Lead Stories

Alan Suemori Special to The Hawai‘i Herald It was not supposed to be this way. After only three years, Randy Wada was on track to graduate from Northwestern University and begin dental school in the fall of 1978. In his final undergraduate semester, he took a random course in molecular biology and cancer to fill....

Editor’s note: Earlier this month, two members of Hawai‘i’s congressional delegation — U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and U.S. Rep. Mark Takai — traveled to Selma, Ala., to participate in the 50th anniversary commemoration of...

Japanese Immigrants Helped Put Kona’s Coffee Bean on the Map Dan Nakasone Special to The Hawai‘i Herald As I listened to Takeo Nakasone’s story, I was struck by a sense of place and time that began on a coffee farm on the western slope of Hualälai on Hawai‘i Island. It is where Takeo grew up....

Molly Solomon Special to The Hawai‘i Herald “Don’t open the door yet,” my mom yells from the back seat. She and my aunt are slathering their arms, legs and any exposed inch of skin with kukui...

S. Sanae (Imada) Tokumura Special to The Hawai‘i Herald Got kadomatsu, or kadomatsu plans? If not, there’s still time to gather the essential pine boughs and other symbolic elements to create Hawai‘i’s essential New Year’s decoration. Kadomatsu, literally “gate pine,” is originally a Shintö practice, but placing kadomatsu outside homes and/or businesses is largely no....

Exemplary Service Keeps Loyal Customers Coming Back Gwen Battad Ishikawa Long before the arrival in Hawai‘i of Costco and Sam’s Club, Shimaya Shoten was the place to go for food that could be purchased in bulk, especially ethnic fare. My grandmother used to sell food at community events, so she made one or two trips....

Advice for “The Year of New Perspectives” Ida Yoshinaga Finding Hope in Our Chaotic World Get ready for Alice Inoue 2.0! The popular “life guide,” who founded Happiness U in Kaka‘ako’s SALT complex, has revamped her in-demand...

Mom-and-Pop Shops Persevere Through the Pandemic Dan Nakasone Special to The Hawai‘i Herald Wahiawä Town is like an island within an island in central O‘ahu. It is bordered by the north and south forks of Kaukonahua Stream,...

Hawaii Foodbank President Ron Mizutani Comes Full Circle Jodie Chiemi Ching This past April’s devastating floods forced residents of Kaua‘i’s North Shore to once again muster their inner strength and power through the crisis. It was almost a repeat of September 1992, when Hurricane ‘Iniki, a category 4 storm, came ashore on the Garden Island,....

Alan Suemori Special to The Hawai‘i Herald If you wander along the backroads of Wai‘anae Valley, there is an unpaved country lane that will take you to a quiet farm that is always filled with the...