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SCOUTING AMERICA 062125 EAGLE SCOUT GRADUATION 2025 002

Noah Kalehuawehe

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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Aloha Spirit

Real Estate

i Community Foundation has awarded $7.5 million to the Partnership to Rebuild Lahaina to aid local families rebuilding their homes that were lost in the August 2023 wildfires, the nonprofit announced Monday. The County of Maui is matching $7.5 million in recoverable grants toward the initiative, bringing the combined total to $15 million.

Funds will support 77 median income homeowners in starting or completing reconstruction of their homes over the next year. The new phase of support focuses on those earning more than 80% of Maui County’s area median income, or approximately $90,640 for a family of four – which is “too much to receive federal aid, but not enough to rebuild on their own,” HCF said.

“This effort is about empowering local families with the resources they need to rebuild and return home,” said Keanu Lau Hee, HCF senior director for the Maui Recovery Effort, in a statement. “Through the Maui Strong Fund, we are honored to stand alongside our partners and help bridge critical funding gaps — especially for those who may not qualify for other recovery programs. Every family deserves the opportunity to restore what was lost and reclaim a sense of stability and hope.”

, a nonprofit mortgage lender and member of the coalition Partnership to Rebuild Lahaina, will administer the program. HCL will work directly with families “to determine eligibility, originate affordable loans and connect them with additional financing from local banks,” according to the announcement.

i Community Foundation and the County of Maui to get resources to our Lahaina families so they can get back on the land and back home,” said HCL Executive Director 

 in a statement. “We look forward to the work ahead and we welcome Lahaina homeowners to come, meet our team and get your families access to these resources to help you rebuild.”

For nearly two years since the fires, HCL’s 

has provided grants and loans to more than 500 owner-occupant Lahaina homeowners.

To enroll in the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program, visit 

The Partnership to Rebuild Lahaina is a public-private coalition started this year “to restore housing and strengthen the community’s recovery,” with both short-term relief and long-term rebuilding efforts. In addition to HCL, it is comprised of 

Ho‘ōla iā Mauiakama Long Term Recovery Group

, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and 

 $760,528 to launch a new Volunteer Rebuild Housing Program for Maui fire survivors, which includes startup costs for home building coordination and volunteer housing with construction expected to begin in October.

“This grant from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation is more than a contribution — it’s a catalyst,” said 

, executive director of Hoʻōla iā LTRG, at the time. “We’re building homes, partnerships and pathways to healing. With HCF’s support, our community can move forward with grace and gratitude. It’s a testament to the power of unity and the unwavering hope we share for Maui’s future.”

As of July 25, the Maui Strong Fund has received more than $210 million in donations, including interest earned, and dispersed more than $141 million to over 250 local organizations addressing housing, health care, mental health, education, economic recovery and cultural resilience.

 is the outgoing CEO and president of Hawai‘i Community Foundation, with 

 tapped to lead the organization come Aug. 1. HCF's mission is “to create an equitable and vibrant Hawai‘i in which all our Island communities thrive.”

For more resources for individuals and households affected by the 2023 Maui wildfires, visit 

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

IMG 1104

<title>Recent funding allocated to help Lahaina families rebuild</title>

Hawai‘i Community Foundation in collaboration with the County of Maui and The Partnership to Rebuild Lahaina has earmarked $15 million in total grants toward Maui’s long-term recovery from the August 2023 wildfires. The grant will support 77 median income families who are reconstructing their homes, providing access to affordable loans and additional financing resources. 

Recent funding allocated to help Lahaina families rebuild

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

The Honua Finals, branded as the "World Cup of Interscholastic Surfing," is all set to return for its second competition after debuting in 2024. 

High school surfing teams from around the world converged at Ala Moana Bowls in 2024 and are set to do so again in 2025. Two days of competition will be held next week in a four-day holding period that runs from July 31-Aug. 3. 

On Friday, a luncheon was held at Duke's in Waikīkī to commemorate the second year of the tournament.

