Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

Na Menehune staged a late, dramatic comeback to win its first state title in girls flag football.

Moanalua girls flag football 051726

Moanalua wins 2026 HHSAA Division I girls flag football championship

Makana Wade, the son of UH men's volleyball head coach Charlie Wade, led the Bulldogs to the HHSAA title in his first season at the helm.

Makana Wade 051626

Makana Wade coaches Le Jardin to first state title in boys volleyball

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Government & Politics

Senate Bill 2471, now Act 11, aims to limit corporate influence on Hawai‘i's elections

Hawaiʻi State Capitol

Green signs anti-corporate spending bill

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

The short film “Pilina” combines cultural influences from Chile and Hawaiʻi with a common language: dance. Chilean American Filmmaker Carolina Espiro and Mānoa-based Producer Jana Park spoke with Aloha State Daily about the production, which will debut in early 2027.

Chile

'Groundbreaking' film combines Chile, Hawaiʻi and hula

Crime & Courts

Department of Law Enforcement director Mike Lambert believes fixing officer retention is the key to improving Honolulu's police

Mike Lambert 16x9

Top cops: HPD chief candidate Mike Lambert wants to improve officer morale

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

The 2,798-square-foot house is located on a 1-acre rim lot at 228 Forest Ridge Way.

228 Forest Ridge Way 30

For sale: Tantalus home made for an architect

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

The ticketed Passaporto Italiano VIP experience is June 5, while the street festival — which is free to attend — is June 6. The festival highlights a selection of authentic Italian and Italian-American restaurants and chefs from both Italy and Hawaiʻi.

Festa Italiana Arancino VIP 051426

Festa Italiana 2026 is coming this June

Titriyski is forgoing his final two seasons of collegiate eligibility to turn pro in his native Bulgaria.

Kristian Titriyski 050326

Hawai‘i men's volleyball standout Kristian Titriyski to turn pro early

The Rainbow Warriors and their coaches have made a bevy of public appearances since winning the 2026 national championship match on Monday.

Charlie Wade 051426

Hawai‘i men's volleyball makes the rounds following national championship

Business & Tourism

UHERO's second quarterly forecast significantly less rosy than the first after Strait of Hormuz closure.

Bonham 16x9 2

UHERO warns higher prices to come as Iran war continues

The Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts has released the list of finalists for its prestigious Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards. Nominees were selected for each of almost 30 categories. Awards include Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and more.

Music

And the Nā Hōkū Hanohano finalists are…

April was a record month for the Hawai‘i-based chain which has opened 13 new locations this year, including six in April alone. CEO Elisia Flores says the chain expects to open even more before 2026 ends.

CREDIT Matt Armendariz Shooter Stylist LLC LL Hawaiian Barbecue 2

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue aims for record year

LĀ‘IE — For the Le Jardin boys volleyball team, destiny was decided by a vote. 

With O‘ahu battered by heavy rain, flooding and lightning strikes on Friday, the possibility of postponing the HHSAA Division II championship match between Le Jardin and Pearl City at BYU-Hawai‘i's Cannon Activities Center to a later date was floated to both teams. 

Back in Kailua, Le Jardin already loaded its team bus on campus. Head coach Makana Wade told his team they didn't have to play on Friday if they didn't want to, that tournament organizers could move some things around to get the match played later in the weekend. Wade asked his players to raise their hands if they wanted to play on Friday.

"Everybody's hand went straight up," setter Brennan Nakayama said. "We just knew we were ready for this, and we knew what we needed to do."

Following a commute to the North Shore that lasted three hours due to traffic brought on by the weather, the Bulldogs arrived prepared to do something the school had never done before. With a 25-18, 25-9, 25-21 sweep over Pearl City, Le Jardin won its first HHSAA boys volleyball championship in school history. 

