Showing posts with label ivory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ivory. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Holiday season tests new fireworks ban, Honolulu council takes free lunch, Gabbard moves to New Hampshire, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2019 All Hawaii News all rights reserved

New law makes homeowners and renters liable for illegal fireworks on their property. According to the law the fireworks don’t have to be ignited. Just having them in your house is enough for police to bust you. KHON2.

Lt. Gov. Josh Green continues mission to help Samoa battle measles outbreak. After returning from a medical mission to help contain the measles outbreak in Samoa last week, Lieutenant Governor Josh Green is already planning a return trip. KITV.

=====

Tulsi Gabbard, 1 poll short of qualifying, says she won’t attend presidential debate. Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard says she won’t attend this month’s presidential debate, even if she were to qualify. Star-Advertiser.

Invited Or Not, Gabbard Will Skip December Debate. The presidential candidate from Hawaii says she will focus instead on primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina. Civil Beat.

=====

Deadly Mosquitoes Are Killing Off Hawaii’s Rare Forest Birds. Scientists are racing to eradicate disease-carrying mosquitoes from forests, but to some a solution still feels like forever away. Civil Beat.

Navy releases photo of suspected Pearl Harbor gunman. The Navy’s Recruit Training Command Great Lakes in Illinois released the photo of the 22-year-old sailor suspected of fatally shooting on Wednesday two Pearl Harbor Shipyard workers and injuring a third man before shooting himself. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Council Voted On Company’s Project Then Let It Buy Lunch. Ethics guidelines advise government agencies against accepting free food if the company has business before the city. Civil Beat.

State agency set to take over Aloha Stadium redevelopment. The Hawaii Community Development Authority, a state agency primarily focused on facilitating redevelopment in Kakaako is preparing to assume leadership of the effort to replace Aloha Stadium. Star-Advertiser.

Leaders gather to temper the bonds made after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. On Monday on Ford Island, within close proximity to the USS Arizona Memorial, the closeness that now joins the United States and Japan as much as it separated the nations 78 years ago was once again recognized in a remembrance of not only the 2,390 American casualties, but also the death of 65 Japanese service members. Star-Advertiser.

Home sales on Oahu post gains in November. Sales of single-family homes on Oahu rose 11% in November, compared to a year ago, while sales of condominiums increased slightly and prices remained flat, according to statistics from the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Who is taxedtodeath? That was the question of the day Friday, as attorneys for county Elections Administrator Pat Nakamoto, former County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong, the county and the unknown individual faced off in Kona Circuit Court. West Hawaii Today.

Farmers have few options for fighting two-lined spittle bug. County, state and federal agencies are still seeking solutions to an invasive insect that threatens much of the Big Island’s livestock industry. Tribune-Herald.

Kalanianaole work still on track for 2020 completion. Roadwork and safety improvements along Kalanianaole Avenue are still on track to be completed in the latter part of 2020, the county Department of Public Works said Monday. Tribune-Herald.

Overlooked county cesspool to cost taxpayers. Oh, poo. The county missed one. West Hawaii Today.

Big Island Business Turns Plastic Trash Into Sales. Upcycle Hawaii owner Mattie Mae Larson talks about how she got into the business of repurposing material that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Property tax changes discussed. A community meeting on the real property tax changes recently approved by the Maui County Council will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Maui County Business Resource Center, Suite B-9 near IHOP at the Maui Mall. Maui News.

County inventory for single-family homes descends to new low. Median sales prices for those homes fell by 1.4 percent; Condo prices drop 5.9 percent. Maui News.

Maui home sale prices fell in November. Single-family homes on the Valley Isle sold for $730,000 in November, down 1% from $740,398 in the same month last year, while sale volume slipped 7% to 71 from 76 in the same period. Star-Advertiser.

New South Maui Gym to Take Permit Applications. The county will be accepting requests from the public to use the new South Maui Community Park Gymnasium for the winter/spring 2020 season for a limited period this week. Maui Now.

Kauai


Anahola woman cited for attempting to sell prohibited ivory. This is the first conviction for whale bone in Hawaii under the new wildlife trafficking statute that took effect on July 1, 2017. Garden Island.

Woman is ordered to pay fines for trafficking illegal whale items. 73-year-old Vivian Satow of Anahola was ordered to pay $250 on Tuesday, December 3 due to her trafficking illegal whale items. KITV.

