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ASD Staff

Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Bruce Hidaka-Gordon in Waikīkī. "

I took this picture while sailing on Nov. 9, 2025. It’s not unusual to see a rainbow over 

, but this one was low and seemed to be hugging the city."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

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<title>Hawaiʻi Skies: Rainbow hug</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Bruce Hidaka-Gordon in Waikīkī.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Rainbow hug

Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Bruce Hidaka-Gordon in Waikīkī. &quot;I took this picture while sailing on Nov. 9, 2025. It’s not unusual to see a rainbow over Waikīkī, but this one was low and seemed to be hugging the city.&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.

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

 likes to be forward-thinking, the first-year University of Hawai‘i head softball coach had to reckon with a large chunk of her past over the weekend. 

As part of its last year of Big West Conference membership, the Rainbow Wahine made a trip to Long Beach State for a three-game series. Thanatharn has spent over 20 years of her life at the school — first as a player, then as an assistant coach. When she was hired as a head coach for the first time last summer, doing so required her to leave her alma mater. 

Prior to the series opener last Friday, The Beach held a special pregame ceremony for Thanatharn in which she was presented with lei. UH assistant coach 

Alyssa Gonzalez, who Thanatharn took with her to Mānoa from Long Beach, was also honored. 

Thanatharn was part of a coaching staff that turned LBSU into the Big West standard, with five conference titles since 2013. In that span, UH has had just one. 

After Hawai‘i the opener 8-7, the Rainbow Wahine took the series with 10-0 and 3-2 victories. The 'Bows were led by pitcher Taryn Irimata, who tossed a total of 10 shutout innings in both victories, allowing just two hits over the weekend. For her efforts, she was named the Big West Pitcher of the Week. The series victory over The Beach was UH's first since 2019. 

"Ws always feels good. I didn't know the stat on that, with the history or whatnot, but it felt really good," Thanatharn said of the series win. "It was special (to be back in Long Beach)." 

During the series, Long Beach State also honored longtime head coach Kim Sowder, who retired following the 2025 season. 

"Kim is a huge mentor of mine. I've known her for half my life. She's very special," Thanatharn said. "I consider her family. To be able to just go back and celebrate that, I am grateful that Long Beach was able to do that."

Although Thanatharn is new to the Hawai‘i family, her players were certainly aware of her legacy at Long Beach State heading into the series. Players on UH's roster felt motivated to win for their new coaches. 

"I think it was super motivating," first baseman Jamie McGaughey said of winning for Thanatharn. "Also knowing that Long Beach is obviously one of the top contenders. I think seeing like what we were capable of, especially that second game, that was super, super motivating for our team, for sure."

Hawai‘i's season continues over the weekend with a three-game home series against CSUN that begins on Friday at 6 p.m. at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium. At 13-14 overall and 5-4 in Big West play, the 'Bows are currently tied for fourth in the conference standings.

"It's the same approach. We're still working to get better every single day," Thanatharn said. "(The 

) is good now, knock on wood, hopefully no more rain."

Panita Thanatharn 032526

<title>Hawai‘i softball coach Panita Thanatharn reflects on series win over her alma mater</title>

Thanathan guided UH to a series win at Long Beach State over the weekend, the same school where she was a player and assistant coach for a total of over 20 years.

Hawai‘i softball coach Panita Thanatharn reflects on series win over her alma mater

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Aloha Spirit

A new statewide storm relief fund by the Hawai‘i Community Foundation has already awarded more than a dozen grants to nonprofits statewide.

,” a disaster fund intended to deploy resources to groups on all islands in the state to aid in disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts. As of Wednesday, that fund has already awarded grants to 13 nonprofits statewide, with more to come.

 said the foundation used $500,000 of seed funding to launch the fund, and have received commitments from donors for an additional $1 million. He said he hopes the fund will collect and distribute more than $10 million to storm recovery projects across the state.

During a news conference Wednesday, HCF CEO Terry George announced seven grants awarded via the Stronger Hawai‘i Fund, although HCF senior program officer Kehau Meyer later said HCF had awarded another six grants mere hours before the conference.

Grants include a total of $150,000 to Vibrant Hawai‘i for water catchment support and emergency response needs on Hawai‘i Island and another $10,000 to the same group for work on the North Shore. HCF also awarded $10,000 each to nonprofits KEY Project on O‘ahu, HOPE Services Hawai‘i on Hawai‘i Island, and to the Living Pono Project, Lahaina Strong, the Maui Grassroots Collective and Sust‘āinable Moloka‘ī in Maui County.

