2 Kakaako parks to close for maintenance

The two Kakaako Gateway Parks, which have seen a resurgence in daytime homeless activity, will close from Sunday until Jan. 8 for maintenance, the Hawaii Community Development Authority announced Thursday.

The larger Kakaako Waterfront Park, which runs along the Kakaako shoreline and has been closed since October for maintenance, also will reopen on Jan. 8, the HCDA said.

In a statement, interim HCDA executive director Garett Kamemoto said:

“This is an opportune time for us to conduct maintenance because no major events have requested permits for those two parks, so we can do the work that needs to be done with minimal disruption to the park-going public.”

HCDA said that a private security company has been able to keep homeless people out of the Gateway parks at night, but they have moved to nearby sidewalks.

State and city crews will enforce park closure hours starting Sunday “and will continue enforcement on an ongoing basis as needed,” the HCDA said.

Isle lawmakers pan net neutrality rollback

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard said they were disappointed following the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to repeal net neutrality regulations.

“Today, Trump’s FCC dealt a major blow to the free and open internet by repealing net neutrality rules,” said Schatz, a member of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet in a statement. “Because of Chairman Pai and the other Republican commissioners, there are no longer any rules in place to stop internet service providers from changing the internet as we know it. They are now free to block apps, slow websites, or even limit access to certain kinds of content. The best way to move forward is to turn our tweets and our comments into action.”

Gabbard, an advocate for net neutrality, had opposed the rollback in a speech on Monday. After the vote, she stated: “Today, the FCC voted to put profits over people — a slap in the face to our democracy and the millions of Americans that have voiced comments, made calls, and fought to protect net neutrality.”

On Wednesday, Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin was one of 18 state attorneys general that asked the FCC to delay its vote due to concerns about falsified public comments.

Hawaii island

Mobile slaughterhouse group plans meat-processing plants

Two new meatpacking facilities might open on the Big Island next year following the success of the Hawaii Island Meat Cooperative’s mobile slaughterhouse.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported this week that the cooperative is planning construction of a post-slaughter processing facility on the west side of the island, with a second such facility to open in East Hawaii further in the future.

The mobile slaughterhouse began operations in April. Since then, it has processed thousands of pounds of livestock.

Cooperative President Mike Amado said 21 farms regularly bring their meat to be processed in the 36-foot slaughterhouse trailer.

Amado said he expected a busy mobile slaughterhouse, but has also received requests for post-slaughter services.

Autopsy inconclusive in death of Kau man

Hawaii County police are investigating the death of 42-year-old Zachariah Sugrue in Kau.

Police said a call was received 7:37 p.m. Tuesday that a man had been found unconscious on Catamaran Lane in the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates subdivision. Medics with the Hawaii Fire Department determined he was dead, and had several injuries that appeared suspicious.

An autopsy performed Thursday was inconclusive, but determined there were no signs of foul play. The pathologist deferred a cause of death until toxicology test results are received.

Police ask for anyone with information to contact Detective Pernell Hanoa by email at Pernell.Hanoa@hawaiicounty.gov or 326-4646 ext. 281.