Showing posts with label sea cucumbers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sea cucumbers. Show all posts

Monday, January 4, 2016

Government looks to eradicate mongooses, Ford Island to revert to 1941, Hana pier faces overhaul, Tax Department modernization, limited driver's license offered, Honolulu power brokers fuel island races, more news from all the Hawaii Islands

copyright 2016 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Mongoose relaxes in Hawaii © 2016 All Hawaii News
The use of mechanical traps, compressed carbon dioxide and rodenticides are being evaluated as means of controlling and eradicating mongooses and rodents in Hawaii's native ecosystems and wildlife refuges as part of a draft federal environmental impact statement. Maui News.

Unauthorized immigrants and Hawaii residents who have lost important identification documents, such as Social Security cards, birth certificates and passports, can now get a limited-purpose Hawaii driver’s license under a new law aimed at sidestepping stringent federal ID requirements enacted in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Department of Taxation has completed the first part of its $59 million tax modernization plan, ahead of schedule and within budget. The state said it will save hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees because it has replaced a third-party vendor that assisted for electronic tax filings with an electronic system. Pacific Business News.

Following on the heels of a 120-day emergency rule which had temporarily banned all harvesting of sea cucumbers in Hawaii, Gov. David Ige has signed a measure which severely limits collection of sea cucumbers. Garden Island.

A bill signed by Gov. David Ige in May mandates that any motion picture theater with at least two locations in the state is required to provide open captioning and descriptive narration, upon request, during at least two showings per week of each motion picture shown at the theater for one week or more. The law took effect Friday. Star-Advertiser.

Mobi PCS President and CEO Bill Jarvis, who plans to apply for one of Hawaii's eight medical marijuana dispensary licenses in January, says the medical marijuana industry is a lot like the telecommunications industry. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A bit of 1941 ambiance — and a more comprehensive telling of Ford Island’s military past — will emerge with a National Park Service plan to restore historic chief petty officer bungalows on the Pearl Harbor isle that was ground zero for the Japanese attack that launched America into World War II. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii developer Stanford Carr will develop a $300 million golf resort community with a four-star hotel on the site of the former Makaha Resort for landowner Pacific Links International as part of a joint venture that aims to create some 500 jobs for residents of the Leeward Oahu community. Pacific Business News.

Councilwoman Kymberly Pine hopes to bring more awareness to the rich culture rooted in parks across the Leeward Coast by erecting signs, storyboards and other markers detailing the area’s Hawaiian history. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama and family ended what could be their last Hawaii holiday vacation of his presidency Saturday, but not before leaving several hundred Oahu motorists a little something to remember them by. Star-Advertiser.

After spending two weeks here in the islands, President Obama and the First Family have departed Oahu and are now back home in Washington, D.C. KHON2.

Groups are working together to formally invite President Barack Obama to be the keynote speaker at the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. Associated Press.

Hawaii

You can follow the money, but first you might need to book a flight to Honolulu. Hawaii Island’s state representatives hosted 11 campaign fundraisers that charged at least $25 per person in 2015, with all but one held on Oahu, according to state Campaign Spending Commission records, Tribune-Herald.

Construction costs have come in higher than expected on several recent county projects, resulting in project downsizing, budget shifts and possibly the need to float more bonds. West Hawaii Today.

Owners of vacant land in agricultural zones would get a break on their property taxes even if they’re not actively farming the land, under a bill to be considered Tuesday by the County Council Finance Committee. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative aims to empower residents by creating an electric utility whose shareholders would be the island’s customers, a model put in place on Kauai more than a decade ago with the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. Civil Beat.

‘Homeless’ comes home: Dr. Kopp finishes his around-the-island awareness walk. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The state Department of Transportation will decide this week whether to move forward with improvements to Hana's 90-year-old pier, a project fiercely opposed by Hana residents who fear the arrival of commercial activity and high costs. Maui News.

The state and Kaiser Permanente apparently will need more time to finalize an agreement for the health care provider to take over operations at Maui Memorial Medical Center and Kula and Lanai community hospitals. Maui News.

With officers in the Maui Police Department's new motorcycle unit hitting the road Monday, police are reminding drivers to slow down and follow traffic laws. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Community Correctional Center needs more space, and should Gov. David Ige’s executive supplemental budget proposal be approved by the Legislature in the upcoming session, the jail could get $15 million to expand housing. Garden Island.

Kauai Airports District Manager Dennis Neves’ goal is to make Lihue Airport into one that “is just like any other airport” in America. Garden Island.

