Showing posts with label Tom Apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tom Apple. Show all posts

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Feds seek clues in monk seal death, rail work to come in over budget, man charged in scuba attack, state seeks to foreclose Pflueger property, big tax hikes on Oahu, Kauai, Abercrombie, Ige, reveal plans for state, UH Manoa chancellor Apple gets walking papers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands



NOAA courtesy photo
Kauai monk seal mom with pup prior to dog attack, courtesy NOAA
Federal and state officials have initiated an investigation and are asking for the public’s help on information on a deadly attack on an endangered monk seal on Kauai. David Schofield, NOAA’s Marine Mammal Health and Response coordinator, said this is believed to be the first monk seal killed by a dog in the main Hawaiian Islands. Star-Advertiser.

RK28, a local Hawaiian monk seal, spent all of Tuesday desperately scouring the beach and nearshore waters for her two-week-old pup. Garden Island.

The latest roundup of gubernatorial elections throughout the country by respected political expert Larry Sabato has put Hawaii’s governor’s race in the “toss up” category. Civil Beat.

State Sen. David Ige said his first priority if he is elected governor would be to submit a balanced budget and collect $450 million in unpaid taxes. Gov. Neil Abercrombie wants to prioritize affordable housing and smart growth. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state Sen. David Ige on Wednesday discussed in more detail what they would do if elected governor, while also throwing a few gibes at each other in what is becoming a tight Democratic primary. Star-Advertiser.

The day after their last two candidate debates, Neil Abercrombie and David Ige released their respective plans for the state, should one of them be favored by voters to be governor for the next four years. Civil Beat.

Rivals in the Democrat primary for governor, Neil Abercrombie and David Ige revealed dueling plans for the State just hours apart. Abercrombie calls his "Charting Tomorrow: A plan for a brighter future in Hawaii." Ige's is titled "David Ige's Action Plan: Engineering Hawaii's Future" or, as he put it, " what an Ige administration would look like if elected Governor." Hawaii News Now.

As longtime Democrats, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Sen. David Ige largely share the same vision when it comes to things like public worker pay raises, transportation and agriculture. KITV4.

The Democratic candidates for governor revealed their action plans Wednesday, giving Hawaii voters more insight into their strategies. Both candidates are confident and committed to their plans and believe it’s more than just a campaign document. KHON2.

A new day in environmental protection? Analyzing the success of the governor's A New Day in Hawaii plan promise to protect Hawaii’s environment and resources. Hawaii Independent.

They are the children of Baby Boomers and the next generation of political leaders in Hawai’i.   They have the potential of being a powerful political force in the state if they get involved, run for office and vote. Hawaii Public Radio.

George Takei, the actor in the original Star Trek movies who played the beloved character, Hikaru Sulu, and has made his mark on the Hollywood scene with the saying "Oh my!" has joined a growing list of celebrities, politicians and activists endorsing Hawaii's Democratic candidates in advance of Hawaii's Aug. 9 Primary Election. Hawaii Reporter.

For the first time, the public is privy to the annual financial disclosure reports filed by members of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau has amassed the largest number of social media followers among U.S. state tourism boards, according to a report by Skift, a travel intelligence company. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Oahu homeowners hit with huge jumps in their property-tax bills continue to lash out at the way the city calculated the amounts. Some absentee owners of the island's most expensive residences are facing an annual tab approaching or topping $100,000. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii President David Lassner handed UH Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple a termination notice late Wednesday afternoon, Apple announced Wednesday night, saying "I have been forced out as chancellor of UH Manoa." Hawaii News Now.

Tom Apple has been dismissed as chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, his attorney, Big Island lawyer Jerry Hiatt, said Monday night. He was offered a tenured faculty position at the UH medical school for an 11-month salary of $299,000. The university is also offering him a total lump sum payment of $100,000, including attorney’s fees. Civil Beat.

University of Hawaii at Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple says he was forced out as head of the UH system's flagship campus Wednesday, two years into his five-year appointment. Apple said he was removed "for alleged unsatisfactory performance" in his job. Star-Advertiser.

Will New Honolulu City Council Members Smooth Friction with Mayor Caldwell? Council Chair Ernie Martin is clearly the mayor's nemesis. But the Council as a whole frequently clashes with Caldwell. Soon it will have at least two new members. Civil Beat.

Construction bids for the first nine stations of Honolulu’s $5.16 billion elevated-rail project are likely to come in higher than originally anticipated and could cause the agency to dip into its contingency fund, Dan Grabauskas, executive director and CEO of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation told Pacific Business News.

