Obama expands Pacific conservation zone, pay hikes for Hawaii school chief, substitute teachers, garbage incinerator mulled for Big Island, Kauai to eradicate feral cats, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pacific Marine Sanctuary, courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Vowing to protect fragile marine life, President Barack Obama acted Tuesday to create the world’s largest ocean preserve by expanding a national monument his predecessor established in waters thousands of miles from the American mainland. Associated  Press.

Hawaii conservationists Tuesday welcomed a proposal by President Barack Obama to create the world's largest marine sanctuary in the Central Pacific, calling it a significant step toward protecting diverse habitats and preventing large-scale overfishing. But fishermen said such an ocean preserve would threaten livelihoods. Star-Advertiser.

State Sen. Malama Solomon criticized the ongoing federal protection of humpback whales and said they should be removed from the endangered species list during a public meeting on the Big Island last month. Civil Beat.

The base salary for public schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi is going up 33 percent to $200,000 next month, marking her first pay increase since taking office in 2010, and the first time in 14 years the salary for the Education Department's top position has been increased. Star-Advertiser.

The superintendent of Hawaii’s statewide public school system will receive a raise for the first time in 14 years, a 30 percent increase to $200,000 per year under a new salary provision approved by the Hawaii State Board of Education on Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii substitute teachers will get two sets of pay increases starting July 1 to keep pace with the collectively bargained raises awarded to public school teachers. Star-Advertiser.

A Republican’s GMO Bill Would Set National Standard. Despite biotech industry support, the proposal is unlikely to pass. But it raises the question of whether a national law would quell the debate raging in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Mufi Hannemann, the Hawaii Independent Party candidate for governor, has a unique media platform that his opponents don’t enjoy. The former Honolulu mayor pens a regular column for MidWeek and hosts a Saturday program on KKOL Kool Gold 107.9 FM. Civil Beat.

The Seafarers International Union of North America has endorsed Gov. Neil Abercrombie in his re-election bid. Associated Press.

Oahu

Front-line staff at the state's juvenile detention facility in Kapolei are routinely required to work 16-hour and occasionally even 24-hour shifts because of staff shortages, something that some staff said creates an unsafe environment for the troubled kids they are supposed to protect. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu's mayor is expected to unveil new initiatives on Wednesday to help move homeless people off the streets of Waikiki. Hotels and businesses hope the bills will reduce the complaints coming from tourists. Hawaii News Now.

Contaminated Dirt Triggers Military Housing Lawsuit. A federal judge in Honolulu will decide next week whether a potential class-action lawsuit against Forest City, the private developer of residential  housing at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe, can go forward. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

A waste-to-energy incinerator will be the solution to Hawaii County’s garbage problems, judging by a list of finalists released Tuesday for the project. All three companies making the short list specialize in mass-burn incineration, with garbage combusted to produce power to sell to electric companies. West Hawaii Today.

Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille isn’t the only one fuming about a likely waste-to-energy incinerator for Hawaii County. Thirty-one testifiers, from rubbish and recycling companies to environmentalists to schoolteachers, gave their input Tuesday on Wille’s resolution seeking to put the brakes to the project. West Hawaii Today.

Bobby Jean Leithead Todd has “good legal title” to be the Environmental Management director, her attorney said in a court filing Friday. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Youth ChalleNGe Academy, a program of the National Guard with a focus on at-risk teenagers, will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new location Thursday. Tribune-Herald.

Accelerator program to boost filmmaking, media projects. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Make-A-Wish family survives hard landing on Maui. Hawaii News Now.

Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa on Monday issued eight line-item vetoes to the county budget passed by the County Council earlier this month, saying that without this action money would be put "into projects that don't even exist yet and could potentially affect public service provided by our departments." Maui News.

Kauai

Organizers of a petition calling for a charter amendment regulating the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops on Kauai have until July 2 to have the required signatures validated. The Kauai Rising Charter Amendment Petitioners' Committee has been notified by Kauai County Clerk Ricky Wata­nabe that a petition submitted in late May was invalid. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: The contamination of natural Kaua‘i. The rare plants and wildlife of Kaua‘i are put at risk by the toxic chemicals used on the island’s GMO test fields. Hawaii Independent.

A Kauai lawmaker says his investigation of the county’s agricultural dedication law resulted in discovering “numerous serious violations of county law” by island landowners and agrochemical companies. Garden Island.

The Hawaii Crop Improvement Association has stirred up its leadership, installing Kirby Kester, formerly the applied genetics manager of BASF on Kauai, as its new president. Garden Island.

The goal is to eradicate them. A County of Kauai task force says officials must step up education efforts, strengthen local laws and use various methods to combat Kauai’s growing feral cat problem. Garden Island.

The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii is hoping the public will help it scour online photos of Kauai rainforest for signs of invasive trees. Associated Press.

Obama seeks Pacific Ocean protections, UH gets $40M oceanic research grant, Kauai ex-police commissioner pleads guilty to gambling ring, Aiona offers homeless plan, Hawaii teens improve health habits, Maui mayor trims budget, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kilo Moana, courtesy NOAA

The University of Hawaii will take the lead on a global oceanographic research project that comes with $40 million in funding — representing the largest-ever philanthropic gift to the university. David Karl and Edward DeLong, professors in UH-Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, were awarded the funds by the Simons Foundation to lead the newly launched Simons Collaboration on Ocean Processes and Ecology, or SCOPE. Star-Advertiser.

A private foundation is awarding two University of Hawaii scientists $40 million to research microscopic organisms in the ocean. The award from the Simons Foundation is the largest private foundation gift ever received by the university. Associated Press.

Kilo Moana

President Obama on Tuesday will announce his intent to make a broad swath of the central Pacific Ocean off-limits to fishing, energy exploration and other activities, according to senior White House officials. Washington Post.

President Barack Obama on Tuesday will announce his intent to make a broad swath of the central Pacific Ocean off limits to fishing, energy exploration and other activities, according to senior White House officials. Associated Press.

With a congresswoman out for his head and a U.S. senator calling for an investigation, the new director of the Hawaii VA vowed Monday to stay on the job and, within three months, dramatically reduce the time it takes military veterans to see their doctors. Star-Advertiser.

