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Kady Pascual

The community's point of view of the second Kona Low storm.

Kona Low pt 2

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Neighborhood weather updates

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ASD Staff

Jack Black felt the Island vibes immediately.

Jack Black

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Island vibes

Arts & Entertainment

PoGo’s “Wild Area: Global” event draws crowds of trainers to Ala Moana Center, highlighting how the mobile game continues to connect people years after its launch.

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Gotta catch ‘em all — at Ala Moana Center: voices from Pokémon GO’s “Wild Area: Global” event

Starbucks released cups that went viral on social media this morning. Aloha State Daily joined in on the madness to see what the hype was about.

Hello Kitty and Starbucks collaboration line

Starbucks holiday launch draws crowds for limited-edition cups

Today’s social media find comes from @IslandMagicMike, who has a hidden talent.

IslandMagicMike

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Dreams do come true

Today’s social media find comes from @__CocoBoy_, who took a big jump.

__CocoBoy_

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Going big

Today’s social media find comes from @Local_Eats, who had a great time in Hawai‘i.

Local_Eats

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Take a trip

Today’s social media find comes from @MrLovahBoy, who just needs some good sounds to have a good time.

MrLovahBoy

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Too busy vibing

Today’s social media find comes from @Ekahi808, with a horror story.

EKAHI808

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: It’s October 1st

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Food & Dining

[{"type":"text","text":"Looking for a jolt of java? You're in luck."}]

Honolulu has been ranked the No. 7 on a list of the 

. The annual awards "celebrate the best in culinary travel around the world."

More than 400 chefs, travel experts, food and travel writers, and wine pros from around the world were polled "for their top culinary travel experiences," and the results were then turned over to a global advisory board who ranked the top nominees in each category.

"Hawaiʻi has grown coffee for over 200 years, and maintains a deep love of the drink," the ranking reads. "In the capital city, coffee shops are almost as plentiful as palm trees. On the second floor of Ward Center, in the creative community space BoxJelly, find 

 for a focus on brewed coffees and classic espresso drinks from a wide variety of sources. ... 

’s Mānoa honey iced latte is a must-have. The extensive pour-over menu at 

 features categories like fruity and floral or adventurous, including Kona-grown Geisha that goes great with a kinako cinnamon roll."

[{"type":"text","text":"Austin, Texas, took the top spot on the 10-best list. "}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Coffee first arrived in the Islands in the early 19th century."}]

 in Hawai‘i, published by Honolulu Magazine in 2014, 

 first planted coffee on O‘ahu in 1813. More than a decade later in 1825, Chief Boki, governor of O‘ahu, brought plants from Brazil, which were then planted in Mānoa Valley.

In 1828, the Rev. Samuel Ruggles planted cuttings from Boki's coffee in Kona, and less than two decades later, in 1845, Hawai‘i began exporting coffee.

The Hawai‘i Coffee Association also provides a history of the crop in Hawai‘i 

Coffee production continues to play an "important role" in Hawai‘i's economy "by contributing to employment, tourism, cultural heritage and the livelihoods of small farmers who make up the majority of coffee growers," a 

 on coffee production, exports, and labeling and blend requirements, shared by the state Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, notes.

According to that paper, coffee was cultivated on about 1,000 farms across 7,400 acres on five islands in the 2023-2024 season, accounting for 4% of Hawai‘i's total crop land.

"Green coffee production totaled 3.4 million pounds, valued at $67 million, with an average price of $19.50 per pound," the paper states. "In 2023, Hawaiʻi exported $5.8 million worth of green coffee beans and $3.8 million worth of roasted coffee to the international market, making coffee Hawaiʻi’s top agricultural export commodity in terms of total dollar value.

"Despite accounting for 0.1% of global coffee production, Hawaiʻi coffee holds a prestigious position in the international market due to its high quality, unique flavors, and limited supply."

