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

Smile 26 8 13

<title>Daily Smile: Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026</title>

Swimming comes more naturally to some dogs than others...

Daily Smile: Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026

 Swimming comes more naturally to some dogs than others...

WEB square crop Hayley Lehman Headshot RGZ1636

Haley Lehman

Government & Politics

Aloha Spirit

Honolulu-based Jessica Lee’s 420 hours of volunteer service, success on the varsity I golf team, experience as a violinist and a trip to Boston earned her the Congressional Award Gold Medal this year.

 is awarded to young people who log a minimum of 400 hours of voluntary public service, 200 hours of personal development, 200 hours of physical fitness and a five-day, four-night expedition or exploration during a two-year period. 

Lee became one of 877 gold medalists from across the U.S. this year. She told Aloha State Daily that she aspires to serve the community and treat everyone with kindness.

Congressman Ed Case presented the award, a gold medal from U.S. Congress and a certificate of special recognition to Lee in August. He said that the award encourages high expectations, perseverance, resilience and achievement. Lee is the seventh person to receive the gold medal in his district in the last quarter-century, Case said.

Lee told ASD she was excited when she learned that she would receive the award, and that she found joy in the application process, which reinforced time management skills, discipline and resilience, she said, adding that her volunteer service led her to make new connections and get more involved in her community.

Lee’s volunteer service in health care stems from her grandfather’s experience in Korea after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. She said that her grandfather received misinformation about his diagnosis and treatment, and this experience led her to volunteer in the medical field in Hawaiʻi. 

Lee spent time with elderly patients in the adult care centers at St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaiʻi, interacted with patients and doctors and shadowed medical professionals.

When she started volunteering at St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaiʻi, she saw families facing language barriers that prevented them from fully understanding the information they received from medical professionals. Lee said that when language barriers are removed, patients can ask the right questions and have a greater sense of agency over their medical decisions.

“I noticed that there were different underserved pockets in our community and I wanted to help address those pockets,” she said.

She started a nonprofit called Cancer Health Awareness & Mindfulness Program (

) to empower patients to empower patients through health literacy. Through CHAMP, Lee organizes workshops on cancer risks, prevention strategies and local resources. This summer, CHAMP partnered with 

the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center Skin Van 

to host a skin cancer awareness event at Ala Moana Beach Park.

Lee also helps lead Caring of the Elderly at Punahou School, which serves kūpuna in Mānoa twice a month.

Golf has been a big part of Lee’s life since she was 4 years old when her family moved from New York to Hawaiʻi, she noted.

“Sports are very addicting in a way because you just have this adrenaline, love, passion, for the sport,” she said, adding that playing golf has made her more resilient and taught her about failure.

“Even if you fail or even if you have this one terrible shot, you can still move on and have the bravery and courage to move forward," she continued. "It’s taught me to step out of your comfort zone to do something brave and try.”

The Punahou Varsity I girls golf team won the state championship three years in a row and Lee placed second in the state in 2024.

Lee started playing violin in fourth grade and got involved with the school orchestra in fifth grade.

“I really enjoy playing the violin and experiencing the different repertoire and music that they select,” she said.

During Lee’s trip to Boston in the spring of 2025, she toured college campuses, visited museums, explored the city and tried new foods.

She said that navigating the transportation system was the most challenging part of the trip. It was her first riding the subway, known as the “T," and admittedly got lost at times.

Lee has been advocating for Korean heritage and language in school curriculums since she was in the seventh grade. It started when she voiced to include Korean as part of the Punahou School curriculum during the Damon Speech. She created a petition that 300 students signed and advocated to neighborhood boards and the Hawaiʻi Legislature to include Korean heritage initiatives in schools.

“Families often lose their heritage language in three generations,” she said. “If you can be taught during schools, you can understand your culture more and connect with your grandparents.”

As a senior, Lee is applying to colleges and hopes to pursue the intersection of public health and culture to become a physician. She said she hopes to empower people to have more agency over their medical decisions through health literacy.

“The best way to empower patients is with the information and knowledge and questions to ask.”

Jessica Lee

<title>Punahou School senior earns Congressional Award Gold Medal</title>

Jessica Lee, a senior at Punahou, was awarded the highest honor presented to young people by the U.S. Congress in August for her achievement in voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness and leadership.

