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.

Google Street View captures Hawaii scenery, Honolulu Rail gets $250M, security guard laws take state by surprise, NSA probes reporter, historic preservation still in trouble, spear fishing at issue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Rob Pacheco at Akaka Falls, Google Street View courtesy photo

Hawaii’s volcanoes, rainforests and beaches will soon be visible on Google Street View. Google Inc. said Thursday it was lending its backpack cameras to a Hawaii trail guide company to capture panoramic images of island hiking trails. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau will be using a Google Maps trekker to provide one more way to get visitors to see that the isles mark the spot for their next journey. Star-Advertiser.

As U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye lay dying in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last December, his two closest confidants were given a somber task: Deliver one final letter to Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Civil Beat.

Solar energy has been saving customers hundreds of dollars on their electricity bill, but only for homeowners who can afford thousands of dollars in upfront installation costs. That's about to change. Through green infrastructure financing, residents can apply for state loans to cover the costs of installing rooftop photovoltaic systems or solar water heaters. Customers then repay the loans over time from the energy savings on their electrical bills. Hawaii News Now.

Federal officials previously established a list of 43 criteria that the state agency in charge of protecting Hawaii’s historic and cultural resources had to improve on to avoid being decertified and defunded. A new report from the National Park Service on Thursday found that the state agency had satisfied just nine of the criteria outlined in a two-year "corrective action plan" that was designed to put the State Historic Preservation Division on track. Civil Beat.

A battle is brewing between the state and federal government and it centers on sharks. Three years ago Hawaii was the first government in the world to ban the sale, possession, trade and distribution of shark fins. But now a federal rule threatens to supersede that law which local lawmakers and advocates aren't happy about. Hawaii News Now.

The law was passed nearly three years ago, but new licensing requirements for security guards are still catching many by surprise. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has been flooded with applications, which began arriving by the hundreds in late March. KITV4.

Three more cases of hepatitis A in Hawaii have been linked to a recalled Townsend Farms frozen organic berry mix that caused a multistate outbreak of the illness, bringing the isle total to seven cases. Star-Advertiser.

According to data from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, there are about 153 Hawaiian monk seals left in the eight main Hawaiian Islands and a little over 900 in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Civil Beat.

State roundup for June 28. Associated Press.

Oahu

Federal lawmakers agreed Thursday to give Honolulu's planned rail project its full $250 million funding share for 2014 — the single largest grant for any new startup project in the nation, officials say. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Police Department officers upset over one captain's attempts to check up on them led to an outbreak of the "blue flu" Monday night, when about half the officers in East Honolulu's District 7 called in sick, sources said. Hawaii News Now.

The long-delayed update to the Ewa Development Plan was approved unanimously by the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee on Thursday, positioning it for a final vote of the full Council in the weeks ahead. Star-Advertiser.

Reporter's Diary: How I Got Probed at the NSA. Civil Beat.

When Paul Groesbeck became executive director of the Life Foundation in 1992, the HIV and AIDS treatment and prevention organization was working with 306 patients — and a year later about 100 of them had died. Star-Advertiser.

City crews uncovered a possible sinkhole in the Kaimuki area Thursday night. It’s on Saint Louis Drive next to City Mill. KHON2.

Hawaiian Telcom, Inc. said Thursday that it has sold a three-acre portion of its 10-acre baseyard in Mapunapuna on Oahu to Honolulu-based Wasa Electrical Services Inc. for about $13.9 million. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources will consider strengthening fishery regulations off the Kona Coast when it meets today. The board is scheduled to discuss and vote on several proposed rules, including ones that would ban spear­fishing by fishermen diving with the aid of scuba gear and limit the collecting of fish for aquariums to a list of 40 species. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources will consider strengthening fishery regulations in waters off the Big Island’s western coast when it meets on Friday. The board is scheduled to discuss and vote on several proposed rules, including ones that would that would ban spearfishing by fishermen diving with the aid of scuba gear and limit aquarium fish collecting to a list of 40 species. Associated Press.

Hawaii County has purchased additional air monitors for the Fire Department to help detect the release of hydrogen sulfide at Puna Geothermal Venture. Tribune-Herald.

