Christian Shimabuku Headshot

Christian Shimabuku

Sports

The polls and the data say the University of Hawai‘i men's volleyball team is one of the top teams in the country, but as it prepares to host the Big West Conference Tournament, there's only one way for the Rainbow Warriors to guarantee themselves a spot in the NCAA Tournament prior to Selection Sunday.

An automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament is up for grabs at the Stan Sheriff Center this weekend, which goes to the winner of the Big West Tournament. The 'Bows are the No. 2 seed in the tournament and will face either UC Irvine or Cal State Northridge in Friday's second semifinal at 7 p.m. 

The NCAA Tournament will feature nine teams. Hawai‘i is ranked third nationally in both RPI and in the latest AVCA national poll. Despite their status as one of the country's best teams, the Rainbow Warriors are viewing every match they play this week as a must-win. 

"We think Friday and Saturday are must-wins," setter Tread Rosenthal said. "We don't want to leave anything to chance, just knowing from past experience. It's a lot better just knowing that you're safe. We're striving for both."

Hawai‘i hosted the 2024 Big West Tournament and advanced to the semifinals before falling to UC Irvine. The Anteaters went on to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, while UH's season came to an end. 

UH is hoping to get back a pair of injured pin hitters in freshman 

 and sophomore Louis Sakanoko, who have both missed time due to separate lower body injuries. Titriyski has not played for consecutive weeks, while Sakanoko did not travel with the team in its most recent series at UC Santa Barbara, which the 'Bows (24-5) split with the Gauchos. 

"Louis looked a lot better. Kristian was moving around more than he has," Hawai‘i head coach Charlie Wade said following Wednesday's practice. "I think it's still day-to-day, but we'll see. He was was actually jumping and hitting some balls today. So, I don't think it's out of the question. Certainly headed the right direction."

When Hawai‘i hosted No. 1 Long Beach State two weeks ago, the 'Bows took the series finale behind a breakout performance from freshman reserve Finn Kearney, who had 17 kills in Titriyski's place in both matches against The Beach. 

"I've always said it ain't depth unless you use it," Wade said of his roster. "Somebody asked me is it hard to make all those in-game adjustments. Not when you got good players, you know? I mean, it's hard when you're looking down the bench and I'm not sure anybody can help you, but we got a lot of good players, so it's nice to see multiple guys get an opportunity and then play well when they get those opportunities. We've got more guys able to contribute."

Long Beach State will be the team on the opposite side of the bracket as the top seed in the tournament, awaiting the winner of Thursday's quarterfinal between UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego. 

Although Hawai‘i would need a win on Saturday to guarantee a spot in the NCAA Tournament, winning on Friday would likely eliminate every other Big West team from at-large consideration, paving the way for UH to punch a ticket to the tournament regardless of how Saturday's final goes. 

A win on Friday would also be a milestone victory for Wade, who would surpass Mike Wilton's 316 wins as the program's all-time winningest head coach. 

"I really haven't thought much of it," Wade said. "It'd be one thing if I was like, my career is ending, but I'd like to think I get to coach again next year, so I think there's some more wins coming. It just so happens I've been here for a while, and a lot of people have gone into helping the program be successful and help us rack up the number of years we have had while I've been the coach."

Louis Sakanoko2 042425

<title>Hawai‘i men's volleyball set to host Big West Tournament with NCAA Tournament bid up for…</title>

The Rainbow Warriors will face either Cal State Northridge or UC Irvine in Friday night's semifinals.

Hawai‘i men's volleyball set to host Big West Tournament with NCAA Tournament bid up for grabs

ASD Staff

Adopt a Pet

"Sarang is a 20-pound, 3-year-old terrier mix, who has been in our care since November 2024," says 

"This playful and affectionate little girl has an incredibly sweet demeanor that brings joy to everyone she meets. Sarang loves her emotional support stuffies and will contentedly relax on a comfy couch next to you with her favorite toy in clutch. Her happy place is a warm patch of grass where she can roll around and bask in the sunshine. 

"Sarang is a Reid Krucky Memorial Fund recipient, which means her adoption fee is waived and she will go home with a special bundle of goodies to help her settle in with her new ʻohana."  

