Native Hawaiian sovereignty movement slows, police killings rise, Ige holds education conference, special session looming for Maui medical privatization, shuttle returns to Kauai, Kalaupapa memorial proceeds, wind turbines concern energy advocates, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Albert Kahiwahiwaokalani Haa Jr. addresses U.S. Department of the Interior officials in 2014. ©2016 All Hawaii News

A plan with a timeline to raise $2 million and bring the newly created Native Hawaiian constitution to a ratification vote by the end of the year might have been a tad ambitious. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii police have shot and killed four people so far this year, twice as many as were fatally shot by officers during all of 2015, according to data collected by The Washington Post. Civil Beat.

Some 900 teachers, students, administrators, parents and community members answered Gov. David Ige’s call to add their voice to an ongoing conversation about improving Hawaii public schools by spending the better part of Saturday at the governor’s education summit. Star-Advertiser.

Some early childhood educators in Hawaii earn an unlivable wage while parents have few resources to pay for childcare. Associated Press.

Good government advocates have given their “Rusty Scalpel” award this year to state Rep. Chris Lee’s organic food tax credit bill. The ignominious award recognizes a bill that has had its contents substantially amended during the legislative session with limited opportunity for the public to comment or members of the Legislature to weigh in. Star-Advertiser.

The two sides of the Navy/Marine Corps amphibious coin — ship to shore via traditional watercraft and via aircraft such as the newer tilt-rotor Osprey — are a big focus of Rim of the Pacific exercises, and a growing interest for partner nations in the region. That importance is highlighted in the high-tech ships here for RIMPAC. Star-Advertiser.

First Hawaiian Bank on Friday filed its initial registration form for a new entity with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a step toward an initial public offering for Hawaii's largest bank to become an independent publicly traded company. First Hawaiian Bank.

How HECO Helped Pull Hawaii Through The Tough Times. Hawaiian Electric played a key role in Hawaii’s economic recovery from the Great Depression. And then World War II hit the islands. Civil Beat.

 Oahu

The three men widely considered the top candidates for mayor of Honolulu each held fundraisers over the past two weeks. Civil Beat.

Understaffing for the City and County of Honolulu’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has become a chronic problem—ambulance units have to close for a shift because no one is available to run it. KHON2.

Hawaii nonprofit organizations are calling on federal officials to include members of the public in plans to build floating wind turbines off Hawaii's shores before they move forward with the projects. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Scientists say although progress has been slow during the past two days, the flow is still advancing. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory posted new photos. Big Island Video News.

A promise by developer Stanford Carr to walk a former council member through the planned Alii Palms subdivision was sufficient Thursday to convince the County Council Planning Committee to grant concessions for the 58-unit development. West Hawaii Today.

A Democratic primary challenger who identifies as being “old school” is facing incumbent Rep. Richard Onishi for the state House seat he has held since 2012 — District 3, stretching 56 miles from Hilo to Kau. Ainoa Naniole, a 36-year-old lawyer, is stepping into the political arena for the first time but says politics has always been in his sights. Star-Advertiser.

The Queen’s Health Systems announced Friday that Cindy Kamikawa has been appointed the next president of North Hawaii Community Hospital in Waimea. Pacific Business News.

Maui

The Hawaii Legislature may convene a special session to try to save a bill intended to help public employees at three Maui hospitals. Those employees risk losing their jobs in the privatization of those hospitals. Civil Beat.

On July 1, operational control of three Maui County public hospitals was supposed to have been transferred to health care provider Kaiser Permanente, sealing a historic public-private partnership that Gov. David Ige said would save the state $260 million over the next decade. Maui News.

More than 50 sign-wavers from the Hawaii Government Employees Association showed support Friday for their members at the three Maui County public hospitals affected by the state's privatization of operations. The sign-wavers along Kaahumanu Avenue in front of Queen Ka'ahumanu Center were urging Gov. David Ige to take a bill that provides severance and early retirement options to certain workers in the public hospitals adversely affected by the operational change off his veto list. Maui News.

The median sales price for Maui single-family homes edged higher by 1.1 percent to $657,000, up from $650,000. For a condo, the sales price jumped 8.2 percent to $384,000, up from $355,000. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

A Hawaii Dispensary Alliance report said Kauai may see between $1.5 million to $4.5 million of revenue generated from Green Aloha Limited, its sole medical marijuana dispensary, based upon the island’s 1,689 registered medical marijuana patients, during the company’s first 12 months of operation. Garden Island.

Floating wind turbines have been proposed for the 72-mile wide Ka’ie’iewaho Channel, which separates Kauai and Oahu and the environmental conservation group Life of the Land is calling for meetings on both islands to bring the public up to speed. Garden Island.

Starting Friday, the Hawaii Tourism Authority is bringing back the North Shore Shuttle Service, which rolled out in November 2014 and ran for six months. This time around, it’ll run through September. Stops include the Princeville Airport and Kee Beach. Garden Island.

Molokai

A proposed memorial years in the making is becoming a reality in Kalaupapa, providing a tangible place to remember the thousands of individuals who were sent to the settlement, many of whom were buried in unmarked graves. Maui News.

