Relentless Kilauea volcano threatens more homes, emergency workers caught sleeping, Trump expands Oahu and Kauai emergency declaration, OHA trustee sues Ethics Commission, prostitution rises with RIMPAC, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

USGS scientist studies Kilauea volcano on June 25 PC: USGS

Fresh lava oozes in Kapoho Beach Lots, expands south along shoreline. Fissure 8 continues to be very active, feeding the lava channel flowing into the ocean in Kapoho. Star-Advertiser.

Fissure 8 Lava Flow is Expanding South. Hawaii Public Radio.

At least two more homes in Kapoho Beach Lots are expected to be damaged or destroyed today. Tribune-Herald.

Lt. Col. Charles Anthony, the voice and face of the state Department of Defense for nearly 24 years, is retiring and will become director of public affairs for Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Star-Advertiser.

Workers At Agency That Sent False Alert Were Seen Sleeping. Emails released by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency also indicate concerns were voiced about how to cancel an alert. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is holding open houses to educate the public on its plans for disasters such as hurricanes, tsunamis, severe flooding, and wildfires. KHON2.

The Trump administration has expanded its response to the April flooding on Kauai and Oahu to include federal disaster assistance for individuals. Star-Advertiser.

People whose homes were damaged or destroyed in April's historic flooding disaster will now be able to receive federal help. Hawaii News Now.

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Supreme Court Deals A Major Blow To Public Sector Unions. The high court rules that unions can’t force nonmembers to pay membership dues, saying it violates the First Amendment. Civil Beat.

Union leaders say they don't expect members to opt out after Supreme Court ruling. KHON2.

Economists: Public Employee Union Membership Is Bound To Drop. Compulsory union dues are a thing of the past due to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. But some say a pro-union culture in the islands will prevail. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision that government workers cannot be required to contribute to labor unions came as no surprise to the state’s largest union, the Hawaii Government Employees Association. Star-Advertiser.

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Political Intrigue: What This Consultant Is Doing In Hawaii Is A Mystery. Strategies 360 won’t reveal a single client or issue it’s supporting in the islands. But the company has assembled a stable of well-known local talent. Civil Beat.

Republican gubernatorial contenders’ views differ in debate. If there is one thing that Andria Tupola and John Carroll agree on it’s that Gov. David Ige did a poor job handling Hawaii’s now infamous false missile alert. Star-Advertiser.

'Message of change': Republican candidates for governor square off in debate. Hawaii News Now.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee Rowena Akana had vowed to fight ethics charges filed against her, and on Wednesday she did just that, filing a lawsuit that aims to block the effort. Star-Advertiser.

The state ethics commission is now facing a new lawsuit from an Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee. Hawaii News Now.

Are Hawaii's government computers ready for ransomware? IT departments wage a constant battle to keep cyber threats out, safeguarding sensitive information and preventing services from shutting down. KITV.

69 public schools offer free summer meals. But most kids don't claim them. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii pesticide ban. Chlorpyrifos is a pesticide that’s in wide use around the world; it’s legal in 49 US States, and its use was legal in Hawaii until a couple of weeks ago, when Hawaii became the first state in the nation to ban its use. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council Budget Committee on Wednesday advanced a resolution urging Honolulu’s rail board to seek a private partner to help build the final segment of the 20-mile transit line. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council is considering a resolution designating Chinatown as a slum. It sounds ugly and negative, but it could bring federal help if it’s done. KITV.

City leaders consider criminal charges for monster home violators. Hawaii News Now.

Demand for prostitution increases in Honolulu while RIMPAC is in town. Honolulu becomes a home base to military members from 25 nations during RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific. KITV.

Union kicks off hotel talks with rally. Organized labor took a beating on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., but you wouldn’t have known that by the show of force exhibited by the 1,500 Unite Here Local 5 hotel workers who kicked off bargaining talks with a rally Wednesday in Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

Teacher Training on Houseless Students Conducted. There are an estimated 300 children in Hawaii believed to be houseless. Hawaii Public Radio.

Vietnam veterans to be recognized at Fort Shafter. Forty-six years ago this Friday, the 196th Light Infantry was the last U.S. Army combat brigade to leave Vietnam as part of the withdrawal from the war. Star-Advertiser.

