Showing posts with label George Szigeti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label George Szigeti. Show all posts

Friday, June 29, 2018

Szigeti out as tourism chief, 'tough love' for Honolulu homeless, media tour Halemaumau crater as Kilauea eruption persists, US EEOC sues HMSA, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2018 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hawaii Tourism Authority CEO George Szigeti © 2018 All Hawaii News
The Hawaii Tourism Authority board voted today to fire the agency’s president and CEO George Szigeti without cause. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Tourism Authority leader leaving amid growing scrutiny. The authority's board voted unanimously Thursday to terminate "without cause" George Szigeti, the authority's president and CEO for the past three years. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Tourism Authority leader on contract termination: 'I'm going to respect that decision'. KHON2.

Thursday marked the final Hawaii Tourism Authority board meeting for departing members Denise Yamaguchi, Donna Domingo and Gerald de Mello. Pacific Business News.

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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Hawaii Medical Service Association for discriminating against a group of disabled workers. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's largest health insurance provider is facing a class-action lawsuit after denying intermittent leave to employees with disabilities without discussing other options. Hawaii News Now.

HMSA, Hawaii's largest medical insurance provider, being sued for denying medical leave to employees. KHON2.

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Sex abuse victims from decades ago will have another chance to file claims. Gov. David Ige will not veto Senate Bill 2719, which means it will become law on July 9. Hawaii News Now.

Hirono Bill Aims To Strengthen Unions. Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono was joined by Democratic leaders a day after the Supreme Court ruled against organized labor to try to shore up membership. Civil Beat.

RIMPAC pursues interoperability. During this year’s Rim of the Pacific exercise, it’s possible for a Japanese soldier to work for an Australian battalion commander who works for a U.S. Marine Corps commander who works for an Australian task group commander who works for a Chilean maritime component commander. Star-Advertiser.

RIMPAC 2018 has officially begun — without a familiar face. China was originally invited to the exercise, until the nation militarized contested islands. Hawaii News Now.

25,000 Participants Arriving in Hawaii for 2018 RIMPAC. Maui Now.

Retired Adm. Harry Harris, former head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on Oahu, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said. Star-Advertiser.

A new report released today by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism shows that Hawaii’s economy will grow at 1.7% per year between 2016 and 2045. Maui Now.

Hawaii’s economy, measured by real gross domestic product, will grow at 1.7 percent per year between 2016 and 2045, according to a new report by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Mayor to introduce 'tough love' bills aimed at getting homeless people off sidewalks. Hawaii News Now.

Caldwell Wants To Make Sit-Lie Ban Islandwide At All Hours. The existing bans for sidewalks in business areas are insufficient to address public homelessness, the Honolulu mayor said. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is proposing two new bills that redoubles the city’s efforts to clear the homeless and others off city sidewalks. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is ramping up efforts to clear the homeless from the sidewalks. He's asking the city council to approve to new bills that would expand the sit-lie ban across Oahu. KHON2.

New rules keep affordable housing affordable in Kakaako. KHON2.

Governor Approves HCDA Affordable Housing Rules. Governor David Ige approved new rules today to guide future development in Kakaako. Hawaii Public Radio.

The 15 cent bag fee goes into effect this Sunday. Unless you want to fork over the extra change at check-out, make sure to bring your own bag. KHON2.

There is a proposal to increase fares for the Honolulu city bus and TheHandi-Van. The Honolulu Rate Commission says fares should go up 25 cents in the beginning of next year. KHON2.

The police are offering a different kind of service in Chinatown: Health care. Hawaii News Now.

More enforcement coming to the Fourth of July Waikiki 'floatilla'. KITV.

Former cop admits to staging burglary and burning own car. Former Honolulu police officer Travis E. Copeland pleaded guilty in state court today to two counts of insurance fraud. Star-Advertiser.

Buzz’s Original Steak House in Pearl City will not reopen following a forced shutdown due to health code violations earlier this month. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Volcano park’s future 'a huge unknown'. Halemaumau Crater at the Kilauea summit is double its former size and continuing to expand at a rate unseen in modern times, according to scientists who accompanied journalists to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park today. Star-Advertiser.

Summit’s unprecedented change, volcanic activity to engross scientists for years to come. Tribune-Herald.

Inside the park at Waldron Ledge, officials gave a comprehensive update on Kilauea Volcano and the status of the National Park. Big Island Video News.

Drastic changes at summit reshape future of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. KHON2.

Kilauea eruption changes much: landscape, park operation, science's understanding. KITV.

PHOTOS: Take a tour of Kilauea's dramatically changed summit. Hawaii News Now.

