Lassner to retire as UH president, new COVID vaccine not yet available to many, Maui mayor creates Lahaina Advisory Team, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

UH President David Lassner Will Retire Next Year. He has run the University of Hawaii since 2013, an institution he first began working at in 1977. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.  KITV4.

Maui Activists Urge Return Of DLNR Water Official To Former Job. A meeting of Hawaii’s Commission on Water Resource Management was dominated Tuesday by calls to reinstate a senior water official who was reassigned amid criticism over decisions made during the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.  KHON2.

Insurance lag results in wait for COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccines became available following a steady upward trend in U.S. COVID-19 hospitalizations since summer. Star-Advertiser.

Dems To NOAA: Hold Wespac Accountable For Misspending Nearly $1 Million. Members of Congress sent a letter seeking accountability for the fishery council's "transgressions." Civil Beat.

Oahu

Navy ‘recklessly destroyed’ Red Hill evidence, lawyers allege. Attorneys representing families sickened by the 2021 Red Hill water crisis introduced a motion in Honolulu’s U.S. District Court on Tuesday that alleges that Navy officials “recklessly destroyed” text and phone rec­ords between two key officials. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Affordable rental project and 2 preschools break ground. Oo sticks, wielded by Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, Mayor Rick Blangiardi and an assortment of bankers, developers and other local officials, broke ground Tuesday on a $199 million affordable rental project offering two on-site preschools in Kapolei. Star-Advertiser.

With school in session, Skyline sees a positive bump in ridership. Officials are seeing about a 14% increase in demand that they say is fueled partly by students. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

County looks to the future: General Plan 2045 envisions next 25 years, seeks to balance growth with sustainability.  Public comments on the plan, a 25-year blueprint for the long-term growth and sustainable development of Hawaii Island, are being accepted until Nov. 20 through Konveio, an interactive online platform. Tribune-Herald.

Two Big Island nonprofits will receive a share of more than $42 million in grants awarded by the US Department of Agriculture through the Inflation Reduction Act to nine organizations for planting and maintaining trees, combat extreme heat, and improve access to green space in communities throughout the state. West Hawaii Today.

Small amounts of chemical TCP found in Mt. View water source. Trace amounts of a potentially carcinogenic chemical have been detected in a Mountain View water source, according to the state Department of Health. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui mayor announces: Lahaina Advisory Team, community meetings, creation of Office of Recovery.  Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen has formed a 5-member Lahaina Advisory Team comprised of Lahaina residents that will meet with him weekly to ensure the County makes decisions based on the needs and desires of the community.  Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

Council begins talks on recovery plan after fires. Committee seeks public input, will hold another meeting in West Maui Sept. 27.  It was the first time the committee took up the resolution that aims to develop a comprehensive recovery and resiliency plan in response to Maui’s wildfires in Lahaina and Kula on Aug. 8. Maui News.

Amid calls for accountability, Maui’s mayor steers clear of spotlight and avoids news conferences. A month and a half after a wall of flames tore through Lahaina town, killing at least 97 people and erasing the town, scores of key questions linger. Despite that, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen hasn’t publicly answered questions at a news briefing since Aug. 29. Hawaii News Now.

Criticism building against Lahaina's Oct. 8 reopening to tourists. Thousands of Maui residents are expressing their opposition to Gov. Josh Green's decision to reopen Lahaina to tourists on Oct. 8.  KITV4.

‘The Wildfire Litigation Industry’ Takes On Hawaiian Electric. The outcome of numerous lawsuits will affect victims, shareholders and, potentially, 470,000 customers statewide. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

 Harrowing Eyewitness Accounts Cast Doubt On Official Lahaina Fire Narrative. Those who fled the fire by car tell of being blocked or funneled into narrow gridlocked streets. The county has not said when it will release a detailed report on what happened. Civil Beat.

Firefighters contained early fire, left for short break and returned to find flames anew.  Five firefighters who fought the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire left the scene that day after nearly eight hours containing the blaze so Maui Electric Co. workers could repair downed utility poles and power lines, one of the firefighters and a Maui County attorney said.  Civil Beat.

