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ASD Staff

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"Baloney search and rescue mission..."}]

Smile 26 1 17

<title>Daily Smile: Saturday, January 17, 2026</title>

Baloney search and rescue mission...

Daily Smile: Saturday, January 17, 2026

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

Aloha Spirit

Two Hawai‘i museums are vying to be the best in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The awards aim to rank the 10 best in several areas of travel and lifestyle.

 a part of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, is up for a spot on the 10Best list of Best Science Museums. It’s one of 20 museums nominated for the list by an expert panel.

At ‘Imiloa, you can learn about the traditions and knowledge of Polynesian navigators as well as Hawai‘i’s role in science and astronomy, and visit Hawai‘i Island’s only planetarium.

 is up for Best Small Town Museum, again one of 20 nominated by a panel of experts.

According to its website, MHS aims to preserve and share Maui’s history with the local community and those abroad.

The museum boasts a 2,000-piece artifact collection; archives that include maps, manuscripts, genealogies, biographies and more; a research library; a photo collection of more than 8,000 historic pictures, and more, its website notes.

The polls for both lists close at 7 a.m. Monday, Feb. 9. Winners will be announced on Feb. 18.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Imiloa Astronomy center istock 011626

<title>Two Hawai‘i museums nominated for best-of lists</title>

Voting is underway now for Best Science Museum and Best Small Town Museum in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

Two Hawai‘i museums nominated for best-of lists

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

“We’re not your tūtū’s shave ice,” says Bill Tobin, owner of recently opened 

 — pronounced “sinister” — Shave Ice. “We worked really hard to curate the (shave ice) flavors for you, so you don’t have to worry about what you’re picking.”

The biz is designed to be what Tobin calls “third wave shave ice.”

“A lot of products go through different waves,” he explains. “We think of the first wave of shave ice with Matsumoto’s and Waiola Shave Ice. The second wave would be Ululani’s and Island Vintage. But nobody’s going with a rotating menu — a curated menu of flavors.

“We have chefs who created (shave ice) flavors that go together, so people aren’t picking flavors they end up not liking,” Tobin adds. “They’re curated flavors and specifically have been made so when you get to the bottom, it’s going to be delicious.”

The shop soft-opened on Jan. 10 in Waikīkī and its grand opening is expected to be in a few weeks.

The shop is different in that it features four classic flavors that are available year-round, along with four rotating flavors that will change each month, according to Tobin.

“Chef Ronnie (Nasuti) from Tiki’s Grill & Bar was working together with us to create these flavors,” says Tobin.

SinIceStir is leasing the spot from The Twin Fin Hotel, according to Tobin, who explains the business’s name is inspired by the “dual personality” concept.

“(Originally) we wanted to do a bar that maybe had shave ice,” he says. “We created this dual personality — naughty and nice — and we thought, ‘This works for shave ice alone.’

“We’re a little bit mischievous, but not anything that’s evil,” he adds. “It’s just to have fun.”

All desserts start with fluffy layers of shave ice over a soft serve ice cream base. Vanilla is currently featured, but other soft serve flavors are in the works.  

Of the shop’s permanent flavors, the Shark Bait ($10) has been the most popular. It’s SinIceStir’s version of the classic rainbow shave ice, and features blue vanilla, lilikoʻi and strawberry syrups with mochi balls, condensed milk drizzle and two gummy sharks on top.

All syrups are housemade, according to Tobin, who says that Adult Supervision ($10) — a seasonal flavor with Fruit Loop and lavender honey syrups, topped with Fruit Loops, condensed milk and mochi balls — is another popular order and his personal favorite.

“It’s made from actual Fruit Loops and the flavor comes through; it’s fantastic,” he says.

If you want something unique, go for the Blackout ($10), a combo of white chocolate seaweed and black sesame syrups topped with condensed milk, furikake and mochi balls. It’s sure to satisfy adventurous eaters who prefer savory flavors.

“We worked really hard on making the best-tasting flavors possible,” Tobin says.

The shop is currently open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Sin Ice Stir owner Bill Tobin 011326

<title>SinIceStir Shave Ice opens in Honolulu</title>

This new spot features chef-curated combos — complete with savory flavors — and a rotating line-up of specialty shave ice desserts.

SinIceStir Shave Ice opens in Honolulu

new movie starring actors Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista

 that will start streaming on Prime Video on Jan. 28 — Zippy’s is debuting a new menu item for a limited time.

 is available starting today, Jan. 12, at all Zippy’s locations in Hawai

i and Southern Nevada until Sunday, March 1. The Wrecking Crew Pac ($15.95 in Honolulu at takeout; prices vary by location) features a combination of Zippy’s signature items and customer favorites.

The new menu item includes three scoops of rice with furikake, two scoops of Zippy’s OG chili, one scoop of mac salad, one piece of fried chicken, four pieces of Portuguese sausage and one piece of hoki fish.

Select scenes from “The Wrecking Crew” were filmed at Zippy’s ʻEwa store in 2024. Zippy’s fans are encouraged to try the new menu item and watch “The Wrecking Crew."

