Watch out for whales, more golf for Obama, bill to regulate midwives, Oahu homeowners fear erosion from ocean, Big Island bag ban nears, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Humpback whale, NOAA courtesy photo

The U.S. Coast Guard is reminding the public to maintain a safe distance from humpback whales that are migrating to the Hawaiian islands. Humpback whale season is generally from November to May, with the peak of the season occurring during January and March. Associated Press.

Federal officials warn to exercise caution when driving vessels during humpback whale season, which lasts until May, as collisions have been increasing in the past several years. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's Congressional Delegation: Letdowns and New Year's Resolutions. For Hawaii's representatives in Congress, there were some big 2013 disappointments. Civil Beat.

How President Barack Obama spent day nine of his holiday vacation in Hawaii on Sunday. Associated Press.

President Barack Obama played nearly five hours of golf Sunday at Marine Corps Base Hawaii as he continued his annual Christmas vacation. Star-Advertiser.

How President Barack Obama spent day eight of his holiday vacation in Hawaii on Saturday. Associated Press.

President Barack Obama and his family spent Saturday afternoon on the North Shore at childhood friend Bobby Titcomb's annual holiday barbecue. The Obamas regularly visit Titcomb's beachside house near Waialua for a barbecue during their Hawaii vacations. Star-Advertiser.

Not far from these wind-swept shores, Barack Obama was born and raised, soaking in an island sensibility his family said he’s carried with him throughout his journey as president. Yet, in the search for a home for his future presidential library, Hawaii is playing the underdog, overshadowed by Chicago and the commanding role it plays in Obama’s story. Associated Press

Governor Taps More Funds for Hawaii's Mentally Ill Prisoners. Earlier this year, Hawaii Department of Public Safety Director Ted Sakai declared that his agency had a crisis on its hands. Civil Beat.

Decrease – not expand – state prisons.The Hawaii Department of Public Safety is seeking proposals for the expansion or redevelopment of its seven prisons statewide. The Community Alliance on Prisons responds. Hawaii Independent.

Planned bill would regulate midwives in isles. The state requires barbers, plumbers, massage therapists, electricians, auto mechanics, pest control operators, dental hygienists, physicians, and a host of other professional and vocational job holders to meet minimum standards before they can get licenses to serve customers. But Hawaii has no such requirements for those who help women give birth at home. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The administration of Mayor Kirk Caldwell reached out last week to top potential buyers of 12 public housing projects should a pending $142 million deal fall through, heightening the anxiety at Honolulu Hale about a tenuous situation that could have serious financial and legal ramifications for the city. The Honolulu Affordable Housing Preservation Initiative is the city's plan to get the city out of the affordable rental management business by offering 12 city housing projects under a 65-year lease. Star-Advertiser.

Landscaping contractor Greg Culver was one of scores of people who came to the aid of friends, family members and neighbors whose beachside properties along Ke Nui Road near Rocky Point were devastated by rapid erosion caused by a powerful westerly swell that arrived on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
Still trying to keep a 2008 campaign promise, Mayor Billy Kenoi has reintroduced his ethics bill to the Hawaii County Council. The changes, aimed at stopping the most blatant appearances of conflicts of interest, forbid employees from contracting with county government or lobbying boards and commissions on behalf of private businesses. West Hawaii Today.

The days of collecting plastic grocery bags are coming to an end. On Jan. 17, all Big Island businesses, including groceries, restaurants and other retailers, will be prohibited from distributing any single-use plastic bag. Tribune-Herald.

Several neighbors of Puna Geothermal Venture might not have to wait much longer to get money for their homes and then some as Hawaii County catches up on the flurry of relocation requests it received during the last two years. The county has 27 pending requests with the geothermal relocation fund, established in 1996 with geothermal royalties to purchase homes of people adversely affected by the power plant. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

During a recent campaign stop on Maui, Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa acknowledged that she's the underdog in her bid to succeed her political mentor, the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye. Maui News.


A marine spill expert says Alexander & Baldwin's new response plan to keep molasses from its Maui sugar operations out of Hawaii’s waters fails to adequately address issues related to pipeline inspections and doesn’t fully consider the environmental consequences of a large-scale discharge. Civil Beat.

Nearly $5.5 million to renovate and repair decades-old hospital facilities at Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital was released by Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Thursday. Maui News.

Kauai

A trio of annual, independent audit reports released last week found that Kauai County officials should do more to address several recurring financial and record keeping deficiencies. Garden Island.

