Green links Lahaina fires to climate change at UN summit, super PAC uses Maui fires as fundraising tool, HART claims $580M surplus at rail's end, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Green links Lāhainā fires to climate change during UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit. Hawai’i Gov. Josh Green spoke Sunday at the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals Summit in New York, delivering a message about the destructive impact that climate change is having in the state.  Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now.

This Hawaii Super PAC Says It’s Raising Money For Wildfire Victims — And Political Candidates Too. A progressive political organization is taking advantage of the Maui wildfires to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars that may go to support political candidates instead of direct help for victims of the Aug. 8 fires. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Has Been Facing A Housing Crisis For Generations. Politicians have been pledging to address a shortage of housing in the islands for decades, but the root causes of the crisis run deep. Civil Beat.

Hispanics Are The Fastest Growing Demographic In Hawaii. They Need More Services To Keep Pace. More translators, interpreters and other services are critical for residents and visitors who have been moving here in increasing numbers. Civil Beat.

Electric Seagliders Could Come To Hawaii As Soon As 2026. But Mokulele Airlines' new parent company says interisland travelers will start to see improvements in service much sooner than that. Civil Beat.

Health officials tout new COVID shot. The new COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out are a move away from the booster-shot models in use up to this point. Tribune-Herald. KITV4.

Oahu

HART says $580M surplus awaits at rail’s end. A cash surplus of over a half-billion dollars will likely be available once the city’s Skyline rail system ends at the Civic Center in Kakaako early next dec­ade, according to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Star-Advertiser.

HART Board Defers Proposed New Rules. AG Anne Lopez warned the new rules as written would impose 'impermissible' restrictions on the free speech rights of some board members. Civil Beat.

Public votes on Red Hill oversight committee, includes two well-known Native Hawaiian activists. 10 people were selected on Saturday to be part of an oversight group for the de-fueling of the Navy’s Red Hill Facility scheduled for mid-October.  Hawaii News Now.

Payment for parking resumes after city installs new smart parking meters. All 2,200 of the city’s new smart parking meters are now in place, and Honolulu Police Department plans to start enforcement Monday. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu sugar mill housing camp slated for redevelopment. The remnants of a worker housing camp for the last sugar plantation to close on Oahu could become a new subdivision for primarily low-income households reflecting the character of the rural community in Waialua where some century-old homes still stand. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

USGS: Kilauea eruption ends as volcano alert lowered to advisory.  After a week of spewing lava, the eruption at the Kilauea summit within the Halemaumau crater has ended, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Star-Advertiser. Big Island Video News.  Big Island Now.  Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

County creates new wildfire working group. Hawaii County has established a multiagency working group to develop strategies and responses to wildfires and other threats around the island. Tribune-Herald. Big Island Video News.

EPA grant to fund program to reduce disposable foodware. Hawaii County will receive $1.5 million in a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to develop a reusable foodware and refillable water bottle system in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

New Kona affordable housing to be discussed. The public is invited to an informational meeting Monday where the proposed Kuakini Heights Affordable Housing Project details will be presented. West Hawaii Today.

County pool woes continue: Lack of lifeguards leads to unpredictable hours at many of the facilities. Residents continue to raise concerns about the lack of transparency pertaining to Hawaii County’s swimming pools. Tribune-Herald.

Old Hilo hospital renovations slated for next year. The old hospital building, currently leased to HOPE Services Hawaii and the Big Island Substance Abuse Council, is in need of substantial restoration work after decades of degradation. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council considers bill on post-fire cleanup options. The Maui County Council is considering a bill that would give residents and businesses the option to have the government remove fire debris from their properties for free.  Maui News.

Maui police identify two more victims of Lahaina fire; bringing total to 69. The Maui Police Department released the names of two more victims from the Aug. 8 Lahaina fire on Sunday: Janet St. Clair, 75, and Douglas Matsuda-Boucher, 65, both of Lahaina. Maui Now. KHON2.

Scientists scramble to better understand scope of toxic sludge in Lahaina Harbor. Experts are worried about a slew of contaminants in the water, including fuel, dioxins, PCBs and forever chemicals — and all that sludge will eventually need to be dredged out. Hawaii News Now.

