Interior Department issues new Hawaiian language guidance, Green pushes climate fee, Saiki, Roth out-raising challengers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Department of the Interior releases new guidance to honor, elevate Hawaiian language. A comprehensive new Departmental Manual chapter underscores the Department’s commitment to further integrating Indigenous Knowledge and cultural practices into conservation stewardship. Kauai Now.

Full text of new Department of the Interior chapter can be found here.

Bill to raise Hawaii DOE superintendent pay cap sparks controversy. Hawaii DOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi currently makes $240,000 a year. A bill would raise that cap to $350,000, but there’s no shortage of frustration when talking about pay increases for government officials. Hawaii News Now.

Lawmakers consider bills to address childcare staffing shortages. SB 2603 and its companion bill, HB1964, would require the Department of Human Services to establish a childcare subsidy and bonus program for workers caring for children six weeks to 3 years old. KITV4.

Hawaii’s Governor Wants To Finally Get A Climate Fee Passed, But Will It Be Enough? The state is falling short by hundreds of millions of dollars each year to protect its environment, conservationists say. The new proposal would raise about $70 million annually. Civil Beat.

Bills would regulate short-term rentals. A bill that seeks to give the counties the power to control short-term rentals — even phase them out— is moving in the state Legislature. Other bills under consideration are geared to encouraging better regulation of short-term rentals, or providing incentives to convert them into longer-term housing. Star-Advertiser.

House Speaker Well Funded In Rematch With Persistent Opponent. Scott Saiki has 10 times the amount of cash in his campaign war chest compared with Kim Coco Iwamoto. Civil Beat.

Wildfire issues take center stage among Hawaii lawmakers. Predicting wildfires using artificial intelligence, banning new overhead high-voltage power lines and paying for catastrophic fire property losses could be in Hawaii’s future depending on state lawmaker decisions this year. Star-Advertiser.

HECO-Backed Bill Would Help Protect Utilities From Litigation Over Wildfire Damage. Utilities, insurers, large landowners and the state would pay into a "wildfire relief fund" to help pay for property damage claims. Civil Beat.

HECO’s Board Chair Is Suing His Own Utility Over The Maui Fires. Timothy Johns has recused himself from some HECO decisions, as an activist shareholder calls for overhauling HECO's board. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s New $120M Undersea Cable Project Is A ‘Serious Poke’ To Shake Up The Market. The state will retain a 20% ownership interest in the interisland network, which will compete with Hawaiian Telcom. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Lawmakers Consider Banning Excessive Delirium As A Cause Of Death. The term already isn't being used by the Medical Examiner's Office and most doctors, officials said. But advocates want to ban it officially. Civil Beat.

Hawaii retail market faced exodus, but some are optimistic. Times are tough for those in retail, but some retailers are still forging ahead with the opening of new stores, with hopes of betters times to come. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

HART mulls scrapping internal audit. A plan to scrap a previously sought top-down internal review of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is underway. Star-Advertiser.

29 Honolulu police officers disciplined in 2023. Twenty-nine Honolulu police officers were disciplined in 2023 in connection with 28 incidents, including covering up police pursuits that ended in crashes and acquiring parts to build a ghost gun. Star-Advertiser.

Navy water system sees increase in tap water, air quality complaints. The Navy is responsible for maintaining water quality, as the water purveyor for the water system, and is therefore primarily responsible for water testing, under regulatory oversight by the state Department of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Star-Advertiser.

Backlog of repairs plagues UH Manoa student housing as officials try for revitalization. Serious plumbing problems are a major reason the 656-bed Hale Wainani apartments are considered by UH officials to be at risk of becoming the next aging UH student housing complex to be closed, following the neighboring 530-bed Hale Noelani apartment complex, which has been shuttered and silent for nearly seven years. Star-Advertiser.

New housing development planned at former Saint Francis School campus. Saint Francis School closed its doors in 2019, and developer Avalon Group has bought the property for $23.35 million, according to brokerage firm CBRE. Star-Advertiser.

Concerns rising for Oahu's homeless kupuna. The city and state are working together to find more health care and social service workers to help homeless people on the streets and develop the most appropriate course of treatment. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Big Island Mayor Outpaces Lone Challenger In Election Fundraising. Mitch Roth's war chest is tens of thousands of dollars larger than that of rival candidate Kimo Alameda with nine months to go before the election. Civil Beat.

