Hawaii Convention Center is leaking, Pearl Harbor to get $2.8B dry dock, Legislature passes session midpoint, bankruptcy shuts down Hawaiian Isles coffee, water company, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaii Convention Center says a major rooftop leak problem threatens to cause structural damage to the $350 million complex. So far, the leaks haven’t led to cancellations. But the center’s manager said it has forced the venue to move events to other rooms. Hawaii News Now.

Debt shuts down Hawaiian Isles water, coffee companies. Two familiar brands in the islands — Hawaiian Isles Water Co. and Hawaiian Isles Coffee Co. — have shut down under a pile of debt and in the wake of ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, according to the companies’ attorney. Star-Advertiser.

Navy awards $2.8 billion contract for Pearl Harbor dock replacement. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific awarded a $2.8 billion task order Friday under a previously awarded contract to Honolulu-based joint venture Dragados/ Hawaiian Dredging/Orion JV to replace Dry Dock 3 at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. Star-Advertiser.

Public Utilities Commission tackles energy equity with new docket. A new docket seeks to define energy equity and integrate energy justice practices into the commission's proceedings.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Almost 1,000 bills advance at Hawaii Legislature.  Tax relief for residents and an environmental impact fee for visitors are among nearly 1,000 proposals in bills that have advanced through the midpoint of this year’s legislative session. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers consider bills to increase funding for at-home caregivers. Hawaii lawmakers are considering bills that would provide support and pay those who care for sick or aging family members. Experts said at-home caregivers save the state millions if not billions of dollars by taking care of their loved ones. KITV4.

Commentary: Plenty Of Legislators Support Term Limits. So Why Won't They Let The Public Vote On Them? Civil Beat surveyed many of Hawaii's 76 lawmakers or researched their positions on term limits. Here's what we found. Civil Beat.

Nowhere To Go: Lack Of Housing And Staff Is Undercutting Efforts To Deal With Homelessness In Hawaii. Homeless people face a number of barriers to getting the help, including a dearth of available housing and a safety net system that isn't always designed to meet their needs. Civil Beat.

Here’s What Hawaii Can Learn From Other States About Universal Preschool. The Ready Keiki initiative is a mixed-delivery system that aims to create more than 465 classrooms, increase subsidies for lower-income families and collaborate with universities to update their teaching curriculum by having a dedicated preschool school degree. Civil Beat.

Hawaii jobless rates higher than reported.  Upward revisions undertaken by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics boosted the rates for the last four months of 2022, including increasing December’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate by a half-percentage point, to 3.7% from 3.2%. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council begins overhaul of land use ordinance. Overhauling and updating the city’s more than 30-year-old land use ordinance — a guiding planning document used for orderly development on Oahu — has begun. Star-Advertiser.

Defense contract to study nonfuel uses for Red Hill. Two local companies, CommPac and SMS Hawaii, will be assisting defense contractor Nakupuna Cos. in conducting public outreach and soliciting community ideas about alternative uses for the Navy’s Red Hill facility once its closed for fueling operations. Star-Advertiser.

Big Pay Hikes On The Horizon For City Leaders. The increases arise amid a wider conversation about how to hire and retain workers. Civil Beat.

Honolulu police officers are one step closer to getting a schedule change. The police union has agreed to a a three-day-a-week, 12-hour patrol shift to address staffing shortages in patrol divisions. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu plans expansion of homeless housing and outreach. The city expects to announce two new tiny-home kauhale locations this year with a third to follow as Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration continues to look at ways to reduce homelessness while keeping struggling families from becoming homeless. Star-Advertiser.

Historic land sells for $36.5M on Oʻahu's North Shore. The historic Dillingham Ranch on Oʻahu’s North Shore was just acquired by an undisclosed buyer for $36.5 million. The sale closed March 1.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Watchdog Cites ‘Inhumane Conditions’ And Security Lapse At Oahu Jail. The correctional oversight commission observed gates left open and continued problems with the electronic medical records system at the Oahu jail. Civil Beat.

Miske Case: Judge To Decide If Defense Attorney’s Removal Should Stand. Thomas Otake has been at least temporarily terminated over alleged conflicts of interest. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Big Island Police Shoot And Kill Man In Kailua-Kona. Officers shot and killed a man Friday in the course of investigating a shooting from earlier in the week, according to a press release from Hawaii police. There is no body camera footage of the incident because the plainclothes vice detectives involved do not wear cameras, the department said. Civil Beat. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.  Hawaii News Now.

