Showing posts with label biotech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biotech. Show all posts

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Special report: 7 Hawaii media takes on 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on GMO

Katja Jordan King
Kauai anti-GMO rally, courtesy Katja Jordan King
Biotech companies operating in Hawaii scored a major victory Friday when a federal appeals court threw out ordinances on Kauai, Hawaii island and Maui that banned or restricted the cultivation of genetically modified crops and sought greater regulation over pesticides. Star-Advertiser.

Monsanto, Syngenta and other seed companies that farm in Hawaii won a significant victory after a federal appeals court ruled that counties can’t regulate pesticides or genetically modified crops. Civil Beat.

A federal judge has ruled that three Hawaii counties can't enact their own bans or regulations on genetically modified crops and pesticides, handing a victory to the major agriculture companies that fought the regulations. Associated Press.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday ruled that three Hawaii counties cannot regulate genetically modified crops or pesticides. Pacific Business News.

A partial ban on growing genetically modified crops in Hawaii County will remain invalid following a ruling Friday in the U.S. Court of Appeals. Tribune-Herald.

A federal appeals court has sided with supporters of GMO, or genetically modified organisms, by affirming an earlier district court ruling in their favor. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii counties and cities don’t have the authority to regulate genetically engineered crops and pesticide use, according to a decision handed down Friday from the U.S. Court of Appeals. Garden Island.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Federal court hears GMO arguments, Honolulu ethics chief steps down, cesspool tax credit unpopular, Kauai council kills county manager plan, Ige asks courts to allow Maui hospitals room to breathe, one ballot initiative survives Hawaii County Council, residency complaint in Maui council race, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy federal court system
Screenshot of GMO hearings in U.S. District Court in Honolulu
A federal appeals court is weighing whether Hawaii counties have the right to regulate genetically modified crops and impose restrictions on how farmers apply pesticides. Three California-based judges flew to Honolulu to hear oral arguments Wednesday in a string of cases involving regulations on genetically engineered agriculture in Kauai County, Hawaii County and Maui County. Civil Beat.


Observers packed a federal courtroom in downtown Honolulu on Wednesday to watch attorneys for several of the world’s agricultural giants and opponents of genetically engineered farming battle over three county laws that target GMO crops and pesticide use. Star-Advertiser.

The fight over regulating genetically engineered crops in three Hawaii counties was back in a federal courtroom Wednesday as some agricultural giants look to protect their farms from bans against modified food. Associated Press.


Fern Rosenstiel said Wednesday’s 9th Circuit Court of Appeals hearing has been a long time coming. That’s because the federal appellate court heard three cases dealing with pesticide labeling and GMO laws created by Hawaii, Maui and Kauai counties. Garden Island.

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State efforts to phase out use of cesspools and encourage use of other wastewater systems are off to a slow start. A statewide ban on new cesspool construction began in March, two months after a law providing tax credits to help homeowners upgrade cesspools to a septic system or an aerobic tank system went into effect. Tribune-Herald.

The U. S. House of Representatives has approved an amendment to the Department of Defense 2017 appropriations bill that would provide $5 million to “initiate planning and design for a new ballistic missile defense radar in Hawaii,” Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said in a press release Wednesday. Civil Beat.

The embattled head of electrical workers union faces new allegations that he oversaw an improper union vote that doubled dues for hundreds of Hawaii union members. Hawaii News Now.

Scientists believe they found two new species of colorful reef fish and for the first time collected a male Hawaiian pigfish during a 25-day expedition to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Star-Advertiser.

Researchers in Hawaii have discovered three probable new species of fish while on an expedition in the protected waters of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Associated Press.


Oahu

Chuck Totto’s decision Wednesday to step down under duress as the city’s longtime ethics director ends a years-long saga of his butting heads with Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration, Caldwell’s recently appointed city Ethics Commission members, and even members of Totto’s own staff. Star-Advertiser.

The longtime executive director of the city agency responsible for ethics enforcement resigned Wednesday. Civil Beat.

The embattled executive director of the Honolulu Ethics Commission, Chuck Totto, has resigned, effective immediately. Totto had led the commission since April 2000. Hawaii News Now.

