Showing posts with label House Speaker Joe Souki. Show all posts
Showing posts with label House Speaker Joe Souki. Show all posts

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Intrigue at state Capitol: Souki, Tokuda expected to lose posts today, Ige rejects extended session, Bounty Hunter wife could help pick Honolulu police chief, senator accused of trying to influence police commissioner, Maui sand removal stopped, Banyan Drive revitalization bill killed, gun registration up, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Rep. Kaniela Ing
Gov. David Ige press conference, courtesy Rep. Kaniela Ing
Gov. David Ige rejected the notion Wednesday of extending the 2017 legislative session to try to salvage a rail-funding deal, calling it a “waste of time” if state legislators don’t already have an agreement in place. Star-Advertiser.

With the Hawaii House and Senate unable to resolve fundamental differences over how to help pay for Honolulu’s beleaguered rail project, Gov. David Ige said Wednesday he will not extend the legislative session unless legislators can reach an agreement. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige rejected calls Wednesday to extend the Legislative session to break the deadlock over funding Honolulu's embattled rail project. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. David Ige said Wednesday he will not extend the session, which adjourns Thursday, unless lawmakers can come together. KHON2.

The state’s top-elected official said Wednesday an extension of the legislative session to resolve issues involving Honolulu’s rail project would be a waste of time.” Garden Island.

Mayors of all four Hawaii counties are asking Gov. David Ige to extend the 2017 legislative session to find funding for the troubled Honolulu rail transit project, but Ige says he’s not inclined to do so. Associated Press.

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House Speaker Joe Souki and Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Jill Tokuda are expected to be ousted from their positions of power today in an end-of-session leadership shakeup. Star-Advertiser.

House Speaker Joe Souki Expected to Lose His Post, Members Say. The expected shakeup in House leadership comes as the Senate is undergoing its own significant reshuffling. Civil Beat.

State Sen. Jill Tokuda is being forced out of her position as head of the powerful money committee in the midst of 11th-hour debate over funding for the Honolulu rail project. Civil Beat.

Sen. Jill Tokuda will be removed as chair of the Ways and Means committee. KHON2.

Retaliation blamed: Some legislators say a Big Island rat lungworm funding bill died because of a political fight between Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Jill Tokuda and Sen. Kai Kahele, who played a central role in trying to reorganize the Senate, including plans to oust Tokuda from her powerful position overseeing the budget. Star-Advertiser.

First Term House of Representative Members Talk About Their First Session. Hawaii Public Radio.

Why The Stakes Are So High In Hawaii Police Union Negotiations. There are huge financial ramifications, especially for Honolulu. Meanwhile, a state senator wants to make it easier to fire bad cops. Civil Beat.

Consumer Reports, the respected consumer product testing organization, on Wednesday unveiled a new study on home-sharing services such as Airbnb that should make the Hawaii hotel industry and the tens of thousands of people who work in the business more than a little nervous. Pacific Business News.

The Department of the Attorney General released new numbers from 2016 that show an increase in registered firearms in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

First-quarter profit at Matson Inc. tumbled 61 percent as the largest ocean cargo transportation company serving the state absorbed higher fuel prices and small cargo volume declines in Hawaii, Alaska and Guam. Star-Advertiser.

Shipping company Matson Inc. reported a 61 percent decrease in net income for the quarter ending March 31. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Beth Chapman, reality TV star and wife of Dog the Bounty Hunter, could help select the next police chief of one of the largest departments in the country. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii state senator tried to influence a Honolulu Police Commission member to vote against a pricey severance package for a retiring chief under federal investigation, according to a letter from the commission chairman. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii State Senator is accused of trying to influence a controversial vote with the Honolulu Police Commission. KITV.

Former Police Chief Louis Kealoha is threatening to complain to the Honolulu Ethics Commission about Police Commissioner Loretta Sheehan if she doesn’t disqualify herself from an upcoming vote. Civil Beat.

Environmentalists pushing for a ban on all plastic checkout bags to reduce litter and protect marine life maintain that a Honolulu City Council bill that was advanced Wednesday does not go far enough. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would require stores to charge 10 cents for bags, while allowing businesses to continue offering thick plastic bags, passed out of a Honolulu City Council committee Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Oahu's residential real estate market has experienced the tightest supply conditions and shortest days on market in over 10 years in April, according to Locations. Pacific Business News.

A Waipahu cultural center troubled with overnight homeless campers. Hawaii News Now.

In a ceremony Wednesday, the city opened the South Street Protected Bike Lane to give bicyclists a mauka-makai route in the heart of Honolulu, improving access to downtown and Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

Oceanit has been awarded a $750,000 Phase II contract by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate to develop a prototype of a device for first responders. Pacific Business News.

