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[{"type":"text","text":"On today's episode of \"Fat and Jobless\" ..."}]

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<title>Daily Smile: Saturday, April 18, 2026</title>

On today's episode of "Fat and Jobless" ...

Daily Smile: Saturday, April 18, 2026

 On today&#039;s episode of &quot;Fat and Jobless&quot; ...

WEB square crop Hayley Lehman Headshot RGZ1636

Haley Lehman

Government & Politics

The City and County of Honolulu collects thousands of abandoned shopping carts across the island per year. The Honolulu City Council is considering a bill that would make it illegal to remove and possess a shopping cart outside of the business that owns it.

 would make it illegal for a person to possess or use a shopping cart outside of the business premises that the shopping cart belongs to. People who are found with shopping carts would be fined up to $2,000 and could be imprisoned for up to a month, and they would forfeit the shopping cart to the city.

In a statement accompanying the bill, Waters said that the possession and abandonment of shopping carts threatens the public’s health, safety and welfare.

The City and County of Honolulu Department of Facilities Maintenance collected 3,535 shopping carts in 2024 and 2,608 shopping carts in 2025, according to a DFM spokesperson. Most of the carts collected are typically not in usable condition, they said.

Waters wrote that shopping carts on sidewalks, in parks and at bus stops create unsafe conditions for the public, and shopping carts that obstruct waterways can lead to overflow.

“The city must be able to ensure the safety of members of the public when they are using sidewalks, roads and streets, bus stops, parks, waterways, and other public spaces and ensure the public’s ability to use these accommodations freely,” Waters stated.

The bill has not been scheduled for public hearing or a committee meeting yet.

Shopping carts cost from $500 to $650 and up to $1,000 each depending on where they are manufactured, shipping costs, the volume purchased, the type, size and construction, and if they have anti-theft locking devices, according to Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi Interim President and CEO Dave Erdman.

“All of this increases the cost of our goods purchased at a retailer because the loss of these carts, being stolen, it adds to cost of a retailer’s business and adds to the prices we pay in a store,” Erdman said.

The bill garnered support from Honolulu Police Department, which said the bill will disincentivize people from stealing shopping carts and improve the beauty and safety of Oʻahu.

Honolulu Police Department Major Paul Okamoto of Waikīkī wrote to the council that abandoned shopping carts in public spaces are a sign of “urban blight” and “deterioration” in Hawaiʻi.

“Removing these carts from private property onto public property, exerting unauthorized control over the cart, appropriating it for your own use, and retaining it to deprive its owner of its use is theft,” Okamoto wrote. “This theft continues to occur because there is no consequence for taking or being in unlawful possession of them.”

In an email to ASD, Okamoto wrote that theft cases involving shopping carts produce certain challenges that make enforcement impractical — sometimes a store representative cannot be found in a reasonable amount of time that can provide a statement or identifying marks on the cart have been removed or damaged — so HPD is “exploring a legislative solution to more effectively deter the theft and unauthorized use of shopping carts.”

Trevor Abarzua, president and CEO of the Waikīkī Improvement Association, wrote in a letter to the council that shopping carts left in pedestrian-oriented districts like Waikīkī prevent the public from safety using an area and create hazards. 

He stated that the bill “will provide the City with an important tool to address a longstanding problem, protect pedestrian access, support local businesses, reduce environmental hazards, and preserve the safety and usability of our public spaces.”

Lauren Zirbel, executive director of the Hawaiʻi Food Industry Association, wrote that the cost of replacing stolen shopping carts increase the cost of doing business in Hawaiʻi when retailers and customers are already dealing with high operation and food costs.

Waters wrote in an email to ASD on Thursday, “At a time when families are already struggling to afford everyday necessities like eggs, milk, and other groceries, Bill 53 is a commonsense step toward reducing avoidable cost increases, while helping keep neighborhoods across O‘ahu safe and accessible.”

Honolulu City Council, state Legislature considered alternative options

Former Councilmember Calvin Say introduced a 

in August 2023 that would ban people from using or leaving shopping carts on public property and would create a fine of $500 or imprisonment for up to a month. The bill was sent to two committees but never got a public hearing.

