Tom Yamachika: Messages From the 2017 Hawaii Legislature
Throughout this legislative session, the rail tax measure — Senate Bill 1183 — was heard and debated numerous times. It seemed as if there were two main variables under discussion: how many years the...
View ArticleHirono Town Hall: Hawaii Senator Promises To Keep Resisting Trump
At a crowded town hall in Honolulu on Saturday, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono faced a barrage of questions from her Democratic constituents in Hawaii who are fearful about their future in a world of...
View ArticleHonolulu Rail: Caldwell’s Lack Of Leadership Is A Continuing Problem
Back in 2011, when Honolulu’s rail project was estimated to cost a mere $5.2 billion, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye secured federal funding for the endeavor. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations...
View ArticleHow This Hawaii Business Is Using A New Law To Raise Money
Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter have long offered backers a straightforward deal. People donate money to a creative project and get a reward, like a T-shirt or cool new gadget. But one thing...
View ArticleWho Won And Who Lost In A Legislative Session Marked By Failure
I’ve heard it from lots of folks: The just completed 2017 session of the Hawaii Legislature was the worst in recent memory. Dozens of significant bills, including ones that could alter the state’s...
View ArticleIn Case Of Nuclear Attack …
The post In Case Of Nuclear Attack … appeared first on Honolulu Civil Beat.
View ArticleReader Rep: Media Transparency Is Key To Regaining Public Trust
Trust in American mass media has dropped to an all-time low, fueled by a fascist alignment of corporate and political scoundrels turned active enemies of the First Amendment. “Liberals” meanwhile...
View ArticleHilton Janitors Expect To Get $1.1 Million In Unpaid Wages
Dozens of Hilton janitors are expecting to receive more than $1.1 million in unpaid wages from Hawaii Care and Cleaning, a contractor for the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Paola Rodelas, a spokeswoman for...
View ArticlePhotographer, Health Columnist Receive Best Of The West Journalism Awards
Photos of a memorial service for victims of a Marine helicopter collision and health columns by a Honolulu physician have resulted in awards for Honolulu Civil Beat in the 2017 Best of the West...
View ArticleFormer Congressional Candidate Shirlene Ostrov Wants To Be GOP Chair
Shirlene DelaCruz Ostrov, a military veteran and small business owner, is in the running to become the next chair of the Hawaii Republican Party. “There has been a lot of news written about the Hawaii...
View ArticleBring The Honolulu Rail Project Back To Planet Earth
This legislative session, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell lobbied hard for extending the general excise tax another decade to fund rail, already the most expensive public works project in state history....
View ArticleHirono’s Statement On Overseas Bases Flies In The Face Of Reality
Last Saturday when Sen. Mazie Hirono held a rare town hall meeting on Kauai, I joined some 100 concerned voters to hear what she had to say and ask questions. When I took the microphone, I asked the...
View ArticleDenby Fawcett: Hawaii’s History Of Racial Discrimination
Sometimes a small, almost hidden article in the newspaper can open up long-suppressed feelings about historical events larger and more salient than the actual news story. I came across such an article...
View ArticleHawaii’s Inaction On Replacing Jail Is A Victory For Justice Reformers
As this year’s legislative session got underway, Bob Merce had a mission: Stop state lawmakers from signing off on any plan to replace the crumbling Oahu Community Correctional Center — a massive...
View ArticleHirono: Comey Firing A ‘Disservice To The American People’
The firing of the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday has Hawaii’s Democratic senators reacting with alarm. “The President’s decision to fire FBI Director James Comey in this manner,...
View ArticleOHA Gets An F Grade For Telling You How It Spends Your Money
A new report identifies 42 government agencies across the country that have poor practices when it comes to online spending transparency. One of them is the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the only city,...
View ArticleIt Looks Like Political Insiders Will Help Pick The Next Honolulu Police Chief
When Max Sword first announced the Honolulu Police Commission would form a citizen panel to help select the city’s next police chief he told the press he wanted it be made up of “regular people”...
View ArticleHealth Beat: A Possible Solution For Hawaii’s Overcrowded ERs
A proposal to allow establishment of a community paramedic program to help people avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency room was part of House Bill 1410, which was recently deferred by the...
View ArticleSocial Media Inspires Unnecessary Risk-Taking By Climbers, Hikers
Legendary Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck recently fell more than 3,280 feet to his death while free soloing (climbing alone) in the Himalaya. While our mountains here in Hawaii have nothing near the same...
View ArticleCity Searches For A Way To Encourage Affordable Housing Near Rail Stops
The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday will consider a measure that aims to increase the number of lower-priced homes built near the rail line. Honolulu’s land-use ordinance already encourages...
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