Showing posts with label building code. Show all posts
Showing posts with label building code. Show all posts

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Senate passes same-sex marriage protections, Green seeks $362M emergency Maui funding, bills advance loosening building codes to spur development, federal judge to decide venue for Maui fire lawsuits, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Repeal of Legislature’s authority over same-sex marriages considered. The state Senate will now consider a House bill calling for a constitutional amendment to repeal the Legislature’s authority to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.

Legalized gambling likely dead, recreational marijuana still alive. State House and Senate bills to allow a lottery, casino, online gambling and bets on fantasy sports never gained traction to make it to this week’s midpoint of the legislative session, while the effort to legalize adult recreational marijuana use survived in the Senate but, once again, faces an uncertain fate in the House. Star-Advertiser.

Key deadline at the state Legislature determines which measures move forward. Thursday is a major crossover deadline at the state Legislature to clarify which measures are moving ahead with a chance at becoming law. Hawaii Public Radio.

Green quantifies emergency funding request related to Maui fire disaster.
Gov. Josh Green has told the Legislature he needs a $362 million emergency funding appropriation he believes is needed to pay Maui wildfire recovery costs through June 30. Star-Advertiser.

Building Code Groups Caution Hawaii Lawmakers Against ‘Deeply Abnormal Response To A Disaster’.  Developers are urging the Legislature to pass a bill this session that would slow down the pace of updating building codes in Hawaii to reduce costs and increase the number of homes that can be built. Civil Beat.

State Senate passes bill to decriminalize jaywalking. SB2630 allows pedestrians to cross streets if there’s no immediate danger of causing a crash.The bill also mandates fines of at least $100 for any driver caught speeding. Hawaii News Now.

Joe Biden easily wins Hawaii Democratic presidential caucuses. President Joe Biden handily won the Demo cratic Party of Hawaii’s caucus Wednesday night, but “uncommitted” equaled nearly 30% of the votes tallied. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Tourism holding back state’s growth. Visitor arrivals to Hawaii are not expected to fully recover until 2027, according to the latest economic forecast from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Star-Advertiser.

Ex-Public Safety training officer J. Marte Martinez gets probation for false transcripts. A Circuit Court judge Wednesday sentenced the former Department of Public Safety’s once top-ranking training officer to a year of probation and a suspended 30-day jail sentence to run concurrently for falsifying her academic transcripts. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2. KITV4.

Oahu

Red Hill task force removes last ‘residual fuel’.  After months of work, on Wednesday the military task force charged with removing the fuel from the Navy’s underground Red Hill storage facility announced it had extracted the last of the “accessible residual fuel” from the facility. Star-Advertiser.

‘Forever Chemicals’ In Red Hill Groundwater Warrant More Investigation, Regulators Say. The problem goes beyond a high-profile spill of firefighting chemicals in 2022, officials said. Civil Beat.

City Council agrees to settlement for family of man fatally shot by police. The city council has approved a $525,000 settlement for the family of a 26-year-old man shot to death by police in Mililani in 2019. Hawaii News Now.

5 men sentenced for illegal fishing in protected area off Oahu's North Shore. On Wednesday, a judge sentenced five of nine men cited for illegal fishing in the Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District last November. The DLNR says DJ Derno, Jason Sewell, Kerman Kaman, Anson Giden, and Jackson Nithan must complete 50 hours of community service and pay fines of up to $1,000 each. Hawaii News Now.

All Staff Attorneys At One Of Hawaii’s Largest Domestic Violence Organizations Have Quit. With no attorneys on staff, former employees say millions of dollars in grant funding awarded to the Domestic Violence Action Center for legal services could be at risk. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

‘It’s been like a shell game’: Ka‘u residents offer strong opposition to Punalu‘u Village project. The Windward Planning Commission today will discuss an application by developer Black Sand Beach LLC for a special management area permit that would allow it to build a roughly 225-unit “residential and commercial community” on a 147-acre parcel in Punalu‘u. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.

Hawai‘i County Council adopts funding measure for Puna Alternate Routes Study. The Hawai‘i County Council on Wednesday voted 8-0, with Kaʻū Councilwoman Michelle Galimba absent, to adopt Bill 131 by approving its second and final reading. The measure provides $2 million for the Hawai‘i County Department of Public Works to complete a Puna Alternate Routes Study. Big Island Now.

Changes In Store For Hawaiian Beaches Park
. The Hawaiʻi County Council advanced a measure on Wednesday that will change the name of Kahakai Park in the Hawaiian Beaches subdivision to Waiakahiʻula, and some archaeological features found in the park will be preserved. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Federal Judge Hears Arguments Over Whether Lahaina Fire Cases Should Stay With Maui Courts. An army of lawyers converged on Honolulu’s federal court Wednesday to argue over a question that will have a major impact on lawsuits related to the Maui wildfires that destroyed much of Lahaina in August. Civil Beat. KHON2.  KITV4.

Maui County seeks to expedite permits for private developers. Maui County’s interim housing plan, which includes developments funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state and the county, was announced Wednesday evening at the county’s weekly disaster recovery community update meeting at the Lahaina Civic Center. Star-Advertiser.

2 Temporary Group Housing Sites To Be Built In Lahaina For Maui Fire Survivors. The separate FEMA and state projects will be built on one undeveloped property that had been slated for decades as a residential development. Civil Beat.

Maui TANF fire relief expanded to individuals, households without children. Individuals and households impacted by the Maui wildfires—including those without dependent children—may be eligible for Maui Relief TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) Program assistance with housing, car, utility, clothing and school supply payments in a major expansion of the program. Maui Now.

