Square Kady Pascual Headshot RGZ5762

Kady Pascual

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

[{"type":"text","text":"From the ground:"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"From the sky:"}]

Circular rainbow

<title>Hawai‘i Scene on Social meets Hawai‘i Skies</title>

Did you know that rainbows are circular? A rare sighting of a full circular rainbow was spotted in Hawaiʻi — the rainbow state. #ThrowbackThursday

Hawai‘i Scene on Social meets Hawai‘i Skies

From the ground:  Make sure you follow @nikkivibesxx on Instagram!  From the sky:  Make sure you follow @fox5ny on Instagram!

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Veteran hospitality exec Kimberly Agas, the longtime general manger of Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, has a new role at the family-friendly Ko Olina resort.

Agas, who was in the GM position for more than a decade, has been named executive director, a newly created role Aulani says reflects the "continued growth of her leadership and the resort's impact in Hawai‘i."

Born and raised on O‘ahu, Agas, who attended Kamehameha Schools, says she's been working in Hawai‘i's hospitality and visitor industry for more than 35 years, having held leadership roles across resort operations and broader industry involvement.

She joined Aulani in 2011 and had the "opportunity to open the resort, continue to see it grow and really work with this team and the community over the last 15 years," Agas told Aloha State Daily.

has "focused on delivering exceptional guest experiences, supporting local employment by creating meaningful career opportunities for Hawai‘i residents and expanding programs that foster professional growth and mentorship," a recent announcement from the resort notes. "Agas has also championed initiatives that integrate cultural education and environmental responsibility into the guest experience, including conservation and preservation efforts that reflect Aulani’s deep connection to place."

She'll continue to lead resort operations and expand her oversight to include broader strategic initiatives that aim to "

strengthen Aulani Resort’s connections to the local community and hospitality industry," the announcement states.

Agas says she started as a resort manager, grew into the general manager position and now the executive director role. Along with working with organizations like the Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority — she's currently the co-chair of the HTA Advisory Board of Directors and chair of its Branding Committee — Agas told ASD, "it's just been a really great, great opportunity to be in this hospitality industry."

She previously worked with former vice president of operations Elliot Mills, but Agas, who became general manager in 2015, says since his retirement she has been trying to balance the work he did locally as well as her role, "then blending the two, which has been a lot and I've enjoyed it, but it is time now for us to hire a general manager."

Agas says the general manager will continue to focus on day-to-day operations at the resort — and there's plenty going on.

"Besides things [like] the front office and housekeeping, we have recreation, we have entertainment. On the entertainment side, ... we have animal programs, we have a childcare program. We have photography," she says. "There's a lot of different components here at the resort operations that the general manager will continue to take care of. I will continue to stay on with doing some of the community events, helping with some of the organizations that I currently serve on."

For her part, Agas says she'll also continue to manage others areas, like sales and marketing, public affairs and human resources, along with her other community and government affairs work.

And with the resort now 15 years old, Agas says Aulani also is in the planning phase of a large rehab project that will kick off in the future.

"That's also taking a lot of time, and I am helping to head that with my partners, which also includes Walt Disney Imagineering as we think about the rooms, so there's a lot of projects that still continue to go on, so ... we will continue to keep some of the work with the executive director and some of that work will be with the general manager."

As for the new general manager, the announcement says ideal candidates will have at least 10 years of progressive hospitality leadership experience, with a preference of five or more years in Hawai‘i. Learn 

Agas, though, says key qualities would be someone who's "passionate about what we do in hospitality, continuing to be a part of our Hawai‘i destination, where visitors are going to seek us out as some place that is not just to have some fun — more than just the sun-and-surf destination — but really some place that people will come because of our culture, wanting to understand the special place that Hawai‘i is, and we can share our culture, creating those unique experiences."

