Transparency a problem for Hawaii Gov. Ige, lieutenant governor wants more responsibility, death with dignity petition gathers names, two-year-old issues surface for Maui mayor, weakened ethics bill advances on Big Island, Lanai short of affordable housing, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. David Ige at 2014 inauguration, courtesy photo

Gov. David Ige made open government an important part of his campaign for governor. But since assuming the governorship 10 months ago, Ige has fallen short on some of his key campaign promises when it comes to government transparency. Star-Advertiser.

Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui  is pushing for a bill in the Legislature that will change the election process for lieutenant governors. Instead of running separately, the governor would select a lieutenant governor as a running mate. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations continues to smooth out the process of keeping elevators safe and up to code. Tribune-Herald.

‘Death With Dignity’ for Hawaii? An online petition aims to persuade House Speaker Joe Souki to take up physician-assisted suicide at the Legislature. Civil Beat.

A government council says Hawaii’s longline fishing fleet is suffering a big economic impact because of quotas and that in turn means consumers are paying a high price at the market. KHON2.

Oahu

Ansaldo Honolulu JV, the firm that won the largest contract in state history to deliver rail’s train cars and signaling system, recently understaffed key job positions at a “critical juncture” of the transit project, according to the agency overseeing rail. Star-Advertiser.

A Honolulu City Council idea to provide property tax breaks to businesses suffering from construction of the rail project is being panned by the Caldwell administration for lacking specific details. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell often gets showered in mochi, manapua and mangoes. But he also gets treated to an occasional free meal or gift basket. While some of these goodies come from colleagues on neighbor islands — such as Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, who gave Caldwell some lychee and guri guri ice cream in June — other gifts come from well-heeled business types, a review of his gift log shows. Civil Beat.

A “God bless the military” sign is staying up at the Marine base in Kaneohe, despite cries from a religious freedom group that the message is unconstitutional. Star-Advertiser.

Friday was supposed to be the last day of the Kakaako homeless encampment. But the remnants of what was once the biggest homeless community in Honolulu will remain until Tuesday, as the city’s maintenance crew needs an extra day to finish the cleanup work. Civil Beat.

Large homeless camps along the Kapalama Canal and in Kakaako are being swept away, but to where? Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture hopes to start construction in about a year on its 150-acre, $23 million Kunia Agricultural Park project in Central Oahu, which would afford 23 lessees the ability to farm and live on the property. Pacific Business News.

Family and friends say 25-year-old Colin Cook lost most of his leg in a shark attack off Oahu’s North Shore. Associated Press.

Hawaii

A weakened bill attempting to tighten county ethics standards is trudging toward its eighth hearing this year before the Hawaii County Council, as council members work to hack off all the offending pieces. West Hawaii Today.

An East Hawaii developer says he hopes to jump-start the economy along the Hamakua Coast with a new, multiuse project rooted in the property’s history. Meanwhile, some neighbors of the 9-acre parcel in Hakalau are awaiting a decision regarding their request that the county purchase the land to preserve it as a park. Tribune-Herald.

Following a strong showing at a public listening session last month, proponents of a ratepayer-owned electric utility on Hawaii Island continue to push what they see as a superior alternative to the proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaii Electric Light Co. by Florida-based NextEra Energy Inc. Tribune-Herald.

While it’s not clear where it will be placed, University of Hawaii at Hilo still plans to buy a new teaching telescope after being told to remove its tiny observatory from Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald.

The emergency rules enacted by the State of Hawaii restricting access to Mauna Kea have been invalidated by the Circuit Court of the Third Circuit. Judge Ronald Ibarra made the ruling Friday. Big Island Video News.

You can see the imposing mass of Mauna Loa from space. It encompasses more than half of Hawaii Island, rises 13,680 feet above the Pacific, and is so heavy it depresses the ocean floor below it almost 5 miles. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A secretly recorded conversation exposes unguarded talk among four officials in the administration of Mayor Alan Arakawa in March 2013 - more than a year before Arakawa would seek re-election for an unprecedented third four-year term. Maui News.

It's no secret that film producer Ryan Kavanaugh was generous to Mayor Alan Arakawa and those close to him, which was something the mayor discussed publicly during the March 9, 2013, Mayor's Kokua Ball at the King Kamehameha Golf Course clubhouse in Waikapu. Maui News.

The agency that measures air quality from pollutant-producing businesses is fining Maui County along with seven businesses and two Kauai agencies for failing to pass air quality tests. Associated Press.

An old Pioneer Mill cane haul road is being planned as a new roadway to relieve congestion on Honoapiilani Highway, where southbound traffic is expected to increase by 50 percent over the next five years, according to construction plans. Maui News.

The Upcountry water meter priority list has gone from 1,887 properties in 2013, when the list was closed, to 1,765 as of Friday, about a year after the water department began issuing meters to long-waiting applicants. Maui News.

Kauai

A pair of state lawmakers said a pay raise resolution passed this week by the County Council probably won’t amount to much any time soon. Garden Island.

There’s a new sugar plantation on Kauai. The waving fields of cane cover 7 acres, and they represent one new-but-old facet of the broad diversity of agriculture on the island. Garden Island.

Lanai

Lanai residents frustrated with the shortage of affordable housing on the island confronted Mayor Alan Arakawa during his administration's annual community budget meeting Thursday night on Lanai. Maui News.

Breaking: Judge invalidates Mauna Kea Thirty Meter Telescope emergency rule

Mauna Kea Thirty Meter Telescope protest

Friday the Circuit Court of the Third Circuit, State of Hawaii, granted a partial motion for summary judgment that has the effect of invalidating the Mauna Kea emergency rule. Attorney General Chin and Chair Case released the following statement in response: “The State acknowledges the Court’s decision and will abide by it. We remind people traveling to Mauna Kea that even in light of today’s ruling existing laws and rules remain. It is always illegal to block the road. This includes standing in the road or placing obstructions in the road. These laws will continue to be enforced.” News release.

