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Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

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The Sunshine Editorial Board

The members of Civil Beat’s editorial board focused on ‘Let The Sunshine In’ are Patti Epler, Chad Blair, John Hill and Richard Wiens.


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

Oprah, The Rock, Ivanka too? Lots of news outlets and other online sites are reporting that former first daughter Ivanka Trump was in Lahaina two weeks ago to distribute food and supplies.

The “secret” trip, as it The Daily Mail of the UK, was led by CityServe International, which is a charitable relief organization and a group with which Trump has worked before.

Yes, that’s Ivanka Trump in Lahaina this month. The screen shot is from The Daily Mail.

The Daily Mail gushed, “Dressed in a black tank top and green cargo pants, Trump wore a name tag that read ‘Iva’ as she distributed fresh produce locally grown in Maui.”

Missions Box, a Christian nonprofit, of the visit:

“Amidst the tears being shed are tangible signs of hope and love, including the arrival of Ivanka Trump, who was seen hefting boxes of supplies, consoling survivors, hugging children, and passing out meals to those who’ve lost everything.”

Speaking of the GOP, U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was recently in Lahaina.

Meet the new boss: The Hawaii Republican Party has selected a new chair, its fourth this year. Yes, fourth.

Tamara McKay is the new Hawaii GOP chair.

Tamara McKay, who ran unsuccessfully for Democrat Lynn DeCoite’s Maui Senate seat last year, confirms that she was elected to the job earlier this month.

“As we embark on this new chapter, I am committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment within our party,” she said in a press release.

Addressing a $60,000 party debt situation is also a priority for McKay.

Two tickets to paradise: Will Espero, who previously served in the state Senate and House, is releasing his second novel, “Vengeance In Paradise.”

It’s his second work of fiction following “Passion In Paradise.”

Espero tweeted (or is it X’d?) that his latest work is about two prominent families “involved in politics & business. A shaky engagement, an unwanted business deal, a private investigation, a missing heiress & a vengeful shooting disrupt the tranquility of Hawaii.”

The Sunshine Blog has not read the book but wonders whether the feds swoop in to save the day.

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Espero left politics after losing runs for other offices, but he’s still totally engaged. Read our recent Q&A with him on the need for political reform in the islands.

Dis Buggah Free! That’s the motto of , which still publishes in print — print! — in addition to online.

During Civil Beat’s recent pop-up newsroom in Waialua, Julie Mansur brought us a fresh copy of the April 23 issue, which features a story on the Waialua Mill smokestack.

It’s a lovely piece, a rich slice of local history.

Excerpt: “Towering over 100 feet, black-tipped, and iconic, it has represented our past and is part of our memories. You couldn’t miss it as you took the long, downhill drive from Wahiawa. Now at the end of its useful life it has been mostly taken down. Everyone noticed. Local TV news covered it, and there is a sadness mixed with a resolve to protect other landmarks of Waialua.”

“Sadness mixed with resolve.” That sounds just like the business of journalism these days, no?

Public service: For those of you who are just itching to let someone other than the Honolulu Police Commission know what you think about the job being done by the Honolulu Police Department, there’s a new outlet.

HPD says there’s a new portal to accept public comment on the department’s compliance with national standards and accreditation. You can or to the .

The Blog still has some hope that the Hawaii Law Enforcement Standards Board will eventually get going. The idea there is that the state standards board could set standards consistent across all police agencies in Hawaii (state sheriffs, DLNR for instance along with county departments). Most importantly, the board could revoke a cop’s certification which would effectively keep them from getting their old job back or going to another agency.

Like so many other things, the Legislature put the standards board in place in 2018 but then never gave it any money to operate. It finally got some cash last year but is still struggling to create the standards and rules envisioned under the law.


Read this next:

Naka Nathaniel: The Most Important Question To Ask Right Now About The Maui Fires


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About the Author

The Sunshine Editorial Board

The members of Civil Beat’s editorial board focused on ‘Let The Sunshine In’ are Patti Epler, Chad Blair, John Hill and Richard Wiens.


Latest Comments (0)

So refreshing to see (and read). Helping humanity knows no political affiliation.

808Refugee · 1 year ago

Wish we'd been able to attend your Waialua 'popup'....somehow didn't get on our calendar! Thanks for noticing our North Shore News - steadfast local publication and the operators run local food bank and multiple charitable activities...

Haleiwa_Dad · 1 year ago

Is Iva going to other states also whose people are also suffering due to global warming in the USA? They need more help than Hawaii because in Hawaii we take care of our own.

kealoha1938 · 1 year ago

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