Interior secretary inspects USS Arizona Memorial, TSA warns of long airport lines, coral lawsuit threatened, Maui and Kauai pass budgets, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu airport ©2019 All Hawaii News

Airport squeeze. Get there early, TSA urges. Travelers are advised to get to Hawaii’s airports three hours in advance to compensate for what is expected to be the nation’s busiest summer travel season on record. Star-Advertiser.

Leaving on a jet plane? Plan ahead and arrive 3 hours early (even for inter-island flights). Hawaii News Now.

TSA’s Tips To Prepare For Summer Travel. The forecast is for the busiest season on record at HNL. Civil Beat.

The Transportation Security Administration is advising the public to be prepared for the busiest summer travel season on record at HNL. Big Island Video News.

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Arizona Memorial might reopen by October, officials say. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt got a close-up view of the disabled Arizona Memorial Wednesday before pledging to finish the repairs to its concrete passenger dock as soon as possible. Star-Advertiser.

USS Arizona Memorial repairs continue to be a top priority according to U.S. Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior was on Oahu Wednesday and he toured one of the nation's iconic structures here on Oahu and talked about repairs. KITV.

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State Ethics Commission: DPS deputy director walked a fine line in rallying employees. The ethics commission says a Deputy Director of Public Safety may have crossed an ethical line by pushing workers to support their boss, Nolan Espinda. Hawaii News Now.

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Cauliflower coral at the center of a new lawsuit against the Trump Administration. The Center for Biological Diversity says they will sue the Trump administration for failing to protect Cauliflower coral. Hawaii News Now.

Feds could face coral lawsuit. The Center for Biological Diversity on Wednesday announced plans to file suit after a federal agency missed a deadline to rule on whether to list cauliflower coral as a threatened or endangered species under federal law. West Hawaii Today.

Lawsuit: Protect Threatened Cauliflower Coral In Hawaii. The Trump administration is accused of failing to protect the species known as Ko'a in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

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Teachers Who Stay In Hawaii Find Ways To Close The Culture Gap. The diversity of Hawaii’s public schools student population isn’t matched by the makeup of the state’s teachers. Civil Beat.

Grid geared up for hurricane season, Hawaiian Electric says. The Hawaiian Electric Companies said it has been working year-round to build more resilient grids ahead of the upcoming hurricane season, which begins on Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Katherine Kealoha’s actions questioned in conspiracy trial. Former deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha’s actions in a 2011 criminal case involving her uncle Gerard Puana took center stage on the fifth day of the federal conspiracy trial against her; her husband, retired police Chief Louis Kealoha; and three current and former police officers. Star-Advertiser.

Witnesses: Kealohas Targeted Uncle Years Before Mailbox Theft. Several people testify Louis and Katherine Kealoha had it out for Gerard Puana long before they accused him of stealing their mailbox. Civil Beat.

KEALOHA TRIAL: Week two is underway, get updates here. KHON2.

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Caldwell’s State of City address to key on ‘climate crisis’. An Oahu Resiliency Strategy designed as a road map for how the city will deal with climate change, sea-level rise and other 21st century issues is at the center of Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s seventh State of the City address tonight. Star-Advertiser.

Caldwell says Waimanalo park’s improvements will proceed. Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Wednesday that the city will continue work on Phase 1 of the Waimanalo Bay Beach Park improvement project because it would cost up to $300,000 to pull back from an existing contract, but that he is amenable to halting future phases if the community so chooses. Star-Advertiser.

First phase of Sherwood Forest park project to continue, despite emotional meeting. Emotions ran high on Wednesday during a special meeting at the Honolulu City Council, on the controversial plans to clear Sherwood Forest in Waimanalo. KITV.

Bulk Waste Pilot Program To Begin Monday In Urban Honolulu. Starting Monday, a new pilot program for bulky trash collection takes effect for Honolulu's urban core. Hawaii Public Radio.

City: If appointment-based bulky item pickup doesn’t work, fees might be next. In a bid to rein in ballooning costs for handling trash, the city is moving Urban Honolulu’s bulky item pickup to an appointment-based system starting Monday. Hawaii News Now.

