Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Schools, businesses close as Hurricane Madeline nears Hawaii, Ige signs emergency proclamation, Obama set to arrive today, World Conservation Congress continues as planned, Syngenta to leave Hawaii, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

National Weather Service
5 a.m. Wednesday Hurricane Madeline track, National Weather Service
At 500 AM HST (1500 UTC), the center of Hurricane Madeline was located 140 miles ESE of Hilo. Madeline is moving toward the west near 14 mph and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center of Madeline will pass dangerously close to the Big Island later today. NOAA.

At 5 a.m. Wednesday, Madeline’s maximum sustained winds decreased to 80 miles per hour, which still means the cyclone is a Category 1 hurricane. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. David Ige signed a pre-landfall emergency proclamation on Tuesday, as the state prepares for possible impacts from hurricanes Madeline and Lester. The proclamation authorizes the expenditure of state monies for quick and efficient relief of disaster-related damages, losses and suffering resulting from the storms. Maui Now.

Hurricane Lester maintained its Category 4 strength early Wednesday as it churned toward the Central Pacific. Big Island under Hurricane Warning as Madeline nears state. At 5 a.m. Wednesday, the eye of Lester was about 1,085 miles east of Hilo. Hawaii News Now.

To hear some describe it, the World Conservation Congress is the Olympic Games, World Cup and Super Bowl of the world’s conservation community. Let the games begin Thursday as more than 8,500 delegates from 194 countries convene in Honolulu for the premier conference of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Star-Advertiser.

Olelo Community Media announced Tuesday that it will provide over 20 hours of “exclusive” live local coverage of the IUCN World Conservation Congress. Civil Beat.

President Obama is coming to the world conservation congress in Honolulu to herald the creation of the world's largest ecologically protected area, Papahanaumokuakea. Hawaii Public Radio.

In 2008, as economies around the world were reeling from the collapse of the U.S. financial market, a taro farmer on Maui had an idea to bring the world’s largest conservation conference to Hawaii. Civil Beat.

One of Hawaii’s biggest seed companies caught up in lawsuits and protests over genetically modified crop farming and pesticide use has decided to sell its local operations. Syngenta, a Swiss agribusiness behemoth, announced a decision Tuesday to seek a buyer for its Hawaii operations, which include nearly 6,000 acres of land it leases or owns on Oahu and Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Enrollment at Hawaii public schools dipped slightly this school year to 179,902 students, the Department of Education said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Enrollment in Hawaii’s public and charter schools is slightly down for the new school year, according to a report by the state Department of Education. Pacific Business News.

A class action lawsuit recently filed in federal court accuses two prominent law firms, and more than 70 condominium associations they represent, of “the wrongful and unlawful sale” of condominium units through an improper foreclosure process. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The President of the United States will arrive in Honolulu Wednesday evening, and city officials are warning the public of major road closures during rush hour. KHON2.

Honolulu’s tardy, over-budget rail project could lose $1.55 billion in federal funds if it is not built as first planned all the way to Ala Moana Center, the Federal Transit Administration told city officials in a meeting in San Francisco this week. Civil Beat.

Crews on Tuesday began installing three modular housing units in Waianae for working homeless individuals and homeless families with children. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. has executed a 35-year lease with the Secretary of the Army for a planned power plant in Central Oahu that has the state’s largest utility paying the Army $308,515 annually for a total of $10.8 million during the entire lease term, Pacific Business News has learned.

U.S. District Judge Michael Seabright has ruled that redactions the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made to a University of Hawaii biolab inspection report were — for the most part — proper. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The following are closed or postponed due to the approaching hurricanes. Big Island Now.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education plans to close public schools on Hawaiʻi Island on Wednesday, Aug. 31 and Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 as Hurricane Madeline continues its path towards Hawaiʻi. Maui Now.

Ride it out. That was the survival plan for two residents of a Hilo homeless encampment Tuesday as Hurricane Madeline — followed by Hurricane Lester — marched toward Hawaii Island. Tribune-Herald.

The National Weather Service still was expecting the center of Hurricane Madeline to pass just shy of South Point today in a forecast issued Tuesday evening. But the cyclone could deliver more than a glancing blow. Tribune-Herald.

Members of People’s Advocacy for Trails Hawaii, government officials and biking enthusiasts took shelter from the sun under a makeshift canopy at Hale Halawai Tuesday to celebrate the kickoff of Bikeshare Kona Hawaii Island and an accompanying Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Campaign. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Kaiser Permanente's Maui Health System is now set to take over Maui County's three hospitals on July 1, a year later than the original transfer date, leaving hospital officials with "some hard decisions" on how to deliver health care in the interim. Maui News.

Six green sea turtles get a new home. Maui News.

Kauai

The Department of Water will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, Sept. 7, regarding the proposed amendments to the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Water Supply, Part 5 Facilities Reserve Charge (FRC) Section III – Applicability. Garden Island.

Kauai saw an increase in visitors, and their spending, in July. The Hawaii Tourism Authority reported that 120,166 guests came to the island last month, up 3.2 percent from June. Garden Island.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Pair of powerful storms approach Hawaii, Honolulu prepares for Obama visit, federal appeals court dismisses Hawaiian sovereignty lawsuit, Maui hospital deal collapses, Ige protective order fails in Thirty Meter Telescope case, foster parents get a raise, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Nationl Weather Service
Hurricane Madeline 2 a.m. HST Tuesday, National Weather Service
At 5:00 a.m., the center of Hurricane Madeline was about 445 miles east of Hilo. Madeline is moving toward the west near 10 mph (17 km/h) and this motion is expected to become west southwesterly later today through early Thursday. KHON2.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Big Island while a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Maui County as Hurricane Madeline draws nearer to the state as a Category 3 storm. Hawaii News Now.

Hurricane Madeline weakened slightly overnight but was still a powerful Category 3 storm and the National Weather Service issued a tropical storm warning for Hawaii island and a tropical storm watch for Maui County this morning. The Big Island is also under a hurricane watch. Star-Advertiser.