A Pearl City restaurant shuts down after roach infestation discovered. The Department of Health has issued a red placard to Buzz's Original Steakhouse in Pearl City. Hawaii News Now.

Roach infestation shuts down popular Pearl City restaurant. KHON2.

Walmart is hosting a celebration at 7:45 a.m. today to recognize the grand opening of the Hawaii Walmart Academy and the program’s inaugural graduating class. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Looting and squatting in vacant houses is a growing problem in some of the Puna neighborhoods that have been evacuated and closed off to the public because of the Kilauea eruption, according to area residents. Star-Advertiser.

County mulls options for housing of lava evacuees as grassroots efforts continue. During public meetings in Pahoa, Hawaii County officials have mostly been vague about what a housing plan for those displaced by the Kilauea eruption might look like. Tribune-Herald.

Ige’s comments create confusion over possible lava viewing site. Gov. David Ige said at a news conference Monday that a much-discussed lava viewing area might be built outside of the Puna district — comments that were clarified Wednesday by Ige’s staff. Tribune-Herald.

Ocean Robots Collect Data From Kilauea Flow. Big Island Now.

Incredible video captures the rescue of stranded farm animals from isolation on the other side of the giant lava channel flowing in Puna. Big Island Video News.

A bill authorizing the county to pick up abandoned vehicles on private roads soon will be back before the County Council after a unanimous endorsement Wednesday by the Environmental Management Commission. West Hawaii Today.

“Love Activates” is the theme for Saturday’s Hawaii Island LGBTQ Pride Parade and Festival in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Fire Chief Jeffrey A. Murray retires on June 30th, 2018, after 10 years at the helm of the department. Maui Now.

Maui Fire Department Chief Jeff Murray will retire Saturday after 29 years with the department. Star-Advertiser.

Maui County’s abandoned vehicles staff does not see many major problems with a new state law requiring counties to remove and dispose of abandoned vehicles along public roads within 10 business days of being declared abandoned. Maui News.

A new study includes two Maui locations on a top 10 list of the best ocean beach towns in the US. Maui Now.

Two Hawaii beach towns crack top 10 in new national ranking. Pacific Business News.

Maui County website lists legal vacation rental developments. Maui News.

Kauai

Biggest Local Election In A Generation. New political blood is assured as six candidates seek the mayorship and a whopping field of 24 seek posts on the County Council. Civil Beat.

Counseling, unemployment assistance and a Disaster Relief Center are all coming to Kauai, courtesy of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Garden Island.

There was no shortage of heroes in the aftermath of the storm that dumped a record-breaking four feet of rain on Hanalei in April. Garden Island.

Employee behind false missile alert outed, officials react to Trump v. Hawaii travel ban loss, state abortion info law in jeopardy, public-private rail partnership mulled, lava viewing area likely, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

HI-EMA informational briefing © 2018 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency has “inadvertently” released the name of the so-called button pusher, Scott Harrison, the employee they blamed for the incident and later fired, who sent a false ballistic missile alert Jan. 13 that plunged Hawaii residents and visitors into 38 minutes of uncertainty. Star-Advertiser.

Five months after a false missile alert was sent to all Hawaii cellphones, the state has released a trove of emails related to the incident. Hawaii News Now.

Senate Votes To Give Missile Alert Authority To Feds. Legislation being pushed by Hawaii’s federal delegation would take the task of warning about incoming missiles away from the state. Civil Beat.

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Hawaii’s congressional and government leaders reacted with dismay at the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold President Donald Trump’s third version of a travel ban for individuals from several mostly Muslim countries. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s Tuesday decision in the case of Trump v. Hawaii, which affirmed broad executive powers to restrict or prohibit travel from majority-Muslim countries for national security purposes, inspired universal rebuke among Hawaii politicians and activist groups. West Hawaii Today.

Lt. Gov. calls U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Trump travel ban "hurtful". Hawaii led the nation contesting President Donald Trump's revised travel ban. KITV.

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A Hawaii law aimed at making religious-based pregnancy centers give women information about abortion as an option could be deemed unconstitutional, following a U.S. Supreme Court decision Tuesday that said a similar law enacted in California likely violates the First Amendment’s protection of free speech. Star-Advertiser.

