Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Special session for rail funding looming, Ige signs bill giving more tech oversight, $1M from nonprofit for homeless vets, HART study finally public, farmers market comes to Ala Moana Center, Oprah to speak on Maui, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy HART
Rail plan for Honolulu transit, courtesy HART
Lawmakers haven’t yet agreed on the details, but leaders in the state House and Senate announced Monday they plan to hold a special session this summer to try to resolve their impasse over how to provide more funding for the city’s 20-mile rail project. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers plan to convene a special session in July or August to again try to reach a deal on how to fund the remainder of Honolulu’s 20-mile rail project, which is now billions of dollars over budget. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers on Monday told the Federal Transit Administration that they will hold a special session this summer to find a solution for the funding issue surrounding Honolulu's rail project. Pacific Business News.

More than two months after lawmakers wrapped up the legislative session with no deal on how to fund Oahu's beleaguered rail project, state lawmakers are trying to reassure the federal government that they'll hold a special session on the issue by August. Hawaii News Now.

House Speaker Scot Saiki and Senate President Ron Kouchi have sent a letter to the Federal Transit Authority assuring they intend to meet in special session this summer. KITV.

Hawaii State legislative leadership says there will be a special session before the end of the summer in order to take on funding for Honolulu’s rail project. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii lawmakers plan to hold a special session this summer to discuss funding for Honolulu’s troubled rail line. Garden Island.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Monday signed into law a bill that provides increased oversight and third-party verification of state information technology projects within the executive branch. Pacific Business News.

Rep. Beth Fukumoto was accepted into the Democratic Party on Saturday with the unanimous vote of the Oahu county executive committee. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii, led by Governor David Ige, is staking out an increasingly combative stance in opposing Trump administration policies. Civil Beat.

MacNaughton Group donates $1 million to help Hawaii’s homeless veterans. Star-Advertiser.

Scores of homeless vets to be housed thanks to $1M donation to Hawaii nonprofit. Hawaii News Now.

Commentary: Candidates so far for LG fail to spark voter enthusiasm. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu


The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation in 2013 spent $35,000 on a peer review that yielded fairly routine findings. Its attorneys fought to keep the report secret for four years. Civil Beat.

Lawmaker demands answers after state boots deputy sheriffs from Honolulu airport patrols. KHON2.

The owner of Valley of the Temples Memorial Park will preserve and enlarge its historic main building, which includes Hawaiian heiau references, under a plan to establish mortuary services and a bigger chapel at the Windward Oahu property. Star-Advertiser.

Ala Moana Center is getting its own weekly farmers market. KHON2.

East Oahu neighborhoods experienced strong sales in May, with closed sales of single-family homes in the Aina Haina and Kuliouou area more than tripling, according to the Honolulu Board of Realtors monthly local market update.Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

A Kona coffee farmer whose fight against deportation has played out publicly in recent weeks is thanking Hawaii residents and lawmakers for their support. Hawaii News Now.

Researchers can now look with a bird’s-eye view at rapid ohia death in an entire forest and also microscopically within a single tree. Collaborating researchers showcased their wide-ranging technology for journalists Monday at the Hilo Air Patrol. Tribune-Herald.

The Department of Water Supply reported last week that North Kona consumers are largely ignoring the mandatory 25 percent reduction in water usage the department first issued in January. West Hawaii Today.

Drought conditions on Hawaii Island are improving, according to the latest Drought Information Statement issued by the National Weather Service in Honolulu. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii County’s unemployment rate increased a fraction last month but remains near 10-year lows, according to recent figures from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Global media leader and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey will appear for a special conversation at Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s outdoor Alexander & Baldwin Amphitheater on Monday, June 26. Maui Now.

Haleakalā National Park is still seeking cultural practitioners from local communities for is Hana Noʻeau program, a series of cultural demonstrations that is offered in the park’s Kīpahulu and Summit Districts. Maui Now.

The county’s electronics recycling program on Maui and Molokai will be suspended for five weeks beginning July 1 in order to implement new processing and Mainland shipping systems, the Department of Environmental Management has announced. Maui News.

Kmart’s last day of business on Maui drew many loyal customers for the same reason it always has over the past two decades: all the great deals. Maui News.

Kauai

County and industry leaders said Monday investments in renewable energy systems are key to lowering dependence on fossil fuels while strengthening the economy. Garden Island.

Sunday was a day when the more than 350 people involved with Tropic Care Kauai 2017 could let their hair down and enjoy the hospitality and gratitude of a grateful island at a luau put on by the Smith’s Tropical Paradise family. Garden Island.

Monday, June 19, 2017

Hokulea homecoming celebrations continue, universal basic income studied by Legislature, anti-aging drug begins trials, Maui sugarmill sale begins, Honolulu lobbyists spent $200k, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Facebook photo by Hokulea crew
Greeting Hokulea in Honolulu, courtesy Hokulea crew
No modern navigation instrumentation guided a Polynesian voyaging canoe as it followed the horizon during a three-year journey around the globe. On Saturday, thousands welcomed double-hulled canoe Hokulea home to Hawaii when it entered a channel off the island Oahu and tied up to a floating dock at Magic Island. Associated Press.

Hokulea homecoming celebrations continued on Sunday, one day after thousands welcomed home the voyaging canoe. Hawaii News Now.

Hokulea is home, but its mission continues. The Malama Honua Summit kicked off Sunday -- highlighting the world-wide voyage. KITV4.

