Letters to the Editor

Columnists

Viewpoints

Opinion

Hina Keala

Maxx Ramos

Kaipu Keala

Leinaala Ley WEB

Leināʻala Ley

Columnist: Lisa Eller

Lisa Eller

Kenneth Kaneshiro

Dr. Kenneth Y. Kaneshiro

Davianna Mc Gregor 2

Davianna Pōmaikaʻi McGregor

Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

The smoke had yet to clear from the University of Hawai‘i's grandiose pre-game introduction for the third edition of 

, but that wasn't going to delay tipoff on Saturday night. 

From beginning to end, the Rainbow Wahine gave an energetic Stan Sheriff Center crowd of 2,792 reason to cheer in a 67-44 rout over Long Beach State on Saturday night. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 12-9 overall and 6-5 in Big West Conference play, winning their sixth straight game. They also improved to 3-0 in Beeman's Big Bash games, the night that annually honors Lauara Beeman, the program's head coach.

Running away with the victory wasn't enough for the 'Bows, who were up by 21 points when the shot clock was turned off in the final seconds. After a Rebecca Moors block, reserve freshman guard Ella Collins raced down the floor for a breakaway layup with 12.2 seconds remaining. Hundreds of children in the crowd were clamoring for the Rainbow Wahine to reach 67 points, the number that has become a social phenomenon for youngsters of all ages. 

Basketball etiquette normally calls for a team with a large lead to dribble out the clock to end the game. Coaches on the winning side will typically ensure that their players are doing as such, but Beeman let this one slide. 

"If we hit 6-7 (points), the roof is probably going to come off, just because of all the kids in here that know what it is, and it is a big thing on all the social media platforms. Super happy for Ella to ride that layup out. No disrespect to Long Beach, scoring a layup when we're up by so much. But if we wouldn't have let her do that, I think the fans would have come on the floor and maybe attacked us," Beeman joked. 

"I don't think it's hurting anybody. I think it's silly and fun. If it was hurting somebody, I wouldn't want to. ... But if this gets people excited, and they can have some fun, who cares? Let people have fun. And what we got going on in our world today, a little bit of fun, everybody needs it."

Imani Perez had a team-high 15 points for the Rainbow Wahine, while Ritorya Tamilo added a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. But it was Collins who stole the show despite playing just one minute of garbage time. 

"Definitely when I caught the ball, I was thinking about it. But then it just comes down to second nature and how hard we practice. So, that layup for me was just making the fans (happy) at the end of the day," said Collins, who engaged in the 6-7 meme with a crowd of keiki following the game. 

A bevy of promotions were scattered throughout the night, including fan gift giveaways, which included UH gift bags, T-shirt tosses into the crowd, and an autograph session after the victory. Even before the game, UH held its first-ever 'Wahine Experience' from 4 to 6 p.m., a free event where fans could interact with members of every women's team on campus at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Hawai‘i also set a target of 67 points in order to activate a 7-11 spam musubi toss for the crowd. The musubi toss was activated prior to the team's 20-point barrage in the fourth quarter. 

Hawai‘i's starting lineup was introduced to a line of drummers and a smoke machine, setting the tone for the night of festivities. 

In total, 4,671 tickets were sold, the most since the inaugural Beeman's Big Bash in 2024. Meanwhile, the turnstile count was the highest since the 

"There's nothing like having a great fanbase. There's nothing like putting a lot of people in seats. The energy they give these kids is phenomenal," Beeman said. "The chants of 'defense' and the excitement for a blocked shot, and all of the different things that occur when we have people filling up the lower bowl, our kids hear that noise. It just gives them some great juice and great energy. I absolutely love the support. I just feel so lucky to be the head coach at the University of Hawai‘i, to have this kind of support."

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

Beemans Big Bash 013126

<title>Beeman's Big Bash obliges lively crowd from start to finish</title>

The Rainbow Wahine improved to 3-0 in Beeman's Big Bash contests while winning their sixth straight game in the current season.

Beeman's Big Bash obliges lively crowd from start to finish

ASD icon blue inverse lighter

ASD Staff

Daily Smile

[{"type":"text","text":"When the dog is done cuddling..."}]

Smile 26 2

<title>Daily Smile: Sunday, February 1, 2026</title>

When the dog is done cuddling...

