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Money problems threaten Pisces V, Hawaii Historic Preservation Division in trouble again, newspaper lobbies for legal ads, toxins polluting Hanalei…
Pisces V launch, courtesy photo Mere weeks after filmmaker James Cameron plunged to the deepest reaches of the ocean and at the same time that China is testing a new submersible in undersea mining grounds 600 miles south of Hawaii, federal funding is in jeopardy for the only two U.S. deep-diving research submersibles in the Pacific. Star-Advertiser . The state agency charged with safeguarding Hawaii’s historic and archeological treasures is in such disarray that the federal government is threatening to revoke its certification and funding. Civil Beat. Nearly four dozen bills have received lifelines under an extended deadline at the state Legislature, including a bill that would provide money to preserve a safety net of health, human services and education programs. Star-Advertiser. In Lazarus-like fashion, the Hawaii Legislature on Sunday resurrected 47 measures that had failed to meet a Friday deadline. Civil Beat. A handshake just before 3 a.m. Saturday ended the state’s budget impasse. Associated Press. There is an agreement on the state’s $11.2 billion budget. But it took lawmakers negotiating into the early morning hours to hammer out the deal. KITV4. Lawmakers say they were happy negotiators were able to come to a compromise and say time is critical. KHON2. Hawaii lawmakers passed out a number of bills in advance of a 6 p.m. internal deadline on Friday, but the $11.2 billion budget bill wasn’t among them. Associated Press. Organizations offering services to Hawaii’s needy have had their budgets slashed by 19 percent since the financial crisis hit in 2008, and they’ve lost 16 percent of their staff, an advocacy group for the poor said Tuesday. Associated Press Administrators at the 18 public schools trying out a new teacher evaluation system need as much as three hours per teacher to conduct the comprehensive observation that is a central component of the process. Star-Advertiser. The state Legislature will vote this week on a bill that would overhaul Hawaii’s charter school management structure. Associated Press. The Honolulu Star Advertiser’s bid to keep monopoly control of non-judicial foreclosure newspaper ads has failed at the Legislature and a key state senator said she was “appalled” by the newspaper’s lobbying tactics. Hawaii Reporter. The details still may be unclear about how many Marines could be headed to Hawaii after a U.S. and Japanese agreement to transfer 9,000 of them out of Okinawa was reached this week, but contractors anticipate that it could mean more work here to house the additional troops. Pacific Business News. Hawaii Christian Coalition presents its annual Prayer at the Capitol May 3, Thursday 6:30-8:00pm State Capitol Auditorium. Hawaii Reporter. Na Maka O Ka ‘Aina is an independent video production company that has documented social and environmental struggles in Hawai’i since the 1980’s.
Continue reading...Improved Waikiki Beach greets Japanese ‘Golden Week,’ Honolulu sewer moratorium halts development, Oahu travel agent disappears with Arkansas band’s…
27. April 2012
Waikiki Beach (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Beach users gave good reviews Thursday to the just-completed sand replenishment project that widened Waikiki Beach from the Duke Kahanamoku statue to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Star-Advertiser. Riding on three months of strong momentum, Hawaii’s tourism industry is already anticipating a healthy summer. Star-Advertiser. A 27 percent gain in visitors from Japan last month bodes well for this weekend’s start of Golden Week, traditionally a high-volume period for Japanese tourists in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser. The official at the center of the General Services Administration scandal over a lavish Las Vegas conference was reprimanded in 2011 for appearing in a campaign ad for Sen. Daniel Inouye, Roll Call, a Washington, D.C., magazine, reported Thursday. Star-Advertiser. Legislature State House and Senate negotiators were still working late Thursday to reach an agreement on the state budget, a stalemate that left dozens of bills in limbo ahead of tonight’s procedural deadline to complete work before the legislative session ends. Star-Advertiser. Passage of the single-most important bill at the Hawaii Legislature is being held up by the single-most controversial bill before lawmakers this session. Civil Beat. A measure that would bring most of Hawaii’s 1,600 mainland-incarcerated prisoners back is nearing key deadlines at the Capitol. The trend is already starting. KHON2 . The state Legislature will be voting on Hawaiian language mandates in the coming week. Associated Press. Legislators effectively killed a bill Thursday that would have extended the University of Hawaii’s controversial exemption from the state procurement code, a move hailed by some as a victory for government fairness and transparency but which UH lamented as likely to increase construction costs. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii lawmakers are poised to pass two bills to overhaul the state’s charter school system. But the focus has centered more on what the proposed law says charter schools don’t have to do than any new requirements or expectations. Civil Beat. Selling or smoking the synthetic drug “spice” is now a felony in Hawaii. KHON2. Laura Thielen Civil Beat has obtained portions of an email exchange between members of the party’s State Central Committee conducted between April 10 and April 13 — the latter date just four days before Laura Thielen announced that she would run in the primary without the party’s blessing. Civil Beat. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union has its first woman president. Hawaii Public Radio. About 9,000 U.S. Marines stationed on Okinawa will be moved to Hawaii, Guam and other locations in the Asia-Pacific under a U.S.-Japanese agreement announced Thursday. Associated Press. Hawaii is one of only two states where consumers won’t see a piece of an estimated $1.3 billion in rebates from health insurers who spent more on administrative expenses and profits than allowed by the federal health care reform act, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Pacific Business News. State roundup for April 27. Associated Press. Oahu The City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services has issued a moratorium on new sewer connections from Halawa to Pearl City. Hawaii News Now. The state granted owners of the Hale‘iwa Farmers’ Market a second extension to vacate the site where they’ve held the popular weekend event for three years. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu City Councilmember Ann Kobayashi has introduced a bill to amend the historic residential property tax exemption. Hawaii Reporter. The plastic bag ban is still three years from starting, if Mayor Peter Carlisle approves it, but the movement toward biodegradable bags has already begun. Hawaii News Now. Public housing getting modern renovations with private help. KITV4. Nearly four decades since starting a renowned cookie empire, Wally Amos is poised to launch a company using the original recipe that made him Famous Amos. Star-Advertiser. Officials at Southside High School in Fort Smith, Ark., have contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice after an Oahu travel agent told them via email he had lost $267,500 paid by the school for a summer trip to Waikiki. KITV4. Hawaii Mufi Hannemann A U.S. representative’s job, congressional candidate Mufi Hannemann told Rotarians Thursday, is to advocate first for state residents. West Hawaii Today. The site of the Big Island’s first geothermal power project may once again be put back to use. