400 U.S. POW remains disinterred in ID project, Memorial Day commemorated with floating lanterns, Councilwoman Kierkiewicz to head Big Island public TV station, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

After 80 years, project underway to identify POWs killed in ‘hellship’ attack. At the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl, the Defense Department is disinterring more than 400 sets of remains of American service members who died during WWII.  Hawaii News Now.

Officials and veterans gather at Punchbowl. City and military officials gathered with local veterans and their families for a Monday morning ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Punchbowl Crater. The Memorial Day service took place amid a tide of simmering geopolitical tensions around the world, something speakers at the ceremony weren’t shy to acknowledge. Star-Advertiser.

Governor aids woman with seizure during Memorial Day ceremony. Just as the 111th Army Band of the Hawaii Army National Guard began a musical interlude Monday during the Governor’s Memorial Day Ceremony, Gov. Josh Green jumped off the stage to assist a woman who suffered a seizure. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Floating lantern ceremony draws 45,000. After three years off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shinnyo floating lantern ceremony came back strong Monday, setting the waters off Ala Moana Regional Park alight with thousands of flickering memorials. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

Residents ask congressional delegation to ‘step up’ amid shooting range dispute.  A vocal group of Ewa Beach residents is vowing to take their fight to relocate a military shooting range to federal lawmakers. Hawaii News Now.

Makaha crash trial for HPD officers is delayed.  Four HPD officers charged in connection with an alleged September 2021 car chase, crash and cover-up had their trial put off against the objection of city prosecutors until Aug. 21, according to state court records. Star-Advertiser.

The North Shore Hasn’t Had A Public Pool For Decades. It May Finally Be Getting One. Half of Hawaii's kids can't swim, and pools are less likely to be located near lower income communities. Civil Beat.

Ban on outside work for City Council proposed. Two Honolulu City Council leaders have put forward two pieces of legislation that, if approved, would both strictly prohibit any outside employment or financial gain beyond an elective Council seat. Star-Advertiser.

Public comment sought on surfboard storage for Kuhio Beach Park. The city is seeking public input to determine the next location for a Waikiki public surfboard storage site, which has been closed since the fall of 2021 when a two-alarm fire wiped out a Kuhio Beach Park location for the second time in less than two years. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Kierkiewicz Named President, CEO of Nā Leo ‘O Hawai‘i.  Ashley Kierkiewicz, a Hawaiʻi County Councilmember, will start effective June 19,  while continuing to serve on the County Council, where she represents the Puna district. Big Island Video News.

 Puna Is The Fastest Growing Place In Hawaii. But It Comes With A Catch. Plagued by poverty, poor infrastructure, volcanic eruptions and crime, the windward region still attracts a broad spectrum of people looking for their own slice of paradise. Civil Beat.

Man charged after dog attack on Big Isle injures 2.  A 32-year-old woman suffered fractures and multiple puncture wounds to both arms Saturday when a dog attacked her in Pahoa, the Hawaii Police Department said. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald.  Big Island Video News. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.

Maui

On Maui, a pledge never to forget those lost in the ‘Forgotten War’ .  Keynote speaker Brigadier General Walter R. Ross Jr. and Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen reiterated that Memorial Day is far more than just a holiday.  Hawaii News Now.

3 East Maui meetings to discuss Alelele Point road closure; slope stabilization to start soon. The County of Maui will hold three community meetings for residents and businesses impacted by the emergency road closure at the Alelele Point area in East Maui.  Maui Now. KHON2.

Kauai

This Kauai Neighborhood Is A Celebrated Cell Phone Dead Zone. AT&T Wants To Change That. Residents of Kauai's north shore are overwhelmingly opposed to a plan to build a cell tower on a residential lot in Haena. Civil Beat.

Kaua‘i jobless rate drops to 2.6 percent in April. The unemployment rate in the County of Kaua‘i dropped to its lowest level since the pre-pandemic era, as multiple sectors of the economy added jobs last month ahead of the summer season. Garden Island.

Kauaʻi health office conducting survey about emergency preparedness, pandemic impacts.  The Kaua‘i District Health Office will conduct a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response survey known as CASPER to assess the emergency preparedness level and current wellbeing of Kauaʻi households. Kauai Now.



 

Hawaii remembers fallen soldiers, whistleblower claims retaliation in USS Arizona ticket scheme, Camp Smith officer tangled in corruption probe, Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz rises in state Legislature, state unloading affordable housing complexes, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy James Horton, Director of National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

A sea of American flags fluttered across 38,000 graves on the green grass of Punchbowl cemetery Monday as the nation’s war dead were remembered and an overdue debt of gratitude was paid to Vietnam veterans decades after the contentious Southeast Asian war was fought and debated back home. Star-Advertiser.