Daily Smile: Sunday, February 1, 2026

Kam Napier Headshot

A. Kam Napier

Government & Politics

 Gov. Josh Green’s press conference on Tuesday, held at the Hawai‘i State Capitol, in which he and other lawmakers and community leaders called for anti-ICE legislation here in the Islands. The event was hosted by the ACLU of Hawai‘i, the Legal Clinic of Hawai‘i and the Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights, attended by Green, Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, House Speaker Nadine Nakamura and other lawmakers. It was held as a vigil for Alex Pretti, who had been shot and killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis Saturday.

This is Official Hawai‘i — state government policy leaders — and it’s very upset about Minneapolis, where now two activists have been killed while interfering with federal law enforcement. In their telling, it’s ICE that is out of control, and Hawai‘i has to do something to keep things like that from happening here.

Except the laws they’re proposing would recreate the very conditions that fostered a battleground in Minneapolis. If passed, they would increase, not decrease, the likelihood of danger for everyone involved — arrestees, protestors, ICE agents, bystanders. Everyone.

Let’s back up a second. If you’re upset about Minneapolis, do you ever wonder why you aren’t upset about cities in Texas, Florida, or Tennessee, where ICE is also detaining, arresting and deporting illegal immigrants?

[{"type":"text","text":"What made Minneapolis different?"}]

Specific decisions by Minnesota politicians and lawmakers to withhold local law enforcement support. This forced ICE to conduct its arrests in public, while these same politicians gave fiery speeches denouncing ICE as unbridled fascists. Officials there even withheld the local police support that would’ve kept order as the fired-up activists took the most confrontational approach possible short of open insurrection.

[{"type":"text","text":"If you don’t believe me, maybe you’ll believe the cops there:"}]

Minnesota cops beg Walz, pols to let them work with ICE, say they could have prevented shootings

In cities where local authorities help, there is no mayhem in the streets.

So what is Hawai‘i doing? Holding press conferences decrying ICE while proposing the same kind of adversarial legislation.

 article, so to keep it brief, a package of House and Senate Bills would do such things as prohibit local law enforcement agencies from entering into an agreement with ICE to carry out immigration enforcement on ICE’s behalf; prohibit ICE from interviewing people while in local custody (even though this is the safest place to do it); prohibit local cops from inquiring about a person’s immigration status; limit information sharing between state and county agencies and ICE; and more.

Green has promised to fast-track this legislation. Maybe, instead, legislators should be thoughtful and deliberate. I’d prefer they legislate about reality not distortions.

What distortions? Take a look at our photo, above, of Gov. Green and his supporters from Tuesday’s press conference. What do you see? Earnest, sincere, worried faces, to be sure.

[{"type":"text","text":"One also sees claims and assertions on signs."}]

“PEOPLE MURDERED BY ICE … AND PEOPLE KILLED BY TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION AND DEPORTATION PRISONS:”

There follows a list of at least 30 visible names, which I started looking up, at random. And first of all, I should say, this sign is not an expose of secret knowledge. You can find the notices of “

” at ICE’s own website, as required by Congress. Here’s what I found:

 Duarte illegally entered the U.S. the first time 1976 in Arizona. He was charged with such crimes as burglary, theft and drug possession between 1984 and 2000. He was convicted in 2005 of sex crimes against children and sentenced by the Superior Court of Arizona 20 years in prison. That’s where ICE found him in January 2025, in an Arizona prison, before moving him to an ICE detention center in preparation for deportation. There his poor health was observed, and he was sent, not to any prison, but to Phoenix Specialty Hospital — a real hospital — where he was treated for six months before dying of natural causes.

 Assuming he is the same man is Roberto Carlos Montoya Valdez, he never made it to an ICE facility nor was he murdered. When ICE raided an LA Home Depot, he 

, unpursued, straight into the 210 Freeway in Monrovia, where he was hit by a car.

 A citizen of Vietnam, he was originally granted lawful permanent resident status in the U.S. in 1999, lost that status following a drug crime conviction. Last June, he was detained at Immigration Processing Center in Texas. An LPN there noted his multiple medical conditions, told him to take his insulin every day for diabetes. Phan would not take his insulin. Health care workers there also noted his high cholesterol and prescribed a medication for that, too. He wouldn’t take it. He was found having a seizure and transferred to a hospital where his own next of kin signed a do-not-resuscitate order for him, opting for hospice care instead. Phan died in the hospital when staff withdrew life support for that transfer.

. Vietnamese citizen, originally granted Legal Permanent Resident status in the U.S. in 1983. Convicted of murder in Orange County, Calif., in 1991. By the time he was detained at the El Paso Processing Center last February, he had a host of health problems and he was quickly transferred to the University Medical Center for evaluation, then the Long-Term Acute Care Hospital — a physician-owned hospital — where he stayed for many months, being treated for dementia until he died in the hospital of this condition.

