UH Board of Regents approves Mauna Kea rules, Gabbard qualifies for DNC debate, Honolulu lifeguard hours extended, Big Island to ban county herbicide use, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tourists view Mauna Kea telescopes ©2019 All Hawaii News

Controversial rules passed to protect Mauna Kea’s natural resources. The proposed Mauna Kea administrative rules were battered and bruised over eight hours of testimony Wednesday, but the University of Hawaii Board of Regents unanimously approved them anyway, with one substantial provision. Star-Advertiser.

UH Board of Regents Approve Mauna Kea Resolution and Rules. The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents approved the latest draft of rules yesterday governing activities on Mauna Kea. Hawaii Public Radio.

UH regents amend, approve draft administrative rules for Maunakea. After eight hours of impassioned opposition from community members, the University of Hawaii Board of Regents ultimately voted Wednesday to amend and approve a draft of administrative rules governing Maunakea. Tribune-Herald.

UH Regents approve stewardship resolution, rules on management for Mauna Kea. The guidelines aim to limit the amount of vehicles and commercial activity on the mountain. Hawaii News Now.

UH regents approve resolution on Mauna Kea stewardship, proposed administrative rules. The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents approved the latest draft of the administrative rules for University of Hawaiʻi-managed lands on Maunakea at a special meeting on November 6 on the UH Hilo campus. KHON2.

UH Board of Regents passes Mauna Kea administrative rules with one change. The UH Board of Regents has passed administrative rules related to Mauna Kea but has made one change: removing the section regarding group use registration. KITV.

UH Regents Approve Mauna Kea Admin Rules. The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents voted unanimously in favor of the rules with one amendment after a marathon meeting in Hilo. Big Island Video News.

Regents agenda and rules (page 627) can be found here.

Mayor on Maunakea impasse: ‘If we work on it, we can do it’. Mayor Harry Kim remains steadfast in his commitment to finding a way forward as the standoff over the Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea continues. West Hawaii Today.

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Tulsi Gabbard qualifies for November presidential debate, defying predictions. Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has qualified for the November presidential debate, defying predictions that her performance last month in Westerville, Ohio, would mark the last time she would be on the national debate stage. Star-Advertiser.

Gabbard Qualifies For November DNC Debates. She has yet to meet the criteria for December, however. Civil Beat.

Gabbard meets criteria to participate in next Democratic presidential debate. Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has met the qualifying criteria for the next Democratic presidential debate and is poised to join nine other candidates on stage later this month. Hawaii News Now.

Gabbard Says She Won't Mount 3rd-Party 2020 Presidential Bid. Longshot presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard says she will not launch a third-party bid for the White House if she fails to secure the Democratic nomination. Associated Press.

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Judge Considers Whether To Allow Hawaii To Subpoena Airbnb. A judge on Wednesday ruled Hawaii tax authorities may subpoena Airbnb for records of its hosts as part of an investigation into whether operators of vacation rentals have been paying their taxes. Associated Press.

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Singapore Is An Affordable Housing Model, But Can Hawaii Follow? Hawaii’s challenges include divided state and county governments and no overall coordination. Civil Beat.

Housing experts weigh in on affordable housing plan based on Singapore’s model. State Sen. Stanley Chang wants to take a page from Singapore's public housing playbook and apply it to Hawaii's affordable housing shortage. Hawaii News Now.

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DOT has a long-term fix for Hawaii’s roads. The Department of Transportation has a solution that could double the life of their roads. It’s called stone matrix asphalt, a stronger and more flexible aggregate that could last up to 25 years. KHON2.

Flying into the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Midway Atoll appears out of the vast blue Pacific as a tiny oasis of coral-fringed land with pristine white sand beaches that are teeming with life. But on the ground, there’s a different scene: plastic, pollution and death. Associated Press.

