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Honolulu No. 2 vacation destination, lawsuit challenges election maps, zip lines not regulated, Lanai hunters miffed at film crews, Maui council…
Waikiki (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Honolulu was second on a list of the top five summer land vacation destinations led by the home of Disney World, Orlando, Fla., and that included Rome, London, and Anaheim, Calif., home to Disneyland. Pacific Business News. A state legislator and five registered voters filed a federal lawsuit Friday charging that the state Reapportionment Plan violates the U.S. Constitution by excluding some 108,000 temporary residents who are military members, military dependents or university students from out of state. Star-Advertiser. Six Oahu residents filed a lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court in Honolulu, challenging the constitutionality of the new state House and Senate maps. West Hawaii Today. A lawsuit filed Friday asks a three-judge federal court to enforce the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and require the State to count all residents of Hawaii. (commentary) Hawaii Reporter. Building on the marquee value of movies such as “The Descendants” and television shows like “Hawaii Five-0,” state lawmakers are discussing whether to enhance tax credits for film and digital media production and offer new incentives to hire local workers. Star-Advertiser. A Senate bill to regulate the zip line industry died last week, about six months after a worker plunged 100 feet to his death in Paukaa near Hilo and another was critically injured when a tower toppled and the 2,300-foot zip line went slack. Star-Advertiser. An eye-catching display at the State Capitol aimed to draw attention to the problem of child abuse in Hawaii. KITV4. Charles Djou Former Congressman Charles Djou is back from the war zone in Afghanistan and is focused on his race for Congress. Hawaii Reporter. For Tulsi Gabbard, reward found in ‘serving others.’ Maui News. Wil Okabe and Paul Daughtery want to be president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association for different reasons. The former wants to continue the work he started three years ago when first elected to the position. The latter would like to see a profound shift in the union’s direction. Civil Beat. Employer-picked doctors not independent, critics claim. Injured employees receive evaluations from doctors hired by employers or insurers. Star-Advertiser. Oahu In the weeks since two Hawaii polls showed the public opinion has turned against the controversial Honolulu rail project, council members — particularly those on the ballot this year — have asked sharper questions and expressed doubts about the future for rail transit. Civil Beat. Starting Monday, HART CEO Dan Grabauskas, the highest paid city employee officially begins his new gig with a salary, plus bonuses, totaling $322,000. Hawaii News Now. Some roads around downtown Honolulu will have lane closures as archeological survey work continues on the city’s rail transit project.
Continue reading...Hawaii teachers fight evaluations, new state securities head has mishandled funds, Kauai councilman fights zoning charge, Cayetano leading polls for…
6. April 2012
Hilo Union School (c) 2012 All Hawaii News As the state and teachers union resumed negotiations Thursday after months away from the bargaining table, the union raised new concerns about a bill that would require a performance management system for teachers, saying the latest version of the measure “would effectively strip teachers” of collective bargaining rights. Star-Advertiser. The Hawaii teachers union and the state returned to the bargaining table Thursday, three months to the day since their last session. Civil Beat. The Hawaii State Teachers Association is up in arms over a bill that would require teachers to be on probation for three years before attaining tenure, and which would afford the state Department of Education the chance to establish a teacher evaluation system. Tribune-Herald. The newly hired head of the state’s securities enforcement office allegedly defrauded a business associate in 2010 and failed to pay $900,000 in tax and child support debts over the past 10 years, according to public records. Hawaii Reporter. Laura Thielen The chair of the Democratic Party of Hawaii was warned that a candidate didn’t have to have its approval to run for office under the party’s banner. Civil Beat. Just two days after speaking out on the floor of the Hawaii State Senate about Laura Thielen, Sens. Clayton Hee and Pohai Ryan — both Democrats — were at it again Wednesday. Civil Beat. Republican Fred Hemmings will announce later this month that he is running for the District 25 state Senate seat he held for a decade before retiring in 2010. Civil Beat. John Waihee thought back to his childhood, when the whole notion of Hawaiian sovereignty wasn’t even part of the political conversation. Star-Advertiser. The Hawaii Health Information Exchange, a nonprofit organization that aims to connect Hawaii’s medical providers through electronic health records, launched a secure direct messaging and patient referral system Thursday in a first step to link the health care industry. