Abercrombie files for reelection, Hawaii's clean streams, health insurers lament Obamacare, Civil Beat wins attorney fees in public records lawsuit, missile to be tested off Kauai, UH allows pamphleteers, Honolulu rail bleeds $76M in change orders, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Abercrombie visits campaign table © 2014 All Hawaii News

He began his re-election push last year with a soft and hard launch. This year he reopened his campaign headquarters, which never really closed. And he's run political advertising and raised money hand over fist. But just to make sure everyone knows how serious he is about wanting a second and final term as governor, Neil Abercrombie really made it official Thursday by formally filing candidate paperwork at the Hawaii Office of Elections. Civil Beat.

Despite growing public concern about pesticide use in Hawaii, a new study by the state Department of Health found very small amounts of pesticides in streams on Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island. The study, which analyzed water from 24 streams, found that the areas with the greatest number of pesticides were not near large farms but rather in urban Oahu. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations and Gov. Neil Abercrombie recently announced the launch of a multilingual public education campaign for domestic workers. Signed by the governor last year, Act 248 provides for minimum wage, overtime, discrimination and harassment protections for domestic workers. Previously, domestic workers were excluded from these basic protections of state wage and hour and fair employment laws afforded to others. West Hawaii Today.

A filmed underwater confrontation between an environmentalist who wants to shut down the aquarium fish industry in Hawaii and a collector who gathers the fish and sells them for a living has put a spotlight on a long-running conflict over the business. Associated Press.

The state's two largest health insurers are blaming substantial losses in the first quarter on a combined $54.1 million in fees related to Obama­care. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents on Thursday defended its presidential search proc­ess, saying it still plans to make a selection sometime next month between finalists David Lassner and Frank Wier­cin­ski despite calls to reopen the search. Star-Advertiser.

The race for Hawaii's 1st Congressional District seat got hotter this month, with two more candidates buying ad time. Civil Beat.

State House Majority Whip Romy Cachola, D-Kalihi, has hired Honolulu criminal defense attorney Michael Green to represent him, as the state and county step up their investigation into Cachola’s financial records and reporting. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaiian Electric Co.’s top executive sees the state’s largest electric utility’s role in running its grid as being like the Amazon.com of energy as it continues on its energy transformation to a more clean energy future. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for May 16. Associated Press.

Oahu

A Hawaii Circuit Court judge awarded more than $43,000 in attorneys' fees Thursday to The Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest in a lawsuit involving disclosure of police misconduct records. Civil Beat.

Rail construction delays dating back to when Honolulu city officials awarded contracts to start building the proj­ect before they had the federal say-so to proceed have so far cost taxpayers $76 million — and that amount will likely grow. Star-Advertiser.

Environmental groups are worried a proposal to include parks in the city's Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund would hamper efforts to buy areas in dire need of protection. Star-Advertiser.

Pacific Business News’ print edition won first place in nondaily newspaper excellence and PBN’s website won first place in general website excellence Thursday in the Hawaii Publisher’s Association's annual Pai Awards competition, which recognizes the best in Hawaii publications.

Hawaii

Students at the University of Hawaii at Hilo no longer have to get permission from the school prior to free speech activities and can engage in them anywhere on campus, according to a new interim policy that was implemented today. The new rules were developed in response to a lawsuit that was filed by two UH Hilo students in federal court late last month alleging that the school violated their First Amendment rights because an official told them they couldn’t distribute copies of the Constitution at an outdoor event on campus. Civil Beat.

A lawsuit filed last month accusing the University of Hawaii at Hilo of infringing on students’ constitutional rights has prompted the university to adopt an interim policy on speech and assembly. Big Island Now.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an incident in which a passenger jetliner had to take evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision with another jet near the Big Island. The FAA said the incident happened April 25 about 200 miles northeast of Kona and about 33,000 feet in altitude. Hawaii News Now.

Thousands of Hawaii County property owners claiming the homeowner’s exemption and agricultural land owners claiming they’re farmers will be hearing from the Real Property Tax Division over the coming months, as the county purges unqualified tax breaks from the rolls. West Hawaii Today.

A bed and breakfast warned in 2011 that it was operating without the correct permits has continued to do so while pursuing a special permit, Leeward Planning Commissioners learned Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

Rising cost of state’s health care tackled. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald won eight awards for outstanding journalism during the 29th annual Pa‘i Awards held Thursday in Honolulu.

West Hawaii Today won five awards at the Hawaii Publishers Association’s 29th annual Pai Awards held Thursday on Oahu. The awards were among 13 given to Stephens Media Hawaii, the parent company of West Hawaii Today and Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A majority of Maui County residents who attended two Office of Hawaiian Affairs meetings on Maui this week appeared to support the organization's chief executive officer who recently sent a letter on his own to the U.S. State Department asking if it believes that the Hawaiian Kingdom still exists. Maui News.

A standing room-only crowd gathered at the J Walter Cameron Center in Wailuku on Thursday morning, as Trustees from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs heard often heated testimony relating to native Hawaiian rights to self-governance, the Kana’iolowalu registry, and all encompassing question relating to the legal status of Hawai‘i under international law. Maui Now.

The state Department of Education announced that its newest school, Puʻu Kukui Elementary School in Wailuku, will celebrate the completion of its milestone first year with a school-wide celebration and dedication ceremony on Friday, May 16, 2014. Maui Now.

Two photos by Maui News photographer Matthew Thayer impressed the judges at the 29th Pa'i Awards, bringing home two first-place trophies for the newspaper.

Kauai

A planned ballistic missile defense shield for Europe will take the next step with a missile flight test on Kauai next week. Star-Advertiser.

