Hawai'i Skies

My Favorite Local Saying

Cartoons

Daily Smile

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Adopt a Pet

Daily Features

ASD icon blue inverse lighter

ASD Staff

Have you started decorating for Halloween?

SMILE 26 10 2

Daily Smile: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026

It's the start of spooky season, time to get your costumes ready!

Smiles 26 10 1

Daily Smile: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026

Smile 26 9 30

Daily Smile: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026

Smile 26 9 29

Daily Smile: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026

When a tiny orange kitten makes a bold mistake with a farm goose and instantly recruits a giant canine bodyguard...

Smile 26 9 28

Daily Smile: Monday, Sept. 28, 2026

Baby ducks meet puppies for the first time...

Smile 26 9 27

Daily Smile: Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026

Smile 26 9 26

Daily Smile: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026

Now, let's all enjoy a baby armadillo who loves to play with an apple...

Smile 26 9 25

Daily Smile: Friday, Sept. 25, 2026

Never doubt the wrestling skills of a duck...

Smile 26 9 24

Daily Smile: Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Thailand's Atthaya "Jeeno" Thitikul won the 2026 Lotte Championship with a 21-under 267 at Hoakalei Country Club on Sunday afternoon. 

Thitikul ended up winning by three strokes, as runner-up Ina Yoon finished with a 18-under 270. 

With a two-stroke lead entering the 16th hole, Thitikul's lead evaporated when her tee shot went into the water. But she kept her composure, birdieing the 17th hole with a 20-foot putt, then closed her round with a par on 18. 

Yoon, Thitikul's playing partner, drove into the water on the 17th hole and went on to bogey the hole. 

Following the emotional swing of how her round ended, Thitikul was all laughs in her post-victory press conference. 

"My leg is so sore," she said. "I mean, words cannot describe what I'm feeling right now. I mean, it's happy. A lot of feelings going on. The roller coaster of 15, 16, 17, and 18. So, just tired right now, but a good tired."

Italy's Carolina Melgratti, who was the leader halfway through the tournament, finished in a tie for sixth with a 14-under 274. Punahou alumna Allisen Corpuz was the highest finisher among golfers with Hawai‘i connections, finishing in a tie for 25th overall at 8-under 280. 

Following the Lotte, the LPGA Tour is headed to Asia for four consecutive tournaments in China, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan, starting with the Buick LPGA Shanghai from Oct. 14-17. Thitikul is the defending champion of the LPGA Shanghai. 

Thitikul, 23, now has 11 LPGA Tour titles to her name. She is within one of tying 30-year-old 

Ariya Jutanugarn for most by a player from Thailand. 

Thitikul's Lotte victory also netted her a check of $450,000. She is now just the sixth player to surpass $20 million in LPGA career winnings, upping her total to $20,210,011. 

"I need to pay more tax," Thitikul joked when asked what the $20 million milestone meant to her. 

Jeeno Thitikul 100426

<title>Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul wins 2026 Lotte Championship</title>

Thitikul, 23, shot a 23-under 267 to claim her 11th LPGA tour victory at Hoakalei Country Club on Sunday.

Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul wins 2026 Lotte Championship

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Interisland and international travelers flying on Hawaiian Airlines, take note: changes are coming.

Daily supplemental service between Honolulu and Kahului take flight Oct. 3 on Alaska Airlines-branded 737-800 aircraft, Hawaiian 

dditional Neighbor Island passenger and cargo capacity connecting the company’s two largest Hawaiʻi hubs while helping maintain the schedule, reliability and frequency that residents, visitors and businesses depend on every day," the post reads.

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 

 and efforts to combine the two airlines are still underway.

"Right now, just given where we are with integration, that airplane has to stay in the Alaska brand, but it really is to make sure that we're giving as much capacity and flight frequency as we need to for our guests," Hawaiian Airlines CEO 

Although you'll see the 737 on three Honolulu-Kahului roundtrips, Hawaiian's fleet of 717 aircraft will continue to serve all Neighbor Islands with some 140 daily flights, the airline says, but adds that Hawaiian is set to retire its 717 fleet in 2028 and transition to a "more modern, Hawaiian Airlines-branded 737 Neighbor Island service" that will feature premium interiors and free Starlink Wi-Fi.

Also beginning Oct. 3, Neighbor Island guests must check in online or via the Alaska Hawaiian app and drop off checked bags at least 50 minutes before departure — up from 30 minutes.

