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[{"type":"text","text":"The best UPS driver ever....."}]

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<title>Daily Smile: Thursday, July 23, 2026</title>

The best UPS driver ever.....

Daily Smile: Thursday, July 23, 2026

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Aloha Spirit

Following the weekend arrival of Hurricane Lala, which brought heavy rain, high winds and destruction to parts of the Islands, some Hawai‘i businesses are evaluating the damage.

"We're still gathering a full picture, but the early reports we're hearing from members, particularly on Hawai‘i Island, track with what's been reported publicly: power outages, flooding and downed trees affecting operations," Sherry Menor, president and CEO of Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i told Aloha State Daily Monday in an emailed response to questions. "For small businesses, even a short outage can mean lost inventory, canceled bookings or days of lost revenue they can't easily absorb. The biggest immediate need is usually the same after any disruption like this: clear information on when power and access will be restored, and some breathing room on things like loan payments or rent while they get back up and running."

Menor says that information — when the power will be restored and when it's safe to reopen — is the most immediate need for businesses affected by the storm.

"Beyond that, it's cash flow," she says. "A business that's closed for even a few days, or that lost perishable inventory, doesn't have the cushion to just absorb that loss. Things like payroll, rent and loan payments don't pause just because the power did. What helps most in these situations is flexibility: from lenders, landlords and insurers willing to work with businesses during recovery, and clear guidance on what disaster assistance is actually available to them.

"And for the public, if a local business is open and it's safe to do so, visiting in person or shopping online is one of the most direct ways to help. Every bit of business helps them get back on their feet."

According to Menor, Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i has been in close contact with the 

, organizations that are "on the ground and closely connected with the affected communities."

"Once damage assessments are more complete, we will work with those chambers and the legislators serving those districts to provide support," she says.

In the meantime, businesses can access the chamber's 

, which Menor says connects businesses to "trusted preparedness and recovery tools," including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Administration disaster loans, U.S. Department of Agriculture emergency assistance for agricultural producers, Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance programs and more.

Menor says the hub is meant to be a starting point, a single place where businesses can go to find the right agency or program for their situation, rather than having to search separately. Affected businesses are encouraged to start there, she says, or you can reach out to the chamber directly if you need help finding the right resource.

"Small businesses are the backbone of Hawaii's economy, making up a large percentage of the businesses here," she says. "They don't have the same cushion larger companies do, so even a few days of disruption can be a real setback. Beyond the direct damage, there's a ripple effect: tourism-dependent businesses see cancellations, supply chains get delayed, and recovery costs pull resources away from growth. It's a reminder of how important resilience planning is for our small business community, and why we keep pushing for that as part of ongoing work of the 

Dave Erdman, interim president and CEO of Retail Merchants of Hawai‘i, told ASD in an email that before the storm, retailers helped their local communities with merchandise to prepare them for the hurricane.

"From water, food, non-perishables, items that would last a long time, to tarps, generators, coolers, you name it to help in the event of power being out temporarily or for an extended period of time," he says. "The stores stayed open as long as possible and then made decisions to close to get their team members home to prepare their own homes and support their families."

Erdman says the biggest challenge now is for retailers on Neighbor Islands to get shipments from O‘ahu to replenish critical items like water, peanut butter and items that don't need electricity to cook, as well as items for recovery.

"The ships leave on a schedule and we are hearing [that] one retailer has their logistics warehouse in [the] Mililani area and has no power to get the items to load on a truck to get to the ships. [They] missed two to the Neighbor Islands already."

RMH has more than 120 member companies across the Islands, including retailers, shopping centers, dining establishments in retail or shopping centers, professional service companies that support the retail industry, and logistics companies, Erdman says. "Quite a few" of those members are on Hawai‘i Island, which 

Gov. Josh Green on Sunday said that more than 100 homes on Hawai‘i Island were damaged or destroyed by the hurricane, and that some parts of the Big island received more than two feet of rain.