For county officials, 2016 is going to be about increasing efficiency, unsnarling traffic, and finding ways to cut spending. Garden Island.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Sea cucumber limits sought, lawmakers back teachers in ethics dispute, Pear Harbor trail improvements coming, Big Island tax changes spur questions, Maui planning department likes new development, Kauai 911 system to get upgrades, more government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2015 All Hawai News lal rights reserved
Sea cucumber © 2015 All Hawaii News
After a commercial operation was discovered overharvesting sea cucumbers earlier this year, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is seeking to regulate the catch and consumption of the marine creature throughout the state. Molokai Dispatch.

Several lawmakers have pledged to help the teachers union in its dispute with the state Ethics Commission over a ban on free trips for teachers who organize out-of-state student field trips. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s public worker pension fund already has teams of lawyers pursuing lawsuits over investment losses where improper or fraudulent activities by publicly traded companies allegedly reduced the fund’s earnings, and the $14 billion retirement fund is ramping up to pursue possible new legal claims. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Connector’s board of directors plans to vote Wednesday on a plan to accelerate the transition of the beleaguered online insurance marketplace to the state beginning Dec. 1. Civil Beat.

Hawaii regulators’ upcoming evidentiary hearings regarding NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co. will be televised live on cable on Olelo Community Television. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii received a grade of “C” on the latest March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card. Star-Advertiser.

The Pentagon agency that recovers missing American war dead said it plans to more than double this fiscal year the number of identifications it made last year — possibly fulfilling for the first time a mandate previously set by Congress. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

If history repeats itself it will be several more months before the verdict is in on whether the Federal Transit Administration is effectively overseeing major public transportation infrastructure construction in the western United States, including Honolulu’s $6.6 billion commuter rail project. Civil Beat.

City officials are proposing several short- and long-term projects to revitalize the Pearl Harbor Historic Trail after residents expressed concerns with improving the trail’s safety and infrastructure. Star-Advertiser.

The new Sand Island facility opened its doors to the homeless last week, but as of Saturday, it’s nowhere near full. KHON2.

A MV-22 Osprey crash at Bellows Air Force Station that killed two U.S. Marines was caused by pilot performance and an improper survey of the landing zone, according to an investigation released Monday by the Marines. Hawaii News Now.

Residents in Kahaluu alerted KHON2 of a problem in their neighborhood of huge pieces of a major road missing.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County property tax office is being deluged with phone calls following mailings this week to more than 40,000 property owners telling them about a new ordinance that requires them to file state income taxes in order to qualify for their county homeowner’s exemption. West Hawaii Today.

An Adventist Health representative has begun studying the financials of East Hawaii’s publicly funded hospital system, as his nonprofit organization continues making overtures to the economically troubled health care facilities. Tribune-Herald.

The growing dengue fever outbreak on Hawaii's Big Island isn't a reason to cancel vacation plans to the Aloha State, an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. Associated Press.

Big Island residents should now have a better idea where dengue cases are located. Hawaii County Civil Defense has begun publishing on its website a map of the island with pins showing where the confirmed and suspected cases are located. West Hawaii Today.

As Hawaii County continues its “Fight the Bite” campaign to get a handle on Hawaii Island’s dengue outbreak, reaching out to homeless residents is an especially important step, said county Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira. Tribune-Herald.

State health officials say the outbreak of Dengue Fever could last for months and are urging the public to take precautions. Hawaii Public Radio.

The idea that the moon could serve as a viable location to site and operate an observatory was discussed at the Galaxy Forum Hawaii 2015 in Waimea. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The Maui County Department of Planning is recommending approval of land-use measures to make way for A&B Properties' 123-acre Wai'ale South project on fallow sugar cane fields in Central Maui. Maui News.

Mayor Alan Arakawa's homeless initiative that will provide temporary sanctuaries for people living on the streets and at the beach was called "amazing" by one homeless person at a health fair Friday, while other homeless people expressed concerns about locations of the sites and access to transportation. Maui News.

More than 30 portable air-conditioning units have been installed at Maui County public schools this school year alone, in an immediate response to the public outcry over the excessive heat in public school classrooms during the record-high temperatures numerous days early in the school year. Maui News.


Adding bus service between Queen Ka'ahumanu Center and Kahului Airport every half hour, extending hours of service on popular routes and doubling the number of bus stops on Maui are all part of a plan county officials hope will improve bus service for riders. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai Police Department is going to get a new 911 and records management system, which brings with it a $2.3 million price tag. Garden Island.

Skeptics of the upcoming Nai Aupuni elections sought clarity at Wilcox Elementary School Friday night. Garden Island.

Friday, June 19, 2015

Hawaii to become first state in nation to raise smoking age, state Supreme Court hears Honolulu Police secrecy case, homeless increase 10%, Honolulu officials don't misuse pCards, emergency sea cucumber harvest ban enacted, public concerned about Red Hill fuel tank leaks, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2015 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Cigarette display in Hawaii © 2015 All Hawaii News
Gov. David Ige has signed a bill to make his state the first to raise the legal smoking age to 21. The measure aims to prevent adolescents from smoking, buying or possessing both traditional and electronic cigarettes. Gov. David Ige signed it Friday. Associated Press.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige signed a bill Friday that will make Hawaii the first state in the nation to ban smoking for anyone under the age of 21 once it goes into effect Jan. 1, 2016. Civil Beat.


