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Hawaii beefing Marine presence, map opponents file election injunction, religious exemptions for civil unions mulled, new high in medical marijuana…
Marines at Pohakaloa Training Area Hawaii (c) 2012 All Hawaii News The U.S. will move more than 2,500 Marines from Japan to Hawaii — a more than 20 percent increase in the islands — as the Pentagon scales back a $21.1 billion blueprint for Guam, U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye confirmed Tuesday. Star-Advertiser. It looks like 2,700 more Marines may be on their way to Hawaii as the Pentagon scales back a $21.1 billion plan to move troops from Okinawa to Guam. Pacific Business News. The U.S. military is expected to announce it will transfer up to 2,700 Marines from the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa to Hawaii, Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Tuesday. Associated Press. Hours before any formal announcement from Washington, the offices of Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Sen. Dan Inouye said the Pentagon intends to move about 2,700 Marines from Okinawa to Hawaii. Hawaii News Now. The military is expected to announce plans to transfer up to 2700 Marines from Japan to Hawaii. KHON2. The top members of the Senate Armed Services Committee voiced concern Tuesday over an imminent U.S.-Japan agreement on reorganizing U.S. forces based on the southern island of Okinawa. More than 2,500 Marines would come to Hawaii under the plan. Associated Press. Plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s reapportionment plan on Monday filed a motion for preliminary injunction seeking to halt the upcoming election. Civil Beat. A federal judge has issued a permanent injunction stopping the state from requiring that air cargo carriers charge customers a fee to help pay for efforts to protect the islands from invasive plant and animal species because state law conflicts with federal laws. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii lawmakers are considering a proposal to the state’s civil unions law to allow religious organizations to deny use of their facilities for a solemnization ceremony. Civil Beat. State lawmakers last night agreed to use the state general fund to support agricultural inspector positions, rather than using a special fund to supplement the associated costs.
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...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.
Continue reading...Hawaii government conflicted over same-sex marriage, state short 600 doctors, Dalai Lama brings message of peace through aloha, bridge fixed for…
16. April 2012
Honolulu gay rights rally (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Gov. Neil Abercrombie opposes participation by a Christian group in a court case to defend state marriage laws that restrict marriage to a man and a woman. But Loretta Fuddy, his director of the Department of Health, says the Hawaii Family Forum should be included in one of the nation’s most important cases. Star-Advertiser. U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye A spokesman for Sen. Daniel Inouye said there’s no truth to an anonymously-sourced KHON report that the senator was hospitalized in Hawaii this weekend. Civil Beat. Senator Daniel Inouye’s office says he returns to Washington, D.C. today and is perfectly healthy. KHON2. Hawaii’s doctor shortage has long been a problem. But there is now hard data that show just how severe the shortfall is.
Continue reading...Merrie Monarch gears up in Hilo, Hawaii Legislature nixes teacher evaluations, Senate passes $11B budget, undersea cable moves forward,…
11. April 2012
Unukupukupu hula (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Unukupukupu performed at the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort on Tuesday afternoon during a free hula exhibition, part of the Merrie Monarch Festival, which continues all week in Hilo. Tribune-Herald. A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court will hear a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s reapportionment and redistricting maps. Star-Advertiser. The federal government plans to discuss the potential of partially taking over workplace safety regulation from the state’s Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division in the state Department of Labor later this spring. Hawaii News Now. State senators have passed an $11 billion budget draft they believe will reinforce the state’s safety net, improve information technology services and create new jobs. 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. Responding to pressure from public school teachers, state lawmakers backed away Tuesday from legislation that would have required teacher performance evaluations. Star-Advertiser. One step forward, one step back. That’s the way Tuesday went for Board of Education policies and state legislation regarding performance evaluations. Civil Beat. Opponents of the Big Wind project failed on Tuesday to derail legislation that would make it easier to build large-scale wind farms on Lanai and Molokai and transmit the electricity to Oahu. Civil Beat. Several community activists are speaking out against state Senate and House bills that aim to streamline private and public construction projects by providing exemptions to regulatory and environmental review requirements. Star-Advertiser. A diverse group held a press conference at the state Capitol yesterday to oppose four bills that exempt state and county government projects from the standard environmental review process. Hawaii Reporter. About two dozen community