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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Daily Features

ASD Staff

Todayʻs social media find comes from jasonpolakaw, a collection of foil board fails.

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Curses, foiled again!

Today's social post comes to us from @jason.nomoa, who spent some time scrolling on Big Island Thieves, Hawaiʻi Island's "No. 1 source of theft, news and information happening in [the] community." Good Times Comedy Club will host Jason, among other comedians, in Hilo next month.

Hawaii Island, map

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Comedian's response to Facebook group posts

Today's social post from ekahi808 will help you prepare for Hawai‘i's upcoming graduation season.

Firefly graduation cap and Hawaiian lei 73612

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Reading local names at graduation

Ever wonder how Hawaiʻi handles an abundance of traffic cones? Check out this oldie but goodie from @kaitlyn.hoefling reposted by @808viral.

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: A hot take on how roadwork planning gets done

Today's social media find comes from hawaiisonly, living off the bounty of the ocean.

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Must be the "seefood" diet

Today's social media find comes from nailsbydanny, and it's all about the links.

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: An amazing chain of events

Today's social media find is from comedian Zak Toscani, looking back on his attempt to pull off tropical goth.

Firefly funny cartoon illustration of a goth kid standing under a small dark cloud in a sunny tropic

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Growing up goth in Hawai‘i

Todayʻs social media find comes from katkamalani, on how to spot the real thing.

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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social: Must be a Mainland Maui

In today's social media find, justsmallkinethings explores the local tradition of respectfully referring to older people you don't know as Aunty or Uncle.

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Hawai‘i Scene on Social: The rules on when to call someone Aunty or Uncle

Michael Brestovansky

Crime & Courts

A Pearl City woman was wrongfully evicted from public housing after her son attacked a neighbor with a baseball bat, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court has ruled.

In 2016, Blossom Bell moved into the Hale Laulima housing development in Pearl City under a rental agreement with the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority. Bell remained at that apartment for years, until a violent incident in 2020 shattered the peace.

According to court records, Bell’s son Daniel Lambert was visiting her apartment on May 12, 2020. That morning, Bell’s downstairs neighbor — one Aaron George — was watering plants outside and attempted to spray water near Bell’s window in order to remove a bird’s nest.

The nest “did not budge,” read one report by the HPHA, and George returned to his plants. But Lambert, having noticed the water being sprayed near his mother’s window, peered outside, and shouted at George until he “furiously stomped down the stairs” to confront him.

During a shouting match between the two, Lambert reportedly entered George’s apartment, leading George to grab a metal baseball bat to chase him out. Instead, Lambert seized the bat, wrenched it from George’s hands and swung it at George’s head.

HPHA reported that Lambert then shouted a few more obscenities and left, leaving George collapsed on the ground “surrounded by blood hemorrhaging from the top of his skull.” Eventually, George’s child called the police.

George was transported to the Pali Momi emergency room, and reportedly told police that he had suffered a subdural hematoma.

Lambert was charged with first- and second-degree assault, and burglary. The assault charges were dismissed in 2023, but he pleaded no contest to the burglary charge, resulting in a four-year deferred sentence.

However, because threatening the lives of other tenants is a violation of the HPHA rental agreement, the authority served Bell a notice of violation informing her that her tenancy would be terminated. Bell requested a grievance hearing with the O‘ahu Eviction Board, which found that Bell’s violation was “incurable” — e.g. could not be corrected — and upheld HPHA’s termination notice in Feb. 2023.

Bell challenged this hearing multiple times: first she appealed the matter to the First Circuit Court, which led to a second grievance hearing with the Eviction Board, which in turn led to a second appeal with the Circuit Court. That second appeal reinstated Bell’s lease.

HPHA then challenged the court’s decision to the Intermediate Court of Appeals, eventually bringing the matter to the state Supreme Court.

At the core of the case was the question of whether Bell had corrected the violation by permanently barring Lambert from the premises after the bat incident. Bell argued yes; HPHA rules dictate that violations which threaten fellow tenants must be corrected within 24 hours. As Lambert had left the property within 24 hours and never returned, Bell reasoned, the violation had been cured.

