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Square Kady Pascual Headshot RGZ5762

Kady Pascual

Today’s social media find comes from @ezraleii, witnessing aloha spirit — even in morning traffic.

SupahHellahChoke Traffic

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Shaka jam

Today’s social media find comes from @RonniAllegos, with a different kind of currency.

RonniAllegos sand dollars

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Sand dollars

Today’s social media find comes from @King.Eventz, who has a sleepy assistant.

King eventz lazy

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Lazy days

Today’s social media find comes from @yissysis, with a sneak peek of Kahuku football's senior photo shoot.

YISSYSIS KAHUKU

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Picture day

Today’s social media find comes from @MakaiClicks, with a prime view.

Makaiclicks south side 16x9

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: South side action

Today’s social media find comes from @keaukahageneral, always prepared when the snackies come.

KeaukahaGeneral Musubi 16x9

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Always packin’

Today’s social media find comes from @RobDemello, showing prime 808 during Tuesday's tsunami warning.

RobDemello Best Time

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Maybe not the best time for holoholo

Today’s social media find comes from @Christeezeh, giving us a play-by-play of the derby.

Christeezeh one champ 16x9

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: One champion

Today’s social media find comes from @MyKailua, that view is window-ful!

My Kailua Windowshopping 16x9

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Window shopping

Today’s social media find comes from @Timothy.Burke, spreading the aloha on the streets.

Timothy burke shaka from da road 16x9

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Aloha on the go

Today’s social media find comes from @JRDGuz, singing about the typical tourist visit.

Jrdguz tourist anthem 16x9

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: “Island Style” by John Cruz with a little twist

Today’s social media find comes from @Lenny.Bros with an epic lunch.

Lenny bros surfs lunch

Hawai‘i Scene on Social: Taco Bell surf thru

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

[{"type":"text","text":"MĀNOA — Steph Curry made good on his promise and then some. "}]

In 2024, the worldwide star guard made his Stan Sheriff Center debut in an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Clippers and said he was looking forward to making a 3-pointer for the local fans. Curry, the NBA's all-time 3-point leader, wasn't able to do so, going 0-for-4 from beyond the arc. It's a performance he 

Prior to Sunday's exhibition game between Curry's Golden State Warriors and the Clippers, thousands of fans entered through the Stan Sheriff Center turnstiles to get a glimpse of him warming up. Curry drew oohs and aahs when he tossed a ball in the air as high as he could near the free throw line, which went through the basket after bouncing on the ground once. 

By the time the game tipped off at 1 p.m., the crowd attendance had reached its capacity of 10,300 fans. In what was the 2026-2027 preseason opener for both teams, Curry played just 13 minutes, but delivered 10 points in 2-of-3 shooting from 3-point land. The Clippers were the designated home team in Sunday's matchup, but there were more Warriors fans in the arena, most of them clad in Curry's No. 30 jersey. 

"That's what Steph Curry does," Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said after the game. "Wherever we are, we see those jerseys."

Both squads went with the same strategy of playing key starters and role players in the first half only. The second half was reserved for either benchwarmers or players trying to make the final roster, which must be cut down to 15 for all NBA teams by Oct. 19. 

On Sunday afternoon, the Clippers edged the Warriors 104-101, a 35-foot Graham Ike desperation heave off the mark for Golden State at the buzzer. The Clippers took the lead for good on Keaton Wagler's midrange jumper with 14 seconds left. Wagler, the fifth overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, scored 15 points, though in an inefficient manner. He was 3-for-15 on field goal attempts, including 1-for-11 from 3. Eight of his points were tallied via free throw. 

Japan native Rui Hachimura finished with a game-high 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, his first action in a Clipper uniform. Hachimura, entering his ninth NBA season, was most recently with the Los Angeles Lakers for the past four seasons. 

"I think offensively, we were pretty good, making the right plays," Hachimura said. "Defensively, we were really good. ... It was a pretty good overall."

After holding training camp on the Islands, both teams will head back to California in preparation for the NBA regular season, which tips off on Oct. 20. Golden State has five more preseason games before then, while the Clippers have just two. 

With Sunday's result not counting towards the NBA regular season standings, Curry and the Warriors do not plan to spend any time dwelling on the loss. 

“We had a very impressive luau at our hotel that included some fire. I don’t know the term, but the fire spinning and the tribute dances, tribal dances, and all that type of stuff, and just having everybody’s family there. That’d be the most memorable," Curry said when asked what he'll remember the most from this trip. "I’ve been in this league going on 18 years. ... We’re not going to get bogged down by the results of the game, but it was just good fun having everybody here and feeling like we got better physically and got some good chemistry amongst our team.”

While the game will not be consequential towards the season for both teams, fans in Hawai‘i were once again able to get a taste of a professional major sport in Island territory. 

"The atmosphere is great. Same as two years ago when we came here," Kerr said. "Sold out crowd. Everybody was excited to see [pro] basketball here, and it's fun to be able to to play in front of a crowd like that with that energy and just feel the joy that people will get from watching the two teams."

Blake Wesley 100426

<title>Clippers, Warriors put on a show in Hawai‘i NBA exhibition</title>

The two NBA teams held weeklong training camps on the Island, wrapping it up with an exhibition game at the Stan Sheriff Center on Sunday.

Clippers, Warriors put on a show in Hawai‘i NBA exhibition

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

As the sound of squeaking sneakers and bouncing basketballs clattered behind her at the University of Hawai‘i's Gym II on Wednesday afternoon, it was hard for Khalilah Mitchell to contain her anticipation for what's to come in her new role. 

"Honestly grateful, excited, nervous, confident, prepared all at one time," the first-year Hawai‘i women's basketball head coach said prior to her team's practice, one of the first ahead of the team's 2026-2027 season. 

