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Spam to get ’spokescharacter,’ Oahu legislators’ gerrymandering claims halt maps, Honolulu plastic bag ban advances, Maui backs off ‘Show Me the…
Honolulu Spam jammers (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Spam, one of the most popular food items in Hawaii, is getting its own “spokescharacter,” Hormel Foods Corp. said Wednesday. Pacific Business News. Charges of gerrymandering and a last-minute proposal by a dissident faction of House Democrats led the state Reapportionment Commission to delay a vote Wednesday on approving new district maps for state House and Senate seats. Star-Advertiser. Accusations of voting maps being drawn to punish a state House faction that opposes Speaker Calvin Say have caused a delay in the reapportionment process. KHON2. A group called Americans Elect this week qualified to place a presidential ticket on the Hawaii ballot, with plans to hold an online nominating convention this summer to select a balanced ticket — a presidential and vice presidential candidate from different political parties — to appear on ballots in all 50 states. Civil Beat. Some middle and high schoolers in Hawaii are getting up to six hours less of class time per week than their peers, thanks to the state’s historic lack of a minimum instructional time rule. Civil Beat. Hawaii lawmakers are advancing legislation to approve paying out a $909,000 settlement, one of several claims this year that add up to $5.8 million in state funds. Civil Beat. U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu has high hopes that “transformative” laser drilling technology could be a boon to geothermal energy developments, especially in Hawaii. Civil Beat. The University of Hawaii is still trying to get caught up on payments, including stipends, scholarships and utility bills, more than two weeks after a fire caused $1.25 million in damage to a fiscal building. Associated Press. State Health Director Loretta J. Fuddy said Wednesday that Hawaii’s No. 1 ranking in the nation for the third year in a row in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index just proves the old adage “lucky we live Hawaii.” Maui News. State roundup for March 1. Associated Press. Oahu A Honolulu City Council committee advanced a bill Wednesday to ban the distribution of nonbiodegradable plastic bags by most Oahu retailers, despite opposition from business interests and concerns raised by the official who would be tasked with enforcing such a ban. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu Managing Director Douglas Chin Wednesday apologized for failing to notify the City Council he had suspended debt guidelines for the multibillion-dollar rail project, as the city administration came under fire for lack of transparency. Star-Advertiser. Honolulu City Council Chair Ernie Martin says Mayor Peter Carlisle’s administration has a credibility problem. KHON2. A bill that would lift development restrictions on two prime real estate lots along Ala Moana Boulevard is pending at the Hawaii State Legislature. Hawaii Reporter. Lawmakers are considering a plan to exempt two lots from a law prohibiting residental development. on the makai side of Kakaako. KITV4. The Abercrombie administration has come out in favor of the Hoopili development, but this week one of its top officials will be called as a witness by opponents of the project. Civil Beat. It was hard to tell who was having more fun in the mud — the Marines in their 26-ton amphibious assault vehicles or the endangered Hawaiian stilts reveling in the churned-up food. Star-Advertiser. A private consultant hired by the federal government to oversee Honolulu’s rail transit project is worried that passengers who ride the train — to run from Kapolei to Ala Moana Center — might find the trip to be so uncomfortable that they may not use the system. Star-Advertiser. Passengers arriving in Honolulu could face delays in the coming days, but not because of their flights. Some airport taxi drivers won’t be picking up passengers for up to three days due to a dispute over new rules. Hawaii News Now. A Honolulu police officer charged in an alleged overtime pay scam involving members of the DUI enforcement team was granted a one-year deferral after pleading guilty for his role in the case. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii Many of Hawaii County’s public buses have been driven around the island for the past month with expired state inspection stickers, but Mass Transit Administrator Tom Brown says the buses are perfectly safe. West Hawaii Today. Laupahoehoe’s new conversion charter school faces the possibility of having to fill vacancies left by the majority of the faculty at the current Department of Education school, with the start to its inaugural academic year just five months away. Tribune-Herald. Kulani Correctional Facility on Hawai’i Island was abruptly shut down more than two years ago by the Lingle administration as a cost-cutting measure. Proposals in both Houses are now making their way through the legislative process to re-open the East Hawai’i facility. Hawaii Public Radio. The county could save more than half of the almost $200,000 it spends annually on courier service if it brought the duties in-house, according to a study by the county Legislative Research Branch. West Hawaii Today. Farm to table is one of the hottest culinary trends across the country, and it hasn’t missed Hawaii, where high-end restaurants and resorts tout the local origin of their ingredients. West Hawaii Today. Small groups of people engaged in lively discussions Wednesday night in Hilo to identify transportation problems in East Hawaii. Tribune-Herald. Vog, volcanic smog, sulfur dioxide — no matter what you call it — Kilauea’s emissions are impacting Hawaii Island in a multitude of ways, Ka’u residents said Thursday. West Hawaii Today. Maui The Maui County Council’s Water Resources Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to recommend revisions to the county’s “Show Me the Water” ordinance, which has drawn the ire of developers who’ve maintained it has stifled island construction. Maui News. Armstrong Pacific has won the nearly $1.8 million contract to build the first phase of Easter Seals Hawaii’s new Maui campus in Kahului, a project expected to provide at least 50 construction jobs and boost the Valley Isle’s rebounding building industry. Maui News. The Maui Policy Committee today recommended the disapproval of two nominees–Ralph Black, and James Clemens–to the Lanai Planning Commission. Maui Now. A coalition of community groups are joining together this weekend to rally against the planned removal of four monkey pod trees along South Kihei Road. Maui Now. Kauai Solette Perry, the wife of Kaua‘i Police Chief Darryl Perry, testified before the Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday night on the authority of the mayor to suspend the police chief and then place her husband on leave. Garden Island. The ongoing crisis at the Kaua‘i Police Department meant there wasn’t a report from the police chief at the monthly Kaua‘i County Police Commission meeting last Friday. Garden Island. Kauai police use stun gun on Kapa’a High student. Hawaii News Now. The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday approved a bill that extends for an additional six months a pilot program that allows Kaua‘i Community College students to use The Kaua‘i Bus at no cost. Garden Island. Molokai Researchers recently discovered that land-based plant material found in underwater canyons supports increased abundances of bottom fish, like those off the north shore of Molokai. Molokai Dispatch.
Continue reading...Eating your dog or cat could become a crime. Counties want reprieve from Sunshine Law, defense cuts will spare Hawaii, pro-rail Inouye won’t back…
21. February 2012
Mauna Kea mountain view (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Storms this weekend blanketed Mauna Kea summit with 3 to 4 inches of new snow, and more winter weather is expected. West Hawaii Today. As military communities around the nation fret about defense cuts, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye said Hawaii expects to receive about 1,000 more Marines from Okinawa, have the same number or more ships based at Pearl Harbor and see a slight increase in shipyard work here. Star-Advertiser. A third Marine accused of hazing a lance corporal who committed suicide in Afghanistan goes to trial this week. Associated Press. A bill to give counties a break from the Sunshine Law, HB 2742, up for a hearing Tuesday afternoon, has already caught the attention of good-government watchdogs. Civil Beat. Hawaii legislators will again take up the question of whether the state’s four county councils should be exempt from the Sunshine Law. West Hawaii Today. Legislators are considering two bills that would give the Hawaii Department of Education the authority to develop and implement a performance management system for teachers and principals. Civil Beat. Legislators are supporting bills that would broaden the definition of school instruction beyond “seat time” but would also standardize bell schedules to ensure that the length of the school day is about the same for students statewide. Star-Advertiser. State officials are trying to figure out how to best teach Hawaii’s preschool aged residents. KHON2. The state representative who made the motion to kill a bill that would make shoppers pay for single-use bags said it was a mistake. Civil Beat. In the Judiciary Committee, members will hear HB 1170 seeking to criminalize the consumption of or trafficking in dog, cat or equine animal meat for the purpose of human consumption. Maui Now. State lawmakers are
Continue reading...Hawaii Gov. Abercrombie fights low job approval, tax collections up, no casino for Waikiki, still legal to take seashells by the seashore, union…
14. February 2012
