Putting a face on homelessness

Honolulu is one of 71 communities tapped for "Zero: 2016," an initiative to combat homelessness, and in one sense, this city has a head start.

The drive is a sequel to the 100,000 Homes Campaign, the movement to find homes for the most vulnerable 100,000 in the country.

This one is to personalize homelessness by surveying streets and listing the people who live there, by name.

"It is nearly impossible to help someone escape homelessness if you don’t know who they are and what kind of help they need," say the organizers, the nonprofit Community Solutions, which will supply participants with support in leadership training and data management.

The title signifies the goal: zeroing out veteran and chronic homelessness in two years. Hono-lulu already has started on the drive, but it will have to pick up the pace to hit that mark.

Pahoa lava story needs to be told

Government authorities have done the people of Pahoa a real disservice by restricting media coverage of the lava flow that is of worldwide interest and concern.

It doesn’t serve the public good, on Hawaii island or elsewhere, and prevents a full accounting of what is a major historical, environmental and community event.

Two Big Island lawmakers recognize this, and have introduced companion measures that would improve journalists’ access to emergency sites such as the Pahoa lava flow.

The measure has stalled in the House, but remains alive in the Senate. We hope it passes. Pahoa’s story deserves the full telling.