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Daily Smile: Friday, January 23, 2026

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Daily Smile: Thursday, January 22, 2026

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Daily Smile: Wednesday, January 21, 2026

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Daily Smile: Tuesday, January 20, 2026

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Daily Smile: Monday, January 19, 2026

This is Finn. His human stopped scratching his back, so he had to take matters into his own hands...

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Daily Smile: Sunday, January 18, 2026

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Daily Smile: Saturday, January 17, 2026

Leaving my dogs alone with chicken nuggets...

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Daily Smile: Friday, January 16, 2026

"Crimes my puppy has committed this week..."

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Daily Smile: Thursday, January 15, 2026

Letters to the Editor

We respect the history of Kakaʻako and the cultural significance of the ʻāina, and we recognize the importance of treating this place, its history, and the people connected to it with care and respect.

That said, we were disappointed to see Waterfront Plaza in "

" portrayed in a manner that, in our view, does not fairly reflect the property, the people who work here, or the experience of the many tenants, visitors, and staff who have been part of this community over the years.

The article blends historical information with personal recollections, folklore, and a number of second- and third-hand accounts. We understand that stories about unusual experiences across Kaka'ako have circulated over the years, and we respect that individuals may have their own experiences and beliefs. However, there is an important distinction between documented history and personal accounts, hearsay, or folklore that has been passed from one person to another. Presenting those accounts together can leave readers with the impression that stories and personal recollections are established facts.

Waterfront Plaza is a place where people work, conduct business, visit, gather, and build community every day. Our tenants and their employees work hard to serve the public, and our staff work diligently to maintain a safe, welcoming, and professionally managed property. That part of the story deserves to be recognized as well.

We also believe that discussions about Kakaʻako should be approached with cultural awareness and respect for Hawaiian history and values. The history of the ʻāina, including the presence of iwi kūpuna and the traditional places associated with this area, deserves thoughtful and respectful treatment. That history carries a significance that goes far beyond the stories of the unexplained.

We are not interested in dismissing anyone’s personal experience, nor are we seeking to tell people what they should or should not believe. We simply believe readers deserve clarity about what is documented history, what is personal recollection, and what is folklore passed from one person to another.

Most importantly, we remain focused on our kuleana to the people who use and care for Waterfront Plaza every day — our tenants, their employees, our visitors, and our staff. We are proud of the work they do and of the community they have built here. 

I have personally had the privilege of working at Waterfront Plaza for 18 years. In that time, I witnessed firsthand the care, pride, aloha, and genuine commitment our staff bring to this place every day. I have seen the countless ways our team works to make sure our tenants, visitors, and guests feel welcomed, supported, and taken care of. There is another story here — one of people who care deeply about this property and the community that calls it home.

We hope that future coverage of Waterfront Plaza will reflect that same level of care, accuracy, balance, and respect.

It is unfortunate that, despite the meaningful work this property and our team do in the community, we find ourselves responding every few years to reporting that does not reflect the full story of who we are and what we contribute.

For example, our team has proudly participated in the Special Olympics for 17 years. More importantly than simply raising funds, we have helped build awareness, provide support, and champion an incredible organization and the athletes it serves. We have also hosted the Foodbank’s Fight for Hunger for more than 11 years, raising funds and awareness to help address hunger in our community.

Countless members of our management team have also served on various nonprofit boards and supported organizations throughout our community. We have worked with Voyager Public Schools in a number of ways, including fundraising and other initiatives that support its students and educational mission.

We also host an annual community cleanup and now partner with SALT to continue that effort each year, along with many other events and initiatives that bring people together and give back to our community.

These are the stories we believe are also part of Waterfront Plaza — stories of service, partnership, generosity, and people who genuinely care about making a positive difference in our community. 

Steven Sullivan, Asset Manager at The Shidler Group for Waterfront Plaza

Waterfront Plaza Rainbow Large

<title>Waterfront Plaza responds to "What Haunts Waterfront Plaza"</title>

Waterfront Plaza responds to "What Haunts Waterfront Plaza"

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Widely regarded as the best shooter in the history of the sport, Golden State Warriors star guard Steph Curry has drained an NBA record 4,248 career 3-pointers, making his shots behind the arc at an efficient 42.2% clip. His career free throw percentage of 91.2 is also the highest in league history. 

Curry, 38, took home NBA MVP honors in 2015 and 2016. He has spent his entire career with the Warriors, winning four rings with the franchise that took him seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. A two-year, $116 million extension he agreed to on Sept. 25 will take him through the 2028-2029 season, which will be his 20th season. 

