Showing posts with label MRC Greenwood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MRC Greenwood. Show all posts

Monday, June 10, 2013

Hawaii media track whistleblower Edward Snowden, GMO crops analyzed, monk seals under attack, pickup truck drives into ocean, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

The Guardian newspaper
Edward Snowden, as seen on The Guardian
The man who detailed two top-secret National Security Agency surveillance programs gathered some of the information at his workplace in Hawaii before leaving several weeks ago for Hong Kong, media sources reported Sunday. The Guardian newspaper identified Edward Snowden, 29, as the source of the leaks, which have touched off the latest national debate about secret government monitoring of Americans' activities. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii real estate agent says Edward Snowden and his girlfriend moved out of their home in a quiet neighborhood near Honolulu on May 1, leaving nothing behind. Century 21 real estate agent Kerri Jo Heim says Sunday that the owner of the house wanted the couple out so that the home could be sold. Associated Press.

A weathered American flag sticker on the front window of the Waipahu neighborhood where fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden lived until recently fleeing to Hong Kong reads: “Freedom isn’t free.” The 29-year-old may prove to be one of the most consequential whistleblowers in years, if not decades, for orchestrating intelligence leaks that have left the Obama administration defending widespread domestic monitoring of American citizens. Civil Beat.

Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who exposed secrets about government surveillance activities, worked and lived on Oahu before leaving the country to seek asylum. Hawaii News Now.

Residents living on Eleu Street in Waipahu say they are a tight-knit community. Neighbors say Andrew Snowden and his girlfriend didn't speak to anyone in the neighborhood. KITV4.

The whistleblower who leaked classified information about the U.S. government’s secret surveillance programs was identified Sunday as a man who had been living here in Hawaii. KHON2.

The British newspaper ‘The Guardian’ identified the man as Edward Snowden- a 29-year-old contractor who claims to have worked at the National Security Agency and for the CIA. KHON2.

Hotels in Hawaii set monthly records in April for room revenues, revenue per available room and average daily room rates. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has signed a law increasing tax credits for filmmakers to help expand Hawaii's movie industry. Abercrombie signed the measure last week boosting film tax credits from 20 to 25 percent in counties with fewer than 700,000 people. Star-Advertiser.

A bill to create a public financing option aimed at lessening corporate influence on campaign elections died in the final hours of the last state legislative session, which ended May 2. But supporters of election reform are hoping it will resurface next session. Maui News.

Hawaii's congressional delegation has proposed changes to the composition of the state's advisory council on Native Hawaiian educational issues. Under changes proposed Thursday, the Native Hawaiian Education Council would have to include elected officials, and all members would be required to have at least five years of experience in Native Hawaiian education. Star-Advertiser.

Public discussions among University of Hawaii regents about the future of the university's presidency Thursday turned into deep deliberations about the UH's mission and whether its priorities and values are in need of some fine-tuning. Civil Beat.

On Thursday, the University of Hawaii Board of Regents said it will launch a nationwide search for Greenwood’s replacement. In the past, that work has required a head-hunting firm that costs taxpayers more than $100,000. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii chefs and restaurant owners will play a role on two upcoming episodes of the Cooking Channel’s “Man Fire Food with Roger Mooking” airing this month. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for June 10. Associated Press.

Oahu

The percentage of Oahu voters casting ballots in the biennial Neighborhood Board elections increased slightly this year, the third such election conducted entirely online and by phone. Star-Advertiser.

City crews came out to work on Sunday to begin dredging a stretch of Makiki Stream that has been prone to flooding. Hawaii News Now.

Two beachfront houses in Aina Haina once marketed as potential destination wedding locations by former swimsuit model Kathy Ireland have suspended business while owners attempt to resolve more than $140,000 in unpaid city fines over charges of illegally conducting weddings in at least one of the homes. Star-Advertiser.

The president of a group that helps the elderly and disabled asked a Pearl City contractor for a $90,000 donation as she was giving the company a job worth millions of dollars, a request that appears to violate anti-kickback laws. Civil Beat.

Just days after announcing it was shutting down the Honolulu Weekly says it’s coming back. How it’s coming back remains unclear at this time. KHON2.

Hawaii

Food is no longer what it used to be. Over the last two decades, the commercialization of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, has transformed how some of the world’s crops are produced. Tribune-Herald.

Biotech companies have mostly focused on corn and soybean for creating genetically modified crops. But research is also under way in Hawaii that would impact one of the state’s most widely consumed staples — rice. Tribune-Herald.

If anyone could be crowned the King of Corn in Hawaii, it would be Jim Brewbaker. As a scientist with University of Hawaii at Manoa, he has spent a half century studying and breeding different varieties, finding ways to cross-breed disease resistance and improve the production of one of the world’s most widely grown cereal crops. Tribune-Herald.

A hindrance to the growth papaya industry is the acceptance of transgenic crops abroad. Japan, which has historically been a major consumer of Hawaii papaya, didn’t accept the Rainbow variety until December 2011, and it still makes up a tiny fraction of exports to the country. Tribune-Herald.