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii’s Doppler radars will be shut down, one at a time, beginning in May for upgrades to a next-generation system that will allow for better weather forecasts. Tribune-Herald. We’ve failed: Hawaii County’s air is the second worst, by county, in the country for annual particle pollution, the American Lung Association says. West Hawaii Today. Maui The new hearing officer in the case challenging a University of Hawaii telescope project on Maui is also UH president M.R.C. Greenwood’s personal attorney. Civil Beat. Maui Electric Co. is installing new, “smart” power meters that will enable the utility to remotely monitor electricity fed to more than 100 residents taking part in the Maui smart-grid demonstration project. Associated Press. Maui Electric Co. has begun installing new, “smart” power meters in Maui Meadows, enabling the utility to remotely monitor electricity fed to more than 100 residents taking part in the Maui smart-grid demonstration project. Maui News. Judge Adrianne Heely The state Senate confirmed Adrianne Heely on Wednesday as a District Family Court judge for Maui’s 2nd Circuit Court. Maui News. Adrianne Heely has been confirmed as a family court judge on Maui. Associated Press. Maui Judge Joseph E. Cardoza today was named Chief Judge and Administrative Judge for the Second Circuit Court. Maui Now. The long-awaited Courtyard Maui Kahului Airport hotel is set to open in June, a month earlier than previously announced. Maui News. Kauai After a few deferrals and various amendments, a bill to regulate solar farms on agricultural lands passed a final vote Wednesday by the Kaua‘i County Council, although some council members wanted more time for scrutiny. Garden Island. The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution to encourage schools to adopt anti-bullying policies and regulations. Garden Island. Reid Judson is suing Norberto Garcia and Kaua‘i County for alleged negligence in an officer-involved automobile crash. Garden Island. Molokai A high-voltage undersea transmission cable planned for Massachusetts has been killed by one of the nation’s major utilities because it would be a “high-risk” installation, too expensive to construct, with too many severe environmental impacts and too difficult to maintain. Molokai Dispatch.
Continue reading...Improved Waikiki Beach greets Japanese ‘Golden Week,’ Honolulu sewer moratorium halts development, Oahu travel agent disappears with Arkansas band’s…
27. April 2012
Waikiki Beach (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Beach users gave good reviews Thursday to the just-completed sand replenishment project that widened Waikiki Beach from the Duke Kahanamoku statue to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Star-Advertiser. Riding on three months of strong momentum, Hawaii’s tourism industry is already anticipating a healthy summer. Star-Advertiser. A 27 percent gain in visitors from Japan last month bodes well for this weekend’s start of Golden Week, traditionally a high-volume period for Japanese tourists in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser. The official at the center of the General Services Administration scandal over a lavish Las Vegas conference was reprimanded in 2011 for appearing in a campaign ad for Sen. Daniel Inouye, Roll Call, a Washington, D.C., magazine, reported Thursday. Star-Advertiser. Legislature State House and Senate negotiators were still working late Thursday to reach an agreement on the state budget, a stalemate that left dozens of bills in limbo ahead of tonight’s procedural deadline to complete work before the legislative session ends. Star-Advertiser. Passage of the single-most important bill at the Hawaii Legislature is being held up by the single-most controversial bill before lawmakers this session. Civil Beat. A measure that would bring most of Hawaii’s 1,600 mainland-incarcerated prisoners back is nearing key deadlines at the Capitol. The trend is already starting. KHON2 . The state Legislature will be voting on Hawaiian language mandates in the coming week. Associated Press. Legislators effectively killed a bill Thursday that would have extended the University of Hawaii’s controversial exemption from the state procurement code, a move hailed by some as a victory for government fairness and transparency but which UH lamented as likely to increase construction costs. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii lawmakers are poised to pass two bills to overhaul the state’s charter school system. But the focus has centered more on what the proposed law says charter schools don’t have to do than any new requirements or expectations. Civil Beat. Selling or smoking the synthetic drug “spice” is now a felony in Hawaii. KHON2. Laura Thielen Civil Beat has obtained portions of an email exchange between members of the party’s State Central Committee conducted between April 10 and April 13 — the latter date just four days before Laura Thielen announced that she would run in the primary without the party’s blessing. Civil Beat. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union has its first woman president. Hawaii Public Radio. About 9,000 U.S. Marines stationed on Okinawa will be moved to Hawaii, Guam and other locations in the Asia-Pacific under a U.S.-Japanese agreement announced Thursday. Associated Press. Hawaii is one of only two states where consumers won’t see a piece of an estimated $1.3 billion in rebates from health insurers who spent more on administrative expenses and profits than allowed by the federal health care reform act, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Pacific Business News. State roundup for April 27. Associated Press. Oahu The City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services has issued a moratorium on new sewer connections from Halawa to Pearl City. Hawaii News Now. The state granted owners of the Hale‘iwa Farmers’ Market a second extension to vacate the site where they’ve held the popular weekend event for three years. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu City Councilmember Ann Kobayashi has introduced a bill to amend the historic residential property tax exemption. Hawaii Reporter. The plastic bag ban is still three years from starting, if Mayor Peter Carlisle approves it, but the movement toward biodegradable bags has already begun. Hawaii News Now. Public housing getting modern renovations with private help. KITV4. Nearly four decades since starting a renowned cookie empire, Wally Amos is poised to launch a company using the original recipe that made him Famous Amos. Star-Advertiser. Officials at Southside High School in Fort Smith, Ark., have contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice after an Oahu travel agent told them via email he had lost $267,500 paid by the school for a summer trip to Waikiki. KITV4. Hawaii Mufi Hannemann A U.S. representative’s job, congressional candidate Mufi Hannemann told Rotarians Thursday, is to advocate first for state residents. West Hawaii Today. The site of the Big Island’s first geothermal power project may once again be put back to use. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii’s Doppler radars will be shut down, one at a time, beginning in May for upgrades to a next-generation system that will allow for better weather forecasts. Tribune-Herald. We’ve failed: Hawaii County’s air is the second worst, by county, in the country for annual particle pollution, the American Lung Association says. West Hawaii Today. Maui The new hearing officer in the case challenging a University of Hawaii telescope project on Maui is also UH president M.R.C. Greenwood’s personal attorney. Civil Beat. Maui Electric Co. is installing new, “smart” power meters that will enable the utility to remotely monitor electricity fed to more than 100 residents taking part in the Maui smart-grid demonstration project. Associated Press. Maui Electric Co. has begun installing new, “smart” power meters in Maui Meadows, enabling the utility to remotely monitor electricity fed to more than 100 residents taking part in the Maui smart-grid demonstration project. Maui News. Judge Adrianne Heely The state Senate confirmed Adrianne Heely on Wednesday as a District Family Court judge for Maui’s 2nd Circuit Court. Maui News. Adrianne Heely has been confirmed as a family court judge on Maui. Associated Press. Maui Judge Joseph E. Cardoza today was named Chief Judge and Administrative Judge for the Second Circuit Court. Maui Now. The long-awaited Courtyard Maui Kahului Airport hotel is set to open in June, a month earlier than previously announced. Maui News. Kauai After a few deferrals and various amendments, a bill to regulate solar farms on agricultural lands passed a final vote Wednesday by the Kaua‘i County Council, although some council members wanted more time for scrutiny. Garden Island. The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution to encourage schools to adopt anti-bullying policies and regulations. Garden Island. Reid Judson is suing Norberto Garcia and Kaua‘i County for alleged negligence in an officer-involved automobile crash. Garden Island. Molokai A high-voltage undersea transmission cable planned for Massachusetts has been killed by one of the nation’s major utilities because it would be a “high-risk” installation, too expensive to construct, with too many severe environmental impacts and too difficult to maintain. Molokai Dispatch.
Continue reading...Gender gap at Honolulu Hale, groups fight public record restrictions, Honolulu council bans plastic bags, Kauai leads state in income growth, Kahuku…
26. April 2012
Honolulu Hale (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Men and women work different jobs at Honolulu Hale, and the men’s jobs pay more. Civil Beat. House Finance Chairman Marcus Oshiro and Senate Ways and Means Chair David Ige indicated conferrees have come to agreement on the operating side of the budget — but are still working toward a deal on the capital improvements portion of the budget. Civil Beat. A range of organizations – from the Sierra Club to the Hawaii Independent – are petitioning legislators to protect government transparency. More than a dozen community, media and open-government organizations are waging a desperate fight today to save Hawaii’s Freedom of Information Law from its most serious erosion in its 24-year history. Hawaii Independent. Lawmakers are poised to include $25 million for student transportation in the supplemental budget bill for next fiscal year, $17 million shy of what the Department of Education said it needed to preserve school bus services statewide. Star-Advertiser. The state Legislature will be voting on Hawaiian language mandates in the coming week. KHON2. Duane “Dog” Chapman and Beth Chapman seek to derail the Abercrombie administration’s “Justice Reinvestment” initiative, a data-driven approach to reforming Hawaii’s criminal justice system, which would include freeing up prison space. Civil Beat. As contract negotiations continue between the state and its public school teachers, a newly adopted teacher evaluations policy remains a sticking point. Tribune-Herald. State lawmakers reached agreement today on a bill requiring motorists to “move over” when approaching a traffic or crime scene where emergency responders are working. Star-Advertiser. Peter Hsieh has resigned as chief attorney in the state Securities Enforcement Branch after the state began an investigation of his past professional and financial problems. Hawaii Reporter. Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee have cautioned Defense Secretary Leon Panetta that an agreement between the U.S. and Japan over transferring more than 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam, Hawaii and other locations should not be considered final without congressional approval. Pacific Business News. The Oahu group that’s fighting the new legislative maps has asked a federal judge to halt the upcoming election until new districts can be drawn. West Hawaii Today. Oahu The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday passed a bill that would impose a fee on plastic bags retailers and restaurants provide to customers before banning them altogether effective July 1, 2015. Pacific Business News. Oahu consumers will have until summer 2015 to get used to the idea of not getting a plastic bag when they shop at a grocery store or other retailer. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu could soon become the fourth and final county in Hawaii to implement a ban on single-use plastic checkout bags. Civil Beat. The Honolulu City Council passed a bill today to ban single-use shopping bags on O’ahu in 3 years. Hawaii Public Radio. Honolulu is the only county in the state not to regulate plastic shopping bags, but now the city council has approved the plan to ban plastic shopping bags and some paper bags as well. Hawaii News Now. A much-debated ban on non-biodegradable plastic bags was passed Wednesday by the Honolulu City Council, but if signed into law by Mayor Peter Carlisle, the ban would not take effect until July 1, 2015. KITV4. A correction to a consultant’s “data error” has upended the city’s recently announced list for potential landfill sites, catapulting two upland Kahuku locations to the top spots while knocking the previous No. 1, Ameron Quarry in Kailua, halfway down the ranking. Star-Advertiser. A military site in Kahuku has replaced a Kailua quarry as Honolulu’s top choice for a new landfill. But that doesn’t mean Kailua should start celebrating. Civil Beat. People in Kailua are breathing a collective sigh of relief while people from Kaneohe to Haleiwa shudder at the latest news regarding a new landfill. Hawaii News Now. The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday gave preliminary approval to a plan to make an extra $450 million available for Honolulu’s rail line in case the project runs out of money because of some unexpected mishap or disaster during construction. Star-Advertiser. North Shore residents were given a big Wednesday announcement they were not expecting, that Kahuku and Pupukea are now top of the list for the City’s next potential landfill sites. KHON2. Honolulu’s City Council split a vote, four to four, in a resolution that would have urged the State Legislature and the Food and Drug Administration to mandate labels of genetically modified food. KITV4. State