Hurricane Madeline now a Cat. 4 storm. KITV.

The National Weather Service says Hurricane Madeline could come dangerously close to the Big Island by Wednesday and may have impacts worse than Tropical Storm Iselle in 2014. Hawaii News Now.

Hurricane Lester has weakened slightly, but remains a category 3 storm as it churns toward the Central Pacific. Hawaii News Now.

A federal appeals court Monday dismissed an appeal about whether a vote seen as a step toward self-governance for Native Hawaiians should be open only to Native Hawaiians or to all of the state’s registered voters, saying the issue does not merit consideration because the U.S. Supreme Court issued an injunction against such a vote. Associated Press.

Hawaii foster parents will see a boost in the amount the state pays them to care for foster children under an $85 million settlement announced Monday that’s expected to resolve a federal class-action lawsuit and related case filed in state court. Star-Advertiser.

Foster parents in Hawaii will get more money to help pay expenses for the children in their care under a lawsuit settlement announced Monday. Civil Beat.

The state’s largest labor union backed a slate of Democratic candidates heading into the Aug. 13 primary election, shelling out thousands of dollars in contributions and providing extra bodies to do campaign grunt work. The Hawaii Government Employees Association, which represents more than 42,000 state and county workers, endorsed the winner in most races. Civil Beat.

The director of such films as “Freedom,” which starred Cuba Gooding Jr., and “David and Goliath” is helming a new $50 million film about Hawaii’s beginnings that will be shot entirely in Hawaii and create hundreds of jobs in the state. Pacific Business News.

Oahu
President Barak Obama is headed to Honolulu where he’s expected to address members of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature – the I-U-C-N.    In the meantime, preparations for his visit are at a fevered pitch in a number of places on O’ahu. Hawaii Public Radio.

An incident on the H-1 freeway Aug. 1 that left three people with stab wounds and closed several lanes for five hours has prompted a Honolulu city councilman to introduce a bill to discourage road rage. Star-Advertiser.

State and federal investigators raided the Maile Sky Court in Waikiki on Monday in response to allegations of construction irregularities at a $25 million renovation project there. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii School Aide Said He Saw Abuse, Then He Got Fired. The Department of Education is silent about a claim that an educational assistant poured iced coffee over the head of a student. Civil Beat.

Promoters of a planned $25 million artificial reef containing cremated human remains off Hawaii Kai are dropping their “memorial reef” proposal but will push ahead with trying to establish a new fish habitat. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Kai Satellite City Hall and police substation at Hawaii Kai Towne Center will relocate to a different site in East Honolulu after the property owner more than doubled the rent. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A proposed order seeking to prevent Gov. David Ige from testifying in the Thirty Meter Telescope contested case was denied Monday. Tribune-Herald.

A breakdown in Maui hospital negotiations over the weekend could delay similar privatization plans for Kona Community Hospital. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard visited three East Hawaii farms and met with agriculture researchers Monday as part of a statewide tour during Congress’ summer recess. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Kaiser Permanente now plans to wait until July 1 to take over three state-run Maui County medical facilities, a decision that means further delays for the largest privatization effort in state history. It could also mean the Maui hospital operations will be scaled back in the months ahead, according to a top hospital executive. Star-Advertiser.

The much postponed transition of Maui’s three public hospitals to Kaiser Permanent management hit a new setback today with the news that Kaiser has written a letter to Governor Ige to postpone the official start date until July 1, 2017. Maui Watch.

Maui has made great strides toward saving some of its most vulnerable native plants, but many local habitats are still facing "desperate situations," environmental experts said Sunday. Maui News.

Kauai

Today is the last day to share feedback on two alternative plans for the Black Pot Beach Park Master Plan. Garden Island.

Over the past two years, Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project has led expeditions into the forests of Kauai’s Alakai Wilderness Preserve, searching for the nests of two bird species: the akikiki and the akekee. Garden Island.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Hurricane Madeline may play havoc with Obama visit, Hawaii Republicans, Democrats, disavow rebel candidate, prying open secret prison files, scientists leave dome following yearlong Mars simulation, windmills and hoary bat hearing today, county officials get immunity in Kenoi trial, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

National Weather Service
5 a.m. Monday Hurricane Madeline forecast, National Weather Service
Madeline has strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane to the east of Hawaii, and continues on a track that will take it close to or over the Big Island around mid week. At 5 a.m. Monday, Hurricane Madeline was about 695 miles east of Hilo or 890 miles east-southeast of Honolulu, and was moving toward the west-northwest at 10 miles per hour. Madeline has maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour with higher gusts. Madeline is expected to strengthen slightly through Monday and then begin to weaken Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Madeline strengthened overnight to a category 2 hurricane as it continued heading toward Hawaii island. Packing maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, Madeline was centered 695 miles east of Hilo and 890 miles east-southeast of Honolulu this morning while moving west-southwest at 10 mph. Star-Advertiser.

Hurriane Madeline has entered the Central Pacific area where our islands are located, and although the latest forecast has the storm tracking slightly south, Hawaii County Civil Defense is starting to get the word out for residents to pay attention to upcoming forecasts and, as you should be during the entirety of hurricane season, be prepared. KHON2.

Kiplinger, the personal finance company, has released its rankings of the best and worst states for taxes, and Hawaii places near the bottom. Civil Beat.

First Circuit Judge Edwin Nacino on Friday dismissed a lawsuit challenging the legality of Gov. David Ige’s interim appointment of Tom Gorak to the state Public Utilities Commission. Civil Beat.

Civil Beat is examining how the state manages its troubled, overcrowded prison system, which includes four prisons and four jails in Hawaii, and a contract private prison in Arizona. This story looks at the practice of not disclosing information about settlements in lawsuits, including the amount of damages.

The rise of Tulsi: While congresswoman bucks political trends, definitions and her national profile rises, no telling how far independent path will take her. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Democrats To Challenge Kaaihue’s Candidacy. Civil Beat.

