ASD icon blue inverse lighter

ASD Staff

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"These will never not be funny....."}]

Smile 26 8 2

<title>Daily Smile: Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026</title>

These will never not be funny...

Daily Smile: Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

It’s not every day that singers and songwriters get to visit the home of Simon Cowell, one of the best known judges of 

 But that is exactly what happened for Nyjah Music and Zyah Rhythm, the

North Shore brothers competing in Season 21 of the television show, who were invited to film a judges callback round at Cowell’s house in Malibu, California.

, allows each judge to pick acts to audition a second time before a panel decides who will advance to live shows. Watch the episode at 7 p.m. Central Standard Time, which is 2 p.m. in Hawai’i, on Tuesday, Aug. 4, on NBC, to see if the brothers advance. The episode will also be available on Peacock the next day.

Here is an exclusive clip of Cowell giving the brothers feedback.

Getting an invite to the judges callback round from Cowell, who is known for being a tough judge, meant a lot to the duo.

“We were pretty stoked,” Nyjah told Aloha State Daily. “Just being there was amazing.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"He was like an uncle, Zyah added."}]

“So I actually would have thought that Simon would be hard on us, just because of the videos and stuff,” he said. “He has turned down some people. But just going to his house, he made it feel like he was more of an uncle to us. It was super chill. He was super inviting and super open with his house. He told us we could jump in his pool, if we wanted.”

They did not in fact jump in the pool. They did not have swimsuits, Zyah added.

Currently, Nyjah Music and Zyah Rhythm have more than 250,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Last year, their cover of “Burning Love,” which was produced by their uncle, Bruno Mars, was featured in Disney’s live action 

 Today, that song has more than 13 million streams on Spotify.

But even with a hit like that, the auditions for “America’s Got Talent” had them nervous. Waiting backstage for 

their audition, which aired on Tuesday, June 9, on NBC

, was “pretty nerve-wracking,” Zyah said.  

“But then once we stepped on stage, we're pretty comfortable,” he added. “We did hear some people from Hawai’i in the audience. It got us pretty comfortable with the stage.”

By hearing Hawai’i, he means they heard a cheehoo.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Did they expect that? Zyah shook his head."}]

“It kind of shook the nerves away,” he said. “And it just showed that we have some people from home watching us.”

They performed their latest release, “Heartbeat,” an original single, which dropped on streaming platforms on June 15.

“It's really a universal song for people that want to show how much they love someone and how they want to be a part of someone because the lyrics are, ‘Can I be your heartbeat or the flower in your ear?’ and stuff like that,” Zyah said. “That person for us is our grandma. We dedicate it to our grandma, and it just shows how much we love our grandma, how she started it all, but she did pass away when we were little. But yeah, it's just about our grandma.”

After being off Island, Nyjah and Zyah look forward to local foods. For Nyjah, that usually involves a poke bowl at Foodland, with iced tea on the side. After flying in, Zyah likes to stop at 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

"America's Got Talent"

<title>Exclusive video: North Shore brothers talk about ʻAmerica’s Got Talent’</title>

Nyjah Music & Zyah Rhythm, the North Shore brothers who are also the nephews of Bruno Mars are back on “America’s Got Talent.” Catch them singing for Simon Cowell at his house in an episode that airs Tuesday, Aug. 4. They also unpack their latest single “Heartbeat,” which was inspired by their grandmother, and the cheehoo that calmed their nerves during auditions.

Exclusive video: North Shore brothers talk about ʻAmerica’s Got Talent’

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Business & Tourism

Spectrum News Hawaiʻi, a regional digital and streaming news platform managed by Charter Communications, has laid off “a few” positions, Spectrum Networks told Aloha State Daily Thursday by email.

The Hawaiʻi news division launched in fall of 2021 with six local journalists, among other nationwide staff, to cover “hyper-local” community news, politics, sports, weather, and more, 

. A quick glance at its site today shows 

ASD also confirmed Thursday that Spectrum/Charter Communications was not required to file any WARN notices in Hawaiʻi for recent layoffs at its local newsroom and corporate offices. In total, the company employs approximately 1,000 staff members in Hawai‘i.

On Wednesday, Spectrum News Hawaiʻi Digital Journalist Brian McInnis took to X to share a post reflecting on a near 20-year career reporting on sports and other happenings in the Islands.

“My 5-year team at Spectrum News was sadly recently eliminated,” McInnis wrote in the X post. Heartfelt aloha and mahalo for reading. ... Here’s to what’s next.”

