Opinion
Talking story about values.
The staff reporters at Aloha State Daily have a clear mission on the news side of the house: to tell you what happened, not what to think or how to feel about what happened. Here in the opinion section, we want to talk story about values — what we think Hawai‘i should do, or should not do, and why. This is where we welcome informed debate and where people can argue for their perspective.
Sony Open joins the seniors’ tour — and so has Hawaiʻi
A pension check arrives in Hawaiʻi untaxed; a young family’s groceries do not. ASD columnist Sterling Higa on the golf rebrand that tells the truth about who these Islands are built for.
Sterling HigaJuly 07, 2026
Aloha Tower at 100 years old, Part 2: It seemed like a good idea at the time ...
In the early 1960s, the State of Hawai‘i invested millions in harbor upgrades that included modernizing Aloha Tower as a terminal for passenger liners. But jet planes soon replaced passengers liners, rendering the terminal obsolete. In the 1990s, those structure were torn down to create Aloha Marketplace, a shopping and dining destination that would never draw the anticipated crowds. ASD history writer DeSoto Brown brings us to the present day as Aloha Tower celebrates its centennial.
DeSoto BrownJuly 06, 2026
On the Fourth, read the Declaration
If you really want to understand why we're celebrating Independence Day, go back to the source and read the Declaration of Independence, says ASD political historian Perry Arrasmith. It's only one of the most important documents in history!
Perry ArrasmithJuly 02, 2026
Hamada: Why I'm happily celebrating the Fourth of July
ASD opinion columnist Rick Hamada remembers firsthand the tumultuous year of 1968 — and how Americans nevertheless united to celebrate the Fourth of July. He's keeping that spirit alive this year, even if some people seem determined to sit the party out.
Rick HamadaJuly 01, 2026
Moanalua’s Haunting History
If an old Hawaiian woman asks you to cut a cord for her in Moanalua Valley, be very, very careful what you do next. That's just once of the eerie tales of this part of O‘ahu where many battles have raged, from the invasion of Kahekili from Maui to the dispute over the route of H3.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJuly 01, 2026
Aloha Tower at 100 years old: Part 1
A hundred years ago, Aloha Tower was built as an intentional landmark for the bustling harbor where all visitors to O‘ahu arrived, and that plan worked, as it quickly became synonymous with Hawai‘i itself. In part one of our look back at the tower's history, ASD history columnist DeSoto Brown takes us from the creation of the tower to just after WWII.
DeSoto BrownJuly 01, 2026
America’s religious founding: Revival came before the Republic
A child earns a gold star this spring for writing that the founders wanted church and state kept apart. ASD columnist Sterling Higa on the founding we no longer teach — and the revival that built it.
Sterling HigaJune 29, 2026
Hawai‘i at 250
Hawai‘i's celebrations for the 250th anniversary of America's independence seem muted compared to those for the Bicentennial in 1976. That's a shame, argues ASD columnist Perry Arrasmith. Can't we set aside our complaints for even one day to celebrate?
Perry ArrasmithJune 29, 2026
Family, friends continue to seek justice for Amber Jackson 16 years after Kaua‘i murder
For 16 years, the murder of Amber Jackson on Kauaʻi has gone unsolved, but in December 2025, the Kaua‘i Police Department issued an arrest warrant for Gregory Glaser, wanted for second degree murder in connection with the case. ASD crime writer Christina O'Connor spoke with Amber Jackson's family and friends to learn about Jackson's life and their tireless pursuit of justice for her.
Christina O'ConnorJune 29, 2026
RIMPAC 2026: Hawaiʻi, China, and the Question Underneath
The children have soccer practice while, a few miles offshore, 31 nations rehearse a war. ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa on what Hawaiʻi trusts to keep it safe.
Sterling HigaJune 26, 2026
Pipikaula Corner: Hawai‘i’s crappy priorities
The state just announced a process for Hawai‘i’s businesses and nonprofits to apply for funding out of the new $120-million “green fee” fund. ASD editor in chief A. Kam Napier opines that we could be aiming all of that money at a single very significant environmental problem we made for ourselves right here in the Islands. Instead, it will get diluted.
