House Finance Committee tries to stanch red ink, Honolulu police chief gets glowing review despite federal probe, Trump and aloha spirit, Maui waste-to-energy plant could be $35M over budget, Pearl Harbor sailor buried 75 years later, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Humpback headstand, courtesy NOAA

Scientists are reporting peculiar behavior among this season’s humpback whales. A recent video by NOAA's Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary shows a female humpback standing upside down with her tail sticking out of the water, performing a sort of underwater headstand. Hawaii Public Radio.

Humpback whale video here.

House Finance Chairwoman Sylvia Luke on Wednesday unveiled a proposed $13.7 billion budget for the coming year, but said she isn’t willing to commit just yet to some of Gov. David Ige’s most expensive spending initiatives. Star-Advertiser.

The House Finance Committee took its first pass at the overall state budget bill Wednesday. It left largely intact Hawaii Gov. David Ige’s proposed $7.1 billion general fund spending plan for next fiscal year, which begins July 1. Civil Beat.

Legislators are advancing a bill that effectively would shut out the public from the decision-making process in the awarding of temporary land permits by the state Department of Transportation. Star-Advertiser.

Some political observers wondered how Donald Trump, a candidate who has insulted so many — women, minorities, veterans, the physically challenged, entire countries — and bragged so much could so easily prevail in an island state that is said to revere respect, tolerance and modesty. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Lawmakers Return To The Bad Old Days Of Backroom Deals. A political fight over funding for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has unfairly ensnared the judicial system. Civil Beat.

President Barack Obama has selected Hawaii’s High Technology Development Corp. along with 14 others to join the a national initiative to train the workforce for technology jobs. Pacific Business News.

Commentary:  What really happened at the ʻAha, part II. Whitewashed press releases, a sinister state bill and a flippant disregard for the rules of the Native Hawaiian convention. Hawaii Independent.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Commission on Wednesday gave police Chief Louis Kealoha an above-average score for his job performance for last year, marking four consecutive years of high marks. Star-Advertiser.

Federal investigation into police chief broadens. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu Police Commission announced Wednesday the results of its annual performance evaluation of Chief Louis Kealoha. KHON2.

City building officials this week gave a Makiki homeowner a second notice to clean up his Pensacola Street property — which is littered with three derelict vehicles, old furniture and trash — within 30 days or face additional fines. Star-Advertiser.

A sailor killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor has been buried with full military honors nearly 75 years later. Associated Press.

75 years later, a Navy sailor killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor has gotten a proper burial. Petty Officer 1st Class Vernon Luke was laid to rest during a ceremony Wednesday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

With support from Gov. David Ige and the state Legislature, all systems are go for a $50 million upgrade to make Kona International Airport ready to welcome international commercial flights again. West Hawaii Today.

A new trail the state plans to open later this year will offer hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts an up-close look at Hawaii’s dryland forests, home to the rare Hawaiian honeycreeper ­— the palila. Tribune-Herald.

The state health department has released a new dengue fever risk map, and it appears Hawaii Island is on the verge of ending the mosquito-borne disease outbreak. Big Island Video News.

No new cases of dengue fever were confirmed on Hawaii Island on Wednesday. The Kailua-Kona area, previously deemed the lone area on the island where people were at a high risk for infection, has been downgraded to a low-risk area. West Hawaii Today.

Legislators now are looking to public-private partnerships — similar to those being pursued by Maui and East Hawaii — in the hope there might be a way to slow or stop the onslaught of invasive pests on Hawaii Island’s delicate ecosystems. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A 20-year agreement signed by Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa for a waste-to-energy facility is projected to cost Maui County taxpayers $35 million more than expected, an audit released Wednesday revealed. Star-Advertiser.

County Defends Solid Waste Costs Following Release of Audit Report. Maui Now.

As Kaiser Permanente Hawaii prepares to assume management of the state hospitals on Maui by July 1, the health care provider began distributing job packets and offers on Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Hawaii should dramatically improve its regulation of pesticide use and study its impacts — something the Legislature has repeatedly refused to do — according to a draft version of a report commissioned by the state and Kauai County. Civil Beat.

