Trump names former Hawaii AG Bennett to Court of Appeals, Syngenta settles with EPA, Mauna Kea telescopes stir hot debate in Legislature, Maui ferry not feasible, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Farming, courtesy Monsanto

Concerned residents from Maui and Kauai are set to testify in support of a pesticide regulation bill at the State Capitol requiring companies to alert the public before chemicals are sprayed. The Senate committees on Agriculture and Environment and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health are expected to make a decision Wednesday. KITV.

President Donald Trump has nominated former Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett to the Hawaii seat of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Star-Advertiser.

This Trump Pick Wins Rare Applause from Hawaii’s Democratic Senators. Mark Bennett, the former state attorney general, has been nominated for the Hawaii seat on U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Civil Beat.

Today President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate an eleventh wave of judicial nominees including the nomination of former Hawaii Attorney General Mark J. Bennett as a Circuit Judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Maui Now.

Report: Public Is Being Shut Out On Critical State Information. A new study by a public interest law firm says Hawaii is the worst in the nation when it comes to timely decisions on open records and open meetings issues. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s largest public pension fund lost about 6 percent of its value in the recent stock market correction. The Employees' Retirement System Star-Advertiser.

Bill Would Require Insurance Coverage Of Emergency Flights To Mainland. Patients who need to travel quickly for organ transplants can pay from $80,000 to $130,000 for air ambulance service. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers are pursuing legislation that would update the state’s disaster preparedness protocols after the false ballistic missile alert last month. Tribune-Herald.

DOE could be sued over lack of female locker rooms – a violation of federal law. The ACLU has given DOE a deadline of one month to come up with a plan to provide all student athletes equal access to locker rooms. Hawaii News Now.

University of Hawaii Cancer Center researchers are seeking legislative funding for a three-year study to determine why Hawaii has one of the highest rates of liver cancer in the country. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii regulators approve revised tariffs for Hawaiian Electric rate increase. Pacific Business News.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Nina Turner, president of Our Revolution, traveled across Hawaii this past weekend to promote citizen engagement, grassroots organizing, and efforts to reform and strengthen democracy and the Democratic Party. Garden Island.

Oahu

Development Lobbyist Failed To Register With Honolulu Ethics Commission. David Arakawa hadn’t registered to lobby at Honolulu Hale for at least five years. And then a reporter asked him about it. Civil Beat.

Moratorium on ‘monster homes’ faces final vote. A final vote on a bill placing a temporary moratorium on large-scale homes is scheduled for today, and Honolulu City Council members have been getting mounting pressure from both opponents and supporters of the “monster houses” legislation. Star-Advertiser.

Several bills were introduced at this year’s state Legislature to address concerns about large-scale houses. Star-Advertiser.

Bill would prevent sweep of Waianae homeless camp. Star-Advertiser.

Family members of a man who says four officers forced him to lick a urinal allege the extent of the abuse is worse than first reported. Hawaii News Now.

Should buses and other large vehicles be kept out of the freeway’s fast lane? KHON2.

Third Deedy trial pushed back as attorney prepares federal appeal. There's another delay in the latest trial of a State Department special agent who fatally shot a man inside a Waikiki McDonald's in 2011. Hawaii News Now.

Number of Honolulu Zoo exhibits & visitors going up. KITV.

Honolulu has been named one of the healthiest cities in the United States, according to a new report. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Bill would create new authority to run Mauna Kea. Senate Bill 3090, sponsored by state Sen. Kaiali‘i Kahele (D, Hilo) and 16 other lawmakers, would establish the Mauna Kea Management Authority as a way of installing “fresh leadership” and “a new model of governance.” Star-Advertiser.

Heated discussion at the State Capitol Monday, over a bill calling for the removal of the board that manages Mauna Kea. That board is currently run by the University of Hawaii. KITV.

Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim appeared today in Honolulu for the committee hearing on the controversial Senate Bill 3090, which would upend the way Mauna Kea is currently managed. Big Island Video News.

Kahele Grills OMKM Director Nagata Over Bulldozed Ahu. Big Island Video News.

Amid TMT dispute, lawmakers look to establish new body to manage Mauna Kea. Hawaii News Now.

Homeless Villages proposal up against deadline. The program would fund 50 homeless units — 25 at two sites in Kailua-Kona and Hilo, respectively — as well as two homeless assessment centers and supportive services under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s preferred Housing First model. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County and Hawaiian Earth Recycling continue to hammer out the details of a new agreement after Mayor Harry Kim nixed plans to build a composting facility in a quarry near the Hilo landfill. Tribune-Herald.

This Hilo Community Fears Its ‘Toxic’ Neighbors. With a nearby airport, landfill, sewage plant, port and petroleum tanks, Hawaiian Homestead residents in Keaukaha want health concerns addressed. Civil Beat.

Hawaii County’s Mayor has about three weeks to send a budget to the County Council. Since 2000, the budget has increased more than 250 percent. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hilton Waikola Village recently became the first resort on the Big Island to discontinue the use of plastic straws and replace them with a compostable, paper alternative. Pacific Business News.

Maui

A ferry system to relieve Lahaina-bound traffic jams and shuttle sports teams within Maui County isn’t in the cards, at least for now. Maui News.

Greg Kaufman, founder of the 38-year-old Pacific Whale Foundation and a pioneer of whale watching on Maui, died Saturday. Maui News.

Pacific Whale Foundation today confirmed the passing of founder and executive director, Greg Kaufman. Maui Now.

Kauai

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Syngenta Seeds LLC have reached a settlement concerning safety violations affecting field workers on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

EPA Settles Syngenta Pesticide Claim For Pennies On The Dollar. The GMO company will pay $150,000 instead of the $4.8 million that had been sought for exposing Kauai workers to pesticides. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency came to an agreement Monday with Syngenta Seeds, LLC, to resolve violations of federal pesticide regulations at its farm in Kekaha. Garden Island.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached a settlement with Syngenta Seeds to resolve violations of federal pesticide regulations at its farm in Kekaha, Kauai. Pacific Business News.

