Gov. Abercrombie loses popularity, Schatz-Hanabusa neck-and-neck, gay marriage bill filed, union contracts, hospital money added to special session, Monsanto calls for crop controls, Maui High band invited to Rose Parade, Waikiki's Royal Hawaiian Center for sale, buyer for Naniloa, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Neil Abercrombie file photo (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

A majority of registered Hawaii voters who plan to vote in the Democratic primary — 51 percent — do not like the way Gov. Neil Abercrombie has been doing his job, according to a new poll. Just 39 percent said they approve of the governor's job performance, while 10 percent said they are unsure. Abercrombie's numbers have worsened since a Civil Beat Poll in June showed 48 percent of registered voters disapproved of his job performance while just 45 percent approved.

Hawaii's Senate primary is a pure toss-up, according to a new poll. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) leads Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii) by 38 percent to 36 percent, according to the poll conducted for the Honolulu Civil Beat. The Hill.

The state Senate's draft of a gay marriage bill would carve out a narrow exemption to the public accommodations law for churches that do not make religious facilities or grounds available to the general public for weddings for a profit. State lawmakers have been reluctant to interfere with the public accommodations law, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, but lawmakers are interested in finding a balance between marriage equality and religious freedom. Star-Advertiser.

The "Hawai'i Marriage Equality Act of 2013" bill was officially filed Tuesday.  Senate officials confirm they will introduce the bill next week Monday, October 28 at the start of the same-sex marriage special session. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has asked the Hawaii State Legislature to expand the agenda for the upcoming special session to include measures relating to health services on Kauai and the funding of two recent collective bargaining agreements. Hawaii Reporter.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has asked the Legislature to expand the agenda for the special session that begins Monday to include measures relating to health services on Kauai and the funding of two collective bargaining agreements for United Public Workers and Hawaii Government Employees Association. Abercrombie ordered lawmakers back to work to take up same-sex marriage legislation. Civil Beat.

State lawmakers will take up new contracts for public workers and emergency money for public hospitals on Kauai in addition to gay marriage during a special session. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers spend thousands of taxpayer dollars each year on refreshments for themselves, their staffs and guests at the Capitol. Civil Beat.

Monsanto Co. is calling for more controls on agrochemicals, including its Roundup line of glyphosate-based weedkillers, in response to an Associated Press report about concerns that illegal pesticide applications are harming human health in Argentina.Monsanto and other large agricultural firms have recently been the target of protests against, and legislation controlling, the use of pesticides and GMO crops in Hawaii. Associated Press.

State roundup for October 23. Associated Press.

Oahu

Kamehameha Schools said Tuesday that it is putting the buildings at the Royal Hawaiian Center on the market in a leasehold sale expected to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for Hawaii’s largest private landowner, which would retain ownership of the underlying lands. Pacific Business News.

Waikiki's biggest shopping center is for sale, and the price likely will be big. Really big. Perhaps the second-biggest price ever for a retail property in Hawaii. Kamehameha Schools announced Tuesday that it will seek a buyer for Royal Hawaiian Center in a deal that includes the mall buildings but not the underlying land. Star-Advertiser.

This time next year, a new owner may have control over the retail heart of Waikiki. Kamehameha Schools announced Tuesday that it is planning to sell the buildings that make up the iconic Royal Hawaiian Center, a mall that spans three blocks in Hawaii’s tourism center. Civil Beat.

Kuykendall Hall, a major hub for students at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa sits in disrepair when it could have been a model for sustainable architecture, planning and design in the state. Hawaii Independent.

Kahala residents say their neighborhood is looking better, since A&B Properties bought a number of homes from Japanese billionaire Genshiro Kawamoto. KHON2.

Reynolds Recycling's Hauula redemption center closed its doors to the public Tuesday after the city put up "no trespassing" signs on the Kamehameha Highway property. The 20,000-square-foot property is the focus of a long-running dispute between the city and real estate agent Choon James, who bought the property in 2006. Star-Advertiser.

With its success running a private, all-girls school for nearly 150 years, the St. Andrew's Priory School for Girls' board has approved plans to open an elementary school next fall tailored to the educational needs of young boys. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaiian Airlines is trying again for Kona-Tokyo direct flights. Airline officials on Tuesday announced their intent to apply Thursday with the U.S. Department of Transportation for operating slots at Tokyo International Airport at Haneda that American Airlines intends to return later this year. West Hawaii Today.

America Asia Travel Center Inc. submitted the top bid for the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort last week, according to documents filed in federal bankruptcy court. The Los Angeles-based travel company is offering $3.5 million for the 383-room hotel and nine-hole golf course on Hilo’s Banyan Drive. Tribune-Herald.

Despite a mountain of bad press, a tangled heap of creditors and a political firestorm over the management of its lease, the troubled Naniloa Volcanoes Resort may soon have a buyer. Big Island Now.

About 100 people, many sporting red-and-white palaka armbands symbolizing their support for 24-hour public access to Papaikou Mill Beach, met Tuesday night with the area’s council member and the county’s top civil attorney. Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

Nine hardworking contestants are dedicating time and talent as they vie to represent Kona’s specialty crop as Miss Kona Coffee. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Those who work in the juvenile criminal justice system say that there's a need for more youth services, including a safe house on Maui for girls, who constitute an increasing percentage of admissions to the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility on Oahu. Maui News.

Arrivals of South Korean tourists on Maui are growing by the thousands each year, and the Valley Isle offers a perfect match for these visitors and what they are looking for, tourism officials said Monday. Maui News.

Maui High School's Saber Marching Band & Color Guard has been invited to the 126th Annual Rose Parade in California. KITV.

All 10 people aboard a small Cessna commuter aircraft, including eight passengers and two pilots, were uninjured after the plane made an emergency landing on the Piʻilani Highway in South Maui last night. Maui Now.

A single-engine Mokulele Airlines plane with 10 people aboard turned Piilani Highway into a makeshift runway, making an emergency landing safely in the northbound lane on the normally busy South Maui thoroughfare Monday night. Maui News.

An investigation has been launched into eight suspicious brush fires reported early this morning in Lahaina. Maui Now.

