Hawaii growth slows, state seeks $8.8B for military, Obama vacation costs taxpayers $4M, Kauai to comply with lobbying law, Pasha ends interisland shipping, Haleakala Trail settlement nears, Oahu dentist investigated in toddler death, HIPP ag labels considered, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pohakuloa Training Area (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

A new airstrip at Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii island, a return to live-fire training at Makua Valley on Oahu, a stronger state-military-business partnership, and military “liaisons” in Hawaii and Washington, D.C., are being pursued as the state seeks to maintain $8.8 billion in annual military expenditures amid defense budget cuts. Adm. Harry B. Harris, head of U.S. Pacific Fleet, called Hawaii the “gateway” to America’s re-balance to the Pacific. Star-Advertiser.

The state Council on Revenues on Tuesday lowered the state's revenue forecast for this fiscal year, expressing some doubt about the rate of Hawaii's economic growth. The council projected 3.3 percent revenue growth for fiscal year 2014, down from 4.1 percent in September, an estimated $43 million loss to the state. The council was unusually divided — the vote was 4-3 — because some members wanted to drop the forecast even lower, given signs that the economy is slowing. The council voted unanimously to keep the projection of 7.4 percent revenue growth for fiscal year 2015, when construction is expected to accelerate. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii Senate panel began its probe into safety conditions at the state mental hospital Tuesday, raising serious questions about dysfunction at the facility. The investigation, led by Sens. Clayton Hee and Josh Green, stems from reports of severe assaults on staff members by patients housed at the Hawaii State Hospital in Kaneohe. Civil Beat.

The state Senate will form an investigative panel with subpoena power to probe whether poor management at the Hawaii State Hospital has left workers at extreme risk of assaults by patients. The Senate will also investigate claims of nepotism among supervisors at the Kaneohe psychiatric hospital and whether workers who have spoken out about hospital conditions have been marked for retaliation. Star-Advertiser.

Ted Sakai, director of the agency that oversees Hawaii's prison system, rattled off his wishlist for the department. Among other things, he wants to add $4.6 million to his budget to pay for an additional 69 employees and cover an array of other expenses. Civil Beat.

More than 130 Family Court misdemeanor cases have been dismissed by state judges, and at least another 100 more will be tossed out, as a result of a recent Hawaii Supreme Court decision. Star-Advertiser.

The Obamas’ vacation cost taxpayers more than $4 million for travel, staffing, security, housing, car rentals and transportation of vehicles and a helicopter. But the expenses continue. First Lady Michelle Obama extended her own vacation, flying to the island of Maui, where she is spending time with family friend Oprah Winfrey. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii workers testing positive for marijuana dropped 7 percent in 2013 compared with the previous year, new data from Diagnostic Laboratory Services Inc. show. The use of marijuana, known locally as pakalolo, fell 11.5 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii could receive as much as $10 million in a one-time state "boost" to help buoy its financially struggling athletic department under a measure to be proposed by state Rep. K. Mark Takai. Tuesday, Takai (D-Aiea) said he will propose a bill that would allow the state to provide $2 in assistance for each $1 of new money raised by the athletic department up to $10 million. Star-Advertiser.

Living Hawaii: Priced Out of Paradise — Where $600K Is a Bargain Home. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu is the second-most sought-after travel destination for 2014, according to the first State of Travel Report by online travel site Hotwire.com. Las Vegas was top-ranked.Star-Advertiser.

New year, new prices. Local residents are starting off 2014 with an expensive bang, paying more for their home. The cost for homes and rent is going up and so is the value of your property. KHON2.

The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has begun an investigation of Kailua dentist Dr. Lilly Geyer after a 3-year-old girl fell into a coma while she was in the dentist's chair and later died. Star-Advertiser.

Negotiations on the $142 million affordable housing deal that would sell Honolulu’s 12 leasehold public apartment complexes to a private group will continue until at least the end of March, city officials said Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

The city is offering to finance the sale of its affordable housing units. Chinatown tenants say this is a bad idea. Hawaii Independent.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority is planning to meet on Wednesday to vote on a proposal for a new 7-story residential building in Kakaako. The application by MJF Development Corp. is the second time the company has sought approval for a new building at 803 Waimanu St. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Most County Council members are hip to the idea of a special label for local produce and products, but they’re not sure HIPP — Hawaii Island Produce and Products — is the way to go. And they definitely don’t like HIPP-O as a brand name for organic produce. West Hawaii Today.

Last year was a safer year on Big Island roads than 2012, which was the deadliest year on our streets and highways since 2004. There were 25 official traffic fatalities on Hawaii Island in 2013 compared to 38 the year before, a decrease of 34.2 percent. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council’s Finance Committee gave a nod Tuesday to funding for Puna road projects and a community park for one of the district’s large subdivisions. In three 8-0 votes, the committee gave its support to adding the road and park projects to the county’s capital budget. Tribune-Herald.

A small group of Konawaena High School students gathered at Julian Yates Field Tuesday morning for a demonstration that sought to raise awareness about potential cuts made to the school’s library. West Hawaii Today.

Dozens of divers get rare opportunity to swim with whale shark. KITV4.

A Hawaii County councilwoman is introducing a bill to ban all genetically modified crops on Hawaii island, despite new limits already being implemented through a bill passed a month ago. Associated Press.

Maui

With ownership of Haleakala Trail still disputed, the state and Haleakala Ranch are hoping to resolve the matter with an out-of-court settlement that would allow the ranch to keep the trail private in exchange for open public access to the Na Kula area on the south slope of the dormant volcano, which for years has been accessible only by helicopter. Maui News.

Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines discontinued its interisland shipping service at the end of the year with the lapsing of its more than three-year interim authority. Maui News.

Thirty-six programs and events in Maui County were selected to receive support through the Hawaii Tourism Authority's Product Enrichment Programs. Maui News.

Kauai
A Kauai County Council committee will consider a bill today aimed at closing a loophole that has allowed lobbyists appearing before the governing body to operate unchecked. Other local governments, including Maui and Hawaii Counties as well as the City and County of Honolulu, have lobbying laws that require lobbyists to register with respective county or state offices but no such law exists on Kauai County’s books. Garden Island.

