Hawaii to send minimal voter list to Trump commission, rat lungworm hits Oahu, Kaui rodenticide drop to go forward, experts downplay North Korea threat, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ala Wai boat harbor © 2017 All Hawaii News

The memory of the state’s failed public-private partnership at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor was still fresh enough to elicit strong opposition Tuesday in Waikiki to any attempt at a new partnership. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s county election officials will send President Donald Trump’s election advisory commission their public voting lists by the end of this week. West Hawaii Today.

Isle expert dismisses ‘barking’ by N. Korea, U.S. The ongoing frenzy spread fears in Guam and rekindled an ongoing discussion over whether Hawaii needs missile interceptors in the state to better protect against a growing North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile threat. Star-Advertiser.

Hot Talk Between Trump, North Korea Could Put Hawaii On The Front Line. How might growing tensions affect Hawaii? In addition to risks of missile attacks, local military bases would likely serve as staging areas in a conflict. Civil Beat.

Why Hawaii Won’t Join Battle Against Trump’s ‘Sanctuary City’ Crackdown. While Hawaii has led the legal charge against the administration’s travel ban, Gov. David Ige is not supporting the sanctuary movement. Civil Beat.

Hanabusa Rethinking Pro-Israel Bill After Taking Heat At Town Halls. Vocal opponents of the Israel Anti-Boycott Bill say it threatens free speech and is being pushed by an influential pro-Israel lobbying group. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian royalty descendant and Campbell Estate heiress Abigail Kawananakoa’s recent medical problems are triggering a legal battle over her $200 million trust, and some say that's placing her charitable and social causes for Native Hawaiians in jeopardy. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii is getting $90,000 in federal funding to help bring back the Native Hawaiian language. KITV.

Oahu

Medicinal marijuana users thrill to ‘historic day’ on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

A medical cannabis dispensary is now open on Oahu. KHON2.

A bill that would require older residential high-rise towers to be retrofitted with sprinkler systems received the first of three necessary approvals Wednesday from the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

City lawmakers are taking action to update Honolulu's fire code in light of a devastating and deadly high-rise fire last month. Hawaii News Now.

An adult is hospitalized with rat lungworm disease on Oahu, the first case of the disease reported on the island since 2010, the Health Department announced today. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Department of Health announced Wednesday that a case of rat lungworm disease was confirmed on Oahu for the first time since 2010, bringing the year-to-date total of the parasitic infection statewide to 16. Civil Beat.

Rat lungworm disease may affect Hawaii farmers following Oahu confirmed case. Pacific Business News.

The state Department of Health has confirmed its first rat lungworm disease case on Oahu in 2017. KITV.

Resolution to remove controversial sidewalk extensions passes city council. The Honolulu City Council unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday that would remove eight of the bulbouts on Pauahi Street, between Mauna Kea and Smith Street. Hawaii News Now.

Some cemeteries on Oahu are running out of space, but the Honolulu City Council took action Wednesday that may provide some relief. Civil Beat.

The Hale Mahana Collegiate Apartments, the first new-construction student housing project in Honolulu, is rising from a site at the corner of South King Street and University Avenue, just down the street from the University of Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

Cardax Inc. is going national with its new anti-inflammatory dietary supplement ZanthoSyn. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Higher fuel taxes that began this month are expected to generate an additional $4.6 million for the rest of the fiscal year, according to a report from the Hawaii County Department of Public Works. Tribune-Herald.

The beloved blond zebra at Kailua-Kona’s Three Ring Ranch Animal Sanctuary died peacefully at the age of 19 early Sunday morning from old age, officials confirmed Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Ground Transport Inc., the state’s new school bus contractor on Maui, says it’s slowly making progress in hiring bus drivers on the island, but hundreds of Maui students still will need to find alternative rides to school for at least a few more weeks. Star-Advertiser.

Facing a shortage of school bus drivers on Maui, state education officials say the company that operates many of the island’s routes is working on a fix: bringing drivers in from Oahu. Civil Beat.

A Maui lawmaker is weighing in and asking the governor to step in and solve a school bus service shortage on neighbor islands. KHON2.

