Lawmakers mull bill on teachers
HONOLULU (AP) — The Department of Education already has the authority to evaluate its teachers, but the state Legislature might pass a law to ensure it happens.
Teacher evaluations have been a sticking point for the Hawaii State Teachers Association. The union rejected a tentative contract agreement that included performance measures in January.
The state already has the right to evaluate educators. A pilot program is already under way at 18 public schools. But the Legislature is mulling a bill that would give the DOE the directive, means and flexibility to establish a performance management system that identifies effective teachers. The House Education Committee will vote on the bill Tuesday.
Sudafed buys may be tracked
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii law already requires all pseudoephedrine purchases to be made at the pharmacy.
The nonprescription nasal decongestant, often called by the brand name Sudafed, can be used as an ingredient in crystal methamphetamine. That’s why pharmacies require identification for purchase.
Now, in addition to checking ID and keeping a record of purchases, pharmacies may also need to transmit the information to the National Precursor Log Exchange. The exchange is administered by the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators.
The exchange would provide pharmacists with a stop-sale alert if the identification check indicates there is a problem with the purchase.
The House Health committee will hold a public hearing this morning.
State bankruptcy filings decrease
HONOLULU (AP) — The number of people filing for bankruptcy in Hawaii fell for the 11th straight month in January.
Last month, 212 bankruptcy cases were filed, down 13.5 percent from the same month a year ago. By area, Hawaii County had the biggest decline as filings there dropped nearly 40 percent to 24 filings last month.
Filings fell 25 percent in both Kauai and Maui counties. In Honolulu, they slipped 1.4 percent.
Whale is caught in fishing nets
HONOLULU (AP) — Federal officials are trying to free a whale caught in fishing nets off Maui.
The Coast Guard said Thursday it received a call from a charter boat reporting an adult male humpback whale was entangled in fishing nets from head to tail.
The boat reported that the whale was dragging two orange buoys in the water off Maui.
A Coast Guard crew from Station Maui and a National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration marine mammal specialist headed to the scene to evaluate and tag the whale.
The Coast Guard says the team is following the whale in a 45-foot response boat.