Kauai

Gov. Neil Abercrombie asked legislators Tuesday to consider a bill that would provide emergency funding for Kauai’s two public hospitals when the Legislature convenes for a special session on same-sex marriage next week.   The request comes less than a week before the House and Senate are set to begin talks and at a time when Hawaii Health Systems Corporation officials are working to ease financial woes across the state public hospital system. Garden Island.

In 1995, the Hanalei River bank broke down in a bad way. Today, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources is proposing to return the river back to its original form to the tune of nearly $2 million. Garden Island.

Pesticide tests in streams to begin, Abercrombie goes abroad, Capitol security upgraded, Oahu kids want cool school, students lag on SAT tests, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii stream (c) 2013 all Hawaii News

The Hawaii Department of Health has received $75,000 to begin testing for pesticides in streams and waterways throughout the state. Garden Island.

Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui will be acting governor for the next few weeks as Gov. Neil Abercrombie travels out of state for meetings and vacation. The governor's office said Wednesday Abercrombie is in Los Angeles and New York to meet with credit agencies about the state's economy and fiscal condition. After the meetings wrap up on Friday, the governor will join his wife in France for personal travel. Associated Press.

The state is spending $450,000 in federal grant funds upgrading security systems at the State Capitol in what officials call a "modest upgrade." Since Hawaii has one of the most open Capitol buildings in the country, public safety officials are trying to make it more secure without cutting off access to the public. Hawaii News Now.

Major advances in battery storage technology, not to mention sharp cost reductions, could help light the way for Hawaii’s troubled solar industry. The path forward could, it seems increasingly plausible, involve do-it-yourself solar users disconnecting themselves from the power grid altogether, and still flourishing. Civil Beat.

The solar photovoltaic sector, one of Hawaii’s fastest growing industries and one that has been experiencing a recent slowdown, may lose hundreds of jobs if issues such as the changes to building permit fees and the state solar PV tax credit as well as the increasing saturation of some key geographic areas aren’t resolved, according to members of an industry trade group. Pacific Business News.

Students in Hawaii continue to underperform on the SAT compared to the national average, according to scores released Thursday by the College Board. Tribune-Herald.

Arrivals from Hawaii's largest visitor market contracted in August after 20 straight months of increases — and spending declined as well — but state tourism officials stopped short of saying the drop-off in the U.S. West signified a trend. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for September 27. Associated Press.

Oahu

Toting handmade signs to "Cool Our School," nearly 500 students from Campbell High School in Ewa Beach converged on the state Capitol with their teachers and principal Thursday to rally for air conditioning in the public schools. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly 500 frequently overheated students from Campbell High School came together at the Capitol Thursday morning to send a loud message to Hawaii lawmakers: It is too hot to learn well in their school. Civil Beat.

Molasses fish kill now turned into farm fertilizer. 26,000 dead fish sent to processing plant, not landfill. KITV

Large concrete barriers will likely go up by the end of the year to block cars, buses and vans from parking at Lani­akea Beach, transportation officials announced at a meeting this week to address the traffic problems there. The state Department of Transportation considers those 20-foot-long barriers the best possible fix for the growing safety hazards and congestion at Lani­akea, where some 600,000 tourists and local residents venture each year to encounter Hawaiian sea turtles in their natural environment. Star-Advertiser.

It was a sunset marked by star power, a singing boy band and thousands of screaming fans of “Hawaii Five-0.” For the fourth year in a row, the cast of the state’s most celebrated TV show dressed up to walk a red carpet on the sand and say mahalo to fans who had come to see the crime drama’s Sunset on the Beach premiere. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The county Department of Parks and Recreation closed Ahalanui Park today after a park-goer apparently became sick after swimming in its hot pond. Big Island Now.

The Leeward Planning Commission is sending a controversial Hualalai Road development to the Hawaii County Council with a positive recommendation. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island cannabis advocate Roger Christie will spend about another six months behind bars after pleading guilty today in his marijuana trafficking case, according to his lawyer. But Christie will continue his quest to become the first legal marijuana minister by appealing the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals pretrial rulings denying his bid to dismiss the charges, attorney Thomas Otake said Thursday in an email statement. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Maui County Auditor Lance Taguchi probably won't know until January if his office will be able to commit to an audit over the county administration's handling of the Old Wailuku Post Office demolition. Maui News.

State officials are seeking a $1,000 fine and $580 in administrative costs from Maui Kayaks Inc. for allegedly conducting unauthorized commercial activity at a state beach reserve at Olowalu. Maui News.

Contractors will open a portion of road today that runs through the Maui Business Park under construction in Kahului. Maui Now.

Kauai

The state Department of Health and the University of Hawaii Cancer Center reported that the rates of cancer on Kauai aren’t higher than throughout the rest of the state. The one exception, according to a joint report released Thursday, was the rate for skin melanoma, a cancer related to ultraviolet exposure. Garden Island.

The state's intent to address health and environmental concerns tied to the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops is being met with caution by supporters of a bill that would impose regulations on large agricultural biotech companies on Kauai. Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced earlier this week that the state will create standards and guidelines for biotech companies to voluntarily disclose use of pesticides and genetically modified crops, and will implement buffer zones near schools and hospitals. Star-Advertiser.

Abercrombie jumps into GMO debate as Hawaii County Council mulls bills, goat-rustler hits Oahu, Mexican immigrants need Hawaii consulate, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kauai GMO protest filephoto

The state will create standards and guidelines for seed companies to voluntarily disclose the types of restricted pesticides they use and will set up buffer zones near schools and hospitals, Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced Monday. But backers of a bill on Kauai to regulate pesticide use and genetically modified crops say the governor's initiative doesn't fully deal with their health and environmental concerns. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced Monday that the state will put forth standards and guidelines for seed and diversified agricultural companies to voluntarily comply with certain health and safety requests of the Kauai community. Garden Island.

The state is setting guidelines for farmers on Kauai after community concerns over pesticides. Agriculture companies are being asked to disclose the types of pesticides they are using and create a buffer zone around schools and hospitals. KHON2.