Some county departments may have to do more with less funding over the next year following a second round of budget cuts. These cuts, passed by the Kauai County Council on the final day of preliminary budget deliberations, include a 17 percent reduction in future travel budgets across nine county departments, a 5 percent reduction in specific overtime costs for all county departments and a 2 percent reduction in county electricity costs — all of which amounts to a $333,558 cut in costs from Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s latest budget proposal submitted last week. Garden Island.

A lot has changed, but the importance of Rice Street as a focal point in Lihue has not, said county planning officials, who are working with transportation and planning staff from Smart Growth America to determine how the nearly 2-mile long roadway should adapt to changes around it over time, especially when it comes down to parking. Garden Island.

After serving four terms as a County Council member, Tim Bynum has fought his share of battles and gleaned some experience along the way. Garden Island.

The Hawaiian Kingdom -- tension, dissension at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, EPA cites Puna geothermal plant, prison worker sick-in kills inmates' Mother's Day, Schatz makes piggy list, Maui GMO foes pay $5 a signature, Honolulu homelessness grows, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kamehameha statue with sovereignty sign © 2014 All Hawaii News

The chief executive of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs said Monday he’s moving forward after a disagreement with the organization’s trustees over seeking clarification on the legal status of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Associated Press.

A letter asking whether the Hawaiian Kingdom should continue to exist as a sovereign, independent state has sent the Office of Hawaiian Affairs into a frenzy. The May 5 letter was sent by OHA CEO Kamanaopono Crabbe to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, but the OHA Board of Trustees said it didn’t support the CEO’s move. Still, Crabbe said Monday he didn’t regret his decision, leaving a rocky, muddy wake between board and CEO. Garden Island.

Crabbe

Appearing with more than 100 supporters at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs offices Monday, OHA Chief Executive Officer Kamana‘opono Crabbe didn't back down in his flap with OHA trustees over the letter he sent to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry asking for a legal opinion on whether the Hawaiian kingdom still exists as an independent nation under international law. Star-Advertiser.

Does the Hawaiian Kingdom still exist? A renewed effort to answer that sensitive question has divided the quasi-state agency whose mission is to protect Hawaii's people, environmental resources and assets. Civil Beat.

Flanked by an impressive assortment of community leaders, Office of Hawaiian Affairs Pouhana Kamana‘opono Crabbe addressed the press Monday regarding the Crabbe-Kerry letter. Hawaii Independent.

© 2014 All Hawaii News

Does the Hawaiian Kingdom still exist? That's the question the CEO of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs wants answered by the U.S. Justice Department. Hawaii News Now.

Taxpayers could be on the hook for about a million dollars a year when it comes to the spending money lawmakers are entitled to each year. How some are spending their legislative allowances is getting attention. KHON2.

Inmates at Hawaii's women's prison weren't able to visit with their children on Mother's Day because not enough guards showed up for work. Only nine out of 29 officers assigned for duty came to work Sunday at the Women's Community Correctional Center in Kailua. Associated Press.

An online petition imploring the University of Hawaii Board of Regents to reject a retired Army officer in the running to be the next UH president had garnered more than 350 signatures by Monday evening. Star-Advertiser.

In late April a campaign commercial titled "Neil Abercrombie: Values" first aired. It played up the governor's commitment to keiki. Barely two weeks later, in early May, the Abercrombie re-election campaign launched a new ad, this one assuring his commitment to those on the other end of the spectrum: kupuna. Civil Beat.

Hawaii tourism could benefit with the advancement of three bipartisan bills that are geared to expanding public and private travel-promotion efforts and helping the U.S. attract millions more international visitors annually. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz has made a list of congressional officials hogging federal funds for pork barrel projects. Citizens against Government Waste, a Washington, D.C., government watchdog group, released its annual Congressional Pig Book this week, highlighting $2.7 billion in government earmarks, including $5.9 million in funding Schatz secured for Honolulu’s East-West Center. Hawaii Reporter.

Turnaround specialist John Dean, who guided Central Pacific Bank from the brink of collapse to 13 straight profitable quarters, has committed to staying on as chief executive officer for up to two more years. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
The number of homeless people rose in January for the sixth consecutive year, according to the 2014 Point in Time survey the city is releasing Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Affordable housing for a growing homeless population on O’ahu must also be an appealing alternative to living on the streets, communal shelters or imprisonment. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell plans to hold a town hall gathering in Ewa. The meeting at Ewa Elementary School begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Electric Co. recently started rolling out a smart-grid program in five different areas on Oahu, as Hawaii's largest utility seeks to implement technologies to improve service, provide customers with more choices and integrate more renewable energy, the head of the utility said. Pacific Business News.

After nine years the city is opening up the waitlist on its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program from Thursday through May 21, the Department of Community Services announced Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Environmental Protection Agency cited Puna Geothermal Venture with 14 violations in a report issued last month. Tribune-Herald.

A trio of proposed charter amendments made their debut Monday, heading for County Council approval before being offered for voter scrutiny. But action in the Finance Committee showed it likely that only one of the bills may make it to the Nov. 4 ballot. West Hawaii Today.

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge confirmed a plan Monday to restructure massive debts on the stalled Hokuli'a luxury home subdivision on Hawaii island, clearing the way for sales and development to resume at the $1 billion project. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ enforcement officers are investigating an incident last week in which one diver apparently attacked another. West Hawaii Today.

An environmentalist found herself in danger last week when an aquarium fisherman spotted her taking video of him in deep water off of Kona, rushed toward her and ripped the air supply out of her mouth, according to footage of the incident and eyewitnesses. Civil Beat.

