Showing posts with label elevated rail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elevated rail. Show all posts

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Hearings officer gives thumbs-up for Thirty Meter Telescope, Kauai man gets 4 years prison for harassing monk seal, 3-hour wait in line for Dunkin' Donuts, Honolulu $1.5M in arrears in collecting subsidized rents, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Telescopes on Mauna Kea © 2017 All Hawaii News
The Thirty Meter Telescope received a positive recommendation from hearings officer Riki May Amano, buoying the beleaguered project’s chances less than a year from a self-imposed construction deadline. Tribune-Herald.

A former Hilo judge is recommending the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope project be granted a key state permit for work atop Mauna Kea, ending a lengthy contested case hearing that challenged the $1.4 billion project’s conservation district use permit. Star-Advertiser.

A construction permit should be granted for the Thirty Meter Telescope proposed for the summit of Mauna Kea on Hawaii Island, a hearings officer recommended Wednesday. Associated Press.

A retired Hawaii judge is recommending that the state land board approve a permit for the Thirty Meter Telescope, which would allow construction of the $1.4 billion observatory to proceed on a site atop Mauna Kea on the Big Island. Pacific Business News.

The hearing officer in the Thirty Meter Telescope contested case hearing has issued her decision, and is recommending a Conservation District Use Permit be granted, allowing the observatory to be built on Mauna Kea. Big Island Video News.

A former Circuit Court judge has recommended that the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope project be allowed to move forward atop Mauna Kea. Hawaii News Now.

A hearings officer is recommending that a construction permit be granted for a giant telescope planned for a Hawaii mountain summit that some consider sacred. KITV.

The contested case hearing officer for the Thirty Meter Telescope is recommending that the controversial project move forward. KHON2.

Read the judge's full 305-page Thirty Meter Telescope report here.

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Community Services Block Grants: $3.7M Funding Uncertain. A joint legislative committee conducted a hearing on the status of federal funding for impoverished residents throughout the state. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii residents can stay up-to-date on more than 170 highway and road projects with a new interactive online map unveiled this week by the state Department of Transportation. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Inc. plans to speed up its ocean cargo service to the Republic of the Marshall Islands early next year. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A federal program administered by Honolulu to subsidize rents for low-income people has $1.55 million in delinquent accounts but doesn’t have a debt collector, according to a city audit released this week. Civil Beat.

Officials with Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration told the City Council Public Works, Infrastructure and Sustainability Committee on Wednesday that they will look at ways of expanding sewer capacity on Oahu in response to concerns that applicants for accessory dwelling units are being turned away because of the limitation. Star-Advertiser.

Two Honolulu City Council members have introduced legislation that would ban cigarette smoking in motor vehicles carrying children under 18. Star-Advertiser.

A new bill introduced by two Honolulu City Councilmen takes aim at smoking in vehicles while a minor is present. Hawaii News Now.

City council considers banning smoking in vehicles in presence of minors. KHON2.

Using an electronic device while crossing the street on Oahu will soon be illegal. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is expected to sign into law Bill 6 Thursday, which bans pedestrians from using cell phones and other electronic devices while crossing the street. Hawaii News Now.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell will sign Bill 6 into law Thursday afternoon. The law makes it illegal to look at a cellphone or other electronic devices while crossing a street or highway on Oahu. KITV.

It could soon cost businesses more to sell alcohol on Oahu. That’s because the fee to hold a liquor license may be going up, in some cases double what it is now. KHON2.

Group Pushes Street-Level Rail For Honolulu. Salvage the Rail proposes ditching the over-budget elevated railway plan in much of the city. Civil Beat.

On Oahu, the latest report by the Honolulu Board of Realtors found there was 2.7 months of remaining inventory for single-family homes and 2.8 months of remaining inventory for condos, meaning that if no more listings came on the market, the homes would sell out in that amount of time. Those numbers have been less than three months for nearly a year. Pacific Business News.

Olomana golf course appeals to state, military on flooding and late rent. Star-Advertiser.

The Diamond Head Lighthouse that stands today has been a lifesaving navigational beacon for the past 100 years, preventing vessels from running aground on the jagged reef over which it presides. Star-Advertiser.

Hundreds of Honolulu residents waited up to three hours Wednesday morning to get their hands on freshly made Dunkin' Donuts at the company’s opening of the first Hawaii store in more than 10 years. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Smoke caused evacuation of the control room of the Keck 2 telescope atop Mauna Kea Wednesday afternoon. Tribune-Herald.

After months of planning and discussion, Hawaii County is moving forward with plans to clean up the Old Airport Park. West Hawaii Today.

A smarter, stronger, more reliable electrical grid is the goal of Hawaiian Electric’s modernization plan to be discussed during two public meetings next week on Hawaii Island. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Wide loads of materials for the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope will close Haleakala’s summit to visitors from 10 p.m. Tuesday through 2 p.m. Wednesday, according to an announcement from the National Park Service. Maui News.

County considering an expansion of ag park with former sugar land. Maui News.

Hawaiian Airlines is seeking candidates for customer and ramp service contract positions at Kahului Airport. Maui Now.

Building A ‘Farewell Place’ For Maui Pet Owners. A woman gathers a group of volunteers to construct a facility at the Humane Society where people can say goodbye. Civil Beat.

Kauai

A 20-year-old Eleele man has been sentenced to four years in prison for harassing a pregnant Hawaiian monk seal on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Fifth Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe on Wednesday sentenced 20-year-old Shylo Kaena Akuna of Lihue to serve four years in prison for harassing a critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal last year at Salt Pond Beach Park in Hanapepe, Kauai. Civil Beat.