Ahead of Year 18, Curry and the Warriors are stationed at BYU-Hawai‘i's Cannon Activities Center for training camp ahead of the upcoming 2026-2027 season. After a full week of practice, the Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers will meet for an exhibition game at the Stan Sheriff Center on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 1 p.m. 

During Golden State's first practice in the Islands on Tuesday, hundreds of fans lined up outside the team bus at BYU-Hawai‘i, many in Curry jerseys, hopeful to get a glimpse at the global hoops icon. 

Curry is certainly aware of the influence he has on fans worldwide, and he doesn't want to disappoint them. Two years ago, the Warriors held camp on the North Shore and also played an exhibition game at the Stan Sheriff Center. Curry mentioned wanting to hit a 3-pointer in front of Hawai‘i fans to show his appreciation. 

In the exhibition on Oct. 5, 2024, the most prolific shooter the game has ever seen went 0-for-4 in 14 minutes played. It's a fact he was reminded of after Tuesday's practice. Come Sunday, Curry hopes to make amends by doing what he does best. 

"I only played the first half, and I was out there chucking," Curry said. "I'll try to make up for it on Sunday. It's a cool vibe. We're here for a week, we get to play in front of a different fanbase, different arena and we appreciate the love we get out here for sure."

After Sunday's exhibition, the Warriors will return to the Bay Area and play an additional five preseason games. The 82-game regular season begins with a contest against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 21. 

The trip to the North Shore for a handful of days is a welcome reprieve for a team that won't have much downtime once the grind of the regular season gets underway in a few weeks. 

"We're locked in on basketball all day, and practice is pretty much over. I want all the guys to do whatever they want. Have fun, go to the beach, play some golf. I believe that finding that balance is just fine. This is not the 1950s," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says. "The North Shore is beautiful. It's kind of, for me, like old school Hawai‘i. I've got a bunch of incredible surfing photos in my hotel room, and I'm a bad surfer myself, but I do like to surf. It's wonderful. Hospitality everywhere we go. People are treating us so well. It's a wonderful place for us to visit."

Across town, the Clippers are holding training camp at UH-Mānoa's Gym II, the upstairs gym frequented by both University of Hawai‘i basketball teams in their own practices. In September, the Clippers were fined $30 million by the NBA and stripped of five first-round draft picks after an investigation found that the team circumvented salary cap rules by paying additional money to star forward Kawhi Leonard through falsified endorsement deals organized by the franchise. Team owner Steve Ballmer was also suspended for one year. 

Days after the NBA revealed their findings and handed down its ruling on the Clippers, Leonard was officially traded to the Toronto Raptors, marking a new era for the franchise as it headed to the Islands for camp. 

"I think our season is going to be surprising to a lot of people," Clippers guard Darius Garland said following the team's first practice in Mānoa. "I think we have a good chemistry so far. We haven't even hit the season yet, so I think that's going to take a little bit since everybody's been in the gym for at least two, three months now. We've been around each other, got the camaraderie going. ... We got a lot of competitors. We got a lot of dogs in this team that can really go."

The Clippers, who will be the de facto home team on Sunday, are also involved in a number of community activations in an effort to grow their Hawai‘i fanbase, including a team visit to a 

Kaiser Permanente clinic on the weekend. Throughout the week, members of the team also participated in a 

"Waking up, seeing the water in the morning, seeing the people here that are excited to have us, it's been a nice change of pace," Clippers guard Max Strus said. "It's beautiful out here, and I'm just excited to get it underway."

Steph Curry 100126

<title>Steph Curry vows to let it fly for Hawai‘i fans in Sunday exhibition</title>

Curry, the NBA's all-time 3-point leader, hopes to make his signature shot in front of the Islandsʻ supporters.

Steph Curry vows to let it fly for Hawai‘i fans in Sunday exhibition

 plans to move away from the state of Hawai‘i, the LPGA is still sending its best to the Islands. 

The 2026 Lotte Championship, which runs from Oct. 1-4 at Hoakalei Country Club, will feature a bevy of players featured in the 

Jeeno Thitikul, No. 4 Hyo Joo Kim and No. 5 Miyu Yamashita. Thitkul and Kim are in the same group and tee off at 7:22 a.m., while Yamashita tees off at 12:03 p.m.

Though world No. 1 Nelly Korda will not play this week, the Lotte field includes a return for 2021 champion Lydia Ko, one of the biggest names in the sport. Ko, who was born in South Korea and raised in New Zealand, ascended into worldwide superstardom when she reached the top spot in the women's rankings at just 17 years old, becoming the youngest player among both men and women to be ranked No. 1. Now 29, Ko enters the tournament with a world ranking of 13.

