Senate confirms Adm. Locklear HONOLULU (AP) — Navy Adm. Samuel Locklear will be the U.S. military’s next leader in the Asia-Pacific region. ADVERTISING U.S. Pacific Command spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Bill Clinton said Friday the U.S. Senate had confirmed Locklear’s nomination
Senate confirms Adm. Locklear
HONOLULU (AP) — Navy Adm. Samuel Locklear will be the U.S. military’s next leader in the Asia-Pacific region.
U.S. Pacific Command spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Bill Clinton said Friday the U.S. Senate had confirmed Locklear’s nomination to head the command, which has its headquarters near Honolulu.
In confirmation hearings earlier this month, Locklear said he wants improved military ties with China but noted that China must be committed to open exchanges.
He told the Senate Armed Services Committee that China’s military buildup is a source of strategic uncertainty. He described the current military relationship as “cooperative but competitive.”
Locklear currently is chief of U.S. naval forces in Europe and Africa, and commander of Allied Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy. He commanded U.S. and NATO-led operations in Libya that eventually toppled Moammar Gadhafi.
Kauai residents fight for homes
HONOLULU (AP) — Some residents at a former Kauai sugar plantation are vowing to barricade themselves in their houses when they are evicted to make way for a development project.
Developer Peter Savio has offered to purchase the property to help the tenants remain in their homes but he says the landowner rejected his offer. Landowner Grove Farm Co. issued eviction notices to 13 tenants to vacate by March 8 to make way for a 50-unit development.
Koloa Camp is part of the first sugar plantation in Hawaii. Savio said he wants to save a part of history.
Grove Farm Vice President Marissa Sandblom says tenants have been paying below-market rents for years and they’ll be given priority for the new homes.
Hospital seeks energy efficiency
HONOLULU (AP) — An Oahu hospital is receiving nearly $650,000 to partially cover the cost of installing energy efficient air conditioning equipment and lighting.
Hawaii Energy presented Castle Medical Center in Kailua with a check last week.
The money covers more than 25 percent of the $2.3 million Castle spent to install the new equipment. Castle CEO Kathryn Raethel says the hospital wouldn’t have been able to complete the project as quickly if it hadn’t received the incentive funds.
The money comes from public benefits fees paid by Hawaiian Electric customers and from $6 million in stimulus funds the federal government gave to Hawaii Energy to provide incentives for energy efficiency.
Hawaii Energy promotes energy efficiency in Honolulu, Maui and Hawaii counties. It’s paid for by utility customers.