Political Feuding Over The Border Wall Is Stalling Military Housing Reform. Grim housing conditions on military bases in Hawaii and elsewhere remain as Congress continues to argue over diverting military dollars to pay for Trump’s proposed border wall. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Council OKs extending workday of lifeguards. Lifeguard service on Oahu beaches will be extended to sunrise-to-sunset from the current 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. hours under a measure adopted by the Honolulu City Council Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

City Council votes to extend lifeguard hours, but the change won’t go into effect immediately. On Wednesday, the Honolulu City Council voted to pass Bill 39. It begins the process of extending lifeguard hours from sunrise to sunset. Hawaii News Now.

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New Ala Moana Pedestrian Bridge Planned Near Fatal Crash Site. Kakaako developers hope the new bridge will also serve as a “linear park” for pedestrians, similar to New York City’s High Line park. Civil Beat.

State awarded $20M in federal funds for Ala Moana pedestrian bridge. Federal transportation officials have committed to $20 million in funding to help the state build a pedestrian bridge over Ala Moana Boulevard, according to U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz. Star-Advertiser.

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City Plastics Ban Bill Undergoing Changes But Businesses Want Statewide Approach. A bill banning single-use plastic items on Oahu has been moved back to a City Council committee for more discussion but that’s not stopping business owners from wanting a statewide approach to the issue.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Major project begins to tackle erosion hotspot on Oahu’s most famous shoreline. Crews have started working on a new fix for an erosion hotspot in Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Herbicide ban advances. A ban on the county’s use of weedkillers in parks and along its highways advanced Wednesday on an 8-1 vote, although some members of the County Council asked for more clarification before its final vote later this month. West Hawaii Today.

Food Basket to receive nearly $1M to help low-income families. The Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s food bank, will receive nearly $1 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help more low-income families throughout Hawaii access locally grown produce and healthy food, it was announced Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

Farmers market canopy to be constructed ‘soon’. While the actual building of a permanent canopy over Hilo Farmers Market’s produce area hasn’t yet started, a sign was posted saying construction will start soon. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

US Supreme Court Hears Maui Pollution Case As Mayor, Council Fight Continues. The high profile case is now in the hands of the justices, but if the Maui County Council gets its way a decision may never come. Civil Beat.

Justices Seem Uncertain About Reach Of Clean Water Act In Maui Case. The justices heard arguments Wednesday about whether a sewage treatment plant needs a federal permit when it sends treated wastewater deep underground, instead of discharging the sewage directly into the Pacific Ocean. Associated Press.

Supreme Court hears debate in Maui injection well case. Maui County Council members who tried to stop a case involving wastewater injection wells from being heard before the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday say they still hope Maui Mayor Michael Victorino will withdraw the case before justices can come out with a ruling sometime next year. Star-Advertiser.

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Water supply impacted by redirection of river. County says plant shutdown coincides with fish kill incident. Damage to diversions and redirecting of stream flow in the Wailuku River reduced water intake to the county treatment plant to the point that it had to shutdown three times since Oct. 28, the county water director said. Maui News.

Special Counsel Sought in County’s Climate Change Lawsuit. The County of Maui is seeking to hire special counsel in a lawsuit that alleges fossil fuel companies are responsible for the impacts of climate change and rising sea levels. Maui Now.

Kahului Airport terminal expansion project under way. DOT submits SMA application for 27,300 square foot, 400 seat growth. Maui News.

DLNR completes new Maui annex building. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources held a blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday to mark the completion of its new 8,000-square-foot Maui annex building, which will house four divisions. Maui News.

Two meetings on Pulelehua project set for Saturday. Community open house for the 304-acre Pulelehua community in West Maui will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today and 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Princess Nahienaena Elementary School Cafeteria. Maui News.

Kauai

Bringin’ back the ‘o‘opu. For three years, hydrologist and water resources engineer Matt Rosener has been heading up a stream-restoration project in the North Shore Waipa watershed. Garden Island.

Molokai

CEO of Molokai’s only health center not stepping down despite residents’ demands. Tempers flared on Molokai Wednesday night at a meeting about the island's only health center. The CEO of the Molokai Community Health Center is resisting demands for her to step down. Hawaii News Now.