Pointing out that the disputed liquor rules had already been reversed, a judge ruled in favor of the county Liquor Control Department and Liquor Control Commission on Tuesday in a lawsuit that challenged the transparency of the rule changes. Maui News.

Hawaii’s first medical marijuana dispensary opened for business on Maui yesterday. The dispensary is one of two licensed to serve patients in Maui County. But what about patients living on Molokai and Lanai? Hawaii Public Radio.

Seventeen years from law to dispensaries. Maui News.

Patients rejoiced with smiles and shouts Tuesday after making the first legal purchases of medical cannabis at a licensed dispensary in the state at Maui Grown Therapies in Kahului. Maui News.

Maui Land & Pineapple Co. earned a $6.5 million profit in the second quarter on the value of land improvements tied to some real estate the company sold to a developer nearly a decade ago. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

The Department of Land and Natural Resources says it’s moving forward with the plan to drop more than 10 tons of rodenticide on Lehua Island, as soon as permits are approved. Garden Island.


County Council approves tax break for long-term affordable housing. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council and administration plan to be in sync the next time money to fund the Climate Action Plan is made available. Garden Island.

To help maintain its idyllic setting, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources plans to renew its request for permanent on-site staff at Kalalau Valley within the 6,175-acre Napali Coast park to help deter illegal camping and reduce heaps of rubbish left behind. Star-Advertiser.

Work on a $1.1 million repair project to the Kapaia Tunnel will start in September, said David Hinazumi, vice president of the Grove Farm Company. Garden Island.

Officials, residents worry over North Korea threat, first marijuana dispensary opens, gag order rescinded in foster care death, endangered monk seal pup to be moved, Honolulu homeless sweeps continue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

North Korea missile test, photo released by government

As the heated rhetoric between President Donald Trump and North Korea reaches a boiling point, the chances of Hawaii, with its large military bases, being pulled into the conflict are increasing as well. Civil Beat.


Two members of Hawaii’s congressional delegation expressed faith in the head of U.S. Pacific Command and the U.S. military Tuesday and called for diplomacy as North Korea threatened a missile strike on Guam. Star-Advertiser.


In a live interview with Hawaii News Now Tuesday, U.S. Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa said she believes the threat from North Korea to Hawaii is minimal. Hawaii News Now.


Concern from former residents of Guam about what the threat from North Korea could mean for their family still living there. KITV.

Hawaii bankruptcy filings remained at historically low levels last month as they fell 8.3 percent to the smallest July total in 10 years. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Inc. said Monday that it will introduce service to Tahiti, providing twice a month arrivals from the U.S. Mainland and Honolulu to French Polynesia. Pacific Business News.


Oahu

The City Council is expected to vote Wednesday on making it easier for the Honolulu Board of Water Supply to transfer the Haiku Stairs to another government agency — a key step if the popular but legally off-limits trail atop the Koolaus is to be saved. Civil Beat.

A bill that would create a new, low-cost spaying and neutering option for feral or community cats is scheduled for a final vote by the Honolulu City Council today. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu’s Neuter Now program helps pet owners sterilize their cats and dogs at reduced rates and costs taxpayers $500,000 annually. Now some members of the Honolulu City Council want a portion of that money to fund the effort to sterilize Oahu’s feral cat population. Civil Beat.

Government officials have decided to relocate an endangered Hawaiian monk seal pup from a popular beach in Waikiki to a remote, undisclosed shoreline on Oahu amid safety concerns for the animal and the public. Civil Beat.

Kaimana, the Hawaiian monk seal pup officially known as PO3, will be moved to a “remote, undisclosed shoreline area” so she can grow up wild and with less human interaction than she’s having in Waikiki, state officials announced today. Star-Advertiser.

Kaimana, the monk seal to be relocated to remote Oahu beach. KITV.

A Hawaii marine park's purchase of Kina, a 40-year-old false killer whale long used in echolocation research, has reignited a debate about captive marine mammals and the places that care for them. Associated Press.

At the Waikiki Neighborhood Board Meeting Tuesday night, community members voiced concerns over the future of the state's largest boat harbor. Hawaii's Land and Natural Resource's Division of Boating and Ocean Resources is looking at ways to redevelop the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor and generate additional revenue. Hawaii News Now.