Kauai’s Pacific Missile Range Facility and the island of Niihau have been selected by the University of Alaska Fairbanks as one of 13 range sites for future drone research and testing. Garden Island.

A Kauai private investigator has filed suit against the Department of Public Safety for violating the procurement process in contracting out polygraph testing work. Garden Island.

Hawaii tourism projects get $2.7M boost, lawmakers scrutinize Abercrombie's preschool plan, UH rec center 14 months behind schedule, Michelle Obama on Maui, indigent moms get attorneys, fire damages Hawaii Five-0 star's home, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki Spam Jam file photo (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Tourism Authority has awarded more than $2.7 million in 2014 grants to 138 organizations statewide that enrich tourism through culture, natural resources and county-specific events across the isles. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority has selected 138 statewide programs and events to receive funding and other resources through its Product Enrichment Programs for 2014, the state’s tourism agency announced Monday. Pacific Business News.

Some of the programs include Chinese New Year Festival 2014, Waikiki Spam Jam, World Whale Day on Maui and the Kau Coffee Festival on the Big Island. Associated Press.

Some lawmakers are wary of the Abercrombie administration's plans to move ahead with state-funded preschool, calling a nearly $6 million funding request premature ahead of a constitutional amendment that will be on the November ballot. The proposed amendment, which lawmakers reluctantly agreed to last session, will ask voters whether public funds should be spent on private preschool programs. Star-Advertiser.

A top priority for the governor is a $4.5 million funding request for 32 preschool classrooms at public schools in underserved or rural Hawaii communities. Associated Press.

Downer

 

New Head of Cultural Preservation in Hawaii Pledges Transparency. Federal and state officials are hoping that Alan Downer, who spent the last 27 years working for the Navajo Nation, will help mend the agency's relationships with the public, shore up its internal operations and, most importantly, lead the agency out of the cross-hairs of the National Park Service. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Republican Party has turned down a plea from the Hawaii Health Connector to use party leadership and legislators to recruit for the exchange. Hawaii Reporter.

State roundup for January 7. Associated Press.

Oahu

A recreation center project being built at the University of Hawaii's flagship Manoa campus has suffered further delays and is now expected to be completed one year and two months late, Hawaii News Now learned Monday.  The $33 million project is being funded in part by $100-a-year athletic fees that UH Manoa began charging students in the spring of 2011.

Fire damages Alex O'Loughlin's Diamond Head home. Firefighters were called to Hawaii Five-0 star Alex O'Loughlin's home Monday afternoon after neighbors say they heard a loud boom. Hawaii News Now.

Last year was a record year for Oahu's housing market, as the median price for single-family houses and condominiums reached new highs. Yet, the growth was a relatively modest 5 percent, which economists predict will pale in comparison with much stronger gains this year and beyond. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu officials brokered a deal Monday to resuscitate the $142 million sale of 12 public affordable housing complexes to a private developer. The agreement relies on city coffers to make the transaction possible. Civil Beat.

The continuation of negotiations between the city and the group that agreed to pay $142 million for the lease interest in 12 Oahu housing complexes is contingent on the city's agreement to arrange "seller financing" to the partners. Star-Advertiser.

A painting project at a downtown Honolulu high-rise has been temporarily put on hold following complaints to the Department of Health. KHON2.

An ongoing stalemate between Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration and the Honolulu Ethics Commission could have long-standing implications for the ways city officials address government corruption and misconduct. Civil Beat.

A state judge has fined a defense lawyer $250 for telling the jury in federal agent Christopher Deedy's murder trial that the man he shot had resisted arrest in a prior case. City prosecutors wanted Circuit Judge Karen Ahn on Monday to fine Karl Blanke $1,000 and prohibit the Virginia lawyer from practicing law here. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Indigent Hawaii parents who face losing custody of their children are guaranteed the right to a court-appointed attorney, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday. The ruling overturns a decision to terminate parental rights of a Kona mom who was 15 when she gave birth in 2009. Associated Press.

With a flourish of a brush stroke, Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi set in motion Monday a project that promises to put a new face on downtown Hilo businesses. Tribune-Herald.

A month has passed since Mayor Billy Kenoi signed Bill 113, limiting the use of genetically engineered crops on the Big Island, but the Hawaii County Council may still get a second helping of the contentious issue. Ka‘u/South Kona Councilwoman Brenda Ford is bringing her own bill that would ban all modified crops back for discussion after the council’s Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee voted it down last September. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island residents and visitors celebrated North Hawaii Community Hospital founder, Hawaii Island philanthropist and pacemaker inventor Earl Bakken’s 90th birthday Monday. West Hawaii Today.

December was a generally weak month for the housing markets on Hawaii island and Kauai, though the softness did little to undermine what was mostly a positive year. Star-Advertiser.

Almost two years since it was completed, The Kohala Center’s Health Impact Assessment on Hawaii County’s Agriculture Plan has garnered national attention and helped produce meaningful effects on the local food system. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A caravan of Maui police cars and black sport utility vehicles was sighted near Oprah Winfrey's house in Kula on Sunday morning, local residents said, fueling speculation that first lady Michelle Obama is visiting the island. Maui News.

With the use of a new one-man robotic total station, police traffic investigators could be spending half as much time mapping the scenes of fatal crashes. Maui News.

Hawaiian Airlines today announced plans to add daily non-stop service between Los Angeles and Maui this summer. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative has spent about $14,000 campaigning for a yes vote in its current special election related to smart meters. Garden Island.

Anyone interested in ocean safety is invited to attend the Kauai Water Safety Task Force meeting at 3 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Department of Health office on Umi Street in Lihue. Garden Island.

It has taken a group of local residents and community volunteers more than three years to begin construction on a dog park in Wailua Homesteads Park. But it only took one night and one act to set those efforts back. Garden Island.

Food bank targets reached. Garden Island.