Zippys Wrecking Crew plates 010926

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

The new movie launches this month, featuring Momoa and Dave Bautista, who play estranged brothers brought together by the death of their father. The story is set in the Islands.

"The Wrecking Crew"

What to know about 'The Wrecking Crew' starring Jason Momoa

<title>The Wrecking Crew Pac is now available at Zippy’s</title>

The limited-time menu item, inspired by Prime Video’s “The Wrecking Crew,” will be available at all Zippy’s locations in Hawaiʻi and Southern Nevada starting today until March 1.

The Wrecking Crew Pac is now available at Zippy’s

Daniel Farr 02

Daniel Farr

Government & Politics

A state dredging project at the Maunalua Bay Boat Ramp in Hawai’i Kai is expected to be completed by February, months earlier than originally projected, as officials report no anticipated delays and continued progress on navigation and shoreline improvements.

The project is intended to remove accumulated sand from the entrance channel and boat ramp to improve navigational safety, while also repairing damaged seawalls and installing sheet pile walls to stabilize eroding shoreline, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR). 

DOBOR staff told Aloha State Daily the project’s goals will be achieved once construction is completed and the channel is restored to its targeted depth.

Sand dredged from the entrance channel is being reused on eroded shorelines on both sides of the boat ramp, a strategy officials say reduces costs while keeping sediment within the natural coastal system.

“The true benefit of reusing the dredge sand is that we keep the sand within the littoral system and not disposing it elsewhere,” DLNR Communications Specialist, Ryan Aguilar, told ASD.

Final project costs are projected at $7,155,186, DOBOR told ASD. Staff estimates that reusing dredged sand locally saved approximately $300,000 compared with hauling and disposing of the material upland.

Decisions on where to remove and place dredged material were informed by boater input, sea floor depth surveys and sediment transport modeling, DOBOR told ASD.

Environmental monitoring is ongoing during construction in accordance with the project’s U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit, which is publicly available through the Corps, DOBOR told ASD.

The project targets a minimum channel depth of 6 feet below mean lower low water. DOBOR and boaters will continue monitoring water depths following completion, and a post-project depth survey will be conducted and made available upon request.

This marks the first time the main entrance channel has required dredging since it was created in the 1960s, leaving officials without historical data to predict when future maintenance dredging may be needed.

DOBOR awarded the original $6.8 million construction contract to American Marine Corp. with work beginning in late July. At the time, officials said no full closure of the boat ramp or entrance channel was anticipated, though intermittent interruptions could occur as work progressed.

DOBOR said dredging is not a one-time fix. Natural wave action, currents and storm events will continue to influence sediment buildup, and future dredging will be conducted as needed to maintain safe access.

Hawai'i Kai Dredging

<title>Hawai’i Kai dredging project nears completion as costs rise</title>

Reusing dredged sand locally saved approximately $300,000 compared with hauling and disposing of the material upland. DOBOR estimates the total cost will be about $7.2 million.

Hawai’i Kai dredging project nears completion as costs rise

 — a brand-new condo with 972 residential units and two, 44-story towers — is also home to a new food hall.

Located on the ground floor of the Liona Tower, 

 is celebrating its grand opening from 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, Jan. 17. The food hall is soft opening with limited hours (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.) from Jan. 9 to 16.

[{"type":"text","text":"The food hall features both indoor and outdoor seating."}]

The space features 12 locally owned restaurants, and offers customers a variety of local and international flavors. Not all of the vendors are open yet; some have limited menus for the soft opening.

Vendors include FEAST by Jon Matsubara, King Thai Cuisine, Mangiamo Gelato, Middle Eats, Ninja Sushi, Sadie’s BBQ Honolulu, Serg’s Mexican Kitchen, Soul Chicken and more.

During today’s friends and family preview, participating vendors were serving samples and were open for business.

Serg’s Mexican Kitchen features the same menu as its Mānoa location. Meanwhile, the food hall is the first location for new vendors like Mangiamo Gelato.

On grand opening day, families are invited to enjoy keiki activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To access Midtown Eats, customers can enter the parking garage from the building’s Liona Street entrance and park on floors 1 to 2.5. Validated parking will be available.

Midtown Eats interior 010826

<title>New Honolulu food hall is now open</title>

Midtown Eats, the new food hall at The Park on Keʻeaumoku, is celebrating its grand opening from 10 a.m. to midnight on Jan. 17. The food hall is soft opening during limited hours from Jan. 9 to 16. Aloha State Daily got a tour of the new space.

New Honolulu food hall is now open

Abbey HA Headshot Color crop Large

Abbey Seitz is Hawaiʻi Appleseed Director of Transportation Equity

<title>Abbey Seitz</title>

Abbey Seitz

Residents in these Leeward neighborhoods are about to make their bus stops and crosswalks safer in a project led by the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, aided with federal grant money.

Abbey Seitz

Latest from Abbey Seitz

Community Voices: Lighting the way to safer streets in Waipahu and ‘Ewa

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