‘Safe Spaces’ plan underway: County officials eyeing possible sites for homeless camps. Homeless individuals could begin congregating in Hawaii County-authorized “Safe Spaces” in Hilo and Kailua-Kona under a new housing initiative. Tribune-Herald.

National park launches volcano summit makeover. Nearly six years after the 2018 Kilauea eruption landed crippling blows to the buildings and roads of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, the National Park Serv­ice has launched a $28 million project to rehabilitate the summit area of Kilauea Volcano. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Bill seeks to expedite rebuilding of homes and businesses in Lahaina and Upcountry Maui. Bill 21 (2024), submitted by the county’s Department of Public Works, would amend the Maui County Code in an effort to broaden the applicability of emergency-repair provisions and clarify the review and approval procedures for emergency-repair permits.  Maui Now.

Developer selected for proposed ʻUkiu Energy biofuel-powered generator project on Maui. The ʻUkiu Energy 40-megawatt (MW) biofuel-powered generator proposed by Ameresco Inc. is aimed at helping to move Hawai‘i closer to its clean energy goals, while adding critical grid reliability with firm renewable energy.  Maui Now.

Kaiser to open temporary West Maui Clinic in Kaanapali. Kaiser Permanente recently announced plans to open a temporary West Maui Clinic on the grounds of the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort in Kaanapali.  Star-Advertiser.

HECO, Maui County may be sued for harm to seabirds from streetlights and power lines. The Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi and the American Bird Conservancy, represented by Earthjustice, submitted notice this week that they may file a lawsuit seeking to "put an end to HECO's and the County's illegal conduct," according to a statement.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Vidinha Stadium to temporarily close for repairs. Director of Parks and Recreation Pat Porter said the repairs are needed to extend the life of track. Track users, including the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation, may continue to use it until the main track and field replacement projects get underway. Kauai Now.

Connecting to Kaua‘i’s endangered forest birds. Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami issued a Makahiki o na manu proclamation dedicating the year to raising awareness about native forest birds. Garden Island.

Hawaii military seeks public comments on noise pollution, two named to Department of Interior, Honolulu council mulls caps on short-term rentals, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

©2021 All Hawaii News

The Military Wants Ideas On How To Turn Down The Volume In Hawaii’s Noisy Skies. The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation is seeking comments from community members through Oct. 3 as part of a noise mitigation initiative for areas experiencing noise levels of 65 decibels or more from nearby military training and operations. Civil Beat.

Two Native Hawaiians, Keone Nakoa and Summer Lee Haunani Sylva, appointed to the U.S. Dept. of the Interior. Two Native Hawaiians were appointed to the U.S. Department of the Interior Wednesday, garnering praise from local leaders who say their experiences and backgrounds will strengthen the Biden-Harris administration’s pledge to better serve and support indigenous communities. Star-Advertiser. Maui Now.

How The Hawaii Supreme Court Has Shaped Policing In The State. Recent rulings have built on decades of precedent in Hawaii that protects individuals from unreasonable government intrusions. Civil Beat.

Under mandate, Hawaii inmates will have to be vaccinated before they’re paroled. Hawaii inmates will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID before they are released on parole, under a new mandate that goes into effect Thursday. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Enrollment at Hawaii’s public schools declines for second year in a row. The state Department of Education announced Wednesday that over 3,000 fewer students enrolled in the statewide public school system this year over the start of last year — a decline of 1.7%. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Combating COVID as a state brought on many challenges. Misinformation isn’t helping. Public health experts and government officials say they’re being hobbled in their efforts to right the spread of COVID by opponents spreading misinformation. Hawaii News Now.

State officials issue warning over illegal gatherings. State officials Wednesday said they have a stern message for anyone planning to defy gathering restrictions on public lands. Law enforcement will be out in full force and on the lookout for illegal, superspreader events this Labor Day weekend. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald. Garden Island. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Hawaii records 13 new coronavirus-related deaths, 455 additional infections in partial count. The new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 291 new cases on Oahu, 51 on Maui, 64 on Hawaii Island, 37 on Kauai, three on Molokai, one on Lanai, and eight Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Short-term rental bill gets first public hearing. A measure that would change the restriction of a short-term rental to 180 days, from less than 30 days, attracted over 350 virtual attendees with mixed opinions during a five-hour meeting Wednesday in a public hearing held by the Honolulu Planning Commission. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu vaccine enforcement will be complaint-driven. The City and County of Honolulu will require patrons and employees of certain businesses to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in less than two weeks. KHON2.