You can adopt Sarang from the Hawaiian Humane Society’s Kosasa Family Campus at Hoʻopili, open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

For an up-to-date listing of available pets, 

Sarang 4 22 2025

<title>Adopt-a-Pet April 22, 2025: Meet sweet, smiley Sarang</title>

"This playful and affectionate little girl has an incredibly sweet demeanor that brings joy to everyone she meets," says Hawaiian Humane Society.

Adopt-a-Pet April 22, 2025: Meet sweet, smiley Sarang

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Government & Politics

There are long-term plans in the works for the redevelopment of Iwilei, but before that can take place, infrastructure there will need to be improved.

That includes the water systems. Sewer lines. Roads. Drainage. Electrical systems. Telecommunication systems.

The Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corp. recently published the final environmental impact statement for the Iwilei Infrastructure Improvement Master Plan and Liliha Civic Center project.

According to the EIS, which was published in the state's 

 late last month, the Iwilei infrastructure plan covers 555 acres in Iwilei-Kapālama and proposes improvements that will help help advance state and City and County of Honolulu's transit-oriented development goals there.

Randy Chu, HHFDC's development branch chief, told Aloha State Daily that redevelopment in Honolulu is moving west.

"The next area where we foresee that redevelopment is going to happen is moving westward, so it's Iwilei, Kapālama, Kalihi," he said.

HHFDC — the state agency that oversees affordable housing finance and development in Hawai‘i, its website notes — commissioned the master plan to determine what will be needed to facilitate redevelopment, Chu says, noting that the lack of infrastructure is one of the biggest issues preventing development from moving forward.

"The roads, the sewer lines, the water lines were all designed 40, 50 years ago," he explained. "Now that we want to increase the density, there's more demand, so you have to upsize all these facilities, the infrastructure. That's what we wanted to do — identify what do we need to do to enable development or redevelopment of the area."

For the master plan, Chu says HHFDC spoke with the various landowners in the area and the city, then determined what was need to improve the sewer lines, water lines, drainage lines, the electrical system, telecommunication systems and streets.

Based on the goals of the Kalihi Neighborhood TOD Plan and the Downtown Neighborhood TOD Plan to transform the area into a"high-intensity, full-service mixed-use district" over the next three-plus decades, the EIS says that the infrastructure master plan aims to find the potential alignment, phasing and costs for improvements to the existing infrastructure systems. 

These improvements will allow for the development of some 27,500 new housing units and the change in use of nearly 2 million square feet of existing commercial, institutional, industrial and mixed-use space, it notes.

Any work will need to be a phased approach — Chu says the cost to improve the infrastructure is estimated to be around $1.3 billion.

Meanwhile, the Liliha Civic Center Master Plan proposes a mixed-use development on nearly 3.8 acres in Iwilei in a collaboration between HHFDC and the state Department of Accounting and General Services.

As far as the Liliha Civic Center Master Plan, Chu says site is a state-owned property at the corner of King Street and Iwilei Road. Potential plans call for two towers, one with space for government offices and the second that would have up to 600 affordable units, he said.

"Why at that location? Because the Kūwili rail station is a couple hundred yards away," he said. "It would be ideal for TOD or transit-oriented development. And King Street is a main artery for the bus, too. So, perfect location where it's close to town, where people can work and live."

, or TOD, is a mixed-used development within a five- to 10-minute walk of a rail station.

Now that the final EIS has been published, Chu says implementation is the next step. That means "finding the money to do it and doing it in a phased order such that we can afford it."

As far as a timeline, the EIS notes that the master plan was analyzed in four phases and expected to completed in the next five to 30-plus years.

Iwilei is, indeed, primed for redevelopment. The City and County of Honolulu is among the property owners with big plans in the works, centered around the rail development.

, the city acquired the former First Hawaiian Bank building at 445 N. King St. for $8.4 million and in January 2024 it acquired the Iwilei Center for $51.5 million.

, says these acquisitions, which total nearly five acres of land, "will form the catalyst of its redevelopment and revitalization efforts around the Kūwili Rail Station in Iwilei, consistent with the Downtown TOD Neighborhood Plan."

In March, the city's Department of Land Management, in partnership with the mayor's Office of Housing, issued a 

 for the redevelopment of the Iwilei Center.

Late last month, the city also announced it was moving forward with the next phase of the Kūwili Station TOD area redevelopment, and that the Department of Design and Construction, in partnership with the Department of Land Management and the Mayor’s Office of Housing was beginning outreach to property owners along Ka‘aahi Street to start the acquisition process for additional parcels of land.

