Trump honors fallen Hawaii soldier, Monsanto fined $10M for illegal pesticide on Maui, Legislature to mull red light cameras, former judge launches bid for Honolulu prosecutor, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk T. Fuchigami PC:Department of Defense

Fallen Keaau soldier remembered as ‘strong, courageous’. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk Takeshi Fuchigami Jr., an Army pilot, was participating in a night raid when the Apache helicopter crashed. Tribune-Herald.

Trump pays respects to Army officers killed in Afghanistan. President Donald Trump paid respects Thursday to two Army officers who were killed when their helicopter crashed this week in Afghanistan, holding his salute until each of the flag-draped cases containing their remains were returned to their grieving families. Associated Press.

Big Isle man, 25, among 2 Army aviators killed in Afghanistan chopper crash. A Hawaii Island man who had recently started a deployment to Afghanistan was one of two U.S. Army aviators killed when their AH-64 Apache attack helicopter crashed Wednesday in Logar province, the Pentagon said today. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii service member killed in Afghanistan chopper crash remembered as gentle, kind. The Department of Defense said Thursday that Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kirk T. Fuchigami Jr., of Keaau, and another soldier — identified as Chief Warrant Officer 2 David C. Knadle — were killed on Wednesday in Logar Province. Hawaii News Now.

Keaʻau Man Dies In Afghanistan In Support Of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Fuchigami died in Logar Province, Afghanistan, when their helicopter crashed while providing security for troops on the ground. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii Island man killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. Chief Warrant Officer Kirk Takeshi Fuchigami Jr. died in Logar Province while providing security for troops on the ground. KHON2.

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OHA appoints permanent CEO at ‘critical moment’ in its 40-year history. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ board Thursday voted unanimously to appoint educator and administrator Sylvia Hussey as its permanent CEO. Hawaii News Now.

Bill to implement red light cameras may return to Legislature. After a string of crashes, some deadly, some are revisiting the idea of bringing red light cameras island wide. KHON2.

Seed Industry Is Shrinking Dramatically But It Still Grows Hawaii’s No. 1 Crop. Despite controversy and declining production, executives say Hawaii will remain a key player in growing GMO seeds for years to come. Civil Beat.

USDA Announces $13M for Community Facilities in Hawai‘i. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Thursday it will invest $13,450,000 through its Community Facilities Direct Loan Program to improve the quality of rural life in Hawai‘i and the Western Pacific. Big Island Now.

Sexually Transmitted Infections On The Rise In Hawaii. But programs for getting screened and tested for STIs on the neighbor islands are scarce and sometimes expensive. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu Acting Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Nadamoto appears before grand jury for 3 hours. Honolulu Acting Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Nadamoto spent roughly three hours before a grand jury in U.S. District Court today and emerged with little to say to reporters. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu May Sue Convicted Police Chief To Claw Back Retirement Money. The city will likely take its former police chief to court. Civil Beat.

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Steve Alm, a former judge and U.S. attorney, announces bid for Honolulu prosecutor. Promising to restore integrity in a Honolulu prosecutor’s office that’s “in crisis,” former state judge and one-time U.S. Attorney Steve Alm announced he is running for the Honolulu prosecuting attorney’s post next year. Star-Advertiser.

Former Judge Steve Alm Announces Bid For Prosecuting Attorney. He has the support of the police union and the chair of the police commission. Civil Beat.

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Honolulu rail authority budgets $200K to help employees cope with federal subpoenas. Another batch of federal grand jury subpoenas was delivered to the offices of the Honolulu rail authority last month, and the rail board approved a budget Thursday that includes $200,000 for next year to hire legal counsel to assist rail employees who have been served. Star-Advertiser.

More HART Employees Hit With Federal Subpoenas. It’s the second round of orders sent to rail staff. The agency still won’t say how many employees have received subpoenas. Civil Beat.

Kapolei residents raise concerns over development as rail is poised to roll. Construction on the city’s rail project began in East Kapolei after ground was broken in 2011. Hawaii News Now.

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Faceoff set for controversial Kaneohe cemetery expansion plan. Fresh battle lines are now drawn in a more than decade- old effort by the largest funeral and cemetery service business operator in the nation to expand Hawaiian Memorial Park in Kaneohe on forested conservation land near a residential subdivision. Star-Advertiser.

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Mayor Kirk Caldwell signs bill extending Oahu lifeguard services from sunup to sundown. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed into law today a bill extending the hours of city lifeguards from sunup to sundown. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu mayor signs bill to extend beach lifeguard hours. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has signed a bill extending lifeguard service hours from dawn to sundown. Hawaii News Now.

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Hawaii’s largest prison doesn’t have an overcrowding issue — but that doesn’t mean it’s free of any others. Halawa Correctional Facility is the state’s largest prison. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Homeless camp razed. A long-standing homeless camp in downtown Hilo was torn down by county workers Thursday after existing for nearly a year. Tribune-Herald.

Unpermitted Hilo Structures Demolished. The County of Hawaiʻi, with a court order, removed unpermitted structures from a property in downtown Hilo on Thursday morning. Big Island Video News.

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Big Isle cancer patient sues Johnson & Johnson over asbestos-containing talcum power. A Hawaii Island woman with a rare form of cancer is suing Johnson & Johnson and Foodland Super Market Ltd. for selling talc-based baby powder she claims was contaminated with asbestos. Star-Advertiser.

Big Island woman sues Johnson & Johnson over mesothelioma diagnosis. An Ahualoa woman is suing the manufacturer of a popular brand of baby powder, claiming asbestos contamination of the talc-based powder caused her mesothelioma. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island woman claims that her rare form of cancer was caused by Johnson & Johnson product. Since February a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma took her out of the saddle. KITV.

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More delays for Hele-On contract. Hawaii County Council members continue to have confidence in Mass Transit Administrator Brenda Carreira, despite a fumble in the department that forced the cancellation of a long-overdue contract award. West Hawaii Today.

