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SMILE 26 6 21

<title>Daily Smile: Sunday, June 21, 2026</title>

When you're just too tired to walk...

Daily Smile: Sunday, June 21, 2026

 When you&#039;re just too tired to walk...

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Aloha Spirit

Forty local business leaders, new to the Islands and serving across Hawai‘i’s different business sectors, recently completed the latest round of the Hawai‘i Talent On Boarding Program. This was the program’s ninth cohort — and the largest since its launch in 2022.

Movers and Shakas is a nonprofit that runs place-based, community orientation programs. HITOP is its six-week acculturation program that 

 to help new transplants and returning kama‘āina live and work successfully here, and to help local employers retain relocated talent.

“We're incredibly encouraged by the continued growth of the Hawaiʻi Talent Onboarding Program, but not necessarily surprised,” Movers and Shakas Executive Director Nicole Lim told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions. “Employers across Hawaiʻi recognize that recruiting talent is only half the challenge. Retaining them is where the real work begins.

“As more organizations see the impact HITOP has on helping new leaders build meaningful connections to Hawaiʻi, understand local culture, history and business practices, and develop a genuine sense of belonging, demand for the program continues to grow,” she continued. “Cohort 9 brought together 40 participants representing a wide range of industries, demonstrating that talent retention is both a challenge and an opportunity shared across Hawaiʻi's business community.”

Movers and Shakas launched in 2020, started by a group of local business and community leaders as a way to help the local economy when travel and tourism came to a standstill during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 that at that time, the idea was to bring remote workers from the Mainland to help with local nonprofits. It was a controversial idea, but popular — there were some 90,000 applicants for 50 cohort spots.

The nonprofit offered two cohorts of the remote worker program before pivoting to offer a new community orientation program to help employers retain new leaders — an initiative that eventually became HITOP.

But, Lim says, HITOP goes beyond onboarding, something that continues to resonate with employers and participants.

“It helps new leaders understand that being part of Hawaiʻi comes with a sense of kuleana, not only to succeed professionally, but to contribute to the community and leave this place better than they found it,” she told ASD.

Cohort 9 included participants from Bank of Hawai‘i, Blood Bank of Hawai‘i, Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i, Chaminade University, City and County of Honolulu, Dole Food Co. Hawai‘i, First Hawaiian Bank, Foss Maritime, Hawai‘i Children’s Action Network, Hawai‘i Dental Service, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Hawaiian Telcom, HMSA, ‘Iolani School, Kahala Nui, Mid-Pacific Institute, Rehab Hospital of the Pacific, the state of Hawai‘i, Strategic Dining Services, Teach for America, Tradewind Group, the University of Hawai‘i system and U.S. Army Pacific.

“As someone who recently stepped into a role with deep responsibility to a historic educational institution, HITOP provided important context for understanding the unique cultural and community landscape of Hawai‘i,” Melinda Bihn, head of school at ʻIolani School said in a recent announcement from Movers and Shakas. “The experience reinforced the importance of listening with humility and learning from the many voices that shape our communities. I leave with a greater appreciation for the histories, traditions and values that influence how we support and inspire our students, faculty and staff each day.”

In the same announcement, Damien Matthews, senior executive vice president and senior executive director of The Private Bank at Bank of Hawai‘i, said that for he and his wife Laurie, HITOP was a chance to "reconnect with Hawai‘i through a deeper lens."

“After many years building our careers in New York, returning home to raise our children has been both exciting and humbling," he said. "HITOP helped us rediscover the communities, history, and cultural values that make Hawai‘i so special, which is something we are proud to share with our children. The relationships we developed through the program will continue to shape how we engage, lead and contribute as returning kama‘āina.”

According to the announcement, the program included three community service and stewardship projects with local nonprofit partners Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi, The Pantry by Feeding Hawai‘i Together, Institute for Human Services and Kahauiki Village; leadership development and cultural learning sessions facilitated by organizations that include Leadership Works, Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association and ʻIolani Palace; talk story discussions with various community leaders.