A Lihue man accused of beating up a monk seal will serve four years in prison. Garden Island.

County approves collective bargaining agreement. Some Kauai council members do not believe it is the right time to approve firefighter raises. Garden Island.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources removed nearly 11 tons of garbage from the Napali Coast in ongoing efforts to clean up the area DLNR officials reported Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Legislature ponders road taxes, pesticides, kupuna care; Honolulu airport cargo facility mired in litigation; Thirty Meter Telescope hearing officer's contract renewed; Zuckerberg moves to No. 5 on billionaire list, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Ala Moana Park © 2017 All Hawaii News
The city of Honolulu is adding more than a dozen full time positions to its Ala Moana park staff. This is just part of the mayor’s plan to improve the park with many projects already underway. KHON2.

Lawmakers are trying to decide which of your taxes to raise to help operate and maintain Hawaii's highway system, including one proposal that would have changed the vehicle tax system entirely. Hawaii News Now.

Rep. Richard Creagan wants to take another shot at passing a bill that would require agribusinesses that use large amounts of pesticides to disclose what pesticides they apply, where and in what amounts. Civil Beat.

A bill that brings relief to kupuna caregivers is gaining momentum at the capitol. Under this legislation, a caregiver can get up to $70 a day to help care for their loved ones. KITV.

Those Tourists Are Actually Good For Hawaii. Hawaiian Airlines’ top executive Mark Dunkerley believes visitor spending is what’s going to make up for federal budget cuts. Civil Beat.

A bill that would’ve provided a tax credit for energy storage projects has been shelved. Pacific Business News.

Emergency planners and government officials from across the Pacific are attending a conference on natural disaster and climate adaptation planning this week at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Star-Advertiser.

Bank of Hawaii Chairman, President and CEO Peter Ho earned $167,564 less in total compensation in 2016 than he did the previous year, according to a proxy statement the company filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

More than six years after the state awarded a contract to build a $73 million maintenance and cargo facility at Honolulu Airport, the partially finished project stands vacant and stuck in a legal tangle of disputes among a general contractor, subcontractors and the state Department of Transportation. Star-Advertiser.

While private money will never pay for a significant part of Honolulu’s stalled rail project, having the private sector shoulder more of the risk might result in a quicker, less costly finish, according to a new report. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu’s troubled rail project could save as much as $570 million by getting a private sector contractor to finance the final push for the 21-station, 20-mile line, according to a report released Monday. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council Considers Bill to Prohibit Use of Cell Phones in Crosswalks. Hawaii Public Radio.

Gov. David Ige will soon have an opportunity to tweak the makeup of a state board regulating development in Kakaako, and some community members fear that two board incumbents could be replaced by pro-development representatives. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Convention Center predicts it'll lose $1.5 million this year. KITV.

As many as 300 people had to be evacuated from a Kalihi apartment building on Sunday after nearly 40 pipe bombs were discovered inside one of the building's units, according to a Honolulu Police Department spokesperson. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources extended its contract with hearing officer Riki May Amano to complete the Thirty Meter Telescope contested case. Tribune-Herald.

A group of veterans’ organizations left a videoconference meeting with Mayor Harry Kim on Monday optimistic that a laundry list of problems at West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery will be addressed. West Hawaii Today.

A lawsuit over whether a state Department of Health official can substitute other physicians for a psychiatrist contracted with Kona Community Hospital will play out in a Kona courtroom starting next week. West Hawaii Today.

John McDermott said if neighbor islands want the best care for their most vulnerable seniors then citizens must do for those people what he’s made a career of doing for the elderly — advocate. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui police were seeking the public’s help in identifying two suspects in a robbery and kidnapping at gunpoint of two tourists last week. Star-Advertiser.

Questions surrounding the death of a Maui resident at a prison in Arizona in 2015 are being brought to light in an investigative article, “Prisoners in Hawaiʻi Are Being Sent to Die in Private Prisons in Arizona” that appears in the March issue of VICE magazine. Maui Now.

Camp offers reprieve, hope for children of isle inmates. Maui News.

Kauai

Mark Zuckerberg, who founded Facebook and owns property on Hawaii's island of Kauai, moved up to No. 5 in the annual ranking of the world’s richest billionaires by Forbes magazine, which was released on Monday. Pacific Business News.

80-unit luxury hotel planned; boating limits may be lifted. Garden Island.

There’s a web of secret passageways used by pollutants to reach the reefs that fringe Kauai’s beaches. Garden Island.

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Humpback whales show island preference, Senate leaders rebuke Honolulu over rail costs, lawmakers mull county share of hotel tax, bill requires gray water reuse, Meadow Gold milk recalled because of bacteria, Mauna Kea's future subject of closed-door meetings, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii
Humpback whale breach, courtesy Kohala Sail & Sea, PC: Michael Faughn
Few humpback whales showed up to be counted Saturday at the Kauai sites of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count. Contrary to the other sites on Oahu and Hawaii island, Kauai counts were low. Garden Island.

A total of 984 humpback whale sightings were reported during the 2017 Great Whale Count on Maui over the weekend, including 544 pods (or groups of whales) and 88 calves. Maui Now.

Hawaii lawmakers might create a group to develop a way to collect data on how vacation rentals affect Hawaii’s tax revenue, housing supply and brand as a visitor destination. Associated Press.

The state Senate will vote on a bill boosting the counties’ share of the transient accommodations tax to $108 million a year. Currently, the counties share $103 million, an amount scheduled to decrease to $93 million next fiscal year. Tribune-Herald.

