Capitol Watch: Oct. 31

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Watching and reporting about Hawaii politics and government.

3:15 p.m. Occupy Honolulu Occupies Thomas Square

Occupy Honolulu plans a general assembly meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Thomas Square (Beretania and Ward).

They’ll meet there again tomorrow through Friday, too, while also taking time Thursday to hold an APEC protest outside the UH Manoa Campus Center Ballroom.

2 p.m. Govs Sing Staff Praises

Linda Lingle is raving about her former Director of Budget and Finance, Georgina Kawamura, for earning a top award from the National Association of State Budget Officers.

Neil Abercrombie is plugging a YouTube clip starring his chief of staff, Bruce Coppa.

Feel the love.

12:10 p.m. DOT Limits Lane Closures For APEC

The state Department of Transportation has this advisory for Oahu motorists that states “construction activities involving lane closures will be postponed on state roadways from Tuesday, November 1, through Sunday, November 20, 2011, for the duration of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference.”

The advisory continues: “The restrictions are due to the large increase in traffic that is anticipated on Oahu’s roadways and the limited availability of special duty officers who direct traffic and ensure public safety at worksites.”

During APEC, construction-related lane closures will be limited to emergencies and activities that are specially approved by the DOT director. The affected roadways are as follows:

  1. Interstate Routes: H-1, H-2, H-201, H-3 and all associated ramps and frontage roads
  2. Kalanianaole Highway
  3. Kalihi Street/Likelike Highway from Nimitz Highway to Kamehameha Highway
  4. Pali Highway/Kailua Road from Vineyard Boulevard to Kailua Town
  5. Vineyard Boulevard from Palama Street to Punchbowl Street
  6. Farrington Highway
  7. Kahekili Highway
  8. Kamehameha Highway
  9. Nimitz Highway/Ala Moana Boulevard
  10. Fort Weaver Road

Carroll: Jones Act White Paper

John Carroll, a GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate, is preparing a white paper “on the impact of the archaic Jones Act on Hawaii’s economy,” according to his campaign.

Excerpt:

This little discussed law, left over from the nineteen twenties, put restrictions on interstate shipping, and essentially denies foreign-flagged vessels free-trade access to American ports. Hawaii has suffered disproportionately as a result, with shipping costs kept artificially high and export options drastically reduced. The effect of the Jones Act has been to drive up Hawaii’s cost of living by limiting (to almost a monopoly) all import shipping.

The Jones Act has long been defended by most Hawaii Democrats (Ed Case is an exception) as preserving local jobs.

APEC News You Can Use

This article by the Associated Press in Honolulu has been picked up across the country. In short, it reports that folks in Waikiki aren’t too happy about all the security restrictions for APEC.

Excerpt:

Waikiki hasn’t seen such heavy security since the military lined the beaches with barbed wire after the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor.

The blanket of security has many who come to Waikiki each day grumbling. They wonder why leaders can’t meet somewhere less congested, like another Hawaiian island or on a military base that has plenty of security.

Meanwhile, KITV has this report on 1,000 volunteers participating in a “Totally Against Graffiti” campaign over the weekend to clean up areas along Honolulu routes to be traveled by APEC leaders.

Where’s Neil?

Here’s Neil:

• Presentation of Grant to VA National Cemetery, Executive Chambers, 1 p.m.

Family Services Cut On Maui, Big Isle

Check out the latest in Neighbor Island government-related news:

UPDATE Streets to close for Lahaina Halloween

UPDATE Hawaii County Council considering update on sign code.

NRA says Puuanahulu shooting range offers education, recreation

Kehalani center’s groundbreaking this week

Kauai Council again weighs property tax reforms

Big Isle board juggles redistricting

Economist tells West Hawaii realtors it’s “time to look forward”

Kollar works to re-craft ignition-interlock law

Maui County may go with LED streetlights

Army helicopter training ends on Mauna Kea, Moana Loa

Maui family agencies hurt by cuts to budget

Hawaii County children’s safety net severed

Kauai OED trying to stop farm vendor fraud

Parks officials says Waiehu course not as weedy now

Catch up on previous coverage:

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