Hawaii's 'Stairway to Heaven' could reopen, DLNR blasts Hawaiian Electric plan, gubernatorial and congressional candidates debate, Schatz, Gabbard mull lava escape plan, Honolulu rail transit plan advances, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Haiku Stairs, photo by Kirinwizard

An ad hoc community group formed to decide the future of Haiku Stairs released a report Thursday recommending that the popular attraction be reopened with access through Windward Community College's campus. Star-Advertiser.

A working group tasked with determining the best course of action for the Ha’iku Stairs said the status quo is not acceptable. The popular stairway in Kaneohe, also known as the Stairway to Heaven, has been closed for more than a decade. However, trespassers continue to climb the 3,922 steps. The 13-member working group recommended the city either tear down the stairs at a cost of between $3 million and $5 million, or “develop a managed access use plan.” KITV4.

For nearly 30 years, hikers have been denied legal access to Haiku Stairs, also known as “the Stairway to Heaven.” Now, there is a call to reopen the hiking trail, but only if all interested parties agree to a so-called “managed access plan.” KHON2.

The state blasted Hawaiian Electric Industries' new energy transition plan for being stuck in the past and doing more to benefit the utility than the public. The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, in an 86-page filing with the state Public Utilities Commission, registered its frustration with the utility, saying HEI is clinging to an old business model that is incapable of meeting the goal of moving Hawaii off fossil fuels and onto renewable energy.  Star-Advertiser.

Some solar customers who have been on the waiting list are finally getting hooked up and approved by Hawaiian Electric Co. But critics say the solar boom won’t last. HECO set up new regulations on solar last year that left a backlog of customers wanting to get on the grid and slowed the growth of the solar industry. KHON2.

National groups independent from the candidates are stepping up their attacks, especially in the close race for Hawaii governor. It’s the RGA versus the DGA — the Republican Governors Association versus the Democratic Governors Association. Civil Beat.

While repeating their stances on issues facing the next Congress, the candidates for Hawaii's 1st Congressional District also stuck to key campaign themes in a roundtable discussion aired statewide Thursday night on PBS Hawaii's "Insights." Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii would be able to expedite tuition decreases under a proposal the Board of Regents budget committee advanced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs and a grassroots organization are using an online game to help get more Native Hawaiians interested in statewide elections. OHA and Kanu Hawaii created a game that allows voters to take an online quiz to see which candidates in the Nov. 4 general election best matches their own political opinions. Associated Press.

Oahu

City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro defended his decision to let a grand jury decide whether a misdemeanor abuse charge should be made against a police officer in a highly publicized case. Star-Advertiser.

The firm creating Oahu's driverless train system might finally have landed a buyer, and that has rail board members seeking assurances that any upcoming sale won't disrupt or delay the $5.26 billion project -- which already faces other challenges to finish on time. Star-Advertiser.

The board overseeing Oahu's rail project voted unanimously Thursday to give Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation Executive Director Dan Grabauskas a new three-year contract, which, if signed, would take effect this spring with a 5 percent raise. Grabauskas' current three-year deal, which pays an annual base salary of $245,000, ends in April. The new contract would pay Grabauskas a base of $257,000 and make him eligible for a 3.5 percent raise in the subsequent two years. Star-Advertiser.

A company under state investigation for allegedly dumping thousands of gallons of oil products near Kawainui Marsh is now in the cross hairs of city inspectors. That's after a former employee came forward with new allegations that the company poured thousand of gallons of petroleum sludge into the city's sewers. Hawaii News Now.

A Hawaii technology startup company wants to let bus riders be better informed when their bus will arrive with real-time display signs at bus stops. Star-Advertiser.

Kamehameha Schools’ plan to redevelop nearly 300,000 square feet of its commercial properties surrounding Kahala Mall in East Oahu into primarily retail space is gaining some traction, with leases on five commercial parcels mauka of the mall expiring during the next five years, a spokesman for the trust recently told Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Hawaii’s three major gubernatorial candidates each pledged to do more to empower educators at the local level during their first debate on the Big Island on Thursday evening. Tribune-Herald.

Governor Candidates Assure Hilo Voters on Disaster Preps, Recovery. After Tropical Storm Iselle, and with lava poised to cut off a key highway, Hawaii County residents want a governor who will help. Civil Beat.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz told a large crowd in Pahoa on Thursday night that they're doing all they can to press the federal government to pay attention to the small town on Hawaii island being threatened by lava. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz addressed a packed crowd of more 500 anxious and concerned residents. They say their top priorities are ensuring uninterrupted postal service and the critical infrastructure needs of clearing Chain of Craters road -- which by all accounts will eventually become the only way in and out of the lower Puna district. Hawaii News Now.

The advancement of the June 27 lava flow appears to be slowing down yet again, potentially lengthening the time it could take to encroach upon Pahoa. Tribune-Herald.

West Hawaii residents tore into a proposed state water quality plan in Kailua-Kona Thursday night. Frustrations boiled to the surface, with people firing questions and not being satisfied with the answers they received from a state Department of Health official leading an informational meeting at the West Hawaii Civic Center. West Hawaii Today.

Members of the state Commission on Water Resource Management continued their investigation into a petition to designate the Keauhou aquifer as a water management area Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald has appointed Margaret Masunaga as judge of the District Court of the 3rd Circuit. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Acting Governor Shan Tsutsui signed a proclamation today declaring Oct. 9, 2014, as Līpoa Point Day in the State of Hawaiʻi. The Līpoa Point acquisition by the state effectively removes the threat of development, preserving the land in perpetuity for generations to come, and makes the way for the creation of a management plan. Maui Now.

Maui Land & Pineapple Co. retirees were able to breathe a sigh of relief Thursday after the state solidified its purchase of Lipoa Point for $19.5 million, which the company must use to fund pension plans for its former workers. Maui News.

The Maui County Council's Planning Committee advanced a bill last week that would regulate home businesses. Maui News.

Kauai

Debra Lee-Jackson, a taro farmer from Kauai’s Puna District, said her nonprofit Hui Ho‘opulapula Na Wai o Puna has spent the last year working to understand water conditions and uses in the area. The Hui, made up of a group of landowners, lessees, taro farmers, fishermen and native Hawaiians seeking to restore and preserve Puna’s watersheds, is asking the council to support, via a resolution, its petition aimed at having South Puna — known as the Hanamaulu sub-aquifer — designated as a Ground-Surface Water Management Area. Garden Island.

Subsistence fishers, lineal descendants of Hāʻena and community members from across Kaua‘i and the rest of the state testified in support of the Hāʻena Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area rules. Hawaii Independent.