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii set another record for gas prices on Thursday, with the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded hitting $4.60, according to AAA Hawaii’s Weekend Gas Watch. Pacific Business News. The number of initial unemployment claims filed in Hawaii dropped by 25 percent year over year last week, with all four counties showing double-digit declines, the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism said Thursday. Pacific Business News. Oahu In observance of Good Friday, state and city workers will have Friday off. Hawaii News Now. Ben Cayetano Former Governor Ben Cayetano is leading in a number of polls in the race for Honolulu Mayor. Hawaii Public Radio. Three state agencies threw their weight behind the proposed Koa Ridge housing development in Central Oahu at a state Land Use Commission hearing Thursday. Star-Advertiser. Bicycle advocates on Thursday gave city officials a petition with more than 1,000 signatures urging that bicycle lanes be installed along Waialae Avenue as part of a major road improvement project in Kaimuki. Star-Advertiser. Oahu may get Koreatown. Associated Press. Lawmakers to hold April 12 hearing on Koreatown designation. Associated Press. A capital improvement project for Kewalo Basin Harbor valued at $18 million may hinge on a public-private partnership between the Hawaii Community Development Authority and Almar Management Inc. KITV4. Hawaii National Marine Fisheries Service revokes a permit to Kampachi Farms for a floating aquaculture project. West Hawaii Today. Officials of Hawaii Oceanic Technology Inc. said Thursday the company has received a state permit that allows it to move forward with its plan to raise bigeye and yellowfin tuna in open-ocean cages. Star-Advertiser. Community undaunted by vandalism, committed to replacing trees. West Hawaii Today. Maui About 4,700 Maui County public school students could see their bus service ended next school year under a state Department of Education plan to deal with bills currently wending their way through the state Legislature that could lead to significant funding shortfalls. M aui News. State Land Use Commission members heard the end of testimony Wednesday, including impassioned pleas to protect Native Hawaiian burials, during their review of A&B Properties’ plans to develop Wai’ale, a master-planned community on about 545 acres in Central Maui. Maui News. A public informational meeting about maintenance dredging and pier work at Lahaina Small Boat Harbor will be held Friday at 2 p.m. in the Pioneer Inn Court Yard. Maui News. The Hawaii State Senate honored the county-based Invasive Species Committees and Dr. Mohsen Ramadan of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture biological control program with a Certificate of Recognition Wednesday. KHON2. Senator Baker Comments on ‘Vacation Rental Bills’ Controversy. Maui Now. Kauai The 5th Circuit Court recused the Office of the Kaua‘i County Prosecuting Attorney from its misdemeanor zoning violation case against county councilman Tim Bynum in 5th Circuit Court on Thursday. Garden Island. In the next few weeks, Kaua‘i County Council will face the challenge of approving a budget for Fiscal Year 2013, balanced by Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s administration, using $10.75 million from the county’s reserve fund and $12.55 million in forecasted surplus from the current fiscal year. Garden Island. The Kaua‘i County Council had little issue with the County Auditor’s FY2012-13 budget request. Garden Island.
Continue reading...Lingle’s U.S. Senate campaign boosted by U.S. Chamber, Hawaii pays $117M in secret movie, TV incentives, teachers inch toward contract, $15M…
20. March 2012
GOP Senate candidate Linda Lingle, courtesy photo The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent $249,800 for production and media placement for television advertisements in Hawaii in February highlighting former Gov. Linda Lingle’s stance on tourism. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii taxpayers have paid out nearly $117 million worth of tax credits over the past five years to movie and television studios as an incentive for filming in the islands. But, exactly who cashed in on these lucrative credits — and how much they got — is secret. Civil Beat. The state has agreed to a settlement payout of $15 million in the death of a California hiker at Kauai’s Opaekaa Falls in 2006, the largest payment for a death in a court case in Hawaii, according to the lawyer for the victim’s family. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday blasted the latest contract proposal by the union representing Hawaii public school teachers as “fiscally irresponsible” and urged educators to accept a settlement offer submitted by the administration. The Hawaii State Teachers Association responded that it wants to return to negotiations. Associated Press. In the latest development in a months-long labor dispute, the teachers union has responded to a settlement offer from the governor with a request for contract talks to resume. Star-Advertiser. Yielding to criticism from consumer groups and retirees, two state House panels voted Monday to ban health insurance companies from directly shaping Hawaii’s version of the federally-mandated program meant to provide health coverage to all residents of the Islands. Hawaii Reporter. The Hawaii Health Insurance Exchange Board should not include members who represent health insurance providers, consumer advocates said Monday. Associated Press. The 2010 primary election ended 16 months ago, but state House Rep. Karen Awana has still not filed three candidate reports for that election cycle with the state Campaign Spending Commission. Civil Beat. Up to 200 Marines from Hawaii will be the first to deploy to Australia in a landmark move that signals a shift in America’s focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Hawaii News Now. Applicants are invited to apply for the trustee position at Kamehameha Schools to replace Chairman J. Douglas Ing, who ends his term in June 2012. KITV4. Honolulu Recruitment continues to be a challenge for the Honolulu Police Department. