Inside Honolulu: June 14
While state lawmakers have a bit of a post-session breather, the legislative action at City Hall happens year-round.
Oversight of the city’s $5.3 billion rail project is transitioning into the hands of a new semi-autonomous agency, while a stack of bills is waiting on the mayor’s desk to be signed into law. He’s in China until next week but there’s always something interesting going on in Honolulu.
Civil Beat is reporting from the inside.
Water Main Break Shuts Down City Golf Course
11:48 a.m.
Repair crews are on the scene of a water main break in Heeia, and Pali Golf is closing early as a result.
Earlier today, the University of Hawaii system sent out a text-message alert that all classes and activities at Windward Community College are cancelled for the day due to a related water outage.
Civil Beat’s Chad Blair reported today that the state Judiciary also closed the Kaneohe District Court due to the water main break.
Carpenters Union Steps Up Rail Advocacy
11:31 a.m.
We recently wrote about our observation that the once-boisterous pro-rail movement had grown quiet.
In May, Go Rail Go President Maeda Timson said she and other rail supporters were prepared to step up their efforts in the face of new legal challenges against the project.
“Of course they have their right to do this (lawsuit), that’s what living in America does,” Timson said at the time. “But we’re going to execute our right to speak up too.”
Indeed, we have noticed louder pro-rail voices in the past month. Leading the way: The Pacific Resource Partnership, which represents the Hawaii Carpenters Union.
On May 20, they had a at Restaurant Row, and we noticed today that they’re sponsoring rail ads on Facebook.
Click on the advertisement, and you wind up on the , where they’re promoting more “rail advocacy” efforts. Take a look at a screenshot of that ad:
Which voice is louder in the rail debate? What have you seen and heard?
Say Cheese! City Posts Photos From Carlisle’s Asia Trip
9:04 a.m.
Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle is in China for the next week, but the city is already sharing to Asia. They’re available on the City and County of Honolulu’s .
The photos show Carlisle — along with City Council member Stanley Chang, who is also on the trip — meeting with various officials in Taiwan, where they spent the first leg of their Asia tour.
Read more about why the mayor is in Asia, including Civil Beat’s exclusive phone interview with him.
Read Previous Editions of Inside Honolulu
June 13, 2011: Read the complete HUD report; Tom Berg to hold town hall on rail; Still no rail report from fact-finding trip.
June 8, 2011: Acting Mayor Doug Chin signs historic homes bill; FAA issues Record of Decision on rail; Hillary Clinton to attend APEC; Stanley Chang posts messages to Twitter from Taiwan; Precedent in the dispute between Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle and City Council members.
June 7, 2011: Two-time candidate Panos Prevedouros fundraising for 2012 mayor’s race; Tom Berg weighs in on chief of staff’s role in hacking of lawmaker’s email; Rod Tam sentencing pushed back; Ship that buried Osama bin Laden stops in Honolulu.
June 6, 2011:Creator of city rail poll says it was unbiased; More details on Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle‘s China trip; Former City Council memeber Rod Tam charged with eight counts of campaign spending violations.
June 3, 2011: City Council approves rail bond float, slew of fee increases, property-tax rate hike, operating and capital budgets; Council members reverse decision on eliminating subsidy to scrap yards.
June 2, 2011: Complete script of questions from city rail poll; Rail supporters plan virtual sit-in.
June 1, 2011: City announced poll showing majority support for rail; Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle mum on veto plans; Hurricane season starts.