After Lahaina fire, seniors behind in receiving tech updates, study finds. Most of the victims of the Lahaina wildfire were ages 65 and older — a demographic that struggles with technology — while Maui County sent cellphone text alerts as the fire all but obliterated Lahaina, killing at least 97 people. Star-Advertiser.

Maui nonprofit expected to meet $6.5M goal in 2 weeks. The funds will go toward the first phase of a two-part campaign to help residents of Hawaiian ancestry impacted by the wildfires.  Star-Advertiser.

Hundreds of millions in private funding headed to Maui fire survivors. Upward of $200 million has been raised by five of the top sources of private donations and their affiliates for Maui wildfire victims, with charitable funds coming from hundreds of thousands of donors in Hawaii and across the globe. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Kaua‘i’s streams, rivers remain polluted despite drought conditions. Not even low rainfall can stop Kaua‘i’s rivers and streams from contamination. But Kaua‘i’s continued drought conditions have kept surf sites incredibly clean, limiting the potential for pollutants to creep into the offshore waters. Garden Island.

Kona coffee brand protections fail, Ala Wai decontamination advances, lawsuit filed against stun gun restrictions, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Red coffee cherry in Kailua-Kona ©2022 All Hawaii News

Hawaii coffee labeling bill gets relabeled. Hawaii coffee farmers may have to wait until 2024 to know whether it makes good economic sense for the state to require more locally grown beans in coffee blends branded with Hawaii geographic names. Star-Advertiser. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii leaders review future of Safe Travels Hawaii program. State leaders have begun convening to determine the next generation of Safe Travels, Hawaii’s $37 million-plus pandemic-era travel policy, which ended March 25. Star-Advertiser.

Legislators consider allowing foreclosure on problem properties without court proceedings. HB 1434 passed second reading in the Senate in March after crossing over from the House of Representatives. It is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary and Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Bill to control feral chicken population advances. A bill to manage the feral chicken population is moving through the legislative session, but the departments that would be tasked with coming up with the solution said the proposal should not fall under their purview. KHON2.

Hawaii's FEMA nurses leave the state as federal funds dry up. Hospitals are scrambling to contract more workers as the union representing nurses sounds the alarm about dangerous staffing shortages. KITV4.

Oahu

Hawaii lawmakers look at preventing investor schemes on Affordable housing projects. An ostensible $80 million financial shakedown at an Oahu public housing project has led to a legislative effort to prevent similar schemes, which are spreading on the mainland, from happening in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Thousands of ‘genki balls’ dropped into Ala Wai. More than 200 people threw balls of mud and helpful bacteria into the Ala Wai Canal Saturday morning to help clean up sludge in the water. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Ala Wai watershed flood risk study invites public input. The public is getting another chance to weigh in on work being done by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a flood control project for Honolulu’s Ala Wai Canal. The Army Corps of Engineers is revising a study looking at what the community can do to improve resilience in the case of intense rain and extensive flooding. Hawaii Public Radio.

Fuel And Water Spilled From Facility Pipeline, Navy Says. The leak is the first to be reported at the World War II-era fuel complex since the water contamination crisis began. A mixture of fuel and water spilled from a maintenance line at the Navy’s Red Hill fuel facility on Friday afternoon, the Navy announced on Friday evening. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now.

Where Is The Red Hill Contamination Moving? Experts Are ‘Working Blind’ The contamination crisis exposed how little regulators know about how groundwater – and fuel pollution – flow under the Red Hill facility. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Council to consider 10 cent gas tax reduction: Decrease from 23 cents to 13 cents on Tuesday Finance Committee agenda. A County Council panel is poised to consider a resolution aimed at taking some of the sting out of rising gas prices. West Hawaii Today. Big Island Video News.

Water costs rising: High oil prices spur 16% increase in water power charge. Increases in oil costs that raised the cost of electricity are in turn having a big impact on the county Department of Water Supply, which is proposing a 16% increase in the power cost adjustment on local water bills. West Hawaii Today.