About 2,000 people gathered at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific Punchbowl on Monday to commemorate those who serve -- and those who made the ultimate sacrifice in their service. Hawaii News Now.

James Horton, Director of National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, reflects on changing public perception of today’s military. Hawaii Public Radio.

After blowing the whistle on a ticketing scheme at the USS Arizona memorial four years ago, a disabled veteran is speaking out for the first time about the retaliation he faced. Hawaii News Now.

A high-ranking civilian defense employee at Camp Smith is the latest former Navy officer caught in the ongoing investigation into the corruption scandal centered around Singaporean-­based defense contractor Leonard Glenn “Fat Leonard” Francis. Star-Advertiser.

How Did Donovan Dela Cruz Just Become Hawaii’s Most Powerful Senator? The longtime pro-business, pro-rail lawmaker has a history of ethics concerns, backroom dealing and a volatile temperament. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation is moving forward with plans to sell six state-owned affordable housing properties on three different islands to a private buyer. West Hawaii Today.

Despite months of negotiation and meetings, the Every Student Succeeds Act hasn’t undergone the changes that the Hawaii State Teachers Association wants to see. Garden Island.

Applications are still being accepted for a limited number of prekindergarten spots in 13 public charter schools for next school year. Star-Advertiser.

Most Of The Imported Seafood We Eat Isn’t Inspected. Hawaii experienced a hepatitis outbreak last year due to tainted scallops and may be on the verge of another due to bad ahi. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The City Council will consider a proposal to allow a Waikiki nonprofit group to set parking fees, oversee freight and passenger deliveries, and make other transportation rules in the state’s No. 1 tourist destination. Star-Advertiser.

Beachgoers and surfers are the latest groups to object to a city plan to raise an additional $4 million by doubling parking prices and increasing parking enforcement hours in Waikiki and downtown. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu’s new “homeless court” so far has cleared a backlog of 268 cases since it began in January and — perhaps more important — has gotten four homeless defendants housed, including a chronically homeless man who now has an apartment after nearly 30 years on the street. Star-Advertiser.

A ship carrying a giant concrete-and-steel cradle built to hold ships out of the water so they can be worked on will be an unusual nautical sight to see off Honolulu International Airport today. Star-Advertiser.

The moving and visually stunning Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony remained hugely popular this year as tens of thousands of people descended on Ala Moana Beach Park on Monday. Star-Advertiser.

As the sun set Monday, tens of thousands lined the calm shores of Ala Moana Beach Park’s Magic Island to place illuminated lanterns on the water, watching them drift away into the horizon. Hawaii News Now.

A moving ceremony at Magic Island Monday evening as thousands of lanterns were released into the water at the Memorial Day Lantern Floating Ceremony. KITV.

The 19th annual Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony has once again brought tens of thousands of people together to honor loved ones who have died. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Feature film producers want the Big Island to ramp up its film-making gravitas with a state-of-the-art studio for indoor production. Tribune-Herald.

Mainland filmmakers spent an average of more than $17 on the Big Island for every Hawaii County resident in the past year. Tribune-Herald.

More than 100 pay respects at Memorial Day ceremony. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A memorial for World War II veterans of Maui County was unveiled Monday at the Maui Veterans Cemetery, where a couple hundred people showed up to pay their respects on Memorial Day. Maui News.

Maui to Get $1M in Federal Funds for Head Start. Maui Now.

It's been a little more than five months since the last haul of a commercial sugar crop on Maui. The precise plans are still evolving for alternative crops on the land that was once used to plant sugar cane. But that's not the only question relating to big sugar-there's also a matter of hardware. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Memorial Day speakers emphasize the high cost of war and the need to remember and honor the fallen. Garden Island.

Hundreds of WWII remains to be exhumed from Punchbowl Cemetery, Honolulu rail tax advanced, Legislature passes bills during crossover, attorney general begins Kenoi investigation, raises for nurses, Kauai B&Bs fight new law, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl, courtesy U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs

The Pentagon announced Tuesday it will take the unprecedented step of exhuming for identification the remains of all 388 sailors and Marines from the USS Oklahoma buried as "unknowns" at Punchbowl cemetery years after the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

The Pentagon said Tuesday it would exhume and try to identify the remains of nearly 400 sailors and Marines killed when the USS Oklahoma sank in the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Associated Press.

A Major new mission from the Pentagon: dig up the remains of hundreds of servicemen buried at the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. KITV4.

