Showing posts with label meth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meth. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Ala Wai flood project unveiled, meth lab, explosives found in Kapolei, union fights outsourcing building permit approvals, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Army Corps unveils plan to handle Ala Wai flooding. While the controversial concrete walls around the Ala Wai Canal remain in the plan, another contentious proposal has been dropped: the Manoa District Park detention basin. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii May Subsidize Pay For Child Care Workers. A bill proposes the creation of a two-year pilot program in a bid to attract more qualified child care professionals in the state. Civil Beat.

Have A Complaint About Your Condo? You May Get Slapped With Paying For The Lawyers Who Fight You. Condo association lawyers and lobbyists have successfully shot down efforts by lawmakers to ban "excessive" fees on owners. Civil Beat.

UH population biologist stresses continued COVID risk
. Hawaiʻi’s COVID positivity rate has more than doubled since the beginning of March. The state Department of Health reported a 9% positivity rate last week. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Proposal to outsource reviewers for building permits in Honolulu faces pushback. A measure before the Honolulu City Council that would allow the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) to outsource consultants to review building permit applications has drawn criticism from the head of the largest union representing government workers. KITV4.

Rep. Case calls for Jones Act waiver for Red Hill defueling. U.S. Rep. Ed Case is urging the Biden administration to grant Hawaii a Jones Act waiver to aid in the defueling of the Navy’s underground Red Hill Fuel Storage Facility. The Department of Defense plans to move the 104 million gallons of fuel in the tanks around the Pacific region in a new “distributed” posture to support its operations.  Star-Advertiser.

Early childhood program to receive nearly $15M in federal funding. The grant will go to the Honolulu Community Action Program, the nonprofit that operates the Head Start and Early Head Start program on Oʻahu. Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

State toning down rent hike for Waiahole Valley tenants.
The cost to live on and in some cases farm state-owned land in Waiahole Valley won’t go up as much from historically very low rates under a new compromise with roughly 100 tenants in the rural community subsidized by Hawaii taxpayers. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

This Elderly Woman Was Threatened With Eviction — Over 50 Cents
. The management of a state-owned affordable apartment property for seniors is threatening to terminate the lease of an elderly resident over a 50 cent debt.  Civil Beat.

Agents discover suspected drug lab, explosives while executing search warrant at West Oahu home. Agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration conducting a search warrant of a suspected clandestine methamphetamine production lab in the 92-500 block of Awawa Street in Kapolei at about 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon found “volatile chemicals and materials that could endanger area residents,” according to release from the DEA. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

County considers new dedications for ag land. The County Council Finance Committee discussed a pair of bills Tuesday that together would repeal the current commercial agricultural dedication process and install an updated one with multiple new categories of use. Tribune-Herald.

Board OKs telescope decommission. The Board of Land and Natural Resources approved on Friday a conservation district use application from UH-Hilo’s Center for Maunakea Stewardship regarding the decommissioning of the university’s Hoku Ke‘a observatory. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now . Big Island Video News.

HHSC gives notice it will drop insurance provider. Hawaii Health Systems Corporation operates several Big Island hospitals including Hilo Medical Center, Ka‘u Hospital and Kona Community Hospital, among others. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiʻi County offering $3,000 bonuses for landlords participating in housing programs. The Hawaiʻi County Office of Housing and Community Development is offering $3,000 sign-on bonuses for Hawaiʻi Island landlords that rent to people with federal housing assistance vouchers. Big Island Now. Big Island Video News.

Hawaiian Homes Nominee For West Hawaiʻi Gets A Hearing. Hawaiian Homes Commission nominee, Makai Freitas, appeared before the Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs on Monday. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui County faces ‘serious’ occupational safety violations after death of firefighter. The County of Maui has agreed to pay state fines for occupational safety violations tied to the death of a 24-year-old firefighter during a flood in Kihei earlier this year. Hawaii News Now.

Maui County Is Struggling To Get The Apartments It Bought Last Year Up And Running. In a town with rental pressures, Lahaina Crossroads has been an affordable foothold. Civil Beat.

