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<title>Daily Smile: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026</title>

"I have plans tonight, sorry..."

Daily Smile: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026

 &quot;I have plans tonight, sorry...&quot;

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Sterling Higa

Crime & Courts

Columnists

The Moanalua High School girls wrestling team has won five state titles in a row. That is the sort of sentence that usually ends a story. This week it begins one.

Sean Sakaida coached that team through four of those titles. He is 

, accused of producing child pornography with one of his wrestlers. Court records say he began dating the girl when she was in ninth grade.

Within a day of the FBI posting a tip form, two more possible victims came forward.

The morning after Sakaida’s arrest, the mother of his three children walked into Family Court with a handwritten petition for a protective order. She alleged that he abused her children, and she asked the court to keep him away for 20 years.

The courts have not yet ruled. But the public record is already heavy enough to ask: How did he get here?

The wrestlers were children. Their parents signed the permission slips and drove them to practice and trusted a man — and the school that hired him — to help form their daughters.

That formation is what a coach is for. A parent lends a child to a coach for a few hours a day so the child can learn to work hard, compete well, and get up off the mat.

Sakaida, by his own account, made himself available at all hours. In 2012, at Roosevelt High School, a parent accused him of kissing a 13-year-old wrestler and texting other girls as late as 3 a.m. He denied the kiss. He did not deny the texts. He told the Star-Advertiser he was only helping students with their problems, and that former students still called him “because he was always available.”

Every parent should hear alarm bells in that sentence. A 30-year-old man texting other people’s teenage daughters at 3 a.m. is not “available.” He is a threat. Teens have problems, and they should carry those problems to their parents. A coach who becomes the person they carry them to instead has not added something to a family. He has taken something from it. The best-friend coach is a type we have learned to admire. It is a type we should learn to resist.

The Department of Education investigated in 2012. But it never called the police. Sakaida was placed on leave. The next year Moanalua hired him. Moanalua’s athletic director has 

 whether the school knew about the 2012 allegations.

, and anyone with a search engine could have found it in under a minute. If Moanalua knew, that is one kind of trouble. If Moanalua did not check, that is another.

Then Sakaida won: First a few individual champions, then four state titles in a row. In 2025 the school received a complaint that he was in a relationship with a 17-year-old wrestler. The school investigated. Again, no one called the police.

Sakaida was placed on leave, his contract lapsed, and his name went into a confidential registry. According to federal prosecutors, the relationship continued for months afterward. It took a private citizen tipping the FBI in January to bring in anyone with a badge.

Wrestling is a fine sport. It builds tough, hard-working people, because the mat does not lie. It teaches responsibility, because a wrestler who loses cannot blame a teammate.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to win, and nothing wrong with winning. But the desire to win is like fire: useful in the hearth, ruinous in the curtains.

We know what that desire looks like when it gets loose. Students who live in the weight room and skip the classroom. Teenagers taking steroids to gain an edge. Schools that hire a coach with a complaint already on file because his teams bring home hardware.

The desire to win at any cost is idolatry, pure and simple, and idols always want to be fed. In this case, it appears, girls were the offering.

Here is what happens next if nothing changes. The victims will rightly sue. The DOE will settle out of court to avoid the headlines. The settlement will be sealed, and the public will pay the bill without ever learning who knew what. Records requests will die under “pending litigation.” The criminal trial will produce details, and we will consume them the way we consume cold-case podcasts, and then we will forget.

We should not. Every detail that emerges should be read as a specification for reform. A school is not a police department. When a complaint involves a possible sex crime against a child, the school’s first call should be to the people whose job is investigating crimes.

That is already the law. Hawaiʻi makes every school employee a mandated reporter, required to report suspected abuse immediately to Child Welfare Services or the police. It’s not clear that the schools did. The Legislature should ask why, in public, before the settlements seal the answer.

A coaching hire should require a check of past complaints across the whole system, not just a clean criminal record. Parents should ask who is texting their daughter at midnight, and a coach should be dismissed if the answer is him.

Moanalua has a case filled with trophies. At what cost?

Moanalua HS BANNER 16x9

<title>Moanalua won four state titles: Who paid?</title>

In 2012, a parent accused a Roosevelt coach of kissing a 13-year-old wrestler. The next year, Moanalua hired him and he won four state titles. ASD columnist Sterling Higa on idolatry, mandated reporting, and the trophy case nobody wants to look inside.

Moanalua won four state titles: Who paid?

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Fliers taking to Hawai‘i skies will soon notice some changes to the Hawaiian Airlines experience.

Parent company Alaska Air Group on Tuesday unveiled plans to invest in the premium travel experience for both the Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines brands.

For Hawaiian, that means new interiors for its A330 widebody aircraft, a fleet of 24 that serves destinations in Asia, Oceania and select North America routes, an announcement from the airline noted. That work begins in 2028 and includes 22 Leihōkū Suites for travelers on international business class and domestic first-class flights, the announcement says.