Kauai


Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative to receive federal funding to expand solar energy production. Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative is among the first five cooperative utilities in the nation selected to move forward in the U.S. Department of Agriculture awards process for the Powering Affordable Clean Energy program. Kauai Now.

Kaua‘i to get millions in federal funding. Sen. Brian Schatz announced on Tuesday that he secured $394 million in new congressional directed spending, known commonly as earmarks, in the first half of this year’s government funding bill. Garden Island.

Thursday, July 22, 2021

First Lady Jill Biden to arrive Saturday, distance learning to remain an option at some public schools, unemployment office sets September in-person opening, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

official White House photo
Jill Biden

First Lady Jill Biden to arrive in Honolulu Saturday, will visit vaccination clinic. First Lady Jill Biden will lead the U.S. delegation at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo on Friday and on Saturday dedicate a room in the Chief of Mission Residence to the late Irene Hirano Inouye and Sen. Daniel K. Inouye before traveling to Honolulu Saturday and Sunday to visit a vaccination clinic at an unidentified high school, the White House said today. Star-Advertiser.

Department of Education reveals distance-learning options amid pandemic. The state Department of Education on Wednesday unveiled a list of about 100 schools offering a distance-learning option for parents uneasy about sending their child to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Hawaii unemployment issues to be addressed in-person starting Sept. 7. People with unemployment benefit problems will be able to meet in person with state labor officials on all islands beginning Sept. 7, the day after Labor Day. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Senate to Convene Special Session to Confirm Two Judges. The Hawaiʻi State Senate will convene a special session Tuesday for the purpose of reviewing the judicial appointments of Dan Gluck to the Intermediate Court of Appeals and Lesley Maloian to the District Family Court of the First Circuit.   Maui Now.

Hawaii’s hotels continued improving last month. Travel demand from North American markets is bolstering Hawaii’s travel industry so much that June hotel occupancy was closing in on pre-pandemic levels, even with the absence of international visitors. Star-Advertiser.

Ige warns of action after posts surface of visitor ‘intentionally cheating’ Safe Travels program.
The state is investigating social media posts of someone claiming to travel to Hawaii while sick with COVID-19 and “intentionally cheating” the state’s pre-travel testing program, Gov. David Ige said. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii races to get more vaccinated against COVID-19 as delta variant continues to multiply.
For the seventh day in a row Wednesday, Hawaii’s new daily coronavirus case numbers hit triple digits, repeating last year’s post-Fourth of July surge. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

July 21, 2021 COVID-19 Update: 163 Cases, 1 Death. The confirmed cases included: 95 on O‘ahu (+4 probable); seven on Hawai‘i Island (+2 probable); 10 on Maui (+8 probable); four on Kaua‘i; and 33 in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed while out of state. Maui Now.

Oahu

City Council advances bill that would create progressive property tax for second homes. A bill that would expand the tiers for property taxes on second and investment homes to allow for three different property tax rates as the home value increases, advanced at the Honolulu City Council Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Financial audit of City reveals that TheBus lost $10M in 2020. The report was presented to the Honolulu City Council today. KITV4.

In worrisome trend, overwhelmed hospitals are diverting ambulances to other facilities more often. A combination of rising COVID cases and other emergency health issues are forcing many Oahu hospitals to turn ambulances away, diverting them to other facilities. Hawaii News Now.

Blangiardi’s Latest Nominee Is A Step Closer To Filling Police Commission Seat. Ann Botticelli would join six other members of the Honolulu Police Commission, providing oversight of the Honolulu Police Department. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

In its first week the Chinatown police enforcement plan yields arrests, social service connections and COVID vaccinations. The first five days of police patrolling Chinatown by foot yielded a mix of social service contacts, vaccinations, warnings and arrests — part of a strategy to reduce crime and connect people in need with health and shelter programs. Star-Advertiser.

First-of-its-kind Micronesian youth center opens in Liliha. We Are Oceania unveiled its new Youth Empowerment Center Wednesday, the first of its kind to serve Micronesian kids and young adults in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island


Building code lives to fight another day: Skeptical County Council wants lots of changes. After almost six hours of extremely detailed and sometimes tense debate, the County Council on Wednesday first killed, then resurrected, a new residential building code. West Hawaii Today.

Council supports resolution to protect spinner dolphins. The Hawaii County Council is urging the federal government to implement rules to prohibit close contact between humans and Hawaiian spinner dolphins. Tribune-Herald.

COVID-19 Delays Drug Trial For Katherine Kealoha’s Brother. The criminal trial for Katherine Kealoha’s brother, Rudolph Puana, a Big Island anesthesiologist accused of running a prescription drug ring to help feed his cocaine habit, has once again been delayed due to COVID-19. Civil Beat. Associated Press. KITV4.

Help is on the way: Funding to assist ranchers in battling two-lined spittlebug. Help is on the way for Big Island ranchers fighting an invasive bug decimating pasture land in North and South Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Commission Announces 5 Finalists For Police Chief. Two assistant police chiefs, a retired assistant chief, a police captain and a Las Vegas narcotics officer are among the finalists to be Maui’s next police chief. Civil Beat.

Public Works Completes Kīhei Sub-Area Transportation Plan. The County of Maui Department of Public Works has completed work on the Kīhei Sub-Area Transportation Plan, a document that lays the foundation for the Kīhei area of South Maui as the area grows. Maui Now.

Time-Zone Snafu Led to Early Release of In-Demand Haleakalā Cabin Reservations. A problem with time-zone calculations was identified as the reason for the faulty early release of in-demand wilderness cabin reservations at Haleakalā National Park earlier this month. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i readies for in-person school opening.
Back to school shifted into high gear, Wednesday, when about a hundred volunteers gathered to pack 3,000 backpacks with school supplies for Saturday’s Back to School Bash at the Kukui Grove Center. Garden Island.