Among her 23 victories on the LPGA Tour was the 2021 Lotte, which was moved to Kapolei Golf Club. Her 28-under 260 was a tournament record by eight strokes. After finishing in a tie for 18th in the 2022 Lotte, Ko will compete in the Islands for the first time since then. Five years after her first Lotte victory, she believes there's a lot that can be replicated despite playing on a different course. 

"I just remember I played with a lot of freedom and confidence, and I think I could draw on a lot of that, like the mindset of how I was playing then," Ko said during her pre-tournament press conference. "But it is two very different style of golf courses, so it's hard to kind of compare those. But more like kind of the mindset I played with, I think that is something that I could draw not only for this event but the events coming up (for the rest of the season)."

While Ko made history with her unprecedented world ranking at 17 years old, she enters this year's Lotte with an opportunity to earn another milestone in the sport. 

Despite not reaching 30 yet, Ko has accumulated $21.8 million in career earnings. She is $223,228 away from surpassing Annika Sorenstam's mark as the LPGA's all-time money winner, a record that has stood since 2001. 

The 2026 Lotte carries a purse of $3 million, with the winner getting a $450,000 cut. Meanwhile, second place earns $282,976 and third place comes with a payout of $205,279, meaning Ko will need to finish in the top two to surpass Sorenstam this weekend. 

"To be honest, it's really not on my mind," Ko said of the money record. "I mean, Annika had (72) wins, and we are just playing in a very different generation where we're playing for so much more money.

"As golfers, we're very lucky because it's one of those rare things where if we perform, we get rewarded, and not all work, not all careers have that. I'm just very grateful to be in this position and be able to excel at my job and have great payout days. But my career versus Annika, it's so different, and I don't think I'm gonna reach 70 something wins in the time that I'll be playing. Obviously, I want to win as many as I can, and I'm still eager for the trophy more so than the prize money."

As for local golfers in the tournament field, Punahou alumna golfer Allisen Corpuz is the highest ranked player with Hawai‘i ties at 32. Meanwhile, Moanalua alumna and Kapolei Golf Club assistant Lani Luafalealo returns after debuting in the 2025 Lotte. 

Luafalealo shot a 1-under 71 in the first round but ultimately missed the cut. 

"The pressure, the intimidation of the course, the atmosphere, the environment was just totally different from what I was used to," she said on Wednesday. "I just took the competition and the competitiveness from last year, and that's what I learned."

As Ko tees off at the first hole at 11:52 a.m. on Thursday, her presence will be a welcome sight for local golf fans eager to get a glimpse of one of the top names in the sport. In return, she'll compete in a locale she's genuinely fond of. 

"I love coming to Hawai‘i," Ko said. "Not even for a golf tournament. I like coming here for vacation. We were here on a vacation last week. It's been a while since I actually have been to O‘ahu. I went to the Big Island last year for some work and vacay, but I think the people are great. It feels a little bit like New Zealand in parts, and the food is good. I've loved it more as I've gotten older, and I actually met my husband here in Hawai‘i. So, it's kind of become a very special place for us."

Lydia Ko 093026

<title>Global golf star Lydia Ko looks to reach new milestone in Hawai‘i</title>

Ko, the 2021 Lotte champion, looks to replicate her success from five years ago at Hoakalei Country Club and has a chance to make some history in the process.

Global golf star Lydia Ko looks to reach new milestone in Hawai‘i

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Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Aloha Spirit

State and U.S. flags will be flown at half-staff this weekend in commemoration of former U.S. Rep. Patricia “Pat” Saiki, who died Wednesday at the age of 96.

Saiki was the second woman in Hawai‘i elected to represent the state in Congress — the first being Patsy Mink — as well as the first Republican Hawai‘i Congress member. She reportedly died peacefully in her home in Kāhala, according to the 

, a successor organization to the state’s first teachers’ union, which she founded.

Before her career in politics, the Hilo-born Saiki was a public school teacher at Kaimukī Intermediate School. When her daughter fell ill at school and was taken to the hospital, she was told she could not use school phones for personal business such as checking on her daughter, which led her to form the Teacher’s Chapter of the Hawai‘i Government Employees Association.

Saiki ran for the state House of Representatives in 1968 and won — becoming the first woman to hold the seat — and served through 1974. Following that, she ran for the state Senate, where she served until 1982, when she unsuccessfully ran for Lieutenant Governor.