The Hawaiʻi Legislature attempted to address the same concerns in January through 

, but the bill received opposition and did not move forward. HB1636 proposed that businesses mark each shopping cart with identifying information and would have authorized counties to return a shopping cart to a business in exchange for a $500 fine.

RMH opposed House Bill 1636. “House Bill 1636 proposed holding the retail businesses accountable for abandoned shopping carts by allowing counties to impound them and assess fees or fines of $500 or more. Bill 53 recognizes that the shopping cart is stolen, and not abandoned by the retailer,” Erdman said.

The City and County of Honolulu isn’t the first municipality to consider fining people who take shopping carts off a business’s property. Ogden, Utah made it a 

 or a $50 fine if a person removes and is in possession of a shopping cart removed from a shopping area. People in Federal Way, Washington who push or use a shopping cart in a public right-of-way are fined $50. Arizona made it illegal to possess a shopping car away from a retailer’s premises, and Phoenix, Arizona ordered retailers to use locking wheel systems and charges $25 to $50 to return abandoned shopping carts.

Critics say the bill penalizes homelessness

 Critics wrote that the bill would disproportionately impact Oʻahu’s homeless residents. Jonathan Huynh, an Oʻahu resident, wrote that the bill is a “grossly disproportionate and inhumane” approach to addressing the issue of shopping carts.

“This ordinance targets those who have no home, who use a simple cart to carry what little they own,” Huynh wrote. “It is a legislative weapon against the poor, disguised as a public safety measure.”

Mandy Fernandes, policy director of ACLU of Hawaiʻi, told ASD that bill 53 is “is unnecessary, cruel, and singles out one type of property for special enforcement and resources.”

Fernandes said that the fine is nearly 10 times a cart’s value and jailing a person costs taxpayers $300 per person, per day, making it a disproportionate response to something that is already illegal.

“Jailing someone for possession of a shopping cart has nothing to do with public safety,” Fernandes said. “I understand retailers’ frustration, but this proposal criminalizes the conditions of being poor while doing nothing to address what leads someone to take a cart in the first place. Those same resources could go to supportive housing and health services, a cheaper, and far more effective, response to the actual problem. “

Shopping cart

<title>Shopping carts could be banned if removed from commercial stores</title>

Shopping carts could be banned if removed from commercial stores

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Business & Tourism

Fun fact: Selling homemade cinnamon rolls was not 

While the business is currently known for its warm, fluffy rolls, Jasmine “Jaz” Milam, who co-owns Hele Rolls with Brittany “Kawai” Lopez, remembers she started out with doughnuts.

“It was doughnuts to begin with; I’m no good at doughnuts and I already knew that, but I think she (Lopez) really likes doughnuts,” Milam says. “After a couple weeks, I was like, doughnuts are not working.”

Milam, who always loved baking, remembers making homemade cinnamon rolls regularly when she was deployed.

“I was making homemade cinnamon rolls every Sunday to share with my fellow service members,” she says. “It became a tradition that brought everyone together, and seeing how something as simple as a warm cinnamon roll could create that sense of comfort and connection has always stayed with me.”

Milam suggested featuring cinnamon rolls for Hele Rolls’ main product and, long story short, they quickly became a hit.

“Cinnamon rolls felt like the perfect fit,” she says. “They’re nostalgic, comforting, and have a way of bringing people together, which is exactly what we hope every customer experiences when they enjoy one of our rolls.”

Hele Rolls officially launched last June, shortly after Milam’s father died. The business was created as a way to honor his legacy and the values he believed in, especially the idea of food having the power to bring people together.

The business’s name pays tribute to Hele Nui, the food truck Milam’s father previously operated.

“Everyone says it (the business name) should be Jaz’s cinnamon rolls, and I didn’t want my name on it,” Milam says. “All of a sudden, it came to me — his food truck’s name was Hele Nui, so what about Hele Rolls? It’s using his name, but kind of paving my own path, carrying his legacy forward.

