Coming up today: Former Rep. Files for Council Race, Rail Authority Meets after Rail Project Shut Down, GOP Delegate Takes National Stage

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Sam Aiona is the former executive director of the state Office of Community Services, former board member of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, and current board vice chairman for HOPE Services Homeless Program.
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Sam Aiona

Former State Representative Sam Aiona Will Run for Open Council Seat

Former state Representative and GOP Party Chair Sam Aiona will announce his candidacy for the Honolulu City Council today. He hopes to replace Tulsi Gabbard who resigned last week after winning the Democratic primary race for Congress.

Aiona joins a long list of other people who have said they will also run for that seat.

That includes Sen. Carol Fukunaga, D-Makiki, who on August 11 lost her Senate seat that she held for two decades. Fukunaga’s district had been reapportioned into a new district that put her up against another veteran lawmaker, Sen. Brian Taniguchi.

Former city council member Jon Yoshimura will also run.

The seat is key in the battle over the future of the Honolulu rail project.

Currently, Council Budget Chair Ann Kobayashi and Council Member Tom Berg are the only council members who regularly challenge expenditures and management of the rail project. But they need as many as 5 of 9 votes to make an impact on legislation.

In addition, Berg is also up for re-election and being challenged by pro-rail candidate Kymberly Pine, a state representative.

Aiona has already declared his opposition to the rail.

The deadline to file for the non-partisan council seat is Friday, Aug. 31 at 4:30 p.m.

Rail Authority to Meet After Rail Project Shut Down by Supreme Court Ruling

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation will meet today at 11 in Kapolei Hale to discuss last Friday’s Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that said the city violated the law when it began construction without completing archeological surveys along the 20 mile route before beginning construction.

Much of the discussion about the rail lawsuit is expected to take place behind closed doors in executive session.

See the full agenda here

Hawaii Republican Party Delegate Leads Pledge of Allegiance Tonight on National Stage

Hawaii Republican delegates at the National GOP convention in Tampa, Florida, are having a grand old time.

After casting their support to Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney, they are looking forward his speech tonight.

But before that, Hawaii Republican Party Delegate Dylan Nonaka will lead the pledge of allegiance at the convention.

Nonaka, a former Marine, was a member of the first American troops to cross into Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

View a live stream of the Convention here or tune in to C-SPAN for full coverage.


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