Showing posts with label wildlife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wildlife. Show all posts

Monday, September 14, 2015

Honolulu rail plan redo; lights, wind turbines killing island birds, state Health Department defies law, stops posting care home data; Navy vet can't raise flag; man arrested for marijuana dispensary; county drops drug-test requirements, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Environmental Protection Agency
EJScreen lets you zoom in on environment
A new online mapping tool has been developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to promote environmental justice. The tool, called EJScreen, provides detailed information about pollution, traffic congestion, toxic spills, air quality, sources of water pollution and other environmental hazards, and combines this with census data to identify areas where there are high levels of poverty or where certain ethnic groups are concentrated. Star-Advertiser.

Despite a state mandate, the Hawaii Department of Health has stopped posting online the inspection reports for nearly 1,700 adult care homes and several other types of long-term care facilities that it oversees. Civil Beat.

A state license awarded to businessman Albert Hee to provide telecommunications services on Hawaiian homelands requires that Hee apply some of his profits to job training and education programs for Native Hawaiians, but Hee now says his company has never actually paid out any benefits under that provision. Star-Advertiser.

American Airlines said over the weekend that an Airbus A321 aircraft that flew from Los Angeles to Honolulu on Aug. 31 had not been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to make extended flights over the ocean to Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

We hear a lot about how much it costs to live in Hawaii.  But how much do people in the Islands make? Pacific Business News has a paycheck report. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lower gas prices mean big sales for big cars and one expert said these lower prices may stick around for a while. KHON2.

Oahu

Honolulu rail officials have spent just over $100 million in final design plans to build the second half of the island’s 20-mile transit project, but they’re not certain how much of that work they’ll ultimately use. So it’s unclear for now how much of that money will be wasted. Star-Advertiser.

Wednesday marks one year since Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed Honolulu’s first sit-lie bill into law, banning people from sitting and lying on Waikiki sidewalks 24 hours a day. The new law quickly shifted the landscape in the government’s handling of homelessness. Star-Advertiser.

On Oahu, many families are homeless because they couldn’t pay the rent. Experts say rent subsidies are a cost-effective way to keep families off the streets. Civil Beat.

A lawsuit over tainted rail votes and a new ethics complaint against the Ho‘opili development point up how deeply the Honolulu City Council resides in the pocket of Hawaii’s building industry. Star-Advertiser.

Going green is costing Honolulu millions of dollars. Some say the city would save more money if residents tossed recyclables in the rubbish. KITV4.

A strict homeowner's association policy in Kapolei has one Navy couple crying foul. They've been cited and could be fined $100 if they don't take the flag pole they installed on their front porch. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Hawaii County will  no longer require a urinalysis or medical examination from people who get conditional job offers for positions that are not considered safety sensitive and do not fall under federal transportation safety regulations. Star-Advertiser.

A 58-year-old Mountain View man is facing 31 charges for allegedly operating an unlicensed medical marijuana dispensary out of his Fern Acres subdivision home. Tribune-Herald.

A community hall full of Ocean View residents were left without answers Friday evening as the developers of a massive commercial solar project failed to show for the meeting. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
SunEdison, owner of the Kaheawa Wind Projects I and II above Maalaea, is asking the state for permission to increase the number of Hawaiian hoary bats and nene that may be accidentally killed by its wind turbines. Maui News.

A failed merger between two Hawaii solar energy firms has led to the filing of dueling lawsuits, including the latest one that has Honolulu’s Solar Wave suing Maui’s Haleakala Solar for at least $500,000 for work done in a joint venture, according to the lawsuit filed in First Circuit Court in Honolulu. Pacific Business News.

The state is seeking reimbursement from the federal government for most of the $14.5 million it paid for 78.1 acres for a runway protection zone for Kahului Airport and has prepared a draft environmental assessment as part of that process. Maui News.

Hawaii regulators have ruled in favor of Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. Inc., giving the Honolulu-based firm a $327 million contract for work at Kahului Airport on Maui after the contract award had been protested by Honolulu’s Nan Inc. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

More than 100 endangered seabirds recently required care after falling from the sky due to lighting issues at Kokee State Park. Garden Island.

