Japanese tourists return to Hawaii for Golden Week, foster kids may keep more federal benefits, more Honolulu red light cameras go live, more news fro m all the Hawaiian Islands

Golden Week sees slow but steady return of Japanese visitors to Hawaii. Japan celebrates four national holidays from April 29 to May 6, making it the longest vacation of the year for many Japanese workers and historically, a lucrative week for Hawaii businesses. Hawaii News Now.

A New Program Aims To Help Hawaii’s Older Adults Keep Their Homes. Hawaii’s financially struggling older adults may get a new support system intended to keep them out of the homelessness crisis. Civil Beat.

Hawai‘i ‘clean elections’ bill nears endgame. The state of Hawai‘i could be weeks away from a radical re-envisioning of politics in the state, as a bill to facilitate full public financing of state and county campaigns awaits debate over final changes by the state Legislature. Garden Island.

Hawai‘i Elections Commission to meet Monday. The commission will receive a status of operations report from the Office of Elections and the public will be provided an opportunity to present public testimony. Big Island Now.

State wants to stop collecting foster kids’ benefits, but says funding needed to fill gap. Dozens of children in Hawaii’s foster system are being stripped of money they may not even know is theirs as part of a controversial practice that’s attracting new criticism. Hawaii News Now.

Reports of child abuse reach a new record high in Hawaiʻi, says DHS. Researchers found that 2021 had a record number of almost 5,820 reported child abuse and neglect cases. It’s the highest number of reported cases since 2009, according to the data. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Taxpayers Will Pay For Indicted Officials’ Defense. The Honolulu City Council will consider spending $100,000 or more per defendant. Former managing director Roy Amemiya and former Honolulu Police Commission chair Max Sword have both requested the local government cover the cost of their defense. Civil Beat.

Nine of Oahu’s 10 red-light cameras will be live by Friday. The red-light safety camera at McCully and Algaroba streets will begin issuing warnings on Friday, according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

HPD Is Considering Buying A Gun That’s Being Shelved By Other Police Departments Over Safety Concerns. The P320 is linked to multiple cases where users allege they were injured by an unintentional firing. Civil Beat.

Long-awaited reopening of Oahu’s only public gun range will also come with new rules. The city has announced that the pistol and rifle ranges at the Koko Head Shooting Complex, the only public gun range on Oahu, will reopen on April 29. Hawaii News Now.

City prepares fare system, security on Honolulu rail ahead of expected July opening. The city expects to receive the completed segment of the Honolulu rail system from Kapolei to Aloha Stadium in July, once safety testing is complete and verified. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu seeks to reduce backlog of building permit applications.  The city’s Department of Planning and Permitting would continue to use third-party reviewers, but licensed architects and engineers would have to attest that their submitted plans comply with applicable laws under a proposed bill. Star-Advertiser.

Former Mililani athletic director negotiating plea deal. The former athletic director accused of stealing more than $360,000 from the Mili­lani High School athletic booster club is in plea agreement negotiations with prosecutors. Star-Advertiser.

Polynesian Voyaging Society to host send-off for Hokule‘a launch. A send-off for the voyaging canoe Hokule‘a before it is shipped to Alaska to embark on a four-year circumnavigation of the Pacific is planned for Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

A House resolution requests the DLNR investigate the factors causing the decline of the palila population on Maunakea. Two senate committees voted recommend the passage of a House resolution on Wednesday dealing with the future of the endangered palila bird, a native species that makes its home only on Maunakea. Big Island Video News.

Pharmacy college aims to shore up enrollment. Over the last decade, enrollment has dropped by about 50% at the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy. Tribune-Herald.

Astronomers using Maunakea telescopes unveil new way to hunt for exoplanets. Astronomers using Maunakea telescopes have developed a technique that they say could revolutionize how to capture images of distant planets. Tribune-Herald.

100 horses to strut their stuff during Merrie Monarch Royal Parade. When you’re a beast of burden on the Big Island, you’re often saddled with carrying around paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys) and working on a ranch or farm. It’s not often you can get gussied up for a day on the town. Big Island Now.

Maui

Full Senate passes draft budget; includes funds for Maui jail and UHMC health center. The Senate’s version of HB300 for the biennium budget covering fiscal years 2024 (FY24) and 2025 (FY25) includes appropriations of $11,652,494,699 and $9,942,927,794 in general funds, respectively. Maui Now.

Iao Valley on Maui to require tourist reservations.  When Iao Valley State Monument soon reopens after a nine-month closure for a slope stabilization project, it will become the fourth state park in Hawaii to require advance reservations for nonresidents. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Survey shows interest for planting native trees along Rice Street. A recent report published by the Rice Street Business Association, Better Block Hawaiʻi and Solid Ground Connections indicates overwhelming support for replacing dead and dying trees, shrubs and plants along Rice Street with healthy, native greenery. Kauai Now.

Hawaii donors ante up in 2020 presidential race, state accidentally kills fish it meant to protect, proposed Mauna Kea rules released, shearwaters killed on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

While Hawaii is infamously known for having the lowest voter turnouts of any state, recent elections have spurred a more active voting culture across the country, with people who previously sat on the sidelines now heading to the ballot box — and the bank — to support their candidate. Using Federal Election Commission campaign donation data from Jan. 1 through June 30, 2019, Pacific Business News gathered information on Hawaii communities that donated to the campaigns of Democratic presidential candidates to see which presidential hopefuls have the most support in the Islands. Pacific Business News.

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Ocean Plastic Pollution Prompts Lawsuit. A nonprofit announced its intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to protect Hawaiian waters. Civil Beat.

Lawsuit Launched Over “Failure to Recognize Plastic Pollution” in Hawaiian Waters. The Center for Biological Diversity filed a formal notice today of its intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for allegedly “failing to protect Hawaiian waters contaminated by plastic pollution.” Maui Now.

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Fifteen Unaccompanied Migrant Children Came To Hawaii In The Past Year. The children often crossed the U.S.-Mexico border after traveling from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Civil Beat.

Remains of Coast Guardsman, a WWII prisoner, are flown home. On Thursday the remains of Lt. Thomas “Jimmy” Crotty, identified by a Hawaii lab in September, were carefully carried in an flag-draped casket to a C-130J Super Hercules at Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point for the long-overdue journey home and a hero’s burial Saturday in Buffalo, N.Y. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Handicapping Hawaii’s CD2 Election. Possible candidates include many of the usual suspects, but these are highly unusual times. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Airbnb Crackdown Does Not Deter Oahu Visitors. Visitors to Oahu continued to increase in September despite a crackdown on illegal vacation rentals that some economists predict will seriously hurt the island’s economy. Civil Beat.