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Big Isle tourism drop-off raises concerns. Tourism numbers were up statewide in May, but the Hawaii island market is finally showing the softening that the visitor industry has been dreading since the Kilauea eruption began May 3. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island tourism numbers remained reasonable through the month of May, but it will be June and the summer months to follow that tell the tale of Kilauea volcano’s true impact on the county’s most lucrative industry. West Hawaii Today.

Spending increases offset drop in Big Island arrivals last month. Pacific Business News.

Tallying The Growing Cost Of A Multimillion-Dollar Eruption. Taxpayers have spent nearly $10 million, not counting damage to roads and parks. The value of private property lost, damaged or isolated is $372 million. Civil Beat.

Sen. Mazie Hirono successfully included a provision in the 2018 Senate Farm Bill that would allow volcano-impacted farmers to retroactively apply for coverage under the Non-insured Crop Assistance Program. Big Island Now.

Police: Persistent claims about looting are mostly just rumors. Tribune-Herald.

Fresh lava continues to block Kapoho residents from entering their homes. Star-Advertiser.

Mental Health Is Another Casualty In The Ongoing Volcanic Eruption. The state health department is staffing shelters and opening clinics to help people affected by the disaster. Civil Beat.

Supreme Court overturns gag order in case of child who died in foster care. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Licensees critical of liquor department, panel. Testifiers cite fear of retribution, changing rule interpretations; audit is underway. Maui News.

Visitors to Maui County spent a total of $403.1 million in May 2018, an increase of 13.7 percent compared to last year, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Maui Now.

With their contract with the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa set to end, union members from Unite Here! Local 5 are joined by retirees and supporters for a sign-waving event along Honoapiilani Highway in Lahaina near the Lahaina Cannery Mall on Wednesday afternoon. Maui News.

Kauai

Tourism reaching new heights on Kauai. Despite a flooding disaster in April that devastated much of Kauai’s North Shore, tourists kept coming. Garden Island.

Resurfacing continues through the summer near the Coco Palms corridor. Garden Island.


Molokai

Molokai residents are on high alert after a coqui frog was discovered in Kalae on June 20. Hawaii News Now.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Caldwell mulls future of Waikiki Natatorium, tourism officials fined for ethics violations, state pension shortfall increases, voters want more say in government, UH athletics a tax drain, Kauai pesticides studied, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Waikiki Natatorium © 2017 All Hawaii News
Mayor Kirk Caldwell says he’s willing to consider the idea of making improvements at the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium that would allow the public to swim in it again, but only if a new proposal being offered pencils out financially and makes sense. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell outlines four alternatives for future of historic Waikiki Natatorium. The City and County of Honolulu is considering four options for the reconstruction of the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial, with an environmental impact study expected to be released in spring 2019. Pacific Business News.

City outlines potential options for future of Waikiki Natatorium. KHON2.

All the plans for Waikiki Natatorium share one thing: They're costly. Hawaii News Now.

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Honolulu mayor backs governor for re-election. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is throwing his support behind Gov. David Ige. KHON2.

Civil Beat Poll: Power To The People — Voters Want More Control. Respondents support term limits for legislators, all-mail balloting and establishment of a statewide system for initiatives, referendums and recalls. Civil Beat.

State pension fund shortfall rises to $12.95 billion. A preliminary report presented Monday by an independent actuary to ERS trustees showed the deficit in the fund widened from last year’s $12.44 billion, but the funded ratio — what is needed to meet future obligations — improved to 54.8 percent from 54.7 percent. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Ethics Commission has fined Hawaii Tourism Authority CEO George Szigeti and three other tourism officials more than $12,000 for allegedly violating the state’s Ethics Code when accepting and soliciting travel upgrades for business trips. Star-Advertiser.

Tourism authority execs fined for failing to report travel upgrades. The Hawaii Ethics Commission has fined four top current and former Hawaii Tourism Authority executives more than $12,000 for failing to report that they received free travel upgrades from international airlines. Hawaii News Now.

Insurance ‘Hell’ Leaves Many Injured Workers Broken. In Hawaii’s workers’ comp system, people with long-lasting injuries are often forced to battle doctors hand-picked by insurance companies to get treatment. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii won a $23 million federal grant to help improve the well-being of residents at risk due to serious health disparities. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Public Health Institute: Farm to School and Obesity Prevention. The Hawaii Public Health Institute is focusing on childhood obesity prevention in the upcoming legislative session. Hawaii Public Radio.

Charter School Debuts An Online Hawaiian-English Dictionary. Students at the immersion school say the product could prepare them for a vocabulary test. But it’s also designed for the wider community. Civil Beat.

