State releases campaign spending reports, Green signs anti-corruption bills, Kauai seeks help after Waimea River shifts toward homes, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

See Who’s Getting, And Giving, Millions In Campaign Funds This Year. Hawaiʻi’s political newcomers are raking in the cash, while lobbyists and labor unions top the list of donors. Who is donating to whom has taken on new importance in recent years as ongoing corruption investigations have roiled Hawaiʻi. Civil Beat.

New state laws enacted to deter corruption in Hawaii government. Gov. Josh Green on Friday signed a bill into law that will extend the statute of limitations from three years to nine years for the offense of bribery. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii’s new ‘millionaire tax’ rivals top tax rate among other states. Under part of Act 24, which some call Hawaii’s new “millionaire tax,” a married couple earning over $1 million and filing a joint return would be charged $88,729 plus 13% on any income above $1 million for the 2027 tax year. Star-Advertiser.

Landmark bill gives Native Hawaiians larger public lands role. Gov. Josh Green signed House Bill 2218 into law Wednesday after it unanimously passed both chambers of the state Legislature, creating a formal legal pathway for the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to enter into long-term co-management agreements with qualified community-based nonprofit organizations. Star-Advertiser.

OHA Dissenters Won’t Recant Retaliation Claims. Four trustees from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs are bucking orders to withdraw a court document filed as part of a lawsuit that alleges the office, other members of the board and Chair Kai Kahele unfairly retaliated against CEO Stacy Ferreira. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi forgiveness program to reduce $91M in medical debt. About 50,000 Hawaiʻi residents have accumulated a total of $91 million in medical debt, but a new state program could help absolve lower-income residents of those unpaid bills. Hawaii Public Radio.

Federal aid climbs, thousands apply for Kona-low support. Federal agencies have approved tens of millions of dollars in assistance for survivors of Hawaii’s Kona-low storms in March, with thousands of FEMA, SBA and USDA applications still under review as recovery efforts continue statewide. Star-Advertiser.

Traffic fatalities in Hawaii ticked up after Memorial Day. Since Memorial Day on May 25, there have been at least a dozen fatalities, accounting for roughly 25% of the total, which stood at 48 as of Friday. At the same time last year, the number was at 69. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Waters’ War Chest Dwarfs Opponents In Competitive Honolulu Council Primary. Candidates running for the Honolulu Council District 4 seat have vastly different resources to draw on. Honolulu Council Chair Tommy Waters is sitting on a $320,000 war chest and has so far spent $130,000 in his bid for reelection to Honolulu Council District 4, the latest state campaign finance reports show.  Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council advances bill aimed at expanding affordable housing. A Honolulu City Council measure aimed at accelerating affordable rental housing construction on Oahu by easing development standards has advanced despite concerns from housing advocates, Council members and other stakeholders over its potential impacts. Star-Advertiser.

Waianae homeless community shrinks as permanent homes arrive. The Pu‘uhonoua o Wai‘anae homeless community at the Wai‘anae Small Boat Harbor has shrunk from a peak of 250 people to just 30 who are waiting for new, permanent homes to arrive so they can join their friends and family who already have moved to a new 20-acre site on the mauka side of Farrington Highway. Star-Advertiser.

HPD sends Aliamanu fireworks case to prosecutors. The Honolulu Police Department’s investigation into the Jan. 1, 2025, explosion of illegal fireworks at a New Year’s party in Aliamanu that killed six people, including a 3-year-old child, has been sent to prosecutors for possible criminal charges. Star-Advertiser.

As pro golf tournaments leave Hawaiʻi, so do millions in charitable giving. Friends of Hawaii Charities hosted the Sony Open PGA golf tournament in Hawaiʻi for 28 years. Over that time, it raised nearly $28 million in grants for nonprofits in Hawaiʻi that serve children, older people and underserved communities. Hawaii Public Radio.

After storm damage, Hawaii’s reefs brace for another blow from El Niño. When back-to-back Kona lows hit the state in March, Alika Garcia got ready to dive.As executive director of Kuleana Coral, a coral restoration group on Oahu, he and his team worked under an emergency permit to survey and restore the affected coral colonies in Maunalua Bay as soon as ocean conditions were safe. Star-Advertiser.

No ‘large cat-like animal’ found at Manoa Falls, DLNR says. After reports of large wild cats at Manoa Falls, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources said it found no evidence that would require the trail to close. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Most of Big Island sees above average rainfall last month, with 10 sites having wettest June on record. Several locations on the leeward side, on the other hand, didn't fare as well, with much of the Kona and Kohala coasts, slopes and interior higher elevations recording below average rainfall for June. Big Island Now.

A place to call home: DHHL awards 200 lots in Pana‘ewa to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries. For the first time in over 20 years, the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands presented leases for residential lots in East Hawaii to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries Saturday at a ceremony in Hilo, where 200 lots were awarded. Tribune-Herald.

Kona low victims awarded nearly $5M. Hawaii County launched a recovery grant program late last month for businesses impacted by back-to-back Kona low storms that hammered the island in March, just as a similar federal aid effort formed to help storm victims is wrapping up. Tribune-Herald.

Takeout Boxes Are Filling Landfills. This Town Has A Plan To Phase Them Out. As Hawaiʻi island prepares to enact a ban on single-use plastic serviceware, a coalition in Hilo is rolling out the nation’s first comprehensive city-wide reuse program with over $3 million in seed funding. Civil Beat.

Ka‘u cultural center clears another hurdle. A final environmental assessment was recently completed for the site, which is located near Waiohinu on land managed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.  Star-Advertiser.

Hilo skateboard ramp expected to officially open soon. Intended to “bridge the gap” until the proposed multimillion-dollar roller-sport facility along Piilani Street across from the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium can be built, the 16-foot-wide and 60-foot-long plywood half-pipe ramp was gifted to the county by Oasis Skateboards owner Dan Madsen to create a dedicated space for skaters. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Fired Maui County official sues Mayor Bissen, Board of Ethics for defamation. Luana Mahi, the former director of the county Office of Economic Development, is suing the county for defamation, saying her reputation was tarnished by “inaccurate” claims that she used grant funding to benefit her family members.  Maui Now.

North extension of Lahaina bypass needed as a critical evacuation route is finally moving forward. The 4.5-mile extension from Lahaina to Kā‘anapali is in the early planning stages, with funding from a $100 million allocation of Maui County’s $1.6 billion federal disaster recovery grant. Maui Now.

