Telescope: Judge Recommends Permit Be Issued, More Delays Ahead
Audit: Caldwell's Section 8 Program Hides Homeless Data
HiDoT Puts State Highway Project Database on line
DLNR Removes 11 Tons of Homeless Drug Addicts’ Garbage from Kalalau
Rate Hikes Coming: $205M to be Spent to Make Solar Schemers Profits Possible
HTH: …Implementing the draft plan is projected to cost $205 million companywide during the next six years and is intended in part to help the utilities handle higher demand for rooftop solar and other renewable resources.
The open house meetings are scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday in the Waiakea High School cafeteria in Hilo and 6 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers at the West Hawaii Civic Center in Kona. Doors open at 5:15 p.m.
The nearly 250-page page report — which addresses grids on Oahu and Maui and Hawaii counties — includes some blunt acknowledgements.
“The Companies realize that meeting our customers’ needs and achieving our clean energy goals is not possible with our current grid,” it says….
read … Another $205M Subsidy
Light Rail for Downtown Honolulu?
CB: …One of Salvage The Rail’s options calls for sloping the elevated track down to street level near Middle Street and running through town along King Street to Alapi Street, then looping back along Beretania Street.
This would mean using light rail cars for the whole line. HART would have to scrap the heavy cars the city already has paid for, Wilson said.
But he argues the city still would save money.
Another idea calls for two separate lines. A heavy, elevated train would run from Kapolei to Middle Street, then a smaller, light rail train would follow a King Street-Beretani Street loop.
The street-level light rail is cheaper because it does not require an elevated concrete guideway or massive stations, Wilson said. The line can run along King and Beretania streets, which are wide enough to accommodate it with little change, he says.
The street-level rail stops would be a lot like bus stops, with passengers buying tickets out of automated kiosks. “The cost of a rail stop is so cheap, they’re almost invisible,” he said.
read … More Rail Lines?
Sewer Lines Become Latest Excuse to Squelch Affordable Housing
SA: …Officials with Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration told the City Council Public Works, Infrastructure and Sustainability Committee on Wednesday that they will look at ways of expanding sewer capacity on Oahu in response to concerns that applicants for accessory dwelling units are being turned away because of the limitation.
The committee advanced Resolution 17-193, which calls on the administration to speed up expansion of Oahu’s sewer system. Committee Chairwoman Carol Fukunaga added language asking that city officials provide an update on the situation within 90 days of the resolution being adopted.
City officials told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser last week, and then reiterated Wednesday, that 344 preliminary applications were rejected because sewer capacity in their neighborhoods was inadequate to add new dwellings.
read … Excuses, Excuses
Caldwell Looks for More Ways to Harass the Little People
More Raises Approved: Average Firefighter Makes $90K
KGI: …On Wednesday, the Kauai County Council voted 4-3 to approve Bill No. 2650, as it relates to the collective bargaining agreement for unit No. 11, which covers firefighters.
Yukimura and Kagawa, along with Councilmember Mason Chock, voted against the bill.
Councilmembers Arthur Brun, Arryl Kaneshiro, Derek Kawakami and Mel Rapozo voted to approve the increases. They did not discuss their positions at the meeting.
The Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, which represents firefighters, proposed a 2 percent across the board increase for this year. And, effective July 1, 2018, firefighters across the state will receive a 2.25 percent increase.
During the meeting, Yukimura questioned if the county can make good on its promises, considering the council will be taking $1.3 million out of the reserve fund for Fiscal Year 2017-18.
“But we cannot continue to do that year after year. Are we willing to raise taxes to pay for raises when the average pay (for firefighters) is $90,000?” she said. “I want to make it clear I admire firefighters who risk life and limb. I am not in favor of taking what they have. I just don’t think its sustainable to keep giving them salary increases when comparatively, they already have so much.”
read … $90K
Prosecutors push for added protections in light of child abuse cases on Hawaii island
KHON: …Hawaii County deputy prosecutor Ricky Roy Damerville says the investigation racked up 6,000 pages of documents.
