Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

The annual Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards competition is seeking submissions of art from keiki through Dec. 11 for a chance to win cash prizes and a spot in an exhibit at the 

“The Scholastic Art Awards empower young artists across the state to dream boldly, create with purpose, and share their voice through art,” said Kamakani Konia, the SFCA’s art in public places program director and the state art museum director, in a written statement. “We are thrilled to, once again, offer keiki the opportunity to compete on a national stage among talented peers from across the country.” 

The Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards are part of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Regional entries are considered for gold key, silver key and honorable mention awards. Gold key winners will have art featured in the Lēʻahi Gallery of the 

 as part of the 63rd Annual Hawaiʻi Regional Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition. They will also automatically be considered for national awards, including the gold and silver medals, and scholarships. National medalists are honored in a ceremony at 

 in New York City. Recent guests include Oprah Winfrey, Kelly Clarkson, Mayim Bialik and Jamie Lee Curtis. Alumni of the national program include Stephen King and Andy Warhol.

This year, 20 students from across the state participating in the regional contest will also take home the Lexus Hawaiʻi Takumi Award, which includes a $200 cash prize. Up to two nationally recognized students will also receive a $4,000 scholarship and another $4,000 given to that student’s school to support its art program as part of the Lexus Hawaiʻi Visionary Award.

Students from public, private, charter and home schools can enter the competetion. Contestants must be at least 13 years old to participate. 

Capitol Modern

<title>Art contest for keiki open for submissions</title>

Young artists have a chance to win cash prizes and showcase their artwork at Capitol Modern. Submissions opened Oct. 1. Winners of the regional competition get a chance to compete at the national level.

Art contest for keiki open for submissions

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Baldwin High School alumnus and former Ball State men's volleyball head coach Donan Cruz was named the newest member of the University of Hawai‘i men's volleyball team's coaching staff on Wednesday. 

Cruz was hired following the departure of former associate head coach 

Cruz, who was born in Guam, has been familiar with the University of Hawai‘i men's volleyball program for quite some time, catching the 'Bows on television from afar in the mid-1990s as the program was skyrocketing in popularity under star player Yuval Katz. 

"I was born in Guam and even there, you turn on Channel 5, and some of my best moments was watching Yuval Katz serve a ball. That was one of the things that really inspired me," Cruz said. 

After moving with his family to Maui, Cruz went on to graduate from Baldwin High School and worked his way up the coaching ranks. He was most recently the head coach for Ball State University in Indiana, coaching the Cardinals from 2022 to 2025. In his first season, the Cardinals defeated Hawai‘i twice in the regular season before falling to the 'Bows in the NCAA national semifinals. UH eventually went on to repeat as national champions. 

In June, Cruz stepped down from Ball State, choosing to focus on his responsibilities as an assistant with the USA U21 national team. The opportunity to coach in his home state was an unexpected one, albeit one he was able to capitalize on promptly. 

"The coaching profession kind of changes every day, and the NCAA landscape changes every day. The opportunity to kind of take a step back and get some fresh air and work with the U 21 national team was kind of exactly what I needed. I don't think I could have told you this was going to be anything that I even could have imagined even 30 days ago. So, to be standing here is pretty surreal," Cruz said while speaking to local media on Wednesday.

Prior to Ball State, Cruz was the head coach at NAIA school Grand View from 2012 to 2021, winning national titles in 2018 and 2021. His career record as a head coach is 292-91. He has also coached the USA men's national U21 team, most recently working with current Rainbow Warriors Tread Rosenthal, Kainoa Wade and Trevell Jordan. 

Hawai‘i head coach Charlie Wade and Cruz have coached against each other in recent years, with Ball State making the trip to the Stan Sheriff Center in 2023 and 2025 and the Rainbow Warriors flying up to Muncie, Ind. in 2022 and 2024. Cruz went 2-5 against the Rainbow Warriors during his time with the Cardinals, but each matchup allowed him to build more professional rapport with Wade. 