Mediation urged to curb evictions: State legislation aims to help prevent homelessness. A bill seeking to establish prelitigation mediation in eviction cases has passed the state House and has received committee referrals in the Senate. Tribune-Herald.

Lofty solid waste goal set: County Council resolution supports trash-conversion facility.  Hawaii County has set a goal to process and recycle all solid waste on the Big Island in only three years. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Housing project gets quick boost from County Council. Change in land use is final hurdle for 202-unit Kuikahi Village. Maui News.

Bissen directors cross final hurdle. The Maui County Council on Friday approved all 12 of Mayor Richard Bissen Jr.’s department head appointments. Maui News.

Two council members to step back from rental housing discussion. Both Tasha Kama and Gabe Johnson had been board members of MEO, landowner of the project site. Maui News.

Amendment needed for overnight camping on ag land, high court rules. The state Land Use Commission prevailed Friday in a Hawaii Supreme Court case regarding a special permit for overnight camping on prime agricultural land. Star-Advertiser.

Maui physicians back bill to lessen their tax burden. Bill would exempt medical providers from GET for treating some patients. Maui News.

Maui’s Kulanihakoi High School is empty and stuck in bureaucratic limbo.  Government  and community leaders continue to argue about how to get past more than a decade of bureaucratic missteps that have left Kihei with a long-delayed high school that has cost taxpayers $180 million so far but can’t be used, including a $16 million traffic roundabout that failed to meet the state Land Use Commission’s pedestrian-safety requirements to open the school. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Passenger count eases at Lihu‘e Airport in February. For the first time in months, the number of people getting off domestic flights at Lihu‘e Airport was lower than the same comparable period a year earlier. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i COVID-19 update: “Kraken” subvariant in the wastewater. The state Department of Health reported a relatively low number of COVID-19 cases last week, with only 34 new cases reported on Kaua‘i between Feb. 28 and March 6. Garden Island.

Convention center leaking, first negative ads surface in gubernatorial race, Oahu care home shut down, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Window washers on Hawaii Convention Center ©2022 All Hawaii News

Legislature denies Hawai‘i Convention Center $64 million needed for rooftop repairs. State legislators gave the Hawai‘i Convention Center less than a quarter of its $64 million request to fix a leaky rooftop terrace deck, which is creating hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage and potentially costing the center new bookings. Star-Advertiser.

Limits on renewable energy could become Hawaii law. A bill passed by the Legislature earlier this month and awaiting action by Gov. David Ige aims to amend the state’s energy policy so that it prevents more than 66.67% of power being generated from all combined intermittent sources such as wind, waves and sun. Star-Advertiser.

Coalition criticizes Hawaii telehealth bill. A coalition of social workers, psychologists and other medical professionals is urging Gov. David Ige to veto a bill that could restrict telehealth appointments for mental health services, which soared during the pandemic. Star-Advertiser.

Disabled Voters Are Hoping To Improve Hawaii’s Elections Process This Year. A statewide panel as well as four county committees, all made up of people with disabilities, will begin making recommendations to county and state elections offices. Civil Beat.

Hawaii to get up to $62 million for its small businesses. A state agency soon will sprinkle millions of dollars in seed capital around to Hawaii small businesses under a federally funded program aimed at job creation and economic recovery. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Now.

Bill would OK extensions on ag land leases. Farmers whose land leases are set to expire within the next 15 years will be able to apply for extensions under a bill passed this session by the state Legislature. Tribune-Herald.

Green air, sea, ground transportation goals set by state with new bill. Senate Bill 3311 HD2 sets up the Hawaiʻi Clean Transportation Initiative, which establishes a goal in law to achieve zero-emissions, clean transportation throughout the state. Maui Now.

Loophole ruins ban on flavored tobacco, health advocates say. The latest version of House Bill 1570 would prohibit the sale or distribution of all flavored tobacco products, including those with menthol, in Hawaii starting Jan. 1. In addition, the bill prohibits the mislabeling of products as nicotine-free. Star-Advertiser.