The House Finance Committee has scheduled a hearing Tuesday morning on House Bill 1586, which would phase out the counties’ share of transient accommodations over a three-year period and implement new income tax brackets and rates. Maui News.

Developers who want to construct buildings in Hawaii would have to install systems to reuse gray water under a bill in the Legislature. Associated Press.

The state is doubling down on its efforts to crack down on welfare cheats, or people who get more than their fair share of the benefits meant to help those in need. KHON2.

The state Department of Health ordered Meadow Gold Dairies to stop selling its 2 percent reduced-fat milk because of signs of potential contamination. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Department of Health issued a cease and desist order to Meadow Gold Dairies on Monday to halt its distribution and sale of 2-percent reduced fat milk after lab results from routine milk samples exceeded standard limits for coliform bacteria. Pacific Business News.

Just one-fifth of the classrooms Gov. David Ige pledged to air condition by the start of 2017 have been completed. Civil Beat.

The number of permitted solar systems on the neighbor islands continues to slide. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines says it has become the first U.S. airline to join an international research project on climate change and air quality. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii’s David Ige joined a bipartisan group of governors Monday at a press conference to discuss the needs of their states. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Senate leaders delivered Honolulu’s mayor and those overseeing the city’s troubled rail project a harsh rebuke Monday when they advanced a measure that aims to help finish building the transit system without another tax extension. Star-Advertiser.

Wielding a scalpel the size of an axe, the Hawaii Senate’s budget committee on Monday sliced off scores of pages from a bill intended to help Honolulu fund its troubled rail project. Civil Beat.

An 11th hour call to bring rail down to street level has lawmakers wanting to know if it’s possible. KITV.

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha today officially closes out a 33-year career, his seven years at the top now overshadowed by a federal investigation into conspiracy and corruption. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Department says it doesn't have the money for key programs, but is letting $12M sit idle in the bank. Hawaii News Now.

Two Oahu residents were charged last Friday in separate incidents of alleged theft from State of Hawaii accounts. West Hawaii Today.

Embattled owners of 'no-kill' animal shelter in Makaha deny abusing animals. Hawaii News Now.

The Pacific Beach Hotel has hired six new employees for leadership positions within the hotel as part of its $115 million renovation and rebranding as the Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach, to be completed by this fall. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii


A process to form a vision for the future of Mauna Kea is starting to take shape. A 10-member committee, known as the Hui Ho‘olohe, will begin receiving feedback from Hawaii Island residents next month, said Friends of the Future executive team leader Susan Maddox, who is managing the process. Tribune-Herald.

Mayor Harry Kim convened a meeting last week with Hawaii County Civil Defense and officials at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to discuss how to better protect visitors to Kilauea’s 61g lava flow, currently the most popular tourist attraction in the state. West Hawaii Today.

Persistent records requests from three Kailua-Kona residents have put state and county agencies on the defensive, leading to attempts to clamp down on those they think ask for too much information. West Hawaii Today.

A Hawaii island boat owner faces a state fine of $10,000 as the Coast Guard has stepped up enforcement in response to an apparent increase in illegal charters drawn to the Kilauea Volcano lava gushing into the ocean. Star-Advertiser.

A young pueo (Hawaiian short-eared owl) was euthanized after being flown to the Big Island last week. The decision was made by wildlife biologists from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife and was made to prevent the bird’s continuing suffering. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

As wind farms statewide are killing more Hawaiian hoary bats than expected, a Maui wind farm is asking the state to increase the amount of endangered bats and nene it’s allowed to incidentally kill. Maui News.

Kauai

The United States Navy wants to take advantage of the sun on Kauai’s Westside by installing a 44-megawatt solar array and a battery storage facility on 180 acres at the Pacific Missile Range Facility. Garden Island.

The Navy wants to power up what could be one of the largest solar farms in the state at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, where ongoing missile testing requires unwavering power for flight tests that process huge amounts of data. Star-Advertiser.

If elected to serve on the board of directors of the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Hermina Morita promises to use her experience in policy making to ensure the co-op thrives. Garden Island.

If elected to serve on the board of directors for Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, Norma Doctor Sparks wants to focus on how the co-op helps residents recover from natural disasters. Garden Island.

Hawaii officials say an invasive parakeet is causing health and environmental problems on Kauai. Associated Press.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Defending Hawaii against missiles, Honolulu rail school impact fee fails, Omidyar-backed Kauai dairy pauses EIS, felons to remain in jail, 'Styrofoam' ban advances on Big Island, biofuel crops planned for Maui, state Capitol crumbling, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Pacific Missile Range, Kauai © 2017 All Hawaii News
At the request of Congress, the federal Missile Defense Agency is evaluating the threat to Hawaii from ballistic missiles and possible defenses against them. Civil Beat.

A bill that would have authorized the head of the state Department of Public Safety to release some convicted felons to ease overcrowding in state-run jails appears to be dead for the session. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Count On Hawaii To Ignore Logical Prison Report. In the rush to build a new prison, the Legislature is likely to shunt aside the work of a task force it created just last year. Civil Beat.

A state agency hopes to sell carbon offset credits linked to reforestation. Star-Advertiser.

Representatives from Hawai’i’s hospitality industry converged on the State Capitol today to brief lawmakers on their legislative priorities. Hawaii Public Radio.

High-schoolers are some of the loudest champions of a bill seeking to ban the use of disposable foam containers. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Lawmaker Accepted Junket From Turkish Opposition Group. Sen. J. Kalani English is among 151 state legislators nationwide whose official travel has been tied to exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Community Reinvestment Corp. has donated $790,000 to establish the HCRC Distinguished Professorship in Affordable Housing at the University of Hawaii to teach the next generation about affordable housing strategies and develop policy alternatives. Pacific Business News.

