Hawaii lawmakers beef up budget to fight dengue and zika, Hanabusa takes over board of struggling Honolulu rail project, Maui homeless plan heads to court, thousands of octopus born at new facility, Tulsi mum on Sanders aspirations, cancer center future uncertain, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Worker sprays for dengue mosquitoes, courtesy Visionary Video

House and Senate negotiators agreed Thursday to allocate $1.27 million to help combat dengue fever, the Zika virus and other disease threats — funding that would allow the state to hire 20 additional people for vector control and other tasks. Star-Advertiser.

House and Senate lawmakers resumed state budget negotiations Thursday, agreeing to add 20 positions and $1.27 million for the state Department of Health’s fight against the dengue fever outbreak on the Big Island and the threat of the Zika virus. Civil Beat.

State lawmakers have agreed to a large increase in budget funding for vector control staffing in Hawaii, driven by concerns over mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and Zika. Big Island Video News.

The state Department of Health Vector Control Branch will receive a boost in funding after an agreement made between House and Senate conferees while discussing the state budget on Thursday. Hawaii News Now.

In 2014, 87 percent of Hawaii households had a computer, and 81 percent of Hawaii households subscribed to broadband internet, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Star-Advertiser.

While U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard “felt the Bern,” and broke party ranks by resigning as vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee in February in order to back Bernie Sanders’ bid for president, Sanders’ camp has been quiet as far as whether Gabbard would join the Vermont senator as his running mate, should he win the nomination. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

As the Honolulu rail agency’s new board chairwoman, former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa must now help guide the largest public works project in state history as it faces growing financial uncertainty and eroding public confidence. Star-Advertiser.

Former Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa was named Thursday chairwoman of the board for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, a semi-autonomous city agency in charge of building Honolulu’s $6.6 billion, 20-mile rail line. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation or HART increased its construction funding request by more than 2.3 billion dollars for the next fiscal year. Hawaii Public Radio.

It’s no secret Oahu’s rail transit project struggles with money problem. Now, for the first time, the board overseeing the project could consider shortening the route. KHON2.

Hawaii News Now has learned that the Honolulu Board of Water Supply will have to move parts, if not large segments, of a large water main to make way for the $6.5 billion rail transit project.

==================================

Six months after a mainland consultant issued a report outlining ways to turn around the financially struggling University of Hawaii Cancer Center, the Board of Regents has yet to take action, adding to lingering uncertainty around the research facility’s future. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii Cancer Center has selected one of its professors and program directors to be its new interim associate director as the current executive transitions back to the adjacent UH John A. Burns School of Medicine. Pacific Business News.

Among proposed improvements at Ala Moana Regional Park are a widened walkway fronting the beach, more grass across the sprawling campus and new nonvehicular entry at the end of Piikoi Street. Star-Advertiser.

The clean-energy giant SunEdison, which owns a trio of incomplete renewable energy projects on Oahu, filed for bankruptcy Thursday. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Kanaloa Octopus Farm, a recent startup at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority in North Kona, on Wednesday welcomed its first batch of cephalopod larvae, said Jake Conroy, president and CEO of the first commercial octopus farm in the U.S. The venture, which got underway in the summer of 2015, is looking to successfully rear octopus on land first for aquariums and someday supply the market. West Hawaii Today.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents approved a recommendation Thursday to hire Nevada community college administrator Rachel Solemsaas for the open post at HCC. Solemsaas will replace outgoing interim chancellor Joni Onishi. Tribune-Herald.

Three years after Ka ʻUmeke Kaʻeo held its first high school graduation, the Big Island charter school has announced plans to temporarily suspend its high school program for the coming school year. Civil Beat.

After years of infighting between apartment owners, and trouble paying its bills, Country Club Condos is hoping to renew its image — starting with a new name. Now called Oceanfront 121, the association-operated building at 121 Banyan Drive is advertising itself as a “healthy place to stay and live” on Hilo’s waterfront, with rooms starting at $700 a month. Utilities are included. Tribune-Herald.

A Honolulu attorney is asking the state to find another hearings officer to oversee the next contested case for the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope over concerns of a conflict of interest. Associated Press.

Maui

The Maui County Council will be holding a public hearing on property tax rates for the upcoming fiscal year at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Council Chambers in the Kalana O Maui building in Wailuku. Maui News.

A proposal to build a campground for transient homeless in Lahaina is headed to 2nd Circuit Court after the state Land Use Commission unanimously decided Wednesday that it could not reconsider its previous ruling on the project's requirements. Maui News.

House and Senate conference committee members are set this morning to take up three bills that aim to help public hospital employees facing possible job disruptions when operations of Maui region facilities transfer this summer to the private Maui Health System, a Kaiser Foundation Hospitals LLC. Maui News.

First it was in, then it was out, and now it’s back in again. Alexander & Baldwin, the 145-year-old real estate developer and agriculture business, could be covered under House Bill 2501, a contentious water rights measure making its way through the Hawaii Legislature. Civil Beat.