People of Mexican descent are unfairly targeted by local police and federal agents in Hawaii, according to the authors of a new study that was unveiled Monday. Although most unauthorized immigrants in the Aloha State are Asian, half of all those detained in and deported from Honolulu immigration facilities are Mexican, the study found. Civil Beat.

As more people of Mexican heritage settle in Hawaii, many feel targeted by immigration enforcement even though nearly 9 out of 10 are here legally, according to a new report by the Migration Policy Institute. The study made public Monday calls for establishing a Mexican consulate here to better serve the needs of the growing population, and for the local government to add Spanish to the languages in which documents are translated. Star-Advertiser.

Researchers from a Washington think tank and the University of Hawaii at Manoa are recommending that Mexico’s government open a permanent consulate in Hawaii to serve a small but growing population. The Migration Policy Institute and the university included the recommendation in a study presented Monday that said people of Mexican origins in Hawaii have different experiences on the islands than in other U.S. states. Associated Press.

The number of food stamp recipients here has nearly doubled over the last six years. Civil Beat.

Kathryn Xian, an activist who has pushed the state to address human trafficking and has sought to empower women through Girl Fest, said Monday that she will run for Congress. Xian will seek the Democratic nomination in urban Honolulu's 1st Congressional District, which is being vacated by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who is challenging U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz in the Democratic primary. Honolulu City Councilman Stanley Chang, Honolulu City Councilman Ikaika Anderson, state Sen. Will Espero and state Rep. K. Mark Takai are the other declared candidates for Congress. Star-Advertiser.

As Congress scrambles to come up with an emergency funding plan and avoid a government shutdown before Oct. 1, coordinators of federal programs with big chunks of money on the line are crossing their fingers that the congressional gridlock doesn’t lead to another round of cutbacks on top of already devastating sequestration. Civil Beat.

For the first time, the Hawaii Department of Education is looking into the numbers of chronically absent students. Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student that misses 15 or more school days in a in a school year. It's the only way elementary schools performance is judged in the new Strive HI “Readiness” category. KITV.

Words Before Dying — a Micronesian Oral History, from Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Oahu

More than 20 purebred Boer goats— most of them pregnant — were stolen from a Hawaii farm on the night of a full moon, with duct tape used to keep the animals from making noise, their owner said. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Navigation Co. is picking up the cost of more than 10 days of cleanup and containment efforts following the 233,000-gallon molasses spill off Sand Island earlier this month, but the shipping company isn't committing to covering any of the tab on the long road to restoration and revival of Hono­lulu Harbor's underwater ecosystem. Star-Advertiser.

The Environmental Protection Agency will conduct its own investigation into the Matson molasses spill, Hawaii News Now has learned. Sources say that EPA's investigation will be conducted separately from the state Health Department's investigation, which has been the lead investigative agency since the spill was discovered.

Honolulu Community College has been placed on warning accreditation status by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, the only of the University of Hawaii's ten campuses to get such a warning. The accrediting panel gave the 4,400-student campus the warning after an evaluation visit to the Kalihi school last fall. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

A day of fact-finding by the Hawaii County Council on genetically altered crops ended without a resolution Monday, ensuring that the marathon debate would continue at least another week. The council adjourned until Oct. 1, following nearly eight hours of discussion regarding Bill 113, during which council members pored over questions while addressing experts on topics ranging from the plight of bees to the use of pesticides and herbicides. Tribune-Herald.

The new self help desk in the Keakealani Courthouse in Kealakekua isn’t a full center like some courthouses have, but it will give West Hawaii residents access to assistance when serving as their own attorney in some Family and District Court cases, Judiciary officials said Monday. West Hawaii Today.

West Hawaii residents from Pahala to Waikoloa spent nearly 20 hours without phone and Internet service, after a tree damaged a Hawaiian Telcom fiber optic cable near Waikoloa. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Those planning Hawaii's future power system believe Oahu might have something to offer Mauians other than business, shopping and a big city getaway - cheaper power and a more stable power grid. The Public Utilities Commission has launched a study of the feasibility of a Maui-to-Oahu power interconnection. Maui News.

Texas-based Sarofim Realty Advisors has submitted an environmental impact statement preparation notice to the state outlining plans for its Piilani Promenade mixed-use project on Maui that would include about 200 apartment units along with light industrial and business and commercial uses on around 75 acres in Kihei. Pacific Business News.

A planned photovoltaic facility that would provide enough renewable energy to power up the Maui High Performance Computing Center in Kihei would be able to move ahead, according to a a draft environmental assessment that said the project wouldn’t have a significant impact on the environment. Pacific Business News.

A portion of Wakea Avenue in Kahului is closed as construction crews continue work on an asphalt rehabilitation project. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai Charter Review Commission on Monday amended a proposal to divide elections for Kauai County Council members into seven districts, which could mean less votes but potentially more power to constituents. Final decision on the proposed Charter Amendment, however, was deferred to October. Garden Island.

The Kokee State Park Advisory Council will meet tonight to continue talks on the revised master plan — including the controversial entry station — for Kokee and Waimea Canyon state parks. The discussion begins at 5 p.m. at NTBG headquarters in Kalaheo. Garden Island.

Hawaii governor calls special session on gay marriage, Honolulu council clears way for rail, Kauai council defers GMO vote, Maui-Oahu electric pipeline possible, media asks Hawaii Supreme Court for lower court transcripts, more news from all the Hawaii Islands

Hawaii Deputy Attorney General Anne Lopez, Attorney General David Louie, Gov. Neil Abercrombie announce gay marriage special session, courtesy photo

Saying he believes the votes are there to pass a bill to legalize gay marriage, Gov. Neil Abercrombie is calling the Legislature into a special session next month. The bill, as proposed, would take effect Nov. 18, when the state would begin issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples. Star-Advertiser.

The state where the same-sex marriage movement began some 20 years ago is poised to grant full marriage rights to gays and lesbians. On Monday Gov. Neil Abercrombie ordered the Hawaii Legislature into special session Oct. 28. Shrugging off any political consequences to his 2014 re-election, Abercrombie said "marriage equity" is "the right thing to do." Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday called for a special legislative session to move forward on a bill that would legalize gay marriage. If lawmakers pass a bill, Hawaii would join 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia in allowing gay marriage. The special session is scheduled to begin Oct. 28. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday called the Hawaii Legislature back in for a special session next month to consider legalizing same-sex marriage. Abercrombie made the announcement about the Oct. 28 special session during a news conference in his office at the state Capitol in Honolulu, accompanied by state Attorney General David Louie and Deputy Attorney General Anne Lopez. Pacific Business News.