County Council reopens its doors: Public allowed back in after two-year pandemic pause. The council committees, meeting Tuesday and the council, meeting Wednesday, will offer the public a range of ways to monitor the meetings and provide testimony. West Hawaii Today.

Judge dismisses remaining cases involving kupuna arrested during TMT protests. The remaining cases involving kupuna arrested in July 2019 for obstructing the Mauna Kea Access Road during Thirty Meter Telescope protests were dismissed Friday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Consumer Advocate Opposes Bioenergy Power Plant On Big Island. Critics say there are too many outstanding questions for the Public Utilities Commission to approve the Hu Honua project. Civil Beat.

Buyouts will begin soon: 289 homeowners in first phase of Kilauea eruption recovery program await funds. To date, the county’s Voluntary Housing Buyout Program — which allows property owners to have their eruption-damaged properties bought out by the county for up to $230,000 — has received 467 applications over the course of two phases. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Molina approved as new county public works director. Jordan Molina’s appointment as the new director of the Public Works Department was approved by the Maui County Council on Friday, even as community members called for his disapproval amid frustrations over a large home being built in Napili. Maui News.

Mokulele to expand fleet for Molokai, Lanai. Mokulele Airlines hopes to bring in two 30-passenger planes by the middle or end of May that will help transport high school athletic teams, wheelchair-bound residents and passengers of size from Molokai and Lanai to Oahu. Maui News.

Suit claims proposed restrictions on stun guns in Maui County violate 2nd Amendment. A new lawsuit claims Maui County is trying to violate their Second Amendment rights by making it harder for businesses to sell stun guns. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Saving Kauai’s Kalihiwai Reservoir Is An Expensive Problem. In a last-ditch effort, some farmers and wildlife enthusiasts are trying to raise funds to save this relic of the plantation era. Civil Beat.

Kaua‘i DMV to close early every other week beginning April 4. The County of Kaua‘i Department of Finance Driver License Division and Motor Vehicle Division in the Lihu‘e Civic Center Mo‘ikeha Building closes early daily, at 3 p.m., every other week, beginning today. Garden Island.

Study claims police use sex workers, Senate to vote on red light cameras, Maui rat lungworm victim sues grower, general excise tax hike advances, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii police on parade ©2019 All Hawaii News

Sex workers say police are customers, study reveals. A controversial study on sex trafficking presented Wednesday to the Honolulu Police Commission quotes sex workers who allege police officers ask for sex in exchange for looking the other way. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers are again moving forward with a program to deploy cameras at traffic lights to photograph the license plates of motorists who run red lights so they can be ticketed. Star-Advertiser.

State Senate to Vote on Red Light Camera Bill. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii considering red light cameras. KHON2.

A law meant to help the mentally ill is actually preventing some from getting care. For the hundreds of homeless people incapacitated by mental illness in Hawaii, years go by ― and for many, nothing changes. Hawaii News Now.

Lawmakers pushing to eliminate statue of limitations in sexual abuse of children. If passed, HB 18 will allow sexually abused children legal protection during, or even after entering into adulthood. KITV.

The state Legislature is moving forward with an initiative to reduce kids’ sugar intake at restaurants. Star-Advertiser.

Legislature Considers Screen Time Public Health Measure. It was Video Game Industry Day at the State Capitol. But, there is one bill pending at the state legislature that is aimed at improving the lives of children who spend a lot of time on their electronic devices.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii aims for more women in the cyber security workforce. Gov. David Y. Ige today announced the state’s participation in the Girls Go CyberStart Initiative, which encourages young women to explore the cybersecurity and computer science fields. KHON2.

Corporate Tax Loophole Costs Hawaii $38 Million Annually. That is the conclusion of a report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state’s industrial hemp pilot program could become a permanent full program should a state Senate bill pass the Legislature and be signed into law. Tribune-Herald.

Census Bureau to hire hundreds in Hawaii for 2020 population count. Hawaii News Now.

TSA hiring officers for four Hawaii airports. Star-Advertiser.

TSA looking to hire before summer travel season. KHON2.