“When talented professionals relocate to Hawaiʻi, they're not just changing jobs. They're building a new life,” Lim told ASD. “Our goal is to help them feel connected to this place, its people and its values as quickly as possible. When that happens, they're far more likely to stay, contribute, and become part of Hawaiʻi's future.

“People can find successful careers almost anywhere, but they stay where they feel a sense of purpose, belonging and relationship,” she continued. “HITOP helps accelerate that process by introducing participants to the people, places, history and values that make Hawaiʻi unique. Through service projects, cultural experiences, networking opportunities and candid conversations with local leaders, participants develop deeper roots that extend far beyond the workplace. They develop a sense of kuleana for their new home.

Lim says that an important part of that journey is understanding that being welcomed into Hawai‘i comes with a responsibility to care for Hawai‘i; through opportunities for hands-on stewardship and community engagement, participants can learn how they can help leave Hawai‘i "better than they found it, whether through service, leadership, or advocacy within their own organizations."

"For employers, that translates into stronger retention, greater engagement and leaders who are better equipped to contribute meaningfully both within their organizations and throughout the broader community," she explains. "They become more culturally aware, more connected and ultimately more effective leaders. In a state where talent attraction and retention are critical economic priorities, helping people build authentic connections to Hawaiʻi is one of the most impactful investments a business can make."

Since its inception, more than 235 leaders have participated in HITOP across nine cohorts, Movers and Shakas noted.

What’s next for Movers and Shakas — and HITOP?

“Movers and Shakas was founded on a simple idea: people are more likely to stay when they feel connected,” Lim says when asked about the future evolution the organization and the program. “As Hawaiʻi continues to compete for talent in an increasingly global workforce, that mission becomes even more relevant.”

Looking ahead, Lim says the organization plans to “deepen opportunities for participants to engage with local leaders, cultural practitioners and community organizations while continuing to strengthen our alumni network.

“One of the most exciting developments has been seeing graduates remain actively involved long after their cohort ends, mentoring newer participants, organizing gatherings and creating lasting relationships,” she says. “The future of HITOP is about building a long-term community of professionals who choose to invest their talents in Hawaiʻi while positioning Hawaiʻi as a place where both talent and future leaders can thrive."

Movers and Shakas also has expanded its impact through partnerships with higher education institutions, including recent collaborations with Hawaiʻi Pacific University and New York University, where Lim says Movers and Shakas has led seminars and business courses that introduce students and emerging professionals to Hawaiʻi's "unique cultural, economic and business landscape.” 

“These partnerships help cultivate early connections to Hawaiʻi while inspiring the next generation of leaders to explore opportunities to live, work and contribute to our communities.

Lim says Movers and Shakas is considering new ways to deliver its programming through different formats and audiences, including opportunities on Neighbor Islands and across the Mainland.

“We're also developing customized learning experiences tailored to the needs of specific industries and organizations, allowing us to help more professionals build meaningful connections to place, community and purpose.

Enrollment is now open for upcoming HITOP cohorts. Interested organizations can learn more at 

HITOP Cohort9 Kakoo Oiwi 4

<title>Largest cohort graduates from Movers and Shakas' Hawai‘i Talent On Boarding Program</title>

Forty leaders recently completed HITOP, a six-week acculturation program that introduces business leaders and executives who have recently relocated or returned to the Islands to Hawai‘i's culture, history and community.

Largest cohort graduates from Movers and Shakas' Hawai‘i Talent On Boarding Program

Peter Adler without coat 2022 1011447 copy Large

Peter S. Adler, PhD

Government & Politics

Columnists

On November 3, 2026, voters on Oʻahu will consider 

. Question 5 asks whether the City and County of Honolulu should adopt a new way to choose local leaders, which could create a big change in our local politics.

, the proposal, if approved by voters, would require ranked choice voting for electing the Honolulu mayor, city council members, and prosecuting attorney starting in 2032. The question is not simply technical; it goes to the heart of how Honolulu defines fair representation and majority rule.

