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

... “Good riddance!” ....

... The best news to come out of it was that our lawmakers passed a major income tax-relief bill, HB2404, which Gov. Josh Green is almost certain to sign because it was part of his much-touted "Green Affordability Plan." ....

... Because USACE is involved, 8a companies such as Dawson score no-bid contracts.  Hopefully the FBI investigation and any future indictments and arrests won't interfere with construction.  It also helps that Robin Danner scored a gig in the Governor's office ....

... DeCorte almost beat me in 2022.  By resigning, I give Green a chance to appoint a Democrat to give him a better chance for this seat in 2024 ....

... Three Words: 'Conflict Of Interest' ....

... six fig leaves ....

"... ALICE families will experience firsthand one of the biggest tax cuts in the State’s history ...."

... The bill clarifies the counties’ authority to control the time, place, manner, and duration of land uses, particularly transient accommodations including short-term rentals ....

... over the last 16 years, one bird died ....

... $297 million has been designated to aid non-FEMA eligible families ....

... Senate and House chambers passed Senate Bill 2845 that prohibits individuals under the age of 21 from purchasing or possessing ammunition ....

... "Too bad Maui didn’t learn from the City getting spanked for unconstitutionally attempting to legislatively phase out vested property rights to STRs" ....

... Hawaii ranks 47th in health care facilities per capita ....

... but Hawaii has the 5th-highest proportion of teenagers offered drugs on school grounds ....

... exempts hospitals, infirmaries, medical clinics, health care facilities, pharmacies, and medical and dental providers from General Excise Tax (GET) on goods or services that are reimbursed through Medicaid, Medicare, or TRICARE ....

... Maui’s circuit breaker offers relief to people who own and live in their homes and have filed for property tax homeowner exemptions ....

... any coffee labeled or advertised with a Hawaiʻi geographic origin must consist of at least fifty-one percent coffee by weight from that geographic region ....

... By broadening the types of shelf-stable food that can be sold and where producers can sell them, the bill ensures that local entrepreneurs have the chance to thrive while maintaining high standards of food safety ....

... to hold the Cell Carriers responsible for their failure to properly inform the Maui Police Department in a timely manner of widespread cellular service outages on August 8 to 9, 2023 ....

... There were 855,537 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in March 2024, down 5.0 percent from a year ago. Total visitor spending measured in nominal dollars was $1.76 billion, which was a drop of 4.2 percent compared to March 2023 ....

... groundwater monitoring to support the Navy’s request to reduce the amount of water being discharged into Halawa Stream from 4.5 million gallons a day to 1.8 million gallons a day ....

... 2.2% were denied due to one or more disqualifying factors ....

... 450 temporary studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom housing units across 54 acres ....

“I am concerned that the amicus brief will be perceived as an attempt by OHA to evade accountability to state ethics laws and oversight. Courts have ruled that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is a state agency whose leadership and employees are subject to the standards of conduct and behavior expected of all state personnel.” --- OHA Trustee Keli'i Akina

... over one third—or $15.3 million—went unclaimed ....

... disparities exist in local schools ....

... Halealoha Ayau and Mana Cáceres admire the craftsmanship of an 'umeke nui ....

... Edward Odquina wanted a license plate reading "FCKBLM." The city of Honolulu said no. A number of judges have now agreed ....

...completed claim forms now due no later than July 1, 2024....

... to assist residents with the process of applying for Disaster Recovery Building Permits for alterations, repairs, reconstruction and new construction of structures in areas affected by the August 2023 Maui wildfires ....

...  Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa and the Royal Lahaina Resort ....

... From expensive housing to pricey food and utility costs, you should plan on boosting your budget if you intend to retire in Hawaii ....

... but Hawaii gets only 6 of 15 points possible for ‘Include a net position not distorted by misleading and confusing deferred items.’ ....

... 300 residential lots have been returned to the county of Maui allowing homeowners to begin the rebuilding process ....

... “spontaneous order” — the myriad interactions that occur among individuals who are free to make voluntary decisions ....

... At the end of this month, the Legislature wraps up and we see what gets sent to Gov. Green’s desk for signature or veto ....

... SB3202 is in conference committee ....

... Higher prices for smaller U.S.-built ships is a losing combination for captive consumers in Hawaii and throughout the nation ....

... at least five bills strongly supported by my colleagues and I at the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii were passed out of conference committees and now will go for final votes at the House and Senate floor sessions ....

... after hearing impassioned testimony from members of the community, the tentative proposed fined of more than $117,000 for damage caused to corals and live rock, was increased to $1,818,851.97 to account for “emotional distress to the community” ....

... MAY 3 ADJOURNMENT SINE DIE ....

... We all know Sundays are holy days set aside for the worship of the Goddess Gaia ....

... You won’t find any record of expungement proceedings on ECourtKokua—they’re secret ....

... Trump and Biden are the two oldest presidential nominees in history. Given this reality, their understudies may be a factor in 2024 in a way they haven’t in decades ....

... Can you guess what’s going to happen as a result of Lahaina? ....

... A conference committee agreed to pass Senate Bill 2919, which would allow counties to create zoning laws regulating short-term rentals .... 

... The application deadline for the second cohort of this groundbreaking program is July 1, 2024 ....

... allow the Hawaii County Department of Public Works to issue pre-approved model plans for multi-family housing — as it already does for single-family dwellings ....

... the third consecutive year that UH has topped half a billion dollars in extramural funding ....