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Retired Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his former deputy prosecutor wife, Katherine Kealoha, will have to wait 5-1/2 more months to learn their fates. Star-Advertiser.

March Sentencing Set For Kealohas And Their Co-Conspirators. In December, a federal judge is expected to decide whether Katherine Kealoha’s sentencing should be based on sentencing guidelines for deprivation of civil rights or obstruction of justice. Civil Beat.

New sentencing dates set for Kealohas and co-conspirators. Katherine Kealoha is behind bars at the Federal Detention Center, where, according to her attorney, she was recently placed in solitary confinement. KITV.

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Controversial developer of an Ala Moana project faces new legal problems. 17 investors from China have filed suit against the developer of a pair of controversial Honolulu construction projects, saying he defrauded them out of their funds. Hawaii News Now.

City opens more appointments for driver license and state ID renewals. An additional 100 slots per day have been opened for residents to book appointments to renew a driver's license or state identification card. KITV.

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Honolulu Zoo welcomes 3 cheetah sisters from Smithsonian. The Honolulu Zoo Thursday morning celebrated the arrival of three new South African cheetahs from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, where they were born. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Zoo Welcomes South African Cheetahs. With a nod to Harry Potter, say hello to Fawkes, Nagini and Pickett. Civil Beat.

3 new cheetahs arrive at the Honolulu Zoo. The zoo unveiled its three new South African cheetahs Thursday ― Fawkes, Nagini and Pickett. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

UH Board of Regents is set to consider controversial Mauna Kea rules. Following months of public hearings and revision, the latest version of the controversial Mauna Kea administrative rules will be considered for adoption Wednesday by the University of Hawaii Board of Regents. Star-Advertiser.

Maunakea rules unveiled. The final version of proposed administrative rules for Maunakea lands managed by the University of Hawaii was unveiled Thursday. Tribune-Herald.

Regents to Consider Maunakea Management Rules Draft. The proposed draft of the administrative rules for University of Hawaiʻi managed lands on Maunakea is now available for public review along with related supporting materials. Big Island Now.

Mauna Kea kia’i have concerns over the proposed rules released by the UH Board of Regents Thursday. The latest draft of the rules comes after years of hearings, testimony and research by UH. KHON2.

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Recycling groups, projects, cropping up as county reduces recycling. Learning that the county on Oct. 16 stopped collecting recyclable non-HI5 plastics, a bunch of people got together to do it themselves. West Hawaii Today.

Native Hawaiian Chamber Of Commerce Starts On Big Island. The island with the largest population of Native Hawaiians — the Big Island — is now joining by forming its own Native Hawaiian Chamber.  Hawaii Public Radio.

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Foster mother is charged with murder of boy, 3. A Hawaii island grand jury has indicted a Waimea woman on a charge of second-degree murder in the 2017 death of a 3-year-old boy while under the temporary foster care of the woman and her husband. Star-Advertiser.

Big Island woman indicted for murder in connection with foster child’s death. A Big Island woman has been indicted for second-degree murder in connection with the death of one of her foster children. Hawaii News Now.

A Big Island woman has been indicted for the death of a three-year-old boy. Fabian Garrett-Garcia died while under the care of his foster mother Chastity Alco-Siba-McKenzie. KHON2.

Maui

State issues apology after thousands of native fish in Wailuku killed. A state project earlier this week meant to boost survival for native fish and shrimp resulted in killing possibly thousands of them days later. Maui News.

Hundreds of Dead ‘O‘opu During Fish Ladder Construction at Wailuku River. A video documenting a substantial fish kill of native ‘o‘opu (gobies) at the mouth of the Wailuku River was brought to the attention of the Commission on Water Resource Management on Wednesday during the installation of a fish ladder that is meant to help such species survive by ensuring mauka to makai water flow. Maui Now.

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Owners of Rodeo General Store looking to sell. They are hoping to hand off the torch to a new owner/operator. Maui News.

Kauai

Nearly 150 wedge-tailed shearwaters killed by cats and dogs on Kauai. State wildlife officials said that nearly 150 wedge-tailed shearwaters on Kauai have been killed by off-leash dogs and feral cats during this year’s nesting season, so far. Star-Advertiser.

Wedge-tail massacre. Wedge-tailed shearwaters are common in Hawaii, but are vulnerable to predation by cats, dogs, rats and other predators. Garden Island.

Almost 150 birds dead on Kauai from off-leash dogs and feral cats this year. Off-leash dogs and feral cats are responsible for the killings of between 140 and 150 Wedge-tailed Shearwaters on Kauai during 2019’s nesting season.  KHON2.

AG Chin to step down to seek congressional seat, foster parents lawsuit seeks higher pay, Hawaiian overthrow commemoration set for Legislature's opening day, Honolulu loses almost $5M federal grants due to inertia, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Doug Chin, Mazie Hirono at Aug. 30, 2017 DACA press conference file photo

Attorney General Chin will step down to run for Congress. The decision by state Attorney General Douglas Chin to resign March 15 and begin full-time campaigning for the 1st Congressional District seat is probably a “politically smart move,” according to a University of Hawaii political scientist. Star-Advertiser.

Chin To Step Down As Hawaii AG In Run For Congress. The attorney general was pressured to resign by the person he hopes to succeed, U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin on Sunday announced he will step down to focus on his congressional campaign. Associated Press.

Seeking a seat in U.S. Congress, Hawaii's Attorney General Doug Chin announced Sunday he will step down. Hawaii News Now.

Doug Chin announced Sunday that he is leaving his Attorney General post to concentrate on his campaign for the First Congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. KITV.

Attorney General Doug Chin will step down to run for Congressional seat. KHON2.

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Overthrow observance to shadow Legislature’s opening day. 125 years after the overthrow of Hawaii’s last monarch, a new group of organizers is planning a march and observance ceremony expected to draw thousands to Iolani Palace and to the Capitol courtyard next door. Star-Advertiser.

Ige seeks pay raises for foster parents amid legal battle. A drawn-out legal battle over how much families are paid to care for foster children is headed to court, where attorneys say the dispute could end up costing the state significantly more than a multimillion-dollar settlement that was rejected last year by the Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

A legal battle over how much families are paid to care for foster children could cost Hawaii millions of dollars, state officials said. Associated Press.

More than 800 cases of child sex abuse reported in 2017, likely only a fraction of victims. KHON2.

Navy likely to keep long-standing grip on Pacific Command. here’s been some extra drama attendant to the Pentagon’s selection of the next head of U.S. Pacific Command on Oahu — and not only because that person will have to counter a runaway North Korean nuclear program and a militarily assertive China. Star-Advertiser.

