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Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Golden retriever and baby have a cry-off..."}]

Smile 26 5 29

<title>Daily Smile: Friday, May 29, 2026</title>

Golden retriever and baby have a cry-off...

Daily Smile: Friday, May 29, 2026

 Golden retriever and baby have a cry-off...

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

 celebrated the best of Hawaiian and Island music in a glittering event filled with performances and applause on Saturday, July 11, at the Sheraton Waikīkī Beach Resort.

The star-studded evening included performances from Hālau O Kekuhi, Ei Nei, 

, Poʻokela, Anthony Pfluke & Friends, Ahe Mālie and 

, Natalie Ai Kamauu, Melveen Leed, Kainani Kahaunaele & Kainaulono Hāpai, Kalapana.

Ei Nei took home six Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards, including: Group of the Year, Single of the Year, Album of the Year (Producer’s & Artist’s Award), Song of the Year (Composer’s Award), Island Music Album of the Year, and Favorite Entertainer of the Year.

Extended Play of the Year and Hawaiian Single of the Year for her album “Kuʻu Hawaiʻi.”

“I wanted to take a moment to just thank all of you guys for voting and also to acknowledge all of the talent and the beauty in this room because I see each and every one of you from Kauaʻi to Hawaiʻi Island,” said Miner in her acceptance speech for female vocalist of the year. “I honor every single person here tonight and how connected we all are. We're each on our own journeys, walking on our own paths, and the uniqueness is our leo, our voice, and so I honor each and every voice here tonight, and I honor the 10,000 kūpuna who stand beside each and every one of us creators tonight and then the future — the future generation of all of us.”

Earlier in the night, Miner won EP of the Year. She accepted that award while holding her daughter.

Alternative Album of the Year for "KŌWĀ.” In his acceptance speech, he told the audience he had been eating chocolate cake when his name was announced. The artist also shared how his grandmother used to tape the awards and make him watch as a kid.

“I just want you guys to know that this means so, so, so, so much to me,” he said. “I really did not think I was gonna win this.”

Here is the full list of winners, listed in the order that awards were announced:

Instrumental Composition of the Year (Composer's Award)

"Lauleʻa" by Jeﬀ Peterson (Jeﬀ Peterson Productions)

"ʻUkulele Story" by Herb Ohta, Jr. (Lele Music Productions) 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Baba Tavares (Joshua Tavares)"}]

"Drifting On Island Time" by Kalaʻe Camarillo (Kalaʻe Camarillo)

"Ei Nei, Look At Us" by Ei Nei (Ei Nei LLC)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Reggae Album of the Year"}]

"Strictly Originals" by Ekolu (Waiehu Records)

"Mānaiakalani" by Kamalei Kawaʻa (Kamalei Kawaʻa Music LLC)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Extended Play of the Year"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Single of the Year"}]

"Hawai‘i Forever" by Ei Nei (Ei Nei LLC)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Music Video of the Year"}]

"Uihā Whoa" by Natalie Ai Kamauu (Keko Records LLC)

"E Ola Kākou Ē" by Kamaka Camarillo & Anthony Pfluke (Kamaka Camarillo & Anthony Pfluke)

Hawaiian Language Performance of the Year

”‘Ōlauniu” by ʻŌlauniu (ʻŌlauniu)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Haku Mele of the Year"}]

Kyle Kamalani Moriguchi for “Nā Puʻu ʻEkolu” from

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Ei Nei (Ei Nei LLC)"}]

Ei Nei for “Ei Nei, Look at Us” (Ei Nei LLC)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Male Vocalist of the Year"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Izik (Izik)"}]

"Hawaiʻi Forever" by Ei Nei (Ei Nei, LLC)

Album of the Year (Producer’s & Artist’s Award)

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

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

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Glen Smith of Hoʻokena"}]

“Ka Hōkū ʻŌlino” by Kaulana (Kaulana)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Liner Notes of the Year"}]

Luana Kawa’a & Cierra Kawa’a / “Mānaiakalani” by Kamalei Kawaʻa

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

Kanaiʻa Nakamura / “Hoene” by Sonny Lim

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"General Engineering Award"}]

Johnny Helm / “Summertime” by Henry Kapono

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hawaiian Engineering Award"}]

Michael Grande / ”‘Ōlauniu” by ʻŌlauniu

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Jazz Album of the Year"}]

"Yesterday's Lives" by Maggie Herron (Herron Song Records)

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[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hip Hop Album of the Year"}]

"Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke" by Super Groupers & Punahele (Zenbu Records)

"Ku‘u Lei Lokelani" by Anthony Pfluke (Anthony Pfluke)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Rock Album of the Year"}]

"A Tribute To Van Halen" by Tin Idols (Tin Idol Productions)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Metal Album of the Year"}]

"Madame Pele" by Storm (Tin Idol Productions) 

"Hoene" by Sonny Lim (Lele Music Productions)

"Kalapana 50th Anniversary - Timeless Voyage" by Kalapana (Pony Canyon Inc.)

