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NEWS
FLASH - BREAKING NEWS FROM MAUI COUNTY
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Aleutian Quake Spawns No Tsunami A large earthquake early this morning shook Alaska's Aleutian islands but did not cause a tsunami, officials said. The 6.3 magnitude quake struck at 3:16 a.m. in Alaska (1:16 a.m. Hawaii time) and was centered about 30 miles east of Adak in the Aleutians, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach said the earthquake did not generate a tsunami. There were no immediate reports of damage. (Report Provided by The Associated Press) NEWS FLASH - September 2, 2010 10:15 p.m. HST Moped Rider Injured in Kahului Crash Maui Police say a 31 year-old Kahului man is in stable condition tonight after being upgraded from critical condition earlier this evening. The man was riding a moped that was struck by a vehicle in Kahului this afternoon. The accident happened at 5:05 p.m. tpday on West Papa Avenue at Honowai Street. A 2005 Jeep Liberty, driven by a 63 year-old woman from Kahului, was traveling west on Papa Avenue, turning left when it collided with a Honda moped, travelling east on West Papa. The moped operator suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash and was transported to Maui Memorial Medical Center in critical condition. He was later upgraded to stable condition. The woman was not hurt. Police are investingating the possible involvement of speed, drugs and alcohol as factors in the crash. (Information Provided by The Maui Police Department) NEWS FLASH - September 2, 2010 1:05 p.m. HST Governor Prasies Lawmakers on Recktenwald Confirmation HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today commended the State Senate for confirming Mark E. Recktenwald as the next Hawai‘i Supreme Court Chief Justice: “I am very pleased that the State Senate has voted unanimously to confirm Mark Recktenwald to be the fifth Chief Justice of the Hawai‘i State Supreme Court. “The people of Hawai‘i can feel confident, as I am, that they will have a Chief Justice who will guide our courts with fairness and integrity in upholding the rule of law and our constitution. “I commend the Senate for conducting a fair and timely confirmation hearing. I also want to thank the members of the public who took the time to submit comments to me as I made my selection, as well as those in the community who submitted testimony or testified at the confirmation hearing. “Over the past year as a Supreme Court Associate Justice and two years prior as Chief Judge of the Intermediate Court of Appeals, Chief Justice-Designee Recktenwald’s performance has been exceptional. The public’s comments and testimony – from individuals in the legal community and across the political spectrum – gave us further insight into his strong legal intellect, thoughtful leadership and upstanding character. “I look forward to taking part in the official swearing in of Hawai‘i’s next Chief Justice – Mark Recktenwald – and seeing him preside over our state’s Judiciary.” (Report Provided by the Office of Governor Linda Lingle) NEWS FLASH - September 2, 2010 12:05 p.m. HST County Offices, Facilities to Close for Labor Day WAILUKU, MAUI - All County of Maui offices will be closed in observance of the Labor Day holiday on Monday, September 6, 2010. Central Maui Landfill will be open from 7 a.m. - noon. Olowalu Recycling & Refuse Center, Hana Landfill, Lanai Landfill and Molokai Landfill & Recycling will be closed. All County pools will be closed on the holiday due to budget constraints. Pools will be open on Saturday and Sunday. The public is advised to call 270-8208 for daily recorded pool schedule information, which is updated by 9 a.m. seven days a week. The Waiehu Golf Course will be open; trash collection is expected to follow a normal schedule. For more information on County services, programs and schedules, visit www.mauicounty.gov. (Report Provided by the Maui County Office of Information) NEWS FLASH - September 2, 2010 10:45 a.m. HST Kalaupapa Pastor Passes Away The Rev. Felix Vandebroek, pastor of a church in Kalaupapa, where a dozen of his parishioners have leprosy, died Friday at the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts Center in Kaneohe. He was 82. Vandebroek had just returned from a monthlong visit with his family in Belgium, and wasn't feeling well during the week he stayed at the center before returning to Molokai, said the Rev. Chris Keahi, provincial superior of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Vandebroek didn't answer Keahi's knock on the door Friday evening and was found on the floor on Saturday morning, Keahi said. The priest had heart problems and diabetes, he added. Vandebroek was born n Belgium and came to Hawaii in 1956 as one of the country's last missionaries. His longest ministry was at St. Raphael parish in Koloa, Kauai, for 24 years, Keahi said. He was transferred to St. Francis of Assisi Church on Molokai in 2007, the latest in a line of priests to follow in the footsteps of Father Damien De Veuster, who was declared a saint in 2009 for his work with leprosy patients. Meli Watanuki is among a dozen patients who still live on Kalaupapa. She and husband Randall assisted Vandebroek with church matters. She cried as she talked about the priest, describing him as a strong man and a private person who had a sense of humor. They often bantered over who really ran things, she said. "If I no like something, I tell Father straight. He say, 'You not da boss, I da boss.' But if something broken, I go office and get work order to fix. ... Father say, 'You and me, we are boss together,'" she said. Watanuki said she and others would always laugh when Vandebroek would say at the end of a service, "OK; we pau." "I miss him a lot," she said. "He was a really smart man. He understands everything." Like the priests before him, Vandebroek "take care of us like their children," Watanuki said. Vandebroek "was always kind and well-loved by people no matter where he went, especially on Kauai, where he was for 24 years," Keahi said. "They would always send him care packages after he left. Most of all, he enjoyed children wherever he went. He was sad there were no children on Kalaupapa, but I told him his children were adults." Keahi said until another priest is found for Kalaupapa, he will send whoever is available on a weekly basis. The funeral is next Thursday at St. Patrick Church, 1124 7th Ave. in Kaimuki, O'ahu. Visitation is at 5:30 p.m., followed by Mass. Tentatively, the burial is set for Sept. 10 at 9 a.m. at the Valley of the Temples in Kaneohe. Reach Pat Gee at pgee@staradvertiser.com. (Report Provided by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser) NEWS FLASH - September 2, 2010 6:55 a.m. HST Bankruptcies Easing Slightly in Aloha State The number of Hawaii residents filing for bankruptcy protection in August eased slightly from July, but cases remained above the 300 mark for the sixth month in a row. There were 329 filings in August compared with 345 cases filed in July, according to federal Bankruptcy Court statistics. Although the volume of cases is high by historical standards, filings have been trending down since peaking at 391 in April. The number of August filings was the lowest since February, when there were 291 cases filed. David Farmer, one of three federal bankruptcy court trustees operating in the District of Hawaii, said he's noticed the downward trend. He said the improving economy, including rising visitor arrivals, appears to be having an impact. "The dollar that I pull out of my wallet probably started with a tourist," he said. However, some of the decline in bankruptcy filings could have been the result of what he called the "summer effect." "We observed this last year. A lot of debtors and their counsel go on vacation in August," he said. Filings also continued to ease on a year-over-year basis. The number of August filings was up 27.6 percent over August 2009. That was the smallest year-over-year increase since last fall. Bankruptcies began their climb after the recession broke out in late 2007. After averaging 115 filings a month in 2007, the pace accelerated to 173 a month in 2008 and 258 a month in 2009. For the first eight months of this year, filings have averaged 337 a month. Farmer said the number of bankruptcy filings has varied widely in cities around the country, with places like Las Vegas and California getting hit the hardest and cities in the Midwest generally faring better. During a recent meeting with bankruptcy trustees from around the country, Farmer said, there was discussion about whether there would be more filings in their areas in 2010 than in 2005, when a change in the bankruptcy law resulted in a record number of bankruptcies in Hawaii and elsewhere. "We're not out of the woods yet, but I'm guardedly optimistic that if tourism says up we'll do better than 2005," Farmer said. Reach Alan Yonan Jr. at ayonan@star-advertiser.com. (Report Provided by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser) NEWS FLASH - September 1, 2010 8:30 p.m. HST Discovery Gunman Came from Lahaina SILVER SPRING, Md. » A man who railed against the Discovery Channel's environmental programming for years burst into the company's headquarters with at least one explosive device strapped to his body yesterday and took three people hostage at gunpoint before police shot him to death, officials said. The hostages -- two Discovery Communications employees and a security guard -- were unhurt after the four-hour standoff. Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger said tactical officers moved in after officers monitoring the gunman on building security cameras saw him pull out a handgun and point it at a hostage. An explosive device on the gunman's body detonated when police shot him, Manger said. Police were trying to determine whether two boxes and two backpacks the gunman had also contained explosives. A law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing said authorities had identified James J. Lee as the likely suspect. Lee listed Hawaii as his hometown on his MySpace page. Property records show Lee was given ownership of a 12.5 percent stake in a Lahaina residence in 2003 through a family trust, and that he sold his interest in 2007 for $90,000. It was not immediately determined what period he lived in Hawaii or when he moved to the mainland. On his MySpace page, Lee said he is single, 43, and lives in Silver Spring, Md. County police and firefighters last night looked at a laptop screen that showed an image of a body lying face up, surrounded by blood. Authorities also sent in a robot to disarm the explosive on the gunman's body. Police Capt. Paul Starks said the suspect had fired a gun at least once. He also said police think the suspect was acting alone but are investigating all possibilities. Manger said police spent several hours negotiating with the armed man after he entered the suburban Washington building about 1 p.m. None of the 1,900 people who work in the building were hurt, and most made it out before the standoff ended. Lee was convicted of disorderly conduct for a protest he organized outside Discovery's offices in February 2008. According to court records, he paid homeless people to carry signs and set off a scramble when he threw fistfuls of cash into the air, calling it "just trash." Lee served two weeks in jail after his arrest, during which doctors evaluated his competency to stand trial. County State's Attorney John McCarthy said Lee was ordered to stay 500 feet away from Discovery headquarters as part of his probation, which ended two weeks ago. A magistrate ordered a doctor's evaluation, but the result was not immediately available yesterday. "The Discovery Channel produces many so-called 'Environmental Programs' supposedly there to save the planet," Lee said in an ad he took out in a Washington newspaper to promote the protest. "But the truth is things are getting WORSE! Their programs are causing more harm than good." In court and online, Lee faulted the Discovery Channel for shows as varied as "Future Weapons," "It Takes a Thief" and "Planet Green." A lengthy posting that could be seen yesterday on a website registered to Lee said Discovery and its affiliates should stop "encouraging the birth of any more parasitic human infants," a possible reference to shows like "Kate Plus 8" and "19 Kids and Counting." Instead, he said, the network should air "programs encouraging human sterilization and infertility." Discovery Communications Inc. operates U.S. cable and satellite networks including the Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet. (Report Provided by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser) NEWS FLASH - September 1, 2010 4:10 p.m. HST Mayor Charmaine Tavares Releases Funds for Air Ambulance WAILUKU, Maui, Hawaii- Mayor Charmaine Tavares has released $672,215 to fund the State’s Emergency Aeromedical Helicopter Services to augment other existing emergency medical services within Maui County. Better known as the air ambulance program, the State service is jointly funded by the County of Maui and the State Department of Health to dispatch helicopter air ambulances transporting trauma victims from the scene of the trauma to a hospital, and also between hospitals. The State currently provides 50 percent of the cost of the service. “As we examined our budget restraints earlier this year I had hoped that the State Department of Health and Maui Memorial Medical Center could pay for this important service, which is under their jurisdiction,” said Mayor Charmaine Tavares. “Since the State and hospital are not able to financially support the entire cost, I’m pleased that together with the Council, we have found a way to help pay for such a vital service for the islands of Maui County.” During the budget deliberations in April, Mayor Tavares proposed that the air ambulance could be funded in part by utilizing unanticipated real property tax revenues. The final budget ordinance reflects funding of $672,215 from the County’s general fund for the air ambulance. Maui County’s air ambulance is capable of responding to any island in Maui County and is the only air ambulance in the state to serve multiple islands. Over the past three years, a total of 70 flights have occurred between Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and Oahu. All flights are conducted under extensive protocols based on national aeromedical, triage and transport guidelines established by the Association of Air Medical Services, the American College of Surgeons and the National Association of Emergency Medical Services Physicians. To effectuate the protocols, a Memorandum of Understanding has been executed between the State Department of Health, and the County departments of Transportation, Police, Fire and Public Safety and Parks and Recreation. (Report Provided by the Maui County Office of Information) NEWS FLASH - September 1, 2010 2:30 p.m. HST Senate Committee Unanimous in Endorsing Recktenwald The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 5-0 to recommend approval of Associate Justice Mark Recktenwald’s appointment as chief justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court. The recommendation goes to the full Senate, which is scheduled to vote on the appointment tomorrow. Recktenwald would be the state’s fifth chief justice, replacing Ronald Moon who stepped down this week because of the state constitutional mandatory retirement provision requiring judges and justices to retire at age 70. Moon turns 70 on Saturday. Paula Nakayama, the most senior associate justice on the five-member high court, is acting chief justice until the new one is sworn in. (Report Provided by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser) NEWS FLASH - September 1, 2010 10:25 a.m. HST Brush Fire Closes Hana Highway at Kailua (Editor's Note: Police report fire out, road open at 11:08 a.m.) A brush fire has closed Hana Highway between Mile Markers 10 and 11 in the Kailua area. The fire was first reported shortly after 9 a.m. No estimate has been given on when the road will reopen. Also, no word has been provided on the size or cause of the fire. (Information Provided by Maui Police Department) NEWS FLASH - September 1, 2010 6:45 a.m. HST July Best Tourism Month in Five Years July was the best month for visitor performance that Hawaii has seen in five years. Arrivals and spending were up on all islands and from every major market, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, which released monthly visitor statistics yesterday. It was the first month that saw all indicators rise since September 2005. But don't expect July's momentum to last beyond the summer season. Softness is already building as Labor Day approaches and the start of school keeps would-be travelers closer to home. The lack of fall group business, a legacy of the financial bailouts and the AIG effect, will continue to weaken tourism. Still, it was a really good run while it lasted. "July was the best month that we've ever had," said Ward Almeida, general manager of the Lotus at Diamond Head, a boutique hotel on Waikiki's quieter Gold Coast. "We had quite a few days where occupancy was in the 90 percent range or we were sold out." Almeida and other members of Hawaii's visitor industry benefited from a 9 percent increase in visitor arrivals, which rose to 680,743. Strong arrivals growth helped push total visitor expenditures up 23.3 percent to $1.1 billion. Per-person-per-day spending rose 10.6 percent to $168.30. However, the increases, which came off one of the worst years in Hawaii tourism, were not high enough to spark a lasting rebound in hotel rates. And, while the growth was encouraging for businesses throughout the state that have faltered during the industry's most recent two-year decline, the state does not expect visitor expenditures to recover to 2007's peak until 2013. "While we see many positive indicators, we are mindful that the global travel industry, including Hawaii, has not fully recovered from successive years of lower consumer and business spending," said Mike McCartney, HTA president and chief executive officer. Growth in arrivals continues to reflect the attractive pricing and value-added packages being offered by Hawaii hotels, travel partners and island businesses, said state Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert. Low prices inspired Scott Kim and Brienne Dylewski of Tuscon, Ariz., to stay in a hotel on a recent visit to see family. The pair snagged a $1,400 Expedia package for two that included round-trip airfare, a rental car and four hotel nights. "The prices were much cheaper than when we've visited Hawaii before," Dylewski said. "I've told quite a few people that if they didn't go out to eat at pricey places, they could have a pretty inexpensive trip. And the beach is free." In addition to the pull of attractive pricing, July also benefited from the absence of the H1N1 flu, which weakened the Japan market last year, said David Carey, president and chief executive officer of Outrigger Enterprises Group. A 57.3 percent increase in traffic related to several citywide meetings and conventions, including the Baptist World Congress and the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease, and the military's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, which brought 20,000 sailors to Oahu, helped, too, Carey said. But it's still the kind of economic climate where even business travelers are watching their spending. Kim Carroll of Long Beach, Calif., said her husband's company picked up the tab for most of the couple's stay on Oahu. However, they still cut corners. "We try to find out where the locals go for dinner," she said. "We like to get the free food at happy hour." While July was uniquely positive, Outrigger's Carey said he continues to worry about tourism's future. "The overall economic outlook isn't negative, but it certainly isn't robust," he said. "Several of our core market states are doing poorly. There are a big chunk of people who are flat out of work, and they used to be our customers." Recovery of Hawaii's visitor industry will be gradual, Wienert said. "We look forward to continued increases in visitor arrivals. However, tourism's recovery cannot be measured by arrivals alone," she said. "Recovery relies on increased spending by our visitors." Reach Allison Scaeffers at aschaeffers@staradvertiser.com. (Report Provided by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser) NEWS FLASH - August 31, 2010 2:45 p.m. HST PUC Approves 'Decoupling' to Encourage Renewable Enery Projects HONOLULU – To encourage the Hawaiian Electric Companies (Hawaiian Electric Company, Hawaii Electric Light Company, and Maui Electric Light Company) to accelerate the adoption of clean energy resources, including renewable energy generation and energy efficiency programs, the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission (Commission) today approved a decoupling mechanism that is designed to de-link the Hawaiian Electric Companies’ revenues and profits from their electricity sales. On
February 19, 2010, the Commission approved a decoupling mechanism
subject to the issuance of a Final Decision and Order in Docket No.