The updates are part of Hawaiian’s $600 million Kahu’ewai Hawai’i Investment Plan, which was 

That plan includes a number of items including the “tip-to-tail refurbishment” of the airline’s A330 fleet, a new lounge in Honolulu and updated gate spaces at the airports Hawaiian serves across the Islands, Hawaiian Airlines CEO 

The refurbishment of the A330s is “an interior refresh, tip to tail,” she says. “So Main Cabin all the way through the front of the airplane – new seats, new finishes, new everything. The strategy there is those are great airplanes, but the interiors are a little bit tired and this is the kind of investment that we’re able to make now that we’re a combined airline with some more resources for investments like this.”

Alaska Air Group Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings Inc. 

 that Alaska Airlines would acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal that was valued at approximately $1.9 billion, including $900 million of Hawaiian’s net debt, according to an announcement at that time. The acquisition was 

As part of broader investments in core guest experiences, Alaska Air Group also will introduce premium reserve, a new premium economy cabin that debuts in 2028 on Alaska's 787-9, 787-10 and select 737-10 MAX aircraft, and on Hawaiian’s A330 fleet, “providing guests with more room, comfort and choice on longer flights,” the announcement notes.

These seats will be available for purchase next summer and will roll out in 2028 on both Alaska and Hawaiian fleets.

According to the airline, there will be 28 premium reserve seats on the A330 aircraft offering more space, enhanced recline and a leg and calf rest, among other features.

The addition means there will be four cabin options for fliers: Leihōkū Suites on Hawaiian flights or Aurora Suites on Alaska flights, premium reserve, premium class and the main cabin.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"More about the Leihōkū"}]

According to the announcement, Leihōkū, which means “lei of stars,” is inspired by early Polynesian navigation and wayfinding.

Leihōkū Suites guests will have access to an exclusive check-in and concierge service in Honolulu and Seattle; direct aisle access, lie-flat seating and privacy doors; a 19-inch 4K entertainment screen, Bluetooth connectivity, wireless and USB-C charging, and AC power; curated dining by local chefs with wine pairings; hotel-quality bedding-and enhanced onboard amenities; and Starlink Wi-Fi for Atmos Rewards members.

Hawaiian Airlines Executive Chef Dell Valdez will continue to shape menus for Hawaiian’s Leihōkū Suites and first-class cabins, the announcement notes.

(ICYMI: The airline also did away with complimentary meals in the main cabin of most domestic flights this summer, 

 on most flights between the Islands and the Mainland with a menu curated by Maui-based chef Sheldon Simeon).

And at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, a new 13,000-square-foot Hawaiian Airlines lounge is set to open at the entrance of the Mauka Concourse in Terminal 1, offering seating to 200 guests; locally inspired food and drinks, including a signature local coffee experience and full-service bar; private workspaces; and art and installations by local artists, the announcement notes.

[{"type":"text","text":"The lounge is expected to open in early 2028."}]

But why is it important for Hawaiian to make these investments in the travel experience, especially on the heels of the airlines’ combination?

“We know that guests love Hawaiian Airlines,” Birkett Rakow told ASD. “We’ve been able to expand reach. We’ve been able to deepen loyalty and expand the value of the loyalty program, and this is really the logical additional component, which is making sure that the guest experience is as remarkable as it should be. The onboard product and the airports are, in many cases, a guest’s first impression of Hawai’i, either on board the aircraft or getting off, or the first chance to welcome kama

ina home, and our crews do a phenomenal job of taking care of our guests and really bringing the brand to life. We want to provide them an environment that matches the quality of their service.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Atmos Rewards"}]

 for both Hawaiian and Alaska airlines, is also set to expand. Here’s are some of the changes you should know about:

Beginning Oct. 1, Atmos Rewards members can choose how to earn points and status points on flights that depart on or after Jan. 1, 2027: by distance traveled, paid price or segments flown, a second announcement from the airlines noted.

Current members who don’t make a selection will continue earning based on the distance traveled, while new members who join on or after Jan. 1 will default to earning based on price paid, the announcement says. You can change your earning choice once per calendar year.

Also on Oct. 1, Atmos Rewards will expand from two resident-focused communities – Club 49 and Huaka

i by Hawaiian – to six that offer options related to international travel, family travel, outdoor adventure and culinary experiences, according to the announcement.

Those six Communities – Global Locals, Families on the Go, Culinary Journeys, Active 

 “connect members to relevant offers and benefits based on how they travel, where they live and what they enjoy,” the announcement says, noting that benefits will range from free bags, exclusive flight deals, bonus-point challenges, partner offers and 20% off select Atmos Rewards Unlocked experiences to other perks and expanded resident benefits for Club 49 and Huaka

A new Atmos Rewards debit card is set to debut in early 2027 and will offer another way to earn Atmos Rewards points and status points along with other benefits, including a choice of card designs, flight and onboard purchase discounts, free points sharing, no foreign transaction fees, and the ability to pay some account fees with points, the announcement noted. Pre-register 

Beginning Nov. 2, Platinum and Titanium Atmos Rewards members will be able to bring eligible children and one companion into Premium Class on a complimentary basis when space is available.