Judge clears way for sale of Island Air operating certificate. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Faris, declaring that something is better than nothing, gave the green light Friday for Island Air’s trustee to take the necessary steps to proceed in the sale of the company’s operating certificate to a subsidiary of Hawaiian Airlines’ corporate parent. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines is likely to exceed $100 million for a second consecutive year in baggage, reservation and change fees. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

How Mismanagement Cost Honolulu Nearly $5 Million In Federal Aid. The unspent money was intended to help ease the city’s critical problems with homelessness and affordable housing. Civil Beat.

The Oahu Real Property Tax Advisory Commission on Thursday passed its final report to the Honolulu City Council, recommending a host of changes aimed at making the tax burden more equitable among the island’s property owners. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Liquor Commission has delayed a decision over a license application for a new Denny’s restaurant in Waikiki due to community opposition. Star-Advertiser.

Court ends first year of decriminalized homelessness. As Oahu’s so-called “homeless court” moves into its second year, the chief justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court wants legislators to know that “it has brought life-changing experiences” to some of its homeless defendants. Star-Advertiser.

Prosecutors say Ransen Taito was a victim of Katherine Kealoha’s financial crimes, but he helped her cover them up anyway. When Ransen Taito walked into the U.S. District Court of Hawaii on Friday to plead guilty to felony conspiracy, he was about to roll over in a big way on his “aunty,” someone he trusted since childhood: Honolulu deputy prosecuting attorney Katherine Kealoha. Civil Beat.

Frustration grows over delay in state takeover of Hawaii's only volunteer-run public library. Hawaii News Now.

Kapiolani Community College has opened its search for a new chancellor and expects to have a hire in place by July. Star-Advertiser.

Diamond Head Theatre redevelopment plan moves forward. Plans are to upgrade the building to a 500-seat venue with improved stage mechanics and enhanced theatre experience. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu’s 2017 housing market finished strong with gains in both condominium and single-family home sales and median prices, and experts from the real estate industry expect the momentum to continue this year, but possibly at a slower pace. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu home prices may reach just under $800K in 2018, Locations says. The median price of a single-family home rose by 3 percent to $760,000, from $735,000 in 2016, while the median price of a condo rose 5 percent to $410,000, from $390,000 in 2016, according to the sales data analyzed by Locations. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

DLNR shuts down aquarium fishing in West Hawaii pending environmental review.  For the first time in decades, West Hawaii waters are off-limits to aquarium fishermen. West Hawaii Today.

2017 a deadly year on Big Island roads. Speed kills. Obvious as it sounds, that’s the lesson to be learned from the majority of the 32 official traffic fatalities that occurred on Hawaii Island in 2017 — the same official total of traffic deaths that took place in 2016. The deaths occurred in 30 collisions. Tribune-Herald.

Criteria To Determine Pre-Existing Lots Discussed. The Hawaii County Council Planning Committee sat down with planning department administrators recently to discuss a new bill to amend the Subdivision Code. Big Island Video News.

Wendell Kaehuaea is hoping the 23rd time will be the charm. After 22 unsuccessful campaigns for local political office, Kaehuaea is shooting for his first statewide race, and this time he’s aiming high. All the way to governor. West Hawaii Today.

Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden nonprofit lands $750K. West Hawaii Today.

A climate for coffee: Researchers work to get ahead of potential threats to Hawaii’s signature crop. West Hawaii Today.

Condo sales on Hawaii's Big Island jump 20% in 2017, single-family sees single-digit gains. The 853 condo units sold on the Big Island in 2017 was 19.97 percent more than the 711 units that sold in 2016. The median price of a Big Island condo in 2017 was $310,000, which was an increase of 1.64 percent from $305,000 in 2016. Pacific Business News.

Maui

LPN shortage leads to higher patient care costs. Hale Makua is working with UH-Maui College on an educational program just for LPNs. Maui News.

Catholic charities planning a senior housing development. Proposed affordable project would have 164 apartments. Maui News.

Three mumps cases reported on Maui. Out of 770 confirmed cases of mumps statewide as of Jan. 4, three cases were on Maui. Maui News.

Kauai

Defendants continue Coco Palms claim. The heated civil trial over 17 acres of land in Wailua where the famed Coco Palms Resort once stood before it was damaged by Hurricane Iniki continued Friday with testimony from Noa Mau-Espirito, one of the two defendants in the matter.  Garden Island.

The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Nominating Committee has confirmed six candidates for its Board of Directors election on March 10. Garden Island.

Home sales on Kauai dip in 2017 as condo sales take off. There were a total of 450 condo units sold on the Garden Island last year, an increase of 19.05 percent from 378 units sold in 2016. The median price of a condo on Kauai in 2017 rose 9.23 percent to $435,000 from $398,250 in 2016. Pacific Business News.

Officials, residents worry over North Korea threat, first marijuana dispensary opens, gag order rescinded in foster care death, endangered monk seal pup to be moved, Honolulu homeless sweeps continue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

North Korea missile test, photo released by government

As the heated rhetoric between President Donald Trump and North Korea reaches a boiling point, the chances of Hawaii, with its large military bases, being pulled into the conflict are increasing as well. Civil Beat.


Two members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation expressed faith in the head of U.S. Pacific Command and the U.S. military Tuesday and called for diplomacy as North Korea threatened a missile strike on Guam. Star-Advertiser.


In a live interview with Hawaii News Now Tuesday, U.S. Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa said she believes the threat from North Korea to Hawaii is minimal. Hawaii News Now.


Concern from former residents of Guam about what the threat from North Korea could mean for their family still living there. KITV.

Hawaii bankruptcy filings remained at historically low levels last month as they fell 8.3 percent to the smallest July total in 10 years. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Inc. said Monday that it will introduce service to Tahiti, providing twice a month arrivals from the U.S. Mainland and Honolulu to French Polynesia. Pacific Business News.


Oahu

The City Council is expected to vote Wednesday on making it easier for the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to transfer the Haiku Stairs to another government agency — a key step if the popular but legally off-limits trail atop the Koolaus is to be saved. Civil Beat.

A bill that would create a new, low-cost spaying and neutering option for feral or community cats is scheduled for a final vote by the Honolulu City Council today. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu’s Neuter Now program helps pet owners sterilize their cats and dogs at reduced rates and costs taxpayers $500,000 annually. Now some members of the Honolulu City Council want a portion of that money to fund the effort to sterilize Oahu’s feral cat population. Civil Beat.

Government officials have decided to relocate an endangered Hawaiian monk seal pup from a popular beach in Waikiki to a remote, undisclosed shoreline on Oahu amid safety concerns for the animal and the public. Civil Beat.

Kaimana, the Hawaiian monk seal pup officially known as PO3, will be moved to a “remote, undisclosed shoreline area” so she can grow up wild and with less human interaction than she’s having in Waikiki, state officials announced today. Star-Advertiser.

