Latest news with #Hawaii-based
Eater
12-06-2025
- Business
- Eater
Southern California Pastrami Favorite Finally Expands to Las Vegas
Southern California's beloved pastrami destination, the Hat, is finally moving forward with plans to open in Las Vegas — six years after the chain announced it would expand to Southern Nevada. Construction is now underway on a 4,122-square-foot restaurant at 6239 South Rainbow Boulevard — the same space it staked out in 2019 — with a drive-thru and outdoor patio. The Hat has been a California staple since 1951, serving pastrami dips poised for dunking into homemade au jus, plus burgers, turkey sandwiches, and onion rings. The Hat teased the opening on Instagram, announcing a grand opening in spring 2026. The Hat joins a growing parade of regional fast food favorites expanding into Las Vegas. Most recently, Georgia's favorite fast-food chicken chain, Zaxby's, opened a drive-thru here. Earlier this year, North Carolina-based Bojangles opened in the Southwest, and Hawaii-based Zippy's opened its second location in the Vegas area. And that's not to mention the grocery stores Aldi and H-Mart, which debuted in April. Still rumored to make a Las Vegas appearance: Portillo's potentially. Late-Night Skewers Land in Chinatown The team behind Chubby Cattle's conveyor-belt hot pot restaurant and the high-tech X-Pot on the Strip is back with a new late-night venture. Chubby Skewers opens Wednesday, June 18, on Spring Mountain Road, serving Northeastern Chinese Dongbei-style barbecue from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Skewers start at just $1, with a menu that ranges from wagyu beef to duck tongue to spicy cold noodles. The space channels the energy of old-school Chinese street stalls — think bold reds, neon lights, and low tables. New York Noodle Hybrid Extends Its Short-Term Pop-Up Pastaramen, the boundary-blurring Japanese-Italian pop-up from chef Robbie Felice, is extending its run at Bar Zazu in Resorts World Las Vegas through July 12. Originally slated for just a one-month residency, the crossover has drawn crowds with dishes like cacio e pepe gyoza, mochi ramen carbonara, and a $250 truffle porcini ramen that is dramatically prepared in a flaming wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Brewdog Opens a Beer Hall Beneath Its Rooftop Behemoth UnderDog Beer Hall opens on Thursday, June 12, beneath BrewDog's massive 30,000-square-foot rooftop brewpub on the Las Vegas Strip. Tucked inside the Showcase Mall, UnderDog brings a more casual vibe with giant screens, a new pizza-focused menu, and beers on tap — including BrewDog favorites like Elvis Juice and guest pours from local Las Vegas breweries. Baguette Cafe Heads Downtown Baguette Café opened a new downtown Las Vegas location on May 22 right on Las Vegas Boulevard, near Fremont Street. It brings together signature French-inflected breakfast, brunch, and lunch fare just a block from Fremont Street. Known for thoughtful sourcing and warm hospitality, this marks the café's third outpost in the valley — and its first in the heart of Downtown. Chef Leticia Mitchell Opens Another Cocina Leticia's Cocina and Cantina is opening a new location at Boulder Station this summer. Known for dishes like birria quesatacos, shrimp ceviche, and Mexico City-style enchiladas suizas, chef Leticia Mitchell first gained national attention with an appearance on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives . This will be her second location with Station Casinos, following the original inside Santa Fe Station. She also runs Letty's, a fast-casual spin-off downtown, and sister restaurant Carmelita's Mar y Tierra in East Las Vegas. Leticia's will replace the now-closed Guadalajara restaurant. See More:
Int'l Business Times
10-06-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Silent Success: Private Listings and Luxury Big Island's Model Now Validated by NAR's New Marketing Flexibility Rules
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has announced a significant policy change that formally introduces "delayed marketing exempt listings" to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) framework. Sellers will now have the option to withhold their property from public marketing—such as through Internet Data Exchange (IDX) and third-party syndication—for a specified period, while still making the property visible to fellow MLS participants. Effective March 25, 2025, and with full implementation required by September 30, the policy is being introduced as part of a broader initiative titled "Multiple Listing Options for Sellers." It is designed to provide homeowners with greater flexibility and privacy when listing properties. NAR emphasized that this update emerged from months of consultations with MLS leaders, agents, brokerages, legal experts, and fair housing stakeholders. This pivot formalizes what certain niche players in the real estate sector—such