After more than 16 years, the head of the Honolulu Ethics Commission has resigned. KHON2.

Honolulu Mayor Candidate Profiles: Kirk Caldwell. Hawaii Public Radio.

A desire to kick Kirk Caldwell out of office brought three top Hawaii Democrats together Wednesday at a press conference to voice their support for Charles Djou for mayor. Civil Beat.

Since November, the city has purchased and gutted a former private school in Makiki and plans to open it early next year as the first project of its kind in which the city will serve as landlord to as many as 75 low-income and homeless people. Star-Advertiser.

Howard Higa, president of The Cab taxi company, said Wednesday he has had enough of Hawaii politicians dillydallying when it comes to the regulation of app-based ride-hailing companies Lyft and Uber. Civil Beat.

Biotech startup Cardax Inc., seeking additional capital as losses mount, has increased the pay of two of its top officers who previously had seen their compensation reduced to minimum wage of $8.50 an hour. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii businessman Duane Kurisu to partner with city, state on homeless housing project. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A charter amendment giving the County Council more control over department heads is unlikely to make it to the Nov. 8 ballot, following its postponement Wednesday in the face of scattered opposition and several proposed changes. West Hawaii Today.

Petitioners say the Thirty Meter Telescope, as well as the newly incorporated PUEO group, should not be allowed to intervene in the upcoming contested case hearing. Big Island Video News.

Persistent questioning Wednesday by County Council members eventually arrived at the cost of perks a developer is seeking to build affordable housing and a senior care facility on Hualalai Road: $1.8 million. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

For now, Maui Memorial Medical Center and its staff continue to cover shortages and to deal with uncertainties created by a federal appeals court injunction halting the operational transition of the public hospital to the private Kaiser Permanente, but the hospital's CEO warned that those efforts cannot be sustained for long and "will fall apart." Maui News.

The Maui Planning Commission approved plans Tuesday for a hybrid seawall and rock revetment fronting the Hololani Resort, where residents, like many of their neighbors, fear for the safety of their homes perched precariously on the West Maui shore. Maui News.

The Maui County clerk's office is investigating a complaint about the residency qualification for Maui County Council candidate Alan Kaufman, an Upcountry veterinarian. Maui News.

South Maui Rep. Kaniela Ing's announcement of his endorsement by the Sierra Club of Hawaii has led to a political tit-for-tat with his Democratic primary opponent, Deidre Tegarden. Maui News.

The Maui Police Department advises motorists that the speed limit between has been temporarily reduced on the Mokulele Highway between the Maui Humane Society animal shelter and North Kīhei Road. Maui Now.

Kauai

Arguing that a council-manager form of government would not solve the county’s problems, the Kauai County Council unanimously voted Wednesday to kill a resolution that would have let the people decide. Garden Island.

Four council members voted to approve a bill that allows additional dwelling units to be built on ag land. Bill No. 2601 amends the county code relating to ADU’s by removing the deadline for those units to be built. Per the code, ADUs had to be built by 2024. Garden Island.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Prominent people seek marijuana licenses, lawmakers block biotech correspondence, $1.7B tech tax credits run amok, teachers' ethics compromise planned, Big Island biotech to fuel power-hungry Oahu, $10M donated for Punahou scholarships, federal funds for false killer whale study, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

used with permission under Wiki Commons
Discount Medical Marijuana cannabis shop in Denver, courtesy O'Dea
Big-name entrepreneurs, high-profile attorneys and former politicians are positioning themselves to compete for one of the eight licenses the state will issue next year to begin selling medical marijuana legally in Hawaii for the first time. Nearly 30 new business registrations include “marijuana,” “cannabis,” “pakalolo” and “weed” in their names, many of them filed with the state since the enactment of the law authorizing the establishment of pot dispensaries. Many are associated with well-known business personalities. Star-Advertiser.

Two Hawaii lawmakers have rejected a request from a nonprofit organization seeking correspondence between the legislators and biotech companies or groups representing their interests. The Hawaii Center for Food Safety asked five lawmakers to share all their communications with seed companies such as Monsanto — as well as organizations representing them — regarding genetically engineered crops and bills related to buffer zones and pesticide use. Civil Beat.

