Pritchett photo 300 dpi square

John Pritchett

Cartoons

Government & Politics

Trojan panda

<title>Pritchett Cartoon: Trojan Panda</title>

And this time, we're not talking about the mayor!

Pritchett Cartoon: Trojan Panda

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

Pianist Christina Sochor, 23, will soon take the stage 

, featuring songs that include jazz fusion arrangements of video game music.

Her debut album, “Not a Phone in Sight,” was recorded on Hawaiʻi Island and launched on Oct. 6. It is available on 

. She will perform music from that album with Abe Lagrimas Jr. and Dean Taba at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Blue Note Hawaiʻi.

“It's jazz and jazz fusion arrangements of video game music,” she told Aloha State Daily. “So music from 

, Zelda, Mario, Animal Crossing — video games that I grew up with.”

Some are more traditional jazz songs while others are more Latin or avant-garde, said 

the classically trained pianist — who has lived in Hawaiʻi for about three years and calls Mōʻiliʻili home.

When she took up playing piano, she quickly learned how to play video game music.

“I was a classical pianist for a long time growing up [

,” she added. “I did piano competitions, classical piano contests, Steinway contests, and all that stuff before moving to jazz. So, this just seems like a perfect unification of all those disciplines — using the music that originally inspired me to play.”

Sochor has been performing in classical piano competitions since she was 10 years old. Later, she joined a cruise ship as its traveling pianist before eventually settling in Hawaiʻi.

She recently signed with the national label 

, which specializes in video game remixes and covers. The record label reached out to her and asked for a phone call interview after she posted covers of video game music on Instagram, where she has 13,800 followers.

“And then I put together the entire project before the phone call interview,” she said. “I was like, ʻOK, these are the songs I want to do. These are the musicians. This is the cost of the album.’ And he was like, ʻOK, you got it organized. We'll give you the funding to put this project together.’ ”

That conversation happened in early December of 2025. The music for her debut album was recorded in February, which means Sochor wrote and rehearsed everything in less than three months.

Seating for her Blue Note Hawaiʻi headliner debut is first-come, first-served. Tickets start at $20. 

Christina Sochor

<title>Mōʻiliʻili musician combines Pokémon with piano</title>

This 23-year-old classical pianist’s upcoming performance shares songs from her debut album, “Not a Phone in Sight,” which takes music from video games, including Pokémon and Super Mario, and transforms it into jazz and neo-soul arrangements. Catch Christina Sochor's first headliner performance at Blue Note Hawaiʻi on Nov. 11.

Mōʻiliʻili musician combines Pokémon with piano

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Plans by the U.S. Navy and NASA to extend their leases for more than 8,100 acres on Kaua‘i are up in the air.

In August, the Navy and NASA concurrently 

 a final environmental impact statement for a proposed 25-year extension of their respective leases of the Pacific Missile Range Facility and the Kōke‘e Park Geophysical Observatory on Kaua‘i.

However, on Thursday, the Department of Land and Natural Resources announced that the Navy and NASA have withdrawn that statement, requiring them to start their environmental documentation process over.

 by Rear Admiral Rich Jarrett, Navy Region Hawai‘i commander, and Denise Thaller, administrator of NASA’s Office of Strategic Infrastructure, only said their agencies have “elected to undertake additional review and refinement of the environmental documentation before pursuing further state review.”

“The Navy and NASA remain committed to continued coordination with DLNR and to providing the [Board of Land and Natural Resources] with environmental documentation that supports an informed review of the proposed real estate action,” the letter concluded.

The BLNR had a deadline to accept the final EIS by the end of September. However, the impacts of Hurricane Lowell on Kaua‘i caused DLNR to suspend that deadline to allow Kaua‘i residents additional time to participate in the public comment period.

With the Navy and NASA rescinding their final EIS, that deadline is now moot. Should the two agencies choose to continue the environmental documentation process, the DLNR announced that they will be required to submit a new draft EIS first, compliant with all state filing requirements, including a new public-comment period, a process that will likely take months to years.

