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Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by A. Kam Napier over Mō‘ili‘ili. "A recent full moon rising over Mō‘ili‘ili, near Isenberg and Kapi‘olani."

To submit your Hawai'i Skies photo, visit us 

<title>Hawaiʻi Skies: Moon rising</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by A. Kam Napier over Mō‘ili‘ili.

Hawaiʻi Skies: Moon rising

Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by A. Kam Napier over Mō‘ili‘ili. &quot;A recent full moon rising over Mō‘ili‘ili, near Isenberg and Kapi‘olani.&quot; To submit your Hawai&#039;i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Crime & Courts

Less than a week after being sued by the federal government over illegal immigration, Hawai‘i has returned fire with its own immigration lawsuit.

, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint against the state over an administrative rule allowing illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition benefits at the University of Hawai‘i, which the suit alleged was a violation of federal law.

That suit remains pending, but on Tuesday, Hawai‘i 

 more than 20 other states in suing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over proposed changes to laws allowing noncitizens to be eligible for public benefits.

This suit revolves around the definition of the phrase “public charge”: in the context of immigration laws, a noncitizens could be denied entry to or permanent residence in the county if they were deemed likely to become a “public charge,” or someone unable to support themselves who would likely become dependent upon public benefits.

In 2019, during President Donald Trump’s first administration, the federal government redefined “public charge” as “an alien who receives one or more public benefits … for more than 12 months in the aggregate within any 36-month period.”

In 2022, during the administration of President Joe Biden, the definition was reverted to be closer to the original definition; in July, DHS passed a rule re-reverting the definition to that from 2019.

This sequence of events — in which laws have ping-ponged between two different forms between the Trump and Biden administrations — mirrors 

 pair of suits between Hawai‘i and the federal government concerning endangered species protections.

According to this latest suit, the DHS has asserted that the changes are necessary in order to be more consistent with other laws concerning public charges.

The plaintiffs, meanwhile, argued that a “public charge” has had a well-known legal definition for more than a century and that DHS hasn’t provided a compelling reason to change it. Consequently, the suit argues that DHS’ decision to change the law was arbitrary and capricious and therefore outside the department’s authority.

The plaintiffs also argue that DHS’ decision will have wider impacts beyond immigrants. The suit speculates that many people will choose to disenroll in programs like Medicaid or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for fear of being determined a public charge, which could lead to an overall reduction in federal funding for those programs, impacting remaining users.

The suit alleges that DHS itself has predicted that the rule change will reduce federal payments to states’ Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs by about $4.05 billion annually, and SNAP funding by more than $1 billion annually.

The suit concludes by urging the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to vacate the new DHS rule and declare it unlawful.

[{"type":"text","text":"The case remains pending."}]

AG Anne Lopez scaled 16x9

<title>Hawai‘i joins multi-state lawsuit against DHS over immigration</title>

Immigration rule changes reduce availability of public benefits for immigrants.

Hawai‘i joins multi-state lawsuit against DHS over immigration

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Business & Tourism

Food & Dining

It hasn’t even been two full weeks since business owner Jessica Uao relocated her restaurant, Jessica’s Kitchen, from 

Aiea to Kapolei. However, she says her new location in Kapolei Commons, in the former space of Mad Bene, has already been flooded with her “regulars.”

“Our regular customers have been coming in,” she says of the new space, which opened on Sept. 3. “During my 17 years working in (restaurant) business, they have been supporting me. They said, ‘Yay, it’s closer to us.’ I’m looking forward to bringing in this community.

“The ʻAiea location was so small, and it was hard for customers to find,” she adds. “I really wanted a bigger location.”

Jessica’s Kitchen — the Kapolei eatery is now called 

 — was located in Westridge Shopping Center in ‘Aiea for 16 months, according to Uao. The restaurant was, and still is, known for its all-day breakfast, along with local-style Filipino favorites.

“We’re not authentic Filipino,” Uao says, referring to the restaurant’s cuisine. “We just have local-style dishes — like longanisa, bangus — that people want.”