Prison commission off to slow start, Oahu landfill expansion irks neighbors, record-setting $15M settlement in cop traffic fatality, UH regent chair wants university to take lead in Mauna Kea standoff, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kulani prison ©2019 All Hawaii News

New Prison Oversight Commission Is Off To A Slow Start. The Hawaii legislature created a prisons oversight commission this year to help fix the broken corrections system and head toward a therapeutic model, but not much has happened since the governor gave his stamp of approval in July. Civil Beat.

New Trump Administration Proposal Threatens SNAP Benefits For Thousands of Hawaii Residents. The Trump Administration wants to change the eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps. Hawaii Public Radio.

State won’t pursue bank on $150M loan commitment to Hawaiian Home Lands. Amid mounting political pressure to force Bank of America to make good on a 2-decade-old commitment to provide $150 million in home mortgage loans to beneficiaries of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Hawaii’s Office of the Attorney General says there appears to be no legal basis for the state to actually pursue the matter. Star-Advertiser.

Wanted: 2,000 Workers to Fill Health Care Jobs In Hawaii. The Healthcare Association of Hawaii’s first workforce assessment found vacancies at health care facilities for a wide variety of jobs from medical assistants to phlebotomists. Civil Beat.

Isles have second-longest wait time for transplants, national study finds. Hawaii had the second- longest wait time for organ transplants in 2018 with 22.5%, or 250, of patients waiting five years or longer, according to a new study by HealthTestingCenters.com, an online company based in Florida that markets lab testing directly to consumers. Star-Advertiser.

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Regents Chair Wants UH To Take Lead In Solving Mauna Kea Conflict. The chairman of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents says he'll call for the university president to lead the effort to resolve the conflict on Mauna Kea and planned construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope. Hawaii Public Radio.

University of Hawaii regents chairman speaks up for TMT resolution. Benjamin Kudo, chairman of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents, wants the university and its president to lead efforts to bring people together to resolve the impasse at Mauna Kea over the Thirty Meter Telescope. Star-Advertiser.

Torn By TMT Conflict, Chairman Of UH Regents Silent No Longer. The UH Regents chairman calls for a stop to "the attacks, mischaracterizations, [and] mistruths" and make the resolution of the ongoing conflict a top priority. Big Island Video News.

Classes take toll on Maunakea camp numbers during week. The demonstrators occupying Maunakea Access Road have thinned to a skeleton crew after the start of the school year, but students and teachers still find time to return to the mountain. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

12 Queen’s doctors fired in a shift to new contractor. A dozen local doctors at The Queen’s Medical Center are out of jobs today after the hospital hired a mainland firm that has come under fire for its controversial billing practices. Star-Advertiser.

A dozen doctors have lost their positions after a Honolulu hospital switched to a new employment contractor, officials said. Associated Press.

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False police report at center of new retaliation allegations against prosecutor’s office. A new claim of retaliation by the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has surfaced. The latest comes from an employee who says the administration made a false police report to get back at her. Hawaii News Now.

Plans for the expansion of a construction debris landfill riles some Nanakuli residents. A vigorous construction industry on Oahu has accelerated plans to expand a special landfill in Nanakuli where some residents regard the facility as a scourge in their community. Star-Advertiser.

Helicopter flights over USS Arizona Memorial criticized as being ‘disrespectful’. The USS Arizona Memorial attracted another big crowd on Labor Day. But in the air, traffic was also heavy. Hawaii News Now.

Bill To Expand City Lifeguard Coverage Headed For Public Hearing. A proposal to expand lifeguard hours at Oahu beaches remains alive despite concerns that arose at a City Council committee meeting Thursday. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii County to pay $15.1M to settle police-involved crash. Hawaii County has agreed to pay a $15.1 million settlement to the family of a Michigan man hit and killed by a police patrol car, officials said. Associated Press.