Davin Kazama, who organized the Honua Finals along with his daughters Sunny and Maia, was originally motivated to do for a variety of reasons. One of the objectives included giving surfing the platform to become an official high school sport. On July 16, the 

, with state championships set for Spring 2026. 

"It's been super fulfilling. We wanted to help usher in and unify the community voice for surfing to become a high school sport and that happened, and that's incredible. I'm so happy about that," Davin Kazama told Aloha State Daily on Friday. "Another one of the goals was to bring international competition and talent to Hawai‘i, because it's very expensive for Hawaii kids to go out and compete. So for that all to come to fruition, I'm just very happy for the kids, and just so thankful to our community."

Schools from O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i, the Big Island, California, Japan and New Zealand will be among the 25 schools competing in the 2025 Honua Finals. 

"It's going to be high-end talent, high-end competition, but we're really here to celebrate how surfing connects us all. Last year's event, everybody made great connections, built relationships. When they go to New Zealand, when they go to California, they have friends they can surf with," Davin Kazama says. "It's really fun. We're really trying to bring everyone together, make memories and make friends."

Although surfing recently became a high school sport in Hawai‘i, the Honua Finals are here to stay. Davin Kazama says teams from Canada and Japan are already making plans to compete in the 2026 edition. 

"I'm really excited for the opening ceremonies, because that's a great time where the surfers can really start intermingling with each other, meeting each other, and getting excited for the contest," Sunny Kazama said. "And then, of course, the contest days, we're gonna have good waves on the way. I'm just really stoked to just see all of the kids get in the water, have fun and meet new people. We have so many teams from all over, and I think it's a great way to bring the surf community together."

"I'm just excited to see everyone all together, people from all over the world and all different places," added Maia Kazama. "I think it's super cool that even though we're a small island, everyone's gathered here."

Friday's luncheon also served as an opportunity for organizers to thank tournament sponsors, which includes Nike Swim, as well as a bevy of local companies and organizations. 

"It's a lot of work, but it's very uplifting," Davin Kazama said. "We couldn't do anything without our team and our community. Just amazing, amazing support. Teamwork makes the dream work, and that's never been more true than with this contest."

High schools competing in the 2025 Honua Finals:

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Hawai‘i Academy of Arts & Sciences (Big Island)

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Honua Finals 2024

<title>Honua Finals set to hold world championships again after successful debut</title>

The holding period for the 2025 Honua Finals runs from July 31-Aug. 3 at Ala Moana Bowls.

Honua Finals set to hold world championships again after successful debut

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Crime & Courts

The Hawai‘i Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is allegedly censoring books available to inmates, claims a human rights group suing the state.

 filed Thursday in U.S. District Court by the Human Rights Defense Center — a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of U.S. prison inmates — state correctional facilities are blocking books and magazines being mailed to inmates in the state.

Paul Wright, executive director of HRDC, told Aloha State Daily that the organization publishes two monthly magazines, “Prison Legal News” and “Criminal Legal News,” which cover news related to the prison system and criminal rights.

“We’ve been publishing for 35 years and we’ve had subscribers in Hawai‘i for probably 34 years,” Wright said. “What happened was we started getting messages from subscribers saying they weren’t getting their magazines.”

The lawsuit alleges that, between April 2024 and July 2025, DCR has returned 56 items mailed by HRDC to Hawai‘i inmates. Many of those items — books, magazines, brochures and other correspondence — were marked as “UNAUTHORIZED MAIL,” and one was marked “CENSORED.”

DCR reportedly did not provide HRDC any reason for the rejection or a way to challenge or appeal the decision.

 lists a series of criteria that could lead a publication to be banned. These include descriptions of how to build weapons, how to escape prison, how to brew alcohol or make drugs, martial arts guides, sexually explicit material, seditious material, and the like.

The policy also states that, if a publication is rejected or denied, the publisher and inmate will be notified of the rejection, the reason for it, and an appeals process.