Frustrated with what they called a lack of support from the state in addressing major transportation problems on Kauai, the county council on Wednesday lashed out at state officials for their “ineffectiveness” in handling crucial local road needs. Garden Island.

Lanai

Hawaiian Airlines is filling some of the void created when Island Air pulled out of the Lanai market. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines’ interisland subsidiary, Ohana by Hawaiian, plans to add daily flights to Lanai in May, following an announcement by Island Air that it would cease flights to the Pineapple Island by the end of this month. Pacific Business News.

State sells public hospitals, rescuers search for 12 Marines downed in Oahu helicopter collision, court records sealed in Big Island DLNR probe, Maui mulls new governance model, Kauai police officer arrested on embezzlement charges, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Ige, hospital officials sign transfer agreement, courtesy Governor's Office

Gov. David Ige has signed an agreement transferring operation of three financially struggling Maui County hospitals to Kaiser Permanente in the first privatization of Hawaii public hospitals ever. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Y. Ige, the Maui Regional Board and the corporate board of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation on Thursday signed an agreement that transfers operation and management of several Maui area health care facilities from the state to Kaiser Permanente. Civil Beat.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii on Thursday signed an agreement to take control of the state-owned hospitals on Maui and Lanai in what will become the first private acquisition of a Hawaii state hospital in history, and pledged to spend a minimum of $20 million on upgrades over the next five years. Pacific Business News.

Governor David Ige today signed a transfer agreement for the operations and management of the Maui Region Hospitals that effectively transfers responsibility from the state to Kaiser Permanente. Maui Now.

=========================

In the first six months of this fiscal year, to the end of December, Hawaii’s general tax fund jumped 9.5 percent from the same period last year, thanks mostly to increased general excise use and tax collections. Pacific Business News.

It’s time once again for another session of the Hawaii Legislature, and you know what that means: Lawmakers will ask for political contributions so they can run for re-election. Civil Beat.

It's a new year with an old problem involving volunteer boards and commissions in Hawaii. KITV4.

How To Save Lives Without Scaring Tourists Away. Ocean safety experts, tourism officials, lawmakers and families who have lost loved ones have definite ideas about keeping visitors safe in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The U.S. Coast Guard and Honolulu Fire Department are searching this morning for survivors after two Marine helicopters, with a total of 12 people on board, collided off Oahu’s North Shore late Thursday night. Star-Advertiser.

Rescue crews are searching for 12 passengers on board two U.S. Marine Corps helicopters that crashed off Oahu’s North Shore late Thursday night. Hawaii News Now.

Two U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E helicopters are missing off the North Shore of Oahu late Thursday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. USCG is searching for survivors, Marine Maj. Christine Devine said Friday. KHON2.

Plans to build a $50 million center on the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus to honor the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye have been shelved indefinitely, in part because the school’s growing $503 million repair and maintenance backlog is hampering the university’s ability to secure public funds for new projects. Star-Advertiser.

Today the Honolulu City Council Committee on Zoning and Planning extended a bill providing extra enforcement on illegal bed and breakfasts. KITV4.

About 100 businesses located along the rail construction route participate in the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation's Shop and Dine on the Line program, designed to help make up for business lost because of rail construction. And many say the program just isn't working. Hawaii News Now.

A Hawaii law center is suing the Centers for Disease Control to release a safety report critical of a University of Hawaii biolab. Civil Beat.

Businesses with strong financials are being listed for sale across the nation and Honolulu businesses are ahead of the pack, according to data from BizBuySell. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A state judge at the request of county prosecutors Thursday sealed documents in the high-profile case involving a Department of Land and Natural Resources officer who has been charged with sexually assaulting a minor while on the job. Star-Advertiser.

Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, an educational and cultural gem in Captain Cook, will close its doors to the public at the end of the month. West Hawaii Today.

A California investment group has purchased the Big Island Country Club for an undisclosed amount. West Hawaii Today.

Last spring, the nonprofit Hope Services Hawaii launched a pilot program to help recently released prisoners by partnering them with volunteer mentors. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui Mall has been sold to an affiliate of a global real estate giant for $91.1 million, and the company plans to spend a few more million dollars to expand Whole Foods, according to disclosure documents filed last month. Maui News.