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro says he hasn’t seen any evidence that Hawaii has a widespread sex trafficking problem. Civil Beat. After decades of delays, Honolulu’s new water chief intends to lease out the city’s prime Beretania Street property to developers to generate revenue and keep rates down. Civil Beat. The launch of the 122-kilowatt, direct-current system at Aiea High School will be followed by installations of solar power systems at three more public schools on Oahu and all 15 public schools on Kauai. Star-Advertiser. Ai’ea High School became Hawai’i’s first public school to have solar electric panels installed on one of its buildings. Hawaii Public Radio. The state Department of Health is urging tests for about 215 Kapiolani Community College and Hawaii Pacific University students and faculty who might have been exposed to a student who contracted in early February an active infectious tuberculosis, a potentially fatal but curable airborne disease. Star-Advertiser. As Oahu’s emergency rooms fill to the brink, more civilian patients are being taken to Tripler Army Medical Center. Hawaii News Now. There’s a proposal before the Honolulu City Council to limit the commercial activities at Kailua and Kalama Beach Parks by issuing two permits per park. KHON2. With gas prices topping $4.30 a gallon, electric-vehicle makers and car-charging station operators are trying to entice people into checking out automobiles such as the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt and other cars that require zero or little gas. Pacific Business News.
Continue reading...Hawaii homelessness plan released, new lawsuit threatened on political maps, Tax Department probe widens, pension gap swells as workers spike…
9. March 2012
Honolulu homeless (c) 2012 All Hawaii News State officials have drafted a plan discussing how to end homelessness in Hawaii. West Hawaii Today. New political boundary maps the state Reapportionment Commission approved unanimously Thursday could wind up in court again. Star-Advertiser. The state Reapportionment Commission gave final approval Thursday to new political boundary maps for state House and Senate districts. Star-Advertiser. Commission Gives Unanimous Support to Reapportionment Plan. Civil Beat. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta put on a smile just a day after testifying about the United States’ plans to help the people of Syria. KITV4. Several top managers at the State Tax Department are among 14 employees under investigation for possible criminal wrongdoing in a probe that has lasted nearly three months, sources said. Hawaii News Now. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which oversees the exploration and development of the nation’s offshore energy and mineral resources, met with Hawaii officials this week for the first time to talk about existing regulatory processes and how best to complement the state’s Clean Energy Initiative. Pacific Business News. One of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s appointments to the Hawaii Community Development Authority is an engineer whose family and business contacts were top donors to Abercrombie’s campaign. Star-Advertiser. Despite piles of opposition testimony from out-of-state owners of Hawaii vacation rentals, the Hawaii Legislature has advanced two measures that require non-resident owners to hire local property managers. Civil Beat. House committees heard testimony Thursday about a group of bills that some worry could weaken state environmental law, while others say they’re necessary to spur development. KHON2. The nation’s largest independent union of federal employees has honored U.S Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii for his support of federal workers. Associated Press. The gap between the pension benefits promised to Hawaii’s public workers and the money set aside to pay for them has swelled 14 percent in one year, according to a valuation report released Thursday. Civil Beat. Of 5,000 state and county employees who retired since 2009, 674 of them substantially boosted their pension benefits by a practice called “spiking,” a state senate investigating committee was told today. Hawaii Reporter. Excessive overtime by Hawaii public employees has again become an issue this legislative session. Civil Beat. Groups with ideas on how to improve access to the legal system for women and children have more time to submit those ideas for grant funding in Hawaii. Hawaii Public Radio. State roundup for March 8. Associated Press. Russell Kokubun
Continue reading...Spam to get ’spokescharacter,’ Oahu legislators’ gerrymandering claims halt maps, Honolulu plastic bag ban advances, Maui backs off ‘Show Me the…
1. March 2012
Honolulu Spam jammers (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Spam, one of the most popular food items in Hawaii, is getting its own “spokescharacter,” Hormel Foods Corp. said Wednesday. Pacific Business News. Charges of gerrymandering and a last-minute proposal by a dissident faction of House Democrats led the state Reapportionment Commission to delay a vote Wednesday on approving new district maps for state House and Senate seats. Star-Advertiser. Accusations of voting maps being drawn to punish a state House faction that opposes Speaker Calvin Say have caused a delay in the reapportionment process. KHON2. A group called Americans Elect this week qualified to place a presidential ticket on the Hawaii ballot, with plans to hold an online nominating convention this summer to select a balanced ticket — a presidential and vice presidential candidate from