kapuni Patcho told Aloha State Daily at Monday's Molokai Hoe Expo. "Everybody's getting to the point where they want to compete at the highest level and really test the limits, but not to a point to where camaraderie is not part of it."

Weather conditions are promising ahead of Sunday's Molokai Hoe, considered one of OHCRA's flagship races. The other, Na Wahine O Ke Kai, was canceled ahead of its scheduled Sept. 27 date 

due to storm conditions ahead of the race

Canceling the Na Wahine O Ke Kai, a women's-only race that the OHCRA prides itself in, was not a decision organizers took lightly. 

"I don't think we slept. A lot of sleepless nights" Patcho recalls in the days leading up to and following the cancelation. "My wife was supposed to cross, too. But safety is the number one thing. It really is. I don't think you can put anybody's safety in danger."

Ahead of the Molokai Hoe, a team of over 30 team members and volunteers secured 72 rigged, race-ready canoes at Hale O Lono to protect paddlers against Nolo in preparation for the race. 

Spectators can watch the finish of the Molokai Hoe for free in Waikīkī, where crews in the running for the title are expected to arrive at around 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 11.

When asked what comes to mind about the tradition of the race, Patcho, who w

ill be among the paddlers competing for Healani Canoe Club,

"Legacy. I think that's what it is. ... A lot of us have great grandparents, grandparents, parents who themselves (competed)." 

[{"type":"text","text":"Now, they have their kids dialing in it. "}]

"I think we're still competitive, but we understand that family comes first. So, we're still going to give our best shot, and we're going to compete at our best level. But at the same time, we're just enjoying it now, and it's more of the fulfillment, because we all have kids and they're all talented. When we get to see them put paddles in their hands, and I think for them to see us crossing the channel, it's a full circle. Like, hey, you guys are gonna be up next soon."

Molokai Hoe 100726

<title>OHCRA looks to close out season strong with Molokai Hoe</title>

Despite weather being a factor virtually the entire season, the organization's flagship race is good to go for another edition come Sunday.

OHCRA looks to close out season strong with Molokai Hoe

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism recently released the 2025 edition of the state "Data Book," the 58th iteration of the comprehensive statistical guide. You can find it 

"DBEDT has published the Data Book since 1962 and it continues to be one of our most frequently praised resources,” DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka said in a recent announcement. “I’m often stopped by residents and community leaders who share how valuable the information is for their work and planning. The Data Book helps researchers, businesses, government agencies and local organizations understand Hawai‘i through reliable, accessible data. 

"This year’s edition reflects close collaboration between our Research and Economic Analysis Division and partners across federal, state and county agencies, as well as private organizations, to deliver the high‑quality information the public depends on.”

The department says that this year, all tables have been redesigned to meet Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards and Excel files are now the exclusive download format.

There's plenty to see, but here are some bullet points from the 2025 data that we found interesting:

Rainbow Hawaii State Capitol May 2026

<title>Interesting insights from the 2025 Hawai‘i Data Book</title>

While thereʻs a lot of information on just about everything included in the 58th edition of the free statistical guide recently released by DBEDT, some of the tidbits that caught our eye include home prices, visitor trends, the names youʻll commonly find on birth and death certificates and more.

Interesting insights from the 2025 Hawai‘i Data Book

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Do you have a book that changed your life? Want to share it with a stranger? Now you can at the Books, Brews & Beats Festival, which will hold its second event in downtown Honolulu this Saturday.  

The Oct. 10 event is slated to run from noon to 6 p.m. at 1000 Fort Street Mall near Pickles at Fort

, and will include more than 20 vendors and musicians. See the full line-up, 

Attendees can bring a book that they enjoyed and trade it for another thoughtfully chosen read, while sipping single-origin coffee or ceremonial grade matcha and listening to ambient musical sounds.

“The Books, Brews and Beats concept was really just a passion project that stemmed from a love for reading and wanting to incorporate that with cafe culture,” said 

, the festival’s founder, who is also a Honolulu-based singer, DJ and ʻukulele virtuoso.