Nearly all Hawaiian Airlines Neighbor Island travelers already check in 50 minutes before departure, and the earlier check-in will help improve baggage handling and support on-time departures," Hawaiian said in the online announcement.

According to the airline, guests traveling to Kahului on 737 aircraft will continue to check bags at Terminal 1, Lobby 3, using self-service bag-tag stations, while guests traveling from Kahului to Honolulu on the aircraft should visit Alaska's counters for check-in services and bag drop.

Meanwhile, Hawaiian is set to combine check-in and bag drop for all international departures at Terminal 2, Lobby 4, beginning on Oct. 3.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"More changes on the horizon"}]

 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, a recent 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, that announcement noted. The updates are part of Hawaiian’s $600 million Kahu’ewai Hawai’i Investment Plan, which 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 said.

FUSE B717 over clouds

<title>More changes ahead for Hawaiian Airlines' interisland, international travelers</title>

Daily supplemental service between Honolulu and Kahului take flight Oct. 3 on Alaska Airlines-branded 737-800 aircraft, among other changes.

More changes ahead for Hawaiian Airlines' interisland, international travelers

De Soto 2025

DeSoto Brown

Hawai‘i History

Columnists

Do you remember Ward Warehouse? It was something of a landmark in Kaka‘ako once, but after being demolished nearly 10 years ago it’s now on its way to being forgotten.

The Ward family is foundational to the history of Kaka‘ako. Back in the 19th century, the clan came to own a large tract of land stretching from their private home that was just across King Street from Thomas Square, all the way down to what is now Kewalo Basin. This ownership, of course, is the origin of the name Ward Avenue for the street that formed most of the boundary of the property on its ‘Ewa side.

By the middle of the 20th century, the Ward land contained a mix of private homes and a variety of business tenants. The family-owned corporation that managed the property, Victoria Ward Ltd., started taking small steps towards more lucrative tenants in the 1950s but ramped up its redevelopment goals in the early 1960s by constructing a series of modern, low-rise structures.

A major new commitment came in early 1974 with the start of construction of Ward Warehouse on a 4.1 acre site between Ala Moana Boulevard, Ward Avenue and Auahi Street. The location had some special considerations in that it was covered by two very different types of zoning: one was for retail while the other was strictly for wholesale and industrial uses. The latter category was slightly problematic for what was intended as, essentially, a shopping center open to the public, and initially required a careful selection of tenants.

Designed by architect Steve Au, Ward Warehouse had a notably 1970s appearance. The hippie movement in the USA by this time had popularized more earthy, natural materials, so the complex’s exteriors were dark-stained wood, inspired in particular by a trend-setting development called Sea Ranch in California from the late 1960s. The only outside decorations were sections of bold painted “supergraphics” in geometric patterns. Industrial elements were not covered up but were openly displayed; on the outside, pipes and fittings were painted in bright colors to show them off, along with some oversized machine parts that were installed purely as decor. Inside the rental spaces, high ceilings showed undisguised conduits, light fixtures and air-conditioning ducts. Floors were concrete and walls were mostly unpainted wood. The effect was “honesty” in materials vs shiny synthetic surfaces.

Ward Warehouse opened with 87 tenant spaces; some interiors had the potential for the construction of mezzanines. Parking on the ground level accommodated 250 vehicles while the four-level concrete garage had 400 more spots. A soft opening for some businesses took place in time for Christmas 1974. By April 1975 the complex was placing large display ads in the Honolulu newspapers.

Those who are old enough to have patronized Ward Warehouse will undoubtedly remember particular stores or restaurants they regularly visited. For many people, the Old Spaghetti Factory at the far ‘Ewa end, with its two-story interior spaces, was surely a favorite (it has since moved to Aloha Tower). Embellished by numerous antique light fixtures and other old-time props which the company had been able to accumulate when such items were mostly inexpensive salvage goods from the demolition of 80- or 90-year-old structures in the USA, the low-cost restaurant had a unique feeling in its diverse seating areas.

Of course many other businesses came and went through Ward Warehouse over the years. There was the Liquor Collection which was filled with limited-edition figural ceramic specialty bottles, stores just for outdoor furniture, kitchenware, and flags, and the Nohea Gallery for local artwork of all kinds.

