Full Text: Ige Inaugural Speech
Republican Responses to Ige Inaugural Speech
OHA Year in Review: Looking Back at 2018
Legislators to consider carbon tax for ‘polluters’ (big and small)
HNN: …The proposed carbon tax would not only be paid for by motorists, but also by large producers of carbon emissions like power plants, airlines and shipping companies.
“The idea is to make it economy wide so all of the innovation would be driven to less carbon intensive uses, (we can really score some big money)” said state Sen. Karl Rhoads (D-Downtown), who plans to introduce the measure….
“It’s doom and gloom…." Rhoads said…..
“You’re charging somebody more money just to have an old car," said Gavin Webber, who lives in Mililani.
“Living in town is going to be more expensive than living than Kapolei or Mililani, so if that’s where they can find shelter why should they pay more for having a job in town.”…
read … Legislators to consider carbon tax for polluters (big and small)
Hawaii soldier who threatened to shoot up Waikiki sentenced to 25 years for trying to aid Islamic State
SA: … A Schofield Barracks-based soldier from Oahu is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday for trying to help the Islamic State group.
Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Kang pleaded guilty in August to four counts of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He admitted to providing classified military documents, a drone and other help to people he believed were affiliated with the terrorist group.
He agreed when Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson described other support he provided to undercover agents Kang thought were part of the Islamic State. …
Kang, from Kailua, provided voluminous, digital documents that included sensitive information including the U.S. military’s weapons file, details about a sensitive mobile airspace management system, various military manuals and documents containing personal information about U.S. service-members, Sorenson said.
Trained as an air traffic controller with a secret security clearance, Kang also provided documents including call signs, mission procedures and radio frequencies, Sorenson said.
At one of the meetings with agents whom Kang believed were part of the Islamic State, he swore loyalty to the group in Arabic and English and kissed an Islamic State flag given to him by a purported Islamic State sheikh, Sorenson said.
He then said he wanted to get his rifle and fight — “just go to downtown Honolulu and Waikiki strip and start shooting,” prosecutors said in a news release in August.
After that, FBI agents arrested him….
read … Hawaii soldier to be sentenced for trying to provide material support to ISIS
Lack of Earmarks Makes Limousine Liberals Pony Up
CB: …A million-dollar conservation mission to Papahanaumokuakea, the 582,578-square-mile national marine monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke once considered shrinking.
The money came through, in large part, because of maneuvering by Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Schatz also had the help of billionaire tech entrepreneur Marc Benioff and his wife, Lynne, who helped fund the federal research grant with their own money.
The creativity was necessary. Ever since Republicans imposed a moratorium on earmarks it’s been difficult for lawmakers to direct federal dollars back to their districts for specific projects. The ban has also made for stickier negotiations on everything from the budget to the farm bill…
read … Hawaii Does Fine Raking In Federal Dollars Without Earmarks
7 vacation rental bills before the Council
SA: …Seven bills that try to both regulate and legitimize Oahu’s short-term vacation rentals get their first airing before the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday.
Bill 89 is Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s omnibus proposal that would allow for permits to be issued for new bed-and-breakfast establishments and transient vacation unit — TVUs — while imposing tough laws on how they’re operated and stiffer fines when there are violations….
Bills 86, 87 and 88 are variations of the Caldwell proposal offered by different Council members that use alternate approaches to permitting, violations, penalties and would, at least in one case, allow a “grandfathering” of existing B&Bs and TVUs.
Pine said she would like language to allow neighbors of those seeking a permit to have a say on the matter. Enforcement is a key component, and the Council already added 10 new positions in DPP to improve enforcement, she said.
Bill 85, introduced by Councilman Ron Menor, would allow a neighbor to bring a civil action against a violator of vacation rental rules.
Two related bills introduced by the administration are also on Wednesday’s agenda.
Bill 90 would require the seller of a residential property to disclose whether a B&B or TVU can be operated out of the property, and if one operated out of there previously.
Bill 91 would make it a misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum of one year in jail, a fine of up to $2,000 or a maximum of 80 hours of community service, to lie to a DPP inspector or other city official during an investigation….
read … 7 vacation rental bills before the Council
Hawaii Tuna Fishermen Want Higher Quotas
CB:…Hawaii’s longliners caught their quota for bigeye tuna early again this year. But that may not be an issue going forward if U.S. officials can negotiate a higher limit next week with an international fisheries commission….
read … Hawaii Tuna Fishermen Want Higher Quotas
HPD Program For Domestic Violence Victims Stalls
CB: …Two years after advocates convinced Honolulu police officers to implement a threat assessment form for victims, its use has dropped by half….
read … HPD Program For Domestic Violence Victims Stalls
Maui Co Liquor Comm is “retaliatory and not open to new ideas”
MN: …The audit pointed out that the department has a higher number of employees as compared to other departments in the state and has a high vacancy rate. Employees confidentially told auditors that the administration is “retaliatory and not open to new ideas” and that all positions in the department are not being utilized as they should be.
Karilee Yoshizawa, head of the administrative services division, appeared at the meeting. She is the daughter of Mukai.
Brousseau, without naming names, did note in his presentation that the situation of an official supervising another family member did come up in the audit. He said that situation “should be addressed by the county.”…
Council Member Don Guzman said that the Liquor Control Commission’s Dec. 12 meeting has more than 100 proposed rule changes….
read … Council critical of liquor panel and department
Lots of Politicians Swearing on Sister Isles
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