“A lot of the dishes we serve is local favorites; we cater to the local community rather than just the Filipino community,” adds business co-founder Chris Masiclat. “We want to have something for everyone — including tourists that come around — something that’s more of a comfort food, something a little big different. It’s more fusion, more new-age style.”

Local-style Filipino specialties include sizzling pork sisig ($25.99), lechon kawali ($25.99), pork adobo ($23.99) and bangus ($26.99). 

“Bangus is a fried, boneless milkfish,” Masiclat explains. “The one that we had in ʻAiea was a little bit smaller. We decided to get the really large one (for this location); the flavor will speak for itself.”

“If you order my bangus, it will fill up your plate, it’s big,” Uao adds.

Many entrees come with side dishes, such as white or brown rice, fried rice ($5) and the eatery’s popular adobo fried rice ($5).

“We’re really well known for our portions,” Masiclat says. “The pork adobo omelet and lechon kawali are very good.”

Speaking of breakfast served all day, customer favorites include fresh corned beef hash loco moco ($23.99), chicken and waffles ($25.99) and the Jessica Moco ($28.99). The latter features a homemade hamburger patty topped with fresh corned beef hash brisket, two eggs and gravy.

“The best thing about the Jessica Moco is that it’s not canned meat, it’s not canned corned beef,” Masiclat says. “This is a homemade dish. We actually take the full corned beef brisket that’s cooked and shredded. A lot of the food that we make is fresh; a lot of it is local. It does take time, and it does come from the heart. It’s not just something we purchase at the store and throw together.”

While Jessica’s ʻAiea location was open for about a year and four months, Masiclat says they “quickly outgrew it.” Especially on holidays, the ʻAiea restaurant would be packed, resulting in a longer wait time for customers.

“We probably had about 1,500 square feet in the ʻAiea space,” he says. “The biggest letdown for the ʻAiea space was that we didn’t really have sufficient space for all of our guests. We would have certain chef specials on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day; everybody wanted to come and try our food, and celebrate with their family.

“We’re not known for rushing people or trying to kick people out just to turn the tables,” he adds. “One of the biggest things we’re excited for here is the space. We can serve more guests with an even bigger kitchen, expediting the process to be more efficient.”

He notes that the current Kapolei space has a 200- to 250-person capacity.

“We don’t kick out customers, even though they stay for hours,” Uao adds. “Some places just drop your check and they want you to go. I don’t want that; I don’t want to rush my customers. They can stay as long as they want.”

While the restaurant still features its signature breakfast and local-style Filipino favorites, the menu now includes Italian dishes, ranging from pastas and flatbreads to seafood entrees. 

“Since we moved in here and I had all the equipment anyway, we might has well do Italian food,” Uao says. “My current chef was a chef at an Italian restaurant; he’s very knowledgeable.”

She recommends trying the Gorgonzola chicken gnocchi ($35.99) — which features a Gorgonzola bleu cheese cream sauce — smoked salmon fettuccine ($36.99) with sweet onions and capers, and garlic shrimp linguine ($39.99).

“I just love the chicken gnocchi,” she says. “I have some fish, surf and turf, jumbo shrimp and chicken. And of course, I have eggplant (parmesan linguine) for people who don’t want to eat meat.”

“If you want something with a kick and you like clams and seafood, the seafood fra diavolo is very good,” adds Masiclat, referring to the dish that comprises spicy San Marzano marinara, shrimp, clams, mussels, garlic, and basil.

Other entrees include a 12-ounce herb-crusted prime rib-eye ($50.99), king salmon ($38.99) and surf and turf ($59.99). The latter features a 12-ounce, herb-crusted prime rib-eye and sauteed jumbo shrimp scampi served with au jus and horseradish, along with garlic butter mashed potatoes.

“We have a good, well-tested Italian menu,” Masiclat says. “When it comes to appetizers, there are some things we’re going to be adding.”

If there’s one thing Uao has learned from nearly two decades in the restaurant industry, it’s the importance of listening to customer feedback.