The Veterans Affairs director in Hawai’i wants to assure veterans and the public that he is working hard to provide better access to primary care. Hawaii Public Radio.

Republican candidate Duke Aiona placed homelessness at center stage in Hawaii gubernatorial campaign Monday by proposing two novel ideas. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii National Guard would reach out to homeless veterans and guide them toward counseling and services under a proposal by Republican gubernatorial candidate James "Duke" Aiona to reduce homelessness in the state. Star-Advertiser.

Today, at Kaka‘ako Makai Gateway Park, Duke Aiona outlined a plan to address the houseless crisis in Hawai‘i. Hawaii Independent.

Hawaii tea party leaders are outraged over the news the Internal Revenue Service has lost emails of its former director, Lois Lerner, during a critical time when the agency admitted to targeting conservative groups for additional scrutiny. Hawaii Reporter.

During an interview with Keahi Tucker on Hawaii News Now, Honolulu City Councilman Ikaika Anderson, a Democrat, said his No. 1 priority representing the First Congressional District of Hawaii will be to focus on middle-class families.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is appointing two Oahu executives to state boards. Kailua resident Wesley Furtado is being appointed to serve on the Board of Land and Natural Resources.The governor is appointing Sean Dee of Honolulu to the Hawaii Tourism Authority board of directors. Associated Press.

Hawaii's newest medical insurer is ramping up to gain more market share as the bulk of small businesses renew health plans in July. Family Health Hawaii, which launched Oct. 1 as a nonprofit mutual benefit society, has roughly 4,000 employees so far on its rolls, or about half of its annual enrollment goal, said former state Insurance Commissioner J.P. Schmidt, who is heading the startup insurance firm. Star-Advertiser.

Teenagers are smoking less, fighting less and having less sex than a decade ago, a Hawaii Department of Health report indicates. Civil Beat.

Innovate Hawaii, a program of the High Technology Development Corp., has given a total of $248,310 to four local companies as part of the Hawaii Small Business Innovation Research matching-grant program. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

An Obama presidential library located in Hawaii would generate $556 million in economic activity and create 2,130 new jobs, in the construction phase alone, according to officials who submitted a bid by Monday's deadline. Star-Advertiser.

Two escapes in one week from the Oahu Community Correctional Center. Hawaii News Now.

Daniel Skelton, the inmate who escaped from the Oahu Community Correctional Center on Monday morning, is still on the loose. That’s two escapees for OCCC in as many weeks. KHON2.

Some Ewa Beach residents are fed up with the plane noise from Honolulu International Airport. That's because a construction project is diverting planes from one runway to another that's in line with homes. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Hawaii County middle school students were more likely to try smoking cigarettes last year than students anywhere else in the state, according to new findings reported Monday. Tribune-Herald.

The Biotechnology Industry Organization spent nearly $8 million last year lobbying federal officials, making it one of the top 50 spenders on national lobbying, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Now the influential global trade group that includes more than 1,000 biotechnology companies has turned its sights on Hawaii. The organization joined nine local groups and individuals from the Big Island last week to challenge Hawaii County’s ban on genetically modified farming. Civil Beat.

Produce thefts have some isle farmers on edge. West Hawaii Today.

Surrounded by chain link fence is a little pond fringed by greenery. The pond is fed by a white pipeline, from which water gushes out at a rate of about 1.5 million gallons daily. This site, not far from the Kealakehe Police Station, is the destination of the sewage treated at the Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant in Kona and one West Hawaii resident is hoping to see it closed down sooner rather than later. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa on Monday issued eight line-item vetoes, cutting $29.7 million in capital improvement projects proposed by the County Council. Star-Advertiser.

No state has a worse voter turn out than Hawai'i, and no districts have more apathetic voters than South and West Maui. Recent reports rank them right at the very bottom of the list, but this year both areas have become a hotbed of political activism. Maui Weekly.

The county Public Works Department submitted a final environmental assessment for the final phase of the North Shore Greenway . Maui Now.

A final environmental assessment has been submitted for the final phase of the proposed North Shore Greenway, a pedestrian and bike path that would connect Kahului to Paia. Maui News.

The county Department of Housing and Human Concerns submitted a Final Environmental Assessment for the 64-unit Kulamalu affordable housing project in Pukalani. Maui Now.

Kauai

A Department of Corrections program manager and former Kauai Police Commissioner pleaded guilty to federal gambling charges on Monday in U.S. District Court, District of Hawaii. Garden Island.

A Kauai police commissioner who resigned in the midst of an FBI gambling investigation admitted in U.S. District Court on Monday that he ran a sports betting operation from his home and lied on his taxes. Bradley Chiba, 37, pleaded guilty to owning and running an illegal gambling business with eight others and to failing to report to the Internal Revenue Service that he earned $39,779 in 2012 from the business. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii vies for Obama presidential library, Waikiki homeless rousted, Thirty Meter Telescope permits delayed, more top government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Obama reflecting, courtesy White House

The state of Hawaii submitted a bid Friday to become the home of the Barack Obama Presidential Library, officials said. The "request for qualifications" submittal ­­— the first step in what's expected to be a heated competition for the library — included such information as site details, transportation access and community information designed to demonstrate a capacity to successfully build and maintain a presidential library. Star-Advertiser.

While 43 states and the District of Columbia experienced drops in the number of low-income residents receiving federal food stamps, Hawaii and six other states saw their food stamp enrollments increase between March 2013 and March of this year. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
Two new bills being proposed by Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell would give his administration further ammunition to conduct his "compassionate disruption" campaign to remove the homeless from the sidewalks of Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

Nightly Migration: Homeless Chased From Waikiki — for a Few Hours. Recent sweeps by city crews disrupt street people's lives and clear out the parks in the early morning hours, but are they effective? Civil Beat.

Civil Beat reporter Nick Grube talks about covering the homeless situation in Waikiki for his current story.

