Filibusters delay gay marriage vote, SHOPO chief won't enforce it, state procurement officer replaced, Historic Preservation head tapped, Honolulu mayor fights ethics, state backs Kauai GMO veto, Maui hospital earns trauma center designation, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gay marriage rally Yahoo News photo

Legislative progress on same-sex marriage had to wait another day. The Hawaii House Judiciary and Finance committees decided at 10:30 p.m. Monday to defer any decision-making on legislation granting same-sex couples the right to marry until Tuesday, at the earliest. The Judiciary and Finance committees are set to resume hearing testimony at 10:30 a.m. Civil Beat.

Garret Hashimoto of the Hawaii Christian Coalition dubbed it another "People's Filibuster." Thousands of religious conservatives, taking full advantage of the state House's commitment to hear from everyone on gay marriage, have deliberately sought to prolong a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee and the House Finance Committee. Star-Advertiser.

Two Hawaii House committees considering a bill to legalize gay marriage are tightening rules on testimony at a joint hearing after some people used a registration list to speak for others. Associated Press.

As the Hawaii Legislature inches closer to legalizing same-sex marriage, opponents of the bill have been voicing their concerns with increasing fervor. One persistent concern has emerged: that legalizing same-sex marriage could force public school teachers to teach kids about "the homosexual lifestyle."  Civil Beat.

Tenari Maafala, the President of Hawaii’s police union and an active police officer with the Honolulu Police Department, who testified that he would never enforce a law requiring same-sex marriage. “You would have to kill me,” he told the lawmakers. HuffPost Hawaii.

Special Session rolls into week two. What's left on the agenda? Hawaii Independent.

A new procedure is speeding up the testimony process at the Capitol, as lawmakers make their way through a fourth, and possibly final, day of a public hearing on a controversial same-sex marriage bill. Hawaii News Now.

For the masochists who have sat through more than 50 hours of mind-numbingly repetitive testimony in the House and Senate on legislation that could open up marriage to homosexual couples, some things have become abundantly clear. Civil Beat.

Rep. Clift Tsuji, who has long described himself as a supporter of “traditional marriage,” said that, based solely on the sheer amount of testimony he has received in opposition to Senate Bill 1 — which would legalize gay marriage in Hawaii — he will likely vote against the measure. Tribune-Herald.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday appointed Maria Zielinski as interim State Procurement Office administrator Monday after Aaron Fujioka unexpectedly retired last week. Right before Fujioka stepped down, he suspended the procurement delegation that he’d given state department heads. He sent an order out Oct. 31 that said any subsequent authority would be issued by his successor. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers question timing of procurement office job-fill. KHON2.

A veteran archaeologist from the mainland has been chosen to take over the beleaguered State Historic Preservation Division. Big Island Now.

Small groups like exercise classes and Cub Scout troops across the state are finding themselves caught in the fallout over a lawsuit against the Department of Education. The lawsuit claims five large churches have underpaid the state more than $5 million in rent, so prices are going up for small groups as a result. Hawaii News Now.

Green, yellow, red — those are the colors that would alert restaurant patrons to whether the establishment has passed health inspections, under rules proposed by the state Department of Health. Star-Advertiser.

One in five stars has an Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone, according to researchers with University of Hawaii and University of California, Berkeley. West Hawaii Today.

State roundup for November 5. Associated Press.

Oahu
Honolulu Ethics Commission Executive Director Chuck Totto doesn’t want to lose control of his agency, but he says that’s becoming a real possibility under the increasingly heavy thumb of the Caldwell administration. Civil Beat.

Oahu’s solar photovoltaic industry suffered its sixth straight month of decline in October for permits issued when comparing statistics from the same period last year. Pacific Business News.

A federal judge said she's inclined to deny a motion by a North Carolina man to move his trial over a failed University of Hawaii concert that was supposed to feature Stevie Wonder. Associated Press.

Harbor officials fear state could be partially to blame for molasses spill. Special legislative hearing on spill yet to be scheduled. KITV4.

The controversy over the dumping of tons of sludge in Waianae is now a criminal case. Hawaii News Now has learned that the Honolulu Police Department is working with the city Department of Planning and Permitting in its investigation into SER Trucking of Waianae.

It's been 42 years since the last whistle blew ending work at the Kahuku Plantation Co., though in some respects, life in one neighborhood has gone on as if the sugar mill never closed. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A lawsuit alleging police used excessive force against a 25-year-old Mountain View man in the Hilo cellblock after a drunken driving arrest has been moved to federal court in Honolulu. Tribune-Herald.

Volunteers are breathing new life into a home built more than a century ago, when its closest neighbor was a large grass shack. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui Memorial Medical Center was awarded designation as a Level 3 Trauma Center following evaluation and inspection conducted over a one-year period, the hospital announced. Maui Now.

Wailuku attorney Lloyd A. Poelman became Maui County's newest District Court judge after being confirmed by the state Senate during the special legislative session Monday. Maui News.

Members of the public get a rare look inside the Maui Bird Conservation Center. Maui News.

Homelessness will be the focus of discussion for the next edition of Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa’s County on Your Corner Event. The discussion will be televised in a live broadcast, scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, on Channel 54. Maui Now.

Kauai

The state Department of Agriculture issued a statement Monday endorsing Kauai County Mayor Bernard Carvalho’s assessment of a bill to regulate genetically modified crops and pesticide use on the Garden Island. Carvalho vetoed the bill last week due to legal concerns, prompting a backlash from its supporters. Associated Press.

The Kauai County Council is planning a special meeting in the next two weeks to consider candidates for a vacant council seat — a process that could begin after a final decision has been made on the veto of Bill 2491. Garden Island.

The Hawaii state Intermediate Court of Appeals has vacated a prior judgment that said the former permit-holders would not be responsible to defend claims brought against the state related to the 2006 Ka Loko dam disaster. Garden Island.

Hawaii's ocean: Officials tackle coral health, beach erosion, mooring and paddling rules. Plus poll shows split on gay marriage, University of Hawaii president search and more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii coral reef (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

A University of Hawaii researcher's idea to breed "super corals" that can endure warmer and more acidic ocean waters has won a new global competition that seeks novel ways to deal with climate change. Ruth Gates, a researcher at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, submitted the $10,000 winning concept. Star-Advertiser.

State proposes to change rules for commercial use of oceans. The number of businesses is growing, and licensing instructors and operators overwhelms officials. Star-Advertiser.