Prior to Spectrum News, McInnis worked at Pacific Business News and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. He was recognized Wednesday night by the the Hawai‘i Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for his coverage 

on the second anniversary of the August 2023 Lahaina wildfires

, which garnered Spectrum News Hawaiʻi first place in Online News Reporting in the Internet division for 2025.

Over the years, the Spectrum News Hawaiʻi team — which locally includes McInnis along with executive producer Nuy Cho; digital producer Lianne Bidal Thompson; and digital reporters Michael Tsai, Sarah Yamanaka and Michelle Broder Van Dyke — has won multiple awards for their work. 

A Spectrum spokesperson added that there are more updates coming on the news side. The company operates more than 30 physical and digital newsrooms across the country.

As for the Spectrum store near Mililani Tech Park and corporate offices in Mililani Town, less than 10 people were recently impacted, per the company. 

“We’ve made some structural changes that streamlines our organization to be more effective and efficient. No customer facing roles have been impacted,” a Spectrum spokesperson said.

Charter Communications manages all operations and financial revenue for Spectrum News as “a single consolidated business segment under Spectrum Networks,” 

Yahoo finance article from earlier this month

, Spectrum is currently battling “mounting customer losses in its cable TV and internet business” across the country following increased monthly prices for such services. In a 

, Charter said that Spectrum Internet customers declined by 120,000 and it lost 60,000 video customers in Q1. 

“As Charter works to reverse Spectrum's customer losses, it continues to cut jobs, with its latest round affecting hundreds of employees,” Yahoo finance reported at the time.

Charter Communications has recently issued WARN notices in 

, resulting in the layoff of hundreds of Spectrum employees, according to other media outlets.

Spectrum News App 1 0

<title>Spectrum, Charter Communications lay off several local employees</title>

Spectrum’s local news division has recently laid off a few journalists, in addition to fewer than 10 employees at the Spectrum Store near Mililani Tech Park and neighboring corporate call center facility, officials with the company told Aloha State Daily on Thursday.

Spectrum, Charter Communications lay off several local employees

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

 — which opened in Ward Centre about five years ago — recently soft opened in South Shore Market. The restaurant is located in the former space of Scratch Kitchen & Meatery.

Kamitoku is known for its ramen bowls made with beef bone broth, or Gyu-kotsu ramen. This style of ramen is considered to be a regional specialty from Japan’s Tottori prefecture.

While the restaurant still features different beef bone broth bowls to choose from, the eatery also added a variety of new dishes to its menu.

The crispy beef bite bowl ($15-$17) is the eatery’s version of karaage, but with a beefy twist. It features crispy rib-eye served over white rice ($15) or otoko-meshi ($17) and topped with the eatery’s signature aioli.

Customers can upgrade their entrees to otoko-meshi sets, which feature freshly cooked garlic butter rice, which boasts an umami flavor.

The wild oxtail soup ($35-$39) — which features Kamitoku’s signature beefy wild broth — comes with slow-simmered oxtail, fresh green onions and housemade garlic ginger relish. The eatery’s wagyu rib-eye katsu box ($28-$30) is also a new addition. Premium wagyu rib-eye is breaded and fried, then served over your choice of rice ($28) or otoko-meshi ($30).

Popular appetizers include spicy French fries ($7.50), deep-fried gyoza ($9.50) and Kamitoku ajitama ($8). The eatery’s signature Seabura ramen ($22.50) — which features a rich, creamy broth made with beef fat — comes highly recommended for diners looking for something unique.

The business, which is still in its soft opening phase, is currently BYOB while it’s waiting to get its liquor license. Kamitoku Ramen plans to add more exclusive dishes and drinks to its menu in the upcoming weeks.

The restaurant is currently open from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and Sundays, and from 5 to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The business’s grand opening is still to come; for updates, follow the restaurant on 

Open 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and Sundays; 5 to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays

Kamitoku Ramen ramen 072426

<title>Kamitoku Ramen moves from Ward Centre to South Shore Market</title>

The business — known for its beef bone broth ramen — just soft opened in the former space of Scratch Kitchen & Meatery. In addition to its popular ramen bowls, the biz also added new dishes — like wild oxtail soup and wagyu rib-eye katsu bowls — to its menu.