health officials inspected a two mile area along Kea’ahala stream today, from Kahukipa down to Kaneohe Bay. KITV4. Hawaii Concerns about an Elections Division in disarray have prompted Hilo Councilman Dennis Onishi to ask the state Office of Elections to intercede. Among the problems, Onishi said Wednesday, are clerks not qualified to accept state filings, voter lists for candidate campaigns delayed until June and longtime volunteers bowing out because of controversies over Elections Office firings. West Hawaii Today. The county Department of Parks and Recreation is finally complying with a federal law mandating the replacement of swimming pool drain covers by December 2008. Tribune-Herald. The Hawaii County Council could soon be discussing new legislation aimed at protecting Big Island residents from geothermal power plant leaks and blowouts. Tribune-Herald. Maui The Maui Planning Commission approved a county special use permit Tuesday for Verizon Wireless to install a 35-foot-high pole and cellular antenna – disguised as a palm tree – on agricultural land mauka of the Waiehu Golf Course. Maui News. Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case said he’s not afraid to tell people things he feels they need to hear, even if he and his campaign for U.S. Senate draw fire for it. Maui News. A special native Hawaiian initiative is seeking the help of volunteers around the world to typescript thousands of pages of Hawaiian-language newspapers into a searchable database. Maui Now. Kauai The head of the Department of Land and Natural Resources described the latest monk seal death as a “despicable act” as the reward for information grew to $40,000. Star-Advertiser. A Hawaiian monk seal was found killed on Kauai over the weekend, officials said Wednesday, bringing to four the number of suspicious deaths for the critically endangered species in six months. Associated Press. Foul play is again suspected in the second death of a Hawaiian monk seal found on Kaua‘i this year, with the latest victim discovered Sunday, authorities said Wednesday. Garden Island. The personal income of Kauai residents increased 3.7 percent in 2010 from 2009 on a per capita basis, the fastest growth rate of any county in the state, the federal government reported Wednesday. Star-Advertiser. Owners of transient vacation rental properties, also known as TVRs, will now have to pay commercial rates for county trash collection services, the county Public Works Department reported Wednesday. Garden Island.
Continue reading...Gender gap at Honolulu Hale, groups fight public record restrictions, Honolulu council bans plastic bags, Kauai leads state in income growth, Kahuku…
26. April 2012
Honolulu Hale (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Men and women work different jobs at Honolulu Hale, and the men’s jobs pay more. Civil Beat. House Finance Chairman Marcus Oshiro and Senate Ways and Means Chair David Ige indicated conferrees have come to agreement on the operating side of the budget — but are still working toward a deal on the capital improvements portion of the budget. Civil Beat. A range of organizations – from the Sierra Club to the Hawaii Independent – are petitioning legislators to protect government transparency. More than a dozen community, media and open-government organizations are waging a desperate fight today to save Hawaii’s Freedom of Information Law from its most serious erosion in its 24-year history. Hawaii Independent. Lawmakers are poised to include $25 million for student transportation in the supplemental budget bill for next fiscal year, $17 million shy of what the Department of Education said it needed to preserve school bus services statewide. Star-Advertiser. The state Legislature will be voting on Hawaiian language mandates in the coming week. KHON2. Duane “Dog” Chapman and Beth Chapman seek to derail the Abercrombie administration’s “Justice Reinvestment” initiative, a data-driven approach to reforming Hawaii’s criminal justice system, which would include freeing up prison space. Civil Beat. As contract negotiations continue between the state and its public school teachers, a newly adopted teacher evaluations policy remains a sticking point. Tribune-Herald. State lawmakers reached agreement today on a bill requiring motorists to “move over” when approaching a traffic or crime scene where emergency responders are working. Star-Advertiser. Peter Hsieh has resigned as chief attorney in the state Securities Enforcement Branch after the state began an investigation of his past professional and financial problems. Hawaii Reporter. Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee have cautioned Defense Secretary Leon Panetta that an agreement between the U.S. and Japan over transferring more than 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam, Hawaii and other locations should not be considered final without congressional approval. Pacific Business News. The Oahu group that’s fighting the new legislative maps has asked a federal judge to halt the upcoming election until new districts can be drawn. West Hawaii Today. Oahu The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday passed a bill that would impose a fee on plastic bags retailers and restaurants provide to customers before banning them altogether effective July 1, 2015. Pacific Business News. Oahu consumers will have until summer 2015 to get used to the idea of not getting a plastic bag when they shop at a grocery store or other retailer. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu could soon become the fourth and final county in Hawaii to implement a ban on single-use plastic checkout bags. Civil Beat. The Honolulu City Council passed a bill today to ban single-use shopping bags on O’ahu in 3 years. Hawaii Public Radio. Honolulu is the only county in the state not to regulate plastic shopping bags, but now the city council has approved the plan to ban plastic shopping bags and some paper bags as well. Hawaii News Now. A much-debated ban on non-biodegradable plastic bags was passed Wednesday by the Honolulu City Council, but if signed into law by Mayor Peter Carlisle, the ban would not take effect until July 1, 2015. KITV4. A correction to a consultant’s “data error” has upended the city’s recently announced list for potential landfill sites, catapulting two upland Kahuku locations to the top spots while knocking the previous No. 1, Ameron Quarry in Kailua, halfway down the ranking. Star-Advertiser. A military site in Kahuku has replaced a Kailua quarry as Honolulu’s top choice for a new landfill. But that doesn’t mean Kailua should start celebrating. Civil Beat. People in Kailua are breathing a collective sigh of relief while people from Kaneohe to Haleiwa shudder at the latest news regarding a new landfill. Hawaii News Now. The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday gave preliminary approval to a plan to make an extra $450 million available for Honolulu’s rail line in case the project runs out of money because of some unexpected mishap or disaster during construction. Star-Advertiser. North Shore residents were given a big Wednesday announcement they were not expecting, that Kahuku and Pupukea are now top of the list for the City’s next potential landfill sites. KHON2. Honolulu’s City Council split a vote, four to four, in a resolution that would have urged the State Legislature and the Food and Drug Administration to mandate