UH Luukai

Scientists from the University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology welcomed a new remotely operated vehicle to its fleet last week. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii expects to hire an executive search firm by the end of the month to help recruit and vet candidates for its top job. The Board of Regents last week approved allowing a presidential selection committee to directly contract a search firm to save time. Otherwise, a hiring decision wouldn't be made until the regents' next full meeting in late November. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii voters are split over making same-sex marriage legal in the islands, with 44 percent in support and 44 percent opposed. Only a handful of residents surveyed by Civil Beat earlier this month said they hadn't made up their mind on the controversial issue. The trend in Hawaii is similar to national polls showing growing support for gay marriage, also known as marriage equality. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Health Connector site is finally fully operational, but operators don't know how many people are actually using it to purchase insurance. At the regular board meeting Friday, Executive Director Coral Andrews reported to members that hundreds of people have completed applications online, but admitted, she didn't know how many people actually purchased a plan. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is standing as firm in his position on travel records as the Queen Liliuokalani statue outside the Capitol. His office just isn’t going to give up the records for little or no cost, and refuses to consider other ways to accommodate a public records request, according to Amy Luke, executive assistant to Abercrombie's chief of staff, Bruce Coppa. Civil Beat.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs recently kicked off a new Hawaii Broadband Map speed test campaign to measure the spread of new technology and high-speed broadband availability across the state. Hawaii Reporter.

Many Children Face Exclusion from Hawaii Kindergarten in 2014. Civil Beat.

First Hawaiian Bank reached record levels for assets, deposits and loans during the third quarter even as low interest rates ate into profits. The state's largest bank reported $50.9 million in net income that exceeded by just 0.6 percent the $50.6 million achieved in the year-earlier period. Star-Advertiser.

The state of Hawaii will continue to see an increase in disability claims, class-action lawsuits related to labor law and more legal conflicts between companies who try to parse terms of various noncompete contracts so they can secure the best and brightest talent. Pacific Business News.

The state wants to give customers more confidence they won't get sick when they eat out. Inspectors will look at things like employee hygiene, food and cooking temperatures and equipment contamination. The rules are similar to what is in place right now however one of the main differences is all of you will know how a restaurant scored. Hawaii News Now.

With the end of hurricane season slightly more than a month away, it's clear that the Central Pacific Region so far has had an unexpected slightly above-average season. The tropical cyclone count in the Central Pacific was six as of Sunday, which surpasses the average of about four to five cyclones. Star-Advertiser.

Civil Beat journalists took home two prestigious national awards Saturday at the annual Online News Association gathering in Atlanta. "In the Name of the Law," our investigative series on police misconduct records and why they are not available for the public to review, won the top honor in the Gannett Foundation Award for Innovative Investigative Journalism. That series was reported and written by Nick Grube and Patti Epler. Sophie Cocke's series on the Ala Wai Canal — "Hawaii's Biggest Mistake?" — won the Explanatory Reporting category.

State roundup for October 21. Associated Press.

Oahu

Erosion troubles at Sunset and Kuhio beaches have rekindled fears about a chronic problem that isn't going away. Experts say too much development is nudged up against the beach in Hawaii at a time when sea level is on the rise, a predicament that will inevitably lead to a growing number of coastal erosion emergencies. Star-Advertiser.

The high surf is a sight to see, but it's been a source of problems for homeowners near Sunset Beach. KHON2.

Honolulu Ethics Commission Finds No Gift Law Violation by Mayor Kirk Caldwell for Luau But Restricts Future Donations. Hawaii Reporter.

The Board of Water Supply confirmed the presence of the E. coli bacteria in water samples from the Aina Koa Neighborhood Park. The equipment that adds chlorine to disinfect the water is to blame. Crews fixed the equipment and restored chlorine levels Friday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Department of Land and Natural Resources officials are awaiting federal approval before moving ahead with plans to double the number of moorings at Keauhou Bay. West Hawaii Today.

Student enrollment at the University of Hawaii at Hilo dipped by 3 percent this year, bringing to an end at least a decade of regular, record-breaking population increases. Tribune-Herald.

The state is proposing to prohibit the use of stand-up paddleboards in Hilo’s Waiakea Pond. That is one of several proposed changes to rules for fishing and other activities at the Waiakea Public Fishing Area at Wailoa River State Park. Big Island Now.

Hawaii County now knows how big of a check it may have to write for placing the Papaikou Mill Beach trail into the public’s hands. An appraisal finished last week pegs the private path at a value of $28,500. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Global Positioning System devices have been installed on 199 Maui County vehicles, giving managers an eye-in-the-sky view of vehicle use and wear and tear. Maui News.

The message that standardized testing is "an abusive and inaccurate assessment" of both students and teachers was shared with more than 1,000 Maui teachers who attended Teacher Institute Day on Maui, hosted Thursday by the Hawaii State Teachers Association. Maui News.

Kauai

A pair of attorneys are calling for Kauai’s mayor to sign Bill 2491, regulating GMO and pesticides, into law. In a letter Friday to Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr., attorneys Paul Achitoff, of Earthjustice, and George Kimbrell said they would be willing to defend the bill in court should it come to that and urged the mayor to sign it. Garden Island.

Obamacare explained for Hawaii, controversial Honolulu mural to be unveiled, sex harrassment charged in Oahu prison, more news fromall the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii keiki (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hawaii residents could pay as little as $120 per month for medical coverage on the new state-based health insurance exchange set up as part of the federal health care reform law known as Obama­care. The state Insurance Division released for the first time Thursday average premiums for individuals purchasing plans on the Hawaii Health Connector, the online marketplace designed to match qualified individuals with health plans. Star-Advertiser.

The state on Friday revealed rates for the 95 health-insurance plans that will be offered for individuals and small businesses on the Hawaii Health Connector starting Oct. 1 that start at an average of $120 for a 21-year-old nonsmoker choosing the most basic plan. Pacific Business News.

The man accused of threatening to cut off Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s head will be sent to Washington, D.C. where he'll face charges in federal court there. Aniruddha Sherbow is being held in San Diego but is expected to be transferred to the nation's capital. Last week, federal magistrate Judge William McCurine Jr. found probable cause to believe Sherbow committed the crime.  Civil Beat.

Oahu
In July, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell introduced 10 bills that could have raised tens of millions of dollars in property tax revenues for the city. The proposed laws aimed to change Honolulu’s tax code in ways that would allow the city to rake in more money, either by eliminating certain exemptions or reclassifying certain properties so they could be taxed at a higher rate. Civil Beat.