A Circuit Court judge has issued a ruling invalidating the state's Mauna Kea emergency rule aimed at curbing protests against the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope atop the Big Island mountain. Star-Advertiser.

A state judge has invalidated the emergency rules that made it illegal to be on Mauna Kea at night. The state Board of Land and Natural Resources approved the rules in July after activists opposed to the Thirty Meter Telescope blocked the road in an effort to stop its construction at the summit. Hawaii News Now.


State Circuit Court Judge Ronald Ibarra on Friday invalidated the Manua Kea emergency rules that the state Board of Land and Natural Resources approved in July to restrict access to the Big Island mountaintop in an attempt to allow construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope to proceed. Civil Beat.

Hawaii to make crop pesticide information public, Honolulu council tackles ethical legal cloud over rail project, Kakaako homeless sweep, police chief sues Ethics Commission, Stryker Brigade on its last legs, Kaʻu coffee land being sold, Kauai historic one-lane bridges to get upgrades, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hilo Farmer's Market produce © 2015 All Hawaii News

Hawaii residents can expect to have more information soon about what pesticides large agricultural companies are applying to crops statewide. The state Department of Agriculture is planning to expand the Good Neighbor Program, a voluntary effort on Kauai in which large agricultural companies — Dow AgroSciences, Pioneer, Syngenta, BASF and Kauai Coffee Company — voluntarily report the types and amounts of restricted-use pesticides that are sprayed each month. Civil Beat.

The state Health Department last month halted the delivery of Thai basil from a farm in Waianae and ordered crops destroyed after finding unacceptable levels of pesticide residue. The health department said 5,000 pounds of Thai basil grown at Wong Hon Hin, Inc.’s farm was destroyed on Sept. 30. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Department of Health ordered approximately 5,000 pounds of Thai basil grown at an Oahu farm to be destroyed after inspectors found dangerous insecticide levels on the crops during routine testing last month. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Chair Suzanne Case has chosen Curt Cottrell to serve as the next administrator of the State Parks Division. Civil Beat.

Kamehameha Schools trustee Janeen-Ann Olds has stepped down from the board, just hours after a state judge rejected her bid for a second term. Hawaii News Now.

NextEra Energy and Hawaiian Electric Industries still support their proposed $4.3 billion merger agreement despite continued opposition from Gov. David Ige’s administration. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A legal cloud hanging over a vote taken by the Honolulu City Council in 2012 is pushing current Council members to rush through a new measure to ensure the rail project doesn’t incur millions of dollars in late payments and debt. City officials say Bill 73, essentially a revote of a bond OK given in 2012, needs to be given final approval by January to avoid late payment or interest that could cost taxpayers about $3 million a month. Star-Advertiser.

It was the end of an era Thursday for the sometimes contentious Stryker Brigade in Hawaii, with the speedy eight-wheeled vehicles blasting away, likely for the last time, at targets at a big Schofield Barracks range ahead of an Army plan to move the vehicles out of the state to cut costs, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

After spending the day picking up tons of discarded debris, a cleanup crew will return today for what the city hopes will be the last of the Kakaako homeless encampment. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu city crews on Thursday began clearing the final section of one of the nation’s largest homeless encampments, once home to hundreds of people. Associated Press.

Many of Kakaako’s Homeless Are Not Shelter-Bound. The city says there’s sufficient space in shelters for everyone, but critics point out a lot of people don’t qualify for admission, and others just don’t want to go. Civil Beat.

Stanford Carr Development’s planned Keauhou Lane Kakaako mixed-use residential project held a blessing on Thursday, with plans to break ground soon. Pacific Business News.

In an unusual if not unprecedented move, Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha has sued the city Ethics Commission, trying to get a court to stop an ethics probe targeting him and his wife. Hawaii News Now.

When people talk about political campaigns, the focus these days is usually on the presidential primary elections.  But locally, among the races coming up is the one for Honolulu Mayor.  There are less than four months remaining until candidates can file to run - and there’s already a bit of tension between two potential rivals. Hawaii Public Radio.

More taxicab drivers are headed to court to face substantial fines and/or jail time for violations since the city Customer Services Department resumed group field inspections of taxicabs — a practice that had ceased in 2013 due to staff constraints. Star-Advertiser.

A plan to build a luxury condominium-hotel tower on the site of King’s Village in Waikiki received a largely favorable response at a city public hearing Thursday, though some objections were raised over the tower exceeding standard height, density and setback rules. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii News Now's Investigation into deplorable conditions at one of the University of Hawaii's College of Education buildings has uncovered another example of neglect -- millions in insurance money that was left unspent for years. Hawaii News Now.

People whose homes are near the trailhead to Maunawili Falls are asking a state judge to order the state, city and the private landowner of the popular hiking trail into mediation with them to address their complaints over how hikers are negatively affecting their neighborhood. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A 6,000-acre swath of Ka‘u land has a likely buyer, but the farmers who have coaxed world-class coffee from the soil are still haggling for licenses to continue their work. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Liquor Control Commission defined dancing Wednesday after years of pressure from Maui dance advocates, who now hope the ruling will allow customers to bob their heads or tap their toes outside a designated dance floor. Maui News.

Kauai

Federal highway officials and the state Department of Transportation are in the process of designing a permanent replacement for Wainiha’s trio of historic one-lane bridges. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council approved a resolution Wednesday night supporting raising the minimum wage in Hawaii. The resolution says the council encourages the Legislature to consider increasing the minimum wage in 2020 following the increases that are already currently scheduled through 2018. Garden Island.

More Ige agencies oppose NextEra buyout of Hawaiian Electric, Hawaiian Independence Day set, tsunami money coming to Hawaii, monk seals increase, Maui defines dancing, Kakaako homeless sweep continues, median Honolulu home surges to $730l, coral bleaching worries Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian Electric Co. worker courtesy photo

Gov. David Ige’s administration said Wednesday it is not in favor of NextEra Energy Inc.’s purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries even after NextEra revised its proposal in August, adding more than 50 new binding commitments. The state Office of Planning; the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; and the state Consumer Advocate filed more than 480 pages Wednesday with the Public Utilities Commission, saying that even with Next­Era’s revised commitments, the sale is not in the public interest. Star-Advertiser..

