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.

Big Island sites threatened by sea level rise, Hawaii has nation's second-highest tax burden, most lead-free water, Honolulu has trust issues with Police Commission, Ethics Commission, Maui SHAKA leader files for county council, single-member council districts dies again on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park © 2016 All Hawaii News

Reports by the National Park Service and others have found that rising sea level rises threaten archaeological sites at various historic places in Hawaii. Those include ancient fish ponds at Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site and a “Great Wall” at a sacred site in Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park. It is considered the best-preserved such wall in Hawaii. Associated Press.

Hawaii has second highest tax burden in the United States. Wallet Hub.

Hawaii is the only U.S. state that didn't exceed federal testing limits for lead in drinking water during the last three years, and the Hawaii Department of Health says it's because the state's lucky to have lots of volcanic soil and few lead pipes. KITV4.

Hawaii lawmakers are up against a major deadline as they head into the final month of the legislative session. Bills dealing with homelessness, sugar workers and a slew of other topics need to pass out of the second chamber by Thursday. Otherwise, those policy ideas will die. Associated Press.

Breastfeeding mothers in Hawaii could be excused from jury duty for up to two years if Hawaii lawmakers approve a bill that’s being considered this session. Hawaii lawmakers in the House passed the bill Friday. It now faces approval from the Senate. Associated Press.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz is co-sponsoring a bill to require the Federal Aviation Administration to set minimum seat sizes on airplanes. The Senate bill calls for standards that ensure safety and a minimum level of comfort for passengers. It addresses seat width, legroom, padding and aisle width on all commercial passenger planes. The bill follows a Hawaii state Senate resolution on the same topic that passed in March. Associated Press.

Lawmakers are advancing a bill to allow the University of Hawaii system to hire members of the state Legislature, a change that would reverse a university ban on employing lawmakers that has been in place at UH since at least 1966. Star-Advertiser.

Employees, visitors and patients at Hawaii Health Systems Corporation hospitals would be prohibited from smoking anywhere on the premises under a bill that is headed for Gov. David Ige’s desk after it was approved 21-0 on the Senate floor on Friday. Civil Beat.

The percentage of students who learned about HIV and AIDS in school dropped to a two-decade low in Hawaii in 2015, according to a statewide health survey slated for release later this spring. Civil Beat.

Hawaii workers’ use of drugs in the workplace, including cocaine and synthetic urine, has leveled off compared to rises seen over the past couple of years, Diagnostic Laboratory Services Inc. reported Friday. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Department of Health says it’s planning to release the names of Hawaii’s first medical marijuana dispensary owners next week. The state Health Department says the five-member selection panel is scheduled to release the names April 15. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s medical marijuana dispensary applicants were hit with a last-minute request on Thursday which could push back the date to announce selections — originally slated for Friday. Tribune-Herald.

Gov. David Ige on Thursday announced his nominations for the state Board of Education and the Land Use Commission. The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Senate. Civil Beat.

Insurance plans for thousands of Hawaiian workers will run out next month following a liquidation order issued Thursday for Family Health Hawaii, a health insurance provider for employers and organizations. Civil Beat.

Insurmountable challenges posed by the Affordable Care Act were the root cause of Family Health Hawaii’s liquidation, the company’s CEO, J.P. Schmidt, told Pacific Business News.

Oahu

After suspending Executive Director Chuck Totto for, among other things, allegedly fostering a stressful work environment, the Honolulu Ethics Commission now wants its attorneys and investigators to complete daily work time sheets detailing their tasks in six-minute increments. Star-Advertiser.

‘A Bum Job:’ Trust In Honolulu’s Police Commission Crumbles. Amid ongoing Police Department scandals, Mayor Kirk Caldwell must decide whether to reappoint three police commissioners whose terms are up. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has banned city officials from taking “non-essential publicly-funded” trips to North Carolina and Mississippi in protest of the states’ recent laws that condone discrimination against people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. Civil Beat.

Amid rail’s rising costs, Honolulu’s City Council chairman wants the transit project’s two top executives to resign, and he’s asking his political rival — the mayor — to follow his lead in supporting that move. Star-Advertiser.

Ernie Martin Tests Honolulu’s Mayoral Waters. The City Council chair still says he’s not running against Kirk Caldwell. But he sure sounds like he’s running. Civil Beat.