Honolulu’s strict vaccine mandate could sideline hundreds of first responders who refuse to get shot. Of the 2,500 total Honolulu Police Department workers, about 270 officers and civilians have requested exemptions and around two dozen didn’t fill out the vaccine status form altogether. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi clashes with anti-vax demonstrators. The scene outside Honolulu Hale turned hostile as anti-vaccination and anti-mask protesters demanded a meeting with Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

State-owned firm delinquent on Kakaako housing fees. The delinquency stems from financial shortfalls operating 150 state-owned affordable rental apartments in the Honuakaha complex, which also includes 93 condos and the historic Royal Brewery building at 545 and 547 Queen St. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

COVID closes transfer stations: Diminished staff rotating around the island. COVID, not costs, is driving the closure of county garbage transfer stations, officials said Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

KCH Cancels Elective Surgeries as Oxygen Needs Increase. Kona Community Hospital has canceled all elective surgeries until further notice as the facility continues to grapple with overwhelming patient counts due to COVID-19 and increased demand for oxygen. Big Island Now.

Public input sought: Hearing set for proposed Kahalu‘u surf school regulations. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation will hold the hearing via Zoom at 10 a.m. on Sept. 8 on the proposed amendments of Hawaii Administrative Rules. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo Veterans Home Slowly Getting Back to Normal After Deadly Outbreak Last Year. It’s been a year since a deadly COVID-19 outbreak surged through the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo, killing 27 residents and infecting more than 100 residents and staff. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Councilmember Sugimura Announces Formation of Axis Deer Task Force. Councilmember Yuki lei Sugimura, in partnership with Mayor Michael Victorino, announced the formation of a Maui Axis Deer Task Force to address the growing impacts of feral deer across the island. Maui Now.

Amala Place Clean-Up to Begin This Month. The County of Maui and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Land and Natural Resources announced plans for a comprehensive clean-up of public lands surrounding the Kanahā Pond Wildlife Sanctuary and Wailuku-Kahului Wastewater Treatment Plant. Maui Now. KHON2. KITV4.

Hulopoʻe Beach Park Council Explores Limiting Visitor Access. A public Hulopoʻe Beach Park Council meeting was held in July to discuss limiting nonresidents at the beach park — the first hearing brought to the community. The area is unique because while the beach is managed by the state, the beach park is owned and maintained by Pūlama Lānaʻi, Larry Ellison's land and resource management company. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Kaua‘i County Council defers rental car tax class bill. After strong opposition from major rental car companies, the county administration has asked for a deferral of a bill that would create a real property tax classification for rental car operations. Garden Island.

Kauai mayor asks residents to cooperate with contact tracers, avoid traveling and gathering. Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami is asking Garden Island residents to help avoid a shutdown due to the coronavirus by avoiding unnecessary travel and large gatherings — and cooperating with contact tracers. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Ige reports on Japan-China trip, Honolulu rail costs rise to $6.57B, feds support Native Hawaiian election, University of Hawaii seeks $16.2M budget increase, tigers denied for Hilo zoo, ABC's Jamie Zimmerman drowns on Kauai, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard bloodies nose in surfing mishap, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Gov. Ige visits Gov. Onaga of Okinawa, courtesy photo

Gov. David Ige and first lady Dawn Amano-Ige returned from a diplomatic mission to Asia this week where they visited Okinawa, Japan, and Guangdong, China, to promote economic development, tourism, international student exchanges and the further development of renewable energy. Star-Advertiser.

Ending months of uncertainty, Hawaii Gov. David Ige announced Thursday that he has appointed Scott Glenn to serve as director of the state Office of Environmental Quality Control. Glenn will take the reins in November from Jessica Wooley, whose term ended June 30. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Gov. Ige is still opposed to NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co., even after seeing more than 50 new commitments the Florida firm made in its updated sale application. Pacific Business News.

The University of Hawaii will seek $16.2 million in additional state funding for operations next fiscal year under a supplemental budget request approved unanimously Thursday by the university’s Board of Regents. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii regents agreed Thursday to request $16 million in additional funds for the 2017 fiscal year from the state. Pacific Business News.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents voted Thursday to approve a $700,000 settlement over the removal of former basketball coach Gib Arnold. Hawaii News Now.