As of 2:30 p.m. Monday, nearly 104,000 Hawaiian Electric customers across the state remained without power, according to a 4 p.m. update from the utility.

Erdman told ASD that power is the biggest need and challenge for retailers affected by the hurricane — not just in stores, but warehouses, logistics locations and other facilities, to get items loaded and shipped to the Neighbor Islands, as is the safety of employees and team members.

RMH is supporting affected businesses by communicating with its members and county officials, he says.

"Retail is critical to the communities they serve, [offering goods] from general household items, cleaning supplies, tools, lumber, water, food, drugs and pharmacy items, all types of merchandise to help prior and after a hurricane or storm like this — and gas! 

"Also, our retailers serve the visitor industry across all Islands and visitors have special needs also," Erdman continued. "Many hotels did not have power and visitors were in search for food and other important items of necessity. Retail and our Retail Merchants of Hawai‘i members are critical to the lives of our residents and visitors, and their team members in times like this go way above and beyond to service their guests and their communities."

, which kicks off Thursday at the Hawai‘i Convention Center, continues to move forward.

This year, the largest-ever MIHF — set for Aug. 20 to 23 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center — will span more than 300,000 square feet across two floors and showcase more than 800 local artisans, makers and entrepreneurs. Festival spokesperson Olena Heu told ASD on Monday that one vendor, a honey bee farmer from Hawai‘i Island, pulled out due to the storm, "other than that, everything has been moving along."

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

[{"type":"text","text":"Some businesses are sharing their stories on social media."}]

, for example, said in an Instagram post that the storm brought "significant rain and flooding" throughout its facility and "strong winds that damaged trees, structures and other areas of the property."

Executive Director Keoni Vaughn told ASD in an email that, most importantly, all of the sanctuary's 707 cats and its staff are safe.

"We closed the sanctuary during the storm out of an abundance of caution for our staff and visitors," he says. "Our team prepared the property ahead of the hurricane by securing loose materials, checking the enclosures and making sure the cats had access to sheltered areas throughout the sanctuary."

Vaughn says sanctuary did, however, sustain a "fair amount" of damage but there was no damage to its perimeter fencing. The current estimate is roughly $15,000 to $20,000, not including lost revenue from being closed for the day or the impact of the ferry to the island not running the day before the storm, he told ASD. 

"Some of the larger losses include a carport that will cost about $4,000 to $6,000 to replace and rebuild, a storage shed and its contents at around $2,300, an estimated $3,000 to $5,000 in gravel that was washed away, and roughly $500 to $1,000 for tree and branch removal. We also lost approximately 30 cat houses and feeding stations, which we estimate will cost about $5,000 to replace.

"Right now, our most immediate need is covering those unexpected repair and recovery costs and getting the sanctuary fully cleaned up and restored."

For anyone who would like to help with the sanctuary's recovery, you can 

Vaughn says the sanctuary has reopened and is back to its normal hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Cleanup and repairs are already underway, with the work expected to continue over the coming days and weeks, he noted.

"Thankfully the weather has cleared up as we are flying our veterinary team up from O‘ahu later in the week," Vaughn says. "We are incredibly grateful that everyone is safe and that the damage was manageable. We have also been overwhelmed by how many people have reached out to check on the cats and offer their support. It really means a lot to our team."

Waikiki hurricane lala 081726

<title>Hurricane Lala's impacts to Hawai‘i businesses</title>

Island businesses are evaluating the damage after the hurricane brought heavy rain, winds and destruction to the Islands over the weekend.

Hurricane Lala's impacts to Hawai‘i businesses

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 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

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Viewpoints

The debate between the spelling and pronunciation of Molokaʻi or Molokai (with or without the glottal stop, or ʻokina, between the “a” and “i”) has been ongoing for decades.

Shortly after Aloha State Daily launched in January 2025, we decided to use diacritics in our reporting and across our website, setting out to do so accurately and consistently. 

