Safeway discontinuing local beef amid dispute, Honolulu City Council 64% raise starts July 1, Kilauea eruption pauses, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Big beef: Safeway breaks ties with iconic ranch as local meat industry struggles to grow. When Idaho rancher and investor Frank Vandersloot bought the Hawaii meat processing plant in Paauilo on Hawaii Island and another one on Oahu, he was hailed as a potential savior of the meat industry in Hawaii. But his business practices have caused conflicts among major players in the industry, including Parker Ranch. Hawaii News Now.

Hawai‘i’s Love-Hate Relationship with Tourism Is Getting a Little Friendlier. Support for the state’s largest industry rose to 57% in the latest Hawai‘i Tourism Authority survey.  Hawaii Business magazine.

Cheap summer flights testing ‘aloha spirit’ as low-budget travelers flock to the islands. People pay big money to fly across the ocean to see Hawaii’s blue water and spend even more once they’re here, but recent deals to paradise have some residents rolling up the welcome mat. Hawaii News Now.

New working group aims to improve state's existing child welfare system.  The state's Office of Wellness and Resilience will start up a Mālama ʻOhana Working Group. Members will begin to recommend changes to the state's child welfare system. Hawaii Public Radio.

Ex-union official might get 14-year sentence.  A federal jury found Brian Ahakuelo, 62, former elected business manager and financial secretary of the Inter­national Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 1260, and his wife, Marilyn Ahakuelo, 59, guilty Nov. 21 of one count of conspiracy and 42 counts of wire fraud. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council members’ 64% pay increase to begin July 1.  City Council member Augie Tulba says his effort to discuss and possibly thwart the more than 64% pay hike going to the Council on July 1 has failed. Star-Advertiser.

Revote Scheduled For Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board Seat After Concerns Over Low Turnout. Following a technical glitch that deterred some residents from voting during part of last month’s neighborhood board elections, the Neighborhood Commission announced Monday it had scheduled a revote for Hawaii Kai’s subdistrict 11 board seat. Civil Beat.

New Medical Center Opens For Honolulu’s Homeless Community. The Honolulu Emergency Services Department is working with the city's outreach program to help homeless patients find permanent housing. Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

Kamehameha Schools’ redevelopment to transform 2 Moiliili blocks. Kamehameha Schools on Monday announced its plans to redevelop a two-block area in Moiliili into what is slated to become Waianuenue, a modernized retail space geared to suit the neighborhood’s vibrant community. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.  KITV4.

Investigators find pilots' confusion caused 2021 cargo plane crash off Oʻahu.  Federal investigators say a cargo plane ditched into the ocean off Oʻahu in 2021 because pilots identified the wrong engine that was failing and didn’t have enough power to remain airborne. Associated Press.

Popular Oahu hiking trail to close for repairs.  The popular Manoa Falls Trail is scheduled for a five-day closure, starting next Monday, for maintenance and repairs. Star-Advertiser.

BYU Is Considering Taking Down An Iconic Mural On Its North Shore Campus. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are simmering at the prospect that a historic mosaic on the campus of Brigham Young University-Hawaii could be damaged during a redevelopment project. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Kilauea volcano eruption pauses after 12 days.  The summit eruption at the volcano, located within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, has paused after 12 days, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported just after 8:30 p.m. Monday. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KHON2. KITV4.

Estimated $2.7K worth of Merrie Monarch items stolen on Big Isle.  Between 10 a.m. Sunday and 7 a.m. today, an unknown suspect or suspects broke into the office and took off with several items, including a gilt frame with a display of 12 Merrie Monarch Royal Court Medals. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald.  Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.

Speed limit change proposed: Bill would impact about two miles of Kalanianaole Street.  Bill 51, a Hawaii County Council bill that will be introduced at today’s meeting of the council’s Policy Committee on Infrastructure and Assets, would reduce the speed limit on a roughly 1.7-mile stretch of Kalanianaole Street in Hilo from 30 mph to 25 mph between Leleiwi Street and the James Kealoha Park Access Road. Tribune-Herald.