The House and Senate each passed hundreds of bills Tuesday, sending them back to their originating chamber often with big questions to be answered when it comes to funding. Medical marijuana dispensaries, the rail tax, public hospitals, transgender birth certificates, wrongful imprisonment, energy, bullying, mail-in elections and local food were on the long list of legislation that crossed over ahead of Thursday’s deadline. Some still resemble their original form. Others not so much. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers were busy Tuesday passing hundreds of bills that originated in the other house. The state Senate passed 135 House bills while the state House passed nearly 150 Senate measures. KHON2.

Hawaii lawmakers are tackling proposals that aim to fix the troubled health exchange, ban sex trafficking and prevent youth from smoking. Here's a sampling of the hundreds of bills that were passed on Tuesday. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Senate has approved a bill to establish a system of medical marijuana dispensaries nearly 15 years after the drug became legal in the state. The Senate passed the bill Tuesday. The next step is for senators and their colleagues in the House to work out their disagreements on how it should work. Associated Press.

A measure aimed at reining in Hawaii payday loans that can reach as high as 459 percent APR has been stripped of its new proposed cap of 36 percent, despite a legislator’s assurance that wouldn’t happen. Civil Beat.

Public opposition to Gov. David Ige’s nominations to the powerful board that administers the state’s water code is mounting ahead of a key legislative hearing Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Petition to reject Balfour passes 2,500 signatures. Ahead of tomorrow's WTL hearing on the nomination of Bill Balfour to the Water Commission, signatures continue to be added to an online petition urging the rejection of the inappropriate nomination. Hawaii Independent.

Nurses represented by the Hawaii Government Employees Association overwhelmingly ratified a new two-year contract that includes raises of 4 percent per year plus "step movements" that allow them to move up the pay ladder into higher-paid classifications. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A bill that would extend Oahu's rail tax has cleared the Senate, providing state lawmakers the chance to hash out its details — or even kill it — largely in closed-door negotiations leading up to conference committee meetings. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Senate on Tuesday passed a House bill that would extend the City and County of Honolulu's surcharge on the state's general excise tax for the rail transit project through 2027. Pacific Business News.

With Oahu's plastic bag ban just around the corner, retailers are stocking up for the switch. Island Plastic Bags in Halawa is helping customers prepare for the change at checkout counters that starts July 1. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

State Attorney General Doug Chin confirmed Tuesday that he is investigating Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi’s use of his county-issued credit card. West Hawaii Today.

Embattled Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi promised to cooperate with a state attorney general's criminal investigation into his county-financed trips to Honolulu hostess bars and other personal expenses but does not plan to talk about the issue anymore. Star-Advertiser.

The Attorney General of the State of Hawaii will investigate Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi's use of a county-issued credit card, state officials said Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Former Big Island Mayor Harry Kim said a government official called him Tuesday morning and asked him if he'd sign an impeachment petition against current Mayor Billy Kenoi, who has apologized for improperly charging more than $30,000 in personal expenses on a county credit card. Hawaii News Now.

An omnibus ethics bill sponsored by Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille proved too much to digest Tuesday for County Council members. The council Finance Committee postponed Bill 37, expanding the definition of family members for ethics purposes, changing how county contracts can be awarded to employees and how county facilities and employees’ time can be used for union-endorsed campaigning. West Hawaii Today.

A lawsuit seeking to stop Puna Geothermal Venture from drilling at night will go forward. Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura on Tuesday denied PGV’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Puna Pono Alliance and Leilani Estates residents Jon Olson and Hillary E. Wilt. Tribune-Herald.

As Mauna Kea Protests Grow, Some Hawaii Island Residents Worry About Jobs. Activists are calling for the removal of 13 observatories that support a $90 million industry on the Big Island that would grow appreciably with the Thirty Meter Telescope. Civil Beat.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has reimbursed Hawaii County more than $1.6 million in costs incurred while preparing for the lava threat from Kilauea Volcano, but county officials are still hoping for another $10 million — and counting. Star-Advertiser.

There will be no speed humps installed on Nani Kailua Drive. Following a petition by some residents for the traffic-calming devices — and protest by others — Public Works Director Warren Lee has determined the roadway doesn’t qualify for the humps. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
Four men have been indicted in connection with allegations that a Speedi Shuttle manager received kickbacks while providing unauthorized payroll checks to employees during a nine-month period ending last year. Maui News.

Maui Economic Opportunity on Saturday celebrated the opening of its new 10-acre transportation facility in Puunene. Maui News.

