GMO battle moves to Hawaii Legislature, tax breaks for the dead, lawmaker promotes Hawaii marijuana brands, Gore to speak, breastfeeding moms could skip jury duty, Honolulu affordable housing plan falls through, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

GMO corn research in Hawaii, courtesy photo

 The fight over genetically engineered crops is spilling over onto the floor of the Hawaii State Capitol. On Thursday, state lawmakers filed a bill that would prohibit counties from restricting farming practices, including the use of genetically modified organisms, seen as a response to GMO-related laws Hawaii and Kauai counties adopted last year. Tribune-Herald.

Two state lawmakers want to strengthen Hawaii's Right to Farm Act by preventing counties from restricting agricultural technology, modern livestock production and ranching practices that are allowed under federal and state law. The bill was prompted by a Kauai County law that regulates genetically modified organisms and pesticide use and a Hawaii County law that bans new GMO crops. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Rep. Richard Onishi from the Big Island has introduced a bill that would give Hawaii’s 2001 Right to Farm Act more teeth. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island House of Representative Richard H.K. Onishi (Hilo, Keaau, Kurtistown, Pahala, Honoapu, Volcano) is calling for stronger protections for Hawaii’s farmers and ranchers by introducing a bill to strengthen Hawaii’s Right to Farm Act. Hawaii Reporter.

She promised she hasn’t inhaled, but House Majority Floor Leader Rida Cabanilla said she hopes to legalize cultivation, manufacturing and exporting of Marijuana and Marijuana food products in Hawaii to pay off the state’s billions of dollars in unfunded liabilities as well as make infrastructure repairs and fund public education and human services programs. Hawaii Reporter.

Imagine a day when Maui Wowie and Kona Gold are legitimate marijuana brands sold around the world, when Hawaii factories create legal products such as Maui Wowie cookies, cannabis-infused ice cream and marijuana macadamia nut chocolate candies. That day might not be far off if state Rep. Rida Caba­nilla (D, Ewa Beach-West Loch Estates) has her way. The lawmaker has introduced a bill that would lead to a plan to legalize cultivation of marijuana in Hawaii for sale and export to countries where usage is lawful. Star-Advertiser.

The state House of Representatives has introduced a package of bills aimed at improving operations of the Hawaii Health Connector, including one that would move the nonprofit organization under state control, House lawmakers said Thursday. Pacific Business News.

Leaders of two key committees in the Hawaii House say they plan to introduce a package of bills to help fix the state’s troubled health care exchange. The online insurance marketplace under President Barack Obama’s federal health care overhaul has had numerous problems, including a late start to open enrollment and few sign-ups. Associated Press.

Republican leaders in the Hawaii House say they're hopeful their package of bills proposing everything from voter referendums to limits on fee increases will be heard in a chamber dominated by Democrats. Associated Press.

A Hawaii House committee plans to debate a bill that would exempt breastfeeding mothers from jury duty. The bill is part of a package of measures from the Women's Legislative Caucus, a group of women who are lawmakers in the Senate and House. Hawaii News Now.

They are on the front lines protecting children against predators online.  But, here and elsewhere nationwide, those teams battling back child porn are often sorely underfunded and ill-equipped. KITV4.

Former Vice President Al Gore will visit Oahu in April to give a free public lecture on climate change as well as energy and water matters, University of Hawaii officials and Sen. Brian Schatz' office announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

An employee can collect workers' compensation for exposure to vog that aggravates an asthma condition, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The Department of Education and the Labor Industrial Relations Appeals Board both denied a claim by Lynedon Van Ness. But in a 51-page unanimous ruling, the high court held that worsening of the 54-year-old man's asthma from the volcanic smog was related to his employment. Star-Advertiser.

In August, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration  renamed one its facilities in Alaska that’s designed to warn large swaths of the coastal U.S. about impending tsunamis. The West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center would from then on be known as the National Tsunami Warning Center. The name change caused some angst within the ranks of NOAA, particularly for those who worked in the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii. Not only were there initial concerns about operations, but there was also worry that Hawaii’s center might not get as much funding anymore. Civil Beat.

The old saying that “land is power” is still relevant today, and is particularly true out here in the middle of the Pacific, where Hawai`i represents one of the smallest US states by land area. Here’s a brief look at how land is distributed across the main Hawaiian islands, and how it is used. Big Island Now.

Oahu

A $142 million deal to sell Honolulu’s public housing projects to a private developer collapsed Thursday, leaving gaping holes in the city’s budget and potentially submarining Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s ambitious plan to get some of the most chronic homeless off the streets. Civil Beat.

It’s a blow to a key Caldwell initiative, but it may be good for affordable housing. The city’s planned sale of its affordable housing properties has failed. Hawaii Independent.

The state has hired a mainland law firm to handle millions of dollars in environmental legal claims against Matson for last fall's massive molasses spill. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii House Majority Leader Scott Saiki has followed through on his promise to scrutinize the Hawaii Community Development Authority, introducing eight legislative measures that range from curbing the authority of the agency to getting rid of it altogether.  The state organization which manages development in Kakaako and Kalaeloa has been harshly criticized in recent months for approving a slew of new projects last year in Honolulu’s urban core. Civil Beat.

Glenn Martinez spent two days burying the hundreds of tilapia and koi that lived in a pond on his Wai­ma­nalo farm after the fish —worth thousands of dollars — mysteriously died Wednesday in one hour. Star-Advertiser.

It may not be the most pleasing to the eye, but sand bags strapped over large tarps equaled success at keeping scarce sand up against North Shore homes. KHON2.

Mall site blessed despite lack of lease. Construction on the first phase of the 1.4 million-square-foot regional mall Ka Makana Ali' in East Kapolei isn't slated to start until late this year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
When Ben Franklin said, “nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes,” he apparently wasn’t talking about Hawaii County. A comparison of property owners claiming the county homeowner’s exemption against vital statistics from the state Department of Health has discovered 1,200 deceased people benefiting from the exemption, some for as long as 10 years. That’s according to county Real Property Tax Administrator Stan Sitko. West Hawaii Today.

A Big Island charter school principal says bullying is a growing concern on campus, but not among students or teachers. Connections Public Charter School principal John Thatcher said the Hawaii State Ethics Commission and its executive director, Les Kondo, have been so aggressive in their years-long investigation into a conflict-of-interest case that it amounts to bullying. Civil Beat.