One of West O‘ahu's largest employers with more than 1,700 employees, or cast members, the 832-room Aulani opened in 2011 and sits on 21 oceanfront acres in Ko Olina. Its Ka Wa‘a 

Lū‘au celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Executive Director Kimberly Agas Courtesy of Aulani a Disney Resort Spa

<title>Kimberly Agas promoted to new leadership role at Aulani</title>

Agas, who has been general manager of the Disney resort in Ko Olina for the past decade, is now executive director, a newly created position.

Kimberly Agas promoted to new leadership role at Aulani

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Crime & Courts

Igor Lytvynchuk, the Washington man charged with throwing a rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, had his first court appearance in Honolulu on Wednesday.

Lytvynchuk, 38, appeared in U.S. District Court to plead "not guilty" to two charges of illegal taking of an endangered marine mammal. Those charges stem from 

 on May 5 when a man — later identified by investigators as Lytvynchuk — was recorded on video hurling a rock at a monk seal on a Maui beach, seemingly only narrowly missing the animal’s head.

As any form of harassment of an endangered seal violates both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, that single rock incurred two charges. Both charges are misdemeanor offenses, carrying a maximum possible sentence of one year in prison each, although Magistrate Judge Rom Trader told Lytvynchuk Wednesday that there is no guarantee, if he is found guilty, that he will face the full maximum sentence.

Lytvynchuk was arrested May 13 near Seattle by special agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Following an initial court appearance in Washington, the case was transferred to the District of Hawai‘i.

Lytvynchuk had little opportunity to speak at Wednesday’s hearing, confirming in one or two words that he understood Trader’s description of the legal process ahead of him. While his “not guilty” plea drew murmurs from the several dozen people in the gallery, he made no statement about his actions during or after the hearing.

However, a lawyer for Lytvynchuk had previously told media that Lytvynchuk had supposedly believed the seal to be a sea lion threatening sea turtles.

Trader ordered Lytvynchuk to be released on an unsecured $25,000 bond with several conditions, including that Lytvynchuk surrender his passport and all travel documents, that he not change addresses without approval from his pretrial officer, and that his travel is restricted to the Western District of Washington — a U.S. court district covering the state west of the Cascade Mountains — and O‘ahu for court purposes only.

Furthermore, when on O‘ahu, Lytvynchuk is prohibited from accessing any beaches or approaching any marine wildlife, Trader said.

“I think that’s an appropriately tailored restriction, given the circumstances,” Trader said.

Failing to comply with these conditions could result in a warrant for Lytvynchuk’s arrest and put him in jail until trial.

Lytvynchuk is also required to be present at future court hearings. However, Trader said he is inclined to waive that requirement for certain minor hearings and allow Lytvynchuk to appear remotely.

For example, the next hearing date is scheduled for June 9, where attorneys for both sides will set a mutually agreeable trial date and other deadlines. Trader agreed with Lytvynchuk’s attorney Sean Fitzsimmons that Lytvynchuk’s physical presence at that hearing will not be necessary.

Screenshot 2026 05 27 at 3 58 24 PM 16x9

<title>Lytvynchuk pleads 'not guilty' in monk seal case</title>

Igor Lytvynchuk will be barred from O‘ahu beaches as his court case over an alleged attack on a Hawaiian monk seal continues.

Lytvynchuk pleads 'not guilty' in monk seal case

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Food & Dining

The Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival is set to return this fall with this theme: traditions and heritage. Last week, the festival announced 11 events, including ones on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui, as part of a launch event held at the Prince Waikīkī.

This year, the festival’s theme reflects on the cultural roots of Hawaiʻi’s culinary and agricultural communities and celebrates local farmers, ranchers, fishers and chefs.

Denise Yamaguchi, the chief executive officer of Hawai‘i Food and Wine Festival and the Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance, is looking forward to the evolution of the Feast Summit. 