"Acquisition of these additional parcels of land is necessary to advance its master planning efforts for the Kūwili Station TOD Redevelopment Area by enabling the redevelopment of key blocks into new affordable housing, infrastructure improvements, and public amenities that support a vibrant, transit-oriented neighborhood," the city said in a March 31 announcement. "In addition to supporting affordable housing and improved accessibility, these land acquisitions aim to address critical environmental concerns, including flooding and rising sea levels. These risks will be assessed and mitigated as part of the city’s comprehensive master planning effort, ensuring that redevelopment in the Kūwili Station area is resilient and sustainable."

"Redevelopment is not a bad thing," Chu said. "When you really think about it, what was built 50 years ago was adequate at that time — single-family homes, one-story buildings. But this is a different time, where land is so expensive that you need to make better use of the land. ... At this point in time, we've got to look at using more density to maximize the use of the land."

The EIS, which includes a list of impacts and proposed mitigation, can be 

I Stock iwilei

<title>What's planned for Iwilei infrastructure, Liliha Civic Center</title>

The final environmental impact statement includes an infrastructure plan that covers 555 acres in Iwilei-Kapālama and proposes improvements that will help spur redevelopment, and the Liliha Civic Center Master Plan, which proposes a mixed-use development on 3.79 acres in Iwilei.

What's planned for Iwilei infrastructure, Liliha Civic Center

Real Estate

More affordable housing options for seniors and families will soon be available on O‘ahu.

Koa Vista is a new two-phase development located within Koa Ridge, Castle & Cooke Hawai‘i's 576-acre master-planned community situated between Mililani and Waipio in Central O‘ahu, that will ultimately offer a total of 192 affordable senior and family rentals in two mid-rise buildings. The project was developed by the nonprofit Homes Hawai‘i Inc in partnership with GSF LLC.

A blessing and dedication was held Monday, March 17, for Koa Vista I, the completed first phase of the project — a $39 million, seven-story, 95-unit rental apartment building available to seniors who make between 30% and 60% of the annual median income.

A groundbreaking also was held Monday for the second phase, Koa Vista II, which will offer 97 affordable rentals to qualifying families.

According to an announcement Monday, tenant applications are being accepted for phase one and can be found online at 

 or picked up at 1050 Queen St., suite 304.

 notes that applicants must be at least 55 years old and the household's gross income limits, depending on the AMI and household size, range from $29,250 for a one-person household at 30% AMI to $75,180 for a three-person household at 60% AMI. 

Gov. Josh Green told the audience gathered on Monday that building housing is a top priority, "because we have been losing people to the Mainland."

"We've been losing young people to the Mainland because they simply can't afford housing," he said. "Our kūpuna have been concerned about whether they can afford housing as we go forward. ... As we head toward 2035, that's when our population is expected to peak in age, and that means this is a very, very smart project to do.

"When we get older as a society, there are going to be people who are vulnerable, but we don't want our grandparents to have to leave, to not be near their grandchildren. That's why this is extraordinary."

"If people don't have a roof over their head, or they don't have stable housing, they suffer very greatly. ... So when you come to an event like this, where we have 95 one-bedrooms here at Koa Vista, that's 95 family units that are going to be healthier, that are going to be happier, that they're going to stay in society," he said. "It's extraordinary to see this. We want our kūpuna to age in place. We want them to really have a stable life. And I will tell you, when you go into these units, they are rock solid. They are very well constructed, and they are going to give a lot of people peace of mind and they're going to be able to do better in their life. So we're excited to see these units."

Catherine Taschner, director of the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Land Management, told the audience that housing — especially affordable housing — is a top priority for the administration of Mayor Rick Blangiardi, "and potentially the biggest challenge of our lifetime."

Taschner said that too many local families are being forced to leave the Islands because they can't find or afford housing that meets their needs.

"This isn't just a housing issue," she continued. "It's about keeping our workforce here. It's about strengthening our economy and it's about ensuring that future generations can continue to call Hawai‘i home. That's why projects like Koa Vista are so important. Together with Koa Vista II, these 192 much-needed affordable homes for kūpuna will allow them to age in place with dignity, while at the same time, giving local families the opportunity to stay here and thrive in the communities that they call home."