Hualalai Academy will close its doors to students in all grade levels at the end of this school year. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa announced he will deliver his 2014 State of the County Address on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 5 to 6 p.m. in the McCoy Studio Theater at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. Maui Now.

Faced with a tight deadline, Maui County Council members wrestled well into Wednesday evening with a number of issues arising from the proposed 203-home Kahoma Village fast-track affordable housing project in Lahaina. Maui News.

Eight prosecutors from Mongolia are on Maui to learn about the U.S. judicial system and observe 2nd Circuit Court proceedings, as their country looks toward judicial reform. Maui News.

Kauai

Plans for the nearly 3,000 acres of Kauai agricultural land recently purchased by Tennessee billionaire Brad Kelley, one of the largest private landowners in the United States, call for keeping it predominately the way it is, the president of Kelley’s real estate holding and development company told Pacific Business News.

Green bulbs, shielded lights and a “common-sense,” turn-them-off approach. These are some of the tools Pacific Missile Range Facility is using in its continued effort to protect Kauai’s native and threatened seabirds. Garden Island.

The Department of Parks and Recreation invites the public to a meeting to discuss the restoration and future use of the Hanalei Courthouse facility. The meeting will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Hale Halawai Ohana o Hanalei Community Center, 5-5299 Kuhio Highway. Garden Island.

Hawaii to consider statewide beach smoking ban, Tusli's re-election video, Hilo judge sides with DLNR in fencing lawsuit, homeless bill of rights, Herding cats: Kauai's licensing bill, public-private hospital bill aims to heal ailing centers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

House lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban smoking at all of the state's public beaches. Laws banning smoking at nearly 300 parks and roughly 4,000 bus stops around Oahu took effect on Jan. 1. Hawaii County parks, beaches and recreational facilities have been smoke-free since 2008, supporters of a ban said at a hearing Wednesday at the state Capitol. Star-Advertiser.

A ban on smoking on all public beaches in Hawaiʻi will be considered at a joint hearing before two House committees today. Maui Now.

More than 40 percent of workers compensation claims filed by employees at the state mental health hospital in Kaneohe in recent years involved assaults on staff members, a top state official told a legislative committee on Wednesday. Yet hospital administrators did little, if anything, to stop the attacks on state employees, staff members say. Civil Beat.

State Rep. John Mizuno has introduced a bill to create a "Homeless Person's Bill of Rights." Star-Advertiser.

Republican leaders in the Hawaii House say they’re hopeful their package of bills proposing everything from voter referendums to limits on fee increases will be heard in a chamber dominated by Democrats. Associated Press.

The leadership battles among Hawaii House Democrats have been well-publicized, culminating in Joe Souki taking back his speakership from Calvin Say a year ago. Much less has been said about power struggles among the seven Republican representatives. And yet, right smack in the middle of the fall special session on same-sex marriage legislation, broadcast live for all the state to see, Bob McDermott attempted a coup. Civil Beat.

Discussion of private nonprofit organizations partnering with the state public hospital system is likely to take center stage among health care concerns this Legislative session, according to state Sen. Josh Green, chairman of the Senate Health Committee. Tribune-Herald.

While the governor's call to bring home more Hawaii convicts from the mainland is a positive step, it does little to fix the root problems with Hawaii's prison system. Hawaii Independent.

(c) 2014 All Hawaii News

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's campaign distributed a new re-election video on Wednesday. The spot clocks in at just under three minutes, and it's exactly the kind of message we've come to expect from Gabbard: Poised, ambitious, and savvy. Civil Beat.

The installation of solar photovoltaic panels across areas served by the Hawaiian Electric Companies rose last year at the slowest rate since 2010, the utility reported Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Two Honolulu City Council members seeking to add sparklers and fountains to the list of permitted fireworks on special holidays say they are hoping a new law can be in place by Dec. 31, if not by Independence Day. Star-Advertiser.

Former state Rep. Marilyn Lee will take out nomination papers on Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, for the seat she previously held. Lee had served as a representative for Mililani Town, Mililani Mauka and Waipio Acres for 16 years. Hawaii Reporter.

San Francisco-based Coastwood Capital Group LLC, a partner in the International Market Place redevelopment, confirmed Wednesday that it has bought the leasehold interest in the adjacent Waikiki Trade Center for an undisclosed sum. Star-Advertiser.

An affordable rental housing nonprofit organization is honoring the late union and social activist Ah Quon McElrath with a plaque. Associated Press.

The 36th annual Pacific Telecommunications Council’s conference wrapped up on Wednesday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, and the conference’s 1,734 registered attendees are expected to make an $8.75 million economic impact in Hawaii, according to an estimate from the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Pacific Business News.

Giant waves with 40 to 50 foot faces pounded north shore beaches on Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

A shroud of secrecy continues to surround the selection of a new legislative auditor, 13 months after the previous auditor resigned to take a job with the United Nations. The County Council ended an hourlong executive session Wednesday with no decision, following months of such sessions and a closed meeting Jan. 7 where it interviewed two applicants. West Hawaii Today.

A Hilo Circuit Court judge granted a summary judgment in favor of the state Wednesday in a legal challenge of the Ka‘u Forest Reserve Management Plan. The order effectively dismisses the lawsuit the Pele Defense Fund and four other plaintiffs filed in November 2012. The plan includes fencing 12,000 acres, about 20 percent of the reserve, for conservation. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui County Council's Budget and Finance Committee gave its approval Tuesday to various funding requests, including those to support raises for firefighters and other county employees, along with more funding for trash collection and landfill operations. Maui News.

Hawaii chefs and restaurant owners will help to decide the winner of Bravo’s “Top Chef” as guest judges on the two-episode season 11 finale, which was filmed on Maui in October. Pacific Business News.

An Oahu lawmaker is proposing to name the new Kihei high school in honor of the late Democratic Congresswoman Patsy Mink. Maui News.

A Brown Water advisory has been issued for Honokahua Bay on Maui. The Clean Water Branch is investigating the cause of the brown water. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Purring along: Cat licensing law heads to council on Wednesday. Garden Island.

There was a lot more than cocktails and pupus on the minds of Kauai’s Chamber of Commerce Wednesday night as they mingled with visiting University of Hawaii Interim President Dr. David Lassner. Many of them were parents of children they want to attend college or adult children who weren’t able to complete their education. Garden Island.