Ward Warehouse was never intended to last throughout the ages. A 1969 newspaper article quoted a statement from Victoria Ward Ltd that said offices and high-rise structures were eventually planned along Ala Moana Boulevard. Closure of the shopping center came on July 31, 2017 followed by demolition that began in November.

Howard Hughes Corporation, by then the owner of the site, first announced that two “ultraluxury” towers would soon rise here, the Ward Village Gateway. One of these was to be the 

 with units offered for prices ranging from $1.3 million to $23 million; these were first put on sale in 2015. But in 2018 the entire project was dropped, even after Howard Hughes had spent $29 million on it, and 28 of the 125 apartments in the Cylinder had been sold. In 2019 Victoria Place was approved for construction on the Waikīkī end of the property. Next to it was the start of the new Victoria Ward Park which would eventually occupy what had been the center part of Ward Warehouse.

However, it wouldn’t be until 2025 that one of the familiar construction cranes would finally be erected on the rest of the former Ward Warehouse, signaling yet another of the Kaka‘ako condominiums to come: Kalae.

1 Ward ad 1 16x9

<title>Changing Kaka‘ako: Remembering Ward Warehouse</title>

Ward Warehouse was never meant to last — even the previous owners who built it, Victoria Ward Ltd, always intended for offices and high-rises to take its place. But it had a four-decade run from its 1975 opening to its 2017 demolition, featuring such businesses as Old Spaghetti Factory, Orson's, The Liquor Collection, Nohea Gallery and more. Here's a look back at the shopping center, including a glimpse of the neighborhood before Ward Warehouse came along and fishing, rather than shopping, was the area's industry.

Changing Kaka‘ako: Remembering Ward Warehouse

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Crime & Courts

The woman charged with murder after allegedly fatally shooting a man in Kailua last weekend was turned in by her father the day of the event, according to a Honolulu police report.

Hilinaikailimakualopali Keeno, 24, was charged on Sept. 30 with second-degree murder, carrying a firearm in the commission of a felony and improperly keeping a pistol or revolver. She is being held pending a $1 million bail.

An HPD document — which was submitted on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to the Honolulu Circuit Court to establish probable cause to detain Keeno without a warrant — states that Keeno’s father brought her to the Kailua Police Station less than an hour after 

was declared dead of a gunshot wound to the neck in the Kailua Target parking lot.

The report states that HPD special duty officers, who were working security at the Kailua Fall Festival that day, were called to assist with a group of festivalgoers involved in an argument at about 8:26 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Officers escorted the group out of the festival and watched them head toward the Target parking lot, only to hear another altercation begin among the group minutes later.

During this new altercation, a pop resembling a gunshot was heard, and officers saw two men — one of whom was Keeno’s brother — assaulting a third. Both assailants were placed under arrest for disorderly conduct, while officers discovered Malone on the ground, covered in blood.

[{"type":"text","text":"Malone was declared dead at the scene by 8:43 p.m."}]

At 9:39 p.m., Keeno was brought to the Kailua Police Station by her father, who told police she was involved in the incident and wanted to provide a statement in the presence of her attorney.

According to the HPD report, no interview was conducted with Keeno that night. Subsequently, HPD sought photographs and videos from the public to help piece together the event and identify the shooter.

On Sept. 28, another witness identified Keeno as the shooter, and HPD confirmed that Keeno has one firearm registered in her name, a Sig Sauer P365 handgun.

[{"type":"text","text":"Following this, Keeno was placed under arrest."}]

Keeno’s preliminary hearing, when she will plead guilty or not guilty to the charges, will take place Monday, Oct. 5. She remains in custody.

Hpd 16x9

<title>Woman charged in Kailua shooting turned in by father</title>

Hilinakailimakualopali Keeno faces a $1 million bail for a second-degree murder charge.

Woman charged in Kailua shooting turned in by father

Kodi Look was born into football. Her father, 

, was the head football coach for ‘Iolani since 1991, a position he held until retiring over the summer. 

"I've been going to games since I was a baby," Kodi Look recalled to Aloha State Daily. "Been around practice since I was little. ... I wanted to be an NFL player when I grew up, but obviously I knew as I got older that wasn't a reality. But I knew I loved the game and loved being a part of it. It was kind of always a dream of mine [to work in football]."