2008-0274. The Commission, in a 2-1 decision, issued its Final Decision
and Order today. In the event that sales become stagnant or are on a long-term decreasing trend, and the corresponding falling revenues fail to fully recover fixed costs, utilities traditionally initiate a rate case to request an increase in revenues. However, since rate proceedings may take many months to adjudicate, it may be difficult for utilities to maintain their financial health. Under these conditions, it is not unusual for utilities to file rate cases in quick succession in an effort to reset their rates to compensate for falling sales and increasing costs. For the Hawaiian Electric Companies, the conservation, energy efficiency, and customer-sited renewable generation measures that are advanced in Hawai‘i’s recent energy policies and laws will contribute to falling sales. Thus, while these measures move the State toward important energy goals that all stakeholders and the Commission support, the erosion of electricity sales and revenues may result in negative financial impacts to the Hawaiian Electric Companies. Decoupling, which delinks or “decouples” the Hawaiian Electric Companies’ revenues from the amount of electricity or kWh they sell, is intended to remove the disincentive for the Hawaiian Electric Companies to aggressively pursue Hawai‘i’s clean energy objectives. The decoupling mechanism approved by the Commission includes: (1) a sales decoupling component, or Revenue Balancing Account, which is intended to break the link between the Hawaiian Electric Companies’ sales and their total electric revenue; and (2) a Revenue Adjustment Mechanism, which is intended to compensate the Hawaiian Electric Companies for increases in utility costs and infrastructure investment between rate cases. Chairman Carlito P. Caliboso said that “decoupling is a superior way to regulate electric utilities during these critical times, and it is the best regulatory model to move Hawai‘i toward a clean energy future, while also protecting the financial health of the Hawaiian Electric Companies. A financially unhealthy utility costs consumers more. So, we need to see that the financial health of electric utilities is maintained so that they can continue to provide reliable service to consumers at a reasonable cost. With decoupling, the Hawaiian Electric Companies should have no economic or financial dis-incentive to support renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives.” The final order and entire docket record may be accessed through the Commission’s electronic Document Management System at the following website address: http://dms.puc.hawaii.gov/dms/. (Report Provided by the State of Hawai'i, Public Utilities Commission) NEWS FLASH - August 31, 2010 11:15 a.m. HST Livestock Owners Must Re-Register Brands HONOLULU – Owners of livestock brands in Hawai`i are required to re-register their brands with the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture (HDOA) between September 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010. Hawai`i
law requires owners of livestock in the state to register their brand
to secure its validity and individuality. While it is not mandatory
to use brands in Hawai`i, it is mandatory for owners using brands
Typically, cattle are branded prior to one year of age so owners have a permanent and unique identification on their animals that traces them back to their ownership. HDOA’s Livestock Disease Control Branch reviews brand applications and approves brands after determining that the brand is not the same or similar to others that are registered. Branding continues to be the most practical and approved means by which cattle ownership is determined, particularly in the Western U.S. where most states require cattle moving interstate to be brand inspected. In Hawai`i, there are about 1,100 cattle operations ranging from herds of about 16,000 cows to those with just a few head. For the period of 2005 through 2010, there were 682 brands registered in Hawai`i. Brand owners are required to re-register their brands every five years. For more information and applications, brand owners should contact HDOA’s Livestock Disease Control Branch at (808) 483-7106 (Oahu) or e-mail: hdoa.info@hawaii.gov. (Report Provided by the State of Hawai'i, Department of Agriculture) NEWS FLASH - August 31, 2010 10:35 a.m. HST Visitor Spending Continues Upward Trend HONOLULU
– Total spending by visitors who came to Hawai‘i in July 2010 grew
23.3 percent or $210 million from July 2009, to $1.1 billion. Total
expenditures for the first seven months of 2010 was $6.4 billion,
up 10.2 percent compared to the first seven months of 2009, according
to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawai‘i Tourism The increase in visitor expenditures for July 2010 was due to higher average daily visitor spending ($168 per person, compared to $152 per person in July 2009) and a 9 percent growth in total visitor arrivals to 680,743 visitors. This was the eighth consecutive month of positive growth in visitor arrivals since December 2009. All top four visitor markets reported increased arrivals compared to July 2009, led by U.S. East (+12.3%), Canada (+10.7%), Japan (+8%), and U.S. West (+3.4%). For the first seven months of 2010, total visitor days for all visitors grew 6.1 percent compared to year-to-date 2009, while total arrivals rose 6.2 percent to 4,079,818 visitors. (Report Provided by the Hawai'i Tourism Authority) NEWS FLASH - August 31, 2010 6:45 a.m. HST New Makena Owners Have Big Plans for Revitalization The new owners and managers of the 1,800-acre Makena Beach and Golf Resort are making plans for substantial revitalization that will change its focus from an uber-luxury resort to one with broader community appeal. Majority owner AREA Property Partners, an international real estate investor and fund manager that was one of the property's original lenders, said yesterday it had assumed ownership of the resort along with Trinity Investments LLC and Standford Carr Development, ending the foreclosure process. The lender group's $95 million credit bid surpassed a $55 million credit offer from Wells Fargo Bank, the trustee of the mortgage lending trust that foreclosed on the property last September. The lending trust had been owed more than $192 million in principal plus interest and other costs on its mortgage loan. The resort, which is located on the southern shore of Maui, includes a 310-room hotel, two 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Jr. championship golf courses and 1,300 acres of land with entitlements for residential development. With the ownership transfer complete, the new owners now begin the challenge of repositioning the property for success in Maui's competitive resort market. Makena was almost shuttered last year after former owner Everett Dowling elected to walk away from a $575 million loan that included investment from Honolulu-based Trinity Investments and Morgan Stanley Real Estate. Dowling, who had acquired the resort from the financially strapped Seibu Group of Japan, had planned to turn the property into one of Hawaii's most luxurious resort developments but abandoned plans amid dropping tourism levels and a tightening financial market. The infusion of new capital and business expertise will be good for the Makena Resort and for Maui's hotel market, said Joe Toy, president and chief executive officer of hotel consultancy Hospitality Advisors LLC. AREA and Trinity have long been active in Hawaii's luxury resort market. "These players are a strong team with the right expertise," Toy said. "They also are people who are committed to the island." AREA and Trinity own the Kahala Hotel and Resort on Oahu and previously owned Maui's Fairmont Kea Lani Resort and the Embassy Suites Kaanapali. Their partner, Landmark, currently manages the Kahala and previously managed the Embassy Suites Maui as well as the former Kea Lani Hotel & Resort. Landmark said yesterday it has been appointed to manage the Makena resort. Since hotel maintenance and development of the resort's vacant lands were deferred during the last two ownership cycles, Toy said repositioning will be a long-term project requiring much patience and capital. AREA worked with the lender from the start of foreclosure to ensure that the hotel stayed open and guests continued to enjoy the resort experience, said Bradford Wildauer, AREA partner. "Over the last year, many parties including the receiver, the lending trust and its agents and the hotel management company made extraordinary efforts to stabilize the hotel operations and position it for a transition to long-term ownership," Wildauer said. "In assuming ownership of the property, AREA and our partners are expanding our commitment to the resort, its employees and guests. We plan to revitalize Makena so that it continues to be a premier destination resort." While Dowling had planned to replace the hotel with another and build out the acreage with luxury residential development, the new owners will update the existing hotel striving for about a four-star level, Wildauer said. "The prior owners had a vision that fit a different economic time," he said. "We are looking for a vision that fits the current economic time." By the end of this year or the beginning of next, the team plans to reopen nine holes at the south golf course and be ready to present a redevelopment plan that may include affordable residential housing and public access, said Carr, who joined the project because of his long-standing relationship with Trinity Investments and his affinity for Maui, where he was born and raised. "We believe Makena is a special place but it shouldn't be exclusive or only for the rich and famous," Carr