Hawaii Legislature gears up for session with budget briefings, UH presidential search underway, First Lady lengthens Hawaiian vacation as Obama returns to Washingon, research team quits troubled East-West Center, Hawaii County buys $6.2M shoreline, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state Capitol (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

The Senate Ways and Means Committee and the House Finance Committee begin informational briefings today on proposed agency budgets, prior to the opening of the regular legislative session Jan. 15. Today's briefings, beginning at 1:30 p.m., center on the Judiciary and the Governor's Office. No public testimony will be considered.

Agendas and background materials in pdf format can be found by clicking the following links:

• Monday. Judiciary, Governor's Office.
• Tuesday. Public Safety.
• Wednesday morning. Charter Schools, Taxation.
• Wednesday afternoon. Health.
• Thursday morning. DLNR.
• Thursday afternoon. DOT. 

State education officials will be defending their budget requests before lawmakers beginning this week as the state House and Senate money committees hold budget briefings with departments ahead of the Legislature reconvening Jan. 15. Lawmakers will take up the fiscal 2015 budget next month, using Gov. Neil Abercrombie's proposed $12.2 billion operating budget as a starting point. The governor highlighted a record $844 million surplus at the close of last fiscal year in proposing higher spending in the coming year. Star-Advertiser.

The 15-day Hawaiian holiday vacation is over for President Barack Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia. The president and his daughters arrived back at the White House on a chilly, drizzly Sunday morning after an eight-hour flight on Air Force One. Mrs. Obama stayed behind to spend time with friends ahead of her upcoming 50th birthday party. Associated Press.

With all the laws in Hawaii regulating tobacco use, it might be only a matter of time before smoking is pretty much outlawed throughout the islands. Civil Beat.

The search for the next University of Hawaii president should get a boost this week with the expected hiring of an executive search firm. The Board of Regents' presidential selection committee — which first began meeting last June — will discuss search firm bids Wednesday afternoon at the UH-Manoa campus, according to the committee's meeting agenda. Star-Advertiser.

The recent overhaul of the GED, which marks the exam's fifth change since 1942, has caused consternation among adult education experts. They fear that the new format and the additional costs for students to take the test could prevent them from succeeding in a post-schooling world where academic credentials are increasingly important. In Hawaii, about 5 percent of Hawaii's teens drop out of high school each year. Civil Beat.

What is poi? A 1909 article, translated into English from Hawaiian, responding to a dictionary's dry description of "the paste or pudding." Hawaii Independent.

Oahu

Every year, the City and County of Honolulu lets slide an opportunity to get more than a quarter of a million dollars in federal funding to promote sustainable coastal development. The funds, which the other three counties in Hawaii receive, is mostly used to hire staff to implement the Coastal Zone Management Act, which is federal legislation that was passed in 1972 to balance the needs of environmental conservation with coastal development. Civil Beat.

For more than two decades, word was that the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl was at capacity for in-ground burials. But the reality is, Punchbowl has 99 open in-ground grave sites — information never shared by the VA with local veterans service organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion or the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd veterans clubs, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

A purchase agreement to sell 12 of Honolulu’s public housing projects to a private developer for $142 million still has a pulse, but city officials aren’t confident they can keep it alive. On Friday, Managing Director Ember Shinn told the Honolulu City Council Committee on Executive Matters and Legal Affairs that negotiations with the buyer to save the deal haven’t gone well. Civil Beat.

The four-person energy research team at the East-West Center in Honolulu has left the center, which promotes better relations between the United States and the Asia-Pacific region, as it moves toward a different business model that’s not as dependent on federal funds, but the leader of the team says the reason for the departures was to protest management at the center. Pacific Business News.

Prominent energy expert Fereidun Fesharaki and his staff have resigned from Honolulu’s East-West Center to protest what they claim is poor leadership and a lack of transparency within the organization. Civil Beat.

Hawaii may be the Rainbow State, but that's not true when it comes to the buildings in Honolulu. In contrast to more colorful cities such as Miami or Berlin, most of our buildings are painted beige or another neutral color, making the city literally pale against the imposing scenery. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The shoreline at Ooma has escaped development — for good. Hawaii County on Friday announced it acquired the makai 217 acres at Ooma for $6.2 million under its Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation program. West Hawaii Today.

On the heels of a mostly positive external review of the legislative auditor’s office, the County Council will move closer next week to appointing an auditor to fill the position that’s been vacant for more than a year. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo’s downtown is getting a fresh coat of paint starting Monday. Paint company Benjamin Moore announced in June that Downtown Hilo will be one of 20 areas across the U.S. and Canada getting a paint job for the new year. The project is part of its 2013 Main Street Matters promotional contest. Tribune-Herald.

In what appears to be a growing trend among municipalities nationally, Hawaii island is becoming the third county in the state to do away with certain kinds of plastic bags at the grocery checkout counter. The ban on single-use plastic bags begins Jan. 17. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Island’s YMCA is hoping to get back in the black this year following significant cuts to its programs in 2013. The nonprofit organization in Hilo suspended its child care programs last year while facing a $400,000 deficit. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Pollution reduction projects in West Maui will be discussed during a presentation before the Maui Council’s Infrastructure and Environmental Management Committee on Monday. Maui Now.

An invasion of stinging fire ants with a taste for peanut butter and Spam and only as long as the thickness of a penny could be gaining a foothold on Maui, threatening the island's lifeblood visitor industry. Maui News.

Upcountry District 12 members of the Maui County Democratic Party will meet Wednesday afternoon in the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center's multipurpose room in Pukalani. Maui News.

Kauai

For more than two decades, Bert Lyon has pushed local officials to change the at-large voting system for County Council members to one that distributes the seats into circumscribed island districts. It is a move the Kilauea man said would help minority candidates with smaller coffers and bring some stability to what he believes is a broken system. Garden Island.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will reduce the days Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is open to the public to five days a week. Garden Island.

For months now, James Pflueger has been requesting that the Department of Land and Natural Resources stop state water from entering his property at the Ka Loko Reservoir in Kilauea — the site of a dam breach in 2006 that killed seven people. Garden Island.

Molokai

Hawaiian Airlines plans to begin service to Molokai and Lanai this year, and the certification process to launch its new subsidiary, Ohana by Hawaiian, has resumed. After 2013 budget sequestration caused delays in certification through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Hawaiian officials say things are back on track. Molokai Dispatch.