New, $630K fire engine blessed. The Kauai Fire Department held a blessing ceremony on Monday fronting the Historic County Building in Lihue for its new Engine 3 fire apparatus. Garden Island.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Hawaii homelessness creeps up, new Public Utilities Commission pick as NextEra deal looms, audit to probe Hawaii County hiring practices, no 'strong mayor' government for Maui, Zuckerberg to build home as well as wall, Ige signs ivory sales ban bill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2016 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Homeless man reading © 2016 All Hawaii News
Hawaii, which already has the highest per capita rate of homelessness in America, saw its homeless population jump another 4 percent between January 2015 and January 2016, but officials revealing the data see signs of progress. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is seeing a stubborn rise in homelessness, despite the concerted efforts of state and county officials to address the issue. According to the “point in time” count released Wednesday, the state’s homeless population stood at 7,921 when the annual survey was conducted during the week of Jan. 25. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Point-In-Time Count, an annual survey of the state’s homeless population, was released Wednesday, and the results were a mixed bag of both encouraging and disconcerting numbers. West Hawaii Today.

copyright 2016 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
© 2016 All Hawaii News

The results of this year’s statewide Homeless Point in Time Count were released today. Hawaii Public Radio.

A report on the number of homeless who live in Hawai‘i, called the “Statewide Point In Time Count,” revealed an overall increase in the number of homeless in the state compared to last year. Maui Now.

According to the annual Point in Time count released Wednesday, the number of Kauai’s homeless population increased by about 30 percent in 2016 compared to last year. Garden Island.

The latest "Point In Time" homeless count showed that on January 24, 2016, there were nearly eight thousand homeless statewide, with more than half on Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

================================

Hawaii, one of the top visitor destinations in the world, is bucking a trend now that Gov. David Ige said he intends to veto a bill that would allow online lodging services like Airbnb to collect state and local taxes. Associated Press.

Ige Signs Act Prohibiting Most Ivory Sales in Hawaii. Retailers of products made out of endangered species have one year to purge their inventory before the sales are banned. Civil Beat.

photo courtesy office of Hawaii governor
Gorak
Gov. David Ige is booting Mike Champley from the state Public Utilities Commission just days before the three-member body was expected to release its final decision on the $4.3 billion deal to sell Hawaiian Electric Industries to Florida-based NextEra Energy. Ige has made an interim appointment of Tom Gorak, the commission’s chief legal counsel, who will take over starting Friday. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige shuffled the deck Wednesday with a new Public Utilities Commission member just days before the three-person panel is expected to vote on whether NextEra Energy Inc. may purchase the state’s largest electric utility for $4.3 billion. Star-Advertiser.

The biggest business deal in state history is in a new state of limbo as the governor makes a new appointment to the Public Utilities Commission that some are calling illegal and unethical. KHON2.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Wednesday named Thomas Gorak, chief counsel of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, as the replacement for Michael Champley, whose term on the three-member commission charged with making key energy and other utility decisions, ends on Thursday. Pacific Business News.

Gov. David Ige is appointing a new member to the commission that’s expected to rule on Florida energy company NextEra’s proposed purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries. Ige is naming Thomas Gorak to the state Public Utilities Commission. Gorak is now the commission’s top legal adviser, a job he’s had since 2013. Associated Press.

Since June 23, Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and more than a dozen of her Democratic colleagues have not been able to use their official websites. Civil Beat.

Rising sea levels bring a wave of worry for many residents of our island state. Wednesday evening, experts showed how bad the increase in the ocean could be, while also detailing what some cities are already doing to prepare. KITV.

Oahu

There may be suspense in a hotly contested mayor’s race, but don’t expect changes in the Honolulu City Council after this year’s election. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

It’s not what you know; it’s whom you know. That lament has a long history on Hawaii Island, where a county government job ranks right up there with a college degree for many parents’ aspirations for their children. West Hawaii Today.

Somewhere between 38 and 92 percent of West Hawaii’s reefs will be declared bleached and dead, once scientists are comfortable enough with their figures to release final results this summer. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo residents got their first chance to weigh in on proposed redevelopment plans for the Banyan Drive area on Tuesday afternoon. More than 60 people attended the standing-room only informational meeting at the Aupuni Conference Center, where county planners gave an overview of possible new land uses and revitalization efforts for the peninsula, which was declared “blighted” earlier this year. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Planning Director Duane Kanuha presented a future vision for Banyan Drive to a crowd of business representatives and enthusiasts on Tuesday night. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii County officially is opening a lava viewing area near Kalapana today after the Pu‘u ‘O‘o lava flow reached the base of Pulama pali. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island residents armed with a cellphone camera and a $1 magnifying glass are becoming science sleuths, contributing to research that would have been handled by a drove of scientists a decade ago. Thanks to a crowdsourcing initiative launched in May 2015 to map the distribution of “yellow fever” mosquitoes on the island, scientists and health officials will have more information to go on when they are deciding how to combat mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and Zika — scourges which will appear sooner or later. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

One of the most controversial charter amendments of the Maui County Council’s 2016 calendar, which would have allowed a fundamental change in county governance from a “strong mayor” to council-manager, died in committee Wednesday. Maui Watch.