said. "We want it to be accessible to everyone. The topography and characteristics of the land give us the opportunity to create diverse housing." In addition to working on the hotel's physical plant, investors will work with the hotel's union employees and managers to improve guest experiences, said Shawn Sweeney, Landmark's senior vice president of operations, who will oversee Makena. "While this will not be an immediate refurbishment, we intend to make a guest experience difference with the resources we have," Sweeney said. "The resort has always had a tradition of service, and the employees have gone through so much uncertainty in the past few years." Reach Allison Scaeffers at aschaeffers@staradvertiser.com. (Report Provided by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser) NEWS FLASH - August 30, 2010 4:25 p.m. HST Bottomfishing Begins Wednesday HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources announces the re-opening of State marine waters to the new fishing year for bottomfish on Wednesday, September 1, 2010. The fishing year was closed earlier this year on April 20, 2010 and remained closed until August 31, 2010. Seven bottomfish species were affected by this closure: onaga, ehu, opakapaka, kalekale, gindai, lehi, and the hapuupuu. The proposed total allowable catch (TAC) for the new fishing year is 254,050 pounds of Deep 7 bottomfish. The TAC is monitored through commercial landings. The bottomfish fishery will close when the 2010-2011 commercial landings reach the TAC limit, or on August 31, 2011 when the fishing year ends, whichever comes first. The Department also reminds bottomfish fishers that the State's twelve bottomfish restricted fishing areas will continue to remain closed to bottomfish fishing. Fishers are advised to consult the Department's website for the locations of the twelve restricted fishing areas. All other existing State rules for bottomfish and fishing for bottomfish remain applicable. For details, please visit the Department's website: http://www.hawaii.gov/dlnr/dar/bottomfish. (Report Provided by the State of Hawai'i, Department of Land and Natural Resources) NEWS FLASH - August 30, 2010 3:55 p.m. HST New Rules Make Access to Kanaha Pond 'Simpler,' says DLNR HONOLULU – Public access to visit Kanaha Pond -- one of Maui’s most scenic wetlands, and permanent home to the endangered Hawaiian stilt (‘Aeo), Hawaiian coot (Alae-ke‘oke‘o) and Hawaiian duck (Koloa-maoli) -- has now been made simpler, under recent administrative rule changes. Kanaha Pond wildlife sanctuary is open from sunrise to sunset, between August 31 to March 31 annually. Permits to visit inner sections of the sanctuary are no longer needed from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife. However rules for public visitation remain in place, to keep the sanctuary safe for wildlife, plants and people. Visitors may walk in to view wildlife, plants, and the wetland vistas, and must remain at all times on the marked roads and trails only. Pets are not allowed. Entrance signs with rules for visiting are prominently posted at the two entry gates on the ocean side of the sanctuary. One access gate is near the Valley Isle Produce end of the sanctuary. The other gate is just past the tall naupaka hedge, half a mile to the east farther along Amala Place. No changes have been made for visiting the Observation Kiosk situated off Old Haleakala Highway, it remains open year-round. Administrative rule changes for wildlife sanctuaries can be found on the DOFAW website at http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw/ Click on “Administrative Rules” under Resources and look for Title 13 Chapter 126. (Report Provided by the State of Hawai'i, Department of Land and Natural Resources) NEWS FLASH - August 30, 2010 3:15 p.m. HST 'Iao Park to Close Tomorrow, Wednesday for New Coat of Paint KAHULUI – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will close ‘Iao Valley State Park on Tuesday, August 31 and Wednesday, September 1 while it is painting railings along the main walkways and bridge that lead to the garden area, lookout shelter and stream trail. Park closure is needed to ensure public safety and allow painted fixtures to dry. The painting is part of the Division of State Parks’ park beautification and ongoing facilities maintenance. Maui Painting has been awarded the $11,500 project. The park will reopen on Thursday, September 2. However remaining sections of the park will also be temporarily blocked off to complete the painting by Friday, Sept. 3. Areas not being painted will remain open to public access. DLNR appreciates the public’s patience during this temporary inconvenience. (Report Provided by the State of Hawai'i, Department of Land and Natural Resources) NEWS FLASH - August 30, 2010 3:05 p.m. HST APEC Meeting in 2011 Designated 'National Special Security Event' HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today announced that the 2011 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Meeting which will be held in Hawai‘i next November has been designated a National Special Security Event (NSSE) by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano informed Governor Lingle in a letter dated Friday, August 27, 2010 that she has approved the Governor’s request for the National Special Security Event designation. Governor Lingle submitted the official request in May after she and State Adjutant General Major General Robert Lee met with Homeland Security and Secret Service officials in Washington, D.C. in February to discuss security for the APEC meeting. Under the NSSE designation, federal agencies, state and local law enforcement, and public safety agencies will coordinate operational security as well as contingency plans for the APEC meeting that will be held in Honolulu November 12 -13, 2011. According to Secretary Napolitano’s letter, “the United States Secret Service will coordinate the development and implementation of the overall operational security plan; the Federal Bureau of Investigation will coordinate intelligence, crisis management, hostage rescue and counter-terrorism planning; and the Federal Emergency Management Agency will coordinate emergency response and recovery planning.” “We appreciate Secretary Napolitano’s designation of the 2011 APEC meeting in Hawai‘i as a National Security Special Event,” said Governor Lingle. “This designation by the federal government will help the State and City cover some of the costs relating to the 2011 APEC Leaders Meeting. This will allow us to maximize our resources to ensure that Hawai‘i is able to showcase our state to the international community as a high-level business and meeting place for the Asia-Pacific region.” The Hawai‘i meeting, which will be hosted by President Barack Obama, will be the first APEC leaders meeting held in the United States since the first meeting convened on Blake Island, Washington in 1993. The Hawai‘i Convention Center will host the various meetings that will take place during the week. The international gathering is expected to attract over 10,000 participants from throughout the Asia-Pacific region to Hawai‘i, including leaders from 21 APEC economies, senior government officials, business leaders, international economists, Asia-Pacific experts and worldwide media. The Hawai‘i bid, which was submitted in January 2009, was a collaborative effort between the Lingle-Aiona Administration, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Hawai‘i’s tourism and business community, the City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i’s Congressional Delegation and the East-West Center. Hawai‘i was among several U.S. locations vying to host the 2011 APEC Leaders Meeting. The joint effort is being coordinated by the APEC Hawai‘i Host Committee comprising business, government, education and military leaders. Read Secretary Napolitano's letter. (Report Provided by the Office of Governor Linda Lingle)
Whale, Rescued Off Kihei, Dies from Pneumonia A rare Blainville's beaked whale rescued on Maui earlier this month died yesterday from pneumonia and other ailments. A necropsy performed last night disclosed that the male whale suffered from moderate pneumonia, severe gastrointestinal disease, kidney disease and deteriorating body condition. The 110-foot-long, 1,800-pound whale was rescued in shallow waters Aug. 16 from South Maui and flown to the University of Hawaii at Hilo Cetacean Rehabilitation Facility for marine mammals that opened in December. A group of 15 to 20 volunteers have been working around the clock to help save the whale. No beaked whale has ever survived to the point where it could be released back into the wild, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported. Beaked whales are deepwater swimmers that are rarely seen, and less than 20 have been held in captivity. Reach Gregg K. Kakesako at gkakesako@staradvertiser.com. (Report Provided by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser) NEWS FLASH - August 30, 2010 7:25 a.m. HST Beaked Whales Secretive - But Not Rare - in Hawai'i Two weeks ago when federal biologists, University of Hawaii researchers, a couple of veterinarians, about 30 volunteers, some flatbed truck drivers and the pilots and crew of a Coast Guard C-130 joined forces to get an ailing beaked whale to a marine mammal hospital on the Big Island, a lot of us Hawaii residents had one burning question: What is a beaked whale? It's a common question because beaked whales don't often show themselves to humans. These whales rarely breach, have a low, scattered blow and regularly dive to 3,000 feet and below, staying there up to 90 minutes. But just because they're out of sight doesn't mean they're rare. With 21 species and counting, beaked