Supreme Court rules in favor of pro-life groups; The decision may apply to Hawaii laws. Hawaii News Now.

How Hawaii Governor Candidates Would Handle Burgeoning Pension Debt. Whoever wins the race for governor will have to balance a budget that includes billion-dollar payments for retired state workers. Civil Beat.

The two leading Republican candidates for governor of Hawaii will square off Wednesday night in a Hawaii News Now debate. The event will feature state. Rep. Andria Tupola and former state Sen. John Carroll, and touch on a host of issues facing the islands. Hawaii News Now.

RIMPAC expected to boost Hawaii's economy. The big guns have arrived for Rim of the Pacific exercises known as RIMPAC. KITV.

Thousands of sailors streamed off warships Tuesday while tons of food was loaded back on as Pearl Harbor continues to fill up ahead of big Rim of the Pacific war games. Star-Advertiser.

Hotel performance in May helped keep industry growth strong during the first five months of 2018. Star-Advertiser.

Uncertain Future for High Speed Internet Access in Hawaii. Hawaii Public Radio.

Farm-to-school program to be implemented at all 256 public schools. Hawaii News Now.

New law requires change to public school curriculum. Lawmakers and educators want more students to learn about computer science, so they will be better equipped in the future. This also means teachers need to be trained in the field. KHON2.

Why Hawaii Doesn’t Publish An Official Voters’ Guide. In many other states, pamphlets with information about candidates and issues on the ballot are sent to voters before an election. Civil Beat.

A new report says Hawaii is one of the best states in the nation for LGBTQ families to live in. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is inching closer toward finding a private partner to help complete the $8.165 billion rail project despite lingering reservations by some HART board members. Star-Advertiser.

New Dialysis Clinics Finally Open. The facilities have been mainly idle for years while waiting for state inspections. Civil Beat.

An Oahu family of four bringing in $93,300 or less this year is considered "low income" under newly-released U.S. Housing and Urban Development guidelines. These guidelines are used to determine who can qualify for affordable and subsidized housing programs. Hawaii News Now.

The state is investigating the death of 50 to 100 baby hammerhead sharks found on land near the La Mariana Sailing Club at Keehi Lagoon, according to officials. Star-Advertiser.

Experts ask for tougher laws after baby hammerhead sharks found dead near Keehi Lagoon. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Lava viewing area on the table; county also receives requests to reopen roads. As the lower Puna eruption continues, the county is evaluating ways to safely reopen roads in the area and even allow people to view the lava. Tribune-Herald.

Puna Residents Set Up This Awesome Center For Volcano Refugees. With no end to the disaster in sight, the “Hub” serves up food, supplies, hot showers, massages and a chance to talk story. Civil Beat.

The Bodacious Women of Pahoa are living up to their name by running a relief center and other services for Puna residents affected by the Kilauea eruption, while making sure their own community is prepared for the next calamity. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Department of Labor has given the State of Hawaii  permission to offer Disaster Unemployment Assistance in Hawaii County as part of the joint state-federal response to the ongoing seismic activity and volcanic eruption on Hawaii Island. Maui Now.

Incumbent state Sen. Lorraine Inouye and challenger Heather Kimball faced off Monday night in a wide-ranging forum touching on repairing the Big Island’s post-eruption economy, shortages of doctors and teachers, cesspools, money in politics and making government more efficient. West Hawaii Today.

Glenn Gray, principal of Holualoa Elementary School, will take over as principal of Kealakehe High School on July 2, the Department of Education confirmed Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo will establish a new academic college when the Division of Natural Sciences, School of Nursing and Department of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences merge to become the College for Natural and Health Sciences on July 1. Tribune-Herald.

Temporary canopies approved as Hilo Farmers Market makes progress to comply with codes. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Rep. Kaniela Ing Apologizes for Campaign Violations, Vows to Move Forward. Maui Now.

Charges are pending against an alleged poacher of rare Haleakala silversword plants. Star-Advertiser.

Charges are pending against two visitors to Haleakala National Park after they were accused of picking the rare silversword plant. Hawaii News Now.

Haleakala National Park Law Enforcement Rangers and Maui Police Department recovered rare Haleakala silversword plants or “ahinahina” that had been removed by a visitor from Haleakala’s summit.  Maui Now.

