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Good evening, Hawaii. The Hawaii State Teachers Association announced it reached a late tentative settlement with the state of Hawaii and the Board of Education for a new four-year contract. The Army is conducting a prescribed burn of the Schofield Barracks training range complex April 17-21. Also, registration for the Summer Fun program for keiki will open on May 8 and run through May 12. Read about the important stories you need to know.
Your Weather Planner
Spotty showers are possible for the rest of Monday with light and variable winds. As a front approaches on Tuesday, winds will strengthen. Widespread rain and gusty winds will push across the islands Tuesday night through Wednesday night, with some thunderstorms and areas of heavy rainfall possible. Flood Watches are in effect for Niihau and Kauai from Tuesday morning through Wednesday afternoon. Eventually, winds will weaken later Wednesday night into Thursday as the cold front stalls and weakens near the Big Island.
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Today's Big Stories
1. Honolulu Star-Advertiser: State and Hawaii teachers union reach tentative contract agreement
The Hawaii State Teachers Association announced it reached a tentative settlement late Friday with the state of Hawaii and the Board of Education for a new four-year contract.
According to an HSTA news release, the union’s Negotiations Committee recommended the agreement to the board of directors, which voted to approve it during special meetings Saturday, sending it to the bargaining unit membership for ratification. The tentative agreement would run from July 1 through June 30, 2027, the news release said.
“We really have not had a chance to make substantive changes to contract language since 2013,” said HSTA President Osa Tui Jr. in the release. “This round of bargaining was the most collaborative I’ve experienced in my decade of negotiations with the employer. We’re also extremely grateful to Gov. Josh Green, who joined us on the last day of bargaining and actively helped to clear some of the logjams that remained.”
The agreement includes salary increases in each of the next four years as well as increases in the employer contribution to health premiums, supplementary pay and changes in the salary structure, as well as streamlining and expanding instructor pay on the schedule, the news release said.
A vote on the tentative contract is set for April 26.
2. U.S. Army to conduct prescribed burn in the coming week
In order to prevent brushfires and the threat they pose to over 30 species of endangered plants and animals, the Army will conduct a prescribed burn of the Schofield Barracks training range complex April 17-21, according to a news release.
The Army’s specialized Wildland Fire Division will conduct the burn provided wind, temperature and moisture fall within the regulatory parameters. The Hawaii Department of Health’s Clean Air Branch gave its approval following extensive preparations that included coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure all state, federal and Army requirements were met.
Prescribed burns are part of the Army’s management of threatened and endangered species. Guinea grass and other vegetation are large fuel sources for brushfires that threaten the area’s natural resources such as the elepaio, the endangered flycatcher bird that resides above the training range.
“The prescribed fire takes approximately three days to complete, but pays dividends all year by helping prevent wildfire outbreaks on our training ranges and can reduce the number of wildfires by upwards of 70% annually,” said Justin Turnbo, U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii’s fire management officer in the release.
Throughout the process, staff will monitor humidity levels, wind and the concentration of natural fuel in burn areas to minimize smoke and ash. They will use smoke modeling software to detect the amount of smoke produced, as well as direction and adjust as needed.
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4. Oahu's 2023 Summer Fun registration opens May 8 online
Mayor Rick Blangiardi and the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation announced that registration for the Summer Fun program for keiki will open on May 8 and run through May 12 on the Parks and Recreation Online System at pros.hnl.info.
The program can host up to 10,000 keiki and teens and has 57 locations in Oahu. It offers learning experiences that help build on soft skills, promoting leadership and success in education. Summer Fun began on Oahu in 1944 with 26 sites in response to a community need for positive keiki engagement during World War II, according to the program’s press release.
The registration will be held based on geographic location.
Summer Fun 2023 will run weekdays beginning Tuesday, June 13, through Friday, July 28 (excluding Independence Day) from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
5. Board of Water Supply: Chase down those water leaks
“Detect-A-Leak” Week is a catchy phrase, but the Board of Water Supply is serious about helping Oahu’s water users fix water leaks to bring down what could be hefty water bills. And Hardware Hawaii is joining the campaign running now through April 22.
According to the Board of Water Supply, the most common and expensive leak in the home is a toilet leak — it can easily waste more than 200 gallons per day. The cause is most often a faulty, decayed or worn-out flapper, the apparatus that allows the toilet to complete the flush cycle. Experts recommend residents regularly check the flapper and replace it at least every five years to avoid leaks.
