Former House Speaker Souki denies wrongdoing in sexual harassment case, full text of his statement; Big Island official loses lawsuit over sexual harassment complaint, no taxpayer attorney for Honolulu former police chief, trespassers ousted from Coco Palms land, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Joe Souki, courtesy photo

Former House Speaker Joseph Souki said the accusations of sexual harassment against him are all three to eight years old, and he has “absolutely no memory of ever acting in inappropriately with any woman at any time, as a member of the House or in a private setting.” Star-Advertiser.

Joe Souki: I’m Sorry But I Don’t Remember Doing It. The 84-year-old longtime Maui lawmaker insisted Wednesday he’s never acted badly toward women even though he’s resigning. Civil Beat.

A former speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives will resign by next week to resolve sexual harassment allegations brought by several women, the latest case of an elected official being forced from office over misconduct. Associated Press.

Former state House Speaker Joe Souki will resign as part of a settlement over sexual harassment complaints, but maintains he didn't do anything wrong. Hawaii News Now.

Accused of sexual harassment, long-time Maui lawmaker Joe Souki announced his resignation. KITV.

Speaker Emeritus Rep. Joe Souki is stepping down as a result of sexual harassment claims made against him. KHON2.

A kiss, a hug lead to former House speaker’s downfall. Souki admits ‘inappropriate and unwelcome’ contact with several women. Maui News.

Rep. Joe Souki, D–Wailuku, who was first elected to the Hawaii House of Representatives in 1982, will resign from the House no later than Mar. 30, pay a $5,000 penalty, issue a public apology and not accept any public office for two years. MauiTime.

The Hawaii State Ethics Commission has concluded its investigation into allegations of sexual harassment by former House Speaker Joseph Souki who will be forced to resign from public office next week. Pacific Business News.

Full text of Ethics Commission Souki settlement here.

Full text of Souki's statement here.

Lawmakers accused of sexual harassment remain under wraps. Rep. Joe Souki’s resignation to resolve sex harassment complaints has focused renewed attention on the behavior of state legislators, especially in light of the #MeToo movement nationally. Star-Advertiser.

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The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees is scheduled to meet behind closed doors today to discuss the contract of CEO Kamanaopono Crabbe. Star-Advertiser.

DOE Official Slapped With Ethics Fine Is Reassigned. Suzanne Mulcahy, who was an assistant superintendent on the central leadership team, was shifted to an interim principal position. Civil Beat.

The state House Finance Committee passed a bill Wednesday that includes an amendment that would prohibit the use of chlorpyrifos beginning Jan. 1, 2019, but provides an exemption for farmers for a three-year period if they provide public disclosure. Garden Island.

Airport authority bill may be catalyst for state procurement code changes. Pacific Business News.

State, Counties Weigh Options for Abandoned Vehicles. Complaints about junked cars in neighborhoods across the state hit a crescendo last year. Hawaii Public Radio.

Legislation to ban tobacco products on all 10 University of Hawaii campuses and raise the cigarette tax to the highest in the nation is closer to becoming law. Star-Advertiser.

Should smoking be banned at the University of Hawaii? The school already has rules against smoking at Manoa and Kapiolani Community College but lawmakers want to expand the ban across all of UH's campuses. KITV.

In the minutes after the false missile alert went to all Hawaii phones, fear and disbelief quickly turned to anger as residents learned that the warning about an inbound ballistic missile had been sent in error, newly released 911 calls show. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu Police Department released recordings of a handful of 911 calls made after a false missile alert was sent to cell phones across the state earlier this year. KHON2.

Real estate foreclosures declined in Hawaii for a fourth consecutive year in 2017, according to statistics from the state Judiciary. Star-Advertiser.

Suddenly predatory mice are attacking nesting albatross on Midway Atoll – the largest albatross colony in the world — prompting a plan by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove the “house mouse” population using rodenticide and trapping. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Former Police Chief Louis Kealoha won't get a taxpayer-funded attorney to defend him in court in a civil lawsuit over the alleged mailbox frame-up. Hawaii News Now.

The City will not be paying for an attorney to defend retired Honolulu police chief Louis Kealoha in a civil suit involving his stolen mail box. KHON2.

University of Hawaii researchers are teaming up with a farm on Oahu’s west side to study how people’s connection with the land affects their health. Civil Beat.

