Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts

Thursday, September 22, 2016

We interrupt your daily news blog to ....

We interrupt your daily aggregate news blog to take a short break. There may be sporadic coverage over the next two weeks, for which I apologize.

In the meantime, this would be an excellent time to add a few bucks to the tip jar, to help keep the news coming.

All Hawaii News is a labor of love. I've been doing this day in and day out for more than six years now. Advertising is kept to a minimum.

Small contributions from loyal followers help pay to keep All Hawaii News online. A donation no matter how modest is seen as a vote of confidence in my efforts.

How to donate:

  1.   Click the donate button at the top right of the page.
  2.   Donate using a major credit card or PayPal account.
  3.   Send an email to nclauer@gmail.com to get your name and/or link on the sponsor list. (otherwise, your gift will remain anonymous)
Mahalo to everyone who clicks, comments or contributes to All Hawaii News. I can't do it without you!



Nancy Cook Lauer

Friday, September 19, 2014

This blogger's greatest challenge: Keeping the news alive



The greatest challenge to running a one-person news aggregate blog is this:

How do I take a vacation?

Because All Hawaii News collects and highlights the day's top government and political news, it's simply not possible to prewrite and schedule posts.

I usually find some time on vacation days to skim through my long list of media sites and post the best of them for the day. I need to keep on top of the biggest news of the day anyway, even if I am on vacation.

Sometimes, I'll write a few articles in advance and substitute them for the daily aggregate. However, with vacation looming and articles not prewritten, this doesn't appear to be one of those times.

So, please bear with me, loyal readers, if the schedule is a bit erratic over the next couple of weeks. Everyone needs a few days off, especially with an exciting gubernatorial election coming in November.

All Hawaii News isn't fancy, but it wins awards. You can read what the judges said here.

By the way, this would be a perfect time to help keep the news alive.

All Hawaii News is a labor of love. I've been doing this day in and day out for more than five years now. Advertising is kept to a minimum.

Small contributions from loyal followers help pay to keep All Hawaii News online. A donation no matter how modest is seen as a vote of confidence in my efforts.

How to donate:

  1.     Click the donate button at the top right of the page.
  2.     Donate using a major credit card or PayPal account.
  3.     Send an email to nclauer@gmail.com to get your name and/or link on the sponsor list. (otherwise, your gift will remain anonymous)

Mahalo to everyone who clicks, comments or contributes to All Hawaii News. I can't do it without you!

Signed,
Publisher, aggregator, columnist, editor and chief bottle-washer Nancy Cook Lauer

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Hawaii growth slows, state seeks $8.8B for military, Obama vacation costs taxpayers $4M, Kauai to comply with lobbying law, Pasha ends interisland shipping, Haleakala Trail settlement nears, Oahu dentist investigated in toddler death, HIPP ag labels considered, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2014 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Pohakuloa Training Area (c) 2014 All Hawaii News
A new airstrip at Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii island, a return to live-fire training at Makua Valley on Oahu, a stronger state-military-business partnership, and military “liaisons” in Hawaii and Washington, D.C., are being pursued as the state seeks to maintain $8.8 billion in annual military expenditures amid defense budget cuts. Adm. Harry B. Harris, head of U.S. Pacific Fleet, called Hawaii the “gateway” to America’s re-balance to the Pacific. Star-Advertiser.

The state Council on Revenues on Tuesday lowered the state's revenue forecast for this fiscal year, expressing some doubt about the rate of Hawaii's economic growth. The council projected 3.3 percent revenue growth for fiscal year 2014, down from 4.1 percent in September, an estimated $43 million loss to the state. The council was unusually divided — the vote was 4-3 — because some members wanted to drop the forecast even lower, given signs that the economy is slowing. The council voted unanimously to keep the projection of 7.4 percent revenue growth for fiscal year 2015, when construction is expected to accelerate. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii Senate panel began its probe into safety conditions at the state mental hospital Tuesday, raising serious questions about dysfunction at the facility. The investigation, led by Sens. Clayton Hee and Josh Green, stems from reports of severe assaults on staff members by patients housed at the Hawaii State Hospital in Kaneohe. Civil Beat.

