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Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Jessica Doney at Mākaha Valley. "A low‑sitting rainbow stretching across the valley after the rain."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

IMG 1797 Afterlight

<title>Hawaiʻi Skies: Sitting low</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Jessica Doney at Mākaha Valley.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Sitting low

Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by Jessica Doney at Mākaha Valley. &quot;A low‑sitting rainbow stretching across the valley after the rain.&quot; To submit your Hawai&#039;i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Business & Tourism

Over the years, Joanne Young — founder of 

 — has made more than 2,500 pounds of toffee. What started as a childhood tradition in Honolulu grew into a passion and, eventually, a Hawai

“I grew up in Honolulu and learned to make toffee as a young girl,” Young says. “After spending years perfecting my recipes and returning home to Hawaiʻi, I turned that passion into a business.”

In 2024, Young officially launched the business, featuring both macadamia toffee and almond toffee. The almond toffee currently comes in three flavors — Blessing, the business’s original 40-year-old family recipe; Honey, which is almond toffee with pure Hawaiian honey and topped with milk chocolate; and Love, which is almond toffee with rich Hawaiian coffee, topped with dark chocolate.

The macadamia toffee comes in two flavors — Miracle, which features macadamia nut toffee paired with milk or dark chocolate, and Hope, which is macadamia nut toffee paired with milk or dark chocolate, and sprinkled with Alaea Hawaiian sea salt.

“Miracle (macadamia nut toffee with milk chocolate) is the most popular, followed closely by Hope (macadamia nut toffee with dark chocolate),” Young says. “What makes Almond Tree special is that our toffee is more than a product — it carries a story. Our recipes are handmade with care and inspired by the flavors of Hawaiʻi. Through our toffee, we hope to share the values of family, gratitude, healing and aloha.”

 this year. Young is looking forward to not only sharing her product, but also more about her business’s story.

“I wanted to participate in Made in Hawaiʻi because this is where my story began,” Young says. “Made in Hawaiʻi gives me the opportunity to share not only a product made in Hawaii, but also a story rooted in family, tradition, healing and aloha. I want people to taste the quality of our toffee, but also understand the heart and history behind every batch.”

The biz will be debuting a brand-new exclusive product at this year’s festival. Almond Tree has teamed up with Diamond Bakery Hawaiʻi to bring a new flavor — graham cracker matcha toffee. The new product, which features Almond Tree’s matcha toffee layered on Diamond Bakery’s graham cracker crust, will be available in limited quantities.

“The almond tree symbolizes my journey — deeply rooted in family, nurtured through life’s seasons, and grown into something meant to be shared,” Young adds. “The Almond Tree is more than toffee. It is a story of healing, tradition, gratitude and love, one sweet batch at a time.”

Almond Tree’s products can be found at ChefZone, Diamond Bakery Hawaiʻi, Dean & Deluca Hawaiʻi and The Kāhala Hotel & Resort.

The business also pops up at events across Oʻahu; follow the biz on 

Almond Tree toffee 081726

<title>Almond Tree is ‘meant to be shared’</title>

The first-time Made in Hawaiʻi Festival vendor hopes to share its values of family, gratitude and aloha through its toffee, according to business founder Joanne Young. Almond Tree will also be debuting a new exclusive product — graham cracker matcha toffee — at this year’s festival.

Almond Tree is ‘meant to be shared’

WEB square crop Hayley Lehman Headshot RGZ1636

Haley Lehman

Crime & Courts

Government & Politics

Seven environmental groups filed a lawsuit against Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on July 30, alleging that the new Critical Habitat Exclusion Rule prioritizes economic development over environmental protections.

The President Donald Trump administration redefined what constitutes “harm” to endangered species and habitats so now officials will analyze economic and national security impacts when deciding if a habitat is crucial to species’ survival. The 

 requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to consider excluding an area if a party provides “credible information” on the impact of a critical habitat designation, and the service is authorized to exclude areas from critical habitat if the benefits of exclusion outweigh the benefits of designating it a critical habitat. The change would allow for development on critical wildlife habitat if the animals are not immediately killed or injured.

