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Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"There are two different types of bulldogs...."}]

Smile 26 4 15

<title>Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 15, 2026</title>

There are two different types of bulldogs....

Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 15, 2026

 There are two different types of bulldogs....

"You know the rules, Pablo. You stay in your lane and I'll stay in mine..."

Smile 26 5 18

<title>Daily Smile: Monday, May 18, 2026</title>

Daily Smile: Monday, May 18, 2026

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

MILILANI — The state's most dominant girls flag football program now has an HHSAA championship to show for it. 

Since the inception of girls flag football as an 

 in the Islands in 2025, Moanalua has been the 

. Na Menehune breezed through a perfect regular season in 2025 before getting shocked in the quarterfinals of the state tournament to 

In 2026, Monalaua had another perfect regular season before losing to 

Waiʻanae in the OIA championship game. Na Menehune entered the 12-team bracket needing to win four games. Using lessons from their recent setbacks, Na Menehune triumphed with a 13-6 win at Mililani on Saturday.

"Coming out of OIA was kind of like a disappointment," Moanalua head coach Ladd Mokiao said. "We had the lead and we didn't take care of business. ... Coaching is always meant for something, right? That means the team wasn't strong at certain things, so we went back in the lab, regrouped and did the things that we was weak at, so we could come out in states and have this."

Trailing host Mililani 6-0 entering the fourth quarter of Saturday's championship game, it appeared Na Menehune were headed for another disappointing loss. A 3-yard touchdown reception from Quigstinn Rose Yoshihara tied the game with 8:37 left. Then with 38 seconds left, star receiver Jodie Keo broke the tie with a sensational 25-yard catch. 

"I saw sit in the air, I was like, 'OK, I gotta lock in, and then boom,'" Keo recalled of her catch. 

Added Mokiao: "When we called the play, I told (quarterback) Breidi (Higa), I said, 'You know your reads off of this.' Now, let's get that 'wow' play. If that ball got thrown to Jodie in any area, she's gonna pull it down 99.9% of the time."

Keo, a sophomore selected to compete with the United States under-17 team this summer, remembers the feeling of not winning the state title in 2025. Keo and her teammates turned that disappointment into fuel. 

"We kept the drive that we had last year, and we just kept the losses with us too, because we won't let it define us, but we'll learn from it, and that's how we are here now," she said. 

In the Division II championship game, Kapolei made it a mission to score as many points as possible, routing Maryknoll 77-19. 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Moanalua girls flag football 051726

<title>Moanalua wins 2026 HHSAA Division I girls flag football championship</title>

Na Menehune staged a late, dramatic comeback to win its first state title in girls flag football.

Moanalua wins 2026 HHSAA Division I girls flag football championship

LĀ‘IE — For the Le Jardin boys volleyball team, destiny was decided by a vote. 

With O‘ahu battered by heavy rain, flooding and lightning strikes on Friday, the possibility of postponing the HHSAA Division II championship match between Le Jardin and Pearl City at BYU-Hawai‘i's Cannon Activities Center to a later date was floated to both teams. 

Back in Kailua, Le Jardin already loaded its team bus on campus. Head coach Makana Wade told his team they didn't have to play on Friday if they didn't want to, that tournament organizers could move some things around to get the match played later in the weekend. Wade asked his players to raise their hands if they wanted to play on Friday.

"Everybody's hand went straight up," setter Brennan Nakayama said. "We just knew we were ready for this, and we knew what we needed to do."

Following a commute to the North Shore that lasted three hours due to traffic brought on by the weather, the Bulldogs arrived prepared to do something the school had never done before. With a 25-18, 25-9, 25-21 sweep over Pearl City, Le Jardin won its first HHSAA boys volleyball championship in school history. 

"Just a real surreal feeling," Wade told Aloha State Daily following the match. "When I took this job, this is the last thing I could ever dream of, was being here. I'm just so happy for Le Jardin and everybody there for believing in me and giving me this job. And so blessed to be able to coach these amazing players."

When he saw the look of determination in his team, Wade knew they were destined to take the title home. 

