Veterans Day commemorated on all the Hawaiian Islands, GOP lost by widest margin since statehood, Bruno Mars donates 24k Thanksgiving dinners, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Veterans Day parade in Hilo, Hawaii ©2018 All Hawaii News

Veterans Day: what's open and closed. Monday is a federal, state and county holiday and those respective offices will be closed. KHON2.

Veterans Day event honors armistice of World War I. Sunday is Veterans Day, and its also the 100th anniversary of the end of The Great War. KITV.

Remembering Hawaii's Role in The Great War. Hawaii Public Radio.

HIFF film "Voices Behind Barbed Wire" details Japanese-American internment in Hawaii. A movie made in Hawaii screens at the Hawaii International Film Festival on Monday. "Voices Behind Barbed Wire" explores the personal stories of Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii interned at Sand Island and Honouliuli on Oahu, and on the mainland. KITV.

Navy’s only drone submarine hunter arrives at Pearl Harbor. A 132-foot robot warship that arrived at Pearl Harbor for testing as a submarine hunter is “creating a new paradigm for Navy surface forces,” the U.S. Pacific Fleet said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii GOP lost by largest margin since statehood. When Republican state Rep. Andria Tupola lost to Gov. David Ige by nearly 29 percentage points in last week’s general election, it was the most dramatic drubbing in a gubernatorial race in state history. Star-Advertiser.

160,000 Pounds Of Marine Trash From Papahanaumokuakea. NOAA displayed tons of plastic and other debris collected in the remote Northwest Hawaii Islands, where the trash threatens wildlife and coral. Civil Beat.

UH scientists doubt space object has alien origins. When the first space object from beyond our solar system was discovered from Hawaii last year, there was a lot of playful speculation about whether it was an alien spacecraft. Star-Advertiser.

On the day of his final concert in the islands, Bruno Mars announced that he will provide 24,000 Thanksgiving meals to Hawaii families in need. Hawaii News Now.

Superstar Bruno Mars ends his historic “24K Magic World Tour” Sunday night in his hometown of Honolulu, and will provide meals to 24,000 Hawaii residents in need during the Thanksgiving holiday. KITV.

Bruno Mars donates 24K Thanksgiving meals to Salvation Army. He may have wrapped up his 24K Magic World Tour shows in Hawaii on Sunday, but Bruno Mars performed a different kind of 24K magic that will last beyond his final show at Aloha Stadium. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s plan to address large-scale houses — as well as two alternate proposals — will be aired by the full Honolulu City Council for the first time at its meeting Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

State grants Kahala resort continued use of public beach. A decision by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources could mean that the Kahala Hotel &Resort can now legally use more of the public lands adjacent to its property for commercial purposes. Star-Advertiser.

About 2,000 gallons of wastewater spilled into a storm drain that drains into the ocean today at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, a Navy Facilities Hawaii spokeswoman said. Star-Advertiser.

Navy officials reported Sunday a large wastewater spill adjacent to the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard facilities on base. The Navy says the spill was reported around 7:10 a.m. near Bravo Pier 13. Hawaii News Now.

Nanakuli charter school once hailed as educational leader in upheaval amid financial woes. For years, Ka Waihona o ka Naauao in Nanakuli has been dedicated to academic excellence and Hawaiian culture for its 600 students. Hawaii News Now.

The developer of Ward Village in Kakaako took the tiniest of steps recently to reach a major milestone: declaring its first “sold out” condominium tower. Star-Advertiser.

A major Hawaii printer is closing its commercial printing business and laying off 93 people in part because of tariffs the U.S. slapped on imports of Chinese paper. Associated Press.

Hagadone Hawaii to shutter commercial printing operations, lay off 93 workers. The printing press, which is owned by Idaho-based The Hagadone Corporation, cited rising costs due to increased import tariffs and the shift of local commercial print jobs and publications to the Mainland as the primary reasons. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

A proposal under consideration for the 2020 ballot would cut the county open space land fund by half and allow the County Council to suspend the fund in emergencies or when too much money accumulates. West Hawaii Today.

The state Department of Health will hold a public informational meeting and hearing Wednesday on the Hu Honua Bioenergy plant being built at Pepeekeo. Janice Okubo, a DOH spokeswoman, said public meetings aren’t required for the applications, and are being held in response to a high amount of public interest. Tribune-Herald.

Makeshift checkpoint erected near beach park. Wayson Ioane was tired of people driving into the area near Lehia Beach Park at the end of Kalanianaole Avenue to take drugs. Tribune-Herald.

The number of Big Island middle and high school students who report using drugs and alcohol is higher than state averages, according to new statistics from the 2017 Hawaii Youth Risk Behaviors Hawaii School Health Survey. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian Ethos can’t confirm opening date, sets sneak peek of Kona dispensary for December. After substantial delays, Hawaiian Ethos has begun growing medicinal cannabis for distribution from its Kona location. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Wahine power breaks up the old boys club. In a historic first, women take the majority of the next Maui County Council. Maui News.

Money matters. Candidates reflect on the green that oils political campaigns. Maui News.