Special state tax credits lawmakers approved almost 15 years ago to spur growth in Hawaii’s technology sector could eventually cost the state up to $1.7 billion in lost tax collections, or more than twice the amount the state previously estimated, according to the Hawaii state auditor. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. CEO and President Alan Oshima would like to puncture a dream once and for all: This state shouldn’t expect cheap electricity. It could become less expensive, eventually, but it won’t be cheap. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Gas’ $300 million plan to ship in liquefied natural gas in bulk amounts to the Islands could save the state in excess of $2 billion over a 15-year period from the beginning of 2019 through the end of 2033, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

A Board of Education committee has come up with a possible solution to the ethical dilemma posed by public school teachers traveling free as chaperones on field trips they organize with tour companies. Star-Advertiser.

Bruce Anderson, a well-known Hawaii leader in environmental protection, has been selected to be administrator of the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources. West Hawaii Today.

A new federal funding source for false killer whale research will allow researchers to dive deeper into their understanding of the elusive marine species. Last week, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, in partnership with Hawaii Pacific University and the Olympia, Wash.-based Cascadia Research Collective, received nearly $1.2 million in grant funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association fisheries division to support further conservation and research relating to the whales. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

The biggest construction and renovation projects at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific since 1966 have the Department of Veterans Affairs warning visitors to Punchbowl that things will be bumpy — and noisy and somewhat unsightly — for some time at the usually serene cemetery. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Planning Commission voted last week to recommend approval of a city proposal to rezone about 282 acres in Waipahu to make way for mixed-use communities around the area’s two rail stations. Star-Advertiser.

Here’s What Homeless People Have to Do to Get Their Property Back. When belongings are confiscated instead of trashed, Honolulu’s retrieval process is too expensive and cumbersome for many. Civil Beat.

The Sierra Club of Hawaii has expressed “extreme disappointment” in Governor Ige, the U.S. Navy, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for agreeing to a settlement that the nonprofit says does not do nearly enough to protect Oahu’s drinking water from the massive, “historically leaky” fuel storage tanks beneath Red Hill. Hawaii Independent.

Punahou School announced Sunday that it has received a $10 million gift from an anonymous donor and alumnus that will have a multiplier effect on its student financial aid program. The gift represents one of the most significant philanthropic contributions in the school’s history, and by far the largest ever made outside of a capital campaign. KHON2.

An unprecedented $10 million gift to Punahou School is expected to help 150 more families over the next five years afford an education at the state’s largest single-campus private school, and advance Punahou’s long-standing goal to increase access for qualified students. Star-Advertiser

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has plans to install protective fencing on a hillside just below the popular Lanikai 'Pillbox' trail. KITV4.

Hawaii

New liquor license fees to be considered Tuesday by the Hawaii County Council Finance Committee will usher in new opportunities for county businesses, officials say. West Hawaii Today.

Work will begin Monday to restore Cemetery Road in Pahoa, a large portion of which less than a year ago was covered by lava. Tribune-Herald.

A renewable energy project in South Kohala is catching its second wind with a new operator. Lalamilo Wind Co. LLC is building five wind turbines at the former Lalamilo Wind Farm near Puako, which Hawaii Electric Light Co. decommissioned in 2010 after operating for 25 years. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has approved a contract between Hawaiian Electric Co. and Pacific Biodiesel Technologies to supply biodiesel for Oahu power generators. West Hawaii Today.

VIDEO PRESENTATION: Ka’u Coffee Economic & Risk Analysis. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui is down to only a handful of agricultural inspectors a day - the frontline defense against new invasive species arrivals such as the little fire ant and coqui frogs - and there does not appear to be any relief in sight with a deadly fungus rapidly killing Big Island ohia trees. Maui News.

Former Maui Film Commissioner Harry Donenfeld's termination from his job nearly two years ago went unexplained publicly at the time, but in a recent interview Mayor Alan Arakawa disclosed that Donenfeld was fired because "he wasn't coming to work, period." Maui News.

Road work begins today, Monday, Oct. 5, in the Summit District of Haleakalā National Park. Maui Now.

