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Daily Smile

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

Smile 26 4 1

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

Playing a prank on the office...

Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 1, 2026

When a tiny orange kitten makes a bold mistake with a farm goose and instantly recruits a giant canine bodyguard...

Smile 26 9 28

<title>Daily Smile: Monday, Sept. 28, 2026</title>

Daily Smile: Monday, Sept. 28, 2026

My Favorite Local Saying

[{"type":"text","text":"This week's saying comes from Nancy Partika: "}]

"My favorite saying from small-kid time is, 'Wot da frick!' 😱 As kids, we would be punished by our parents by having to pay a nickel from our allowance every time we swore. We ended up having a negative balance sometimes in our allowance. 👀

“'Wot da frick' narrowly skirted the swear jar penalty, and so it became a much used exclamation for anything surprising, shocking or upsetting. The swear jar 🫙 period lasted for about six months. 👍🏼

To submit your Favorite Local Saying photo, visit us online or email: 

Matthew lancaster ip1eu cw49 A unsplash 16x9 1

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Hawai’i is a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, languages, religions, and even foods, varying to some degree island-by-island. With “My Favorite Local Sayings,” we’re eager to learn what words or phrases you grew up with that you still use today. The goal is to share part of what makes our Isle home so special.

Taro 2021

Reader Submissions: Share your ‘favorite local saying’ at Aloha State Daily

Aloha State Daily visited Bishop Museum over the summer for a hōʻike celebrating Hawaiian land snail conservation and research, where students of all ages presented their final projects. Psalm Handley, a sophomore at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama, shared how the summer internship program enhanced her passion for biology, Hawaiian culture and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi.

Psalm Handley

My favorite local saying: Kamehameha Schools sophomore shares ʻŌlelo Noʻeau

<title>My favorite local saying: When 'Wot da frick!' skirts the swear jar</title>

Nancy Partika shares her favorite saying from "small-kid time."

My favorite local saying: When 'Wot da frick!' skirts the swear jar

Yamachika Tom IMG 1913 Large

Tom Yamachika

Viewpoints

Government & Politics

Hawaiʻi has no shortage of celebrity property owners. What I mean is that there are famous people who own property — sometimes a lot of property — here in Hawaiʻi even though said famous people might not live here. You might have heard of Larry Ellison or Mark Zuckerberg or Oprah Winfrey.  Maybe even Roseanne Barr.

And then there’s Ken Paxton. Yes, the Attorney General of Texas, candidate for Senator. He is the guy who, on behalf of Texas, sued Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin seeking to overturn their results in the 2020 presidential election. (The U.S. Supreme Court tossed out his suit.) He also made news when four whistleblowers whom he fired won a $6.6 million judgment against his office for wrongful termination. (No skin off his back, though; Texas taxpayers wound up paying the tab.)

According to reporting from a nonprofit, university affiliated news organization in Texas, Mr. Paxton owns some property on Maui through a “blind trust,” meaning that he owns it, but someone else manages it for him, to cut down on possible conflicts of interest in his current position.

[{"type":"text","text":"And the trust hasn’t paid his taxes."}]

According to Maui County property tax records, the real property tax for the first half of 2026 is due and unpaid. Some penalties and interest have been added.

The blind trust bought the property in October 2021. He’s had the property for a while and he had been paying property taxes on it until this year. 

But, as readers of this column know all too well, the tax burden doesn’t stop there.

According to the Texas Tribune, the property was probably used a rental. Rental income is subject to our general excise tax, and perhaps our transient accommodations Tax if the rental was for fewer than 180 days.

Yet, in the Hawaiʻi database of tax licensees which lists people and entities registered for GET, TAT, withholding, and other tax types, there is no Esther Blind Trust, or any name resembling it, to be found.

If there are GET and TAT taxes due and unpaid, the consequences may be severe. Folks who are required to file returns and pay taxes, but do neither, are routinely written up for 70% penalties. A 25% penalty is imposed for failure to file, another 25% for negligence, and another 20% for substantially underpaying taxes. In the federal system, you won’t see penalties this big because penalty stacking is limited. Not so under Hawaiʻi’s tax laws.

To make things worse (for him), there is no statute of limitations to block the assessment. The statute of limitations starts running only if an annual return is filed.  With no returns filed, all past years are open for assessment.

And this trust won’t be able to shrug off the tax, penalties, and interest by simply saying that it doesn’t have money to pay them.  The Texas reporting says that the trust currently owns at least 15 properties with a total worth of about $9 million.

So, to our good friends at the Department of Taxation, we may have here some “low-hanging fruit.”

Celebrities should be following the law. They should be an example for the rest of us.

[{"type":"text","text":"Sock it to ‘em, baby!"}]

Ken Paxton 54234158172

<title>Community Voices: Dear Mr. Paxton, pay your taxes</title>

Paxton owns some property on Maui, according to reporting from a university affiliated news organization in Texas and Maui County property records. And the trust that manages his island home hasn’t paid his taxes.

Community Voices: Dear Mr. Paxton, pay your taxes

[{"type":"text","text":"Baby ducks meet puppies for the first time..."}]

Smile 26 9 27

<title>Daily Smile: Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026</title>

Baby ducks meet puppies for the first time...

Daily Smile: Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

, which closed its Kapahulu eatery in April, just opened its new location in Waikīkī.

The restaurant is located at 280 Beach Walk, in the former space of Westman Cafe and Bills Waikīkī. Follow the restaurant

signs, and head upstairs for restaurant seating.

The new location features the same menu with all of Side Street Inn’s signature dishes, which are designed to share, family-style, according to general manager Korie Sasano.

“Our fried rice, pork chops, garlic chicken and kalbi are the most popular,” Sasano says. “I think some things that are more ‘hidden’ — that maybe people don’t know about — is the yakisoba and roast pork poke; they’re really good. A lot of people don’t really know about those two (dishes), but when you try it, you’re going to be hooked.”