Maui’s home prices approach record high. The median price of single-family homes jumped 15.8 percent to a near-record $774,223 from $668,675 in the year-earlier month, according to new data from the Realtors Association of Maui. Star-Advertiser.

Gas prices on Maui have been rising. According to the AAA Hawaii Weekend Gas Watch. AAA Hawaii reported that the average gas price in Kahului on Thursday was $4.21. Maui Now.

Kauai

The first phase of construction for the Lihue Town Core Mobility and Revitalization project will begin Tuesday and work will continue on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., according to the Department of Public Works and Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. Garden Island.

‘New era in agriculture’. Agriculture is more than digging a hole in the ground and planting something, said Judith Rivera, Corteva Agriscience Hawaii research lead Friday at the dedication and blessing of a new lab building in Kekaha.Garden Island.

Kauai oceanfront estate sets new record for Hawaii residential properties with $46M sales price. The sale of a 15-acre oceanfront estate with a 10,000-square-foot home above Secret Beach on the North Shore of Kauai has closed for $46.1 million, the highest price for a Hawaii residential property so far in 2018, and a new all-time record for a residential property in Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

Active Kilauea volcano puts on a show, state and local lawmakers react to ongoing lava crisis; Mayor Kim hospitalized with 6th heart attack; feral cat feces killing monk seals; Kauai group fights RIMPAC, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

More Kilauea volcano fissures become active. Star-Advertiser.

While fissure 8 continues to steadily produce lava from Kilauea volcano, three other fissures are displaying weak signs of activity. Tribune-Herald.

Scientists monitoring renewed fissure activity. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists say while the continually fountaining vent known as Fissure 8 continues to be very active with channelized flow entering the ocean at Kapoho Bay, lava is now oozing from three other fissures that are being monitored and described as “weakly active.” Star-Advertiser.

Scientists answered questions about the ongoing slumping at the summit of Kilauea volcano, as well as the size of the growing lava delta at Kapoho, during a media conference call Monday. Big Island Video News.

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Legislature keeps grip on Judiciary’s purse strings. Funding rejections have fueled speculation that legislators are still smarting over court decisions that some believe have undermined the separation of powers between the legislative and judicial branches of government. Star-Advertiser.

State speeds up hiring process for much-needed social worker positions in new pilot program. The state's Child Welfare Services branch has struggled to fill 46 vacant spots. KHON2.

Ad Watch: Ige And Hanabusa On What Makes Them Different. The incumbent Hawaii governor boasts of delivering on a promise to put AC in classrooms, while the challenger touts her leadership chops. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige announced that he has signed a second supplementary proclamation for Kauai County and the City and County of Honolulu, which suffered heavy losses and damage during severe rain and flooding in April. Big Island Now.

HCF awards $1.5 million to career program. The Hawaii Community Foundation’s Career Connected Learning grants aim to prepare Hawaii’s students for the workforce of the future. Garden Island.

Hawaiian Telcom has informed its shareholders that the company’s $650 million sale to Cincinnati Bell could be completed as early as Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Military eyes sites on Oahu for high-powered radar to defend against missile threats. Hawaii News Now.

The city’s first homeless “navigation center” has taken in 616 people from the streets in three years of operation on Sand Island, and the state Board of Land and Natural Resources has extended a sweetheart lease of $1 a year for another four years, Gov. David Ige and Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Is Honolulu Hale Making City Staffers Sick? City Council Chairman Ernie Martin thinks so — and wants to relocate the legislative branch out of the 90-year-old building. Civil Beat.

Greater protections, more funding sought for Honouliuli Internment Camp site. A bill before Congress would designate Honouliuli Internment Camp on Oahu a national historic site, giving it greater protections — and funding. Hawaii News Now.

UH-West Oahu students unearth history at Honouliuli. Star-Advertiser.

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A disease spread by cat feces killed three female Hawaiian monk seals on Oahu in May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Monk seal monitors are keeping a sharp eye on The Garden Island’s Hawaiian monk seal population after scientists confirmed toxoplasmosis as the cause of death for three Oahu seals in early May. Garden Island.

State officials are now blaming toxoplasmosis, a parasite carried in cat feces, for the deaths of three critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals on Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Three Hawaiian monk seals found dead on Oahu last month were caused by a disease called toxoplasmosis. It's a disease that's spread through cat feces. KHON2.

State doesn't follow through on threats to impound Lanikai boats. The owners of boats and canoes stored on Lanikai Beach got a temporary reprieve Monday. Hawaii News Now.

The Daniel K Inouye International Airport now has free and unlimited wifi, among a host of other digital upgrades, transportation officials announced on Monday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Mayor Harry Kim has been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack Saturday, his second since April. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim was resting and recuperating in the hospital today, following another heart attack over the weekend. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii County Council members plan to take up a resolution today urging the state Legislature to convene a special session to address the impacts of the ongoing lava flow in Lower Puna where hundreds of homes, businesses and farms have been destroyed and about 2,000 people have been forced to evacuate. Star-Advertiser.

