essays, analysis, opinion

Let the Sunshine In

Tracking Corruption And Government Accountability

Civil Beat opinion writers are closely following efforts to bring more transparency and accountability to state and local government — at the Legislature, the county level and in the media. Help us by sending ideas and anecdotes to [email protected].

The Civil Beat Interview: Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi

The city and county’s chief executive talks about the landfill, homelessness, the police commission and more.

By The Civil Beat Staff · March 31, 2025 · 27 min read

Long Story Cut Short: The Interesting History Of Hawaiʻi's Federal Czar

Hawaiʻi once had an office in the nation’s capital to watch out for the state’s interests. Gov. Josh Green is hoping to resurrect the idea.

By Perry Arrasmith · March 30, 2025 · 7 min read

Tia Lewis: Right To Record Cops Is Vital Because No One Is Above The Law

Everyone, including law enforcement, should value the accountability that comes from citizens filming cops.

By Tia Lewis · March 30, 2025 · 5 min read

Beth Fukumoto: Why Hawaiʻiʻs Housing Market Keeps Slipping Away From Locals

The state House killed a bill that went after big investors in residential real estate. There are other options to explore.

By Beth Fukumoto · March 30, 2025 · 6 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Beth Fukumoto: Why Hawaiʻiʻs Housing Market Keeps Slipping Away From Locals

March 30, 2025 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Beth Fukumoto: Schatz Did The Right Thing In Voting To Prevent A Shutdown

March 19, 2025 · 5 min read

Flickr: GotCredit

Beth Fukumoto: These Bills Would Make Hawaiʻi's Tax System Fairer

March 13, 2025 · 5 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

Beth Fukumoto: The East-West Center Is Bracing For Budget Cuts

March 10, 2025 · 6 min read

Denby Fawcett: Hawaiʻi Hits The ʻUkulele Jackpot With Gifts From Collectors

March 25, 2025 · 8 min read

Courtesy: U.S. Army Signal Corps via Wikimedia Commons

Denby Fawcett: Army Wipes 442nd Combat Unit Off Its Website Amid DEI Purge

March 14, 2025 · 6 min read

Denby Fawcett/Civil Beat/2025

Denby Fawcett: These Hawaiʻi Residents Are Standing Up To Trump

March 4, 2025 · 5 min read

Denby Fawcett/Civil Beat/2024

Denby Fawcett: KCC Farmers Market-Goers Deserve A Working Bathroom

February 18, 2025 · 6 min read

Danny De Gracia: Beware Of Expanding Hawaiʻi’s War On Fentanyl

March 24, 2025 · 5 min read

Nick Grube/Civil Beat/2022

Danny De Gracia: With DC In Chaos, We Need To Assess Local Needs, Pronto

March 10, 2025 · 6 min read

Getty Images

Danny De Gracia: Don't Empower Crazy-Making Behavior in Politics

February 24, 2025 · 7 min read

PF Bentley/Civil Beat/2014

Danny De Gracia: We Should All Get Behind These Keiki Caucus Bills

February 10, 2025 · 6 min read

Lee Cataluna: 'Aloha Isn't Always Being Nice. Aloha Is Being Real'

March 23, 2025 · 6 min read

Lee Cataluna/Civil Beat/2025

Lee Cataluna: A Long Day On The Job With Hawaiʻi's Head Of Schools

March 16, 2025 · 12 min read

AP Photo

Lee Cataluna: Make Spot The Robot Dog Earn Its Keep

March 9, 2025 · 5 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Lee Cataluna: The Resistance Is Aloha

March 2, 2025 · 5 min read

Kirstin Downey: This Gorgeous Big Island Bay Could Soon Be More Accessible

March 21, 2025 · 6 min read

Courtesy: John Bond/2016

Kirstin Downey: Earliest Evidence Of Humanity In Hawaiʻi May Lie In This Pond

March 14, 2025 · 6 min read

Kirstin Downey/Civil Beat/ 202

Kirstin Downey: Devastated Lahaina Restores Its History First

March 7, 2025 · 7 min read

Screenshot

Kirstin Downey: Federal Attacks Give Urgency To Hawaiʻi Gay History Effort

February 28, 2025 · 7 min read

Neal Milner: The Courts Are No Match For Trump (AKA The Big Landlord)