Gov. Neil Abercrombie courtesy photo Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s job approval rating is 39 percent, down from the last Hawaii Poll in May, when it was 50 percent, but up from a Public Policy Polling survey in October, when it was 30 percent, at the time the lowest of any governor in the nation. Star-Advertiser. State tax collections are up 17.5 percent over last fiscal year, the state Department of Taxation reported on Monday, but the increase is only 8.9 percent when the effect of delaying some income tax refunds last year is accounted for. Star-Advertiser. Randy Perreira, executive director of the Hawaii Government Employees Association, says members are growing increasingly frustrated over the lack of progress on a ‘most favored nation’ clause contained in the union’s two year contract that began in July of last year. KHON2. The state House voted on Monday to pass a bill that would spare businesses from an increase in the unemployment insurance tax. Star-Advertiser. Two Senate committees Monday advanced the Abercrombie administration’s proposed ceded lands settlement with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs without making any changes. Star-Advertiser. John Radcliffe is a longtime and well-known lobbyist who formerly headed the Hawaii State Teachers Association. His clients include dozens of local and mainland interests. Civil Beat. Finding out how the public uses Hawaii’s open records law isn’t easy. And it’s not cheap either. Civil Beat. The state’s largest public pension fund bounced back last quarter but ended the calendar year with a 1.3 percent investment loss that dragged down the asset value in its portfolio by nearly a half-billion dollars. Star-Advertiser. Hawaiian Telcom
Continue reading...Hawaii Legislature tackles sexting, e-cigarettes, porn sites, homeless, health insurance, pension plan; Honolulu rail battles continue, frisk-free…
9. February 2012
Iconic Royal Hawaiian hotel (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Hawaii’s hotel room revenue in 2011 was the highest since 2007, according to a report that tourism industry consultants released Wednesday. Associated Press. A bill that would ban the sale of smokeless electronic cigarettes to minors and impose the 70% tobacco tax on the devices was briskly debated at the state Legislature on Wednesday. Hawaii Reporter. Senate’s sexting bill prohibits adults from asking minors for nude pictures and it would also outlaw minors from sending nude pictures of themselves to adults or other kids. Hawaii News Now. House lawmakers deferred action Wednesday on the Abercrombie administration’s proposed ceded lands settlement with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, saying they would wait for the Senate version of the bill. Star-Advertiser. Homelessness has been one of the top Legislative priorities over the last 3 sessions. Wednesday, a House bill on homelessness was heard by a Joint Committee and underwent major revisions based on recommendations by the administration. Hawaii Public Radio. Despite opposition from public-sector unions, a Senate committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would cap the amount of overtime used in calculating pensions for public workers whose non-base pay jumps substantially near the end of their careers. Star-Advertiser. Gov. Neil Abercrombie may cut short the term of his latest appointment to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, raising serious questions about the quasi-judicial body’s ability to act independently of gubernatorial influence. Civil Beat. U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono More than a quarter of Rep. Mazie Hirono’s individual contributions for her U.S. Senate race were for $200 or less, according to an analysis of her campaign finance report for the fourth quarter of 2011. Civil Beat. Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. on Wednesday reported a profit of $138.2 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, for 2011, a 22 percent increase from net income of $113.5 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, in 2010. Pacific Business News. The President of the University of Hawaii System is asking for the state legislature to get involved in a fight against an adult site – “universityofhawaii.xxx” Hawaii Independent. Hawaii’s largest medical insurance provider is promoting two new measures to help bring down medical costs, a move company officials say may also help bring down premiums — eventually. West Hawaii Today. The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii has issued an alert to its members regarding the upcoming hearing of a bill mandating employers of all sizes to provide minimum paid sick and safe leave. Maui Now. A bill that would regulate music therapy licensing in the state is moving through the Hawai‘i Legislature after the House Culture and Arts Committee unanimously recommended passage of the bill on Monday. Garden Island. The CH-53D Sea Stallion Helicopter has seen over 4 decades of combat dating back to the Vietnam war in 1969.