The Kauai County Council recently voted six to one to adopt the County’s General Plan. Garden Island.

Honolulu picks first female police chief, prosecutors prepare to seize former chief's house, legislative leaders pick rail board members, lieutenant governor race gets crowded, Monsanto drops Molokai land plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard

Maj. Susan Ballard became Honolulu’s first female police chief today, taking over a department mired in a scandal that deposed her predecessor and cast a cloud over the entire force. Star-Advertiser.

Susan Ballard, a major with three decades of policing experience, will be the new chief of the Honolulu Police Department, the first woman to hold the top job in its 85-year history. Civil Beat.

'A new day': HPD major selected to lead department in crisis. Hawaii News Now.

Police Major Susan Ballard has been chosen to become the next Honolulu Police chief. KITV.

Four Honolulu police commissioners have selected the City and County’s next chief of police: Maj. Susan Ballard. KHON2.

Video: Honolulu Police Chief Selection Press Conference. Civil Beat.

In picking Maj. Susan Ballard as the island’s new police chief, the Honolulu Police Commission chose someone who’s been a commander within the Honolulu Police Department but — by several accounts including her own — was outside of the inner circle that flanked now-indicted and retired Chief Louis Kealoha. Star-Advertiser.

Maj. Susan Ballard: A closer look at Honolulu's next police chief. Of the seven finalists chosen for the Honolulu police chief position, current Maj. Susan Ballard was the only applicant currently still employed with HPD. Hawaii News Now.

Excitement surrounds pick for Honolulu’s next chief of police. KHON2.

Federal prosecutors are moving forward to have the Hawaii Kai home of former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his city prosecutor wife Katherine Kealoha forfeited to the government. Star-Advertiser.

Covert Honolulu Police Unit Has Long History Of Troubles. The CIU is again under scrutiny, with five officers recently arrested as part of a federal investigation into police corruption. Civil Beat.

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Race for lieutenant governor gets more crowded, while congressional race remains quiet. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. announced today he will run in what is shaping up to be a crowded race for lieutenant governor next year. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai Mayor Wants To Be Hawaii’s Lieutenant Governor. Stressing education and family issues, Bernard Carvalho Jr. joins a crowded field of candidates for the state’s No. 2 job. Civil Beat.

Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho announced his candidacy for 2018 lieutenant governor of Hawaii in front of the State Capitol on Wednesday. Garden Island.

Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. has his eye on a new job. He announced Wednesday that he’s planning to run as a Democrat for lieutenant governor in 2018. KHON2.

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Legislative picks to sit on HART board announced. State Legislative leaders have announced their four picks to serve as nonvoting members on the volunteer Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board, a provision of the $2.4 billion rail-bailout package they approved in September. Star-Advertiser.

Legislative Leaders Appoint Four People To Honolulu Rail Board. The state budget director and others are tasked with bringing more accountability to the project, even though they’re nonvoting members. Civil Beat.

State makes its 4 picks for HART board appointees. Under the rail funding bill that passed in the state legislature earlier this year, state leaders were tasked with appointing a total of four non-voting members to the HART board. Hawaii News Now.

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Southwest could face legal hiccup in Hawaii expansion. A union on the mainland is threatening to block the airline's expansion to the islands citing ongoing disputes. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii astronomer discovers ‘odd’ space object. A University of Hawaii astronomer discovered what appears to be the first near-Earth space object to have arrived here from beyond our solar system, the university announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s Filipino veterans and delegates finally get recognized. Star-Advertiser.

Filipino Veterans Presented Congressional Gold Medals. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Senator Mazie K. Hirono joined other US Congressional leaders to present the Congressional Gold Medal to Filipino World War II veterans today at the US Capitol. Maui Now.

Hawaii Nonprofit Seeks A Statewide Effort To Fight Hunger. One in five children in the islands deals with hunger, according to a recent report. Civil Beat.

What if the Great Mahele Wasn't a Foreign Imposition? The concept of private property was introduced to Hawaii with the Great Mahele of 1848. That action is often blamed for a lack of land ownership among native Hawaiians…a situation that lasts to this day. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

City projects mark 1 year of housing homeless families. While state sheriff’s deputies swept more than 300 chronically homeless people from state land in Kakaako and below the H-1 freeway viaduct this month, the city quietly marked the first anniversary of two housing projects — one in Waianae and one in town — that provide permanent housing for homeless families. Star-Advertiser.

These Kalihi Streets Are A Big Hazard For Bike Riders. Honolulu DOT has plans for improving safety in the area, including repaving North King Street and adding shared-use lanes. Civil Beat.

'Good law' or 'dumb law'? Opinions on new distracted walking measure vary.  Hawaii News Now.

A 55-year-old, male teacher who was fired from all-girls Sacred Hearts Academy in Kaimuki has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of fourth-degree sex assault and three counts of third-degree sex assault, police said. Star-Advertiser.

A former Honolulu private school teacher who was fired after allegations of "inappropriate conduct" with students has been charged with two counts of sexual assault, police say. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Trash talking: Panel to decide solid waste direction for the decade. It’s time for the county to update its integrated solid waste management plan, a document required by state law every 10 years to ensure local governments keep on top of their trash, green waste, compost and recycling issues. West Hawaii Today.

Moon base prototype may be built on Big Island. The United States and other countries are planning to return to the moon. And the road back to the lunar surface may go through Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Kamehameha Schools deliberate in removal of old Keahou Beach Hotel. West Hawaii Today.

North Hawaii Community Hospital is moving forward with a $25 million emergency room expansion. West Hawaii Today.

Maui


Tuesday morning’s severe thunderstorm and floods continued to erode Wailuku River and nearly destroyed a maintenance bridge regularly used by the Hawai’i Nature Center for educational programs in Iao Valley. Maui News.

Lights are back on after largest outage in a decade. More than 160 Maui Electric Co. workers and two contracted crews responded to the county’s biggest power outage in more than a decade early Tuesday morning in the wake of a thunderstorm that rolled through Maui County. Maui News.

