Opinion and analysis by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Editorial Board. Get informed with columns and commentary, and submit a letter to the editor.
A settlement is expected by week’s end on four-year contracts for more than 5,000 unionized Hawaii hotel workers in UNITE HERE Local 5 — about half of the union’s membership — who will gain a $10-an-hour pay increase. Read more
Being denied appropriate health care services can leave you feeling hopeless. If you are convinced your health plan is wrong and you think that delay could be harmful, get the care first and then hold the health plan accountable. Read more
The reality of coastal erosion from sea level rise is intensifying statewide, revealing more situations of structures precariously perched at ocean’s edge, undermined by waves and dangerously close to being swept out to sea. Read more
As expressed in the editorial on Nov. 10, it’s time to put the issue of fire sprinklers in Honolulu high-rise condominiums to bed (“Act decisively on condo sprinklers,” Star-Advertiser, Our View). Read more
The presidential election shocked many into realizing that the Donald Trump phenomenon is not an aberration, but is the face of America. Read more
Our best leaders bring us together. I believe Donald Trump achieved victory in part, however, by further splitting us apart. Read more
Regarding the Nov. 10 article, “Disappearing Beaches”: Perhaps the good people at the departments of Land and Natural Resources and of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, etc., should read and refer to Robert L. Wiegel’s 2008 article “Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawai‘i: History of its transformation from a natural to an urban shore” in Shore & Beach. Read more
Everything that the Democrats did to get Kamala Harris elected failed. Joe Biden would have had a better chance, maybe. Read more
Now that Donald Trump has won the presidency for a second term, let’s see if any of the nonsense expressed by some people will come to pass. Read more
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In many ways, 83-year-old “David” is symbolic of the hundreds of mentally ill people living in our streets. Read more
Give back. That’s a welcome message for veterans and all members of our communities. Read more
A gift of 249 acres in Makaha Valley from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation to MA‘O Organic Farms promises to open up additional opportunities and college assistance for young people interested in agriculture, while also adding to Oahu’s severely limited supply of affordable housing stock. Read more
It’s an ongoing teachable moment: On Monday, a new plaque fronting the namesake statue at President William McKinley High School was unveiled, to address misrepresentation and provide important context of Hawaii’s annexation history. Read more
With Veterans Day just passed, we would do well to remember its origin, the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918. Read more
Recently, Hawaii Pacific University’s Oceanic Institute released aquacultured lauipala (yellow tang) in Waimanalo, highlighting the important role these herbivores play in reef health and the significant decline in their populations due to massive extraction by Hawaii’s aquarium pet trade. Read more
Besides myself, does anyone else think columnist David Shapiro is a spot-on guy? On Nov. 3, Shapiro commented on Colleen Hanabusa (“Instead of losing a job, Hanabusa gains another,” Star-Advertiser, Volcanic Ash). Read more
It is a sad state of affairs. The number of misguided people who elected Donald Trump is ridiculous. To read that the southern border and the economy are the issues most responsible for the Democrats’ loss shows how ignorant the majority of the electorate are. Read more
The election is over and peaceful transfer of power is in sight. Now is the time to reclaim normalcy and sanity in American politics. Read more
Hawaiian Electric reports it’s reducing wildfire risk from its operations: After spending $120 million this year, projected risk of its equipment starting a fire will drop by 60%. Read more
Now’s the chance — “now” meaning today — to weigh in on the Honolulu Rate Commission’s proposed changes to bus/transit fares. Read more
How long can a diamond in the rough be allowed to languish before it loses its potential to shine? In the case of Kaimuki’s Queen Theater, which has deteriorated for nearly four decades since its closure, the project has waited long enough without the intervention it needs. Read more