Formby Named Head Of Pacific Resource Partnership. The former Honolulu City Councilman previously served on the board of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Trial set in missing police evidence case. A retired Hawaii Police Department officer accused of illegally taking drug evidence from a police locker and notifying Hilo arcade owners of a gambling raid pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 10 criminal charges. Tribune-Herald.

Council to discuss funds for Kau sewer systems. The Hawaii County Council will take up requests to borrow $37 million for two wastewater treatment projects in Ka‘u at a Finance Committee meeting next week. Tribune-Herald.

Mayor: It’s time to clean up Mooheau Park and make it safe for families. Hawaii County will close Mooheau Park on Friday for clean up in response to what officials describe as unsanitary conditions. Tribune-Herald.

She’s Fought Nearly Three Years To Adopt Her Grandson. Hawaii Keeps Saying No. The state says it tries to reunite children with kin. But after Deborah Goodwin’s daughter died, it awarded custody to non-relatives and blocked her adoption attempts. Civil Beat.

USPS Proceeds With Relocation of Kamuela Post Office. The Kamuela Post Office will continue at the current location until a new facility is operating at an as-yet undetermined location, USPS says. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui County Council OKs largest budget in memory Tuesday. $823.6 million for next fiscal year heads to Victorino’s desk. Maui News.

Maui County Council passes $823 million budget by majority vote. The Council passed the $823 million budget by majority vote Tuesday, it is $42 million more than what the mayor requested. KITV.

Council confirms Lutey. Corporation counsel gets nay votes from chair, vice chair. Maui County Council approved the appointment of Moana Lutey as corporation counsel on Tuesday, with two opponents citing their concerns with the county’s position on the longstanding Lahaina injection well suit. Maui News.

Tariff Uncertainty Challenges Growth at Hawaii's Largest Craft Brewery. A 25 percent tariff on Chinese-made steel poses “a tremendous challenge” for Maui Brewing Company, according to co-founder and owner Garrett Marrero. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

County Council comments on $242M spending plan. The Kauai County Council has refrained from making public comment on the 2019-2020 fiscal year budget throughout the budget process, which started in March. But on Wednesday, councilmembers were allotted 10 minutes by Council Chair Arryl Kaneshiro to voice their thoughts about this year’s budget during the bill’s second and final reading. Garden Island.

Councilmember Felicia Cowden was not in attendance for Wednesday’s Kauai County Council meeting. She is traveling to Volgada, Russia to be a delegate at a Russian-American peace conference. Garden Island.

Kauai scrambles for solutions after number of unsheltered homeless doubles. No longer just hidden in the Garden Isle’s dense vegetation, Kauai’s homeless crisis is now on display -- everywhere you go. Hawaii News Now.

Waimea pool reopens after renovation. The renovation work at the pool started in November. At a cost of about $1 million, the pool deck was restored, plumbing and electrical improvements were done, as well as accessibility upgrades in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Garden Island.

Hawaii Supreme Court halts commercial aquarium fish collecting, state joins DACA lawsuit, Honolulu council approves GET extension for rail, Pacific Resource Partnership fined for anti-Cayetano campaign, Kim declares state of emergency after well breakdowns, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Butterflyfish in the wild © 2017 All Hawaii News

A Hawaii Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday halts the commercial scooping of reef fish for aquariums until the state reviews the trade’s environmental impact. Associated Press.

The state Supreme Court has ordered a stop to the commercial collection of aquarium fish in Hawaii pending an environmental review. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Supreme Court put the brakes on aquarium fishing in the state in a decision announced Wednesday. Garden Island.

Conservationists are hailing a ruling from the Hawaii Supreme Court ordering a halt to the collecting of Hawaii reef fish for aquariums. Hawaii News Now.

Today, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court unanimously sided with citizens and conservation groups who have been fighting to protect the state’s coral reefs from the aquarium industry’s collection and sale of reef fish and other wildlife. Maui Now.

As the federal government eyes shrinking some of the United States monuments, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is winning awards in marine conservation. Garden Island.