Internet speeds up: Kona outpaces Hilo, but averages still lag most of the state. West Hawaii Today.

Council committee to learn about International Energy Conservation Code. A humorous homespun video about a serious topic is slated to be aired Tuesday at a County Council committee meeting as the legislative body takes its first stab toward making local modifications to the International Energy Conservation Code. West Hawaii Today.

DLNR looking at new boat ramp site within Pohoiki Bay. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Puna fishing community are continuing to discuss possible solutions to the landlocked Pohoiki boat ramp. Tribune-Herald.

New CEO takes reins at Hawaii Island Humane Society. Charles Brown, a 49-year-old Pittsburgh native, has worked in animal shelters for more than two decades, “starting as a kennel cleaner and working my way up.” Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Running Out Of Time To Settle Clean Water Act Case. Next week the council will weigh whether it should stop a legal appeal from reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. Civil Beat.

Water panel OKs permit to remove some EMI diversions. Move is latest step in ongoing work to restore stream flowThe state water commission has given East Maui Irrigation Co. the go-ahead to to take down the next series of stream diversions that it once used to transport water to the central valley to feed sugar cane crops. Maui News.

Mahi Pono LLC hopes former sugar plantation land will yield signature crops. Mahi Pono LLC, the partnership that bought 41,000 acres of mostly fallow Central Maui farmland last year after Alexander & Baldwin Inc. quit growing sugar cane there in 2016 after 146 years, is focusing on ordinary white, yellow and red potato varieties as part of its first new piece of an ambitious diversified agriculture development plan. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Kauai rocket launches help protect equipment. Two launches last week from Barking Sands, Kauai, will help rocket scientists ensure that critical onboard components don’t fail under the force of liftoff, Sandia National Laboratories announced. Star-Advertiser.

New Kapaa medical clinic blessed. The Kapaa clinic has been operating since July 30 after relocating from its former location in the Kapaa Shopping Center, but the public opening ceremonies and open house were already scheduled. Garden Island.

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Volunteers round up 300 invasive tilapia on Na Pali Coast. Fishermen from across Kauai teamed up with state employees over the Labor Day weekend to round up and remove hundreds of black-chin tilapia from Nualolo Bay on the Na Pali Coast. Star-Advertiser.

DLNR, fishermen tackle the black-chin tilapia invasion on Kauai’s North Shore. Fishermen partnered with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources this Labor Day weekend in an effort to catch invasive black-chin tilapia on Kaua’i’s North Shore. Hawaii News Now.

DLNR teams up with Kauai fishermen to tackle tilapia invasion. According to the department's Division of Aquatic Resources, thousands of Black Chin Tilapia are filling Nualolo Bay. KITV.

Chinese tourism drops, Kauai missile range preps for action, college credit for protesting, Thirty Meter Telescope readies Mauna Kea alternative, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tourists visit rocky Hawaii beach ©2019 All Hawaii News

Chinese Tourism To Hawaii Is On The Decline, Is The Trade War To Blame? Recently released data from the Hawaii Tourism Authority shows that Chinese visitor arrivals dropped 25 percent in the first half of 2019. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Aloha State holds the lowest rate of gun violence in the nation. Hawaii also has some of the strictest gun laws. KITV.

Civil Rights Groups Call Out Hawaii DOE. Two local civil rights organizations have called upon the Hawaii Department of Education to reform its suspension policies after alleging a suspension pattern unfavorable toward students with disabilities. Big Island Now.

Teacher shortage: About 600 classrooms staffed by long-term substitutes. DOE is working with the University of Hawaii to retain local graduated and teachers. KITV.

Wet and humid conditions expected as Flossie passes north of the state. Wet and humid conditions are anticipated across the state through midweek due to a combination of light winds and deep tropical moisture pooling northward from Post-Tropical Cyclone Flossie. KHON2.

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UH Will Allow Students To Earn Credit While Protesting TMT. Professors are still working out the details, such as whether students will be allowed to Skype into class discussions. Civil Beat.

