The Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii unemployment rate hits 4-year low.Hawaii's unemployment rate falls to a 4-year low of 5.3 percent in November

2012-12-23T11:56:00.000-08:00

HONOLULU (AP) -- Hawaii's unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level in four years, hitting 5.3 percent.

That rate, while still preliminary, compares with 5.5 percent a month earlier and 6.7 percent in November 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday.

Last month's rate was the lowest in Hawaii since November 2008, just before the state began feeling the effects of the recession and the softened U.S. economy.

The unemployment rate has generally been trending lower since October 2011, when it stood at 6.8 percent.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.7 percent last month.

Hawaii added 4,600 non-agricultural jobs between October and November, according to a state labor department business survey, bringing the total to 612,700. Government employment rose by 2,200 jobs between October and November, which the department attributes largely to temporary hires to help with the general election.

The state added 17,700 jobs between November 2011 and November 2012, with some of the bigger gains seen in the industries of trade, transportation and utilities; leisure and hospitality; and construction.

Lava flows to the ocean in Hawaii, creating rare natural show

2012-11-27T20:38:00.000-08:00

HONOLULU (Reuters) - A volcano on Hawaii's largest island is spilling lava into the ocean, creating a rare and spectacular fusion of steam and waves that officials said on Tuesday could attract thrill-seeking visitors if it continues.

Lava from a vent in Kilauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii began flowing into the ocean 7 miles away on Saturday. The volcano has been erupting continuously from its Pu'u O'o vent since 1983.

The flow was the first from the volcano to reach the ocean since December, said Janet Babb, spokeswoman for the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

Even as Hawaii tourism officials awaited an increase in visitors drawn by the explosive natural show, officials warned of potentially deadly risks and urged visitors to stay a safe distance away and respect barriers placed around the lava flow.

"Ocean entries can be quite beautiful but also quite dangerous," Babb said.

When the lava reaches the ocean, it cools, darkens and hardens into a lava delta amid an outpouring of steam. The lava delta is newly created land that is unstable and can collapse without warning.

When it collapses, even visitors standing 100 yards (meters) away can be hurt because large chunks of lava and hot water are hurled their direction by the collapse, Babb said.

"The molten lava meeting the ocean creates steam which may look innocuous, but can be quite hazardous," she said. "It's acidic and contains tiny particles of volcanic glass. And waves crashing with the lava can send out scalding water."

It was not clear how long the lava would continue flowing into the ocean.

George Applegate, director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau, said he expected an increase in tourists due to the latest occurrence of the phenomenon. "We always do," Applegate said. "A lot of people want to see a live lava flow."

Tourism officials declined to estimate how many more visitors they might see on the Big Island because of the lava flow. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which encompasses Kilauea, welcomed more than 1.3 million visitors last year, according to park spokeswoman Jessica Ferracane.

Security workers were keeping people beyond the barriers during approved viewing hours, said Barry Periatt, plans and operations officer for Hawaii County's Civil Defense Agency.

No communities around the volcano are threatened by the lava flow, Periatt said. The nearest town is Kalapana Gardens, which is more than half a mile away. It suffered major damage from a 1986 volcano flow.

Commentary: It's simply amazing the show Kilauea has put on for the local residents of Hawaii for the past 29 consecutive years. Tourists from around the world eagerly fly to the big island of Hawaii just to view lava flowing from Kilauea.

Hawaii’s Solar Market Is Booming; Why This Is a Very Bad Thing

2012-11-24T21:55:00.001-08:00

In June 2001, when Hawaii became the 35th state to adopt a Net Energy Metering (NEM) law to promote the installation of small renewable energy grid-connected systems, it probably seemed like one of those “duh” moments. All that sun power waiting to be harnessed would certainly transform the state into one blazing hot solar market.

But things started out slowly. In a recent article for the Honolulu Civil Beat, Marco Mangelsdorf, who is president of ProVision Solar and also teaches energy politics at University of Hawaii at Hilo, noted that from 2001 through 2007 a total of only 386 NEM systems were installed across the state. By 2011, that number had risen to 9,625 and this explosive growth has had unexpected consequences.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Hawaii’s homeowners and businesses are now producing nearly 140 megawatts of their own power, or the equivalent of a medium-size power plant. This has theHawaiian Electric company worried that all this do-it-yourself solar power could threaten parts of the electrical grid if the power generated by homeowners in some areas starts to exceed the output from power plants.

MORE: Katrina-Ravaged Neighborhood Reemerges as 'Largest Solar Housing Development in Southeast'

Part of the problem is that each island has its own separate power grid, so it’s not easy to quickly compensate with power generated elsewhere. The Times reported that, “The result, if not carefully managed, can be computer-killing power surges (in cases of excess generation), flickering lights, isolated blackouts or worse,” and quoted Robert Alm, executive vice president of Hawaiian Electric, as saying, "It can crash the entire system."

“The electric utilities will not let the system crash,” Mangelsdorf told TakePart. “In principle, it’s not that complicated: the grid is finite. Therefore, the amount of power, from whatever sources, feeding into the grid has to be finite. The big debate is over the mix. Any typical power grid must have a certain percentage of what they call ‘firm’ power, i.e., not solar or wind non-firm, variable power.”

He added that, “While there’s interesting stuff going on in the labs as far as this ambiguous thing called a ‘smart grid,’ I don’t believe that any techno fixes are going to keep up with the reality on the ground as far as circuit after circuit reaching saturation and being closed to more DG [distributed generation] penetration. Others appear to have more faith than I do in the practicality and timeliness of the techno fixes.”

Power surges aside, elected officials are also concerned about the effect of the state’s renewable-energy tax credit on overall revenue forecasts. Hawaii offers a 35 percent state income tax credit for homeowners and businesses that install PV systems, and that incentive can be used in combination with a 30 percent federal tax credit. The Honolulu Star Advertiser stated last month that the cost of the state tax credit has grown from $34.7 million in 2010 to $173.8 million in 2012.”

In fact, the Civil Beat reported earlier this month that the Hawaii Department of Taxation has issued new rules that “effectively restrict the number of tax credits that homeowners and solar companies can claim on solar arrays.” And they predict that the fight against the tax department’s new rules is certain to be a focus of lawmakers when their legislative session begins in mid-January.

Considering all that’s at stake—for homeowners, solar companies, and environmentalists—it should be an interesting fight.

Commentary: With the current costs of electricity, it's not surprising that solar electric power panels are suddenly appearing on local homes in Hawaii. Consumes are truly benefitting because they save a nice bundle of money each year, verses paying the local electric company. Hopefully other states follow suit.

2012-10-19T21:18:00.000-07:00

Associated Press/Audrey McAvoy - In this Oct. 18, 2012, photo, Wade Hicks, Jr. poses for a photograph outside the pass office at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The 34-year-old from Gulfport, Miss. was stranded in Hawaii for five days after he found out he was on the no-fly list and wouldn't be allowed on an airplane until he was abruptly removed from the list with no explanation. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy)

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AP) — Hawaii is a paradise for most visitors. But it was Wade Hicks Jr.'s prison for five days.

The 34-year-old from Gulfport, Miss., was stranded in the islands this week after being told he was on the FBI's no-fly list during a layover for a military flight from California to Japan.

The episode left Hicks scrambling to figure out how he'd get home from Hawaii without being able to fly. Then he was abruptly removed from the list on Thursday with no explanation.

