Off the news: Alameda sworn in as Hawaii County mayor

• Dec. 5, 2024

A new mayor for Hawaii County was sworn in on Monday. Kimo Alameda, who defeated incumbent Mitch Roth on Nov. 5, took the oath of office in a ceremony at the Outrigger Kona Resort in Keauhou, and touted it as a reflection of his commitment to “geographic equity” — equal attention to matters on the island’s west side. Read more

Off the news: Circumstances of Miske’s death unclear

• Dec. 5, 2024
• 2

The mystery of crime boss Michael Miske Jr.’s death in prison must be resolved with transparency. Miske, 50, was found unresponsive Sunday in his cell at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu. Authorities have yet to determine cause of death: Suicide? Foul play? Health-related? Read more

Off the news: Search for Hannah Kobayashi nears end

• Dec. 4, 2024
• 23

The search for missing Maui woman Hannah Kobayashi, 30, is winding down, with authorities saying she’s been spotted heading into Mexico, independently and apparently “fine.” Read more

Off the news: Taiwan president’s Hawaii visit provokes China

• Dec. 4, 2024

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s two-day stopover in Hawaii wasn’t a diplomatic visit, but it still, predictably, provoked China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory. Read more

Off the news: Ocean Safety rescues 15 on North Shore

• Dec. 3, 2024
• 1

Waves up to 40 feet high hit the North Shore on Friday, leading lifeguards to rescue 15 and issue thousands of warnings. Three men were injured on the jagged rocks between Ke Iki Beach and Sharks Cove when they were hit by a massive set. Read more

Off the news: House challenger contests razor-thin loss

• Dec. 3, 2024
• 1

These races don’t get much closer than this. After recounting, the state House District 39 contest ended with incumbent GOP Rep. Elijah Pierick edging out Democratic challenger Corey Rosenlee by just 11 votes. Read more

Off the news: Landfill site selection slides to this month

• Dec. 2, 2024

It’s not much of a surprise, but Honolulu didn’t name its next municipal landfill site by the end of November, when the city administration had sought to reveal its choice to replace the 35-year-old Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei. Read more

Off the news: Change is in the air as airlines compete

• Dec. 2, 2024
• 2

Now that the first round of holiday travel is done, it might be smart to scout around before making plans. Change is in the offing, especially with the merger of Hawaiian and Alaska airlines. Read more

Off the news: Black Friday coming earlier and earlier

• Nov. 29, 2024
• 1

Those days of old, when anxious gift-shoppers stormed the retail battlements for the best discounts on the actual “Black Friday” (that is, the day after Thanksgiving), are not what they once were. Read more

Off the news: Be vigilant, protect Hawaii against bird flu

• Nov. 29, 2024
• 1

Hawaii’s physical isolation from the avian flu protected island birds for some time, but that respite is over. The disease, which forced many mainland chicken farmers to destroy flocks and shrank egg stocks and drove up prices, now has begun to spread here. Read more

Off the news: Signatures prompt election challenge

• Nov. 28, 2024

Hawaii’s vote-by-mail system was built pretty robustly, but it seems difficult to lock down every single vulnerability. Read more

Off the news: Home for holidays in Lahaina is special

• Nov. 28, 2024
• 1

Thanks, Uncle Sam. Read more

Off the news: DHHL homesteaders return to land

• Nov. 27, 2024

DHHL plans to offer another 40 lots at one site within two years, with more than 1,500 ag lots in the works. Read more

Off the news: Better signage of dangers warranted

• Nov. 27, 2024
• 3

Twenty-seven people have drowned in the river over the past 29 years, due to conditions that can be deceivingly calm but change quickly. Read more

Off the news: Time for Kauai to get new police chief

• Nov. 26, 2024
• 3

It’s been rough for Raybuck since 2021, when a lawsuit — settled this year for $350,000 — accused him of discriminating against and mocking a captain for being Japanese American. Read more

Off the news: A bridge not too far, but still delayed

• Nov. 26, 2024

The $17.8 million bridge is meant to improve public access for the densely populated high-rises in Kakaako, where some tragic pedestrian deaths already have occurred. Read more

Off the news: Efficiency improvements made at DPP

• Nov. 25, 2024
• 2

Let’s hope that the users’ experience at the city Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) is matching the optimism shared Thursday by the agency’s director. Read more

Off the news: Last call to contribute to Capitol pool art

• Nov. 25, 2024
• 1

Hawaii artist Solomon Enos is placing the final touches on his design for a mural that will line the floor of the “pool” surrounding the state Capitol building, which is being repaired and re-envisioned. Read more