Presumably thinking he’s got nothing left to lose politically in the second half of his final term, Governor David Ige last week unveiled one of his most brazen (read: worst) proposals yet and suggested that all public workers – including teachers and first responders – take a pay cut to make up for anticipated budget shortfalls due to the COVID-19 pandemic. News of the cuts … [Read more...] about Gov. Ige Talks Cuts: The governor receives criticism for proposals to cut pay for public workers
Hawaii Government Employees Association
Quizunderstood: What do you know about Haleakala National Park’s new artist in residence?
1. Pianist Hunter Noack will spend December as an artist in residence at Haleakala National Park, park officials announced on Dec. 2. According to the park’s news release, Noack is known for “expressive performances” of which composer? A. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart B. Ludwig van Beethoven C. Franz Liszt D. Johann Sebastian Bach E. Frederic Chopin 2. According to the Dec. 1 … [Read more...] about Quizunderstood: What do you know about Haleakala National Park’s new artist in residence?
Maui hospital board wants to partner with Kaiser Permanente, but not everyone’s pleased
So yesterday the board that runs Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital decided that it wants to partner up with Kaiser Permanente. For much of the last year, local hospital and public officials have been talking up the financial doomsday these hospitals were facing. Either give us more money, these officials told the state Legislature, or let … [Read more...] about Maui hospital board wants to partner with Kaiser Permanente, but not everyone’s pleased
Saber-rattling over future of Maui’s hospitals getting scary
The saber-rattling between Maui County's hospitals and their many friends in the county and state Legislature on one hand and Governor David Ige and the powerful Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) that backs him on the other is getting serious. The future of Maui's hospitals–most predominantly, Maui Memorial Medical Center–has been hanging over this legislative … [Read more...] about Saber-rattling over future of Maui’s hospitals getting scary
Maui Memorial Medical Center Faces Public/Private Partnership Or Bust
In 1976, I moved to Maui for what I thought would be a brief interlude, but turned out to be closer to four decades of love-hate romance with Hawaii politics. That’s the year I became a general assignment reporter for The Maui News. Before moving to Maui I had written both staff and freelance for many large metropolitan papers with readership in the hundreds of thousands, even … [Read more...] about Maui Memorial Medical Center Faces Public/Private Partnership Or Bust