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A busy week of City Council committee meetings means city lawmakers will likely advance a slew of measures to next month’s full council meeting.

Members of the public are ratcheting up opposition to some of them, like parking fees at city parks, while the council and Mayor Peter Carlisle’s administration continue to fight about oversight of the new rail agency.

Civil Beat is reporting from the inside.

Council Advances Fireworks Bill

2:15 p.m.

A of a bill to allow fireworks storage on Oahu would create a new class of explosives, known as “fireworks for export.” But fire officials say the measure runs counter to public safety, and creates a “loophole.”

City Council members advanced the measure with some reservations. It still faces a vote by the full City Council before the mayor can sign it into law.

Those who voted against the measure included Breene Harimoto, Nestor Garcia and Tulsi Gabbard.

“I’ve not been given any compelling reasons to support this,” Gabbard said. “I’m bothered by the fact that I feel like we are being somewhat bullied into passing legislation to avoid a lawsuit.”

On the opposite side of the spectrum, City Council member Tom Berg says he wants to reverse the fireworks ban. He said fireworks are “a part of growing up,” and help “keep mosquitos away.”

Honolulu fire and police officials have testified against the bill, saying it would undo the progress made by the fireworks ban that took effect on Oahu in January.

Another fire official testified before the committee on Monday: “Glass is molten and flows like lava at 1,800 degrees… That’s the temperature of the tip of a sparkler.”

Kirk Caldwell’s Chowder Fest

12:32 p.m.
Former Honolulu Managing Director Kirk Caldwell attracted plenty of attention on Twitter this afternoon for a “Corn Chowder tweetup.”

Caldwell even the first 10 people to show up to a bowl of chowder. He hasn’t said whether he’s running for mayor (or U.S. House or any other political seat) but Caldwell is widely expected to announce a bid for some office later this summer.

Check out what people are saying about the corn chowder event by .

Waiting for Mayor Carlisle’s RSVP

11:39 a.m.
A group of preschoolers at Mid-Pacific Institute still hasn’t heard back from Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle, despite their numerous requests to meet with him.

Civil Beat visited their classroom earlier this month, and heard about their concerns about signage to warn people of bacteria-laden water.

Months after their initial request last fall to meet with the mayor, the kids were able to meet with Deputy Managing Director Chrystn Eads. But they are still holding out hope that the mayor might acknowledge their concerns with a letter or phone call. Their teacher, Leslie Gleim is less optimistic.

“Not a word!” she wrote in an email to Civil Beat. “Sort of disappointing! Maybe the children were right — the big people don’t listen to small people.”

But it’s not just small people who are getting snubbed. We at Civil Beat have yet to hear back from Carlisle after an open letter we sent in April.

Last time we asked Carlisle if he planned to write back to Civil Beat Editor John Temple, he just flashed a big smile and told us — with exaggerated sincerity — to tell Temple to have a “great day.”

PVT Landfill to Recycle Debris for Energy Production

8:53 a.m.
A new solid waste permit means PVT Land Co. — the Nanakuli landfill that accepts waste from construction and demolition sites — will start recycling debris for energy production.

PVT officials said in a statement that the new recycling initiative will allow 60 percent of its debris to be converted to energy, rather than simply dumped. The private landfill takes in about 140,000 tons of debris each year.

Through gasification, PVT says it would be able to deliver enough energy to power 12,000 Oahu homes. The conversion process would take place at the Honua Power, a gasification facility at Campbell Industrial Park.

Preview of Today’s Committee Meetings

6:02 a.m.
City Council members have three committee meetings at City Hall today:

• 9 a.m.
• 10:30 a.m.
• 1 p.m.

Some of the issues on the docket for today:

• A urging President Barack Obama to pick Hawaii as the site for his presidential library
• A presentation about
• The of wholesale fireworks on Oahu
• Redrawing Oahu’s

Read Previous Editions of Inside Honolulu

May 19, 2011: Sen. Daniel Akaka reiterates feds’ support for rail; Council member Tulsi Gabbard wants to send a message to President Barack Obama.

May 18, 2011: Still no report from City Council’s rail fact-finding trip; Doug Chin points to charter question to explain administration’s HART position.

May 17, 2011: City Council reinstates roads funds; Union talks “ongoing;” Council advances property-tax hike.

May 16, 2011: Did police chief’s son get preferential treatment? Honolulu Zoo rhino dies; Police officers to walk for slain colleagues.

May 13, 2011: California judge assigned to rail case; City winds down busy week on furlough day.

May 12, 2011: City Council member Romy Cachola learns new slang; Brookings Institute lauds Honolulu mass transit; Long-awaited rail lawsuit filed in federal court; City Council members vet new rail financial plan.

May 11, 2011: Council advances rail bond bill; City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia waiting for word on ethics investigation; Council advances fireworks storage bill; Council scraps scrap-yard subsidy, kind of; Rail lawsuit to be filed soon.

May 10, 2011 Council member Tom Berg wants to move Honolulu Zoo into Diamond Head crater; Council to consider banning some cell phone use for pedestrians.

May 9, 2011: After heavy rains, Waimanalo Gulch gets extension; What happens in Copenhagen, stays in Copenhagen?; Feds monitoring city’s use of housing money.

May 6, 2011: Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle says Koolau Loa plan keeps “country country,” too; City Council’s Tulsi Gabbard gets promoted.

May 5, 2011: Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle heads to sunny East Lansing, Mich.; Emergency Management Deputy Peter Hirai clears up rumor about Waikiki sirens; Double the turnout so far in Neighborhood Board elections.

May 4, 2011: City Council advances HART budgets, measure to float rail bonds; Romy Cachola irked that no Filipinos appointed to HART; Mayor would likely support end to recycling subsidy.

May 3, 2011: Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle signed into law new North Shore plan; City Planning and Permitting Director David Tanoue questions move to turn shipping containers into homes; Environmental group raises concerns about trees along rail route.

May 2, 2011: City Council member Stanley Chang takes on managing director; Ann Kobayashi defends yelling at testifier; Romy Cachola calls testifier “stupid;” Tom Berg proposes horse racetrack for Kapiolani Park; Bill to eliminate scrap yard subsidy advances; Council member miffed that rail leaders skipped special council meeting.