I’m four names in and I’m not finding “PEOPLE KILLED BY TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION AND DEPORTATION PRISONS.” I’m finding people who ICE treated promptly and moved to real hospitals when their health conditions were serious. The records don’t say who paid for their care. I’m assuming that once the federal government assumed responsibility for them, taxpayers paid for everything.

The first three names on the sign have red asterisks, so I assume these are the ones that — iron-clad, all-caps, unequivocally — fall under the “PEOPLE MURDERED BY ICE” heading. Renee Good. Keith Porter. Geraldo Campos. The sign must’ve been made before Alex Pretti’s shooting. Renee Good’s case is familiar to all, and everyone has made up their mind as to murder vs. justifiable homicide vs manslaughter. The other two?

 Killed by an off-duty ICE agent on New Year’s Eve in Carson, Calif., when the agent investigated sounds of gunfire near his apartment and found Porter holding a rifle and shot him. Doesn’t seem related to any question of Porter’s citizenship, or any ICE operation. And as for the circumstances, I’ll just share some California reporting from 

Advocates say Porter had been firing the gun into the air as a way of observing the holiday 

 a practice routinely condemned by law enforcement officials.

"Yes, it was illegal, but at the end of the day, it's an American tradition," said organizer Najee Ali, the director of Project Islamic Hope.

[{"type":"text","text":"I can’t even. Really?"}]

 Cuban, here illegally since 1996, with past convictions in the U.S. for weapons charges, sexual abuse of a child; petit larceny; DUI and drug crimes. Died Jan. 3 in the Camp East Montana ICE facility following some kind of altercation with guards. His death has been 

, it’s unclear where things stand with an investigation to determine if it was murder. Department of Homeland Security says Campos was belligerent and attempting suicide and needed to be restrained, his death accidental. Other detainees claim he was suffocated by guards in the encounter.

And if that’s true, and they were in the wrong, throw the book at them. Just like we would any guard at any Hawai‘i prison that did such a thing. But I wouldn’t take this sign’s word for it, it so far proving to be less than fair and honest.

Green and Hawai‘i lawmakers are not responsible for every word of every sign that might appear in their vicinity. But no sign at this particular event was there by accident. This was a stage-managed event, designed for publicity. In the largest sense, Green, the Hawai‘i lawmakers, and the nonprofits leading the Make Hawai‘i Minneapolis campaign are standing up for these claims as if they were incontrovertible facts. They are just so certain 

 and they’re intent on rushing legislation with fierce urgency. They're doing so with what looks a fairly obvious mix of good, if poorly thought-out, intentions and cynical, politicized grandstanding.

Under such circumstances, maybe stop and think before blindly passing any of these bills.

A. Kam Napier is editor in chief of Aloha State Daily. His opinions in Pipikaula Corner are his own and not reflective of the ASD team.

20260127 101533 16x9

<title>Pipikaula Corner: Hawai‘i’s proposed anti-ICE laws mimic Minneapolis in the worst ways</title>

On Tuesday, Gov. Green and Hawai‘i lawmakers stood in front of some wild allegations about ICE, and they're about to rush legislation as if every horror story on display were true.

Pipikaula Corner: Hawai‘i’s proposed anti-ICE laws mimic Minneapolis in the worst ways

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Water rates could increase in West Maui, and residents are encouraged to give their two cents at a public hearing on Monday.

In April of 2025, Hawai‘i Water Service Co. Inc., informed the state Public Utilities Commission that it intends to raise water prices in order to meet increased operating expenses.

HWSC General Manager Geoff Fulks recently told customers in a letter Monday that the company needs to make capital improvements to its water and wastewater systems in the Kapalua service area in order to remain in compliance with Department of Health regulations.

In order to defray those costs, HWSC has requested that the PUC approve a $2.2 million revenue increase, which amounts to a 59% increase from current revenue rates. This increase would be accompanied by expense pass-throughs charging customers additional fees to cover the cost of purchasing power and water.

[{"type":"text","text":"The increase would be the first since 2009."}]

According to Fulks’ letter, the new water purchasing charge would amount to an additional $6.18 per 1,000 gallons used, while the power purchasing charge would be $0.19 per 1,000 gallons used.

However, HWSC would also offer a pair of tax credits to customers of about $1.90 per month for water and $2.13 per month for wastewater.