Mayor Alan Arakawa and Mark Hyde of South Maui Citizens for Responsible Growth will be presenting their views on a possible change in the system of county governance at the Kihei Community Association meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Maui News.

A development of 112 multifamily, condominium and vacation rental units and 46 single-family lots and cottages as well as nearly 35,000 square feet in commercial space is proposed for 47 acres in the Makena Resort. Maui News.

Kauai

It’s been a year of cat and mouse games for the planning department, according to Michael Dahilig, county planning director. That’s because they’ve been cracking down on illegal single-family transient vacation rentals outside of the Visitor Destination Area. Garden Island.

A Kauai police lieutenant, who was once nominated for Hawaii officer of the year, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Thursday for alleged embezzlement of government funds and money laundering. Civil Beat.

A former Kauai Police Department lieutenant was charged and arrested by the FBI Thursday for allegedly embezzling $75,000 in county funds. Garden Island.

The FBI has arrested a Kauai Police Department lieutenant for allegedly stealing $75,000 in federal grant money meant for undercover drug buys. Lt. Karen Kapua, who was once named KPD's Officer of the Year, was a 16-year veteran of the KPD. She was indicted on federal theft and money laundering charges. Hawaii News Now.

Teachers union seeks tax hike, Kaiser Medicare premiums increased, Honolulu rail tax advances, Muslim harassed on Honolulu street, Mick Fleetwood vacation rental OKed, Maui environmental manager resigns, body cams for Kauai police, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu school, courtesy photo

The Hawaii State Teachers Association is proposing a 1 percent general excise tax hike, which the union estimates would generate $750 million a year for education needs. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii’s education system is in dire need of an overhaul, according to the Hawaii State Teacher’s Association. The union has identified 10 areas that need improvement and is including them in an omnibus bill that will be introduced during the 2016 legislative session. To fund the bill, it is proposing a 1 percent increase in the state’s General Excise Tax, with a few caveats. Garden Island.

Randy Iwase, chairman of the state Public Utilities Commission, said Wednesday some commitments offered by NextEra Energy Inc. to win support for its proposed purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries aren’t any different than what the Hawaii utility would do on its own. Star-Advertiser.

Colton Ching, vice president of energy delivery for Hawaiian Electric Co., said Wednesday during his time on the stand for the regulatory hearings on NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of the Honolulu-based utility, that there are some commitments that aren’t necessarily new, but instead a promise to continue what is currently being done. Pacific Business News.

The Ige administration is struggling to fill nearly 350 vacancies on state boards and commissions. Civil Beat.

With less than one week left before a Dec. 15 deadline, nearly 6,000 people in Hawaii had signed up for health coverage using the federal government’s healthcare.gov website during the open enrollment period that began Nov. 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

House and Senate negotiators announced today that they reached agreement on bipartisan legislation to make permanent a moratorium that prevents states from taxing access to the Internet. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which opposes the measure, estimates that Hawaii’s state government would lose about $20 million in tax revenue, based on 2012 figures, when the tax is phased out. Associated Press.

According to United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings Annual Report, Hawaii is the healthiest overall when compared to all US states. Hawaii News Now

About 15,000 senior Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Medicare plan members will see an increase in their monthly out-of-pocket premiums on Jan. 1. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday moved a step closer to approving a bill requiring consumers on Oahu to pay a 0.5 percent surcharge on the general excise tax for five more years to help finance the city’s $6.57 billion rail project. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council voted Wednesday to keep alive a bill to extend a 0.5 percent general excise tax surcharge by five years, from 2022 to 2027, to help pay for a growing deficit in the municipality’s $6.6 billion rail project. Civil Beat.

In response to critics of rail who say shutting down the project could save taxpayers money, officials said Thursday that dismantling what's been built already and terminating contracts would have a huge price tag. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu City Council deliberated today on the bill to increase funding for the Honolulu Rail Transit Project. Hawaii Public Radio.

Bobby Bunda held a campaign fundraiser at the Pacific Club in downtown Honolulu on Dec. 1, suggesting his desire to return to elective office. The former Hawaii Senate president asked for contributions of $500 in a bid for the District 2 seat on the Honolulu City Council. Civil Beat.

An Oahu grand jury could take up the case of a Honolulu police officer repeatedly beating a man with his baton — an act caught on video, the prosecutor’s office said. Star-Advertiser.