For the last two decades, community group Hui Malama o Mo'omomi has been managing Mo'omomi beach and its facilities on Molokai's north shore. Maui News.

Hawaii, VA, near catchment tank solution, polar bear activist to trail Obama, pesticides reportedly sicken Kauai schoolchildren, legislative committees mull budget, EEOC sues Maui County over police, Hawaii County advances $61.5M bond issue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii veterans with catchment tank (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Veterans in Hawaii may once again qualify for VA home loans on property served by rainwater catchment systems now that the federal and state governments appear close to untying a bureaucratic knot. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs stopped guaranteeing the financing for VA loans on homes with catchment systems in late 2011 because of a state Department of Health policy that did not recognize the water as safe for drinking or food preparation. Star-Advertiser.

A trio of top Hawaii economists presented a relatively rosy state financial forecast to the Legislature’s money committees Wednesday at the Capitol, but with caveats. The state has a record $844 million surplus on its hands but the carryover balances are expected to be smaller over the next few years. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations will announce on Thursday the unemployment insurance tax rate for 2014. Hawaii News Now.

Republican Rep. Bob McDermott and Sen. Sam Slom are slamming the Hawaii Department of Education and University of Hawaii for what they’re describing as a deliberate effort to stonewall them in their recent attempts to access all materials in the “Pono Choices” sexual education pilot program.Civil Beat.

A state lawmaker suing the state for legalizing same-sex marriages says a controversial sex education program being taught in some public schools is inappropriate because it promotes a "homosexual lifestyle as a positive or ‘pono' choice." Rep. Bob McDermott (R, Ewa-Iroquois Point) said he heard from concerned parents during the state's debate over marriage equality that middle school students were being taught about same-sex relationships and oral and anal sex as part of the curriculum for a pilot sex education program called Pono Choices. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama is expected to arrive with his family early Saturday for a 17-day holiday vacation at an oceanfront Kailua house with incredible views. This year, it appears Congress will reach a budget deal before the Christmas holiday, raising hopes for a more restful vacation and allowing additional time for bodysurfing, working out at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, shooting hoops and visiting his favorite local hangouts. Star-Advertiser.

An activist in a polar bear costume will be following President Barack Obama around Oahu during his upcoming holiday vacation with the goal of convincing him to reject the Keystone XL pipeline and take action on climate change. Pacific Business News.

Alleged nepotism, broken or unused facilities and key positions unfilled for long periods of time are several of the problems plaguing the Hawaii State Hospital, where employees have complained about suffering serious assaults from patients. Hawaii News Now.

Federal officials are starting a new effort to try to get better health data from Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday it’s launching a new project with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to increase the number of households from those groups in a national health interview survey. Associated Press.

The State Energy Office will provide technical assistance to the Department of Transportation for a recently announced energy efficiency program at state airports that is expected to save $518 million in energy costs over 20 years, the state announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
Opponents of a controversial plan to block off parking across the street from Laniakea Beach on Oahu's North Shore say they'll file suit if the Hawaii Department of Transportation puts up barriers along the road. The plan is the state's first effort to improve traffic in the area despite years of complaints by residents and motorists. Civil Beat.

It's called Kapakahi Stream and there's definitely something out of sorts with the Waipahu stream's water quality. Hawaii News Now.

Former Kamehameha Schools teacher Gabriel Alisna was indicted Wednesday on multiple felony charges involving several students and sexual allegations. KHON2.

Patricia Hamamoto will retire from her post as principal of Saint Louis School at the end of the month, school officials announced Wednesday. Before taking on the post about four years ago, Hamamoto had served more than three decades in Hawaii's public school system -- the last eight years as superintendent of schools. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii plans to retain Michele Carbone as head of its Cancer Center, despite calls for a leadership change by some faculty who say the director's poor management has tarnished the center's reputation and jeopardized its funding. UH is working on a solution that would involve the embattled director keeping his job, while providing him support to help stabilize the center. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Three County Council members must have been feeling the holiday spirit Wednesday, attempting to load another eight projects and $2.4 million onto a $61.5 million bond authorization requested by Mayor Billy Kenoi. A parliamentary move by Kona Councilman Dru Kanuha stopped the projects before they even got a hearing, when he forced the council to vote for the original bill without considering the amendments. West Hawaii Today.

Developers of the Hu Honua Bioenergy plant in Pepeekeo scaled back work at the site as they await regulatory permits and approvals, according to company CEO John Sylvia. Tribune-Herald.

An apparent landlord-tenant dispute between Alahou Clean &Sober and its landlord, Tante Urban, has resulted in Urban taking over the current clients until a new organization steps in. Meanwhile, Alahou Clean &Sober Executive Director Sandra McCoy is working to move a downsized program to another location. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed suit against the Maui County Police Department, alleging that it violated federal law by not hiring a police applicant in 2009, according to a statement released from the commission. Pacific Business News.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Maui County for age discrimination Wednesday, saying it didn't hire a 45-year-old to be a police officer because of his age. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Honolulu alleges Maui County police passed over Lars Sandstrom even though it hired several less qualified candidates as police officers. Associated Press.

Christmas came early to West Maui on Tuesday when the second phase of the Lahaina bypass was blessed and opened, allowing motorists the option of skipping several of Lahaina town's busiest intersections. Maui News.

A project was launched Sunday to renovate the first floor of the University of Hawaii Maui College's Noi'i Building as the Daniel K. Inouye Allied Health Center, according to an announcement. Maui News.

Kauai
A noxious smell reportedly left dozens of students at Elsie H. Wilcox Elementary feeling nauseous around 1 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said. But the incident, which county officials believe was caused by a nearby neighbor spraying pesticides, occurred 15 minutes before the end of the school day, so students didn’t have to miss class time. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council approved a measure Wednesday that Coco Palms Resort developers say will give them enough time to obtain building permits and begin restoring the well-known Wailua hotel. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council has given new life to an expedited permit process enacted by ordinance 20 years ago to speed the repair of structures battered by Hurricane Iniki. The Council's 6-1 vote on Wednesday gives an Oahu investment group, Coco Palms Hui LLC, more time to work with the county on matters such as building permits and restoration plans for the iconic Coco Palms Resort, which has remained shuttered since the Category 4 storm hit the island 21 years ago. Star-Advertiser.