They face ‘unimaginable challenges’ but a new reason for hope: A full ride at UH for a year. UH will offer full scholarships to every Lahainaluna High senior for one academic year. UH President David Lassner made the announcement in a class assembly at the school’s temporary location at Kulanihakoi High School in Kihei. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Kauai

Kaua‘i household hazardous waste collection set for Sept. 23 and 24. Among the items that will be accepted are automotive products, lead-acid batteries, lawn and garden products, oil-based paints, thinners and stains, fluorescent lights, batteries and more. Kauai Now.

University of Hawaii enrollment drops, bankruptcy filings rise, Honolulu Fire Department fined in Marco Polo fire, 91-year-old heiress Kawananakoa marries partner, gambling devises seized in Maui raid, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii at Hilo © 2017 All Hawaii News

Enrollment at most University of Hawaii campuses dropped this year, as some community colleges appear to be losing students to the workforce in a tight labor market. Star-Advertiser.

Enrollment at the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Hawaii Community College is down again this fall, though HCC’s Palamanui extension campus in Kailua-Kona saw a slight increase. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii bankruptcy filings increased in September for the second time in three months as evidence continued to mount that growth in the economy is slowing. Star-Advertiser.

Special Interests Spend Big On Their Lobbyists. Ethics Commission reports provide some details about what Hawaii’s professional persuaders spend, and what they earn. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s Surprising Number Of Lobbyists. It doesn’t take a whole lot to satisfy the state’s legal definition of a lobbyist. Civil Beat.

The State Of Coral In The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. A scientific expedition that just wrapped up collected information expected to help understand how reefs are faring in the face of climate change. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The Honolulu Fire Department said Monday it is working with the state to ensure workplace safety after it was cited for not following proper safety procedures and exposing firefighters to asbestos in the deadly blaze at the Marco Polo condominium. Star-Advertiser.

The state has cited and fined the Honolulu Fire Department thousands of dollars in connection with the deadly Marco Polo fire. KHON2.

A toxic mix of severe overcrowding and frequent lockdowns was apparently at the heart of a melee involving as many as 18 inmates at the Oahu Community Correctional Center over the weekend. Civil Beat.

North Shore Food Trucks Are Under Fire From Environmentalists. A petition seeks to force the city to enforce land use and coastal zone management laws designed to protect marine areas from overuse. Civil Beat.

The Princess Bride: Hawaiian Heiress Gets Married Amid Legal Dispute. Abigail Kawananakoa, 91, weds Veronica Gail Worth, who is at the center of a battle over control of millions of dollars. Civil Beat.

Campbell Estate heiress Abigail Kawananakoa, 91, married her longtime partner and private secretary, 64-year-old Veronica Gail Worth, in a private ceremony in Manoa Sunday. Star-Advertiser.

A police officer who accidentally shot a bartender at a King Street Kings Sport Bar two years ago has settled a lawsuit by the victim. Hawaii News Now.

Displeased with a change in hours at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Sinclair Library, a student group protested the new hours early Monday morning. Hawaii News Now.

Two separate reports on apartment rents have stated the obvious – that Honolulu has some of the highest rents in the nation for one- and two-bedroom apartments – but Apartment List and Zumper differ on where Hawaii’s largest largest city ranks. Pacific Business News.

The highest price paid for a residential condominium in Hawaii has now topped $20 million. A buyer on Friday closed on a purchase at Park Lane Ala Moana for a record $22 million. Star-Advertiser.

An attorney representing Brigham Young University-Hawaii tells a federal judge the school will pay $5,000 to settle a former student’s lawsuit alleging her campus job supervisor sexually assaulted and harassed her. Associated Press.

Outrigger Enterprises Group has appointed Michael Shaff as vice president of hotel operations in Waikiki and Guam. Pacific Business News.

