Del LaGrace Volcano (born July 26, 1957) is an American artist, performer, and activist from California. A formally trained photographer, Volcano's work includes installation, performance and film and interrogates the performance of gender on several levels, especially the performance of masculinity and femininity.

Identity
Born intersex, Volcano developed both male and female characteristics as an adolescent but was raised and socialized as female. Volcano continued to live the first 37 years of their life as a woman, but since then has been living as both male and female. Del LaGrace Volcano (formerly named Della Grace) continues to adopt their true self through their name and gender. After marrying a queer man, Johnny Volcano, Del took on their current name to challenge the "bi-gendered status quo." Johnny has now changed his name while Del kept the surname and passed it on to their two children. Del has been in a partnership with the children's mother, Matilda Wurm since 2006. to which Del refers to themself as a "MaPa".

Life and career
Prior to moving to San Francisco when they were nineteen, Volcano attended Allan Hancock College as a student in the Visual Studies program from 1977 to 1979. Volcano earned an MA in Photographic Studies at University of Derby, UK in 1992 after studying photography at the San Francisco Art Institute from 1979 to 1981. Del LaGrace Volcano continues to further adopt their true self through their gender as well as their name.

Volcano's work complicates understandings of both femininity and masculinity by depicting lesbian masculinity. In "The Feminine Principle" Volcano takes queer femininities as a focus; including in this project is a portrait of Kate Bornstein. In "Lesbian Boyz and Other Inverts,"  Volcano's celebration of butch dykes, transsexual boys and other gender-queers. In the project, masculinity is shown as a tool of subversion.

Volcano's recent photographs demonstrate how intersex bodies can offer an entirely new perspective on the body.  The “normal” body in relation to Volcano's photographs becomes queer, describing the bodies in their latest works as "sites of mutation, loss, and longing."  In these newer works, Volcano takes on the loss of their friend, Kathy Acker and the transformation of their lover Simo Maronati's abled body into a disabled one.  Here, Volcano illustrates the queerness of any body marked by illness or trauma. Their self-portrait "INTER*me" photograph series (formally the "Herm Body" series) is a raw rendition of the artist's body using black and white Polaroid film, in conversation with their previous work it speaks to the construction of different age-selves and the technologies of gender in photography.

Volcano's artist statement of September 2005 reads:

Volcano also explores themes of both sexual and gender fluidity throughout their work. Volcano often depicts the instability of gender identity, by pushing past the binary gender system, and frequently uses their queerness in their work to contest the idea of sexual identity as something that is permanently embodied. As shown in Volcano's photography book, "Love Bites", Volcano presents various images of women at sexual play, dressed "in costumes ranging from brides to gay leather men". Volcano, in this way, seems to aim at defying conventional gender norms and feminist principles within their text. In Teddy Boy David, Volcano further pushes this agenda and toys with the idea of age dynamics and, mainly, youthfulness in terms of sexuality and sexual play.

Selected exhibitions

 Corpus Queer: bodies in resistance, Transpalette, Emmetrop, Bourges, France September 2005
 Intersex 101: The Two Gender System as a Human Rights Abuse, NGBK gallery, Berlin, Germany June 2005
 A Boost in the Shell, Aeroplastics Gallery (Group Show) Brussels, Belgium May 2005
 Pas de Regrets, â la Galerie du Forum des images, France November 2003
 Female Turbulence, Aeroplastics Gallery, (Group Show) Brussels, Belgium October 2003
 Venus Boyz, Zita, Folkets Bio, Stockholm, Sweden May 2002
 Fallen Heroes: Masculinity & Representation, Espai D'Art Contemporani de Castello, (Group Show) CastÉleon, Spain April 2002
 Fluid Fire, Format Gallery, Malmo 2002
 Gerkhe's Artists, Hamburg Erotic Art Museum, 2001
 One Man? Show, Babele Gallery, Milan, Italy April 2001
 Fluid Fire, Galleri Format, Malmö, Sweden December 2001
 Sex Mutant, The Nunnery, (Group Show) London, UK August 2000
 A Kingdome Comes, Standpoint Gallery, London, UK July 1999
 Encounters of the Third Kind, Melkweg, (Group Show) Amsterdam, Netherlands August 1998
 Duke: King of the Hill, Courtauld Galleries, (Group Show) London, UK November 1999–2001
 Reterospective: Del LaGrace, Magazin 4, Bregenz, Austria September 1996
 Desire, Nordic Arts Centre, (Group Show) Helsinki, Finland; Kulturhuset, Stockholm, Sweden; Louisiana, Humlebœk, Denmark; 1995–97
 Street Style, Victoria & Albert Museum,(Group Show) London, UK June 1994

Volcano had a mid-career retrospective at the Leslie Lohman Museum in 2012.

Selected publications

Selected published works include:

Love Bites, as Della Grace, published by Gay Men's Press, London, 1991: "Perhaps the first published photographic monograph of lesbian sexuality in the world made from an insider's perspective. In the early 1990s LOVE BITES generated a great deal of controversy and censorship in both the mainstream and lesbian/gay media. In the USA it was banned by Customs & Excise for two weeks. In Canada they cut the most "offensive" photographs out of the book before selling it. In England it was sold by mainstream booksellers but not in lesbian or gay bookshops who protested they couldn't take the risk or disagreed with the SM content. Although it has been out of print for over 10 years it is still considered a queer classic."

The Drag King Book, co-authored with Judith "Jack" Halberstam, published by Serpent's Tail, 1999. The Drag King Book focusses on the drag kings of London, San Francisco, and New York. Volcano, in the book's forward, describes their first experience with a drag king act, which took place in San Francisco in 1985 when "the On Our Backs/ BurLEZK gang were putting on strip shows for lesbians at The Baybrick Inn."

Sublime Mutations, published by Konkursbuchverlag, 2000: "Sublime Mutations, a photographic retrospective of Del LaGrace Volcano's work produced over the course of the last ten years, visually remaps the political and theoretical cutting edge of the queer avant garde." In Jay Prossler's introduction, Prossler claims that through LaGrace Volcano's work "we see the changing shape of our bodies and our communities reflected". Importantly however, we also glimpse the changes promised by our was of seeing, the mutations we read as well as those that are visited upon our bodies. LaGrace Volcano skillfully demonstrates that sublime mutations are always already the transformations that viewers project on the physical world, and especially on the body.

Sex Works 1978–2005, also containing an essay by Beatriz Preciado. Published by Konkursbuchverlag, 2005. Sex Works shows a history of sex in the queer scene.

A contribution to the book Inter: Erfahrungen intergeschlechtlicher Menschen in der Welt der zwei Geschlechter, edited by Elisa Barth, in 2013. Other notable contributors include Mauro Cabral, Sally Gross, and Phoebe Hart.

A contribution to Queer Theory, edited by Iain Morland and Dino Willox, published in 2004. The book presents fifteen articles on sexuality, gender studies and other aspects of queer studies. Other notable contributors include Judith Butler, Patrick Califia, Cheryl Chase, Larry Kramer, and Stephen Whittle.

A contribution to Intersex and After, an issue of GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies edited by Iain Morland in 2009. Notable contributors included Alice Dreger, Iain Morland, and Vernon Rosario.

Femmes of Power : Exploding Queer Feminities, co-authored with Ulrika Dahl. Published by Serpent's Tail in 2008

Volcano's photography featured in the sex-positive lesbian erotica publication Quim Magazine, published in the UK between 1989 and 2001.

Television and film work
Volcano appeared in Gabriel Baur's film, Venus Boyz.

References

External links
Del LaGrace Volcano website
Del LaGrace Volcano on-camera oral history The Outwords Archive, August 26, 2022

1957 births
Living people
Alumni of the University of Derby
American non-binary artists
Intersex non-binary people
Intersex rights activists
Intersex artists
LGBT people from California
Photography about intersex
Queer photographers
Non-binary photographers
Non-binary activists
American LGBT photographers
21st-century American LGBT people


On 10 December 2008, the Swiss Federal Assembly elected Ueli Maurer as successor to Federal Councillor Samuel Schmid. Schmid resigned on 12 November 2008 after a number of controversies, officially citing health and personal reasons. Maurer took office on 1 January 2009.

Candidates
The Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC), Switzerland's largest party by voter share but no longer represented in the Federal Council after the 2008 split-off of Schmid's Conservative Democratic Party (BDP), claimed Schmid's seat. The other governing parties including the BDP accepted the SVP's claim and declined to field candidates of their own.

On 27 November 2008, the SVP's parliamentary group decided to nominate former Federal Councillor Christoph Blocher and former party president Ueli Maurer as candidates for Schmid's seat. Under new SVP party rules, any SVP member elected to the position without being nominated for it by the group would automatically lose his or her party membership. The opposition Green Party, citing their opposition to the SVP's policies and their representation on the Council, fielded State Councillor Luc Recordon as a candidate of their own.

All governing parties declared Blocher to be unacceptable as Federal Councillor. The center-right Free Democrats (FDP/PRD) decided to support Maurer, while the center-left Social Democrats (SP/PS) announced that they would not elect him and were looking for an alternative SVP candidate. The centrist Christian Democrats (CVP/PDC) announced on 9 December 2008 that a narrow majority of their parliamentary group, 23 MPs, would vote for Maurer

Results
Prior to the first round, Hansjörg Walter, an SVP councillor from Thurgau who had previously been rumored to be the favorite of the center-left parties, announced that he would not accept an election. He nonetheless received 109 votes. Following the first round, SVP group leader Caspar Baader announced that Christoph Blocher's candidacy was withdrawn in favor of Ueli Maurer. Green Party candidate Luc Recordon, who did not receive more than ten votes in the first round, declared that he would "suspend" his candidacy.

Ueli Maurer was elected Federal Councillor on the third ballot, receiving exactly the 122 votes required.

Source:

Footnotes

References

External links

Federal Council election
2008 Federal Council election


The Bennetts Lane Big Band is an Australian large ensemble band playing jazz compositions and improvisations that was formed in 2001 to provide an avenue for original new work.

Three musicians, Eugene Ball, Andrea Keller and Nick Haywood were approached by the management of Bennetts Lane Jazz Club to form the group. An 11 piece group was formed and the band has performed on a regular monthly basis from 2001 to 2008.