Yet another delay in the prosecution of Roger Christie will keep the Hawaii cannabis advocate jailed without bail for well over three years before a jury trial is held in the case. Star-Advertiser.

The address says it all — 1 Crater Drive — the quintessential visitor experience at the Kilauea summit in a newly refurbished hotel and restaurant overlooking Halema‘uma‘u Crater. That’s the Volcano House, a historic lodge that reopened in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park June 1 after being closed for nearly three years. Tribune-Herald.

A long-awaited highway construction project in West Hawaii may be closer to to finally getting underway. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

California-based developer Brian Hoyle is more optimistic than ever that funding will come through in the next several months and he can finally build the long-awaited West Maui Hospital and Medical Center. Maui News.

Puu Kukui Elementary School has yet to open it doors for the first time but is already just 50 students shy of its capacity. Maui News.

While Alexander & Baldwin Inc. reached agreement this week to acquire Grace Pacific Corp. in a $235 million deal, company officials expect day-to-day operations to be "business as usual." Maui News.

Entering its 14th year, the 2013 Maui Film Festival will be bringing dozens of films to our island over a five-day stretch later this week. The films will be screened from June 12 to 16 at the Celestial Cinema located at the Wailea Gold and Emerald Golf Course, the Castle Theater at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului, and the Seaside Cinema located between the Four Seasons Maui and the Grand Wailea. Maui Now.

Kauai



In this two-part series, The Garden Island takes a look at the Hawaiian monk seal and how folks from two sides see the same creature so differently. Garden Island.

Here on Kauai, the mere mention of a Hawaiian monk seal can quickly stir up conversations about their origin, eating habits and whether references to the seals can be found in traditional Hawaiian chants. Garden Island.

Locally-produced products and the outlets which distribute them were pulled together on Thursday in an effort to re-energize the Kauai Grown program. Garden Island.

A Lihue man who was arrested Saturday after driving his pickup truck into the ocean has been identified. Garden Island.

The Kauai National Wildlife Refuge Complex will fence off a 7-acre area to protect native coastal planes and birds, including Hawaiian geese, endangered nene, and moli, or Laysan albatross. Associated Press.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Search for UH president begins, Feds reveal Honolulu kickback scheme, Oahu ratepayers to shoulder all of Big Island electricity project, Maui passes $559M budget, former supermodel Kathy Ireland owes Honolulu thousands in fines, two development giants merge, officials seek comment on $2.6B rail project, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

UH President MRC Greenwood
UH President MRC Greenwood (c) 2013 All Hawaii News
The University of Hawaii Board of Regents could name an interim president for the 10-campus system as early as next month as the board begins searching for a permanent replacement for President M.R.C. Greenwood — a process that could take months. Star-Advertiser.

Several business leaders, including a former governor and a former University of Hawaii regent, are urging the UH Board of Regents to hire an interim UH president from outside the university system who can make changes before a permanent president is hired. Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents Thursday voted unanimously to appoint a presidential selection committee to begin looking for a replacement for UH President MRC Greenwood, who plans to step down on Aug. 31. Hawaii News Now.

Public discussions among University of Hawaii regents about the future of the university's presidency Thursday turned into deep deliberations about the UH's mission and whether its priorities and values are in need of some fine-tuning. Civil Beat.

On Thursday, the university’s Board of Regents named two committees to begin the search for an interim and permanent president of the university system. KHON2.

Each year since 1986, PAYCHECKS HAWAII, the private, independent, non-partisan political action affiliate of SmartBusiness Hawaii, rates each of the 76 state legislators on support for small business in collaboration with other small business associations, individuals, and those actively participating at the Capitol during the legislative session. Hawaii Reporter.

Alexander & Baldwin Inc. said Thursday it will buy Grace Pacific Corp. for $277 million, putting together two kamaaina powerhouses in the real estate and construction fields. Star-Advertiser.

Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. and Grace Pacific Corp. jointly announced Thursday that they have entered into an agreement for A&B to acquire the privately held general contractor for $235 million. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for June 7. Associated Press.

State 6/7. Associated Press.

Oahu

Honolulu transit officials are working to finish additional court-ordered studies for the city's planned elevated rail project, even as they prepare to defend the $5.26 billion effort later this summer in federal court against opponents looking to stop the project. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation and the U.S. Federal Transit Administration are taking public comments on a draft supplemental environmental impact statement for the city’s $5.16 billion elevated-rail project that concludes a tunnel beneath Beretania Street would be feasible, but not “prudent.” Pacific Business News.

The president of a group that helps the elderly and disabled asked a Pearl City contractor for a $90,000 donation as she was giving the company a job worth millions of dollars, a request that appears to violate anti-kickback laws. Civil Beat.

The city of Honolulu's failure to properly enforce compliance with requirements of an $8 million federal grant issued to a controversial nonprofit group could affect what it receives in Community Development Block Grant dollars in the future. Star-Advertiser.