The mayor's South Maui budget meeting that was canceled due to a tsunami advisory Sept. 16 has been rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Kihei Community Center. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai’s Hilo Hattie store isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Even though the company is downsizing and relocating its flagship store on Oahu, company officials say the original Kauai branch will stay right where it is. Garden Island.

The newest store in the Longs chain on Kauai was blessed and dedicated Sunday morning before a handful of customers. Garden Island.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Tulsi reveals future husband, failed preschool ballot measure resurrected as Senate bill, Kauai tour boat strikes humpback whale, Edward Snowden speech a hit, religious groups at national parks, Honolulu stables in uproar, 3 in running for Maui House seat, more government and politics news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2015 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hawaii hotel pool party © 2015 All Hawaii News
Hawaii's hotel industry finished 2014 with a new total hotel revenue record of $5.4 billion. The statewide hotel industry had the nation's second-highest average daily room rate. While Hawaii's 2014 occupancy rate only grew 0.05 percent year-over-year to 77 percent, it ranked fifth best in the nation behind New York, San Francisco/ San Mateo, Los Angeles/ Long Beach and the Miami/Hia­leah markets. Star-Advertiser.

Tulsi Gabbard has broken her silence on who she will be tying the knot with. The 33-year-old congress woman will marry 26-year-old Abraham Williams. Williams is a cinematographer and has known Gabbard since before they started dating in April. Hawaii News Now.

Things to watch at state Legislature this week. Associated Press.

Edward Snowden, the NSA whistleblower on the run, spoke at ACLU Hawaii’s First Amendment Conference live Saturday, via a video link from Moscow, Russia. Civil Beat.

Lisa Wong was impressed Saturday by National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden, who appeared live in Hawaii via a video link from Moscow. Wong was among some 800 attendees at the sold-out Davis Levin First Amendment Conference at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Star-Advertiser.

A bill to establish a statewide pre-kindergarten program -- a program that failed on the ballot in 2014 -- passed through the Senate Committee on Education on Friday afternoon. Senate Bill 844 would set up a $33 million program to establish pre-K offerings at public and charter schools that would be administered by the Executive Office on Early Learning. Civil Beat.

Researchers at a biotech company co-founded by a medical student from Hawaii have taken human fetal kidneys that would have been discarded and transplanted them into rats, where they thrived. Their ultimate goal is to grow such organs in animals and make them available to children and adults who need lifesaving transplants but can't get them because of the shortage of donated organs. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would that would waive college tuition for high school students in dual credit programs was approved by the Senate Committee on Education on Friday afternoon. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii State Senate has hired Jill Kuramoto to be its new communications director. Kuramoto, who replaces Thelma Dreyer, starts the job Feb. 23. Civil Beat.

Is Carleton Ching the Man to Protect Hawaii’s Public Lands? Important issues are ahead for the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and some of them are likely to involve the company that currently employs the nominee to head the agency. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Medical Service Association, Blue Zones LLC, and Healthways, Inc. selected three Hawaii communities on the Big Island and Oahu as the state's first Blue Zones project demonstration communities. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The statewide board of doctors in charge of reviewing driver's license applications for disabled and elderly drivers has been unable to fill four of its five seats, preventing more than 100 would-be drivers on Oahu from getting their licenses for the last six months. Star-Advertiser.

Where does state Rep. Calvin Say actually live? It’s a question that’s been debated for years, both informally among concerned citizens and formally before judges and county boards in Honolulu. Now there’s a new effort underway — believed to be the first of its kind in Hawaii — to settle the matter. Civil Beat.

New pact will guide use of city stables. A horse enthusiast who runs a concession fears for the future of the equestrian center. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A Jehovah’s Witness group is taking its message to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, leaving at least one regular park-goer dissatisfied with park policy. West Hawaii Today.

A number of smaller film projects continue to take advantage of Hawaii Island’s world-class vistas and renowned hospitality. A total of 68 productions received Hawaii County film permits and reported $8.7 million in expenditures here in 2014, according to Hawaii County Film Commissioner Ilihia Gionson. Tribune-Herald.

Cindy Evans, D-North Kona, Kohala, has introduced a bill that would appropriate $200,000 for lifeguarding services at the increasingly popular and often dangerous North Kona beach. West Hawaii Today.