Mahuna ‘very humbled’ to be named acting deputy police chief.  Maj. Reed Mahuna said he’s “very humbled” by Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz’s decision to appoint him acting deputy police chief for the Hawaii Police Department, effective July 1. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui Council Committee seeks input on lands with conservation value. The Maui Council Committee on Agriculture, Diversification, Environmental Protection, and Transportation is seeking community input on lands with conservation value. Maui Now.

Mayor’s office wants Independent Nomination Board filled. The Office of the Maui County Mayor is accepting applications for the Independent Nomination Board, an all-volunteer board responsible for recruiting, selecting, and determining nominees for appointment to more than 40 county boards and commissions. Maui News.

Transportation study focus of open house. A community open house will be held Tuesday on the draft plan for Maui County’s I Mua Central Maui transportation study, a 20-year plan that will identify transportation projects and programs in Central Maui to ensure the community is connected by safe, efficient and sustainable travel options, according to a county news release. Maui News.

Kauai

UH buoy, aquatic drone set for Kaua‘i deployment to study fossil fuel impact on reefs.  Researchers at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa are set to deploy this summer a research buoy off Kaua‘i’s coast alongside multiple aquatic drones, as part of a project to assess Hawai‘i’s vulnerability to climate change impacts. Garden Island.

Queen’s Bath closed due to hazardous conditions.  Queen’s Bath, a noteworthy site on the North Shore of Kaua‘i, was closed throughout last winter due to dangerous conditions. It usually reopens during the summer months. Kauai Now. Hawaii News Now.

Plane crashes off Maui, Kauai have rescuers scrambling, farm families sue Parker Ranch over 2021 wildfire, tourism expected to soften, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii luau ©2022 All Hawaii News

Hawaii tourism could soften with mainland pullback.  Hawaii should see nearly 9.7 million visitors in 2023 but also some cooling in the state’s biggest economic driver,  according to a report from the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii among healthiest states, new survey reports. Hawaii and Connecticut tied for fourth place in the United Health Foundation’s annual ranking of states for their overall health, behind Vermont at No. 3, Massachusetts at No. 2 and New Hampshire at No. 1. Star-Advertiser.

As hospitals fill up, other health services falter. The Healthcare Association of Hawaii said hospitals are averaging more than 24 hundred patients a day, which is 400 more than the average before the pandemic.  KHON2. KITV4.

Wespac Will Have To Pay Back More Than $800K Of Mishandled Federal Money. NOAA says its review revealed the council’s “pattern of failure to comply,” and that it could withhold future funding if the money isn’t paid back. In recent years, the primary source of funding has come from Hawaii’s longline fishermen through deals that let them fish for several thousand tons of additional tuna beyond their quota limits. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s Prison Medical Records System Has Reached A Point of ‘Absolute Crisis’. The continued failure of the electronic system has complicated efforts to provide inmates with the latest Covid-19 booster shot. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu Teacher Violated Ethics By Accepting $16,600 From School Volunteer. The Moanalua Elementary teacher has to pay back the funds and may face further disciplinary action. Civil Beat.

Jiro Sumada returns to Honolulu's planning department as deputy director.  Sumada previously held the position between 2010 and 2013. For a brief time, he also served as the department's acting director.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Health clinic for military families affected by Red Hill fuel spill to open in January. The Defense Health Agency Region Indo-Pacific announced Thursday that a Red Hill health clinic is set to open in January. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Stadium authority says they can pull off redevelopment plan. Not everyone agrees. Now that Gov. Josh Green has OK’d the redevelopment of Aloha Stadium and the 70 acres around it, Stadium Authority leaders are defending the project and their ability to control costs. Hawaii News Now.

Arizona prison that houses Hawaii inmates could influence design of long-stalled Oahu jail. A private prison in the middle of the Arizona desert could offer some design solutions for the state ― should a new jail be built on Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Diamond Head Theatre ready to hit the stage. Construction is complete at the new Diamond Head Theatre and is almost ready to be used as they gather the finishing touches. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Parker Ranch sued over farmland wildfire. Fourteen Hawaiian homesteaders filed a lawsuit Thursday against Parker Ranch Inc. and its contractor seeking damages, which include $40 million just to replace topsoil on 500 acres of pastureland damaged by the massive 2021 Waimea fire — said to be the largest wildfire in state history. Star-Advertiser. West Hawaii Today. Hawaii News Now.