Former super model Kathy Ireland's Oahu business is under scrutiny and it owes the city hundreds of thousands of dollars. KITV4.

The notorious Mayor Wright public housing facility isn't nearly as bad as it used to be, but it is still far from perfect. Civil Beat.

YouTube on Thursday removed a video posted by Kalihi Shinto shrine officials of four Japanese nationals allegedly taking $1,000 worth of amulets, claiming the content violated the website's privacy guideline. Star-Advertiser.

A surfer in his 50s died Thursday after an accident at Ala Moana Bowls as a south swell battered Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii Island electricity customers may not have to pay a surcharge on their bills for the proposed $450 million Aina Koa Pono biodiesel refinery outside Pahala, but the county will continue to oppose the plant on other grounds, Energy Coordinator Will Rolston said Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

Kailua-Kona resident Ulrich Bonne noticed something missing from Hawaii Electric Light Co.’s draft integrated resources plan. West Hawaii Today.

Proposed spearfishing ban dropped. West Hawaii Today.

Opponents of a plan to build the world's largest optical telescope at the summit of Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano are appealing their case in the state courts. Associated Press.

NASA is giving more money to a Hawaii project studying what foods astronauts might eat during a manned mission to Mars. Associated Press.

Maui

The Maui County Council unanimously passed its $559 million budget on second and final reading today. Maui Now.

The Mala ramp, West Maui's only boat launch ramp facility, has become so degraded that the concrete ramp and two loading docks need to be replaced, an $892,000 project that will require a 60-day closure. Maui News.

Kauai

Some affordable housing advocates say a proposed Department of Water fee increase could add hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional costs to proposed low-income developments or altogether halt some planned projects. Garden Island.

A year after the last Koloa Camp residents were evicted, a mess remains. Garden Island.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Hawaii GOP seeks probe of Senate president, Stryker Brigade to stay in Hawaii, Maui raises property taxes, clams coming to Kauai, Honolulu's Ala Wai studied, quiet hurricane season predicted, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2013 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Ala Wai (c) 2013 All Hawaii News


Ala Wai Canal: A $100 Million Problem. Complete series on the history and future of the Ala Wai. Civil Beat.

The Central Pacific, which includes the Hawaiian Islands, probably will experience another season of below-average tropical cyclone activity, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s hurricane forecasters are calling for a relatively quiet tropical cyclone season for the Central Pacific Ocean Basin. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii’s wet season, which runs from October through April, was the driest wet season in 30 years, the National Weather Service in Honolulu said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

The head of the U.S. Army in the Pacific said Hawaii is expected to keep its 22,500 active-duty soldiers as the Army downsizes, but it makes sense to re-evaluate whether the Stryker Brigade should keep its 320 armored vehicles or revert to a light infantry unit without Strykers. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Republican Party on Wednesday urged the state Ethics Commission to investigate whether state Senate President Donna Mercado Kim violated the ethics code when she called the University of Hawaii president last spring about her son's law school application. Star-Advertiser.

Even if the Senate president did not exert pressure on the university president, Kim may have violated the State Ethics Code and the Senate's own rules with just the phone call itself. Civil Beat.

As the University of Hawaii searches for a new president, critics are revisiting concerns about the relatively few local hires in top positions at the university. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office announced Wednesday that $48.3 million will be spent to improve public housing throughout Hawaii, including $25.8 million for non-routine repairs, maintenance and renovations statewide. Pacific Business News.

Two years after tests first indicated the presence of a sexually transmitted disease in a handful of Hawaii Island cattle, state officials imposed a statewide quarantine order requiring testing of new dairy and beef bulls brought to the state and moved from one herd to another. West Hawaii Today.

KHON-TV is advising viewers of the Fox network affiliate or its CW network affiliate via Oceanic Time Warner Cable that the stations may be blacked out for most of Hawaii on May 31 if negotiations for a new retransmission contract are not successful. Star-Advertiser.

State 5/22. Associated Press.

State roundup for May 23. Associated Press.

Oahu

A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought against the city of Honolulu by members of a protest group that has been camping on the sidewalks around Thomas Square. Star-Advertiser.

In the last three years, the University of Hawaii has spent $1.3 million on repairs and upgrades to College Hill, the presidents' home that UH President MRC Greenwood has chosen not to live in. Hawaii News Now.

The James Campbell Co. is looking to sell 516 acres of mostly undeveloped land in West Oahu known as Kapolei West, a potential mixed-use residential and commercial master-planned community that would connect the City of Kapolei with Ko Olina Resort. Pacific Business News.

The city's aging Neal S. Blaisdell Center could be a site of one of three proposed 700-foot residential towers under a draft plan proposed by a state agency regulating development in Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

For the more than 20,000 people who live there, there’s only one way in and out of Mililani Mauka. After years of traffic headaches, there are some options on the table to ease the frustration. KHON2.