Now that rail is becoming a reality many we spoke with have no idea where the route actually goes so we will show you the last seven stops in the more dense city center section starting here in Kapalama where 30 feet up will be a transit station. Hawaii News Now.

U.S. State Department Special Agent Christopher Deedy doesn't want the jurors in his murder retrial to have the option to find him guilty of manslaughter, and his testimony in state court Wednesday emphasized that. Star-Advertiser.

The Public Charter School Commission approved a new financial plan for Halau Lokahi Charter School on Wednesday, paving the way for the school to reopen on Aug. 14. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Lovell charged with misdemeanor for May scuba attack off Kona coast West Hawaii Today.

The state Department of Transportation is making completion of Saddle Road improvements a priority as it maps out projects to finish during the next four years with its share of federal funds. Tribune-Herald.

After several years of making do with old, high-mileage cars, the county administration stepped up its purchase of passenger vehicles this past fiscal year. West Hawaii Today

Maui

South Maui Challengers Align on Environmental Issues. Kihei Community Association membership gives new candidates the floor. Maui Weekly.

Kauai

State seeks foreclosure on Pflueger property. The state wants to ensure it will get the $4 million in interest and fines it assessed James Pflueger for damages caused by a mudslide that covered the Pilaa reef in 2001. Garden Island.

It has been over a week and a half since the County of Kauai sent out property tax bills to the owners of 33,370 individual properties on the island. And for most of that time, some Kauai County Councilmembers have said an influx of emails and phone calls have been coming in — on the other end, in many cases, are disgruntled property owners who have seen noticeable increases on their tax bills. Garden Island.

Three candidates vying for Kauai's 15th House District seat have varying views on the controversial issue of county oversight of the use of pesticides and growth of genetically engineered crops by large agribusinesses. Star-Advertiser.

Molokai

Picture this: a higher learning education center with a spacious auditorium, high-tech computer labs, larger classrooms and a grassy campus pavilion right here on Molokai. This long-awaited dream may become a reality for UH Maui College, Molokai now that the college has completed its Long-Range Development Plan. Molokai Dispatch.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Final Democratic gubernatorial debate highlights Abercrombie, Ige similarities, Hee sole candidate at Lt. Gov. forum, Kauai dog kills monk seal pup, Maui council mulls polystyrene ban, Hilo and Kona now asteroids, RIMPAC wrapping up, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy U.S. National Park Service
Silverswords on Haleakala, Maui, courtesy National Park Service



Haleakala National Park on Maui is reporting an unusual abundance of silverswords currently in bloom. The rare ahinahina, found nowhere else in the world, is flowering atop the summit at the Kala­haku Overlook as well as along 4- to 6-mile hikes into the summit basin along the Sliding Sands Trail. Star-Advertiser.

In their final face-to-face encounters before the Democratic primary, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state Sen. David Ige on Tuesday quarreled over taxes, preschool and leadership style but did not identify any new policy differences that might help voters choose between them. Star-Advertiser.

At the final two forums before the Aug. 9 primary, the governor and senator discuss senior issues, preschools and highways in the morning event. In the nightcap, things get more personal. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's Democratic candidates for governor told voters on Tuesday how they would improve health care, the economy and quality of life for seniors. Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state Sen. David Ige also compared leadership styles in a forum hosted by AARP on Hawaii's Big Island. Associated Press.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Neil Abercrombie and David Ige tackled airports, business issues, harbors and other topics at a forum in Kailua-Kona Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

The top two Hawaii Democrats running for governor squared off Tuesday morning for an hourlong debate focusing on several key issues affecting the state’s rapidly growing elderly population. West Hawaii Today.

State Sen. Clayton Hee showed up at a candidate forum in Kailua-Kona Tuesday. Turns out he was the only candidate running for lieutenant governor who accepted the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce’s invitation. Civil Beat.

When Shan Tsutsui became the first-ever Hawaii Lieutenant Governor to open a neighbor island satellite office, his initial funding request was for $317,000. But since then, the costs have more than doubled to nearly $700,000. Hawaii News Now.

U.S. Senate Race: Who Can Save Hawaii’s Middle Class? U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa discuss how to make life more affordable in one of the most expensive places in the country. Solutions are elusive, they say, but job creation, energy efficiencies and food production top the list. Civil Beat.

The Congressional District One race has 7 Democrats vying for the party’s nomination. The top three campaign money-raisers in the last month before the Primary Election are making a final push for victory on August 9th. Hawaii Public Radio.