different political parties — to appear on ballots in all 50 states. Civil Beat. Some middle and high schoolers in Hawaii are getting up to six hours less of class time per week than their peers, thanks to the state’s historic lack of a minimum instructional time rule. Civil Beat. Hawaii lawmakers are advancing legislation to approve paying out a $909,000 settlement, one of several claims this year that add up to $5.8 million in state funds. Civil Beat. U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu has high hopes that “transformative” laser drilling technology could be a boon to geothermal energy developments, especially in Hawaii. Civil Beat. The University of Hawaii is still trying to get caught up on payments, including stipends, scholarships and utility bills, more than two weeks after a fire caused $1.25 million in damage to a fiscal building. Associated Press. State Health Director Loretta J. Fuddy said Wednesday that Hawaii’s No. 1 ranking in the nation for the third year in a row in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index just proves the old adage “lucky we live Hawaii.” Maui News. State roundup for March 1. Associated Press. Oahu A Honolulu City Council committee advanced a bill Wednesday to ban the distribution of nonbiodegradable plastic bags by most Oahu retailers, despite opposition from business interests and concerns raised by the official who would be tasked with enforcing such a ban. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu Managing Director Douglas Chin Wednesday apologized for failing to notify the City Council he had suspended debt guidelines for the multibillion-dollar rail project, as the city administration came under fire for lack of transparency. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu City Council Chair Ernie Martin says Mayor Peter Carlisle’s administration has a credibility problem. KHON2. A bill that would lift development restrictions on two prime real estate lots along Ala Moana Boulevard is pending at the Hawaii State Legislature. Hawaii Reporter. Lawmakers are considering a plan to exempt two lots from a law prohibiting residental development. on the makai side of Kakaako. KITV4. The Abercrombie administration has come out in favor of the Hoopili development, but this week one of its top officials will be called as a witness by opponents of the project. Civil Beat. It was hard to tell who was having more fun in the mud — the Marines in their 26-ton amphibious assault vehicles or the endangered Hawaiian stilts reveling in the churned-up food. Star-Advertiser. A private consultant hired by the federal government to oversee Honolulu’s rail transit project is worried that passengers who ride the train — to run from Kapolei to Ala Moana Center — might find the trip to be so uncomfortable that they may not use the system. Star-Advertiser. Passengers arriving in Honolulu could face delays in the coming days, but not because of their flights. Some airport taxi drivers won’t be picking up passengers for up to three days due to a dispute over new rules. Hawaii News Now. A Honolulu police officer charged in an alleged overtime pay scam involving members of the DUI enforcement team was granted a one-year deferral after pleading guilty for his role in the case. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii Many of Hawaii County’s public buses have been driven around the island for the past month with expired state inspection stickers, but Mass Transit Administrator Tom Brown says the buses are perfectly safe. West Hawaii Today. Laupahoehoe’s new conversion charter school faces the possibility of having to fill vacancies left by the majority of the faculty at the current Department of Education school, with the start to its inaugural academic year just five months away. Tribune-Herald. Kulani Correctional Facility on Hawai’i Island was abruptly shut down more than two years ago by the Lingle administration as a cost-cutting measure. Proposals in both Houses are now making their way through the legislative process to re-open the East Hawai’i facility. Hawaii Public Radio. The county could save more than half of the almost $200,000 it spends annually on courier service if it brought the duties in-house, according to a study by the county Legislative Research Branch. West Hawaii Today. Farm to table is one of the hottest culinary trends across the country, and it hasn’t missed Hawaii, where high-end restaurants and resorts tout the local origin of their ingredients. West Hawaii Today. Small groups of people engaged in lively discussions Wednesday night in Hilo to identify transportation problems in East Hawaii. Tribune-Herald. Vog, volcanic smog, sulfur dioxide — no matter what you call it — Kilauea’s emissions are impacting Hawaii Island in a multitude of ways, Ka’u residents said Thursday. West Hawaii Today. Maui The Maui County Council’s Water Resources Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend revisions to the county’s “Show Me the Water” ordinance, which has drawn the ire of developers who’ve maintained it has stifled island construction. Maui News. Armstrong Pacific has won the nearly $1.8 million contract to build the first phase of Easter Seals Hawaii’s new Maui campus in Kahului, a project expected to provide at least 50 construction jobs and boost the Valley Isle’s rebounding building industry. Maui News. The Maui Policy Committee today recommended the disapproval of two nominees–Ralph Black, and James Clemens–to the Lanai Planning Commission. Maui Now. A coalition of community groups are joining together this weekend to rally against the planned removal of four monkey pod trees along South Kihei Road. Maui Now. Kauai Solette