essays, analysis, opinion

Let the Sunshine In

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: How Low Can We Go?

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

By The Sunshine Blog · November 8, 2026 · 9 min read

The Public Could Gain Free Access To These Government Records

A long-sought fee waiver for records that would help people understand government is in the works. Gov. Josh Green gets some of the credit.

By Patti Epler · November 8, 2026 · 11 min read

'I Have To Be Involved': Natalie Iwasa Has Been Rocking The Boat For 20 Years

The Hawaiʻi Kai accountability advocate has advice for other residents who want to tackle community issues.

By Patti Epler · November 1, 2026 · 9 min read

The Sunshine Blog: This AI Agent Has A Story To Tell About Lahaina

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

By The Sunshine Blog · November 1, 2026 · 5 min read

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Neal Milner: No Blue Tsunami In Hawaiʻi. Just Listless Kona Winds

November 11, 2026 · 6 min read

Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Neal Milner: Hawaiʻi's Riot Prevention Plan - Crummy Public Spaces

November 2, 2026 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Neal Milner: Can Hawaiʻi Get Over Its 'Stay-Put Syndrome'?

October 23, 2026 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Neal Milner: Independents Are Rising. Do They Have A Future In Hawaiʻi?

October 11, 2026 · 6 min read

Beth Fukumoto: Hawaiʻi Voters Wanting Change Didn’t Get It Tuesday

November 8, 2026 · 6 min read

Flickr: Nick Amoscato

Beth Fukumoto: Bet On It - Hawaiʻi’s Lawmakers Will Again Mull Gambling

November 1, 2026 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Beth Fukumoto: In West Maui, Old Rules Of Hawaiʻi Politics Are Unraveling

October 30, 2026 · 7 min read

Photo Illustration: Stuart Leavenworth

Beth Fukumoto: My Ballot Has 22 Questions Yet Almost No Choices

October 25, 2026 · 5 min read

Lee Cataluna: Songs Of Resistance, Songs Of Hope

October 25, 2026 · 9 min read

Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2019

Lee Cataluna: Our Strange Fixation With Ni‘ihau

September 27, 2026 · 5 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Lee Cataluna: Are Voters Apathetic? Maybe They're Disgusted

September 20, 2026 · 5 min read

Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Lee Cataluna: Sometimes The Best Campaign Ad Is No Campaign Ad

September 13, 2026 · 5 min read

Denby Fawcett: Aloha Tower Has Lived Many Lives In Its 100 Years

September 23, 2026 · 10 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Denby Fawcett: Can Oʻahu Spend Millions On Pandas And Also Upgrade The Zoo?

September 9, 2026 · 9 min read

Courtesy Honolulu Museum of Art

Denby Fawcett: Why Engaging With Art Bolsters Your Brain

September 2, 2026 · 6 min read

Denby Fawcett/Civil Beat/2026

Denby Fawcett: No Pidgin Allowed In Hawaiʻi's Once-Elite Public Schools

August 19, 2026 · 10 min read

Eric Stinton: A Staple Of Hawaiʻi's Literary World Is Back

September 22, 2026 · 5 min read

Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Eric Stinton: School Phone Ban Is A Good Idea, But The Problem Runs Deeper

August 3, 2026 · 7 min read

Ronen Zilberman/Civil Beat/2021

Eric Stinton: What Is A Protest That Follows The Rules?

July 19, 2026 · 5 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Eric Stinton: Here's How To Approach Using AI In Schools

June 21, 2026 · 7 min read

Kirstin Downey: Were Spanish Explorers In Hawai‘i Before Captain Cook?

September 18, 2026 · 9 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Kirstin Downey: How 2 Hawaiʻi Civilians Exposed Historic Navy Scandal

September 11, 2026 · 13 min read

Kirstin Downey: ‘Fat Leonard’ Corrupted The Navy. Will Trump Pardon Him?

September 4, 2026 · 9 min read

Kirstin Downey/Civil Beat/2026

Kirstin Downey: Book Reveals Splendor, Brutality Of Kamehameha's Court

August 28, 2026 · 8 min read

What The Future of Hawaiʻi’s Republican Party Looks Like

January 4, 2026 · 6 min read

Getty Images

Danny De Gracia: You Don't Have The Right To Use AI Deepfakes In Politics

June 15, 2025 · 8 min read

Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2023

Danny De Gracia: The Case For Young People To Stay In Hawaiʻi

June 9, 2025 · 8 min read

Screenshot

Danny De Gracia: Hawaiʻi Needs Serious Leadership From Local Republicans

June 2, 2025 · 7 min read

We Must Preserve The Human Rights Of Children Who Commit Crimes

May 16, 2025 · 4 min read

The White House/2025

Jacob Aki: Trump’s Address To Congress Wasn’t A Vision — It Was A Warning

March 7, 2025 · 6 min read

Chad Blair/Civil Beat/2024

Chad Blair: Campaign Signs Are Everywhere. Is There Anywhere They're Not Allowed?

