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Two weeks until the city budget is due, and officials say they still don’t know how much the ongoing cleanup at the Waimanalo Gulch landfill will cost. Rail planners prep for a groundbreaking, and wait for good news on federal funding. Civil Beat is tracking all of it, and reporting from the inside.

Rail Opponents Plan to Picket Groundbreaking

1:24 p.m.
Where there’s progress in the city’s rail project, vocal critic Panos Prevedouros is not far behind. So it comes as no surprise that the two-time mayoral candidate (he vows he’ll run against Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle in 2012, by the way) is leading the rally against Honolulu’s groundbreaking next week.

“Carlisle will be having a Ceremonial Groundbreaking of the rail project, which means it is a joke,” Prevedouros wrote in a mass e-mail. “If it was real, it would be the Groundbreaking Ceremony. Nevertheless, we plan to picket his fake event … There is still no money from the feds and there is a moratorium on Congressional earmarks for two years. So where is Carlisle going with our local money? He ought to be prosecuted.”

Many people still have questions about the rail project. One thing is certain: Tuesday’s groundbreaking in Kapolei will be lively.

Big Island Council Advances Plastic Bag Ban

8:54 a.m.
The Big Island County Council is moving forward with a bill that bans retailers from giving out plastic bags. If it were to pass, Honolulu would the only county without such a ban. The Honolulu City Council failed to pass a similar ban.

West Hawaii Today the measure may not accomplish its intended goal.

County Council members removed fines for noncompliance, and put a city department — rather than police — in charge of enforcement. Kauai and Maui counties already have similar bans

Neighborhood Board Elections Survive in “Surprise” Turn

8:35 a.m.
A money-saving measure that would have postponed Neighborhood Board elections for two years was rejected at a Neighborhood Commission meeting yesterday.

“It would not permanently change the Board member terms to something other then a two year term,” the commission’s acting director, Bryan Mick told Civil Beat in a January e-mail. “This was part of the original proposed amendments back in 2008 when we did a major overhaul of the Neighborhood Plan. It was ultimately left out of that revision, but it resurfaced when we decided to make some minor amendments to the Plan in 2010.”

City leaders said the delay would save the city more than $200,000, but opposition to the measure was strong, and many people turned out to voice concerns about the plan. City Council member Tom Berg was among them.

“I urge you to kill this rotten proposal,” Berg wrote in prepared testimony. “Let us never again speak of cancelling elections at any level of public office.”

“There were just so many people there, almost all opposed to this measure, combined with the fact that the administration’s reasoning for this was so weak,” Berg aide Eric Ryan told Civil Beat. “No question it was a victory.”

Ryan said there was a clear shift over the course of the meeting. He told Civil Beat it appeared the Carlisle administration — including Managing Director Doug Chin — expected the measure to pass, and there was surprise it didn’t.

“Doug Chin was there all night,” Ryan said. “When he left, it was obvious he was licking his wounds.”

The deadline to is today at 4:30 p.m. Up for grabs: 439 seats on Oahu’s 33 Neighborhood Boards. The elections are set for April and May.

Road Closures Planned for Groundbreaking

Starting at 5 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 21, City officials are closing both mauka-bound lanes of North-South Road between Kapolei Parkway and Farrington Highway. Officials are prepping to host a rail groundbreaking ceremony there on Tuesday. The makai-bound lanes of North-South Road will remain open. In a statement, city officials wrote that commuters should use Weaver Road or Fort Barrette Road instead. The closed road will reopen at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Catch Up on Inside Honolulu

Feb. 17, 2011: Two-time mayoral candidate Panos Prevedouros at City Hall; Ann Kobayashi to skip rail groundbreaking; Mayor mum on budget; State fines city for air violation.

Feb. 16, 2011: Mayor Peter Carlisle taps three new deputy directors; Florida rejects federal funds for rail.

Feb. 15, 2011: City Council members turn out in force for Haleiwa planning meeting; Landfill hits key federal deadline.

Feb. 14, 2011: Power outage at Honolulu court; Duke Kahanamoku statue to undergo maintenance; Still “no telling” what Congress will do about rail.

Feb. 11, 2011: Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle sends out invitation to rail groundbreaking.

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.