10 new cases, educational cluster reported Wednesday.
The Hawai‘i State Department of Health identified 10 new cases Wednesday, as well as a new cluster in an education setting, Dr. Janet Berreman, Kaua‘i District Health Officer said. Garden  Island.


Monday, July 12, 2021

Mask mandate to continue in Hawaii schools, first vaccinated death amid COVID case increase, Honolulu rail board chairman resigns, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Department of Education
Hawaii classroom PC:Hawaii Department of Education

Hawaii Schools Not Lifting Mask Mandate Yet Despite New CDC Guidance.
The new federal guidance urges schools to fully reopen by fall and suggests only unvaccinated students need to wear masks indoors. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiʻi Announces Pre-Travel Testing Agreement With South Korea, Philippines. Travelers from the Philippines and from South Korea’s Incheon International Airport may soon bypass the State of Hawaiʻi’s mandatory 10-day quarantine. Big Island Video News. KITV4.

100th Anniversary of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act . Festivities are planned this month to mark the 100th anniversary of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, which was signed into law on July 9, 1921. Hawaii Public Radio. Big Island Video News.

Renewable Energy Continues Growth Across the Islands . In 2020, something interesting happened in Hawai‘i’s energy scene: more than 30% of all power generation came from renewable sources, surpassing the Renewable Portfolio Standards benchmark set by state law for the year. Hawaii Public Radio.

State bankruptcy cases hit 31-year June low as economic recovery continues its momentum. The 103 cases last month marked the fifth time this year that filings were down from the year-earlier period, and represented the fewest cases for any June in 31 years, according to new data released by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Risk high for Hawaii wildfires as islands see abnormally dry conditions. Conditions across the Hawaiian Islands are ripe for wildfires, with 86% of the state abnormally dry and more than half the state suffering from moderate drought or worse, coupled with a heavy load of fuel to burn. Star-Advertiser.

Health officials suspect Delta behind uptick in cases . For the second straight day, the state is seeing COVID-19 case numbers in the triple digits. The last time that occurred was in early May. KHON2.

Elderly Oahu man becomes first fully vaccinated COVID death, DOH says. The Hawaii Department of Health reports the first COVID-19 death of a fully vaccinated individual. According to the DOH, the Oahu man was over the age of 80, and had ‘multiple underlying conditions’. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Hawaii sees 102 new coronavirus cases. Today’s new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 58 new cases on Oahu, 13 on Maui, 12 on Hawaii Island, eight on Kauai and 11 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Toby Martyn Resigns As HART Board Chair Amid Latest Rail Upheaval. The move comes as the board faces scrutiny for its questionable handling of two recent consultant contract awards. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Building Honolulu Rail: It’s Just A Matter Of Time Before You Hit Something Important. Utilities often aren’t where they’re shown on the drawings.  Civil Beat.

Electric foot scooter industry charged up by new Hawaii law. Hawaii lawmakers and Gov. David Ige have enacted a law to regulate electric foot scooters in the state, three years after an e-scooter rental business battled with the city over a chaotic short-lived operation. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu’s new homeless program modified before launch. Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s signature approach to addressing homelessness across Oahu — by eliminating the use of Honolulu police officers and instead relying on social service and health care workers around the clock — has been modified to now include the use of police officers, reduced in scope to the urban core and scaled back in its hours of operation. Star-Advertiser.

Navy Agrees To Fix Pearl Harbor Wastewater Treatment Plant. Before the Environmental Protection Agency got involved, state Department of Health officials reported urgent problems at the facility. Civil Beat.

Vendors celebrate new location for popular Windward Oahu farmers market. Farmers market vendors that relied on space provided by the now closed Pali Lanes are preparing to once again open for business in a brand-new home. Hawaii News Now.

NTSB releases first images of cargo plane wreckage in deep waters off Oahu. The NTSB has released the first underwater images of a Boeing 737 cargo plane that crashed off Oahu earlier this month and is now resting hundreds of feet underwater. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Building code: Council balks at increased home construction cost. A cost-conscious County Council balked at new construction code requirements that builders say could add at least $10,000 to the cost of building a home. West Hawaii Today.

PGV power purchase agreement still in limbo. Hawaii County has responded to a request from the state Public Utilities Commission seeking input regarding an application for an amended power purchase agreement between Puna Geothermal Venture and Hawaiian Electric. Tribune-Herald.

Council OKs bill rezoning Hilo Iron Works. The Hawaii County Council on Wednesday voted in support of a bill to rezone the 114-year-old building to bring it in compliance with the surrounding area. Tribune-Herald.

New low-income housing project planned for Hilo. Construction of a 64-unit low-income housing development in Hilo is expected to begin early next year. Tribune-Herald.

Hilo Renters Fear They’ll Be Among The First To Go When Eviction Moratorium Ends. More money is coming in for federal rental subsidies, but service providers worry landlords like Waiakea Villas won’t accept it. Renters at an apartment complex in Hilo are worried they’ll be forced to leave once Gov. David Ige lifts the eviction moratorium on Aug. 6. Civil Beat.

Program Aims To Mitigate Visitor Impacts at Pololu Valley. A new Hawaii Tourism Authority sponsored program hopes to mitigate tourism impacts to Pololu Valley on the north end of Hawaiʻi island. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Council considers ban on foam coolers, disposable bodyboards.
Hoping to build on recent efforts to outlaw foam containers and disposable foodware, the Maui County Council is considering a ban on the sale and use of polystyrene foam coolers and ice chests as well as disposable bodyboards. Maui News.

Work on Maui’s solar telescope to end in November. After more than a year of delay due to the pandemic, the sun is beginning to shine on the world’s largest solar telescope still under construction on Maui. Star-Advertiser.