A North Shore preservation group initiated state hearings this week to force the developer of a 25-megawatt wind facility to improve its habitat conservation plan for the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat. Star-Advertiser.

A special city clean-up crew Tuesday began dismantling dozens of homeless encampments on Navy land fronting Blaisdell Park from Hawaiian Electric Co.’s Waiau power plant to Waimalu Stream. Star-Advertiser.

The City began clearing homeless encampments along the Pearl Harbor Bike Trail today fronting Neal Blaisdell Park. Hawaii Public Radio.

City says Topgolf interested in possible partnership at Ala Wai Golf Course. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

A family court judge has rescinded a gag order in the case involving 3-year-old Fabian Garett-Garcia, who died while in foster care last month. West Hawaii Today.

Several Hawaii Island lawmakers are opposed to having neighbor island taxpayers shoulder some of the burden for Honolulu’s cash-strapped rail system. Others are taking a wait-and-see approach. West Hawaii Today.

A Hu Honua Bioenergy official says construction of its biomass power plant near Pepeekeo is moving “full speed ahead” and is on track to be complete in December 2018. Tribune-Herald.

Hilo is on pace to have one of its drier years on record, and July’s rainfall totals brought little if any relief to drought-affected areas of the Big Island, according to the National Weather Service in Honolulu. Tribune-Herald.

Efforts to maintain and restore the Kawaihae watershed will get a funding boost from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Big Island Video News.

Hilo Hattie is returning to the Big Island of Hawaii next month with a new store in Kailua-Kona. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Hawaii history was made today with the first legal sale of marijuana, nearly two decades after the state approved the use of pot for medical purposes. Star-Advertiser.

First Hawaii Dispensary Approved For Medical Marijuana Sales. Maui Grown Therapies gets the green light from the state Department of Health. Civil Beat.

Dispensary sales of medical marijuana in Hawaii are beginning after patients waited 17 years for a legal way to purchase the drug. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s first medical cannabis dispensary has received the green light from the state Department of Health to begin selling products to registered patients, 17 years after its legalization. Pacific Business News.

Maui Wellness Group, LLC dba Maui Grown Therapies is the first licensed medical cannabis dispensary in the state to receive the green light from the Hawai‘i Department of Health to begin selling medical cannabis to registered patients and their caregivers. Maui Now.

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Maui Judge Rhonda Loo today ruled against plaintiffs in a lawsuit that challenged the handling of rule changes made by the Liquor Control Commission. Maui Now.

Parents with children attending Lahainaluna High School on Monday called the suspended school bus service “messed up” and wondered how long it would last. Maui News.

Maui police responded to 77 burglaries, 87 vehicle thefts and 140 vehicle break-ins in Maui County for the month of July. Two of the burglaries happened on Lānaʻi and one of the vehicle thefts and break-ins occurred on Molokaʻi. Maui Now.

Kauai

Shorelines change on Kauai throughout the year as currents and other factors move the sand around, raise tides and cause occasional flooding. But these routine changes in the environment are getting turbocharged, according to scientists. Garden Island.

Governor Ige attends NTBG fundraiser. Gov. Ige attends Moonlight & Music at McBryde Garden. Garden Island.

The Kapaa Public Library is temporarily closed until further notice, due to the unexpected death of one of its staff members. Garden Island.

Hawaii preps for North Korea missile, more Honolulu homeless sweeps planned, Land Use Commission rejects Maui development, rules mulled after condo fire, Tropical Storm Fernanada no longer threat, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile, U.S. Air Force

The state of Hawaii is rolling out a preparedness plan in the unlikely event that North Korea launches an intercontinental ballistic missile at the Aloha State. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is kicking off an educational campaign aimed at helping residents and visitors figure out what to do if the state is the target of a nuclear missile attack from North Korea. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Plan Prepped for N Korea Missile Threat. Maui Now.

Hawaii is beginning an education campaign to prepare islanders for what to do in the event of a North Korean missile attack. CNBC.