HOPE Services Hawaii Receives $2.75 Million Bezos Grant. The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund is granting $98.5 million to 32 nonprofits around the United States that are assisting families experiencing homelessness. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Monsanto Fined $10 Million For Using Banned Pesticide On Maui. The chemical company continued to use a pesticide banned in 2013 for about a year after the prohibition. Civil Beat.

Monsanto Pleads Guilty To Illegal Pesticide Use In Hawaii. Agrochemicals company Monsanto on Thursday pleaded guilty to spraying a banned pesticide on research crops on the Hawaii island of Maui in 2014, prosecutors said. Associated Press.

Monsanto admits to illegal use of pesticides on Maui. Monsanto Co. has agreed to plead guilty to using a banned pesticide on corn seed and research crops at its Valley Farm facility in Kihei, Maui, and will pay $10 million for illegally storing the chemical on Maui and Molokai. Star-Advertiser.

Monsanto to Plead Guilty to Illegally Spraying Banned Pesticide on Maui. Monsanto Company has agreed to plead guilty to illegally using a banned pesticide known as Penncap-M on research crops at one of its facilities on Maui, according to the Department of Justice. Maui Now.

Monsanto to plead guilty to criminal count of spraying banned pesticide. Monsanto has agreed to plead guilty to illegally using a banned pesticide on Maui research crops, the U.S. Justice Department said. Hawaii News Now.




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Mayor confronted over injection wells. Victorino still firm on stance that case should be decided by US Supreme Court. Maui News.


Makani Kai wins service to Hana. Airline to cover route without any subsidy. Maui News.

Kauai

Shoreline creeps closer. Kauai’s multi-use path, Ke Ala Hele Makalae, is being threatened by coastal erosion, triggering community concern and a little government action. Garden Island.

Jim Benkert sees potential with eco e-bikes Kauai. The Lihue man recently opened eco e-bikes Kauai on Rice Street. He rents and sells pedal-assisted, battery-powered two-wheelers for a relaxed and relatively easy way to cruise the island. Garden Island.

Lanai

Lanaʻi Health Center Expands Telehealth Team. The Lanai Community Health Center named its newest pediatrician, Dr. Jeesun Nam. Maui Now.

Tourism officials push for lava-viewing areas, public meetings on new Oahu missile defense post, Ige signs $200M more for affordable housing, Maui cabinet bails as mayor ends term, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

June 10 lava flow from Kilauea Fissure 8 PC:USGS

While state and county officials have stepped up efforts to get residents out of Lower Puna’s lava-ridden neighborhoods, tourism officials are pushing them to create lava viewing areas where tourists can watch the dramatic fissure action. Star-Advertiser.

Lodging industry opposes tax hike. Visitors to Hawaii hotels, who are already paying the nation’s top prices, should get ready to dig deeper into their wallets to offset a broader application of the state’s transient accommodations tax. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige on Friday signed into law a bill that injects more than $200 million into two state funds for affordable housing in Hawaii, and expands a tax exemption for affordable units. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii’s corn-dominated seed industry plunged 19 percent in value during the 2017-18 season, according to a preliminary government estimate. Star-Advertiser.

Here’s What Candidates For Governor Say About Public Information Policies. But there are differences in how they would deal with high public records fees and requiring public commission members to disclose conflicts. Civil Beat.

How Tulsi Gabbard’s Fight Against War Is Affecting Hawaii. The Hawaii congresswoman has voted against the key military policy bill as a way to protest the U.S.’s decision to enter conflict in places such as Iraq, Yemen and Syria. Civil Beat.

A new law means harsher penalties for anyone found guilty of negligent homicide and failing to render aid. KHON2.

Nicknamed “Kaulana’s Bill,” SB2582 authorizes the courts to extend prison terms for offenders convicted of first-degree negligent homicide when the offender fails to stop to render aid to the injured. Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii Cancer Center is the leader in a groundbreaking national study that found that early-stage breast cancer patients with the most common form of the disease do not benefit from chemotherapy. Associated Press.

Commentary: So far, the big surprise of this political year is former Congressman Ed Case jumping into the race for the 1st Congressional District. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Top-2 system offers better choices than party primaries. With each election cycle, it becomes more difficult to take Hawaii Republicans seriously as a major political party. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Public meetings to be held on missile defense radar. The U.S. Missile Defense Agency will hold public meetings starting June 19 for the placement on Oahu of a powerful radar facility to better defend against North Korean missile threats. Star-Advertiser.

The Debate Over ‘Safe Zones’ Is Heating Up In West Oahu. As the homeless population increases on the Leeward Coast, a new plan for legal encampments is getting mixed reviews. Civil Beat.

Developer Plans To Convert 200 Hawaii Kai Rentals Into Condos. The changeover for units built just two years ago illustrates the economic difficulties that make for an apartment shortage in Honolulu. Civil Beat.

State Changes Its Manoa Sludge Pits Plan After UH Faculty Outcry. The Department of Land and Natural Resources finds a new temporary site for sludge it will dredge from Manoa Stream. Civil Beat.

Visitor assistance agency holding fundraiser to support growing needs. Star-Advertiser.

An Illegal Rock Barrier Blocks This North Shore Beach Access. Now the property owner who built the barrier without authorization is seeking after-the-fact permits, angering nearby residents. Civil Beat.

A sea wall in Waialua has divided a community. Some neighbors want it gone while the property owners who had the wall built are fighting to keep it. KHON2.

This week, Honolulu officials recirculated the draft master plan for redeveloping the Blaisdell Center, prompting us to check in on its progress. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Volcanic gas emissions remain high as tradewinds shift to southwest. Star-Advertiser.

Emissions from fissure double, prompting new air quality concerns. Hawaii News Now.

More micro-housing units planned for evacuees. One man who helped spearhead the micro-unit project is committing to adding another 30 units on an undeveloped piece of the same property owned by Sacred Heart Church in Pahoa town. Star-Advertiser.

Volunteers spring into action to build micro-housing for evacuees. Tribune-Herald.

Work continued on the Hope Services Hawaii micro-shelter project behind Sacred Heart Church in Pahoa on Saturday. Big Island Video News.