The public is advised to stay out of the Waimalu Stream following a spill of raw sewage. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

A 12-year-old chapter in Hawaii County’s political history has closed with an appellate court order and a former county official deciding not to pursue further litigation. At issue was an appeal by former County Council chairman and Hilo mayoral candidate Stacy Higa, who sued the county for legal malpractice after an employment complaint alleged he sexually harassed an aide. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island Mayor Harry Kim is asking for help from the state to expedite the emergency shelter aspect of the proposed Village 9 homeless site off Kealakehe Parkway in Kailua-Kona. West Hawaii Today.

After two years of use, a program that allows Hawaii residents to text 911 in case of emergency has seen little use on Hawaii Island. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Hawaiian Sovereignty Protest Gets Hana Student Suspended. A high school student was disciplined for rearranging the school flagpole to fly the Hawaiian flag above the U.S. flag. Civil Beat.

A Haleakala telescope protester who asserted his right to speak in the Hawaiian language in court earlier this year was granted an interpreter Wednesday in Wailuku District Court. Maui News.

Complaint Inspection Finds No Violations at KFC Kahului. Maui Now.

Kauai

Five people were removed from two parcels of state land Wednesday morning. No one was cited or arrested. Garden Island.

Two dozen officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement, the Kaua‘i Police Department and State Sheriffs removed five people from two parcels of DLNR land this morning, Wednesday, March 21. Big Island Now.

Coco Palms Battle Is A New Front In An Old War. More protesters were removed from an encampment near the iconic resort Wednesday as Kauai officials fend off esoteric legal claims. Civil Beat.

A short-term reduction on the alcohol federal excise tax has bolstered Kauai-based Koloa Rum Company’s 2017 financials and allowed for bonuses to its 33 employees. Pacific Business News.

Bankrupt Island Air grounded, taxpayers to fund Kealoha defense, Land Board allows Alexander & Baldwin to continue diverting streams, court rules in favor of Syngenta, Navy wraps up bombing meetings, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hilo Veterans Day parade © 2017 All Hawaii News

Complicated U.S. Relations Leave Veterans Without Full Health Benefits. This coming Veterans’ Day, we will likely hear stories of service from those who have been to the frontlines of war. As America honors those who served in the U.S. military, the conversation also centers on how the U.S. can serve its veterans.  HPR Reporter Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi shares the story of an often overlooked group of veterans who are hoping the country they served will return that obligation. Hawaii Public Radio.

100-year-old WWII veteran sparks bill for Pacific War memorial. A 100-year-old Oahu veteran has inspired a bipartisan bill to add a commemorative display honoring U.S. service members who fought in the Pacific theater to the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, which is home to the USS Arizona Memorial.. Star-Advertiser.

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Island Air, the state’s second-largest airline, said today its last day of service will be Friday after having exhausted all options to remain flying. Star-Advertiser.

Bankrupt Hawaii interisland carrier Island Air will cease all operations as of midnight Friday after having exhausted all its legal options to stay in business. Pacific Business News.

Island Air announces abrupt shutdown; 100s to lose their jobs. Cash-strapped Island Air, Hawaii's second-largest inter-island carrier, has announced it will halt all service Friday. Hawaii News Now.

Island Air to shut down after 37 years. KHON2.

Island Air to cease operations after Friday. Island Air says it will close operations as of 12:01 a.m. Saturday due to legal pressures imposed by its aircraft lessors. KITV.

Interisland air carrier Island Air announced it will shut down operations as of Saturday, significantly diminishing the number of interisland flights available. In a Thursday afternoon statement, the carrier said “all Island Air passengers must make alternative arrangements for interisland transportation, effective this Saturday, November 11, 2017.” Tribune-Herald.

Island Air said Thursday it will cease interisland service Saturday, having exhausted all options to remain flying. West Hawaii Today.

On Saturday at midnight, Island Air will end 37 years of service to Hawaii "due to legal pressures imposed by aircraft lessors." Big Island Video News.

Island Air announced Thursday it will close operations at midnight tonight. The move ends 37 years of service in Hawaii, leaves passengers scrambling to find flights for interisland transportation and puts 400 employees out of work. Garden Island.

Island Air to Shut Down After 37 Years. Maui Now.

Island Air ends 37 years of flying today. Airline to file for Chapter 7 Monday, Hawaiian offers help. Maui News.

Looking beyond Island Air’s last day: what happens next? Hawaii News Now.

