Schatz, Congressional reps push for federal responsibility for missile alerts; police have job protections, Ige appoints new budget chief, Big Island council pans GET hike, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park 2018 All Hawaii News

The National Park Service is proposing a Tri-Park Pass fee increase from $30 to $50 for Hawaii parks, starting May 1. Star-Advertiser.

The new interim head of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency has taken over, but Brig. Gen. Moses Kaoiwi said ballistic missile alert drills will stay on hiatus until he is assured that the department has a new action plan and the proper resources to move forward. Star-Advertiser.

There have been no new death threats this week against the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and its employees over the Jan. 13 bogus missile alert, but state officials want police to track down people who may have crossed the line in venting their frustrations in the aftermath. Star-Advertiser.

In response to Hawaii’s false missile alert in January, Hawaii’s congressional leaders are pushing for legislation that would call for major changes in alerting the public should a missile attack actually happen. Hawaii News Now.

Schatz introduces legislation requiring federal government responsibility over missile alerts. KITV.

Schatz pushes for federal control of missile threat alert systems. West Hawaii Today.

Calling the Jan. 13 false missile alert an unfortunate event, Gov. David Ige says the state has been busy building a better emergency warning system. Garden Island.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Tuesday appointed Laurel Johnston to serve as the director of the state Department of Budget and Finance. Pacific Business News.

The Army has a navy in Hawaii, and on Tuesday it formally welcomed its third 273-foot logistics support vessel, a flat-bottom cargo transport ideal for the islands and shallow-water littorals and ports of the Pacific. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

New HPD Report Shows Just How Hard It Is To Fire A Bad Cop. Dozens of Honolulu Police Department officers are disciplined each year but a lengthy appeal process often delays final decisions. Civil Beat.

The police union has filed a legal complaint with the state labor board claiming its leaders are being mistreated by HPD's new chief. Hawaii News Now.

House Committee Advances Red Hill Fuel Tank Regulations. The Board of Water Supply is continuing its push for legislation to upgrade the Navy’s Red Hill Fuel Storage tanks. Hawaii Public Radio.

Multiple state and county agencies are now investigating after three children whose fathers work at the same Waipahu fire house fell ill with bone cancer. Hawaii News Now.

Female Athletes Get The Short End Of The Stick At Some Hawaii High Schools. Federal law requires gender equity, but that’s not happening in places like Campbell High School. Civil Beat.

Mother: School discriminated against disabled son by not allowing him on a field trip. Hawaii News Now.

Boy denied social security card due to complications with long Hawaiian name. KHON2.

Residents frustrated with abandoned car ‘graveyards’ across Oahu. KHON2.

Oahu condo prices set record in January. The median price for condominiums sold in January reached a new high of $430,000 off a 13.2 percent gain over the $380,000 median price in the same month last year, according to a Honolulu Board of Realtors report released Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Jeff Perkins has been named general manager of Honolulu's Queen Kapiolani Hotel, which recently began a $35 million renovation that was first announced in July. Pacific Business News.

New owners put sidelined food trucks back in service. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Council advances tax increase, but with negative recommendation. West Hawaii Today.

A discussion on a proposed, county-level general excise tax became heated on Tuesday, as the Hawaii County Council Finance Committee met in Hilo. Big Island Video News.

A Hawaii County Council committee advanced bills Tuesday allowing the Pahoa District Park to host a farmers market and renaming two park facilities, including one in honor of the late Dorothy Thompson. Tribune-Herald.

In June, Puna Kai shopping center will hand over store pad sites to Malama Market and Aloha Petroleum for their own construction, the developer told the Tribune-Herald on Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

The mother of Peter Kema Jr., aka “Peter Boy,” has been ordered to report to Hawaii Community Correctional Center Wednesday morning for violating conditions of her HOPE probation. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Bill 6, which will make it illegal for adults to smoke in a vehicle when a minor is present, has passed Maui County Council. Maui Now.

Anaergia, Maui EKO open green waste dialogue. Meetings aimed at continuing green waste processing at landfill. Maui News.

Commercial waste haulers need to pay fees. Maui News.

An estimated 75 applicants and families attended a lottery event for the Kahoma Village development held on Jan. 26, in West Maui. Maui Now.

Maui Electric Co. said Tuesday it has agreed to buy electricity from a grid-scale solar and battery energy storage facility to be built by Molokai New Energy Partners. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Electric Company has agreed to buy electricity from a grid-scale solar and battery energy storage facility to be built by Molokai New Energy Partners, a project company representatives say could lower the island’s electric bills. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Imperiled Legacy Of The Hanapepe Salt Flats. The last frontier of a centuries-old Hawaiian tradition is threatened from the air, from the sea, and from broken beer bottles. Civil Beat.