According to the announcement Monday, work on the first phase began in the summer of 2023 and was finished late last year, while construction of the second phase is currently underway and expected to be complete in 2026.

Developers said the units will come furnished with a refrigerator and range, cable and high-speed internet access, window coverings and laminated flooring, while shared amenities include a multi-purpose room, laundry and office space, a garden and park.

Wally Inglis, president of Homes Hawai‘i Inc., told Aloha State Daily following the ceremonies that "exhilarating" was the first word that came to his mind when asked how it felt to see the first phase completed and the second underway.

"There's so many moving parts to putting these things together and it takes so many people working together," he said.

Inglis says there's "tremendous" need for affordable housing for both seniors and families.

[{"text":"\"There's a need for housing for everybody.\"","type":"text"}]

"We're very happy to finally see this project come to fruition," Andrew Furuta, project manager for GSF LLC, told ASD after the ceremonies. "It's a longtime in the works, but we couldn't have done it without partnership with the state and the city and our vendors and consultants."

The Koa Ridge development broke ground in 2017 and welcomed its 

, its website notes. Approximately 3,500 new residential homes are planned for the development, along with shops and retailers, restaurants, parks and more, 

Koa vista1 031725

<title>New affordable rentals coming to Central O‘ahu</title>

Koa Vista is a new two-phase affordable rental development located within Koa Ridge that will ultimately include a total of 192 senior and family rental apartments in two mid-rise buildings.

New affordable rentals coming to Central O‘ahu

Kam Napier Headshot

Born and raised on Oahu, I’ve been very fortunate to have built a career as a writer and editor right here at home. 

Most recently, I was Editor-in-Chief of Pacific Business News for 10 years, from April 2014 to August 2024. Before that, I worked at Honolulu Magazine for 19 years, the last eight of which I served as editor, leading the publication to General Excellence Awards from the City and Regional Magazine Association. Along the way, I’ve accumulated a box full of award plaques from the Hawaii Publishers Association, the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter and more for my articles on everything from architecture to zoology, as well as for my column writing 

my first love in journalism going back to the Cane Tassel, the school paper of Waipahu High School. As a freelance writer, I’ve appeared in the Honolulu Weekly, Hawaii Business Magazine, Hana Hou! and Honolulu Civil Beat.

Throughout my career, I’ve been blessed to be a part of local publications with long and distinguished histories. Honolulu Magazine, for example, dates back to 1888, when it was founded under a royal charter by King David Kalakaua. With Aloha State Daily, I’m thrilled at this opportunity to be the first editor of something Hawaii hasn’t seen in years — a new news publication! One that is independently owned and locally operated.

Our goal is to inform, delight and surprise you. In our journalism, we will strive for true neutrality, telling you what happened, not what to think or how to feel about what happened, believing that the best journalism comes from curiosity and intelligence. There is a place for strong, opinionated voices at ASD, and you’ll find them among our regular columnists and community voices pieces.

Hawaii has some big challenges, which we’ll cover from the perspective of how they impact you. Hawaii is also full of amazing people doing incredible things and we’re looking forward to telling you their stories, as well. The Islands are full of inspiration and, of course, aloha!

<title>A. Kam Napier</title>

A. Kam Napier

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Aloha, I am Aloha State Daily’s senior editor reporting on community news. Know of any organizations and people making a positive difference in Hawaii? Please reach out to me at 

Originally from Los Angeles, I am Native Hawaiian with roots from Maui, residing on Oahu with my husband. Since moving to the Islands in 2019, I have volunteered for various local organizations such as 808 Cleanups, Keiki O Ka Aina’s Board and Stone, March of Dimes Hawaii and more.

Most recently, I was the associate editor of Pacific Business News for nearly six years. Prior to that role, I served as a copy editor and reporter for a daily newspaper, as well as a freelance writer for a lifestyle magazine, in California. Over the years, I have received multiple awards for my writing. I hold a bachelor's degree in communications from The Master's University, where I played soccer.

I am excited to build ASD as your go-to, reputable and fun news source for Hawaii. Happy reading!

<title>Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros</title>

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Business, tourism and the economy are all important facets of life in the Islands, but nothing can happen on those beats without people. I love telling the stories of your friends and neighbors, your coworkers and leaders, people who are making the decisions that affect your life and cool people who are doing cool things. Like most reporters, I'm nosy. I like to know about people —

what they're doing and why, what makes them tick, etc.