Compilation Album of the Year (Producer's Award)

"Mele Pūnana Leo" by Various Artists (Kāhuli Leo Leʻa) 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Ei Nei

<title>And the Nā Hōkū Hanohano winners are ...</title>

The winners of Female Vocalist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year, as well as many other Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards have been announced. These artists took home the top awards on Saturday, July 11.

And the Nā Hōkū Hanohano winners are ...

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

Crime & Courts

Columnists

On a June afternoon in Liliha, police found a man walking the centerline of North Kuakini Street with blood soaking his white shirt. Police asked the man his name. “I’m Jesus Israel Black I!” he told the officers, according to court documents. “I’m a pedophile. It’s a conspiracy. I’m being framed.” He was not Jesus Israel Black the First. He was Joshua, the son.

An hour later, Joshua’s mother found Jesus, 70, lying bloodied on the floor of their Nalanui Street apartment. He was taken to a hospital and died there that night. The son had taken his father’s name and his father’s imagined guilt in the same breath.

It was the third case of its kind on Oʻahu in the past year. Last June, London Opendack was charged with attacking his mother and father with a hammer in their Waikīkī apartment. Court records show he had 

 to stand trial in earlier cases, and twice released. In December, Micah Auna was charged with murder. Police had found his mother’s body at the foot of the stairs in her Hawaiʻi Kai home.

Two of the three men reached for the same story. Auna 

 his mother had molested him and his cousin, so he “pushed” her. Black wore his father’s name and confessed his father’s imagined crime in one sentence. And on Hawaiʻi Island in May, Jacob Baker was charged with killing three elderly men — one of whom had let him harvest coconuts from his land. At one scene, police found “Pedofilio” written on a piece of scrap wood.

Opendack is the exception. His social media posts, still online, show a mind fixated not on predators but on mathematical patterns — number theory as private revelation. The fixation was not new. In a 2022 petition for a restraining order, an ex-girlfriend described finding a note in her driveway that looked like a math proof. On closer inspection it was math symbols arranged into nonsense. His erratic speech, she wrote, pointed to a severe psychological disorder.

 her son had schizophrenia. He had stopped taking his medication earlier in the year and used medical cannabis instead.

A disturbed mind grabs whatever story its culture keeps nearest at hand. A generation ago, the paranoid man heard the CIA in his fillings. Today’s troubled young man, more often than not, finds a predator in his own house.

The fear is not irrational in itself — child predation is real, and our alarm about it is warranted. That is exactly why it has become the costume worn by delusion. Court records note that Jesus Black had ten prior convictions, and none of them were for anything like what his son alleged.

Scripture treats honor of parents as more than good manners. It is the first commandment, Paul observes, that carries a promise: honor your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land. The promise is civic, not merely personal. A society in which honor flows toward age is a society where the old die in their beds. Leviticus extends the same fabric past the household: rise before the gray head, honor the face of an old man. Baker’s alleged victims were not his kin. They were men old enough to be his father, living quietly in Puna.

The Mosaic penalty for striking a parent was death. That severity measures the weight of the offense against the created order. It does not tell a judge what to do with these particular men. The same tradition that gave us Exodus spent centuries separating the gravity of an act from the capacity of the actor.

One of these men was twice found unfit for trial, and twice released. Years later, he allegedly took a hammer to his parents. That raises a policy question for the state.

But the deeper repair happens where the state cannot reach: fathers present in homes, and congregations that do not send their disturbed young men out to the sidewalk. It depends on families that treat the commandment as livable rather than quaint.

None of us will do what these men stand accused of. But the commandment was not written for monsters. It was written for ordinary homes. The commandment covers the way we approach the father who repeats himself, the teacher talked over in class, the kūpuna left to manage alone. Honor frays at the small points long before it tears at the large ones. The extreme cases shock us because some of the old fabric still holds.