Japan has been practicing storming beaches with the U.S. and other countries in Hawaii this month. The amphibious landing exercises, which are relatively new to Japan's military, come as Tokyo tries to boost its ability to defend small islands it controls but China claims as its own. Associated Press.

Rim of the Pacific war games are wrapping up with dozens of ships heading back to Pearl Harbor on Wednesday and Thursday after spending several weeks at sea working on interoperability in an increasingly interconnected Asia-Pacific region. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Connector, a federally mandated insurance marketplace, is losing money. A temporary funding plan went into effect this month, but once that money runs out, lawmakers will need to settle on a long-term fix that officials characterize as a choice between propping up a failing system at the expense of taxpayers, or turning control over to federal authorities at the risk of unravelling the state's comprehensive Prepaid Health Care Act. Associated Press.

This year, for the first time, Hawaii state law will require students to receive a minimum number of instructional hours. Tribune-Herald.

A recent rash of resignations from state boards prompted by a new financial disclosure law has Gov. Neil Abercrombie scrambling to make replacements. But no board has been hit harder than the Land Use Commission, which can’t even conduct business, leaving developers and other petitioners hanging. Civil Beat.

Hawaii foster parents this month received their first pay raise since 1990, but the increase is far from enough for those who filed a class-action lawsuit claiming foster parents are underpaid. Star-Advertiser.

Tropical Depression Genevieve is expected to intensify into a tropical storm Wednesday and may bring muggy weather and rains to the state Friday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

How are Oahu officials trying to prevent elections fraud and other errors? Elections officials have a brand new, $200,000 machine to help count the record number of absentee ballots already mailed out this election season. KHON2.

University of Hawaii President David Lassner apologized Tuesday that a reported attempt by him to remove UH-Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple has become "a public spectacle." Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Chancellor Apple's removal after only two years on the job is a reflection of political in-fighting and dysfunction within the university, not on the performance of his duties. Hawaii Independent.

Commentary: The budget meltdown and administrative shakeup at the University of Hawaii’s Manoa campus have been very much in the news, but I doubt  most people understand just how delicate — to use a polite euphemism — the immediate situation is in the wake of Chancellor Tom Apple’s imposition of an indefinite hiring freeze and the subsequent swirling rumors of his likely administrative demise. Civil Beat.

The recent sale of Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikiki's largest shopping complex, totaled $696.5 million, according to Hawaii Information Service. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hilo and Kona are not just towns on Hawaii Island. They’re also two asteroids in the night sky, thanks to recent action by amateur astronomers at observatories in Germany and the Canary Islands. West Hawaii Today.

Dozens of absentee ballots have been replaced on the Big Island because humid weather is causing return envelopes to become glued shut before voters can place their ballots inside. KITV4.

The Big Island’s Camp Kilohana will get a share of a $1.25 million state capital improvement grant to the Girl Scouts of Hawaii for wastewater systems improvement. Tribune-Herald.

Contractors will begin work Monday on the final phase of the Mamalahoa Highway bypass. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Big and small businesses say that a bill restricting polystyrene disposable food containers in Maui County will increase costs for them and for their customers and has another major flaw - there currently is no facility on Maui that can recycle the alternative food containers. Maui News.

The University of Hawaii Maui College recently received $3.5 million in state funds to begin building Hawaii's first training hotel for hospitality students. Pacific Business News.

County landfills will close a little earlier daily and shut down on all holidays, and trash pickups on holidays will be nixed with no makeup of the lost service beginning Friday, according to the county Department of Environmental Management. Maui News.

A discussion about possible sites for a new Maui County service center Tuesday brought frustration for some council members when they learned that property being eyed for the center might alter plans for the site of the Old Wailuku Post Office. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Elections Division and the Kauai Police Department said they are investigating a recently reported case of voter fraud. Garden Island.

Absentee ballot fraud incident has Kauai police, elections officials on alert. Hawaii Reporter.

A two-week old Hawaiian monk seal pup was found dead Tuesday morning on Kauai from an apparent dog attack, an official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. Garden Island.

A California family is suing the Marriott for a falling headboard. Bonnie and Walter Hagmaier and their minor daughter Savannah, residents of California, were staying in a unit at Marriott’s Kauai Beach Club on July 27, 2012. As Bonnie and Savannah slept in the same bed of the unit, a large wooden headboard fell onto the bed and struck them, the suit said. Garden Island.

The development company suing a proposed dairy to prevent it from being built said it’s not backing off the suit despite the dairy’s scaled down plans. Garden Island.

