Clarity is good, but the clock is ticking

Kamana‘opono Crabbe, chief executive officer of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, wants a extension in the agency’s sovereignty timetable. He has said he wants to avoid closing off the pursuit of independence, once considered a fringe idea. Now it appears to be a mainstream proposal.

But OHA does need to be careful not to push off action for too long. That noise in the background in the trustees’ conference room is the ticking clock. The federal recognition model also needs to be on the table, whenever the enrolled members of the Hawaiian nation convene.

The Obama administration’s Department of the Interior is weighing the possibility of a non-legislative route to federal recognition, but it’s not at all clear that the department’s leadership will be so motivated once President Barack Obama leaves office.

Arizona Memorial ticketing: What would Elvis think?

There’s nothing wrong with saving a set number of premium tickets to the Arizona Memorial for visitors who haven’t booked far enough in advance to get the freebies. The important thing is fairness: Money raised through the sale should benefit the memorial, and there should be an even-handed way to buy them.

The problem with the now-abandoned scheme is that they were sold in blocks to tour companies, and not everyone got a chance at those. Put the set-asides up for sale to the Johnny-come-latelies who are willing to stand in line early at the gate. That would be democratic, something the Pearl Harbor war veterans we honor would appreciate.