Intentionally or not, Hawaii may have just reached a crossroads in planning for its economic future. Its reliance on its bedrock visitor industry has been shaken to the core by the global coronavirus pandemic, and there may need to be a redeployent of its workforce. Read more
Soon after signing off on a back-to-school agreement a couple of weeks ago, it became apparent that the state Department of Education and the Hawaii State Teachers Association lacked like-mindedness on safety details such as on-campus social distancing and face coverings. Read more
Gov. David Ige has an inbox full of bills the Legislature sent him before finishing up its three-part 2020 session on Friday. Read more
Honolulu, like cities across the country, is in the midst of a punishing global pandemic that has shuttered businesses, thrown many thousands into unemployment and suppressed tax collections. Read more
The battlefield metaphor for the coronavirus crisis is not always a perfect fit, but sometimes looking at it through such a lens can be useful. Read more
When it comes Hawaii’s homegrown food sustainability, farming operations usually come to mind. But beyond farm aid, fish aid can’t be forgotten. Read more
As the state Legislature ends its historically difficult session today, the work for its next one is already piling up. And a great deal of it — trying to square up the state’s costs with its plummeting tax revenues — won’t wait. Read more
Even in this chaotic time of COVID-19, it’s important to stay attentive to public projects that aim to shift our lifestyles toward a collective goal. Read more
Recent COVID-19 reports may have jolted Hawaii out of a false sense of security. It may be an even bigger challenge to bring back trans-Pacific travelers after Aug. 1 than anyone thought. Read more
The thing that attracts visitors to vacation rentals — the ability to “disappear” into the local community and find a genuine island experience — is exactly why these accommodations are so concerning now, mid-pandemic. Read more
Hawaii has some of the strongest gun laws in the nation, routinely earning high marks from gun-control advocacy groups for responding to emerging firearms concerns and high-profile cases of senseless violence. Read more
The Black Lives Matter protests that have swept the country, even to Hawaii, and the horrific killings at their core, have shown that although Americans are created equal, they aren’t all treated that way. Read more
Mayor Kirk Caldwell this week announced plans to clean up Chinatown — literally. Read more
July 1 ushered in a new fiscal year for our local governments as well as some updates, both good and not so good. Read more
During the final quarter of the 2019-20 school year, the coronavirus outbreak brought an abrupt halt to traditional, in-classroom instruction in Hawaii public schools. Read more
The statement from the Hawaii Supreme Court on a decades-long legal fight has come down, and it couldn’t have been said more plainly: The state has failed in its trust responsibilities to deliver on a promise first made by the federal government a century ago, to provide homesteading for Hawaii’s indigenous people. Read more
In a survey commissioned by the state Department of Health and conducted in April, nearly three-quarters of Hawaii residents viewed COVID-19 as a “very serious” health concern. It’s alarming that in a follow-up poll, done in late May and early June, that view dropped to 54%. Read more
Honolulu is often noted for having an impressive selection of restaurants for a city of its size because of its visitor industry. Read more
The push for police reform has become a national issue with such momentum that, at least in Hawaii, the tide has turned in favor of a provision open-government advocates have sought for years: disclosure of police officers’ identity upon suspension or discharge as a disciplinary action. Read more
The key to success is a system requiring only minor course corrections as tourism slowly returns. This is so critical to Hawaii. Let’s prepare carefully, so we can get things right the first time. Read more
The near-collapse of Hawaii’s tourism industry, and the 22% unemployment rate that came with it, serve as jolting reminders of how much our economy depends on the visitor industry. Read more
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