In 1986, she was elected to her U.S. House seat, where she served until 1990 before an unsuccessful U.S. Senate run. That year, then-President George H. W. Bush appointed her to be the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Association, where she served until 1993.

Among her legislative achievements were the establishment of the Kapi‘olani Medical Center’s Sex Abuse Treatment Center, passing reparations for Japanese immigrants and Japanese-Americans detained in internment camps during World War II, and successfully urging President Bush to halt the use of Kaho‘olawe as a bombing range in 1990.

Later in life, Saiki was chair of the Hawai‘i Republican Party from 2014 to 2015 — during which time the party saw membership rolls triple, according to Gov. Josh Green’s office.

“Pat Saiki’s six decades of public service and her pioneering example for young women and Asian Americans in Hawai

i and across the U.S., combine to form both a lasting, inspiring legacy and a high bar for all of us who serve the public,” Green said Wednesday.

From Friday through Monday morning, U.S. and state flags will be flown at half-staff at all state offices and agencies, as well as Hawai‘i National Guard facilities.

Saiki is survived by four children, Stuart Saiki, Sandra Saiki, Margaret Saiki and Laurie Saiki, as well as numerous grandchildren. Services are pending.

Screenshot 2026 09 30 at 3 43 39 PM 16x9

<title>Former Congresswoman Pat Saiki dead at 96</title>

Flags to fly at half-staff this weekend to honor the state's first Republican delegate

Former Congresswoman Pat Saiki dead at 96

[{"type":"text","text":"\"I have plans tonight, sorry...\""}]

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

"I have plans tonight, sorry..."

Daily Smile: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026

Cheryl Tsutsumi

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi

Columnists

Even with a thousand people milling around the 

Wiki Wiki One Day Vintage Collectibles & Hawaiiana Show, it’s easy to spot co-founder Ilene Wong. Look for the spry septuagenarian with blue-tinged hair who’s dressed in jeans and a denim shirt dating back to the 1990s.

“I started dyeing my hair just before Halloween many years ago,” Wong said. “I attribute it to ‘temporary’ insanity that has lasted all these years. My go-to places to shop for vintage clothes are garage sales, church rummage sales, the Aloha Stadium swap meet and the Wiki Wiki show. I found my favorite vintage shirt — made from 100% cotton Kokeshi brand rice bags — at Wiki Wiki. We 

define ‘vintage’ as anything that’s at least 20 years old.

“We” is Wong and Wayne Maeda, her husband and business partner. Avid collectors themselves, they launched the Wiki Wiki show in October 2002 as a companion to their three-day Hawai‘i All-Collectors Show, which started in 1991. True to its name, the All-Collectors event offered anything collectible, old or new. It ran for 28 years, until 2019. COVID-19 bans prevented 

a 2020 show from happening, and the couple did not revive it when restrictions were lifted.

“For many years, we had thought about doing a one-day show in Blaisdell Center’s Hawai‘i Suites, next to the much bigger Exhibition Hall, where All-Collectors was held,” Wong said. “Because of the smaller space, we wanted the show to focus on vintage collectibles.”

Wong and Maeda launched their spring Wiki Wiki show in March 2004 and a holiday show in November 2006. To meet COVID requirements for wider aisles and spacing between tables, the show expanded to the adjacent Galleria area in 2022, and a summer show was added that July.

Hawai‘i has been home for Wong since she was 12. Her dad was with the U.S. Army’s Counter-Intelligence Corps during the Korean and Vietnam wars, and he met her mom, a Japanese national, in 1950, while he was stationed in Yokohama, Japan. Wong was born there, and through her elementary school years, she lived on or near Army bases in Japan and across the U.S.

“Mom was a ship-to-shore telephone operator who also strung pearls for Mikimoto’s Ginza store in Tokyo,” Wong said. “She liked to tell the story of how she restrung General Douglas MacArthur’s wife’s pearl necklace while Mrs. MacArthur watched. Ladies during that era, the late 1940s and early 1950s, were impeccable dressers who wore coordinated hats, gloves, handbags and jewelry. There’s always a lot of those kinds of things at Wiki Wiki.”

Wong credits her mother for sparking her interest in curios. “Mom loved going to thrift stores wherever we lived, and I tagged along,” she said. “She collected Chinese and Japanese ceramics, including tea ceremony implements. Japanese superhero toys such as Kikaida and Ultraman and 

 or monsters from the 1960s and 1970s, including Godzilla and Gamera, are my thing. I love 

weird shapes and psychedelic colors. They are so ugly, they are cute.”