A. Kam NapierJune 25, 2026
Hamada: Let me be a warning to you
ASD columnist Rick Hamada gets personal with some health news, in hopes that you'll be inspired to take better care of yourself.
Rick HamadaJune 25, 2026
Legends and Spirits of Polihale
At the end of an unpaved, 5-mile road on Kaua‘i's west side is Polihale Beach. It is many things — a treasured local hangout, a visitor attraction that's gaining popularity, and, in ancient Hawaiian tradition, it is a jumping-off place for souls seeking the afterlife. Eerie stories abound about it.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 24, 2026
Turtle Bay Resort vs. a bee: Why the rules keep choosing luxury
An endangered bee could stall a Turtle Bay resort, writes ASD columnist Sterling Higa. A few miles down the coast, homes that start at $5.9 million are going up untouched.
Sterling HigaJune 24, 2026
Why Hawaiʻi locks up the honey
The honey is locked up and cameras watch the lot. ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa on what Hawaiʻi bought when it stopped paying for justice.
Sterling HigaJune 20, 2026
Pipikaula Corner: Hawai‘i dodged a library bullet
Hawai‘i tried very hard to be the home of Barack Obama's presidential library. Now the thing exists in Chicago, open to the public, over budget and overwrought. ASD Editor in Chief A. Kam Napier recaps Hawai‘i's doomed quest to secure this building and gets into what the architecture of the finished project tells us.
A. Kam NapierJune 19, 2026
The saga of the fountains
The fountain we all know and love near the Diamond Head end of Kapi‘iolani Park is not the first fountain in the area, nor is it in the original location of the first fountain. ASD history columnist DeSoto Brown takes us through the fountain's story, all the way back to its original source — Imperial Japan.
DeSoto BrownJune 18, 2026
Can Kauaʻi feed itself? Why food independence won't work
Food independence is a luxury belief, says ASD columnist Sterling Higa, and it is most affordable to those who have never gone hungry.
Sterling HigaJune 17, 2026
The Choking Ghost at OCCC
As if prison wasn't scary enough, prisoners and guards alike at O‘ahu Community Correctional Center have many tales of a choking ghost stalking the facility, as well as other apparitions.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 17, 2026
Hamada: Commemorating Honouliuli
Events coming up this weekend recognize the 80th anniversary of the closing of the Honouliuli Internment Camp, where up to 1,800 Japanese and Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. ASD opinion columnist Rick Hamada gives an overview of the history of the site, and the steps taken in the years after to attempt to right that wrong.
Rick HamadaJune 17, 2026
Pipikaula Corner: State blowing it on convention center
Hawai‘i lawmakers seem to think they own the only convention center on Earth, because their approach to investing in the Hawai‘i Convention Center ignores any sense of the marketplace. Towns the size of Hawaii‘i, in terms of population and visitor counts, are investing hundreds of millions in their facilities just to keep up with what the convention market wants, while we cheap out on the cost of fixing leaks.
A. Kam NapierJune 16, 2026
Coming soon, for six years
Maui County promised a new zoning code on a six-year timeline, notes ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa. The six years are up, the website says “coming soon,” and the County is calling for a fresh start.
Sterling HigaJune 12, 2026
Pipikaula Corner: Aloha, Stadium!
ASD Editor in Chief A. Kam Napier bids a personal, Gen X farewell to Aloha Stadium after watching some of the demolition firsthand. Anyone else remember The Police playing in ’84? This column is for you!
A. Kam NapierJune 11, 2026
Hawai‘i's parking meters – when, where, and why?
Before parking meters came along, street parking in Hawai‘i was free — and a total free-for-all. ASD history columnist DeSoto Brown dives into how the parking meter got to the Islands.
DeSoto BrownJune 10, 2026
Hamada: My favorite things
There have been plenty of heavy topics to write about in recent weeks, so for this week, let's have fun. Martinis, anyone?
