David Shapiro: Good efforts in 2023 give hope for new year
Despite the official bumbling so prevalent here, there were players who stepped up with noble efforts in 2023 and are worth watching in the new year. Read more
David Shapiro
David Shapiro is a Honolulu Star-Advertiser columnist whose "Volcanic Ash" column appears every Sunday. Shapiro has covered Hawaii and national news for five decades as a reporter, editor and columnist for Honolulu daily newspapers.
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Latest Stories by David Shapiro
David Shapiro: Good sentiment, laughs put ‘merry’ in Christmas
For Christmas Eve, we’ll leave the troubles of the world aside and share some of my favorite holiday quotations: Read more
David Shapiro: Pam Burns’ animal impact well told in elegant book
I got to know Pam Burns, longtime driving force of the Hawaiian Humane Society, when we were volunteer judges at Scrabble tournaments for the kids at Kuhio Park Terrace. Read more
David Shapiro: State senators and reps soak in their own futility
The only thing reflected by the reflecting pools around our state Capitol is the futlessness of our local government that keeps us from becoming a better Hawaii. Read more
David Shapiro: Taylor Swift hits a chord with sharp takes on life
I’m a cultural illiterate when it comes to Taylor Swift and the millions of screaming “Swifties” flocking to her “Eras Tour,” which celebrates the phases of her career. Read more
David Shapiro: Let’s be more grateful for our season to be jolly
The celebrations at the end of the year used to be known simply as the Christmas break. Read more
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David Shapiro: Top newspaper shows life but woes for local dailies
Amid the gloominess about the health of the newspaper industry, I’m occasionally heartened by signs of hope. Read more
David Shapiro: Filling Hawaii Legislature is all about connections
To understand why it’s so hard to change things for the better in Hawaii, just look at the list of nominees the Maui Democratic Party sent Gov. Josh Green to fill the state Senate seat vacated by Gil Keith-Agaran. Read more
Volcanic Ash: State computer upgrades cause us digital migraines
Perhaps the greatest failure of our state government during the COVID-19 pandemic was the breakdown of the unemployment insurance system. Read more
Volcanic Ash: Many speed bumps mark the road to forgiveness
At World Series time my thoughts turn to my baseball-venerating dad, but I’m not sure he’d be enticed by the Texas Rangers, a struggling expansion team when he died, vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks, who didn’t exist. Read more
David Shapiro: PR comes before policy with Honolulu’s rail board
Every month brings new squabbles with contractors that end up costing taxpayers millions of dollars over who will pay for the consequences of endless delays, fumbles and plan changes. Read more
David Shapiro: The docs find your heart in some unexpected places
A visit to Dr. Edward Shen, a brilliant cardiologist of many interests who’s kept my heart beating in reasonably regular rhythm for 30 years, got me ruminating about the origins of this column. Read more
David Shapiro: Hype and angry discord don’t aid Lahaina recovery
In denying a petition by more than 11,000 Lahaina fire survivors seeking to postpone today’s reopening of West Maui tourism, Gov. Josh Green said it’s time for recovery to begin and declared, “We have to be decisive.” Read more
David Shapiro: HART’s endless games deter ever doing rail right
The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation seems incapable of learning from its mistakes when it comes to raising false expectations about Honolulu rail, misleading the public on problems and stifling criticism. Read more
David Shapiro: Zeal for public service defined Lassner at University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii President David Lassner made known he’ll retire at the end of 2024 in his usual low-key manner: an email to the Board of Regents. Read more
David Shapiro: 2 major political parties lack the right stuff to lead
Debates about Hawaii’s public policy failures often end with fingers of blame pointed at our one-party rule by Democrats, who have long held the governorship and super-majorities in both houses of the Legislature. Read more
David Shapiro: Nadine Kam’s personality touched food, song, fashion
Kam’s goal was to be constructively encouraging to eateries while honest with readers as to what they were getting. Read more
David Shapiro: Lahaina shows the need for fixes on many levels
Too often, an apt description of Hawaii local government workings is “half-assed.” Read more
David Shapiro: Okimoto pushes for less scrutiny of new pay hikes
To the public, the biggest problem with the City Council’s 64% pay increase was the shameless greed displayed by members in taking care of themselves while hardships forced constituents to leave the islands. Read more
David Shapiro: Green can talk our ears off — but he really shouldn’t
During the COVID-19 pandemic, then-Lt. Gov. Josh Green’s whiteboard briefings on Facebook were popular because he often imparted key factual information that the Ige administration was stingy in releasing. Read more
David Shapiro: When ‘affordable’ housing more resembles hard time
Buyers of Sky’s affordable units have no access to the building’s pool and other amenities, and must pay $38,000 extra for parking. They’re restricted from selling for up to 30 years. Read more
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