State officials took another step Wednesday toward clearing out homeless encampments at two Kakaako parks. At a special meeting, the Hawaii Community Development Authority board signed off on what its officials call “abandoned property protocol” — rules guiding how the agency will enforce nighttime closures at Kewalo Basin Park and Kakaako Waterfront Park. Civil Beat.

A 36-year-old marketing manager who wears a traditional hijab said she was harassed for her Muslim religion by an unidentified man who made offensive comments as he followed her from Alakea Street to Bishop Street. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council members are expected to approve a $1.2 million settlement this week for a 2008 motorcycle crash on Kaluanui Road in Hawaii Kai that left a man paralyzed. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Supreme Court will hear an oral argument Thursday from 10-11 a.m. at Waianae High School, part of an ongoing outreach program intended to educate students about the law and democracy. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Exclusive interview with Gov. David Ige about Thirty Meter Telescope project. Hawaii News Now.

An eruption of multiple large fights sent Pahoa High and Intermediate School into lockdowns the past couple of days and required police response. Adults trying to intervene are being assaulted. KHON2.

As NextEra Energy Inc. continues to seek approval of its $4.3 billion acquisition of the Hawaiian Electric companies, organizers behind a movement to pursue a nonprofit utility on the Big Island say their business model could save Hawaii Electric Light Co. customers as much as $113 million on their electricity rate base in a four-year period. Tribune-Herald.

After more than a week of increased traffic congestion along one of Puna’s main arteries because of the construction of a new roundabout, local elected officials are searching for ways to improve driving conditions during the project timeline. Tribune-Herald.

A community resource center and emergency shelter is moving ahead at the Kailapa Homestead in Kawaihae. West Hawaii Today.

A brief lull in the number of reported dengue cases doesn’t mean the disease is anywhere near finished with the Big Island — a fact highlighted Wednesday when the fever resumed its steady march with six new cases. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Kyle Ginoza has resigned as director of the county Department of Environmental Management and has taken a job as general manager for Maui operations of Hawaii Gas. Maui News.

Mick Fleetwood, drummer and co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, was approved Tuesday for a permit to use a cottage his late mother lived in as a short-term rental in Napili. Maui News.

It's official. What had been known for more than 100 years as Iao Stream is officially the Wailuku River. Maui News.

The already slow-moving proposal to build a 1,500-home town development at Olowalu has come to a full stop after the state Land Use Commission rejected the developer's draft final environmental impact statement Monday. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Police Chief Darryl Perry says he plans to launch the state’s first body camera program before the end of the year — with or without support from the state’s powerful police union. Civil Beat.

Kauai County doesn’t have a long-term financial plan, so county officials are bringing consultants on board to help form one. At the cost of $40,000, the Government Finance Officers Association will help Kauai County develop a financial vision for the future. Garden Island.

Tropical disturbance threatens Hawaii, state Supreme Court overturns Waikiki hotel variance, Kaiser Permanente picked for Maui hospitals, Kakaako tech park advances, Sandwich Isles ousts Hee, Kauai to learn about coral bleaching, Kona timeshare project cleared, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

2:02 a.m. Thursday Hawaii storm track, courtesy Central Pacific Hurricane Center

A developing weather system about 800 miles southeast of Hilo has a high chance of forming into a tropical cyclone in the next few days, according to forecasters. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s long-term care ombudsman is lobbying the federal government to take action that better protects the elderly from inadvertently signing away their right to sue a nursing home should a dispute arise during their stay there. Civil Beat.

President Obama’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders arrived in Hawaii on Tuesday for the first time on a mission to better understand issues facing the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Star-Advertiser.

Sandwich Isles Communications Inc. is planning a corporate restructuring that will remove owner Al Hee from “any management responsibilities or involvement” with the company in the wake of Hee’s convictions this summer on federal tax charges, the Hawaiian Homes Commission was told Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned a city variance that was necessary for Kyo-ya to replace the existing eight-story Moana Surfrider Diamond Head Tower with a 26-story hotel and residential tower. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has ruled that the city shouldn’t have granted a variance to allow a 26-story hotel and residential tower to encroach on a Waikiki shoreline. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s highest court has overturned a city variance granted to Kyo-ya Hotels that would have allowed them to construct a new building along Waikiki Beach outside the developmental restrictions enacted for the Waikiki Special District. Hawaii Independent.

