Hawaii feeling the shutdown strain, sole GOP state senator affirmed by Supreme Court, Gabbard criticizing Democratic colleagues, bacteria closes Oahu beaches, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

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Shutdown strain could lead to longer airport lines. Working without pay for weeks. While the battle over the partial government shutdown takes place in Washington D-C, it's putting a strain on people here in Hawaii. KITV.

Impact in Hawaii likely to worsen as shutdown continue. The number of federal civilian employees in Hawaii that are either furloughed or working without pay 20 days after the government partially shut down has been tallied at some 2,741, according to website governing.com, which focuses on state and local government. Star-Advertiser.

Day 19: Federal workers in Hawaii take on side jobs, loans as shutdown drags on. Hawaii News Now.

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The State’s General Fund forecast for the current fiscal year was lowered less than one percentage point today, meaning there’s less money to spend in the upcoming legislative session. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a challenge filed by defeated state Senate candidate Matt LoPresti, clearing the way for Kurt Fevella to be the state’s only Republican senator. Star-Advertiser.

Minimum Wage And Marijuana: What To Expect In The 2019 Hawaii Legislature. Lawmakers will tackle familiar issues like public school funding. They’re also likely to raise the minimum wage and might even legalize recreational marijuana. Civil Beat.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard took aim at Democratic colleagues, including U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, accusing them of religious bigotry in their questioning of Brian Buescher, a nominee to the U.S. District Court of Nebraska, in an opinion piece published by The Hill yesterday. Star-Advertiser.

Childhood sexual abuse, drug use, violence and fractured families are among the common threads in the victim stories told to researchers examining the scope of sex trafficking in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

High bacteria levels at various beaches lead to closure of a popular spot. Due to the elevated levels, a city spokesperson said Hanauma Bay would be closed on Thursday. The upper viewing area, parking lot, and visitor center will remain open. Hawaii News Now.

Hanauma Bay will be closed Thursday after testing showed elevated levels of bacteria in the water. It's one of six separate areas of Oahu where high bacteria levels were found. KHON2.

Honolulu Police Chief increases patrol staff for the next few years. KHON2.

An erased crosswalk renews calls for safer roads after elderly man’s death. It was Oahu’s first traffic fatality of the year. Hawaii News Now.

"Put the crosswalk back on Hawaii Kai Drive," residents urge the city after a man dies in the area. KHON2.

The tail section of a crashed Hawker Hunter fighter jet -- with its engine and "black box" -- was recovered in about 265 feet of water Monday off Kewalo Basin, the Coast Guard said. Star-Advertiser.

Non-Profits Contribute Funds, Staff to Keep Pearl Harbor Open During Shutdown. Hawaii Public Radio.

The International Market Place — more than two years after opening a glitzy $500 million shopping complex in the heart of Waikiki — is redesigning its Kalakaua Avenue entrance to improve the flow of customers. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Despite perennial complaints about the cumbersome process of getting building permits, the head of that county division was elevated Wednesday to director of the Department of Public Works. West Hawaii Today.

David Yamamoto, a long-time County engineer, was confirmed as the new Director of Public Works by the Hawaii County Council during a meeting in Hilo on Wednesday. Big Island Video News.

A pair of bills that appropriate millions of federal dollars to recover from 2018’s disasters passed their first readings by the County Council on Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

A priority list of Kilauea Volcano eruption recovery projects was provided to the Hawaii County Council today, as a bill to appropriate an early round of Federal Emergency Management Agency funds passed first reading. Big Island Video News.

Big Island officials are asking state lawmakers for $155 million to fund repairs and losses due to the Kilauea eruption. That’s on top of more than half a billion dollars in federal funding sought by the county and Big Island residents. Hawaii News Now.

When the new legislative session opens next week Hawaii County will ask the state for $155 million dollars to help with the Kilauea eruption recovery. KITV.

County Council members Wednesday held their noses and advanced a sewer rate hike few seemed to like, sending it to the council for two more votes. West Hawaii Today.

Federal class-action suit claims Lloyd’s, underwriters, defrauded Puna homeowners. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Department of Water Supply employees at a public meeting in Holualoa Wednesday evening fielded inquiries on a new 16-inch transmission line set to span 5,240 feet of Mamalahoa Highway between Water Pipe Road and Kamila Place. West Hawaii Today.

Other Spaceport Plans Crashed — Will This One Fly? The site of a proposed launch pad in Puna has not been revealed, but a preliminary possibility is described as “east or northeast of the macadamia nut farm.” Civil Beat.