The Department of Water Supply announced it has ended its declaration of a Stage 1 water shortage in the Upcountry district as the forecast indicates that probabilities favor above average rainfall for the upcoming wet season. Maui Now.

Kauai

School boundary changes draw fire. Many have questions about how it could affect students, families. Garden Island.

AES Distributed Energy Inc. and SunPower Corp. are developing a new solar-plus-storage facility on the Garden Isle, set to be the largest in the state. Pacific Business News.

Plastic storage pau. Surfrider Kauai looking for place to store marine debris. Garden Island.

The State Commission on Water Resource Management will be holding a public hearing at the Lihue Civic Center on Nov. 17 on proposed amendments to its administrative rules pertaining to water use, wells and stream diversion works. Garden Island.

Molokai

Monsanto withdraws request to preserve Molokai farmland. The corn seed producer notified the state Land Use Commission on Wednesday that it has withdrawn a petition to designate 1,084 acres for protection under a state law intended to preserve prime farmland. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu reels from arrests of former police chief and deputy prosecutor wife, police chief candidates' interviews begin today, Tsutsui won't run for Maui mayor, pension plan improves, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Former Honolulu Police chief Louis Kealoha and his wife, city deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha

How Far Will The Honolulu Police Corruption Investigation Spread? The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue its grand jury investigation into corruption and abuse of power. Civil Beat.

A curious allegation of mailbox theft unraveled into a tale of corruption that reached the highest levels of Honolulu law enforcement, culminating in a U.S. investigation that found the former police chief and his prosecutor wife bilked clients and relatives out of hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend on their lavish lifestyle and then used their power to orchestrate a plot within the police department to target anyone who threatened them. Associated Press.

Honolulu’s former police chief and his city deputy prosecutor wife were arrested Friday in the most significant case of alleged public abuse of power in state history, and prosecutors said the investigation could lead to even further charges. Star-Advertiser.

One day after a federal grand jury completed a two-year investigation into public corruption and abuse of power in Hawaii law enforcement, former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his wife, Katherine, a high-ranking city prosecutor, were arrested Friday by the FBI and indicted on 20 counts of criminal conspiracy, fraud and obstruction of justice. Civil Beat.

A Guide To The Case Against The Kealohas. The former Honolulu police chief and his wife, a city prosecutor, have pleaded not guilty to the charges contained in a federal indictment. Civil Beat.

Read full indictment here.

Frustrated Honolulu residents may feel a greater urgency for members of the Police Commission to pick a successor to Louis Kealoha in the wake of the arrest of the former chief two days ago. Star-Advertiser.

Federal case likely to raise doubts over work as prosecutor. The federal indictment of Deputy Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha on charges ranging from bank fraud to obstruction of justice raises enough red flags that prosecutors should review all the cases she’s worked on the past several years to ensure they were handled properly, according to criminal defense attorneys. Star-Advertiser.

The first interviews for finalist up for the job of Honolulu's Police Chief begin on Monday. KITV.

Commentary: Kealoha’s tenure began with such promise. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Kealoha arrests drag down HPD. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Let’s Scrap The Police Chief Search And Start Over. Civil Beat.

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Lawmakers press home lands agency to create housing. As the state grapples with a severe shortage of affordable housing and the highest rate of homelessness per capita in the country, some lawmakers want the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to pitch in resources to help solve the pressing problems. Star-Advertiser.

Pension fund ends year on a slightly higher note. Hawaii’s largest public pension fund performed slightly better in fiscal year 2017 than it reported two months ago in its preliminary numbers. Star-Advertiser.

Planners release 30-second nuclear preparedness PSAs. State emergency planners have released their first public service announcement related to North Korea preparedness, a nonthreatening 30-second video that doesn’t specifically mention the rogue nation or remote possibility of a nuclear attack on Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

‘Golf ball’ radar’s limitations seen. The Sea-Based X-Band Radar, a key link in the nation’s defense against North Korea, spent eight months at sea before returning to its home in Pearl Harbor last month. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii’s Hyperbaric Treatment Center has closed indefinitely because of staffing problems, a University of Hawaii spokesman said Sunday. Star-Advertiser.

Timeshare property sales in Hawaii have exceeded $1 billion annually in recent years, and a new report tries to quantify how much employment and spending is tied to this segment of the tourism industry. Star-Advertiser.

Lessor intends to seize Island Air’s last 3 planes. An attorney for Island Air’s aircraft lessor said he is planning to take legal action to seize the airline’s three remaining aircraft and is demanding the state’s second-largest carrier make payments if it is going to be allowed to use them. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. customers have two new ways to add photovoltaic systems to their homes after a decision Friday by the state Public Utilities Commission. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Rail’s ‘Plan B’ not vetted by federal agency. State lawmakers last month approved a $2.4 billion funding package to build the full rail line to Ala Moana Center. Last week the project’s federal partners said they never determined whether a scaled-back, less costly alternative to Aloha Tower would have worked instead. Star-Advertiser.

The state Land Use Commission has approved one of two petitions by corn seed producer Monsanto to restrict portions of farmland the company owns on Oahu and Molokai for agriculture use under a state law aimed at preserving prime farmland. Star-Advertiser.

State Plans To Clear Out Homeless Camp Under Honolulu Freeway. Moanalua Stream will also be blocked, in order to keep those with rafts or boats from returning or setting up camp elsewhere. Civil Beat.

Boat That Ran Aground 0ff Honolulu Sent No Distress Signal. The wreck of the fishing vessel, carrying workers from Southeast Asia, raises concerns about the treatment of foreign crews. Civil Beat.

Grounding raises fresh concerns over foreign fishermen. A boat that ran aground off Waikiki while transporting foreign fishermen to work in Hawaii’s commercial fishing industry has raised new questions about the safety and working conditions for foreign laborers in this unique U.S. fleet. Associated Press.

Two recent ground-breakings in Kapolei represent significant additions to their respective markets. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hotel market heating up outside the Waikiki core. Developers and the visitor industry say more hotel construction could be coming outside the usual resort districts, and even in them if the market continues to shine. Star-Advertiser.