"Just a real surreal feeling," Wade told Aloha State Daily following the match. "When I took this job, this is the last thing I could ever dream of, was being here. I'm just so happy for Le Jardin and everybody there for believing in me and giving me this job. And so blessed to be able to coach these amazing players."

When he saw the look of determination in his team, Wade knew they were destined to take the title home. 

"I wish everybody could have seen inside our bus for three hours. You would have thought we were gonna play UH or something," Wade said. "The guys were so locked in, having fun. I kept getting calls from our AD, my dad asking, 'Sure you wanna play tonight, coach?' I'm asking the guys, 'Are you sure?' And they're yelling at me, like, yes, of course. There's no way we weren't going to play this match tonight. I think we really took what was ours tonight."

The notion of playing against UH is something Wade would have deep knowledge of. The son of Hawai‘i head coach 

, Makana Wade was a UH men's volleyball assistant coach for multiple seasons. He departed the program in January in order to take the position of Le Jardin head coach, as NCAA rules prohibit one from coaching high school and collegiate teams of the same gender and sport in the same season.

leading Hawai‘i to a national title on Monday

 since arriving back to Honolulu on Tuesday. After taking care of business on Monday, Charlie Wade made it clear where his priorities were during the program's celebration event on Wednesday. Ahead of a scheduled autograph session, Wade told the thousands of fans gathered at the Stan Sheriff Center that he'd have to leave early in order to watch his son coach. 

On Friday, Charlie Wade sat courtside across from the Le Jardin bench, locked in on the match. When the Bulldogs secured the victory, father and son shared multiple long embraces following the match, the look of pride in Charlie Wade's eyes undeniable. 

"Very cool," he told ASD. "He's been coaching with me at the club level, and obviously the last couple years at the collegiate level. He's always kind of had that analytical brain that it takes to be a good coach, and he and I have spent uncountable hours out walking the dogs at night and talking about coaching. He's asked me about a lot of different stuff over the years, and it's great to see him take on that role as a head coach and have to deal with playing time and all that other stuff that is not coaching that's a part of it, but not the X's and O's part. He's doing a great job and has a lot of passion for it, so fun to see him have some success."

"I don't think we have enough time to talk about what I've learned, but I think the basic is just be a guy that people can lean on and trust," Makana Wade said when asked what he learned from his father. "My dad has taught me countless things, and I'm just so happy to be able to learn from him every day, really. I wouldn't be here without him."

For the 2026 season in particular, Makana Wade worked closely with UH associate head coach Kupono Fey on analytics and strategy. He suddenly received the opportunity to run his own program at just 21 years old. 

"It was really hard to leave," Makana Wade said. "I love those guys to death. It was only gonna be a special job like this, a place like this, where there's amazing people, amazing kids. ... It was pretty crazy. I got hired, couple weeks later, we had tryouts, and then next week we're playing our tournament, then we're playing ILH. It's been a pretty hectic couple months, but it's all worth it in the end."

Makana Wade, a UH-Mānoa junior, also had a French final exam he had to take on Friday morning. "It's been a crazy day, but it's been awesome," he said. 

On Friday night, the Bulldogs were in control for the entirety of the match. Nakayama paced the offense with 39 assists, while La‘akea Kamahale had 20 kills on 31 swings. Following a commanding win in Set 2, Le Jardin took a comfortable 24-19 lead in Set 3. After consecutive Pearl City points to cut the lead to 24-21, a calm Makana Wade called timeout to make sure his team was composed. The Bulldogs finished their 2026 campaign 16-1 and state champions for the first time in school history.

"Our whole team can't thank him enough for how lucky we are to have him," Nakayama said of Makana Wade. "The knowledge and experience is super cool. The scouting reports, and how tight he keeps the team and everything, all the way to the bus rides, everything you want. I think we started a legacy."

For the Wade family, the week started with Charlie and Kainoa Wade winning an NCAA championship. On Friday, Makana Wade coached his own team to a championship, capping an unforgettable week for a family that has no plans to stop chasing greatness in the sport for the foreseeable future. 