State officials heading a technology park in Kakaako published a draft environmental assessment Wednesday that estimates an initial $39 million phase of what is being called the “Innovation Block” could be completed by 2018, followed by two more perhaps equally costly phases in 2020. Star-Advertiser.

A technology park meant to boost tech industry jobs in the state could be coming to Honolulu as soon as 2020 under a plan being pushed by a state development agency. Hawaii News Now.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources  and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District are holding a public meeting on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 to present the Draft Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Ala Wai Canal Project. KHON2.

Honolulu paid $167,500 to two hikers who said they were brutalized by officers, but its Police Department overruled a finding that excessive force was used. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii is moving ahead with plans to lease more than 150 acres of vacant land next to the UH-West Oahu campus for mixed-use development to help support the growing Kapolei university. Star-Advertiser.

Transit-oriented developments key in addressing Honolulu's housing crunch, state official says. Pacific Business News.

The City continues its sidewalk enforcement in Kaka’ako and has placed nearly one-third of the homeless individuals and families into emergency shelters. Hawaii Public Radio.

The 77-foot sunken fishing vessel Judy K — covered in mud, algae and barnacles — was floated Tuesday for the first time in eight months at Pier 16 thanks to the Army’s 7th Engineer Dive Detachment taking on the recovery as training. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The alala hasn’t been seen in the wild for about 13 years, but an effort to prevent Hawaii Island’s native crow from going the way of the dodo could soon begin to pay off. According to a draft of the state’s revised Wildlife Action Plan, there are now 114 alala being raised in captivity — enough to begin reintroducing the birds to the island’s forests as early as next year. Tribune-Herald.

A planned condominium timeshare development mauka of Alii Drive has been downsized slightly to accommodate neighbors’ concerns about a family graveyard. West Hawaii Today.

The $60,000 that the IRONMAN World Championships pay to use the Kailua Pier for four days would be cut in half, under a request that the state Board of Land and Natural Resources will consider on Friday. West Hawaii Today.

County workers are piecing together a flood-damaged road shoulder on Kuakini Highway in Kailua-Kona — again. West Hawaii Today.

A Kailua-Kona man who punched a shark and saved a surfer friend has been awarded a Carnegie Medal for heroism. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui Region board of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation has selected Kaiser Permanente as a potential partner for Maui's three public hospitals. Maui News.

The state’s public hospital system has selected Kaiser Permanente to operate and manage three Maui county hospitals. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Systems Corp.’s Maui Regional System Board announced Wednesday that it has selected Kaiser Permanente to enter negotiations with the state and the Maui board to manage the three state-owned hospitals in Maui County. Pacific Business News.

Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui today raised concerns over the selection of Kaiser Permanente by the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation’s Maui Regional System Board as its choice to operate its facilities under a planned partnership. Maui Now.

Maui resident Christopher Profio is asking the Maui Planning Commission to include sugar cane smoke as a factor when granting special management area use permits. Maui Now.

The Water Resources Committee on Wednesday recommended adoption of a resolution approving land purchase agreements for the expansion of the ʻĪao Water Treatment Facility and development of Wailuku Well 1, Committee Chair Gladys Baisa announced. Maui Now.

Short-term rental approved for Helen Hunt, denied for Fleetwood. Planning commission hears requests. Maui News.

Kauai

Researchers reported a successful result from this week’s bait experiment to eliminate the rat population on Lehua Rock. Garden Island.

Bleachapalooza, a statewide effort to train Hawaii residents how to identify and report sightings of coral bleaching, is coming to Kauai. Garden Island.

Hawaii Sunshine Law under attack, Kauai seed company lays off workers, pesticide disclosure bill advances, Omidyar slips in billionaire rankings, Oahu debates farms versus housing, schatz lawsuit dismissed, more government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Legislature opening day 2015, courtesy Robert Harris

There are six new members serving their first term in the State House of Representatives.  They are referred to as the “Freshman Class.” Hawaii Public Radio.