"I wish everybody could have seen inside our bus for three hours. You would have thought we were gonna play UH or something," Wade said. "The guys were so locked in, having fun. I kept getting calls from our AD, my dad asking, 'Sure you wanna play tonight, coach?' I'm asking the guys, 'Are you sure?' And they're yelling at me, like, yes, of course. There's no way we weren't going to play this match tonight. I think we really took what was ours tonight."

The notion of playing against UH is something Wade would have deep knowledge of. The son of Hawai‘i head coach 

, Makana Wade was a UH men's volleyball assistant coach for multiple seasons. He departed the program in January in order to take the position of Le Jardin head coach, as NCAA rules prohibit one from coaching high school and collegiate teams of the same gender and sport in the same season.

leading Hawai‘i to a national title on Monday

 since arriving back to Honolulu on Tuesday. After taking care of business on Monday, Charlie Wade made it clear where his priorities were during the program's celebration event on Wednesday. Ahead of a scheduled autograph session, Wade told the thousands of fans gathered at the Stan Sheriff Center that he'd have to leave early in order to watch his son coach. 

On Friday, Charlie Wade sat courtside across from the Le Jardin bench, locked in on the match. When the Bulldogs secured the victory, father and son shared multiple long embraces following the match, the look of pride in Charlie Wade's eyes undeniable. 

"Very cool," he told ASD. "He's been coaching with me at the club level, and obviously the last couple years at the collegiate level. He's always kind of had that analytical brain that it takes to be a good coach, and he and I have spent uncountable hours out walking the dogs at night and talking about coaching. He's asked me about a lot of different stuff over the years, and it's great to see him take on that role as a head coach and have to deal with playing time and all that other stuff that is not coaching that's a part of it, but not the X's and O's part. He's doing a great job and has a lot of passion for it, so fun to see him have some success."

"I don't think we have enough time to talk about what I've learned, but I think the basic is just be a guy that people can lean on and trust," Makana Wade said when asked what he learned from his father. "My dad has taught me countless things, and I'm just so happy to be able to learn from him every day, really. I wouldn't be here without him."

For the 2026 season in particular, Makana Wade worked closely with UH associate head coach Kupono Fey on analytics and strategy. He suddenly received the opportunity to run his own program at just 21 years old. 

"It was really hard to leave," Makana Wade said. "I love those guys to death. It was only gonna be a special job like this, a place like this, where there's amazing people, amazing kids. ... It was pretty crazy. I got hired, couple weeks later, we had tryouts, and then next week we're playing our tournament, then we're playing ILH. It's been a pretty hectic couple months, but it's all worth it in the end."

Makana Wade, a UH-Mānoa junior, also had a French final exam he had to take on Friday morning. "It's been a crazy day, but it's been awesome," he said. 

On Friday night, the Bulldogs were in control for the entirety of the match. Nakayama paced the offense with 39 assists, while La‘akea Kamahale had 20 kills on 31 swings. Following a commanding win in Set 2, Le Jardin took a comfortable 24-19 lead in Set 3. After consecutive Pearl City points to cut the lead to 24-21, a calm Makana Wade called timeout to make sure his team was composed. The Bulldogs finished their 2026 campaign 16-1 and state champions for the first time in school history.

"Our whole team can't thank him enough for how lucky we are to have him," Nakayama said of Makana Wade. "The knowledge and experience is super cool. The scouting reports, and how tight he keeps the team and everything, all the way to the bus rides, everything you want. I think we started a legacy."

For the Wade family, the week started with Charlie and Kainoa Wade winning an NCAA championship. On Friday, Makana Wade coached his own team to a championship, capping an unforgettable week for a family that has no plans to stop chasing greatness in the sport for the foreseeable future. 

"Monday seems like a long time ago," Charlie Wade said. "It doesn't seem like it's the same week, but obviously very cool, a lot of positive stuff."

Added Makana Wade: "I'm just so happy for my dad, and they worked really hard this season. To be able to do this too is just a surreal feeling."