"Monday seems like a long time ago," Charlie Wade said. "It doesn't seem like it's the same week, but obviously very cool, a lot of positive stuff."

Added Makana Wade: "I'm just so happy for my dad, and they worked really hard this season. To be able to do this too is just a surreal feeling."

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up 

<title>Makana Wade coaches Le Jardin to first state title in boys volleyball</title>

University of Hawai‘i standout opposite hitter Kristian Titriyski is getting an early start on his professional career. 

 will forgo the final two seasons of his collegiate career to play for his hometown team, 

A starter when healthy, Titriyski played in 21 matches in both the 2025 season and 2026 seasons, as injuries limited both campaigns for him. When he was on the floor, he was often leading the team in kills. 

In the national championship match on Monday, Titriyski hammered the game-winning kill in a four-set win over UC Irvine. His 16 kills were a match high. 

Although he's leaving two years of college ball on the table, Titriyski says he has no regrets in coming to the Islands, an experience he'll carry withb him for the rest of his life. 

"It's definitely a special place, and it for sure will be one of my favorite places the entire world," Titriyski said on Thursday. "I met so many friends here, so many new people, and I grew here in my first time living alone outside of home. I learned so many new things here, but definitely the most important thing is the people, just all the friends I made, the fans, coaches, everything here.

"The volleyball here is such where everyone supports it, watches it, and cares about it. And that's what kind of opened my eyes about the fans, is that they don't only support the team, but they actually care about you as a person, 'How are you doing?' When you meet them outside somewhere on the beach or wherever, they say hi. They're always positive. I just like appreciate these two years so much, and I have no regrets coming here. Thanks to Charlie (

) for bringing me here, and for everyone that supports the team for making it possible. That's kind of a dream that came true, because originally, I had no idea of coming to study here. I wanted to come to Hawai‘i, not only because of Rado Parapunov, but I was watching. I still remember, it was the 2023 season where they didn't win it, but they still reach the final. ... Since then, I've been following the team and watching the team."

Titriyski will go out a champion and will continue to follow the program from afar. He knows that from a support standpoint, the program is in great hands. 

"Just don't stop supporting a team that is something special," Titriyski says to the fans of Hawai‘i. "That's the thing that only Hawai‘i has, and maybe nowhere else in the world the crowd is that involved into the sport and into the whole team. That's something special I've never seen, and probably it will be hard to surpass. But yeah, to all the fans, we appreciate that, and we actually feel the love, feel the support. So don't stop with this. Keep going. Get more and get loud."

<title>Hawai‘i men's volleyball standout Kristian Titriyski to turn pro early</title>

Kam Napier Headshot

A. Kam Napier

Columnists

The rhetoric on Friday when the Legislature passed SB2471, was 

. All but one of the legislators voted for this attempt to nullify the Citizen’s United decision for Hawai‘i, and did so with bold claims. We’re standing up for Hawai‘i! We’re standing against dark money! We’re making history! We’re protecting democracy!

These people are acting like they personally threw Sauron’s ring into Mauna Kea and are just waiting for the eagles to carry them away now that Hawai‘i is free of Corporate Mordor’s dark money.

[{"type":"text","text":"But now, consider these names:"}]

Bain Capital. The United Arab Emirates. Walmart. Citigroup. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Chan Zuckerberg. Bill & Melinda Gates. Service Employees International Union. Mitsubishi. Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office.

Tens of millions of dollars in donations from corporate interests, from foreign entities, from Silicon Valley, from Wall Street, from billionaires and their foundations, from the biggest unions in America.

Am I talking about the sources of dark money that ruined America’s democracy, drowning out the voices of everyday citizens in a flood of corporate spending?

No. I’m talking some of the many donors, over the years, who have funded the Center for American Progress, according to 

The same Center for American Progress that was credited again and again by Hawai‘i state legislators as they passed SB2471 on Friday. The same Center for American Progress mentioned directly to me by lawmakers I interviewed.