Despite taking no action Tuesday on several of Mayor Alan Arakawa's bills seeking funding for homeless programs and temporary shelters, council Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Riki Hokama said he and the mayor are working to "find more common ground on the homeless issue" and are moving forward. Maui News.

State Pulls Plug On Mbloom, But Still Wants To Help Tech Startups. The venture capital fund sputtered from the start, with questions about conflict of interest in its investments. Civil Beat.

The contract for construction of the next phase of the Lahaina bypass, a 2.7-mile stretch that runs from Hokiokio Road toward Launiupoko, has been awarded to Hawaiian Dredging Co., the state Department of Transportation announced Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai County Council unanimously voted to defer a bill on Wednesday that would allow vending on county-owned streets. Garden Island.

The Center for Biological Diversity is threatening to take legal action to protect rare seabirds that it says are being harmed by bright lights at an Air Force radar facility in Kokee, Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg apparently has plans to build a home on his Hawaii estate on the North Shore of Kauai, in addition to that six-foot-high wall that has irked some of his neighbors and caught the attention of websites around the world, Pacific Business News has learned.

For the past two weeks, Tabitha Smith has been camping in a spot dubbed “The Cage” at the Lihue Civic Center. Garden Island.

Friday, March 4, 2016

Ivory prohibition sought, cigarette taxes advance, former Mayor Kim to run again, Honolulu mayor vetoes recycling bill, Coco Palms to become a Hyatt, state consumer advocate says biogas not renewable, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2016 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Elephants at Honolulu Zoo © 2016 All Hawaii News
Hawaii’s black market ivory trade is thriving online, in stores and at swap meets, animal activist groups claimed Thursday. Civil Beat.

Wildlife advocates met at the Hawaii Capitol on Thursday to discuss the state’s illegal ivory trade, which they say could become the largest in the U.S. if left unregulated. Associated Press.

A proposal to allow Hawaii voters to decide whether to impose term limits on state lawmakers died this week after Senate Judiciary and Labor Chairman Gilbert Keith-Agaran told his fellow committee members he was shelving the bill indefinitely. Star-Advertiser.

The House Finance Committee breathed new life into spending bills Thursday by waiving the 48-hour notice typically required for a hearing, including House Bill 1932, which would appropriate funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Civil Beat.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee approved measures this week to tax e-cigarettes and prohibit smoking of any kind in cars containing minors. Civil Beat.

Political junkies have had a lot to watch this year as national elections have been playing out through caucuses and primaries around the country. But Hawaii’s 2016 election season is ramping up, too, with both the state Republican caucuses and the Democrats’ presidential preference poll in March. Civil Beat.

Interest in this year’s presidential election is at record levels in many states across the country, and the respective party chairs in Hawaii say it’s no exception here. KHON2.

Local Republicans can have their say Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at dozens of precinct locations across the state. Civil Beat.

Hawaii is the only state that holds its statewide primary election on a Saturday. This year, the primary is Aug. 13. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii resident who contracted the Zika virus while traveling in the Pacific is the first case of the mosquito-borne virus confirmed in the state so far this year, officials said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

The state has confirmed the first imported case of Zika in Hawaii this year. Hawaii News Now.

Investors wanting to own commercial real estate in Hawaii bought a near-record amount of such property last year. Star-Advertiser.

More than half of Airbnb hosts in Hawaii rented space last year in their primary homes, rather than second homes or vacation rentals, according to a new survey by the alternative lodging service. Pacific Business News.

You may have heard that growing numbers of kama‘āina are renting out rooms on Airbnb, but how many are doing so? And why? Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

A bill that would give Schnitzer Steel Hawaii Co. and other smaller recyclers a 25 percent discount on refuse disposal fees was vetoed Thursday by Mayor Kirk Caldwell, likely setting up an override vote by the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has vetoed a bill that would have provided a $600,000 annual subsidy to recycling companies. The vast majority — $530,000 — would have gone to Schnitzer Steel Industries, an Oregon-based company that reported $1.9 billion in revenue last year. Civil Beat.