U.S. Supreme Court upholds Hawaii reapportionment, Abercrombie's State of the State today, Hanabusa opens headquarters, former Maui mayor to run for state House, corruption crackdown at prison, Health Dept. refutes metals found in Hanalei Bay, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

undersea cable courtesy photo

State regulators are looking into whether an undersea power cable between Maui and Oahu would be in the public’s interest. The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission is inviting the public to comment on the cable at meetings today at Farrington High School in Honolulu and Thursday at Pomaikai Elementary School in Kahului. Associated Press.

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld Hawaii's reapportionment plan that leaves out some military personnel and students when calculating population and determining state legislative districts. The justices affirmed a lower court ruling without comment today. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie will address the Legislature this morning in his fourth State of the State address, in which he is expected to tout Hawaii's economic recovery while setting the stage for his re-election bid this year. The speech, set to begin at 10 a.m. in the House chamber of the state Capitol, will likely include Abercrombie's proposal to raise the state's minimum wage and for state-funded preschools. Star-Advertiser.

Governor Neil Abercrombie will lay out his administration's focus for the next year during the State of the State Address Tuesday morning, and one of the key issues he's expected to touch on is Hawaii's rapidly growing elderly population. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii lawmakers last week started hearing bills to boost government transparency, improve elections and hold public officials more accountable. In the first week of the 2014 legislative session, one of the many so-called good-government bills has already cleared its final House committee and is headed to a final vote before all the reps. House Bill 1072 would make public the financial disclosure reports filed by the University of Hawaii Board of Regents. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers Seeking to Outlaw 'Conversion Therapy' in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Hanabusa

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who's trailing her Senate Democratic primary opponent U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz by 2-to-1 in fundraising, got some high-powered help Monday when she opened her campaign headquarters along Beretania Street in Chinatown. Hawaii News Now.

With the announcement Saturday of former state Sen. Russell Kokubun as Big Island campaign chairman, U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa increased her Hawaii Island presence in a Democratic battle for U.S. Senate that has captured national attention. West Hawaii Today.

The recent death of a 3-year-old girl who went into a coma after visiting the dentist’s office raises questions about the regulation of children's dentistry in Hawaii and whether the state is doing enough to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future. Civil Beat.

Three Hawaii resorts on Maui and the Big Island and two restaurants in Honolulu have earned AAA Five Diamond ratings for 2014, while 20 hotels and resorts and eight restaurants have been given with the organization’s Four Diamond rating. Pacific Business News.

People talk about Hawaii as a racial melting pot but for many years club bigotry was common. Civil Beat.

Consumers who selected a health or dental plan through the Hawai'i Health Connector by Wednesday are reminded about upcoming premium payment deadlines for coverage that begins Feb. 1. Maui News.

Oahu

The crack down on corruption at Halawa prison will likely mean more arrests. Hawaii News Now has learned that up to a dozen workers at the state's maximum security prison are being targeted. That comes on the heels of the recent arrest of prison guard James Sanders, who is accused of smuggling in crystal meth to prisoners.

North Shore residents affected by coastal erosion braced themselves Monday for what could be the largest ocean swell in a decade. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii tourism is expected to fly higher this year with the addition of scheduled nonstop service from Beijing to Honolulu. Air China, founded in 1988, brought its first group of 270 visitors, including top airline officials, travel agents and Chinese media, to Hawaii on Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The Army is studying a potential biofuel-capable power plant at Schofield Barracks. The public has an opportunity to provide input on alternatives, potential environmental impacts and other issues of concern that should be included in an environmental impact study. Public scoping meetings will be held Feb. 5 at Mililani Mauka Elementary School and Feb. 6 at Wahiawa District Park. Associated Press.

If you live on Oahu, you may not think it's that out of the ordinary. But Honolulu is the only county left in the state where you'll still see plastic bags used in grocery stores. An estimated tally finds 400 million plastic bags are used each year on the island of Oahu. KHON2.

Some city officials want to flip the "pave paradise, put up a parking lot" notion on its head by transforming on-street stalls into parks and plazas. Resolution 13-290, asking the Caldwell administration to establish a demonstration project for "parklets" around Oahu, was approved by the City Council's Transportation Committee on Thursday. The full Council will vote on it Jan. 29. Star-Advertiser.

The rhino beetle has surfaced on Oahu. They're ugly to look at, and what they do to palm trees is even uglier. KITV4.

A senior Pearl Harbor shipyard manager says he was falsely accused of espionage, taken off the job in March and has not been paid since July — even though an investigation cleared him of the "foreign influence" allegations. Gerald "Gino" Palermo, a former submariner who has worked in the shipyard since 1981, most recently in the "Code 930" mechanical group as a process manager, said he was cleared in June of allegations involving contact with several Chinese women and a Japanese female. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A Hawaii House member from the Big Island is introducing five bills designed to keep hunting lands intact and promote the culture of hunting to children and others. Rep. Cindy Evans, North Kona and Kohala, said Friday that hunters should be recognized as conservationists who care about the land and wildlife. Associated Press.

It’s been a whirlwind first week for newly minted state Rep. Richard Creagan, who was appointed Jan. 10 to the District 5 post vacated by former state Rep. Denny Coffman. West Hawaii Today.

Drug reform in Hawaii will be the topic of two talk-story sessions on the Big Island. Hosted by the Drug Policy Action Group and Medical Cannabis Coalition of Hawaii, the meetings are intended to highlight marijuana-related legislation before the state Legislature and take input on ways to improve the Aloha State’s medical marijuana program, according to the groups. Tribune-Herald.

It’s been several years since a group of more than 20 Waikoloa residents gathered in the home of state Rep. Cindy Evans to ask for a library, but plans for the community’s first library are finally under way for 2014. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi joined 280 of the nation’s mayors at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 82nd Winter Meeting on Monday in Washington, D.C. Kenoi, chair of the Hawaii Conference of Mayors, will the meeting with Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, and Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Longtime politician and former Maui County Mayor James "Kimo" Apana has announced his intent to run for the state House District 9 seat, which covers parts of Central Maui and is now occupied by political newcomer Justin Woodson. Maui News.