Perry, the wife of Kaua‘i Police Chief Darryl Perry, testified before the Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday night on the authority of the mayor to suspend the police chief and then place her husband on leave. Garden Island. The ongoing crisis at the Kaua‘i Police Department meant there wasn’t a report from the police chief at the monthly Kaua‘i County Police Commission meeting last Friday. Garden Island. Kauai police use stun gun on Kapa’a High student. Hawaii News Now. The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday approved a bill that extends for an additional six months a pilot program that allows Kaua‘i Community College students to use The Kaua‘i Bus at no cost. Garden Island. Molokai Researchers recently discovered that land-based plant material found in underwater canyons supports increased abundances of bottom fish, like those off the north shore of Molokai. Molokai Dispatch.
Continue reading...New prisons slated for Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island, rental properties face new fees, state bank, charter schools up for votes today, pay raises for…
29. February 2012
Halawa Correctional Facility The state Department of Public Safety wants to bring back to Hawaii all of its inmates on the mainland by reducing the in-state prison population by about 1,100 and building about 900 new spaces for them on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island. Star-Advertiser. If all goes as planned, officials from the Hawaii Department of Public Safety predict that 1,000 local prisoners incarcerated in two Arizona prisons could be home by 2015. Civil Beat. The other shoe dropped today in the state’s plan to bring all Mainland prison inmates back to Hawaii by 2015: construction of new prison facilities on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island to hold some 900 inmates. Hawaii Reporter. Aging facilities and a lack of bed space require Hawaii to house almost 1,800 of its 6,000 inmates in Arizona prisons. Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration and the state Legislature want the prisoners returned to Hawaii. Associated Press Owners of vacation rental properties in Hawaii are rallying support to defeat several bills they say would add thousands of dollars a year to the cost of renting out their places. Civil Beat. About 1,250 state workers will have their pay restored by 5 percent as of this Thursday, March 1. KHON2. A bill to overhaul Hawaii’s charter school system is up for a vote today in the Senate Ways and Means Committee, after legislators were urged to make changes in view of turmoil on a few charter campuses. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii House Democrats are considering whether to form a state bank. Hawaii Reporter. A University of Hawaii scientist said he expects heavy debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami to reach small atolls in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands within a few months and the main Hawaiian Islands in about a year. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii teachers in schools targeted by Race to the Top reforms approved an agreement for extended learning time, a key element of a $75 million grant that the U.S. Department of Education has said is at risk of being lost. Tribune-Herald. Teachers can now apply to transfer to or from 19 schools that will offer longer instructional days and more teacher training next school year. Star-Advertiser. A bill that would require a permit to harvest sandalwood and any other native tree species deemed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources to be “of concern,” cleared the Senate Ways and Means Committee Tuesday morning. West Hawaii Today. Industrial employment in Hawaii grew by a half-percent last year, according to a trade publisher’s report released Tuesday. Star-Advertiser. State roundup for Feb. 29. Associated Press. Oahu The fight over a master planned community in Ewa that would displace more than 1,000 acres of prime agricultural land pits two former Democratic governors against Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Civil Beat. More than 300 rail supporters chanted, “Go rail go!” outside a meeting discussing alternatives to Honolulu’s rail project. Most of them came from unions touting the jobs the project will create. Hawaii News Now. Honolulu mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell The Hawaii Government Employees Association and the United Public Workers announced their endorsement Tuesday of Kirk Caldwell for mayor of the City and County of Honolulu. KITV4. As general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Daniel Grabauskas was in charge of the nation’s oldest and fifth-largest public transit system. Now, he’s poised to take the helm of one of the nation’s newest rail systems as CEO of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Civil Beat. Sunday marks the long anticipated debut of the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra. Hawaii Public Radio. A 400-foot residential tower is planned for the corner of Kapiolani and Ward Avenue. KITV4. Hawaii Mayor Billy Kenoi’s upcoming budget, to be unveiled Thursday, will reflect property value revenues at their lowest level since he took office in late 2008. West Hawaii Today. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hawaii Volcanoes National Park attracted more than 1.3 million visitors who spent more than $88.2 million in 2010, according to a new National Park Service report. Pacific Business News . A newly released study commissioned by the National Park Service shows that visitors to the four national parks and historical sites on the Big Island spent an estimated $122 million in the parks and surrounding local communities in 2010. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii County is taking the plunge into electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Tribune-Herald. Maui After months of discussion and debate, the Maui County Council’s Planning Committee advanced a bill to regulate short-term rentals Monday, voting 6-1 to recommend passage by the full council. Maui News. A proposal to mandate a merger between the Maui County Fire Department and the county’s Division of Ocean Safety was tabled Monday by the Charter Commission. Maui News. New Flood Maps May Mean Higher Flood Insurance. Maui Now . Kauai The Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee passed a resolution Tuesday urging Grove Farm Co. to consider a “win-win solution” to sell Koloa Camp land to tenants facing eviction on Kauai. Star-Advertiser. Although smart meters were not on the agenda for the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative board of directors meeting Tuesday, it was a topic of much discussion. Garden Island. Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Police Chief Darryl Perry met on Monday night, a spokeswoman for the county confirmed Tuesday, but she offered no details about the meeting. Garden Island. Kauai’s Department of Parks and Recreation began pumping the storm water Tuesday that accumulated in the Poipu Beach parking lot following last weekend’s heavy rain. KITV4.
Continue reading...Hawaii gift ban remains secure, double-dipping in the AG’s Office, Honolulu Mayor Carlisle must pay wife’s trip, marked police cars not working for…
10. February 2012
Inter-island cable, courtesy photo It’s Round 2 for the interisland cable bill. Last year, legislation to facilitate financing for cables that would connect the islands in a statewide electric grid got bogged down in criticism and never made it out of the Legislature. Civil Beat. Four hundred plastic grocery bags were staked to the state Capitol lawn along Beretania Street on Thursday to call attention to a Senate bill that would impose a 10-cent fee on the disposable sacks and their paper counterparts and channel some of the revenue to watershed protection projects. Star-Advertiser. A bill introduced this session at the Hawaii Legislature, if passed, could shed a more timely light on the relationship between elected and appointed officials and the business of government. Civil Beat. State House lawmakers on Thursday disposed of a bill that would have relaxed the state’s gift ban, leaving the Ethics Commission director with the discretion to provide advice on what gifts are permissible. Star-Advertiser. After all the hoopla, the governor’s plan to allow lawmakers unrestricted invites to charitable fundraisers quietly failed without a fuss Thursday. Civil Beat. Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office was warned in an email about inappropriate sexual behavior by Marc Alexander shortly after he was appointed homeless coordinator, two people who handled correspondence for the administration told Civil Beat. Civil Beat. Almost 90 per cent of the investigators in the Hawaii Attorney General’s office are retired police officers working under special 89-day contracts that allow them to collect full police pensions plus $45,000 state paychecks. Hawaii Reporter. Gov. Neil Abercrombie will forward the name of his interim appointee to the Public Utilities Commission to the state Senate for confirmation, ending talk that the nomination might be reconsidered. Star-Advertiser. A state house committee tabled a bill to mandate extra paid leave for workers who are sick, or for victims of domestic or sexual abuse after a hearing on Thursday. KITV4. A military jury on Thursday found a Marine sergeant not guilty after authorities charged him with hazing a lance corporal who later committed suicide in Afghanistan. Associated Press. Hawaii is getting $71 million as part of a foreclosure abuse settlement. KITV4. Gasoline prices in Hawaii shot up this week to a statewide average of $4.19 for a gallon of regular unleaded, 7 cents higher than a week ago and still the highest in the nation, according to AAA Hawaii’s Weekend Gas Watch. Pacific Business News. State roundup for Feb. 10. Associated Press. Oahu Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle The Honolulu Ethics Commission has advised Mayor Peter Carlisle to reimburse the city $3,300 to cover the cost of his wife’s trip to China in June, when she accompanied him as part of a Honolulu delegation traveling to strengthen cultural and economic ties. Star-Advertiser. The Honolulu Ethics Commission says Mayor Peter Carlisle should pay $3,300 to cover his wife’s travel expenses for a trip the Carlisles took last year to China. Hawaii Reporter. “Technical glitches” are slowing the state’s $2.4 million beach nourishment project in Waikiki, but the state still expects the job to be done on time and at no additional cost. Hawaii News Now. Controversies over the recently shut-down Hawaii Medical Center hospitals will continue Friday with a hearing on a bill to issue an $80 million special purpose revenue bond to St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii to refurbish the two hospitals and get them ready for potential new owners. Pacific Business News. Honolulu Firefighters to quit driving ambulances. KHON2. Hosting APEC,the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in November cost the city and state less than half of what was budgeted for the high-profile international event; but both governments still are waiting on approval of millions of dollars in federal reimbursements. Star-Advertiser. An appeal of a zoning variance allowing Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts to build what would be the first new Waikiki oceanfront hotel in more than 30 years is slated to be heard next month, after an attempt failed Thursday to disqualify a group of opponents from the process. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Another member of the county Redistricting Commission is running for the County Council district he helped draw. West Hawaii Today. Massive reforestation, home sites for Native Hawaiians and commercial development comprise the state’s new long-range management plan for 56,200 acres located along Mauna Kea’s windward slope. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii County should have a small fleet of marked police cars, but it’s not cost-effective to keep more than the limited number needed to transport prisoners or drive on unimproved roads. W est Hawaii Today. A House committee is set to take up a bill today that could assume control of leases in Hilo’s Banyan Drive area from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Tribune-Herald. The state Public Utilities Commission on Wednesday approved Hawaii Electric Light Co.’s request to implement a decoupling mechanism. West Hawaii Today. Hawaii County adults are twice as likely to report having been abused as children than adults statewide. West Hawaii Today. John Colson, the principal of Waimea Middle School on Hawaii Island, abruptly left that position Feb. 7. Hawaii Independent. Maui The Maui Police Department is proposing to sign an agreement to provide protection for the Maui Space Surveillance Center on Haleakala. Maui News. Maui island’s overall occupancy rate of 70.1 percent in 2011 trailed Oahu’s rate of 80.9 percent, according to Hospitality Advisors’ year-end report, but Maui hotels also made more money off their rooms than anywhere in the state. Maui News. Gov. Abercrombie Impressed with reWailuku Site Visit. Maui Now. Kauai A comprehensive statewide housing study presented to Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday reveals burdensome real estate market for island residents, with a third of them at risk of becoming homeless. Garden Island. Repairing parks, improving roads and safer neighborhoods were the primary concerns that Kilauea residents presented to the mayor Tuesday night. Garden Island.
Continue reading...Hawaii Legislature tackles sexting, e-cigarettes, porn sites, homeless, health insurance, pension plan; Honolulu rail battles continue, frisk-free…
9. February 2012
Iconic Royal Hawaiian hotel (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Hawaii’s hotel room revenue in 2011 was the highest since 2007, according to a report that tourism industry consultants released Wednesday. Associated Press. A bill that would ban the sale of smokeless electronic cigarettes to minors and impose the 70% tobacco tax on the devices was briskly debated at the state Legislature on Wednesday. Hawaii Reporter. Senate’s sexting bill prohibits adults from asking minors for nude pictures and it would also outlaw minors from sending nude pictures of themselves to adults or other kids. Hawaii News Now. House lawmakers deferred action Wednesday on the Abercrombie administration’s proposed ceded lands settlement with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, saying they would wait for the Senate version of the bill. Star-Advertiser. Homelessness has been one of the top Legislative priorities over the last 3 sessions. Wednesday, a House bill on homelessness was heard by a Joint Committee and underwent major revisions based on recommendations by the administration. Hawaii Public Radio. Despite opposition from public-sector unions, a Senate committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would cap the amount of overtime used in calculating pensions for public workers whose non-base pay jumps substantially near the end of their careers. Star-Advertiser. Gov. Neil Abercrombie may cut short the term of his latest appointment to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, raising serious questions about the quasi-judicial body’s ability to act independently of gubernatorial influence. Civil Beat. U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono More than a quarter of Rep. Mazie Hirono’s individual contributions for her U.S. Senate race were for $200 or less, according to an analysis of her campaign finance report for the fourth quarter of 2011. Civil Beat. Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. on Wednesday reported a profit of $138.2 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, for 2011, a 22 percent increase from net income of $113.5 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, in 2010. Pacific Business News. The President of the University of Hawaii System is asking for the state legislature to get involved in a fight against an adult site – “universityofhawaii.xxx” Hawaii Independent. Hawaii’s largest medical insurance provider is promoting two new measures to help bring down medical costs, a move company officials say may also help bring down premiums — eventually. West Hawaii Today. The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii has issued an alert to its members regarding the upcoming hearing of a bill mandating employers of all sizes to provide minimum paid sick and safe leave. Maui Now. A bill that would regulate music therapy licensing in the state is moving through the Hawai‘i Legislature after the House Culture and Arts Committee unanimously recommended passage of the bill on Monday. Garden Island. The CH-53D Sea Stallion Helicopter has seen over 4 decades of combat dating back to the Vietnam war in 1969.
