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Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Playing a prank on the office..."}]

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<title>Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 1, 2026</title>

Playing a prank on the office...

Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Known for its Italian fare in a relaxed setting, 

 is launching a new happy hour on July 1.

The happy hour menu will be exclusive to this location; it’s served daily from 4 to 5 p.m. We’re told the eatery will extend the happy hour menu past July if it’s well received by customers.

The happy hour menu features some of the eatery’s bestselling dishes, along with exclusive options.

Start with appetizers like lobster bisque with sherry ($8) and Caesar salad ($8). The latter features romaine lettuce topped with marinated white anchovy, parmigiana reggiano, croutons and a Caesar dressing.

The Caesar salad is on the eatery’s regular menu; a smaller portion is featured during happy hour.

The eatery’s bruschetta rustica ($9), mozzarella fritta ($12), Arancino Siciliani ($12), pizza marinara ($13) and pizza al formaggio ($14) are all exclusive to the happy hour menu.

The bruschetta features garlic focaccia crostini topped with local cherry tomatoes, parmigiano Reggiano and basil. The mozzalla fritta ($12) is expected to be a customer favorite. It features panko-crusted mozzarella with prosciutto in the middle. Each order comes with four bite-sized pieces, served with arrabbiata sauce on the side.

The Arancino Siciliani ($12) — which includes two pieces per order — features Pomodoro risotto croquettes filled with bolognese and mozzarella. They come with spicy housemade garlic tomato sauce for dipping.

The eatery’s penne all’ arrabbiata ($12), gnocchi al gorgonzola ($14) and mortadella panini ($15) are featured on Arancino on Beachwalk’s lunch menu (they’re not available during dinner).

The pastas feature a half-sized portion during happy hour, since customers can still order off the eatery’s dinner menu.

The penne all’ arrabbiata is one of the most popular orders. The classic dish is served in a spicy housemade garlic tomato sauce; we’re told it’s been on the eatery’s menu for more than 15 years.

The gnocchi is ideal for cheese lovers, as it features a creamy gorgonzola sauce, parmigiano Reggiano and walnuts.

Two pizzas are available during happy hour — pizza marinara ($13), which features garlic and tomato sauce, and pizza al formaggio ($14), which includes mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano and tomato sauce.

The panino con mortadella is a hand-held sandwich features housemade bread with mortadella, stracciatella, arugula, pistachio and mayo. It’s served with fries on the side.

Customers can also take advantage of discounted drinks. The following drinks are always available at Arancino on Beachwalk, but are discounted during happy hour.

Specials include Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero and peroni for $8 each, aperol spritz ($10) and Negroni ($10).

Validated customer parking is available at the Bank of Hawaiʻi parking lot on Beach Walk.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Arancino Beachwalk happy hour spread 062726

<title>Arancino on Beachwalk has a new happy hour</title>

The popular Italian restaurant’s new happy hour menu is exclusive to this location. It launches July 1 and will be available daily from 4 to 5 p.m. Customers can enjoy dishes like gnocchi with gorgonzola, lobster bisque, mortadella paninis and more.

Arancino on Beachwalk has a new happy hour

Now, let's all enjoy watching Bowser the Bulldog play with the door-stopper thing...

Smile 26 6 30

<title>Daily Smile: Tuesday, June 30, 2026</title>

Daily Smile: Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

A challenge against excessive vehicle towing at Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor was overturned Friday.

 before the Board of Land and Natural Resources to renew a contract with Secure Parking LLC — the company that has managed paid parking at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor since 2023 — received substantial backlash from residents concerned about Secure Parking’s management.

In particular, people complained about a "towing first" policy, whereby recreational users who exceeded their allotted six hours of free parking would have their vehicles towed immediately, without any citations or warnings beforehand.

The proposal in September claimed that towing policy exists because the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ ability to issue parking citations is limited — the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation isn’t authorized to do so, while the Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement is authorized, but has insufficient staff to conduct full-time parking enforcement. Therefore, towing offending vehicles has been the primary solution for cars overstaying their free parking period.

The proposal to renew Secure's contract included a License Plate Recognition system that would, ostensibly, help reduce the amount of vehicles towed from the lot.

Secure’s LPR system would use cameras to scan license plates automatically and track repeat violators, while also connecting with existing equipment such as pay stations. Violators would receive printed warnings on-site, and would be subject to towing upon subsequent offenses.

But residents argued last year that this system does not end the “towing first” policy. One resident, Kate Thompson, requested a contested case hearing against the proposal in September.

