Unions Ask Gov. Ige to Intervene in C&C of Honolulu's Vaccine Mandate
Video: First Responders Oppose Vaccine Mandate
Emerging Plan Would Pump Hotel Room Tax Revenue Into Rail
CB: …At a meeting of the HART Finance Committee last week, Chief Operating Officer Rick Keene said HART staff is analyzing how much money could be raised if the city issued bonds to borrow more money for rail, and then repaid that debt with revenue from the new city transient accommodations tax….
HART Board Chairwoman Colleen Hanabusa asked if HART might be able raise enough money that way to cover the $3.6 billion rail budget shortfall. Keene said he doesn’t know.
“We haven’t quantified it yet, so I’m not sure how much of the shortfall it would cover, but it would certainly help,” Keene told members of the HART Finance Committee on Thursday. “We have had discussions with city administration on that topic, on the TAT and the city’s ability now to levy TAT.
“There is interest from the administration and at least from some members of the City Council to allocating a portion of that tax — the new TAT — to this project.”
He said HART staff is working with outside investment bankers to determine how that cash flow might be leveraged by issuing long-term bonds to raise money for rail.
By one rough estimate, a cash flow of $50 million per year for 25 to 30 years is enough to finance $1 billion in bonds, money that could be applied to construction costs on the unfinished 20-mile rail line.
“It could be very substantial,” Keene said. “So, if we do get that dedicated stream — we don’t know yet what that amount would be, how much of that would be able to be allocated to us, if any — but we are looking at different scenarios, working with administration on those scenarios, trying to come up with a plan or recommendation on that.”…
(CLUE: Done deal.)
read … Emerging Plan Would Pump Hotel Room Tax Revenue Into Rail
A flood of COVID patients, many young and unvaccinated, overwhelms Maui’s main hospital
HNN: … As of 9 a.m. Tuesday, there were 31 patients hospitalized at MMMC with COVID-19. Officials said only three of them were vaccinated. Six are in the Intensive Care Unit and two are on ventilators.
“I’m very, very upset with seeing how many young folks, 20-year-olds. 20-year-olds who are being intubated, who chose not to get vaccinated,” said Dr. Ayasanonda….
Dr. Mike Shea said he sees the same thing in the hospital’s ICU.
“This delta variant is serious business. It is causing very young people to get very sick. We have people in their 30s on ventilators otherwise healthy and it’s heartbreaking to talk to their families and see their children,” Dr. Shea said.
MMMC is the main hospital for Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. Recently, they have been taking patients from other islands since Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu is full.
“We have accepted patients from Kauai, we’ve accepted patients from the Big Island because they don’t have any resources left. I know they’re suffering too,” said Dr. Ayasanonda….
read … A flood of COVID patients, many young and unvaccinated, overwhelms Maui’s main hospital
Day 4 of preliminary hearings for 3 HPD officers who shot and killed 16-year-old teen
KITV: … HPD lieutenant Brandon Nakasone is back on the stand and reviewed the officers' police reports. Based on department policy, Nakasone agreed firearms can't be discharged unless there's unanticipated movements of the vehicle and officers have no chance for safety. Defense attorneys then showed new surveillance video from an apartment complex on Philip Street.
"The white Honda comes to a complete stop, and that's probably the point of collision," Richard Sing, attorney representing Geoffrey Thom, asked Nakasone.
"We believe so," Nakasone replied.
"We believe so right. From there, the Honda makes what movements?" Sing continued.
"Pulled forward a bit, then reversed, then forward," Nakasone said.
The officers wrote in their reports Fredeluces was in front of the Honda but Van Marter says that's not what the video shows.
"What I'm asking you, not just based on your review of this body worn camera video but the entire investigation. Did you uncover any evidence that indicated that was accurate," Van Marter asked.
"The investigation is not complete but no one standing in front of the white Honda," Nakasone said.
The defense argues a person does not have to be directly in front of a vehicle to be in danger.