The $700,000 settlement between the University of Hawaii and fired head basketball coach Gib Arnold is one of several costly contract disputes for the university over the last decade. Hawaii News Now.

The U.S. Department of the Interior says a judge shouldn't grant an injunction against an election process that's underway for those with Native Hawaiian ancestry. The department filed what's known as a friend-of-the-court brief in a lawsuit challenging the election. The lawsuit says a race-based election is unconstitutional. Associated Press.

Oahu

The cost of the city’s rail project is now expected to swell to $6.57 billion as rail officials Thursday made public a new outline of the rail financial plan that incorporates additional utility work, traffic signals and finance charges that had not been included in previous cost estimates. Star-Advertiser.

For the 50.6 percent of Oahu voters who approved the city's rail project in 2008, the original price tag was estimated at $5.3 billion. Nearly seven years later, the cost of the elevated rail line has ballooned to more than $6.5 billion. KITV4.

The only quandary facing Honolulu Authority of Rapid Transportation board members Thursday was figuring out how to pay for future contracts and repay any debt incurred since the City Council has yet to approve an extension of the General Excise Tax. Civil Beat.

Construction of new Oahu SPCA shelter hit with violation notices. Hawaii News Now.

Rep. Tom Brower has been keeping close tabs on the homeless sweeps in Kakaako. KHON2.

U.S. Rep.Tulsi Gabbard injured her nose in a surfing accident Thursday morning at a surf spot area in Waikiki known as “Number Threes.”  Star-Advertiser.

For those interested in taking a look at sections of the sunken USS Arizona not normally seen — those below the murky waters of Pearl Harbor — the National Park Service is diving on the historic battleship and broadcasting it on a live webcast Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Several amenities have been trimmed from the plans of a long-awaited Waimea district park after the construction bids came in higher than anticipated. The first phase of the project, originally expected to cost about $30 million, has been downsized to $23.87 million, because of “insufficient funds to award the contract at the basic bid amount,” according to a Sept. 14 letter from the Department of Public Works to winning bidder Nan Inc. West Hawaii Today.

There will be no permit for the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens to import tiger cubs from an Oregon big cat breeder, at least for now. In a meeting Wednesday in Honolulu, the state Department of Agriculture’s Advisory Committee on Plants and Animals decided not to forward the county zoo’s request to bring in two Bengal tiger cubs to the Board of Agriculture for its consideration. Tribune-Herald.

An open discussion was held on Wednesday evening at the University of Hawaii concerning Na’i Aupuni, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs-funded nation-building effort. Big Island Video News.

Maui

State legislators come home to talk story. Maui News.

The County of Maui Department of Transportation is seeking public input on proposals to increase Maui Bus Service, as outlined in the draft Maui County Short-Range Transit Plan. Maui Now.

Kauai

In September of 1970, Tom Summers, a surfer from California, arrived on Kauai and landed his first job building a 400-room expansion at the Coco Palms Resort. Garden Island.

Jamie Zimmerman, a doctor and reporter with ABC News’ medical unit, has drowned while on vacation in Hawaii. She was 31. Associated Press.

Jamie Zimmerman, a doctor and reporter with ABC News' medical unit, has drowned while on vacation in Hawaii. She was 31. Zimmerman apparently lost her footing while trying to cross the Lumahai River on Kauai's north shore and was swept out to sea. Star-Advertiser.

County officials have issued another notice about the importance of residents using their refuse carts properly. Garden Island.

Federal recognition plans for Native Hawaiians draws mixed reviews-- 10 articles and an opinion. Plus, civil rights lawsuit at Department of Education, Maui coqui frog invasion, Sandwich Isles Communication loses money to tax evader, more news from all the Hawaiian islands

Department of the Interior 2014 sovereignty hearing © 2015 All Hawaii News

More than a year after holding hearings in Hawaii where most speakers rejected U.S. government involvement in their Native Hawaiian sovereignty discussions, the Department of the Interior announced Tuesday a proposal to create a procedure in case a unified government comes forward seeking federal recognition. West Hawaii Today.

Proposed rules announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of the Interior emphasize that Native Hawaiians — not the federal government — would decide how to reorganize a Native Hawaiian government and determine any relationship it would have with the United States. Star-Advertiser.