The Bennetts Lane Big Band performed the award-winning jazz composition by Eugene Ball, Fool Poet's Portion suite, at a benefit concert for the Melbourne Jazz Co-op in January 2008.

The Snip
The band recorded an album of original compositions in May 2002 on the ABC Jazz label called The Snip.

Awards

Australian Jazz Bell Awards
The Australian Jazz Bell Awards, (also known as the Bell Awards or The Bells), are annual music awards for the jazz music genre in Australia. They commenced in 2003.

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| Australian Jazz Venue of the Year
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| 2004
| Bennetts Lane Big Band
| Australian Jazz Venue of the Year
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| 2006
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| Australian Jazz Venue of the Year
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wins only

References

2001 establishments in Australia
ARIA Award winners
Australian jazz ensembles
Musical groups established in 2001
Victoria (state) musical groups


Paul Kelly is an Australian rock musician. He started his career in 1974 in Hobart, Tasmania and has performed as a solo artist, in bands as a member or has led bands named after himself. Some backing bands recorded their own material under alternate names, Professor Ratbaggy and Stardust Five, with Kelly as an individual member. As of September 2017, Paul Kelly's current band members are Cameron Bruce on keyboards and piano, Vika and Linda Bull on backing vocals and lead vocals, his nephew Dan Kelly on lead guitar and backing vocals, Peter Luscombe on drums and Bill McDonald on bass guitar.

Current members

Paul Kelly
Active: 1974–present
Instruments: vocals, rhythm guitar, electric guitar, piano, keyboards, harmonica
Short bio: Paul Kelly performed solo from 1974–1976, he joined the Debutantes in Melbourne in 1976 and then became a member of The High Rise Bombers.
Release contributions: Entire Paul Kelly discography

Dan Kelly

Active: 2002–08; 2012–14, 2017–present
Instruments: guitar, backing vocals
Short bio: Dan Kelly is the second oldest of six children, the nephew of Paul Kelly. He grew up in Queensland and learnt the guitar at thirteen, studying Environmental Science at University, in Brisbane, in 1990. He formed his first band, Nord, and moved to Melbourne in 1996, where in 2000 he started playing solo shows, under the name Dank Alley, not wanting to trade on his famous uncle's name. In 2003 he released his first solo EP, Man O Mercy. The next year he formed a new band, Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males, with Gareth Liddiard (The Drones), Christian Strybosch (The Drones) and Tom Carlyon (The Devastations), with Liddiard and Carlyon travelling to Europe with their respective other projects Aaron Cupples, Dan Luscombe and Lewis Boyes joined the Alpha Males in 2005. In 2007, he disbanded the Alpha Males to allow the individual members to focus on other projects; and left the Paul Kelly band in 2008 to work on his solo material and collaborations with the Ukeladies. Dan returned to playing in Paul's live band in 2012, following the release of Spring and Fall. During 2015 and 2016 Dan had left Paul's band to record and then promote his solo album, Leisure Panic! (October 2015). He returned after Life Is Fine (August 2017) to rejoin Paul's touring band.

Release contributions:
 2004: Paul Kelly – Ways and Means
 2006: Stardust Five – Stardust Five
 2007: Paul Kelly – Stolen Apples
 2010: Paul Kelly – The A-Z Recordings
 2012: Paul Kelly – Spring and Fall
 2014: Paul Kelly – The Merri Soul Sessions

J. Walker

Active: 2012–present
Instruments: guitars
Short bio: Greg Walker, aka J. Walker is an Australian multi-instrumentalist and producer, best known for his work under the moniker Machine Translations. He has also worked as a screen composer, sound engineer and arranger. Some of the artists and clients Walker has worked with include Baz Luhrmann, C.W. Stoneking, Clare Bowditch, The Whitlams and Angie Hart. Walker worked with Paul Kelly on his nineteenth studio album, Spring and Fall. He served as a producer and also contributed upright bass guitar, dobro, violin and harmonica to the album. He then joined Paul's live band as a guitarist.

Release contributions:
 2012: Paul Kelly – Spring and Fall

Zoe Hauptmann

Active: 2012–13
Instruments: bass guitar, acoustic bass, vocals
Short bio: Zoe Hauptmann is an Australian upright and acoustic Bassist and also the Artistic Director for The Sydney Improvised Music Association SIMA
She has toured with the artists including Missy Higgins, Neil Finn, Katie Noonan, Tim Rogers (musician), Bill Chambers, Justine Clarke, All Our Exes Live in Texas, Lanie Lane, Lisa Mitchell and Wendy Mathews. Hauptmann first toured  with Kelly during his national tour with Neil Finn in 2012.

Bree Van Reyk

Active: 2013
Instruments: drums
Short bio: Bree Van Reyk is an Australian drummer, percussionist, vocalist and songwriter. She is best known for her work with Holly Throsby. She has also performed live with Youth Group and Seeker Lover Keeper, where she also co-wrote their song "Rely on Me." Other artists Van Reyk has performed with include Darren Hanlon, Toby Martin, Grand Salvo and Butterfly Boucher. Van Reyk began touring with Paul Kelly in 2013.

Former bands/members

High Rise Bombers (1977–1978)

Members arranged chronologically:
 Martin Armiger (Toads, Bleeding Hearts) – guitar, vocals (1977–78) (left to join The Sports)
 Lee 'Fred' Cass (Red Angel Panic, Nineteen 87, Lip Arthur, Superlemon) – bass guitar (1977–78)
 Chris Dyson (Hot Cottage, Cruisers) – guitar (1977–78)
 Sally Ford (Flying Tackle) – saxophone (1977–78) (left to join The Kevins)
 John Lloyd (Relaxed Mechanics, Peter Lillee Band, The Cruisers) – drums (1977–78)
 Keith Shadwick (King Biscuit, Uncle Bobs Band, Sun) – saxophone (1977–78)
 Chris Langman (Spare Change, Parachute) – guitar (replaced Dyson in 1978)

Paul Kelly and the Dots (1978–1982)

Members arranged chronologically:
 Paul Gadsby – bass guitar (1978–80)
 Chris Langman – guitar (1978–82) (left to join Glory Boys)
 John Lloyd – drums (1978–79) (left to join Flowers/Icehouse)
 Chris Malhebe – guitar (1978–79)
 Chris Worrall (Captain Matchbox, The Pelaco Brothers, Bleeding Hearts, Stiletto) – guitar (1979–80) (replaced Malhebe in February 1979)
 Chris Dyson (Cruisers, High Rise Bombers, Stiletto, Romantics) – guitar, vocals (1979–80) (replaced Langman) (left to join Beats Working)
 Tony Thornton (Sidewinder, Front Page) – drums (1979–81) (replaced Lloyd)
 Alan Brooker (Clean Cut, Lil’ Gypsy, Guitars of Love, Little Murders, Waz. E James Band, The Bourkenbacks) – bass (1980–82) (replaced Gadsby)
 Tim Brosnan (Millionaires, True Wheels, Romantics) – guitar (1980–82) (replaced Dyson in late 1980)
 Michael Holmes (Negatives, Eric Gradman: Man & Machine, Romantics) – guitar (1980–81) (replaced Worrall in late 1980)
 Maurice Frawley (Japanese Comix) – guitar (1981–82) (replaced Holmes)
 Huk Treloar (Bleeding Hearts, Sneakers, Little Heroes) – drums (1981–82) (replaced Thornton)
 Alex Formosa (Mick Pealing and the Ideals) – drums (1982) (replaced Treloar in mid-1982) (left to join Russell Morris Band)

Paul Kelly Band (1983–1984)
Members arranged chronologically:
 Michael Armiger (10,000 Guitars) – guitar (1983–84)
 Chris Coyne – saxophone (1983–84)
 Maurice Frawley – guitar (left to join Olympic Sideburns) (1983–84)
 Greg Martin (Mick Pealing and the Ideals, Little Murders, Goanna) – drums (1983)
 Michael Barclay (Japanese Comix, Little Murders, Runners, the Zimmermen) – drums (replaced Martin in late 1983)
 Graham Lee – guitar, pedal steel guitar (1984) (left to join The Triffids)
 Steve Connolly (Cuban Heels, Rare Things, the Zimmermen) – guitar (replaced Frawley in late 1984) (d 1995)

Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls/Messengers (1985–1991)

After relocating from Melbourne to Sydney in 1985, Paul Kelly recorded and released a solo album, Post. Kelly then began to play and record with a full-time band, which included Michael Armiger on bass guitar, Michael Barclay on drums, Steve Connolly on guitar, eventually bassist Jon Schofield, and keyboardist Peter Bull joined. Through a joke based on Lou Reed's song "Walk on the Wild Side", the band became known as Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls. The line-up of the Coloured Girls changed rapidly with some stability late in 1985 as Barclay, Bull, Connolly and Schofield. In September 1986 Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls released their debut album, Gossip. When released in North America and Europe by A&M Records in July 1987, the band changed its name, for international releases, to Paul Kelly and the Messengers due to possible racist connotations. Subsequent releases were under the name Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls for Australasia and Paul Kelly and the Messengers for international releases until 1989's So Much Water So Close to Home when all releases were by Paul Kelly and the Messengers until disbanding in 1991.