Completed ballots for the Philippines national elections may be dropped off at the Maui County Business Resource Center in the Maui Mall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, according to the county Department of Housing and Human Concerns Immigrant Services Division. Maui News.

Kauai

The police commission is investigating the Kauai Police Department after officers obtained a blood draw from a 25-year-old man involved in a car accident even though a judge denied a warrant request. Garden Island.

Mahina Anguay, principal of Waimea High School, won the Masayuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership Award Thursday Night. Garden Island.

Waimea High School Principal Mahina Anguay, who has linked classroom learning with real-life projects for students, received the $25,000 Masayuki Tokioka Excellence in School Leadership Award on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii officials explain homeless plan, bill clarifies public's right to film police, Uber driver accused of raping 16-year-old rider, HPD officer charged with bribery, Maui water plan lauded, Honolulu council tears into Caldwell budget, solar plane ready for takeoff, raises for Kauai employees, Big Island council passes vague $10M budget amendment, Honolulu has clean air, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Homeless tent in Waikiki © 2016 All Hawaii News

State Homeless Coordinator Scott Morishige, state Attorney General Doug Chin and Rachael Wong, director of the state Department of Human Services, spoke to the Star-Advertiser about the state’s wide-ranging approach to reduce the largest per capita homeless rate in the country through a mix of consistent social service outreach, systemic changes and ongoing sweeps by law enforcement officers.

State lawmakers are considering a bill to clarify the public’s right to photograph or film police officers. The bill would make it clear that filming or photographing police in a public space isn’t against the law as long as it doesn’t prevent police from doing their jobs. Associated Press.

Approximately 100 people gathered around Hangar 111 at Kalaeloa Airport and waved “goodbye” to Solar Impulse 2, the plane attempting to travel around the world powered only by the sun. Star-Advertiser.

Solar Impulse 2, the solar-powered plane that has been grounded in Hawaii since last summer awaiting repairs to its batteries is scheduled to take off from Hawaii on Thursday morning to complete the first-ever-round-the-world solar-powered flight, the aircraft’s officials said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A preliminary hearing will be held in Honolulu District Court today for Luke Wadahara, who was arrested Sunday and later charged with three counts of first-degree sexual assault for allegedly attacking a 16-year-old girl whom he picked up Sunday while working as an Uber driver. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Councilman Brandon Elefante has introduced a bill that proposes a new regulatory framework for Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing companies that rely on smartphone applications to connect passengers with drivers. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council members approved a draft of the city budget Wednesday that would deny Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s request to fund eight staff positions in a new housing division and cut $125 million of the $490.7 million that he is seeking for sewer improvements. Civil Beat.

An eight-year veteran of the Honolulu Police Department and a former University of Hawaii volleyball player, Maulia LaBarre, was arrested Tuesday in Waikiki by the state Attorney General’s Office for investigation of attempted bribery, prostitution and illegal use of a computer. Star-Advertiser.

A Honolulu police officer was arrested Tuesday night in Waikiki on suspicion of attempted bribery, prostitution and the unauthorized use of a computer, according to statements from Hawaii law enforcement agencies. Civil Beat.

Go ahead, take a deep breath. A new report from the American Lung Association says Honolulu has some of the cleanest air in the nation. Hawaii News Now.

A 32-story condominium-hotel that would replace the King’s Village shopping complex in Waikiki won approval from the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has chosen insurance company executive Colbert Matsumoto to replace Don Horner on the board that oversees the island’s rail transit project, according to a city news release. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell has picked Colbert Matsumoto to serve on the board of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit. Hawaii Public Radio.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell has appointed Colbert Matsumoto to the board of directors for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Matsumoto will fill the position left vacant by former Chairman Don Horner. Pacific Business News.

The Blood Bank of Hawaii, the islands’ sole source of blood, warned that continued efforts by the rail project to use eminent domain to seize a portion of its property could lead to a reduction in the state’s blood supply. Star-Advertiser.

Historical structures that date back to before World War II have become so dangerous that the state had to take action. KHON2.

Saks Fifth Avenue is looking to fill 130 full- and part-time positions for its new store in Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

With scant information to go on, the County Council on Wednesday voted to add $10 million to the county Parks and Recreation budget, doubling the repairs and improvements line item for the department. West Hawaii Today.

The Honolulu attorney for a group that sued to stop construction of the $1.4 billion observatory near the summit of Mauna Kea claims his clients’ rights to due process were again violated when the state selected retired Hilo Circuit Judge Riki May Amano to hear the next contested case hearing. Tribune-Herald.

The battle over the authenticity of emails that form part of a lawsuit against the Hawaii Island Humane Society will likely be resolved only by a forensic examination of the society’s servers. West Hawaii Today.

Legislators in the state House are advancing a bill that could boost the Big Island’s aerospace capabilities. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Island-based Mokulele Airlines is spreading its wings to service a new market — on the mainland. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Alexander & Baldwin has pledged to fully and permanently restore water to seven streams in East Maui that it’s been diverting to irrigate its sugar cane fields, the company’s CEO, Chris Benjamin, announced Wednesday while flanked by powerful members of the state House and Senate. Star-Advertiser.