The conversations that began during our inaugural Feast Summit last year were so impactful that they led to the creation of Feast: Dish & Dialogue, our podcast series that extended those discussions far beyond the conference itself," she told ASD via email after the May 22 launch event. "Through conversations with chefs, educators, farmers, hospitality leaders and innovators, the podcast reinforced something we deeply believe — that food and culinary belong at the center of the plate when we talk about Hawai‘i’s future."

Proceeds from tickets support culinary education and workforce development, as well as local agriculture and sustainability initiatives. To date, the festival has raised more than $5.2 million for these causes.

Now in its 16th year, the festival originally started with a three-day culinary event co-founded by James Beard Award-winning chefs 

“When Roy and I first started the festival, we wanted to create opportunities for the next generation coming up behind us,” Wong told attendees at the launch event. “One of the most meaningful things we've seen is the impact of the festival on culinary students here in Hawaiʻi. This past year, students had the opportunity to work side-by-side with world-renowned chefs, asking questions, observing technique, helping execute events, and building relationships that can shape the course of their careers. I wish I had that opportunity when I was going to school. What makes the festival special is that students aren't just watching from the sidelines, they're interacting directly with mentors and industry leaders from around the world.”

The festival is a program of the Hawaiʻi Ag & Culinary Alliance, a nonprofit that spotlights Hawaiʻi as a world-class culinary destination and supports the farmers, chefs and students who call Hawaiʻi home.

Here are the upcoming events, listed by island:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hawai‘i Island"}]

Second Annual Cuisines of the Sun Golf Classic

Hosted by Alan Wong; Presented by HPM Design Centers

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Friday, Oct. 16"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Mauna Kea Golf Course "}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Smoked, Shucked & Cured"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Saturday, Oct. 17"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"6 p.m. – 9:00 p.m."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Mauna Kea Beach Hotel"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":" "}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"O‘ahu"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Feast Summit"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Thursday, Nov. 5"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"9 a.m. – 4:45 p.m."}]

Speakers and session topics will be announced in June

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Sheraton Waikīkī Beach Resort"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Culture in AgriCULTURE"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Presented by Kamehameha Schools"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Friday, Nov. 6"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"9 a.m. – 1 p.m."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"24K Magic"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"6 p.m. – 9 p.m."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"‘Alohilani Resort Waikīkī Beach"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Greatest Hits"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Presented by Hawaiian Airlines"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Saturday, Nov. 7"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Kapi‘olani Community College Great Lawn"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Breakfast Club"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Sunday, Nov. 8"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"11 a.m. – 1 p.m."}]

Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Beach Resort and Spa 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"BTS: Beyond the Seoul"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"5 p.m. – 9 p.m."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Halekulani Hotel"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Maui"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Presented by First Hawaiian Bank"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Friday, Oct. 23"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Kāʻanapali Golf Course"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Saturday, Oct. 24"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Sunday, Oct. 25"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows"}]

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival

<title>Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival announces line-up</title>

The festival features renowned chefs across three Islands this year. Learn about the 11 events the festival announced on Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui.

Hawaiʻi Food and Wine Festival announces line-up

Yamachika Tom IMG 1913 Large

Tom Yamachika

Viewpoints

Government & Politics

The legislative bill that we have received the most questions about is 

, the bill that modifies individual tax rates. But the part that has drawn the most questions hasn’t been the tax rates, whether they be pauses, stops, hikes, or whatever else. Rather, everyone is asking about what is going to happen to the renewable energy technologies credit, which we sometimes call the solar credit although it applies to wind and other technologies.

In this week’s column, we will try to explain what changes are being made to the credit and when. The column is based on the bill as it now exists. We understand that the solar industry is extremely unhappy with the bill and is trying to have the Governor veto it (which we think is a tall order because the bill contains tons of material other than changes to the solar credit, and a veto would apply to the whole bill).