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Hawaii Regulates Manicurists And Bartenders — Why Not Midwives? Several legislative proposals to license people who assist with births, often at home, have failed. Another may be coming next session. Civil Beat.

There have now been 557 cases of mumps in Hawaii this year. Hawaii has seen 557 cases of mumps in 2017, and 16 people have suffered from complications. Hawaii News Now.

Commentary: Don’t Ban Campaign Fundraising During Legislative Sessions. Some people seem to equate holding fundraisers during sessions to accepting bribes, but there’s a free speech issue here. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Taxpayers to fund defense team for ex-police chief, wife. Taxpayers will be funding attorneys to defend a former Honolulu police chief and his wife in a corruption case, a judge ruled Thursday. Associated Press.

Former Honolulu police chief Louis Kealoha and his city deputy prosecutor wife Katherine Kealoha will receive court-appointed attorneys in their public corruption case as early as next week, a federal judge ruled today after discussing the couple’s financial situation with them in private. Star-Advertiser.

Judge: Kealohas Are Too Broke To Pay For Their Own Defense. A federal judge will assign new, publicly funded counsel to represent the former Honolulu police chief and his prosecutor wife. Civil Beat.

Former Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his deputy prosecutor wife will get taxpayer-funded attorneys to battle charges in a public corruption case. Hawaii News Now.

Judge approves court-appointed attorneys, taxpayers to fund Kealohas’ costly defense. KHON2.

Federal judge approves court-appointed counsel for Kealohas. A high profile public corruption case will soon be costing taxpayers. KITV.

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Is a ‘big house’ coming to your neighborhood? Plans in the works as officials weigh fixes. Honolulu’s mayor is asking his administration to take action as the “big house” trend continues to spread on Oahu. KHON2.

Honolulu moving ahead with Blaisdell redevelopment, but questions linger for business. The City and County of Honolulu is moving forward with its plan to redevelop the 50-year-old Neal S. Blaisdell Center and plans to submit a draft environmental assessment in the first quarter of next year, but residents and business owners are concerned the plan won’t provide enough parking. Pacific Business News.

Despite high-profile sweep, parts of Nimitz Viaduct still overrun with squatters. As crews hired by the state work to clear massive piles of garbage from one side of the Nimitz viaduct, many of the squatters who created that mess are making themselves at home on the opposite side. Hawaii News Now.

Boat’s grounding points up risks of fishing fleet’s labor practices. Associated Press.

Hawaii Island

Despite Navy assurances that the military is using the latest science to protect marine mammals during bombing and sonar training exercises, most of the approximately 75 people attending a public meeting Thursday evening remained skeptical. West Hawaii Today.

On Thursday, the owners of a lot in a Pepeekeo shoreline subdivision took their objection over a recently issued violation to the Board of Appeals. Big Island Video News.

University of Hawaii researchers need the help of Big Island residents to gather information about the natural cycles of breadfruit trees. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Arakawa ‘leaning very strongly’ at run at council seat. Mayor hasn’t ruled out bid for governor, lieutenant governor. Maui News.

Land Board: Alexander & Baldwin Can Keep Diverting Maui Water. Opponents say water drawn from streams by the Hawaii land company harm the environment. Civil Beat.

First Amendment right to record video of police officers at work at the center of a court case. Thomas Russo of media outlet Maui Time, shot the video back in 2012 and got arrested for it. KITV.

Kauai

Court rules in favor of state, Syngenta. A lawsuit calling for environmental review of Syngenta seed company operations was dismissed by Judge Randal Valenciano on Thursday. Garden Island.

Hawaiian Telcom to be sold; Kealoha attorneys want out; Big Island, Maui bomb training could resume, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Old Hawaiian Telcom building in Hilo © 2017 All Hawaii News

Hawaiian Telcom shareholders approve sale. The state’s largest technology and telecommunications company received overwhelming approval Tuesday morning from its shareholders to be acquired by Cincinnati Bell. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Telcom's shareholders have approved a $650 million cash-and-stock sale to Cincinnati Bell. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Telcom shareholders vote in favor of acquisition by Cincinnati Bell. Hawaiian Telcom’s shareholders voted in favor of the company’s acquisition by Cincinnati Bell during a special meeting on Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

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Attack warning siren tests will begin next month. Hawaii, one of the first states to initiate a nuclear preparedness campaign, was previously depicted as a target by North Korea, and Oahu is home to the Navy’s U.S. Pacific Command. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii joins state coalition calling for taxation of out-of-state online retailers. Pacific Business News.