Wednesday’s announcement by Alexander & Baldwin that it will permanently restore some streams for taro farms in East Maui was hailed by some legislative leaders — in particular, ones from Maui — as a critical first step in healing a wound inflicted over a century ago. But environmental groups and Native Hawaiian interests say A&B and the Hawaii Legislature are merely “throwing the farmers a bone” by making a “piecemeal return” of waters that does not fundamentally resolve A&B’s continued illegal diversion of waters for its agricultural needs. Civil Beat.

In a landmark announcement today, Alexander & Baldwin announced the release of water to several East Maui streams. Maui Now.

Alexander & Baldwin Inc. announced today that it is "fully and permanently" restoring water to priority taro streams in East Maui. Maui News.

Alexander & Baldwin announced today that it will stop diverting water from priority streams in East Maui as soon as possible.  The company announced its plans at a news conference with key state lawmakers. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

A proposed bill aimed to get tighter control over homestay operations was referred to committee Wednesday. Garden Island.

Some county employees will be receiving salary increases in July. Garden Island.

Karen Baldwin has resigned this week from her position on the board of directors at the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, the Lihue-based utility cooperative said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

About 30 people joined the Community Advisory Committee’s meeting on agriculture Tuesday afternoon. Garden Island.

Legislative negotiators agree on $10M for preschools, bluefin tuna at risk, Martin pulls papers for Honolulu mayor, rail could mean more new schools, Maui named top island in the world, Oahu elementary school named for Inouye, igloos for homeless, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Budget conference committee, courtesy Hawaii House

State Senate and House lawmakers began working out their differences on more than 300 bills today.  A high priority this session was homelessness and affordable housing. Hawaii Public Radio.

House and Senate lawmakers have agreed to provide $10 million for Preschool Open Doors, which is expected to help 1,500 at-risk kids access an early education program for low-income families. It was the most significant of many budget decisions that House Finance Chair Sylvia Luke and Senate Ways and Means Chair Jill Tokuda announced Tuesday in a packed conference room at the Capitol. Civil Beat.

Legislative leaders want to boost funding for a program that helps fund preschool for children from low-income families, and say they’ve agreed to increase the budget for the Preschool Open Doors to $10 million. Associated Press.

The latest scientific assessment paints a likely bleak future for the Pacific bluefin tuna, a sushi lovers’ favorite whose population has dropped by more than 97 percent from its historic levels. Associated Press.

Last year nearly a quarter of middle school students in Hawaii said they had seriously considered suicide, according to the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Civil Beat.

At a recent press conference to show support for bills to help the homeless and provide affordable housing, state Sen. President Ron Kouchi quoted from scripture. Civil Beat.

Chevron Hawaii’s gas stations will be rebranded to Texaco once the sale of the company’s Hawaii assets closes later this year to New York’s One Rock Capital Partners LP, a spokesperson for One Rock Capital said Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The answer to “will he or won’t he” took a new turn Tuesday when Ernie Martin pulled papers to run for mayor of Honolulu. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Education anticipates future residential development along the city’s rail line in urban Honolulu will bring with it an additional 10,200 students to area public schools, far exceeding existing capacity and requiring several new schools from Kalihi to Ala Moana. Star-Advertiser.

The state could be saddled with some big school construction costs in coming decades if current housing and population growth predictions hold true for a 4-mile swath of urban Honolulu, according to a Department of Education report. Civil Beat.

A new Department of Education report says approximately 39,000 new residential units will be built between Kalihi and Ala Moana and that could bring in about 10,000 new students to the district. KHON2.

A month after approving a $4.7 million payment to settle two lawsuits filed by one current and two former Honolulu police officers who alleged discrimination, the Honolulu City Council is being asked to approve more money for attorneys’ fees. Star-Advertiser.

Plans to allow two managed homeless encampments on Oahu are moving forward, while the city also plans to build a hygiene center for the homeless. Hawaii News Now.

The City and County of Honolulu has denied a $180,000 grant to Mental Health Kokua Activity Center, a non-profit organization that serves severely mentally ill people in downtown Honolulu and Chinatown. Civil Beat.

Red Hill’s First Assembly of God church wants to erect a dozen igloo-­shaped domes from Alaska to create a “shelter village” somewhere in town for about 40 homeless people. Star-Advertiser.

Officials at an Oahu high school were negligent in not preventing an alleged rape between two special-education students, a lawyer told jurors Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Board of Education approved the renaming of Hale Kula Elementary School to Daniel K. Inouye Elementary School during its meeting on Tuesday. KITV4.

Hawaii

After hearing from supporters and critics of embattled Mayor Billy Kenoi, it was the Hawaii County Council’s silence that spoke the loudest Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

More than two dozen people showed up Tuesday evening to speak their minds on a proposed one-half percent general excise tax increase, with all but one opposed to the idea. West Hawaii Today.

A plan to create a 306-unit multiple family residential development just mauka of the popular Kahalu’u Bay goes before the Leeward Planning Commission this week. Big Island Video News.