One drip per second from a leaking faucet is equivalent to over 3,000 gallons of water wasted each year, so check faucets, showerheads, water connection lines and other fixtures.
For this year’s campaign, the BWS and Hardware Hawaii are offering two components:
From April 16 through April 22, the public can pick up free toilet leak detection dye tablets at the BWS Public Service Building, Hardware Hawaii locations and all Satellite City Halls. Food coloring can also be used. Just drop a dye tablet or drops of food coloring into the toilet tank and wait 15 minutes. Don’t flush. If you see dye in the toilet bowl, there is a leak. Take a picture of the flapper to the hardware store to make sure you buy one that fits your specific toilet model.
On April 19, the public can stop by the Detect-A-Leak Week booth, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Tamarind Park (Bishop Square) in Downtown Honolulu. Learn about ways to detect and repair leaks, pick up free leak detection dye tablets, take home BWS and Hardware Hawaii swag, and win prizes that include one of four WaterSense-labeled toilets courtesy of Hardware Hawaii.
Your Notes for tomorrow
- Federal Tax Day and IRS quarterly tax filing deadline day
- National Urban League 2023 "State of Black America" report released
- House Energy subcommittee hearing on U.S. nuclear expansion
- "America's Most Endangered Rivers of 2023" list announced by American Rivers
- House Oversight and Accountability subcommittee latest hearing on the origins of COVID-19
- Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich appeals detention in Moscow court hearing
- Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force budget
- House Agriculture subcommittee hearing on USDA animal disease prevention and response efforts
- Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on "foreign competitive threats to U.S. innovation and economic leadership"
- House Ways and Means subcommittee hearing on "countering China's trade and investment agenda"
- Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee nominations hearing
- House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing on the withdrawal from Afghanistan
- What: Better Tomorrow Speaker Series
- Where: University of Hawaii at Manoa, Art Auditorium | 2535 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu
- Details: Award-winning Indian author, environmentalist and climate activitist Amitav Ghosh presents an in-person lecture, “The Nutmeg’s Curse: Climate, Colonialism and Global Geopolitics,” 6:30 p.m. April 18. Register.
- What: Sean Dorsey Dance
- Where: Maui Arts & Cultural Center|One Cameron Way, Kahului | 808-242-7469
- Details: Sean Dorsey Dance’s powerful new work, “The Lost Art Of Dreaming,” features all-out dance, intimate storytelling and intricate costumes in a performance by five queer, trans and gender-non-conforming dancers — Sean Dorsey, Brandon Graham, Hector Jaime, David Le and Nol Simonse, 7:30 p.m. April 20. Tickets.
- What: Komakakino Live in Concert
- Where: Kilauea Visitor Center auditorium | Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
- Details: This presentation of Na Leo Manu (Heavenly Voices of Hawaiian Music) concerts features the uplifting Hawaiian falsetto vocals of the Keaukaha-based band, Komakakino, along with hula performances, 7-8 p.m. April 19. Their critically acclaimed debut album, E Nipo Mai, was nominated for the 2017 Na Hoku Hanohano single of the year. Performance is free, but park entrance fees apply.
- What: ‘Malama Aina: Saving Hawaii’s Sacred Trees from Rapid Ohia Death’
- Where: Keoki’s Paradise | 4334 Emmalani Dr., Princeville | 2360 Kiahuna Plantation Dr., Koloa | 808-741-7534
- Details: Kauai Invasive Species Committee’s Kim Rogers shares why ohia is the most important tree in our native forests and the efforts being made to save it from ROD, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. April 19. Register by calling Keoki’s Paradise at the number above.
For more on these and other events, see this week's HI Out & About.
Watch Live
- The Big West Men’s Volleyball Tournament begins Thursday, with #5 UC San Diego vs. #4 UC Santa Barbara at 2 p.m. HST on Spectrum Sports or on the Spectrum News app.
- At 4:30 p.m. HST, it's #6 CSUN vs. #3 UC Irvine on Spectrum Sports or on the Spectrum News app.
In Case You Missed It
This year's Onizuka Day of Exploration combines STEM education with the wisdom and practices of Hawaiian culture. (Photo courtesy of University of Hawaii-West Oahu)
Families invited to Onizuka Day of Exploration
The Boy Scouts of America Aloha Council invites the public to Hawaii’s largest family-friendly STEM event, the Onizuka Day of Exploration at UH West Oahu, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 22.
The focus will be on Hawaiian culture and sustainability with nearly 100 hands-on activities, workshops and classes open to all ages.
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