Friday, November 13, 2015

Navy studying sonar effects on sea life, Honolulu contractors decline to roust homeless, Big Island councilwoman wants marijuana tax, Maui Electric seeks rate hike, Molokai plan complete, after-school program price increase, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

2003 courtesy photo U.S. Navy
Navy dolphin, 2003 courtesy photo, U.S. Navy
The U.S. Navy on Thursday started a three-year environmental review process that will examine its use of sonar and explosives during training in the Pacific. Environmental groups are calling on the public to comment on the effects such activities have on whales, dolphins and other marine life. Civil Beat.

One day after Civil Beat reported Hawaii received a D-minus from the Institute for Justice for having some of the worst asset forfeiture laws in the U.S., state Sen. Will Espero took to Twitter and Facebook to say he plans to introduce legislation to reform the practice. Civil Beat.

The state is proposing to raise the price for the A+ after-school program by $35 a month over the next three years, bringing the monthly fee to $120 per child. Hawaii News Now.

The A+ program currently costs $85 per month per child, but the DOE is proposing a price increase starting next year to $100, $110 in 2017 and $120 in 2018. KHON2.

Hawaiian Electric is proposing that the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission allow new, lower daytime power rates for the state Department of Education to allow public schools to better manage their electricity costs as they add more air conditioning to cool classrooms and offices. Maui News.

Hawai‘i 's Department of Human Services projects it will save about 29-million dollars a year by not providing insurance coverage for so-called able-bodied Micronesians of working age. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

The state for weeks warned homeless people camped out along the Kakaako shoreline that they would be removed in sweeps that were to begin as soon as Thursday, but it's now unclear when or how that will happen after no takers were found in the search for contractors to come in and do the work. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu office of Anasaldo, the company that has the $1.4 billion contract to build and operate the cars for the city's rail transit system, expects to complete the designs for the project and move on to the next phase of the project in the next few months. Pacific Business News.

With the pace of construction picking up and major new contract awards on the horizon, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation on Thursday launched its plan to borrow up to $350 million to help cover the ongoing cost of the city's 20-mile rail project. Star-Advertiser.

The recent purchase of Italian train car-maker Ansaldo by Hitachi Group has Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation Chairman Don Horner excited about the future of the city’s $6.6 billion rail project. Civil Beat.

There's been another major development in the federal investigation of Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his prosecutor wife, Katherine. Police sources say FBI agents met with Honolulu Police Department brass recently to deliver subpoenas in the case against the department's top cop. Hawaii News Now.

For aspiring homeowners, housing prices on Oahu just seem to keep rising up, up and away. Civil Beat.

A British citizen who is a legal permanent resident of the United States alleges in a lawsuit that the Honolulu Police Department discriminates against non-U.S. citizens by making it difficult for them to obtain firearm permits. Associated Press.

University of Hawaii President David Lassner is recommending longtime university executive Doris Ching to lead the UH-West Oahu campus on an interim basis after the scheduled retirement of Rockne Freitas at the end of the year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille wants the county to be able to levy a sales tax on medical marijuana, and she wants the counties to have authority over where it can be grown. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Department of Health reports one new, confirmed case of locally acquired dengue fever on Hawaii Island, bringing the total number to 34. Of the confirmed case, 26 are Hawaii residents and 8 are visitors. 30 cases have been adults; four have been children. Big Island Video News.

County and state employees leading a meeting about dengue fever Thursday gave ways to recognize and combat the disease, kill mosquitoes and find further information. But more needs to be done to get the word out across language barriers, said Angela Dean of Comunidad Latina de Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Electric Co. customers would pay approximately 28 cents more per month on Maui Island and 22 cents more on Molokai and Lanai under a rate adjustment proposed late last month to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. Maui News.

A final environmental assessment has been filed for a fast track affordable housing project in Māʻalaea, proposed for development mauka of the Honoapiʻilani Highway. Maui Now.

The Papakea condominium resort in Kaanapali received approval Tuesday for an emergency special management area permit to repair three sinkholes on its property along Lower Honoapiilani Road. Maui News.

Kauai

A master plan that maps the future of Black Pot Beach Park is the topic of discussion at a community meeting on Tuesday. The meeting is set for 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hanalei Elementary School cafeteria. Garden Island.

Donations of at least $100 or more to the Kauai Independent Food Bank will be matched up to $10,000, thanks to the start of the Hale Uluwehi Kauai Funds administered by the Hawaii Community Foundation. Garden Island.

Molokai

The Molokai Community Plan Advisory Committee has completed a draft community plan it hopes will guide decisions made on and for the island over the next decade. Maui News.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

More military money for Hawaii, tensions rise over Honolulu rail costs, latest Kakaako homeless sweep begins, protesters gird for next Thirty Meter Telescope bout, Neil Young sells $20M Kohala home, dengue fever reaction slow, Kauai food bank clears audit, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2015 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Soldiers at Pohakuloa Training Area ©2015 All Hawaii News
A new Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill for federal fiscal year 2016 won approval in the U.S. Senate Tuesday, and includes $444 million for military construction projects in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s U.S. senators were quick to point out the benefits to the islands of a 2016 National Defense Authorization Act approved by the Senate on a 91-3 vote Tuesday. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Transportation’s Airport Energy Savings Program is expected to result in nearly $500 million in energy cost savings during a 20-year period, the state’s Energy Office said this week. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii has some of the worst civil asset forfeiture laws in the U.S., according to a report released this week by the Institute for Justice. The state was given a grade of D-minus. Civil Beat.