Airport parking rates to increase, $55M unspent for Native Hawaiian homes, University of Hawaii loses millions on West Hawaii campus, dengue cases grow to 10 on Big Island, Honolulu wants new transit agency, Kauai to consider property tax cap, mirrors coming for Thirty Meter Telescope, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Lihue, Kauai, airport © 2015 All Hawaii News

Parking rates at airports across Hawaii will be going up starting Dec. 1. At five airports, including Honolulu Airport (HNL), the daily maximum rate to park will increase by $3, according to the state Department of Transportation. For HNL that means it will cost $18 to park 24 hours there. For Kahului (OGG), Kapalua Airport (JHM), Lihue (LIH), Hilo (ITO) and Kailua-Kona (KOA), it will cost $15. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Care Homes: Officials Seek More Money, Not Tougher Inspections Health Department officials say they want to stop giving care home operators advance warning of inspections. But they have no plan to change that policy. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has a backlog of more than $55 million in unspent federal housing funds for Native Hawaiians, and President Barack Obama’s administration finally stopped the flow of additional housing funding last fiscal year under the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program. Star-Advertiser.

Voting is underway for more than 95,000 Native Hawaiians who will elect 40 delegates to a constitutional convention that will consider models for self-governance. Star-Advertiser.

The Pearl Harbor destroyer USS John Paul Jones, among the most capable ballistic missile defense ships in the Navy fleet, shot down a simulated anti-ship cruise missile Saturday but failed to knock down an extended medium-range ballistic missile target during a “layered defense” test. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gas plans to award a contract by the end of the year to a developer for its $300 million plan to ship in liquefied natural gas in bulk amounts to the Islands. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii aquaculture sales reached a record high in 2014, according to an annual report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sales totaled $78.2 million last year, which is several million dollars more than the previous year and more than double the sales from a decade ago. Civil Beat.

An Idaho farmer may start using mineral oil routinely if winter seed-certification testing in Hawaii confirms the 130 acres he sprayed this season with the low-cost protectant harbor less virus than his other seed fields. Capitol Press.

Oahu

The University of Hawaii paid $1.4 million to design an administration building and then a few years later paid $2.5 million more to a different architect to re-design the building at UH West Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu officials want to form a new agency that would oversee public transit operations once the city’s $6.6 billion commuter rail line is up and running. Both the city and the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation submitted proposals to the Honolulu Charter Commission that, if approved by voters, would create a single entity to operate and maintain the city’s rail, bus and paratransit services. Civil Beat.

Anthony Ching, who has headed the Hawaii Community Development Authority as its executive director since 2008, is retiring at the end of the year, a board member for the state agency confirmed to Pacific Business News.

The Honolulu City Council Zoning Committee unanimously approved an affordable housing project today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Problems are plaguing the city’s H-Power plant in Campbell Industrial Park. Two of the plant’s three boilers are down. KHON2.

Judges, landlords and nonprofits work together to prevent evictions. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The number of confirmed cases of dengue fever on Hawaii Island ballooned from two to 10 during the weekend. Since the presence of the disease on the Big Isle was first reported by the state Department of Health last week, officials have been reluctant to reveal where the cases of the mosquito-borne illness have been reported, saying that they have been working to narrow down where the disease, which is not endemic to Hawaii, originated. But on Monday, State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said that a significant portion of cases had been reported in the Hookena and Honaunau areas of West Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Health has confirmed 10 cases of dengue fever on the Big Island. Star-Advertiser.

Bulldozers at the Thirty Meter Telescope construction site have hardly moved an inch since protests against the $1.4 billion project erupted again on Mauna Kea seven months ago. But other aspects of the project are moving forward, the TMT International Observatory noted Monday. Tribune-Herald.

Mirror production is underway in Japan for a giant telescope project that's facing fervent opposition from those who oppose building it atop a Hawaiian mountain. The nonprofit organization building the Thirty Meter Telescope said in a news release Monday that more than 100 of the 574 segmented mirror blanks needed for the telescope's primary mirror have been produced. Associated Press.

15 of the 33 Na’i Aupuni ‘aha delegate candidates met with the community on Sunday in Panaewa. Hawaii Island voters registered through the Kana’iolowalu hawaiian roll can now choose the seven delegates from Moku O Keawe that will attend a future gathering (40 delegates total from all islands and the mainland) that could determine a future course for a native Hawaiian government. The election period began November 1 and will continue through the month of November. Big Island Video News.

The beach may be manini, but the parking problems aren’t. A solution has been a long time coming. But the Hawaii County Council is scheduled today to put the finishing touches on a bill officially making roads around Manini Beach no-parking zones. West Hawaii Today.

A community meeting was held on Thursday night to discuss planned improvements to Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area. The popular West Hawaii beach, located between Kawaihae and Puako, is under Department of Land and Natural Resources management. The DLNR Division of State Parks wanted to hear from the community on the plans, which are currently in design. Big Island Video News.

Maui

An estimated 1,700 individuals participated in the 42nd Annual Maui County Senior Fair held Halloween morning at the War Memorial Gym in Wailuku. Maui Now.

Weather issues hampered Haleakala National Park's efforts to eradicate pine trees in inaccessible areas in the crater during six days of helicopter operations in September and October, said a park official. Maui News.

Kauai

A property tax cap scrubbed from the books two years ago could make a comeback. County Councilman Gary Hooser said he will introduce a bill at Wednesday’s council meeting that would limit the growth of property taxes on Kauai for owner-occupied properties and for those utilized as long-term affordable rentals. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will hold a public dedication ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday for its new Anahola solar facility. The dedication will be followed by a community open house until 3 p.m. Garden Island.