Months of speculation are over, Governor Abercrombie called a special session on same-sex marriage Monday afternoon. The Governor says it's the right thing to do and he believes he has the support needed in both the House and Senate to pass a bill that would make Hawai'i the 14th state in the nation to legalize same-sex marriage. Hawaii News Now.

Get ready: the Governor is calling the legislature into special session on October 28 to consider same-sex marriage. Hawaii Independent.

After decades of discussions, the stage has been set for Hawaii lawmakers to legalize same-sex marriage. “Virtually every angle, virtually every variation of a view with regard to marriage and equitable treatment for those engaged in marriage has been aired,” Gov. Neil Abercrombie said. KHON2.

Governor Neil Abercrombie called for a special session to begin Oct. 28 to address the issue of marriage equity. The announcement was made during a news conference that was streamed live on the governor’s website this afternoon. Maui Now.

The State House and Senate have been called to a Special Session next month to deliberate and address a bill on marriage equity. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie has called a special legislative session next month in an attempt to move forward a bill that legalizes gay marriage.KITV.

The same-sex marriage debate has been going on for more than two decades and is likely to heat up between now and Oct. 28, when a special legislative session will begin. KHON2.

Under Section 10 of Article III of the State Constitution, Gov. Neil Abercrombie has called both houses of the state Legislature to convene in a special session on Oct. 28 to address the issue of marriage equity. Governor's Office.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding the special session on marriage equity. Governor's Office.

A $1.5 million grant that the 2013 Legislature agreed to set aside for a private Hawaii Catholic school is unconstitutional, according to a recent memo from the state deputy attorney general addressed to Senate President Donna Mercado Kim. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Energy Office plans to strengthen its case for connecting the Oahu and Maui electrical grids via an undersea cable by submitting a study to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission on Monday, which points out that this grid-tie is, without a shadow of a doubt, strongly in the public interest for the state to pursue. Pacific Business News.

After several years of record high enrollment, the number of students at the University of Hawaii's 10-campus system dropped this fall to 59,288, echoing an overall national decline in college attendance in 2012. The university said 1,345 fewer students enrolled for the current semester, down 2.2 percent from last fall. The decrease, UH said, follows rec­ord-breaking enrollments in each of the last five years. Enrollment had grown by 17 percent since 2007. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for September 10. Associated Press.

Oahu

A pair of overnight H-1 freeway closures later this month will kick off a massive, nearly yearlong project to repair and repave the state's most heavily used highway through the heart of Hono­lulu, state officials announced Monday. Crews will completely close the H-1 eastbound from Likelike Highway to Ward Avenue from 8 p.m. Sept. 22 to 4 a.m. Sept. 23, according to the state Department of Transportation. Star-Advertiser.

Two Honolulu City Council committees held separate special meetings Monday to push out two resolutions that would allow construction of the city's $5.26 billion rail project to restart as early as Monday. The Council Zoning and Planning Committee unanimously approved Resolution 13-208, giving the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation a special management area use permit and shoreline setback variance to proceed with construction. The Council Intergovernmental Relations and Human Services Committee, meanwhile, approved Resolution 13-203, authorizing an agreement among the state Department of Transportation, the city and HART that allows the city to develop sections of the rail line on state property from the Kamehameha Highway portion of the project in Pearl City to the Ala Moana area. Star-Advertiser.

Students say portable P-1 is the hottest classroom on Campbell High School's campus. At mid-morning the thermometer had already hit 90 degrees. Hawaii News Now.

A state development permit granted last month for a high-rise condominium on a former Comp­USA store site in Kakaako is being challenged by condo owners in a neighboring tower who say that land is reserved primarily for commercial use. The association of owners at One Waterfront Towers petitioned the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which regulates development in Kakaako, to hold a quasi-judicial review contesting the agency's approval of the proj­ect called The Collection. Star-Advertiser.

The judge in U.S. State Department special agent Christopher Deedy’s murder trial is once again coming under fire for how she handled the high-profile case. The  Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Hawaii News Now are asking the state Supreme Court to force Ahn to release those transcripts, saying the judge violated the U.S. Constitution by holding closed-door court proceedings. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Puna Councilman Greggor Ilagan is relocating his district office to the old Pahoa Police Station, a move that will save the county $22,000 annually but displaces community groups and eliminates for several months a satellite site for public council meeting participation. West Hawaii Today.

State officials aren’t planning to open up wide swaths of Kiholo State Park to the public, a planning document says. West Hawaii Today.

Deutsche Bank and Kennedy Wilson, the lenders in control of the Kona Village Resort’s insurance payout, are refusing to pass that cash along to the resort, CEO Pat Fitzgerald said Monday. The move forced Fitzgerald and the Kona Village Investors to notify the resort’s remaining two dozen employees their last work day would be Sept. 17. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii’s at-risk teens should have a variety of new opportunities available to them by this time next year, says Hawaii Youth ChalleNGe Academy Deputy Director Gary Thomas. That’s because work at the state- and federally-funded program’s new campus within the Keaukaha Military Reservation National Guard Facility is now under way and is expected to be complete by July 2014, he said, making it possible for the academy to relocate from its current home on the grounds of the Kulani Correctional Facility. Tribune-Herald.

If efforts to control the little red fire ant on Hawaii stay as they are, the island could see damages of nearly $170 million a year, as well as 33 million sting incidents a year. That’s according to University of Hawaii planning student Mike Motoki, a presenter at the 21st annual Hawaii Conservation Conference held recently in Waikiki. Civil Beat.

Maui

Enrollment at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College dropped 6.3% in the fall 2013 semester compared to the same time last year, officials said. Maui Now.

While most children look forward to the weekends, some may not. There may be no school — but there may be no food as well for those children Saturdays and Sundays, a Maui Food Bank official said. Maui News.