The state Senate will form an investigative panel with subpoena power to probe whether poor management at the Hawaii State Hospital has left workers at extreme risk of assaults by patients. The Senate will also investigate claims of nepotism among supervisors at the Kaneohe psychiatric hospital and whether workers who have spoken out about hospital conditions have been marked for retaliation. Star-Advertiser.

Ted Sakai, director of the agency that oversees Hawaii's prison system, rattled off his wishlist for the department. Among other things, he wants to add $4.6 million to his budget to pay for an additional 69 employees and cover an array of other expenses. Civil Beat.

More than 130 Family Court misdemeanor cases have been dismissed by state judges, and at least another 100 more will be tossed out, as a result of a recent Hawaii Supreme Court decision. Star-Advertiser.

The Obamas’ vacation cost taxpayers more than $4 million for travel, staffing, security, housing, car rentals and transportation of vehicles and a helicopter. But the expenses continue. First Lady Michelle Obama extended her own vacation, flying to the island of Maui, where she is spending time with family friend Oprah Winfrey. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii workers testing positive for marijuana dropped 7 percent in 2013 compared with the previous year, new data from Diagnostic Laboratory Services Inc. show. The use of marijuana, known locally as pakalolo, fell 11.5 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii could receive as much as $10 million in a one-time state "boost" to help buoy its financially struggling athletic department under a measure to be proposed by state Rep. K. Mark Takai. Tuesday, Takai (D-Aiea) said he will propose a bill that would allow the state to provide $2 in assistance for each $1 of new money raised by the athletic department up to $10 million. Star-Advertiser.

Living Hawaii: Priced Out of Paradise — Where $600K Is a Bargain Home. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu is the second-most sought-after travel destination for 2014, according to the first State of Travel Report by online travel site Hotwire.com. Las Vegas was top-ranked.Star-Advertiser.

New year, new prices. Local residents are starting off 2014 with an expensive bang, paying more for their home. The cost for homes and rent is going up and so is the value of your property. KHON2.

The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has begun an investigation of Kailua dentist Dr. Lilly Geyer after a 3-year-old girl fell into a coma while she was in the dentist's chair and later died. Star-Advertiser.

Negotiations on the $142 million affordable housing deal that would sell Honolulu’s 12 leasehold public apartment complexes to a private group will continue until at least the end of March, city officials said Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

The city is offering to finance the sale of its affordable housing units. Chinatown tenants say this is a bad idea. Hawaii Independent.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority is planning to meet on Wednesday to vote on a proposal for a new 7-story residential building in Kakaako. The application by MJF Development Corp. is the second time the company has sought approval for a new building at 803 Waimanu St. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Most County Council members are hip to the idea of a special label for local produce and products, but they’re not sure HIPP — Hawaii Island Produce and Products — is the way to go. And they definitely don’t like HIPP-O as a brand name for organic produce. West Hawaii Today.

Last year was a safer year on Big Island roads than 2012, which was the deadliest year on our streets and highways since 2004. There were 25 official traffic fatalities on Hawaii Island in 2013 compared to 38 the year before, a decrease of 34.2 percent. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council’s Finance Committee gave a nod Tuesday to funding for Puna road projects and a community park for one of the district’s large subdivisions. In three 8-0 votes, the committee gave its support to adding the road and park projects to the county’s capital budget. Tribune-Herald.

A small group of Konawaena High School students gathered at Julian Yates Field Tuesday morning for a demonstration that sought to raise awareness about potential cuts made to the school’s library. West Hawaii Today.

Dozens of divers get rare opportunity to swim with whale shark. KITV4.

A Hawaii County councilwoman is introducing a bill to ban all genetically modified crops on Hawaii island, despite new limits already being implemented through a bill passed a month ago. Associated Press.

