New Hawaii Laws taking effect January 1, 2023
Five Red Light Camera Sites Now Active
Sue and Settle: Enviros gain Control over 275,000 acres in Hawaii
Maui Mayor-Elect Bissen Names More Appointees, Inauguration Set for January 2, 2023
AG Urged to Investigate Board of Bishop Museum
SA: … An art dealer and an anthropologist have filed a complaint with the state Department of the Attorney General accusing Bishop Museum’s board of directors of breaching their fiduciary duties and squandering the museum’s charitable assets.
Caroline Yacoe, owner of Pacific Pathways and a specialist in Melanesian art, joined Roger Rose, an anthropologist, to file the complaint with the department’s Tax and Charities Division on Dec. 21….
The 14-page complaint, filed by the pair on behalf of “concerned citizens in the community,” calls for an investigation of the board after three museum executives were placed on paid administrative leave six months ago over alleged workplace concerns….
Ide and her supporters believe the board’s actions are jeopardizing $17.3 million in state funding that was appropriated by state lawmakers for the coming fiscal year, and $10 million in recurring state funds that had been in discussion for 2024, as well as fundraising for a $5 million strategic initiative, membership, community donations, a partnership with Kamehameha Schools, as well as the loss of trust of the Waipio taro farmers and the Amy B.H. Greenwell Garden….
ACCORDING TO the board’s website, the members are Wayne M. Pitluck, chair; Ann Botticelli, first vice chair; Todd Apo, second vice chair; Valerie Shintaku, secretary; Danny K. Akaka Jr.; Maenette Benham; Lauran Bromley; Amanda Ellis; Elizabeth Rice Grossman; Ide; Patrick V. Kirch; Anton C. Krucky; Watters O. Martin Jr.; James Moniz; John Morgan; Lance Parker; William “Billy” K. Richards Jr.; Michael Takayama; and Gaylord Wilcox….
HNN: HNN has also learned the board will hold a meeting about the internal investigation later this month.
PDF: AG complaint – Bishop Museum
Background: Final nail in the coffin for Bishop Museum?
read … Inquiry into board of Bishop Museum is sought
COVID impact to linger: Schools chief says it will be years before students recover academically
HTH: … “Nationally, they’re saying three to five years is a general recovery as a result of the pandemic,” he said during a livestream with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Friday. “We’re going to do our best to expedite that as quickly as possible.”
The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report Card, found eighth-grade math scores were hit hard by the pandemic.
Among the 8,000 Hawaii public school students surveyed across 140 schools, eighth-grade math proficiency levels dropped from 2019 to 2022 and were below the national average….
“We know test scores are just one snippet to show how students are performing at that point in time,” Hawaii State Teachers Association Vice President Logan Okita told the Tribune-Herald on Tuesday. “There are so many variables, especially for our middle schoolers, that come into play when they’re taking an assessment like that, and we as a system need some time and support in order to develop our programs a little bit better from our kindergarten level up, so that our students are prepared by the time they’re in eighth grade.”
(Translation: Today's students are doomed. There is no plan to help them recover from COVID-related academic losses. Only when these students graduate out of the system will we be back to 'normal.')
The 2022 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a charitable foundation based in Baltimore, found that just 22% of eighth-grade students in Hawaii were at or above the proficiency level in math, a decrease from 28% in 2019….
The HSTA … focus is on revising Act 51, known as the Reinventing Education Act of 2004, which lists per-pupil funding ratios that impact rural districts to ensure adequate staffing, curriculum and supplies for the neighbor islands….
(Translation: HSTA says ‘money’.)
Oct, 2022: Fake it to Make it: The whole DoE gets shut down and test scores don’t drop
read … COVID impact to linger: Schools chief says it will be years before students recover academically
Green: Emergency rules still needed to tackle fallout from air ambulance crash
HNN: … Since Dec. 16, the state has deployed two helicopters and one of its planes while the U.S. Coast Guard is using one of its C-130 aircraft to fill the gap.
Hawaii Life Flight also brought in two of its jets from the mainland during the emergency period, which lasts until Jan. 6.
Green said 52 neighbor island patients have been transported to Oahu hospitals during the emergency period.
“I extended it 10 days today mostly because the personnel that are on the jets that Hawaii Life Flight brought in needed to have credentialing,” Green said.
“These are, of course, people in good standing. These are nurses and medics and pilots. But they’re operating some of our machinery so they’re able to operate here.”…
NEWS RELEASE: GOV. GREEN EXTENDS EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION IN RESPONSE TO HAWAI’I LIFE FLIGHT INCIDENT
read … Green: Emergency rules still needed to tackle fallout from air ambulance crash
Hawaii County Legal Fireworks sales strong ahead of New Year’s festivities
HTH: … Joe Tawater of Pacific Fireworks in Ilima Court in Kailua-Kona has been selling the pyrotechnics for over 16 years and said he had a record breaking first day of sales on Monday.
Last year, Tawater had sold out his inventory by New Year’s Eve, the first time since he has been selling them, which resulted in his supplier opting to increase this year’s supply for his family run business.
“Locals believe if they want things to change in the new year they need to blow stuff up,” he said. “People want the red paper firecrackers and fountains.”…
Firecrackers permits are available at fireworks vending outlets as well as Parker Ranch Shopping Center Food Court in Waimea from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Saturday; the Fire Administration Office located at the Hilo County Building, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday, and the Kona Fire Prevention Office, located at the West Hawaii Civic Center, by appointment only through Friday. Call (808) 323-4760 to set up an appointment.
Each permit costs $25 and entitles a holder 18 years and older to purchase 5,000 individual firecrackers. Multiple permit purchases are authorized. Fireworks sales began Monday and end at midnight on New Year’s Eve, which is Saturday.
Permits are not required for novelties and paperless firecrackers, such as cylindrical fountains, cone fountains, wheels, illuminating torches and colored fire-dipped sticks, sparklers and salutes.
Setting off fireworks for New Year celebrations is allowed between 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and 1 a.m. on New Year’s Day….
Big Q: Are you in favor of stronger and truly enforceable legislation to control illegal fireworks?
read … Fireworks sales strong ahead of New Year’s festivities
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