A company called BioTork out of Gainesville, Fla., has had recent success converting unmarketable Hawaiian papayas into biofuel. This milestone is the first in a collaborative research and development project with US Department of Agriculture Pacific Basic Agricultural Research Center (PBARC) in Hilo and the Hawaii-based engineering and economic development firm Rivertop Solutions.
The Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) and the Department of Human Resources are holding a series of informational workshops in January to raise awareness about firefighting jobs available to women. “What we find is that a lot of women think, That’s not a job for me,” says Fire Capt.
In 2010, 2.5 million pounds of toxic chemicals were released into Hawaii’s environment, as reported by the 37 local facilities required to do so under a federal mandate. On Jan.
Christopher Deedy, 27, the federal agent accused of fatally shooting 23-year-old Kollin Elderts of Kailua on the eve of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit has been allowed to return to his Virginia home and employment–to an unarmed desk job for now, of course–until his trial resumes on Sept. 10, 2012.
On Thu., Jan., 5 2012, as workers disassembled Honolulu City Lights, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit (HART)’s project oversight and transit oriented development committee met in a tiny room off King Street. It’s hard to find–there is no front entrance.
Critters An informational briefing about invasive species. State Capitol, Rm 325, 415 S.
Our second issue of the new year provides reasons to celebrate, although we wouldn’t be the Weekly without a reality check. Civil unions are now available in Hawaii to same sex couples, yes, but Shantel Grace’s cover story explains the painful ways in which this status falls short of equal protection under law.
A glimpse at the hundreds of public comments attached to a recently released community survey of the Oahu General Plan (OGP) update paints a pretty clear picture of the issues island residents have on their minds. “You let the developers build new subdivisions and you force the taxpayers to pay for the fallouts and impacts,” says one.
Hawaii Medical Center (HMC) closed emergency rooms at both its Oahu hospitals on Monday, Dec. 19.
Land Use Commission: Hearings continue as D.R. Horton-Schuler Homes L.L.C.
Land Use Commission (LUC) hearings will continue January 5 about the application of D.R. Horton, a local division of Schuler Homes, to have 1500 Hoopili acres changed from agricultural to urban use for a housing development.
The military’s getting involved in real estate business unrelated to military needs creates numerous sites that fall into a gray zone where jurisdiction is unclear. The fatal explosion in the Waikele bunkers that killed five men is an example.
A study of more than 1,000 Oahu shoppers reveals that the majority believe buying local food is very important, and a large percentage are willing to pay more for some local products like milk, eggs, bananas, tomatoes, romaine lettuce and beef. Ulupono hired Honolulu market research specialist OmniTrak to study the consumer side of supply-and-demand across Hawaii’s food system.
“This is my home, this is my native land–I have no other place to go,” said former Gov. John Waihee, keynote speaker for the Dec.
A group of 150 Waimea, Kauai, residents is suing Iowa-based Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., a major “seed” company, or producer of genetically engineered (GE) crops, over alleged pesticide-laden dust that has been blowing onto their properties for over a decade. Pioneer, a subsidiary of Delaware-based chemical giant DuPont Co., develops GE seed and produces corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa, sorghum and sunflowers among its key crops.
The City Council has authorized $600,000 in taxpayer money for attorney fees associated with the federal court case in which the City and County of Honolulu, the US Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Authority (FTA) are defendants. The elevated rail system the city is defending, however, might be one that many taxpayers may not even want.
Grove Farm Co., owned by the family of AOL founder Steve Case, has issued eviction notices to 13 families living in a plantation camp in Koloa, where sugar got its start in Hawaii. The evictions apply to multi-generational families, as well as senior citizens who’ve spent their entire lives in the century-old plantation camp.
Hosted by Surfrider Foundation, the John Kelly Environmental Achievement Award ceremony was recently held in honor of the legendary waterman and environmental leader who started Save Our Surf (SOS) and fought to protect Hawaii’s coastlines from overdevelopment. Kelly and SOS helped to save 140 surf sites around the state, while also stopping many destructive developments.
Picture your house and everything in it. Now picture it floating in the ocean.
Amidst a whirlwind of negative feedback, mostly stirred up by Girl Fest Hawaii, Rakuen Sushi Lounge in Chinatown has decided
Nick Yost, one of America’s foremost environmental lawyers–a man who has taken on land developments, gas pipelines and power plants–showed up early to Hawaii’s Federal District Court on Wed. Nov.