A bill proposed by the County of Kauai Parks and Recreation Department could end peddling at county parks, playgrounds, other facilities and beaches, including the concessions sold at Spouting Horn Park. Garden Island.

Gov. David Ige stopped by the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital to visit the resident population of about 50, the hospital’s staff, and view work being done with the $6.6 million Capital Improvement Project appropriation by the Legislature. Garden Island.

Ige, teachers on same page. Garden Island.

The median price of a single-family home on Kauai jumped by 22 percent last month to $770,000, compared to January of last year, while sales of both single-family homes and condominiums declined, according to statistics provided by Hawaii Information Service on behalf of the Kauai Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Ige's executive order bars non-net neutrality contracts, lifeguard survey pinpoints needs, Honolulu releases police discipline report, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii lifeguards ©2018 All Hawaii News

From staffing to storage, lifeguards outline needs in light of ocean safety shortfalls. We surveyed lifeguard units statewide to find out what all the county crews need, and it boils down to hiring more of them, assigned to more places, and for more hours. KHON2.

Gov. David Ige signed an executive order Monday directing state agencies to do business only with internet providers willing to contractually “abide by net neutrality principles.” Tribune-Herald.

Gov. David Ige signed an executive order that directs all state government agencies to contract for internet-related services only with providers who contractually agree to abide by net neutrality principals. Maui Now.

Ige signs executive order on net neutrality. Hawaii Gov. David Ige Monday signed an executive order, directing all state government agencies to contract for internet-related services only with providers who contractually agree to abide by net neutrality principals. Pacific Business News.

What A Constitutional Convention Might Mean For Hawaiians. The 1978 rewriting of the state constitution improved the lives of kanaka maoli. Could that happen again? Civil Beat.

New Solar Panel Tariff Won’t Hurt Hawaii. The Trump administration recently decided to impose a 30 percent duty on imported solar panels to help U.S. panel makers. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is disputing the account of the warning officer who mistook a drill for the real thing and sent an erroneous Jan. 13 missile alert to cellphones, causing 38 minutes of needless fear and panic. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii emergency worker gets threats after misleading photo. When an erroneous alert was sent out last month telling people in Hawaii that there was an incoming ballistic missile, Jeffrey Wong was an island away from the state's emergency management agency office where he works as an operations officer. Associated Press.

In wake of high-profile child deaths, lawmakers eye greater home schooling oversight. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Department last year fired or recommended for firing police officers in 22 cases ranging from sex assault to kidnapping and malicious use of physical force to use of illicit drugs, according to an annual report the agency submitted last week to the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

Man who was allegedly forced to lick public urinal afraid of police retaliation The man at the center of an investigation involving four Honolulu police officers is afraid to speak to investigators, sources say. KHON2.

Handi-Van Riders Are Fuming Over Proposed Fare Increases. Honolulu’s paratransit service has the nation’s highest demand, but that makes it more expensive to run. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers propose to remove bicycle stations and bulbouts from Chinatown. City Council member Carol Fukunaga introduced a bill seeking to ban all bike-stations and curb extension bulbouts in the Chinatown district. KITV.

The Honolulu City Council is expected to fast-track a temporary ban on so-called “Monster Houses.” Hawaii Public Radio.

FilCom Center files for bankruptcy in clash with caterer. The biggest Filipino community center outside the Philippines — a stately facility in Waipahu — is in financial straits after clashing with a local catering and events management company that was supposed to benefit the center. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge has ruled against the family of one of two California-based Marines killed in an Osprey crash in Waimanalo who sued the manufacturers of the tilt-rotor aircraft. Star-Advertiser.

A dispute over permitting may jeopardize whether the World Surf League continues to hold championship tour competitions in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is preparing an environmental assessment for developing a vacant 12.7-acre parcel near Prince Kuhio Plaza to support its beneficiaries in Panaewa. Tribune-Herald.

Lawmakers will hear a bill today that would provide funding to the University of Hawaii at Hilo to conduct rat lungworm research. Tribune-Herald.

Fee increase proposed for park. More than 420,000 people visited Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park in 2016, according to the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. West Hawaii Today.

Single-family home sales on Hawaii’s Big Island jumped 12 percent in January, compared to a year ago, as condominium sales dipped, as prices for both categories were mixed, according to statistics released by Hawaii Information Service on behalf of Hawaii Island Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Restoration Manager for the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission Restoration Program, Paul Higashino, will lead a discussion about watershed restoration on Kahoolawe. Maui Now.

A public lottery for workforce housing units at the Kahoma Village late last month drew about 75 people to the developer’s sales office on the west side. Maui News.