Since 2009, delays from awarding contracts too early and court-ordered halts on construction have already cost taxpayers at least $116 million to help build Oahu's rail transit line. Now, rail officials find themselves in yet another race against time to avoid yet another round of costly delays — this time heading into 2015, when construction on the 20-mile rail line is supposed to ramp up in the heart of Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Department of Public Safety canceled visitation hours at the Women's Community Correctional Center in Kailua on Sunday. Officials say visitations were canceled at WCCC due to staffing shortages. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille wants the county administration to yank a bid solicitation for a waste reduction facility, saying the specifications were written to favor a waste-to-energy plant. West Hawaii Today.

The outgoing commander at Pohakuloa Training Area called the 133,000-acre facility “an amazing place to work.” Lt. Col. Eric Shwedo made the comment as he relinquished command to Lt. Col. Jacob Peterson in a ceremony Friday morning at the Army installation’s theater. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii’s Board of Land and Natural Resources deferred a key decision for a $1.3 billion telescope project, saying the state needs more time to explore legal issues. Associated Press.

OHA CEO Kamana‘opono Crabbe offered testimony to the Board of Land and Natural Resources concerning the TMT project on Mauna Kea. Hawaii Independent.

Connections New Century Public Charter School is taking its battle to build a Kaumana campus to court. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Clerk Danny Mateo has until Tuesday to determine whether there's merit to objections to the mayoral candidacies of Neldon Mamuad and Nelson Waikiki Jr. Maui News.

Mayor Alan Arakawa has endorsed Hawaii Independent Party gubernatorial candidate Mufi Hannemann, the candidate's campaign announced Friday. Maui News.

Kauai

JoAnne Georgi has had enough. The Eleele resident, who ran unsuccessfully for a state House District 16 seat in 2006 and state Senate seat in 2008, said she is now running for a Kauai County Council seat to bring a new voice to the seven-member board. Garden Island.

Repeal of a junior kindergarten program and a change in age requirements for entering kindergarten are contributing to a shortage of open slots at Kauai preschools. Associated Press.

Hawaii Gov. Abercrombie lagging in poll, painkiller shortage on Hawaii Island, PAC apologizes to Honolulu mayor candidate to settle lawsuit, fishermen contemplate strike, Navy confirms Red Hill leaks, changes coming to teacher evaluations, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

David Ige, Neil Abercrombie © 2014 All Hawaii News

Less than two months before the Aug. 9 primary for Hawaii governor, state Sen. David Ige leads Gov. Neil Abercrombie by 11 percentage points among likely Democratic voters. Ige has 48 percent of the vote compared with 37 percent for Abercrombie. Civil Beat.

Shan Tsutsui has a 12 percentage point lead over Clayton Hee in the Democratic lieutenant governor primary, according to a new Civil Beat Poll.

Cashing In: Tsutsui Taps Maui, New Role as Hawaii Lt. Gov. for Big Bucks. Tsutsui leads challenger Clayton Hee in fundraising, but he has less in the bank, according to the latest campaign spending reports. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz outspent other Hawaii political candidates for a second week in a row, buying 1,088 spots that began June 2 and will run until the Aug. 9 primary at a total cost of $321,370. Schatz is the only candidate besides Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui to have already bought ad space into July and  August. Civil Beat.

HSAC courtesy photo

Hawaii’s Clean Energy Initiative has a goal of achieving a 70 percent reduction of power generated by fossil fuel by the year 2030.  Where we are and how far we have to go was the focus today of a panel discussion at the Hawai’i State Association of Councils annual conference. Hawaii Public Radio.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz wants an investigation into allegations that staff members at the delay-plagued U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Hawaii were ordered to "cook the books" regarding patients' appointments. Star-Advertiser.

Senator Brian Schatz has asked the Department of Veterans Affairs to investigate allegations of misconduct within the Hawaii VA healthcare system, including accusations that administrators asked hospital staffers to delete computer data regarding patient wait times. Hawaii News Now.

A state agency is seeking approval for a program that proposes to make it easier for lower-income homeowners, landlords and nonprofits, among other groups, to install photovoltaic systems. West Hawaii Today.

Calling its teacher evaluation system too complicated and "too one-size-fits-all," the state Department of Education on Thursday announced more than a dozen changes to essentially cut in half the workload required to prepare for and perform the annual reviews, which teachers and principals have bemoaned since the rollout last fall. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Department of Education is making 18 major changes to the new teacher evaluation system that officials say will significantly reduce its burden on educators and improve teaching quality by focusing on the instructors most in need of a boost. Civil Beat.

State Rep. Bob McDermott and parents of children in Hawaii’s middle schools were successful in persuading the Department of Education to revise the most contentious portions of a controversial sex-education curriculum. Hawaii Reporter.

Faced with soaring business expenses and soft wholesale fish prices, some struggling commercial fishermen are considering going on strike. About thirty captains and owners of longline fishing vessels met Wednesday to discuss a potential stoppage. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The Pacific Resource Partnership, a consortium of union carpenters and private contractors that aimed a relentless barrage of negative advertising at former Gov. Ben Cayetano during his unsuccessful campaign for mayor in 2012, has agreed to apologize to Cayetano. The message, which will be published Sunday in a half-page ad in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, settles a defamation lawsuit Cayetano brought against PRP in the weeks before his election loss. Star-Advertiser.

The combination of an annual rate adjustment that went into effect this month and higher fuel prices incurred by Hawaiian Electric Co. will increase the bill on Oahu for a typical household using 600 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month to $216.08 from $210.28 in the previous month, Hawaiian Electric Co. said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Workers with Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. installed the 100th column Thursday on Honolulu's $5.16 billion rail project, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation said. Pacific Business News.

The Navy has confirmed finding leaks in a storage tank in Red Hill that may have released an estimated 27,000 gallons of jet fuel in January, touching off more concern about the impact on nearby drinking-water wells. Star-Advertiser.

Iolani Palace has entered the bottled water business with its own Mauliola Hawaiian Premium Deep Ocean Water. Officials say the name comes from the Hawaiian Goddess of Health. KITV4.

After hearing emotional pleas from parents, students and staff, the Public Charter School Commission postponed a decision on whether to recommend closing Halau Lokahi until the debt-ridden charter school produces a new financial plan. Star-Advertiser.