labels of genetically modified food. KITV4. State health officials inspected a two mile area along Kea’ahala stream today, from Kahukipa down to Kaneohe Bay. KITV4. Hawaii Concerns about an Elections Division in disarray have prompted Hilo Councilman Dennis Onishi to ask the state Office of Elections to intercede. Among the problems, Onishi said Wednesday, are clerks not qualified to accept state filings, voter lists for candidate campaigns delayed until June and longtime volunteers bowing out because of controversies over Elections Office firings. West Hawaii Today. The county Department of Parks and Recreation is finally complying with a federal law mandating the replacement of swimming pool drain covers by December 2008. Tribune-Herald. The Hawaii County Council could soon be discussing new legislation aimed at protecting Big Island residents from geothermal power plant leaks and blowouts. Tribune-Herald. Maui The Maui Planning Commission approved a county special use permit Tuesday for Verizon Wireless to install a 35-foot-high pole and cellular antenna – disguised as a palm tree – on agricultural land mauka of the Waiehu Golf Course. Maui News. Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case said he’s not afraid to tell people things he feels they need to hear, even if he and his campaign for U.S. Senate draw fire for it. Maui News. A special native Hawaiian initiative is seeking the help of volunteers around the world to typescript thousands of pages of Hawaiian-language newspapers into a searchable database. Maui Now. Kauai The head of the Department of Land and Natural Resources described the latest monk seal death as a “despicable act” as the reward for information grew to $40,000. Star-Advertiser. A Hawaiian monk seal was found killed on Kauai over the weekend, officials said Wednesday, bringing to four the number of suspicious deaths for the critically endangered species in six months. Associated Press. Foul play is again suspected in the second death of a Hawaiian monk seal found on Kaua‘i this year, with the latest victim discovered Sunday, authorities said Wednesday. Garden Island. The personal income of Kauai residents increased 3.7 percent in 2010 from 2009 on a per capita basis, the fastest growth rate of any county in the state, the federal government reported Wednesday. Star-Advertiser. Owners of transient vacation rental properties, also known as TVRs, will now have to pay commercial rates for county trash collection services, the county Public Works Department reported Wednesday. Garden Island.
Continue reading...‘Exceptional’ trees get tax breaks, Honolulu seeks $450M line of credit for rail, Green Party certified for state ballot, Kauai daily newspaper goes…
23. April 2012
Mynah bird on African tulip tree (c) 2012 All Hawaii News The focus of some ridicule is a state law that allows Hawaii residents to claim up to $3,000 in personal income tax deductions for qualified expenses related to maintaining “exceptional” trees on their private property. Star-Advertiser. A proposal headed to the state Senate could help Hawaii double its locally grown food supply by 2020. Associated Press. By weight, Hawaii’s honeybees may be the state’s most valuable export as farmers struggle to replenish bee populations suffering from colony collapse. Associated Press. The Green Party of Hawaii announced that it has been certified to be included on Hawaii partisan election ballots. Tribune-Herald. The Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter on Sunday endorsed U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono for U.S. Senate, giving the congresswoman an edge in the environmental community to go with her support from labor unions and traditional Democrats. Star-Advertiser. Consumer advocates are pushing Hawaii senators to pass a bill that excludes health insurer representatives from holding voting positions on a state board. Associated Press. Cuts in the number of inspectors who check cargo and passengers entering Hawaii have some worried that more pests will get established in a state that is especially vulnerable because of its subtropical weather and few natural predators. Associated Press. State roundup for April 23. Associated Press. Oahu The Navy wants to cover Ford Island’s historic runway with photovoltaic panels — an addition the service said would “define and interpret” the original runway while providing environment-friendly power. Star-Advertiser. Mayor Peter Carlisle’s administration has formally asked the City Council to approve a $450 million city-backed line of credit that could be used to complete the rail line in the event of a “catastrophic, unforeseen event” that causes the project to run out of money. Star-Advertiser. Construction of the elevated portion of Oahu’s rail project starts Monday, as more groups step forward to support the City’s transit plan in court. Hawaii News Now. The city’s $5.7 million, 500-day Waikiki sewer project has been backed up for a couple of months but is expected to get moving in May. Star-Advertiser. Keeping Kakaako-makai free from residential development was the motivation behind a loud rally held earlier today in an effort to stop a bill that would allow high rises on one of Honolulu’s last public oceanfront land. KITV4. Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle’s landfill advisory committee has named a site in the Windward Oahu town of Kailua as the top choice for the location of a landfill to replace the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill. Pacific Business News . Honolulu’s monopoly newspaper has again slashed advertising rates in the face of new government objections to the charges as well as competition from a newcomer to the market. Hawaii Reporter. Hawaii An average Hawaii Electric Light Co. customer doles out around $225 every month for 500 to 600 kilowatt hours of electricity, a far cry from the nation’s average of $63 for the same usage. West Hawaii Today. While the electric grid itself may not be operating at peak efficiency, shareholders in the investor-owned corporation aren’t feeling the pinch. West Hawaii Today. Hawaii isn’t well-known for consumer advocacy, said Jack Gillis, public affairs director for the Consumer Federation of America. West Hawaii Today. A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a National Labor Relations Board’s decision that two reporters fired from a Hilo newspaper should be reinstated with back pay. Associated Press. Maui Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Maui Economic Development Board. Maui News. Kauai The Garden Island newspaper on Kauai will be combining its Friday and Saturday publications into a weekend edition starting May 4. Pacific Business News. Construction is expected to begin during the second half of this year on a second Kaua‘i Safeway supermarket and retail center. Garden Island. Meeting the demand of an increase in felony cases was among concerns expressed by Office of the Prosecuting Attorney staff members during a Kaua‘i County Council fiscal year 2013 budget hearing Friday. Garden Island. Molokai The Friendly Island will be well represented at the 35th annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. The Awards Show, hosted by the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts (HARA), is an annual event held to celebrate “the connections between music, our culture, and the spirit of aloha,” according to their website. Molokai Dispatch.
