National Republicans Sue Hawaii over Election Rolls
Kaiser health care workers strike for better wages
Interisland flights emit about 30% more carbon than all forms of ground transportation combined
CB: … Kamahele and other plaintiffs in the historic Navahine settlement are pushing back against a major element of the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation’s plan for reaching the goal. The issue: the department’s proposal to use what’s known as sustainable aviation fuel or SAF— essentially the airplane equivalent of biodiesel — for interisland flights.
The department’s proposed plan to use the fuel aligns with the view of the aviation industry and fuel producers — as well as a local grower of oily plants that can be converted into sustainable aviation fuel — that SAF is the most practical choice to reduce emissions.
But the plaintiffs have a different view.
“The bottom line is to be completely carbon or 100% emission free by 2045: that’s just the bottom line,” said Kamahele, a 17-year-old….
Interisland flights emit about 30% more carbon than all forms of ground transportation combined.
(Too bad we don’t have the Superferry.)
SAF, she said, is “not 100% carbon free, which is what we’re looking for.”
An alternative solution: “I’m very interested in fully electric planes,” said the 17-year old (with complete seriousness) ….
read … Teens Who Sued Hawai‘i Say State’s Climate Plan For Aviation Doesn’t Fly - Honolulu Civil Beat
Blangiardi: Rail will carry 25,000 passengers daily
CB: … Starting Thursday the city will operate 16 miles of rail line and 13 stations, a route that could become the transportation backbone from East Kapolei to Middle Street. But no one knows yet how many people will ride it.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said he hopes to have 25,000 boardings per day a year from now but acknowledges the city is “in uncharted waters.”
(RANDOM APHORISM: ‘Under project. Over deliver.’)
Blangiardi said Monday in an interview that he intends to seize the moment by launching a yearlong, $1 million public relations campaign to sell the benefits of rail to weary highway commuters to get them on board.
“You have to remember, we’re trying to overcome almost two decades of negativity and cynicism about this system,” he told Civil Beat. …
The updated Honolulu rail plan that was finalized three years ago projected a ridership of 84,000 daily boardings once the Skyline system is extended from East Kapolei to Kakaʻako, but that target is still years away. The last three miles of the route to Kakaʻako won’t be finished until 2030.
Until then ridership will be significantly lower, in large part because of the rail line’s limited reach (enter excuse here).
Honolulu’s Mostly Empty Trains
Skyline has provided on-time service more than 99% of the time for 11 of the past 12 months, according to city data, but the trains ran mostly empty because the system does not extend to any employment hubs (enter excuse here).
Last month, for example, daily ridership on the East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium rail segment ranged from a low of 1,842 boardings on Sept. 21 to a high of 7,519 on an exceptionally busy Saturday, Sept. 13….
read … Will 4 New Stations And A $1 Million Ad Campaign Attract More Rail Riders? - Honolulu Civil Beat
Bill 9 Proposal: We will steal ‘only’ 2,500 TVRs
KHON: … They released recommendations today that included letting more than 50 buildings on the so-called “Minatoya List” get a proposed new hotel district designation.
That would spare about 4,500 out of nearly 7,000 units. The public got a chance to weigh in on the idea.
(REALITY: “Eminent domain ain’t free.” DO THE MATH: 4,500 x $500K = $2.25B)
The council group mentioned sea level rise as among the reasons not to force some buildings to change back to only long-term rentals.
“When we’re looking at the sea level rise and the places that are in this, we’re looking at the year 2100 and that’s a long time from now to be looking too far ahead when our people need something right now,” Paele Kiakona, a Lahaina Strong organizer (meth dealer’s son), said….
(Worth $2.25B?)
The council group also recommended that vacation rentals in apartment districts located on Molokai not be phased out, regardless of what occurs on Maui island.
For more information, read the study presented at the Members of the Housing and Land Use Committee….