As Hawaii Volcanoes National Park continues into its fourth consecutive week of closure, the hospitality industry in the hamlet of Volcano faces unprecedented lean times. Tribune-Herald.

Shelter fatigue: Stress takes toll on lava evacuees. Tribune-Herald.

A 36-year-old Pahoa man who faced down the barrel of a handgun that fired at least two gunshots in lava-ravaged Leilani Estates on May 29 testified he was “afraid for his life” during the incident. Tribune-Herald.

The impact the lava flowing into the ocean on Hawaii island has on coastal waters and marine life. KHON2.

How Kilauea Strengthened Kamehameha’s Rise. Hawaii Public Radio.

The safety and integrity of collected police evidence has been called into question as reports of lost and stolen evidence from storage lockers have come to light. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Job hunting in twilight of Arakawa administration. And, for those who remain, there’s work to do until the end. Maui News.

Latest phase of bypass gains some acceptance. West Maui traffic improves after rocky start for new roadway. Maui News.

The Maui Ocean Center will soon house a 3D digital theater, the first of its kind in Hawaii. Maui Now.

A wastewater overflow of approximately 1,944 gallons occurred on Thursday, June 7, 2018 on Maalo Street in Kahului. Maui Now.

Court dismisses charge in traffic stop recording. The state’s high court says Maui police did not have sufficient reason to arrest a man for taking cellphone video of officers at a traffic enforcement checkpoint. Star-Advertiser.

Sales in Maui County’s housing market jumped in May, but the median prices for single-family homes and condominiums were flat to down amid shrinking inventory. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Voter numbers rising.  In just more than two months, Kauai voters will head to the polls to vote in the primary election that will decide which candidates will move on to November’s general election. Garden Island.

Apalla making another council run. Juno Ann Apalla ran for a seat on the Kauai County Council in 2016. She fell short, but isn’t giving up. Garden Island.

Erosion eating Honolulu beaches, AG Chin confirms he'll run for Congress, another Kakaako homeless sweep, Maui mayor shuffles leadership team, two fall off mules on popular Molokai trail ride, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Sand mattress installation at Kuhio Beach, courtesy City and County of Honolulu

City installs ‘sand mattress’ to combat erosion at Kuhio Beach. The city unveiled an emergency erosion control measure Sunday at Kuhio Beach Park which officials hope will thwart erosion in the middle of the state’s tourism epicenter. Star-Advertiser.

'Sand mattress' central to new effort to save Waikiki beach. Hawaii News Now.

"Sand Mattress" Installed in Kuhio Beach Park to Help Erosion. KITV.

‘Sand mattress’ technology to combat Mother Nature at Kuhio Beach. KHON2.

Public warned away from Sunset Beach after extreme erosion. The city is urging the public to stay away from Sunset Beach because of a hazardous condition caused by extreme erosion, a Honolulu Ocean Safety Division spokeswoman said. Star-Advertiser.

Building teetering on edge at Sunset Beach due to extreme erosion. Hawaii News Now.

Public advised to avoid Sunset Beach due to erosion concerns. KITV.

Erosion creates dangerous cliff conditions on Oahu’s North Shore. KHON2.

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State Attorney General Douglas Chin, who has been fighting President Donald Trump’s travel ban and other policies over the past year, has announced he will run for U.S. Congress. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s Attorney General Doug Chin says he will file for a Congressional bid. Chin will file his papers on Monday for the seat that would be left empty if, as expected, Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa runs for Governor. KHON2.

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Proposed ‘tent cities’ rouse debate. Legislators and Gov. David Ige fundamentally disagree on whether the use of legalized homeless camps known as safe zones are an effective way of helping the state’s massive homeless population.  Star-Advertiser.

Affordable Housing Tax Break in Trouble? Since 1986, a federal tax break has helped to finance affordable housing in Hawaii and throughout the country. Now it’s on the chopping block. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lack of state staff delays medical cannabis programs, dispensers say. Seven of 11 positions are vacant at the Department of Health, which oversees the medical cannabis patient registry and dispensary licensing programs. Star-Advertiser.

Hemp-growing program suffers setback. Plans for a statewide industrial hemp-growing program hit a snag after a shipment of cannabis seeds from Jamaica had to be destroyed in October. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii’s economic expansion to continue at subdued pace. Buoyed by improving global conditions, Hawaii’s economic growth is expected to continue,  according to the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization’s annual Hawaii forecast. Pacific Business News.

Some military in Hawaii to see double-digit housing increases. Some military personnel stationed in Hawaii who have no dependents will see double-digit increases in their basic allowance for housing rates for 2018, much higher than the national average. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Kakaako Gateway Parks closed again for homeless sweep. For the second time in a little more than two months, Kakaako Gateway Parks are closed to the public. Hawaii News Now.

This Court Offers The Homeless A Fresh Start Instead Of Punishment. Community Outreach Court doles out community service and uses social workers to help defendants get off the streets. Civil Beat.

Third of Honolulu renters spend half their income on rent, Harvard study finds. More than half of renters in Honolulu are spending more than a third of their income on rent each month, and 29 percent are spending more than 50 percent of their monthly income, according to a national rent study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Pacific Business News.

Waiea tower developer sues 7 insurance companies. A tangled mess of litigation surrounding the construction of what has been dubbed the most sophisticated residence in Hawaii just got bigger. Star-Advertiser.

Shannon Alivado, director of government relations for the General Contractors Association of Hawaii, has been nominated to the Honolulu Police Commission by Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Census survey: Poverty dips even as incomes remain flat. The Small Area Income and Poverty Estimate, released in November, said 15.4 percent of residents were below the poverty level, down from 18.3 percent in 2015. The statewide average was 9.5 percent in 2016. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii’s only government-sanctioned “safe zone” — Camp Kikaha in Kailua-Kona that grew out of a crisis in August — quickly burned through Hawaii County’s homeless budget while state officials continue to decide whether the approach to reducing homelessness should be part of an overall strategy. Star-Advertiser.