Island Air, which in June slipped into third place among interisland carriers with a 3 percent market share, is focusing on improving its operational performance. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A high-stakes game of chicken is playing out at Honolulu Hale over the city’s increasingly controversial $6.6 billion commuter rail project, whose costs have skyrocketed almost 25 percent in a year. Civil Beat.

City Council Chairman Ernie Martin said he’s tired of being told that the $6.57 billion rail project cannot be changed because the city is being “held hostage” by the conditions of a $1.55 billion federal grant. So Martin wants the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit to consider saying, “Thanks, but no thanks” to approximately $1 billion in unused federal funding if it frees the city from constraints over routing or other project details. Star-Advertiser.

Tension escalates over rail’s power supply and who will pay for it. KHON2.

Federal Judge Susan Oki Mollway has rejected a bid by telecommunications entrepreneur Al Hee to have his seven federal tax convictions vacated, and has also rejected Hee’s request for a new trial. Star-Advertiser.

Wednesday evening was another anxious and worry-filled night for about 130 homeless campers who are currently living at Kakaako Waterfront Park and Kewalo Basin. Last month, Gov. David Ige announced the state would begin clearing the homeless from both locations by Nov. 12 and begin enforcing park closure hours. KITV4.

Starting Thursday, if you're caught in Kakaako Waterfront Park or Kewalo Basin after hours you'll be cited for trespassing. Problems at the parks started within days of the city completing its high-profile homeless sweep near the Children's Discovery Center. Hawaii News Now.

Landlords who want to help alleviate homelessness in veterans and others can learn more about the voucher programs available at a conference next week. The state and city have organized the November 17 summit in partnership with the Hawaii Association of Realtors and the nonprofit Partners in Care. Civil Beat.

A 27-year-old disabled woman said she worked two years as an unpaid volunteer at a Makiki clothing store with the hopes of getting a job there some day. Now, the U.S. Labor Department is looking into whether federal wage laws were violated. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Three people arrested for blocking telescope construction crews on a mountain held sacred by Native Hawaiians want to testify at their upcoming trials in Hawaiian. Associated Press.

Thirty Meter Telescope opponents can expect to be alerted before contractors return to Mauna Kea later this month, according to a state Department of Land and Natural Resources spokesman. But how that notice will be given and when remains to be seen. Tribune-Herald.

Thirty Meter Telescope opponents are strategizing their future plan of action in the wake of Tuesday’s announcement that a TMT crew would be sent up to the Mauna Kea construction site to “conduct site preparation activities.” Big Island Now.

The state is telling people to “Fight the Bite” to prevent the spread of dengue fever, but some residents see gaps in how the state is handling reported cases. West Hawaii Today.

Officials say a tree-killing fungus that covered more than 16,000 acres on the eastern part of the Big Island has now been discovered in the western areas of Holualoa and Kealakekua. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Paradise Park’s neighborhood board wants Hawaii County to reconsider building a community park for the large subdivision about four years after the organization last rejected the idea. Tribune-Herald.

Singer-songwriter Neil Young has sold his Waialea Bay Estate oceanfront estate for $20 million after being on the market for only about a month, according to the broker who listed the property. Pacific Business News.

Maui

The next commercial-free day at Haleakalā National Park will occur on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015 (Makali’i, Hilo Moon). As specified in the park’s Commercial Services Plan, commercial-free days are opportunities for Kanaka Maoli to conduct traditional cultural practices in the park without commercial tours present. Maui Now.

The Maui Planning Commission on Tuesday advanced Victory Development's proposal to build a 39-unit hotel-condominium project in Kihei, but commissioners cited concerns they hope will be addressed before the project receives its final approvals. Maui News.

There’s been a lot of talk recently about making some radical changes to the County of Maui’s system of government. MauiTime.

The University of Hawaii Maui College is one of four University of Hawaii campuses to be named a "military friendly" school for 2016 by Victory Media, the university announced. Maui News.

Kauai

Food and health safety was the focus of the American Institute of Baking International audit in which the Hawaii Foodbank-Kauai Branch received high scores. Garden Island.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Veterans Day commemorated in Hawaii, Congressman Takai resting after cancer surgery, state yanks bridge plan opposed by Roseanne Barr, Waikiki Landing off the table, Public Utilities Commission beefs up for electricity battle, $30M for Pacific Missile Range, work to restart on Thirty Meter Telescope, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2015 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hawaii military on parade © 2015 All Hawaii News
What’s open and closed, plus events and freebies for Veterans Day. KHON2.

As state regulators gear up for the trial-like phase of one of the biggest business deals in Hawaii’s history — the proposed $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries by NextEra Energy — they are also looking for more office space. For years criticized as woefully understaffed, the Public Utilities Commission has lawyered up and hired new policy researchers, a compliance chief and executive officer, among other positions. Civil Beat.

NextEra Energy Inc.’s recent statement that it would take $30 billion for Hawaii to achieve the goal of 100 percent renewable energy by 2045 was criticized Tuesday as an extreme estimate that would place a heavy burden on ratepayers. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai had surgery to remove a small, cancerous tumor in his pancreas Tuesday and was resting after the operation at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., according to a spokesman. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The state is finally pulling its lease with Honey Bee USA Inc., the developer of the planned Waikiki Landing at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, for nonpayment of more than $500,000 in back rent and a $1 million performance bond. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii agency that owns the land for the long-delayed $35 million Waikiki Landing mixed-use project at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor is canceling the developer’s proposal and drafting a new request for proposals for the project. Pacific Business News.