The chair of the Hawaii Republican Party has been urging party members to disavow the candidacy of the GOP nominee for the 2nd Congressional District after she repeatedly made offensive remarks about religion and race toward her Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and other Hawaii leaders. KITV.

Oahu

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation finally lifted the veil this week on hundreds of millions of dollars of rail-related payments that have gone to subcontractors over the past fiscal year, and that have long been kept secret from the public. Civil Beat.

The Neal S. Blaisdell Center and the Hawaii Convention Center will be hot spots during IUCN's World Conservation Congress, which kicks off this week, and surrounding businesses are bracing for the impacts. Hawaii News Now.

Efforts underway in Hawaii Kai to clear dense foliage from areas where homeless people are suspected of camping out are stoking worries that the homeless might end up encroaching on residential areas. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Five current or former high-level Hawaii County officials will receive immunity for their testimony in the upcoming theft trial of Mayor Billy Kenoi, according to court records. Tribune-Herald.

The federal-state Endangered Species Recovery Committee will visit two Big Island wind farms today and take public testimony on the owners’ plans to protect the Hawaiian hoary bat. Star-Advertiser.

Return from ‘Mars’: Scientists emerge from dome after yearlong simulation. Tribune-Herald.

A year ago six volunteers of different nationalities and personalities — some chattier than others, some neater and cleaner — entered a modest dome two-thirds of the way up this desolate volcanic slope, where they had agreed to spend the next 365 days confined together to study potential effects on crews for future missions to Mars. Star-Advertiser.

What Six Scientists Learned In A Year On ‘Mars’. Civil Beat.

The public is getting another chance to weigh in on the designation of Puukohola Heiau as a national historic landmark, as the National Park Service conducts a study that could enlarge or decrease the size of the site itself. West Hawaii Today.

Tina Clothier, executive director of PATH, along with Mayor Billy Kenoi and the Mayor’s Active Living Advisory Council, will officially launch Bikeshare Kona Hawaii Island (BKHI) Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. with the blessing of a bike station at the Hale Halawai Pavilion. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

South Maui state Rep. Kaniela Ing pleaded not guilty Thursday morning in Wailuku District Court to a citation for driving his car without motor vehicle insurance. Maui News.

The Maui Tomorrow Foundation and three individual plaintiffs have filed a lawsuit in the state's Environmental Court to stop the state Department of Transportation from building seawalls along Honoapiilani Highway. Maui News.

Groups struggle to communicate about solar telescope installation. Improved understanding sought between Native Hawaiian organizations and science foundation. Maui News.

Sorghum is a top contender to replace sugar cane in some of Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co.'s 36,000 acres after the plantation closes at the end of this year. Maui News.

Work to replace a nearly 50-year-old walkway at the 105-acre Wai'anapanapa State Park in Hana will begin Sept. 6, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced. Maui News.

The Maui Police Department currently is conducting a one-month feasibility study on the use of Axon body-worn cameras, the department announced Wednesday.Maui News.

Takashi Kitaoka was remembered Friday as the first Maui-born judge to serve the Maui County circuit, a first sergeant who fought in the famed 100th Infantry Battalion during World War II and an effective government official who was director of the state Labor Department. Maui News.

Kauai

Because it is unclear who owns part of Anini Road, those who live there say the road is in limbo. Garden Island.

An application for funding for the proposed North Shore High School was denied, but backers said they will continue to support the project. Garden Island.

Molokai

Three decades of transporting workers, tourists and student athletes aboard the Molokai ferry may come to an end in a few weeks as the operator seeks to shut down operations in the face of mounting deficits. Maui News.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Obama to visit expanded Papahanaumokuakea marine monument, malnourished monk seals sent to hospital, dog rescued from crack in Kilauea volcano, Honolulu denies fault in mudslide, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument
Papahanaumokuakea and the Hawaiian Islands
The White House says that President Barack Obama will expand a national monument off the coast of Hawaii, creating the world’s largest marine protected area. Obama’s proclamation will quadruple in size a monument originally created by President George W. Bush in 2006. The Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument will contain some 582,578 square miles, more than twice the size of Texas. Obama will travel to the monument next week to mark the designation and cite the need to protect public lands and waters from climate change. Associated Press.

In what's being called a historic step toward protecting global ocean resources, President Barack Obama has approved a significant expansion of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands marine national monument and will discuss the designation in Honolulu next week at a global conservation conference. Hawaii News Now.

President Barack Obama will expand the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument by hundreds of thousands of square miles, creating the world’s largest marine reserve and permanently protecting coral reefs and deep-sea marine habitats from activities such as commercial fishing and mineral mining, the White House announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.
NOAA
NOAA

President Barack Obama will create the world’s largest protected marine area Friday by expanding Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, White House officials said Thursday. Civil Beat.

On Friday, President Obama will expand the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii, creating the world’s largest marine protected area. Maui Now.

President Barack Obama has announced plans to expand the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, more than quadrupling its current size. That will make it the largest marine protected area in the world. Hawaii Public Radio.

The president of the United States will be in Hawaii within the next few days. He is scheduled to arrive here ahead of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress, which starts next week Thursday at the Hawaii Convention Center and Neal S. Blaisdell Center. KHON2.


After Friday, it will be the worlds largest marine protected area.  President Obama will expand the area around Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. KITV4.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige said he supports expanding a marine monument in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Ige's office said Thursday he sent a letter to President Barack Obama declaring his support for enlarging the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Associated Press.

courtesy National Marine Fisheries Service
© National Marine Fisheries Service
Four malnourished Hawaiian monk seals are recovering at a Big Island hospital for the mammals after being moved from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. West Hawaii Today.

Four malnourished Hawaiian monk seals were brought to Ke Kai Ola, the Marine Mammal Center’s monk seal hospital in Kona, after being transported from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Big Island Video News.