But for those looking for a quick cup, Honolulu has a number of spots. Among some of the newer shops, Kooks Coffee 

 last month. You can find more from Aloha State Daily's Food and Dining Reporter

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Unsplash generic coffee mike kenneally 040826

<title>Honolulu named one of the best U.S. cities for coffee</title>

Hawai‘i's capital city was ranked as part of Food & Wine's 2026 Global Tastemakers Awards.

Honolulu named one of the best U.S. cities for coffee

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Katie Helland

Aloha Spirit

The Merrie Monarch Festival returns for its 63rd annual event this year from Sunday, April 5, through Saturday, April 11. The invite-only hula competition takes place at the Edith Kanakaʻole Multi-Purpose Stadium in Hilo.

Tickets to see the festival in person this year are sold out, but you can watch the live stream from Hawaiʻi News Now 

. It will be broadcasted in ‘Ōlelo Hawaiʻi and English. Check the Merrie Monarch website for the 

The Merrie Monarch Festival consists of three days of hula competitions: Miss Aloha Hula on Thursday, April 9; Group Hula Kahiko on Friday, April 10; and Group Hula ʻAuana on Saturday, April 11. There is also an invitational Hawaiian arts fair, along with hula shows and a grand parade. On the final day of competition, an overall winner is named. There are also winners for kāne overall, wahine overall, wahine kahiko, wahine ʻauana, kāne kahiko, kāne ʻauana and more.

 who passed away in January at age 79. She was youngest daughter of Edith Kanakaʻole, the founder of Hālau o Kekuhi and for whom the 

 in 1985 with her husband, Sig Zane. Their son, Kūhaʻoʻīmaikalani Zane, was recently named chief executive officer of the business.

In 2025, the overall winner was Hula Hālau ʻO Kamuela, led by Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o, which also took first place in wahine overall and wahine kahiko, as well as second place in wahine ʻauana.

Hālau Nā Kamalei O Līlīlehua, led by Kumu Robert Uluwehionāpuaikawēkiuokalani Cazimero took first place in kāne overall and kāne ʻauana, plus third place overall. Jaedyn Janae Puahaulani Pavao 

was named Miss Aloha Hula 2025. She represents

 Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leināʻala, led by 

Kumu Leināʻala Pavao Jardin, who died in October

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"This year, participating hālau include:"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":" The Miss Aloha Hula participants are:"}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":" The judges are:"}]

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Edith Kanakaʻole Multi-Purpose Stadium

<title>How to watch Merrie Monarch</title>

The Merrie Monarch Festival returns this year with hula competitions from Thursday, April 9, through Saturday, April 11. Activities and events for the weeklong festival also include an invitational Hawaiian arts fair, along with hula shows and a grand parade.

How to watch Merrie Monarch

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Sterling Higa

Government & Politics

Columnists

On a Monday morning earlier this month, Mayor Rick Blangiardi sent his proposed budget for the coming fiscal year to the Honolulu City Council. The total came in $133 million less than the year before. The operating side grew by less than one percent. There were no ribbon cuttings. The 

 lasted about 40 minutes and drew a few paragraphs in the morning papers.

Had the number gone up — a record spend on city services, a bold new chapter — there would have been more headlines. The budget that doesn’t grow is not a story.

What matters is whether government grows faster or slower than the income of the people paying for it. The University of Hawaiʻi’s economic research arm, UHERO, 

 personal income in Honolulu will grow about 3.7% this year. That 3.7% is the speed limit. A government budgeting above it is spending money its people haven’t earned yet.

Blangiardi’s operating increase of less than 1% means city government is shrinking against the economy. That’s harder than it sounds. Union contracts alone required wage raises above 1%. He covered that and still cut the total.

The pattern elsewhere is mixed — and mostly worse. On Kaua‘i, Mayor Derek Kawakami’s current budget 

, more than twice the county’s projected income growth.

Maui’s Richard Bissen is a different story. UHERO projects Maui’s income to grow about 4% this year. Bissen’s proposed budget for next fiscal year 

. That’s nearly flat in real terms — a return to earth after the fire-driven spending surge.

The outlier nobody talks about is Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda. His proposed operating budget 

 against projected income growth of 3.4%. Nearly as disciplined as Honolulu, with almost no press. Alameda governs quietly, and Hawai‘i County draws less notice than Maui or Honolulu.