The developer of Ward Village announced Wednesday that it sold an additional 34 condominium units among five towers in the emerging Kakaako community during the first quarter. Star-Advertiser.

Former Hawaii first lady Vicky Cayetano is in talks to expand her laundry business on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The state Senate rejected the last remaining Banyan Drive redevelopment bill Tuesday following the return of broad language intended to help extend land leases for Mauna Kea observatories. Tribune-Herald.

Of the eight bills introduced by East Hawaii legislators this year to address economic revitalization in Hilo, just one will make it to Gov. David Ige’s desk. Tribune-Herald.

It’s use it or lose it time for the County Council. Facing a possible cutback of contingency funds in next year’s budget, council members Wednesday polished off $73,060 for 19 projects as they rushed to meet the deadline to spend their 2017 largess. West Hawaii Today.

A parade of Bodacious Ladies and their supporters testified in favor of a Food Basket grant from the Hawaii County Council. Big Island Video News.

Still working to fill the gap left when its popular Senior Produce program ended this year, the Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s food bank, is starting a new kupuna initiative and expanding other efforts to offer fresh fruits and vegetables. Tribune-Herald.

Following concerns from community residents and an environmental legal group, Marine Corps Base Hawaii agreed to reduce operations at North Kohala’s Upolu Airport. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Environmental and cultural preservation groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to invalidate the Maui Planning Commission’s approval of the proposed $354.5 million, mixed-used Makena Resort project. Maui News.

The Honolulu-based concrete production company that has been moving sand from Central Maui to other places off-site, including Oahu, has stopped transporting sand, following a formal notice from Maui County regarding permit issues on Monday. Maui News.

Small businesses are a favorite target of cyber criminals, and owners need to prepare for attacks as they would a flood, fire or other risk, experts said Wednesday at the Hawaii Small Business Conference. Maui News.

A notice has been posted in Baldwin Beach Park informing the homeless community they have until May 23 to vacate the area. Associated Press.

Kauai

Hawaii shouldn’t be held for “nuclear ransom” by North Korea and needs to activate its Aegis Ashore missile testing facility on Kauai in times of emergency to provide a layered missile shield for the isles, a defense expert told Hawaii state lawmakers Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Developers may be facing a ticking clock on the North Shore if a policy on resort-designated land is approved by the Planning Commission. Garden Island.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Statehouse politics: Joe Souki for lieutenant governor? Bills for vacation rentals, medical marijuana, child care advancing in Legislature; Honolulu tops in solar installs; 'Peter Boy' father set for plea deal, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Speaker Joe Souki in House chambers, from joesouki.com
Will Joe Souki Be Hawaii’s Next Lt Gov? There’s a lot of speculation about how the dominoes could fall if Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui resigns to run for Maui mayor. Civil Beat.

Affordable housing advocates fear the Legislature won’t allocate enough money this year to have a meaningful effect on Hawaii’s housing shortage. Civil Beat.

Two bills to allow online vacation rental sites like Airbnb to collect taxes from hosts and remit them to the state moved forward Tuesday, including one that emerged after a task force bill to study vacation rentals was gutted and replaced. Star-Advertiser.

A couple of bills seeking to amend laws regarding medical marijuana are passing through the Legislature. Garden Island.

Two bills that supporters say will make parents feel their kids are being properly taken care of in child care facilities are nearing the finish line at the Hawaii Legislature. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii bill that would have required beauticians to undergo training to spot signs of domestic violence has died. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu ranks first in the United States when it comes to solar energy installations per capita, according to a new report released Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

The private security company whose officer shot and killed a pet dog at Honolulu Airport last week said the pit bull was loose and tried to attack the officer, who was injured trying to avoid contact during the incident. Star-Advertiser.

Autopsy: Maui man who breached Honolulu airport security had used meth. Star-Advertiser.

State Attorney General Douglas Chin is asking lawmakers to earmark more than $10 million to settle claims by subcontractors who were never paid for materials or work they did on a Honolulu Airport cargo and maintenance hangar project that stalled in late 2015. Star-Advertiser.

One of five employees at the women’s prison named in a lawsuit filed last week by 10 inmates alleging varying degrees of sexual assault and harassment said he was exonerated of all charges by the state. Star-Advertiser.

A state judge said Tuesday the hearing of a former Kamehameha Schools teacher accused of videotaping students in his shower will be public. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Electric Co. has launched a pilot program that offers a $20 discount on monthly electrical bills to 2,000 customers who are dependent on life-support equipment. Star-Advertiser.

Two new cultural markers erected in February near the hula mound at Kapolei Regional Park are part of a growing effort by community groups that hope not only to educate residents about places of historic significance, but to help deter vandalism. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's second Holiday Inn Express hotel recently opened in the former Maile Sky Court in Waikiki following a $30 million rebranding and renovation. Pacific Business News.