Members arranged chronologically:
 Michael Armiger – bass guitar (1985)
 Michael Barclay – drums, vocals (1985–88; 1989–91)
 Steve Connolly – guitar (1985–88; 1989–91)
 Chris Coyne – saxophone 1985 (only on Post)
 Ian Rilen (Rose Tattoo, X) – bass guitar 1985 (only on Post)
 Rick Grossman (Divinyls) – bass (1985) (left to return to Divinyls and eventually joined Hoodoo Gurus)
 Jon Schofield (Grooveyard) – bass guitar (1985–88; 1989–91)
 Peter Bull (Do-Re-Mi, Sea Monsters, Flaming Hands, Grooveyard) – keyboards (1985–88; 1989–91)
 Spencer P. Jones (The Johnnys, The Beasts of Bourbon, Olympic Sideburns) – guitar (1985) (left to join Legendary Stardust Cowboys)
 Billy Pommer Jnr (The Johnnys) – drums (1988)
 Noel Funicello (The Amazing Woolloomoolosers) – bass (1988)

Paul Kelly's Band (1995–1997)
Members arranged chronologically:
 Shane O'Mara (Stephen Cummings Band, Chris Wilson Band, Rebecca's Empire) – guitar (left to join Tim Rogers and the Temperance Union)
 Bruce Haymes (Richard Clapton Band, Russell Morris and the Rubes, Bachelors from Prague, Steve Hoy Band, Colin Hay Band) – keyboards
 Stephen Hadley (Vince Jones Band, Kate Ceberano and the Ministry of Fun, The Black Sorrows) – bass
 Peter Luscombe (The Black Sorrows, The Loved Ones, Linda Bull Band, David McComb and the Red Ponies, Rebecca's Empire, Four Hours Sleep) – drums
 Spencer P. Jones (Legendary Stardust Cowboys, Beasts of Bourbon, Chris Bailey and the General Dog, Sacred Cowboys) – guitar 1996 (left to rejoin Beasts of Bourbon)

Professor Ratbaggy (1999–2002)
Members arranged alphabetically:
 Stephen Hadley – bass, vocals
 Bruce Haymes – keyboards, organ, vocals
 Peter Luscombe – drums

Paul Kelly and the Boon Companions (2002–present)
Members arranged alphabetically:
 Dan Kelly (Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males) – guitar, vocals
 Dan Luscombe (The Blackeyed Susans, Four Hours Sleep) – guitar, keyboards, vocals (left to join The Drones)
 Peter Luscombe – drums
 Bill MacDonald (Max Q, Neneh Cherry, Deborah Conway and the Mothers of Pearl, Frente, Ultrasound, Four Hours Sleep, Rebecca's Empire, Stephen Cummings Band) – bass, vocals

Paul Kelly and the Stormwater Boys (2005)
Members arranged alphabetically:
Mick Albeck – fiddle
James Gillard – bass
Rod McCormack – guitar
Ian Simpson – banjo
Trev Warner – mandolin

Stardust Five (2005–2006)
Members arranged alphabetically:
 Dan Kelly – guitar
 Dan Luscombe – guitar, keyboards, vocals
 Peter Luscombe – drums
 Bill MacDonald – bass

Paul Kelly band (2007–2012)
Members arranged alphabetically:
 Cameron Bruce – keyboards, vocals
 Vika Bull – vocals
 Dan Kelly – guitar, vocals
 Peter Luscombe – drums
 Bill MacDonald – bass
 Ash Naylor – guitar

References

Paul Kelly (Australian musician)
Kelly, Paul


UN-SPIDER ("United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response") is a platform which facilitates the use of space-based technologies for disaster management and emergency response. It is a programme under the auspices of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).

Space technology for disaster risk management and emergency response
Global vulnerability to natural disasters is likely to increase as the impact of climate change and land degradation processes continues to rise along with rapidly growing populations. Earthquakes, floods, storms, and other natural hazards cause massive disruption to societies and overburden national economic systems. Considerable losses of life and property, however, could be avoided through better information about the risk and onset of disasters, improved risk assessment, early warning, and disaster monitoring. In recognition of these needs the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 61/110 of 14 December 2006, acknowledged that use of existing space technology, such as earth observation and meteorological satellites, communication and navigation satellites can play a major role in supporting disaster management by providing accurate and timely information for decision making. Space-based information is relevant in all phases of the disaster management cycle from disaster risk reduction to disaster response and recovery.

In March 2015, world leaders convened in Sendai, Japan to agree on a new global framework for disaster risk reduction for the period 2015 through 2030. The outcome document refers to the importance of Space-based and geospatial information in several paragraphs, highlighting, among others, the importance to "develop, update periodically and disseminate, as appropriate, location-based disaster risk information, including risk maps, to decision makers, the general public and communities at risk to disaster in an appropriate format by using, as applicable, geospatial information technology".

Organization and structure

In its resolution 61/110 of 14 December 2006, the United Nations General Assembly agreed to establish UN-SPIDER as a new United Nations programme, with the following mission statement: "Ensure that all countries and international and regional organizations have access to and develop the capacity to use all types of space-based information to support the full disaster management cycle". In doing so, UN-SPIDER aims at three goals: being a gateway to space information for disaster management support; serving as a bridge to connect the disaster management and space communities; and being a facilitator of capacity-building and institutional strengthening.

UN-SPIDER has three offices in Vienna, Austria, in Bonn, Germany and in Beijing, China.

The UN-SPIDER Vienna office is located at UNOOSA's headquarters in the Vienna International Centre. Its staff members are in charge of general UN-SPIDER coordination, fund-raising, Regional Support Office (RSO) coordination and Technical Advisory Support. The office is supported by the government of Austria.

The UN-SPIDER Bonn Office was established in October 2007 with the support from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The UN-SPIDER Bonn Office is responsible for UN-SPIDER's knowledge management. The goal is to make sure that all relevant information is easily accessible and disseminated to all stakeholders in the areas of disaster management and emergency and humanitarian response. This is done mainly via UN-SPIDER's Knowledge Portal, which is managed by the Bonn staff. The Bonn Office is also dealing with Technical Advisory Support in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Beijing office opened on November 9, 2010, and is supported by the government of the People's Republic of China. The Beijing Office is mainly dealing with Technical Advisory Support in the Asia and Pacific region and the coordination of UN-SPIDER's network of National Focal Points.

UN-SPIDER activities

Knowledge Management
The acquisition, processing and transfer of knowledge is the central element of UN-SPIDER's activities. A knowledge base on space-based information and solutions to support risk and disaster management are therefore made available through the UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal.

The UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal is central to all knowledge management activities carried out within the framework of UN-SPIDER, as it provides the hosting environment and the dissemination tool for all resulting outputs and products. The Knowledge Portal went online in June 2009 and has continuously been improved and amended ever since. Its main tool is the Space Application Matrix, a sophisticated search engine to make available research papers and case studies on the application of different space-based resources in all phases of the disaster management cycle. The Portal also features the latest news from the disaster and risk management and the space communities, information on workshops, trainings and events as well as profile details on UN-SPIDER's network partners.

UN-SPIDER's knowledge management activities are accompanied by its awareness-raising efforts. Since awareness-raising is a process by which the level of understanding among the persons targeted is raised, fostering change in attitudes and behaviour, it is central to the success of promoting the use of space-based information. In the framework of UN-SPIDER, awareness-raising is designed as an ongoing process accompanying, facilitating and preparing activities, as new audiences are addressed, new partnerships are formed and new technological solutions are developed, offering new opportunities for existing and new target groups. UN-SPIDER implements its awareness-raising activities mainly via its publications such as the monthly Updates and the biannual Newsletter as well as via its Knowledge Portal.

Outreach
Experience shows that the conduction of activities targeting the full disaster management cycle spans a variety of agencies from the public and the private sector, at different levels, and is best conducted through a coordinated approach. UN-SPIDER's outreach activities contribute to involving practitioners and experts from the disaster management and space communities in UN-SPIDER activities with the end-goal to promote the use of space-based information to support the full disaster management cycle.

UN-SPIDER's outreach activities include the organization of workshops, seminars and expert meetings in all regions as well as the support to similar events organized by its partners. Furthermore, UN-SPIDER staff participates in relevant events all over the world to raise awareness about UN-SPIDER's activities and the opportunities that space-based information offers for disaster and risk management.

Technical Advisory Support
Technical Advisory Support (TAS) is one of the prime activities of the UN-SPIDER programme at the national level. It serves to identify the existing capacity to use space-based information, to analyze the institutional framework to support disaster management through space-based information and to identify the limitations that inhibit the use of such information. TAS attempts to enable Member States to overcome these limitations through international cooperation and regional opportunities, networking with regional institutions, and setting up disaster management plans. It covers region-specific aspects such as trans-boundary issues, emergency response, risk assessment,
GIS-based disaster management systems, and disaster-risk reduction. TAS efforts range from a simple consultative phone call to the facilitation of technical support, missions, trainings and workshops. UN-SPIDER's TAS has three pillars: Technical Advisory Missions, Capacity Building and Facilitation of Emergency Support/Technical Support.

Technical Advisory Missions (TAMs) are an instrument to identify the needs of Member States regarding their capacities to fully take advantage of space-based information. TAMs are officially requested by the respective national government and are conducted by a team of experts. The team meets with key disaster management and development authorities in the Government, United Nations organizations, regional and international organizations/initiatives and private entrepreneurs to discuss the topic in depth. It makes recommendations focusing on how to improve the access to and use of space-based information in risk and disaster management. Since 2008 various missions have been carried out to countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific region.

UN-SPIDER defines its Capacity Building as the process of facilitating the strengthening of the competency of individuals, teams, and agencies to use space-based information to prevent, mitigate, and respond effectively to the challenges posed by natural hazards and related humanitarian crises. UN-SPIDER capacity building efforts include
four complementary types of activities: Providing policy-relevant advice to institutions and governments regarding the use of space-based (spatial) information to support the full disaster management cycle, facilitating access to space-based data and services, facilitating the training of individuals on access to and use of such data and facilitating access to infrastructure, hardware, and software, and services for space-based applications. Therefore, UN-SPIDER's capacity building simultaneously aims at institutions, individuals and infrastructure.

In the case of emergencies and disasters, UN-SPIDER provides Emergency Support by taking the role of a bridge linking the disaster management agencies in charge of response operations with space agencies or the mechanisms which have been established by the space community such as the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters. UN-SPIDER provides this support through the activation of its network of Regional Support Offices (RSO) and through links with specific space agencies.

UN-SPIDER's network
UN-SPIDER created a global network in order to foster and strengthen strategic alliances and partnerships on a global and regional scale. There are two types of networks: Regional Support Offices (RSOs) and National Focal Points (NFP).

Regional Support Offices
A Regional Support Office is a regional or national center of expertise that is set up within an existing entity by a Member State. The establishment of a network of Regional Support Offices was agreed upon by the United Nations General Assembly in its Resolution 61/110. UN-SPIDER currently has Regional Support Offices in Algeria, Argentina, Japan, Colombia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Romania, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Ukraine, and the West Indies. Detailed information on all UN-SPIDER Regional Support Offices can be found in the  UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal.