After hearing pleas from short-term vacation rental operators in Puna and elsewhere asking the county put a vacation rental bill aside until Puna and the county recover from its ongoing lava emergency, the County Council Planning Committee postponed action Monday until July 10. West Hawaii Today.

How And Where Should We Rebuild After Kilauea Eruption? Hawaii Public Radio.

Now that Kilauea Volcano has destroyed hundreds of homes in Puna, some are asking how people were able to purchase and insure homes in such a known high-risk area. Hawaii Public Radio.

Thousands of displaced residents are assessing their next steps as lava is steadily pumping from four fissures in lower Puna where destructive flows have destroyed hundreds of homes. Hawaii News Now.

County Council set to take final vote on tax increase today. West Hawaii Today.

For National Guard, lava disaster presents real-world mission. Star-Advertiser.

Since it opened four days ago, hundreds of lava evacuees have turned to the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center for help. Hawaii News Now.

Big Island farmers brave lava, toxic fumes to harvest crops. Big Island farmers lucky enough to still have viable crops are braving hazardous conditions to harvest what they can. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

A bill aimed at more enforcement of bed-and-breakfast operations got some of its teeth removed Friday when Maui County Council members amended it to give operators a 30-day grace period to renew their county permits. Maui News.

Faith Action for Community Equity (FACE) Maui will host an Affordable Housing Mayoral Forum on June 28, 2018 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Valley Isle Fellowship Church located at 1033 Waiale Road in Wailuku. Maui Now.

Three new physicians are joining Kaiser Permanente on Maui. Maui News.

Maui College Aims for 100% Solar Power. The first container-load of solar panels are set to arrive at the Maui College campus in Kahului later this summer. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

The world’s largest international maritime exercise is coming back to Hawaii next week, with 26 countries set to participate in the 2018 Rim of the Pacific Exercise. Those who oppose the exercise are gathering to form another iteration of the Oceans4Peace coalition, which works to educate the public on RIMPAC impacts they find concerning. Garden Island.

Why The Beef Industry Is Rapidly Expanding On The Garden Island. The Hawaii market develops a taste for meat born, raised and slaughtered in the islands, and these ranchers are happy to serve it up. Civil Beat.

Hanalei Colony Resort officials announced on Monday that it plans on remaining closed until further notice as Kauai residents continue recovering from historic floods. Hawaii News Now.

Records tampering charges tossed in Kenoi trial, jurors see video, Hawaii may lose its lone GOP state senator, Honolulu accessory dwelling unit permits up, Thirty Meter Telescope hearing all about religion, petrel chicks planted on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kenoi's attorney, Todd Eddins, cross examines forensic accountant James Cigan during Kenoi's trial Monday in Hilo Circuit Court. Pool photo HOLLYN JOHNSON/Tribune-Herald

Embattled Hawaii island Mayor Billy Kenoi won a partial — but still stunning — victory Monday when three misdemeanor charges related to tampering with government records were dismissed, leaving Kenoi to face five remaining criminal charges over misuse of his government purchasing card. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Billy Kenoi’s three records tampering charges were dismissed Monday in his criminal trial for alleged misuse of a Hawaii County purchasing card. Kenoi still faces two counts of second-degree theft, two counts of third-degree theft and one count of false swearing. Tribune-Herald.

State Circuit Court Judge Dexter D. Del Rosario dismissed three of eight counts against Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi based upon insufficient evidence after the state rested its case. KITV.

A small victory for Hawaii Island Mayor Billy Kenoi after a judge tossed out several charges against him. KHON2.

Watch the full Billy Kenoi video shown to the jury here

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The self-described “Lone Ranger,” state Sen. Sam Slom, may be making his last ride. He is the only Republican in Hawaii’s 25 member state Senate. Civil Beat.

Bonterra Solar, which at one time was one of the largest and fastest-growing solar energy companies in Hawaii, has shut down, Pacific Business News has learned.

State to use Volkswagen settlement funds for energy projects. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Many of your neighbors want more useful information about crimes happening in their communities. Some have asked the city for the information multiple times since 2014. But the Honolulu Police Department largely has ignored the requests. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu police are adding a new way to communicate with communities. The Honolulu Police Department on Monday announced a partnership with Nextdoor, a private online social network designed to connect neighbors. Star-Advertiser.

TV Spots — And One Big Print Ad — Spice Up Mayor’s Race. Incumbent Kirk Caldwell lets others do the talking, while challenger Charles Djou appears with his wife — and in uniform. Civil Beat.

Early walk-in voting opens at 2 Oahu sites. Star-Advertiser.

An Oahu farmers cooperative has received a $249,000 federal grant to help other local small farmers sell what they grow. Star-Advertiser.

Defining Downtown Honolulu Isn’t As Easy As You’d Think. Historic charm, urban bustle, convenience and homelessness in a place of uncertain borders. Civil Beat.

The city is working to speed up the approval process for Oahu homeowners who want to add an accessory dwelling unit on their properties. Hawaii News Now.