March 20, 2025 · 7 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Neal Milner: Sorting Out Honolulu's Stadium Aspirations And Fantasies

March 6, 2025 · 7 min read

Kuʻu Kauanoe/Civil Beat/2020

Neal Milner: Believing In The Mysteries Of Life

February 27, 2025 · 7 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Neal Milner: What Police Actually Can Do About Illegal Fireworks

February 13, 2025 · 6 min read

Jacob Aki: Trump’s Address To Congress Wasn’t A Vision — It Was A Warning

March 7, 2025 · 6 min read

Chad Blair/Civil Beat/2024

Chad Blair: Campaign Signs Are Everywhere. Is There Anywhere They're Not Allowed?

July 31, 2024 · 8 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Chad Blair: Senate Interrogations And House Lovefests When The Money Committees Meet

May 13, 2024 · 8 min read

Chad Blair/Civil Beat/2024

Chad Blair: Hawaii Lawmakers Tout ‘Historic’ Session. So Why Not Make History More Often?

May 5, 2024 · 10 min read

Eric Stinton: Fairness Means Giving Trans Athletes A Chance To Play

February 19, 2025 · 8 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Eric Stinton: Of Course Schools Should Provide Free Meals To Students

January 27, 2025 · 6 min read

Courtesy: Debbi Amaral

Eric Stinton: Don't Justify Public Preschools By Citing Dubious Studies

December 16, 2024 · 6 min read

Courtesy Bernie Llanes/Aggressive Gamefarm

Eric Stinton: Chickens Have Feelings Too, Scientists Say. So Where Does That Leave Cockfighting?

April 2, 2024 · 7 min read

Catherine Toth Fox: Closed Since 1979, Waikīkī Natatorium May Be Restored

January 21, 2025 · 5 min read

Catherine Toth Fox/Civil Beat/2024

Catherine Toth Fox: The Big Business Of Pokemon Comes To Honolulu

August 16, 2024 · 5 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Catherine Toth Fox: There Should Be Such A Thing As A Free Lunch — At Least In Schools

August 9, 2024 · 4 min read

Catherine Toth Fox/Civil Beat/2024

Catherine Toth Fox: This Principal Made A Community Centered On Raising Fish And Vegetables

July 12, 2024 · 5 min read

John Hill: She Begged The State To Save Her Grandkids. Instead, One Is Dead

October 18, 2024 · 6 min read

Screenshot: Multidisciplinary team report/2024

John Hill: An Abused Child's Hidden Death

September 30, 2024 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Danny De Gracia: Government Could Help Make Day-To-Day Life Less Annoying

September 23, 2024 · 7 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

John Hill: The State Keeps Bleeding Money For Failing To Protect Vulnerable Children

September 5, 2024 · 7 min read

Naka Nathaniel: The Military Wants New State Land Leases. What Should We Get In Return?

September 23, 2024 · 6 min read

(Naka Nathaniel/Civil Beat 2024

Naka Nathaniel: Hawaii's Ag System Needs An Overhaul To Promote Food Independence

September 18, 2024 · 6 min read

Jonathan Salvador photo/2024

Naka Nathaniel: The Voyage To Becoming The Breadbasket Of The Pacific

September 11, 2024 · 6 min read

Cory Lum / Civil Beat

Naka Nathaniel: We Need To Foster A Culture Of Belonging In A Land Of Inequality

August 21, 2024 · 6 min read

Jonathan Okamura: Here's How Some Hawaii Candidates Covet The Japanese Vote

July 28, 2024 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2022

Jonathan Okamura: Ethnic Names Give Hawaii Candidates An Advantage — And They Know It

July 21, 2024 · 7 min read

Angelo Villagomez

Jonathan Okamura: There May Be No 'Black Jobs,' But What About Micronesian Jobs?