Hawaiian Airlines cuts legroom, chief elections officer could face reviews, Honolulu committee advances Hoopili development, snubs Malaekahana, new charter school approved, Maui hospital denied, Kaui forest to be burned for fuel, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian Airlines interior © 015 All Hawaii News

Hawaiian Airlines passengers won't be able to recline their seats on any interisland flights by the end of this year. The state's largest carrier said Thursday it is retrofitting the 18 Boeing 717 aircraft it uses on interisland routes with new lightweight seats that will reduce legroom by about an inch under a reconfiguration and allow the airline to add five to 10 more passengers on each flight. Star-Advertiser.

The state's chief elections officer would have to undergo a performance evaluation after each general election under a plan approved by the state Senate. The bill, SB 622, requires the Elections Commission to provide the written performance evaluation to the Legislature. Associated Press.

Despite concerns from the departments of Health and Human Services, Hawaii lawmakers are pushing forward bills that would help the adult care-home industry make more money while potentially compromising the quality of services provided to those most in need. Civil Beat.

A bill that would make an exception for married couples who do not receive Medicaid to live together in the same Community Care Foster Family Home is advancing through the state House of Representatives. Star-Advertiser.

As a mark of respect for the late former state Rep. Diana “Mele” Carroll, Gov. David Ige has ordered that the flags of the United States and State of Hawaii shall be flown at half-staff at all state offices and agencies, as well as the Hawaii National Guard, from sunrise to sunset Friday to recognize services held on Oahu and Sunday, which is the day services will be held on Maui. West Hawaii Today.

The commercial solar energy market in Hawaii has turned into a race of sorts, a race for businesses to get their systems in place before a federal tax credit sunsets at the end of 2016. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The City Council Zoning and Planning Committee gave a preliminary thumbs up Thursday to one landscape-changing development scheme and a thumbs down to another one. A rezoning request for D.R. Horton Schuler Division's 11,750-home Hoo­pili project in West Oahu advanced 5-0. But Hawaii Reserve Inc.'s plan to develop a section of Malaekahana, between Laie and Kahuku, appears to be in serious jeopardy. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council Zoning and Planning Committee approved a planning document for the North Shore on Thursday but amended it to remove a highly controversial new residential community at Gunstock Ranch in Malaekahana. Civil Beat.

Ho’opili, a major residential and commercial project on O’ahu cleared its first major hurdle today following the completion of public testimony before a Honolulu City Council Committee. Hawaii Public Radio.

A Honolulu City Council committee has advanced a proposed development in West Oahu. The council’s zoning committee gave the green light Thursday for Hoopili’s next step. KHON2.

One controversial housing development has hit a major roadblock, while another in Kapolei has been given the green light to go ahead.The Honolulu City Council's Zoning Committee approved Bill 47 without including Envision Laie, a proposal that would have included nearly 900 new homes at Malaekahana in the Koolauloa section of Windward Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

After more than four hours of testimony Thursday, the City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee approved the removal of language from the Koolau Loa Sustainable Communities Plan that could have paved the way for 875 homes to be built on land at Malaekahana. KITV4.

Oahu communities roundly oppose Malaekahana development. At a press conference today, the opposition to Malaekahana development expressed their reasons for supporting zoning chair Ikaika Anderson's proposed amendments to Bill 47. Hawaii Independent.

Elected leaders at Honolulu Hale and the state Capitol have been watching closely to see how their colleagues across Punchbowl Street will respond to rail's budget crisis. Now at least one Hono­­lulu City Council member appears concerned that his chamber might have waited too long to weigh in on a rail tax extension. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Pacific Health, the state's largest medical provider, is exploring a purchase of all or part of the financially struggling Wahiawa General Hospital. Star-Advertiser.

Opinion: Oahu General Plan Provides Diversification and Sustainability. The Oahu General Plan is not perfect but it provides land-use diversification and sustainability for our small island home. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The state’s only new charter school is set to open its doors in Ka‘u in July, following unanimous approval of its facilities Thursday by the Windward Planning Commission. West Hawaii Today.

Just over a year after North Hawaii Community Hospital merged with The Queen’s Health Systems, the Waimea facility is adding new equipment, rebuilding a management team and laying groundwork for stabilizing its workforce. Efforts to recruit badly needed doctors are also moving ahead, although more slowly than many would like, the hospital’s president Ken Graham told West Hawaii Today in an interview.

Christina (Tina) Neal has been chosen to serve as the new scientist-in-charge of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Neal succeeds Jim Kauahikaua, who served in the position for the past 10 years. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory's new scientist-in-charge is coming to Hawaii from Alaska where she has been mapping and studying active Alaskan volcanoes for more than two decades. Garden Island.

Home prices on Hawaii's Big Island rose by single digits in February, while sales of condominiums rose and sales of single-family homes fell, according to data released by Hawaii Information Service on behalf of Hawaii Island Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Maui

A Maui County Council committee decided Thursday to re-examine rules and guidelines in the county's transportation contract for residents with disabilities with Maui Economic Opportunity amid recurring complaints from riders. Maui News.

The state Health Planning and Development Agency has ruled against Regency Namakua's application to build a 40-bed skilled nursing and intermediate-care facility at the Maui Research and Technology Park in Kihei. Maui News.

Second Circuit Judge Joseph Cardoza and District Court Judge Adrianne Heely will hear Maui County's environmental cases when the new statewide environmental court program comes on line beginning July 1. Maui News.

