1,511 COVID Cases in One Day--12.64% of tests positive
State budget windfall opens way for tax cuts
Appeals court affirms federal authority to ban cockfighting in US territories
Maui County Plastic disposal foodware ban effective on New Year’s Day
Hawaii Roads 2nd Worst in USA
Redistricting: Big Island Democrats Sense Opportunity to Disenfranchise Oahu Voters By Excluding More Military Dependents from Count
CB: … Mugiishi indicated that the commission still plans to wrap up its work by Feb. 27, a deadline set by the Hawaii Supreme Court. If new data from the military prompts any changes to legislative districts, those would need to be done “in flight,” Mugiishi said.
The commission will meet again on Jan. 3 to reevaluate its redistricting proposals and any data it gets from the military.
In August, the commission subtracted about 65,000 military personnel and dependents from Hawaii’s population to start the redistricting process. That’s far less than the 108,000 non-residents that were subtracted from the population number in the last reapportionment process a decade ago.
That apparently raised concerns with commission staff, who tried to get better data from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. “INDOPACOM told the commission that was the best information available,” Royce Jones, a consultant for the commission, said during a presentation Thursday.
After public pressure in September, Jones and the commission staff circled back with the military and again requested data on the residence status of military personnel.
Specifically, the commission asked how many personnel and their dependents claimed addresses outside of the state in the latest U.S. census. In November, INDOPACOM responded with a new data set showing that tens of thousands more should have been subtracted from the population count.
Jones said the staff asked the military to reconcile those two data sets, but did not get a response in time for Wednesday’s meeting.…
SA: Abercrombie, neighborhood boards rally against Reapportionment Commission map
2021: Act 14: Military and Students will be Counted for Apportionment—Big Island Dems Threaten Trumpy Lawsuit
2020: Trump’s Case For Excluding Illegal Aliens From Census is Based on Hawaii Apportionment Ruling
KITV: Community testifies on proposed new Hawaii district lines
SA: Residents reject redrawn Hawaii district maps, call out lack of transparency
read … Inconsistencies In Data From U.S. Military May Hold Up Hawaii Redistricting
Two Red Hill spills could be linked with one much larger than reported
HNN: … The Navy says it’s cleaned up past spills under regulatory oversite and is working to restore fresh drinking water to thousands of families with industrial filtration systems.
“There is no other emergent need to take any other action or to take another action to protect human health and the environment,” said Craig Jensen, attorney for U.S. Pacific Fleet.
The Navy believes a November 20 spill of 14,000 thousand gallons of fuel and water is likely the source of contamination, but the Sierra Club pointed out, it may be linked to a May 6 spill that could be larger than originally reported.
“We heard from Captain Meyer that maybe there was a release not of 1,600 gallons, but maybe it was a release that was closer to 19,000 gallons. This is the existential threat that we face,” said David Henkins, attorney for Sierra Club….
A hearings officer is expected to issue a judgment to the Deputy Director of Health early next week. That will determine if DOH moves forward with its emergency order to the Navy to drain the tanks….
SA Editorial: Navy fuel tanks imperil Oahu aquifer
SAME: Fueling Upgrades Bring Efficiencies for the Pacific Fleet
read … Two Red Hill spills could be linked with one much larger than reported
City Attorney Kicked Off HPD Shooting Lawsuit For Creating A Conflict Of Interest
CB: … In late October, a city attorney representing three Honolulu police officers argued in court that the officers were not liable for the shooting death of Kyle Thomas because they were acting within the scope of their employment.
That day, the same attorney, who was also representing the City and County of Honolulu in the same civil rights lawsuit, argued that the case against the city should be thrown out because the officers were not acting within their scope of employment when Thomas, 26, was shot to death in Mililani on Feb. 20, 2019.
This week, Magistrate Judge Kenneth Mansfield removed that city attorney, Kyle Chang, from the case for creating a conflict of interest….
PDF: Order to Disqualify
read … City Attorney Kicked Off HPD Shooting Lawsuit For Creating A Conflict Of Interest
Renewable Energy Isn’t Necessarily Renewable or Energy
IM: … the fastest way to achieve 100% renewable energy is to define whatever is being used is renewable energy.
Many states including Hawaii rely on a definition of renewable energy that excludes all impacts: financial, cultural, environmental, and climate change.
Chopping down old growth forests, breaking the wood up by using the dirtiest coal-powered equipment possible, flying it to Hawai`i on the dirtiest fossil fuel belching airplanes, and burning it where 5% is converted into electricity and 95% of the energy is wasted, counts as renewable energy under Hawai`i law.
“Renewable Energy” does not have to be renewable, energy, clean, sustainable, or anything else….
read … Renewable Energy Isn`t Necessarily Renewable or Energy
Hawaii Council passes glyphosate ban at county parks: ‘Emotion not Science’
HTH: … The County Council on Wednesday passed a bill banning the use of Round-Up or other glyphosate-based herbicides at county parks, sending it to Mayor Mitch Roth, who is expected to sign it.
Bill 91, sponsored by Kona Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas, bans herbicides containing glyphosate at all county Parks and Recreation facilities on the island except the Hilo Municipal Golf Course, Hilo Drag Strip and all county cemeteries. The ban would go into effect July 1….
15 people sent in written testimony opposing the bill and a handful also testified against it at the meeting. Michael Konowicz, a Waikoloa resident who has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, said much of the problem attributed to glyphosate comes from improper use of the herbicide. The county would be better off making sure workers and residents understood safe use of the product.
“The science clearly shows that there are no risks of human health when glyphosate is used according to the label and that it is definitely not a carcinogen,” Konowicz said. “Attributing health risks to an ingredient proven safe and effective by scientists around the world and embracing non-scientific opinion or emotion does more harm to the community than glyphosate could ever do.”
Kohala Councilman Tim Richards, a veterinarian, was the only no in the 8-1 vote. He said the bill is “anti-agriculture,” fearing it will be a stepping stone to further bans of chemicals needed for farming, even as the island strives to increase its agricultural production.
“I do not support this because i’ts not founded on science; it’s founded on emotion,” Richards said….
Council Chairwoman Maile David said Bill 91 doesn’t address private property at all. That debate would come before a future County Council, if at all, she said.
“Had this applied to farmers and ranchers, I would not be supporting that,” David said.
read … Council passes glyphosate ban at county parks
A Memoir By A Former Hawaii AG Doesn’t Name Names
CB: … There are more revelations like this one, including on why it took Senate Judiciary Chair Clayton Hee so long to confirm Louie’s own appointment. (I covered those hearings, too — click here and here.)
“Senator Hee was a longtime legislator with a reputation as an intelligent and clever bully who would push his weight around to achieve his goals,” Louie writes.
I won’t say more, except to say that Hee did not get what he wanted from Louie….
He also does not name the senator who wanted the AG’s help in eviscerating the state ethics law “to allow legislators to accept unlimited amounts of food and drink, even a container truck full of steaks, produce and liquor, without breaking the laws.”…
HB: The senator’s office claimed the attorney general had drafted it
read … A Memoir By A Former Hawaii AG Fills In Some Holes In Recent State History
Hawaii Biden Popularity top in USA at 54%
PPUSA: … Hawaii backs Biden at 54%, Vermont at 52%. In no other state does Biden break 50% ….
read .,.. Hawaii Biden Popularity top in USA at 54%
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