A lot more vehicles will soon fill up spaces at the mostly vacant, 410-stall parking garage on South Street that some have criticized as a symbol of government waste and inefficiency. About 400 city employees will be able to park there under an agreement reached this month between the Federal Transit Administration and the city. Star-Advertiser.

From manini issues like complaining about moped noise to territorial Kailua residents protesting their town's touristic appeal, Oahu's neighborhood boards are often a hotbed of anger and unrest. And sometimes, all that translates into real change. Civil Beat.

Plans for a "Free the Mural: Stop the Censorship" protest this weekend have been dropped after the state agreed to remove a black curtain shrouding the "Forgotten Inheritance" mural at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Star-Advertiser.

A female prison guard accepted a social media "friend" request from a male colleague only to receive naked pictures of the man and a request for sex minutes later, according to a lawsuit filed in First Circuit Court in Honolulu Aug. 9. The lawsuit accuses Tahn Kakaio, an adult correctional officer at the Oahu Community Correctional Center, of sexual harassment and other charges, including sexual assault, over an eight-month period.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii

More than a year before Towne Development of Hawaii Inc. submitted a draft environmental assessment for a proposed condominium project above Kahaluu Bay, Kamehameha Investment Corp. officials tried to stop it from happening. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
Maui County Council Member Don Couch and mayoral Executive Assistants John Buck and Zeke Kalua will join Mayor Alan Arakawa at a "County on Your Corner" event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Piilani Village Shopping Center. Maui News.

Kauai

 Looking for something new to pump up that backyard garden? The 12th Kauai Community Seed and Plant Exchange is set for Sunday and will celebrate the growth of the Kalihiwai Food Forest and Community Garden. Garden Island.

Hawaii police well-paid, no raise for election chief, Hawaii watching Fukushima, Honolulu mayor to slash $20M, Hagel addresses troups, drones for Maui agriculture, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu police officers courtesy photo

Hawaii police officers are the highest-paid public employees in the state, higher even than college professors, according to a West Hawaii Today analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday.

See the U.S. Census Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll here.

Hawaii’s four counties did little to fight against the state’s police union over a new six-year contract that will cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars over the next four years. An arbitrator’s decision reviewed by Civil Beat on Thursday shows that when county officials had the opportunity to push back against the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers' demands for more pay and other concessions, they merely deferred to the union or provided incomplete information that didn't withstand the arbitrator's scrutiny.

The man at the center of 2012′s general election disaster will not get a $36,000 pay hike. The Hawaii Salary Commission, an independent appointed board that recently OK’d pay hikes for the state’s executive, judicial and legislative branches, decided Wednesday against increasing Chief  Election Officer Scott Nago‘s salary to $116,000 a year. He earns $80,000. Hawaii Reporter.

Deep beneath Fukushima's crippled nuclear power station, a massive underground reservoir of contaminated water that began spilling from the plant's reactors after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami has been creeping slowly toward the Pacific. Now, 2 1/2 years later, experts fear it is about to reach the ocean and greatly worsen what is fast becoming a new crisis at Fukushima: the inability to contain vast quantities of radioactive water. Associated Press.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke to about 200 Marines and sailors on the helicopter flight line at Kaneohe Bay at the start of a four-nation trip to Southeast Asia. Star-Advertiser.

One month after the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples were entitled to federal benefits, Hawaii democrats still haven't decided whether or not to call a special session of legislature.  Hawaii Independent.

State Rep. Denny Coffman, who had urged House leaders against quickly moving a gay marriage bill in special session, said Thursday that he now favors a special session. Star-Advertiser.

Obama's plan to cut college costs likely to benefit Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii Foundation raised $66.3 million during the 2012-13 fiscal year, which ended June 30, down slightly from last year's fundraising totals. The nonprofit organization raises money from the private sector to benefit the university's 10 campuses. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii students could see tuition rise by as much as 35 percent in the next five years. And that’s after a nearly 50 percent rise over the past five. KHON2.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents approved three executive appointments at its monthly meeting Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Growth in Hawaii’s tourism industry, which set records in 2012, is expected to continue this year and into 2014 at a much slower pace, and some in the industry might have to make price adjustments to stay on track. The Hawaii Tourism Authority forecast Thursday that the industry will bring 8.75 million visitors to Hawaii in 2014, a 3.2 percent increase over the 2013 arrivals goal. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawai’i Tourism Authority opened its annual conference today, following a year of record growth.   But, as HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports, the conference theme --“Defining the Next Chapter”--is an attempt to position the industry to withstand the next downturn in tourism. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii hotels had a strong week last week, with average daily room rates increasing 14 percent across the major islands, and occupancy increasing on all but the Big Island, according to the latest report from Hospitality Advisors LLC and Smith Travel Research. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii struggles with being able to feed itself. Our island chain imports more than 80 percent of the food consumed by local residents, in part because the cost of producing our own food is so high people can't afford to buy it. Civil Beat.

Federal agents have confiscated and destroyed a fungus harmful to plants that was found on brooms imported from the Philippines. While examining a cargo container in Honolulu on Aug. 9, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists discovered the fungus on a handicraft made of native palm parts. The fungus was in a shipment of “native brooms” made from Cocos nucifera, a palm species. Star-Advertiser.

Sales of new autos in Hawaii rose 13.4 percent during the first half of the year from the year-ago period but that pace is expected to slow during the final six months of 2013. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for August 23. Associated Press.

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is taking a proactive approach to an expected $26 million budget shortcoming for fiscal year 2014.  He has announced $20 million in cuts to all of his departments. Hawaii News Now.

HFD delays deployment of ladder company because of budget restriction. KITV.

A Circuit Court jury will return Monday to resume deliberations in State Department special agent Christopher Deedy’s murder case after spending four full days this week trying to reach a verdict. Circuit Judge Karen Ahn gave no reason as to why the panel would not meet today. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The return of tourists is driving economic improvements across Hawaii Island, an economist told West Hawaii business owners and leaders Thursday afternoon. “The years of bouncing along the bottom seem to be over,” Jack Suyderhoud said during the 39th annual First Hawaiian Bank economic outlook forum at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel. West Hawaii Today.

