Thursday, March 16, 2017

Win for Hawaii attorney general as judge halts Trump travel ban, nobody wants to be Honolulu top cop, Hawaii House passes $28B budget, Amazon to start collecting Hawaii taxes, snorkeling masks studied after drownings, radios go online on Big Island, Kauai mayor touts tax hike, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

leaving federal courtouse March 15, 2017 courtesy Facebook photo
Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin, left, with staff leaving federal courthouse Wednesday, Facebook photo
Rejecting arguments from the government that President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban was substantially different from the first one, judges in Hawaii and Maryland blocked the executive order from taking effect as scheduled today, using the president’s own words as evidence that the order discriminates against Muslims. Associated Press.

In a case of legal deja vu, President Donald Trump’s new executive order on immigration suffered a major setback Wednesday, when a federal judge in Honolulu issued a temporary restraining order to keep the travel ban from taking effect nationwide. Civil Beat.

President Donald Trump says a federal judge in Hawaii demonstrated “unprecedented judicial overreach” when he ordered a temporary halt to Trump’s revised travel ban earlier today. Star-Advertiser.

courtesy Joshua Wisch Attorney General's Office
PC: Joshua Wisch
For the second time, a federal court on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump’s efforts to freeze immigration by refugees and citizens of some predominantly Muslim nations, putting the president’s revised travel ban on hold just hours before it was to take effect. Associated Press.

Hours before it was to take effect, President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban was put on hold Wednesday by a federal judge in Hawaii who questioned whether the administration was motivated by national security concerns. Associated Press.

A federal judge Wednesday granted a temporary restraining order filed by the State of Hawaii that puts the revised travel ban signed by President Donald Trump on hold. KHON2.

The judge who halted President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban is the only Native Hawaiian serving on the federal bench. Associated Press.

View the full opinion here.

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The Hawaii House passed the state’s $28 billion two-year budget at a time when state revenue projections are falling. Associated Press.

Using words like “prudent,” “cautious” and “conservative,” the Hawaii House on Wednesday unanimously passed the state’s operating budget, sending it over to the Senate for its review. Civil Beat.

Amazon said Wednesday it will begin collecting general excise tax on items sold in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

A tax credit that's offered to producers to film motion pictures and television shows in Hawaii may come with new requirements, including one to show respect and compliance with Hawaii's cultural beliefs and the environment. Hawaii News Now.

The Republican who chairs the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources has teamed up with a congresswoman from American Samoa to lobby President Donald Trump to open all marine monuments, including those in the Hawaii area, to commercial fishing. Civil Beat.

Counties To Track Equipment Used In Snorkeling Deaths. A woman’s drowning spurs officials to consider the possible hidden dangers of full-face snorkeling masks. Civil Beat.

Investing in a college education pays off with substantially higher earnings over a Hawaii graduate’s lifetime, according to a newly released report by economists at the University of Hawaii that underscores the value of a college degree. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

More than two weeks after the forced retirement of Honolulu's top cop, the department has not received any applications to become the city's next police chief — at least not yet. Hawaii News Now.

The city says an estimated $5 million from an approved charter amendment will help the Honolulu Zoo enhance its programs and its budget. Star-Advertiser.

Millennials in Honolulu pay some of the highest taxes in the nation compared to their counterparts in other cities, according to a new report by SmartAsset. Pacific Business News.

US soldiers train for jungle warfare at Hawaii rainforest. Associated Press.

The University of Hawaii Manoa has questioned the latest U.S. News & World Report graduate school rankings, saying the Washington, D.C.-based publication did not consider the complete data for its business school ranking. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A long awaited overhaul of the communication systems used by Hawaii County’s public agencies began rolling out this week as the Hawaii Police Department switched its radios to a new bandwidth. Tribune-Herald.

The Intermediate Court of Appeals has sided with former County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong and former County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi in a 2012 defamation lawsuit filed by Elections Administrator Pat Nakamoto and one of her staff. West Hawaii Today.

A notice to proceed on the Lako Street extension could be issued later this year. West Hawaii Today.

Monk seal dies in fish pen off Big Island. KITV.

Maui

The proposed $354.5 million mixed-used Makena Resort project narrowly received enough votes from the Maui Planning Commission on Tuesday to allow the project to move forward without needing to prepare a lengthy environmental impact statement. Maui News.

The Hawaii Board of Agriculture on Tuesday expanded the coffee berry borer quarantine to Maui, effective May 1. West Hawaii Today.

Maui’s biggest coffee farm wants to double or triple in size, and would like some state help to get there. Star-Advertiser.

Kmart — the first big-box store to open on Maui over two decades ago — will close June 11 after sales have been cut in half since the opening of Target, a store manager said Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

The county administration is seeking a $14 million increase and proposing tax hikes for the next fiscal year’s operating budget. Garden Island.

The mayor is seeking over $200 million for the operating budget and just under $15 million for capitol improvements. Garden Island.

The Department of Health says high levels of a harmful bacteria called Clostridium Perfringens -- an indicator of human and animal wastes -- were found during recent water testing in Waikomo Stream on Kauai's South Shore. Hawaii News Now.

Honeybee pollen study yields positive results. Some chemicals found in pollen raises concerns. Garden Island.

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