It’s the last Sunday of June and time to “flASHback” on the month’s news that amused and confused:
>> Gov. David Ige attended a national governors meeting at the White House and said he and the president were able to find common ground. Both have low favorability among
Hawaii voters.
>> Ige said the lunch menu included grilled shrimp and fried potatoes, but stressed, “It wasn’t McDonald’s french fries — it was White House french fries.” Same potatoes, different clown mascots.
>> More than 220 mayors from across the country are meeting in Waikiki this weekend to share ideas about how to make their cities better. Getting the mayor out of town is always a good start.
>> The City Council approved a landmark bill to regulate vacation rentals as proponents from both sides poured fat donations into members’ campaign funds. It’s easier to vote your
conscience when you get paid either way.
>> The measure wasn’t all Mayor Kirk Caldwell wanted, but he signed it anyway, saying, “Don’t let the perfect get in the way of the good.” With our local government, it’s more like not letting the fiascoes get in the way of the boondoggles.
>> Council members Ann Kobayashi and Carol
Fukunaga withdrew a bill to make Honolulu a sanctuary city after it was greeted with community derision. If only we could get sanctuary from the City Council.
>> Former Councilman Michael Formby was named head of Pacific Resource Partnership, a controversial lobbying group known for big spending in local elections.
He goes from being a Council member to buying Council members.
>> A federal jury convicted former Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his former prosecutor wife, Katherine, on multiple corruption counts after only a day of deliberating. It’s a new speed record for unplugging a power couple.
>> The city will pay $50,000 for an outside attorney to defend against a federal criminal investigation of the Honolulu rail project. They couldn’t get the same public defenders as the Kealohas?
>> The state Agriculture Department wants to spend up to $650,000 on a new pilot program to help local farmers buy compost. Only the state would pay for fertilizer when it produces so much for free.
>> The Hawaii State Hospital is installing new digital equipment to replace outdated security systems. Escaping patients who used to call taxis can now summon
Uber and Lyft.
>> NOAA weather watchers said local temperature
records were shattered in June, and lightning strikes
that numbered 350 in one night produced record rainfall. Forget NOAA, this is getting to be a job for Noah.
And the quote of the month … from Ige on job training challenges: “For the first time in our country, we have more job vacancies than we have qualified people to fill them.” Especially when it comes to jobs like governor, mayor, senator …
Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.
