Sears, facing liquidation, says it will close 80 more stores
Sears is closing 80 more stores as it teeters on the brink of liquidation.
More volatility: US stocks wobble on another turbulent day
U.S. stocks wavered between small gains and losses Friday, struggling to maintain the momentum from a two-day winning streak following a week of volatile trading. Energy companies led a broad, late-afternoon slide. Smaller company stocks were outgaining the rest of the market.
EPA targets Obama crackdown on mercury from coal plants
The Trump administration on Friday targeted an Obama-era regulation credited with helping dramatically reduce toxic mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants, saying the benefits to human health and the environment may not be worth the cost of the regulation.
Syria claims it has entered key Kurdish-held town
Syria’s military said Friday it had entered the key Kurdish-held town of Manbij in an apparent deal with the Kurds, who are looking for new allies and protection against a threatened Turkish offensive as U.S. troops prepare to leave Syria.
Thousands demonstrate in Sudan against Bashir’s rule
Thousands demonstrated Friday in nearly two dozen neighborhoods of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, calling for President Omar Bashir to step down, according to activists, keeping up the pressure on the autocratic general-turned-president who has been in power for nearly 30 years.
Vatican hears testimony from alleged McCarrick abuse victim
The Vatican has taken testimony from a man who says ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick sexually abused him for years starting when he was 11, evidence that the initial case against the retired archbishop has expanded to include serious allegations of misconduct.
Protests as Congo leader warns of Ebola election ‘disaster’
Congo’s leader is blaming a deadly Ebola virus outbreak for the last-minute decision to bar an estimated 1 million voters from Sunday’s long-delayed presidential election, claiming it would be a “disaster” if someone infects hundreds of people. Protests exploded again on Friday in response as health workers suspended efforts and warned that new cases could sharply rise.
Bomb strikes tourist bus near Egypt’s Giza pyramids, kills 2
roadside bomb hit a tourist bus on Friday in an area near the Giza Pyramids, killing two Vietnamese tourists and wounding 12 others, Egypt’s Interior Ministry said in a statement.
Tourism authority helps keep Pearl Harbor attraction open
Nonprofit organizations and a state agency are helping keep one of the Hawaii’s most-visited tourist attraction open during the U.S. government shutdown.
Waste discharge from Big Island dairy farm concerns locals
The latest in a string of wastewater discharges from a Big Island dairy farm has residents wondering how it will handle its planned closure next year.
Kansas teen to get high school, Harvard diplomas in 1 month
A 16-year-old Kansas boy will soon earn his high school diploma — and a few days later he’ll travel to Harvard to collect his bachelor’s degree.
California’s Jerry Brown caps 5 decades on political scene
It was a matter of life and death in 2015 when California Gov. Jerry Brown pondered an assisted suicide bill granting terminally ill people the right to choose when they die.
Wells Fargo pays $575 million to settle state investigations
Wells Fargo will pay $575 million in a settlement with attorneys general from all 50 states and the District of Columbia that are investigating fake accounts opened without the knowledge of customers and a string of other dodgy practices.
Prosecutor sues Justice Department over man shot 59 times
A Georgia prosecutor is suing the U.S. Department of Justice over its refusal to provide information about how officers shot 59 bullets into a schizophrenic college student.
From duct-taped shoes to $11M: Man leaves surprise donations
Alan Naiman was known for an unabashed thriftiness that veered into comical, but even those closest to him had no inkling of the fortune that he quietly amassed and the last act that he had long planned.
TGIFr!day for December 28, 2018
Grinds & Da Kines For Your Weekend; Dining out; Music, Art & Theater; Out & About; Island Calendar and much, much more
Salt Pond construction begins Jan. 7
Construction on the Salt Pond Beach Park effluent system project will begin on Jan. 7 and is scheduled to be completed by August.
Red Cross at Kukui Grove
The American Red Cross will have a table at Kukui Grove Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. People can stop by and sign up to become Red Cross Disaster Services volunteers or sign up for free smoke alarm installations.
Tourism industry finishing 2018 strong
The tourism industry on Kauai is continuing a strong push to the finish of 2018.
Volunteers free animals, clean beaches and ocean
Turtles, starfish, crustaceans and other fish were all freed from a floating mass of net and rope at Poipu’s Koloa Landing recently, just one of several large masses that have landed on the radar of Surfrider Kauai’s Net Patrol in December.
North Shore highway could reopen early next year
Two more convoys have been added on Kuhio Highway for access between Waikoko and Wainiha for the New Year’s holiday, and the state Department of Transportation says repairs to the severely damaged road are on schedule.
Kauai shrugs off shutdown
While some federal programs are screeching to a halt as a result of the ongoing government shutdown, life on Kauai is pretty much business as usual.
Letters for Friday, December 28, 2018
• Guinea grasses out of control • Challenges remain, time to wake up
Increased suicide rate needs closer look
The Garden Island recently editorialized on how the suicide rate is the highest it’s ever been. They went on to say: “The suicide death rate last year was the highest it’s been in at least 50 years, according to U.S. government records. This is an area of huge concern on Kauai, where young people can be overwhelmed with hopelessness.” May I add not only of grave concern to the young but our middle-aged and kupuna populations, as well.
Ministry and watercolor
For years painting watercolors of Hawaii’s flowers kept the Rev. Alan Akana connected to his home, even though he was traveling all over the United States working in ministry.