Entries for October 2021

... DOE told HSTA the Governor’s Emergency Proclamation suspends Hawaii law governing collective bargaining in public employment ....

... All active-duty Navy personnel must be vaccinated by Nov. 28 or face separation, according to a Navy administrative message released Wednesday ....

... High School Students --  16.4% Obesity Rate 15 of 51 Hawaii state rank ....

... two key Supreme Court decisions speak to the authority of state and local officials to issue vaccine mandates ....

... bills introduced and votes cast in Congress ....

... all connected to Keanu Sai collaborator Rose Dradi .... 

... PBS video: Will Hawaiʻi Become an Open-Carry State? ....

... The Judicial Selection Commission is accepting applications and nominations ....

... a difficult obstacle stands in the way of achieving the HTA action plans:  “HTA lacks authority over state and county agencies.” ....

... an economic, medical, and legal perrspective ....

... Former Hawaii Public Official Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from AmeriCorps and Offering a Bribe in Return for CARES Act Grants ....

... A professional poll of almost 1,000 people throughout the islands suggests lawmakers are ignoring what their constituents really want ....

... If there is one thing more powerful than COVID-19, apparently it’s a winning football team ....

... an additional 8% of employees were estimated to have been vaccinated as a result of the mandates. We also observed that 5.9% of employees elected regular COVID-19 testing, while 1.7% were either dismissed or resigned ....

... Sandwich Isles Communications has Publicly Stated that the Dispute with Hawaiian Tel will Affect Services ....

... deadline 2 p.m. Hawaiʻi Standard Time on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 ....

"... event planners have recently requested that the event include food, live music and tents on County property ...."

... Hawaii officials have not been transparent about the data and reasoning behind the multitude of government proclamations, mandates and shifting rules ....

... conclusions of a presentation to the Board of Land and Natural Resources ....

... all UH employees, including those who are teleworking, will be required to be fully vaccinated ....

... the county can no longer use a blanket denial process for those with harassment or disorderly conduct convictions but MUST show that the charge actually included a "crime of violence" ....

... Evaluation paused this school year for effective teachers ... Probationary teachers will still be evaluated, but with fewer observations ....

... judicial vacancies on the Circuit Court of the First Circuit (Oʻahu), Circuit Court of the Second Circuit (Maui), Circuit Court of the Third Circuit (Hawaiʻi – Kona), and the District Court of the Third Circuit, island of Hawaii ....

... The memo concludes that the State did not have the power under the Hawaii Constitution to provide for four extra HART board members.  Thus, we can basically ignore the extra folks and conduct business as if they weren’t around ....

... bills introduced and votes cast in Congress ....

... Hu Honua on the Big Island and AES on Oahu are both proposing to burn wood to generate electricity.  NRDC explains that wood burners actually produce more CO2 than coal.... 

... Speakers: Professors Avi Soifer and Eugene Kontorovich ....

"Manufactured attacks on critical race theory aim to dismantle ongoing efforts to provide an equitable education for all keiki" -- HSTA

... Six board members voted to deny the FEIS, and one abstained ....

... 50% capacity or a maximum of 1,000 attendees (whichever is smaller) ....

... Everyone attending UH home athletic events will need to comply with UH’s COVID-19 vaccination policy. This includes uploading proof of vaccination to the UH LumiSight app, receiving approval (may take up to 24 hours), passing the daily health check-in on the app and showing the green “You may report to campus” status with the current date to be allowed into the stadium on gameday ....

... cargo freight rates, Eastbound and Trans-Pacific, have gone from around $2,000-$2,500 up to $4,500 for a 40-foot dry standard box ....

... there already are foreign-owned ships transporting goods along inland waterways such as the Mississippi and Delaware rivers ....

... About 55 questions were submitted and answered during the two hour livestream hosted by Marisa Yamane ....

... Indictment Returned After Investigation Involving Seizure of 16.4 Kilograms of Methamphetamine, 3.14 Kilograms of Pills Containing Fentanyl, $400,000 in Cash ....

... Judge Otake described Kapoi’s conduct as “injecting poison” into communities that lack the resources to deal with methamphetamine addictions ....

... HSTA immediately files demands for arbitration ....

... Hawaii 46th, Nevada 14th ....

"If you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time you might suffer the scorn of residents, you could get cited, and there are 'other things' that can go wrong.”

"...The RFP’s scope of services has been modified to include destination management services, in alignment with HTA’s new vision of Malama Kuu Home (caring for my beloved home) through the principles of regenerative tourism. HTA’s objective is to help empower the community to have a greater voice in tourism’s future, with a focus on regenerating the environment, perpetuating the Hawaiian culture, recognizing Hawaii’s multiethnic cultures, and supporting responsible economic outcomes...."

... COVID cases reduced by 3,000 on Oahu ....

... the vote was unanimous for Las Vegas PD Cap't John Pelletier ....

... Utility president and CEO Scott Seu to lead parent company...Shelee Kimura appointed Hawaiian Electric president and CEO ....

“When combined with their share of the state debt, Honolulu taxpayers each owe $61,300.”

... In recent months, the United States has increased the frequency of its transits through the Taiwan Strait as a demonstration of its commitment to the island ....

... Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald has issued a first extension of an order postponing jury trials across the state through November 16, 2021 ....

... A criminal may be cutting off 911 service for some Hawaii telephone lines according to US Bankruptcy Court documents filed by attorneys for Hawaiian Tel ....

... “Growing the Good Life Begins Here” ....

... We all need to make sure that our personal health choices do not harm others ....

... how could we be in this situation again? ....