The Department of Parks and Recreation plans to dig up and open an out-of-service cesspool that may be leaking bacteria into the water at Kapaa Beach Park. Garden Island.

About a dozen chickens turned up dead on the Hawaiian island of Kauai earlier this week, and the Aloha State is determined to figure out why. Civil Beat.

Protesters were back outside of Hanalei Elementary School Friday and the number of students present in the combined kindergarten and first grade class has dwindled, according to parents. Garden Island.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Saving Hawaii's native duck, HECO denies buyout rumors, Abercrombie and Ige set debate, USEEOC: Kauai police discriminated, Honolulu Council approves $2.14B budget, new corp counsel on Hawaii Island, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2014 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Koloa maoli duck pair on Hawaii Island © 2014 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
State, federal and University of Hawaii wildlife experts are undertaking a yearlong campaign aimed at ensuring the survival of the Hawaiian duck, or koloa. The chocolate brown koloa maoli is an endangered species largely due to its cross-breeding with the introduced common mallard duck. Star-Advertiser.

The native Hawaiian duck, koloa maoli, is being pushed out of existence. The population of the duck has been declining for years, and experts said they believe only about 2,500 are left in the wild. KITV4.

Even wildlife biologists have a tough time telling the difference between the endangered koloa maoli (Hawaiian duck) and the common mallard. Cross-breeding or hybridization between the two species is the primary reason the endemic koloa is endangered. West Hawaii Today.

Two Democratic candidates for Hawaii governor plan to debate later this month at the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce. The chamber said Wednesday that incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state Sen. David Ige would be featured at a lunchtime forum at the Japanese Cultural Center June 24. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Electric Industries was never approached by any companies, nor did it receive any offers whatsoever to buy all of its shares, the head of one of the company’s subsidiaries told Pacific Business News on Wednesday, disputing a first-hand report this week to the contrary.

The university's longtime information technology chief says he's open to the possibility of dialing back scheduled tuition increases, but recognizes that many of the goals laid out in an agenda set by the Board of Regents come with a hefty price tag. Star-Advertiser.

August 9 is primary election day in Hawaii, so televised political debates will begin very soon. If the past is any guide, that is not a good thing unless you have an exceptional sense of civic duty, an enormous capacity for boredom or your remote is broken. Civil Beat.

The Race for Nationhood. Umi Perkins on what he sees as the race shaping up between Federal recognition and independence. Hawaii Independent.

Despite 88 percent of Hawaii’s public school principals reporting in a recent survey that they are dissatisfied with the leadership of Department of Education Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi, the state Board of Education reappointed her to another three-year contract on Tuesday that goes into effect July 1. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council has passed a $2.1 billion budget and more than $48 million is going to the homeless. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu City Council voted Wednesday to approve a $2.14 billion operating budget and $708.9 million package that avoids tax rate increases for most residential property owners, a fee for curbside garbage pickup and advertising on the sides of buses but directs $40 million toward homeless shelters and programs. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council has boosted funding to combat homelessness for the 2015 fiscal year to $47.2 million. That marks, council members say, a new high. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council passed the executive spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that starts July 1st. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Navy said it will fly only two P-8A sub-hunting and surveillance jets out of Kaneohe Bay instead of the 18 it had contemplated at one time — meaning less jet noise for area residents. Star-Advertiser.

When the Honolulu City Council approved a $1.4 million settlement last month in the death of Aaron Torres, it was the largest payout in recent history involving the police department or its officers. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council member Carol Fukunaga wants to make sure that there is a mix of incomes among residents in three high-rise buildings in Chinatown that the city wants to sell to a private developer as part of a major public housing deal. Civil Beat.

The developer of the planned 801 South St. Building B condominium tower does not have to seek a new development permit for the project in Kakaako under a court order clarification issued Tuesday, but does have to halt construction. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

An attorney pulled from within the ranks of the Office of Corporation Counsel is now the county’s top civil lawyer, following the County Council’s confirmation Wednesday of Molly Stebbins. West Hawaii Today.