Former Island Air employees will get about $35,000 of their misdirected 401(k) contributions restored to their accounts. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Even with a combined $3.4 million infusion from the Legislature and the Manoa campus, University of Hawaii athletics ran at a $1.7 million deficit for the 2017 fiscal year, according to an independent auditor’s report. Star-Advertiser.

Sweeping The Boat People Of Ala Wai Harbor. Plenty of them are illegally sleeping aboard vessels — only 129 “live-aboard” permits are allowed out of the 747 slips. Civil Beat.

Howard Hughes gearing up to launch public sales efforts at next Honolulu tower. The Howard Hughes Corp. is getting ready to launch public sales efforts next month for its next Ward Village mixed-use tower, the 42-story Aalii, which is being marketed as a building for “smarter living” with units ranging from less than 300 square feet for a studio to nearly 850 square feet for a two-bedroom unit. Pacific Business News.

Aging fuel storage tanks at Red Hill could soon get an upgrade. A newly released study could get the ball rolling on upgrades to the aging fuel storage tanks at Red Hill. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Meeting On The Future Of Mauna Kea. An aha has been convened, bringing together Hawaii Island residents who sometimes find themselves on opposite sides of tough issues facing the mountain. Big Island Video News.

Two new meatpacking facilities might open on the Big Island next year following the success of the Hawaii Island Meat Cooperative’s mobile slaughterhouse. Tribune-Herald.

Arsenic-Contaminated Soil Removal Considered For Hilo Land. There is a potential buyer for the 6.2-acre portion of the former cane plant site near Waiakea Pond, and a Removal Action Report has been drafted. Big Island Video News.

As North Kona approaches the one-year anniversary of its first mandatory water usage restriction, questions about how and why deep well equipment prematurely failed at several sites across the region remain unanswered. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island’s nonnative birds might have found a friend in the coqui frog. A new study on coquis, an invasive species known for its piercing two-tone chirp, noted a connection between the abundance of the small frogs and higher populations of introduced birds in a forest. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Mayor says water chief lacks management abilities. Arakawa cites low morale in his request to terminate Taylor. Maui News.

$14K in Back Wages, Penalties Recovered for Maui Surf Instructors. The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations recovered $14,360.12 in back wages and penalties on a wage complaint made by two surf instructors hired by a Maui business that offers a variety of ocean-related recreational activities. Maui Now.

State puts up delineators to deter illegal parking on Hana Highway. East Maui residents who were frustrated by traffic backups from cars illegally parking on narrow portions of Hana Highway near scenic areas got some relief last week when the state Department of Transportation installed delineators to deter motorists from parking at one popular spot. Maui News.


Kauai

Pesticides remain key concern. The purpose of the briefing to the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the House Committee on Agriculture was for legislators to find out how to help move forward the fulfillment of the 2016 Kauai Pesticide Joint Fact Finding Study Group’s recommendations. Garden Island.

KIUC receives approval for holdover of hydro permit. The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will be able to operate two hydroelectric facilities after the state Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday approved the holdover of a revocable permit for water use at the Blue Hole Diversion.  Pacific Business News.

Dawn of digital dollars. One Kauai property is opening up its sale to digital currencies in the midst of a rapidly changing cryptoasset market that many are still trying to understand. Garden Island.

Molokai

Latest crash underscores risks of airspace around Molokai. National Transportation Safety Board records show that six of the state’s 12 fatal air crashes occurred in and around Molokai, with four of them happening in just the last 14 months. Star-Advertiser.

Plane crash kills former Kahala dentist and his wife. The family of William F. Vogt, 78, and Lynn Vogt, 74, notified the office of his former dental partner, Dr. Derek Takai, that the two were killed in the crash. Star-Advertiser.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Hawaiian Airlines gets second Tokyo flight, rail costs increase again, IBEW head won't retire during investigation, more on Honolulu police chief probe, Kauai to regulate homestays, Maui struggles to name liquor chief, tourism president touts millennial market plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2016 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Visitor captures Akaka Falls © 2016 All Hawaii News
The University of Hawaii was awarded $20 million to combine Native Hawaiian knowledge with modern geological data to figure out exactly how fresh water flows in Hawaii. The grant from the National Science Foundation will give the university funding to study water sustainability throughout the state. Associated Press.

University of Hawaii Gets $20 Million To Study Fresh Water Aquifers. The award, from the National Science Foundation, will be used to better map the flow of water through Hawaii’s aquifers. Civil Beat.

Barack Obama’s decision to make a first-of-a-kind presidential visit to Hiroshima, Japan, later this month prompted U.S. Rep. Mark Takai to invite Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, to make a similar first-of-a-kind visit to Pearl Harbor for the 75th anniversary of the attack on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday announced that Hawaiian Airlines has been awarded a second route from Haneda International Airport in Tokyo to Hawaii, potentially bringing more visitors to the state. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Airlines has been awarded an additional route to Haneda International Airport in Tokyo. The U.S. Department of Transportation made the announcement Friday morning, according to a statement from Sen. Brian Schatz. KITV4.