A pair of former Oregon State assistant coaches in 

Mike Cavanaugh and Mark Banker used to frequently visit ‘Iolani on the Island recruiting trail and built a rapport with Wendell Look in the early 2000s. When Wendell introduced the two to Kodi, they told her she could have a job in the football office if she chose to attend the school. After graduating from ‘Iolani in 2008, Kodi Look went on to attend Oregon State in pursuit of her goal of a career in football. 

In 2016, Look joined the University of Oregon's football operations staff. Though she initially joked that getting a gig for the Ducks was "joining the dark side" of the Oregon State-Oregon rivalry, she's been a mainstay at Oregon in her 10 years with the school, which has involved four different head coaches during her time there. 

Look's title as Oregon's director of football operations is as all-encompassing as the gig sounds. Different days and different times of the year each come with their own set of demands. Spring ball and fall camp includes days full of physical and mental training for players and coaches. During Look's time with Oregon, the Ducks have routinely put together recruiting classes that are ranked in the top 10 nationally. Part of Look's duties include assisting with the coordination of recruiting visits and camps. Travel is another part of the job, even beyond the team's national Big Ten Conference schedule. Over the summer, Look was part of a Ducks contingent that went to Japan and held local camps and activation events in hopes of growing the program's fanbase in other parts of the world. 

"I work closely with the administration side as well, the business office, compliance office, and then all the different departments in the building too," Look said. "I work with our dietitian, strength staff, video, so it's really everybody. You have to have communication with everybody every day because it's a big production, especially when we have practice."

Look also works closely with Oregon's coaches, ready to deliver in a moment's notice if a task is needed. She'll also communicate with players on a daily basis to assist with day-to-day needs. The vast majority of Oregon's freshmen are living away from home for the first time, a shock to the system for the 18 and 19-year-old boys who are learning to be independent. Some players may want to write letters home to their families but don't know how to properly address and mail letters. Others may want to buy a suit but aren't sure where to begin. 

Relationships are paramount in collegiate athletics, and Look points to Detroit Lions three-time All-Pro offensive lineman Penei Sewell as an example of how rewarding the job can be. She beams with pride when recalling how much Sewell matured in his years as a Duck and how he's now married and a father of three. 

Beyond the people inside Oregon's building, Look also communicates with NFL personnel. She was even named the 2025 NFL Liaison of the Year. Since 2017, 52 Oregon players have been selected in the NFL Draft, many of those calls made after scouts came to practices and games to see the players in person. 

College football has evolved into a 24/7, 365-day sport over the years, and the rigors of the job keep her busy. Personal time has been one of the tougher sacrifices to make over the years. 

"I missed a lot of birthdays, weddings, and I've never been to an [‘Iolani] reunion because it's always in December, and so I miss a lot of opportunities like that to reconnect with people, and so it is a big sacrifice," she said. "But I look back and just see all the different opportunities and experiences that I get to have with football, and I wouldn't trade it.

Look's desire to work in football was affirmed early on in her career, back when she was with the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League in 2014. 

"I had to wear a lot of hats when I worked there because we had a small office," Look recalled. "I was an operations person, I was an executive assistant to the head coach. I helped with ticketing. Our media guy quit right before our season, and I had to help do the media guide. I'd never done it before, but it was worth it."

Back in high school, Look actually played for her father and was the starting kicker for ‘Iolani's HHSAA Division II state championship team in 2007. She remembers during one of her made extra points in the 2007 state title game, she made the kick despite a Lahainaluna defender bumping into her. When she got back to the sideline, she remembers her father yelling at her, telling her she should have embellished the contact in order to draw a penalty. 

"Growing up, he was very strict and critiqued me on every little thing, and I didn't really understand it at first. But when I grew up and went to college and kind of had to be on my own, I started to realize those were life lessons that he was trying to teach me," Kodi Look says of Wendell Look. "I would say he always instilled the One Team [‘Iolani's motto] spirit in me and just working as a team and it's not about you, it's never about an individual, it's about everybody. Just putting in the hard work and not expecting things."

In a male-dominated sport, Kodi Look also wants to show that there's a place for women in it. 

"It was tough at first to kind of get my foot in door and show my worth, but a lot of women are in football now and in director roles, too. It's a great feeling to be able to represent and show that we're supposed to be here," she says.

For the 2026 season, Oregon is currently 2-1 and ranked No. 20 in the country. The Ducks entered the season with national championship aspirations and still possess them heading into a pivotal game at No. 12 USC at 1:30 p.m. HST on Saturday. 

