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Beautiful Leis from Kona Coffee Festival
With today being Lei Day in Hawaii, I thought it would be a great excuse to write about some outstanding leis we saw at the Kona Coffee Festival on Hawaii’s Big Island. As you will see each of these leis are gorgeous, but what makes them even more special is that they incorporate
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...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...Aloha Friday Photo: Kona Sunset
13. April 2012
Kelly MacDonald sent today’s Aloha Friday Photo. She took this sunset shot north of Kona on March 27. Isn’t this a peaceful scene? Just looking at it makes me want to take a deep, relaxing breath and say, “Ahhhhhh, how lovely.” Mahalo to Kelly for sharing her Big Island vacation photo with us! — Do you have a Hawaii vacation that you’d like to share? See how you can submit your Aloha Friday Photo . We’re on facebook! Please click here to join us. © Go Visit Hawaii – Republication of this entire post is prohibited without prior permission. Using extracts of less than 100 words are permitted with full attribution and link back to GoVisitHawaii.com .
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...Drone can’t patrol Honolulu Harbor, Hawaii judges low paid, no state preschool, new airline coming, environmentalists rally against development bills,…
10. April 2012
Aircraft over Honolulu Harbor (c) 2012 All Hawaii News The state Department of Transportation’s Harbors Division has been unable to use an unmanned drone aircraft purchased with $75,000 in federal grant money to provide security at Honolulu Harbor because it falls within restricted airspace near Honolulu International Airport. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii’s state judges are among the lowest paid in the nation — and their salaries won’t be improving anytime soon given legislative pay cuts that have been extended through the end of next year. Civil Beat. Hawaii remains among a minority of states without a state-funded preschool program, according to a new report that also shows spending for preschool programs in other states is declining. Eleven states didn’t offer state-funded programs in 2011, up from 10 in 2010. Star-Advertiser. Banning or charging fees for plastic bags at the check-out counter could be having unintended consequences. Civil Beat. Several measures moving forward at the capitol would exempt state and private-partnership developments from environmental and planning rules. Opponents rallied at the capitol ahead of Tuesday’s votes on four of the bills. KHON2. The state Legislature has taken another step toward adopting labeling protections for Hawaii-grown tea after recently leaving the issue to steep. Tribune-Herald. What Do Hawaii Lawmakers Have Against Ethics Code? (commentary) Civil Beat. If you care about holding government officials’ feet to the fire when it comes to public records, you should be concerned about a bill the Hawaii Office of Information Practices is pushing at the Legislature. (commentary) Civil Beat. Allegiant Air, a low-cost, Las Vegas-based airline that primarily serves small cities, is entering the Hawaii market. Star-Advertiser . Oahu A contractor may soon be able to move forward with construction of a key support facility needed to build the $5.27 billion Honolulu rail project, but rail opponents say the plans for the “precast” facility could be the basis for new court challenges. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu bus stop (c) 2012 All Hawaii News The city says soaring costs are to blame for a consolidation of bus services this summer. KHON2. 230 signatures and counting.That’s how many bus riders are demanding that the City not change the current #14 route. KHON2. A higher profile in Asia and the Pacific is in the works for Fort Shafter and within the ranks of the Army with construction of a new 330,000-square-foot headquarters under way as well as an effort to upgrade the three-star command to four stars. Star-Advertiser. The Honolulu Zoo’s accreditation has been renewed after exhibit upgrades, more staffing and new signage were put in place in response to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums deferring renewal a year ago because standards were not being met. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Motorists frustrated by construction delays along the Hamakua Coast can expect to soon to get some relief. 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. Mauna Kea (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Mauna Kea remains one of Hawaii’s treasures. It’s a center of both science and spirituality. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa recently made a special trip to Mauna Kea…beginning at the home of a family in Waimea with unique ties to the sacred mountain. Hawaii Public Radio. Maui Maui County has a state entomologist again after the position was lost to budget cuts in 2009. Associated Press. Using a net, Mach Fukada swept over grasses and plants in a wetland area off a parking lot at Kanaha Beach Park last week. Maui News. The County of Maui, Department of Public Works proposes to conduct roadway repairs to a section of Kahekili Highway between Mile Markers 15 and 16 in the Kahakuloa district of Maui. Maui Now. Maui Nui Botanical Gardens will hold an Earth Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Maui News. Kauai The Kaua‘i County Fire Department on Monday asked for new staff members and better equipment for the next fiscal year. Garden Island. The county Civil Defense Agency asked the Kaua‘i County Council on Monday for a reduced operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Garden Island.