At Aloha State Daily, I'm excited to be a small part of building something awesome from the ground up. And I believe in our mission! Regardless of where you live, the role of local news doesn't change — it's important in keeping our communities informed about the things that impact our daily lives and holding people in positions of power accountable. Not to mention, Hawaii has a lot of awesome stories to tell and I'm beyond grateful and excited to be able to share them.

Originally from Kentucky, I've lived in Hawaii for almost seven years now - including 3.5 years in Hilo on Hawaii Island and another three years in Honolulu. I now live in Honolulu with my husband, who was born and raised here.

A lifelong writer and storyteller, I graduated from Murray State University with a degree in print journalism in 2007 and have spent the better part of the past 17 years working as a reporter. For most of my career, I've worked at community-focused papers in North Carolina, Kentucky and Hawaii, covering communities big, small and in between, telling stories important to the people who live there. That's a big reason why I'm so passionate about community journalism and the role of hyperlocal news within the places we live, work and play.

<title>Stephanie Salmons</title>

Although I didn't move to Hawaii until after high school, I have been connected to the Islands and followed Hawaii sports my entire life. My father was born and raised on Oahu, and my family would come to Hawaii for Christmas to visit his family members on an annual basis. Deep down, I always knew it's where I wanted to spend my life. The last 11 and a half years have only reaffirmed that. 

I got my start in journalism covering sports for Ka Leo O Hawaii, the student newspaper at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I was also a sports clerk/sports reporter at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser for a total of about four years. After graduation, I interned at the Sporting News in Charlotte, N.C. in the summer of 2018 before returning to the Star-Advertiser. In November 2019, I joined KHON2 News in Honolulu as a digital sports reporter for five years. 

The sports scene in Hawaii as a whole is robust and at times, complex. I truly believe Hawaii is home to some of the world's greatest people and athletes. Being able to tell their stories for the last decade has been an honor and a blessing. I can't wait to do the same for Aloha State Daily. Getting in on the ground floor for a new venture is something I always found intriguing and with ASD, it's something I'll be able to do for the first time. Additionally, ASD's commitment to journalism comes at a time where I believe it is more important than ever in our world to support local and quality journalism.

<title>Christian Shimabuku</title>

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

“Where should I go to eat?” Is a question I get a lot — whether it’s in person or via Instagram, from both friends and acquaintances via social media. I’m excited to share my findings and adventures with our community — not necessarily to tell them where to eat, but to give an accurate representation of what’s available out there. I love covering the new restaurants and new, local businesses popping up. Limited-time offerings (holiday cocktail bars, weekend pop-ups, etc.) are also exciting because sometimes they’re the result of fun collabs between local businesses.

I received my bachelor’s degree from Biola University, as well as my master’s degree in journalism at the University of Southern California. I was the associate editor of Frolic Hawaii from 2017 to 2021 under Honolulu Magazine, and then worked most recently as the dining editor of Crave with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

My goal is for ASD’s dining section to be the premiere guide for the state. I’m excited to cover the food and dining scene, and to help our readers stay updated with all things food-related. It’ll be a fun, fresh start and I’m excited to be able to cover everything.

<title>Kelli Shiroma Braiotta</title>

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Katie Helland Headshot

I’m excited to help bring a brand new source of news to the state. In my coverage, I look forward to sharing stories that will help you plan fun things to do for date nights and spend family time in Hawaii. I also hope to share stories about the people behind events and organizations, as well as their interests in music, hula, film, comedy and more.

I started working at the city newspaper when I was still in high school through summer internships. Since then, I have worked for the community newspaper in my college town, as well as The Santiago Times when I lived abroad in Chile. Most recently, I worked for Pacific Business News in Honolulu.

At ASD, I can’t wait to talk story, which is how reporters hear some of the best news tips! Hawaii has such an incredibly rich culture. And for me, it is home.

News

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News

Government & Politics

Crime & Courts

Sports

Business & Tourism

Real Estate

Food & Dining

Entertainment

Arts & Culture

Aloha Spirit

Hawaii History

Opinion

Daily Features

Michael Brestovansky

Team

A. Kam Napier

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Stephanie Salmons

Christian Shimabuku

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Katie Helland

Michael Brestovansky