It also raised questions beyond how he landed on the list: How could someone on a list intelligence officials use to inform counterterrorism investigations successfully fly standby on an Air Force flight?

Hicks said he was traveling to visit his wife, a U.S. Navy lieutenant who's deployed in Japan. He hitched a ride on the military flight as is common for military dependents, who are allowed to fly on scheduled routes when there's room.

Hicks said that during his layover at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent told him he was on the no-fly list and wouldn't be allowed on a plane.

"I said, 'How am I supposed to get off this island and go see my wife or go home?' And her explanation was: 'I don't know,'" Hicks said.

Hicks said he was shocked and thought they must have had the wrong person because he doesn't have a criminal record and recently passed an extensive background check in Mississippi to get a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

But the agent said his name, Social Security number and date of birth matched the person prohibited from flying, Hicks said. He wasn't told why and wondered whether his controversial views on the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks played a role. Hicks said he disagrees with the 9/11 Commission's conclusions about the attacks.

A Homeland Security spokesman referred questions to the FBI Terrorist Screening Center, which maintains the report. A spokesman for the center declined to comment on Hicks' case. The government doesn't disclose who's on the list or why someone might have been placed on it.

The list of roughly 20,000 people and about 500 to 600 Americans includes names and classified evidence against suspected terrorists who are not allowed to fly in U.S. airspace.

The list can be updated within minutes, so it's possible Hicks was added to the list while in midair from Travis Air Force Base in California to Hawaii.

A spokesman for Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's office said passengers who fly standby on military flights are screened against the FBI's list only on international flights. Domestic passengers are screened only through an internal military system, not the Advanced Passenger Information System run by Customs and Border Protection.

"It's scary to know that something like this can happen in a free country. You're not accused of any crime. You haven't been contacted by anyone. No investigation has been done. No due process has taken place," he said.

He got a hotel room at the Pearl Harbor naval base while he worked things out. Being on the list didn't stop him from staying on a base that's home to submarines, cruisers and destroyers.

Hicks said he called politicians in Mississippi and Hawaii and brainstormed ways to get home with friends, speculating on taking a private plane, a cruise ship or even a fishing boat from Alaska. He then got a call on Thursday that he had been removed from the no-fly list.

Hicks planned to take a military flight back to California on Friday to meet his wife, who will be coming from Japan, and said he plans to seek to recoup his added travel costs from the government.

___

Associated Press writer Eileen Sullivan in Washington contributed to this report.

Commentary: It's very shameful that this gentleman had to endure such disrespect from the federal government upon mysteriously ending up on the no fly list. This really makes you wonder whether the current white house administration is hiding anything else pertaining to this gentleman. I really hope this matter gets settled in a respectful manner pertaining to this gentleman.

Hawaii sets insurance minimums for health care

2012-10-04T06:19:00.001-07:00

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii has set minimum standards for health care insurance plans that can be sold in Hawaii under new federal guidelines.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced the minimums at a press conference on Monday. Abercrombie says the minimums will help Hawaii lead the nationwide health care transition.

The minimums include things like ambulance services, hospitalization and prescription drugs. The guidelines will take effect in 2014.

Hawaii is among the states that bet correctly that the U.S. Supreme Court would uphold Obama's law. The high court ruled in favor of the law in June.

U.S. Census data from 2010 show 7.7 percent of Hawaii residents are without health insurance. That's the second-lowest rate in the country behind Massachusetts at 5.5 percent.

Commentary: http://www.hmsa.com/ is where you can learn more about the health insurance plan(s) offered in the state of Hawaii. Hawaii's health insurance program is the only one of its kind in the United States, that wouldn't work anywhere else that I'm aware of. Hawaii also offers affordable health insurance for low income families which makes it possible to still get medical care when needed.

Obamacare is going to amount to be one of the largest tax increases ever seen in the U.S. when it takes effect next year.

Changes could attract bigger stars to the Blaisdell

2012-09-30T20:33:00.004-07:00

The Blaisdell Center is getting a nearly $6 million facelift and about a quarter of that money, is going to an area not even open to the public.

Just over $1.5 million will be going straight to the dressing rooms.

But city officials believe they will see a return on their investment because the dressing rooms could attract bigger stars and shows.

Tom Moffatt has been booking shows at the Blaisdell since 1964. And there's one thing that hasn't really changed over a half a century.

"The dressing rooms have stayed pretty much the same," says Moffatt. "I brought Sammy Davis, and Liza Minnelli, and Frank Sinatra and I remember Sammy Davis had a trailer outside the arena as his dressing room."

That's because the dressing rooms can't accommodate more than a couple people.

"It's like a sports locker room," Moffatt describes.

Over the years, he says the stars have been expecting a little more from the backstage facilities.

"Michael Jackson, we transformed the dressing room to something out of the Middle East. And the Stones, we put in pinball machines and a pool table," says Moffatt.

But now the city is investing $1.6 million over the period of six years in hopes to see big returns.

"And it's to attract the big name stars like Stevie Wonder, maybe," says Ann Kobayashi, Honolulu City Councilmember.

They're also planning to make other improvements like replacing the air conditioning system, improving the concession stands, and repairing the parking lot and roof.

"If the facilities where people get food get improved, people will eat more, spend more, and if big names come in, of course they sell a lot of tickets and that's all revenue for the city," agrees Moffatt.

Most of the repairs are scheduled to be complete by the end of 2014.

"It seems to be working, we have Cirque du Soleil, really big shows and they're selling out too," says Kobayashi.

Moffatt says some big names he's hoping to bring to the Blaisdell are Bruno Mars, James Taylor, and Chicago.

Commentary: Why did it take so long to finally make the required improvements on the Blaisdell center? Why did it take a supposed Steve Wonder concert to finally get the ball rolling? I certainly hope the money spent on improvements is well worth it.

Hawaiian Airlines flight delayed more than 15 hours

2012-09-30T20:27:00.001-07:00

A Hawaiian Airlines flight from San Francisco to Honolulu was scheduled to leave at 9:45 Saturday morning but has been delayed and is now set to finally leave at 1:30 a.m local time.

A passenger sent us this photo from the boarding area at SFO.

Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson said the reason for the 15 plus hour delay is because there was a mechanical problem with the plane, and the part needed to be flown in from the east coast.

All 184 passengers got meal vouchers and will get a three hundred dollar travel credit.

Commentary: Another Hawaiian airlines plane could've been flown in quicker, thus the stranded passengers could've been on their to Hawaii. Airlines are certainly doing some strange things lately.

EXCLUSIVE: Hawaii Five-O to seek a new home - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

2012-09-07T18:34:00.001-07:00

EXCLUSIVE: Hawaii Five-O to seek a new home - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -

Hawaii-Five O will soon be looking for a new home.

Hawaii News Now has learned that the landmark Honolulu Advertiser Building, which has housed the popular television series for the past two years, is being sold to local developer Marshall Hung, who plans to build condos. Sources say that Hawaii Five-O executives are working with state officials to find a new location in Hawaii. But it could take some time to find a space large enough for the show's trailers, its stages and its more than 150 employees.

In the meantime, Hawaii Five-0 officials have been able to secure the use of the existing stages through the show's third season, which kicks off next month.

Hung did not return calls but sources said he plans to build condominiums on the South Street portion of the 1.94-acre lot. He also will preserve the iconic News Building that sits on the Kapiolani Boulevard section of the property.

