Senators propose bill to improve volcano monitoring ADVERTISING Senators propose bill to improve volcano monitoring JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — U.S. senators in Alaska, Washington and Hawaii proposed legislation intended to improve volcano monitoring efforts and early warning capabilities. The measure
Senators propose bill to improve volcano monitoring
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — U.S. senators in Alaska, Washington and Hawaii proposed legislation intended to improve volcano monitoring efforts and early warning capabilities.
The measure would put the Alaska, Cascades and Hawaiian volcano observatories into a connected system and create a 24-hour Volcano Watch Office to provide ongoing situational awareness of active volcanoes in the U.S. and its territories.
A Senate energy committee release says the Alaska Volcano Observatory has long been underfunded and is among the busiest observatories in the world. The Cascades observatory in Washington monitors volcanoes in that state, Oregon and Idaho, and two of the more active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, are monitored by the Hawaiian observatory.
The bill is from Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Maria Cantwell of Washington and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, all energy committee members.
Oahu medical marijuana shop plants first seeds
HONOLULU (AP) — One of Oahu’s state-approved medical marijuana dispensaries started growing Hawaii’s first legal cannabis plants and anticipates sales to patients can begin in early summer.
The state Department of Health approved Aloha Green Holdings Inc. and two other dispensaries to start acquiring and cultivating seeds, clones and plants.
The state legalized medical marijuana in 2000, but patients did not have a legal way to obtain the drug. A 2015 law allowed the state to issue eight licenses for a total of 16 production centers and 16 dispensaries.
The Health Department still needs to contract with laboratories to test the safety and quality of products, and the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system has to be connected with the state’s patient registry system to monitor purchases.
Teachers march to Capitol calling for better pay
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii teachers marched to the state Capitol in Honolulu to call for better pay.
They rallied Monday while the union is in the midst of contract negotiations with the state.
Hawaii State Teachers Association President Corey Rosenlee said insufficient funding led to a teacher shortage. He said Hawaii teachers are the lowest-paid in the nation when cost of living is considered.
Teachers also are pushing legislation to change the tax code and direct more money to public schools. They want to create an education surcharge on residential investment properties such as second homes.
Critics such as the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce say it would be unfair to levy a surcharge on some residents and not others. They also say the tax probably would get passed on to renters.
Woman accused in Maui cliff crash released on bail
WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — A woman charged in a cliff crash that killed her twin is out of jail on a $200,000 cash bail.
Alexandria Duval, 38, was being detained on a $3 million bail in the death of her sister, Anastasia, before a judge decided Thursday to allow her to post a reduced $2 million bond or $200,000 in cash for release.
Duval pleaded not guilty in the case.
She needs the court’s permission to leave Maui while out on bail.
Duval also was ordered to report for supervision as well as random drug and alcohol testing within 24 hours of her release.