July 31, 2024 · 8 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Chad Blair: Senate Interrogations And House Lovefests When The Money Committees Meet

May 13, 2024 · 8 min read

Catherine Toth Fox: Closed Since 1979, Waikīkī Natatorium May Be Restored

January 21, 2025 · 5 min read

Catherine Toth Fox/Civil Beat/2024

Catherine Toth Fox: The Big Business Of Pokemon Comes To Honolulu

August 16, 2024 · 5 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Catherine Toth Fox: There Should Be Such A Thing As A Free Lunch — At Least In Schools

August 9, 2024 · 4 min read

Catherine Toth Fox/Civil Beat/2024

Catherine Toth Fox: This Principal Made A Community Centered On Raising Fish And Vegetables

July 12, 2024 · 5 min read

John Hill: She Begged The State To Save Her Grandkids. Instead, One Is Dead

October 18, 2024 · 6 min read

Screenshot: Multidisciplinary team report/2024

John Hill: An Abused Child's Hidden Death

September 30, 2024 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Danny De Gracia: Government Could Help Make Day-To-Day Life Less Annoying

September 23, 2024 · 7 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

John Hill: The State Keeps Bleeding Money For Failing To Protect Vulnerable Children

September 5, 2024 · 7 min read

Naka Nathaniel: The Military Wants New State Land Leases. What Should We Get In Return?

September 23, 2024 · 6 min read

(Naka Nathaniel/Civil Beat 2024

Naka Nathaniel: Hawaii's Ag System Needs An Overhaul To Promote Food Independence

September 18, 2024 · 6 min read

Jonathan Salvador photo/2024

Naka Nathaniel: The Voyage To Becoming The Breadbasket Of The Pacific

September 11, 2024 · 6 min read

Cory Lum / Civil Beat

Naka Nathaniel: We Need To Foster A Culture Of Belonging In A Land Of Inequality

August 21, 2024 · 6 min read

Jonathan Okamura: Here's How Some Hawaii Candidates Covet The Japanese Vote

July 28, 2024 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2022

Jonathan Okamura: Ethnic Names Give Hawaii Candidates An Advantage — And They Know It

July 21, 2024 · 7 min read

Angelo Villagomez

Jonathan Okamura: There May Be No 'Black Jobs,' But What About Micronesian Jobs?

July 14, 2024 · 5 min read

Charlie Kaijo/Civil Beat

Jonathan Okamura: Immigrant Students In Hawaii Defy Stereotypes To Tell Their Own Stories

June 30, 2024 · 6 min read

Ben Lowenthal: Turning Chronic Unlicensed Drivers Into Felons Is A Bad Idea

May 31, 2024 · 6 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Just Won't Give Up Its Harsh Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws

May 17, 2024 · 6 min read

Ben Lowenthal/Civil Beat/2017

Ben Lowenthal: County Fair's Demise Is Another Loss For Maui

May 3, 2024 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

April 19, 2024 · 6 min read

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Just Won't Give Up Its Harsh Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws

May 17, 2024 · 6 min read

Jonathan Okamura/Civil Beat/2024

Jonathan Okamura: Filipino UH Ceremony Creates A Cultural Space To Honor Graduates, Families And Community

May 12, 2024 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

April 19, 2024 · 6 min read

Courtesy Bernie Llanes/Aggressive Gamefarm

Eric Stinton: Chickens Have Feelings Too, Scientists Say. So Where Does That Leave Cockfighting?

April 2, 2024 · 7 min read

Editorials and Interviews

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Political Cartoons

Will Caron/Civil Beat/2026

Community Voices

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

We Train Hawaiʻi’s Future Workforce. Can They Afford to Stay?

Hawaiʻi island is investing in education, career training and healthcare. But without affordable housing, we risk losing the very people our communities need most.

By Harvey Stone · November 11, 2026 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Civil Beat: Ideas - Honolulu Civil Beat

Let the Sunshine In

Tracking Corruption And Government Accountability

The Sunshine Blog: How Low Can We Go?

The Public Could Gain Free Access To These Government Records

'I Have To Be Involved': Natalie Iwasa Has Been Rocking The Boat For 20 Years

The Sunshine Blog: This AI Agent Has A Story To Tell About Lahaina

Columns

Neal Milner: No Blue Tsunami In Hawaiʻi. Just Listless Kona Winds

Neal Milner: Hawaiʻi's Riot Prevention Plan - Crummy Public Spaces

Neal Milner: Can Hawaiʻi Get Over Its 'Stay-Put Syndrome'?

Neal Milner: Independents Are Rising. Do They Have A Future In Hawaiʻi?