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Guide To The 2018 Elections. Gov. David Ige faces a strong challenge, and several well-known politicians may battle each other for high-profile positions. Civil Beat.

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Fifteen states, including Hawaii, and the District of Columbia sued Wednesday to block President Donald Trump’s plan to end a program protecting young immigrants from deportation — an act Washington state’s attorney general called part of a “dark time for our country.” Associated Press.

Fifteen states, including Hawaii, and the District of Columbia sued today to block President Donald Trump’s decision to end a program protecting young immigrants from deportation, a plan that Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin said “robs hundreds of Hawaii residents of certainty in their future.” Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii has joined 15 other states in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration for ending the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Pacific Business News.

The State of Hawaii says it has joined a coalition of 16 states in filing suit to protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) grantees. Tribune-Herald.

The Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals created by President Obama in 2012 to protect immigrants who came to this country as children was criticized by the Democratic Party of Hawaii. Garden Island.

Hawaii joined a coalition of 16 states today in filing a lawsuit to protect grantees of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which was brought to an end in an announcement by the Trump administration yesterday. Maui Now.

President Donald Trump’s decision to repeal the President Barack Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, has caused some “concern and confusion” in the Aloha State. Tribune-Herald.

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The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has launched a Global Entry pilot program with Japan that will allow up to 1,500 Japanese citizens to receive expedited screening when visiting the United States. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii will receive additional funds from the federal government's highway program, making the state the largest beneficiary of the program based on lane miles. Pacific Business News.

The state is getting more than $41 million in federal funding to improve freeways and highways. KHON2.

Scores on the ACT college entrance exam ticked up slightly for Hawaii public school graduates for the third year in a row, but most students are not prepared to succeed in college, according to results released late Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Heiress Hires Doctors To Help Reclaim Her $215M Fortune. Abigail Kawananakoa, 91, says she’s mentally fit to manage her own finances even though she suffered a stroke in June. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A years-long dispute over the failure of pro-rail political action committee Pacific Resource Partnership to disclose campaign expenditures it made against former Gov. Ben Cayetano in his 2012 bid for mayor will be resolved with a state-imposed fine. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council voted 8-0-1 today to extend the island’s 0.5 percent general excise tax surcharge funding rail another three years to 2030. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council Approves Rail Funding Extension. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday approved extending Oahu's general excise tax surcharge to help bail out the rail project. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu officials recently canceled their long-stalled effort to award the construction contract for rail’s final 4.3 miles and eight stations into town, opting to start over instead. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s statewide police union has filed a lawsuit against the city of Honolulu to block the release of officers’ names to Honolulu Civil Beat.

After a six-year wait, the developer seeking to build a solar farm in Kalaeloa was rejected by the state agency responsible for managing the land. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. has teamed up with distributed energy resource developer EnSync Energy to test the company's new utility vertical, which will provide the utility with more gird visibility and control. Pacific Business News.

The federal Equal Employment Opportunities Commission is suing the Blood Bank of Hawaii, claiming it terminated an employee who was fighting cancer because she ran out of sick leave. Hawaii News Now.

A state board made a bold and admittedly imperfect decision Wednesday aimed at increasing the long-term supply of affordable housing in Honolulu’s hottest area for residential development, Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu’s condominium market stayed hot in August, as buyer demand for condos hit its highest level in more than a decade after a price record set in July. Star-Advertiser.

Three new restaurants are coming to Kakaako, planned by the Aoki Group, owner and operator of Honolulu’s Doraku and Bluetree Cafe locations. Star-Advertiser.

Queen Emma Land Co. has announced a partnership with developer OliverMcMillan to redevelop seven parcels of land at Kuhio Avenue and Kanekapolei Street in Waikiki to create a commercial mixed-use project. Civil Beat.

The Waikiki Shell will be renamed the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell in honor of the late concert promoter, under a resolution approved unanimously by the City Council Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Mayor Harry Kim on Wednesday signed a proclamation declaring a state of emergency to ensure the county can react quickly to water well breakdowns in West Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Craft Brew Alliance Inc., the owner of Kona Brewing Co., is facing further legal action over the brewing sites of its Hawaii-themed beers. Pacific Business News.