National Park Service ‘pauses’ Kalaupapa tours after one trip. The National Park Service abruptly paused its planned twice-a-week walking tours of Kalaupapa National Historic Park after its inaugural trip Thursday was met by about 30 Native Hawaiians and Molokai residents demanding a say in the future of the site where 8,000 Hansen’s disease patients were forced to live in isolation for over a century. Star-Advertiser. KHON2. KITV4. 

Rebuilding, Mental Health And Groundwater: Maui County Mayor Candidate Q&As. A ballot full of candidates is running in the primary election to lead Maui Nui. Civil Beat.

RISE Maui Summit will bring together scientists, artists and cultural practitioners. With proceeds benefiting Lahaina’s rebuilding efforts, the RISE Maui: Sustainability + Tech Summit in August at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa will spotlight sustainability and innovation through the lens of regeneration. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauaʻi seeks state assistance as Waimea River mouth shifts towards homes. Kauaʻi County urgently seeks technical assistance because the Waimea River's sudden westward shift threatens nearby homes and properties. Kauai Now. Garden Island. KHON2.  KITV4. 

Kauaʻi Wants New Homes To Resist Fire. It’s Cheaper Than You Might Think. The Garden Isle has a higher wildfire risk than most counties in the country. Civil Beat.

Campaign Spending Commission files complaint against Sylvia Luke, juror compensation increases to $50 a day, cash rounding law eliminates pennies, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission files 39-page complaint against Sylvia Luke. A 39-page complaint from the Hawaiʻi Campaign Spending Commission accused Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, her campaign team and committee of violating state campaign finance laws during the 2022 election. KITV4. Hawaii News Now.

Know the rules: Hawaii's new cash rounding law. A new law aimed at easing headaches caused by a nationwide penny shortage took effect in Hawaii on Wednesday, July 1. Businesses are now allowed to round up or down to the nearest nickel. KHON2.

Juror compensation increases to $50 per day. Individuals serving as jurors in Hawaiʻi state courts will receive $50 per day for their service, an increase from the previous rate of $30 per day. The increase marks the first adjustment to juror compensation since 1989, when the daily rate increased from $20 to $30. Maui Now.

Oahu

DPP launches fast-track permit review program. The Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting has launched a new program to fast-track eligible building permit applications using an artificial intelligence-assisted screening platform ahead of the software becoming mandatory later this year. Star-Advertiser.

Unopposed For Reelection, Honolulu Budget Chair Isn’t Afraid To Fight Admin. Council member Val Okimoto has charged into public disputes against powerful members of the city administration. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Rail Riders Face Persistent Station And Elevator Closures. Three years after opening, the city’s Skyline transit system has endured its share of operational hiccups. Civil Beat.

Law enforcement finds 14 endangered children on Oahu. Fourteen endangered, missing children were found by Honolulu Police Department officers working with state and federal law enforcement last week during a two-day operation. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

More sidewalks planned for portion of Kilauea Avenue. A $10 million sidewalk construction project will commence Monday along Kilauea Avenue as part of a federally funded initiative to create a safe, convenient route for students at the three Waiakea schools to walk and bike to class. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News. 

Wastewater In Lava Fields: Delayed Fix Costs Big Island $1K Daily. After a legal settlement, Hawaiʻi County agreed to upgrade the Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant beginning in March. Now the project is four months overdue and the county could face a hefty fine. Civil Beat.

Increased aircraft noise possible in Waimea-Kohala region during July 4 military exercises. The training is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. July 4 and will include KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft and MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft operating over parts of the region. Big Island Now.

Big Island mayors celebrate diverse heritage. Hawaii County leaders say the America250 milestone offers a chance to celebrate their island’s rich and diverse culture and its unique place in the nation’s history, which has been shaped both by patriotism and historical inequities. Star-Advertiser. 

Maui

Mayor Bissen announces $6M proposal to purchase Launiupoko, Olowalu water assets for public trust. This marks the critical second phase of a broader effort that will increase public stewardship of West Maui’s drinking water systems from 45% to 93% while supporting much-needed housing development for residents. Maui Now. Maui News. Hawaii News Now. 

Council seeks answers on Maui safe parking pilot program. Maui County Council members are pressing Mayor Richard Bissen’s administration for answers on why a safe parking pilot program for unhoused residents has not opened nearly four years after the council approved legislation allowing the county to create one. Maui News.

Mayoral candidate says campaign signs have been taken.  Maui County Mayoral candidate P. Denise La Costa said more than 18 of her political election signs have been stolen in the past few weeks. Maui News.

National Park Service launches first-of-its-kind Kalaupapa hiking tour. Starting this month, the Kalaupapa National Historical Park will guide visits to the remote peninsula — but there’s a catch. The hike down — and up — the strenuous Pali Trail from topside Molokaʻi is a 1700-foot elevation change over three miles each way. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Community groups win temporary pause to 148-unit Kōloa housing development until court hears appeal. The groups challenging the project have raised concerns about the size of the project, the impact of increased traffic, parking demands and emergency access on the narrow rural roads in the Kauaʻi town. Kauai Now.

Landfill, Cesspools And Another ʻIniki?: Kauaʻi County Council Candidate Q&As. Kauaʻi’s council members face daunting infrastructure needs, a shortage of workforce housing and declining visitor numbers on the island. Civil Beat.

Concert in the Sky anchors Kauai’s July Fourth mix of celebration and care.  Kauai is marking America250 with events that highlight the island’s layered history — from early Native Hawaiian stewardship to Western contact, plantation‑era immigration and modern military ties — as residents navigate mixed feelings about July Fourth. Star-Advertiser.

Busy cyclone season predicted, Green signs income tax cuts bill, coastal water pollution worsens, Japanese developer advances $2B LNG power plant plan for Oahu, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiʻi urged to prepare for intense El Niño hurricane season. ‘Very busy year:’ Central Pacific forecast calls for 5 to 13 tropical cyclones. The Central Pacific hurricane outlook forecast was released Thursday, showing a 70% chance that there could be five to 13 tropical cyclones, which include tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes, in the region this season. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii Public Radio.  Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.  KHON2.  KITV4.