Growth in the state's visitor industry is spreading to the economy on Hawaii island, one of the last areas in the state to recover from the recent recession, a top Hawaii economist said Thursday. "Thanks to the statewide tourism boom, Hawaii island's economic outlook is better than it has been in the last five years," economist Jack Suyderhoud said at the 39th annual First Hawaiian Bank Hawai‘i County Business Outlook Forum. Star-Advertiser.

A Big Island charter school that educates students in the Hawaiian language claims the state Department of Education’s recently released rankings unfairly imply the school is failing. Associated Press.

From the muck, healthy anchialine pool habitats emerge. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company held a test run of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or UAV, that it plans to use to improve irrigation practices at the company’s sugar cane fields. Maui Now.

A miniature helicopter with high-tech cameras will soon be flying over certain sugar cane fields on Maui to detect problems with irrigation, monitor crop health and conduct scientific research. Maui News.

Barriers to bridge gap until work begins. Maui News.

Less than a year after opening their doors, Old Wailuku Grill on Market Street has closed. Maui Now.

Kauai

A proposal to add more changes to the county’s real property tax system — which has been significantly revamped in the last three years — cleared the Kauai County Council’s Finance Committee Wednesday, though with a few tweaks. Among other things, the bill eliminates a property tax cap. Garden Island.

Parking changes to begin in Poipu. Garden Island.

Molokai
A new apartment complex proposed for Manila Camp is in its initial planning stages and seeks to fulfill a need for affordable housing in central Molokai. The Chopra Hale apartments would consist of 16 units and occupy 1.04 acres located at 190 Makaena Place, according to project manager Luigi Manera. Molokai Dispatch.

Last week, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz made a visit to Molokai and talked story with business owners, farmers, advocates and residents. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii schools improve, but truancy still a problem, House to gauge support for gay marriage, safety check fee to rise, Honolulu resists new voter registration system, Caldwell picks new chief of staff, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Legislature

State House Democrats are meeting this week to determine whether there is enough support among members to approve a gay marriage proposal. Speaker Joe Souki (D, Waihee-Waiehu-Wailuku) said Monday that the Demo­cratic leadership plans to meet Wednesday and expects to call all members to a caucus to determine the count, which insiders say is close. The Senate has the votes to pass a bill. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's Department of Education on Monday released its first report card of how public schools are doing under a new accountability system, made possible by a federal waiver from certain provisions of the No Child Left Behind law. A key result is that nine schools serving a large number of children from low-income families are among 14 considered the highest-performing and highest-growth schools. The results also show that a majority or the state's lowest-performing schools showed growth after receiving targeted support. Associated Press.

Four out of every 5 public schools singled out for restructuring under federal standards last year earned improved standings on a new accountability system that looks beyond standardized test scores. The state Department of Education on Monday released the first results using its so-called Strive HI system. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly two out of every 10 of Hawaii’s public elementary students missed school last year at “chronic” rates that the Department of Education says strongly indicate which kids are at high risk for falling behind and dropping out. Eighteen percent of elementary school children were chronically absent last year, meaning they missed 15 or more days of school, according to data released Monday that outlines the first annual results of the DOE’s new so-called Strive HI Performance System. Civil Beat.

State Department of Education Deputy Superintendent Ronn Nozoe, along with Superintendent Kathyrn Matayoshi, were eager to share information on the new Strive HI Performance System for the 2013-2014 academic school year. Strive HI replaces the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Nozoe says it's a far more precise tool for measuring how well a school performs. Hawaii News Now.

The Strive HI performance system evaluates Hawaii’s public and charter schools. this new system replaces the federal No Child Left Behind law and analyzes student achievement and growth in reading, math, science, graduation rates and attendance. KHON2.

Hawaii's economy will enjoy steady growth through at least 2016, helped by solid visitor spending and continued job growth, the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism reported Monday in its latest quarterly forecast. One of the keys to the forecast is lower-than-expected inflation, which encourages greater household spending and business investment. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu has declined to collaborate with the state on its new online voter registration system. Since the city is already managing the state ID system and processing state driver's licenses — key databases for verifying voter identification — state officials were hoping the city might be inclined to help implement the new registration system, too. No luck. Civil Beat.

Hawaii drivers should expect to soon pay a little more to ensure their vehicles are road-ready. A six-month backlog in updating safety inspection reports in the vehicle registration database has prompted the state to move to an electronic system that will add $4.49 to the cost of an inspection and create new requirements for inspection stations. West Hawaii Today.

The head of the state prison system said changes have been made to make sure another murder defendant doesn't escape while being transported to court, but Hawaii News Now found some public safety employees not following proper procedures. Hawaii News Now.

Evan Dobelle, the former University of Hawaii president who was run out of Hawaii in 2004 after university regents had enough of his exorbitant credit card bills and extravagant spending, seems to be at it again. Dobelle, 68, is under scrutiny again for his lavish spending at Westfield State University in Westfield, Mass., where he’s been president since 2007. Hawaii Reporter.

Ex-UH president under scrutiny again. Evan S. Dobelle's expenses draw fire at his current Massachusetts college post Dobelle agreed to a settlement to leave UH in 2004 under a cloud of questions about his travel expenses and other spending from his expense account at the UH Foundation. Boston Globe.

An effort by Native Hawaiians to form their own government has signed up fewer than 20,000 of the 200,000 people it is seeking, but organizers are undaunted. The initiative known as Kana’iolowalu launched in July 2012 after enactment of a state law recognizing Native Hawaiians as the only indigenous people of the island. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has appointed Wallace Ishibashi and Patricia Sheehan to the nine-member Hawaiian Homes Commission. Civil Beat.

State roundup for August 20. Associated Press.

Oahu
Ray Soon, a well-connected, Harvard-educated private consultant, will take over as Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s chief of staff on Sept. 3. Caldwell’s administration confirmed the hiring to Civil Beat on Monday, ending months of speculation about who would fill the role as the mayor’s on-the-ground, political lieutenant at Honolulu Hale. Civil Beat.

Residential electric rates rose on Oahu in August from July in part because of higher fuel costs, Hawaiian Electric Co. reported Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Kaiser Permanente's Moanalua Medical Center & Clinic, citing studies that show patients recover faster if they are surrounded by family and friends, began 24-hour patient visiting hours Monday. Prior to the new policy, Kaiser Moanalua allowed visitors from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Star-Advertiser.

About 60 percent of the units in The Collection were snapped up during an opening sales weekend that had people lined up before dawn for first crack at the 397 apartments in A&B Properties’ 43-story condominium project in Kakaako. Pacific Business News.