"How many guys on the planet that can bring (what Cruz does) to the table with that level of of coaching experience? He checked all the boxes," Wade said on Wednesday morning, "and we're stoked to have him here."

Cruz was able to take in a recent practice with the Rainbow Warriors and is set to immerse himself immediately. 

"Being a head coach, I think one of the most important things you walk away with is just understanding how critical a cohesive staff is," he said. "The opportunity to come here and work with Charlie, learn some things and and then kind of share my experiences, it's obviously a different conference I'm coming from, so understanding the strengths and weaknesses of volleyball across the country, and be able to help raise the level of volleyball here is great. 

"Charlie's been an amazing person for me, and ever since I was at Grand View, and that was like a time when small schools don't really get opportunities to play Division I schools, and he was gracious enough to kind of work with me on that."

The Rainbow Warriors are currently in fall training and will officially begin their 2026 season in January. 

"This is a special group," Cruz said. "It's only one day, one hour, that I was able to watch practice, but seeing the caliber of the team, those are the kind of things as a coach that you leave the gym and want to go in the office, watch film and just kind of dive into the things that are the nuts and bolts on the court."

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Donan Cruz 100125

<title>Baldwin graduate Donan Cruz named new assistant coach for Hawai‘i men's volleyball team</title>

Cruz was hired following former associate head coach Milan Zarkovic's departure to UCLA in September.

Baldwin graduate Donan Cruz named new assistant coach for Hawai‘i men's volleyball team

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Originally from Georgia, Molly Schmidt’s first exposure to the American Red Cross was during her childhood. She said she learned to swim at her local community pool and later got CPR certified with the organization.

She went on to serve with the Red Cross Movement after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, based in Bangkok, Thailand, working with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Southeast Asia Regional Delegation.

“Eighteen countries were affected. It was a 10-year-long recovery effort coordinated by all kinds of agencies, Red Cross included,” Schmidt told Aloha State Daily. “It was really powerful to see neighbor helping neighbor. I was hooked with Red Cross at that point.”

She has more than 20 years of nonprofit experience. After moving to Hawaiʻi in 2019 with her family, she went on to become COO for 

American Red Cross the Pacific Islands Region

, which encompasses the state of Hawaiʻi, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands

 and America Samoa. Schmidt was named interim CEO of the nonprofit in May and took the helm in August, overseeing 33 staff members and 2,000 volunteers in Hawai

She added that volunteers make up 90% of its local workforce.

“The value of the American Red Cross is in our people,” Schmidt said. “They’re providing [for] the needs and are trained in approaching people with a human aspect. They can give a blanket, but they can also give hope. They can provide a meal, but they can sit and listen to somebody who just lost everything. That compassion is essentially where we will always drive our mission and values.”

The nonprofit depends heavily on volunteers and donations from “generous individuals, corporations and foundations” to deliver its mission, she noted. According to its website, “The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families.”

In the community, Schmidt serves with the 

Hawaiʻi’s Organization of Women Leaders

 and Troop Leader for Girl Scouts of Hawaiʻi’s Troop 193.

ASD asked Schmidt about lessons-learned from local disaster response, how she personally stays prepared in case of emergency, and current and future priorities for the organization.

Looking back on the recent wildfires, tsunami and hurricane warnings, what worked well and/or what would you do differently? 

When we get the call from the county, we work with federal, state and county officials, in partnership with other nonprofits. And partnership is key. We can’t do everything alone, nor should we. We’re the first to respond right after the first responders. The counties will designate where the shelters will be and whatever the number is. So, we open, operate and close those shelters. That includes the logistics – the welcoming manpower, providing mental health and case managers and supplies for immediate needs. We also operate feeding with our feeding partners. It takes four volunteers to open a shelter, and we have rotations of volunteers. It’s giving those community members a safe place to be.