Punahou School senior earns Congressional Award Gold Medal

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Food & Dining

[{"type":"text","text":"Looking for the best jolt of java?"}]

Drip Studio HNL in Honolulu and HiCO Hawaiian Coffee in Kailua-Kona are two of just 20 in the U.S. nominated for the list of 

 in the USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.

The awards aim to rank the 10 best in several areas of travel and lifestyle, and the 20 nominees were chosen with the help of a panel of experts. The final 10 will be determined by voters.

Drip Studio owner-operators Vince Pohaku and Kelsie Mercado Uehara founded the specialty coffee house, located at 1114 Fort Street Mall, in 2023 with no cafe experience and the argument that "

Hawai'i grows world-class coffee, so we should drink like it

," an announcement from the shop notes. The coffee shop founders add that it works directly with farms and roasters to showcase Hawaiʻi as a world-class coffee destination.

Meanwhile HiCO, which has three Big Isle locations, serves 100% Hawai‘i-grown coffee, supporting local farmers and honoring the Islands' agricultural heritage, its 

 once a day until 6 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19. Winners will be announced Wednesday, Oct. 28.

Several other Hawai‘i businesses are up for spots on various other 10Best lists, voting for which is underway:

Drip Coffee sign 092526

<title>These Hawai‘i coffee shops, distilleries are nominated for 10Best lists</title>

The USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards aim to rank the 10 best in several areas of travel and lifestyle. Nominees are chosen with the help of a panel of experts but the final 10 will be determined by voters.

These Hawai‘i coffee shops, distilleries are nominated for 10Best lists

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

 opens at 11 a.m. — and there’s already a line forming for 

, customers were asking about the fruit desserts since earlier in the week, when HI Cravings posted on social media that Zarina Dessert Studio would be one of the featured businesses at the Co-Op.

“We (Zarina and I) connected about three or four weeks ago, not that long ago,” 

 says. “But the beautiful thing is, this is what the Co-Op is about — it’s about being able to collaborate with other small businesses. This is an opportunity on both sides; the labor of everything is so intense. Now, she (Zarina) can focus on what she’s good at — 

Zarina Jumagulova started her business last year by making marshmallow flowers and edible bouquets. The edible flowers featured airy souffle confections, according to Jumagulova.

“That was always my passion — to make something not only sweet, but beautiful as well,” Jumagulova says.

She first saw the trending fruit desserts online and researched how to make them.

“I found an online course for how to make them,” she explains. “I tried to make them; when I tasted them, I was excited about the appearance, taste and crunch.”

Jumagulova has only been making these fruit-shaped desserts since July. Not even three full months later, they’ve become social media-famous, and known to sell out quickly.

Jumagulova explains the desserts are inspired by modern Parisian pastries, and they’re especially known for their delicate, crunchy, chocolate shell. She says the raspberry flavor was her first one — “raspberry is my daughter’s favorite” — and then continued with mango and blueberry.

“Outside is white chocolate; we also use milk and dark chocolate for some flavors,” she says. “Usually, it’s premium Belgian chocolate; we add cacao butter for the best crunch. Inside (each dessert), you’ll find a fruity filling. It’s not a jam — more like a gel — because it’s softer and smoother.”

On her first day at the HI Cravings Co-Op, Jumagulova brought eight dessert flavors — coconut pineapple (pina colada), blueberry, mango, raspberry, pistachio Dubai, banana, strawberry lime, and coffee caramel. Confections range from $9 to $12, depending on the flavor.

“Mango is the most popular flavor, and banana is a crowd favorite,” Jumagulova says. “Some people buy only pistachio. My favorite is pina colada; I love that flavor.

“We use real fruits (to make the pastries),” she adds. “We enrobe them in the ganache, which is like a whipped cream with white chocolate in it.”

The business’s pistachio dessert is its version of Dubai chocolate, as it features pistachio praline and crispy kataifi pastry with pistachio pieces. Meanwhile, banana comprises a mix of creamy banana ganache filling and banana caramel.

It takes Jumagulova around three days to make a batch of these desserts. She explains she makes the ganache and filling, but it takes time for the ganache to set and for the filling to freeze. The treats are then dipped in the mixture of chocolate and cacao butter.

She explains that the desserts can be stored in the refrigerator, and recommends that customers consume them within 48 hours of purchase.

“Put them in the fridge as soon as possible for a better crunch,” she says.