Big bucks pouring into GMO battle, homeless tent city planned for Sand Island, Supreme Court dismisses election challenge, Abercrombie to appeal FEMA rejection, group appeals Thirty Meter Telescope ruling, hospital layoffs loom, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii GMO researcher James Brewbaker, courtesy photo

The Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation is planning a $400,000 public relations campaign to generate support for farmers and persuade voters to support genetic engineering in agriculture. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a primary election challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, which had alleged that six voters on Hawaii island had been deprived of their constitutional right to vote by the state's actions in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Iselle. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Supreme Court sided with the state today and dismissed an election challenge launched by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of Big Island voters who were unable to cast ballots on Aug. 9 due to Tropical Storm Iselle. Civil Beat.

The state Supreme Court has rejected an ACLU lawsuit on behalf of voters in Puna. The American Civil Liberties Union and six Puna voters say they were denied their right to vote because the election was held when conditions after Tropical Storm Iselle made it impossible for them to leave their homes. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit seeking to allow voters on the storm-damaged Big Island to vote. The court said in an opinion released Thursday that it didn’t have jurisdiction to grant the relief sought by the American Civil Liberties Union with the lawsuit. Associated Press.

The financially strapped Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, which runs 13 state hospital facilities across Hawaii, announced Thursday it will lay off less than one percent of its workforce, but warned more layoffs may be looming. Hawaii News Now.

Dozens of people who work for Hawaii’s public hospital system are expected to receive official notices within the next week that they are going to be laid off. The Hawaii Health Systems Corporation said Thursday that it is implementing a system-wide reduction in force, eliminating positions as early as mid-December, to help address a $48 million shortfall for fiscal 2015. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s recent hearings in Hawai‘i revealed a number of those testifying believe the U.S. government does not have jurisdiction over these islands. The Interior Department hearings are a starting point for a broader discussion this coming Tuesday at the William S. Richardson School of Law. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii tourism officials are courting about a dozen airlines not currently serving Hawaii, which they hope will some day set up shop here. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge in Hawaii says she won't consider approving $2.4 million in settlements for hundreds of Thai farm workers until the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission holds a news conference clarifying that the agreements are still subject to court approval. The EEOC is planning a news conference in Honolulu on Friday to comply with the order. Associated Press.

Oahu

The city is negotiating with the state to use vacant property at Sand Island as a temporary site for Oahu's homeless individuals and families to set up tents and receive help from service providers, Caldwell administration officials told members of the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu’s homeless may have a new housing option — tents on Sand Island. Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration has been working to procure a parcel of land on the small island off of Honolulu Harbor as a temporary housing solution for the street homeless population. Civil Beat.

State Rep. Calvin Say's residency in the district he represents and his ability to continue to represent that district in Hawaii’s state House is being threatened in state Circuit Court. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaiian Electric Co. President and CEO Dick Rosenblum defended the utility's proposed rate changes Thursday, including the $55 minimum rate for all customers and higher monthly charge for new solar owners. Star-Advertiser.

The USS Missouri Memorial Association, Inc., is looking at new markets to generate revenue to pay for improvements and maintenance for the Battleship Missouri Memorial in Pearl Harbor, and has hired a sales manager within the past year to focus on the China and Japan visitor markets for one of Hawaii's most popular visitor attractions. Pacific Business News.

Members of the City Council on Thursday continued to explore Honolulu's nascent paid ride-sharing industry and openly asked whether it should be up to the city or state to impose regulations similar to the rules required of the city's 1,500 taxicab drivers. Star-Advertiser.

There could be fewer moderate-priced homes in the Ward Village master-planned community in Kakaako if the state approves a request from project developer Howard Hughes Corp. Star-Advertiser.

The books and computers are ready, but more than three years after construction began, students at Waialua Elementary School still can’t use their new library and media center. Construction began in Jan. 2011. Now, there’s a $3.3 million building on campus that looks ready to use, but sits empty. KHON2.

Hawaii

The state plans to appeal a decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency denying a request for a major disaster declaration that would provide federal aid to assist in the recovery from damage inflicted by Tropical Storm Iselle. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Billy Kenoi said he is “very disappointed” by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s decision to deny the state’s request for a major disaster declaration in the wake of Tropical Storm Iselle. Tribune-Herald.

Six Kona Community Hospital employees are among 34 Hawaii Health Systems Corp. workers set to lose their jobs by December. HHSC Acting President and Chief Executive Officer Alice Hall said the number of affected employees is lower than some workers expected, based on HHSC officials’ warnings after seeing how much funding the state Legislature provided for this year. West Hawaii Today.

Civil Defense officials will call for an evacuation should a worrisome lava flow approaching neighborhoods near Pahoa appear to be within five days of encroaching on populated areas. Such a possibility is still a long way off, however, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge Jim Kauahikaua told a packed house Thursday night at the Pahoa Community Center. Tribune-Herald.

Scientists with U.S. Geological Survey say steam was spotted rising above a crack extending east beyond the end of the lava pad, suggesting that lava was once again advancing within a crack below ground. Hawaii News Now.

Four Big Island residents denied a contested case hearing for the Thirty Meter Telescope’s sublease are taking the issue to court. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

There was no clear consensus this week on how a federal judge's ruling against a Kauai County pesticides and bioengineered crops bill would affect a Nov. 4 vote on an initiative measure calling for a moratorium on genetically modified crops and activities in Maui County. Maui News.

The public is being asked weigh in on a proposed Maui affordable housing project for seniors. The Maui County Land Use Committee has scheduled a site inspection and meeting next week to consider the proposed Hale Mahaolu Ewalu Senior Residential Housing Project. Associated Press.

Maui Memorial Medical Center administrators said this week that they do not anticipate cutting staff positions other than those associated with the closure of the hospital's adolescent behavioral health unit, Molokini II, at least for now. Maui News.

A fever chart for Maui Electric Co.'s customer bills from 2014 to 2030 shows monthly residential prices dropping from the current average, nearly $230 per month, to a bit more than $160 per month in 2030. Maui News.

A former officer with the Maui Police Department filed a lawsuit alleging disability discrimination against the County of Maui and former Police Chief Gary Yabuta following the officer’s termination in December 2013, after 13 years of service. Maui Now.

Kauai

Garden Isle greenbacks. A look at the money being spent in Kauaʻi County’s legal battle to preserve Ordinance 960, regulating pesticides and GMOs. Hawaii Independent.