After months of uncertainty, plans to build the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy’s long awaited permanent building are finally moving forward. The University of Hawaii on Monday awarded the project to Isemoto Contracting Co. for $31.3 million. Tribune-Herald.

BJ Penn told a mixed martial arts podcast Monday night that allegations of sexual assault that put his plans for a return to fighting on hold “definitely hurt my heart.” Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui is Nō Ka ʻOi once again. The island of Maui was just ranked the Top Island in the World and the Top Island in the US by the travel planning and booking website TripAdvisor. Maui Now.

Developers of a 1,500-home Olowalu development, which has been a decade in the making, have withdrawn their plans in a victory for those who opposed the project as inappropriate for the West Maui area. Maui News.

Developers have withdrawn plans to build 1,500 homes in a west Maui community, a decision that comes months after state officials rejected the project's environmental assessment. Associated Press.

Designs for the final phase of the long-awaited North Shore Greenway - a 7-mile pedestrian and bike-friendly pathway between Kahului and Paia - are "90 percent done," and the project could go out to bid by summer and be completed next year, county Department of Public Works engineers said. Maui News.

The Maui Young Democrats invites the public to attend their Upcountry County Council debate on Wednesday, April 27, 2016, at the Pukalani Community Center. Maui Now.

Kauai

Bills covering smoking in a motor vehicle, homestays and vending on county-owned property are slated to go before the Kauai County Council on Wednesday. Garden Island.

The final report on pesticide use by agribusiness on Kauai is in the works. Garden Island.

State Rep. Dee Morikawa has a list of projects she wants done in her district. Garden Island.

Group urges expansion of marine protection, state lawmakers seek info on police property seizures, breastfeeding moms may skip jury duty under bill, Kenoi pushes for general excise tax increase, wayward shopping carts big issue in Honolulu, wrong gauge caused UH researcher to lose arm, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Millet butterflyfish, courtesy NOAA

A group of Native Hawaiian leaders have urged President Barack Obama to expand what’s already one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. Associated Press.

Hawaii lawmakers want to know how often police are seizing people’s property, and what happens with money they make from selling it. Associated Press.

Senate OKs breast-feeding bill to let new moms skip jury duty. Star-Advertiser.

Advocates for legislation that would allow psychologists to prescribe powerful medications argue the change is badly needed because there are too few psychiatrists on the neighbor islands. Star-Advertiser.

With the 2016 legislative session rapidly nearing sine die May 5, House and Senate lawmakers have started appointing members from their respective chambers to serve on conference committees tasked with trying to reach agreements on the final language of hundreds of bills such as the state budget. Civil Beat.

Those selected to open Hawaii’s first medical marijuana dispensaries later this month might eventually be able to grow in greenhouses and shadehouses, under certain conditions. Tribune-Herald.

An inmate at the Halawa Correctional Facility filed a lawsuit Thursday claiming the Hawaii Department of Public Safety has a “statewide policy and/or custom” that prevents Native Hawaiian inmates from practicing their religion. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Not So Public: Hey DLNR, We’re Still Waiting For That Info On Commercial Tours. Four months later, and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources has yet to provide information about permits, fees and fines. Civil Beat.

About one in four residents in Hawai‘i speak a language other than English at home. That’s according to a new report by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Hawaii Public Radio.

What really happened at the ʻAha, part V The purpose of the ʻAha is fulfilled and a federal recognition-friendly constitution is adopted, but the call for true self-determination still grows louder. Hawaii Independent.

Oahu
A new City Council bill aims to crack down on wayward shopping carts on Oahu. But at least one veteran supermarket executive says the measure might be more trouble than it’s worth. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers consider tougher rules to squelch abandoned shopping cart ‘graveyards’ KHON2.

A powerful explosion at a University of Hawaii science lab that ripped an arm off a researcher was likely caused by a digital pressure gauge that shouldn’t have been used around flammable gases, the Honolulu Fire Department said today. Star-Advertiser.

A visiting researcher who lost an arm last month in a laboratory explosion at the University of Hawaii told fire investigators the blast occurred after she turned off a digital pressure gauge she was using to check the pressure in a gas cylinder. Associated Press.

There’s something in the air at University of Hawaii Manoa’s St. John Plant Laboratory Complex — and if you ask some of the employees there, an outdated ventilation system is to blame. Civil Beat.

The type of Japanese torpedo bomber that wrought destruction on Battleship Row on Dec. 7, 1941, can be seen again at Pearl Harbor for the first time in nearly 75 years. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai wants the Army to extend the special status granted previously to the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment to allow it to continue to wear its liberty torch unit patch. Star-Advertiser.

Lanikai parking solution creates initial confusion. KITV4.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi is recommending the County Council pass a one-half percent increase in the general excise tax, but not all council members are on board. West Hawaii Today.

The talk is supposed to be about money, but a Hawaii County Council member wants to bring something more to the table Tuesday when the county council’s finance committee meets: a discussion on Mayor Billy Kenoi. KHON2.