Twenty-seven complaints later, Big Island dentist and oral surgeon Dr. John Stover will never again see patients in Hawaii. Now, the focus turns to exposing holes in the dental investigative process. Hawaii News Now.

The Kahilu Theatre will receive a makeover this summer with the help of a $1.5 million state grant. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Activists pushing for a moratorium on genetically modified farming in Maui County are stepping up their efforts to gather signatures in advance of a looming deadline. Members of a nonprofit organization known as the SHAKA Movement have launched a campaign to pay people $5 for each signature collected in support of a citizens initiative. Bruce Douglass, spokesman for the organization, said that the money is intended as a reward and an incentive for the group's 500 existing volunteers. If the organization gathers 8,500 valid signatures, voters on Maui will be able to decide in November whether to temporarily ban genetically engineered agriculture on Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Civil Beat.

House Speaker Joe Souki said Sunday that he has not endorsed Kahului Rep. Justin Woodson in the Democratic primary to keep the 9th House District seat. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council on Monday trimmed nearly $2.4 million from its budget in an attempt to stave off real property tax hikes for hotels and resorts and dips in funding for public access and open space projects over the next fiscal year. Garden Island.

The state is up, but the county is down. While Hawaii saw an increase in the number of farmed acres for the first time in decades, the County of Kauai found itself in a hole. Garden Island.

Hawaii Democrats kick off campaign season, two UH president finalists to tour campuses, Senate committee hears Native Hawaiian roll update, Honolulu mulls plastic bag ban, $15M shortfall could cut Maui medical services, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii County Democratic convention © 2014 All Hawaii News

Two days after the Hawaii Legislature concluded its 2014 session, another big political story of the year entered a new phase: the primary election. On Saturday, island chapters of the Democratic Party of Hawaii held conventions on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. (Kauai held its convention last month.) It was the first time for many party members to see most of the major candidates all in one setting. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa used brief stops before Oahu Democrats on Saturday to make politics personal, but they took different approaches that offer insight into their campaign strategies. Star-Advertiser.

Abercrombie and Kokubun

Few candidates running for office in Hawaii fail to mention the V-word — values — when appealing to local voters. Gov. Neil Abercrombie is actually using the word in the title of his second television commercial for his re-election campaign: "Neil Abercrombie: Values." Civil Beat.

Beginning Tuesday, the two finalists for president of the University of Hawaii System — current interim President David Lassner and retired Army Lt. Gen. Francis Wier­cin­ski — will spend a month visiting UH campuses throughout the state, meeting with students, faculty and community members and participating in forums and receptions open to the public. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents released Saturday the final report by the Committee on Presidential Selection. The committee recommended David Lassner, the university’s interim president, and retired Lt. Gen. Frank Wiercinski, former commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, as its top candidates. KHON2.

Read the report here.

The Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs will hold an informational briefing Monday morning to receive an update on the progress of the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission. The Roll Commission was established by the Legislature three years ago “to certify and publish a roll of Qualified Native Hawaiians for the purpose of organizing a Native Hawaiian governing entity that is recognized by the State of Hawaii, and can be recognized by the United States,” according to a press release from the Senate. Civil Beat.

State lawmakers adjourned the session on Thursday after reviewing hundreds of bills. Here is the status of some of the most significant bills. Bills that have passed have been sent to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for his signature or veto. The governor also can allow bills to become law without his signature. Lawmakers can override vetoes by a two-thirds’ vote in each chamber. Star-Advertiser.

Many Hawaii legislators hold campaign fundraisers during the four-month period in which they also hear bills of interest to lobbyists. Civil Beat.

House Majority floor leader Rida Cabanilla, D-Ewa, controls a non-profit that was awarded a $100,000 grant on April 25 from her peers in the Hawaii state legislature while the organization was out of compliance with the Internal Revenue Service. Hawaii Reporter.

Sam Slom, party of one in Hawaii’s Senate. L.A. Times.

Insurance companies in Hawaii are required to cover fertility treatment only for married women, not for their single counterparts. And in vitro fertilization treatments must use sperm from the patient's spouse. Associated Press.

An organic certification is a way for customers to make sure the food they’re buying fits certain standards. But that can be challenging for many farmers here in Hawaii, especially since the state has no locally-based certifier. Hawaii Public Radio.

State roundup for May 5. Associated Press.

Oahu
The federal indictment of Waste Management of Hawaii and two of its top officials last week over their handling of Oahu's landfill has Hono­lulu City Council members seeking answers and at least one questioning whether the city should continue its 20-year operating contract. Star-Advertiser.

The question of whether shopping bags can be both plastic and biodegradable has thrown a possible wrench into plans to ban the bags on Oahu next year. Star-Advertiser.

New bill could delay Oahu’s plastic bag ban. KHON2.

Could Ads on City Buses Help Sustain Honolulu's Transportation System? Civil Beat.

Two thousand homes a year. That's roughly how much Oahu's housing market is losing ground each year as the growth in population outstrips the production of new homes. Star-Advertiser.

The Queen’s Medical Center West Oahu is wrapping up final touches and conducting practice medical scenarios among staff in preparation for its May 20 grand opening. Pacific Business News.

Hawaiian Electric is seeking bidders to provide one or more large-scale energy storage systems on Oahu. Associated Press.

Hawaii

If, as Woody Allen claims, “80 percent of life is showing up,” the Hawaii County Council is getting there. The current County Council has a much better attendance record than previous councils, but there’s still room for improvement for certain members. West Hawaii Today.

Complaints from Hawaii Community College students alleging misuse of student fees spurred state Senate President Donna Mercado Kim to request a review by the University of Hawaii Board of Regents. Tribune-Herald.