Continue reading...Case-Hirono debates not so great, groups rally for solar energy tax credits, plastic bag fee, $3.2M award in Maui cliff death despite alcohol,…
20. April 2012
Ed Case, Mazie Hirono U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono will appear with former U.S. Rep. Ed Case at five joint forums and debates before the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in August, but she agreed to only one televised forum and bypassed debates offered by the state’s major news outlets. Star-Advertiser. U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono’s decision not to accept any debates on major television networks has prompted her opponent to call the decision “an insult to Hawaii voters.” Civil Beat. After months of prodding from Congressman Ed Case (D-HI, 2002-2007), Congresswoman Mazie Hirono has finally agreed to debate him. Hawaii Reporter. Mazie Hirono and Ed Case are at odds over the number of debates and joint appearances scheduled before the primary election in their race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka. Hawaii News Now. Congresswoman Mazie Hirono will participate in five debates with former Congressman Ed Case leading up to Hawaii’s Primary Election, in her bid for the U.S. Senate. KHON2. Seeking elected office means defending your positions against your rivals’ — including within your own party. But when U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono refused any debates on network TV with her Democratic primary opponent Ed Case, she did a disservice to the people of Hawaii. (commentary) Civil Beat. With Earth Day just days away, environmentalists and retail merchants made a last-ditch effort Thursday to convince state lawmakers that a bill that would impose a statewide 10-cent fee on disposable plastic and paper checkout bags deserves to be heard and voted on. Star-Advertiser. With the Legislature set to adjourn in just two weeks, supporters of solar energy tax credits are ramping up their efforts to hang on to incentives they say are needed to ensure the industry’s continued success. Civil Beat. Hawaii’s renewable energy tax credits, which are credited with helping the state’s solar energy industry to reach new heights, are now backed by a report saying that they yield a clear, significant net fiscal benefit to the state. Pacific Business News. Hawaii lawmakers are on the verge of lopping off some $22 million from the Department of Education’s school bus budget, which officials say will force thousands of students to find new ways to get to class. Civil Beat. House Finance Chairman Marcus Oshiro said the state Department of Education’s repeated warnings about possible massive cuts of school bus service are “irresponsible fear-mongering.” Star-Advertiser. House and Senate conference committee members have just over a week to reach agreement on measures they want to see passed this legislative session. Associated Press. Three Board of Education members have been confirmed by the Senate for terms through June 30, 2015. Star-Advertiser. The state Senate has confirmed the appointment of four new members of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents, effective July 1, and renewed the appointment of two others, effective immediately. Tribune-Herald. Peter Hsieh, the newly-hired head of enforcement in the state office that regulates financial securities, has been demoted following news stories in Hawaii Reporter about his serious personal financial problems, the state said today. Hawaii Reporter. A federal grand jury yesterday indicted a Correctional Officer at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, on five counts of sexual abuse of a prison ward. Maui Now. Gov. Neil Abercrombie has released $34 million to upgrade state facilities. KHON2. Oahu The first mayoral debate of 2012 is scheduled for less than two weeks from now, when Kirk Caldwell, Peter Carlisle and Ben Cayetano all participate in what organizers are calling “pupus and politics” at the Plaza Club. Civil Beat. The U.S. Senate appropriations committee is supporting a bill allocating $250 million for a rail line in Honolulu.