Kauai

Legal costs and fees to defend County of Kauai officials in two lawsuits filed by county employees totaled a little more than half a million dollars before settlements were reached, according to documents obtained by The Garden Island.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources and private partners have launched a $1 million-plus project that aims to remove 15,000 tons of burned pine and eucalyptus trees, many of them dead and standing hazards, and then replant with healthy hardwoods, including a large section of natives such as koa. As part of the project, the logs will be hauled off to Kauai's new $90 million Green Energy biomass plant, where they will be burned to generate electric power. Star-Advertiser.

The state has started cutting down trees on 300 acres of Kauai forest reserve that were scorched by wildfire in 2012 and sending the wood to be processed at a new biomass-to-energy plant. Associated Press.

The median price of a single-family home on Kauai shot up by more than 46 percent in February as the median price on the North Shore passed $1 million, according to data released by Hawaii Information Service on behalf of the Kauai Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Drone can't patrol Honolulu Harbor, Hawaii judges low paid, no state preschool, new airline coming, environmentalists rally against development bills, path cleared for rail transit, Maui bug patrol returns, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Aircraft over Honolulu Harbor (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The state Department of Transportation's Harbors Division has been unable to use an unmanned drone aircraft purchased with $75,000 in federal grant money to provide security at Honolulu Harbor because it falls within restricted airspace near Honolulu International Airport. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii's state judges are among the lowest paid in the nation — and their salaries won't be improving anytime soon given legislative pay cuts that have been extended through the end of next year. Civil Beat.

Hawaii remains among a minority of states without a state-funded preschool program, according to a new report that also shows spending for preschool programs in other states is declining. Eleven states didn't offer state-funded programs in 2011, up from 10 in 2010. Star-Advertiser.

Banning or charging fees for plastic bags at the check-out counter could be having unintended consequences. Civil Beat.

Several measures moving forward at the capitol would exempt state and private-partnership developments from environmental and planning rules. Opponents rallied at the capitol ahead of Tuesday's votes on four of the bills. KHON2.

The state Legislature has taken another step toward adopting labeling protections for Hawaii-grown tea after recently leaving the issue to steep. Tribune-Herald.

What Do Hawaii Lawmakers Have Against Ethics Code? (commentary) Civil Beat.

If you care about holding government officials' feet to the fire when it comes to public records, you should be concerned about a bill the Hawaii Office of Information Practices is pushing at the Legislature. (commentary) Civil Beat.

Allegiant Air, a low-cost, Las Vegas-based airline that primarily serves small cities, is entering the Hawaii market. Star-Advertiser.


Oahu

A contractor may soon be able to move forward with construction of a key support facility needed to build the $5.27 billion Hono­lulu rail proj­ect, but rail opponents say the plans for the "precast" facility could be the basis for new court challenges. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu bus stop (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The city says soaring costs are to blame for a consolidation of bus services this summer. KHON2.


230 signatures and counting.That's how many bus riders are demanding that the City not change the current #14 route. KHON2.


A higher profile in Asia and the Pacific is in the works for Fort Shafter and within the ranks of the Army with construction of a new 330,000-square-foot headquarters under way as well as an effort to upgrade the three-star command to four stars. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Zoo's accreditation has been renewed after exhibit upgrades, more staffing and new signage were put in place in response to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums deferring renewal a year ago because standards were not being met. Star-Advertiser.


Hawaii

Motorists frustrated by construction delays along the Hamakua Coast can expect to soon to get some relief. Tribune-Herald.

A burned-out motor that caused the breakdown of a South Kona well is causing the county Department of Water Supply to issue health advisories and a voluntary water conservation. West Hawaii Today.

Mauna Kea (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Mauna Kea remains one of Hawaii's treasures. It's a center of both science and spirituality. HPR's Noe Tanigawa recently made a special trip to Mauna Kea...beginning at the home of a family in Waimea with unique ties to the sacred mountain. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui County has a state entomologist again after the position was lost to budget cuts in 2009. Associated Press.

Using a net, Mach Fukada swept over grasses and plants in a wetland area off a parking lot at Kanaha Beach Park last week. Maui News.

The County of Maui, Department of Public Works proposes to conduct roadway repairs to a section of Kahekili Highway between Mile Markers 15 and 16 in the Kahakuloa district of Maui. Maui Now.


Maui Nui Botanical Gardens will hold an Earth Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kaua‘i County Fire Department on Monday asked for new staff members and better equipment for the next fiscal year. Garden Island.

The county Civil Defense Agency asked the Kaua‘i County Council on Monday for a reduced operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Garden Island.

Hawaii tax database breached, scathing audit of charter schools, Honolulu property ticks up, recovery slow, Hawaii County fires five cops, big airport changes coming to Maui, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu road construction (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

Congress appropriated 840-Billion dollars in Federal Economic Stimulus money to States in February 2009. Did Hawai’i receive its fair share of that funding and who’s tracking it? Hawaii Public Radio.

The state Department of Taxation placed several employees on administrative leave without pay this week following the discovery of an internal security breach of the department's tax database. Star-Advertiser.

Governor Neil Abercrombie’s administration is investigating unspecified wrongdoing in the state Tax Department. Hawaii Reporter.

The State Attorney General is investigating allegations of security breaches at the tax department dating back several years. KHON2.

Charter schools have been spending public money with little oversight -- or accountability for student performance -- and the lack of government monitoring has resulted in "unethical and illegal" spending and employment practices at some campuses, a scathing audit of Hawaii's system of 31 charter schools found. Star-Advertiser.