The first thing to understand is when the credit is earned. The solar credit isn’t earned when the contract is signed, when the money is paid, or when construction starts.  It’s when the equipment is “installed and placed in service.” The 

Department of Taxation’s Administrative Rules

 section 18-235-12.5-01 defines that event as when all costs have been incurred, the installation is completed, and requests for inspection have been sent to the appropriate government agencies. If the system fails an inspection and corrective work is required, however, the system is not considered installed and placed in service until the system passes the inspection.  In other words, the credit is earned when the system owner can turn it on and operate it legally.

Now, let’s go to the three significant changes to the solar credit in SB3125.

First, there is a new income cap.  If the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income is at least $175,000 for a single taxpayer or $350,000 for a married couple, then the credit is disallowed in full.  It’s unclear what happens if a corporation owns the system because 

 defines adjusted gross income only for individuals, meaning that corporations don’t have adjusted gross income. That change goes into effect for taxable years beginning after Dec. 31.

Second, there is an aggregate cap of $40 million statewide for each year from 2027 to 2030, and the credit is dead for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2029. This relates to the third change, which is that there is a new certification procedure required, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025. Taxpayers who have completed an alternative energy installation need to file some forms with the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office before March 1 of the following year. The HSEO will then notify each qualifying taxpayer of the amount of credit awarded, which may be somewhat less than what the taxpayer applied for if total statewide claims exceed the $40 million statewide cap.

This means that calendar year taxpayers who have 2026 installations will need to apply for HSEO certification. Presumably, if the installation was finished and all inspections were passed in 2026, there would not be much for HSEO to review because neither the income limit nor the statewide cap kicks in until 2027. For 2026 systems that get done toward the end of the year, there may be particular scrutiny of the inspections to see if the systems indeed passed in 2026 as opposed to 2027, when the statewide cap and the income limits become effective.

Taxpayers making plans to install alternative energy in the 2029-30 time frame also need to watch out. Although there is a $40 million aggregate limit in 2030, calendar year taxpayers finishing installations in 2030 won’t be able to get any credits at all because of the sunset date. The $40 million limit in 2030 can only be used by fiscal year taxpayers whose year starts in 2029 and ends in 2030.

Yes, this is complicated. Look for more guidance to come out of the state if the bill is enacted.

Evgeniy alyoshin 2 AS Qyjafflo unsplash

<title>Community Voices: Changes to the solar credit</title>

SB3125 proposes a few significant changes to the credit, making the solar industry unhappy. If the bill is enacted, here's what timelines taxpayers should know.

Community Voices: Changes to the solar credit

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

[{"type":"text","text":"Darren Matsuda is no longer the head boys basketball coach at Punahou. "}]

"After many years with the program, Darren Matsuda will no longer serve as our varsity head basketball coach," an email sent to Punahou basketball families and obtained by Aloha State Daily read in part. "We appreciate his years of service to Punahou and the time he has given to the boys basketball program as head coach, and we extend our best wishes to him."

Matsuda was first named the head coach for the Buffanblu in 2010. He led the Buffanblu to state titles in 2012, 2018 and 

Matsuda also coached Punahou to five state runner-up finishes, most recently in February, back when the Buffanblu lost to Kahuku 40-38 on a Inoke Lloyd layup with three seconds remaining. 

In addition to his success at the state tournament level, Matsuda also guided the Buffanblu to four ILH titles, including in 2026. 

Since the introduction of the state tournament in 1957, Punahou has won 12 HHSAA titles in boys basketball. 

Punahou boys basketball 052226

<title>Darren Matsuda out as Punahou boys basketball coach</title>

The Buffanblu won three HHSAA titles under Matsuda.

Darren Matsuda out as Punahou boys basketball coach

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

Columnists

Last week, State Sen. Brenton Awa rose on the Senate floor. He clarified that the Senate doesn’t “condone violence.” Then he held up a letter of recognition for “Mister Ambassador of Aloha.” The commendation was intended for a shirtless man recorded beating a tourist on Maui. The tourist had been filmed earlier throwing a rock at a monk seal.

The clip of Awa’s remarks has been viewed 29.3 million times on his 

. In the chamber where laws are made, a sitting senator stood to commend a man for a beating.