Thompson argued that the proposal will “lock in” the towing first policy, and noted that other public facilities such as the Honolulu Zoo are able to manage parking with citations just fine. At the same time, she argued, Secure’s contract costs the state $15,316 per month, funds that could be allocated toward harbor improvements.

On Friday, the Board voted to deny Thompson’s request, despite requests from dozens of residents urging the case to go forward.

Honolulu resident Douglas Meller argued that issuing warnings before towing a car is not preferable to issuing parking citations.

“A warning carries no financial consequence,” Meller wrote. “The first financial penalty a vehicle owner will ever face at Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor remains a $165 tow … The community has not been asking to be warned before being towed. It has been asking for the tow to be replaced, as the first financial penalty, by a proportional citation.”

Thompson and Meller both suggested that the only party that particularly benefits from the towing-first policy is the towing company itself. According to Honolulu Police records obtained by Thompson, there were 2586 vehicles towed from the harbor in 2025, and 2512 in 2024; DOCARE, meanwhile, issued 25 parking citations at the harbor in 2025 and four in 2024.

Nonetheless, the BLNR ruled unanimously — albeit with member Wesley Yoon abstaining — that Thompson does not have standing to request a contested case, as things like “statutory post-tow procedures” or “fair proportionate penalties” are not constitutionally protected interests that a person can challenge via the contested case process.

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<title>No contested case for tow woes at Ala Wai</title>

Despite complaints over tow-happy parking enforcement at Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, a contested case hearing will not be going forward.

No contested case for tow woes at Ala Wai

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Viewpoints

Aloha Spirit

 party over three years ago and declined to show, according to the Office of the Governor.

 from the 2022 legislative session, Gov. Josh Green was asked “to establish a Hawaiʻi Commission on the United State Semiquincentennial.”  

The commission formed by the governor did not receive any government funding

 “to coordinate a statewide effort commemorating and celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America,” per the executive order.

Leading the 19-member Hawai‘i America250 Commission is Peter Young, a member of the Hawaiʻi Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, along with lawmakers and other representatives.

The commission is responsible for soliciting donations to bring local events and activities to “communities across the Islands [that] will reflect on our shared past, celebrate our diverse heritage, and honor our veterans and ancestors through events grounded in local culture and the Spirit of Aloha,” its website notes.

To donate, volunteer and learn more, go to: 

Hawaiʻi opts out of Great American State Fair

Hawaiʻi has no official government representation at 

, a block party on the National Mall in Washington D.C., running now through July 10.

It features attractions like rodeos and a 110-foot Ferris wheel, with more than 150 exhibits for all 50 states plus U.S. territories, as well as "businesses, innovators and civic organizations," according to 

, the organizer of the fair and other semiquincentennial events.

The decision for the Hawai‘i America250 Commission, which includes Green as an honorary chair, to say, “No can” to participating in the fair appears to have grown more apparent as the travel commitment grew “from a few days to two weeks with 12-hour days,” 

Green told Aloha State Daily in a statement Friday, “The Hawai‘i America250 Commission is not operating a pavilion at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., which is 5,000 miles away. No funds were earmarked by the state, or by Congress.”

One Mililani resident wrote in to ASD after hearing Hawaiʻi would not be at the fair.

“Especially with what's been happening in Hawaiʻi, participation in this national event would have been a great opportunity to formally and informally educate and share the history and Aloha of our people; to garner support/supporters from outside our state for the causes of the Hawaiian people and the legacy of its past monarchs,” the reader wrote.

Another ASD reader from Honolulu wrote, "

Wouldn't this have been a great opportunity for the state's Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA)? According to their annual budget, they expend [millions] of our taxpayers’ money annually on branding and marketing!"

At least 10 mostly Democratic-led states decided against sending official government delegations to the fair, which including Hawaiʻi are: Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, according to 

“Most of the states that opted out are led by Democrats. But all cited financial considerations, saying they'd have to spend at least $100,000 (and in some cases up to half a million dollars) of their own money and preferred to prioritize celebrations at home,” 

, noting, organizers offered to help cover basic booth setup.

 that “the decision came down to resources”; Illinois sent representatives from the Peoria Riverfront Museum to run the state's booth instead; and Oregon Gov. Tina Koteck cited both cost and concerns that the event is "a more partisan affair than originally presented,” per the The New York Times; while Young of the Hawai‘i America250 Commission has shifted focus to local initiatives.

New Hampshire, which has a similar population size to the Aloha State at about 1.4 million, found a way to participate by having its Department of Natural and Cultural Resources staff an official booth showcasing “historic documents, a presentation and a video featuring state political figures reading the Declaration of Independence.” It is the only New England State with a presence from local government, per the 

 and photos over the weekend from the Great American State Fair, Alaska and Hawaiʻi both have empty booth displays boasting red, white and blue backdrops, though, Hawaiʻi’s included a couple of rocking chairs. 