Critical funding for West and South Maui secured in Senate Budget draft. Some key items included are: appropriations for the Lahaina Bypass North, a grade-separated crossing for Kūlanihākoʻi High School, critical repairs for Māla Ramp, and a new wastewater facility for Waikapū. Maui Now.

Kauai


Kauaʻi bus shelters improved through murals, storytelling. Local nonprofits recently worked with Kaua‘i artists to improve three bus shelters with vibrant murals. Kauai Now.



Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Hawaii population slips in latest estimate, auditor suspends OHA audit, most mental patients used meth, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2019 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Food court at Ala Moana Center ©2019 All Hawaii News
State's Continuing Population Decline Raising More Concerns About Economic Impacts. A new report from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism highlights the migration of residents during a five-year period using data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Hawaii Public Radio.

Amid ongoing cost of living woes, Hawaii’s population shrinks for third year. New Census estimates show that Hawaii’s population dropped by more than 4,700 people ― to 1,415,872 ― from July 2018 to July 2019 when births, deaths and migration were accounted for. Hawaii News Now.

Full Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism press release and report can be found here.

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State suspends Office of Hawaiian Affairs audit over refusal to release records. State Auditor Les Kondo announced Monday that the Office of the Auditor has suspended its audit of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ limited liability companies because the OHA Board of Trustees is denying access to complete and unredacted minutes of its meetings. Star-Advertiser.

State Auditor Suspends Review Of OHA LLCs. State Auditor Les Kondo said Monday that his office has suspended its audit of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ limited liability companies after the OHA Board of Trustees decided “to deny his office access to complete and un-redacted minutes of its meetings.” Civil Beat.

Auditor: Secrecy forced him to suspend lawmaker-requested review of OHA. Hawaii’s state auditor announced Monday that he is suspending his audit of non-profit Limited Liability Companies established by OHA. Hawaii News Now.

OHA audit suspended. State Auditor Les Kondo announced Monday that he has suspended an audit of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ limited liability companies, after the OHA Board of Trustees refused to turn over complete and unredacted minutes of its meetings. Garden Island.

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Hawaii joins a growing number of states enacting ‘Red flag’ gun law. A new gun law will go into effect in Hawaii on New Year’s Day. Hawaii News Now.

Case On Congress: ‘I Lived In Two Parallel Universes’ In 2019. The Hawaii congressman needed to balance the growing partisan divide with his desire to get work done for the state he calls home. Civil Beat.

63% Of Hawaii State Hospital Patients Have Used Meth. Methamphetamine also was a factor in repeat hospitalizations. Civil Beat.

Tax changes coming up. On Jan. 2, 2020, taxpayers can begin filing all returns due in 2020, including Individual Income Tax, on Hawaii Tax Online. Garden Island.

State Grant-in-Aid Process Opens to Nonprofits. Senate Ways and Means Committee Chair Donovan M. Dela Cruz and House Finance Committee Chair Sylvia Luke announced that qualified nonprofit and other organizations can now apply for GIA for the 2020 Legislative Session. Big Island Now.

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A look back at the top 5 Hawaii news stories of 2019. From one of the largest public corruption cases in state history to a new airline entering the Hawaii market, these are the top five Hawaii news stories of 2019. Star-Advertiser.

The Year In Photographs. The fall of Honolulu’s law enforcement power couple. A resurgence of Hawaiian activism. The fading star power of Tulsi Gabbard. And the islands’ unstable future in the face of a changing climate. Civil Beat.

From record heat to TMT protests, these were some of the biggest stories of 2019. Hawaii News Now.

These are the 10 most clicked HNN stories of 2019. Here’s a look at the 10 most clicked stories on Hawaii News Now’s digital platforms in 2019. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Full Plastic Bag Ban Starts in 2020 With More Restrictions On The Way. All plastic bags, including compostable ones, will be banned in Oahu stores beginning in 2020, and that's just the start of the city's coming restrictions on plastics. Hawaii Public Radio.

Stricter plastic bag ban starts Jan. 1 on Oahu. Another change is coming to Oahu’s plastic bag ban in the new year. KHON2.