The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved legislation that would improve tsunami preparedness and provide more money for research to protect coastal communities from the giant waves. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz announced Thursday that both the House and Senate have given the nod to a new bill he has co-sponsored which will increase tsunami readiness and improve the accuracy of alarms and forecasts. West Hawaii Today.

Some 148 monk seal pups were born in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in 2015. That’s up 22 percent from the 121 documented births in 2014, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Scientists recently returned from a months-long deployment monitoring the monk seal population, tallying births and intervening with sick and injured animals, according to a NOAA Fisheries update. They reported that 148 pups were born in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in 2015, a 22 percent increase over the previous year. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Department of Education is recommending changes to its school calendar after parents and lawmakers urged the state to consider starting school later due to high temperatures this summer. Associated Press.

An independent court master is recommending that Probate Judge Derrick Chan not reappoint Janeen-Ann Olds to a second term as a Kamehameha Schools trustee because she’s lost the support of her fellow trustees in the wake of scandals involving telecommunications company Sandwich Isles Communications and its parent company, Waimana Enterprises. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
Discussion on a bill extending the 0.5 percent excise tax surcharge for rail on Oahu through the end of 2027 will be heard by a Honolulu City Council committee in the coming weeks, Council Chairman Ernie Martin said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu received $9.8 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to combat homelessness last year, but any future funding could be in jeopardy. That’s because HUD is wielding the power of federal purse-strings to crack down on efforts to criminalize homelessness — something critics say Honolulu is doing with its expanding sit-lie ban. Civil Beat.

As the city prepares its final push to clear out the last of the Kakaako homeless encampment today and Friday, Mayor Kirk Caldwell said some homeless people have simply moved next door and set up an illegal camp on state land at Kewalo Basin. Star-Advertiser.

With final sweeps set to begin Thursday, people in the densest parts of the Kakaako homeless encampment were preparing Wednesday for their looming eviction. Civil Beat.

State homelessness coordinator Scott Morishige says there is shelter space available for all the residents.  Efforts of a different kind are continuing for another segment of the homeless population: military veterans. Hawaii Public Radio.

The median sales price of a single-family home on Oahu rose by more than 7 percent in September to hit a record-shattering $730,000 on a 3.5 percent jump in sales, according to Multiple Listing Service data compiled by the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

There’s been no food served at the Honolulu Community College cafeteria for the last 13 months as school officials struggled to find a new vendor and brought in food trucks to temporarily serve the campus. Hawaii News Now.

University officials confirm that after Thursday, classes will no longer be held in Building 1 on UH's College of Education campus. This comes less than 24 hours after Hawaii News Now exposed what faculty said were unsafe and unhealthy conditions.

A popular Waialua bakery known for its “snow puffies” pastries has closed after the state Health Department temporarily suspended its food safety permit due to improper temperature controls. Under the state’s color-coded food safety inspection program, the Health Department’s Sanitation Branch on Tuesday issued Paalaa Kai Bakery a red placard — the first one to be issued to a food establishment in Hawaii since implementation of the system in July 2014. Star-Advertiser.

The developer of a condominium tower that opened in Kakaako earlier this year made its argument Wednesday to a state board for why the firm should be excused for violating an ineffective rule aimed at limiting reflectivity of high-rise building glass. Star-Advertiser.

State agricultural pest officials are refocusing efforts to eradicate a beetle that has touched off the deaths of more than 100 coconut and palm trees on Oahu, shifting traps to an area stretching to Nanakuli from Iroquois Point. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Hawaiian Kingdom’s most important national holiday — La Kuokoa, or Independence Day — was officially recognized Wednesday by the Hawaii County Council in a nonbinding resolution asking the state Legislature to add Nov. 28 to its list of state holidays. West Hawaii Today.

Today marks the anniversary of the ceremonial groundbreaking celebration for the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea. The day was so mired in confusion and interrupted by opposition to the project that the actual groundbreaking for the $1.4 billion observatory never happened. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The Maui County Liquor Control Commission defined dancing Wednesday after years of pressure from Maui dance advocates, who now hope the ruling will allow customers to bob their heads or tap their toes outside a designated dance floor. Maui News.

Dana Souza was selected as the next director of the Maui County Department of Liquor Control on Wednesday, following the announced retirement of longtime head Franklyn Silva. Maui News.

A newly published study on the health effects of cane burning finds a link between sugar cane burning and acute respiratory illness on Maui, though an official with Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. disputes the findings and methodology of the research. Maui News.

More Upcountry residents may be getting their long-awaited water meters as the Maui County Council passed a bill Tuesday that offers exemptions from expensive street and fire protection improvements for some on the waiting list. Maui News.

County of Maui wants to teach us all Aloha because of the 2014 Kalama Park video guy. MauiTime.

Kauai

Kauai’s colorful corals are going white, a crisis that is spreading and devastating reefs across the globe. Garden Island.

The public is advised that a portion of Waipouli Road, about a quarter-mile from the Hauiki Road junction in Kapaa, will be closed to through traffic next week to allow for a drain culvert replacement. Garden Island.

In preparation for the next application cycle for the Community Development Block Grant funding, the Kauai County Housing Agency will be conducting workshops for those new to the program. Garden Island.

Counties must define dancing, Hawaii-based military warns about South China Sea claims, humpback whales arrive early, whistle-blower lawsuit in Honolulu rail work, unions settle state hiring grievance, Maui mulls mayor-less government, enterprise zones advance, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Dancing at a Kona hotel pool party © 2015 All Hawaii News

What is dancing? That’s the question that the four county liquor commissions in Hawaii are asking now that the state has forced them to define dancing if they want to continue regulating it in bars, restaurants, clubs and hotels. Civil Beat.