Big Island lawmakers are hopeful a renewed push to establish medical marijuana dispensaries will clear the hurdles this time around. West Hawaii Today.

Isle coffee farmers raising tiny bugs to attack pesky coffee borer beetle. West Hawaii Today.

The state’s largest health insurer announced the start of a new effort Friday to improve the health of East and North Hawaii residents. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
The Maui County Democratic Party’s Council Nominating Committee today narrowed the list of candidates for the vacant District 13 House seat to three finalists today. The finalists include Lori Buchanan of Molokaʻi, Lynn DeCoite of Molokai, and Lucienne De Naie of Huelo on Maui. Maui Now.

Three candidates touted their experience in infrastructure, farming and community work as they were nominated Saturday to replace District 13 state Rep. Mele Carroll. Maui News.

Babes Against Biotech is urging Maui Democrats not to select a local farmer for Mele Carroll’s vacant seat in the Hawaii House of Representatives. The anti-GMO group posted on its Facebook page Friday a plea to the party’s District 13 selection committee tasked with selecting three candidates to replace Carroll, who resigned Feb. 1 for health reasons. Civil Beat.

Lack of permits and licenses could mean the end for Loiloa. Maui News.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday accepted and approved a hearing officer's report that recommended withdrawing several parcels of land from state forest reserves on Maui, including nearly 400 acres owned by Hana Ranch. Maui News.

Hui O Na Wai Eha members staged a rally Friday afternoon at the Wailuku Stream Bridge to protest what the group's vice president said has been a failure to comply with or to enforce last year's mediated settlement to return diverted water to the stream. Maui News.

The Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui has completed a three-year, $70 million renovation project to create a "luxurious vacation experience for guests" of the 22-acre Wailea resort. Maui News.

Kauai

Major changes including a new visitor center could be on the horizon for the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. On Thursday, the refuge released its Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan which details its vision for the area and potential management priorities for the next 15 years. Garden Island.

A boat struck an adult humpback whale Thursday morning along Kauai’s South Shore while heading out on a snorkeling tour. Garden Island.

Five new positions in the Kauai Fire Department’s Ocean Safety Bureau allowed for several promotions within the department. Garden Island.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Judge bans state aerial hunting, Hawaii council OKs GMO appeal, Kauai kills biotech land tax, super PAC fined for campaign violations, Aloha United Way cleared in no-bid state-run giving program, Hawaiian Home Lands telecom contractor indicted, Honolulu Police commission bows out of police chief probe, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2014 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Feral goats, sheep, graze on Mauna Loa © 2014 All Hawaii News
A judge Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit that sought to exempt state employees and contractors from county and state laws banning aerial hunting. The ruling by Hilo Circuit Judge Glenn Hara thwarts state plans, at least for now, to conduct aerial hunting of feral ungulates such as sheep, goats, swine, cattle and axis deer beyond critical habitat of the native palila bird on Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Carpenters Market Recovery Program Fund, a partnership of the Hawaii Carpenters Union and trade contractors also known as the Pacific Resource Partnership, has been fined $3,100 over campaign activities supporting a ballot initiative and two county council races in the last election. Campaign Spending commissioners voted 4-0 on Wednesday to accept the fines rather than send the complaint to the city prosecutor. Star-Advertiser.

The state Ethics Commission on Wednesday rebuffed a staff recommendation to advise Gov. David Ige to consider replacing Aloha United Way as the state's workplace giving program with a combined state-run campaign. Star-Advertiser.

A federal indictment alleges the president of Sandwich Isles Communications Inc. telecommunications company that serves Hawaiian home lands residents siphoned off $4 million of the corporation's money for a decade to pay for personal expenses, including $92,000 in massages, a $1.3 million house and $1.3 million in false wages for his wife and three children. Star-Advertiser.

A company that receives heavy federal government subsidies paid more than $4 million for its founder's personal expenses, a new indictment alleges. Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii Athletics Department has faced a series of fiscal and staffing troubles in recent months, leading legislators, administrators and regents to debate the future of the state’s only athletic program. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

Before taking action on allegations of police misconduct, the Honolulu Police Commission will wait until the conclusion of a possible FBI probe into the Honolulu Police Department's handling of a federal case involving police Chief Louis Kealoha's stolen mailbox, commission Chairman Ron Taketa said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Commission will not launch its own investigation into Police Chief Louis Kealoha for his actions related to a family dispute involving his prosecutor wife and her estranged uncle, who they accused of stealing their mailbox. Civil Beat.