When the Hawaii Center of Independent Living shuttered all five of its Neighbor Island offices in July, Nani Watanabe, an independent living specialist working at the Wailuku office, thought, "Here we go again." Maui News.

Public input is being sought on a Community Wildfire Protection Plan for the West Maui Community. The non-profit Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization, in collaboration with the West Maui Fire Task Force, is hosting a series of meetings this month to gather comments and suggestions. Maui Now.

Kauai

The County of Kaua‘i Division of Purchasing has issued a professional services solicitation to procure pro bono legal representation in a lawsuit filed against the County relating to Ordinance 960, regulating pesticides and GMOs. Hawaii Reporter.

The Hawaii Department of Health is refuting a study that reportedly found high levels of metals found in sediment samples in and around Hanalei Bay. Dr. Roger Brewer, a senior geologist with the DOH’s Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office, said there is no indication of any contamination in the samples. Garden Island.

Retired sugar industry executive and former Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee Donald Bruce Cata­luna has died at the age of 77, leaving a legacy of service beyond the plantation. Born in Koloa, Kauai, Cata­luna worked almost every job on the sugar plantation, from taking care of the pack mules to managing some of the largest plantations in the islands. He spent his career with C. Brewer & Co., becoming one of the industry's first part-Hawaiian plantation managers. Star-Advertiser.

A storyteller, public servant, family man and instructor whose mind was a trap for details. Friends and family reflected on the life of Donald Bruce Cataluna on Monday after the retired sugar industry executive and Kauai native died Saturday from natural causes. Garden Island.

Martin Luther King's wearing of lei, his historic address to the Hawaii Legislature and other Hawaii ties, a special report in honor of his day.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and civil rights leaders wear lei during their 1965 march

Ever wonder why the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders on that famous march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. wore lei? Turns out King had special ties to the Aloha State, and to the family of U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii.

Hawaii and the rest of the nation on Monday commemorate what would have been King's 84rd birthday. King, in his 1959 address to a special session of the Hawaii Legislature, praised Hawaii for its ethnic diversity.

"We look to you for inspiration and as a noble example, where you have already accomplished in the area of racial harmony and racial justice, what we are struggling to accomplish in other sections of the country, and you can never know what it means to those of us caught for the moment in the tragic and often dark midnight of man’s inhumanity to man, to come to a place where we see the glowing daybreak of freedom and dignity and racial justice," King said in his address.

Five years after those words, King carried a bit of Hawaii to Alabama. That five-day, 54-mile march from Selma, where an Alabama state trooper had shot and killed church deacon Jimmie Lee Jackson, to the state capital, helped bring King to the forefront of the nation's imagination, spurring the cause of nonviolent protest that would be picked up and championed by an entire generation, fomenting the hope of equality for all mankind.

The lei were no artifice. King had strong Hawaii ties, from his 1959 address to the Hawaii Legislature to his relationship with the Rev. Abraham Kahikina Akaka, older brother of Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii. Abraham Akaka, kahu (shepherd) of Kawaiahao Church in Honolulu, developed a close friendship with King when King came to Honolulu in 1964 to participate in a Civil Rights Week symposium at the University of Hawaii, according to Akaka's obituary in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.  Abraham Akaka later sent the lei to King as a gift, according to a 1991 article in Jet Magazine by Simeon Booker.

Here's the text of King's speech, as recorded in the Journal of the Hawaii House of Representatives:

The following remarks were made by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Thursday, September 17, 1959 at the Hawaii House of Representatives 1959 First Special Session:

“Mr. Speaker, distinguished members of the House of Representatives of this great new state in our Union, ladies and gentlemen:

It is certainly a delightful privilege and pleasure for me to have this great opportunity and, I shall say, it is a great honor to come before you today and to have the privilege of saying just a few words to you about some of the pressing problems confronting our nation and our world.

I come to you with a great deal of appreciation and great feeling of appreciation, I should say, for what has been accomplished in this beautiful setting and in this beautiful state of our Union. As I think of the struggle that we are engaged in in the South land, we look to you for inspiration and as a noble example, where you have already accomplished in the area of racial harmony and racial justice, what we are struggling to accomplish in other sections of the country, and you can never know what it means to those of us caught for the moment in the tragic and often dark midnight of man’s inhumanity to man, to come to a place where we see the glowing daybreak of freedom and dignity and racial justice.

People ask me from time to time as I travel across the country and over the world whether there has been any real progress in the area of race relations, and I always answer it by saying that there are three basic attitudes that one can take toward the question of progress in the area of race relations. One can take the attitude of extreme optimism. The extreme optimist would contend that we have come a long, long way in the area of race relations, and he would point proudly to the strides that have been made in the area of civil rights in the last few decades. And, from this, he would conclude that the problem is just about solved now and that we can sit down comfortably by the wayside and wait on the coming of the inevitable.

And then segregation is still with us. Although we have seen the walls gradually crumble, it is still with us. I imply that figuratively speaking, that Old Man Segregation is on his death bed, but you know history has proven that social systems have a great last-minute breathing power, and the guardians of the status quo are always on hand with their oxygen tents to keep the old order alive, and this is exactly what we see today. So segregation is still with us. We are confronted in the South in its glaring and conspicuous forms, and we are confronted in almost every other section of the nation in its hidden and subtle forms. But if democracy is to live, segregation must die. Segregation is a cancer in the body politic which must be removed before our democratic health can be realized. In a real sense, the shape of the world today does not permit us the luxury of an anemic democracy. If we are to survive, if we are to stand as a force in the world, if we are to maintain our prestige, we must solve this problem because people are looking over to America.

Just two years ago I traveled all over Africa and talked with leaders from that great continent. One of the things they said to me was this: No amount of extensive handouts and beautiful words would be substitutes for treating our brothers in the United States as first-class citizens and human beings. This came to me from mouth of Prime Minister Nkrumah of Ghana.

Just four months ago, I traveled throughout India and the Middle East and talked with many of the people and leaders of that great country and other people in the Middle East, and these are the things they talked about: That we must solve this problem if we are to stand and to maintain our prestige. And I can remember very vividly meeting people all over Europe and in the Middle East and in the Far East, and even though many of them could not speak English, they knew how to say ‘Little Rock.’