A trio of state senators wants the state to buy about 8,000 acres of Dole Food Co. land between Central Oahu and the North Shore to preserve the property for agriculture — angling to earmark more than $107 million in next year’s budget to complete the purchase. Star-Advertiser.

Kunia Loa Ridge Farmlands, an off-the-grid 854-acre development that’s supposed to be restricted to agriculture, has become a hub for unregulated construction. Star-Advertiser.

A petition to take out an apparently dormant volleyball court in front of the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium for badly sought public parking for beachgoers does not appear to be swaying the Caldwell administration. Star-Advertiser.

Some 61 of the World War II veterans were in attendance at the Pacific Beach Hotel for the 73rd-anniversary banquet Sunday commemorating the establishment of the unit, said event co-chairman Irvin Yoshino. Star-Advertiser.

The state plans to pay $35,000 to settle a lawsuit against the Department of Public Safety for an attack at Halawa Correctional Facility during which the assailants gained access to an inmate’s living area. Star-Advertiser.

How Did A Man Lose His Fingers And Feet To A Jailhouse Infection? The state is on the hook for more than $7 million for neglecting a former inmate’s severe blood infection at the Oahu Community Correctional Center. Civil Beat.

Aloha Akbar? Lawmaker Promos Event With ISIS Flag Over Waikiki. Hawaii state Rep. Gene Ward splashes a fear-mongering graphic to advertise his public safety and counterterrorism forum next week. Civil Beat.

A Navy flight officer who spoke in Honolulu in 2008 about his journey to become an American citizen has been charged with espionage for allegedly passing secrets to China and patronizing a prostitute, according to a U.S. Naval Institute news story. Star-Advertiser.

Catherine Shen, the first female Asian-American newspaper publisher in the U.S., died March 31 of pancreatic cancer. She was 68. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The race for a Hawaii state Senate seat representing a Big Island district was the topic of a debate Saturday at the University of Hawaii Hilo — even though there’s still two months to go before the candidate filing deadline. Civil Beat.

A Hamakua neighborhood group is suing the county Department of Parks and Recreation, its director and the mayor over proposed improvements to Kukuihaele Park. Tribune-Herald.

Ten years after an employment complaint alleged former Hilo Councilman and mayoral candidate Stacy Higa sexually harassed an aide, the case has taken on new life in the Intermediate Court of Appeals. West Hawaii Today.

$6 Million For Lead Contamination Clean-Up In Kona. Big Island Video News.

A lawsuit to recover what three former Hawaii Community College students say is hundreds of thousands of dollars of wrongfully collected student fees is slated to be heard in May. Tribune-Herald.

Parks officials say they are about ready to reopen the Panaewa play court after giving a new synthetic surface there a final inspection. Tribune-Herald.

The state’s first mobile slaughterhouse unit is in its final phases of certification. Tribune-Herald.

Come fall, a steering committee made up of birding enthusiasts, an outdoor group and eco-tour operators will officially open a 90-mile cross-island trail for bird viewing. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Alika Atay, one of the leaders of the SHAKA Movement, has pulled nomination papers to seek the Maui County Council's Wailuku-Waihee-Waikapu residency seat, one that will be without an incumbent this election year with Wailuku Council Member Mike Victorino bowing out because of term limits. Maui News.

Boeing has supported Maui Space Surveillance Complex operations for the Air Force for the last 25 years and will continue do so under a new $275 million contract, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday. Maui News.

Education officials have proposed an $8 million elementary school expansion to accommodate west Maui’s growing student population. Associated Press.

An $8 million two-level classroom building and outdoor learning area is being proposed for Princess Nahienaena Elementary School to accommodate enrollment growth in West Maui, according to the state Department of Education. Maui News.

Representative Lynn Decoite praised the governor’s recent announcement indicating that he is supporting a funding increase for the Department of Hawaiian Homelands, to the highest level on record. Maui Now.

Early and full landfill closures countywide that are expected to reach 275 by June 30 are slated to decrease by more than 75 percent in the coming fiscal year beginning July 1, officials from the county Department of Environmental Management said Wednesday. Maui News.

An affordable housing project has been proposed in Hana on eastern Maui. GTH Land Co. wants to build two dozen homes estimated to cost between $250,000 and $445,000 apiece. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Separate proposals on whether to divide Kauai County Council seats into individual voting districts and stagger terms lengths have died — again — but the matters will be revisited in May. Both issues could face voters for the fourth time in 2018. Garden Island.