Lawsuit alleges bad behavior by Hilo police.  Christopher Kagawa, who co-owned Infinity Concrete Pumping in Hilo for more than a decade,  is suing the Hawaii Police Department and two of its officers, claiming he was wrongly arrested, his civil rights were violated, one of his firearms was stolen after a search of his home, and police tampered with his cellphone. Tribune-Herald.

Is hiring process for Hawaiʻi Police Chief transparent if 40 applicants remain anonymous? The Hawai‘i County Police Commission Chair John Bertsch said transparency was paramount in the process to hire the next police chief. But while four finalists for the position are being interviewed at public meetings, it is unlikely the public will ever know the identities of the other 40 applicants. Big Island Now.

Law enforcement increases security on Mauna Loa, Mitigation route closed: Response to Mauna Loa eruption cost county nearly $400K.  Between Nov. 27, when the eruption began, and Tuesday, various county departments including the Hawaii Police Department, Hawaii County Civil Defense and the county Department of Public Works spent approximately $392,000 responding to the eruption. Tribune-Herald. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2 Big Island Now. Big Island Video News.

Sand removal set for Bayfront Highway. Work will begin next week to remove a large berm of sand on the makai side of Bayfront Highway in Hilo. The highway and sections of Kamehameha Avenue were closed in late November due to high wind and surf, which deposited sand and other debris on the road. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Coast Guard search underway for medical transport plane that crashed off Maui. The incident happened just before 9:30 p.m. Thursday. Officials said three crew members were onboard. There was no patient in the aircraft. Hawaii News Now.

Committee launches OpenGov Maui FY23 budget website. The website was created to showcase Maui County’s financial plan for the fiscal year, which started July 1, 2022 and runs through June 30, 2023.  Maui Now.

Maui Voters Created New Community Water Authorities. Here’s What Happens Next. Maui County residents can apply to serve on the board that will run the new East Maui Community Water Authority. Civil Beat.

Maui County’s unemployment rate rose to 4.3% in November 2022. Maui County’s unemployment rate for November rose to 4.3%, which was up .4% in October and higher than the statewide unemployment rate of 4% and the US rate of 3.4%, according to the Hawai‘i State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. Maui Now.

Kauai

2 hurt in Lihue plane crash; commercial flights not affected.  Two people were seriously injured around noon Thursday when a single- engine Beechcraft BE77 crashed just after takeoff from Lihue Airport. Star-Advertiser. Garden Island. Kauai Now.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Wailuā Homesteads bridge repairs complete. Temporary repairs to Yasutake Bridge, located on Kamalu Road in Wailuā on the East Side of Kaua‘i, have been completed. Kauai Now.

Hawaii residents leaving state, Carnival cancels Hawaii cruises for the rest of 2020, BLM infiltrates Kauai Trump rally, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii farmers market, with flowers ©2020 All Hawaii News

 Economists anticipate Hawaii’s shrinking population will decline further due to coronavirus. UH economists recently projected in a report that the state will see a net population loss of 19,000 over the next two years, which means an even bigger number of resident departures since that figure also takes into account the many people expected to move to Hawaii from other states and countries. Star-Advertiser.

With no job prospects on the horizon, some are moving to the mainland. A lack of job opportunities and no communication from the state’s unemployment office is driving some Hawaii residents to pack up their bags and move to the mainland. Hawaii News Now.

Is Hawaii Learning To Live With The Coronavirus? Message fatigue has become a real concern as Hawaii officials gear up public service announcements reminding people they need to wear masks, wash their hands and stay away from each other. Civil Beat.

Carnival cancels most 2020 US cruises, including those to Hawaii. Carnival’s rival Norwegian Cruise Line said it’s holding out hope it’ll be able to restart operations in November — and isn’t shutting down all operations just yet. Hawaii News Now.

Public service campaign inspires the catchy ‘Our Kuleana’. The Our Kuleana campaign — which features well-known island figures donning face masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19 on TV and in print ads, as well as everyday folks taking up the challenge and posting photos of themselves masked up with the hashtag #ourkuleana — inspired Hilo musician Brandon Nakano. Tribune-Herald.