American Savings Bank is closing its Ala Moana Center location next week, and it will consolidate the branch with its Kapiolani branch. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Well permit fees to increase tenfold.  Permit fees for drilling water wells and installing and repairing pumps will surge under new rules being considered by the state Commission on Water Resource Management. West Hawaii Today.

Keaau business owners are scrambling as the Keaau Village Market prepares to move to a new a location, with the current location to be demolished. Tribune-Herald.

The Big Island Invasive Species Committee states that rapid ohia death has been detected in North Kohala. Associated Press.

Maui

Dozens of illegal gambling machines were seized by police in a raid on Maui Monday. Hawaii News Now.

Maui police executed a search warrant, seized 25 gaming machines and arrested two people Monday morning at the Temple of the Pharaohs, whose owner has said that his Maalaea establishment is a legal skill-based video arcade that pays off in cash. Maui News.

UPDATE: Two Arrested as Result of MPD Arcade Raid. Maui Now.

Kauai

The number of residents concerned about Kauai’s General Plan has prompted the county to relocate the discussion to a larger facility. Garden Island.

Locally grown foods are popping up in school cafeterias across the state as farm-to-school programs start taking hold, and this month there’s a chance to help at Kauai’s school gardens. Garden Island.

HNL ranks high for airports, Oahu jail could cost $650M, University of Hawaii wants extra $29M, Maui committee gives nod to accessory dwelling units, Kaui General Plan unveiling, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu International Airport © 2016 All Hawaii News

Honolulu Airport is ranked the fifth-best U.S. airport, according to a new study by ThePointsGuy.com. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's very own Honolulu International Airport lands a top 5 spot as one of the best airports in the nation. KITV.

The University of Hawaii plans to ask the Legislature for an extra $29 million for operations next academic year, including additional funds for the UH Cancer Center, initiatives around boosting graduation rates and research activities, and salary increases for graduate assistants. Star-Advertiser.

Clinton And Trump Supporters Make Some Noise In Hawaii. The state campaigns intensify their get-out-the-vote efforts as the polls tighten and Election Day approaches. Civil Beat.

A lack of inspectors. A whole sector unregulated. A long wait to license more facilities. Those are just some of the problems plaguing long-term care in Hawaii’s long-term care industry, and it could be putting Hawaii’s kupuna at risk. KHON2.

If you’ve purchased a property anywhere in Hawaii that’s been through a non-judicial foreclosure, you may have acquired considerably less than you bargained for — or potentially nothing at all. West Hawaii Today.

Hawai‘i’s Solar Customers: Left in the Dark? Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Bill would require office buildings to offer shower facilities for biking workers. Hawaii News Now.

It’s been more than a year since the Hawaii Department of Health urged developer Forest City Residential Management to test the soil near homes on Marine Corps Base Hawaii on windward Oahu for possible pesticide contamination. The soil sampling still hasn’t happened. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation reported Thursday that it received $55.1 million in general excise and use tax surcharge revenue for the third quarter. Pacific Business News.

A Schofield Barracks soldier died Thursday as a result of injuries from a training accident in the Kahuku area as part of Lightning Forge, one of the 25th Infantry Division’s biggest exercises, the Army said. Star-Advertiser.

OCCC Replacement: $650M? The State is in the initial stages of studies and plans to build a new jail in Honolulu.  But before it’s fully funded, a task force is studying if a new facility is needed. Hawaii Public Radio.

The number of local high school graduates who enrolled at the University of Hawaii at Manoa jumped 12 percent this fall from last year, reversing a downward trend of the previous three years. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines announced Thursday that it will resume service to Kapalua Airport in West Oahu. Pacific Business News.

The city says it will begin fining the Haleiwa Beach House restaurant $250 a day, claiming that it needed a permit to make improvements and pave its parking lot. But the restaurant's owner contends he already has the permits and is following the law. Hawaii News Now.

For the first time in more than a decade, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is adding a new law enforcement boat to its fleet. KITV.

Hawaii

The state has acquired two new law enforcement vessels for the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement. One of the Sea Blade 23 vessels will be based on Oahu and the other in Kailua-Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island sweet potato growers are struggling to protect their crops from an invasive insect that makes harvests unmarketable. Tribune-Herald.

