...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM HST FRIDAY...
* WHAT...East winds up to 25 kt and seas up to 10 feet.
* WHERE...Oahu Windward Waters, Oahu Leeward Waters, Kaiwi
Channel, Maui County Windward Waters, Maui County Leeward
Waters, Maalaea Bay, Pailolo Channel, Big Island Leeward
Waters and Big Island Southeast Waters.
* WHEN...Until 6 AM HST Friday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in these conditions.
&&
'A'ali'i is a reporter with KITV. He was born and raised on the island of Maui and graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in Journalism.
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- During a virtual briefing on Monday, Honolulu's elected officials discussed the city's projected $3.92 billion operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1.
Honolulu City Council Vice Chair Esther Kia'aina questioned whether or not there are necessary budget increases in the $384 million in general funds pot to reduce homelessness and launch more affordable housing projects.
"I'd like to make sure that if indeed all of us are saying that affordable housing and homelessness are important, then it needs to be justified with an increase in the appropriate funds," Kia'ain added.
The managing director's office could not provide specifics during the hearing and KITV4 has yet to hear back on our request for more information.
However, Deputy Managing Director Krishna Jayaram did note officials have been meeting internally and with Sen. Brian Schatz over the last month to determine how they could leverage funds from the incoming federal infrastructure bill.
"The direction to all the departments has been that they should be looking at their own programs, trying to figure out how to incorporate these federal monies...and so these are ongoing discussions that we're having," Jayaram added.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said the budget also aims to fill job vacancies in the city and pay workers higher wages to retain them, which have been ongoing issues from before he assumed office that were exacerbated throughout the pandemic.
"One of the things that really hit us in the face coming into it was the shortages that we had in people and how it compromised our leadership in wanting to get the job done," Blangiardi said.
The mayor added funding will be allotted towards the city's embattled rail project, which he plans to discuss with the Federal Transit Authority on Friday.
'A'ali'i is a reporter with KITV. He was born and raised on the island of Maui and graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in Journalism.