Green makes gubernatorial bid official, Chinatown food mission relocating, Honolulu defense contractors indicted, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

 

Josh Green

Lt. Gov. Josh formally announces his bid for Hawaii governor. He joins business executive Vicky Cayetano, Hawaii’s former first lady, who already has announced her candidacy. They are likely to be joined in the Aug. 13 Democratic primary by former Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. KITV4. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii political donor received almost $6 million in contracts. Milton J. Choy, the wastewater treatment and industrial machinery executive at the center of a federal public corruption probe, has donated $160,150 to state and county lawmakers since 2014 and received nearly $6 million in government contracts. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

Former Hawaii lawmakers accused of taking bribes scheduled to enter guilty pleas. Former state Rep. Ty J.K. Cullen will be arraigned and enter a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway at 11 a.m. Feb. 15. Retired Senate Majority Leader Jamie Kalani English is scheduled to be arraigned and enter a guilty plea as part of his arrangement with the justice department before Mollway on Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers push to make sports part of school curriculum, how it could change how things are played . A push to elevate athletics within the Hawaii Department of Education system is moving through the state legislature. The purpose of the new bill is to transform existing sports from extracurricular to become part of the school curriculum. KHON2.

Hawaii records 6 new coronavirus-related deaths, 1,195 additional infections. The new confirmed and probable infection count includes 815 new cases on Oahu, 131 on Hawaii Island, 101 on Maui, 108 on Kauai, nine on Lanai and 31 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

River of Life Mission to relocate Chinatown food distribution program, but timeline for move is unclear. River of Life Mission has agreed to move its free-meal program away from its Chinatown location after 35 years of operation. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

3 Honolulu execs, Martin Kao, Clifford Chen and Lawrence ‘Kahele’ Lum Kee indicted for alleged illegal campaign contributions. Three Honolulu executives formerly with a Hawaii- based defense contractor were indicted Thursday in Washington, D.C., for allegedly making illegal campaign contributions to a U.S. Senate candidate and a political action committee. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

Critics question liquor commission on ‘improper conduct’ that could shut down establishments. The Honolulu Liquor Commission is looking at a major overhaul of its rules regarding liquor licenses. One of the new proposals include one that would give liquor inspectors the power to shut down a business if they see what’s only defined as “improper conduct.” Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Marine Corps Discharged High Levels Of Fecal Bacteria Into Kailua Bay. It’s not the first time the Marines Corps has released wastewater into Kailua Bay in violation of its permit. Civil Beat.

Police union demands Honolulu Police Department address officer shortage. The state police union is demanding that Honolulu’s short-staffed Police Department do more to fill empty police beats around the island. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

‘Alarming’ Honolulu inflation hit 6.0% in January. Honolulu’s rising inflation follows a similar trend nationally where U.S. prices jumped 7.5% over the past year for its largest 12-month increase since February 1982, according to a report issued Thursday from the U.S. Department of Labor. Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Hawaii Island

County to Offer Free Bus Fares. The Hawai‘i County Council on Wednesday approved the second and final reading of Bill 105, which temporarily suspends fares for all fixed bus routes and paratransit services offered by Hele-On until Dec. 31, 2023. Big Island Now.

Council Planning Committee postpones Waikoloa timeshare project. Supportive testimony by a wide swath of individuals from resort operators to labor unions and tourism promoters to front-line workers who sleep in their cars because of a lack of housing wasn’t enough to win approval Tuesday from a County Council panel on a plan to convert half of a Waikoloa Beach Resort golf course to timeshare units. West Hawaii Today.

Lawmakers advance legislation to relieve traffic congestion in rapidly growing Puna on Big Island. House Bill 1403 would require the state Department of Transportation to work with Hawaiʻi County to survey potential locations for an alternate route to Highway 130. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Proposal to increase police chief salary is raising concerns. At a special meeting Feb. 2, the commission unanimously voted to recommend a pay raise to $205,000 a year for Pelletier, who was sworn in Dec. 17 at a salary of $158,851. Maui News. Hawaii News Now.

Mayor seeks public-private partnership to boost workforce housing in Waikapū. Mayor Michael Victorino is asking the Maui County Council to support his proposal to enter into a public-private partnership agreement between the County of Maui and the developers of Waikapū Country Town. Maui Now.

Community invited to town hall on affordable apartments in Lahaina, Feb. 22. Discussion will include comprehensive information regarding the application, lottery and lease process, and construction updates for Kaiāulu o Kupuohi and Kaiāulu o Kūku‘ia apartment projects developed by Ikaika ʻOhana. Maui Now.

Kauai

OPA Special Election Voter Service Center opens Feb. 11. The Voter Service Center for the Prosecuting Attorney Special General Election will be open beginning at 8 a.m., Friday in the basement of the Historic County Annex Building in Lihu‘e. Garden Island.

Current, hopeful KIUC directors seek ratepayers’ votes in March election. Incumbents are touting advancements toward a 100% renewable-energy portfolio, while a rival calls for increased electric-vehicle infrastructure in the run-up to the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors election. Garden Island.

Groups put county, state on notice for Westside ditch draining. Environmental watchdog groups have put the County of Kaua‘i on notice for seemingly violating federal permit requirements when it comes to discharging stormwater containing pollutants into Westside waters. Garden Island.