Monday, May 21, 2012

Hawaii historic preservation agency may have misspent state funds, federal panel could decide reapportionment injunction today, Kapiolani Community College instructors miss paychecks, Hana Highway to be fixed soon, elections Commission to consider Big Island complaints, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2012 All Hawaii News
King Kamehameha statue, Hilo (c) 2012 All Hawaii News
Hawaii's historic preservation agency was given more than $600,000 by the Legislature in the past year to beef up staff in order to avoid losing its federal certification. But the State Historic Preservation Division didn't spend any of that money on new hires. Instead it bought iPads and new cars and extended the contract of a private company. Civil Beat.

A three-judge federal panel could decide as early as Monday as to whether to grant an injunction stopping new legislative maps in the upcomng election. Even if they don’t, the case will still move to trial after the 2012 election, potentially impacting elections in 2014. Hawaii Reporter.

Deputy Attorney General Brian Aburano predicts chaos if a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court throws out redistricting maps for Hawaii's House and Senate precincts. KITV4.

A new state program to begin this fall will offer people an alternative route to public school leadership, allowing those who have strong management skills but perhaps no classroom experience to serve three-year "residencies" as vice principals before becoming eligible to apply to be principals. Star-Advertiser.

After the Democratic Party of Hawaii "postponed" the first and long-awaited U.S. Senate candidate primary debate between Congressman Ed Case, D-HI (2002-2007) and Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, D-HI, this Friday, Case said told Hirono he still wants to debate on Thursday as scheduled. Hawaii Reporter.

Three well-known leaders remain mum on the issue of same-sex marriage: U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, a Democrat, and Republicans Linda Lingle and Charles Djou. Civil Beat.

Elvis may have left the building 40 years ago, but he will be remembered in January at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center where he originally performed the first concert ever broadcast globally via satellite to an audience estimated at 1.5 billion. Star-Advertiser.

Research shows a drastic drop in the numbers of reef sharks around populated islands -- including Hawaii. KITV4.

Oahu
Some instructors who teach noncredit courses at Kapiolani Community College say they have not been paid in several months and are owed as much as $4,000 each, but have hesitated to speak out because as "casual hires" they have no job security. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Department of Energy is providing $500,000 to a project testing wave energy in Oahu's Kaneohe Bay. Hawaii News Now.

It may be one of the most coveted ZIP codes in Hawaii, but many of the houses there are abandoned. The man who owns them is rarely seen in the neighborhood. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser said Friday that it will begin printing a Hawaii edition of USA Today next week that will condense the newspaper’s usual four sections into two and include two pages of local news. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii
Hawaii County is planning its first evacuation drill for a disaster at Puna’s nearly two-decades old geothermal power plant. Tribune-Herald.

The state Elections Commission will hear concerns about Hawaii County’s Elections Office at its May 30 meeting, according to one of its commissioners. West Hawaii Today.

West Hawaii’s pristine coastal waters are home to an estimated 200 manta rays threatened more by entanglement in fishing line and gear than hunting thanks in part to a 2009 state law, said Keller Laros, a local diver and Manta Pacific Research Foundation co-founder. West Hawaii Today.

A challenge has faced Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ever since it acquired the 115,653-acre Kahuku unit in 2003. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

East Maui residents are pleased that finally next month more than $10 million in repair work will begin along portions of Hana Highway and its surrounding areas that suffered damage from soil erosion and landslides from severe stormy weather in March. Maui News.

Maui’s Energy Future Comes Into Focus. Maui Now.

Kauai

The fate of the Hanama‘ulu branch Post Office was to be decided by May 15, but no decision has been issued yet. Garden Island.

A new flight school is now operating at the Lihu‘e Airport. Garden Island.

Molokai

Molokai’s Kanemitsu Bakery is appealing $90,000 in fines from the Department of Health. Hawaii Public Radio.

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