Honolulu’s sharpened focus on ocean safety is coming into view, taking the shape of new lifeguard towers as well as plans for a new facility with offices and storage for Windward Oahu lifeguard operations. Read more
Ballots have been mailed out to registered voters, and should have arrived at homes by now. All adult residents of Hawaii now need to do their democratic duty and make their values and choices known, by casting a vote. Read more
Experience counts in the races for the Honolulu City Council, as for all elected officials, which is why the two candidates in the active contests with the most significant track records are the ones who voters should choose during the primary election cycle. Read more
Rick Blangiardi entered his first race for public office, for mayor of Honolulu, as a political novice — but one with a lot of business acumen, someone who pledged to sharpen the business of city operations. Read more
State Legislature competitions in the Aug. 10 primary are few and far between — fewer than usual, unfortunately, and that’s a shame. Read more
Our representatives must remain accountable — and so must work to benefit their Hawaii constituencies throughout their tenures, no matter how many times they may be reelected. Read more
It’s a welcome outcome that should be applauded as an incremental win for Hawaii species and habitat threatened by development, climate change and sea level rise. Read more
Wind energy is a resource that is plentiful in the right locations in the islands, but gathering it up presents a problem. Concerns with placing the tall wind turbines near homes, schools and other occupied buildings have erected barriers to completion of wind energy projects. Read more
The campus at the Waikiki Community Center (WCC) is reaching the end of its practical lifespan, and that provides an ideal opportunity for the 46-year-old nonprofit running it to reenvision itself and plan for the next five decades. Read more
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Sad to say, there’s nothing new about the level of political violence on the U.S. landscape. The public has become inured to bloody conflict, the latest fresh shock dealt as an attempted assassination at a campaign rally Saturday. Read more
In early May, Gov. Josh Green signed a law giving counties the specific authority to regulate — and to phase out — short-term rentals (STRs) as part of their authority over zoning. Read more
The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) is at a crossroads, after recent years of bumpy operations. Read more
Climate change is unquestionably reshaping island life — from comparatively pronounced seasonal changes and increasingly powerful storms, to existential threats including wildfires and sea level rise. Read more
The Aug. 8 wildfire tragedy that befell Lahaina, Maui and the entire state is so immense that recovery will be years, even decades, in the making. But from the ashes, lessons must be learned now, in the interest of preventing anything of that magnitude from happening again. Read more
The city bought the Waikiki Vista on Kapiolani Boulevard for $37.75 million in November 2022, with the expectation of converting the building, previously used for a dormitory and classrooms, to affordable housing. Read more
In the past 3-1/2 years, President Joe Biden has made significant progress on many domestic goals of his party, including initiatives that are serving Hawaii interests well. Read more
On June 20, Hawaii’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Hawaii’s Commission on Water Resource Management failed to protect the public trust, as it is constitutionally required to do, in failing to preserve and protect Central Maui stream flows from diversion. Read more
Just when Oahu’s rail project seemed poised to forge ahead by putting its most-recent turmoil behind, it self-inflicts another wound. Read more
Step by step, Honolulu and the state have been raising the stakes against gambling operations that set up on Oahu. Read more
The Fourth of July brings communities together in what always is a celebration of America and its institutions of democracy. Typically, it’s a carefree occasion, time to set differences and concerns to one side for fireworks and family. Read more
As a society, there really is nothing more important than protecting and caring for the most vulnerable among us — and that means our keiki and kupuna. Read more
