House leaders yet to meet about Hanohano

The top thing to watch for this week in the state Legislature is what didn’t happen last week: a promised meeting among House leadership to discuss possible censure of Rep. Faye Hano­hano.

The Democrat representing Puna stirred controversy with apparent dismissive and hostile remarks to a college student at a public hearing and to Department of Land and Natural Resources staffers, as described in a letter from that department’s head, William Aila, to House Speaker Joseph Souki.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday will hear several of the most contentious bills of the session so far, including measures to jack up taxes on electronic smoking devices and to ban flavored tobacco products. Another bill would compel a public utility meeting on updating the electric grid to better incorporate home-generated solar power.

The University of Hawaii would undertake a two-year research project on industrial hemp under Senate Bill 2175 in committee on Tuesday. The aim would be to use the fast-growing plant to improve soil made toxic by agricultural chemicals.

Teachers bristle at evaluations

Four teachers at Kilauea Elementary School on Kauai have sent a letter to the Board of Education protesting an evaluation program called the Educator Effectiveness System.

Calling it a "disaster," the teachers said the program is having a negative effect on teachers, students and schools, the Garden Island newspaper reports.

"It’s taking the fun out of education and taking time away from students," said Michael Kline, a special-education teacher at Kilauea Elementary. "They’ve passed out hundreds of pages about the program, giving us no time to read them. The amount of work is overwhelming. The teachers are exhausted. I’ve never seen morale lower than it is now, and I’ve been through a lot in the past, including a strike."

In the letter, Kline and the other teachers say they must undergo time-consuming evaluations twice a year. In the past, teachers were evaluated once every five years.

"Keeping up with the EES requirements is like having another full-time job on top of teaching," said Kilauea teacher Judy Waite.

Ohana event set for UH-Hilo

Na Pua No‘eau, the Center for Gifted and Talented Native Hawaiian Children, is inviting former students to the 22nd annual Hawaiian Family Affair on Saturday at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

The event, free to the public, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This year’s theme is "E Ola Koa: Living long and strong like a koa tree in the forest."

Activities include exhibit booths, free health screenings, a keiki fitness center, arts and crafts, workshops, entertainment and food booths.