Regional Support Offices communicate and coordinate with UN-SPIDER staff on regular basis, covering the three following realms:
 Outreach and Capacity Building activities
 Horizontal Cooperation (Communities of Practice, Knowledge Management, contributions to the Knowledge Portal)
 Technical Advisory Support

National Focal Points
As defined by the United Nations General Assembly, a National Focal Point is a national institution, nominated by the government of the respective country, representing the disaster management and space applications communities. Among them are for example members of the space - or civil protection agencies. UN-SPIDER networks with all countries through the National Focal Points.

A national Focal Point works with UN-SPIDER staff to achieve the following goals:
 promoting access to and the use of space-based solutions for disaster management in the respective country
 strengthening national disaster management planning and policies
 implementing specific national activities that incorporate space-based technology solutions in support of disaster management

Notes

External links
UNOOSA
UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal
Resolution 61/110 adopted by the General Assembly
About UN-SPIDER
UN-SPIDER publications

United Nations General Assembly subsidiary organs
Disaster management
Geographical technology
Remote sensing programs
United Nations organizations based in Vienna
Disaster preparedness


The Quarters are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 2005. The band shot to fame in 2007 after they were chosen by Grinspoon to open a Melbourne music festival which included acts such as Grinspoon, The Butterfly Effect and Little Birdy. The Rock and Roll outfit is composed of Christopher James (vocals/guitar), Stephanie Jane (vocals/bass) and Braiden Mann (drums).

History
On 12 November 2005 The Quarters formed as a band in order to fill a vacancy in the Pakenham McDonald's’ McHappy Day Charity Show. A successful first public appearance ensured that when fans expressed interest in further performances Chris, Steph and previous drummer Ivan decided to continue the formation of their band.

After playing at iconic local venues such as 'The Castle' in Dandenong for most of 2006, The Quarters quickly gained praised by those in the music industry for their unique sound and attitude. The Quarters were requested to perform at various other venues across Melbourne in early 2007 which led to various interviews on music shows on Channel 31.

However, The Quarters real big break came after they won a competition held by internationally renowned band Grinspoon to unearth Australia's next big thing in Rock music. As part of their prize, The Quarters won the opportunity to perform at the 2007 Breakout Festival in Melbourne alongside Grinspoon and various other international acts  such as The Butterfly Effect and Little Birdy. Their unearthing led to widespread media coverage across Australia including national television appearances consisting of an interview on Channel V

Following the success of their performance at the Breakout Festival, The Quarters were invited to support Operator Please, Airbourne and The Getaway Plan on their tours down the east coast of Australia in late 2007 and early 2008. It has been confirmed from sources that in November 2008, The Quarters will be supporting the internationally renowned band You Am I at a performance in Melbourne.

In 2011 The Quarters released a new EP entitled "Tik Tik Boom" and is now available for purchase at their website. Following the release of the EP, and departure of Ivan Rogic, Chris, Steph and new drummer Alex Hingston and are set to being their "East Coast Tour"

Live performances

References

External links
Official The Quarters Myspace page
Triple J Unearthed
KoolSkools newsletter

Australian indie rock groups
Musical groups established in 2005


Sannati or Sannathi is a small village, located on the banks of the Bhima River in Chitapur taluk of Kalaburagi district of Northern Karnataka. It is famous for the Chandrala Parameshwari Temple and the excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India done in 1986.

Excavations

In 1986, when the roof of the Kali temple in Chandralamba temple complex collapsed, it destroyed the idol. However it revealed four Ashokan edicts on the floor and foundation stone of the temple. These edicts were written in a Prakrit language and Brahmi script and one of them was used as foundation of the pedestal for the Kali idol. During subsequent excavations by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the State Archaeology Department, tablets, sculptures, and other terracotta items were found, and most importantly numerous limestone panels of sculptures of the ruined 'Maha Stupa' or  Adholoka Maha Chaitya (the Great Stupa of the Netherworld) were found. Archaeologists believe that Ranamandal was a fortified area, spread over , out of which only 2 acres had been excavated by 2009.  Clay pendants, black polished pottery, Satavahana and pre-Satavahana coins, ornaments made of copper, ivory and iron, a township with paved pathways, houses, and limestone flooring have been found. Many excavated items were later shifted to Gulbarga Museum.

The government has asked the Archaeological Survey of India to take up further exploration of the Ranamandal area to know the history of the region and its connection with Buddhism.

One of the stones - the only known example of its type - is of Emperor Asoka (r. 274–232 BC) seated on his throne. It is probably the only surviving image of the emperor.

In 2010, ASI along with Sannati Development Authority deputed Manipal Institute of Technology to prepare a blueprint for restoration and reconstruction of the stupas

Mythological references

Sannati is the place where the Paduka of Goddess Chandrala Parmeshwari - Incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi - was brought. The Goddess came up to the banks of River Bhima at Hongunti, to save her devotee Chandravadani, wife of a rishi, held captive by the local king Setu Raya. Hingulambika temple is situated at Hongunti near Shabad town. The Goddess sent her Paduka from which emerged 5 bumblebees, which killed the evil king Setu Raya by drowning him in the Bhima River. Sannati Chandrala Parmeshwari and Hongunti Hingulambika are family deity of many Brahmin and Hindus families of Karnataka, Maharashtra, AP etc.

Sannati is also the place where Rishi Markandeya meditated and composed parts of Markandeya Upanishad. A small temple has been renovated at the place where he is believed to have sat in meditation. It is said that Rishi Markandeya predates the arrival of Paduka of Chandrala Parmeshwari.

Visitors' attractions
Other places worth visiting nearby are: Yergol, where Tikacharya elaborated (key book) on the works of Madwacharya, Malkhed- Brundavan of Sri Jayatheertharu (Tikachryaru); Hongunti; Konchur Hanuman Temple; Balavadagi yallamma (Renuka) temple; Halakatti Veerabhadreshwara temple; Martur – the place where Vignaneshwar edited and condensed Yagnavyalka Smriti, which was named Mitakshara, now known as Hindu Law.

Transport
Sannati can be reached by rail via Nalwar Station or Wadi Junction. Some trains do not stop at Nalwar. All trains stop at Wadi Junction. Wadi to Nalwar fare by bus is Rs.15/- Nalwar to Sannati is about Rs.20/- by bus, and Rs.25 by sharing autos. Whole auto can be hired at Rs.300/- max. Sannati can also be reached via Shahapur by car. About 10 rooms are presently available at Sannati. BSNL, JIO and Airtel Mobile networks work well, and two small canteens meet the needs of visitors. Carry mosquito repellent creams - electricity is erratic and rooms are not well ventilated.

Kanaganahalli
Kanaganahalli is 3 km from Sannati, which is also on the banks of the river Bhima.

As this is an important Buddhist site, Govt of Karnataka and ASI are planning to develop it as an international Buddhist center.

It is the place where an ancient Buddhist Mahastupa site was found.

Chandrala Parameshwari Temple
Additionally, Sannati has a famous temple of Chandrala Parameshwari.

See also
 Kanaganahalli
 North Karnataka
 Tourism in North Karnataka
 Buddhism in North Karnataka

Further reading
  Interim report on the excavations at Sannati, 1993-95, by D.V. Devaraj, H.T. Talwar. Directorate of Archaeology and Museums in Mysore, 1996.

References

External links
Sannati

Villages in Kalaburagi district
Archaeological sites in Karnataka
Buddhism in India


Skyline is a light metro system in the City and County of Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. Phase 1 of the project opened June 30, 2023 and lies entirely outside of Urban Honolulu, linking East Kapolei (on the ʻEwa Plain) and Aloha Stadium. Phase 2, connecting to Pearl Harbor and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport before reaching Middle Street, is anticipated to open in mid-2025. The final phase, continuing the line across Urban Honolulu to Downtown, is due to open in 2031. Its construction constitutes the largest public works project in Hawaiʻi's history.

The , automated fixed-guideway line was planned, designed, and constructed by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART), a semi-autonomous government agency. Hitachi Rail, who also built the railcars used on the line, operates Skyline for the Honolulu Department of Transportation Services (which also manages the region's TheBus service). The almost entirely elevated line is the first large-scale, publicly run metro in the United States to feature platform screen doors and driverless trains.

History
Plans for a mass transit line to connect Honolulu's urban center with outlying areas began in the 1960s, but funding was not approved until 2005. Debate over the development of a rail system in Honolulu has been a major point of contention in local politics, especially leading into the 2008, 2012, and 2016 mayoral elections. Controversy over the rail line was the dominant issue for local politics in the late 2000s, and culminated in a city charter amendment which left the final decision to a direct vote of the citizens of Oʻahu. Construction of the rail line was approved by 53% of voters, and ground broke on project construction on February 22, 2011.

Previous projects
For more than 50 years, some Honolulu politicians have attempted to construct a rail transit line. In 1966, then-mayor Neal S. Blaisdell suggested a rail line as a solution to alleviate traffic problems in Honolulu, stating, "Taken in the mass, the automobile is a noxious mechanism whose destiny in workaday urban use is to frustrate man and make dead certain that he approaches his daily occupation unhappy and inefficient."

Frank Fasi was elected to office in 1968, and started planning studies for a rail project, named Honolulu Area Rapid Transit (HART), in 1977. After Fasi lost the 1980 reelection to Eileen Anderson, President Ronald Reagan cut off funding for all upcoming mass transit projects, which led Anderson to cancel HART in 1981. Fasi defeated Anderson in their 1984 rematch and restarted the HART project in 1986, but this second effort was stopped in a 1992 vote by the Honolulu City Council against the necessary tax increase.

Fasi resigned in 1994 to run for governor, with Jeremy Harris winning the special election to replace him. Harris unsuccessfully pursued a bus rapid transit project as an interim solution until he left office in 2004. His successor, Mufi Hannemann, began the Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project (HHCTCP), the island's fourth attempt to build a mass transit system operating in a dedicated right-of-way.

Hannemann thought it was "prudent to move quickly" to show the FTA that Honolulu was committed to the HHCTCP. An environmental impact study had not been completed at the time of signing the first construction contract with Kiewit. The FTA needed a complete environmental impact statement before moving Honolulu forward in the grant-awarding process. Hannemann's urge to move fast in the project ultimately allowed stakeholders to delay some important foundational work such as the environmental impact study.

