Showing posts with label Mike McCartney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mike McCartney. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Deadline today to resurrect water bill, more legislative shenanigans as sine die nears, Honolulu council passes vacation rental bills, tour helicopters scrutinized after fiery crash, Kauai's Kuhio Highway reopening uncertain, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

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Flume brings water down from the mountain ©2019 All Hawaii News
Last Chance For The Water Rights Bill. The Senate has only Tuesday to revive the contentious legislation. But a related court case remains in limbo. Civil Beat.

Donovan Dela Cruz Plays Hardball With Foes Of The Airbnb Tax. The Senate Ways and Means chairman is threatening to kill 15 other bills in order to get senators to flip their votes and revive Senate Bill 1292. Civil Beat.

McCartney’s DBEDT nomination heading to Senate. State Sen. Glenn Wakai recommended that the full Senate not confirm Mike Mc­Cartney to lead Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism during a hearing Monday, accusing him of poor communication with the Senate, lacking a vision for DBEDT, being short on details when it comes to policy matters and not following through on commitments. Star-Advertiser.

Ige signs firearms reporting bill. Gov. David Ige signed HB 720 (Act 23), establishing reporting requirements for gun owners. Garden Island.

Red Light Camera Bill Likely To Pass Legislature. A measure that would have implemented red light cameras at intersections will instead call for further study. Hawaii Public Radio.

Former Governor George Ariyoshi received one of the state's highest honors Monday. Lawmakers inducted Ariyoshi into the Aloha Order of Merit at the State Capitol. KITV.

Southwest Airlines Announces $29 Interisland Fares. After completing an inaugural flight from Kahului to Honolulu yesterday morning, Southwest Airlines is offering $29 fares for interisland flights. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council committee passes 2 vacation rental bills. One bill would allow for up to about 1,715 newly permitted vacation rentals on the island, while the other would crack down on the thousands of illegal units on the island. Star-Advertiser.

City, Waste Management of Hawaii to pay $425K in settlement with EPA. The city and Waste Management of Hawaii will pay $425,000 as a part of a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency. Hawaii News Now.

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Honolulu police officer charged in Kealoha mailbox case gets probation. Honolulu police Sgt. Daniel Sellers will not be going to jail for telling former deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha information he discovered in an investigation. Star-Advertiser.

Former HPD Sergeant Gets 1-Year Probation In Mailbox Theft Case. The first trial for former chief Louis Kealoha, his wife and two other officers is slated to begin May 13. Associated Press.

‘A humbled man’: Officer sentenced in connection with case against Kealohas. In federal court Monday, Sellers apologized for his actions, choking up as he spoke. Hawaii News Now.

In filings, Katherine Kealoha says she was ordered to tell officer to ‘stand down’. Hawaii News Now.

Confused By The Kealoha Cases? Here's A Catchup On Where Things Stand. He was Honolulu's Rolex-wearing police chief, an avid surfer who chatted with beat cops in Pidgin, Hawaii's creole language. She was his deputy city prosecutor wife, who drove a Maserati and led an elite unit targeting career criminals while showering lunches on colleagues, friends and even the workers renovating her home. Associated Press.

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Why Plans For A New Navy Dry Dock Leave Ship Repair Industry Divided. Proponents say a state plan to help a well-connected maritime firm is needed to save hundreds of jobs. Civil Beat.

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3 Dead In Kailua Tour Helicopter Crash. The aircraft went down on a road in a Kailua neighborhood. Fire and helicopter parts rained from the sky Monday in a suburban Honolulu community as a tour helicopter crashed and killed all three people aboard, officials and witnesses said. Associated Press.

Crash prompts calls for more scrutiny. Hawaii’s tour helicopter industry could face new regulatory head winds in the wake of Monday’s tragic helicopter crash, which killed all three people aboard when it went down in a dense Kailua neighborhood. Star-Advertiser.

Investigators to examine wreckage of a helicopter crash that left 3 dead. Hawaii News Now.

State lawmaker from Kailua wants all tour helicopters grounded until authorities assess Monday's helicopter crash. KITV.

Windward residents say they've been complaining for years about helicopters flying over their homes. Both Rep. Cynthia Thielen and Sen. Laura Thielen are asking the FAA to immediately halt tour operations in Hawaii until they find out what happened. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Lawmakers again fail to agree on measures for Banyan Drive redevelopment. Redevelopment of Banyan Drive will have to wait until next year once again after the failure of three bills earlier this year. Tribune-Herald.

Charter Commission rejects ballot measure abolishing minimum property tax. Some owners of vast Hamakua land holdings don’t pay much more in annual property taxes than an owner of a tiny lot on a Puna lava field, says Kevin Hopkins, who wants to make the county’s property taxes more equitable. West Hawaii Today.

Big Isle tourism yet to recover. Visitor arrivals are only creeping back toward pre-eruption levels, prolonging economic pain for many businesses and workers in the state’s biggest industry. Star-Advertiser.

Researchers Battle The Rat Lungworm Problem. More funding is leading to new discoveries as the parasite continues to sicken people in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Maui

Public Input Sought on Maui Wind Projects, May 22. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public comment concerning wind farm projects on Maui and throughout the state. Maui Now.