A nonprofit developer wanting to build loft-style apartments for low-income artists has secured the land for the project in Kakaako. The developer, Artspace, was awarded a 65-year lease for a 30,000-square-foot lot on Waimanu Street by the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which agreed to nominal rent of $1 a year. Star-Advertiser.

A new construction project in Kaka’ako was unveiled today. It’s one-fourth the height of a high-rise and targets individuals who earn 20-thousand dollars annually. Hawaii Public Radio.

They camp, people complain and the city cleans up. It's a cycle happening more and more when it comes to dealing with Oahu's homeless. KITV4.

Debit cards for Halau Lokahi Charter School's bank account have been canceled and the co-director of the school placed on administrative leave in the wake of a raid by the Attorney General's office. Star-Advertiser.

Opinion: The King Street protected lane is a great start. But Honolulu needs to work quickly to beef up its bike-friendly projects. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council voted 5-4 Wednesday to appeal a federal judge’s ruling striking a law that restricts genetically modified crops on the island. “This is an important decision with far-reaching impact on home rule,” said Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille, author of the original bill limiting GMO. “It’s not just about GMO.” West Hawaii Today.

The June 27 lava flow could reach Pahoa Marketplace by Christmas. Darryl Oliveira, Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator, said Wednesday the flow was about five to six days from reaching the shopping center based on its current rate. Tribune-Herald.

Wednesday was the first day of public viewing of lava at the former transfer station on Apa’a Street. This is the spot where the lava from the June 27 flow first entered Pahoa in October, covering the road and inflating before eventually stalling out. Big Island Video News.

The Hawaii State Department of Health has installed three temporary particulate monitors to measure and inform residents on the Big Island of the air quality levels from the lava flow from Kilauea volcano. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii State Judiciary and Department of Accounting and General Services unveiled preliminary design concepts Tuesday of the proposed $90 million Kona Judiciary Complex slated for a 10-acre parcel in Keahuolu, North Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Council is set to vote Friday on a housing ordinance that would drastically reduce how much affordable housing developers are required to build on the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Civil Beat.

Maui-based sustainability group SHAKA Movement will be allowed to intervene in Maui County's GMO case; Judge Kurren has reassigned the case. Hawaii Independent.

Experts hope to control rampant little fire ants that have infested more than 20 acres in East Maui by shooting a gellike insecticide onto tall trees in which the ants are known to nest. Maui News.

State Department of Land and Natural Resources enforcement officers will be at the Maui Mall this weekend to tell people know about new fishing rules that took effect last month. Associated Press.

The Makawao History Museum moved to a new location last month to gain more exposure within the Makawao community. The museum now is at 3643 Baldwin Ave., the main street of Makawao town, in a "quaint little spot right at the heart of town," project coordinator Cheryl Ambrozic said Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council on Wednesday officially killed a bill that would have used lease rents, rather than fair market values, to help calculate real property tax assessments for biotech research land users. The decision, by a 5-1 vote, affirmed Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s veto against the bill earlier this month in which he expressed concerns about the bill’s impact on the agricultural industry on Kauai and the county’s ability to enforce it. Garden Island.

Kauai County Council Vice Chair Ross Kagawa said he believes the seven-member board made a mistake two months ago when it passed the state’s first variable rate structure for refuse services, called pay as you throw, that’s based on how much people throw away. That bill is now headed for a public hearing on Jan. 14 after the board agreed, by a 5-2 vote, to consider the proposal. Garden Island.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Hawaii governor calls special session on gay marriage, Honolulu council clears way for rail, Kauai council defers GMO vote, Maui-Oahu electric pipeline possible, media asks Hawaii Supreme Court for lower court transcripts, more news from all the Hawaii Islands

Hawaii Deputy Attorney General Anne Lopez, Attorney General David Louie, Gov. Neil Abercrombie announce gay marriage special session, courtesy photo
Hawaii Deputy Attorney General Anne Lopez, Attorney General David Louie, Gov. Neil Abercrombie announce gay marriage special session, courtesy photo
Saying he believes the votes are there to pass a bill to legalize gay marriage, Gov. Neil Abercrombie is calling the Legislature into a special session next month. The bill, as proposed, would take effect Nov. 18, when the state would begin issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples. Star-Advertiser.

