KAHULUI AIRPORT PARKING DAILY RATE RISES TO $9

The fee for parking at Kahului Airport will increase from $7 to $9 per day under a new rate plan set to go into effect on Monday, August 17, 2009. The fee increase is even greater at Honolulu International Airport where daily rates will increase from $10 to $13.  Rates at other neighbor island airports [...]

50 TIME CAPSULES TO COMMEMORATE STATEHOOD

Fifty time capsules will be buried statewide as part of the events commemorating Hawaii’s anniversary of statehood.  The public has an opportunity to contribute items for a capsule that will be opened in 25 years on the 75th anniversary in 2034. The capsule concept was crafted by the 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission. The 50 [...]

KAHULUI BOAT RAMP IMPROVEMENTS EXPECTED TO FIX PONDING

The state begins phase two improvements to the Kahului Boat Launch Ramp on Monday, August 3, 2009. The $379,228 project includes the construction of a new 55-foot long by 5-foot wide engineered aluminum loading dock with fiberglass grating, adjacent to the existing concrete loading dock. It also includes removal of the existing asphalt paved access [...]

MCMACKIN TAKES PAY CUT AND SUSPENSION FOR SLUR

University of Hawaii football coach Greg McMackin will be suspended for 30 days and take a salary cut as part of the actions handed down by the University of Hawaii administration today.  The actions come after McMackin used a gay slur in a WAC media briefing yesterday to describe a dance performed by the Notre [...]

MAUI MEADOWS POWER OUTAGE

A vehicle accident with a power pole has resulted in an isolated power outage in the Maui Meadows subdivision. MECO crews are on scene and are advising motorists to avoid travel in the Kupulau Drive area. There is no estimated time for when power will be restored.  The trouble line for MECO is 871-7777.

3,300 ADDITIONAL HAWAII SALES ANTICIPATED UNDER REVIVED CASH FOR CLUNKERS PROGRAM

Congress approved a measure today to revive the popular Cash for Clunkers program by extend funding.  U.S. Congresswoman Mazie Hirono of Hawaii joined more than 300 other representatives in voting today to increase funding by $2 billion, a move that is expected to boost sales by an additional 800,000 vehicles. The program allows consumers to [...]

TROPICAL STORM LANA EXPECTED TO PASS WELL SOUTH OF HAWAII

Tropical Storm Lana continues moving far southeast of the Hawaiian Islands.  At 11 a.m., the National Weather Service reported the center of the storm at about 640 miles southeast of Hilo Hawaii. The system was moving toward the west at about 16 mph and was expected to continue at that strength for the next 48 [...]

CENTRAL MAUI LITTLE LEAGUE SETS SIGHTS ON WORLD SERIES

Maui’s District III All Star Little League Baseball Team won a spot in the Western Regional Tournament taking place next week in California. Since their win, the Central Maui East 11 and 12 year olds have been trying to raise funds in an effort to defray some of the team’s travel and transportation expenses. In [...]

COMPETITION FOR CARGO CUSTOMERS TAKES FLIGHT

Aloha Air Cargo is offering a new delivery alternative for businesses that now face increased rates for barge shipping. The new Aloha FlexShip service is described by company officials as a convenient and cost-effective solution for transporting less time-sensitive, non-perishable items. Aloha FlexShip delivers goods in three to five days, providing service out of Honolulu [...]

SENATE PANEL APPROVES $60 MILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN HAWAII

Hawaii is on track to receive $30 million in federal funds for Oahu’s rail transit project and $13 million for Native Hawaiian housing assistance programs under a bill that was approved by a Senate Appropriations panel. The announcement was made today by Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye who said, “Without federal funds they cannot complete [...]

SWINE FLU DEATH RISES TO 6 IN HAWAII: PATIENTS DID NOT CONTACT THEIR PHYSICIAN

Hawaii’s swine flu death toll rose to six as the state health department confirmed two additional cases associated with the H1N1influenza.  Both cases were on Oahu and involved patients with underlying health conditions. One case involved an adult male in his early 20’s who died on July 21 at home on O‘ahu.  A separate case [...]

AKAKA BILL HEARING SET FOR AUGUST 6

The Akaka Bill is scheduled for a committee hearing next week.  The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will hear the bill otherwise referred to as the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act on Thursday, August 6, 2009. The bill’s namesake, U.S.Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) said, “With the 50th anniversary of statehood less than a [...]

P.U.C. APPROVES YOUNG BROTHERS RATE INCREASE

The Public Utilities Commission approved a rate increase for regulated inter-island cargo services aboard the Young Brothers shipping company vessels.  The average overall increase will be 13.46 percent, and goes into effect on August 1, 2009. The newly approved rates include a 9.66 percent increase for containerized cargo, a 9.22 percent increase for automobiles and [...]

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY ENVISIONED FOR DOWNTOWN KIHEI

The developers for a proposed town center in South Maui are attempting to incorporate sustainable design in the mixed use project.  The project called “Downtown Kihei” is a 320,000 square foot mixed use sustainable community that combines residential, entertainment, restaurant and retail space. The California-based architectural design company, Stoutenborough Inc., entered an agreement with developer [...]

HAWAII SPORTS GET $400,000 JUMPSTART IN FUNDRAISING EFFORT

Private donors are stepping up in an attempt to cover a $1.2 million budget shortfall for school sports programs.  The Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) announced the receipt of more than $400,000 in corporate donations yesterday. Major contributors include $200,000 from the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation, $100,000 from First Hawaiian Bank, $50,000 from Bank [...]

FERAL FENCE SUCCESSFULLY SECURES NATIVE PLANTS AT MAUI’S WAIKAMOI PRESERVE

Efforts to protect shrub land and forest at Maui’s Waikamoi Preserve are proving successful.  The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii says native species have staged a dramatic recovery, in some cases increasing native plant cover by 300 percent or more after hooved animals were fenced out. The Nature conservancy conducted a survey in 1994 immediately after [...]

STATE PLANS TO FILE APPEAL IN CASE OVER STATE LAYOFFS

State Attorney General Mark Bennett today said the state plans to file an appeal in a case over state worker layoffs. Governor Linda Lingle had sought to implement a furlough plan calling for a three day per month furlough over two years.  The Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) sought an injunction against the furlough implementation [...]

STEM EDUCATION FOCUS OF MEDB FUNDRAISER

A fundraiser will be held in August to benefit Maui Economic Development Board’s Ke Alahele Education Fund for students and educators involved or interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields. The fund was established in 2006 to stimulate community investment to broaden career pathways for residents of Maui County. To date, more than [...]

MORE THAN A NAME FOR MAUI FIRE TRUCK: KA’IMILOA IS BLESSED

The Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety held a blessing today for the department’s Heavy Rescue Truck that will be used in rescue and recovery efforts islandwide.  The truck will go on line in the first week of August, providing rescue crews with the ability to transport equipment and supplies aboard a single response [...]

COUNTY’S KUALAPUU WELL ON MOLOKAI OPERATIONAL

The County of Maui announced this afternoon that the Kualapuu well is now operational and pumping water at a rate of 800 gallons per minute to the one million gallon Kaunakakai holding tank. The County temporarily used a well belonging to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to fill the Kaunakakai holding tank while repairs [...]