Last year, we responded to 120 local disasters, but 80% were single-family home fires. Those are disasters that happened to a family and don’t make the news, but American Red Cross was there. We give financial assistance and resources to help the family initiate their recovery. For us the Home Fire Campaign and October’s National Sound the Alarm Campaign, to raise awareness around the value of having working smoke alarms in your house, are really important across the Islands. The fire alarms we install are good for 10 years, no battery, no wires.

Everyone wants to be prepared, but sometimes you don’t know how to. There’s a lot of information [following the 2023] Maui wildfires around how to be prepared. We all learned some hard lessons with that. I came on during the organization’s transition from response to long-term recovery. In Maui, during the first year, we provided more than 32,000 shelter/ hotel stays and over 3 million meals and snacks, touching thousands of people’s lives. We spent $109 million in response that first year. We don’t typically stay long-term except in special cases like Maui and Los Angeles. In year two, we partnered with 14 Maui-based nonprofits that had existing boots on the ground and operations, and we supported them with another $14 million [in total] to strengthen and continue their response focused on housing, health and hunger.

We are in hurricane season from June to November. Hurricane season also means wildfire season because the winds whip up the wildfires. We are seeing twice as many disasters on a year-over-year basis now than we saw 10 years ago. It’s an alarming rate the number of disasters happening. And we will respond to every single one of them with our amazing team.

How do you practice preparedness in your personal life? 

I have a go bag at home, in my office and in my car because you never know where you’re going to be, right? It has a change of clothes, can of soup with a pop top, running shoes, a head lamp, pocketknife, etc.

I also have the emergency Red Cross app. You can set the location and put in different ZIP coded nationwide, so I have a set location for my family in Georgia, at my children’s schools, so I can be notified about disasters in those areas. It’s completely customizable and pushes out the information you tell it to. This is a great way to be prepared. Having those conversations in families, schools, in churches, at your workplace also make a difference.

What are your current and long-term priorities? 

I’ve made it a point to be present across all of the islands with our “talk story sessions,” an opportunity to connect with partners, elected officials and volunteers, to talk about the needs, listen and partner thoughtfully, strategically. Asking, ‘How can we amplify the support the communities are going to need, using resources well?’ And then hearing feedback and working to ensure we are meeting those needs.

[Other goals include recruiting more volunteers and building workforce capacity for them; increasing fundraising through awareness; bolstering existing programs like Red Cross Youth Clubs (ages 13-24), which enables youth to start civic engagement early on through service projects, and support for veteran and military families; and the Human Animal Bond (HAB) Program, which involves therapy with dogs.]

What have you been learning as a leader lately?

This job is 24/7, 365 days a year. My team can reach me at any point. So, it is important for me to have my own boundaries. I like to hike. I love nature. I play tennis. My family support is critical; we enjoy playing cards and traveling together.

The greatest things about my life have been as a mother, a wife and serving as the American Red Cross CEO. To me, it is an honor to serve in this role. I don

’t feel like it’s just a job; it’s a way to serve. And everyone here – every volunteer, every staff member – is surrounded by their family support that helps people give of their heart and talents.

Molly Schmidt Red Cross 2025

<title>Hawai’i Red Cross CEO on preparedness and priorities</title>

Aloha State Daily recently sat down with Molly Schmidt, who was named interim CEO of American Red Cross the Pacific Islands Region in May and took the helm in August, for a wide-ranging conversation. Topics included her prior experience with the organization, lessons-learned from local disaster response, current priorities and more.

Hawai’i Red Cross CEO on preparedness and priorities

Lopaka and Tanya Kapanui

Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui

Hawaii History

Columnists

The Mānoa Falls Trail is one of Oʻahu’s most beloved hikes, leading through lush rainforest to a 150-foot waterfall at the back of Mānoa Valley. Managed by the state’s Nā Ala Hele trail system since 1988, the path is maintained as part of the Honolulu Mauka Trail System, which links multiple routes across the ridges and valleys above Honolulu. In recent years, the trail underwent significant improvements to better accommodate the many visitors who explore the valley each day.