as Hawaii-based Private Listings and Luxury Big Island—have already been doing for years. The move implicitly acknowledges that some sellers value privacy, while some buyers prefer discretion. According to Harold X. Clarke, founder of both Private Listings and Luxury Big Island, "It's validation that the industry is recognizing what we've known for a long time: not every sale belongs on a billboard." Quiet Sales Have Long Had a Clientele—Now They Have Recognition Off-market transactions, also known as "silent sales" or "pocket listings," have historically served clients whose priorities differ from those of traditional real estate consumers. These include ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWI), public figures, and multi-generational family estate holders who prioritize discretion and exclusivity over broad visibility. Private Listings, which operates as an invitation-only platform, deals with transactions often exceeding $40 million. The properties are not searchable online, and access is restricted to vetted parties. Clarke and his team have described their role less as listing agents and more as real estate matchmakers, connecting opportunities with the right people quietly and efficiently. Luxury Big Island, while publicly accessible, also offers a tailored service to high-net-worth clients. The platform features trophy properties across Hawaii, including gated estates and oceanfront holdings. Both entities are under the corporate umbrella of MegaCapital Hawaii Corp. Clarke says the approach stems from decades of working with individuals "who don't want their homes—or their intentions—on display." Market Forces Are Moving Toward Customization The announcement from NAR comes amid growing consumer frustration with a one-size-fits-all model for property transactions. According to Redfin, more than 15% of luxury home sales in major U.S. cities in 2024 were conducted off-market. In Hawaii specifically, internal data from brokerages suggests that nearly one in five residential sales over $10 million occur outside of the MLS system. This market trend is not exclusive to luxury buyers. Some sellers have cited safety, timing constraints, or the desire to test pricing as reasons for avoiding immediate syndication. Clarke believes the shift reflects deeper changes in how people think about real estate: "For a while, technology dictated the rules—list it, blast it, sell it fast. But people are realizing that speed doesn't always align with value." NAR's policy stops short of explicitly endorsing full off-market deals, but it carves out a sanctioned path for delaying public exposure. It also clarifies that one-to-one broker communications will not be considered public marketing under the Clear Cooperation Policy—a point that may benefit firms already operating in this gray zone. Brokerage Identity Is Being Rewritten NAR's revised guidelines bring fresh attention to the question of what role brokerages should play. Traditionally, listing agents have functioned as conduits between sellers and the MLS. But Clarke suggests that the future points toward a more consultative, problem-solving model. "We're deal sourcers. Our job is to understand the layers behind a transaction—not just find a buyer, but find the right buyer at the right moment." By offering multiple paths to market—from public listings to ultra-private introductions—firms like MegaCapital Hawaii are challenging the idea that MLS participation alone equates to client service. While the new NAR policy still requires listing within one business day of public marketing, the option to delay that exposure now creates more maneuvering room. Whether other brokerages will follow suit remains to be seen. But Clarke is not expecting Private Listings or Luxury Big Island to become mainstream. "Our model isn't for everyone," he says. "But for the people who need what we offer, nothing else works." Local Rollouts, National Implications As individual MLS systems now begin setting their own timelines for delayed marketing periods, brokerages and clients alike will be watching closely. The policy allows for local discretion, which could mean varied experiences across the country depending on how each market interprets and applies the new rules. For those already working with high-discretion clients, the changes may not shift operations drastically. But the regulatory cover now offers legal and professional legitimacy to what had long been viewed as an unconventional approach. What remains consistent, regardless of policy, is the growing demand for customized sales strategies—especially at the top end of the market. Whether done quietly or loudly, the goal is the same: achieving the best outcome for clients in a way that respects their circumstances.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
Soldier Who 'Hates Himself' for Dismembering Pregnant Wife, Unborn Child with Chainsaw Learns Fate