The existing leases and easements the Navy and NASA have for the lands will expire between 2027 and 2030.

DLNR First Deputy Director Dave Day said the DLNR believes the agencies’ decision to be “in the best interest of the people of Hawai‘i.”

“Whether a person agrees or disagrees with this particular project, the Navy and NASA’s decision to withdraw the FEIS and potentially work to address concerns demonstrates respect for Hawai

i law and a responsiveness by federal agencies to the views of the people of Hawai

i who made their voices heard,” Day said.

The project has been controversial. Public 

 held on Kaua‘i last year saw dozens of Kaua‘i residents criticize the PMRF and accuse it of diverting water from vulnerable wetlands.

The decision to suspend the environmental documentation process would seem to continue a trend of U.S. military lease extensions stalling in the state. In May 2025, the BLNR 

 a proposal by the U.S. Army to extend its lease for the Pōhakuloa Training Area on Hawai‘i Island, which is set to expire in 2029.

And earlier this week, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser 

 that the Army has proposed terminating its leases for the Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area and the Mākua Military Reservation on O‘ahu, and parts of its leases for Pōhakuloa and the Kahuku Training Area.

PMRF 16x9

<title>Kaua‘i missile range lease extension stalls</title>

U.S. Navy and NASA withdraw environmental statement for 25-year lease extension of facilities on Kaua‘i.

Kaua‘i missile range lease extension stalls

The "blue wave" that swept Mainland races during the midterm election came for Hawai‘i as well, with four out of 10 Republican state representatives losing their seats.

The final vote counts the state Office of Elections released on Wednesday morning revealed that only three incumbent House Republicans who were up for re-election this year were able to keep their seats. 

Diamond Garcia, who represents portions of ‘Ewa and Kapolei, narrowly beat Democratic challenger Anthony Paris by only 72 votes — fewer than the number of blank votes cast for that race. Wai‘anae Rep. Chris Muraoka defeated Democrat challenger Kalehua Kaopua by some 300 votes, and ‘Ewa Beach Rep. Julie Reyes-Oda barely eked out a win over Democrat Rose Martinez by 16 votes.

Meanwhile, representatives Garner Shimizu (Fort Shafter), Elle Cochran (Kahakuloa) and Joe Gedeon (Portlock), lost their respective elections to Democrats — in Cochran's case, she came in distant third behind second-place Democrat Sne Patel and the victorious Green Party candidate Pa‘ele Kiakona. 

And Royal Kunia Rep. Elijah Pierick did not run for reelection in his House district, but lost his bid for the Senate seat previously held by Democrat Henry Aquino, leaving his House seat to be won by Democrat Corey Rosenlee.

"The 'bluenami' isn't people changing sides and voting Democrat," Garcia told Aloha State Daily. "It's Republicans not turning out."

The Office of Elections reported that about 42% of all registered voters submitted ballots in the general election, down from the 48% turnout in the previous midterms. 

Despite the losses Republicans took in Hawai‘i, Garcia, who is the Republican caucus' Minority Floor Leader in the House, took a positive view. In the face of Republican losses throughout the Mainland, the party's losses on Hawai‘i aren't that bad, he said.

"We're back down to the numbers we had in 2024," Garcia said. "It could have been worse and it has been worse."

Nonetheless, Garcia said the party needs to take the election as an opportunity to focus its messaging on issues that matter to voters, particularly the affordability crisis.

Muraoka agreed, telling ASD that Republicans need to start demonstrating results to voters in order to claw back ground in the state. 

"It's high school politics, we need this system of checks and balances to keep one party from becoming too powerful," Muraoka said. "We want as much conservative voices in Hawai‘i as we can get."

Garcia said the dominance of a single party within Hawai‘i should build the desire for people to hear alternative voices in politics. But, he added, "Republicans are good at policy and bad at messaging. And Democrats are bad at policy and good at messaging."