New water quality report shows more chronic coastal water pollution in Hawaii.  Three beach areas in Hawaii have the dubious distinction of being among the top ten coastal areas in the U.S. with the highest rates of bacteria that exceed recreational health standards. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Green signs income tax bill, others into law. Gov. Green signs bills to strengthen and protect essential public services. Gov. Josh Green signed four measures into law Thursday, including a bill that preserves a vast majority of income tax relief from Act 46, Session Laws of Hawai‘i 2024, for low- and middle-income households, while revising certain future tax bracket and rate adjustments and repealing or sunsetting selected tax credits. Maui Now. KHON2.  KITV4.

Outlook on state finances improves. The Council on Revenues has somewhat downgraded its forecast for Hawaii general fund revenue growth next fiscal year, but also improved its outlook for the current fiscal year that results in an overall net benefit. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

Hawaiʻi Teachers Win Raises, But Some Schools Are Still Crumbling. Teachers say lawmakers made significant progress boosting educator morale and retention this session, but debates about campus repairs and construction are ongoing. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Developer wading into regulatory waters for proposed Oahu LNG power plant. An affiliate of Japan’s biggest energy company has begun to seek federal regulatory approval for part of a proposed $2 billion Oahu power plant fueled by imported liquefied natural gas. Star-Advertiser.

City Council OKs $70K settlement in HPD car crash. The Honolulu City Council voted on May 13 to authorize a settlement agreement in the lawsuit, Jonathan Lefiti v. Dejanira Seale, an HPD officer, and the City and County of Honolulu, stemming from a rear-end collision that allegedly caused serious injuries to occupants of the other vehicle. Star-Advertiser.

UH students and faculty speak out against 'time, place and manner' policies. Members of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Faculty Senate met with school leaders to discuss what they perceive as a concerning change to campus free speech policies. Hawaii Public Radio.

New Oahu field use rules causing concern among youth leagues. The City has a new pilot program to better manage sports fields permits on Oahu. KHON2.

North Shore lifeguard rescues sea turtle tangled in fishing line at Waimea Bay. About 50 yards offshore fronting the lifeguard tower, a large honu was stuck in a fisherman’s line with multiple hooks. Hawaii News Now.

Developers break ground on Waianiani at The Cove, new West Oahu entertainment venue. The ground breaking and blessing for Waianiani at The Cove was held on Thursday, a new oceanfront entertainment and cultural destination coming to West Oahu. KITV4.

Hawaii Island

County Council tweaks property tax rates. Hawaiʻi County Is Taxing Homes Of The Rich, But Others Get A Break. Council chair flexes to keep a more aggressive proposal off the agenda. Civil Beat. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Now. 

Management plan in the works for Hilo Bay watershed. Efforts are underway to develop a watershed management plan for Hilo Bay, which has a long history of poor water quality, high bacteria levels and brown water advisories. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Axis deer impact survey is open through June 30.  The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife is asking residents of Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i to participate in a short survey describing how axis deer are impacting their lives. Maui Now.

Will Patient Death Halt Kalaupapa Access? ‘No One Really Knows’. The National Park Service is working with the late Meli Watanuki’s estate and tour operators on options to continue. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Accessibility improvement project at Līhuʻe Airport to begin May 26. Construction work that will improve pedestrian safety and accessibility at Līhuʻe Airport is scheduled to begin May 26, according to the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation. Kauai Now.

Chan and Zuckerberg donate $1.48M for new imaging technology at Wilcox Medical Center. Dr. Priscilla Chan and her husband, META CEO Mark Zuckerberg, have donated $1.48 million to support new imaging technology at the Wilcox Medical Center in Līhuʻe. Kauai Now. Garden Island. 

Luke Evslin files for re-election. State Rep. Luke Evslin (D-Wailua, Hanamaulu, Kapaia, Lihue, Puhi, Omao) filed his nomination papers Wednesday to seek re-election to House District 16.  Garden Island.

Hefty subsidies for public hospitals, man urinating at Kilauea eruption draws Native Hawaiian ire, affordable housing battles continue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hefty subsidies continue for Hawaii’s state-run hospitals. Top officials with the state agency that oversees many of Hawaii’s neighbor island hospitals and long-term care facilities say there’s no current push to privatize more of its facilities even though the private sector could operate them more cheaply and efficiently, easing the hefty subsidies provided by state taxpayers. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Is Struggling To Meet A Deadline To Reduce Leased Office Space. Despite a new law mandating a 10% reduction by 2026, the amount of office space leased by the state has increased. Civil Beat.

Friends remember Danny Kaleikini, 85. Danny Kaleikini, the legendary entertainer who embodied the best of Hawaii, was being remembered throughout the islands for his immense talent as a singer, musician, actor and recording artist, and for his boundless devotion to spreading aloha worldwide. Star-Advertiser. Maui News. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Honolulu’s affordable housing disappearing prematurely. A state agency is looking to plug a leak in part of Honolulu’s affordable- housing market where subsidized condominiums have been converted to market-price sales or rentals despite a regulatory tool designed to defer such conversions. Star-Advertiser.

Manoa community split over plan for senior affordable rentals. Vocal opponents of a proposed 288-unit affordable rental project for seniors to be built on the edge of the nearly 190-year-old Manoa Chinese Cemetery in upper Manoa Valley have surfaced at recent community meetings and even launched an online petition that has collected more than 4,200 signatures to thwart the development within the affluent neighborhood in urban Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

Health Department: ‘Forever chemicals’ detected in Leeward Oahu water system. Low levels of PFAS “forever chemicals” have been detected in a Leeward Oahu water system that serves about 217,000 individuals, the state Department of Health announced. Hawaii News Now.

City: Oahu’s digital parking meters will be free for at least 6 months. About 2,200 digital parking meters on Oahu will be free of charge for at least the next six months. The city says that’s how long it’ll take to replace its wireless credit card readers to match a technology upgrade by Verizon. Hawaii News Now.

Fugitive owner of embattled semi-sub company arrested after attempting to flee by boat.  Federal authorities on Friday arrested the fugitive owner of an embattled Hawaii shipbuilding company who tried to flee Hawaii on his boat ahead of his hearing. Curtiss E. Jackson, 71, was wanted by U.S. Marshals on a federal arrest warrant for violating his terms of pretrial release. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Why Community Efforts Aren’t Enough To Save Oahu’s Aging Cemeteries. Only a fraction of cemeteries on the island are licensed by the state and not all have a perpetual care fund to cover maintenance costs after the cemetery fills up. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Social media post of man urinating at Kilauea eruption viewing site stirs harsh backlash. A photo of a man urinating at a Kilauea eruption viewing site that was posted on social media is igniting anger — with some saying it underscores the need for cultural education.  Hawaii News Now.