The City and County of Honolulu is slashing a subsidy to recyclers that is funded by what’s called the advance deposit fee or ADF, and as a result of the cutback, recyclers can’t afford to do the job of taking in and shipping out the bottles and jars.Nearly 100 tons of glass a week on Oahu could be heading to the trash heap, in what could be the biggest setback since recycling programs in Hawaii began. KHON2.

The city has issued 278 violation notices and 24 fines against property owners for leaving beds, sofas and other bulky-item trash on sidewalk areas since May 2013, when enforcement of a 2010 ordinance first began. Star-Advertiser.

Star Advertiser credit card breach could impact hundreds, if not thousands, of customers. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii

Hawaii's Board of Land and Natural Resources is set to make a key decision on the future of a giant telescope. The state board is scheduled to vote on the sublease for the Thirty Meter Telescope on Friday. Associated Press.

Attempts to curb abuse of prescription pain medication appear to be hindering legitimate patients from getting the relief they need, according to Big Island health care professionals.Tribune-Herald.

There’s no question Americans are using too many prescription painkillers, according to state Sen. Josh Green, D-Kona, Ka‘u. Tribune-Herald.

The USNS Navajo, a 216-foot Powhatan-class fleet ocean tug, visited waters off the Kona Coast this week to conduct training. The Navajo was here Wednesday and Thursday in support of the Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 1, said U.S. Navy spokesman Bill Doughty. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Startup turboprop operation 'Ohana by Hawaiian is expanding to Maui. Hawaiian Airlines, which has contracted Idaho-based Empire Airlines to run 'Ohana using 48-seat ATR-42 twin-engine aircraft, will begin offering daily flights next month from Kahului to Molokai, Kona and Hilo. Star-Advertiser.

A $5.1 million classroom  expansion project at Maui Waena Intermediate School is scheduled to break ground next week after several delays, Representative Justin Woodson of Maui announced today. Maui Now.

Kauai

Six potential launch dates. Six days of uncooperative wind conditions. No test flight. Despite the missed opportunity, NASA is regrouping and hopes to have LDSD — a saucer-shaped experimental flight vehicle designed to test new Mars landing technologies — off the ground by month’s end. Garden Island.

The phones are ringing off the hook and the wait lists are growing at preschools on Kauai. Garden Island.

Molokai
State and federal energy officials got a clear message from Molokai residents who voiced their continued opposition to a potential undersea transmission cable in Hawaii that would transport energy interisland. Molokai Dispatch.

Don't touch the turtles, VA clinic, state mental hospital in disarray, Kauai anti-GMO pesticide charter petition rejected, pay hikes for mayor, council, Maui mayoral candidates opposed, high defaults at community colleges, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii green sea turtle © 2014 All Hawaii News

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is reminding the public to respect Hawaii’s sea turtles by viewing these protected animals responsibly. Associated Press.

Chinese ships steamed Tuesday toward waters near Hawaii to participate for the first time in the world’s largest naval exercises hosted by Washington — a rare opportunity to build trust with the U.S. and regional rivals, including the Philippines and Japan. Associated Press.

With most eyes on the Democratic race for lieutenant governor, the two Republican candidates vying for their party's nomination have much work ahead of them as they try to gain name recognition and get their messages out to voters in a historically blue state. The contest pits Warner "Kimo" Sutton, a Honolulu renewable energy entrepreneur, against Elwin Ahu, a former Honolulu District Court judge and senior pastor with New Hope Metro. Star-Advertiser.

The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, which has endorsed U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz over U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, has sent a mailer to Hawaii residents that implies Hana­busa might privatize the entitlement programs. Star-Advertiser.

Former University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood will not be returning this fall as a tenured professor with a six-figure salary, and instead says she will retire at the end of the month, marking the end of a five-year career at the university. Star-Advertiser.

In a state that’s less prone than most to student loan payback problems, some of Hawaii’s two-year colleges are showing alarmingly high rates of default. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Department of Energy is spending $500,000 on a project to boost electric grid reliability in Hawaii. Associated Press.

State administration officials are planning to develop strategies to cope with the impact of climate change and rising sea levels in the Hawaiian Islands. Star-Advertiser.

If coming up with the money to pay public employee pensions gives Hawaii state and local governments fiscal indigestion, providing additional benefits such as health, life, dental and even chiropractic care to retirees is causing a multi-billion-dollar budgetary migraine. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Veterans Affairs officials told representatives of Hawaii's congressional delegation that military veterans only had to wait 30 days to see a primary care physician for the first time — just before a scathing audit revealed that new patients in Honolulu actually had the worst wait times in the entire system, 145 days. Star-Advertiser.

Veterans seeking care at the VA Medical Center here in Hawaii wait an average of 145 days. Maybe more striking, some 64,000 veterans enrolled in the system for at least 10 years have yet to see a doctor, says a Department of Veterans Affairs audit released Monday. Hawaii Reporter.

The Honolulu City Council is committing $32 million in bond money to house the homeless — on top of the nearly $24 million that Mayor Kirk Caldwell had earlier proposed for his Housing First initiative. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor and Council Chair disagree on grant money. Hawaii News Now.

A class-action lawsuit is being drawn up on behalf of injured psychiatric workers at the State Hospital in Kane­ohe amid allegations of nepotism and numerous assaults against employees, state Sen. Clayton Hee said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A class-action lawsuit representing hundreds of State Hospital employees will be filed in the next several weeks, as the acting head of the troubled hospital announced he plans to retire after two decades there. Hawaii News Now.

State Sen. Clayton Hee’s inquiry into conditions at the Hawaii State Hospital took him to Kaneohe on Wednesday where he toured the mental health facility with top administrators, including Department of Health Director Linda Rosen. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Hawai‘i Gas $155,000 for violations of risk management plan regulations and chemical release reporting involving its Kapolei facility. The fine represents a settlement between the EPA and the company. Star-Advertiser.

The Oahu Burial Council is calling for closer scrutiny of the controversial redevelopment of the old Honolulu Advertiser building in Kakaako.Hawaii News Now.

Dole Plantation, one of Hawaii’s most-visited attractions with more than 1 million visitors each year, has gone solar to help it reduce its energy costs by 30 percent, a spokeswoman for the Oahu pineapple plantation told Pacific Business News.