whales make up nearly one-fourth of the 86 known cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises). And there likely are more. Since the development of molecular analysis and ongoing efforts by field scientists to get biopsy samples, the world's knowledge of beaked whales is expanding. Beaked whales get their name from their snouts. Like bird and dolphin beaks, these whales' snouts vary widely in size and shape according to species. The beaked whales' distinction is in their teeth and jaws. Beaked whales are considered toothed whales, but females' teeth never erupt from the gums and males generally have only two teeth. In several species the teeth rise from the gum of the lower jaw, like tusks, at the front or sides of the mouth. Sometimes the protruding teeth point a little forward, but mostly they stick up. Gooseneck (aka stalked) barnacles tend to grow on the constantly exposed teeth, causing the whale to look like it has a bunch of feathery flowers sprouting from each side of its mouth. But there's nothing feathery about the stems in those bouquets. Judging from the extensive long, crisscross scars on the males' bodies, researchers believe that the males use their tusklike teeth in fights with other males. As for eating, since beaked whales lack functional teeth, they use suction to draw their prey of squid and fish into their mouths. For the last 10 or so years, a team of research biologists has been studying the beaked whales found in Hawaii, photographing, tagging and taking DNA samples of the animals, mostly off the Big Island's Kona Coast. The most common species here is Blainville's beaked whale, about 14 feet long. The scientists estimate that about 140 individuals live in our vicinity. The second most common is Cuvier's, 9 feet long, with about 55 individuals here. Hawaii's third beaked whale, Longman's, is seen less often and needs more study. Robin W. Baird of Cascadia Research Collective, a scientific and educational organization based in Olympia, Wash., heads the beaked whale (and other species) research team. Baird shared his picture of this endearing young Blainville's beaked whale with me with this request: He's looking for photos of beaked whales in Hawaii's waters. You can contact Baird about photos, and check out the team's amazing pictures of these special whales in Hawaii, at www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii/beakedwhales. htm#pubs As of this writing, the Blainville's beaked whale being cared for at the University of Hawaii Hilo's cetacean rehab facility is alive and swimming. Along with everyone, I'm rooting for her to recover, but already she has given her clan a great gift. As a result of her stranding, more of us now know about, and appreciate, another group of Hawaii's native marine mammals. Susan Scott can be reached at www.susanscott.net. (Report Provided by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser) NEWS FLASH - August 30, 2010 6:45 a.m. HST Pukalanai Man Dies in Two-Car Crash Sunday A Pukalani man is dead following a two-vehicle crash yesterday morning in Kahului. Maui Police say 75 year-old David K. Dutro of Maui endured life-threatening in juries following a near head-on collission at 11:26 a.m. on Haleakala Highway Extension, a few hundred feet makai of the intersection with Hana Highway. According to the report, a 2010 Dodge Caliber, driven by a 27 year-old woman from Cambridge MA, and occupied by a 31 year-old man - also from Cambridge, was travelling west on the extension road when it impacted the eastbound 1996 Mercury driven by Dutro in the eastbound lane. Both the man and women were being treated for injuries at Maui Memorial Medical Center Sunday evening. Dutro died from his injuries while at the hospital. Dutro's death is the 10th trafftc fatality of 2010. There were eleven at this time last year. (Information Provided by the Maui Police Department) NEWS FLASH - August 29, 2010 11:45 a.m. HST Na Hale O Maui Plan Would Turn Foreclosures into Affordables WAILUKU - A request by nonprofit Na Hale O Maui for $1.1 million from the county's affordable housing fund, for its program of turning foreclosed properties into affordable homes, will be reviewed Tuesday by the County Council's Budget and Finance Committee. The organization has been identifying single-family homes in foreclosure, rehabilitating them and selling them to qualified buyers at affordable prices using a $3 million federal grant. However, the federal grant effectively prohibits Na Hale from acquiring homes built before 1978 because of lead paint removal requirements, said the nonprofit group's executive director, John Andersen. This has kept many properties in Dream City Kahului and Waiehu out of their reach, he said. The cost of lead paint removal from a kitchen and bathroom would be $25,000 to $50,000, which would price the homes out of the affordable range, he said. If Na Hale were to receive the money from the county's Affordable Housing Fund, it would disclose the presence of lead paint to buyers, said Andersen, adding that in most cases the professional recommendation is to not remove but to encapsulate the lead paint by painting over it. Andersen estimates that the county funds would help Na Hale turn eight to 10 foreclosed properties into single-family affordable homes. Since October, Na Hale has acquired 10 foreclosed homes, about one a month. Five of them have been rehabilitated and sold, two are in escrow and three are in the rehabilitation process, said Andersen. So far, 21 families have been prequalified for homes; there is room for more, he said. Prospective buyers have to take a one-hour orientation seminar on homeownership and mortgages, meet the income limits and be preapproved for a mortgage by a lender. For a family of four, the federal Housing and Urban Development income criteria is $107,500, which is "most of the work force," he said. Na Hale retains ownership of the land through a 99-year renewable lease, while the buyer owns the home and improvements. This arrangement, similar to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands homestead program but without the blood-quantum requirement, keeps prices down and allows Na Hale to keep the property "affordable in perpetuity." If buyers choose to sell, they will not reap the full net profits in a sale and are subject to a strict resale formula. Homes are being sold for between $250,000 and $320,000, while being purchased for between $350,000 and $410,000, Andersen said. The rehabilitation cost runs between $15,000 and $20,000. So Andersen estimates that the subsidy for each home runs about $100,000. Na Hale acquires only homes "that have been abandoned," he said. "We are not displacing anybody. Residents have moved out prior or during the foreclosure process." He acknowledged the "tragedy" of the foreclosures and families who have lost their homes, but he also views an opportunity the likes of which "we have never seen." The Na Hale affordable housing program puts families in existing homes, hundreds of which are languishing in foreclosure, and does not tap more water and create more urban sprawl, he said. "These houses are sitting vacant, and we have to deal with them," Andersen said. Na Hale is currently embarking on phase 2, using the proceeds of sales to purchase more foreclosed homes. Andersen said Na Hale will continue to acquire and sell more foreclosed homes with the money until it runs out. The meeting will be begin at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers on the eighth floor of the Kalana O Maui building. For more information about Na Hale, call 244-6110 or e-mail info@nahaleomaui.org or visit nahaleomaui.org Lee Imada can be reached at leeimada@mauinews.com. (Report Provided by The Maui News) NEWS FLASH - August 28, 2010 7 a.m. HST November Elections May Not Be Final, Final for a While Certifying this year's general election results might be delayed, after the U.S. Defense Department denied yesterday Hawaii's request to ignore a new federal law that gives overseas troops more time to vote. The law, passed last year, requires states to distribute absentee ballots to overseas and military voters 45 days before this year's general election. Hawaii's problem is that the state's primary is on Sept. 18, exactly 45 days before the general election. One option could be for the state to agree to a consent decree to receive and count overseas ballots late, as it did in 1986. State law requires that ballots must be received by the close of polls. Federal officials have asked the state whether it would agree to a consent decree, according to a July 27 letter from state Chief Election Officer Scott Nago to Federal Voting Assistance Program Director Robert Carey. But Nago did not agree at the time, saying it was "premature" until the state found out whether it could get a waiver from the federal requirement. "I guess we could argue as to how many days from the completion of the polls would be an adequate amount," said Dante Carpenter, chairman of the state Democratic Party. "If you say one week, well, I guess you'll have less screams than if you say two weeks. But there will be screams." Elections spokesman Rex Quidilla said yesterday that discussions with federal officials are expected to commence "soon," but he did not specify how soon when asked by the Star-Advertiser. The elections office also did not address the possibility of delaying election results. About 300 military and overseas voters had requested ballots for the general election as of yesterday, Nago said. In the 2008 general election, 827 overseas ballots were cast out of a total of more than 456,000. In 2006 only 237 overseas ballots were cast. Three other states — Alaska, Colorado and Wisconsin — were also denied