The tourist was wrong. That part isn’t in dispute. Throwing a rock at a protected animal earns charges, and ought to. The question is why a senator commended the man who beat him.

Awa represents State Senate District 23, which includes Kāneʻohe and the rural areas of the North Shore, including Kahaluʻu through Lāʻie, Kahuku to Mokulēʻia. It is one of the most conservative and religious districts in the state, with a significant presence of Christians and Mormons. Though they differ on major theological issues, they share most moral commitments. Many of them read Scripture and try to live by it.

Paul tells the Roman church plainly: never avenge yourselves, for vengeance belongs to the Lord, and He will repay. He says this in Romans chapter 12. In the next chapter he describes the magistrate as the servant of God who carries the sword on God’s behalf. The magistrate is the appointed avenger of wrath against the wrongdoer. Awa sits in the office Paul describes. To commend a man for taking justice into his own hands is to undercut the office God established to do that work.

A reader may reply that the justice system fails locals, that private justice is what’s left when the courts won’t act. There are two answers. The first is that the system was working. The whole state was outraged. The tourist was being identified and pursued. The vigilante did not help. He committed a crime of his own, and gave the tourist a grievance to point to.

The second answer is older. Vigilante justice doesn’t end disorder. It feeds it. Shakespeare worked this out in Verona, and the Capulets and Montagues are not a model anyone wants for Hawaiʻi. Due process is the rope that pulls communities out of that pit.

The seal speech was not a stray moment. Awa brought a polygraph to the floor during the $35,000 paper bag scandal. He has made props a feature of his floor speeches. He posted a video walking viewers to Rep. Linda Ichiyama’s office after she killed his bill prohibiting foreign ownership of land, and she received death threats. His congressional campaign website celebrates his record of voting no more than any other legislator. The posture is consistent: media first, lawmaking second.

A rock thrown at a seal and the beating of a tourist got Awa to stand and speak. The everyday violence in Hawaiʻi — robberies, killings, home invasions — has not moved him the same way. Neither has abortion, though his Christian and Mormon constituents care about it as deeply as any voters in the state. Awa casts his no votes and counts them on his campaign website. But a ceremonial no vote does not save a life.

He has a platform few legislators command. He could use it to speak about the issues his district cares about. He has chosen to use it to glorify lawless violence.

Moral leadership in a minority caucus is possible. It starts with respect for the office, since God has established it. The slow work of building coalitions and passing bills must follow, since social media clips don’t affect statutes. Underneath all of this lies the harder discipline of applying Christian conviction even-handedly. It must name the sins of allies as readily as opponents, the populist right as readily as the progressive left. A lawmaker who held those things together would be doing something that all of Hawaiʻi has been waiting for.

On opening day this session, Awa quoted James: “Be quick to listen and slow to speak.” He should have taken his own advice. Later in that 

, he told his colleagues, “We can accomplish impossible feats just by showing aloha. In other words, the next time you’re feeling like throwing blows, throw aloha.”

Awa upscaled

<title>'Mister ambassador of aloha'</title>

It's a bad look for the word "aloha" when it's used to commend a vigilante beat down, as state Sen. Brenton Awa did last week, says ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa.

Hawai‘i Scene on Social meets Hawai‘i Skies

From the ground:

From the sky:

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

More in Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Neighborhood weather updates

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Island vibes

Gotta catch ‘em all — at Ala Moana Center: voices from Pokémon GO’s “Wild Area: Global” event

Starbucks holiday launch draws crowds for limited-edition cups

Most read

Hawai‘i Scene on Social meets Hawai‘i Skies

From the ground:

From the sky:

Authors

Kady Pascual

Social Media Editor

More in Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Neighborhood weather updates

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Island vibes

Gotta catch ‘em all — at Ala Moana Center: voices from Pokémon GO’s “Wild Area: Global” event

Starbucks holiday launch draws crowds for limited-edition cups

Most read