Mitchell's life changed rapidly following the 

surprise retirement of former head coach Laura Beeman

 on March 31. Mitchell, who served as an assistant coach under Beeman for seven seasons, threw her hat in the ring to become her successor and left an indelible impression on UH athletics director Matt Elliott. On April 21, Mitchell was announced as the program's new head coach and was 

formally introduced at a press conference the next day

One of the noticeable ways Mitchell has made the program her own since taking over is in the team's roster size. The Rainbow Wahine are carrying just 12 players this season, three under the NCAA limit of 15 for Division I women's basketball. 

"I love that because that gives everybody an opportunity to play and perform," Mitchell said. "It makes everybody's task that much bigger. I look at the girls as a puzzle — every piece is so vital to complete this this puzzle that we have."

Another mark of a Mitchell-led team? The fast pace on offense. Wednesday's practice featured lots of running. 

"It's a read-and-react offense," Mitchell explains of her team's attack. "I don't know who's going to score at any given time if I'm being completely honest. They make the reads, they react to what the defense does, and because of that, that allows opportunity for free throws. Everybody gets an opportunity to score."

At this time last year, when Mitchell was an assistant coach for the Rainbow Wahine, players would frequently visit her to ask for extra work in the gym or simply just to chat. Mitchell says those visits are far less frequent now that she's in the head chair, though she's made it clear to her players she'll always be there for them. 

A pair of standout underclassmen in center Ritorya Tamilo and guard Bailey Flavell chose to return to Mānoa for another season, despite being the type of mid-major players that would be highly coveted in the transfer portal. 

"It was definitely tough," Flavell said of the unexpected coaching change. "That transition period of just not knowing who was going to be our coach. But I think the most important thing is that we all just stuck together. We all trusted the process, and now we're all here, and we're all super excited for the season. I think like the best thing about our team is just our culture within the girls and all our relationships."

A sense of relief was provided to the team when Mitchell got the job, and the squad has put their full trust in her.

"The transition has been pretty easy for us," Tamilo said. "We're really comfortable with Coach K, and so we know what she's doing."

With over a month before the season officially starts, the 'Bows plan to be intentional with how they use their time. 

"Every day, I ask them, 'What are you preparing for?' They need to be the best version of themselves," Mitchell says of her players. "We're not comparing them to anybody, with the past or with the future. We have to hold our standard, and you really have to be competitive with yourself."

Khalilah Mitchell 092426

<title>Preseason practices underway for Hawai‘i women's basketball under new head coach</title>

The Rainbow Wahine and their first-time head coach Khalilah Mitchell are entering a new era and conference ahead of the 2026-2027 season.

Preseason practices underway for Hawai‘i women's basketball under new head coach

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

American Savings Bank employees were at the New York Stock Exchange this week, ringing the first trade bell Wednesday as an 

 of more than 8 million shares of ASB's common stock began trading on the NYSE with an initial price of $16 per share.

Five thousand miles away from New York, more than 1,000 American Savings Bank employees watched from 35 locations across the Islands.

“We are honored to commemorate this significant milestone in American Savings Bank’s history, but more importantly, we are proud to celebrate our teammates, customers and community who made this possible," ASB President and CEO Ann Teranishi said in a statement. "ASB has been deeply rooted in these islands for 101 years, and we remain focused on taking care of Hawaii’s residents, businesses and communities. This is the beginning of our new journey as a public company, and we look forward to this new and exciting chapter for American Savings Bank.”

According to an announcement from the bank, the offering was expected to close Sept. 17, subject to customary closing conditions. Underwriters also have a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,208,586 additional shares of common stock to cover over-allotments, the bank says.

ASB will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares, the announcement notes.

Piper Sandler & Co. is acting as the sole book-running manager for the offering. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, is acting as lead manager, while D.A. Davidson & Co. and Stephens Inc. are acting as co-managers.

ASB was previously a wholly owned subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc., but HEI sold 90.1% of its ASB common stock to independent investors in a $405 million deal that 

. As HEI noted at that time, each investor had a non-controlling interest and no investor owned more than 9.9% of the bank's common stock, including HEI.

ASBH Listing Day 04793 Web

<title>American Savings Bank goes public</title>

ASB stock is now being traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ASBH.

American Savings Bank goes public

Food & Dining

[{"type":"text","text":"Another Zippy's location is set to start serving the Ninth Island."}]

Zippy's Camino Al Norte will open at 10 a.m. PST on Tuesday, May 19. You'll find the eatery at 5485 Camino Al Norte in North Las Vegas, Nevada. It's Zippy's fifth location in Las Vegas and will have the restaurant's first and only pre-paid order pickup line in the city, Zippy's says.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to continue sharing the flavors of Hawai‘i we love, with this city we love," Senior Regional Director Belma Soliven said in an announcement Friday. "Vegas has been so welcoming to us, and we can’t wait to share our Hawaiʻi aloha with the north side of the city!”

, the first Zippy’s outside of Hawai‘i, opened in October 2023.

Zippy’s Restaurants announced in late 2025 that it would 

 Las Vegas locations in 2026: Summerlin and Zippy’s Camino Al Norte. The Summerlin location 

opened the first Zippy's Restaurant in Honolulu's McCully neighborhood in 1966. 

 on O‘ahu, Maui, Hawai‘i Island and in Las Vegas. The chain celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

ICYMI: Jason Higa, CEO of Zippy's parent company, FCH Enterprises, and Francis' son, spoke with Aloha State Daily about the restaurant's origins, legacy and more. You can 

Zippy's, which will honor the milestone throughout the year, kicked off its anniversary celebration earlier this year with the launch of a new line of 

As part of the ongoing anniversary celebration, the restaurant last month unveiled an exclusive 

 to create a limited release, specially marked box of Original Hawaiian Soda Crackers.