Inside Honolulu: June 28
There’s always something interesting going on at Honolulu Hale.
Civil Beat is reporting from the inside.
Sumitomo ‘Highly Likely’ to Appeal Rail Bid
5:49 p.m.
After the city rejected protests of its intent to sign a billion-dollar contract with train manufacturer Ansaldo on Friday, Bombardier quickly signalled its intent to appeal to the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
Sumitomo could be next.
Vice President Gino Antoniello told Inside Honolulu this morning that it’s “highly likely” his company — another competitor — will appeal as well. He said he’s going to talk things over with his staff and attorneys and weigh the impacts both to the company and to the rail project, and will make a decision in coming days.
“It’s not just throw more money at this and cause trouble. We haven’t protested a project in the past, so for us to make a decision to do so is not an easy decision,” he said. “But given (the city’s) response, it is more likely than not that we will have to appeal to the DCCA.”
— Michael Levine
ORI Still Mum as City Responds to HUD Findings
4:12 p.m.
Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle signed off on a letter that outlines the steps the city will take in order to avoid paying back $7.9 million to the federal government.
The nonprofit at the center of a U.S. Housing and Urban Development investigation will have to outline how it can change the way it operates so that it complies with federal rules on using Community Development Block Grants. But ORI still insists it’s complying now.
The Wahiawa-based complex — which includes a facilities and services for the elderly and developmentally disabled — entered into an agreement with the city on how to proceed.
Read the full story.
Lieutenant Governor Weighs in on APEC
12:03 p.m.
Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz is in the Civil Beat newsroom at this hour, and chatting about some issues of city interest, like the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
“Our job is to host the conference, not run it,” Schatz said. “That’s the State Department’s job.”
Schatz is here for Civil Beat’s Newsmaker Series. Watch the live interview.
Tracking Mayoral Tweets
9:07 a.m.
This week, Civil Beat’s Chad Blair explored the Twitter habits of former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann. It got us to thinking about the man who was elected to replace Hannemann. We rarely see Mayor Peter Carlisle — or @PeterCarlisle — show up in our Twitter feed.
Then again, Carlisle has two accounts. These days, the mayor posts updates from Hannemann’s old account: .
Recent tweets included a link to about “Pacific Voyagers Day,” and an enthusiastic mention of the “LAST FURLOUGH FRIDAY for the City!”
We imagine that Carlisle, who is running for re-election in 2012, might turn to his other Twitter account when it comes time to campaign.
At least one of his potential opponents is active on Twitter. Kirk Caldwell, the city’s former acting mayor and former managing director, posts updates from . Among his recent updates, well wishes on father’s day, a link to a commentary he wrote about gender discrimination and photos from his recent
Caldwell has not confirmed he’s running for mayor, and says he is keeping his options open.
Read Previous Editions of Inside Honolulu
June 27, 2011: Kalihi weighs in on transit development; AG looking into council override; Council overrides mayor’s HART vetoes; Council uses override power to save money for private scrap yard; Where’s the aloha shirt, Ernie Martin?; Council still wants rail reimbursement; City Council moving day on Wednesday; Water panel to consider rail plans; Djou on HART Dispute: Administration is “wrong.”
June 24, 2011: HART wasting no time in first meeting agenda; Fourteen bills become law; Friends of the Queen Theater still want to see it revamped.
June 23, 2011: Last day for fireworks permit; Doug Chin hopeful lawsuit could be avoided; Last Furlough Friday?
June 22, 2011: Mayor deliberately keeps quiet on Asia trip; Veto override votes set for Monday; Ernie Martin breaks silence on council shake-up.
June 21, 2011: Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle vetoes bills; City Council member Tulsi Gabbard writes from Indonesia; Hoopili fight heating up (again).
June 20, 2011: Ethics training could be required for all city workers; Stanley Chang, mayor, back from China; Ag property-tax tweak advances; Council Budget Committee advances bond float.
June 17, 2011: City Council member Tom Berg wants commercial activity at some parks; Baby warthogs at the zoo.
June 16, 2011: Perennial mayoral candidate Panos Prevedouros‘ poetry; Opinion on Garcia ethics investigation still two months out.
June 15, 2011:: Council Chairman Nestor Garcia steps down; City offers amnesty on turned-in fireworks.
June 14, 2011: Photos released from Peter Carlisle‘s Asia trip; Carpenters Union steps up rail advocacy; Water outage on windward side.
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.