Real Estate expert Mike Hamasu said the proposed project underscores developer's increasing interest in Kakaako.

"There is a significant amount of development underway," said Hamasu, director of consulting & research at Collier's Monroe Friedlander.

"We have 13 proposed projects that are scheduled, or slated or planned for the area."

Hung is a developer of condominiums and other commercial projects in Honolulu. Most recently, he built the affordable high-rise at 215 N. King Street in Chinatown.

Opened in 1929, the Honolulu Advertiser Building used to be the home of the Honolulu Advertiser and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. In 2010, Gannett Co. put the building on the market after it sold the Advertiser to the rival Star-Bulletin.

If he completes the deal, Hung must get approvals from the state before he can start building.

Commentary: It's going to be strange not seeing the Hawaii Five O cast working in the iconic building, hopefully they'll be able to find a permanent home.

Three Oahu schools garner 'Blue Ribbon' honor - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

2012-09-07T18:27:00.001-07:00

Three Oahu schools garner 'Blue Ribbon' honor - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

WASHINGTON D.C. (HawaiiNewsNow) -

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Friday recognized three Oahu schools as 2012 National Blue Ribbon Schools for their overall academic excellence or for making progress in improving student academic achievement levels.

Enchanted Lake, He'eia and Hokulani Elementary Schools are among 269 schools across the country to receive the honor.

The Department will honor approximately 219 public and 50 private schools at a recognition ceremony on Nov. 12-13 in Washington, D.C.

"Our nation has no greater responsibility than helping all children realize their full potential," Duncan said. "Schools honored with the National Blue Ribbon Schools award are committed to accelerating student achievement and preparing students for success in college and careers. Their work reflects the conviction that every child has promise and that education is the surest pathway to a strong, secure future."

In its 30-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed the award on nearly 7,000 of America's schools.

Each school will receive a plaque and a flag to signify their status as National Blue Ribbon Schools.

For the full list of 2012 Blue Ribbon Schools click, here.

Commentary: Congratulations to the three local schools receiving such a prestigious award!!

Student shot at Md. high school; suspect held

2012-08-27T21:26:00.002-07:00

By ALEX DOMINGUEZ | Associated Press

PERRY HALL, Md. (AP) — A 15-year-old student opened fire on the first day of classes Monday at aBaltimore County high school, getting off two shots and wounding a classmate before being rushed byteachers, authorities said.

Investigators do not believe the victim, a 17-year-old male, was targeted by the shooter, a 15-year-old who is also a student at Perry Hall High School, Baltimore County Police Chief James Johnson said. The 15-year-old boy was taken into custody after the shooting and was cooperating with investigators, police said. Police took the weapon, although they did not say what kind of gun it was.

Johnson said at about 10:45 a.m., a student walked into the cafeteria and pulled out a gun. He fired one shot before being grabbed by teachers, and then another shot went off as teachers grabbed him, Johnson said.

Johnson said the shooter acted alone. He did not answer numerous questions from reporters about a motive.

Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger said it was too early to know what charges the shooter would face. Police said they would work with prosecutors to determine whether he would be charged as an adult.

The victim remained in critical condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center on Monday evening, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Jordan Coates, a 17-year-old student who was in the cafeteria at the time of the shooting, said the student used a shotgun. Coates said he watched teachers, including guidance counselor Jesse Wasmer, pin the student against a vending machine.

"My back was to the door. I heard a pop and thought it was a bag because people do that, but then I heard another one," Coates told The Associated Press. "And I turned around and a teacher had a kid pinned up against the vending machine, and I saw the barrel, and another shot goes off and people just start running."

Coates credited Wasmer with helping to stop the shooting, and numerous students took to Twitter to thank him.

"He grabbed the gun from the kid and got him" until other teachers came over, Coates said.

Kelsey Long, a junior at Perry Hall who was in the cafeteria, said she also thought the first gunshot was someone popping a bag.

"But then we heard it again and again and everyone started screaming and ran out to the front of the school," Long told The Associated Press in a Twitter message.

Detectives were interviewing the suspected shooter Monday afternoon, Baltimore County police spokeswoman Elise Armacost said. Officers spent several hours searching the school and found no other weapons or suspicious materials, she said.

Although no one other than the 17-year-old was shot, several people suffered cuts and bruises in the ensuing melee, Armacost said.

"We have some heroic and brave faculty members," Schools Superintendent Dallas Dance said. "They responded very quickly to minimize damage."

Seth Warner, a youth pastor at the Faith Fellowship Church across from the high school who graduated in 1999 with Wasmer, said he was not surprised to hear that the guidance counselor had intervened. He described Wasmer as "not big, but built."

"I knew that if anyone could take him down, it would be Jesse," Warner said.

The school was evacuated, and students were escorted to a nearby shopping center and middle school.

Perry Hall is a middle-class community along the Interstate 95 corridor, northeast of Baltimore city. The school is the largest in the county, with 2,200 students.

County Councilman David Marks, who lives next door to the school, said he had received dozens of phone calls and text messages from worried parents and residents.

"This is a very comfortable, very safe community, and it's an excellent high school," said Marks, who graduated from Perry Hall. "I think this is an aberration, but clearly one that is horrifying, particularly on the first day of school."

Police planned to provide additional security when the school reopens on Tuesday, and stress counselors were called in to work with students, faculty and staff.

Television coverage showed scores of police cars surrounding the school and parked on neighborhood streets. A group of officers with weapons drawn staked out a corner of the building, one of them lying prone on the ground and appearing to cover a particular area of the campus. Hundreds of students streamed away from the school.

Cathy Le, 15, said students were panicking as they tried to find out what was happening. They texted and called each other frantically as they were locked in their classrooms for more than an hour, she said.

At the scene, buses, emergency vehicles and parents in cars filled the roadway between the high school and the shopping center. There were obvious signs of relief displayed as parents found their children.

Kristin Kraus, whose son James attends the school, described hearing about the shooting as "absolute terror." However, Kraus said, "within a couple of minutes he texted my husband that he was OK."

___

Associated Press writer Ben Nuckols in Washington contributed to this report.

Commentary: Every parent's worst fear is hearing about a shooting at their child's school. As schools around the country have started up again, this is the last thing any parent wants to hear. It's sad that the youth of today are using assorted means of venting their frustrations that often end violently. Thankfully bystanders were able to apprehend the shooter before anymore serious damage or possible deaths could have occurred.

Since the time God has been removed from all schools, these things seemingly have been occurring more frequently. Prayer should be restored in all schools like it used to be, perhaps this sort of violent outbursts wouldn't occur as often. I hope all the other students and teachers shall be able to gradually move on.

Empire State Building Shooting Suspect Kept Firing After Victim Fell - ABC News

2012-08-24T20:15:00.001-07:00

Empire State Building Shooting Suspect Kept Firing After Victim Fell - ABC News

By RICHARD ESPOSITO, MARK CRUDELE, RUSSELL GOLDMAN (@GoldmanRussell) ,CANDACE SMITH (@CandaceSmith_) and LEE FERRAN

Aug. 24, 2012

The gunman who triggered a wild shootout in front of the Empire State Building today gunned down a former work acquaintance without saying a word, and stood over his prone victim to pump more bullets into him, police said today.

The shooter, identified by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as Jeffrey Johnson, pulled his gun a second time when confronted by two police officers a half block away and pointed it at the police.