Kauai

A Kauai County Council committee clashed Monday with representatives of seed companies over the disclosure of the types and use of pesticides. The Economic Development, Sustainability, Agriculture & Intergovernmental Relations Committee heard testimony on Bill 2491, which would regulate pesticide use and genetically modified crops by agribusinesses. The committee deferred a vote on the bill until Sept. 27 for further review. Star-Advertiser.

A day after a march in Lihue drew several thousand people in support of Bill 2491, the Kauai Economic Development Committee resumed working toward a compromise between the blue shirts, opposed to the bill, and the red shirts, supporting the bill. Garden Island.

Bill 2491 went through the first round of amendments at the Kauai County Council Wednesday. The bill passed first reading June 28, and has since gone through a lengthy public hearing, one committee meeting and a few executive sessions. By late afternoon, the council’s Economic Development Committee threw a slew of potential amendments up for discussion. Garden Island.

The state of Hawaii has effectively forsaken its responsibility to ensure that biotech companies are not risking public and environmental health, several members of the Kauai County Council said Monday, so it was up to the county to pick up the slack. Basically, the state has done a bad job of enforcing landmark federal environmental laws, according to the councilmembers who spoke at a hearing on a bill before the council’s Economic Development and Intergovernmental Relations Committee that would increase regulation of genetically altered crops and pesticides. Civil Beat.

Man arrested in Gabbard threat, Abercrombie drafts gay marriage bill, general excise tax broad-ranging, a court win for special ed, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii cashiers (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hawaii's average 4.35 percent general excise tax rate may be relatively low when compared with sales taxes in other states, but the GET's structure makes it a greater burden on economic activity than the headline number suggests, according to a report released Wednesday by the Tax Foundation. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Wednesday presented state lawmakers with a draft of legislation that would legalize gay marriage in Hawaii. Associated Press.

Speaker of the Hawai'i House of Representatives, Joseph Souki, says that Gov. Neil Abercrombie will not be calling a special session on same-sex marriage anytime soon, but did not rule out the possibility it could happen before January, when the next regular session convenes. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Wednesday released the latest draft of a gay marriage bill and invited state lawmakers to offer feedback over the next week before he decides on a special session. Star-Advertiser.

State House Fails to Muster Votes for Special Legislative Session. Hawaii Public Radio.

Everyone, it seems, wants to put in their two cents on gay marriage. Extreme critics argue that it will bring huge moral costs. Others decry how much money it would cost the state in tax revenue — given that married working couples enjoy tax breaks — and increased benefits, such as health care coverage for married partners of state and federal employees. Civil Beat.

Authorities in the District of Columbia say they've arrested a man for making threats against Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Associated Press.

A man accused of making threats against Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has been arrested in Mexico. Hawaii News Now.

A GOP operative traveled to Hawaii this spring in an effort to make the Senate race there competitive. The National Republican Senatorial Committee sent western regional political director Sarah Morgan, who managed Jeff Flake’s Senate campaign in Arizona last year, for a “campaign school” to train potential candidates and to meet with Hawaii GOP leaders. Civil Beat.

A federal appeals court gave Hawaii’s special education students a victory Wednesday by ruling the state must provide public schooling to disabled students up to age 22. Associated Press.

A Hawaii law that bars special-needs students 20 years of age or older from attending public schools violates federal law, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled. Civil Beat.

Special education students will be able to receive a free public education for an additional two years beyond the state's cutoff age of 20 which violates federal law, according to a U.S. appeals court ruling Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Navy is moving ahead with plans to increase training between California and the Hawaiian Islands, rejecting concerns from environmental groups in both states about the impact of sonar and underwater detonations on marine animals. West Hawaii Today.
http://westhawaiitoday.com/sections/news/local-news/navy-advancing-pacific-training-plan.html

Hawaii regulators are re-examining a program that's designed to encourage the addition of more renewable energy projects in Hawaii called the feed-in-tariff, or FIT, program. Pacific Business News.

Have a passion for Hawaii's history and culture? Are you a strong leader who can cultivate relationships with public officials, professional groups and the general public? Want a six-figure salary and generous state benefits? If so, you might consider applying to lead the State Historic Preservation Division. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu's unemployment rate declined to 4.2 percent in July, tying it for the 13th lowest jobless rate among 372 metropolitan areas nationwide, the U.S. Labor Department reported Wednesday. Honolulu improved from 21st place on the list in June when the city's unemployment rate was 4.7 percent. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu’s Board of Water Supply has come under fire lately for miscalculating up customers’ bills and responding to complaints in a timely fashion. It’s gotten so bad that Honolulu Councilman Ikaika Anderson — who’s running for Congress — has pushed to give the council more oversight of the semi-autonomous agency’s finances. Civil Beat.

A local activist says state's largest private landowner shortchanged the city $2 million in property taxes over a 16-year-period. Holly Huber said the city gave Kamehameha Schools a sweetheart deal on its 555 South St. property in Kakaako by allowing the $7.3 billion trust to pay residential tax rates instead of commercial rates. Hawaii News Now.

Water not regularly tested at Ala Wai Canal. KHON2.

Circuit Judge Karen Ahn has sealed transcripts of a bench conference and a closed court session held Monday before she declared a mistrial in Christopher Deedy’s murder case. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Unlike five years ago, when Hawaii County almost got on the hook to buy a $125 million waste-to-energy incinerator with taxpayer money, garbage technology companies today are paying for their own facilities and assuming the risk of selling the resulting product, the county Waste Management Commission learned Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

The number of Hawaii County administrators who would receive pay raises has been cut by about half under a new plan before the county’s Salary Commission. Tribune-Herald.

The  Federal Public Defender’s Office has bowed out of the case of Justin Wade Smith, citing the effects of federal budget cuts on the office that provides legal counsel to many of the criminal defendants in U.S. District Court. Tribune-Herald.

We are still a year away from the 2014 Primary. But the Hawaii County Elections Division team is hard at work to make sure next year's elections run smoothly...and so it won't face problems that affected the entire state in 2012. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

The federal government is considering restoring wetland that once surrounded the royal residence of King Kamehameha III before the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom moved to Honolulu in 1845. Star-Advertiser.