The Kauai Police Department plans to reorganize its bureaus by converting nine of its 15 school crossing guard positions to training officers, safety monitors and background investigators. Garden Island.

A public meeting will be held to inform people about a proposed management plan for the Haena Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

On Thursday, a hearings officer appointed by the Kauai Planning Commission issued a recommended ruling in favor of the Planning Department’s decision to revoke a Transient Vacation Rental (TVR) permit for a Seacliff Plantation condominium in Kilauea. Garden Island.

In its efforts toward efficiency, the Transportation Agency will be implementing changes to several Kaua'i Bus routes, beginning Sunday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Supreme Court affirms Koa Ridge development, Legislature seeks contested case fast-track, lawmakers forge China ties, church can't use marijuana, Slom back in hospital, Banyan Drive redevelopment advances, Puna man gets police to pay for seized marijuana, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Luau in Kona © 2016 All Hawaii News

The state agency promoting Hawaii is increasingly going digital, using social media and virtual reality to reach potential visitors. Leslie Dance, director for marketing and product development for the Hawaii Tourism Authority, told industry representatives at a tourism marketing meeting in Waikiki on Wednesday the agency plans to unveil its first virtual reality offering at its September tourism conference. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers are seeking to speed up the resolution of important contested cases brought before certain state boards and commissions in the wake of the Thirty Meter Telescope debacle. Star-Advertiser.

Health insurance providers, energy firms, a private prison company and other organizations collectively spent nearly $1 million on lobbyists to influence legislators in January and February, according to filings with the Hawaii State Ethics Commission. That brings the total spent on lobbying connected to the Legislature to nearly $14 million since 2013, the commission’s data shows. Civil Beat.

The two majority leaders of the Hawaii Legislature traveled to China in late March as part of an effort to facilitate formal relations between the United States and China at state and local levels. Sen. Kalani English said the trip could lead to increased Chinese tourism to Hawaii, thanks to visitor industry ties already established between China and Hawaii, and an interest in Sun Yat-sen, the early 20th-century Chinese revolutionary who spent significant time in the islands. Civil Beat.

Several hundred seniors converged at the state Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday morning for the fourth annual Kupuna Power Day, a mix of entertainment and educational activities. Star-Advertiser.

State Sen. Sam Slom remained hospitalized Wednesday for what his staff described as “routine testing and treatment following his hospitalization last month for a stubborn infection.” Star-Advertiser.

A federal court is ruling that a church for Native Americans in Hawaii should not be excused from federal marijuana laws despite the group’s claim that ingesting cannabis is part of its sacred sacrament. Associated Press.

Plans are in the works to launch a statewide system enabling people to send 911 text messages during an emergency. Star-Advertiser.

The coral on the sea floor around the Pacific island of Kiritimati looked like a boneyard in November — stark, white and lifeless. But there was still some hope. Associated Press.

Oahu

Hawaii’s highest court ruled today that an initial phase of the planned Koa Ridge residential community in Central Oahu may proceed.Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has issued a ruling that allows developer Castle & Cooke to proceed with building a 3,500-home community known as Koa Ridge in central Oahu. Civil Beat.

Castle & Cooke Hawaii’s long-delayed 3,500-home Koa Ridge master-planned community in Central Oahu will move ahead after the Hawaii State Supreme Court ruled in favor of the developer on Wednesday, saying the Hawaii Land Use Commission properly reclassified the 768 acres of land from agricultural to urban for the project. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has paved the way for the Koa Ridge housing development in Central Oahu to finally move forward. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has given the green light to a controversial Castle and Cooke development that’s been in the works for nearly 20 years. KHON2.

Plans by Mayor Kirk Caldwell to create a housing development division appear doomed, and the future of the Hale Mauliola homeless center at Sand Island and related programs could be as well, under the latest draft of the $2.3 billion operating budget that moved out of the City Council Budget Committee on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

As many as half the patrol officers on one shift in Honolulu Police Department’s Kalihi district staged a sickout for three days last month in protest of their managers' attempt to crackdown on overtime, sources told Hawaii News Now on Wednesday.

The changing profile of Kakaako, as high-rise condominiums fill the historic district, underscores the need for public open spaces, said Kiersten Faulkner, executive director of Historic Hawai‘i Foundation. Star-Advertiser.

A landowner apologized residents on Oahu's North Shore, promising that they will have a say in a development mauka of Shark's Cove. Hawaii News Now.