“We’re the little state that could,” said Rep. Della Au Belatti on Friday as she urged the Legislature to pass the bill. She described CAP’s Tom Moore as “the legal mastermind behind this effort” and said “this state shouldn’t turn away the experts like CAP.”

This isn’t some disinterested, academic public policy institute. 

, the White House chief of Staff for Pres. Bill Clinton from 1998 to 2001, 

This is an organization described, sometimes admiringly, as Bill Clinton’s post-defeat shadow government, as Hillary Clinton’s government-in-waiting, as the brains of the Obama administration, as the adults actually in charge of the Biden administration while the 

 through his duties. Its staff and board of directors are, and always have been, a revolving door of people in and out various 21st-century Democrat administrations.

CAP, on its website, currently conceals its list of top donors, claiming this is to protect them from retribution by the Trump administration but in fact, as the 

 reported in 2015, the organization has a long and controversial history of hiding the names of its supporters.

At that time in 2015, as the Washington Post reported, Podesta was “set to run [Hillary] Clinton’s presidential campaign,” and the group’s then president 

 was “a longtime Clinton confidante and adviser.”

Just a reminder, folks: The group Citizens United won its Supreme Court case in pursuit of showing a documentary critical of Hillary Clinton. CAP has been avenging this insult to her honor ever since.

That’s the Center for American Progress. Capital Research Center calls it, “

Oh, and it has a fundraising arm, as well, the Center for American Progress Action Fund. In 2024, it donated $147,332 directly to leftwing candidates and causes, from Kamala Harris to 

With all that in mind,  think of the power plays being made here. Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole and Rep. Della Au Belatti stood out as fervent champions of this bill. And are both 

This move burnishes their credentials with the DC power players. This bill doesn’t move the needle on corruption in Hawai‘i but it does a lot for for these two. When Belatti praises CAP, she’s reminding them she did them a favor.

So now SB2471 awaits the signature of Gov. Josh Green. Do you think the heavyweights who back CAP are white-knuckled in fear that their influence will be silenced?

As far as I know, the only Legislator sounding a cautionary note on Friday was Rep. Scot Matayoshi who, while praising it, also said, “We spent an inordinate amount of time trying to pass this bill in a responsible way, in a way that would ensure that Hawai‘i interests are not harmed at the expense of Mainland interests coming in to spend money here. … My fear is that bill will work a little too well.”

You see, SB2471 restricts Hawai‘i-based corporations and other entities from spending on elections, either locally or on the Mainland. But it also says that corporations based in other states are bound by the same restrictions if they do business here. That, he says, it likely to get challenged and he seems to believe it’s a challenge we’re likely to lose.

So the bill contains what Matayoshi calls a fail-safe. Others might call it a poison pill. If a single court anywhere decides a case against any part of SB2471, its fail-safe language says that all of SB2471 self-destructs. It will be null and void, in its entirety.

Maybe that’s what will happen, if Green signs this into law and it takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. There are  other reasons it could be challenged that I 

The legislators pushing this clearly believe, for some reason, that this bill will not put them out of office or harm their ability to gain financial support. They seem pretty self-assured that they’ll remain in power after this passes, maybe win their runs for bigger and better offices. Now why might that be? 

Maybe, at heart, this bill isn’t revolutionary at all. Maybe it just preserves the status quo.

When you get right down it, SB2471 doesn’t change anything about the influence of money on politics in Hawai‘i. Note the bill’s emphasis: Electioneering. It seeks to remove a corporation’s ability to spend money in any way, for or against candidates running for office, or for or against initiatives put on ballots.

It does not otherwise remove any ability to spend money on 

Big money groups can still spend millions all year long on high-priced lobbyists who meet with legislators. They just can’t spend any money to speak directly to voters.

