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Rabbit keeps taking breaks while being chased because the dog is a fatso...

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Daily Smile: Monday, May 11, 2026

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The bond between a child and their pet is unmatched. Happy Children's Day!

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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

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

, is now open to the public. The Pinehopple Room is located on the second floor, directly above the Kaka

The space was previously home to the HI Brau Room, Aloha Beer Co.’s speakeasy that the biz operated primarily as a private event space.

“We always loved the room and felt like it had so much character,” says Candice Ishikawa, Aloha Beer Co.’s head of marketing and brand. “People who discovered it seemed to immediately fall in love with it, and we saw an opportunity to reimagine the space as something more distinctly connected to Aloha Beer and to Hawaiʻi, while opening it back up for more people to enjoy.”

Ishikawa explains that The Pinehopple Room concept came from the idea of taking the creativity and craft that goes into brewing beer and applying that same spirit to cocktails and hospitality.

“We wanted to create an intimate, upscale lounge that still felt unmistakably part of Aloha Beer, while offering a different side of Aloha Beer from the casual beer garden downstairs,” she says. “The name ‘Pinehopple’ comes from our logo icon and is a play on pineapple and hops, bringing together something immediately evocative of Hawaiʻi, with our roots as a brewery.”

[{"type":"text","text":"The venue’s name impacted its décor and ultimate vibe."}]

“We didn’t want to lose the darker, intimate character that made the original space special, so we built it with a vintage Hawaiʻi-inspired aesthetic, adding tropical botanicals, greenery, warm lighting and other details that make the room feel lush and inviting,” Ishikawa says.

She says The Pinehopple Room’s beverage program is where “the concept comes to life.” The drinks were inspired by the golden age of Hawaii cocktail culture, but the team wanted to bring its own unique twist to the beverages.

“We kept coming back to the idea that classic Hawaiʻi cocktails deserve to be remembered, not simply replicated,” Ishikawa says. “We’re taking those flavors and traditions, and reinterpreting them through fresh ingredients, thoughtful technique and our perspective as a craft brewery.”

So far, popular cocktails include the tropical itch ($18), Molokai fogcutter ($16) and paradise of the Pacific ($21). The tropical itch is made with 

bourbon, rum, orange curaçao, lilikoʻi, pineapple and a dark rum float; the Molokai fogcutter features aged and white rums, pineapple, lilikoʻi, lemon and orgeat; and paradise of the Pacific includes aged rum, tamarind, pineapple and hibiscus grenadine, according to Ishikawa.

Customers can also enjoy a scorpion bowl for two ($38), which is served in a vintage-inspired fish bowl. The drink is designed to be shared and also doubles as a fun centerpiece for the table, according to Ishikawa.

She also explains that The Pinehopple Room team is excited to offer a series of guided spirit flights.

“Guests can explore bourbon, Scotch, international whiskies, agave spirits, and Caribbean rum or Hawaiʻi-made rum, with a guided tasting sheet that provides some background and context for each pour without making the experience feel overly formal,” she says.

Customers can also enjoy light bites that pair naturally with the cocktails. Highlights include Pinehopple sashimi trio (market price) — served with a lilikoʻi-wasabi glaze — Pinehopple shrimp cocktail ($12), spinach dip salmon belly bites ($18), Cuban sliders ($13), paprika chicken pops ($18) and a salami caprese flatbread ($15).

“On the food side, we wanted dishes that were easy to share and felt at home alongside the cocktail program,” Ishikawa says.

The Cuban sliders feature brioche buns stuffed with mayo-mustard, ham, kalua pork, Swiss cheese, pickled cucumbers and cilantro-orange sauce. The paprika chicken pops comprises chicken drummettes in paprika batter, served with blue cheese honey-Red Zeppelin buffalo sauce and celery curls. So far, the chicken pops, spinach dip salmon belly bites and sliders have been customer favorites.

Ishikawa explains that The Pinehopple Room team has been excited to welcome guests and have them experience “the way different kinds of craft come together in one space.”

“Pinehopple is also about the experience around what’s in the glass,” she says. “There’s a sense of nostalgia and vintage Hawaiʻi hospitality without trying to recreate a specific era. We want it to feel special, but never overly formal — a place where people can slow down, connect and stay awhile.”

The Pinehopple Room is currently open from 5 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The lounge does not have a formal reservation system set up and is primarily open for walk-ins, but if a customer calls ahead, the venue can hold a table for them, according to Ishikawa.

“Aloha Beer has always been about creating places for people to gather, and Pinehopple gives us a new way to do that,” Ishikawa says. “Someone can have a beer in the beer garden downstairs, then head upstairs for a cocktail or whiskey flight and feel like they’ve stepped into an entirely different experience without ever leaving Aloha Beer. We’ve loved this room for a long time, and we’re excited to finally open the doors and share it with more people.”

The Pinehopple Room decor 092826

<title>The Pinehopple Room is a new upstairs lounge in Kakaʻako</title>

Located upstairs from Aloha Beer Co. on Queen Street, The Pinehopple Room — previously home to the HI Brau Room speakeasy — recently opened to the public. The upscale lounge features a vintage Hawaiʻi-inspired aesthetic, along with classic Hawaiʻi cocktails with a modern twist.

