Archive | congress RSS feed for this section
Ceded lands deal coming before Legislature, Hawaii schools get a ‘D’ in science, Marine hazing trial starts today, Hilo resort hotels need work, Maui…
Hawaii Rep. Mele Carroll at 2008 Capitol rally (c) 2012 All Hawaii News
Continue reading...Military beefing up in Hawaii, no drug testing of welfare recipients, three quit charter school board in protest, gambling proposed on Hawaiian lands,…
27. January 2012
Pohakuloa Training Area (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Hawaii’s military future could include another Navy cruiser and at least 1,000 more Marines if some forces are removed from Okinawa. Star-Advertiser Sen. Daniel Inouye said on Thursday that he expects “an increase of military personnel and assets” in the Pacific, including in Hawaii. Inouye’s remarks came after Defense Secretary Leon Panetta outlined his department’s budget plan for the next five years. Civil Beat. A host of bills before the State Legislature are dedicated to women veterans this year. KHON2. Once again, Hawaii state and county government agencies spent far more money lobbying in Washington D.C. than private companies did, according to 2011 U.S. Senate lobbyist disclosure reports. Hawaii Reporter. State Rep. Mele Carroll has reintroduced a bill that would allow gaming on Hawaiian homestead lands to provide a source of funds for the Department of Hawaiian Home Land’s developments and programs. Maui News. Two Maui law makers are introducing separate gaming measures in the state legislature this session. Maui Now. Spurred by a dramatic rise in computer-related crimes — including possibly affecting one of their own colleagues — lawmakers have introduced more than 30 measures in the Hawaii Legislature concerning cybercrime. Civil Beat. State lawmakers decided Thursday to leave online piracy legislation to Congress after hearing vehement opposition to a bill that called for keeping records of Hawaii users’ Internet activity. Associated Press. Internet privacy advocates, web entrepreneurs and business owners turned out in droves on Thursday to denounce a bill before the Hawaii Legislature that would require Internet service providers to keep a record of every website visited by subscribers for no less than two years. Civil Beat. Hawaii won’t be drug testing public assistance applicants and recipients any time soon. Associated Press. State politicians are running some old plays this week in an effort to convince the NFL that the Pro Bowl belongs in Hawaii. Pacific Business News. The Legislature is considering a statewide measure to have consumers pay for plastic and paper shopping bags. Hawaii Public Radio. Consumers Could Be Charged for Plastic and Paper Bags. Civil Beat. “Bag ban” could go state-wide & include paper. Hawaii News Now. Credit monitoring and fraud restoration services will be provided to about 98,000 University of Hawaii students, alumni, faculty, employees and others potentially affected by five data breaches that occurred from 2009 to 2011, under a settlement reached in a class-action lawsuit. Star-Advertiser. Federal data show cutting Hawaiian monk seals free from fishing nets, moving vulnerable pups away from preying sharks and other efforts to rescue the animals are significantly helping the endangered species. Associated Press. Oahu The city will agree to a new change order worth about $15 million to pay the company holding the contract to build the first segment of the rail line because of delays in the start of construction, according to officials with the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Star-Advertiser. Inspectors from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA ) have identified a snake killed on Wednesday near Honolulu airport as a bullsnake. Hawaii News Now. Longtime Hawaii television newsman Jack Kellner died Wednesday night in California. KITV4. Hawaii Three longtime members of the Charter School Review Panel — Chairman Carl Takamura, former Chairwoman Ruth Tschumy and Pualani Akaka — resigned Thursday to protest the state Board of Education’s reversal of the panel’s decisions on converting Laupahoehoe School to a charter school. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii County voters will once again get the opportunity to weigh in on a 2 percent land fund, now that Mayor Billy Kenoi has signed a bill putting it on the ballot. West Hawaii Today. Big Brother is watching — but he is supposed to be helping. West Hawaii Today. Some day, a new gym on the Hilo High School campus will give students, athletes and their fans the chance to enjoy games at home. Tribune-Herald. Oahu-based military units will convoy from Pohakuloa Training Area to Kawaihae Harbor on Saturday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. via Saddle Road, Mamalahoa Highway, Waikoloa Road, Queen Kaahumanu Highway and Akoni Pule corridor. Tribune-Herald. Maui Staffing levels at Maui’s only Veterans Affairs clinic are at 50 percent, resulting in long waits for veterans who need care, officials acknowledged Tuesday. Maui News. Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa expressed enthusiasm as the state Legislative session gets underway. Maui Now. Southerly winds are expected to prevail through today, and volcanic haze, or vog, should continue to hang in the air Friday and start to clear up Saturday, National Weather Service forecaster Vic DeJesus said Wednesday. Maui News. Kauai In 2011 Kauai’s beaches and surfbreaks were mostly clean, but some were definitely not. Garden Island. In response to the growing trend of crimes perpetrated against the elderly, Kaua‘i County Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho will be holding several senior fraud presentations across the island. Garden Island. The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has joined other national community advocates in an amicus (friend of the court) brief to be filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Affordable Care Act. Garden Island. Molokai Department of Land and Natural Resources is holding a community meeting regarding the security perimeter at the Kauanakakai Wharf to accommodate American Safari Cruises visits to Molokai. Molokai Dispatch.