Tuesday’s Building Industry Association conference provided more evidence that many in the industry aren’t happy with Mayor Kirk Caldwell's proposal to require every large development on Oahu to set aside a certain percentage of units for low-income or moderate-income people, and that’s delaying the mayor’s plan to roll out the change this year. Civil Beat.

Council members Ann Kobayashi and Kymberly Pine believe the time has come for some out of the box thinking to raise revenue, and that’s why they introduced Bill 78, which would allow companies and organizations to sponsor city facilities for a fee. KITV4.

Online voting begins Thursday for anyone interested in serving on the Maunalua Bay Recreation Advisory Committee, or M-RAC. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources says it is establishing the committee in response to concerns of community members regarding the status of ocean regulations in the Oahu bay. Civil Beat.

On this Veterans Day, outreach workers are still trying to get the last 55 homeless military veterans on Oahu into a system that’s designed to take them from the streets and into a shelter within 30 days and find them a permanent place to live within 90 days. Star-Advertiser.

Thousands of people visit Diamond Head Monument State park every day, but the state fears several problems are putting a black eye on the popular tourist attraction. KHON2.

The city is planning to crack down on some bus riders who leave items on the sidewalk at the Alapai Transit Center to reserve their spot in line. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

A day after releasing a poll showing support from a majority of Hawaii residents, the developers of the stalled Thirty Meter Telescope on Tuesday announced that construction would begin later this month on the initial stages of the $1.4 billion project. Star-Advertiser.

A small crew will return this month to the Hawaii Island mountaintop construction site of a hotly debated giant telescope project. Workers will go to Mauna Kea for equipment maintenance and repairs, Thirty Meter Telescope officials announced Tuesday. An exact date hasn’t been identified, spokesman Scott Ishikawa said. Associated Press.

It’s back to the drawing board for plans to replace the Waiaka Stream Bridge, opposed by actress Roseanne Barr. The state Department of Transportation has yanked its final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact because of “new circumstances and information that require additional studies,” according to an Oct. 16 letter from DOT Director Ford Fuchigama that was released Saturday by the state Office of Environmental Quality Control. West Hawaii Today.

The number of confirmed cases of dengue fever on Hawaii Island grew by six Tuesday, totaling 33 in all. West Hawaii Today.

State health officials said Tuesday the number of confirmed locally acquired dengue fever cases has climbed to 33 from 27 in Hawaii County. Star-Advertiser.

A public information meetings on the mosquito-borne dengue fever outbreak was held in Na’alehu on Tuesday night, the second in a series of meetings scheduled by state and county officials. Big Island Video News.

In a last-minute move, the health department hired private public relations company The Bennett Group for $75,000 to help spread the word about the dengue outbreak. KHON2.

As West Hawaii contends with dengue fever and the possibility that the disease could become endemic, a researcher has revealed that the another scourge is spreading on leeward slopes — rapid ohia death. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Retired 2nd Circuit Judge Boyd Mossman will moderate a panel discussion on the Na'i Aupuni process to create a governing document for an eventual Native Hawaii sovereign entity beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center. Maui News.

Zen Honeycutt, founder of Moms Across America, will speak about "the danger of GMOs and Glyphosate" at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's McCoy Studio. Maui News.

The state Department of Health has cited Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. and assessed a $3,300 penalty for a dust violation last year, the department announced. Maui News.

Kauai

Many veterans won’t be able to physically attend today’s Veterans Day observance at the Hanapepe Veterans Cemetery where Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard will deliver the keynote address. Garden Island.

The U.S. Senate passed a revised version of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act on Tuesday by a vote of 91-3. The updated bill authorizes $444 million in funding for programs important to Hawaii’s economy and military community, including $30 million for a grid consolidation project at Kauai’s Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands. Garden Island.

Nominations and elections for seats on the Aha Moku Advisory Committee will take place from 6 to 8 tonight at the Kapaa library. Department of Land and Natural Resources Executive Director Leimana DaMate will be on hand to provide information and answer any questions. Garden Island.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Most support Thirty Meter Telescope, Hawaii gets D+ in anti-corruption measures, state Libertarians gather, dengue fever outbreak slows, Honolulu rail bosses warn project needs half-cent tax, Kauai wants state bond money, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2015 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Mauna Kea telescopes as seen from Hilo ©2015 All Hawaii News
A majority of Hawaii residents support the stalled Thirty Meter Telescope and say construction should move forward on the summit of Mauna Kea. That’s the conclusion of a new statewide poll commissioned by the TMT International Observatory Corp. and released Monday. Star-Advertiser.

A majority of Hawaii residents support building the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea, according to a poll commissioned by TMT International Observatory. Tribune-Herald.

About half of the Native Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian respondents to a poll released Monday on the Thirty Meter Telescope project oppose moving ahead with construction of the telescope atop Mauna Kea. Civil Beat.

Hawaii earned a grade of D+ when it comes to integrity, but that was still the fourth-highest rating in the country, according to the recently released State Integrity Investigation. Civil Beat.

Hawai’i’s third largest political party, the Libertarians, conducted its state convention over the weekend and marked the official start of its 2016 election season. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Defense Department on Monday recovered for identification and return to families the last of 388 sailors and Marines killed on the battleship USS Oklahoma on Dec. 7, 1941, and later buried as “unknowns” in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service announced that starting in January 2016, the agency will do a “green bean pricing valuation” for all coffee grown in Hawaii. This, according to Hawaii’s congressional delegation, is a better way to “reflect market values.” It also makes reporting easier on the growers. MauiTime.

