Off the News: A holiday for statehood

It’s now been more than 20 years since “Admission Day” was renamed “Statehood Day” — either way, always celebrated on the third Friday in August. It’s not the favorite holiday of Hawaiian activists who on July 31 preferred marking La Ho‘iho‘i Ea, Sovereignty Restoration Day, the day when the Hawaiian kingdom regained international sovereign recognition in 1842.

For state and county workers, at least, it’s a day off, and for those at work, there’s free street parking. For some, that’s cause enough to celebrate.