Opinion and analysis by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Editorial Board. Get informed with columns and commentary, and submit a letter to the editor.
It’s rather chilling: The Hilo Benioff Medical Center (HBMC) morgue, built 40 years ago to hold an expected maximum of 16 bodies, has been chronically over capacity because of its use by Hawaii County to store bodies being held for coroner’s inquest cases and criminal investigations. Read more
Confusion, hopelessness, powerlessness and fear. Young people should never have to experience these emotions, especially at the hands of someone they know and trust. 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
Keep an eye on Bill 37 at Honolulu Hale: It’s all about how the city keeps its eye on the public, adding the Skyline transit system to the video surveillance network. Read more
Violence is as American as apple pie. It started with genocide against the indigenous people of the land and slavery of kidnapped Africans. America has been involved in more than 100 military conflicts since the Revolutionary War. Read more
This past Saturday I was listening to a local radio host speaking about the attempted assassination of former President Trump, and he was reading some comments from our congressional representatives regarding this incident. Read more
The Project 2025 manifesto is scary and will trample the civil rights of the American people. I am neither Republican nor Democrat. Read more
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, there have been 262 helicopter accidents and incidents in Hawaii since 1962. Read more
Many federal, state and local officials speaking out against the attempted assassination of Donald Trump are hypocrites. Read more
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It’s sad that the Haiku Stairs are to be removed. However, all parties concerned had 30-plus years to come up with a plan and an agreement to implement it. Read more
The worst of the fears seemed to ebb over the weekend, as firefighters worked to contain 80% of the blaze on Haleakala Crater Road; on Saturday, the emergency advisory for residents was lifted. Read more
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
President Joe Biden’s recent debate and interview debacles have had many concerned whether because of his age, he should consider retiring. Read more
It’s a long shot that an entertainment venue will retain its popularity for 50 years — but Waikiki’s Hula’s has stayed the course, earning its reputation as Honolulu’s legacy gay bar by making entertainment job one, with live music, DJs and drag shows throughout the week and a mission to serve up “Aloha for All.” Read more
The commentators saying that political violence has no place in America should talk to people like Rep. Jamie Raskin, who investigated Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election; he has endured constant death threats. Also talk to the prosecutors, judges and staff in Trump’s criminal trials for election interference. Read more
So much hatred, anger and divisiveness consumes our nation. Whether a supporter of Trump or Biden, there is no excuse for violence and it should never — and will never — be condoned. Read more
Fuel (vegetation) is the fire triangle element that can be managed. We have drought maps, but they don’t tell us about fuels. Red flag warnings consider vegetation moisture, but they are issued only under certain weather conditions. Read more
In lieu of spending money to hire a PR firm to sell the Honolulu rail, why not have a few weekends when the public can ride Skyline for free or at a reduced rate to experience the benefit. Read more
A recent letter is partly right (“Before voting, crucial to learn about Project 2025,” Star-Advertiser, July 12). Project 2025 was written by The Heritage Foundation. Read more
Alec Baldwin “dodged a bullet” when his charge for involuntary manslaughter was dismissed. 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