On the business’s first day at the HI Cravings Co-Op, it sold out of desserts in about two hours. But, Jumagulova says the Co-Op will be restocked and customers can soon look forward to seasonal flavors like pumpkin.

“We live in Kapolei, so we’re excited to be open at this location,” says Jumagulova. “This is our first physical location; we started as an online shop, and we’re still accepting online orders.

“I would (eventually) like to open more points of sale on Oahu and on other islands as well,” she adds. “People keep asking, ‘Do you do shipping?’ but it’s impossible with such fragile desserts. I still get orders for the edible bouquets, but I’m not able to make them anymore because I’m so busy with these fruits!”

Open Thursdays to Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closed Wednesdays)

Zarina Dessert Studio owner 092426

<title>Zarina Dessert Studio’s viral fruit desserts are now in Kapolei</title>

The online dessert shop’s fruit-shaped confections are now available at HI Cravings’ Co-Op in Kapolei. The fruit desserts feature a white chocolate crunchy shell with a ganache filling inside; popular flavors include mango, pina colada, pistachio, banana and coffee caramel.

Zarina Dessert Studio’s viral fruit desserts are now in Kapolei

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Ready to plan your weekend? Aloha State Daily can help! Here are 10 events happening this Friday, Saturday and Sunday 

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This four-day convention, PhotoCon Hawaiʻi, returns for its seventh year and will take place from Thursday, Sept. 24, through Sunday, Sept. 27 at Capitol Modern. The event features a tech expo where global manufacturing giants debut the latest hardware, lenses, lighting and workflow innovations for the photography industry. The event also includes more than 50 expert speakers leading about 65 workshops, as well as state-of-the-art gear that can be tested in real-world settings. General admission is $150, or $50 for military. 

Watch screenings at this Korean indie film showcase. 

Called Intimate Korea, this showcase of independent films features stories about family, distance between generations, and a rapidly changing world. There will be four feature films and five award-winning shorts showing at Doris Duke Theatre, which is part of the Honolulu Museum of Art. Screenings run from Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. Sunday, Sept. 27. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Saturday, Sept. 26"}]

Catch the Aloha Festivals’ 78th Annual Floral Parade. 

Attracting kamaʻāina and tourists, this event features men and women on horseback, showcasing the traditional art of pāʻū riding, while wearing the colors of the different Islands. 

The parade takes place from 9 a.m. until noon. The route starts at Ala Moana Regional Park and travels along Kalākaua Avenue, ending at Kapiʻolani Regional Park. Free. 

 The American Institute of Architects’ quarterly book club will explore “What If We Get it Right?” by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, which takes a hopeful look at climate action. The discussion of the book will be led by  Dr. Kirsten Oleson, professor of ecological economics in the department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Participants are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs for the discussion, which will take place from 3 p.m to 5 p.m. at Hawaiʻi Nature Center’s Rain Shelter, and register 

Listen to “From Samoa to Sinatra” with Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra. 

Catch this one-night-only performance featuring music from Matt Catingub’s latest album “From Samoa to Sinatra.” The concert celebrates Catingub’s 50 years in the industry and pays homage to his late mother and vocalist, Mavis Rivers, whose voice will be featured as part of the concert. Catingub previously conducted a pops series for the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, which preceded Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra. He will take the stage at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall, where he once recorded a live album with Rosemary Clooney. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Sunday, Sept. 27"}]

Participate in the Honolulu Century Ride. 

Grab your bicycle and head to the Honolulu Century Ride. There are 25-mile, 50-mile, 75-mile and 100-mile routes featuring Oʻahu’s South Shore and the Windward Coast. Kalaniana‘ole Hwy will be closed from Hanauma Bay to the entrance of Sandy Beach Park to provide a car-free space for cyclists traveling along the Kaiwi Coast. There will also be aid stations, mechanical help, and members of the Honolulu Police Department to support cyclists along the way. Funds raised will support the Hawaiʻi Bicycling League’s advocacy and education work to make the roads safer. Registration for the full course is $100 for adults, with discounts for youth.  

Looking for an excuse to brunch? Check out Roy’s Hawaiʻi Kai, which recently launched its Sunday brunch, which it previously offered only for special occasions, such as Mother’s Day. 

Head to the Bishop Museum and join nonprofit 

 in celebrating Kāhuli, or endangered Hawaiian land snails. 