© National Marine Fisheries Service
© National Marine Fisheries Service

First Circuit Judge Edwin Nacino heard arguments Thursday in a case that boils down to the meaning of two words: “vacancy” and “qualified.” Former Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Chair Mina Morita is challenging Gov. David Ige’s interim appointment of Tom Gorak to the state utilities commission. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige’s administration is offering some quick cash to up-and-coming software code writers who think they can develop solutions for some of the state’s vexing computer challenges. Star-Advertiser.

True World Foods announced Thursday that it has been cleared of allegations it distributed tainted scallops to sushi restaurants in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Ten people have filed their candidacies to run in a Nov. 8 special election to fill out the remainder to fill out the remainder of the late U.S. Rep. Mark Takai’s term representing the 1st Congressional District through Jan. 3. Civil Beat.

John White, who leads Pacific Resource Partnership, which represents the largest construction union in Hawaii, is leaving his post after about six years on the job, Pacific Business News has learned.

Oahu

Plans for a 36-story hotel-condominium tower across from the Hawai‘i Convention Center won a key approval from the City Council Planning and Zoning Committee on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

We’re learning more about who’s getting paid to do what for Honolulu’s multibillion-dollar rail project. For the first time in the project’s history, there’s a public list of subcontractors hired, what they’re being paid, and what they’re doing. KHON2.

City denies fault in Nuuanu landslide. Star-Advertiser.

Over the past three years, the hillside above Eugene Garrett's home has slowly given away, sending thousands of tons of dirt, boulders and trees toward his backyard. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu city councilman Ikaika Anderson has been trying to limit commercial activity at Waimanalo beaches. KITV4.

Hawaii

Dozens of East Hawaii teachers, principals, complex area administrators and community members gathered Wednesday to discuss ways to improve Hawaii’s education system. The town hall meeting was among several scheduled around the state this summer to compile input on the Every Student Succeeds Act. The new federal education law is replacing No Child Left Behind. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park rangers on Wednesday rescued a dog that had fallen 30 feet into a ground crack. The Hawaii Island Humane Society took the female dog, which was “very famished and very scared” but otherwise not injured, to the Keaau shelter, said Jessica Ferracane, park spokeswoman. Tribune-Herald.

Heading north from Keauhou Bay on Thursday morning, Capt. Erika Swenson briefed the passengers on the rules of the Dolphin Discoveries cruise. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Changing fisher behaviors over the last three years has allowed officers with the North Maui Community Fisheries Enforcement Unit to spend less time writing citations and more time on education and outreach. Maui Now.

Visitors to 'Ahihi-Kina'u Natural Area Reserve and the Keone'oi'o (La Perouse Bay) area can expect limited parking and traffic delays from Monday through Sept. 30 during a parking lot renovation, according to an announcement from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Maui News.

Future phases of the Lahaina and Paia bypass roads and other long-awaited Maui highway projects are being deferred while the state concentrates more on maintaining existing roads. Maui News.

The major walkway along the coastline of Wai‘ānapanapa State Park in East Maui will be replaced beginning on Sept. 6, 2016. Maui Now.

Sugar operations at HC&S on Maui are winding down. Back in January, the state’s last sugar plantation announced plans to close down by the end of the year. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Water was restored to Kalaheo residents on Thursday. Garden Island.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Hawaii students improve test scores, tax refund unlikely after surplus, Pflueger completes Kauai mudslide repairs, mosquito-borne disease topic at World Conservation Congress, home business irks Maui neighbors, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy photo
University of Hawaii students, courtesy photo
Hawaii high-schoolers posted modest gains in English, reading and science on the ACT exam, but many in this year’s graduating class appear unprepared for college-level coursework, according to results released Wednesday for the national college entrance exam. Star-Advertiser.

The number of hepatitis A victims in Hawaii continues to climb, reaching 228 on Wednesday, but the outbreak appears to be slowing now that the scallops that triggered it have been taken off the market. Star-Advertiser.

Two longtime lobbyists have donated $303,479 to candidates for state and local offices in the past 10 years, according to a Civil Beat analysis of Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission data. Civil Beat.

The state is looking at a $1 billion surplus, but don’t expect a refund any time soon. This is the first time that the surplus has reached this amount. KHON2.

A news conference Wednesday highlighted the state's conservation efforts in conjunction with the World Conservation Congress, the premier conference of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, being held Sept. 1-10 in Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

The World Conservation Congress will convene for the first time in the U.S. in Honolulu next week. Hawai’i researchers will co-host a workshop on mosquito-borne diseases that is gaining international interest. Hawaii Public Radio.

Supporters of the fourfold expansion of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument have fired back against an advertisement claiming the proposal would result in people being unable to eat fresh local fish. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Mark Garrity, Honolulu’s deputy director of the Department of Transportation Services, is now acting director of the agency. Civil Beat.

A new analysis of booking and revenue data for Airbnb has found the short-term rental platform isn’t likely causing rents to increase much at this point, but the company’s rapid growth and incentive for a larger commercial share could change that in the future, FiveThirtyEight reported Wednesday. Honolulu has 1,400 active listings on Airbnb, roughly the same as Las Vegas and Boston. Civil Beat.

Kamehameha Highway near Waimea Bay was closed for a second day on Wednesday to finish repairs after a truck knocked down utility poles a day earlier. Star-Advertiser.

At 345,000 square feet spreading over 6 acres, the new International Market Place has gotten much more than a facelift. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

After decades of trying to get a handle on the island’s growing garbage problems, county officials are taking a wait-and-see approach to a private company’s plan to step into the breach. West Hawaii Today.

Carolyn Ma, interim dean of the University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, has been recommended to permanently fill the position. Tribune-Herald.

The Hilo council chamber was packed on Tuesday night with Big Island residents interested in helping to shape the future of Hawaii County. Big Island Video News.

Maui
Nearly 70 testifiers were divided Tuesday over resident Leona Rocha Wilson's proposal to host special events, including weddings, at her spacious Lona Ridge property in Wailuku Heights. Maui News.

The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development issued more than $5.07 million in grant monies to various local organizations during the first half of the 2016 calendar year. Maui Time.