Elected officials from Maui County are urging the Legislature to relax the state's open-meetings law in a way that would allow several County Council members to attend community or private meetings and discuss Council business during those meetings. Star-Advertiser.

The longstanding debate on pesticide disclosure is playing out in the state Legislature as lawmakers consider a measure that seeks to make current, voluntary reporting guidelines mandatory. Garden Island.

Pierre Omidyar, the eBay founder who lives in Honolulu, saw his ranking on Forbes magazine's list of the world's richest people slip this year, while Larry Ellison, the billionaire executive chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle Corp. who owns the island of Lanai in Hawaii, held on to his No. 5 spot. Pacific Business News.

A legal challenge to Brian Schatz’s 2012 appointment to the U.S. Senate has been dismissed. Judge Derrick Watson of the District of Hawaii ruled Feb. 23 that Hamamoto v. Abercrombie is moot, as the plaintiffs waited too long to bring their case. Civil Beat.

Hawaii is seven months into the state’s food safety rating program and nearly half the restaurants on Oahu have been inspected. But a website to notify the public which restaurants have passed inspection is still in the works. KHON2.

The albizia was first brought to Hawaii for reforestation and it has now become the enemy. This year, it takes one of the top 10 spots on the state's worst invasive species list. KITV4.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii's profits jumped in the fourth quarter of 2014 to $1.4 million, compared to $200,000 in the same quarter the year before, as it gained more members. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Most of a 6.5 percent increase in Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell's operating budget will be earmarked for no-frills, essential, "fiscal stability" initiatives like catching up on mandatory contributions for the government employees health fund, paying off more debt and shoring up the rainy day fund. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell is emphasizing fiscal austerity in his 2016 fiscal year budget, which includes reductions in capital spending and no new taxes or fees. Civil Beat.

Although the city’s proposed operating budget of $2.28 billion for fiscal year 2016 increases spending by 6.5 percent, Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s proposal doesn’t contain any new revenue enhancers. KITV4.

Mayor Caldwell is on the mainland so managing director Roy Amemiya went over the budget highlights. He says the greatest challenge the city faces is $1.7 billion in unfunded liabilities for retiree health benefits. The budget earmarks $50 million dollars for that. KHON2.

2015 State of the City Address. Transcript of Mayor Caldwell's third state of the city address. Hawaii Independent.

Honolulu officials are poised to approve a long-planned development that would replace nearly 1,300 acres of prime farmland in West Oahu. No one really knows if this is a problem for a state that ships in at least 85 percent of its food from the mainland, because no one really knows how much usable farmland is left. The most recent city study was conducted by a consultant who has also worked for the project developer. Civil Beat.

Residents, labor union members and farmers packed a room at Kapolei Hale Monday night and debated whether Hoo­pili, a proposed 1,554-acre development plan by D.R. Horton-Schuler Homes, should be built on prime agricultural land between Ewa and Kapolei. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council Zoning and Planning Committee intends to consider a planning document for the North Shore on Thursday that includes a highly debated proposal to allow a new residential community in Malaekahana. Civil Beat.

City Council to decide the fate of Malaekahana. Zoning committee chair Anderson will introduce amendments that would kill most of the controversial proposed “Envision Laie” development on the rural northeast coast of Oahu. Hawaii Independent.

Opinion: Stop the Malaekahana Development. The City Council should put the brakes on a proposal to expand urban boundaries and build another North Shore town. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa announced Monday that it will officially ban smoking on campus, effective July 1, becoming the second smoke-free campus in the state after Kapiolani Community College. Star-Advertiser.

A pension fund for workers in Australia has become part-owner of Hawaii's largest shopping center. AustralianSuper bought a 25 percent interest in Ala Moana Center from Chicago-based General Growth Properties Inc. for $907 million Friday. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama has officially renamed the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Waikiki as the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Department is changing one way they identify suspects in cases. Following a nationwide trend, HPD is changing the photo lineup policy.  It's an effort to prevent falsely identifying suspects. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The same names keep recirculating on county boards and commissions, due in part to a shortage of volunteers willing to step up. And even after drawing upon all the familiar faces, Mayor Billy Kenoi still has 25 to 30 openings to fill. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources approved Friday a pair of lease extensions for Uncle Billy’s Hilo Hotel and the Country Club condominiums. Tribune-Herald.