"Even towards the front side, front driver side, front passenger side, right next to the side, around a moving vehicle, there's a zone of danger," Tommy Otake, attorney representing Zackary Ah Nee, said. …
… The last round of witnesses is expected to take the stand Wednesday afternoon. Then, judge William Domingo will decide whether there's probable cause for the murder case against Thom to proceed to trial, along with attempted murder charges against Ah Nee and Fredeluces….
CB: Defense Suggests Honolulu Officers Were In ‘Zone Of Danger’ Before Shooting Teen
MN: To better serve and protect, cops need help
read … Day 4 of preliminary hearings for 3 HPD officers who shot and killed 16-year-old teen
Hawaii Greenlights Large Events Amid Surge In Covid Cases
CB: … The limitations were strict: no more than 10 people could gather indoors, and no more than 25 outdoors, with restaurants and bars capped at 50% capacity. But the rules included exceptions for professionally planned events with more than 50 people, including weddings, concerts, festivals and conventions…..
read … Hawaii Greenlights Large Events Amid Surge In Covid Cases
Seven charter schools shift to distance learning after cases reported on campus
KHON: … “We just started distance learning today,” Connections Public Charter School Principal Romeo Garcia said. “We began the school year full in person. And so we’ve been open for two weeks. And so we had our first positive COVID case reported within our school yesterday.” ….
According to Garcia, that one case triggered their school protocol shifting all 365 students in kindergarten through 12th grade to online classes.
“The adjustment was easier because we experienced this last year,” Garcia said. “We’ve had our online platform operating this whole time and last year.”
He said the transition went smoothly cause everyone knew the plan….
Kamaile Academy Public Charter School also announced they were shifting their more than 900 students to online classes starting Aug. 18 through Sept. 13 after several positive cases were reported there.
Out of 37 charter schools in the state, seven opted to go back to distance learning according to the spokesperson for the Hawaiʻi State Public Charter School Commission.
Connections Public Charter School (Hilo)
Hakipuʻu Academy (Kāneʻohe)
Hālau Kū Māna Public Charter School (Honolulu/Makiki)
Kamaile Academy (Waiʻanae)
Ka Waihona ʻo Ka Naʻauao (Nānākuli)
Ke Ana Laʻahana Public Charter School (Hilo)
Ke Kula ʻo Samuel M. Kamakau Laboratory Public Charter School (Kāneʻohe)
CB: Facing New Covid Cases, Waianae School Returns to Distance Learning
read … Seven charter schools shift to distance learning after cases reported on campus
HSTA study says 60-70% of Hawaii teachers find school unsafe
KHON: … In the letter, the HSTA says a survey of teachers found 60% of them feel unsafe themselves, and 70% feel students aren’t safe. Teachers cited mask-wearing practices, poor ventilation, overcrowding, and students showing symptoms of COVID-19 and still going to school.
“Inside we’re often shoulder to shoulder, and mask-wearing is iffy,” Kailua Intermediate 7th grade ELA teacher Kate Werner said. “Those two things make a risk for spreading for sure,” ….
read … HSTA study says 60-70% of Hawaii teachers find school unsafe
Tough competition, soaring prices: No relief in sight for Hawaii’s housing market
HNN: … According to the Honolulu Board of Realtors, more than 80% of the homes in Leeward and Central Oahu were sold above the asking price in July.
The board’s president, Shannon Heaven said there’s a high demand for properties on the west side.
“And probably just simply because that’s where a lot of demand is built up more buyers can afford that price range,” said Heaven. “I mean, me personally, I put in an offer for a client, and there were 60 other offers for that same property.” …
read … Tough competition, soaring prices: No relief in sight for Hawaii’s housing market
Yep, Hawaii Has More People. We Already Knew That
Cataluna: …More housing must be built on former productive agriculture lands. More housing must be built because homes that used to be for the middle class are now being scooped up by people with money and flipped into monster homes or mini-apartment complexes. More housing must be built because rental properties for local families are being taken off the market to be turned into illegal vacation rentals. More housing for the keiki, for the kupuna, for the smart expats who left Hawaii long ago for better housing, better career opportunities and more breathing room — they just might lower their standards and come back.