HPHA disagreed, arguing that the assault had already happened and that treating the violation as curable at all would require the incident to be “undone somehow,” according to Supreme Court documents.

The court ultimately agreed with Bell. In a verdict handed down April 8, Justice Sabrina McKenna wrote in the court’s opinion that the O‘ahu Eviction Board had erred and abused its own discretion in evicting Bell.

“We agree with the circuit court that Bell cured the violation as quickly as she possibly could have when she immediately and permanently barred Lambert from re-entering Hale Laulima,” McKenna wrote. “Thus, the Board erred in concluding that the only way Bell could cure her violation was to undo the assault.”

The court’s opinion — on which no justice dissented — was to uphold the Circuit Court’s second appeal, thereby reinstating Bell’s lease.

[{"text":"Aloha State Daily reached out to Bell and HPHA for comment.","type":"text"}]

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<title>Pearl City tenant wrongfully evicted after baseball bat attack, state Supreme Court rules</title>

Public housing agency evicted a woman in 2021 when a guest, her son, attacked a neighbor with a bat. She fought back.

Pearl City tenant wrongfully evicted after baseball bat attack, state Supreme Court rules

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Waianae's Max Holloway is set to face Dustin Poirier at UFC 318, marking the first time Holloway has defended his UFC "BMF" belt. 

The lightweight bout between Holloway (26-8) and Poirier (30-9) will take place in New Orleans, Poirier's home state. Poirier 36, said publicly that he intends to retire after the fight. 

UFC 318 will mark the first time that Holloway, 33, has fought since losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 26, 2024, the first knockout loss of his career. 

Prior to that bout, Holloway won the BMF belt over Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 on April 14, 2024 in Las Vegas, securing a knockout with one second remaining. 

Holloway and Poirier have previously faced each other twice, with Poirier winning both matchups. 

On Feb. 4, 2012, Holloway made his UFC debut against Poirier, losing via submission. 

Seven years later, Holloway faced Poirier for the interim lightweight championship belt on April 13, 2019, losing to Poirier via unanimous decision. 

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<title>Waianae's Max Holloway to take on Dustin Poirier at UFC 318</title>

Poirier, who has defeated Holloway twice, is set to retire following the fight in New Orleans.

Waianae's Max Holloway to take on Dustin Poirier at UFC 318

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Entertainment

Arts & Culture

 returned to his Hilo roots at Merrie Monarch this week. The four-time Grammy award winner and five-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winner was born and raised in Hilo. 

On Thursday, April 24, Peʻa held a free concert at noon at the SCP Hilo Hotel featuring his full band and special guests Miss Aloha Hula Kaʻiulani Carr

 as well as Kumu Hula Leialoha Kaula of Portland and Kumu Hula Candace Mokihana Melendez of Seattle.   Peʻa also has 

 planned for Oʻahu on Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3. 

“I'm there to give back to the community, to give back to Hilo, my hometown, and give back this homecoming concert,” he said. “I’m just so honored to go back home.”

 Peʻa graduated from Ke Kula 'o Nāwahīokalani'ōpu'u, a K-12 Hawaiian language immersion school, as its third graduating class.

His father and sister still live in Hilo. He grew up on a five-acre farm on Panaʻewa Hawaiian Home Lands, about a mile away from Prince Kuhio Plaza. Growing up, the kids would throw rotten guavas at each other, make Kalua pig in an imu and then shower and head to the nearby mall, he said. 

, will be taking the stage as one of eight ʻōlapa, or dancers with 

Kumu Hula Kamaka Kūkona’s Hālau o Ka Hanu Lehua

“I'm excited to see my husband's debut performance,” he said. “He loves hula so much. So do I.”

 in the past, including in 2019, when the hālau took the overall trophy.

“I am returning to Hilo to see my husband perform with his hālau — dancing for the first time on stage,” he said. “It’s so nice to smell and feel the rain and feel the dirt and just be grounded again and be around ʻohana.”