Denver-based KSL Capital Partners, which bought Outrigger Hotels and Resorts late last year, is kicking off an aggressive Waikiki reinvestment plan with a $25 million overhaul and re-branding of the Waikiki Beachcomber. Star-Advertiser.

The Howard Hughes Corp. has started demolition work at the shuttered Ward Warehouse shopping complex in Honolulu and plans to tear the buildings down by the end of the year, but has yet to schedule construction of the Gateway Towers project that will replace it. Pacific Business News.

Sales of single-family homes in Kaneohe nearly doubled last month, while the number of condominiums and townhouses sold in the Windward Oahu town rose 24 percent, compared to September 2016, according to the monthly local market report from the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Real estate developer Bruce Stark — who left his stamp on Hawaii with the building of residential condominiums, offices and retail space beginning in 1966 — died Thursday at age 82. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii County is leading the state in motor vehicle traffic fatalities — trailing only Honolulu when it comes to overall roadway deaths — according to data released last week by the state Department of Transportation. West Hawaii Today.

Three weeks after the Thirty Meter Telescope was granted its construction permit, the developer and eventual operator of the planned $1.4 billion cutting-edge observatory says it is still evaluating its next move. Star-Advertiser.

Hundreds of acres of Hawaiian home lands have been set aside for subsistence-agriculture plots along the road leading to Akaka Falls and the surrounding region, and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has scheduled community meetings to discuss the project. Tribune-Herald.

Reality is setting in that the South Hilo Sanitary Landfill will have to be closed within two years. A draft environmental assessment has been published for the Hilo landfill closure project, a costly (approximately $19 million) and highly regulated undertaking that must confirm to various county, state and federal rules. Big Island Video News.

The state Department of Transportation will extend four lanes on Highway 130 to Shower Drive over the next month as it restripes a 2-mile stretch of pavement. Tribune-Herald.

A Keaukaha fixture for more than 50 years might be gone by this time next year. Members of the Hilo Yacht Club will decide later this year whether the club will remain at its current location or move to a new building. Tribune-Herald.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is awarding nearly $3 million in funding to a community association for a subdivision in Puna to improve its community drinking water system. Star-Advertiser.

Iwo Jima vets meet the new guys. West Hawaii Today.


Maui

Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui said Friday that he will not be running for Maui County mayor in 2018 due to family reasons in an announcement that throws open the race to succeed Mayor Alan Arakawa, who is term limited. Maui News.

The Maui News is going back to afternoon home delivery for many newspaper subscribers and will cease producing a Sunday paper in a move to cut costs. Star-Advertiser.

Maui's only big box bookstore, Barnes & Noble is set to close. Hawaii News Now.

Scientists Dana Reed and Cathy Maxwell will be at Kohola Brewery in Lahaina at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to share information and answer questions about the nearshore water quality in West Maui. Maui News.

Maui Disposal reported 6 tons of material was collected at the 13th annual Lahaina Town Clean Up on Sept. 16. More than 300 volunteers spent the day cleaning up Lahaina streets, harbors and beaches from Puamana to the Mala Boat Ramp. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Community College’s nursing program has been awarded accreditation for eight years, the longest period possible, by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Garden Island.

County celebrates hiring collaboration. Summer Youth Employment Program praised. Garden Island.

Hawaii gun laws hit target. Residents, representatives praise state policies. Garden Island.

Geographic boundary changes in the Kalaheo area will go into effect for school year 2019-20. The change will result in more students enrolling at Waimea Canyon Middle and Waimea High schools. Garden Island.

Power line collisions kill about 1,800 seabirds annually on Kauai, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-commissioned study. Members of the Center for Biological Diversity are on Kauai this week finding ways to help curb the collisions. Garden Island.

Honolulu, Monsanto, spar over land preservation; Legislature asked to comply with Sunshine Law; mixed reviews for Maui hospital transition; no sheriffs for Big Island evictions; overfishing on Molokai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Monsanto Hawaii  Facebook photo

A city agency focused its effort to preserve prime farmland on Oahu earlier this year, but one large landowner, Monsanto, doesn’t like the plan and wants to preserve less of its land than the city recommends. Star-Advertiser.

Unhappiness with the recent special session to bail out the Honolulu rail project has prompted all three neighbor island county councils to advance resolutions urging the Hawaii Legislature to finally comply with the state’s Sunshine Law. Star-Advertiser.

Frustrated by a deal state lawmakers struck behind closed doors to bail out the Honolulu rail project, all three neighbor island county councils are urging the Legislature to follow Hawaii’s open meeting laws. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii County Council is poised to become the third in the state to send a resolution to the Legislature, asking that body to comply with the state Sunshine Laws governing open meetings. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Council wants state lawmakers to be more transparent. Big Island Video News.

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A federal judge on Friday said he would give Hawaii an opportunity to make its case that it should be allowed to challenge the Trump administration’s latest travel ban. Associated Press.

Hawaii is one of the worst places to pay taxes in the U.S., according to Kiplinger’s 2017 Tax Map. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii State Energy Office will host a series of community meetings across the state next week to solicit community input for a study being done on future models for utility ownership and regulation in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Energy Office on Thursday said it will host a series of community meetings next week to gather public input for a study about future utility ownership models and regulatory approaches. Pacific Business News.

The U.S. Department of Energy on Friday said two Hawaii businesses will receive close $1.5 million in federal funding to develop offshore seaweed as a potential clean energy source. Pacific Business News.


Pearl Harbor shipyard is Navy’s most backlogged. The Navy’s four public shipyards, including Pearl Harbor, whose oldest dry dock was built in 1919, are in poor condition, contributing to inefficiency that is robbing the Navy of ship and submarine time at sea, according to a government report. Star-Advertiser.

The Pentagon agency that recovers missing American war dead made a record 201 individual identifications during fiscal 2017, meeting for the first time a benchmark set by Congress in 2010, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

The former executive director of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Flo Kong Kee, has died. Hawaii News Now.