In the wake of North Korea's ongoing nuclear tests, Hawaii will begin rolling out an educational campaign on Friday hoping to teach residents and visitors what to do should a missile launch from the reclusive country reaches the island’s shores. NBC.

The Trump administration will ban American citizens from traveling to North Korea, U.S. officials said Friday. Associated Press.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz has nearly twice the amount of campaign cash as his colleague from Hawaii, Sen. Mazie Hirono. And yet, Schatz’s name won’t be on the ballot again until 2022, while Hirono’s first six-year term is up next year. Civil Beat.

Hawaii consistently ranks among the healthiest states, but a federal survey found Native Hawaiians are in unusually bad health. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped in June to 2.7 percent, from 3.1 percent during the same month a year ago, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said Thursday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii employers added 1,200 jobs in June, but the unemployment rate remained stuck at 2.7 percent for the fourth month in a row, according to data released Thursday by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Star-Advertiser.

A summer of resistance is the overarching theme to protest the Trump and Pence Administration in Hawaii. Hawaii Public Radio.

Tropical Storm Fernanda is slowly weakening as it moves further west, but it will still have some weather impacts to the Hawaiian islands over the weekend. Hawaii News Now.

Billy Beane, the Oakland A’s executive who was the inspiration behind the best-selling book and Oscar-­nominated film “Moneyball,” will give the opening-day keynote at the 2017 Global Tourism Summit. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii tourism officials have tapped Billy Beane, whose statistical methodology inspired the best-selling book and Oscar-nominated film "Moneyball," to deliver the opening keynote address at the 2017 Global Tourism Summit in September. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The state Department of Transportation will use $4 million in funding to bolster homeless sweeps — using sheriff’s deputies as early as Monday in a new approach to keeping encampments dismantled as it begins clearing parts of Nimitz Highway and the H-1 freeway. Star-Advertiser.

An agreement reached with the Navy will allow the city to enforce its sidewalk laws — and thus clear the homeless — along the scenic Pearl Harbor bike path from Aiea to Pearl City, starting the second week of August. Star-Advertiser.

After years of complaints, the massive homeless encampment that spans the Pearl Harbor Bike Path will soon be torn down. Hawaii News Now.

A Honolulu City Council committee will consider a resolution Tuesday asking the state Board of Land and Natural Resources to ban alcohol and disorderly behavior at holiday “floatillas” off Waikiki Beach, as the state has done for similar events on the Kaneohe Bay sandbar. Civil Beat.

A Honolulu city councilwoman is concerned about the the cost of added regulations in the wake of the deadly Marco Polo fire. Hawaii News Now.

The panic, stress, and heroism on the day of Honolulu’s biggest fire in decades is revealed in hours of Marco Polo fire incident logs Always Investigating has obtained. KHON2.

Location is key. A pool is a plus, as are views and new appliances. But whether a condominium has a fire sprinkler system suddenly has become a top-of-mind issue in Honolulu’s real estate market. Star-Advertiser.

Insurance May Not Be Enough For Some Marco Polo Condo Owners. Civil Beat.

Clean up still underway at the Marco Polo high rise following Friday's fire. Island Insurance companies shedding light on its claims Thursday. KITV.

A state judge has dismissed felony marijuana possession charges against a former Waiawa Correctional Facility prison guard and her husband because the prosecutor took too long to take the case to trial. Star-Advertiser.

Some summer session students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa have been living in a dorm without hot water for two weeks. KHON2.

Sears Holding Corp. is closing its last Kmart store on Oahu, which will leave the retailer with just two Kmart locations in Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents on Thursday approved UH-Hilo Chancellor Don Straney’s reassignment to a new position within UH leadership. Tribune-Herald.

A Marine officer was critically wounded after being shot during night live-fire training this month at Pohakuloa Training Area, officials said. Tribune-Herald.

An ambulance was brazenly stolen from the emergency room entrance of Hilo Medical Center on Thursday afternoon. Tribune-Herald.

The search for Peter Boy: A 20-year murder mystery, a family that never gave up. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

State Land Use Commission members rejected by a 6-0 vote Thursday a final environmental impact statement for the Piilani Promenade project, but the panel’s action didn’t necessarily put an end to the development proposed for 75 acres in north Kihei. Maui News.