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...Legislature seeks agriculture self-sufficiency, gas hits record high price, Marines eye Molokai, plastic bag ban moving through Honolulu council,…
5. April 2012
Big Island cattle (c) 2012 All Hawaii News A proposal headed to the state Senate could help Hawaii double its locally grown food supply by 2020. Associated Press. The state has spent about $30 million in stimulus funds provided by the White House in the past three years. Civil Beat. Gov. Neil Abercrombie is scheduled to put his signature on a historic $200 million settlement between the state and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on Wednesday. Associated Press. Governor Neil Abercrombie will sign Senate Bill 2783 into law next week, effectively sealing a $200 million settlement land deal between the state and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Maui Now. The state Senate approved a resolution Wednesday calling for an audit of state agencies and long-time department practices that can give employees excessive amounts of nonbase compensation, such as overtime and unpaid leave. Star-Advertiser. The Hawaii Legislature is eager to pass legislation to attract more film production in the islands. Civil Beat. Free wireless Internet access will be available in public libraries statewide beginning on Monday, April 2. Associated Press. Gas prices continued their march upward in Hawaii this week, with the statewide average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline hitting a record price on Wednesday. Pacific Business News. Linda Lingle Lingle: Women Voters Care About Finances, Jobs, Families – Not Just Contraception. Hawaii Reporter. The Senate Ways and Means Committee wants to give more money to Hawaii’s public schools to help them tackle ambitious reform initiatives. Associated Press. Its cupboards aren’t bare, but with just a 13-day supply of food on hand, the Hawaii Foodbank is asking for donations from the community. Star-Advertiser. Oahu In one of the oddities of a tumultuous election year, state Rep. Kymberly Pine will run against City Councilman Tom Berg, her former aide and ally in driving the anti-tax, less government message of the tea party movement. Star-Advertiser. Oahu consumers and businesses would be eased into a plastic bag ban under a bill moving through the City Council. Star-Advertiser. Citing doubts about the Hawaii Legislature’s ability to pass a statewide single-use checkout bag fee this year, the Honolulu City Council Wednesday took a major step forward toward a temporary Oahu-only fee on plastic bags. Civil Beat. Bills that would allow people who keep horses on agricultural lands to once again be eligible for significant tax breaks was advanced by the City Council’s Budget Committee on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser. There are a dozen bills pending at the State Legislature relating to dogs …and improving their lives.
Continue reading...Honolulu spills sewage despite EPA agreement, smoking ban coming to public housing, Hawaii Senate advances $11B state budget, state misses out on…
3. April 2012
Honolulu’s Ala Wai canal (c) 2012 All Hawaii News More than a year after a major settlement between the Environmental Protection Agency and the city of Honolulu to address the thousands of gallons of raw sewage that flow into Oahu’s waterways annually, the volume of spills has not abated. Civil Beat. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Monday to advance a bill to prohibit smoking in and around Hawaii Public Housing Authority buildings. Star-Advertiser. A Senate panel approved Monday its version of the $11 billion supplemental budget bill that focuses on education and core services along with key provisions of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s New Day initiative. Star-Advertiser. Legislature Keeps Dogs in Restaurants Bill Alive. Hawaii Public Radio. Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday nominated seven Hawaii business leaders to fill seats on the Hawaii Tourism Authority, including two with ties to land use and development. Pacific Business News. Governor Neil Abercrombie today made more nominations to several boards and commissions including the Hawai’i Tourism Authority and the Land Use Commission. Hawaii Reporter. Hawaii is among the few states to not take advantage of a federal incentive program estimated to distribute as much as $80 million to Medicaid providers for the establishment of electronic health records. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Doctors Form Aid In Dying Advisory Council. Civil Beat. Wind energy is at the top of the list of energy sources that Hawaii should be tapping to meet its renewable energy goals, according to a recently released federal study. Civil Beat. Starting Aug. 1, nearly all ships en route to Hawaii will be required to switch to cleaner burning fuel as part of an treaty known as the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships.That’s expected to raise the price of shipping a 20-foot container to Hawaii by an average of $18. KITV4. The Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association is screening candidates to replace President and CEO Mufi Hannemann should he leave the job as his campaign for Congress heats up. Star-Advertiser. Oahu The Sierra Club, Hawaii’s largest grassroots environmental organization, is re-considering its position on the city’s $5.3 billion rail transit project. Hawaii News Now. The first of four candidates to be the next chancellor of the University of Hawaii-Manoa arrives today with the firm belief that Manoa needs to retain the chancellor’s position to help drive Hawaii’s economy. Star-Advertiser. It’s an important week for the future of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Starting Wednesday, candidates for the position of chancellor will begin visiting the campus. Hawaii News Now. Hundreds of Kaneohe based Marines and sailors are on their way to Australia. KHON2. Hawaii The out-of-state bidder who scooped up all 16 Hamakua land parcels that were put out for leases has withdrawn his option on eight of the smaller parcels, saying he wants to make them available for local farmers. West Hawaii Today. If work on the second phase of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway widening project had begun when the Department of Transportation initially expected, and had construction taken the two-and-a-half years the DOT estimated at the time, drivers would have four lanes of highway all the way to Kona International Airport by now. West Hawaii Today. The zip line tower collapse that claimed the life of construction worker Ted Callaway on Sept. 21 was “immediate and catastrophic,” according to a report by an independent engineering firm. And, it appears it may have been preventable. Tribune-Herald. In an annual competition hosted by the Roasters’ Guild of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), three coffees from Ka’u were among the top 10 judged, earning them the coveted title Coffee of the Year for 2012. Associated Press. Maui The County of Maui is pleased to recognize the Water Resource & Planning Division for being one of the first government agencies to receive the Hawaii Green Business Program Award. KHON2. With hula, chanting and song, family members and friends paid tribute Sunday to late Native Hawaiian leader and kahu Charles Kauluwehi Maxwell Sr. Maui News. A dozen dogs died after their kennel in Waikapu was intentionally set on fire Sunday night, fire officials said. Maui News. Mainland Condo Owner Objects to Vacation Rental Bills. Maui Now. Kauai The Kaua‘i County Council today begins a series of daily budgetary review meetings lasting at least until April 19 on the mayor’s proposed $161.21 million operational budget for fiscal year 2013. Garden Island. State To Pay $210,000 For Fatal Kauai Wreck. Driver was drunk, high and missed a turn, but lack of lighting and an old bridge contributed. Civil Beat. The Kauai police commission plans to file a complaint in court to ask for judgment on who has the authority to supervise and discipline the police chief. Associated Press. The controversy over whether the mayor has authority to intervene with any department heads appointed by county commissions was the focus of a public hearing by the Kaua‘i County Charter Review Commission on Monday. Garden Island.
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1. May 2012
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