Three-quarters of the world’s inhabitants, including those living in Hawaii, will be exposed to deadly heat waves by the end of the century unless greenhouse gases are not substantially reduced, according to a study published today in Nature Climate Change. Star-Advertiser.

A resolution adopted by the Legislature last session calls for a “basic economic security working group” to study universal basic income. Civil Beat.

The National Institute of Health has chosen a compound developed by a Hawaii-based business for an anti-aging research program. Hawaii News Now.


Hawaii spends slightly more on each public school student than the national average each year but far less on general administration than the national norm, according to a new report from the Census Bureau. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Taxation’s new computer system has generated so many complaints from taxpayers and raised so many concerns among lawmakers that the Legislature this year stepped in to halt the flow of new funding into the project. Star-Advertiser.

Rear Adm. John Fuller will relinquish command of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific at 1 p.m. Friday to Rear Adm. Brian Fort. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 2.7 percent in May, a decline of 0.4 percentage points from 3.1 percent in May 2016. Pacific Business News.

About 49,000 Hawaii Medical Service Association members covered by small-business health insurance plans will see an average 2.1 percent rate hike July 1, the smallest increase since 2012. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Companies spent more than $200,000 to sway Honolulu’s elected officials last year, according to lobbying reports filed with the city Ethics Commission in January. Civil Beat.

 The state Department of Transportation has ended its agreement with the Department of Public Safety to have deputy sheriffs handle law-enforcement duties at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, and state Sen. Will Espero is questioning whether the move is payback for a lawsuit filed by the sheriffs’ union to block the state’s new contract with a private airport security firm. Star-Advertiser.

A landowner’s plan to develop 29 lots in the heart of Haleiwa town won its first approval from the City Council last week, and a community hearing is likely next for the contentious project. Star-Advertiser.

A developer calls it Serenity Gardens, but community reaction to a cemetery planned in a residential Kaneohe neighborhood has not been calm or soothing. Star-Advertiser.

The most expensive homes on Oahu are in the neighborhood of Kāhala. And the priciest ones of all are on Kāhala Avenue, a street of some changes over time. Hawaii Public Radio.

Winners of the Make the Ala Wai Awesome contest were announced Saturday at the opening ceremony of the World Youth Conference at the Hawaii Convention Center. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu Police Department and the city Prosecutor’s Office have seen an increase in their domestic violence caseloads in recent years but without a corresponding increase in successful prosecutions, a report released last week by city Auditor Edwin Young concludes. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Renters and owners of second homes, especially those in West Hawaii, are about to feel the sting of changes the County Council made to Mayor Harry Kim’s proposed property tax hikes. West Hawaii Today.

Time could be running out for The Villages at Aina Lea. After more than a quarter-century of false starts and litigation, all work at the South Kohala site has been ordered again stopped and Hawaii County has notified developer, Aina Lea Inc., it plans to start the county process of reverting the land’s zoning “to its original” (unplanned) or a “more appropriate designation.” West Hawaii Today.

The state Department of Transportation’s reconstruction project on Saddle Road is nearing completion. Tribune-Herald.

A contested case hearing on whether to let a proposed 306-unit timeshare development in Kahaluu move forward is unlikely to get resolved this year. West Hawaii Today.

Recent sewage leaks and high bacteria counts along the Keaukaha shoreline are the topics of discussion at this community meeting Thursday night. Big Island Video News.

When the Big Island Invasive Species Committee’s field crew heads out to take samples from ohia trees, no news is good news. Tribune-Herald.

Following the recommendation of Hawaii County inspectors, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources has made the decision to close Pagoda Hilo Bay Hotel immediately and vacate the hotel. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

An inspection for potential buyers of the former Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co.’s processing plant will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday. Maui News.

A Lahaina Department of Public Works crew defied its supervisor following September’s torrential rains and flooding and risked further environmental damage from brown-water runoff, the department’s former chief of field operations and maintenance charges in her federal whistleblower lawsuit filed this week against Maui County. Maui News.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii plans to spend more than $50 million on three Maui County hospitals as the biggest privatization effort in state history finally comes to fruition following a one-year delay. Star-Advertiser.

Having adequate doctors, access to services for non-Kaiser Permanente members and the possibility of reopening adolescent mental health services were some of the issues brought up during a public meeting Friday. Maui News.

The Maui County Council approved the 49-unit Makila Kai project in Launiupoko on a 6-2 vote Friday. Maui News.

The county Department of Water Supply has announced the winners of its eighth annual Water Conservation Poster Contest and of its first Source Water Protection Video Contest. Maui News.

Experts say elder abuse is happening in all settings. Conference focuses on signs of a problem, prevention tactics. Maui News.

Kauai

Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. sent the upcoming year’s budget back to to the council unsigned. Garden Island.

Kauai County Council Chair Mel Rapozo will give an overview of the county’s fiscal year 2017-18 budget at the Lihue Business Association meeting, 7:30 to 9 a.m. Thursday at Duke’s Canoe Club. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council will host the annual Hawaii State Association of Counties conference Monday and Tuesday at the Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu. Garden Island.

The public has a chance to hear about the new approach to recreational water quality in a meeting set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Kauai District Health Office Conference Room in Lihue. Garden Island.

Kauai residents are grateful for Tropic Care services. Between Monday and Wednesday, 1,661 patients visited the clinics, and Tropic Care provided 8,015 procedures. Those numbers already surpass those from last year, said Lauren Guest, public health preparedness planner for the Hawaii State Department of Health. Garden Island.