A new education center features artifacts from Japanese Americans who were confined at the Honouliuli Internment Camp in the ’40s. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope proposed for Mauna Kea spent much of Monday quizzing a planner on the project about his understanding of Native Hawaiian religion and the nature of “sacred lands” during the second day of a contested case hearing for the telescope. Star-Advertiser.

Day two of the Thirty Meter telescope contested case hearing began in Hilo on Monday. Big Island Video News.

Judges, attorneys and community leaders gathered to formally break ground for the Kona Judiciary Complex on a scraped-down section of lava near the Makalapua Shopping Center on Monday. West Hawaii Today.

The Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau is closing its Hilo office next month. Tribune-Herald.

Incumbent Democrat Nicole Lowen, who represents Kona’s 6th District in the state House of Representatives is asking voters to elect her to a third consecutive term. Republican challenger Bruce Pratt will ask them to reconsider. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

McKelvey defends House seat against GOP challenger. Maui News.

Several Iao Valley residents living along the Wailuku River, who describe themselves as “the lost seven,” fear their properties and road may erode away if emergency repairs do not begin soon, but it is unclear who  ultimately will pay for the work. Maui News.

Pavement striping will prompt alternating lane closures on Mokulele Highway between North Kihei and Kamaaina roads this week, according to the state Department of Transportation. Maui News.

Kauai

The last chance to register for voting in the general election opens today with early voting at the Lihue Neighborhood Center, and in this election there’s a twist: ballot selfies. Garden Island.

The 20 Hawaiian Petrel chicks that were transferred to their new home at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Monday were tucked, fluffy and healthy in the their new manmade burrows in an effort that was documented for the first time using social media. Garden Island.

Sex education to be required in Hawaii public schools, DOE administrators get 4% raise, House speaker Souki files erroneous disclosure, three recommended for federal judge, Big Island council passes $99M bond issue, Honolulu rail station bids lower than expected, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honouliuli Internment Camp, courtesy National Park Service

Two Hawaii organizations are receiving National Park Service grants to help them share the history of sites where the federal government confined Japanese-Americans during World War II. Star-Advertiser.

Starting next year, public schools in Hawaii will be required to offer sex education to students — a big shift from the current policy that allows individual schools to decide whether to teach the subject. Civil Beat.

Sexual health education will now be mandatory for Hawaii public school students, under a revised sex education policy approved Tuesday by the Board of Education that expands a long-standing abstinence-based policy to include lessons on contraception, disease prevention and skills to help students make "healthy decisions" about sexuality and relationships. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Education's senior management team will receive 4 percent raises at the start of next month under a request approved Tuesday by the Board of Education. Star-Advertiser.

House Speaker Joe Souki this week denied reports that he more than doubled his investment in Hawaiian Electric Industries in late 2013, as top NextEra executives were readying their preliminary bid for the island utility. Civil Beat.

A former state attorney general, a federal prosecutor and a private attorney are being recommended for a federal judgeship in Hawaii. U.S. Sens. Mazie K. Hirono and Brian Schatz recommended Tuesday that President Barack Obama consider former Attorney General David Louie, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Otake and private attorney Clare Connors to replace Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway when she becomes a senior judge Nov. 6.  Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz have submitted to the White House the names of three nominees, including a former state attorney general, for the position of U.S. District Court judge for the District of Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

State lawmakers spent most of last session crafting rules for a medical marijuana dispensary system in Hawai‘i. And as Hawaii Public Radio's Molly Solomon reports, it has the potential to provide a growing market for entrepreneurs eager to set up shop.

Oahu

Honolulu's rail project officials saw lower-than-expected prices for the latest batch of stations to go out to bid, indicating that transit officials' attempts to curb at least some of the painful cost increases are paying off. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu’s $6 billion rail project received a slight dose of positive news Tuesday when officials opened bids for construction of three stations on the west side of Oahu. Civil Beat.

A measure allowing sparklers and fireworks fountains to become legal on New Year's Eve and the Fourth of July secured a vote of support from a key City Council committee Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu's fireworks ban sparked a heap of heated debate. Tuesday afternoon, the Honolulu City Council may have reignited the discussion by hearing a bill that would add more sparkle to celebrations. KITV4.

How Military Policies Drive Up Rents on Oahu. Service members who live off the base enjoy housing allowances that surpass fair market rental prices. That, real estate analysts say, helps push up rents. Civil Beat.

Hawaii News Now has uncovered troubling allegations that there's a cover-up underway by supervisors and managers at the Women's Community Correctional Center of an alleged assault by a guard on a woman prison inmate.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council, with very little comment, made quick work Tuesday unanimously passing a $99.75 million bond issue requested by Mayor Billy Kenoi. West Hawaii Today.

A nonbinding resolution in English and Hawaiian will soon be on its way to the Hawaii Legislature, asking the state to declare July 31 “La Hoihoi Ea,” or Restoration Day, in recognition of the day in 1843 that independence was restored to the Kingdom of Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Peter Boylan, the high-profile spokesman of embattled Mayor Billy Kenoi, resigned after nine months on the job. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Objecting to a restriction that would limit spending in county departments to specific accounts, Mayor Alan Arakawa has issued a line-item veto of the measure in the Maui County Council's fiscal 2016 budget. Maui News.