A Circuit Court jury will resume deliberations this morning after spending all day Monday trying to decide whether State Department special agent Christopher Deedy should be convicted or acquitted of murder. The jury does not have the option of convicting Deedy on a lesser charge of manslaughter despite a Hawaii Supreme Court decision that makes clear that jurors should be given that choice when there is a "rational basis" for the lesser offense. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

More than 200 people staged a peaceful protest on Monday outside Hawaii Electric Light Co.’s Hilo headquarters to express displeasure with the utility’s plan to expand geothermal energy development on the Big Island. The protest was organized by Puna Pono Alliance, an environmental group opposed to geothermal expansion. Many of the demonstrators wore T-shirts with the group’s logo on the front and “SAVE POHOIKI” on the back. Some had taken part in a three-day march to Hilo starting Saturday from Pahoa High School. Tribune-Herald.

University of Hawaii at Hilo students have a new dormitory to live in. The 300-unit Hale Alahonua residence hall is the first student housing built on campus in more nearly 25 years. Associated Press.

University of Hawaii at Hilo celebrated Monday morning the dedication of its newest facility, Hale ‘Alahonua Student Residence Hall. Today, the $32.5 million building, located on Kawili Street across from the main campus entrance, is set to begin moving in up to 300 of this year’s newest crop of students within its trio of of three-story wings, along with large common areas and exterior courtyards. Tribune-Herald.

Two Hawaii Island conservation projects are getting a financial boost from the federal government. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife about $500,000 for projects to reintroduce the alala, or Hawaiian crow, to the wild on the Big Island, as well as work in the Ka‘u Forest Reserve. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

In the seven months since the Maui Police Department started its Crisis Intervention Team, specially trained officers have responded to at least 66 police calls involving mentally ill people in crisis. Maui News.

A final judgement in the amount of $246 million was entered in tax appeal court against nine Online Travel Companies selling Hawaiʻi hotel rooms, according to information released by the state Attorney General’s Office. Maui Now. 

Kauai

Results from newly revised Hawaii Department of Education standards show that Kapaa Middle School is ranked third on the island for academic performance and achievement. Kapaa Middle School Principal Nathan Aiwohi has worked to bring his school out of its restructuring classificiation under the No Child Left Behind Act ever since his tenure began in 2007. In the years since, students fell short of reaching that goal even though they meet many of the state’s reading and math benchmarks on their annual assessment tests. That was, however, until last year. Garden Island.

Not too long ago, Kawaikini charter school had classes under large tents. Today, the Hawaiian immersion school’s 125 students learn in style, inside two state-of-the-art energy-efficient buildings and several structures on a 10-acre property next to Kauai Community College in Puhi. Garden Island.

Abercrombie builds campaign coffers, state IT behind the times, more than 1,000 attend Kauai GMO hearing, Honolulu Police to try license-plate scanners, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Neil Abercrombie reelection campaign courtesy photo

Gov. Neil Abercrombie brought in more than $859,450 over the past six months for his re-election campaign, swelling his total to $3.3 million overall. The Democrat had $2.1 million in cash on hand at the end of June, according to his latest campaign-finance report. Star-Advertiser.

Neil Abercrombie’s re-election campaign raised $860,000 in the first six months of 2013, according to a statement from his gubernatorial campaign Wednesday afternoon. Civil Beat.

Why has Hawaii's state government relegated itself to a 20th-century business model, clinging inefficiently to paper as other states dive into digital? Sonny Bhagowalia, who has been Hawaii’s IT czar for two years, has laid out a comprehensive plan to propel the state into the 21st Century. But he said it won’t come to fruition without funding — or at least not as fast as it should. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Invasive Species Council is allocating more than $2.5 million for dozens of projects during the current fiscal year, including efforts to eradicate axis deer on the Big Island and detect mongoose on Kauai. Associated Press.

Oahu

After one unsuccessful attempt Honolulu Police plan to try again to use cameras capable of reading multiple license plates a second. Police Department's in other cities across the country say the technology has helped recover stolen cars and catch wanted criminals. But opponents say it also catches too much information. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and other officials joined Hawaiian civic club members in celebrating the 170th anniversary of Hawaiian Flag Day, the day the Hawaiian monarchy was restored, and the founding of Thomas Square at the Honolulu park on Wednesday — with a backdrop of supporters of Hawaiian sovereignty and (de)Occupy Honolulu protesting behind them. Star-Advertiser.

It’s a problem some Oahu residents say happens too often. Garbage is overflowing, trash pickup routes are missed, and the city is paying out tens of thousands of dollars to make up for the trash trouble. KHON2.

The appointed Grants In Aid Advisory Commission this week submitted to the City Council a list recommending that 41 Oahu nonprofit agencies divvy up $5.1 million in grants. Star-Advertiser.

The National Football League and the NFL’s Players Association is giving the annual Pro Bowl all-star game, which is being held on Jan. 26 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, an overhaul. Pacific Business News.

A friend of State Department special agent Christopher Deedy testified Wednesday she saw the agent pull out his wallet before the 2011 fatal shooting in Waikiki and show Kollin Elderts what the defense asserts was Deedy’s law enforcement identification and badge. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Environmental Management Department is getting lots of pitches for waste-to-energy technologies, Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd told Environmental Management Commissioners Wednesday morning. The problem is, she added, most of those technologies aren’t a good fit for Hawaii County. Stephens Media.

Hawaii County Council members got off to a slow start raising money for their next campaigns, with only one councilor, Hilo Councilman Dennis Onishi, reporting any contributions at all, according to disclosures filed with the state Campaign Spending Commission by Wednesday’s deadline. Stephens Media.

The Pacific Islands Parks Act was given an important hearing at a key Senate committee today. The legislation, which was introduced by Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz, would direct the National Park Service to complete studies of three designated sites in the state of Hawai‘i. That includes a special resource study along the Ka‘u Coast on Hawaii Island, as well as the northern coast of Maui, and the southeastern coast of Kauai. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Updates to the Maui County Code relating to subdivisions, including one that could help the county regulate speeding on Eha Street, were signed into law by Mayor Alan Arakawa on Tuesday. Maui News.

Maui police issued a total of 634 tickets, 530 of them for speeding during the Operation SPEED traffic enforcement campaign last week. Maui Now.

Habitat for Humanity Maui announced the start of construction on a 16 unit condominium project on Kahawai Street in Happy Valley. Maui Now.