Riki May Amano served as a judge on the Big Island for more than a decade where she built up a reputation for fairness. But now, the Hilo native's impartiality has come under heavy criticism by native Hawaiian opponents of the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope project. They want her removed as the hearings officer on the controversial project. Hawaii News Now.

A 60-megawatt power plant will remain out of service through Friday, leaving the Big Island’s power grid vulnerable to outages, Hawaii Electric Light Co. cautioned Monday. Tribune-Herald.

There’s a new form of guidance at Kohanaiki Beach Park — a star compass made of concrete and cut lava. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

In a town where bustling storefronts are a stone's throw away from where Kamehameha III once tended kalo, Lahaina residents have kick-started a project they hope will balance culture and commerce around the harbor. Maui News.

The County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation announced today that Phase One of several parking lot improvement projects are now underway in West Maui. Maui Now.

Details are still sketchy, but the developers of the proposed Olowalu Town–which will add 1,500 homes and a variety of commercial structures to tiny Olowalu–withdrew their petition with the state Land Use Commission (LUC), according to an Apr. 7, 2016 letter from LUC Executive Officer Daniel Orodenker posted on the LUC website. MauiTime.

Britain's first official spaceman, Timothy Peake, shot this photo of Maui on a cloudless March 23 from the International Space Station. Maui News.

Kauai

Sanoe Ho‘okano, a staff water safety officer at the Kekaha tower, has been named the Kauai County Lifeguard of the Quarter presented by Duke’s Kauai, said Mariko Lum of Duke’s Kauai at Kalapaki Beach. Garden Island.

Federal judge orders sex harassment training for Hawaii airports, new state auditor coming, Kauai pesticide study turned over to feds, Honolulu rail pivotal in mayoral election, low humpback whale sightings concern residents, police give fellow officer a pass on DUI test, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu International Airport © 2016 All Hawaii News

U.S. District Court Judge Michael Seabright ordered Hawaii’s Department of Transportation on Thursday to complete training within six months for all of its Airports division employees on preventing sexual harassment or discrimination. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Legislature is planning to vote to appoint a new state auditor, in a move that would direct the attention of an official who's viewed as a strict government watchdog from the Legislature to the executive branch. Associated Press.

The state will have the power to summarily suspend the licenses of doctors, dentists, nurses and pharmacists who lose their practicing privileges in other states under a bill adopted by the Senate on Friday and headed to Gov. David Ige for his consideration. Star-Advertiser.

After a busy week passing hundreds of bills before a major deadline, Hawaii lawmakers are facing another cutoff to send the final form of constitutional amendments to the governor’s office. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers are now considering a bill to create an independent review board in the Attorney General’s Office to oversee state and county investigations into all police killings and in-custody deaths to ensure the inquiries are comprehensive and fair. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers are considering a bill to close the gap in car insurance coverage for transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft. Star-Advertiser.

Law says they can open as soon as July 15. But will the state’s medical marijuana patients actually see dispensaries by then? Some in the industry don’t think so. Tribune-Herald.

Scientists Model Future Of Oceans In A Changed Climate, And It’s Not Pretty. We know there’ll be problems on the shorelines, but global warming also poses big threats to life out at sea. Civil Beat.

A group is pushing to study the humpback whale population amid a season of lower-than-normal sightings. Associated Press.

Hawaii regulators have chosen to go with Virginia’s Leidos Engineering to continue running the state’s ratepayer-funded energy conservation and efficiency program called Hawaii Energy, which serves Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Lanai and Molokai, a spokeswoman for Leidos confirmed to Pacific Business News.

The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations is predicting a statewide uptick in employment in the near future, with a construction boom leading the way. Tribune-Herald.

State behind national average in incorporating special ed in classrooms. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

The agency responsible for planning and building Honolulu’s rail project is relying on outdated financial figures — and its latest estimates of how much over budget the project is are almost certainly too low and likely to climb, a report by the Office of the City Auditor concluded. Star-Advertiser.

Stung by criticism his agency is mismanaged, HART’s executive director continued a vigorous defense in a written response accompanying the final version of an audit released Friday. Civil Beat.

State law requires that law enforcement officers conduct breath, blood or urine testing on drivers involved in crashes resulting in injury or death, yet a Honolulu police officer arrested last week for alleged drunken driving was given a pass by fellow officers after he refused to submit to testing. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Councilman Trevor Ozawa wants to get a handle on all the shopping carts that are scattered around Honolulu. Civil Beat.

At the official opening of his Nimitz Center campaign headquarters, Mayor Kirk Caldwell told supporters that his re-election is about “plans, progress and people.” Civil Beat.

A 25-year-old Sumatran tiger at the Honolulu Zoo was euthanized Sunday due to complications from old age, city officials said. Djelita, who turned 25 on March 26, was the oldest living tiger in captivity, according to a post on the zoo’s Facebook page. Star-Advertiser.