‘Challenging and difficult’ as Waterfront closes doors. Maui News.

The Maui Ocean Center hosts a honu or turtle release this morning in West Maui, according to a company announcement. During the Holomua nā Honu event, six 2-year-old juvenile Hawaiian green sea turtles will be released into the ocean. Maui Now.
Kauai

The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative said Wednesday that its board of directors have approved the final version of its 2013-2025 strategic plan, which focuses on rates, cost-control and clean energy with specific targets to achieve. Pacific Business News.

Kapaa firefighters and a HAZMAT crew responded to Kauai’s Eastside Wednesday morning after a 100-gallon fuel tank containing an odorous liquid washed ashore. Garden Island.

Hawaii studies uptick in shark attacks, Abercrombie's ego factor in reelection bid, gay marriage bill unveiled, BOE chief's alleged conflict draws sheriffs to meeting, GMO hot topic on Kauai, PUC questions ex-member's possible conflict, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tiger shark

Hawaii officials plan to spend the next two years studying tiger shark movements around Maui amid what they call an unprecedented spike in overall shark attacks since the start of 2012. Associated Press.

A state-funded study to look at tiger shark movements around Maui is scheduled to begin next month in the wake of an alarming jump in shark attacks and the life-threatening injury of a visitor from Germany last week. Star-Advertiser.

PHOTOS: Hawaii Shark Attacks in 2013. Hawaii News Now.

News of the recent shark attacks is helping to boost business for at least one local company. Its product is called the Electronic Shark Defense System, or ESDS, and it acts like a shark deterrent. KHON2.

The draft of a gay marriage bill contains a more muscular religious exemption than the state's civil unions law, recognizing that the clergy and others have a constitutional right to refuse to perform gay marriages. Star-Advertiser.

A majority of Maui's state senators and representatives said Monday that they are in favor of a special legislative session to take up gay marriage. Maui News.

State sheriff's deputies were called to Tuesday's Board of Education meeting following a feisty exchange between advocate Mitch Kahle and board Chairman Don Horner, who is a pastor at one of the churches allegedly underpaying the state $5.6 million for use of school property. Star-Advertiser.

It's not every day that sheriffs are called to a Board of Education meeting. That happened after Mitch Kahle accused the BOE's chairman Donald Horner of a conflict of interest and threatened to subpoena Department of Education officials. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie's surprising 50,000-vote victory in 2010 over the better-funded and heavily endorsed Mufi Hannemann boiled down to a simple political dynamic. Hannemann's ego-driven style as Hono­lulu mayor left droves of antagonized voters itching to take him down a peg, and Abercrombie sold himself as an acceptable alternative. Ironically, the same dynamic is at play in next year's Democratic primary between Abercrombie and state Sen. David Ige, except this time it's Abercrombie who must beware of antagonized voters. Star-Advertiser.

The state Ethics Commission has been shorthanded for more than a year, but that could change soon. The commission is set to welcome Ruth Tschumy as its newest member Wednesday. That’ll keep the five-member commission at four members, since it was already down two and the most recent meeting was Chair Maria Sullivan's last. Civil Beat.

State roundup for August 21. Associated Press.

Oahu

As the newest addition to Mayor Kirk Caldwell's administration, newly appointed Chief of Staff Ray Soon said his years of experience in public- and private-sector work should help him hit the ground running in his new role. Star-Advertiser.

In recent months an announcement of a new high-rise condominium tower usually meant it was going up in Kakaako, but today a developer will outline plans to build four condo towers in Kapolei. Star-Advertiser.

California developer Franco Mola recently submitted a scaled-down proposal for the 803 Waimanu St. project in Kakaako to the Hawaii Community Development Authority, his third attempt at developing a Honolulu condominium project. Pacific Business News.

A Circuit Court jury deliberated a second full day without reaching a verdict in State Department special agent Christopher Deedy's murder trial. The panel returns to court this morning for more deliberations. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Three Big Island public schools are among the top-ranked institutions in the state, according to the Hawaii Department of Education’s newest Strive HI performance standards. Tribune-Herald.

Kona Community Hospital CEO Jay Kreuzer on Tuesday laid out a laundry list of physical needs hospital officials hope the state Legislature will address. West Hawaii Today.

Someone else’s trees would have to create a “clear and present danger” to a neighbor before the county could step in, under amendments to a bill considered Tuesday by the County Council Environmental Management Committee. The bill makes it easier for the county to remove unsafe trees from private property, and to place a lien on the offending property if the owner doesn’t pay for removal. West Hawaii Today.

Renovation work has begun in earnest to attract new tenants to the Waiakea Villas commercial complex in Hilo, Peter Savio said Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

After about a month and a half of providing paratransit services, Maui Economic Opportunity looks to have everyone on "the same page" wanting to "make things better," said one rider who uses the service. Maui News.

A measure to remove parking restrictions at the Old Wailuku Post Office parking lot and other lots near the Kalana O Maui building passed the Maui County Council on Tuesday. Maui News.

Molokai

Molokai’s Maunaloa Elementary school earned high marks in the state’s new report card. The school was the only one in Maui County to earn high performance classification with 343 points out of a total of 400, under the state’s new Strive HI Performance System. Maui Now.

Kauai

More than 20 people wearing blue shirts attended a Kauai County Council meeting Tuesday afternoon to show opposition to Bill 2491, which would affect companies that grow genetically modified organisms. Garden Island.

In a pair of letters sent to The Garden Island Monday, Hawaii Crop Improvement Association Executive Director Alicia Maluafiti described the conduct and videotaping of public hearings on Bill 2491 as “discriminatory” and “manipulative.” Garden Island.

Several committees at the Kauai County Council are scheduled to work today on more than a handful of proposals, some of which have attracted passionate testimony during previous public hearings or meetings. Garden Island.

Lanai

A former state utility commissioner who is now representing a company that wants to build a wind farm on Lanai is in ethical hot water with his former colleagues. Civil Beat.

Abercrombie 'very likely' to call special session on gay marriage, GMO fight flares on Big Island, military Stryker plan advances, sand for Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hilo, Hawaii gay pride parade (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Sunday it is "very likely" there will be a special legislative session on gay marriage. The governor, speaking to a Demo­cratic Party of Hawaii gathering at Ward Warehouse, appealed for patience while his administration drafts a gay-marriage bill that can withstand a potential legal challenge from opponents. Star-Advertiser.

