Older population increases, Hawaii in range of North Korea missiles, Honolulu Police Commission founders in chief search, Kauai continues homeless sweep, Hawaii Five-0 network defends less pay for Asian actors, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kupuna hula © 2017 All Hawaii News

U.S. Census: Those Over 65 Are Hawaii’s Fastest Growing Group. Other data findings show the state is growing more diverse and in 2015-16, the growth in housing exceeded population growth. Civil Beat.

Website ranks Hawaii fifth worst among states for starting a business Star-Advertiser.

The defense minister of South Korea and a missile expert have said that North Korea’s first flight test of an intercontinental ballistic missile potentially places Hawaii within range of an attack. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge in Honolulu is expected to rule soon whether the Trump administration is unlawfully implementing the scaled-back version of the travel ban. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin rebutted the Trump administration’s argument that it was using U.S. immigration law standards when it defined what constitutes close family relations in its partially reinstated travel ban for people from six mostly Muslim nations. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii and Undocumented Immigrants: Part 4. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige named state Chief Information Officer Todd Nacapuy executive sponsor of the ongoing tax system modernization project. Pacific Business News.

Homebuyers on Kauai and Hawaii Island snapped up condominiums in June as prices and sales surged on both islands. Star-Advertiser.

CBS Defends Paying Hawaii Five-0’s Asian Cast Members Less Than White Co-Stars. The network emphasized that Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park played supporting roles, which it cites as a reason for the pay discrepancy. Vanity Fair.

Oahu

The search for a Honolulu police chief will stretch into at least mid-September as the Hono­lulu Police Commission struggles to retain a consulting firm to help with the selection process. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu police commissioners appear to be losing patience in their search for a new police chief to replace Louis Kealoha, who retired in January amid corruption allegations. Civil Beat.

Commission to negotiate with second pick for police chief search consultant. KHON2.

Two Honolulu police officers on July 19 will try to convince the Police Commission that city taxpayers should pay their legal fees in a high-profile civil case against them. Star-Advertiser.

A law passed nearly two decades before Hawaii became a state is at the center of an increasingly bitter fight between the Honolulu Police Commission and former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha over who should foot his upcoming legal bills — the taxpayers or Kealoha himself. Civil Beat.

A bed bug infestation at the Honolulu Police Department headquarters is prompting a temporary relocation for some of the operations. Hawaii News Now.

The chairman of the state House committee that oversees ocean resources said he will explore possible legislation to control the kind of unsafe activities that sent people to hospitals with alcohol intoxication during a Fourth of July “floatilla” off Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

Waipahu Businesses Have Hopes For Rail — If They Can Survive Construction. With some owners reporting a sharp decline in customers, the Honolulu City Council has set aside $2 million for property tax relief for struggling businesses. Civil Beat.

Interagency Transit Oriented Development Council: Mayor Wright Housing is the Top Priority. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state Department of Education said it expects to spend nearly $30,000 to remove decaying banyan trees from the McKinley High School campus and replace them with a new species. Star-Advertiser.

A college student who graduated from one of the most prestigious high schools in Hawaii - former President Barack Obama's alma mater - is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday for slaughtering vulnerable seabirds at a nature reserve. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu's home prices hit an all-time high. Hawaii real-estate firm, Locations reports the median price for single-family homes on Oahu is now $795,000, according to June's Residential Real Estate Report. KITV.

Bibas Courtyard Grill was once on the Hale Koa Hotel’s potential closure list due to a steady stream of losses, but a committee of managers and union workers averted the crisis and realized the restaurant’s first profit. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii County Department of Water Supply finished repairs on the recently downed Keahuolo Deepwell ahead of schedule and it is up and running as of Wednesday afternoon, according to an update issued by Hawaii County Civil Defense. West Hawaii Today.

The Keahuolu Deepwell is now repaired and operational, county officials report. Big Island Video News.

Christmas came in July for the county Mass Transit Agency, when seven buses from Honolulu arrived Wednesday at Hilo Harbor. West Hawaii Today.

The University of Hawaii’s 2.2-meter telescope isn’t the biggest observatory on Mauna Kea. But with the help of a nearly $1 million National Science Foundation grant, it could in a few years give the Hubble Space Telescope a run for its money. Tribune-Herald.

The proposed Hu Honua Bioenergy facility on the Big Island is projected to generate more than $2 billion in economic activity across Hawaii over its 30-year lifespan, according to an economic analysis of the project. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Department of Water Supply Director Dave Taylor wants to shorten — from 90 to 30 days — the amount of time farmers would need to comply with water restrictions during droughts. Maui News.

