essays, analysis, opinion

Let the Sunshine In

Tracking Corruption And Government Accountability

Tidbits

The 2023 legislative session ended May 4.
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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 sunshine@civilbeat.org.

The Sunshine Blog: The Hawaii Board Of Education Could Use Some Sunshine

Short takes, outtakes, our takes and other stuff you should know about public information, government accountability and ethical leadership in Hawaii.

By The Sunshine Editorial Board · December 5, 2023 · 7 min read

John Pritchett: Maui's Stonewall

Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez had to issue subpoenas to several Maui County agencies that have resisted turning over records related to the state's investigation into the Aug. 8 wildfires.

By John Pritchett · December 3, 2023 · 1 min read

The Sunshine Blog: A Hand-Me-Down Senate Seat

Short takes, outtakes, our takes and other stuff you should know about public information, government accountability and ethical leadership in Hawaii.

By The Sunshine Editorial Board · November 30, 2023 · 5 min read

John Hill: A Baby's 'Bizarre' Death Exposes Hawaii’s Penchant For Secrecy In Child Welfare Cases

It took extensive digging and luck to find the kind of information about the unpublicized case that's readily available on other states' websites and is crucial to improving the child welfare system.

By John Hill · November 27, 2023 · 12 min read

Columns

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Jonathan Okamura: What's In A Name? A Lot When It Comes To Ethnic And Racial Identity

December 10, 2023 · 8 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Jonathan Okamura: UH Needs To Bar Race-Based Hate Speech

December 3, 2023 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Jonathan Okamura: Name Recognition Only Takes Hawaii's Political Scions So Far

November 12, 2023 · 6 min read

Courtesy: Filipino Jaycees of Honolulu/2023

Jonathan Okamura: The Census Shows Hawaii Is Diverse. Now We Need Equality

November 5, 2023 · 7 min read

More from Jonathan Y. Okamura

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Neal Milner: Four Vignettes That Illuminate The Meaning Of The Holidays

December 7, 2023 · 6 min read

Neal Milner: Watch That Swinging Door, Liberals, Lest It Hit You On The Way Out

November 30, 2023 · 6 min read

UH Manoa Children’s Center

Neal Milner: Children Are Not As Fragile As You Think

November 23, 2023 · 6 min read

Courtesy: Neal Milner

Neal Milner: A Cat's Death And The Meaning Of Milestones

November 9, 2023 · 6 min read

More from Neal Milner

Anthony Quintano/Civil Beat/2016

Beth Fukumoto: Possible Scenarios For Hawaii's Republican Presidential Caucus

December 7, 2023 · 5 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Beth Fukumoto: Hawaii's Youth Need More Mental Health Support

November 27, 2023 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Beth Fukumoto: Feeling Like You Don't Belong? Try High School Sports

November 23, 2023 · 5 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2018

Beth Fukumoto: You Donʻt Have To Be A Prepper To Be Ready For Disaster

November 9, 2023 · 6 min read

More from Beth Fukumoto

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Matthew Leonard: SBA Disaster Loans For Maui Fire Survivors Are About To Dry Up

December 7, 2023 · 6 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Naka Nathaniel: What If The Navy Gave Much Of Pearl Harbor Back To Hawaii?

December 6, 2023 · 5 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Ben Lowenthal: We're Failing Our Community When We Banish Prisoners To The Mainland

December 1, 2023 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Naka Nathaniel: The Navy Should Be A Stellar Steward Of Hawaiian Waters, Not A Danger

November 29, 2023 · 4 min read

More from Matthew Leonard

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Neal Milner: Four Vignettes That Illuminate The Meaning Of The Holidays

December 7, 2023 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Danny De Gracia: The Feds Must Honor The Pottery Barn Rule

December 4, 2023 · 7 min read

Courtesy: Honolulu Police Department/2021

John Hill: A Baby's 'Bizarre' Death Exposes Hawaii’s Penchant For Secrecy In Child Welfare Cases

November 27, 2023 · 12 min read

UH Manoa Children’s Center

Neal Milner: Children Are Not As Fragile As You Think

November 23, 2023 · 6 min read

More from John Hill

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Naka Nathaniel: What If The Navy Gave Much Of Pearl Harbor Back To Hawaii?

December 6, 2023 · 5 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Naka Nathaniel: The Navy Should Be A Stellar Steward Of Hawaiian Waters, Not A Danger

November 29, 2023 · 4 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Naka Nathaniel: What Maui Needs

November 22, 2023 · 5 min read

Screenshot/The Wall Street Journal

Naka Nathaniel: The Agony Of Reading Real Estate Stories

November 8, 2023 · 5 min read

More from Naka Nathaniel

Alamy Stock Photo

Denby Fawcett: The TV Show 'Yellowstone' Is Pertinent To Hawaii In Unexpected Ways

December 5, 2023 · 8 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Denby Fawcett: Does Chinatown Need More Citizen Watch Groups?