Maui

With ownership of Haleakala Trail still disputed, the state and Haleakala Ranch are hoping to resolve the matter with an out-of-court settlement that would allow the ranch to keep the trail private in exchange for open public access to the Na Kula area on the south slope of the dormant volcano, which for years has been accessible only by helicopter. Maui News.

Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines discontinued its interisland shipping service at the end of the year with the lapsing of its more than three-year interim authority. Maui News.

Thirty-six programs and events in Maui County were selected to receive support through the Hawaii Tourism Authority's Product Enrichment Programs. Maui News.

Kauai
A Kauai County Council committee will consider a bill today aimed at closing a loophole that has allowed lobbyists appearing before the governing body to operate unchecked. Other local governments, including Maui and Hawaii Counties as well as the City and County of Honolulu, have lobbying laws that require lobbyists to register with respective county or state offices but no such law exists on Kauai County’s books. Garden Island.

Kauai’s Pacific Missile Range Facility and the island of Niihau have been selected by the University of Alaska Fairbanks as one of 13 range sites for future drone research and testing. Garden Island.

A Kauai private investigator has filed suit against the Department of Public Safety for violating the procurement process in contracting out polygraph testing work. Garden Island.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Obama's Christmas vacation, Hanabusa gears up Senate campaign, Mufi's misdeeds, Fuddy memorial service, firefighter raises, and more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

basketball game
Obama and Frostpaw the Polar Bear at the Oregon St/Akron basketball game, Not the White House courtesy photo
President Barack Obama and the first family eased into their annual island Christmas vacation Sunday by taking in a basketball game, the sport Obama often turns to to briefly escape the demands of politics and the White House. Star-Advertiser.

How President Barack Obama spent the second day of his holiday vacation in Hawaii on Sunday. Associated Press.

How President Barack Obama spent the first day of his holiday vacation in Hawaii on Saturday. Associated Press.

The 113th Congress is on track to be one of the least productive and most partisan in U.S. history, but Colleen Hanabusa is looking ahead — to August 2014, actually. That's when she hopes to win Hawaii's Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate. Civil Beat.

The state Supreme Court has handed former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann the last thing he needs as he plots a political resurrection — a stinging reminder to voters of what they don't like about him. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii counties must again prepare to dish out raises to employees, this time to local fire fighters. After binding arbitration, the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association was awarded a series of salary bumps over the next several years that will cost the counties millions of dollars. Civil Beat.

Amid skepticism, lawmakers at a briefing Friday appeared to cautiously welcome an unconventional University of Hawaii plan to begin to deal with a nearly half-billion dollar backlog in repairs and maintenance at its campuses. Civil Beat.

The voices of the choir rose inside the cavernous Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa Saturday for the one voice that was missing: that of state Health Director Loretta Fuddy, who lent her soprano to the choir every Sunday. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Connector said it is working closely with the state Insurance Division to see how the federal government’s recent modification to the exemption policy affects Affordable Care Act Implementation. Pacific Business News

Oahu

Unite Here Local 5 said in a statement issued Friday afternoon that it has filed a lawsuit against the owner and developer of Turtle Bay Resort over the company’s planned expansion of the North Shore property. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

There were six cases of officer misconduct serious enough for termination this year, a big jump over last year, when there was only one such incident, according to an annual report submitted Friday to the Hawaii County Police Commission. West Hawaii Today

Next month, students, faculty and administrators of the University of Hawaii at Hilo Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikolani College of Hawaiian Language will celebrate a new chapter in the school’s evolution as they bless their newly completed Hale ‘Olelo building. Tribune-Herald.

The Food Basket’s move to a warehouse on Holomua Street just more than two years ago might have a short shelf life. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A Paia businessman with a history of run-ins with neighbors and Maui County building and zoning inspectors has run afoul of them again. Maui News.

