Over the past month, new developments on two fatal shootings by Honolulu police and one related case of alleged police brutality have stirred public emotions about right and wrong. About crossing lines that are not clearly black or white. About the very nature of justice. Read more
The Honolulu City Council’s Bill 46, establishing a tax for residential properties left empty for more than six months of a year, has gone through a metamorphosis since its last public airing before the Council. Read more
A Hawaii man now is due to face prosecution for carrying a handgun on private property, charges that were reinstated in February by the Hawaii Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up his appeal. Read more
Less than a year after Honolulu Emergency Medical Services (EMS) became the sole concern of the city Emergency Services Department (HESD) following an Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division spin-off, the ambulance service is facing scrutiny on reports of protracted response times due to long-standing staffing issues. Read more
What’s important now is to muster required support, so that a bill can finally be enacted to mitigate environmental damage and risks. Read more
With yet another announcement from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that a Hawaii business has shortchanged employees — this time by skimming off a portion of workers’ tips, in addition to failing to pay overtime — it’s time for a holiday-themed public service announcement to employers: Don’t do that. Read more
The post-pandemic return of Japanese tourists to Hawaii has been steady, but slow — an ongoing concern since these visitors have long been valued as mindful and respectful, and their spending notably helps to float the state’s economic boat. Read more
The city is walking a tightrope as it prepares to reveal next week “three potential paths” for creating a new landfill on Oahu. Problem is, not one of the locations scouted since 2022 as an alternative is legally viable. Read more
As holiday traditions go, Giving Tuesday is a relative newcomer, but it has shown its staying power. It was launched in 2012 as a project of New York City’s 92nd Street Y but now is operating globally as an independent nonprofit (online at www.givingtuesday.org) that pursues “radical generosity.” Read more
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Honolulu has major housing problems, on two fronts: affordability and availability. Action is required in multiple ways to address these issues and make housing accessible to local residents — particularly young families and members of the workforce. Read more
On Nov. 21, state Auditor Les Kondo presented some of the alarming findings to Hawaii lawmakers. Read more
’is the season for holiday cheer, time with family and friends, gift-giving and feasts — and scams and fraud. Read more
Many people find themselves longing for a moment’s peace. Read more
The grant-funded initiative will feature local artists and storytellers, highlighting 11 culturally significant sites across the island — among them Haleiwa Beach Park and Hanauma Bay — and will even include the city’s roving buses. Read more
The Honolulu Police Department is seeking to impede further the proliferation of these privately made, unregulated firearms. Read more
Far from the waning sands of Oahu’s North Shore, another insidious erosion problem gnaws away at downtown Honolulu. Read more
It’s well-documented that the Waianae Coast has a crime problem. Read more
On Nov. 12, the Honolulu Rate Commission (HRC) heard from DTS about the proposed changes — but frankly, this public rollout was handled too abruptly, if not clumsily. Read more
The sense of deja vu is hard to shake, after a viral outbreak that exploded to become the COVID-19 global pandemic. Read more
The Honolulu City Council has an opportunity to set an example for Oahu — and all Hawaii — by banning single-use plastic bottles at city facilities, then at city-sponsored events, in two phases over three-year periods. Read more
Is Ala Pono a bridge too far? That is at the center of a debate, underway for three years, about the planned pedestrian bridge over the Ala Wai Canal, crossing at the start of University Avenue. Read more