The city and state spent more than $9,000 to send four state and city employees to Florida last week to inspect a new $118,117 boat that the Hawaii Community Development Authority is buying for water safety in Kakaako’s Kewalo Basin. Civil Beat.

A City Council bill that proposes a moratorium on the construction of larger developments from Aiea to Kalihi is generating support from several residents and officials who view the measure as a way to help address traffic congestion. Star-Advertiser.

Former and current residents say the Oasis townhouses in Waipahu have turned into a haven for rats. Hawaii News Now.

As a “homeless concerns” liaison in Hawaii’s public schools, Clyde Aikau tracks nearly 300 students and their families. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Former Mayor Harry Kim is jumping into the mayoral race once again. Kim said Thursday he’s decided to run again, this time on a campaign to restore trust in government. West Hawaii Today.

Former Big Island Mayor Harry Kim says he wants his old job back. Hawaii News Now.

A Windward Planning Commission meeting got heated Thursday when testifiers scolded Hawaii County officials because a proposed study on the impacts of geothermal development on Native Hawaiians is stuck in bureaucratic limbo. Tribune-Herald.

A judge has recused himself from hearing a voter fraud case against a blogger who ran unsuccessfully for County Council in 2014. Tribune-Herald.

Festooned with lei and applauded by a full room of staff and well-wishers, Randy Kurohara was confirmed Wednesday by a unanimous County Council vote as the county’s new managing director. West Hawaii Today.

Nearly 49 percent of electricity provided to the Big Island by the Hawaii Electric Light Co. in 2015 came from renewable energy, according to a statement from HELCO’s parent company, Hawaiian Electric. Civil Beat.

Maui

The state consumer advocate is calling on the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to reject the idea that Anaergia's proposal to sell biogas to Maui Electric Co. is the equivalent of renewable energy. Maui News.

The Maui County Liquor Commission plans to choose the next Department of Liquor Control director at its regular monthly meeting next week after interviewing all four candidates on Wednesday. Maui News.

The state House today advanced several bills including legislation in support of Maui sugar workers, ahead of next week’s crossover deadline. Maui Now.

A two-year time extension request for a 100 percent affordable housing project in Kihei is headed to the Maui County Council on Friday. Maui News.

Kauai

Pledging to continue her decades-long commitment to community service, Norma Doctor Sparks of Koloa has announced her candidacy for Kauai County Council. Garden Island.

Kauai's iconic Coco Palms Resort
is getting ready to reopen again under a new brand. The scheduled reopening date is spring of 2018 and will be part of a new brand called 'Unbound collection by Hyatt.' Hawaii News Now.

The Kapaa refuse transfer station will be accepting only bagged trash and green waste today to allow for the repaving of Kahi Road, the roadway leading up to the transfer station. Garden Island.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

10K Hawaii restaurants inspected, Michelle Obama dreaming of a Hawaii Christmas, ivory sale ban sought, Honolulu pCards curbed, woman dies trying to smuggle meth into Maui in her vagina, Kauai looks at raising general excise tax, ethics on the Big Island, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2015 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Green pass on Hilo restaurant © 2015 All Hawaii News
Hawaii’s 18-month-old, color-coded food establishment inspection program temporarily shuttered three businesses and ordered them, along with 2,102 others, to fix multiple “critical violations” — but now all are back up and open for business, the state Department of Health’s Sanitation Branch announced Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Health recently completed inspections of virtually all of Hawaii’s more than 10,000 food establishments statewide to ensure they are in compliance with the rules of the state’s food safety code. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii State Department of Health Sanitation Branch has completed 10,000 inspections on food establishments statewide. Hawaii News Now.

Michelle Obama is marking the days off the calendar for her favorite holiday tradition: traveling with family and friends to Hawaii. The first lady said the family trip to President Barack Obama’s home state dates back more than two decades. Associated Press.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige reiterated his stance on liquefied natural gas, saying that shipping in this type of fuel as a replacement for oil for power generation in Hawaii is an unnecessary diversion of resources, and that the focus should be entirely on renewable energy investments. Pacific Business News.

One of NextEra Energy Inc.’s primary consultants helping the Florida energy giant secure approval for its proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co. charges between $650 to $700 per hour for consulting services during the past five years. Pacific Business News.