Blangiardi didn’t cut services. He cut the budget lines for vacant jobs. With roughly one in five city jobs vacant, that pay was already sitting idle. The mayor pulled about $50 million in vacancy funding back across departments. The police chief called it tight but workable. AI tools are rolling out across city offices — not to cut jobs, but to get more done.

Blangiardi is not always easy. Councilmembers, reporters, and slow-moving department heads have all felt the friction. But for five years, he’s been the strongest check on government growth in Hawai‘i. And in his 2026 State of the City address, he 

 not to raise property taxes while in office.

Government that lives within its means doesn’t produce ribbon cuttings. It fills the potholes, keeps the lights on. In the oldest sense, it’s a good neighbor. It doesn’t always make the news.

0000 0000 Mayor Blagiardi Square Wide 16x9

<title>The budget that doesn't grow</title>

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi did something remarkable early this month in releasing a city budget that came in $133 million under the previous year's budget. ASD columnist Sterling Higa looks at all four county budgets to see which counties are living within the means of their citizens.

The budget that doesn't grow

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

[{"type":"text","text":"A new dim sum eatery recently opened in Kapolei."}]

Gyu-Masu Steak & Seafood — located within Embassy Suites Kapolei — recently changed its concept and re-branded its restaurant. The former steak and seafood eatery was centered on serving wagyu sourced from Toriyama Farm in Japan at affordable prices.

The restaurant served a la carte dishes and also featured an all-you-can-eat concept, but business owner Victor Jian took some time to re-evaluate how things were going.

“Nowadays, there’s so many all-you-can-eat places; it’s a little saturated,” he says. “Back in the day, you had places like Todai; a few years later, they all disappeared. I don’t want to be one of them, so I was like, ‘Maybe I should switch.’”

A few months ago, Jian ran into his longtime friend, who used to own Chinatown eatery Legend Seafood Restaurant. That conversation was further confirmation to Jian to change things up at his restaurant.

“He said he sold it, but still has his central kitchen,” Jian says. “He works in a central kitchen in town, so he produces everything and I purchase from him. We have a good partnership, in terms of doing this. His stuff is really good.

“I used to work in a Chinese restaurant before, but it’s very hard to open a dim sum restaurant,” Jian adds. “It’s a lot of work.”

The restaurant officially opened as re-branded 

 on Dec. 12. The current menu features many dim sum staples, including steamed har gow ($7.50), pork hash with shrimp ($6.25), soup dumplings with pork ($6.25), Hong Kong-style pork bao ($7.65), chicken feet ($7.75) and sticky rice in lotus leaf ($8.50).

So far, Jian says the egg custard tarts, Hong Kong-style pork bao and sticky rice in lotus leaf have been popular.

“At a lot of dim sum restaurants, they pre-bake it (the egg tarts), but we don’t bake it until people order them,” he says.

Jian still incorporates wagyu on the menu. Customers can enjoy dishes like steamed wagyu in black bean sauce ($19.50), wagyu fried rice ($23.50), wagyu chow funn ($24.75), wagyu chow mein ($24.75) and wagyu meatballs ($19.50).

“I look forward to getting people to try something different,” Jian says. “I want people to try the wagyu chow funn, chow mein and wagyu fried rice. The flavor is very different because we’re using wagyu tallow and A5 wagyu to cook with; it makes a huge difference."

Customers can take advantage of four-hour validated parking at Embassy Suites Kapolei when dining at the restaurant. The eatery will be open during limited hours on the upcoming holidays; Jian encourages customers to make reservations and stay updated by following the business’s social media account.

Even though his dim sum restaurant just opened, Jian is full of plans for 2026.

“I want to do a variety of stuff incorporating wagyu,” he says. “Right now, my friend and I are working on making a wagyu-filled manapua. I’m working with him in terms of using farm-to-table wagyu — ‘How do we introduce this to the Chinese cuisine? How do we do that, elevate it, and make it even better?’ I want to do something new, something that no one has ever done before.”