Residents on Maui say they’re being overwhelmed by mosquitoes. KHON2.

Kauai

A University of Hawaii research organization is forecasting a slight decrease in visitor stay times and an increase in visitor arrivals for Kauai through 2017. Garden Island.

Friday is the deadline to submit a completed bed-and-breakfast (homestay) permit application if it includes a guesthouse. The Kauai County Council recently approved changes to the rules governing the B&B permit process; among the changes, permits will no longer be granted to B&B operators who use a separate guesthouse to provide accommodations. Mayor Bernhard Carvalho, Jr. has said he intends to sign the bill. Garden Island.

Navy war games violated federal law, flood insurance rates rising, Honolulu traffic jam underscores poor road planning, fired judge fires back, telescope protests continue, psychologists want to prescribe drugs, Kauai library celebrates 60th, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

RIMPAC 2014 in Hawaii file photo, courtesy U.S. Navy

A federal judge in Honolulu says the National Marine Fisheries Service violated federal law in issuing a permit to the U.S. Navy to conduct sonar testing, underwater detonations and other activities over millions of square miles of ocean between Hawaii and the West Coast. U.S. District Court Judge Susan Oki Mollway sided with the Conservation Council for Hawaii, the Natural Resources Defense Council and a number of other environmental organizations in issuing her ruling Tuesday afternoon. Civil Beat.

A federal judge on Tuesday said the National Marine Fisheries Service violated environmental laws when it approved the Navy’s plans for training in waters off Hawaii and Southern California. The agency failed to support its finding that the training would have a “negligible impact” on marine life, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Oki Mollway wrote in her ruling. Associated Press.

Thousands of Hawaii property owners are about to be hit with a flood of higher premiums. About 20,000 people who carry flood insurance will see their annual policies increase an average 19.8 percent beginning today under changes to the National Flood Insurance Program. Star-Advertiser.

Civil Beat Database: Checking Up on Top State Officials Just Got a Lot Easier. Financial disclosures for top Hawaii officials are now available on a new searchable site to help the public identify potential conflicts of interest. Civil Beat.

About a dozen mental health advocates gathered Tuesday outside the fourth-floor office of Senate Health Chairman Josh Green at the state Capitol to demand that Green hold a hearing on a measure they believe would significantly improve mental health treatment in Hawaii, particularly in rural communities. Star-Advertiser.

Supporters of a bill to allow psychologists to prescribe medications in Hawaii gathered Tuesday at the state Capitol to plead with lawmakers to hear the measure. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian Electric Co. and Florida-based NextEra Energy Inc., which is buying the Honolulu-based utility for $4.3 billion, are urging the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to not extend the deadline for the acquisition case, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

A total of 420,409 firearms were registered in Hawaii from 2000 to 2014. And that’s on top of the 1 million firearms that were already in the state, according to an estimate by the Hawaii Attorney General’s office and the Honolulu Police Department in the late 1990s. That means there could be more guns in Hawaii than residents, according to data from the Attorney General’s office. Civil Beat.

From plastic bottles on the beach to trash along trailsides, illegal dumping can be seen around Hawaii. Hawaii Public Radio.

When plastic is washed or dumped into the ocean, it doesn’t completely break down…instead it adds to a dangerous plastic soup. Hawaii Public Radio.

Opinion: When it finally came down to it, the Chess Club, a faction of senators loyal to Gov. David Ige, decided not to support Carleton Ching, the governor’s choice to head the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Those senators don’t deserve sympathy for having to make an agonizing choice. That’s their job. What they deserve is criticism for doing that job so badly. Civil Beat.

Oahu
State Department of Transportation officials hope that Wednesday morning's commute will go smoothly — with the H-1 ZipperLane still open for town-bound traffic — but there's no guarantee that pau hana drivers won't see a repeat of Tuesday's carmageddon that caused widespread gridlock. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu ranks No. 3 in the country when it comes to traffic congestion. That’s according to the annual TomTom Traffic Index, which was released Tuesday. Civil Beat.

Honolulu was recently ranked the third worst city for traffic congestion in the nation but Tuesday evening’s traffic jam brought frustrations to new heights. As drivers heading westbound remained stuck for hours due to a broken ZipMobile, some took to Twitter to vent about #Zipnado aka #Carmageddon. Civil Beat.

Officials say both of the state's ZipMobiles are likely to remain broken until at least Wednesday afternoon as the transportation department await the arrival of replacement parts and a repair technician from the U.S. mainland. Hawaii News Now.

A state judge who was rejected by the Judicial Selection Commission has fired back, saying the commission's proceedings were unfair. In a March 21 letter obtained by Hawaii News Now, Circuit Judge Randal Lee alleged that commission members did not review his full record but relied heavily on a last-minute complaint by a city deputy prosecutor, whom he had removed from a case for misconduct.