Threat of plastic pollution focus of presentation. The public is invited to a free presentation titled “Thinking Like an Island: How to Survive the Plastic Pollution Pandemic” that will be offered by Hannah Bernard from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Wednesday meeting of Maui Nui Marine Resource Council at The Sphere at Maui Ocean Center. Maui News.

Kauai

Kuhio Highway reopening delayed? The Hawaii Department of Transportation didn’t confirm with The Garden Island before press time or answer any questions about the project, but several anonymous sources close to the situation said Monday the highway reopening will be delayed. Garden Island.

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Minimum wage, elections, recession preparation highlighted in opening day of Legislature, Ige names new DBEDT and Agriculture chiefs, federal shutdown could slow down Kealoha trial, lava recovery, Lihue post office to remain open, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Senate Majority
Opening day of the Hawaii Legislature PC:Senate Majority
Lawmakers plan initiatives on minimum wage, elections in new session. Lobbyists, lawmakers and activists have been busy for weeks, but the Hawaii state Legislature officially opened Wednesday morning with chant, hula, prayers and song, and also some speeches that hinted at political tensions at the state Capitol. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers gathering for the first day of a new legislative session said Wednesday they will consider raising the state’s minimum wage. Associated Press.

Lawmakers convened Wednesday for the 30th Hawaii Legislature, with representatives from both sides of the aisle vowing to avoid the divisiveness that’s defined national politics. Hawaii News Now.

The 30th legislative session opened Wednesday and lawmakers say they're ready to prepare Hawaii for what lies ahead. Many are preparing for a recession and a minimum wage increase. KHON2.

State Senate president: The time is now to prepare for a recession in 2020. Hawaii News Now.

Saiki Examines Economic Divide in Opening Day Remarks. Maui Now.

Budget Hawk Sylvia Luke: ‘I Try To Know More Than Them’. The House Finance Committee chair can be fearsome in budget briefings. She’s also not afraid to dive deep into state money matters, like the $3 billion tucked away in special funds. Civil Beat.

Gov. Ige’s Administrative Director Is Now Also His Chief Of Staff. Ford Fuchigami will have dual roles in the governor’s office, and former Chief of Staff Mike McCartney has been picked to lead the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Civil Beat.

Mike McCartney, who has served as Gov. David Ige’s chief of staff since 2014, will take over as the new director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Star-Advertiser.

Hundreds are expected to gather at Iolani Palace on Thursday to commemorate 126 years since the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The overthrow happened on Jan. 17, 1893. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Legal experts say all city leaders should be concerned if they had dealings with the growing number of people suspected of various crimes related to a widening public corruption investigation. They say even Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell should be worried. Hawaii News Now.

Federal Shutdown Claims New Victim: Katherine Kealoha’s Right To A Fair Trial. With her federally funded attorney not getting paid and other expenses on hold, Kealoha wants her trial postponed. Civil Beat.

Former deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha is asking the court to postpone her upcoming federal trial because of the federal government shutdown. Star-Advertiser.

Katherine Kealoha claims government shutdown is impinging on 'rights to a fair trial'. KHON2.

The partial government shutdown is shutting down Katherine Kealoha's right to a fair trial. Her federally funded lawyer, Cynthia Kagiwada, said she's not getting paid by the government meaning no money for attorneys, witnesses, paralegals, or investigators. KITV.

The $250,000 paid out to then police chief Louis Kealoha came from HPD's budget. KHON2.

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A “silent march” in support of federal employees who aren’t getting paid during the partial government shutdown is planned at Honolulu airport this morning, a union official said. Star-Advertiser.

Silent march planned at HNL airport to protest government shutdown. Hawaii News Now.

The four-story industrial building-turned-homeless hub in Iwilei has had 578 visits through Tuesday since opening on Jan. 8. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu’s new rest stop for the homeless is already proving its value. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii real estate investment firm Alexander & Baldwin Inc. has used some of the proceeds from selling its former Maui sugar plantation lands to buy two warehouse buildings in Kapolei. Star-Advertiser.

Alexander & Baldwin Inc. has purchased two industrial warehouse buildings in Kapolei for $40 million, the first acquisition financed by the Hawaii real estate investment trust’s $262 million sale of former sugar plantation land on Maui. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Thirty patients lined up Wednesday morning to await the opening of the first medical marijuana dispensary on the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

As part of its recovery from the Kilauea eruption, Hawaii County is seeking more than half a billion dollars in federal disaster relief and economic aid. But state civil defense officials say some of the money is now being held up by the partial government shutdown in Washington, D.C. Hawaii News Now.

The county is suing a Hawi vacation rental ranch following more than two years of neighbor complaints over weddings, concerts and events being held there without a permit. West Hawaii Today.

Group buys 55 calves from Big Island Dairy in effort to find them forever homes. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Haleakala National Park rangers have issued a reminder to the public that they are enforcing all regulations during the lapse in appropriated funds. Maui Now.

New veterans center plans move forward on Molokai. Some say second center not needed, others say it will save trip to town. Maui News.

