Communities by choice, not fiat

Ethnic communities that grow up in urban centers add to the charm of these cities, but normally these neighborhoods form organically. A particular immigrant group finds its new home more hospitable when there are culturally familiar surroundings; restaurants, businesses, gathering places where barriers of language recede for a time.

It’s hard to see exactly how such a community is created after the fact, as in the current notion state officials are exploring: a new "Koreatown" district. Granted, the zone around Keeaumoku Street has been a focal point of the Korean community for years, but there’s a lot of other commercial activity (Walmart, for instance) now dominating the area.

Not that a cultural center of some sort, some historic-looking street signs wouldn’t be nice touches. But if this idea is going to take root, it needs grassroots support, not just public planning.

Save the whales, with public input

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources did the right thing by deferring a proposal that could eventually make waters off Niihau part of the Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Local fisherman worry about losing fishing rights off the privately owned island if the plan goes through, and decried a lack of public input.

The state land board had been scheduled to consider the proposal last week, but DLNR deferred the matter in favor of community outreach intended to share information about all aspects of the plan and bring more voices into the discussion.