Faye Hanohano © 2015 All Hawaii News

The U.S. Department of the Interior has released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding “Procedures for Re-establishing a Government-to-Government Relationship with the Native Hawaiian Community.” Civil Beat.

The U.S. Interior Department is moving forward with a proposed rule that could lead to federal recognition of Native Hawaiians. The announcement comes one year after Department officials led a series of listening sessions across the state and on the mainland. Hawaii Public Radio.

The U.S. Department of the Interior announced Tuesday a proposal to create an administrative process by which a Native Hawaiian government could seek a formal government-to-government relationship with the United States. Garden Island.

The United States Department of the Interior today announced their proposal for “re-establishing a government-to-government relationship with the Native Hawaiian community.” The controversial Notice of Proposed Rulemaking follows a series of public meetings held in the summer of 2014 in which most of those who testified spoke out against the Interior’s involvement in Hawaiian sovereignty affairs. Big Island Video News.

© 2015 All Hawaii News

It will be up to the Native Hawaiian community to create its own government — if it chooses to do so, federal officials said as they outlined a proposal to establish a possible government-to-government relationship. Associated Press.

In a 74-page document, the U.S. Department of the Interior set a framework for a Native Hawaiian government's relationship with the U.S. Government if that's what Native Hawaiians want. Hawaii News Now.

Some say it is all about protecting $450 million worth of programs that support Native Hawaiians against race-based legal challenges. It's about federal recognition and a "special political status"-- government to government. KITV4.

The U.S. government proposed Tuesday a process to reorganize a Native Hawaiian government. The proposal creates a process or procedure that would be followed if Native Hawaiians formed a unified government. KHON2.

Opinion: The casual racism and the more ominous state-sponsored oppression that the TMT episode has brought to the surface are reminders that, like oppressed people throughout America and the world, Hawaiians are still fighting for civil liberties and equality under the law. Hawaii Independent.

A telecom company that serves about 3,600 residents of Hawaiian Home Lands is facing mounting financial difficulties following a Monday ruling by the state Public Utilities Commission that cuts off its federal subsidies through at least March. Star-Advertiser.

Why Can’t the State Make Developers Keep Their Promises? The state Land Use Commission often lacks the power to enforce the conditions that developers agree to. Civil Beat.

The former head of the Department of Education's civil rights office has sued her former bosses, alleging that the DOE suppressed civil rights investigations, improperly shredded important documents and mishandled the department's policy for reporting child abuse. Hawaii News Now.

The former head of the Hawaii Department of Education's civil rights office has filed a lawsuit against her former bosses, claiming the department suppressed civil rights investigations, improperly shredded important documents and mishandled the department's policy for reporting child abuse. Associated Press.

Hawaii is ranked among the worst places to be a teacher in the nation, according to annual rankings by the website WalletHub released this week. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii’s Institute for Biogenesis Research is just 15 years old but has already made a serious impact on the local and national health landscape. The institute, which focuses on reproductive and developmental biomedical research, has attracted $40 million in outside funding over the past decade and a half. Pacific Business News.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources will host a "Bleachapalooza" event Saturday to spread awareness of the damaging effects of coral bleaching. Maui News.

Bank of Hawaii Corp. is exiting the aircraft leasing business and is disposing of six aircraft and a lease it has on another, according to a company filing Tuesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

City officials are proposing zoning changes for about 282 acres around Waipahu’s two rail stations to facilitate development of mixed-use neighborhoods patterned after the city planners’ concept of “live, work and play.” Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. customers will be on the hook to pay for an increase in internships made available if the $4.3 billion sale of the Honolulu-based utility to NextEra Energy Inc. goes through, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

A state judge is giving former Honolulu police officer Danson Cappo, who pleaded no contest to theft, assault and property damage charges, a chance to eventually clear the offenses from his record. Star-Advertiser.

The fifth phase of the city’s enforcement in Kakaako happened Tuesday, and another block is now clear of what had been a massive homeless encampment. KHON2.

Hawaii

Trial began Tuesday morning over the claims of Native Hawaiians that the state is neglecting its duty to watch over the Army's lease of the huge Pohakuloa training area on the Big Island. Hawaii News Now.

Robert Emmett “Bob” Bethea, a retired attorney and prominent business and community leader, died Sept. 18 at Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo. He was 85. Tribune-Herald.