Kelli Keawe, an office assistant with the Dept. of Public Safety, said for 10 years she was banned from all but one restroom in the building, because she is physically a man but identifies as a woman. The state now lets her in the women’s room and a federal anti-discrimination agency is also stepping in. KHON2.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi will get a $22,848 raise next month, and top county managers and County Council members will also see pay hikes, under a plan advanced Tuesday by the county Salary Commission. West Hawaii Today.

On Friday the Board of Land and Natural Resources will address the proposed Mauna Kea sublease between the University of Hawaii and the Thirty Meter Telescope  LLC. Of particular importance is the sublease rent amounts UH is proposing to collect from the TMT LLC. Hawaii Independent.

Kona airport fire station dedicated. West Hawaii Today.

Honomu residents were given an early morning wake up call Wednesday when a tsunami warning siren activated on its own. Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira said the siren began malfunctioning at or shortly after 1:30 a.m. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Developers of the long-awaited West Maui Hospital and Medical Center expect to begin construction in the next 13 to 14 months, but residents and local medical officials wonder where the new hospital will find the physicians and the money to pay them. Maui News.

The developer of the planned Maui Medical Plaza next to the Kanaha Pond Wildlife Sanctuary has avoided Maui County's threat of foreclosure on the project's 2.5 acres adjacent to Hana Highway. Maui News.

The Maui County Clerk's Office received letters Tuesday objecting to two mayoral candidates - Neldon Mamuad and Nelson Waikiki Jr. Maui News.

The Maui County Council's Budget and Finance Committee is making changes to the circuit breaker tax credit program and may extend the credit application deadline to Sept. 15 for this upcoming tax year to allow for more to qualify under the committee's proposed changes. Maui News.

Kauai

If those behind a charter amendment aimed at regulating the island’s agrochemical industry want it to appear on the ballot in November, they will have to start over. That means recollecting 2,037 voter signatures, this time by July 2. Kauai County Clerk Ricky Watanabe rejected Kauai Rising’s petition, citing technical errors because the group failed to follow the proper format. Garden Island.

Large agriculture companies and landowners are opposing a bill that would establish “agronomics” as a new and separate real property tax class and exclude lands used primarily for crop research or parent seed production from the county’s definition of “agricultural use.” Garden Island.

There may be a new selection process for an outgoing County Council member the next time around. The Kauai County Council approved a resolution on Tuesday that would let county voters decide whether the process to fill a vacancy on the seven-member board should be changed. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council struck down a pair of charter amendment proposals on Tuesday that would have let county voters weigh in on the seven-member board’s fee-setting authority at the Wailua Golf Course and eligibility requirements for county Cost Control Commission members. Garden Island.

Kamehameha Day, a state holiday to honor a king

2010 Kamehameha lei draping ceremony in Hilo © 2014 All Hawaii News

Kamehameha Day was established by royal decree on December 22, 1871 by King Kamehameha V as a national holiday.

Kamehameha Day was created to honor the memory of Kamehameha, the king’s great grandfather, who united the Hawaiian Islands in 1810 and became Hawaii’s first king. The first celebration occurred on June 11, 1872.

Today, celebrations, parades and hula are held throughout the island chain. Events generally kick off with a ceremony draping long strands of lei over the King Kamehameha statues present on several Hawaiian Islands.

Abercrombie vetoes $45M in school projects to balance budget, climate change panel created, Hawaii the worst for vets' clinic wait time, Fuddy brother sues over fatal plane crash, Puna residents sue to get their pot back, Hawaii County targets non-farming farmers, pension fund follies, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Attorney General David Louie and Finance Director Kalbert Young

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Monday that he will use his line-item veto authority and remove about $45 million in bond money for school facilities from the state budget to fix a miscalculation by the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie today announced a plan to “address an inconsistency” of $444 million between the state budget bill and the bond authorization bill passed by the Legislature. Civil Beat.

An approximate $444 million inconsistency between the State’s budget bill and its bond-authorization bill is preventing each bill from being signed into law by the governor. Governor Abercrombie, together with Attorney General David Louie and Finance Director Kalbert Young announced a plan today to address the inconsistency. Hawaii Independent.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is saying that Hawaii’s state budget is not balanced. Abercrombie said Monday that he will have to veto some of the Legislature’s proposed spending so that the numbers will add up. Associated Press.

Governor Neil Abercrombie announced Monday he will have to veto about $45 million in Legislative-approved spending in order to balance the state's budget. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie held a news conference Monday to highlight differences between the state's capital improvement bill and the bond authorization bill that accompanies it. KITV4.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie plans to veto proposed spending by the Dept. of Education to balance the state’s budget. The governor said Monday that the budget bill and bond authorization bill are supposed to balance, but they don’t, and signing off on the budget bill as is would be illegal. KHON2.

Veterans in Hawaii had the longest wait time in the nation to secure a first appointment with a physician at a VA Medical Center in Honolulu or on the Neighbor Islands, according to an audit released by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday. Pacific Business Journal.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data released today indicates Hawai’i veterans have the longest waiting period from the time they apply for health care to their first appointment to see a physician. Hawaii Public Radio.

To address Hawaii’s vulnerability to climate change, the state has taken what advocates say is a key step toward responding to coastal flooding, erosion and decreased supplies of fresh water. Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed House Bill 1714, now known as Act 83, to fund the collaboration of various Hawaii agencies and community members to gather information on areas of the state that will be most affected by sea level rise. Civil Beat.

The state is seeking regulatory approval to move forward with a plan that will allow utility customers in Hawaii to finance renewable energy investments. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is looking to move forward on a green financing program aimed at allowing more residents and businesses to install clean energy systems such as solar. Pacific Business News.

The plane crash that killed state Health Director Loretta Fuddy was caused by a faulty engine, according to a lawsuit filed Monday by Fuddy's brother. Star-Advertiser.

If taxpayers wanted to know how the millions of dollars the Hawaii Employees’ Retirement System collects are being invested and who’s doing the investing, a visit last July to the glitzy Ritz-Carlton in Honolulu would have supplied some answers. Civil Beat.