Kamitoku Ramen moves from Ward Centre to South Shore Market

Kam Napier Headshot

A. Kam Napier

Columnists

Government & Politics

You wouldn’t know it from local media, or even from much of the mainstream Mainland news, but Dr. Anthony Fauci is back in the spotlight, six years after his Icarus flight into the sun of international media attention during Covid-19.

 at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser about Anthony Fauci is from April 3, 2020. It’s an Associated Press wire story, “

Dr. Fauci’s face will soon be on a bobblehead

How appropriate. It would hilariously ironic, if it weren’t for the needless panic and suffering that man caused as he reveled in his Covid-era fame.

In April, Hawaiʻi News Now did carry an AP story earlier this year, “

Former Fauci adviser indicted for allegedly concealing communications related to COVID-19 research

.” It was a small glimpse into an overdue reckoning.

The last article on Fauci at Hawai‘i Public Radio was from Jan. 23, 2021, “

The gist of that piece is that Fauci was thrilled to be working for former President Joe Biden — as well he should be, since Biden, or his autopen, would go on to 

The text of the pardon itself reads: “For any offenses against the United States which he may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014, through the date of this pardon arising from or in any manner related to his service as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force or the White House Covid-19 Response Team, or as Chief Medical Advisor to the President.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Why would he need such a thing?"}]

We might soon find out. On Wednesday, July 29, Sen. Rand Paul will be grilling Fauci in front of Congress. In advance of that hearing, Paul has been publishing online thousands of pages of Fauci’s own diaries and notes, all kept in his government files. Read them all 

This is what local and national media, once so eager to lionize Fauci, now seem to be working so hard to ignore.

I looked at the Star-Advertiser, as well as Honolulu Civil Beat, and 

, to see if anyone locally was covering, or even picking up from Mainland sources, the news coming out about Fauci’s diaries.

[{"type":"text","text":"Nothing, at least as of Tuesday."}]

Maybe you loved the man. Maybe you bought the Fauci candle and hung on his every word. Prepare to be disappointed.

Maybe you loathed the man on sight, with his suspicious eagerness to be the ringleader of a calamity circus.

[{"type":"text","text":"You were right. Fauci’s own words prove it."}]

For a summation of the diary, it’s hard top the highlights published this week at 

, which doubted the Covid lockdown madness from the get-go — and was demonetized and censored for not going along with the groupthink.

In March 2020, went on TV, gave the day’s death toll of 9,800. Then he wrote in his diary, “It is not hyperbole to say that today I am the most famous and talked about person in the country and one of the most recognizable persons in the world.”

I could go on and on with examples from the diary of Fauci loving his fame, because Fauci himself sure did. But I’ll just let that one ghoulish example stand for them all.

Publicly, Fauci claimed he never advised lockdowns. His diaries tell us he bragged to himself about convincing New York and California leaders to close schools and businesses. In the climate of fear of the time, policymakers marched like lemmings off the lockdown cliff to do likewise.

[{"type":"text","text":"As for that fear, it was needlessly stoke by Fauci himself."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"And he was lying."}]

He told us, via the media, the Covid fatality rate was 2 to 2.5% — that’s 10 times higher than the typical death rate of the average flu season. One might panic over such a thing. Except, the real rate, as he noted privately, was “

.” That’s double the fatality rate of the flu, but it isn’t 10 times the rate, and we might have asked better questions about a more targeted approach to Covid if he had been honest.

When other experts criticized the lockdown strategy as doing more than harm good, Fauci worked with the government and social media companies to silence them. In crisis, we need more communication and more questions, not fewer. Fauci would not be questioned at all.

Publicly, Fauci touted mask-wearing as the key to safety and a “return to normalcy.” Privately he knew there was no evidence to support that.

While we were being told we couldn’t so much as take a walk alone in a park, Fauci was having dinner with CNN’s Jake Tapper, at Tapper's house.

Remember when it was forbidden, even considered racist, to suggest that Covid-19 was the result of Chinese lab leak? The only acceptable belief was accidental transmission from animals to humans in a Wuhan wet market.

Well, the overwhelming consensus of a team of international experts was that there was no way this virus was entirely natural, parts of had to be inserted. Fauci knew this because he assembled the experts and summarized their consensus in his diary — in January, 2020. Yes, that early.

What Sen. Paul has been chasing, and will likely grill Fauci about in these hearings, is what role Fauci himself and the U.S. government played in funding gain-of-function research on viruses overseas after such work had been banned at home. As the Senator notes, no pardon from Biden protects Fauci from the consequences of lying now.