Driving home from the Leeward side one evening, Utu Langi encountered a young couple and their two children living in a Waianae public bathroom. Langi contemplated how he could help, and as a huge tour bus rumbled past him, he found his answer.
The Board of Water Supply (BWS)’s recent announcement to approve its proposed rate increases has many ratepayers unhappy about the rising cost of living on Oahu. “While we recognize the impact of a rate increase on our customers, we need to renew and replace the core components of our water system to minimize water loss and service disruptions,” said BWS Acting Manager Dean Nakano in a press release dated Nov.
On Dec. 16 Rakuen Sushi Lounge becomes the most recent Honolulu establishment to join Pearl Ultralounge, among others, to offer the controversial Japanese tradition of nyotaimori–a practice in which sushi is eaten off a naked female body.
Two of Hawaii’s four counties have passed resolutions calling for a total ban in the Islands on collecting tropical reef fish for the aquarium trade. The resolution runs counter to proposed rules, developed by the state Division of Aquatic Resources and West Hawaii Fisheries Council, that would allow the industry to continue operating, but limit collecting to 40 species of reef fish.
Given the city’s crumbling infrastructure and rail controversy, it’s hard to believe anyone would want to be the next mayor of Honolulu. But a few do want the job, including the incumbent, Mayor Peter Carlisle, the former Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney who won a 2010 special election to fill the remainder of Mufi Hannemann’s term.
I’d never been to a Honolulu City Council meeting until a few weeks ago. Features, not politics, was my beat.
Victoria Holt Takamine is a kumu hula, a cultural activist and a teacher and has an impeccable pedigree to back up all these titles. Born of an alii family whose kuleana was in Moanalua, she graduated as a hula teacher under the legendary Auntie Maiki Aiu Lake and taught hundreds of students in her own halau (Pua Alii ‘Ilima) and at the University of Hawaii.
On April 25, a state judge dismissed trespassing charges against a Kauai man after finding that he had been exercising traditional native Hawaiian rights hunting wild pigs on private land. Kui Palama, 28, was arrested on Jan.
The city plans to dish out $3.5 million from its Affordable Housing Fund and either purchase or renovate a structure to provide transitional housing for Honolulu’s special needs homeless population. “Our community has invested considerable effort and resources in addressing homelessness,” Mayor Peter Carlisle said in a statement, “but there remains a population whose disabilities or chronic conditions make it difficult for them to participate in traditional shelter programs.” Carlisle is referring to those homeless with mental illnesses, addictions and physical disabilities.
Makaweli Poi faces an uncertain future after its owner, a corporate subsidiary of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) ordered the West Kauai mill to suspend operations May 23. Mona Bernardino, chief operating officer of the corporation, Hiipoi LLC, says the move to shut down Makaweli Poi was prompted mainly by financial concerns.
A resolution adopted by the City Council will solidify an agreement between the City and County of Honolulu and the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center (UH-WRRC) to conduct an analysis of impacts from ocean sewer outfalls on the marine environments off of Oahu. The city will pay UH-WRRC as much as $2.5 million for biological and sediment studies in portions between now and June 30, 2017 .
Along with the deep, verdant growth of spring sprouts an unyielding desire to spend more time in the open air. That’s why it should come as no surprise that National Bike Month falls in the sun-drenched time of May.
Of the many letters you publish against rail, how many offer an alternative that won’t send us into further economic demise? Billions of gallons of oil are imported for us from every oil-producing nation on this planet so that we can buy billions of gallons of gasoline.
TheBus is taking a back seat to rail. At the May 3 Downtown Neighborhood Board meeting, an audience member asked city Transportation Director Wayne Yoshioka when we could expect the bus route cancellations and changes to be reversed.
Check out the latest Honolulu Weekly email newsletters:
Arts & Entertainment
Food & Drink
Honolulu Green
Signup now to receive these newsletters in your inbox!
Save money and reach a loyal audience of upscale readers. Advertise to reach passionate, active consumers. Our readers outpace the average consumer in purchases of big-ticket items, travel, and recreation.
Weekly readers are premium consumers: educated, affluent, socially active people who work hard, play hard and spend hard. Buy an ad in the Weekly and you’ll be speaking directly to the best audience in Honolulu. For more information check out our advertisers' kit.