Kaimana, the monk seal to be relocated to remote Oahu beach. KITV.

A Hawaii marine park's purchase of Kina, a 40-year-old false killer whale long used in echolocation research, has reignited a debate about captive marine mammals and the places that care for them. Associated Press.

At the Waikiki Neighborhood Board Meeting Tuesday night, community members voiced concerns over the future of the state's largest boat harbor. Hawaii's Land and Natural Resource's Division of Boating and Ocean Resources is looking at ways to redevelop the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor and generate additional revenue. Hawaii News Now.

A North Shore preservation group initiated state hearings this week to force the developer of a 25-megawatt wind facility to improve its habitat conservation plan for the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat. Star-Advertiser.

A special city clean-up crew Tuesday began dismantling dozens of homeless encampments on Navy land fronting Blaisdell Park from Hawaiian Electric Co.’s Waiau power plant to Waimalu Stream. Star-Advertiser.

The City began clearing homeless encampments along the Pearl Harbor Bike Trail today fronting Neal Blaisdell Park. Hawaii Public Radio.

City says Topgolf interested in possible partnership at Ala Wai Golf Course. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

A family court judge has rescinded a gag order in the case involving 3-year-old Fabian Garett-Garcia, who died while in foster care last month. West Hawaii Today.

Several Hawaii Island lawmakers are opposed to having neighbor island taxpayers shoulder some of the burden for Honolulu’s cash-strapped rail system. Others are taking a wait-and-see approach. West Hawaii Today.

A Hu Honua Bioenergy official says construction of its biomass power plant near Pepeekeo is moving “full speed ahead” and is on track to be complete in December 2018. Tribune-Herald.

Hilo is on pace to have one of its drier years on record, and July’s rainfall totals brought little if any relief to drought-affected areas of the Big Island, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu. Tribune-Herald.

Efforts to maintain and restore the Kawaihae watershed will get a funding boost from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Big Island Video News.

Hilo Hattie is returning to the Big Island of Hawaii next month with a new store in Kailua-Kona. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Hawaii history was made today with the first legal sale of marijuana, nearly two decades after the state approved the use of pot for medical purposes. Star-Advertiser.

First Hawaii Dispensary Approved For Medical Marijuana Sales. Maui Grown Therapies gets the green light from the state Department of Health. Civil Beat.

Dispensary sales of medical marijuana in Hawaii are beginning after patients waited 17 years for a legal way to purchase the drug. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s first medical cannabis dispensary has received the green light from the state Department of Health to begin selling products to registered patients, 17 years after its legalization. Pacific Business News.

Maui Wellness Group, LLC dba Maui Grown Therapies is the first licensed medical cannabis dispensary in the state to receive the green light from the Hawai‘i Department of Health to begin selling medical cannabis to registered patients and their caregivers. Maui Now.

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Maui Judge Rhonda Loo today ruled against plaintiffs in a lawsuit that challenged the handling of rule changes made by the Liquor Control Commission. Maui Now.

Parents with children attending Lahainaluna High School on Monday called the suspended school bus service “messed up” and wondered how long it would last. Maui News.

Maui police responded to 77 burglaries, 87 vehicle thefts and 140 vehicle break-ins in Maui County for the month of July. Two of the burglaries happened on Lānaʻi and one of the vehicle thefts and break-ins occurred on Molokaʻi. Maui Now.

Kauai

Shorelines change on Kauai throughout the year as currents and other factors move the sand around, raise tides and cause occasional flooding. But these routine changes in the environment are getting turbocharged, according to scientists. Garden Island.

Governor Ige attends NTBG fundraiser. Gov. Ige attends Moonlight & Music at McBryde Garden. Garden Island.

The Kapaa Public Library is temporarily closed until further notice, due to the unexpected death of one of its staff members. Garden Island.

Waikiki businesses to help pay for beach widening, police bills DOA, iconic Coco Palms coming down, Nago to remain elections chief, Hawaii shines at foster care, Maui wants dancing defined, Big Island mulls Roundup ban, Kauai takes up B&B bill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki Beach © 2015 All Hawaii News

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed two city ordinances Monday that will tax Waikiki commercial property owners and raise millions of dollars to combat beach erosion and shore up coastal infrastructure in the state's top tourist destination.Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has signed two bills creating a special improvement district in Waikiki to require commercial property owners to subsidize the restoration of the eroded beach. Civil Beat.

Waikiki Beach loses tons of sand each year and obtaining funding from the state legislature to replenish it takes at least a couple of years.  Today, two City and County ordinances were signed into law to enable surrounding businesses to contribute to maintaining the beach. Hawaii Public Radio.

This year, state lawmakers introduced a record number of bills aiming to modernize and restore trust in Hawaii’s county police departments, yet only one of the police reform bills passed. Civil Beat.

Children in foster care in Hawaii are far likelier than those in other states to live with a family, rather than in a group setting, and to be placed with relatives, new data show. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Elections Commission voted Monday to keep Scott Nago as Chief Election Officer for another four years, according to the commission's head William Marston. KITV4.

Inmate escapes have nearly tripled in Hawaii over the past few years and every time it happens, officials say there will be consequences. KHON2.

Living Hawaii: Our Retirement Boom May Cost Us Dearly. People live longest in the country's most expensive state. They're putting off retirement or planning to work until they drop. It all comes at a price. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources reminds the public that the moi fishing season is closed June 1 through Aug. 31. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A military plane crash that killed a Marine and injured several other service members during a training exercise in Hawaii has renewed safety concerns about the Marine Corps' new airplane-and-helicopter hybrid. Associated Press.

Toraki Matsumoto served his beloved Central Oahu community with distinction during his 17 years on the Honolulu City Council. Matsumoto, 86, died May 2 at Kuakini Medical Center. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The County Council is poised to strike the word “Roundup” from its budget, but it remains to be seen if substituting “vegetation management” on paper will make a big change on the ground. Just one dollar out of every $14,627 in the county budget is spent on roadside spraying for weed control. That, however, didn’t stop opponents from devoting the greater part of Monday to asking it be struck from the $438.8 million budget. West Hawaii Today.

Despite an increase of $200 for a fine for driving while on a cellphone, Big Island motorists are still using their electronic devices while navigating local roadways. According to the Hawaii Police Department, there have been 824 citations issued so far this year for use of a mobile electronic device while operating a vehicle. West Hawaii Today.

Nelson Doi, who served as lieutenant governor from 1974 to 1978 with Gov. George Ariyoshi, died Saturday at his home in Waimea, Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

It remains to be seen when a section of the Haleakala Trail that used to take people to the summit will be open to unguided hikes even if a tentative settlement giving the state ownership of the trail is confirmed next month, a state official said Monday. Maui News.