HCA Plan for Maui Calls for 5,000 Affordable Homes in Five Years. Nonprofit community development organization, Hawaiian Community Assets, has delivered a Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan to the Maui County Council that provides a roadmap for building 5,000 affordable homes for local renters and homebuyers in the next five years. Maui Now.

Kauai

Native Hawaiians, residents petition to restore land on which iconic Coco Palms Kauai resort stands
. I Ola Wailuanui, a community organization led by Kauai residents. wants to see the land be used for Native Hawaiian education and cultural practices rather than another lodging option. Hawaii News Now.

Skate park construction moving. Construction of the new, pop-up skatepark in Hanapepe Town Park is moving along at a fast clip, as volunteers from the Kaua‘i Skate ‘Ohana and the community completed the six-foot halfpipe over the weekend. Garden Island.

Park pavilions can be reserved starting today. The online system for acquiring permits to reserve county park pavilions reopens today, according to a Department of Parks &Recreation announcement. Garden Island.


Wednesday, June 16, 2021

F-22 fighters respond to Russian Navy activity near Hawaii, Honolulu police officers charged in killing 16-year-old, travel surges with loosened COVID requirements, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

F-22 Raptors U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt Ben Bloker

Russian Navy west of Hawaii prompted F-22 fighter launch from Hickam, report says. The Russian Navy is edging closer to Hawaii with a big exercise 300 to 500 miles west of the Aloha State — prompting the Air Force to scramble three missile-armed F-22 fighters on Sunday. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.  Hawaii News Now.

French Warplanes To Train With US Military In Hawaii As Allies Solidify Ties. France’s new commander in the Pacific toured Hawaii last month as relations between China and Europe sour. Civil Beat.

Loosened intercounty restrictions give boost to travel. Hawaii ended restrictions on intercounty travel between the Hawaiian Islands on Tuesday and extended the quarantine exemption to domestic travelers who were fully vaccinated with at least one shot in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

First day of the coronavirus vaccine pass goes smoothly for Hawaii travelers
, pre-screening saves time. Tuesday, June 15, marked the start of the vaccine exemption that allows travelers vaccinated in Hawaii to bypass quarantine after returning from the mainland. KHON2.

Do We Want More Local Food Or Cheaper Power? Two Hawaii Priorities Conflict. Renewable energy companies say Honolulu’s plan to designate 12% of Oahu as “Important Agricultural Lands” could hinder the state’s ability to meet its clean energy goals. Civil Beat. 

Health officials report 37 new COVID-19 cases statewide. Today’s reported cases include 20 on O‘ahu, 8 on Hawai‘i Island, 3 on Kaua‘i, 2 on Maui and 4 residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

3 Honolulu Police Department officers are charged in the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy. In an unprecedented and historic move for Hawaii law enforcement, Prosecuting Attorney Steven S. Alm moved past an Oahu grand jury decision and brought murder and attempted murder charges against three Honolulu police officers in connection with the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old Micronesian suspect. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Security footage shows exchange before police shoot Lindani Myeni. The video captures Lindani Sanele Myeni entering the home at 91 Coelho Way in Nuuanu and then leaving while apologizing to the couple who called police. Star-Advertiser. KITV4. Civil Beat.

City hopes to efficiently distribute federal funds for homelessness by deadline. Oahu has about $24 million in federal COVID-19 funds to spend on homelessness outreach and housing — of which $10 million is going to a new program called Oahu Housing Now. Star-Advertiser.

Kaimukī Residents Concerned 'Monster Home' Construction Taking Place; DPP Director Reviewing Plans. Honolulu's Director of Planning and Permitting is reviewing a controversial residential construction case on Oʻahu. It involves the demolition of structures on a 19,000 square foot lot, and the construction of what neighbors fear will be a monster home. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Police Release Body Cam Footage Of Hilo Shooting. Video from the Body Worn Camera of the officer that was involved in the fatal shooting of Ryan Santos on the evening of June 13 was released on Tuesday. Big Island Video News. Hawaii News Now. KITV4. Tribune-Herald.

Council panel advances new building code: Codes for new and existing residences get stamp of approval. In what appeared to be the smoothest discussion and vote on building code amendments in more than a decade, a County Council panel Tuesday unanimously advanced changes bringing the county up to the 2018 code for new and existing residential buildings. West Hawaii Today.

Borce wraps up three-year stint at PTA. After three years at the helm, Lt. Col. Loreto “JR” V. Borce Jr. on Tuesday passed the baton — or, more accurately, presented the colors — of Pohakuloa Training Area to Lt. Col. Kevin Cronin. Tribune-Herald.

A Chinese national is facing a federal charge for allegedly laundering millions of fraud proceeds used by a co-conspirator to purchase and flip real estate for profit in West Hawaii. From 2010 through October 2018, Claypool developed and then sold those properties located in Waikoloa, Puuanahulu, Kukio and Kailua-Kona, for more than $11.4 million and later transferred the proceeds to investments accounts at brokerage firm Edward Jones, authorities say. West Hawaii Today.

Halau, kumu hula prepare for Merrie Monarch Festival with modifications. The Merrie Monarch Festival is slated for June 24 – 26 after being put on pause due to the pandemic. KHON2.

Maui

Maui Film Industry Reels Up in 2021:
John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Guy Fieri, HBO, Hallmark and More. Maui Film Commissioner Tracy Bennett, the State Film Commissioner and Mayor Michael Victorino worked to bring major productions back to Maui County after the lockdown over a year ago, approving filming with restrictions in August. Maui Now.