The Holiday Inn Express Honolulu-Waikiki, the largest Holiday Inn Express in the U.S., held its grand opening Monday following the completion of a $30 million renovation and re-branding. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Hawaii Community Correctional Center might be the cause of a sewer main clog that unleashed up to 41,000 gallons of untreated sewage into the Wailuku River and Hilo Bay on Monday. Tribune-Herald.

Beach advisories for Kahaluu and the Kamakahonu side of Kailua Pier have been dropped. West Hawaii Today.

After informally agreeing to lift some road requirements and have the developer meet with local union representatives, the County Council Planning Committee gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a planned shopping plaza at Mauna Lani resorts. West Hawaii Today.

As requested by the Administration, the Department of Parks and Recreation is postponing its planned clean-up operation at Old Airport Park in Kona, while the County seeks an alternative site for homeless people camping at the facility. Big Island Video News.

One week after establishing a “Safety Zone” keeping boats a distance away from the Kamokuna lava ocean entry, the U.S. Coast Guard says vessels can now request entrance into the area. Big Island Video News.

Peter Kema Sr. to change plea in ‘Peter Boy’ case. Tribune-Herald.

The father of Peter “Peter Boy” Kema Jr. is scheduled to appear today in Hilo Circuit Court and is expected to accept a plea deal in the murder of his young son two decades ago. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

The immigration policies of the Trump Administration played out today in Honolulu. It involves the deportation and removal of a Mexican immigrant. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui woman facing deportation to Mexico gets temporary reprieve. KITV.

Eight years of growing losses have prompted Wailuku Water Co. to ask the state Public Utilities Commission for permission to sell about 4,500 acres of its land in the West Maui Mountains. Maui News.

TEACH Development, which was planning to turn Old Maui High School into a center for agriculture, technology and education, has ended its pursuit of the project, citing “strong opposition to nonlocal for-profit companies receiving public land.” Maui News.

Six cases of rat lungworm have been reported on Maui over the past three months — tripling the amount of cases the island has seen in the past decade, Maui District Health Officer Dr. Lorrin Pang said Tuesday. Maui News.

A recent case of a Maui woman contracting rat lungworm has brought attention to a disease that can be caught by eating from your yard. Maui Now.

Kauai

Four people claiming ownership of land by right of royal patent were arrested Tuesday in Wainiha following a demonstration to protect a Hawaiian burial site. Garden Island.

Four men were arrested Tuesday after blocking access to private property in Wainiha. Hawaii News Now.

Group aims to perpetuate Hawaiian culture, restore historical sites. Malama Koloa aims to perpetuate Hawaiian culture, restore historical sites. Garden Island.

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Commentary: In recognition of Sunshine Week. When the government won't talk to you, the documents will. Eventually.



 
 “We are always secretive. It’s part of being a legislator.”

Those unapologetic words this week from Hawaii House Speaker Joe Souki show the Aloha State still has a long road ahead in making government more transparent. The quote, reported by both the Star-Advertiser and Civil Beat, couldn't have been timelier, coming in the middle of Sunshine Week.

Launched in 2005, Sunshine Week has grown into an "enduring annual initiative to promote open government and push back against excessive official secrecy," according to its website. It's sponsored by the American Society of News Editors and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, with support from John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Gridiron Club and Foundation.

Considering everything happening on the federal level, it's easy to see why Sunshine Week is more important than ever. But access to government doesn't stop in Washington, D.C.

Not just the media, but everyday citizens have a right to ask for, and receive, government documents. They have a right to ask -- no, demand -- that their government work in the open, in the sunlight of public scrutiny. They have a right to know how taxpayer money is spent.

Yet, more and more, government is drawing a screen over that important access. Government, at the state, national and local level, seeks to provide the public only the information, or in some cases, misinformation, that it wants the public to know about.

Our leaders  need to be reminded that sunshine is the best disinfectant, that citizens are more likely to understand and trust the workings of government if they can see it at work and that there is no embarrassment exemption in the Freedom of Information Act.

I have encountered resistance at the county, state and federal level as a reporter for a small daily newspaper, way out in the middle of the Pacific. Here's my story.

It took five years for the federal Transportation Security Administration to respond to my FOIA request for a list of items confiscated during a 12-month period at our five major airports. By the time I received them, they were literally old news.

On Oct. 17, 2013, I requested copies of tsunami inundation maps created for the state Emergency Management Agency by the state university. Yep. Still waiting. The state claims the maps will "confuse" the public if they're released. My appeal is being considered by the overworked and under-staffed Office of Information Practices.