Opinion: After something like a decade of earnest testimony and moneyless lobbying, it looks like the Maui Dance Advocates may finally–FINALLY!–win their fight to force the Maui County Department of Liquor Control to do something they’ve steadfastly refused to do: define “dancing.” MauiTime.

The second annual Startup Weekend Maui proved that it is possible to create a startup - and a pretty good one - in just 54 hours. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council will meet at 1:30 p.m. today to listen to comments from the public regarding possible zoning ordinance changes that deal with permits for bed-and-breakfast operations. Garden Island.

Demolition of Kauai’s long-shuttered Coco Palms Resort is scheduled to begin in the next 30 or 60 days, clearing the way for the redevelopment of the iconic property into a Hyatt-branded hotel. Pacific Business News.

Newer and more reliable transportation is coming to transit riders in Kauai County. The county purchased 20 new buses that will be used to replace older ones in the Kauai Bus fleet. The total number of buses will remain unchanged at 56. Associated Press.

Kauai County has purchased 20 new buses that will be used to replace older vehicles in the aging Kauai Bus fleet. The total number of buses in the fleet will remain unchanged at 56. Garden Island.

Legislators from Kauai will recap the recently completed session at the May 28 meeting of the Lihue Business Association. Garden Island.

Vacation rentals proliferate in Hawaii, DLNR scales back Obama protection, body cameras for Kauai police, Maui family sues state over sexually abused foster children, Hawaii County buys Ebola gear, snowy Mauna Kea predicted, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikoloa ocean and mountain view © 2014 All Hawaii News

Thousands of illegal vacation rentals have been allowed to proliferate throughout the islands, likely contributing to a reduction in state tax revenue and a tightening of local rental markets, a new report by the Hawaii Tourism Authority suggests. Civil Beat.

A recent study commissioned by the Hawaii Tourism Authority has identified tens of thousands more home-based vacation rentals advertised online than the agency thought were available. The HTA said the home-based rentals now represent 25 percent of all lodging units, with hotels accounting for 50 percent. Time shares and condo hotels contribute 12 percent each. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Connector is allowing residents more time to sign up for health insurance coverage that would begin Jan. 1. The original deadline to enroll for coverage that begins at the start of the new year was Dec. 15, but they've extended the deadline to noon on Dec. 31. Associated Press.

Local telecomunications executive Albert Hee appeared in U.S. District Court on Tuesday to face federal tax evasion and tax fraud charges. Hee pleaded not guilty. Hee is the president of Sandwich Isles Communications, which along with its two subsidiaries provides telephone and high-speed Internet service to customers living on Hawaiian homelands. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

As hundreds of Hawaii law enforcement officer take part in President Obama's security detail on Christmas and New Year's Day, one state agency will be conspicuously absent. Hawaii News Now has learned that the Department of Land and Natural Resources has pulled back its ocean safety officers for those two key dates because it does not want to pay for overtime.

Hawaiian Electric Co. is asking Hawaii regulators for more time to negotiate an updated power purchase agreement with AES Hawaii, the owner and operator of the state's only coal-fired power plant, as well as the single-largest generating plant on Oahu. Pacific Business News.

The city has sent its real property assessment notices for 2015, and the total assessed valuation of all taxable real property on Oahu has increased from $200.74 billion to $214.90 billion, an overall increase of 7.1 percent. Hawaii Independent.

Local communities struggling to battle crime are in danger of losing the money they depend on to carry on the fight. The Weed and Seed program — overseen by the U.S. Department of Justice — can be found in areas including Ewa and Ewa Beach, Waipahu and in an area that combines the communities of Kalihi, Palama and Chinatown. KHON2.

A coconut crab that somehow made its way to Oahu is causing concern about whether there could be others around. Star-Advertiser.

An outbreak of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus appears to have spread on Waianae pig farms. Star-Advertiser.

Derrick DePledge, the state government and politics reporter for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, is leaving the newspaper. Civil Beat.

A California real estate investment firm, which owns the 2,742-acre Dillingham Ranch on Oahu's North Shore that was founded more than a century ago by Hawaii railroad tycoon Benjamin Franklin Dillingham, plans to develop 934 acres of the Waialua ranch into a 91-lot agricultural subdivision at a cost of $30 million. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

County Finance Director Nancy Crawford, who had a hand on the county purse strings for two mayors, is retiring at the end of the month. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Fire Department was given permission Tuesday to purchase better equipment to protect emergency medical services workers from the Ebola virus, even though the equipment will cost more than that offered by the lowest bidder. West Hawaii Today.

It’s weather Santa would approve of. The Big Island’s two summits are braced for Hawaii’s answer to that proverbial howling nor’easter — with wind gusts to 90 mph expected to drive up to a foot of snow hard into the mountain faces by today. Temperatures on the peaks were forecast to dip to a frosty 23 degrees tonight, according to the Mauna Kea Weather Center. West Hawaii Today.

The June 27 lava flow, after stalling less than a half-mile from businesses just in time for Christmas, is giving merchants a much appreciated holiday reprieve. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The state Department of Human Services is facing a lawsuit after placing two minors in the custody of a foster parent who sexually assaulted them from 2009 to 2011. Maui News.

A pilot project on Maui that allows primary care physicians to send photos of suspicious moles, lesions and rashes to dermatologists for evaluation has been expanded to all patients of Kaiser Permanente. Maui News.

Watching whales from the shoreline will have a unique spin this year—and you can win a prize. Starting now through mid-May, Pacific Whale Foundation will have trained naturalists stationed at key points along Maui’s coastline to help nature enthusiasts locate and learn about whales from the shore. Maui Time.

Kauai

The Kauai Police Department could become the first law enforcement agency in the state to use body cameras next summer. The department plans to buy 141 cameras for $134,000 and begin using them by June or July, Police Chief Darryl Perry said. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai is set to receive one of the 30 deputy sheriffs that graduated Friday in a ceremony on Oahu. Garden Island.

With the annual return of humpback whales to the Hawaiian Islands comes a need for fresh sets of eyes to monitor their behavior. Registration is now open for the 2015 Sanctuary Ocean Count, themed “Keep Calm and Count Whales.” Garden Island.

Final Democratic gubernatorial debate highlights Abercrombie, Ige similarities, Hee sole candidate at Lt. Gov. forum, Kauai dog kills monk seal pup, Maui council mulls polystyrene ban, Hilo and Kona now asteroids, RIMPAC wrapping up, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Silverswords on Haleakala, Maui, courtesy National Park Service

Haleakala National Park on Maui is reporting an unusual abundance of silverswords currently in bloom. The rare ahinahina, found nowhere else in the world, is flowering atop the summit at the Kala­haku Overlook as well as along 4- to 6-mile hikes into the summit basin along the Sliding Sands Trail. Star-Advertiser.