List of UH professors offering courses at TMT protest camp on Mauna Kea grows. The list of University of Hawaii professors offering classes at a TMT protest camp on Mauna Kea started last week ― and is rapidly growing. Hawaii News Now.

TMT not giving up on Hawaii. Thirty Meter Telescope officials insisted Monday that news of their Canary Islands building permit application does not mean they’re giving up on Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Giant Telescope Consortium To Seek Spain Building Permit. The director of a Spanish research center says an international consortium that planned to build a giant telescope on Hawaii's tallest peak has decided to seek a permit for an alternative site in the Canary Islands. Associated Press.

TMT moves forward with building permit request for ‘plan B’ site. The group behind the Thirty Meter Telescope plans to apply for a permit to build on the Canary Islands, its second choice for the project after Maunakea. Tribune-Herald.

Environmentalists in Canary Islands: We’ll seek legal action to stop TMT from coming here. Ben Magec - Ecologistas en Acción, an environmentalist group based in the Canary Islands, says it plans to seek legal action to stop the $1.4 billion telescope from being built on the island La Palma. Hawaii News Now.

Mauna Kea Day 22 – Canary Islands TMT Option Stirs Debate. Big Island Video News.

2 state senators urge TMT to abandon Mauna Kea. State Sens. Kai Kahele and Kurt Fevella each made formal offerings to show their respect for the kupuna, or senior protesters, on Mauna Kea Monday, and both said the Thirty Meter Telescope should give up on the effort to build on the mountain. Star-Advertiser.

Exploring the Native Hawaiian Belief in the Sacredness of Mauna Kea. Many native Hawaiians who oppose the construction of the planned Thirty-Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea say the mountain is sacred. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

City not issuing vacation rental violations. The city Department of Planning and Permitting has not issued any violation notices tied to the new vacation rental ordinance due to a pending lawsuit, a city official said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Kealoha corruption case exposes lack of available court-appointed attorneys. Katherine Kealoha has had a long list of attorneys since the FBI started investigating the former Honolulu deputy prosecutor. Hawaii News Now.

Who Is Earle Partington And What’s He Doing In The Kealoha Case? The longtime Honolulu attorney reveals his colorful — some say questionable — legal style and substance in an interview. Civil Beat.

Prices for Oahu homes, condos hit new records in July.  The single-family home price, an increase of 6% from July 2018, eclipsed the previous record of $813,000 set in September, according to the report by Locations. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Pond of water is found in Kilauea crater for first time. For the first time in recorded history, a pond of water has been discovered inside the summit crater of Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano, a development that could signal a shift to a more explosive phase of future eruptions. Associated Press.

The Office of Environmental Quality Control has received a draft analysis for the county’s planned emergency shelter and an affordable rental project in Kailua-Kona. The assessment covers both Kukuiola, the homeless emergency shelter formerly called Village 9, as well as an affordable rental community. West Hawaii Today.

500 new computers coming: Council to vote Wednesday on PC purchase plan. West Hawaii Today.

Draft general plan review to come out Friday. The county’s Planning Department said it will release a draft of the general plan, which is used to guide land use and development on the island, this Friday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Is Taking This Clean Water Legal Fight All The Way — Some Say Too Far. The Maui wastewater case has far-reaching ramifications for the nation’s rivers, lakes and oceans. And it’s headed to a Trump-packed Supreme Court. Civil Beat.

Second Circuit Court Expands Self-Help Center Hours.  The center located at Hoapili Hale in Wailuku will be open Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai might host missile tests. The Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai could play a key role in the testing of multiple versions of the missiles — possibly as early as November — as well as with hypersonic missiles also being developed, defense experts said. Star-Advertiser.

Navy Commander visits Kauai. Rear Adm. Robert Chadwick, commander, Navy Region Hawaii, visited the sailors at Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands, Kauai, for the first time, July 26. Garden Island.