[{"text":"In addition to singing, he plans to visit some of the local businesses. ","type":"text"}]

[{"text":" “I look forward to shopping,” he added.","type":"text"}]

He is also looking forward to the opportunity to eat at some of his favorite places in Hilo. Many of the business owners for his favorite spots have known his family for more than 50 years, Peʻa said.  

“We all have this ʻohana relationship,” he said. “It's so nice to just be home. It’s so nice to be in my hometown.” 

Peʻa comes from generations of musicians, including singers and guitar, harmonica and electric bass players. But Peʻa took music to the next level by writing music that won Grammy and Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards and starting Peʻa Records & Entertainment. 

“I’m just amazed that I get to carry out the legacy,” he said. “People forget you have grandparents and parents that leave these in Hawaiian we call it hoʻoilina— it's legacies. That's the number one driving question before we depart this earth, before we leave our physical bodies: What is the legacy that we want to leave behind? … My legacy is to have the biggest aspiration to be happy but being happy while doing music and healing the world through my craft — that is my legacy."

Kalani Pe’a

<title>Award-winning Kalani Peʻa shares free concert in Hilo</title>

The four-time Grammy award winner and five-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winner is back to his Hawaiʻi Island roots with this free concert in Hilo during Merrie Monarch Festival.

Award-winning Kalani Peʻa shares free concert in Hilo

Saint Louis alumnus Jonah Savaiinaea was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round in the NFL Draft on Friday. 

Savaiinaea was the fifth pick of the second round and 37th overall selection. 

After a standout high school football career at Saint Louis, Savaiinaea went on to become a three-year starter at Arizona, where he declared for the draft following his junior season. He played every position on the offensive line at Arizona other than center. In the NFL, he is projected to be a guard. 

Savaiinaea is set to join Tua Tagovailoa, Miami's franchise quarterback, as the second Saint Louis alumnus currently on the Dolphins roster. 

The Dolphins were originally set to pick 48th in the draft, but traded up with the Las Vegas Raiders, giving up their second, third and fourth round pick for the 37th overall selection and Vegas' fifth-round pick. 

Friday marked the second and third rounds of the draft, while the draft concludes with rounds four through seven on Saturday. 

Savaiinaea was the second player with Hawai‘i ties to get selected, as 

 was taken eighth overall by the Carolina Panthers on Friday. 

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<title>Saint Louis alumnus Jonah Savaiinaea selected by Miami Dolphins in NFL Draft</title>

Savaiinaea was selected by the Dolphins in the second round with the 37th overall selection.

Saint Louis alumnus Jonah Savaiinaea selected by Miami Dolphins in NFL Draft

, $49.5 million of funding allocated towards developing the New Aloha Stadium and Entertainment District (NASED) will no longer be accessible. 

The legislature recently moved House Bill 1494 and Senate Bill 1589, which may have allowed Aloha Stadium to get those funds, but interim manager Chris Sadayasu was not holding his breath. 

"We still have an opportunity, if they schedule it for tomorrow, for that to move," Sadayasu told Aloha State Daily after Thursday morning's Stadium Authority meeting. "But we're not crossing our fingers. We're just not confident that they'll move forward."

Despite the latest hurdle in building the new Aloha Stadium, a preliminary development agreement (PDA) between the New Aloha Stadium and Entertainment District and 

, the developer of the project, was signed on March 31. A June 30 deadline between NASED and AHDP to execute a contract remains on track. Sadayasu called the PDA "definitely a step in the right direction." 

Sadayasu says the hope is for demolition to begin promptly after the contract between NASED and AHDP is executed. 

"We continue to to negotiate the contract documents and we'll do our best to find a way to move the project forward and approach the legislature next year with a project underway, hopefully demolition, which would take 10 months, starting in August," he said. "By the time the next session opens in January 2026, we will have something demonstrable to say OK, we've moved forward to fulfill the intent of the legislature that appropriated funds back in 2022 that there is a project to move forward, and so let's get access to those funds."

In light of the $49.5 million shortage, NASED and AHDP are considering alternatives that could involve making the initial seating capacity 20,000, with room to add more seats in the future. 

