Richard Wiens

1 week ago | civilbeat.org | Beth Fukumoto |Richard Wiens

Gov. Josh Green wanted the money to go into special environmental funds. Instead, lawmakers retain a say in how it’s spent. It was one of the most high-profile environmental policy wins of the year: Lawmakers increased taxes on visitor accommodations with the goal of funding climate resiliency and environmental protection projects. Gov. Josh Green called it “a historic piece of legislation,” but he didn’t get everything he wanted in the final bill.

1 week ago | civilbeat.org | Richard Wiens

Short takes, outtakes, our takes and other stuff you should know about public information, government accountability and ethical leadership in Hawai‘i. Traveling man: Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green just wrapped up his third trip to Washington, D.C., this year to advocate for national health care issues.

1 week ago | civilbeat.org | Richard Wiens

Let The Sunshine In Hawaiʻi’s senior U.S. senator has become an important voice for Democrats nationally. Hawaiʻi’s senior U.S. senator has become an important voice for Democrats nationally. This has not been a good year for Democrats in national politics. With the new president dismantling chunks of the federal government and Republicans in control of a sit back-and-watch Congress, that may come across as the mother of all understatements.

2 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Neal Milner |Richard Wiens

The uncomfortable truth is that Hawaiʻi likely has thousands more homeless people than the narrow definition used in the official count accounts for. The homelessness problem in Hawaiʻi is much bigger than you think and includes people you never imagined. Officially, Hawaiʻi has about 6,500 homeless. A more realistic estimate? Say hello to 30,000 more.

2 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Eric Stinton |Richard Wiens

Commentary Kids have been told the purpose of an education is to get ahead. Now is the time to rethink the value of classroom learning. Kids have been told the purpose of an education is to get ahead. Now is the time to rethink the value of classroom learning. What is the purpose of education? I was thinking about this recently as I was grading a stack of research papers written, to varying extents, by my ninth graders and ChatGPT.