Continue reading...Military beefing up in Hawaii, no drug testing of welfare recipients, three quit charter school board in protest, gambling proposed on Hawaiian lands,…
27. January 2012
Pohakuloa Training Area (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Hawaii’s military future could include another Navy cruiser and at least 1,000 more Marines if some forces are removed from Okinawa. Star-Advertiser Sen. Daniel Inouye said on Thursday that he expects “an increase of military personnel and assets” in the Pacific, including in Hawaii. Inouye’s remarks came after Defense Secretary Leon Panetta outlined his department’s budget plan for the next five years. Civil Beat. A host of bills before the State Legislature are dedicated to women veterans this year. KHON2. Once again, Hawaii state and county government agencies spent far more money lobbying in Washington D.C. than private companies did, according to 2011 U.S. Senate lobbyist disclosure reports. Hawaii Reporter. State Rep. Mele Carroll has reintroduced a bill that would allow gaming on Hawaiian homestead lands to provide a source of funds for the Department of Hawaiian Home Land’s developments and programs. Maui News. Two Maui law makers are introducing separate gaming measures in the state legislature this session. Maui Now. Spurred by a dramatic rise in computer-related crimes — including possibly affecting one of their own colleagues — lawmakers have introduced more than 30 measures in the Hawaii Legislature concerning cybercrime. Civil Beat. State lawmakers decided Thursday to leave online piracy legislation to Congress after hearing vehement opposition to a bill that called for keeping records of Hawaii users’ Internet activity. Associated Press. Internet privacy advocates, web entrepreneurs and business owners turned out in droves on Thursday to denounce a bill before the Hawaii Legislature that would require Internet service providers to keep a record of every website visited by subscribers for no less than two years. Civil Beat. Hawaii won’t be drug testing public assistance applicants and recipients any time soon. Associated Press. State politicians are running some old plays this week in an effort to convince the NFL that the Pro Bowl belongs in Hawaii. Pacific Business News. The Legislature is considering a statewide measure to have consumers pay for plastic and paper shopping bags. Hawaii Public Radio. Consumers Could Be Charged for Plastic and Paper Bags. Civil Beat. “Bag ban” could go state-wide & include paper. Hawaii News Now. Credit monitoring and fraud restoration services will be provided to about 98,000 University of Hawaii students, alumni, faculty, employees and others potentially affected by five data breaches that occurred from 2009 to 2011, under a settlement reached in a class-action lawsuit. Star-Advertiser. Federal data show cutting Hawaiian monk seals free from fishing nets, moving vulnerable pups away from preying sharks and other efforts to rescue the animals are significantly helping the endangered species. Associated Press. Oahu The city will agree to a new change order worth about $15 million to pay the company holding the contract to build the first segment of the rail line because of delays in the start of construction, according to officials with the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Star-Advertiser. Inspectors from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA ) have identified a snake killed on Wednesday near Honolulu airport as a bullsnake. Hawaii News Now. Longtime Hawaii television newsman Jack Kellner died Wednesday night in California. KITV4. Hawaii Three longtime members of the Charter School Review Panel — Chairman Carl Takamura, former Chairwoman Ruth Tschumy and Pualani Akaka — resigned Thursday to protest the state Board of Education’s reversal of the panel’s decisions on converting Laupahoehoe School to a charter school. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii County voters will once again get the opportunity to weigh in on a 2 percent land fund, now that Mayor Billy Kenoi has signed a bill putting it on the ballot. West Hawaii Today. Big Brother is watching — but he is supposed to be helping. West Hawaii Today. Some day, a new gym on the Hilo High School campus will give students, athletes and their fans the chance to enjoy games at home. Tribune-Herald. Oahu-based military units will convoy from Pohakuloa Training Area to Kawaihae Harbor on Saturday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. via Saddle Road, Mamalahoa Highway, Waikoloa Road, Queen Kaahumanu Highway and Akoni Pule corridor. Tribune-Herald. Maui Staffing levels at Maui’s only Veterans Affairs clinic are at 50 percent, resulting in long waits for veterans who need care, officials acknowledged Tuesday. Maui News. Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa expressed enthusiasm as the state Legislative session gets underway. Maui Now. Southerly winds are expected to prevail through today, and volcanic haze, or vog, should continue to hang in the air Friday and start to clear up Saturday, National Weather Service forecaster Vic DeJesus said Wednesday. Maui News. Kauai In 2011 Kauai’s beaches and surfbreaks were mostly clean, but some were definitely not. Garden Island. In response to the growing trend of crimes perpetrated against the elderly, Kaua‘i County Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho will be holding several senior fraud presentations across the island. Garden Island. The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has joined other national community advocates in an amicus (friend of the court) brief to be filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Affordable Care Act. Garden Island. Molokai Department of Land and Natural Resources is holding a community meeting regarding the security perimeter at the Kauanakakai Wharf to accommodate American Safari Cruises visits to Molokai. Molokai Dispatch.
