SA: Chaos at the Capitol is part of lawmaking in Hawaii (5/8/23)

By Andrew Gomes, Star-Advertiser, 5/8/23

The state Legislature is a busy place most days during its annual session from mid-January to early May, but one day often stands out for rushed, sometimes hushed activity.

April 28 was the deadline this year for select House and Senate members to agree on compromise versions of fiscal bills where previous House and Senate committee drafts differed.

Agreements were reached that day on about 130 bills, or nearly half of all bills set up for final votes by all 51 House and 25 Senate members this year.

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SB 1040 SD2 HD1 Relating to Homelessness: Hearing 3/22/23

Introducer(s): SHIMABUKURO, AQUINO, CHANG

Status: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 03-22-23 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to establish the native Hawaiian supportive housing pilot program on the Leeward Coast of Oahu to provide individual or shared micro housing units and services to native Hawaiian beneficiaries who are homeless, or threatened with homelessness, and who are on the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands waiting list. Appropriates funds. Effective 6/30/3000. (HD1)

Testimony of James Koshiba, page 1 of 2
Testimony of James Koshiba, page 2 of 2

SA: HPD urged to use recruit incentives and create Waianae patrol district

By Peter Boylan, Star-Advertiser, 20 March 2023

Honolulu Police Department Maj. Gail Beckley shows an unfinished area of the Waianae substation. Photo by CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM

County lawmakers are urging the city to create the long-planned Waianae patrol district by finishing a half-built police substation and paying recruiting bonuses to officers who help fill uniformed vacancies that numbered 374 as of March 5.

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SA: Lawmakers target personal gains from homestead sales

By Andrew Gomes, Star-Advertiser, 5 March 2023

This 1,291-square-foot house in Waianae was built for $261,000 in 2010 on leasehold land owned by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, and was listed for sale last month at $585,000. Photo by CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARADVERTISER.COM

As the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands gears up to deliver a historic number of new homestead leases, some Hawaii lawmakers want to block existing or former lessees from acquiring more homesteads while long-unserved applicants languish on a waitlist.

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SA: Makaha bridges’ makeover criticized by some residents

By Jack Truesdale
Star-Advertiser 10/10/22

Above, a bathhouse at Makaha Beach was taken out by erosion in 1983. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported in 1996, “The bathhouse resisted Hurricane Iwa’s wind and wave assault in November 1982, but the following February a giant west swell finally toppled the rest of the once-proud bathhouse.” Photo by CRAIG T. KOJIMA / 1983
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SA: Investors wanted for Oahu surf park project

[Note: Senator Maile Shimabukuro sponsored the bill, SB1412 (2021), that allocated $95m in special purpose revenue bonds for this project.]

By Andrew Gomes
Investors wanted for Oahu surf park project, Star-Advertiser, 24 Sep. 2022

Developers of a planned surf park on state land at Kalaeloa are trying to interest the general public in the venture as investors through an unusual offering.

An Ohio-based company is seeking to raise about $100,000 for the $155 million project called Hono­kea Surf Villages and Resort by selling shares of stock in an affiliated company.

Honokea’s developers, local big-wave surfer Brian Keaulana and Kenan “Keno” Knieriem Jr. of HK Management, partnered with Columbus, Ohio-based real estate fundraising firm Rhove to help finance the surf park project, which Rhove describes as being in a pre-development phase with high loss risk.

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SA: Hawaii households eligible for up to $5,000 in small-scale farming grants

By Star-Advertiser Staff 19 Aug. 2022

Hawaii households in food-insecure areas now are eligible for grants up to $5,000 for small-scale gardening, herding and livestock operations.

The Micro-Grants for Food Security Program is now in its second year and is accepting grant applications, the state Department of Agriculture announced today.

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SA: ‘Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i defends home waters’ 7/9/22

By Kyle Galdeira, Special to the Star-Advertiser, 10 July 2022

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
The men of Na Keiki O Ka Moi trail behind Manu O Ke Kai, back, in the men’s freshman event during the Na Keiki O Ka Moi Hui Waa regatta on Saturday, July 9, 2022, at Maili Beach.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Crews paddled off the starting line for the men’s and women’s senior events during the Na Keiki O Ka Moi Hui Waa regatta on Saturday at Maili Beach.

While school is still out for summer, the “old school” approach of Na Keiki O Ka Mo‘i Canoe Club was in full force on Saturday.

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