Stephanie Salmons

1 week ago | alohastatedaily.com | Stephanie Salmons

As a freshman at the University of Hawai‘i, entrepreneur Eddie Flores, Jr., co-founder of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, says he took a writing class — and got an F.

1 week ago | alohastatedaily.com | Stephanie Salmons

A live skunk was captured by Honolulu police Wednesday night at Kaka‘ako Water Front Park. According to an announcement Thursday from the state Department of Agriculture, police responded to a call about a skunk running around the park near Keawe Street. Three agriculture inspectors from the HDOA were dispatched around 10:30 p.m. and arrived to find that police officers had corralled the odoriferous mammal in a plastic trash bin, the department noted.

1 week ago | alohastatedaily.com | Stephanie Salmons

Natasha and Taylor Ponte are looking to strike gold with the new restaurant venture. Maui locals Taylor and Natasha Ponte both have a culinary background — the husband-and-wife team even met while working in the industry. Now they're hoping to strike gold with Aurum Maui, a new restaurant set to open this month at The Shops at Wailea. Aurum — the Latin word for gold — is a culinary brand known for seasonal, chef-driven cuisine in Colorado. This is its first expansion to the Islands.

1 week ago | alohastatedaily.com | Stephanie Salmons

One of the fastest growing sports in the nation, pickleball has a healthy fanbase in the Islands — and the pickleball courts to prove it. A recent study conducted by PodPlay Pickleball Business Guide, a pickleball tech company, found that Hawai‘i has the third highest density of pickleball courts in the U.S. With 5.12 island pickleball courts per 100,000 residents, only Vermont and Maine offer more — 10.95 and 5.41 per 100,000 people, respectively.

1 week ago | alohastatedaily.com | Stephanie Salmons

Hawai‘i Farm Project — whose family of brands include Maui Gold Pineapple, Maui Pineapple Tour, Maui Pineapple Store, Maui Chocolate Tour, Lahaina Honey Company and Maui Farm Events — has recently expanded its executive leadership team. Julie Strong has been named director of finance, a newly created role, while Edgar Cordero has been named general manager of Maui Gold Pineapple, the company said in a recent announcement. They started in their roles on May 5.