Pfc Dewayne Johnson II, a former Hawaii-based U.S. Army soldier, was sentenced to 23 years in prison on June 3 after he admitted to killing his 19-year-old wife Mischa Johnson Dewayne used a machete and chainsaw to dismember Mischa and threw out her body parts in a dumpster in trash bags According to prosecutors, Dewayne had messaged 18 different women on a dating app and they found photos of him on his phone with another womanA Hawaii-based U.S. Army soldier was sentenced to 23 years in prison on June 3 after he admitted that he killed his 19-year-old wife and unborn child in the midst of a heated argument — and then dismembered her body to cover up the crime. Pfc Dewayne Johnson II, 29, pleaded guilty at a court-martial to voluntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice and providing false statements, according to a statement from the U.S. Army. He received the maximum sentence, plus a reduction in rank and a dishonorable discharge from the military. On July 12, 2024, Dewayne and his wife, Mischa Johnson, were at their home when they got into a heated argument, the Army statement said. In a military courtroom, Dewayne testified to the judge that he struck Mischa in the head with a machete that they had in their home. The machete then got stuck in Mischa's temple, Hawaii News Now reported. Dewayne eventually freed the machete from Mischa's head and tried to dismember her corpse with it. He was unsuccessful in doing so and bought a chainsaw to dismember what remained of her body. Dewayne admitted in court to severing Mischa's arms and legs from her head and torso, which he kept intact, per the local outlet. He then told the military judge that he separated Mischa's body parts into three trash bags and put them in a dumpster on the military barracks, knowing they would later be incinerated. During the June 3 sentencing, Dewayne offered an apology to Mischa's family, his own family and colleagues on his base, Hawaii News Now reported. 'My wife didn't deserve that. She wasn't trash,' he said. 'I hate myself for what I did, every day.' Mischa's remains and the remains of her unborn child have never been found, according to the statement from the U.S. Army. Both of their remains are presumed to have been transported to Hawaii's trash incinerator. 'While no amount of confinement will ever be able to truly ease the pain of the loss of Ms. Johnson and her unborn child for her family and friends, it is my hope that Pfc. Johnson's admission of guilt and the information he provided as a part of the plea agreement can provide some element of closure,' Lt. Col. Nicholas Hurd, a prosecutor for the Seventh Circuit in the U.S. Army, said in a statement. Dewayne didn't report Mischa missing to authorities until two weeks after he killed her, according to the U.S. Army statement. He even participated in community search parties across Hawaii to look for her. According to prosecutors, Dewayne had messaged 18 different women on a dating app and they found photos of him on his phone with another woman which showed him kissing and performing sexual acts on her, KTIV sister, Mariana Tapiz, spoke to Island News about how painful it was to hear about the details of how her sister was killed. 'As a family together, we're just trying not to focus on the horrific details of her last moment with him. And instead, right now, we're trying to remember the happy memories that we have and remember her in that life,' Tapiz said. If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People
New York Post
05-06-2025
- New York Post
US soldier gets 23 years for killing his pregnant wife with a machete and dumping her in the trash
A Hawaii-based U.S. Army soldier was sentenced Thursday to 23 years in prison for killing his wife and unborn child last summer and attempting to cover up the crime by dismembering and disposing of her body in the trash. Pfc. Dewayne Johnson II pleaded guilty earlier in the week to voluntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice and providing false official statements, the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel said in a statement. His wife, Mischa Johnson, was 19 years old and six months pregnant at the time of her death July 12, 2024. Her body has not been found. 3 U.S. Army Pfc. Dewayne Johnson, a cavalry scout assigned to 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, sits with his teammates during an exercise at Helemano Military Reservation, Hawaii, Nov. 2, 2023. Joshua Linfoot/U.S. Army Johnson, of the 25th Infantry Division, told the judge during testimony in a military courtroom that he hit his wife with a machete in their home at the Schofield Barracks military base on Oahu after an argument, KITV reported. He said he snapped after his wife yelled that his child won't know that he existed. He hit her on the head, and she stopped breathing and didn't have a pulse. He said he didn't intend to kill her. 