He was cut down in a hail of 16 bullets that left Johnson riddled with 10 bullet holes. Nine bystanders were also wounded by what police believe were ricochets, police said.

Johnson, 58, was lurking outside a building adjacent to the Empire State Building, ABC News station WABC in New York reported. The building housed Hazan Imports Corp., which had once contracted with Johnson to design T-shirts, police told WABC.

Johnson's relationship with the company ended bitterly a year ago in a dispute with the company's account executive, Steven Ercolino, 41, police said.

A friend of Ercolino's who witnessed the shooting told police that she noticed Johnson, who was wearing a suit and carrying a black bag, outside the building. She saw him walk up to Ercolino and without saying a word, fire five times at the victim and keep firing as Ercolino slumped to the ground, police told WABC.

Ercolino's father was heartbroken.

"Steven was a wonderful son. He was very good son and person," Frank Ercolino of Warwick, N.Y., told ABC News.

Johnson calmly walked away from the shooting, the witness told police, but New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said he was followed by a construction worker. The worker alerted two New York Police Department officers who confronted Johnson.

Johnson pulled his gun again, held the gun chest high and extended his arm, police told WABC.

The two cops, who were about eight feet away from Johnson, opened fire, killing Johnson.

"He tried to shoot at the cops," Bloomberg said. "We do not know if he got any shots off."

Police told WABC Johnson had a .45-caliber handgun and there was an extra clip of bullets in his bag.

Johnson was struck at least seven times and some of the 10 bullet holes were exit wounds, authorities said.

The nearby curb was lined with large cement flower pots meant to thwart an attempted car bomb, and some were damaged, WABC reported.

Witness George King told ABC News he watched several people around him struck by bullets.

"I heard multiple gunshots, I'd say about 12 of them," he said. "I thought they were firecrackers, at first. I didn't know what was going on. Everyone started running for cover along with me. The girl that was running next to me fell down to the pavement and, when I looked at her, I could see she had been hit in the leg. She was bleeding from the leg.

"I noticed about five people who had been struck on the sidewalk or the street," he said.

Another witness to the shooting, Cyrus Balanlayos, told ABC News he was on a bus just outside the Empire State building when he heard several very quick gunshots.

"I looked up and saw hundreds of people running north. It seemed like a Godzilla film," Balanlayos said. "I saw two bodies on the ground right in front of the bus."

Balanlayos said that after he got off the bus he saw another two other people who appeared to have been shot -- a man and a woman.

"All I heard was, 'Oh my god, Oh my god,'" he said.

Police told WABC that Johnson legally bought his gun in Sarasota, Fla., in 1991. He illegally brought it to New York City, which has strict gun laws.

Commentary: It breaks my heart when a tragedy such as this occurs, innocent lives are taken. The gunman really didn't care about his actions. May God guide the families effected by this unfortunate tragedy, bestow strength upon them to gradually move on.

Keauhou Beach Hotel to close, 112 to lose jobs - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

2012-08-22T20:23:00.001-07:00

Keauhou Beach Hotel to close, 112 to lose jobs - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

By Rich Meiers - email

KEAUHOU, BIG ISLAND (HawaiiNewsNow) -

112 people will lose their jobs when the Keauhou Beach Hotel on the Big Island closes in late October.

Kamehameha Schools made that announced Wednesday.

"This hotel has been a place of rest and play for so many people in its past 40 years - myself included," said Kamehameha Schools CEO Dee Jay Mailer. "Despite the good work of many committed and talented people, financial losses at the hotel over the last six years have been substantial."

Outrigger Hotels manages the property.

Kamehameha Schools says Outrigger Hotel management & ILWU leaders have been told of the decision and have met with the majority of the hotel employees to let them know of this difficult decision in person.

"The decision has been very difficult because of its impact on the people here." said KBH's Kyle Chock. "Many of these employees have given years of dedicated service to the Keauhou Beach Hotel, and we owe them our sincerest thanks and appreciation. We along with Outrigger management and the ILWU, will do all we can to assist those affected by the closure."

Once the hotel closes, property will be turned over to Kamehameha Schools.

Kamehameha Schools says planning is underway to demolish the hotel in order to create the opportunity for KS to re-claim and restore a portion of the cultural landscape in Kahalu'u ma kai that has been covered or impacted by the hotel and its surrounding structures for decades.

"We envision creating a place for teaching and learning of applied Hawaiian knowledge. A place where a broad range of culture and aina based learning experiences that recognize and respect the legacy of this place and out kupuna," said

Greg Chun, Vice President of KS' Keauhou-Kahaluu Education Group.

Kamehameha Schools CEO Dee Jay Mailer noted that KBH, KS and various independent consultants had, over the last 18 months, studied a number of options as alternatives to closing the hotel, but the analyses came to the same conclusion: selling, renovating or re-purposing the hotel would create an unacceptable financial risk for Kamehameha Schools and its educational mission.

Commentary: It's never fun seeing a long time business closing its doors, however, with the current state of the economy, this was probably the best decision management had to make. I do hope when the property is used for something else, that it may provide jobs for those losing theirs because of the hotel closing its doors.

Gasoline prices jump 5 cents in one day after Richmond refinery fire

2012-08-08T17:50:00.002-07:00

By George Avalos
Contra Costa Times

RICHMOND -- Gasoline prices jumped in the Bay Area by at least 5 cents a gallon Wednesday after a disastrous fire at Chevron's Richmond refinery that shut down a crucial distilling unit, guaranteeing higher gas prices for Northern California for months to come.

"This unit is the heart of the refinery," said Bob van der Valk, a Montana-based fuel price analyst. "Without this crude distillation unit in operation, Chevron can't refine products."

He and other analysts said the damage to the refinery, which produces 20 to 25 percent of the gasoline for Northern California, could push gas prices higher for the rest of 2012 and perhaps into 2013.

"The East Bay, San Jose area, San Francisco and all the other parts of the Bay Area will be hit by $4-a-gallon gasoline in the next 24 to 48 hours," said Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy. "Supply is very tight on the West Coast."

Analysts noted that a similar fire that engulfed a key unit at a refinery in Washington state shut down production there for a four-month stretch from February to June.

"Chevron is still putting out hot spots in the area of the original fire," van der Valk said. "They won't be able to do anything there for months."

The crude distillation unit that the fire knocked out at the Richmond refinery provides the first step in transforming crude oil into motor fuels and other transportation fuels and products, according to Justin Higgs, a Chevron spokesman.

The damaged unit, the only one of its kind at the refinery, supplies most of the feedstock that other production units require later in the refining process. Chevron on Wednesday was shuttling materials that had already been distilled to the other production units at the refinery, and also continued to refine feedstock it had previously bought.

"We continue to operate, we continue to supply product," Higgs said.

But Higgs declined to provide specifics on current production levels, or to say how long it would take to repair the damage from the fire.

Average gasoline prices jumped 6 cents in the East Bay and the South Bay, and 5 cents in San Francisco by evening Wednesday over what they had been late Tuesday, according to a survey by the GasBuddy online site.

"Five or 6 cents a gallon, you might see that sort of increase in a week, but to have that in one day, that shows how significant the refinery fire is," DeHaan said. "Five or 6 cents in a day, that's a lot."

The average price of gasoline was $3.93 a gallon in the South Bay, $3.91 in the East Bay and $3.99 in San Francisco on Wednesday, GasBuddy reported.