Star creation is a messy but spectacular process as an image released by Hawaii’s Gemini Observatory shows. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A heavy infestation of coqui frogs in Maliko Gulch has migrated toward Haliimaile and thousands of the critters have spilled onto neighboring properties, causing at least one homeowner to warn the public. Maui News.

Aided by increased air seats to Kahului, Maui's robust visitor industry continued to grow faster than any other county in the state in August, according to statistics released Monday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Maui News.

This Thursday, Oct. 1 is the ostensible deadline for the County of Maui to get its act together in regards to Act 136, the new state law that requires county Liquor Commissions to define dancing (since they’re so insistent on enforcing dancing restrictions). MauiTime.

Kauai

Life’s Choices Kauai, which is part of the Office of the Mayor, is conducting a survey about services for an adolescent treatment and healing center (ATHC) that will be built off Maalo Road in Kapaia. Garden Island.

Department of Interior meetings highlight Native Hawaiian gripes, Schatz, Hanabusa continue debates, Abercrombie signs bills easing youth punishments, state departments face budget cuts, environmental activist says cars fire-bombed, few women on Honolulu Police force, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Rep. Faye Hanonhano sings at DOI meeting © 2014 All Hawaii News

In the heart of Keaukaha, one of the most Hawaiian communities on one of the most Hawaiian of the islands, speakers were polite but firm: They will create their own government, thank you very much. More than 130 people signed up to testify Wednesday evening to a panel of Department of the Interior, Office of the U.S. Attorney General and other Obama administration officials. Hundreds more crowded into the Keaukaha Elementary School gymnasium to listen. West Hawaii Today.

Native Hawaiians on Hawaii island got their first of three opportunities Wednesday night to yell at federal officials for even considering the idea of starting a process to create a new relationship with a future Native Hawaiian government. Department of the Interior officials moved their two weeks of hearings to Hawaii island Wednesday, but the angry sentiments they heard echoed previous sessions on Oahu, Lanai, Molokai and Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Video: Rep. Faye Hanohano testifies at the DOI Hearing in Keaukaha July 2, 2014, including a rousing heart-felt singing of Hawai`i Pono`i with the whole crowd! Nanci Munroe.

The U.S. Department of the Interior is holding meetings around Hawai’i, asking how the federal government should be involved in creating a Hawaiian nation.   Should the interior secretary propose establishing a government to government relationship with Hawaiians and help set it up? Or should the DOI leave it to the state, with possible federal requirements?  Some who have been studying the issue say, neither. Hawaii Public Radio.

Candidates running in a closely watched Democratic primary race for the U.S. Senate checked their tone Wednesday night in a forum at Sangha Hall in Hilo. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said that he will not go negative in the campaign, but U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa came across as ready to fight. Associated Press.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa used a debate Wednesday evening to outline their leadership abilities, with Schatz describing the relationships he has built so far with Senate leaders and Hanabusa saying she has proved she can earn the trust and respect of her colleagues. Star-Advertiser.

Social Security Takes Center Stage at Second US Senate Debate. Sen. Schatz and Rep. Hanabusa also tangle over military training on the Big Island. Civil Beat.

U.S. Senate candidates Brian Schatz and Colleen Hanabusa faced off Wednesday in their only Big Island showdown. Held before a capacity crowd at Sangha Hall in Hilo, the 90-minute debate exposed few major policy differences between the top Democratic candidates. Tribune-Herald.

US Sen. Brian Schatz and US Rep. Colleen Hanabusa squared off tonight in Hilo as they looked to garner support for their bids in the Democratic primary to fill the remaining term of the late Sen. Daniel Inouye. Big Island Now.

The Abercrombie administration is restricting discretionary spending by state departments by 10 percent, or about $14 million, as a precautionary step until the economy has shown measurable signs of improvement, the state budget director said. Star-Advertiser.

The public will likely have to wait longer than promised before gaining free and easy access to the inspection reports of more than 1,600 long-term care facilities in Hawaii. Despite an 18-month lead time and receiving all its requested funding, there are doubts that the state Health Department will be ready to start posting inspection reports online by Jan. 1 as required by law, according to government officials and lawmakers. Civil Beat.

Life sentences without parole for minors are now abolished in Hawaii. Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a bill Wednesday recognizing that children convicted of first-degree murder should be treated differently than murderous adults. Associated Press.