Is It Time For Hawaii To Renegotiate Its Relationship With The Military? At Kahoolawe, Makua Valley, Pohakuloa and elsewhere, activists defending the interests of Hawaiians and the environment have protested the U.S. military for decades. Civil Beat.

First negative ads in race for governor air, but political experts think they’ll backfire. A newly formed Super PAC has begun running negative ads featuring the local comedy duo “Da Braddahs” attacking Lt. Gov. Josh Green’s credentials as a physician. Hawaii News Now.

Weddings in Hawaii rebounding after COVID slowdown. In the first quarter of 2022, the state Department of Health recorded 4,466 marriages, up 54% from 2,908 in the same three months of 2021, according to preliminary data, and not too far off from the 4,661 marriages in the first quarter of 2020, before the pandemic hit. Star-Advertiser.

Rent prices continue to rise sharply across the state . The median price of renting a place to live in Hawaiʻi has climbed nearly 13% between 2019 and 2022, according to Stessa, an online property management platform that analyzed federal government data. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Health Department shuts down Waipahu care home after patients found unattended. The Waipahu Community Care Foster Family Home has been ordered to shut down after health officials found that patients were left unattended, the Department of Health said. Star-Advertiser.

State to spend $26M to fix the aging Wahiawa Dam, acquire Lake Wilson. The state Legislature appropriated the money this session to repair the 116-year-old earthen dam and acquire its irrigation system. As part of that deal, Dole Food company will turn the 325-acre lake over to the state. Hawaii News Now.

Judge Says Lawsuit Against Department Of Agriculture Can Go Forward. Hooah Farms has been called a model for Oahu, but the owners want out of the Kahuku Agricultural Park, saying the park’s manager can’t be trusted. Civil Beat.

State lawsuit claims 2 brothers improperly profiting from public roads in Kakaako and Waikiki. The state Department of the Attorney General is suing brothers Calvert and Cedric Chun, who do business as the Kakaako Land Co., seeking reimbursement for alleged fraudulent collecting of money for the private use of public streets in Waikiki and Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

This New Downtown Driver Testing Site Has The Highest Failure Rate On Oahu. Driving instructors say traffic congestion and certain routes can make some testing sites more difficult than others. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Charter proposals seek to fine-tune mayor’s administration. Two council members are looking to fine-tune the structure of administrative offices to better respond to constituent concerns. West Hawaii Today.

Thousands of building permits set to expire next month. Nearly 7,000 Hawaii County building permits will expire at the end of the month. After the rollout last July of the county’s Electronic Processing and Information Center — a long-in-the-works online building permitting software — the county is now capable of enforcing expiration of permits under the county code. Tribune-Herald.

How A Wellness Company Is Saving Sandalwood On The Big Island. A former ranch in South Kona is being transformed from a grassland back to a native sandalwood forest by a Utah-based essential oils and aromatherapy company. Civil Beat.

Maui

Digital zoning map proposed to rezone 13 parcels consistent with their use. A proposed bill to adopt amendments to the Maui Digital Zoning Map for approximately 13 parcels that are currently zoned P-1, M-1, PK, R-2 and R-3 will be considered by the Planning and Sustainable Land Use Committee on Wednesday, May 25, at 1:30 p.m.  Maui Now.

Next phase of Lahaina bypass sidelined after dip in rental car funds. The Lahaina Bypass 1C project was scheduled for construction in federal fiscal year 2023 using $70 million of state funds from the rental car surcharge, which was reduced by the pandemic. Maui News.

Recently retired police lieutenant returns to department. A Maui Police Department lieutenant who retired more than eight months ago has been rehired and is being assigned to be acting captain of the Molokai Patrol Division. Maui News.

Kauai

New Report Reveals How The Kauai Police Chief Found Himself In Trouble For Racist Remarks. A newly released investigative report into racist remarks by Kauai Police Chief Todd Raybuck provides new details about circumstances leading to the suspension of the chief in April 2021. Civil Beat.

Hawaii House seeks 200 temps for 2019 session, Caldwell signs monster home bill, humpback whale sightings down, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Window washers at Hawaii Convention Center ©2018 All Hawaii News

Hawaii Convention Center anticipates more robust 2019. Business at the Hawaii Convention Center, which turned its first profit in 2016, has softened as the facility celebrates its 20th anniversary. Star-Advertiser.