State Auditor Marion Higa issued a scathing report on Hawaii's charter schools Thursday, calling out individual schools for potential fraud and criticizing the Charter School Review Panel. West Hawaii Today.

A blistering report released Thursday by the Hawaii state auditor alleges little to no oversight of the state’s public charter school system.KHON2.

For the first time in five years, Hawaii's school bus companies have bid against each other for contracts to transport students to and from school. Civil Beat.

Youth Correctional Facility Cleans Up Its Act. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Wednesday that he will appoint an interim successor for Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Boyd Mossman "as soon as I can" and that whomever he picks will not be running for the seat in the November election. Maui News.

State roundup for Dec. 16. Associated Press.

Oahu

Property values on Oahu rose slightly over the past year, giving the City Council and the Carlisle administration the expectation for some added revenue to work with as they craft a budget for the next fiscal year. Star-Advertiser.

The tax bill for some landowners may increase slightly if the Honolulu city council keeps tax rate at the current level. KITV4.

The pace of Honolulu's economic recovery since the end of the recession ranks in the bottom 20 percent of the nation's top 100 metropolitan areas, according to a report released Thursday by the Brookings Institution. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine will receive a $13.2 million federal grant for its Bioscience Research Infrastructure Development for Grant Enhancement and Success project. Pacific Business News.

First complaint filed under new city ordinance against personal property on sidewalks. Hawaii News Now.

The Gas Company dedicated a new plant in Kapolei that can make "renewable natural gas" out of oils and fats from animal, fishing and farming waste. KHON2.

Visitors to the Waikiki Aquarium got their first chance to see the aquarium's newest resident Thursday. KHON2.

Hawaii

Five Hawaii County police officers were fired this year, a significant increase over last year, when no nonprobationary police officers lost their jobs for disciplinary reasons. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaiians unloaded their mana'o on officials from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands about an initiative to get the longest-waiting beneficiaries off the homestead waiting list.  Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Water Board has tapped the department's deputy manager to become the manager and chief engineer. West Hawaii Today.

The Police Department won't be getting any new marked cruisers this Christmas or in the near future, a senior administrator said. Tribune-Herald.

Double-decker out of commission. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The state Department of Transportation is studying different plans to comprehensively rebuild Kahului Airport’s aging main runway, which was built in 1942. KITV4.

Projects such as the 460-kilowatt photovoltaic system recently installed at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center are part of a "spectrum of alternative energy" from home-based systems to large-scale farms to meet the state's current and future power needs, said Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Wednesday. Maui News.

A small turnout of Kihei residents Tuesday night urged Charter Commission members to put a proposal for four-year council terms on the ballot and keep County Council elections nonpartisan. Maui News.

Kauai

Grove Farm has told its Koloa Camp tenants it’s time to move out and make way for progress. Garden Island.

The major Hawaiian ports of call for hundreds of whalers during the 19th century were Honolulu and Lahaina, where whalers restocked provisions, replenished crews and transshipped whale oil cargoes following whale hunts in the Japan Sea, the South Pacific or the Arctic. Garden Island.

West Kaua‘i Rotary plants seeds for ‘Christmas miracle’ Garden Island.

Big backlog of state warrants, Honolulu Santa goes solar, Molokai fights feral cats, curbside recycling coming to Maui, Kawaiaha'o Church burial battle continues, homeless housed in buses and more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kawaiaha'o Church (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

Kawaiaha'o Church has stopped construction again on a controversial multipurpose building -- this time because of a complaint that the church is disregarding a state requirement to remove human burials found on the construction site. Star-Advertiser.

Special report: law enforcement faces backlog of 87,942 state warrants. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Judicial Selection Commission, as promised, is becoming more transparent. Hawaii Reporter.

The nation's second-largest school bus company may soon be rolling into Hawaii. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Maritime Administration is expected to decide in the near future on a winning bidder for the two former Hawaii Superferry vessels, which had a short-lived operation in Hawaii waters. Star-Advertiser.

The State of Hawaii’s administration announced today that costs for hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Honolulu was lower than expectations. Hawaii Independent.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has postponed its 30-day suspension of attorney Earle Partington from the practice of law until Dec. 3. Star-Advertiser.

Close to 300 deployed marines and sailors returned home to Hawaii Thanksgiving morning. KHON2.

Oahu

The city will delay signing what would be the largest contract in Honolulu history to allow time to gather more information about the financial stability of rail company Ansaldo Honolulu JV and determine whether problems at Ansaldo's troubled parent company could affect the Honolulu rail project. Star-Advertiser.

City to Sweep Homeless from Stadium Park. Civil Beat.

Homeless find shelter on buses. KHON2.

A Honolulu light display of Santa's workshop and village will be powered by the sun this year. Associated Press.

Honolulu Police released tapes of calls made to 911 on the night of a fatal shooting in Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

As governments around the world look for ways to slash spending and cut deficits, one appealing target has emerged -- the telescopes on Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald.

The Mauna Kea Science Reserve sprawls over more than 11-thousand acres atop Hawai`i’s tallest mountain. Hawaii Public Radio.

Jackie Rey's Ohana Grill was bustling Thursday morning, but the restaurant wasn't serving its usual fare. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Hawaii Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald is seeking public comment on six judicial nominees for a vacancy in district court in 2nd Circuit Court, which covers Maui County. Pacific Business News.

Maui County would test curbside recycling in a pilot program officials hope to run in Maui Meadows for one year. Maui News.