In another case, it took five years of regular requests for records of our county mayor's taxpayer-paid purchasing card. Once someone apparently outside official channels finally provided me a document, I discovered the card was used for such personal expenses as hostess bars, where young attractive hostesses sit on your lap in exchange for overpriced drinks.

Our mayor was ultimately indicted by a grand jury for what turned out to be a continuing practice of using the card for private expenses -- a surfboard, a bicycle and lots of hefty bar tabs. He was cleared of theft charges by a jury after he proved he repaid the expenses, so there was no intent to steal. Funny thing though, many of the repayments came just after FOIA requests were submitted.

A study of more than 300 of those who seek (or provide) public records, released March 12 by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, found half of those surveyed said access to public records has deteriorated over the past four years, and nearly nine of 10 predicted access will continue to get worse under our new president, according to “Forecasting Freedom of Information," by David Cuillier of the University of Arizona School of Journalism and Eric Newton, of Arizona State University, as consulting editor.

After encountering so many roadblocks trying to get my questions answered, I've adopted a new mantra: "When the government won't talk to you, the documents will."

I'm adding this caveat: "Eventually."

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Obama in town, Galera withdraws schools superintendent bid, House reorganizes committees, forecasters drop economic prediction, Ala Moana mall to spend $4M on railings after fatality, Kauai cellphone tower disguised as clock tower, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

pool photo
Obama at World Conservation Congress Honolulu September 2016, media pool photo
Former President Barack Obama is back in the islands. KHON2.

Coming off a string of high-profile meetings, former President Barack Obama made an unannounced return to Hawaii today. Star-Advertiser.

Former President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to Oahu this week. Hawaii News Now.

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Darrel Galera — the retired public school principal who has been the center of controversy in the state’s search for a new schools superintendent — has withdrawn his application amid complaints that he had an unfair advantage as a former Board of Education member and friend of Gov. David Ige. Star-Advertiser.

Former Board of Education member Darrel Galera is withdrawing his application for schools superintendent. KHON2.

The Hawaii Board of Education is starting up its search for a superintendent again now that former board member Darrel Galera has decided not to apply. Civil Beat.

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In the coming weeks Hawaii lawmakers will be wrestling with ways to cut roughly $250 million from the state’s overall budget for the next two years thanks to lower than expected general fund revenues. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's economic growth is slowing down according to an economic forecast from the Council on Revenues. KITV.

The state House of Representatives voted Monday to remove Rep. Angus McKelvey as chairman of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee, a powerful post that holds sway over issues relating to business in the state. Star-Advertiser.

Rep. Angus McKelvey was removed from his chairmanship of the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee on Monday after hours of behind-the-scenes networking. Civil Beat.

State Rep. Angus McKelvey was removed from his position as chairman of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee on Monday amid controversy over how the Maui lawmaker handled certain bills. Maui News.

The U.S. government Monday responded to Hawaii’s legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban affecting six predominantly Muslim countries, saying assertions that the order will hurt the state’s tourism industry and universities are mere speculation. Star-Advertiser.

The Trump administration on Monday asked the U.S. District Court in Honolulu to deny Hawaii’s request for an immediate injunction against the newly revised travel ban, arguing that the state “lacks any actual or imminent concrete injury” on which to base its challenge. Civil Beat.

Until this year, Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin had never sued the federal government. Civil Beat.

Florence Nakakuni, U.S. attorney for Hawaii, has retired after the Justice Department asked her and other prosecutors held over from the President Barack Obama’s administration to step down. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Telcom, which has invested aggressively in its infrastructure over the past six years, cut its fourth-quarter loss in half after achieving strong growth from its TV and broadband internet services and reducing overtime and contractor costs. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii ranks No. 10 among states with the highest individual income tax collections per capita, according to a new study by the Tax Foundation. Pacific Business News.

6,500 state taxpayers may be owed a refund for ’13; deadline to file nears. Maui News.

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture has started posting data on what kinds of restricted-use pesticides large agricultural companies apply each month and in what amounts. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Hawaii regulators have issued Ala Moana Center a $4 million building permit to replace existing railings throughout the state’s largest shopping mall after a railing gave way near the Hookipa Terrace on the mall’s fourth floor last year, killing one man and critically injuring another, Pacific Business News has learned.

Work began Monday at Ala Moana Center to replace rusty railings five months after a man fell to his death and another was seriously injured. KHON2.

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The Honolulu Police Department is investigating after an officer was charged with committing multiple counts of theft and identity theft at the Navy Exchange at Pearl Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

A Honolulu police officer has been charged after allegedly using a stolen credit card and military ID at the Navy Exchange. Hawaii News Now.

A veteran Honolulu police officer has been charged with multiple felony counts, including theft and credit card fraud. KHON2.