After years of work, the proposed Ka’u Community Development Plan is on the verge on final adoption. Big Island Video News.

One month after Big Island Mayor Harry Kim created the state's only safe zone for homeless campers, the county says it's looking to expand the program. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island has become mired in a months-long dry weather pattern. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

State commits to pay for lifeguards at Makena Beach Park. The matter of legal liability remains a ‘big concern’ for county lawmakers. Maui News.

The head of Alexander & Baldwin’s diversified agriculture operations told a Maui County Council committee Tuesday that the company is not farming any genetically modified crops for food or for animal feed. Maui News.

A&B on Tuesday presented their “diversified agriculture” plan to the Maui Policy, Economic Development and Agricultural Committee. Maui Now.

Kauai

The 287-page county document created to plan for Kauai’s future has some residents fearful of what’s ahead. Garden Island.

Kuhio Highway is targeted for $7.3 million in improvements as part of $41.1 million in funding through the Federal Highways Administration. Garden Island.

Commemorating the historic landing of Captain James Cook, Waimea Town’s Hofgaard Park continues to make history. Garden Island.

Hawaii Democrats lose bid for closed primaries, hepatitis A linked to frozen scallops at sushi restaurant, overburdened Health Department hasn't hired workers, Kenoi wants theft case dismissed, ground broken for Maui hospital, privatization eyed for Big Island, solar sales drop on Oahu, gender-neutral restrooms at UH, super PAC stays out of campaigns, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Democratic Party rally © 2016 All Hawaii News

A federal appeals court is upholding an earlier decision to support the way Hawaii holds its primary elections, rejecting the Democratic Party’s desire to exclude non-Democrats from advancing candidates to the general election. Associated Press.

The state Department of Health ordered the immediate, temporary closure of all Genki Sushi Restaurants on Oahu and Kauai on Monday after determining that the recent hepatitis A outbreak on Oahu was likely due to imported frozen scallops served raw at Genki locations on both islands. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Department of Health has ordered all Genki Sushi restaurants on Oahu and Kauai to close immediately. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Hawaii State Department of Health has ordered an immediate shut down of all Oahu and Kauai Genki Sushi restaurants amid the Hepatitis A investigation. Hawaii News Now.

Health officials will hold a press conference at 9 a.m. Tuesday. KHON2.

As customers walked up to Genki Sushi in Kapahulu, many were surprised to see workers cleaning up instead of serving dinner. KITV.

Health Department Hiring Goes Slow — Will The Mosquitoes Wait? The state recognizes an “urgent” need to fill 20 recently authorized positions, but says some administrative delays are unavoidable. Civil Beat.

When the fall semester gets underway Monday at the University of Hawaii, students at the Manoa, Hilo and West Oahu campuses will have access to more than two dozen gender-neutral restrooms as part of a push to ensure safe and accommodating facilities for all students, including those who are transgender. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's public housing agency has agreed to take steps to remove language barriers for tenants after a family that speaks little English almost got evicted when they didn't understand the legal proceedings against them. Associated Press.

Oahu

Commentary: Now that it’s clear that former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou will be challenging incumbent Kirk Caldwell in the general election for Honolulu mayor, some political watchers were expecting the building trades group Pacific Resource Partnership to make a full-court press with millions of dollars to take down Djou. Civil Beat.

Newcomer Cedric Gates locked hands on stage with fellow Democrats after unseating Representative Jo Jordan by 52 percent.  Some think Gates’ win is under a cloud because in 2014 he previously ran as a Green Party candidate. KITV.

In what legal observers call a risky strategy, Louis and Katherine Kealoha are using lawsuits and media interviews to take the offensive as they are investigated in a federal corruption probe. Civil Beat.

A proposed settlement to end a landmark lawsuit over how the city has been conducting homeless sweeps cleared a hurdle Monday, with a federal judge recommending preliminary approval of the deal. Civil Beat.

State transportation officials have opened a 2-mile stretch of the H-1 freeway’s eastbound shoulder lane in West Oahu to weekday morning commuters — the latest step in their strategy to employ simpler traffic fixes while deferring costlier large-scale highway projects. Star-Advertiser.