Home sales on Oahu took off in March, posting gains of more than 20 percent, while the median price of single-family home and condominiums also increased by single digits, according to statistics released Thursday by the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Most County Council members don’t like the idea of enlarging the Board of Ethics, or giving the council more say over its appointees. But that didn’t stop them Wednesday from spending more than an hour in discussion before once again postponing a bill that would do just that. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Council gave its support Wednesday to forming a new development agency tasked with improving the Banyan Drive area. Tribune-Herald.

The county settled a lawsuit with a Puna man who claims police illegally confiscated the medical marijuana growing on his Fern Acres property almost four years ago. Tribune-Herald.

When a single rental listing on Craigslist can get 30 or more responses in its first day, it’s not hard for shrewd landlords to bend the law to weed out families and the disabled. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

In response to the high volume of animal emergency calls, the Maui Humane Society revived its 24-hour, seven-day-a-week animal emergency response hotline on Monday to assist domestic animals and livestock. Maui News.

Ron Youngblood was remembered Tuesday as a craftsman writer who elegantly captured Maui life and the spirit of its people, an intelligent blue-collar newsman who could turn a phrase, a mentor to young writers and journalists and a loving brother. Maui News.

Kauai

Addressing the well-documented need for more affording housing on Kauai is a noble cause, but it should not come at the expense of losing the island’s rural character, a Kauai councilman said Wednesday. Garden Island.

Green Aloha, Ltd., one of the consortiums applying for Kauai’s first medical marijuana dispensary license, has struck an agreement with United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 480. Pacific Business News.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources will hold a public meeting on the proposed Haena Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area Management Plan at Kilauea School Cafeteria from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday. Garden Island.

Senate pushes $13.5B budget, Kauai biomass generator dedicated, Oahu judge assigned to Kenoi case, profs barred from dating students, Honolulu rail over budget again, general excise tax hike unpopular on Big Island, Maui water rights case simmers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Crowds seek entrance into Ways & Means hearing, courtesy Nathan Eagle

State senators announced a new proposed $13.5 billion budget that would leave the state on track to spend more money next year than it collects in taxes and other revenue, but Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Jill Tokuda said she did not immediately know how much revenues would lag behind expenses. Star-Advertiser.

State senators are pushing a state budget that directs more money to affordable housing and homelessness programs, putting more funding behind their commitment to address those problems than their colleagues in the House. Associated Press.

Senators have carved out nearly $160 million to rebuild the Hawaii State Hospital, $5 million to bail out Wahiawa General Hospital and $23.5 million to fund the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in 2017. These were just a few of the major budget decisions that the Ways and Means Committee announced Tuesday. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii now officially bans professors from dating their students. The university came out with a new policy Tuesday that bans faculty from having romantic, sexual or dating relationships with students in their classes. Associated Press.

University of Hawaii professors are prohibited from having romantic relationships with students, under a new policy finalized Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Agencies have long relied on temporary contracts to get jobs done in Hawaii’s state government. Now Gov. David Ige and labor unions are pushing legislation to severely limit those types of contracts — saying they lessen the flow of money into the state retirement system and deny workers collective bargaining rights. Civil Beat.

For 18 years, Hawaii Long-Term Care Ombudsman John McDermott has pushed for a requirement that inspections of care facilities be unannounced. He may not have to wait much longer, thanks to a bill that the House Finance Committee passed Tuesday. Civil Beat.

When the weather gets hot that means classrooms around the state will start to heat up leaving teachers and students struggling to get through the day. KHON2.

Family and supporters of 442nd Regimental Combat Team veteran Noboru Kawamoto staged a small demonstration at the state Capitol on Tuesday to lobby for a change in state law to allow Kawamoto to live in the same adult care home as his wife. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Just three months after the Honolulu City Council approved a five-year extension of the general excise tax, top rail transit officials acknowledged that extra money may not be enough to pay for Honolulu's rail project. Hawaii News Now.

Why Was Ethics Director Suspended? Report Offers Few Details. On the day Chuck Totto returns to work in Honolulu, the city releases heavily redacted documents related to his discipline. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co. is pushing for more electric vehicles to build the utility’s customer base and make way for additional rooftop solar.Star-Advertiser.

468 acres of North Shore land across the street from the Turtle Bay resort will be forever preserved from development. Hawaii Public Radio.