waiver requests, as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In his waiver request, Nago said 35 days was sufficient time for distributing general election ballots, citing past elections in Hawaii in which ballots were received within 30 days. But the federal government found the argument inadequate and noncompliant with the new law. Also at issue was the fact that Hawaii law does not allow the return of ballots via e-mail. Ballots can be e-mailed, faxed and mailed out but can be returned only by mail and fax. "Although facsimile transmission is compliant with ... electronic transmission requirements, it is the least desirable method of electronic transmission, given that it is the least available among overseas active duty military voters, reserve component military voters and overseas DOD civilian employees," the Defense Department said in its waiver rejection. U.S. Department of Justice spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa said the department is working with states to bring them into compliance. However, lawsuits may be filed against any state that does not voluntarily comply, she said. In 1986 the federal government entered into a consent decree with Hawaii to permit a late count of 632 overseas ballots 10 days after the polls closed. "I guess the question now is, When will that other date be?" said Carpenter. "Everything goes on hold, but I guess that's a way of honoring the time of 45 days." Carpenter wishes the state Legislature had adopted an earlier date for the primary election, "especially since we've always contended that we have more troops per capita than any other state," he said. "What I'm wondering is why nobody considered what would happen if the waiver was rejected." Pushing up this year's primary election day was considered at the state Legislature last year but was rejected because of fears of low voter turnout and complicating the primary election's operations. Polling stations are typically reserved two years in advance to ensure availability and accessibility, and moving up the date this year would have affected training for poll workers. Election officials have already been forced to close 97 polling stations around the state, with 242 stations left. Hawaii also has typically had among the worst voter turnouts in the nation. "The Office of Elections is already undermanned, with the closing of all the stations," said state Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which heard the bill. "We relied on this waiver." Instead, the Legislature passed a law that would push up the primary date to August in 2012. Karamatsu said he can see delays in certifying election results, which typically takes days after the polls close. Jean Aoki, legislative chairwoman of the League of Women Voters, said she also did not envision a waiver denial. She said close races might rely on the absentee ballots and that the state must ensure all votes are counted. "The elections office does not need this on top of all the other problems they've had," she said. "They're really gonna be hard pressed to meet this deadline." Reach Gene Park at gpark@staradvertiser.com. (Report Provided by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser) NEWS FLASH - August 27, 2010 1:45 p.m. HST 'Gritty,''Scrappy' Waipio Back in Little League Semi-Final Waipio's gritty Little League team, coming through the loser's bracket, stunned Georgia and its ace Jacob Pate, 12-5, today to advance to the United States championship game in the Little League World Series game at Williamsport, Pa. Waipio lost its opening game to Georgia last Saturday but came back to eliminate New Jersey and Ohio before beating Georgia twice, 7-4 yesterday and again today. Waipio will play Texas for the U.S. title game tomorrow at 10 a.m. Hawaii time on ABC. That game will follow the International championship game between Taipei and Japan. The winners play Sunday for the World Series title. If they make it that far, it would be five games in five days for Hawaii, a tiring schedule more appropriate for major leaguers than Little Leaguers. Noah Shackles doesn't mind. "I'm pumped," the 13-year-old third baseman said. Georgia scored four runs in the top of the third for a 4-0 lead, but Waipio rallied, keyed by a video replay challenge by Waipio manager Brian Yoshii that overturned an out on a stolen base attempt. The runner, Ty DeSa, was called out for the second out in the bottom of the third. But with the call overturned, DeSa, went back to second with one out. He advanced to third on a groundout to second and scored on a wild pitch to cut it to 4-1. Waipio used wildness by Pate to put two runners on. Then Shackles hit a ball that went off the glove of a hard-charging centerfielder for a triple that scored two runs. A wild pitch scored the tying run. "They didn't give up, and they'll do whatever it takes to win," Yoshii said. Waipio took a 7-4 in the bottom of the fourth on DeSa's double that broke a 4-all tie and put runners on second and third. With the infield in, Shiloh Baniaga's grounder went through shortstop for a tough error, allowing two runs to score for a 7-4 lead. Georgia tallied a run in the top of the fifth to make it 7-5. Kahoea Akau was the defensive standout in the inning, turning in a double play and getting an assist for the final out. In the bottom of the fifth, DeSa singled in a run and Baniaga hit a two-run single through a drawn-in infield for a 10-5 lead. Kaimana Bartolome's bloop single made it 11-5. A passed ball made it 12-5. Georgia ace Jacob Pate held Hawaii last week to two runs and one hit in a 6-2 win in last week's tournament opener for both teams. On Friday, Pate allowed seven runs, four hits and three walks. "It was a little easier because we had seen him before and had hit him a little bit," DeSa said. "We knew his pitches. We were ready for him." Hawaii won its second straight game over Georgia in a matchup of local leagues going for a second Little League crown — Georgia won in 2006, and Hawaii two years later. "I felt pretty confident with a 4-0 lead and Jacob on the mound, but give them credit. They really shortened their swings and put that ball in play," said manager Randy Morris, who also guided the 2006 club. After Kahoea Akau caught the last out on a popup, the 4-foot-11 second baseman threw the ball down hard to the turf and joined his teammates to exchange handshakes with the Southeast champs. Families and friends in the stands cheered as some waved ti leaves they had been carrying for good luck. (Report Provided by The Associated Press) NEWS FLASH - August 27, 2010 8:15 a.m. HST Hawai'i, Four Other States, Denied Waiver for Voting by Deployed Troops MADISON, Wis. — Hawaii is one of four states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands were denied requests on Friday to ignore a new federal law meant to protect the voting rights of deployed troops and other Americans overseas, while five states were granted the waiver. Not getting the waiver calls into question how the affected states — Wisconsin, Hawaii, Alaska and Colorado — will comply with deadlines for counting all votes cast by members of the military and other Americans living overseas. Hawaii election officials were not available for comment this morning. However, Chief Election Officer Scott Nago has previously said if the waiver were denied that the state would still hold the election on Sept. 18 and ballots received from military service members after Election Day would still be counted. The Defense Department granted Delaware, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Washington the waivers. U.S. Department of Justice spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa said the department was working with those denied to bring them into compliance. The department will file lawsuits against any state that doesn't voluntarily comply, she said. The Wisconsin board that regulates elections issued a statement saying it was committed to ensuring all military and overseas voters fully participate in elections and will begin working immediately with the DOJ to work out what steps to take next. Wisconsin election director Kevin Kennedy said before the decision was handed down that a denial would not change how the state holds its Sept. 14 primary. Under the new federal law, ballots to members of the military and others living overseas have to be sent 45 days before the Nov. 2 election. Wisconsin and other states with August and September primaries sought the waiver saying they don't have enough time to formalize the ballot and get it sent to those voters by the Sept. 18 deadline. Minnesota and Vermont responded to the law by moving their Sept. 14 primaries back to August. Maryland initially asked for a waiver for its Sept. 14 primary, but then determined it could get the ballots to military and overseas voters before the election. The head of a nonprofit group that advocates for military and overseas voters said the 45-day requirement under the law isn't that big of an issue because all states can e-mail ballots to voter. The 45-day requirement was the worst-case scenario for how long it would take a ballot to be sent and returned by mail, said Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, president and of the Overseas Vote Foundation. Of those that requested a waiver, three have already had their primaries — Colorado on Aug. 10, Washington on Aug. 17 and Alaska on Aug. 24. Six of them are on Sept. 14 — Delaware, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. The Virgin Islands' primary is Sept. 11 and Hawaii's is Sept. 18. Advocates who pushed for the Military and Overseas Voter Act said more time is needed to send ballots overseas and get them returned and counted on time. The potential