HONOLULU — Days of heavy rain that left messes on Oahu and Kauai are now doing the same for Maui County. Parts of Hawaii continue to deal with heavy rains ADVERTISING HONOLULU — Days of heavy rain that left messes
Parts of Hawaii continue to deal
with heavy rains
HONOLULU — Days of heavy rain that left messes on Oahu and Kauai are now doing the same for Maui County.
On Molokai, firefighters were called to a home where residents were knee-deep in water and crews cleared a highway blocked by boulders, tree stumps and mud. Molokai’s Kilohana School was closed Thursday.
Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kauai are under a flash flood watch until Saturday. The National Weather Service says strong storms are expected to return to Oahu Thursday night into Friday, with heavy rain, thunderstorm winds, frequent lightning and hail.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie declared an emergency for Kauai and Oahu Wednesday, then extended it Thursday afternoon as more storms approached.
The House Finance Committee is setting aside $12 million to help Kauai recover from flooding and sewage spills.
New House and
Senate district boundaries approved
HONOLULU — The State Reapportionment Commission has approved new boundary lines for state House and Senate districts.
Commissioners on Thursday voted 8-0 in favor of the new maps with one member absent.
A new redistricting plan was needed after the Supreme Court on Jan. 4 tossed out the proposal the commission approved last year. The court sided with Hawaii Island plaintiffs who argued the commission included too many nonpermanent residents in the population count, which prevented the Big Island from gaining a Senate seat.
The new boundaries put six pairs of House members and two Senators into the same districts, forcing them to run against each other if they seek reelection.
Political candidates have been unable to file for state offices while the maps were being finalized.
Hokulea returns to ocean 37 years
after 1st voyage
HONOLULU — A traditional double-hulled canoe that made its inaugural voyage from Hawaii to Tahiti without modern navigation aids in 1976 has set sail again after a reconstruction.
The Hokulea returned to the water after a blessing early Thursday. Volunteers spent thousands of hours refurbishing the canoe.
The 62-foot vessel is wider, lighter but still uses its original twin hulls. KITV reports that once the mast and sails are rigged, the canoe will undergo several weeks of sea trials and a journey to each of the main Hawaiian islands.
An around-the-world voyage is schedule to begin in June 2013.
Soldier from Tennessee awarded Silver Star
HONOLULU — A Hawaii-based soldier from Tennessee has received the nation’s third-highest award for combat bravery.
Sgt. Michael Moynihan of Shelbyville, Tenn., was awarded the Silver Star earlier this week at Combat Outpost Monti in Kunar province.
The narrative accompanying his award says he took the lead in repelling an intense enemy attack in Afghanistan.
The report says Moynihan risked his life repeatedly from Oct. 11 to 13 while he and other Hawaii soldiers faced sustained fire. Both sides lost lives.
On Oct. 13 he exposed himself to enemy fire during the heaviest and most coordinated attack.
He is assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, “The Wolfhounds.”
Broken surveillance cameras at Hawaii Capitol
HONOLULU — The chairman of Hawaii’s Senate Public Safety Committee says surveillance cameras at the state Capitol are providing a false sense of security.
State Sen. Will Espero says the surveillance system is dysfunctional and needs to be fixed.
State officials say nine of 64 video surveillance cameras are broken and there are problems with the system’s computer and monitors.
Keith Kamita of the state Department of Public Safety says the monitors are working but the system is aging.
He tells Hawaii News Now the system was fixed for APEC but it’s starting to go down again.
An owner of the company that installed the system in 2006 tells the Honolulu Star-Advertiser they have been troubleshooting the system for free after the state has failed to approve maintenance contracts.
Public schools
receive $7.5 million
for upgrades
HONOLULU — The Department of Education has received $7.5 million for upgrades, consolidations and new construction at public schools across the system.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced the release of the capital improvement funds Wednesday.
The construction funds include $2.2 million for a data center at the former Liliuokalani Elementary School and $1 million to plan an East Kapolei High School.
Another $1 million will be used for special education improvements statewide.
Playground equipment and accessibility improvements at various schools across the islands have also received funding.
Abercrombie says the projects will accommodate the growing needs of Hawaii’s student population and ensure schools are environmentally responsible and productive learning atmospheres.
Federal employees union honors Sen. Akaka
HONOLULU — The nation’s largest independent union of federal employees has honored U.S Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii for his support of federal workers.
National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley says Akaka will be missed when he retires at the end of the current term.
Last week, the union honored Akaka for his decades of services at the union’s annual legislative conference in Washington, D.C.
Kelley says that in Akaka’s years in the House and Senate, he has never wavered in his support for federal employees. His support has included pushing for fair pay and fighting to protect collective bargaining rights.
Akaka says protecting federal employees from attacks on pay and benefits is one of his priorities.
The union represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.
By wire sources
