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
Continue reading...Thursday, January 12, 2012
U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono and Sen. Daniel Akaka campaign photo U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono raised more than $624,000 during the past three months for her Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, her campaign announced today. Star-Advertiser. Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case said Wednesday that he would bridge a "yawning chasm" between business and government, describing government as too intrusive and an obstacle to economic growth. Star-Advertiser. Former Gov. Linda Lingle said Tuesday that she would work with members of both parties if elected to the U.S. Senate, but also said Hawaii would benefit from having a Republican in its congressional delegation. Maui News. Maps for new House and Senate districts are not likely to be ready by Feb. 1, the day when candidates can begin filing for elective offices. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii teachers will see 5 percent pay cuts lifted after two years in exchange for annual evaluations and performance-based pay, if they ratify their tentative agreement with the state. Civil Beat. Public school teachers would continue to take a 5 percent pay cut under a proposed contract but would move to a new salary schedule and evaluation system in July 2013 and would be eligible for annual pay raises based on their performance. Star-Advertiser. Facebook and Twitter could become the virtual town square for spirited public debate if the state’s public information watchdog agency has its way. The Office of Public Information Practices has submitted two legislative proposals to Gov. Neil Abercrombie to be included in his administration’s package for the coming session, which begins next week. Civil Beat. Rewards of up to $30,000, the largest of their kind in Hawaii, are being offered for confidential tips that lead to the arrest and conviction of whoever killed three critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals on Molokai and Kauai since November. Star-Advertiser. The number of foreclosures in Hawaii dropped by half last year as lenders grappled with a state law that changed the way they could file nonjudicial foreclosures, according to new data from RealtyTrac. Pacific Business News. Local Oil Expert Questions Hawaii’s Renewable Energy Market. KITV4. Hawaii's papaya industry is now exporting the genetically engineered Rainbow papaya to Japan after the Japanese government approved commercial shipment of the fruit on Dec. 1. Tribune-Herald. http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections/news/local-news/papayas-shipped-japan.html Hawai’i small business owners participated in their 36th annual conference today on O’ahu. Hawaii Public Radio. State roundup for January 12. Associated Press. Oahu A looming three-way race for Honolulu mayor poses a dilemma for voters, who could be forced to choose between allegiance to political party or their position on the biggest public works project in the city's history. Star-Advertiser. 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. A historic downtown building with a storied past may have a new chapter ahead in the arts, and it could have State departments on the move. KHON2. A former Hawaii Pacific University administrative assistant was sentenced to five years probation for stealing more than $13,000 in school parking fees. Hawaii News Now. Hawaii Hawaii County has fired four elections workers, including the program administrator, following an investigation into alcohol storage and private business activities allegedly conducted at a Hilo elections warehouse. Tribune-Herald. China and India are catapulting to the forefront of astronomy research with their decision to join as partners with the Thirty Meter Telescope, which will be the world's largest when it's built later this decade. Associated Press. The Hawaii Board of Education has agreed to hear an appeal by organizers of the Laupahoehoe charter school, who claim that their charter has effectively been revoked by the school's oversight body. Tribune-Herald. The Kealakehe Elementary School library will soon get air conditioning, and other Big Island schools will see other maintenance projects begin, after Gov. Neil Abercrombie released $14.2 million for capital improvement projects. West Hawaii Today. Maui Former Hawaii governor Linda Lingle (R) began the first official day of her campaign for a seat in the US Senate by visiting some local businesses in the Haiku Cannery on January 10, 2012. Maui Now. The Maui Planning Commission decided Tuesday that former interior designer Xorin Balbes can follow his dream after putting everything he has into renovating Makawao's Fred Baldwin Memorial Home to turn it into the Lumeria Maui educational retreat. Maui News. Kauai Two nonprofit organizations and an anonymous donor have teamed up to offer a reward of up to $30,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the suspected slayings of at least three Hawaiian monk seals in the past two months. Garden Island. Kaua‘i County officials are urging the public to remove green waste from plastic bags when delivering them to green waste drop sites at a county transfer station or the Kekaha Landfill. Garden Island.