State officials believe falling exterior ceiling tiles at the Hawaii State Capitol are the result of strong winds on Monday and this past weekend. Civil Beat.

Matson Inc. delivered more containers and automobiles to Hawaii in 2016, but the largest ocean cargo company serving the state had rough sailing in other areas, which resulted in a 22 percent profit decline last year. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The state school board for a second time has rejected an impact fee the Department of Education contends it needs to accommodate the estimated 10,000 students expected to enroll in urban Honolulu schools as developments pop up along the city’s rail line. Star-Advertiser.

A plan to charge developers along the rail line hundreds of millions of dollars in school impact fees has stalled. Hawaii News Now.

State lawmakers say they’re unlikely to get the briefing they want from the city rail system’s federal partners before they must decide what to do about Oahu’s cash-strapped transit project. Star-Advertiser.

While Honolulu may be the eighth-most traffic-congested city in the U.S., Oahu residents can take some solace in the fact that the problem isn't getting any worse, according to data from the 2017 TomTom Traffic Index. Pacific Business News.

A new bill before the Honolulu City Council would expand the city’s law banning people from sitting and lying down on certain public sidewalks to parts of Kalihi and Iwilei. Star-Advertiser.

Dozens of Airbnb listings in Honolulu are raking in six figures in annual revenue, according to a monthly market report by Airdna, the analytics arm of the online vacation rental platform, which ranked the top 10 highest-performing vacation listings for all accommodation sizes. Pacific Business News.

The state Public Utilities Commission is holding a hearing tonight about Hawaiian Electric Co.’s request to increase rates. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Biotech Inc. moved into its new research and development laboratory and headquarters at Dole Cannery in Honolulu on Tuesday, with staff hopeful the new 11,000 square foot space will facilitate greater efficiency as well as provide the company with access to much-needed emergency power. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Biotech Inc. opened a $3 million laboratory at Dole Cannery this week to continue its research of vaccines that can combat viruses such as Zika, West Nile and Ebola. Star-Advertiser.

The man who breached airport security in Honolulu and later died was court-ordered to be at a drug rehabilitation center just a week and a half before the incident. KHON2.

Hawaii

Foam food containers were back on the table Tuesday, when the County Council Environmental Management Committee on a 5-3 vote advanced a bill restricting those made of polystyrene. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Council Committee on Environmental Management gave a positive recommendation to a bill that would reduce the use of Styrofoam food containers on Hawaii Island. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii County will not pay any penalties for terminating its composting and mulching contract, according to Mayor Harry Kim. Tribune-Herald.

The chief financial officer of Youth With a Mission’s University of the Nations in Kona stole $2.5 million from the international Christian school, owns a gold mine in Africa and kept loose diamonds in a safe deposit box, a federal prosecutor said Tuesday in U.S. District Court. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Public scoping meetings for Alexander & Baldwin’s application to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources for a 30-year lease (holdover water permits) for water from streams in Nahiku, Keanae and Huelo are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 22 and 23, at two different locations on Maui. Maui Now.

Biofuel crops, including sunflowers, will be grown on 115 acres in Maui’s central valley as part of a demonstration project this month, according to an announcement from Pacific Biodiesel. Maui News.

The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas has named Chris Rabang as general manager ahead of the time-share resort’s April opening. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Hawaii Dairy Farms, the planned dairy operation on Kauai being funded by Pierre Omidyar’s social investment firm Ulupono Initiative, has withdrawn the project’s final environmental impact statement to expand responses to comments submitted during the process. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Dairy Farms took a step back in its plan to put a dairy on Kauai by withdrawing its Final Environmental Impact Statement from state consideration on Tuesday. Garden Island.

Hundreds on Kauai may have faulty solar parts. Garden Island.

A hearing is scheduled March 22 for Kauai Community College’s proposal to reclassify 148.5 acres of land from agricultural to urban usage. Garden Island.

Misuse of funds, poor record keeping, and violations of state animal euthanasia laws are just some of the findings of a recent audit of the Kauai Humane Society. Hawaii News Now.

A man accused of beating up a monk seal last year is expected to change his plea today. Garden Island.

Representatives of the Kauai Beer Company are proposing a private-public partnership to renovate Kalena Park. Garden Island.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Hotel revenue surges, Legislature mulls transient taxes, Ige AC plan lags, Board of Education reduces proposed impact fee on rail route, grad students again try to unionize, Big Island audit finds inventory controls lacking, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hapuna Beach Prince Resort © 2017 All Hawaii News
Hawaii hotels ended 2016 with record highs in revenue, boosted by increases in visitor arrivals and a spike in room rates in December. Star-Advertiser.

Airbnb is once again backing two bills that would enable the online vacation rental platform to act as a tax broker and collect and remit taxes on behalf of its hosts in Hawaii, claiming the measure could generate $100 million in tax revenue. Pacific Business News.

Counties face a drop in their share of the state’s transient accommodations tax next fiscal year if the state Legislature doesn’t take action this session. Tribune-Herald.

Housing Bill Strikes A Blow For The Middle Class. Rep. Beth Fukumoto says the Legislature needs to act on housing issues to help low- and middle-income buyers. Civil Beat.

University of Hawaii graduate assistants could have the option to unionize under legislation moving through the state Legislature. Tribune-Herald.

Only about 200 Hawaii classrooms have received air conditioning units as part of Gov. David Ige's $100 million plan announced early last year to cool 1,000 classrooms. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii’s public school system is the top-ranked district in K-12 broadband connectivity in the United States, according to an annual report released by EducationSuperHighway, a nonprofit that focuses on Internet connectivity in the classrooms. Garden Island.