Maui

The Maui Planning Commission has approved a settlement agreement between Maui County and the Kapalua Resort Association, which dismantled a rock wall on its property without permits in June 2017. Maui News.

The state Health Department said this morning it has ordered Maui Land & Pineapple Co. to pay a penalty of $230,000 for 15 wastewater effluent violations from the Haliimaile waste stabilization ponds on the Valley Isle. The company must also build a new wastewater treatment plant. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Department of Health issued a Notice of Violation and Order against the Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. for 15 alleged wastewater effluent violations from the Haliimaile waste stabilization ponds on Maui. The company has been ordered to pay a penalty of $230,000 and construct a new wastewater treatment plant. Maui Now.

Maui Land & Pineapple fined for wastewater violations. KHON2.

Department of Taxation special agents and state Deputy Sheriffs arrested today a former tax preparer in Lahaina for tax violations. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

On Kauai, election officials are preparing for a big experiment: All mail-in voting. Last year, Governor David Ige signed a law that allows Kauai County to distribute mail-in ballots to all registered voters for the 2020 primary and general elections. Hawaii News Now.

Knee-deep in keawe and spiders, about 15 sailors at the Pacific Missile Range Facility were on the hunt for albatross nests Wednesday morning, under the guidance of the base’s natural resource team and members of federal and state wildlife and land management agencies. Garden Island.

The opening of Kuhio Highway on the North Shore remains uncertain. In an update on emergency repairs to the road damaged in the April flooding, the Hawaii Department of Transportation said Wednesday there have been “unavoidable extensions in the project schedule.” Garden Island.

Officials expect traffic nightmare for Trump visit, first female police chief sworn in, Thirty Meter Telescope appealed to state Supreme Court, legislative panel holds ocean health meeting today, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Trump hotel in Waikiki © 2017 All Hawaii News

Honolulu city and state officials warned residents and visitors to expect massive rush-hour traffic delays Friday and possibly Saturday during President Donald Trump’s visit to Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is warning that President Donald Trump’s stopover in Hawaii on Friday will cause “major traffic delays” along the motorcade route and in the state’s largest tourism district — Waikiki. Pacific Business News.

The president's visit Friday is expected to cause significant traffic delays thanks to road closures along his motorcade route and in Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and Honolulu Police Department warn the public to expect traffic delays as President Donald Trump makes his first visit to Hawaii as President of the United States. KITV.

City officials discuss potential traffic issues ahead of President Trump’s visit to Honolulu. KHON2.

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Some of the Hawaii State Legislature is talking about ocean health today in an informational briefing for the House of Representatives Committee on Ocean, Marine Resources and Hawaiian Affairs. Garden Island.

Hawaii bankruptcy filings are beginning to reflect slowing growth in the state economy and are now on pace to exceed last year’s total. Star-Advertiser.

Taiwan on Wednesday was added to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Global Entry program, which will allow Taiwanese visitors to apply for expedited customs clearance at Honolulu International Airport and 53 other airports in the United States. Pacific Business News.

Maui Land & Pineapple Co. Inc. reported a net loss of $500.000, or 3 cents per share, for the third quarter, compared to net income of $2.5 million, or 13 cents per share, for the same quarter in 2016. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A new era for the Honolulu Police Department began Wednesday with the swearing in ceremony for its 11th chief, Susan Ballard, who replaced recently indicted former Chief Louis Kealoha. Star-Advertiser.

Officers Hope New Chief Will Clear Away ‘Dark Cloud Over HPD’. Susan Ballard is sworn in as Honolulu’s police chief to a chorus of praise as the department looks to move beyond the Louis Kealoha years. Civil Beat.

Honolulu’s first female Police Chief was sworn into office today at HPD Headquarters. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii's first female police chief was sworn in to the Honolulu Police Department Wednesday. Chief of Police Susan Ballard was officially named HPD's 11th chief. KITV.

Honolulu’s new top cop took the oath Wednesday morning to protect the City and County. KHON2.

Three former members of the Honolulu Police Department’s elite Criminal Intelligence Unit were back in U.S. District Court on Wednesday to answer to charges filed against them in last month’s indictment of former Honolulu police Chief Louis Kealoha and his prosecutor wife, Katherine Kealoha. Star-Advertiser.

Three Officers Plead Not Guilty In Honolulu Police Corruption Case. The charges relate to the alleged framing of a man at the behest of the former police chief and his prosecutor wife. Civil Beat.