Over the next six years, roughly 6,000 inmates will be released early from prisons nationwide. Some 279 of those prisoners are from the islands, and 55 have already been released. The early releases are meant to address growing criticism over the practice of strict mandatory sentences for drug offenders with no prior records. Hawaii News Now.

Rent has increased statewide 10- to 12-percent since 2012, while the housing inventory is way down -- and real estate experts those two factors are contributing to a housing crisis that's only forecast to get worse. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Uneasy about giving the OK to extend the 0.5 percent surcharge on general excise tax on Oahu consumers for five years to build the contentious rail project, City Council members continue to press transit officials for alternatives. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell reiterated his support Monday to build a 20-mile, 21-station commuter rail line from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center, and said that a five-year extension of a half percent general excise tax surcharge from 2022 to 2027 should provide enough money to do so. Civil  Beat.

The city has reached a development agreement with a private company to put up a minimum of 151 senior rental units in two midrise towers along River Street near Vineyard Boulevard, the Caldwell administration announced Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The Minnesota developer of a long-planned $39 million affordable rental housing project for artists in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako could start construction in the summer of 2016. Pacific Business News.

Who Is Sticking Up for Tenants in Honolulu? Unlike in many American cities, there is no organization here dedicated to advancing the rights of renters. Civil Beat.

Hawaii businessman Duane Kurisu and his son, Robert, have purchased a commercial unit at the Pacificana Atlas condominium in Honolulu for $11.8 million. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Dengue fever on Hawaii Island appears to be limited to older cases, the state reports, but the number of confirmed cases continues to climb. West Hawaii Today.

Presenting a unified front, State and County officials held a press conference on Monday to launch a statewide “Fight the Bite” public education campaign that seeks to end the spread of dengue fever in Hawaii. Big Island Video News.

The Hawaii State Department of Health Monday launched “Fight the Bite,” a statewide public education campaign that seeks to end the spread of dengue fever in Hawaii. KHON2.

State Department of Health officials met Monday with residents of South Kona, a hot spot of dengue fever exposure, with 23 of the 27 cases on Hawaii island so far. Star-Advertiser.

Two North Kohala properties are at the top of the county’s purchasing list for next year, according to a report finalized Monday by the county Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission. West Hawaii Today.

A nearly 30-year Hilo holiday tradition is in danger of coming to an end. Funding and manpower woes led the Lehua Jaycees to cancel this year what would have been the 30th annual Hilo Christmas Light Parade. But, in what might turn out to be a holiday miracle, a group of interested community members is working to save the beloved event. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company was cited for an alleged “fugitive dust violation” that state Health Department officials say occurred on Dec. 13, 2014. Maui Now.

More than 10,000 people passed through the gates of the second annual Made in Maui County Festival at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, topping last year's attendance and causing some vendors to sell out of their products early. Maui News.

Kauai

The County Council is discussing a list of projects that will go before the state Legislature for potential general obligation bond funding opportunities. Garden Island.

Hawaii BioEnergy AlgaeCo, LLC aka Hawaii BioEnergy, LLC was cited by the state Health Department for late submittal of a 2013 monitoring report on their algae farm in Lihue. Garden Island.

Monday, November 9, 2015

USS Arizona Memorial closed for repairs, doctors' records kept secret, dengue informational meetings set on Big Island, longtime legislator Takamine dies, Hanalei Stream restored, county settles 2008 honeymoon drowning lawsuit, housing costs and homelessness rise, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy photo National Parks Service
USS Arizona Memorial, courtesy national Park Service
The National Park Service is indefinitely suspending visits to the USS Arizona Memorial while engineers study a potential safety issue with its dock. The park service said Thursday officials noticed bolts connecting the dock to the memorial were stressed. Associated Press.

Policies block out full picture. Consumers can’t easily find potentially troubling information on doctors because state law and practices limit what’s public. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s housing shortage now has a number — nearly 66,000 housing units are needed over the next ten years. What happens next? Hawaii Public Radio.

Homelessness in Hawaii has grown in recent years, leaving the state with 487 homeless per 100,000 people, the nation's highest rate per capita, above New York and Nevada, according to federal statistics. Associated Press.


Homelessness in Hawaii grows, defying image of paradise. Associated Press.

Raising marine animals for sale was a record- breaking business in Hawaii last year, according to a new federal report, though the major driver of the growth in local aquaculture farming is murky. Star-Advertiser.

The Trans Pacific Partnership and its corresponding and supporting military "pivot" have been impacting the lives of Pacific peoples for years through military-industrial buildups, the removal of indigenous self-determination, environmental degradation and wealth extraction. Hawaii Independent.

Oahu

A Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board member serves as a director at the law firm that will be paid to defend the city in a challenge to the validity of key votes on the rail project. Star-Advertiser.

The median price of a single-family home on Oahu rose 4.3 percent in October to $720,000 as sales jumped by 5 percent, while the median price of a condominium increased by 5 percent to $370,000 on a smaller bump in sales, the Honolulu Board of Realtors reported Saturday. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu doesn’t just coincidentally have some of the highest-priced median homes, condos and rents in the country. A panoply of intertwined public policies, rules and regulations have helped to drive prices up and, recent data suggests, they continue to do so. Civil Beat.

The Institute for Human Services had one year to test the Housing First concept and find 115 permanent homes for clients — helping to alleviate Oahu’s homeless crisis. Star-Advertiser.