Iao Valley State Monument, which has been closed since September due to record flooding in the valley, will remain off limits to the public a bit longer, until early August, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said Wednesday afternoon. Maui News.

The public is advised of a water quality exceedance of enterococci at Honolua Bay, Maui. Maui Now.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has approved new lease agreements to build two outpatient clinics in Hawaii, on Maui and Kauai. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Education and conservation are priorities for those who study Kauai’s coral reefs, and they’re hoping a recent $715,000 federal grant awarded to the state will amp up both. Garden Island.

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) announced Monday that Hawaii will receive over $2 million in funding from the Federal Aviation Administration to enhance airport operations and runway safety at the Lihue, Kahului and Molokai airports. As part of the grant funding, Lihue Airport will receive $1,057,500. Garden Island.

On Thursday afternoon, Edward Myers, Anthony Chavez Jr., Kinsey Gregory, Kevin Kamakahi, Alexander Lacson Jr. and David Phillips, from the 88th Police Recruit Class, were sworn in as the newest officers of the Kauai Police Department. Garden Island.

Taking out the trash in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, state House, citing Korea threat, seeks fallout shelter plans, Honolulu airport spending probed, Maui water woes, Kauai police cams protect officers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Monk seal on fish nets, courtesy NOAA

100,000 Pounds Of Debris Hauled Out Of Papahanaumokuakea. The marine junk from the reefs and shores of Midway and Kure atolls was brought to Honolulu, where it will be incinerated. Civil Beat.

Agencies join to ship 50 tons of trash from atolls. The charter vessel Kahana arrived here last week carrying 12 shipping containers filled with derelict fishing gear, old nets, faded plastics and lots of other junk. Star-Advertiser.

NOAA

Derelict Fishing Gear in the Pacific Northwest. NOAA blog.

Approximately 100,000 pounds of marine debris was removed from sites within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Maui Now.

Hawaii lawmakers want state officials to update plans for coping with a nuclear attack as North Korea develops nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that can reach the islands. The state House public safety committee unanimously passed a resolution Thursday. Associated Press.

State lawmakers introduced a resolution this week urging the state Department of Defense to update disaster preparation plans for Hawaii in the event of a nuclear attack amid escalating political tensions between the United States and North Korea. Star-Advertiser.

Tensions are firing up with North Korea, and the situation is especially concerning for Hawaii given how close we are to the country. KHON2.

Rep. Matthew LoPresti says a revisiting of Hawaii’s disaster resilience plan has been a long time coming and is particularly crucial now in light of escalating threats of a North Korean nuclear attack on the state — or at least the escalating perception of such threats. West Hawaii Today.

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The chairwoman of a key committee involved in confirming Gov. David Ige’s controversial nominee for the state’s Public Utilities Commission indicated she will allow the governor’s choice to move ahead. Star-Advertiser.

Why Tom Gorak’s Appointment To The PUC May Be In Trouble. As the legislative session nears its end, a committee hearing has not been scheduled on the nomination. Civil Beat.

A pair of bills that would’ve changed Hawaii law in response to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s “quiet title” actions filed against owners of small pieces of land, or kuleana lands, have been shelved. Pacific Business News.

Eight Hawaii hospitals received a top grade of "A" in the latest national hospital safety report from The Leapfrog Group. Pacific Business News.

More Hawaii public school students are expected to secure internships and apprenticeships during and after high school under a new initiative to better prepare graduates for high-demand jobs and expose them to potential careers. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A consultant tasked with overseeing construction on a long-stalled $90 million maintenance and cargo project at Honolulu airport was later granted a $2.4 million contract extension by the state, and some lawmakers want to know why. Star-Advertiser.

The state will continue community meetings next week to discuss the future of the Oahu Community Correctional Center. KITV.

NRG Energy, the Houston-based company that took over bankrupt SunEdison’s renewable energy projects in Hawaii, plans to start construction on these three projects next year, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Council talks trash: West Hawaii landfill expected to last 150 years. West Hawaii Today.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo is employing drones to track the impact of rising sea levels on Hawaii Island shores. Tribune-Herald.