Kauai

More than 1,000 people came to Kauai Veterans Center Wednesday to attend a public hearing on a proposal that has put Kauai on the spotlight across the state and has sharply divided island residents. Garden Island.

Supporters and opponents of a controversial bill to regulate pesticides and genetically engineered crops crowded the Kauai Veterans Center Wednesday to testify before a County Council committee. More than 1,000 people attended the hearing Wednesday on Bill 2491. Star-Advertiser.

Although relatively peaceful — other than the occasional snicker, laugh or boo from the audience — testimony during Wednesday’s public hearing on County Bill 2491 was full of emotion from both sides. Garden Island.

The public is invited to provide input on the proposed update of the Kauai County Area Plan for Oct. 2011 to Sept. 2015, which serves as a blueprint for senior programs and services. Included in the update are proposed changes to the Agency on Elderly Affairs’ services and several of its programs including: Better Choices, Better Health; EnhanceFitness; and the Kauai RSVP (Retired Seniors Volunteer Program). Garden Island.

Lanai

If someone were to play Larry Ellison in a movie, the Oracle Corp. CEO thinks it should be Robert Downey Jr. Pacific Business News.

Cruise ships help float Hawaii economy, Al Gore endorses Schatz, Espero announces congressional bid, Honolulu mayor signs smoking ban, Kauai to revamp tax code, learning about Micronesians, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Cruise ship in Kona, Hawaii

Hawaii received $386 million in direct spending from the cruise industry in 2012, according an independent study commissioned by the Cruise Lines International Association. Pacific Business News.

For the last couple of weeks, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa has been railing against sequestration in campaign emails. But they haven't told the whole story about her history with the automatic budget cuts. Civil Beat.

Al Gore has endorsed U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz in his push to keep his seat. Associated Press.

State Sen. Will Espero has officially declared himself as a candidate to replace Colleen Hanabusa in Hawaii's first congressional district. Hawaii News Now.

State Sen. Will Espero (D) announced Sunday he’ll throw his hat in the ring for the seat being vacated by current Representative Colleen Hanabusa. KHON2.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is naming an interim administrator for its historic preservation division. The department is also forming a committee to find a long-term replacement for the previous administrator who resigned earlier this month. Pua Aiu stepped down after a federal report criticized the way her office responded to operational problems threatening funding. Associated Press.

M.R.C. Greenwood will earn a little less than $25,000 a month after she resigns as University of Hawaii president. It’s part of a new deal reached Thursday in a closed-door meeting of the university’s Board of Regents. Hawaii Reporter.

Jesuit priest Francis X. Hezel's latest book, “Making Sense of Micronesia,” just published by the University of Hawaii Press, aims to help Americans decode Micronesian customs and attitudes as more migrants make their way to Hawaii and the mainland. Star-Advertiser.

Civil Beat interviewed Hezel about his work and his views on what Hawaii and the United States can – and should – do for Micronesians, and why. Civil Beat.

Legislation that would have eliminated $34 million in funding for native Hawaiian education programs has since been amended in the US House of Representatives on Thursday, but still faces an uncertain future. Maui Now.

The Hawaii Department of Education has selected eight schools to participate in a pilot program that will equip every student and teacher with a digital tablet and laptop. Associated Press.

Improving public education in Hawaii a passion for Kaneohe Ranch CEO Mitch D'Olier. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for July 22. Associated Press.

Oahu

All bus stops and city-run outdoor recreational areas in Honolulu — to include beaches, parks, playgrounds, swimming pools and athletic fields — will officially be smoke-free Jan. 1. With world-famous Waikiki Beach at his back and his paddleboard by his feet, Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed two City Council bills Sunday that ban smoking at the city's nearly 300 Hono­­lulu parks and about 4,000 bus stops. Star-Advertiser.

In July, the city council passed two smoking ban bills. On Sunday, Mayor Caldwell signed them into law. From now until January 1, city officials will post signs and spread the word about the smoking ban, educating residents and visitors about what happens if they get caught. KHON2.

A family of four must earn nearly $78,000 a year just to live modestly in Honolulu, a new study showed. The 2013 Family Budget Calculator released by the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, estimates a household with two adults and two children would need to earn more than triple the federal poverty level of $23,283 "to attain a secure yet modest living standard" in Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

An $80,000 private investigator and hundreds of hours of scrutiny by attorneys have left key questions unanswered in the ongoing scandal involving the City and County of Honolulu and a Central Oahu nonprofit that received nearly $8 million in federal grants to serve the elderly and the developmentally disabled. Civil Beat.

The Mayor’s new Chief Information Officer has been on the job for about a week following his confirmation by the Honolulu City Council. Hawaii Public Radio.

Crews and divers started pulling a mile-long temporary sewer line from the murky depths of the Ala Wai Canal last week, seven years after persistent rain ruptured a Waikiki pipe and leaked millions of gallons of raw sewage into the water there. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

It represents nearly three decades of a man’s work and passion — an exhaustive photographic record of the daily lives of Hawaii Island residents during the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. Containing between 40,000 and 50,000 images in negatives and prints, the John Howard Pierce Photograph Collection is a treasure trove of local history that is just beginning to yield its secrets. Tribune-Herald.

Unraveling the mysteries presented by the Pierce photo collection requires a determined approach, and the skills of a private eye. Tribune-Herald.

A Big Island-based teacher preparation program that focuses on developing educators to work with Native Hawaiian students in charter schools recently earned national accreditation, allowing it to soon begin recruiting students. Associated Press.

Maui

A shiny new aluminum channel will soon replace the rotting and aging redwood of the Waikamoi Flume, a piece of Maui's history built in a forest on the ridges and valleys above Haiku more than 70 years ago. Maui News.

Governor Neil Abercrombie announced the release of a $364,000 allocation for Health Department facilities across the state, including health and safety improvement projects at the Maui District Health Office and the Wailuku Health Center on Maui. Maui Now.

It's no news that dogs have a keen sense of smell, but researchers on Maui are engaged in a cutting-edge medical scent detection study that involves training dogs to detect life-threatening infections. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council unanimously approved on first reading a bill that would shake up the county’s real property tax system. Draft Bill 2495 proposes a revision on property tax exemptions and caps that would affect resident homeowners, nonprofit organizations, Hawaiian homesteaders, credit unions, senior citizens, transient vacation rental owners and others. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council introduced a bill to fix a glitch on an “exceptional tree” designation for a coconut grove planted 103 years ago. Garden Island.

