DWS adds payment options
KAILUA-KONA — The Department of Water Supply is rolling out new payment options to help residents’ square their bills more efficiently.
Beginning immediately, DWS customers may pay online or over the phone using debit or credit cards, as well as e-checks. These payment forms will not be accompanied by transaction fees, according to a DWS release.
These forms of payment can be accessed by visiting the DWS website at www.hawaiidws.org and following the “water bill” link. The payment system can also be accessed by calling 844-216-1994 toll free.
Debit and credit card transactions are limited to $500 per transaction. E-checks carry a $10,000 limit and are limited to U.S. financial institutions exclusively.
Returned payments are subject to fees.
Honolulu bans cellphone street crossing
HONOLULU — Of all the beautiful scenery to see in Honolulu, city officials want to make sure residents and tourists get a good look at the street.
Honolulu this week became the largest city in the U.S. to make it illegal for people to look at cellphones, tablets or video games while crossing a road or highway.
It remains to be seen how the law can be enforced in a city that draws international visitors. The tourism industry is trying to educate visitors, but a smattering of tourists said they had no clue.
Police spokeswoman Michelle Yu says officers have discretion to issue a warning or a ticket. A first offense carries a fine of between $15 and $35.
Rail transportation board named
HONOLULU — State Legislative leaders have announced their four picks to serve as nonvoting members on the volunteer Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that the volunteer board is a provision of the $2.4 billion rail-bailout package lawmakers approved in September.
Democrat Senate President Ron Kouchi selected Wesley Machida, the state’s budget and finance director under Gov. David Ige, and Machida’s predecessor, Kalbert Young, who served in that role under former Gov. Neil Abercrombie.
House Speaker Scott Saiki selected two financial executives from the private sector. That’s Tobias Martyn, the vice president of investments at the firm Stifel and previously a senior executive vice president at Bank of Hawaii, and Kamani Kuala’au, a senior vice president at the asset-management firm Atalanta Sosnoff Capital and chairman of the King Lunalilo Trust Estate.
Tourism growth continues yet again
HONOLULU — Tourism growth continued in September; although, visitor arrivals outpaced visitor spending.
Arrivals grew 5 percent year-over-year in September to 701,833 and spending rose to $1.2 billion, up nearly 2 percent from September 2016.
September visitor arrivals grew on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii islands. Spending rose on the three larger Neighbor Islands but decreased on Oahu. Arrivals dropped from the U.S. East, Hawaii’s second largest market. Still, arrivals grew from the core U.S. West market, Hawaii’s largest international market Japan, Canada and the category all other international markets, which includes Europe, Oceania, Latin America and Asian nations outside of Japan. Domestic visitors spent more in September, while spending by international visitors dropped.
The gains contributed to strong results through the first three quarters. For the first nine months of the year, visitor arrivals rose nearly 5 percent to 7,017,268 visitors and spending increased by 7 percent to nearly $12.6 billion.
“The hard work by Hawaii’s tourism industry professionals has produced strong results in the first three quarters of this year and continues to contribute significantly to the health of the State’s economy,” said HTA president and CEO George D. Szigeti.
Szigeti said the results “generated $1.47 billion in tax revenue for the State, a gain of $96.5 million from last year’s pace.”
Honolulu names first female police chief
HONOLULU — A police major was selected Wednesday as the first woman to be chief of the Honolulu Police Department — an agency that has been rocked by a federal corruption investigation.
The police commission voted unanimously for Maj. Susan Ballard to replace Louis Kealoha, who agreed to retire amid the investigation.
Last week, a federal grand jury indicted Kealoha, his deputy city prosecutor wife and four current and former officers on allegations of conspiring to frame a man.
According to the indictment, the Kealohas orchestrated the theft of their home mailbox in an attempt to discredit Katherine Kealoha’s uncle in a family financial dispute. The Kealohas have pleaded not guilty.
Ballard told reporters the allegations made her angry.
Ballard, a 32-year veteran of the department, stood out because she “discussed exactly what she was going to do and what her priorities were,” said Loretta Sheehan, a member of the commission.
“She was inspirational,” Sheehan said.
Ballard said she wasn’t yet ready to publicly discuss those plans.
Finalists included a former Pennsylvania police major, a retired chief in Texas and a retired U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent.
A date for Ballard’s swearing-in hasn’t been set. She must first pass physical and psychological tests.
Friday’s unsealing of the indictment added pressure on the commission to select a chief.
“We were very conscious of HPD being left rudderless and we keenly felt the department was hurting and they wanted direction and they wanted their faith restored,” Sheehan said.
Meth mailed to Guam is on the rise
HAGATNA, Guam — A U.S. Postal Service official says inspectors so far this year have intercepted at least 60 pounds of methamphetamine mailed to Guam.
The Pacific Daily News reports that Kevin Rho, assistant inspector with the Postal Service, says the amount of meth sent to Guam through the mail has increased during the past 10 years.
Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio said the cost of methamphetamine in the mainland is considerably less than what it is selling for on Guam.
Rho estimated a gram of meth in California sold for between $60 to $80, while Customs officials say a gram on Guam is estimated to cost between $200 and $400.
Rho said investigations are ongoing in connection with the confiscated drugs and arrests are pending.