HONOLULU -- Hawaii Gov. David Ige says he and other state employees have received death threats amid the heated debate over building a giant telescope on the state's highest peak.
Ige disclosed the threats Friday as he and his cabinet members held a news conference asking people on all sides of the issue to be careful with their language.
Attorney General Clare Connors played a voicemail recording in which an unidentified man told a state employee, "I hope you die."
Connors says it's disturbing to hear the threats and attacks state employees are receiving.
The Thirty Meter Telescope issue has engulfed Hawaii since mid-July when the state announced construction would begin. Protesters have blocked the road to Mauna Kea's summit for the past two months, preventing construction from getting under way.