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A state judge Monday dismissed a misdemeanor tampering charge against Myron B. Thompson Academy Principal Diana Oshiro, three months early. Star-Advertiser.

A meeting in Nanakuli on Monday gave elected officials an opportunity to meet with community members to explain and clarify plans intended to alleviate traffic woes on Oahu’s leeward coast. Hawaii News Now.

A fundraising effort is kicking into high gear to bring a park to Waikiki, which has limited green space outside of Kuhio Beach and Fort DeRussy. Star-Advertiser.

An Oahu after-school and summer program for youths with disabilities is shutting down at the end of the month due to a lack of funds, leaving families scrambling to find alternatives. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Some $1.86 million is sitting in a special account to maintain property purchased with open space funds, yet only two organizations have so far been awarded grants to spend the money. West Hawaii Today.

The prosecutors have moved to dismiss a citation against Sean “Peaman” Pagett after he was cited for running an unpermitted race at the Kailua Pier in December. West Hawaii Today.

University of Hawaii at Hilo students could receive more financial aid next year than ever before. The campus predicts awarding close to $50 million in aid for the 2017-18 school year, up from $43.1 million in 2016, $42.4 million the year prior and about $46 million in 2014. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii developer Brian Anderson plans to develop a 410-home project along the Big Island’s “Gold Coast” that would become the first off-grid community of this magnitude, he said Monday. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Maui County is looking to sell 51 lots in Maui Lani obtained as part of a legal settlement with a developer a decade ago in a dispute over land filling to increase the heights of homes that ended up towering over neighboring Palama Drive homes. Maui News.

A 285-acre business park is being proposed by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources on former sugar lands in Pulehunui. Maui News.

A humpback whale entangled in hundreds of feet of heavy-gauge cable in waters off Maui has a new lease on life thanks to the efforts of an interagency team of rescuers. Star-Advertiser.

Maui fisherman spends an hour at sea with great white circling kayak. Hawaii News Now.

Sales prices for homes and condos in Maui County continued to rise in February, compared to 2016, with the median price of a home at $672,575 and condos at $465,000, the Realtors Association of Maui reported last week. Maui News.

The median price of a single-family home in Maui County rose 13 percent last month, while condominium prices increased by 8 percent, according to statistics from the Realtors Association of Maui. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

A cellphone tower designed as a clock tower is approaching completion. Garden Island.

Opposition to closing of Rice Street post office continues with 100 message-bearing coconuts. Garden Island.

More than half of Kauai’s students who eat school lunch receive free or reduced-priced meals. Garden Island.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Hawaii Legislature opens 2017 session: news coverage, speech transcripts, photos. Honolulu Police Chief paid $250k to leave, Tulsi Gabbard goes to Syria, Facebook's Zuckerberg tries to oust Kauai families, pay raises all around, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Robert D. Harris
Opening day Hawaii Legislature, courtesy Robert D. Harris
Several hundred people gathered at the state Capitol in downtown Honolulu on Wednesday morning to kick off the opening of this year’s legislative session, in which lawmakers are expecting spirited debates on issues of rail financing, “death with dignity,” overcrowded jails, affordable housing and the state’s ongoing homeless problem. Star-Advertiser.

Lei-draped lawmakers sang Hawaiian songs and snapped photos as the Hawaii Legislature began its 2017 session, and they vowed to tackle homelessness, housing, traffic and the issue of aid in dying. Associated Press.

Hawaii lawmakers returned to the state capitol Wednesday morning to gavel in for the 2017 legislative session. KITV.

Speech transcript: House Speaker Joe Souki.

Speech transcript: House Minority Leader Beth Fukumoto.

Blog post: Hawaii Senate Majority.

For the first time in decades, the state Senate opened the legislative session on Wednesday without a single Republican. Hawaii News Now.

Photos: The Hawaii Legislature Is Back In Business. Civil Beat.

The leader of the Hawaii State Senate promised on opening day of the 2017 Legislature that the issue of paying for Honolulu’s rail system will be concluded before the session ends in early May. Civil Beat.

Hawaii House Speaker Joe Souki opened his chamber’s 2017 legislative session Wednesday calling for an extension of the general excise tax surcharge to finance Honolulu’s rail transit project and a study looking at whether toll roads would help to reduce traffic congestion on Oahu. Pacific Business News.

In his opening day remarks, Speaker of the House Joseph M. Souki of Maui called on members of the House of Representatives to extend the general excise tax to finance rail, to find viable alternatives to prison incarceration and to provide human compassion to those who are mentally ill and terminally sick. Maui Now.

The Latest on the start of the 2017 session of the Hawaii Legislature. KITV.

Hawaii bill aims for 100 percent renewable transportation. Associated Press.