Kauai

Native tenants remain on Coco Palms property over a week after their court-ordered ejectment date. Garden Island.

Gov. David Ige will be holding a talk story session with Kauai teachers today from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Kauai High School library. Garden Island.

Slew of bills include plastic straw ban, raises for teachers, DUI jail times; Rapoza to run for Kauai mayor, GET hike mulled, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Snorkeler in Hawaii ©2018 All Hawaii News

Years of drownings highlight critical gaps in ocean safety education. Drowning — mostly while snorkeling at beaches with no lifeguards — is the biggest killer of tourists and has been for over a decade. KHON2.

Officials working to get a handle on spate of ocean-related deaths. Ocean safety urged as deaths spike: Over about 2 weeks last month, 9 men died in the waters off Maui. Maui News.

Overwhelming support at an initial hearing for a ban on plastic straws led to tentative approval last week from state lawmakers who were urged to act in a plea from 10-year-old Rylee Brooke Kamahele of Kipapa Elementary School. Star-Advertiser.

State Rep. Gene Ward wanted Gov. David Ige to release “security tapes” from the morning of Jan. 13 when the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency issued a false missile attack alert, but a spokesman for the agency says there are no such audio or video recordings. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige said Saturday he is confident last month’s false alarm about a ballistic missile heading toward Hawaii won’t happen again and he stands by his decision to begin the drills in the first place. Tribune-Herald.

State Rep. Kaniela Ing is proposing a state task force to study whether a government job can be provided for everyone who needs one. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers are considering a bill that would cap public school class sizes at 20 students and increase the new teacher salary to $55,000 per year. Tribune-Herald.

Private school enrollment shrinks in favor of public charter schools. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Auditor Demands Investigation Into Leak Of OHA Audit. Les Kondo says a release to the media of a draft audit into problems at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs violated state ethics law. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Is An Official Language So Why Isn’t It Used More? The dispute about whether a protester could testify in Hawaiian in court highlights the gap between the state’s two official languages. Civil Beat.

Critics race to stop bill to ban youth runners in long-distance events. Hawaii News Now.

New bill would require all boaters to purchase insurance for their vessels. KITV.

Bill aimed at extending jail time for those convicted of drunk driving. KITV.

A slew of bills focused on revising the state’s medical marijuana dispensary system have been introduced during the 2018 legislative session. Tribune-Herald.

Commentary: When Does Hawaii’s Famous ‘Aloha Kiss’ Become Sexual Harassment? In Hawaii’s hugging culture, it’s hard to tell when the traditional hug and kiss is innocent or inappropriate. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Fascinating to see who’s donated, and how much, to Ige and Hanabusa. Star-Advertiser.

The number of patients visiting the hospital for influenzalike illnesses has been on the rise, and now places Hawaii in the same category as most of the nation for flu activity, according to the state Health Department. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii bankruptcies jumped 8.3 percent in January after finishing 2017 down for the seventh year in a row. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Seniors in a Kakaako housing complex are worried they will end up on the street after receiving notices that their rent is scheduled to go up to $916 per month, a sharp increase from the current monthly rate of $675. Civil Beat.

The FBI is investigating four Honolulu police officers who are accused of forcing a man to place his mouth on a urinal inside a public restroom, according to the police department’s top official. Associated Press.

Kealohas stopping mortgage payments could threaten legal team. Hawaii News Now.

The second of three new Coast Guard cutters to be stationed in Hawaii arrived Sunday, strengthening the capabilities for search and rescue operations around Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Mighty Mo’s $3.5M upper-deck renovation done. Star-Advertiser.

Here’s A Novel Idea To Help The Homeless — Vending Machines. A British charity plans to set up vending machines where homeless people can get items they need to survive on the streets. Civil Beat.

Rents decline in Honolulu, but Zumper, Apartment List reports differ on how much. Pacific Business News.

Officials with Haseko (Hawaii) Inc. intend to appeal a Circuit Court judge’s ruling that ordered the developer of Ocean Pointe and Hoakalei to pay $20 million to homeowners because of the company’s decision to change the plan from a marina to a recreational lagoon at the resort community in Ewa Beach. Pacific Business News.

Spectrum Hawaii, formerly Oceanic Time Warner, will shuffle the channel lineup as part of its plan to switch its signal from analog to digital. It says that switch result in increased broadband speeds and more HD channels. But local station Olelo may be left out in the cold. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

GET hike coming to council. Are smoother roads and better buses worth an extra half-penny at the register? West Hawaii Today.

Challengers in two key state legislative races are literally giving incumbents a run for the money, according to reports filed with the state Campaign Spending Commission. West Hawaii Today.

