David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024
Lee Cataluna: Are Voters Apathetic? Maybe They’re Disgusted
Hawaiʻi voters know the lauhala-and-plastic-egg silliness isn’t about protecting their rights at the ballot box. It’s about protecting politicians.
Drawing of a heiau at Waimea, Kauai.
Kirstin Downey: Were Spanish Explorers In Hawai‘i Before Captain Cook?
Debate rages on who showed up on the islands after the first Polynesians landed. Japanese fishermen? Spanish shipwreck survivors?
Hawaiʻi State Archives
Olin Lagon: The Story Behind ‘Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī’ You Might Not Know
The name Nalanieha left me curious. It took me to a German army musician on loan to Hawaiʻi and one of the worldʻs most popular guitar shapes.
Kino Lorber
Jeta: Searing Indictment Of Tourism Soon To Screen In Hawaiʻi
The black comedy “Filipiñana” turns a country club into a sharp critique of tourism, classism, and the people behind paradise. No spoilers.
Makana Eyre: Hawaiʻi Has Stakes In Trump’s National Archives Reboot
Closure and relocation of the San Francisco archive could make it harder to research family histories and fully understand Hawaiʻi’s past.
Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026
Lee Cataluna: Sometimes The Best Campaign Ad Is No Campaign Ad
Natural disasters can be perilous for politicians. In Kauaʻi, Derek Kawakami is using Lowell to his advantage, without making it seem that way.
Matthew Leonard/Civil Beat/2026
Neal Milner: A Notorious UH Elevator Offers A Lesson About Disaster
Government should be good at ensuring that high rises have working elevators. But the reality is we have to get really good at helping each other.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026
Kirstin Downey: How 2 Hawaiʻi Civilians Exposed Historic Navy Scandal
Jim Maus and Ed Hanel Jr. teamed up to investigate Glenn “Fat Leonard” Francis. They helped bring him down, but were never officially thanked.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024
Olin Lagon: The Kalihi Street That Helped Rebuild A Country
We pass extraordinary stories every day without seeing them. This one was hiding in a name.
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026
Denby Fawcett: Can Oʻahu Spend Millions On Pandas And Also Upgrade The Zoo?
Giant pandas could be a big draw for the Honolulu Zoo. But would they distract from the mission of protecting species endemic to Hawaiʻi?