Thursday, June 15, 2017

DLNR app enlists citizen enforcement, schools superintendent gets big contract, Kawauchi loses license to practice law, Maui pCard audit finds waste and abuse, Thirty Meter Telescope back before Hawaii Supreme Court, Oahu condo owners face new property tax law, Caldwell sells bank shares, Kauai lawsuit names Syngenta, DLNR, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Man approaching honu ©  2017 All Hawaii News
Citizens armed with smart phones are being enlisted to help State Conservation Officers enforce rules on all islands. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state land board unveiled a new smartphone app Wednesday for members of the community to submit anonymous tips to report wildlife and natural resource violations to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Hawaii News Now.

Hiking in Hawaii: Managed vs. Unmanaged Access. Supplying enough recreation for its residents and the revolving door of tourists is an official task of the state Nā Ala Hele program. The trail and access program manages the state's hiking inventory and maintains all state-sanctioned trails across the island chain. Hawaii Public Radio.

Incoming Hawaii public schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto will be eligible for incentive bonuses on top of her annual $240,000 base salary, according to her employment contract with the state. Star-Advertiser.

Christina Kishimoto, chosen to lead Hawaii's Public Schools,  is at the center of a nearly $1 million controversy with her current district, located just outside of Phoenix, Ariz. Hawaii News Now.

More students in Hawaii took advantage of free summer meals last year, according to a national report released this week. Tribune-Herald.

United Airlines said Wednesday its plan to add flights to Hawaii will result in more than 400,000 additional seats coming to the islands next year. The extra seats could boost state tourism by about 5 percent in 2018. Star-Advertiser.

More than 6,000 sailors with the USS Carl Vinson strike group are in town with the carrier and escort ships pulling into Pearl Harbor following a five-month deployment. Star-Advertiser.

As the USS Carl Vinson pulled into Pearl Harbor, it was a long anticipated homecoming for some of the sailors on board. KITV.

Hawaii’s longline fishermen will hit their annual 3,138-ton limit for bigeye tuna in the western and central Pacific by early September, according to a forecast Wednesday by federal fishery biologist Christofer Boggs. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Owners of about 8,000 condominiums on Oahu face a Sept. 1 deadline to tell the city whether their property should be taxed at a residential rate or much higher commercial rate as part of a property tax reform initiative. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell sold 2,250 of his shares in Territorial Bancorp Inc. for about $72,000 last week, according to a filing with the Securities Exchange Commission. Star-Advertiser.

The city expects to begin work next spring on a two-year, $80 million project to install a major new sewer line that will run the length of one of the busiest thoroughfares in the Kalihi business district. Star-Advertiser.

Police and prosecutors are taking on far more domestic violence cases, yet still can’t seem to secure more successful convictions due to various inefficiencies in their departments and the courts in general, according to a report released Wednesday by the Honolulu Office of the City Auditor. Civil Beat.

Audit claims new law fails to reduce domestic violence while increasing police workload. KHON2.

The Blood Bank of Hawaii is encouraging the public to give blood after losing 30 percent of its Dillingham Boulevard location’s donors following that collection site’s closure last year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii-based Toell USA Corp., a bottled water company, is opening a new manufacturing plant on Nimitz Highway in Honolulu. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Former County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi has been suspended from practicing law for misusing client funds. West Hawaii Today.

A former Hawaii County clerk who came under fire for her handling of the 2012 primary election was suspended from the practice of law for 150 days by the Hawaii Supreme Court. Tribune-Herald.

The Thirty Meter Telescope project is headed back to the state Supreme Court. The high court on June 5 accepted an appeal of a lower court ruling that vacated TMT International Observatory’s sublease for 6 acres on Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald.

Kailua Bay will remain closed to water activities for the rest of the week, although a spill caused by a sewer pipe rupture Monday has been stopped. West Hawaii Today.

Elevated bacteria levels have been recorded at a popular Keaukaha-area beach park. Big Island Video News.

A massive piece of land in Kaʻu is up for sale and the future of the area is likely tied to the person or entity that ends up making the purchase. West Hawaii Today.

The Growing Meat Market On The Big Island. Bolstered by a mobile slaughterhouse and new butcher shops, the fledgling industry is trying to keep it all local in Hawaii County. Civil Beat.

Maui

An audit of county-issued “pCards” or procurement credit cards found that fraud, waste, or abuse may have occurred. Maui Now.

Fraud and abuse. Personal and side-job spending. These are just a handful of findings by Maui County’s auditor after an extensive review of charges on government credit cards. KHON2.

As seas rise, calls grow to move major Maui highway inland. Maui activists say the conditions on Honoapiilani Highway need to be addressed -- before the highway is washed away completely. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

A lawsuit filed in environmental court June 13 alleges Syngenta Corporation broke Hawaii law by failing to conduct an environmental review before starting operations on the island. Garden Island.

A community group on Kauai is filing suit against the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and seed company Syngenta to protect crown lands on Kauai's West Side. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai County Prosecutor Justin Kollar received the OK Wednesday from the Kauai County Council to apply for a $156,285 grant to fund another year of the Sex Assault Prosecution Unit, which is in its second year. Garden Island.

An affordable housing project that may provide the community with 550 residential units will be on the table at a Land Use Commission meeting later this month. Garden Island.

County approves stewardship agreement with Westside nonprofit group. Garden Island.