Hawaii

Hikes in property taxes, park fees, bus fares and vehicle registration and weight taxes will balance Mayor Billy Kenoi’s proposed $394.3 million 2013-14 budget, a 7.9 percent increase over this year. But there’s still a wild card in the mix: Two major public worker unions have yet to complete collective bargaining agreements. West Hawaii Today.

All the right factors need to be in place for Hawaii County to successfully convert Alii Drive to one-way traffic in the downtown area, community members and business stakeholders told officials Wednesday in North Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Last June, the Department of Education launched a small pilot program in Kona on the Big Island, testing just how well GPS tracking systems, with real-time data, would streamline bus service. And it worked beautifully. KITV4.

The Hilo Brewfest, scheduled for June 1 from 2-6 p.m., will take place on the grounds of the Wainaku Executive Center and will feature sample beers from 20 different breweries. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A resolution that would increase property tax rates for majority of island residents and businesses was approved by the Maui County Council Wednesday morning. Maui News.

Maui Tea Partier In D.C.: IRS Scrutiny 'Chilling' Civil Beat.

Updated tsunami evacuation maps have been released by the Maui County Civil Defense Agency. Maui Now.

While developers of the 670-acre Honua'ula golf community have made efforts to meet a number of the 30 conditions set by the Maui County Council when the project's zoning was approved in 2008, some community groups said on Tuesday that many critical conditions have still not been met. Maui News.

Kauai
Community voices opposition to ‘danger zone’ Corps seeks larger safety area during live target practice. Garden Island.

For the first time in decades, the state Department of Health has approved the growing waters and sale of shellfish by a local grower. Health officials approved the permit for Sunrise Capital, doing business under the name Kauai Clams. Hawaii News Now.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Friday the opening of archery, muzzleloading rifle and high-powered rifle hunting seasons for feral goats on the island of Kauai. Garden Island.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Hawaii cattle quarantined, UH President Greenwood-Senate President Kim feud turns personal, five inmate deaths in two months, DHHL called to Senate hearing, GMO group meeting on Kauai, solar farm in Ka'u, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2013 All Hawaii News all rights reserverd
Cattle and calves at pasture (c) 2013 All Hawaii News
All beef and dairy bulls coming into the state or moved between herds here must be tested for bovine trichomoniasis, under a quarantine order issued by the state Department of Agriculture Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Officials from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands are to address concerns of lawmakers raised by a state auditor's report in April that said the agency lacks clearly defined roles and responsibilities for trust administration and kept insufficient data on loan delinquencies and other programs. Star-Advertiser.

The string of five inmate deaths — including four suicides — in Hawaii correctional facilities in just over two months is indeed a crisis, as Ted Sakai, the state’s director of public safety said recently. Civil Beat.

State Senate President Donna Mercado Kim acknowledged Tuesday that she called University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood last spring to ask about the status of her son's application to law school, but she denied that she was angry or claimed law school administrators were incompetent. Star-Advertiser.

State Senate President Donna Kim Tuesday denied allegations by UH President MRC Greenwood that Kim threatened to hold hearings into the UH William Richardson School of Law when Kim asked Greenwood last spring about whether UH had received her son's law school application. Hawaii News Now.

Now that it is law for all passengers in cars to wear a seat belt some also want to ban riding in the back of pickup trucks. Hawaii News Now.

A former state judge has been suspended from the practice of law for a year and a day for violating rules governing lawyers’ conduct. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

An emerging condominium development boom in Kakaako got a lot bigger Tuesday, with the owner of Ward Centers announcing it will build 900 units in three towers — at the same time. Star-Advertiser.

For more than two decades, the Ala Wai canal has regularly failed state and federal water quality standards for recreational bodies of water, limits that are in place to keep people from getting sick. Civil Beat.

It appears fiscal catastrophe has been averted at Honolulu Hale, despite some budgetary posturing by the Caldwell administration. Civil Beat.

Bring your luggage and be ready to leave your fingerprint. That could be the future of air travel for foreigners visiting Hawaii. KHON2.

Hawaii

A University of Hawaii-Hilo spokeswoman insists a $28 million dorm project will be ready by August, but a report obtained by Hawaii Reporter and Watchdog.org outlines numerous flaws in the taxpayer-funded project. Hawaii Reporter.

Construction on a series of solar panels in Ka‘u could begin as soon as 60 to 90 days, a solar company official said Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

One of the most important duties of those who care for Hawaii's highest peak is conserving the natural resources. That includes both keeping invasive species out, and replanting endangered species. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui County filed a lawsuit against Wailuku Main Street Association Inc./Tri-Isle Main Street Resource Center on Monday afternoon claiming that the organization violated its county grant agreement and that the agency should return more than $11,000 worth of personal property bought with county funds and any remaining funding obtained under the agreement. Maui News.

The removal of the wreckage and debris of three vessels that were grounded Friday and Saturday by high surf off Mala Wharf in West Maui continued. Maui News.

Kauai

For the first time in its 42-year history, the Hawai‘i Crop Improvement Association will hold its annual meeting on Kaua‘i. The HCIA is composed of five member companies — Syngenta, BASF, DOW, Pioneer and Monsanto. Garden Island.