Medical Tourism: Not Ready For Prime Time? The first-ever Pacific Regenerative Medical Conference in Honolulu conducted a panel discussion today to explore ways to attract visitors to the islands for healing and medical cures. Hawaii Public Radio.

New online tool monitors students’ progress. A new online tool launched Tuesday allows easy tracking of how Hawaii’s public school students are faring on various measures that are in the state’s strategic plan for education. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs announced Tuesday that the status of new and existing vocational licenses is now searchable online. Star-Advertiser.

Rat lungworm on agenda. The state Department of Health has been working with the Governor’s Joint Task Force on Rat Lungworm Disease to better provide widespread education about the risks associated with this debilitating disease and how to prevent it, as well as address issues around diagnosis and treatment. Garden Island.

United Airlines bids farewell to 747s by re-creating its first Honolulu flight. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai ranch sale helps Alexander & Baldwin turn a profit. Selling 566 acres of land on Kauai and Maui helped Alexander & Baldwin Inc. earn $6.6 million in the third quarter and reverse a year- earlier $1.4 million loss that included heavy costs to close Hawaii’s last sugar cane plantation. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Kealoha Attorneys Want Out Of Police Corruption Case. The three defense attorneys say the Kealohas can’t afford to pay them. Civil Beat.

Attorneys for Kealohas ask to be removed from case. The three attorneys for Louis and Katherine Kealoha want permission from a federal judge to be removed as legal counsel for the high-profile couple in the public corruption case that’s led to the indictments of the retired police chief, his wife the deputy city prosecutor, and four other current or former Honolulu Police Department officers. Star-Advertiser.

Kealoha attorneys dump case, say couple can't afford them for defense. All three attorneys representing former Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his deputy prosecutor wife are seeking to withdraw from a public corruption case focused on the couple, saying the two can't afford to pay them for their defense. Hawaii News Now.

Attorneys file motion to withdraw as counsel, Kealohas ‘can no longer fund a defense’. The three attorneys representing Louis and Katherine Kealoha have filed to remove themselves from the case. KHON2.

The Case Against Katherine Kealoha Just Keeps Getting Worse. A new FBI report says the now-indicted prosecutor leaned on a witness to help cover up alleged criminal activity in a private guardianship case. Civil Beat.

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Steps taken to reduce crime in Waikiki, Chinatown, but glaring disparity remains. Waikiki and Chinatown are neighborhoods that serve very different purposes and attract different crowds. KHON2.

Par Pacific Holdings Inc., the owner of Kapolei-based oil refinery Par Hawaii, on Monday reported net income of $18.8 million, or $0.41 per diluted share, for the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared to a net loss of $27.8 million, or $0.67 per diluted share, for the same quarter in 2016. Pacific Business News.

Oahu residents have one more chance to offer up opinions on the city’s draft Neal S. Blaisdell Center Master Plan at a meeting at 6 p.m. tonight at the Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall Pikake Room. Star-Advertiser.

Is Ala Moana The New Kakaako? A lot of new developments are planned for the neighborhood, making some residents worry about whether they’ll be priced out. Civil Beat.

Waianae homeless without water nearby.  The state shuts down access to widely-used Waianae water spigots, leaving nearby homeless residents high and dry. Those taps will remain turned off, until the end of the year. KITV.

Coast Guard officials are still working on a plan to salvage a 79-foot fishing boat that’s been stranded on a reef off Waikiki’s Kaimana Beach for almost a month, even as people endanger themselves by sneaking onto the leaking wreckage at night. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

The U.S. Navy wants to resume deploying sonar and explosives around the Big Island and Maui where it cut back after a 2015 lawsuit. West Hawaii Today.

Jobie Masagatani, the Chair of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, joined Governor David Ige for a Facebook livestream on Tuesday. One of the topics of discussion was the Subsistence Agricultural Homestead Community being planned for Honomū. Big Island Video News.

Someone removed a large concrete barricade and broke through a fence to access the closed Hakalau Beach Park, according to the Hawaii County Department of Public Works. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Island bus ridership down big over 4 years, experts say. Associated Press.