A 1st Circuit Court judge has granted the Employees' Retirement System request to grant a temporary restraining order to block, at least for now, the state's implementation of a law that retirement system officials maintain could jeopardize the pension system's tax-exempt status and retirement benefits for its members. Maui News.

Work goes on as usual at HC&S even as the company prepares to end production. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

A Honolulu federal district court judge has granted an order to close a long-standing case against retired car dealer James Pflueger for environmental damage to coastal property in Pilaa on Kauai’s North Shore. Star-Advertiser.

The Clean Water Act consent decree that required former Kauai developer and Oahu auto dealer James Pflueger to stabilize and restore previously owned property at Pila’a on Kauai’s north shore has come to a close. Garden Island.

There are three multi-million dollar projects that can mitigate traffic in Kapaa. But the problem is they are all state-funded projects, and there’s no money for them. Garden Island.

A Hawaii couple has purchased the property that was once occupied by Hanamaulu Cafe, a Kauai restaurant institution that closed about two years ago after opening in the 1920s, they confirmed to Pacific Business News.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Ban against swimming with dolphins proposed, state has record $1B surplus, lawsuits filed as more hepatitis cases discovered, judge orders TRO in Maui hospital benefits case, Honolulu mulls outside audit of Ethics Commission, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Creative Commons
Spinner dolphin in Hawaii, Creative Commons
Federal regulators are proposing to ban swimming with dolphins in Hawaii, a move that could imperil one of the Aloha State’s most popular tourist activities and the industry that has sprung up around it. The National Marine Fisheries Service says spinner dolphins — the playful nocturnal species that humans in Hawaii routinely frolic with — are being deprived of rest during the day and becoming stressed out. Associated Press.

Federal officials proposed a new rule Tuesday that would prohibit approaching Hawaiian spinner dolphins within 50 yards in designated waters between Maui, Lanai and Kahoolawe where they are found throughout the day, a release says. Civil Beat.

The state was holding a record-setting $1 billion general treasury cash surplus when it closed the books on last fiscal year, an extraordinary sum that likely will alter the course of contract negotiations as the state and counties begin a new round of bargaining with Hawaii’s public worker unions. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Behind The Democrats’ Failed Push To Close The Primary. The party sued to keep non-Democrats from voting in its primary races, but federal judges are having none of it. Civil Beat.

A Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant, who served inflight food and beverages to passengers, was confirmed to have hepatitis A, the state Health Department said in a news release this afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

A second lawsuit in as many weeks has been filed against the restaurant chain Genki Sushi and two distributors of tainted scallops that have caused Hawaii’s hepatitis A outbreak. Civil Beat.

A Honolulu law firm has filed a class action as a result of the hepatitis A outbreak in Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

At least two of the 200-plus hepatitis A victims in Hawaii are so gravely ill that they are on the waiting list for a liver transplant, according to their attorney. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines is still in negotiations with pilots who are threatening to strike. Garden Island.

Oahu

The city may spend as much as $100,000 auditing the processes of the Honolulu Ethics Commission. KHON2.

The state Department of Health confirmed another case of Hepatitis A in a cafeteria worker at Kipapa Elementary school on Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu Publications has pulled its buyout offer for union employees of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, a move that likely means the newsroom’s planned downsizing will be achieved solely through involuntary job cuts. Civil Beat.

A new cannabis testing laboratory is opening in downtown Honolulu. Steep Hill Hawaii will be a full-service quality-assurance laboratory for medical marijuana with testing equipment that can handle up to 500 test samples per month. Pacific Business News.

The once kitschy marketplace lined with carts full of costume jewelry, faux lei and made-in-China trinkets is a stark contrast to the glitzy, $500 million shopping center opening Thursday in the heart of Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

A Honolulu-based seafood processor is being put on notice by the FDA for "unsanitary conditions." According to a warning letter to Tropic Fish Hawaii, LLC, an FDA inspector found cuts of raw ahi tuna, mahi mahi and skipjack tuna on the company's warehouse concrete floor. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The public became the planners Tuesday evening, as more than 75 people pushed buttons to define what they want to see in Hawaii Island’s future. West Hawaii Today.

BioEnergy Hawaii LLC, a Kailua-Kona-based developer of waste-treatment and alternative-energy systems, plans to start construction on its $50 million resource-recovery and energy-conversion facility on the Big Island by the fourth quarter of next year. Pacific Business News.

A handful of residents living in emergency housing on the HOPE Services campus in the Kona Old Industrial Area are trying to clean up their group’s larger image one area at a time. West Hawaii Today.

A Hilo obstetrician/gynecologist is fighting a state Department of Human Services finding that he was overpaid more than $200,000 for services to Medicaid patients. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

An Oahu Circuit Court judge issued a temporary restraining order Monday to bar state officials from implementing a new law that would provide severance pay and retirement bonuses to state workers whose jobs are being privatized. The Hawaii Employees’ Retirement System filed a lawsuit Aug. 9 to block the new law, which would affect about 1,500 Maui County hospital workers. Star-Advertiser.

A judge has granted the state pension system’s request for a temporary restraining order to stall the implementation of a new law that offers special retirement benefits to certain state hospital workers. Civil Beat.

Pukalani resident Kathleen Phillips was brought to tears when the state Legislature in the last session passed the CARE Act, designed to help unpaid caregivers receive medical instruction and other help before patients are discharged from a medical facility. Maui News.

Almost 35 years after he started working as a baggage handler for Hawaiian Airlines, Maui's Marvin Moniz was named the state Department of Transportation's Manager of the Year Friday for his leadership in a district that includes the state's second busiest airport. Maui News.

Kauai

Those who live and work in Kapaa say the traffic on the eastside has gotten out of hand. Garden Island.

Swimming with spinner dolphins already constitutes animal harassment under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, but the National Marine Fisheries Service is pushing for further regulation. Tour companies on Kauai, however, aren’t concerned with the potential rules because they say they’re already following the practices recommended. Garden Island.

A third Kauai resident has been infected with hepatitis A, but the source of the infection is unclear, according to Hawaii Department of Health. Garden Island.