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is supporting the efforts of a state senator's family to subdivide a DHHL homestead parcel leased to her mother, a move that could rectify violations at least a decade old of having too many residences on the property. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

A projected $15 million shortfall will force Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital administrators to consider cutting patient services or laying off employees next fiscal year, said Wesley Lo, Maui region chief executive officer of Hawaii Health System Corp. Maui News.

The search to replace longtime University of Hawaii Maui College Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto has begun as a 17-member, all-Maui Chancellor Search Advisory Committee has been formed. Maui News.

Honokahua Bay, which includes the popular D.T. Fleming Beach Park, has been murky brown for months - but Friday may have been the worst. Maui News.

The Hawaiʻi State Senate approved a supplemental budget bill that calls for more than $500 million in funds for more than 80 capital improvement projects in Maui County. Maui Now.

Kauai

Voters may decide in November who should serve on the county’s Cost Control Commission — some government employees or none at all. Garden Island.

Provided Gov. Neil Abercrombie signs the legislative-approved funding, the Kauai Museum will begin a major renovation project by June. Garden Island.

The public will have an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the two remaining University of Hawaii presidential candidates Thursday. Garden Island.

Hawaii Legislature is down to the wire, state's first death penalty case since 1944 troubles rights groups, Chinese tourists seen as 'economic salvation,' ID, please, in GMO lawsuit, Sunshine Law exemption broadens, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Merrie Monarch hula festival © 2014 All Hawaii News

Merrie Monarch hula contest, festival continues. See more here.

Hawaii lawmakers are confronting a deadline to pass the state budget, but they’re still deciding how to work out key issues that include a historic land-preservation deal and funding for a slew of nonprofits. Legislative appropriations committees have until Friday night to reach agreement on all aspects of the state’s $12 billion budget. Associated Press.

House and Senate lawmakers have agreed to carve out a new exemption in the Sunshine Law for county councils to get together outside their regular meetings. Civil Beat.

There were surprises Thursday as the clocked ticked toward a Friday 6 p.m. deadline for bills to advance to a final round of votes next week. Civil Beat.

Giving victims of childhood sexual abuse more time to seek justice, state lawmakers agreed Thursday on a bill that would extend a unique window to file lawsuits for another two years and include the state and counties among the potentially liable. Star-Advertiser.

A conference committee of state lawmakers passed House Bill 1926 Thursday to plug the legal loophole that lets police have sex with prostitutes. The committee, chaired by Rep. Karl Rhoads and Sen. Clayton Hee, also reached agreement on House Bill 1750 to combat revenge porn. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is taking Sen. David Ige to task over failing to put $40 million in the state budget to pay the state's share of a sensitive land deal with Turtle Bay Resort. Civil Beat.

The outcome of a decades-long battle to protect O’ahu’s North Shore from development will likely be decided on the last day of state budget deliberations at the State Capitol tomorrow.  Lawmakers have yet to decide on whether to fund the state’s portion of the offer to purchase the coastline property. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state Department of Education supports the annual 4.5 percent raises an arbitration panel awarded to principals and other educational officers earlier this week, according to a statement released Wednesday by the department. Star-Advertiser.

US Senate race in Hawaii pits opposing wings of Democratic Party. Los Angeles Times.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz’s latest reports with the Federal Election Commission show he’s using his considerable cash advantage to keep him in front of voters while driving even more money to his campaign bank account. The senator, who’s locked in a tight race with U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, is spending his cash on media, polling, fundraisers and political consulting, among other campaign essentials. Civil Beat.

The civil rights compliance director for public schools across the state is under investigation for complaints that she conducted biased investigations and did campaign work for a gubernatorial candidate on state time. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Airlines CEO Mark Dunkerley called China the "economic salvation" for Hawaii tourism but said the state is ill-equipped to handle the expected surge of tourists who are likely to come in future years. Star-Advertiser.

A majority of Hawaii residents support the installation of more rooftop solar photovoltaic systems, while also believing that Hawaiian Electric Co. is slowing these installations to protect its profits, a new poll says, although the state’s largest electric utility pointed out that its rooftop solar policies are not about the financial impact on the Honolulu-based company. Pacific Business News.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: April 25. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A federal jury returned a guilty verdict Thursday for the first person in the state to stand trial for a death penalty crime. Star-Advertiser.

The possibility that former Hawaii soldier Naeem Williams could face execution is troubling for some folks in a state where the death penalty has not been imposed since 1944. Star-Advertiser.

A Marine who admitted killing a prostitute in his Waikiki hotel room last year was found guilty Thursday of "murder while engaging in an inherently dangerous act," a crime punishable by a maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole, the Marine Corps said. Star-Advertiser.

Residential towers in Kakaako makai of Ala Moana Boulevard would be permitted to rise on eight large parcels -- or just two -- under competing proposed amendments to one of the most controversial bills at the Legislature this year. Star-Advertiser.

The City Council Transportation Committee is moving forward with plans to audit the Handi-Van program. But the committee also agreed to a request to delay the start of the audit to allow the impact of planned improvements to be assessed. Star-Advertiser.

For a second consecutive year, the rail project's top executive will receive a $35,000 bonus. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A Big Island papaya farmer will have to identify himself to continue as part of a lawsuit against Hawaii County’s registration program for genetically modified crops, Judge Greg Nakamura said Thursday. Tribune-Herald.

Faced with a May 5 deadline to present his final budget proposal to the Hawaii County Council, Mayor Billy Kenoi said Thursday he’s crafting a spending plan that doesn’t take any increases in the county’s share of the hotel tax into account. West Hawaii Today.