The number of sexual assault reports on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus remained unchanged in 2014 compared to the previous year. Hawaii News Now.

State officials say they hope the Aiea Public Library’s photovoltaic solar panels will be activated early next year, nearly a year and a half after the facility opened at the former Aiea Sugar Mill site. Star-Advertiser.

Weeks of wet weather may have left Oahu a greener place, but it’s causing headaches for city crews trying to keep up with the out-of-control growth. But now the city thinks it may have a solution, but some in the public are not too happy about it. KHON2.

Tammy Mencel has been named publisher and market president of Pacific Business News, effective immediately, Whitney Shaw, president and CEO of American City Business Journals, PBN's parent company, announced Thursday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Department of Health: Late information hampered fight against dengue. West Hawaii Today.

Public informational meetings have been scheduled throughout the island to update residents on the recent dengue fever outbreak. Big Island Now.

Hawaii County has closed the book on a negligence lawsuit stemming from a 2008 honeymoon tragedy at Punaluu Black Sand Beach. West Hawaii Today.

The results of Bleachapalooza, the recent statewide attempt to survey coral bleaching, shows that it’s been more severe on West Hawaii compared to the east side of the state — with some species showing nearly 100 percent bleaching, one of the organizers reported. West Hawaii Today.

Yoshito Takamine, a longtime advocate for Hawaii labor laws and one of the architects of the groundbreaking Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act, died Tuesday, October 27, at his home in Honokaa surrounded by family. He was 89 years old. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

Maui state Rep. Angus McKelvey pleaded no contest Friday in Honolulu District Court for failing to file a complete and accurate candidate spending report with the state Campaign Spending Commission and for allowing an unauthorized person to receive and disperse campaign funds, according to an announcement from the state Department of the Attorney General. Maui News.

Heavy rainfall this summer caused Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. to sustain significant losses in the third quarter, furthering a trend that could spur drastic changes for Hawaii's last sugar plantation. Maui News.

Kauai

On Kauai, 480 homeless people received services last fiscal year from the state homeless outreach program the Care-A-Van, a mobile outreach program operated by Kauai Economic Opportunity, Inc. That number, according to KEO, is the best and most up-to-date estimate of the total number of homeless people on the island. Garden Island.

State officials joined local taro farmers on Friday to commemorate the completion of an extensive, $2.1 million restoration of Hanalei Stream on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

A multi-million dollar stream restoration project of Hanalei Stream is finished, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Garden Island.

Anahola is now home of the largest solar array in the state. And the solar panels contributing to that designation — all 59,000 of them — were celebrated Saturday at a dedication ceremony attended by about 60 people. Garden Island.

Lanai

Maui County Council members adopted a resolution Friday to extend by approximately three months the amount of time they have to finish the Lanai Community Plan update. Maui News.

Friday, November 6, 2015

DLNR chief vows to protect Thirty Meter Telescope builders as two Mauna Kea protesters sentenced, state Senate panel confirms judges in special session, possible dengue on Oahu as Big Island battles spread, Honolulu rail strife continues, former Maui parks director spared criminal charges for taking free golf, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Occupy Hilo Media
Thirty Meter Telescope protester file photo courtesy Occupy Hilo Media
The contractors building the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea have a right to be up there, the chairwoman of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said Thursday, adding that the state will enforce the laws over which it has jurisdiction to ensure they are unmolested by protesters. West Hawaii Today.

Two people were convicted Thursday in the first two trials against protesters of the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea. Star-Advertiser.

The Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee on Thursday unanimously approved two nominations by Gov. David Ige to the the state Circuit Court and a third nomination by Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald to the Honolulu District Court. The judicial nominees — Shirley M. Kawamura, Melvin H. Fujino and James C. McWhinnie — now face a full floor vote by the Senate today, part of a two-day special session. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers Thursday heard yet another description of a state agency that is struggling to promptly spend its federal grant money, with Transportation Director Ford Fuchigami detailing challenges the state Airports Division faces as it tries to spend about $40 million a year it receives from the Federal Aviation Administration. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige is looking to fill well over 300 empty seats on dozens of different state boards and commissions, some of which can barely hold meetings due to lack of quorum. The governor’s office sent out a release Thursday asking for qualified volunteers to apply. Civil Beat.

The question of whether state Sen. Brickwood Galuteria really lives in the Kakaako legislative district he has represented since 2008 just won’t seem to go away. Two hearings on the issues are scheduled this month, and the ultimate answer could help determine if he is allowed to retain his Senate seat. Civil Beat.

Sen. Breene Harimoto back on job after battling pancreatic cancer. KITV4.

Scientists at a research center on Oahu’s Coconut Island have embarked on an experiment to grow “super coral” that they hope can withstand the hotter and more acidic oceans that are expected with global warming. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s native forest birds will need a substantial helping hand if they are to survive the growing impacts of climate change, a new study has concluded. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has been trying for over a year to get the electric utilities on Maui, Oahu and Big Island to each come up with a power supply improvement plan that can serve as a “strategic basis” for resource acquisition and system operation decisions. In a new order issued Wednesday, the PUC said there are still “substantial concerns” and the proposals are unacceptable. Civil Beat.

The state Public Utilities Commission scolded Hawaiian Electric Co. for its “repeated failures to properly plan” a path to lower electrical rates using renewable energy. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Kalama Valley residents warned of potential dengue case. Hawaii News Now.

