The Honolulu City and County park system ranks near the middle among the nation’s 100 largest city areas, according to a Trust for Public Land evaluation, which included access — percentage of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park — among its measures. The 2018 “ParkScore” index found that islandwide, about 60 percent of some 1 million residents enjoy such easy access.

The figure would be much higher had the rankings included beaches as public natural areas. (Shorelines were omitted because of difficulties verifying GPS high-water mark locations.) Slightly more than 19 percent of Oahu’s overall acreage is designated as park land.

Kmart’s journey from Iwilei to Lihue

When Kmart first opened its doors in Honolulu in October 1992, its Iwilei parking lot was jammed with bargain-hunters — the opening salvo from mainland big-box, discount retailers that would change the landscape of shopping across the islands.

So it’s with a little wistfulness that we mark the passing of the Kmart in Kailua-Kona, which will close in early August. Liquidation sales began last week. After that, Lihue will have the only Kmart in Hawaii.

The present and future of shopping for Hawaii residents continues to evolve. But over the last 25 years, it’s been a wild ride.