Continue reading...Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Hawaii Travel Deals - Kauai Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa Promo Code: CCVWS Call 1.800.330.8820 or click here to have a Hawaii Travel Specialist contact you about booking this Kauai vacation , today. TravelWizard.com: Specialists in the Art of Travel: Call 1-800-330-8820
Continue reading...Thursday, January 5, 2012
So you’ve picked the Hawaiian island that’s perfect for you and now you must determine the logistics of getting there. Every first time visitor has faced the head scratching challenge of finding the right airport to begin their Hawaii vacation. I want to help you understand how to navigate with ease in Hawaii. As you may have been researching airport options in the Hawaiian Islands, you may have noticed that some islands have multiple airports. Though some islands may have a small regional airport that appears to be more convenient on paper, I recommend you opt to fly into the major airport of each island and here’s why: There’s many more flights and airlines servicing the major airports providing you more options to suit your time schedule. Larger planes fly into the major island airports, with the exceptions of Lanai and Molokai. That means that you are less likely to fly on a propeller-type aircraft. There’s significantly more car rental companies and rental car inventories at the major airports. The major airports are all within an easy driving distance (less than an hour) from all the major resort hotel areas. Let’s take an island by island look at the major airports and special flight considerations. OAHU Oahu’s major airport is in Honolulu with the airport code of HNL . It’s by far Hawaii’s largest airport and hub. Most transpacific flights fly into Oahu. As you research flights from your home airport, you’ll likely discover that almost all your options require you to fly into Oahu first. From Oahu’s HNL, you can easily connect to any other island in Hawaii. MAUI Maui’s major airport is in Kahului with the airport code of OGG. There are a limited number of flights from the US Mainland that fly directly into OGG, but most visitors connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. The only exception where you might want to consider flying into another Maui airport is if you plan on making secluded Hana (HNM) your Maui vacation base. KAUAI Kauai’s major airport is centrally located in East Kauai in Lihue with the airport code of LIH. There are a very limited number of flights from the US Mainland that fly directly to Kauai, but most visitors connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. BIG ISLAND (West Kona Side) Most folks coming to the Big Island for a vacation tend to stay on the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island in Kailua-Kona, Keauhou, and the Kohala Coast. The major airport on this side of the island is north of Kona in Keahole with the code of KOA. Just like Maui and Kauai, there are a limited number of flights that arrive directly into Kona (KOA) from the mainland, but connecting in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport is easily done. BIG ISLAND (East Hilo Side) Though the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island is home to the beautiful beach resort hotels, the east side does have its attractions, namely Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the active volcano, Kilauea.For first time Big Island visitors with a week or more vacation, I recommend you fly into the east side airport of Hilo with the code of ITO to begin your vacation exploring the volcano wonders. Then drive over to the West side for your beach vacation. See more on where to stay on Hawaii’s Big Island . Just like Maui and Kauai, there are a limited number of flights that arrive directly into Hilo (ITO) from the mainland, but connecting in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport is easily done. LANAI Lanai’s major airport is near Lanai City with the airport code of LNY. To fly into Lanai, you must connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. MOLOKAI Molokai’s major airport is Kaunakakai in with the airport code of MKK. To fly to Molokai, you must connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. If you are visiting Kalaupapa National Historic Park, you will need to fly into Kalaupapa Airport with the code of LUP. — I hope you’ve found this guide to flying into Hawaii to be useful. If your Hawaii vacation includes visits to more than one island, please review my guide to inter-island travel in Hawaii .