The County of Hawaii’s Mass Transit Agency held its final in a series of Transit Master Plan community meetings at the Aupuni Center Conference Room in Hilo on Monday night. Big Island Video News.

CVS Health is moving its Longs Drugs store in Keaau to a new space in the Big Island town, which is being built on the five-acre site of the former open-air Keaau Village Market. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Water testing program expands to South Maui.  Hui O Ka Wai Ola, a volunteer-based water quality testing program, has expanded to South Maui and will be measuring ocean clarity and nutrients on South Maui’s shores, the group announced. Maui News.

Open House on the Future of Honolua Bay and Lipoa Point, Nov. 8. The open house will provide an opportunity for the community and area residents to learn about the planning process, view informational exhibits and contribute their ideas at their own pace. Maui Now.

Tourism industry plan calls for improvements. The visitor industry lobbying for infrastructure improvements and improving communication between industry officials and cultural practitioners and residents are some actions suggested in a new tourism industry strategic plan for 2017 to 2026. Maui News.

Puunene Shopping Center filling up. Planet Fitness, Massage Envy and Ulta Beauty to open outlets on Maui. Maui News.

Kauai

County checking on alleged zoning violations. Mason Chock, County Council Planning Committee chair, said he was asked to look into a situation where a restaurateur was being charged several thousand dollars per month for parking by its hotel and timeshare counterpart for visiting patrons. Garden Island.

Wilcox Medical Center unveiled its new simulation lab on Monday with a blessing ceremony and tours for invited guests, physicians and staff. Garden Island.

Obama family again to vacation on Oahu, Hawaii Supreme Court upholds Hawaiian blood quantum, Bloomberg to campaign for Schatz, DOE tests school bus routes, Honolulu mulls bus ads, warden named for Kulani prison, bill to allow 16-year-olds to vote, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Supreme Court (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Supreme Court has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit contending that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs should spend its trust funds on people with 50 percent or more Hawaiian blood. The high court's ruling on Tuesday affirms OHA's use of funds for the benefit of those with any amount of Hawaiian blood. Star-Advertiser.

Read the entire Kealoha opinion here.

Hawaii News Now has learned that the President, First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia will travel to Honolulu sometime around December 20.

Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland intends to introduce a bill at the Legislature next session that would trigger a ballot initiative to let the people decide on whether the minimum age for voting should be on par with the minimum age for driving solo. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, has landed a big name to help him with his reelection campaign. Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York City, will headline a reception for Schatz Jan. 2 in Honolulu. A ticket for the event, to be held at the Kahala home of developer Duncan MacNaughton, is $1,000. Civil Beat.

After more than a decade as New York City's mayor, it looks like Michael Bloomberg has decided which sunset he'll ride off into when his third and final term is over on the first of the year. Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz, who is up for re-election in 2014, has landed the venerable mayor to headline a fundraising reception in Honolulu on Jan. 2. HuffPost Hawaii.

Financial disclosure requirements for Hawaii Supreme Court justices rate a grade of D, according to a nonprofit digital news organization. But the requirements for the highest state courts in 42 states received an F, the Center for Public Integrity said in a report issued Tuesday. That leaves Hawaii, even with a D, with the sixth-best disclosure requirements among all states, the center said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s health exchange violates the National Voter Registration Act, says the state’s League of Women Voters. The voter act requires all states to provide residents access to voter registration when applying for a driver’s license, welfare, unemployment benefits and a host of public programs. But the Hawaii Health Connector, established by the Legislature as a nonprofit to run the Obamacare exchange and funded with $200 million in federal money, fails to provide information about voting on its website or in other materials. Hawaii Reporter.

The State Department of Health is proposing changes to food sanitation rules. They're holding public hearings statewide to get input on the 172 pages of new regulations. The Department is concerned with food safety.  But there may be consequences for nonprofit agencies that feed those who need help. Hawaii Public Radio.

The new student transportation system that the Hawaii Department of Education is testing out at about 30 schools in the Pearl City and Aiea areas has the potential to significantly slash costs within a few years, preliminary results from the pilot program suggest. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Education announced Tuesday that Roberts Hawaii and Ground Transport Inc. will provide bus service for Oahu schoolchildren in the 2014-2015 school year. At a cost of nearly $21 million, contracts were awarded Nov. 27 following a request for proposal process that began in July. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for December 4. Associated Press.