Continue reading...Hawaii Legislature down to the wire, plastic bag fee unlikely this session, Obama declares Kauai disaster, Honolulu rail argued in court, Maui wind…
19. April 2012
Hawaii state Capitol (c) 2012 All Hawaii News House and Senate conference committee members have just over a week to reach agreement on measures they want to see passed this legislative session. Associated Press. Hawaii’s first lady is joining environmental groups in calling on state lawmakers to take a vote on a bill that would charge a fee every time a shopper chooses a disposable paper or plastic bag. Associated Press. Once touted as one the biggest environmental measures of the year, a bill that would charge consumers for single-use bags at the check-out counter appears to be on its deathbed. Civil Beat. Senate Democrats Help Each Other Raise Campaign Cash. Civil Beat. An overhaul of Hawaii’s criminal justice and corrections system is moving forward at the state capitol. KHON2. Two bills that had proposed raising fees on state-chartered banks and other financial institutions have failed to pass the Hawaii Legislature — leaving the state’s Division of Financial Institutions with budget deficits in the coming years. Pacific Business News. Lawmakers approved a bill that will require cell phone or communication service providers to assist law enforcement agencies in determining the location of a cell phone in emergency situations. Maui Now. Incumbent Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa and her Republican challenger, former Congressman Charles Djou, are building their campaign warchests in anticipation of a November showdown. Civil Beat. Hawaiian Airlines flight attendants will see their wages rise by 15 percent over the next four years under the terms of a new contract. Star-Advertiser. A new educational exchange program is planned for students and teachers in the Asia Pacific region. Hawaii Public Radio. A little more than a year after the Times named Alvin Kuo Wong the Happiest Man in America, he’s now trying to create a nonprofit think tank devoted to happiness while continuing to run his company, which helps physicians cope with reduced medical reimbursements. Star-Advertiser. Oahu The city of Honolulu has agreed to pay $1.2 million for water quality improvements on the Waianae Coast to settle a state Health Department fine for dumping truckloads of concrete slabs into a West Oahu stream used by endangered Hawaiian birds. Associated Press. The state Department of Health and Honolulu have agreed on a $1.2 million settlement in one of Hawaii’s most controversial water pollution cases. Associated Press. The environmentalist who brought to the forefront one of Hawaii’s most controversial water pollution cases ever says the state’s $1.4 million fine against the city is an insult to taxpayers. KHON2. A motion to dismiss portions of a federal lawsuit challenging Honolulu’s $5.3 billion rail project was argued in court this morning, with U.S. Senior Circuit Judge A. Wallace Tashima to issue a ruling later. Hawaii Reporter. A Honolulu City Council committee has approved a measure that would ban commercial beach activities at Kailua and Kalama beach parks, seven days a week. Hawaii News Now. A majority of an estimated 200 people at a meeting at Kailua High School on Wednesday night told City Council members that they want a blanket ban of all commercial activity at the popular Kailua and Kalama beach parks. Star-Advertiser. The city will seize and sell a derelict three-story Waikiki apartment building if its owners do not pay the taxes on the property that has sometimes been used by squatters and drug abusers in recent years. Star-Advertiser. The city will spend nearly $1 million to renovate nine Waikiki public restrooms that residents, business owners and tourists have described as gross and, at times, unusable. Star-Advertiser. It’s Your Money: Council Spends on Travel and TVs. Civil Beat. Grand opening ceremonies were held Wednesday
Continue reading...Hawaii Board Of Education adopts teacher evaluations, state sees record gun registrations, judge strikes rail procurement rule, Thielen defies Dems,…
18. April 2012
Gov. Neil Abercrombie at BOE, courtesy photo Gov. Neil Abercrombie made a rare appearance by a governor before the Board of Education on Tuesday to support the transition to a performance evaluation system for teachers and principals, saying such education reforms can wait no longer. Star-Advertiser. The Hawaii Board of Education on Tuesday unanimously voted in favor of a plan that would tie teachers’ and principals’ pay to their performance, as well as develop evaluation criteria at Hawaii’s roughly 250 public schools. Associated Press. A week after the Legislature abandoned its effort, the Hawaii Board of Education unanimously approved three policies regarding performance evaluations for teachers and principals. Civil Beat. The Board of Education voted in favor of creating new educator evaluations at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon. Hawaii News Now. The Hawaii State Board of Education unanimously approved a plan today that would base teacher and principal salaries on their performance, but it’s not a done deal yet. KHON2. The Hawaii State Department of Education has expanded its teacher evaluation pilot program for the 2012-13 school year. KHON2. U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa reported raised $224,000 in the first quarter of 2012, compared to GOP challenger former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou’s $84,000. Star-Advertiser. Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case said Tuesday that he raised $138,000 in the past three months for his Democratic primary campaign for U.S. Senate, trailing U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, his primary opponent, who raised more than $1 million in that period, and Former Gov. Linda Lingle, the leading Republican candidate, who raised $1.3 million in the past quarter. Star-Advertiser. Defying the guidance of state Democrats, Laura H. Thielen, a director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources under Republican Gov. Linda Lingle, said Tuesday that she will run as a Democrat for state Senate. Star-Advertiser. The state Senate confirmed two of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s appointees to the state Commission on Water Resources Management despite some senators’ concerns about their qualifications and the nomination process. Star-Advertiser. The Senate confirmed Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s nominees to the water commission on Tuesday amid rising opposition toward the candidates and concerns about irregularities in the nominating process. Civil Beat. A concerted effort by environmental groups and dozens of individuals to block the appointment of Maui businessman Ted Yamamura to the state Commission on Water Resource Management fell fall short of the mark today in the state Senate. Hawaii Reporter. The state Department of the Attorney General reported Tuesday record levels of firearm registrations and permit applications in 2011. A record 36,804 guns were registered in Hawaii in 2011 — a 17.2 percent increase from the previous high, set the year before. Star-Advertiser. A Circuit Court Judge has approved a settlement for victims of five data breaches that occurred at the University of Hawaii and its campuses over the past two years. Hawaii News Now. Maui Electric Co. and Hawaiian Electric Co. ranked among the top 10 utilities nationwide in the amount of photovoltaic generating capacity installed by their customers, an industry trade group said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii did nothing wrong in GSA scandal. Pacific Business News. State roundup for April 18. Associated Press. Oahu Circuit Court Judge Karl Sakamoto on Tuesday struck down a procurement rule that the city used to award more than $144 million in rail-related contracts, declaring the 1995 rule invalid because it conflicts with state procurement law. It was not immediately clear what effect, if any, the ruling might have on the city’s contracts with rail consultants PB Americas Inc. and InfraConsult LLC. Star-Advertiser. The City Council Transportation Committee chair, Mayor Peter Carlisle, along with other city officials and community members, are planning to walk the streets of Moiliili this afternoon. The city is looking for ways to improve the sidewalks for pedestrians and bicyclists. KITV4. Hawaii Research Services Group LLC has been awarded a $7 million indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity contract by the Army for the procurement of information management and software engineering support services. Pacific Business News. Teen runs for Honolulu City Council. Hawaii News Now. Kea‘au update: “The Governor will not be intervening”