Hawaii officials are grappling with how to control rats, snails and slugs that are known to carry roundworm parasites, which can cause significant harm to people. Associated Press.

Commentary: Little medical scrutiny in medical pot screenings. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Acting Police Chief Cary Okimoto announced Friday that he will retire at the end of the month, capping a 33-year career at the Honolulu Police Department. Civil Beat.

Farming and suburban living often peacefully coexist in Hawaii. But in Royal Kunia, residents are clashing with recent buyers of vacant land behind roughly 300 homes where a golf course was once planned. Star-Advertiser.

Structures once intended for survivors of the Japan tsunami are now providing relief for homeless families in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Urban Honolulu's largest park closed Sunday night following safety concerns and a growing number of illegal homeless campers. Hawaii News Now.

A Honolulu councilman is proposing a measure that would create a special fund to attract developers to build along the rail. KHON2.

Home sales on Oahu soared in September on slight price gains, compared to the same month last year, while the median price of a condominium jumped 11 percent to tie with the record set over the summer, according to statistics released Friday by the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Dead honu entangled in fishing line found in Kailua. Hawaii News Now.

Hundreds celebrate life of entertainer Roland Cazimero. Star-Advertiser.


Hawaii Island

An internal review of the eviction process for the sheriff’s division on Hawaii Island has led to benching deputies from assisting in evictions. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County is seeking permission to repair Ahalanui Beach Park infrastructure in Puna. Tribune-Herald.

Being priced out of paradise is one reason island residents find themselves houseless. Big Island Video News.

A key component in the plan for the future Village 9 homeless shelter in Kealakehe is set to be decided this week. Big Island Video News.

Room to romp: With fundraising goal reached, community to reconstruct Anuenue Playground. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council members unanimously adopted a resolution Friday to refer to county planning commissions a bill to protect dune areas with potentially culturally sensitive sites from sand mining other than for on-site construction. Maui News.

At 100 days: Hospital transition has some hiccups. Island physicians give mixed reviews for Maui Health System’s first three months. Maui News.

Piilani Highway’s closure over three weeks next summer for bridge repairs is not sitting well with East Maui residents who rely on the road to get to medical appointments and do grocery shopping in Central Maui. Maui News.

The Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, which has been closed since May 2014 due to issues with environmental controls in the building, will be reopening Tuesday, just in time for National Wildlife Refuge Week. Maui News.

Kauai

Film to be made on Kauai gets funding. Kauai-made film will feature local actors. Garden Island.

The Lihue Business Association’s 11th annual meeting is set for Oct. 26 at Duke’s Canoe Club in Kalapaki, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Hawaii Gov. David Ige will be the keynote speaker. Garden Island.

KCC program offers healthcare skills. Community Health Workers program helps students, island. Garden Island.

Molokai

Study: Overfishing has less impact on Molokai. Maui News.

Hawaii agriculture at issue, lawmakers attend mainland biotech ag conference, Ethics Commission gets complaint against OHA member, Obama honored with Hanauma Bay bench, Kenoi opens holding company, Kauai council to mull golf course alcohol veto, Maui considers committees, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Planting in Hawaii, Monsanto Facebook advertisement

The state department in charge of managing Hawaii’s agricultural resources has been operating for years with one-third of its staff positions left vacant, prompting House Finance Committee Chairwoman Sylvia Luke to threaten to eliminate the positions altogether. Star-Advertiser.

While members of Hawaii’s House Finance Committee were debating the upcoming budget for the Department of Agriculture during a hearing at the state Capitol on Friday, key lawmakers with oversight over agricultural policy were 4,000 miles away in Baton Rouge, La., at an ag conference sponsored and paid for by major corporations, including biotech giants Dow AgroSciences, Monsanto and Syngenta, which grow seed corn and conduct crop trials in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Your Guide To Tracking The 2017 Hawaii Legislature. The islands’ 25 senators and 51 representatives will back in action before you know it. Keeping up with them is everybody’s business. Civil Beat.

A state Ethics Commission investigation is looking into whether Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee and former state lawmaker Peter Apo conducted his private business out of his taxpayer-funded OHA office. Hawaii News Now.

The Sierra Club of Hawaii says its appeal to Hawaii residents to withdraw funds and close their accounts with First Hawaiian Bank in an act of solidarity with Dakota Access Pipeline protesters has resulted in nearly $1.37 million being divested from Hawaii’s largest bank, whose majority shareholder, BNP Paribas, is backing the pipeline project. Pacific Business News.

Graduates of the University of Phoenix-Hawaii have the highest average salary compared to graduates of other colleges and universities in the Islands, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard. Pacific Business News.

Online publication Education Week ranked Hawaii 25th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in areas such as a student’s chance for success, K-12 achievement, early foundations, adult outcomes, status change and equity. Garden Island.

Oahu

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha on Friday agreed to retire amid a federal investigation of civil rights abuses and corruption. Associated Press.

Is HPD Chief’s Departure Just The Beginning Of An ‘Ugly’ Mess? Chief Louis Kealoha’s retirement package is being worked out and approved in secret before it’s known whether he committed serious wrongdoing. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha has agreed to retire. The announcement came on Friday after the Honolulu Police Commission emerged from an hour-long executive session, the second closed door meeting in a week. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state and Waikiki stakeholders have adopted new guidelines to manage conflict over the increase of commercial beach umbrellas occupying space on Waikiki’s public beaches. Star-Advertiser.

The state’s newest homeless shelter opened its doors Sept. 28 with the intent to transition its clients into permanent housing within 90 days. Civil Beat.

With less than three weeks to go, the organizers of this year’s annual head count of Oahu’s homeless population still need about 350 volunteers to avoid last year’s poor coordination. Star-Advertiser.

Obama honored with bench at Hanauma Bay. Star-Advertiser.

Francis Keala, a former Honolulu police chief and community volunteer who served on numerous boards, including the Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate board as an interim trustee when most of its members were removed, died Saturday. He was 86. Star-Advertiser.

A&B to bring property management of 30 Hawaii commercial buildings in-house. Pacific Business News.

