Monday, March 13, 2023

Hawaii Convention Center is leaking, Pearl Harbor to get $2.8B dry dock, Legislature passes session midpoint, bankruptcy shuts down Hawaiian Isles coffee, water company, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaii Convention Center says a major rooftop leak problem threatens to cause structural damage to the $350 million complex. So far, the leaks haven’t led to cancellations. But the center’s manager said it has forced the venue to move events to other rooms. Hawaii News Now.

Debt shuts down Hawaiian Isles water, coffee companies. Two familiar brands in the islands — Hawaiian Isles Water Co. and Hawaiian Isles Coffee Co. — have shut down under a pile of debt and in the wake of ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, according to the companies’ attorney. Star-Advertiser.

Navy awards $2.8 billion contract for Pearl Harbor dock replacement. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific awarded a $2.8 billion task order Friday under a previously awarded contract to Honolulu-based joint venture Dragados/ Hawaiian Dredging/Orion JV to replace Dry Dock 3 at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. Star-Advertiser.

Public Utilities Commission tackles energy equity with new docket. A new docket seeks to define energy equity and integrate energy justice practices into the commission's proceedings.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Almost 1,000 bills advance at Hawaii Legislature.  Tax relief for residents and an environmental impact fee for visitors are among nearly 1,000 proposals in bills that have advanced through the midpoint of this year’s legislative session. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers consider bills to increase funding for at-home caregivers. Hawaii lawmakers are considering bills that would provide support and pay those who care for sick or aging family members. Experts said at-home caregivers save the state millions if not billions of dollars by taking care of their loved ones. KITV4.

Commentary: Plenty Of Legislators Support Term Limits. So Why Won't They Let The Public Vote On Them? Civil Beat surveyed many of Hawaii's 76 lawmakers or researched their positions on term limits. Here's what we found. Civil Beat.

Nowhere To Go: Lack Of Housing And Staff Is Undercutting Efforts To Deal With Homelessness In Hawaii. Homeless people face a number of barriers to getting the help, including a dearth of available housing and a safety net system that isn't always designed to meet their needs. Civil Beat.

Here’s What Hawaii Can Learn From Other States About Universal Preschool. The Ready Keiki initiative is a mixed-delivery system that aims to create more than 465 classrooms, increase subsidies for lower-income families and collaborate with universities to update their teaching curriculum by having a dedicated preschool school degree. Civil Beat.

Hawaii jobless rates higher than reported.  Upward revisions undertaken by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics boosted the rates for the last four months of 2022, including increasing December’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate by a half-percentage point, to 3.7% from 3.2%. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council begins overhaul of land use ordinance.
Overhauling and updating the city’s more than 30-year-old land use ordinance — a guiding planning document used for orderly development on Oahu — has begun. Star-Advertiser.

Defense contract to study nonfuel uses for Red Hill. Two local companies, CommPac and SMS Hawaii, will be assisting defense contractor Nakupuna Cos. in conducting public outreach and soliciting community ideas about alternative uses for the Navy’s Red Hill facility once its closed for fueling operations. Star-Advertiser.

Big Pay Hikes On The Horizon For City Leaders. The increases arise amid a wider conversation about how to hire and retain workers. Civil Beat.

Honolulu police officers are one step closer to getting a schedule change. The police union has agreed to a a three-day-a-week, 12-hour patrol shift to address staffing shortages in patrol divisions. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu plans expansion of homeless housing and outreach. The city expects to announce two new tiny-home kauhale locations this year with a third to follow as Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration continues to look at ways to reduce homelessness while keeping struggling families from becoming homeless. Star-Advertiser.

Historic land sells for $36.5M on Oʻahu's North Shore. The historic Dillingham Ranch on Oʻahu’s North Shore was just acquired by an undisclosed buyer for $36.5 million. The sale closed March 1.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Watchdog Cites ‘Inhumane Conditions’ And Security Lapse At Oahu Jail. The correctional oversight commission observed gates left open and continued problems with the electronic medical records system at the Oahu jail. Civil Beat.

Miske Case: Judge To Decide If Defense Attorney’s Removal Should Stand. Thomas Otake has been at least temporarily terminated over alleged conflicts of interest. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Big Island Police Shoot And Kill Man In Kailua-Kona. Officers shot and killed a man Friday in the course of investigating a shooting from earlier in the week, according to a press release from Hawaii police. There is no body camera footage of the incident because the plainclothes vice detectives involved do not wear cameras, the department said. Civil Beat. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.  Hawaii News Now.

Mediation urged to curb evictions: State legislation aims to help prevent homelessness. A bill seeking to establish prelitigation mediation in eviction cases has passed the state House and has received committee referrals in the Senate. Tribune-Herald.

Lofty solid waste goal set: County Council resolution supports trash-conversion facility.  Hawaii County has set a goal to process and recycle all solid waste on the Big Island in only three years. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Housing project gets quick boost from County Council. Change in land use is final hurdle for 202-unit Kuikahi Village. Maui News.

Bissen directors cross final hurdle. The Maui County Council on Friday approved all 12 of Mayor Richard Bissen Jr.’s department head appointments. Maui News.

Two council members to step back from rental housing discussion. Both Tasha Kama and Gabe Johnson had been board members of MEO, landowner of the project site. Maui News.

Amendment needed for overnight camping on ag land, high court rules. The state Land Use Commission prevailed Friday in a Hawaii Supreme Court case regarding a special permit for overnight camping on prime agricultural land. Star-Advertiser.

Maui physicians back bill to lessen their tax burden. Bill would exempt medical providers from GET for treating some patients. Maui News.

Maui’s Kulanihakoi High School is empty and stuck in bureaucratic limbo.  Government  and community leaders continue to argue about how to get past more than a decade of bureaucratic missteps that have left Kihei with a long-delayed high school that has cost taxpayers $180 million so far but can’t be used, including a $16 million traffic roundabout that failed to meet the state Land Use Commission’s pedestrian-safety requirements to open the school. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai


Passenger count eases at Lihu‘e Airport in February. For the first time in months, the number of people getting off domestic flights at Lihu‘e Airport was lower than the same comparable period a year earlier. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i COVID-19 update: “Kraken” subvariant in the wastewater. The state Department of Health reported a relatively low number of COVID-19 cases last week, with only 34 new cases reported on Kaua‘i between Feb. 28 and March 6. Garden Island.

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