At the moment, with the national mood deeply polarized, talking about democracy can be touchy but our local ranked choice voting debate takes us right to the heart of how democratic governance should function here. Many noteworthy people have opined on the big picture:

The political culture in Hawaiʻi so often appears to differ from that of other states, cities, counties, and the country. Election competition in our state has long been less about Democrats versus Republicans and more about rivalries within the Democratic Party, which often come down to the power of interpersonal relationships, ethnicity, family traditions, and community loyalties. Shifts (of nearly everything) in our state tend to come slowly, and we often lean towards the status quo.

Nonetheless, a question is now before us: Are we voters, a comparatively apathetic bunch as measured by participation on the 

, hungry for a new approach? And, more specifically, is ranked choice voting a viable alternative to our current system of primary and runoff elections and, assuming the city clerk’s required public education program is effective, able to permit the will of the electorate to remain front and center?

In 1947, Winston Churchill told the House of Commons, “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”  In diverse and pluralistic democracies, no system can meet each person’s personal notion of perfection.

Proponents of ranked choice voting believe such a change could encourage additional or less-established candidates to run, lead to increased civility, reduce municipal expenditures on election execution, and make a dent in the public perception that insiders nearly always win Hawaiʻi elections.

Ranked choice voting is touted to encourage more candidates to compete and to avoid the “spoiler” effect within multi-candidate races in which a non-winning candidate on a ballot can, by drawing votes from other candidates perceived as viable but suboptimal, impact which other candidate actually wins.

Supporters contend that ranked choice voting could temper negative campaigning through the inherent need of candidates to appeal to and earn a high ranking from supporters of rival candidates. This system could reduce election-administration expenses by eliminating August primary elections, which (in Hawaiʻi, at least) often draw 

. Supporters also argue that ranked choice voting could increase voter interest and turnout for general elections.

On the other side, opponents of ranked choice voting note that it will not benefit all voters and could decrease public confidence in elections. This method of election could divorce voting from important and needed debates and create confusion when completing ballots. Depending on the city clerk’s eventual rules and ballot design, duplicate rankings, skipped rankings or other ballot-marking errors could affect how (and if) later preferences are counted. 

Ranked choice voting may provide a distinct advantage to voters who have more time and access to information about candidates, and critics argue that exhausted ballots could complicate claims of majority support. FairVote itself acknowledges that ranked choice voting winners sometimes do not receive a majority of total votes cast. The process as a whole could be perceived as not only too complex but running counter to the longstanding tradition in America of one person exercising a one-choice ballot per single-seat race.

Indeed, within ranked choice voting, a ballot can become exhausted if a voter ranks only one candidate and that candidate is eliminated, or if every candidate the voter ranked has been eliminated. The ballot, although valid and counted in earlier rounds, contains no ranking for a candidate still in contention and is hence no longer in play. Some voters may find such a voting process discouraging, or may feel compelled to rank all candidates, even if some or most are unpalatable, just to avoid ballot exhaustion and remain able to participate in the election process.

Critics also point out that even in ostensibly non-partisan county races, a single November ranked choice voting election could make it nearly impossible for any Republican-leaning candidate to ever break through in Honolulu’s heavily Democratic electorate, particularly if Democratic voters rank other known Democrats as later choices. A minority candidate might gain second- or later-choice support from voters whose first-choice candidate is eliminated, but that candidate would still need extraordinarily broad support to prevail. Whether ranked choice voting would help or hinder minority candidates locally is uncertain and would depend on the field of candidates and how voters rank them.

Reliable research would normally help us think this through more carefully. A 

  found little evidence that ranked choice voting increased overall turnout, but showed possible increases in participation by younger voters. Another 

 found mixed results in civility of candidate tweets but reported that newspaper coverage in cities employing ranked choice voting used significantly more positive and fewer negative words than coverage in comparable cities using conventional single-choice elections. 