The traditional fireworks show will not be included in this year's Freedom celebration at the Pacific Missile Range Facility because of budget constraints. Garden Island.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Poor oversight at Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, tax revenues up, University of Hawaii in upheaval, Democrats have all the power, lax oversight over food funds, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2013 All Hawaii News
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands property (c) 2013 All Hawaii News
The federal government more than 90 years ago gave Hawaii the responsibility to administer a newly created trust designed to provide homestead lots for eligible Native Hawaiians. But the government never gave Hawaii the federal regulations to govern how the roughly 200,000-acre trust should be administered. Star-Advertiser.

Department Responds To Star-Advertiser Articles. The following is the un-edited opinion piece which was submitted to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in response to their recent series of articles critical of our Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

State tax revenues through the first 10 months of Hawaii's fiscal year were 8.4 percent higher than the same period a year ago, the state Department of Taxation said. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii’s economy will likely grow faster than the national average, but not as quickly as previously predicted for 2013 and 2014, state economists said Friday. Associated Press.

As History Is Made, Hawaii Studies Gay Marriage. Civil Beat.

Coming off a turbulent year, the University of Hawaii Board of Regents is preparing to select the next UH president, and observers say the board must take a new tack if it wants to avoid more angst. Star-Advertiser.

As she prepares to end her tenure as the University of Hawaii's 14th president, M.R.C. Greenwood said she is still trying to figure out how consequences from a botched Stevie Wonder benefit concert grew into "a full investigation of all the things the university does." Star-Advertiser.

Deferred compensation and other benefits lift the pay packages for University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood and UH-Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple past the half-million-dollar mark. Star-Advertiser.

The Democratic Party of Hawaii thoroughly dominates elective office and government at the county, state and federal level. It looks to continue that dominance in 2014, despite contested races for the U.S. Senate and one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Civil Beat.

Youth in Hawaii should have a better chance of getting the help they need with the launch of an online database of youth services that is easily searched by counselors, court officers, parents and the kids themselves. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The pilot student transportation program that the Hawaii Department of Education plans to roll out to some Oahu schools next school year is expected to do more than just test out an innovative way of buying school bus routes — officials say it'll also restore rides for many of the 2,000 kids who lost out when routes were cut this past school year. Civil Beat.

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard said it is seeking to fill about 100 apprenticeship jobs. Those hired for the new class will begin their employment in January, with an average starting pay of $19 an hour, the shipyard said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

When the Hawaii County Council last year took the unprecedented step of dipping into the county’s disaster fund to give the nonprofit Food Basket Inc. an emergency $200,000 appropriation, strict reporting standards were put into place to ensure full accountability of taxpayer money. But a West Hawaii Today investigation has found that none of the reporting requirements in the May 3, 2012, contract were met, despite $199,000 of the emergency money given to the Food Basket, as well as $74,000 from a separate council action.

A state-owned affordable rental apartment complex on Hawaii island where more than half the units are vacant and need major renovations will be given to a Christian missionary training school after an unsuccessful attempt to sell the project about 18 months ago. Star-Advertiser.

Dean John Pezzuto conveyed Friday a sense of determination paired with lingering shellshock as he updated students and faculty on the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy’s failed campaign to fund a permanent building this Legislative Session. Tribune-Herald.

Two South Kona residents are proposing to turn the late Herb Kane’s Honaunau home into a bed and breakfast. West Hawaii Today.

Rob and Cindy Pacheco founded Hawaii Forest & Trail back in May 1993 with a vision to share Hawaii’s natural history while educating about the importance of conserving the environment. Stephens Media.

Maui

House Speaker Joe Souki almost quit after his first term as a lawmaker in 1982. Maui News.

As Maui County's first lady, Ann Arakawa leads a very public life, often seen at her husband's side as Mayor Alan Arakawa appears in parades, gives speeches and meets dignitaries. Maui News.

No unexploded ordnance, discarded military weapons or ammunition were found during a 2011 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers investigation of Kanahena Point, a former military bombing site on Maui's south shore that is now located in a natural area reserve. Maui News.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources today told Maui Now that it would enforce swimming zones at Ka’a Point, following public concerns that kite surfers were endangering beachgoers.

Kauai

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced last week he will seek a second term, and started campaigning almost immediately, visiting three islands, including Kaua‘i on Monday, in a span of a few days. Garden Island.




Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Kauai coral study complete, gas tax, park fee hikes loom, Hawaii computers unaffected by hacker blitz, Maui council overrides tax-credit veto, officials react to Greenwood retirement, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2013 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Coral scientist (c) 2013 All Hawaii News
A team of scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration wrapped up its week-long study of Kaua‘i’s diseased coral reefs Tuesday. Garden Island.

