Showing posts with label Mark Bennett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark Bennett. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

U.S. Senate confirms former Hawaii AG as appellate judge, Hawaii to become last state with police standards board, Ige vetoes 8 other bills, Kauai electric co-op generates checks, don't feed the monk seals, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2018 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Pohakuloa Quonset huts ©2018 All Hawaii News
The Army plans to demolish nearly 100 World War II-era Quonset huts at Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii island — a potential loss of iconic structures that historians are lamenting. Star-Advertiser.

The United States Senate has confirmed former Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit by a vote of 72-27. Star-Advertiser.

Former Hawaii attorney general confirmed to US Court of Appeals. The U.S. Senate confirmed President Trump’s nomination of Honolulu attorney Mark J. Bennett Tuesday in a 72-27 vote Tuesday. KHON2.

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Governor Reverses Himself: Hawaii Will Get A Police Standards Board. All four county police chiefs also switched positions on the bill, according to Honolulu Chief Susan Ballard. Civil Beat.

A bill requiring the creation of a statewide law enforcement standards and training board has become law after Gov. David Ige on Tuesday reversed course and decided not to veto it. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Ige vetoes 8 bills but reverses decision on giving Hawaii a police standards board. KITV.

Gov. Ige vetoes eight bills, allows two to become law without his signature. KHON2.

3 measures will become law without the governor's signature. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige plans to veto legislation that would expand the state’s hotel tax. Associated Press.

Here are the 8 bills vetoed by the governor. Gov. David Ige vetoed eight bills on Tuesday that covered topics from medical marijuana use, enhanced consumer protections and environmental concerns. Hawaii News Now.

Read Gov. David Ige's full veto list here.

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Why Union Support Matters In The Hawaii Governor’s Race. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa has gathered the majority of big labor endorsements, but incumbent Gov. David Ige has the support of teachers. Civil Beat.

Lt. Gov. Doug Chin was endorsed today by the country’s largest federal employee union in his bid for Congress. Star-Advertiser.

RIMPAC Drill Will Use Hospitals Across the State. Big Island Now.

A U.S. judge gave the green light to lawsuits alleging the weed killer Roundup caused cancer Tuesday, allowing expert testimony linking the herbicide to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Garden Island.

A recent study by University of Hawaii at Manoa researchers revealed more information about where rat lungworm has spread — and where it might spread in the future as the climate changes. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian Airlines carried a record 1.05 million passengers in June, a 2.9 percent increase over 1.02 million in the year-earlier period. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

State and federal officials are reminding the public not to feed Hawaiian monk seals after several of the critically endangered species were recently spotted near a bay on the Leeward side looking for food. Star-Advertiser.

New signs are posted at the small bay near Kahe Power Plant asking people especially fishermen not to feed the Hawaiian monk seals. KITV.

Waimea Valley will soon close on a 3.75-acre land purchase that will allow the attraction to undertake its first real expansion since emerging from more than a decade of major financial struggles. Star-Advertiser.

Beachgoers at Magic Island warned of water main break, high bacteria levels. Hawaii News Now.

Crews to test water at Magic Island after finding high bacteria in ocean. KITV.

Toyota Motor Corp. launched a Honolulu car-sharing service today that allows customers to use smartphones to unlock and start cars for rent by the hour or day. Bloomberg.

Servco Pacific Inc. in cooperation with Toyota Connected North America launched car-share program Hui on Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Because so much of Hawaii Island geography is designated as lava zones 1 and 2, it doesn’t make sense to bar construction there, Mayor Harry Kim said Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

Leilani Estates resident Geoffrey Last has been denied FEMA assistance, but his home is uninhabitable, according to a letter from county officials. Big Island Video News.

Lava imperils charter school and destroys endangered plants. Star-Advertiser.

District 7 hopefuls address issues at West Hawaii forum. The race for the Hawaii County Council District 7 seat is one of the 2018 election cycle’s most hotly contested on the Big Island. West Hawaii Today.

A Big Island firefighter accused of lying to a federal grand jury about his relationship with a Honolulu deputy prosecutor in the fraud and corruption case against her and her husband, the former Honolulu police chief, was put on paid leave. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County firefighters battled an early morning fire inside a 36,000-square-foot recycling company warehouse in Keaau, and finally putting it out after 5 1/2 hours. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Property owners can now pay their real property taxes online with the County of Maui’s Treasury Division automatic payment program. Maui Now.

Maui Preparatory Academy in Napili is constructing two new campus facilities that will add over 1200 square feet to existing infrastructure and position the school for future growth. Maui Now.