Waimea Native Forest Acquired For Conservation. The 3,716 acres of mountain watershed on Oahu will be used for management and recreation. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

A retired Hawaii County police detective is under investigation for allegedly assaulting another county official while still a member of the department in the vicinity of a building that houses government offices. Ian Lee Loy, who’s married to Hilo Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy, is being investigated in the incident, according to official sources. West Hawaii Today.

Task force sets sights on Pahoa albizia. The island’s war against albizia will continue into the new year as the Big Island Invasive Species Committee prepares to clear the trees from a street in Pahoa. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

State looks to expand space at Kahului Harbor. Demand at harbor’s cargo storage yard expected to increase. Maui News.

“Ground Truthing” Set to Begin Today at Maui Lani Phase 6 Development. Members of the group Malama Kakanilua and other individuals that identify themselves as iwi protectors gathered in front of the Towne Realty Parkways Subdivision in Maui Lani this morning to voice their concerns regarding “ground truthing” at the site. Maui Now.

Hawaiian Telcom paints over unsolicited Wyland mural on Maui. Hawaiian Telcom on Monday painted over an unauthorized mural that well-known marine artist Robert Wyland had painted on its Dickenson Street building in Lahaina over the weekend. Star-Advertiser.

New wasp could help to protect crucial native trees. State hopes to deploy second insect to fight destructive galls. Maui News.

Hawaii Water Service to acquire Maui water, waste treatment company. Hawaii Water Service has entered into an agreement with Maui Land and Pineapple Company to acquire its Kapalua Water Company and Kapalua Water Treatment Company assets, the water utility company announced last week. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

FAA records show Kauai pilot wasn’t certified for instrument flight. National Transportation Safety Board investigators on Monday flew over the site of a fatal sightseeing tour helicopter crash on Kauai, and will try, among other things, to get “boots on the ground” today, the lead investigator said. Star-Advertiser.

Feds: Crash investigation ‘challenging’. Four investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board have landed on Kauai, taking over the investigation into Thursday’s helicopter crash that killed seven people. Garden Island.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Poll shows voters prefer term limits, oppose legal marijuana; state prepares for medically assisted death; Honolulu seeks poll workers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2018 All Hawaii News All rights reserved
Hawaii's Big Island ©2018 All Hawaii News
On Tuesday, U.S. News &World Report named Hawaii’s southernmost island the 2018-19 Best Winter Vacation spot in the world, beating out 19 other locales on the list of the top 20 global destinations. Travelers and U.S. News &World Report editors alike ranked the Big Island No. 1 winter vacation destination for its “warm weather and excellent surfing conditions.” West Hawaii Today.

Civil Beat Poll: Voters Want Term Limits For State Legislators. They also support an initiative process, all-mail voting and a lottery. But forget about legalizing pot. Civil Beat.

Civil Beat Poll: Voters Like The Idea Of A ConCon, They’re Just Not Going To Vote For It. There is significant support for the idea once it’s explained, but that support has decreased from previous polls. Civil Beat.

State prepares for new medically assisted death law to take effect. The state Department of Health is urging health care organizations to prepare for the new law that permits terminally ill adult residents with six months or less to live to obtain a prescription for medication to end their lives.  Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii  Department of Health is telling healthcare organizations statewide to prepare for the Jan. 1, 2019, effective date of the Our Care, Our Choice Act, which allows adult residents with a medically confirmed terminal disease and less than six months to live the choice to obtain a prescription for medication to end their life. Maui Now.

Gov. David Ige lent his political weight Monday night to a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state to tax investment properties to support public education, while also promising to veto any resulting bill that might raise property taxes for owner- occupied homes or increase rents on affordable housing. Star-Advertiser.

Congressional District One: Republican Cam Cavasso. The Republican Candidate for the Congressional District One seat, representing urban Honolulu, is a veteran politician.  Hawaii Public Radio.

DOH employee questions medical marijuana quality, policies for checking it. Is the weed you need in Hawaii clean and safe? An employee of Hawaii's Department of Health, who wishes to remain anonymous, says no. KITV.