In their final face-to-face encounters before the Democratic primary, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state Sen. David Ige on Tuesday quarreled over taxes, preschool and leadership style but did not identify any new policy differences that might help voters choose between them. Star-Advertiser.

At the final two forums before the Aug. 9 primary, the governor and senator discuss senior issues, preschools and highways in the morning event. In the nightcap, things get more personal. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's Democratic candidates for governor told voters on Tuesday how they would improve health care, the economy and quality of life for seniors. Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state Sen. David Ige also compared leadership styles in a forum hosted by AARP on Hawaii's Big Island. Associated Press.

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Neil Abercrombie and David Ige tackled airports, business issues, harbors and other topics at a forum in Kailua-Kona Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

The top two Hawaii Democrats running for governor squared off Tuesday morning for an hourlong debate focusing on several key issues affecting the state’s rapidly growing elderly population. West Hawaii Today.

State Sen. Clayton Hee showed up at a candidate forum in Kailua-Kona Tuesday. Turns out he was the only candidate running for lieutenant governor who accepted the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce’s invitation. Civil Beat.

When Shan Tsutsui became the first-ever Hawaii Lieutenant Governor to open a neighbor island satellite office, his initial funding request was for $317,000. But since then, the costs have more than doubled to nearly $700,000. Hawaii News Now.

U.S. Senate Race: Who Can Save Hawaii’s Middle Class? U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa discuss how to make life more affordable in one of the most expensive places in the country. Solutions are elusive, they say, but job creation, energy efficiencies and food production top the list. Civil Beat.

The Congressional District One race has 7 Democrats vying for the party’s nomination. The top three campaign money-raisers in the last month before the Primary Election are making a final push for victory on August 9th. Hawaii Public Radio.

Japan has been practicing storming beaches with the U.S. and other countries in Hawaii this month. The amphibious landing exercises, which are relatively new to Japan's military, come as Tokyo tries to boost its ability to defend small islands it controls but China claims as its own. Associated Press.

Rim of the Pacific war games are wrapping up with dozens of ships heading back to Pearl Harbor on Wednesday and Thursday after spending several weeks at sea working on interoperability in an increasingly interconnected Asia-Pacific region. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Connector, a federally mandated insurance marketplace, is losing money. A temporary funding plan went into effect this month, but once that money runs out, lawmakers will need to settle on a long-term fix that officials characterize as a choice between propping up a failing system at the expense of taxpayers, or turning control over to federal authorities at the risk of unravelling the state's comprehensive Prepaid Health Care Act. Associated Press.

This year, for the first time, Hawaii state law will require students to receive a minimum number of instructional hours. Tribune-Herald.

A recent rash of resignations from state boards prompted by a new financial disclosure law has Gov. Neil Abercrombie scrambling to make replacements. But no board has been hit harder than the Land Use Commission, which can’t even conduct business, leaving developers and other petitioners hanging. Civil Beat.

Hawaii foster parents this month received their first pay raise since 1990, but the increase is far from enough for those who filed a class-action lawsuit claiming foster parents are underpaid. Star-Advertiser.

Tropical Depression Genevieve is expected to intensify into a tropical storm Wednesday and may bring muggy weather and rains to the state Friday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

How are Oahu officials trying to prevent elections fraud and other errors? Elections officials have a brand new, $200,000 machine to help count the record number of absentee ballots already mailed out this election season. KHON2.

University of Hawaii President David Lassner apologized Tuesday that a reported attempt by him to remove UH-Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple has become "a public spectacle." Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Chancellor Apple's removal after only two years on the job is a reflection of political in-fighting and dysfunction within the university, not on the performance of his duties. Hawaii Independent.

Commentary: The budget meltdown and administrative shakeup at the University of Hawaii’s Manoa campus have been very much in the news, but I doubt  most people understand just how delicate — to use a polite euphemism — the immediate situation is in the wake of Chancellor Tom Apple’s imposition of an indefinite hiring freeze and the subsequent swirling rumors of his likely administrative demise. Civil Beat.

The recent sale of Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikiki's largest shopping complex, totaled $696.5 million, according to Hawaii Information Service. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hilo and Kona are not just towns on Hawaii Island. They’re also two asteroids in the night sky, thanks to recent action by amateur astronomers at observatories in Germany and the Canary Islands. West Hawaii Today.

Dozens of absentee ballots have been replaced on the Big Island because humid weather is causing return envelopes to become glued shut before voters can place their ballots inside. KITV4.

The Big Island’s Camp Kilohana will get a share of a $1.25 million state capital improvement grant to the Girl Scouts of Hawaii for wastewater systems improvement. Tribune-Herald.

Contractors will begin work Monday on the final phase of the Mamalahoa Highway bypass. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Big and small businesses say that a bill restricting polystyrene disposable food containers in Maui County will increase costs for them and for their customers and has another major flaw - there currently is no facility on Maui that can recycle the alternative food containers. Maui News.

The University of Hawaii Maui College recently received $3.5 million in state funds to begin building Hawaii's first training hotel for hospitality students. Pacific Business News.

County landfills will close a little earlier daily and shut down on all holidays, and trash pickups on holidays will be nixed with no makeup of the lost service beginning Friday, according to the county Department of Environmental Management. Maui News.

A discussion about possible sites for a new Maui County service center Tuesday brought frustration for some council members when they learned that property being eyed for the center might alter plans for the site of the Old Wailuku Post Office. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Elections Division and the Kauai Police Department said they are investigating a recently reported case of voter fraud. Garden Island.

Absentee ballot fraud incident has Kauai police, elections officials on alert. Hawaii Reporter.

A two-week old Hawaiian monk seal pup was found dead Tuesday morning on Kauai from an apparent dog attack, an official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. Garden Island.

A California family is suing the Marriott for a falling headboard. Bonnie and Walter Hagmaier and their minor daughter Savannah, residents of California, were staying in a unit at Marriott’s Kauai Beach Club on July 27, 2012. As Bonnie and Savannah slept in the same bed of the unit, a large wooden headboard fell onto the bed and struck them, the suit said. Garden Island.

The development company suing a proposed dairy to prevent it from being built said it’s not backing off the suit despite the dairy’s scaled down plans. Garden Island.

Kauai County Councilman Gary Hooser said he is not one to shy away from asking for help and reaching across the aisle to state lawmakers and county officials. Garden Island.

Obama Hawaii vacation costs add up, ukulele designation controversial, the bridges of Waikiki, Health Connector seeks PR, tax hikes for Maui, $26.5M Hamakua mansion sold, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Obama leaves Hawaii, January 2014 courtesy photo

It cost taxpayers $7.78 million in flight expenses alone for President Barack Obama's Christmas vacation to Honolulu in December and January, according to Judicial Watch, the conservative, nonpartisan foundation. Star-Advertiser.