The Pinehopple Room is a new upstairs lounge in Kakaʻako

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

Aloha Spirit

Government & Politics

When fire swept through Lahaina on Aug. 8, 2023, the banyan tree on Front Street remained standing, shielding the buildings behind it from the flames.

Only a small portion of the tree trunk caught fire, and that’s because it was near a post that caught fire, Duane Sparkman, chair of the Maui County Arborist Committee, told Aloha State Daily this summer.

, on Maui in June, ahead of the third anniversary of the fire, which killed more than 100 people and destroyed much of Lahaina town.

And while it survived the fire, the banyan, planted more than 150 years ago, was dried out by the ambient heat from the inferno engulfing neighboring buildings.

All of that heat, says Sparkman, “was basically microwaving the tree; it was cooking the tree.”

According to the arborist, the banyan itself saved the harbor bathrooms behind it, blocking the heat and the brunt force of the fire, and stopping the flames from reaching the building.

[{"type":"text","text":"Today, the banyan is still on the mend, and will be for a while."}]

Sparkman told ASD that following an assessment with arborists in May, it was decided to keep the banyan fenced off for another two years.

“It’s going to be two years of healing still for that tree,” he says. “It really needs it. It does. It’s hard to say how truly damaged the inside of the tree is because the species that it is can literally wrap itself around the branches and start to heal itself. But we’re nervous about the interior heartwood of the tree, so if that heartwood is at all damaged by borer beetles or twig borers, then we have a problem and it becomes fragile, then the public’s at risk, so we have to wait. But that's OK. It needs it.”

These trees can live to be 1,000-plus years old, Sparkman says, so at 153 years old, “it’s still a baby and it just went through a fire, so let’s give it a break.”

Although the tree is fenced off, you can still view it from the street. On a recent walk along Front Street, there were a number of visitors stopping to take a look — from a respectable distance, of course.

Sparkman says that by keeping the tree closed to the public for two more years, "it'll allow that tree to not be climbed on. It'll allow that tree to set aerial roots into the soil and pull more nutrients and heal faster. Those are the No. 1 factors. There's less compaction from human interaction, so the roots can actually heal faster and distributes nutrient throughout the tree faster. So, there's a lot of reasons why we want to keep people out of it."

He said, too the tree had "a lot of scars" from people carving into it, "so we know that's going to come back, and our thing is to reduce that for a while, let that healing go throughout the tree, all the way up into the upper canopy. It is still 56 feet tall. [The fire] didn't burn the tree. The tree is completely alive, so the whole entire canopy is regrowing. It's just this upper canopy is growing much slower than the lower canopy, and since we're seeing that, that's what makes us [say], 'OK, we're going to slow down access to the public.'"

Since the fires, more than a dozen "air layers" have been pulled from the tree, some of which are on display at Maui resorts. While Sparkman says that the original intent was to plant them back into the park, "we don't know what we're going to do with them. They don't belong to me. They don't belong to Treecovery. They belong to all of us in Maui County. We pay our taxes and the taxes maintain the tree, so they're public assets."

When asked if this is where he thought the recovery of the banyan would be three years post-fire, Sparkman says he had "no idea" and has no expectations, having never been through this experience before.

, the banyan was planted on April 24, 1873, by Sheriff William Owen Smith. The sapling was a gift from missionaries in India and was planted to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission in Lahaina, HHF notes.

Lahaina banyan1 070826

<title>Lahaina banyan tree to remain fenced off for two more years</title>

The 153-year-old tree was damaged by the heat produced in the August 2023 wildfires but remained largely unburned.

Lahaina banyan tree to remain fenced off for two more years

Everyone’s looking to save money and get the most bang for their buck. This series will show you where you can save while still savoring a good meal.

 — formerly named Yujin K-BBQ — recently changed its concept from Korean barbecue plates to affordable takeout bowls. Korean-style bowls are technically $5.70 each and are served all day.

Business owners Joungah and Yujin Bae changed the business’s concept to offer the community takeout options that are both affordable yet filling.

Korean-style bowls are technically $5.70 each and are served all day. Most bowls include a protein, rice, corn and japchae. So far, the bulgogi (beef), spicy pork and meat jun bowls are the most popular. Other options include honey garlic chicken, mandoo, fish jun, shrimp tempura and fried oysters. 

The Yujin bowl — which has bulgogi and spicy pork — is also a customer favorite, but this bowl is $8.70 since it’s a combo. The business also offers kimbap ($6.70), which often sells out quickly.

The business still features family recipes and everything is made in house.

Yujin K-Bowl is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays. It’s also open from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays; it’s closed on Mondays.

Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays, 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays; closed on Mondays

Yujin K Bowl meat jun 072326

<title>Budget Bites: Yujin K-Bowl’s $6 bowls</title>

The Waipahu business offers Korean-style bowls for takeout only. Bowls include a choice of protein, rice, corn and japchae.

