Showing posts with label Paul Ferreira. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Ferreira. Show all posts

Monday, June 20, 2022

Cryptocurrency remains unregulated in Hawaii, Kaneshiro arrested in corruption probe, LoPresti nabbed for DUI, energy lobbyist wined and dined top lawmakers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Photo by Kanchanara on Unsplash
Photo by Kanchanara on Unsplash
State needs more time to regulate cryptocurrency merchants in Hawaii. Buying and selling often unstable cryptocurrencies through companies legally in Hawaii will be limited for another two years, after state lawmakers failed to pass legislation aimed at licensing and regulating industry operators. Star-Advertiser.

A Year Of Embarrassing Scandal May Help Hawaii Finally Reform Campaign Finance. Any changes would have to be approved by lawmakers, but Democrats running for governor say they are serious about the issue. Civil Beat.

Kai Kahele’s run for Hawaii governor highlights financing from state. Public financing for Hawaii political campaigns again has become an issue this year with U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele announcing that he is now eligible for state campaign funds for his gubernatorial run by raising $100,000 through individual donations of $100 or less. Star-Advertiser.

Sharon Har faces complex House reelection bid. State Rep. Sharon Har could face voter backlash in the fallout from her 2021 drunken driving arrest and subsequent acquittal, or she might claim victory in the Aug. 13 Democratic primary to represent House District 42 if two strong challengers split the opposition vote against her. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Lawmaker Matt LoPresti Arrested On Suspicion Of Intoxicated Driving. LoPresti was arrested Thursday, a little more than a year after Rep. Sharon Har was also arrested for drunken driving. Civil Beat.

All-electric seaglider targeting Hawaii takeoff. REGENT and Pacific Current, a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Industries, announced today that they are developing a seaglider transportation network in Hawaii, with Mokulele Airlines earmarked to be their first partner for an anticipated launch in 2025. Star-Advertiser.

Pair of bills will help improve keiki hearing, vision screening statewide
. The Hawaiʻi Department of Health joined child health advocates as Gov. David Y. Ige signed HB 986 and HB 987, two bills to expand and improve keiki hearing and vision screening. Maui Now.

COVID-19 pandemic takes a toll on Hawaii’s population. To shed light on the pandemic’s adverse impacts across multiple dimensions beyond the direct effects of COVID-19 itself, the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization is debuting its first quarterly public health report. Star-Advertiser.

UH study: 23% of Hawai’i nurses are considering leaving workforce due to pandemic. The public impact research was conducted in late 2020 and published in the May issue of the The Hawaiʻi Journal of Health & Social Welfare. The survey was taken nearly one year after the pandemic first took its toll on healthcare providers in Hawaiʻi and around the world. Maui Now.

Oahu

Keith Kaneshiro Charges Detail Abuse Of Power, Bribery And Conspiracy. Honolulu’s former prosecuting attorney, a prominent businessman and other defendants pleaded not guilty Friday afternoon. Civil Beat. Associated Press. Hawaii News Now.

Pearl Harbor-Hickam gets $15 million for water projects. The money comes from an annual Department of Defense competitive funding program on the heels of the Red Hill water contamination crisis. Star-Advertiser.

Is Honolulu’s Chinatown On The Brink Of A Turnaround? Residents say new city programs and the dispersal of River of Life’s meal distributions are bringing peace and safety back to a historic neighborhood. Civil Beat.

Waikiki surf racks destroyed by flames last year to be removed. More than 500 boards went up in flames last October in a fire that caught the attention of many across Oahu’s south shore. It also damaged the side of the Moana Surfrider Hotel. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Group claiming ancestral heritage stands its ground. A group called Occupied Forces Hawaii Army remained encamped on private property above Hawaii Country Club in Kunia last week, with some members claiming ancestral heritage to the land. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu businesses shifting some office plans to match a hybrid workforce. Several major downtown Honolulu employers had just consolidated their headquarters when COVID-19 policies sent everyone to work from home. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island


Chief Ferreira to Retire From Hawai‘i Police Department. According to a letter from Police Chief Paul Ferreira to employees of the police department, which was provided to Big Island Now, the chief intends to retire this fall. Big Island Now.

Hu Honua Lobbyist Hosted Fundraiser For Senators Who Were Key To Energy Bill. The event benefited Hawaii Sens. Donovan Dela Cruz, Glenn Wakai, Michelle Kidani and Bennette Misalucha, who all voted in favor of the controversial bill. Civil Beat.

Roth’s first veto: Mayor rejects housing measure. Mayor Mitch Roth has exercised the first veto of his term by rejecting a bill its sponsors say expands the number of eligible programs that could be implemented with county housing funds. West Hawaii Today.

Nondomestic TRO requests up 67% since 2015, while domestic abuse orders down 25%. Between 2015 and 2021, there has been a 67% increase in requests for temporary restraining orders in nondomestic situations on Hawaii Island. Tribune-Herald.

‘They leave here more prepared’: U.S. Army holds artillery, aerial training at PTA. Roughly 2,000 troops from the 25th Infantry Division came to Pohakuloa Training Area earlier this month to train with drones, snipers, mortars, helicopters and other live-fire artillery. Tribune-Herald.