"There is definitely a price spike going on," said Gregg Laskoski, a senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy. "There is no question the fire at the Richmond refinery is the catalyst for this."

Chevron's Richmond refinery can handle 244,000 barrels of oil a day. In addition to producing 20 to 25 percent of the gasoline used in Northern California, it also supplies about 50 percent of the jet fuel used at the major airports in the region.

"They are probably running at half capacity at the Richmond refinery," van der Valk said. "They can bring in blended stocks from other parts of the world, such as from the huge Chevron refinery in India. That could take two months to get here. Chevron will just try to hobble along for a while at the refinery."

Other challenges have surfaced that have contributed to the gasoline price problems on the West Coast. For one thing, refinery inventories are low because refinery operators don't want to be caught with a oversupply of summer fuel ahead of the annual switch to winter fuel blends Oct. 1. And the Valero refinery in Benicia has suffered some hiccups lately.

"There are big problems in California right now," Laskoski said.

Commentary: It's often not too surprising how gas prices suddenly spike upward whenever a refinery has a malfunction that occurs.

It's even more interesting that Chevron hasn't become better prepared for these type of situations through the years.

Colt Brennan investigated for felony drug possession and DUI - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

2012-07-26T21:16:00.001-07:00

Colt Brennan investigated for felony drug possession and DUI - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

Story by Tim Sakahara for Hawaii News Now

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -

Colt Brennan is one of the all time favorite University of Hawaii athletes and fans are disappointed to hear he's been arrested for felony drug possession and drunk driving.

At noon former UH star quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Colt Brennan was released pending investigation from the Honolulu Police Station. He got into his attorney's Bentley and immediately got on his cell phone, no doubt talking about what happened 12 hours earlier.

Police say he was arrested in Kailua for drunk driving and promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree which is a felony. Lab tests have not revealed what the powdery substance was. The fact it's a "dangerous" drug means it is more serious than marijuana which is listed as a "harmful" drug under Hawaii law.

"There is more here as to how you get to being on top of the mountain to being in the gutter somewhere," said Michael Green, Brennan's Attorney. "How did I get here? Not why he got arrested but how did I wind up in jail. From being at the very top to being in a cell on Beretania Street. So I would describe his demeanor as pure sadness."

The rental car sat in the parking lot in front of the businesses at the corner of Kailua Road and Uluoa Street where Brennan was arrested. A hat, gum and Bob Marley cigarette papers sat on the front seat.

Green says the traffic stop may not have been justified. Brennan was stopped for going 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. Green also says the drugs could have belonged to the rental car's previous customer.

Brennan had recently returned to Hawaii. He had plans on staying permanently and is said to have been meeting with another local television station earlier in the day.

"Interviewing about him doing some work for them, piece work where they would pay him for various projects he did for them and he wound up being downtown and he stayed later walking around, hanging out kicking back and walked into a club or a place he knew and ran into somebody and having some drinks and went back home to Kailua where he was staying. He gets stopped on a traffic offense and winds up sitting in the can," said Green.

The arrest doesn't help his job prospects in TV or especially as a professional athlete. The man who used to throw spirals for touchdowns now appears to have a spiraling career.

"When you get this kind of a case (teams) won't touch you after that. They worry about substance abuse problems," said Green.

"It's pretty shocking and pretty sad," said Gordon Ahnee, Kailua resident who lives near the arrest scene. "You would think he left all that behind him but unfortunately I don't think so."

"It sends a very bad message to the kids. Especially those idolized him," said Darrylnn Ferreira, Kailua resident.

Brennan was released pending investigation and has not been charged, therefore there was no need to post bail. No court date has been set.

Last month, Brennan was released by the Saskatchewan Roughriders two days before the first preseason game. He was competing for a back-up position on the Canadian Football League team.

Brennan was originally a sixth round pick of the Washington Redskins in the 2008 draft. He spent a short amount of time with the Oakland Raiders and Hartford Colonials of the UFL.

Back in Nov. 2010, Brennan was involved in a head-on vehicle crash on the Big Island.

Brennan's girlfriend at the time, Shakti Stream, was driving an SUV that crossed the center line and collided into a car driven by Dr. Theresa Wang.

Stream and Brennan were both hospitalized for less than a week. However, Wang needed more treatment.

Wang was taken to the Queen's Medical Center where she was in a coma for weeks. She was then transported to a Colorado rehab hospital that specializes in brain and spinal cord injuries.

Brennan says he does not remember the crash or the days after it.

Stay with HawaiiNewsNow.com for the latest updates on this story.

Commentary: It seems Colt has been making many poor choices lately that have gotten him into the spotlight for the wrong reason. Although he enjoyed a successful college football career, Colt has never been able to put it together in the NFL or even the CFL. Time will tell what happens in this current matter Colt finds himself in. It's sad when a talented athlete makes poor choices, without realizing their possible full potential in a professional league.

Colt could possibly tryout in the Arena Football League, he could possibly enjoy a successful career there. Hopefully Colt will get his act together, avoid future encounters with police for the wrong reasons.

Women Who Survived Theater Shooting Grieve for Hero Boyfriends

2012-07-24T18:58:00.001-07:00

Story by CHRISTINA NG and DAN HARRIS

Of the 12 people killed in the Aurora theater shooting, four of them were men who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect their girlfriends. Now, each of these women are struggling to come to terms with both their grief and their gratitude.

Alexander Teves, 24, attended the midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" with his girlfriend Amanda Lindgren , 24,and another friend.

When suspected gunman James Holmes opened fire in the sold out theater, Teves immediately lunged to block Lindgren from the gunfire.

"I was really, really confused at first about what was going on, so confused," Lindgren told ABC News. "But, it's like Alex didn't even hesitate. Because I sat there for a minute, not knowing what was going on, and he held me down and he covered my head and he said, 'Shh stay down. It's ok. Shh just stay down.' So I did."

Teves blocked the bullets from Lindgren but he was shot and killed. She was not hit.

"He was my angel that night, but he was my angel every day I knew him," Lindgren said. "I'm broken."

Lindgren reflected on the profoundly close relationship she had with Teves, saying that the couple would not go an hour in the day "without missing each other terribly."

"My other half was just ripped apart from me and so for me it's still unreal," she said. "I can't picture my life without him. How do you? When someone loves you that much and you love somebody that much…how do you believe that this is real? And of all places. We were in that theater, that specific room. We were just supposed to watch a movie."

When asked if she thought Teves knew he was putting himself in danger for her, Lindgren said, "I know he did. He'd do anything for me. He always told me that, too. I just wish I could have protected him the same way he protected me."

Teves' father Tom Teves is also devastated, but said that his son is still with him.

"I'm hollow. But Alex has come and brought me…from heaven, he's been bringing me hope," Teves told ABC News. "He's still my inspiration. And I know now more than ever that there is a God. Because of Alex. Because Alex is still coming through. Because that's the kind of man he is."

Elsewhere in theater nine, John Larimer and his girlfriend Julia Vojtsek went through a similar situation.

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class John Larimer, 26, and his girlfriend Julia Vojtsek, 23, were sitting int the middle of the theater when the shooting began.

"John immediately and instinctively covered me and brought me to the ground in order to protect me from any danger," Vojtsek wrote in a statement. "Moments later, John knowingly shielded me from a spray of gunshots. It was then I believe John was hit with a bullet that would have very possibly struck me. I feel very strongly that I was saved by John and his ultimate kindness."