Continue reading...Hawaii to get some of Okinawa Marines, emergency money for APEC, trial for 6 Occupy Honolulu members starts today, dogs in restaurants, endangered…
8. February 2012
Pololu Valley Lookout (c) 2012 All Hawaii News The Public Land Development Corp., an agency tasked with developing public lands, has raised concerns from environmentalists and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and is under attack by lawmakers this session. Civil Beat. Hawaii’s tourism industry could be changed by a proposal discussed Tuesday that requires more strict inspections of zip lines, which allow riders strapped to a harness and a cable to glide above forest canopies. Associated Press. Companion bills seeking the regulation of zipline and canopy tours in Hawaii are scheduled to be heard by respective committees today. Maui Now. Fed up with the state’s ethics chief over advice they haven’t liked about whether they can accept certain gifts, a handful of Hawaii lawmakers recently decided to go over his head. Civil Beat. Senior Japanese officials say 4,700 U.S. Marines on Okinawa will be transferred to Guam. The remaining 3,300 would reportedly rotate among Australia, Hawaii or the Philippines. Associated Press. Three months after the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, the state is asking legislators for an emergency appropriation of nearly $3 million to help cover its costs. KITV4. The legal argument about gay marriage may be headed for the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile a similar constitutionality battle continues in Hawai`i. Hawaii Public Radio. U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa Among Hawaii’s delegates, U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Urban Oahu, traveled back to the Islands the most in the past year: 14 roundtrips from Washington between Jan. 1, 2011 and Jan. 23, 2012. Civil Beat. Business and labor interests are mobilizing on opposite sides of bills pending in the Legislature that would mandate paid leave for employees who are sick, victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault. Tribune-Herald. The state Health Department opposes a bill being supported by Gov. Neil Abercrombie that would allow people to bring their dogs to restaurants statewide. Hawaii News Now. As part of a push to show progress on key education reforms, the Board of Education is looking to make it board policy that the state move to a new evaluation system for teachers and principals no later than July 1, 2014. Star-Advertiser. The state Department of Education would need to allocate a certain level of funding for Hawaiian language immersion programs under a bill introduced by state Rep. Mele Carroll. Maui News. While Hawaii Electric Light Company has predicted its 2012 profits will be affected as a result of customers switching to solar panels, it does not currently have plans to increase its rates. Tribune-Herald. Dog the Bounty hunter and his wife Beth are lending their support to a bill that they say many other bounty hunters do not support. KHON2. State roundup for Feb. 8. Associated Press. Oahu Former Gov. Ben Cayetano Former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano, a Democrat in office for 28 years and now a candidate for Honolulu Mayor, had some fighting words for U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, in response to Inouye’s support for both of Cayetano’s mayoral opponents and the $5.3 billion elevated steel wheel on steel rail project, which Inouye announced yesterday received Federal Transit Administration approval to move to the next phase of construction. Hawaii Reporter. Oahu home prices got a jump on the new year, as the median sale price in January for previously owned single-family homes reached its highest level in 16 months. Star-Advertiser. Trial for Six Occupy Honolulu Members Arrested in November Set for today. Hawaii Reporter. A bill that would outlaw nearly all commercial activities on Sundays at a popular stretch of beach in Kailua faces a final vote next week after being passed unanimously Tuesday by the City Council’s Parks and Cultural Affairs Committee. KHON2. Army biologists are releasing three hundreds kahuli tree snails into the heart of Oahu’s Waianae mountains help the endangered species. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii A combination of good management and good luck have left Hawaii County with enough federal stimulus funding to pave another mile of Ane Keohokalole Highway. West Hawaii Today. The building where Hilo’s cruise ship passengers receive a welcoming ceremony and assemble before boarding land tours is being closed for the next year. Tribune-Herald. Maui Filling shelves, kids with knowledge. Maui News. Kauai The Prince Course will reopen for play on March 1 at Kauai’s Princeville at Hanalei resort under the management of Montage Golf. Pacific Business News. Kaua‘i Planning Commission member Hartwell Blake’s words may have summarized the frustration of some of his fellow commissioners when he said a transient vacation rental in an area zoned agricultural is spot zoning of a resort in the middle of a rural community. Garden Island. Teachers from Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, King Kaumuali‘i Elementary School and Kaua‘i Technology Academy had an opportunity to become whale researchers Saturday at the Kukui‘ula Small Boat Harbor. Garden Island.