Next Year, customers with eligible Bank of America card products also will be able to transfer points into Atmos Rewards, the announcement says. The airline also plans to refresh its Atmos Rewards Visa Business Card, issued by Bank of America, later this year.

Hawaiian A330 Leihoku Suites rendering 001

<title>Hawaiian Airlines to launch Leihōkū</title>

The Leihōkū experience will be anchored by updates to Hawaiian's Airbus A330 fleet.

Hawaiian Airlines to launch Leihōkū

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

The Pacific Island Film Festival, which recently wrapped up in New York City, provided a space to showcase films, including several filmed in or about Hawaiʻi. The festival, which ran from Sept. 17-20, featured 28 films, representing 10 island nations from across the Pacific.

One of those films was the documentary “Lahaina: Voices of Change,” directed by Ty Sanga, and produced by Angie Laprete, who was also the producer of 

 and more. “Lahaina: Voices of Change” explores how one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history displaced thousands of people and claimed lives.

“It was actually really important to be able to screen our documentary ‘Lahaina: Voices of Change’ in New York City for Pacific Island Film Festival because that's the reason why we made this documentary,” Sanga told Aloha State Daily. “It's three years later, and we're still dealing with the ramifications of the fire, and a lot of families are still struggling to get by. Hawaiʻi is a small island in the Pacific and to be able to get our stories out there — to put a face to these stories in New York City — that’s our goal is to get more advocates to come along and help us on this journey because when we're talking about global warming ... it needs to be everyone involved, not just us here in Hawaiʻi”.

One of the firefighters who responded to the Maui wildfires was at the screening, he said.

“He shared his first-person experience with the audience, and I think that just made it real,” Sanga said. “They’ve seen the footage on social media or in the news. And now that's three years ago. We're in a super El Niño

 right now and climate change is real and it's happening. Lahaina was one of the first voices, or places, to experience that so we had a really captivated audience that made it special. Hopefully, we just need more advocates that are fighting for our ʻāina, our land, not just Hawaiʻi [but] everywhere they’re at, in their own communities, because that's how we truly make a difference.”

The festival gives films a chance to reach families living in the diaspora and find new audiences, he said.

Also featured in the festival was the short 

 “What We Carry,” which stars Lindsay Watson, who is also its director and writer. Laprete is the producer. The short, which Watson hopes to eventually develop into a full-length feature, explores the experience of a woman who had multiple miscarriages and is ready to abandon her dream of motherhood when she discovers a secret.

“I wanted to be able to tell a universal story with Polynesian faces,” Watson told ASD. “I wanted the world to be able to see us as more than just their vacation, [or] as paradise [or] people who work in hotels and work at the airport. And even in the casting world too, as more than the hula dancer, the bartender, the dancer. To see a muscular, tatted up Polynesian man, who's a flawed husband, and a Hawaiian wife, who is going through something that many women in this world have gone through.”

The short includes a mostly Polynesian cast and had a budget of $25,000, which was covered by a 

grant from the Julia S. Gouw Short Film Challenge

. Watson, who currently lives in Los Angeles, was born and raised on Maui.

After the screening of “What We Carry” at PIFF, which was the film's New York debut, a woman who normally doesn’t like movies told Watson she cried through it and loved the film.

“She, again, also had no connection to the culture of Hawaiʻi and this story still resonated with her,” the director said. “That to me is the power of film is connecting cultures and connecting places that have no other way of being connected.”

“What We Carry” was filmed almost entirely in Kāneʻohe

, mostly in the house of Watson’s grandmother, who passed away about a month before filming started.

The festival was a chance to take a story filmed in Hawaiʻi to new audiences, Watson said.

“The number one thing is being able to take our film across the Pacific — across the country,” she said. “That's something most people don't even have the opportunity to do.”

Recently, more Pacific Islanders are sharing their own stories.

“And I think it's all because of access,” Watson said. “For so long, there wasn't access and education and connections for a lot of Pacific Islanders to tell their own stories. There were only a few of us in this industry, and there's power in numbers.”

The existence of the Hawaiʻi International Film Festival, as well as programs such as the International Cultural Arts Network, the Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti and the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment —  which were designed to increase Pacific Islander representation in Hollywood —  brought the AAPI community together and helped them get a seat at the table, she said.

PIFF partnered with AMC+ Streaming so five films from the festival can stream to even larger audiences. Three of those films have ties to Hawaiʻi, including “Hawaiian Soul” directed by ʻĀina Paikai; “Aikāne, directed by Daniel Sousa, Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson; and “The Arrangements” directed by Sonny Ganaden.

“Dasher,” from Director Alexander Bocchieri

 and Writer Bryson Chun, who worked on the television series “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.,” as well as “Remathau: People of the Ocean,” a documentary that features Nainoa Thompson, among other titles.

Lindsay Watson

<title>Filmmakers reflect on bringing Hawaiʻi to New York</title>

The recent Pacific Island Film Festival, held in New York City, included stories filmed in Hawaiʻi, which reached audiences almost 5,000 miles from where the cameras rolled.

Daily Smile: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026

ASD Staff

Reporter

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Daily Smile: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026

Authors

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