hawaii kai news: Hale Ka Lae, the new Luxury Condo Complex in Hawaii Kai, Now Selling - 02/20/11 01:56 PM
        After more than 7 years of missteps and community disputes, the new investors of Hale Ka Lae (formerly Hale Alii) in Hawaii Kai are ready for buyers.  I attended their formal Grand Opening yesterday, Feb. 19, and was impressed with the commitment shown to bring this project to market, and the changes they have made to satisfy community concerns.Here are some of the changes the developers have made in the $300 million, 10-story project since originally conceived:1. Replace key executives2. Draw new architectural plans3. Move the footprint of the building and amenities4. Build a new sales center5. Reduce condo prices6. Revise the … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Hawaii State of the State Message - 01/28/11 02:43 PM
Our new Governor, Neil Abercrombie, delivered his first Hawaii State of the State address January 24.  As reported by the StarAdvertiser.com, he warned "The state is at risk of an economic collapse, called for spending cuts on public workers, welfare and health care for the poor, and new taxes on pensions, alcohol, soda and time shares to balance the budget."
"I will take full responsibility for our current situation, but with that responsibility comes an obligation to tell the truth.  The truth is that our canoe, which is our beloved Hawaii, could capsize. We are in that unnerving moment when we … (1 comments)

hawaii kai news: New Hawaii Governor Calls for Unity - 12/08/10 12:41 PM
Neil Abercrombie has become Hawaii's 7th governor, and has pledged to restore confidence in state government.  Born in Buffalo, NY, the 72-year old has lived in Hawaii 51 years.  He has spent 4 decades as a legislator in the state House and Senate, City Council, and US House of Representatives.Abercrombie, a Democrat, called for a new sense of civic courage and a public conscience consistent with the message of Aloha.   He said island people understand the importance of lokahi, of working together. "Our first job is to accelerate the economic recovery, restoration of good jobs -- create good jobs, capitalize on … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Waiting for Superman - a Fix for our Schools - 10/22/10 10:28 AM
Waiting for Superman, a documentary film just released, and book of the same title, features the US public-education system, and the efforts of Geoffrey Canada, an education activist in New York.  By visiting www.waitingforsuperman.com, you can see what classrooms around the country - in your neighborhood - need, and then contribute directly, volunteer, and become involved.
Through Canada's Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ), the achievement gap between white NYC students and his charter school's mostly black student body has been measurably reduced. The HCZ program is planned to replicate in 20 cities initially.  It follows kids from birth to college, including parenting workshops, all-day … (1 comments)