Kauai

While people on Oahu set to the streets on Tuesday opposing the Supreme Court’s decision backing President Donald Trump’s travel ban, Kauai folks say it’s more fodder for Saturday’s Families Belong Together rally. Garden Island.

All systems were restored at the County of Kauai’s Drivers License Division and Motor Vehicle Registration Tuesday. Garden Island.

Molokai

Maui Electric crews have restored all power to customers on Molokai after an outage Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Ige signals he may veto 11 bills, lava toll now 657 homes, Honolulu city error stops drivers license offices statewide, plus lots of politics, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Screenshot of Gov. David Ige announcing possible vetoes

 Gov. David Ige is considering vetoing 11 bills passed by lawmakers this session, including a measure that would authorize the use of medical marijuana to treat drug addiction; a bill that would create minimum, statewide standards for law enforcement officers; and a bill that would allow motorcycles to drive in designated shoulder lanes.  Star-Advertiser.

Gov Ige to consider vetoing up to 11 new bills. KITV.

Gov. David Ige held a news conference in Honolulu today, after notifying lawmakers of his intent to veto 11 measures. Big Island Video News.

Gov. David Ige has notified legislative leaders and key lawmakers of his Intent to Veto list, which includes 11 measures. Maui Now.

Read the governor's full intent-to-veto list here.

Ige: Hawaii Not Ready For Police Standards Board. A bill to create the board passed unanimously, but if the governor follows through on his intent-to-veto list, Hawaii will remain the only state without one. Civil  Beat.

Governor rejects measures related to medical cannabis, motorcycles. Hawaii News Now.

Some members of the state’s visitor industry are applauding Gov. David Ige’s decision to place a bill that would have increased visitor taxes on his intent-to-veto list. Star-Advertiser.

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How Hawaii Governor Candidates Would Handle Burgeoning Pension Debt. Whoever wins the race for governor will have to balance a budget that includes billion-dollar payments for retired state workers. Civil Beat.

There are a lot of choices in the race for lieutenant governor, and on Monday evening, five Democrats, two Republicans and one Green Party candidate tried to stand out from the crowded ballot during a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Hawaii County. West Hawaii Today.

Commentary: Race Still Matters In Hawaii Politics. When an analyst said Ed Case has an advantage as the only white Democrat running for Congress, many of us were taken aback. We shouldn’t have been. Civil Beat.

Businessman Runs For Senate In Hawaii — And Several Other States. The California millionaire says he loves Hawaii, but he’s also running in Florida, Minnesota, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming. Civil Beat.

Hawaii leaders are weighing in on the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Tuesday to uphold President Donald Trump’s travel ban, a policy that put the state at the forefront of a months-long legal challenge. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is inviting the public to submit input for the state's multi-hazard mitigation plan update in a series of open houses. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

City to double Saturday staff at some driver licensing centers, satellite city halls after outage. KHON2.

A widespread outage affected hundreds of people who wanted to renew their drivers licenses, get a state ID or pay their property taxes at the city's 10 satellite city halls Monday. Hawaii News Now.

City repairs outage at Honolulu satellite city halls and statewide driver’s licensing centers. Star-Advertiser.

A statewide computer outage Monday prevented Department of Motor Vehicle customers from obtaining driver’s licenses, state of Hawaii identification cards, registrations, renewals and titles. Garden Island.

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A 47-year-old woman changed her plea to "no contest" on Monday to first-degree theft charges for allegedly selling diabetic test strips on the black market. Hawaii News Now.

U.S. Army Hawaii will be hosting its 47th annual "4th of July Spectacular" event from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Independence Day. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency reported Monday that 657 homes have been destroyed by the massive volcanic flow that began May 3 in Lower Puna and has since covered 6,164 acres with lava. Star-Advertiser.

Ahalanui Beach Park might be the next area threatened by lava as the flow front in lower Puna inches southward toward Warm Ponds. Tribune-Herald.

Gov. David Ige announced Monday that he is considering opening up a new area for people to view the lava on Hawaii island. KHON2.