Makana Wade 051626

<title>Makana Wade coaches Le Jardin to first state title in boys volleyball</title>

Makana Wade, the son of UH men's volleyball head coach Charlie Wade, led the Bulldogs to the HHSAA title in his first season at the helm.

Makana Wade coaches Le Jardin to first state title in boys volleyball

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

[{"type":"text","text":"Gov. Josh Green signed Senate Bill 2471 into law Thursday."}]

The bill was touted by supporters throughout the legislative session as a measure to stymie Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court case that found that attempting to prohibit political spending by corporations is unconstitutional.

SB 2471 — now signed into law as Act 11 — supposedly would prevent corporate spending in Hawai‘i elections by limiting the privileges granted to corporations by the state. 

Corporations and other artificial entities exist because the state grants them legal privileges, including limited liability and lucrative tax benefits that individuals cannot claim," said Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole in a statement Thursday. "Act 11 clarifies that those privileges do not include the power to spend corporate money to influence our elections.”

In theory, political action committees will continue to operate under current campaign finance laws, but will not be able to spend any money received by corporations, according to a statement by the State Senate Majority.

We want our elections to reflect the voices and values of the people of Hawaiʻi," Green said in a statement. "This measure is intended to strengthen transparency and accountability in our campaign system and support fair elections. I thank the Hawai‘i State Legislature for its partnership and continued commitment to maintaining public trust in our democratic process.”

Throughout the legislative session, the Office of the Attorney General warned that the bill will be seen as an attempt to undermine the Citizens United verdict and will likely be susceptible to potentially costly legal challenges. 

[{"type":"text","text":"The law takes effect July 1 of next year."},{"type":"hardBreak","text":""}]

Hawaiʻi State Capitol

<title>Green signs anti-corporate spending bill</title>

Senate Bill 2471, now Act 11, aims to limit corporate influence on Hawai‘i's elections

Green signs anti-corporate spending bill

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

A home high above Honolulu on the Tantalus ridgeline —  designed by and built for a local architect — has hit the market with a $3.9 million asking price.

The 2,798-square-foot house, located on a 1-acre rim lot at 228 Forest Ridge Way, was designed by and built as the personal home of architect Darrell "Buck" Welch Jr., co-founder of 

The home, which was finished in 2023, is listed by Hawai‘i Life's Noel Pietsch Shaw.

"Every once in a while in our careers, we get these dream projects that you get to work on, and I'm so honored to represent the family on this special home, especially because new construction ... is so rare," Shaw told Aloha State Daily.

Such homes are typically built for people's personal use, "and we don't get to see them on the open market," she continued.

"When you get new construction, everything's new," Shaw says. "It's all new, it's very in-style. It's working great and it's designed for modern times."

The top of Tantalus was a sought-after location for homes in the 1950s, "which is why the 

 is there, the Pauling House is there and [noted architect Vladimir] Ossipoff sought it for many of his sites," she told ASD.

[{"type":"text","text":"Shaw says the home is both modern and timeless."}]

The three-level house has three bedrooms, three full- and one half-baths, and offers panoramic views of Diamond Head, the Ko‘olau Mountains, Honolulu and the Wai‘anae Range, according to information provided by a representative of Hawai‘i Life.

According to the provided information, the home is designed to follow the "natural slope of the land, prioritizing connection to the landscape, passive cooling through trade winds, and natural light via clerestory glazing."

Additionally, dining and living areas of the main living level are connected by polished concrete floors, vaulted wood-paneled ceilings, a volcanic basalt fire place and access to covered outdoor areas, the information notes. Meanwhile, a sculptural staircase "integrates gallery niches, a window seat, and a reading nook;" the home operates with photovoltaic power and battery storage, water catchment, and septic; and the property borders conservation land.

Shaw says the home has two bedrooms on the first floor, which can allow single-level living for those aging in place, while the third bedroom is large and "almost serves as a second living room." An office on the third floor is tree level.