The county clerk would serve for six years, under a charter amendment that squeaked through the Hawaii County Council on Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo Medical Center is cutting staff positions and taking other cost-saving measures as it confronts a $9 million budget shortfall. Tribune-Herald.

Commentary: It looks like Puna Rep. Faye Hanohano has stirred up considerable interest in the Democratic primary race in District 4 in Puna. Hanohano, a Democrat whose controversial comments got her in hot water with her state House colleagues twice in the past 16 months, faces no less than five challengers in her primary. Big Island Now.

The estimated cost of decommissioning for what’s poised to be one of the world’s largest telescopes atop a sacred Hawaii mountain is $17.1 million. Tribune-Herald.

A judge on Wednesday lifted part of a temporary restraining order for construction work at Keauhou Bay, but left the order in place for a later phase of the project. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island veterans had a chance to air long-standing dissatisfaction with the health care they’ve received through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Wednesday night with Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. West Hawaii Today.

The owners of a 25-acre Pepeekeo site of an electrical power plant under construction are looking to be dismissed from a $35 million mechanic’s lien filed by the former construction contractor. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Neldon Mamuad said he is not an angry man, but he believes he's found an opportunity to deny Mayor Alan Arakawa a third term in office. Maui News.

A Maui property management firm has reached a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over lead-paint disclosure violations. The company, Destination Maui, failed to notify its tenants about the potential hazard. But what’s unusual is the terms they’ve agreed to. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state elections office released an uncertified list of candidates running in the 2014 election after the filing deadline passed on Tuesday afternoon. Maui Now.

Kauai

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has determined the Kauai Police Department retaliated against a veteran police officer after she reported alleged sexual harassment by an assistant chief. Star-Advertiser.

A round of Kauai County furloughs, imposed in response to the lingering economic crisis in 2010, may not have been necessary and was not planned or executed as well as it could have been, according to a county auditor’s report released Tuesday. Garden Island.

JoAnn Yukimura seeks 10th term on Kauai County Council. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council Planning Committee opted Wednesday to defer action on a bill that would amend the county’s shoreline setback ordinance. Garden Island.

Kauai's electric utility will issue refunds to its members this month. The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative said Wednesday the money comes from funds the cooperative has left over after paying all its expenses and meeting lender expectations for financial stability. Hawaii News Now.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Feds will have no egrets, Hawaii Supreme Court reinstates Kauai trail protection, unemployment tax break for businesses, Big Island raises tobacco age, geothermal hazards at issue, firefighters get 18% pay hike, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2013 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Egrets in Hilo (c) 2013 All Hawaii News
The Federal Government may soon declare open season on birds you see just about everywhere…cattle egrets. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has published proposed rules that would allow state and federal agencies to euthanize egrets and also barn owls. Hawaii News Now.

For the first time in five years, Hawaii businesses will see their unemployment tax bill go down thanks to progress made in replenishing the trust fund used to pay jobless benefits.The average annual payment per employee will drop to an estimated $591 next year from $887 in 2013, a decline of nearly 35 percent, officials from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

A state judge ruled Thursday that the private citizens who are suing five Oahu churches for underpaying for the use of public school facilities did not provide enough detail to support their fraud claim. Because of that, Circuit Judge Virginia Crandall ordered the dismissal of the complaint filed by Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of Church and State founder Mitch Kahle and his wife, public advocate Holly Huber. Crandall did, however, say Kahle and Huber can refile an amended lawsuit. Star-Advertiser.

President Obama and his family will be in Hawaii for their annual holiday vacation. The first family will be staying in their usual private location in Kailua away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but the buzz is already in the air. KITV4.

Obama's Hawaii Vacation Home And The Luxury Rentals Of Kailua. Huffington Post.

A University of Hawaii press release is describing Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s most recent budget proposal as “an early Christmas gift” for students who are in the thick of end-of-semester exams. The $24 billion supplemental executive spending plan, unveiled earlier this week, “gives them hope for their future and the future of their university,” the press release says.  The plan honors the $14 million university regents requested in their own proposal to restore UH faculty salaries to pre-recession levels and another $19.5 million for the 3 percent faculty raises that were negotiated for the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years. Civil Beat.