Life is getting better for the thousands of humpback whales that make the trip from Alaska each winter to breed in Hawaii’s warm waters, but state and federal scientists, government officials and law enforcement officers are remaining vigilant. Civil Beat.

Young Brothers Ltd.’s interisland cargo volume finished 2016 at virtually the same level it began the year. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The Department of Education has come up with a lower proposed fee that it would charge homebuilders to help pay for new schools along the rail line in urban Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

City proposes new park rules to curb sales of goods by religious groups. KITV.

Police Commission starts hashing out subpoena process. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Inadequate inventory control at county Public Works baseyards allowed chainsaws, string trimmers, a generator, lawnmower, digital camera and other items to walk off the job. West Hawaii Today.

Efforts to revitalize Banyan Drive and the surrounding Kanoelehua Industrial Area are moving forward in the Hawaii State Legislature. Big Island Video News.

The Leeward Planning Commission approved a rezoning proposal last week that cleared a path for a new development at the Mauna Lani Resort in South Kohala. West Hawaii Today.

New Hawaii island Police Chief Paul Ferreira was a young detective when he enlisted famed forensic scientist Henry Lee 24 years ago to determine whether a well-liked police sergeant accidentally ran over his wife or if blood spatter inside his van proved it was murder. Star-Advertiser.

The Big Island Community Beach Clean Up event is back and has the potential this year to be bigger than ever before. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Less than a year after Wailuku’s Clean & Safe program was born, business owners say the town’s atmosphere has improved, and the people who were given jobs say they’ve gotten their dignity back. Maui News.

Kauai


Kekaha Elementary is the only Kauai school on the Department of Education’s priority list in the state’s Heat Abatement project to cool down Hawaii classrooms, ranking 31 out of 33 in the state. As of Feb. 15, no units have been installed. Garden Island.

New Catholic Charities CEO: Homelessness, senior care are big challenges. Garden Island.

Monday, February 20, 2017

Hold onto your wallets--the Legislature's in session; Maui mayor's denial of sacred rocks draws ire; insecticide ban urged; bills die on deadline; Kim kills compost contract; rail car construction to resume; more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hawaii Capitol © 2017 All Hawaii News
State lawmakers are advancing a startling array of more than a dozen proposals this year to increase taxes or impose new levies on everything from marijuana and prepaid cellphones to rocks. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Residents, brace for a clear money grab by politicians. Star-Advertiser.

After a major legislative deadline, the number of bills still alive in the Hawaii Legislature has dwindled. Proposals to boost the use of batteries for renewable energy and take parts of the federal Affordable Care Act into state law are survived. But the variety of unusual proposals to solving homelessness — from setting up sanctioned campgrounds to allowing people to live in driveways — had a mixed fate. Associated Press.

Environmental activists are urging Hawaii lawmakers to implement a statewide ban on a widely used insecticide that’s been linked to disruptions in the brain development of babies and young children — a cause they say is all the more urgent now that President Donald Trump has assumed office and signaled his intent to curtail environmental regulations. Star-Advertiser.

A twice-defeated Senate bill that would allow media access during island disasters and emergencies has passed one committee and is on its way to the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association will host its second annual "Tourism Day at the Capitol" this week. KITV.

The state Legislature is considering taking money generated by the transient accommodations tax away from the counties. Garden Island.

The Board of Education has tapped an Iowa-based executive search firm to help it find and screen candidates for the schools superintendent position. Star-Advertiser.

The Board of Education is asking Hawaii residents for their input in choosing the state's new schools superintendent. Hawaii News Now.

Candidates are again being sought to fill a vacancy on the five-member Kamehameha Schools board of trustees after one of three finalists withdrew from the search. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is ranked fourth among states with the highest percentage of millionaire households, according to the 2016 Phoenix Wealth & Affluent Monitor, a study released by Phoenix Marketing International. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Nearly three months after its halt, production of rail cars for the Honolulu rail project is about to start up again. KHON2.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell's affordable housing strategy aims to add up to 800 units per year. Pacific Business News.

One of the hottest areas for new housing production on Oahu could soon have a longer-lasting supply of moderate-priced homes for sale or rent — and at lower prices — if a state board adopts new rules recommended by its staff. Star-Advertiser.

A man in his 40s died Saturday morning after breaching a TSA security checkpoint at the Honolulu International Airport. Hawaii News Now.

A couple of shopping malls on O‘ahu are dealing with some of the challenges of middle age. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

Mayor Harry Kim on Thursday signed a termination of a composting contract that was “deemed disadvantageous” to Hawaii County. Tribune-Herald.

As the days add up in the Thirty Meter Telescope contested case, so does the cost. As of Dec. 31, the state’s bill for the quasi-judicial hearing was $224,789.62, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Tribune-Herald.

Using a wheelchair or walker to reach the best areas of Hawaii County parks will get easier. But it won’t happen overnight. Tribune-Herald.

Vog experts, health professionals and concerned citizens gathered in Kona for a seminar meant to answer one simple question: Is vog the greatest daily threat to the health of Hawaii Islanders? West Hawaii Today.

A former police officer charged with fatally striking a bicyclist is scheduled to appear in court for a fitness hearing Friday accompanied by an attorney still seeking assurances the county will pay for his defense. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Mayor Alan Arakawa is coming under fire from social media and elsewhere for saying in a televised “Hawaii News Now Sunrise” interview Friday that “there’s no such thing as sacred rocks.” Maui News.

