Eating your dog or cat could become a crime. Counties want reprieve from Sunshine Law, defense cuts will spare Hawaii, pro-rail Inouye won't back Cayetano, fired charter school head spent state money, homeless shelter, public housing scrutinized, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Mauna Kea mountain view (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Storms this weekend blanketed Mauna Kea summit with 3 to 4 inches of new snow, and more winter weather is expected. West Hawaii Today.

As military communities around the nation fret about defense cuts, U.S. Sen. Daniel Ino­uye said Hawaii expects to receive about 1,000 more Marines from Oki­nawa, have the same number or more ships based at Pearl Harbor and see a slight increase in shipyard work here. Star-Advertiser.

A third Marine accused of hazing a lance corporal who committed suicide in Afghanistan goes to trial this week. Associated Press.

A bill to give counties a break from the Sunshine Law, HB 2742, up for a hearing Tuesday afternoon, has already caught the attention of good-government watchdogs. Civil Beat.

Hawaii legislators will again take up the question of whether the state's four county councils should be exempt from the Sunshine Law. West Hawaii Today.

Legislators are considering two bills that would give the Hawaii Department of Education the authority to develop and implement a performance management system for teachers and principals. Civil Beat.

Legislators are supporting bills that would broaden the definition of school instruction beyond "seat time" but would also standardize bell schedules to ensure that the length of the school day is about the same for students statewide. Star-Advertiser.

State officials are trying to figure out how to best teach Hawaii's preschool aged residents.KHON2.

The state representative who made the motion to kill a bill that would make shoppers pay for single-use bags said it was a mistake. Civil Beat.

In the Judiciary Committee, members will hear HB 1170 seeking to criminalize the consumption of or trafficking in dog, cat or equine animal meat for the purpose of human consumption. Maui Now.

State lawmakers are  working on two bills that would open the doors for counties to legalize transient vacation rentals on agricultural land. Garden Island.

Hawaii will be getting a new U.S. district judge as a result of David Ezra's move to senior judge status in late June. Star-Advertiser.

In light of the continued strain on the state's budget, just one top executive at Hawaii Health Systems Corp. got a raise this year, according to a Civil Beat review. Civil Beat.

Former U.S. Red Charles Djou

Army reservist and congressional candidate Charles Djou is heading back from Afghanistan. KHON2.

State roundup for Feb. 21. Associated Press.

Honolulu

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye said he will support either Mayor Peter Carlisle or former city Managing Director Kirk Caldwell in the race for Hono­lulu mayor, based on their support for the city's $5.27 billion rail transit project. Star-Advertiser.

The state spends about $1 million a year to operate a Kakaako homeless shelter plagued with a leaky roof, bedbugs, rats, roaches and intermittent hot water. Civil Beat.

Two fatal stabbings in four months have happened at one of Hawai`i’s public housing complexes. Each incident involved non-residents. Residents say the current security system is severely lacking and more needs to be done to protect them from violent visitors and brawls that end in death. Hawaii Public Radio.

The fired former head of Hawaii Technology Academy and his vice principal spent about $100,000 in state school funds on travel in one year, and an auditor found that "abuse, waste or fraud" likely occurred at the state's largest charter school. Hawaii News Now.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association will be opening a new Marine Science & Storage Facility Tuesday, along with announcing a new partnership to open their Pacific Regional Center for tourism. KITV4.

Hawaii

Developers' fair share contributions will account for only $3 million of a county capital improvement budget likely to be more than $125 million in the fiscal year that starts July 1. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Representatives of a Kaanapali oceanside restaurant said that their establishment continues to address a bedbug problem that first surfaced last summer. Maui News.

Federal, state and county governments are teaming up to host Medicare fraud prevention town hall meetings this month and next on Lanai and Maui. Maui News.

Kauai

Free bus rides begin on Kaua‘i. Garden Island.

Three prominent peace activists will be featured at a free public meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Kapa‘a Library to discuss the global effects of U.S. missile defense technologies on an island home to the world’s largest missile range. Garden Island.