The couple had known each other since they were 21 and 18 years old when they met working at a Chili's in Illinois, where they are both from. Larimer was home for the summer from school and Vojtsek was getting ready to go to college. They became close and stayed in touch with Facebook and text messages.

This summer, Vojtsek's father Fred Vojtsek came to Colorado to work for an extended period of time. When Julia Vojtsek traveled to Colorado to spend part of her summer with her father, she told him that Larimer was stationed in Aurora and he encouraged her to see him.

"I wanted her to see him because he would have been a kid that a father wants to see his daughter with, a kid of values and things like that," Fred Vojtsek told ABCNews.com. He said his daughter and Larimer became boyfriend and girlfriend about three weeks ago. "So many kids these days don't really want to hear what parents have to say or engage or listen, and he did. That's what stood out with me."

"We were planning on going to church Saturday night," Vojstek said. "He was a good kid."

Fred Vojstek has been staying in a place just minutes away from from the Century 16 movie theater where the shooting took place. His panicked daughter called him as she was running out of the theater and he arrived within minutes of the shooting.

"She was hysterical and then she got more into a shock stage," Vojtsek said.

Since then, Julia Vojtsek has told her father that she was at the movie with Larimer, two other navy men and a woman. Fred Vojtsek said that after Larimer was shot, the other two navy members were "unbelievable" in making sure his daughter got out safely, even though they had just met her earlier that day.

"I'm grateful my daughter is alive and hopeful he can get through this," Vojtsek said, adding that she is "very, very traumatized."

He said that Larimer's family has been very good to his daughter and that he is "eternally grateful" for Larimer and his Navy friends for saving his daughter.

Vojtsek wrote that just weeks earlier, Larimer had spoken to her about his further advancement in the military.

"John convincingly stated to me that he wanted to be deployed for two simple reasons: He wanted to protect his country, and he wanted to save others from danger and harm," she wrote. "John adamantly wanted to make a difference in the world, and he thought that his military service would be the best chance for him to do so."

"John served his country to the fullest, fulfilling both of his goals," she added.

In addition to these two couples, Matthew McQuinn, 27, and Jon Blunk, 26, died saving their girlfriends in similar ways. Their girlfriends Samantha Yowler, 26, and Jansen Young, 21, did not respond to requests for comment.

Commentary: These gentlemen were real heroes in every sense of the word, when without hesitation they shielded their girlfriends from spraying bullets. The pure love these couples shared shall remain a love without end amen, while in this life these women will always carry the love of their boyfriends for a lifetime.

Lawyer says Colo. suspect's family stands by son

2012-07-23T20:56:00.001-07:00

Lawyer says Colo. suspect's family stands by son

Accused movie theater shooter James Holmes makes his first court appearance at the Arapahoe County on July 23, 2012 in Centennial, Colorado. According to police, Holmes killed 12 people and injured 58 others during a shooting rampage at an opening night screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" July 20, in Aurora, Colorado. (RJ Sangosti - Pool, Getty Images)

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — The suspect in Friday's deadly movie theater shooting in Colorado has been seen publicly for the first time since then -- in court today, looking dazed, and with his hair dyed a comic-book shade of orange-red.

James Holmes said nothing, and simply closed his eyes at one point during the hearing. He's expected to be formally charged next Monday.

Prosecutors said later they didn't know if he was on medication.

Holmes is being held in isolation.

One man who watched today's hearing says his son "could have wiped the floor with him without breaking a sweat." The angry words came from Tom Teves, whose son, Alex, was killed along with 11 others. He says he wishes the suspect had picked on "some guys who know how to use guns."

The lawyer for Holmes' family says they support him, explaining to reporters in San Diego: " He's their son." But she adds that the family's hearts go out to the victims and their families.

Commentary: I can't even imagine what the family of James Holmes is experiencing in wake of this senseless tragedy. No one wins in such matters, as justice needs to be carried out according to the rule of law. I do hope something good can come out of this tragedy, as the healing begins to all affected families of those who died, those who were injured.

Former Hawaii woman killed in Colorado theater massacre

2012-07-23T20:48:00.001-07:00

Former Hawaii woman killed in Colorado theater massacre

Rebecca Wingo lived in Hawaii for several years while she was stationed here in the Air Force. She is one of 12 people killed in the deadly theater shooting.

According to WOAI, Rebecca had left the military and had settled in Aurora, Colorado with her two young daughters.

Wingo’s father, Steve Hernandez, posted the following message on his Facebook page:
“I lost my daughter yesterday to a mad man, my grief right now is inconsolable, I hear she died instantly, without pain, however the pain is unbearable. Lord why, why, why????”

Friends who stayed in touch with Wingo after she left Hawaii share their memories of her, tonight on the KHON2 News at Five and Six.

Additional info:

Warner Brothers studio will make a donation to the charities that are supporting victims of the Aurora, Colo. mass shooting, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and E! Online websites.

The studio will contribute to a fund known asgivingfirst.org, an arm of Colorado’s Community First Foundation. Some of the non-profits working with that umbrella group are the Aurora Mental Health Center, the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance and the Bonfils Blood Center Foundation. For the full list, click here.

The NY Daily News reported yesterday that fund had so far raised $32,000 for those non-profits, as of Sunday evening.

Colo. Gov. John Hickenlooper has said that through his sources he will match the donations that go to givingfirst.org, reported the NY Daily News.

“The Dark Knight Rises” emerged atop the box office this weekend, despite the tragic theater massacre. The Christopher Nolan-directed film raked in a record-setting amount of over $160 million.

That is the third biggest debut on record for a 2-D film. “The Avengers” earned $200.3 million in its opening weekend, but was also shown in 3-D, which rakes in more cash due to higher ticket prices.

Did you expect the studio to make a donation?

Commentary: It's very sad what occurred in Aurora, Colorado to completely innocent bystanders attending the premiere of Batman. What Warner Brothers is doing is very honorable in light of this unfortunate tragedy. There will be countless theories bouncing around on tv, talk radio shows on why this happened. Gun control nuts are already screaming for tighter gun laws, despite the fact that Aurora has strict gun laws on the books.

This story almost brings back memories from the tragedy that occurred at Va. Tech University several years ago. The court case of James Holmes is going to be most interesting once it takes place.

Shooting heightens concern at entertainment venues

2012-07-22T07:24:00.003-07:00

Story by Jim Salter for A.P News

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The mass shooting at a Colorado movie theaterrattled the nerves of some other moviegoers with opening weekend tickets for the new Batman film and led some cinema chains to add more guards. Experts say it's unlikely, though, that venues will implement even stricter security measures because it would significantly alter the experience of going to a film, concert or game.

The early Friday rampage in Aurora, Colo., at a midnight screening of the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises," left 12 people dead and dozens wounded. Authorities say the gunman apparently slipped out through an emergency exit to arm himself, then re-entered that way and opened fire on the startled audience.

The attack had a chilling effect on some ticketholders who had been eagerly awaiting what had been billed as the summer's hottest movie.

"I'm just going to keep my eyes and ears open for anything strange," 27-year-old Charlotte Kimbrell, of Belleville, Ill., said before a screening of "Dark Knight" at a theater in nearby O'Fallon. "I'll probably be sitting all the way in back today, away from the exit doors."

It was in the back of some baseball fans' minds Friday, as well.