Endangered birds on Kauai are singing the praises of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Last week, the federal agency awarded a pair of grants totaling nearly $1 million to local conservation projects. Garden Island.

Molokai
Oceanic Time Warner Cable broadband Internet customers on Molokai have waited for years, filed dozens of complaints and wrung their hands in frustration as hundreds streaming Netflix movies failed to load — all because of Internet speeds many called substandard. Finally, the wait is over. Molokai Dispatch.

Molokai is already home to two saints — Damien and Marianne — and if efforts continue, the island might be known for a third: Brother Joseph Dutton. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii political landscape shaping up early; more school buses for Oahu; Deedy made death threats, jury learns; lava photo catches fire; more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state public library

The state Legislature has appropriated $700,000 for the Hawaii State Public Library System to enhance its collections of e-books and other library materials. West Hawaii Today.

The agency that represents poor defendants in federal cases faces such severe budget cuts that Hawaii's chief federal judge worries she may have to dismiss some cases if no one is available to represent the defendants. Civil Beat.

With her frequent appearances on national political talk shows and a splashy feature in Vogue magazine, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has had the look of someone gunning for higher office. But a leap into the U.S. Senate race against Sen. Brian Schatz and Rep. Colleen Hanabusa seems unlikely based on her latest campaign contribution report, national analysts say. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Councilman Ikaika Anderson has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to explore a run for the 1st Congressional District seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hana­busa, but stopped short of declaring his candidacy. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Sen. Mazie K. Hirono has unveiled a new virtual office with the aim of improving service to constituents. Maui News.

Kamuela community activist Karen Cobeen is "totally frustrated" with her elected officials. She is coordinating an online petition that seeks to amend the constitution to create a legal framework to recall Hawaii elected officials. Civil Beat.

Time to Question Inouye's 'Last Wish' Civil Beat.

William Nhieu has been appointed the Deputy Director of Communications for the Hawaii State House of Representatives. Hawaii Reporter.

State roundup for July 17. Associated Press.

Oahu
It’s never too soon to start thinking about the future. And when it comes to raising campaign cash Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell seems to be a strong believer in that mantra. Civil Beat.

The Department of Education will reinstate bus service next month for about 1,000 Oahu students whose routes were slashed last school year as the department faced a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall. Star-Advertiser.

The new school bus transportation system that’s being tested at 30 schools in the Pearl City, Aiea and surrounding areas will restore rides for about half of the 2,000 students whose routes were cut last school year. Civil Beat.

A former Kaneohe Marine testified Tuesday that he did not hear or see U.S. State Department special agent Christoper Deedy identify himself as a law enforcement officer, but heard him repeatedly threaten to shoot a 23-year-old Kailua man who moments later was fatally shot in the chest. Star-Advertiser.

Day 6: Eyewitness says Deedy threatened to shoot Elderts in the face. Hawaii News Now.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources will conduct a public meeting Thursday to discuss problems and concerns brought on by unregulated use of water-propelled jet packs around Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Every time Oahu residents get their water-sewer bill, you have to pay a billing charge of $7.70.  It used to be about every 60 days, now it’s every month. The Honolulu Board of Water Supply says that helps to cover current and future costs of its new customer care and billing system, meter maintenance, and staffing. KHON2.

Last week's fatal stabbing at Kailua District Park has fueled an already hot topic that one legislator calls the "Kailua Crime Wave," including a range of property crimes. Star-Advertiser.

The new recreation center being built at the University of Hawaii's Campus Center on its flagship Manoa campus is about ten months behind schedule. Instead of opening last December during the school year, it is not projected to open until October. Hawaii News Now.

Unite Here Local 5 workers and community members from the AiKea Movement will hold a rally in front of the Ilikai Hotel today to protest the trend of widespread condominium conversions, which they say is damaging Hawaii's economy. Star-Advertiser.

An upstart local company co-founded by big-wave surfer Brian Keaulana hopes to bring to Hawaii what a Spanish company claims is the world's longest artificial surfing wave. Star-Advertiser.

Kaneohe Ranch Co. LLC and the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation are expected to make a decision in the next three months on the potential sale of the Kaneohe Ranch commercial real estate portfolio, according to Mitch D’Olier. He is president and CEO of the two entities that own the properties in question, including the highly coveted Kailua town center in Windward Oahu. Pacific Business News.

Apartment-dwellers David and Melissa Falgout spent 17 months on a waiting list for the chance to rent a precious plot of dirt at Makiki District Park community garden next to the H-1 freeway. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

While almost the entire county government, from Mayor Billy Kenoi to legislative clerical staff, took furloughs or pay cuts last fiscal year to help balance a tight county budget, six incoming County Council members opted out. West Hawaii Today.

It was simply meant to be a risky yet artsy photo shared among friends — a way to get a few extra "likes" on his Facebook page. But after Kailua-Kona resident Kawika Singson posted a photo of himself atop a Puu Oo lava flow while peering through a camera lens — flames leaping from the camera tripod and the soles of his shoes — the July 4 image swiftly went viral on the Internet. Star-Advertiser.

A Big Island-based teacher preparation program that focuses on developing educators to work with Native Hawaiian students in charter schools recently earned national accreditation, allowing it to soon begin recruiting students. Associated Press.

For decades, West Hawaii community members have complained there is not enough road connectivity. There's also been concern about the lack of evacuation routes in case of a tsunami. Starting this week, work is underway to add one new option. Hawaii Public Radio.

Tsunami sirens tested. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The West Maui Mountains between Kahakuloa and Makamakaole may be quiet now, but habitat conservationists working on the Makamaka'ole seabird mitigation project are hoping that by this time next year they will be filled with the song of native Hawaiian seabirds. Maui News.

Maui Economic Opportunity is seeking to hire qualified para-transit drivers for its senior and limited-mobility transportation programs, officials announced today. Maui Now.

Some Kihei residents are without water Tuesday morning and a portion of South Kihei Road is open to one-lane traffic only as the County Department of Water Supply repairs a leaking 12-inch main line along South Kihei Road, a county release said Tuesday morning. Maui News.

Molokai

The "largest humanitarian effort" ever to come to Molokai is already arriving in large shipping containers at Kaunakakai Wharf in preparation for Convoy of Hope Hawaii's Day of Compassion on Saturday, organizers of the event said. Maui News.

