Civil Beat Staff

Chad Blair

Chad Blair has been a writer, editor and teacher in Honolulu for more than 25 years. His job as reporter and editor is to cover Hawaii, especially how political decisions impact people and communities.

Chad has worked as a journalist for Pacific Business News, Hawaii Public Radio and Honolulu Weekly. He has taught at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu Community College, Hawaii Pacific University and Chaminade University of Honolulu.

A “military brat,” Chad was born on an Army base in Alabama and later lived with his family in Germany, Illinois, Nebraska and Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, where he edited the school newspaper. He also minored in Spanish and studied for a semester in Mexico.

Chad worked for a year on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, where he tracked satellites for the U.S. Air Force/NORAD. He then earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in American studies from UH Manoa. His dissertation, “Democracy in Hawaii: Class, Race and Gender in Local Politics” (1996), was published as “Money, Color and Sex in Hawaii Politics” (Mutual Publishing; 1998).

You can reach him by email at cblair@civilbeat.org or follow him on Twitter at @chadblairCB.

Read more
Chad Blair: Bestiality Is Still Legal In Hawaii

Chad Blair: Bestiality Is Still Legal In Hawaii

By /

That’s right. It’s not a crime to have sex with animals. Legislation aims to right that wrong.

Senate May Invoke Rarely Used Subpoena Power For Hearing On Prison Chief Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Senate May Invoke Rarely Used Subpoena Power For Hearing On Prison Chief

By /

Nolan Espinda’s renomination to run the state’s prisons and jails is reported to be in peril.

Tulsi Gabbard On Running For President: ‘We Must Fight For The Soul Of Our Country’ Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Tulsi Gabbard On Running For President: ‘We Must Fight For The Soul Of Our Country’

By /

The U.S. representative from Hawaii held her first public rally on Saturday in her quest to win the White House in 2020.

Chad Blair: Do We Really Need A Dan Inouye Day? Or An Obama Ice Cream Shop? Obama by Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Chad Blair: Do We Really Need A Dan Inouye Day? Or An Obama Ice Cream Shop?

By /

Lawmakers are rushing to honor the former president and our deceased U.S. senators. But why?

Not All Hawaii Lawmakers Embrace Gut-And-Replace Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Not All Hawaii Lawmakers Embrace Gut-And-Replace

By /

At least five senators and two representatives oppose the practice of inserting whole new language and often a different purpose into legislation with little public notice.

Caucus Pushes Bills Addressing Violence Against Women Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Caucus Pushes Bills Addressing Violence Against Women

By /

The Hawaii Women’s Legislative Caucus unveils a package of proposals, including one to require insurance coverage of health services after an assault.

Ige: ‘The Future Is Personal’ Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Ige: ‘The Future Is Personal’

By /

UPDATED: Hawaii’s governor calls for a statewide preschool system and more hotel tax revenue for the counties. Legislative leaders are receptive, but ask where the money will come from.

Gov. Ige’s Administrative Director Is Now Also His Chief Of Staff Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Gov. Ige’s Administrative Director Is Now Also His Chief Of Staff

By /

Ford Fuchigami will have dual roles in the governor’s office, and former Chief of Staff Mike McCartney has been picked to lead the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Minimum Wage Hike Gets Immediate Support As Legislature Convenes Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Minimum Wage Hike Gets Immediate Support As Legislature Convenes

By /

UPDATED: Disaster relief for Kauai and the Big Island and addressing illegal vacation rentals are also top priorities.

Chad Blair: The Incredible Shrinking Tulsi Gabbard

Chad Blair: The Incredible Shrinking Tulsi Gabbard

By /

As the Hawaii congresswoman’s past catches up with her, public interest in her as a presidential contender plummets.

Tulsi Gabbard Running For President In 2020 Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Tulsi Gabbard Running For President In 2020

By /

UPDATED: The Hawaii congresswoman made the announcement Friday on CNN.

Minimum Wage And Marijuana: What To Expect In The 2019 Hawaii Legislature Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Minimum Wage And Marijuana: What To Expect In The 2019 Hawaii Legislature

By /

Lawmakers will tackle familiar issues like public school funding. They’re also likely to raise the minimum wage and might even legalize recreational marijuana.