A “stakeholders” task force to recommend ways to make the Hawaii County property tax system more fair has become mired in controversy even before it has been formed. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island farmers and ranchers plan to rally in opposition of Bill 79 today at 2 p.m. in front of the county building in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council members began to untangle Wednesday financing arrangements that enabled Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center to provide low-income housing but also left taxpayers with millions of dollars in unpaid loans.Maui News.

The animal rights organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, also known as PETA, has filed a lawsuit in US District Court against the USDA, that includes implication of the East Maui Animal Refuge in Haʻikū, an announcement said. The suit claims the USDA allegedly failed to protect birds covered by the federal Animal Welfare Act. Maui Now.

The embattled Wailuku Main Street Association Inc./Tri-Isle Main Street Resource Center soon may be dissolved following a motion filed Tuesday in 2nd Circuit Court by the state Attorney General's Office. Maui News.

Verdict on reopened pool: warm and wonderful. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council unanimously voted to move forward a bill that would allow the county to govern the use of pesticides and genetically modified organisms on the island. Garden Island.

Kauai County is preparing for a large crowd at a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to strictly regulate pesticide use by large farms. The County Council voted 7-0 Wednesday night to pass Bill 2491 on its first reading. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would increase license fees for dogs met strong opposition from hunters Wednesday. Garden Island.

Hawaii media spotlight turns to Snowden's girlfriend, workplace; lawmakers and public react; more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Bikini-clad Lindsay Mills cavorts in Hawaii with boyfriend Edward Snowden according to this You Tube screen capture

The girlfriend of Edward Snowden, the whistleblower who leaked classified documents about US surveillance operations, has apparently blogged about the couple's life in Hawaii and her uncertainty about the future without her "man of mystery". The Guardian.

Watch the YouTube video here.

The live-in girlfriend of National Security Agency whistle-blower Edward Snowden was described by acquaintances Monday as a dancer and acrobat who was on Oahu about a year. Star-Advertiser.

Edward Snowden’s most intimate connection to Hawaii in the months leading up to a massive leak of top-secret American surveillance techniques is a 28-year-old acrobatic dancer named Lindsay Mills. Civil Beat.

Booz Allen Hamilton said Tuesday that it has fired Edward Snowden from its Hawaii operations following Snowden's confession over the weekend that he had been the source of leaked documents detailing top-secret National Security Agency surveillance programs. Pacific Business News.

Pacific Guardian Center

The former Kunia resident who’s accused of leaking classified U.S. government information worked for one of the best firms in Hawaii. KHON2.

A day after former Hawaii resident Edward Snowden revealed that he leaked top-secret government information to the media, his employer, Booz Allen Hamilton, would say nothing beyond a written statement posted Sunday on its website. Star-Advertiser.

Edward Snowden, the man who said he's responsible for leaking information about classified surveillance by the U.S. government, was one of about 350 Hawaii employees of the contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, sources told Hawaii News Now. Booz Allen Hamilton's Hawaii office is headquartered downtown in the Pacific Guardian Center at the corner of Nimitz and Alakea.

National Security Administration surveillance programs recently revealed by the media are "troubling" and "unacceptable" and deserve a thorough investigation to determine whether they were an abuse of government power, members of Hawaii's all-Democratic congressional delegation said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Last week saw revelations that the FBI and the National Security Agency have been collecting Americans' phone records en masse and that the agencies have access to data from nine tech companies. But secrecy around the programs has meant even basic questions are still unanswered.  Here's what we still don't know. Has the NSA been collecting all Americans' phone records, and for how long? It's not entirely clear. Pro Publica.

Edward Snowden's revelation about secret NSA surveillance programs was a reminder that intelligence-gathering and intrigue related to it go way back in Hawaii and are alive and well today. Star-Advertiser.

The leaker who revealed top secret U.S. surveillance programs says he hopes to find shelter in Iceland, but he may be disappointed by the reception from a new government seen as less keen than predecessors to attract exiles and Internet renegades. Hawaii Reporter.

With the recent identification of Edward Snowden as the man who leaked National Security Agency documents detailing anti-terrorism programs unknown to the public, Hawaii is home to yet another man accused of releasing top-secret government information. Star-Advertiser.