Rick HamadaJune 10, 2026
Sacred Hauntings at Pūowaina
Pūowaina — Punchbowl Crater — holds tremendous energy after centuries of profound human activities. In ancient times, it housed a heiau puhi kanaka, a fire temple involving human sacrifice. Now it is home to the National Memorial Cemetery for America's war dead. In between those eras, it has housed canons and Easter services, a firing range and sledding slopes. Some say it houses spirits as well, who make themselves known even in broad daylight.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 10, 2026
Hawai‘i's love affair with Botswana — and why it ended
For most Mainland United States locations, the antipode — the place on the directly opposite side of the globe — falls right in the middle of an ocean. For Hawai‘i, the antipode is in Africa. That realization was the beginning of a 1960s relationship between Hawai‘i and Botswana as that nation gained independence. Hawai‘i Governor John A. Burns was America's official representative at the independence ceremonies.
Perry ArrasmithJune 10, 2026
Uncles and Aunties: The Logan ʻohana serve up sweet treats
Paul Logan, who grew up in Wahiawā, is having the time of his life as the “Uncle” of Uncle’s Ice Cream Sandwiches, which wholesales its sweet treats to 150 retailers on the Mainland and close to 200 statewide, including Foodland, Whole Foods and ABC stores. His wife, Barbara, helps manage the finances for the business and enjoys sharing about his post-Merchant Marine ventures such as surviving a super typhoon in Saipan with their two-month-old son, renovating a 200-year-old chateau near Verviers, Belgium, and more.
Cheryl Chee TsutsumiJune 10, 2026
The sword that spares
ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa shares gratitude for the police we send toward the danger the rest of us flee, especially in light of the manhunts for Jacob Baker and William “Billy” Sinclair.
Sterling HigaJune 09, 2026
Pipikaula Corner: Lawsuit filed against Act 11
Lawmakers said the state would get sued, even as they pushed SB2471 into law as Act 11, seeking to nullify the U.S. Supreme Court decision known as Citizens United. Grassroot Institute of Hawai‘i filed its lawsuit Friday, challenging the law as unconstitutional.
A. Kam NapierJune 06, 2026
No law can raise the dead
Maybe police crackdowns or stricter parental discipline might've prevented the now infamous North Shore beatdowns, writes ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa, but at heart, the cruelties of that night are evidence of a deeper spiritual crisis in Hawai‘i.
Sterling HigaJune 06, 2026
Making Sense of Hawai‘i’s Medicaid Fraud Conundrum
On Thursday, the federal government decertified and defunded Hawai‘i's Medicaid fraud unit in response to having spent millions on the unit for years while getting few results. ASD political historian Perry Arrasmith explains how we got here and what it means for Hawai‘i, where Gov. Josh Green had been on fairly good terms with the Trump administration on health matters.
Perry ArrasmithJune 05, 2026
Then & Now on Bishop Street: Buildings and Trees Grow Taller
DeSoto Brown, historian and curator for the Archives at Bishop Museum, joins ASD as a history columnist. In this debut, he shows us Bishop Street in Downtown Honolulu, as it was in 1949 and as it appears today, with the backstory on what you're seeing. Something on this street is older than you might guess. What do you think that might be?
DeSoto BrownJune 04, 2026
Hamada: North Shore beating sickens
A dozen boys and men ganged up on a 15-year-old boy this week, then turned on the young lifeguard who tried to save him. ASD opinion columnist Rick Hamada asks — who the heck raised these people, and what are we going to do about this crime?
Rick HamadaJune 03, 2026
Dog-Spirits and Moʻo at Kapena Falls
Who — or what — lives in the pond beneath Kapena Falls in Nu‘uanu Valley? In ancient legends, the valley has been home to guardian dogs with supernatural abilities, and creatures who can take both human and lizard form. For some visitors to the valley, those legends haven't been so ancient after all.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 03, 2026
Pipikaula Corner: UH athletics and the race for dollars
Name, Image, Likeness is already upsetting the finances of college sports. Now there's a new trend — universities are starting to spin off their entire athletics programs as freestanding corporations. Where will this leave the University of Hawai‘i?
A. Kam NapierJune 03, 2026