Honolulu County | featured news

Classroom teachers in Hawaii public schools are evaluated by their students every year. When you think about it, this is quite an empowering thing for students. Few professionals are regularly evaluated by the people they serve, and children are rarely asked in a formal way whether the adults in their lives are doing right by them.

Question: A new Hawaii law (Act 173) was enacted in July 2011 allowing homeowners to transfer a property (i.e., house) to their beneficiaries using a “Transfer on Death Deed.” Such a transfer, using this document, avoids a lengthy probate and high cost. Does the state of Hawaii have this form? If not, where can we get this form?

A plan that would have allowed Oahu residents to set off fountain-type fireworks on New Year’s Eve and Day and Independence Day has fizzled. The measure was deferred abruptly at Wednesday’s City Council meeting.

Trash bins in households from Hawaii Kai to Kalihi have not been picked up by the city on their scheduled days since Saturday, due primarily to a shortage of refuse collection operators.

The lawyer for Army medic Michael Walker says the government will not seek the death penalty for Walker if he is found guilty of planning and assisting in his wife’s murder.

Hawaii County police have charged the mother of missing “Peter Boy” Kema in connection with welfare fraud. Jaylin M. Kema, 45, of Pahoa was charged Thursday with second-degree theft. Bail was set at $5,000. She is scheduled to be in court today. She was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of theft.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration will seek new proposals for a project to convert nearly 52,000 streetlights to light-emitting diode technology, administration officials said Tuesday.

Members of the Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee got an earful from supporters and opponents of the city’s $6.57 billion rail project during an evening meeting at Kapolei Hale on Thursday.

Lawmakers Thursday heard yet another description of a state agency that is struggling to promptly spend its federal grant money, with Transportation Director Ford Fuchigami detailing challenges the state Airports Division faces as it tries to spend about $40 million a year it receives from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee on Thursday unanimously approved two nominations by Gov. David Ige to the the state Circuit Court and a third nomination by Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald to the Honolulu District Court.