A bill to fund lifeguards at a popular, yet perilous, North Kona beach passed its first reading in the state House. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Upholding a lower court decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that a Lahaina sewage treatment plant is violating the U.S. Clean Water Act by allowing wastewater to reach the ocean. Star-Advertiser.

Invasive species officials estimate that 2 to 3 acres in Kaeleku in East Maui are infested with little fire ants and treatments of the area will be ongoing for a little over a year. Maui News.

During the first half of fiscal year 2018, the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development issued nearly $6 million dollars in grant monies to various local organizations. Maui Now.

A proposed 67 percent fee increase from $30 to $50 for annual passes for three Hawaii national parks, including Haleakala National Park, will be reviewed during a Feb. 12 public hearing in Pukalani. Maui News.

Kauai

Mel Rapozo files for mayoral run. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative announced Friday that the board has put money toward environmental studies for the Blue Hole and Waikoko diversions, which support the cooperative’s request for a long-term lease for the two diversions. Garden Island.

County officials are reminding Kauai property owners that the second installment of real property taxes for the 2017-18 tax year are due on Feb. 20. Garden Island.

AG Chin accepts lieutenant governor post while campaigning for Congress, House to wait on sexual harassment probe of former speaker, fired 'button pusher' to sue state, Maui loses injection well case, Ige pans Kakaako affordable housing plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Attorney General Doug Chin, courtesy photo

State Attorney General Doug Chin announced today that he will continue to campaign for Congress while agreeing to fill out the remaining term of Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui, who resigned effective Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Democrat Doug Chin to succeed Shan Tsutsui as Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. Chin will continue his campaign to serve Hawaii’s First district in the U.S. House of Representatives. KHON2.

Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin will take over as lieutenant governor after Shan Tsutsui abruptly resigned from the post on Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Commentary: Shan Tsutsui didn’t just step down as lieutenant governor. He bolted. Star-Advertiser.

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The leadership of the state House of Representatives will await the outcome of an investigation into a sexual harassment complaint against state Rep. Joseph Souki before deciding whether to take any action against the 84-year-old lawmaker, according to House Speaker Scott Saiki. Star-Advertiser.

The former head of Hawaii’s Department of Human Services confirmed Thursday that she filed a sexual harassment complaint against former House Speaker Joe Souki. Associated Press.

The former director of Hawaii's Department of Human Services has filed a formal complaint with the State Ethics Commission that accuses state Rep. Joe Souki of sexual harassment. Hawaii News Now.

Longtime Wailuku state representative and two-time House Speaker Joe Souki is facing a sexual harassment complaint from the former head of Hawaii’s Department of Human Services. Maui News.

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Emergency worker behind false missile alert to file lawsuit against the state. The emergency worker fired by the state for sending a false missile alert has hired an attorney, and plans to sue the state for defamation. KHON2.

Missile Attack: House Proposes Laws for Businesses. State lawmakers are considering legislation to protect businesses and homeowners in the event of a missile alert. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lawmakers want to prohibit businesses from turning people away if missile threat is real. Hawaii News Now.

This Nuke Plan Would Have Turned Hawaii Upside Down. During the Cold War, attack preparations were proposed that called for interisland evacuations and commandeering of property. Civil Beat.

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A new bill aims to better protect domestic violence victims by adding a petty misdemeanor offense option for perpetrators and making it easier for the victims to obtain protective orders. Civil Beat.

Bills could make failure to report child abuse a felony. Tribune-Herald.

Audit blasts OHA for lavish spending, awarding grants to those who know 'who to ask'. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Language Thrives While the Law Strives to Catch Up. Nearly 40 years ago, the Hawaiian language was recognized as one of two official languages in the state. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Ige balks at Kakaako affordable-housing rule amendment. The governor said one of the provisions in revised rules crafted by the Hawaii Community Development Authority intended to preserve inventory of affordable homes built by developers is too extreme and might actually reduce production of such homes. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Thursday said he won't sign the 2017 proposed amendments to the Hawaii Community Development Authority rules regarding reserved and workforce, housing in Kakaako, saying he didn't believe the proposed 30-year restriction would result in more homes for first-time buyers. Pacific Business News.

Areas Around Schools And Libraries May Be Next For Sit-Lie Ban. The Honolulu City Council approved a bill to prohibit lying down at bus stops, but postponed action on schools and libraries. Civil Beat.

HPD investigating officer-involved shooting in Waipahu. Hawaii News Now.

State regulators Thursday ordered Spectrum Cable to delay rolling out its all-­digital cable system on Oahu because of inaccurate information on its notice to subscribers. Star-Advertiser.