Molokai

An army of volunteers, nonprofit groups and state and federal agencies mobilized this summer to remove 16 tons of marine debris from a 22-mile stretch of Molokai’s north shore. Star-Advertiser.

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

State parties try to rein in members, Pearl Harbor preps for 75th anniversary, Lassner gets high marks as UH president, Honolulu police and domestic violence, invasive species control pits Maui property owner against government, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2016 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Road in Hawaii © 2016 All Hawaii News
The state recently sold more than $204 million in highway revenue bonds at the lowest interest rate in the 23-year history of the state’s Highway Revenue Bond Program. The bond sale raised over $247 million. Pacific Business News.

Will Hawaii Dems’ Progressive Movement Have Staying Power? Energized by the Sanders presidential campaign and hot-button local issues, a handful of newcomers spiced up primary races. Civil Beat.

State political parties seem to be having a hard time keeping some of their members in check. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii GOP Appears Stuck With Angela Aulani Kaaihue. As offensive as the congressional nominee’s views on ethnicity and religion are, there is little that the Republican Party can do to make her go away. Civil Beat.

Japan’s first lady Akie Abe teamed up with U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye’s widow Monday to launch an environmental symposium that they hope will become an annual gathering of students, scientists and activists from both sides of the Pacific Ocean. Star-Advertiser.

A witness to Pearl Harbor and a USS Arizona survivor added to their World War II legacies over the past week as big plans continue to unfold for the 75th anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941, attacks on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii President David Lassner received high marks on his latest performance evaluation by the Board of Regents but again requested no salary increase. Star-Advertiser.

Going Green At IUCN. Organizers of the World Conservation Congress meeting in Hawaii next month urge participants to be “carbon neutral, plastic free, paper low.” Civil Beat.

State officials are gearing up to give a helping hand to some of Hawaii’s smallest creatures through programs involving captive rearing and release into the wild. Star-Advertiser.

New nautical rules have gone into effect, increasing safety requirements for numerous vessels and leading to more registration requirements. West Hawaii Today.

DRFortress, the largest carrier-neutral data center and cloud services provider operating in Hawaii, has been selected as the landing and operating partner in the state for a planned 8,700-mile trans-Pacific submarine cable system from Australia and New Zealand to Hawaii and the West Coast. Pacific Business News.

New state data aimed at helping newly licensed marijuana dispensaries determine where to set up shop shows the Big Island has nearly twice as many medical marijuana patients as Oahu. Associated Press.

Oahu
Domestic violence victims and their advocates say officers showing favoritism toward a fellow officer — is not uncommon when one of “Honolulu’s finest” is accused of abusing a family or household member. Star-Advertiser.

Advocates for domestic violence victims say the process for filing complaints against police officers in Hawaii is too stringent and needs to be changed. Star-Advertiser.

Imagine re-thinking a neighborhood through the lens of food. That’s what a group of residents, business owners, and policy makers in Kaka‘ako have been doing. Hawaii Public Radio.

Commentary: When The Law Allows Overbuilding For The Rich. A proposal to build six luxury condos on a single oceanfront lot is the type of project that’s more likely to benefit out-of-staters than locals. Civil Beat.

Manoa Botanicals LLC has begun forming companies that will be part of its effort as one of the eight firms in Hawaii to get medical marijuana dispensary licenses in the state, Pacific Business News has learned.

Dozens gathered at Schofield Barracks Monday as the US Army and Hawaiian Electric broke ground on a new power plant. KITV.

Hawaiian Electric and the U.S. Army are building a power plant capable of burning biofuels. Associated Press.

Hawaii

The number of applications for photovoltaic systems in Hawaii County has dropped considerably from last year’s numbers, according to permit data from the county Department of Public Works. Tribune-Herald.

The state has sold more than $200 million in highways revenue bonds, of which $22 million are headed to the Big Island, the governor’s office announced Monday. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Council Committee on Planning voted to halt decisions on rezoning applications for projects in Hamakua until the district’s community development plan is adopted. Big Island Video News.

Former Hawaii politician and real estate developer D.G. “Andy” Anderson and his grandsons, Brad and Cord Anderson, plan to assign their state-leased parcel surrounded by the Coconut Grove Marketplace in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island to the owner of the shopping center. Pacific Business News.

Greggor Ilagan is wasting no time choosing a new career path following his failed state senate bid. The Puna councilman has launched a new YouTube channel, Ilagan Videos. His first offering is the shaving cream challenge. Big Island Video News.

Maui

One resident's attempts to keep employees from invasive species agencies off his Huelo property have created a clash of rights between communities wanting to eradicate invasive species, and individuals opposed to the methods used to fight them. Maui News.

Maui authorities are discussing how to eradicate invasive species without trampling on the rights of individuals opposed to the methods used to fight them. Associated Press.

Grand reopening held at park. Maui News.

The 22-acre, 413-room Fairmont Kea Lani hotel in Wailea on Maui recently completed a solar energy project that is expected to reduce the property’s electricity demand by more than 10 percent, the resort said Monday. Pacific Business News.

Charles Louis Millman of Maui Marine Photography captured this rare look of what he described as a pod of melon-headed whales off of Kīhei, Maui today. Maui Now.

Kauai
Improvements to Waimea Canyon Drive, Kokee Road and parts of Kuhio Highway will be funded by the state, officials announced Monday. Kauai received more than $2.2 million for improvements from Leho Drive to Aleka Loop, on Kuhio Highway and Waimea Canyon Drive and Kokee Road, said Tim Sakahara, spokesman for Hawaii Department of Transportation. Garden Island.

Flags can create a firestorm of controversy, Jane Gray, director of the Kauai Museum discovered Monday afternoon. Outside the museum, an American flag flew alongside the Japan national flag. Garden Island.