Another hui has been formed to ensure thriving environmental, social and economic conditions in Hawaii; and its focus is the political arena. Garden Island.

Five businesses from Kauai are at Hawaii on the Hill. Garden Island.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Thirty Meter Telescope case mulled by hearings officer, Native Hawaiians may lose federal funds, attorney general investigating state boating agency, Maui public works whistleblower sues, Kauai median home price hits $752k, new workforce housing slated for Maui, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Occupy Hilo Media
Thirty Meter Telescope protestor, courtesy Occupy Hilo Media
Telescope case is now in judge’s hands. More than a year after she gaveled open the first pre-conference meeting of the Thirty Meter Telescope contested case hearing, former Circuit Judge Riki May Amano must weigh the facts and make her recommendation to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources. Star-Advertiser.

Big Island Mayor Harry Kim says he continues to find receptive audiences for his vision of a Mauna Kea park more than six months after he promoted the concept during his inauguration. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Leaders Say State Is Under ‘Attack’ With Loss Of Federal Funds. The proposed re-authorization of a housing bill leaves out annual funding of up to $13 million for Native Hawaiians. Civil Beat.

A move to exclude Native Hawaiians from federal legislation that would reauthorize funding for native housing programs is being challenged by Hawaii’s congressional delegation. Big Island Video News.

The State is in the process of updating its Pesticide Rules for the first time since 2006. Hawaii Public Radio.

Fewer teens in Hawaii are getting pregnant, according to a national report released Tuesday, though the number of 3- and 4-year-olds attending school dropped and the state’s education performance still trails slightly behind national averages. Tribune-Herald.

United Airlines, which has more mainland flights to Hawaii than any other carrier, is increasing the frequency of its service on 11 routes from four cities. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Wonder Woman? Mazie Hirono is pretty wondrous herself. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

There's more opposition to the city's new Bikeshare Hawaii program as crews continue to install 100 docking stations from Chinatown to Diamond Head. Hawaii News Now.

The City Council has approved paying a Honolulu law firm up to $50,000 to represent a Honolulu Police Department detective in a civil lawsuit brought by a man who said he was unlawfully arrested and maliciously prosecuted by former Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his wife, Katherine, a Honolulu deputy prosecutor. Star-Advertiser.

Neighborhoods Benefit From Program Meant To Help Poor Communities. An oft-criticized federal immigrant investor program designed to create jobs in distressed areas is instead targeting thriving places like Kakaako and Ala Moana. Civil Beat.

After years of complaints, city crews dismantled two of the most volatile homeless camps on Oahu on Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Crews with the state Department of Transportation were out Tuesday clearing sidewalks in Iwilei of homeless encampments. KHON2.

Hawaii energy industry stakeholders and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting have been working on improving the process for battery storage permits, and it has paid dividends. Pacific Business News.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort’s request for an easement to use state public shoreline for commercial enterprises such as beach activities and weddings has encountered community resistance. Star-Advertiser.

The Howard Hughes Corp. was issued a building permit worth $95,669,455 for electrical and plumbing work on its Ward Village Anaha luxury condominium tower, currently under construction at 1108 Auahi St. Pacific Business News.

A California court dismissed Volvo Car USA’s lawsuit against Envy Hawaii LLC, which operates as Volvo Cars Honolulu, citing the state as an improper venue for the lawsuit. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii


Investigations and complaints are piling up in a case involving a Keauhou Bay charter captain, a Department of Land and Natural Resources official and Hawaii County Prosecutor Mitch Roth. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Board of Ethics again delayed their discussion on a draft order dismissing a petition by Edward Underwood on Tuesday due to a lack of quorum. Big Island Video News.

Kailua Bay remained closed to swimming activities Tuesday afternoon as work on a ruptured sewer line discovered Monday on Palani Road and Alii Drive continued. West Hawaii Today.

The hearings officer overseeing a contested case challenging the proposed development of a 306-unit timeshare will consider on Friday the county planning director’s request to reopen the public hearing on the issue. West Hawaii Today.

A tearful Jaylin Kema apologized to her family and community Tuesday, and a judge, despite expressed misgivings, sentenced her to 10 years probation for her role in the 1997 death of her son, "Peter Boy" Kema Jr. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian Airlines said Tuesday it is seeking candidates who speak Japanese or English for customer and ramp service contract positions at Kona International Airport. Contract workers serve as Hawaiian employees who provide services to other airlines. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

The former Maui County highways chief says in a federal whistleblower lawsuit that she was fired for reporting and investigating county worker abuses, including the repairing of private motor vehicles at county facilities on county time and with parts purchased using county pCards. Star-Advertiser.

An 8.8-acre property that includes old college dorms is being considered as a possible site for a county homeless or affordable rental facility. Maui News.

There’s a new workforce housing project in the works on Maui and this one involves rental units. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will award vacant lots in the homestead community of Kēōkea-Waiohuli on the Island of Maui this weekend. Maui Now.

The Hana Community Association has published a “Road to Hana Code of Conduct” as a first in its Hana Highway regulation initiative. Maui News.

Kauai

The Planning Commission’s work on the General Plan update is complete. On Tuesday, commissioners voted 4 to 2 to approve the seventh version of the General Plan Update, which restores Hokua Place, a proposed affordable housing development along Kapaa Bypass Road. Garden Island.

Many Kauai residents may not be able to afford homes here, but Realtors said out-of-state residents are buying. Garden Island.

