Free Republic

<p>For a year now, hundreds of volunteers have been chipping away quietly at the $640 million backlog of repair and maintenance work at Hawai'i's public schools.</p> <p>Using paintbrushes, shovels and sweat, the Hawai'i 3Rs program has introduced volunteers to those with professional know-how to do $2.15 million worth of repairs for less than $350,000 in actual cost to the state — a saving of $1.8 million.</p>

<p>Frustrated by their failure to find out more about a city employee's complaints of corruption and mismanagement, a majority of the City Council yesterday called for broad subpoena powers so they can find out more about the rising costs of Central O'ahu Regional Park.</p>

<p>The city — which has extended the period for public comment on the Waimanalo Gulch landfill issue nine times — got an earful at a public hearing at Kapolei High School last night.</p> <p>Except that no one from the city showed up to listen, a fact missed by few of the more than 100 people who showed up to have their say.</p>