Kauai

Hawaii’s Department of Agriculture says it will cost $1,800 to review public records related to its investigation into whether Syngenta's pesticide spraying on Kauai sickened students and faculty at Waimea Canyon Middle School several times between 2006 and 2008. Civil Beat requested the case files in October to get more details about the four-year investigation.

The Kauai Department of Water will hold a community outreach meeting next month to discuss its newly-named “Water Plan 2020 Kahili Horizontal Directional Drilled Well” project. The meeting is from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 27 in the Kapaa Middle School dining room. Garden Island.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Elvis 40th anniversary celebration coming to Hawaii, pay hike promised for Legislature, judges, top state execs; Democrats at odds over candidate's rejection, Legislature revives $500M economic revitalization plan, school bus shortfall causes angst, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

© 1973, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and RCA Records.
Elvis Presley Enterprises has announced a vacation package to Hawaii in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of his concert in the state in 1973. Associated Press.

The surprising decision this weekend by Hawaii Democrats to reject Laura Thielen's request to run in the party's Aug. 11 primary for state Senate is causing many Democrats to question their own party. Civil Beat.

State senators took steps Tuesday to revive a $500 million investment in state construction, the Senate's signature idea to help with economic recovery that was in danger of failing this week because of House inaction. Star-Advertiser.

The governor wants to fast-track state construction projects to stimulate the economy with a 500-million dollar legislative package.   The Senate passed the bill in February but the State House refused to hear it …killing the measure.   But, the Senate countered the House yesterday. Hawaii Public Radio.


The Hawaii House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday that will help generate thousands of jobs by authorizing the spending of more than $602 million to build car rental facilities and make road improvements at Honolulu International and Kahului airports. Pacific Business News.


 Half a billion dollars could start pumping into Hawaii's economy within months. Hawaii News Now.

Lawmakers, executive branch leaders and judges could see 5 percent more pay six months sooner than expected.KHON2.

The Hawaii Legislature is considering changing the rules of workers' compensation despite opposition from medical experts in the field who fear the move could hurt workers rather than help them. Hawaii News Now.

School bus service for more than 21,000 students on Oahu and the neighbor islands would be cut under a plan aimed at tackling an expected funding shortage for transportation next school year. Star-Advertiser.

A projected $22 million budget shortfall for student transportation services next year will likely result in more traffic congestion and higher drop-out rates, school officials warned Tuesday. Civil Beat.

The State Department of Education has created a list of the schools most at risk of losing school bus service, in order to deal with budget cuts. KHON2.

The controversy surrounding Gov. Neil Abercrombie's nominees to a commission that wields significant power over Hawaii's water resources continues, with critics charging that the two candidates don't fulfill qualifications mandated by law. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's highest-in-the nation gasoline prices rose again today, hitting a record $4.598 for a gallon of regular unleaded, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.Star-Advertiser.

Senator Dan Akaka has been honored for his commitment to the National Guard. KHON2.

State roundup for April 3. Associated Press.

Oahu

Expect to see more food trucks parked at Honolulu's metered stalls today after Mayor Peter Carlisle signed into law a bill making it legal for them to conduct business on streets for up to three hours at a time. Star-Advertiser.

Food truck owners had good reason to rejoice Tuesday after the Honolulu City Council passed a bill 8-0 that allows mobile gourmets to remain in one parking spot longer than 15 minutes.KITV4.

State senators on Tuesday kept alive the option of giving the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs flexibility to develop high-rise apartments on land near the waterfront in Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

Despite repeated threats from Honolulu City Council members and even an offer from another company to build new sewage treatment technology at no immediate cost to taxpayers, Mayor Peter Carlisle will not terminate the city's contract with the controversial fertilizer pellet producer Synagro. Civil Beat.

A “truth squad” organized by former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano to investigate the city’s budget and infrastructure problems, unveiled an analysis of Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle’s budget proposal a week ago. Hawaii Reporter.

