Opinion and analysis by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Editorial Board. Get informed with columns and commentary, and submit a letter to the editor.
We’re barely 11 weeks into 2025, and already seven cases of travel-related dengue have been confirmed in the islands — a worrisome reminder to keep yards free of standing water that can breed mosquitoes, lowering risk that the blood sucker-borne viral illness will take hold here and take precautions if visiting areas where the infection is widespread. Read more
OK, sports fans, here’s a pop quiz: Where’s the oldest active baseball field in America? Read more
Hawaii is slowly tightening the leash on firearm ownership. Multiple legislative bills moving through the state House and Senate this session take aim at low-hanging fruit, but are welcome nonetheless. Read more
It’s no secret that children in Hawaii foster care can experience truly terrible outcomes. Read more
It’s almost as though our elected leaders purposely complicate matters. Currently, no gambling is allowed in Hawaii. Instead of starting incrementally, though, legislators are moving a bill to legalize online sports gambling. Read more
Regarding the SAVE Act (requiring proof of identity and U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections), isn’t that a no-brainer? Read more
Some things never cease to amaze me. Imagine a law requiring proof of birth, residency and change of name documents just to exercise some privilege. Read more
Dreams about making America great again are rather shallow considering El Salvador’s refusal to release a prisoner wrongly delivered south. Read more
With the recent passing of Charles Prentiss, we lose a stalwart advocate for sustainable land-use development and quality-of-life issues on our island. Read more
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Even in the quiet, before the closing-day speeches in the first days of May, this year’s state Legislature is significant. The promise is that they will be back for a special session. Read more
The climate crisis is no longer a distant concern — it’s here, now, reshaping daily life across Hawaii. Read more
When poor land management and a quickly changing planet collide, we witness frightening natural disasters Read more
Hawaii’s conservation efforts are at a critical crossroads. For years, environmental organizations like Malama Maunalua have worked tirelessly to protect our reefs, restore coastal ecosystems and safeguard our natural resources. Read more
Proponents argue it will generate revenue, but at what cost? Read more
A homeschool reporting requirement is welcome, but it would resolve just one flaw in an inadequate system. Read more
The recent appointment of Maria Penn to the Oahu Family Court marks an important and long-overdue step toward greater inclusion of the Filipino community in Hawaii’s judiciary Read more
People have lost their minds when it comes to Donald Trump’s tariffs. Read more
Donald Trump’s expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador is telling. Read more
My suggestion to the state of Hawaii, its counties and municipalities, Department of Education and university system is to plan all future budgets as if the federal government doesn’t exist. Read more
The Star-Advertiser article on short-term rentals (STRs) and the city’s failure to collect fines related to zoning violations is sure to encourage more scofflaws to break the law and ignore those fines. Read more
Synopsis: ChatGPT could be a powerful tool that would support the spread of the Hawaiian language. Read more
