Hawaii
Pressure mounts for Gov. Green to prove he supports Native Hawaiian water rights
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaiian rights groups are putting more pressure on Governor Josh Green to prove he supports Native Hawaiian water rights and restoration of natural streams.
On Monday, he got a letter from more than 70 groups and individuals demanding that he immediately appoint an expert on traditional water use to the state water commission.
Some say the delay is causing more distrust in the Hawaiian community.
The pressure is increasing because the Commission on Water Resource Management literally decides how much water a commercial developer or a tiny taro farm will get.
By law, one commissioner has to be an expert in traditional practices, which are supposed to be among the highest priorities.
The week of the Maui fires was also the deadline for hundreds of requests for water permits from the commission – many requests in West Maui pit traditional taro farmers against big landowners and developers.
Not a single one has been approved, and the commission hasn’t had the required expert on traditional uses since June.
Hawaiian Studies Professor Kamanamaikalani Beamer said filling the vacancy is urgent and good for all parties.
“If they’re adjudicating and making decisions without this critical seat, they may miss, you know, critical areas, and they may face litigation in the future as a board,” he said. “So, it’s really in everyone’s best interest to follow the state Constitution.
Activists say Governor Green received a list of four candidates from a selection committee in February. At some point, two dropped out, so in August, the commission posted a notice that the process would start again from the beginning.
Water rights advocates say that’s unnecessary because the two remaining candidates are qualified experts.
That’s why a letter signed by 74 people and groups – including OHA and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, is demanding that the governor just choose already.”
Two experts remain on that list. And you know, given the multitude of issues that Hawaii faces around water, we need to have that seat filled immediately and as quickly as possible,” Beamer said.
The letter says, “…the historical deprivation of Hawaiian water rights has perpetuated generational trauma within the lāhui and has compromised our islands’ water, food, housing, and climate security.”
The broad support for the appointment is also fueled by distrust, according to Earthjustice Attorney Leinaala Ley, who said in recent weeks, the administration has not answered basic questions about the process, like when nominees withdrew and why an appointment wasn’t made in time for confirmation by the legislature.
“If you know that information isn’t shared, then it really contributes to this atmosphere of distrust and feeling that the administration has not been supportive of native Hawaiian communities, traditional and customary practitioners, and really even the larger West Maui community that’s facing a lot of water challenges right now,” Ley said.
Distrust for many advocates peaked when the administration temporarily removed Water Commission Deputy Director Kaleo Manuel over false claims he denied water to fight fires. The governor hugged Manuel at the CNHA Hawaiian Convention earlier in September, followed by an apology at the start of the governor’s address.
“We hurt Kaleo deeply, and I feel a great sadness that I was part of that,” he said.
“I humbly apologize for those moments because we are not going to be perfect…I acknowledge I will never be perfect.”The letter delivered Monday implied that the apology did not end the issue.
“We have not, however, forgotten the mistreatment that the most recent Native Hawaiian deputy director, Kaleo Manuel, received from this administration.”
Ley said it appears to many that the delay in appointing someone who could push the commission more towards the needs of traditional users is to allow the administration to shop for nominees.
“It really raises all those concerns of is this process being manipulated,” she said. “Is the administration waiting to get names that, for whatever reason, it finds more politically palatable? So, transparency could really go, you know, a long way in rebuilding community trust.”
State DLNR Chair Dawn Chang, who also chairs the water commission, told the commission two weeks ago that the law says the governor should be sent a list of at least three candidates by the selection committee and that the governor had an “inadequate” number of names before him.
She said the two remaining from the original list of four can still apply. She encouraged activists to use the “coconut wireless” to drum up more candidates before the Oct. 11 application deadline.
The governor’s office didn’t directly respond to questions about why the appointment was delayed or when the prior applicants dropped out.
The quote provided by the governor’s office said, “The Governor welcomes Native Hawaiian water rights advocates to apply for the practitioner seat on the water commission.”
Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Hawaii Tourism Authority is hosting its annual conference at the Hawaii Convention Center this week with an emphasis on responsible tourism as much of the industry works to change how incoming visitors impact the state.
“It’s a great time for us to regroup as an industry, get our messaging clear, figure out how we can collaborate and really make sure that tourism is working for our communities and not against our communities,” said Tamara Garrick from the Hawaii Farm Project.
HTA has planned workshops and breakout sessions with presenters like Garrick who are elevating a message of regenerative tourism across the state.
“There’s a big focus on agritourism, which is super exciting for me and the companies I represent like Maui Gold Pineapple. It’s also about taking a pause and taking a moment for us as an industry, to all come together to talk about the message we want to get out to visitors?,” added Garrick.
The conference runs through Sept. 2 at the Hawaii Convention Center.
Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
Kris Kristofferson has died peacefully at home in Hawaii.
The country music star and actor passed away on Saturday (28.09.24) at the age of 88 – three years after he retired from the entertainment business – at his property in Maui and he’s been remembered by his family in an emotional statement posted on Instagram.