Construction industry enjoys unexpected growth to help boost Hawaii’s economy. Hawaii’s construction industry should provide a little more oomph to the local economy this year than previously expected, according to a report by economists released Friday. Star-Advertiser.

Ed Case And Cam Cavasso Far Apart On Kavanaugh Nomination. Hawaii’s top candidates for the 1st Congressional District found common ground on the Jones Act and the Honolulu rail project but disagreed about marijuana legalization and Native Hawaiian sovereignty during a forum Friday hosted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Mazie Hirono, the Hawaii senator in the national spotlight for her blunt criticisms of male behavior surrounding the controversial Supreme Court nomination said questions about one of her own male political allies with a checkered domestic past are nothing more than “more manufactured moral outrage led by the Republican leadership.” West Hawaii Today.

State House of Representatives Hiring for 200 Temporary Positions. The House of Representatives is accepting job applications for the 2019 Legislative Session. Maui Now.

Humpback whale sightings are becoming less common in the Hawaiian Islands. Associated Press.

State’s Hawaii Department Dashboard recognized by global company. KITV.

Air seats expected to increase 7% through October. Scheduled nonstop air seats to Hawaii between August and October increased 7.2 percent to 3.1 million seats, with a 24 percent increase in scheduled service to the Big Island to 282,542 seats. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Builders of so-called illegal monster homes and other city building code violators now face stiffer penalties under a bill signed into law by Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Second dock unusable at USS Arizona Memorial. The shoreside dock at the memorial’s visitor center is sinking, making it too risky for visitors to get onto the boats. Star-Advertiser.

Docks at the WWII Valor memorial partially submerged after taking on water. That led to the cancellation of boat tours Sunday. Hawaii News Now.

Boat tours at Pearl Harbor suspended for at least a week while crews fix sinking dock. KHON2.

Families filled the Kapolei High Cafeteria this weekend hoping to be selected as awardees of land in an upcoming subdivision. Lots in this subdivision are a part of the East Kapolei 2 master-planned community being developed by the DHHL on the Ewa Plains. Hawaii News Now.

This Waianae Homeless Camp Is Going Legit. Residents, who fought off state plans to sweep the camp at the Waianae Boat Harbor, want to create a new self-made village for up to 300 homeless people. Civil Beat.

Can Hawaii’s Oldest Dive Bar Survive Chinatown’s Invading Hipsters? The owner of Smith’s Union Bar in Chinatown, opened in 1935, worries his landlord won’t renew the bar’s lease. Civil Beat.

Three Hawaii public school teachers were named today as finalists in a nationwide competition sponsored by Farmers Insurance and all three could win $100,000 each for their schools if they get enough support from the public. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

A lawsuit filed by a Big Island group seeking to limit helicopter traffic over the island will go before the U.S. Court of Appeals in November. Tribune-Herald.

A panel debated the upcoming November ballot question, “Shall the legislature be authorized to establish, as provided by law, a surcharge on investment real property to be used to support public education?”, during a forum in Hilo on Thursday night. Big Island Video News.

Proponents for and against a proposed amendment to the state constitution that aims to better fund public education debated merits of the upcoming ballot measure during a moderated panel forum Thursday at the Arc of Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Years after the development of a preservation plan designed to protect historic properties at Laaloa Beach Park, a subcommittee of the county’s Cultural Resources Commission is pushing the county to make full implementation of that plan a priority. West Hawaii Today.

Puna Councilwoman Jen Ruggles sent a letter to the CEO of The Queen’s Health Systems stating the state’s largest private employer “may have committed the international crime of genocide against aboriginal Hawaiians.” Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui Ocean Center has recently been named among the “Top 10 Aquariums in the World” by TripAdvisor 2018 Travelers’ Choice awards. Maui Now.

Dream of water meter can come with nightmare of added costs. Most homeowners find they can’t afford water system improvements. Maui News.

Lights that will be installed at Central Maui Regional Park in the upcoming months will be on fields farthest away from the Maui Lani subdivision and near the park’s parking lots, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, which coordinates the planning and construction for the park. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai Chamber of Commerce interviewed 11 of 14 candidates for Kauai County Council, and has posted those interviews on YouTube. Garden Island.