Studies

The City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services released the first formal study related to the HHCTCP on November 1, 2006, the Alternatives Analysis Report. The report compared the cost and benefits of a "fixed guideway system", along with three alternatives. The first expanded the existing bus system to match population growth. A second option called for a further expansion to the bus system, with improvements to existing roads. The third alternative proposed a two-lane flyover above the H-1 freeway between Pearl City and Honolulu International Airport, continuing over Nimitz Highway, and into downtown Honolulu. The report recommended construction of the fixed guideway, and is considered the city's official justification for building a rail line.

A second planning document, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), studied possible natural and social impacts of the construction and operation of the HHCTCP. The DEIS was completed and cleared for public release by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on October 29, 2008. After minor changes were made to comply with state law, the document was distributed via the city's official project website four days later. The DEIS indicated that impacts of the rail project would include land acquisition from private owners on the route, displacement of residents and businesses, aesthetic concerns related to the elevated guideway, and noise from passing trains.

The city was criticized for timing the release only two days before the 2008 general election. City Councilmember Ann Kobayashi, running as a mayoral candidate against incumbent Hannemann, suggested that the city deliberately withheld key information to early voters who had already cast their ballots for the mayoral candidates, and a city charter amendment related to the project. The anti-rail advocacy group Stop Rail Now criticized the report for not further discussing bus rapid transit and toll lanes, options studied earlier by the city in its Alternatives Analysis.

The third and final official planning document, the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), was approved and cleared for public release by the FTA on June 14, 2010. The FEIS addresses and incorporates public comments received regarding the DEIS. The FTA subsequently declared the environmental review process complete in a record of decision issued on January 18, 2011.

Burial issues
Like most major infrastructure work in Hawaiʻi, construction of the rail line was likely to uncover historic human remains, notably in its downtown Honolulu section. The Oʻahu Island Burial Council (part of the State Historic Preservation Division, within the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources) refused to sign a programmatic agreement on October 21, 2009, over concerns about likely burial sites located along the line's proposed route over Halekauwila Street in Kakaʻako. Three construction projects in the area since 2002 have each encountered unforeseen human remains that led to delays, and archaeologist Thomas Dye stated, "The council is absolutely right that you should expect to find burials on Halekauwila Street".

The Burial Council's core contention was the city's decision to conduct an archaeological survey of the rail line's route in phases, meaning construction on a majority of the line will be complete by the time the survey in the Kakaʻako area is performed, which in turn increases the likelihood that any remains discovered will be moved instead of being allowed to remain in situ. In response to the Burial Council's concerns, the city agreed to begin conducting an archaeological survey of the area in 2010, two years earlier than originally planned. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources later signed the city's programmatic agreement on January 15, 2011, over the continuing concerns of the Burial Council.

The city's decision to conduct the archaeological survey in phases subsequently led to a lawsuit filed on February 1, 2011, by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation on behalf of cultural practitioner Paulette Kaleikini. The suit, which named both the city and the State of Hawaiʻi as defendants, contended that state law requires the full length of the rail line to have an archaeological survey conducted before any construction takes place, and seeks to void the environmental impact statement and all construction permits issued for the project. Kaleikini's lawyers filed on February 18 a request for an injunction to stop work on the project until the case is resolved. The suit was initially dismissed on March 23, 2011, after Circuit Court Judge Gary Chang ruled that state and federal laws allow the archaeological surveys to be conducted in phases. Kaleikini's lawyers subsequently appealed to the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments in the case on May 24, 2012. The court ruled on August 24, 2012, that it agreed with plaintiff Kaleikini that the archaeological survey needed to be completed before construction could take place, and that the State Historic Preservation Division did not comply with state law when it approved the project. The case has now been remanded to Circuit Court. On December 27, 2012, the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii granted the plaintiffs' injunction, and ordered that all construction-related activities in segment 4 of the archaeological survey be halted until compliance with the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court decision made earlier this year is met. This ruling does not affect construction activities in the first three segments, nor does it affect construction planning, design, or engineering in segment 4, which is the final segment to be built. The Phase 4 area encompasses the downtown area and its immediate environs, including Chinatown, Mother Waldron Park, and Beretania Street. Judge Tashima, the only sitting judge on the case, ruled on condition of the injunction that the city is required to file periodic status updates on their compliance with the judgment. The injunction will then terminate 30 days after defendants file a notice of final compliance.

Impact on Honolulu mayoral elections
The importance of the Honolulu High-Capacity Transit Corridor Project in the 2008 mayoral election led one observer to describe the vote as a "referendum on rail transit". Two challengers emerged as rivals to incumbent Mufi Hannemann: City Councilmember Ann Kobayashi and University of Hawaiʻi professor Panos D. Prevedouros. Kobayashi supported a "rubber-tired" mass transit system, as opposed to the conventional system chosen by the Hannemann administration. Prevedouros, on the other hand, opposed any type of mass-transit project, favoring construction of a reversible tollway over the H-1, similar to the Managed Lane option which the Alternatives Analysis studied and rejected as unworkable, and reworking existing road systems to ease congestion. No candidate won a majority of votes in the September 20 primary, forcing a runoff between Hannemann and Kobayashi; Hannemann successfully retained his post with 58% of the vote in the November 4 general election.

On April 22, 2008, the Stop Rail Now advocacy group announced their intent to file a petition with the city to place a question on the 2008 ballot to create an ordinance that read: "Honolulu mass transit shall not include trains or rail". Stop Rail Now attempted to submit the petition with 49,041 signatures on August 5, but was initially denied after the city clerk claimed the city charter did not allow the petition to be submitted less than 180 days before a general election, as the wording of the petition called for a special election. The group filed a lawsuit to force the city to accept the petition, and the courts ruled in Stop Rail Now's favor on August 14. Stop Rail Now's effort ultimately failed on September 4 when the city clerk deemed only 35,056 of the signatures valid, well short of the 44,525 required.

In response to the possibility that Stop Rail Now's petition would fail, the City Council had however voted on August 21 to place a proposed amendment to the city charter on the ballot, asking voters to decide the fate of the project. Mayor Hannemann signed the proposal the following day. The City Council's proposed amendment was not intended to have a direct legal effect on the city's ability to continue the project, but was meant as a means for Oahu residents to express their opinions on its construction. The charter amendment was approved with 53% of votes cast in favor of rail and 47% against. Majorities of voters in Leeward and Central Oahu, the areas that will be served by the project, voted in favor of the amendment, while the majority of those living outside the project's scope in Windward Oahu and East Honolulu voted against it. In mid-2010, Hannemann resigned as mayor to run for governor and Kirk Caldwell assumed the position of interim mayor.

In the 2016 Honolulu mayoral election the main three candidates again took opposing views on rail. Honolulu City Council Member Charles Djou, former mayor Peter Carlisle, and incumbent Kirk Caldwell all ran with the stated goal of finishing rail. However, Republican Djou ran on drastically cutting spending on rail by cutting funding on buying cars on the rail before its completion and hiring mainland consultants. Caldwell also stated that spending on rail should be cut, but instead by shortening the rail to end at Middle Street. Carlisle was the only candidate in support of funding the full rail system and stated that rail has gone too far to be stopped. Caldwell won the election, and promptly went on to adopt Carlisle's position that rail should be completed.

Delays and cost overruns

Construction on the rail line was originally scheduled to begin in December 2009 but did not occur due to delays in the project review process and delays in obtaining federal approval of the environmental impact statement.

In January 2010, Republican Governor Linda Lingle publicly recommended that the city alter plans for the rail line after news reports on FTA documents where the federal agency raised issues over declining tax revenues in connection with a global economic recession, and commissioned a study by the state to review the project's finances in March. The state financial study, publicly released on December 2, 2010, indicated that the project would likely experience a $1.7 billion overrun above the $5.3 billion projected cost, and that collections from the General Excise Tax would be 30% below forecasts. Then Mayor Peter Carlisle (Democrat) dismissed the study as "damaged goods," and "a pre-determined anti-rail rant." He also pointed to several conclusions as "erroneous" and "inaccurate" before concluding that "spending a third of a million dollars for this shoddy, biased analysis is an appalling waste of our tax dollars." Lingle's Democratic successor, Neil Abercrombie, publicly stated that the financial analysis would not affect his decision to approve or disapprove of the project, saying that the state's responsibility is limited to the environmental review process, and that decisions regarding the project's finances belong to the city and the FTA. Governor Abercrombie subsequently approved the project's final environmental impact statement on December 16, 2010. The Honolulu City Council held a hearing on January 12, 2011, about the state's financial review, but the hearing was not attended by any state officials, who had been invited to testify.

On January 18, 2011, the FTA issued a "record of decision", indicating that the project had met the requirements of its environmental review and that the city was allowed to begin construction work on the project. The record of decision allowed the city to begin negotiating with owners of land that will be purchased for the project, to begin relocating utility lines to make way for construction of the line and stations, and to purchase rolling stock for the rail line. A ground-breaking ceremony was held on February 22, 2011, in Kapolei, at the site of the future East Kapolei station along Kualakai Parkway.

In March 2012, Dan Grabauskas was hired on a three-year contract as CEO and executive director of HART. In 2014 HART CEO Dan Grabauskas blamed lawsuits, launched in 2011, for some of the cost overruns after bids to construct the first nine stations exceeded the budget by $100 million. His claims were disputed by the plaintiffs in one of the cases who said HART could have put the stations out to tender and that HART had deliberately delayed the legal proceedings so a judgement would only be delivered after a significant proportion of the line had been completed.

Testing and more delays
Interim service over the first ten miles of the line, between East Kapolei and Aloha Stadium, was scheduled to commence in October 2020. However, complications due to the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the start date back by three months. By November 2020, the opening had again slipped to late 2021 due to delays in testing equipment.

In December 2020, HART discovered early wear on the track crossings, or "frogs". It was later determined that the trains' wheel flanges were approximately  narrower at the frogs, thus affecting the driverless trains' ability to safely navigate certain track crossings at the speeds needed to operate on schedule. During investigation, subpar welding and sandblasting-inducted cracks were also discovered. In November 2021, Roger Morton, director of Honolulu's Department of Transportation Services, stated that a required three months of field testing and certification (to be carried out by Hitachi) was scheduled to begin in January 2022.