Miles-long debris field spotted off Oahu just a 'small piece' of the problem. Some 4,000 pounds of tangled fishing nets were removed from the ocean off Waikiki on Thursday morning, and state Department of Land and Natural Resources officers say there's a chance it may have come from a two-mile long debris field first spotted on Saturday in the Kaiwi Channel. Hawaii News Now.

An extremely heavy ball of derelict fishing nets reported near a popular surf break known as “Pops” in front of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki was removed this afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

The 2018 election season kicked off in earnest Thursday morning with the beginning of candidate filing. West Hawaii Today.

Lava tour turns deadly: Guide leading hike in Kalapana area dies after noxious steam engulfs group. Rain falling on a lava flow in the Kalapana lava viewing area Thursday morning caused a noxious steam cloud that overcame four people hiking on a guided tour, according to the Hawaii Fire Department. Tribune-Herald.

Four persons were trapped in a noxious steam cloud on the lava field during a guided hiking tour, and one person died. Big Island Video News.

Two tour operators are being fined $2,500 each for providing illegal tours on Maunakea. Tribune-Herald.

Wave of questions: County, nonprofit field concerns to surf school proposal. West Hawaii Today.

An application for a Use Permit to allow the construction of a new, non-manned telecommunication facility in Hawaiian Paradise Park was delayed at a Windward Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, although a Hawaii County Councilmember representing Puna was still able to testify. Big Island Video News.

The public is invited to comment on a proposed fee increase from $30 to $50 for the Tri-Park Pass, an annual pass that allows visitors unlimited entry to the three fee-charging national parks in Hawaii: Hawaii Volcanoes and Haleakala National parks and Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park. Tribune-Herald.

T.J. Maxx to open in March. T.J. Maxx representatives handed out applications Thursday at the store’s future location at Prince Kuhio Plaza as contractors prepared for a grand opening next month. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled today that the County of Maui’s Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility has been violating the US Clean Water Act since the facility was first put into operation in the early 1980s. Maui Now.

Maui County is reviewing its legal options after losing its appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals of a ruling that the county’s use of injection wells at the Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility since the early 1980s violates the federal Clean Water Act. Maui News.

The woman accused of murdering her identical twin sister by deliberately driving off a cliff on Maui was acquitted today. Star-Advertiser.

Saying evidence showed a driver’s hair was being pulled by her passenger to cause her to lose control of a vehicle that went over a cliff near Hana, a judge Thursday found the woman not guilty of second-degree murder in the crash that killed her twin sister. Maui News.

A woman accused of 2nd degree murder in the May 29, 2016 death of her twin sister has been acquitted of the charge.  Judge Peter Cahill handed down the ruling on Thursday in Maui District Court following closing arguments which were held earlier in the afternoon. Maui Now.

Kauai

Tax cuts stall in committee. Two bills aimed at reducing the county fuel and vehicle weight taxes were killed at the county committee this week. Garden Island.

No Sign Of Authorities Yet As Occupation Of Kauai Resort Continues. The landowners request state assistance as Native Hawaiian protesters remain at the Coco Palms resort site. Civil Beat.

The Pentagon confirmed today that a key missile defense test off Kauai failed early Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Rare plants on Kauai will get a boost from the expansion of the Lyon Arboretum’s Micropropagation Laboratory on Oahu, which was completed at the end of January. Garden Island.

Souki accused of sexual harassment; Ige edges Hanabusa in campaign contributions, Chin trailing Kim, Tokuda pulls ahead; audit blasts OHA for misspent millions, recreational fishing license, plastic straw ban posed in Legislature, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Former Speaker Joe Souki, courtesy photo

Former state Department of Human Services Director Rachael Wong has filed a sexual harassment complaint against former House Speaker Joe Souki — a political icon from Maui who for decades has been one of the most powerful lawmakers in the state. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige raked in more than $800,000 in campaign donations for his re-election bid in the last half of 2017 — short of the $1 million he set out to raise in that time frame, but slightly more than his Democratic opponent U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa. Star-Advertiser.

Ige Leads Hanabusa In Campaign Fundraising For Governor’s Race. State Sen. Jill Tokuda tops lieutenant governor candidates, bringing in more donations than her four rivals. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige raised close to $811,000 in the second half of 2017 for his re-election campaign, while U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who will challenge Ige in the Democratic primary, reported donations of almost $732,000. Pacific Business News.

Gov. David Ige raised $810,000 for his re-election campaign during the six months through December, while his primary election opponent U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa raised $731,000. Associated Press.

Ige, Hanabusa neck and neck when it comes to campaign fundraising. Hawaii News Now.

Kim Leads Pack In Congressional Campaign Cash. Attorney General Doug Chin raised less than a fifth as much as Sen. Donna Kim in the race to replace Colleen Hanabusa. Civil Beat.