Big money groups, including Mainland interests, could still do what CAP has done here and simply write legislation for Hawai‘i lawmakers and hand it over to them to introduce.

 in front of politicians, promising a cushy life after office. None of that changes.

On Friday, Sen. Karl Rhoads, who introduced the bill, described the growth of so-called “dark money” spending in elections, from mere millions before Citizens United to tens of billions in the last presidential election.

 last week that bills like this do nothing to stop billionaires who simply spend their money on elections as individuals, rather than as corporations.

Hawai‘i legislators have said they needed to pass this legislation to “restore people’s trust in elections.”

But is corporate spending really the reason people in Hawai‘i don’t trust elections and 

, with no meaningful check on voter IDs, no default to the privacy and safety of the ballot booth. Legislators could fix this any time but won’t, in fact, they’re the ones who instituted this weak imitation of true elections. This session, they further weakened election integrity by passing a law that automatically opts-in to voter registration anyone who gets a Hawai‘i driver’s license.

3. Their poor results once in office. This very bill being a case in point. Think of all the time spent on this Mainland crusade — an “inordinate amount of time,” Matayoshi said —  when it could have been spent solving Hawai‘i's real problems.

[{"type":"text","text":"When the session ended, we still didn’t know who took the $35,000."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Passing SB2471 didn’t change that one bit."}]

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.

pulling strings I Stock 1401030941

<title>Pipikaula Corner: How the Clinton White House just bamboozled Hawai‘i</title>

The Legislature was jubilant as it passed SB2471 on Friday, seeking to overturn the effects of the Citizens United decision in Hawai‘i and get big money and outside influences out of our elections. The irony is, Mainland power players were pulling our strings the whole time.

Pipikaula Corner: How the Clinton White House just bamboozled Hawai‘i

A Tantalus home that once belonged to actor Richard Chamberlain 

Perched above Honolulu, the 1.8-acre property at 3711 Round Top Drive — listed by Derek Kamm and Schyler Murakami with Coldwell Banker Island Properties — offers views of Diamond Head, the Pacific and the city below.

Murakami told Aloha State Daily Thursday that there are three homes on the property: a 4-bed, 3.5-bath main house that's roughly 3,700 square feet; a 2-bedroom, 1-bath guest house that's about 1,100 square feet; and a studio — along with some large, grassy areas; a tennis court; and an infinity-edge pool.

"It's pretty unique once you're up there," he told ASD. The property, he says, is peaceful and secluded.

"What the current owners like about it is how secluded it is, yet you're 20 minutes away from Honolulu or from Waikīkī."

According to Murakami, the current owners have owned the property for about 20 years and purchased it from Chamberlain's estate. The property hit the market about two weeks ago.

Murakami says you'd likely see a handful of homes for sale on Round Top Drive and in Tantalus each year, but it's rare to see large estates like this.

Chamberlain, a longtime Hawai‘i resident, was known for his leading roles in the 1960s TV series "Dr. Kildare," 1980's "Shōgun," 

3711 Round Top Drive interior

<title>Tantalus home that once belonged to Richard Chamberlain on the market for $8 million</title>

Perched above Honolulu, you'll find the 1.8-acre property at 3711 Round Top Drive.

Tantalus home that once belonged to Richard Chamberlain on the market for $8 million

Regular customers at the former MARA Restaurant & Bar, located in Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa on Kapi‘olani Boulevard, were probably confused when the eatery’s rebranding and change in management was official at the end of May.

 — still features the same interior décor and concept, in terms of offering Mediterranean cuisine. The eatery is still open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is operated by DB Restaurant Group (the same group behind DB Grill, Café Duck Butt and CINO).

[{"type":"text","text":"SERA Chef Arnold Corpuz was most recently at CINO."}]

The restaurant’s name has several meanings, including “fiery and bright” and it’s also part of the phrase “que sera, sera,” meaning “whatever will be, will be” in Spanish.