Salt Lake residents are again raising concerns about a foul odor emanating from Honolulu Country Club’s water features, but just who is responsible for fixing the problem remains unresolved nearly two decades since efforts began to clear the air. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A rescue organization formed to ship dogs to mainland shelters is suing the Hawaii Island Humane Society and several other defendants, claiming the society stole credit for the air shipment of dogs off-island early last year, and that several individuals associated with the society conspired to smear the rescue organization. West Hawaii Today.

A well-connected Honolulu architect has been told to stop rebuilding a rock wall on the shore of Lalakea Pond. Tribune-Herald.

Residents and users of Keauhou Bay gave the Department pf Land and Natural Resources a piece of their mind on Friday during a hearing to gather input on a proposed offshore mooring project at the popular location. Big Island Video News.

Part of the years-long legal fight over Kawa Bay is now set to go to trial in federal court. Kittrena Morgan, a former resident of the area, sued Hawaii County and the police officers involved in her arrest on Oct. 25, 2012. West Hawaii Today.

The Hamakua Coast is looking to its past to plan for its future. It’s been more than five years since county planners along with residents began the process of creating a Community Development Plan for the region, part of a longterm effort to have CDPs in place for the entire county. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

After leasing Waiakoa Gym for more than four decades, Maui County closed on a deal to purchase the gym this week, for $1.2 million plus closing costs. County officials say the price tag was lower than the initial appraisal of $1.4 million. Maui Now.

The county Department of Water Supply will host hands-on community workshops for residents to identify and evaluate ways to manage, develop and use Maui's water resources to meet the needs of all water users, according to an announcement from the department. Maui News.

Free public beach access parking is available in Kaanapali, but finding it is like being on a hunting expedition. Maui News.

Pu'u Kukui in the West Maui Mountains, often described as one of the wettest spots in the world, is not all that wet so far this year with March rainfall totals the lowest on record. Maui News.

The Lahaina Honolua Kupuna Serenaders perform at the start of Saturday morning's blessing and kickoff event for the Lahaina Harbor street improvement project located next to Lahaina Harbor. Maui News.

Kauai

The state Department of Agriculture has turned over to the federal government its report on workers sent to a Kauai hospital after entering a Syngenta Inc. cornfield sprayed with a powerful pesticide. Star-Advertiser.

Consultants leading a highly controversial analysis of the environmental and public health impacts of genetically modified farming in Kauai County issued a statement late Saturday responding to recent criticism. Civil Beat.

Four county lifeguard towers were outfitted with new solar-powered PA systems this month and all lifeguard towers received high-powered megaphones, thanks to donations from community supporters. Garden Island.

Sandi Combs said she wants to represent District 14 because it’s time for her to lead by example. Garden Island.

Tent tourism crackdown, Hawaii congressman seeks protection from North Korea threat, Honolulu rail head says audit a 'joke,' no action on Maui mayor ethics complaint, counties beg state leaders for more of hotel tax, endangered monk seals returning to the wild, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii fishing camp © 2016 All Hawaii News

Hawaii lawmakers are taking aim at a burgeoning vacation rental market: online brokers offering up tents to tourists on the islands’ world-class beaches and public parks. The state Senate passed legislation Thursday cracking down on a growing — but sometimes illegal — trend of campsites advertised as vacation rentals on online lodging services such as Airbnb. Associated Press.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen say that chemicals commonly used in sunscreen can weaken sperm. KITV4.

Gov. David Ige has selected retired high school principal Darrel Galera to head a team that will develop a blueprint consistent with a new federal law that gives the state more authority over public education. Star-Advertiser.

A congressman from Hawaii is getting worried by the fact that North Korea has recently tested its fourth nuclear device and launched a satellite. At a House Armed Services’ Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing Thursday in Washington, D.C., Rep. Mark Takai, D-Honolulu, had questions for military leaders when it comes to protecting Hawaii from potential attack. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Attorney General’s Office has submitted 17 claims totaling $10.6 million for state lawmakers to approve before the 2016 legislative session ends May 5. Civil Beat.

Resources have not kept pace with Hawaii’s rapidly aging population when it comes to ensuring the health and safety of residents living in long-term care facilities, according to health officials and state budget documents. But that could change this year. State lawmakers will be deciding in the next couple weeks whether to approve additional funding and positions for the Department of Health. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism released a report Thursday that offers a different look at just how diverse Hawaii is and the importance of English proficiency. The report shows 18 percent of the population is foreign-born, and more than 130 languages are spoken in the islands. Civil Beat.

A seventh annual report on government spending transparency places Hawaii in the middle of the pack. Hawaii received a C, according to Following the Money 2016, subtitled “How the 50 States Rate in Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data.” Civil Beat.

Seven healthy, endangered female Hawaiian monk seals are on Oahu preparing for their journey back to the wild. Within the next week or so, six of the seals will be returned to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Associated Press.

Hawaii hotels charged less during the week of April 3 through April 9, compared to the same week a year ago, according to the weekly report from Hospitality Advisors LLC and STR Inc. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Dan Grabauskas, who heads the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, made a preemptive strike Thursday by criticizing a yet-to-be-released city audit expected to be highly critical of him and his agency’s handling of the $6.6 billion commuter rail project. Civil Beat.