AG Chin to Announce Decision on LG Vacancy by Weeks’ End. Maui Now.

The first Hawaii lieutenant governor from Maui, Shan Tsutsui, left the office Wednesday while his replacement remains up in the air. Maui News.

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Searing Audit Says OHA Misspent Millions Of Dollars. A harshly critical draft audit found the Office of Hawaiian Affairs spent millions of dollars loosely and without proper oversight. Civil Beat.

State to conduct first siren test since false missile alert. Hawaii News Now.

State to conduct monthly warning siren test; internal drill on hold indefinitely. KHON2.

A Hawaii emergency management official who said last week that his retirement had nothing to do with a mistaken missile alert that stirred panic statewide now says it was because of the fallout from the warning. Associated Press.

Worries mount over HI-EMA leadership after resignations announced. Hawaii News Now.

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How many more tourists can the state’s environment and infrastructure support? That’s the question being asked by some residents and lawmakers after a report Wednesday said Hawaii’s visitor industry set five records in 2017, the sixth record-setting year in a row. Star-Advertiser.

New bill aims to allocate some HTA funding to conserve natural resources. Pacific Business News.

A proposal making its way through the state Legislature would require a yearly permit for recreational fishing. KHON2.

Senate bill to ban plastic straws in Hawaii passes committee. KITV.

Hawaii Bail Study Finds Justice Is What You Can Afford. Statewide, almost half of the detainees in our jails are accused but not convicted, many because they cannot afford bail. Hawaii Public Radio.

A former Idaho airport director recently accepted a leadership position with the Hawaii Department of Transportation Airports Division, according to the Idaho Falls ABC affiliate. Pacific Business News.

Large Marine Debris Field or Net Mass Between Molokai and Oahu. Maui Now.

The Coast Guard is advising all mariners to exercise caution after a large marine debris field was last observed in the Ka Iwi Channel between Molokai and Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Bill to limit ‘monster’ houses advances. Honolulu City Council members say they will take another look at what types of houses would be rejected under a bill imposing a moratorium on large-scale houses after being warned about unintended consequences. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council Advances "Monster Homes" Bill: Special Meeting Monday. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu’s Ala Wai is ranked as one of the most polluted waterways in the country. The State of Hawaii has a plan to clean it up that just received a green light. Hawaii Public Radio.

How A Big Mainland Developer Learned To Thrive In Hawaii. Howard Hughes Corp. seems to stay on course as it navigates burial grounds and being in the path of rail. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's 'last princess' fights for control of her fortune. Multimillionaire heiress Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawananakoa, considered by many to be Hawaii's last princess, is no longer in a position to fund her pet charities, including Iolani Palace and various Native Hawaiian causes. Associated Press.

A new security fence at the Hawaii State Hospital could cost taxpayers millions. Hawaii News Now.

Kamehameha Schools is making another run at redeveloping 6.5 acres in Moiliili near the University of Hawaii, six years after an unsuccessful effort to create a largely retail and residential “town center” on the site. Star-Advertiser.

Ala Moana Center is valued at $5.74 billion, making it the most valuable real estate investment trust-owned mall in the United States, according to a new study by boutique research firm Boenning & Scattergood. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Long-awaited shooting ranges for the Big Island could take some incremental steps forward, the county Game Management Advisory Commission learned Monday evening. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo Medical Center undergoing $28 million in renovations. Tribune-Herald.

2017 was a strong year for tourism on the Big Island. According to data from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, arrivals to the Big Island increased by 13.7 percent from 2016, from 1.5 million to 1.7 million. These arrivals spent more than $2 billion on the island last year, about 14 percent more than in 2016. Tribune-Herald.

Another eight classrooms are coming to Waikoloa Elementary and Middle School with the release of more than $12.4 million in funding for a new classroom building at the campus. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County Director of Water Supply David Taylor, who has been on administrative leave for three months, has filed a lawsuit against Mayor Alan Arakawa and the county over Arakawa’s attempts to remove him from his position. Maui News.

The Hawaii National Guard’s 93rd Civil Support Team along with the United States Coast Guard, paramedics, airport security, Maui police, and firefighters will participate in a large-scale emergency operations exercise beginning Monday, Feb. 5. Maui Now.

Kauai

A $30 million missile touted as a possible second layer of defense for Hawaii from North Korean threats reportedly failed in its first-ever flight from Kauai’s Aegis Ashore facility today when it did not intercept a target representing an intermediate-range ballistic missile. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Missile Defense Test Failed To Intercept Target. The interceptor was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai. Associated Press.

Department of Public Safety: Sheriffs will now get involved in Coco Palms occupation. Hawaii News Now.