In the ebb and flow of surface ships and submarines at Pearl Harbor, the tide is currently going out. The guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton, a Hawaii stalwart since its commissioning in 1995, pulled away from pier Bravo 25 at 9:09 a.m. Tuesday for a home-port switch to San Diego and dry-docking and maintenance there. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

It’s not easy raising taxes, the County Council Finance Committee discovered Tuesday. The committee’s attempt to raise the general excise tax by one-half percent starting in 2018 was met with public resistance as several people told the county it needed to better manage the money it already gets. West Hawaii Today.

Mayor Billy Kenoi touched on his years of achievements, but didn't mention his looming criminal trial at his last luncheon with the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, an annual event where the mayor and his cabinet update the community on how county sweat and dollars are making lives better in West Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald this afternoon assigned an Oahu circuit judge to temporarily preside in the Mayor Billy Kenoi felony theft case on Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

Doctors at the Hilo Women’s Imaging Center, part of Hawaii Radiologic Associates Ltd., are notifying patients of possible inaccuracies in thousands of mammograms as the center completes a re-certification process for its imaging equipment. Tribune-Herald.

On Sunday, a group of Aloha Aina advocates ascended to the Mauna Kea Visitor Center cross walk, where they held a short ceremony in commemoration of the first series of arrests that took place on the mountain – one year ago – on April 2, 2015. Big Island Video News.

State officials will host an informational meeting Thursday night to update Puna residents about the state Department of Transportation’s roundabout project. Tribune-Herald.

Home sales on Hawaii’s Big Island soared by more than 30 percent last month, even as prices dipped for single-family homes and plummeted for condominiums, according to data from Hawaii Information Service on behalf of Hawaii Island Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Alexander & Baldwin would no longer be eligible to retain the rights to millions of gallons of water that for decades it’s diverted from Maui streams under amendments made to a hotly contested bill that was approved by the Senate Ways and Means Committee this week. Star-Advertiser.

Maui’s Ancient Water Rights Debate Headed For Capitol Showdown. Big Ag has long diverted water to serve Central Maui at the expense of others, and the dispute is outliving sugar cane farming. Civil Beat.

In 24 years, Maui island could be powered by 100 percent renewables, including solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal energy, according to updated plans submitted by Hawaiian Electric Cos., which include subsidiary Maui Electric Co. Maui News.

Kauai

Eric Knutzen of Green Energy Hawaii joined a crew from Green Energy Hawaii, along with Hawaii Gov. David Ige and more than a hundred others on Tuesday to dedicate and bless one of the first eco-friendly plant of its kind in the United States. Hailed as the first biomass-based, integrated, sustainable, renewable-energy plantation in the world, the biomass-to-electricity and ethanol plant was dedicated near Koloa. Garden Island.

Everyone minded their manners at the Monday night panel discussion on the affects of pesticide use on Kauai. But they didn’t all agree. Garden Island.

A measure under consideration by the Kauai council has the potential to increase the inventory of affordable housing on the island — especially in more densely populated areas like Lihue, supporters said. Co-sponsored by councilmembers Gary Hooser and Mason Chock, Bill 2627 would allow homeowners who meet certain guidelines to construct an additional rental unit on their property. Garden Island.

The state has discovered high levels of bacteria in a Kauai stream, but warning signs won't be posted. Hawaii News Now.

A new program being rolled out this month will help develop stronger biosecurity on the island and prevent invasive species from worming their way to the ‘aina. Garden Island.

The number of single-family homes sold on Kauai in March jumped by more than 50 percent, but the median price fell by nearly 30 percent, according to data provided by Hawaii Information Service on behalf of the Kauai Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Kahoolawe

Two bills that would give the cash-strapped Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission a little more money this year are still alive as the state Legislature winds down to its final month. Maui News.

Ige seeks enhanced trespassing laws, millions for Hawaiian Home Lands, state recruits Mainland teachers, grand jury mulls Honolulu police corruption, OT raises county costs, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pocket park along Diamond Head © 2016 All Hawaii News

Gov. David Ige’s administration wants to make it a crime to trespass on all state lands, but homeless advocates worry that could give homeless people a criminal record by expanding the areas that are off-limits to set up camp. Associated Press.

Gov. David Ige announced Monday he will ask the Legislature to boost funding for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands by millions of dollars, representing the “highest level of funding” that the department has ever received from the state. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige is asking lawmakers to give an additional $20 million to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands over the next two years. Associated Press.