TMT environmental review delayed by voluminous comments. The National Science Foundation is already behind in its effort to evaluate whether the stalled Thirty Meter Telescope project should be reinvigorated with $850,000 or more in public funds. Star-Advertiser.

Hilo Medical Center awaits $50M expansion OK.  Gov. Josh Green in December announced Opens in a new tab an allocation of $50 million in the executive budget for the expansion of Hilo Medical Center. Now it’s up to the state Legislature to approve that allocation. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald.

Man who leapt to death off bridge political candidate, co-writer of famous song.  David "Kawika" Crowley, the 71-year-old Hilo man who jumped to his death Wednesday from the Puueo Bridge in downtown Hilo was a colorful character who pulled off an upset win in the GOP primary election for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District in 2012 — while homeless — and co-wrote one of Hawaii’s most beloved songs. Tribune-Herald.

Institute seeks to erect satellite array in Ka‘u.  The Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics will present at next month’s Windward Planning Commission meeting a request for a special permit to install 10 satellite dishes 20 feet in diameter, as well as additional infrastructure including a catchment tank, portable toilet and 10-kilowatt solar array across about two acres near Wood Valley. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Developer to present update on Pulelehua housing project. A special presentation updating the progress of the 310-acre Pulelehua housing development is among the topics being presented at the annual West Maui Taxpayers Association members meeting. Maui Now.

DOE eyes tentative mid-January opening for Kulanihako‘i High. State still has not fulfilled permit, plans to meet with Mayor’s Office next week. Maui News.

A Dwindling Kalaupapa Population Honors 1st Exiles With Tributes And Tears. Despite the painful history, many former Hansen’s disease patients have chosen to remain even after the government freed them from quarantine. Civil Beat.

Kauai

New Year, new laws: How ranked-choice voting could be used on Kaua‘i. Last week, state Rep. Jimmy Tokioka (a Democrat who represents portions of the Eastside) resigned his state house position to join Gov. Josh Green’s administration. Garden Island.

Mahelona master plan meeting is Wednesday. State Rep. Nadine K. Nakamura invites the community to attend a talk-story session regarding Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital, where officials will deliver an update on the hospital’s draft conceptual master plan. Garden Island.

Hawaii tourism depends on vacation rentals, Honolulu council leadership questioned in election dispute, new laws in effect, Molokai mule trail closed, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii beach scene ©2019 All Hawaii News all rights reserved

Addicted To Airbnb: Hawaii’s Tourism Economy Depends On Illegal Vacation Rentals. While calls for a crackdown on short-term rentals grow louder, their rapid expansion accounts for a big chunk of the recent growth in the state’s largest industry. Civil Beat.

When the final numbers roll in for 2018, it's likely to be another record year for visitor arrivals to Hawaii. But as people consider what that sector may look like in 2019 and beyond, there may be a developing niche: medical tourism. Hawaii Public Radio.

Medical aid in dying law takes effect. For the first time, certain terminally ill patients in Hawaii will have the right to end their lives, but it won’t be easy. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Medical Aid In Dying Law Now In Effect, Guidance Issued. Big Island Video News.

Fake service dogs, foam food containers and equal pay: These laws took effect Jan. 1. Hawaii News Now.

New laws address pay gap, sexual assault. Beginning today, employers are prohibited from asking prospective hires about their salary and wage history under a new law that seeks to help bridge the gap between how much men and women earn. Star-Advertiser.

Employers in Hawaii no longer will be allowed to inquire about prospective employees’ salary histories thanks to a law passed in July. Tribune-Herald.

Some road shoulders to open for motorcycles. In the new year, motorcyclists in Hawaii might have their travel time reduced by a law that will designate the shoulders of some roads as traversable by motorcycle. Tribune-Herald.

Lawmakers: After a noisy start to the new year, it’s time to crack down on illegal aerials. Hawaii News Now.

Commentary: No, Killing A Special Fund Doesn’t Kill People. Some state agencies need to understand that the money in these funds isn’t “their” money. It comes from taxpayers. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Three topics sure to grab headlines in 2019 are the city’s rail project as construction moves through the congested downtown corridor; the housing crisis as policy makers wrestle with vacation rental laws and monster home rules; and the federal investigations involving Honolulu’s former police chief, his ex-prosecutor wife and the city prosecutor.  Star-Advertiser.

Council leadership remains in question. City Council members and their aides on Monday were trying to figure out ways to deal with the possibility that Councilman Trevor Ozawa may not be sworn in for a new term on Wednesday, the same day he had been expected to be voted Council chairman by his colleagues. Star-Advertiser.

On the eve of inauguration day for the Honolulu City Council, there's a big question mark hanging over the District 4 seat. The Supreme Court is weighing in after an opponent filed a challenge. With that Supreme Court decision pending, and the race not certified, Councilman Trevor Ozawa may not be sworn into office. KHON2.

Honolulu City Councilman Trevor Ozawa may miss being sworn in to another term on Wednesday along with his colleagues if the Hawaii Supreme Court is still undecided on a legal challenge to his election win. Civil Beat.

=====

The state attorney general is opposing a change made to Abigail Kawananakoa’s trust that ensures her wife will receive $40 million and all of her personal property. Star-Advertiser.

Community leaders in Leeward Oahu are voicing opposition to the Palehua Wind project proposed for the Waianae range above their homes. Star-Advertiser.

Watch your water bills. That's the warning from some Pearl City residents who caught the Board of Water Supply billing them for more water than they used. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

The owner of the Hilo Farmers Market submitted plans last month for permanent canopies over the open-air market in an attempt to comply with the county’s fire, building and zoning codes. Tribune-Herald.

The long-discussed East Hawaii Organics Facility will be constructed on the north side of the W.H. Shipman Business Park in Keaau, and will have no significant impact according to the final environmental assessment document published for the project. Big Island Video News.

A discharge of about 66,000 gallons of partially treated wastewater was discharged into the ocean this weekend at the county’s Kulaimano wastewater treatment plant in Pepeekeo. Tribune-Herald.