Amid growing uncertainty and upheaval over rail, the transit project’s embattled executive director took the unusual step Thursday of going on the offensive against a critical audit report before its public release Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

HART CEO and Executive Director Dan Grabauskas has blasted a critical city audit of Oahu's $6.5 billion rail project, calling it a "joke," "ridiculous," and "flawed." Hawaii News Now.

Dan Grabauskas, CEO and executive director of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, says a city audit of Honolulu’s rail project is flawed and filled with inaccuracies. KHON2.

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The Marine Corps confirmed Thursday that it has officially concluded the search for wreckage and the 12 Hawaii Marines killed when two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters crashed off Oahu’s North Shore due to unknown reasons Jan. 14. Human remains discovered during search operations led to the positive identification of nine of the 12 Marines, Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Tim Irish said in a release. Star-Advertiser.

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

With news reports warning that the solar giant SunEdison could declare bankruptcy as early as this week, the fate of a trio of the company’s stalled solar projects on Oahu remains uncertain. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

A delegation including Mayor Billy Kenoi, County Council Chairman Dru Kanuha and Hilo Councilman Dennis “Fresh” Onishi, who is executive vice president of the Hawaii State Association of Counties, met Thursday with legislative leaders to appeal for a greater share of the transient accommodations tax for the counties. West Hawaii Today.

A bill to increase the speed limit on Saddle Road has cruised past both legislative chambers — but just how much of an increase, and precisely where, is still up in the air. Tribune-Herald.

Rachel Solemsaas is the top candidate to be Hawaii Community College’s next chancellor, the University of Hawaii announced this week. Board of Regents’ Vice President for Community Colleges John F. Morton recommended Solemsaas from a pool of four candidates who flew in last month for interviews and a public open forum. Tribune-Herald.

Island Air is rekindling service to Kona following a four-year hiatus from the Big Island market. Starting June 14, five daily flights between Kona International Airport and Honolulu will offer 320 more seats daily to a market where travelers have complained about high fares and not enough competition. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Board of Ethics will take no action on a letter submitted by a Kihei resident seeking more information from Mayor Alan Arakawa about possible income from his holdings in Arakawa Farms and three Omaopio Road parcels. Maui News.

Rate increases proposed by Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration are "substantial" but may prove necessary to keep up with rising department operating costs, Maui County Council members said Wednesday while reviewing the mayor's proposed fiscal year 2017 budget. Maui News.

Hawaii’s largest public workers union is lobbying lawmakers for severance payments and special retirement bonuses for employees at the state-run Maui and Lanai hospitals that could cost the state $40 million or more if Gov. David Ige’s administration succeeds in privatizing those hospital operations. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Alan Arakawa is asking Maui farmers to "step up" and grow food on Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar's 36,000 acres that could be left barren after the company ends sugar cane operations at the end of the year. Maui News.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources has issued an order directing A&B and subsidiary East Maui Irrigation Company to “commence the environmental review process in support of A&B’s application for a lease of water from the license areas of Honomanu, Keana, Huelo and Nahiku.” Civil Beat.

Four candidates vying for the head of the county Department of Liquor Control are planned to be re-interviewed, "very tentatively," on May 24, by the Liquor Control Commission, an official said Wednesday. Maui News.

Kauai

Women call for ‘Equal Pay Day’ Locals highlight wage inequality during gathering in Lihue. Garden Island.

Lloyd Miyashiro said March through June on Kauai is babysitting season. That’s because he and the 100 other volunteers who keep an eye on Kauai’s monk seal population will be welcoming brand new pups. Garden Island.

Lanai

After Maui County's search for a private developer to build Lanai's affordable housing project turned up empty, Department of Housing and Human Concerns Director Carol Reimann said it's time to "regroup" and find other ways of bringing long-awaited housing to the Pineapple Isle. Maui News.

USS Arizona Memorial to close for repairs, Department of Health delays medical marijuana dispensary licenses, Hawaii House OKs empty shell bill, East-West Center on congressional pork list, council praises Kenoi and his budget, Maui County clerks rally for raises, Kauai council postpones general excise tax hike, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

USS Arizona Memorial, courtesy National Park Service

Visitors will not be able to go call on one of Hawaii’s most memorable and popular attractions early this summer. The dock of the USS Arizona, across from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, will be dismantled, removed and replaced between June 13 and June 26. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s Health Department confirmed Wednesday that it will miss the deadline for awarding licenses to the state’s first eight medical marijuana dispensary contractors. Star-Advertiser.

Despite a statutory deadline of April 15, the state Department of Health will wait until April 28 to announce the eight companies that will receive licenses to grow and sell medical marijuana. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Department of Health says it's going to delay announcing the names of Hawaii's first medical marijuana dispensary owners. Officials say they planned to release the names April 15, but are delaying the announcement two weeks. Associated Press.

The Hawaii state Department of Health said Wednesday it is delaying its announcement of the state's first eight medical marijuana dispensary licensees by two weeks to allow all 66 applicants to submit fingerprints for background checks. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health is reviewing the criminal history records of applicants for the Medical Marijuana Dispensary licenses after announcing last week that applicants were given notice to provide consents and submit fingerprints. Maui Now.