Biofuel crops are expected to play crucial role in Hawaii’s energy future. Tribune-Herald.

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Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has made an unannounced trip to Syria and Lebanon, traveling to the region two months after she sat down with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss foreign policy. Associated Press.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard traveled to Syria this week on what her aides described as a “fact-finding” mission relating to her efforts to bring resolution to a war that has torn the country apart and heightened tensions between the United States and Russia. Star-Advertiser.

As hundreds of Hawaii residents converge on the nation’s capital either to cheer or protest the inauguration of incoming President Donald J. Trump, the state’s two congresswomen are elsewhere. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Residents Journey To DC For Very Different Reasons. Some are here to celebrate a new direction for the country. Others will march for the preservation of women’s rights. Civil Beat.

A program in Hawaii that allows law enforcement officers to seize property that they suspect is related to the commission of a crime, without getting a conviction, this week has scored low marks from the Institute of Justice, a national civil liberties law firm, for falling short on transparency and accountability. Star-Advertiser.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has settled a sexual harassment claim against OHA Trustee Peter Apo for $50,000, Hawaii News Now has learned.

Apo: Don’t Jump To Conclusions. The OHA trustee speaks out after a news report that he settled a sexual harassment claim. Civil Beat.

A group of NASA-funded researchers are poised to enter an isolated geodesic dome on a remote Hawaii volcano to study human behavior in long-term space exploration, including a planned voyage to Mars. Associated Press.

Oahu

The city will pay $250,000 to embattled Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha to leave at the end of February under a “retirement agreement” approved by the Honolulu Police Commission on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha, who is under investigation for public corruption, will receive a $250,000 cash payment as part of a retirement deal he cut Wednesday with the Honolulu Police Commission. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Police Commission agreed to a $250,000 settlement package for retirement with Police Chief Louis Kealoha, the target of a federal investigation involving allegations of civil rights abuses and corruption. Associated Press.

The Honolulu Police Commission approved a $250,000 payout deal for embattled Police Chief Louis Kealoha on Wednesday. But in an apparent nod to community concerns over the plan, Kealoha will have to pay back the money if he's convicted in an ongoing federal public corruption probe. Hawaii News Now.

Chief Kealoha’s retirement deal did not need the city council’s approval. KHON2.

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Honolulu inflation doubled to 2 percent last year despite lower energy costs as consumer prices rose at the fastest pace since 2012. Star-Advertiser.

A new proposal to build more homes on the North Shore is drawing criticism. KHON2.

About 400 volunteers have signed up to count Oahu’s homeless population next week, and the organizer of the annual homeless census said she believes that’s enough people to get a good picture. Star-Advertiser.

Japan’s Watabe Wedding Corp., one of the largest wedding services companies in Hawaii, has purchased Michel’s at the Colony Surf in Waikiki, one of the most popular high-end restaurants in the Islands for more than five decades, the head of Watabe’s Hawaii branch confirmed to Pacific Business News Wednesday.

Hawaii

Top-to-bottom raises are being considered for county officials and employees, despite a hiring freeze as fixed costs for retirees take a bigger chunk out of the county budget. West Hawaii Today.

A need for a public shooting range on the Big Island drew a standing-room only crowd to a Tuesday evening meeting in Hilo. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Two Maui nonprofits that work with homeless people received a total of $4.4 million from the state for an upcoming 18-month period, at the same time they must adjust to the state’s new “housing first” paradigm for homelessness. Maui News.

The Pa’ina building, one of University of Hawaii Maui College’s most used facilities, suffers from construction and design deficiencies and is in need of major repairs, officials said. Maui News.

More than 400 lots of items from Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co., including pickup trucks, machine shop and welding items and John Deere equipment, will be auctioned beginning today. Maui News.

Kauai

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who paid north of $100 million for hundreds of acres of undeveloped oceanfront land on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai’s North Shore, is making some moves to build at least one home on the land he acquired nearly three years ago, Pacific Business News has learned.

The owner of Facebook has filed several lawsuits with three of his companies to acquire about a dozen parcels of kuleana land on his $100 million property, sources close with Mark Zuckerberg confirmed with The Garden Island Wednesday.

After nearly two years of evaluation and technical work by experts, Hawaii Dairy Farms has submitted its Final Environmental Impact Statement to the State of Hawaii Department of Health. Garden Island.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Hawaii Rep. Tsuji dies of heart attack, Honolulu taxpayers to foot police chief's $150k legal bill, education administrators to get raises, school tax scuttled along rail line, windows to be barred at state mental hospital, tainted seaweed sold on Mainland and Tokyo, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2016 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Rep. Clift Tsuji © 2016 All Hawaii News
State Rep. Clift Tsuji, a former disc jockey, banker and Big Island state lawmaker known for his warm personality and his deep, booming radio voice, died suddenly Tuesday at the Queen’s Medical Center after suffering a heart attack. He was 75. Star-Advertiser.