“Now, I tell everybody, this started off as a side hustle, but it’s turned into so much more,” she adds. “I have a legacy that I’m trying to continue with my dad. It’s more than just making cinnamon rolls for some extra cash; it’s making him, my family and my community proud.”

The family-operated business accepts pre-orders and pops up at various events across O

ahu, such as the Taste of Aloha Night Market at NEX and What the Truck?! in Waikele. The business’s first What the Truck?! market was recent, and Hele Rolls sold out of its cinnamon rolls in 45 minutes, according to Milam.

“I had about 220 to 240 rolls at What the Truck?!,” she says. “Taste of Aloha was the most I’ve done at a market; it was a little more than 300.”

All cinnamon rolls are handmade in small batches, according to Milam, who says the business focuses on creating that soft, fluffy texture and homemade frostings.

While the business’s original cinnamon roll continues to be a bestseller, it also offers specialty flavors which change every month, according to Milam. Previous specialty flavors include strawberry shortcake, chocolate haupia, ube and Oreo. In July, the business featured Oreo and lemon blueberry cinnamon rolls.

“We love keeping our menu fresh with rotating flavors inspired by Hawai

i, classic desserts and seasonal favorites,” Milam says. “One of our favorite things is challenging people’s expectations of what a cinnamon roll can be. They can be familiar, nostalgic and comforting — or completely unexpected.

“Lemon blueberry had our housemade blueberry compote, our icing, homemade whipped cream, fresh blueberries, lemon zest and blueberry shortcake, which is like cookies with freeze-dried blueberries,” she adds. “The Oreo one was like a cookies and cream. Our menu rotates regularly, so there’s always something new to discover. We put a lot of heart into everything we make.”

At markets, customers can buy individual cinnamon rolls or get sample packs, which include two original rolls and two specialty flavors. If customers pre-order, only packs are available. At markets, original cinnamon rolls cost $6 each; specialty flavors cost $8 each.

When asked about her favorite cinnamon roll flavors, Milam says she likes her kūlolo one — “I still need to perfect it a little bit more” — and also recommends the haupia flavor, which features original icing, toasted macadamia nuts and coconut shavings. 

Besides pop-up events and accepting pre-orders, the biz also offers catering for private parties, corporate events and celebrations. Customers can opt for the full-sized cinnamon rolls or the business’s Cinni-Maninis, or bite-sized cinnamon rolls.

Hele Rolls wasn’t even a year old when the biz was asked to participate in Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race.”

“One day, we were making cinnamon rolls; I was in the kitchen, and Kawai yelled my name,” Milam remembers. “It wasn’t a panic yell; it was more of an excited yell. I came to her, and she said, ‘Look at this.’ It was a casting agent who reached out to us through Instagram. Obviously, like everyone else, we thought it was Spam.”

“We thought it was Spam for sure, but we were like, ‘Who knows, let’s just take a chance,’” Lopez says.

Hele Rolls responded to the message, the agent got back to them, and from there, “it just snowballed,” according to Milam.

That was earlier this spring; Hele Rolls left to compete on “The Great Food Truck Race” in April. Hosted by Tyler Florence, this season follows eight food truck teams from across the country, as they travel through the Great Smoky Mountains. The winning team gets a $50,000 grand prize. Previous show episodes can be viewed on HBO Max.

Keeping the competition a secret was a huge challenge, especially since Hele Rolls has regular customers.

“We couldn’t tell anyone,” Milam says. “On Instagram, we said, ‘This is our last pick-up and preorder until further notice;’ we didn’t know how long we were going to be there. Our regular customers were like, ‘What are you doing? Are you done?’ It was crazy to see all of that play out.”

The current season of “The Great Food Truck Race” premiered on July 26. The teams started in Nashville, according to Milam, who still remembers the first day of filming.

“We were so starstruck because we knew what we were doing there; everybody was looking at us,” she says. “It was insane; I will never forget that feeling.”

Hele Rolls usually pops up in tents at events; the business currently doesn’t operate out of a food truck, though that’s a future goal. Creating new friendships with other cast members and competing teams was one of the highlights of being on the show, according to Lopez.