In December 2021, it was decided that temporary welding fixes would be made to allow the trains to run at operational speeds despite the narrower wheels, with plans to swap out wheels with wider ones during future maintenance work. An initial call searching for contractors to perform the manganese welding work failed to return any bids. Due to the lack of local companies able to complete the work, the state's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs granted HART an exemption allowing mainland contractors to be hired.

Social impact
Proponents of the system say it will alleviate worsening traffic congestion, already among the worst in the United States. They assert that the urban agglomeration in south Oʻahu is ideally suited to rail. In opposition, freeway advocate Panos Prevedouros has questioned its cost-effectiveness compared to "road widening or lane addition" and believes it will have marginal impact on traffic congestion, despite research showing that widening highways results in induced demand and does not fix traffic.

Financing
Construction of Skyline is financed by a surcharge on local taxes as well as a $1.55 billion grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). After major cost overruns, the tax surcharges were extended in 2016 by five years to raise another $1.2 billion; however that additional funding was only sufficient for construction out to Middle Street in Kalihi. The FTA stated that its contribution is contingent to completion of the line all the way to Ala Moana Center will not be increased. After much wrangling, the state legislature in 2017 approved $2.4 billion in additional taxes to allow the city to complete the project according to the original plan.

The process to award the contract for building the final  section through downtown Honolulu was suspended in 2015. The process was restarted in September 2017, and the first major contract for that section, estimated at $400 million, was awarded in May 2018.

The final cost has grown from preliminary projections of $4 billion in 2006 to as much as $12.4 billion by 2021. Critics have called for a "forensic audit" to establish the cause of the increase. The tax increase legislation passed in 2017 also requires the State auditor carry out an audit of the project's accounts and to consider alternatives for completing the system. The projected shortfall for the rail project is roughly $3 billion, with the completion date pushed back to 2031.

Initial General Excise Tax (GET) surcharge

After winning the 2004 election, Hannemann announced that construction of a rail line was an administration priority. The following May and upon prompting by the city, the Hawaii State Legislature passed a bill (Act 247) to allow counties a one-half percent increase in the Hawaiʻi General Excise Tax (GET), from 4% to 4.5%, to fund transportation projects. According to the bill, increased revenue would be delivered to counties implementing the raised tax to fund general public transportation infrastructure throughout Hawaiʻi, and to pay for mass transit in the case of the City and County of Honolulu. Money collected from the initial 4% GET would remain state revenue.

Republican governor Linda Lingle initially threatened to veto the bill, believing that money destined for county governments should be collected by the individual counties. After compromising with legislative leaders and Mayor Hannemann, however, she allowed the bill to become law. On July 12, 2005, the bill was enacted as Act 247 of the Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2005, without the Governor's signature. A month later, the Honolulu City Council authorized the one-half percent GET increase, and Hannemann signed the measure into law on August 24. Act 247 required Honolulu to use the funds only for the construction and operation of a mass transit system, and barred its use for public roads and other existing transit systems, such as TheBus. Since no other county authorized the excise tax increase before the deadline of December 31, 2005, the Hawaiʻi GET remains at 4% for the state's three other counties. The increase went into effect on January 1, 2007, and was due to expire on December 31, 2022.

The Legislature considered a bill in the 2009 legislative session that would have redirected income from the half-percent increase back to the state to offset a $1.8 billion projected shortfall in the following three fiscal years. The bill was opposed by Mayor Hannemann and other city leaders who believed that redirecting the money would jeopardize federal funding for the project, and was eventually dropped after U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye indicated to the Legislature that he shared the city's concerns.

GET surcharge extensions and "Hotel Tax" surcharge
In January 2016, the Council extended the GET for another five years to add $1.2 billion in funding to cover a budget blowout. The council also required that the money raised by the extension go into a contingency fund and to pay for disability access to the system. HART was required to provide quarterly financial reports to the council.

On September 1, 2017, the Legislature, after meeting for a week in a special session on rail financing, approved further taxes to raise $2.4 billion for the project. The taxes include a further three-year extension to the 0.5 percent General Excise Tax surcharge, which will now expire in 2030, and a thirteen-year, one percent surcharge on the existing 9.25 percent statewide Transient Accommodation Tax (TAT) which is charged to hotel guests. Efforts to pass a funding bill in May 2017 had failed and the impetus for the special session was an FTA deadline of September 15 for a funding plan to cover the shortfall. The bill also grants the state government oversight over the project including the appointment of two non-voting representatives on the HART board and calls for an audit of HART by the state auditor. It was signed into law by the governor on September 5.

Federal Transit Administration's request for recovery plan
In mid 2016, the FTA requested that HART develop a "recovery plan" by August 7, 2016. Also, in June, a separate report by Jacobs Engineering, the project management contractor, said under a worst-case scenario the final cost would be $10.79 billion.

In January 2017, a group called "Salvage the Rail" published a plan, based on Option 2A from six alternatives proposed by the FTA to HART in 2016, that would terminate the elevated section at Middle Street and run at street level to the terminus along a route one block inland from the HART plan. The system would need to be reconfigured to use new driver-operated low floor vehicles, lowering the platforms on the stations already constructed. Proponents say it would save $3 billion and four years of construction, as well as avoid disturbing burial sites under the downtown area.

After an extension was granted by the FTA, HART submitted its recovery plan in April 2017 which concluded that completion of the original 21 station route was the only viable option. An alternative "Plan B" to build only 14 stations within the already funded $6.5 billion budget, was ruled out because of lower ridership, legal risks, insufficient contingency and other reasons. The new project cost was $8.165 billion with media reports indicating that after financing charges are included it could be over $10 billion. An updated schedule for opening said the section from East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium will open at the end of 2020 and operation of the full route by December 2025.

In September 2017, HART submitted an updated recovery plan to the FTA with a new estimate price of $9.02 billion. The plan still includes $8.165 billion in construction costs, but has reduced financing costs of $858 million following state legislation granting both prolonged and new taxes to fund the project. The State Auditor has been tasked to consider alternatives for completing the system, as part of its audit of HART. As of January 2018 the FTA has not formally accepted the new recovery plan but has asked HART for more details including how it came up with its tax-revenue forecasts.

In February 2019, the FTA served HART with two subpoenas. The first asked the agency to send investigators documents relating to its real estate acquisition program. HART said some of the documents show it overspent on relocating residents and businesses along the rail route, which may have cost up to $4 million. The second sought the minutes from all board of directors meetings from 2011 through 2018, including the board-members’ private discussions in executive sessions.

In September 2019, the FTA accepted the recovery plan.

Revised schedule and estimates
An estimate released in November 2020 put the total cost of the project's construction and financing at $11 billion, and pushed back its expected completion date to 2033, with delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and utility relocation work. By March 2021, this had grown to $12.4 billion, with its estimated completion date moved forward to March 2031. Its construction constitutes Hawaiʻi's largest public works project ever.

Route

Skyline consists of almost entirely elevated rapid transit line from the eastern edge of Kapolei, near the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu campus, to the Hawaii Capital Historic District, with a future expansion planned to Ala Moana Center (east of downtown Honolulu). It will have twenty-one stations and run from Kapolei to Honolulu on the southern shore of Oʻahu, passing through Waipahu, Pearl City, Waimalu, Aiea, and Halawa. The only at-grade trackage is a  section near Leeward Community College, but has no grade crossings.

The full project is divided into four sections with overlapping construction periods and expected revenue service dates. In 2016, the western portion of the line comprising the first segment ( to ) was scheduled to open in late 2020, and the remaining portion and final three segments ( to ) in late 2025. In March 2021, this latter date was pushed back to 2031. On May 9, 2023, it was announced that the first segment would open the following month on June 30. The project also anticipates opening the second segment of service from Hālawa to Kahauiki in the summer of 2025, ahead of the previously estimated date of 2031. The third segment from Kahauiki to Kaʻākaukukui is still expected to open in 2031. The final two stations between Kaʻākaukukui and Kālia have been indefinitely deferred, although HART says it remains committed to completing them in the future.

Design

Segment 1: Farrington/Kamehameha
On October 21, 2009, the city announced Kiewit Pacific Co. had won the $483 million contract to build the first phase of the line (the  long Farrington and  long Kamehameha sections), bidding $90 million under the expected price. The stations were tendered separately.

The construction of the rail line started from suburban areas in Kapolei and Ewa, and progresses east towards the urban center in Honolulu. There are 112 columns from Kualakaʻi station to the ʻEwa area. The choice to start from Kapolei was made because the first phase must include a baseyard for trains, which is more cheaply built away from the center, and also because the city chose to delay construction in the urban center to later phases of the project due to associated major impacts to existing infrastructure and unpopular traffic delays.

To speed construction, the elevated trackway is built using precast concrete box girder bridge segments. This method was first used for MARTA in the 1980s. The trackway was designed by FIGG Bridge Engineers (responsible for the box girder segmental bridge) and HNTB (responsible for the columns). It is supported on single piers, each  in diameter at the base and  high, flaring at the top to support the lower section of the box girder; the piers are themselves supported by drilled shafts from  in diameter.

Casting of the box girder segments began in 2014 at a rate of 13 segments per day; in total, 5,238 segments will be required for the first  phase. The segments are cast locally in Kalaeloa. Each segment weighs  and measures (L×W×H, with length measured along the direction of the rails) , and the deck ranges in thickness from . Once the piers were erected, a pier bracket ram was placed and a launching gantry was used to bridge the span between adjacent piers; a deck-mounted crane lifted the precast segments onto the gantry, which supported them while they were tensioned together. In total, 430 of the 438 spans in Phase 1 were assembled using precast box girder segments, at an average rate of 1 to 2 days per span.

For the eight long spans required to bridge the H-1/H-2 Waiawa interchange in Pearl City, a balanced cantilever construction method was used instead. This covers the segments from Pier 252 to Pier 256. Instead of precast segments, Kiewit used segments cast in-place, starting from the piers set in the freeway medians and working towards adjacent piers. The yellow-painted traveling forms at each end were used to cast each segment, then moved to the fresh end to cast the next segment. Each segment required  of rebar and  of concrete, and weighed . 73 segments were required. The final pour for the balanced cantilever was performed in September 2016.