The Vog Is Gone — For The First Time In Decades. Kilauea didn’t just stop spewing lava. It ceased emissions that have been constant since 1983. Civil Beat.

Maui

Since securing support from her colleagues, Council Member Kelly King has been the de facto chair of the incoming Maui County Council, making decisions on the inauguration ceremony, proposing committees and even moving into the chair’s office on Monday. Maui News.

A year of climate and political change 2018. Storms of all persuasions, even an actual firestorm, descended upon the county. Maui News.

Unlike past government shutdowns, Haleakala National Park is still open. Access to most areas continues, services limited. Maui News.

Maui County’s purchase of 262 acres of A&B agriculture land in the lower Pulehu/Omaopio area of Kula has closed escrow, according to information released today by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development. Maui Now.

Maui County purchases 262 acres from Alexander & Baldwin. Maui County closed on a $6 million purchase of 262 acres of Alexander & Baldwin’s agriculture land in the lower Pulehu/Omapio area on Monday. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Reopening the Road to Haena. This past April, Kuhio Highway on Kauai’s North Shore was devastated by heavy flooding. Road repairs are now nearing completion. Hawaii Public Radio.

Though the U.S. Navy recently announced it was moving forward with testing and training in the Hawaii-Southern California training area, the public still has a chance to weigh in on some other pending training. Garden Island.

Molokai

A steep trail to the remote Kalaupapa settlement in Hawaii has been closed indefinitely after a landslide took out a bridge along one of the switchbacks. Associated Press.

Native Hawaiian sovereignty movement slows, police killings rise, Ige holds education conference, special session looming for Maui medical privatization, shuttle returns to Kauai, Kalaupapa memorial proceeds, wind turbines concern energy advocates, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Albert Kahiwahiwaokalani Haa Jr. addresses U.S. Department of the Interior officials in 2014. ©2016 All Hawaii News

A plan with a timeline to raise $2 million and bring the newly created Native Hawaiian constitution to a ratification vote by the end of the year might have been a tad ambitious. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii police have shot and killed four people so far this year, twice as many as were fatally shot by officers during all of 2015, according to data collected by The Washington Post. Civil Beat.

Some 900 teachers, students, administrators, parents and community members answered Gov. David Ige’s call to add their voice to an ongoing conversation about improving Hawaii public schools by spending the better part of Saturday at the governor’s education summit. Star-Advertiser.

Some early childhood educators in Hawaii earn an unlivable wage while parents have few resources to pay for childcare. Associated Press.

Good government advocates have given their “Rusty Scalpel” award this year to state Rep. Chris Lee’s organic food tax credit bill. The ignominious award recognizes a bill that has had its contents substantially amended during the legislative session with limited opportunity for the public to comment or members of the Legislature to weigh in. Star-Advertiser.

The two sides of the Navy/Marine Corps amphibious coin — ship to shore via traditional watercraft and via aircraft such as the newer tilt-rotor Osprey — are a big focus of Rim of the Pacific exercises, and a growing interest for partner nations in the region. That importance is highlighted in the high-tech ships here for RIMPAC. Star-Advertiser.

First Hawaiian Bank on Friday filed its initial registration form for a new entity with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, a step toward an initial public offering for Hawaii's largest bank to become an independent publicly traded company. First Hawaiian Bank.

How HECO Helped Pull Hawaii Through The Tough Times. Hawaiian Electric played a key role in Hawaii’s economic recovery from the Great Depression. And then World War II hit the islands. Civil Beat.

 Oahu

The three men widely considered the top candidates for mayor of Honolulu each held fundraisers over the past two weeks. Civil Beat.

Understaffing for the City and County of Honolulu’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has become a chronic problem—ambulance units have to close for a shift because no one is available to run it. KHON2.

Hawaii nonprofit organizations are calling on federal officials to include members of the public in plans to build floating wind turbines off Hawaii's shores before they move forward with the projects. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Scientists say although progress has been slow during the past two days, the flow is still advancing. The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory posted new photos. Big Island Video News.

A promise by developer Stanford Carr to walk a former council member through the planned Alii Palms subdivision was sufficient Thursday to convince the County Council Planning Committee to grant concessions for the 58-unit development. West Hawaii Today.

A Democratic primary challenger who identifies as being “old school” is facing incumbent Rep. Richard Onishi for the state House seat he has held since 2012 — District 3, stretching 56 miles from Hilo to Kau. Ainoa Naniole, a 36-year-old lawyer, is stepping into the political arena for the first time but says politics has always been in his sights. Star-Advertiser.

The Queen’s Health Systems announced Friday that Cindy Kamikawa has been appointed the next president of North Hawaii Community Hospital in Waimea. Pacific Business News.

Maui

The Hawaii Legislature may convene a special session to try to save a bill intended to help public employees at three Maui hospitals. Those employees risk losing their jobs in the privatization of those hospitals. Civil Beat.

On July 1, operational control of three Maui County public hospitals was supposed to have been transferred to health care provider Kaiser Permanente, sealing a historic public-private partnership that Gov. David Ige said would save the state $260 million over the next decade. Maui News.

More than 50 sign-wavers from the Hawaii Government Employees Association showed support Friday for their members at the three Maui County public hospitals affected by the state's privatization of operations. The sign-wavers along Kaahumanu Avenue in front of Queen Ka'ahumanu Center were urging Gov. David Ige to take a bill that provides severance and early retirement options to certain workers in the public hospitals adversely affected by the operational change off his veto list. Maui News.

The median sales price for Maui single-family homes edged higher by 1.1 percent to $657,000, up from $650,000. For a condo, the sales price jumped 8.2 percent to $384,000, up from $355,000. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

A Hawaii Dispensary Alliance report said Kauai may see between $1.5 million to $4.5 million of revenue generated from Green Aloha Limited, its sole medical marijuana dispensary, based upon the island’s 1,689 registered medical marijuana patients, during the company’s first 12 months of operation. Garden Island.

Floating wind turbines have been proposed for the 72-mile wide Ka’ie’iewaho Channel, which separates Kauai and Oahu and the environmental conservation group Life of the Land is calling for meetings on both islands to bring the public up to speed. Garden Island.

Starting Friday, the Hawaii Tourism Authority is bringing back the North Shore Shuttle Service, which rolled out in November 2014 and ran for six months. This time around, it’ll run through September. Stops include the Princeville Airport and Kee Beach. Garden Island.