Gov. David Ige announced Monday he is asking state lawmakers to approve $17.1 million to cover the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands’ operating budget and administrative expenses for fiscal 2016, which ends June 30. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige is proposing to almost double the Department of Hawaiian Home Land’s administration and operation budget for the next two fiscal years. Garden Island.

The Hawaii Department of Education is finishing the last two of five Mainland recruiting trips this week as officials scramble to deal with a growing teacher shortage. Hawaii News Now.

As the Zika outbreak takes hold in Latin America, researchers thousands of miles away in Hawaii are using data to figure out where it might spread next. Associated Press.

Hawaii Gas, which has plans to ship liquefied natural gas in bulk amounts to the Islands as a replacement for oil, among other uses, has sliced its project cost for this venture by $100 million. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A grand jury is looking into allegations of civil rights abuses and corruption by the Honolulu Police Department that emerged from a theft case involving the police chief’s mailbox, a federal public defender said Monday. Associated Press.

The Honolulu mayor’s race is slowly taking shape as three seasoned politicians appear to be positioning themselves for potential challenges to incumbent Kirk Caldwell. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Ethics Commission Executive Director Chuck Totto was back at work Monday after a month-long suspension over allegations of improper management and possible violations of the Hawaii Whistleblower Protection Act.  Civil Beat.

A community park has been left in disrepair for years. Community members want the city to let them take over upkeep. But with so many other parks across the city also in need of help could this be the answer to keeping up with Honolulu’s neglected parks? KHON2.

Turtle Bay Resort plans to expand farming on land mauka of its hotel on Oahu’s North Shore, following completion of a $6 million deal Monday to preserve the agricultural property. Star-Advertiser.

An independent investigation is underway to determine the cause of a laboratory explosion last month at the University of Hawaii at Manoa that seriously injured a 29-year-old researcher. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Overtime pay is driving some county employees’ salaries much higher than their bosses’ and even higher than the mayor’s, the chief elected official on the island. Mayor Billy Kenoi makes $132,000. In fact, some Hawaii County employees make more than the governor. West Hawaii Today.

Perspectives on Mayor Billy Kenoi's Legal and Personal Futures. Hawaii Public Radio.

A range fire that began March 24 within the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) on Hawaii island during a combined armed live-fire exercise is contained but still smoldering near Range 3 in the PTA impact area, where officials say it is running out of fuel. Hawaii Independent.

After three decades of growing bananas, Richard Ha has overseen his last harvest. On Friday, the Ha family and their farm workers gave away 300 boxes – close to 12,000 pounds – of Hamakua Springs Country Farms bananas at the Hilo soccer fields. Big Island Video News.

Maui

An agricultural giant would be allowed to continue diverting water from East Maui streams for three years under legislation that cleared a critical committee Monday at the Capitol. Civil Beat.

An energy industry veteran from Colorado has been tapped to be the next energy commissioner of Maui County, filling the spot vacated by Doug McLeod, who recently left to become an energy and real estate consultant, the county said. Pacific Business News.

Discovery Land Company, a luxury community developer, is preparing for the construction phase of its development of Makena Golf & Beach Club at Makena Beach & Golf Resort, which will close on July 1, 2016. Maui Now.

Kauai

A proposed roving Jet Ski patrol program stayed afloat Monday in the wake of intense scrutiny of the county’s police and fire budgets. Garden Island.

Nadine Nakamura, managing director for the County of Kauai, formally filed her papers to run for the State House of Representatives, District 14, Monday. Garden Island.

GMO hearings planned for June, rail officials want Ala Moana station, bond sale saves state $32.8M, judges shun Kenoi case, OHA's Lindesey suffers stroke, PR for Honolulu police, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Store display in Hilo © 2016 All Hawaii News

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals may hold hearings in June on three cases related to genetically modified farming in Kauai, Maui and Hawaii counties. The appeals court hasn’t officially scheduled the hearings yet, but it notified parties recently that they may be held June 13-17 in Honolulu. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige’s plans to address Hawaii’s homelessness crisis and affordable-housing shortage are competing for funding with other priorities in the Legislature, and some advocates are concerned that lawmakers are not setting aside enough money to solve those pressing problems. Associated Press.

The state refinanced $345 million in general obligation bonds Thursday in a move that will save the state $32.8 million during the next eight years, according to an announcement from Gov. David Ige. Star-Advertiser.