Local experts react to reported NSA leaker. KHON2.

The Hawaii Health Connector said Monday that the state’s first online health insurance exchange has received the next stage of federal approval to launch on Oct. 1. Pacific Business News.

A new state law removes the University of Hawaii president's power to serve as the chief procurement officer for construction contracts. Associated Press.

In the event of a large tsunami, surging water levels could easily course past two rows of houses, across a flat clearing, and reach an important one-story cinder-block building in Ewa Beach. Employees in the exposed structure joke about the irony of their situation, which isn't entirely surprising given that they work in the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Civil Beat.

The state's film industry is expecting a big boost in business thanks to a new law. With an enhanced tax credit starting next month, companies like Hawaii Media Inc. predict more productions will be shooting in the islands. Hawaii News Now.

An estimated $400 million polysilicon plant built in eastern Idaho by Hawaii firm Hoku Scientific Inc. now has only eight workers, all security guards, after its last engineer exited last month amid dwindling hopes the facility will ever produce materials for solar panels. Associated Press.

State roundup for June 11. Associated Press.

Oahu
Sewer rates on Oahu are going up again on July 1. KITV4.

The Academy of the Pacific is shutting down due to financial struggles and dwindling enrollment at its Alewa Heights campus, following more than 50 years of educating "out-of-the-box learners," school officials said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii is hoping a late "push" will stimulate the sale of slow-moving football season tickets. Star-Advertiser.

A nonprofit group that provides shelter, training and work experience for the elderly and people with learning disabilities is the focus of two separate investigations regarding the use of $7.9 million in Community Development Block Grant funds, which were given to the city by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. KITV4.

Hawaii

Some Hawaii Island residents have told Margaret Wille she doesn’t need to be in a rush to prohibit genetically modified crops here. But the Kohala councilwoman said she’s seeing both proposed GMO projects on Hawaii Island that concern her, and ways banning GMO here could provide the county with an economic boost. West Hawaii Today.

For Hawaii’s floral industry, genetic engineering may be an idea whose time is near. Fifteen years after the transgenic Rainbow papaya was commercialized, scientists say the state’s valuable flower crops could be the next to benefit from the controversial technology. Tribune-Herald.

Anthurium isn’t the only flower that University of Hawaii scientists have considered for genetic engineering. Research has also been done on making a virus-resistant orchid, but funding has dried up, leaving that effort on hold, said Teresita Amore, assistant researcher with the University of Hawaii’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A council committee will consider a resolution that if approved, would authorize an investigation into the “potential misuse” of county funds, Policy Chair Riki Hokama announced today. The resolution reportedly seeks authorization to investigate funding of the  Old Wailuku Post Office demolition, and master planning for the expansion of the Kalana O Maui campus. Maui Now.

A husband and wife on Maui have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Oregon fruit distributor whose frozen berry mix has been linked to four cases of hepatitis A in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

With Maui Memorial Park at capacity, the Wailuku cemetery has begun construction on its second mausoleum. Maui News.

California-based developer Brian Hoyle is more optimistic than ever that funding will come through in the next several months and he can finally build the long-awaited West Maui Hospital and Medical Center. Maui News.

Even in the usually slower shoulder season of tourism, many Maui hotels are still seeing gains in occupancy rates and earnings, according to the latest Hospitality Advisors LLC report. Maui News.

Kauai

Scientists continue to look for clues to what is causing an outbreak of skin disease in Hawaiian puffer fish on Kauai's North Shore, but have had some success using a marine epoxy to slow the large-scale kill-off of diseased coral in the same area. Star-Advertiser.

A group of South Kauai landowners and residents agreed that more must be done to address development, roadway safety and parking concerns in long-term community plans, according a straw poll taken Saturday. Garden Island.

Kauai Planning & Action Alliance will be “Celebrating 10 Years and Charting the Future” at their annual meeting in a few weeks — and they want the public to speak up. Garden Island.

Molokai

Seven years after Molokai veterans began the process to construct a veterans center, the building is finally nearing completion. But the group is far from celebrating. Hawaii Public Radio.