Arguing tax reform. Residents sound off, officials explain why changes were necessary. Garden Island.

Hawaii wage report released, tourism surges, Kauai health workers face layoffs, police investigate Hawaii County candidate, more solar panels planned, trash shortage could cost Honolulu $2M, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Coral in Hawaii © 2014 All Hawaii News

The federal government is protecting 20 types of colorful coral by putting them on the list of threatened species, partly because of climate change. Associated Press.

Federal authorities released a list of 20 corals they now classify as threatened. However, none are in Hawaii, meaning the blue rice coral — one of three species being impacted by an outbreak of black band coral disease on Kauai’s North Shore — will not receive federal protection. Garden Island.

Medical field tops wage ranking in Hawaii, labor report shows. The Labor Department collected the data in a semiannual mail survey over a three-year cycle. Star-Advertiser.

Read the full labor report here.

After achieving the highest July on record for the state in visitor spending and arrivals, Hawaii's visitor industry is trending ahead of last year's record-breaking pace for tourism. Star-Advertiser.

Opinion: Hawaii’s political polls are regularly erratic and wrong. As a recent Washington Post headline put it, Hawaii is a place “where good polling goes to die.” Civil Beat.

Opinion: Hawaii General Election Gubernatorial Candidates on the Jones Act. Hawaii Reporter.

State House Speaker Joseph Souki will not have to testify this week about when he first heard of a legal challenge to state Rep. Calvin Say's residency, a state Circuit Court judge ruled Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A new Hawaii law that makes domestic violence a felony if it’s committed in the presence of children has been criticized as excessive and vague. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Electric Co. released aggressive new energy plans on Tuesday that seek to increase the amount of energy derived from renewable energy sources from 30 percent to 65 percent by 2030, as well as triple the amount of solar energy on its electric grids on Oahu, the Big Island and in Maui County. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Companies submitted a plan to the Public Utilities Commission that is designed to achieve specific goals by 2030 for Hawaiʻi’s Energy Future. Maui Now.

Hawaiian Electric Company has released details of its vision for the state’s energy future, and part of the plan calls for 65 percent of all electricity generated on Oahu, the Big Island and Maui County to come from renewable sources. KITV4.

Hawaiian Electric has been under fire for its slow conversion to renewable energy, but its newly released long-term plan promises to change that. KHON2.

Monsanto, GMOs and the importance of independent research at the University of Hawaiʻi. Hawaii Independent.

USGS is working with other government agencies, the University of Hawaii and the American Red Cross to improve earthquake preparedness through the 2014 Great Hawaii ShakeOut, part of a worldwide event Oct. 16. Civil Beat.

The Army in the Pacific is starting a new deployment concept this week that sends soldiers out into the region for multiple exercises and longer stays in foreign countries that are intended to reassure partner nations and develop closer relationships as the United States continues its "rebalance" to the Pacific. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The city could be on the hook for as much as $2 million for not handing over enough trash to the operators of the HPOWER waste-to-energy plant, a Honolulu City Council committee was told Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu’s top rail executive told members of the City Council Budget Committee on Wednesday that the project has a “healthy contingency fund” despite the fact that recent construction bids came in more than $100 million higher than expected. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council members questioned rail leaders about the budget and a recent contract coming in significantly overbid. The lowest bid to build the first nine transit stations was $110 million more than anticipated. Hawaii News Now.

A measure exempting compostable products from an upcoming Oahu plastic bag ban won key approval from a Honolulu City Council committee Wednesday while a bill requiring takeout containers to be more environmentally friendly was shelved in favor of more study. Star-Advertiser.

Move over, Kakaako. Honolulu planners have big dreams for another neighborhood. They want to transform Ala Moana into a more vibrant, inviting cityscape complete with bike lanes, green spaces and denser development. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co.'s new energy plan angered solar customers, who could face higher monthly bills, but pleased non-solar customers, who might see their costs drop. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. plans to level the playing field when it comes to customers who have rooftop solar, and others who don’t, noting that the current net energy metering program utilized by rooftop solar customers is not sustainable. Pacific Business News.

A Honolulu planning board plans to revisit a controversial set of bills that would ban sitting and lying down on sidewalks in Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

A proposal for a one-year restriction on stand-up paddleboards at select spots along Oahu's south shore has been withdrawn, but state officials could still consider changes. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Five months ago, Michael Kaha signed in as the Wheelabrator representative at a pre-bid conference for a waste-to-energy incinerator in Hawaii County. Last week, he was named to a newly created position as the county’s deputy solid waste division chief. West Hawaii Today.

Police will investigate a complaint alleging Hawaii County Council District 5 candidate Tiffany Edwards Hunt committed voter fraud by registering to vote from her husband’s surf shop in Pahoa rather than her home in Hawaiian Acres during the 2012 election. Tribune-Herald.

The National Park Service is stressing the importance of a “margin of safety” for its ecosystems, while acknowledging there is no evidence that current water pumping practices pose an immediate threat to the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Electric Light Co. is proposing to boost its use of renewable energy sources by 2030, providing for 92 percent of the Big Isle’s energy needs, but would also require customers with rooftop solar to pay more than they do now. Tribune-Herald.

While all but a relative handful of electrical customers have been restored service after the devastation of Tropical Storm Iselle, about 1,600 Hawaiian Telcom customers remain without landline telephone and/or Internet service. Tribune-Herald.

Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey who have been carefully monitoring the lava flow heading toward lower Puna say Wednesday's aerial assessment indicates there is little to no activity in the area that once posed the greatest threat to the Kaohe Homesteads subdivision. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii’s largest health insurance provider is teaming up with a bestselling author to help communities here get healthier. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
The coral reefs offshore between Lahaina and Kaanapali may be some of the least healthy reefs along West Maui, possibly due to pollution from the Lahaina wastewater treatment plant and Olowalu landfill runoff, according to an expert hired by the state to conduct a West Maui reef study. Maui News.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife is looking to hire two planners to conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to new landowners participating in the department's Hawaii Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, the department announced. Maui News.

Visitors to Maui Spend $206 Per Person Per Day, Up 10%. Maui Now.

Kauai
Officials from Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, which operates the island’s two public, critical-access hospitals and three primary care clinics, said they will institute a round of layoffs system wide as the struggling state-subsidized health provider seeks to offset its projected $48 million budget shortfall this fiscal year. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council gave their first stamp of approval to a Department of Public Works proposal that would create the state’s first pay-as-you-throw program, which charges all property owners variable rates that are based how much they discard each month. Garden Island.