Another Hawaii-based military leader has stepped up the rhetoric against China’s island-building and territorial claims in the South China Sea, this time ahead of what could be a bolder U.S. military demonstration of air and sea navigation rights through the area. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige is traveling to Japan and China to promote educational partnerships, energy cooperation and investment in Hawaii. Associated Press.

The state is phasing out the use of private contractors for highway landscaping and other maintenance work, costing taxpayers more money and settling two long-time class-action grievances filed by one of the state's most powerful unions, the United Public Workers. Hawaii News Now.

A couple of humpback whales have arrived early to the Hawaiian Islands this humpback whale season, which generally runs November through May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today. Star-Advertiser.

The number of Hawaii residents attempting to use fake urine to trick workplace drug tests is at its highest point since 2012, according to recent drug test data from Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Gas’ parent will invest $6 million in two solar energy projects in the state in a deal that is expected to close before the end of October, a company spokesman confirmed to Pacific Business News.

Opinion: Implementing a high-tech tax credit more than a decade ago was well-meaning and helped jumpstart the technology sector in Hawaii, but there was little thought put into measuring its costs and benefits. It will likely become a costly lesson for state lawmakers. Star-Advertiser.

Opinion: Native Hawaiian Election Throws Out All the Rules. None of the customary election laws apply to the high-stakes selection of delegates to a constitutional convention regarding a new government. Civil Beat.

Oahu

John McCaughey quit as the head of Ansaldo Honolulu's construction safety program in July because he thought the company was jeopardizing workers' safety. In a lawsuit filed last week, McCaughey said the company -- which is being paid $1.4 billion to build the trains and operate them -- cut corners by not hiring the required safety experts. Hawaii News Now.

The completion this month of steel framing for the International Market Place puts the redevelopment on track to reopen in August, creating jobs for an anticipated 2,500 employees and contract workers. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Congressman Mark Takai took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu and its renaming in honor of the late Sen. Daniel Inouye. Civil Beat.

The Trump International Waikiki in Hawaii is one of seven in the The Trump Hotel Collection where guests may have been affected by payment system hacks that lasted nearly a year. Pacific Business News.

Residents at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe who are suing a developer over a possible connection between health problems and pesticide contamination got a big boost from the state Health Department last month. The state wants the developer to test for soil contamination in anticipation of turning the matter over to the federal agency that assesses toxic waste sites. Star-Advertiser.

State land officials are touting their latest efforts to shield Oahu residents and their homes from potential rockfalls, with a new protective fence going up on the hillside below the popular Lanikai pillbox trail. Star-Advertiser.

Good news from the Hawaii Department of Transportation Tuesday. Work on the Wilson Tunnel won’t take as long as initially expected. KHON2.

Inside University of Hawaii's College of Education are Hawaii's future elementary school teachers.  Students conducted experiments Monday while the building where they learn crumbled around them. Hawaii News Now.

Fourteen Honolulu homes purchased for more than $2 million apiece last month helped Hawaii’s main housing market break another record. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Opposition from some County Council members has resulted in a scaled-back enterprise zone plan that doesn’t swallow up large conservation areas in West Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County on Tuesday took a step toward purchasing land in Ka‘u that once hosted Makahiki events. County Council members, meeting as the Finance Committee, advanced a resolution that would authorize negotiations to acquire the 13 acres assessed at $179,000. Tribune-Herald.

A Hualalai Road condominium project for middle-income families could break ground in two months and have its first units ready within three years, following a favorable vote Tuesday by the County Council Planning Committee. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Electric Light Co., the Big Island subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Co., which is involved in a $4.3 billion sale with NextEra Energy Inc., is valued at just over $700 million, the head of the state’s Division of Consumer Advocacy confirmed to Pacific Business News Tuesday.

Construction has been completed on a mobile slaughterhouse geared specifically to the island’s smaller producers. The unit contained in a 36-foot trailer is in Tacoma, Wash., waiting to be shipped, said Mike Amado, president of the Hawaii Island Meat Cooperative. West Hawaii Today.

On Monday, a small group of cultural practitioners, government officials, and project contractors gathered by the edge of the hardened lava flow on Cemetery Road to take part in a Hawaiian blessing. Following the ceremony performed by Kahu Moses Kaho’okele Crabbe and Pi’ilani Ka’awaloa, Ludwig Construction crews began removing the lava, which burned across the road almost an entire year ago. Big Island Video News.

Maui

A Maui County Council committee has been assigned the task of establishing a special committee on county governance to consist of community and government officials, who would consider different forms of government, including an already proposed council-hired county manager system without a mayor. Maui News.

The Mayor’s Maui Homeless Initiative, a task force put together to address solutions to homelessness and affordable housing in Maui County, held its first meeting today. Maui Now.

Maui County Liquor Control Director Frank Silva retiring after 22 years. MauiTime.
More Upcountry residents may be getting their long-awaited water meters as the Maui County Council passed a bill Tuesday that offers exemptions from expensive street and fire protection improvements for some on the waiting list. Maui News.

The Maui Demolition & Construction Landfill is seeking a solid waste management renewal permit from the state Department of Health for its ongoing operations in Maalaea. Maui News.

Kauai

The turbine is back together, but it will still be another six to eight weeks until Green Energy Team’s $90 million biomass-to-energy facility in Koloa starts producing steam. Garden Island.

The median price of a condominium unit on Kauai rose by 62 percent year-over-year last month to reach $390,000, while actual sales only saw a slight uptick in activity, according a monthly report compiled by Hawaii Information Service on behalf of the Kauai Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Business groups push Ige to enforce law on Mauna Kea for Thirty Meter Telescope, big Obamacare rate hikes coming, Environmental Council seeks board members, floating windfarm coming to Oahu south shore, new rules for Big Island public land management, Maui deputy prosecutor seeks top job, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Mauna Kea TMT blockade, courtesy Big Island Video News

Nearly a year since a ceremonial groundbreaking took place atop Mauna Kea for construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, progress remains stalled. On Sunday, fourteen pro-business groups expressed their displeasure over the lack of any headway and demanded Gov. David Ige provide “safe passage” so the $1.4 billion telescope can be built. The groups include various chambers of commerce as well as pro-union trade groups. KITV4.