A bill to allow the cultivation and distribution of industrial hemp for research was approved by the House Finance Committee on Friday. Civil Beat.

Hawaii spends roughly $17 million a year on the salaries of state employees whose main mission is to keep the islands safe from natural- and human-caused disasters. Civil Beat.

State utility regulators are weighing a switch to smart meters for thousands of Hawaiian Electric Co. customers. Associated Press.

Embattled telecommunications company Sandwich Isles Communications has asked the Hawaiian Homes Commission to certify it as an eligible telecommunications carrier so that it can potentially resume receiving millions of dollars in federal ratepayer funds to subsidize its phone and Internet service on Hawaiian homelands. Star-Advertiser.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairperson, Robert K. Lindsey Jr., suffered a stroke a few weeks ago, and the agency says he is now in the process of recuperating. Big Island Video News.

The University of Hawaii will be presenting its proposed tuition schedule for fall 2017 through spring 2020 to the community at public meetings statewide from Monday, March 28 to Thursday, May 5. KHON2.

Oahu

City rail officials appear to be massaging their construction schedule to preclude the Legislature, City Council and public from any temptation to stop the financially troubled $6.57 billion project at Middle Street instead of running to Ala Moana Center. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Department will pay a public relations firm about $125,000 over a year to train its two police public relations professionals as well as leaders and officers. Associated Press.

When they were announced last year, accessory dwelling units were touted as a potential quick fix to help alleviate O‘ahu’s housing shortage. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

It appears no Big Island judge will hear the pending theft trial of Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi. Tribune-Herald.

The state indictment charging Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi with theft and lying about purchases he made with his county-issued credit card does not include any of the more egregious allegations, including that he used the card to pay Honolulu hostess bar tabs, to buy a surfboard and bicycle or to pay his state lawyer association dues, according to an analysis of the credit card statements. Star-Advertiser.

Retired Hawaii Island Circuit Court Judge Riki May Amano has been chosen as the hearings officer to conduct a new contested case hearing regarding the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope project atop Mauna Kea, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Friday. Civil Beat.

A retired Hawaii state judge will serve as a hearing officer for a contested case hearing redo for the Thirty Meter Telescope land permit, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said. Pacific Business News.

A bill to privatize Honokohau Harbor after years of disrepair is gaining steam at the Capitol. And the state agency which now oversees the facility is backing what could become a model for privatization of small boat harbors across Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

A group of Papaikou mill beach users and their supporters stood along Highway 19 on Friday to again urge Hawaii County officials to make the only trail to the small black sand beach a public path.Tribune-Herald.

A Life Flight helicopter which has been allowed to permanently park on Hilo Medical Center’s helipad will soon be getting the boot. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Special Committee on County Governance voted 6-5 on Thursday afternoon to pursue some form of county manager government. Maui News.

Hawaiian Electric Cos., including subsidiary Maui Electric Co., is seeking to embark on a $340 million project to install smart grid technology which will allow customers to monitor their electricity use by computers or mobile devices and the utility to improve grid operations and integration of renewable energy. Maui News.

Kauai

Creating transportation alternatives that would decrease Kauai’s traffic congestion and carbon footprint is a long road. Garden Island.

State health officials are blaming the fecal waste of feral pigs, sheep, rats, birds and possibly a dozen land tortoises for polluting a stream that people frequent on the south shore of Kauai. Civil Beat.

In its continuing effort to maximizing efficiency, the Kauai Transportation Agency next month plans to implement new bus routes, resulting in savings of up to $120,000, according to the county. Garden Island.

Lanai

Technical difficulties in maintaining clear videoconference or phone communications with Lanai testifiers pulled the plug on the Maui County Council's attempt to pass the Lanai Community Plan update on first reading Friday. Maui News.

Hawaiian Electric seeks smart-grid revamp, another super delegate for Hawaii Democrats, bill denying rapists parental rights clears committee, Big Island council to mull general excise tax surcharge, Kauai Rep. Kawakami leaving Legislature, skyscraper OK'd for Waikiki, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu at night © 2016 All Hawaii News

Hawaiian Electric Co. asked the state Thursday to approve a $340 million smart-grid system that would improve reliability, allow for increased use of renewable energy sources and give customers more control over their electrical use. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige’s administration concluded in filings Thursday that 22 days of hearings on NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries proved the plan is a bad fit for the state. Star-Advertiser.