Jian says a dim sum express grab-and-go concept is in the works, so customers can anticipate that in the coming months.

Open 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays; closed Mondays

Free parking at Embassy Suites Kapolei with restaurant validation

West Emperor Dim Sum lunch spread 121925

<title>West Oʻahu has a new dim sum spot</title>

West Emperor Dim Sum Restaurant just opened in Embassy Suites Kapolei. It’s a re-branding of former wagyu eatery Gyu-Masu Steak & Seafood. Restaurant owner Victor Jian has teamed up with the former chef from Legend Seafood Restaurant to bring dim sum to the West side.

West Oʻahu has a new dim sum spot

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

In his two seasons with the University of Hawai‘i baseball team, Kamana Nahaku had mostly blended in the rest of his teammates, a reliable fielding or baserunning option for head coach Rich Hill. 

But over the course of the last week, Nahaku has become an undeniable force for the Rainbow Warriors, a player that simply cannot be left out of the lineup after the week he had. In a weekend series at Cal State Northridge, he went 6-for-10 with five home runs and 11 RBI to go with seven runs scored. He was named the Big West Player of the Week on Monday, and then the Golden Spikes Player of the Week on Tuesday, becoming the first UH player since 2021 to earn weekly national recognition.

"It's really special to me, getting the opportunity to find myself in the lineup this year and then finding some success means a lot to me," said Nahaku, who has started 19 games for the 21-6 Rainbow Warriors. "And then especially having all the support for my teammates and hearing them in the dugout cheer me on is just an awesome feeling."

His week started with a game against Division II Hawai‘i-Hilo on March 25. Down 8-7 against UH-Hilo with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Nahaku fought off a full count fastball to beat out an infield single and drive in the tying run. The Rainbow Warriors won in extra innings, avoiding a major upset loss. 

He ratcheted up his performance to an unprecedented degree over the weekend at CSUN, earning multiple accolades for his performance in the series. 

Nahaku homered in each of his three games against the Matadors, with each performance turning more heads. 

The Rainbow Warriors lost in Friday's series opener, but on Saturday, Nahaku's grand slam gave the Rainbow Warriors the lead for good in a 9-3 win. 

On Sunday, Nahaku hit three home runs in a historic performance, tying a single-game program record. The Rainbow Warriors entered the ninth inning down 10-4 but exploded for 10 runs, including a two-run Nahaku home run that closed the scoring. The 'Bows won 14-10 after hitting six home runs on Sunday, the most in a single game in program history. 

Nahaku is a native of Auburn, Wash., and began his career at Tacoma Community College. Although he is a quarter Hawaiian, he didn't move to the Islands until he joined the UH baseball program. 

"It means a lot," says Nahaku. "This is definitely the place I wanted to be. There's no question about that at all. Just getting to see all my family in the stands at the games really means a lot to me."

On Tuesday night against Hawai‘i Pacific, he picked up right where he left off, going 2-for-2 with a double, triple, walk and two RBI with two runs scored and was removed for precautionary reasons in a 10-8 win over the Sharks. 

With Nahaku being such a crucial part of the lineup, Hill removed him from the game in order to preserve him for this week's home series against Long Beach State, which runs from Friday to Sunday at Les Murakami Stadium. 

"He works extremely hard in the weight room. He reads and studies hitting like no other. I think he's an elite defender," Hill said of Nahaku. "The credit goes to him. He's just been such a hard worker, bought into the visualization and imagery stuff that we're doing and our strength and conditioning program, too."

Long Beach State enters the series 10-16 overall and 4-6 in Big West Conference play, but most recently took two out of three against previously ranked UC Santa Barbara. The regular season is approximately halfway done for the Rainbow Warriors (21-6, 8-4 Big West), who know they have someone in Nahaku to lean on in the stretch run. 

"Just trying to take advantage of opportunities and not try to do too much," Nahaku said. "When I first got in there at the beginning of the year, just trying to solidify my name in that lineup and help our team win in any way possible. Then I slowly started to find more success throughout the year."