Continue reading...GOP Lingle almost triples fund-raising of closest rival Hirono, UH prof caught in x-rated escort sting, Education leaders detail plans, HGEA grumbles…
26. January 2012
Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle Former Gov. Linda Lingle, in a display of national fundraising prowess, has raised more than $1.7 million since she announced her Republican campaign for the U.S. Senate in October. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii may not be known for its Republicans, but the first fundraising figures out of former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle’s campaign for U.S. Senate shows that Republicans are committed to changing the balance of power in the aloha state. Civil Beat. Former Congressman Ed Case said in a statement that he raised “substantially less” money last quarter than U.S. Senate opponents Linda Lingle and Mazie Hirono. Civil Beat State education leaders sought to reassure lawmakers Wednesday about the future of Hawaii’s $75 million Race to the Top grant, saying they are making gains and plan to seek more clarity about the kind of progress federal authorities want to see in order to take the grant off “high-risk” status. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Department of Education leaders described the state’s school district as a deteriorating house at a legislative briefing Wednesday, and their Race to the Top plan as the remodeling program for that house. Civil Beat. Hawaii’s public schools superintendent said Wednesday she hopes the state makes headway on adopting new teacher evaluations by the end of March, when U.S. Department of Education officials are scheduled to visit the islands for an update on the state’s progress with Race to the Top reforms. Associated Press. Taken For A Ride: Roberts Hawaii’s Very Own Race to the Top of School Bus Biz. Civil Beat. Hawaii Government Employees Association officials have told PBN they may file a complaint with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board because Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration has failed to advance talks regarding the favored nation clause of the union’s contract. Pacific Business News. The state appeals court has upheld the approval of a University of Hawaii-developed management plan for Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald. The House Committee on Judiciary passed a measure (House Bill 127 House Draft 1) that would require hospitals and health care providers to provide information about emergency contraception to women who have been sexually assaulted, and to dispense the medication when requested. Hawaii Reporter. It’s difficult to tell how many people experience homelessness. Nevertheless a national count is done at this time every year attempting to measure how many people are without homes. Hawaii Public Radio. State roundup for Jan. 26. Associated Press. Oahu An x-rated local escort service called “The Volcano Girls” is being operated out of the Waikiki residence of University of Hawaii Professor Lawrence W. Boyd, Jr. Hawaii Reporter. http://www.hawaiireporter.com/university-of-hawaii-professor-tied-to-x-rated-escort-service/123 Food trucks and lunch wagons would have two hours to operate at one location on a street before being required to move, under a proposal in the City Council that aims to ease a law that made it difficult for some vendors to operate legally. Star-Advertiser. A bill that would allow lunch wagons and other street vendors to remain at a single location for two hours instead of fifteen minutes passed the first of three required readings Wednesday at the Honolulu City Council. KHON2. The principal at August Ahrens Elementary School, a second school administrator and a teacher have been placed on leave while the state Department of Education investigates an allegation of financial impropriety. Star-Advertiser. North Shore residents demand solution to ‘Turtle Beach’ traffic. Hawaii News Now. The city has spent more than $1.87 million and hired seven private law firms to handle legal work related to its rail project. Star-Advertiser. The State Department of Agriculture says road crews working on Nimitz Highway near Honolulu Airport killed a two foot snake Wednesday morning. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii The Hawaii Tourism Authority has approved spending more than $1 million this year for Big Island programs, sporting events and festivals. Tribune-Herald. After sitting fallow for the last 18 years, 718 acres of Hawaii County’s Paauilo lands are closer than ever to being returned to productive agriculture. Tribune-Herald. An illegal ferret was captured early Sunday morning in the parking lot of Coqui’s Hideaway Restaurant & Sports Bar in Hilo. Tribune-Herald. Maui Of the three options for repairing the main runway at Kahului Airport, the most expensive was overwhelmingly preferred at a standing-room-only public meeting Monday, because it would not require a temporary shutdown of Mainland flights. Maui News. Project challenges several layers thick. Maui News. The new Papapawahawa Bridge in East Maui opens this Friday, January 27, 2012, following eight months of construction. Maui Now. A $2.3 million project to replace Papahawahawa Bridge is nearly complete, the county Department of Public Works announced. Maui News. Maui County officials say they are in the process of closing a three-mile stretch of shoreline near Wailea-Makena after a shark sighting Wednesday afternoon. KITV4. Kauai How can the Garden Isle grow green jobs? Garden Island. Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and other local leaders Wednesday greeted the first planeload of visitors from Shanghai as part of an effort to increase island visits from China. Garden Island.