Legislators in a joint conference committee opted Wednesday to include a $2 million appropriation in the state’s budget next year for Hilo Medical Center’s fledgling Primary Care Residency Program. Tribune-Herald.

The family of a man who died after being tased by a Hawaii Police Department officer intends to file a lawsuit against the department, their attorney said Thursday. -  West Hawaii Today.

A Hilo jury Thursday found a 32-year-old Hilo man guilty of first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault in the shootings of two police officers Jan. 2, 2013. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

East Maui Irrigation Co. and The Nature Conservancy agreed on a deal that will add 3,721 acres of rain forest to Waikamoi Preserve, creating the largest private nature reserve in the state. Maui News.

A portion of the Hāmākua Ditch across the Kailua Gulch in East Maui broke on Thursday, April 24, resulting in a “mud plume” in the ocean near Baldwin Beach Park, officials at Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company said. Maui Now.

Kauai

In a recent online poll question, The Garden Island asked readers, “Who should pay the cost of rescue operations for people who are hurt or stranded on the Kalalau Trail?” Sixty percent voted for the hikers because they were being careless or not paying attention, while 35 percent said the state because it manages the trail.

Lunar eclipse delights Hawaii, court lets groups join Kauai GMO lawsuit, Abercrombie apologizes for Inouye comments, Hawaiian Airlines fined, good government bills die, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii lunar eclipse (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

Crowds gather at lunar eclipse viewing parties. KHON2.

Clouds blocked some of Monday's lunar eclipse in Honolulu, but every so often a reddish moon appeared through the clouds as the earth's shadow covered the moon. The eclipse actually began at 6:53 p.m. but wasn't visible until 7:58 p.m. when the earth's shadow began to take a bite out of the moon. Star-Advertiser.

Almost all of the bills to boost government transparency and hold public officials more accountable are dead this legislative session, but a handful have managed to make it to the final days of decision-making. Still, the fate of the measures to reform Hawaii’s lax lobbying laws and shine a broad ray of sunlight on the financial interests of state board and commission members is far from certain.  Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie apologized on Monday for casting doubt on a letter from U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye that urged the governor to name U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa as his successor. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Abercrombie issues apology for remarks on Sen. Inouye "death bed" letter. KITV4.

A recent Los Angeles Times article quotes Gov. Neil Abercrombie questioning a "dying wish" letter he received from the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, recommending his successor be U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa. Hawaii News Now.

Governor Abercrombie said in an interview with Mark Z. Barabak of the L.A. Times that late US Senator Daniel Inouye didn’t have a “dying wish” for his seat to go to Colleen Hanabusa. It would be far stronger for Governor Abercrombie to articulate his reasons for picking Brian Schatz, and say no more about the Inouye letter. Hawaii Independent.

When Should We Take Candidates Seriously? How does Hawaii media decide who are serious candidates, and who are not? Civil Beat.

Reaching Out to Women Voters. In Hawaii's top political races, leading candidates are fighting for the hearts of important primary voters — women. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Airlines is facing a $547,500 civil fine for operating one of its planes for eight years without properly inspecting certain components that could cause a rapid decompression of the aircraft. Star-Advertiser.

Today is Tax Freedom Day in Hawaii, the day the average taxpayer has earned enough money to pay off all his or her federal, state and local taxes for the year. West Hawaii Today.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: April 15. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Tuesday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

State roundup for April 15. Associated Press.

Oahu

The discovery of asbestos in the flooring of the City Council chambers at Honolulu Hale may have upped the price tag and stalled completion of the historic room's first major face-lift in roughly four decades, but work has begun anew. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that aims to improve management, legislative oversight and public participation of the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which oversees the redevelopment of Kakaako, was sent to Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday. Pacific Business News.

Within a month, state agricultural crews will begin eradicating colonies of little fire ants within about a 4-acre area of Waimanalo. During a briefing about little fire ants, state Agriculture Department officials said Monday the colonies, pinpointed by a survey, will be controlled and eradicated in about a year. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii-Manoa's new recreation center, which opened after 16 months of delays on Friday, is off limits to alumni for now, in spite of initial UH announcements to the contrary. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii
The successful appeal of a Planning Department decision spurred Kona/Ka‘u Councilwoman Brenda Ford to craft a bill requiring a department representative to visit the site of proposed subdivisions. West Hawaii Today.

Supporters of Hilo-based Connections New Century Public Charter School were dealt last week another blow in their long-delayed effort to build a new campus in Kaumana. In a report issued April 7, a hearing officer recommended that Hawaii County’s Windward Planning Commission deny a special permit for Connections to build its school on agricultural land given to it by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Fifty years ago, Seabury Hall opened its doors as an all-girls, Episcopal boarding school tucked away on the rural slopes of Haleakala. Maui News.

Seabury Hall Headmaster Joseph J. Schmidt will retire at the end of the 2014-15 school year after spending two decades at the Olinda campus. Maui News.

Kauai
Four nonprofit organizations were allowed to join Kauai County in defending a new ordinance that regulates pesticide use and genetically modified crops against a federal lawsuit by seed companies challenging its legality. U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren on Monday granted the motion to allow Ka Makani Ho‘opono, the Center for Food Safety, the Pesticide Action Network North America and the Surfrider Foundation to intervene in the suit. Syngenta Seeds, DuPont Pioneer, Agrigenetics Inc., doing business as Dow Agrosciences, and BASF Plant Sciences LP are seeking a permanent injunction against Ordinance 960. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge is allowing the Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice to intervene as defendants in the legal challenge of Ordinance 960 by Kauai’s four biotech seed corporations. Garden Island.