Meanwhile, Kapolei Rep. Kanani Souza held onto her seat, facing no Democrat challengers, but fellow Republican Sheila Medeiros. The race between the two in the primary election was narrow enough to force a do-over in the general, and led to a Supreme Court case earlier this year.

On the Senate side of the race, only one Republican seat was up for grabs: Republican Bob McDermott claimed the ‘Ewa Beach seat currently held by outgoing Republican Kurt Fevella, defeating his Democrat opponent by about 400 votes. 

But Kāne‘ohe Sen. Brenton Awa took a loss nonetheless, losing his bid for U.S. Representative to incumbent Jill Tokuda. 

"It's a big relief off my shoulders," Awa told ASD, saying he wants to get back to work for the remaining two years of his Senate term.

But Awa said his race proved that "it doesn't matter whose name is on the ballot," only their party affiliation. He said Republicans need to figure out how to "get beyond the triggers" that cause voters to focus on labels instead of the core issues.

Awa said he encountered a man who said he would have voted for Awa but didn't because Donald Trump remains president, which Awa said shows that the "big issues" don't resonate with voters so much as the divide between red and blue.

But Awa also hinted that he might leave that divide behind as well. After his Senate term is up, he told ASD he may run for Honolulu Mayor, a non-partisan race.

"I may leave the Republicans, we'll see," Awa said, although he added that he wouldn't join the Democrats either. "The divide is why we're conquered."

[{"type":"text","text":"ASD reached out to Tokuda for additional comment."}]

DSC06138 16x9

<title>"Blue wave" hits Hawai‘i, picks off four Republican House seats</title>

GOP winners reflect on midterm results.

"Blue wave" hits Hawai‘i, picks off four Republican House seats

WEB square crop Hayley Lehman Headshot RGZ1636

Haley Lehman

Krishna Jayaram, the City and County of Honolulu’s newest managing director, told Aloha State Daily that he sees himself as a problem solver who wants Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration to be efficient and serve the public.

“I want us to be just a well-run machine by the time we’re done: a professional place, getting things done, the internal wheels are all moving smoothly,” he said. “I’d like there to be a culture and a pride in that.”

The Honolulu City Council confirmed Jayaram as managing director on Aug. 12 after former Managing Director Mike Formby 

from the position in May to become CEO of Pacific Marine and Supply Company, a conglomerate of industrial maritime companies. Jayaram had been serving as the acting managing director in the interim on the mayor’s staff of 29 people.

“The Mayor’s the big visionary. He’s the one who articulates the direction the city needs to go in or should go in,” Jayaram said. “I see my job as part of that vision making but also ensuring and making sure departments are executing on that vision.”

Jayaram said that while his time in the role is limited, with just over two years left in Blangiardi’s second term, he works to engage, support and guide the departments in accomplishing the mayor’s priorities.

Public safety is always top of mind, Jayaram said, adding he is “making sure that police, fire, EMS, ocean safety, that they’re all functioning to the best of their ability.”

Jayaram applauded Chief David Lazar, who joined Honolulu Police Department 

 to reassign 100 officers to patrol to increase the number of officers on the road and reduce overtime costs. The department graduated 32 officers from its academy on Friday.

Jayaram said that he aims to bolster the Department of Emergency Management during the next two years.

“Living here, you always sense the vulnerability to climate-related, weather-related catastrophes, but this year in particular it was sort of constant, and we all felt it constantly,” he said. “We don’t want to wait until something truly bad happens to take action. We want to get started now.”

The city added 13 positions to DEM in this years’ budget, increasing the staff to 30, and Jayaram would like the city to build a new emergency operations center.

Jayaram said that the city is strengthening the Department of Ocean Safety, which was created in 2024. The city is opening a new ocean safety facility in Kailua this week and will move the ocean safety headquarters to a Kakaʻako warehouse in the coming months.