We can pray that God’s will be done and that young men would come to know this commandment. We still must do the part of the work assigned to us.

The commandment comes with a promise. Long days in the land are offered to us, if we obey.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Opendack upscaled

<title>Hawaiʻi attacks on parents: What the Liliha, Hawaiʻi Kai and Waikīkī cases share</title>

A blood-soaked man stood in the middle of a Liliha street and answered police with his father’s name. ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa on three attacks on parents in a single year — and the commandment written for ordinary homes.

Hawaiʻi attacks on parents: What the Liliha, Hawaiʻi Kai and Waikīkī cases share

Business & Tourism

Disney’s live action adaptation of “Moana,” 

filmed for nine days on Oʻahu and sails into theaters on Friday, July 10. 

"Moana" generated around $39 million in estimated economic impact for Hawaiʻi, said Georja Skinner, the chief officer of the creative industries division of the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. That number includes money spent on labor, vendors, contractors, transportation, and more.

“First of all, having a major production in Hawaiʻi does so many things, not just with the spend and the jobs that it generates, but also the on-the-job learning experience from being on major productions like this,” Skinner told Aloha State Daily. “And that's what helps inform our own local creative economy and our local content development, which is a big focus of our department going forward.”

aia as Moana and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — who was the voice of Maui in the original animated films — as the demigod. The 115-minute movie is directed by Thomas Kail.

Auliʻi Cravalho, the voice of the animated heroine in “Moana” and “Moana 2” is one of the executive producers of this movie.

The movie had 560 local resident hires, and 185 non-resident hires, Skinner said. Those hires have 39 job categories and include accountants, actors, production office support, special effects, stunts, transportation and on-set teachers.

Pre-production for "Moana" was comprised of 280 days of work over three years: 2022, 2023 and 2024, Skinner said. Work was halted by strikes in 2023.

The release of the live action “Moana” comes during the same week as Gov. Josh Green signing 

, which amends the motion picture, digital media and film production tax credit to allow a 

5% increase to current tax credit rates for productions that film on Oʻahu and Neighbor Islands, if at least 80% of the hires are local

. The new legislation will bring the tax credit rates up to 27% on Oʻahu, and 32% on Neighbor Islands.

Filmmakers and movie industry professionals as well as politicians hope the new tax credits will make Hawaiʻi a more economically enticing place to make movies.

The legislation expands the tax credits to cover not just movies and television series but streaming platforms, such as Netflix and Apple TV. The total tax credits for all productions in a year will increase to $60 million, up from the current $50 million cap. If the 

total tax credits for a year exceed the cap, they may be claimed in the following year

, a clause that sunsets on Dec. 31, 2037. 

Independent producers and studios are already calling.

“We've had a ton of calls,” Skinner said. “From the moment that the bill signing happened — and before that — people were very interested in how it works, not just people that are coming in with a new project, but those that were on the ground this year that are still coming in, and those that are working with us now to make sure that they can qualify for the certain aspects and all of that good stuff.”

The legisislation stipulates that these new tax credits apply retroactively to costs incurred by productions filmed after Dec. 31, 2025, if these productions had at least 80% local hires. So far, in 2026, several large productions have filmed in the state including “Protecting Jared,” “Jumanji 3,” and Season 2 of the Netflix series “Untamed.” 

In the future, Disney has also announced 

 a second live action movie, which would follow 

an earlier production that filmed entirely on Oʻahu

Want a chance to win tickets to Disney’s live action adaptation of the animated film? 

Catherine Lagaʻaia

<title>What are the economic impacts of 'Moana' for Hawaiʻi?</title>

When a Disney movie has nine days of filming on Oʻahu and 280 more days of pre-production, there are economic impacts for the state. Georja Skinner, chief officer of the Creative Industries Division for the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, shared some numbers.

What are the economic impacts of 'Moana' for Hawaiʻi?

This is George. He just tried freshly grated pecorino romano for the first time. Will not be accepting anything less from here on out...

Smile 26 7 10

<title>Daily Smile: Friday, July 10, 2026</title>

Daily Smile: Friday, July 10, 2026

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Government & Politics

Cancer care in Hawaiʻi continues to see wins this week with Thursday’s signing ceremony for both 

, the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center unveiled its Hoʻōla Early Phase Clinical Research Center, the state’s first dedicated center for early phase cancer clinical trials.)