“Carnival of the Nearly Extinct Animals,”

 which wrapped up its world premiere last weekend, included a final movement called “The Kāhuli.” Catch that musical performance brought to life by

Iggy Jang on violin, Megan Conley on harp, and Shawn Conley on bass at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1 p.m. on the first floor of Hawaiian Hall. There will also be Kāhuli puppet-making opportunities and other activities, plus chances to meet live native snails from the Pūpū Ola: Kāhuli Captive Rearing Research Center. General admission to Bishop Museum is $24.95 for kamaʻāina, with discounts for kūpuna and keiki. Check 

Ocean Music Action’s calendar for other volunteer projects

Catch a book signing and writing workshop. 

Author Tori Eldridge, who graduated from Punahou School in the same class as President Barack Obama, is back on Oʻahu. The Portland-based Kanaka Maoli author will be promoting her recent books “Kauaʻi Storm” and “Hawaiʻi Rage,” which are part of the Ranger Makalani Pahukula Mysteries,

 from 2 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. at Native Books as part of an event sponsored by Lōʻihi Arts Foundation. The event includes a discussion of “Kauaʻi Storm” and “Hawaiʻi Rage” as well as a 90-minute interactive writing workshop. Free. 

 market takes place from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu. There will be more than 40 vendors. Free. 

092725 035

<title>Catch Aloha Festivals’ floral parade, films and snails: what to do on Oʻahu</title>

Ready to plan the weekend? From a floral parade featuring the traditional art of pāʻū riding in Waikīkī to a showcase of Korean independent films at the Honolulu Museum of Art, there are lots of events happening on Oʻahu this Friday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27.

Catch Aloha Festivals’ floral parade, films and snails: what to do on Oʻahu

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Mauna Kea is the only possible site for the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope, after an alternate site in the Canary Islands has reportedly been nixed.

, sources within Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities confirmed that the TMT International Observatory has rejected a bid by the Spanish government to have the long-planned telescope built on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands.

The news comes little more than a month after TMT itself 

 that Spain had proposed a “financial framework” to build the observatory on La Palma, a proposal involving multiple Spanish government agencies and the European Investment Bank. That proposed framework 

 up to €1 billion (about $1.1 billion) for the project. 

, the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities announced the rejection on Friday, but the reasons for that rejection were not publicly disclosed.

While Mauna Kea has always been the primary site planned for TMT, La Palma had been proposed as a potential alternative. The island hosts several telescopes at its Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, as its height and equatorial position makes it well-suited for astronomy in the same way that Mauna Kea is.

 of TMT by the National Science Foundation noted that the La Palma contingency was not developed to the same level of detail as the Mauna Kea plan. 

With La Palma seemingly out of the picture, TMT’s only remaining potential site is, once again, Mauna Kea. 

But the future of the project remains murky. In 2024, the NSF named both TMT and the Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile as potential linchpins of a “U.S. Extremely Large Telescope” project, but also that only one could feasibly be funded, putting the two telescopes in competition with each other. 

 a budget request that mentioned that it was no longer considering TMT for the Extremely Large Telescope project, wiping about $1.6 billion in federal funding off the table for TMT.

 earlier this year stipulating that NSF continue to consider both TMT and the Giant Magellan Telescope through its final review process, although no funding for either project was guaranteed in that bill. 

Meanwhile, Gov. Josh Green and the state’s Congressional delegation have 

 TMT to consider building the observatory in the footprint of a previously existing telescope on Mauna Kea, rather than on untouched summit land. TMT project manager Fengchuan Liu told the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority in April that this could be feasible.

Kerry Slater, vice president of communications for TMT International Observatory, confirmed to Aloha State Daily that the observatory declined Spain's financing terms. Slater added that the observatory "remains committed to respectful engagement with Native Hawaiian and Hawai‘i communities."

ZOA 2023 7950 tio tmt 0018 16x9

<title>TMT reportedly rejects Spanish bid to build on Canary Islands</title>

A €1 billion proposal to build the Thirty Meter Telescope in La Palma has reportedly fallen through.

TMT reportedly rejects Spanish bid to build on Canary Islands

[{"type":"text","text":"Hawaiian Airlines is taking a taste of Hawai‘i to the skies."}]

The airline is doing away with complimentary meals in the main cabin of most domestic flights. Instead, starting July 1, those passengers will be able to pre-order food from a Hawai‘i-inspired menu curated by Maui-based chef Sheldon Simeon.