The state where the same-sex marriage movement began some 20 years ago is poised to grant full marriage rights to gays and lesbians. On Monday Gov. Neil Abercrombie ordered the Hawaii Legislature into special session Oct. 28. Shrugging off any political consequences to his 2014 re-election, Abercrombie said "marriage equity" is "the right thing to do." Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday called for a special legislative session to move forward on a bill that would legalize gay marriage. If lawmakers pass a bill, Hawaii would join 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia in allowing gay marriage. The special session is scheduled to begin Oct. 28. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday called the Hawaii Legislature back in for a special session next month to consider legalizing same-sex marriage. Abercrombie made the announcement about the Oct. 28 special session during a news conference in his office at the state Capitol in Honolulu, accompanied by state Attorney General David Louie and Deputy Attorney General Anne Lopez. Pacific Business News.

Months of speculation are over, Governor Abercrombie called a special session on same-sex marriage Monday afternoon. The Governor says it's the right thing to do and he believes he has the support needed in both the House and Senate to pass a bill that would make Hawai'i the 14th state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage. Hawaii News Now.

Get ready: the Governor is calling the legislature into special session on October 28 to consider same-sex marriage. Hawaii Independent.

After decades of discussions, the stage has been set for Hawaii lawmakers to legalize same-sex marriage. “Virtually every angle, virtually every variation of a view with regard to marriage and equitable treatment for those engaged in marriage has been aired,” Gov. Neil Abercrombie said. KHON2.

Governor Neil Abercrombie called for a special session to begin Oct. 28 to address the issue of marriage equity. The announcement was made during a news conference that was streamed live on the governor’s website this afternoon. Maui Now.

The State House and Senate have been called to a Special Session next month to deliberate and address a bill on marriage equity. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie has called a special legislative session next month in an attempt to move forward a bill that legalizes gay marriage.KITV.

The same-sex marriage debate has been going on for more than two decades and is likely to heat up between now and Oct. 28, when a special legislative session will begin. KHON2.

Under Section 10 of Article III of the State Constitution, Gov. Neil Abercrombie has called both houses of the state Legislature to convene in a special session on Oct. 28 to address the issue of marriage equity. Governor's Office.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding the special session on marriage equity. Governor's Office.

A $1.5 million grant that the 2013 Legislature agreed to set aside for a private Hawaii Catholic school is unconstitutional, according to a recent memo from the state deputy attorney general addressed to Senate President Donna Mercado Kim. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Energy Office plans to strengthen its case for connecting the Oahu and Maui electrical grids via an undersea cable by submitting a study to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission on Monday, which points out that this grid-tie is, without a shadow of a doubt, strongly in the public interest for the state to pursue. Pacific Business News.

After several years of record high enrollment, the number of students at the University of Hawaii's 10-campus system dropped this fall to 59,288, echoing an overall national decline in college attendance in 2012. The university said 1,345 fewer students enrolled for the current semester, down 2.2 percent from last fall. The decrease, UH said, follows rec­ord-breaking enrollments in each of the last five years. Enrollment had grown by 17 percent since 2007. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for September 10. Associated Press.

Oahu

A pair of overnight H-1 freeway closures later this month will kick off a massive, nearly yearlong project to repair and repave the state's most heavily used highway through the heart of Hono­lulu, state officials announced Monday. Crews will completely close the H-1 eastbound from Likelike Highway to Ward Avenue from 8 p.m. Sept. 22 to 4 a.m. Sept. 23, according to the state Department of Transportation. Star-Advertiser.

