Hokulia Bypass: A week late and Star-Bulletin STILL gets it wrong

SB:  Suit to block Hwy dismissed

www.InverseCondemnation.com  ...after reading the headline in a Honolulu Star-Bulletin story on the recent Hawaii Supreme Court decision in the Kona bypass condemnations, "Suit to block highway is dismissed" I was left wondering whether there was another case going on over the Hokulia road that I didn't know about.  Turns out no, there's just the two, the headline just got it very, very wrong....

read more ...

SB: Group aims to impeach Hannemann over rail

A new citizens group is trying to impeach Mayor Mufi Hannemann, alleging the second-term mayor used taxpayers' money to mislead voters into supporting the city's $5 billion rail transit project. ...

The group, www.ImpeachMufi.com, a sort of a carbon copy of the anti-rail group Stop Rail Now, said it is launching a drive to gather 5,000 signatures on a petition for impeachment.

The petition would be filed in Circuit Court, which would hold hearings on the charges, according to the City Charter. Honolulu's mayor can be impeached for wrongdoing or inaction.

Advertiser: Rail enters defining year

Hawaii Liberty Chronicles: Impeach Mufi Launched Today

HR: Hannemann's Inaugural Address

read more ...

Lingle asks feds to declare ag disaster on Oahu, Kauai

State Board of Agriculture chairwoman Sandra Lee Kunimoto said Friday that there have been reports of "significant damage" to crops due to the week of foul weather that ended Dec. 16. A disaster declaration would mean farmers would be able to apply for federal assistance, such as low-interest loans.

Related Global Cooling News:  Expect winter to be extra rainy

read more ...

Whipsawed: Judge rules height limits apply to Maui Lani

WAILUKU -- A Maui Circuit Court judge has ordered Maui County to apply an existing grading law to two Maui Lani subdivisions, saying that former Mayor Alan Arakawa had no authority to waive the law affecting the two projects.

In a findings and order issued Wednesday, 2nd Circuit Judge Joel August granted a partial summary judgment that requires the county to apply a 1991 standard for height of buildings on land that has been filled -- which is 30 feet above the original "natural grade."

The order prohibits Maui County from issuing building permits that conflict with the current height limits in two Maui Lani projects -- the Fairways at Maui Lani and the New Sand Hills, which is currently marketed as Sand Hills Estates.

LINK: Maui Lani, Sandhills Estates

read more ...