organizers and activists gathered outside the Senate chamber at the State Capitol today, united in their opposition to four bills, two in the House and two in the Senate, that will provide exemptions from various environmental requirements for developers in urban areas. Hawaii Independent. Hawaii sure isn’t a standout when it comes to Public Access to Information. And now lawmakers appear keen on making matters worse. Civil Beat. Rep. Mele Carroll has worst House attendance. Civil Beat. Long lines that ensued at DMV locations last month following new driver’s license requirements are now plaguing the state Health Department’s vital records office, as frustrated residents seek copies of their birth and marriage certificates. KITV4. Oahu Newly arrived rail boss Daniel Grabauskas promised Tuesday to make the workings of the city’s $5.27 billion rail project more transparent, starting with an initiative to make more rail-related records available on the website of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Star-Advertiser. More transparency. No coloring books. Those are among the big changes ahead as the new rail boss gets started. KHON2. State transportation officials think a solution to rush-hour bottlenecks on the H-1 freeway in Makiki could be to re-stripe the freeway between Punahou Street and Pali Highway to create a fourth lane in each direction. Star-Advertiser. Large portion of Kakaako will be conveyed to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Wednesday. KHON2. The Thursday Geeks on DaBus event allows smartphone users to test the city’s mobile applications for the bus. Star-Advertiser. In about three days, the Dalai Lama will address a crowd of thousands of high school and college students at the University of Hawaii’s Stan Sheriff Center. Pacific Business News. State DOT admits mistake with unusable drone aircraft. Hawaii News Now. A 13-year Honolulu police officer was arrested in connection with his role in a marijuana growing operation in Honolulu and Mililani, according to federal court documents. KITV4. Hawaii They may not have faced off, but Hawaii County’s likely mayoral candidates made their first appearance together in a precursor to this fall’s election at Tuesday’s Kona Town Meeting. West Hawaii Today. A co-owner of the Hamakua Coast zip line course where a construction worker was killed in September says he is in no rush to reopen for business. Tribune-Herald. A burned-out motor that caused the breakdown of a South Kona well is causing the county Department of Water Supply to issue health advisories and a voluntary water conservation. West Hawaii Today. Maui A freeway-style ramp overpass could be part of the Kahului Airport access road that could break ground as early as the end of the year, state Department of Transportation officials said Monday evening. Maui News. Officials with the state Department of Transportation joined civil engineers and planning consultants in a public presentation on Monday night on the proposed Kahului Airport Access Road. Maui Now. The County Council Policy Committee on Monday recommended approval of two nominees for the Lanai Planning Commission, praising one nominee’s public service, but questioning whether his role with the ILWU would place him too far to one side of a divisive issue on the island. Maui News. The new Kihei roundabout – the first full-sized roundabout on Maui – officially opened to traffic after a short blessing ceremony Monday. Maui News. Kauai The landowner of a historic plantation camp in Koloa, Kauai, sued three tenants Tuesday who failed to vacate the property by Sunday’s eviction deadline. Star-Advertiser. The county Finance Department, which employs 88 workers in 10 divisions, asked for a smaller budget in fiscal year 2013 despite complaints about staffing shortages by one division. Garden Island. The public is invited to help celebrate the 125th birthday of “Paulo,” the oldest surviving operating plantation locomotive in Hawai‘i. Garden Island.
Continue reading...Honolulu No. 2 vacation destination, lawsuit challenges election maps, zip lines not regulated, Lanai hunters miffed at film crews, Maui council…
9. April 2012
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...Hawaii Medal of Honor ceremony honors war dead, Honolulu Civil Beat editor heads to Washington Post, Legislature mulls state bank, mandatory sick…
29. March 2012
Hawaii Medal of Honor ceremony, courtesy House Majority Office Hundreds of people gathered at the State Capitol Wednesday to remember 24 servicemen with Hawaii ties who died during the past year in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hawaii News Now. The annual Hawaii Medal of Honor ceremony is more than just a time to recognize and honor fallen troops. It’s a time for friends, colleagues and loved ones of the dead to gather, console and connect with each other, to be reassured that those close to them will not be forgotten, and to be welcomed into the island ohana. Star-Advertiser. courtesy House Majority The families of two dozen fallen service members received the Hawaii Medal of Honor on Wednesday. It was a chance to thank them and their loved ones for protecting our country. KITV4. Abercrombie: Environmental Critics Are ‘Apocalyptic Naysayers’ Civil Beat. Large private sector employers without labor contracts would have to provide workers with up to five days a year in paid sick and safe leave under a bill approved Wednesday by the state Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee. Star-Advertiser. Should the State of Hawaii open up its own bank? Some lawmakers want to saying it will stimulate economic growth and development.