"I think paranoia takes over after something like that and something like today, but I think for the most part, all they can do is check your bags and hope that you're not crazy," said David Karney, of Quincy, Mich., who watched the Detroit Tigers host the Chicago White Sox. "At the end of the day, if you're crazy and want to do something, you're going to do it."

The angst is understandable after the attack, which was one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent U.S. history. But security experts say changes made at ballparks, theaters and concert venues after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have gone a long way toward making them safer.

"The problem is security is never 100 percent," said Richard Sem, a longtime security management executive from Wisconsin who is now a consultant. "We look at what's reasonable, practical. You don't necessarily need Fort Knox to go to a Sunday afternoon baseball game."

A decade after the terrorist attacks, at ballparks and concerts, bag checks are now common when entering a venue. Sometimes, there are metal detector wand scans at sporting events. Some movie theaters already have random bag checks. But experts say that it can be a difficult choice to decide where to install additional extra measures, and note that it's no guarantee a patron will be safer with them in place.

"Are we going to put in security that might not work at every movie theater, at every mall?" asked Derek Catsam, a history professor at the University of Texas of the Permian who studies and writes about stadium security issues. "Think of all the places you go during the day where you stand in line or are stuck in crowds. This could happen at any of those places."

At Busch Stadium in St. Louis, where the Cardinals were hosting the rival Chicago Cubs for three sold-out weekend games, security officials were on alert Friday.

"We're concerned, we're certainly saddened and we'll be extra vigilant in our regular security," said Joe Abernathy, vice president of stadium operations.

Abernathy said there were no major security changes planned because the team feels it's already doing everything it can to keep fans safe. Police officers man stadium entrances, and there are nearly 150security cameras at the ballpark. All bags are checked at the entrance. And costumes, in which someone might hide a weapon, aren't allowed, not even masks.

Fans have generally embraced the changes. Butch Cox, a fan at Friday's Cardinals-Cubs game, said, "If they wanted to strip search me, I could care less. If it's for the better, I'm all for it."

Richard Ballentine, of Valrico, Fla., who watched the Tampa Bay Rays host the Seattle Mariners on Friday, said he was worried that the Colorado attack would lead to airport-style metal detectors atmovie theaters and stadiums.

"I'm actually of the opinion that most of those checks are a waste of time. They're reactive instead of being proactive," Ballentine said. "... The truth is terrorists will look at the things that we're doing to try to provide security and they'll look for other places that are weak spots, and they'll just adapt."

Brian McCarthy, of the National Football League, said security procedures are under constant review and are sometimes adjusted.

Last season, the league provided handheld metal detectors to its 32 teams — part of a massive security effort at NFL games and one fans don't seem to mind because they're less intrusive than pat-downs, said Bob Calderon, who oversees public safety at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.

"They'd rather be safe than sorry," he said. "We try to reach a happy medium."

Officials at St. Louis-based Wehrenberg Theatres Inc. met before dawn Friday to consider what to do after the shooting. The chain manages 15 cinemas in Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa. But they noted that security measures were already in place. Wehrenberg's vice president of marketing, Kelly Hoskins, said the chain already uses off-duty uniformed and civilian-dressed police and does random checks of handbags for movie-goers.

"Sometimes you don't want it to feel like a police state," Hoskins said. "You don't want to increase security to an uncomfortable level."

___

Associated Press journalists John Affleck and Barry Wilner in New York, Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Ala.; Fred Goodall in St. Petersburg, Fla., Jim Suhr in O'Fallon, Ill, and RB Fallstrom in St. Louis contributed to this report.

Commentary: Have we in society reached the point where extra security will always be needed at various entertainment values? What occurred in Aurora, Colorado is certainly very unfortunate, shall most likely bring the issue of gun ownership back to the forefront. James Holmes the suspect currently in military confinement certainly planned this event in advance, being from San Diego, has put the city in the limelight as well. It shall be quite interesting to see what other facts arise, whether others may be charged as well for either selling or sending the ammunition to this chap.

Not that long ago, we all felt safe attending various events at entertainment venues, although after one of the worst mass shootings in recent history, will we ever feel comfortable going to a entertainment venue, without the fear of something like this possibly occurring again in the near future? It's a shame that its come down to this, that families will now always be looking over their shoulders every time they go somewhere.

Hawaii woman called “bag of bones” by employer, awarded $193K

2012-07-20T23:24:00.001-07:00

Hawaii woman called “bag of bones” by employer, awarded $193K

It's being called a victory for civil rights law, one that sends a strong message to all Hawaii business owners.

A federal judge has handed down a $193,000 award in an age discrimination case the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission called especially appalling.

The case landed in court after Debra Moreno, theMaui office coordinator for Hawaii Healthcare Professionals, said she was fired because of her age. Moreno lost her job in 2008. At the time she was 54 years old.

The EEOC filed the lawsuit on Moreno's behalf.

The suit claimed the company's owner ordered that Moreno be fired after telling a manager that Moreno "looks old"..."sounds old on the telephone"...and is "like a bag of bones."

Moreno moved to Idaho after losing her job.

"I am elated about it. I have waited over 4 years now patiently and I am glad it came to the result that it did,” said Moreno. “When someone says I look like a bag of bones or I sound old on the telephone or I look old it’s very hurtful,” she added.

Moreno says her former employer is no longer in business, meaning there's no way to know right now exactly how much of the $193,000 award she'll receive.

Commentary: Hopefully business owners, companies around the nation will take serious notes, after this victory for a former worker. Workers and management should always treat one another with respect, shouldn't degrade the other to the point where it can come back and haunt you later. Although, the compensation doesn't replace the emotional distress, it sends a stern message that should be heeded.

HART set to receive nearly $47 million in GET collections for rail

2012-07-20T22:54:00.001-07:00

HART set to receive nearly $47 million in GET collections for rail

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation will receive nearly $47 million in

General Excise and Use Tax (GET) revenue collected during the second quarter of

2012.

The $46.99 million collected from April-June 2012 brings the total GET revenue

received for the Honolulu rail project to $905.72 million.

“Passing the $900 million mark in GET-generated revenue shows that the financial

picture for our rail project remains strong,” said HART CEO and Executive Director

Dan Grabauskas.

“Our solid local funding source positions us well with the federal

Transit Administration as we wait for word on the approval of our $1.55 billion in

federal money through the Full Funding Grant Agreement.”

The half-percent GET surcharge dedicated only to the Honolulu rail system began in

January 2007 and is set to expire at the end of 2022. The surcharge is estimated to

fund nearly 70 percent of the project’s cost, with the remaining balance to be paid

for by federal funding.

Commentary: Here's a link with additional information to this story

http://honolulutransit.org/rail-facts.aspx

Commentary: It will be really interesting seeing whether this rail project will really make a difference in terms of reducing daily traffic congestion going to and from downtown Honolulu. Trains have made a difference in larger cities, however, it hasn't reduced the amount of daily traffic that travel on the freeways. Only time will tell whether this rail project truly makes a difference or becomes an eye sore in the event things do turn out as planned.

Hawai'i included in tsunami debris clean-up grant

2012-07-17T21:33:00.001-07:00

Hawai'i included in tsunami debris clean-up grant

Hawai'i along with Alaska, Washington, Oregon andCalifornia will each get $50,000 in tsunami debris clean-up money.

Its part of a $25,000,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to deal with debris from last year's tsunami in Japan.