Attorneys Barclay Samford, Brian Segee, Elizabeth B. Forsyth, Honolulu-based Harley M. Broyles, Bristen L. Boyles and Maxx Elizabeth Phillips filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi, Defenders of Wildlife, National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, Wildearth Guardians and Save the Manatee Club.

The plaintiffs asked the court to vacate the new rule and restore critical habitat exclusions that were previously in place, writing that designating critical habitat is critical to the Endangered Species Act’s goal to recover endangered and threatened species and that the rule violates the National Environmental Protection Act.

The Department of the Interior has until Sept. 28 to respond to the lawsuit. The U.S. Department of the Interior told Aloha State Daily by email on Aug. 6, “The Department stands by the rule. The rule faithfully implements the Endangered Species Act as written by Congress.”

Harley Broyles with Earth Justice Mid-Pacific office said that the rule takes away the agency’s discretion when it comes to protecting endangered or threatened species.

“The rule has been changed to favor development interests over the protection of to be listed as endangered and threatened species, and we all know that a big part of what preserves species that habitat protection is vital. Species thrive when they have their natural habitat,” she said.

According to the lawsuit, the regulation change “unlawfully provides industry special interests with an effective veto over important agency decisions to protect essential habitat for imperiled species of wildlife.”

Broyles said that the organizations and nonprofits have an interest in protecting species that can’t advocate for themselves.

Hawaiʻi makes up .29% of the nation’s land mass and is home to 

“The future for our native species is under threat and in 

that’s going to have a lot of repercussions,” she said.

The plaintiffs want to protect imperiled species, biodiversity and species’ connection with people who are of the land, Broyles said. The lawsuit tied the interests to members across the country who are concerned about manatees in Florida, the ʻiʻiwi bird and honu in Hawaiʻi, the monarch butterfly and western bumble bee in Montana and the jumping mouse in New Mexico. 

The lawsuit points to a Hawaiian living on Kauaʻi, who was raised with the ʻiʻiwi as a symbol of the living native forest, her ancestral connection to the ʻāina and her respect for honu, which is regarded as an ʻaumakua, an ancestral guardian spirit.

ʻIʻiwi bird

<title>Environmental groups file lawsuit against Interior Secretary, U.S. Fish and Wildlife…</title>

Seven environmental groups filed a lawsuit against Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service alleging that the new Critical Habitat Exclusion Rule prioritizes economic development over environmental protections. The Interior Department wrote that they stand by the regulation.

Environmental groups file lawsuit against Interior Secretary, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

An oceanfront estate on Maui, comprised of two adjacent residences sitting on two parcels that total a little more than 1.2 acres, has hit the market with a $45 million asking price. 

Located at 4640 and 4650 Makena Road in Kīhei, the estate has eight bedrooms, 7.5 baths and spans just over 7,500 square feet, according to 

. Information provided to Aloha State Daily noted that the properties are offered fully furnished with central air conditioning, a security system and attached multi-car garages. There also are "expansive" ocean-facing lāna‘is, tropical landscaping, an in-ground heated pool and indoor-outdoor living spaces.

The property is located minutes from Wailea and sits about 40 feet above a white-sand beach, the listing notes, adding that a gated path leads to a secluded stretch of sand known as "Secret Beach."

"Opportunities of this magnitude — two contiguous oceanfront parcels with elevation, privacy and direct beach access — are extraordinarily limited," the listing states. "Offered together, this is a chance to secure a one-of-one compound in a supply-constrained market where replacement is simply not possible."

The property is listed by Hawai‘i Life's 

, who told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions that "very rarely" does a listing listing like this hit the market.

"In my 45 years of real estate along the South Maui coastline, I have not encountered another listing as unique as this one," he says. "The two contiguous oceanfront lots, which front perhaps the best white sand beach in all of Maui, offer stunning views. The fully usable lots ensure security among the lush tropical grounds, making this property exceptional. Replicating this setting today would be extraordinarily difficult given the scarcity of comparable land and increasingly complex state and county regulations surrounding new oceanfront construction."

But what makes the property unique is the history and evolution of the estate, Richardson told ASD.