A federal judge has agreed to allow the Center for Food Safety, Earthjustice and several other organizations to join a lawsuit to defend Kauai County’s restrictions on genetically modified farming. Syngenta and other seed corporations are suing Kauai County over Ordinance 960, formerly Bill 2491, which requires the companies to disclose certain details about their use of pesticides and genetically modified organisms, as well as adhere to pesticide buffer zones around homes, roads, parks and other areas. Civil Beat.

Kauai Fire Department employees, according to budget documents, racked up more than $1.1 million in overtime expenses during the 2013 fiscal year. For next year, fire department officials are seeking a 22 percent bump in those funds, totaling $1.4 million, to cover future overtime costs. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council Planning Committee will rework a bill that calls for an update and tightening of the setback law for construction on shoreline properties. On June 4, the committee is expected to present proposed revisions to the county's existing law, which establishes the proximity a building can be to the shore. Star-Advertiser.

Lanai

Richard’s Market, one of only a few supermarkets in Lanai City, ceased selling cigarette and tobacco products on Monday in a move mirroring Longs Drugs parent CVS Caremark, citing the right thing to do for its customers as they strive for better health. Pacific Business News.

Obama Hawaii vacation costs add up, ukulele designation controversial, the bridges of Waikiki, Health Connector seeks PR, tax hikes for Maui, $26.5M Hamakua mansion sold, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Obama leaves Hawaii, January 2014 courtesy photo

It cost taxpayers $7.78 million in flight expenses alone for President Barack Obama's Christmas vacation to Honolulu in December and January, according to Judicial Watch, the conservative, nonpartisan foundation. Star-Advertiser.

Judicial Watch announced today that it obtained flight expense records from the U.S. Department of the Air Force revealing that President Obama incurred $15,885,585.30 in flight expenses alone for the Obama family June to July, 2013 trip to Africa and their 2013-2014 Christmas vacation to Honolulu.

The Hawaii Health Connector has issued two requests for proposals seeking contractors to perform marketing services and public relations for the state-run online health insurance exchange. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii lawmakers are considering supporting the state’s troubled health insurance exchange with up to $15 million per year. It’s not clear whether the money would come entirely from a proposed sustainability fee on insurers or general fund appropriations. The fee would hit insurers that aren’t participating in the exchange. Associated Press.

Officially designating the ukulele Hawai’i’s State Instrument is proving to be far more difficult at the State Capitol than many lawmakers ever anticipated. Hawaii Public Radio.

Will Senate Investigators Be Able to Fix the Hawaii State Hospital This Time? Civil Beat.

Hawaii's traditional unemployment rate is low, at 4.6 percent, but newly released federal data shows that more people in the islands are underemployed than are jobless. Civil Beat.

The Blood Bank of Hawaii is relaxing its eligibility guidelines and adopting a friendlier questionnaire on Tuesday, some of the broadest changes by the state's only blood center in more than a decade, to enlarge its donor pool and attract younger donors. Star-Advertiser.

For the first time, the state will allow a limited number of polling place workers to work shorter shifts this election year instead of the 14-hour days they've had to endure in past elections. The state pays election workers $85 for a more than 14-hour shift at polling places from 5:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. or later. Hawaii News Now.

To understand political campaigns you need to answer two questions: how are the candidates doing and why this is the case. Campaign coverage in Hawaii never gives decent answers to these questions. Civil Beat.

There are still some Hawaii state senators who want to see a change in leadership, though it’s unlikely to happen during the current session and maybe not until the fall elections. Civil Beat.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: March 27. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Thursday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Waikiki would get six bridges reserved for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, including four across the Ala Wai Canal, if the city adopts a regional traffic plan designed to make the area more multi-modal. A public meeting will be held Thursday to discuss the bridges and other traffic improvements outlined in the Waikiki Regional Circulator Plan, which aims to reduce growing conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians and bikers. Star-Advertiser.

The budget battles of 2013 may continue into the mayor’s second year in office. Honolulu City Council leaders are already taking a scalpel to Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s proposed budget for the 2015 fiscal year. Council members proposed reducing funding this week for some of the mayor’s top initiatives, including his Housing First program, his energy efficient lighting plan, and even his trumpeted road repaving program. Civil Beat.

Getting a permit to build a condominium tower in Kakaako was never a cakewalk, but the process is now shifting to a more rigorous, quasi-judicial and potentially adversarial format. The state agency regulating development in Kakaako recently adjusted its public hearing process and now is inviting anyone with an interest in future proposed development projects to seek a more active role in the decision-making that includes using expert witnesses and cross-examining developer representatives. Star-Advertiser.

About 1,300 Navy and Marine Corps families in privatized housing on Oahu who got a whopping 123 percent increase in their electric bills starting in October will get their rates dialed back to a 56 percent increase beginning Tuesday and continuing until the end of the fiscal year Sept. 30, the Navy announced. Star-Advertiser.

Scientists expect more endangered Hawaiian geese to migrate to Oahu now that a pair has not only settled near Kahuku, but is raising three goslings. The family of nene is believed to be the first of the rare species on Oahu since the 1700s. Star-Advertiser.

A federal biologist said Wednesday a pair of endangered Hawaiian geese that hatched goslings and settled on Oahu’s north shore were likely on their way back to Kauai from the Big Island when they stopped in Kahuku. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Some Hawaii residents and groups are abusing the state’s environmental rules, Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Wednesday. Abercrombie’s comments came in the context of a conversation that began with the National Park Service’s request to designate the Keauhou aquifer a water management area. West Hawaii Today.



A bill making its way through the Legislature would give a cash infusion to Big Island foster families who haven’t seen a funding increase in more than two decades. West Hawaii Today.