Sewage from the Animal Quarantine Station is pouring into Halawa Stream, and it’s been going on for weeks. KHON2.

Data has revealed that the number of solar building permits issued by Honolulu in July was the city's fewest issued in the past year and a half. Associated Press.

Oahu’s solar energy industry continues to lag with a 54 percent drop in permits issued last month when comparing the same month last year and the fewest number issued in the past 18 months. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A lawyer for Mayor Billy Kenoi has filed a number of pretrial motions in Kenoi’s felony theft case, most seeking to dismiss the indictment or specific charges contained in the indictment. Tribune-Herald.

While favored most heavily on the windward side, Harry Kim had no trouble winning votes in each corner of Hawaii Island in his landslide victory during Saturday’s mayoral primary. Tribune-Herald.

Blank ballots and no-shows influence elections, too. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Even as Gov. David Ige’s administration struggles to carry out plans to privatize three state-owned Maui hospitals, Ige says he anticipates “similar arrangements” will be put in place to establish public-private partnerships at the Hilo Medical Center and the Kona Community Hospital on the Big Island. Star-Advertiser.

A groundbreaking for the long-awaited West Maui Hospital was held this morning at the project site, located on Kakaʻalaneo Drive, between the Honoapiʻilani Highway and the Kāʻanapali Coffee Farms community. Maui Now.

On a day that some residents thought they wouldn't live to see, officials and developers broke ground Monday on the West Maui Hospital and Medical Center, a decadeslong community vision that will bring critical health care to residents who have limited options in emergencies. Maui News.

In the race for the Wailuku-Waihee-Waikapu residency seat, voters on Molokai and Lanai proved to be one of the deciding factors for winner Dain Kane, pushing him through to the general election Saturday night in the tightest County Council primary contest this year. Maui News.

Kauai

After the dust settled and the votes were counted early Sunday morning, one thing was clear: voter turnout for the island was the lowest since Hawaii became a state in 1959. Garden Island.

The North Shore Shuttle launched Monday will help alleviate congestion. Garden Island.

KIUC eyes power shift. Garden Island.

Hawaii State Hospital revamp planned, no ho‘oponopono for Mauna Kea protesters, Thirty Meter Telescope fight costs University of Hawaii, Maui candidate files campaign spending complaint Pacific Resource Partnership, ACLU loses bid for restraining order against homeless sweeps, weather brings pumpkin shortage, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii State Hospital, courtesy asylumprojects.org

The Hawaii Department of Health is planning to overhaul the state’s psychiatric hospital in Kaneohe — more than doubling the number of beds and installing tighter security — in light of hundreds of reported assaults by patients against staff in recent years and a sharp increase in the number of people being committed to the facility. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Hospital would more than double its capacity while improving employee safety under an updated master plan unveiled Tuesday, health officials said. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Health is unveiling an updated plan for the Hawai‘i State Hospital, that would more than double the amount of available beds for patients. Hawaii Public Radio.

Six years after President Obama launched the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the commission created to support the initiative is making its first official visit to Hawaii. Civil Beat.

The State of Hawai‘i has ranked fourth in Kiplinger’s list of the country’s least tax-friendly states, topped only by California, Connecticut and New Jersey. Maui Now.

A public charter school’s academic and financial performance for the first time will determine whether its contract with the state should be renewed when the first round of performance-based contracts expire in 2017 — a move that has some schools anxious. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawyers must not provide legal services to clients seeking a license to run the state’s first medical marijuana businesses, according to a new formal opinion released by the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A federal judge on Tuesday denied the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i’s request to stop the city from using its sidewalk enforcement laws to remove the homeless from Honolulu streets. Star-Advertiser.

A federal court has denied a request for a temporary restraining order to halt city sweeps of homeless encampments in Honolulu. U.S. District Court Judge Helen Gillmor ruled Tuesday that the court lacked “sufficient information” to determine whether the continued enforcement of the stored property and sidewalk nuisance ordinances would cause “irreparable harm.” Civil Beat.