10-Year Review of Maui County Charter Underway
, Public Input Sought. Once a decade the Mayor and the Council appoint a Commission of 11 citizens to conduct a year-long review of Maui County’s governing document, the Maui County Charter. Maui Now.

Public Hearing For County Facility Concessions, June 23. The public is invited to provide input on proposed rules for concession operations during an online public hearing set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 23, 2021, the Department of Parks and Recreation announced. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i condo prices skyrocket over five years. Condominium sales have increased over 55% over the past five years, Kaua‘i Realtors say. Garden Island.

Hawai‘i first lady promotes literacy. Hawai‘i First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige visited Kaua‘i to promote literacy, primarily the ‘Ohana Readers Kaua‘i, and the Hawai‘i State Public Library System’s Tails and Tales Summer Reading Program. Garden Island.

Monday, August 19, 2019

TheBus expands routes, Hawaiian practitioner fights Lanai drone landing strip, green building code irks architects, DOE tackles bullying, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2019 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
TheBus in Honolulu ©2019 All Hawaii News
TheBus has made changes to dozens of routes across Oahu. The changes went into effect Sunday. Among some of the major routes impacted include the City Express Route A and the Country Express route E. Hawaii News Now.

Windward Oahu bus routes expand. The city expanded several Windward Oahu bus routes and the changes began Sunday, Aug. 18. KHON2.

Hawaii pension fund up 5.8% for fiscal year. Hawaii’s largest public pension fund failed to meet its 7% investment target in fiscal 2019 amid a volatile December and unsettling U.S.-Chinese trade war. Star-Advertiser.

Some Six-Figure Salaries At The State’s Watchdog Agencies. At look at the payrolls of the State Auditor’s Office, Ethics Commission and Ombudsman’s Office. Star-Advertiser.

Board of Education passes new rules for discipline, civil rights. Bullying and harassment will be treated as among the most serious offenses for high school students in Hawaii under a revised discipline code passed by the Board of Education. Star-Advertiser.

A report that faulted Hawaii’s public schools for suspending students far longer than the rest of the country was wrong and the Aloha State is actually near the national norm, according to Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto. That erroneous data formed the basis of a widely publicized report by the American Civil Liberties Union in June claiming that Hawaii’s suspension policies were the most punitive in the country. Star-Advertiser.

Trump Weakens Protections For Hawaii’s Imperiled Plants And Animals. The revised Endangered Species Act regulations flabbergasted environmentalists who are concerned about warding off more extinctions. Civil Beat.

DBEDT Releases Latest Hawaii Data Book. The 2018 edition contains plenty of factoids on the state and its people. Civil Beat.

Invasive sponge found to feed on own bug juice. An invasive species of sponge common throughout Hawaii packs its own lunch, scientists have found. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

6 candidates ‘seriously interested’ in Honolulu mayor’s race. Several big-name candidates have emerged as serious contenders for Honolulu mayor with now less than a year to go until Hawaii’s 2020 primary election day. Star-Advertiser.

How A Design Detail Caused A Multi-Million Dollar Headache For Honolulu Rail. Canopy arms, meant to anchor the sail-like fabric covers for the stations, were already plagued with design and construction problems. Then, they started cracking. Civil Beat.

Volunteers prep Arizona Memorial for reopening. Volunteers continue to clean and polish the USS Arizona Memorial in preparation for the as-yet announced reopening of one of the state’s most visited tourist attractions. Star-Advertiser.

The opening of Espacio in Waikiki caters to Hawaii’s strong luxury hotel market. Espacio’s Japan­ese-based owner, Kowa Waikiki LLC, purchased the 88-unit Waikiki Beachside hotel for $25 million and spent $50 million to convert it into an ultraluxury suite hotel with only nine units. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Building a house on Hawaii Island just got a lot more complicated — and more expensive — because the county missed a deadline to enact local exemptions to a strict new statewide energy code. West Hawaii Today.

Residents Say Voices Stifled on Homelessness. County officials hosted a public forum on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2019, at the West Hawai‘i Civic Center, where they presented an overview of a project known as the Kukuiola & Village 9 Affordable Rental Community. Big Island Now.

Facts vs. myths: Debunking oft-cited claims abut TMT Tribune-Herald.

Big Island mayor: Ige made ultimate call to stop arrests at TMT protest. At a key moment in the TMT conflict, as protesters were being arrested at Mauna Kea, Mayor Harry Kim says the governor made the call to pull back law enforcement. Hawaii News Now.

Officials should follow Maui’s example, former mayor says. Another cutting-edge observatory, the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope atop Haleakala, is nearing completion after escaping a similar fate during protests in 2015 and 2017 involving some of the same people embroiled in the TMT protests. Star-Advertiser.

Last week the Hawaii County Council got an update in committee on the status of various post-eruption projects in the Pahoa Recreational Complex. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Surveys find no Rapid Ohia Death along East Maui. Drone, helicopter surveys follow first detection on island. Maui News.

Maui County residents had to make $31.13 an hour to afford two-bedroom rental last year. Maui County Data Book 2018 shows local statistics on population, education, labor, government and more. Maui News.

Hawaiian Practitioner Seeks to Intervene in Proposal for Drone Landing Strip on Lanai. The request is being made by the Research Corporation of University of Hawaii for its Lanai High Altitude Platforms (HAPS) Drone project. Maui Now.

Kauai

Fish, limu returning to restored stream. The Waipa Stream is coming back to life, thanks to a restoration project within the watershed. Garden Island.

Kauai Coffee certified non-GMO. Harvesters are getting tuned up and coffee cherries are transitioning from green to yellow and red as Kauai Coffee Company’s busiest season of the year approaches. Garden Island.