'I couldn't picture my life without my child,' he said. 'I regret, I shouldn't have done it.' He used a chain saw to cut up his wife's body to hide the killing and placed her body parts in garbage bags that he put in a dumpster in his unit. He said had heard the garbage was taken from there straight to an incinerator. 3 Mischa Johnson was 19 years old and six months pregnant. Marianna Tapiz Johnson reported his wife missing July 31, more than two weeks after her death. He joined search parties looking for her around Oahu. He was charged with her murder Aug. 27 after Army investigators found blood, DNA and other evidence in his home. Prosecutors said Johnson, from Frederick, Maryland, received the maximum sentence allowed under law. They dropped child sexual abuse image charges under the terms of his plea agreement. Johnson's rank will be reduced to private and he will forfeit pay and allowances and be dishonorably discharged. He will serve his sentence in a military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. 3 Prosecutors said that Johnson received the maximum sentence allowed under law. Handout Marianna Tapiz told KITV it was shocking and painful to hear what happened to her sister. 'As a family together, we're just trying not to focus on the horrific details of her last moment with him,' Tapiz said. 'And instead, right now, we're trying to just remember the happy memories that we have and remember her in that life.' Army prosecutor Lt. Col. Nicholas Hurd, said he hoped the justice proceedings will help the family heal. 'While no amount of confinement will ever be able to truly ease the pain of the loss of Ms. Johnson and her unborn child for her family and friends, it is my hope that Pfc. Johnson's admissions of guilt and the information he provided as part of the plea agreement can provide some element of closure and finality for the family and all stakeholders,' Hurd said in a statement.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Yahoo
US soldier gets 23 years for killing his pregnant wife with a machete and dumping her in the trash
WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii (AP) — A Hawaii-based U.S. Army soldier was sentenced Thursday to 23 years in prison for killing his wife and unborn child last summer and attempting to cover up the crime by dismembering and disposing of her body in the trash. Pfc. Dewayne Johnson II pleaded guilty earlier in the week to voluntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice and providing false official statements, the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel said in a statement. His wife, Mischa Johnson, was 19 years old and six months pregnant at the time of her death July 12, 2024. Her body has not been found. Johnson, of the 25th Infantry Division, told the judge during testimony in a military courtroom that he hit his wife with a machete in their home at the Schofield Barracks military base on Oahu after an argument, KITV reported. He said he snapped after his wife yelled that his child won't know that he existed. He hit her on the head, and she stopped breathing and didn't have a pulse. He said he didn't intend to kill her. 'I couldn't picture my life without my child," he said. 'I regret, I shouldn't have done it.' He used a chain saw to cut up his wife's body to hide the killing and placed her body parts in garbage bags that he put in a dumpster in his unit. He said had heard the garbage was taken from there straight to an incinerator. Johnson reported his wife missing July 31, more than two weeks after her death. He joined search parties looking for her around Oahu. He was charged with her murder Aug. 27 after Army investigators found blood, DNA and other evidence in his home. Prosecutors said Johnson, from Frederick, Maryland, received the maximum sentence allowed under law. They dropped child sexual abuse image charges under the terms of his plea agreement. Johnson's rank will be reduced to private and he will forfeit pay and allowances and be dishonorably discharged. He will serve his sentence in a military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Marianna Tapiz told KITV it was shocking and painful to hear what happened to her sister. 'As a family together, we're just trying not to focus on the horrific details of her last moment with him," Tapiz said. 'And instead, right now, we're trying to just remember the happy memories that we have and remember her in that life.' Army prosecutor Lt. Col. Nicholas Hurd, said he hoped the justice proceedings will help the family heal. 'While no amount of confinement will ever be able to truly ease the pain of the loss of Ms. Johnson and her unborn child for her family and friends, it is my hope that Pfc. Johnson's admissions of guilt and the information he provided as part of the plea agreement can provide some element of closure and finality for the family and all stakeholders,' Hurd said in a statement.