Gubernatorial candidates debate, Oahu to raise smoking age, Puna prepares for lava, Hawaiian Electric companies file long-term plans, Kauai property tax bills rise, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii gubernatorial candidates debate, screen grab

Hawaii can stimulate its economy and generate jobs without raising taxes, the state's gubernatorial candidates said in a forum Tuesday. The debate hosted by the West Oahu Economic Development Association marked the first time that the four candidates met since the primary election earlier this month. Associated Press.

Mufi, David, Duke and Jeff: Our Candidates for Governor Get Together. Hawaii's contenders for top job talk about economic growth in West Oahu, same-sex marriage and elephants in the room. Civil Beat.

The first forum featuring all four candidates for Governor overlooked the first section of Oahu's rail line from the UH West Oahu Campus Center. It was a fitting focal point to discuss the economy and future of Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Two weeks after his upset of Gov. Neil Abercrombie for the Democratic Party's gubernatorial nomination, Oahu state Sen. David Ige expressed confidence Saturday that he and Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui would ride a wave of voter support to win in the Nov. 4 general election. Maui News.

The Hawaiian Electric Cos. plan to lower customers' electric bills by 20 percent, nearly triple the amount of rooftop solar and give customers more service options by 2030, while attaining the highest level of renewable energy in the nation, according to response released late Tuesday to directives by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission that were handed down in April. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaiian electric companies filed new long-term energy plans with the state Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday that outline their strategies for increasing clean energy, reducing consumer costs, and improving the integration of solar into their electric grids on Oahu, Maui County and the Big Island. Civil Beat.

The Hawaiian Electric Companies late Tuesday afternoon filed what can be described as a massive energy transition plan with the Public Utilities Commission. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Electric delivered on its promise on Tuesday, presenting its plan to reduce costs and allow more people to use renewable energy . HECO delivered binders full of documents late Tuesday afternoon to the Public Utilities Commission.  The PUC then posted it online. KHON2.

It’s Women’s Equality Day. How Does Hawaii Compare? Very well on a number of fronts, thank you, and overall we're No. 1. Civil Beat.

A new University of Hawaii report on global warming doesn't specify when the impacts will hit but warns the tourism industry to start preparing now for the effects linked to climate change because they likely will have a profound effect on the state and its No. 1 business. Star-Advertiser.

Opinion: Puna Voters Had Practical Problems, Not Legal Defects. Natural disasters occasionally disrupt elections but legal challenges have not materialized or succeeded in other states. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann said Tuesday that the city, not the Hawaii Community Development Authority, should have planning oversight in Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would raise the smoking age to 21 won preliminary approval Tuesday from the City Council's Public Safety and Economic Development Committee. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu may join a growing number of jurisdictions throughout the country, including Hawaii County, to raise the minimum age for buying cigarettes from 18 to 21. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources will hold a public meeting Wednesday to discuss a proposed one-year pilot project to regulate the use of stand-up paddleboards at certain surf breaks on Oahu's South Shore. Star-Advertiser.

Legislation seeking to create a quasi-independent agency to manage Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve was shelved by a Honolulu City Council committee Tuesday to allow the Parks and Recreation Department time to provide specific financial information to Council members and others who want to know where up to $6 million in annual revenue from the popular attraction is being used. Star-Advertiser.

Hanauma Bay to be audited over repair backlog and improper budget accusations. Hawaii News Now.

The City Council Executive Matters and Legislative Affairs Committee on Tuesday deferred Bill 50, which would have given the Council the authority to determine how much in fines should be paid by those who violate city land use laws. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. wants 65 percent of its power to come from renewable sources by 2030, cut customer bills by 20 percent, convert remaining power plants to liquefied natural gas and charge customers with rooftop solar much more. Star-Advertiser.

Drivers in Honolulu rank among the top 30 percent accident-prone motorists in the U.S., according to an annual ranking of the nation's 200 biggest urban areas, according to Allstate Corp. Star-Advertiser.

Homeless people living on University of Hawaii Manoa land just steps away from dorms and faculty housing have left behind piles of trash, making parts of Waahila Ridge look like a small garbage dump. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

One of the finalists for Hawaii County’s waste-to-energy incinerator is expected to penalize the City and County of Honolulu big bucks for not providing enough garbage for its plant last year. But Hawaii County Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd said Tuesday the Big Island isn’t likely to run into the same problem because it’s planning a much smaller facility. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island public safety officials are asking lower Puna residents to remain vigilant as scientists continue to track a lava flow that is within 2 miles of homes. The June 27 flow, named for the date it began, is moving at a speed of about 200 to 300 feet per day, according to Jim Kauahikaua, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist-in-charge. Tribune-Herald.

The ordinarily quiet streets of Kaohe Homesteads south of Pahoa bustled with activity Tuesday. Neighbors visited with each other to share the latest news, and residents from nearby communities were busy driving through to see what they could see — scoping out the area public safety officials say could be the first in line if an unpredictable lava flow 2 miles away continues on its path. Tribune-Herald.

Councilwoman Brenda Ford says South Kona needs a new well — the sooner, the better. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Developers for the proposed Piʻilani Promenade in South Maui have filed a draft environmental impact statement for the project. Maui Now.

Opponents of Revised Pi‘ilani Promenade Project Express Concern. Maui Weekly.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources approved a deal Friday to resolve encroachments onto Kihei state beach reserve land, officials said Monday. Maui News.

Kula Elementary School lowered its student absentee rate by nearly 20 percentage points in the last school year, after a third of its students missed 15 days or more in the previous school year, according to statistics released Monday by the state Department of Education. Maui News.

Kauai

County officials say 5,293 property owners in the county’s homestead class received increases on their real property taxes this year. Another 5,651 people, according to Department of Finance data, received decreases on their tax returns. Garden Island.

Lawsuits likely as Hanabusa-Schatz U.S. Senate Democratic contest to be decided Friday, officials say more polls should reopen, GMO foes flounder at polls, Maui highest, Kauai lowest, voter turnout, big profits for HECO electric company, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Island voting © 2014 All Hawaii News

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who’s trailing in the too-close-to-call Hawaii Democratic Senate primary against incumbent Brian Schatz, warned Monday of voting “irregularities” in precincts crippled by a massive tropical storm last week and said she’s speaking with campaign lawyers about a potential recourse. Politico.

Elected officials at the state and county level are crying foul over the selection of only two Puna precincts for a special election, when many voters in precincts from Pahoa to Volcano were unable to get to the polls Saturday in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Iselle. Hanging in the balance is a close contest between U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa for the Democratic nomination for Senate, as well as a state House and County Council race. West Hawaii Today.