Lanai

Hawaiian Practitioner Seeks to Intervene in Proposal for Drone Landing Strip on Lanai. The request is being made by the Research Corporation of University of Hawaii for its Lanai High Altitude Platforms (HAPS) Drone project. Maui Now.

Friday, July 7, 2017

NOAA begins survey of marine life, Hawaii first state in nation to pay family caregivers, federal judge knocks down travel ban challenge, taxes at issue in rail special session, Maui audits pCards, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy photo
NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette off Maui in 2004, NOAA Photo by Ray Boland
A research ship was launched Thursday on the first leg of a six-month mission to survey whales, dolphins and seabirds across the Hawaiian archipelago, a vast expanse of 1.8 million square nautical miles. Star-Advertiser.

Scientists and researchers kicked off the Hawaiian Islands Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey on Thursday. Garden Island.

Using high-powered binoculars, hydrophones and, for the first time, drones, researchers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will spend the next six months documenting whales, dolphins and other marine life around the main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Maui News.

=====

A federal judge in Honolulu on Thursday denied an emergency motion by the state of Hawaii to clarify what constitutes a close family relationship in the rules of President Donald Trump’s partial travel ban. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge in Honolulu declined Thursday to second-guess how the Trump administration is implementing the scaled-back version of the travel ban. Civil Beat.

With the Hawaii Legislature poised to hold a special session in July or August to address paying for the over-budget, $10 billion rail project, the question of which tax is best to pay for rail will take center stage. Civil Beat.

Supreme Court hears arguments on constitutionality of city, state rail tax issue. Hawaii News Now.

Free or low cost legal services for residents in need is in jeopardy as funding for civil legal services has been cut from the Hawaii State Judiciary’s budget for at least the next year. Civil Beat.

The Kupuna Caregivers Act passed Thursday, making Hawaii the first state in the nation to offer money to caregivers who also work full-time. Hawaii News Now.

United Airlines has apologized to a Hawaii teacher who was forced to hold her 2-year-old son on her lap for three-and-a-half hours after an employee gave the toddler’s purchased seat to a standby passenger. Associated Press.

Hawaii State Attorney General Doug Chin was among the Democratic attorneys general from 18 states and the District of Columbia who sued U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos today over her decision to suspend rules that were meant to protect students from abuse by for-profit colleges. Associated Press.

The state Health Department announced Thursday that 10 more people in Hawaii have been diagnosed with mumps, including four on Kauai, raising the statewide total to 143 cases. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is awarding more than $4 million in federal to three community health centers in Hawaii. They include the Community Clinic of Maui ($1.3 million); Bay Clinic on Hawaii Island ($1 million); and the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center on Oahu ($1.7 million). Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Christian Gutierrez is serving a 45-day state jail term for killing Laysan albatrosses in the Kaena Point Natural Area Reserve during his 2015 winter school break from New York University. Star-Advertiser.

Christian Gutierrez, 19, has been sentenced to 45 days in jail and must perform 200 hours of community service and pay $1,000 in restitution for his part in the killing of Laysan albatrosses at Kaena Point. Civil Beat.

A man accused of killing federally protected Laysan albatross birds on Oahu has been sentenced. KHON2.

=====

State fires execs at OCCC as jail's care for mentally ill inmates declines. Hawaii News Now.

The City and County of Honolulu is reviving a plan to build a pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Ala Wai Canal. Hawaii Public Radio.

As of Thursday morning, Bikeshare Hawaii has reported more than 11,000 total rides. KITV.

Honolulu police dispatchers, beset with a bedbug infestation, have left their offices after bedbugs were discovered earlier this week. Star-Advertiser.

Workers at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport say dust from construction is causing a health hazard, and we’ve learned some people have gone to the hospital because of it. KHON2.

Single-family houses on Oahu soared to a median price of nearly $800,000 last month, prompting local real estate experts to forecast that the $1 million threshold could be breached within the next five years. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu was the only city among major U.S. metropolitan areas to see a decline in construction costs in April, but costs to build in Hawaii's largest city are still among the highest in the nation, according to a comparative cost index compiles by Rider Levett Bucknall. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Symphony Orchestra celebrated the conclusion of its fifth season, and current fiscal year, by meeting a $150,000 matching challenge by the family of its board chairman, the owner of Hawaii's ABC Stores, with the help of donors. Pacific Business News.

At Hawaiian Hope's tech center in Kakaako, tall stacks of computers wait to be cleaned, tested then repaired. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Residents planning to build in flood-prone areas will be required to take an additional step to get an exemption, under a bill advanced Thursday by a County Council committee. West Hawaii Today.

The owners of a biomass facility and Hawaii Electric Light Co. have a lot riding on a state Public Utilities Commission decision expected to come at month’s end. Star-Advertiser.

Responding to increased community complaints, the Hawaii County Council Committee on Public Works and Parks and Recreation voted Thursday to ban consumption of alcoholic beverages at James Kealoha Beach Park. Tribune-Herald.

Drinking alcohol at James Kealoha Beach Park in Keaukaha could soon be a thing of the past, legally speaking. Big Island Video News.

A farmers market at Hakalau Veterans Park will be allowed to resume its activities. Tribune-Herald.

The entire upper floor of the Lyman Museum is closed until late next year as the museum reconstructs its popular Island Heritage Gallery. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Auditor Lance Taguchi will examine county vehicle use and county employee travel as part of a planned list of audits for the current fiscal year. Maui News.

For the first time in more than a century, land titles held by Hawaii’s former sugar companies are being opened to challenge. At their peak in the 1930s, sugar plantations cultivated approximately 250,000 acres across the island chain. Hawaii Public Radio.

Former HC&S equipment being moved. Maui News.

