Month: March 2018

ACLU Global news for Hawaii 

First person from Hawaii appointed to serve on National ACLU Executive Committee

Linda Hohnholz - editor
Jeffrey Hong has been a member of the ACLU of Hawaiʻi board for 11 years, where he also serves on the governance committee. He is the first person from Hawaii to be named to the National ACLU Executive Committee. American Civil Liberties of Hawaiʻi (ACLU of Hawaiʻi) board member Jeffrey Hong, has been elected to serve on the executive committee which is comprised of 15 members plus the President of the... Read More
kamaainas 

FBI INVESTIGATING OFFICE OF HAWAII AFFAIRS

Scott Foster
March 9 2018 FBI INVESTIGATING OFFICE OF HAWAII AFFAIRS HONOLULU - After a scathing state audit revealed massive financial and management problems and with two other internal audits under way, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) has definitely entered new territory. Secrecy and general lack of transparency continued during OHA’s Wednesday March 9 board meeting when Chair Collette Machado refused to divulge the name of the new investigating entity (FBI) even... Read More
Hawaii Tourism News kamaainas News for Visitors 

Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel renovation well underway

Linda Hohnholz - editor
Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel is well underway with its $46 million renovation and transformation to the soon-to-debut The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort. Although the resort’s full completion and official debut of the reimagined property won’t come until May 2018, the resort as Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel is up and running and will remain open through its conversion to a Westin. The Westin Beach Hapuna Resort will be the only Westin on... Read More
Hawaii Tourism News kamaainas 

HTA: A small club of insiders who use their positions to keep outsiders out

Scott Foster
Less than a week after another “scathing” State audit of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) was publicly reviewed during a joint House & Senate Tourism Committee Informational Briefing (02/28/2018), an undisclosed December 8, 2017, “Resolution of Charge” decision by the Hawaii State Ethics Commission came to light. The settlement included a $12,000 fine against Hawaii Tourism Authority President & CEO George Szigeti; former HTA COO Randy Baldemor (Szigeti’s personal hire), Jadie... Read More
kamaainas 

Photojournalist and Filmmaker Appointed Goodwill Ambassador and Recieves Golden Rule International Award

Dmytro Makarov
Catherine Bauknight was appointed Goodwill Ambassador and a recipient of the highly esteemed Golden Rule International Award for her documentary film, Hawaii A Voice For Sovereignty and her long history of humanitarian photojournalism. The Goodwill Ambassador Award and legal document will be submitted to the United Nations by Dr. Mussie Hailu, Founder and Board Chairman of the Interfaith Peace-Building Initiatives. Golden Rule International is affiliated with the Interfaith Peace-Building Initiative Organization,... Read More
kamaainas 

HTDC AWARDS MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN GRANTS TO LOCAL COMPANIES

Dmytro Makarov
HONOLULU -- The Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) awarded 15 Hawaii-based companies $1,417,050 from its Hawaii SBIR grant programs. The companies will use the funding to further the development of new products to meet a range of needs in the state, from healthcare solutions to agriculture. Hawaii’s Small Business Innovation Research (HSBIR) grant programs provide matching grants, up to 50 percent, to help companies advance their technology products from research into... Read More
Hawaii Tourism News kamaainas 

Latest damning audit of the Hawaii Tourism Authority

Linda Hohnholz - editor
by Scott Foster HONOLULU: While February 28, 2018 was windy, cold and wet outside of the Hawaii State Capitol, it was "hotter than the hinges of Hell" (and equally as windy) inside during a 2 1/2-hour joint House & Senate Tourism Committee “informational briefing” on the latest damning audit of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA). HTA CEO George Szigeti (left) Only the day before, one local headline read, “State auditor blasts... Read More