"We still have to sit down with the developer and figure out what opportunities they can do. We are discussing building a stadium that can be then retrofitted...maybe the seating capacity goes down," Sadayasu said, "and then you just plan for building future (seats) when additional funds come available. So, that's still to be determined."

Gov. Josh Green has continued to seek additional funding for the stadium, with costs expected to increase due to inflation and tariffs. 

"He continues to discuss and pitch philanthropists," Sadayasu said of Green. "We're always open and willing, and that's why we're trying to make sure that the stadium design and construction allows for expansion should those additional funds come in."

As the June 30 deadline to execute a contract approaches, Sadayasu remains hopeful that a process years in the making will culminate with the start of a new one. The goal remains to have a new stadium ready by the start of the 2028 college football season. 

"I think we've done a good job and we appreciate everybody's support for the project. I read concerns that this is another rail project, and they're like, do we have plans? We have a reputable developer, and so we're excited to bring a project to fruition," he said. 

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<title>New Aloha Stadium remains on track despite $49.5 million hurdle</title>

Alternatives for how the new Aloha Stadium will be built are being considered due to the results of House Bill 300.

New Aloha Stadium remains on track despite $49.5 million hurdle

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

[{"text":"Remodeling your kitchen? Or looking to build a whole new home?","type":"text"}]

HPM Building Supply's newly renovated O‘ahu Design Centers in Iwilei — its first showrooms on the island — might have what you need to visualize your plans and turn ideas into reality.

The three showrooms can be found on the first floor of the Nā Lama Kukui Lifestyle & Design Center at 560 N. Nimitz Road.

"The beauty of our Design Centers is that we can offer the service for any project need," Kapua Aguiar, Design Center program manager told Aloha State Daily. "Even if it's a small bathroom remodel or a larger kitchen or you're just wanting to replace your floors. Those are all things that we can help with through our design centers."

Aguiar, who has worked for the company for nearly 13 years, says the design centers offer finished interior materials from floor to ceiling, including appliances, windows and doors.

Walking through the spaces, you can see kitchen and bathroom models, a variety of shelving and cabinetry, light and plumbing fixtures, flooring options, doors, hardware and more that are available at different levels.

 is a fifth-generation, family-run business that began as a lumber mill more than a century ago.

The employee-owned company initially added two O‘ahu showrooms when it acquired Honolulu-based interiors firm 87Zero in April 2023, an announcement at that time noted. That acquisition established a new division called 87Zero by HPM.

Those showrooms have now been fully integrated into the design center and rebranded, and HPM has added a third. Together, they're known as 

The first suite, which opened a year ago, is a design center featuring HPM Homes. Here, visitors can see displays of HPM's signature cabinets, countertops and more, along with 

HPM Homes offers more than 20 different pre-designed packaged home plans for individuals looking to construct a home or accessory dwelling unit.

A second showroom, which soft opened at the beginning of this month, is the design center that features upgrade products. Aguiar says these products are largely more customizable and made-to-order for a project space.

The third showroom highlights products from Ernestomeda, a high-end luxury Italian cabinet line.

A grand opening for the HPM O‘ahu Design Centers, which spans more than 7,000 square feet across the three spaces, is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 4. Anyone can walk in but 

The event will consultations with home planners, kitchen and bath designers and vendors; cooking demonstrations by chef Shayne Castellano; pupus and drinks from Prime Roast Cafe, door prizes and a $25,000 kitchen appliance giveaway.

In addition to the three showrooms on O‘ahu, HPM has design centers on Hawai‘i Island, Kaua‘i and Maui, as well as lumberyards and retail stores across the Islands. 

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Hawaiʻi Scene on Social

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Curses, foiled again!

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Comedian's response to Facebook group posts

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Reading local names at graduation

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: A hot take on how roadwork planning gets done

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Must be the "seefood" diet

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: An amazing chain of events

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Growing up goth in Hawai‘i

Hawaiʻi Scene on Social: Must be a Mainland Maui

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: The rules on when to call someone Aunty or Uncle