"The original home was built in 1990 by San Francisco venture capitalist Pierre Lamond, who used exceptional materials for its time, including black glazed roof tiles, copper downspouts integrated into the walls, cedar eaves and stucco walls with extensive glass windows and doors to capture the ocean views," he says. "In 2000, Lamond purchased the neighboring property for $10 [million] and thoughtfully remodeled it to complement his original home, using the same materials and creating what is now a cohesive estate."

Lamond and his wife sold the property for $42 million in 2021, according to a 

Today, Richardson said the two properties encompass 1.26 acres and 200 linear feet of ocean frontage, with both lots elevated about 35 feet above the beach.

"The estate combines privacy, security, mature tropical landscaping, direct beach access and extraordinary views," he says. "It is the combination of these elements, particularly the two contiguous oceanfront lots and their elevation above the coastline, that makes the property impossible to replicate."

Richardson says it's hard to choose a single favorite feature of the property, but the lāna‘i on the second residence is a fave.

"It wraps around the whole front of the home and cantilevers over the lava rock cliff; the views are stunning, and you would not be able to replicate its location due to today’s setback laws," he told ASD. 

According to Richardson, views from the upper-level primary suite of the original home stretch from Makena to Lahaina, and the elevation gives you "a soaring perspective over the coastline."

"I also love the sense of arrival and discovery throughout the property," he says. "Behind the gated entry, you have beautifully maintained, tropical grounds, two residences that share a cohesive architectural language and a 640-square-foot pool. Every time I enter the property, there is still a sense of wonder because of how much it offers while remaining remarkably private."

4640 4650 Makena Road13

<title>Maui oceanfront estate is on the market for $45M</title>

The offering includes two adjacent oceanfront residences that span more than 7,500 square feet of living space on a little more than 1.2 acres.

Maui oceanfront estate is on the market for $45M

 just opened today in Waimalu Shopping Center. This is the business’s third and newest location. It features a full-service, sit-down dine-in experience, along with a takeout window. 

The biz is celebrating its grand opening tomorrow, Aug. 15, with a lion dance at 11:30 a.m.

Customers can expect a variety of manapua, along with dim sum, peking duck and plate lunches; this location features an expanded menu.

The business’s Hong Kong-style dim sum selection was crafted in partnership with its sister restaurant, Mei Sum Dim Sum. The dim sum menu comprises spring rolls ($4.95), potstickers ($6.35), shrimp pork hash ($6.35), half moon dumplings ($6.35), shrimp dumplings ($6.35) and more.

[{"type":"text","text":"The business’s classic char siu manapua is a bestseller."}]

Besides manapua and dim sum, customers can choose from a variety of local-style plate lunches. Entrees include ginger fried chicken, kalbi ribs, garlic butter shrimp, hamburger steak and more. Seafood and steak combo plates are also available. 

Island Manapua is re-branding its other two locations in Mānoa and Waipahu as Aloha Manapua.

“Over the years, we’ve grown from being a neighborhood manapua counter into a gathering place for families, friends and our community,” states Christy Tong, owner of Aloha Manapua. “Rebranding as Aloha Manapua celebrates our local roots, our commitment to serving our community, and the relationships we’ve built with our customers. While our name is changing, our dedication to the food and service our customers know and love remains the same.”

The ‘Aiea store will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. For the rest of August, customers can take advantage of a 10% discount.

Aloha Manapua shrimp dim sum 081426

<title>Aloha Manapua is open in Waimalu Shopping Center</title>

This is the business’s third and newest location; it’s celebrating its grand opening Aug. 15. Customers can enjoy its signature manapua, along with dim sum and plate lunches. The business is featuring a 10% discount for the rest of the month.

Aloha Manapua is open in Waimalu Shopping Center

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke has been indicted for bribery by a O‘ahu grand jury.

Luke’s bail was set at $80,000 Friday after being charged with bribery, conspiracy to commit bribery and falsifying her campaign spending report.

Four others were also indicted Friday in connection with the State Attorney General’s investigation into a purported paper bag full of $35,000 paid to an unknown, but “influential,” lawmaker referenced during a 2022 federal bribery investigation.

Those others included former State Rep. Ryan Yamane, lobbyist Tobi Solidum, former chair of the state Public Utilities Commission Leodoloff Asuncion Jr., and Ford Fuchigami, airports administrator for the state Department of Transportation.