How OHA Trustees Spent Their Allowances. Thousands of dollars went to support athletic competitions, charitable galas and beauty pageants. Civil Beat.

A United Nations scientific panel on Climate Change released a report earlier this month that warned of a worsening crisis by 2040. Here in Hawaii scientists have been raising the red flag about global warming and sea level rise and the need to deal with protecting our natural resources. Hawaii Public Radio.

Nine members of a Southern California drug trafficking ring accused of disguising methamphetamine as decorative Aztec calendars and statues to ship the drug to Hawaii are behind bars, federal authorities said today. Tribune News Service.

The hotel strike on Oahu and Maui could put a damper on two high-profile group events coming to Hawaii this week, including Waikiki’s largest convention of the year. Star-Advertiser.

No negotiations planned as Marriott hotel worker strike continues. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Record number absentee ballots mailed on Oahu. The Honolulu County Clerk's office mailed 164,000 absentee ballots Tuesday. KHON2.

Office of Elections looking to fill over 300 volunteer positions for General Election. Twenty-days until the General Election, over 300 volunteers needed. KITV.

Major portions of Ala Wai Community Park and next-door Ala Wai Neighborhood Park will be closed for maintenance through Dec. 26. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu has been ranked as one of the 10 greenest cities in the United States, according to a new report. Pacific Business News.

Waikiki’s last lei stand could be revived if an ‘experiment’ goes well. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Humane Society opens community clinic for spay, neuter services. A ‘high-quality, high-volume’ sterilization clinic for pets on Oahu has been opened by the Hawaiian Humane Society. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Brenda Carreira is set to become the latest in a line of administrators to try to repair Hawaii County’s beleaguered Mass Transit Agency since Mayor Harry Kim assumed office in 2016. West Hawaii Today.

A bill regulating vacation rentals took a big step forward Tuesday, clearing a council panel on its way to two final votes. West Hawaii Today.

Puna Councilwoman Eileen O’Hara introduced a resolution Tuesday recognizing animals as “sentient beings” but quickly withdrew it because of lack of support from other council members. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A striking employee was put in handcuffs and banned from hotel grounds for one year after passing out leaflets to guests informing them of the strike at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, according to the union that represents the workers. Maui News.

UNITE HERE Local 5 has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Sheraton Maui, alleging violations of federal labor law against three Sheraton Maui employees. Maui Now.

Malamalama Maui launched its final campaign, “36,000 Acres. 36,000 Hearts.” to engage 36,000 people—approximately one for every acre of the previous sugarcane lands—in sharing a message, vision and/or solution from their heart for the future of the Central Valley. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai County Council Elections Shaping Up As A Free-For-All. The winners must deal with several looming issues, including combating climate change, worries over the relentless growth of tourism and maintaining the island’s rural lifestyle. Civil Beat.

While those caught using tobacco products at two county parks can now face fines, the tobacco-free status is more about changing society’s views than issuing citations. Garden Island.

Four Newell’s shearwater birds were released at the Kamalani Playground at Lydgate Park Tuesday in the annual Releasing of the 'A'o. Garden Island.

Friday, July 8, 2016

Hawaii coffee production down, schools to get fresh food, new teaching methods, Ige signs industrial hemp bill into law, Honolulu council upheaval continues, Maui whistle-blower lawsuit tossed, senior living facility for Kona, big meth problem on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2016 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Coffee drying at Ka'u farm  2016 All Hawaii News
Hawaii produced an estimated 34.7 million pounds of unprocessed coffee during the 2015-16 season, a 5 percent drop from the previous season, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pacific Business News.

Farmers and vendors have until Wednesday to tell the state what locally grown fruits and vegetables they’d like to provide to public schools. The state is making a special effort to boost supply and demand for food from the islands in its cafeterias. Star-Advertiser.