When Wong’s dad retired from the Army in 1964, he settled his family (Wong has a younger sister) in his hometown of Honolulu. Wong and Maeda met at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in the 1970s. Both graduated with Fine Arts degrees, hers in ceramics and his in sculpture.

The ceramics and sculpture labs were in adjacent warehouse-type buildings on campus where the Center for Korean Studies is now. Wong and Maeda crossed paths on their way to open-studio sessions and have been together ever since.

During their college years, they both had part-time jobs to pay for their tuition. One of Wong’s gigs was hand-throwing terra cotta Cornish game hen pots — 50 per night on Fridays and Saturdays — in the lobby of the defunct Pottery Steak House in Kaimukī.

“The hens were cooked in my pots,” Wong said. “Every guest who ordered that dish got to take home the recipe for it and the pot their hen was cooked in. I was the evening entertainment; while folks were waiting to be seated, they chatted with me and watched me work.”

After they graduated, the couple made ceramic ware in a 500-square-foot workshop behind Wong’s family’s home in Mānoa. “We managed to fit ourselves, three kilns, an electric wheel for my hand-thrown pieces and a table for Wayne’s custom molds in that tiny room,” she said. “We made enough money to stay afloat — not much more, but we had our freedom.”

Their practical, hand-painted Mejiro Enterprises ceramics featured local themes. Among the top sellers were Spam spoon rests; shave ice toothpick holders; containers in the shape of manapua, kamaboko and cone sushi; and Kahuku watermelon colanders with seed-shaped holes. The Shaka Cat, a “piggy” bank, held a boogie board, wore sunglasses and rubbah slippahs, and made the iconic gesture with its left paw.

Wong is tickled that Mejiro pieces are considered vintage collectibles today. A Bumboocha Shaka Cat, dating back to the early 1980s and measuring 14 inches tall, sold for $1,000 at the fall Wiki Wiki show last year — 10 times its original price.

from Japan, the Neighbor Islands, the Mainland and all over O‘ahu will be manning 100-plus tables at the upcoming fall and holiday shows. Thousands of items will be up for grabs, including art; toys; furniture; comic books; vinyl records; musical instruments; milk and soda bottles; and Hawaiiana (coins, stamps, books, dishes, mu‘umu‘u

According to Wong, about 85% of the vendors participate in every show. Others come just once to liquidate a relative’s estate or to sell unneeded items they’ve found while decluttering their homes.

She posts a Sneak Peek of some of each show’s treasures on 

“Come early for the best selection,” she said. “Bartering with a smile is OK. 

Our vendors and Wiki Wiki collectors love to talk about their finds. Many of them have become pals. They thank Wayne and me for providing an opportunity for oldies but goodies to be placed in new homes, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to bring the collecting community together for four special days each year.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Upcoming shows this fall"}]

The next dates for the Wiki Wiki One Day Vintage Collectibles & Hawaiiana Show are Sunday, 

, and Nov. 22, at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center’s Galleria and Hawai‘i Suites, 777 Ward Ave. Regular shopping hours are 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $6; free for two kids 12 and under with each paid adult ticket. Cost for early admission at 10 a.m. is $25. For event updates, visit 

Ilene Wong Shakacat

Arts & Entertainment

Wright, 91, founder of Nā Puakea o Koʻolaupoko in Kailua, is keeping busy teaching seven weekly classes across the globe, while volunteering at church.  Come September, this will be the hālau's fourth year entering a float in the parade, which allows them to share their culture with spectators and grow closer with one another, says Shiori Kaʻimilani Koehler, another kumu for the hālau.

Wright

Uncles and Aunties: Kumu Hula Pattye Wright to participate in Aloha Festivals Floral Parade

“My mother was my inspiration,” Takamine told ASD. “I used to watch her dance on the ‘Lucky Luck’ TV show in the 1950s. I begged her to let me go to hula classes, but she said I was too young and that I would quit after a year. I proved her wrong!” In 2025, she was recognized as a Living Treasure of Hawai‘i for her accomplishments — one of several accolades, both local and national, she has received over the years for her contributions to hula and Native Hawaiian arts and culture.

Vicky Holt Takamine main

Uncles and Aunties: Vicky Holt Takamine, legendary kumu hula

<title>Uncles and Aunties: Avid collectors Ilene Wong and Wayne Maeda share hobby with Hawai‘i…</title>

The pair launched the Wiki Wiki One Day Vintage Collectibles & Hawaiiana Show in October 2002 as a companion to their three-day Hawai‘i All-Collectors Show, which started in 1991. Learn how the shows came to be, how it has grown over time and where you can shop next.