They’re fuzzy, they’re endangered and there are now 19 of them growing in man-made burrows on Kauai’s North Shore. They’re Newell’s shearwater chicks, and they make up the third round of chicks translocated from Kauai’s mountain burrows to a protected nesting site within a predator-proof fence in Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. Garden Island.

Caldwell stresses affordable housing in State of the City speech, minimum wage hike advances in Legislature, state attorney general persists in travel ban opposition, foam food container ban back on table, Kauai seeks control of historic trail, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell State of the City address, courtesy photo

Mayor Kirk Caldwell made his pitch for more affordable housing and finishing the city’s troubled rail project at his fifth State of the City address Thursday evening. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell called Thursday for cooperation from other governments, the private sector, unions and nonprofits to help the city “turn the corner” on its affordable housing shortage. Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell unveiled a his plan to re-invigorate affordable housing construction on Oahu in his fifth State of the City address Thursday evening. Hawaii News Now.

Emphasizing the need for more affordable housing, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell delivered his fifth State of the City Address. KITV.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell delivered his fifth State of the City address Thursday evening. KHON2.

===========

A state Senate committee has passed a bill to increase the state minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2019, but three other bills to incrementally raise the state minimum wage have been deferred in the House. Star-Advertiser.

Town Square: Sit-Down With Governor David Ige. Hawaii Public Radio.

State department delays mail-out of tax booklets. The state advised Hawaii businesses seeking to fill out their general excise tax returns to head online or to district offices before Monday’s deadline. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Stands Ready To Challenge Trump’s Promised New Order. The president said he would rescind his earlier travel ban — now stalled in court — and instead issue another one. Civil Beat.

The world's oldest known seabird has a new chick. Associated Press.

Oahu

Local rail officials and Hawaiian Electric Co. say they’ve agreed to a cheaper fix for many of the utility-line clearance problems that have plagued Oahu’s elevated transit project, saving about $140 million. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell has allowed a bill limiting the operation of tour buses, limousines and related commercial vehicles in most Waimanalo beach parks to become law without his signature. Star-Advertiser.

A local lawmaker is calling for the consolidation of administrative positions at the University of Hawaii at Manoa after a nationwide search for a new Chancellor came up empty. Hawaii News Now.

Investigation launched after Waikiki hotel diverts storm water into ocean. KHON2.

The Hawaii Convention Center today is unveiling $1.1 million in new flooring that can convert its 204,000-square-foot exhibition hall into courts for amateur and professional sporting events in an effort to diversify group business. Star-Advertiser.

A stingray smuggling bust turned into a new display at the Waikiki aquarium. KITV.

Kmart continues to pay American Assets Trust Inc. yearly base rents of $4.5 million for one of its shuttered Hawaii locations, the highest amount of any lease in its retail portfolio, according to public documents filed Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A ban on polystyrene foam food containers is back before a County Council committee, following its close loss last year on a deadlocked vote. West Hawaii Today.

A bill that would have given control of Hawaii Health Systems Corp.’s East Hawaii medical facilities to Hawaii County appears to have died. Tribune-Herald.

The completion date for the long-delayed Komohana Street reconstruction project has again been pushed back. Initially estimated to be finished by February 2016, the work is now set for a mid-April timeline, according to the county Department of Public Works. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Island’s efforts toward renewable energy and off-grid living took a giant leap with the inception of Ainamalu, a new Waikoloa community that began construction this week. West Hawaii Today.

Salvador Luquin, who owned a popular Mexican restaurant destroyed by last month’s fire, said he has purchased a lunch wagon and hopes to be cooking again in the next few weeks. Tribune-Herald.

A magnitude-4.5 earthquake struck off the coast of the Big Island on Friday morning, but it was not strong enough to generate a tsunami threat. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

A bill for about a $900,000 appropriation to offset costs for emergency repairs related to the September flooding in Iao Valley failed to garner enough votes Wednesday from a Maui County Council committee. Maui News.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved dredging of the Lahaina Harbor channel to clear a buildup of material that poses a danger to harbor traffic, West Maui state Rep. Angus McKelvey announced last week. Maui News.