“We have definitely listened to the community and what the community wants,” Masiclat says. “With Jessica’s experience in the restaurant industry, we really take that feedback to heart. We work with our chef to give everybody what they’re looking for. That’s one of the biggest things that helps us continue to move forward — just being open minded with the community, what they want and what they’re looking for.”

At the time of our interview, the business was still waiting for its restaurant sign. The space has been in the works for about five months, according to Masiclat. The eatery is also is still waiting for its liquor license, and once it gets it, it will feature a late-night bar menu. The restaurant aims to be open until 2 a.m.

“There’s not really anywhere in Kapolei for late-night options,” Masiclat says. “Probably the closest would be somewhere in Waipahu for a late-night spot. More than likely, we’re going to be serving food up until 10 p.m. and then we’ll have a full-on pūpū menu past 10 p.m. Folks can enjoy karaoke, live music — there’s so many possibilities here, in comparison to the very little space that we had in ‘Aiea.

“Jessica has definitely been very successful with her menu,” he adds. “The atmosphere and environment that we have here is going to be so much better.”

The restaurant is currently open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. For updates, follow the business on 

Jessicas Restaurant owner 091226

<title>Jessica’s Restaurant is now open in Kapolei</title>

The business, known for its local-style Filipino comfort foods, recently moved from ʻAiea to Kapolei. Jessica’s Restaurant has added Italian dishes — ranging from chicken fettucine alfredo to garlic shrimp linguine — to its menu, and plans to eventually open until 2 a.m.

Jessica’s Restaurant is now open in Kapolei

WEB square crop Hayley Lehman Headshot RGZ1636

Haley Lehman

The Honolulu City Council is considering a proposal mark curbs with “no parking” near driveways within a one-quarter mile radius of public trailheads if a resident requests it.

, sponsored by Chair Tommy Waters, proposes instructing the Department of Transportation Services to paint portions of curb within four feet on either side of a driveway with “no parking” at the request of the property owner or resident on portions of public streets within one-quarter mile of public trails. The bill passed second reading on Wednesday and hasn’t yet been scheduled for a second committee hearing.

It’s illegal in the City and County of Honolulu to park in front of a driveway or within four feet on either side of a public or private driveway, according to 

 to the bill to the Committee on Infrastructure, Transportation and Technology in August, saying that the bill would create a “significant maintenance burden.” According to Li, hundreds of driveways could be included in the proposed one-quarter mile radius of public trails.

Li said that the department supports the intent of improving access to trails and road safety, but he doesn’t believe that a special curb marking program is the answer.

“Our main concern is the proposed special curb painting program for driveways within one-quarter mile of public hiking trail. This is different from City’s general approach to curb markings,” Li said. “[The City] does not generally paint curbs to identify every location where parking is already prohibited by law. We use curb marking primarily for specific traffic and operation purposes like bus stops, commercial loading zones.”

Li expressed concern that if some curbs near driveways are marked and others are not, motorists might mistakenly think that it’s allowed to park next to an unmarked curb.

According to DTS spokesperson Travis Ota, the special curb marking would create an ongoing maintenance obligation for the Department of Facility Maintenance to periodically inspect, repaint and maintain the markings.

The cost of curb painting would depend on the number and location of trailheads, the length of curb and the condition of existing curb, Ota said.

Ota said, "From DTS’s perspective, we would prefer that the bill clearly identify the responsible agency, the locations and extent of the required markings, the applicable marking standard, and the funding source for installation and ongoing maintenance. Alternatively, the requirement could be limited to specific locations where a demonstrated parking or access problem exists, rather than requiring islandwide application at every trailhead."

Honolulu Police Department is responsible for enforcement of illegal parking and has the authority to cite and tow cars for violations.

Waters told the Waikīkī neighborhood board in July that the bill stemmed from complaints of blocked driveways in the Kuliʻouʻou-Kalani Iki neighborhood.

Kuliʻouʻou-Kalani Iki residents brouht concerns about hikers at the Kuliʻouʻou Trail to the neighborhood board in 2017. Residents said that hikers make excesive noise, leave trash, trespass on private property and loiter in the cul-de-sac at the end of Kalaʻau Place.