The roast pork poke ($28) — comprising crispy roast pork tossed in the eatery’s citrus shoyu vinaigrette sauce with sweet onions, green onions and Chinese parsley — and farmer’s salad (half $19, full $28) are highly-recommended appetizers. The colorful salad features spring mixed greens with grape tomatoes, avocado, Maui onions, capers and bay shrimp with red wine vinaigrette dressing and Okinawan potato curls.

“The farmer’s salad is one of our most popular salads,” Sasano says. “People really love the dressing.”

Customers can choose from sizzling boneless kalbi (market price) or bone-in kalbi (market price). Both dishes feature charbroiled Korean-style short ribs, served with kimchi. Meanwhile, Side Street’s signature garlic chicken ($31) features a marinated fried chicken dipped in a sweet shoyu garlic sauce.

The “Works” fried rice ($41.50) can easily feed a group, as it comprises Side Street Inn’s signature fried rice (bacon, Portuguese sausage, char siu, green onions, peas and carrots) with kimchi and lup cheong. It’s often ordered alongside Side Street’s famous pan-fried pork chops ($36).

For groups who want a little of everything, Sasano says Chef Colin’s Classics menu ($195 for four to five guests, $370 for eight to 10) is still available. It includes edamame with Alae salt, farmer’s salad, Side Street’s signature fried rice, garlic chicken, pan-fried pork chops and sizzling boneless kalbi.

“The menu is pretty much the same; I think they’re thinking of doing specials,” she says. “There’s talk of doing happy hour like we did at Kapahulu, too; people loved the small plates. They got to try more (options).”

Side Street’s signature peanut butter crunch ($19) — served warm with a crispy peanut butter layer, chocolate drizzle and Roselani’s vanilla ice cream — is still the eatery’s most popular dessert, Sasano notes. Other options include Mom’s sweet bread pudding ($17); brownie, brownie, brownie ($17); liliko

i crème brulee ($15) and chocolate haupia ($15).

“Everything is homemade; I think that’s what makes it (our desserts) extra good,” she says. “I heard a lot of our staff really love the bread pudding.”

The restaurant is currently waiting on its liquor license and is BYOB in the meantime. Customers are welcome to bring in beer and wine; there’s a $10 corkage fee per person, according to Sasano.

“The corkage fee is for anyone who participates in drinking,” she confirms. “We also offer a 10% 

 discount (with a valid ID) for dine-in, along with two-hour validated parking at the Bank of Hawai

i building (across the street). I know parking is always hard in Waikīkī.”

Customers can call to make reservations; Sasano says the business was able to keep the same phone number from when it was at Kapahulu.

“We always just remind people, if they don’t know we moved, that we’re at a new location,” she says. “We’re just nervous and excited to see how it’s going to be for us — how different the foot traffic is going to be, now that we’re in Waikīkī. We’re still excited to have our regulars come back because we miss them. We hope they don’t mind the ‘trek to Waikīkī,’ as people sometimes say.”

Open 4 to 10 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 4 to 11 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays

Side Street Inn staff 092626

<title>Side Street Inn’s new location is open</title>

The eatery, known for its local comfort food and generous portions, closed its Kapahulu location in April. Side Street Inn’s new location is on Beach Walk in Waikīkī; customers can take advantage of a kamaʻāina discount and validated parking.

Side Street Inn’s new location is open

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

In a game in which it never found a rhythm offensively and made multiple costly mental errors, the University of Hawai‘i football team suffered a 27-10 defeat at the University of Wyoming on Saturday. 

The Rainbow Warriors fell to 1-3 in a year that began with 

After both teams exchanged field goals to begin the first quarter, Wyoming began to systematically pull away from UH. 

Another field goal, combined with a Markell Holman 1-yard rushing score, gave Wyoming a 13-3 lead at halftime. 

The 'Bows got the ball to start the third quarter and shaved nearly 10 minutes off the clock but had nothing to show for it after turning the ball over on downs at the Wyoming 1. Hawai‘i appeared to force a Wyoming three-and-out and punt, but a costly mental error kept the drive going when two players wearing No. 8 in Tama Uiliata and Matteus Ioane took the field for the Rainbow Warriors. Two players wearing the same number in the same play is forbidden in college football, and Wyoming was gifted a first down.

Wyoming capped off the 99-yard drive with Holman's second touchdown of the day, an 18-yard touchdown run with 14:52 remaining that stretched the home lead to 20-3. 

Hawai‘i cut Wyoming's lead to 20-10 on a 20-yard touchdown pass to Devon Tauaefa with 12:11 left. After forcing a Wyoming punt, the 'Bows got into field goal range, but Sean Olvera-Harle's 54-yard attempt was shanked far to the fight. 

The Cowboys put the nail in the coffin with a Samuel Harris 18-yard touchdown with 1:46 remaining for the game's final score. 

Though it was a moot effort, Hawai‘i called timeout with four seconds remaining at the Wyoming 14, setting up for one last score. UH quarterback Micah Alejado was sacked for the third time on Saturday before he was able to attempt a pass. 

Alejado completed 28 of his passes for 44 yards for 226 yards, averaging just 5.1 yards per completion. 

Wyoming's balanced offensive effort in which it passed for 204 yards and ran for an additional 183 kept the 'Bows off balance. 

 was one of the lone bright spots for the team with a game-high 10 tackles, including a sack and a forced fumble. 

Hawai‘i will return home to face San Jose State, a program it has lost five straight matchups to. Kickoff between the Rainbow Warriors and Spartans at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex is set for 6 p.m. on Oct. 3. 

Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 1, 2026

ASD Staff

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Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Authors

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