George said HCF had previously launched island-specific funds in response to the Lahaina fire or the 2018 Lower Puna eruption, but added that the nature of the Kona Low storm emphasized the need for a statewide fund.

“The clear reality is that disasters like this are becoming more frequent and more complex,” George said.

Michelle Ka‘uhane, HCF’s senior vice president, said the Stronger Hawai‘i Fund doesn’t disburse funds to storm victims directly, but serves as a central hub connecting donations to the groups carrying out relief projects where they are needed most.

, HCF’s vice president of community resilience, said the foundation is “still trying to understand the scale and scope” of the storm’s impact throughout the state and that assessments of where funds should best be allocated are ongoing.

Meanwhile, the City and County of Honolulu will open a Community Assistance Center at Waialua District Park on Thursday, connecting residents to in-person assistance and resources from several county and state agencies, nonprofits and utility providers.

Farmers and ranchers are also encouraged to apply for the state’s 

, which will provide eligible businesses with a one-time $1,500 grant.

Those impacted by the storm are still advised to 

 to the City and County of Honolulu by Thursday, March 26.

And the Hawai‘i Chamber of Commerce is 

 for a relief fund to help feed storm-displaced residents.

Waialua flooding 032126

<title>Hawai‘i Community Foundation launches storm relief fund</title>

Stronger Hawai‘i Fund to issue grants to nonprofits statewide for storm recovery projects

Hawai‘i Community Foundation launches storm relief fund

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

New research from the University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization, or UHERO, looks at the ripple effect caused by new housing constructed in Hawai‘i.

The study looks at a concept called “housing filtering,” which UHERO says is “a process in which new construction sets off a chain of moves that frees up existing homes across the market. When a household moves into a newly built unit, it leaves behind a previous home, creating and opportunity for another household, and so on.”

UHERO Associate Professor Justin Tyndall traced the market effects of The Central, a 512-unit condo near Ala Moana Center that includes 202 market-rate units and 310 affordable, or income-restricted, units.

 that 180 specific addresses became vacant because of moves into The Central. However, accounting for incomplete data, he estimates that the new tower created more than 500 local housing vacancies islandwide within three years of its 2021 completion by setting off chains of moves.

Additionally, he writes that while units in The Central were “expensive on a per-square-foot basis,” homes vacated by those moving into the condominium were about 40% less expensive.

“New housing tends to be very expensive and this creates some animosity from some people about whether or not we should be building new condos at all, for example, because they tend to be quite expensive, a lot of people will never be able to afford them, so to what extent do they improve people’s lives through helping affordability?” Tyndall told reporters earlier this week. “The argument in this paper is that the way that new housing improves affordability is largely through this housing filtering process.

“When we build new housing, it typically contributes new housing because people will move into it from older, cheaper housing, freeing [those units] up for other local residents.”

Tyndall says too, that there’s evidence of downsizing, which means people often leave behind much larger units when they move into The Central —  properties with more bedrooms, single-family homes in a variety of neighborhoods, “freeing up an array of housing stock” for other households locally.

“We also find that people tend to move into socio-economically better neighborhoods,” he continued. “The neighborhoods people typically left behind when they moved to The Central tended to have lower median income, lower average home prices, lower education rates, things like this,” and that’s replicated across these other moves.

And while both the market-rate and income-restricted units both added to local housing supply, Tyndall says market-rate units created more local vacancies.

“Income-restricted units also created local vacancies, but it was much more likely that the person moving into those income-restricted units were moving out of their parents’ house or a roommate situation, so that didn’t create necessarily a previous address vacancy because Mom and Dad stayed behind and didn't leave the home,” Tyndall says.

Market-rate units, however, “tended to be the entire family vacating a prior address and moving into The Central,” he continued. “Having said that, the income-restricted units did tend to reach further down into the distribution of prices, so we find very-low-priced units are often involved in the movement chains that involve the income-restricted units that did create vacancies.”

 that the findings provide “direct evidence that new multifamily construction can influence housing affordability through mechanisms that extend beyond the immediate occupants of new units. While the direct beneficiaries of new housing are those who move into newly constructed homes, the resulting movement chains can create housing opportunities throughout the broader market.

“For policymakers and planners, the results highlight the importance of considering these broader market dynamics when evaluating housing policy,” he continues. “Expanding housing supply in high-demand areas can improve affordability not only through income-restricted units, but also through the filtering process that returns older housing stock to the market. Policies that block market-rate housing construction, because new units are expensive, can be largely counterproductive. The production of all types of housing pushes up the overall supply of homes and can contribute to greater affordability across all segments of the market.”