The Honolulu City Council approved a permit Tuesday allowing the state to proceed on a $15 million project to reconstruct two Makaha Beach bridges along Farrington Highway despite objections from people living closest to the project. Star-Advertiser.

Aiea bag distributor bracing against possible bag ban. KITV4.

Hawaii

Hawaii Electric Light Co. President Jay Ignacio came before a County Council committee Tuesday to clear the air on what he said were misperceptions about the effects of solar and geothermal energy on electric rates. West Hawaii Today.

The County Council’s Finance Committee on Tuesday quizzed an independent tax assessment expert about his recommendations to make Hawaii County’s property tax policies more efficient and fair. Tribune-Herald.

A council committee approved a resolution urging the county to give residents a monetary incentive to recycle. Tribune-Herald.

Researchers already have a pretty good idea about where to find Hawaii’s two most famous cetacean species. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Mayor Alan Arakawa is proposing to privatize the county's PALS program, saying a nonprofit organization could do a better job running the "Play and Learn Sessions" for out-of-school kids. Maui News.

A hearing officer who acknowledged receiving inappropriate outside pressure to reach a decision on a major new telescope proposed for Haleakala said Monday that he was "surprised" to have his report thrown out and felt it was rejected because it embarrassed people on both sides. Maui News.

A bill seeking a reduction in shipping time and costs for the transport of goods between Moloka’i and Lana’i to Oahu, continues to make its way through the state Legislature. Maui Now.

Kauai

With the exception of strength in the visitor industry, economic growth on Kauai is expected to remain sluggish in the coming months, according to a forecast released Tuesday by the Kauai County Office of Economic Development. Star-Advertiser.

Kaua‘i’s economy will remain flat in coming months, according to a report released Tuesday by the county’s Office of Economic Development. Garden Island.

Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. used a weather metaphor on Tuesday, the start of fiscal year 2013 budget talks that will continue through April 19, comparing the storms that pounded the island in early March to “weathering the storm” of providing services in a battered economy. Garden Island.

County parks workers brought in heavy equipment Tuesday to begin clearing vegetative debris at the popular Morgan’s Ponds swimming areas at Lydgate Park, where “no swimming” signs have been posted since March 29. Garden Island.




Monday, March 26, 2012

Gas hits $5/gal on Kauai, green energy tax cuts face reduction, dengue-carrying mosquito breeding on Oahu, audit says Honolulu not collecting enough taxes, Hearing officer pressured over Maui telescope, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Solar panels installed in Honolulu, courtesy photo
High electricity bills, sunny weather and improved technology have made solar power an increasingly popular option in Hawaii. But tax credit for renewable energy faces reductions, curtailed caps.  Star-Advertiser.

A Honolulu federal judge confirmed Friday that the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission cannot limit contributions to political committees that solely make "independent" expenditures. Civil Beat.

As protestors demonstrated at the federal building against the Affordable Care Act, state legislators wrestled with Hawaii’s plans to implement the law, which mandates universal health insurance coverage for all Americans. Hawaii Reporter.

The last two years at Hawaii's Department of Education were marked by leadership turnover and pay cuts, even as the overall budget and student enrollment grew. Civil Beat.

There are growing calls to address chronic absenteeism in Hawaii schools in the state’s education reform agenda, with proponents pointing out that better instruction and longer school days won’t do much for kids who don’t attend regularly. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Lawmakers Revive Vacation Rental Bill. Civil Beat.


Touted as a possible model for streamlining the state’s procurement process, the University of Hawaii’s new system for awarding multimillion-dollar construction contracts already is producing benefits. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The city needs to be more aggressive in collecting delinquent real property taxes and consider actions such as fines or denial of city services to compel payments from those who continually skirt their taxes, according to a city auditor’s report. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Veterans Affairs wants to build a $125 million, 125,000-square-foot medical center with 1,000 parking spaces in the Ewa area that would take some pressure off Tripler Army Medical Center and provide outpatient primary care and mental health services for veterans as well as treatment for active-duty Army, Navy and Coast Guard and their families. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the power of the National Labor Relations Board's general counsel over a labor dispute at the Pacific Beach Hotel in Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii state Department of Health is urging the public to exercise caution after the disease-carrying mosquito, Aedes aegypti, laid eggs at one of four traps at the Honolulu International Airport. KITV4.