Sanjeev "Sonny" Bhagowalia, the state's chief information officer, said there did not appear to be a noticeable increase in the number of hacking attempts or scans of state agency sites Tuesday, which #OpUSA organizers had declared as the day for hackers to disrupt the websites of U.S. government agencies and banks. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz met with a high-level federal official this week to discuss mismanagement and oversight problems at the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands that were exposed in a just-published Star-Advertiser series.

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa was endorsed on Tuesday by EMILY's List, the national political action committee that helps elect Democratic women who favor abortion rights. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii leaders say one of the highlights of the 2013 legislative session was greater transparency in the lawmaking process. But advocacy groups like Common Cause and the League of Women Voters, along with more critical legislators, say a lot more needs to be done to make Hawaii’s legislative process clearer and more accessible to the public. Associated Press.

Observers were beginning to weigh in Tuesday on what they would like to see in the University of Hawaii's next president, with several saying the Board of Regents should focus on a candidate who will be a stabilizing force in the wake of a rocky year. Star-Advertiser.

A day after embattled University of Hawaii President MRC Greenwood announced her plans to retire, UH observers said she had realized she was having a difficult time being effective. Hawaii News Now.

When UH President MRC Greenwood made the announcement Monday she was resigning as UH President, no one was really shocked. KHON2.

Less than 18 hours after University of Hawaii President MRC Greenwood announced she plans to retire several months before her lucrative $475,000-a-year contract expires in 2015, the controversial academic has gone silent – at least for now. Hawaii Reporter.

The number of tropical storms and hurricanes threatening Hawaii is expected to increase significantly after 2075 due to climate change, a group of researchers said. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council budget committee has some changes in store for Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s inaugural spending plan. Civil Beat.

Managing Director Ember Shinn asked members of the City Council to reconsider Mayor Kirk Caldwell's 5-cent per gallon fuel tax increase, as recent collective bargaining agreements reached with United Public Workers and the Hawaii Government Employees Association appear to be budget busters for the city, and that's even before arbitration awards for police officers and firefighters become part of the equation. KITV4.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has released the names of the employees in his executive office, which he had been withholding for more than a week in violation of the state’s public records law. Civil Beat.

A jury has been selected for the trial of State Department agent Christopher Deedy, who was in Hono­lulu to provide security for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, on a murder charge in the 2011 shooting of a Kailua man in Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

The Oahu housing market continued to shine in April with double digit percentage increases in both the number of sales of condominiums and single-family homes, according to statistics from the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Fees to use park pavilions would more than double and fees for other county facilities would also jump under rule changes proposed by the Department of Parks and Recreation. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Councilwoman Margaret Wille has introduced a bill that would ban most genetically modified crops from the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

The retirement of University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood shouldn’t affect the Palamanui campus project, West Hawaii legislators and a Hawaii Community College official said Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island and the rest of the state have been hit with heavy vog as a result of an unseasonable lack of trade winds. Tribune-Herald.

The long-awaited Kona Judiciary Complex remains on schedule for a 2019 opening despite the state Legislature this session approving just 10 percent of the $90 million the state judiciary requested for the West Hawaii project. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to override Mayor Alan Arakawa's veto of a County Council bill making changes to the county's "circuit breaker" property tax program that aims to help those with limited incomes from being taxed out of their homes. Maui News.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa issued a media statement today in response to the council’s override of his veto on Bill 16. The bill seeks to amend the Circuit Breaker tax credit. Maui Now.

Despite some concerns from committee members, the Maui County Council Budget and Finance Committee officially referred its proposed $559 million county budget - $15 million less than proposed by Mayor Alan Arakawa - to the full council for approval Monday afternoon. Maui News.

Dozens of parents and keiki rallied in the rain at Paia Elementary on Monday against a lottery process - suspended the day before - that they said would deny some of their children the right to a Hawaiian language immersion education. Maui News.

Kauai

Once the offices of the Prosecuting Attorney, a portable building will breathe life as the clubhouse for the Boys & Girls Club of Hawai‘i, Lihu‘e Outreach. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i is the island that has suffered the most from hurricanes, with Hurricane Iwa in 1982 causing more than $250 million in damages, a record for Hawai‘i at that time, and Hurricane ‘Iniki in 1992, pushing the record to $2 billion. Garden Island.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

University of Hawaii president stepping down, $48.4M in welfare overpayments, Honolulu Police Department database hacked, GOP rebuffed in Legislature, state officials gain from Hawaiian Home Lands, vog lingers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2013 All Hawaii News
UH President MRC Greenwood at Board of Regents meeting (c) 2013 All Hawaii News
M.R.C. Greenwood, who drew high praise and strong criticism during her four years at the helm of the University of Hawaii system, has announced she will retire in September to spend more time with family and deal with her health problems. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood will retire this summer after four years as the head of the state’s university system. Pacific Business News.

After a number of high profile battles with key Hawaii lawmakers in 2012 and 2013, University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood announced Tuesday she will retire in September, before her $475,000-plus annual contract with the University expires in 2015. Hawaii Reporter.

University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood will retire in September, an announcement from the university Monday said. Maui News.

