Debate over state instrument hits sour notes

A lot of sour notes are rising from the halls of the state Capitol this session because of the following musical question: Should the ukulele be Hawaii’s state instrument?

People figured nobody would find the iconic stringed instrument a controversial nomination. They were wrong. Champions of other potential honorees, ranging from the steel guitar to the pahu drum, have come out in full force.

Among surviving bills, Senate Bill 3107 retains the ukulele proposal. House Bill 2573 suggests the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs come up with nominations to be put to voters — including Hawaii’s children, through the Kids Voting Hawaii project.

Who knew something as lovely and diverse as Hawaiian music could be the crux of such a fight?

The wheels on the bus start going ’round, ’round

Good things happen when people who hold the power to foment change stop accepting the status quo.

Fresh evidence rests in the Hawaii Department of Education, which is transporting more students to school and saving money doing it, now that it has overhauled its bus transportation system.

It took a budgetary crisis imposed by state lawmakers to shake the DOE out of its complacency, and the transformation was painful at times. But now the DOE is rolling along, projected to save up to $6 million in about two years on student transportation.