Budget Bites: Yujin K-Bowl’s $6 bowls

Back-to-back Kona Low storm systems in March brought heavy rains to the Islands that triggered flooding and power outages, prompted evacuations and caused damage — and battered O‘ahu's North Shore.

To help North Shore businesses recover from the storms, Hawaiian Council, in partnership with the Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau, E Noa Tours and Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, this week launched North Shore Huaka‘i, a 90-day pilot program that began June 29 with the intent to drive economic activity for local businesses, and connect visitors and kama‘āina with culture and community.

For $5 round trip, passengers can take a shuttle from Waikīkī or Ko Olina for a full-day experience, which last about six hours. It includes a 1-hour stop in Waialua to explore the historic Waialua Sugar Mill district and about 2.5 hours to explore Hale‘iwa, a recent announcement noted.

A North Shore Passport highlights participating businesses and to board the return shuttle, riders must show proof that they supported a participating business.

"Recovery is also about restoring the economic vitality of our communities,” 

, CEO of Hawaiian Council, said in the announcement. “The North Shore is home to dozens of small businesses that provide local jobs and serve as the backbone of the community. The North Shore Huakaʻi encourages visitors and kamaʻāina to spend time here, support local businesses, and learn about the history, culture, and people that make this place so special. Every dollar spent locally helps support families, strengthen our communities, and move recovery forward.”

Nick Carroll, chief of staff at Hawaiian Council, told Aloha State Daily in an emailed response to questions that following the Kona Low storms in March, Hawaiian Council was on the ground supporting recovery efforts and raising assistance through its Kāko‘o Mai Fund. In April, it opened the Waialua Recovery Center to help residents access recovery resources.

As we met with residents, business owners and community leaders, one message came through consistently: while cleanup was progressing, customer traffic had slowed significantly, leaving many North Shore businesses struggling to recover," Carroll says.

North Shore Huakaʻi was born directly from those conversations, he told ASD.

"This was not an idea developed in a boardroom or marketing meeting — it was a community-driven initiative shaped by the people most affected by the storms," Carroll continued. "Together, we asked a simple question: How do we bring people back in a way that benefits the community first?

"The result is more than a transportation program or marketing campaign. It is a managed visitor experience designed to strengthen the local economy while sharing the history, culture, and values that make the North Shore so special."

As it did in Lahaina following the 2023 wildfires on Maui, Carroll says Hawaiian Council "intentionally hired North Shore residents to help lead their own recovery."

"Local community members serve as cultural guides, ensuring that visitors experience these communities through the voices of the people who call them home," he continued. "The Huakaʻi is curated by respected cultural practitioners, including Kumu Mehanaokalā Hind and Kamaka Pili, who share the history, moʻolelo, traditions and cultural significance of the places along the route.

"The North Shore Huakaʻi is ultimately a model for community-led recovery — one where residents help shape the visitor experience, local businesses benefit directly from increased economic activity, and visitors leave with a deeper appreciation for the people, culture and places that make Hawaiʻi unique."

With this initiative, Carroll says Hawaiian Council hopes to see local businesses welcome more customers, and both visitors and kama‘āina leaving with a greater appreciation for the North Shore and those who call it home.

"Success isn't measured simply by how many people ride the shuttle. It's measured by whether local businesses benefit, whether visitors form meaningful connections with the community, and whether every dollar spent locally helps strengthen families and support long-term recovery," he says. "More importantly, we hope this initiative demonstrates that there is a better way to approach tourism in Hawaiʻi. By managing visitor flow, reducing traffic and parking impacts, and creating authentic, community-led experiences, we can address many of the concerns residents have expressed while still realizing the economic benefits that visitors bring. We believe the North Shore Huakaʻi can serve as a model for how tourism and community can thrive together."

Hawaiian Council, formerly known as the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, is a member-based nonprofit that works to advance the cultural, economic and community development of Native Hawaiians.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Where to go"}]

The North Shore Huaka‘i will operate daily during the 90-day pilot. Advanced reservations are recommended and can be made online at 

Pickups in Waikīkī begin at Prince Waikīkī at 8:30 a.m. and continue along Kalākaua Avenue before leaving for the North Shore at 9 a.m., the announcement notes. The Waikīkī route accommodates up to 40 passengers and also includes pickup locations at the ABC Store near the Ilikai Hotel, Hale Koa Hotel, Ka La‘i Waikīkī Beach, Waikīkī Shopping Plaza, the Duke Kahanamoku statue and Twin Fin Hotel.

Meanwhile, in Ko Olina, the first pickup is at 9 a.m. at the Four Seasons Resort O‘ahu at Ko Olina and the shuttle departs for North Shore at 9:20 a.m. The Ko Olina route accommodates up to 25 passengers and also includes pickup locations at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, Beach Villas at Ko Olina and Ko Olina Beach Club.

North Shore Huakai Partnership

<title>Pilot program aims to support North Shore businesses affected by Kona Low storms</title>

Hawaiian Council, in partnership with the Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau, E Noa Tours and Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, this week launched North Shore Huaka‘i, connecting visitors and kama‘āina to businesses in Hale‘iwa and Waialua.