A Kauai hui involved in a lawsuit against the Hawaii Department of Natural Resources and the agroscience company Syngenta is continuing efforts to require the seed company to conduct an environmental review of their ongoing operations on the island’s Westside.  Garden Island.

Kauai-based KonaRed is partnering with beverage incubator L.A. Libations, an innovation partner of The Coca-Cola Company. Pacific Business News.

Total visitor numbers via air travel for Kauai saw a 7.5 percent increase to 1.3 million in 2017 from 1.2 million in 2016, according to HTA ,and that’s not the only growth the island saw. Garden Island.

Artists spent three days creating a 40-foot-long mural depicting the island’s character on a wall fronting the oceanfront bike path in Kapaa Town — only to paint over it a week later. Garden Island.

The Kauai Lifeguard Association board members recently handed over the keys for a 2018 4 x 4 fully-outfitted Kuhio Auto Ford truck to the County of Kauai’s Ocean Safety Bureau. Garden Island.

False missile alert aftermath: employee fired, HI-EMA chief resigns, administration shaken; House speaker not interested in being lieutenant governor; one-way tickets for homeless; Kauai missile test, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

HI-EMA missile presentation in Hilo, December 2017 ©2018 All Hawaii News

News of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency shakeup and release of the Federal Communications Commission’s preliminary findings into Hawaii’s Jan. 13 false missile alert left many wondering Tuesday how much faith people will have in the credibility of the next warning. Star-Advertiser.

When things go wrong in a big way, it is usually the top leadership that takes a beating, which means Gov. David Ige may now be in deep trouble in the wake of the frightening Jan. 13 ballistic missile attack false alarm, according to political observers. Star-Advertiser.

There are concerns over staffing at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency in the aftermath of the resignations of two top officials and the firing of the unnamed worker who set off the Jan. 13 bogus nuclear missile alert. Star-Advertiser.

False Missile Alert Investigation Released: Miyagi Resigns. Hawaii Public Radio.

Tick Tock Of Terror: New Details In Missile Alert Timeline. Associated Press.

HI-EMA’s Miyagi resigns, ‘button pusher’ fired in aftermath of false missile alert. Star-Advertiser.

Employee terminated, HI-EMA head resigns after false missile warning. Hawaii’s emergency management leader has resigned and a state employee who sent an alert falsely warning of an incoming ballistic missile has been fired, officials said Tuesday, after the mistake caused widespread panic earlier this month. KITV.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency worker who triggered panic by sending a false ballistic missile alert to phones across the state on Jan. 13 believed the state was actually under attack, according to a preliminary investigation released today by the Federal Communications Commission. Star-Advertiser.

Man Who Sent Out False Missile Alert Was ‘Source Of Concern’ For A Decade. Civil Beat.

Worker who sent false missile alert had problems but kept job. Associated Press.

Fired employee had previously confused drills. The fired employee had previously confused drills for real events, once for a fire and once for a tsunami. Star-Advertiser.

Emergency management employee had ‘history of confusing drill and real-world events’. KHON2.

In a stunning revelation Tuesday, state investigators said the emergency management employee who sent out the false missile alert to Hawaii phones — triggering 38 minutes of panic until a correction could be sent — believed the threat of an incoming missile was real and had a history of confusing drills with real-world events. Hawaii News Now.

State fires employee who issued false missile alert, Hawaii EMA chief resigns following state probe. Pacific Business News.

FCC Report: Day Shift Warning Officer Believed the Missile Threat Was Real. Maui Now.

Full text: FCC report on false missile alert. All Hawaii News.

Full text: State report on false missile alert. All Hawaii News.

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House Speaker Scott Saiki today announced he is not interested in becoming the state’s next lieutenant governor. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Telling The Public A Little Less About What It Pays Its Workers. House Speaker Scott Saiki finds Civil Beat’s salary database too specific when it comes to “legislative employees.” Civil Beat.

Hotel taxes are eyed for 1-way tickets for homeless. House Bill 2012 would set aside up to $2 million a year in transient accommodations tax, or TAT, revenues to fund homeless initiatives in “tourist and resort areas.” Star-Advertiser.

Tearful testimony at the Capitol over Hawaiian language translation bill. A push to provide a Hawaiian language interpreter at court proceedings is gaining momentum at the State Capitol. Hawaii News Now.

Medical Aid In Dying: ‘The Political Risk Is Not Passing It’. With polls consistently showing public support for the concept, legislators look to give the issue another go this session. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers and prison advocates raising questions on suicides at Hawaii correctional facilities. KITV.

State disease database hacked. The state Department of Health is investigating a potential breach of private medical information of disease test results. Star-Advertiser.