Continue reading...Hawaii lawmakers may criminalize pet owners who give away their kittens or puppies — Commentary
5. February 2012
Cute kittens, courtesy photo by Adriano If pets are outlawed, only outlaws will have pets. This take on a bill now up on the Hawaii Legislature is admittedly extreme, but not that far off the mark considering SB2504 makes it a misdemeanor to sell or give away your dogs, cats, puppies or kittens without first having them spayed or neutered and microchips implanted in them. Big Brother has arrived, at least for your pets. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Clayton Hee , D-Kahuku, La’ie, Ka’a'awa, Kane’ohe, is up for consideration at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, by the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee and Economic Development and Technology Committee. Hee undoubtedly has good intentions. Feral cats are a huge problem in Hawaii, where, with few natural predators, they breed large colonies and threaten native songbirds. But taking away even more rights from the citizenry is probably not the way to go. What next? Microchipping our children? Golden retriever puppy, courtesy Daisy Parker “Importation of dogs to the Hawaiian Islands is limited and strictly regulated. If all cats and dogs sold or given away must be sterilized, it calls into question where citizens of Hawaii will obtain future generations of pets,” warns the American Kennel Club in a public appeal for opposition to the bill. Lucky we live in Hawaii, where lawmakers steadily add laws to the books but no one actually enforces them. Otherwise, life in the “People’s Republic” would be even more onerous than it already is. But what do you think a pet owner with an unplanned litter is going to do with all the babies? Start with $20 to microchip each kitten, add another $50 to sterilize it, and for a litter of six, you are talking serious kala. Chances are, those pets are only going to be added to the feral colonies when the owner dumps them in the nearest forest instead of palming a few off on friends and neighbors. This only perpetuates the very problem the bill is trying to fix. And these animals are in for a worse life, not a better one. How much better if all this effort and angst would go toward voluntary and free spaying and neutering programs and funding for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to trap and euthanize the feral cats on public land. Ironically, just when they’re needed most, spaying and neutering assistance programs have been discontinued by the Hawaiian Humane Society, because the City and County of Honolulu cut the funding. You, the public, have to take personal responsibility if you don’t want Big Brother to step in. Don’t feed feral animals. It only causes them to breed more of them. Keep your pet inside or confined unless you’re out with him. Spay or neuter your pet. Keep looking for programs to help reduce the cost. Lobby your state and local government to put more money into prevention and education, and quit trying to dictate every aspect of our lives.
Continue reading...Abercrombie’s State of the State emphasizes recovery, $2.8M for fired Honolulu whistleblower, federal judge cites Hawaii for slow food stamp…
24. January 2012
Gov. Abercrombie’s 2012 State of the State address, courtesy photo Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Monday that Hawaii has weathered the most difficult choices needed to balance the budget, urging lawmakers to leave the drama of the past few years behind and consider targeted investments to improve the state’s economic future. Star-Advertiser. Gov. Neil Abercrombie told the state Legislature on Monday that it’s time to move forward and leave behind the drama of the recent past, saying lawmakers have an opportunity to maintain economic momentum, bolster education and help provide older Hawaii residents better access to long-term support. Associated Press. The State’s Chief Executive says the worst of the Great Recession is behind us…and he’s committed to moving forward … Hawaii Public Radio. “We have started to turn the corner,” Governor Neil Abercrombie said while delivering his State of the State address Monday at the State Capitol. Hawaii News Now. Governor Abercrombie pledged Monday to keep Hawaii on the path of economic recovery during his second State of the State address. KHON2. Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Monday that he is asking state lawmakers for $10 million to consolidate all of Hawaii’s state technology under one office, and for another $2.9 million for the state’s Broadband Initiative. Pacific Business News. In his State of the State address, Neil Abercrombie made sure the Hawaii Legislature — especially leaders Calvin Say and Shan Tsutsui — understands his gratitude. Civil Beat. Gov. Neil Abercrombie in his State of the State address Monday touched on one of Hawaii’s hottest topics — sustainable and renewable energy. West Hawaii Today. Governor Neil Abercrombie reiterated his request for the Hawaii State Teachers Association to provide a new proposal for a contract in his 2012 State Of The State Address Monday. KITV4. Hawaii House Republicans Respond to Governor’s State of the State. Hawaii Reporter. One Year Later – 2011 State of the State Scorecard. Civil Beat. Governor Neil Abercrombie delivered his second state of the state address this morning, touching upon early childhood education, investment in infrastructure and moving forward on the state’s broadband initiative. Maui Now. A federal judge has issued preliminary injunction against the state of Hawaii