Beth Fukumoto: Hawaiʻi Voters Wanting Change Didn’t Get It Tuesday

Beth Fukumoto: Bet On It - Hawaiʻi’s Lawmakers Will Again Mull Gambling

Beth Fukumoto: In West Maui, Old Rules Of Hawaiʻi Politics Are Unraveling

Beth Fukumoto: My Ballot Has 22 Questions Yet Almost No Choices

Lee Cataluna: Songs Of Resistance, Songs Of Hope

Lee Cataluna: Our Strange Fixation With Ni‘ihau

Lee Cataluna: Are Voters Apathetic? Maybe They're Disgusted

Lee Cataluna: Sometimes The Best Campaign Ad Is No Campaign Ad

Denby Fawcett: Aloha Tower Has Lived Many Lives In Its 100 Years

Denby Fawcett: Can Oʻahu Spend Millions On Pandas And Also Upgrade The Zoo?

Denby Fawcett: Why Engaging With Art Bolsters Your Brain

Denby Fawcett: No Pidgin Allowed In Hawaiʻi's Once-Elite Public Schools

Eric Stinton: A Staple Of Hawaiʻi's Literary World Is Back

Eric Stinton: School Phone Ban Is A Good Idea, But The Problem Runs Deeper

Eric Stinton: What Is A Protest That Follows The Rules?

Eric Stinton: Here's How To Approach Using AI In Schools

Kirstin Downey: Were Spanish Explorers In Hawai‘i Before Captain Cook?

Kirstin Downey: How 2 Hawaiʻi Civilians Exposed Historic Navy Scandal

Kirstin Downey: ‘Fat Leonard’ Corrupted The Navy. Will Trump Pardon Him?

Kirstin Downey: Book Reveals Splendor, Brutality Of Kamehameha's Court

What The Future of Hawaiʻi’s Republican Party Looks Like

Danny De Gracia: You Don't Have The Right To Use AI Deepfakes In Politics

Danny De Gracia: The Case For Young People To Stay In Hawaiʻi

Danny De Gracia: Hawaiʻi Needs Serious Leadership From Local Republicans

We Must Preserve The Human Rights Of Children Who Commit Crimes

Jacob Aki: Trump’s Address To Congress Wasn’t A Vision — It Was A Warning

Chad Blair: Campaign Signs Are Everywhere. Is There Anywhere They're Not Allowed?

Chad Blair: Senate Interrogations And House Lovefests When The Money Committees Meet

Catherine Toth Fox: Closed Since 1979, Waikīkī Natatorium May Be Restored

Catherine Toth Fox: The Big Business Of Pokemon Comes To Honolulu

Catherine Toth Fox: There Should Be Such A Thing As A Free Lunch — At Least In Schools

Catherine Toth Fox: This Principal Made A Community Centered On Raising Fish And Vegetables

John Hill: She Begged The State To Save Her Grandkids. Instead, One Is Dead

John Hill: An Abused Child's Hidden Death

Danny De Gracia: Government Could Help Make Day-To-Day Life Less Annoying

John Hill: The State Keeps Bleeding Money For Failing To Protect Vulnerable Children

Naka Nathaniel: The Military Wants New State Land Leases. What Should We Get In Return?

Naka Nathaniel: Hawaii's Ag System Needs An Overhaul To Promote Food Independence

Naka Nathaniel: The Voyage To Becoming The Breadbasket Of The Pacific

Naka Nathaniel: We Need To Foster A Culture Of Belonging In A Land Of Inequality

Jonathan Okamura: Here's How Some Hawaii Candidates Covet The Japanese Vote

Jonathan Okamura: Ethnic Names Give Hawaii Candidates An Advantage — And They Know It

Jonathan Okamura: There May Be No 'Black Jobs,' But What About Micronesian Jobs?

Jonathan Okamura: Immigrant Students In Hawaii Defy Stereotypes To Tell Their Own Stories

Ben Lowenthal: Turning Chronic Unlicensed Drivers Into Felons Is A Bad Idea

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Just Won't Give Up Its Harsh Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws

Ben Lowenthal: County Fair's Demise Is Another Loss For Maui

Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Just Won't Give Up Its Harsh Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws

Jonathan Okamura: Filipino UH Ceremony Creates A Cultural Space To Honor Graduates, Families And Community

Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

Eric Stinton: Chickens Have Feelings Too, Scientists Say. So Where Does That Leave Cockfighting?

Editorials and Interviews

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: US Rep. Ed Case

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: Hawaii's Climate Advisory Team

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: US Sen. Brian Schatz

Pay-To-Play Politics Is Staring Us In The Face. What Are We Going To Do About It?

Now We Know The Scale Of Pay-To-Play Politics In Hawaii. It's Long Past Time To Act

Political Cartoons

Will Caron: Coming Up Green

Will Caron: Squid Pro Quo

Will Caron: Navel Superiority

Community Voices

We Train Hawaiʻi’s Future Workforce. Can They Afford to Stay?

The Ala Wai And The Value Of An Idea That Didn't Get Built

Building A STEM Career At Home Starts With Opportunity

Pacific Fisheries Should Commit To Biodegradable Fish Aggregating Devices