Alexander & Baldwin Inc. has begun growing sorghum and corn on Maui as part of a test project to develop biofuel to feed a planned anaerobic digester that would produce methane gas to power the Kahului wastewater treatment facility. Maui News.

One of Maui's most popular and majestic sites has been closed for 10 months. KITV.

Restroom facilities and the parking lot at Waipuilani Park in Kīhei will be closed from today, Wednesday, July 5th to the end of August so that contractors can install a new irrigation system. Maui Now.

Kauai

Six more people were arrested for camping without permits in the Napali Coast’s Kalalau Valley during a three-day Department of Land and Natural Resources operation last week. Garden Island.

The Resort Group has hired Colorado-based East West Partners to develop some 700 acres of the Princeville at Hanalei resort on Kauai’s North Shore with ranch homesites and reopen the shuttered Prince Golf Course. Pacific Business News.

In order to map out Kauai’s agriculture atmosphere, Malama Kauai has put out a survey to island ranchers and farmers, one that can provide data to inform everyone of Kauai’s agriculture needs. Garden Island.

Legislature's budget agreement to raise hotel taxes for Honolulu rail, give less to counties; more union raises; immigrant protections; Ige gears up for re-elecion bid; trouble-shooter hired for Hele-On buses; new police cars for Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Legislature 2017, courtesy Hawaii House majority

Rail and the political turmoil that surrounds it helped steer the state Legislature into dramatic new positions last week on some longstanding, contentious issues, with results that startled even some of the politicians involved. Star-Advertiser.

Senate conferees agreed to the House conference draft of Senate Bill 1183 to scrap a proposed two-year extension to Oahu’s general excise tax surcharge and instead boost Hawaii’s transient accommodations tax to 12 percent, from the current 9.25 percent, starting Jan. 1. Pacific Business News.

Lawmakers Strike Deal to Fund Honolulu Rail Project With Higher Hotel Taxes. Negotiators agreed on a plan Friday to increase the hotel tax, but the deal must still be approved by the full House and Senate. Civil Beat.

New Public Union Deals Will Be Costly For State. A handful of union contracts have yet to be finalized, but the state’s top budget official says the estimated cost so far tops $460 million. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers decided not to pass a bill Friday that would have mandated the state Department of Health post inspection reports for day care centers. Civil Beat.

State lawmakers passed a resolution to help protect immigrants in Hawaii. House Resolution 76 asks local law enforcement to not execute an immigration arrest unless they have a warrant from the federal government. KITV.

All-Mail Balloting Bill Dies In Final Hour Of Conference. The measure’s author says it’s only a matter of time before it becomes law. Civil Beat.

A bill that would have appropriated tax money for a study regarding the effects of sunscreen on coral reefs was rejected at a hearing Friday, as lawmakers refused to release the state funds required by the measure. Star-Advertiser.

Invasive species bills see mixed results. Tribune-Herald.

Rat lungworm, a disease long endemic to Puna, has gained national attention after Maui residents and two tourists from the mainland have become ill. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Senate rejected Gov. David Ige’s nomination of Tom Gorak to the three-member Public Utilities Commission on Friday night on a 15-10 vote. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii state Senate has rejected Gov. David Ige’s nomination of Hawaii Public Utilities Commission commissioner Thomas Gorak — who was appointed as an interim commissioner last year two weeks before the agency voted to reject NextEra Energy’s $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co. — to serve a full term until 2022. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii’s 13 largest publicly traded companies rewarded their CEOs last year by increasing their total compensation an average 13.8 percent to $2.2 million, according to a Hono­lulu Star-Advertiser analysis of Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Six officers, including the non-CEO, received a pay package of at least $3 million. Star-Advertiser.

Visitor spending in Hawaii jumped 12.3 percent to $1.4 billion in March, partially due to a surge in spending by visitors from the Japan market, according to preliminary statistics released Friday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Pacific Business News.

A comeback from the Japan visitor market helped boost statewide March tourism numbers, including the industry’s highest monthly spending increase since December 2012. Star-Advertiser.

Were These ‘Local’ Products Really Made In Hawaii? Firms connected to the mainland like to evoke Hawaii in their marketing. Many have island origins, but have found it’s hard to expand here. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s American Savings Bank reported first quarter net income of $15.8 million, a 24.7 percent increase from net income of $12.7 million during the first quarter of 2016. Pacific Business News.