Continue reading...Waikiki sand project bogs down, Akaka treated for dehydration, PGA announces Hawaii tourney, Maui sued for wastewater discharge, Big Island garbage…
17. April 2012
Waikiki Beach (c) 2012 All Hawaii News The state’s $2.2 million project to replenish sand on Waikiki beach is running behind schedule and crews are racing to finish it before the summer, according to state officials. KITV4. U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka was treated for dehydration on Saturday, but “is fine and headed back to work tonight,” a spokesman for the senator said today. Star-Advertiser. Sen. Daniel Akaka, 87, is “feeling good” after his family sought medical attention for him “out of an abundance of caution” over the weekend, a spokesman said. Civil Beat. Former Honolulu mayor Mufi Hannemann continues to be the leading fundraiser in the primary campaign for the open 2nd congressional district seat, although Honolulu City Council member Tulsi Gabbard is holding her own in the race for campaign cash. Civil Beat. Members of the Native Hawaiian community, legal experts and environmentalists gathered at Iolani Palace Monday to protest a Commission on Water Resources Management appointment. Associated Press. More than 100 organizations and individuals came together today to oppose Governor Abercrombie’s nomination of Ted Yamamura to the state Commission on Water and Resource Management. Hawaii Independent. A bill that would have required new performance evaluations for Hawaii teachers has died a few weeks before the end of the state’s legislative session. Associated Press. Wrapping up a whirlwind four-day visit to the islands, the Dalai Lama visited with high-schoolers Monday and urged them to work to make a “happier future” through compassion and nonviolence, before heading to Kualoa Regional Park to bless the voyaging canoe Hokule‘a in preparation for a round-the-world sail. Star-Advertiser. The Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said Monday he didn’t know until his latest trip to Hawaii what exactly the word “aloha” meant. Associated Press. In an extraordinary ceremony at Kualoa Beach Park in Windward Oahu, the 14th Dalai Lama blessed and consecrated the double-hull wayfaring canoe Hokulea. Civil Beat. The Dalai Lama is visiting Hawai`i to discuss similarities between the Hawaiian spirit of Aloha and the Buddhist spirit of compassion towards others. Hawaii Public Radio . The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Division is discussing “concurrent jurisdiction” with the state this year, which means the federal agency may take over many of the state functions. However, both the state and federal government officials involved are refusing to release details about the plan. Hawaii Reporter. Hawaii Marines are fighting the drug trade in Afghanistan by using helicopters to conduct raids. Hawaii News Now. The PGA Champions Tour’s Pacific Links Hawaii Championship was officially announced during a press conference at the Plaza Club in downtown Monday with Hall of Fame golfer Greg Norman, who is playing in the event, singing Hawaii’s praises as a great location to tee off. Pacific Business News. State roundup for April 17. Associated Press. Oahu Hawaii Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz State Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz wants the city’s rail system to make money, or at least break even, and is pushing for a bill that would encourage urban development and redevelopment on land around planned transit stations. Star-Advertiser. About 30 powerful big business leaders formed a group, Move Oahu Forward, in February, with the backing of Hawaii’s Senior Senator Daniel Inouye, and announced their organization members today. They hope to convince the public the rail will improve Oahu. Hawaii Reporter. City work crews backed by Honolulu police officers are scheduled this morning to clear out the last of up to 200 people who have been living on a 1-mile stretch of vegetated beachfront just northeast of the public portion of Keaau Beach Park. It is the last large homeless encampment on the Waianae Coast. Star-Advertiser. With at least one loose boulder still perched above his Kalihi neighborhood, Keola Cachola made his first foray to the state Capitol on Monday in search of a sympathetic ear — and $250,000 to clear a hillside after two large boulders rumbled down and damaged homes Thursday night. Star-Advertiser. State officials said Monday they plan to do emergency work on the hillside above homes in Kalihi Valley that were damaged when several large boulders fell late last week. Hawaii News Now. An erosion problem at Ala Moana Beach is exposing a rocky coastline. Now the city is working on a plan to replenish the sand. Hawaii News Now. Hawaiian Airlines became the only carrier to offer year-round daily service between Honolulu and Fukuoka. Star-Advertiser. Work is under way to fix street lights along the H1 and H2 Freeways that have been out for years, after they were hit by copper thieves. KHON2. Hawaii A Hawaii County official on Monday acknowledged the county has already started sending most of East Hawaii’s garbage to the West Hawaii landfill, even as debate rages over the best solution to the island’s growing trash problem. West Hawaii Today. Hunters hired by the Big Island Invasive Species Committee bagged their first axis deer last Wednesday on the southern end of the island, signaling the start of an effort to eliminate their small but potentially destructive population. Tribune-Herald. Three Kailua-Kona public schools are getting nearly $7.8 million of overdue improvements. West Hawaii Today. Hawaii County elections officials are proceeding with elections preparations, including mailing updated voter registration cards, as though the state’s district maps are finalized. West Hawaii Today. Big Island woman accused of more than $2 million in false claims. Associated Press. Maui Four community groups filed a federal lawsuit today against the Maui County for alleged violations of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act at the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility. Maui Now. Four environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit Monday seeking more than $60 million in civil penalties to stop Maui County from continuing to discharge partially treated sewage into injection wells at the Lahaina Wastewater Treatment Plant. Star-Advertiser. A Maui artist will soon see Pope Benedict XVI as the pontiff blesses one of the Kihei man’s bronze Saint Damien sculptures in Rome on Wednesday. Maui News. Kauai The North Shore Lion’s Club served more than 700 pancake breakfasts Sunday at a fundraiser for scholarships, scouting, youth basketball and other programs supported by the nonprofit organization. Garden Island.
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30. April 2012
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