Commentary: Mayor Kirk Caldwell was brought into Honolulu Hale by former Mayor Mufi Hannemann and although they are not a team today, they remain linked by a rail project steadily growing more expensive and controversial. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Native Hawaiian astronomer Paul Coleman says the Thirty Meter Telescope would not just help unlock the mysteries of the universe, but also provide him a link to his ancestors. Tribune-Herald.

While defending the Thirty Meter Telescope in Hawaii, project manager Gary Sanders says he also is pursuing permits needed to build in the Canary Islands. Tribune-Herald.

Former Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi has started his own company, Pacific Business News has learned.

The land under the Hawaii Tribune-Herald newspaper building in Hilo and an adjacent property has been acquired for $3.7 million by Giampaolo Boschetti of San Francisco, according to state records. Star-Advertiser.

Local political powerhouse George Yokoyama has been called many things — good and bad — in his 90 years. And now he’s being called a Living Treasure of Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

With Maui County Council members questioning the responsibilities and membership of proposed standing committees, a public hearing has been called for 1:30 p.m. Jan. 16 in Council Chambers in Wailuku. Maui News.

Maui Electric Co. produced 35.4 percent of its power from renewable energy in 2015, up slightly from the previous year but the second highest percentage in the state behind the Big Island’s 48.7 percent, according to the state Energy Office in its annual Hawaii report. Maui News.

There is much discussion about affordable/workforce housing in Maui County. The Department of Housing and Human Concerns is also very concerned and is working on ways to encourage the production of housing and to help families make homeownership a reality. Maui News.

A former Maui police officer who said he felt “disgusted and ashamed” was sentenced Friday to a 60-day jail term for sexually exposing himself to women and a youth in Pukalani parking lots. Maui News.

Kauai

Mayor Bernard Carvalho’s veto of Bill 2635 to allow alcohol sales on Wailua Golf Course via roving concessions is on the agenda for Wednesday’s Kauai County Council meeting. Garden Island.

Kauai businesses that specialize in selling and renting mopeds are gearing up for a new law that went into effect at the start of this year. Garden Island.

Residents and business owners on Kauai have spent thousands of dollars in the past year dealing with rose-ringed parakeets, an invasive bird that’s gained a foothold on the island. Garden Island.

Special report: 7 Hawaii media takes on 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on GMO

Kauai anti-GMO rally, courtesy Katja Jordan King

Biotech companies operating in Hawaii scored a major victory Friday when a federal appeals court threw out ordinances on Kauai, Hawaii island and Maui that banned or restricted the cultivation of genetically modified crops and sought greater regulation over pesticides. Star-Advertiser.

Monsanto, Syngenta and other seed companies that farm in Hawaii won a significant victory after a federal appeals court ruled that counties can’t regulate pesticides or genetically modified crops. Civil Beat.

A federal judge has ruled that three Hawaii counties can't enact their own bans or regulations on genetically modified crops and pesticides, handing a victory to the major agriculture companies that fought the regulations. Associated Press.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday ruled that three Hawaii counties cannot regulate genetically modified crops or pesticides. Pacific Business News.

A partial ban on growing genetically modified crops in Hawaii County will remain invalid following a ruling Friday in the U.S. Court of Appeals. Tribune-Herald.

A federal appeals court has sided with supporters of GMO, or genetically modified organisms, by affirming an earlier district court ruling in their favor. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii counties and cities don’t have the authority to regulate genetically engineered crops and pesticide use, according to a decision handed down Friday from the U.S. Court of Appeals. Garden Island.

Hanabusa returns to Congress, tracking marijuana, pension fund hits record high, 40 of 1,000 schools get AC, surf's up for tourism, EPA investigates Monsanto, stockpiling sugar, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hanabusa sworn in, courtesy photo

On Monday, Colleen Hanabusa was sworn in as a member of the 114th Congress by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Civil Beat.

U.S. House swears in Hanabusa, 2 others. Associated Press.

Colleen Hanabusa is officially a Congresswoman, again. Rep. Hanabusa was sworn in as a member of the 114th Congress by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan Monday evening. KHON2.

Hawaii Hasn’t Been This Short On Congressional Clout In a While. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Education has solicited air-conditioning bids for more than 800 classrooms under the governor’s ambitious goal of cooling 1,000 classrooms by year-end, but only about 40 classrooms so far have been cooled. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is investigating Monsanto, Terminix and Wonder Farm for allegedly violating pesticide laws in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s largest public pension fund — the Employees’ Retirement System — had a healthy 4.5 percent gain in the July-September quarter which boosted its assets to an all-time high of $15 billion. Star-Advertiser.

The state said Monday it expects to sign a contract this week for a marijuana tracking system required before Hawaii’s first dispensaries can open for business. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is trying to bring in more tourists by taking advantage of surfing's elevation to Olympic sport status. Hawaii News Now.

Mark Glick, administrator for the Hawaii State Energy Office, said Monday he is leaving his position to join the University of Hawaii’s renewable-energy research laboratory. Star-Advertiser.

Mark Glick, who has headed the Hawaii Energy Office for half a decade, is leaving his top post next month to take a position at the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, he confirmed to Pacific Business News Monday.

Oahu

Some $330,960 in federal funds will be used to house 35 homeless veterans next year in studio apartments inside a new veterans housing project being built in Kalaeloa. Star-Advertiser.

Railings at other Oahu shopping centers to be inspected after deadly fall. KHON2.

Hawaii

Hawaii County Council members will take to the roads — in a manner of speaking — when the council reallocates $804,512 in lapsed gas tax money that didn’t get spent in the allotted time. West Hawaii Today.

Drivers hoping to have a construction-free Komohana Street will have to wait until next year. Tribune-Herald.

The combatants in the Thirty Meter Telescope dispute are not only skirmishing at a state hearing in Hilo, but crossing swords at the state Supreme Court. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Telcom said Monday it has expanded the availability of its 1-gigabit-per-second high-speed internet service to homes in the Big Island’s Puu Lani Ranch subdivision and the surrounding Puuanahulu area using "fiber-to-the-premise" (FTTP) technology. Pacific Business News.