Mansion on Hamakua Coast sold for undisclosed amount. Seventeen miles north of Hilo on Hawaii island, a developer has made a big bet at making the Hamakua Coast more known for ultra-luxury homes than farms by building a helipad-capped mansion next to an oceanfront waterfall and listing the property for sale at $26.5 million. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Electric Light Co. is giving Country Club-Hawaii a little more time to pay down the $212,385 it owes the utility. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Maui County residents could see hikes in real property taxes, water bills and trash collection fees as proposed in Mayor Alan Arakawa's $622.6 million county budget for 2014-15. Maui News.

Maui County Council members continued to grapple with a measure Tuesday to set aside $50,000 to hire outside legal counsel to represent the county in a lawsuit filed by MAUIWatch Facebook page founder Neldon Mamuad. Maui News.

Mayor Alan Arakawa is proposing $115.8 million of county funds for various capital improvement projects in his fiscal 2015 budget proposal. Maui News.

The Maui County Council's Budget and Finance Committee will hold evening meetings throughout Maui County in April to receive community input on the county's 2014-15 budget. Maui News.

Medical marijuana task force evolves, Legislature to halt cop sex with prostitutes, flood insurance rising, Hawaii County councilman, corporation counsel seek judgeship, state to fight child death ruling against Human Services Department, Kauai to suspend well project, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pololu Valley Overlook (C) 2014 All Hawaii News

State parks are not only a place of natural beauty, they are also turning into an important source of funds for Hawaii. KITV4.

Several bills to establish medical marijuana dispensaries in Hawaii have failed in recent years in the State Legislature, and this year's session is no exception. But a resolution aimed at laying the groundwork for such dispensaries has been approved by a House committee. Hawaii News Now.

A state House Health Committee passed resolutions Friday that aim to develop a task force for the establishment of a regulated statewide medical marijuana dispensary system. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii lawmakers will be tackling everything from prostitution to school lunches this week in hearings on bills and resolutions. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to remove the legal protection that allows undercover police officers to have sex with prostitutes during investigations in the version of House Bill 1926 it's taking up Friday. Associated Press.

Lawmakers are going forward with changes to a bill that would end a police exemption allowing undercover cops to have sex with prostitutes. Hawaii Public Radio.

Under Hawaii law, police officers may engage in sexual penetration during investigations into prostitution. Senate Judiciary and Labor Chair Clayton Hee and his committee members are backing a request by sex trafficking advocates to put a stop to the practice through new legislation that also aims to strengthen Hawaii's anti trafficking laws. Hawaii Reporter.

Premiums are going up on nearly 14,000 federally subsidized flood insurance policies in Hawaii as Congress looks to get a federal program out of a $24 billion hole. Legislation signed by President Barack Obama on Friday means homeowners won't see premiums jump all at once, as scheduled under a 2012 overhaul. Associated Press.

Hawaii taxpayers paid the tab for Gov. Neil Abercrombie, his deputy chief of staff and two security guards at the swanky St. Regis Hotel in Washington, D.C. for a few nights last December. Their lodging alone cost $3,520. Add $7,929 to fly the four of them there — including the governor’s nearly $5,000 first-class ticket — and the five-day trip totaled $11,449. They were there for a mixed plate of state business. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz says he plans to focus on Social Security, climate change and middle-class issues such as college affordability in his work in the Senate and his campaign to hold on to his seat. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Audubon Society is opposed to a proposal that could take the Hawaiian hawk off the endangered species list. Star-Advertiser.

House Bill 2560, which would allow family care centers to operate on agricultural land, is one of several that the Legislature is mulling this session that would add more exemptions to the growing list of structures that are permitted on Hawaii’s farmland. Civil Beat.

A Big Island state senator has started an email campaign seeking to stop colleagues from reappointing Richard Ha to the state Board of Agriculture. Tribune-Herald.

The ongoing practice of OCCC prison guards calling in sick on weekends and big sporting event days appears to have consequences for everyone except the guards who abuse leave. Star-Advertiser.
Are We Criminalizing Homelessness in Hawaii? Civil Beat.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: March 24. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Monday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The state plans to appeal a judge's ruling in which the state Department of Human Services was found negligent — along with a Navy diver based at Pearl Harbor — in the 2009 death of the sailor's 14-month-old boy, who was struck or shaken to death. Star-Advertiser.

Hunt Cos. Hawaii is expected to bring about 12,000 new residents to Kalaeloa after its master-plan for the area is all said and done in the next two decades. Pacific Business News.

Public meeting will provide updates on Makaha Valley flood study. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
In one of the early signs that Hawaii County is serious about what is likely to be its largest public works project in county history, officials on Friday shuttled a dozen potential bidders to the Hilo landfill. West Hawaii Today.

A group of Puna residents is intensifying its battle against a bill that would authorize Hawaii and Maui counties to issue so-called “sustainable living research permits” that would skirt building and zoning codes on parcels from 1 to 15 acres. West Hawaii Today.

Two Hawaii County officials are among six finalists to fill a vacancy in the District Court in Hilo. Corporation Counsel Lincoln Ashida and County Council Chairman J Yoshimoto both made the short list. West Hawaii Today.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie told a class of 26 adult corrections officer recruits Friday that they are getting in on the ground floor of what he described as a statewide initiative to revamp and reorient the corrections program. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County is in the final stages of permitting for an estimated $4.5 million rock revetment extension to protect the Wailuku-Kahului Wastewater Reclamation Facility from erosion, county officials said. Maui News.