Working through a selected group of 19 voluntary advisers, the governor has called for a “blueprint” to guide a revamping of the state’s public school system to improve outcomes for students. The public will have an opportunity to add its ideas at an all-day summit the group is hosting Saturday at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Thursday signed into law a bill that establishes a pilot program through the state Department of Agriculture allowing for the cultivation of industrial hemp and distribution of hemp seed “for purposes of agricultural or academic research.” Civil Beat.

Burgeoning grass-root groups are ramping up their campaigns for and against the proposed expansion of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument as President Obama weighs whether he should single-handedly create the world’s biggest marine reserve around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Civil Beat.

Billionaire Warren Buffett’s energy company has started doing a pilot program for a residential property manager in Hawaii, a spokeswoman for one of his companies confirmed to Pacific Business News this week.

Learning To Live In The Electric Century. Hawaiian Electric Co. saw its profits skyrocket as people began using newfangled electric appliances. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Forest Legacy Program is seeking new projects that will protect working forest lands from the threat of conversion to non-forest uses. Applications from state and county agencies, conservation nonprofit groups and private landowners are due by Aug. 10 for funding in fiscal year 2018. Garden Island.

Oahu

Honolulu City Councilman Ikaika Anderson has lost his post as head of the Zoning and Planning Committee to Trevor Ozawa in a shakeup announced Thursday by Council Chair Ernie Martin. Civil Beat.

After being stripped of the chairmanship of the influential City Council Zoning and Planning Committee on Thursday, Council Vice Chairman Ikaika Anderson lashed out at the man who dumped him: Council Chairman Ernie Martin. Star-Advertiser.

Due to a scheduling conflict, Charles Djou said he is unable to attend the Hawaii Public Radio debate that was scheduled for Monday evening. That prompted Mayor Kirk Caldwell to issue a press release Thursday. Civil Beat.

Hawai’i Public Radio is cancelling its scheduled Honolulu Mayoral Candidate Forum on Monday, July 11. Hawaii Public Radio.

A popular local food item has been mentioned as a possible culprit in an outbreak of hepatitis A that has sickened 31 people on Oahu. But the state Department of Health said it isn't anywhere close to identifying a single source in what's become out of the larger food-borne disease outbreaks in recent memory. Hawaii News Now.

A campaign is raising funds for a solution to the Ala Wai’s pollution problem. Hawaii Public Radio.

Portions of Kewalo Basin remained closed Thursday after a sewage spill that went unreported for days. More warning signs went up and the state Department of Health took water samples. KHON2.

It was Christmas in July at Kakaako’s Next Step shelter, where homeless workers Thursday morning unpacked new, heavy-duty air mattresses and $30,000 worth of donated slippers and shoes. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

With a roomful of supporters at their back, former Mayor Harry Kim and former Senior Deputy Corporation Counsel Joe Kamelamela pleaded Thursday with the County Council to keep the county band in the county charter. West Hawaii Today.

A Kona senior living facility cleared a major hurdle Thursday, when the County Council unanimously granted $1.8 million in exemptions. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaiian Airlines’ new nonstop service between Kona International Airport on the Big Island and Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport will start on Dec. 20, the Honolulu-based airline said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

Maui

A Second Circuit Court Judge has dismissed a lawsuit from a former Maui County employee who alleged that he had been retaliated against by his workplace. Justin Dobbs was a former liquor control officer trainee with the Department of Liquor when he was fired in 2011. Maui Now.

Ground is finally moving on the island's much-anticipated West Maui Hospital and Medical Center, as hospital officials announced Wednesday that a groundbreaking ceremony would be held for the facility Aug. 15 in Lahaina. Maui News.

The final half-mile length of the Kahului Airport access road from its intersection with Hana Highway through to the terminal area will open to traffic on July 23, state Department of Transportation officials said Wednesday. Maui News.

Kauai

In just five months, the Kauai Police Department saw a 150 percent increase of crystal methamphetamine in 2016 compared to the entire year of 2015. Garden Island.

A Kauai neighborhood association isn’t planning to do anything about Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s rock wall that has some residents grumbling. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai’s Civil Defense Agency is working with the state Department of Health to develop a statewide plan to get a handle on mosquito-borne diseases, including Zika. Garden Island.