When you own real estate worth $892 million it’s almost impossible to visit every piece of property on a regular basis. That’s a situation facing trustees of the Hawaii Employees’ Retirement System – with one exception: City Financial Tower in downtown Honolulu. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Local Veterans Affairs officials claimed after an inspection of Hawaii clinics last month that there were no significant scheduling issues, but findings released nationally Monday showed Hono­lulu had the worst delays for new patients in the entire VA system. Star-Advertiser.

After spending nearly three months fighting to save his $22 million proposal to tackle homelessness from cuts by the Honolulu City Council, Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration finds itself in a peculiar predicament. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co.’s plan to build a $42.4 million, 11.5-megawatt major solar energy system on 41 acres near its Kahe Generating Station in West Oahu now has a draft environmental assessment for its project. Pacific Business News.

U.S. State Department Special Agent Christopher Deedy is renewing his request to have a state murder charge against him dismissed, based on his claim that he was performing his duties as a law enforcement officer under federal law when he fatally shot Kollin Elderts in a Wai­kiki McDonald's restaurant in 2011. Star-Advertiser.

A Hauula man has sued the Honolulu Police Department over the use of excessive force and claims the department withheld key evidence that would have kept him out of jail. Hawaii News Now.

The King Kamehameha Celebration Commission is asking the public to donate plumerias for Wednesday's lei-draping ceremony after its chief supplier was hit hard by recent rainfall. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The county tax division last week sent out letters to the first crop of property owners taking the agricultural tax break with no evidence of farming going on. West Hawaii Today.

Two lawsuits have been filed in Hilo Circuit Court against the county and police by Puna residents who claim their marijuana was illegally confiscated even though they held medical marijuana cards and were in compliance with the law. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County’s prosecuting attorney says his office has received a report on a May 8 incident in which one scuba diver allegedly ripped another diver’s breathing apparatus out of her mouth. West Hawaii Today.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources wants to hire an architect to help it envision what redevelopment could look like on three Banyan Drive properties. The leases for the properties, which include Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel, Country Club Condo Hotel and Reed’s Bay Resort Hotel, each expire in March. Tribune-Herald.

It’s taken longer than anticipated, but the moth — deemed the state’s best hope of controlling the invasive fireweed that has invaded massive areas of Hawaii pastureland — has become established, a state Department of Agriculture official said Thursday evening. West Hawaii Today.

A temporary restraining order filed against Kamehameha Investment Corp. was lifted late Thursday, after the organization reached a settlement with the woman who filed the complaint. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui High grads launch third game app. Maui News.

Kauai

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa voiced her support for Rim of the Pacific during a recent visit to Kauai. Garden Island.

Hawaii Island tent city a microcosm of native governance, Ige mulling GMO, Maui GMO foes advance amendment, lieutenant governor candidates campaign, $604M budget for Maui, state pension examined, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Native Hawaiian camp at Puhi Bay © 2014 All Hawaii News

What do Native Hawaiians want? It depends whom you ask. West Hawaii Today.

© 2014 All Hawaii News

The squeals of children just released from school and thuds of hammers tightening tent poles fill the Puhi Bay shoreline in Keaukaha. It’s summer, and Native Hawaiian families are moving to the sea. West Hawaii Today.

State Sen. David Ige said Saturday that he would reconsider his opposition to GMO labeling in Hawaii and look to a Vermont law signed in May as a possible solution. Star-Advertiser.

Clayton Hee officially opened his campaign headquarters Sunday in the race for lieutenant governor. Dozens of supporters, including former Gov. Ben Cayetano and Honolulu City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro, greeted the candidate at the headquarters in Nuuanu. Hawaii News Now.

Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui, a Democrat, has spent nearly $40,000 to run two ads nearly 100 times in the past two weeks, according to Civil Beat research. Both ads aim to remind voters who he is. Civil Beat.

As the incumbent, Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui finds himself in the position of campaigning for a job he never sought in the first place. Star-Advertiser

Many of the top-notch Hawaii teachers who work with the state’s most struggling students will no longer get the annual bonuses they have long received as a perk for helping turn around underperforming schools. Civil Beat.

Hawaii is making its sex education classes for middle school students opt-in, responding to critics by giving parents responsibility to affirm they want their children to be taught the course. Associated Press.

Will Hawaii Ever Climb Out of Its $27 Billion Hole? Taxpayers could see important services cut or higher taxes if they have to pay even more for pensions and health care benefits for retired public workers. Civil Beat.

Hawaii pension officials aren’t the only ones promising taxpayers increased openness when it comes to the financial condition of the state’s public retirement system. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s pension and retiree health care funds are like a giant black hole in the state’s future. It’s growing bigger, getting closer and threatening to swallow important public services if we don’t figure out how to get rid of it. Civil Beat.

Drug poisonings, or overdoses, have overtaken motor vehicle accidents in recent years as the leading cause of fatal injuries in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser

Nearly one in five of Hawaii’s waitlisted patients—that is, those remaining in a hospital after the need for acute care ceases—have an infectious disease, according to discharge data analyzed by the Hawaii Health Information Corporation (HHIC), the state’s premier healthcare data collector and analyzer. Hawaii Reporter.

The so called “Stevie Wonder Blunder” case in which Marc Hubbard, 44, of Mecklenburg, N.C., and Sean Barriero, 44, of Miami were charged with conning the University of Hawaii out of $200,000 after falsely claiming to be Stevie Wonder’s agents, is taking two of Hawaii’s top law enforcement to Spain next week. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

The Honolulu Ethics Commission is recommending a city employee be suspended up to three days for operating a side business expediting building permits. Associated Press.

City transit officials appear to finally be gaining speed in approving Honolulu's much-anticipated new Handi-Vans — months after the vehicles first started arriving on island, and as clients voice concerns about a recent fire that destroyed a van minutes after its passengers escaped. Star-Advertiser.

The median price of a single-family home on Oahu rose 8 percent in May, while the median price for a condominium increased 13 percent, according to statistics released Saturday by the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Unemployment is inching downward and construction and other markets are showing signs of life. But the number of people lining up to receive state supplements for food purchases just keeps increasing. West Hawaii Today.