Abercrombie proposes budget increase, Obama family arriving Friday, Honolulu audit dings rail transit, NTSB to recover plane in Fuddy crash, Hawaii military gearing up to face China, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Budget Director Kalbert Young and Gov. Neil Abercrombie release budget, courtesy photo

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie has unveiled a $24 billion plan to run the state for the next two years that relies heavily on record surpluses. The supplemental budget request he sent to the Legislature calls for $53.2 million less spending in fiscal year 2014, which starts July 1. But he wants $183.3 million more than the current appropriation for 2015. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie asked the state Legislature on Monday to expand the state's construction budget to $2.6 billion next fiscal year, an aggressive $1.8 billion increase that would improve public infrastructure but also include money to preserve prime agricultural land in Central Oahu and conserve the unspoiled shoreline around Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore. Star-Advertiser.

A new pharmacy school building for the University of Hawaii at Hilo, a potable water well for the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority and several other Big Island projects are included in the supplemental budget released Monday by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Abercrombie’s proposed operating budget asks for $11.8 billion for 2014 and $12.3 billion for 2015, a 2.37 percent increase. It socks away $100 million to a budget reserve fund and a hurricane relief fund during the fiscal year beginning July 1, raising Hawaii’s total reserves to more than $370 million, more than 5 percent of the state’s general fund revenues next fiscal year. West Hawaii Today.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday proposed setting aside money for less prosperous times while Hawaii enjoys a record budget surplus. The state had an $844 million surplus at the end of June, which is a record. Instead of starting new programs, however, the governor wants to focus on putting money toward financial reserves and filling shortfalls in state employee pension and retiree health care funding. Associated Press.

Governor Neil Abercrombie submitted his Executive Supplemental Budget for the Fiscal Biennium 2013-2015, along with the updated Program and Financial Plan for 2013-2019 to the state Legislature Monday. Hawaii News Now.

The Abercrombie Administration submitted its 2013-2015 fiscal biennium budget to the Hawaii State Legislature Monday, allocating over $12.4 billion over next two years. KITV4.

Leaders of the state House Finance Committee will experiment with zero-base budgeting, a concept that forces government spending to be justified annually, rather than presumed. The strategy helps prioritize government spending by starting the budget discussion at zero. Seventeen states have tried some form of zero-base budgeting in recent years, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, although no state uses it as a primary budgeting technique. Star-Advertiser.

It would be easy to write off Mufi Hannemann as politically dead after his two crushing losses — first to Neil Abercrombie in the 2010 governor’s race, and then his defeat to Tulsi Gabbard in the 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary in 2012. But Hannemann at age 59 doesn’t appear ready to roll over. His friends say he considering running for the 1st Congressional District seat to be vacated by Colleen Hanabusa in her bid for the Senate seat held by Brian Schatz. Civil Beat.

Environmental groups are suing the National Marine Fisheries Service for allowing the U.S. Navy to ramp up sonar testing and live-fire training off the coasts of Hawaii and southern California even though millions of marine mammals, including whales, dolphins and seals, are expected to be hurt or displaced, even for short periods. NMFS approved a permit for the Navy’s five-year testing and training plan on Friday. Environmental groups, anticipating the move, filed suit in federal court in Hawaii on Monday. Civil Beat.

An additional five dozen Hawaii public school teachers have earned an advanced teaching credential this year, joining more than 100,000 teachers nationwide who have obtained the prestigious National Board certification, the state Department of Education announced Monday. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for December 17. Associated Press.

Oahu

The now familiar signs that President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia and First Dog Bo will be arriving in Hawaii for Christmas are appearing in the close knit beachside community on Oahu’s windward side. Coast Guard officials have contacted boat owners in the area to remind them the canal and popular surf spot fronting the private beachfront homes where the President will vacation beginning Friday are off limits for 17 days. Hawaii Reporter.

The agency overseeing Oahu's rail transit project "generally" followed federal rules in its spending of nearly $14 million on public outreach. However, it must keep a closer eye on its consultants to ensure their taxpayer-funded expenses are justified, a city audit released Monday found. Star-Advertiser.

When it comes to public relations for Honolulu's $5.26 billion rail project, the city's auditor is OK with coloring books and lanyards. But paying a consultant more than a half-million dollars to spout hyper-political, pro-rail sentiments on his blog is another story. On Monday, Honolulu Auditor Edwin Young released his agency’s findings related to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation's public relations and community involvement contracts. Civil Beat.

The landing of a big Air Force C-17 cargo jet on Wheeler's 5,600-foot runway was a test of piloting skill and a sign of increased Army training with the Air Force and Navy as the latter two services seek to refine an "Air-Sea Battle" concept that some experts say is aimed at an increasingly threatening China. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Navigation Co. has said it will clean up the mess it caused when a faulty pipeline spewed 233,000 gallons of molasses into Honolulu Harbor, causing a massive fish kill and damaging sensitive coral reefs. But there's still a lot of uncertainty about the company’s future responsibilities for the spill. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii developers who are planning to build seven ultra-luxury condominium towers with some 200 units on what is now a parking area of Ala Moana Center, said the project is expected to create more than 300 construction jobs. Pacific Business News.

Investigators from the state Attorney General's office raided the Myron B. Thompson Academy charter school Monday morning as part of a theft investigation. Investigators hauled one banker's box after another filled with financial documents and computers from the charter school's offices on the second floor of the Richards Street YWCA in downtown Honolulu. Hawaii News Now.

A solar park in Kalaeloa able to generate enough electricity to power 1,000 homes went online Monday. The Kalaeloa Renewable Energy Park is now feeding power to Hawaiian Electric Co. customers on Oahu, after four years of development and construction. The 5-megawatt solar park on a 20-acre lot next to the Barbers Point Golf Course has 21,000 photovoltaic panels. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The parent company of Queen's Medical Center officially entered into an affiliation agreement on Monday with North Hawaii Community Hospital on the Big Island. Under the agreement, North Hawaii will become a corporate entity of Queen's Health Systems on Jan. 1, similar to an arrangement between the Oahu hospital and Molokai General Hospital. Star-Advertiser.