Scientists will mix biology and geology this month inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park as they help NASA get ready for an eventual manned mission to Mars. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The affordable accessory dwelling bill, which would permit ʻohana units on certain smaller lots, gained unanimous committee support and now heads to the full council for first reading, Planning Committee Chair Don Couch announced today. Maui Now.

Maui County Council Member Elle Cochran said Wednesday that she plans to offer an amendment to a proposed “affordable accessory dwellings” bill that would prohibit their use as short-term rentals or bed-and-breakfast operations. Maui News.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is awaiting approval of plans to repair the eroded paths of the Waihee Ridge Trail, a popular hike that residents and visitors have expressed concern about in recent months. Maui News.

Incumbents in Maui County state House seats enjoyed a significant advantage — as usually is the case — in fundraising to defend their seats against challengers. Maui News.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, which is slated to take over operations of Maui Memorial Medical Center on July 1, has begun helping to fill staff shortages in the transition by appointing an orthopedic surgeon and a new interim director of trauma surgery, Kaiser and hospital officials said. Maui News.

Maui Sugar: End of an Era – Part 2. Maui Now.


Kauai

Hawaii’s voter turnout is among the worst in the nation, according to a study conducted by WalletHub, but Kauai voters have been coming out early and often for early registration and same-day voting. Garden Island.

Island’s road map for the future is here. General Plan update draft to be released today. Garden Island.

As part of its sustainability efforts, the County of Kauai installed three water-bottle fillers at the Lihue Civic Center. Garden Island.

Molokai

Agriculture and unemployment are nearly inseparable for Molokai, considering that its largest employers are biotech companies Monsanto and Mycogen. Maui News.

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

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.

Huge rate hike sought for Hawaii Obamacare plan, cash-strapped Department of Education to cut programs, lawsuit filed against Kauai dairy, Sand Island homeless shelter draws council ire, ethics bill stalls in Hawaii County, resort cut from Lanai plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Puuhonoa o Honaunau National Historical Park © 2015 All Hawaii News

It’s still going to cost just five dollars to visit Puuhonoa o Honaunau National Historical Park. Bucking a trend of increased entrance fees at national parks, officials at the popular South Kona destination have decided to implement increases in the cost of only one of its passes — and not until 2017. West Hawaii Today.

The Legislature has approved less than half of the additional funds the Department of Education said it needs to run Hawaii's public school system next school year, but the department says it expects to only partially fill a resulting $38 million funding gap. Star-Advertiser.

Efforts to reduce chronic school absenteeism are shining new light on the prevalence of illnesses like asthma among students and the lack of trained medical professionals stationed in Hawaii schools. Hawaii currently lags behind most states when it comes to the availability of school nurses. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Medical Service Association is proposing an average 49.1 percent rate hike — the highest it has ever requested — for 20,935 members in Obamacare plans for 2016. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Medical Service Association is proposing to increase its rates by an average of 49.1 percent for individual Affordable Care Act health plans in 2016. West Hawaii Today.

Lawmakers have agreed to remove a mandate requiring ethanol in gasoline, the only thing left to do is for the governor to sign it into law. KHON2.

Under a new budget plan approved by the Board of Regents Tuesday, the University of Hawaii at Manoa will allocate some funding to instructional units based on student enrollment for the first time. Pacific Business News.

Public school teachers who didn't pull an absentee ballot but wanted to vote in Tuesday's re-do HSTA election cast their votes in person. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The city of Honolulu's plan to build container-style shelter units at Sand Island for the chronically homeless is a "piecemeal" approach and will only shift the problem from one area of the island to another, the district's City Council member said. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Caldwell announced a plan to build Hale Mauliola, temporary modular housing, and to provide services for houseless on Sand Island site. Hawaii Independent.

Despite Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s veto of one attempt, Honolulu City Council members appear dead set on expanding the city’s controversial “sit-lie” ban even though they acknowledge they’re increasing the chance of a legal challenge. On Wednesday, the council will take up a spate of new bills aimed at pushing the boundary of the existing laws banning people from sitting or lying on sidewalks and in pedestrian malls. Civil Beat.