A report published in this month’s issue of GSA Today notes the presence of plastiglomerate on Kamilo Beach, formed by melted plastic mingling with beach sediment, basalt fragments and other types of debris. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Citing their willingness to compromise and save taxpayers money, Maui County Council members Friday approved a $604 million county budget for fiscal 2014-15, with it set to take effect July 1. Maui News.

A Maui group that wants to ban genetically modified crops has been given a green light by election officials to advance their proposal. Associated Press.

A petition calling for a moratorium on the cultivation of genetically engineered organisms in Maui County has received the required number of signatures to advance for potential placement on the upcoming election ballot, county officials announced today. Maui Now.

While he awaits sentencing on four felony charges, Nelson Waikiki Jr. is among candidates who have filed to run for Maui County mayor. Maui News.

Kauai

As head of an agricultural group, Jerry Ornellas said he's aware of the challenges of maintaining a more than 20-mile-long ditch and tunnel water system in East Kauai — a system formerly operated by East Kauai Water, a business associated with Lihue Sugar Plantation. Star-Advertiser

Kauai County Councilman Ross Kagawa admits the past year and a half has been a tough one. Garden Island.

Turk Tetsuo Tokita, who earned two Purple Hearts fighting for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II and became a trusted political ally on Kauai to four Demo­cratic governors, died Saturday in Lihue. He was 94. Star-Advertiser.

Chinatown to get an entrance, first stretch of Honolulu elevated rail erected, Hawaii Supreme Court to mull Big Island marijuana laws, Superferry docks linger in harbor, endorsements for candidates, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu Chinatown © 2014 All Hawaii News

Despite being one of the oldest Chinatowns in the country, Honolulu's lacks an entry arch or any other significant landmark. That will soon change.Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Thursday picked up the endorsement of the Iron Workers Union Local 625 and the Iron Workers Stabilization Fund. The union represents 2,000 workers statewide. Star-Advertiser.

An ironworkers union is endorsing Gov. Neil Abercrombie in his bid for re-election as Hawaii governor. Associated Press.

Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann was endorsed by two unions in his bid to become Hawaii’s next governor. The Hawaii Independent Party candidate was endorsed Thursday by the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and the Hawaii Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 293. Associated Press.

The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers on Thursday endorsed former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann for governor, a show of confidence in Hannemann's independent campaign. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz is stepping up his television ad buys as the Aug. 9 primary draws closer. Schatz spent nearly $80,000 in just two weeks, buying hundreds of spots on all Hawaii’s major TV stations and Time Warner Oceanic Cable, according to public records kept by the stations. Civil Beat.

Ad Watch: Duke Aiona Plays the Ohana Card. The GOP gubernatorial hopeful says leadership is about the next generation. Civil Beat.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs continues to push forward with its state mandate to guide the process to establish self-governance for Native Hawaiians. Hawaii Public Radio.

Five hundred laborers brought to Hawaii from Thailand over four years beginning in 2003 by the Beverly Hills-based farm labor contractor, Global Horizons, Inc. to work on six farms will see some financial relief. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Tuesday announced a multi-million dollar settlement reached in a class action national origin and race discrimination lawsuit the agency filed in 2011 against six farms. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

The first stretch of guideway for the island's elevated rail system is now up between columns, offering a clearer glimpse of what the project will eventually look like as it takes shape in the farmlands of West Oahu. Rail officials, state and local elected leaders, and construction managers gathered Thursday at the site of the proposed controversial Ho'opili community development in Ewa to laud the new guideway work. Star-Advertiser.

A bill in the U.S. Senate would enable Hawaii to open a new veteran health care facility on Oahu. Associated Press.

Hawaii's two U.S. senators are co-sponsors of legislation that would give Hawaii another health care facility for veterans, possibly built in Leeward Oahu and named after retired Sen. Daniel Akaka. Star-Advertiser.

Almost one year after they were sold to an equipment dealer, three barges that once were used to load and unload passengers on the now-defunct Hawaii Superferry are still floating in Honolulu Harbor, but they could be on their way out. Pacific Business News.

Federal officials are in Honolulu to help decide whether they will give a standard recertification to a somewhat obscure local transportation planning agency -- and if they don't, the move could cost traffic-plagued Oahu up to $15 million in annual federal highway dollars, local officials have warned. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu police gave out more tickets-per-mile along King Street in the last four years for drivers using cell phones or texting than any other roadway on Oahu, according to data uncovered by Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

There have been at least two recent victories in what electric car advocates say has been a long uphill battle to make the vehicles viable on Hawaii Island. West Hawaii Today.

Circumnavigating Hawaii Island is something many residents and visitors might take for granted, soaking in the views and experiences in a wide range of landscapes unlike anywhere else in the world. But for those who drive the most popular and affordable types of electric vehicles (EVs), it’s a trip that can’t be done. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to consider an appeal of a lower court’s rejection of a lawsuit over the Hawaii County ballot initiative making  personal use of marijuana the “lowest law enforcement priority.” Big Island Now.

The Hawaii County Council took a step toward expanding Ahalanui Park in Puna and Kipapa Park in North Kona earlier this week. Tribune-Herald.

Curbside garbage pickup is coming to Hawaiian Ocean View Estates within the next few weeks, following approval of a special permit Thursday by the Windward Planning Commission. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island builder Scott Watson and his partner had big dreams when they purchased a coastline property in Ninole and set about building what they called “the ultimate playground for the rich and famous” Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Amid of the recent scandal surrounding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and subsequent resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki last week, ongoing dissatisfaction with VA services on Maui also is coming to light. Maui News.

Incumbent Office of Hawaiian Affairs Maui Trustee Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey will be challenged by Mahealani Wendt, the former head of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. in the fall election. Maui News.

A Maui man who sued the county over allegations he was pressured to stop working on a Facebook page is running for mayor. Associated Press.

Volta Industries LLC has opened two electric vehicle charging stations at the Whalers Village in Kaanapali, the company announced Thursday. Maui News.