It’s big. It’s bold. And it faces an uphill battle in a Legislature known for being fiscally conservative — especially in election years. The Hawaii State Teachers Association’s recent proposal to raise the state’s general excise tax to fund a broad swath of education reforms is also the kind of dramatic action that new union leaders promised when they won the union election last summer in an upset over more experienced and entrenched union leadership. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers are expected to push for a statewide ban on the sale of ivory when the legislative session begins in January, in an effort to help curb the illegal slaughter of elephants in Africa. Star-Advertiser.

The 2016 legislative session is a little more than one month away and a number of lawmakers say homelessness will likely take center stage. But other issues will be considered again next year, including banning ivory sales in Hawai’i. Hawaii Public Radio.

On Monday, the Humane Society of the United States held a forum at the state Capitol to talk to lawmakers about passing a prohibition during the 2016 legislative session on the sale of ivory. Civil Beat.

The state's Land Board has approved a request to provide additional assault rifles and shotguns to conservation officers. Hawaii News Now.

Margaret “Peggy” Leong has spent the last eight and a half years working as a parish administrator at St. John Vianney Parish in Kailua. But for the past two weeks, Leong has had a very different job: Taking the reins of Hawaii’s newly minted medical marijuana dispensary program at the state Department of Health. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council is considering a proposal that would expand the definition of taxicabs and taxi companies to include Uber and Lyft. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council members no longer will be able to use city-issued purchase cards to pay for travel and travel-related expenses under a “precautionary” policy change announced by Council Chairman Ernie Martin last week. Star-Advertiser.

Editorial: The whole local-government “pCards” chronicle provides an excellent illustration for the expression, “You can have too much of a good thing.” Star-Advertiser.

In an exclusive interview, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said he's tried and failed to convince the police chief to speak publicly about the FBI investigation into him. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation opened a newly dedicated roadway Monday that it said that will “facilitate the efficient movement of goods through Honolulu Port facilities, while easing congestion on surface streets for the public.” Civil Beat.

Homeowners: Among the Christmas cards and holiday packages, expect to get something sobering in the mail this week. The city has started sending out real property assessments for 2016, and – no surprise – they’re higher than in 2015. Hawaii News Now.

Property values on Oahu are on the rise. So, what does that mean for property owners? KHON2.

Three Kaiser High School graduates are working to overcome voter apathy and get their classmates at the University of Hawaii more involved in solving local and global issues, starting with getting them to vote. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

In an unexpected move, the County Council on Monday breathed new life into a bill aiming to enlarge the county Board of Ethics. West Hawaii Today.

Measures limiting lifeguards’ liability, giving counties more authority to regulate vacation rentals, loosening the Sunshine Law and requiring safety checks for mopeds are among a package of seven proposals approved by the County Council on Monday to be sent to the state Legislature. West Hawaii Today.

Chad Keone Farias, Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa complex area superintendent, said he and others worked during the weekend to try to get a handle on a spate of fighting and arrests on campus, meeting with police, state Department of Education psychologists and counselors and state Department of Health professionals. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Department of Health is reporting three more cases of locally acquired dengue fever on Hawaii Island. As of Monday, December 14, state officials say there have been 149 confirmed dengue fever cases identified, an increase of 3 cases from the previous Friday. Big Island Video News.

Maui
          
The state Department of Transportation will discuss proposed improvements to the Hana Pier during a public meeting at Helene Hall on Thursday. Maui News.

Kahului Airport restrooms get a new look. The airport began to upgrade the 21-year-old facilities around two years ago. Maui News.

A woman accused of trying to smuggle meth into Maui is caught by police in California then later dies. But it wasn't your average drug bust. Police discovered the California resident hid the drugs in her vagina. Hawaii News Now.

On a calm February day off the coast of Maui, whale researcher Jim Darling cut the engine on his boat, dipped an underwater microphone into the ocean and caught a sound he'd never heard before in 30 years of research. Scientists report new sound that could be coming from humpbacks. Maui News.

Kauai

The cost of your plate lunch could be on the rise, as well as many other daily purchases, if a proposed one-half percent increase to the general excise tax passes through the county’s chain of command. The issue arose this year after the state Legislature granted counties the right to establish a one-half percent surcharge on the GET. Counties have until July 1 to enact an ordinance that would increase the tax from Jan. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2027. Garden Island.

The FAA announced Monday it will require that aircraft, including drones, be registered to make it easier to identify owners and educate amateur aviators. Operating a drone is kind of scary, but it is fun said Kasey Nakashima, a Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School student, Monday. Garden Island.