A Honolulu police lieutenant, an officer and a retired major pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges alleging they helped former Chief Louis Kealoha and his deputy prosecutor wife frame a man. Associated Press.

Three men arrested in the conspiracy case against the former Honolulu police chief pleaded not guilty in federal court Wednesday. KITV.

Two new members to the Honolulu Police Commission were approved unanimously by city council Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu City Council approved Wednesday two new members to the Honolulu Police Commission. KHON2.

Commentary: It Turns Out We Owe Chuck Totto A Big Thank-You. Federal indictments in the Honolulu police corruption case vindicate the former ethics director but raise questions about the Caldwell administration. Civil Beat.

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Vacation rental issue moves to planning department. After hearing more than an hour of testimony, City Council members voted to approve four resolutions directing Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration to come up with bills for them to consider. Star-Advertiser.

Pineapple has been gone for over a decade, and vegetable crops disappeared this year. Now, fallow fields between Mililani and Waipio are about to produce homes in a $2 billion project called Koa Ridge in Central Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Castle & Cooke Hawaii plans to break ground Thursday on Koa Ridge, its long-delayed $2 billion master-planned community that will add 3,500 homes along with commercial space, an elementary school and a new hospital in Central Oahu. Pacific Business News.

A preliminary search for state-controlled land parcels on Oahu where possible “safe zones” could be established for homeless encampments turned up no vacant sites. Star-Advertiser.

DLNR to hire salvage company to remove vessel near Kahala Resort. The DLNR says they plan to hire a salvage company to remove a 25-foot sailboat that ran aground Tuesday on the reef at Maunalua Bay. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Opponents of a giant telescope planned to be built on Mauna Kea are appealing the state Land Board’s approval of the project’s construction permit to the Hawaii Supreme Court. Associated Press.

Kona Councilman Dru Kanuha wants to save Kahaluu Beach Park from the sea. Almost 10 years after a conceptual master plan was created for one of the island’s most popular beach parks, Kanuha was successful Wednesday getting fellow members of the County Council to agree to put $600,000 into the budget to plan and design park improvements. West Hawaii Today.

The county is rethinking plans for a popular Kona beach park. During the Finance Committee meeting, Kona councilmember Dru Kanuha introduced a bill to fund the planning and design of future improvements to the park. Big Island Video News.

Mayor Harry Kim did not agree with the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply’s decision to keep quiet on the failure of two North Kona deep wells in the first half of October, but he did accept it. West Hawaii Today.

A bill to amend the county water plan for the Keauhou Aquifer in Kona has been withdrawn, after the community voiced concerns. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii County won’t be getting a time extension yet for completing its master plan for a park in Hawaiian Paradise Park. Tribune-Herald.

A plan for a county park in Puna’s Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision is moving forward. Big Island Video News.

Aquaculture in Hawaii just got a $149,972 infusion for research and industry support, and it’s being used to develop a way for small businesses and individuals to get a piece of the shellfish industry. Garden Island.

Maui

Land use change for Makila Kai project in trouble. A 49-unit housing project in Launiupoko, containing a mix of residential workforce housing and market-rate agricultural lots, was essentially halted Wednesday. Maui News.

Navy schedules hearing to cover training impact. The U.S. Navy has scheduled a public hearing from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Maui High School for its draft environmental impact statements for personnel and weapons systems training between Hawaii and Southern California. Maui News.

Longline fishing industry scrutinized for hiring of foreign fishermen. The Hawaii Longline Association has jumped into a legal fight they say threatens their livelihood. Longliners oppose a Maui fisherman's complaint against the state. Hawaii News Now.

Island visitor counts continue on record-breaking pace. A total of 2.1M visitors arrived by air on Maui in the first nine months. Maui News.

Maui Health System, the new operator of three isle hospitals, is reversing its controversial policy to charge as much as $672 for a private postpartum room for new parents at Maui Memorial Medical Center. Star-Advertiser.

District 12 of the Democratic Party of Maui will host a presentation to discuss Medicare on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Pukalani Pool Multipurpose Room. Maui Now.

Kauai

There were eight fatal vehicle crashes on Kauai’s state roads in 2016, more than double the number in 2015, according to new data from the Hawaii Department of Transportation. Garden Island.

Power was still out in some of Kauai’s North Shore Wednesday evening as a swollen Hanalei River caused the closure of Kuhio Highway and blocked access for repairs. Garden Island.