November 28, 2023 · 8 min read

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Denby Fawcett: The Old Taboo Against Talking Politics At Thanksgiving Is Hard To Uphold

November 21, 2023 · 6 min read

Brittany Lyte/Civil Beat/2023

Denby Fawcett: Finding 'Dignified Housing' Is A Pipe Dream For Many In Hawaii

November 14, 2023 · 6 min read

More from Denby Fawcett

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Danny De Gracia: The Feds Must Honor The Pottery Barn Rule

December 4, 2023 · 7 min read

Wikimedia Commons/Hudson Institute

Danny De Gracia: We Can All Learn Something From Henry Kissinger's Life And Public Service

December 3, 2023 · 6 min read

Danny de Gracia/Civil Beat/2023

Danny De Gracia: We Cannot Ignore Oahu's Wildfire Risk Any Longer

November 27, 2023 · 6 min read

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Danny De Gracia: Don't Fall For Fake Election News This Year. There Will Be A Lot Of It

November 13, 2023 · 6 min read

More from Danny de Gracia

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Catherine Toth Fox: Keep At Least Some Free Parking At Ala Wai Harbor

December 1, 2023 · 5 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Catherine Toth Fox: Hawaii's Lifeguards Are The Real 'Unsung Heroes'

November 10, 2023 · 5 min read

Catherine Toth Fox/Civil Beat/2023

Catherine Toth Fox: Waikiki Outreach Center Points Homeless Youth In The Right Direction

November 3, 2023 · 8 min read

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Catherine Toth Fox: Being Smart About Social Media Is Essential For Mental Wellbeing

October 27, 2023 · 6 min read

More from Catherine Toth Fox

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Ben Lowenthal: We're Failing Our Community When We Banish Prisoners To The Mainland

December 1, 2023 · 6 min read

Civil Beat Photo Kevin Dayton/2023

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Prosecutors Need To Be Willing To Scrutinize Convictions

November 17, 2023 · 6 min read

Courtesy: Bryan Berkowitz/2019

Ben Lowenthal: Halloween Without Front Street Was No Halloween At All

November 3, 2023 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Ben Lowenthal: My Hope for Hawaii's New Supreme Court Justices

October 13, 2023 · 6 min read

More from Ben Lowenthal

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Chad Blair: Hawaii Ethics Commission May Increase Oversight Of Judges

November 26, 2023 · 3 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Chad Blair: Two Hawaii Supreme Court Justices Are Speaking Out

November 7, 2023 · 8 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Chad Blair: Can Josh Green Restore Hawaii’s Broken Trust?

October 15, 2023 · 8 min read

AP via U.S. Navy/1941

Chad Blair: Is Aug. 8 The New Dec. 7 For Hawaii?

September 25, 2023 · 7 min read

More from Chad Blair

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Eric Stinton: This Is What It's Like Training For How To Respond To A School Shooting

November 15, 2023 · 5 min read

Courtesy: Jimmy Lee/2023

Eric Stinton: Why I Have A Pride Flag In My Classroom

June 26, 2023 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Eric Stinton: New Contract Is A Much-Needed Win For Teachers But There's More To Be Done

May 1, 2023 · 7 min read

Courtesy of Susan Kay Anderson

Eric Stinton: Teachers Aren’t Burned Out, They’re Being Hung Out To Dry

April 16, 2023 · 8 min read

More from Eric Stinton

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Lee Cataluna: The View From The Skyline Rail Is Not Exactly Scenic

August 27, 2023 · 5 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Lee Cataluna: Maui's Quotable Police Chief — And The Quotes You Might Have Missed

August 16, 2023 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2023

Lee Cataluna: Everyone Loves Lahaina. Few Get To Claim It As Their Home

August 13, 2023 · 5 min read

Courtesy: Hui Kanaka Pōwāwae

Lee Cataluna: Native Hawaiian Soccer Team Has International Aspirations

February 3, 2023 · 5 min read

More from Lee Cataluna

Editorials and Interviews

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Hawaii Rank-And-File Lawmakers Need To Take It Upon Themselves To Beef Up Their Own Rules

November 26, 2023 · 8 min read

Screen Shot/Civil Beat/2023

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: UH Economists Sumner La Croix And Carl Bonham

November 19, 2023 · 36 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: Care Advocates Deborah Zysman And Ai-jen Poo

November 12, 2023 · 31 min read

Screenshot/Civil Beat/2023

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee

October 22, 2023 · 22 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Now We Know: The Need For Legislative Reform Can Be A Matter Of Life And Death

October 1, 2023 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi

September 17, 2023 · 32 min read

More Editorials and Interviews

Political Cartoons

John Pritchett/Civil Beat/2023

John Pritchett: The Polar Bear Express

By John Pritchett · December 10, 2023

John Pritchett/Civil Beat/2023

John Pritchett: Maui's Stonewall

By John Pritchett · December 3, 2023

John Pritchett/Civil Beat/2023

John Pritchett: Tidal Wave

By John Pritchett · November 26, 2023

More Political Cartoons

Videos

01:01:36

IDEAS Live: Is Hawaii's Tourism Broken And Where Do We Go From Here?

01:25:46

IDEAS Live: Global Perspectives On Tourism, Part I

01:12:18

IDEAS Live: How Can We Improve Hawaii's Ocean Waters

01:18:31

IDEAS Live: Should UH Offer A Criminal Justice Degree?

01:07:44

IDEAS Live: Power To The People