Trump May Try, But Only Congress Can Undo National Monuments. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Ishii ramps up policy effort for Ige’s re-election drive. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Voting began Friday for Oahu’s 33 neighborhood boards in what the Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office hopes will be a largely paperless process. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu International, the state’s busiest airport has been renamed after the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye. KHON2.

Hawaiian Electric Co. is seeking 3.1 million gallons of sustainably produced, renewable biofuel per year for three years to power biofuel-capable power plants on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Hundreds marched in Waikiki on Saturday morning in a demonstration to fight climate change, joining similar marches across the country. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

The wheels come off: Chaos at Mass Transit baseyard reflects turmoil in agency. West Hawaii Today.

A May 30 deadline has been set for submitting final arguments in the Thirty Meter Telescope contested case hearing, but project foes contend it’s not enough time considering the volume of documents, exhibits and transcripts generated by the proceeding. Star-Advertiser.

Several bills introduced by Hawaii Island legislators died in the final hours of conferencing Friday. Tribune-Herald.

Appropriations aim to alleviate homelessness, invasive species in West Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Researchers hopeful biocontrol measure will help protect Kona coffee. West Hawaii Today.

One of the biggest players in Hawaii’s Kona coffee industry is in shambles after a legal battle that has left many small farmers unpaid along with questions about what happened to a business whose coffee retailed for up to $69 a pound. Star-Advertiser.

Visitors traveling to the Big Island spent $203.3 million last month, a 25.3 percent jump from last year, caused by double-digit growth in visitor arrivals from U.S. West, U.S. East, Japan and Canada, according to preliminary statistics from the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Maui Land &Pineapple Co. is only $1.2 million away from being debt free after selling a three-hole practice golf course in February for $7 million. Star-Advertiser.

After an anxious month and steep learning curve about how to co-exist with invasive slugs carrying rat lungworm disease, Hana celebrated itself at the 25th East Maui Taro Festival. Civil Beat.

DOH to hold community meetings on Maui to discuss rat lungworm disease. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

The Kauai Police Department will be getting new patrol cars. The Kauai County Council unanimously approved a budget request from Chief Darryl Perry last week to spend $178,000 a year for five years to lease new Ford Explorers. Garden Island.

Grant limits could be placed on a $200,000 county allocation distributed to Kekaha residents. Garden Island.

Kaui projects included in state operating budget for fiscal years 2018 and 2019. Garden Island.

Lanai

For the third time in three decades, the state Land Use Commission has come to a different conclusion on whether Larry Ellison, owner of Lanai is using a proper source of water to irrigate its luxury ocean-view golf course. Star-Advertiser.

VP Pence visits Hawaii, Hanabusa downplays Korea fear, big raise mulled for teachers, half of Big Island buses broken down, private sponsorship of Oahu city parks proposed, record high carbon dioxide measured, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pence in Hawaii, courtesy KHON2

Vice President Mike Pence and his family late Sunday evening arrived on Oahu, where he will spend most of his short visit with military personnel. KHON2.

Vice President Mike Pence is on Oahu for a short visit before going back to Washington, D.C., concluding his 10-day, four-nation tour of the Asia-Pacific region. Hawaii News Now.

Vice President Mike Pence is making a shortened visit to Hawaii today before heading back to Washington, D.C., ahead of a busy week for President Donald Trump. Star-Advertiser.

Vice President Mike Pence's office said he would depart Hawaii on Monday afternoon after meeting with U.S. Pacific Command leaders and troops stationed in Honolulu. Plans for a Tuesday visit to the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor have been postponed, Pence's office said. Associated Press.

Video: VP Mike Pence Arrives in Honolulu. Civil Beat.

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The fears of a ballistic missile strike on Hawaii from North Korea are overblown, according to U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, speaking at a town hall in Honolulu Saturday. Civil Beat.

3 judges to hear appeal of Hawaii ruling blocking travel ban. Associated Press.

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Hawaii public school teachers would see multiyear pay raises totaling nearly 14 percent under a tentative four-year contract deal reached with the state. Star-Advertiser.

A crucial vote for thousands of Hawaii's public school teachers is coming up this week. They'll have a chance to learn more about a tentative contract agreement during statewide meetings that start on Monday. Hawaii News Now.

After nine months of negotiating, beginning public school teachers across Hawaii could see their salaries jump by nearly $10,000. For the first time by the end of the contract, beginning teachers in Hawaii will be making over $50,000 a year. KITV.