Motorists may get some relief from the most congested portion of Puunene Avenue if state lawmakers continue to support a $10 million project to expand the two-lane portion of the street to four lanes. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Department of Water is recommending the county suspend its proposed Kahili Horizontal Directional Drilled Well project. Garden Island.

Wilson confirmed to Hawaii Supreme Court, Legislature to mull GMO, ILWU backs Abercrombie, go! loss could hike interisland fares, Kaui mayor seeks tax hikes, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Supreme Court (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

The state Senate voted Monday to confirm Circuit Judge Michael Wilson as an associate justice of the state Supreme Court after finding that Wilson has the experience, temperament and legal insight to serve on the state's highest court. The 23-1 vote sent a forceful message that senators rejected the Hawaii State Bar Association's rating that Wilson was "unqualified." Star-Advertiser.

Mike Wilson's fate was in the hands of 24 elected officials Monday, and 23 of them decided to approve his nomination to the Hawaii Supreme Court. The lone "no" vote in the state Senate came from Roz Baker, who questioned Wilson's work ethic, his diligence and his behavior toward subordinates, especially women. Civil Beat.

Wilson

The state Senate overwhelmingly approved the nomination of Circuit Judge Michael Wilson to the state Supreme Court Monday, but not without detailed criticism from the lone senator who voted against him. Hawaii Public Radio.

It took not just one, but two marathon confirmation hearings before Judge Michael Wilson was elevated to the high court. KITV4.

The names of police officers who are suspended for a year or more could be disclosed to state lawmakers under a measure moving through the Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

House lawmakers are working to revive an effort to label genetically modified food in Hawaii.  The Committee on Agriculture, chaired by Rep. Jessica Wooley, is set to hear a gut-and-replace bill Thursday morning. The proposed House Draft 1 of Senate Bill 2435 would require genetically modified food sold in Hawaii to be labeled as such starting July 1, 2015. Civil Beat.

Wayne Yoshioka visits the town of Waialua on O’ahu’s North Shore, home to a large biotech farm located right next to a public school and residential area. Hawaii Public Radio.

The head of Hawaii’s health insurance marketplace under President Barack Obama’s federal health care overhaul says it has to trim costs to remain sustainable. Tom Matsuda, the interim executive director of the Hawaii Health Connector, told lawmakers at a Senate hearing Monday that the nonprofit is woefully behind its projections of individual enrollment, with only about 5,400 people fully through the process of buying coverage. Associated Press.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union on Monday endorsed Gov. Neil Abercrombie's re-election campaign. The state's largest private-sector labor union, with 18,000 members, said the Demo­crat has consistently supported workers' rights. Abercrombie is facing state Sen. David Ige in the Democratic primary. Star-Advertiser.

Decision making was deferred Monday for a measure that would allow the state to study implementing noncommercial fishing permits. West Hawaii Today.

An analysis of data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that 16 percent of Hawaii’s roughly 214,000 school-age children attended private schools during the 2010-11 school year, the most recent year for which comparable national statistics are available. Hawaii leads all states. Civil Beat.

Hawaii interisland airline go! will end its operations after nearly eight years in service effective April 1, the airline's Phoenix-based parent, Mesa Air Group Inc., announced Monday. Pacific Business News.

The departure of go! airlines could hurt neighbor island tourism and lead to higher interisland fares, but the impact will be muted due to the small size of go! Star-Advertiser.

Keoni Kali has been confirmed by the Senate on Monday as the Chief Information Officer for the Hawai’i Office of Information Management and Technology. KHON2.

Robbie Melton is the new chief executive officer of the Hawaii Tech Development Corp., the state agency charged with the development of our tech industry. She has her work cut out for her. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
A historic Oahu home is being opened up to generate revenue for state parks, Hawaii officials said. The Nutridge Estate was built in 1922 for Ernest Shelton Van Tassel, who leased out 22 acres of land for Hawaii’s macadamia nut industry. Associated Press.

The Japanese developer of a $31 million redevelopment project at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor in Waikiki has revealed new renderings and details, including a Hawaii Nui Brewing brewpub and a Tropics on the Landing bar, the project developer’s attorney told Pacific Business News.

Waikiki Parc Hotel, the midpriced sister hotel of the uber-luxurious Halekulani, is slated to close in the fall of 2016 for a 16-month renovation designed to upgrade the guest experience and cut the number of rooms at the boutique hotel. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The former general contractor for a bioenergy plant under construction in Pepeekeo expanded its $35 million lien request against the power plant’s developer to include several surrounding property owners. Tribune-Herald.

A California investor is trying to sell 10,019 acres of land in South Kohala for $34 million. The properties are separated into 14 parcels, located near Waikoloa Village along Queen Kaahumanu Highway, Mamalahoa Highway and Waikoloa Road, according to the broker, Honolulu-based NAI Chaney Brooks. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Motorists are advised of two road construction projects being conducted by Maui Master Builders on Wākea Avenue in Kahului that will impact traffic this week. Maui Now.

Kauai

To pay for a proposed budget increase, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. is proposing some new fees, including raising the hotel and resort class real property tax rate from $9 to $11 per $1,000 of valuation and the annual transient vacation rental (TVR) renewal fee from $500 to $750, a move that would offset an estimated 90 percent of the TVR program cost. Carvalho is also resurrecting a move from last year’s budget proposal to raise the county’s solid waste tipping fee from $90 to $119 per ton and the vehicle weight tax by $0.005 for commercial vehicles and $0.0075 for all others. Garden Island.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced the release of more than $36.6 million for various capital improvement projects, administered by the Departments of Land and Natural Resources. About $500,000 will go for the Mana Drag Strip on Kauai to complete the current construction phase to repair the facilities on the site and remove and resurface the pavement. Garden Island.