A 485-acre tract of North Kohala land on the road to Pololu Valley is set to be sold. The stretch of pasture and forest land is in a north Texas bankruptcy court, where a hearing on a possible sale and offer of $2.87 million is set to be considered by a judge March 18. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The State Commission on Water Resource Management begins a contested case hearing today on a petition to amend interim instream water standards for 27 streams in East Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

A Kauai seed company let 23 employees go on Monday. Syngenta AG, a global Swiss agrochemical company with a research center in Kekaha, laid off workers at all levels. Garden Island.

Hawaii media focus on Kaiser Permanente workers strike, state senator admits falsifying tax records, House GOP outlines legislative priorities, UH Cancer Center aims to fix big problems, GMO lawyers try to limit opposition, Honolulu mayor popular, seawater to cool downtown condos, more government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii workers strike © 2015 All Hawaii News

Hundreds of workers at Kaiser Permanente Hawaii started a six-day strike Monday but made sure patients knew it was OK to keep their appointments with the state's largest health maintenance organization. nite Here Local 5, representing 1,900 Kaiser workers, organized a statewide strike following objections to what it calls low proposed wage increases and a proposal to eliminate guaranteed pensions for new employees. Star-Advertiser

Kaiser Local 5 members on strike. Kaiser Permanente's Local 5 workers have begun a 6-day statewide workers strike. Hawaii Independent.

Workers at Hawaii’s largest health care organization started a six-day strike early Monday, union spokeswoman Paola Rodelas said. Associated Press.

Members of the Local Union 5 began their six-day strike after labor disputes with health care giant Kaiser. KITV4.

Kaiser Permanente Local 5 workers on three islands are walking the picket lines as part of a six-day strike. The 1,900 workers include Kaiser receptionists, medical assistants and certified nurses aides. KHON2.

Six of Hawaii's seven House Republicans gathered Monday to introduce their latest caucus legislative package, a collection of bills touted as ways to encourage business across the islands, provide tax relief and better scrutinize the state's energy regulators. Star-Advertiser.

The seven Republican representatives in the 51-member state House will be pushing 20 bills this legislative session as part of their Minority Caucus package. The bills generally fall under three categories: creating jobs, lowering the cost of living and giving the government back to the people, Minority Leader Beth Fukumoto Chang said during a press conference Monday at the Capitol. Civil Beat.

Nearly 2,900 bills were introduced in the first week of Hawaii’s 2015 Legislative session. Associated Press.

A bill introduced in the Hawaii state Legislature would task the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs with licensing vacation rentals in the Islands. House Bill 825, introduced by Scott Saiki, D-McCully-Downtown, gives authority to the DCCA director to license transient vacation rental owners, as well as fine and investigate the actions of any vacation rental owner without a license. Pacific Business News.

Hundreds of people have asked the state to give them millions of dollars over the past year to cover claims such as potholes damaging cars, students suffering from food poisoning, prison guards assaulting inmates and public employees sexually harassing co-workers. But unlike larger claims that first go through the Attorney General’s Office and then to the Legislature where final approval is given during public hearings, claims settled for smaller amounts are quietly handled within the Department of Accounting and General Services. Civil Beat.

Senate bill would boost our food security. SB593 would require the Agribusiness Development Corporation to lease 50 percent of its land to local food production. Hawaii Independent.

Bill seeks to stop discrimination against Section 8 tenants. Associated Press.

A bill allowing schools to accept in-kind services in lieu of rent for use of their facilities was supported by Oahu pastors but opposed by the state Department of Education during a state Senate Education Committee hearing Monday afternoon. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Health Information Exchange and Hawaii Health Systems Corp. have signed a data sharing agreement to make patient medical records available electronically to community health care providers and hospitals across the state. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii’s state run hospital system appears to be in dire financial straits. However, it does have new leadership in its CEO, Dr. Linda Rosen, who as Pacific Business News reports, has a lot of experience dealing with emergencies. Hawaii Public Radio.

Mercury levels in yellowfin tuna caught in the Pacific Ocean near the Hawaiian Islands have been rising at a 3.8 percent annual rate since 1998, according to a new study.Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Halfway into his first term, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell retains job performance approval from more than 2 out of 3 registered voters. Star-Advertiser.