Continue reading...GOP Lingle almost triples fund-raising of closest rival Hirono, UH prof caught in x-rated escort sting, Education leaders detail plans, HGEA grumbles…
26. January 2012
Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle Former Gov. Linda Lingle, in a display of national fundraising prowess, has raised more than $1.7 million since she announced her Republican campaign for the U.S. Senate in October. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii may not be known for its Republicans, but the first fundraising figures out of former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle’s campaign for U.S. Senate shows that Republicans are committed to changing the balance of power in the aloha state. Civil Beat. Former Congressman Ed Case said in a statement that he raised “substantially less” money last quarter than U.S. Senate opponents Linda Lingle and Mazie Hirono. Civil Beat State education leaders sought to reassure lawmakers Wednesday about the future of Hawaii’s $75 million Race to the Top grant, saying they are making gains and plan to seek more clarity about the kind of progress federal authorities want to see in order to take the grant off “high-risk” status. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Department of Education leaders described the state’s school district as a deteriorating house at a legislative briefing Wednesday, and their Race to the Top plan as the remodeling program for that house. Civil Beat. Hawaii’s public schools superintendent said Wednesday she hopes the state makes headway on adopting new teacher evaluations by the end of March, when U.S. Department of Education officials are scheduled to visit the islands for an update on the state’s progress with Race to the Top reforms. Associated Press. Taken For A Ride: Roberts Hawaii’s Very Own Race to the Top of School Bus Biz. Civil Beat. Hawaii Government Employees Association officials have told PBN they may file a complaint with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board because Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration has failed to advance talks regarding the favored nation clause of the union’s contract. Pacific Business News. The state appeals court has upheld the approval of a University of Hawaii-developed management plan for Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald. The House Committee on Judiciary passed a measure (House Bill 127 House Draft 1) that would require hospitals and health care providers to provide information about emergency contraception to women who have been sexually assaulted, and to dispense the medication when requested. Hawaii Reporter. It’s difficult to tell how many people experience homelessness. Nevertheless a national count is done at this time every year attempting to measure how many people are without homes. Hawaii Public Radio. State roundup for Jan. 26. Associated Press. Oahu An x-rated local escort service called “The Volcano Girls” is being operated out of the Waikiki residence of University of Hawaii Professor Lawrence W. Boyd, Jr. Hawaii Reporter. http://www.hawaiireporter.com/university-of-hawaii-professor-tied-to-x-rated-escort-service/123 Food trucks and lunch wagons would have two hours to operate at one location on a street before being required to move, under a proposal in the City Council that aims to ease a law that made it difficult for some vendors to operate legally. Star-Advertiser. A bill that would allow lunch wagons and other street vendors to remain at a single location for two hours instead of fifteen minutes passed the first of three required readings Wednesday at the Honolulu City Council. KHON2. The principal at August Ahrens Elementary School, a second school administrator and a teacher have been placed on leave while the state Department of Education investigates an allegation of financial impropriety. Star-Advertiser. North Shore residents demand solution to ‘Turtle Beach’ traffic. Hawaii News Now. The city has spent more than $1.87 million and hired seven private law firms to handle legal work related to its rail project. Star-Advertiser. The State Department of Agriculture says road crews working on Nimitz Highway near Honolulu Airport killed a two foot snake Wednesday morning. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii The Hawaii Tourism Authority has approved spending more than $1 million this year for Big Island programs, sporting events and festivals. Tribune-Herald. After sitting fallow for the last 18 years, 718 acres of Hawaii County’s Paauilo lands are closer than ever to being returned to productive agriculture. Tribune-Herald. An illegal ferret was captured early Sunday morning in the parking lot of Coqui’s Hideaway Restaurant & Sports Bar in Hilo. Tribune-Herald. Maui Of the three options for repairing the main runway at Kahului Airport, the most expensive was overwhelmingly preferred at a standing-room-only public meeting Monday, because it would not require a temporary shutdown of Mainland flights. Maui News. Project challenges several layers thick. Maui News. The new Papapawahawa Bridge in East Maui opens this Friday, January 27, 2012, following eight months of construction. Maui Now. A $2.3 million project to replace Papahawahawa Bridge is nearly complete, the county Department of Public Works announced. Maui News. Maui County officials say they are in the process of closing a three-mile stretch of shoreline near Wailea-Makena after a shark sighting Wednesday afternoon. KITV4. Kauai How can the Garden Isle grow green jobs? Garden Island. Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and other local leaders Wednesday greeted the first planeload of visitors from Shanghai as part of an effort to increase island visits from China. Garden Island.