After Hawaii tourism reopens, will there be a flood or trickle of visitors? After seven months of tourism lockdowns, the state is finally ready to reopen the gates. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s arrival testing debate continues, decision expected this week. Several leaders and health officials are now sounding the alarm. They’re saying that more needs to be done or the state will see a surge in cases, and possibly another shut down by the end of the year. KHON2.

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Monday's The Deadline To Register Online To Vote And What Else To Know. There's a lot about 2020 that makes it a year to leave behind. But at least one important task remains: choosing the next president and filling a host of local offices, all with the power to impact our lives. Hawaii Public Radio.

Concerns remain about new Hawaii hemp law. Hawaii will adopt a federal industrial hemp production program at the end of this month, signalling the end of the state’s two-year-long Industrial Hemp Pilot Program. Tribune-Herald.

Navatek CEO Warned Workers Of ‘Draconian Consequences’ If They Slacked Off During Pandemic. Now, Martin Kao faces federal charges of bank fraud and money laundering for allegedly bilking the coronavirus relief program of $12.8 million. Civil Beat.

VIRUS TRACKER — Oct. 4: 70 New COVID-19 Cases In Hawaii. Of the cases diagnosed on Sunday, two were in Maui County, 15 were on Hawaii island and 53 were on Oahu. Civil Beat.

State reports 3 additional COVID-19 fatalities, 70 new cases. The state is reporting three additional COVID-19 fatalities on Sunday, pushing the death toll from the virus in the islands to 156. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

2 candidates for Honolulu mayor have spent more than $3M on race so far. Despite the pandemic-depressed economy, the Honolulu mayor’s race is turning out to be a big spending contest. Combined, the two remaining candidates have spent more than $3 million through Sept. 30. Hawaii News Now.

Here’s How Honolulu’s Mayoral Candidates Differ — Or Not — On Police Reform. Both candidates are largely content with the department and the practices that are already in place. Neither would cut police funding. Civil Beat.

Tourism restart may delay Tier 2. Oahu’s reopening metrics are so restrictive that even the return of only a few thousand tourists, might be enough to upset the fragile balance and keep the county from further economic reopening. Star-Advertiser.

The beaches at Ko Olina are opened again. Why aren’t the public parking lots? Public access advocates say the Ko Olina Resort is using the pandemic as an excuse to restrict beach access. Hawaii News Now.

Affordable rentals for Hawaiians to rise in Moiliili. A 23-story apartment tower is slated to rise on the former Stadium Bowl-O-Drome site in Moiliili, providing affordable rentals for 277 Native Hawaiian households. Star-Advertiser.

UH-Manoa plans apartment towers with below-market rents. A few years from now, University of Hawaii students and faculty should have a very different option for living on the school’s flagship Manoa campus. Star-Advertiser.

State nears ownership of Doris Duke’s former boat basin. The state has tentatively agreed to accept the Doris Duke Foundation of Islamic Art’s offer of up to $1 million to underwrite the cost of dismantling a breakwater that protects a popular swimming cove at the late heiress’ former Black Point estate, but it’s unclear whether the controversial project will happen. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Finalists for mayor head down the home stretch. There’s a lot of agreement, but also major differences, between the two candidates running for Hawaii County’s top office. West Hawaii Today.

Fiber optic ring will improve internet speed, stability. Just when COVID-19 has turned many meetings virtual and a faster, more stable communications network is needed most, a project a decade in the making is about to reach completion. West Hawaii Today.

Papaikou Mill Beach Eminent Domain Back On Council Agenda. On Tuesday, a Hawaiʻi County Council committee will discuss a new resolution to authorize proceedings in eminent domain to provide public access to the beach at Pāpaʻikou. Big Island Video News.

‘Very concerning for everybody’: Hawaii Island posts largest single-day jump in new COVID-19 cases. The state Department of Health reported 43 of the new 133 statewide positive cases were on the Big Island in its Saturday noon report. West Hawaii Today.

26 infected in emerging COVID-19 outbreak at the University of the Nations Kona. The University of the Nations in Kailua-Kona is now up to 26 cases of COVID-19 after 16 cases were reported by the Department of Health on Oct. 3. KHON2.

Singing the blues: Musical gigs almost nonexistent for island musicians. Since COVID-19 changed life as we know it in March, entertainment has generally meant sitting in front of the TV at home or watching videos on a computer or mobile device. Tribune-Herald.

