The Projector: A Tough Week for Supporters of Rail and Pesticide Buffer Zones

And the Loser is ... It was standing room only Tuesday as Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation officials opened the latest round of bids for rail construction contracts.
The Suspense Builds People peeped over office barriers as the bids were announced. Once again, those bids came in high.
Post-Game Analysis HART Executive Director/CEO Dan Grabauskas addressed the media after the bid opening Tuesday.
Waiting in Vain Supporters of a bill to establish pesticide buffer zones around schools and other sensitive sites awaited an appearance by Sen. Jill Tokuda in the Capitol on Tuesday.
Corridors of Power Tokuda, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, showed up and later invited the buffer zone supporters into her office, where she told them she was killing the measure without holding a hearing.
Not a Subtle Message Gina Hara held a sign along Beretania Street fronting the Capitol on Tuesday. While buffer zones were killed, a measure to require disclosure of information about pesticide spraying moved ahead.
Starting Young Gerdiene Crocker and her daughter, 15-month old Sophie Mae Crocker, rally outside the Capitol in support of pesticide buffer zones.
Making a Scene Buffer zone supporters along Beretania Street outside the Capitol. Sen. Tokuda refused to hold a hearing on the bill after earlier requesting that it be sent to her committee.
Slom on Caldwell Sen. Sam Slom grilled Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell during a hearing Wednesday on the city proposal to extend a General Excise Tax surcharge indefinitely to pay for the over-budget rail construction project.
Long Day for the Mayor Mayor Kirk Caldwell testified to the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday before immediately making an encore appearance at a House Finance Committee hearing. Neither panel gave him what he wanted.
Roll the Tape Senate President Donna Mercado Kim held up her cell phone and claimed to have a recording of Mayor Caldwell previously saying he wouldn't be coming back to the Legislature to ask for more rail money.
Unanimous Approval Rachael Wong enjoyed a light moment with Senate Human Service and Housing Committee members, who endorsed her nomination to be director of the Department of Human Services.
Silent Statement Director of the Department of Public Safety nominee Nolan Espinda, right, also won unanimous approval from the Senate Public Safety Committee, but one audience member donned a mask to symbolize that prison inmates don't have a voice in the matter.

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