While a popular attraction, the trail has also seen its share of challenges. The Honolulu Fire Department regularly responds to rescues for lost or injured hikers, with some requiring helicopter evacuations. In rare but serious cases, hikers have suffered fatal accidents near the waterfall itself. Temporary closures are also not uncommon, especially after heavy rain or storm damage, when fallen trees and slippery terrain make conditions dangerous.

By day, the Mānoa Falls Trail feels like a living postcard. Its lush forest and idyllic scenery draw countless visitors to its famous water cascade. But as with many places in Hawaiʻi, the beauty of the landscape holds a deeper layer of stories passed down through generations. Long after the hikers have gone home and the valley quiets under the canopy of trees, Mānoa takes on an entirely different presence that locals whisper about with caution, and visitors sometimes stumble upon when they least expect it. It is in these hushed moments, after dark, that the trail reveals its other side.

One weekend night in the early 1970s, Vance went on a double date with a friend. His girlfriend was beside him in the front seat, while the second couple sat in the back. On a whim, the group decided to drive up toward Mānoa Falls. They reached the chain that blocked cars from going farther and parked beneath the trees. It was late, and the valley was wrapped in silence and heavy darkness. The two couples sat for a while talking inside the car. That was when Vance noticed something strange: two eyes, suspended in the air in front of them.

At first, he didn’t understand what he was looking at. But the longer he stared, the more dread crept in.

[{"type":"text","text":"Grabbing his date’s arm, he blurted out, “Look! Eyes!”"}]

She followed his gaze and screamed, as did his friend’s date when she looked up. In the back seat, Vance’s friend kept his head down, refusing to see for himself.

“No! No! I’m not looking!” he shouted when Vance demanded to know if he could see it too.

The hair rose on Vance’s neck, chicken skin running down his arms. In a rush of panic, he started the engine, threw the car in reverse, and sped down the road, not slowing until they were safely back in the residential streets of the valley.

Years later, Vance shared the story with a younger co-worker who had graduated from Roosevelt High School. The co-worker grew animated and hurried off to fetch an old yearbook. Flipping through the pages, he pointed out a photograph of students standing at the same chain that blocked the Mānoa Falls trail. In the picture, clear as day, were a pair of eyes. This time, they were not high up in the trees, but close to the ground. It wasn’t a trick of light or imagination. That picture, he said, is still in that old Roosevelt High School yearbook. Vance was shaken all over again.

His unease deepened when, on a tour years later, he listened to storyteller Glen Grant describe disembodied eyes seen across the island with warnings not to follow, for they beckoned people to the other side. Standing there listening to Glen’s stories, Vance’s wife turned to him, eyes wide, and whispered, “That’s exactly what you’ve been telling me all these years.”

Those strange encounters in the 1970s weren’t the last time someone would see something unusual there. Just a few years ago, while the trail was officially closed for maintenance, four friends decided to visit at night, hoping to capture evidence of something paranormal on video. They had already made stops at Morgan’s Corner and Tantalus Drive when one of them suggested the Mānoa Falls Trail.

[{"type":"text","text":"It was a moonless night, so he joked, “Guarantee get night marchers!”"}]

The group’s excitement overrode any hesitation that an individual might have had. Around midnight, they parked in the middle of the dark road, headlights shining on the closed gate. One man stayed behind in the car to take a call from his girlfriend, while the other three stepped out with their phones set to record. A cool breeze moved through the valley, carrying the damp scent of mud and rotting vegetation. Mosquitoes buzzed in their ears. One man held an EMF meter, but its lights stayed still and dark.

[{"type":"text","text":"Then came the first sign that something wasn’t right."}]

“Aw man, my phone died!” one of them shouted, and seconds later another man’s phone went black.

Confused, they huddled by the car, trying to make sense of the sudden power loss, while the fourth man inside continued his call without interruption. Out of the corner of his eye, one of the men caught movement by the trail. His blood went cold; not from thoughts of ghosts but of feral pigs. He grabbed a flashlight from the car, but the beam was weak, and the shadows at the gate were impenetrable. Uneasy, he climbed back inside the car and called to his friends, who had moved closer to the gate.