Shaw says, too, that there are koa trees and ginger in the yard, as well as "lots of room for planting, if someone wanted to have a garden or expand the flowers." The property also has a "flat, very usable yard."

When asked about the ideal buyer, Shaw said the top buyers for a neighborhood like this are those "whose heart has memories or nostalgia for being up on the ridge. That could be someone that's currently in the Islands or that could be someone that has been off the Islands with a yearning to come back home."

228 Forest Ridge Way 30

<title>For sale: Tantalus home made for an architect</title>

The 2,798-square-foot house is located on a 1-acre rim lot at 228 Forest Ridge Way.

For sale: Tantalus home made for an architect

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 is returning in June. The festival features a selection of authentic Italian and Italian-American restaurants and chefs from both Italy and Hawaiʻi.

The festival spans two days. The Passaporto Italiano VIP food and wine experience is 

on Friday, June 5, at Velocity Honolulu. Meanwhile, the 2026 street festival will be 

 Saturday, June 6, at Mother Waldron Park in Kakaʻako.

The Passaporto Italiano VIP experience is a ticketed event for individuals ages 21 years and older. It includes food and dessert dishes from Hawaiʻi’s top-tier Italian chefs and restaurants; attendees can also enjoy unlimited Italian wines, beers and craft Italian cocktails. VIP guests can sip on the curated selection of beverages while enjoying the beauty of Italian exotic vehicles from Maserati, Ferrari and Lamborghini.  

Featured restaurants — and dishes — at the Passaporto Italiano VIP experience include:

: Seared ‘ahi with Mediterranean essence

: Panna cotta with berry gelato and Amalfi lemon sorbetto

: Mountain View Farms pork stew; affogato

: Handmade potato gnocchi ai quattro formaggi with honey and Hawaiian macadamia nuts 

Tickets for the Passaporto Italiano VIP experience are available in tiers:

The street festival on June 6 is free to the public. Attendees will be able to walk around the Kakaʻako district and enjoy a variety of food vendors and live entertainment. Individuals can look forward to a wine and beer garden, offering a selection of Italian beers, wines and traditional spirits for purchase; street performers of European and Italian variety; an Italian-inspired film showcase hosted by the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival, and a special Galileo-themed stargazing experience with Stargazers of Hawaiʻi. Two large telescopes will be available for safe solar viewing during daylight and night-sky viewing once it’s dark.

 is a brand-new experience this year. Street festival VIP tickets cost $40 each, and include an aperol spritz, slice of specialty Festa Italiana pizza by Mad Pie, one cannoli from Mad Pie, access to ample seating in an exclusive area, and special bar offerings. 

Street festival attendees can also enjoy performances by Ballet Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre, Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony, The Royal Hawaiian Band and more. The performances will celebrate both, Italian and local culture.

Featured street festival vendors include Allegrini Mozzarella, Aloha Pizzeria, 

, Arancino Ristorante Italiano, Aroma Italia, Bambino’s, Cialoha Italian Sodas, Diamond Head Drip, Fig & Ginger Honolulu, Forno Romano, Il Gelato Hawaiʻi,

 Roti-si, Sage Creamery, Zucchi Pizza and more.

There will be a dedicated keiki area within Mother Waldron Park, offering a welcoming space for families to gather and enjoy the festival together. The zone will feature kid-friendly activities and games. The festival will provide a free keiki food dish from The Old Spaghetti Factory for the first 200 children (ages 10 years and under). Hawaiʻi Literacy Bookmobile will also be at this year’s street festival; families are encouraged to enjoy literacy-related activities and explore books.

Parking with validation ($6) will be available at Waterfront Plaza; attendees must stop by the Festa Italiana info booth for a validation sticker.  

Festa Italiana Arancino VIP 051426

<title>Festa Italiana 2026 is coming this June</title>

The ticketed Passaporto Italiano VIP experience is June 5, while the street festival — which is free to attend — is June 6. The festival highlights a selection of authentic Italian and Italian-American restaurants and chefs from both Italy and Hawaiʻi.

Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 15, 2026

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Daily Smile: Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Authors

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