A proposed law passed through the House Committee on Judiciary Thursday would allow the courts to deprive rapists of parental rights as long as there’s “clear and convincing evidence” that a child was conceived during a sexual assault. Associated Press.

Legislation backed by groups who want to reduce homelessness and create more affordable housing cleared the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday. Civil Beat.

The Senate Senate Ways and Means Committee moved 22 bills forward Thursday, the latest batch to clear the crucial money committee chaired by Sen. Jill Tokuda. On Tuesday, the committee passed bills to reduce homelessness and create more affordable housing. Civil Beat.

Senate Bill 3034 has been moving along at the Hawaii Legislature, but the bill called “Marsy’s Law” faces a deadline next week or it’s likely dead for 2016. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Democrats discovered last week that they have another superdelegate for the party’s national convention in Philadelphia this summer. The news comes as pressure builds on Hawaii’s superdelegates to support U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gets Another Superdelegate For Democratic Convention. In a surprise to local party officials, Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui was added just before the presidential preference poll, bringing the total to 10. Civil Beat.

Some of Hawaii’s most dynamic teachers are reaching out to inspire colleagues and enhance their profession as part of a new corps of “teacher leaders.” Star-Advertiser.

It’s no coincidence that April is Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawaii. Seventy years ago today the islands were pounded by one of the most destructive tsunamis in the 20th century, a series of massive waves that took 159 lives and caused more than $26 million in damage across the state. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii hotel rates rose 5.1 percent last week to an average daily rate of $270.77 as hotel occupancy across the Island srose 4.5 percentage points to 83.9 percent, according to the weekly report from Hospitality Advisors LLC and STR Inc. Pacific Business News.

What really happened at the ʻAha, part IV. The international committee struggles to have its alternative documents to the federal-recognition constitution put before the participants for consideration. Hawaii Independent.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council zoning committee has unanimously approved plans for a hotel-condo tower to be built at King's Village in Waikiki that's 110 feet higher than current zoning allows. Hawaii News Now.

Neighborhood Concerns Face Off Against Honolulu’s Need For Affordable Housing. The City Council considers a development moratorium that would postpone a project in Moanalua, while another in Chinatown has been delayed for months and still faces obstacles. Civil Beat.

Kirk Caldwell has a new campaign commercial playing on local radio stations. Star-Advertiser.

The solar airplane grounded in Hawaii last year flew back into action today. The solar impulse went for a training flight at Kalaeloa Airport. KITV4.

Hawaii

The public will get its chance to weigh in on a taxing question next week, when the County Council Finance Committee considers a half-percent general excise tax surcharge for transportation projects. West Hawaii Today.

A judge’s decision was reported incorrectly Thursday in West Hawaii Today regarding a neighbor dispute over ocean views in the Alii Heights subdivision. The judge ruled in favor of the couple who sought remedy from their neighbors whose shrubbery they claimed obstructed their ocean view. John S. Gailliard and Jodi L. Gailliard prevailed in their civil suit against Elizabeth Rawsthorne and William Bates, Judge Melvin Fujino wrote in an order filed Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Although hundreds of Makena Beach & Golf Resort employees will be without jobs beginning July 1, their prospects for regaining employment are bright in Maui's burgeoning hotel industry, Maui County officials said Wednesday. Maui News.

Discovery Land Co. said Thursday that the $300 million redevelopment of the Makena Golf & Beach Club will will create 400 new construction jobs, and that about 20 percent of the 385 employees who will be affected by the hotel's closure will remain at the resort to assist with operations. Pacific Business News.

Still in its early stages, a project calling for the development of 32 private rental townhomes, along with retail, dining and office space, is being proposed for a 1-acre parcel on Vineyard Street near the back parking lot of Maui Medical Group in Wailuku.Maui News.

Kauai

Calling it the easiest decision he has ever made, Kauai Rep. Derek Kawakami, D-Kapaa, announced Thursday he not run for another term in the state House and will instead seek a two-year term on the Kauai Council. Garden Island.

State Rep. Derek Kawakami announced Thursday that he’s going to give up his seat in the Legislature and run for the Kauai County Council. Civil Beat.

Saturday started in sewage for a few guests at The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas when a system failure spilled raw human waste into the bathrooms of one of the resort’s guest buildings, affecting about 5 percent of all of their rooms. Garden Island.