Maui named top island in Hawaii by Travel and Leisure Magazine. For the seventh year in a row, the Valley Isle was voted the top island in Hawaii. KHON2.

The island of Maui has earned honors once again as the No. 1 spot on Travel + Leisure magazine’s list of “Top Islands in Hawaii” in its 2018 World’s Best Awards readers’ survey. Maui Now.


Kauai

All seven candidates for the Kauai Office of the Mayor were on hand Tuesday night at the Kauai Chamber of Commerce Mayor’s Forum at Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall. Garden Island.

With the passage of Bill 2687 the Kauai County Council seems poised to gift millions of dollars of increased property values to a relatively small number of owners located in Lihue along Rice Street with “no strings attached.” Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will begin issuing $3.2 million in 2017 patronage capital retirement checks to cooperative members next week. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will begin issuing $3.2 million in 2017 patronage capital retirement checks to cooperative members next week. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Housing Agency will be accepting applications for its Section 8 program waiting list. KHON2.

The effects of the April flooding continue to be felt on Kauai and will be for the foreseeable future. Hawaii Public Radio.

Molokai

Committee defers action on Molokai short-term rentals. Residents oppose bill that would allow 25 rentals and grandfather existing ones. Maui News.

Lanai

Four Seasons Lanai applies for $5M in building permits for spa, fitness facilities. The spa buildings are part of The Lodge’s long-planned expansion and upgrade that will reduce the hotel’s room count and rebrand it as a destination spa. Pacific Business News.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Agribusiness Development Corp. resists audit, cracking down on unlicensed elder care homes, former AG Bennett welcomed by U.S. Senate, Thirty Meter Telescope future up in the air, Kauai to sue Big Pharm over opioid abuse, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2018 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hilo Farmers Market ©2018 All Hawaii News
State Agribusiness Agency Says It’s Too Busy To Be Audited. Lawmakers may expand the power of the Agribusiness Development Corp. even as its officials try to stave off a review of its operations. Civil Beat.

Bill Would Allow Crackdown On Unlicensed Care Homes. The unauthorized facilities proliferated while the Health Department failed to establish rules on which ones need licenses. Civil Beat.

The House Health and Human Services Committee is trying to pass a bill to put illegal care homes out of business. Civil Beat.

New bill looks to close complicated loophole for kupuna care facilities. Hawaii News Now.

The 6th Kupuna Power Day will be held at the State Capitol Thursday. This year's event is dedicated to the late Sen. Daniel Akaka who was a champion for kupuna care across Hawaii. KHON2.

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A controversial bill that has the astronomy community on edge might have violated the state Senate’s own rules since it was crafted without time for a public hearing. But that might have little consequence since legislators say the chamber can bend or ignore them essentially at will. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii lawmakers discuss sexual harassment complaint reforms. Women lawmakers at the Hawaii state Capitol want the House and Senate to update rules on handling sexual harassment complaints — a push that comes amid high-profile misconduct allegations nationwide and after a former Hawaii House speaker resigned after acknowledging inappropriate behavior toward women. Associated Press.

Trump’s Federal Judge Nominee For Hawaii Gets Warm Reception In DC. Mark Bennett, the former state AG under Hawaii’s last Republican governor, received bipartisan accolades during his Senate confirmation hearing. Civil Beat.

Sen. Schatz Introduces Court of Appeals Nominee Mark Bennett. Big Island Now.

Hawaii Senators participated in the questioning of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in Washington on Tuesday. Big Island Video News.

While a few governors have said they oppose President Donald Trump’s plan to send up to 4,000 National Guard troops to the border with Mexico, Hawaii Gov. David Ige’s office said he’s taking a wait-and-see approach and that no such request has come in. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Department of Health officials confirmed Wednesday there were two additional rat lungworm disease cases in the state. The cases involve an adult Maui resident and an adolescent visiting Hawaii island from New York. Star-Advertiser.

Rat Lungworm Confirmed in Maui and Mainland Resident. Maui Now.

Luxury homes on Hawaii’s Kona Coast sold faster and for a higher average price than on other islands last year, while Oahu has seen a reduction in prices and an increase in the number of days those high-end homes are on the market, according to a market index report by Concierge Auctions. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Council Leaders, Mayor Caldwell Will Talk With Feds In DC About Rail Funding. Honolulu Council Chair Ernie Martin and Budget Chair Trevor Ozawa, who proposed big cuts in the city budget to raise rail funds, will travel with the mayor to the Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu farmland purchased by state in 2013 site of massive dump site. Hawaii News Now.

Officials from the city, state, Kamehameha Schools and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration unveiled a dramatic, 10-foot high banner at the steps of Honolulu Hale Wednesday to hammer home the threat that tsunamis can wreak across the islands at any moment. Star-Advertiser.