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Resources have not kept pace with Hawaii’s rapidly aging population when it comes to ensuring the health and safety of residents living in long-term care facilities, according to health officials and state budget documents. Civil Beat.

On the House side, lawmakers took the extremely unusual step of approving on the floor a bill relating to geothermal power that does not actually have any content. That so-called “short-form” bill will now go to conference committee and can be amended there to insert language that can then become law. No public testimony is allowed in conference committee, effectively shutting out the public from providing input on a hotly contested issue. Star-Advertiser.

It’s been years since the country recovered from the Great Recession spurred by the subprime mortgage crisis, but economic conditions for Hawaii’s low-income residents haven’t fully rebounded, according to a report by the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, a nonprofit law firm that advocates on behalf of the poor. Star-Advertiser.

The state says the construction industry will again lead Hawaii’s economy with the fastest growth rate. On Wednesday, the state released its employment forecast for the short-term. Officials predict the construction industry will increase 12.1 percent, creating 3,880 jobs between the first quarters of 2015 and 2017. KHON2.

Oahu

The  U.S. Department of Justice has awarded $200,000 to the Honolulu prosecutor’s office to kick-start a proposed mobile court aimed at clearing the court docket of thousands of homeless defendants who don’t show up and end up accruing bench warrants and additional penalties that keep them from getting jobs or housing. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office has received a $200,000 federal grant to implement a community court that is intended to help resolve a backlog of over 11,000 low-level, non-violent cases. Civil Beat.

The Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert law firm has sent a cease and desist letter to the Honolulu county permitting department, requesting that it cease issuing notices of violations for homeowners involved with vacation rentals in residential districts. Pacific Business News.

A Honolulu City Councilman is proposing a newly opened city homeless shelter in Sand Island be closed, and homeless living in their cars be allowed to park on the property and sleep instead. Hawaii News Now.

With news reports warning that the solar giant SunEdison could declare bankruptcy as early as this week, the fate of a trio of the company’s stalled solar projects on Oahu remains uncertain. Civil Beat.

The Catholic Church knew late Honolulu Bishop Joseph Anthony Ferrario had been accused of sexual abuse while a priest in Kailua, but appointed him to head the Honolulu diocese anyway, a Catholic priest who was in charge of managing the process in which candidates were vetted for the office of bishop alleges in a new 18-page court report. Hawaii News Now.

Three additional lawsuits were filed Wednesday accusing Catholic priests in the Diocese of Honolulu of sexual abuse. Associated Press.

Citizens Against Government Waste lists the East-West Center in Honolulu in its 2016 Congressional Pig Book, which flags congressional earmarks deemed unnecessary. Civil Beat.

Ocean Safety welcomes their first rescue boat ever. The boat will be stationed at Kewalo Basin Harbor. It will provide emergency ocean response to the Kakaako waterfront area. KITV4.

Hawaii

Council praises Mayor Billy Kenoi and his $462.7M spending plan. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi was critical on Wednesday of the State of Hawaii’s distribution of the Transient Accommodations Tax to the four counties, which is likely to be millions less than what Kenoi says the counties should be getting. Big Island Video News.

Two bills that would have provided funding to combat invasive pests on the Big Island are dead in the state Senate. The measures would have appropriated money to help treat infestations of little fire ants and macadamia felted coccid. Tribune-Herald.

Assuming they survive the haggling of conference committees later this month, tens of millions of dollars in funding and projects will be coming West Hawaii’s way in the months ahead. West Hawaii Today.

It’s been nearly 16 months since students and staff gathered for a formal groundbreaking of the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy’s long-awaited permanent building. But since then, little at the South Ahoku Street construction site has changed. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County clerks and supporters wave signs outside the Kalana O Maui building Tuesday morning. Their chants included, "What do we want? Equal Pay! When do we want it? Now!" Maui News.

The state Senate passed a bill Tuesday to allow holdover state water diversion permits for farmers, ranchers and utilities, but not for Alexander & Baldwin and subsidiary Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. to continue to divert East Maui stream water for irrigation. Maui News.

For the eighth year, Maui Electric Company has been named one of the nation’s top utilities for connecting the most solar watts per customer to the grid, earning ninth place in the annual Top 10 list compiled by the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), formerly the Solar Electric Power Association. MauiWatch.

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

Kauai

In a 4-3 decision Wednesday, the Budget and Finance Committee voted to defer a proposed general excise tax increase to May. Garden Island.

Residents in the North Shore community of Haena will most likely be teaming up with the state to manage the new Community-Based Fisheries Subsistence Area. Garden Island.

Fern Anuenue Rosenstiel filed papers to run for state representative for Kauai District 14, east and north Kauai. Garden Island.

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

Historical photo of Hawaiian little grass shack, provenance unknown

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oahu

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hawaii

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

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

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

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

Maui

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

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

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

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

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

Kauai

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oahu

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hawaii

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

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

Maui

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

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

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

Kauai

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

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