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[{"type":"text","text":"This is so true..."}]

Smile 26 6 18

<title>Daily Smile: Thursday, June 18, 2026</title>

This is so true...

Daily Smile: Thursday, June 18, 2026

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Hawai‘i Island bore the brunt of Hurricane Lala this weekend and some isle businesses were hit hard by the passing storm.

"Of course, our members in Ka'ū have been hardest hit. Some businesses there have lost practically everything," 

Carla Kuo, executive officer at the Hilo-based 

Most businesses in Hilo have been up and running and doing what they can to support our community. Some businesses in our surrounding areas are still without power, some without water, but we know service providers are out there doing the best they can to get people back online.

About 40,400 Hawaiian Electric customers across the state remained without power as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, according to a 1 p.m. update from the utility. Of those, approximately 26,900 are on Hawai‘i Island.

Kuo says HICC has been sharing resources with its members, including a push to report residential, business and agricultural damages to the Hawai‘i County 

 so the island can qualify for federal disaster assistance; that the 

 is accepting donations and volunteers; and that the 

Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services

Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Hawai‘i Island Strong Fund

 to provide resources for disaster response and recovery and is encouraging its members to do the same, Kuo says.

"Overall these disasters are always tough on our community and our small businesses and we will see and hear more in the coming days," she says. "We thank our emergency responders, county, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations for working long hours, coordinating resources, caring for our neighbors and helping our community navigate these challenging times. We’re grateful to everyone working behind the scenes and on the front lines for their dedication, compassion and commitment."

Kuo says HICC has around 340 members, just two to three of which are in Kā‘u, “

but we have members outside the area who do business with farmers there and purchase their products. I do not know yet how many businesses may have been lost, we’re still reaching out to our members to see how we can help.

In Kā‘u's Nā‘ālehu community, Punalu‘u Bake Shop is one of the businesses that saw major damage from the storm.

The shop, which is noted to be the southern most bakery in the United States, has suffered "catastrophic damage," general manager Zachary Kennedy said in a video posted to Instagram on Monday that he said also serves as a media release.

"We're trying to see what's salvageable. We're doing a damage assessment right now, but early on, I can tell you the bakery has suffered catastrophic damage at this point," he says in the video. "It's going to take time for us to get everything together. It's going to take time for us to come up with a plan. ... The bakery will come back. It's just going to take time and it's going to take a lot of work."

We are still assessing the full situation and it will take time to get everything back in order. The damage is truly unimaginable," an earlier Instagram post signed by Kennedy reads. "The most important update: all of our employees are safe and healthy. We closed the bakery as a precaution ahead of the storm, so no one was on site."

The bakery says that all online orders have been suspended, it is unable to produce any products and stores will not have its products available.

(ICYMI: ASD spoke with statewide business organizations about the impact of the storms on local businesses. You can 

Getty Images punaluu bake shop hurricane lala

<title>Hawai‘i Island businesses impacted by Hurricane Lala</title>

Some businesses in Kā‘u have lost nearly everything, officials with the Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce say.

Hawai‘i Island businesses impacted by Hurricane Lala

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Food & Dining

Looking to shop for the holidays ... in August? The Made in Hawaiʻi Festival and Hawaiʻiʻs Finest Best of Hawaiʻi Mākeke combined will bring more than a thousand local vendors to the heart of Honolulu. 

The Duke Kahanamoku OceanFest also wraps up this weekend and puts the spotlight on surfing, swimming and more in Waikīkī. 

Aloha State Daily put together this list of ways to spend the weekend:

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The Duke Kahanamoku OceanFest runs through Monday, Aug. 24. Some of the upcoming events include a surf invitational, a one-mile swim, surfboard water polo and more. Duke’s Ocean Fest honors

five Olympic medals — including three golds

 — and was an ambassador of surfing to the world and part of the legendary Waikīkī Beach Boys. 

 including artists, makers and entrepreneurs to the Hawaiʻi Convention Center from Thursday, Aug. 20, through Sunday, Aug. 23. Last year, the event drew about 

, as previously reported by Aloha State Daily. Food & Dining Reporter Kelli Shiroma Braiotta caught up with several first-time vendors for the upcoming Made in Hawaiʻi Festival including 

. The event, which is run by the Hawaiʻi Food Industry Association,

features live music from award-winning artists, chef demonstrations and more. 

, and we look forward to meeting readers at booth S-3009! Stop by to play some games, win prizes, and learn more. 

. The album features the sounds of the ocean and coqui frogs, as well as a cello, ʻuliʻuli and a Hawaiian nose flue. Taimane spoke with ASD about “Li’ulā” ahead of its release, 

highlighting songs like “Kai Mahina,” “Nightmarchers” “Hilo Night” and “Until We Meet Again.” 

She will be one of the headliners at the third annual Maui Music & Food Experience on Friday, Aug. 21, which is the day of the album’s release. 

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[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Saturday, Aug. 22"}]

Catch live music at the Kani Ka Pila Grille Talent Search. 