The number of homeless in Hawaii increased to its highest level in five years, boosted by a dramatic jump in the number of unsheltered homeless individuals, who now outnumber the sheltered, according to data released Thursday by the state. Star-Advertiser.

The latest count of Hawaii’s homeless population shows it increased by more than 10 percent — despite the high-profile efforts of Honolulu city and state officials to combat the issue. Civil Beat.

Neighbor island data confirms houselessness on the rise The state released the neighbor island data from its 2015 Point in Time count today and, in all counties but Kauai, the number of houseless citizens has increased. Hawaii Independent.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is proposing an emergency ban on harvesting sea cucumbers in Hawaii’s nearshore waters after officials were alerted to recent incidents of over-harvesting off Oahu and Maui. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources says the recent mass harvesting of sea cucumbers from near shore waters on Oʻahu and Maui has prompted them to request emergency actions to prevent the depletion of this marine resource from Hawaiʻi’s oceans. Maui Now.

Reports of mass commercial harvesting of sea cucumbers off Oahu and Maui that may be in the tons have prompted the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to seek a four-month emergency ban on the taking of the sea creatures. Maui News.

A study that could have implications for Hawaii’s timber and wind-turbine industries has found evidence of two distinct lineages of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat, which flew 2,500 miles across open ocean in two migratory waves. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii residents have until 6 p.m. Friday to submit comments on a controversial proposal to expand areas under federal protection and strengthen rules aimed at protecting humpback whales and other marine life. Civil Beat.

Nearly halfway through their sail around the world, a group of researchers arrived in Hawaii to look at plastic pollution on our shores as part of a global study of the issue. Star-Advertiser.

Republican reps ask Souki to stand down on ethics commission complaint. State reps. Ward and McDermott say the speaker has overstepped his authority, praise commission's executive director, Les Kondo, for his firm enforcement of the state ethics code. Hawaii Independent.

Oahu

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Thursday heard arguments about whether the names of Honolulu Police Department officers suspended for serious offenses should be made public — and whether the decision to release or withhold the names ultimately rests with the courts or Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday in a case that could have far-reaching implications for police accountability in the Aloha State. At issue is whether cops who are suspended for serious misconduct, such as assault, drunken driving or lying to investigators, should have their names and disciplinary records released under Hawaii’s public records law. Civil Beat.

No apparent misuse in Honolulu officials’ pCard spending. KHON2.

Hundreds of people packed the Moanalua Middle School cafeteria Thursday night to hear a draft plan to improve the Navy's fuel tank facility at Red Hill. About 27,000 gallons of jet fuel oil leaked from one of the tanks last year, prompting concerns about whether nearby drinking water supplies were affected. Hawaii News Now.

About 200 concerned citizens turned out for a public hearing held by the Environmental Protection Agency to hear public comment on a measure that is supposed to address the damage caused by a 27,000-gallon fuel spill at the Navy’s Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in 2014 and to prevent any future spills by the Navy. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee resurrected a controversial issue in Kailua and O’ahu’s North Shore.  That of vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods. Hawaii Public Radio.

After three hours of testimony both in favor and against making more residential vacation rentals legal, the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee voted Thursday to defer the issue yet again. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County’s homeless population has exploded in the past year, adding more new individuals than the rest of the state combined. In a count conducted statewide on Jan. 25, the state Department of Human Services logged 1,021 homeless individuals without shelter on the Big Island, and an additional 220 that were being housed either through emergency shelters or transitional housing programs. Tribune-Herald.

With protesters waving signs outside their gate, developers of the Hokulia luxury subdivision say they are committed to moving quickly to create plans for burial sites, and will sit down with area descendants to craft plans for how graves should be protected and cared for. West Hawaii Today.

For a pretty penny, you can own what is considered the largest privately owned tract of old-growth koa forest on the planet. Honolulu-based Finance Factors is selling a 13,129-acre property known as the “Hilo Koa Forest.” Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County's unemployment rate edged below 4 percent in May to 3.9 percent, 0.6 percentage point lower than the same month last year, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations reported Thursday. Maui News.

Kauai

The drought that is gripping Kauai is expected to improve in some areas — and become more severe in others. Garden Island.

“Squeezed Out: Understanding Kauai’s Housing Shortage” is the topic of the Kauai Planning and Action Alliance (KPAA) annual membership meeting Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. at Kauai Community College, OCET Building, Room 105. The public is welcome to attend. Garden Island.