A resolution passed by the board in 2017 states that when hikers park too close to driveways, access is restricted to resident’s homes, driving becomes dangerous when it becomes difficult to see oncoming vehicle while pulling out from driveways and emergency vehicles have a hard time navigating the crowded street.

Lanikai has also faced congestion from what DTS Director Roger Morton called “hot tourism spots,” like Lanikai Beach and Kaʻiwa Ridge, where the Lanikai Pillboxes are located. Through the first phases of the Lanikai Transportation Management Plan, DTS will install “no parking any time” signage along Makulua Drive and Aalapapa Drive and create loading zones near beach access points. Morton said at a Kailua neighborhood board meeting in June that congestion in the neighborhood has caused unpredictability in travel times and concerns about emergency response times.

Christian de Quevedo, Waialae-Kahala neighborhood board chair, told Aloha State Daily that parking is always an issue in Kahala due to economic hubs like the Kahala Mall, a lack of employee parking, schools, public trailheads and beach access.

De Quevedo said residents become irritated when visitors congest streets, leave trash and play loud music on speakers.

“It can be quite a burden on a neighborhood,” he said. “People should realize when you block someone’s driveway or pull moped on lawn, you make life more difficult for people who live here.”

De Quevedo suggested use fees for hikes and paid neighborhood parking to pay for wear and tear on the roads and trails.

“I believe that neighborhood streets should belong to the neighborhood. If you pay taxes to live there, that infrastructure should be there to assist you, that’s the social contract that we make, and when that public infrastructure is being used as a mode of harassment and discomfort to the people that live in these high frequency areas, it can build up quite a bit of tension,” he said.

Shilo Garner, founder of the Honolulu Hiking Club, sees educating hikers on trail and parking etiquette as part of his kuleana. The club meets every Sunday morning at different trails across Oʻahu.

Garner encourages hikers to “hike pono” by not blocking resident’s driveways or mailboxes when parking, keep their voices down while in the neighborhood, only use official trails, clean their shoes before and after hiking and play music on headphones rather than speakers. He also encourages hikers to carpool when they can.

Garner said he understands resident’s need to access their homes safely and their frustration with congestion. He said that marking curbs where parking is prohibited would make it clearer where not to park, but it doesn’t solve the issue of where to park to access trails and could move the issue one-quarter mile down the road.

“This is their home, this is their neighborhood that we’re entering and we should respect that,” he said. “We should be pono and be mindful of how we park.”

Hawaiʻi is based on community, which comes with humility and empathy, Garner said.

“Responsible trail access requires respect for the community and clear guidance for hikers,” Garner said.

No parking

<title>Homeowners vs. hikers: Council weighs in with no-parking proposal</title>

A proposal to paint curbs with "no parking" near trailheads is before the Honolulu City Council. The bill has received opposition from the Department of Transportation Services, while residents have voiced frustration over congestion on streets near public trailheads.

Homeowners vs. hikers: Council weighs in with no-parking proposal

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

On Friday, O‘ahu Circuit Court Judge Jordon J. Kimura denied a motion filed by former Kahuku football coach Sterling Carvalho following his removal from the program. Carvalho had sought, through the motion, an immediate return to his coaching job in time for the 2025 season. 

 as head football coach for Kahuku High School. 

The removal stemmed from a Department of Education investigation involving Carvalho and a former player, Tavian "Manoa" Hallums, during the 2023 season. After Kalani Hallums, Manoa's father, made disparaging social media posts about Carvalho, a one-on-one meeting was held between Carvalho and Manoa Hallums in Kahuku's weight room. Following the meeting, which was 

one of the main focuses of an evidentiary hearing held on July 28

, Kalani Hallums filed a complaint after the season that alleged Carvalho created a hostile environment. 

When reached for comment by Aloha State Daily on Monday, Carvalho's attorney, Eric Seitz, expressed displeasure towards the process. Despite Friday's ruling, he says efforts towards getting Carvalho back to coaching will continue. 