hawaii kai news: Hawaii Jobless Rate down in April - 05/28/10 01:49 PM
Figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show Hawai'i's unemployment rate fell to 6.7%, down from 6.9% in March.
The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate had been in the 6.8-7% range for the past year, with jobless figures reaching highs not seen in 32 years.  The report released this week shows the labor market improved on a number of fronts as 1,600 jobs were added, helped by federal stimulus spending and a rebound in the visitor trade.
Here are highlights from the Honolulu Advertiser:
"*The number of people in non-farm jobs increased for a third consecutive month after job counts reached … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Hawaiian Airlines Positioned to Enter Long-Haul Markets - 05/14/10 03:18 PM
Hawaiian Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-200, a long-range jetliner that brings most destinations in Asia within reach of Hawaii.  The plane can carry more passengers farther and more cost-effectively than anything Hawaiian has currently in its fleet, and will eventually replace the B-767s.
It has been 5 years since Hawaiian emerged from bankruptsy, and Mark Dunkerley, President of the airline, looks forward to becoming a larger player in the international aviation market.
The Airbus 330 has a range of 6,500 nautical miles, is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent engines, and will seat 294 passengers.  The Airbus A350, which … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Honolulu, HI - One of Cleanest Cities in the country - 05/01/10 02:02 PM
Honolulu has been ranked among the cleanest cities in the country in the American Lung Association's State of the Air 2010 report.
Honolulu was No. 3 behind Cheyenne, Wyo., and Santa Fe-Espanola, N.M., in year-round particulate levels, and was one of 12 cities to receive an "A" rating for ozone pollution (lack of ozone pollution).  The study examined fine particulate matter over 24-hour periods and as a year-round average.
The Lung Association's report concludes that a decade of cleanup measures to reductions in emissions from coal-fired powered plants and the transition to cleaner diesel fuels and engines have paid off in … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Allegiant Air to Serve Hawaii - 03/14/10 04:32 PM
Allegiant Air, the mainland budget airline, has announced it will fly to Hawaii.  It will use Boeing 757-200s with routes from the western US, and will phase in the flights starting in the 4th quarter, 2010 through the first half of 2012.
As reported by Honolulu Advertiser, "Allegiant, a subsidiary of Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co., has been successful with its strategy of offering low fares for people in small cities to visit vacation destinations in Florida, California and the Southwest.  Allegiant has posted 28 straight quarters of profits at a time when many airlines have struggled with declining demand and … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: So you wanted a reason to retire in Honolulu? - 02/12/10 12:21 PM
Realtor.Mag reported today that Honolulu ranks #10 as the most desirable places to retire, in a recent study by AARP.  Thursday, March 4, at 9 PM EST, Tom Brokaw on CNBC will visit the following retirement "hotspots" - and, I guess, explain what all of us who live in Hawaii already know...why it is a great place to retire:
1. Loveland/Fort Collins, Colo.2. Las Cruces, N.M3. Rehoboth Beach, Del.4. Portland, Ore.5. Greenville, S.C.6. Sarasota, Fla.7. Ann Arbor, Mich.8. Tucson, Ariz.9. Montpelier, Vt.10. Honolulu11. Santa Fe, N.M12. Atlanta13. Charleston, S.C14. Northampton, Mass.15. San Diego, Calif.
Notice, no state is listed after Honolulu because, … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: U of Hawaii Cancer Center Joins with Major Hospital Groups - 01/17/10 11:27 AM
U of Hawaii starts construction this summer on a new 150,000 SF cancer center at their medical school.  They have announced an alliance with Queen's Medical Center, Hawai'i Pacific Health, and Kuakini Health System, which will stimulate research and improve cancer care for Hawaii residents.  The 3 centers will share facilities, personnel, information, and resources, and give $2.2M annually toward the cancer center's operation.
The result will be that the medical school will not have to build a clinic for patient care, a key requirement of being designated one of 65 National Cancer Institute centers. Existing clinics at the three groups … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Pet-friendly Businesses in Honolulu - and Hawaii Kai - 12/10/09 12:20 PM
Honolulu does not rank in the top of pet-friendly cities.  Dogs, for instance, are not allowed under state law to dine at outdoor restaurant tables, although many restaurants and cafes allow dogs to sit outside with their owners.  A majority of public places are not accessible to people and their pets.  But the Hawaiian Humane Society is advocating ways to make Oahu a more dog-friendly place -- from rental housing to parks, restaurants, offices and public places.
On Oahu about 60 percent of households own a pet, with 43 percent of them owning a dog, according to a Humane Society survey.  … (1 comments)

hawaii kai news: Hawaii Kai and Oahu Economic Recovery Forecast - 11/20/09 12:34 PM
A new forecast released by the University of Hawai'i Economic Research Organization says some smaller Asian economies are leading a rebound, but that larger nations, notably the U.S. and Japan, will have less growth.
"The anticipated slow pace of global growth will likely mean a sub-par recovery for Hawai'i," said the report being released today. The forecast concentrates on global economics and is a predecessor to one focusing solely on Hawai'i that will be released next month.  One positive is the stronger yen against the dollar, which might result in higher Japanese tourist spending.
Experts agree that Hawaii's rebound from the … (1 comments)