When asked by Aloha State Daily during a press conference Monday if there was anything particularly surprising in the findings, Tyndall said the magnitude of the price effect was larger than he expected.

“I think one narrative around building new condominiums [is] it’s a lot of rich folks moving between luxury housing, but here we find this is 40% drop in the value of units between these rounds, suggesting that pretty quickly these quote, unquote luxury units are helping relieve housing stresses in other parts of [the] market … .”

housing construction I Stock 885566710

<title>How a new condo development impacts the housing market</title>

New research from University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization highlights the ripple effects that The Central, a 512-unit condo near Ala Moana Center that was completed in 2021, had on O‘ahu's housing market.

How a new condo development impacts the housing market

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

ommunity continues to come together following weeks of severe storms and flooding that has displaced neighbors and destroyed livelihoods across the Islands. 

Several churches on Oʻahu have opened shelters, distributed supplies and hot meals, and helped clean up the mess.   

 told Aloha State Daily that this is "our first time responding to a flood emergency at this scale on our island."

"But this isn't anything new. We've done this in Lahaina," he said. "I think personally for me, this is the first one where our hands and feet are getting some mileage."

Inspire Mililani became a hub for shelters, complete with hot meals and showers, and continues to serve as a donation site. 

Chinen said 55 people found rest there, and the church's initial volunteer count was 100.

"We responded as a whole organization and were ready to open in less than 48 hours," he added.

He noted that three weeks prior to the storms, the church purchased a 15-seat passenger shuttle for church services. "We've transported more pounds of water than we have people in the last few days. We're using every resource we can. We’re not going to sit on stuff we have."

 delivered thousands of donated hygiene kits by Rob [last name not given] to Hale

ʻiwa Distilling Co., which stopped accepting individual donations Wednesday due to “getting full” from the community outpouring.

"That’s divine response. That's how incredible God is, people are responding out of their own heart," Chinen said. "I do think Waialua is going to recover quick because people are responding to the need and the right resources are getting to the people quickly. There's not a delay. No one has to wait for government to step in. This is everybody's kuleana."

 has served for 15 years in various leadership roles at Inspire Church, which has six locations statewide overseen by Senior Pastors Mike and Lisa Kai. Chinen's congregation in Mililani is about 800 people.

"We have this saying at Inspire Church, 'Blessed are the flexible, so they will never be bent out of shape,'" he said.

mission is “to multiply leaders: equipping individuals to lead with purpose, serve others, and impact their families, churches, and communities for the Kingdom of God,” its website states.

Chinen said teams will be helping serve lunch at Waialua High School on Thursday and Friday. A medical tent will also be set up in the area. 

Looking ahead, Inspire Church aims to assess and fill individual needs in the affected communities to ready for cleaning and rebuilding, he added.

For upcoming outreach and donation opportunities, visit 

iwa-based North Shore Christian Fellowship did not gather for a typical service this past Sunday, but rather united “to be the Church," per an Instagram post. They headed out in teams across the community “to serve, clean and help restore what’s been impacted."

Pastor Danny Angel said that one-third of the churchʻs 400-person congregation was directly impacted by the flood, yet still about 300 volunteers showed up to serve, "pray over the people and be the hands and feet of Jesus."

Over the last couple days, our primary role is just to be sending the most help to where the greatest need is," Angel told ASD. "So, we have a system where people can come sign-up and volunteer. We give them the tools they need, and we've been sending out teams all over the North Shore. We've probably serviced 50 or more properties."

Government, church and nonprofit partners, as well as individuals, have aided in the relief, he said, including 

North Shore Christian Fellowship is now seeking donations of 

dehumidifiers, floor-dry powders and masks to remedy mold. Additionally, for more specialized needs once rebuilding starts, 

carpenters, electricians, plumbers and more, are asked to contact 808-269-8927 or info@nscf.church.

Supplies will be available for families at Waialua Community Association Gym in Hale

iwa until Friday, May 27. For the weekend, Angel says the church is looking for farmers to help out.

"This is our community and our neighbors. 

We know we’re going to be here long-term, when the cameras and help have left," he said. "

We recognize the spiritual need we can help fill, especially as the church. We plan to follow-up and maintain relationships by being present, sitting and listening to people in need."

The church is “a community of followers of Christ whose mission is to preach the gospel and to ‘Love God and Love Others’ by seeking to glorify God in all areas of life,” 

Interested in serving or making a donation to its flood relief fund? 

collected donations and set up distribution hubs in Mānoa.

