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VP Biden and Ukraine diplomacy

As soon as Devon Archer’s closed-door sit-down with the House Oversight Committee ended on July 31, New York’s Daniel Goldman emerged to give the Democratic spin: President Biden’s conversations with his son’s business partners were innocent discussions about the weather or other niceties. That was exposed as false on Thursday when the committee made the complete transcript public. Mr. Archer is a former business partner of Hunter Biden and served with him on the board of Ukrainian energy giant Burisma. Mr. Archer described the value-added that Hunter brought to the business as ...

Small town, big heart

In honor of those who lost their lives, homes and livelihoods to the Lahaina fire, we pay tribute to the little harbor town and its giant heart. Rooted in Hawaiian history and values, Lahaina has been shaped by royal families, missionaries, whalers, plantation owners, immigrant laborers, hippies, artists and countless others who added their story to the mix. It was a multicultural mashup full of positivity and the aloha spirit before the fire and we expect it to continue to be so after. If asked to describe Lahaina in one word, colorful might be the one we choose. Happy, proud, unique, ...

Federal disaster relief for heat waves

When communities are hit by hurricanes, floods and wildfires they can often count on receiving federal disaster relief to help respond to the unfolding crisis and recover from its effects. But no U.S. president has ever issued an emergency or major disaster declaration for extreme heat, even though it’s the deadliest weather-related hazard. That means that local communities and states are mostly on their own as they deal with events like this summer’s stifling, weeks-long spell of dangerous heat. As temperatures continue to break records, it makes little sense to exclude ...

Impeachment inquiry

Even with subsequent qualifications, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s floating of the idea of an inquiry into impeaching President Biden is irresponsible and another example of McCarthy giving aid and comfort to the crazy caucus of the Republican Party. In an interview on — where else? — Fox News, the Bakersfield Republican referred to congressional investigations of the Biden family and said: “This is rising to the level of impeachment inquiry, which provides Congress the strongest power to get the rest of the knowledge and information needed.” McCarthy later clarified that he ...

DJs make drives better

They make the miles slip away. Blending just the right music with interesting banter and, at times, important, breaking news, radio DJs have long served as our travel companions on Maui’s roadways. Many a drive around this island has been spent with the likes of McAvoy Layne, Fusayo Koike, Ron Vaught, Kathy Collins, Henry “Boy” Kana’e, Pat Patterson, Kenny Cruise and too many others to name. They got us from A to B, from Lahaina to Kaupo. AM radio was still king when we started at The Maui News. There were dark, early-morning drives listening to an Oahu station for about 10 ...

The ‘humming’ economy

For the first time in a while, the nation — and its policymakers — can step out of crisis mode. This is an ideal moment for President Biden and Congress not just to take a victory lap but also to start tackling the United States’ long-running challenges. The surprises keep coming for the U.S. economy — and nearly all have been worth cheering lately. Growth was better than expected this spring. Inflation is cooling off faster than anticipated. Unemployment remains near half-century lows. Optimism is picking up. Consumer spending remains solid. Wages are now rising faster than ...