Kauai

State lawmakers are weighing a bill that requires the state to identify the path of the ancient Ala Loa trail on Kauai and recognize it as a public trail. The trail, which generally follows the coast around the island, apparently includes a section that crosses the property of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg as well as other oceanfront property owners reluctant to open their land. Star-Advertiser.

For the people of Kauai, the Lihue post office is more than just a swinging door for mail. Garden Island.

It’s going to take days and a crew of more than three people to dig out a net that’s implanted in the sand by the river mouth at South ‘Aliomanu Beach. Garden Island.

Hawaii fights for conventions, Matson apologizes for Honolulu Harbor molasses spill, UH brings back employee under fire for bid favoritism, accidental sirens on Oahu, Maui and Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Neil Abercrombie promotes Hawaii, file photo

Gov. Neil Abercrombie had wanted to host the nation’s governors for their annual summer meeting in two years. He found out Wednesday the governors will be going to West Virginia instead. The problem? Hawaii is one of the world’s most exotic destinations but also a place where public officials go at their own risk. Few states depend on one industry to fuel their economy as much as Hawaii relies on tourism. Yet state officials must constantly defend Hawaii as a venue for conferences involving public officials who are vulnerable to criticism back home that they took a taxpayer-financed junket. Stateline.

The man at the center of a procurement scandal at the University of Hawaii has returned to work. Brian Minaai, associate vice president for Capitol Improvements since 2008, has been on paid leave for nearly eight months as the state attorney general investigated allegations of favoritism in the procurement of construction projects. Hawaii Reporter.

Sweeping education reforms that Hawaii and other states promised in return for millions in federal Race to the Top dollars are "unrealistic and impossible" to achieve, a new report issued Thursday argues. Star-Advertiser.

Mastering the art of the field trip — that’s one skill that doesn’t get much attention in college teacher preparation programs. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie plans to force state lawmakers’ hands, pledging to call them into special session on Oct. 28 to vote on whether to legalize gay marriage. Hawaii already has a reciprocal beneficiaries law and a civil unions law, but Abercrombie wants a special session to pass a gay marriage bill now. Hawaii Reporter.

Between 2000 and 2002, Hawaii was spending less than the rest of the country on energy, when compared to the gross domestic product. But the positions were reversed and energy spending has out-paced the national average. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Airlines won't be the only carrier flying nonstop between Honolulu and Beijing next year. Air China has issued a notice that the state-owned carrier will begin three-days-a-week service between the two cities beginning Jan. 21 as part of its winter schedule. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii State Civil Defense officials have confirmed that the emergency warning sirens that sounded overnight on Oahu, Maui and Molokai were accidental and that there is no alert at this time. Hawaii News Now.

Drivers, get ready to pay more for your vehicle’s safety check. The state wants to raise the yearly inspection fee by as much as 36 percent. It’s even higher if you ride a motorcycle. KHON2.

State roundup for September 13. Associated Press.

Oahu

Matson Inc. officials said Thursday that the shipping company did not have a response plan for a molasses spill, even though its vessels export as much as 2,000 tons of the viscous liquid each week to the mainland from a pipeline at Honolulu Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

Matson apologized Thursday for Monday's molasses spill disaster and said the company will not "run from responsibility. Hawaii News Now.

The massive molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor this week has placed a spotlight on a little know sector in Hawaii agriculture industry. Hawaii's molasses is produced by a single plantation -- Alexander & Baldwin Inc.'s Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. -- which makes about 50,000 tons of molasses each year on Maui. Hawaii News Now.

Four days after a Matson pipeline broke spilling 233,000 gallons of thick, syrupy molasses into Honolulu Harbor and killing thousands of fish and other sea creatures, a Matson executive stood in front of the harbor perspiring heavily.  Civil Beat.

It’s been 4 days since a devastating molasses spill caused by a ruptured pipeline erupted into the waters of Honolulu Harbor, killing thousands of fish and marine life. Matson, the company responsible for the spill, says it's still grappling with a course of action. Hawaii Public Radio.

A $1.5 million state grant to Damien Memorial School, a private sectarian school, is unconstitutional and may be withheld, state attorneys say. The funding —approved by the Legislature this year as a grant-in-aid included in the state budget — is under review by the Governor's Office. Star-Advertiser.

The future of Aloha Beer Co., which closed its Honolulu brewery restaurant for renovations in July, is up in the air as the company works out tax and organizational issues. Pacific Business News.