"I disagree with the ruling, but it was a long shot to get him to reinstate to coach at this state, at this time or juncture in the proceedings," Seitz told Aloha State Daily. "I think the actions of the Department of Education are atrocious when they take a disgruntled parent, any kid, and they accuse somebody with the kind of record that Sterling has of sufficient misconduct, to remove him. 

"It's a loss to the program. It's a loss to the kids. It's certainly a loss to the state, and I would hope that we had people in positions of authority in the Department of Education who exercise better judgment, but we'll proceed. I think that there's no question that he should not have been removed. There was no justification for it, and the people who did so acted atrociously."

The interaction between Carvalho and Manoa Hallums occurred during the 2023 season. The Red Raiders went on to win the HHSAA Open Division championship, their third in a row. Although the complaint was filed after the season and an investigation ensued, Carvalho coached the entirety of the 2024 season, which concluded with a loss to Saint Louis in the state championship game. 

Complex area superintendent Samuel Izumi concluded the investigation for the DOE and ultimately made the determination to remove Carvalho. 

In an attempt to return to the Kahuku sidelines for the 2025 season, Carvalho sued DOE superintendent Keith Hayashi, Izumi, and both Hallums. 

, with attorney Eric Seitz, Carvalho filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, which sought "the issuance of a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction 'enjoining and restraining the Defendants, their agents, employees, and successors in office from engaging in any conduct to interfere with Plaintiff’s contractual rights to coach the Kahuku High and Intermediate School boys football team during its 2025 season'" and "the issuance of a preliminary injunction enjoining and restraining the Defendants, their agents, employees, and successors in office 'from continuing to utter, publish, and distribute defamatory statements about Plaintiff,'" according to court documents. 

An evidentiary hearing was held on July 28 at O‘ahu Circuit Court from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 3:20 p.m., with multiple breaks throughout the day. Both legal teams were asked to turn in remaining evidence by 4 p.m. Wednesday. 

Five witnesses were presented by Carvalho's team on July 28: Former Kahuku principal Donna Lindsey, Izumi, Kalu Wolfe, and Stewart and Sterling Carvalho. The state one presented one witness in Kahuku athletic director Gillian Yamagata. 

The defense, led by attorney Bradford Chun, pointed out that Sterling Carvalho did not have a contract for the 2025-2026 season, which was confirmed by Yamagata on the witness stand. Sterling Carvalho coached during but did not sign his contract for the 2024-2025 season, which would have expired on June 30. 

In one of his final findings of fact, released in court documents Friday, Kimura sayid "requiring KHIS to abide by contractual terms where no contract exists, and to force the school to breach the contract with its current football head coach, does not serve the public interest."

Interim head coach Nihoa Pule and Yamagata have signed a contract for the 2025-2026 season. Kahuku kicks off its season on Saturday, hosting Saint Louis in a rematch of the 2024 state championship game. 

"We're going to continue to go after the DOE, because the fact of the matter was, they did terminate (Sterling Carvalho). They wrote him a letter terminating his contract," Seitz said. "If they had any reasonable expectation that the public was not going to find out about that and find out the reasons, I think they were living in some other world, because obviously, he's a public figure, and people were going to want to know why they were firing him.

"And for them to fire somebody of his stature, of his reputation, of his character for the reasons stated, as I said, is just atrocious. I think they should be ashamed of themselves, and I think that the defendants who act in this case, up to and including the superintendent, ought to be fired. They have no business interacting with kids because they have no integrity. You can quote me on that." 

Seitz also says he doesn't want the DOE to be an obstacle if Carvalho desires to apply for other coaching positions in the future. 

"(Carvalho) clearly is qualified, and I think it's a disgrace that somebody like him is on the sidelines. Some of these other people who by no means have his track record, not only as a coach, but as a human being mentoring kids, are allowed to coach. The DOE just is so inconsistent about that I think they got their values confused."

Hawaiʻi Skies: Moon rising

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Hawaiʻi Skies: Moon rising

Authors

ASD Staff

Reporter

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