North Hawaii Community Hospital on the Big Island will become a corporate entity under The Queen’s Health Systems, parent of The Queen’s Medical Center, under an affiliation agreement announced on Monday. Pacific Business News.

Maui

A hui of beachfront homeowners in Spreckelsville want to begin construction on rock groins at a beach along Stable Road by next spring or early summer to replace temporary sand-filled "geotubes" that were laid two years ago to slow beach erosion. Maui News.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has released $500,000 for Maui Economic Opportunity Inc.'s transportation facility on 10 acres of former sugar cane land at Puunene. Maui News.

Kauai

Should the costs of reading and servicing old electric meters — at an estimated $340,000 per year — be shared by the entire utility or remain with those who opt not to use the new smart meter technology? During a special ballot election beginning Jan. 3, all members of the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will have an opportunity to weigh-in on the issue. Garden Island.

It will stay afloat for another year. Faced with the sink-or-swim position of needing to raise enough money to keep its Olympic-sized swimming pool open, the YMCA has reached its goal, meaning swimmers will be able get their laps in through 2014. Garden Island.

Molokai

The National Transportation Safety Board said Monday it plans to recover the plane that crashed off Kalau­papa last week with eight passengers aboard, including Department of Health Director Loretta Fuddy, who died after safely evacuating the aircraft. Spokesman Eric Weiss said a helicopter spotted what's suspected to be the downed Cessna Grand Caravan about 400 to 500 yards off the north shore of Molo­kai at a depth of about 60 to 70 feet. The agency initially said recovery would be unlikely because the wreckage, belonging to Makani Kai Air, was thought to be at a greater depth. Star-Advertiser.

The National Transportation Safety Board says it will try to recover the plane that crashed off the Hawaiian island of Molokai after the aircraft was spotted in the water. Associated Press.

The body of former state Health Director Loretta Fuddy was returned to Oahu on Monday. Fuddy died last Wednesday in a plane crash off Molokai. KHON2.

Don't do this to Hawaii's coral reefs, health exchange lagging, auditor sues Kauai County, state Rep. Coffman resigns, Honolulu mayor, council bicker over homeless plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii tourists trampling snorkel reef (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The Department of Land and Natural Resources will hold statewide public hearings to amend Hawaii Administrative Rules relating to stony coral and live rock. The proposed amendments would clarify what activities constitute “damage” to stony coral and live rock, and establish a formula for calculating administrative penalties for such violations.

Just 574 people have signed up for the Hawaii Health Connector, about one half of one percent of the state’s 1.4 million people. So far, the federal government allocation for each successful sign-up comes to about $348,000 — each. Hawaii Reporter.

As of the close of business on Friday, Hawaii’s online health care exchange had registered a total of 574 enrollments for new health care insurance plans, according to Hawaii Health Connector spokesman Bobby Lambrix. Much like the national online marketplace, the state site has experienced delays and technical glitches that have served to impede individuals looking to purchase health plans before the Dec. 23 federally mandated deadline under the Affordable Care Act. Tribune-Herald.

Tom Matsuda has resigned from his post as Hawaii’s Affordable Care Act implementation manager to take the post as interim executive director of the Hawaii Health Connector, replacing Coral Andrews, who announced her resignation in November. Pacific Business News.

Former Sen. Daniel Akaka will be delivering the keynote address at an annual meeting on the state of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. About 500 people are expected to attend the meeting at Central Union Church in Honolulu on Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Installations of solar photovoltaic systems in Hawaii dropped for the third consecutive quarter, according to a report from the Solar Energy Industry Associated that attributed the decline to new utility guidelines for connecting to the grid and stricter rules for claiming renewable energy tax credits. Homes and businesses installed a total of 24.7 megawatts of PV generating capacity in the third quarter, down 17 percent from 29.7 megawatts installed during the previous three-month period, the SEIA said in a report to be released today. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is expected to attend a meeting Tuesday in Washington focusing on climate change and preparation and recovery from natural disasters. Hawaii News Now.

State roundup for December 10. Associated Press.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell says his entire homelessness initiative could be at risk if the Honolulu City Council decides to kill a $142 million affordable housing deal that’s been in the works for more than a year. Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell and the Honolulu City Council are locked in a dispute that could end up costing the city as much as $121 million if a proposed sale of 12 city-owned housing projects to a private contractor doesn't go through. At a news conference Monday, Caldwell accused the Council of putting the $143 million project in jeopardy last week when it introduced a proposal to rescind the sale. He said the project could be lost altogether if the Council follows through with spiking the sale at a meeting Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Given the Internet's tabloid soul, Mayor Kirk Caldwell's first Twitter town hall at the Department of Information Technology's computer lab on Monday had a promising start. Civil Beat.

You can usually count on certain things at Waikiki Beach -- there will be tourists, surfers, and the public restrooms will be open. But one of the main restrooms has been closed for several weeks with little explanation as to why. KHON2.

Hawaii

State Rep. Denny Coffman announced Monday he’s resigning from representing the West Hawaii district he’s served for three terms, an action that sets off a chain of events to ensure District 5 has representation in the state House when the annual legislative session convenes Jan. 15. West Hawaii Today.

Coffman

State Rep. Denny Coffman will be taking a lot of love, support and respect with him after he resigns Dec. 20, according to his colleagues at the Legislature. The Big Island lawmaker announced Monday that he will be stepping down next week for personal reasons. Civil Beat.

Oral arguments begin Friday in the case of six petitioners challenging the state’s decision to grant a permit for the construction of the world’s largest telescopes on Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald.

In many ways, the future of Mauna Kea on Hawai’i island could be shaped this week .  This Friday, a court in Hilo will hear an appeal of the conservation use permit awarded to the planned Thirty Meter Telescope project.  On the same day in Honolulu, the Board of Land and Natural Resources is scheduled to vote on whether to extend the University’s leases on Mauna Kea for another 65 years.  Hawaii Public Radio.