Some riders of TheBus will begin today to help the city determine if switching to electric buses makes sense. Star-Advertiser.

A demonstration at Iolani Palace Wednesday showcased electric buses that could be considered when the state looks to implement passenger shuttles between the terminal and rental car facility at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport later this year. KHON2.

3-foot tall concrete wall that snakes along Kalakaua Avenue fronting the old Waikiki 3 theater will be knocked down Thursday morning. Police and businesses say the wall has been a magnet for criminal behavior. Hawaii News Now.

The federal government’s dispute with the city for its handling of abandoned vehicles is officially over. A U.S. District judge dismissed the federal government’s lawsuit against the city Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Lawsuit dismissed after changes made for vehicles of active-duty service members. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Bolstered by a state recalculation that shows a half-cent general excise tax surcharge would give the county twice what was originally thought, Mayor Harry Kim has resumed lobbying the County Council to pass it. West Hawaii Today.

TMT decision faces delay. The TMT International Observatory board, which for months has been saying it would decide by April whether to build the Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawaii, is meeting at its Pasadena headquarters this week. Newspapers in Spain and the Canary Islands — home to TMT’s backup site — last month reported that members of the TMT governing board assured local officials that the decision about where to build the $1.4 billion observatory would be delayed until November. Star-Advertiser.

Employees at Royal Kona Resort aren’t on strike — yet. A few dozen staff members clad in red and waving picket signs rallied on Kahakai Road fronting the hotel Wednesday afternoon. West Hawaii Today.

Maui


Large mound of nets that washed up on Maui's Black Sand Beach to be removed. Hawaii News Now.

The state plans to close Waianapanapa State Park in Hana, Maui, on Thursday morning to remove a large pile of cargo nets that washed ashore about two weeks ago during a recent northeast swell, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Star-Advertiser.

East Maui residents at odds over new Paia bypass proposal. Many prefer the use of old cane roads owned by A&B instead of the DOT’s proposed route. Maui News.

A measure vastly different from the one initially introduced that puts the onus on Maui County to recoup government funds expended on the Front Street Apartments affordable housing project passed the state House on Tuesday. Maui News.

Maui High’s day care, teen parents programs in limbo. Nonprofit offers a $20,000 grant, but portable buildings top $100,000. Maui News.


Kauai

The County of Kauai is planning to sue the manufacturers, marketers and distributors of opioids. Reminiscent of lawsuits against big tobacco companies, Kauai County will be the first county in Hawaii to pursue this type of litigation.  Garden Island.

Kauai County is the first in the state to take legal action against the makers, marketers and distributors of opioid pain medications. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai County's "opioid litigation" aims to sue prescription drug companies. KITV.

The Kauai Rural Health Association is bringing the conference “Opioid Crisis: What You Should Know” to Kauai Community College on Thursday, May 17. Garden Island.

KCC Medical Assistant Program gains national approval. Garden Island.

Molokai

Oral Arguments Set on 1993 Water Use Permit for Molokai Ranch Subsidiary. Maui Now.

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Trump names former Hawaii AG Bennett to Court of Appeals, Syngenta settles with EPA, Mauna Kea telescopes stir hot debate in Legislature, Maui ferry not feasible, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Monsanto
Farming, courtesy Monsanto
Concerned residents from Maui and Kauai are set to testify in support of a pesticide regulation bill at the State Capitol requiring companies to alert the public before chemicals are sprayed. The Senate committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health are expected to make a decision Wednesday. KITV.

President Donald Trump has nominated former Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett to the Hawaii seat of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Star-Advertiser.

This Trump Pick Wins Rare Applause from Hawaii’s Democratic Senators. Mark Bennett, the former state attorney general, has been nominated for the Hawaii seat on U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Civil Beat.

Today President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate an eleventh wave of judicial nominees including the nomination of former Hawaii Attorney General Mark J. Bennett as a Circuit Judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Maui Now.

Report: Public Is Being Shut Out On Critical State Information. A new study by a public interest law firm says Hawaii is the worst in the nation when it comes to timely decisions on open records and open meetings issues. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s largest public pension fund lost about 6 percent of its value in the recent stock market correction. The Employees' Retirement System Star-Advertiser.

Bill Would Require Insurance Coverage Of Emergency Flights To Mainland. Patients who need to travel quickly for organ transplants can pay from $80,000 to $130,000 for air ambulance service. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers are pursuing legislation that would update the state’s disaster preparedness protocols after the false ballistic missile alert last month. Tribune-Herald.