Following its Big Ten opener this weekend, the Ducks will be idle on the field next week. But for Look, the grind never stops. 

"Anyone who's interested in getting into sports, my advice to them is to make sure that this is really what you want to do, because it's a big commitment and it's a big sacrifice in your life," Look said when asked what she tells those who inquire about getting into her line of work. "You give up a lot of personal time with family and friends. If it's something that they really want to do, once they get their foot in the door, just work hard."

Kodi Look 1 092326

<title>At Oregon, ‘Iolani alumna Kodi Look plays a vital role for one of college football's…</title>

Look is the director of football operations for the Ducks, a job that is as all-encompassing as it sounds.

At Oregon, ‘Iolani alumna Kodi Look plays a vital role for one of college football's biggest brands

Real Estate

A former office building, located a short distance from Ala Moana Center, has been transformed — it now offers dozens of affordable rentals in Honolulu's urban core. 

JL Capital on Thursday celebrated the completion of Amana Lofts, an adaptive reuse project that turned what was once a five-story office building at 765 Amana St. into 64 affordable rentals. A dedication and blessing ceremony marked the end of the project.

The developer retained the building's existing concrete structure, but nearly everything else — including plumbing and electrical systems, windows, interior walls and finishes — were replaced or newly constructed, an announcement from JL Capital noted. 

BKF & Associates was the project architect and Island Structural Contracting was the general contractor.

Amana Lofts includes 32 studios, 20 one-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom residences, all of which are reserved for households earning up to 80% of the area median income. Income limits vary depending on household size; you can find the current income limits for the City and County of Honolulu 

Units span from 289 to 561 square feet, and include large windows, ceiling heights of more than 10 feet and appliances that include a refrigerator, range/oven, built-in microwave and garbage disposal, the announcement notes. Meanwhile, the building itself has a secured lobby, elevator, on-site laundry facilities, trash chutes on each floor, a bike rack and car share.

$1,875 to $2,014 for studios; $1,995 to $2,142 for one-bedroom residences; and $2,475 to $2,536 for two-bedroom residences, according to the announcement, which noted, too, that electricity, cable and internet are additional, and limited covered parking is available for rent.

“Amana Lofts demonstrates that there are creative ways to add housing in Honolulu without always starting from the ground up,” 

 said in the announcement. “We hope this project can serve as an example of how existing buildings can be reimagined to help address our community’s housing needs.”

According to the developer, affordable rental units will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Each application will be time-stamped when the developer or its agent receives the fully completed form. Applications will be reviewed for completeness and eligibility, and applications from qualified households will be submitted, in the order received, to the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting for review and approval.

Lee told Aloha State Daily following the blessing ceremony Thursday that the company acquired the property in 2019 for close to $9 million with a conversion in mind.

"When we bought this property, it was always intended to do a conversion," he says. "Just given the location, we love the location, and we just saw a lot of potential in this property. So from the time we bought it, we always intended to turn this into [an] affordable rental project."

[{"type":"text","text":"Location is important."}]

“Where we build housing matters,” Lee said in the announcement. “Ala Moana is vibrant, accessible and connected. Creating affordable homes here gives residents the opportunity to live closer to jobs, transportation and the things they need every day. We believe that is an important part of addressing Honolulu’s housing needs.”

Lee told ASD that the total cost of the project, including the purchase price, was roughly $25 million.

JL Capital, a real estate and private equity firm founded in 2017, has completed or initiated a number of major projects in Honolulu's Ala Moana neighborhood and along the Kapi‘olani corridor in recent years.

, a $507 million mixed-use twin tower condominium and hotel at 1388 Kapi‘olani Blvd. 

Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa, a Marriott brand

 several other contiguous properties along Kapi‘olani Boulevard for a combined price of $36 million last fall.

Most recently, JL Capital announced that demolition preparation activities at the future site of its newest development, 

, located at 1538 Kapi‘olani Blvd., are expected to begin in October, following the relocation of Central Pacific Bank to the nearby Pan Am Building. 

The developers also have recently introduced new pricing on a number of residences. You can read 

The planned 39-story Muse Honolulu was designed by architecture firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and local partner Benjamin Woo Architects. 

Muse Honolulu will include 315 residences — a mix of penthouses, tower residences, urban lofts and two-story townhomes — and amenities across three levels.