Aloha Spirit
It’s all about giving back.
ASD’s Aloha Spirit beat covers the kama‘āina who are making a positive difference in people’s lives. This is where volunteers are heroes and non-profit leaders are Hawai‘i’s navigators. We also cover Hawai‘i’s diverse faith community, and the religions which so deeply tie the Islands together.
News
Mid-Pacific filmmakers take stories to Doris Duke Theatre and overseas
Eve Davidson, a student filmmaker who is part of the Mid-Pacific School of the Arts Film Program, will have her short film “Ke Kino Lua” screening at the Doris Duke Theatre at the Honolulu Museum of Art and several international film festivals this month.
Katie HellandMarch 07, 2026
Chaminade student gives back to program that turned his life around
Jeffrey “JD” Davidson of Oʻahu made the most of his prison sentence by participating in Chaminade University’s Prison Education Program to get a college degree while at Hālawa Correctional Facility. Now, he’s working to expand the program, while pursuing a bachelor’s in criminal justice, with a minor in psychology, to continue helping others.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosMarch 06, 2026
Win a chance to see Bruno Mars in Las Vegas
The graduate of Roosevelt High School recently released his first solo album in almost a decade. Aloha State Daily is teaming up with 94.7 Kumu to send one person and their friend to the opening of his tour to promote the new music.
Katie HellandMarch 05, 2026
New partnership aids remote heart health monitoring
A program by nationwide provider Circadian Health and AlohaCare assists members diagnosed with heart failure. Francoise Culley-Trotman, CEO of the local Medicaid health plan, shares what the latest results mean for families and health care organizations in Hawaiʻi.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosMarch 05, 2026
Grand Hyatt Kauaʻi to host Bum Run for Colon Cancer Awareness Month
When Diann Hartman of Grand Hyatt Kauaʻi Resort & Spa was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer nine years ago, her colleagues offered support by spearheading a community event to raise funds and awareness for cancer research, screening and treatment. This year’s Bum Run, organized by the resort to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Kauaʻi, is slated for Saturday, March 7, at Poʻipū Bay Golf Course.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosMarch 04, 2026
Live music, whales and yoga: Your guide to this weekend
Wondering what to do on Oʻahu this Friday, Saturday and Sunday? Aloha State Daily did the research, so you can plan weekend adventures. Ready for live music? Head to Capitol Modern. Want to get out on the water? Try whale watching or canoe paddling.
Katie HellandMarch 04, 2026
Community Voices: A quiet pillar of the Polynesian voyaging renaissance
Milton “Shorty” Gervin Bertelmann (Aug. 15, 1947 – Nov. 26, 2025) was an extraordinary leader of Hōkūleʻa, who sailed twice from Hawai'i to Tahiti. Across his journeys, he raised the bar of excellence for voyaging, establishing rigorous standards of training, safety, preparation and conduct that remain foundational today.
Polynesian Voyaging SocietyMarch 03, 2026
Paddle a canoe as part of the annual Kualoa/Hakipuʻu Canoe Festival
Mark Ellis, the education director for the Polynesian Voyaging Society, shares how community members can experience Polynesian voyaging culture at the upcoming 17th annual Kualoa/Hakipuʻu Canoe Festival.
Katie HellandMarch 03, 2026
Battle of the Books to return to Kahuku in April
The Ko‘olauloa Battle of the Books, an afterschool reading program that culminates in a game show-style competition, is set for Saturday, April 11. Kahuku Public and School Library Branch Manager Tamara King shares about how the program got started and has grown over the years, as well as the impact it has on ʻohana in the North Shore community.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosMarch 02, 2026
Invasive species on the menu!
Almost 200 fishers are participating in the Eat the Invaders Fishing Tournament to collect invasive species in Hawai‘i's waters, which chefs will cook for the community to eat this weekend. Learn more about what’s on the menu and how this event, which is free to the public, helps Maunalua Bay.
Katie HellandFebruary 28, 2026
Partnership brings new EMT training program to West O’ahu
Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, in collaboration with The City and County of Honolulu, have launched a program that offers both classroom and hands-on training, to strengthen emergency medical services capacity, while creating career pathways for those on the Leeward Coast.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 28, 2026
Nonprofit combats early childhood workforce crisis
Despite funding uncertainty for its early childhood programs, Partners in Development Foundation recently provided workers with stipends to address Hawaiʻi’s cost of living. COO Terry Nakamura shares how PIDF dispersed the grant funding and what it meant to staff.
Kelsey Kukaua MedeirosFebruary 26, 2026