Cory Lum
Honolulu Civil Beat
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Past articles by Cory:
Protest On Mauna Kea: Hundreds Block Road As Trucks Set To Roll
Some Native Hawaiians think construction of a new telescope will desecrate a sacred site that already holds 13 other telescopes. → Read More
The Medical Cannabis Industry Will Benefit Hawaii's Agribusiness Sector
Cannabis, an extremely versatile plant is going through a renaissance in the 21st century. With the help of community leaders, proactive legislators, and helpful government officials, support for those who want to produce and use this crop for medicinal and industrial uses is growing. Mahalo nui to all those who have taken their time to … → Read More
Blue Planet's Top 10 Energy Stories Of 2015
In Hawaii and around the world, 2015 was a historic turning point for renewable energy. On this eve of 2016, let’s count down the Top 10 for clean energy in Hawaii. 10. Solar Impulse Lands In Hawaii Flying through the night on nothing but solar power? That’s what the Solar Impulse plane did on its … → Read More
The Projector: Images of 2015 — The New Governor, The TMT Fight And The Nomadic Homeless
With presidential vacations as bookends, the year in the islands featured David Ige’s shakedown cruise, the still-unfolding TMT-Mauna Kea controversy and new attempts to solve the old problem of homelessness. → Read More
Hawaii Minimum Wage Now $8.50, But Is That Enough?
Coming with the new year is a hike of 75 cents in our state’s minimum wage. Hawaii is one of 14 states where workers will now see more in their paychecks. Hawaii’s hourly wage will be $8.50. The Legislature increased the payment in 2014 — the first time the wage, which was then $7.25 an hour, … → Read More
'What The Hell Have I Gotten Myself Into?'
When Jessica Terrell first stumbled across a homeless encampment on the west coast of Oahu, she instinctively knew that she had to come back and get to know the people living there. Terrell, who is Civil Beat’s education reporter, had some personal reasons for wanting to tell the story of Hawaii’s largest and most unusual … → Read More
Patti Epler: In 2015, We Pushed Harder To Make A Difference
In 2015, we traveled farther, dug deeper and pushed harder to bring you stories that no one else in Hawaii is doing. And while that often meant strong storytelling around deeply reported issues that are important in the islands, we also bolstered Civil Beat’s commitment to the community on a number of other levels, including providing … → Read More
Hawaii GOP Keynoter: Scott Walker
The Hawaii Republican Party says that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will be its keynote speaker for the local GOP’s 2016 Lincoln Day Dinner on Feb.16. “Gov. Scott Walker is one of America’s most effective governors and the Hawaii Republican Party is honored to have him serve as the keynote speaker at our annual Lincoln Day Dinner,” Hawaii GOP … → Read More
Curt Sanburn: A Conversation with Architect John Hara
Architect John Hara is cagey about his style when I persist in asking him about it. “Early alcoholic,” he’ll say, mocking the question, or “paleo-faux-rococo.” All he’ll say seriously is that he hopes it’s consistent — not necessarily in form, mind you, but in design approach. It starts with philosophical precepts, things like spatial and … → Read More
The Projector: Holidays In Hawaii — Shopping, Budgeting And Presidential Golf
Oahu’s year-end rituals: Malls buzzed, the governor budgeted and Obama chipped in from 40 feet. → Read More
Nai Aupuni Lists Convention Participants
Nai Aupuni on Wednesday announced the names of 152 Native Hawaiians who will take part in an aha, or convention, to “broadly discuss self-governance” in February. The list includes many familiar names, including nationalist Bumpy Kanahele, scholar Lilikala Kameeleihiwa, politicians Brickwood Galuteria and Dante Carpenter, and musician Teresa Bright. Other names of interest: lawmaker Kaniela Ing,… → Read More
A Public Hearing On The NextEra Deal Turns Out To Be Not So Public
Sometimes a Public Utilities Commission hearing isn’t public at all. That was the case on Tuesday afternoon at Blaisdell Center where, on the second day of a quasi-judicial process that will decide whether NextEra Energy’s $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric is allowed to go through, the public was cleared from the room for 45 minutes … → Read More
Hawaii Officials Begin Converting Kakaako Shed Into Homeless Shelter
The state will convert a 5,000-square-foot maintenance shed behind the University of Hawaii medical school in Kakaako into a temporary homeless shelter. It could house up to 240 people a year, Scott Morishige, the governor’s coordinator on homelessness, announced Tuesday. Gov. David Ige’s leadership team has long been considering the shed as one of several … → Read More
House Rejects Obama's Climate Rules
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday defied the president and approved two resolutions blocking EPA rules regulating power plants. While both measures, which previously passed the Senate, will likely not withstand veto, they are a bit of an embarrassment to Barack Obama, who is in Paris arguing for ways to ameliorate manmade climate change. The House voted … → Read More
Hawaii Airport Parking Rates Increase
Just in time for the holidays: a big increase in daily public-parking rates at Hawaii’s airports, effective Monday. The maximum rate for 24 hours of parking at Honolulu International Airport is now $18, up $3. At Kahului Airport, Kapalua Airport, Lihue Airport, Hilo International Airport and Kona International Airport at Keahole, the increase went from $12 to … → Read More
Health Beat: Not All Dementia Is Alzheimer's
Halewia resident Elizabeth Richardson remembers the first time her late husband Donald started to show signs of something strange. They were at a gathering in Maui in the mid-1990s and he was surrounded by a circle of long-time friends when he started saying things that didn’t make sense. To an outsider, it might not have … → Read More
Syrian Refugees: We're Making The Same Obscene Mistake Again
Someone broke into my home last week. They took four computers, jewelry, and two of our ducks. I have never felt such shame and anger towards my fellow humans. This feeling is new to me. But not because some young punk broke into our house and violated our privacy. Crystal meth is creating a lost … → Read More
Department of Defense Voices Support For $4.3 Billion Power Merger As Hearing Begins
A crucial stage of deliberations over the proposed $4.3 billion merger of NextEra Energy and Hawaiian Electric Industries began with a surprise announcement Monday. The U.S. Department of Defense, a huge consumer of electricity in the state, is seeking to withdraw from its intervenor status in the case, saying it is satisfied that the merger … → Read More
Nai Aupuni Extends Voting Deadline
The monthlong Hawaiians-only election that was to end Monday has been extended three weeks. Nai Aupuni, the organization that is holding the election — one that could lead to a path toward Native Hawaiian self-governance — took the action three days after a court injunction halted any counting of the votes. The results were to have … → Read More
Todd Simmons: Lift The Stay, Count The Votes In Hawaiian Election
If the election to select delegates for a Native Hawaiian government convention were a football game, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii and its allies would be penalized for improper celebration. The institute won a stay from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy on Friday in its effort to prevent the election from being certified or its … → Read More