Continue reading...Gambling bill rolls snake eyes in Hawaii Legislature, Kauai police chief on leave, more beach for Waikiki, Health Department monitoring for tsunami…
2. February 2012
Waikiki (c) 2012 All Hawaii News The Waikiki sand replenishment project has moved on to its next phase. KHON2. A proposal giving the Hawaiian Homes Commission authority to decide whether to allow gambling on Hawaiian Home Lands — the first gambling-related bill heard in this year’s legislative session — was quickly tabled, giving some indication that such bills once again face long odds of passing. Star-Advertiser. Lawmakers expressed support Wednesday for writing into state law high-stakes evaluations for teachers that take into account student academic growth, but questioned how the state Department on Education would follow through with the reforms. Star-Advertiser. State leaders are looking at a variety of measures to improve education in Hawai`i. Changes to teacher tenure are among the many bills already introduced in the new legislative session. Hawaii Public Radio. The proposed overhaul of Hawaii’s charter school law received its first public hearing at the Legislature Wednesday and ran into strong opposition from the teachers’ union but received conditional support from many charter schools. Star-Advertiser. The grieving sister of a fallen Honolulu police officer on Wednesday tearfully urged state lawmakers to make Hawaii’s roads safer for officers and other emergency responders. With her emotions still raw, Amanda Stevens testified in support of the so-called Move Over bill. Hawaii News Now. Representative Joseph Souki is once again fighting to send a strong message to excessive speeders. KHON2. State Health Dept. Monitoring Shoreline For Radioactive Waste. Several federal and state agencies are working to monitor the movement of marine debris from last year’s Japan tsunami. KITV4. Fast-growing Hawaiian Airlines needs more flight attendants. Pacific Business News. Among Hawaii’s four so-called Super PACs, one didn’t attract any money over the second half of 2011, another raised $561 strictly from donations of less than $100. Civil Beat. State roundup for Feb. 2. Associated Press. Oahu City officials fanned out across Oahu Wednesday, issuing 76 notices to protesters at Thomas Square and to homeless people, warning that their tents and personal items must be removed from sidewalks and other public property or be confiscated today. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle today announced the launch of “Honolulu 311,” a new system through which the public may use personal smart phones to report abandoned vehicles, broken street lights, illegal dumping and other issues. Hawaii Independent. Hawaii Mayor Billy Kenoi’s re-election war chest is flush with cash after fundraisers pulled in more than $140,000 during the last six months of 2011. Tribune-Herald. The two candidates for Hawaii County prosecutor have raised a combined $20,000 between July 1 and Dec. 31. Tribune-Herald. Two weeks after announcing an additional $150,000 was needed to begin construction of a new Hawaiian monk seal hospital in Kona, Big Island, project leaders said the goal has been reached and more contributions are still on the way. Garden Island. Maui No one disputed the goal of a bill aimed at conserving Maui County’s drinking water supply, a precious, finite resource. But the rub came Tuesday with how to accomplish that goal and its potential costs. Maui News. Molokai student develops myoelectric prosthetic for dogs. Maui News. Neighbor island airports, including the Kahului and Kapalua Airports on Maui will implement a parking rate increase for monthly passes. Maui Now. Kauai Kauai Police Chief Darryl Perry was placed on leave Wednesday morning. Star-Advertiser. Kaua‘i County officials Wednesday night announced that Kaua‘i Police Chief Darryl Perry has been placed on leave —just one day after his two assistant chiefs were placed on leave. Garden Island. Jade Fountain-Tanigawa was appointed deputy county clerk and Eddie Topenio, Jr. was named administrative assistant to the county clerk, County Clerk Ricky Watanabe announced in a press release Wednesday. Garden Island.
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.
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9. April 2012
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