Tentative agreement goes to teachers to ratify. KHON2.

Corey Rosenlee, president of the 13,500-Member Hawaii State Teachers Association, announced that the HSTA Board is recommending a tentative agreement for four-year contract. Maui Now.

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Tom Gorak, Gov. David Ige’s controversial nominee to the state agency that regulates Hawaii’s utilities was dealt a preliminary setback Friday when he was narrowly rejected by a Senate committee. Star-Advertiser.

A state Senate committee recommended Friday to the full Senate to reject Gov. David Ige’s nomination of current Hawaii Public Utilities Commission commissioner Thomas Gorak. Pacific Business News.

A state House-Senate conference committee has recommended final passage of a bill that would budget $250,000 in state money to help fund a physician student loan repayment program for doctors who practice in underserved areas in Hawaii. Maui News.
http://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2017/04/funding-for-student-loan-repayment-program-advances-in-state-legislature/

Atmospheric carbon dioxide measurements from Mauna Loa Observatory last week topped 410 parts per million for the first time in modern history. Star-Advertiser.

More than 600 students joined activists at the state Capitol rotunda Thursday in support of a bill that sets a goal of having all ground transportation in Hawaii run on renewable fuel by 2045. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers tussle with bill to fight painkiller addiction. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers are still considering several bills designed to make life easier for condominium owners and stem complaints about the boards that oversee their buildings, but some owners say the legislation doesn’t go far enough. Civil Beat.

The state’s Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee advanced a resolution Tuesday calling for a national constitutional convention to claw back the U.S. Supreme Court’s controversial Citizens United decision, which has increased the influence of corporate money in political campaigns. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii, last year ranked the healthiest state in the nation, has scored below average in a report measuring public health preparedness — or the ability to respond to natural disasters, disease outbreaks and other public health crises. Star-Advertiser.

As state health officials try to balance public education with preventing panic, some critics believe the state should have addressed rat lungworm disease more vigorously earlier. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Ige’s administration lacks needed victories. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A bill that would allow private sponsorship of city parks and other facilities is drawing the ire of the Outdoor Circle and others worried that it would clear the way for billboards and other outdoor advertising despite the strong insistence by the bill’s author that that won’t happen. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Commission votes down Haleiwa house lots plan. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

The wheels on the bus aren’t going round and round for almost half the Hele-On fleet. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Electric Light Co. and its parent companies, Hawaiian Electric Co. and Hawaiian Electric Industries, are asking a judge to dismiss a federal antitrust lawsuit against them by Hu Honua Bioenergy and compel arbitration of all claims. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County’s 2017-18 spending plan was hit with a double whammy Thursday, when a legislative conference committee deadlocked on the county share of the hotel tax and firefighters were awarded a more than 2 percent pay increase. West Hawaii Today.

Invasive spittlebug attacks Kona grazing land. Tribune-Herald.

The Ka‘u Community Development Plan is nearing completion. Tribune-Herald.

Not cleared for takeoff: DLNR confusion puts model flying club in holding pattern. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui surrounded by history. A team of divers is documenting state’s underwater wreckage. Maui News.

Signs have been posted warning people against trespassing near a crop of sunflowers on Maui that is being grown as part of an experiment to produce biofuel. A growing number of visitors have been attracted to the yellow flowers that started blooming weeks ago. Associated Press.

Kauai

The Kauai Police Department is requesting nearly $900,000 from the County Council to lease 15 marked patrol Ford Explorers. Garden Island.

The gigantic pension plan that serves Los Angeles County government employees is putting up for sale the St. Regis Princeville Resort and Makai Golf Club in Princeville, which have been part of the fund’s assets since 2005. The decision has major financial and other ramifications for Kauai. Garden Island.

New tropical storm on Hawaii horizon, attorney general charges Kauai lawmaker for campaign spending violations, county bus system settles ADA lawsuit, Maui council wants to forgive $4M loan, error caused Honolulu sewer spill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tropical Storm Ignacio 5 a.m. Wednesday Aug. 26, courtesy National Hurricane Center

Tropical Storm Ignacio has intensified slightly as it continues on a westward track in the Eastern North Pacific. At 5 a.m. Wednesday, Ignacio was located approximately 1,425 miles east-southeast of Hilo. It had maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour with higher gusts. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center. Hawaii News Now.