HB 1969, which became a law effective July 1, appropriates $1.8 million over the next fiscal year to the Department of Human Services to offer colorectal cancer 

for individuals who are uninsured, underinsured, or otherwise ineligible for Medicare. The measure also requires health insurance plans to cover medically necessary follow-up colonoscopies after a positive colorectal cancer screening test without deductibles, copayments, coinsurance or other cost-sharing, per the Governor’s Office.

Officials say the passage of this bill comes at a crucial time as colorectal cancer cases and deaths continue to rise, especially among young adults statewide.

“Governor Green’s signing of HB 1969 into law makes Hawaiʻi an innovative leader for colorectal cancer screening and treatment,” said Dr. Shane Morita, surgical oncologist, American Cancer Society (ACS) medical officer and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) volunteer. “Colorectal cancer is often curable when detected early, yet it remains a major cause of cancer-related death in Hawaiʻi. Expanding access will reduce the burden on local families and improve survival for our patients.”

, colorectal cancer is now the No. 1 cause of cancer-related deaths for adults under 50 and is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in Hawaiʻi for both men and women.

In the Islands alone, roughly 840 residents will be diagnosed with the disease and 240 will die this year, ACS estimates, adding that cases among people younger than 50 are rising with incidence nearly 3.5% annually from 2013 to 2022, per the 

“Colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable cancers when detected early,” said Rep. Cory Chun, who introduced HB 1969 during the 2026 legislative session. According to him, Sen. Rosalyn Baker, among other lawmakers and advocates, first began working on the policy in 2012.

“My family has also been touched by cancer. Before I became the representative for District 35, (which includes portions of Pearl City, Waipahu, and Crestview), I was working at the American Cancer Society,” he told Aloha State Daily. “In the last 10 years, we’ve seen a rise in colorectal cancer cases under the age of 50, actually, under the age of 40. ... We don’t quite know yet the reason why that’s happening and we don’t have a cure. So, the best way we can save people’s lives is to detect it early.”

Adults should begin regular colorectal cancer screening at age 45, per guidelines from ACS and 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

. Those with a family history of colorectal cancer, should begin screening 10 years earlier than the youngest affected relative's diagnosis, or at age 35, whichever comes first.

“There are other less invasive ways to screen than a colonoscopy such as stool-based tests, and this new law includes coverage for follow-up treatments, as well,” Chun said. “If you feel like something is not right in your body, go get it checked out. Don’t wait.”

ACS officials say, “Cost and lack of insurance are major barriers to getting recommended screenings. For those without insurance, cost remains a significant obstacle. The passage of HB 1969 is a major step toward addressing the cancer burden in Hawaiʻi.”

Mark Vasconcellos is a two-time cancer survivor and longtime volunteer for 

, the 501(c)(4) advocacy arm of ACS, a 501(c)(3), who credits his life today to early detection, his local doctors, and those he serves alongside including Chun and ACS CAN Hawaiʻi government relations director, Cynthia Au.

“I want to thank them for keeping me alive,” he told ASD.

Twelve years ago, Vasconcellos was first diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma and breast cancer, and shortly after discovered he had stage 1 colorectal cancer, which was treated by chemotherapy, radiation and a non-invasive surgical procedure.

“I didn’t have any symptoms, but Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, where I received my cancer care, sent me a reminder about getting a colonoscopy by age 50. I listened and went in for a screening and was glad that I did.”

When asked about what this new law means for him and others, Vasconcellos told ASD, “It’s a very happy moment and is long overdue. We’re going to be able to help everyone going forward, giving them a greater chance of survival and a longer life where they can spend more holidays with their loved ones. Life is too short.”

Vasconcellos, who was born and raised in Kaimukī and now resides in ʻAiea, works for a rental car company and volunteers with

 to help educate the community about cancer. 

He says after beating cancer, he went to eat and celebrate with his friends.

“I’m looking forward to growing our volunteer base (for 

and sharing more information about colorectal screenings and treatments, especially with younger people. Our message to them is to take care of yourself!”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"More on HB 1969 and HB 1864"}]

Gov. Josh Green, who was formerly a physician on the Big Island, was smiling as he signed multiple 

 bills into law Thursday, July 9, including HB 1969 and HB 1864.