A Hilo bed-and-breakfast owner is suing the county’s Planning Department and Windward Planning Commission, seeking an environmental review of the Hu Honua biomass power plant under construction in Pepeekeo. Tribune-Herald.

The beach is back: Heavy rains bring black sand, ohana to Honolii shore. Just in time for Christmas, Honolii’s typically rocky shoreline has given way to hundreds of yards of black sandy beach following heavy rainfall late last month that dumped more than 10 inches of rain over parts of East Hawaii within just a few days. Tribune-Herald.

VIDEO: Lawmakers Forum At Hawaii Cannabis Open Expo. An educational conference and industry tradeshow for medical cannabis patients, caregivers, health professionals and entrepreneurs was held Sunday in Hilo.  Big Island Video News.

Maui

County Council moves forward bill to protect inland sand. A bill that would put a six-month moratorium on the mining of Central Maui inland sand passed its first reading Friday at a Maui County Council meeting. Maui News.

Council votes to keep Taylor as director of Water Supply. Dave Taylor earned the unanimous support of the Maui County Council on Friday to stay on as director of the county Department of Water Supply. Maui News.

Leadership changes are coming. Mayor Alan Arakawa is shuffling the deck chairs of his administrative team, tapping Chief of Staff Herman Andaya to lead the Emergency Management Agency, moving Budget Director Lynn Araki-Regan to Andaya’s post and returning Sandy Baz to his former position as budget director. Maui News.

New Deputy Finance Director Announced. Maui County Finance Director Mark Walker announced he has appointed Budget Analyst Marci Sato as the new Deputy Finance Director. Maui Now.

Changing lanes in Lahaina. Smoother sailing via the Lahaina bypass: Honoapiilani Highway will be widened to add dedicated lanes on and off the bypass. Maui News.

Maui police arrested and charged a 17-year-old juvenile male from Kahului for arson in connection with an investigation into a fire that destroyed several classrooms at Kahului Elementary School over the Thanksgiving weekend. Maui Now.

Kauai

Local cattle, beef operation expanding. A Kauai cattle company and livestock processor is expanding both its product selection and availability throughout Hawaii, a year after purchasing its Oahu USDA-inspected livestock harvest facility. Garden Island.

Molokai

Two Seriously Injured in Fall from Mules on Kalaupapa Cliff-Side Trail. Maui Now.

Mycogen Seeds to shut down operations on Molokai in spring. Dozens of employees of Mycogen Seeds on Molokai received bad news just a couple of weeks before Christmas — the seed crop research company will shut down on the Friendly Isle in the spring as Dow-DuPont Agriculture consolidates operations in Hawaii. Maui News.

Hawaiian sovereignty struck as Thirty Meter Telescope argument, state's community colleges most affordable in the nation, Hawaii Democrats face big fine, Tulsi's hair and makeup tab, Honolulu church officials open Grace in Growlers bar, Waikiki sewage spill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Telescopes atop Mauna Kea © 2016 All Hawaii News

Cinder crunches underfoot, the only real sound aside from a soft whisper of breeze on this warm August day atop the Mauna Kea summit. The otherworldly quiet at 13,796 feet belies a continuing controversy below, as a multinational group seeks permission to build a $1.4 billion telescope just shy of the summit. West Hawaii Today.

Petitioners hoping to quash the Thirty Meter Telescope’s pursuit of a permit to build on Mauna Kea by casting doubt on the legality of the State of Hawaii suffered a blow Friday, with a short ruling from the hearing officer. Big Island Video News.

© 2016 All Hawaii News

Hearings officer Riki May Amano told participants in the contested case hearing for the Thirty Meter Telescope on Friday that she will not consider any challenges to the validity of the state of Hawaii during what are expected to be lengthy proceedings over the controversial project. Star-Advertiser.

Riki May Amano, hearings officer for the Thirty Meter Telescope contested case, waded through procedural questions and assertions of Hawaiian sovereignty during a hearing Friday in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

The University of Hawaii’s community college system is the most affordable public two-year institution in the nation, according to a new report that analyzed what students and families earn and can therefore afford to pay for a postsecondary education in each state. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Judiciary’s website has been voted No. 1 in the National Association for Court Management’s Top 10 Court Technology Solutions Awards for 2016. Civil Beat.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has spent $7,939 of her campaign cash on high-end hair and makeup stylists over the past year and a half — expenses that she’s classified as “media prep” on her campaign spending reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Star-Advertiser.

State Democrats are bracing for what is expected to be the largest fine ever imposed on the Hawaii party by the Federal Elections Commission for a series of alleged violations of federal campaign regulations during the 2012 election cycle. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s seed industry is worth $151 million for the 2015-2016 season, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Civil Beat.

The Army’s new missile defense commander for the Asia-Pacific region said Friday his priorities are readiness, being able to respond to contingencies and working with partner countries in the region. Star-Advertiser.

In Hawaii, $100 Is Really $85.62. The state ranks 50th — that is, last — for the actual value of $100. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Oahu voters will be asked in November to consider 20 changes to the city Charter, the Honolulu Charter Commission decided last week. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell doesn’t have much to say when confronted by his political opponents about the struggles of the Honolulu Ethics Commission and the departure of its executive director, Chuck Totto. Civil Beat.

Warning signs are still up at Magic Island two days after nearly 13,000 gallons of sewage spilled into the Ala Wai Canal. Yet despite the signs, some people say they unknowingly put themselves at risk. KHON2.

The private property at mouth of the Kaukonahua Stream is hidden by public view by a grove of trees. But drone video reveals a massive alleged illegal dump site hidden behind the greenery. Hawaii News Now.

Sometime around the beginning of 2015, Honolulu surpassed New York City to become the most expensive city in the United States in which to build things. Civil Beat.

Within the next two years, Saint Mark Lutheran School in Kaneohe will expand both its campus and curriculum with the addition of a new preschool learning center. Star-Advertiser.

Church leaders to open Grace in Growlers, Kailua’s first craft beer-tasting room. Pacific Business News.