Members of the Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee got an earful from supporters and opponents of the city’s $6.57 billion rail project during an evening meeting at Kapolei Hale on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council Chairman Ernie Martin is questioning whether there needs to be a shake-up at the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation to get the $6.6 billion rail project back on track. Martin broached the subject during a special Budget Committee meeting in Kapolei on Wednesday to consider a bill that would extend by five years a general excise tax surcharge to cover most rail costs. Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration will seek new proposals for a project to convert nearly 52,000 streetlights to light-emitting diode technology, administration officials said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Public Radio President and General Manager Michael Titterton will step down at the end of June, and a nationwide search is underway to find a successor. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hookena Beach Park remained closed Thursday as the number of confirmed dengue fever cases on the Big Island rose to 19. West Hawaii Today.

The Windward Planning Commission approved permits Thursday for a Hele-On bus base yard in Hilo and a cell phone tower in Hawaiian Paradise Park. The $11.2 million base yard on Hoolaulima Road will include a 26,500-square-foot building and a 19,500-square-foot warehouse. It will consolidate the Hawaii County Mass Transit Agency’s administration and maintenance facilities. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council has given final approval to a $6 million funding request for a new fire station on Kawailani Street in Hilo. The 8-0 vote Tuesday brings total funding for the project to $12 million. Tribune-Herald.

On the face of it, both a fledgling Hawaii Island energy cooperative and the mainland giant NextEra Energy want the same things — lower rates for island residents, more renewable energy and care of an aging grid. The real questions seem to revolve around how to get there and who is most likely to succeed. West Hawaii Today.

The issue of squatters has been discussed at length in the community, especially in Puna where business leaders, community organizations and elected officials have been brainstorming solutions to the problem. Big Island Video News.

Maui


The state Department of the Attorney General has decided not to pursue a complaint involving free rounds of golf that led to the resignation of former county Department of Parks and Recreation Director Glenn Correa. Maui News.

The Maui County Council Budget and Finance Committee on Tuesday recommended approval of a land purchase that would add 373 acres and double the size of the Kula Agricultural Park. Maui News.

Local leaders, businesspeople and community activists were identified Wednesday to serve on a special committee to study the possibility of having a county manager form of government for Maui County. Maui News.

Maui senator recalls ‘intense pain’ with dengue fever. KHON2.

Members of the group Stop CaneBurning.org took issue Wednesday with a report from Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. that there were only two complaints arising from Central Maui cane harvesting on Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

A small island in the middle of the Pacific is doing some big things for renewable energy. By the end of this year, 37 percent of the electricity generated on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai will come from a mix of renewable resources, including solar, hydropower and biomass. Civil Beat.

The first 12 homes for the Eleele Iluna neighborhood project by Kauai Habitat for Humanity are getting closer to rising from the ground. Garden Island.

Defense attorneys for the police officer charged in the death of a man struck on Kaumualii Highway said no evidence exists to prove the state’s probable cause argument. Garden Island.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

ACLU sues to save homeless possessions, Trans Pacific Partnership details released, Gabbard blasts Red Hill fuel tank agreement, Sunshine Law confounds Honolulu Ethics Commission, jails packed with mentally ill, Maui liquor appointee demurs, Kauai ponders barking dogs, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2015 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Homeless Honolulu man with possessions ©2015 All Hawaii News
After failing in September to halt Honolulu city sweeps of homeless encampments, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii now wants a federal judge to prevent the immediate destruction of homeless individuals’ property that city workers pick up. Star-Advertiser.

Citing new evidence that the City and County of Honolulu is using ‘sweeps’ of homeless individuals to continue bypassing Hawaii laws and violate the state Constitution, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i Foundation (ACLU) and the law firm of Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing, filed a new request in federal court for a preliminary injunction. Hawaii Independent.

Details of a sweeping Pacific Rim trade deal released Thursday set the stage for a raucous debate in the U.S. Congress but also may provide reassurances to those who worried the agreement could gut protections for the environment, public health and labor. Associated Press.

State health officials are preparing to impose new licensing fees on long-term care facilities. For decades, the industry has beaten back such efforts, leaving it one of few business segments that doesn’t pay for licensing in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Last year, the Legislature adopted a measure creating a two-year pilot program to divert up to 100 “nonviolent, low-risk drug offenders” from prison into treatment. It was supposed to start July 1, 2014, but, thanks to bureaucratic red tape, Hawaii’s Department of Public Safety has yet to get the program off the ground. Civil Beat.

The state Public Utilities Commission said Wednesday it will not be flexible with the 12-day timeline for the upcoming trial-like hearings in its regulatory review of NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries. The PUC will host 12 days of intervenor, or official participant, hearings at the Blaisdell Center Hawaii Suites starting Nov. 30. Star-Advertiser.

Alternative energy proponents can continue providing testimony in the ongoing Public Utilities Commission docket on the proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaii’s electric utilities. Tribune-Herald.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, the top financial performer in the company’s fleet and the only home-ported ship in Hawaii, is going into dry dock as part of an aggressive schedule of upgrades planned for eight of NCL’s vessels. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Inc., the largest ocean cargo carrier serving Hawaii, said Wednesday its third-quarter profit jumped 93 percent to $41.5 million with the addition of its new Alaska service bought from Horizon Lines. Star-Advertiser.