Brandon Miranda received the green light to open a green waste facility in Moloaa. Garden Island.

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Hawaii reacts to travel ban ruling, state to get more missile defense against North Korea threat, Honolulu continues rousting homeless, Hawaii County mayor signs budget, DNA testing lags, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy photo June 13, 2017
Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin on travel ban, courtesy photo
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday ruled in favor of Hawaii’s challenge of President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban, setting up a likely face-off before the U.S. Supreme Court. Star-Advertiser.

President Donald Trump’s revised executive order on immigration suffered another major setback Monday, when a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously in favor of Hawaii to uphold a preliminary injunction against the travel ban. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin sounded like he couldn't be happier with the outcome. KITV.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled Monday in favor of Hawaii’s challenge to President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban, the second appeals court to reject the administration’s move to curb immigration from six mostly Muslim nations. Associated Press.

Another U.S. appeals court stomped on President Donald Trump's revised travel ban Monday, saying the administration violated federal immigration law and failed to provide a valid reason for keeping people from six mostly Muslim nations from coming to the country. Associated Press.

Lawyers for Hawaii told the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday that letting the Trump administration enforce a ban on travel from six mostly Muslim countries would “thrust the country back into the chaos and confusion” that resulted when the policy was first announced in January. Associated Press.

Another federal court has ruled against President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban. Now a decision first made locally is likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. KHON2.

The State of Hawaii filed its memorandum in opposition of the Trump administration's revised travel ban to the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday morning. Pacific Business News.

Members of Hawaii’s Congressional delegation are lauding a U.S. appeals court decision to uphold the state's injunction against President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii’s congressional leaders reacted to the Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling Monday against President Trump’s travel ban. Garden Island.

=====

With growing concern over Hawaii’s potential vulnerability to North Korean ballistic missiles, plans are being fast-tracked for a new medium-­range radar here, while a Pentagon official confirmed that a new U.S. defensive missile being developed jointly with Japan could add a second layer of defense for the state. Star-Advertiser.

The San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is scheduled to pull into Pearl Harbor Wednesday after a five-month deployment during which it and the carrier USS Ronald Reagan conducted rare joint training in the Sea of Japan in a massive show of force aimed at North Korea. Star-Advertiser.

USS Michael Murphy, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, will return to its homeport Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after a successful five-month deployment. Maui Now.

Commercial aquarium fish collection may no longer be a viable career in Hawaii unless Gov. David Ige can be convinced to take out his veto pen in the next two weeks. Star-Advertiser.

State and county officials are months late in launching a website and producing a public service announcement informing victims of sexual assault about an effort to test hundreds of rape kits that have sat in evidence rooms for years untested. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii ranks 17th among the states for child well-being, with an improving economic picture and nearly universal health coverage for kids, according to the 2017 Kids Count Data Book released today. Star-Advertiser.

As of today the dominant cable TV system operator in the state has been re-branded as Spectrum, replacing Oceanic, which had served kamaaina customers since the 1960s. Star-Advertiser.

Oceanic Time Warner Cable has officially changed its name to Spectrum following the merger of their respective parent companies last year. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro, the nine members of the Honolulu City Council and the city’s appointed employees are getting a 5 percent pay raise starting July 1. Star-Advertiser.

Medical Bills Exceed $1 Million For Woman Accidentally Shot By Cop. Hyun Ju Park was working at a bar when Anson Kimura’s duty weapon discharged, lodging a bullet in her stomach. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Police Department has matched some of the DNA profiles obtained from 180 recently processed rape kits with potential perpetrators in a national offender database — a development that could lead to solving years-old crimes or prevent serial sex offenders from committing new ones. Star-Advertiser.

Since a homeless sweep in February, few if any homeless have returned to the steep hillside of Diamond Head Monument, in what appears to be one of the few cases of the state's enforcement in homeless encampments that's actually stuck. Hawaii News Now.

State Sheriffs will conduct a homeless sweep of the area off Nimitz Highway Tuesday. KITV.

With 10 days to go until the next round of "king tides," plans are moving forward to strengthen Hawaii's most famous beach. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Mayor Harry Kim signed a $490.8 million budget Friday, a 6 percent increase compared with the current fiscal year. Tribune-Herald.

With a year to go before candidate qualifying ends for the 2018 election, Kona Councilman Dru Kanuha is ready to make the leap to the state Legislature. West Hawaii Today.

Sewage from ruptured main that occurred earlier today has entered the ocean in Kona, closing the waters around Kailua Bay. Big Island Video News.

Jaylin Kema, mother of missing “Peter Boy” Kema, is scheduled to be sentenced to probation today in Circuit Court in Hilo after pleading guilty to manslaughter in her son’s death. Star-Advertiser.

One of two companies slated to open Hawaii Island’s first medical marijuana dispensaries says a change in production plans has pushed its estimated opening into next year. Tribune-Herald.

Tourism summit looks to entice group travel to Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Electric Co. ranked seventh for connecting energy storage to the grid, according to the Smart Electric Power Alliance that surveyed 412 utilities nationwide. Maui News.

The median price for single-family homes and condominiums on Maui jumped 12.4 percent and 13.5 percent, respectively, in May from last year, caused by low housing inventory, according to a report by the Realtors Association of Maui. Pacific Business News.

Police officers issued 2,351 citations during the two-week “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign that ended June 4. Maui News.