A combination of a Fun Factory entertainment center and a Johnny Rockets restaurant, the first of its kind in Hawaii, may be coming to the new Ka Makana Alii mixed-use regional shopping center in Kapolei in West Oahu, Pacific Business News has learned.

Hawaii

UH-Hilo making a splash with aquaculture research projects. Tribune-Herald.

Oyster production paying off at Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center. Tribune-Herald.

Kohala Hospital’s Emergency Department relocation and renovation project has entered the inspection stage and is expected to be open by the end of the year. West Hawaii Today.

Canada might have high-profile names such as Justin Bieber visiting Hawaii, but tourism from the Great White North is stumbling. Tribune-Herald.

In a world increasingly inundated with video surveillance, courtesy of devices like traffic and police body cameras as well as cell phones, a growing trend among Hawaii cyclists is putting even more eyes on Big Island roadways. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Feeling the burn: The last harvest also means an end to cane burning. The last harvest: The final chapter in the story of sugar on Maui. Maui News.

Ing defends his District 11 seat against a strong challenge from Tegarden. Maui News.

Stream flows in the Wailuku River, restored to 10 million gallons a day in 2014, will be purposefully reduced as work to improve upstream migration of river life begins next week. Maui News.

A health clinic that began in an apartment of less than 500 square feet is now a 6,800-square-foot, multiroom center that will give Lanai residents more health care options and save them a few trips off island. Maui News.

Kauai

Candidates are expected to file several campaign reports throughout the election cycle. Here are the results from the latest filing of financial disclosure reports. Garden Island.

During fiscal year 2015, Kauai residents and guests produced 81,500 pounds of total waste. The Kekaha landfill is expected to be at capacity in 10 years. Food waste is among the top three contributors to the landfill, among plastic and paper, according to a 2007 waste characterization study. Garden Island.

Kauai Humane Society by the numbers – and more. Executive director says progress is being made in key areas. Garden Island.

So far, 47 more plants have been added to the Red List of Threatened Species on Kauai, bringing the grand total to 138, and the number is climbing. Garden Island.

Little grass shack revived, lawmakers advance hundreds of bills, Honolulu could get smaller share of hotel tax, Hawaii County Council chairman remains under ethics cloud, Maui water battle at Capitol, Honolulu wealthy live 6.6 years longer, dengue emergency extended, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Historical photo of Hawaiian little grass shack, provenance unknown

Lawmakers and community members are pushing to revive the Hawaiian tradition of living in hale (pronounced hah-lay), thatched homes made from local trees and plants as a way to provide more affordable housing. Though a bill to ease restrictions on building hale died after critics brought up safety concerns, advocates are trying to bring attention to a type of housing that celebrates culture and uses environmentally sustainable techniques to house the homeless. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Legislature passed hundreds of bills ahead of a major deadline, making decisions on a variety of issues including smoking in cars and drug overdoses. They also passed bills to pay for air conditioning Hawaii’s public schools, allow women to get up to a year of birth control at a time and criminalize trespassing on state lands. Associated Press.

Members of the state Senate and House of Representatives are likely headed for a contentious showdown over bills involving water rights, vacation rentals, renewable energy, the homeless and each county’s share of the transient accommodations tax. Among the hundreds of bills that lawmakers gave preliminary approval to on Tuesday, those bills touched off some of the most spirited debate on the floor of the two chambers at the state Capitol. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is looking for solutions to its homelessness crisis, and lawmakers are considering a program to help connect homeless people with day jobs. Associated Press.

Lawmakers are introducing a bill to crack down on animal abandonment. Associated Press.

Legislation calling for the creation of a sports and entertainment authority passed the Hawaii state Senate Tuesday. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu stands to lose millions of hotel-tax dollars from the state under a measure the House passed Tuesday, which could put city officials in the difficult position of cutting programs or raising property taxes to make up the lost revenue. Honolulu had received a 44.1 percent share of the amount the state gives the counties. The latest version of the bill knocks that down to 30 percent while boosting the portion each neighbor island county receives. Kauai would get 20 percent instead of 14.5 percent; Hawaii County would get 25 percent instead of 18.6 percent; and Maui would get 25 percent instead of 22.8 percent. Civil Beat.

An agreement is in the works between the city and the Hawaii Community Development Authority to prevent homeless people from returning to Kakaako the morning after every sweep. Star-Advertiser.

The ACLU of Hawai‘i Foundation (ACLU) today announced the publication of a “know your rights” guide for houseless individuals impacted by City & County of Honolulu sweeps to enforce the Stored Property Ordinance and the Sidewalk Nuisance Ordinance. Hawaii Independent.

The Honolulu Charter Commission is scheduled to take up a proposal this week that could undermine the Honolulu Ethics Commission’s enforcement of conflict-of-interest provisions of the charter. Civil Beat.

A day after HART's board chairman stepped down amid growing concerns about Oahu's rail project, officials sought to reassure residents that the $6.5 billion rail project is on track and will continue as planned. Hawaii News Now.

A Hawaii agency has approved a development agreement with a New York developer to build a low-income Honolulu rental project that will include smaller, efficient units such as micro-units. Pacific Business News.

The top 25 percent of income earners in Honolulu live 6.6 years longer on average than residents at the bottom income quartile, a new national study found. Hawaii News Now.

An illegal lizard was captured in Waianae last Friday, the state Department of Agriculture said. Star-Advertiser.

Despite being acquitted of a misdemeanor assault charge by a Circuit Court jury in March, a 29-year-old police officer must still undergo an internal review, which would determine whether he violated the department’s standards of conduct, before his police powers can be reinstated, police said Monday night. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

An ethics complaint against Hawaii County Council Chairman Dru Kanuha pending since September remains unresolved after a 2-2 vote Tuesday by the county Board of Ethics, with one board member abstaining. Tribune-Herald.

The spread of dengue appears to have halted on Hawaii Island, but the state is not ready to declare the battle over just yet. With peak tourist season approaching, Gov. David Ige opted Monday to extend the state’s emergency proclamation over mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and Zika.  Civil Beat.