“One of the ladies in our church opened her home the same day as the flood to be a hub for the community and collect donations for them,” said Pastor Maiola Vivas. “She and another woman from our church have been working with Inside Outreach to connect with people in the community to find out what their needs may be and send volunteers their way.”

The church also created an Emergency Disaster Relief Fund and is seeking volunteers to help sort and pack donations. Sign-up or donate 

 in Wailua teamed up with the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal service organization, EPIC Young Adult Ministry and the community to clean and restore areas like Haona Street and 

Otake Camp. It also served as a sub-hub for the collection and distribution of cleaning supplies, water, hot meals and food for those affected, Parish Pastoral Associate and Secretary Joshua Kapika told ASD by email.

"Throughout the week, hundreds of volunteers arrived to assist hundreds of families in clearing flood debris from their homes," he said. 

As soon as residents were able to return to their homes, the community came together in a powerful way. People picked up whatever tools and buckets they could find and got to work — neighbor helping neighbor. Hundreds of individuals from across Oʻahu came together to support this small North Shore community, demonstrating a true spirit of aloha and solidarity in helping Waialua begin its recovery." 

On Sunday for mass, he said, "the streets were packed with volunteers caring shovels and buckets, front loaders moving debris and volunteers helping to keep everyone hydrated and feed to keep the work going."

"Everyone banded together to support each other," he added. "It's even clear in the various partnerships between other groups to help achieve the mission of getting our community back on its feet."

St. Michael Parish "will continue working closely with community partners and local ministries to ensure the ongoing needs of our community are met."  

He added: "As we enter into Holy Week, our parish will also remain open for worship and prayer, offering spiritual support and a place of peace and hope for all those affected."

 in Honolulu normally operates a food pantry, offering free food to those in need.

As a result of the storms, Rev. Brian Rallison told ASD by email, “

Our Food Pantry patrons have increased significantly over the past two weeks, and we’ve received multiple donations, both in kind and monetary, to support our efforts in feeding the people in Makiki.

According to Hawaiʻi Foodbank’s website,

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Waialua will be distributing food Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. at 66-842 Kaukonahua Road, as will St. Stephen's - Liliʻuokalani Protestant Church starting at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 27, at 66-090 Kamehameha Hwy.

As of noon Wednesday, Gov. Josh Green said that the Wahiawā Dam has been stabilized and the National Guard, among other reinforcements, will assist with cleanup efforts for recovery.

North Shore Christian Fellowship flood cleanup crew

<title>Oʻahu churches serve neighbors impacted by flooding</title>

Inspire Church, North Shore Christian Fellowship, St. Michael Parish and more, have mobilized to provide shelter, cleanup, supplies and meal services to those in need following severe storms. Aloha State Daily spoke with pastors, who along with their crews and community members, are still boots on the ground in Haleʻiwa, Waialua and Mānoa.

Oʻahu churches serve neighbors impacted by flooding

National Association of Secondary School Principals

 named 12 finalists for the National Middle Level and High School Principals of the Year and Assistant Principals of the Year awards.

School leaders are recognized for their “outstanding contributions to student success, school improvement and educational leadership,” according to NASSP.

Representing Hawai’i this year is Christine Udarbe, principal of 

Being named a NASSP National Principal of the Year Finalist is a profound honor, but I want to be clear: this recognition is, first and foremost, a tribute to the hard work, dedication and heart of our students, staff and families,” she told Aloha State Daily in response to emailed questions. “I carry the kuleana of leading this school with profound respect for the culture and place of Nānākuli, and I believe this honor belongs entirely to our community. It validates their resilience and signals to the nation the excellence we strive for through Kūlia i ka Nu‘u — to strive for the highest.”

Last year, that excellence was validated in a historic way: Nānākuli High and Intermediate attained a six-year WASC accreditation term, our first since 1998. This milestone serves as the foundation for our future.”

She describes her leadership as being “driven by the goal of opening every possible door for our students.”

“We are committed to equipping our graduates with a diverse range of academic and vocational options, so they can step into the world with the confidence to choose their direction, she said. "Our work is about moving beyond the diploma to provide the real-world agency every student deserves.”

In recent years, she noted that the school has integrated three main areas of focus: Pilina, fostering a deep sense of belonging through a culture of dignity; Achievement for All, elevating teaching and learning via impact teams, multi-tiered systems of support and collective efficacy; and High Engagement, deepening relevance through academies, advanced offerings and project-based learning.