Judicial Watch announced today that it obtained flight expense records from the U.S. Department of the Air Force revealing that President Obama incurred $15,885,585.30 in flight expenses alone for the Obama family June to July, 2013 trip to Africa and their 2013-2014 Christmas vacation to Honolulu.

The Hawaii Health Connector has issued two requests for proposals seeking contractors to perform marketing services and public relations for the state-run online health insurance exchange. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii lawmakers are considering supporting the state’s troubled health insurance exchange with up to $15 million per year. It’s not clear whether the money would come entirely from a proposed sustainability fee on insurers or general fund appropriations. The fee would hit insurers that aren’t participating in the exchange. Associated Press.

Officially designating the ukulele Hawai’i’s State Instrument is proving to be far more difficult at the State Capitol than many lawmakers ever anticipated. Hawaii Public Radio.

Will Senate Investigators Be Able to Fix the Hawaii State Hospital This Time? Civil Beat.

Hawaii's traditional unemployment rate is low, at 4.6 percent, but newly released federal data shows that more people in the islands are underemployed than are jobless. Civil Beat.

The Blood Bank of Hawaii is relaxing its eligibility guidelines and adopting a friendlier questionnaire on Tuesday, some of the broadest changes by the state's only blood center in more than a decade, to enlarge its donor pool and attract younger donors. Star-Advertiser.

For the first time, the state will allow a limited number of polling place workers to work shorter shifts this election year instead of the 14-hour days they've had to endure in past elections. The state pays election workers $85 for a more than 14-hour shift at polling places from 5:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. or later. Hawaii News Now.

To understand political campaigns you need to answer two questions: how are the candidates doing and why this is the case. Campaign coverage in Hawaii never gives decent answers to these questions. Civil Beat.

There are still some Hawaii state senators who want to see a change in leadership, though it’s unlikely to happen during the current session and maybe not until the fall elections. Civil Beat.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: March 27. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Thursday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Waikiki would get six bridges reserved for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, including four across the Ala Wai Canal, if the city adopts a regional traffic plan designed to make the area more multi-modal. A public meeting will be held Thursday to discuss the bridges and other traffic improvements outlined in the Waikiki Regional Circulator Plan, which aims to reduce growing conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians and bikers. Star-Advertiser.

The budget battles of 2013 may continue into the mayor’s second year in office. Honolulu City Council leaders are already taking a scalpel to Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s proposed budget for the 2015 fiscal year. Council members proposed reducing funding this week for some of the mayor’s top initiatives, including his Housing First program, his energy efficient lighting plan, and even his trumpeted road repaving program. Civil Beat.

Getting a permit to build a condominium tower in Kakaako was never a cakewalk, but the process is now shifting to a more rigorous, quasi-judicial and potentially adversarial format. The state agency regulating development in Kakaako recently adjusted its public hearing process and now is inviting anyone with an interest in future proposed development projects to seek a more active role in the decision-making that includes using expert witnesses and cross-examining developer representatives. Star-Advertiser.

About 1,300 Navy and Marine Corps families in privatized housing on Oahu who got a whopping 123 percent increase in their electric bills starting in October will get their rates dialed back to a 56 percent increase beginning Tuesday and continuing until the end of the fiscal year Sept. 30, the Navy announced. Star-Advertiser.

Scientists expect more endangered Hawaiian geese to migrate to Oahu now that a pair has not only settled near Kahuku, but is raising three goslings. The family of nene is believed to be the first of the rare species on Oahu since the 1700s. Star-Advertiser.

A federal biologist said Wednesday a pair of endangered Hawaiian geese that hatched goslings and settled on Oahu’s north shore were likely on their way back to Kauai from the Big Island when they stopped in Kahuku. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Some Hawaii residents and groups are abusing the state’s environmental rules, Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Wednesday. Abercrombie’s comments came in the context of a conversation that began with the National Park Service’s request to designate the Keauhou aquifer a water management area. West Hawaii Today.



A bill making its way through the Legislature would give a cash infusion to Big Island foster families who haven’t seen a funding increase in more than two decades. West Hawaii Today.

Mansion on Hamakua Coast sold for undisclosed amount. Seventeen miles north of Hilo on Hawaii island, a developer has made a big bet at making the Hamakua Coast more known for ultra-luxury homes than farms by building a helipad-capped mansion next to an oceanfront waterfall and listing the property for sale at $26.5 million. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Electric Light Co. is giving Country Club-Hawaii a little more time to pay down the $212,385 it owes the utility. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Maui County residents could see hikes in real property taxes, water bills and trash collection fees as proposed in Mayor Alan Arakawa's $622.6 million county budget for 2014-15. Maui News.

Maui County Council members continued to grapple with a measure Tuesday to set aside $50,000 to hire outside legal counsel to represent the county in a lawsuit filed by MAUIWatch Facebook page founder Neldon Mamuad. Maui News.

Mayor Alan Arakawa is proposing $115.8 million of county funds for various capital improvement projects in his fiscal 2015 budget proposal. Maui News.

The Maui County Council's Budget and Finance Committee will hold evening meetings throughout Maui County in April to receive community input on the county's 2014-15 budget. Maui News.

Japanese WWII sub found off Oahu, year's 2nd shark-bite death on Maui, DOT employee lives high life off contractors' dime, foster parents want more money, Omidyar group plans Kauai dairy, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Unidentified scuttled vessel discovered by Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory

A World War II-era Imperial Japanese Navy mega-submarine, the I-400, lost since 1946 when it was intentionally scuttled by U.S. forces after its capture, has been discovered in more than 2,300 feet of water off the southwest coast of O‘ahu. The discovery resolves a decades-old Cold War mystery of just where the lost submarine lay, and recalls a different era as one war ended and a new, undeclared conflict emerged. Hawaii Reporter.

Japanese I-400

This is a photo of the Japanese crew and its submarine, the I-400. KITV.

A class-action lawsuit is expected to be filed today against the state, alleging it has failed to pay foster parents enough to adequately care for their foster children. The suit will be filed by a sole foster parent, Raynette Nalani Ah Chong of Kaha­luu, on behalf of more than 1,000 Hawaii foster parents, who haven't had their reimbursement payments increased since 1990. The federal Child Welfare Act requires that reimbursements cover the expenses of children in foster care, but the $529 monthly payment does not come close, said Victor Gemi­ni­ani, executive director of Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice. Star-Advertiser.