Kauai County Councilman Gary Hooser said he is not one to shy away from asking for help and reaching across the aisle to state lawmakers and county officials. Garden Island.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Hawaii Republicans outnumbered but optimistic, UH Manoa chancellor Apple fights to keep job, early walk-in voting begins, reports from the campaign trail, more top government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2014 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
James "Duke" Aiona ©2014 All Hawaii News
Republican candidate James “Duke” Aiona lost by 17 percentage points to Democratic Gov. Neil Abercrombie in Hawaii’s last gubernatorial election. It’s never been easy for a Republican to win a statewide office in Hawaii, but Aiona’s supporters say the odds are much better this year. Civil Beat.

Republican Charles Djou, the onetime U.S. House member, raised $48,925 during the July 1-20 period, more than any other candidate in the  Hawaii 1st Congressional District race, including the seven Demo­crats seeking the job, and has more money available than any of them. Star-Advertiser.

The seven Democrats campaigning to represent urban Oahu in Congress for the next two years have a lot in common when it comes to social issues. Civil Beat.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been about 30 inmates who walked away from the work furlough program statewide, that's more than all of last year. Hawaii News Now.

A local artist is carrying out the last wish of the late Department of Health Director Loretta Fuddy. KITV4.

State roundup for July 29. Associated Press.

Oahu

Embattled University of Hawaii at Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple says he wants to continue working to improve accessibility for students and turn around budget troubles at UH's flagship campus despite an attempt to remove him from Manoa's top post Star-Advertiser.

As reports surface that University of Hawaii at Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple is getting the boot, professors and students are starting to speculate whether inside politics and disputes over the campus’s budget are at play. Civil Beat.

Tom Apple is still the chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, according to a University of Hawaii spokeswoman and an attorney hired by Apple, refuting multiple news reports of his imminent departure. Pacific Business News.

Supporters of Tom Apple are coming to his defense, saying he should not be ousted as Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. The head of the faculty union UHPA, J.N. Musto, said Apple was given notice by UH President David Lassner that Apple will be replaced. KHON2.

Nearly 1,000 voters cast ballots Monday on Oahu as walk-in absentee polling sites opened. Star-Advertiser.

Walk-in Absentee and Early Voting started today at two sites on Oahu. Hawaii Public Radio.

Speeding cars, pedestrian fatalities and crime are top concerns for Honolulu City Council candidates in the race to represent District 8, the heavily suburban area of central Oahu where housing developments and strip malls proliferate. Civil Beat.

It's a breathtaking view from the pillboxes at Lanikai. But is it safe with people standing on top of it and the giant block of concrete is deteriorating? Hawaii News Now.

Starting in late August or early September, those traveling past the storefronts and homes lining the busy east-west corridor from Kapa­hulu Avenue to the H-1 freeway will find new designated bike lanes and "sharrows" — painted arrows along the street shoulder for bicyclists to share the road. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

PAC mismailing baffles council candidates. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Council candidate RJ Hampton berated primary election opponent Tiffany Edwards-Hunt during a candidate forum organized by the Puna Pono Alliance on Saturday night, before she herself stormed out of the event. Big Island Video News.

A site dedication ceremony for the Thirty Meter Telescope will be held in October, the TMT International Observatory Board of Directors confirmed today. Tribune-Herald.

Canadian businessman Stephen Petasky plans to transform a roughly 5.5-acre vacant lot at the Mauna Lani Resort into a luxury residential community that seamlessly unites modern technology and style with traditional Hawaiian culture and beauty. West Hawaii Today.

Volunteers lead charge to renovate Kaipalaoa Landing. Tribune-Herald.

Opinion: ‘Ban’ on Trucking Rubbish to West Hawaii is a Myth. Big Island Now.

Maui

Two Filipino leaders will share their experiences Tuesday evening of organizing and empowering communities to take control of their health, workplace and food systems, according to an announcement. Maui News.

A Maui County Council committee will take up a bill this afternoon to ban polystyrene food containers, a measure similar to a plastic grocery bag ban that took effect in 2011. Maui News.

Governor Neil Abercrombie announced the release of $3.5 million for renovations at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College. Maui Now.
Kauai

Over the next two weeks, county voters will make their voices heard by either visiting one of the 16 designated polling locations to cast their ballots on Aug. 9 or sending in their absentee ballots through the mail. Garden Island.

Mason Chock admits that he is not one of the more vocal member on the Kauai County Council. But there’s a method to it. Garden Island.