The mayors of Honolulu, Kauai and Maui today pledged to help make our island state more climate resilient at a key leadership forum presented by Hawaii Energy and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, titled “A Resilient and Renewable Hawaii: How Hawaii’s Mayors are Innovating to Create the Counties of the Future.” Maui Now.

Chick-fil-A is scouting locations for the chain’s first Hawaii restaurant, one of three restaurant chains, along with Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers and Japan’s Yoshinoya, looking to break into the isle market. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A state judge has ordered the developer of Ocean Pointe and Hoakalei Resort to pay homeowners $20 million for the company’s decision to change the main feature of the Ewa community from a marina to a lagoon. Star-Advertiser.

A state judge has ordered developer Haseko to pay homeowners $20 million, in one of the largest consumer protection awards in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

The city is testing its first electric bus during a six-week pilot project for Honolulu's fleet. Hawaii News Now.

The city unveiled its first fully electric bus on Tuesday that will be tested in a six-week pilot project. KITV.

The Hawaii State Department of Health has received a $339,269 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a clean energy project on Oahu. Pacific Business News.

Defense contractor BAE Systems Hawaii has received a $14.2 million modification for a previously awarded contract from the U.S. Department of Defense for repair work of the USS Port Royal, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser. Pacific Business News.

Momilani Elementary School has put one of its teachers on leave after learning that two former Punahou students, who are now adults, have accused him of sexually abusing them between 2005 to 2006. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Council, county attorney at odds over contingency funds. Tribune-Herald.

Surf school management proposal raises concerns. West Hawaii Today.

The state should return to federal court to seek an amendment to existing orders mandating the eradication of ungulates on Mauna Kea, according to hunting enthusiast Richard Hoeflinger. Big Island Video News.

Brad Bennett, superintendent of the Hilo-Waiakea Complex Area, is under investigation by the state Department of Education and is on leave until further notice. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Liquor Director Glenn Mukai said Tuesday that a visit by an FBI agent to its Wailuku offices Monday was a “routine audit” of the department’s fingerprinting operations. Maui News.

The nearly 500-acre Waikapu Country Town project has received unanimous approval from the state Land Use Commission for critical changes. Maui News.

The Paia relief route, Kihei collector road and Hana Highway bridges are among the major projects vying for a share of $124 million in funding over the next four years. Maui News.

Kauai

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the Navy conducted a missile test off Kauai early Wednesday, officials said. Hawaii News Now.

Occupiers remain at Coco Palms. Garden Island.

Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to participate in the U.S. Conference of Mayors 86th Winter Meeting. The mayor met with federal agencies and the Congressional delegation to discuss priorities for the County of Kauai. Garden Island.

DLNR considers allowing feral pig hunting on Kauai's Sleeping Giant mountain. Hawaii News Now.

Full Text: State of Hawaii report on false missile alarm

Report can also be found here.

TO:                   Major General Arthur J. Logan

Director of Emergency Management (HI-EMA)

FROM:            Brigadier General [Ret] Bruce E. Oliveira

Investigating Officer

DATE:             January 29,2018

SUBJECT:              FALSE BALLISTIC MISSILE ALERT INVESTIGATION FOR JANUARY 13, 2018

ASSIGNMENT:

On January 15, 2018, Major General Arthur J. Logan, the Director of HI-EMA for the State of Hawaii, assigned me to investigate this incident to determine by a preponderance of the evidence the following:

a. What was the exact chain of events that led to the issuance of a state­ wide ballistic missile alert (BMA) message, initiated during the course of the HI­ EMA State Warning Point (SWP) change of shift at approximately 0805 hours on January 13, 2018?

b. What was the established protocol that HI-EMA SWP members were to follow during the change of shift BMA Checklist simulation and who established the BMA checklist?

c. How many times had HI-EMA SWP members previously practiced the BMA checklist that led to the issuance of the false alert message, and what, if any, training records exist?

d. Did the established BMA checklist during the simulated test include a response protocol in the event a false state-wide BMA message was issued, and if so, did HI-EMA SWP members follow BMA response protocol on January 13,

2018?

SYNOPSIS:

At approximately 8:06 am, the SWP mistakenly issued a BMA.  As the investigating officer and carefully considering the facts, I find a preponderance of evidence exists that insufficient management controls, poor computer software design, and human factors contributed to the real-world BMA and the delayed false BMA correction message that was issued over the WEA/EAS on January

13,2018.

DATE/TIME OF OCCURRENCE:

January 13, 2018

LOCATION OCCURRED:

The incident occurred at the State Warning Point of the Hawaii Emergency Management  Agency located within the State Emergency Operating Center in Diamond Head.