Honouliuli Internment Camp closed 69 years ago, but shame, sorrow and regret still haunt the gulch called Jigoku-Dani, or Hell Valley, by the Japa­nese-Americans who were held there during World War II. The Kunia site, kept out of sight during the war and out of the American consciousness for decades after that, was dedicated in an emotional ceremony Tuesday as Hono­uli­uli National Monument. Star-Advertiser.

Two Honolulu City Council members want D.R. Horton to include cheaper housing in its planned 11,750-home development between Ewa and Kapolei. The Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee is planning to take up two amendments on Thursday when it considers Bill 3, a measure to rezone nearly 1,300 acres of prime farmland to make way for a new mixed-use community. Civil Beat.

A state judge has refused to order the forfeiture of 77 arcade sweepstakes machines Hono­lulu police seized in 2012 because the city prosecutor took too long to file the request. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Implementing a “pay as you throw” garbage plan, allowing more East Hawaii garbage to be sent to the West Hawaii landfill and banning recyclables and compostables from both landfills are among Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille’s plans to bring the county closer to the goal of zero waste. West Hawaii Today.

Preventing the spread of little fire ants and other invasive species could add as much as $600,000 a year to county mulching operations. The council Finance Committee on Tuesday unanimously advanced county administration’s request to solicit contracts for up to $2.4 million annually for operations turning green waste into mulch at the county landfills in East and West Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Construction crews made no attempt Tuesday to reach the Thirty Meter Telescope site on Mauna Kea following a human blockade the day before as officials try to find a resolution to the standoff. Tribune-Herald.

Protesters who this week interrupted work on what's expected to be the world's largest telescope were put on notice Tuesday that they face arrest if they continue to block crews from reaching the Mauna Kea summit construction site. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii County fire battalion chief and captain are under investigation for criticizing the leadership of Fire Chief Darren Rosario in a story on Hawaii News Now earlier this month.

Maui

The cabins at Waiʻānapanapa State Park will close for approximately a year beginning today as a $2.3 million cabin renovation and wastewater treatment project gets underway. Maui Now.

A project to double the size of the Department of Motor Vehicle and Licensing satellite office in Kihei - the county's fastest-growing satellite office - has gone out to bid. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kapaa Public Library is celebrating its 60th anniversary on Tuesday starting at 1 p.m. with cake, refreshments and entertainment by the Kapaa Senior Center Ukulele Band. Garden Island.

Obama to name Japanese internment camp a national monument, medical marijuana dispensaries advance in House, Senate to hear GMO labeling bill, school lunch prices could increase, Iwase popular PUC pick, Maui biogas project on hold, Galuteria owes $7k for declaring wrong residence, 160 acres on Oahu to be blanketed in solar panels, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Old Honouliuli Internment Camp in Kunia, courtesy National Park Service

President Barack Obama will announce Thursday the designation of the old Honouliuli Internment Camp in Kunia as a national monument to "help tell the difficult story of the internment camp's impact on the Japanese American community and the fragility of civil rights during times of conflict," the White House said. Star-Advertiser.

For more than half a century, what had once been Hawaii’s largest and longest-operating internment camp was ignored and forgotten. To the hundreds of Japanese Americans who had been forcibly confined at the camp, the experience was a source of shame and rarely spoken of until it was rediscovered by historians more than a decade ago. Tribune-Washington Bureau.

A bill that would establish medical marijuana dispensaries and production centers in Hawaii passed through the House committees on Judiciary and Health on Tuesday afternoon. Civil Beat.

A bill to allow medical marijuana dispensaries across Hawaii — nearly 15 years after state leaders made medical use of the drug permissible — is still alive in the House. Star-Advertiser.

Michelle Tippens is one of nearly 13,000 patients in Hawaii who have conditions that could be treated with medical marijuana. But because there are no dispensaries in Hawaii, they’re left to fend for themselves, buying on the black market or growing it themselves. Associated Press.

The state Senate committees on Health and Agriculture will take testimony Thursday on a bill calling for the labeling of food with genetically modified organisms. Civil Beat.

Randy Iwase, whose nomination to head the state Public Utilities Commission was unanimously recommended Tuesday by a Senate committee, said it could take a year to 18 months for the commission to decide whether to approve the sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries to Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy Inc. Star-Advertiser.

There seems to be nothing but love for Randy Iwase. Gov. David Ige’s nominee to head the state Public Utilities Commission easily cleared a Senate committee hurdle Tuesday. He’s on track to be confirmed by the full Senate, possibly by the end of this week. Civil Beat.

Randall Iwase told state senators that if he’s confirmed as chairman of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, he will make public input a priority when tackling the commission’s biggest issue — reviewing NextEra Energy’s plan to take over Hawaiian Electric. Associated Press.

The Governor’s nominee to head the Public Utilities Commission was unanimously approved by a Senate panel today. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Board of Education's finance committee Tuesday tabled a proposal to raise school lunch prices by 30 percent over the next three years and challenged officials to instead look at cutting costs and boosting student demand for meals. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Education is asking for an increase of 10 cents more for breakfast and 25 cents for lunch not just for next year, but for the next three years. KITV4.

Warmer temperatures and unstable conditions created by climate change could make it harder for Hawaii's native species to survive, while creating a opening for invasive disease-spreaders like mice and mosquitoes, state Health Department officials said Tuesday. Maui News.

