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Three weeks until the city budget is due, while the City Council proposes a slew of new resolutions. The mess at the Waimanalo Gulch landfill is still getting cleaned up, and transit officials cross their fingers for good news on rail funding. Civil Beat is tracking all of it, and reporting from the inside.

City Picks Feb. 22 for Rail Groundbreaking

Mayor Peter Carlisle sent out invitations for a Feb. 22 rail groundbreaking ceremony in Kapolei. The invites went out to rail officials, city council members and other officials. A city staffer told Civil Beat an official statement about the event will go out sometime today.

The groundbreaking will come just days before Carlisle’s first state of the city address, and will give him plenty to talk about. See a copy of that Hawaii Reporter obtained.

Catch Up on Inside Honolulu

Feb. 9, 2011: Rail critics turn out for Wayne Yoshioka nomination hearing; Mayor Peter Carlisle pushes back his inaugural ball to April.

Feb. 8, 2011: Council committee moves forward Gary Cabato and Sam Moku nominations; Bill to ban Segways from city parks put on hold; Oahu residents could see water bills spike.

Feb. 7, 2011: Council clashes over response to Rush Limbaugh comment; Bryan Mick withdraws nomination to Neighborhood Commission; Carrie Okinaga says mayor has “phenomenal” pick for city’s next top lawyer.

Feb. 4, 2011: City zoo could get giant bats; State wants city’s rail funds; Homeless assistance programs get a boost from the feds.

Feb. 3, 2011: Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa ratchets up fight against landfill; FTA to announce New Starts funding any day.

Feb. 2, 2011: Landfill hearing gets heated; Tom Berg wants to meet fellow tea partier Michele Bachmann; City Council asks Rush Limbaugh to apologize; Rail lawsuits start trickling in.

Feb. 1, 2011: Bulky item pick-up to start again; Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz introduces bill that would create development exceptions for rail; Tom Berg invites anti-rail groups into his office to discuss next steps in rail opposition.