Border wall could tap $311 million in Hawaii military construction. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Public Records Chief Is Still Trying To Make It Harder To Get Public Records. Cheryl Kakazu Park, director of the Office of Information Practices, is working hard to get around a Supreme Court ruling on the Uniform Information Practices Act. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Wednesday unveiled his seven-point plan to improve pedestrian safety in the city with the theme of “Look All Ways.” Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Caldwell Unveils 7-Point Pedestrian Safety Plan. Hawaii Public Radio.

Mayor unveils pedestrian safety measures. KHON2.

Special Council Election Requires Hundreds Of New Campaign Finance Reports. In the revote for the East Honolulu City Council seat, Trevor Ozawa had a financial advantage over Tommy Waters in the latest reports. Civil Beat.

The Pali Highway will reopen today for one-way traffic during limited commuting hours, a situation expected to last for months while state crews work to fortify the unstable slopes near the tunnels on Pali Highway. Star-Advertiser.

Long-term Fix to Pali Highway Lanes Could Take Months. Associated Press.

City to spend $20M to shore up severe erosion problems in Palolo. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu police are continuing their investigation into a deadly officer-involved shooting in the quiet neighborhood of Mililani Wednesday night. Hawaii News Now.

Police fatally shoot theft suspect in Mililani; 2 others injured as fleeing pickup crashes. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

A general excise tax increase continued its forward march Wednesday, with the County Council voting 7-2 to bring the county surcharge up to one-half percent and extend it for another 10 years. West Hawaii Today.

On Thursday, the Hawaii State House Finance Committee will take up HB 1180, a bill to fund “disaster relief, recovery, mitigation, and remediation activities for the County of Hawaii” following the destructive eruption of Kilauea on the Lower East Rift Zone in summer 2018. Big Island Video News.

A week after the announcement that a Mississippi-based airline had acquired Mokulele Airlines and an affirmation that it would keep all of Mokulele’s current employees, those employees on Wednesday received news of a 10 percent reduction in staffing levels. West Hawaii Today.

New owner of Mokulele Airlines plans layoffs. Hawaii News Now.

A County Councilmember representing the Puna district, Matt Kanealii-Kleinfelder, announced today that he has introduced a resolution urging the County administration to increase funding for more police. Big Island Video News.

A new two-week mission launched Wednesday at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation habitat located on the slopes of Mauna Loa. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Wailuku man with rat lungworm disease sues grower Hana Fresh. Scott Hessler says he got parasite from nonprofit’s produce. Maui News.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving the Lahaina injection wells and the federal Clean Water Act, a decision welcomed by Maui County but decried by local environmental groups as a waste of taxpayer money. Maui News.

Maui Land & Pineapple profits from tax benefit. An income tax benefit generated a $3.7 million profit for Maui Land & Pineapple Co. in the fourth quarter and a $565,000 profit for all of last year, the company announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Priority Repairs to Fix Maui Potholes After Rain. Maui Now.

Kauai

Council OKs Kilauea School safe routes resolution. A resolution was adopted Wednesday by the Kauai County Council to establish traffic modifications on a problematic street in Kilauea. Garden Island.

Toward a vape-free campus. Local artists took on a wall at Kapaa High School as part of a statewide 808NOVAPE campaign that’s been ongoing through February. Garden Island.

Attorney general petitions Supreme Court for Honolulu prosecutor's suspension, Katherine Kealoha and Waimea physician brother indicted on drug trafficking charges, rail scrutiny sought, downtown Honolulu office high-rise to turn into affordable apartments, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Attorney General Clare Connors, Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro

Hawaii Attorney General Clare E. Connors on Tuesday asked the Hawaii Supreme Court to immediately suspend Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro, who is a target of a federal investigation. Star-Advertiser.

State Attorney General Clare Connors contends the Honolulu prosecuting attorney should be temporarily removed from office because of his potential entanglement in a federal corruption case. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's attorney general is asking the state's highest court to immediately suspend Honolulu's top prosecutor because he is the target of a federal investigation. Associated Press.

Attorney general seeks ‘immediate suspension’ of embattled city prosecutor. Hawaii News Now.

What's next if prosecutor goes on leave, quits or gets ousted. KHON2.

