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The Conversation: UH Law School Dean Discusses Legal Challenges This Election Year

The Blue Diamond Gallery

UH Law School Dean on legal challenges this election year; People with disabilities face challenges with all mail-in voting; HPD ticketed homeless multiple times during pandemic; Recycling challenges during the COVID crisis; Putting on Aloha Attire, Kumu Kahua Theatre's new virtual show

Credit Courtesy University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law
Camille Nelson, dean, University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law

UH Law School Dean on legal challenges this election year

This year has been a year of firsts with so many legal challenges being laid around the election and polarization of parties rising up to the high court. We talked to Camille Nelson, dean of the University of Hawaii at Manoa Willia S. Richardson School of Law dean, who was selected this spring following Avi Soifer's retirement after 17 years. Click here for a link to the law school's website. https://vimeo.com/473677329/ddb6c5ad08" target="_blank">Click hereto watch the panel discussion, "What's At Stake: The Legal Impacts of Election 2020."

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Camille Nelson, dean, University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law

People with disabilities face challenges with all mail-in voting

Hawaii's new mail-in balloting process has managed to increase voter response. But in some states across the country, the process has spurred lawsuits from blind voters who feel disenfranchised. We hear from the head of the Hawaii Disabilities Rights Center, Louis Erteschik, about the concerns here in the Islands.

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Louis Erteschik, executive director, Hawaii Disability Rights Center

Recycling challenges during COVID-19

Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, some say it seemed like we were rounding the corner of environmental consciousness in America. But when pandemic concerns skyrocketed the need for masks, gowns, face shields, take-out containers and other items, some feared the headway being made on plastics would be lost. Suzanne Fraser is the cofounder of the Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii - or B.E.A.C.H for short. The group recdently hailed the success of a year-long effort to recycle 1.2 million plastic bottle caps into fuel. Fraser says that the pandemic has setback recycling efforts in the nation. She tells us how plastic recycling and cleanup efforts here in Hawaii have been impacted by COVID-19, and what needs to be done going forward.

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Suzanne Fraser, co-founder, B.E.A.C.H.

Credit Andy Arthur / CC BY 2.0 / Flickr
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CC BY 2.0 / Flickr

HPD ticketed homeless people multiple times during pandemic

Some Oahu homeless have been ticketed dozens of times during the pandemic. A Civil Beat analysis of court data shows homeless peopel account for nearly 25 percent of pandemic violations despite making up less than 1 percent of the population. Civil Beat reporter Christina Jedra tells us how HPD has been enforcing pandemic rules. Click here to read the story at CivilBeat.org.

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Civil Beat Reporter Christina Jedra

Putting on Aloha Attire, Kumu Kahua's new virtual production

Actors interested in auditioning for Aloha Attire - a new play at Kumu Kahua Theatre - were encouraged to do so in 80s fashion. It was to add a little tongue-in-cheek fun to playwright Lee Cataluna's original script. The show opens virtually on Nov. 5. So if you need a break from election stories, you might want to check it out. We talked to director R. Kevin Doyle about the production challenges of staging a performance without the  physical connection of a live audience. All tickets are free thanks to a donation from Island Insurance  Foundation. Click here for more information.

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R. Kevin Doyle, director, Aloha Attire

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Catherine Cruz is the host of The Conversation. Originally from Guam, she spent more than 30 years at KITV, covering beats from government to education. Contact her at ccruz@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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