Expanding capacity: Bids sought for new classroom building for Kealakehe Elementary School. The Department of Education is looking for a contractor to construct the budgeted $13 million project, allowing for growth at the 53-year-old school in Kailua-Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Bill aims to help severely disabled veterans with property taxes. A Maui County Council member is proposing a bill that would amend the Maui County Code to help severely disabled veterans obtain a lower tax bill for their homes. Maui News.

Audit Turns Up Problems at Maui County Zoning Division. Employees lack confidence in planning director Michele McLean whom they see as “heavily politicized and unconcerned with staff welfare or input.” Civil Beat.

Concerns loom over outdoor lighting bill in Maui County. Maui County attorneys are concerned over the county’s ability to comply and enforce a proposed measure that aims to address light pollution and mitigate threats to native Hawaiian seabirds. Maui News.

Iwi kūpuna found at West Maui surf spot Puamana may find rest soon. What started as five bones turned into more than five boxes of bones found over the last several years at surf spot Puamana Beach Park in West Maui, according to Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner Keeaumoku Kapu. Maui Now.

Kauai

‘New normal’ drives up car-rental costs
. The price of rental cars on island has fallen from last summer’s peak but remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, as rental-car companies deal with a shortage of vehicles, supply-chain issues and labor costs. Garden Island.

Kauai Fire Department celebrates eight promotions. The KFD has 43 firefighters, 52 lifeguards, eight fire stations and 11 lifeguard towers. It covers more than 622 square miles for 71,000 residents and 29,000 visitors each day. Garden Island.


Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Grim pension fund news sends state government seeking more taxes, big payout for Kealoha despite FBI probe, state to appeal Thirty Meter Telescope ruling, PUC rejects Hawaii Electric $340M smart-grid plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Elephants at the Honolulu Zoo © 2017 All Hawaii News
Nonresidents 13 and older who visit the Honolulu Zoo will need to pay $2 more starting next year under a proposal by Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration. Star-Advertiser.

The shortfall in Hawaii’s public employees pension fund mushroomed to $12.44 billion in fiscal 2016, setting the stage for more finger-pointing in the Legislature and dealing a financial blow to taxpayers who will have to dig deep to pay for it. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers this year are eyeing the possibility of Hawaii joining 34 other states that are subject to an internet sales tax on purchases from online retailers such as Amazon.com. Pacific Business News.

State tax collections are below Council on Revenue projections this year and lawmakers are looking elsewhere to make up the difference. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state tax department needs extra security guards, armored car services and new surveillance equipment to prepare for a surge in cash payments to cover the taxes paid to the state for medical marijuana sales. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. was sent back to the drawing board on its $340 million smart-grid plan by state regulators. Star-Advertiser.

Food producers, service providers and consumers heard highlights Monday from a new report about Hawaii’s reliance on imported food. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

Although he’s the target of an ongoing federal corruption investigation, Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha is expected to receive a substantial cash payout as part of a retirement agreement being negotiated with the city. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha isn't just retiring under pressure. He's getting a hefty payout to walk away. Hawaii News Now.

Mainland police department eyes local recruits as HPD grapples with leadership change. KHON2.

The Oahu Community Correctional Center needs a new home and officials are looking closely at Aiea, as one of the options. KITV.

Park Hotels & Resorts Inc., the real estate investment trust recently spun off by Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., may develop a new hotel or time-share tower at the iconic Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, which is the largest in the Hilton chain of hotels and the biggest resort in Hawaii, Pacific Business News has learned.

The state agency overseeing Kakaako redevelopment has approved new rules for its parks, including areas that have frequently been the sites of homeless encampments. Civil Beat.

Programs that keep people from falling into homelessness and provide access to permanent housing top this year’s legislative priority list compiled by Partners in Care, a collaboration among 35 nonprofits, advocates and government agencies seeking to end homelessness on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.


Hawaii

The state will appeal a Hilo Circuit Court ruling that vacated its consent to the Thirty Meter Telescope’s sublease with the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

A Native Hawaiian educator said Mauna Kea is the realm of akua, or gods, while testifying against the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope on Monday. Tribune-Herald.

Three decades since it was first envisioned and four years after a new owner took over, a mixed-use development along Hina-Lani Street mauka of Kaloko Business Park is again moving forward. West Hawaii Today.

New Hawaii Police Chief Paul Ferreira used the occasion of a public oath reaffirmation ceremony Monday to deliver a brief State of the Department address. Tribune-Herald.

A standing-room-only crowd packed onto the mezzanine area of the South Hilo police station on Monday morning, to watch a new police chief and deputy chief take over as the heads of the Hawaii County Police Department. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The Matson Foundation has given the A Hui Hou Fund with a $100,000 grant to augment widespread community support for displaced sugar workers on Maui. Maui Now.

The number of rooftop solar permits issued for Maui, Molokai and Lanai dropped 47 percent in 2016 compared with the year earlier. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

There were 1,113 students on the first day census at Kauai Community College provided by the University of Hawaii Institutional Research. This represents a 2.6 percent gain over the spring 2016 semester of 1,085 students. Garden Island.

Two of three baby nene photographed grazing in lush grass alongside the Hanalei River last month were killed by cars as they attempted to cross a highway. Garden Island.

Hanapepe librarian Karen Ikemoto retires after 41 years of serving Kauai’s community. Garden Island.