Kauai

A Kaua‘i County fourth-quarter report released Tuesday reveals a flat economic “recovery,” with the exception of the tourism and construction sectors. Garden Island.

Several community meetings have been scheduled by the Kauai Department of Water to discuss a proposed rate increase. KITV4.

Hundreds of Kaua‘i residents on Wednesday took advantage of the annual Salvation Army Community Thanksgiving Lunch to enjoy a turkey meal complete with all the fixings. Garden Island.

Molokai

The island of Molokai is renowned for fighting off-island invaders in ancient times and now big businesses. Now, a group of owners on the west end are also fighting their homeowner association to keep a managed feral cat colony on the 14-acre property. Molokai Dispatch.

Biden visits, Hawaii sued by gun advocates, Kauai Food Bank fight, Honolulu, Big Island work on district lines, vacation rental changes stall, UH chancellor position in limbo, $1.5M for Native Hawaiians, more Hawaii news

Photo courtesy World Island Paradise

After five deaths in five years, land company blocks access to popular Kauai waterfall. Garden Island.

Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Honolulu Wednesday and visited the USS Arizona Memorial with his daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Star-Advertiser.

Vice President Joe Biden is due to speak to U.S. servicemen and women in Hawaii on his way home to Washington, D.C. from a weeklong trip to Asia. Associated Press.

Saying the 2012 race to fill Hawaii's U.S. Senate vacancy is a battle for the future of the Democratic party in this state, former U.S. Rep. Ed Case kicked off his senatorial campaign in West Hawaii Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono expressed impatience Wednesday to East Hawaii business leaders over the partisan gridlock that she said has stalled legislation important to Hawaii.Tribune-Herald.

The U.S. Treasury Department is awarding more than $1.5 million to help provide loans and financial services to Native Hawaiian families. Associated Press.

The Big Island has been named the top Hawaiian island and is ranked seventh among islands around the world. KHON2.

The outlook for Hawaii's economy through the rest of this year has dimmed based in part on weaker-than-expected visitor arrivals and lower job growth. Star-Advertiser.

Homes that were in some stage of the foreclosure process accounted for more than 21 percent of all residential sales in Hawaii during the second quarter. Pacific Business News.

A public auction of property forfeited to the State of Hawaii will be held on August 27 in the Pikake room at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center. Hawaii News Now.

A firestorm of public accusations made by Hawai‘i Food Bank’s president in recent weeks has engulfed Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank in Lihu‘e. Garden Island.

The non-profit Hawaii Defense Foundation has filed a lawsuit against the Honolulu Chief of Police Louis Kealoha, the Honolulu Police Department and the City & County of Honolulu as well as the State of Hawaii and Gov. Neil Abercrombie for violating the Second and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. Hawaii Reporter.

A pedestrian fatality happened on Oahu early Wednesday morning, just hours before the state released a plan designed to decrease pedestrian injuries and deaths. KITV4.

Just like the state's redistricting panel before it, the Honolulu Council Reapportionment Commission on Wednesday said it will count all residents — military families, students and felons — as it redraws political boundaries. Star-Advertiser.

Central themes of the island's new political boundaries began taking shape Wednesday as the county Redistricting Commission weeded out 14 and kept three proposed maps, another step in the long process of redrawing County Council districts to accommodate population growth revealed by the 2010 census. West Hawaii Today.

A proposal that would require vacation rental operators in Honolulu to include license numbers on any advertising drew a split vote from the city's Planning Commission on Wednesday. Civil Beat.

The 7-member Honolulu Planning Commission did not get the necessary five majority vote to approve or disapprove a proposed measure to enable closer scrutiny of vacation rentals on O’ahu. Hawaii Public Radio.

Just one little change could make life much harder for operators of unpermitted short-term rentals in residential areas, the Maui Planning Commission was told Tuesday. Maui News.

University of Hawaii at Manoa Chancellor Virginia S. Hinshaw will leave her job at the end of the school year, opening the door to debate about the need for a separate administrator to oversee UH's flagship campus. Star-Advertiser.

A full-time resident student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa currently pays $4,200 per semester (up $400 from the year before). Non-resident students pay $11,616 per semester. Those numbers are expected to go up by next year. Hawaii Independent.

Hawaii County's decision to charge a $1 bus fare appears to be driving away Hele-On riders accustomed to free transportation. Tribune-Herald.

Harbor growth to create pains. Tribune-Herald.

Business owners concerned over rail property takeover. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii gets direct flights to China, rail transit shakes up Honolulu City Council, census shows Hawaii residents living longer, Big Island housing glut, Hawaii County mayor vetoes budget, shipping costs to rise, labor trafficker pleads guilty, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu residents at bus stop (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

Hawai‘i’s oldest residents are living longer, with the number of people in the islands over 90 years old nearly doubling during the last decade, according to U.S. Census data released Wednesday. Associated Press.

Almost one in five Hawaii County homes were vacant when census workers made their rounds last year. West Hawaii Today.

With a population density of 87,816 people per square mile, Hobron Lane matches the profile of the state’s highest density areas: It’s a residential zone with a lot of high-rise buildings. Star-Advertiser.

Nonresident military and their dependents should be counted as permanent residents when redrawing the state's political districts, the Oahu advisory council to the state Reapportionment Commission recommended Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's long-sought goal to significantly tap into the lucrative Chinese tourist market is closer to becoming a reality. Star-Advertiser.

Matson is adding a new shipping fee to offset the cost of a new law that suspends general excise tax exemptions, and other businesses are eyeing price hikes. Hawaii News Now.

