...Parents encouraged to provide feedback on their child’s public school....

...

...TMT Protest Site on Maunakea Left Covered in Trash....

...DBEDT had non-general funds with balances totaling $5.75 million and administratively created non-general funds with balances totaling more than $750,000 that were not reported to the 2019 Legislature as required by HRS....

...In FY 2019, total State tax collections were $8.28 billion, a 4.8% increase from FY 2018 which were $7.9 billion....

...After this one-two punch, many more businesses that sell to Hawaii customers are going to find themselves with Hawaii tax obligations....

...votes cast and bills introduced....

...The completion of large grid-scale projects and thousands of residential solar systems provided the largest-ever annual increase in solar capacity....

...Results of State VEX Robotics Championships....

...Current list of Firearms-related Bills introduced in the 2020 legislative session....

...The sales tax in Hawaii has a broad base that include many business-to-business services....

...Ige plans to “boost” the construction industry by increasing the number of public works projects....

...2020’s States with the Most Racial Progress....

...Smoking doesn’t just ruin your health. It can also burn a nasty hole through your wallet....

...“A pilot flying his eighth 50-minute tour in one day. Without instrument certification and flying in a rough and variable terrain, rapidly changing weather environment, on visual flight rules only (solely what he could see).  According to a close-by witness and other observations, probably in ‘20 ft visibility in rain and fog.’ No flight tracking equipment aboard....

...The average age of death amongst this vulnerable population here on O‘ahu was 54.4 years old....

...Hawaii County had the lowest self-sufficiency income requirements among all counties....

...Active voters should expect to receive the postcard within the next seven to ten days confirming they are properly registered....

"...ADC acknowledged that there is some criminal activity going on but said they did not want to send sheriffs there and clear it out because criminals would just come back...."

"...legislative package of bills to reduce income inequality...."

...Pacific Quest Corp operating two illegal special treatment facilities or therapeutic living programs....

...$87,000 to the Center for Food Safety....

...HSTA got $45M in a contract reopener April 1, 2019.  On December 5, 2019 HSTA and DoE announced a massive pay hike for teachers working in so-called 'hard to fill' positions.  Now in a January 10, 2020, anouncement, the HSTA and Kishimoto are proposing to bump thousands of union members up five steps....

“...It is now time to utilize these rules to address the issues with excessive traffic that have been raised, as well as to issue new permits for commercial tour operations....”

... votes and bills introduced from GovTrack.us ....

...Common Cause Hawaii will be holding a meeting about the 2020 Hawaii State Legislative Session on Saturday, January 25....

...To volunteer to fill a NB vacancy, apply to the NB Chair....

...the reasons for an ever-increasing “living wage” have been a second tier topic of discussion....

...92 people have been placed into housing as a direct result of the consultation they received when visiting the Pūnāwai Rest Stop. Along with housing, 35 individuals have found employment through the services offered at Pūnāwai, and another 10 people have entered into substance abuse treatment....

"...DPP should convert from its inefficient plan-review operation to an inspection-driven model...."

...Hawaii Family Advocates intends to monitor the Hawaii Legislature and testify and otherwise weigh in on bills....

...“Inspiring Nationally Vibrant Economies Sustaining Tribes (INVEST) Act"....

...When you’ve dug an $88 billion hole, you need to stop digging....

...This week, the Honolulu Police Commission ousted vocal Kealoha critic, Loretta Sheehan, from her Chair position. Additionally, it was reported that the Federal Public Defender for 24 years, Peter Wolff, who originally exposed the crimes of former City Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha and former Chief of Police Louis Kealoha, will also be ousted from his job....

...from Tyler Trent, Native Hawaiian physics student....

...tax assessments were inconsistent and inequitable, exemption and dedication property requirements were violated, and taxes assessed did not reflect the highest and best use of the properties....

...an ineffective communications system that sometimes prevents riders from making reservations, drops calls, and does not record voicemail complaints....

...Grassroot Institute of Hawaii urges the Legislature to rein in spending and taxes....

...video takes on Hawaii's high cost of living, with some quick examples, then some suggestions advising how to help fix it....

"...We found that the Department of Planning and Permitting does not effectively manage the permitting process for timeliness...."

...Hawaii women who were full-time wage and salary workers had median usual weekly earnings of $797, or 82.6 percent of the $965 median usual weekly earnings of their male counterparts....

...The New Year's Barely Started & There's Already A Cover-Up at OHA....

... The lawsuit could have far broader implications for the AG’s office given the large number of national cases the Hawaii AG’s office involves itself in.  How many of those cases are driven by the profit interest of private law firms? ....

...the administrative asset forfeiture rules will become effective on January 17, 2020....

...We at Hawai’i Free Press only needed 30 minutes to write this point-by-point rebuttal.  Yes.  It is that easy....

...from 2014 to 2019, Tong used an alias to act as property manager and landlord for five properties she rented to Section 8 voucher holders....

...Alaska professor compares Jones Act to other forms of cabotage....

...Notice of Anticipated Judicial Vacancies – Two (2) District Judges, District Court of the First Circuit and District Family Judge, First Circuit (island of O’ahu)....

...Will we see the same issues arise in 2020 or will there be new ones?....

...Maui Electric purchased the assets of the Lanai City power plant in 1988....

...Could the real estate market put 100s of Hawaiian families into the DHHL homes they have been waiting for?....

...Former OHA CEO Kamana’o Crabbe is gone and OHA claims Crabbe’s departure shows the agency is cleaning up.  But the Board lawyer who signed off on everything is still in place....

...solar powered systems costing an average of $40,000 per classroom have started breaking down or will only work for a short time every day....

...January 5 and 6, 2020 in Waikiki and Jan 11 Panel Discussion in Nanakuli....

...bad guys ignore the law and obtain them illegally anyway....

...Meanwhile  -- ANOTHER Homeless Alleged Rapist Arrested -- Attacks in Honolulu Office Building....

...ultimately, it comes down to how far do those retirement dollars go....

...Sediment that BWS contractors failed to dredge flowed through the reservoir’s drain and was discharged into upper Nuuanu stream....

...For years PGV had been paid on an 'avoided cost' basis, thus preventing consumers from enjoying the benefit of cheap geothermal energy.  This, in turn, makes overpriced wind and solar look good....

...reject the idea that the “price of paradise” must inevitably be unreasonable....

...ensuring that four members of both the Land Use Commission and the Board of Land and Natural Resources are selected from lists submitted to the Governor by OHA....

...a commentary by Keli'i Akina published this past weekend by The Wall Street Journal generated hundreds of comments and was even picked up by the Drudge Report....

...but depression rate jumps 17.76% from 2014-2018....

...The exodus of doctors from practice in Hawai’i this year was much worse than was indicated in preliminary figures released just a few months ago....

...DHHL Responds to SCHHA Claims on Lease Cancellations....

...On Tuesday, the service delisted the Hawaiian hawk, saying the population of the bird is at least 3,000....

...DLNR-DOFAW and The Trust for Public Land (TPL) have completed the purchase of 3,716 acres – the upper Waimea watershed – from Dole....

...The deadline to submit grant applications is 4:30 p.m. January 17, 2020....