A trial date is set for a Lihue man incarcerated at Halawa Correctional Facility who said two Kauai jail corrections officers violated his civil rights when they allegedly did not allow him to practice his religion. Garden Island.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Japan’s first lady visits Pearl Harbor, Souki retains House speakership, $10M in Honolulu Police lawsuits, Maui sugar layoffs continue, black band killing Kauai coral, medical marijuana permits increase, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Facebook photo
Japanese First Lady Akie Abe at Pearl Harbor, Facebook photo
Japan’s first lady has visited Pearl Harbor in Hawaii for the first time to pay tribute to the victims of the Japanese attack 75 years ago. Associated Press.

In his long career in Hawaii politics, Democratic House Speaker Joe Souki has risen to power, been ousted, and then engineered a deal to get that power back. At 85, he still commands respect, and he isn’t ready to walk away yet. Both Souki’s supporters and critics say he has firmly locked down all the votes he needs to remain as speaker for the next two years, quietly gathering that support with his allies even before lawmakers adjourned the last session in May. Star-Advertiser.

The chair of the Hawaii Republican Party is urging party members to disavow the candidacy of the GOP nominee for the 2nd Congressional District, which represents the neighbor islands and rural Oahu. Civil Beat.

The libertarian think tank the Cato Institute has a new project in which it analyzed all 50 U.S. states regarding “respect for individual freedom,” and it found Hawaii wanting. Civil Beat.

How One Attorney Is Trying To Make Food Safer. Hawaii’s hepatitis A outbreak is the latest battleground for a Seattle attorney who specializes in foodborne illnesses and has won damages of more than $600 million. Star-Advertiser.

Luaus, potlucks, a breathtaking variety of seafood and ways to eat it, and endless summer are a few of the attractions of Hawaii life. But the combination may come with a hangover: foodborne illness. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii State Department of Labor & Industrial Relations announced Friday that the seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate for July was 3.5 percent, up from the revised rate of 3.4 percent in June. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Nearly 1 of every 6 current Honolulu Police Department officers have been taken to court over criminal or civil allegations of wrongdoing, ranging from excessive force to domestic abuse, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Short of being fired, police disciplined for misconduct are the only county and state workers in Hawaii whose names under state law cannot be released publicly. Star-Advertiser.

The tab to taxpayers is nearing $10 million and likely will go higher. Over the past decade, that’s about how much the city has paid or approved to settle dozens of lawsuits accusing Honolulu Police Department officers of excessive force, negligence and other wrongdoing, including civil rights violations. Star-Advertiser.

Using the frame of his Taser, a Honolulu police officer struck a bystander’s hand as the man shot video of a friend’s arrest. The blow was strong enough to fracture the hand, according to court documents. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu residents will foot most of the city’s multimillion-dollar security tab to host the upcoming World Conservation Congress, a major international event next month in Waikiki, which may attract President Barack Obama as opening speaker. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu taxpayers have reportedly been responsible for paying nearly $10 million to settle dozens of misconduct allegations against police officers over the last decade. Associated Press.

A Honolulu company has been awarded the first four contracts under the state’s $100 million initiative to cool 1,000 public school classrooms — signaling a major step forward for the project, which has suffered setbacks amid the state’s booming construction market. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The next Hawaii County Council is starting to take shape following the primary election. Tribune-Herald.

New data from the state Department of Health confirms Hawaii County has nearly twice as many medical marijuana patients as Oahu, with about 11 percent living in Pahoa alone. Tribune-Herald.

Were they interfering with the rescue of a stranded whale or not? That is the question left to a federal judge following an administrative hearing last week to determine whether two Hilo women who run a small Native Hawaiian group dedicated to the protection of whales and other marine animals will be punished for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Star-Advertiser.

Couple feels targeted after Trump signs repeatedly stolen. West Hawaii Today.

More than 25 community volunteers participated in a weed pull Saturday, 9,000’ feet up on Mauna Kea at the site of Halepohaku. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The last harvest: The final chapter in the story of sugar on Maui. Many learned a trade at HC&S. With the end of the sugar industry on Maui, so too goes the apprenticeship program. Maui News.

With another round of Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. workers set to leave Friday, the company held its second on-property job fair Thursday. Many workers said they are still trying to figure out the next step after HC&S, the only employer they've known for decades. Maui News.

Remembering plantation life. Life in the camps was filled with community, ohana. Maui News.

The Maui Fire Department would like to reassure the public that the unscheduled cane fire currently burning in the Pūlehu-Puʻunēnē area is not an immediate threat to any structures or neighborhoods. Maui Now.

People who camp at a Maui beach park will temporarily lose access to permits come September as the county works to clean up the area. Associated Press.

Kauai

All of the Kauai County Council candidates who came in at the bottom five during the recent primary election plan to continue in the race. Garden Island.

Submarine groundwater discharge could be contributing to the black band coral disease outbreak on Kauai’s North Shore. That’s according to initial evidence discovered during a United States Geological Survey study at Makua (also known as Tunnels) and Haena, conducted July 29 through Aug. 5. Garden Island.

Over the past few weeks, volunteers have removed more than 1,500 pounds of trash from Papaa Bay Beach, and there’s more where that came from. Garden Island.

Some Waimea residents are calling for the preservation of a historic Westside home that was formerly a nurses quarter. Garden Island.

Friday, August 19, 2016

Hawaii bids fond aloha to U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, Honolulu rail chief resigns, Ige extends homeless emergency again, Maui to get roundabout, ballots mailed too late, Predator drones off Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Rep. Joy San Buenaventura
Takai memorial service, courtesy Rep. Joy San Buenaventura
Dignitaries including U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Gov. David Ige and Hawaii House Speaker Joseph Souki shared fond memories of U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, his intense work ethic, his love of his family and his dedication to public service. Star-Advertiser.

The state Capitol fell silent Thursday morning as the late Congressman Mark Takai’s casket was carried into the rotunda accompanied by a traditional chanter offering a sad, haunting kaniku, or song of mourning. Civil Beat.

Friends and colleagues remembered the late U.S. Rep. Mark Takai as a warm public servant who never gave up when facing adversity, paying their respects in a ceremony at the state Capitol as a soft rain fell and palm branches swayed in the breeze. Associated Press.