Gov. David Ige has neglected to fill a number of vacancies on the state’s Environmental Council and members say that is crippling the agency. Civil Beat.

Obamacare is getting pricier for Hawaii residents. The state approved a 27.3 percent rate hike for Hawaii Medical Service Association’s individual members and a 34.4 percent increase for Kaiser Permanente members in Affordable Care Act plans for 2016. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii has the highest average mortgage closing costs in the nation, driven, in part, by high third-party fees, according to a ranking by Bankrate.com. Pacific Business News.

Life of the Land, one of 28 intervenors taking part in the regulatory review of the sale of Hawaiian Electric Co. to NextEra Energy Inc., asked the two companies to provide a document log regarding discussions they have had to end the proposed acquisition. In their response, Hawaiian Electric and NextEra Energy said that “no such document has been created.” Pacific Business News.

With the vote to elect delegates for a Hawaiian constitutional convention just weeks away, critics say the way the election is being handled is flawed. Hawaii News Now.

Oct. 15 is the deadline for all Native Hawaiians to register to vote in the election of delegates to a constitutional convention, or aha. Civil Beat.

A year ago, the federal Department of the Interior, DOI, travelled throughout Hawai‘i soliciting comments on a path to Hawaiian nationhood.  Last week the DOI proposed a rule to facilitate governmental relations if Hawaiians form a unified government on their own. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Former state Energy Administrator Ted Peck has teamed up with a year-old, Oregon-based renewable energy developer on a plan to bring a 400-megawatt floating wind farm to a site 15 miles off Oahu’s South Shore. Star-Advertiser.

State regulators are demanding answers from Hawaiian Telcom about why repairs to rain-soaked telephone lines took weeks and even up to one month in some cases. Hawaii News Now.

Some people living in tents and tarps around the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center said Monday they have no idea where they’ll go when city crews move in this week to clean out the last and densest portion of the Kakaako homeless encampment. Star-Advertiser.

When it comes to overall driver satisfaction, Honolulu finishes dead last in a rating of U.S. metropolitan areas, according to data from the navigation app Waze. Civil Beat.

The city would be required to maintain vegetation along roads whose ownership is in dispute under a bill before the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

The senior enlisted sailor on the Pearl Harbor destroyer USS Michael Murphy was relieved of his duties in the wake of ship-based equal opportunity complaints, the Navy said today. Star-Advertiser.

It's no longer used for launching vessels. Instead, beachgoers use the boat ramp at Pokai Bay for parking, despite No Parking signs and police issuing parking tickets. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

A land management fund that voters approved in 2012 will finally get rules to ensure proper disbursement and monitoring, thanks to a bill the County Council will consider Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Creating town or neighborhood centers, adding recreation facilities and paving roads are among the goals listed in a new Hawaiian Paradise Park Community Master Plan. Developed by a committee of HPP residents, the planning document is intended to improve services in the massive Puna subdivision and address issues that long have plagued its residents, including substandard roads. Tribune-Herald.

Work began Monday on chipping through the roughly 10-foot-thick layer of lava 500 feet long that overran Cemetery Road last October in Pahoa, Hawaii Island. Star-Advertiser.

What began in 1941 as a small vocational school serving 183 students has ballooned into Hawaii Community College, with more than 3,000 students enrolled in 26 different programs. Tribune-Herald.

Romeo, a 4-year-old Labrador retriever, is safe and sound after falling 20 feet into a ground crack Saturday evening in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

More than two dozen people gathered at Kahekili Beach Park on Maui over the weekend for the statewide “Bleachapalooza” event, organized to bring attention to the damaging effects of coral bleaching in the islands. Maui Now.

There’s now an easier way to volunteer your time, energy, expertise and resources to Maui nonprofits: Handsonmaui.com, a website built by the Maui County Department of Housing & Human Concerns’ Volunteer Center as part of its Get Connected program. MauiTime.

A free, interactive map displaying car break-ins, assaults and other crimes is available online, allowing Maui County residents to check the safety of their neighborhoods and to identify areas where they might want to exercise caution. Maui News.

Coqui frogs are small in size - but the impact of their presence is huge. That's been understood for quite some time on the Big Island of Hawai'i…but it's a growing and unpleasant discovery for some residents in upcountry Maui. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Former deputy prosecutor Lisa Arin will officially declare herself a candidate for the office of Kauai’s Prosecuting Attorney on the steps of the 5th Circuit Courthouse at 12:30 p.m. today. Garden Island.

Prominent people seek marijuana licenses, lawmakers block biotech correspondence, $1.7B tech tax credits run amok, teachers' ethics compromise planned, Big Island biotech to fuel power-hungry Oahu, $10M donated for Punahou scholarships, federal funds for false killer whale study, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Discount Medical Marijuana cannabis shop in Denver, courtesy O'Dea

Big-name entrepreneurs, high-profile attorneys and former politicians are positioning themselves to compete for one of the eight licenses the state will issue next year to begin selling medical marijuana legally in Hawaii for the first time. Nearly 30 new business registrations include “marijuana,” “cannabis,” “pakalolo” and “weed” in their names, many of them filed with the state since the enactment of the law authorizing the establishment of pot dispensaries. Many are associated with well-known business personalities. Star-Advertiser.

Two Hawaii lawmakers have rejected a request from a nonprofit organization seeking correspondence between the legislators and biotech companies or groups representing their interests. The Hawaii Center for Food Safety asked five lawmakers to share all their communications with seed companies such as Monsanto — as well as organizations representing them — regarding genetically engineered crops and bills related to buffer zones and pesticide use. Civil Beat.

