DHHL-HDoT: Joint Statement on Mauna Kea Access Road
Tourist Arrivals up 6.2%
Survey: Over 2,200 Healthcare Jobs Open in Hawaii
Case and Akina discuss future of Jones Act
How to give everybody a raise
DOT barricades found in demonstrator's tent on Mauna Kea after Fight Breaks out Among Protesters
KITV: … A theft case been opened after two barricades were found in a demonstrator's tent on Mauna Kea.
Friday, Hawaii County Police say a verbal altercation broke out near where demonstrators have been meeting on Mauna Kea.
Two male protesters were verbally arguing on the Daniel K Inouye Highway Friday near the Mauna Kea Access Road, and was quickly diffused by officers in the area.
While officers were there, six Department of Transportation (DOT) barricades were located in a demonstrator's tent, and returned to their original location, police say….
read … DOT barricades found in demonstrator's tent on Mauna Kea, theft case opened
Michael Miske Receives Notice of Violation for Kailua TVR
SA: … The city Department of Planning and Permitting has now issued 18 notices of violations to property owners for allegedly violating the city’s new law that bans online advertising of illegal short-term rentals.
Ordinance 19-89, which took effect Aug. 1, makes it illegal to advertise a vacation rental that is not properly permitted or not located inside a hotel-resort zone. It also raised the recurring fine for such a violation to $10,000 daily.
The city issued the first five notices for illegal vacation rental ads beginning with an Aug. 14 notice of violation to Alexander Wilson, who owns unit No. 801 in the Waikiki Townhouse Condos, which has a tax-assessed value of $295,000 and is at 2421 Tusitala St….
On Aug. 15 the city issued a notice of violation to Michael Miske Jr. for short-term rental advertising at his three-bedroom, two-bath Kailua home at 614 Paokano Loop in Enchanted Lake. The tax- assessed value of the fee-simple home is listed at $862,400….
According to DPP records, so far only Miske, McGinnis and Clark have resolved their complaints. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser was unable to reach owners for an immediate comment….
Some say the increases aren’t broad enough, either. That’s why Kokua Coalition, a group of “30-day rental” operators also known as the Hawaii Vacation Rental Owners Association, and the Association of Apartment Owners of the Waikiki Banyan, a twin-tower, 876-unit condominium, have filed separate suits against the city.
Earlier this week the city said it went to settlement negotiations with Kokua Coalition, which filed a lawsuit Aug. 1 arguing that renters should be allowed to continue renting to a single tenant every 30 days, regardless of how long the tenant actually stays.
The city said there are no updates on the Waikiki Banyan lawsuit. The AOAO of the Waikiki Banyan’s suit sought a permanent injunction preventing the city from imposing its new ordinance on its owners.
Plaintiffs claim 89% of the units in the complex operate as short-term vacation rental units in the property, which they allege has been operating as a condominium hotel since it opened in 1979….
read … City puts more owners on notice for rental violations
Leaked Email: Congressman Ed Case garnering support for potential TVR bill
KITV: … Case tells KITV these letters are customary when looking for support from fellow Congress members on a bill you are presenting.
Case's bill is called the "PLAN Act" which stands for "Protecting Local Authority and Neighborhoods."
The bill aims to amend the Communications Decency Act. Case says that currently, websites such as Airbnb are using the CDA as a legal shield to avoid repercussion for their users posting illegal short-term rentals.
"What my bill essentially says is, no, if you know you're operating somebody else's illegal activity and profiting from that why should you be off the hook?" Case told KITV…
read … Leaked Email: Congressman Ed Case garnering support for potential bill
Social Climbing: Mauna Kea demonstrations influence enrollment at Hawaiian immersion school
KITV: … Demonstrations on Mauna Kea appear to be impacting increasing enrollment at Hawaiian language immersion schools.
Its been 49 days since protests began on Mauna Kea and the movement to prevent the $1.4 billion dollar Thirty Meter Telescope from being built is still standing.
It appears to be attracting more parents to schools like Ke Kula Kaiapuni 'O 'Anuenue in Palolo Valley where communication is exclusively in Hawaiian.
"I think its a resurgence of just pride and awareness in Hawaiian culture and issues," said Principal Baba Yim.
For the first time in the schools 24-year history its had to turn away students….
read … Mauna Kea demonstrations influence enrollment at Hawaiian immersion school
Decision to reassign School for Deaf and Blind’s principal riles community
HNN: … At the Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind on Friday, supporters’ signs and sign language told the story: They want Principal Angel Ramos brought back.
“He has a deaf education background. He knows how to manage and make deaf people learn," said Cheryl Mizusawa, part of a group called SOAR, which stands for “Save Our Angel Ramos.”….
SOAR member Ed Chevy said since Ramos was hired in 2016 he turned the school around.
"While Angel was here I felt the school really became more understanding. It was more equal. There was nobody higher or below," he said….
A few years before Ramos took over at the school, it was embroiled in a sex assault scandal. SOAR said under his leadership, enrollment increased and the school gained national accreditation….
Chevy said the temporary principal isn’t deaf like Ramos. He worries how that might affect HSBE’s students.
SOAR started an online petition calling for the DOE to return Ramos to the school. It has gotten more than 1,500 signatures….
read … Decision to reassign School for Deaf and Blind’s principal riles community
Maui schools begin to install window AC via new DOE program
MN: …Two Maui schools have had energy-efficient window air-conditioning units installed in classrooms under the Education Department’s new Schools Directed AC program announced last week, public school officials said….
Through the new program, schools and communities can take the lead to cool classrooms in buildings that can accommodate the increased energy use. Schools have had the ability to purchase or accept donated AC units and install them using licensed contractors. However, the department imposed technical requirements aimed at ensuring safety and compliance with regulations that some schools found burdensome, the news release said.
Under the new program, the department will work with schools to cover the cost of electrical assessments and will advise which buildings have the electrical capacity to support energy-efficient window units, said department spokeswoman Nanea Kalani earlier this week.
Schools can then make arrangements to procure units using school funds or by partnering with community groups to fundraise or by engaging their area lawmakers.
“Under Schools Directed AC, we’re able to tell schools which buildings they can install in and how many units they can put in,” said department Public Works Administrator John Chung.
In addition to the two installations on Maui through the program, two more Maui schools are in the process of installing air conditioning units and nine schools have requested electrical studies or have had them completed, Kalani said….
Background: Cool Schools? DoE Cuts a Little Red Tape
read … Maui schools begin to install window AC via new DOE program
Investor offers to buy back city’s problem-plagued domestic violence safe house
HNN: … William McCorriston, says she would be willing to pay current, fair market value.
But Councilman Tommy Waters says the property is not for sale.
“We put a lot of money and effort into this, it really should be used for victims of domestic violence.”
Waters authored a resolution for the property to continue as a shelter, but it would be managed by advocates for victims instead of the prosecutor’s office.
Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro remains on paid leave as federal prosecutors target him in the public corruption scandal. The safe house real estate deal is part of the FBI case.
The City Council passed a resolution on the issue, but there’s no timeline on when victims will be able to move in or which advocacy group will take over management.
“Why would we sell it?" asked Waters, "It’s refurbished, it’s ready to go, lets start moving people in, that’s what it’s intended for.”…
read … Investor offers to buy back city’s problem-plagued domestic violence safe house
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