And these are the things that we must be concerned about – we must be concerned about because we love America and we are out to free not only the Negro. This is not our struggle today to free 17,000,000 Negroes. It’s bigger than that. We are seeking to free the soul of America. Segregation debilitates the white man as well as the Negro. We are to free all men, all races and all groups. This is our responsibility and this is our challenge, and we look to this great new state in our Union as the example and as the inspiration. As we move on in this realm, let us move on with the faith that this problem can be solved, and that it will be solved, believing firmly that all reality hinges on moral foundations, and we are struggling for what is right, and we are destined to win.

We have come a long, long way. We have a long, long way to go. I close, if you will permit me, by quoting the words of an old Negro slave preacher. He didn’t quite have his grammar right, but he uttered some words in the form of a prayer with great symbolic profundity and these are the works he said: ‘Lord, we ain’t what we want to be; we ain’t what we ought to be; we ain’t what we gonna be, but thank God, we ain’t what we was.’ Thank you.”

At the conclusion of his address, there was much applause.

Hawaii Legislature opens with 55 years of statehood, poi pounding, talk of taxes, medical marijuana, GMOs and more. News reports from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Senate opening day courtesy photo

State House Speaker Joseph Souki on Wednesday called for bold shifts in tax policy, urging the state to give the counties a greater share of hotel room tax revenue, collect taxes on Internet commerce and impose a pension tax on wealthy seniors. Souki suggested raising the $93 million annual cap on hotel room tax revenue that goes to the counties to $141 million, perhaps over several years, a recognition that the counties cover police, lifeguard, parks and other services used by tourists. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Legislature opened its 2014 session Wednesday with lei and speeches, and by recognizing former representatives and senators, including Gov. Neil Abercrombie, former Gov. John Waihee and Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, in honor of 55th anniversary of statehood. Pacific Business News.

The Legislature convened for its 27th session today, with both Houses honoring more than 80 former lawmakers who served since Statehood 55 years ago. Hawaii Public Radio.

The 28th session of the State Legislature opens with several proposals that may impact your pocket book. KITV4's Andrew Pereira has more on what topics made the most impact on the House's first day. KITV4.

Hawaii House Speaker Joseph Souki started the 2014 legislative session Wednesday by calling for lawmakers to remove a cap on how much counties can share in the state’s hotel room taxes, a move that would be welcomed by mayors on the islands. Associated Press.

If House Speaker Joseph Souki has his way, Hawaii could be the next state to allow marijuana dispensaries for residents using the drug for medicinal purposes, following a national trend to loosen laws restricting access to cannabis. More than 12,000 residents take advantage of the Hawaii law that allows people to use marijuana for medical reasons, but patients have to grow their own weed. Civil Beat.

Shops selling pakalolo. State House Speaker Joe Souki says it's the next step given Hawaii's medical marijuana law, and not to raise state revenue. KHON2.

The University of Hawaii told lawmakers Tuesday it needs $33.5 million to replenish tuition revenues that have been used to cover salary restorations and increases in a six-year faculty contract. In return, the university promises to dedicate about half of the money to debt service on revenue bonds to start tackling the university's massive repair backlog. Star-Advertiser.

It's difficult to picture Donna Mercado Kim as a little girl, riding a bicycle and drinking water from a garden hose. And yet, there was the Senate president waxing nostalgic at the Capitol today about Hawaii's past, a time before PlayStation and bottled water. She was inspired by the presence of 40 former state senators who were honored on opening day of the 2014 Legislature. Civil Beat.

Rising Waters, Stinging Ants and GMOs Top Legislative Environmental Priorities. Civil Beat.

Minimum Wage, GMOs and How to Spend $844 Million Surplus, Will Take Center Stage at Legislative Session. Hawaii Reporter.

(c) 2014 All Hawaii News

Today was opening day at the Hawaii State Legislature. Hundreds came to the Hawaii State Capitol to pound kalo into pa‘i ‘ai and poi. Hawaii Independent.

As Senate and House leaders proposed ways to propel the state toward a more prosperous future, a hui of community groups rang in the 2014 legislative session by gathering in the Capitol courtyard to honor the past by continuing one of Hawaii's most-revered ancient practices: pounding taro into poi. Until 2011, producing and consuming handmade poi was illegal because it violated Department of Health food safety laws, event coordinator David Anthony said. A law passed that year exempted hand-pounded poi, or paiai, from those laws. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s four mayors stood together before the House and Senate money committees Wednesday afternoon in the Capitol Auditorium and asked the Legislature to give the counties a broad new taxing authority. But the reaction from state lawmakers suggests their plea for the power to raise the General Excise Tax by as much as 1 percent will not pass this legislative session. Civil Beat.

Opening Day speeches:

Speaker Souki Calls on House to Create Opportunities for All.

Creating a Better Day for Hawaii - Senate Minority Opening Day Speech.

Opening Day Remarks by House Minority Leader Aaron Ling Johanson.

Oahu

Navy officials said Wednesday night they're investigating a possible fuel leak in a tank at an underground facility built in Hawaii in the 1940s. Associated Press.

Federal Authorities are taking the city to task for delays in spending $8 million in federal housing money. In a Dec. 13 report, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said the city may have to repay the money if it's unable to spend the money this year. Hawaii News Now.

Opposition is building to plans from Los Angeles-based PACREP LLC to construct a second tower in its Ritz-Carlton Waikiki Beach Residences complex — an addition the developer and proponents say could bring a much-needed boost to an aging and constrained tourist destination. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
House lawmakers are peeved over a public service announcement they say is aimed at pressuring the Legislature to fund the controversial pharmacy college building at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Gov. Neil Abercrombie's proposed budget includes $28 million in state-backed bonds for the Daniel K. Ino­uye College of Pharmacy building, and state Budget Director Kalbert Young has said the project is a top priority for the administration. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi has a laundry list of projects he wants the state Legislature to consider during the 2014 session that began Wednesday. But he emphasized at a hearing of the Senate Ways and Means and House Finance committees that the projects he’s outlined are the responsibility of the state, not the county. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Last legislative session, Maui's lawmakers were able to secure more than $300 million in funds for various initiatives on-island, including $130 million for a long-awaited Kihei high school, $20 million for the acquisition of Lipoa Point and millions more in airport and harbor improvements. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai’s largest agricultural companies have shared how much restricted use pesticides they applied in December. Garden Island.