Federal prosecutors have accused local businessman Albert Hee of being a tax cheat. They now say he's a corporate deadbeat. In a superseding indictment filed several months ago, a federal grand jury said that Hee's company owes the Honolulu Board of Water Supply $5 million. Hawaii News Now.

Paying for solar -- twice! It may not sound very book-smart, but that is what the state has done at one of its libraries. KITV4.

A proposal by Haseko to develop part of its Ewa Beach property continues to draw stiff opposition from several residents who insist that the site near Oneula Beach Park is not a good fit for the project. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Farm Bureau is opening a new farmers market beginning this Sunday in Hale'iwa. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

It’s back to the drawing board for an ethics reform measure that has already made untold appearances before the County Council over the past five years. The council Finance Committee on Tuesday postponed the measure, Bill 37, until June 30 after inconsistencies were discovered in its amended text. West Hawaii Today.

With a deadline for its input looming Saturday, the Hawaii County Council, the policy-making body for the county, has not yet had any discussion about one of the county’s main policy documents, the General Plan. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Council Committee on Governmental Relations and Economic Development took up a rare discussion on Hawaiian sovereignty in Hilo on Tuesday. Puna Councilman Danny Paleka introduced a resolution requesting the Hawaii state legislature designate July 31st as Lā Ho‘iho‘i Ea, recognizing the day independence was restored to the Kingdom of Hawai‘i in 1843 following a taking by the British Royal Navy. Big Island Video News.

WHR LLC, which bought the 383-room Naniloa hotel on Hilo’s Banyan Drive in December 2013, signed a franchise license agreement Monday with Hilton Worldwide, making it the first DoubleTree by Hilton establishment on the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council Member Bob Carroll has called a Hana community meeting at 5 p.m. today at the Hana Community Center to discuss the possibility of a skydiving business using Hana Airport as a drop zone. Maui News.

Kauai

Oregon-based environmental attorney Charlie Tebbutt on Monday filed a lawsuit alleging violations of the federal Clean Water Act on the part of those behind a proposed dairy in Mahaulepu Valley. The suit claims the backers of Hawaii Dairy Farms — a proposed $17.5 million, 576-acre operation — have and continue to violate federal water regulations by installing irrigation systems, wells and water troughs without a state stormwater construction permit. Garden Island.

For the second day in a row, NASA postponed a high-profile launch here Wednesday despite a forecast of calm breezes and sunny weather in the low 80s. Star-Advertiser.

Flights from Japan to Kauai could be a future reality, as the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced expansion of its international inspection program to an airport in Japan. Garden Island.

Lanai

Proposed revisions to the draft Lānaʻi Community Plan update are now available on the council’s web site, Planning Committee Chair Don Couch announced today. Maui Now.

The future of Lanai is under consideration. The Maui County Council has a revised long-term plan for the Pineapple Isle. Among the changes, plans to build a new resort on the eastern side of the island were scrapped due to lack of resources. KHON2.

Kahoolawe

In an effort to cope with receiving only a third of its requested funds from the state Legislature, the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission expects to downsize its 18-member staff, with some taking pay cuts, others being reduced to part-time workers and two people losing their jobs. Maui News.

Policing the police, rideshare regulations coming, pension fund recovers slowly, Hawaii's not local, waste conversion advancing on Maui, Schatz talks up military, Kauai bared in SI swimsuit edition, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii police © 2015 All Hawaii News

Hawaii lawmakers are looking for ways to increase oversight of the state's police officers. Associated Press.

The state is significantly under budget in launching a $1.5 million upgrade that puts data for more than 16,000 Hawaii government workers in a new cloud-based system designed to be tougher for hackers to crack. On Tuesday, Gov. David Ige's office is expected to announce a successful upgrade of the state's ancient Oracle-based system that tracks personnel information including health and retirement benefits for nearly all state workers. Star-Advertiser.

