Letter from the Editor

As I jumped in Uber and Lyft cars over the last couple of weeks to chat with drivers for this week’s feature story, my friends would send me off with a grim warning: “Don’t get kidnapped.” They were joking, but these companies have had various legal troubles and some serious allegations against its drivers, many of whom tend to be just regular people looking to supplement their incomes.

But my personal experiences with Uber and Lyft have been largely positive — and cheaper than most taxis I’ve taken around town. Currently, these app-based ride-hailing services are facing a bill that Uber says would shut down their business model in the state. You can read more about that on Page 10.

But not all technology can result in a business idea. Sometimes, it just means that we become more disconnected from what’s really important. Guest writer Mary Lou Sanelli, who contributes regularly to our community-sourced column, explores that concept with her latest personal essay (Page 3). (And you can check more of her past work at metroHNL.com.)

However you choose to travel there, get over to Grondin French-Latin Kitchen in Chinatown as soon as possible. Its Cassoulet will only be on the menu for another couple of weeks, and from the way Jaimie Kim details it on Page 14, it’s delicious.