More ways to move in urban Honolulu

First bicycles, now cars.

Servco Pacific Inc. and Toyota plan to offer Priuses for short-term rentals in Kakaako through your smartphone — no counter clerks and no lines, just a mobile app for the virtual paperwork and a digital key to start the car.

The Priuses will join those ubiquitous blue Biki bicycles, waiting for you at self-serve kiosks around town. It’s about tapping into a market need: New high-rises, shops and restaurants are making Kakaako’s once-quiet streets more crowded than ever. Leaving your car at home could be the smarter choice.

Hawaii marks 58 years of statehood

Today is Admission Day, the third Friday in August, when we mark Hawaii’s entry into the Union as the 50th state.

The actual date was Aug. 21, 1959, one of the most significant days in Hawaii’s modern history. At the time, it was celebrated with parties and fireworks. Today, it will pass quietly. For many Native Hawaiians, there’s nothing to celebrate; for others, it’s just a welcome day off.

Still, it’s a good day to think about how far our islands have come, and how we can best shape our collective future.