Home sales on Maui were up in March despite a significant rise in the median home price to $627,500, according to new information released by the Realtors Association of Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

Nearly two dozen other visitor accommodation operators on Tuesday asked county Planning Commissioners to craft solid permitting laws and procedures for their businesses. It is something that, they say, has not been clearly defined until now. Garden Island.

Groundbreaking for the Nawiliwili Road improvements took place Tuesday in the parking lot of the Kukui Grove Center, where improvements were underway, regardless if shoppers knew about the activity taking place. Garden Island.

Hawaii veterans honored, F-22 Raptors powering up, state DLNR breaks law by promoting ballot measure, Maui council selects chairman, public funding a win for Hawaii County Council candidates, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl

Veterans Day is a federal, state, city and county holiday.  Government offices on each level will be closed.  Post offices, most banks and state libraries will be closed.  There will also be no mail delivery. KITV4.

Hawaii Air National Guard officials say the Hawaii squadrons that fly F-22 fighter jets have achieved a status that will allow them deploy. Associated Press.

Veterans Day ceremony at Punchbowl honors service members who fought for our freedom. KHON2.

Sunday, after months of construction and years of preparation, Vietnam battle maps were unveiled during the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl's annual Veterans Day ceremony — 50 years after what the U.S. government considers the official start of the war. Star-Advertiser.

The cemetery and memorial at Punchbowl cover a little more than 100 acres and is the final resting place for somewhere around 40,000 veterans. Arlington, by comparison, is more than 600 acres of winding roads and footpaths with some 300,000 burial plots. Civil Beat.

The mission to Afghanistan for Hawaii infantry Marines is gone, and so are the 50 to 85 Afghan role players who once populated a $42 million "infantry immersion trainer," a military version of a Hollywood set with fake buildings, markets, red poppies, barking dogs, "avatar" people projected on walls and 20 smell generators pumping out the aroma of everything from fresh-baked bread to decomposing bodies. Star-Advertiser.

A Schofield Barracks soldier died in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, on Friday, the Department of Defense said. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources violated state law by advocating passage of a constitutional amendment on Tuesday’s general election ballot, Acting Attorney General Russell Suzuki said. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii’s fast-growing solar photovoltaic industry may be slowing down just a bit, thanks to changes to the state’s solar energy tax credit. Pacific Business News.

Statewide hotel occupancy fell slightly in September, but the industry is still seeing gains over recent years, with revenue per available room up for the 31st consecutive month. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for November 12. Associated Press.

Oahu

Election officials have confirmed 24 out of 140 polling places on the island of Oahu ran out of paper ballots during the General Election on Tuesday, November 6. (See the list here - BALLOT INVENTORY ISSUES BY POLLING PLACE). Hawaii Reporter.

Scott Nago, Chief Election Officer, has released a public statement on Tuesday’s ballot shortages. Hawaii Independent.

Local radio personality and concert promoter Tom Moffatt has announced he’ll screen Elvis Presley’s Aloha from Hawai`i at the Blaisdell Arena on its 40th anniversary. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Hawaii State Department of Health has fined Globeteck Group Inc. $10,000 for asbestos regulation violations, officials said Friday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

When the new Hawaii County Council is sworn in at noon Dec. 3, it will mark a milestone for the comprehensive public funding campaign pilot program. A majority of the incoming council members have benefited from public campaign financing. Tribune-Herald.

Planning is under way for the long-sought Kealakehe Regional Park, and Hawaii County and project consultant Kimura International are going to the community to develop a final plan for the area. West Hawaii Today.

The number of tropical fish taken from West Hawaii’s waters in 2011 was as much as double the amount of fish taken from the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest reef, according to a recent study. West Hawaii Today.

Two recently launched websites are promising to provide visitors unprecedented perspectives on the health of coral reefs around Hawaii Island. Associated Press.

Maui

Less than a week after the general election, Maui County Council members have organized their leadership for the 2013-14 term, choosing Gladys Coelho Baisa as chairwoman and Bob Carroll as vice chairman. Maui News.

The Maui Council will operate under new leadership when the new council terms take effect on January 2, 2013. Maui Now.

Maui County is on the cusp of modernizing windward Haleakala's mile-long, 1930s-era, sievelike Waikamoi flume. Maui News.

Dry weather has left Upcountry reservoirs nearly dry, forcing the county Department of Water Supply to drastically reduce production at the Olinda Water Treatment Facility this week, according to an announcement. Maui News.

Kauai
As the Kaua‘i County Council gears up for the upcoming state Legislature, issues such a prescription drugs, labeling of genetically modified foods, Transient Accommodation Tax and a few more resurface. Garden Island.

One of the greatest challenges facing the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Kalaheo is the need for increased social capital. Garden Island.