Quick Rail Boondoggle Update
Hawaii Parents Most Reliant on Child Support in USA
Final nail in the coffin for Bishop Museum?
ILind: … the museum has suffered greatly under a host of horrific directors since Donald Duckworth. The Bishop Museum was literally re-energized under the leadership of Melanie Ide, who not only brought a new vision, but also new exhibitions and public engagement under her direction. She changed the museum overnight with her energy and foresight. Melanie even obtained a 17.5-million-dollar pledge for support from the State legislature, the first time in many years, as well as other community pledges. The latest toxic episode at the Bishop Museum, triggered by the museum’s misguided board of directors, has put these pledges for funding in jeopardy. To date, the board’s actions have resulted in nothing more than a big, billable event for a Bishop Street law firm, and greatly damaged the museum’s reputation worldwide.
The current issue at hand appears to be a minor HR problem that should have been sorted out inhouse and within the ranks of the museum, instead of becoming a public spectacle. The removal of the institution’s top three officers without notice invited unhelpful and damaging speculation about serious misconduct at the museum…..
Not only is the current situation shameful and a continued blight on the Bishop Museum, it may also prove to be the final nail in the coffin for this unique, world class institution.
Hopefully, the powers that be can remove the board of directors, set term limits for board members, and reinstate Melanie Ide as the museum’s active director. The Bishop Museum must reach out for new board members worldwide with a background in science and ethnology as well as seeking out Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners who can add a much-needed voice on the board. Once this is done, the museum can rebuild under the leadership of Melanie Ide and a new board of directors. I also suggest that the Bishop Museum mark such a new beginning by removing entrance fees for kama’aina and make it accessible to all the people of Hawaii in celebration of what is a remarkable Hawaii treasure ….
read … Noted collector calls for removal of Bishop Museum board
Japan tourism falling behind expectations
SA: … the price for a Hawaii room rate in yen in October went up 80% from October 2019 when adjusted for the average October yen rate of 147….
read … Japan tourism falling behind expectations
Proposed ban on concealed weapons at ‘sensitive places’ moves forward at Council
CB: … A ban on concealed weapons in “sensitive places,” like schools and parks, moved forward at the City Council on Tuesday.
The council voted 6-2 to send Bill 57 to the Executive Matters Committee for further hearings.
Their vote came after hearing emotional testimony from both sides of the gun debate….
Bill 57 bars gun owners from carrying concealed weapons in public areas such as schools, parks, city offices and even buses.
The bill is in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision striking down broad state restrictions on carrying handguns in public.
That decision prompted about 600 Oahu residents to apply for conceal carry permits….
read … Proposed ban on concealed weapons at ‘sensitive places’ moves forward at Council
Soft on Crime: 10 Felonies in Four Years--out on Streets looking for #11
HTH: … At Sabino’s initial court appearance on Monday, Deputy Public Defender Megan Fellows moved that Sabino — who has 10 prior felony convictions — be freed on court-supervised release.
The state objected to the motion, and Hilo District Judge Jeffrey Hawk scheduled Sabino’s preliminary hearing for today and maintained his bail at $45,000.
Sabino remains in custody at Hawaii Community Correctional Center.
The most serious charge, first-degree theft, is a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
(Clue: It’ll be pled down.)
According to county Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen, if Sabino is convicted as charged, he’ll face a mandatory prison term and will not be eligible for probation….
(Key Words: “if convicted as charged”)
read … Alleged hotel car thief is a 10-time felon
Hawaii GOP Sues Elections Office Over Vote Auditing
CB: … Attorney William Dean, who is representing the Hawaii GOP, said the lawsuit is limited to auditing procedures and that it’s “not intended to be used as a vehicle to overturn the results of the election.”
The lawsuit relies on statements from election observers who say that “hand tallies” and other auditing procedures were not followed during a recent audit of the election results….
PDF: HIGOP vs Nago
KITV: Scotty Anderson: Chair of Hawaii's Elections Commission says love for politics keeps him going
read … Hawaii GOP Sues Elections Office Over Vote Auditing
A New Leak At Red Hill Dumps Hundreds Of Gallons Of Firefighting Foam
CB: … Approximately 1,100 gallons of fire-suppressing foam leaked at the Red Hill fuel facility on Tuesday, the military and Hawaii health department confirmed on Tuesday evening.
Aqueous Film Forming Foam, also known as AFFF, was released on the upper end of the facility into the aboveground soil and into the underground facility, the health department said in a news release. According to the health department, the spill is not expected to have an impact on the water supply.
“There is no evidence that drinking water was impacted,” DOH spokeswoman Kaitlin Arita-Chang said. “Drinking water remains safe to drink.”….
SA: 1,100 gallons of toxic foam spilled at Red Hill
SA: DOH decries ‘egregious’ spill of toxic chemical at Red Hill
read ... A New Leak At Red Hill Dumps Hundreds Of Gallons Of Firefighting Foam
Landfill: Waimanalo Gulch Extension Coming Next
SA Editorial: … the city could appeal Lau’s decision to the BWS board, it should not — and instead, must regroup to pursue other options.
That won’t be easy, with tough decisions to get even tougher. The city is facing a year-end deadline to name a landfill site, as ordered by the state Land Use Commission (LUC). The 2019 order requires that the new dump replace the city’s sole landfill at Waimanalo Gulch, which then must close by March 2, 2028, due to environmental justice issues. That landfill in Kapolei above Ko Olina sits on agriculture-zoned land, which requires a special use permit from the LUC.
The city seems to have little choice but to seek an extension from the LUC on picking a new site. In addition to the BWS’ aquifer concerns, site selection is further stymied by a 2020 state law called Act 73, which prohibits any waste or disposal facility in state conservation districts and requires a half-mile buffer between any disposal activity and the nearest residence, school or hospital property line.
All that makes finding a new site more difficult than ever; an interactive map of Landfill Siting Restricted Areas (see 808ne.ws/landfillmap) shows just how few viable options there are after layering in the slew of restrictions.
The urgency for a new landfill could be slowed somewhat by more recycling…
read … Only hard options for Oahu landfill
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