Politics

A Senate Committee continued its investigation of alleged misconduct at the State Hospital.   Top administrators were ordered to testify today under oath on a number of issues.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.    

More than 500 attendees were on hand today in Waikiki for a first-ever conference focusing on developing the next generation of leaders in Hawai’i.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.    

Department of Defense spending, the 2nd largest source of revenue for the state behind tourism, is facing potential budgetary cuts which could hurt Hawai’i’s economy.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.    

The top Democratic candidates for Governor participated in their last scheduled televised debate.  The  forum was sponsored by Hawai’i News Now and the Honolulu Star Advertiser.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka provides a recap. 

The Honolulu City Council heard public testimony today on 4 bills to address the increasing number of homeless people in public areas.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.     

Today was the Governor’s deadline to veto bills passed by the legislature last session.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka has a rundown of the measures that failed to receive the Governor’s approval.    

The State and Counties’ Chief Executives and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs signed a joint declaration today to launch a sustainability effort that will take place over the next 16 years.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.    

Hawai’i’s 1st Congressional District had the only Asian-majority in the U.S. for decades …a distinction it now shares with San Jose, California.  But as HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports, the seven candidates vying for the democratic nomination in the primary election are reaching out to the district’s Asian majorities from Waipahu to Hawai’i Kai.    

The Hawai’i Community Development Authority ruled today on two petitions from local residents who are opposed to the construction of neighboring high-rises in Kaka’ako.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.    

Last year, Hawai’i joined 25 other locations in a national effort to end chronic homelessness by 2016.   The first major push is set to launch in about one hundred days.  HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka has this update.    

Governor Neil Abercrombie signed 16 bills into law today, a majority of them relating to aging and health.  HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.     

Homelessness in Waikiki is the number one complaint from many of the 200-thousand visitors there on any given day.  That, according to city officials, who are stepping up their efforts to address the problem.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.     

June is National Reunification Month, a time to recognize the efforts of Hawai’i’s courts, child welfare and community service providers who help bring families, many of them torn apart by substance abuse, back together again.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports on one family’s journey to reunification.     

The Veterans Affairs director in Hawai’i wants to assure veterans and the public that he is working hard to provide better access to primary care.   But as HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports, the problems for one VA patient could highlight how difficult achieving that objective might be.

Hawaii’s Clean Energy Initiative has a goal of achieving a 70 percent reduction of power generated by fossil fuel by the year 2030.  Where we are and how far we have to go was the focus today of a panel discussion at the Hawai’i State Association of Councils annual conference.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.    

Homeownership for many low-income individuals earning between 20-thousand and 53-thousand dollars annually has been out of reach because of Hawai’i’s high-priced real estate.   Until now.  HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports on one development in the middle of Honolulu that is truly affordable.    

Kaka’ako Waterfront Park, the shoreline site of the popular Point Panic surfing spot in urban Honolulu, costs the state 438-dollars a day for janitorial and trash removal services.  But, according to the Hawai’i Community Development Authority, the state agency that foots the bill, it’s money well spent.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.    

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data released today indicates Hawai’i veterans have the longest waiting period from the time they apply for health care to their first appointment to see a physician.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka visited the VA Center on O’ahu and files this report.     

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs continues to push forward with its state mandate to guide the process to establish self-governance for Native Hawaiians.    HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.    

The Honolulu City Council passed the executive spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that starts July 1st.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.     

A multi-million dollar settlement was announced today in the federal discrimination lawsuit on behalf of hundreds of immigrant Thai workers who were abused and mistreated by a labor contractor and local farms for 4 years.  HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.     

Local government and private/non-profit leaders convened a two-day workshop today to develop plans as part of a 1.6 billion dollar national effort to end homelessness by 2017.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.     

Hawai’i’s Democratic primary election for the U.S. Senate is a historic contest to fill the remaining two years of Daniel Inouye’s term.   Over the next two months, there will be many political and public opinion polls that will attempt to predict the outcome of that race.  HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka provides this analysis of what to look out for in those polls.    

The Navy continues to investigate its underground fuel storage tanks beneath Red Hill in Moanalua.  More than 27,000 gallons of jet fuel remain unaccounted for, raising concerns about the potential contamination of Oahu’s drinking water.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka has an update.     

The Primary Election is less than 75 days away and the once “sleepy” contest for Lieutenant Governor has been energized by a veteran Democratic challenger now in the race.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka caught up with the current office-holder and opponent.    

Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie signed the bill to raise the minimum wage into law today. The new law will gradually raise the starting pay from the current $7.25 an hour to $10.10 by 2018. The Governor started the signing ceremony with a bit of humor, beginning his speech at 10:10 am this morning.

The incremental raise goes into effect next year, starting with an increase to $7.75 beginning Jan. 1, 2015.

The City and County of Honolulu is moving forward with building bike-friendly infrastructure to coincide with the arrival of rail transit in the urban core in less than 5 years.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports on one pilot project that is scheduled to be implemented by year’s end.    

The Honolulu City Council has wrestled with a growing homeless problem in Chinatown for decades and has been made even worse because of the lack of public restrooms.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.    

Turtle Bay Resorts hosted a bill-signing ceremony today at the scenic Kawela Bay on the North Shore.  The measure, which was signed into law by the Governor, sets aside undeveloped land for future generations of residents and tourists to enjoy.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.    

  It’s less than 90 days to Hawai’i’s Primary Election and various pollsters are attempting to align candidates with certain ethnic groups, a practice some say is highly inaccurate because of the diversity within each of these groups.  In the first of a series of reports this campaign season, HPR’s Political Reporter, Wayne Yoshioka, provides an informal look at the changing character of Hawai’i’s largest Asian ethnic group.