Special state tax credits lawmakers approved almost 15 years ago to spur growth in Hawaii’s technology sector could eventually cost the state up to $1.7 billion in lost tax collections, or more than twice the amount the state previously estimated, according to the Hawaii state auditor. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. CEO and President Alan Oshima would like to puncture a dream once and for all: This state shouldn’t expect cheap electricity. It could become less expensive, eventually, but it won’t be cheap. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Gas’ $300 million plan to ship in liquefied natural gas in bulk amounts to the Islands could save the state in excess of $2 billion over a 15-year period from the beginning of 2019 through the end of 2033, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

A Board of Education committee has come up with a possible solution to the ethical dilemma posed by public school teachers traveling free as chaperones on field trips they organize with tour companies. Star-Advertiser.

Bruce Anderson, a well-known Hawaii leader in environmental protection, has been selected to be administrator of the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources. West Hawaii Today.

A new federal funding source for false killer whale research will allow researchers to dive deeper into their understanding of the elusive marine species. Last week, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, in partnership with Hawaii Pacific University and the Olympia, Wash.-based Cascadia Research Collective, received nearly $1.2 million in grant funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association fisheries division to support further conservation and research relating to the whales. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

The biggest construction and renovation projects at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific since 1966 have the Department of Veterans Affairs warning visitors to Punchbowl that things will be bumpy — and noisy and somewhat unsightly — for some time at the usually serene cemetery. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Planning Commission voted last week to recommend approval of a city proposal to rezone about 282 acres in Waipahu to make way for mixed-use communities around the area’s two rail stations. Star-Advertiser.

Here’s What Homeless People Have to Do to Get Their Property Back. When belongings are confiscated instead of trashed, Honolulu’s retrieval process is too expensive and cumbersome for many. Civil Beat.

The Sierra Club of Hawaii has expressed “extreme disappointment” in Governor Ige, the U.S. Navy, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for agreeing to a settlement that the nonprofit says does not do nearly enough to protect Oahu’s drinking water from the massive, “historically leaky” fuel storage tanks beneath Red Hill. Hawaii Independent.

Punahou School announced Sunday that it has received a $10 million gift from an anonymous donor and alumnus that will have a multiplier effect on its student financial aid program. The gift represents one of the most significant philanthropic contributions in the school’s history, and by far the largest ever made outside of a capital campaign. KHON2.

An unprecedented $10 million gift to Punahou School is expected to help 150 more families over the next five years afford an education at the state’s largest single-campus private school, and advance Punahou’s long-standing goal to increase access for qualified students. Star-Advertiser

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has plans to install protective fencing on a hillside just below the popular Lanikai 'Pillbox' trail. KITV4.

Hawaii

New liquor license fees to be considered Tuesday by the Hawaii County Council Finance Committee will usher in new opportunities for county businesses, officials say. West Hawaii Today.

Work will begin Monday to restore Cemetery Road in Pahoa, a large portion of which less than a year ago was covered by lava. Tribune-Herald.

A renewable energy project in South Kohala is catching its second wind with a new operator. Lalamilo Wind Co. LLC is building five wind turbines at the former Lalamilo Wind Farm near Puako, which Hawaii Electric Light Co. decommissioned in 2010 after operating for 25 years. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has approved a contract between Hawaiian Electric Co. and Pacific Biodiesel Technologies to supply biodiesel for Oahu power generators. West Hawaii Today.

VIDEO PRESENTATION: Ka’u Coffee Economic & Risk Analysis. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui is down to only a handful of agricultural inspectors a day - the frontline defense against new invasive species arrivals such as the little fire ant and coqui frogs - and there does not appear to be any relief in sight with a deadly fungus rapidly killing Big Island ohia trees. Maui News.

Former Maui Film Commissioner Harry Donenfeld's termination from his job nearly two years ago went unexplained publicly at the time, but in a recent interview Mayor Alan Arakawa disclosed that Donenfeld was fired because "he wasn't coming to work, period." Maui News.

Road work begins today, Monday, Oct. 5, in the Summit District of Haleakalā National Park. Maui Now.

The mayor's South Maui budget meeting that was canceled due to a tsunami advisory Sept. 16 has been rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Kihei Community Center. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai’s Hilo Hattie store isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Even though the company is downsizing and relocating its flagship store on Oahu, company officials say the original Kauai branch will stay right where it is. Garden Island.

The newest store in the Longs chain on Kauai was blessed and dedicated Sunday morning before a handful of customers. Garden Island.

Hawaii 'Bleachapalooza' coral inventory set for Saturday, military, EPA ink agreement on leaky Red Hill storage tanks, helipads coming to Ellison's Lanai property, UH Cancer Center money unresolved, wind works on Maui, Big Island, Honolulu rail work chugging along, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Bird wrasse amid Hawaii coral © 2015 All Hawaii News

The state department of Land and Natural Resources launches a “Beachapalooza” event this weekend to bring attention to the damaging effects of coral bleaching in the islands. Maui Now.

Volunteers will be searching for the damage to the island’s coral reefs caused by high water temperatures Saturday, and more people are needed. They’re looking for coral bleaching, when corals go from their normal vibrancy to a whiteness close to death. West Hawaii Today.

NextEra Energy Inc., the company proposing to buy Hawaiian Electric Co. for $4.3 billion, won’t go through the acquisition process a second time if Hawaii regulators ultimately nix the current proposal that’s on the table, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Innocence Project is looking to revamp its image in the community. It was started in 2005 by retiring UH law professor Virginia Hench and local defense attorneys Susan Arnett, Brook Hart and Bill Harrison. Like other Innocence Projects throughout the U.S., its goal is to free the wrongfully convicted. Civil Beat.

Hawaii has a new sheriff in town. The Department of Public Safety announced its appointment Thursday of Renee Sonobe Hong to head the state Sheriff Division. Civil Beat.