For years, the stiffest opposition to same-sex marriages came from Hawaii's largest churches. But there's a growing movement within the religious community backing gay marriages. On Monday, representatives from 30 faith-based organizations will sign a resolution calling for the state legislature to pass a same-sex law during a meeting at the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu in Nuuanu. Hawaii News Now.

With the departure of Associate Justice Simeon Acoba from the Hawaii Supreme Court when he turns 70 next year, the Judicial Selection Commission is seeking applicants for his replacement. Gov. Neil Abercrombie will appoint the new justice, which means he will have named three jurists to constitute a majority on the five-member high court. Star-Advertiser.

There has been so much focus on the 2014 race between Brian Schatz and Colleen Hanabusa that many forget that the very same seat is up again in 2016. Civil Beat.

Members of New Hope Ministries are speaking up after their church is accused of underpaying to use public school facilities. Out of  five churches being sued, three are New Hope ministries: New Hope Oahu, Hawaii Kai, and Kapolei. KITV.

Under the Affordable Care Act, Hawaii could face millions of dollars in fines for the highest-grade health plans it offers public workers, adding to the already skyrocketing cost of health care for the state. Civil Beat.

The first foreign-flagged cruise ship of the season has sailed into port in Honolulu, kicking off the start of the visitor industry’s cruise season. The Sea Princess, a Princess Cruises ship, is the first foreign-flagged cruise ship to sail into port this season, which runs from August through May. Pacific Business News.

Rumbling through the Pentagon, the regional military formations like the Pacific Command and the ranks of defense intellectuals in think tanks is a proposal to rearrange the way the U.S. defends its worldwide interests. Civil Beat.

State roundup for August 19. Associated Press.

Oahu

Sometime this year the Army for the first time may have unfettered use of a $42 million Battle Area Complex for Stryker armored vehicle training at Schofield Barracks, a proj­ect that started in 2005. Star-Advertiser.

A plan proposed more than 30 years ago to build a dedicated fuel pier at Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor is finally advancing as part of the state's effort to meet the changing needs of Hawaii's fuel and energy markets. The state Department of Transportation recently filed an environmental impact statement preparation notice for the proj­ect that will consolidate the handling of bulk fuel imports and exports at Piers 3 and 4 at Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

Several residents living downwind of a 169-year-old Nuuanu cemetery are making a stink about the odors from its old cremation units. Star-Advertiser.

To build, or not to build, the most expensive per mile heavy rail line in the country. It’s a sticky question. Three members of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco were asked during oral arguments Thursday to put a stop to the construction of the city’s planned $5.2 billion, elevated steel rail project that runs along a 20-mile corridor from West Oahu to Honolulu. Hawaii Reporter

Hawaii
Big Island Rainbow papaya farmers may have to tear out their trees within 30 months, or face fines and jail time, if a bill making the rounds on the Big Island is enacted. The law, which is expected to be submitted to the Hawaii County Council by council member Brenda Ford, proposes fines of up to $1,000 per day and 30 days in jail for farmers or landowners who are growing genetically modified crops. Civil Beat.

Hawaii County Council members can expect to debate dueling bills regarding genetically modified crops the next time they try to tackle the issue. Both Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille and South Kona/Ka‘u Councilwoman Brenda Ford are working on their own legislation that they plan to introduce shortly. Tribune-Herald.

The debate over genetically modified food is attracting the attention of some of the Big Island’s business leaders. On Monday, two island business groups are hosting what they are calling the “Hawaii Island GMO Summit” to allow their members to delve into the controversial issue. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

With island housing prices recovering from a recession-induced slide for the past few years, A&B Properties' 103-unit 'Aina O Kane condominium development in Kahului is gaining traction. Maui News.

Applications are due Sept. 30 for two alternate Native Hawaiian seats on the advisory council to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve. The reserve is part of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Maui News.

Maui Ranchers Struggle with Drought Conditions. Hawaii Public Radio.

Although single-family home sales prices dipped in July, Maui's real estate market nevertheless is on its way to recovery since the 2009 economic downturn, Realtors said last week. Maui News.

The state Department of Transportation has issued a reminder to motorists about several road projects that will impact traffic in isolated areas of Maui in the upcoming week from Aug. 17 to 23, 2013. Maui Now.

Kauai

In a few days, state officials will open a bid for a contract to replenish the sand on the beach west of Kikiaola Small Boar Harbor in Kekaha, and also fix damages to the harbor’s breakwall. “Construction, pending the receipt of the permits, is scheduled to start in December 2013, and the completion is scheduled for June 2014,” said engineer Eric Yuasa, of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation. Garden Island.

After meeting with county attorneys behind closed doors Wednesday, the Kauai County Council unanimously approved up to $50,000 to be spent on private attorneys to represent the county in dozens of appeals filed after denials of transient vacation rental permits. On June 12, the council voted 4-3 to defer for 90 days a resolution to prompt an investigation into the county Planning Department’s handling of TVR permits. Garden Island.

The 2013 edition of the Kauai Marathon is less than two weeks from unfolding, while organizers announced some complimentary events for the public. Online registration for the Fifth annual Kauai Marathon is being accepted at www.thekauaimarathon.com through Aug. 29. Spots are being accepted for the half or full marathon. Garden Island.

Waikiki International Marketplace shutting down, German tourist loses arm in Maui shark attack, federal agent murder trial goes to jury today, state plans juvenile justice reform, Hawaii council to mull ag tourism bill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki International Marketplace (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hundreds of tenants at the soon-to-be redeveloped International Market Place in Waikiki recently received lease termination notices from landowner Queen Emma Land Co., which say that they must vacate the property by New Year’s Eve at 8 p.m., Pacific Business News has learned.

The State launched a bi-partisan, multi-departmental effort today to analyze and develop legislation to curb juvenile crime and reduce cost for taxpayers. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, and state lawmakers Sen. President Donna Mercado Kim and Rep. Mele Carroll Wednesday announced the launch of a bipartisan probe of the state’s flawed juvenile justice system. Star-Advertiser.