=====

Katherine Kealoha, a former Honolulu deputy prosecutor and the wife of a former Honolulu police chief, dealt illegal prescription drugs obtained from her brother, a Big Island doctor, and used her position to protect him from arrest, federal prosecutors alleged in an indictment unsealed Tuesday.  Star-Advertiser.

In a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday, former deputy city prosecutor Katherine Kealoha and her brother, Big Island Dr. Rudolph Puana, face new charges of selling powerful opioid painkillers illegally prescribed by Puana, covering it up from police and thwarting the prosecution of the case. Civil Beat.

In shocking 54-count indictment, Katherine Kealoha and doctor brother charged with dealing drugs. Hawaii News Now.

In page-turner of a court filing, prosecutors detail the Kealohas’ ‘house of cards’. Hawaii News Now.

To think it all came crashing down with a report of a stolen mailbox in 2013 that would later spark investigations into former Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha and her husband, former Chief of Police, Louis Kealoha. KHON2.

Katherine Kealoha indicted on drug distribution charges. KITV.

=====

The 2019 Legislative Session is almost at the 1/3rd mark but work on the State Budget appears to be moving slower than before. Hawaii Public Radio.

A bill that would shift authority over the state’s airports from the Department of Transportation to an independent airports corporation was introduced for the fourth consecutive year. Tribune-Herald.

State legislators are again considering bills to restrict the areas where tobacco or e-cigarettes can be sold, and to make smoking more expensive by increasing the state’s tobacco tax. Star-Advertiser.

A Senate Committee Tuesday passed a bill to clarify the language on Hawaii's ban on gay conversion therapy. KITV.

Gov. Ige extends emergency proclamation on homelessness. West Hawaii Today.

A Micronesian government official was arrested in Honolulu for his alleged connection to a bribery case involving the head of an Oahu engineering firm. Hawaii News Now.

Federal authorities in Honolulu have arrested a high-ranking government official from the Federated States of Micronesia in the latest development in a Hawaii bribery scandal involving a prominent local engineer. Civil Beat.

44-year-old Master Halbert is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering for allegedly accepting bribes from a Hawaii-based engineering company to secure nearly $8 million in contracts from the FSM government. KITV.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council newcomer Heidi Tsuneyoshi is calling for a forensic audit of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation’s procurement processes as well as the city’s management of rail contracts. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Councilwoman Heidi Tsuneyoshi will be introducing a resolution to conduct a forensic audit of the 8.6 billion dollar Rail Transit Project. Hawaii Public Radio.

A Honolulu lawmaker is calling for a forensic audit of the City's rail project. KITV.

A measure to raise height limits for high rises in Kakaako tabled in House Committee meeting. KITV.

The owner of the 25-story downtown Honolulu office tower 1132 Bishop announced plans today to convert the building into about 500 residential apartments with moderate rent. Star-Advertiser.

The owner of one of Honolulu’s most recognizable office buildings unveiled plans on Tuesday to convert most of the property into hundreds of workforce rental apartments. Hawaii News Now.

Kyo-ya is gearing up to raze the existing Princess Kaiulani Hotel to construct Waikiki’s first new all-hotel tower in nearly 40 years. Star-Advertiser.

Massive flood control project for Waikiki would gobble up schools’ outdoors space. Hawaii News Now.

Experts seek long-term solutions to North Shore’s chronic erosion problem. Hawaii News Now.

The Legislature came closer to setting the framework for rusting Aloha Stadium’s future Tuesday by quickly deferring House Bill 695 and leaving just two identical bills, House Bill 1497 and Senate Bill 1530, dealing with a new stadium progressing in the session. Star-Advertiser.

Kamehameha Schools has announced three finalists in the running to become a new trustee. Hawaii News Now.

Group Calls For Ouster Of Humane Society CEO. Excessive euthanizations and hostile working conditions are alleged by an organization that includes former and current employees. Civil Beat.

Vehicle registrations can now be done at Safeways. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Florida-headquartered Southern Airways Express announced Tuesday that it has acquired Mokulele Airlines, but the local airline’s customers can still count on seeing the same branding and employees they’ve come to know and could potentially see new destinations on the horizon. West Hawaii Today.