Oahu

State and federal officials said Thursday that “immediate and long-term” actions being required of the Navy will help reduce the threat of future leaks at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Star-Advertiser.

A new agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Hawaii Department of Health, the U.S. Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency outlines a plan to upgrade underground fuel storage tanks in Red Hill over the next 20 years. Civil Beat.

Senator Laura Thielen deems Honolulu’s drinking water to be at continued contamination risk even after the Navy and the state struck an agreement today concerning leaks from fuel tanks at the Red Hill facility. Hawaii Independent.

Members of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents Budget and Finance Committee couldn’t agree Thursday on how much money to seek from the state Legislature for the financially troubled UH Cancer Center, and instead passed out a budget proposal omitting the $5 million university officials had wanted. Star-Advertiser.

A structural assessment of the Wilson Tunnel on Likelike Highway has identified additional deterioration of stainless-steel rods supporting the ceiling, state Department of Transportation officials said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Workers are almost done building the rail system’s Pearl City-based high-tech operations center — a milestone that rail leaders touted Thursday — but the deal for the city to own the land under that site still isn’t done and at least one key rail official is concerned about how that might affect the project. Star-Advertiser.

HART Executive Director Dan Grabauskas, along with Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, sounded upbeat when showing off the structures and rail already being laid down at HART’s Rail Operations Center. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu buildings deal with elevator issues, maintenance problems. KHON2.

A city crew patched potholes on Halekauwila Street in Kakaako on Thursday following weeks of heavy rain, but the public shouldn’t expect the same to be done for several nearby streets in shabby condition. That’s because the city has discontinued maintenance of at least five streets in central Kakaako after the private owner of the public thoroughfares restricted parking along major portions of Queen, Waimanu, Kawaiahao, Ilaniwai and Cummins streets. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge sentenced a former executive director of the Hawaii Center for Independent Living to 21 months in prison Thursday for embezzling nearly $180,000 in federal grant money from the now-defunct nonprofit organization, which provided services to people with disabilities.Star-Advertiser.

A third former employee of Waianae Community Outreach has been charged with felony theft, Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin announced Thursday. Civil Beat.

Firefighters are investigating a potentially toxic gas release at the Waiau Power Plant that occurred Thursday evening. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

A massive energy kite being developed in California could be deployed for testing near Waimea by early next year. West Hawaii Today.

Cinder mining operations will likely be expanded in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates without the county being forced to regulate assessments on private roads there, if the Windward Planning Commission follows through on planning director recommendations following a protracted contested case hearing that wrapped up Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

How to keep energy costs down dominated the public hearing at Kealakehe High School on a possible merger between Hawaii Electric Company and Florida-based NextEra Wednesday night. The hearing was organized by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, part of a series running across the state. West Hawaii Today.

On the Big Island, work is underway for a wind farm in South Kohala. The project will consist of five wind turbines – generating 3.3 megawatts of energy – for the Department of Water Supply wells. KITV4.

This weekend, Puna residents will have another opportunity to live through the harrowing approach of the June 27 lava flow. “The Pahoa Flow,” a documentary made by Pahoa-area residents Josh Ballauer, Jeremiah Lofgreen and Matt Tavares, will premiere Saturday at Uncle Robert’s Awa Bar in Kalapana. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A Maui County Council committee Wednesday recommended fast-track approval of the 184-unit Kenolio Apartments affordable rental housing project in Kihei, with a member saying affordable housing is "direly needed." Maui News.

Maui Electric Co. has steadily increased the amount of wind energy that it utilizes for power generation, leaving less curtailed, or wasted, energy on the table, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

South Maui state Rep. Kaniela Ing and Hawaiian activists Walter Ritte Jr. and Dr. Noa Aluli are among the candidates vying to be delegates to a Native Hawaiian constitutional convention. Maui News.

Kauai

Former deputy prosecutor Lisa Arin will officially announce her bid for the office of Kauai’s Prosecuting Attorney in the 2016 election Tuesday. Garden Island.

The planned revival of the shuttered Coco Palms Resort on Kauai is back on track after the county approved demolition permits for the famous resort. Star-Advertiser.

A local subsidiary of a Texas-based gasoline company has made a deal to acquire a mix of gas stations, convenience stores and Subway restaurants on Kauai from a 57-year-old kamaaina firm. Star-Advertiser.

Molokai

Molokai residents voiced largely opposition two weeks ago to a proposed merger between Hawaiian Electric and NextEra, a Florida-based energy company. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is gathering public feedback on the proposed $4.3 million merger and will make a decision within the next six months. Molokai’s feedback, said Commission Chair Randall Iwase, has been in keeping with what they’ve heard so far around the state. Molokai Dispatch.

Lanai

Billionaire Larry Ellison, who purchased 98 percent of the Hawaiian Island of Lanai several years ago for $300 million, has plans to develop helistop pads at the two luxury Four Seasons resorts that he owns on the Pineapple Island. Pacific Business News.

Gov. Ige goes paperless, auditor targets growing IT problems, Hawaii tourism dollars fly homeless back to mainland, online travel companies to pay $53M in back taxes, 209 vie for 40 Native Hawaiian delegate slots, Maui homeless next project, Big Island opposes NextEra utility purchase, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. David Ige goes paperless, courtesy Governor's Office

In an effort to get a grip on the growing cost of complex state computer projects, the state auditor has hired a private auditing firm to finally inventory how much state agencies are actually spending on information technology, and what the projects are designed to accomplish. Star-Advertiser.

In an effort to make government more efficient, Hawaii Gov. David Ige plans to start processing all documents electronically starting Thursday, according to a press release from his office. Civil Beat.

A unit set up in the state Attorney General’s Office to combat Medicaid fraud has failed to communicate with federal authorities about its investigations and worked on cases that were not allowed under a federal grant, according to the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Star-Advertiser.