The lawsuit notes individual DCR facilities have their own mail procedures, and seven of DCR’s eight facilities have 

 stating that “books, magazines, food items, etc. may not be sent to an inmate.” The exception appears to be Kulani Correctional Facility, the minimum-security prison on Hawai‘i Island, where “there is no restriction on incoming and outgoing mail,” 

Wright said that “as far as [HRDC] can tell,” all mailed publications are being withheld from inmates, not just HRDC magazines.

"Basically, it's everything," said Jeff Portnoy, a Honolulu attorney representing HRDC. "This sort of blanket prohibition is very severe. Of course, there's always some censorship in prisons ... if these had instructions on how to build a bomb, that'd be a different story."

Portnoy — who also represents Aloha State Daily — said he doesn't believe anything in the magazines could be interpreted to violate any of DCR's criteria, but even if they do, DCR's own rules state the department should explain its reasoning. Instead, he said, DCR has not responded to any of HRDC's requests.

“It’s surprising, since we’ve never had problems with Hawai‘i corrections before,” Wright said.

Wright said the censorship is a violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution, and opined that withholding the ability for vulnerable groups to educate themselves is “the sort of thing you see in police states.” The suit also calls DCR’s actions a violation of the Due Process Clause of the 14

The lawsuit names as plaintiffs Tommy Johnson, DCR Director, and Pamela Sturz, DCR’s former deputy director of correctional institutions. Sturz has also 

 DCR for wrongful termination after she was fired in January; she alleged she received discrimination for her sexual orientation, sex and race.

 HRDC calls for DCR’s actions to be declared as unconstitutional, for an injunction prohibiting the department from continuing to violate HRDC’s rights, and unspecified nominal, compensatory and punitive damages.

Wright said HRDC has successfully litigated similar cases against dozens of Mainland prison systems, including in California, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Illinois and more.

"Everywhere this has been challenged, they've lost," Portnoy said. "You'd think eventually they'd start learning from each other."

[{"type":"text","text":"Portnoy said no court date has yet been set."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"ASD reached out to DCR for comment."}]

Jail 16x9

<title>Publisher sues Hawai‘i prisons for censorship</title>

Suit alleges the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is illegally withholding books and magazines mailed to Hawai‘i inmates

Publisher sues Hawai‘i prisons for censorship

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Hawai’i

 opened Jan. 6 as a “shade or covering of protection” for individuals and families seeking assistance. It was named by Kumu Sam 

Ohu Gon and a traditional Hawaiian blessing ceremony took place in March.

For UnitedHealthcare members and non-members alike, the center aims to refer people to subject matter experts and organizations already assisting with services such as health and wellness, including basic hygiene supplies, mental health and substance abuse support, information on health care benefits and coordination with providers. It also offers resources for those in need of food, enrollment in Medicaid and The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), emergency shelter or housing and employment, among other social services. Read the full brochure 

Malu Kou, which is located at 51 N. Hotel St., Suite A, in Chinatown, operates from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

According to Recovery and Resiliency Manager Adrian Contreras, the center to date has served more than 90 unique individuals and families, or about 200 aggregated visitors, with the help of eight community-based organizations

’s advantageous about this spot is that it’s off of 

’s a very high foot-traffic area, you can walk right in, and there’s a lot of social service providers and organizations around here,” Contreras told Aloha State Daily. “Our full-time staff members are generous with their time and energy, welcoming folks and making them feel comfortable. Because of them, we see a lot of members return."

In addition to him, the team also includes Housing Program Manager Roddy Marengo and Member Advocate Kerrian Bennett.

who holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Hawai

UnitedHealthcare for nearly a decade and previously ran Catholic Charities Hawai

 Family Assessment Center, which helped people move into or maintain affordable permanent housing.

For him, the most rewarding part of this job is working with people and helping people “take a load off,” he said, adding, “It

’s intended to be a place of respite – ‘shade from the kou tree.'”

It’s evolved into more of a shared space to talk story. ... 

We see about two-to-eight members per day,” Contreras said. “We want to get to point where every day something is happening here, where we have a new provider come in to satisfy different needs. Right now, our work is grounded in understanding what the needs are.”