They've been warned, arrested and had their belongings confiscated five times since members of Occupy Honolulu moved into — and later around — Thomas Square in October, but Hawaii's history with protests suggests that the end of Occupy Honolulu might not come quickly. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Taggart Nakamoto, a 12-year-old sixth-grader at Konawaena Middle School on Hawaii island, will represent Hawaii at the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee after becoming the Hawaii State Spelling Bee Champion Saturday night. Star-Advertiser.

A study aimed at defining the interconnectivity between Kona’s high-level and coastal groundwater systems and the possible impacts a connection could have on the area’s hydrologic resources is slated to get under way in May. West Hawaii Today.

A planned pavilion to house community, cultural, educational and recreational activities at Hookena Beach Park is now up for public review. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A hearings officer reviewing a contested case petition and a permit for the proposed $300 million Advanced Technology Solar Telescope atop Haleakala is reporting that he came under "considerable" outside pressure "to simply spit out a recommended decision quickly" and get the matter before the state Board of Land and Natural Resources. Maui News.

The Days Inn-flagged Maui Oceanfront Inn is for sale as part of a bankruptcy by its owner, Western Apartments Supply & Maintenance Co. Star-Advertiser.

Maui’s Cane Burning – How Dangerous Is It? Maui Now.

Kauai

While the rest of the country was bemoaning the distant possibility of $5 a gallon gasoline, drivers on the North Shore of Kaua‘i on Sunday were  paying $5.05 a gallon for regular at the local Chevron station. Garden Island.

The state Department of Health has confirmed a third and fourth case of flesh-eating bacteria on Kauai. KITV4.

The Kaua‘i Fire Department’s headquarters will move to a new location at   the Lihu‘e Civic Center at 4444 Rice St. in Lihu‘e. Garden Island.


Molokai

As the Molokai community continues to determine its future and where tourism fits into the economical equation, the Aha Kiole, a resource management group, has compiled the results from a series of community meetings and surveys. The document outlines guidelines for tour companies arriving to the island by boat, including American Safari Cruises (ASC), which has been making controversial stops to Molokai since October 2011. Molokai Dispatch.

Despite heavy rains three weeks ago, Molokai farmers are concerned that the summer may bring continued drought and adverse effects for agriculture. That concern motivated Molokai Irrigation System (MIS) board members to vote in favor of an emergency drought declaration for Maui County, which could bring government assistance. Molokai Dispatch.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

New prisons slated for Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island, rental properties face new fees, state bank, charter schools up for votes today, pay raises for union workers, volcano draws tourists, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Halawa Correctional Facility
The state Department of Public Safety wants to bring back to Hawaii all of its inmates on the mainland by reducing the in-state prison population by about 1,100 and building about 900 new spaces for them on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island. Star-Advertiser.

If all goes as planned, officials from the Hawaii Department of Public Safety predict that 1,000 local prisoners incarcerated in two Arizona prisons could be home by 2015. Civil Beat.

The other shoe dropped today in the state’s plan to bring all Mainland prison inmates back to Hawaii by 2015: construction of new prison facilities on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island to hold some 900 inmates. Hawaii Reporter.

Aging facilities and a lack of bed space require Hawaii to house almost 1,800 of its 6,000 inmates in Arizona prisons. Gov. Neil Abercrombie's administration and the state Legislature want the prisoners returned to Hawaii.Associated Press

Owners of vacation rental properties in Hawaii are rallying support to defeat several bills they say would add thousands of dollars a year to the cost of renting out their places. Civil Beat.