“Six-thousand pages. It’s only been a year since it allegedly happened. You can make some educated guesses about the involvement of different agencies,” Damerville said.
Damerville says this latest case of child abuse is similar to two others: the first involving “Peter Boy” Kema, who prosecutors say died in 1997 at the age of 6 from a combination of physical and emotional abuse, child neglect, and lack of medical care.
His father, Peter Kema Sr., was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in prison.
The second case involved a 10-year-old girl who in 2005 was found in a coma with burn marks and maggot-infested wounds. She miraculously lived, and her caregiver, Hyacinth Poouahi, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Damerville says both children were pulled out of school to be home-schooled to hide the abuse.
“Now you’re going to ask me, well, is the Stone case similar? And I’m going to say what I can say, is that, look what’s out there in the media already,” said Damerville.
On the heels of yet another child abuse investigation, prosecutors are looking to change the law to protect children.
Hawaii island prosecutors are proposing legislation to make sure parents or guardians aren’t using home schooling as a way to conceal child abuse…..
read … Prosecutors push for added protections in light of child abuse cases on Hawaii island
Most MDs Want Nothing to do with Selling Weed
HNN: …just over 100 doctors and nurses continue to certify new patients to use cannabis — putting them into the pipeline for when dispensaries can come to market.
The state Department of Health says there were 108 physicians and 10 advanced practice registered nurses who have certified 17,591 patients statewide. There are about 3,000 licensed physicians and APRNs in Hawaii.
Some 68 percent of medial marijuana patients were certified for severe pain, 13 percent for muscle spasms, 6 percent for nausea, 4 percent for PTSD….
MP: Extraction Technology Huge for the Future of Cannabis
read … For doctors and nurses certifying patients for marijuana use, host of unknowns remain
Homeless Tent City for Kailua-Kona?
WHT: …The county had hoped to secure a specific site to which they could direct the park’s homeless, one with running water and access to other services. That site, however, never materialized.
The report states that Kim is still working toward such a site, which might come online by the end of the calendar year. It would most likely be on a plot of land mauka of the Palani Road and Henry Street intersection. That land is currently owned by the Queen Liliuokalani Trust, with which Hawaii County is negotiating a potential land swap.
The swap, if it takes place, could also ultimately result in the relocation of 23 micro housing units built in re-purposed shipping containers that currently house chronically homeless individuals across from HOPE Services’ Friendly Place in the Old Kona Industrial Area.
read … Tent City?
Corrupt Liquor Commission Wants More Money
KHON: …It could soon cost businesses more to sell alcohol on Oahu.
That’s because the fee to hold a liquor license may be going up, in some cases double what it is now.
For general restaurant and retail licenses, the fee goes up more than $800….
PDF: Click here to view the full breakdown.
read … Liquor
With Trannies Excluded from Military, maybe Democrats Will Finally Have Enough of Them to Put a Tranny in Every Bathroom
CB: President Donald J Trump tweeted news of the ban Wednesday morning:
“After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.”
Hirono, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, “Transgender Americans (are the only ones who in my view) serve our country with honor and distinction (by dismantling binary gender structures thus making the peasants easier to manipulate). The President’s decision is wrong, and perpetuates bigoted stereotypes about the LGBTQ community (the nuclear family).”
read … A Chicken in Every Pot--A Tranny in Every Bathroom
CBS: As N. Korea missile threat looms, Hawaii bunker may play key role
CBS: …CBS News correspondent Carter Evans reports a bunker, located under more than 1000 feet of rock, could soon be used as an ideal place to ride out a nuclear attack.
Every time North Korea fires a missile, the regime gets one step closer to reaching the Hawaiian Islands.
"In the last two years, there was 56 missile launches," State Representative Gene Ward said. "That is a wake-up call."
Ward says it would take less than 20 minutes for a nuclear missile to reach Honolulu -- something state officials want the nearly 1.5 million people who live in the islands to prepare for.
"The first thing that we are responsible for is the security of our people," Ward said. "At least to keep the government running, and that's the important part of it."
HNN: Ige Lacks Any Real Plan
read … CBS News
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