The house style agreed upon at the time was "Molokai," based on this article from 

We chose to use the ʻokina and kahakō because, one, because our Content Management System allowed for it (some donʻt). But mostly, to preserve the culture, history and meaning of the Native Hawaiian language, people and places we write about daily.

Among our earliest articles was ASD Reporter Stephanie Salmons' 

, a professor of Hawaiian language and Hawaiian studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, who is also known as “the godfather of the Hawaiian language revitalization movement” in the 1980s.

According to past reporting, Kimura also was a producer for Ka Leo Hawai‘i, a 

 show that ran from 1972 to 1988, where he interviewed native ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi speakers. Those recordings can be heard at Kaniʻāina (

). Naturally, he was one of our go-tos on the Molokai question.

“Those speakers, who were born and raised on Molokaʻi, all pronounced the name of their island as Molokaʻi with the ʻokina letter,” Kimura recently told ASD by email. “Also, all the Native Hawaiian speakers not from Molokaʻi who interacted in conversation with them pronounced Molokaʻi with the ʻokina. … It is too bad the missionary alphabet did not know how to deal with that phonetic letter for the Hawaiian spelling back then.” 

For Hawaiian references, our newsroom primarily uses this site, 

, or a physical copy of the revised Hawaiian Dictionary co-authored by Mary Kawena Puku’i and Samuel H. Elbert in 1961, along with the revised and expanded edition of “Place Names of Hawai’i” by Puku’i, Elbert and Esther T. Mookini.

Those resources list the island as “Molokaʻi,” the latter book defining it as being “38 miles long, 10 miles wide, 261 square-miles in area, and in 1970, a population of 5,261.” Today, its population is between 7,000 to 7,500 people, per the most recent census data.

Merriam-Webster cites the geographical name as "Molokai," varying as “Molokaʻi." 

 has entries both ways but lists “Molokaʻi” first and most often, followed by “Molokai,” citing the revised Hawaiian dictionary by Henry H. Parker from 1922.

Peter T. Young of local planning and consulting firm 

opined that this debate dates back to 1778 when Captain Cook visited the Hawaiian Islands and attempted to turn an oral language into a written one, using 

Morotoi, or Morokoi (Molokai). See how the early writers spelled and pronounced certain words 

What seems to be the biggest point of contention; however, is over its meaning.

Molokaʻi (pronunciation: Moh-loh-kah-ee) translates to twisting or turning (“mola”) leader (alakaʻi).

Molokai (pronunciation: Moh-loh-kye or (Moh-Kye) means “twisting waters (kai)” or "gathering of ocean waters.”

Molokai native Miki'ala Pescaia shared with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ Ka Wai Ola magazine in June 2021: “When you put them together, what makes more sense 

 ‘Moloka'i’, the twisting leader, or ‘Molokai’, the twisting ocean waters? The late Harriet Ne 

 a historian, hula master and one of my father's teachers 

 said it should be 'Molokai,' referring to the waterspouts often seen off the island. Old maps show spelling variations, including Molokai, Morotoi and Molotoi, but they all have three syllables, not four as there would be when you say those words with an 'okina."

Current KWO Editor Puanani Akamine told ASD, “At OHA, we use the ʻokina mainly because that is how it is spelled in UH Hilo's online Hawaiian dictionary, 

. My grandmother was from Molokaʻi and a native speaker. She always pronounced it with an ʻokina, so that is my personal default, as well.”

asked Hālawa Valley resident Anakala Pilipo Solatorio to share why he uses “Molokai,” which he learned from his grandparents and ʻohana from the island. In the interview he notes, “My kūpunahine Lilia Hale also told me the same thing and went on to say that ʻMoloka'iʻ would refer to ʻAlaka'i,ʻ the Hawaiian value of leadership, which would then change the meaning ... to ‘twisted leader.’”

One Oʻahu-based Hawaiian language teacher didn't want to go on record with their thoughts for fear of backlash from the community. Some of the folks we asked from the Friendly Isle sided with “Molokai.”