Public scoping meetings have been scheduled for Alexander & Baldwin’s application to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources for a 30-year lease for water from streams in Nahiku, Keanae and Huelo. Maui News.

Jeanne Unemori Skog, the longtime head of the Maui Economic Development Board who began with the nonprofit 33 years ago, will step down in June, she announced Friday. Maui News.

Kauai

The County of Kauai will discuss a resolution that will allow the County Council to establish an investigating committee when it meets Wednesday. Garden Island.

When it comes to updating Rice Street, the Kauai Board of Realtors wants to hear what the community has to say. Garden Island.

Kauai has a new state district health officer. Garden Island.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Assisted suicide bill clears Senate panel, property taxes could rise to pay for income tax cut, Caldwell's State of the City tonight, Maui may allow advertising at county facilities, firefighters union seeks insignia on uniforms, fewer whales entangled, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hawaii sunrise © All Hawaii News
Hawaii bill would allow medical aid in dying. Associated Press.

Senate Bill 1129, the “medical aid in dying” bill, which would allow terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live to self-administer medication to end their own lives, with an amendment to allow advanced practice registered nurses in addition to doctors to prescribe lethal drugs, passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health  on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Medical Aid In Dying Bill Stays Alive In Hawaii Senate. The proposal, which didn’t even receive a hearing last year, has cleared one committee and its prospects seem good in a second. Civil Beat.

The state Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health voted 6-0 Wednesday to recommend passing a “death with dignity” bill after testimony poured in during an emotional hearing Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

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A bill that could force Hawaii’s four counties to raise property taxes was passed Tuesday by the House Tourism Committee. Maui News.

House Bill 1586 aims to reduce income taxes on low-income and middle-income families, as well as seniors, by eliminating the counties' share of the transient accommodations tax on hotels and short-term rentals. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii lawmakers have advanced hotly contested bills this month that would allow Airbnb, and similar online vacation rental platforms, to collect taxes on behalf of the state. Star-Advertiser.

A proposal to deploy high-tech cameras for traffic enforcement by photographing the license plates of motorists who run red lights has been approved by two committees in the state Senate. Star-Advertiser.

Tightening The Rules For Lobbyists. Lobbyists spent millions trying to influence lawmakers last year. Civil Beat.

Operators of Hawaii’s wind farms are poised to spend more than $4 million on efforts to fill critical knowledge gaps regarding the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat, and may eventually spend up to $6 million. Civil Beat.

The federal government has filed a lawsuit against Discovering Hidden Hawaii Tours Inc., alleging that the company’s president sexually harassed male employees for more than a decade. Star-Advertiser.

A man who controls three related Hawaii tour companies subjected male employees to sexual harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday. Associated Press.

If, as the classic 1980s TV commercial advises, you’re looking for the union label, you’re not likely to find it on Hawaii firefighters uniforms any time soon. West Hawaii Today.

The number of whales getting tangled up in fishing gear in Hawaiian waters has been on the decline. Associated Press.

Not a single whale entanglement has been reported almost four months into whale season in Hawaiian waters. Maui News.

Kelvin Taketa, who has led the Hawaii Community Foundation for nearly 20 years, said Wednesday that he will step down as soon as the board names a new CEO. Pacific Business News.

Gary Caulfield, First Hawaiian Bank vice chairman and chief information officer, is retiring after 34 years at the bank. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s fifth State of the City address tonight will focus on a revamped plan to give incentives to housing developers in exchange for providing more affordable rentals to those most in need — and keeping them affordable longer. Star-Advertiser.

Bills that would extend Oahu’s rail tax easily advanced in both Legislative chambers Wednesday, but the measures now face tougher scrutiny in the House and Senate’s money committees. Star-Advertiser.

Most of the action so far regarding finding more money for Honolulu’s rail project has taken place in the state Senate, but now the House of Representatives is getting involved. Civil Beat.

There were a few key junctures in the long, convoluted story of Honolulu’s rail project.  Getting the point five percent general excise tax increase was one, and the decision to go with an elevated system is another. Hawaii Public Radio.

Traffic and affordable housing are the most pressing issues for Island residents according to a statewide survey for the Hawaii Association of Realtors, though less than half of Oahu respondents support extending the general excise tax beyond 2027 to fund rail completion beyond Middle Street. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu International Airport could lose one of its runways under a plan to improve runway safety. KHON2.

University of Hawaii President David Lassner has recommended suspending for two years the search for a chancellor for the Manoa campus, following an unsuccessful nationwide search to fill the position. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Commission is aiming for the department's new chief to be sworn-in this summer. Associated Press.

The Honolulu Police Department may reopen a criminal case involving the suspected assault of a toddler at a day care run by the wife of a Honolulu police officer in response to a Civil Beat story that uncovered serious flaws in the investigation.

A former student at Pearl City High School has filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Education in a case where she was sexually assaulted by a special needs student in 2012. Hawaii News Now.

Senia, long-planned and recently opened by chefs Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush, and Vino, run by master sommelier Chuck Furuya, have been nominated for 2017 James Beard Awards in separate categories. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The third try might be the charm for securing legislative funding for rat lungworm disease research. Tribune-Herald.

A state Department of Land and Natural Resources enforcement officer on trial for the alleged sexual assault of a then-16-year-old girl on a Hilo beach on New Year’s Day 2016 admitted Wednesday he kissed the girl but testified she initiated it. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County is seeking more income through a bill that would allow businesses and nonprofits to advertise at county parks, sponsor an event or allow an entity to become an exclusive provider for things such as soft drinks at county concessions. Maui News.