A national report released Wednesday ranked Hawaii's state court system No. 1 in the country for providing support to those with limited English proficiency. Associated Press.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai of Hawaii has introduced legislation that would provide money for families to increase accessibility in their homes for kupuna who may need wider hallways for wheelchairs, handlebars in showers or ground-floor bathrooms. Civil Beat.

Young Brothers Ltd.’s interisland cargo shipments keep showing incremental growth. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s blood supply is particularly vulnerable should there be a widespread outbreak of mosquito-borne illnesses such as Zika or dengue fever on the islands. Civil Beat.

Hawaii hotel occupancy fell statewide by 1.9 percentage points during the first week of May, taking Hawaii hotels to 73.2 percent occupied, according to Hospitality Advisors and STR’s weekly report. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The official cost estimates for Honolulu’s rail transit system have grown by nearly $350 million in recent months, raising more concerns that the city’s new five-year rail tax extension won’t be enough to finish the project. Star-Advertiser.

Drivers should start mentally preparing for lane closures because rail construction crews are nearing their work to extend the concrete guideway over the H-1 Freeway in Aiea. Hawaii News Now.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell received his first major endorsement for his re-election campaign from the Hawaii Construction Alliance. Hawaii News Now.

The criminal defense attorney hired by the Honolulu police chief and his prosecutor wife said he expects a federal grand jury to return indictments in the ongoing investigation surrounding possible wrongdoing within the Honolulu Police Department. Star-Advertiser.

The key witness in the federal probe into the police chief and his wife, a deputy city prosecutor, is a police officer who was related by marriage to the power couple. Hawaii News Now.

Brian Ahakuelo, head of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1260, used union funds for personal expenses over the last three years, according to a list of allegations assembled by the parent union. Star-Advertiser.

The embattled head of a Hawaii electrical workers union is being accused of using union money on personal first-class travel, hotel accommodations, and to pay for his son's attorney fees in a felony case. Hawaii News Now.

Two days after announcing his retirement, the head of the IBEW Local 1260 has changed his mind. KHON2.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced Thursday that he has appointed local businessman Peter Adler to serve on the city and county’s Ethics Commission. Civil Beat.

The parking crunch in Kakaako could be getting a lot worse. There’s a plan in the works to create a lot of new housing, but it may not come with a lot of parking stalls. KHON2.

Hawaii

A Hawaii County budget review held Thursday evening at the West Hawaii Civic Center was part numbers for future spending, part update covering ongoing projects and partly a look back on eight years of West Hawaii priorities. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation recently submitted permit applications for a 30-unit expansion to the Mohouli Heights Senior Neighborhood, according to its executive director. Tribune-Herald.

New tourism chief looks to millennials for growth. West Hawaii Today.

Scuba diving is popularly connected with the Navy SEALS, not the Marines and Army. But two veterans from each service have become skilled divers, exploring this week the Kona Coast through the Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba, or SUDS. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Liquor Control Commission is scheduled to re-interview four candidates for director of the Department of Liquor Control on May 24, an official said Wednesday. Maui News.

A request for an additional $1.9 million this fiscal year for the county Department of Fire and Public Safety received initial approval Wednesday from the County Council's Budget and Finance Committee. Maui News.

With Kaiser Permanente set to take over three public hospitals in Maui County in less than two months, the national health care provider announced new leadership Wednesday for its Maui Health System. Maui News.

The Maui County Council's Budget and Finance Committee voted Wednesday to recommend adoption of a resolution giving county ocean safety officers a 16 percent pay raise as part of an arbitration decision earlier this year. Maui News.

A Maui High School English teacher who had also served as head football coach pleaded no contest Thursday to five counts of indecent electronic display to a child. Star-Advertiser.

A former teacher and head football coach at Maui High School, David Bui, pleaded no contest today to five counts of indecent electronic display to a child. Maui Now.

Maui County residents and tourists are being advised to stock up on mosquito repellent because of an expected increase in the number of people infected by the Zika virus coming to the county this summer, said the state Department of Health county district health officer. Maui News.

Kauai

Council members voted to recommend passing a bill that aims to define and regulate homestay operations on the island during a planning committee meeting Wednesday. Garden Island.

The developers of a planned beachfront time-share resort on Kauai say they would like the project to open under a Hyatt Hotels Corp. brand. Pacific Business News.

Some of these kids have never ridden an escalator before, said Trisha Page, special events and bookings manager at the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club Thursday morning. Garden Island.