David Lassner has spent much of his University of Hawaii career in the virtual world: Information technology, his specialty, is like that. He believes IT can continue to expand the reach of the state's largest educational institution and wants to go back to it, once his temporary position in the top UH office comes to a close. Star-Advertiser.

A state lawmaker suing the state for legalizing same-sex marriages says a controversial sex education program being taught in some public schools is inappropriate because it promotes a "homosexual lifestyle as a positive or 'pono' choice." Huffington Post.

Hawaii entered 2013 as a changed state — a state in mourning — and now we leave it, still changing — but with celebration in the air. The state has just completed its first year in a half-century without the leadership of the late-Sen. Daniel K. Inouye. And, after more than two decades of debate, gay marriage finally became legal in early December. A look back over the last year makes clear that there were plenty of other important issues in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Oahu

City firefighters will see their base pay rise by about 18 percent through the next three years under a wage package that will cost taxpayers an estimated $88 million more under a binding award issued by a state arbitrator last month. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu transit officials on Thursday touted their plan to debut the island's elevated rail system with four-car trains instead of two-car models, telling the board overseeing the project that the change would save millions of dollars and provide better customer service. Star-Advertiser.

Today is the last day to buy permits to set off firecrackers on Oahu on New Year's Eve. The permits, which will be available until 4:30 p.m. at satellite city halls around the island, are required to buy firecrackers from licensed retailers. Star-Advertiser.

Scientists have found evidence that strong earthquakes in the Aleutian Islands could send an extreme tsunami that could bring huge waves through Waikiki and cripple Oahu's main electrical power plant. The study from the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology at the University of Hawaii and the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai stemmed from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan and caused damage in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Two laws banning smoking at city parks and bus stops take effect Jan. 1, and city officials began installing signs on Wednesday as a heads up. Mayor Kirk Caldwell, flanked by several City Council members and community groups supporting the new laws, climbed a ladder to post the first no-smoking sign at Thomas Square. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi on Thursday signed a bill raising the tobacco sale age to 21, effective July 1. West Hawaii Today.

A game of bureaucratic pingpong has Mayor Billy Kenoi taking matters into his own hands and asking for an environmental assessment of an old Puna geothermal energy site leased by the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority. West Hawaii Today.

The same day the CEO of the Hu Honua Bioenergy plant in Pepeekeo said developers were forced to “hit the pause button” on construction because of the slow pace of regulatory permit approvals, a subcontractor said it’s owed more than $215,000 for bills allegedly unpaid between January and October. Honolulu attorney Patricia Kehau Wall filed Wednesday in Hilo Circuit Court for a mechanic’s and materialman’s lien on behalf of Wesco Distribution Inc. Tribune-Herald.

The Big Island’s unemployment rate inched down in November while the state’s rate held steady, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial relations. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
Council Member Mike White wants Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration to negotiate a deal to only buy a portion of the 186 acres in Launiupoko that landowners are offering for $13 million. Maui News.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed an age discrimination lawsuit Wednesday against Maui County, claiming a 45-year-old Hawaii resident was denied employment as a police officer because of his age. Maui News.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against the County of Maui, alleging that a qualified candidate was not hired by the Maui Police Department due to his age. County Corporation Counsel Pat Wong issued a comment in response, saying the allegations are “false” and “without merit.” Maui Now.

The unemployment rate for Maui for November was 4.9 percent, which was 0.6 percentage points lower than the same month last year, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said Wednesday. Maui News.

Kauai

The Hawaii Supreme Court reinstated a circuit court lawsuit Thursday seeking to protect a historic trail from a development on Kauai's south shore. Star-Advertiser.

Isolation, limited fleets, taxes and high demand make car rentals a rare commodity during the holidays on Kauai, and it is reflected in the prices and availability. Garden Island.