Meeting to review definition of ‘guest house’. The County Council Planning Committee on Wednesday will review a draft bill updating the definition of a guest house to include a kitchen. Garden Island.

Kauai condo prices jump 33% in July. The median price of a condo on Kauai in July was $630,000, which was 32.63% higher than the median price a year ago, which was $475,000. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Navy busy in South China Sea, vets irked over CBS tour of secret NSA facility, low-income housing turned over to private partnership, Maui council mulls Clean Water Act settlement, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

USS Preble at Pearl Harbor PC: U.S. Navy

Hawaii Navy ships step up operations in South China Sea. The Pearl Harbor destroyer USS Preble on Monday conducted its third “freedom of navigation” operation in the South China Sea since February in what so far has been four such Navy challenges to China’s claims this year. Star-Advertiser.

Bills On Ige’s Desk Could Be ‘Game-Changer’ For Criminal Justice Reform. Laws that cleared the Legislature would open up jails and courts to more scrutiny and give people a better chance at a get-out-of-jail-free card. Civil Beat.

Energy efficiency bill awaits Gov. David Ige’s signature. Hawaii legislators have passed a bill establishing energy efficiency standards for state appliances sold in the state. Star-Advertiser.

A partnership now owns about 1,000 mostly low-income apartments. About 1,000 mainly low-income Hawaii households have a new private landlord after a more than two-year effort by the state to shed a portfolio of affordable rental housing. Star-Advertiser.

Some Hawaii Public Housing Tenants Could Be Evicted Under Trump Proposal. The proposed rule would require HUD to check the immigration status of anyone under 62 who receives public assistance including housing. Civil Beat.

Hawaii ranked high in missing persons cases. Hawaii has the eighth highest rate of missing persons per capita in the nation. There are 8 cases for every 100,000 people who live here. KITV.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz hires new chief of staff. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has hired Eric Einhorn to serve as his new chief of staff in his Washington D.C. office, replacing Andy Winer. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Jury pool for the Kealoha trial narrowed down to fewer than 50 people. The final cut to 12 jurors and 4 alternates will happen Wednesday when attorneys exercise their right to eliminate jurors they are concerned about. Hawaii News Now.

Kunia veterans feel ignored, shocked after CBS News gets a tour of top secret NSA facility. CBS News got a rare view of NSA Hawaii in Wahiawa, which opened in 2012. It keeps an eye over America’s adversaries like China. Hawaii News Now.

Owners in one of Hawaii’s most exclusive condos sue over construction defects. There are at least 120 different construction defects at one of Hawaii’s most exclusive condominium towers, according to a lawsuit filed by property owners at the tower -- and a shortage in skilled building laborers may be at least partially to blame. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Assessors with a national accreditation organization gave the Hawaii Police Department a positive report with some suggestions during a mock assessment in April. West Hawaii Today.

Apparently, it’s not how the county spends the money, it’s how it raises the money. A public hearing on the 2019-20 budget drew little interest Monday, but 70% more property owners are appealing their assessments than last year. West Hawaii Today.

Waimea Nui Regional Government Proposal Sparks Discussion. On Monday, a Hawaiian Homes Commissioner went back and forth with a testifier who said she opposed the planned Waimea Nui Homestead Regional Government charter. Big Island Video News.

Time could be running out for the University of the Nations Kona to develop 62 acres once envisioned for affordable housing, a cultural center and an educational facility off Kuakini Highway. West Hawaii Today.

Coral submerged in the typically crowded Kahaluu Bay is amid a reprieve from human traffic, which began Monday morning and continues through today. The purpose of the county-imposed closure is to allow for a coral spawning event scientists predicted was most likely to occur on those two days. West Hawaii Today.

Kilauea could take a decade-plus break, expert says. While Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists are predicting Kilauea’s caldera could erupt “within a few years,” at least one independent expert suggests the volcano might not come to life for perhaps a decade if Hawaii’s undersea volcano, Loihi, is a guide. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Maui Lawmakers Consider Settlement in Clean Water Act Lawsuit. Members of the Maui County Council on Monday considered a settlement offer in the case of a county wastewater facility. The case is currently scheduled to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. Hawaii Public Radio.