Several long minutes passed before the pair suddenly ran back and jumped into the vehicle. The driver started the engine and tore down the rough road, potholes rattling the tires, not slowing until they reached the residential neighborhood.

After they’d finally calmed down, the two men explained what happened. As they approached the gate, they saw a pair of white lights floating about four feet off the ground. They looked like two eyes. It was weird and confusing, and neither of them could figure out what they were looking at—two lights, about the same distance apart as a pair of eyes on someone’s face. But there was no face, no head, no body. The lights slowly seemed to drift closer toward them, and when they got about a foot in front of the gate, they blinked. That’s when the men took off running. I asked if they got it on video, but they did not.

“I wasn’t aiming the camera right at the lights, so all I got was bushes and then the blurry road as we were running back to the car. But seriously, we saw what we saw.”

I then asked if they would ever return to try to get whatever they saw on video, and he laughed and said, “Maybe. Probably not for a long time, but maybe.”

Gate to Manoa Falls Trail 2

<title>Disembodied eyes at Mānoa Falls Trail</title>

If you look out into the dark of night at this storied trail, something just might look back at you.

Disembodied eyes at Mānoa Falls Trail

Food & Dining

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Friday, Oct. 3"}]

 is set to take on the professionals at the 

, which just opened its second Honolulu store at the Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa on Tuesday, Sept. 30. The café is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. 

. AIA Honolulu, the Honolulu chapter of the American Institute of Architects, continues Architecture Month celebrations with the 

, where attendees can check out the offices of local firms and meet their staff, while enjoying pūpū and drinks. The event runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Downtown Honolulu. Free. 

  The final performances of “Come from Away” are underway at Diamond Head Theatre. Due to popular demand, performances were extended through this weekend.  The Tony Award-winning musical was inspired by the 38 planes grounded in Canada after U.S. air space was closed following the 9/11 attacks in 2001. The final shows are 7:30 p.m. on Friday; and 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 

 started writing after a trip to New York City, where she watched a show on Broadway. Now, her first play, 

 is back on stage in Honolulu and several of the original cast members from the 1998 production are in it. Learn about the moment when she was 

 and decided to write. The final shows are 7:30 p.m. on Friday, as well as 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. The show on Sunday is sold out. 

Dixie Grill BBQ & Crab Shack is hosting its annual 

 which includes deals on platters that feature choices of the crustacean, such as Alaskan snow crab, Dungeness crab and king crab. The Crab Fest started Wednesday, Oct. 1, and runs through Oct. 31. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"SATURDAY, OCT. 4"}]

 The family friendly event runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and includes a lantern parade, cultural performances, activities for keiki and food. The parade starts at 6:30 p.m. and participants will walk from the Hawaiʻi National Bank King Street branch toward Sun Yat-Sen Mall. There will also be a lantern-making contest and designs will be featured in the evening parade. The event is presented by the Hawai’i National Bank Foundation. 

 Check out expert presentations, cooking demonstrations and more as part of Diet & Nutrition for the Cancer Journey. The event has in-person and virtual components. It runs from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Sullivan Conference Center at the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center. Free. 

 Enjoy the 34th annual Moanikeala Hula Festival at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The event honors PCC’s first kumu hula, Salley Moanikealaonapuamakahikina Wood Nalua‘i. It includes all-day activities, as well as canoe rides and admission to the festival. Performances start at 1 p.m. and run every half hour.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"SUNDAY, OCT. 5"}]

Enjoy steel guitar from 10 a.m. to noon at the Hula Grill Waikīkī. The new program features monthly steel guitar performances at the oceanside restaurant on the first Sunday of each month through the rest of 2025. The program was created with Alan Akaka, who kicked off the series with a live performance in July.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Dixie Grill crab boil platter 092525

<title>10 things to do this weekend: Friday, Oct. 3, to Sunday, Oct. 5</title>

From the final shows of the musical “Come from Away” to the arrival of a second location of Paris Baguette, here are 10 things happening on Oʻahu this weekend.

