Hawaii News

Archive for August, 2009

The U.S. Com- mission on Civil Rights has sent a letter to congres- sional leaders urging opposition to the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, also known as the Akaka Bill.

Programs focused on career preparation and technical training for Native Hawaiians will soon receive almost $12.2 million from the federal government.

The “Mighty Mo,” the World War II battleship best known for hosting the formal surrender of Japan in 1945, is heading to the shipyard for repairs.

Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto says she intends to again seek the authority to replace the principals, most teachers and other staffers at public schools that have consistently failed to meet federal No Child Left Behind requirements in light of a push by President Obama’s administration for school districts to turn around the lowest-achieving public schools.

Selling Hawaii could be considered the easiest job in the world.

Kapoho Beach Lots — This half-mile stretch of coastline is unlike any other in Hawaii, a kind of Shangri-La of the Pacific.

HILO — It would be the largest disposal of assets in Hawaii County history. Yet for the past seven years, county officials have been working behind the scenes to fast-track and avoid public scrutiny of the sale of millions of dollars in county-owned land.

Plant quarantine officials said last week that laying off more than half the state’s agricultural inspectors would create such a logjam at Hawaii ports that it could cause shortages similar to those seen during shipping strikes.

LIHU‘E — Clunk. That’s the sound of an anchor being dropped on one of Hawai‘i’s most vital ecosystems — coral reef.

Residents of Kalama’ula on Moloka’i were allowed to stay in their homes as shifting winds pushed away a brushfire that had scorched more than 6,000 acres, threatening the Hotel Molokai, injuring a firefighter and burning a carport.

MEDIA RELEASE
A minor earthquake occurred at 6:16:11 AM (HST) on Monday, August 31, 2009 .
The magnitude 3.1 event occurred 48 km (30 miles) NE of Kahakuloa, Maui.
The hypocentral depth is 10 km ( 6 miles).
More info: tux.wr.usgs.gov/Quakes/hv00035196.html

MEDIA RELEASE
The Hawai’i Police Department is investigating a theft of jewelry from a visitor in Hilo last week.
A 47-year-old Oahu woman reported that on August 24, an unknown person removed her Hawaiian Bracelet after she left it briefly unattended in a restroom at a business on Hinano Street. The 10 mm bracelet, valued at $5,000, [...]

COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEE & COUNCIL AGENDA

TUESDAY, SEPT. 1 IN KONA 
9:00 AM   FINANCE COMMITTEE
Comm.. 456  Update from the dept. of Finance’s RPT administrator
Comm.. 487  Establish budgetary independence for Leg. Auditor (Bill 131) 
Comm.. 488  Council approval for certain land transactions (Bill 132)
Comm.. 491  Mid level road – Ane Keohokalole – federal project (Bill 134)  $10 million [...]

Dates and Times for 2009 Events

29 August 2009 – Investiture of Royal Court, Puu Honua o Honaunau, 10:00am
4 September 2009 – Ms. Aloha Nui Pageant, Waikoloa Beach Marriott Hotel, 6:00pm
5 September 2009 – Poke Contest, Waikoloa Beach Marriott Hotel, 11:00am
6 September 2009 – Kindy Sproat Falsetto Contest, Waikoloa Beach Marriott Hotel, 2:00pm
19 September 2009 – [...]

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Recovery Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Businesses

DOT’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization to Create New Bond Fee Reimbursement Program
WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $20 million in recovery funds to create the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Bonding Assistance Program, an initiative that will help [...]

Two Hawaii companies have been awarded additional work under contracts they previously received from the Department of Defense.

Aloha Pacific Federal Credit Union is merging with the First Insurance Federal Credit Union, the second Aloha Pacific merger in the past year.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System facility, located 800 miles southwest of Hawaii, has been cleaned and permanently closed.

The Pacific Health Research Institute has received $2.8 million from the National Cancer Institute to continue a major lung cancer screening study in Hawaii for the next two years.