Tropical Storm Ignacio continued to strengthen and remains on track to become a hurricane and pass close to the Big Island on Monday. At 5 a.m. Wednesday, the storm was about 1,425 miles east-southeast of Hilo, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, moving west at 9 mph. Tropical storm force winds extend 60 miles from the center. Star-Advertiser.

Section 8 Waiting Game: Even With Vouchers in Hand, There May Be No Place to Rent. Participants in the federally funded rental subsidy program may wait years to finally become eligible for subsidies, but then still struggle to find housing in Hawaii’s rental market. Civil Beat.

State Rep. James Tokioka has entered into a plea agreement to settle a charge by the state attorney general’s office that he “recklessly” filed inaccurate reports detailing donations to his re-election campaign last year. Star-Advertiser.

The state Attorney General’s office is charging Rep. James “Jimmy” Tokioka for violating campaign finance reporting requirements during the 2014 election. Garden Island.

The state Attorney General has filed charges against a state lawmaker for a campaign reporting violation. Kauai Representative James Tokioka is scheduled to appear in court next Monday. KHON2.

A proposed merger between the parent company of cable provider Oceanic Time Warner and Charter Communications Inc. is currently before the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

A breakdown in communication led to a spill that dumped more than 500,000 gallons of sewage into the ocean at Ala Moana Beach Park on Monday morning, a city official said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu beaches from the Kapahulu Groin to Point Panic remained off-limits Tuesday and will stay closed pending the results from water testing, city officials said. Civil Beat.

Portions of Hawaii's famed Waikiki Beach remained closed Tuesday as the City and County of Honolulu made plans to reopen Ala Moana Beach Park on Wednesday, two days after untreated wastewater overflowed from manholes near Ala Moana Center and into storm drains that led to the ocean. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu city officials are clarifying the reasons that Waikiki Beach remains closed today.  Heavy rains from tropical depression Kilo soaked the state and led to a wastewater and sewage spill. Hawaii Public Radio.

Many beachgoers showed up at beaches in the Ala Moana and Waikiki area Tuesday, unaware that the beach areas were closed because of possible contamination from more than 500,000 gallons of sewage that flowed into the ocean from storm drains near Atkinson Drive. Shoreline waters were closed from Point Panic in Kakaako to the Kapahulu Groin at the other end of Waikiki. On Tuesday officials clarified that Ala Moana was closed because of the sewage spill, while Waikiki beaches were closed because of a brown water advisory from storm runoff. Star-Advertiser.

It's not only an eyesore – it's illegal. Overgrown trees and bushes are threatening public access to beaches in East Oahu. KITV4.

A second Kakaako condominium tower developer is seeking relief from a state rule governing the opaqueness of window glass. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County has embarked upon a two-year plan to improve services for those disabled individuals who can’t ride the Hele-On public bus system. The paratransit plan, which will cost about $800,000 the first year, is part of a 20-page settlement agreement signed Aug. 13 by U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi in Honolulu after the county was sued for not complying with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. West Hawaii Today.

West Hawaii got its first glimpse Tuesday of what the commute along Queen Kaahumanu Highway — or a trip to the airport — will be like for a couple of years. West Hawaii Today.

The Hamakua community gathered at the Honoka’a Gym on Tuesday evening (Aug. 25) to discuss possible solutions to the issues that surround the Waipi’o Valley Access Road. The County of Hawaii is offering to assist the Waipi’o Valley residents and stakeholders in a road improvement project, if the community supports the idea. Big Island Video News.

Maui

A Maui County Council committee is proposing to forgive repayment of more than $4 million that the county loaned in 1998 to Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center for construction of its Hale Makana O Waiale rental housing facility in Wailuku. Maui News.

Maui police said the Kahului airport’s Emergency Operation Center received a call threatening harm to an outbound flight Tuesday morning. Star-Advertiser.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii and Hawaii Pacific Health are competing to become the first private managers of state hospitals. Pacific Business News.

Small-business owners interested in learning the basics of government contracting are invited to attend a free workshop Sept. 17 at the Maui Beach Hotel. Maui News.

Kauai

A 2,000 gallon sewage spill is keeping The St. Regis Princeville Resort guests out of the water fronting the high-end hotel while state health officials wait on water sample test results. Garden Island.

Molokai

A $1.2 million project to replace a 19,500-gallon steel water tank in Ho`olehua with a sturdier concrete tank is nearing completion. It’s a replacement that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) hopes will provide a better long-term solution for water pressure problems in the area. Molokai Dispatch.