With no new cases of dengue fever reported on the Big Island since late March, state and county officials are concentrating efforts on staving off future outbreaks of vector-borne illnesses. Tribune-Herald.

The public is getting its chance to weigh in on a plan to install new moorings and replace old ones at Keauhou Bay — a proposal which has drawn fire from the public and a lawsuit from the Keauhou Canoe Club. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Hawaii State Senate passed a heavily debated water rights bill Tuesday on a 17-6 vote after deliberations that were sometimes drowned out by protesters banging on empty jugs of water with wooden sticks. House Bill 2501 now awaits private negotiations between House and Senate conferees during which it could be dramatically altered without public knowledge before a final vote in early May — the last week of the legislative session. Civil Beat.

Before the Senate convened on a day of expected heavy voting, a group walked the Senate floor door-to-door in hopes of convince lawmakers vote against HB 2501, which would allow the diversion of streams to the benefit of Central Maui farmers and the detriment of taro farmers to the east. Civil Beat.

A contingent of East Maui taro farmers and supporters rallied at the State Capitol today seeking the return of water to streams. Maui Now.

Maui Mall is a step closer to beginning its $10 million expansion and renovation project, which will be phased in over the next several years. Maui News.

Eight non-native mallard ducks from the La'ie wetlands near St. Theresa Church in Kihei have died since Friday and botulism is suspected, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said Monday. Maui News.

Kauai

Two seed industry members of the Joint Fact Finding Group that released a draft report of pesticide use by agribusiness on Kauai in February have resigned. Garden Island.

Hawaii unveils online restaurant inspection tool, Honolulu rail transit head quits amid cost overruns, parents of downed Marine blame military for Honolulu helicopter crash, seed industry drops out of Kauai pesticide study, Maui mayor quizzed on land holdings, busy day today for Hawaii Legislature, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Food inspection placard in Hilo restaurant front © 2016 All Hawaii News

Online tool to access restaurant inspection data, via Hawaii Department of Health. Get link here.

Launched on Monday by the state Department of Health, a restaurant inspection website is intended to supplement the state’s color-coded restaurant inspection placard program initiated in July 2014. Reports on all of Oahu’s food establishments are now available, and the department wants to add reports for eateries on the neighbor islands by the end of the year. Star-Advertiser.

You can now look up restaurant food safety inspection results through an online tool created by the state Department of Health. Civil Beat.

A new website published by the Hawaii State Department of Health lets foodies inspect how Hawaii restaurants and other food service organizations fare in food safety inspections. The website rolled out Monday with data from 7,000 Oahu inspection reports to start, and will be expanded. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii State Department of Health has launched a new online portal that lets consumers see how Hawaii restaurants and other food service organizations fare in food safety inspections, starting first with Oahu inspection data. KHON2.

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After decades of tough-on-crime policies, Hawaii is one of four states that solve their prison crowding problem by shipping inmates out of state, usually to facilities run by for-profit companies such as Corrections Corporation of America and The GEO Group.  Civil Beat.

Women would be able to obtain a year’s supply of birth control pills under a bill aimed at improving access to contraception and reducing unintended pregnancies. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers prepare for a heavy voting day Tuesday and cleanup Thursday, which is the deadline for bills to pass third reading in their non-originating chamber in order to “cross back” to the originating chamber. Civil Beat.

With less than a week to go before the state Department of Health announces the names of Hawaii's first medical marijuana dispensary owners, applicants are rushing to meet last-minute requirements for background checks. Associated Press.

Will ‘pot’ become too pricey? Some fear dispensaries will limit access and be cost-prohibitive. Tribune-Herald.

In hopes of keeping the ferry issue afloat, the state Senate passed a resolution last year asking transportation officials to study whether Washington state’s ferry system could be used as a model for Hawaii. After seeing no action, the Legislature appears to be ready to do the same again, though this time with a mandate and funding to go with it. Tribune-Herald.

State Sen. Sam Slom will undergo coronary bypass surgery this week, according to his office. Slom, the only Republican lawmaker in the 25-member Senate, was hospitalized last week. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Don Horner, former CEO for First Hawaiian Bank, is the first political casualty in Honolulu’s struggle to rein in cost increases on its $6.6 billion commuter rail project. Civil Beat.

Don Horner, who once oversaw the state’s largest financial institution, will no longer help oversee the state’s largest public works project. Horner tendered his resignation to Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Monday as the rail agency’s volunteer board chairman, as the transit project faces rising costs and growing uncertainty. Star-Advertiser.

Don Horner has resigned as chairman of the board of the Honolulu Area Rapid Transit Authority.  He submitted his resignation to Mayor Kirk Caldwell today….after a meeting of about 20 minutes at Honolulu Hale. Hawaii Public Radio.

Despite the resignation of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation's chairman, the rail transit system still faces significant challenges and critics said that even more changes are needed. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu’s rail budget has ballooned over the years. When the project began in 2008, it was estimated at $4 billion. In 2012, that number shot up to $5 billion, and then $5.2 billion two years later. Currently, the project is $2.5 billion over its original budget at $6.5 billion. KHON2.

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The parents of a Hawaii Marine killed in the Jan. 14 crash of two helicopters off Oahu’s North Shore say the CH-53E Super Stallions shouldn’t have been flying because of safety concerns over worn-out Marine Corps choppers. But beyond that, Mike and Lisa De La Cruz say they are angry and maintain that the Marine Corps wasted lots of time in trying to make a recovery at sea that has yielded remains identifications for nine of 12 aboard — but not their son. Star-Advertiser.

Lower-income residents in Honolulu live shorter lives than people in similar circumstances elsewhere in the nation, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

State lawmakers passed a bill providing additional funds to combat rapid ohia death. But they are not ready to write the check just yet. Tribune-Herald.

Every Big Island judge has recused, or removed, themselves in the felony theft case against Mayor Billy Kenoi, which led to the assignment of Oahu Circuit Court Judge Dexter Del Rosario. That is also true in the case of where a man allegedly burned the Big Island Drug Court, which is being handled by Maui Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Loo. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A Kihei resident is asking the Maui County Board of Ethics to seek more information from Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa on possible income from his holdings in Arakawa Farms and three Omaopio Road parcels. Maui News.