Kauai


Senior Master Sergeant Ryan Voigt, second in command at the Kauai Community College clinical site for Tropic Care Kauai 2017, had concerns over the long lines outside the Office of Continuing Education and Training center Monday. Garden Island.

A new study found that people who attend regular religious services tend to live less stressful and healthier lives. Garden Island.

Lanai


A drop in construction work on Lanai resulted in a 26.2 percent decline in the amount of cargo in and out of the island’s Kaumalapau Harbor, the smallest in the state, according to first-quarter statistics from interisland shipper Young Brothers. Maui News.

Monday, June 12, 2017

Green energy money may go to schools, donated swim gear stolen from soldiers, Waikiki fireworks revived, 47 want to be Honolulu zookeeper, grant award questioned, Maui reconsiders liquor law, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hawaii beach scene © 2017 All Hawaii News
Wondering if your favorite beach is safe for a swim? You’ll know a lot sooner now that the state is implementing new public notification procedures that require signs posted as soon as test results show the water quality does not reach safety standards. West Hawaii Today.

The state might pull one-third of the money from its stagnant $150 million green energy loan program to help lower electrical bills at Hawaii’s public schools. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers this year approved a grant worth hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to a privately owned Hawaii island well-drilling company through a process usually used to fund nonprofit social service organizations, and some lawmakers are wondering why. Star-Advertiser.

Governor to explore possibility of special session for rail. KHON2.

VIDEO: Officials Testify On Hawaii Missile Defeat Programs. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii had the eighth-fastest growing solar market in the United States in the first quarter of 2017, adding 76.4 megawatts of solar capacity between January and March, according to a new report. Pacific Business News.

XLR8UH, the University of Hawaii’s accelerator program, was named one of the nation's best startup accelerators of 2017. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The latest report card shows that homeless people placed into market-rate apartments through the city’s Housing First program continue to do better than their counterparts on the street — and are far less likely to use drugs and alcohol, get arrested or rely on hospital emergency rooms. Star-Advertiser.

Demand for farm land is so great in Hawaii, Aloun Farms is trying to speed up its sale of acres in Central Oahu. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Sorry State Of Many Honolulu Parks. Millions of dollars have been spent on Oahu parks in the past decade, but some have fared better than others. Civil Beat.

Members of the state Land Use Commission last month threw the question of keeping open Oahu’s only public landfill back to the Honolulu Planning Commission to clear up technical errors, but not before criticizing city officials for foot-dragging. Star-Advertiser.

The city received applications from 47 people hoping to be the next director of the Honolulu Zoo, but only 10 were deemed qualified, city Human Resources Director Carolee Kubo said Friday. Star-Advertiser.

The city is moving forward on plans to shore up a portion of the crumbling sea wall that protects Kapiolani Park between the Queen’s Surf groin and the Waikiki Aquarium. Star-Advertiser.

Twenty-five years of weekly fireworks in Waikiki almost came to an indefinite end Friday after a disagreement over how much money the show’s organizer should pay for impeding public use of the beach fronting Hilton Hawaiian Village during the event. Star-Advertiser.

Kaimuki High School is the latest-starting public school in Hawaii, and according to a preliminary study, students there think the later morning bell may make for better health and academic performance. Civil Beat.

Supporters of LGBT rights gathered at the state capitol on Sunday for the Honolulu Equality March for Unity and Pride. Hawaii News Now.

Survey Of Homeless Kids To Include Sexual Orientation Information. A national survey found 40 percent of homeless youths identify as LGBTQ. Service providers will soon have data for Oahu. Civil Beat.

After a man allegedly damaged glass doors at Iolani Palace late May, appraisers said the price tag of the doors is $375,000. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Members of a nonprofit group were disheartened over the theft of swim gear donated to soldiers, training on the Big Island, for their rest and relaxation. West Hawaii Today.

Two Hilo colleges are divided over stone altars, or ahu, with inverted Hawaii flags constructed on campuses by students. Associated Press.

Hilo colleges are taking different approaches to two on-campus ahu — or stone altars — which a student group claims it constructed to bring attention to “124 years of genocide continuing on the Hawaiian community.” Tribune-Herald.

Entries for a lottery that will determine the waiting list order for two local affordable housing projects are being accepted online through June 14. The lottery is scheduled for June 20. West Hawaii Today.

The days of Pagoda Hilo Bay Hotel — formerly known as Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel — are coming to an end. Tribune-Herald.

A Hawaii island lava tour boat operator was fined $15,000 Friday for three violations of state boating rules. Star-Advertiser.

Though the enthusiasm and passion for getting involved in Hawaii’s young hemp industry was on display during Saturday’s conference, many in attendance also expressed concern about potential stumbling blocks in the path. Tribune-Herald.

Doctors at the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu have begun making virtual rounds to treat the most critical intensive care patients on Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

Graham Ellis, who made headlines this week after he was picked up by the Department of Homeland Security and subsequently given 45 days to depart the country voluntarily, will leave a few loose ends on Hawaii Island when he returns to England on July 20. West Hawaii Today.

Turtle monitoring efforts ramp up: Nesting season is a busy time for researchers. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui Liquor Commission will meet on July 12 for a public hearing to consider proposed changes to the existing rules that were implemented in February. Maui Now.

Simply put, there isn’t enough federal and state money to pay for all of Maui County’s highway maintenance and expansion needs — now projected to cost $3.1 billion through 2035, members of the Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization heard last week. Maui News.