A bill rezoning 576 acres of agricultural land in Waipio for Castle and Cooke's large-scale Koa Ridge project was given a preliminary approval by the City Council Planning Committee late Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County is asking a 3rd Circuit Court judge to allow it to intervene to help defend Bobby Jean Leithead Todd’s position as Environmental Management director after discovering that Councilwoman Brenda Ford’s petition challenging her relies on a relatively obscure legal premise that prevents the county from doing so. West Hawaii Today.

The Board of Land and Natural Resources will consider giving the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort a lifeline today as a new owner is sought to take over the beleaguered operation on Hilo’s Banyan Drive. Tribune-Herald.

A buyer for Big Island Carbon LLC, which filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy late last year, may emerge in the next couple of months, according to former CEO Rick Vidgen. Pacific Business News.

A civil suit filed Monday in Delaware alleges that the owners of the Hu Honua Bioenergy plant currently under development in Pepeekeo attempted to defraud the former majority owner of the project by attempting to back out of an agreement to pay a sum of $5.5 million following state approval of a power purchase agreement with Hawaii Electric Light Company Inc. Tribune-Herald.

Incredible video is making its rounds online showing a tiger shark being caught off-shore at Honokohau Harbor on Hawai'i Island.  Reaction to the YouTube clip has been fierce, as a great majority of the comments come from people who can't believe what they're watching and want justice – some even calling for revenge. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

The Chair of the state’s Senate Health Committee will host a talk story session at the Maui Memorial Medical Center on Friday. Maui Now.

Prices for single-family homes and condominiums in Maui County showed strong growth in August with median prices at $585,000 and $420,000 respectively, the Realtors Association of Maui reported earlier this week. Maui News.

Officials with the Maui Civil Defense Agency on Maui reported a siren malfunction early this morning in various parts of the island. Maui Now.

A Pacific Whale Foundation catamaran was removed Wednesday morning from the shoreline near McGregor Point after striking rocks early Tuesday morning, a U.S. Coast Guard official said. Maui News.

Kauai

The Department of Water will resume its discussion on the Kahili Horizontal Directionally-Drilled Well and Energy Savings Project during a special board meeting Tuesday. Garden Island.

U.S. Reps. Colleen Hanabusa and Tulsi Gabbard announced that Hawaii will receive more than $17 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for airport improvement projects statewide. About $3.5 million will go for the State of Good Repair Program, which will purchase replacement buses for Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai counties. Garden Island.

Hawaii Convention Center gets new manager, public campaign finance program pau, Honolulu police investigate kickbacks, DOE facing $12M cut, state emergency fund restored, Dems party in Kona, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Window washers on Hawaii Convention Center (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

AEG Facilities will manage the Hawaii Convention Center starting in 2014 under a new five-year contract announced Wednesday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Pacific Business News.

Hawaiian Electric Co. says it is years ahead of schedule in meeting renewable energy goals. And it won't have to rely on controversial interisland cables to bring power from the neighbor islands to Oahu, the company says. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie has signed bills to repay $100 million to the state’s hurricane and emergency reserves and set plans to fully fund future health benefits for state employees. Abercrombie on Wednesday said Hawaii is no longer a “pay-as-you-go” state. Associated Press.

The local AARP chapter is rallying its 148,000 Hawaii members and the public against a Social Security cut proposal for the next fiscal year. To reduce the budget deficit, a chained consumer price index, or CPI, would reduce the annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for recipients of Medicare and Social Security. Star-Advertiser.

The $174,000 a year members of Congress get seems like a decent salary. But many, including three members of Hawaii’s delegation, are doing even better. They're able to supplement their income with thousands more in in state pension benefits. Civil Beat.

More than 1,100 National Guard soldiers and airmen in Hawaii — and thousands in other states — will be living with 20 percent less pay over the next three months as the Defense Department carries out automatic federal budget cuts. Associated Press.