“We want to really give them the tools to be the best department they can be,” he said.

The administration is also grappling with what Jayaram calls “big picture issues: the cost of living, housing, addressing the houseless.”

The housing policy division within the Department of Housing and Land Management is developing a planning tool with city data to visualize housing on the island in 3D and how changes in zoning laws could change development potential.

Outside of the public eye, Jayaram and his team are thinking about the “internal, non-sexy efficiencies of government.” For example, he said they are considering hiring practices, training for city employees, and succession plans as the baby boomer generation retires.

One of those internal processes that the public may not think about until it doesn’t work well is how the city procures goods and services, he said.

“Government is regulated in how it does that, because we want to make sure it’s fair and impartial and transparent, but the fairness, impartiality and transparency makes us a bit slower, and in a lot of our eyes, it makes us so slow that we can’t deliver the goods and services that we want to deliver as quickly as possible,” he said.

The mayor’s office started an internal procurement working group in 2024 after hearing from departments that employees struggled to do their work because they couldn’t procure the goods and services they needed, he said. For example, Honolulu Fire Department struggled to procure fire apparatus.

The office hired 10 people to the procurement team, which he called a straightforward approach, and is working on an initiative to improve training new hires on the procurement process. The mayor’s office also hired a consultant to evaluate the procurement process and present the city with a plan to improve it.

 Blangiardi selected Jayaram to serve as the city’s first 

 in November 2023 to serve as a bridge between the mayor’s office and the LGBTQ+ community after the city received a score of 60 out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign annual 

, which evaluates how cities across the nation support the LGBTQ+ people who live and work there, in 2021.

Jayaram said that connections have strengthened over the last three years, and city earned a perfect score from the Human Rights Campaign in 2025.

“Now, I might be a bridge but I’m one bridge of many,” he said.

Jayaram said that it never crossed his mind that he would work as the managing director of a city. He grew up in Long Island, New York, and worked for a corporate law firm in New York City after graduating law school in 2000.

 as an attorney for the New York City Law Department and the San Diego Office of the City Attorney before moving to Hawaiʻi to be closer to family in Japan in 2010. Since then, he’s worked for the city in the Department of the Corporation Counsel and the state in the Department of the Attorney General before moving to the managing director’s office in 2022 to serve as Formby’s deputy.

Jayaram said that he has no ambitions of running for mayor.

“I love working for mayor,” he said. “For me, I think I’m in the role that’s right for me, and I don’t think that mayoral role is right for me.”

Jayaram said that most of his time is spent in meetings with city departments, stakeholders and state officials. One of his goals is to increase the public’s trust in local government, he said.

“I hope to think that our local communities that we serve would look at us and think ‘this is a group of people who know what they’re doing, they’re ethical, they’re hardworking, they have the communities’ interest at heart, they’re getting things done for the good of the community.’”

MDO Krishna Jayaram Managing Director

<title>Managing director wants Honolulu to be 'well-run machine'</title>

Krishna Jayaram became managing director of the City and County of Honolulu in June. Aloha State Daily sat down with Jayaram to learn about his priorities and goals for the next two years.

Managing director wants Honolulu to be 'well-run machine'

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

Thanksgiving is coming up on Thursday, Nov. 26. Whether you’re dining out or looking for an at-home feast, check out the following options:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"100 Sails Restaurant & Bar"}]

: The Thanksgiving dinner buffet costs $109 per adult ($54.50 per child ages 6 to 10 years old). Highlights include kiawe-smoked prime rib that’s carved to order, kiawe smoked brisket, ‘ahi poke, assorted sashimi, snow crab legs, salt and pepper shrimp, caramelized mushroom linguini, roasted turkey leg and turkey breast, holiday stuffing, temaki sushi, Prince bread pudding, pumpkin crunch haupia crunch pie and more.