A winter storm that caused reported wind gusts of 191 mph late Sunday afternoon at the Maunakea summit caused minor damage to at least two observatories, but didn’t affect operations, officials said. Tribune-Herald.

Trimming traffic: Bill to widen Kuakini Highway passes first committee hearing. West Hawaii Today.

Increased Military Training In Hawaii Raises Concern. Big Island Video News.

Maui

An opening hearing will be held to receive testimony on the Auwahi Wind Farm draft Habitat Conservation Plan amendment. Auwahi Wind Energy, LLC operates eight 3-megawatt wind turbines augmented by an 11-megawatt battery storage system located on ‘Ulupalakua Ranch, on the eastern side of the island of Maui. Maui Now.

A public informational meeting has been set for 6 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Department of Planning conference room for proposed Maui County amendments to the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code. KHON2.

Rangers: Look but don’t go to snow. White winter reached down the mountain to Polipoli; scores still without power. Maui News.

Atop Haleakala, the wintry storm conditions are sticking around. Maui County officials said Tuesday afternoon that the Haleakala National Park summit district was closed and will remained closed until the wintry conditions subside. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Gov. David Ige on Tuesday issued a sixth supplementary proclamation for Kauai County, which continues to recover from severe flooding and damage caused by heavy rains in April. Garden Island.

Suicide death numbers lower in January. In 2017, there were 25 reported suicide deaths on Kauai. In 2018, there were 18. Garden Island.

Obama on Hawaii holiday, arson suspected in Maui school fire, monster homes under microscope, state unsure why fish died after Lehua Island poison drop, Kamehameha Schools sex abuse allegations unveiled, three vie for Kauai mayor, $12M for Big Island prosecutor building, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Obama at Oahu restaurant courtesy Mitch's Sushi Bar

Obama returns to islands for sushi, golf. Former President Barack Obama was on Oahu this weekend. Star-Advertiser.

Former President Obama is back in the islands. The 44th president was spotted Sunday at Mitch's Sushi Bar in Honolulu. Hawaii News Now.

Brian Schatz Is In The Hot Seat Now. Hawaii’s senior senator is a member of the Senate Ethics Committee, which is tasked with investigating his own colleagues. Civil Beat.

Push For Airport Authority Divides State Legislature. Big Island Video News.

New state program tracks military spending in isles. Defense contracts have been running at about $2.1 billion a year in Hawaii as part of an estimated $7.8 billion in direct military spending supporting more than 64,000 jobs. Star-Advertiser.

New teachers need 22 years to amass home down payment. The estimates were based on beginning Hawaii teachers with a bachelor’s degree earning an average of $45,963, slightly higher than the national average of $43,806. Associated Press.

Isle substance abuse fatalities on rapid rise. Hawaii’s drug, alcohol and suicide death rate is projected to increase by 39 percent over the next decade, a new report shows. Star-Advertiser.

Mauna Kea telescope details rare supernova. Star-Advertiser.

A critically endangered Hawaiian plant that can safely exist only within a heavily managed greenhouse environment has new hope for long-term survival thanks to a novel experiment conducted by botanists from the University of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

The first sitting of the International Commission of Inquiry, initially scheduled for January 16 and 17, 2018 on the grounds of Iolani Palace at the Kanaina Building, has been delayed. Big Island Video News.

Oahu

Massive dwellings prove difficult beasts for city to tame. As complaints start to pour in over monster houses springing up in older communities from Pearl City to Hawaii Kai, the city’s Department of Planning and Permitting is coming under scrutiny. Star-Advertiser.

City inspectors cite some for ‘monster’ houses but not others. Star-Advertiser.

The Star-Advertiser looked into eight addresses that neighbors complained about. Star-Advertiser.

Why A Tree In Hawaii Kai Is Raising Questions Of Favoritism. A father’s gift to remember his dead son has become a story of special treatment by the Honolulu City Council. Civil Beat.

More than 7,000 sailors spent their Thanksgiving weekend on Oahu. On Saturday the USS Coronado and the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group docked at Pearl Harbor. Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii at West Oahu has received a $2.7 million grant to help more than 500 students in the Waianae Coast area prepare for and succeed in postsecondary education. Star-Advertiser.