“Essentially, I wanted to create a book exchange that also celebrates single-origin coffees — bringing local business, reading, and live instrumentation together,” she said.

For the first event, held earlier this year in April, Mayeshiro approached one of her favorite local cafes, 

, and asked if the coffee shop would be open to a curated book exchange and staying open for a few extra hours while she was the DJ and played ʻukulele.

“And I just put a poster up and said, ʻBring a book to exchange for another book, and come connect with people over a love of reading and coffee and music,’” she recalled. “The turnout for that was way bigger than I expected, which was awesome. … This next one is that same concept, but I'm making it an outdoor local market, as well.”

“It was a six-hour-long event, and the whole studio was packed the entire time,” she continued. “And there was a line outside.”

There is no fee to participate in the festival, so the only cost is that of the book the reader wants to share with a stranger, she explained.

“If you want to buy a coffee or matcha, you totally can, but it's not required,” Mayeshiro said.

This also isn’t a book exchange to get rid of books, she added. In fact, the musician and reader has been visiting vintage stores and local bookstores around Oʻahu to collect books she “genuinely found interesting or would want to share with a friend,” she said.

Music is also instrumental to the festival. The line-up of what Mayeshiro likes to call “healing frequencies” includes pianists Christina Sochor and Noah Hull, violinist Duane Padilla, and sound healer Ashley Nguyen. It also features Red Nova, an avant-garde experimental improvisational jazz group, and Godai, which is a collaboration of the artists Max High and Floteson. Mayeshiro will also perform as Shizue.

Mayeshiro hopes to turn the event into a quarterly gathering. 

One of her goals is for the event to spark community.

“I want people to feel like they're connected to one another,” she said.

Maia

<title>Adopt a book at this downtown Honolulu festival</title>

The Books, Brews and Beats Festival started earlier this year as a passion project for Maia Mayeshiro — a Honolulu-based DJ, singer, and ʻukulele virtuoso — who wanted to bring the community together to celebrate "local business, reading and live instrumentation," she said. This Saturday, Oct. 10, attendees can visit Fort Street Mall to trade their book for another thoughtfully chosen read, while sipping single-origin coffee or ceremonial grade matcha and listening to ambient musical sounds.

Adopt a book at this downtown Honolulu festival

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

ikoi Steak — which opened last August — recently changed its restaurant name to 

“I wanted a restaurant name that would make an impact,” explains chef Shiori Okuya. “I wanted something catchy and memorable.”

The restaurant is not associated with the previous eatery that was at this location.

Macho Grill is known for its sizzling steak skillets. Choose from popular options like beef steak ($25-$35), pork chop ($18-$26), rib-eye and pork combo ($54), or filet ($60).

Other options include chicken cream saute ($22-$25) , Korean spicy cheese chicken ($25-$28) and grilled Caesar salad ($14).

Most plates come with corn, a side salad, and a choice of starch (Japanese rice, mashed potatoes or a baguette). 

The entrees are delivered piping hot to diners’ tables with a protective wrapping around the plate. If you choose to add sauces — like homemade steak sauce — the protective layer is intended to prevent the sauce from splashing.

Diners can add toppings to their steaks for an additional charge. Options include garlic whipped cream ($3), truffle butter ($5), or grated daikon with ponzu ($3).

Customers can end with desserts like homemade ice cream and sorbet ($8) or custard pudding ($10).

Dining reservations are accepted for groups of six or more. Limited customer parking is available right outside the restaurant.

Open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch, 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner Wednesdays to Mondays (closed Tuesdays)

Macho Grill sizzling skillets 092426

<title>Macho Grill offers sizzling steak skillets</title>

The eatery, located on Piʻikoi Street, specializes in sizzling steak skillets. Choose from popular options like beef steak, pork chop, rib-eye and pork combos and more.

Daily Smile: Wednesday, March 18, 2026

ASD Staff

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Daily Smile: Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Authors

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Reporter

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