The menu is influenced by diverse Mediterranean flavors while incorporating locally sourced ingredients. It’s designed to transport guests to the Mediterranean coast — dishes highlight fresh seafood, seasonal ingredients and housemade pastas.

We got a first taste of SERA during a media preview in April and returned once the restaurant officially launched at the end of May.

For diners who loved MARA’s menu — here’s some good news. Some of the most popular dishes from MARA Restaurant & Bar are still on the menu, including the popular tasting trio ($35), which is one of my favorite dishes. It’s a combo of hummus, tzatziki and burrata, served with hearth-baked pita. The creamy burrata is my go-to, but the flavorful hummus with crispy chickpeas on top is a must-try.

The Kefalograviera cheese saganaki ($24) — known for its impressive presentation on a sizzling skillet — is another dish that remains on the menu. It’s served with seasonal vegetables, but the hot cheese skillet — boasting a golden-brown exterior and molten, melting interior — is the star of the show.

The grilled Spanish octopus ($33) with ‘nduja, gigande beans and gremolata continues to be a customer favorite. The octopus is flavorful, not too rubbery, and there's an ample amount of it to share. 

Choose from salads like Caesar ($22), Greek salad ($20) and beet and citrus ($28). I love a traditional Caesar salad, and this new menu option — complete with Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic breadcrumbs and boquerones (white anchovies) — doesn’t disappoint. We especially enjoyed the crunch from the breadcrumbs and the garlicky anchovy dressing. If you want something familiar from MARA’s previous menu, opt for the beet and citrus salad, a refreshing combo with chunky beets, creamy Di Stefano burrata and an aged balsamic drizzle.

Onto the entrée portion of the menu — seafood, pastas and meats. The biggest menu change would be in the seafood section; before, you could choose your preferred seafood and preparation. Now, the choices are more streamlined and feature dishes like whole Mediterranean branzino (market price), scallops ($44), seafood paella ($76) and whole Kona kampachi (market price).

We recommend the Kona kampachi (market price) if you’re sharing dinner family-style. The fish is served on a skillet with salsa verde and a charred lemon. We’re told Kona kampachi was on the eatery’s previous menu, but now, it’s a whole size with garlic butter poured on. During the time of our visit, the market price is $90.

These scallops come with sweet potato hummus and bok choy ($44). They’re plump, juicy and a nice option if you’re looking for something lighter as your entrée.

The seafood paella ($76) is one of the newer dishes with Mediterranean flair. It includes monchong, shrimp, mussels, clam and saffron. The saffron flavor is prevalent — as it should be in a paella — and this dish is sure to please seafood fanatics.

Spaghetti and meatballs might seem basic, but this combo is anything but. The meatball is love at first bite. It’s a savory mix of veal, pork and beef that’s full of moisture, so you won’t have to worry about it being dry.

The porcini rubbed prime rib is one of SERA's new entrees and comes highly recommended by our server. It’s served with natural jus and horseradish crème. It’s a huge portion, ideal for sharing among a group. The meat itself is tender, but the umami dry rub will keep you coming back for more.

New side dishes include creamy potato puree with a poached egg on top ($22) and asparagus with olive tapenade and lemon ($15). The potato puree is video-worthy because of the poached egg on top.

The dessert menu is also revamped, but it still includes one of my favorite dishes — housemade Greek yogurt ($6). You can get it plain, or choose between two topping combos — baklava and honey, or sour cherry, olive oil and sea salt. While the latter is a more unique combo, you can’t go wrong with flaky pieces of baklava. This Greek yogurt isn’t super tart, and the honey drizzle gives it a sweeter aftertaste.

Other dessert options include a rotating lineup of sorbets, pavlova with yuzu strawberry meringue, cheese kunefe with kataifi and orange blossom syrup, and budino. The latter is a new dessert, featuring a rich, chocolate pudding with whipped cream and cacao nibs on top.

Bonus: SERA is currently offering free valet for restaurant customers, so parking just got that much easier.

Latest News

News