Saying “nobody here wants this,” angry residents voiced overwhelming opposition to TEACH, the group that plans to turn Old Maui High School into a center for agriculture, housing and education. Maui News.

Kauai

Increasing tourist traffic, adding user fees and allowing people to book tee times online are just some suggestions to drum up business at the Wailua Golf Course. Garden Island.

County officials hope an audit of the Kauai Humane Society, paired with new leadership, will help steer the organization in a positive direction. Garden Island.

Gary Hooser, former Kauai County councilman, is joining Kauai Community Radio. Garden Island.

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Sunscreen oxybenzone ban advanced to protect coral, 100 attend assisted suicide forum, Hawaii's county workers highest paid, Legislature mulls Affordable Care Act, Honolulu mayor pushes for general excise tax surcharge, spectacular lava poses danger to onlookers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hawaii coral © 2017 All Hawaii News
A proposed ban on sunscreen products containing oxybenzone, which includes most of the sun protection items currently on store shelves, was approved by the House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee on Tuesday. Civil Beat.

The House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection on Tuesday advanced a bill that would prohibit the sale of sunscreens containing the chemical oxybenzone. Garden Island.

The House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection today advanced House Bill 600, introduced by Representative Nicole Lowen (District 6, Kailua-Kona, Holualoa), which would prohibit the sale of sunscreens containing the chemical oxybenzone. Maui Now.

About 100 people attended a forum on physician-assisted suicide Tuesday in the state Capitol auditorium. Attendees heard details of House Bill 201 (Relating to Aid in Dying), listened to experiences from patients and doctors, and had some of their questions answered about the matter. Star-Advertiser.

Congress is taking steps to repeal part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act commonly referred to as Obamacare.   Hawai’i lawmakers are also advancing legislation to protect residents who might lose their medical coverage. Hawaii Public Radio.

Concerned about the dissolution of the Affordable Care Act, state lawmakers are introducing bills to merge into Hawaii law the consumer protections they consider the best parts of the federal program. Associated Press.

Lawmakers Debate Bills To Make It Easier To Evict People. Housing Committee Chairman Tom Brower says he hasn’t decided about measures to amend the landlord-tenant code. Civil Beat.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has decided to personally pay for her trip to Syria, following new stories about her trip sponsor being a backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard says she will “personally reimburse” all the costs of her recent week-long trip to Syria. Civil Beat.

New data released on Tuesday reveals county workers in Hawaii make the highest average wages in the nation, compared to employees from counties in other states. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Democratic Party is pulling its business from First Hawaiian Bank in support of Dakota pipeline protests. Hawaii Public Radio.

A former Hawaii State Supreme Court associate justice has died. Justice Mario Ramil was sworn in in 1993, and served for nearly a decade. KHON2.

Oahu

If state lawmakers will agree to extend the half-percent excise tax surcharge on Oahu to provide desperately needed funding for the city’s rail project, the city would be willing to share the tax revenues from that surcharge with the state, according to a pitch made Tuesday by Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and City Council Chairman Ron Menor. Star-Advertiser.

Funding of police chief’s severance raises dispute: Does the Police Commission have the authority to spend HPD money? Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric announced Tuesday it has revived three major solar projects on Oahu that it terminated last year not long before the company that was supposed to build them filed for bankruptcy. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a $9.8 million military contract to a joint venture between Hawaii contractors Aulii Construction and Nan Inc., for work at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

The developer of a long-planned condominium project at the southern slopes of Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu is moving ahead with its development after filing building permits totaling $22 million. Pacific Business News.

A recent approval to build a seventh condominium tower at Ward Village is now on hold after the project’s developer filed objections to a few conditions imposed by a state agency regulating development in Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

A man who got sick with Hepatitis A during last year's outbreak is demanding money from Genki Sushi and the chain's food suppliers, and he isn't alone. Lawyers are embroiled in dozens of cases related to the outbreak, including 3 class-action lawsuits. Hawaii News Now.

Maintenance issues persist in aging dorms at University of Hawaii at Manoa. KHON2.

New details about the investigation into the slaughter of 15 protected Laysan albatrosses at Kaena Point are contained in court documents filed by an attorney for one of the defendants. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The chief of the Hawaii Fire Department and at least two department staff flew to the state Capitol this week to testify in favor of a bill that would add an extra ambulance in Puna. Tribune-Herald.

Just months after Hawaii County celebrated an $11.6 million upgrade to Mauna Kea Recreation Area, the county announced Tuesday the park has been closed until further notice. West Hawaii Today.

Scientists discovered they're dealing with not one but two strains of deadly fungus obliterating Ohi'a Lehua trees on the Big Island. KITV.

VIDEO: Spectacular “Lava Hose” Continues Plunge Into Sea. Big Island Video News.

A long, lateral crack in sea cliffs built by Kilauea Volcano has scientists worried about a second collapse into the ocean. Star-Advertiser.

Authorities are cracking down on visitors entering an off-limits area inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to get a closer look at the lava spewing into the ocean. National Park Service law enforcement officers have cited 28 people since a large delta collapsed a month ago, forming a fire hose of lava. Hawaii News Now.

Donation brings companion to Kona’s most famous, loneliest donkey. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

An empty bunk bed and two mattresses lying side by side on the floor — only steps away from the toilet — is a common sight in Maui Community Correctional Center cells originally designed for two inmates. Maui News.

Chancellor urges Legislature to establish $2.5M financial aid fund. Maui News.

The County of Maui Department of Environmental Management announced it is soliciting grant applications/proposals from the public for the use of available funds from the DEM Recycling Grant, Fiscal Year 2018. MauiWatch.