Kamalani, a new residential community in north Kīhei, will begin accepting sales applications for its first neighborhood on Sunday, April 17, 2016.  Maui Now.

A crew from Sea Engineering Inc. of Oahu takes a core sample at Maalaea Small Boat Harbor on Friday morning. The sample will help determine the size and depth of new pilings scheduled to be set at the harbor. Maui News.

Kauai

Two seed industry employees have dropped out of a Joint Fact-Finding group that was charged by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Kauai County to evaluate the environmental and health impacts of agricultural pesticide use on Kauai. Civil Beat.

The county is still replacing sand that’s eroding near Pono Kai in Kapaa, even though they just completed a $950,000 project to restore the integrity of the seawall. Garden Island.

New rules advanced for Mauna Kea access as Thirty Meter Telescope construction to resume, Hawaii gets pass from No Child Left Behind, GMO seed industry falters, Waipahu rail work to close roads, Maui council overrides mayor's budget veto, Kauai mulls county manager government, water rates rise on Big Island, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Sunset on Mauna Kea © 2015 All Hawaii News

The Office of Mauna Kea Management is rolling out a set of rules that will for the first time give the office the legal tools to govern public and commercial access on the mountain. West Hawaii Today.

An ‘ahu or altar has gone up on the summit of Mauna Kea as protesters who say they're standing in protection of Native Hawaiian sacred space prepare for construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope to resume Wednesday morning. Hawaii News Now.

Thirty Meter Telescope construction crews will not only confront protesters in the road to the summit of Mauna Kea on Wednesday, but apparently also at least one rock altar constructed near the work site. Star-Advertiser.

A day before construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope was expected to resume, opponents made their way to the summit of Hawaii’s tallest mountain Tuesday to build a second ahu, or stone altar, within the project boundary. Tribune-Herald.

After being put on hold for more than two months, work to build the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea is set to restart. The project has already felt the resistance, and now, it'll have to face it again. KITV4.

Multiple modifications have been made to the University of Hawaii's and the state of Hawaii’s approach to Mauna Kea on the Big Island, the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory Board said. Pacific Business News.

In the hours before the Thirty Meter Telescope project will attempt to restart construction on Mauna Kea after months of delay, the office of Governor David Ige issued the following statement. Big Island Video News.

Dozens of people are sleeping on Mauna Kea Tuesday night. Many are calling themselves the protectors of the mountain, and dozens more are expected by Wednesday morning. KHON2.

The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday renewed Hawaii's waiver from mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind law, allowing the state to continue evaluating public schools on a state-developed accountability system known as Strive HI. Star-Advertiser.

The Obama administration is giving seven more states and the District of Columbia more flexibility from the requirements of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind education law. In addition to Washington, Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Tuesday renewed waivers for Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New York, and West Virginia. Associated Press.

What Is Really Being Sustained by 100 Percent Renewable Energy? Two UH economists raise concerns that subsidizing local alternative energy production might be a fiscal drain that is about paying off special interests. Civil Beat.

The leader of a white supremacist group said to have influenced the Charleston, S.C., church shooting suspect contributed $2,000 to the campaign of Charles Djou, the former Hawaii congressman. Civil Beat.

Oahu
With construction of 3 miles of the rail guideway from East Kapolei completed, crews will now move into areas populated by businesses and residents to begin constructing the guideway in Waipahu. Star-Advertiser.

Retired bank executive Don Horner has been reappointed to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s board of directors by Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Star-Advertiser.

PVT Land Co., which owns the only construction and demolition debris management facility on Oahu, plans to expand its West Oahu facility as it focuses more on recycling and generation of feedstock for renewable energy, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu’s Mayor has been engaged in an ongoing verbal battle with the Chair of the nine-member City Council. Their latest exchange was over the City’s 2-billion dollar budget which passed without the Mayor’s signature.  As Hawaii Public Radio’s Wayne Yoshioka reports, this could be only the beginning of a long political rivalry.

Protesters lined Kamehameha Highway near Kualoa Regional Park several times in the past week to block sheriff’s deputies from enforcing a court-ordered eviction and removing members of an extended Hawaiian family from a disputed parcel of land on Johnson Road. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Health are giving the public more time to comment on a proposal to better prevent and detect leaks from 20 giant fuel storage tanks near Pearl Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

Those with plans to buy Fourth of July firecrackers could be out of luck. Permits to use firecrackers on the holiday are on sale through Wednesday, but having a permit doesn't mean you'll be able to find fireworks in a store. Star-Advertiser.

After investing nearly $1.4 million to open a dune buggy rental shop on Oahu's North Shore, Matt Brown was blindsided earlier this year when he found out Hawaii law won't allow him to rent his gas-powered vehicles. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The county Water Board, meeting Tuesday in Hilo, unanimously approved a five-year water rate plan that hikes rates 3 percent on July 1, followed by 4 percent next year and then 5 percent annually for the next three years. West Hawaii Today.

Nearly two miles and more than $110,000 worth of ungulate-proof fencing on the Big Island was cut and destroyed by vandals recently. West Hawaii Today.

Kamehameha Schools plans to begin demolition of the shuttered Keauhou Beach Hotel in early 2016 as the trust moves forward with plans for its educational complex known as Kahaluu Ma Kai. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
With the clock ticking down, the Maui County Council on Monday voted to override Mayor Alan Arakawa's line-item veto of a provision in the budget that takes effect July 1 that limits spending in county departments to specific accounts. Maui News.

Maui County deals with beach erosion. KITV4.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the County of Maui’s Immigrant Services Division will be hosting three “Information Sessions” later this week for immigrants. The workshops will cover “employment eligibility, green cards, naturalization, petition for relatives and other issues,” according to a June 22 news release from the county. MauiTime.

The Friends of Joe Blackburn will be selling kalua pig for $8 a pound, as he plans another run for the Maui County Council's Wailuku-Waihee-Waikapu residency seat. Maui News.