Molokai

The remains of St. Marianne Cope, who cared for thousands of Hansen's disease patients on Molokai, will return to Hawaii, her religious order announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Honolulu's Occupy movement still going strong, Superfund to aid in molasses spill cleanup, Kaui shearwaters face pet threat, another name too long for bureaucracy, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2013 All hawaii news all rights reserved
Iolani Palace (c) 2013 All Hawaii News
‘Iolani Palace will be the recipient of a $65,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to plan new exhibits for its basement galleries.  IMLS recently announced nearly $30,000,000 in grants to museums across the nation. Hawaii Reporter.

Will the Mormon Church Sit Out Hawaii’s Gay Marriage Vote? Civil Beat.

Does U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard represent the future? That remains to be seen, but there are signs that the fast-rising attention-grabbing young congresswoman is positioning herself to do so. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Companies has again increased the amount of home photovoltaic systems that can be used by its net-metering customers before triggering interconnection studies. Maui Now.

The U.S. House of Representatives recognized all living Medal of Honor recipients Wednesday, reciting the acts of bravery that went far above and beyond the call of duty. Hawaii is down to just one still living here: retired Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Allan Kellogg Jr. of Kailua. Star-Advertiser.

One of the highest-paid administrators at the University of Hawaii is being investigated for lying on her resume, UH officials confirmed Wednesday. If true, such a deception would be illegal. Civil Beat.

Oahu
On the second anniversary of the original Occupy protests in New York City’s Zucotti Park Sept. 17, Honolulu protesters marked their 682nd continuous day of 24-hour vigil at the corner of Ward and Beretania avenues, making it the longest-running Occupy encampment in the U.S. Civil Beat.

University of Hawaii-Manoa students would see a bigger chunk of their tuition dollars go toward repairs on the 107-year-old flagship campus under a plan to eliminate two decades' worth of backlogged repairs. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz says federal Superfund dollars can help with the response to the massive molasses spill in the Honolulu Harbor that has killed thousands of fish and put Hawaii in the national spotlight for the past week. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii state official in charge of cleaning up the spill of 1,400 tons of molasses in Honolulu Harbor says no endangered species have been hurt in the accident. Associated Press.

One of the state's worst environmental disasters was plugged up with wood and cloth.  Matson Inc. said today that it installed the temporary fix last Tuesday after it discovered the fist-sized hole in its pipeline that leaked 233,000 gallons of molasses into Honolulu Harbor. Hawaii News Now.

Kamehameha Schools said Wednesday it is selling two Kakaako blocks fronting Ala Moana Boulevard to MK Development, a joint venture of Koba­ya­shi Group and The MacNaughton Group, to develop two luxury condominium towers with a combined 500 units. Star-Advertiser.

MK Development — a joint venture of well-known Hawaii developers the Kobayashi Group and The MacNaughton Group — is purchasing six acres in Kakaako from Kamehameha Schools for an undisclosed price with plans to develop two luxury mixed-use residential projects totaling about 500 units along the mauka side of Ala Moana Boulevard, a source close to the situation tells Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Calling geothermal a taonga — or treasure — a representative of a Maori trust in New Zealand promoted the use of the earth’s heat to produce electricity Tuesday evening while highlighting ways it can help indigenous people. Tribune-Herald.

KHON2′s report about a Big Island woman whose name would not fit on her driver’s license gained international attention. It also got the attention of another Big Island woman who is at her wit’s end because of a similar problem.

Maui

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar produces so much molasses that the veteran Maui company says it likely would find another way to export the thick liquid off-island if Matson ceases to ship it. Star-Advertiser.

 South Maui's "inadequate infrastructure" may not be able to shoulder the effects of large-scale future development projects like the expansion of the Makena Resort, the Honua'ula project in Wailea and the Kihei high school, especially if the community does not have a voice in the planning process, retired college professor Dick Mayer said Tuesday. Maui News.

Although a drought watch has been declared for Upcountry, the current conditions would not trigger a water shortage declaration and higher rates under a bill pending before the Maui County Council's Water Resources Committee.  Maui News.

