Taxes on rich pull Hawaii economy up, state sues Big Pharma, nursing homes investigated, missile testing ramps up on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

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Economists: Higher Revenue Estimates Do Not Signal Economic Growth In Hawaii. Experts attribute unexpected 4.7% revenue boost to increased income tax rate for higher-income earners. Civil Beat.

WalletHub: Hawaii Has 4th Worst State Economy. Washington state leads the nation while Alaska is dead last, says a new report. Civil Beat.

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Hawaii joins 40-plus states suing OxyContin maker over opioid epidemic. Hawaii filed suit today against Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, for its role in fueling the opioid epidemic. Star-Advertiser.

Opioid Makers, Distributors Sued By Hawaii AG. The legal action comes as a “necessary part” of the state’s response to a rise in opioid overdoses. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Among Latest States Suing Opioid Maker Purdue Pharma. Associated Press.

Hawaii Attorney General files suit against opioid manufacturers. State Attorney General Clare Connors joined other states in filing suit against numerous opioid manufacturing companies. Hawaii News Now.

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Hawaii's worst performing nursing homes revealed. A half dozen Hawaii care centers have made the list of worst performing nursing homes in the state. KITV.

Hawaii Nursing Homes On List of Troubled Operations Released By Senators. The federal government for years has kept under wraps the names of hundreds of nursing homes around the country found by inspectors to have serious ongoing health, safety or sanitary problems. Associated Press.

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Years-long investigation into allegations of corruption at Boating Division drags on. New emails shed light on a years-long investigation into allegations of corruption and retaliation at the state’s Boating Division. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii sees record number of public schools serving free summer meals. Seventy-one schools across the state are serving meals through its summer food service program called Seamless Summer Option. Star-Advertiser.

Pancreatic cancer risks are greater for Hawaiians, Japanese Americans. Native Hawaiians and Japanese Americans face greater risks of pancreatic cancer, according to a recent study by the University of Southern California, the University of Hawaii and others. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Prosecution’s line of questioning leaves judge in Kealoha corruption trial peeved. There were fireworks from the bench Monday in the public corruption trial against the Kealohas as a line of questioning from the prosecution upset the judge. Hawaii News Now.

KEALOHA TRIAL: Prosecutors plan to show video testimony of Katherine Kealoha's grandma Tuesday. Prosecutors plan to show the video testimony of Florence Puana, the mother of Gerard Puana during Tuesday's proceedings. KHON2.

Kealoha Trial: ‘I Thought It Was Uncle Gerry Right Off The Bat’. Prosecutors try to use police officers’ prior grand jury testimony against them in the criminal trial over an alleged frame job. Civil Beat.

Katherine Kealoha tied to fictional notary. Federal prosecutors Monday linked Katherine Kealoha to an imaginary notary public who wrote a letter of support to state officials for Kealoha to successfully become director of the state Office of Environmental Quality in 2008. Star-Advertiser.

HPD Eyes Unconventional Recruits To Fill Officer Shortage. The Honolulu Police Department is currently short 260 officers, or about 10 percent of its total force. Hawaii Public Radio.

City offers appointments 6 months out for driver’s license renewals. You can now make an appointment to renew your driver’s license on Oahu up to six months in advance. Hawaii News Now.

A homeless camp tucked away in Kalihi is cleared. Squatters who built a village in the middle of a Kalihi Valley neighborhood are now gone, but signs of their presence remain. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Beer money. A proposed settlement agreement in the lawsuit against the owner of Kona Brewing Co. could mean partial refunds for anybody who’s purchased packs of its bottled or canned beers in the last few years. West Hawaii Today.

‘Styrofoam’ ban advances. Polystyrene foam food containers will remain banned under a bill advanced Monday by a County Council panel, but locally nonrecyclable alternatives will be allowed when the law goes into effect July 1. West Hawaii Today.

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Proposed rules for Mauna Kea management isn’t sitting well with some. Dozens of people filled the Manoa Elementary School cafeteria to share their thoughts on the University of Hawaii’s proposed rules for Mauna Kea. Hawaii News Now.

TMT opponents upset over rules UH is proposing for Mauna Kea. Opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope were outraged that rules the University of Hawaii is proposing for Mauna Kea governing public and commercial activity would exempt the university and hurt Native Hawaiians. Star-Advertiser.

Emotional testimony at a public hearing on proposed new rules atop Mauna Kea. KITV.

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USGS plans volcano mapping flyovers. A low-flying helicopter will be documenting changes to Puna’s landscape from last year’s eruption of Kilauea volcano. Tribune-Herald.

Kilauea Volcano Lidar Survey Set For June 13 through June 30. Big Island Video News.

Testifier Alleging Police Brutality Storms Out Of Council Meeting. Monday’s council committee meeting was called into recess when things took an emotional turn during a discussion on a proposed whistle blower program. Big Island Video News.

Maui

County moves to relocate bus hub. Lease for island’s busiest transit hub at mall expires in January. Maui News.

The County of Maui, Department of Public Works will lead a Shoreline Cleanup Event in celebration of World Ocean’s Day from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, 2019 at Pa'ia Bay. Maui Now.

Visitors to Maui in April logged more days on-island as compared to a year ago, but they were spending less money per day and overall, according to data released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Plays A Growing Role Testing Technology For Tomorrow’s Nuclear Weapons. With little fanfare, experimental missiles are being launched at the Kauai Test Facility to test technologies being considered for future weapons programs. Civil Beat.

Change would allow for property liens. The Planning Committee is scheduled to meet at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Historic County Building, followed by a meeting of the Committee of the Whole. Garden Island.