Segment 2: Airport

The second phase of the route to be completed will be the  Airport section east from Aloha Stadium to Middle Street (the site of Kalihi Transit Center, an existing major bus transfer point). It includes four stations, including the Honolulu International Airport station. AECOM won the contract to design the Airport section in 2012 with a $38.8 million bid. The construction contract was awarded to the Shimmick-Traylor-Granite Joint Venture (STGJV) in August 2016, who bid $874.8 million; construction started in December 2016.

Originally, the line was to fork near Aloha Stadium into two routes, one passing further south via Honolulu International Airport, and the other through Salt Lake, before reuniting at Middle Street in Kalihi. The city council initially decided to build the Salt Lake route before the airport route, as a result of horse-trading with City Councilmember Romy Cachola, whose constituents included Salt Lake residents and whose vote was needed to pass the decision. After the city charter amendment on rail transit passed, the City Council reconsidered the decision, and decided to re-route the rail line to pass by Pearl Harbor and the airport without a Salt Lake alignment. Despite increasing expenses by 4%, the airport route is expected to bring significantly higher ridership, as it will ferry workers to both the airport and the Pearl Harbor military base.

The Airport section consists of 214 total spans. Like the earlier Farrington and Kamehameha sections, they are constructed using precast concrete box girder bridge segments, but for the Airport section, the segments are lifted and supported by an overhead gantry crane while they are tensioned. Both a conventional overhead gantry and an articulating gantry are being used during the guideway assembly. More than 2,700 precast segments are required for the Airport section, which also includes more than 230 columns for the piers and 5400 permanent sound walls. For the pier foundations, shafts were drilled up to  deep, including one excavated to  with a diameter of . This was believed to have established a new record for a drilled shaft caisson. The column, in Kalihi Stream on Kamehameha Highway between Middle Street and Puʻuhale Road, will be part of the support for Kahauiki station. Where the guideway contacts the supporting piers, custom bearings have been installed to accommodate movement ranging from  and rotation of 0.015–0.03 radians.

STGJV announced in December 2020 it had completed the last of the 2,708 precast concrete guideway segments for the Airport section, with this last segment scheduled to be installed over Ualena Street near Lagoon Drive in spring 2021. Each segment uses approximately  of concrete. Finished segment weights vary between  and have dimensions of  wide,  long, and either  high. The lower height is used in several places along the Airport section to accommodate overhead clearances and flight path restrictions.

Segment 3: City Center
The third phase of the route, the  City Center section terminating at Ka‘ākaukukui station, may be completed under a public-private partnership (PPP). It is estimated the City Center section will cost $1.6 billion to complete. Under the proposed PPP, the City Center section would be procured under a design-build-finance-operate-maintain (DBFOM) contract, which would award the successful bidder the right to operate and maintain the entire system for a period of 25 years after completing the City Center section. The City of Honolulu would retain oversight over operations and maintenance, public information, and responsibility for fare vending and enforcement. A contract for $400 million to clear utilities in the City Center section was awarded in May 2018.

HART issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the DBFOM contract for the City Center Guideway and Stations section in late 2018 and announced it had received proposals from several bidders by July 2020. However, the bids for the construction of the City Center Guideway and Stations significantly exceeded HART's cost estimates, at $2.7 billion compared to the $1.4 billion estimate, and HART officially discontinued pursuing a PPP approach to completing the City Center section in November 2020. The bids for the operation and maintenance portion of the contract (ranging from $4.2 to $5.3 billion) were closer to the estimate ($4.95 billion). On December 14, 2020, HART issued a request for information, asking for input from the construction industry for the best way to structure a RFP that would receive realistic bids.

Ala Moana and future extensions
Kūkuluae‘o (Kakaʻako) and Kālia (Ala Moana Center) stations were included in the original plan for Skyline but had to be eliminated from the initial phases of construction due to a severe funding shortfall. Despite the indefinite deferral, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation says it remains committed to completing these stations in the future.

The long-term plan includes four additional extensions beyond Ala Moana: two branches east of the Ala Moana Center, one to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus and the other to Waikīkī, one extension west from East Kapolei to Kalaeloa, and the link through Salt Lake which was dropped from initial plans. None of these extensions are currently funded, but in November 2017, the rail authority took a first step towards preserving a corridor for the extension to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Operations

Stations
Local construction company Nan, Inc. won contracts to build six of the nine western stations in 2015; the West Oahu Station Group contract (for , , and ) was worth $56.1 million, and the Kamehameha Highway contract (for , , and ) was worth $116 million. The Farrington Highway Station Group contract (for , , and ) was awarded in 2015 to Hawaiian Dredging for $79 million. STGJV was awarded the contract to build the four Airport section stations (, , , and ) as part of their $875 million contract.

The Hawaiian Station Naming Working Group (HSNWG) was named by the Honolulu City Council in 2009 to develop Hawaiian names for each Skyline station. HSNWG proposed Hawaiian names for the nine rail stations on the ʻEwa end of the rail system in November 2017, and HART adopted the proposed names in February 2018. In April 2019, HSNWG recommended its names for the remaining 12 rail stations on the eastern end of the rail system, between Pearl Harbor and Ala Moana Center.

All stations have restrooms that riders must ask a station attendant to unlock before using. They are described as being "secured access", in order to deter vandalism and improve the safety and security of stations, yet are "available for the public."

List of stations

Ridership
When fully complete, Skyline trains will carry more than 6,000 people per hour and operate between 4 a.m. and midnight. Segment 1 is estimated to see 8,000 to 10,000 daily riders after one year of opening. The opening of segment 2 (in 2025) will see this number grow to 25,000, and with segment 3 (in 2031), Skyline is projected to have a daily ridership of 85,000. Upon opening the extension to Ala Moana, Skyline will serve an estimated 119,600 daily riders.

During its opening weekend, between 2 p.m. on Friday, June 30 and 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 2, 2023, Skyline saw 40,668 riders, equivalent to over 1,500 passengers per service hour. During the first five days of service, which were fare-free, Skyline saw a total of nearly 72,000 passengers.

Fares
Stations are equipped with fare gates and ticket vending machines (TVMs). Fares may be purchased by passengers and loaded onto HOLO cards, which also facilitate transfers to TheBus, providing an unlimited number of free transfers for 2.5 hours after any boarding. The base cost of a HOLO card without fare is $2. TVMs interfaces are available in English, Hawaiian, Samoan, Tagalog, Ilocano, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.

Rail Operations Center

The Rail Operations Center (ROC; also known as the Maintenance and Storage Facility) is the  railyard, operations, and maintenance facility, located between the campuses of Leeward Community College and Waipahu High School, just west of Hālaulani station. The design has been awarded LEED Silver certification.

The four buildings on the ROC campus are:
Operation & Servicing Building (OSB) – Housing primary vehicle maintenance facilities and the Operations and Control Center, where operators will monitor and control vehicle movement
Maintenance of Way Building (MOW) – Housing equipment used to inspect and repair tracks
Train Wash Facility (TWF) – An automated facility to clean vehicle exteriors
Wheel Truing Building (WTB) – A maintenance facility for vehicle wheels

The contract for the ROC was awarded to the Kiewit/Kobayashi Joint Venture in 2011. The contract was initially awarded at a cost of $195 million; when the ROC was completed in July 2016, the actual incurred costs were $274 million.

Rolling stock

Although several other technologies were considered, including rubber tires, maglev and monorail, then-mayor Mufi Hannemann strongly believed in "steel on steel" construction, saying "I will not put this city in a position of financial disaster […] If it's not 'steel on steel,' I'll pull the plug." The line uses  four-car train sets, each with the capacity to carry nearly 800 passengers, similar in weight to light rail systems elsewhere in the United States (such as the MAX in Portland, Oregon), as opposed to heavier – and thus more expensive – lines found on rapid transit systems like the subways and elevated systems of Chicago and New York City. Despite this, the stations are standalone structures and substantially bigger than typical light rail stations. Physically, the Honolulu system resembles light rapid transit systems such as Vancouver's SkyTrain, the Copenhagen Metro, and the Docklands Light Railway in London. The system is the first in North America to feature platform gates and driverless operation. Rolling stock for the line includes 80 cars in 20 four-car train sets. Each car is  long, weighs , and has 36 seats with a listed total capacity of 195 people, and sits on standard-gauge (1,435 mm) rails. The cars are powered by a third rail electrification system, delivering .

Contract and delivery
The contract for railcars (named the Core Systems Design-Build-Operate-Maintain Services contract) was signed on November 28, 2011, with a joint venture between Hitachi Rail Italy (then known as AnsaldoBreda) and Hitachi Rail STS (then known as Ansaldo STS). The companies previously collaborated on the construction and operation of vehicles for the Copenhagen Metro and the Brescia Metro. Both companies were later purchased by Hitachi in 2015 and the Ansaldo Honolulu Joint Venture was renamed to Hitachi Rail Honolulu (HRH).

Under the $1.1 billion contract, HRH is responsible for designing and fabricating railcars ($574 million), pre-revenue testing to validate train performance ($167 million), and operations and maintenance (O&M) during the first five years of revenue service ($339 million). There is an option to continue O&M services for HART for an additional five years ($318 million).

The two unsuccessful bidders for the railcar contract, Bombardier and Sumitomo, filed protests over the award. Both protests were rejected during the administrative process, but Bombardier sought judicial review of their protest. The decision against Bombardier's protest was affirmed by both the state Circuit Court and the Intermediate Court of Appeals.

The first two cars arrived in Hawaiʻi in March 2016, and the first train was unveiled to the public at the Rail Operations Center on May 2, 2016. To meet "Buy America" requirements for federally-funded transit projects, the bodyshells are fabricated at the Hitachi Rail Italy plant in Reggio Calabria, Italy, then shipped to Hitachi Rail's plant in Pittsburg, California for final assembly.

In December 2016, Hitachi Rail Italy reported defects were discovered in the welds in the extruded aluminum beams of twenty-seven car shells, four of which were already in Hawaiʻi. The manufacturer will fix the problems, but warned delivery may be delayed as production of new vehicles will be halted. In March 2017, HART said they would meet the interim opening needs after repair of the defective cars and that full opening would not be affected.

In May 2017, trains were towed on tracks in Honolulu for the first time, to check clearances. Testing of trains under their own power commenced in October 2017.