“We aim to ensure our students are ‘future-ready’ through robust Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways, Advanced Placement (AP), and early college courses,” Udarbe said. “A point of immense pride for our campus is the establishment of the first student-run federal credit union on campus, providing our students with unparalleled financial literacy and leadership experience. Furthermore, our student internship programs bridge the gap between high school, higher education and the workforce, giving our students the hands-on professional experience they need to thrive.”

Beyond the classroom, athletics and clubs are also designed to help students lead.

“Together with our sustainability efforts and culture- and place-based learning, these experiences ensure our students remain grounded in their identity while striving for global success,” she said. “Ultimately, our goal is to empower them to be leaders for their community.”

Looking ahead, she aims to continue to build upon the school’s foundation, “enhancing rigor and expanding opportunities for our students and their families while staying firmly committed to the heart of Nānākuli.”

Originally from Minnesota, Udarbe has called Hawaiʻi home for nearly four decades.

My commitment to our students and this community is deeply personal. ... 

My heart is firmly rooted here, built over decades of standing alongside our families and witnessing the incredible growth and success of our youth,” she said.

She started her career in education 28 years ago, including 10 years at Kaimukī High School.

“My path into the classroom unfolded organically, driven by a simple realization: I care more about the student than the subject,” Udarbe said. “While earning my baccalaureate degree in zoology, I served as a lab [teaching assistant] and discovered that my true passion wasn't the science itself; it was the spark of discovery and the sense of worth that lit up in my students. That connection fueled a career-long dedication to being a champion for our high-needs populations and to ensuring every child feels seen, valued and supported.”

Today, as principal, she most enjoys “supporting others in attaining their goals.”

“Whether it is a teacher refining their craft or a student discovering their path through a CTE certification or a place-based project, being a part of that growth is the ultimate reward,” she continued. “It is about helping every member of our school community reach their highest aspirations.”

For her, finding balance outside her demanding role looks like “grounding myself in the quiet moments, usually by spending time with my dogs, working out, or recharging with a good movie or TV series binge.”

Udarbe and the other nationwide finalists were invited to a gala in Washington, D.C., on April 17, to see who will be named the 2026 NASSP National Principals of the Year.

“These remarkable school leaders are the unsung heroes making schools places where every student belongs and thrives,” said NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe in a statement. “NASSP celebrates their dedication because they prove that innovative, student-centered leadership transforms not just schools, but entire communities.”

Christineudarbe 16x9

<title>Nānākuli principal receives national recognition</title>

Christine Udarbe, principal of Nānākuli High and Intermediate School, has been named a finalist for National High School Principal of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Aloha State Daily asked Udarbe more about her career and priorities, as well as what this award means for the school and community.

Nānākuli principal receives national recognition

Square Kady Pascual Headshot RGZ5762

Kady Pascual

Food & Dining

Arts & Entertainment

[{"type":"text","text":"Get ready for grind."}]

 will be at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 29. More than 200 vendors — including 100 food vendors — will be featured. Plus, all food vendors will have $7 mini plates.

Tickets will be sold day-of at the box office. General admission is $6.50; kūpuna and military are $4.50; and keiki under age 12 are free with a paying adult.

Aloha State Daily is the event’s stage sponsor, and our staff will be there over the weekend handing out exclusive ASD merch like notebooks, hand fans, our plushie mascot and more. We will also have a giveaway for all event attendees.

Enter for a chance to win a one-night stay at White Sands Hotel in Waikīkī and a Wai Kai Ultimate experience for four by subscribing to our 

“A retro oasis in the heart of Waikiki, 

 blends vintage island vibes with modern comfort. Think private lanais, lush gardens, and a laid-back pool scene — just steps from Waikīkī Beach,” its website notes.

White Sands Hotel has two food and drink options: 

 which serves tropical cocktails and Island-inspired dishes, and the 

, located in ʻEwa Beach is home to the world’s largest standing surf wave and the Wai Kai AquaVenture — an inflatable obstacle course.

[{"type":"text","text":"At Wai Kai, you and three friends will enjoy:"}]

FoodieCon will also be collecting relief goods for those directly affected by the recent Kona Low storms. Non-food essential items will be accepted — such as first-aid, personal hygiene, feminine care, diapers and more. Pacific Expos, the event coordinators, will also be donating a pallet of items and will be transporting these goods to distribution sites after the event. 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

26 3 13 Foodiecon 16x9

<title>Stop by and say aloha to Aloha State Daily at Hawaiʻi FoodieCon & Spring Expo</title>

Explore more than 200 vendors — including 100 food vendors — from March 28-29 at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. Plus, enter for a chance to win prizes from ASD like a staycation at White Sands Hotel in Waikīkī and a Wai Kai Ultimate experience for four, and more.

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