The State of Hawai’i said goodbye today to Congressman K. Mark Takai who passed away at age 49 last month from Pancreatic Cancer. Hawaii Public Radio.

In a Thursday service for U.S. Rep. Mark Takai at the Capitol, state and national leaders join hundreds of other people to grieve and share memories. Photos. Civil Beat.

Mourners paid their respects Thursday to the late U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, whose body lay in state Thursday at Hawaii's Capitol for a day before his memorial service. Pacific Business News.

There were tears, but mostly happy memories shared Thursday at a moving service honoring late Congressman Mark Takai. KHON2.

KITV's Brenton Awa was there for today's memorial service and he says folks from Hawaii to Washington were there to remember U.S. Rep. Mark Takai.

Candidates have started filing to run in the special election that will determine who serves the remaining two months left on the late Congressman Mark Takai’s term in office. Civil Beat.

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Gov. David Ige on Thursday extended his original 2015 emergency proclamation on homelessness for the sixth time to more quickly bring homeless projects online — and officials in California are taking notice, Hawaii’s homeless coordinator said. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige has issued a sixth emergency proclamation on homelessness, ensuring that the state remains in a crisis mode for a full year. Civil Beat.

In one of the more peculiar outbursts of the Hawaii political season, Republican congressional candidate Angela Aulani Kaaihue has issued a news release rejecting “this local dumb mentality” and offering to withdraw from her race if Gov. David Ige and “his Japanese constituents” will settle a lawsuit over land her family owns in Waimalu. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that it plans to stop contracting with for-profit prison companies, a decision that will affect some 20,000 federal inmates. But Yates’ directive won’t have any bearing on lucrative contracts that for-profit prison companies have with states, including Hawaii. Civil Beat.

The office of U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) is accepting applications for this year’s Schatz Seniors High School Internship Program. The Schatz Seniors program provides a hands-on learning opportunity about the U.S. Senate and encourages students to be advocates in their schools and communities. Garden Island.

Oahu

Amid rail officials’ seeming inability to stay ahead of skyrocketing costs and calls for greater accountability, the project’s top executive resigned Thursday after more than four years leading the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Star-Advertiser.

The board of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation and its executive director Dan Grabauskas agreed to part ways Thursday morning, as HART looks for a fresh start for the city’s behind-schedule, over-budget rail project. Civil Beat.

Dan Grabauskas, the embattled head of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, resigned from his position as executive director and CEO on Thursday morning. Pacific Business News.

The head of Honolulu’s Rail Transit Project resigned today. Hawaii Public Radio.

During Dan Grabauskas' tenure as CEO of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, the rail authority completed nine miles of the guideway, despite a year-long legal delay and massive cost overruns. Hawaii News Now.

Dan Grabauskas’ resignation as Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s executive director and CEO comes in the midst of a lot of turmoil for the rail project, and while a recovery plan is being prepared for the federal government. KHON2.

With rail leader Dan Grabauskas on his way out, many are wondering what's next for the largest infrastructure project in state history. Hawaii News Now.

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A group of Schofield Barracks soldiers who returned Thursday from what are increasingly rare deployments to the Middle East — at least for Hawaii — provided sustainment, distribution and personnel for logistics support to U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait. Star-Advertiser.

Some Oahu pharmacies are seeing a surge in hepatitis A vaccine requests after state officials this week reported the source of the ongoing outbreak, which has sickened 206 people with the virus. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii law school students are getting ready for one of world’s biggest environmental conferences next month, which will be held in the United States for the first time. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Elections Office found a staggering 771 completed absentee ballots in its mailbox Monday, prompting County Clerk Stewart Maeda to issue a reminder for people to mail their ballots earlier next time. West Hawaii Today.

The once-iconic Kona Village Resort is set to reopen by 2019, after an agreement made public Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

The state of Hawaii aims to finish building a new immigration facility at Kailua-Kona's airport one month before Hawaiian Airlines launches direct flights there from Tokyo. Hawaii News Now.

Riders praise new paratransit system, gripe about price. West Hawaii Today.

An “all-gender” bathroom movement at the University of Hawaii’s flagship campus has been “the norm” at UH-Hilo for years, campus administrators say. Tribune-Herald.

A deficiency notice issued to Ka‘u Learning Academy earlier this summer has been resolved, staff at the state’s Public Charter School Commission said last week. Tribune-Herald.

In light of increased rabbit sightings during the past few months, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee stepped up outreach efforts to let people know about the dangers of the animals creating an established population. Tribune-Herald.

A new slate of tools has been made available so members of the public, especially those sensitive to vog, can keep an eye on conditions around the island and learn ways to protect themselves. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A roundabout will be replacing the four-way-stop intersection at Kamehameha Avenue and Maui Lani Parkway, an area that can see more than 20 cars backing up at stop signs especially before and after school and during the afternoon rush hour. Maui News.

The Department of Parks & Recreation will be placing all overnight camping permits at Kanahā Park on an indefinite hold next month while the park undergoes a clean-up as part of its Master Planning Process. Maui Now.

An experimental Department of Water Supply program could make it easier for residents to add plumbing units without having to purchase expensive and sometimes larger-than-necessary water meters. Maui News.

Maui residents could see an increase of imported cases of Zika virus this fall after three more residents returned home sick from Zika-infested areas over the past three weeks, state Department of Health officials said Wednesday during a community meeting at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center in Wailuku. Maui News.

Kauai

Two Predator drones were tested on Kauai this summer as ballistic missile trackers as the U.S. Missile Defense Agency seeks to expand its launch detection capabilities without adding costly and sometimes diplomatically unacceptable land-based radars abroad. Star-Advertiser.

Kanani Fu, County of Kauai housing director, said the county averages about 620 applicants who qualify for vouchers every year for the past four years. Currently, there are 607 applicants who qualified for housing vouchers. Garden Island.

Treatment center gets going. Nearly 50 volunteers clean up the 'Fields of Dreams' Garden Island.