John McNamara, the associate athletics director for external affairs at the University of Hawaii, is leaving his position to take over as president of Communications Pacific on Nov. 16. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
The Queen's Medical Center paid $1.5 million to the U.S. Justice Department to settle a case involving implanted cardiac devices that were in violation of Medicare coverage requirements. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council passed three resolutions to spend up to $220,000 to fund the city’s defense in two lawsuits relating to the Honolulu rail project and the seizure of homeless people’s property, and a criminal case involving a police officer. Civil Beat.

A scheduled closed-door meeting of the Honolulu Ethics Commission was canceled abruptly Tuesday — hours before it was to take place — after the state Office of Information Practices issued an informal opinion that called into question the validity of the meeting’s agenda. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council is considering a bill that would add another step in the approval process for O’ahu’s City’s Bike Plan. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday lambasted the Oct. 1 agreement among the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Hawaii Department of Health, the U.S. Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency that outlines a plan to upgrade underground fuel storage tanks in Red Hill over the next 20 years. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply said Tuesday it has changed its position on NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries and now supports the deal. Star-Advertiser.

A new list published by The Economist has shaken the conventional notion of college rankings and places the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the top half of more than 1,200 schools examined. Pacific Business News.

Liquor law violations on the University of Hawaii Manoa campus soared by nearly 50 percent last year. It's the most citations since at least 2007. Hawaii News Now.

A growing number of students are earning undergraduate degrees within four years from the University of Hawaii’s flagship Manoa campus, an improvement university officials attribute to better academic support. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Inmates screaming, throwing feces, refusing to wear clothes. That’s the new reality, corrections workers say, at Hawaii Community Correctional Center, which is bursting at the seams with mentally ill inmates. West Hawaii Today.

In light of a recent Hawaii County Planning Department decision to reduce the monthly meetings of the various action committees working on the Big Island’s numerous community development plans, Kohala councilwoman Margaret Wille called for a discussion on Tuesday (Nov. 3). Big Island Video News.

Hawaii County has closed Hookena Beach Park to help contain the spread of dengue fever. Tribune-Herald.

A nonprofit organization seeking to buy and preserve the historic Kuamoo battlefield and burial ground in Keauhou has missed two deadlines to finalize the deal. But the goal is close. West Hawaii Today.

The parents of an abused 6-year-old boy whose disappearance in 1997 set off a statewide media firestorm were arrested in an investigation unrelated to the child’s disappearance. Tribune-Herald.

The Big Island man bitten by a shark Wednesday told Hawaii News Now he never got a look at the shark that attacked him and he was swimming in the nude when the attack happened.

If you’re in the market for Hilo’s hottest ticket — seats at the Merrie Monarch Festival’s hula competition — you’ll need to get your request in earlier this year, and it will cost just a bit more. Tribune-Herald.

Maui


Twice selected as director of the Department of Liquor Control director, Dana Souza has decided not to accept the job. Souza was to have succeeded Franklyn Silva, who retired as department director as of Sunday. Maui News.

A Public Works district supervisor had been caught spending tens of thousands on a commercial kitchen that rivals a restaurant, tucked away inside a Wailuku baseyard building. Sources say side-business catering was going on out of there. The suspect has since retired from the county. KHON2.

The County Committee on Public and Intergovernmental Affairs today identified 11 individuals to serve on a special committee tasked with studying and providing recommendations on a county manager form of governance. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council heard testimony Wednesday on the latest proposed law regarding barking dogs. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative recently flipped the switch on its 12-megawatt Anahola solar facility, which is Hawaii's largest solar project, on the east side of the Garden Isle. Pacific Business News.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

U.S. Rep. Takai faces surgery for pancreatic cancer, Gov. Ige flies to Seoul and Tokyo, election officials want more money and easier voter registration, air conditioners for Oahu schools, Hawaii County passes ethics bill, Maui mulls county manager government, petrels protected on Kauai, dengue fever fears rise, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Facebook photo
U.S. Rep. Mark Takai on Facebook
U.S. Rep. Mark Takai’s doctors have confirmed he has pancreatic cancer, and the congressman will undergo surgery at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., next week to remove a tumor in his pancreas. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Congressman Mark Takai revealed Tuesday that a tumor in his pancreas is malignant. Civil Beat.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai says he will have surgery to remove a small cancerous tumor in his pancreas next week. Associated Press.

Gov. David Ige will be traveling to Seoul and Tokyo through Nov. 12. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige will be traveling to Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo, Japan from Nov. 3 through Nov. 12. Garden Island.

County and state election officials advocated for major voting reforms — including all-mail elections and automatic voter registration — during a joint legislative briefing Tuesday at the state Capitol that included members of the Senate Judiciary and Labor and House Judiciary committees. Star-Advertiser.

If you’re evicted from state-run public housing for any reason in Hawaii, you can’t go back — ever. But now the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, which manages over 6,000 units statewide, is looking to change the rule in light of the state’s homelessness crisis. Civil Beat.

Getting a view into Hawai‘i’s current state of health may be a little easier thanks to a new website from the State Department of Health. The Hawaii Health Data Warehouse is a collection of information gathered from surveys conducted year round. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Travelers in air-travel-dependent Hawaii can now apply for faster, easier security checks at a new kiosk at Honolulu Airport. The Transportation Security Administration opened the new application site for its PreCheck expedited security program last week at the airport’s Interisland Terminal. Star-Advertiser.

Even as Wahiawa’s homeless count appears to have doubled over the past 11 months, state Rep. Marcus Oshiro maintains that efforts underway could serve as a template for other rural communities struggling to address island homelessness. Star-Advertiser.

The Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu has withdrawn as an intervenor taking part in the regulatory review of NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co., according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

A mysterious closed-door meeting of the Honolulu Ethics Commission was cancelled Tuesday just hours before it was scheduled to begin. Last week, the Ethics Commission announced it would hold a special session Tuesday night to talk with the agency’s attorney about “personnel and management matters.” No other details were given. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Education has received a final shipment of 100 portable air conditioners that officials say will go into five West Oahu schools as part of an ongoing effort to cool more classrooms. Star-Advertiser.

When a patient aboard a city ambulance allegedly attacked two medics outside Queen's Medical Center a week and a half ago, one of them had to begin an anti-AIDS cocktail. Hawaii News Now.

The group that filed a complaint with the state, claiming labor violations at Ala Moana Center’s Ewa Wing expansion, is raising more concerns. KHON2.

Former University of Hawaii football coach Norm Chow, who was in the fourth year of a five-year contract when he was fired over the weekend, will receive nearly $340,000 for his termination, the university confirmed Monday. Pacific Business News.

On Sept. 25, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources approved a one-year special use permit to Mark Hixon, a professor of marine biology at the University of Hawaii, for the deployment and study of artificial reef modules in the Hanauma Bay Marine Life Conservation District and Waikiki. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

As Hawaii health officials wrestle to contain a dengue fever outbreak on the Big Island, a review of how the state handled a 2001 outbreak on Maui reveals some of the challenges in store. Tribune-Herald.

Kona Community Hospital says it is being “overwhelmed” by phone calls from Big Islanders concerned about dengue fever. West Hawaii Today.

Without the support of the public, state health officials fear the current outbreak of dengue fever on the Big Island could be here to stay. On Tuesday, the state Department of Health confirmed the mosquito-borne virus so far has infected 11 people, with many possible cases remaining to be verified. Tribune-Herald.

An ethics bill now on its way to Mayor Billy Kenoi lost many of its stricter provisions during an arduous trip through the County Council, but sponsor Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille says it’s still tough enough to do the job. West Hawaii Today.

Before the candidates for ‘aha delegate spoke at the Moku O Keawe Alliance forum in Panaewa on Sunday, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement President and CEO Michelle Kauhane gave an overview of Kana’iolowalu and the Na’i Aupuni process. Kauhane, herself an Oahu candidate for delegate, also explained the federal rules for a government-to-government relationship, as proposed by the Department Of The Interior.Big Island Video News.

Should Kona International Airport host Hawaii’s first commercial space flights? That’s a question that could be brought before Big Island residents close to the new year following the completion of a draft environmental assessment for a proposed spaceport certification. Tribune-Herald.

More than a year after Department of Land and Natural Resources officials said work was set to start on the north side of Honokohau Harbor, the improvements have not begun. West Hawaii Today.

The County Council’s unanimous approval Tuesday of no-parking zones around Manini Beach marks the beginning of a strategy that supporters hope will bring state assistance with parking for the beach and Kealakekua Bay area. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Testifiers encouraged Maui County Council members Monday to study the possibility of having a county manager form of government, as initially put forward in a resolution by Council Chairman Mike White. Maui News.

The County Committee on Public and Intergovernmental Affairs will reconvene on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber to further discuss a county manager form of government instead of one run by a mayor. Maui Now.

The burn of a 75-acre sugar cane field 3 miles southeast of Kahului brought smoke and haze to Central Maui Tuesday morning, but Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. received only two direct complaints, said General Manager Rick Volner. Maui News.

An association for a 19th-century Maui cemetery where several influential Hawaii figures are buried is suing federal and state agencies over a planned expansion project at a neighboring veterans' cemetery. Maui News.

Na Hale O Maui, which had been placing families in affordable homes through rehabilitating foreclosed homes, has returned to its original business model and has begun building its first home, John Andersen, executive director of the nonprofit group said Friday. Maui News.

Kauai

A 67-foot military-funded rocket that blasted off a rail launcher at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai at sunset Tuesday in Hawaii’s first satellite launch failed shortly after takeoff. Star-Advertiser.

What sounded like a successful liftoff soon turned into a realization that something went wrong. Shortly after liftoff at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday from Barking Sands, Kauai, ORS-4 – the rocket carrying a satellite – malfunctioned. It was designed and built by University of Hawaii faculty and students. KITV4.

A historic project more than 30 years in the making took place on Kauai’s North Shore on Monday when 10 downy endangered Hawaiian Petrel chicks were flown by helicopter to a new colony protected by a predator-proof fence at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. Garden Island.

Endangered Hawaiian petrels now have a predator-proof place to live on Kauai. Civil Beat.

A Kauai elementary school was scrambling for substitute teachers Tuesday, a day the school's principal made controversial comments about their performance. Six of the 27 teachers at Kekaha Elementary School called in sick, according to the Department of Education. Hawaii News Now.

The halls of Kekaha Elementary School were missing a key fixture Tuesday — teachers. Garden Island.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

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

copyright 2015 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Lihue, Kauai, airport © 2015 All Hawaii News
Parking rates at airports across Hawaii will be going up starting Dec. 1. At five airports, including Honolulu Airport (HNL), the daily maximum rate to park will increase by $3, according to the state Department of Transportation. For HNL that means it will cost $18 to park 24 hours there. For Kahului (OGG), Kapalua Airport (JHM), Lihue (LIH), Hilo (ITO) and Kailua-Kona (KOA), it will cost $15. Star-Advertiser.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oahu

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hawaii

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maui

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

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

Kauai

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

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