Honolulu media outlets are looking to Maui as the implementation date of their plastic bag ban nears the July 1, 2015 start date. Maui Now.

Kauai

Idled trucks and tractors are spread out in a field behind DuPont Pioneer’s parent seed facility in Kekaha, a small town on the west side of Kauai. The noise of a generator is the only hint of activity at the site where researchers have worked for years growing genetically modified seeds used to create hybrid crops. Civil Beat.

The Kauai County Council will form a subcommittee to study the possibility of switching to a county manager system of government. Garden Island.

Mayor Bernhard Carvalho, Jr. signed the B&B bill on Friday, making it more difficult for Kauai residents to earn income by renting out rooms in their home on a short-term basis. Garden Island.

A $3.5 million project aimed at removing 2,500 albizia trees along Kuhio Highway between Kalihiwai and Kahiliholo roads was pushed back to next year. The project, originally scheduled for April, was suspended as tree removal coincided with the birthing season of the Hawaiian hoary bat and the breeding season of the Hawaiian shearwater. Garden Island.

Nearly 20 picketers outside the entrance to the Kauai Humane Society Tuesday protested the firing of two employees and called for the removal of KHS Executive Director Penny Cistaro. Garden Island.

Federal judge to rule on Maui GMO by month's end, Syngenta gives up 500 Kauai acres, state income tax refunds delayed, Honolulu committee passes more homeless bills, Hawaii Obamacare lays off staff, tax breaks to remove cesspools, Kona residents decry hospital cutbacks, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Federal courthouse in Honolulu

A federal judge expects to decide by the end of the month whether Maui County's ordinance banning genetically modified crops is trumped by state and federal laws. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge said Monday that the key question before her in lawsuits related to a Maui County ban on the cultivation of genetically modified crops is whether federal and state law trump county law. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway said she aims to rule on the issue by the end of the month. Associated Press.

Maui County residents who have been waiting for a moratorium on genetically engineered farming to go into effect may finally have an answer by the end of this month. Civil Beat.

The state's stepped-up efforts against tax cheats has resulted in delays of up to four months to issue legitimate refund checks this year, while also catching 8,585 suspicious tax returns. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Board of Education is expected to take action on two big — and possibly contentious — policies Tuesday. Proposed changes to the BOE’s sex education policy would make it mandatory for public schools to offer comprehensive and medically accurate sexual health education in certain grades. Civil Beat.

Twenty-nine temporary staff for the Hawaii Health Connector have received lay-off notices as the exchange winds down operations to move enrollment processes from the state-run online health insurance exchange to the federal government's online platform. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Health Connector began layoffs last week in preparation for closing operations by this time next year. Tribune-Herald.

In their battle to reduce the threat of cesspools contaminating groundwater and streams or leaking into the ocean, state officials have added a carrot and dispensed with the stick. West Hawaii Today.

CVS Pharmacy will take over all pharmacy operations in six Target stores statewide as a part of an estimated $1.9 billion deal made public on Monday. Pacific Business News.

First Hawaiian Bank has been named one of the top 200 healthiest banks in America and Hawaiian Tel Federal Credit Union and Hawaii USA Federal Credit Union made the top 200 healthiest credit unions in America list, according to DepositAccounts.com. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Four new measures aimed at making it harder for the homeless to sit or lie down on Oahu sidewalks moved out of a key Honolulu City Council committee Monday even as a new University of Hawaii study was released suggesting that such legislation has not encouraged people to move into emergency shelters. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council Zoning and Planning Committee advanced four measures to expand the Sit and Lie ordinance to other areas in Honolulu. Hawaii Public Radio.

A new study shows the city policy of “compassionate disruption” and its accompanying sit-lie laws cause significant property and economic loss, physical and psychological harm and very likely violate certain constitutional rights. Hawaii Independent.

The city's plan to tear down the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium is being pushed back more than a year. Star-Advertiser.

Northwest Energy Innovations has deployed its wave energy device in waters off Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Windward Oahu, beginning a year-long test to commercialize this type of technology, the company said. Pacific Business News.

A long-stalled bill that would allow Oahu revelers to once again set off sparklers and fountains on New Year's Eve and Independence Day is back in play. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The leadership at Kona Community Hospital heard from West Hawaii residents Monday night on why the state’s hospital safety net system shouldn’t balance its budget on the backs of Hawaii Island’s underserved population. West Hawaii Today.

More than two years after state lawmakers set aside $2 million to install a traffic light near a charter school in Pahoa, residents say children are still facing unsafe road conditions because of an ongoing disagreement over whether the state should actually pay for the improvements. Civil Beat.

After six years of rising participation in the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, Hawaii County’s numbers are beginning to drop off. But state officials attribute the cause to changing federal regulations rather than decrease in need. Tribune-Herald.

The Office of Mauna Kea Management will host public open houses in Kona, Hilo and Waimea to gather community input on suggested administrative rules for the University of Hawaii’s managed lands on Mauna Kea. West Hawaii Today.

Lineal descendants of the region that now includes the 1,550-acre Hokulia development congregated near the gate to the luxury project on Monday, claiming the developers have failed to honor court orders for treatment of burial sites. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A free workshop on state enterprise zones, aimed at economic revitalization of designated areas, will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon June 30 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center Haynes Meeting Room. Maui News.

Kauai

Global seed giant Syngenta has relinquished more than 500 acres of land on the foothills above Waimea, reducing its footprint on the island by about 15 percent. The mauka lands were returned in April to the Agribusiness Development Corporation, reducing Syngenta’s monthly rent by about $4,800. Garden Island.

About 22.5 percent of Kauai Island Utility Cooperative’s net electricity sales during the 2014 calendar year were supplied by renewable energy resources and energy savings, according to a report supplied to Hawaii regulators. Pacific Business News.

Molokai

The Molokai Drive Inn will close its doors for good on Wednesday "due to the expiration of its lease and an unresolved dispute with its landlord," according to a post on the eatery's Facebook page last week. Maui News.