State Rep. Clift Tsuji died Tuesday at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, the House of Representatives said in a statement. He was 75. Tsuji’s son, Ryan Kalei Tsuji, said his father suffered a heart attack on Saturday, and died during heart surgery. Tribune-Herald.

Tsuji, Ige
Governor’s statement on the passing of Rep. Clift Tsuji.

Clift Tsuji, the longtime state representative for Hilo, passed away at the Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu today. He was 75. Big Island Video News.

State Rep. Clift Tsuji died Tuesday at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. The Big Island lawmaker was 75. Civil Beat.

Big Island State Representative Clift Tsuji has died, according to family members. He was 75. KITV.
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Maui County state Rep. Joe Souki has retained his post as speaker of the House for the 2017 legislative session that gets under way in January, according to a news release from the House on Monday. Maui News.

The Board of Education approved merit-based raises averaging 3.5 percent Tuesday for nearly two dozen senior Department of Education executives. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Failed To Take Steps Meant To Prevent Day Care Deaths. State officials promised lawmakers they’d draft new rules to protect infants, but more than three years later nothing’s changed. Civil Beat.

State looks to install bars over windows at Hawaii State Hospital. KHON2.

Ed Case, a former congressman who is the senior vice president and chief legal officer of Outrigger Enterprises Group, has joined the board of directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Pacific Business News.

James Takushi, who headed the state’s personnel and human resources departments under three Hawaii governors and was a one-time key lieutenant for Democratic Party of Hawaii , died Monday at his Alewa home, his family said in a release. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A Honolulu City Council committee gave preliminary approval Tuesday for up to $150,000 to hire three sets of outside attorneys to represent Police Chief Louis Kea­loha in four cases against him and the Honolulu Police Department. Star-Advertiser.

City attorneys asked a federal judge Tuesday to reject a request for a deposition of Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha in a lawsuit over the police killing of Sheldon Haleck, a military veteran who died in front of Iolani Palace last year. Civil Beat.

Responding to what was described as overwhelming community responses, the Honolulu Police Department said Tuesday that it has added more offenses, including violent ones, to its online crime mapping site. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Department announced today that its Crime Mapping Website is fully operational, including data on violent crimes. Hawaii Public Radio.

Of the 16,000 arrests made on Oahu last year, 61 percent involved people who were severely mentally ill or abusing drugs, according to the Honolulu Police Department. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu ranks among the worst in the nation when it comes to dealing with the homeless, that's according to a new national report. KITV.

Citing concerns about hindering affordable-housing developments, a Board of Education committee Tuesday tabled a proposal that called for charging builders of new homes more than $9,000 per unit to help pay for new schools in urban Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

Kahuku sea asparagus and ogo that may be tainted with salmonella went to retailers and farmers’ markets across Hawaii as well as customers as far as Washington state and Tokyo. Star-Advertiser.

There will be more time to comment on a California wind-energy developer’s proposed $90 million-plus wind farm on Oahu’s North Shore. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

More than two years after the County Council approved a public access trail as a condition of allowing development of a luxury subdivision, council members learned Tuesday the deal is not yet finalized. West Hawaii Today.

The state Land Board is urging the state Supreme Court to quickly dismiss an appeal by opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope. Associated Press.

Faith-based groups rally for West Hawaii summit to fight homelessness. West Hawaii Today.

Enrollment at Hawaii Community College - Palamanui has grown significantly after one full school year on the new campus. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Gov. David Ige signed an extension to the emergency proclamation originally signed on Sept. 16, to provide relief for disaster damages, losses and suffering following September’s heavy rains and flooding on Maui. Maui Watch.

There’s new movement on plans to restore the Old Maui High School. Hawaii Public Radio.

New program seeks to bring CPR training to county’s high schools. Maui News.

Kauai

An update on the auction and relocation of the police substation at Kapaa Beach Park will be discussed during the Kauai County Council meeting today. Garden Island.

Michael Fleiss, creator of the hit ABC television series “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” is the buyer of Julia Roberts’ Hawaii oceanfront estate, Pacific Business News has learned.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Japan’s first lady visits Pearl Harbor, Souki retains House speakership, $10M in Honolulu Police lawsuits, Maui sugar layoffs continue, black band killing Kauai coral, medical marijuana permits increase, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Facebook photo
Japanese First Lady Akie Abe at Pearl Harbor, Facebook photo
Japan’s first lady has visited Pearl Harbor in Hawaii for the first time to pay tribute to the victims of the Japanese attack 75 years ago. Associated Press.