The Community Clinic of Maui will receive $1,350,479 in federal funds as part of a larger $4,069,396 appropriation for three community health centers in Hawaii. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Department of Water has scheduled a water shutdown for select Hanamaulu customers on Hipa Road, Hehi Road and on a portion of Kuhio Highway; mauka side, near Laukona Street. Water will be turned off on Tuesday, July 11 from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday July 12; weather permitting. Garden Island.

A Kalaheo woman happily paid $10,000 when she was reunited Wednesday with her dogs that were missing for almost two weeks. Garden Island.

Friday, March 31, 2017

Hawaii tourism agency targets NYC, state battles occupiers of iconic Coco Palms resort, Maui coffee bonds advance, Ige bolsters state building code, groups fight over seal protection, more money sought in Honolulu police cases, tax on Amazon purchases coming, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 Al Hawaii News all rights reserved
Waikiki beach scene © 2017 All Hawaii News
Tourists in Hawai’i spend $33,000 a minute. That’s up 8 percent in average visitor spending from the same time last year, according the Hawai’i Tourism Authority.  Nearly three-fourths are return visitors, so the marketing strategy for the mainland is to focus on the “Never Beens.” And that market’s New York. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii will host its largest incentive travel group from China next month, but roughly 40 percent of Nu Skin’s top distributors won’t be joining their peers because their visa applications were rejected. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige has updated the state’s building codes and standards, requiring new construction to be more energy-efficient. Star-Advertiser.

The state of Hawaii could save more than $14 billion in energy costs during the next 20 years under a new building code recently signed by Gov. David Ige. Pacific Business News.

Worried about the state’s anemic voter turnout, two Senate committees unanimously approved legislation Thursday to implement voting by mail for all Hawaii counties by 2020. Civil Beat.

Startup technology companies boosted by government funds in Hawaii boosted the amount of taxes they paid the state last year by 74 percent, according to a recent survey. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s incubator and manufacturing companies contributed $619.6 million to the state’s economy in 2016, according to the results of an annual survey conducted by the High Technology Development Corp. Pacific Business News.

Gov. David Ige nominated Tom Gorak to be confirmed as a commissioner of the state panel responsible for regulating public utilities, after having served as interim commissioner for nine months. Star-Advertiser.

It’s not exactly a Christmas holiday-level deluge, but the U.S. Postal Service is seeing a significant boost in the number of Amazon packages shipped to Hawaii in advance of the giant online retailer collecting the state’s general excise tax here starting Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

Amazon tax: Burden or boon? Hawaii consumers, retail industry divided on added charge. Tribune-Herald.

The Trump administration filed a notice Thursday to appeal U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson’s nationwide stay against the president’s revised executive order on immigration. Civil Beat.

President Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday appealed the latest court ruling against his revised travel ban to the same court that refused to reinstate the original version. Associated Press.

Lawmakers Urge Medical Help For Micronesian Veterans. Service members from Palau, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States are not eligible for U.S. care. Civil Beat.

Some Hawaii lawmakers are pushing to criminally charge people who leave their dog tied up too long. Garden Island.

Oahu


Proposed Increases In Honolulu Taxes And Fees Will Be ‘A Tough Sell.' City officials say the cost of government operations is growing — including salaries, pensions and other benefits. But some council members are pushing back. Civil Beat.

A private security officer who shot a pet dog in the head in front of its owner at Honolulu Airport Tuesday night is being investigated for reckless endangering in the second degree and was previously fired as a civilian police officer for the Army “for pulling a gun too much,” according to state Sen. Will Espero. Star-Advertiser.

State releases nearly 400-page airport security contract with Securitas. KHON2.

Ten women have filed a lawsuit alleging they were sexually assaulted and harassed by four guards and one Department of Public Safety worker while incarcerated at the Women’s Community Correctional Center in Kailua. Star-Advertiser.

City seeks more funding for firms to fight lawsuit filed by former Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his family. Star-Advertiser.

Another Honolulu police officer, high in the ranks, has retired while being examined for his role in a federal public corruption case. Hawaii News Now.

Beach confrontations over the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals are spilling over into Hawaii's courtrooms. In a lawsuit filed in state Circuit Court, a woman known for helping rescue seals said she's being harassed by volunteers for a nonprofit group that works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which monitors monk seals in Hawaiian waters. Hawaii News Now.

The long-vacant Queen Emma Building in Downtown Honolulu could be redeveloped into a 71-unit affordable rental housing project that also would include units for housing homeless families, Pacific Business News.

The city is moving forward on its $1 million makeover of historic Thomas Square, but not everyone is on board with the changes. Hawaii News Now.

Got cauliflower? Field Day highlights potential Hawaii crop. These trials are a step toward the governor's goal of doubling our food production so Hawaii don’t have to rely so much on imports. KITV.

Hawaii

Hawaii Island residents received no immediate solutions to the problem of helicopter tour noise pollution during a meeting Thursday afternoon, but were assured that their voices were heard as federal officials once again attempt to address the issue. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Island residents, especially those living in Puna subdivisions who are fed up with the constant noise from low flying tour helicopters visiting the volcano, had a chance to take their complaints directly to the feds on Thursday. Big Island Video News.

A former school campus at Mauna Lani resort could see new life as a shopping plaza, if the County Council approves rezoning the property from agriculture to mixed commercial/industrial. West Hawaii Today.

TMT International Observatory signed a hosting agreement Thursday that would allow construction of its giant telescope on the Spanish island of La Palma. The site is part of the Canary Islands and is the developer’s backup plan should it not be able to resume construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea by April 2018. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui Memorial Medical Center is on track to transition to Kaiser on July 1, as part of a public/private partnership approved by the state in 2015. Maui Now.