 Executive Director Alice J. Ka'ahanui told ASD, “Personally, I choose to use ʻMolokaiʻ without the ʻokina because I was born and raised on Molokai and that is the way I was taught by our kūpuna. (It almost sounds like there is an 'okina because the ‘ai’ sounds like ‘eye’ with a heavy accent on ‘i’)."

She added that during the mid-to-late ’80s, that generation of college students started learning to use the ʻokina.

“I remember one person saying they learned the term ʻMolokaiʻ was incorrect because they likened the twisting and turning in the ocean to the way a toilet bowl turns. That cast a negative view of the word, and thinking back was probably used to encourage more people to pronounce it with the ʻokina.” Ka'ahanui continued. “To me, Moloka‘i just became a more contemporary pronunciation.”

“I also remember someone saying that when Mary Kawena Pukui was working on the dictionary, she didn't ask someone from Molokai for the pronunciation. It was someone on Hawaiʻi island that gave her the pronunciation.”

Kumu Pa’a Nui Lawrence Kalainia Kamani Aki of 

 is a 50th generation Hawaiian cultural practitioner, who teaches online and in-person workshops on the island.

“I live by the oral teaching of Na Kūpuna O Hālawa Valley, Molokai,” she told ASD by email. “I understand the University of Hawaiʻi standardizing the language. I have heard all the points of views of the younger generation and Na Kūpuna agreeing with the University of Hawaiʻi due to their degrees they have received from these Western education institutions.”

, also from Hālawa Valley, said that the pronunciation is not as important as the meaning, which he acknowledged references the ocean currents surrounding the island's southern shores.

pronunciations are correct and depends on which ʻohana you are speaking with.

Keldin Calairo-Nakagawa, lead singer of Hawaiian-reggae group 

told ASD this week that he uses both and that either way works.

ASD ghost stories columnist Lopaka Kapanui

 weighed in, saying, “According to natives of the island, and our dear friend whose ʻohana is from there, it's ‘Molokai,’ or 'rolling waters due to the Ka'iwi channel.'

 from the Mary Kawena Pukui Cultural Preservation Society, his answer broadened to, “Guess it depends.”

While “guess it depends” seems like the best answer for colloquial conversations, as a news organization where words are the backbone of our business and meaning matters not only to us but our readers, our inclination is to stick with Molokai.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"What’s yours?"}]

Molokai map

<title>Molokaʻi or Molokai, and why? ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi speakers, community share manaʻo</title>

Aloha State Daily revisits the Molokaʻi or Molokai debate over the spelling and pronunciation of the place name — with or without an ʻokina — initially for our own house style guide used across the website. Here’s what we learned from community members statewide.

Molokaʻi or Molokai, and why? ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi speakers, community share manaʻo

 relocated its eatery, but it’s just steps away from its former space on Kapiʻolani Boulevard.

The eatery is now located at 747 Amana Street; it’s in the former spot of a yakiniku restaurant. The eatery was temporarily closed; we got a preview of the new space during the eatery’s friends and family event, prior to its re-opening to the public on March 8.

The restaurant’s menu is the same; customers can enjoy a mix of dim sum along with the regular menu that comprises appetizers, soups, barbecue dishes, seafood, noodles, meats and veggies.

The dim sum selection includes bestsellers like shrimp dumplings ($7.50), pork hash with seafood ($7.50), baked barbecue pork buns ($7.85) and egg custard tarts ($7.50).

The regular menu features an extensive selection; signature dishes include roast duck and barbecue pork ($36.50), peking duck ($42 half, $68 whole), honey walnut shrimp ($25.50) and house special chow mein ($22.50).

There’s limited customer parking in the underground parking lot adjacent to the restaurant. Street parking is also available.

Kapiolani Seafood Restaurant dim sum 031126

<title>Kapiʻolani Seafood Restaurant moves to new location</title>

The eatery’s new location on Amana Street is just steps away from its former spot on Kapiʻolani Boulevard. The restaurant’s menu is the same, so customers can look forward to signature dim sum staples and shareable dishes like peking duck, honey walnut shrimp, Hong Kong style wonton noodles and more.

