Maui County Councilmember Gladys Baisa can’t run for reelection because of term limits, which means there’s a lot of interest in succeeding her. Of the four candidates running, one of them–Yuki Lei Sugimura–has extensive experience with the Maui Democratic Party. Her campaign website doesn’t have a lot of information on her political views, but we managed to pin […]
Hawaii Senators Mazie Hirono, Brian Schatz react to gun control bill failures
Stop me if you’ve heard this before. On June 12, there’s a terrible mass shooting at the LGBT nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida. A few days later, a group of U.S. Senators (including Democratic U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz of Hawaii) stage a 15-hour filibuster, calling for votes on a few “common sense” […]
Maui and Hawaii officials wish Rep. Mark Takai the best
Yesterday brought some very sad news: U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, D–Honolulu, announced that health problems would prevent him from running for reelection. Takai won his first term in 2014, but announced last year that he had pancreatic cancer. “In life, we often make plans for ourselves,” Takai said in a statement released yesterday. “I had envisioned a long […]
Drew Toonz asks if 3 Democratic Party superdelegates know that Bernie Sanders won Hawaii
Illustration: Andrew Miller
CORRECTED: How do Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders match up on the eve of the Hawaii Democratic Presidential Preference Poll?
It’s not the trash fire that marks this year’s Republican Party effort to pick a presidential candidate, but the race to be the 2016 Democratic Party nominee is anything but dull. While the Republicans knock each other over as to who can get the most votes by playing up racist fears against minorities, Muslims and […]
Hawaii’s Sen. Mazie Hirono and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard talk GMO labeling
Looks like the U.S. Congress is discussing GMO labeling. Specifically, a recent bill from Republicans (who in theory prefer state’s rights over federal control) to squash a recent Vermont law that mandated labeling foods that contain GMOs (the so-called “DARK Act”). This didn’t sit well with U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, D–Hawaii. “As a longtime advocate for […]
Watch Hawaii U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono denounce anti-immigrant sentiments
If you take ideas like justice, individual responsibility and the right of people, of families, to make better lives for themselves, then we live in dark times. Right now, not 50 years ago but right now, men in power (and they’re nearly all men) have discovered that denouncing immigrants and refugees, promising to build giant walls […]
USDA Gives Hawaii-Grown Coffee New Valuation Method
On Oct. 29, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced that starting in January 2016, the agency will do a “green bean pricing valuation” for all coffee grown in Hawaii. This, according to Hawaii’s congressional delegation, is a better way to “reflect market values.” It also makes reporting easier on […]
UPDATED: U.S. Supreme Court rules that Constitution protects same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is legal everywhere in the U.S., now and forever. That’s according to the U.S. Supreme Court, which handed down its historic 5-4 ruling this morning in the case Obergefell v. Hodges. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, D–Hawaii, was pleased, to say the least, in this statement emailed out by his press office early this morning: […]
U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono honors the late Rep. Patsy Mink on Title IX anniversary
Today is the 43rd anniversary of the Title IX–the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity Education Act. Named in 2002 for the Maui-born legislator who fought gender discrimination in school and had helped get Title IX passed during her years in Congress. Here’s the text of a statement U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono released today in her honor: “Forty-three […]
UPDATED: Maui Representative Mele Carroll Passes Away
[Ed. note: We updated this post on Feb. 19 to include more tributes to Carroll from various public officials] State Representative Diana “Mele” Carroll has passed away. The Democrat who’s represented East Maui, Lanai, Kaho’olawe and Molokai had recently been elected to her sixth term. Citing unspecified health issues, Carroll resigned her seat in January. […]
The U.S. Army is preparing to leave Hawaii, but few besides Maui Rep. Kaniela Ing seem happy to see them go
The U.S. military and Hawaii have a long and complex history. The 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom happened in part because U.S. Marines came ashore to assist the white coup leaders. Hawaii eventually became a U.S. territory during the Spanish-American War because of Pearl Harbor’s value to the U.S. Navy as a coaling station. […]
Quizunderstood: How well do you know new Hawaii PUC Chairman Randy Iwase?
1. Last week, Hawaii Governor David Ige named former state Senator Randy Iwase the new Public Utilities Commission Chairman. The last time Iwase ran for office was 2006, when he tried to unseat then-Governor Linda Lingle. What was Iwase’s vote percentage in that race? A. 47.9 percent B. 44.9 percent C. 37.9 percent D. 34.9 […]
U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii Urges Passage of Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act
Describing the current rates of suicide for American veterans as “unacceptable,” U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono, D–Hawaii, today called for the passage of a new bill that would, at least on paper, make life a little easier for people seeking treatment from the U.S. Veterans Administration. “It is simply unacceptable that 22 American veterans commit suicide each day,” […]
Having Fun With New Appointments For U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono, Ted Cruz
And so now the Republicans are in change of the entire U.S. Congress. Good! Let the paralyzing gridlock commence! Oh wait, that’s already been going on for years. Well then, at least we’ll be treated a lot more hilarious headlines. Many of those are sure to originate from the office of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, […]
Quizunderstood: How well do you know U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono?
1. On Dec. 12, Google announced that it had named a town on Maui an official “2014 eCity of Hawaii,” according to a news release sent out by the winning town. The distinction shows how well local firms in that town use the Internet for business. Which town won the award? A. Wailuku B. Lahaina […]