The ideal site to safely witness the ongoing Kilauea eruption may not even be close to the source in Hawaii island’s vast Puna district, Gov. David Ige said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Helicopter Tours of Kilauea Volcano are Booked Solid. he Kilauea Eruption on the Big Island has carved a path of destruction in Pahoa but business is booming for tour companies offering an up-close view of the lava flow. Hawaii Public Radio.

State ready to offer financial support, but Hawaii County has to ask. Star-Advertiser.

The Kilauea eruption has taken a toll on many Puna flower farms, leading to limited availability and higher prices for certain items statewide. Hawaii News Now.

NASA has been using satellites to assist first responders dealing with the volcanic eruptions on the Big Island. KITV.

As management of the emergency resulting from the Kilauea volcano eruption that began May 3 transitions from response to recovery mode, the number of Hawaii Army and Air National Guard troops deployed to East Hawaii has declined dramatically. Tribune-Herald.

Inside and outside, Jaggar Museum sees big impacts of Kilauea eruptions. Hawaii News Now.

Kilauea lava channel transports 'lava boats'. Geologists captured this time-lapse video of the perched lava channel issuing from Fissure 8 on Kilauea’s lower East Rift Zone on Saturday. West Hawaii Today.

There will be a community meeting Thursday on the ongoing seismic activity at the summit and the continued closure of the Kilauea section of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Big Island Video News.

Congresswoman and candidate for Hawaii governor Colleen Hanabusa is calling for “immediate action to protect Puna residents’ voting rights”, and to avoid the sort of disaster-related upheaval she witnessed in 2014, in the wake of Hurricane Iselle, during her run for U.S. Senate. Big Island Video News.

Puna Councilwoman Jen Ruggles has withdrawn her candidacy for re-election, leaving two political newcomers as the voters’ choice for the District 5 council seat. West Hawaii Today.

$95M Kailua-Kona development project set for completion in 2020. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Mayor Alan Arakawa today announced the appointment of Planning Director Will Spence to serve as Director of the Department of Housing & Human Concerns, and Planning Deputy Director Michele McLean as Planning Director. Maui Now.

Housing summit set for landlords, rental managers. Focus aimed on renting to homeless, lower income people. Maui News.

The Maui Department of Environmental Management Wastewater Reclamation Division issued a reminder to customers today that the sewer user fee will increase by an average of 3%, effective July 1, 2018. Maui Now.

East Maui Sees Largest Stream Restoration in Hawaii History. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Hearing set on tax proposal. Shall 3 percent of real property tax revenues be earmarked for the purpose of affordable housing? Garden Island.

Former County Council member and former prosecuting attorney Shaylene Iseri has filed to run for the council again. Garden Island.

A recently approved solar-plus-storage project on Kauai will help the island achieve its 2030 renewable energy goals 10 years ahead of time. Pacific Business News.

Geothermal plant 'essentially safe' from lava inundation, Kim leads Chin for Congress in poll, state halts Manoa Stream plan after protests, volcano burns Big Island budget, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Lava spatter from Kilauea volcano PC: Janice Wei

Geothermal plant declared ‘essentially safe’. A geothermal well field next to a volcanic rift that is fountaining lava was declared “essentially safe” Tuesday after measures were taken to prevent uncontrolled releases of underground fluids and gases. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige and the state’s Civil Defense chief expressed confidence Tuesday that the risk of a hydrogen sulfide release at Puna Geothermal Venture has been mitigated as lava creeps onto its property. Tribune-Herald.

State and county officials, including Governor David Ige and Hawaii Emergency Management Agency administrator Tom Travis, told a room full of anxious Puna residents that they have managed to plug up the 11th and final well on the Puna Geothermal Venture property, as lava from the lower East Rift Zone eruption nears. Big Island Video News.

Officials Monitoring Lava Flows and Air Quality; PGV "Essentially Safe". Hawaii Public Radio.

Lava continues to inch toward Puna Geothermal Venture's plant, but officials said Tuesday that efforts to quench or plug all 11 wells at the site were successful and that the risk of hazardous gases being released into the community if lava is low. Hawaii News Now.

Former Hawaii Geothermal site destroyed by lava; PGV says risk of of hydrogen sulfide release ‘minimal’. Tribune-Herald.