Inevitably, empirical research about ranked choice voting should increase our understanding, but current studies do not establish a single, conclusive account of the effects of ranked choice voting. The mixed evidence means that confident claims — whether positive or negative — should be treated cautiously, and reminds us that most of our political opinions are based on habit, ideology, and personal preferences. Sociologist William Bruce Cameron said, “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

If our process to elect the Honolulu mayor, city council members, and prosecuting attorney does change this November — or even if it doesn’t — we might also hope for another effect. We need all candidates to focus on specific proposals and ideas for addressing the problems we still need to confront: matters such as reducing property crimes, lowering housing costs, repairing streets, and expanding workforce opportunities.

Reviewing and sorting a list of candidates under ranked choice voting may be an answer to our voter-participation malaise, or it may not. Regardless, now is a fine time to read the ballot language, learn about the process, consider the competing claims, and prepare to make an informed decision about Charter Amendment question 5. Don’t miss the opportunity on the general election ballot: pay attention and vote.

Ranked choice voting red

<title>Ranked choice voting in Honolulu, part 2: The case for, and against, changing how Oʻahu…</title>

In this follow-up to Part 1, ASD columnist Peter Adler weighs the arguments, evidence, and open questions surrounding Honolulu’s proposed shift to ranked-choice voting.

Ranked choice voting in Honolulu, part 2: The case for, and against, changing how Oʻahu elects its leaders

Real Estate

The long-shuttered, 90-year-old Queen Theater in Kaimukī has hit the market for the first time in more than 50 years.

Originally constructed in 1936, the 12,497-square-foot building sits on a 10,396-square foot parcel at 3588 Wai‘alae Ave. CBRE's Matthew McKeever is leading the marketing efforts.

According to an announcement from CBRE, the property is offered fee simple and as-is, "providing the acquiring investor full ownership of both land and improvements in a submarket where such control is rarely available."

The asking price was not noted in the announcement or on a 

The Queen Theater has been a fixture on Wai‘alae Avenue for nearly 90 years, and opportunities to acquire fee simple control of a property like this in Kaimukī simply don't come around," McKeever said in the announcement. “Investors who understand Honolulu's land constraints recognize what that means for long-term value."

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"Kaimukī is a supply-constrained urban infill submarket characterized by limited new commercial development and infrequent ownership turnover along its primary corridor," CBRE says. "Fee simple assets of this scale along Wai‘alae Avenue have rarely changed hands, positioning the Queen Theater as a durable long-term hold for investors seeking established Honolulu neighborhood retail fundamentals."

The Historic Hawai‘i Foundation says that the 850-seat theater, listed as "endangered" in 2006, is a relic from the "golden age of cinema" that hosted everything from traveling vaudeville shows to 25-cent matinees. In later years, it became a second-run theater that hosted midnight showings of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and later an adult theater, the 

The news of its listing follows recent action from the Honolulu City Council, which on June 3 approved 

, a move that could allow the city to potentially move forward on the acquisition of the theater. 

The resolution revises the city's Public Infrastructure Map, or PIM, for the Primary Urban Center Development Plan area, adding a symbol for a government building to the property.

"Two years ago, the Council adopted Resolution 24-1 76, CD1, which requested the administration to take the steps necessary to acquire the Queen Theater property for public use as a city-owned multipurpose venue for theatrical, musical and community performances, and if necessary, to prepare a resolution for the Council to initiate proceedings in eminent domain," a 

 on the May 21 meeting of the city's Committee on Zoning & Planning notes. "The PIM amendment will allow for the appropriation of funds in the city’s capital budget for land acquisition of the Queen Theater property, which is owned by Narciso Yu Jr., and Adoree Yu."

The fiscal year 2027 capital budget currently appropriates $4 million to do so, the report states.

However, according to the report, the deputy director of the city Department of Planning and Permitting testified on May 21 that because of current and competing budget restraints, the administration does not want to purchase the theater property at this time, although "there is always potential for future consideration."

Daily Smile: Sunday, June 21, 2026

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Daily Smile: Sunday, June 21, 2026

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