hawaii kai news: Wishing You Were in Hawaii Kai? Try Google Street View, now on Oahu and Maui - 11/13/09 07:40 AM
Google announced that O'ahu and Maui are the latest venues covered by Street View, which allows Web users to go from a map view of a spot on Oahu or Mau to zoom in and see what it looks like from ground level.  Hawai'i is the 50th state to get the Google Street View technology (the the year of its 50th anniversary of statehood).
The Hawai'i images were captured this summer by a car rigged with an 8-foot-tall stalk topped with a ring of cameras.  Now you see your own house, and can rotate the image to see houses on the other side of the street.
Laura … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Hawaii Benefits from Generosity of Omidyars - 10/29/09 12:30 PM
EBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife, Pam, have given the Hawaii Community Foundation a $50 million gift, believed to be the largest single gift from a living donor in the state's history.
The money will be used to start several community initiatives over six years, as well as support Pierre and Pam Omidyar's ongoing interests through the foundation's Omidyar Ohana Fund.
"Pam and I are privileged to call Hawaii home," Omidyar said in a statement. "Given the economic crisis and hardships throughout the state, we felt it was especially important at this time to expand our philanthropy in the islands."
… (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Wellness Policy Successful for Hawaii Schools - 10/08/09 05:36 AM
Secondary schools in Hawai'i were cited in a new national report as the leaders in cutting back on sales of junk foods and beverages, such as candy and soda.   The report, "Availability of Less Nutritious Snack Foods and Beverages in Secondary Schools," was published this week in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.  Data were collected from 40 states from 2002 to 2008.
Last year, the report says, 88.2 percent of students in Hawai'i secondary schools could not buy candy or salty snacks from vending machines or at a school store or snack bar.  By … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Residents use Aloha to mitigate Hawaii's Budget Cutbacks - 10/01/09 11:26 AM
Most states are facing big problems as they draft their budgets for the next fiscal year, and Hawaii is no exception.  The state has had to impose employee furloughs, pay adjustments, and given state agencies much smaller budgets to work with.  This has certainly meant readjustments in state services, but also - not surprisingly - an outpouring of help and Aloha from our residents.
For instance, several libraries have had to reduce hours and even faced closure.  But 2 fundraising drives, aimed at helping to keep them open, have collected more than $130,000 in the last month, and already have lifted … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Hawaii Kai Public Schools - 08/27/09 12:26 PM
While a lot of parents who live in Hawaii choose to send their children to private school, a study just released gave some good news about high school students continuing on to college.  About 51 percent of Hawai'i's 2008 public high school graduates continued on to college, with a third entering a four-year university.  Kalani High School sent the most students to college, about 79 percent.  Kaiser High School in Hawaii Kai had  64% continue.
Ron Nozoe, a Honolulu complex area superintendent, who oversees the Kalani High School complex, among others, noted that the school had the highest college-going rate in … (1 comments)

hawaii kai news: Economic Outlook for Hawaii and Hawaii Kai - 08/27/09 12:09 PM
The state just released a revised economic forecast, predicting that the slump may not be as bad as originally forecast. The improved outlook is due to inflation being more subdued than state economists had anticipated, while Hawai'i's biggest economic stimulus - tourism - is expected to be worse than before and result in increased job losses.
As reported by the Honolulu Advertiser, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's new report projects that gross state product adjusted for inflation will decline 1.1 percent this year. That's an improvement from the 1.6 percent decline forecast in their May report.
A report released earlier this … (1 comments)

hawaii kai news: Kaiser High in Hawaii Kai - 08/05/09 12:39 PM
Although many of Hawaii's public high schools struggle to meet the benchmarks for adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind act, Kaiser High in Hawaii Kai was one of 3 to demonstrate progress this year.
John Sosa, Principal of Kaiser, said one of the reasons is the more homogenous population of the students at Kaiser.  There isn't a significant portion of students coming from economically disadvantaged homes or requiring special education, said Sosa.  "We don't have a lot of subgroups because our population is pretty straightforward. When you have higher numbers of different subgroups, like most high schools do, … (0 comments)

hawaii kai news: Topsail Schooner visits Honolulu - 07/30/09 09:59 AM
The beautiful square, topsail schooner, the Lynx, is moored at Kewalo Basin in Honolulu until Aug. 9.  Tours of the 122' boat are available for a donation to the Lynx Education Foundation, a nonprofit from Newport Beach, California.  The ship works with 70 to 100 schools a year, sailing up and down the West Coast and occasionally to Hawai'i. This is Lynx's fourth voyage to the Islands.
The vessel arrived July 17, after competing in the Transpacific Yacht Race from Los Angeles to Hawaii.  While the Lynx finished last, the more modern, lighter boats did better in the light winds.  The voyage … (0 comments)