Hula Planet:What To Do In Hawaii

What does it say about the state Legislature when only two lawmakers showed up for a hearing on dealing with Hawaii’s growing homeless problem? Placing time limits on public housing and revisiting the idea of buying one-way plane tickets to send homeless people back to the mainland are among the ideas lawmakers might consider next year as they search for cost-effective ways to manage the state’s growing homeless problem. As service providers report increases in homelessness, and with no new funding to address the situation, some lawmakers yesterday said the state needs to crack down on people who abuse the system and needs to start asking tough questions, such as whether residents should have preferences for services over new arrivals. Some state lawmakers are trying to get a better understanding of just how many new homeless people are arriving in Hawaii every year. The new Honolulu Star-Advertiser will welcome more than two dozen soon-to-be-former Honolulu Advertiser employees come Monday, the day the new broadsheet format debuts. The news behind the scenes at the Honolulu Advertiser isn’t good.