Will Popular Big Island Trail Someday Get Toilets? Big Island activists have for years unsuccessfully prodded officials to install toilets on the ancient Kaawaloa trail to the Captain Cook Monument. Civil Beat.

A massive “tree” is taking root on Kawailani Street in Hilo as a large cellular tower put in place earlier this year is covered with fake green branches. Tribune-Herald.

Report paves way for Peter Boy lawsuit: Probe finds state failed to follow its own rules. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Numbers Behind the Upcountry Water Shortage. Maui Now.

Upcountry water users are using slightly less water several days after the county Department of Water Supply issued a directive calling for voluntary conservation due to recent low rainfall in a watershed. Maui News.

As required by the State Department of Health, the Department of Water Supply is informing the public of the continued use of Wākiu Well C, the new water source for the Wākiu area, Hāna School, Hāna Medical Center, Waiʻānapanapa area, and ʻUakea Road. Maui Now.

The Maui County Liquor Control Commission has tentatively scheduled a special meeting for May 9 to hear public testimony on new liquor rules that allow the retail sale of alcohol 24/7. Maui News.

Charge for threat on mayor dismissed. This is the second time count dropped against Wailuku man. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai police use body cam footage to clear officers of misconduct claims. Hawaii News Now.

The young seal removed from Lihi Canal in Kapaa has returned after being relocated to the Westside late last month, and experts aren’t going to move the seal again. Garden Island.

Kamalani Bridge at Lydgate Park will be closed from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday to allow a group of volunteers to spray paint the structure. Spearheading the project is The Friends of Kamalani and Lydgate Park. Garden Island.

Lanai

Despite heavy rain, about 100 people sloshed through the puddles to the community center in this tiny town for a chance to hear U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who has become something of a media celebrity on national TV networks. Civil Beat.

Tent tourism crackdown, Hawaii congressman seeks protection from North Korea threat, Honolulu rail head says audit a 'joke,' no action on Maui mayor ethics complaint, counties beg state leaders for more of hotel tax, endangered monk seals returning to the wild, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii fishing camp © 2016 All Hawaii News

Hawaii lawmakers are taking aim at a burgeoning vacation rental market: online brokers offering up tents to tourists on the islands’ world-class beaches and public parks. The state Senate passed legislation Thursday cracking down on a growing — but sometimes illegal — trend of campsites advertised as vacation rentals on online lodging services such as Airbnb. Associated Press.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen say that chemicals commonly used in sunscreen can weaken sperm. KITV4.

Gov. David Ige has selected retired high school principal Darrel Galera to head a team that will develop a blueprint consistent with a new federal law that gives the state more authority over public education. Star-Advertiser.

A congressman from Hawaii is getting worried by the fact that North Korea has recently tested its fourth nuclear device and launched a satellite. At a House Armed Services’ Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing Thursday in Washington, D.C., Rep. Mark Takai, D-Honolulu, had questions for military leaders when it comes to protecting Hawaii from potential attack. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Attorney General’s Office has submitted 17 claims totaling $10.6 million for state lawmakers to approve before the 2016 legislative session ends May 5. Civil Beat.

Resources have not kept pace with Hawaii’s rapidly aging population when it comes to ensuring the health and safety of residents living in long-term care facilities, according to health officials and state budget documents. But that could change this year. State lawmakers will be deciding in the next couple weeks whether to approve additional funding and positions for the Department of Health. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism released a report Thursday that offers a different look at just how diverse Hawaii is and the importance of English proficiency. The report shows 18 percent of the population is foreign-born, and more than 130 languages are spoken in the islands. Civil Beat.

A seventh annual report on government spending transparency places Hawaii in the middle of the pack. Hawaii received a C, according to Following the Money 2016, subtitled “How the 50 States Rate in Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data.” Civil Beat.

Seven healthy, endangered female Hawaiian monk seals are on Oahu preparing for their journey back to the wild. Within the next week or so, six of the seals will be returned to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Associated Press.