The solution to “more people” is always “build more stuff,” which is never a realistic solution on islands with finite space…. (so we pretend to be running out of land in order to create an artificial supply shortage which jacks up prices and profits KSBE, A&B and other legacy landowners while driving people like you to move to Vegas. And you believe us even while you pack!)
Reality: How A&B Wins Big From Environmental Litigation
read … Yep, Hawaii Has More People. We Already Knew That
Net-Zero: Green Energy Scammers Have new Plan to Jack up Housing Costs
MN: … Knowing that housing development and construction operations are among the biggest contributors to climate change, (This is a lie.) Maui County officials are proposing to require that new one- or two-family residential buildings over 5,000 square feet be zero net energy homes.
(Translation. They want to jack up construction costs even more. How high? This article is decorated with pictures of a $38M house.) ….
Rita Ryan, who testified on behalf of 350Hawaii.org and the Climate Reality Project, said that the bill “makes perfect sense” for any size of home….
Dagdag-Andaya also wondered whether or not the 5,000 square feet will include decks, lanai or a garage….
(Translation: If you thought this was only for high-end houses, you were wrong.)
Deakos said that the “built-in environment” and building industry is responsible for about 67 percent of all greenhouse gases. (He then began giggling uncontrollably as worried aides tried to pull him away from the podium.)
accessory energy uses like pools or hot tubs, which are not included in general energy use and operations (because this is a fraud and they do not want to cut into pool-builder profits)
read … Larger homes would be net-zero energy under new bill
Military Facilities Could Be Surrounded by ‘Buffer Zones’
HTH: … Sentinel Landscapes are areas designated by the U.S. Departments of Defense, Agriculture and Interior as lands suited to protect nearby military facilities, such as the Big Island’s Pohakuloa Training Area, from land use that would be incompatible with those facilities’ missions, said Lea Hong, director of the Hawaii office of national conservation nonprofit Trust for Public Land, who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting.
The Sentinel Landscape program would dovetail with an existing partnership between the state and the DOD: the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program.
Under the REPI, Hong said, the U.S. Armed Forces have funded various conservation projects throughout the state in exchange for a restriction on how lands adjacent to their military bases have been used. Hong said “compatible uses” for land near military bases includes agriculture and livestock grazing….
read … Council members hear pitch on Sentinel Landscape designation
Expensive Mobile Unit with Staff: Goal -- Wash Down 20 Shelter-Refusing Bums
TGI: … “When we were servicing the Shelter-In-Place sites, we would do about 15 showers a week,” Costales said. “When the sites shut down, that number dropped to half the amount. We can handle up to 20 showers on each stop. That’s our goal.”…
read … Keep them nice n comfy on the street
To Avoid Rolling Blackouts, Install Batteries
IM: … The largest electric generator in Hawai`i, the 180-MW AES Coal Plant on O`ahu, will (be forced to) go offline in one year and two weeks.
(Knowing that blackouts will come when coal energy goes) Utility-scale renewable energy projects have been (making excuses. For instance they now claim to have been) delayed due to covid and to changing interconnection standards….
Rooftop solar can be acquired faster and has lower negative impacts when compared to other resource options.
Battery energy storage systems enable ratepayers to help maintain frequency and voltage levels on the grid, thus assisting the utility in grid stability.
All these factors have led the Public Utilities Commission to advance a new solar plus storage program.
Ratepayers choosing to participate in the program should contact a solar installer.
HECO established a web page and a question and answer web page to assist ratepayers in understanding the program.
The desire is to increase rooftop solar and batteries as soon as possible, so there is a higher reward for early subscribers and decreasing reward for later subscribers.
To get the incentive, the battery must be installed after June 1, 2021. The program will run through June 2023, or until 50 MW has been installed.
No new solar panels are required for those with panels.
Up to 5 kW of new panels may be added under existing programs including Net Energy Metering, Customer Self-Supply, Customer Grid-Supply, Customer Grid-Supply Plus, Smart Export, or Standard Interconnection Agreement programs….
(Get batteries so you can be one of the children of light.)
Reality: Crichton: Environmentalism is a religion
read … O`ahu Ratepayers Are Being Incentivized to Install Batteries
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