Iwi kupuna laws scrutinized by Native Hawaiians. Native Hawaiians gathered for two days on Maui to commemorate the 30th anniversary marking the discovery of 1,200 sets of remains at Honokahua Bay. Hawaii News Now.

County jobless rate at 2.8% in month of April. Hawaii was one of 12 states with unemployment below 3 percent. Maui News.

Twenty attorneys who provided free legal information and 10 court navigators who helped direct courthouse visitors were recognized for their volunteer service that assisted hundreds of people last year. Maui News.

Kauai

EMS stronger together. The mayor was joined by Kauai Council Chair Arryl Kaneshiro with a similar proclamation as Kauai joined the nation in observing National EMS Week that started Sunday and runs through Friday. Garden Island.

Kauai vehicle sales hold steady. There are signs that the market is running out of steam, according to the outlook sponsored by the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association. Garden Island.

U.S. Supreme Court to hear Hawaii Clean Water Act cesspool case, Trump seeks to pull California rail funding over wall lawsuit -- could that happen to Honolulu? Plus, legislators want more Capitol security, county preps for foam food container ban, more top news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii's green Big Island ©2019 All Hawaii News

The U.S. Supreme Court will consider limiting the reach of the Clean Water Act, agreeing to hear a case from Hawaii centering on treated wastewater that ends up in the Pacific Ocean. Bloomberg.

Supreme Court to decide if Clean Water Act limits Hawaii’s underground waste water dumping. The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear an important case on the Clean Water Act and decide whether environmentalists can sue to block Hawaii’s disposal of waste water that flows underground into the Pacific Ocean. Los Angeles Times.

The Supreme Court is set to take up a critical debate over the scope of federal water protections. The justices today agreed to hear what amounts to the biggest environmental case of this year: a dispute over which types of pollution discharges trigger the Clean Water Act. E&E News.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case centered on how Maui County treats its wastewater. KHON2.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to consider limiting the scope of a landmark law aimed at curbing water pollution in a dispute pitting an environmental group against local authorities in Hawaii over a wastewater treatment plant. CNBC.

U.S. Supreme Court County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund docket.

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Could this happen to Hawaii? Trump wants California to pay back billions for bullet train. The Trump administration said Tuesday that it plans to cancel $929 million awarded to California’s high-speed rail project and wants the state to return an additional $2.5 billion that it has already spent. Associated Press.

Border wall declaration could divert $300M appropriated for Hawaii programs. State Attorney General Clare Connors says Hawaii “has a lot to lose” if the president diverts federal funding for his border wall as part of a national emergency declaration. Hawaii News Now.

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Lawmakers want State Capitol to be safer after deadly shooting. Lawmakers are in shock that a shooting involving a Sheriff's deputy took place at the state capitol. KHON2.

The fatal shooting by a sheriff’s deputy Monday night of a 28-year-old man at the state Capitol was the second in the area in the last four months. Star-Advertiser.

Man Dies After 'Extreme Struggle' With Deputy Sheriff Outside Hawaii Capitol. The man was shot in the torso after he attacked the officer, said state Public Safety Director Nolan Espinda. Civil Beat.

A man who was killed in an officer-involved shooting at the state Capitol on Monday night was “physically combative" with a sheriff’s deputy despite numerous warnings, state Public Safety officials said. Hawaii News Now.

The state Department of Public Safety says the deputy sheriff was conducting routine patrols at the Capitol in downtown Honolulu Monday night when he encountered a man with a bottle of alcohol. Hawaii Public Radio.

Public Safety Director addresses shooting at State Capitol. The director of the Department of Public Safety, Nolan Espinda, held a news conference to address the shooting at the State Capitol. KHON2.