A handful of companies consistently cash in on lucrative contracts in Hawaii, a Civil Beat analysis of 10 years of federal contracting data indicates. The federal government spent $159 billion in contracts in Hawaii over the past 10 years. From that pool of money, the top 10 corporate contractors secured at least $200 million apiece since 2003, with two of them crossing the $1 billion threshold. That's according to eight years of data from the Census Bureau's Consolidated Federal Funds Report and two years of data from USASpending.gov, a government-run website that replaced the Census reporting system. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii State Department of Education will place its sex education program, Pono Choices, on hold after the completion of the 2013 Fall semester to conduct a review of the pilot curriculum. The DOE calls the program a “medically accurate” program that informs teens about pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Diseases and gives students greater knowledge of the risks associated with unsafe sexual behaviors and be more likely to report safe sex practices, including abstinence. Parents were concerned their children in sixth, seventh and eighth grade, were learning to put condoms on dildos and about performing oral sex, vaginal sex, and anal sex. Hawaii Reporter.

The state has awarded a $17.4 million contract to a mainland company to undertake energy efficiency improvements and install solar panels at 33 government buildings on five islands. The project is expected to cut energy costs by more than $1 million in the first year and $28 million over two decades, according to Ameresco Inc., the Massachusetts-based company that was awarded the contract by the Department of Accounting and General Services.Star-Advertiser

The Hawaii Ethics Commission has charged a state employee for improperly accepting gifts from businesses doing business with the state and failing to report them. The Department of Transportation engineer, identified only as John Doe, has agreed to pay $7,500 to resolve the charge. He apparently accepted a number of invitations to play in charity golf tournaments and recreationally at places like Mauna Lani Resort from 2007 to 2010. His entry fees, which ranged from $150 to $800, were paid for by DOT vendors directly subject to his official action as an engineer, according to the commission’s Nov. 20 resolution of the charge. Civil Beat.

After decades of sound and fury, the first same-sex marriages early Monday morning happened in almost complete silence and intimacy. Standing in huddles on a stage in a Waikiki lounge, the couples read their vows and their officiants performed an act which had only minutes-before become legal. Hawaii Independent.

Retired professors Rod Powell and Bob Eddinger have been partners in life since they met at the University of Hawaii in 1977. On Monday, they joined in marriage on the first day their home state allowed same-sex couples to form such unions. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Airlines is launching a codeshare program with Taiwan’s China Airlines this month that will extend its network in Asia and allow members of both airlines’ frequent flyer programs to earn and redeem miles on both airlines. Pacific Business News.

Another hurricane season came and went in the Central Pacific this year without unleashing destruction on the Hawaiian Islands. The season was, however, twice as active as scientists initially predicted in May. Star-Advertiser.

The Legislature wants the public to take part in the process of creating the laws and policies that govern Hawaii. With the next session set to start in January, the House communications office has put together a public service announcement that encourages people to get informed and get involved. Civil Beat.

State roundup for December 3. Associated Press.

Oahu

Trial will remain in Honolulu for a North Carolina man accused of scamming the University of Hawaii out of $200,000 in a failed concert that was supposed to feature Stevie Wonder, a federal judge ruled Monday. Associated Press.

Kakaako Rising: Is This Community Development? Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Is a waste-to-energy plant a done deal for Hawaii County? A resolution urging Mayor Billy Kenoi to consider other alternatives comes back before the County Council Waste Management Committee today after being panned by both the Environmental Management Commission and the director of the Department of Environmental Management. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Electric Light Co. says awarding a contract for another 50 megawatts of geothermal power will take more time. But how long remains unclear. The utility was initially expecting to make a selection among the six companies that submitted proposals by September. It later pushed that timeline to the end of November. That deadline was missed, and HELCO Administration Manager Rhea Lee said Monday that a new date is in the process of being determined. Tribune-Herald.

The Big Island is expected to have at least seven warning sirens upgraded or installed over the next few months. State Civil Defense spokeswoman Shelly Kunishige said work orders are being released for the department’s $25.6 million statewide siren upgrade project. Priority locations are being addressed first, and work should occur over the next three months, she said. Tribune-Herald.

If the old adage “Practice makes perfect” holds true, then the union of the first same-sex couple to tie the knot Monday in Hilo is likely to be perfect indeed. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A visiting kayaker from Washington state died Monday morning after part of his right leg was bitten off by a shark about a half-mile off Little Beach in Makena, state and county officials said. Maui News.

Maui police have since identified the victim who sustained fatal injuries in a shark attack offshore of Mākena, Maui on Monday as 57-year-old Patrick A. Briney. Police say Briney, who is from Stevenson, in Washington State, was kayaking with a friend when the incident occurred. Maui Now.

Maui County police identified a kayak fisherman killed in a shark attack Monday morning as Patrick A. Briney, 57, from Stevenson, Wash. This is the eighth shark attack off Maui and the second death statewide this year. Star-Advertiser.

A kayaker died on Monday morning after a shark attacked him in the waters off of Maui. Hawaii experienced strong rains over the weekend, and murky waters are known to both attract and confuse sharks who often can't tell the difference between prey and humans. HuffPost Hawaii.

Hawai’i made international news yesterday with another fatal shark attack on Maui. Makena State Recreation Area was closed after the attack that happened before 10:30 am. Hawaii Public Radio.

Typically Hawaii will see four shark attacks a year, but this year there have been 13 in the state and eight of them around Maui. The most recent killed Patrick Briney, 57, as he was kayak fishing half mile off Makena Beach on Maui. Hawaii News Now.

The phrases "now I pronounce you husband and husband" and "wife and wife" were heard at same-sex marriages around Maui on Monday, the first day that gay marriages in Hawaii were legal. Maui News.

The county's proposed integrated waste conversion project may have the potential to double the amount of trash currently diverted from the Central Maui Landfill, but a couple of longstanding local recycling companies are worried that they will be displaced. Maui News.

The US Army Corps of Engineers hosts a public meeting this Wednesday, Dec. 4, to gather public input on its proposal to perform an environmental cleanup of the former Maui Airport Landfill. Maui Now.

Kauai

A socially minded investment organization is moving ahead with plans to establish a new model of dairy farming in Hawaii: a $17.5 million venture on Kauai called Hawai‘i Dairy Farms projected to start milk production in 2015. The farm would be the biggest dairy in the state and roughly double the supply of local milk, according to Ulu­pono Initiative, the local investment firm that announced the project Monday. Star-Advertiser.

EBay founder Pierre Omidyar’s Ulupono Initiative is investing $17.5 million to build a grass-fed dairy farm on Kauai on 583 acres of pasture land leased from Grove Farm. Pacific Business News.

The ballot question is crafted. But before going out to vote, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative wants to know what its members think of how to word the yes-or-no decision point. Beginning next week, the public will have two opportunities to provide input on ballot language for KIUC’s special election related to smart meters. The upcoming election — expected to cost co-op members $63,000 — will take place in January, although exact dates have not been determined. Garden Island.