Kauai

State wildlife officials are appealing to dog and cat owners to keep their animals away from coastal paths on Kauai's south shore after a large colony of native wedge-tailed shearwaters was decimated in two attacks this summer. More than 80 uaua kani were killed by dogs and cats in their nesting areas in July and August, state officials said Wednesday. Their burrow was abandoned. Star-Advertiser.

 A large colony of Hawaiian uau kani, or wedge-tailed shearwaters, along Kauai’s South Shore has been decimated in a pair of attacks this summer by dogs and feral cats. Garden Island.

The recent anti-GMO march did cost Kauai’s taxpayers. While the county has not yet tallied all of the costs related to the event, Tokioka said overtime pay to manage the two-hour road closure on Sept. 8 cost $5,627 — $4,602.26 for KPD officers and another $1,024.95 for Public Works Department personnel. Garden Island.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Hawaii Senate sets special session to confirm judicial nominees, Abercrombie signs charter schools bills, Hawaii County Council bans aerial hunting, transit stations downsized in Honolulu plan, Lanai sale gaining momentum, islands battle wildfires, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2012 All Hawaii News
Hawaii state Capitol (c) 2012 All Hawaii News
The state Senate will meet in a special session June 28-29 to take confirmation votes on judge appointees Richard Pollack to the Hawaii Supreme Court and Peter Cahill to the Circuit Court bench on Maui. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Tuesday signed into law Senate Bill 2115, which replaces the chapter governing charter schools based on task force recommendations. Civil Beat.

Tuesday Governor Neil Abercrombie enacted Senate Bill (SB) 2115 and SB 2116, Relating to Charter Schools, into law. KHON2.

With just six weeks until kids head back to class, Hawaii school board members still can't decide how to plug a $17 million hole in the school bus budget. Civil Beat.

The wheels of the bus go round and round, except when there's no money to fund them. Hawaii News Now.

A Civil Beat review of the financial disclosures — filed in mid-May and posted online by the Center for Responsive Politics last week — shows that Sen. Daniel K. Inouye could be the wealthiest in the delegation. But it could also be Rep. Mazie Hirono or Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, depending on how things shake out. All three have holdings valued between $1 million and $3 million. Civil Beat.

Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle is making her ability as a Republican who can work with Democrats a centerpiece of her campaign for U.S. Senate. Associated Press.

In a Hawaii Public Radio debate with Mazie Hirono last Wednesday, U.S. senate candidate Ed Case said that women’s organizations gave him 100 percent approval ratings when he represented Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District from 2002 to 2007. Civil Beat.

Small unmanned planes are used as military spies elsewhere but NOAA has bought half a dozen for use over the remote Northwestern Hawai`i Islands. They’ll help researchers track endangered wildlife and marine debris. Hawaii Public Radio.

State roundup for June 20. Associated Press.

Oahu
As the Honolulu Authority of Rapid Transportation continues to tweak its financial plan, a decision has been made to shorten the length of all 21 rail stations from East Kapolei to the Ala Moana Shopping Center. KITV4.

Honolulu City Council considers auctioning off Haleiwa land. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano reacted quickly today to a new online political attack questioning his record as governor. Hawaii Reporter.

Conflicting information has come out of the Honolulu Department of Environmental Services regarding how much the city is limiting the number of new sewer connections that can be added to the the city’s system from Halawa to Pearl City. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle joined an official from Google to announce Tuesday the new Street View imagery of Hawaii's parks, beaches and attractions. KITV4.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council has a message for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources: Stop shooting our animals from helicopters. Tribune-Herald.

Energy and the economy — and their relationship to each other — were the biggest topics at Tuesday’s League of Women Voters of Hawaii County candidates’ forum at Hualalai Academy. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Council passed two geothermal bills Tuesday evening but floundered on a third. Tribune-Herald.

Ka‘u Hospital reopened its emergency room late Tuesday while firefighters continued to battle two brush fires that have scorched about 4,400 acres and obstructed traffic in the Pahala area. West Hawaii Today.

