Hawaii's permitting headaches: 'stories of anger and frustration'
HD39: Rep Pierick ahead 20 votes with 75 ballots to 'cure'
Washington Monument Strategy
Trump support grows in blue state Hawaii
SA: … Since his first run for president in 2016, support for President-elect Donald Trump has steadily increased among Hawaii voters, just like it did this year in other politically deep-blue states from California to New York.
Just like in California and New York, Trump has never won in Hawaii but has seen his popularity among isle voters consistently rise.
In his 2016 race against Hillary Clinton, Trump drew 29.4% of Hawaii’s voter turnout of 437,664. He went on to win his first term in the White House despite losing in states including Hawaii.
In 2020, Trump unsuccessfully ran against President Joe Biden while his support in Hawaii increased to 34% of all 579,784 votes cast.
And this year, Trump received 37.1% of 521,032 island votes….
CB: Trump's Support In Hawaii Has Grown Since He First Appeared On Ballots In 2016
read … Trump support grows in blue state Hawaii
Democrats and the Case of Mistaken Identity Politics
NYT: … A revealing chart that ran in The Financial Times showed that white progressives hold views far to the left of the minorities they champion. White progressives think at higher rates than Hispanic and Black Americans that “racism is built into our society.” Many more Black and Hispanic Americans surveyed, compared with white progressives, responded that “America is the greatest country in the world.”…
N: Bill Maher Mocks Kamala Harris' Election Loss With McDonald's Job Quip - Newsweek
read … Opinion | Democrats and the Case of Mistaken Identity Politics - The New York Times
Vacation rentals bill shelved: Council decides contentious measure too complicated in current state
HTH: … A proposal by the Hawaii County Council to revamp how the county regulates short-term vacation rentals could start again from scratch.
At Friday’s meeting of the council’s Committee on Planning, Land Use and Development, council members once again discussed Bill 121, a controversial measure that would establish new conditions and standards for how short-term vacation rentals — redefined within the bill as “transient accommodation rentals,” or TARs — are operated.
The bill has been under discussion for the better part of a year, and has been amended four times. But while the committee on Friday once again moved to postpone decision-making on the measure, members this time considered whether the bill has become too unwieldy.
After lengthy discussions about five new proposed amendments to Bill 121, Hamakua Councilwoman Heather Kimball, introducer of the bill, asked her colleagues whether the council should continue to tweak the existing bill, or if it should be scrapped and replaced with a new bill that streamlines the now 30-page-long proposal….
read … Vacation rentals bill shelved: Council decides contentious measure too complicated in current state
Bill 62 nullifies fire sprinkler installation requirements
SA: … with no discussion, Council members gave Bill 62, “A Bill for an Ordinance Relating to Fire Safety,” its second reading, moving it one step closer to potential passage — and moving one step closer to extending or even nullifying fire sprinkler installation requirements for Honolulu’s high-rise residential buildings.
As the law now stands, by 2038 high-rise condos must install automatic fire sprinkler systems, or alternatively add fire prevention and safety systems that meet requirements of an HFD-administered “fire and life safety evaluation.” Action, in most cases, will be required within this decade: Buildings are required to pass the safety evaluation, should they choose that tack, by 2030, unless opting to add sprinklers.
HFD didn’t make a stand on Bill 62 last week, though fire officials were at the Council meeting to back Blangiardi’s fireworks veto. …
read … Editorial: Act decisively on condo sprinklers
$63M: How much will Ala Wai bridge cost?
SA: … The Ala Wai Pedestrian Bridge, also known as Ala Pono, is estimated to cost about $63 million, of which about 80% would be paid by federal funding and 20% by city funds, according to Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services.
Two workshops to gather additional public input on the preferred bridge design will be held at the Ala Wai Elementary School cafeteria, 503 Kamoku St., on the following dates and times:
>> Nov. 20 from 6 to 9 p.m.
>> Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m….
SA: Editorial: Keep open mind on $63.3M Ala Wai bridge | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
read … Kokua Line: How much will Ala Wai bridge cost? | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Yearlong renovation of Maui’s War Memorial Stadium could pave way for Hula Bowl, concerts, rodeos
MN: … To be able to attract University of Hawaiʻi football games and other big events in the future, Maui County plans to shut down War Memorial Stadium in June of 2025 for a one-year renovation project.
The stadium in Wailuku was originally set to be shut down during the current school year, but permit and supply delays pushed things back. The county is still waiting on final permits for the project, but confirmed the details of the closure timeline to Hawai’i Journalism Initiative on Tuesday. …
The $8.62 million project includes electrical upgrades, a new scoreboard, renovations to the press box built in 1971 and repairing the metal bleachers, which were installed in 1998 for hosting the first of eight consecutive Hula Bowls, the postseason All-Star game for college players….
With the closure of Aloha Stadium on Oʻahu in December 2020 and its pending demolition, War Memorial Stadium became the largest football facility in the state with seating capacity for 15,631 fans.
But the bleachers installed in both end zones of War Memorial Stadium for the Hula Bowl, which account for about half of the fan seating, were deemed unsafe to use in 2023 due to badly rusted screws, nuts and bolts that hold them together….
But when this project and the already underway $28.5 million renovation to the War Memorial Gymnasium structure are completed, Central Maui will have two more quality athletic venues to complement the Maehara Baseball Stadium and Sakamoto Pool.
“It’s going to be the nicest multi-field, multi-arena facility in the state,” Dudoit said.…
read … Yearlong renovation of War Memorial Stadium could pave way for Hula Bowl, concerts, rodeos
42 Time Loser out on bail, does it again—Catches Federal Case
SA: … A 54-year-old career criminal arrested in January for breaking into the Oahu Country Club is in federal custody after he was charged with a firearm offense following a traffic collision.
Jon Frederick Rapozo was out on bail in a state case when he was arrested Oct. 11 on a federal warrant after being charged by criminal complaint Oct. 10 with being a felon in possession of ammunition. He is scheduled for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rom A. Trader on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion Oct. 16 to detain Rapozo without bail.
Rapozo has 42 prior state convictions Opens in a new tab, including for assaulting a police officer, burglary, felony theft, breaking into a car, violating parole, assault and felony drug offenses….
On May 21, FBI agents interviewed Rapozo and showed him a photo of the firearm and ammunition recovered from his car. Rapozo allegedly admitted to FBI agents that the pistol recovered was his.
“I don’t even know where I got that one from,” Rapozo allegedly told the agents, noting that he “didn’t even know it was in there.”
Rapozo allegedly explained that the gun was “broken” and that it “didn’t even work.”
He allegedly told FBI agents that when he “bought guns on the street” they would sometimes come with a box of ammunition. Rapozo alleged that he would buy ammunition from a store on a particular street because they would not check his identification….
He also allegedly told the agents that he had “previously been imprisoned for 30 years.”
read … Kailua man, 54, in federal custody on ghost gun charge | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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