Parker Ranch Plans To Build “Cowboy Housing”. Parker Ranch decided to construct 10 to 12 new homes "based on compelling results generated by ranching operations over the last several years." Big Island Video News.

Parker Ranch to build new homes for working cowboys in 2021-22. Parker Ranch will build new housing for working cowboys in its Livestock Division over the next two years. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Community Budget Meetings for Fiscal Year 2022 Begin This Week. The first in a series of six community budget meetings for Fiscal Year 2022, hosted by Mayor Michael Victorino and his administration, will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6. Maui Now.

Hotels see slight uptick in demand. Government and industry leaders are seeing a slight uptick in hotel demand for Maui ahead of the state’s pre-travel testing program, an effort to revive the state’s visitor-reliant economy. Maui News.

Most schools still distance learning. When public school resumes after fall break, only three Maui County campuses are planning to immediately make changes to involve more face-to-face learning. Maui News.

Kauai

Mason Chock. While serving in the Kaua‘i Fire Department for 12 years as a firefighter, incumbent Kaua‘i County Councilmember Mason Chock, 49, was tested by a pivotal moment. Garden Island.

Pro-Trump rally infiltrated. Black Lives Matter counter-protesters — one dressed in Ku Klux Klan garb and another as a Boogaloo Boi wearing an aloha shirt and mask of President Donald Trump — infiltrated a pro-Trump rally in Kapa‘a Friday afternoon and briefly baffled several hundred people who drove by on Kuhio Highway. Garden Island.

More trees on Kauai afflicted with rapid ohia death disease. State officials have found nine more trees on Kauai afflicted with rapid ohia death, the fungal blight that has decimated hundreds of thousands of native ohia trees in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Molokai

Molokai council candidates back for a Round 3. Stacy Crivello challenges Keani Rawlins-Fernandez for her old seat. Maui News.

Thirty Meter Telescope gets the go-ahead, minimum wage hike advances, Hawaii Obamacare head testifies in Washington, Hagel shows war machines, Honolulu's secret budget, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Thirty Meter Telescope, artist rendering, courtesy photo

Hilo Circuit Court Judge Greg Nakamura ruled in favor of the Thirty Meter Telescope project Wednesday. Nakamura based his decision off four points, including one that found that the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ approval of a conservation district land use permit to the University of Hawaii at Hilo prior to holding a contested case hearing did not warrant reversal of the decision or order. Tribune-Herald.

A bill to protect the state from unlimited liability for accidents on public land is in danger of dying for the second year in a row if a key committee doesn’t take up the legislation this week. The proposal, Senate Bill 1007, has incited a groundswell of support from paragliders, bikers, hikers, rock climbers and others who worry about the potential closure of public trails if the state is left vulnerable to lawsuits. Civil Beat.

A key committee in the state House of Representatives advanced a bill that would increase the minimum wage to about $10 an hour, lower than the $10.10 that was previously called for in the proposal. Associated Press.

Is there still an argument to be made — either in favor of or in opposition to — an increase in Hawaii’s minimum wage that has not already been made? After four hearings on Senate Bill 2609, two floor debates and hundreds of pages of written testimony, it seems that there is nothing new to be said. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Reporter has obtained a copy of the testimony that Tom Matsuda, the Interim Executive Director of the Hawaii Health Connector, will present on April 3 to the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Job Creation and Regulatory Affairs and Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements during a hearing on “Examining ObamaCare’s Problem-Filled State Exchanges.”

Improved science and the vast distance between Hawaii and the magnitude-8.2 earthquake that rocked Chile on Tuesday helped the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to decide not to put the state in tsunami warning status, a move that would have likely triggered a costly evacuation and inconvenienced thousands. Star-Advertiser.

It took nearly four hours between the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's first bulletin to when it sent out a tsunami Advisory Tuesday. The Center's director Chip McCreery said scientists needed the time to evaluate data. Hawaii News Now.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel showed off a state-of-the-art $1.3 billion Navy ship for foreign defense ministers Wednesday and Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft zoomed overhead — not in a demonstration of combat firepower but as a sign of the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief the U.S. military can provide. Star-Advertiser.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: April 3. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Thursday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Things at Kailua District Park's pool haven't been so ducky. A sign posted Wednesday read: "CLOSED due to Duck Feces," and that's been the case since Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

State pest control officials on Thursday were moving to assess and eradicate an infestation of little fire ants in Waimanalo, but not before landing a scolding from a key state lawmaker. Star-Advertiser.

