Poll shows Djou-Case tie in congressional race, citations continue in Furlough Friday sit-in, budget ax hovers over state, counties, more top Hawaii news

 Deputy sheriffs cited nine people with trespassing—including two for the second time—as the sit-in against Furlough Fridays continued yesterday in Gov. Linda Lingle's office.

Expecting vetoes by Gov. Linda Lingle, state House and Senate leaders yesterday placed several potentially contentious bills in position for final votes this week, including an increase in the barrel tax and an attempt to block the state from closing eligibility offices on the Neighbor Islands that help the poor.

As the state Legislature moves into its last three weeks, Democrats are positioning a series of tax law changes and tax increases that they hope will balance the budget without raising the general excise tax.

Honolulu City Council members yesterday said they were using a "paring knife," not an axe, to carve about $9.5 million from the city's $1.82 billion operating budget for the next fiscal year, but warned more drastic cuts would likely be needed.

A recent poll shows Republican Charles Djou is tied with Democrat Ed Case for the lead in Oahu’s special congressional election, according to The Atlantic magazine.

State sheriff's deputies tonight issued citations to nine adults who were occupying the governor's office on day 6 of a sit-in to pressure officials to end public school furloughs.

A group that has been calling on Governor Linda Lingle to settle the furlough situation received citations for a second straight weekday.

The state Department of Public Safety is looking into an incident on Friday in which a female correctional officer allegedly made a threat against state Sen. Donna Mercado Kim, D-14th (Halawa, Moanalua, Kamehameha Heights).

State tax collections were down 1.6 percent through the first nine months of the fiscal year, the state Department of Taxation reported Monday.

Hawaii lawmakers and their staff gathered at the Capitol rotunda to participate in the Habitat For Humanity's nail-driving contest.

The furlough proposed by Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. may not affect firefighters, but proposed budget cuts may impact the Kaua‘i Fire Department.

Despite the talk of change during the 47th annual Merrie Monarch Festival, some things stayed the same.

A Big Island assisted facility developer is looking to build a complex in West Hawaii.

Walgreens opened its second full-service store on Maui on Sunday, but it came with a demonstration against the store by members of the Hawaii Carpenters Union.