Innovative justice can create surprising bedfellows. On Wednesday, the Hawaii chief justice, Mark Recktenwald — a Republican appointee to the court — praised the Democratic governor, Neil Abercrombie, for supporting the state's 2-year-old justice reinvestment initiative. Civil Beat.

The goal of a new initiative launched today is to improve Hawaii's troubled juvenile justice system by reducing crime while cutting costs. Roughly 5,000 youth are currently incarcerated in Hawaii. According to experts, about 80% of them have a substance abuse problem. Hawaii News Now.

The nonprofit assigned to establishing Hawaii’s new health insurance marketplace expects to enroll as many as 300,000 island residents, including 100,000 who are uninsured, by the end of next year. Hawaii is one of 15 states setting up its own health insurance exchange to match qualified individuals to subsidized health plans. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Supreme Court, in a ruling that was thorough and reasoned, opted against invalidating a Maui zoning decision but ultimately sent a message that county and state officials should heed: The Sunshine Law means that the public must have access to government when key decisions are made. Star-Advertiser.

It is a challenge that farmers around the islands are very familiar with. The dramatic rise in electricity costs in Hawaii has been cutting into their profits — or adding to their losses — and increasing local food prices. This makes it difficult for them to compete with large, mainland and foreign farm operations. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has named two people to the Hawaiian Homes Commission, filling two of three vacancies on the nine-member panel that oversees the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Abercrombie appointed Wallace A. Ishibashi Jr. to represent East Hawaii County and Patricia W. Sheehan to the Kauai seat. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for August 15. Associated Press.

Oahu

Tens of thousands of native sea urchins have been marshaled in the fight against invasive seaweeds threatening patches of reef in Kaneohe Bay. The sea urchins, Tripneustes gratilla or hawa‘e, serve as a biological control after most of the invasive seaweed is removed by a suction machine. Star-Advertiser.

Attorneys are expected to deliver closing arguments to jurors who will decide whether a federal agent is guilty of murder in a 2011 Waikiki shooting. Associated Press.

A jury of eight men and four women who heard 20 days of testimony through  more than a month will listen to closing arguments today before deliberating the fate of State Department special agent Christopher Deedy in the death of a Kailua man. Star-Advertiser.

After taking about a week off, the murder trial of Christopher Deedy is about to wrap up. Closing arguments are set for Thursday. KHON2.

The U.S. Army has finalized its plan to study marine resources at Makua Beach and surrounding areas. Hawaii Reporter.

Campbell High School teacher Corey Rosenlee encourages his students to break the rules. A social studies teacher, Rosenlee has his 11th and 12th graders playing "crazy robot." Civil Beat.

Hawaii
The U.S. Supreme Court could decide whether Hawaii Island gets to keep its fourth state Senate seat, after opponents of how the state redrew its legislative boundaries filed an appeal Friday with the nation’s highest court. West Hawaii Today.

A bill that would relax regulations for tourism operations on farm land is coming back before the Hawaii County Council’s Planning Committee. West Hawaii Today.

An effluent pump malfunction led to the discharge Tuesday afternoon of about 7,600 gallons of wastewater into the ocean from the Papaikou Wastewater Treatment Plant. Dora Beck, the county’s Wastewater Division chief, said the shoreline area near the facility’s outfall was closed “as a precaution” between Kekiwi Point and Waipahi Point. Tribune-Herald.

VIDEO: HI-SEAS crew emerges from isolated habitat dome. Big Island Video News.

Six researchers have spent the past four months living in a small dome on a barren Hawaii lava field at an elevation of 8,000 feet, trying to figure out what foods astronauts might eat on Mars and during deep-space missions. Associated Press.

Researchers have been living inside a remote habitat 8,000 feet atop Mauna Loa. They’re part of a NASA-funded study to simulate what it’s like to live on Mars. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

A visitor from Germany was critically injured and lost her right arm in an apparent shark attack Wednesday afternoon at a Makena beach in South Maui. It was the fifth shark attack so far this year in Maui waters, where a jump in attacks was seen. Star-Advertiser.

A woman visiting from Germany lost her right arm in a shark attack at Palauea Beach in Wailea and was in critical condition at Maui Memorial Medical Center on Wednesday night after the second shark incident in two days off Maui. Maui News.

A 20-year-old woman from Germany remains hospitalized in critical condition, after her right arm was severed in a shark attack at Palauea Beach, also known as White Rock in Mākena, on Wednesday afternoon, county officials confirmed. Maui Now.

Officials have closed two miles of beaches in Makena following a shark attack on a snorkeler at Palauea Beach, also known as "White Rock." Hawaii News Now.

An arbitration award for Maui County police officers will cost $2.75 million more this fiscal year and a grand total of $26.6 million more over four years, according to Budget Director Sandy Baz. Maui News.

Maui County and the Maui Police Department have reached a monetary settlement with a woman, who was the victim of false arrest and imprisonment and extorted for sex by police officers in 2008, attorneys involved in the case said in a joint statement Tuesday. Maui News.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources waived a $1,000 fine last month that the department had initially imposed on Maui Ocean Activities for "unauthorized commercial activities" conducted at Wailea Beach, according to a department spokeswoman. Maui News.

Kauai

More than 900 Kauai businesses and homeowners — especially oceanfront property owners — who benefit from federal flood insurance subsidies could see rate increases because of a law signed by President Barack Obama in 2012. Garden Island.

There was a time when Hanamaulu Beach Park was the crown jewel of Hanamaulu, a mostly residential community built to house sugar plantation workers from the Lihue Plantation decades ago. Not anymore, according to some area residents. In response to rampant crime and vandalism, the county will close the park from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, starting Monday. Garden Island.

Kauai County's Liquor Control Commission has named acting director Gerald T. Rapozo as the permanent replacement for former director Eric Honma, who retired in April. Star-Advertiser.

Lanai

Silicon Valley tycoon Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, defended the National Security Agency’s controversial domestic surveillance on Tuesday, saying it was needed to protect the public from terrorism. “It’s great. It’s essential,” said Ellison during an interview with CBS News. Civil Beat.