University of Hawaii president
MRC Greenwood
University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood plans to retire two years before the end of her contract, a departure she claimed had nothing to do with the failed Stevie Wonder concert that brought her leadership under scrutiny.  Hawaii News Now.

University of Hawaii President MRC Greenwood is resigning her post in September, according to Gov. Neil Abercrombie. KITV4.

University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood announced on Monday — she’s retiring from the presidency in September, two years before her contract expires. KHON2.

Hawaii's historic preservation agency has missed a major deadline for making federally mandated improvements to its program, and could still lose its federal certification and funding, officials said. Civil Beat.

Unfair welfare: Investigation reveals $48.4 million in overpayments. KHON2.

The Hawaii Association of Realtors was the top donor to Hawaii lawmakers in 2011 and 2012, with the association donating $110,100 to 83 percent of the state's 76 lawmakers. Hawaii Reporter.

The new power granted Republicans in the state Legislature this year did not translate into getting caucus bills passed; many never received a hearing. Civil Beat.

State Sen. Malama Solomon, former Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Commissioner Stuart Hanchett and about 20 other Native Hawaiians are members of an exclusive group. While on DHHL waitlists for ranching or farming homestead lots, they obtained month-to-month revocable permits for pastoral or agriculture land from the agency, according to a Star-Advertiser analysis of DHHL data.

Kamehameha Schools CEO Dee Jay Mailer has announced plans to retire at the end of 2014, giving the school's board of trustees ample time to recruit a successor. Star-Advertiser.

For most people who live in Hawaii, dealing with vog is just another part of daily life. But for those with breathing difficulties, volcanic smog can complicate health issues. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

The names, email addresses, cellphone numbers and passwords for about 3,500 people who signed up for email or text message alerts from the Hono­lulu Police Department's former "HPD Alerts" system may have had their personal information compromised after the server was hacked by "an unauthorized person or persons" over the weekend. Star-Advertiser.

HPD has confirmed one of their databases containing information about the public has been hacked. Officials say anyone who has ever signed up for an "HPD alert" using their email address or phone number has been exposed. Hawaii News Now.

Angst abounds after last week’s joint announcement from Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell about demolishing the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial, highlighting deep rifts that don’t appear to be going away anytime soon. Civil Beat.

Federal budget cuts are forcing Pearl Harbor to cancel its July 4 fireworks and the Marine Corps to cancel its annual Bayfest event at Kaneohe Bay. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Dominic Yagong's and Jamae Kawauchi’s request to investigate the county’s Elections Division was part of a larger conspiracy to take over the county’s elections, an attorney argued Monday. West Hawaii Today.

Both of the state’s 2013 U.S. Presidential Scholars attend school in Waimea — Zoe Sims at Hawaii Preparatory Academy and Paul Gregg at Parker School. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

For the past 17 years, James and Jane Sakugawa have rented roughly 5,000 acres of ranch property on Maui from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. That is 80 percent of all land DHHL is leasing to tenants on that island through its revocable-permit program. Yet the Saku­ga­was are not Native Hawaiian beneficiaries. Star-Advertiser.

As part of a statewide crackdown on distracted driving, Maui police officers gave out more than 1,000 citations to drivers using cellphones last month, nearly doubling the total for the previous four months. Maui News.

Kauai

Gov. Neil Abercrombie triggered a round of joy when he signed a check Monday for the Kaua‘i Philippine Cultural Center. Garden Island.

The state Legislature has approved a bill authorizing the administration to issue up to $1.3 million in bonds to Sunrise Capital’s shrimp farm in Kekaha to protect its hatchery against shoreline erosion. Garden Island.

A plan to update Kauai’s single-lane Opaekaa Bridge has officials and residents discussing how much of the bridge’s history should be preserved while structural changes are made to enhance safety. Associated Press.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative’s board of directors said Monday that it wants its 23,300 active members to offer their comments and ideas for the utility’s updated 2013-2025 strategic plan. Pacific Business News.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

UH takes hot seat for Stevie Wonder blunder, Oracle racing coming to Lanai, Honolulu mayoral candidates debate, Hawaii SAT scores lag historically low national numbers, Hawaii County elections lawsuit can't find a judge, union settlement at Turtle Bay, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2012 All Hawaii News
Hawaii state Capitol (c) 2012 all Hawaii News


University of Hawaii officials were grilled for more than six hours Monday in a hearing that sought answers on a Stevie Wonder fundraising concert that never was. Civil Beat.

Amid tough questions Monday night from state senators, Board of Regents Chairman Eric Martinson pledged greater transparency in tackling the fallout from the botched Stevie Wonder concert and said the body would play a role in making sure a similar debacle doesn't happen again. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood was grilled by more than two hours by a special State Senate committee Monday looking into the botched Stevie Wonder concert and its aftermath. Hawaii News Now.
University of Hawaii
UH President MRC Greenwood
University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood said she felt political pressure to let then-athletic director Jim Donovan keep his job, but instead the school offered him a position that he had neither asked for, nor wanted, at an annual salary of $211,000 for three years. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii's Stevie Wonder concert fiasco was the product of a systematic breakdown and not the fault of a single university official, internal UH documents show. Hawaii News Now.