for failing to process food stamp applications quickly enough. Civil Beat. The state will provide seed money to help the Queen’s Medical Center quickly launch an organ transplant facility to replace the one closed in the Hawaii Medical Center’s bankruptcy. Star-Advertiser. The Hawaii Supreme Court wants the state Reapportionment Commission to get out of court and get back to work, according to a tersely worded order filed Friday. West Hawaii Today. The leader of Hawaii’s teachers union said Monday he should have given members more time to consider a six-year proposed contract they overwhelmingly rejected last week, and has been “humbled” by the vote. Star-Advertiser. “I cannot think of a single thing we did not do to try to accommodate the concerns of the teachers union in this agreement,” Gov. Neil Abercrombie said at a press conference last week about the vote by Hawaii teachers to reject a tentative contract with the state. Civil Beat. The Hawaii chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is calling the first year of the state’s ignition interlock law a success. Tribune-Herald. State roundup for January 24. Associated Press. Oahu The half-percent excise tax surcharge levied on Oahu residents and visitors has brought in more than $810 million so far to fund the Honolulu rail project, with collections continuing to run ahead of projections, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation said Monday. Star-Advertiser. Paychecks for workers in Honolulu fall somewhere in the middle when compared to 405 other metropolitan areas in the nation. Pacific Business News. A woman who said she lost her job with the city for blowing the whistle on wrongdoing nearly ten years ago has been awarded a $2.8 million settlement by the Honolulu City Council. Hawaii News Now. A 2010 report commissioned by the Department of Environmental Services shows the city could recuperate tens of millions of dollars every year by charging Oahu residents for regular trash pickup. KHON2. Hawaii Seven Hawaii County Council candidates have so far filed declarations of intent to seek public funding as the second election year of the three-election-cycle pilot program begins. West Hawaii Today. Hunters and their supporters took to a Hilo street Monday to protest a state plan to ban hunting within 4,800 acres of public forest located south of Hilo. Tribune-Herald. Maui Students attending summer classes at the University of Hawaii Maui College will benefit from a reduction in tuition, following action taken by the university’s Board of Regents last week on Kauai. Maui News. The last in a series of community outreach meetings hosted by the Maui Charter Commission takes place this Wednesday in Pukalani. Maui Now. Maui County could streamline the way it grants millions of dollars to nonprofit agencies and eliminate the volunteer Grants Review Committee under changes being considered by the administration and County Council. Maui News. Kauai Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. will hold two community outreach meetings this week. Star-Advertiser. An update on the Victim Witness Program requested by the Kaua‘i County Council to the Office of Prosecuting Attorney last week turned into a heated, four-hour discussion, marked by the recusal of one council member and repeated interruptions for discussions with attorneys. Garden Island. More than two dozen people spent a couple of hours removing two large chunks of derelict netting which washed ashore during the recent storm at a Wailua beach. Garden Island.
Continue reading...Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s 2012 State of the State Address: “Investing Now for Hawai’i’s Future”
23. January 2012
Hawaii House (c) 2012 All Hawaii News “Investing Now for Hawai’i’s Future” State of the State 2012 The Honorable Neil Abercrombie Governor, State of Hawai’i January 23, 2012 (as prepared) Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, former Governors, distinguished justices of the courts, mayors, representatives of our Congressional Delegation, members of the Hawai’i State Legislature, other elected officials, honored guests, family and friends.
Continue reading...Strike looms as Hawaii teachers nix contract, former Gov. Cayetano to run for Honolulu mayor, new stamp bears aloha, new doors stymie Capitol…
20. January 2012
Gov. Abercrombie at aloha shirt stamp unveiling (courtesy photo (c) Ricky Li) New aloha shirt postcard stamps depicting Hawaii’s beauty and spirit were unveiled Thursday at the main post office at Honolulu Airport. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii public school teachers voted against a six-year proposed contract Thursday, leaving in place a months-long labor dispute with the state. Associated Press. Teachers overwhelmingly voted down a proposed six-year contract Thursday that would have tied wage increases to performance starting in July 2013. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii teachers delivered a stunning message Thursday. By a 2-1 margin, they rejected a proposed six-year deal that had the unanimous backing of union leadership. Civil Beat. Members of the Hawaii State Teachers Association have rejected a proposed six-year contract with the state. About 9,000 of the 12,500 teachers, counselors, and other covered by proposed deal voiced their opinion by voting at polling places around the state Thursday. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii’s public school teachers voted overwhelmingly against a proposed contract 67 to 33 percent. KITV4. “The message is clear, they do not want this contract.
