Plastic Ban On Hold

Bill to ban male jail guards from strip searching female inmates advances
Senate Bill 2777 would make it against the law for male correctional facility employees to enter areas where female inmates are undressing. It would also prohibit male guards from conducting pat downs or searches of female inmates, unless the prisoner presents a risk of immediate harm to herself or others. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers call on exploring a four-day work week
Some lawmakers said a four-day work week may not be such a bad idea, and now there is a proposal to create a task force to explore this possibility. The bill was deferred by members of the Senate Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts on Monday. KHON2.

Citizen whale counts wrap up for 2022 season
A one-day humpback whale count was conducted by volunteers Saturday on the shores of the main Hawaiian Islands, with 136 whales sighted between 10 and 10:15 a.m., the most of any 15-minute period throughout the day. Star-Advertiser.

$1B to defuel Red Hill in budget proposal
President Joe Biden included $1 billion to defuel the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in his annual budget proposal. This is on top of the hundreds of millions already directed toward dealing with the water contamination crisis. KHON2.

Punawai Hale hoping for full occupancy
Punawai Hale studio apartments hopes to finally fill its 20 units with once-homeless residents by the end of the month after opening in November 2020. The facility was established as part an ambitious city effort that began in December 2018 under former Mayor Kirk Caldwell to address homelessness in innovative ways. Star-Advertiser.

Planning for new O‘ahu jail hits snag over state funding
Hawai‘i’s 50-member House of Representatives recently passed a state budget draft that rejects a request from Gov. David Ige to allocate $15 million for continued planning and procurement work to build a new O‘ahu Community Correctional Center in Hālawa. Star-Advertiser.

City expands homeless outreach response team to Kailua
The city’s Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement units, or CORE, made contact with 10 unsheltered individuals living across Kailua last week. CORE operates three units, including emergency medical technicians and community health workers. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Patsy T. Mink Center for Business and Leadership is now accepting applications for its Leadership Alliance Cohort 7 – a program designed for professional women leaders and entrepreneurs who are committed to personal growth, professional impact, and community leadership… read more.

‘The Flash’ actor Ezra Miller arrested at Hawai‘i Island bar
Actor Ezra Miller, who has prominent roles in the Justice League and Harry Potter “Fantastic Beasts” film franchises, was arrested for suspicion of disorderly conduct and harassment early Monday after allegedly becoming belligerent at Margarita Village on Silva Street. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Kaiser Permanente’s clinic in Kīhei reopens April 4
After being closed for more than a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi’s clinic in Kīhei will reopen April 4. The clinic will be open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a lunch closure from noon to 1 p.m. Appointments are required. Maui Now.

College enrollment still trails pre-pandemic levels
Following over a year of remote learning, online courses and other changes to the academic curriculum, 51% of Hawai‘i’s public school graduates from the class of 2021 went on to college in the first fall after graduation. This is a slight increase from the 50% enrollment rate seen from 2020, but is still down from the pre-pandemic rate of 55%. Maui News.

Former Maui DWS employee says he was fired for pointing out contamination concerns
One year after filing a whistleblower lawsuit against Maui County, a former Department of Water Supply employee is still fighting for his job back. Ashley Hooks’ lawsuit claims he was retaliated against and unlawfully fired in 2020 after he alerted the state that Maui’s largest surface water treatment facility had been contaminated. Hawaii News Now.

How cuts in state mental health care affect Kaua‘i
On Kaua‘i, one clinical psychologist, one social-service assistant and six human-service professionals were laid off as part of the 2020 cuts. Now, despite a state budget surplus, whether or not these positions will be restored remains an open question. Garden Island.

Kauaʻi County to temporarily suspend rental relief program during April
Kauaʻi is expecting to receive another $2.2 million from the American Rescue Plan for the rental and utility relief program. However, the county is temporarily pausing the program for the month of April in order to transition to a new funding source.
Hawaii Public Radio.

Lawmakers want Kaua‘i’s Russian Fort Elizabeth to have a new name
Resolutions moving through the state Legislature urge the Board of Land and Natural Resources to restore the eastern shoreline of Kauai’s Waimea Valley, currently called Russian Fort Elizabeth Park, to its former Hawaiian name, Paʻulaʻula. Star-Advertiser.