Kauai

Lihue Post Office will remain open after longtime efforts to consolidate operations. A historic post office on Kauai that the U.S. Postal Service slated to shut down will remain open, according to a USPS spokesman. Star-Advertiser.

The Lihue post office on Rice Street will be staying put. Duke Gonzales, spokesman for the United States Postal Service, confirmed the change in course on Wednesday. Garden Island.

The U.S. Postal Service will not relocate the Lihue Post Office. Initial plans to move the office from its Rice Street location to the Lihue Carrier Annex were met by opposition from the community. KITV.

Molokai

New veterans center plans move forward on Molokai. Some say second center not needed, others say it will save trip to town. Maui News.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Hawaii officials urge U.S. Army not to leave islands, Navy working on renewable energy research, Abercrombie recognized for gay marriage, lava flow poised to consume garage, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2014 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Pohakuloa Training Area © 2014 All Hawaii News
State and city officials are asking for the public's help in fending off a proposal that would reduce Army personnel in Hawaii by 20,000 and cost the state $1.35 billion. Star-Advertiser.

With the U.S. Army looking at restructuring its forces, community leaders, lawmakers and military supporters gathered at Honolulu Hale this morning to launch a campaign that aims to keep Hawaii's heroes in the islands. KITV4.

The U.S. Army is considering a proposal that would eliminate close to 20,000 soldiers and civilian workers from Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter as part of its 20-20 “force structure realignment.” This could severely impact Hawaii’s economy, with officials estimating a loss of $1.35 billion. KHON2.

The U.S. Navy is putting millions of dollars into renewable energy research in Hawaii. The Defense Department is the largest energy consumer in the U.S., and has long been worried about having to rely on expensive fuel oil for military operations. Associated Press.

Hawaii has become ground zero for a Pentagon research drive to develop alternative energy in areas including Asia and the Pacific, where the need to travel long distances -- and use lots of fuel oil to do it -- has been identified as a national security risk. Star-Advertiser.

Outgoing Gov. Neil Abercrombie will be given an award for his work to legalize same-sex marriage in Hawaii. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who leaves office Dec. 1, will be given an award next week for his work to legalize same-sex marriage in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Gov.-elect David Ige took his first step as the incoming leader of Hawaii, announcing he will appoint Mike McCartney as his chief of staff. Associated Press.

David Ige: Engineer, Technocrat … and Ballet Dad? Hawaii's governor-elect recently opened up to Civil Beat about his entry into politics, why he stayed and how fatherhood may have slowed his legislative ascent. Civil Beat.

David Ige takes office with few political debts. The new administration's first test may be dealing with powerful interests. Star-Advertiser.

With 12.5 percent of all children born prematurely in the islands, Hawaii once again earned an average "C" grade for premature births even as the national rate dropped to a 17-year low of 11.4 percent. Star-Advertiser.

Students and faculty at the University of Hawaii are joining forces to try to force solutions to the system's spiraling financial crisis. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration is having second thoughts about relocating 100 homeless people to a vacant lot on Sand Island. Civil Beat.

Interest in Hawaii as a test bed for wave energy technology is swelling as companies flock to Kaneohe Bay to prove the durability of their power-generating devices in the Pacific. Star-Advertiser.

A house in the Windward Oahu town of Kailua that Hawaii native Barack Obama once used as a getaway just months before he was elected president has been sold for $9.5 million. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A lava breakout in the area of Apa’a Street near the cemetery has entered a private property and is only 5 yards away from the garage area of a residential structure. Civil defense says it is possible that these buildings may be affected by the advancing flow later today. Big Island Video News.

According to Hawaii County Civil Defense, Sunday morning’s assessment of the June 27 lava flow from Kilauea Volcano shows that the flow front remains stalled with very little activity and has not advanced over the past 10 days. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira said Friday officials are not considering re-opening Pahoa Village Road despite the front of the June 27 lava flow from Kilauea stalling for more than a week.Tribune-Herald.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard might have been in Pahoa as a member of the Hawaii Army National Guard, but her fatigues hardly helped in her blend in with the other men and women in uniform at a lava informational meeting Thursday evening. Tribune-Herald.

People seriously late on their sewer bills could soon find their water shut off, under a measure winning initial approval Friday. West Hawaii Today.

A team of representatives from the research and development company Makani spent Wednesday evening in Waimea assuring pilots that an experimental wind project won’t interfere with flights. West Hawaii Today.

Group launched to stop alleged turtle poaching. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Some Maui parents cheered the Legislature's approval of $130 million for a new high school last year, believing it meant a new school would open by 2016. But due to how the funding was structure, the state Department of Education said the school will have to be built in phases and won't open until perhaps 2020. Associated Press.

The Maui County Council on Friday approved amendments to the county's public sign ordinance in accordance with a U.S. District Court settlement involving a free-speech lawsuit stemming from a Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in Wailuku. Maui News.

Maui County Council Chairwoman Gladys Baisa and other concerned citizens have been assured by Gov. Neil Abercrombie that he will not sign off on proposed changes to cesspool rules in Hawaii, Baisa told The Maui News on Friday. Maui News.

Kauai

Living treasures honored. Garden Island.