Continue reading...Thursday, January 5, 2012
So you’ve picked the Hawaiian island that’s perfect for you and now you must determine the logistics of getting there. Every first time visitor has faced the head scratching challenge of finding the right airport to begin their Hawaii vacation. I want to help you understand how to navigate with ease in Hawaii. As you may have been researching airport options in the Hawaiian Islands, you may have noticed that some islands have multiple airports. Though some islands may have a small regional airport that appears to be more convenient on paper, I recommend you opt to fly into the major airport of each island and here’s why: There’s many more flights and airlines servicing the major airports providing you more options to suit your time schedule. Larger planes fly into the major island airports, with the exceptions of Lanai and Molokai. That means that you are less likely to fly on a propeller-type aircraft. There’s significantly more car rental companies and rental car inventories at the major airports. The major airports are all within an easy driving distance (less than an hour) from all the major resort hotel areas. Let’s take an island by island look at the major airports and special flight considerations. OAHU Oahu’s major airport is in Honolulu with the airport code of HNL . It’s by far Hawaii’s largest airport and hub. Most transpacific flights fly into Oahu. As you research flights from your home airport, you’ll likely discover that almost all your options require you to fly into Oahu first. From Oahu’s HNL, you can easily connect to any other island in Hawaii. MAUI Maui’s major airport is in Kahului with the airport code of OGG. There are a limited number of flights from the US Mainland that fly directly into OGG, but most visitors connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. The only exception where you might want to consider flying into another Maui airport is if you plan on making secluded Hana (HNM) your Maui vacation base. KAUAI Kauai’s major airport is centrally located in East Kauai in Lihue with the airport code of LIH. There are a very limited number of flights from the US Mainland that fly directly to Kauai, but most visitors connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. BIG ISLAND (West Kona Side) Most folks coming to the Big Island for a vacation tend to stay on the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island in Kailua-Kona, Keauhou, and the Kohala Coast. The major airport on this side of the island is north of Kona in Keahole with the code of KOA. Just like Maui and Kauai, there are a limited number of flights that arrive directly into Kona (KOA) from the mainland, but connecting in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport is easily done. BIG ISLAND (East Hilo Side) Though the west side of Hawaii’s Big Island is home to the beautiful beach resort hotels, the east side does have its attractions, namely Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the active volcano, Kilauea.For first time Big Island visitors with a week or more vacation, I recommend you fly into the east side airport of Hilo with the code of ITO to begin your vacation exploring the volcano wonders. Then drive over to the West side for your beach vacation. See more on where to stay on Hawaii’s Big Island . Just like Maui and Kauai, there are a limited number of flights that arrive directly into Hilo (ITO) from the mainland, but connecting in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport is easily done. LANAI Lanai’s major airport is near Lanai City with the airport code of LNY. To fly into Lanai, you must connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. MOLOKAI Molokai’s major airport is Kaunakakai in with the airport code of MKK. To fly to Molokai, you must connect in Oahu’s Honolulu (HNL) airport. If you are visiting Kalaupapa National Historic Park, you will need to fly into Kalaupapa Airport with the code of LUP. — I hope you’ve found this guide to flying into Hawaii to be useful. If your Hawaii vacation includes visits to more than one island, please review my guide to inter-island travel in Hawaii .
Continue reading...Friday, December 30, 2011
Hot off the heels of yesterday’s post about SPAM flavored mac nuts , we have yet another wacky, new SPAM product – SPAM mints. That’s right – SPAM mints! Our Oahu pal, Dave, sent today’s photo. He spotted this display of SPAM mints on his way out of the store. He said that the cashier gave him a sample to try and he liked it. Now, at first glance these mints sound, well, awful, but unlike their mac nut cousins, SPAM mints are not SPAM flavored. Whew! SPAM mints are cinnamon flavored . Dave says, “The mints look like little slices of SPAM – pink with darker pink flakes in the shape of a slice of SPAM. They kind of look like PEZ candy.” With Hawaii’s strong affinity for SPAM , these SPAM mints might make a quirky Hawaii souvenir to bring home to your friends and co-workers. They’ll surely spark conversation. Mahalo to Dave for sharing these SPAM mint photos from Oahu. © 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...Thursday, December 29, 2011
When we were visiting Big Island last month, we popped into the visitors center at the Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company to see and taste new flavors. We were amused when we saw SPAM flavored mac nuts. With Hawaii being known for producing yummy macadamia nuts and Hawaii’s long standing love affair with SPAM this flavor was a perfect marriage. I posted the above photo on our facebook page while we were at the Hamakua store. To my surprise, the post drew quite a bit of debate. Some seemed to like the thought while others were not willing to try them. I did taste one of these SPAM flavored nuts. I thought it was actually good. How about you? What do you think of SPAM flavored macadamia nuts? — If you are interesting in sampling macadamia nuts on your Hawaii vacation, see my post, Where to Visit Macadamia Nut Farms in Hawaii .
Continue reading...Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Hawaii Travel Deals -
Continue reading...Sunday, December 25, 2011
Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele at Honolulu Hale
Continue reading...Sunday, December 25, 2011
Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele at Honolulu Hale
Continue reading...
Friday, January 13, 2012
0 Comments