About 1,250 state workers will have their pay restored by 5 percent as of this Thursday, March 1. KHON2.

A bill to overhaul Hawaii's charter school system is up for a vote today in the Senate Ways and Means Committee, after legislators were urged to make changes in view of turmoil on a few charter campuses. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii House Democrats are considering whether to form a state bank. Hawaii Reporter.

A University of Hawaii scientist said he expects heavy debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami to reach small atolls in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands within a few months and the main Hawaiian Islands in about a year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii teachers in schools targeted by Race to the Top reforms approved an agreement for extended learning time, a key element of a $75 million grant that the U.S. Department of Education has said is at risk of being lost. Tribune-Herald.

Teachers can now apply to transfer to or from 19 schools that will offer longer instructional days and more teacher training next school year. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would require a permit to harvest sandalwood and any other native tree species deemed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources to be "of concern," cleared the Senate Ways and Means Committee Tuesday morning. West Hawaii Today.

Industrial employment in Hawaii grew by a half-percent last year, according to a trade publisher’s report released Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for Feb. 29. Associated Press.

Oahu

The fight over a master planned community in Ewa that would displace more than 1,000 acres of prime agricultural land pits two former Democratic governors against Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Civil Beat.

More than 300 rail supporters chanted, "Go rail go!" outside a meeting discussing alternatives to Honolulu's rail project. Most of them came from unions touting the jobs the project will create. Hawaii News Now.


Honolulu mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell
The Hawaii Government Employees Association and the United Public Workers announced their endorsement Tuesday of Kirk Caldwell for mayor of the City and County of Honolulu. KITV4.

As general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Daniel Grabauskas was in charge of the nation's oldest and fifth-largest public transit system. Now, he's poised to take the helm of one of the nation's newest rail systems as CEO of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Civil Beat.

Sunday marks the long anticipated debut of the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra. Hawaii Public Radio.

A 400-foot residential tower is planned for the corner of Kapiolani and Ward Avenue. KITV4.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi's upcoming budget, to be unveiled Thursday, will reflect property value revenues at their lowest level since he took office in late 2008. West Hawaii Today.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park attracted more than 1.3 million visitors who spent more than $88.2 million in 2010, according to a new National Park Service report. Pacific Business News.

A newly released study commissioned by the National Park Service shows that visitors to the four national parks and historical sites on the Big Island spent an estimated $122 million in the parks and surrounding local communities in 2010. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County is taking the plunge into electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

After months of discussion and debate, the Maui County Council's Planning Committee advanced a bill to regulate short-term rentals Monday, voting 6-1 to recommend passage by the full council. Maui News.

A proposal to mandate a merger between the Maui County Fire Department and the county's Division of Ocean Safety was tabled Monday by the Charter Commission. Maui News.

New Flood Maps May Mean Higher Flood Insurance. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee passed a resolution Tuesday urging Grove Farm Co. to consider a "win-win solution" to sell Koloa Camp land to tenants facing eviction on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Although smart meters were not on the agenda for the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative board of directors meeting Tuesday, it was a topic of much discussion. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and Police Chief Darryl Perry met on Monday night, a spokeswoman for the county confirmed Tuesday, but she offered no details about the meeting. Garden Island.

Kauai's Department of Parks and Recreation began pumping the storm water Tuesday that accumulated in the Poipu Beach parking lot following last weekend’s heavy rain. KITV4.


Thursday, December 22, 2011

Bag ban passes Big Island council, $75M in Race to the Top funds at risk, 14 Hawaii tax employees face criminal charges, Oahu top island getaway, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands



Following Maui and Kauai's lead, the Big Island on Wednesday became the third county to adopt a ban on merchants giving out plastic bags. That leaves Honolulu as the only Hawaii county without such a ban. Civil Beat.

Hawaii County shoppers can expect free plastic shopping bags at the cash register for just one more year, following the passage Wednesday of a bill restricting their availability. West Hawaii Today.