Oahu

Allowing paid advertising on the sides and backs of city buses is the latest money-raising plan being proposed by Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Caldwell, who forwarded Bill 69 to the City Council late Tuesday, said the plan could bring in as much as $8 million annually and that all of the money would go to bus operations. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration continues to flout the city Ethics Commission, this time with a not-so-subtle memo that went to all municipal agencies. On Dec. 2, Corporation Counsel Donna Leong said her department will now begin providing ethics advice to all city employees, particularly as it relates to standards of conduct, conflicts of interest and fair treatment. Civil Beat.

The community group Keep the North Shore Country says the plan to deal with environmental impacts caused by the expansion of Turtle Bay Resort is deficient and that the city Department of Planning and Permitting should not have accepted it from the resort owners. Star-Advertiser.

A widely used Diamond Head seawall is old and deteriorating. Now, after a 10-year fight, we finally know who's responsible for taking care of the wall. What we don't know is what the state will do now that it's been deemed the owner. KHON2.

Kamehameha Schools is putting up for sale two of Oahu's largest shopping centers, which combined could fetch upward of $400 million. The trust said Tuesday that it intends to offer for sale the buildings and other improvements at Windward Mall in Kaneohe and Hawaii Kai Towne Center while holding onto the underlying land. Star-Advertiser.

St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii expects it will cost $20 million to turn a portion of the former Hawaii Medical Center East into a 119-bed skilled nursing facility, double the original estimate reported last spring. Pacific Business News.

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz pulled into Pearl Harbor on Tuesday after an extended deployment that saw the big ship positioned for support of a possible strike on Syria in September. The crew and air wing totaling about 5,000 are in port for a few days before the carrier heads to San Diego and then to its home port of Everett, Wash., by Christmas. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Ruth Coller Forbes has been hired as the new warden for the Kulani Correctional Facility. Forbes, who most recently worked as a corrections supervisor for Hawaii Community Correctional Center, took the new job effective Sunday, the state Department of Public Safety said. She will be responsible for overseeing the minimum-security prison and getting it ready for re-opening July 1. Tribune-Herald.

The County Council’s Finance Committee postponed action on a resolution to accept a public easement through a proposed Kohala Coast development Tuesday while questions over the existence of a historical trail continued to be raised. Tribune-Herald.

A proposed 43-lot Kona subdivision got bogged down Tuesday in the County Council Planning Committee after a disagreement between the developers and the Department of Public Works about how much of Hualalai Road the developer is responsible for. After 2 1/2 hours of discussion, the Planning Committee agreed to postpone the rezoning until Dec. 17 to allow several amendments to clarify how much of the improvements will be credited to fair share requirements and how much of Hualalai Road should be improved and to address density and drainage issues. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Supreme Court, taking a rare road trip, Tuesday in the case at the University of Hawaii at Hilo Performing Arts Center as part of the state Judiciary’s Courts in the Community outreach program. About 300 people, including high school and UH-Hilo students — and a plethora of lawyers — were in the audience. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The recent shark attacks are prompting calls for action, including a renewed debate about culling  the creatures. Some people want the state to kill tiger sharks. Hawaii News Now.

Two Maui residents were included in the latest round of governor-appointed positions to fill vacancies within the state’s board and commissions. A&B Properties Vice President, Grant Chun, was appointed to a seat on the state Board of Education; and Kula resident, Doreen Nāpua Gomes assumes the Maui seat on the Hawaiian Homes Commission. Maui Now.

Policy and business leaders will explore the electric power generation transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy during a conference March 26-28 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Maui News.

Already burdened with the nation's highest electricity bills, Hawaii residents are paying even more for renewable energy development, and what they pay depends on whether they're among the "haves" or the "have-nots." Maui News.

Kauai

Sunday marked the beginning of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture’s “Good Neighbor Program” on Kauai. And each large agricultural company — the same five mentioned in controversial Article 22 (formerly Bill 2491) — has expressed its willingness to comply. Those companies include DuPont Pioneer, BASF, Dow AgroSciences, Syngenta and Kauai Coffee. Laurie Yoshida, communications manager at Pioneer, said her company — as well as others — believe Article 22 related to pesticides and genetically modified organisms is legally flawed, and that regulation and oversight of the industry should remain at the state level. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council will hold a public hearing today on a bill that could waive waste disposal fees for approved cleanup efforts on county land. It is a move that some say will help cut the red tape associated with doing volunteer work for the county. Garden Island.