"Highly active" eruptions won't let up in lower Puna, where residents whose lives have been upended for nearly three weeks are now facing an increasingly dangerous and multi-faceted threat: Rivers of lava threatening homes and creeping closer toward a geothermal plant, eruptions spitting out elevated emissions, and flows cascading into the ocean and creating clouds of toxic gas, steam and tiny slivers of glass. Hawaii News Now.

Civil Beat Poll: Kim Leads Chin In Race For Congress. Fukumoto and Ing show strength among younger voters, many of whom remain undecided. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A proposal to give the mayor the power to hire and fire Honolulu’s police chief was killed Tuesday by a City Council committee. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Won’t Get Power To Hire Or Fire Honolulu Police Chief. Councilman Ikaika Anderson pulls back his proposals to shake up how the city selects police and fire chiefs and commissions. Civil Beat.

The Case Of A Honolulu Cop Fired For Domestic Violence Is About To Go Public. Darren Cachola, a former HPD sergeant, could get his job back four years after he was caught on tape beating his girlfriend inside a Honolulu restaurant. Civil Beat.

City files class-action suit against service members with abandoned cars. In an effort to speed up its ability to dispose of current and future vehicles abandoned by military service members, the city filed a class-action lawsuit today seeking to consolidate required hearings for the owners into one case. Star-Advertiser.

Manoa Professors Raise A Stink About Sludge Pits — And Get Results. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources officials say they will postpone a stream dredging plan in Manoa to confer with residents. Civil Beat.

Under pressure from outraged Manoa residents, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources agreed to place a controversial dredging and tree cutting project on hold. Hawaii News Now.

Plans to make improvements to Manoa Stream were put on pause Tuesday after residents in the area voiced their concerns. KHON2.

Campers migrate daily from Kakaako sidewalks to Mother Waldron Park. Star-Advertiser.

Would New Uber And Lyft Rules Hit West Side Drivers Hardest? A lot of drivers live on the Leeward Coast, where incomes are generally lower and driving distances are longer. Civil Beat.

About 82,500 gallons of sewage was spilled in a ditch at the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant on Tuesday afternoon. Hawaii News Now.

About 82,500 gallons of wastewater discharged today at the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant in Aikahi near Kailua Bay. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Council members stood firm Tuesday that they’re not ready to raise taxes to plug a $7 million hole in the budget that county officials attribute to an ongoing volcanic emergency in Puna. West Hawaii Today.

On Tuesday, the Hawaii County Council dove into the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, but there are already deep concerns over how the eruption in the lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea, only two weeks old, will impact revenues. Big Island Video News.

Mayor Harry Kim has been diagnosed with walking pneumonia but is continuing his work, Managing Director Wil Okabe said Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

After 'lava bomb' hit him, Big Island man feared for his life. Hawaii News Now.

A Hawaii island man injured by what officials called a lava bomb spoke from his hospital bed Tuesday. KHON2.

Some residents of areas untouched by lava remain despite call to evacuate. Tribune-Herald.

Masks to protect against ashfall to be distributed on Big Island. Hawaii News Now.

From tourism to farming, many industries are taking a big hit because of the eruption. The Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce says hotels, bed and breakfasts, and tour operators are seeing a 50 percent drop in business. KHON2.

The arrow-shaped Mauna Lani Bay Hotel &Bungalows, a Hawaii island fixture for nearly four decades, will close this fall for a $100 million renovation triggering temporary layoffs for about 400 employees. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Central Kihei residents can expect intermittent water service from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday while contractors work on a waterline tie-in, the Department of Water Supply announced. Maui News.

Stranded hikers are airlifted from Bamboo Forest trail. Maui News.

Kauai

The county’s operating budget and capital improvement projects budget were approved by the Kauai County Council during a committee meeting Tuesday, and a bill offering a real property tax exemption to home owners who install automatic fire suppression systems was moved to the full council. Garden Island.

Kapaa resident Nelson Mukai, 54, has thrown his hat into the race for Kauai County Council. Garden Island.

Commentary: The public has a right to tsunami inundation maps

1946 Hilo Bay tsunami PC: Wikipedia Commons

Tsunami maps drawn by scientists or tsunami maps drawn by the government?

I chose the former. And you should, too.

