Federal judge holds hearing on rail project
A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments this morning on whether to issue a court order halting the city’s $5.26 billion rail project linking East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center.
A. Wallace Tashima, a U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals judge here to preside over the case, ruled Nov. 1 that environmental and cultural reviews for the project did not comply with federal transportation laws aimed at protecting parks and historic sites.
He ruled the city must reconsider the alternative of constructing a tunnel under Beretania Street and the impact of the project on Mother Waldron Park in Kakaako.
The judge also ruled the city must identify traditional and cultural Native Hawaiian sites along the route and evaluate whether they can be preserved and the project’s impact minimized.
Man gets jail for impersonating FBI agent
A 49-year-old Kahului man was sentenced in federal court Tuesday to 3 1⁄2 years in prison for impersonating an FBI agent and for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Eric Wayne Fernandez admitted that he pretended to be an FBI agent and used fake credentials to gain access to a neighbor’s home, from which he stole a check that he later forged and cashed for $1,000.
Fernandez also admitted that as a convicted felon he unlawfully possessed a .38-caliber handgun. Fernandez has a conviction in California for burglary.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Kanaka‘ole stadium to get $3.2M face-lift
A multimillion-dollar project to renovate Hilo’s Edith Kanaka‘ole stadium will begin as scheduled on Monday, with the goal of having the stadium overhaul done in time for the 50th annual Merrie Monarch Festival.
The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported that the $3.2 million project includes building a dressing room and larger lobby as well as upgrading the stadium’s restrooms. The dressing room will be in a new 4,200-square-foot multipurpose building next to the stadium. The lobby area in front of the stadium will be expanded toward the parking lot.
The Merrie Monarch Festival is scheduled to run from March 31 to April 6.
Kauai residents can join effort to cut junk mail
Kauai County announced a program Monday aimed at cracking down on junk mail and saving landfill space.
The “Stop Unwanted Mail” program is intended to let residents stop getting mail they don’t want, such as phone books, catalogs and credit card solicitations.
It is a partnership between the county and Catalog Choice Mail Preference Service. Residents who want to participate must register with Catalog Choice, which will contact the companies that send the offending mail and ask the companies to stop sending it.
The website is kauai.catalogchoice.org. The county said it is part of its overall effort to be more environmentally conscious. Officials expect to be able to track how many trees were saved and how much solid waste was diverted from the landfill through the program.