Kauai

Three free workshops on food safety and spoilage are being offered around the island as a part of a statewide effort to promote safe and healthy local food in schools. Garden Island.

Anthony Morita is new community relations sergeant. Garden Island.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Ige administration may nix union's call for more pay hikes, schools to get more money, Obama family enjoys Hawaii vacation, new trial mulled for special agent Deedy, electric rate hike for Oahu, Abercrombie weighs in on Maui innkeeper, DOT neglects right-turn lanes in highway construction plans, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

photo courtesy Lance Luke
Elevated rail construction, courtesy Lance Luke
Honolulu leaders say they’re determined to find a way to build their “Plan A” — a nearly $10 billion elevated transit line that runs all the way to Ala Moana Center — despite the giant budget obstacles that still block that goal. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige says he again wants to invest a large portion of next year’s state budget in public education through funding that would be disbursed at the school level. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige’s administration has made a series of closed-door presentations to the public worker unions in recent months warning that the state’s record-setting $1 billion budget surplus is essentially spent, a message apparently meant to tamp down expectations as the unions negotiate for new contracts and raises. Star-Advertiser.

The first family’s Christmas vacation is well underway here in Hawaii, and on Sunday morning, the president, the first lady and friends visited Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe. KITV.

The latest on President Barack Obama's annual two-week vacation in Hawaii. Associated Press.

Every holiday that President Barack Obama and his family have spent on Oahu, a group of protesters has gathered to greet them. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Supreme Court is getting closer to deciding if Special Agent Christopher Deedy can be tried a third time for the death of Kollin Elderts. Civil Beat.

Blue Startups, a Honolulu-based startup support program, said it will bring investors managing more than $1 billion to Hawaii in January. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Oahu customers could face an $8 increase in their electrical bills if Hawaiian Electric Co.’s request for a 6.9 percent raise in rates is approved. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. is proposing to raise rates by nearly 7 percent, which would be the first increase in base rates on Oahu in nearly six years, the utility said Friday. Pacific Business News.

A political action committee that sought to defeat Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s re-election bid is accruing daily fines because it has not filed a campaign financing report. Star-Advertiser.

New regulations aimed at bolstering privacy at homeless shelters and moving clients into permanent housing more quickly are forcing a Waipahu shelter to close its doors, officials said Friday. Hawaii News Now.

Take a tour around the $1 billion Park Lane Ala Moana luxury condominium project construction site at Honolulu’s Ala Moana Center and you’ll quickly notice that it’s something you’ve never seen before in Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Riki May Amano, hearings officer for the Thirty Meter Telescope’s contested case, denied a request Friday to put the process on hold following a recent ruling on the project’s sublease. Tribune-Herald.

A site-specific Environmental Radiation Monitoring Plan has been finalized for the Pohakuloa Training Area. Big Island Video News.

Impacts to historic sites caused by construction along Queen Kaahumanu Highway were the result of a failure to account for right-turn lanes associated with the project. West Hawaii Today.

Continuing to foster a strong relationship between police officers and the community will remain at the forefront for Assistant Chief Mitchell Kanehailua as he leads West Hawaii’s men and women in blue. West Hawaii Today.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo says efforts to improve four-year graduation rates are beginning to pay off. Tribune-Herald.

The right to operate an outdated Hilo waterfront hotel is headed for public auction early next year in the wake of disagreements over a land lease and misuse of the property that became the Pagoda Hilo Bay Hotel in February. Star-Advertiser.

A new assisted-living facility for elderly residents is planned for Hilo along Highway 11 (Kanoelehua Avenue) at its intersection with East Kahaopea Street, where a greenhouse once existed. Tribune-Herald.

In search of answers to the semi-slug: Researchers track carrier of rat lungworm parasite. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie wrote a letter in support of Paia businessman Michael Baskin’s request for a special use permit to operate the Paia Inn, a nine-bedroom transient vacation, at 93 Hana Highway. Maui News.

A ban on disposable polystyrene food service containers moved closer to reality Friday as the Maui County Council approved a bill on first reading to restrict the use and sale of the containers in the county. Maui News.

Restaurants in Maui County would have to pack food in eco-friendly containers free of plastic foam under a measure that could be approved early next year. Associated Press.

One of Hawaii’s eight medical marijuana dispensary licensees announced Sunday that it has opened an educational center as it waits for the “green light” from the state to begin dispensary operations. Star-Advertiser.

For four years the world’s largest digital camera has been quietly snapping pictures of the nighttime sky above Maui, capturing images of all the stars, planets, galaxies and other celestial bodies above three-quarters of Earth. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education announced that Hāna High & Elementary School in East Maui will be closed tomorrow, Monday, Dec. 19, 2016, due to a lack of water in the area. Maui Now.

Now, sugar really is gone. On Friday, the same day that Puunene Mill smokestacks stopped puffing, the last shipment of Maui-made sugar was carried out of Kahului Harbor. Maui News.

Kauai

Public is asked to help plan the future of the bus system. Garden Island.

The island saw record lows in crimes involves property, burglary, larceny- theft and motor vehicles, according to the Crime in Hawaii 2015 report, which was released by the Hawaii Crime Prevention and and Justice Assistance Division earlier this month. Garden Island.

Avian malaria is a threat to many of Kauai’s native and endangered birds, and an ongoing study of the way they adapt to disease could lead to ways to rehabilitate some species. Garden Island.

The Kalalau Trail and Napali Coast State Wilderness Park will be closed to day hikers from Monday through Wednesday for a rockfall mitigation project (weather permitting), according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Garden Island.

Hundreds gather at Lydgate Park to honor Tim Bynum. Garden Island.