At the first bill signing ceremony of the day, ASD asked him which insurers would be participating in the program and how patients could opt-in or find more details.

“Everybody participates,” Green said. “We also are mindful that people already have plans they’re engaged with, whether that’s HMSA, Kaiser, Aloha Care, etc. It’s gotta be comfortable. We want it to be very straightforward and simple for people. So, we’ll put out a lot of announcements through the Department of Health of how you can make sure you access this."

He continued, “The big picture is that we want everyone to know that their screening for colorectal cancer is covered. It just takes a little bit of time now through the end of the year to update all the plans. But they were very aware, understood this was necessary and that it’s a good thing.”

Rep. Gregg Takayama, chair of the House Health Committee, added: “HB 1969 further covers persons who do not have access to health insurance. That’s key … because we expect many more people will lose health insurance coverage under Medicare in the coming years. Most of the health plans already provide for colorectal cancer screenings. This add uninsured patients to them.”

Green noted, “This is the safety net. I would not be surprised if we don’t create a whole series of safety nets to give people direct access to care as we go through this era where Medicaid is restricted somewhat.”

“There is also chatter around what will happen if the health care system consolidates. We are going to insist that these kinds of services remain part of any program,” he said.

ASD also asked Green if staffing is in place to be able to accommodate new or existing cancer patients.

“We always have challenges, especially in our rural communities, but that is another part of it. We’re going to make sure people get direct access and if they have to get over to Oʻahu for specialized care, we will make that available, too,”

He credited a few programs in place already to augment Hawaiʻi’s health care workforce: 

The Health Education Loan Forgiveness, or HELP, Program

Hawaiʻi Outreach For Medical Education in Rural Under-resourced Neighborhoods)

Hawaiʻi's Rural Health Transformation Plan

, "intended to repay debts and give extra access in areas outside of urban Honolulu." Green said.

“So, we’re going to be recruiting and recruiting and recruiting, as we have done in the last couple years. Primary care providers for screening. Specialty care providers for the actual treatments,” Green notes. “My hope is over the course of the next six years, we’ve come to a functional zero of shortage for health care providers. We also have enhanced the capacity for Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants to do a lot of the additional care, in this case screening.”

s efforts to build a local workforce pipeline that gets students interested in joining the health care field.

In brief, the state’s plan according to him is to “train kids early to get the interested in health care. We pay debt so people can afford to be health care providers. Make sure the plans or the state cover any extra screening … and the endgame: having specialists help those 2,500 people who [die of cancer every year in the state]."

Also related to cancer, HB 1864 requires insurers to cover standard fertility preservation services for individuals undergoing medically necessary treatment — like chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or hormone therapy — that may cause 

. This measure makes Hawai‘i the 22nd state to ensure that residents can build a family, while receiving life-saving medical treatment.

“This is a historic moment for many of Hawaiʻi’s young cancer patients who, until now, not only had the heartache of receiving the devastating news of a cancer diagnosis, but also had the painful realization that the treatment for their cancer would result in the permanent inability for future fertility,” said Dr. Michael Carney, chair of 

Hawaiʻi Society for Clinical Oncologists

, at the bill signing. “This law that we have worked so hard over so many years to pass, is now reality and these cancer patients can have at least a small part of their cancer journey improved. Hawaiʻi has now mandated the option of the initial protection for future fertility in these cancer survivors — hope for survival and genuine hope for a future family.” 

In a second bill-signing ceremony today, Green signed 

, (Act 220), which establishes a framework to relieve medical debt up to 

 for as many as 50,000 Hawaiʻi. The measure requires the Office of Wellness and Resilience, now under DHS, to create and administer a Medical Debt Acquisition and Forgiveness Program to purchase and eliminate outstanding medical debt for state residents, contingent on available program funds, per the Governor’s Office.

For more information on colorectal cancer screening in Hawaiʻi, visit 

Colorectal cancer bill signing

<title>New law increases access to colorectal cancer screenings and treatment statewide</title>

House Bill 1969, which became a law on July 1, aims to reduce colorectal cancer — the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in Hawaiʻi — by providing $1.8 million in state funding over the next fiscal year to the uninsured for screening and follow-up tests. Aloha State Daily caught up with Rep. Cory Chun, who reintroduced policy from 2012 into this year's legislative session, as well as Mark Vasconcellos, a colorectal cancer survivor and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network volunteer.

Daily Smile: Friday, May 29, 2026

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