Kapiʻolani Seafood Restaurant moves to new location

Honolulu is home for Katie Kaahanui, who is a new mom pursuing her second master’s in mental health counseling on top of serving as the executive coordinator for the Waikīkī Business Improvement District’s Safe and Sound program

 in August 2023, shortly after the initiative launched in September 2022, thanks to a grant from the Kosasa Foundation and the City and County of Honolulu.

In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office, Honolulu Police Department, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and other community partners, Safe and Sound addresses public safety and mental health by connecting individuals with the “resources and the treatment that they need as quickly as possible,” said Kaahanui, who also holds a master’s degree in criminal justice.

She described her role as “assisting people caught in a cycle of crime, homelessness, and/or serious mental illness in getting connected to the sustainable, long-term help they need. It is a perfect combination of my passions and a sturdy foundation for me to only build from into the future.” Her other responsibilities include fine-tuning processes and best practices, interpreting data, identifying gaps and finding solutions as “the bridge” between stakeholders.

The overall goal is two-fold: to create a safe environment for residents and visitors alike and to care for those transitioning from the street into improved living situations.

“It’s the same work, now on a bigger scale. … I’m very proud of how much this program has grown, especially in the ‘Sound’ area. People are really showing a desire to help themselves,” Kaahanui said. "A lot of times, at first, people will refuse service, and I don’t see that as a deterrent. You just have to keep showing up, and over time, they usually open up."

She added that the program’s work has impacted “our relationship with business owners, residents, hotels, who all reach out, and I think that needs to be the norm for every community.”

“It’s going to take all of us to solve such tough social issues but that’s the magic of everybody rolling up their sleeves together. It’s about finding the right people who can be those ‘Community Champions’.”

Existing partnerships with the Institute for Human Services, 

, the Hawai’i State Judiciary and more have been critical to Safe and Sound’s success.

Kaahanui said something she’s currently working to develop is a warm handoff model. “It’s so nobody is left with their next step unknown – so that there’s a person, a resource, an organization, ready to receive them and go above and beyond for them. … We don’t want people leaving [the Islands] and to just hope for the best.”

One recent example, she said, was when a local judge called her about a young female in the Waikīkī district who wasn’t from here and was getting into trouble on the streets. “I did an intake interview to learn more about her and she gave me the number to her mom who was [on the Mainland].

“When I contacted her, she started bawling and was so relieved that her daughter was found. I told her we’d send her back home after dealing with her court responsibilities first and later worked with the mom to make sure she’d be at the airport when she landed, and could take her to rehabilitation and be a support to her from there.

“That’s a really good example of that warm handoff and for me, it’s really energizing to help coordinate and problem-solve in such a meaningful way.”

The Safe and Sound program has potential to grow into something that serves not just Waikīkī, but beyond, according to Kaahanui. 

“It excites me, and I think that it’s doable. But right now, we’re just not at that point yet; however, if there are communities that are interested in learning more about this … we are more than open to meeting with them."

Total homeless count in the Waikīkī geographic area over time:

What does that mean? “This represents a 37% decrease in homelessness in Waikīkī since Safe and Sound Waikīkī started in 2022, and a 13% decrease since October 2024,” Kaahanui said. The last count was conducted on June 3.

Source: Waikīkī Business Improvement District, Honolulu Police Department and the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's College of Urban & Regional Planning

Katie Kaahanui Safe and Sound Waikiki

<title>Katie Kaahanui scales Safe and Sound Waikīkī program</title>

This initiative has reduced crime and homelessness from Ala Wai Boat Harbor to Diamond Head in less than three years. As executive coordinator, Kaahanui highlights Safe and Sound’s success and shares about her long-term goal of replicating it in other communities.

Daily Smile: Thursday, July 23, 2026

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