Mayor Billy Kenoi on Wednesday vetoed the County Council-approved budget, claiming some of the council's key budget amendments were illegal. West Hawaii Today.

City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia is stepping down to clear a path for freshman Councilman Ernie Martin to replace him. Star-Advertiser.

City Council members' frustration over how City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia and Vice Chair Breene Harimoto handled appointments to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation was a "major factor" in a leadership shake-up at the council, according to City Council member Ikaika Anderson. Civil Beat.

Opponents and supporters of the city's $5-billion rail transit project faced off Wednesday night at a town meeting sponsored by Ewa and Kapolei's councilman Tom Berg. KITV4.

The Federal Transportation Administration is again pledging their commitment that funding is there for Honolulu's rail transit project. KHON2.

The University of Hawaii will receive $4.3 million to continue a 14-year old program that provides job training and educational opportunities to more than 800 residents each year who live in underserved, rural communities on Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, and Molokai. Molokai Dispatch.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has released another $12.5 million for nine additional safety and security projects at various public schools on Oahu and Maui as part of his New Day Work Projects, designed to create jobs and cash flow, he announced Wednesday. Pacific Business News

A proposal to restore the county's homeowner property tax exemption to 2005 levels was recommended by the Maui County Council Budget and Finance Committee on Tuesday. Maui News.

Donalyn Dela Cruz, Gov. Neil Abercrombie's spokeswoman, is writing and producing a new Hawaii travelogue show. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii farm supervisor has pleaded guilty to confiscating passports from Thai laborers to prevent them from fleeing in one of the nation's largest human trafficking cases. Associated Press.

A Hilo restaurateur and his business partner are suing another Hilo businessman for the return of almost a half-million dollars invested in a proposed subdivision. Tribune-Herald.

Road and sidewalk construction from Ala Moana through Waikiki is causing some confusion for pedestrians. KITV4.

Hawaii’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May dropped to 6 percent, down from 6.1 percent the previous month and 6.6 percent in May 2010, according to the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Pacific Business News

Recent Maui High School graduates Jimbo Paranada and Marc Paguirigan took second place Tuesday morning at the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills National Finals in Dearborn, Mich. Maui News.

Kauai Council scratches cat resolution. Garden Island.

Hawaiian Paradise Park representatives voted Wednesday evening to continue discussions with the county over its plan to build a $5.5 million park in the neighborhood. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii research ship studies Japan radiation, half of Hawaiian Airlines revenue from baggage, TSA fights firing, Honolulu good place to raise family, Maui getting more cops, Aiea to get library, more Hawaii news

Kaimikai-o-Kanaloa courtesy photo

A research ship from Hawaii is carrying an international team of scientists. They're studying the impact of radiation releases in the waters off Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Hawaii News Now.

About 20 percent of the increase in next year's state budget is tied to the cost of putting people back to work on furlough days. Civil Beat.

Hawaii has dropped its appeal to a federal court ruling that lifted a $1,000 limit on donations to political action committees that make independent expenditures, so donors are free to give unlimited amounts of money to such committees. Star-Advertiser.

Last week’s indictment of an alleged electronic sex predator demonstrates the need for parents and children to be vigilant and cautious when going online or using cell phones, Attorney General David Louie said in news conference this morning. Hawaii Reporter.

A union attorney who flew to Honolulu to consult with airport security workers being fired said Monday at least some of those workers will contest their termination. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian, the state's largest airline, raked in $54 million last year from checked-bag fees, or roughly half of its $110 million profit. Star-Advertiser.

The American Cancer Society projects Hawai’i will have 66-hundred new cases of cancer this year. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu hits the top ten when it comes to places to live and raise a family, according to Parenting magazine. KITV4.

Aiea residents will be getting a new library. KHON2.

Safeway's Property Development Centers to build Ewa site Pacific Business News

A fungus that kills coconut palms might have taken root along the Puna coastline. Tribune-Herald.

Group that turns fruit destined to rot into food for others uses grant to improve and grow program. Maui News.

A community policing program is restarting in areas on Maui that had been without those resources for several years. Associated Press.

The public is invited to two free presentations by Sue Arnold, founder of the Gray Whale Coalition. Garden Island.

The children of a retired NFL player are suing a North Kohala doctor, claiming the doctor's actions led to their father's death. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii 911 operators curt with caller, too old for bikinis, poi pounders protected, Maui bus growing fast, Kauai curbs street sellers, DOE touts gun safety, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii poi pounder (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

Today, few people in Hawaii continue to make poi the traditional way, using board and stone. But with the Legislature's passage of the Senate Bill 101 , better known as the poi bill, what began as one man's art has been transformed into a legal recognition of an ancient cultural tradition. Civil Beat.

Educational programs for Native Hawaiians are to receive more than $41 million in federal funding this fiscal year. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Legislature has appropriated $1.2 million to pay for the creation of a state information technology office tasked with improving public online services, making government more efficient and saving money. Associated Press.

Moody’s May 17, 2011 downgrade of Hawaii’s General Obligation Bond rating will cost taxpayers more money this fall when the state issues between $500 million and $650 million in GO bonds to fund state projects for which taxpayers guarantee the repayment of debt. Hawaii Reporter.