Firefighters spent a second day on Tuesday battling a wildfire that has all but paralyzed Pahala, as well as a smaller brushfire a few miles to the north. Tribune-Herald.

East Hawaii parents dodged a bullet Tuesday when members of the state Board of Education voted to fund all school bus routes on the east side of the island. However, nearly 200 West Hawaii students will need to find alternative transportation in the fall. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
The island of Lanai could be under new ownership by the end of the week, according to Mayor Alan Arakawa. Maui News.

The news of the sale of the island of Lanai being imminent has spread throughout the Mainland and even internationally as far as Germany. Pacific Business News.

A wind-fanned fire that damaged three homes in Kula was 90 percent contained this morning, a fire official said. Maui News.

At least three homes were damaged and 6 acres of "heavy timber" were scorched Monday afternoon in a fire fanned by periodic "crazy winds" in Kula. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kaua‘i Fire Department has acquired a driver simulator and showed it off recently in a demonstration held at the Lihu‘e Fire Station. Garden Island.

Molokai

About 50 guests at Hotel Molokai — the island's only hotel — were allowed to return to their rooms Tuesday afternoon after fire heavily damaged the bottom floor of one of its buildings — but the facility is still without power and water, a Maui fire official reported. Star-Advertiser.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Hawaii Legislature ponders invasive species, bed bugs in state Kapolei building, lawmakers seek delay in unemployment insurance, Native Hawaiians have day in court, Caldwell jumps back in Honolulu mayoral race, Kauai has $57M budget surplus, safer motorcyclists for Maui, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Iolani Palace (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Native Hawaiians who believe they are citizens of the Hawaiian Kingdom — not the United States — nonetheless spent Thursday in an American court defending themselves against charges they trespassed on the grounds of their rightful seat of government, Iolani Palace. Civil Beat.

The state Reapportionment Commission plans to meet Jan. 20 to begin redrawing political boundaries, following a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling last week that invalidated new maps approved by the nine-member panel in October. Star-Advertiser.

Wary of undermining economic recovery, state House lawmakers want to forestall a scheduled increase this year in the unemployment insurance tax rate that would force businesses to pay $180 to $650 more for every employee. Star-Advertiser.

Teacher Agreement Better Than 'Last, Best and Final'? Too Soon To Say. Civil Beat.

Reptiles and other invasive species invaded the capitol today as part of a legislative briefing on environmental concerns. KHON2.

The biggest threat to the state’s economy, natural environment and the health of island residents, according to state lawmakers, comes from destructive plants and pests originating elsewhere. Hawaii Public Radio.

A wildlife revival around the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands is giving scientists a glimpse of what the main Hawaiian Islands looked like thousands of years ago -- and researchers said Thursday they hope the environmental renaissance of sorts will spur similar endeavors around the world. Star-Advertiser.

State building hit by bed bug problem. KHON2.

State roundup for January 13. Associated Press.

Oahu

Former acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell, looking to reclaim the post permanently, wasted little time in criticizing the incumbent, characterizing Mayor Peter Carlisle's first year in office as little more than photo opportunities and traveling with a singular focus on pushing the rail transit project at any cost. Star-Advertiser.

Caldwell's First Promise: Soap In Bus Stop Bathroom. Civil Beat.

Former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano is considering a run for Honolulu mayor at age 72 for one main reason: to stop the rail project. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has released $2 million in general obligation bond funds for the planning, design and construction of a flood alleviation project for Oahu's Waianae Coast. KITV4.

Up to 100 truckloads per day of used asphalt has been dumped at the site of a proposed cemetery in Hawaii Kai in the past several weeks, resurrecting environmental concerns about what is being stockpiled on the property. Star-Advertiser.

Kaneohe Pier Declared Unsafe. Officials Condemn Portion Of Main Access Pier To Coconut Island. KITV4.

Great white shark spotted off Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The year 2011 ended on a soggy note in East Hawaii, but that was not enough to keep most of the Big Island from recording another year of below-average rainfall. Tribune-Herald.