ALTRES Office/Professional and ALTRES Technical, divisions of ALTRES Staffing, Hawaii’s largest human resources organization, announced today a significant spike in demand for office and technical professionals across all islands. While the state continues to experience unemployment rates at record lows, Hawaii’s available workforce is thinning out. Hawaii Independent.

Opinion: Gov. David Ige’s nomination of development lobbyist Carleton Ching to head the Department of Land and Natural Resources continues to generate lots of heated reaction. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Hawaii Sen. Brickwood Galuteria owes the City and County of Honolulu more than $7,200 in property taxes and fees after improperly claiming a homeowners’ tax break on property in Palolo Valley for the past four years. Civil Beat.

About 200,000 solar panels may soon cover about 160 open acres of land laced with kiawe trees and brush that stretch from the edges of Kamaile Academy to the base of the Waianae Mountains. The 27.6-megawatt project is one of eight large solar farms planned for Oahu that are expected to break ground by the end of the year in order to take advantage of lucrative federal tax credits. Civil Beat.

Two plans aimed at making it easier for Oahu properties to have two living units, and a bill cracking down on illegal vacation rentals, will be aired by the Honolulu Planning Commission at a public hearing Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Building a 95-unit condominium in place of 19 homes on the slopes of Punchbowl didn't go over well with neighbors when it was proposed eight years ago. Now a revised plan with 140 condo units is raising even more opposition. Star-Advertiser.

Nasty weather over the weekend wreaked havoc on many parts of the windward side including one of Oahu's very popular and illegal hiking trails. Haiku Stairs, better known as the Stairway to Heaven, saw "extensive damage" according to Ernest Lau, Manager and Chief Engineer at the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. Lau says that plans are being made to conduct an assessment of the "stairs" and they want to see if a landslide was responsible for some of the damage. Hawaii News Now.

In an effort to combat websites and blogs that have been driving people to the off-limits Sacred Falls State Park, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is stepping up its communication efforts about the consequences of trespassing. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii officials have long been warning people to stay away from Sacred Falls, a dramatic waterfall where a landslide killed eight hikers more than 15 years ago. Associated Press.

Hawaii

What if Hawaii Island residents owned their own electric utility? That’s the question being posed by a nonprofit group that filed on Feb. 11 a motion with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to intervene in the pending $4.3 billion sale of Hawaii Electric Light Co’s parent company, Hawaiian Electric Co. (HEI), to NextEra Energy. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative is seeking a seat at the table as the Public Utilities Commission considers the proposed merger of Hawaiian Electric Industries and NextEra Energy. Star-Advertiser.

Big Island business and community leaders have formed a nonprofit coop called the Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative to explore taking over Hawaii Electric Light Co., a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Co. Civil Beat.

An Ocean View man who has become the poster child for the debate over the harvest of aquarium fish pleaded no contest Tuesday to tearing the regulator from the mouth of Maui reef activist Rene Umberger in West Hawaii waters last May. Jay Lovell, an aquarium fisherman of 30 years, received a deferred six-month prison sentence on the charge of second-degree terroristic threatening. West Hawaii Today.

More than 50 testifiers and three experts on aquarium fish collection kept a Hawaii County Council committee busy into the evening Tuesday, as council members pondered two bills attempting to regulate sea life collectors and set standards for transporting fish. West Hawaii Today.

Kulani Correctional Facility warden Ruth Forbes has been put on leave pending a review of allegations by employees at the facility, the state Department of Public Safety said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz will hold a town hall meeting today in Hilo. The meeting will last from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Hilo High School cafeteria. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Electric Co. has decided to hold off on submitting to Hawaii regulators a power purchase agreement with California-based Anaergia Services for a proposed agricultural energy project that would generate up to 6 megawatts of biogas energy, according to a letter from the utility's president to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. Pacific Business News.

The House Labor and Public Employment Committee on Tuesday passed House Bill 1075, which would allow the Maui region of HHSC — including Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital — to transition into a new private nonprofit under Hawai‘i Pacific Health, the state's largest medical provider. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of State Parks will close the Puʻuōlaʻi (Little Beach) area and a portion of Mākena Beach State Park in South Maui on Wednesday, Feb. 18, while DLNR staff and military ordnance experts conduct an investigation. Maui Now.

Heavy winds and rain Saturday knocked out power to more than 3,500 Maui Electric customers - and to a wastewater pump in Waiehu that caused a sewage spill. Maui News.

Kauai
Officials from Starwood Hotels and Resort say they intend to convert a portion of the Sheraton Kauai Resort into timeshares by the end of this year as a part of a larger proposal to turn the worldwide corporation’s vacation ownership arm into a separate, publicly traded company. Garden Island.

Hawaii internment camp to be national park, shorter men live longer, charter schools struggle for approval, Health Department cites Big Island landfills, Honolulu cracks down on ag houses, UH presidential hopefills visit Maui and Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honouliuli Internment Camp, courtesy National Park Service

The National Park Service said Thursday it wants to make the former Honouliuli Internment Camp, now weedy and overgrown, a historic site as a new unit of the national park system, or a national monument. Star-Advertiser.