Continue reading...Hawaii Legislature ponders invasive species, bed bugs in state Kapolei building, lawmakers seek delay in unemployment insurance, Native Hawaiians have…
13. January 2012
Iolani Palace (c) 2012 All Hawaii News Native Hawaiians who believe they are citizens of the Hawaiian Kingdom — not the United States — nonetheless spent Thursday in an American court defending themselves against charges they trespassed on the grounds of their rightful seat of government, Iolani Palace. Civil Beat. The state Reapportionment Commission plans to meet Jan. 20 to begin redrawing political boundaries, following a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling last week that invalidated new maps approved by the nine-member panel in October. Star-Advertiser. Wary of undermining economic recovery, state House lawmakers want to forestall a scheduled increase this year in the unemployment insurance tax rate that would force businesses to pay $180 to $650 more for every employee. Star-Advertiser. Teacher Agreement Better Than ‘Last, Best and Final’? Too Soon To Say. Civil Beat. Reptiles and other invasive species invaded the capitol today as part of a legislative briefing on environmental concerns. KHON2. The biggest threat to the state’s economy, natural environment and the health of island residents, according to state lawmakers, comes from destructive plants and pests originating elsewhere. Hawaii Public Radio. A wildlife revival around the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands is giving scientists a glimpse of what the main Hawaiian Islands looked like thousands of years ago — and researchers said Thursday they hope the environmental renaissance of sorts will spur similar endeavors around the world. Star-Advertiser. State building hit by bed bug problem. KHON2. State roundup for January 13. Associated Press. Oahu Former acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell, looking to reclaim the post permanently, wasted little time in criticizing the incumbent, characterizing Mayor Peter Carlisle’s first year in office as little more than photo opportunities and traveling with a singular focus on pushing the rail transit project at any cost. Star-Advertiser. Caldwell’s First Promise: Soap In Bus Stop Bathroom. Civil Beat. Former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano is considering a run for Honolulu mayor at age 72 for one main reason: to stop the rail project. Civil Beat. Gov. Neil Abercrombie has released $2 million in general obligation bond funds for the planning, design and construction of a flood alleviation project for Oahu’s Waianae Coast. KITV4. Up to 100 truckloads per day of used asphalt has been dumped at the site of a proposed cemetery in Hawaii Kai in the past several weeks, resurrecting environmental concerns about what is being stockpiled on the property. Star-Advertiser. Kaneohe Pier Declared Unsafe. Officials Condemn Portion Of Main Access Pier To Coconut Island. KITV4 . Great white shark spotted off Oahu. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii The year 2011 ended on a soggy note in East Hawaii, but that was not enough to keep most of the Big Island from recording another year of below-average rainfall. Tribune-Herald. North Hawaii Community Hospital has received $680,000 to improve its health information technology, joining a national health care industry trend to improve information technology. West Hawaii Today. Maui Hawaiian Airlines is adding flights at Kahului Airport for both interisland and Mainland destinations, creating a “Maui hub” to improve connections. Maui News. One of the leading Democratic candidates vying to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka decided to brown bag it to work Wednesday in Wailuku. Maui News . A state-authorized motorcycle safety program will now be available on Maui with the opening of Hawaii’s newest motorcycle safety training site in Kahului. Maui Now. An ordinance to prohibit alcohol consumption at the new South Maui Community Park in Kihei went into effect this week. KHON2. Kauai The County of Kaua‘i ended Fiscal Year 2011 on June 30 with a budget surplus of $57.26 million, according to the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report released Dec. 15. Garden Island. Amanda Barretto has filed suit against a Kaua‘i elementary school and the state Department of Education in 5th Circuit Court on behalf of her 7-year-old child. Garden Island. The mayor recognized Kamehameha Schools’ third-grade students in the
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1. March 2012
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