Hawaii trying to reduce food packaging, small public schools could close under DOE plan, Oahu gambling crackdown, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Polystyrene take-out in Hawaii ©2019 All Hawaii News

Bans, Trade-Ins and Take-Homes: Ideas For Reducing Food Packaging in Hawaii. The movement to reduce single-use plastics in Hawaii is moving beyond straws, but current health codes restrict personal containers from being used at take-out restaurants. Civil Beat.

Trump policy could have far-reaching effects on Hawaii’s immigrant population. Immigrants living in Hawaii legally could be denied future visas and permanent residency if they rely on government assistance such as food stamps and Medicaid under a Trump administration rule that is set to take effect Oct. 15. Star-Advertiser.

Small public schools risk closure if minimum headcount is adopted. Drawing a line at a headcount that schools must stay above to stay open is a concept that’s been developing all this year within a D.O.E. committee. KHON2.

Are wind farms in Hawaii hurting or helping the native BAT population? The state and federal government recently approved a request from a wind farm on Maui to increase the number of endangered Hawaiian Hoary Bats its allowed to accidentally kill. KITV.

Oahu

Feds, Honolulu police announce major crackdown on illegal gambling on Oahu. U.S. Attorney Kenji Price announced this morning the filing of criminal charges against 15 people, the seizures of 60 illegal gambling machines, homes in Waipahu and Pearl City and cash from bank accounts he said are connected to illegal gambling. Star-Advertiser.

Federal And Local Law Enforcement Crack Down On Suspected Oahu Gambling Homes. Federal officials announced charges against 15 defendants who authorities say were involved in illegal gambling operations on the island, some run in residential homes on Oahu. Hawaii Public Radio.

Law enforcement has a message for game room operators: ‘We’re coming for you’. Multiple law enforcement agencies announced a statewide crackdown on illegal game rooms Tuesday, and said at least 15 people have already been charged. Hawaii News Now.

Feds Step Up Enforcement Of Illegal Gambling In Hawaii. Officials say asset forfeiture will be a key strategy in stopping and deterring the spread of illicit gambling houses. Civil Beat.

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Honolulu Will Pay For ‘Confidential’ Criminal Defense Work For Years. Taxpayers are on the hook for as much as $700 an hour to block some records from being seen by federal investigators. Civil Beat.

Moiliili resident threatens to sue city over sidewalks blocked by homeless camps. Along Isenberg Street, walkways often resemble an obstacle course. Hawaii News Now.

Impact of Oahu’s Vacation Rental Crackdown. The law permits only 1,715 new bed-and-breakfasts — where the owner-occupant is present — and prohibits whole-home rentals. Hawaii Business.

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Volunteers map out hottest Oahu neighborhoods for NOAA campaign. With the help of volunteers, Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability, and Resiliency said it has successfully completed Oahu’s first Community Heat Mapping Campaign. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Completes Heat Mapping Campaign. Volunteers mapped Oahu “hot spots” as climate change heats up. Civil Beat.

These strange tools will help shape cooling initiatives on Oahu. On Aug. 31, some 28 volunteers drove specific routes throughout Oahu three times that day — the same day Honolulu hit 95 degrees. Hawaii News Now.

Volunteers map ‘hot spots’ around Oahu. The Office of Climate Change, Sustainability, and Resiliency (Resilience Office) has completed Oahu’s first Community Heat Mapping Campaign. KHON2.

Honolulu’s Poorly Timed Traffic Signals Aren’t Very Smart. The city aims to start installing technology that can detect traffic congestion on some of Oahu’s more than 820 lights next year. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Committee hears ideas for the future of county waste management programs. Methane-powered buses were among several ideas bandied about Tuesday during a County Council committee meeting to discuss the county’s waste management programs. Tribune-Herald.

Harry Kim Now The Highest-Paid Neighbor Island Mayor. Maui County has the most employees, but Hawaii County has generally caught up in the salaries paid to top executives. Civil Beat.

United Nations Indigenous Issues Expert Pens Letter To Governor About Mauna Kea. The letter by Tarcila Rivera Zea calls for "a participative dialogue between the State of Hawaii and Kanaka Maoli Protectors to seek a peaceful resolution to the tension on Mauna Kea." Big Island Video News.

TMT Opponents Allege Police Misconduct, Harassment. The kiaʻi claim the police are conducting public and covert harassment at the base of Mauna Kea as the Thirty Meter Telescope standoff continues. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Mahi Pono plants citrus trees. The company that purchased more than 40,000 acres of old sugar fields from Alexander & Baldwin in December began planting potatoes last month. Maui News.

Multiple efforts are scheduled for ‘International Coastal Cleanup Day’. Maui organizations are holding cleanups around the island as part of “International Coastal Cleanup Day” on Sept. 21. Maui News.

Kauai

Realtors focus on housing ‘crisis’. Traffic has nothing to do with housing, said Paul Brewbaker, principal economist of TZ Economics. Garden Island.

Meeting targets natural resources. The East and West Kauai Soil and Water Conservation Districts are holding an important Local Work Group meeting for Kauai agricultural producers representing crops and livestock, private forest land owners, and other professionals representing agricultural and conservation interests. Garden Island.