NASA’s BASALT research crew is on Hawaii Island, conducting a simulated Mars mission at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Big Island Video News.

USA Today names Chirashi Sushi Don by Jiro best restaurant in Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

With the demise of sugar, food makers that use only Hawaii ingredients are buying and stockpiling tons of sugar. Hawaii News Now.

In a great big basin of thick, goopy molasses, a set of wheels slowly rotates, sinking into the pool of shiny liquid and emerging with a viscous, dark brown coating that slides off and flaps in the wind before dripping back into the basin. Maui News.

Kauai

A new monitoring system at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is now active and listening for Kauai’s creatures of the night. Garden Island.

North Shore Shuttle pau. Service could return if funding is found. Garden Island.

Racial bias claimed in civil rights complaint over pesticides, attorneys say Kenoi had more important things to do than repay pCard, Kim builds Cabinet, congressional delegation vows to help fishermen, Maui mayor signs emergency proclamation for flood relief, Kauai seeks transportation money, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Spraying pesticides in Hilo waterway, 2015 file photo

A complaint filed Wednesday charges the state Department of Agriculture and the state Agribusiness Development Corp. with discrimination by allowing pesticides to drift into neighborhoods that are largely Native Hawaiian. Star-Advertiser.

Two Hawaii community groups have filed a civil-rights complaint against the state Department of Agriculture and Agribusiness Development Corporation for not doing enough to protect Native Hawaiians from pesticides sprayed on fields near schools, hospitals and homes. Civil Beat.

Environmental lawyers are asking federal agencies to investigate pesticide dust drifting into Native Hawaiian communities in West Kauai and Molokai. Earthjustice said Wednesday it filed a complaint with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Associated Press.

A Civil Rights violation complaint has been filed against Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Agribusiness Development Corporation on Wednesday for leasing land near Native Hawaiian communities to heavy pesticide users. Garden Island.

State and federal agencies supporting agriculture partnered with vegetable seed developer Monsanto on Wednesday to encourage small Hawaii farmers to produce more local produce. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard each said Wednesday that they were “disturbed” by the conditions that Hawaii’s longline fishing fleet is subjecting its predominantly foreign workforce. Civil Beat.

Members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation said Wednesday that they are looking at ways to improve the safety and working conditions of hundreds of foreign workers that crew Hawaii fishing vessels following an Associated Press investigation that found instances of human trafficking, wages as low as 70 cents per hour and unsanitary boat conditions. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s three-person congressional delegation expressed outrage on Wednesday following an Associated Press report on alleged labor abuses and human rights violations endured by crew members on some Hawaii fishing fleets. Pacific Business News.

Fishing industry pushes back following questions about labor practices. Hawaii News Now.

The Military Tries To Sell Itself As Positive Environmental Force. The U.S. Army, Navy and Marines made a pitch to conservationists from around the world that they share the same goals. Not everyone is buying it. Civil Beat.

Speaking of his own experience after his son Beau’s death, Vice President Joe Biden consoled the family of the late Rep. Mark Takai on Wednesday, telling them to “hang on to each other” to make it through the rough days. Associated Press.

Oahu

A $4.2 million settlement has been reached in a medical malpractice lawsuit by the family of a 32-year-old Nanakuli man who went to the emergency room with a sore throat and died. Star-Advertiser.

Heavy rains prompted the state Department of Health to issue a brown water advisory for Oahu. Associated Press.

Every year, tens of thousands of Hawaii schoolchildren get a free flu shot at their school. But this year, many of them may end up going to a doctor's office for the vaccination instead. The shots usually happen in the fall, but have been delayed until January because of the Hepatitis A outbreak on Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Attorneys defending Mayor Billy Kenoi on theft and other charges said in a legal document “the big picture, big thinking mayor had bigger things to do than think about monthly reimbursements” of personal charges made with his county-issued credit card. Tribune-Herald.

Mayor-elect Harry Kim is bringing back some old hands and adding new blood to county government as he puts his Cabinet together. West Hawaii Today.

The Umauma Bridge rehabilitation project is now scheduled to finish in March — about a year later than initially expected. Tribune-Herald.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is calling for an “immediate review” of the care that the Department of Veterans Affairs provided to a 68-year-old Vietnam combat veteran who died of lung cancer Saturday on Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

It was teamwork that led Jason Foxworthy to being honored as the Officer of the Year. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Mayor Alan Arakawa signed an emergency proclamation today following torrential flooding through ʻĪao Valley that knocked out a waterline, flooded several homes with mud and debris and destroyed a significant portion of the County’s Kepaniwai Park parking lot area. Maui Now.

The Mayor's Office has rescheduled an East Maui fiscal 2018 budget meeting from Tuesday evening to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 4 at Helene Hall in Hana, according to an announcement. Maui News.

The Maui Planning Commission supported two council-proposed bills Tuesday, one designed to strengthen enforcement on illegal short-term rentals, and another aimed at deterring buyers from turning affordable homes into short-term rentals. Maui News.

Maui County Council hopefuls Alika Atay and Dain Kane distinguished themselves as "very different" candidates Monday night, as they tackled multiple issues during a public forum in their home district. Maui News.

Kauai

From taxing car rental companies and charging port fees on cruise ships to simply making cuts in the budget, Kauai County councilmembers bounced ideas off each other in an effort to get the projects off the ground. Garden Island.

It will definitely be darker on Pacific Missile Range Facility beginning tonight as the base begins its “Dark Skies” program. PMRF will be turning off all non-essential lighting on the base and modifying night time operations to help protect rare Hawaiian seabirds and prevent “shearwater fallout.” Garden Island.

National Park fees increase, Hawaii GOP convention exposes schism over Trump, Honolulu charter amendment could erase neighborhood boards, state and federal lawmakers fight homelessness, Kauai's Rapozo seeks 7th term, unemployment rate drops, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park lava glow © 2016 All Hawaii News

Beginning June 1, daily entrance fees at all national parks in Hawaii, including Haleakala National Park and Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, will increase. Star-Advertiser.