Governor Neil Abercrombie’s action plan to address homelessness is a 90-day push to kick-start the program. Hawaii Public Radio.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s nine-part plan to address homelessness in Hawaii has created quite a stir since he announced it last week. Pacific Business News

The state Legislature took small steps this session to enhance oversight and public disclosure for charter schools, and lawmakers plan to work with the charter community on big-picture changes for the system. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Education claims that over the last five years it has dramatically decreased the number of students being expelled from school for bringing a gun on campus. Hawaii News Now.

A 14-year-old student at Pearl Highlands Intermediate School told police he found a gun on campus and was showing it to friends when it went off Monday morning. KHON2.

A state judge dismissed all charges Monday against the four remaining Honolulu police officers accused of falsifying reports to qualify for overtime. Star-Advertiser.

For the first time we're hearing the frantic moments as the Waikele bunker fireworks explosion was happening from the only survivor.  Hawaii News Now.

The Maui Bus received national recognition this past week for being among the "fastest growing" public transportation systems in the nation. Maui News.

Kaua‘i County Council member on Wednesday unanimously approved a bill to strengthen a law regulating peddling at county parks and facilities, but they left it up to the Parks and Recreation Department to create the specific rules required to enforce it. Garden Island.

County considers opening Ka'u council office. Tribune-Herald.

Governmental red tape has left yellow caution tape blocking the tsunami-damaged portion of the Alii Drive sidewalk and seawall. West Hawaii Today.

Reports of axis deer on the Big Island have numerous public agencies preparing a formal response and developing a possible course of action to protect valuable forest and agricultural resources. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii seatbelt enforcement campaign has been launched statewide. Associated Press.

How old is too old? A new survey is answering that question when it comes to women wearing bikinis, miniskirts and stilettos. KITV4.

Dengue fever in Pearl City, Big Island gets big bus, tsunami has a price tag, Honolulu councilman has transit conflict, hard to fire state workers, budget hole deepens, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

National Park Service firefighters have spent the week trying to prevent a wildfire ignited by Kilauea volcano from spreading through a protected rain forest inhabited by endangered Hawaiian plants and animals. Star-Advertiser.

Four people who live in the same Pearl City neighborhood are the first known Hawaii cases of locally contracted dengue fever since a 2001 outbreak in which 153 people were infected with the mosquito-borne viral illness, health officials announced yesterday. Star-Advertiser.

Data from the March 11 tsunami has given scientists more confidence in research predicting what coastal land around Hawaii will be inundated by tsunamis in the future.Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii disaster response officials are estimating the state suffered damages exceeding $30 million during this month's tsunami, a figure that could lead to the federal government providing money for repairs. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is hoping to get federal aid for some of the $30.6 million of damages that occurred to Hawaii homes, businesses and property as a tsunami swept through the state on March 11. Hawaii Reporter.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie Thursday formally requested an Administrative Disaster Declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration to help Hawai‘i Island homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits affected by the tsunami that swept across the state on March 11, states a release from the governor’s office. Associated Press.

A 200-pound sea turtle was rescued near Kmart, and reef fish were spotted swimming in a pond at a Kahului parking lot, days after the Japan tsunami hit Maui earlier this month. Maui News.

Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had yet to identify the radiation that arrived here Monday from Japan, a state health official said yesterday he expects the isotopes that have been detected on the West Coast to be seen in Hawaii, and in similarly low levels. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii hotels were three-fourths full during the week ending March 19, and average room rates were generally higher compared to a year ago, according to Smith Travel Research and Hospitality Advisors. Pacific Business News.

The U.S. Department of Transportation will subsidize air service to and from Kalauapa, and will select an air carrier to service the remote community following a competitive bid process, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Senator Daniel K. Akaka and Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono announced today. Maui News.

The Abercrombie administration, not waiting for the state Council on Revenues to update its forecast, has put the projected two-year budget deficit at $1.3 billion. Star-Advertiser.

The state's top budget official has raised his estimate of the budget hole lawmakers will have to fill: The total shortfall is now $1.3 billion — more than one-third larger than previous estimates. Civil Beat.

Gambling seemed all but dead at the legislature this session. But the odds are suddenly better that some form of poker could get to the Governor’s desk. Hawaii Public Radio.

It's as difficult to fire someone from Hawaii state government as it is from the federal government, Civil Beat has learned. Civil Beat.

Hawaii senators and the state Department of Education are pushing a bill that delays a requirement for state schools to have a full 180-instructional day year until 2014. Associated Press.

Honolulu City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia told KITV4 News Thursday that he will begin officially declaring that he has a conflict of interest on the rail transit issue when it comes up for votes in the council. KITV4.

Hawaii County's new double-decker bus has arrived, and county staff is already reporting problems navigating the 14-foot-tall monstrosity around the Mass Transit Department's baseyard in Hilo. West Hawaii Today.

The Honolulu Police Department said it's seeing far fewer people applying to be police officers compared to the last time it accepted online applications in the fall. As a result, H.P.D. will extend the application period for another week. KITV4.

Cash-strapped Hawaii County plans to save $40,000 a year by taking bread literally from the mouths of its workers.Tribune-Herald.

On Thursday the first commercial wind project on Oahu was dedicated in Kahuku on the island’s North Shore, making renewable energy a reality. KHON2.

Aina Lea developers are hoping the third time might be the charm for their proposed 1,060-acre South Kohala residential and commercial development proposal. West Hawaii Today.

Voter turnout for Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative’s 2011 board of directors election was lower this year than last year despite its continued efforts to expand the methods in which voters could cast a ballot. Garden Island.