Want to hear Hawaiian music at the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival? Stop by the Main Stage on Saturday, Aug. 22, to see the finalists for the 19th annual Kani Ka Pila Grille Talent Search. Past winners of the competition have gone on to win Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards. This year, the competitors are: Makana Arce, Moon Kahale, Keawe Kaluhiwa and ʻĀlewa. Starting at 2:30 p.m., each will play up to 20 minutes of non-stop music. The winner of the contest gets a one-month paid contract at Kani Ka Pila Grille, which is part of Outrigger Reef Waikīkī Beach Resort. 

, which runs from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena. Featured entertainers include High Watah, Ooklah the Moc, Three Plus, Johnny Suite, Likkle Jordee, Small Axe, Kapu System and more. Tickets start at $30.75, including fees. From Friday, Aug. 21, through Sunday, Aug. 23, Hawaiʻi’s Finest will also host its free 

, which brings more than 300 local vendors selling food, fashion, and more, together at the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. Parking is $8. 

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce, American Savings Bank and Trust for Public Land will host the Battle of the Bao at ʻAʻala Park in the heart of Chinatown on National Bao Day. The event celebrates bau, which is known locally as manapua. Guests will receive free samples of bau, while supplies last. They can also vote for their favorites as local restaurants compete for the title of “Best Bao / Manapua” before a panel of judges. Free. 

This event — which was rescheduled from its original date of Saturday, Aug. 15, due to weather — honors the enduring legacy of legendary slack-key guitarist and Hawaiian music pioneer Gabby “Pops” Pahinui. Listen to live musical performances at Waikīkī Beach Walk. Free. 

Go to the Perry & The Posse Show at Limelight. 

The Perry & The Posse Show will bring its second live show to Limelight Hawaiʻi near Ala Moana Hotel. The show, which runs from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and includes a breakfast buffet, will feature the KSSK 92.3 Saturday Morning Live Radio Show with Michael W. Perry, Sweetie Pacarro, and Karen Keawehawaii. The original Perry and the Price show began in 1983

, bringing a live show to audiences in Waikīkī for years until 2016. Tickets are $60 for adults and $36 for keiki. 

E Ulu a Paʻa is an annual fundraiser for the museum, which includes a gala with keynote speakers Sig and Kūhaʻo Zane on Saturday, Aug. 22, as well as an online auction, which runs through Sunday, Aug. 23. The auction has more than 80 items, including a handmade vintage kimono and behind-the-scenes tours of the Bishop Museum. 

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

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Sunday, Aug. 23"}]

Attend the 10th Annual Hoʻolau Kanaka Oʻahu Ka ʻŌnohi o Nā Kai. 

This event, presented by Puaʻāinahau Foundation Inc. and Hālau Nā Mamo o Puʻuanahulu,

 brings award-winning hālau and Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning musicians to Moanalua Gardens. 

Hoʻolau Kanaka Oʻahu Ka ʻŌnohi o Nā Kai also features demonstrations from experts in Hawaiian crafts and traditional practices. The event includes a craft fair, plus options to purchase ʻono food. Presale tickets are $25. Admission for keiki who are between five and 11 years old is $15. 

Perry Posse Show

<title>Duke’s Ocean Fest, Perry & the Posse Show, Made in Hawaiʻi and more: What to do on Oʻahu…</title>

Watch surfboard water polo, listen to live music or shop more than 800 local vendors at the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival this weekend. Ready to make plans? Here are 10 things you can do on Oʻahu this Friday, Aug. 21, through Sunday, Aug. 23.

Duke’s Ocean Fest, Perry & the Posse Show, Made in Hawaiʻi and more: What to do on Oʻahu this weekend

Ed Rampell

Columnists

Sunset," a crime drama shot on location in O‘ahu with an all-local cast and crew, premiered at the Los Angeles Tribune International Film Festival on August 15. Screenwriter/producer Colby Haines, who also stars as HPD detective Sandra Whitsome, flew out from Honolulu to attend "

Sunset’s" opening, as did co-producer Jacob Kamhis. The screening and post-film Q&A with the filmmakers took place at the Culver Theater, a multiplex redolent with Hollywood history located beside the Culver Hotel where the diminutive actors who played the Munchkins in 1939’s "The

stayed, walking distance from where MGM (now Sony Pictures Studios) stood.

Sunset," Haines’ Sandra Whitsome is the only female promoted from HPD’s sex crimes division to the homicide department where, as an older, single woman, she has to prove herself. A sex abuse survivor and workaholic, the by-the-book crimefighter breaks police protocols as Whitsome resolves to crack a cold case – the 30-year-old death of beautiful Hawaiian acting student Kanani Kekai (Nicole Rombaoa, who previously acted in "NCIS: Hawai‘i"

and was a stunt performer in Jason Momoa’s "Chief of War"), glimpsed in black and white flashbacks – using new DNA technology and clues the resourceful detective discovers.