Molokai

A proposed memorial years in the making is becoming a reality in Kalaupapa, providing a tangible place to remember the thousands of individuals who were sent to the settlement, many of whom were buried in unmarked graves. Maui News.

Hawaii Rep. Takai diagnosed with pancreatic tumor, Ige and cabinet on the road, $300M lost on Hawaii Obamacare, possible dengue fever on Big Island, group appeals Hawaiian election ruling, Waste Management settles with EPA on landfill charges, no expansion for Molokai national park, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Congressman Takai, courtesy photo

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has been diagnosed with a small tumor on his pancreas after undergoing tests to determine why he had been experiencing some stomach pain in recent weeks, according to a spokesman. Takai, 48, was elected to his first term in Congress last year representing urban Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has been diagnosed with a tumor on his pancreas. Civil Beat.

Congressman Takai releases statement on personal health. Takai press release.

Gov. David Ige and members of his cabinet highlighted some of the administration's early achievements tonight — including speeding up the use of federal dollars on transportation projects, closing on the Turtle Bay conservation deal and boosting the state's bond rating — at a community meeting at Windward Community College in Kaneohe. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly 40,000 Hawaii Health Connector enrollments are shifting to the federal healthcare.gov site in a week. Hawaii Health Connector Executive Director Jeff Kissel said $300 million in taxpayer dollars would have been saved if the state had used the federal program to enroll residents. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Department of Health doesn’t plan to hold a public hearing or accept public comments on rules governing the state’s new medical marijuana dispensary system before releasing draft rules by Jan. 4, 2016. That means entrepreneurs will have only a few days to review the rules before applying between Jan. 11 and Jan. 29, for eight coveted licenses to grow and sell medical cannabis. Civil Beat.

Over 60 percent of patients registered for medical marijuana cards in Hawaii are over the age of 56, according to new data revealed by the Department of Health. Scottina Malia Ruis, the agency’s medical marijuana registry coordinator, presented the information during the Hawaii Bar Association’s conference at the Hawaii Convention Center on Friday. Civil Beat.

Last week’s decision by a federal judge to allow the election for delegates to a Native Hawaiian constitutional convention to proceed is being appealed by the Grassroot Institute. Civil Beat.

A federal judge ruled Friday that an election can go forward to choose delegates to draft a document allowing Native Hawaiians to govern themselves. Associated Press.

Kaiser Permanente employees have ratified a new contract that gives 1,900 workers at 22 facilities in Hawaii at 2.5 percent wage increase this year. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly 2,000 Kaiser Permanente employees in Hawaii have ratified a three-year deal with one of its employee unions after three years of bargaining, the union and the health maintenance organization said Monday. Pacific Business News.

Why Is Hawaiian Electric Ready To Cash Out? A company that thrived for more than a century in the islands is ready to sell. It is a good deal for executives and, the power company’s CEO argues, for the rest of us, too. Civil Beat.

A decades-long fight over the future of the aquarium industry’s collecting of fish in Hawaii was renewed last week when two state agencies requested an emergency moratorium on the practice in light of unprecedented coral bleaching. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Rail officials announced Monday that for July, August and September, the transit project will receive $64.8 million from Oahu’s general excise tax surcharge to fund construction. That’s $8.3 million more than what the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation had expected to take in for the quarter, based on the project’s financial plan. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation said Monday that it is $30.5 million behind its projections for revenue from Hawaii’s general excise and use tax surcharge, despite its latest quarterly installment being higher than anticipated. Pacific Business News.

Some 130 people living in three oceanside homeless encampments that grew in size after the city cleared out the adjacent Kakaako makai encampment have at least three more weeks before state sheriff’s deputies push them somewhere else. Star-Advertiser.

A large segment of the homeless population in Kaka’ako has moved to nearby state parks.  In response to this development, the Governor announced plans for a coordinated effort to enforce park closure rules. Hawaii Public Radio.

Two West Oahu nonprofits will receive $100,000 each under the terms of a plea agreement reached between federal prosecutors and Waste Management of Hawaii to settle a case involving the spillage of millions of gallons of contaminated stormwater from the island’s only landfill into the ocean several years ago. Federal prosecutors agreed to drop more serious felony charges against Waste Management and top employees Joe Whelan and Justin Lottig in exchange for their guilty pleas to misdemeanor counts of negligent discharge of pollutants for violating the U.S. Clean Water Act. Star-Advertiser.

Investigators from the state tax, labor and business departments raided construction sites Monday at at least nine boutiques and food establishments near Bloomingdale's in Ala Moana Center’s newest wing, which is still under construction. Ala Moana Center's Ewa Wing Expansion opens Nov. 12.More They were acting on a complaint by the Hawaii Construction Alliance, which represents five unions including the carpenters, after their undercover informants made troubling findings. Hawaii News Now.

Nearly 630 acres of Oahu’s north shore coastline have been preserved from development in perpetuity, thanks to an agreement finalized this week between Turtle Bay Resort and the state of Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

A few months ago the state sent letters to Diamond Head shoreline homeowners asking them to cut back overgrown vegetation encroaching onto the public beach. And they listened. Hawaii News Now.

The U.S. government has agreed to pay $850,000 to settle a man's medical malpractice lawsuit that says prostate cancer surgery at a Honolulu military hospital left him incontinent, impotent and blind. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi said Monday no homeless sweeps are planned on the Big Island such as those recently carried out at an encampment in Oahu’s Kakaako neighborhood — or like the ones Gov. David Ige says will take place at two Honolulu parks if individuals and families don’t move soon. Tribune-Herald.

The governor’s coordinator on homelessness said about 45 percent of the $1.3 million Gov. David Ige allocated under an emergency proclamation to address the issue statewide will go to Neighbor Island programs. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Health is awaiting test results in two possible cases of mosquito-borne dengue fever on the Big Island. Star-Advertiser.

A desire to save consumers money and reduce their environmental footprint has led the county Department of Water Supply to expand into energy generation, said Keith Okamoto, the department’s manager-chief engineer on Monday night. West Hawaii Today.