What about those blocked from polls, but not in delayed precincts? KHON2.

The U.S. Senate Democratic primary battle between Sen. Brian Schatz and Rep. Colleen Hanabusa could be decided Friday as election officials open a polling place for voters of two storm-damaged precincts in Puna. Tribune-Herald.

Several thousand voters in Puna on Hawaii island will get the rare opportunity Friday to settle a close election, but U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who trails U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz in the Demo­cratic primary for Senate, questioned whether holding the vote so soon is realistic. Star-Advertiser.

An answer to the question “Who won Hawaii’s U.S. Senate race?” is likely to come Friday, according the State Elections Office. The plan is to run an election at Keonepoko Elementary School for the two Puna precincts on the Big Island that were closed because of Tropical Storm Iselle. Civil Beat.

Both Hanabusa and Schatz are already on the Big Island. Schatz was helping unload supplies in Nanawale and met with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Army National Guard today. Hanabusa took an aerial tour of the damage. Hawaii News Now.

Two voting precincts in the region hardest hit by Iselle were closed during Saturday's primary, affecting some 8,000 registered voters, who would be able to cast their ballots on a new voting day to be held Friday, the Office of Elections said Monday. The emotional Democratic contest between U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa is still too close to call. Associated Press.

A special walk-in election will be held Friday for Big Island residents who were unable to vote in Saturday’s primary due to damage from Tropical Storm Iselle. That decision is drawing criticism from folks in Puna, who originally thought they would have 21 days to mail in an absentee ballot. Hawaii Public Radio.

Chief Election Officer Scott Nago, in consultation with the State Attorney General, Department of Defense and the Office of the County Clerk, announced today that an election will be held on Friday, August 15th at Keonepoko Elementary School for the two polling places whose election was postponed due to Hurricane Iselle. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii’s Primary Election Turnout Likely Near All-Time Low This Year. Preliminary numbers show it to be about 41 percent of registered voters. Civil Beat.

Opinion: A Pidgin Guide to Neil Abercrombie’s Downfall. The Hawaii governor's blunt talk may have been the straight truth but his bedside manner left much to be desired. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co. reported a profit of $34.2 million in the second quarter, a $5.5 million increase from the same time period last year, mainly due to its recovery of costs for clean energy and reliability investments, the Honolulu-based utility said Monday in its latest earnings report. Pacific Business News.

After the heavy rains and high winds of two rare, large storms, Hawaiian botanists are hoping the islands’ rarest plants have come through unscathed. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu
State Rep. Mark Takai displayed solid support from Kapolei to Mili­lani to Hawaii Kai as he cruised to the 1st Congressional District's Democratic nomination Saturday night over six other candidates. Star-Advertiser.

Officials with the city have apparently reached an agreement with the United Public Workers union that would allow paramedics and emergency medical technicians to work longer, four-day weeks. Star-Advertiser.

The marble shrine room wall at the USS Arizona Memorial inscribed with the names of 1,177 sailors and Marines killed in the Dec. 7, 1941, attack will be undergoing replacement over two months, possibly starting in early September, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

The Matson container ship Manukai, with master John Blomindale, leading a crew of 22, docked at Sand Island Pier 22, carrying three survivors of a disabled sailboat rescued from hurricane seas.  Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

As clean-up and power restoration efforts continue in the wake of Tropical Storm Iselle, assessment of the cyclone’s damage, especially in Puna, has just begun, according to the county. Tribune-Herald.

Forget Tropical Storm Iselle. The people of Hawaii island's storm-ravaged Puna district have since singularly focused their anger on the forests of fast-growing and foreign albizia trees that fell like giant pick-up sticks on their homes and across power lines, keeping them in the dark and without water since Iselle blew through the Big Island five days ago. Star-Advertiser.

Puna Still Struggles as Politicians Parachute In. The rural Big Island community was hit hardest by Tropical Storm Iselle, and now it's the focal point of the race for U.S. Senate. Civil Beat.

Deep in the seaside jungle of Government Beach Road, the Leo family has been stuck behind a pile of fallen albizia trees since Tropical Storm Iselle hit Puna on Friday morning. On Monday, help arrived. Hawaii County, the Hawaii National Guard, and community volunteers helped dig a path to freedom for the family. Big Island Video News.

Stunning video was taken by drones over the Puna area that gives a closer look into the damage left behind by Iselle. KITV4.

Electricity. Water. Ice. Cellphones. These are some of the staples of modern life that residents in lower Puna say they took for granted until Tropical Storm Iselle thrashed their communities. Tribune-Herald.

Only one Hawaii Island candidate made it to the runoff in the race for an at-large seat on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees. West Hawaii Today.

Kamehameha Schools officials are proposing demolishing the Keauhou Beach Hotel from the top down. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County had the lowest primary election voter turnout in the state Saturday, with only 32.2 percent of the county's 85,581 registered voters casting ballots in person or by absentee. Maui News.

Maui County continues to have the lowest voter turnout in the state with just 32.2% of the county’s 85,581 registered voters turning out to cast ballots. Maui Now.

Maui Electric crews restored power to all customers Sunday evening after crews worked around the clock since late Thursday to repair and replace electrical equipment damaged by Tropical Storm Iselle's heavy rain and strong winds. Star-Advertiser.

Profits nearly doubled for Alexander & Baldwin from $5 million to $9.2 million, thanks to recent acquisitions and improvements in the company's development and sales and leasing segments, according to A&B's second-quarter report, which was released last week. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai County Councilmen Mel Rapozo and Ross Kagawa, the lone members to oppose the county’s controversial GMO disclosure bill last year, are now more popular than ever among voters. Civil Beat.

Some believe the hot-button issue of genetically modified crops and pesticide use played a role in Saturday’s primary election results, while others say apparent trends in the voting have more to do with where candidates call home. Garden Island.

County of Kauai had the highest primary election turnout rates, according to preliminary state election reports. It is that fact that, some county officials and election watchers say, can be partly attributed to several important factors, including the debate on genetically modified organisms and pesticides and tax raises. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Real Property Assessment Division is offering assistance to residents who want to understand changes to their real property tax bills. Star-Advertiser.

The Kapaa Business Association wants the public to add its voice to providing a solution for traffic through the Kapaa and Wailua corridor. Garden Island.

NASA will return to Kauai next year for more tests of technology that could be used in flights to Mars. Associated Press.