July 14, 2024 · 5 min read

Charlie Kaijo/Civil Beat

Jonathan Okamura: Immigrant Students In Hawaii Defy Stereotypes To Tell Their Own Stories

June 30, 2024 · 6 min read

Ben Lowenthal: Turning Chronic Unlicensed Drivers Into Felons Is A Bad Idea

May 31, 2024 · 6 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Just Won't Give Up Its Harsh Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws

May 17, 2024 · 6 min read

Ben Lowenthal/Civil Beat/2017

Ben Lowenthal: County Fair's Demise Is Another Loss For Maui

May 3, 2024 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

April 19, 2024 · 6 min read

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Just Won't Give Up Its Harsh Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws

May 17, 2024 · 6 min read

Jonathan Okamura/Civil Beat/2024

Jonathan Okamura: Filipino UH Ceremony Creates A Cultural Space To Honor Graduates, Families And Community

May 12, 2024 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

April 19, 2024 · 6 min read

Courtesy Bernie Llanes/Aggressive Gamefarm

Eric Stinton: Chickens Have Feelings Too, Scientists Say. So Where Does That Leave Cockfighting?

April 2, 2024 · 7 min read

Editorials and Interviews

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Political Cartoons

Will Caron/Civil Beat/2025

Community Voices

Ronen Zilberman/Civil Beat/2021

Five Years Later, Hawai‘i Still Needs A Covid-19 Memorial

We should honor those we lost and teach future generations how we came through it. 

By Jacob Schafer · March 31, 2025 · 6 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Videos

Hawaiʻi Legislature 2025: These Bills Survived The Midway Point

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025

Civil Beat: IDEAS - Honolulu Civil Beat

Let the Sunshine In

Tracking Corruption And Government Accountability

The Civil Beat Interview: Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi

Long Story Cut Short: The Interesting History Of Hawaiʻi's Federal Czar

Tia Lewis: Right To Record Cops Is Vital Because No One Is Above The Law

Beth Fukumoto: Why Hawaiʻiʻs Housing Market Keeps Slipping Away From Locals

Columns

Beth Fukumoto: Why Hawaiʻiʻs Housing Market Keeps Slipping Away From Locals

Beth Fukumoto: Schatz Did The Right Thing In Voting To Prevent A Shutdown

Beth Fukumoto: These Bills Would Make Hawaiʻi's Tax System Fairer

Beth Fukumoto: The East-West Center Is Bracing For Budget Cuts

Denby Fawcett: Hawaiʻi Hits The ʻUkulele Jackpot With Gifts From Collectors

Denby Fawcett: Army Wipes 442nd Combat Unit Off Its Website Amid DEI Purge

Denby Fawcett: These Hawaiʻi Residents Are Standing Up To Trump

Denby Fawcett: KCC Farmers Market-Goers Deserve A Working Bathroom

Danny De Gracia: Beware Of Expanding Hawaiʻi’s War On Fentanyl

Danny De Gracia: With DC In Chaos, We Need To Assess Local Needs, Pronto

Danny De Gracia: Don't Empower Crazy-Making Behavior in Politics

Danny De Gracia: We Should All Get Behind These Keiki Caucus Bills

Lee Cataluna: 'Aloha Isn't Always Being Nice. Aloha Is Being Real'

Lee Cataluna: A Long Day On The Job With Hawaiʻi's Head Of Schools

Lee Cataluna: Make Spot The Robot Dog Earn Its Keep

Lee Cataluna: The Resistance Is Aloha

Kirstin Downey: This Gorgeous Big Island Bay Could Soon Be More Accessible

Kirstin Downey: Earliest Evidence Of Humanity In Hawaiʻi May Lie In This Pond

Kirstin Downey: Devastated Lahaina Restores Its History First

Kirstin Downey: Federal Attacks Give Urgency To Hawaiʻi Gay History Effort

Neal Milner: The Courts Are No Match For Trump (AKA The Big Landlord)

