A holiday fit for a King

Today we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. The civil rights leader was actually born on Jan. 15, but by law the federal holiday is celebrated on the third Monday in January. Had he lived, he would have been 83 years old.

On Oahu, the day will be marked by the annual parade, which begins at 9 a.m. at Ala Moana Park and ends at the Waikiki Shell parking lot. This year’s parade theme, a quote from King himself, especially befits this contentious election year: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter."

Well said, then and now.

Get your swag now for new UH era

With the start of a new year comes the dawn of a new athletics era at the University of Hawaii.

Most noticeably, head football coach Norm Chow is here and ready to work, holding his first news conference Wednesday with various assistant coaches. They’ll have their hands full, getting the football team — and the state — ready for fall’s debut into the Mountain West Conference; meanwhile, other teams within the UH sports ohana also will be leaving the WAC behind. This all stands to give the UH brand renewed luster.

Coincidentally, UH’s Rainbowtique store at Fort Street Mall is closing on Jan. 31 and all merchandise there is being discounted at least 30 percent — so go and stock up on the paraphernalia. Four other Rainbowtiques — at Ward Centre, Waikiki Beach Marriott and Spa, Stan Sherriff Center and UH-Manoa bookstore — remain open for business, as does the online store at www.uhrainbowtique.com. Go, Bows.