Maui Police Department Chief Tivoli Faaumu has received high marks in all categories in his annual review and evaluation by the Maui Police Commission. Maui News.

Chemical farming’s impacts on Maui’s environment and the public will be the topic of discussion at a gathering at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Paia Community Center. Maui News.

Median prices for single-family houses and condominiums on Maui increased by double-digit percentages in May as low inventory prompted buyers to snap up properties at a rapid pace. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council is expected to discuss several requests from the county to apply for grants for services at its meeting Wednesday beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Historic County Building. Garden Island.

The environmental law group Earthjustice is asking for better survey methods for finding marine mammals in target areas for military weapons testing around Kauai. Garden Island.

After almost 20 years since legalization, medical marijuana patients on Kauai may be able to purchase state-approved cannibas by October. Garden Island.

County cemeteries are filling up. KHHA president is seeking additional land for Kekaha Hawaiian Cemetery. Garden Island.

Waioli Corporation gets $550,000 to build interactive park featuring Hawaii locomotives. Garden Island.

Friday, June 9, 2017

Ige mulls aquarium collecting ban bill, no charges yet for airport dog shooting, Hawaiian actors vie for Kamehameha movie, shipping firm considers Hawaii route, 40 apply for Kauai auditor, 30-day reprieve for immigrant coffee farmer, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Manini and other fish © 2017 All Hawaii News
A bill that would place a moratorium on all aquarium fishing in Hawaii — except for those operators already in possession of permits — is awaiting the signature of Gov. David Ige. West Hawaii Today.

According to the latest "Out of Reach" report by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, Hawaii's average two-bedroom renter needs to earn $35.20 per hour. Hawaii News Now.

Another company said it is making a run at starting a Hawaii cargo shipping service that would break up a market duopoly and could benefit consumers. Star-Advertiser.

Workers at a Philadelphia shipyard are building vessels for a new shipping line that will soon enter the Hawaii market. Hawaii News Now.

Dozens of professional and aspiring Native Hawaiian actors answered a casting call Thursday night in hopes of playing the role of King Kamehameha in an upcoming movie called “The Islands.” Star-Advertiser.

Auditions for the upcoming movie "The Islands" were held at the Japanese Cultural Center Thursday night. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Criminal charges will not be filed, at least “for now,” against a private security officer who fatally shot a family dog at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on March 28, state Attorney General Doug Chin said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Pedestrians caught looking at mobile electronic devices, including cellphones, while crossing the street could be fined under a bill before the Honolulu City Council.  Star-Advertiser.

A state board trying to overhaul affordable-housing requirements in Kakaako will hold a new round of public hearings after suggesting additional tweaks to proposed rule changes at a meeting Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Under pressure from developers and other opponents, a state board charged with managing development in Kakaako has rejected rule changes intended to make sure certain housing units always remain affordable. Civil Beat.

People Who Have The Most to Gain From Rail Are Still Skeptical. Even at the route’s western edge, where residents face daunting traffic congestion to get downtown, the transit project’s support is spotty. Civil Beat.

Repaving work on Date Street near Kapahulu is almost complete, but a few intersections are missing important markings like crosswalks. KITV.

Residents say removal of crosswalks makes busy street dangerous for pedestrians. KHON2.

Turning seven acres agricultural land into residential lots, to build homes. That's the plan for a property owner in Haleiwa. KITV.

State health officials confirmed seven more cases of the mumps on Oahu this week. This brings the 2017 total to 96. KITV.

What was touted for decades as 20 of the “finest lanes in Hawaii” for bowling could soon become someone’s new dining table, butcher block, workbench or something else made from the alley floors of Waialae Bowl. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The former Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel could again be up for grabs. The state Land Board will consider today whether to auction the land lease for the Banyan Drive property at a later date. Tribune-Herald.

A Hawaii island coffee farmer who entered the United States illegally from Mexico nearly three decades ago has been granted a 30-day reprieve on a deportation order. Associated Press.

The government gave Andres Magana Ortiz 30 more days in the U.S, but there is a possibility the father of three could still be sent back to Mexico. KITV.

Starting today, about 100 companies from around the globe will be represented on the Big Island as part of a four-day event aimed at selling Hawaii as a prime spot for meetings, conventions and incentive trips. Tribune-Herald.

It’s likely the sentencing of Peter Kema Sr. for the 1997 death of his 6-year-old son, Peter Kema Jr., won’t happen today as scheduled because authorities continue to look for the boy’s remains and because Kema hasn’t yet been given a polygraph test to determine if he told the truth about where he left the boy’s body. Tribune-Herald.

A magnitude-5.3 earthquake centered near the 61g lava flow on Hawaii Island startled a tour group Thursday morning, as they hiked out to see the volcanic activity. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The Pukalani Country Club has put up 455 solar panels that can generate 220-megawatt hours of power for the Maui Electric Co. grid, the golf course general manager said. Maui News.

Wailuku Water Co. hopes the state Public Utilities Commission approves its proposed sale of about 4,500 acres in the next two to three months to survive mounting losses that threaten to close the company, its president said Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

Despite advertising in multiple publications and online and interviewing applicants, the county auditor position has remained empty for nearly two years. Garden Island.

The Planning Department is recommending the Planning Commission approve the General Plan Update when it meets Tuesday. Garden Island.

An energy project on the Hawaii island Kauai could set the island on a track to surpass the new goal of 70 percent energy generation from renewable resources by 2030. Associated Press.

