10 Must-Read Stories From the Week of May 20 – 24
If you live on Oahu, chances are you cringe when you hear about someone swimming in the Ala Wai Canal.
But it wasn’t always the stagnant murky waterway that it is now. We devoted a lot of our efforts this week to telling the canal’s story.
Our four-part series, The Ala Wai Canal — Hawaii’s Biggest Mistake?, looks at the canal’s storied past and its troubled future. It was built in the 1920s to drain the wetlands and allow for real estate development in Waikiki and areas mauka of the canal. But a fatal design flaw has turned into a major liability for the state.
Federal, state and city officials worry that a major rainstorm could cause catastrophic flooding that could drown Waikiki under five feet of water.
Ironically, despite data showing pollution levels off the charts and complaints of bacterial infections from canoe paddlers who use the canal, there’s been no effort to cut off public access to the waterway. Instead, worried parents endure and hope their child’s canoe won’t overturn, spilling kids into the murky dirty water.
But when people get sick, taxpayers will likely be on the hook as happened in 2006.
Federal, state and city officials acknowledge the problem and have been working on it for years. Critics are concerned it’s taking too long. Granted, at $100 million, it’s an expensive fix. But the cost and consequences of Waikiki flooding could be even greater.
We hope that you read the project — and please let us know what you think.
And have a great Memorial Day weekend. We’ll be taking Monday off, too.
In the meantime, here are 10 more stories you shouldn’t miss:
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Did Hawaii’s Senate President Violate The State Ethics Code?
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Senate Panel Passes Immigration Bill, Filipino Vets Included
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Hawaii Teacher: Does Island Culture Allow Bad Student Behavior?
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Honolulu City Council Denies Mayor’s Repeated Requests To Raise Taxes
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‘Little Voice’ Overcomes Lobbying To Limit Access To Care Home Records