10 things to do this weekend: Friday, Oct. 3, to Sunday, Oct. 5

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

 just opened its second Honolulu store, which is located at the Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa.

A traditional Hawaiian blessing was held this morning to celebrate the second Honolulu café, which opened to the public at 10 a.m. Starting tomorrow, Oct. 1, the café will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The new café at the Renaissance Hotel & Spa mirrors the size and layout of the business’s first location in downtown Honolulu, which opened last February. Customers can grab a tray and choose from a variety of pastries in the bakery display cases.

Paris Baguette is known for its variety of sweet and savory pastries, cakes and beverages. Choose from popular options like strawberry lemon cream croissants ($4.29), tiramisu tarts ($4.69), hash brown bread ($5.49) and twisted donuts ($3.79).

Keep an eye out for new treats, including Biscoff Cookie Butter king cream donuts ($6.49), cookies and cream mochi donuts ($5.39), Dubai chocolate tarts ($10.29), chocolate chip scones ($5.69) and maple pecan pastries ($4.89).

The beverage menu includes coffees and cold brews, lattes, teas, smoothies and frozen drinks. Customers can also enjoy seasonal options like pumpkin pie lattes ($4.99-$6.99), Cookie Butter macchiatos ($4.99-$6.99), pumpkin pie sweet cream cold brews ($5.99-$7.49) and iced matcha fruit lattes ($5.99-$6.99).

The globally recognized brand has more than 250 locations across the U.S. and more than 4,000 units worldwide.

Paris Baguette Renaissance sign 093025

<title>Paris Baguette just opened its second Honolulu location</title>

The bakery café celebrated the grand opening of its second Oʻahu location today at Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa. Starting Oct. 1, the café will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Paris Baguette just opened its second Honolulu location

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Michael Brestovansky

Crime & Courts

Suit accuses landowner of "sneakily" attempting to seize control of Kapalua Resort Association.

Maui

Second lawsuit against Maui Land & Pineapple alleges power grab

Business & Tourism

Maui Land & Pineapple hits back against golf courses and other water users, accusing them of ignoring water restrictions.

Maui landowner countersues in water battle

After nearly 20 years, suit accusing Dole Fruit Company of using toxic chemicals in Central America still unresolved.

Kaahumanu Hale 16x9

Dole pesticide lawsuit back in Hawai‘i court

Government & Politics

Governor's executive order long awaited by Honolulu law enforcement.

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HPD endorses Green's traffic safety edict

Gov. Green signs executive order aimed at reducing traffic crashes.

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State regulations coming to e-bikes

Brian Smith was sentenced to life in prison for murder in 2019, but a legal dispute will send him back to court.

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Kailua-Kona man headed for retrial in 2018 murder case

Aloha State Daily reached out to several city departments, including the Honolulu Police Department and those overseeing the Tom Moffatt Waikīkī Shell and Kapi’olani Regional Park, which each hosted events for ticket holders.

Fiji Tribute concert

'No arrests' in Fiji Tribute concert, HPD says

Five emergency proclamations made in 2023 overstepped the governor's powers, according to a high court verdict.

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Green's affordable housing proclamations invalid, Supreme Court rules

Three suits against the city are holding up planned demolition of popular site

Haiku Stairs

Ha‘ikū Stairs lawsuits go to third court

Virginia-based Students for Fair Admissions announced plans to challenge Kamehameha Schools preferential treatment of Native Hawaiian applicants

Kamehameha Schools gearing up for legal battle over admissions policy

Pioneer Mill claimed ownership over Maui land in 1919. In 2025, that claim has been rejected.

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Century-old Maui land dispute ends before Hawai‘i Supreme Court

Calling the cops on someone based on their race, sex, and more can lead to a $1,000 lawsuit.