delays and problems are most extreme for members of the military as the mail gets sent from port to port, base to base. Last year the Pew Center on the States identified problems with the turnaround of military and overseas ballots in 25 states. The report found that it took states anywhere from 21 to 60 days before an election to mail ballots to overseas voters and sometimes they didn't come back until it was too late to be counted. Bob Carey, director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program, said shortly after the law passed in October that it would affect 1.4 million military members and their 400,000 voting-age dependents. Many more American civilians living overseas are also affected. In Wisconsin, which has a 10-day post-election grace period and extends other options to military voters, there has been little appetite for holding the primary earlier than the traditional September time. Wisconsin's final general election ballot is available to overseas voters between 29 and 39 days before the election, which is not enough time to ensure all ballots will be returned in time to be counted, the Department of Defense said in its denial letter to the state. In the 2008 general election, of the roughly 10,000 ballots sent to members of the military and overseas voters claiming Wisconsin as their home state, 28 percent were not returned. Of that ones that were, only 4 percent were not counted because of errors. Wisconsin Republican Party spokesman Andrew Welhouse said the state needs to do everything possible to ensure all of the votes are counted. "I understand that they're saying the tight timeline between the primary and the general election makes that tough, but again, we're talking about the people serving overseas, away from their families, keeping us safe," Welhouse said. "Why wouldn't the government — at every level — do everything they can to help them vote?" (Report Provided by The Associated Press) NEWS FLASH - August 27, 2010 6:45 a.m. HST Beaked Whale's Condition Improving Under Careat Hilo Facility A rare Blainville's beaked whale rescued on Maui earlier this month is progressing in its recovery, officials said Thursday. Volunteers from the University of Hawaii at Hilo continue to tend to the 11½-foot-long, 1,800-pound whale at the school's Hawaii Cetacean Rehabilitation Facility on the Big Island. The whale was rescued in shallow waters Aug. 16 from South Maui and flown to the marine mammal hospital that opened in December. Beaked whales are deep-water swimmers that are rarely seen, and less than 20 have been held in captivity. None have survived long enough to be returned to their natural habitat, the university said. "We're fully aware of the challenge we face, but are encouraged by how well she is doing," said Jason Turner, director of the facility and UH-Hilo marine science professor. "While the animal's condition has periodically slipped, it has generally remained in stable condition." Turner said the whale is able to swim on her own and is being tube-fed, but has not yet accepted solid food. The group of 15 to 20 volunteers have been working around the clock to help save the whale, said David Schofield, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's marine mammal response coordinator. They are still trying to pinpoint the exact nature of the animal's ailment. The results of initial blood tests pointed to a kidney problem, but her signs appear to have improved. The whale also has elevated glucose levels, which could be a sign of diabetes. However, experts are working with very limited information since the species is so understudied and they have no baseline health data for comparison, officials said. Full rehabilitation could take months and will require expansion into a nearby larger and deeper facility that will allow the whale to swim at greater depths before returning it to the ocean. Researchers are looking to the patient to learn what they can about the deep-diving whales that spend little time at the surface. Robin Baird, who has filmed groups of Blainville's beaked whales off the Big Island, hopes regular high-frequency acoustic recordings can be made because very few sounds have been made from the species. According to NOAA, the estimated number of animals in the Hawaiian stock is 1,200 to 2,200, the Northern Gulf of Mexico is about 100 animals and there is no current estimate for the Western North Atlantic Stock. The species is protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. (Report Provided by The Associated Press) NEWS FLASH - August 26, 2010 2 p.m. HST Fire Behind Fire Station Closes Makawao Avenue (Editor's Note: Emergency Crews report That roads in the area reopened to traffic at 3:31p.m. today) Maui emergency crews are working a brush fire that started around 11 a.m. today behind the fire station on Makawao Avenue. As a result, Makawao Avenue is closed from Old Haleakala Highway to the Haleakala Bypass. Crews say so immediate threats exist to homes, property or lives and they expect to have the situation under control by appriximately 3 p.m. today. (Report Provided by the Maui County Office of Information) NEWS FLASH - August 26, 2010 7:55 a.m. HST Mayor, Staff, Planning Budget Meeting for Public Input Around County WAILUKU, MAUI - Mayor Charmaine Tavares will host a series of community meetings this September to take public testimony regarding the proposed budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Citizens with an interest in the County budget are encouraged to attend a meeting in their local area and offer testimony as individuals or on behalf of an organization. Both written and verbal testimonies will be accepted. The budget meetings are designed to provide an opportunity for members of the community to present what is needed for their area. Input from the community meetings will be taken into consideration when the administration constructs the fiscal year 2011-2012 budget. “Each year before submitting my Administration’s proposed budget to the County Council, I begin by gathering input from the community,” said Mayor Charmaine Tavares. “This is an important first step and I encourage the public to participate. Their suggestions and concerns are valuable and appreciated.” The program office of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) will conduct public hearings preceding the Mayor’s budget community meetings in Kahului/Wailuku and Hana, and on Molokai and Lanai. CDBG will gather views and comments from interested persons who wish to participate in the preparation of the County’s proposed Annual Action Plan for the 2011-2012 fiscal year relating to the County’s grant application for approximately $2 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Community Development Block Grant is a federal program created by Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-383). CDBG funds received will be utilized for housing and community development needs primarily benefiting low and moderate income persons. Meeting times and locations are as follows: Makawao/Pukalani/Kula: Kihei/Makena: Kahului/Wailuku: Lahaina: Paia/Haiku:
Hana: Molokai: Lanai: For more information on the budget meetings, contact the County of Maui Budget Office at 270-7855 or visit www.mauicounty.gov/budget. For information on the CDBG public hearings, contact the County of Maui CDBG Program Office at 270-7213 or visit www.mauicounty.gov/mayor and click on Community Development Block Grant. (Report Provided by the Maui County Office of Information) NEWS FLASH - August 26, 2010 6:35 a.m. HST County, State, Private Teams Continue to Battle Hilo Blaze HILO -- State, county and federal fire fighting teams now numbering 110 continued to fight the Mauna Kea fire along Saddle Road, now in its fourth day. Mauna Kea State Recreation Area remains closed until further notice. In the air, 5 military and charter helicopters continued water drops to help prevent spread of the fire and address flare-ups in the burn area, which includes area designated as critical habitat for native Hawaiian endangered species. Today, crews also continued work with bulldozers to improve the fire control line on both the west and east sides of the fire. Mop-up continued on the fire perimeter. Roger Imoto, DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife Hawaii branch manager said “If the weather stays the same, there is a good chance we can continue to make progress. But there is still a very real threat that if the wind should pick up, the fire could take off again into critical habitat for endangered palila forest birds.” The bulk of the manpower are hand crews working in steep terrain that is inaccessible to bulldozers and where the fire is as yet uncontained. Fire fighting night operations will continue on the ground again tonight, with mop up and patrols driving along the fire break to make sure no spot fires jump the firebreak line. Burn area acreage has been revised to 1,386 acres with 60% containment. The National Weather Service is providing spot-weather forecasts for the incident. Today at 2:30 p.m. relative humidity was 60%, temperature 65 degrees and winds 2-5 mph out of the west. A section of the old Saddle Road alignment has been reopened to traffic to avoid the fire area. The public is urged to drive with caution due to fire vehicles leaving the Mauna Kea State Recreation Area and Pohakuloa Trailing Area base. -----------------
Resources on the fire Total