A bill to authorize a special purpose revenue bond for as much as $13 million to help MauiGrown Coffee Inc.’s expansion to the lower slopes of Haleakala has cleared the state Senate Ways and Means Committee. Maui News.

E.K. Fernandez Shows’ cancellation of next week’s Maui County Carnival threw a cloud over the Maui Fair as well. Maui News.

Kauai


Kauai police and the prosecutor's office are debating whether to take action against some people who have been camping out at the abandoned Coco Palms Resort — some for as long as a year. Hawaii News Now.

Owners of the iconic Coco Palms resort on Kauai are working to remove residents who they say have been living on the property illegally. Associated Press.

State officials say a group occupying land on a historic hotel site is trespassing. Garden Island.

A second informational meeting has been set for the public to hear about the state’s plan to eradicate rats on Lehua Island with poison this summer. Garden Island.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Share of hotel tax biggest issue for Hawaii counties, high shipping costs a growing concern, new consultant for Honolulu rail, Kiss opening Maui restaurant, Molokai feels short-changed by Larry Ellison's Island Air, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2013 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Kona hotel pool scene (c) 2013 All Hawaii News
Hawaii’s four mayors and county councils are working to reach unanimous agreement on key tax issues so they can lobby the Legislature next year with a louder and more unified voice, officials said. The counties want to protect their share of the hotel tax revenue and have the state grant them a new taxing power so they can raise more funds, according to interviews with mayors, council members and legislators. The Hawaii State Association of Counties has invited the state's Council of Mayors to its meeting Wednesday in the hopes of reaching consensus on how to approach state lawmakers about the transient accommodations tax, general excise tax and other issues. Civil Beat.

Moving a container here from Los Angeles costs nearly 10 times more than moving that same container from Los Angeles to Shanghai, some three times farther. And that cost for shipping to and from Hawaii from the west coast is set to rise again. Hawaii Reporter.

The Navy’s top submarine commander in the Pacific says budget issues won’t affect his ability to deploy submarines next year. But Rear Adm. Phillip Sawyer said he’s concerned cuts to the civilian workforce at the nation’s naval shipyards will mean submarines won’t be ready to deploy as quickly in 2015 and beyond. Associated Press.

Former State Welfare Worker Charged with Tampering with Government Records and Misapplication of Property. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaiian Airlines is starting to sell tickets for its first-ever direct flight to China. The airline plans to launch nonstop service from Honolulu to Beijing on April 16. It will operate the flight three times a week. Associated Press.

Oahu

Local transit officials announced Tuesday they have awarded a $46.1 million contract to the consulting firm CH2M Hill Inc. to help oversee the next phase of Honolulu's rail project. Star-Advertiser.

A new contractor is taking over some of the oversight on Honolulu’s $5.26 billion rail project, and will be paid nearly $50 million to do so. On Tuesday, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation awarded a contract to CH2M Hill, an international engineering firm, to replace Parsons Brinckerhoff. Civil Beat.

'Virtual line' eases wait at satellite city hall. A low-cost system city workers developed lets people sit down rather than stand in queues. Star-Advertiser.

A former city street sweeper fired from his job after admitting to theft in an overtime scam was rehired by a different city department three years after losing his job. Hawaii News Now.

A developer is proposing to build 499 rental loft apartments in downtown Kapolei aimed at young professionals. But some community representatives say the area has plenty of housing and needs more places for young professionals to work. The local office of Ohio-based development firm Forest City Enterprises Inc. presented plans for the project called Kapolei Lofts at a meeting Monday night before the planning and zoning committee of the Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board. Star-Advertiser.

Two Kamiloiki Elementary School students were sent to a hospital Tuesday morning after their Hawaii Kai school was evacuated following reports of a strange odor on campus. Star-Advertiser.

A contract that allows federal workers to trap and capture feral pigs at the city's Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden was allowed to lapse, resulting in increased damage to the grounds. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County is still grappling with how to develop rules following a new state law exempting nonresidential structures on farms from building permits and plan reviews. The law, which went into effect July 1, allows structures such as sheds, barns, greenhouses and other buildings not intended for living space to be built without permits on commercial farmland within the agricultural district. West Hawaii Today.

After the Thirty Meter Telescope is built on Mauna Kea, it won’t be able to hold onto the title of world’s largest optical telescope for long. Other large observatories, including a telescope with a 39-meter mirror in Chile, are planned and may be completed a few years afterward. But Sandra Dawson, TMT spokeswoman, assured a luncheon of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii on Tuesday that it will remain the most advanced. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Rockers Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of the band Kiss are planning to be on Maui for a late January opening celebration for the Rock & Brews restaurant in Paia. Pacific Business News.

The Outlets of Maui, a retail and restaurant center under construction in the space once occupied by the former Lahaina Center, is scheduled for a soft opening Thursday, according to information released by the Maui Visitors Bureau. Maui Now.

The state Public Access Room, a division of the Legislative Reference Bureau, will conduct a series of free workshops on Maui called "We the Powerful!" the first week of December. Maui News.

Kauai

An upcoming election to vote on whether Kauai Island Utility Cooperative should be charging additional fees to customers who choose to keep their old electric meters is pegged to cost about $63,000. Garden Island.

A popular south shore Kauai beach will undergo a small-scale sand replenishment project to address erosion. The county's Department of Parks and Recreation says the Poipu Beach project is scheduled to begin Dec. 9 and is expected to be completed by the end of the week. Associated Press.

Molokai

Because of frequent and seemingly interminable delays, folks who live on the Friendly Island are not feeling very friendly toward Island Air. Dozens of Molokai residents who spoke with Civil Beat said they feel like the company is giving them short shrift, perhaps in favor of routes to Lanai. That island's owner, billionaire Larry Ellison, bought Island Air in March.