The civil rights battle for those who live on the streets hit a major speed bump on Tuesday. A federal judge denied a Temporary Restraining Order that would have prevented the City from removing personal belongings from public sidewalks. KITV4.

A federal judge has denied the American Civil Liberties Union's request to immediately stop Honolulu officials from clearing homeless encampments. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation plans to recommend on Friday that the state terminate its lease with Honey Bee USA Inc., the developer of the planned Waikiki Landing at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, for nonpayment of more than $425,000 in back rent and for failing to pay the nearly $1 million performance bond and keep the lease free of encumbrances and liens. Star-Advertiser.

Sidewalk cafes are rare in Honolulu, despite the city’s famously good weather. That’s because a city ordinance doesn’t allow them anywhere except in Waikiki. Kakaako, a state redevelopment district, is also exempt from the ban that’s in place by default because the city defines sidewalks as places for walking, not dining. Civil Beat.

Honolulu architecture firm Ferraro Choi and Associates Ltd. has been tapped to design a part of the 5.5-acre “Kakaako Makai Innovation Block,” a partnership between the Hawaii Community Development Authority and the High Technology Development Corp. Pacific Business News.

O’ahu’s over-budget rail transit project is completing mile 5 of its elevated guideway and making its way through the heart of Waipahu.  Officials announced the resolution of a major issue that impacted a number of businesses there. Hawaii Public Radio.

Tanioka’s Seafoods & Catering and about 20 other Waipahu businesses along the rail line will get a partial reprieve from construction now that the left-turn lane into their shopping complex is back, surprisingly. Star-Advertiser.

Aloun Farms has reported a pumpkin shortage due to recent storms and frequent heavy rain. Production has dropped nearly 50 percent. KHON2.

Hawaii

It’s back to court for 10 Thirty Meter Telescope opponents arrested on Mauna Kea after state officials declined to participate in a Hawaiian mediation process known as ho‘oponopono. Tribune-Herald.

The financial impact from legal and other challenges to the Thirty-Meter Telescope at Mauna Kea and the Dan K. Inouye Solar Telescope at Haleakala is beginning to be felt on the University of Hawaii Manoa campus. The UH has already spent $2.2 million in attorney fees defending the construction of the telescopes. Hawaii News Now.

Residents now have a better idea of the cost of protecting water quality and ensuring healthy reefs at Puako Bay. The cost to build private aerobic wastewater processing systems would run about $6 million for Puako residents, and a sewage plant would be $9 million, according to an engineer’s study completed last month. West Hawaii Today.

Leaky pipes can cost big bucks, not only for residents who don’t catch them in time, but also for the Water Department, which generally picks up half the cost of overages, provided the resident fixes the leak. Property owners are allowed one such forgiveness every three years. West Hawaii Today.

The final environmental assessment (EA) for a proposed development mauka of Kahalu’u Beach Park has been published with a Finding of No Significant Impact. Big Island Video News.

Vehicles will be banned from Hilo’s Bayfront Beach beginning Friday. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Councilwoman Elle Cochran filed a state Campaign Spending Commission complaint Tuesday against the political action group Pacific Resource Partnership/Forward Progress, alleging that it plotted illegally with a political opponent to unseat her. Star-Advertiser.

An eight-bed special treatment facility for alcohol- and drug-dependent men in a Kihei neighborhood moved closer to reality after receiving a key approval from the state Health Department last week. Maui News.

Maui County's population has grown 5.3 percent in the last five years, pacing ahead of other counties in the state, according to newly released 2014 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Maui News.

Haleakala National Park’s Headquarters Visitor Center, near the park’s entrance, closed down Sunday afternoon for roof repairs that began Monday. The center will be closed until late November. Maui News.

Kauai
The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will start a pilot program that offers discounted rates to a group of residential customers to encourage them to shift their energy use to the daylight hours to take advantage of the utility’s robust solar resources, the nonprofit co-op said Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

The number of falling endangered seabirds has slowed. A Save Our Shearwaters organizer said only two birds have fallen at Kokee Air Force station since early last week — a big drop off from the 126 reported felled from mid-August to mid-September. Garden Island.