We’ll see what he has to say for himself, but I expect a lot of memory lapses. “During a seven-hour deposition in December 2022, Fauci failed to recall pertinent information about his role in the federal government’s Covid weaponization 

And it also notes: “While regular Americans struggled to make ends meet and keep their small businesses afloat amid lockdowns, the bureaucrat made 

I think the man ought to be in prison. I fear the worst he’ll experience is a few more hours of pretending he can’t recall how he earned so many of our tax dollars.

In his monstrous and ego-driven campaign to milk Covid for all it was worth, Fauci had plenty of accomplices. Mini-Faucis ruled from coast to coast, basking in the glow of the local TV studio lights, not least of all here in the Islands, pushing maximum panic and maximum lockdowns. Gov. Josh Green likely owes his current job to being Hawai‘i’s Mini-Fauci.

My own industry played a huge role in amplifying both fear and the overreaction, so I’m not surprised they aren’t rushing to confront the ugly truth behind the St. Fauci narrative.

It was ugly, and we’ll be dealing with the fallout for years to come. Maybe you had a loved one die pathetically alone in a hospital as a result of insane visitation policies. Maybe your kid still struggles from lost schooling. Maybe your business never quite recovered, or you’re running a new one now because lockdowns killed your old one. 

We’re all certainly paying for the billions in fraudulent Covid-relief payments made as the Feds shoveled money at Americans to buy their patience with the lockdowns. We’re certainly all paying the price in inflation as the Biden administration borrowed trillions for that relief, inflation that peaked at 19% during his term, permanently resetting prices.

I’m stumped at how to quantify the psychic pain that came from learning just how many of our friends, family members, neighbors and colleagues turned out to be East German at heart — eager secret policemen, dropping a dime on curfew violators, wishing death upon the unmasked or the unvaccinated. There’s a thing you can’t unsee once you’ve seen it, and one can't help but wonder, did that part of them ever really go away or are they just waiting for the next excuse to go after people they don't like?

No one, anywhere, who brought all this about has ever been held to account.

[{"type":"text","text":"Fauci would be a good start. "}]

 Wow, that was fast. The hearing has already ended — with 

 repeatedly and refusing to answer questions, despite his presidential pardon. Paul has stated that this is illegal and there will be repercussions. We'll see.

A. Kam Napier is editor in chief of Aloha State Daily. His opinions in Pipikaula Corner are his own and not reflective of the ASD team.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Getty Images 2155919948

<title>Pipikaula Corner: Fauci revealed as fear-mongering, fame-loving fraud</title>

It's not getting much media attention, but the private diaries of Dr. Anthony Fauci have been published online by Sen. Rand Paul in advance of his hearings this week into Fauci and Covid-19. What they reveal across thousands of pages is man in love with the adulation he received, who privately knew that many of things he said publicly about the pandemic were wild exaggerations.

Pipikaula Corner: Fauci revealed as fear-mongering, fame-loving fraud

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

Several new eateries are set to open starting later this year at Kamehameha Schools' mixed-use redevelopment in Mō‘ili‘ili.

Waiānuenue at Kapa‘akea is part of the first phase of the greater Kapa‘akea redevelopment, and the project aims to revitalize the existing retail area "to create a lively, colorful shopping district filled with eclectic local shops, diverse eateries and engaging spaces," the Waiānuenue 

. Its name pays homage to the "shimmering rainbows that grace Mānoa's skies."

Located across University Avenue from Puck's Alley, the initial lineup of local and globally-inspired businesses was announced earlier this month. Here's what you'll find, according to a 

 from Colliers Hawai‘i, the commercial real estate firm handling the leasing.

 about the redevelopment noted the project encompassed the Varsity Center, East-West Building, 2535 Coyne St. and the surrounding parking lots. 

Financial returns from Waiānuenue will support educational initiatives throughout KS' Vision 2040, which benefit early learning, K-12 education, college and career readiness, and other community programs, that announcement noted.

The  revitalization project broke ground in 2024 and is expected to open later this year, a KS spokesperson told Aloha State Daily in an email, noting that the timeline is consistent with KS's previously announced plans for opening.

"Waiānuenue is envisioned to include eateries, retail, and services from local, national and global brands that want to contribute to the vibrancy of the Mōʻiliʻili community," the spokesperson says. "The first tenant anticipated to open is Oakberry Hawaiʻi in late September or early October 2026."

