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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...‘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 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...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...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.
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30. April 2012
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