A Dozen States Back Travel Ban 3.0 At The Supreme Court
Hirono on Bill Clinton Sexual Misconduct Scandals: ‘Let’s Move Forward’
After Auditor's Report, Department of Public Safety Agrees to Close Revolving Fund
Oahu Workshops: Learn to Raise Your Voice at the State Capitol
Cataluna: Ige is Bush
Cataluna: …On Tuesday, Gov. David Ige held a press conference below the H-1 freeway viaduct and proclaimed the cleanup of the huge homeless encampment “complete.”
It was reminiscent of President George W. Bush standing on the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2003 under a banner that read “Mission Accomplished.”
Oh really. (Clue: Cataluna is flacking for Hanabusa.)
American troops are still in Iraq, and only a dozen of the almost 200 homeless people who were rousted from under the H-1 accepted the offer of going to a homeless shelter. There’s a big difference between a photo op and a problem solved.
Ige may have been trying to make up for his last embarrassing press conference on this topic when he touted the success of the Kakaako warehouse-turned-homeless shelter just steps away from the filth and destructiveness of a homeless encampment whose members had taken over the park and broken most of its infrastructure….
There was even optimistic talk about how some of the folks who had been living under the freeway called their families and were welcomed home. Hope so. Really hope so.
But the very next day in the heart of downtown Honolulu in the middle of the morning, there was a guy waking up from a nap in the newly planted bushes of the newly remodeled Princess Victoria Kamamalu State Office Building across from Iolani Palace. In plain view of the tax-paying, Reyn’s-wearing, time sheet-filling public waiting at the corner for the light to change, he stretched and yawned, relieved himself in the bushes, rolled up his brown blanket and moved on to his next flop.
The symbolism of this gesture — spraying on state property without even trying to hide — says everything you need to know about who has the upper hand in this contest of wills….
SA: Success? Homeless move on
Meanwhile in Papua New Guinea: Police Clear Unwanted Muslims out of Camp
And Don’t Forget: www.TheRealHanabusa.com
read … Ige is Like Bush, Homeless are like Muslims
'This is nasty': Homeless’ Piles of Trash plague Sand Island State Recreation Area
HNN: …During a recent visit to the beach park, Hawaii News Now saw three separate dump sites, including an open pit filled with more than 50 garbage bags of household rubbish.
"This is nasty. You walk through here whatever. All of a sudden the smell just hits you right smack in the face,” said park regular and Mililani resident Gene Reed.
"They should definitely clean it up because it's drawing cockroaches, bugs and mosquitoes." ….
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources, which manages the park, believes the trash was left behind by homeless campers. They have directed staff to clean up the mess…..
HHC: Honolulu skips “World Toilet Day”
read … 'This is nasty': Illegal dumping plagues Sand Island State Recreation Area
Airport Corporation to be on Legislative Agenda for 2018
SA: Q: Any thoughts on the airlines’ proposal to establish a private authority to manage the airports? Could that be resurrected?
A: DOT supports the airport corporation proposal and will advocate for its passage in the upcoming legislative session. The Airports Division generates its own revenue without using traditional taxpayer money.
With that in mind, we want to operate the system like a business in order to remove the bureaucracy and allow improvement projects to start sooner and adapt quicker. An airport corporation would allow us to meet with an appointed board of directors year-round, rather than just meeting with the state Legislature during its five-month session.
Any CEO operating a multibillion-dollar operation would find difficulties if they were only able to meet with their board five months out of the year. We believe there is a better and more efficient way to do business at our 15 airports statewide, which is why HDOT, the airlines and concessionaires agree an airport corporation is a positive step forward.
read … Legislative Agenda
HDOT Sitting on $550M, Won’t do much to help Rail
SA Q: How is the department working to improve its efficiency at accessing federal funds for its projects?
A: The Ige administration has made tremendous strides in spending down the federal pipeline, which was at a record high of $940 million in 2010 and is now at $550 million, the lowest point in more than 16 years.
The Highways Division has made so much progress the Federal Highways Administration awarded Hawaii an additional $41 million, which is reflected in the $550 amount, in funds to use on our highways infrastructure, the highest amount amongst all other states our size. We will continue to make positive progress in reducing the pipeline and are on our way to reaching the agreed-upon goal of $450 million in fiscal 2018.
Q: Are there any highways improvements that could help connect Central Oahu commuters to the rail system?
A: We are working with the city on the park-and-ride facilities, in that the city will build the stations and the state will operate and maintain them.
DOT is also working to connect the rail stations via bike and pedestrian access. For example, we are improving Kamehameha Highway over the Roosevelt/Kipapa Bridge to provide 5-foot shoulders in both directions. This will provide bicycle access from Mililani to the rail station on Kamehameha Highway.
As Explained: $1.6B Available to Pay for Rail -- Without Raising Taxes
read … Legislative Agenda
Former Kauai PD Officer Terrorizes Neighbors?
KGI: …A former Kauai police detective who relocated to Oahu was issued a temporary restraining order against his neighbors after increasing conflicts.
Nearly three years ago, Robert Louis Castro purchased a residence at 3617 Loulu Street in upper Manoa, living there with his wife, Yu Fong Okoji, a Honolulu Realtor.
Neighbors became concerned when they noticed threatening signs posted on a concrete wall Castro built around the property, potentially violating zoning regulations.
“It was brought to my attention by another neighborhood watch when I heard that his wife was reportedly threatening neighbors,” said Steve Lane, a longtime resident of Manoa Valley. “I reported it to the chief of police, because I was concerned about the severity of the threat.” (Its good to have friends in high places.)
When police served the restraining order, they also conducted an on-site mental health evaluation before confiscating Castro’s registered rifle.
“I was pleased by the quickness that HPD moved to respond to this,” Lane said. “My hat’s off to the new police chief.”
Castro served on the Kauai police department for 28 years and retired in July 2006 with good standing, according to county officials….
read … Neighborhood dispute escalates
Chinese Bombers ‘Above Hawaii’
AT: Chinese warplanes conducted 'training' drills near Taiwan, Okinawa and other parts of Japan, plus Guam; bombers even reported above Hawaii….
(Editor’s Note: ‘Above’ likely means ‘North of’)
Asia Times reported earlier this month that PLA H-6Ks were spotted above Hawaii. Analysts say if that is true, the bombers must have received aerial refueling midway….
Meanwhile: North Korea's top nuclear targets identified
read … Asia Times
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