A bill Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed into law Wednesday, Act 201, attempts to improve the juvenile system by reserving the 56 beds at Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility for serious juvenile offenders and diverting less serious offenders to group homes or other private institutions. Abercrombie also signed a law that bans sentencing children to life in prison without the possibility of parole in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a pair of bills Wednesday aimed at juvenile offenders. One, House Bill 2490, will focus space at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility on Oahu for the state’s most serious young offenders while strengthening probation practices to better manage those who committed lower-level offenses. The other, House Bill 2116, eliminates the sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for juvenile offenders. Tribune-Herald.

Tanning salons are no longer for minors in Hawaii, according to a bill signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. The act, which began as House Bill 611, makes it illegal for a tanning salon to allow a person younger than 18 to use any tanning equipment. Star-Advertiser.

Election watchdogs are concerned Hawaii's new law, which allows same day voter registration by the year 2018, will heighten the chances of voter fraud here. Hawaii Reporter.

Inspectors with the Hawaii Department of Health this month will begin assigning color-coded placards to restaurants across the state intended to inform diners of any food safety violations.Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A man known for his environmental investigations in Hawaii says his cars were fire bombed overnight, and the victim says he believes he knows who committed the crime. Hawaii News Now.

Is aerial advertising in Hawaii legal or against the law? According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Aerial Banners North is allowed to fly despite a city ordinance against aerial advertising. The FAA said Wednesday that the company was granted a certificate of waiver that trumps any law on the state or county level. KHON2.

Less than 24 hours after Honolulu police swept the sidewalk of homeless camps across from the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kaakako, the same stretch was filled with 20 tents again Wednesday, as some UH employees said the homeless make them uneasy after hours. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Police Department Pushes to Increase Number of Female Officers On the Force. One in 10 cops in Honolulu are women. The department aims to boost their numbers to nearly one in eight — for good reasons, deputy chief says. Civil Beat.

More than half of the Honolulu Police Department's 2,000 officers have begun turning in their Smith & Wessons for Glock 17 semi-automatic handguns. Star-Advertiser.

Ala Moana Center's massive redevelopment project that eliminated 2,000 parking stalls is putting a damper on this year's Fourth of July celebration. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County voters will get an opportunity in the Nov. 4 General Election to decide whether the county clerk should serve a four-year term, even though council members are elected for just two years. The ballot amendment passed 7-1 Wednesday by County Council is a compromise from the original bill that would have had the clerk serve a six-year term and be removed only for cause. West Hawaii Today.

If the state’s Commission for Water Resource Management decides to designate the Keauhou aquifer a water management area, well owners and developers are looking at a potentially lengthy and expensive process to determine who has the right to use water in the area. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii cable customers stand to benefit from a planned merger of Oceanic Time Warner and Comcast Corp., according to a joint filing by the companies. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Neldon Mamuad may have lost his court appeal to remain on the ballot - yet his name still will be on the ballot. Maui News.

With a list of conditions, the Maui County Council's Land Use Committee on Wednesday recommended approval of community plan amendments and zoning changes to allow for the development of A&B Properties' proposed 600-unit housing project in north Kihei. Maui News.

Work continued on the Kahului Airport access road last week. Construction on the Puunene Avenue to Hana Highway side of the project is nearing 50 percent completion, according to Derek Inoshita of the state Department of Transportation. Maui News.

The events stadium being built at Lahainaluna High School in West Maui will be named in honor of Sue D. Cooley, its primary benefactor and part-time Maui resident, the state Department of Education announced today. Maui Now.

Kauai

The state Department of Health is urging people to stay out of Wailua River and Bay following a landslide near Mount Waialeale earlier this week. Garden Island.

This week’s public meetings on Kauai to discuss whether the federal government should pursue federal recognition of Native Hawaiians were dominated by emotional and often angry testimony from dozens of community members. Garden Island.

When it came time for the public to comment on a report on how to address the island’s feral cat population, Kauai County Councilman Mel Rapozo said there certainly was no dearth of it. Garden Island.

Molokai

Across Hawaii, tensions are rising as the federal Department of Interior (DOI) proposes establishing a Native Hawaiian government. Last Saturday, Molokai residents joined in the widespread opposition. The slick floor of Kaunakakai Elementary School cafeteria was strewn with symbolic red ribbons, also pinned to the shirts and blouses of dozens of community members to show their disapproval. Molokai Dispatch.