The brunch buffet costs $111 per adult ($55.50 per child ages 6 to 10 years old). It includes many of the featured dinner buffet offerings — including kiawe-smoked prime rib, kiawe smoked brisket, roasted turkey leg and turkey breast — but also includes breakfast offerings like Prince fried rice, a waffle station and an omelet station.

: Dinner buffet 5 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 26-29; brunch buffet 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 26

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"53 By the Sea"}]

: 53 By the Sea’s Thanksgiving take home packages are available for pre-order online and via phone.

The standard Thanksgiving dinner set ($250) is designed to feed four people and includes:

The deluxe Thanksgiving dinner set ($750) is designed to feed eight people and includes:

: In-person pick-ups from 8 a.m. to noon on Nov. 26

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"C4 Table by Colin Hazama"}]

: fishcake Honolulu, 307C Kamani St., Honolulu 

: C4 Table’s Thanksgiving holiday menu ($370) is designed to serve four to six people. It includes:

: Pick-up from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 at fishcake Honolulu 

: Email pre-order with name (first and last), telephone contact number, number of meals/additional sides, and preferred pick-up time slot to 

: Chart House Waikīkī’s traditional turkey dinner ($65) includes butter and sage roasted turkey, savory cornbread stuffing, mashed or baked sweet potato with rum butter, pan gravy, creamed spinach and cranberry relish. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Hy’s Steak House"}]

: This Thanksgiving ‘ohana feast to-go ($585) is designed to serve eight to 10 people. It includes:

: This special Thanksgiving dinner ($40) includes butter herb roasted turkey, homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, green bean casserole, candied yams with toasted marshmallow, grilled corn on the cob and a dinner roll. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Merriman’s Honolulu"}]

: This Thanksgiving prix fixe menu costs $140 per person ($45 for children ages 12 years and younger). It includes:

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"MW Restaurant"}]

: This Thanksgiving family feast ($725) is designed to feed six to eight people. It includes:

Pre-orders must be placed by Tuesday, Nov. 24.

: Pick-up from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 26

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Plumeria Beach House"}]

: The all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving buffets will include a carving station, chef specialties and a variety of desserts. They cost $145 per adult ($55 per child ages 6 to 12 years). 

: Nov. 26, brunch buffet 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; dinner buffet 3 to 8 p.m. 

: This Thanksgiving package ($285.95) is designed to feed four to six people. It includes sliced roast turkey, turkey gravy, housemade stuffing, pineapple-glazed ham, garlic mashed potatoes, spicy ‘ahi on sushi rice, fresh cranberry sauce, and pumpkin crunch squares.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Buffet at Hyatt"}]

: Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Beach Resort & Spa, 

: This Island-inspired Thanksgiving buffet costs $110 per person (50% off for children ages 6 to 12 years, $5.99 for children ages 5 years and under).

[{"type":"text","text":"Buffet highlights include:"}]

discount is not valid for holiday menus. 

The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waik

: This Thanksgiving takeout feast ($595) is designed to serve eight to 10 people.

: Pick-up from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 26.

Upon arrival, guests should pull into The Royal Hawaiian porte cochere (valet) and check in with the team; staff members will bring your Thanksgiving feast directly to you. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Umi by Vikram Garg"}]

: Halepuna Waikīkī by Halekūlani, 2233 Helumoa Road, Honolulu 

: This special Thanksgiving dinner features a three-course ($110 per person) or four-course ($150 per person) menu.

The three-course menu features a soup or pasta (premium upgrade optional), main course and dessert; an optional wine pairing ($50) is available. The four-course menu includes an appetizer (premium upgrade available), soup or pasta (premium upgrade available), main course and dessert; an optional wine pairing ($70) is available.