Two Honolulu City Council committees held separate special meetings Monday to push out two resolutions that would allow construction of the city's $5.26 billion rail project to restart as early as Monday. The Council Zoning and Planning Committee unanimously approved Resolution 13-208, giving the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation a special management area use permit and shoreline setback variance to proceed with construction. The Council Intergovernmental Relations and Human Services Committee, meanwhile, approved Resolution 13-203, authorizing an agreement among the state Department of Transportation, the city and HART that allows the city to develop sections of the rail line on state property from the Kamehameha Highway portion of the project in Pearl City to the Ala Moana area. Star-Advertiser.

Students say portable P-1 is the hottest classroom on Campbell High School's campus. At mid-morning the thermometer had already hit 90 degrees. Hawaii News Now.

A state development permit granted last month for a high-rise condominium on a former Comp­USA store site in Kakaako is being challenged by condo owners in a neighboring tower who say that land is reserved primarily for commercial use. The association of owners at One Waterfront Towers petitioned the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which regulates development in Kakaako, to hold a quasi-judicial review contesting the agency's approval of the proj­ect called The Collection. Star-Advertiser.

The judge in U.S. State Department special agent Christopher Deedy’s murder trial is once again coming under fire for how she handled the high-profile case. The  Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Hawaii News Now are asking the state Supreme Court to force Ahn to release those transcripts, saying the judge violated the U.S. Constitution by holding closed-door court proceedings. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Puna Councilman Greggor Ilagan is relocating his district office to the old Pahoa Police Station, a move that will save the county $22,000 annually but displaces community groups and eliminates for several months a satellite site for public council meeting participation. West Hawaii Today.

State officials aren’t planning to open up wide swaths of Kiholo State Park to the public, a planning document says. West Hawaii Today.

Deutsche Bank and Kennedy Wilson, the lenders in control of the Kona Village Resort’s insurance payout, are refusing to pass that cash along to the resort, CEO Pat Fitzgerald said Monday. The move forced Fitzgerald and the Kona Village Investors to notify the resort’s remaining two dozen employees their last work day would be Sept. 17. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii’s at-risk teens should have a variety of new opportunities available to them by this time next year, says Hawaii Youth ChalleNGe Academy Deputy Director Gary Thomas. That’s because work at the state- and federally-funded program’s new campus within the Keaukaha Military Reservation National Guard Facility is now under way and is expected to be complete by July 2014, he said, making it possible for the academy to relocate from its current home on the grounds of the Kulani Correctional Facility. Tribune-Herald.

If efforts to control the little red fire ant on Hawaii stay as they are, the island could see damages of nearly $170 million a year, as well as 33 million sting incidents a year. That’s according to University of Hawaii planning student Mike Motoki, a presenter at the 21st annual Hawaii Conservation Conference held recently in Waikiki. Civil Beat.

Maui

Enrollment at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College dropped 6.3% in the fall 2013 semester compared to the same time last year, officials said. Maui Now.

While most children look forward to the weekends, some may not. There may be no school — but there may be no food as well for those children Saturdays and Sundays, a Maui Food Bank official said. Maui News.

Kauai

A Kauai County Council committee clashed Monday with representatives of seed companies over the disclosure of the types and use of pesticides. The Economic Development, Sustainability, Agriculture & Intergovernmental Relations Committee heard testimony on Bill 2491, which would regulate pesticide use and genetically modified crops by agribusinesses. The committee deferred a vote on the bill until Sept. 27 for further review. Star-Advertiser.

A day after a march in Lihue drew several thousand people in support of Bill 2491, the Kauai Economic Development Committee resumed working toward a compromise between the blue shirts, opposed to the bill, and the red shirts, supporting the bill. Garden Island.

Bill 2491 went through the first round of amendments at the Kauai County Council Wednesday. The bill passed first reading June 28, and has since gone through a lengthy public hearing, one committee meeting and a few executive sessions. By late afternoon, the council’s Economic Development Committee threw a slew of potential amendments up for discussion. Garden Island.

The state of Hawaii has effectively forsaken its responsibility to ensure that biotech companies are not risking public and environmental health, several members of the Kauai County Council said Monday, so it was up to the county to pick up the slack. Basically, the state has done a bad job of enforcing landmark federal environmental laws, according to the councilmembers who spoke at a hearing on a bill before the council’s Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee that would increase regulation of genetically altered crops and pesticides. Civil Beat.