According to the listing, Waiānuenue at Kapa‘akea will offer a total of 18,929 square feet of office and retail spaces for lease. You can find the 

. Leasing is being led by Colliers Hawai‘i Senior Vice President Emalia Pietsch and Senior Associate Gabrielle Chock.

The broader Kapa‘akea project includes Waiānuenue, Puck's Alley, the Varsity Building and surrounding parking lots, the spokesperson noted.

Waianuenue at kapaakea 072726

<title>New eateries planned for Kamehameha Schools' Mō‘ili‘ili redevelopment</title>

Eleven tenants for Waiānuenue at Kapa‘akea have so far been announced.

New eateries planned for Kamehameha Schools' Mō‘ili‘ili redevelopment

More than a dozen displays of architectural design have been recognized by AIA Honolulu — the Honolulu chapter of the American Institute of Architects — as the best in Hawai‘i at the 68th annual Design Awards.

Since 1958, the awards have honored excellence in architectural design. More than 220 people attended an awards gala Friday, July 24, at the Hawai‘i Theatre.

More than 1,000 votes were cast by the public over two weeks in June for the 20th annual People's Choice Award, according to an announcement from AIA Honolulu. Other awards were determined by a panel of jurors composed of AIA member-architects that included three local jurors as well as architects based out of Kansas City and Canada.

You can check out the list of winners, as well as pictures of the projects, below.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Award of Excellence"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: WRNS Studio"}]

Additional Design Firms: Engineering Partners Inc. (civil and structural engineer), Interface Engineering (mechanical, plumbing Engineer), Ronald N.S. Ho & Associates, Inc. (electrical, energy engineer), Jordan Consultants, LLC (specifications), Coffman Engineers, Inc. (code and fire protection), Sherwood Design Engineers (water recycling), Umemoto Cassandro Design Corp. (landscape architect), Salter, Inc. (AV, telecom and acoustic), Vitok Engineers (distilling), Hirata & Associates (geotechnical), Marshall Associates (food service)

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

Award of Excellence and The Hawai’i Energy Award for Excellence in Energy-efficient Design

Hugh and Mary McCormick Innovation & Discovery Center, 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"FIRM: G70"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: Hawai‘i Baptist Academy"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Allied Builders Systems"}]

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

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Bowers + Kubota Consulting"}]

Additional Design Firms: NOEI (structural engineer of record for the building), Buehler Engineering (structural engineer of record for the PV array), CADE Engineers LLC (electrical engineer of record for the PV system), JPB Engineering (geotechnical engineer), S.S. Dannaway Assoc. (fire protection engineer), Dennis Poma (wastewater engineer)

Client: Aaron and Jessica Ackerman      

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Bryan Allen Construction"}]

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

Firms: Guerin Glass Architects PC and Geoffrey Lewis Architect, Inc.

Additional Design Firm: Wolf Landscape Architecture (landscape architect)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: The Marianist Center of Hawai‘i"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Hanson Construction, LLC"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Hale Mau‘u, Hawai’i Island"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Walker Warner"}]

Additional Design Firms: Catherine Kwong Design (interior designer), David Y. Tamura Associates (landscape architect)   

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Metzler Contracting Co."}]

Honorable Mention, People's Choice Award and Mayor's Choice Award

'Iolani School Arrillaga Student Center, 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"FIRM: WCIT Architecture       "}]

Additional Design Firm: Gensler (co-design architect)

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: 'Iolani School"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Albert C. Kobayashi, Inc."}]

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

President Theodore Roosevelt High School Gymnasium, 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Ferraro Choi and Associates Ltd."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Client: State Department of Education"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Nan, Inc."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Dean Sakamoto Architects LLC"}]

Additional Design Firms: Coffman Engineers Inc. (mechanical consultant); Nakamura, Oyama & Assoc Inc. (electrical consultant); Censeo AV + Acoustics (acoustic consultant); Albizia Project and Four Square Solutions (millwork)

Client: American Savings Bank          

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Contractor: Ralph S. Inouye Co. Ltd."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Firm: Design Partners Inc."}]

Daily Smile: Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026

ASD Staff

Reporter

More in Daily Smile

Daily Smile: Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026

Daily Smile: Friday, July 31, 2026

Daily Smile: Thursday, July 30, 2026

Daily Smile: Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Most read

Daily Smile: Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026

Authors

ASD Staff

Reporter

More in Daily Smile

Daily Smile: Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026

Daily Smile: Friday, July 31, 2026

Daily Smile: Thursday, July 30, 2026

Daily Smile: Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Most read