Regulation Of Uber, Lyft Coming Too Slowly, Taxi Executive Complains
Howard Higa, president of The Cab taxi company, said Wednesday he has had enough of Hawaii politicians dillydallying when it comes to the regulation of app-based ride-hailing companies Lyft and Uber....
View ArticleBill Signed On Overfishing Penalty
Gov. David Ige signed a bill Thursday that will add community service and an educational class to the list of potential punishments for violating regulations on aquatic life. Those who catch too many...
View ArticleSenate To Vote On Gun Bills
The Hill reports that U.S. senators are “heading toward a battle over gun control” after Democrats held a lengthy filibuster Wednesday to force a debate on the issue: Democrats support a proposal from...
View ArticleSchatz Releases Marine Reserve Plan
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz made the proposal to expand the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument official Thursday in a letter to President Barack Obama. Schatz called for the monument to grow to...
View ArticleHopelessly Over-Budget, Rail Should Stop At Middle Street, Mayor Says
In an abrupt turnaround, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Thursday he supports cutting the city’s rail line nearly five miles short and stopping the elevated guideway at Middle Street in light of an...
View ArticleDjou Challenges Mayor To Call For Return of Honolulu Ethics Director
Charles Djou said Thursday it is Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell who should be leaving office, not Chuck Totto. Djou, who is challenging Caldwell in the August mayoral primary, made the statement a day...
View ArticleHawaii GOP Chair Wants Democratic Senator Removed From The Ballot
UPDATED 6-17-2016: A Democratic state senator is the target of a lawsuit that seeks to keep her name off the 2016 election ballot. Sen. Laura Thielen, who represents a district that includes Kailua,...
View ArticleHouse Nixes War, Immigrant Bills
Action — or inaction — on the Hill Thursday regarding matters military. “The House on Thursday rejected two amendments to a defense spending measure that would have effectively called on Congress to...
View ArticleState, Teachers Union Air Concerns About Charter School On Big Island
The management of a charter school on the Big Island faced criticism from the state teachers union and state education officials during a State Public Charter School Commission meeting Thursday. Ka’u...
View ArticleCivil Geeks: A People-Powered Navigation App
When Larry Geller thought to stop by Liliha Bakery to bring some coco puffs to a meeting, he already was cutting it close. “Big mistake,” the Honolulu blogger said. “The line for the bakery went out...
View ArticleRecognition For Nainoa Thompson
Nainoa Thompson, president of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, received a major honor from the National Geographic Society this week. The Hubbard Medal, identified as the “oldest and most prestigious”...
View ArticleMaui Hospitals Handover Approved
Hawaii’s Office of the Attorney General said Friday that a federal court is allowing the transfer of three Maui County hospitals to Kaiser. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued the order for...
View ArticleTom Yamachika: Charter Schools Need To Play By The Rules
Many of us have heard about “charter schools” here in Hawaii. Charter schools present an alternative to regular public schools under the state Department of Education, in that they have the freedom to...
View ArticleGabbard Not Yet Backing Clinton
In case you missed it, Hawaii’s top supporter of Bernie Sanders is not prepared to endorse Hillary Clinton in the presidential election. “I’m not prepared to do that,” Rep. Tulsi Gabbard told CNN...
View ArticleHonolulu’s Runaway Rail Project And The Fallacy of Sunk Costs
Nine years ago I wrote an essay for a local newspaper about plans to build rail in Honolulu. My main question was, “What can the citizens and politicians of Oahu learn from previous mega-(construction)...
View ArticleChief Justice: Hawaii Environmental Court ‘Very Successful’ In First Year
Almost a year after Hawaii’s Environmental Court made its debut, it received high marks last week at a conference in Honolulu on environmental law. The court established specific judges and schedules –...
View ArticleReader Rep: Hawaii’s Sheriff Division Shrouded In Silly Secrecy
Think of the most secretive arm of the government and the most vulnerable high-stakes targets in the world. If you skipped past the Secret Service, the CIA and the NSA to picture the Hawaii’s Sheriff...
View ArticleHonolulu Ethics Director: Losing Him When We Need Him Most
Chuck Totto deserved better. The Honolulu Ethics Commission executive director’s resignation on Wednesday was widely expected and deeply unfortunate. At a time when the affairs of the City and County...
View ArticleChad Blair: Is There No Hate In The 808?
A year ago this week a young man fond of the Confederate flag killed nine African Americans in a church in Charleston, S.C. A week ago a young man who allegedly pledged loyalty to the Islamic State...
View ArticleHawaii Doesn’t Know If Inmates Sent To Mainland Are Likelier To Reoffend
Here’s the harsh truth about the roughly 900 prisoners released each year in Hawaii: The odds are, more than half of them will end up back in trouble. According to the state’s latest study, 47 percent...
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