There's a new outbreak of Little Fire Ants in Waimanalo, and the state Agriculture Department is still trying to figure out the extent of the outbreak while some senators are critical of the state's response. Hawaii News Now.

The Caldwell administration is refusing to make public high-level budget documents that the mayor used to set his spending priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. These records show exactly how much money each department head — from the police chief to the managing director — asked for in 2015 along with the justification for those expenses. Civil Beat.

Who sits on the board of the Hawaii Community Development Authority historically has not been a contentious issue. But with the recent flurry of Kakaako condominium towers winning agency approval, the selection process is attracting more attention. Star-Advertiser.

Marilyn Lee has filed papers with the Office of Elections for the District 36 seat in the Hawaii House of Representatives.  Lee, a Democrat, served as the representative for Mililani, Mililani Mauka and Waipio Acres for 16 years. Civil Beat.

Renovation work on a new track field at Radford High School has been halted after debris and soil samples tested positive for contaminants including lead and arsenic, the state Department of Education announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

It’s Mayor Billy Kenoi’s biggest budget yet, and a full $18.4 million in a budget increasing by $18.3 million is going for employee raises and added benefits. Kenoi, presenting his budget Wednesday to the County Council Finance Committee, said the $412.6 million spending plan, 4.6 percent higher than last year, was accomplished without raising property taxes or user fees. West Hawaii Today.

After years of planning, an effort to build a network of mixed-use trails in Hilo will soon take its first steps along the winding path to completion. The Hilo Bayfront Trails project, spearheaded by a group of citizens working in partnership with the county and state, seeks to construct a multiuse trail system from the Wailuku River at Reed’s Island to Hilo Harbor’s cruise ship terminal, totaling about 6 miles, located on 700 acres of public land. Tribune-Herald.

The same Hawaii Island company known for its grass-fed hamburgers now wants to sell the electricity used to cook them. Parker Ranch Inc. CEO Neil “Dutch” Kuyper announced Wednesday the launch of Paniolo Power Company LLC, aimed at using renewable resources in Waimea to generate power. Tribune-Herald.

Parker Ranch on the Big Island, one of the oldest and largest ranches in the United States, has formed a new subsidiary called Paniolo Power Co. LLC to oversee its energy efforts. Pacific Business News.

University of Hawaii at Hilo officials say they are encouraged that this could be the year funding is secured for a permanent home for the university’s pharmacy school. Big Island Now.

The percentage of children in Hawaii receiving free and reduced lunch hit a new high in 2012, at the state level and in Hawaii County. That’s according to the annual Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count report, a national look at issues that affect children. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The county Department of Parks and Recreation is hoping to add several new positions to its staff in the upcoming fiscal year, including park rangers, maintenance workers and administrative staff. Maui News.

The Maui Department of Water Supply today announced it has begun the long-awaited process of issuing water meters in the Upcountry area. Maui Now.

Maui County state senators indicated that major projects were spared the ax in the state Senate's version of the budget approved Monday. Maui News.

Kauai
More than 50 Kauai teachers showed up Tuesday night to Wilcox Elementary School with complaints about a pilot program that evaluates their classroom effectiveness. Garden Island.

A Native Hawaiian charged with commercial vending in a state park says he was only practicing his religious and cultural rights. Garden Island.

Kauai residents have a chance to weigh in on the future of transportation on Kauai tonight. The state Department of Transportation will host a public meeting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihue. Garden Island.

Lanai

Larry Ellison, the billionaire owner of Hawaii's island of Lanai, on Tuesday announced plans for the Lanai Documentary Film Festival, which seeks to "ignite and lead conversations for worldwide change by empowering the individual." Pacific Business News.

The Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaiʻi partnered with the Blue ʻĀina program of Trilogy Excursions this weekend to collect a total of 300 cigarette butts from Hulopoʻe Beach Park on Lānaʻi. Maui Now.