From paving pot holes to showing his support for bicycling commuters and picking-up trash, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell appears to be everywhere, and that face time with the community has translated into a favorability rating of 64% -- according to our Hawai'i News Now - Star Advertiser poll.

State Sen. Brickwood Galuteria admitted Monday that he has improperly claimed a rental property in Palolo as his primary residence and will likely have to pay back taxes on the nearly $1.8 million home. Civil Beat.

A University of Hawaii task force charged with reviewing operations at the financially struggling UH Cancer Center says a "flawed and incomplete" business model is preventing the center from achieving its mission to reduce the burden of cancer through research and education. Star-Advertiser.

A report critical of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center is leading to a call at the State Legislature to either sell or lease the research facility. KHON2.

An overwhelming majority of Oahu residents has no intention of using bike lanes, but they sure like the idea of getting someone else to use bicycles to commute — especially along Hono­­lulu's new King Street "Cycle Track." Star-Advertiser.

As local lawmakers struggle to find solutions to Hawaii's housing crunch, a local charity is demonstrating what out-of-the-box thinking could look like. Faith Action for Community Equity, or FACE, has set up a 20-foot-by-8-foot shipping container on the grounds of Honolulu Hale that can house a family of five. KITV4.

The Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning project, which expects to start construction this fall on the system to cool Downtown Honolulu office buildings and condominium towers with cold water from the ocean, may be expanding to cool the scores of high-rise condos being built nearby in the growing Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako, the project's CEO told Pacific Business News.

A 42,000-gallon jet fuel spill reported Jan. 21 is likely due to a weld failure on the bottom of an above-ground storage tank at a Sand Island tank farm, which supplies fuel to Hono­lulu Airport, the tank operating company said. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Coast Guard plans to honor a Honolulu-based cutter's 45 years of service during a decommissioning ceremony. The Honolulu-based Cutter Rush is being replaced by the Cutter Sherman. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Attorneys representing groups suing Hawaii County over its restrictions on genetically modified crops want the county to defend itself without help from national advocacy groups such as Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety. West Hawaii Today.

About 20 Kaiser Permanente employees marched Monday morning in front of the Hilo clinic as their labor union kicked off a six-day strike.Tribune-Herald.

Gov. David Ige released Monday $4 million in general obligation bond funds appropriated by the Legislature to finance construction of various improvements to the Waimea District Regional Park. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Department of Environmental Management will begin charging a new tipping fee on March 1 to businesses that deposit green waste at recycling facilities in Puuanahulu and Hilo. Revenue from the new fee will help finance an expansion of green waste recycling services across the island.West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County’s police and fire departments intend to maintain comparable coverage in lower Puna if the June 27 lava flow forces them to abandon their main posts on Highway 130. Both share a joint campus on the makai side of the highway outside Pahoa that remains about 0.36 miles from the flow’s stalled tip. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The county Department of Environmental Management ended its 2-year-old curbside recycling pilot program Sunday, despite calls from South Maui residents to keep its "3 Can Plan." Maui News.

County of Maui in even more trouble with federal Clean Water Act. MauiTime

Kaiser Permanente workers on Maui took to the streets Monday as part of a statewide, six-day strike against the health care provider that is stuck in a labor contract dispute. Maui News.

Construction is underway in Kihei on what's believed to be Hawaii's first home built with hemp fiber insulation, according to those involved in the project. Maui News.

Kauai

Are the pesticides being used by Kauai’s biotech seed industry impacting the health and environment of the island and its residents? And if so, how? Those are the main questions nine Kauai residents have been tasked with answering over the next year as members of a newly formed Joint Fact-Finding Group. Garden Island.

A former Kauai state senator and her siblings are defendants in a trust fraud case filed by their mother in 5th Circuit Court. Evelyn Ohai Fernandes, 87, individually and as trustee of William Ernest Fernandes and Evelyn Ohai Fernandes Revocable Living Trust, is suing four of her children and grandchildren regarding five properties near old Kapaa town that were transferred into a trust. Garden Island.

Hawaii’s rainy season has been lacking something it usually has plenty of: Rain. Garden Island.