Residents are encouraged to attend a public hearing at 6 p.m. Monday at Maui Preparatory Academy to comment on the rate increase. People can also participate in the meeting remotely and submit comments 

Maui

<title>West Maui water prices may rise</title>

Kapalua residents could see higher water bills as Public Utilities Commission mulls rate hike

West Maui water prices may rise

Daniel Farr 02

Daniel Farr

Crime & Courts

Reed Mahuna has been offered the position of Hawai‘i County police chief following a nationwide search and strong public support, the Hawai‘i County Police Commission announced Friday. His appointment is contingent on standard screening procedures and his acceptance of the position. The commission said it will set Mahuna’s official start date at its next meeting next month, once all conditions have been satisfied.

The position carries a salary of $228,972, according to the Hawai‘i County Salary Commission.

After his selection was announced, Mahuna told the commission during Friday's meeting, "One of the things I say often is I'm not going to let you guys down. I won't let any of you down."

Council Chair Holeka Inaba congratulated Mahuna, telling Aloha State Daily, “I congratulate Chief Reed Mahuna on his appointment and thank him for his continued service to Hawai‘i County.” Inaba also praised the commission’s selection and emphasized the importance of supporting officers, maintaining community trust and strengthening recruitment, retention and training.

Councilwoman Jenn Kagiwada, speaking with ASD, also praised Mahuna, highlighting his leadership in community policing and downtown Hilo patrols. “I have high expectations of him as a leader, which include his protecting, serving, and standing with community and supporting all members of his department to do the same,” she said. Kagiwada added she looks forward to continuing a positive working relationship with Mahuna as chief.

Councilwoman Heather Kimball told ASD she is grateful for Mahuna’s willingness to serve Hawai‘i County in this role. She called him “responsive, thoughtful, and attentive to the public safety needs of our communities” and said she looks forward to working with him on challenges in District 1, including agricultural theft, domestic violence and substance abuse. Kimball added these issues require both strong enforcement and collaboration with community partners, and expressed hope that under Mahuna’s leadership, progress will continue in keeping communities safe and supported.

Councilman Dennis Onishi, speaking to ASD, congratulated the Police Commission for its work and thanked members for their service. He also praised Mahuna, saying he is confident the county will see the police department “engaging more with our residents of this island in a positive way.”

Mahuna, 49, has served as interim chief since Sept. 1, 2025. He became deputy chief on Jan. 16, 2024, after serving briefly as acting deputy chief starting in July 2023.

The search for a permanent chief began after the commission voted in July 2025 to accept Moszkowicz’s emailed resignation. Although Moszkowicz later sought to rescind his resignation, the commission declined and continued with the search.

He was chosen from eight finalists selected from a pool of 64 applicants, 27 of whom met minimum qualifications. Two finalists, Jennifer Krauss and John Matagi, withdrew their names after interviews concluded Thursday. Commission members said community input and Mahuna’s extensive experience within the department were key factors in the decision.

Mahuna has spent more than two decades with the Hawai‘i Police Department, holding leadership roles including major of Area I Operations and major of the Technical Services Division, overseeing criminal investigations, communications, records and traffic operations. He has also served as an officer, detective, lieutenant and captain across multiple districts and divisions.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from Lindenwood University and associate degrees in liberal arts and administration of justice from Hawai‘i Community College.

Born and raised on the Big Island, Mahuna is the son of retired Hawai‘i Police Chief Lawrence Mahuna, who led the department from 2002 to 2008. His promotion reflects the department’s commitment to internal advancement and long-term dedication, commissioners said.

Looking ahead, Inaba told ASD he looks forward to working collaboratively with Mahuna to ensure the police department continues to meet the needs of Hawai‘i County’s communities.

Web1 20250824 14 v 16x9

<title>Reed Mahuna named police chief after nationwide search</title>

Mahuna has been offered the position of Hawaiʻi County police chief following a nationwide search and strong public support, the Hawaiʻi County Police Commission announced Friday.

Reed Mahuna named police chief after nationwide search

Honolulu transit riders will pay more starting July 1 after the City Council on Wednesday approved a major overhaul of fares for TheBus, TheHandi-Van and Skyline.

The changes are expected to generate about $4 million in additional revenue for Oʻahu’s public transit system, which faces rising operating costs that could push its 

 toward $470 million over the next two years.