In his long career in Hawaii politics, Democratic House Speaker Joe Souki has risen to power, been ousted, and then engineered a deal to get that power back. At 85, he still commands respect, and he isn’t ready to walk away yet. Both Souki’s supporters and critics say he has firmly locked down all the votes he needs to remain as speaker for the next two years, quietly gathering that support with his allies even before lawmakers adjourned the last session in May. Star-Advertiser.

The chair of the Hawaii Republican Party is urging party members to disavow the candidacy of the GOP nominee for the 2nd Congressional District, which represents the neighbor islands and rural Oahu. Civil Beat.

The libertarian think tank the Cato Institute has a new project in which it analyzed all 50 U.S. states regarding “respect for individual freedom,” and it found Hawaii wanting. Civil Beat.

How One Attorney Is Trying To Make Food Safer. Hawaii’s hepatitis A outbreak is the latest battleground for a Seattle attorney who specializes in foodborne illnesses and has won damages of more than $600 million. Star-Advertiser.

Luaus, potlucks, a breathtaking variety of seafood and ways to eat it, and endless summer are a few of the attractions of Hawaii life. But the combination may come with a hangover: foodborne illness. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii State Department of Labor & Industrial Relations announced Friday that the seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate for July was 3.5 percent, up from the revised rate of 3.4 percent in June. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Nearly 1 of every 6 current Honolulu Police Department officers have been taken to court over criminal or civil allegations of wrongdoing, ranging from excessive force to domestic abuse, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Short of being fired, police disciplined for misconduct are the only county and state workers in Hawaii whose names under state law cannot be released publicly. Star-Advertiser.

The tab to taxpayers is nearing $10 million and likely will go higher. Over the past decade, that’s about how much the city has paid or approved to settle dozens of lawsuits accusing Honolulu Police Department officers of excessive force, negligence and other wrongdoing, including civil rights violations. Star-Advertiser.

Using the frame of his Taser, a Honolulu police officer struck a bystander’s hand as the man shot video of a friend’s arrest. The blow was strong enough to fracture the hand, according to court documents. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu residents will foot most of the city’s multimillion-dollar security tab to host the upcoming World Conservation Congress, a major international event next month in Waikiki, which may attract President Barack Obama as opening speaker. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu taxpayers have reportedly been responsible for paying nearly $10 million to settle dozens of misconduct allegations against police officers over the last decade. Associated Press.

A Honolulu company has been awarded the first four contracts under the state’s $100 million initiative to cool 1,000 public school classrooms — signaling a major step forward for the project, which has suffered setbacks amid the state’s booming construction market. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The next Hawaii County Council is starting to take shape following the primary election. Tribune-Herald.

New data from the state Department of Health confirms Hawaii County has nearly twice as many medical marijuana patients as Oahu, with about 11 percent living in Pahoa alone. Tribune-Herald.

Were they interfering with the rescue of a stranded whale or not? That is the question left to a federal judge following an administrative hearing last week to determine whether two Hilo women who run a small Native Hawaiian group dedicated to the protection of whales and other marine animals will be punished for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Star-Advertiser.

Couple feels targeted after Trump signs repeatedly stolen. West Hawaii Today.

More than 25 community volunteers participated in a weed pull Saturday, 9,000’ feet up on Mauna Kea at the site of Halepohaku. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The last harvest: The final chapter in the story of sugar on Maui. Many learned a trade at HC&S. With the end of the sugar industry on Maui, so too goes the apprenticeship program. Maui News.

With another round of Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. workers set to leave Friday, the company held its second on-property job fair Thursday. Many workers said they are still trying to figure out the next step after HC&S, the only employer they've known for decades. Maui News.

Remembering plantation life. Life in the camps was filled with community, ohana. Maui News.

The Maui Fire Department would like to reassure the public that the unscheduled cane fire currently burning in the Pūlehu-Puʻunēnē area is not an immediate threat to any structures or neighborhoods. Maui Now.

People who camp at a Maui beach park will temporarily lose access to permits come September as the county works to clean up the area. Associated Press.

Kauai

All of the Kauai County Council candidates who came in at the bottom five during the recent primary election plan to continue in the race. Garden Island.

Submarine groundwater discharge could be contributing to the black band coral disease outbreak on Kauai’s North Shore. That’s according to initial evidence discovered during a United States Geological Survey study at Makua (also known as Tunnels) and Haena, conducted July 29 through Aug. 5. Garden Island.

Over the past few weeks, volunteers have removed more than 1,500 pounds of trash from Papaa Bay Beach, and there’s more where that came from. Garden Island.

Some Waimea residents are calling for the preservation of a historic Westside home that was formerly a nurses quarter. Garden Island.