Hawaii hotels charged less during the week of April 3 through April 9, compared to the same week a year ago, according to the weekly report from Hospitality Advisors LLC and STR Inc. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Dan Grabauskas, who heads the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, made a preemptive strike Thursday by criticizing a yet-to-be-released city audit expected to be highly critical of him and his agency’s handling of the $6.6 billion commuter rail project. Civil Beat.

Amid growing uncertainty and upheaval over rail, the transit project’s embattled executive director took the unusual step Thursday of going on the offensive against a critical audit report before its public release Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

HART CEO and Executive Director Dan Grabauskas has blasted a critical city audit of Oahu's $6.5 billion rail project, calling it a "joke," "ridiculous," and "flawed." Hawaii News Now.

Dan Grabauskas, CEO and executive director of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, says a city audit of Honolulu’s rail project is flawed and filled with inaccuracies. KHON2.

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The Marine Corps confirmed Thursday that it has officially concluded the search for wreckage and the 12 Hawaii Marines killed when two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters crashed off Oahu’s North Shore due to unknown reasons Jan. 14. Human remains discovered during search operations led to the positive identification of nine of the 12 Marines, Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Tim Irish said in a release. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii agency has approved a development agreement with a New York developer to build a low-income Honolulu rental project that will include smaller, efficient units such as micro-units. Pacific Business News.

With news reports warning that the solar giant SunEdison could declare bankruptcy as early as this week, the fate of a trio of the company’s stalled solar projects on Oahu remains uncertain. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

A delegation including Mayor Billy Kenoi, County Council Chairman Dru Kanuha and Hilo Councilman Dennis “Fresh” Onishi, who is executive vice president of the Hawaii State Association of Counties, met Thursday with legislative leaders to appeal for a greater share of the transient accommodations tax for the counties. West Hawaii Today.

A bill to increase the speed limit on Saddle Road has cruised past both legislative chambers — but just how much of an increase, and precisely where, is still up in the air. Tribune-Herald.

Rachel Solemsaas is the top candidate to be Hawaii Community College’s next chancellor, the University of Hawaii announced this week. Board of Regents’ Vice President for Community Colleges John F. Morton recommended Solemsaas from a pool of four candidates who flew in last month for interviews and a public open forum. Tribune-Herald.

Island Air is rekindling service to Kona following a four-year hiatus from the Big Island market. Starting June 14, five daily flights between Kona International Airport and Honolulu will offer 320 more seats daily to a market where travelers have complained about high fares and not enough competition. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Board of Ethics will take no action on a letter submitted by a Kihei resident seeking more information from Mayor Alan Arakawa about possible income from his holdings in Arakawa Farms and three Omaopio Road parcels. Maui News.

Rate increases proposed by Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration are "substantial" but may prove necessary to keep up with rising department operating costs, Maui County Council members said Wednesday while reviewing the mayor's proposed fiscal year 2017 budget. Maui News.

Hawaii’s largest public workers union is lobbying lawmakers for severance payments and special retirement bonuses for employees at the state-run Maui and Lanai hospitals that could cost the state $40 million or more if Gov. David Ige’s administration succeeds in privatizing those hospital operations. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Alan Arakawa is asking Maui farmers to "step up" and grow food on Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar's 36,000 acres that could be left barren after the company ends sugar cane operations at the end of the year. Maui News.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources has issued an order directing A&B and subsidiary East Maui Irrigation Company to “commence the environmental review process in support of A&B’s application for a lease of water from the license areas of Honomanu, Keana, Huelo and Nahiku.” Civil Beat.

Four candidates vying for the head of the county Department of Liquor Control are planned to be re-interviewed, "very tentatively," on May 24, by the Liquor Control Commission, an official said Wednesday. Maui News.

Kauai

Women call for ‘Equal Pay Day’ Locals highlight wage inequality during gathering in Lihue. Garden Island.

Lloyd Miyashiro said March through June on Kauai is babysitting season. That’s because he and the 100 other volunteers who keep an eye on Kauai’s monk seal population will be welcoming brand new pups. Garden Island.

Lanai

After Maui County's search for a private developer to build Lanai's affordable housing project turned up empty, Department of Housing and Human Concerns Director Carol Reimann said it's time to "regroup" and find other ways of bringing long-awaited housing to the Pineapple Isle. Maui News.