Presidents of public universities with top-tier intercollegiate football programs must walk a  “very difficult and treacherous pathway,” University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood said as she walked that pathway at a state Senate investigative committee hearing yesterday. Hawaii Reporter.

Senators finally called it a night at seven o'clock this evening, after listening to six hours of testimony regarding the Stevie Wonder concert scam, and the re-assignment of former UH Athletics Director Jim Donovan. KHON2.

Hawaii's SAT scores continue to lag behind the national average. Star-Advertiser.

David “Kawika” Crowley has a lot to say about Tulsi Gabbard, his opponent in Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional race, but it appears he won’t have a chance to say it to her face. Tribune-Herald.

State roundup for September 25. Associated Press.

Oahu
For part of a mayoral forum Monday, candidates Kirk Caldwell and Ben Caye­tano veered away from discussing the city's $5.26 billion rail project and talked about issues on the minds of the largely elderly audience. Star-Advertiser.

During a Monday forum sponsored by the Kokua Council, both candidates for Honolulu mayor said they would support the direct funding of senior services by the city. KITV4.

Honolulu Mayoral Candidates Kirk Caldwell and Ben Cayetano squared off in their first meeting since advancing from the primary election. KHON2.

When it comes to the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, neither of Honolulu’s two mayoral candidates fully support the state’s plan to replace the dilapidated structure with a volleyball arena or concert venue. Civil Beat.

The Kaimana Beach Coalition released more emails this weekend that raises questions about the influence of a group that it is at odds with. KITV4.

The 16 candidates running to fill Tulsi Gabbard’s vacant Honolulu City Council seat range from an English professor to a Department of Transportation office assistant. Civil Beat.

The city of Honolulu will unveil draft proposals for transit-oriented development along the planned rail line in Kalihi and downtown Hono­lulu in public workshops today and Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A tentative settlement was reached Monday night on a new contract covering workers at Turtle Bay Resort. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu’s new online system for residential solar power system building permits started off with more than 300 permits issued during the first day alone. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu is one of the largest U.S. cities not to put fluoride in its water supply, but it's been nearly a decade since the issue was last up for public debate. Civil Beat.

Robertson Properties Group’s final environmental impact statement for its proposed mixed-use project for the site of the former Kamehameha Drive-in across from Pearlridge Center in Aiea has been accepted by Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting. Pacific Business News.

The Navy's Blue Angels said aloha to Kaneohe in typical fashion Monday — with six jets flying wingtip to wingtip in a diamond pattern and trailing smoke as they screamed by in a low flyover just before 2:30 p.m. Star-Advertiser.

The National Weather Service posted a high-surf advisory throughout the day as waves with faces taller than 20 feet pounded the North Shore. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii


It’s been little more than two weeks since two fired elections workers filed suit against County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi and Council Chairman Dominic Yagong. But it’s already clear no Hilo judge is going to hear the lawsuits. West Hawaii Today.

County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi said Monday that she has replaced Arlene Boteilho, made acting elections program administrator after the firing of Pat Nakamoto in January, with Elizabeth Lehua Iopa. Tribune-Herald.

South Kona’s recent spate of burglaries provided ample fodder for debate and marked a bright line between philosophies when the two candidates for prosecuting attorney faced off Friday at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. West Hawaii Today.

Previous scientific studies of Hawaii Island’s fresh water resources have shown some of what scientists thought they knew about water here was wrong. West Hawaii Today.

A North Hawaii bridge and intersection will get a makeover, under a Department of Transportation proposal that got the environmental go-ahead this week. West Hawaii Today.

Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School faculty, staff, parents and community members elected the school’s first governing board on Sept. 6. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Halting the controversial Kihei shopping centers that have come under scrutiny by the state Land Use Commission could also jeopardize 250 affordable housing units promised to Maui County five years ago. Maui News.

The Mahinahina Water Treatment facility in West Maui was up and running as of early Sunday morning after crews repaired a broken waterline sooner than expected. Maui News.

Kauai
Hundreds of fans are expected to turn out Saturday for "Kauai Remembers Blue Hawaii," a commemorative event sponsored by the Kauai Visitors Bureau and the County of Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Commercial parking lots across from Tunnels Beach are no longer in operation after the state found three land owners to be in violation of land use within the conservation district. Garden Island.

Following the buzz over the statewide Public Land Development Corporation’s series of heated meetings last month, the Kaua‘i County Council will discuss Wednesday a resolution introduced by its rookie council member, echoing what the public present at those meetings has overwhelmingly asked Gov. Neil Abercrombie throughout the state: Repeal Act 55. Garden Island.

Lanai

ORACLE Racing is proposing the use of Kaumalapau Harbor on the island of Lāna‘i as a temporary base of operations for sea trials, training, and related research to support  the development of a high-performance boat for competitive sailing events. Maui Now.