North Hawaii Community Hospital has received $680,000 to improve its health information technology, joining a national health care industry trend to improve information technology. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Hawaiian Airlines is adding flights at Kahului Airport for both interisland and Mainland destinations, creating a "Maui hub" to improve connections. Maui News.

One of the leading Democratic candidates vying to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka decided to brown bag it to work Wednesday in Wailuku. Maui News.

A state-authorized motorcycle safety program will now be available on Maui with the opening of Hawaii’s newest motorcycle safety training site in Kahului. Maui Now.

An ordinance to prohibit alcohol consumption at the new South Maui Community Park in Kihei went into effect this week. KHON2.

Kauai

The County of Kaua‘i ended Fiscal Year 2011 on June 30 with a budget surplus of $57.26 million, according to the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report released Dec. 15. Garden Island.

Amanda Barretto has filed suit against a Kaua‘i elementary school and the state Department of Education in 5th Circuit Court on behalf of her 7-year-old child. Garden Island.

The mayor recognized Kamehameha Schools’ third-grade students in the  Kali‘imamo Program on Wednesday afternoon for their participation in creating and dedicating a new bus shelter fronting Kapa‘a Neighborhood Center. Garden Island.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Hawaii lawmakers gamble on revenue generators, Abercrombie names homeless czar, Senate suspends prayer, car sales up, more news

Photo courtesy DLNR
Wildlife biologists and volunteers surveyed Hawaii's native and migratory waterbirds this week. Associated Press.

Legalized gambling is back on the legislature's agenda as one way to attack the state budget deficit. KITV4.

A state lawmaker has unveiled legislation to study the pros and cons of Hawaii joining a multistate lottery. Associated Press.

The Hawaii State Senate is ending the practice of opening each day’s floor session with an invocation, defusing a possible lawsuit regarding the separation of church and state. Hawaii Reporter.

Charges were dismissed in Wahiawa district court Thursday against four men involved in controversial north shore shark tours.KITV4.


Stressing his commitment to end homelessness in Hawaii, Governor Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Marc Alexander as the Governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness. KHON2.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie yesterday appointed Marc Alexander, the former vicar general of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, as his homeless coordinator, a sign the governor will reach out to the faith-based community as partners. Star-Advertiser.

The Rev. Marc Alexander has resigned his priestly ministry and has accepted a new job, according to Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva. Hawaii News Now.

The reports cards are in...and Hawaii's earning mixed grades for tobacco control policies. KHON2.

Hawaii's ethics code is too loose, some lawmakers say. So loose, that a politician can receive income from a firm or lobbyist doing business before the Legislature without disclosing the financial relationship. Civil Beat.

Members of the Pacific Alliance to Stop Slavery (PASS) attended the opening of the 2011 Hawaii Legislature, keen to support anti-human trafficking bills that are part of legislation to be debated this session. Hawaii Independent.

With more whales expected to migrate to Hawaii this season, experts anticipate more entanglements. Hawaii Public Radio.

The process of finding a new landfill on Oahu officially began today. KHON2.

A new online offering of campus crime reports aims to keep students at the University of Hawaii at Hilo informed and out of danger. Tribune-Herald.

The University of Hawaii's Board of Regents have extended President M.R.C. Greenwood's contract. Associated Press.

Pahala resident Gwen Sorensen wants police to ensure their dispatchers are properly trained to handle every type of emergency situation the island could possibly throw at them. West Hawaii Today.

Their airplanes aren't the only things with wings. Some say the pilots who fly them have wings as well. West Hawaii Today.

Seven families on Molokai are about to own their own houses for the first time. Molokai Dispatch.

Television reporter-turned state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Tammy Mori will return to the airwaves, rejoining KHON-TV Monday, Jan. 31. Star-Advertiser.

New vehicle registrations in Hawaii rose 3.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010 over the fourth quarter of 2009, according to the Hawaii Auto Outlook report released this morning. Star-Advertiser.

After the storms that passed through the Hawaiian Islands in the weeks before Christmas, most people have now heard of the "Pineapple Express" and the heavy rain and snowfall it caused in California. Star-Advertiser.