The Naniloa Volcanoes Resort is not out of rough waters yet. On Monday, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources filed an appeal against the sale of the troubled Hilo hotel while the approved buyer is struggling to come up with funds to complete the purchase. Tribune-Herald.

A proposed plan to clean up contaminated soil at a former Kohala Sugar Co. pesticide mixing site in Hawi calls for on-island landfill disposal. West Hawaii Today.

The state is moving forward with road and waterline system improvements at the Kawaihae Small Boat Harbor in South Kohala. West Hawaii Today.

A Hungarian lunar rover is walking about on the powdery flanks of Mauna Kea with its stereoscopic cameras focused on terrain ahead, a 2015 mission to the moon and the $40 million Google Lunar XPRIZE. More than 20 teams from around the world are competing for the XPRIZE, a global competition to land a robotic spacecraft on the moon. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

The Maui County Council has announced the passage of a resolution in a 6-1 vote, authorizing the appointment of Danny Mateo as County Clerk. Maui Now.

A member of the Maui County Council has introduced a bill that would mandate commercial agricultural entities disclose pesticides and use of genetically modified organisms. Member Elle Cochran introduced the bill on Friday that also would establish pesticide buffer zones and require the county to complete an environmental and public health impact study about pesticides and GMOs. Associated Press.

The deadline for Maui County property owners to file claims for property tax exemptions, condominium-use classification declarations and requests for agricultural-use valuations for the 2014-15 fiscal year is Dec. 31. Maui News.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is seeking ownership of Haleakala Trail this week, after filing a motion in conjunction with Public Access Trails Hawaii. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Auditor filed a civil suit against the county alleging retaliation. The complaint, filed by Ernesto Pasion against the County of Kauai, County Council Chair Jay Furfaro and others as defendants, was filed in 5th Circuit Court, a clerk confirmed on Monday. Garden Island.

The plan was to limit testimony to the proposed ballot language for Kauai Island Utility Cooperative’s upcoming special election related to smart meters. In other words, Monday’s public meeting — which packed KIUC’s board room — was not about discussing whether smart meters are good or bad, safe or dangerous. Garden Island.

Community organizations plan to wage a battle against a project with proposed large residential units that they contend will spoil the view of a ridgeline north of Kauai's Hanalei River. Star-Advertiser.

Advisories warning Kauai residents about brown water that may contain hazardous substances should be issued faster and in more detail, according to an environmental group. Associated Press.

Hawaii lawmakers launch bipartisan Future Caucus, state offers preschool subsidies, Hawaii one of 13 'Turkey States,' Big Island seeks auditor, hunter reality show in DLNR crosshairs, Niihau residents want fishing limits, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii peschoolers, courtesy photo

Families should be able to apply in March for a slice of the $6 million in additional preschool subsidies state lawmakers approved earlier this year to help a set of children who will be too young to enter kindergarten next year. Star-Advertiser.

For the next school year, kindergartners must be at least 5 years old by July 31. Roughly 5,000 children who will mark their fifth birthdays later than that will have to wait a year before starting kindergarten. Star-Advertiser.

A group of Hawaii lawmakers announced Wednesday the creation of a bipartisan caucus composed of county and state elected officials under age 40 that will work to improve government transparency and political involvement for young people. Hawaii Future Caucus members said in a news conference at the state Capitol that they hope to work on "common-sense" legislation to make the political system more inviting and accessible for younger generations. Star-Advertiser.

A new report from Truth in Accounting’s State Data Lab names Hawaii one of 13 “Turkey States” because the state spent more money than it received and racked up more debt for future taxpayers. Hawaii Reporter.

The countdown for Hawaii’s first same-sex marriages is fast approaching. And state officials are gearing up for some changes. As HPR’s Molly Solomon reports, several couples are expected to wed on Monday -- the first day Hawaii’s marriage equality law goes into effect.

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has approved a zone change for a project that would add 3,500 new houses to Koa Ridge in central Oahu. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co. and two solar energy trade associations said Wednesday that they’re working together to define criteria that will allow customers who committed to installing solar photovoltaic systems prior to the September rules changes to interconnect their systems at no additional costs for safety upgrades. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Almost a year after county Legislative Auditor Colleen Schrandt resigned, the position has not yet been filled and it’s unclear how much, if any, auditing has actually gone on. West Hawaii Today.

A former executive assistant at Big Island Substance Abuse Council has filed suit against the substance abuse treatment organization alleging that she was wrongfully terminated for exposing financial misdeeds by BISAC’s former chief executive officer. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii officials said Wednesday they are investigating whether any state regulations were broken during the filming of the History channel’s television show “American Jungle.” Associated Press.

Tjaye Forsythe, one of the producers of the reality show, 'American Jungle,' fired back at the Department of Land & Natural Resources on Facebook hours after the state announced a criminal investigation into the show which is shot on the Big Island. Hawaii News Now.

The History Channel’s new series "American Jungle," which depicts clans of Hawaii hunters battling it out as they hunt down pigs, goats and cows, is angering some top state officials, including Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who has threatened legal action. HuffPost Hawaii.

Maui

The Maui Planning Commission recommended approval Tuesday of a change in zoning from interim to public/quasi-public for Lumeria Maui, an educational retreat at the former Fred Baldwin Memorial Home in Makawao. Maui News.

The Maui County Office on Aging will host an open house for the launch of its EnhanceFitness program in South Maui. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Will Kauai's Mayor Face Fallout After GMO, Pesticide Battles? Civil Beat.

Fishermen, primarily from Kauai, have been fishing in Niihau waters for decades, steadily depleting its residents of their primary food-source. The senate's Native Hawaiian caucus, along with the DLNR, intend to put a stop to that. Hawaii Independent.

A weather related anomaly that altered night harvesting operations for Kauai Coffee Company meant that neighboring communities heard a little more noise than usual. Garden Island.