A County Vehicles Audit Report says the county needs to improve how it monitors, reports and authorizes employee vehicle use. Garden Island.

Hawaii legislative session opens today, Kauai ag firms post pesticide reports, mayors seek to raise excise taxes, Maui tourism agency reveling in same-sex weddings, Honolulu PAC funding exposed, more government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Capitol courtyard, courtesy photo

Hawaii lawmakers have several issues on their agenda as they get set to report for the 2014 legislative session today. Health care and education funding debates are expected to divide legislators. And other priorities include bills that would legalize marijuana for recreational use, increase the state’s minimum wage and direct officials to plan for a significant sea level rise. Associated Press.

An anti-paparazzi celebrity privacy law and proposals to decriminalize marijuana were among the bills that kept lawmakers busy last session – both made headlines, neither became law.  Several Representatives and Senators who spoke to Hawaii News Now say they don't think either will be major issues during the 2014 Legislative Session, which convenes Tuesday. One topic that is expected to be widely discussed is the use of genetically modified organisms.  In recent months, counties across Hawai'i have taken up the GMO issue.  Now all eyes are on the State Capitol.

The state House and Senate will open the 2014 legislative session this morning by honoring the past and celebrating the 55th anniversary of statehood. Hundreds of former lawmakers have been invited to attend the opening-day ceremonies, and each chamber has prepared booklets that document the state's legislative history. Star-Advertiser.

The message delivered at the annual Diocese of Honolulu's Red Mass, held on the eve of opening day at the Legislature, stressed stepping up collaboration in providing affordable housing for Hawaii's most vulnerable residents. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Connector will be on the hot seat as it heads into the legislative session today without permanent leadership or an adequate funding source once federal grants expire at year's end. Lawmakers are considering turning the nonprofit they created in 2011 into a state agency three months after it fumbled the start of the online insurance marketplace created by President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Star-Advertiser.

The number of small businesses that have signed up for health-care through Hawaii’s exchange network is decidedly miniscule. Of Hawaii’s 30,000 small businesses, 296 registered for insurance through the Hawaii Health Connector by the Dec. 25 deadline, according to the exchange. Hawaii Reporter.

The Hawaii Department of Education is asking lawmakers for $25 million to help keep classrooms cool. The department presented its supplemental budget request before the state House Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. The request totals nearly $32 million in operating funds and $164 in capital improvement project funds. Associated Press.

Lawmakers took the Department of Education to task Tuesday for moving ahead with a "Cadillac" version of a new performance-based teachers evaluation system, saying resources to implement it are "grossly underfunded." The criticism comes as the DOE seeks $14 million for next year for schools to each hire the equivalent of one teaching position. Star-Advertiser.

The $1 trillion federal omnibus bill includes more than $744 million for Hawaii for military, education, health care, transportation and the environment. The bi-partisan bill would fund the U.S. government through October, the rest of fiscal year 2014. Civil Beat.

Local, state and national regulations intended to protect the public and the environment can be swiftly overturned if President Obama signs the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the world’s most ambitious and far reaching free trade agreement yet. On January 9, the U.S. Congress introduced “fast-track” legislation allowing the Obama administration to sign the TPP without undergoing public debate. Fast-track authority would grant the White House the power to speed up negotiations, while giving Congress only 90 days to review the TPP before voting. Hawaii Independent.

University of Hawaii's interim president, David Lassner, will be at the White House for a national workshop on increasing college access and success for disadvantaged students. Associated Press.

Skepticism Over Kingdom Land Title Claims. Civil Beat.

Oahu

(c) 2014 All Hawaii News

City Councilman Ikaika Anderson has introduced a bill that aims to get police more involved in enforcing the sidewalk nuisance law despite objections by homeless advocates who say the ordinance unfairly punishes the disadvantaged. Star-Advertiser.

The East-West Center, hit by the recent resignation of its energy research team and criticized for "poor leadership," would see its pre-sequestration funding of $16.7 million restored under the omnibus spending bill now being considered by Congress. Hawaii U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said Tuesday that Senate appropriations leaders increased East-West Center funding by nearly $6 million above the request in President Barack Obama's budget, and the $16.7 million allocation was included in the bill even though the House of Representatives originally dropped financial support altogether. Star-Advertiser.

When the Pacific Resource Partnership began its work to keep former Gov. Ben Cayetano from becoming Honolulu’s next mayor, it was a campaign unlike any seen before in local politics. But tax forms filed with the IRS are now providing a clearer picture of how much PRP actually invested in 2012 to keep rail on track and Cayetano out of Honolulu Hale. Civil Beat.

First Wind's wind farm sits north of 300-plus homes in Kahuku's Koolau housing area. Now another wind farm company -- Champlin GEI Wind Holdings -- wants to plant 15 more wind turbines above Kahuku. The Kahuku Community Association opposes the idea. Hawaii News Now.

The state Department of Health ordered warning signs at Keehi Lagoon Beach Park to be taken down on Friday after a sewage spill, even though its own test data showed that bacteria levels in the water significantly exceeded Hawaii's safe water standards. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii National Guard soldier who was the married father of a 4-year-old son with another child on the way was killed in the crash of a surveillance plane in Afghanistan on Friday. Star-Advertiser.

The selected buyer of 12 rental complexes is asking for an additional six months to a year to pay a large share of $142 million it promised to Honolulu -- and 20 more years to pay the rest, city administration officials said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi says he isn’t seeking a higher general excise tax, but he’s supporting fellow mayors in asking the Legislature for the flexibility to raise it with a county surcharge. The Hawaii Council of Mayors is asking the Legislature to allow counties to add a surcharge of up to 1 percent on the state GET, which is currently at 4 percent. West Hawaii Today.

Ordinarily, finding bones in a cemetery wouldn’t be considered much of a stretch. But in the case of an incomplete set of human remains found Monday at the East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2 in Hilo, there was no record of a body having been buried there, said Lt. Greg Esteban with the Hawaii County Police Department. Tribune-Herald.

WHEA student designs, builds 3-D printer. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Two Maui businesses have arranged more than 50 same sex nuptials since a new law went into effect in December, legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, according to new information released by the Maui Visitors Bureau. Maui Now.

Maui-based Ocean Vodka is reporting strong visitor traffic to its new solar-powered home on the slopes of Haleakalā, since opening doors to its new organic farm and distillery in April 2013. Maui Now.