It read: “It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28 at home.
“We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”
The statement was signed from the “Family of Kris Kristofferson”, and it added: “The family asks for privacy during this time.”
Kris is survived by his wife Lisa, his eight children and seven grandchildren.
He was also remembered by superstar Barbra Streisand, who starred alongside him in the 1976 version of ‘A Star Is Born’.
In a post on Instagram, she wrote: “The first time I saw Kris performing at the Troubadour club in L.A. I knew he was something special. Barefoot and strumming his guitar, he seemed like the perfect choice for a script I was developing, which eventually became ‘A Star Is Born’.
In the movie, Kris and I sang the song I’d written for the film’s main love theme, ‘Evergreen’.
“For my latest concert in 2019 at London’s Hyde Park, I asked Kris to join me on-stage to sing our other ‘A Star Is Born duet’, ‘Lost Inside Of You’.
“He was as charming as ever, and the audience showered him with applause. It was a joy seeing him receive the recognition and love he so richly deserved.
“My thoughts go to Kris’ wife, Lisa who I know supported him in every way possible.”
He was also remembered by fellow country star Dolly Parton, who performed several duets with Kristofferson over the years.
In a post on social media, Dolly wrote: “What a great loss. What a great writer. What a great actor. What a great friend. I will always love you, Dolly.”
Born in Texas in 1936, he went to school in California and later studied literature at college and at Oxford University in the UK where he made his first foray into music, recording tracks under the name Kris Carson.
However, his songs were never released and after university he joined the US armed services and served as a helicopter pilot before leaving in 1965 and moving to Nashville, Tennessee where he continued to chase his dream of music stardom.
After first working as a janitor at Columbia Recording Studios, he wrote songs for Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Stevens, Faron Young and Billy Walker, but his solo career faltered until his music came to the attention of country superstar Johnny Cash after Kristofferson landed a helicopter in the singer’s backyard.
Cash recorded his track ‘Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down’ and made it a huge award-winning hit and it led to Kristofferson recording his first album.
Other artists who scored hits covering his songs included Janis Joplin – who Kristofferson briefly dated prior to her death in 1970. Her version of his song ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ became a number one in the US after she passed away.
He went on to win a Grammy Award for ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night’ which was a hit for Sammi Smith and has been covered by stars including Elvis Presley, Gladys Knight and Mariah Carey.
Kristofferson ventured into acting in the early 1970s, appearing opposite Dennis Hopper in 1971’s ‘The Last Movie’ as well as in ‘Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid’ in 1973 and in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ in 1974 before his status in Hollywood was cemented by his turn in ‘A Star Is Born’ in 1976.
He continued making movies and music and in 1985 he formed supergroup the Highwaymen with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings.
While in movies, he starred in ‘Lone Star’ in 1996, three ‘Blade’ movies playing vampire hunter Abraham Whistler opposite Wesley Snipes and 2009 ensemble movie ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’.
His last movie role came in 2018’s ‘Blaze’ directed by Ethan Hawke.
Kristofferson recorded 18 studio albums over the years and retired in 2021.
He was married three times – to Fran Beer, singer Rita Coolidge who he released duets album ‘Full Moon’ with and lastly to Lisa Meyers. The couple tied the knot in 1983 and welcomed five children together. He was also dad to three other kids from his two previous marriages.
Obituary for Donald Alvin Kramer at Miller Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory
Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department, other Middle Tennessee agencies travel to East Tennessee
Longhorns in the NFL: Former Texas Stars Find The Endzone in Week 4
Voices: Why Utah is uniquely positioned to elect the first woman president
Experts outline Vermont’s progress in meeting EV adoption goals
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
Early Voting Has Started. Here’s What to Watch.
NRA targets Sen Sherrod Brown in 7-figure ad buy in Ohio: 'Vote like your life depends on it'
Russian strike on Kherson market kills seven, authorities say
US elections: Tim Walz and JD Vance to face off in VP debate – live updates
Pentagon sending a ‘few thousand’ personnel to Middle East day after Biden said he wouldn’t add combat troops
-
News1 week agoVideo: Who Are the Black Swing Voters?
-
News1 week agoMoney for cutting-edge climate technology could dry up in a second Trump term
-
News1 week agoFour killed, dozens injured in Alabama shooting
-
World1 week agoScholz’s SPD narrowly ahead of far right in east German state: Projections
-
World1 week agoRussian airstrike on apartment block in Kharkiv injures 21 people
-
/static.texastribune.org/media/files/5e5395400eb1f412fb6d97a439483caf/SpaceX%20Brownsville%20MGO%2005.jpeg "Cards Against Humanity says in new lawsuit that SpaceX has destroyed some of its South Texas property")
News1 week agoCards Against Humanity says in new lawsuit that SpaceX has destroyed some of its South Texas property
-
News1 week agoCross-Tabs: September 2024 Times/Siena Polls in Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina
-
World1 week agoCzech main opposition party dominates regional elections