Malu Kou is essentially a pilot program envisioned by local UnitedHealthcare leadership and supported by its funding and staff, he said. “I’m not sure if there are any other UnitedHealthcare brick-and-mortar, one-stop-shops like this elsewhere, but I know there’s interest from local leadership to expand office space and to bring this to different communities.”

Contreras added that the idea for the center came shortly after the health plan and others banded together in response to the 2023 Lahaina fire. During the aftermath of the fires, he was a part of UnitedHealthcare’s local outreach team, which provided medical services to anyone, regardless of insurance coverage. 

That’s where the inspiration to have a color-coded whiteboard at Malu Kou came from, with all the services and names/times for the month, said Contreras, whose hope for the future is to fill it with partner names.

Malu Kou Community Connection Center by UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Hawai’i

Address: 51 N. Hotel St., Suite A, Honolulu

Hours: 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

Chinatown Malu Kou 6 23 25

<title>Chinatown resource hub ‘a place of respite’ for those in need</title>

Malu Kou Community Connection Center operated by UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Hawai’i is focused on uplifting community by connecting ʻohana to services for health, housing and more. Its name means "shade from the kou tree" and the local team intends to help individuals "take a load off," says Recovery and Resiliency Manager Adrian Contreras.

Chinatown resource hub ‘a place of respite’ for those in need

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Entertainment

Arts & Culture

 was created to support independent filmmakers and to give them a chance to share their work with others through an annual short film showcase. The nonprofit is looking for fellows for its next cohort of ʻOhina Labs, its Oʻahu-based filmmakers workshop, which pairs the writers of short scripts with guest mentors.

Current or former residents of Hawaiʻi have the opportunity to submit their short screenplays and workshop with mentors in the entertainment industry. 

 must include an original screenplay of up to 15 pages, as well as a resume, cover letter and proof of residency, by Aug. 11. 

Each cohort is selected by alumni of the program.

“Consistently, the things that always cut through are the ones that are unique: one-of-a-kind voices, stories that haven't been told before or told from a different perspective,” Gerard Elmore, executive director of ʻOhina, told Aloha State Daily. “ʻOhina does look also at your connection to Hawaiʻi. If we see something that's rough but has good bones or a good idea, that might be good enough, too. It’s really about the idea and your voice as a filmmaker, storyteller. That's really what decides what gets in or not.”

Typically, up to 10 fellows are selected for each cohort. From that group, one ʻOhina Labs fellow will take home the ʻOhina Greenlight Award, which grants production support to help the script become a short film. This year, the free workshop will take place in November at the Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design.

In the upcoming ʻOhina Labs intensive, fellows will be partnered with guest mentors. The mentors last year included 

 Zoë Eisenberg, writer and director of “Chaperone;” and Ty Sanga, the first Native Hawaiian filmmaker to premiere a short at Sundance Film Festival as the writer and director of “Stones.”

Guest judges joined a Pitch Day session during ʻOhina Labs to offer feedback to the fellows and included Stephen Broussard, vice president of production and development at Marvel Studios; Henry Ian Cusick, an actor and director; Aaron and Jordan Kandell, screenwriters for Disney's “Moana;” and Adam Wong, producer of “Chaperone.”

More than a dozen scripts that have gone through the annual ʻOhina Labs have been produced

, including films such as “Kūkini,” “Kalewa,” “Mauka to Makai,” “Other People,” “Racket” and “Last Hawaiian Sugar.” Many have gone on to win awards and screen at film festivals around the world.

Earlier this month, ʻOhina Labs project, “Kūkini," was released by nonprofit Pacific Islanders in Communications.

“It's a groundbreaking short for many reasons,” 

 said. “But in five days, it already has 200,000 views. It is probably going to end up being our most successful short film out of the batch.”

“Kūkini,” which is about 24 minutes, is a story by 

The journey to creating the short film started when ʻOhina worked with Fuga on a commercial. A few days after attending an ʻOhina film screening, she called Elmore and pitched the idea for the film “Kūkini.” 