A salvage company continued working Sunday to prepare to remove a grounded fishing vessel off Waikiki as early as this week, a Coast Guard spokeswoman said. Star-Advertiser.

This Waikiki Shipwreck Is Proving Tough To Get Rid Of. Salvage crews are readying for another attempt to get the grounded Pacific Paradise off the reef near Kaimana Beach. Civil Beat.

Volunteers sort through waves of marine debris collected from Hawaii's shores. Plastic pollution in the ocean continues to be a big problem washing up on Hawaii's shores. In an attempt to protect the 'big blue,' Sustainable Coastlines, along with several other non-profit organizations and volunteers, took advantage of the long holiday weekend to tackle the growing problem. KITV.

Kamehameha officials failed to report or investigate sex abuse allegations. Star-Advertiser.

These transcript passages are taken from sworn testimony that former Kamehameha Schools officials gave during depositions for a pending lawsuit alleging that a psychiatrist, Dr. Robert Browne, sexually abused students. Star-Advertiser.

How Can We Improve Democracy In Hawaii? This conference focuses on getting more people involved in the public process — and making the conversation more civil. Civil Beat.

Honolulu police have opened an attempted murder investigation after they say a man tried to run down an officer. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Dirt could start flying early next year for a new Kona building for the county prosecutor, three years after the County Council approved the project. West Hawaii Today.

Slightly fewer teaching positions were vacant in Hawaii Island public schools at the start of the current school year, according to data the state Department of Education provided to the Tribune-Herald last week. Tribune-Herald.

University of Hawaii researchers have bred cattle that produce meat rated as high as the top 1 percent in quality in the nation. Tribune-Herald.

Naalehu farmers report upped livestock killings. West Hawaii Today.

After the federal government announced plans to end a subsidy for air service at the Waimea-Kohala Airport, the president of Mokulele Airlines said Wednesday he wants the airline to continue to be able to fly in and out of North Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Mauna Kea Resort plans to carve out a small portion of its acreage for a new housing development. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Bill would allow people without homes to sleep in their parked cars. County attorneys say they have concerns about the proposal. Maui News.

West Maui hospital construction stalled by tax reform bills. Maui News.

Report: County metro area is state's ‘drunkest city’. But state Health Department said it found the counties not statistically different. Maui News.

Kahului Elementary to close Monday to assess fire damages. Maui Police believe arson was the cause of the fire at Kahului Elementary School that resulted more than $1.2 million in damages.  KITV.
  
Arson Suspected in Kahului School Fire. Kahului Elementary School will be closed on Monday, Nov. 27, to assess the damage from Friday night’s fire. Maui Now.

Maui police suspect arson as the cause of a fire that resulted in $1.2 million in damage to Kahului Elementary School. Star-Advertiser.

Fire blackens Kahului School. Maui News.

An arson investigation has been opened after suspicious fires destroyed classrooms at a Maui school Friday night, causing $1.2 million in damages. Hawaii News Now.

The suspicious building fire at Kahului Elementary School has forced educators to close the school on Monday. KHON2.

Sammy Hagar’s quiet philanthropy will be missed. Maui’s nonprofit community benefited for years from the rocker’s generosity, according to Darby Gill. Maui News.

The Maui Police Department is conducting a citizens survey as a way to improve community services. Maui News.

A Maui resident has filed a class-action lawsuit against a Hawaii Subaru distributor, claiming soy-based insulation in wiring and fuel hoses attracted rats that damaged her car. Maui News.

It’s been more than 15 years since the idea first took root, but Hospice Maui’s dream to add a garden area to its Wailuku site has begun to blossom with the help of a land donation from Maui Lani. Maui Now.

Kauai

Three qualified candidates have announced they will be running for the office of Kauai mayor. Garden Island.

After dozens of dead fish were discovered on Lehua Island after controversial rat poison drops, the state said Monday they there not able to determine what caused the fish to die. Hawaii News Now.

Leaders eye price island pays for robust tourism. Garden Island.

Tourism patterns have changed, but island infrastructure has not. Garden Island.