Letter from the Editor

Letter from the Editor

Honolulu’s Favorite Newspaper Doesn’t Exist. Yet.

Letter from the Editor / With those words, printed on the back page of the paper’s introductory issue in 1990, Honolulu Weekly was born. The founding idea: To build a newspaper that would tell the kinds of stories that didn’t appear anywhere else, give voice to people and issues and perspectives that had no other home and challenge the status quo by asking the questions that mattered.

As with any other endeavor, the Weekly has tasted both triumph and failure over the years. The past two years have been especially challenging as the paper fought through staffing changes, belt-tightening and the threats presented by the current economic storm. Through it all, and thanks to the contributions of many committed people, Honolulu Weekly has kept one eye trained on this city, and the other on those founding goals.

Today, we believe we’ve established a foundation on which to build something bold and new, and we’re confident that we are at the dawn of a great era in our history.

All that’s missing is you.

As we work to build a truly great newspaper, we know we can’t do it alone. At its best, Honolulu Weekly is home to voices and talents from throughout our community, from reporters to writers to photographers to artists to illustrators to designers. We have a boundless passion for telling Honolulu’s story every week. We are actively looking for people who share that passion, and who want to contribute to that effort.

We want to hear from you, whether you’re a former contributor or someone who’s wanted to participate but hasn’t known how–even if you’ve never considered us before, or aren’t sure where your talents may fit. If you believe great journalism can make a difference, we invite you to get in touch.

We intend to be Honolulu’s boldest, most innovative and most interesting newspaper every week. With your help, we’ll get there.

Please join us.

Celebrating Hawaii, nature, culture and wellness for over 35 years!
SURFER, The Bar

COMMENTS

We often print online comments in our “Letters to the Editor” section of Honolulu Weekly. While submitted letters are often edited for length and clarity, online comments we use are printed entirely as they are written for the website. If you do not wish for your comment to be used in Honolulu Weekly print issues, please write “Don’t Print” at the end of your comment. For questions, e-mail editorial@honoluluweekly.com. Thank you!

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This week

Still on Board

Given the city’s crumbling infrastructure and rail controversy, it’s hard to believe anyone would want to be the next mayor of Honolulu. But a few do want the job, including the incumbent, Mayor Peter Carlisle, the former Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney who won a 2010 special election to fill the remainder of Mufi Hannemann’s term.

City Council 101

I’d never been to a Honolulu City Council meeting until a few weeks ago. Features, not politics, was my beat.

Nurturing a living culture

Victoria Holt Takamine is a kumu hula, a cultural activist and a teacher and has an impeccable pedigree to back up all these titles. Born of an alii family whose kuleana was in Moanalua, she graduated as a hula teacher under the legendary Auntie Maiki Aiu Lake and taught hundreds of students in her own halau (Pua Alii ‘Ilima) and at the University of Hawaii.

Public access

On April 25, a state judge dismissed trespassing charges against a Kauai man after finding that he had been exercising traditional native Hawaiian rights hunting wild pigs on private land. Kui Palama, 28, was arrested on Jan.

transitional Housing

The city plans to dish out $3.5 million from its Affordable Housing Fund and either purchase or renovate a structure to provide transitional housing for Honolulu’s special needs homeless population. “Our community has invested considerable effort and resources in addressing homelessness,” Mayor Peter Carlisle said in a statement, “but there remains a population whose disabilities or chronic conditions make it difficult for them to participate in traditional shelter programs.” Carlisle is referring to those homeless with mental illnesses, addictions and physical disabilities.

Poi Mill shut

Makaweli Poi faces an uncertain future after its owner, a corporate subsidiary of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) ordered the West Kauai mill to suspend operations May 23. Mona Bernardino, chief operating officer of the corporation, Hiipoi LLC, says the move to shut down Makaweli Poi was prompted mainly by financial concerns.

Sewage study

A resolution adopted by the City Council will solidify an agreement between the City and County of Honolulu and the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center (UH-WRRC) to conduct an analysis of impacts from ocean sewer outfalls on the marine environments off of Oahu. The city will pay UH-WRRC as much as $2.5 million for biological and sediment studies in portions between now and June 30, 2017 .

pedaling 9-5

Along with the deep, verdant growth of spring sprouts an unyielding desire to spend more time in the open air. That’s why it should come as no surprise that National Bike Month falls in the sun-drenched time of May.

Billions of …

Of the many letters you publish against rail, how many offer an alternative that won’t send us into further economic demise? Billions of gallons of oil are imported for us from every oil-producing nation on this planet so that we can buy billions of gallons of gasoline.

Goodbye bus, hello rail?

TheBus is taking a back seat to rail. At the May 3 Downtown Neighborhood Board meeting, an audience member asked city Transportation Director Wayne Yoshioka when we could expect the bus route cancellations and changes to be reversed.