Kauai

A coalition of concerned Kauai organizations and individuals will kick off a series of public events Saturday in protest of Rim of the Pacific — the biennial international military war games — which returns to Hawaiian waters later this month. Garden Island.

The Department of Water has installed a temporary low-capacity submersible pump to its Kalaheo deep well, to provide supplemental water service to the Kalaheo area until full restorations are completed. Garden Island.

Saving Hawaii's native duck, HECO denies buyout rumors, Abercrombie and Ige set debate, USEEOC: Kauai police discriminated, Honolulu Council approves $2.14B budget, new corp counsel on Hawaii Island, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Koloa maoli duck pair on Hawaii Island © 2014 All Hawaii News all rights reserved

State, federal and University of Hawaii wildlife experts are undertaking a yearlong campaign aimed at ensuring the survival of the Hawaiian duck, or koloa. The chocolate brown koloa maoli is an endangered species largely due to its cross-breeding with the introduced common mallard duck. Star-Advertiser.

The native Hawaiian duck, koloa maoli, is being pushed out of existence. The population of the duck has been declining for years, and experts said they believe only about 2,500 are left in the wild. KITV4.

Even wildlife biologists have a tough time telling the difference between the endangered koloa maoli (Hawaiian duck) and the common mallard. Cross-breeding or hybridization between the two species is the primary reason the endemic koloa is endangered. West Hawaii Today.

Two Democratic candidates for Hawaii governor plan to debate later this month at the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce. The chamber said Wednesday that incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state Sen. David Ige would be featured at a lunchtime forum at the Japanese Cultural Center June 24. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Electric Industries was never approached by any companies, nor did it receive any offers whatsoever to buy all of its shares, the head of one of the company’s subsidiaries told Pacific Business News on Wednesday, disputing a first-hand report this week to the contrary.

The university's longtime information technology chief says he's open to the possibility of dialing back scheduled tuition increases, but recognizes that many of the goals laid out in an agenda set by the Board of Regents come with a hefty price tag. Star-Advertiser.

August 9 is primary election day in Hawaii, so televised political debates will begin very soon. If the past is any guide, that is not a good thing unless you have an exceptional sense of civic duty, an enormous capacity for boredom or your remote is broken. Civil Beat.

The Race for Nationhood. Umi Perkins on what he sees as the race shaping up between Federal recognition and independence. Hawaii Independent.

Despite 88 percent of Hawaii’s public school principals reporting in a recent survey that they are dissatisfied with the leadership of Department of Education Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi, the state Board of Education reappointed her to another three-year contract on Tuesday that goes into effect July 1. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council has passed a $2.1 billion budget and more than $48 million is going to the homeless. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu City Council voted Wednesday to approve a $2.14 billion operating budget and $708.9 million package that avoids tax rate increases for most residential property owners, a fee for curbside garbage pickup and advertising on the sides of buses but directs $40 million toward homeless shelters and programs. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council has boosted funding to combat homelessness for the 2015 fiscal year to $47.2 million. That marks, council members say, a new high. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council passed the executive spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that starts July 1st. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Navy said it will fly only two P-8A sub-hunting and surveillance jets out of Kaneohe Bay instead of the 18 it had contemplated at one time — meaning less jet noise for area residents. Star-Advertiser.

When the Honolulu City Council approved a $1.4 million settlement last month in the death of Aaron Torres, it was the largest payout in recent history involving the police department or its officers. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council member Carol Fukunaga wants to make sure that there is a mix of incomes among residents in three high-rise buildings in Chinatown that the city wants to sell to a private developer as part of a major public housing deal. Civil Beat.

The developer of the planned 801 South St. Building B condominium tower does not have to seek a new development permit for the project in Kakaako under a court order clarification issued Tuesday, but does have to halt construction. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

An attorney pulled from within the ranks of the Office of Corporation Counsel is now the county’s top civil lawyer, following the County Council’s confirmation Wednesday of Molly Stebbins. West Hawaii Today.

The county clerk would serve for six years, under a charter amendment that squeaked through the Hawaii County Council on Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo Medical Center is cutting staff positions and taking other cost-saving measures as it confronts a $9 million budget shortfall. Tribune-Herald.

Commentary: It looks like Puna Rep. Faye Hanohano has stirred up considerable interest in the Democratic primary race in District 4 in Puna. Hanohano, a Democrat whose controversial comments got her in hot water with her state House colleagues twice in the past 16 months, faces no less than five challengers in her primary. Big Island Now.

The estimated cost of decommissioning for what’s poised to be one of the world’s largest telescopes atop a sacred Hawaii mountain is $17.1 million. Tribune-Herald.

A judge on Wednesday lifted part of a temporary restraining order for construction work at Keauhou Bay, but left the order in place for a later phase of the project. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island veterans had a chance to air long-standing dissatisfaction with the health care they’ve received through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Wednesday night with Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. West Hawaii Today.

The owners of a 25-acre Pepeekeo site of an electrical power plant under construction are looking to be dismissed from a $35 million mechanic’s lien filed by the former construction contractor. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Neldon Mamuad said he is not an angry man, but he believes he's found an opportunity to deny Mayor Alan Arakawa a third term in office. Maui News.

A Maui property management firm has reached a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over lead-paint disclosure violations. The company, Destination Maui, failed to notify its tenants about the potential hazard. But what’s unusual is the terms they’ve agreed to. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state elections office released an uncertified list of candidates running in the 2014 election after the filing deadline passed on Tuesday afternoon. Maui Now.

Kauai

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has determined the Kauai Police Department retaliated against a veteran police officer after she reported alleged sexual harassment by an assistant chief. Star-Advertiser.

A round of Kauai County furloughs, imposed in response to the lingering economic crisis in 2010, may not have been necessary and was not planned or executed as well as it could have been, according to a county auditor’s report released Tuesday. Garden Island.

JoAnn Yukimura seeks 10th term on Kauai County Council. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council Planning Committee opted Wednesday to defer action on a bill that would amend the county’s shoreline setback ordinance. Garden Island.

Kauai's electric utility will issue refunds to its members this month. The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative said Wednesday the money comes from funds the cooperative has left over after paying all its expenses and meeting lender expectations for financial stability. Hawaii News Now.