Continue reading...Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s 2012 State of the State Address: “Investing Now for Hawai’i’s Future”
23. January 2012
Hawaii House (c) 2012 All Hawaii News “Investing Now for Hawai’i’s Future” State of the State 2012 The Honorable Neil Abercrombie Governor, State of Hawai’i January 23, 2012 (as prepared) Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, former Governors, distinguished justices of the courts, mayors, representatives of our Congressional Delegation, members of the Hawai’i State Legislature, other elected officials, honored guests, family and friends.
Continue reading...Hawaii candidates enter federal races, Maui musician appointed to Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii County mayor mulls bag ban, economy, assisted…
17. January 2012
Honolulu Councilwoman and congressional candidate Tulsi Gabbard with Gov. Neil Abercrombie, courtesy photo In recent years, Honolulu Councilwoman and congressional candidate Tulsi Gabbard has undergone what she describes as a “gradual metamorphosis” on social issues. Civil Beat. An Oahu counselor will take on a former governor and a perennial GOP candidate for the Republican Party’s U.S. Senate nomination. West Hawaii Today. Lawmakers will head back to the state capitol for the 2012 session on January 18. KHON2. “It’s the economy, stupid” — the mantra Bill Clinton used in his 1992 election to the presidency — is the theme most heard around the halls of the state Capitol this month. Civil Beat. Members of Maui County’s state House delegation want to put more wind in the sails of the state’s economic recovery. Maui News. An obscure 1909 law intended to ease suffering of Hansen’s disease patients does not make physician-assisted suicide legal in Hawaii, according to an opinion by the state attorney general’s office. Star-Advertiser. Lawmakers are working on crafting a bill that’ll give movie and TV productions larger tax credits. KHON2. Hawaiian Electric Co. could be in the political crosshairs this legislative session when it comes to energy policy. Civil Beat. Last year, the big education issues at the Hawaii Legislature were instructional time, school bullying and the appointed Board of Education. Civil Beat. State Department of Education officials traveled to D.C. to discuss what needs to be done to keep 75 million dollars in Hawai`i’s public schools. HPR spoke with one member of the team who traveled to D.C. Hawaii Public Radio. The Hawaii State Teachers Association has listed the polling places for members to vote to ratify a new six-year contract that includes a back-loaded pay raise and 50% contribution to medical insurance coverage seen in other state contracts. KITV4. Military contractors and top commanders may have even more reason to be excited about all the talk of increasing the focus of U.S. military might the Pacific — it could translate to new construction work and additional troops in Hawaii. Pacific Business News. State Roundup for Jan. 17. Associated Press. Honolulu Former Mayor Ben Cayetano will officially announce his candidacy for Honolulu mayor by the end of the week. Hawaii News Now. Members of the Occupy Wall Street movement plan to gather Friday at the Prince Kuhio Federal Building in Honolulu and 79 other court houses across the country to rally against the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision by the U.S. Supreme Court issued two years ago. Hawaii Reporter. For several Hawaii teachers and their families, the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. was more than a day off work and a chance to sleep in — Monday was a chance to celebrate the life and legacy of the nation’s most lauded leader of the civil rights movement. Star-Advertiser. Neil Abercrombie was against the controversial Hoopili development before he was for it, according to environmentalists who said they met with him before the 2010 election. Civil Beat. Hawaii A bill banning plastic bags at the retail checkout stand will become law today if Mayor Billy Kenoi doesn’t execute a last-minute veto. West Hawaii Today. Median home prices fell across the island in 2011 to their lowest level in years. Tribune-Herald . Maui Noted Hawaiian music performer Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey said Monday that she has been appointed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie to fill the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ vacant Maui seat. Maui News. An advocate for people with disabilities said he’s hoping to see Makawao’s sidewalks become more wheelchair accessible – four years after he began working to bring about improvements. Maui News. The State Department of Transportation will host a public meeting on Maui to discuss runway rehabilitation options at the Kahului Airport. Maui Now. Kauai Moviegoers saw a fair amount of the Garden Isle on the silver screen in 2011, but industry experts said Monday the Golden Globe-winning “The Descendants,” filmed partly on Kaua‘i, will boost tourism on the island. Garden Island. First plantation, last homes. Tenants of a former Kauai sugar camp face eviction for a new development. Star-Advertiser. The effect of genetically engineered foods on health and the environment is the topic of a free dinner and film presentation later this month in Kapa‘a. Garden Island. Molokai Hansen’s disease survivors and National Park Service workers at the Kalaupapa Settlement say they will be traveling easier now that a new air carrier has started federally subsidized service to their isolated community at lower ticket prices. Star-Advertiser.