Public Safety Department seeking body cams and tasers for sheriffs after a deadly shooting at the State Capitol. KITV.

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The state agency that oversees Hawaii’s jails and prisons would be required to submit a report to the governor within 48 hours of the death of an inmate or employee of a correctional facility under bills being considered by the Legislature this year. Star-Advertiser.

Sex-trafficking bills opposed by new prostitution lobby. A newly formed prostitution lobby in Hawaii is pushing back against bills in the Legislature that seek to combat sex trafficking in Hawaii, arguing that the executive director of the state agency that is seeking the measures wields a “radical feminist agenda” that doesn’t take into account the views of local sex workers. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii aquaculture industry struggles to compete with foreign fish imports. Hawaii shrimp and fish farmers said the most significant barrier to new enterprises are choking state and federal regulations--a bureaucratic structure that largely doesn’t apply to foreign imports. Hawaii News Now.

Alala poised to breed this year in the wild. Since late 2017, 21 alala, or Hawaiian crows, have been released into the wild under monitoring by the Alala Project, a joint effort between the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and San Diego Zoo Global to revitalize the critically endangered species. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

Police Union Goes To Court To Overturn Labor Board Ruling On Officer Transfers. The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers challenged the right of Police Chief Susan Ballard to reassign officers. Civil Beat.

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Traffic nightmare on Pali Highway could last the rest of the week. Traffic was snarled Tuesday on Oahu’s Windward side in the wake of Monday’s multiple landslides that closed Pali Highway in both directions. Star-Advertiser.

Old Pali Road remains unstable, shifted 18-inches since landslide. Hawaii News Now.

Landslide Closes Pali Highway And Seriously Injures Woman. The road was completely closed Tuesday and portions will remain shut down all week while the area is surveyed. Associated Press.

The Honolulu-bound lanes of the Pali Highway are expected to remain closed through next Monday following landslides yesterday that shut down the road. Hawaii Public Radio.

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Judge turns down request to disqualify prosecutors. A state judge refused Tuesday to disqualify the Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney from presenting a criminal case due to a pending petition to suspend prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu’s cost of living is challenging for a lot of residents, but it’s especially tough for young adults who are just getting started and trying to build careers. Adults aged 25 to 34 are facing higher college tuition, higher rents and bigger housing prices than previous generations. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii Island’s ban on polystyrene — also known as Styrofoam — food containers goes into effect in less than five months, and an educational program for businesses and the public is about to begin. West Hawaii Today.

Council Advances Hilo Water Bottling Zoning Request. A controversial proposal to draw water from an artesian water source within the Mauna Kea aquifer sector and sell it as bottled water went before a Hawaii County Council committee on Tuesday. Big Island Video News.

Bank of Hawaii plans to build a new branch in Hilo. The proposed location is at 1339 Kinoole St., at the northeast corner of the intersection with Lanikaula Street. Tribune-Herald.

A bill funding a study for a new boat ramp in Puna cleared the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Crews Respond to Entangled Humpback off Maui. A team of trained responders is attempting to locate and assist a humpback whale that was first reported entangled off the coast of Maui over the weekend. Maui Now.

Plans move ahead for new hotel on old Maui Palms site. Construction could start by the end of the year if permits granted. Maui News.

The public is invited to offer ideas and comments for the Baldwin Beach Park Master Plan during an open house held by the Department of Parks and Recreation on Wednesday, March 6, at the Kaunoa Senior Center. KHON2.

Scent of Extinct Maui Mountain Hibiscus Revived by Science. The Hau Kuahiwi was found in the ancient lava fields of Auwahi in Kahikinui on the southern slopes of Haleakala in 1910 by horticulturist Gerrit Wilder. Maui Now.

Kauai

Pacific Seabird Group to host annual meeting on Kauai. Kauai is hosting a meeting of the minds this month, a gathering of researchers and experts who will be swapping stories, discussing discoveries and talking technique at the 46th annual meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group. Garden Island.