Bert Oshiro News Today

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) is past its expiration date and needs to go. Changing its name to Office of Tourism and Destination Management and its focus to “regenerative tourism” — whatever that means — is akin to rearranging chairs on the deck of the Titanic.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) was created in 1998. Tourists were well aware of Hawaii prior to that.

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) held its 22nd annual Native Hawaiian Convention (“Native Hawaiian summit kicks off on Maui,” Star-Advertiser, Nov. 15).

The Social Security Administration recently announced that Social Security recipients will receive an annual cost-of-living adjustment of 3.2% for 2024 (“Social Security benefits will increase by 3.2% in 2024,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 12).

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) overpromises and underdelivers again (“$580M surplus awaits at rail’s end,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 16).

CNBC just came out with its rankings of the “Top States For Business.” As usual, Hawaii ranked as one of the worst states to do business, coming in at No. 47.

“Priced out of paradise.” Iam Tongi’s poignant words ring so true to the thousands of people who have left Hawaii and the thousands more to come (“Hawaii native Iam Tongi wins ‘American Idol’,” Star- Advertiser, May 22).

The SpaceX Starship, the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, launches from Texas. Why can’t the Starship launch from Hawaii?