personnel: 110 are on scene, representing resources from (Report Provided by the State of Hawai'i, Department of Land and Natural Resources) NEWS FLASH - August 25, 2010 7:05 a.m. HST Halloween Provides Economic Boost to Lahaina, Report Says LAHAINA - Front Street restaurants and bars have benefited the most from Halloween celebrations in town since 2007, a Hawaii Pacific University professor of travel industry management reports in a study commissioned by the North Beach West Maui Benefit Fund. Released Monday, the study shows that gross restaurant sales for about 30 businesses amounted to $390,654 on Halloween 2007, the year before organized adult activities ended. In 2008, Front Street restaurant sales on Halloween dropped 18.3 percent to $319,165, with sales falling another 11.2 percent from 2008 to 2009 to $283,419. The drop in sales from 2007 to 2009 came to about 27.5 percent, according to the study. Professor Jerome Agrusa said he gathered sales figures from most restaurants for Halloween day and made estimates for other restaurants that did not participate in the study. The impact of Halloween varied by restaurant, he said. One restaurant tallied $34,000 in gross sales on Halloween, while it normally has sales of $20,000 on an average day. Another restaurant had $25,000 to $30,000 in sales when it usually does only $4,000 in a day. Halloween also helps restaurant employees on Front Street, many of whom can earn five to seven times more in tips on that one day, he said. "They wait all year for that day," Agrusa said. In July 2008, the Cultural Resources Commission denied permits for the LahainaTown Action Committee to sponsor Halloween events in the historic district, with panel members saying the party atmosphere and risque costumes were culturally insensitive to the area that was once the seat of the Hawaiian monarchy. The action meant the end to the closure of Front Street, an adult costume contest, vendor booths and portable toilets set up to handle the tens of thousands of visitors to the event. The study also found that in 2007, $2,795,121 in sales was generated; in 2008, $2,820,230; and in 2009, $2,607,538. Agrusa said there were more hotel rooms in West Maui in 2008 than in 2007, and hotel rooms had not yet been discounted to attract visitors being lost because of the recession. So, hotel revenue in 2008 was higher than 2007. However, by 2009, room discounting was occurring and hotel room occupancies had dropped compared with 2007 and 2008. Room occupancy rates for Halloween were high, though, in all three years for Halloween day. West Maui hotels were at 96 percent occupancy in 2007, 93 percent in 2008 and 91.2 percent in 2009, according to the study. The study was commissioned by the North Beach West Maui Benefit Fund because the organization determined that the community discussion about Halloween festivities on Front Street has "lacked comprehensive, objective economic benefit data." "The board believed it was important to get objective economic data on the Halloween event," said fund spokesman Lance Collins. "It is impossible to have a reasonable discussion without all the facts." The nonprofit group, set up for community education and benefit on the west side, may forward the study to the county Planning Department, but no formal decision has been made yet, Collins said. And no decision has been made by the group on whether to present the study to the Cultural Resources Commission, he said. Brian Perry can be reached at citydesk@mauinews.com. (Report Provided by The Maui News) NEWS FLASH - August 25, 2010 6:35 a.m. HST Inouye Scolds Candidates - Urges Them to 'Keep It Clean' Like a disapproving uncle, Hawaii's senior Democrat on Tuesday urged the two leading candidates for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to stop issuing negative comments about each other and instead concentrate on policy differences. U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, who is seeking a ninth six-year term in November, released a statement saying the gubernatorial campaigns of both former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie and ex-Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann had issued remarks "that walk a very fine line between fair and foul." "We're all better than that," the 85-year-old Inouye added. The senator also chided former U.S. Rep. Ed Case, who released a statement Saturday endorsing Abercrombie and criticizing Hannemann as the "most dangerous politician in a generation." In a separate e-mail, Case on Monday endorsed former Honolulu Prosecutor Peter Carlisle's campaign for Honolulu mayor while rebuking one of Carlisle's rivals, acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell. "Unfortunately," Inouye said without naming Case, "nastiness is coming from not only within the campaigns. "It is one thing to endorse a candidate," the senator added. "It is quite another to tear down and gut the opposition by engaging in character assassination. That has no place in Hawaii." The senator ended his statement by saying, "Let's keep it clean." Inouye's comments were the latest in a string of remarks stemming from a flyer that Hannemann's campaign sent voters recently. The mailer attempted to compare the birthplaces, spouse names, and business and executive experience of the two Democrats. It has been criticized for belittling Abercrombie's political and professional history, and for obliquely referring to the ethnicity of the candidate's wives. Abercrombie lambasted the flyer, and on Friday, Inouye and Republican Gov. Linda Lingle were critical too. Hannemann apologized for it at the top of a debate between he and Abercrombie Friday evening. In a statement Tuesday, Hannemann spokeswoman Carolyn Tanaka said, "We appreciate the wise words of our senior senator and agree fully with him. Our campaign looks forward to continuing to focus on the issues that are important to the people of our state." Laurie Au, an Abercrombie aide, said the campaign agrees with Inouye that Hannemann's flyer was inappropriate. "We have made it a point to focus our campaign around issues of leadership and policy, and we do not engage in personal attacks," she said in a statement. Case's comments about Hannemann were made "with no input or coordination with our campaign," she added. Case did not respond to a request for comment. (Report Provided by The Associated Press) NEWS FLASH - August 24, 2010 8 a.m. HST Governor Applauds 'Race to the Top' Funding Decision for Hawai'i HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today applauded the collaborative efforts of education and community partners that resulted in Hawai‘i being named a Race to the Top grant winner. The U.S. Department of Education made the announcement this morning that Hawai‘i is among 10 states and the District of Columbia in the competition’s second round of grant awards. Hawai‘i will receive $75 million to implement comprehensive initiatives to reform the state’s public education system to improve student achievement. “We are extremely pleased and proud that the U.S. Department of Education has approved Hawai‘i’s Race to the Top application,” said Governor Lingle. “With the Race to the Top funding and the support of the U.S. Department of Education, Hawai‘i has a tremendous opportunity to make the systemic changes needed to raise performance in the classroom so students are prepared for college and their careers,” said Governor Lingle. “Getting to this point would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of the Hawai‘i Department of Education – under the leadership of interim Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi – the Board of Education, the community and my Administration,” the Governor said. “Securing this grant is just a stepping stone. We will now begin the hard work of implementing our education reform plan, which includes a common core curriculum tied to a new on-line state test while tracking student progress and rewarding teachers by linking 50 percent of their evaluation to student achievement. I am especially excited about our pledge to have 100 percent of high school graduates ready for a career and college without the need for post secondary remediation programs,” the Governor added. Governor Lingle is scheduled to speak by phone with Secretary Duncan this morning about Hawai‘i’s Race to the Top grant. A letter from the Secretary to the governors of the winning states is attached. (Report Provided by the Office of Governor Linda Lingle) NEWS FLASH - August 24, 2010 7:10 a.m. HST Hawai'i Wins $75M in "Race to the Top' Education Funding Hawaii will get $75 million in the second round of the $4.35 billion "Race to the Top" school reform grant competition. The state is among nine states and the District of Columbia selected for the grants. In a statement, Hawaii schools superintendent said, "Race to the Top has served as a rallying call to boldly transform public education and schools across our nation. Today, the federal government invested $75 million in Hawaii over the next four years and secured its investment with the unwavering commitment of our educators and stakeholders to execute Hawaii's blueprint for education reform." Hawaii's Race to the Top application includes plans to turn around poor-performing schools, improve teacher effectiveness, better prepare high school graduates for colleges or careers and make other sweeping reforms. In addition to Hawaii, the other winners are Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C. The grant amounts, based on state population, range from $75 million to $700 million. The Race to the Top competition has instigated a wave of reforms across the country, as states passed new teacher accountability policies and lifted caps on charter schools to boost their chances of winning. The aim of the historic program, part of President Barack Obama's stimulus plan, is to reward ambitious changes to improve schools and close the achievement gap. Tennessee and Delaware were named winners in the first round of the competition | |