Tropic Care Kauai 2017 gets underway Monday. Garden Island.

Molokai

E. coli bacteria has been detected in an East Molokai water source, the Ualapue Shaft, according to the county Department of Water Supply. Maui News.

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Rail bonds approved, Honolulu council hikes bus, parking, weight fees, Big Island gas tax hike advances, interim schools superintendent named, Maui mulls sand mining moratorium, Kauai studies landfill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation
Rail construction, courtesy Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation
Construction of Honolulu’s beleaguered rail project likely will proceed past January, now that it’s squeaked out a sixth, pivotal City Council vote required to float bonds and help keep the work on track. The Council’s 6-3 decision on Wednesday, which hinged on Councilman Trevor Ozawa’s swing vote, authorizes up to $350 million in city general obligation bonds for rail. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council approved a measure Wednesday to ensure construction of the rail project can continue through June 2018 by issuing up to $350 million in bonds, although there is still no long-term revenue source to finish the $10 billion, 20-mile line. Civil Beat.

The city's controversial rail project survived a crucial vote Wednesday at Honolulu Hale -- one that could have shut down all construction and operations within a couple months. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu's financially troubled rail transit project will be able to issue bonds to keep it afloat through the end of the year. KITV.

The city council voted on a number of measures Wednesday night that could bring in much needed funding to the Honolulu rail project. KHON2.

Hawaii’s newly appointed schools superintendent says she has her sights set on raising student achievement in the islands above the rest of the country’s public schools. Star-Advertiser.

The future superintendent of Hawaii schools — and the high school principal who will serve as interim schools chief for a month until she starts her job Aug. 1 — spoke briefly to the media Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Keith Hayashi, Waipahu High School’s principal who has been serving as interim deputy superintendent since March, has been tapped to lead the public school system as interim superintendent until Aug. 1, the Department of Education announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A new report from Pew Research Center shows that Hawaii had the most multiracial and multiethnic births in the nation at 44 percent in 2015. Civil Beat.

Only four restaurants from the entire state of Hawaii were recognized on OpenTable's 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America, a list of the best outdoor dining restaurants in the country. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Motor vehicle weight taxes, bus fares and parking rates will go up under a 2018 budget package approved by the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.


Honolulu residents will have to pay more to drive and park as the result of City Council action Wednesday to balance the 2018 fiscal year budget. Civil Beat.

In Wednesday's Honolulu City Council meeting, the council approved a bill for a one-time increase on city bus fares. KITV.

The City Council voted Wednesday to override Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s veto on a bill that would block the transfer of Thomas Square to the Department of Enterprise Services from the Department of Parks and Recreation, citing concerns that the move could commercialize much-needed green space. Star-Advertiser.

The City Council advanced a measure Wednesday that would allow a Waikiki nonprofit group to set transportation policies, handle curb and parking enforcement, and build parking garages and other transportation-related structures in the state’s No. 1 tourist destination. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council chose not to pass a bill Wednesday to close a loophole in the city’s plastic bag ban. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council has decided it needs more time to decide whether to strengthen Oahu’s plastic bag ban. KHON2.

A controversial measure to ban all plastic shopping bags has been shelved by the Honolulu City Council. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu City Council has again deferred action on a bill that would require retailers to charge a fee for checkout bags and ban so-called compostable plastic bags. Star-Advertiser.

Libraries are popping up across the country, but they’re not lending books. They’re lending tools. The HNL Tool Library is part of a nationwide movement prioritizing access to tools over ownership. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

A gas tax hike is probably coming to a pump near you, but there will be less of an immediate sticker shock following the County Council’s 8-1 vote Wednesday to spread Mayor Harry Kim’s requested increase more evenly throughout the next three years. West Hawaii Today.

The Hilo landfill isn’t closed yet, but Hawaii County already was approached about using it for a solar farm once it’s capped, officials told the County Council on Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Council members on Wednesday rejected for a second and final time a controversial resolution claiming historical discrimination against low-income and Native Hawaiian residents of Puna and Ka‘u. Tribune-Herald.

Millions of dollars will be spent upgrading Hilo International Airport throughout the next two years. Tribune-Herald.

As Hawaii’s congressional delegation rallies around Kona coffee farmer and undocumented immigrant Andres Magana Ortiz as he faces deportation to Mexico, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard took the effort a step further on Wednesday, taking the cause to the floor of the House and urging Congress to pass a ‘private bill’ she introduced this week to help Magana Ortiz. Big Island Video News.

The Waimea family and community man facing deportation was given 45 days to take care of his affairs before he has to leave Hawaii Island. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Council is taking steps on a sand mining moratorium. KHON2.

Department of Liquor Control Director Glenn Mukai said Wednesday that the department isn’t changing any of its rules for nonprofit liquor licenses — it’s just complying with state laws that have been in place since 2008. Maui News.

Members of the Maui Police Department Traffic Section along with assistance from patrol officers conducted a two week operation from May 22 to June 4, 2017 targeting seatbelt, child restraint and pick-up truck restriction violations. Maui Now.

For weeks, Minerva Martinez dreaded Wednesday, a day of reckoning for the 47-year-old Mexican immigrant who was ordered to report for possible deportation. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Consulting group presents findings on makeup of Kekaha Landfill. Garden Island.

Sen. Brian Schatz has a list of items he wants to help fund on the Garden Isle. Garden Island.

Two important ocean safety communication pieces are available to businesses on Kauai. Garden Island.