The Council voted 6–3 to adopt Bill 54, legislation introduced by Council Chair Tommy Waters by request, updating the city’s public transit fare schedule under Chapter 15B of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu. Councilmembers Radiant Cordero, Matt Weyer and Tyler Dos Santos-Tam voted against the measure.

Under the new rates, adult riders paying cash will see the single-ride fare rise from $3 to $3.25. Riders using a city payment card will also pay $3.25, while the daily fare cap will remain $7.50. Monthly adult passes will increase from $80 to $90, and annual passes from $880 to $990, a 12.5% increase for both. Seven-day adult passes will rise from $35 to $45, a 28.5% increase.

Youth fares will also increase. Monthly youth passes will rise from $40 to $45, while annual youth passes will increase from $440 to $495.

Senior fares will also go up, with the annual pass increasing from $45 to $50, an 11% increase. Reduced fares will remain available to Hawaiʻi residents who are seniors, people with disabilities, Medicare cardholders, paratransit eligibility ID holders and individuals with extremely low incomes. Reduced fares include single-ride fares of $1.50 for cash payments and $1.25 for payment card users, a two-hour pass for $1.25, a 24-hour pass for $3, monthly passes for $20 and annual passes for $45.

Paratransit riders using TheHandi-Van will pay $2.50 for a one-way trip, up from $2.25.

The ordinance keeps the reduced‑fare program for people with extremely low incomes, but their fares will rise by 25 cents. 

Eligible riders will receive a city payment card programmed with discounted fares, with eligibility determined by the Department of Community Services under guidelines outlined in the legislation.

The bill allows the city’s transportation services director to set special fares for large events, including concerts, conventions and sporting events, when non-scheduled transit service is provided, as well as for travel to and from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

Weyer, District 2 Councilman, representing Haleʻiwa, Wahiawā and other parts of North and Central Oʻahu, told Aloha State Daily he voted against the measure because fare increases place a financial burden on residents who rely on public transit for daily needs, noting that more than half of bus riders do not own a car. He also raised concerns about reduced ridership resulting from higher fares.

“Public transportation is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” Weyer said.

Dos Santos-Tam, District 6 Councilman, representing Downtown Honolulu, Chinatown and other urban neighborhoods, told ASD the increase runs counter to the Council’s stated focus on affordability, particularly for residents with lower incomes. As a regular bus rider, he said he frequently hears from riders struggling with rising everyday costs.

“The City Council should be focused on bringing down the cost of living, not making daily life more expensive for residents,” Dos Santos-Tam said.

Dos Santos-Tam cited data showing ASD that about 70% of Honolulu bus riders live in households earning under $60,000 annually, with roughly 20% earning less than $21,000. Even modest fare increases, he said, can force families to cut back on essentials such as food, rent or medical care.

Dos Santos-Tam said he introduced a floor draft to block the fare increase, but it failed to gain enough support from the Council. Weyer said he plans to continue working with the Department of Transportation Services to explore expanded reduced-fare or zero-fare programs.

The Department of Transportation Services said the fare increases are necessary to maintain service amid rising costs. Operating expenses are expected to increase by about $11 million this year and another $11 million next year, pushing the transit budget toward $470 million, while total revenues are projected at about $44 million. The $4 million expected from the fare changes would help offset the gap (read ASD’s deep dive comparing Honolulu’s transit operating costs with those of Mainland systems 

Council staff said Bill 54 will now be transmitted to Mayor Rick Blangiardi for his signature. Scott Humber, the mayor’s communications director, told ASD the measure is expected to be in the mayor’s office by Wednesday. Once received, the mayor will have until Feb. 12 to sign.

Bill 54 was introduced July 22, 2025. All approved fare changes take effect later this year.

Untitled design

<title>Honolulu Bus, Handi-Van and Skyline fares set to increase</title>

City Council approves fare overhaul expected to generate $4 million for Oʻahu’s public transit system amid rising costs, despite opposition citing affordability concerns.

Honolulu Bus, Handi-Van and Skyline fares set to increase

Fumiko Chun

<title>Fumiko Chun</title>

Aloha Spirit

A Civil Beat article a few months ago looked at Hawai‘i Pacific University research suggesting that Genki Balls are ineffective. Since then, volunteers for Genki Ball days have dropped by 70%. Here, Genki Ala Wai Project leaders discuss the shortcomings of the HPU study and call for scientists and community members working together as the way forward.

Fumiko Chun

Latest from Fumiko Chun

Community Voices: Collaboration, not controversy — the real story of genki balls and the Ala Wai

More from our columnists