According to a Thursday announcement from Hawaiian, his menu offers "elevated takes on local favorites and comfort foods," with many items highlighting signature flavors from his restaurants.

Simeon, who's known for his Valley Isle eateries Tin Roof and Tiffany's Restaurant & Bar, has received several James Beard Award nominations and was a 

 for Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific this year.

"Already offered in first class, the pre-order model puts guests in control of their onboard dining experience throughout the cabin, with first class guests now benefiting from an expanded selection of menu options," the announcement notes.

"We're excited because this is really about a transformation across our entire in-flight experience from a food and beverage perspective," Alisa Onishi, managing director of Hawai‘i marketing for Hawaiian Airlines, told Aloha State Daily. 

It's the first time Hawaiian has offered a chef-curated menu in the main cabin, she says. The curated pre-order menu will be available on all domestic flights between Hawai‘i and the Mainland, except for those to JFK International Airport in New York City, which will continue to receive a complimentary meal.

Other buy-on-board products will remain the same, Onishi says, and the airline will continue to offer free snacks from local partners on board.

"Our most frequent flyers have given us feedback over the years that they've been wanting more choice and higher-quality meal options, so we are exited to provide more selection," Onishi says, noting that gluten-free and vegan options have been requested by guests throughout the years, "and we are now able to provide for them. We're really excited about giving our guests more choice and better quality option for food in-flight."

Onishi says that the airline began to work toward this before its integration with Alaska Airlines, and always had Simeon, one of Hawaiian's featured chefs in 2015, "in our hearts and minds."

"He had done one of our first class menus back then and [was] just such a great chef to work with," she told ASD. " ... He understood how to make food on an airplane taste really good. He understands the restrictions ... we have in the aircraft, so he was really able to create this menu that was island-inspired, using local resources, making sure that there's a story behind each of the menu items. So, we knew from the beginning that Chef Sheldon was one of our first choices. We knew he was the right [person] to partner with for this program because it is the first time for doing this in our main cabin and we wanted to make sure that we had a chef who understood the assignment and knew how to make something beautiful and successful and taste really great from kitchen into the airplane."

During a tasting of the menu Wednesday, Simeon said it's been nearly a year since discussions first began.

"There have been so many ideas, even prior to our first meeting and our first tasting, that we did internally with my chefs at the restaurant," he says. "It was just such a cool opportunity. ... Hawai‘i has some of the best cuisines, some [of the] best restaurants and best flavors that there is, and we have to continue to celebrate that. This is a huge, huge win for Hawai‘i culinary that Hawaiian has given us the opportunity to share these flavors."

Here's what you'll be able to grab from the 

The morning menu, available for flights that depart between 6 and 9:59 a.m., includes corned beef hash and poached eggs; french toast or banana pancakes with scrambled eggs and Portuguese sausage (don't skip the the spicy-K mayo or banana bread syrup); coconut overnight oats, a vegan and gluten-free option; and a cheesy omelet with chicken sausage and roasted potatoes, which is coming this fall.

Meanwhile, the afternoon and evening menu, available for flights departing between 10 a.m. and 8:29 p.m., includes crispy mochiko chicken and garlic noodles, which comes with mac salad and bag of crispy toppings; a bento that includes grilled teriyaki chicken, tamagoyaki, kamaboko and a shoyu hotdog; teriyaki cheeseburger; grilled chicken bahn mi sandwich; a salad with li hing mango, baby kale, almonds, edamame, grape tomato and quinoa, along with a li hing balsamic vinaigrette; Italian sub; and cheeseburger mac and cheese, which is coming this fall.

Prices for each meal range from about $11 to $17. According to the announcement, the meals will be prepared with fresh ingredients no more than 12 hours before each flight.

You can order through the Alaska Hawaiian mobile app or website two weeks in advance and as close as 20 hours before departure.

Hawaiian and Simeon will introduce new dishes and rotate items throughout the year, the announcement notes.

Residents who are Huaka‘i by Hawaiian members, or who become members by June 24, will get two free meals starting July 1.

In March, Hawaiian welcomed Chef Dell Valdez as its new executive chef. Read 

Daily Smile: Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026

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Daily Smile: Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026

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