According to the indictment, during Luke’s 2022 campaign for lieutenant governor, Solidum was seeking additional state money for Covid community testing centers. The indictment cites a conversation between Solidum and Ty Cullen — the former Hawai‘i Rep. who, at the time, had turned informant for the FBI — where Solidum was worried that the state DOH would cut funding for Covid testing centers soon.

During the conversation, Solidum reportedly told Cullen Luke was running for the lieutenant governor position, adding: “All I gotta do is give her more money.”

Solidum, Cullen and Luke all reportedly met on Jan. 20, 2022 at Morton’s The Steakhouse in Ala Moana, where Solidum’s stepdaughter Kristen Pae placed an envelope on the table containing two $5,000 checks, one from Solidum and one from Pae. Luke reportedly took the envelope.

Solidum then told Luke, “By next week we’ll have 35, so it will be halfway to our 70.”

Later during that meeting, Solidum asked Luke about the possibility of drawing upon federal funds to continue Covid testing, to which Luke agreed to follow up.

The two $5,000 checks were subsequently deposited into the Friends of Sylvia Luke bank account, the same day Luke arranged for a meeting to discuss emergency appropriations for additional Covid community testing. In February, Luke’s Finance Committee, which she chaired, passed 

, a bill approving more than $170 million in state funds for Covid mitigation measures for the next two fiscal years.

The indictment does not specifically mention an exact $35,000 transaction, let alone a paper bag, although the the transaction in Morton’s strongly resembles an event Luke described in February: she admitted accepting two $5,000 checks in a dinner involving Cullen, although she also claimed she never cashed the checks.

Asuncion’s presence in the indictment entirely stems from his role as Luke’s campaign treasurer, wherein he allegedly knowingly failed to disclose the donations by Solidum and Pae, and also his subsequent claims in March that the checks had been returned to those donors unspent. Asuncion reportedly claimed that those checks had never been deposited into the Friends of Sylvia Luke bank account, and therefore believed he didn’t need to report them.

Despite this, Deputy Attorney General David Van Acker said Friday that he believes Yamane to be the “most culpable” of the five named in the indictment.

According to the indictment, Solidum had sent money to Yamane in 2020 and 2021, and later asked about the status of health care measure 

, which failed to move forward through conference committees that year. Yamane texted Solidum “Sorry couldn’t deliver it.”

Solidum and Yamane continued to meet throughout 2021 and 2022, with Solidum repeatedly giving Yamane money. Solidum reportedly “texted Yamane in an effort to get a rival Covid testing company fined,” which Yamane assisted by forwarding Solidum’s claims about said company to the state Department of Health.

In early 2022, Yamane, Solidum and Fuchigami met frequently to discuss HB 2392. At one point, the text conversation between Yamane and Solidum turned to the federal charges against Cullen, leading Yamane to text Solidum “Might not be good to been [sic] seen with me.”

At the end of the 2022 legislative session, Yamane spoke effusively in support of HB 2392, and specifically named Luke in his thanks for getting the measure passed.

Fuchigami, for his part, received a $7,000 check from Solidum in Jan. 2022. Fuchigami, who worked for the Senate Ways and Means Committee at the time, was party to subsequent conversations with Solidum and Yamane regarding HB 2392.

Yamane was indicted for bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery; Solidum for three counts of bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery; Fuchigami with use of false statements, conspiracy to commit bribery and obstruction of justice; and Asuncion with falsifying candidate committee reports, use of false statements and obstruction of justice.

“For years, people in Hawai‘i have wondered: ‘why can’t we investigate and prosecute our own public officials for corruption?’” Attorney General Anne Lopez said at a briefing Friday. “This is the reason why the Legislature created the Special Investigation and Prosecution Division [within the AG’s office] … We have a commitment to following the facts to where they lead, no matter how long it takes to get there.”

Nonetheless, Van Acker emphasized that Luke and the others in the indictment are still presumed innocent, and that the statements in the indictment remain only allegations. Van Acker and Lopez did not take questions Friday.

Luke took an indefinite leave of absence from the lieutenant governor position in April, which has continued to this day.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Sitting low

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Authors

ASD Staff

Reporter

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