When it comes to protecting the environment, reducing litter and preserving landfill space, the County Council has left Mayor Billy Kenoi holding the bag. Tribune-Herald.

An Education Department official on Wednesday admonished Hawaii for its "unsatisfactory" performance under a $75 million federal grant the state won last year in a high profile competition and said it was placing it under "high risk" status, meaning the state is in danger of losing the money if it doesn't make improvements. Associated Press.

Citing "unsatisfactory performance" and concerns about whether future pledges can be met, the federal government has placed Hawaii's $75 million Race to the Top grant on "high-risk" status, which means the money may be lost if progress isn't made. Star-Advertiser.

Middle-school boys and girls in some low-performing schools on Oahu and Hawaii island next fall will begin playing in small, after-school sports leagues as part of a larger effort to improve the lives of 3,700 students. Star-Advertiser.

14 employees of the State Tax Department are under investigation by the State Attorney General's office for possible criminal wrongdoing. KITV4.

Hawaii's ethics rules sure seem to be resonating with lawmakers. Several turned away bottles of wine given as a holiday gift from a solar-energy company. Civil Beat.

President Barack Obama will have to come up with an action plan to address the economic impact of Pacific migration in Hawaii and other states and U.S. territories. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for Dec. 22. Associated Press.

Oahu

Yahoo! News has named Oahu the top island getaway in the U.S. in the latest episode of Wanderlust, the travel series on Yahoo! News. KHON2.

A new Kakaako booking and warrants building for the state Sheriff Division is proving to be more convenient for both deputies and the public. Star-Advertiser.

The state sheriffs division has opened a new booking and warrants facility in Kakaako, a more convenient and less threatening location has resulted in more people turning themselves in there, according to public safety officials. KITV4.

Just how popular is the camping permit window at the Wahiawa Satellite City Hall? Civil Beat.

Hawaii Medical Center’s approximately 990 employees are getting some help from the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations in navigating the unemployment rolls they soon will find themselves on when HMC shuts down its two Oahu hospitals in the next few weeks. Pacific Business News.

Mordechai Orian, CEO of Global Horizons, who is facing charges relating to the alleged trafficking of farm workers from Thailand to America, was set to go to trial on February 7. Civil Beat.

The following letter by John Bond of Save Ewa Field alleges potentially damaging construction being done at the historic Ewa Field, owned by the U.S. Navy and leased to developers. Hawaii Independent.

Twenty-five thousand soldiers from Schofield's 25th Infantry Division headquarters served in the Iraq War. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

With more than a quarter of Big Island children not knowing where their next meal is coming from, the Hawaii County Council on Wednesday unanimously passed a nonbinding resolution asking the administration to give the Food Basket an emergency $500,000. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County is making headway in its effort to make the much-needed Ka'u District Gym and Shelter a reality in Pahala. West Hawaii Today.

Federal officials want to hear the public's comments on a wilderness review and legislative environmental impact statement for the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A U.S. District Court jury has acquitted Maui County of liability in a civil suit brought by the family of a homeless man who died in the Lahaina lockup in 2008. Maui News.

The Maui Fire Department will begin processing firecracker permits this week while public fireworks displays have been scheduled in South Maui, Hana and on Lanai. Maui News.

Owners of a cruising yacht that Molokai protesters turned back earlier this month in Kaunakakai Harbor announced Tuesday that they reached an agreement with opposition and authorities to resume their Molokai tours, at least temporarily, next month. Maui News.

Kauai

If Kaua‘i County Council Chair Jay Furfaro is right, the administration could be facing a budgetary shortfall of $2.64 million. Garden Island.

The County of Kaua‘i has released its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for fiscal year 2011, which began July 1, 2010, and ended June 30, 2011. Garden Island.

A blessing and groundbreaking for the next segment of Ke Ala Hele Makalae, the multi-use path, was held in Kapa‘a this morning at Gore Park near Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital. Garden Island.