Showing posts with label Puna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Puna. Show all posts

Monday, August 18, 2014

Hawaii Health Connector in jeopardy, Charles Djou opens campaign HQ, lots of opinions in election aftermath, Honolulu Mayor Caldwell builds war chest, Waikiki tourism vs. homeless, Desmond Tutu to speak, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Silversword 
The number of ‘ahinahina, or silverswords, at Haleakala Crater has declined by nearly 60 percent over the last two decades, experts said, and scientists are studying the decline. Maui News.

The future of the Hawaii Health Connector is in jeopardy with the impending departure of one of its strongest supporters in Gov. Neil Abercrombie and the decision by the state's largest medical insurer to pull back from the troubled online marketplace. Star-Advertiser.

Republican Charles Djou opened his campaign headquarters on Sunday as he prepares to face Democrat Mark Takai in November. Both candidates are vying for Colleen Hanabusa's Congressional District one seat. Hawaii News Now.

After sailing through the primary election, Republican Charles Djou opened his campaign headquarters on Sunday. He faces Democrat Mark Takai in the race for Hawaii’s First Congressional District. KHON2.

Elections results were the talk of the town Sunday, but low turnout and bad timing had some officials wondering what can be done to improve the process. KITV4.

Opinion: The irony of Neil Abercrombie's blowout loss to David Ige in the Democratic primary is that he was among the few who had successfully rebranded himself throughout his political career.Star-Advertiser.

Opinion: Primary Lessons, General Expectations. Civil Beat.

Dan Inouye and Brian Schatz: A Lesson in Hawaii Politics. Hawaii's newest senator should learn a few things from its oldest. Civil Beat.

A military cargo jet will be named after the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye. Associated Press.

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s first term isn’t up until 2016, but that hasn’t stopped him from padding his campaign reserves. Caldwell reported more than $1.4 million in campaign contributions during the current election cycle, which began Nov. 7, 2012, the day after he beat former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano in the general election. Civil Beat.

Waikiki visitor industry officials say they are trying to raise $500,000 annually to work with the Institute for Human Services on alleviating the area's chronic homeless problem, but in the meantime they want the City Council to pass a pair of contentious bills aimed at cleaning up the tourism district. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Area Rapid Transit director Daniel Grabauskas pledged on his watch, the city’s $5.26 billion Honolulu rail project would come in “on time and on budget.” Hawaii Reporter.

The late Nelson Mandela formed "The Elders" in hopes that internationally respected, independent leaders could help resolve conflict in the "global village," much as wise kupuna in traditional villages did. Three of these elders — Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu and two pioneering women leaders from Pakistan and Norway — are coming to Honolulu from Aug. 29 through 31 to speak about their work and exchange thoughts with local residents. Star-Advertiser.

Marriott International remains committed to Hawaii, following the news this week, first reported by Pacific Business News, that the Maryland-based hospitality company will lose its management contract for the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina Resort in West Oahu.

Hawaii

Puna: 15 Minutes of Fame on Hawaii’s ‘Last Frontier’ A delayed end to the 2014 primary election put the colorful community in the national spotlight. Now, some people hope the district can capitalize on it. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island’s real estate market took a bit of a pause this summer, real estate agents say. But overall, the West Hawaii market continues to grow, with the median residential sale price still increasing about 1 percent a month, said Michael Griggs, who keeps detailed real estate statistics for Big Island sales. “For this phase of the cycle, which is a pretty early one, we’re right on track,” Griggs said. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Hawaii Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald is seeking a Maui County resident to be appointed to a vacancy on the Hawaii State Elections Commission. Maui News.

Kauai

It was her first visit to the Lawai International Center on Sunday. And yet, Susan Marigold said there was a sense of peace unlike anywhere else she had been. Garden Island.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Remote Puna precincts hold key to U.S. Senate, awkward Unity Breakfast brings Democratic winners and losers together, local races bring some new faces, more top election news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2014 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Big Island precincts in Hanabusa-Schatz race © 2014 All Hawaii News
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa on Sunday threaded a delicate balance between concern and campaigning as their Democratic primary for Senate came down to two storm-ravaged precincts in Puna on Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

Will Hanabusa’s Push in Puna Be Enough? In the Hawaii Senate race, Brian Schatz holds a narrow lead over the congresswoman, but it might be enough to keep him in office. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii News Now analysis of precinct results in the U.S. Senate race showed that U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz holds an edge over U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in the Puna area of Hawaii island where voters in two precincts still must cast their votes to decide the razor-thin contest.