I am almost at the end of a more than four-year wait for copies of Hawaii Island's tsunami inundation maps, after the state Office of Information practices on May 10 overturned the then state Department of Defense's denial of the records. The opinion, No. 18-02, has not yet been posted online.

UPDATED June 10, 2018: Opinion No. 18-02 can be found here.

Almost at the end of the wait, that is, unless the state Emergency Management Agency decides to request reconsideration or appeal. The agency has until May 24 to ask OIP for reconsideration; it has until June 9 to appeal to circuit court.

The state argued an exemption under the state Uniform Information Practices Act that the records must be confidential in order to avoid the frustration of a legitimate government function. Releasing the maps, state officials said, would only "confuse" people. I argued there is no confusion exemption in the UIPA, and the public has the right to see maps purchased with their tax dollars.

The county uses the scientists' inundation maps to create evacuation maps, which are made public.

"The requested documents are used for the development of emergency management and/or emergency response plans, which include instructions to help ensure the safety of the public. The disclosure of the tsunami inundation maps, which are not disclosed to the public, but are used to help establish tsunami evacuation zones, would endanger the life and/or physical safety of members of the public who may be confused by the difference between the inundation limits and the tsunami evacuation Lines developed by the county," the state argued.

OIP said that's not enough reason to withhold the maps. All of the other states bordering the Pacific Ocean publish the maps online, OIP said in its opinion.

Here's how California does it. The state even allows the public to download the spatial data, so they can make their own maps.

"OIP understands the tsunami inundation maps to be essentially factual, representing the current scientific understanding of how a tsunami would affect the area mapped, whereas the tsunami evacuation zone maps represent a governmental policy decision as to what portions of the area mapped should be evacuated in the face of a tsunami warning," OIP said in its opinion.

"CDD's argument that, in essence, the public cannot safely possess such factual information about the likely horizontal measurement of the path of a tsunami, contradicts the purposes of the UIPA," the opinion added.

I wanted the maps in order to compare what scientists thought were critical inundation areas to what the government ultimately created as evacuation zones.

I'm not saying our own government would do this, but I can imagine a scenario where an important official or major campaign donor could be left out of a zone. A slight wiggle of the map lines here or there could translate into millions more dollars in property resale value or thousands less in property insurance.

The most common conflicts of interest in local government happen when officeholders face a vote on real property/land use issues that affect their own holdings, according to the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics program in Government Ethics at Santa Clara University.

Bottom line, the public has the right to compare the two maps. With the current volcano and earthquake emergency on the Big Island, it's more important now than ever that we know where inundation zones are.

Major mahalos to the nonprofit Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest and its director, Brian Black, for helping me with this appeal. The Law Center, incidentally, is the 2018 winner of the Big Island Press Club's Torch of Light award, given to an individual or entity who brightens the public’s right to know.

Government records belong to the public, not the government. We have a right to know.

Diamond Head certificate seller cited, lawmakers mull emergency preparedness, pot brownies send schoolgirls to hospital, Maui plans landfill expansion, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

DLNR cites Diamond Head certificate seller, courtesy photo

State halts Diamond Head hawker’s venture. Tourists who make it to the top of Diamond Head State Monument have been buying certificates from Christopher Barclay for years. Star-Advertiser.

DLNR cited man for allegedly asking people for $5 when they reach the summit of Diamond Head. KITV.

State officers issued a cease and desist order to a man for was allegedly selling items on top of Diamond Head without a permit. Hawaii News Now.

State officials have cited a man for conducting commercial activities on top of Diamond Head without a permit. KHON2.

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Are Hawaii Industries At Risk If A Trade War Breaks Out? The islands make more from exported scrap metals than from coffee, cocoa, macadamia nuts and papaya combined. Civil Beat.

Government Transparency An Early Loser In Legislative Session. Open government bills have mostly died, and some measures restricting information are still alive. Civil Beat.

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The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency on Thursday laid out for lawmakers what could happen if a “worst-case scenario” tsunami or hurricane hit the vital port region with 3 feet of water and high winds. Star-Advertiser.

HI-EMA say the state does not have enough shelters if a category 3 or above hurricane hits the island. The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency unveiled scenarios showing a direct hit could shut down Honolulu Harbor and cause food and water to reach critical levels within five days. KITV.

