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It’s the last Sunday in November and time to “flASHback” on the month’s news that amused and confused:
>> County mayors and industry leaders are up in arms over Gov. David Ige’s ever-changing rules and spotty COVID testing, which have thrown Hawaii’s tourism reopening into confusion. Our governor never figured out the difference between “deliberation” and “debilitation.”
>> Ige will use hundreds of millions in federal pandemic relief funds meant to help people with rental assistance and other urgent needs to instead pay down a state loan. Folks who can’t make rent are advised to call 1-800-AINOKEA.
>> After promising at the start of his term to “build rail better,” Mayor Kirk Caldwell is leaving office on news that the 20-mile transit line is now $6 billion over budget and 13 years behind schedule. We should have asked, “Better than what?”
>> Some city officials want to delay next year’s start of interim rail service on the first 10 miles from Kapolei to Aloha Stadium because the city can’t afford the $160 million for operations. This train wreck can’t even make it halfway to nowhere.
>> Mayor-elect Rick Blangiardi said he’ll be more aggressive than Caldwell in opening Oahu bars that have been closed during the pandemic. You know we’re in trouble when the first thing the new mayor needs is a drink.
>> Police Chief Susan Ballard canceled special patrols to enforce COVID rules after officers were found abusing overtime to the tune of 200 to 300-plus hours each over five weeks. In troubled times our police protect and serve — themselves.
>> Democratic leadership in the state House and Senate will stay the same for
the next two years, and Kurt Fevella, the only Republican senator, elected himself minority leader. Rudy Giuliani is threatening to sue for a recount.
>> West Coast legislators got heat for taking a lobbyist-paid junket to Maui just as their states were warning against travel because of skyrocketing COVID infections. There’s no pestilence mighty enough to keep politicians away from a free buffet.
In the always popular animal world:
>> Squirt the giraffe defeated Rusti the orangutan in a close election for mayor of the Honolulu Zoo. The orangutan is still in contention to succeed Andrew Robbins as Honolulu rail CEO.
>> Hawaii island is losing a battle to rascally feral rabbits that are tearing up yards and burrowing under houses. Unfortunately, Elmer Fudd was designated a nonessential pandemic worker.
>> State agricultural inspectors found a garter snake and tree frog sneaking into Hawaii in a container of Christmas trees. They were flown to Maui to join the junketing legislators.
And the quote of the month … from Blangiardi on his COVID philosophy: “At some point we need to learn to live with this disease.” We’ve had a lot of practice learning to live with our elected leadership.
Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.
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