The Department of Education says it's facing a $12 million budget shortfall during the next year under an imposed budget restriction that could undermine the school system's ability to pay for utilities, bus transportation, school lunches and substitute teachers. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s Department of Education is making some changes in its execution of the four-year, $75 million federal Race to the Top (RTTT) program. Hawaii Independent.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has named his former chief of staff and a University of Hawaii education professor to serve as interim appointments on the Board of Education, effective July 15. Amy Asselbaye, who previously served as longtime aide to Abercrombie in Congress and at the state Capitol, was named to the nine-member board's Oahu seat. Patricia Halagao, an associate professor in curriculum studies at UH-Manoa's College of Education, was named to an at-large seat. Star-Advertiser.

Keeping track of who's Native Hawaiian is about to get easier and cheaper as the state gets rid of some major paperwork hassles. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Department of Health announced Wednesday the release of the state’s first statewide Community Health Needs Assessment. Under the federal Affordable Care Act, nonprofit health-care facilities are required to conduct individual Community Health Needs Assessments every three years. Pacific Business News.

A touching moment between a grandfather and his only grandchild. While most people called him Sen. Inouye, 3-year-old Maggie called him “pa” or “Grandpa Dan.” KITV4.

State 7/5. Associated Press.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Department conducted internal investigations into former Major Carlton Nishimura and delayed his promotion because of long-time rumors that he was extorting money from gambling parlors, sources told Hawaii News Now.

A committee is reviewing hundreds of submissions to create public art in stations of Honolulu's planned rail system. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation says more than 400 art submittals were received by last week's deadline, which was extended by a week. Associated Press.

A local teen took it upon himself as his Eagle Scout service project to improve the Utah Memorial, and the result was a collaboration of Scouts, contractors and other businesses who pitched in hundreds of hours of work and more than $16,000 in materials. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A program aimed at leveling the playing field by providing public funding for Hawaii County Council candidates will not continue next year, after the program’s bank account dipped below the $3.5 million threshold set by state law. West Hawaii Today.

Three of Hawaii’s four Congressional delegates landed in West Hawaii Thursday afternoon to meet with fellow Democratic Party members and march in the Kailua-Kona Fourth of July parade. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County’s Mass Transit Agency is reminding the public that Hele-On bus drivers will begin collecting an extra dollar from riders next week. Tribune-Herald.

The Fourth of July is usually reserved for celebrating our nation’s independence with fireworks, parades and cookouts, but on Thursday five turtles celebrated their freedom as they waded into the Pacific Ocean for the first time at the Mauna Lani Resort’s 24th annual Turtle Independence Day. Stephens Media.

Specialized teams of rangers from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park rappelled nearly 200 feet into a remote pit crater last week, but they weren't looking for an injured hiker. The mission was to save four endangered native plant species from extinction. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii County Council will have to wait until the end of the month to consider any action on a bill to limit the use of genetically modified crops. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County's community health needs are topped by respiratory diseases, followed by injury prevention and safety and mental health and mental disorders, according to the Hawaii Hospitals Health Needs Assessment released Wednesday. Maui News.

A bill that would give the county water director, with the consent of the mayor, the power to impose higher rates during water shortages was deferred yet again by members of the Maui County Council's Water Resources Committee on Wednesday. Maui News.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard met with stakeholders in the Native Hawaiian education community on Maui today to gather input and provide an update on efforts to save programs made possible under the Native Hawaiian Education Act. Maui Now.

Mayor Alan Arakawa recently visited Hangzhou, China, capital of eastern China's Zhejiang Province, where he attended the Second Annual World Cultural Forum from May 17 to 19. Maui Weekly.

Kauai

Some Kauai residents aren’t happy with a recent Department of Water rate hike to fund future infrastructure projects and pay off existing bonds. Garden Island.

All is well with Kauai’s drinking water, according to David Craddick, manager of the Kauai County Department of Water. Garden Island.

The executive director of a Kauai foundation trying to prevent drownings says rescue tube kiosks that have worked on the island are coming to other parts of Hawaii. Associated Press.

Lanai

Reporting “Larry’s Lanai,” which appeared in the June 28 print edition of PBN, took me through quite a journey on the Pineapple Island, where I found that most businesses, such as Hotel Lanai, owned by the husband and wife team of Tom Kiely and Mary Charles, are way better off than a year ago. That’s when Oracle Corp. CEO Larry Ellison bought most of the island for a reported $300 million from fellow billionaire and Castle & Cooke CEO David Murdock, which during the last few years of his ownership, cut down on investing into the island, according to some in the community. Pacific Business News.