Neal Milner: Sorting Out Honolulu's Stadium Aspirations And Fantasies

Neal Milner: Believing In The Mysteries Of Life

Neal Milner: What Police Actually Can Do About Illegal Fireworks

Jacob Aki: Trump’s Address To Congress Wasn’t A Vision — It Was A Warning

Chad Blair: Campaign Signs Are Everywhere. Is There Anywhere They're Not Allowed?

Chad Blair: Senate Interrogations And House Lovefests When The Money Committees Meet

Chad Blair: Hawaii Lawmakers Tout ‘Historic’ Session. So Why Not Make History More Often?

Eric Stinton: Fairness Means Giving Trans Athletes A Chance To Play

Eric Stinton: Of Course Schools Should Provide Free Meals To Students

Eric Stinton: Don't Justify Public Preschools By Citing Dubious Studies

Eric Stinton: Chickens Have Feelings Too, Scientists Say. So Where Does That Leave Cockfighting?

Catherine Toth Fox: Closed Since 1979, Waikīkī Natatorium May Be Restored

Catherine Toth Fox: The Big Business Of Pokemon Comes To Honolulu

Catherine Toth Fox: There Should Be Such A Thing As A Free Lunch — At Least In Schools

Catherine Toth Fox: This Principal Made A Community Centered On Raising Fish And Vegetables

John Hill: She Begged The State To Save Her Grandkids. Instead, One Is Dead

John Hill: An Abused Child's Hidden Death

Danny De Gracia: Government Could Help Make Day-To-Day Life Less Annoying

John Hill: The State Keeps Bleeding Money For Failing To Protect Vulnerable Children

Naka Nathaniel: The Military Wants New State Land Leases. What Should We Get In Return?

Naka Nathaniel: Hawaii's Ag System Needs An Overhaul To Promote Food Independence

Naka Nathaniel: The Voyage To Becoming The Breadbasket Of The Pacific

Naka Nathaniel: We Need To Foster A Culture Of Belonging In A Land Of Inequality

Jonathan Okamura: Here's How Some Hawaii Candidates Covet The Japanese Vote

Jonathan Okamura: Ethnic Names Give Hawaii Candidates An Advantage — And They Know It

Jonathan Okamura: There May Be No 'Black Jobs,' But What About Micronesian Jobs?

Jonathan Okamura: Immigrant Students In Hawaii Defy Stereotypes To Tell Their Own Stories

Ben Lowenthal: Turning Chronic Unlicensed Drivers Into Felons Is A Bad Idea

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Just Won't Give Up Its Harsh Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws

Ben Lowenthal: County Fair's Demise Is Another Loss For Maui

Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Just Won't Give Up Its Harsh Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws

Jonathan Okamura: Filipino UH Ceremony Creates A Cultural Space To Honor Graduates, Families And Community

Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

Eric Stinton: Chickens Have Feelings Too, Scientists Say. So Where Does That Leave Cockfighting?

Editorials and Interviews

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: US Rep. Ed Case

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: Hawaii's Climate Advisory Team

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: US Sen. Brian Schatz

Pay-To-Play Politics Is Staring Us In The Face. What Are We Going To Do About It?

Now We Know The Scale Of Pay-To-Play Politics In Hawaii. It's Long Past Time To Act

Political Cartoons

Will Caron: Legislative Tightrope

Will Caron: Field Of Dreams

Will Caron: Say Hello To My Little Friend

Community Voices

Five Years Later, Hawai‘i Still Needs A Covid-19 Memorial

What Federal Attacks Could Mean For Reproductive Care In Hawaiʻi

The Case For Retaining Money Bail In Hawaiʻi

Health, Safety And Welfare Of Hawaiʻi Under Threat From Trump