That amount is not sitting well with everyone.

Senator Mark Begich of Alaska quickly deemed the amount "woefully inadequate."

The democrat says $50,000 is not even enough to clean up one beach.

He has requested at least $45,000,000 in funding.

Commentary: That amount of money may really not be sufficient to clean up the lingering debris coming from Japan's tsunami from last year. The complete total to actually clean up all that mess that comes floating in may be higher than people think.

2 days, 4 fires in same neighborhood

2012-07-17T21:29:00.001-07:00

2 days, 4 fires in same neighborhood

Honolulu police need your help in solving arson cases.

In two days, there were four fires in a Pearl City Naval housing area.

Three families are now without a home.

This was the scene Sunday morning, just before 3:30 a.m.

Police say a car parked in the carport was intentionally set on fire and the blaze spread to the four unit home.

It was the second incident in the same neighborhood.

The first happened the day before when a different car was set on fire.

“With the vehicles catching fire in the carport and damaging the building we're lucky that nobody was hurt because they were all sleeping at the time,” said Sgt. Kim Buffett of CrimeStoppers.

Honolulu police and fire crews returned to the same neighborhood Sunday morning just before 9 a.m.

“Officers were sent to a driveway nearby probably about 1,000 feet away from the second incident where they discovered several gas cans burnt wooden torches lying on the driveway,” said Sgt. Buffett.

Sgt. Buffett says the arsonist poured gas around a car and left a trail of about 75 to 100 feet long.

The suspect tried to light it, but was unsuccessful.

The most recent fire happened about 6 hours later.

A fire sparked in an open field next to an abandoned warehouse.

It burned about sixty feet of grass, but no structures were damaged.

“This is random this is totally random we don't know if at this time if it's the same suspects but due to the areas the time elements we don't know if it's one person if it's more than one person,” she said.

In all, damage is estimated at $94,000.

If you have any information about these fires, call CrimeStoppers at #955-8300.

Commentary: During these economic times, it's unbelievable that such things can still happen, especially to Naval families living in off base housing. It seems like the perpetrators are scoping the area to see which houses they hope to destroy via fire, before setting them. I certainly local police are able to apprehend these knuckleheads and punish them to the full extent of the law.

City signs supervisor under investigation for ethics violations - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

2012-07-16T20:45:00.001-07:00

City signs supervisor under investigation for ethics violations - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

Story By Keoki Kerr

Honolulu (HawaiiNewsNow) – A city traffic signs supervisor is being investigated for spending significant amounts of time at home during his shift, halfway across the island from where he was supposed to be working.

City employees in the Department of Facility Maintenance complain some of their co-workers and even supervisors have been allowed to misbehave for years, with few consequences, sources said.

Patrick Costa has worked for the city for 24 years. He's traffic signs supervisor for the department of facility maintenance, working out of the city's Halawa Corporation Yard.

And Costa has an important job, overseeing a staff of about 24 people who install and maintain everything from stop signs, speed limit and no parking signs to lane striping along city streets all over Oahu.

Now, sources said, Costa is under investigation because employees say he frequently would go to work in Halawa, check in on his employees and then drive his city truck back to his house on Keolu Drive in Windward Oahu.

He'd spend hours at home during his shifts, sources said, all the while getting paid by the city, sometimes collecting overtime or higher night differential pay.

A city spokeswoman said Costa's on leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

When a Hawaii News Now reporter knocked on door of his home Monday morning, Costa came to the door but said "I have no comment," when asked if he wanted to add anything to our story.

Investigators will compare Costa's time sheets, on which he claimed he was actually working, with where he was actually located on the island, using the GPS information in his city cell phone, a source said. That way, prosecutors will eventually be able to prove in court that instead of being at the Halawa yard or another city location, he was actually spending large amounts of time at his home along Keolu drive, a source said.

Costa's neighbors told a Hawaii News now reporter Costa did not try to hide the city truck he'd park right in front of his house on Keolu drive for hours at a time. And neighbors said an investigator for the city interviewed them and took photos of Costa arriving home in the middle of his shifts.

Costa's base city salary ranged from $44,232 to $48,852, but he earned more with overtime and differentials for working night shifts, sources said.

Through a spokeswoman, city Department of Facility Maintenance Director Westley Chun declined comment because an internal investigation is underway.

Commentary: A supervisor in Mr. Costa's position should be forced to retire after being caught being at home, while he was suppose to be performing his job. During these economic times, why would someone in Mr. Costa's position risk such foolish behavior. His co-workers were smart to have the light shined on this matter, since this has reportedly been taking place for years. I hope the Department of Facility Maintenance does the right thing by forcing this gentlemen to retire, setting an example that such behavior won't be tolerated in the future.

Thousands of tiny crabs wash up on Oahu beaches - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

2012-07-16T20:32:00.001-07:00

Thousands of tiny crabs wash up on Oahu beaches - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -

Hawaii's top marine biologists are baffled by an odd site on many of our beaches. Thousands of dead purple crabs washed up in the surf.

Hawaii News Now has received many emails about the tiny crabs found along the south shores and out to Hanauma bay.

The director at the Waikiki aquarium tells us that they are juvenile "7-11" crabs also known as the spotted reef crab.

They are common in Hawaii, however experts at the aquarium they have never seen anything like this and they are searching for answers.

"Could be storms although we haven't had any, it could be a flux of warm or cold water coming in but I don't have any signs of that either. It could be some kind of pollution, but if it was pollution it would have affected other species as well. So we really don't know," said Dr. Andrew Rossiter, Director of the Waikiki Aquarium.

The crabs washing ashore are less than an inch long, but they can grow to be about six inches across.

When should you stop driving?

2012-07-13T23:37:00.001-07:00

When should you stop driving?

Story by Jai Cunningham for KHON news

With Hawai'i having one of the fastest aging populations in

America

, it's a problem we could see happening much more.

On Thursday an elderly man accidentally crashed his car into the Long's Drug Store in Hawai'i Kai.

It's a dramatic example of what can happen as we get older behind the wheel.

Here are a few helpful tips on what to look for as possible signs your elderly loved one may be slipping when it comes to driving.

"You're looking for any dents or dings that may appear suddenly in the car, or in the mail box, the garage, or surrounding areas,” said Bruce Bortoff with A.A.R.P.

And Thursday's crash wasn't an isolated incident.

Accidents involving elderly drivers make news quite often.

And as your loved one advances in age you may have a decision to make.

"We call it the conversation because it really is one of those times in life that is very, very sensitive. You’re dealing with someone's independence. You're dealing with a loved ones sense of their own confidence and ability to get around," said Bortoff.

AARP Hawaii offers a number of resources that you can turn to for help.

Even elderly drivers have a program available.

"People of all ages need to keep their driving skills sharp. They need to be reminded of the rules of the road, and the kinds of issues that can occur when you haven't taken a brush up course or a refresher course," said Bortoff.

For more information from the AARP you can visit www.aarpdriversafety.org or call 1-888-227-7669.

Commentary: The reality of the matter is as you get older as a licensed driver, is being able to realize for yourself

when it's time to surrender ones driver's license. In some ways it's surrendering part of your independence, as you start to rely on other forms of transportation, or having a loved one drive you where you need to go. It's not an easy process knowing when it's time to stop driving yourself as you progress in age. It's unfortunate that accidents have been occurring at a higher rate, because of senior drivers, in states across the nation.

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When should you stop driving?