Thursday, April 11, 2019

Climate change bills falter, Carlisle wants to be Honolulu prosecutor again, Hawaii County suing Big Pharma, Maui commissioners resign over vacation rental, Gabbard makes presidential debates, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

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Hawaii Lawmakers Have Largely Dropped The Ball On Slowing Climate Change. Efforts to address the effects of a warming planet on a vulnerable island state have mostly fallen short this session. Civil Beat.

Ranked voting, a new way to elect candidates for political office, could be coming to Hawaii if a bill making its way through the state Legislature becomes law. Star-Advertiser.

Inside The Legislature’s Backroom Brawl Over A Water Rights Bill. As opponents of House Bill 1326 were making a lot of noise in the Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday and chanting things like, “The people have spoken, the public trust is broken,” the state Senate was behind closed doors in its chamber-level quarters trying to save legislation extending the right of Alexander & Baldwin and others to divert water from Hawaii streams. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers are considering a controversial proposal that would require midwives to be licensed by the state before July 1, 2020. Midwives were regulated in Hawaii from the 1930's, but haven’t been since the late 90's when nurse-midwives were placed under the Board of Nursing. Hawaii News Now.

Lawmakers still considering leasehold condos on state land. A bold idea this year to address Hawaii’s chronically short supply of affordable housing by developing and selling leasehold condominiums on state land is still in play at the Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

OHA Presses For A Bigger Share Of Money From Hawaii’s Trust Lands. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs hasn’t received an increase in revenues from the ceded trust lands in more than a decade. Civil Beat.

AG Breezes Through Committee Vote. Attorney General Clare Connors had no worries heading into a vote from the Senate Judiciary Committee. Civil Beat.

Gabbard qualifies for Democratic debate stage. U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard announced Wednesday that 65,000 people have donated to her presidential campaign, a milestone that makes her eligible to join the televised Democratic debates in June. Star-Advertiser.

Coming To A Democratic Debate Stage Near You -- Tulsi Gabbard. The Hawaii congresswoman needed 65,000 donors per DNC rules to qualify for the 2020 debates. On Wednesday her campaign announced she hit the mark. Civil Beat.

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Black hole named Powehi. With the world’s first image of a black hole made with the help of two Hawaii telescopes, astronomers say it was only right to give it a Hawaiian name. Star-Advertiser.

Introducing Powehi, The World-Famous Black Hole. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maunakea telescopes help create the first image of a black hole. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii telescopes instrumental in capturing first image of black hole. KHON2.

Oahu

Ex-Mayor Peter Carlisle Wants To Be Honolulu Prosecutor Again. His longtime political rival, Keith Kaneshiro, has taken a leave of absence because he’s a target in a federal investigation. Associated Press.

Despite warnings, Kaneshiro continues to visit building that houses prosecutor’s office. After Keith Kaneshiro placed himself on administrative leave pending the outcome of a federal criminal investigation, he was told to stay away from the city prosecutor’s office until the investigation was over. Hawaii News Now.

Feds Still Aren’t Releasing $744 Million For Honolulu Rail. Rail officials had hoped to finally get their long-stalled recovery plan approved by this month. Now, they hope to get “provisional’ approval in late May or early June. Civil Beat.

Judge upholds land board decision to allow a new North Shore wind farm. The board previously said the Na Pua Makani project in Kahuku could proceed, despite expectations that it would kill a number of native bats every year. Hawaii News Now.

Talk of a new racetrack in Ewa fuels a debate, the neighborhood board wants more community input. Racers are eager to get behind the wheel again. After 12 years without a racetrack on Oahu, many said it's about time. KHON2.

State to open Pali Highway on Sunday as repairs close Likelike Highway. Likelike Highway will be closed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday as Hawaiian Electric crews conduct emergency work involving the removal of a damaged, leaning utility pole and other equipment. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Police Department dealing with dispatcher shortage. Last year the Public Safety Answering Point located at the Honolulu Police Department headquarters received over 1 million 9-1-1 calls. KITV.

Airport post office open late for taxes. The Honolulu main post office at 3600 Aolele St. near the airport will be the only post office in Hawaii offering late collection of mail Monday to accommodate last-minute tax filers. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu main is the only post office in the state offering late collection on tax day. The Honolulu Main Post Office at 3600 Aolele Street will be the only post office in Hawaii offering late collection of mail on federal Tax Day, Monday, Apr. 15, to accommodate last-minute filers of tax returns. KITV.

Hawaii Island

County to sue opioid manufacturers, distributors. Hawaii County has jumped into a multi-state class action lawsuit against Big Pharma manufacturers and distributors, seeking compensation for opioid addiction and overdoses on the island. West Hawaii Today.

New life for South Kohala development. Aina Lea Inc. expects to emerge from bankruptcy next month following a judge’s tentative approval of a plan that will make viable the continued development of The Villages of Aina Lea. West Hawaii Today.

Officials Give Highway 132 Lava Recovery Update. The County Council voted today to approve a bill to allocate $50 million to restore 3.2 miles of road in Puna. Big Island Video News.

School inundated by lava looks toward the future as classes continue. Nearly nine months after lava inundated Kua O Ka La New Century Public Charter School’s Puna campus, classes continue elsewhere and school officials are looking toward the future. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Two Maui Planning commissioners resign over Paia Inn vacation rental expansion permit. Judge’s order forces planning commission to authorize permit. Maui News.

Mayor Michael Victorino lauded for revealing he was sex assault victim. Experts say his story may help others. Maui News.

Wong resigns; Lutey is named corporation counsel. Even with charges dropped, mayor accepts resignation. Maui County’s top civil lawyer, Corporation Counsel Patrick Wong, resigned Tuesday following a contentious County Council confirmation process and a domestic incident last month. Maui News.

Homelessness down slightly in Maui County in 2019. Point-in-Time Count shows 862 people living on streets or in shelters. Maui News.

New effort afoot to save an endangered Native Hawaiian bird on Maui. It’s estimated that there are less than 300 Kiwikiu, or Maui Parrotbill, left in the wild. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

'Everything is on the table'. On the second reading of resolution 2019-1 — proposing salary increases for employees of the county and officials--the council found itself deadlocked again. Garden Island.

Wary of highway reopening. Kuhio Highway west of Hanalei --closed and accessible only to residents since last year’s disastrous storms -- is tentatively set to reopen on or about May 1, but continuing restrictions will make actually using the highway challenging for both residents and visitors. Garden Island.

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