Makes sense, since they chose to sit this one out.

Hawaii at Great American State Fair

<title>Hawaiʻi says ‘No can’ to Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C.</title>

Hawaiʻi government officials will not be present at the Great American State Fair, put on by Freedom 250 now through July 10, along with at least 10 mostly Democratic-led states citing cost, staffing and for some, political reasons. Gov. Josh Green says no funds were earmarked for the fair by the state or Congress and instead, has thrown support behind local celebrations.

Hawaiʻi says ‘No can’ to Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C.

Arrasmith Portrait

Perry Arrasmith

Columnists

The United States of America is turning 250 years old. So what? 

I don’t need to tell you that 1776 was a long time ago.

In 1776, the indigenous people of Hawai‘i were still divided across warring chiefdoms. The formal end of the wars of Hawaiian unification didn’t settle until 1810, when Kaumuali‘i (Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau’s King) pledged fealty to Kamehameha as the King of the entire Hawaiian Archipelago. 

Captain James Cook, the British captain who formally initiated contact between Native Hawaiians and the Western world, hadn’t arrived in the islands yet either. In fact, he didn’t even leave England until July 12, 1776, one week after the Declaration of Independence. If he knew about the colonies and their rebellion, I don’t think he cared to share news of America’s independence as he traveled across Polynesia. 

And so I return to the question. So what? America is turning 250 years old. Why should Hawai‘i’s residents care?

Hawai‘i, at least officially, does care to a degree. 

Hawai‘i has a state commission created to oversee Independence Day celebrations for America’s 250th birthday, known also as the 

 by Governor Josh Green through an executive order on December 15, 2023. It is largely organized by Peter Young, a former Hawai‘i County official and former Department of Land and Natural Resources chair under Republican Governor Linda Lingle.

Without government funding to support the state commission’s efforts, there was little in the way of supporting any state presence in D.C., Young explained in one recent 

Hawai‘i might not be alone, though. Hawai‘i, alongside 10 other states across the country, is not participating in the 

 in Washington D.C. Partisan discord is discoloring this year’s celebrations, which makes Independence Day a bit bitter. 

George Washington, who famously preached against partisanship in his 

, would be disappointed. Celebrating America’s 250th birthday should be non-partisan. So should one’s willingness to readily tout this country’s rich and nuanced history. 

Maybe that’s why it initially feels a little weird to celebrate Independence Day. But then I correct myself. It actually 

 be weird to celebrate something like Independence Day. 

If we have the luxury to think about this country’s problems, we’re frustrated with the United States every other day of the year. One day of pride won’t kill us. 

Our Independence Day is a reckoning with the United States of America’s progression from a collection of colonies to the wealthiest and most diverse republic in the history of the world. It’s a reckoning with the power of history and the true scope of change over time. 

Hawai‘i has historically shown a willingness to celebrate this country’s Independence Day. In the ’70s, efforts to celebrate America’s 200th anniversary (bicentennial) were much more expansive. Planning began in 1970 with the passage of 

 into law by Governor John A. Burns (celebrations were set to happen in 1976). 

 at the State Archive detail the extent of this extensive planning. 

In contrast, our celebrations this year seem to be very muted. That’s the feeling I get across Hawai‘i. Maybe I’ll see an America250 flag in someone’s yard in ‘Ewa or Kailua on O‘ahu, but that’s about the extent of what I see as of this writing.

Maybe this is just another Independence Day. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Scope of 250 Years"}]

Hawai‘i’s radically changed in the last 250 years. So has the United States of America. 

Celebrating America’s 250th birthday is not about the birthday itself. It’s about marking what America, as a country, means to its people one-quarter of a millennium after its founding. 

The question extends to the people of Hawai‘i, too. What does it mean to be an American as a resident of Hawai‘i in 2026? 

The majority of Hawai‘i’s residents are still U.S. citizens with U.S. passports. If they aren’t U.S. citizens, they may aspire to become U.S. citizens. 

Hawai‘i should take this Independence Day to really reflect on how it is a part of the United States. It’s not a partisan question of the past. It’s a practical matter of the future. 

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<title>Hawai‘i at 250</title>

Hawai‘i's celebrations for the 250th anniversary of America's independence seem muted compared to those for the Bicentennial in 1976. That's a shame, argues ASD columnist Perry Arrasmith. Can't we set aside our complaints for even one day to celebrate?

Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 1, 2026

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Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Authors

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