They say you can’t fight city hall. But people can — and it seems increasing numbers do — sue their local government. Since 2010, Hawaii County residents have sought redress for everything from an avocado falling from a tree in a county-owned right of way striking a windshield to contracting a flesh-eating bacteria in a county hot pond to vehicle damage from hitting a feral goat on Mamalahoa Highway to fingerprint dust spilled in a burglary victim’s home causing carpet damage to purchasing a grave site that was already occupied. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A lottery for vouchers for federally subsidized rental housing assistance will be held from Monday through Nov. 8, according to an announcement from the Maui County branch of Mental Health America of Hawaii. Maui News.

Currently under new management and with a new name, a film studio in a leased warehouse at the Maui Lani Village Center has lined up at least three film or TV projects starting in early December and running into 2016, Maui County Film Commissioner Tracy Bennett said last week. Maui News.

Kula Produce has begun construction on a new produce facility at the Maui Lani Village Center, which should be completed at the end of 2016. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai County learned Monday it landed $13 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funds will be used for the revitalization of the Lihue Town Core. Garden Island.

Colorado-based Timbers Resorts is planning a $750 million to $800 million development of the unfinished Kauai Lagoons master-planned oceanfront community that will include 468 units in a mix of oceanfront and golf course homes, condominium units, hotel and townhomes. Pacific Business News.

Molokai

The National Park Service has nixed the idea of expanding Molokai's Kalaupapa National Historical Park's boundaries within nearby Pelekunu and Halawa valleys because of opposition voiced at public meetings and during a comment period earlier this year. Maui News.

The National Park Service is seeking new members to appoint to the Kalaupapa National Historical Park Advisory Commission. Maui News.

School suspensions, sex ed and teachers union election top education news, selling donated blood, Maui telescope foes at Supreme Court, looking back at the legislative session, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hilo schoolchildren at play © 2015 All Hawaii News

The state Board of Education is considering a new school discipline policy that promotes keeping delinquent students in school and moves the system away from a long-standing zero-tolerance stance that relies on out-of-school suspensions as a common form of punishment. Star-Advertiser.

The announcement of who will take the helm of the powerful Hawaii State Teachers Association is being delayed for two weeks while the union holds a runoff for the slot of vice president. Teachers cast their votes last month for president, vice president and secretary-treasurer of the HSTA in an election that pits current union leadership against teachers known for making waves. Civil Beat.

Parents will have to opt their children out of sex education classes in public schools if they do not want them to attend, according to proposed changes to Board of Education policy. Tribune-Herald.

The gift of life is no longer a gift once it leaves the arms of donors, and less advertised is the fact that the Blood Bank of Hawaii — like other nonprofit centers around the country — sells that blood to hospitals for not insignificant sums. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige mostly lived up to his campaign promise to work collaboratively with the Legislature during the 2015 session, but his young administration’s communication with lawmakers frustrated some of the key players. Senate and House leaders said they did not mind their former colleague’s hands-on approach. But he didn’t always have the golden touch. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Legislature has wrapped up its work for 2015, ending a session that drew attention for talk of medical marijuana dispensaries, rail tax extensions and Maui hospitals. There were hundreds of bills that were heard in committees that had lower profiles. The bills that were passed by lawmakers now await a decision from Gov. David Ige. Associated Press.

Opinion: Legislature Needs More Time To Deal With Increasingly Packed Agendas. Hawaii lawmakers pushed through a number of needed issues over 60 session days, but many other growing challenges simply weren't addressed. Civil Beat.

Like a jock beefing up for a big game, some corals could do far better at withstanding the heavy blows of climate change when pumped with supplements, according to a new University of Miami study. Associated Press.

With construction cranes popping up all over, you might think the entire construction industry is booming. But that’s not entirely the case. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

With growing national scrutiny of police use of force, some Honolulu Police Department officers are not waiting for the department to adopt body cameras and have begun using their own video-recording devices. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

If the protests prompt Hawaii to pull its support for the state-of-the-art observatory after it was approved, what is the future of astronomy on Hawaii Island? Or, for that matter, will there be a future for the science here at all? Tribune-Herald.

When it meets Wednesday to consider a citizen’s petition against Mayor Billy Kenoi, the Hawaii County Board of Ethics also plans to discuss whether Kenoi should have been filing gift disclosures over the past six years. West Hawaii Today.

West Hawaii received long-awaited and big-ticket items this legislative session, but the island as a whole lost some political sway in the Senate shakeup that followed in the wake. West Hawaii Today.

The Hilo-based Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems, or PISCES, faces closure in early 2016 after the Hawaii State Legislature failed to appropriate the general funds needed to keep the operation running. Big Island Video News.

Long-time users of the area say the wall of rock — now barely above the ocean’s surface makai of Kawaihae  Harbor — once stood tall enough to break the force of pounding winter surf. In more recent years, the barrier has been ineffective, and storms have swept into the harbor, sanding in the boat ramp, filling the parking lot and street with rubble and damaging infrastructure. That could begin to change with $400,000 in planning money that was placed in the state’s biennial budget. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Council will hold public hearings on fuel tax, motor vehicle weight tax and property tax rates on Friday in the Council Chambers on the eighth floor of the Kalana O Maui building in Wailuku. Maui News.

On the same day 31 protesters were arrested trying to stop construction of the giant Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea, lawyers appeared at the Hawaii Supreme Court attempting to block another major mountaintop astronomy project. The $300 million Daniel K. Ino­uye Solar Telescope, in the works on Maui for over a decade, is under construction in the Science City area of the summit of Hale­akala. When it is completed in 2019, the largest solar telescope in the world will give astronomers the best view of the sun they've ever had. Star-Advertiser.

Staffers working for Sen. Daniel Inouye have been helping state and university officials make sure that a $300 million solar telescope on Maui gets built, according to internal government emails. But a Native Hawaiian group that is challenging the project in state hearings and in court say emails released under court order in a public records lawsuit show Inouye’s staff and high-level state officials wrongly brought political pressure to bear on a state hearing officer who was considering whether a permit should be issued for the telescope. Civil Beat.

Kauai

The mayor has submitted his proposed budget supplemental for the 2016 fiscal year to the County Council. In it, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. asks for $182.2 million, which is a slight increase over the $181.7 million he originally requested in March. Garden Island.

Hawaii Center for Food Safety is set to release “Pesticides in Paradise: Hawaii’s Health and Environment at Risk,” a report that the center says establishes the relationship between pesticide use, genetically engineered field test sites and public health risks in Hawaii. Garden Island.