Kids Count ranks Hawaii middling, more sign on to Obamacare, Honolulu police and fire helicopters grounded by bankruptcy, Morita sued for bed and breakfast, Caldwell endorses Abercrombie, vets to help Takai, wave energy planned, feds to ban bee-killing pesticide in Hawaii wildlife refuges, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hula girls in Hawaii ©2014 All Hawaii News

Overall, the Aloha State placed in the middle of the pack, like last year, at 25th out of 50 states in rankings released Tuesday by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The KIDS COUNT Data Book gauges the welfare of kids using 16 measures in the categories of economic well-being, education, health and family/community. Star-Advertiser.

The rate of people without health insurance in Hawaii has dropped below 6 percent since the implementation of the federal health care law, state officials said Monday. Officials said at a joint House committee briefing that roughly 75,000 people in Hawaii don’t have health insurance, down from well over 100,000 last year. Associated Press.

The state Office of Information Management and Technology told lawmakers at a Monday briefing it plans to create a single portal at Hawaii.gov that will help direct consumers to either Medicaid, the government insurance program for low-income residents, or the Hawaii Health Connector, the troubled online exchange created by President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Star-Advertiser.

With the Aug. 9 primary fast approaching and the Nov. 4 general election not far behind, Civil Beat asked the top gubernatorial candidates what they thought about the issue of accessing public records in Hawaii. We interviewed the incumbent, Gov. Neil Abercrombie, and his Democratic primary opponent, state Sen. David Ige. We also talked to the expected Republican challenger this fall, former Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona. A spokesman for Hawaii Independent Party candidate Mufi Hannemann said the candidate couldn’t fit in an interview, and questions submitted to the campaign were not answered.  Civil Beat.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Monday endorsed Gov. Neil Abercrombie for re-election, stressing an improved relationship between Hono­lulu Hale and Washington Place. Star-Advertiser.

In a symbolic and theatric display, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and Governor Neil Abercrombie met in the middle of the Punchbowl Street crosswalk Monday as a sign of unity between Honolulu Hale and the State Capitol. Hawaii News Now.

Opinion: Matters of church and the state are traditionally separated in the United States, but not always. There is a current push by some conservative Christians in Hawaii to urge pastors to speak out from the pulpit in support of gubernatorial hopeful James “Duke” Aiona and other so-called “family values” Republican candidates. Civil Beat.

Most of the candidates running for Hawaii’s First Congressional District – minus Senate President Donna Mercado-Kim -- appeared before a group of nearly 300 realtors today. Hawaii Public Radio.

19 days before the primary election, Congressional District 1 candidates participated in a forum, with one notable exception. Donna Mercado Kim had to pass due to a conflict with a scheduled commercial shoot. Hawaii News Now.

VoteVets.org and its Vote Vets Action Fund will blitz the television airwaves in the next week or so with $100,000 in advertisements in support of 1st Congressional District candidate Mark Takai, the national political action committee is expected to announce Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Federal wildlife refuges in the Northwest and Hawaii will phase out a class of pesticides that are chemically similar to nicotine because they pose a threat to bees and other pollinators key to crop growth. The region covering Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Hawaii is the first in the agency to ban neonicotinoids. Associated Press.

Oahu

Honolulu Fire Department and Honolulu Police Department helicopters remained on the ground on Monday with both departments suspending routine flight operations. The city made the drastic move after learning the company that’s been maintaining the police and fire helicopters is filing for bankruptcy, and is no longer insured. KHON2.

Those who want to restore the deteriorating Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium dominated a meeting Monday night designed to gather public input on what impacts the city must consider before it can proceed with an environmental study on the proposed demolition of the historic structure. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Department of Health on Monday began posting brand new color-coded placards in restaurants across the state that will let diners know whether they have passed safety inspections. Pacific Business News.

Starting on Monday, the state Department of Health is posting new color-coded placards at Oahu restaurants to display health inspection status. Star-Advertiser.

The bill in July for a typical household using 600 kilowatt-hours a month went up from June by more than a dollar to $217.24, according to data released Monday by Hawaiian Electric Cos., the state's largest utility provider with service to Oahu, Maui and Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii first state to plug into wave energy. Power buoy to connect to Marine Corp Base Kaneohe. KITV4.

The University of Hawaii says the U.S. Navy is investing $9 million more in a Kaneohe wave energy development project. The university said Monday the funds will help the Manoa campus' Hawaii Natural Energy Institute conduct additional underwater surveys with its partner Sea Engineering Inc. Star-Advertiser.

A former guard at the Halawa Correctional Facility accused of smuggling methamphetamine into the prison is expected to plead guilty. Associated Press.

The war over aerial banners in Oahu's skies escalated Monday afternoon with Hono­lulu police arresting the pilot of an Aerial Banners North airplane at Dillingham Air Field. Star-Advertiser.

Gunky, rodent-filled brown water caused by last weekend's storm has kept untold thousands of people out of the ocean and cost Hale­iwa's Surf N Sea revenue in the form of lost kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The county Department of Finance is taking a dim view of a proposal by Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille to give some homeowners a bigger tax break on their primary residence. West Hawaii Today.

Golfers will get a look at proposed changes for the Hilo Municipal Golf Course at a meeting today. Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation staff will provide a presentation as well as seek input on the improvements now in the design phase. Tribune-Herald.

The first group of 21 inmates arrived this morning at the newly reopened Kulani Correctional Facility. Big Island Now.

Maui

The environment is the economy" is a refrain frequently heard in this year's campaigns. In the 2014 Primary Election, environmental issues are in the spotlight more than ever before. Maui Weekly.

A public meeting to discuss a plan to address an anticipated $13 million budget shortfall for state hospitals, including Maui Memorial Medical Center, will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the hospital's auditorium. Maui News.

Kauai

Hanalei resident Michael Sheehan is suing Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Chair Hermina Morita and her husband for damaging his property and polluting the Hanalei River, as well as the County of Kauai for conspiring to cover up the couple’s illegal activity. Garden Island.

A second water safety officer has filed a suit against the county and Kauai Fire Department for retaliation. The plaintiff, Carl Ragasa Jr., is with the Ocean Safety Bureau. He filed his complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii on July 7. He is represented by the Honolulu firm of Agsalda and Fukui. Garden Island.

Saving Hawaii's native duck, HECO denies buyout rumors, Abercrombie and Ige set debate, USEEOC: Kauai police discriminated, Honolulu Council approves $2.14B budget, new corp counsel on Hawaii Island, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Koloa maoli duck pair on Hawaii Island © 2014 All Hawaii News all rights reserved

State, federal and University of Hawaii wildlife experts are undertaking a yearlong campaign aimed at ensuring the survival of the Hawaiian duck, or koloa. The chocolate brown koloa maoli is an endangered species largely due to its cross-breeding with the introduced common mallard duck. Star-Advertiser.