Hawaii to lose money on Superferry docks, Honolulu faces property tax hike, Hawaiian Airlines starts nonstop Taiwan flights, federal agent trial begins, ahi decline, Big Island council busts travel budget, Maui pushes solar, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Superferry dock on Oahu (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The last of the controversial Hawaii Superferry project will be auctioned off next week in an online auction whose starting bid of $250,000 for barges and ramps at harbors in Honolulu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island is a fraction of the $40 million the state of Hawaii spent to build them. Pacific Business News.

Hawaiian Airlines became the only U.S. carrier offering nonstop service between Hawaii and Taiwan early this morning when it took off from Honolulu to the capital city of Taipei. Gov. Neil Abercrombie was among the passengers on the scheduled 1:55 a.m. flight that state tourism officials hope will lead to a jump in visitors from Taiwan to Hawaii. Other dignitaries on the flight included the governor’s chief of staff, Bruce Coppa; and V.C. Chu, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

More mahimahi may end up on your plate than ahi if the forecast made in a recent study holds true. Longline fishermen are reducing the amount of bigeye tuna, marlin and other large fish in the Pacific, according to a paper by NOAA scientists Jeffrey Polovina and Phoebe Woodworth-Jefcoats. Civil Beat.

Department of Defense sequestration furloughs took hold this week, forcing more than 16,000 civilian workers in Hawaii to start taking a day off without pay. Star-Advertiser.

The debate about genetically altered seeds and biotech has moved from picket lines at the state Capitol to heated public hearings on the Big Island and Kauai. Both county councils are debating bills that could have far-reaching impacts on Hawaii’s agribusiness and farming industries after state legislation requiring labels on imported GMO foods failed to pass this session. Civil Beat.

Families with students in public schools will be able to earn a little more and still qualify for free or reduced school meals, Department of Education officials say. The department recently released the revised income eligibility guidelines for the program, which subsidizes the costs of school meals. West Hawaii Today.

Projects for federal preservation program sought. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Faced with mounting bills for city worker raises, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is looking to increase some property taxes and city fees. Hawaii News Now.

A Honolulu police officer testified Monday that State Department special agent Christopher Deedy smelled of alcohol, had glassy eyes, slurred his speech and had a hard time balancing himself after the 2011 fatal shooting of a Kailua man at a McDonald's restaurant in Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

A federal agent was fueled by alcohol, a sense of authority and a friend’s warning about hostility of locals when he shot and killed a man in a Waikiki McDonald’s, a prosecutor told jurors Monday. Associated Press.

After a day of opening arguments in the Christopher Deedy murder trial one thing is apparent: much of the case will rest on a choppy surveillance video and the perceptions of jurors. Deedy is a U.S. State Department special agent who was in Honolulu in November 2011 as part of a diplomatic security detail for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Civil Beat.

Before 29 year old Federal Agent Christopher Deedy even walked into court, and before any testimony was given, protestors outside the courthouse already had him pegged as guilty of the murder of Kollin Elderts. Hawaii News Now.

After a nearly four-year search and several pay boosts, the city announced Monday it has finally hired a new chief medical examiner. Dr. Christopher B. Happy, a forensic pathologist, is expected to take the helm of the city Medical Examiner's Office in several months, once he's licensed to practice medicine in Hawaii and confirmed by the Hono­lulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

A hospital and clinics, commissaries, and even a beach. Those are just some of the Oahu facilities affected by Department of Defense furloughs that began on Monday. KHON2.

It could be just a blip — or a sign of more to come — but Oahu's housing market got within a hair of breaking a price record in June.  Honolulu Board of Realtors report released Monday showed that buyers paid a median $677,250 for single-family houses on the island last month, just 1 percent shy of the peak for any month set in June 2007 at $685,000. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu is likely to continue to get "extreme" doses of ultraviolet radiation from the sun over the summer months, putting people at high risk for sunburns and increasing long-term risks for developing skin cancers, say weather and medical experts. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi is holding the line on travel. The Hawaii County Council, not so much. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo will sport a shiny new coat of paint after being named a winner of a promotional contest. Representatives from Benjamin Moore & Co. announced that Hilo will join a total of 20 towns across the U.S. and Canada in receiving a paint job free of charge as winners of its Main Street Matters competition. Tribune-Herald.

A state plan to reopen Kulani Correctional Facility cleared an environmental hurdle this week, when the Department of Health’s Office of Environmental Quality Control issued a finding of no significant impact for the project. West Hawaii Today.

Police were called to the Waiakea Intermediate School campus Monday morning after custodial staff found homemade bottle bombs there. State Department of Education spokesman Alex Da Silva said the devices appeared to be soda bottles filled with Mentos candies, while police Lt. Melvin Yamamoto of Hilo Patrol said that police don’t know the chemicals that were in the plastic bottles. Tribune-Herald.

Forest City Hawaii’s mostly affordable 2,330-home planned community on 272 acres in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island has recently begun its first phase, which includes building out roadways and infrastructure, the project’s developer told PBN. Pacific Business News.

Renovations worth $5.8 million are under way at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Tribune-Herald.

A Hawaii Island minister in jail for three years on drug charges is treated more like a terrorist than a free-spirited minister whose religious beliefs include the cultivation and use of marijuana, some lawmakers and civil rights advocates say. Hawaii Reporter.

Maui

With a mere 30 solar water heating systems in Hana, a program teaching students how to install the systems and educate them about its benefits could prompt more East Maui residents to invest in alternative energy, with proponents saying that a household could save as much as 40 percent on its electric bill with the systems. Maui News.

It wasn't close to a record, but the median sale price for single-family houses on Maui in June ticked up to its highest point for any month in almost five years. The Realtors Association of Maui issued its June sales report Saturday showing that houses sold for a median $615,000 last month. Star-Advertiser.

After living in the Sea Country subdivision in Maili for about seven years, Melissa Lauer said she's disappointed that the well-utilized, 11-acre city-run park in the center of the community remains mostly unchanged and still lacks restroom facilities. Star-Advertiser.

Mokulele Airlines will begin offering service next week between Kona International Airport on Hawaii island and Kapa­lua Airport on Maui. Star-Advertiser.

A 44-year-old Napili woman died Sunday afternoon as police said Monday she had shot herself at the Ukumehame Firing Range while taking a firearms education safety class. Maui News.

Kauai

A recent spike in burglaries around Kauai seems to be declining, police say, but victims say they fear thieves are spreading into more neighborhoods. Garden Island.

The Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai is getting a new commander this week. Associated Press.