It was brought to life by screenwriter and director Mitchell Merrick. Its producers include Elmore and Christopher Kahunahana, along with co-producer Brian Keaulana. The entire piece was filmed entirely in Hawaiʻi and came together with a budget of $50,000, he said.

“It was Paula's big idea,” Elmore said. “And we took her idea, we raised the funds, got the team together and within two years, she's back in that same movie theater for ʻOhina Showcase and shown the film. That's ʻOhina in a nutshell.”

The film features many of the actors and consultants who also worked on 

 he added. “Chief of War” is a mini-series, created by Jason Momoa and Thomas Paʻa Sibbett, which launches on Apple TV+ on Aug. 1.

“This is a little bit of a proof of concept to tell people that, ʻYes, you can shoot all in Hawaiʻi. Yes, you can do it with no money,’” Elmore said. “And also a little bit of, ʻWe are good enough. We can do it. Give us a give us a big budget and see what happens.’”

ʻOhina

<title>‘Ohina Labs seeks applicants for annual filmmakers workshop</title>

Do you have a story to tell? Do you live in Hawaiʻi? If you answered yes to these questions, you might be a match for ʻOhina Labs, an Oʻahu-based filmmakersʻ workshop, which pairs writers of short scripts with mentors in the entertainment industry.

‘Ohina Labs seeks applicants for annual filmmakers workshop

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Business & Tourism

[{"type":"text","text":"Frequent fliers take note."}]

A combined loyalty program for Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines will debut next month, a move that comes as the airlines continue to integrate operations.

Alaska Air Group, Inc. and Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. 

 that Alaska Airlines would acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal that was valued at approximately $1.9 billion, including $900 million of Hawaiian’s net debt, according to an announcement at that time. The acquisition was 

The distinct Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines brands will be maintained but the loyalty programs from both will be combined into a singular program.

A Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson told Aloha State Daily in an email Thursday that the combined loyalty program will be unveiled in August, with Alaska's Mileage Plan transitioning to the new program at that time.

The HawaiianMiles program will remain through Sept. 30, but on Oct. 1 "will fully transition into the new combined loyalty program of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines," they noted.

"We're making great progress and look forward to unveiling a new combined loyalty program that will deliver the most generous and exciting benefits in the industry," the spokesperson said.

They did not share the name of the program or the date it will be unveiled but said the transition will be "seamless for members of both programs."

[{"type":"text","text":"Do members need to do anything to ensure their miles transfer?"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Not necessarily. "}]

The spokesperson told ASD that if members do nothing, miles will automatically transfer to the new program on Oct. 1.

"That said, we do encourage HawaiianMiles members to sign up for an Alaska Mileage Plan account and link their Alaska and HawaiianMiles accounts to start taking advantage of Mileage Plan’s current benefits, including traveling on more than 30 oneworld air partners," they noted. "We will track their elite-qualifying miles, or EQMs, in both programs and award elite status in both programs, based on their combined EQM balance. Linking accounts now will also ensure the most seamless transition to the new program.

"HawaiianMiles members are welcome to covert their miles into Mileage Plan miles at any point. When the combined loyalty program is launched, any miles that haven’t converted will be moved over automatically."

But the spokesperson said the most important things HawaiianMiles members should keep in mind is that everyone's miles are safe and there are no changes to the credit card benefits.

Additionally, Huaka‘i by Hawaiian — a new free program

 for residents of Hawai‘i that offers monthly deals, travel perks and a free checked bag when traveling interisland — will also continue with the new loyalty program, they said.

"In preparation for HawaiianMiles to transition to the new loyalty program, HawaiianMiles member actions will be limited several days prior to Oct. 1," the spokesperson noted. "We will share more information with members in August. For now, members may continue to access their HawaiianMiles account as normal."

You can find more information about the combined loyalty program 

. Hawaiian Airlines also shared a blog post about it 

 of Hawaiian Airlines in September following its combination with Alaska Air Group.

ASD sat down with Sprague earlier this year to talk about the merger and future plans. You can 

Andrew Pereira

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