Continue reading...Election maps won’t be ready in time, Hirono raises big bucks, Hawaii foreclosures halved, teachers to continue pay cut, 3-way Honolulu mayoral race…
12. January 2012
U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono and Sen. Daniel Akaka campaign photo U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono raised more than $624,000 during the past three months for her Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, her campaign announced today. Star-Advertiser. Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case said Wednesday that he would bridge a “yawning chasm” between business and government, describing government as too intrusive and an obstacle to economic growth. Star-Advertiser. Former Gov. Linda Lingle said Tuesday that she would work with members of both parties if elected to the U.S. Senate, but also said Hawaii would benefit from having a Republican in its congressional delegation. Maui News. Maps for new House and Senate districts are not likely to be ready by Feb. 1, the day when candidates can begin filing for elective offices. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii teachers will see 5 percent pay cuts lifted after two years in exchange for annual evaluations and performance-based pay, if they ratify their tentative agreement with the state. Civil Beat. Public school teachers would continue to take a 5 percent pay cut under a proposed contract but would move to a new salary schedule and evaluation system in July 2013 and would be eligible for annual pay raises based on their performance. Star-Advertiser. Facebook and Twitter could become the virtual town square for spirited public debate if the state’s public information watchdog agency has its way. The Office of Public Information Practices has submitted two legislative proposals to Gov. Neil Abercrombie to be included in his administration’s package for the coming session, which begins next week. Civil Beat. Rewards of up to $30,000, the largest of their kind in Hawaii, are being offered for confidential tips that lead to the arrest and conviction of whoever killed three critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals on Molokai and Kauai since November. Star-Advertiser. The number of foreclosures in Hawaii dropped by half last year as lenders grappled with a state law that changed the way they could file nonjudicial foreclosures, according to new data from RealtyTrac. Pacific Business News. Local Oil Expert Questions Hawaii’s Renewable Energy Market. KITV4. Hawaii’s papaya industry is now exporting the genetically engineered Rainbow papaya to Japan after the Japanese government approved commercial shipment of the fruit on Dec. 1. Tribune-Herald. http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections/news/local-news/papayas-shipped-japan.html Hawai’i small business owners participated in their 36th annual conference today on O’ahu. Hawaii Public Radio. State roundup for January 12. Associated Press. Oahu A looming three-way race for Honolulu mayor poses a dilemma for voters, who could be forced to choose between allegiance to political party or their position on the biggest public works project in the city’s history. Star-Advertiser. Former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano is considering a run for Honolulu mayor at age 72 for one main reason: to stop the rail project. Civil Beat. A historic downtown building with a storied past may have a new chapter ahead in the arts, and it could have State departments on the move. KHON2. A former Hawaii Pacific University administrative assistant was sentenced to five years probation for stealing more than $13,000 in school parking fees. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii Hawaii County has fired four elections workers, including the program administrator, following an investigation into alcohol storage and private business activities allegedly conducted at a Hilo elections warehouse. Tribune-Herald. China and India are catapulting to the forefront of astronomy research with their decision to join as partners with the Thirty Meter Telescope, which will be the world’s largest when it’s built later this decade. Associated Press. The Hawaii Board of Education has agreed to hear an appeal by organizers of the Laupahoehoe charter school, who claim that their charter has effectively been revoked by the school’s oversight body. Tribune-Herald. The Kealakehe Elementary School library will soon get air conditioning, and other Big Island schools will see other maintenance projects begin, after Gov. Neil Abercrombie released $14.2 million for capital improvement projects. West Hawaii Today. Maui Former Hawaii governor Linda Lingle (R) began the first official day of her campaign for a seat in the US Senate by visiting some local businesses in the Haiku Cannery on January 10, 2012. Maui Now. The Maui Planning Commission decided Tuesday that former interior designer Xorin Balbes can follow his dream after putting everything he has into renovating Makawao’s Fred Baldwin Memorial Home to turn it into the Lumeria Maui educational retreat. Maui News. Kauai Two nonprofit organizations and an anonymous donor have teamed up to offer a reward of up to $30,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the suspected slayings of at least three Hawaiian monk seals in the past two months. Garden Island. Kaua‘i County officials are urging the public to remove green waste from plastic bags when delivering them to green waste drop sites at a county transfer station or the Kekaha Landfill. Garden Island.