Continue reading...Hawaii libraries doing more with less, geothermal energy coming to Maui, Case renews Hirono debate challenge, state DOE prepares for federal Race to…
23. March 2012
Hawaii state public library (c) 2012 All Hawaii News The budget for Hawaii’s State Public Library System has been steadily shrinking over the past five years, while demand for an array of library services has gone up. Civil Beat. Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case, in his Hilo hometown Thursday for a fundraiser, renewed his call for U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono to debate him prior to the August primary for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. West Hawaii Today. Ed Case The contest to replace U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka is on, as former Hawaii congressman Ed Case became the first candidate to file nomination papers at the Office of Elections on Thursday. Associated Press. US Senate candidate and former Congressman Ed Case officially files his nomination papers for election at 10 a.m. today. Maui Now. State House lawmakers advanced a bill Thursday that would temporarily give the governor the power to exempt specific types of state construction projects from environmental review if the potential impact is minimal. Star-Advertiser. A bill with the potential to scuttle the state’s pending $200 million land transfer to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs was reluctantly approved today by the state House Judiciary Committee. Hawaii Reporter. The State Auditor’s office will be zeroing in on potential problems in the way the Hawaii Department of Education contracts with school bus companies and how the agency monitors the service once it’s in place. Civil Beat. The city of Honolulu says its bus system might be unable to accommodate the big influx in ridership expected if the Department of Education eliminates school bus service on Oahu next school year, as is being discussed in a worst-case scenario. Star-Advertiser. The Hawaii State Department of Education will attempt to highlight various accomplishments when federal officials visit to examine the state’s Race to the Top progress. Associated Press. The Hawaii State Department of Education is preparing for a visit from the U.S. Department of Education next week to examine the state’s Race To The Top progress. KITV4. Feeling it got shorted out of a lucrative government contract with Hawaii, four years ago Election Systems & Software challenged the state’s decision to award a contract for e-voting machines to another company. Civil Beat. A Hawaiian monk seal removed from the wild because he was attacking fellow monk seals pups is moving to the mainland. Hawaii News Now. Stephen Schatz, the public schools’ assistant superintendent of strategic reform says Hawaii is making progress. Star-Advertiser. Oahu Honolulu mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell Six labor unions announced Thursday their endorsement of former city Managing Director Kirk Caldwell for Honolulu mayor. Star-Advertiser. The Hawaii Community Development Authority, a state agency that administers 660 acres in Kakaako, 3,770 acres in Kalaeloa and 400 acres in Heeia, is pursuing the construction of the tallest building in the state — the 650-foot 690 Pohukaina. Civil Beat. The future of the 600-acre Kakaako district was the focus of a panel discussion sponsored by the Hawaii Venture Capital Association and Think-Tech. Hawaii Public Radio. The shakers and movers of Kakaako, past, present and future, gathered at a power lunch at the Plaza Club Thursday. KITV4. The University of Hawaii System has narrowed the search for chancellor of its Manoa campus to four candidates, each of whom will visit the campus next month and make presentations to students, faculty, staff and the community. Pacific Business News. Cancer radiation treatment specialist Dr. John Lederer will be able to continue using oncology radiation facilities at the Queen’s Medical Center, but the other five doctors at Pacific Radiation Oncology will not, under a preliminary injunction issued this week by a federal judge. Star-Advertiser. More than 1200 people are expected to show up at Magic Island Saturday. KHON2. Hawaii Some Hawaii County Council members are questioning why Mayor Billy Kenoi hasn’t acted on eviction orders a judge granted more than three months ago to clear almost $6 million worth of county-owned Kawa Bay property of people living there. West Hawaii Today. A former County Council apparently hired a special attorney without legal authority to do so. West Hawaii Today. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline reached a record high of $4.669 in Hilo on Thursday, according to AAA Hawaii’s daily fuel gauge report. Star-Advertiser. The community is invited to attend The Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce’s annual focus luncheon with this year’s speaker Governor Neil Abercrombie on March 29 at Keauhou Beach Resort. West Hawaii Today. Maui Drilling could begin next year on test wells for a geothermal energy project on Haleakala. Maui News. The public will have a chance to provide input on the County’s Fiscal Year 2013 Budget during a series of district meetings planned over the next several weeks. Maui Now. Gov. Neil Abercrombie has signed another disaster proclamation that expands his earlier proclamations to include Maui County. Associated Press. Members of the Maui Canoe Club collaborated with a nurse at the Maui Memorial Medical Center to develop a CPR method that could be used within the confines of a canoe. Maui Now. Kauai Karen Ikemoto being Kaua‘i’s first Librarian of the Year was reason for Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. to declare Thursday as Karen Ikemoto Day on Kaua‘i. Garden Island. Retired police officers on Kaua‘i have found support from within as an organization of people that worked together to make the island safe. Garden Island. Molokai Lynn DeCoite, owner of two Molokai businesses, has been appointed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie to the state Board of Agriculture’s Maui County seat. Maui News.
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25. April 2012
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