The native Hawaiian duck, koloa maoli, is being pushed out of existence. The population of the duck has been declining for years, and experts said they believe only about 2,500 are left in the wild. KITV4.

Even wildlife biologists have a tough time telling the difference between the endangered koloa maoli (Hawaiian duck) and the common mallard. Cross-breeding or hybridization between the two species is the primary reason the endemic koloa is endangered. West Hawaii Today.

Two Democratic candidates for Hawaii governor plan to debate later this month at the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce. The chamber said Wednesday that incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state Sen. David Ige would be featured at a lunchtime forum at the Japanese Cultural Center June 24. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Electric Industries was never approached by any companies, nor did it receive any offers whatsoever to buy all of its shares, the head of one of the company’s subsidiaries told Pacific Business News on Wednesday, disputing a first-hand report this week to the contrary.

The university's longtime information technology chief says he's open to the possibility of dialing back scheduled tuition increases, but recognizes that many of the goals laid out in an agenda set by the Board of Regents come with a hefty price tag. Star-Advertiser.

August 9 is primary election day in Hawaii, so televised political debates will begin very soon. If the past is any guide, that is not a good thing unless you have an exceptional sense of civic duty, an enormous capacity for boredom or your remote is broken. Civil Beat.

The Race for Nationhood. Umi Perkins on what he sees as the race shaping up between Federal recognition and independence. Hawaii Independent.

Despite 88 percent of Hawaii’s public school principals reporting in a recent survey that they are dissatisfied with the leadership of Department of Education Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi, the state Board of Education reappointed her to another three-year contract on Tuesday that goes into effect July 1. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council has passed a $2.1 billion budget and more than $48 million is going to the homeless. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu City Council voted Wednesday to approve a $2.14 billion operating budget and $708.9 million package that avoids tax rate increases for most residential property owners, a fee for curbside garbage pickup and advertising on the sides of buses but directs $40 million toward homeless shelters and programs. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council has boosted funding to combat homelessness for the 2015 fiscal year to $47.2 million. That marks, council members say, a new high. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council passed the executive spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that starts July 1st. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Navy said it will fly only two P-8A sub-hunting and surveillance jets out of Kaneohe Bay instead of the 18 it had contemplated at one time — meaning less jet noise for area residents. Star-Advertiser.

When the Honolulu City Council approved a $1.4 million settlement last month in the death of Aaron Torres, it was the largest payout in recent history involving the police department or its officers. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council member Carol Fukunaga wants to make sure that there is a mix of incomes among residents in three high-rise buildings in Chinatown that the city wants to sell to a private developer as part of a major public housing deal. Civil Beat.

The developer of the planned 801 South St. Building B condominium tower does not have to seek a new development permit for the project in Kakaako under a court order clarification issued Tuesday, but does have to halt construction. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

An attorney pulled from within the ranks of the Office of Corporation Counsel is now the county’s top civil lawyer, following the County Council’s confirmation Wednesday of Molly Stebbins. West Hawaii Today.

The county clerk would serve for six years, under a charter amendment that squeaked through the Hawaii County Council on Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo Medical Center is cutting staff positions and taking other cost-saving measures as it confronts a $9 million budget shortfall. Tribune-Herald.

Commentary: It looks like Puna Rep. Faye Hanohano has stirred up considerable interest in the Democratic primary race in District 4 in Puna. Hanohano, a Democrat whose controversial comments got her in hot water with her state House colleagues twice in the past 16 months, faces no less than five challengers in her primary. Big Island Now.

The estimated cost of decommissioning for what’s poised to be one of the world’s largest telescopes atop a sacred Hawaii mountain is $17.1 million. Tribune-Herald.

A judge on Wednesday lifted part of a temporary restraining order for construction work at Keauhou Bay, but left the order in place for a later phase of the project. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island veterans had a chance to air long-standing dissatisfaction with the health care they’ve received through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Wednesday night with Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. West Hawaii Today.

The owners of a 25-acre Pepeekeo site of an electrical power plant under construction are looking to be dismissed from a $35 million mechanic’s lien filed by the former construction contractor. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Neldon Mamuad said he is not an angry man, but he believes he's found an opportunity to deny Mayor Alan Arakawa a third term in office. Maui News.

A Maui property management firm has reached a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over lead-paint disclosure violations. The company, Destination Maui, failed to notify its tenants about the potential hazard. But what’s unusual is the terms they’ve agreed to. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state elections office released an uncertified list of candidates running in the 2014 election after the filing deadline passed on Tuesday afternoon. Maui Now.

Kauai

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has determined the Kauai Police Department retaliated against a veteran police officer after she reported alleged sexual harassment by an assistant chief. Star-Advertiser.

A round of Kauai County furloughs, imposed in response to the lingering economic crisis in 2010, may not have been necessary and was not planned or executed as well as it could have been, according to a county auditor’s report released Tuesday. Garden Island.

JoAnn Yukimura seeks 10th term on Kauai County Council. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council Planning Committee opted Wednesday to defer action on a bill that would amend the county’s shoreline setback ordinance. Garden Island.

Kauai's electric utility will issue refunds to its members this month. The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative said Wednesday the money comes from funds the cooperative has left over after paying all its expenses and meeting lender expectations for financial stability. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii candidates are off and running, Mufi wants to bring back Superferry, pro surfer vies for Kauai mayor, Molokai fishing fight turns ugly, $2.4M settlement in Thai farmworker abuse case, hands-off at Halawa prison, no jail time for former Hawaii County councilman, Kauai council takes up GMO amendment, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii campaign season takes off

With just two months left until the primary election, Hawaii’s political season has officially kicked into high gear. Tuesday was the last day for candidates to file for this year’s political races. KHON2.

See full list of primary candidates here.

Use this guide to track the 2014 Hawaii elections. Civil Beat.

What will the Hawaii State Legislature look like after the 2014 elections? Probably a lot like the 2013-2014 Legislature. Most incumbents will likely coast to re-election, as they typically do. That means Democrats are favored to retain majority control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Civil Beat.

Former Honolulu mayor Mufi Hannemann says, if elected as Governor, one of his top priorities in office will be to restore the Superferry. Hawaii News Now.

Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann has tapped Les Chang, the city's former parks and recreation director, as his running mate in his independent campaign for governor. Star-Advertiser.