Continue reading...Tax hikes mulled, statewide bag ban sought, Hawaii flunks Race to the Top, teacher union vote set, Lingle, Hannemann net union endorsements, yacht…
10. January 2012
Former Gov. Linda Lingle (c) 2012 All Hawaii News The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers on Monday endorsed former Gov. Linda Lingle for U.S. Senate, which gives the Republican a window into the blue-collar labor community that usually prefers Democrats. Star-Advertiser. On Monday, the United Public Workers, Local 646 announced its endorsement of former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann to serve Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Hawaii News Now. The state plans to tighten spending rather than increase taxes to cover a predicted $19.3 million state budget deficit in fiscal year 2013, Hawaii officials said Monday. Associated Press. Tax increases and other revenue-generating measures are being considered by the Abercrombie administration to deal with budget shortfalls expected to top $164 million in fiscal year 2014 and grow in successive years. Star-Advertiser. The state’s recently downgraded revenues forecast won’t scrap Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s financial plan for this year or next. Civil Beat. The effects of newly downgraded tax revenue projections will be “minimal” for the current state budget but will be “quite considerable and severe” in future years, causing Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration to at least consider the possibility of future tax increases, Budget Director Kalbert Young said today. Hawaii Reporter. State Budget and Finance Director Kalbert Young told lawmakers Monday the Abercrombie administration is drawing up a revised six year financial plan in order to deal with long-term deficits that rise above $300 million within the next four fiscal years. KHON2. Hawaii missed major milestones during its first year of implementing reforms under a $75 million “Race to the Top” education grant, the U.S. Department of Education said. Associated Press. In its first year of a four-year, $75 million Race to the Top grant, Hawaii missed “the majority” of its education reform milestones, a new U.S. Department of Education report says. Star-Advertiser. Several states that won a slice of the U.S. Department of Education’s $4.3 billion Race to the Top competition have had to delay plans to implement ambitious reforms and two could possibly lose money if they don’t get back on track. Associated Press. The Hawaii State Teachers Association hopes to hold a ratification vote on a new six-year contract on Jan. 19. Star-Advertiser. The tentative agreement reached by the state and the Hawaii State Teachers Association could help to save federal education funds. Hawaii News Now. The Governor says a tentative labor deal with the teachers union should help the state secure $75 million dollars in federal “Race to the Top” money. KHON2. With the legislative session gearing up, advocates are pushing for a statewide law to bring O`ahu into the mix and deal with some unforeseen problems the plastic bag bans created. Hawaii Public Radio. State roundup for January 10. Associated Press. Oahu The city has awarded a $38.8 million contract to Los Angeles-based AECOM Technical Services Inc. to design the rail transit project’s airport segment. Star-Advertiser. Judge: Civil Beat Can Blog Honolulu Rail Lawsuit. Civil Beat. Honolulu officials have taken the first major step toward using the new belongings ban to remove homeless people from public sidewalks. Civil Beat. Sun, surf and 24,000 cubic yards of sand; the state’s plan to replenish the shoreline along Waikiki requires large equipment to pump that sand from more than 1,500 feet offshore. KITV4. State Sen. Donna Kim, a frequent critic of programs and activities at state airports, got an unpleasant surprise when she took the new shuttle service from Honolulu International Airport to her home in the Kalihi neighborhood of Honolulu. Hawaii Reporter. Hawaii’s slow and uneven economic recovery appeared to rub off on Oahu’s housing market last year, as median prices dipped a little on relatively flat buyer demand. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii The Big Island saw about a 15 percent decline in single-family home sales in December, but hardly any change in condominium sales, according to Hawaii Information Service. Pacific Business News . A Hawaii USDA office will be closed as part of an effort to cut costs. KHON2. Reimbursement for services — particularly from Medicare and Medicaid — will continue to be a top issue for Kona Community Hospital and West Hawaii physicians, a Big Island senator said Monday. West Hawaii Today. Ten Hawaii Island couples had applications for civil unions certified last week, according to the state Department of Health. Tribune-Herald. Maui Maui home sales were mixed in December, while prices for both single-family homes and condominiums were down by double-digit amounts, according to the Realtors Association of Maui. Pacific Business News. Makawao Veterans Cemetery may reach capacity for burials in one and a half to two years, so plans are being laid for the purchase of a 10-acre adjoining property. Maui News. The Wailuku copy and business center, Maui Business Etc, will be the site of a lunchtime “Coffee Talk with Mazie” on Wednesday, January 11. Maui Now. Kauai Single-family home sales on Kauai dropped more than 50 percent in December compared to the same month in 2010, according to Hawaii Information Service. Pacific Business News. The Kaua‘i County Council in May approved — and funded — dozens of county job positions which have yet to be filled, Council Chair Jay Furfaro said Monday. Garden Island . Kaua‘i Community College opened its classrooms Monday for the start of the spring semester. Garden Island. Molokai American Safari Cruises (ASC) is resuming scheduled two-day stops to Molokai later this month after company officials, local protesters and state and federal authorities reached an agreement. Molokai Dispatch.