Flush with an extra $3 million it never requested to address island homelessness, Gov. David Ige’s administration is being pressured to better coordinate the state’s homeless efforts as impatient legislators await progress. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Senate has approved an appropriations bill that includes “additional money for homelessness and affordable housing programs which will help Hawaii, Sen. Brian Schatz said in a statement Friday. Civil Beat.

Officials say a staff shortage in the state’s Child Welfare Services agency has resulted in social workers juggling twice as many as cases of child abuse and neglect as they should. Associated Press.

A large banner reading “Defeat Hillary, Vote Trump!” expressed the sentiments of many of the several hundred people who attended Hawaii’s Republican state convention Saturday at the Filipino Community Center’s Casamina Flores Ballroom in Waipahu. But not every local Republican backs the New York businessman-turned-politician, and that led to turmoil when state Rep. Beth Fukumoto Chang took the stage. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers were reluctant again this year to strengthen the state ethics code or to tighten the rules lobbyists must follow. The Hawaii State Ethics Commission tracked more than 16 bills related to ethics and lobbying this past legislative session, which ended May 5. Each and every one died, many without so much as a public hearing. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.2 percent, seasonally adjusted, in April, from 3.8 percent during the same month last year, as the state’s labor force grew to nearly 690,000, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Pacific Business News.

The most ethnically diverse state in the country, Hawaii also has the highest proportion of non-English speakers. Tribune-Herald.

President Barack Obama on Friday joined the chorus of public officials honoring Hawaii Congressman Mark Takai, who announced Thursday he will not seek re-election but instead focus on his battle with cancer. Civil Beat.

The national retail chain Sports Authority has thanked all its loyalty members and said that “it is with great sadness” that it’s closing the program on Wednesday, May 25. KHON2.

Oahu

The Honolulu Charter Commission might ask Oahu voters to consider eliminating neighborhood boards, using the money saved to fund other means of increasing civic participation. Star-Advertiser.

About a month after the Attorney General's office's charities division opened a civil investigation into questionable spending by the Bishop Museum's former CEO, Hawaii  News Now has learned that the AG's office has launched a separate criminal probe. Multiple sources tell us that the museum is cooperating with the criminal investigation and has handed over a number of documents relating to its former president Blair Collis' use of his museum credit card.

Even though the city and state have been teaming up to clear out the persistent Kakaako homeless encampment, one member of the board that oversees the waterfront parks says the population is growing to dangerous levels. Star-Advertiser.

Two lesbians who were arrested by a Honolulu police officer after he saw them hugging and kissing in a North Shore grocery store were recently awarded $80,000 to resolve a lawsuit they filed last October. Civil Beat.

Plans to redevelop a key section of Haleiwa town won approval from the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee on Thursday, despite opposition from the North Shore Outdoor Circle and others worried it might harm an adjacent Hawaiian fishpond. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The telescopes atop Mauna Kea help support a local science and technology industry. But could they also attract more manufacturing jobs? A feasibility study by Hawaii’s High Technology Development Corporation will try to find out. Tribune-Herald.

Not all Native Hawaiians oppose construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea, a group of community leaders said Friday. The group has formed the nonprofit Perpetuating Unique Educational Opportunities Inc. — known by its acronym PUEO, for the endemic owl of Hawaiian myth and legend — and has filed a motion to intervene in the contested case currently underway. West Hawaii Today.

Kalani Flores, an appellant in the Thirty Meter Telescope court case, made his case in opposition to new rules that will regulate cultural practices on Mauna Kea. Big Island Video News.

For several years, a small office in the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism has been pursuing a spaceport certification for Kona International Airport, which would make it one of the few hubs for proposed commercial flights into suborbit. Tribune-Herald.

Two firefighters who claim they were stripped of their badges by Fire Chief Darren Rosario for publicly criticizing him are suing the chief and the county. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Island farmers in line for permits to begin experimental industrial hemp production say the crop could be a major boon for agriculture. West Hawaii Today.

Sayonara, Japanese? Despite dramatic decrease of speakers in Hawaii, some vow to keep it alive. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Hawaii’s attorney general has asked a federal appeals court to lift or modify an injunction halting the transfer of three state-owned hospitals in Maui County to private control under Kaiser Permanente, saying the time frame does not allow the state to reverse course and run the facilities as public hospitals. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii's attorney general is asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to lift or change an order issued Tuesday that suspended work to transfer Maui County's three public hospitals from the state to Maui Health Systems, a subsidiary of Kaiser Foundation Hospitals. Maui News.

The Maui County Council passed the fiscal year 2017 budget on first reading Friday, with changes that included eliminating biodiesel fuel taxes and reappropriating housing funds originally targeted for photovoltaic systems. Maui News.

Hawaiian Homes broke ground to celebrate the beginning of construction for the first phase of the Keokea-Waiohuli subdivision in Kula on Thursday. The subdivision will be the future home for 46 Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries and their families. Hawaii News Now.

"The Last Harvest" is a series chronicling the various aspects of Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co.'s final harvest as it shuts down at the end of the year after a 145-year run. The shutdown of HC&S represents the end of sugar in Hawaii. The installments will run periodically throughout the year. Maui News.

Kauai

Keeping the administration in check, maintaining the budget and fighting for the safety of hard-working families is what Mel Rapozo wants do to if elected to a new term on the Kauai County Council. Garden Island.

Over the decades, Mother Nature has been pretty tenacious about breaking down the three bridges that cross Wainiha Stream on Kuhio Highway. Once again, there’s talk about replacing them. Garden Island.

Construction of a beachfront timeshare slated to be built on the Eastside is expected to begin in the fall.Coconut Beach Resort, owned by Symmetry Property Development and SPD II Makaiwa Development Resort Development LLC, will begin construction of its 330-unit resort in the Coconut Plantation Resort Area in Kapaa in September. Garden Island.

Dozens of people waved signs along Kuhio Highway in Kapaa Saturday, supporting organic farming and condemning genetically engineered food. The rally was part of the global March Against Monsanto event. Garden Island.