Voters from two precincts in Lower Puna now have a chance to decide a statewide race, but candidates will be walking a fine line between campaigning and storm recovery from Tropical Storm Iselle. Hawaii News Now.

The rural Puna district may have hardly been on the radar leading up to the state’s contentious U.S. Senate Democratic primary. Now, it’s all that matters. Tribune-Herald.

It will be a very delicate task: How to seek votes from voters coping with damaged homes, downed trees, power outages and water shortages. KITV4.

Hawaii's hotly contested Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate remained too close to call Sunday, with incumbent Sen. Brian Schatz clinging to a slim lead over Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in a race that could drag on for weeks. USA Today.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz held a 1,635-vote lead over U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in the primary race for Hawaii's U.S. Senate seat, according to results released about 3:15 a.m. Sunday, in a race that's still too close to call. The tally was Schatz with 113,800 votes to Hanabusa's 112,165, in results that are still missing two Hawaii County precincts that may decide the close election. Hawaii News Now.

Cut off from the world -- with no water or power and trapped in their homes behind tons of fallen trees -- survivors of Tropical Storm Iselle in Hawaii island's vast Puna district welcomed the news that they will send Hawaii's next U.S. senator to Washington. Star-Advertiser.

Brian Schatz held a slim lead over Colleen Hanabusa early Sunday in the Democratic primary to defend the Hawaii U.S. Senate seat he's held since 2012 in the general election in November, but neither candidate was ready to concede. Pacific Business News.

There’s one race that’s still undecided, and we won’t know the winner for several weeks. That’s the race for a seat in the U.S. Senate between Democrats Brian Schatz and Colleen Hanabusa. The voting was halted because of damage from Tropical Storm Iselle. As of now, Schatz has a slim lead over Hanabusa of 1,635 votes. KHON2.

Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Ige, little known outside of the state Capitol just six months ago, captured all but three state House districts in an unprecedented and thorough defeat of Gov. Neil Abercrombie in Saturday's primary election. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie became the first incumbent Hawaii governor to lose his party's primary after a 40-year career as David Ige, a state senator from Oahu, won by more than 35 percentage points in a landslide victory. Pacific Business News.

Somehow, 40 years into a political career that was crowned by his election as Hawaii’s governor, Neil Abercrombie ignored the most basic lesson of the trade: It's a popularity contest. Los Angeles Times.

Hawaii’s Democratic Unity Breakfast the morning after the primary election is traditionally a time for candidates to set aside their differences and coalesce against the Republican candidates they will face in November. But Sunday’s festivities were awkward this year after the primary left the top-ticket U.S. Senate race undecided and the sitting governor was trounced by his Democratic opponent. Associated Press.

Democratic candidates, both victorious and vanquished after Saturday's primary election, gathered this morning for the party's traditional Unity Breakfast, led by Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who despite his lopsided loss to state Sen. David Ige, pledged to support the newly nominated gubernatorial ticket. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai’i Democrats conducted their traditional “Unity Breakfast” yesterday in Honolulu, bringing together the winners and losers from Saturday’s Primary Election. Hawaii Public Radio.

There has never been a Democratic Party of Hawaii primary like the one held Saturday night. Not only was a sitting governor overwhelmingly rejected by a quiet-speaking state senator little known out of legislative circles and his Pearl City-Aiea district. But a U.S. Senate race is too close to call, with voters in two Big Island precincts holding the fate of the eventual victor in their hands. Civil Beat.

In a historic moment in Hawaii’s political history, Senate Ways and Means Chair David Ige beat incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the Democratic Primary election, Saturday, Aug. 8, with 66 percent of the vote to Abercrombie’s 30.9 percent. In total, Ige received 143,835 votes to Abercrombie’s 67,368 votes. Hawaii Reporter.