The owners of the Hotel Coral Reef on Kauai plan to add a third floor and six more rooms to the existing two-story, 16-unit hotel in Kapaa. Pacific Business News.

Molokai

Native Hawaiians, relatives and supporters of Hansen's disease patients and even one-time visitors to Kalaupapa are expressing discontent with the National Park Service's proposed plans for the future of Kalaupapa National Historical Park on Molokai. Maui News.

The land where the Kalaupapa Memorial will be located was blessed and ground was broken during the annual meeting of Ka `Ohana O Kalaupapa, April 24 and 25. Molokai Dispatch.

Honolulu may offer homeless washrooms, fired DOE administrator files whistleblower lawsuit, Christian lawmakers to discuss marriage, wait staff can sue for tips, witnesses say Deedy was drunk, parking garages galore, more about Larry's Lanai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu homeless (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The Honolulu City Council is looking at a proposal to establish places where the homeless and others can take showers, use toilets and wash their clothes. Associated Press.

Setting up places where the homeless and others can take a shower, use a toilet and wash their clothes will be discussed by a City Council committee Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

On Wednesday, four Oahu pastors will meet with a handful of lawmakers at a fellowship luncheon, and the luncheon's co-organizer plans to bring up the ruling on the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Civil Beat.

Flawed bid would cost state $284M, whistle-blower says. Sarah McCann filed a whistle-blower lawsuit in state court Friday against schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi and the DOE. She contends she was fired in June for writing an audit critical of the preferred vendor's bid and for refusing a superior's order to destroy the report. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Education's website's first makeover in more than a decade was unveiled Monday with the launching of hawaiipublicschools.org. The website — built using $1.7 million in federal Race to the Top funds — is part of the department's strategic plan that calls for improved communications and community engagement to keep parents, students, teachers, staff and the public informed. Star-Advertiser.

A new, redesigned version of the Hawaii State Department of Education website was released Monday as a part of a $1.7 million effort to increase transparency and communication with community members. Garden Island.

Hawaii hotel workers can sue their employers for money the hotels collected as service charges but didn't pass on to the employees, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Monday that hotels or restaurants that apply a service charge for the sale of food or beverage services allegedly violate state law by not distributing the full service charge directly to its employees as tip income. Pacific Business News.

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded Hawaii more than $700,000 to continue implementing a program to help the unemployed find work. Associated Press.

Blue Planet Foundation is rolling out four programs by the end of the year to further support its mission of reducing Hawaii’s dependency on fossil fuels. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for July 16. Associated Press.

Oahu

The state is looking to build a parking structure and other public facilities that could include an innovation and technology park on a 5-acre lot in Kakaako where the University of Hawaii originally planned to build its cancer center. Star-Advertiser.

It’s been nearly a year since the Hawaii Supreme Court stopped construction on Honolulu’s $5.26 billion rail project because of the city’s failure to follow established law when seeking out Hawaiian burial sites along the proposed 20-mile route. Civil Beat.

Eight months after it opened, a new multi-million dollar city parking garage sits virtually empty in spite of a city employees' parking crunch near City Hall, Hawaii News Now has learned.

Two customers and the first police officer to arrive at the 2011 fatal shooting scene at a Waikiki McDonald's restaurant testified Monday that they thought State Department special agent Christopher Deedy was intoxicated. Star-Advertiser.

Day 5: Officer says Deedy looked drunk on night of shooting. Hawaii News Now.

The Christopher Deedy murder trial continued on Monday and a witness to the deadly shooting took the stand. KHON2.

Waikiki's International Market Place is a shopping mecca for souvenirs and Hawaiiana, wedged between high end retailers, but its days are numbered. Land owner Queen Emma Land Company is developing a shopping center there anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue. Hawaii News Now.

Kaneohe Ranch and the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation's holdings of more than 60 properties are expected to sell for as much as $600 million. Star-Advertiser.

Nicknamed the Black Noodle it's been a reminder of one of the dirtiest days in state history. Now the City of Honolulu has started removing a sewage pipe from the Ala Wai Canal. Hawaii News Now.

The city is in a sticky situation as some residents from Ewa to Makaha deal with a stinky mess. Trash has been piling up all weekend after two routes were missing. KHON2.

Hawaii
As many as 10 “top priority” emergency warning sirens may be upgraded or installed on the Big Island by the end of the year. Hawaii Civil Defense is embarking on a statewide $25.6 million siren modernization program that is expecting to make the system more reliable. Tribune-Herald.

A Hualalai Road development, which its owner withdrew two years ago after significant negative community reaction, is headed back to the Leeward Planning Commission Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

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.

A few recurring issues pop up when Hawaii Island farmers talk about the challenges of going organic. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Hawaiian Islands Land Trust and Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods have formed a partnership to further restore Hawaii's koa forests and assist other native forests across the state. Maui News.

A Draft Environmental Assessment has been prepared for the proposed replacement of the Kūlanihākoʻi Bridge in Kīhei, with public comment being accepted through August 7. According to the document, the existing four-cell concrete box culvert system is “structurally deficient” and in “advanced stages of deterioration.” Maui Now.

Kauai

Local residents are asking the Kauai County Council to pass a new law to circumvent a ruling by a federal judge in Honolulu. The ruling found initiating zoning amendments is the government’s business rather than a voter’s right. Garden Island.

Signs announcing the road closure of Eiwa Street at the Rice Street junction were put in place Monday. The closure is expected to last six months and is part of the Lihue Civic Center master plan. Garden Island.

Lanai

The Lanai Airport, one of the few places on Lanai that Oracle Corp. CEO Larry Ellison does not own, is nearing a $25 million to $30 million runway safety improvement project, according to a request for proposals from the state. Pacific Business News.

Lanai's billionaire owner hasn't given local media interviews and has stayed under the public radar, putting his chief operating officer and Lanai native, Kurt Matsumoto, in the spotlight instead. But the California software guru, who bought the island for "hundreds of millions of dollars" last year, has been around, many Lanai residents say. Maui News.

Most businesses in the heart of Lanai City are pleased with new island owner Larry Ellison's efforts to rejuvenate the economy and his work on sprucing up the town square and company-owned buildings. Maui News.

Molokai

The remote Kalaupapa settlement is normally the epitome of peace. But once a year on barge day, its wharf becomes as busy as a city intersection. Hawaii Public Radio.