DOE could be sued over lack of female locker rooms – a violation of federal law. The ACLU has given DOE a deadline of one month to come up with a plan to provide all student athletes equal access to locker rooms. Hawaii News Now.

University of Hawaii Cancer Center researchers are seeking legislative funding for a three-year study to determine why Hawaii has one of the highest rates of liver cancer in the country. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii regulators approve revised tariffs for Hawaiian Electric rate increase. Pacific Business News.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Nina Turner, president of Our Revolution, traveled across Hawaii this past weekend to promote citizen engagement, grassroots organizing, and efforts to reform and strengthen democracy and the Democratic Party. Garden Island.

Oahu


Development Lobbyist Failed To Register With Honolulu Ethics Commission. David Arakawa hadn’t registered to lobby at Honolulu Hale for at least five years. And then a reporter asked him about it. Civil Beat.

Moratorium on ‘monster homes’ faces final vote. A final vote on a bill placing a temporary moratorium on large-scale homes is scheduled for today, and Honolulu City Council members have been getting mounting pressure from both opponents and supporters of the “monster houses” legislation. Star-Advertiser.

Several bills were introduced at this year’s state Legislature to address concerns about large-scale houses. Star-Advertiser.

Bill would prevent sweep of Waianae homeless camp. Star-Advertiser.

Family members of a man who says four officers forced him to lick a urinal allege the extent of the abuse is worse than first reported. Hawaii News Now.

Should buses and other large vehicles be kept out of the freeway’s fast lane? KHON2.

Third Deedy trial pushed back as attorney prepares federal appeal. There's another delay in the latest trial of a State Department special agent who fatally shot a man inside a Waikiki McDonald's in 2011. Hawaii News Now.

Number of Honolulu Zoo exhibits & visitors going up. KITV.

Honolulu has been named one of the healthiest cities in the United States, according to a new report. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Bill would create new authority to run Mauna Kea. Senate Bill 3090, sponsored by state Sen. Kaiali‘i Kahele (D, Hilo) and 16 other lawmakers, would establish the Mauna Kea Management Authority as a way of installing “fresh leadership” and “a new model of governance.” Star-Advertiser.

Heated discussion at the State Capitol Monday, over a bill calling for the removal of the board that manages Mauna Kea. That board is currently run by the University of Hawaii. KITV.

Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim appeared today in Honolulu for the committee hearing on the controversial Senate Bill 3090, which would upend the way Mauna Kea is currently managed. Big Island Video News.

Kahele Grills OMKM Director Nagata Over Bulldozed Ahu. Big Island Video News.

Amid TMT dispute, lawmakers look to establish new body to manage Mauna Kea. Hawaii News Now.

Homeless Villages proposal up against deadline. The program would fund 50 homeless units — 25 at two sites in Kailua-Kona and Hilo, respectively — as well as two homeless assessment centers and supportive services under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s preferred Housing First model. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County and Hawaiian Earth Recycling continue to hammer out the details of a new agreement after Mayor Harry Kim nixed plans to build a composting facility in a quarry near the Hilo landfill. Tribune-Herald.

This Hilo Community Fears Its ‘Toxic’ Neighbors. With a nearby airport, landfill, sewage plant, port and petroleum tanks, Hawaiian Homestead residents in Keaukaha want health concerns addressed. Civil Beat.

Hawaii County’s Mayor has about three weeks to send a budget to the County Council. Since 2000, the budget has increased more than 250 percent. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hilton Waikola Village recently became the first resort on the Big Island to discontinue the use of plastic straws and replace them with a compostable, paper alternative. Pacific Business News.

Maui

A ferry system to relieve Lahaina-bound traffic jams and shuttle sports teams within Maui County isn’t in the cards, at least for now. Maui News.

Greg Kaufman, founder of the 38-year-old Pacific Whale Foundation and a pioneer of whale watching on Maui, died Saturday. Maui News.

Pacific Whale Foundation today confirmed the passing of founder and executive director, Greg Kaufman. Maui Now.

Kauai

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Syngenta Seeds LLC have reached a settlement concerning safety violations affecting field workers on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

EPA Settles Syngenta Pesticide Claim For Pennies On The Dollar. The GMO company will pay $150,000 instead of the $4.8 million that had been sought for exposing Kauai workers to pesticides. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency came to an agreement Monday with Syngenta Seeds, LLC, to resolve violations of federal pesticide regulations at its farm in Kekaha. Garden Island.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached a settlement with Syngenta Seeds to resolve violations of federal pesticide regulations at its farm in Kekaha, Kauai. Pacific Business News.

The Kauai County Council recently voted six to one to adopt the County’s General Plan. Garden Island.