The National Park Service on Thursday proposed making the former Honouliuli Internment Camp on Oahu either a monument or a historic site. The park service plans to hold meetings this month and next to get the public's feedback. Associated Press.

In a report released Thursday, the National Park Service found that the former Honouliuli Internment Camp in Waipahu is a nationally significant historic site, a big step toward designating the area as a national monument.  The draft study evaluated 17 sites in Hawaii to determine what should be included in the national park system, and concluded that both the Honouliuli Internment Camp and the U.S. Immigration Station qualified as nationally significant. Civil Beat.

Honouliuli Internment Camp

A former internment camp where Japanese and European Americans were incarcerated during World War II could soon become a National Monument or Historic Site, the first ever in Hawai'i. Hawaii News Now.

Read the report here.

Size really does matter when it comes to living longer. In the largest, most detailed and longest study on aging, a team of Hawaii researchers discovered shorter men live longer. Hawaii News Now.

You're a Japanese male and you have some crazy notion about wanting to be taller. Better think again. A Honolulu-based research study published this week found a connection between short height and longer life in men of Japanese ancestry. Star-Advertiser.

Over the past few months, six prospective Hawaii public charter schools sought approval from state commissioners to move forward with their plans to develop alternative, publicly funded places of learning. But the state’s eight-member Charter School Commission denied four of the applications on Thursday for reasons ranging from insufficient planning to failure to integrate Hawaii’s culture into the learning model. Civil Beat.

A group of concerned state lawmakers has called together advocates for people with disabilities to increase public awareness of the services health care providers are obligated to provide patients who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf and blind. Star-Advertiser.

A massive molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor last fall led Hawaii lawmakers to introduce legislation designed to prevent a repeat disaster. But the proposals they crafted failed to survive the 2014 legislative session. Star-Advertiser.

A massive molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor last fall led Hawaii lawmakers to introduce legislation designed to prevent a repeat performance. But the proposals they crafted failed to survive the 2014 legislative session. Associated Press.

For her very first congressional campaign commercial, Hawaii Senate President Donna Mercado Kim takes a novel approach. Civil Beat.

A national organization promoting the labeling of genetically modified foods has opened an office in Honolulu. The Center for Food Safety has also established a local political action committee and will get involved in state elections this summer. Associated Press.

The State’s 4 County Mayors addressed members of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai’i today during a luncheon in Honolulu.   It was the first event of its kind hosted by the Chamber and some members said it provided a fresh perspective.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Profile: Scott Enright earned his bachelor's degree in psychology and philosophy from the University of Hawaii at Hilo, but somehow ended up having a long career in agriculture. "You know, it certainly wasn't planned," said Enright, who is chairman of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture and thus de facto director of the state Department of Agriculture. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The city is cracking down on what it says are illegal houselike buildings in a remote agricultural subdivision in the foothills of Kunia where residences are prohibited. Star-Advertiser.

Bus riders tired of homeless sleeping on benches. Hawaii News Now.

An infestation of bedbugs has become so rampant at the Oahu Community Correctional Center that officials announced a plan Thursday to shut down a housing module for fumigation and temporarily relocate more than 100 inmates. Star-Advertiser.

An arraignment of individuals charged with various crimes in connection with sweepstakes machines was held Thursday in Circuit Court. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County has been fined more than $350,000 by the state Department of Health for alleged solid waste permit violations at the Hilo and West Hawaii landfills. Tribune-Herald.

The April 30 indictment of Waste Management of Hawaii Inc. and two of its officials shouldn’t have an impact on its lifetime contract to run the West Hawaii landfill or the current selection process for a waste-reduction facility to replace the Hilo landfill. West Hawaii Today.

An associate degree in marine science is one of the programs that could be offered when Hawaii Community College — Palamanui is up and running next year. Kenneth Fletcher, University of Hawaii Center at West Hawaii director, told residents in Waikoloa Wednesday night that many opportunities exist to link higher education with businesses. West Hawaii Today.

State officials say it will take about $2.1 million in capital improvements to help transition Kiholo State Park Reserve to a wilderness park, and estimate annual operating, maintenance costs at about $555,000. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

David Lassner and retired Lt. Gen. Francis Wiercinski, both seeking to become president of the University of Hawaii system, offered slightly different visions for the future of the University of Hawaii Maui College in separate public appearances at the college Thursday. Maui News.

The Hawai'i Health Connector has been a costly mistake, and the state government should immediately seek a waiver from the federal Affordable Care Act's requirement for the state to have an online insurance exchange, said Michael Gold, president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Medical Service Association. Maui News.

Sugar production at Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. on Maui, the state's last sugar plantation, plummeted 83 percent in the first quarter of the year compared to last year due to "extremely wet conditions," Alexander & Baldwin reported in its first quarter report Thursday. Maui News.

Kauai

By their own accounts, Francis “Frank” Wiercinski and David Lassner were on different paths in life. Garden Island.