Continue reading...Hawaii senators propose $500M stimulus plan, Native Hawaiians taking federal recogition into their own hands, teachers, governor strike deal, REAL ID…
9. January 2012
Hawaiian protest (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Frustrated with a 10-year congressional fight to obtain federal recognition and form a nation-within-a-nation government, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has decided to follow a path that has led several American Indian tribes to success. Civil Beat. State senators, looking to stimulate job creation and help lift the construction industry out of the doldrums, want to aggressively pursue as much as $500 million in bond-financed construction projects at public schools, hospitals and state buildings. Star-Advertiser. Now that the Hawaii Supreme Court has sent the state Reapportionment Commission back to the drawing board, former state Sen. Lorraine Inouye is positioning herself to run for what is likely to become the island’s fourth Senate seat. West Hawaii Today. Hawaii’s congressional candidates want your money, but most of them won’t tell you exactly when and where they’re asking for it. Civil Beat. In less than two months, all Hawaii residents who are applying for or renewing a driver’s license must bring documents that establish their legal presence in the state. Tribune-Herald. The 2010 census showed Filipinos have overtaken Japanese as the second largest ethnic group in Hawai’i, behind Caucasians. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii’s tourism officials are supporting federal legislation that could increase the number of Chinese and Canadian visitors to the U.S. Hawaii News Now. The State of Hawaii and the Hawaii State Teachers Association have reached a tentative agreement Friday, ending a dispute that threatened federal funding for Hawaii’s schools and spurred legal action from the teacher’s union. KITV4. Lynn Heirakuji has stepped in as the vice-chair of the Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness, filling a seat vacated on Friday by Marc Alexander the former state coordinator on the homeless. Pacific Business News. Hawaiian monk seal deaths are coming as the federal government steps up its efforts to protect the seals, leading to simmering resentment among some fishermen who fear new regulations will trample upon their right to fish. Associated Press. Some positive economic numbers from the state’s largest bank show an overall increase in business spending from last year. KITV4. State roundup for January 9. Associated Press. Oahu In a curious postscript to a high-profile city contracting dispute, state records show that two of the three companies vying for a contract to produce rail cars for the Honolulu rail project responded to a request for proposals before the companies were licensed as Hawaii contractors. Star-Advertiser. A handful of teachers in Hawaii are using a new service that allows them to blast a text message to parents, who can then text back. Star-Advertiser. Occupy Honolulu Asked Mayor for Immunity From Sidewalk Belongings Ban. Civil Beat. A University of Hawaii research vessel that called for Coast Guard assistance when it began taking on water some 60 miles off Oahu returned safely to port Saturday. Hawaii News Now. More than 6,000 farmers and ranchers from across the nation are in Honolulu for the annual American Farm Bureau Federation meeting at the Hawaii Convention Center. KHON2. Hawaii Some Kohala residents attempted to light a fire under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to request funding and implement an action plan that solves the silt and sedimentation problems inside Pelekane Bay. West Hawaii Today. Hawaii Electric Light Co. said Friday that it hopes to add up to 50 megawatts of geothermal energy on the Big Island. Pacific Business News. Improper chemical storage has caused safety and health threats at Big Island schools, say local hazardous waste experts seeking to increase awareness of the dangers. Tribune-Herald. Maui Ocean safety advocates are renewing calls for the state to replace missing swim-zone buoys off Kaanapali, saying the recent death of a man at Canoe Beach shows the increasing danger of collisions between boats and swimmers. Maui News. A Hana-based spiritual center could expand to receive overnight guests, under a proposal that received the support of the Maui County Council’s Land Use Committee on Wednesday. Maui News. Supporters were ecstatic last Thursday when the Maui County Council members voted unanimously to ban alcohol at Kalama Park and Cove Park in Kihei. Maui Now. Kauai Veteran Kaua‘i broadcast journalist William Gordon “Bill” Dahle, who was called “the Walter Cronkite of radio news” on the island, died at his home in Kalaheo Saturday. Garden Island.
Continue reading...
- Pepsi Blue Hawaii - Lunch with CheapyD
- Condition Black: Surfers Take On Huge Hawaii Waves
- BOOM Hawaii Ep 3.07 4Play - Dallas Singer
- Fakateretere "Nonosina Hawaii- The Fellas"
- SOLOW - BUCKFEST! Hawaii
- Hawaii Parkour Mascot
- Hi from Hawaii
- Sarah Geronimo's TNO Concert with Mark Bautista - Kailan (Honolulu Hawaii) HQ
- Sometimes Britney Spears Live In Hawaii
- Acoustic guitar impro solo Hawaii 78
- paytonh: WOW, You are AMAZING. I LOVE IT. Hawaii Roots?...
- Allinmyworld: girl you have the voice of an angel...
- MAUizFiNEST808: L0VE iT!!! CHHHEEE...
- angeeeeeh: Anuhea! i hope u look at your old vids, cos its me...
- iloveae86: i love you...
© 2010 Hula Planet:What To Do In Hawaii. Powered by Wordpress.
6. February 2012
0 Comments