From global issues like the U.S. international relations to local issues like development near downtown Honolulu, Hawaii voters voiced a multitude of motivations in the state’s primary election on Saturday. Associated Press.

Oahu

Voters have given state Rep. Mark Takai the nod over Senate President Donna Mercado Kim and five other candidates vying for the Democratic slot in the 1st Congressional District race. Civil Beat.

After receiving trash pickup from the city for decades, about 110 multifamily complexes and 80 schools, churches and other nonprofits on Oahu will need to start paying for their own service beginning Feb. 1. Star-Advertiser.

After years of criticism from preservation agencies, the Navy is recommending that 81 acres of the old Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, a key battle site on Dec. 7, 1941, be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Challenger Lorraine Inouye ousted incumbent Malama Solomon from the state Senate’s 4th District seat Saturday night in a Democratic primary contest that was a rematch of the 2012 primary election. West Hawaii Today.

State Senator Gil Kahele won the Democratic primary race by a wide margin, defeating challenger Wendell Kaehu’ae’a 7,558 votes to 1,647. The first district senate seat represents Hilo at the State Capitol. Big Island Video News.

Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille and her primary challenger, former Windward Planning Commission Chairman Ron Gonzales, will be carrying their bitter battle into the General Election. Wille, striving for her second term as the District 9 council member, secured 1,664 votes, or 48.3 percent, against Gonzales and another challenger, Oliver “Sonny” Shimaoka, with all precincts reporting Saturday. West Hawaii Today.

Maile Medeiros David, the deputy county clerk and a former legislative specialist, will soon find herself making the decisions, not just following them, after her easy win Saturday for the South Kona/Ka‘u District 6 seat. West Hawaii Today.

Incumbent Karen Eoff appeared to win an easy victory over Sean Hunter, a political newcomer and the sole opponent in the County Council District 8 race. West Hawaii Today.

Democratic incumbent Richard Creagan, who was appointed to the state House District 5 seat in January to replace Denny Coffman, edged out Holualoa small business owner Gene “Bucky” Leslie in the primary. West Hawaii Today.

Incumbent Democrat Nicole Lowen will face Republican Kelly Valenzuela in the state House District 6 election in November. Lowen defeated challenger Kalei Akaka for the second straight Democratic primary with 1,930 votes to 1,170 votes. Valenzuela emerged victorious over Roy Ebert with 454 votes to 263 votes. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Mayor Alan Arakawa took his first step toward winning a third four-year term as mayor Saturday night, easily outpacing a field of five challengers in the primary election. Arakawa, 62, of Kahului garnered 17,093 votes, or 63.8 percent, with all 34 Maui County precincts reporting. Maui News.

Council Member Elle Cochran was the top vote-getter in her West Maui residency race despite challenger Ka'ala Buenconsejo having more than $100,000 in support from independent super political action committees that made him a household name in Maui County through mailers and radio and newspaper advertisements. Maui News.

House Rep. Justin Woodson may have been appointed to his 9th House seat when he first made his political debut last year, but he will stay there for the next two-year term by the will of the voters. Maui News.

Saturday’s primary election featured a crowded race of six contenders.  The field was narrowed to incumbent mayor Alan Arakawa, and challenger Tamara Paltin. Maui Now.

Saturday’s primary election featured four Maui council races, each of which were narrowed to the top two vote-getters in each district. Maui Now.

Kauai

Incumbent Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. tallied large numbers in Saturday’s primary election and will square off against Dustin Barca in November. With 15 of 16 Kauai precincts reporting by press time, Carvalho had a commanding 10,466 votes (57.3 percent) over Barca’s 5,669 votes (31 percent). Garden Island.

In all, 20 County Council candidates faced off in this year’s primary election. With 15 of 16 precincts reporting, all seven incumbents, Jay Furfaro, JoAnn Yukimura, Mason Chock Sr., Gary Hooser, Tim Bynum, Mel Rapozo and Ross Kagawa, moved on. Garden Island.

The incumbent Democrats prevailed in the three state representative races on Saturday. Garden Island.