Molokai

The Molokaʻi Landfill was reopened today after an explosive ordnance team detonated a suspected piece of unexploded ordnance found at the facility on Monday, county officials said. Maui Now.

Kauai

Today is the deadline for Kauai’s largest agricultural companies to submit summaries of all restricted use pesticide applications to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. The monthly post-application reports are one portion of the state’s voluntary Kauai Agricultural Good Neighbor Program, which kicked off Dec. 1. Garden Island.

Early education, invasive species, public hospital funding, and pesticides and genetically modified organisms. These are just a few of the issues state lawmakers will be considering over the next few months as the Legislature convenes today for its first regular session of 2014. It is one that, some Kauai legislators say, promises to deal with a range of issues that have direct ties to the Garden Isle. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will host a candidate’s forum from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Kapaa Public Library. Garden Island.

Hawaii gears up for legislative session, Pflueger sentencing delayed, Fuddy died from stress, new spokesman for Abercrombie, Kauai GMO battle intensifies, new sub for Pearl Harbor, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Palmyra Atoll courtesy photo

The science being done on Palmyra atoll, conservationists say, holds valuable lessons for Hawaii, especially when it comes to understanding sharks, preserving coral reefs and combating invasive species. Star-Advertiser.

Legislative Preview 2014: Will Lawmakers Play It Safe in an Election Year? Civil Beat.

Lawmakers are looking further into the future this year when it comes to Hawaii’s renewable energy goals. Leaders of Hawaii’s energy and environmental committees hope to pass a law requiring the state to derive 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2050. The current goal is 40 percent renewable energy by 2030. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii has been plagued by bad decisions, lack of accountability, construction backlogs and growing public criticism. Lawmakers aim to take action when the legislative session kicks off Wednesday, particularly at the trouble-plagued flagship campus UH Manoa, UH West Oahu and UH Hilo. Civil Beat.

Pearl Harbor will be getting a fourth new Virginia-class attack submarine this summer, bringing a crew of more than 130 and a $10 million payroll to Hawaii, U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Monday that former KITV weatherman and reporter Justin Fujioka will become his press secretary effective Jan. 27, replacing another former news reporter, Louise Kim McCoy, who left the post late last year to move to the Pacific Northwest. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii’s health director died of an irregular heartbeat that was triggered when a small plane she was riding in lost power and crash-landed off Molokai, police said Monday. Loretta Fuddy’s irregular heartbeat was the result of stress from the Dec. 11 crash, Maui police announced, revealing the findings of an autopsy conducted two days after the crash. Associated Press.

The brother of state Health Director Loretta Fuddy said his sister had no heart problems or pre-existing conditions that would have contributed to her death following a December plane crash off Molokai. A Maui County police spokes­man said Loretta Fuddy, 65, died of cardiac arrhythmia because of stress following the Dec. 11 crash into the ocean after takeoff about a half-mile from Kalaupapa. Star-Advertiser.

The remains of a Native Hawaiian man and woman will be returned to their home state after spending more than 50 years in Texas, officials said. The skulls were taken by a U.S. Air Force airman after being found at an undetermined Oahu hotel site near or on a beach between 1940 and 1960. Associated Press.

Honolulu

City Councilwoman Carol Fukunaga is pressing the administration to install public restrooms downtown and in Chinatown, saying businesses, residents and visitors are growing frustrated at more homeless people using the area as their toilet. Star-Advertiser.

The back and forth between the homeless and the city continues but a new proposal hopes to take enforcement to a new level. The city did a sidewalk enforcement on Iwilei Road and Kuwili Street Friday removing the illegal camps, but they're back. Now a councilman wants to get police involved. Hawaii News Now.

The City Council is introducing a new item on the food truck menu. Council Chair Ernie Martin has introduced Bill 1 that calls for designating certain parking spaces in the city and outlying areas specifically for lunch wagons. Vendors would bid on the spaces. Hawaii News Now.

An affiliate of German carmaker Daimler AG is interested in establishing a car-sharing service in Hono­lulu, where 150 or so of Daimler's small Smart cars would be deployed on city streets available for public use. Star-Advertiser.

Amid the asphalt and concrete trappings of the urban neighborhood, a nonprofit group called Urban Farm Hawaii is growing a plot of taro along Ala Moana Boulevard. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Thirty Meter Telescope representatives are looking to offer input on the case involving six petitioners challenging the state’s decision to grant a permit for the construction of one of the world’s largest telescopes on the top of Mauna Kea. Representatives from the California-based project are expected to file an “amicus brief” or a “friend of the court” brief Thursday that would allow them to speak on the case involving the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ decision to grant a permit to the University of Hawaii at Hilo for the construction of the $1.3 billion initiative. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County’s commission charged with buying land for preservation and a public-private partnership trying to protect mountain watersheds agree that public access is an essential component of protecting the environment. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
The Maui Axis Deer Working Group is trying to quantify the invasive animal’s population, while exploring whether developing a venison meat industry is a feasible solution for controlling its growth. A September aerial survey counted about 8,000 deer in East Maui, the most heavily affected area. Associated Press.

While some West Maui residents know that the planned hospital in Kaanapali won't be a cure-all for every medical situation, they say the facility is greatly needed and are pleased its construction is on schedule to be completed in 2016. Maui News.

Kauai

The biotech firms suing Kauai County aren’t just contesting the law – they’re trying to rewind the dramatic vote on Bill 2491: As part of their complaint filed against Kauai County last Friday, the biotech seed companies are seeking to void the County Council’s selection of Mason Chock to fill a vacancy on that panel. Hawaii Independent.

Kauai County will be taking law firms up on their offers for free legal help defending an ordinance regulating the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops by large agricultural businesses. While the bill was going through the process of being passed, several firms offered attorneys to fight legal challenges, county spokeswoman Beth Tokioka said. Associated Press.

Hawaii automobile mogul Jimmy Pflueger, the sole defendant in one of Hawaii’s most notorious criminal cases, will have his sentencing delayed. Pflueger, who pled no contest in July 2013 to reckless endangerment for causing the deaths of seven people on March 14, 2006, when his Ka Loko dam breached, was scheduled to appear in Kauai’s Fifth Circuit Court on January 23, 2014. Hawaii Reporter.