The Legislature for the first time is looking to regulate rideshare companies, possibly through the Public Utilities Commission. Star-Advertiser.

The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, chaired by Roz Baker, spent Monday morning praising Catherine Awakuni Colón, Gov. David Ige’s appointee to head the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. The full Senate is expected to take up the nomination soon for final approval. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's largest public pension fund, seeking to make up an $8.58 billion shortfall, posted a 1.7 percent investment gain last quarter to fall further behind its targeted investment return rate for the year. Halfway through this fiscal year, the state Employees' Retirement System fund was up just 0.6 percent, according to a report presented to ERS trustees Monday by Portland, Ore.-based Pension Consulting Alliance Inc. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers are considering bills that would essentially provide a salary, health care and other compensation to those wrongfully imprisoned. Civil Beat.

The deadline to enroll for insurance through the Affordable Care Act is this Sunday. That’s a special challenge for more than 7,500 immigrants from countries of the Compact of Free Association, including Micronesia. Starting March 1st, they’ll lose their Medicaid coverage, and will have to find insurance through the Hawai‘i Health Connector. Hawaii Public Radio.

A bill in the Hawaii Legislature would prohibit the sale of ivory and rhinoceros horns in the state. Bill supporters say more than 35,000 African elephants were slaughtered in 2012. Associated Press.

Some states have far higher percentages of local-born residents, but that doesn't silence the talk about what it means to be 'local' on the islands. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz wants Gen. Ray Odierno, Army chief of staff, to pay particular attention to Hawaii's strategic importance during a visit by Odierno to Oahu this week. Star-Advertiser.

Editorial: Ethics violations jeopardize trust. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A special state House committee tasked with determining the validity of a petition challenging the residency of Rep. Calvin Say (D, Palolo-St. Louis Heights-Kai­muki) will hold its first meeting Friday afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

With home burglary and auto theft tallies on Oahu falling over the past four years, Hono­lulu Police Chief Louis Kea­loha says this year he will continue to focus on reducing home burglaries while stepping up efforts to improve customer service and domestic violence awareness in the department. Kealoha presented his 2015 plan for the Honolulu Police Department to the Honolulu Police Commission last week. Star-Advertiser.

Hundreds of suspected drunk drivers are walking away with no punishment. Thousands of charges are filed every year and it takes up a lot of court time, while often getting nowhere. KHON2.

Energy efficiency efforts at the University of Hawaii at Manoa are paying off with big savings, officials said. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Public comment sought on General Plan. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Department of Public Works and the state Department of Education have applied for the largest shares of some $20 million in federal funding for lava disaster relief, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Star-Advertiser.

A new Department of Hawaiian Home Lands development in Waimea would provide beneficiaries with a cemetery, agriculture space, golf range and equestrian center, according to a draft environmental assessment. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Anaergia Services, the California-based firm contracted to build a state-of-the-art waste conversion facility at the Central Maui landfill, is eyeing Maui Electric Co., the County of Maui, a number of hotels and other consumers as potential buyers of renewable fuels to be produced at the facility once it comes on line in 2018, officials said Sunday. Maui News.

The Mayor's Office of Economic Development has contracted the Applied Research Laboratory at the University of Hawaii to evaluate, develop and recommend broadband access for Maui County, the county announced last week. Maui News.

Maui County Democratic Party Precinct President and former state Board of Education member Mary Cochran died in her sleep Sunday morning, according to a post on the Maui Democratic Party website. Maui News.

Discovering alien civilizations in this generation is possible, and a prototype for a megatelescope that could spot them could be completed in two years, a Maui astronomer says. Maui News.

Declassified documents include Maui UFO report. In 1956, Lahaina woman said she saw object hovering off the coast. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai Police Department issued 3,199 more traffic citations in 2014 compared to the year before. There were 23,407 moving violations issued last year, compared to 20,208 in 2013. Garden Island

The island of Kauai — 22 pages worth — is featured front and center in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2015 edition, which hit newsstands Monday. Garden Island.