The state Attorney General’s office said Wednesday that online travel companies will have to pay $53.1 million in general excise taxes, penalties and interest stemming from litigation that began in 2011. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaiian vacation tab has arrived for nine online travel companies, and it’s a big one. The companies, including Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz and Priceline, owe the state of Hawaii $53.1 million in general excise taxes, penalties and interest, the state Tax Appeal Court ruled. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s attorney general on Wednesday said the state has recovered more than $53.1 million in general excise tax, penalties and interest from nine online travel companies, following a final judgement by the state Tax Appeal Court. West Hawaii Today.

A federal research vessel returned to Honolulu on Wednesday after discovering perhaps a dozen species never seen before in an expedition exploring the coral reefs of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands at greater depths than ever before. Among the discoveries was a possible new species of sea horse and a sea star previously not seen in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

The list of delegates running in a election this fall to establish a way forward for Native Hawaiian self-determination includes a lot of names that will be familiar to many people. Civil Beat.

Some 209 candidates will vie for 40 delegate positions across the islands for the Native Hawaiian ‘aha constitutional convention that will work to form a Native Hawaiian government. Star-Advertiser.

209 candidates are running for 40 spots to help form a Native Hawaiian government.  The long-awaited list of people wanting to participate in the landmark Na'i Aupuni election was released just one day after the Department of Interior announced a pathway toward federal recognition for Native Hawaiians -- which has some asking what impact, if any, it will have on the November vote. Hawaii News Now.

Throughout November of 2015, Native Hawaiians who have been registered by the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission will be able to vote for 40 delegates to attend an ʻaha, or convention, in which those delegates will convene for the purpose of working out the details of a new Hawaiian government and determining what relationship the governing entity would have with the Hawaiian community, as well as with the State of Hawai‘i and the United States of America.  Hawaii Independent.

What does it mean to be local in Hawaii? That’s a discussion we’re diving into in a new thread in our popular Connections section. It launches today with a podcast featuring former Gov. Ben Cayetano and a story by a young man who left his dream life in Hawaii because he didn’t feel local enough. Civil Beat.

Oahu
The Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association pledged Wednesday to expand the Waikiki homeless outreach program that in the past 11 months served 355 people, including 115 who were assisted with buying airline tickets to leave the state. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s tourism industry and the state’s biggest homeless shelter operator are partnering to expand a program that flies homeless people back to the mainland. Civil Beat.

Fence built to deter homeless camp causes parking shortage near Honolulu Community College. Hawaii News Now.

Imagine a flood that raised the level of the Ala Wai Canal just seven feet. It's possible, and engineers are working on a way to keep those waters from overflowing into Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

Traffic, street parking, drainage and loss of the community’s character were among the issues raised by neighbors at a public meeting Wednesday about the proposed Skyline Honolulu condominium on the slopes of Punchbowl crater. Star-Advertiser.

Eight schools with large numbers of military dependents in West Oahu will benefit from a $1.5 million federal grant aimed at expanding learning opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields. Star-Advertiser.

Alan Oshima, president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Co., which is involved in a proposed $4.3 billion sale to NextEra Energy Inc., has met with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission eight times this year, more than he did in the three previous years combined, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

For more than a half century, the fountain at Kailua’s Pohakupu Mini Park has proudly welcomed visitors and residents into the Windward Oahu community. But for more than two years, it has sat in a state of disrepair. Its waters have gone from streaming to stagnant. KHON2.

Kamehameha Schools isn’t selling its leased fee interest in the 677 Ala Moana Building nor is it looking to buy the landmark Honolulu high-rise, a spokesman for the trust confirmed to Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Area residents who spoke during a public meeting were almost universally opposed to the pending acquisition of Hawaii Island’s electric utility. More than 300 people attended the meeting, with dozens waiting in line to speak to the PUC members. Tribune-Herald.

Hundreds packed the Hilo High School cafeteria Tuesday night for the Hawaii Public Utility Commission’s public listening session for the Hawaiian Electric Companies and NextEra Energy docket, a multi-billion dollar deal said to be one of the biggest economic transactions in state history. Big Island Video News.

A handful of Big Island residents spent Tuesday evening under a pop-up tent in the parking lot of Hilo High School giving out buttons, bumper stickers, yard signs and gray T-shirts emblazoned with “Own The Power.” Civil Beat.

Thirty-two candidates are running for seven positions as Hawaii Island delegates to a Native Hawaiian constitutional convention, or aha, set for early next year. In all, more than 200 candidates qualified for a total of 40 delegate positions, the organization in charge of the election and convention announced Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

A meeting opposed to the introduction of a marijuana grow site in Kohala included a strong current of local rule. West Hawaii Today.

A disagreement between the board that controls the roads in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates and two quarry companies over expansion of mining activities in the neighborhood played out before a Windward Planning Commission panel on Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

With construction on Kamehameha Avenue reaching an end after a year and a half of work, a host of smaller roadway projects continue in the Hilo area. Work on Manono Street and Kapiolani Street began earlier this year. A reconstruction project on Komohana Street is set to begin this week. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A Kahului resident has filed a petition to have the Maui Planning Commission consider sugar cane smoke when evaluating special management area use permits for projects near and around shorelines. Maui News.

The Grand Wailea reached a more than $3 million settlement Monday with nonmanagerial food and beverage workers owed back wages dating back to 2006, said a member of the class-action lawsuit. Maui News.

It’s been nearly a year since tourism officials funded a plan to tackle Waikīkī’s homeless problem. Now they’re looking to expand the model to neighbor islands, starting first on Maui. Hawaii Public Radio.

Since the announcement Sept. 23 that Kaiser Permanente has been chosen to take over Maui's three public hospitals, some - including Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui - have questioned what that would mean for residents who aren't insured by Kaiser. Maui News.

The Maui County Farm Bureau announced honorees of its annual award celebration, who were recognized for demonstrating tremendous support for Maui agriculture. Maui Now.

Kauai

Five candidates from Kauai County have been cleared to campaign in an upcoming private election for Native Hawaiian self-governance. Garden Island.