Timeline of progress
February 2006 – A draft transportation plan includes $2.5 billion for a fixed-rail system between Kapolei and Mānoa.
June 2006 – Officials estimate the infrastructure construction cost at estimated at $3 billion, $200 million more than a previous estimate, for a 24-mile system. This does not include the cost of the trains.
January 2007 – The General Excise Tax (GET) within the City and County of Honolulu is increased by 0.5% with the extra funds earmarked for a mass transit system. The increase was set to expire on December 31, 2022.
February 2007 – The City Council approves the Minimum Operating Segment from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Centre, via Salt Lake Boulevard.
October 2008 – The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is released to the public. The projected cost is $3.7 billion including $1 billion for contingencies.
November 2008 – Fifty-three percent of voters support measures to give the Honolulu City Council authority to proceed with "establishment of a steel wheel on steel rail transit system". The estimated cost is $4 billion.
January 2009 – The middle portion of the route between Aloha Stadium and Middle Street is amended to have stations at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base and the Honolulu Airport which had one of the original options. The previous route followed Salt Lake Boulevard.
June 2010 – The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) is released to the public. Estimated cost is $5.5 billion. Patronage by 2030 is projected to be 116,300 riders per day.
December 2010 – A report, commissioned by outgoing Governor Lingle, is released which warns the project could cost at least $1.7 billion more than the city's projected $5.5 billion price tag.
March 2012 – Dan Grabauskas becomes executive director and CEO of HART on a three-year contract. He takes his position in April 2012.
May 2012 – Construction workers started pouring concrete on the foundations that will hold the rail columns.
December 2012 – Honolulu City Council and the Federal Transit Authority (FTA) sign agreement for the project with a budget of $5.12 billion including $1.55 billion provided by the Federal Government. Full system revenue service is projected for January 31, 2020.
September 2014 – HART canceled the initial tender for the first nine stations after the bids were higher than budget. "The lowest bid by Nan, Inc. came in at $294.5 million, or $110 million more than the $184 million the transit authority had budgeted." The first trips on the railway are expected to be delayed, probably until 2018.
November 2015 – FTA withholds payment of a $250 million allotment until the council could show it had sufficient funding to complete the project.
January 2016 – Five year extension to the General Excise Tax surcharge adopted to add $1.2 billion in funding.
May 2016 – HART chairwoman Colleen Hanabusa shared a confidential document detailing budget estimates as of March 1, 2016, showing that the rail project is expected to cost $6.9 billion.
April 2016 – An audit of the project by the City criticized HART for using outdated financial figures and budgets, lack of documentation for "change orders", and warned the HART estimates of the cost overruns were unreliable. HART officials disputed the audit's findings.
May 2016 – The FTA revealed that they estimate the total cost as $8.1 billion for the  line. In addition completion of the rail system would be delayed nearly five years until December 2024, versus HART's federal funding agreement stating that full line service from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center would start in January 2020.
June 2016 – Report from Jacobs Engineering, the project management oversight contractor, says that under a worst-case scenario the final cost would $10.79 billion.
August 2016 – Dan Grabauskas resigns as CEO and executive director of HART but will be the official CEO until October 2016. From August until October, the Department of Transportation Service Director Mike Formby served as interim CEO.
October 2016 – Krishniah N. Murthy named interim CEO and executive director of HART and served in this position until December 2017.
April 2017 – HART sent a "Recovery Plan" to the FTA which concluded that completion of the original 21 station route was the only viable plan. The new project cost given is $8.165 billion with media reports indicating that after financing costs are included it will be over $10 billion. Opening of part of the system, from East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium, is scheduled for the end of 2020 with final completion of the full route by December 2025. The project is reported to be 36 percent complete as of March 2017.
July 2017 – Andrew Robbins named new CEO and executive director of HART at a base salary of $317,000, replacing interim CEO and Executive Director Krishniah N. Murthy in December 2017.
September 2017 – A new law is enacted to extend and increase taxes to raise an additional $2.4 billion for the project. The GET surcharge is extended by three years to 2030 (generating about $1 billion) and a surcharge of one percent is placed on the statewide hotel room tax for 13 years (generating $1.3 billion). HART submits a new recovery plan to the FTA with an estimated final cost of $9.02 billion with savings attributed to reduced financing costs given the new taxes.
January 2020 – Andrew Robbins, executive director and CEO of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, said the first 10 miles of the Honolulu rail system would be completed by December 2020 as predicted, and will also be ready to run passenger service between Kapolei and Aloha Stadium three months earlier, by October 20, 2020. Robbins said he was so confident of the new date that he was willing to stick his neck out.
May 2020 – "Completion of the first 10-mile segment of the line from East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium, originally scheduled for October, will be delayed by about eight weeks, according to Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation executive director Andrew Robbins... And the city, which had forecast opening the line to riders by December, has pushed that date back to next March."
June 2020 – "More recently, the FTA has been projecting the project would be finished in September 2026, and insisted that the city incorporate that later date into its 2019 rail 'recovery plan.'"
July 2020 – The city finally received much-anticipated proposals from private industry to finish the project's major remaining construction work and then run the system for its first 30 years. The bids won't be publicly released until the contract is awarded by unidentified officials.
September 2020 – One of the PPP bidders for the final city center segment from Middle Street to Ala Moana Center revealed themselves during a recent quarterly earnings call. Ronald Tutor, CEO of Tutor Perini, disclosed that his company is part of the Tutor Perini / Parsons joint venture for the final segment of Honolulu rail. While HART estimated that this last stretch would cost $1.4 billion, Tutor stated that his company's bid was “over $2 billion.”
October 2020 – “The estimated cost of rail has jumped once again, bringing the construction and interest tab to the $10 billion threshold. The mayor tells us it will probably grow more, and the shortfall to pay for it all now tops more than $1.2 billion.”
November 2020 – In an effort to keep $250 million in federal funding from lapsing at the end of the year, Mayor Kirk Caldwell bypassed HART CEO Andrew Robbins and sent a letter to the Federal Transit Authority requesting a one-year extension through the end of 2021. A rough outline of a plan included in the letter suggested a total cost of $11.2 billion including approximately $1 billion in financing costs, and a completion date of 2033.
December 2020 – HART received bids for the city center segment from two private-sector teams: $2.775 billion by City Center Connection Group and $2.73 billion by Imua Transit Honolulu, vs HART's budget of $1.4 billion.
March 2021 – Under new leadership, HART announces an updated, official completion date of 2031, with revenue service on the initial segment from Kapolei to Aloha Stadium beginning by the end of 2022.
December 2021 – “The head of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation says next summer is the earliest the rail system could begin partial operations.”
April 2022 – HART announces tight gage and weld modifications have been completed, with final 90-day testing to begin in the summer.
June 2022 – "The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation says it’s hopeful residents will be using trains by the end of the year – even as construction in the urban corridor continues."
August 2022 – HART begins the 90-day trial testing phase.
September 2022 – "The Federal Transit Administration has approved the Honolulu rail's financial recovery plan which outlines a truncated version of the rail line, 1.25 miles short of Ala Moana Center."
May 2023 – Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and the Department of Transportation Services announces that Phase 1, which is the first nine stations that connect East Kapolei to Aloha Stadium, will open to the public at 2 p.m. on June 30, 2023, and that the next phase, which adds the Airport Extension that connects Aloha Stadium with four additional stations to Middle Street–Kalihi Transit Center station, will open in the summer of 2025. It was also announced that the final phase, which adds the City Center Extension with six stations, connecting Middle Street–Kalihi Transit Center to Civic Center, will open in 2031.
June 2023 – The "Skyline" name is announced two weeks before opening.

In popular culture
In the 2014 American film Godzilla, the MUTO monster attacks and destroys a train and a viaduct of the Skyline, which was under construction at the time.

References

External links

 Honolulu Department of Transportation Services operation website
 HART website

Transportation in Honolulu
2023 establishments in Hawaii
Rail transport articles in need of updating
Rail transportation in Hawaii
Passenger rail transportation in Hawaii
Railway lines opened in 2023
750 V DC railway electrification
Rail infrastructure under construction
Standard gauge railways in the United States


Esther Gordy Edwards (née Gordy; April 25, 1920 – August 24, 2011) was a staff member and associate of her younger brother Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s. Edwards created the Motown Museum, Hitsville U.S.A., by preserving the label's Detroit studio. She also served as president of the Motown Museum and has been called the "Mother of Motown".

Biography
Esther Gordy Edwards was born to Berry Gordy, Sr. and Bertha Fuller Gordy in Washington County, Georgia.  She was the couple's second oldest child and eldest daughter. When she was two years old, her parents moved to Detroit, Michigan. Edwards' younger siblings included sisters Anna, the late Loucye, and Gwen, as well as brothers Fuller, George, Berry and Robert, who was the youngest of the family. Edwards attended Detroit's prestigious Cass Technical High School. She later graduated from Howard University. Esther married Detroit politician George Edwards in 1951. From a previous relationship, she has a son by Robert Theron Bullock named Robert Berry Bullock, and through him has three granddaughters named Robin, Elesha and Gwen and grandson Alejandro Quinn a Major in the United States Marine Corps.

Career
Edwards founded the Gordy Printing Company with two of her brothers in the mid-1940s.  With her husband, they created the Ber-Berry Co-Op, which was intended to provide loans to family members. Her younger brother Berry reportedly asked for an $800 loan to help start Motown Records in 1959.  After Motown became established, Edwards took an active role in management and booking tours, and founded the legendary Motortown Revue in the 1962.  While at Motown, Edwards took on a motherly role towards some of the label's younger acts.  In the mid-1960s, she served as Motown's vice president and chief executive officer.  She was succeeded in this role by Smokey Robinson in 1972.  Edwards later served on the board for the Detroit Bank of Commonwealth and the Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce.

In 1985, Edwards became the director of the Motown Historical Museum (Hitsville U.S.A.) and has since been credited with carefully maintaining the original studios of Motown. Edwards is often described as "the pillar of Motown".

Death
Esther died surrounded by family and friends, following a long illness, at her Jefferson Towers home in Detroit on August 24, 2011.  She was 91 years old.

References

1920 births
2011 deaths
Cass Technical High School alumni
People from Baldwin County, Georgia
Businesspeople from Detroit
Culture of Detroit
Michigan Democrats
Esther Gordy Edwards
Howard University alumni