Molokai

There are currently 355 registered business owners on Molokai and most of them are home based, according to Jennifer Hawkins, small business specialist at the Kuha’o Business Center. These businesses are regulated by the Maui County Council under a bill currently up for revision. But when the council visited Molokai last week, asking for feedback on how to best tailor these standards and encourage small businesses, many Molokai business owners revealed they never knew the ordinance existed. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii churches mull gay marriage rules, Honolulu state lawmaker takes sledgehammer to homeless shopping carts, Waikiki beachboys fight new fees, health exchange under fire, Kauai farmers prepare to sue to stop GMO and pesticide bill, Hawaii mayor wants $61M bonds, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii, with love

In just about two week from now, same sex couples will be able to get marriage licenses here in Hawaii. But because of the religious exemption in the new law, some churches will decide not to perform those ceremonies. KHON2.

The special session to legalize gay marriage in Hawaii cost more than triple the estimate, but state lawmakers generally agree it was money well spent. The session, which opened Oct. 28 and ended Nov. 12, cost $76,800 on the legislative side, according to the House and Senate chief clerks. Civil Beat.

Winning Arguments: Hawaii Lawmakers' Speeches on Gay Marriage.Word clouds reveal the most frequently spoken words — and the least used.  Civil Beat.

Only 257 individuals in Hawaii have enrolled in health-insurance plans through the Hawaii Health Connector as of Friday, a spokesman confirmed to Pacific Business News.

State Insurance Commissioner Gordon Ito is requesting that Hawaii’s insurance carriers continue health plans that faced non-renewal by the end of the year. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii state senators are criticizing CGI Group Inc., the company that developed Hawaii’s troubled Obamacare portal, for the construction and management of a tax-collection website. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii's first big shipment of Christmas trees from the Pacific Northwest arrived right on time over the weekend. Matson Navigation Co.'s first shipment of Christmas trees for consumers docked in Hono­lulu on Saturday, and the trees will be available for purchase at retailers' discretion as soon as agricultural inspections are completed, a company spokesman said. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for November 18. Associated Press

Oahu

In July 2012 state officials publicly launched an $82 million "PM Contraflow" project, with plans to include a 7.2-mile zipper lane on the H-1 freeway between Pearl Harbor and Waikele to help ease Ewa-bound rush-hour traffic. But months later, they now acknowledge, state Department of Transportation officials began to privately reconsider whether a zipper lane was the best use of taxpayer dollars to ease congestion along one of the most notorious commutes on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

A typically busy Sunday on Oahu roads produced a typically high number of traffic collisions across the island. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., there were 87 traffic collisions on Oahu, according to the Honolulu Police Department traffic log. Star-Advertiser.

A state lawmaker, fed up with the lack of progress in solving Waikiki's chronic homeless problem and disgusted by the mess that comes with it, has taken matters into his own hands. And those hands are wielding a sledgehammer. Star-Advertiser.

Ocean recreation companies in Waikiki are protesting proposed new state fees and other rule changes they say threaten longtime beachboy concessions and other businesses. Hawaii News Now.

A memo from the executive director of the Honolulu Ethics Commission accuses the Caldwell administration of stonewalling investigations about possible corruption and employee misconduct at city hall. Civil Beat.

From fierce, life-sized bronze lion sculptures to dainty porcelain figurines, the art collection of Japanese real estate tycoon Genshiro Kawamoto is vast and varied. More than 500 pieces of Kawamoto's global art collection, furnishings and decor will go up for bid Saturday at one of his former Kahala properties. Star-Advertiser.

More than 80 percent of the buildings on the 101-year-old Manoa campus — or 209 buildings — have lingering repair and maintenance needs that will cost $407 million to fix. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
On the heels of recent penny-pinching years that included budget cuts and property tax increases, Mayor Billy Kenoi is ready for the county to take on more debt. Kenoi, in a letter Thursday, asked the County Council to authorize $61 million in new bonds for 23 projects islandwide. West Hawaii Today.

A former Hawaii County Councilman has yet to serve a five-day jail sentence handed down in 2010 following his no contest plea to resisting arrest after a traffic stop in North Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Civil Beat is profiling Na Wai Ola and several other charter schools in and around the Hilo area as part of a five-part education series. Learning Hilo explores four of Hawaii's charter school "innovation laboratories" and how leaders offer less-than-traditional models, techniques and even challenging ideas to the rest of the public school system.

After years in development, Hilo Medical Center’s Family Medicine Residency Program is set to begin interviewing next week its first crop of applicants. Tribune-Herald.

With 3-D printing, and other computer-aided-design technologies, it’s not only possible but feasible for anyone with the desire to learn, according to Neil Scott, who works for the College of Education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. On Dec. 6, Scott is launching the state’s first commercial “makery” right in downtown Hilo, where some of the technology that is already changing the way manufacturing is done would be available for anyone to rent. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui County Council today approved of a resolution authorizing a new independent appraisal of 186 acres of land at Launiupoko being considered for use as future park space. Maui Now.

With one council member calling the appraisal "significantly flawed," the Maui County Council on Friday approved a new appraisal for 186 acres in Launiupoko that Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration has negotiated to purchase for $13 million. Maui News.

For the first time since its inception 90 years ago, the state Department of Hawaiian Homelands is developing a policy plan that solely addresses its water kuleana rights and responsibilities. Maui News.

Kauai

Supporters of tighter reins on agribusiness expressed satisfaction Saturday at the Kauai County Council's decision to override Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.'s veto of a measure regulating pesticides and genetically modified crops. But representatives of Kauai's big farms vowed to challenge the law in court. Star-Advertiser.

Pesticide disclosure Bill 2491 is set to become law after the Kauai County Council voted Saturday to override Mayor Bernard Carvalho’s veto of the bill. Civil Beat.

Bill 2491 is headed for the Kauai County law books. The controversial bill’s five-month legislative saga closed a major chapter Saturday, when the Kauai Council voted 5 to 2 to override the mayor’s veto. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council has voted to override the mayor's veto of legislation that would require large farms to disclose the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops. The council's 5-2 vote Saturday means the bill vetoed by Mayor Bernard Carvalho becomes law and goes into effect in nine months. Associated Press.

Mason Chock is the newest member of the Kauai County Council. He will finish out the term of Nadine Nakamura, who left to work as the mayor's top aide. Hawaii Independent.

A hands-on project in a charter school on Kauai’s Westside may not feed the world, but it is aiming to grow an abundance of food by the end of the school year. Garden Island.