If Mufi Hannemann is elected governor he will bring back the Superferry. That’s the promise the former Honolulu mayor made Tuesday after taking his nomination oath and introducing his running mate, Les Chang. Civil Beat.

Two real estate associations have endorsed U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz for Senate and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for re-election to the 2nd Congressional District of the House. Associated Press.

The state Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to retain schools Superintendent Kathryn Mata­yo­shi for another three years, but before her contract is finalized she has to come back to the board with steps she will take to address concerns raised in a scathing independent survey of pubic school principals. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii school board renewed Department of Education Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi’s contract Tuesday, essentially guaranteeing her another three years on the job starting June 30. Civil Beat.

Inmates at Halawa Correctional Facility can no longer touch or kiss their loved ones now that the medium-security prison has become the state's first no-contact prison. Star-Advertiser.

A multi-million dollar settlement was announced today in the federal discrimination lawsuit on behalf of hundreds of immigrant Thai workers who were abused and mistreated by a labor contractor and local farms for 4 years. Hawaii Public Radio.

Four Hawaii farms are settling a discrimination lawsuit for a total of $2.4 million for allegations they exploited hundreds of Thai workers. Associated Press.

Four Hawaii agricultural concerns have agreed to pay a combined $2.4 million to their former Thai laborers in a settlement of a lawsuit that named the farms as accomplices in worker harassment, racial discrimination and retaliation, federal officials announced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii's next president will likely be paid less than the last three UH presidents, but several key provisions of his contract still must be negotiated that could leave taxpayers on the hook. Hawaii News Now.

The 35th America’s Cup may turn into a bidding war for prospective venue hosts such as Hawaii and San Francisco, where the last event was held, according to the protocol released this week between the Golden Gate Yacht Club, which is the current holder of the America’s Cup won by Larry Ellison’s Team Oracle USA last year, and Team Australia’s Hamilton Island Yacht Club. Pacific Business News.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, an Army veteran who has served two tours in the Middle East, asked President Barack Obama on Monday to use his executive power to allow veterans to access private medical care outside of the Veterans Affairs system without VA pre-approval and bureaucratic red tape. Hawaii Reporter.

First Hawaiian Bank, the largest financial institution in the state by assets, is assuring customers that the potential $10 billion fine that its Paris-based parent is facing will not affect local operations. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. and its subsidiaries are seeking regulatory approval to modify a rule that deals with connecting renewable energy systems, namely rooftop solar photovoltaic systems, to their grids, according to a 438-page filing this week with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the city’s 2015 fiscal year budget, capping off three months of debate that has included adjustments to Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s funding priorities. Civil Beat.

Residents would have to pay the city to take away sofas, refrigerators and other bulky trash from their curbside, under a bill scheduled to get its first airing before the Hono­lulu City Council on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A lengthy environmental battle over a planned oceanfront hotel and condominium tower next to the Moana Surfrider Hotel in Wai­kiki is moving to the Hawaii Supreme Court. Star-Advertiser.

A four-year-old fight between the city and a hui of environmental groups over a 2010 variance granted to Kyo-ya Hotels and Resorts for a 26-story hotel and condo tower in Waikīkī is expected to be taken up by the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court later this year. Hawaii Independent.

In the next 100 days advocates will assess 1,000 homeless people in urban and leeward Oahu and put 15 of them in an apartment. The overall goal is to have the chronic homeless, the most difficult with the highest needs, in a home in just two years. Hawaii News Now.

Tom Rounds, a legendary broadcasting executive and one of the original "Poi Boys," who helped put island station KPOI on the map, died Sunday in Los Angeles. He was 77. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Six County Council members will ask voters for another two-year term. Following a deadline Tuesday, more than half of the nine-member panel filed for re-election. Two council members — Brenda Ford and J Yoshimoto — face term limits, while one freshman representative is choosing not to run again. Tribune-Herald.

Thirty-two candidates are seeking to represent Big Island residents at the state Capitol. Ten of the isle’s 11 state House and Senate seats will be on the Aug. 9 primary ballot, with all but one contested. Tribune-Herald.

Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd will have to justify in court her authority to head the department, following a ruling by 3rd Circuit Court Judge Ronald Ibarra. West Hawaii Today.

Former County Council member Kelly Greenwell won’t serve jail time after all. Greenwell, 74, was sentenced to five days in jail in 2010 on a charge of resisting arrest during a traffic stop in Kailua-Kona. Greenwell appeared before 3rd Circuit Court Judge Ronald Ibarra Tuesday afternoon, on a motion by the county’s Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to see Greenwell’s sentenced imposed. West Hawaii Today.

A 3rd Circuit Court judge issued a temporary restraining order to halt construction work at Keauhou Bay, pending a hearing on a lawsuit filed late last month. West Hawaii Today.

The public is invited to a meeting tonight in Hilo about a National Park Service study about World War II internment sites in Hawaii. The session is set for 6-8 p.m. at the Hawaii Japanese Center at 751 Kanoelehua Ave. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County will see several competitive races in the upcoming elections as veteran council members try to reclaim their old seats relinquished because of term limits and as former Maui Mayor James "Kimo" Apana seeks to get back into politics at the state level. Maui News.

It is still yet to be seen if a citizens' initiative calling for a moratorium on genetically modified organisms in Maui County will be placed on the general election ballot on Nov. 4, Maui County Clerk Danny Mateo said Tuesday. Maui News.

Maui Electric Co. customers who are not on solar power will see their rates rise following the Public Utilities Commission's approval Friday of "sales decoupling" tariffs for the utility. Maui News.

A resort condominium in Lahaina plans to replace an old seawall to protect the property from winter storms. Associated Press.

Kauai

The window for candidates to file for public office in this year’s election has closed. Thirty-three Kauai residents have thrown their hat in the ring to run for 11 state and county seats up for re-election this year, including all 11 incumbents. Garden Island.

Professional surfer, environmental activist, mixed martial arts fighter and North Shore native Dustin Barca filed Monday to run for Kauai County mayor in the 2014 election. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council will consider today whether the proposed charter amendment to further regulate genetically modified organisms and pesticides on the island should be amended or put to voters in its current form. Garden Island.

Kapaa will lose a piece of its history when doors to the Kojima Store close at the end of the month. Garden Island.

Molokai

The state Dept. of Land and Natural Resources is investigating a confrontation that turned ugly between Molokai residents and a group of Honolulu divers. The state said the incident apparently stems from a long-running dispute between residents and outsiders who come to fish and hunt at the island. KHON2.