REALITY—FOR THOSE WHO CAN FACE IT: Meet the Meth Gang Behind ‘Lahaina Strong’
CB: Controversial Bill To Phase Out Maui Vacation Rentals Could Get Watered Down - Honolulu Civil Beat
read … Bill 9 reviewed: Maui vacation rentals could be spared
Pa’ia Elementary School reopens – was closed three weeks by bum fire
KITV: … Pa’ia Elementary School will resume in-person learning on Wednesday after the completion of post brush fire clean-up efforts and environmental testing.
The school remained closed for the first part of the week, Oct. 13 and 14, and distance learning continued. Ongoing environmental cleanup efforts took place on campus after the brush fire on Sept. 23….
read … Pa’ia Elementary School reopens on Wednesday | News | kitv.com
Thousands of Kaiser Permanente employees begin five-day strike
HNN: … Healthcare workers from more than 500 hospitals and clinics have joined the strike across California and Hawaii….
MN: Kaiser Permanente workers in Hawaii go on strike | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News
KITV: Kaiser Permanente Hawaii strike impacts patient care statewide | News | kitv.com
HPR: Kaiser Permanente workers in Hawaiʻi begin 5-day strike | Hawai'i Public Radio
read … Thousands of Kaiser Permanente employees begin five-day strike
TheBus riders urged to make alternate plans as drivers’ contract talks continue
SA: … Oahu Transit Services, which operates TheBus and TheHandi-Van routes for the City & County of Honolulu, is urging its 130,000 daily riders of TheBus to consider alternative transportation plans after officials say they received inquiries about a possible strike by bus drivers.
According to OTS, the Hawaii Teamsters Local 996, which represents the employees, has denied it has plans for a strike and asserts that it is not obligated to give advance notice of a strike. OTS officials said in a news release Monday night that it has asked the union for at least one week’s advance notice of a strike, but the union has not agreed….
SA: Oahu Transit Services, union at odds | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
KHON: No bus strike planned, but OTS says it has to be ready
read … TheBus riders urged to make alternate plans as drivers’ contract talks continue | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Alaska-Hawaiian Airline Deal Challengers Get New Shot at Lawsuit
B: … Consumer plaintiffs that sought to halt Alaska Air Group Inc.'s acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines can refile their case, after the Ninth Circuit ruled Tuesday that a lower court was wrong in dismissing the complaint for good.
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in an unpublished memorandum opinion instructed the trial court to allow the plaintiffs to amend their complaint.
“Here, amendment would not be futile because Plaintiffs could cure their pleadings by alleging additional facts in support of standing, such as specific travel plans and the effects of the merger on those plan,” the appellate court said. ...
BH: Can Travelers Really Undo Alaska’s Hawaiian Airlines Takeover? - Beat of Hawaii
read … Alaska-Hawaiian Airline Deal Challengers Get New Shot at Lawsuit
Honolulu City Council postpones fare increases for public transit
SA: … A Honolulu City Council measure to increase fares for riders of TheBus, TheHandi-Van and Skyline for the first time since 2022 stalled Tuesday.
The Council’s Budget Committee voted unanimously to postpone Bill 54 — a measure formally requested by the city Department of Transportation Services — citing the need to further study a measure that calls for a new fare structure for the city’s public transit system….
read … Honolulu City Council postpones fare increases for public transit | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Soft on Crime: 24-time Convicted Felon Finally gets a Federal Case
SA: … A 54-year-old man with two dozen STATE felony convictions will face FEDERAL charges connected to three gun crimes over a six month period in 2023 and 2024….
Rapozo has 42 prior state convictions, including for assaulting a police officer, burglary, felony theft, breaking into a car, violating parole, assault and felony drug offenses.
Of the 42 prior state convictions, 24 are for felony offenses….
Rapozo was out on bail in a STATE case when he was arrested Oct. 11, 2024, on a federal warrant …
(HAWAII STATE JUDICIARY: Where a 42-time loser can get bail.)
read … Man with 24 felony convictions facing federal firearm charges | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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