Lawmakers discuss Hawaii's preparedness for disaster. It's unimaginable to think about but what would happen if another disaster hit Hawaii? That's the question lawmakers focused on Thursday. KHON2.

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A bill that would shift authority over the state’s airports from the Department of Transportation to an airport corporation was successfully passed Thursday by the state Senate. Tribune-Herald.

FBI joins investigation into OHA spending, contracts. Multiple sources say the state and federal authorities have broadened their probe, requesting copies of OHA contracts, trustee emails and financial records of OHA’s nonprofit subsidiaries. Hawaii News Now.

The Federal Trade Commission has agreed to allow the parent companies of the state’s only two air ambulance providers to merge as long as one of the medevac firms is sold to prevent a monopoly in the islands. Star-Advertiser.

New Boeing aircraft opens up possibility for Hawaiian to launch nonstop Europe flights. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Rail Agency To Buy Trucks For Power Company — And Save $130M. It’s a rare financial bright spot for the massive Honolulu project, which has struggled to stay on budget. Civil Beat.

The United States Army had an awkward moment Thursday when an air-dropped package missed its mark by about five miles. Hawaii News Now.

YMCA sues developer over failed plans for Central Oahu location. The four-story, multicolored building across from the Ala Moana Hotel is also an affordable residential facility for both men and women. Hawaii News Now.

The residents of a large homeless encampment near the Waianae Small Boat Harbor say they are agitated and worried about their future after state officials publicly announced this week that they would be working to close the camp in the coming months. Star-Advertiser.

State Plans To Sweep Longtime Homeless Camp At Waianae Boat Harbor. For more than a decade, people have been living in the self-governed community, and about 200 are there now. Civil Beat.

A recent court decision is casting new light on what to do about Red Hill. It's where the military has 20 massive underground steel tanks; one, which leaked 27,000 gallons. A circuit court judge ruled that the state Department of Health improperly gave the military an exemption from underground fuel storage rules. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

Army-Air Force effort to fly major equipment between islands for quick aid. From the belly of the C-17 Globemaster at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport on Thursday rolled out two Ford F-550 brush trucks ready to head to Pohakuloa Training Area. West Hawaii Today.

Mayor luncheon connects biz, county leaders; today final day for tickets. West Hawaii Today.

Reported pot brownies send 2 Kealakehe students to hospital. Hawaii Island police responded to Kealakehe High School at 12:15 p.m. Thursday to a report of a female juvenile being transported to the Kona Community Hospital by medics after ingesting a brownie, passing out and experiencing convulsions. West Hawaii Today.

Two female juveniles at Kealakehe High School were taken to Kona Community Hospital after eating brownies that are believed to have contained marijuana, police say. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The county Department of Environmental Management is proposing a 41-acre addition to the Central Maui Landfill in Puunene that would include a storage area for abandoned vehicles, a metals processing facility, a recycling area for building and demolition wastes and a facility for managing and holding of household hazardous and electronic wastes. Maui News.

Single family home sales on Maui increased 51% from this time last year and 10% from month before levels, according to new data released by the Realtors Association of Maui. Maui Now.

Kahului-headquartered Haleakala Solar has been sold to California-based PetersenDean Roofing & Solar, which has plans for significant expansion of the four-decade-old photovoltaic, battery storage and water heater installation company. Maui News.

Maui-based Fork & Salad is planning a Mainland expansion through a partnership with franchisor Fransmart, which is responsible for expanding such brands as Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Qdoba Mexican Grill. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Monk seal population is growing. Currently, an average of between three and five seals are reported daily at Poipu as compared to between one and five seals reported over the past few years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Garden Island.

Vandals strike at Poipu Beach Park. A newly improved playground at Poipu Beach Park was discovered vandalized by members of the public on Tuesday. Garden Island.

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

Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park 2018 All Hawaii News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oahu

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hawaii Island

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

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

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

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

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

Maui

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

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

Commercial waste haulers need to pay fees. Maui News.

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

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

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

Kauai

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

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

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

Ige, teachers on same page. Garden Island.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oahu

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hawaii Island

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

Surf school management proposal raises concerns. West Hawaii Today.

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

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

Maui

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

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

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

Kauai

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

Occupiers remain at Coco Palms. Garden Island.

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

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