“Though it was a competition, at the end of the day, we respected one another and cherished that experience as a whole,” she says. “We got a lot of different advice from everybody, their companies and their brands. A lot of them were more experienced in business; we’re freshly new in business. It was a lot to soak in, and also a chance for us to really be OK with being ourselves.”

[{"type":"text","text":"For Milam, being on the show instilled a newfound sense of confidence."}]

“This show has given me the ability to see the worth in ourselves,” she says. “All these people believed in me and believed in us. Being selected to compete on Season 19 of Food Network’s 

has been an unforgettable experience and an incredible opportunity to represent Hawai

“We continue to stay humble, but we’re so proud at the same time,” Lopez adds. “I think the best thing to do is to take a chance on yourself. You never know what can come out of any experience.”

As the business heads into its second year of operation, Milam and Lopez are focused on new goals for Hele Rolls. Milam — now running Hele Rolls full-time — says they would eventually love to own their own food truck and have a storefront.

“We’ve done so much in year one that we never thought was even possible,” Milam says. “We’ve been so blessed in one year — all these things that happened to us.”

She remembers when one of her first goals — in the business’s early days — was just to “have a line.”

“That’s all we wanted — two to three people,” she laughs. “A line means people are willing to sacrifice their time to stand in line for us and for our product. Having a storefront would be (amazing) because I know I can pump out more for them and it would be better quality; that’s always the goal.”

Being involved with the community is also important to the Hele Rolls team, who is always looking for ways they can support Hawai

“We want to be known not just for cinnamon rolls; we want to be known as a business that’s supporting our community,” Milam says. “If somebody needs something, I want Hele Rolls to be in the front of people’s minds. It’s literally about family, food and community.”

No matter what the future holds, staying true to themselves and maintaining the brand’s mission is essential, according to Milam.

“Beyond the cinnamon rolls themselves, I think what truly makes Hele Rolls unique is the experience,” she says. “From the very beginning, we’ve wanted every customer to feel like they’re part of our ‘ohana. That sense of connection is just as important to us as the product we serve.”

“We’re incredibly grateful for the support our community has shown us over the past year,” Milam adds. “As a women-owned, LGBTQ+-owned and family-powered business, it means so much to see people embrace not only our cinnamon rolls, but also the story and values behind Hele Rolls. We wouldn’t be here without our amazing ‘ohana and community, and we can’t wait to share what’s next.”

For updates and information, follow the biz on 

Hele Rolls The Great Food Truck Race credit Food Network 080526

<title>Oʻahu-based family business is 'on a roll'</title>

Hele Rolls, known for its homemade cinnamon rolls, started its business last June. The biz regularly pops up at events across Oʻahu and accepts pre-orders. Hele Rolls is also competing on the new season of Food Network’s "The Great Food Truck Race," which premiered on July 26.

Oʻahu-based family business is 'on a roll'

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Red Lobster, the restaurant chain known for its seafood and cheddar biscuits, has closed its doors in Hawai‘i.

The chain's only location in the state, found at 1765 Ala Moana Blvd. in Waikīkī, permanently closed on June 21, a corporate spokesperson confirmed to Aloha State Daily. 

"As part of our normal course of business, Red Lobster continuously evaluates individual restaurant performance and lease terms and may, from time to time, choose to close select restaurants," the spokesperson said in an email. "This closure reflected specific decisions tied to the unique operating conditions at this restaurant. We remain committed to making thoughtful decisions that position Red Lobster for long-term success, stability and growth. Honolulu has been a meaningful part of our story, and we truly appreciate the guests and team members who have made this restaurant special over the years."

 shows a sign on the restaurant's door that notes its closure and thanks customers for "32 years of memories."

The Orlando-based company got its start in 1968 when Bill Darden opened the first Red Lobster in Lakeland, Florida, according to a 

Red Lobster filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2024, days after after closing dozens of restaurants, the 

It exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection months later, when a U.S. bankruptcy judge approved a reorganization plan "which included a lender group led by asset manager Fortress Investment Group acquiring the business," AP 

Daily Smile: Saturday, April 18, 2026

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Daily Smile: Saturday, April 18, 2026

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