As Whitsome strives to solve what really happened to Kekai, this psychological thriller takes more twists and turns than the road to Hāna. 

Cyndi Mayo-Akeo portrays Diana, the ex-wife of Brandon Carth (Todd Sells), who has convinced Diana they can reconcile their marriage. For her role as a wahine scorned, Mayo-Akeo scored the filmfest’s Best Supporting Actress award. The part-Hawaiian thesp’s many screen credits include Momoa’s 2026 comedy "The Wrecking Crew," "Magnum P.I."

and Clint Eastwood’s 2010 "Hereafter." Sells’ complex "

 Sunset" character Brandon is a former acting school classmate of Kekai who went on to become a successful actor. In real life, Sells has been a trophy-winning surfer and North Shore lifeguard who performed stunts in 2021’s "Godzilla vs. Kong," 2023’s "Murder Mystery 2," etc.    

" Haines — who has been acting since 1970s gigs on "The Partridge Family

TV series — told Aloha State Daily, “I wrote this as part of my master’s degree in communications, which includes journalism, public relations, advertising and screenwriting,” which the writer/actress/producer earned at Cal State Fullerton. “This is my first screenplay and the first feature I produced.”

is made with all-Hawai‘i cast and crew, entirely on O‘ahu, at 17 locations. I didn’t import anybody.” The film’s local imprimatur shows throughout the 90-minute-feature, imbuing it with a distinctive Hawai‘i ambiance. Location shooting, with lovely aerial shots of Makapu‘u, Koko Head, Diamond Head, etc., evoke a strong sense of place. Local actors get to be themselves, pidgin and all. And in a scene lensed in Roy’s Restaurant at Ko Olina Resort, musician Johnny Valentine (Bruno Mars’ uncle) serenades Colby’s character.

feature film directorial debut of Kurt Jones, who’d previously worked in the Islands as the director of photography for numerous episodes of the "Hawai‘i Five-O"

and "Magnum P.I." reboots, plus the "NCIS: Hawai‘i"

TV series. Jones was nominated for the American Society of Cinematographers’ award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for a 2017 episode of "The Originals," a CW vampire series.

In an interview at the movie’s LATIFF premiere, Jones said, “I made the show DGA [Directors Guild of America] worthy. I brought in assistant directors and all the crew on the Island that had worked with me for 10 years. We had all working professionals on the movie the whole time,”  which Jones referred to as a fast-paced 14-day shoot. “That was only going to happen if the people I had were good at their jobs,” Jones emphasized.

The crew included Scott Mason, who’d worked with Jones on "Five-O"

cinematographer. “It was easy to have him as my DP, because he knows exactly what I like and I can explain something very simply and walk away and know he’ll deliver. A lot of the camera department had all worked for me. It was good to have a crew I could talk shorthand to,” related Jones, who after years of living in O‘ahu now works in L.A. as director of photography

TV series. Both Jones and Haines were originally from near Boston; Haines is an ‘Ewa Beach resident who has lived in O‘ahu for 17 years.

The star/screenwriter/producer stated, “My goal was to cast it as a SAG-AFTRA Ultra Low Budget production,” which, according to the actors’ union’s website, is a “Project Agreement [that] applies to films shooting entirely in the United States with a maximum budget of $300,000.” Haines went on to say, “We had 28 actors from Maui, O‘ahu, Big Island, under the SAG agreement… I was very intent on making sure that the world knew that Hawai‘i has qualified, very talented actors, as well as crew. And not for [studios] to always have to fly in people,” to work in front of and behind the camera while filming on location in the Islands.

“Part of the goal was to showcase Hawai‘i beyond Hawai‘i, so that they know about the talented cast and crew,” added Haines, who is now seeking distribution for "

With its cross-cultural movie mission that, as the filmfest’s founder Dr. Moe Rock puts it, “brings together an extraordinary range of filmmakers and stories from around the world,” the Los Angeles Tribune International Film Festival provided the Aloha State with a cinematic platform in the global motion picture capital.  

Ed Rampell and Luis Reyes are co-authors of the new book 

Kahala Sunset Red Carpet Irene Colby Kurt Ian 16x9 Large

<title>The latest made-in-Hawai‘i movie world premieres at L.A. Film Festival, Native Hawaiian…</title>

Written by and starring Colby Haines, crime story "Kāhala Sunset" was filmed entirely in the Islands with a cast and crew featuring 
"NCIS: Hawai‘i," "Five-O" and "Magnum P.I." alums.

The latest made-in-Hawai‘i movie world premieres at L.A. Film Festival, Native Hawaiian actress wins award  

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.”

 EarthJustice's 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 and threatened species, and we all know that a big part of what preserves species population is 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

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

 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

[{"type":"text","text":"Swimming comes more naturally to some dogs than others..."}]

Daily Smile: Thursday, June 18, 2026

ASD Staff

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Daily Smile: Thursday, June 18, 2026

Authors

ASD Staff

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