Task force urges delay of new jail, Maui wind farm seeks to kill more endangered bats, most want recreational marijuana, homelessness as a medical condition, Ellison's Lanai water at issue, rat lungworm debated, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Jail guard in Hilo © 2017 All Hawaii News

A 13-member task force led by Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Michael Wilson is recommending that the state hold off on its plans for building a new jail on Oahu until the group can issue a final report at the end of the year that provides a road map for reforming the state’s correctional system. Star-Advertiser.

The State Legislature created a task force last session to provide recommendations to improve Hawai’i’s Correctional System.  They briefed lawmakers on an interim report today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Legislation that would classify chronic homelessness as a medical condition and allow the state to pull from its $2 billion annual Medicaid fund to house those who qualify is on its way to a vote on the floor of the Hawaii State Senate. West Hawaii Today.

A growing number of Hawaii residents want marijuana to be legalized for recreational use, a poll released Thursday by the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii shows. Star-Advertiser.

A bill in the Hawaii Legislature could limit some people's rights to file public records requests with public agencies, raising concerns that it could reduce journalists' and community members' access to information. The proposal would allow a state office to declare a person a "vexatious records requester."  Associated Press.

The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands didn’t produce any new housing units for Native Hawaiians last fiscal year, even though it has $38 million in unspent federal funds. Civil Beat.

Flaws in protective order system leave abuse victims vulnerable. KHON2.

Hawaii lawmakers are considering putting up hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight rat lungworm disease, a condition in which parasitic worm larvae infect people's brains. Associated Press.

State lawmakers were briefed on the current status of rat lungworm disease that is worrying East Hawai’i Island residents. Hawaii Public Radio.

An informational briefing was held at the State Capitol on Wednesday, providing state legislators with an update on Rat Lungworm Disease from the Department of Health and a state-wide RLD Joint Task Force. Big Island Video News.

Based on the state's latest data, Hawaii has about 450,000 homes. A little more than 194,000 of those are rentals. Real estate analyst Rick Cassiday estimates the military occupies between 10,000-to-20,000 of those units. KITV.

Anti-Trump Movement Urges Hawaii Politicians To Take A Stand. Members of a new hui called Indivisible Hawaii are letting the state’s congressional delegation know they are worried about the country. Civil Beat.

Oahu

State lawmakers have advanced a bill aimed at providing some relief to Waianae Coast residents who endure hours of daily traffic congestion. Star-Advertiser.

Condominium sales in Kakaako helped the owner of Ward Village earn a $202 million profit last year that was up about 60 percent from $127 million the year before. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Mayoral Luncheon will be held at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay from 11:30 a.m - 1:30 p.m. Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

East Hawaii lawmakers want to beef up Hawaii Community College’s agriculture program. Tribune-Herald.

A Hilo nursing home facing loss of Medicare certification instead achieved a flawless inspection. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A Maui wind farm wants the government to increase the number of endangered Hawaiian hoary bats it is allowed to kill, after passing the limit 15 years ahead of schedule. Star-Advertiser.

Maui coffee farmers worry that state Department of Agriculture standards are tainting the image of an industry that’s already losing good beans to the coffee berry borer. Maui News.

Maui Land &Pineapple Co. kept liquidating assets during the final three months of last year in a continuing strategy that enabled the company to produce a $7.4 million profit in the fourth quarter that compared with a $900,000 loss in the same period the year before. Star-Advertiser.

Pacific Biodiesel Technologies plans to begin farming Hawaii’s largest biofuel crop project with a ground blessing scheduled for Friday on the Valley Isle, the Maui company said this week. Pacific Business News.

Safeway will anchor the new Hoʻokele Shopping Center, a 94,000-square-foot center located at the gateway to Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.’s Maui Business Park in Central Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

The US Postal Service plan to close the Rice Street post office throws a wrench into the revitalization plan for downtown Lihue, but it could also help with safety concerns for pedestrians. Garden Island.

The state has said its plan to harvest non-native trees in the Lihue-Koloa Forest Reserve and the ongoing construction of the bridge over the Keahua Stream at the entrance to the reserve are not connected. Garden Island.

County administration has made it clear it doesn’t support establishing a pedestrian easement to get to a Koloa beach, and that’s what concerns Councilman Mel Rapozo. Garden Island.

Lanai

When the billionaire co-founder of Oracle Corp., Larry Ellison, purchased the majority of the Hawaiian island of Lanai for $300 million in 2012, there was at least one major unresolved issue on the Pineapple Island — the water used at the Manele Golf Course near the Four Seasons Resort Lanai. Pacific Business News.