A medical condition will keep retired car dealer James Pflueger from traveling to Kauai next week for sentencing. Pflueger was scheduled to appear in Kauai’s 5th Circuit Court Jan. 23 after pleading no contest in July to first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony, for his role in the 2006 Ka Loko dam failure. Garden Island.

Families of Ka Loko Dam break victims react to delay in Pflueger sentencing. Hawaii News Now.
Brad Kelley, the Tennessee billionaire and fourth largest private landowner in the United States, who recently purchased more than 3,000 acres of agricultural land on the island of Kauai, seems to have good intentions for the land, a senior vice president of Grove Farm Co., which formerly owned the land. Pacific Business News.

Molokai

The Molokaʻi Landfill will be closed until further notice following the discovery of potentially unexploded ordnance at the facility on Monday, Jan. 13, 2014. County Communications Director Rod Antone said the Molokaʻi Police Department has been notified and is “monitoring and securing the facility.” Maui Now.

Hawaii homeless count to begin, Maui mayor signs waste-to-energy contract, seed companies sue over GMO, pesticide law, congressional delegation's wealth, votes tallied, Honolulu food truck law mulled, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii homeless (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

An annual count of the homeless in Hawaii, which will get underway next week, is part of a national snapshot taken on a single night to track the problem and target where resources are needed. Similar "Point-in-Time" homeless counts are conducted across the country under guidelines developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Star-Advertiser.

How Rich Are Hawaii’s Congressional Representatives? Compared to the rest of Congress, Hawaii's reps are middling, at best, in their personal wealth. Hawaii Independent.

Mazie Hirono missed only one vote in 2013, Colleen Hanabusa reached across the aisle a lot to co-sponsor legislation and Tulsi Gabbard and Brian Schatz each had a bill enacted. All four also worked with each other to push legislation jointly. Those are some of the highlights from the 2013 Report Cards for All Members of Congress, released last week by GovTrack.us, a government transparency website. Civil Beat.

Kingdom still in place, courts told. Some homeowners fight foreclosure by claiming that the United States is illegally occupying Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii this week is hosting a series of events as part of its first "Chamber Week," coinciding with the start of the state legislative session, in which the group plans to aggressively promote a pro-business package of bills. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Rep. Bob McDermott has at least one good point. State education officials should have turned over a copy of Hawaii's controversial sex education program as soon as he asked for it. Civil Beat.

State roundup for January 13. Associated Press.

Oahu

Oahu's food trucks and lunch wagons could bid for exclusive rights to park in stalls designated for them under a bill proposed recently before the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

35 Honolulu Police Department officers were suspended or discharged for misconduct in 2013, according to the department's latest annual report that county police agencies are required to file with the Legislature. That’s more than in 2012, when 30 officers were punished for 35 incidents of misconduct. Civil Beat.

Honolulu's Chinatown is an eclectic mix of restaurants, shops and markets. But, when nature calls, you may be on your own.... there are no public restrooms. KITV4.

Hawaii

From living off the land to exploring space, from shielding constituents from eyes in the sky to legalizing Granny’s banana bread, Hawaii Island’s delegation of state representatives and senators is gearing up to present a host of new ideas — as well as time-worn ones that have yet to be fulfilled — to their legislative colleagues starting next week. West Hawaii Today.

There will once again be a doctor in the House. Just days before the regular legislative session is set to begin, Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Friday appointed Richard Creagan, 68, a Naalehu physician, to fill the District 5 post vacated by former state Rep. Denny Coffman. West Hawaii Today.

A man soliciting people at Kealakekua Bay to rent kayaks will pay more than $3,000 following an undercover operation conducted by the state. The Board of Land and Natural Resources authorized Friday a civil penalty fine of $2,500 and associated administrative costs of $750 against Captain Cook resident Alexander Aquino, 39, for violating Hawaii Administrative Rules prohibiting commercial activities without a written permit from the board of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks, according to a prepared statement from the DLNR. West Hawaii Today.

The Kailua Village Business Improvement District — tasked with making historic Kailua Village a better place to live, work, play and invest — is rolling out a new series of events and activities, in addition to its mainstays, that it hopes will promote the downtown area to residents and visitors alike. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa announced the signing of an agreement this week to finance and build an Integrated Waste Conversion and Energy Project on Maui. Maui Now.

The controversial demolition of the Old Wailuku Post Office is on a list of proposed audits that Maui County Auditor Lance Taguchi plans to conduct by the end of the fiscal year in June. Maui News.

The Maui County Council gave its final approval Friday for the $13 million purchase of 186 acres at Launiupoko. Maui News.

Single-family home prices in Maui County rose 13 percent last year, while the median price of a condo in 2013 rose 5 percent, compared to 2012, according to statistics from the Realtors Association of Maui. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Three seed companies have sued Kauai County in an attempt to block the implementation of a new law that would regulate their use of pesticides and the growth of genetically modified crops on Kauai. Syngenta, DuPont Pioneer and Agrigenetics Inc., doing business as Dow AgroSciences, filed a joint complaint at the U.S. District Court Friday against the county, requesting a permanent injunction on Ordinance 960 (formerly Bill 2491), claiming the new law is flawed and invalid. Star-Advertiser.

It was a move many expected and one the industry itself had promised. On Friday, three of Kauai’s biotech seed companies filed a federal lawsuit aimed at blocking implementation of County Ordinance 960 (formerly Bill 2491) related to pesticides and genetically modified crops. Garden Island.

The battle over genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, on Kauai continues as three companies sue the County of Kauai, hoping to stop the county from implementing a new law. The three companies are Syngenta, Agrigenetics and DuPont Pioneer. They claim that the new law is invalid. KHON2.

It’s clear that gambling is illegal in Hawaii, but that doesn’t stop advocates from pushing for legislation to allow casinos, lotteries and even church bingo each year. Many hotels, stores and organizations on Kauai aren’t publicly supporting a pro-gambling idea. And there isn’t a legislator on island who has signed on to any pro-gambling bill. Garden Island.

Billionaire Brad Kelley, one of the largest private landowners in the United States with more than 1.5 million acres of ranch lands in Kentucky, Tennessee, New Mexico, Florida and Texas, has recently purchased “thousands of acres” of agricultural land in Hawaii on the island of Kauai from landowner Grove Farm, according to sources close to the situation. Pacific Business News.