[{"type":"text","text":"Featured dishes include:"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Zippy’s Restaurants"}]

: Zippy’s is offering a variety of Thanksgiving packages to choose from:

[{"type":"text","text":"Whole turkey package, $214.95; serves eight to 10 people"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Half turkey package, $124.95; serves four people"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Whole turkey only, $95.95; serves eight to 10 people"}]

: Pick-up Wednesday Nov. 25 or Thursday, Nov. 26

Thanskgiving 2026 Zippys 102826

<title>Where to go for Thanksgiving 2026 – part 1</title>

Where to go for Thanksgiving 2026 – part 1

De Soto 2025

DeSoto Brown

Hawai‘i History

Columnists

What happened to Waikīkī? Specifically, what happened to Waikīkī during its greatest period of change that began in the 1950s? Let’s look at these “then & now” comparisons of Waikīkī views to see very clearly how different things look today.

Why did Waikīkī change so much in the last 70 years? The growth of tourism, of course, was responsible. Speaking economically, it’s extremely fortunate that tourism did increase so dramatically during this period as it served to fill in the gap created as large-scale agriculture (sugar and pineapple) either contracted dramatically, or died altogether. These had been the foundation of the economy of the Hawaiian Islands but were outcompeted by other tropical countries, where workers were paid considerably less and thus their agricultural products were cheaper as well. This has been, and continues to be, the reason for the loss of domestic production in the United States and indeed worldwide.

When did Waikīkī's major changes begin? This is easy to pinpoint: it was the year 1955. That was when four new 10-story buildings were completed here; the Waikīkī Biltmore Hotel, the Princess Ka‘iulani Hotel, the Reef Hotel, and the Rosalei apartments. As insignificant as this would seem today, it marked a shift away from downtown as the focus of new construction, as well as starting Honolulu on its vertical growth.

We can also single out the shift in transportation for Waikīkī's increase in density, which was the replacement of cruise ships by airplanes for increasing numbers of tourists after World War II. While air travel grew significantly during the 1950s it was really the introduction of jets that kicked off the explosion. The first jets arrived in Hawai‘i in 1959, cutting hours from the trip from the west coast, carrying far more passengers on each flight compared to propeller planes and — most significantly — reducing air fares. Waikīkī couldn’t help but grow to accommodate all these new people. A major milestone was unexpectedly realized in late 1967 when the one-millionth tourist arrived for that year, ahead of what economists had predicted. There would be no looking back.

A change you might notice in these various pairs of Waikīkī views is the great increase in growing green vegetation today. This has been true in many parts of Honolulu and because trees increase so slowly in size, we don’t notice how large they’ve become until we see an older photo to be able to spot the difference. Kalākaua Avenue has benefitted from more than one improvement project since the 1960s, to where today’s sidewalks are paved with hand-set stones, many with inscriptions in Hawaiian. Shady shower trees along with grass and various shrubs greatly enhance the district’s appearance, and maintenance workers are on the job each day to sweep and clean. Waikīkī creates the biggest part of the income from tourism and its importance in keeping this income steady was recognized years ago — so this necessary work goes on.

By the late 1970s much of Waikīkī looked as it does today, because while more towers have certainly been constructed since then, much of what we know now was in place. Although Waikīkī has been a crowded and densely urbanized district for decades, and has been criticized for that, it must be said that a great many visitors enjoy this vitality and the over-abundance of things to see and do. And even while Waikīkī is undeniably a city of itself, it is still located on the magnificently blue Pacific Ocean, with the Ko‘olau Mountains as one backdrop and Diamond Head as another, with the trade winds often blowing through it. And love it or hate it, we owe our economy to it, and had therefore better make sure it continues to function as smoothly as possible.

1 Kuhio Ave 64 16x9

<title>What happened to Waikīkī?</title>

Back in the Statehood era, you could see Punchbowl from Kalākaua Avenue and Diamond Head from Kūhiō Avenue. ASD history columnist DeSoto Brown pairs then-and-now photos to show the dramatic changes from a low-rise Waikīkī to today's bustling mini-metropolis.

Pritchett Cartoon: Trojan Panda

John Pritchett

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