Hawaii trailing in quest for Obama library, new VP, regent for University of Hawaii, Honolulu transit dinged for not accounting for $83.8M in federal funds, coqui frogs winning Big Island battle, TV stations slammed for political coverage, ocean debris spotted off Na Pali coast, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Baby Obama in Waikiki

The competition to host President Barack Obama's presidential library intensified Sunday as the University of Illinois at Chicago announced its official bid and revealed a team of specialists to boost the school's campaign. Obama's birthplace of Hawaii has also expressed interest, but the speculation in Chicago has sparked debates about how to best preserve the 44th president's legacy and his place in the city's history. Associated Press.

Can Politics and Journalism Mix? An odd little detail of state Rep. Bob McDermott's failed lawsuit challenging same-sex marriage in Hawaii is that it involved Joe Moore and Michael W. Perry. Civil Beat.

Joanne Itano has been named the University of Hawaii's interim executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, the second-highest post under the president, at an annual salary of $225,000. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has appointed Honolulu attorney Jeffrey Portnoy to the University of Hawaii Board of Regents. Associated Press.

A new study of Honolulu television news coverage of the 2012 general election finds that local TV stations didn't do a very good job of covering last year's most important political campaigns. In fact, the University of Delaware study concludes, TV news stations let the candidates and campaigns set the agenda for political coverage, failing to explore even the most basic campaign issues unless they were raised at a debate or in a press release first. And then the coverage was only about what the candidates said. Civil Beat.

Coral Andrews, the head of the non-profit quasi-governmental agency in charge of implementing the Affordable Care Act in Hawaii, announced Friday that she will be resigning Dec. 6. Civil Beat.

State roundup for November 25. Associated Press.

Oahu

A recent independent audit done for Honolulu's rail transit project found its finances to be in order with one exception: Rail finance officials failed to properly record $83.8 million in federal funds received for the project. Star-Advertiser.

Manoa Falls, Kawela Bay and other scenic points on Oahu will be starring on big screens around the nation Friday when “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is released in movie theaters. “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” the sequel to “The Hunger Games,” filmed for several weeks on Oahu between Thanksgiving and Christmas last year. Pacific Business News.

Hundreds of people came to a Kahala Avenue mansion to bid on items that once belonged to Genshiro Kawamoto. But many others came Saturday just for a look. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Has the state given up trying to battle the issue of coqui frogs on the Big Island? Depends on whom you ask. Tribune-Herald.

Researchers from the University of Hawaii at Hilo are taking an innovative approach to forestry in an urgent attempt to save low-elevation forests in Hawaii threatened by human activity and invasive non-native flora. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaiian sovereignty advocate who has questioned the legitimacy of land titles in the state was removed from his home last week after ignoring an eviction notice. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council approved zoning changes to accommodate a new shopping center in Pahoa, assuming that it does not open before road improvements are completed. In two 9-0 votes Wednesday, the council approved changing zoning for the 9.93-acre property at 15-2714 Pahoa Village Road from agriculture to village commercial and urban. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

An agreement to sell Maui Mall has been made, according to a news release from A&B Properties Inc. on Friday. Maui News.

The Honolulu-based Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation donated $50,000 to Hospice Maui on Thursday in a ceremony adjacent to the site of a planned residential five-bedroom hospice hale. Maui News.

Kauai

Will Kauai's Mayor Face Fallout After GMO, Pesticide Battles? Civil Beat.

The state's largest private landowner is dipping its toes into a state program that provides incentives for protecting productive farmland for perpetual agricultural use. Kamehameha Schools filed a petition with the state Land Use Commission earlier this month to designate 190 acres on Kauai as "important agricultural land" under laws created by the Legislature in 2005 and 2008 to preserve farmland. Star-Advertiser.

One of the biggest and most important county agencies on Kauai is making it harder for the public to access government records — all in the name of accountability. Civil Beat.

Swath of debris spotted off Na Pali Coast. Garden Island.

Obama library to go to Chicago but Hawaii still hopeful, federal judges hear Honolulu rail case, group sues for past-due church fees, Deedy jury to come back Monday, Kaui to fix historic swinging bridge, Hokulia development to reorganize, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Baby Obama on Hawaii beach courtesy photo

The Hawaii Tourism Authority board of directors was told Thursday that a decision has been made to locate President Barack Obama’s presidential library in Chicago, but Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz said Obama’s hometown of Honolulu is still “very much” in the running to host a presidential library or center. Pacific Business News.

There's still plenty of momentum in Hawaii's visitor industry, just not as much as Hawaii Tourism Authority officials originally thought. HTA, which manages the state government's tourism budget and sets tourism policy, had always expected 2014 would be weaker than the so-far record-setting 2013, and on Thursday the HTA downgraded its expectations further after hearing that the Japa­nese market this year is not performing as strongly as was once anticipated. Star-Advertiser.

Five churches have underpaid the state Department of Education for the use of public school facilities by more than $5.6 million over the past six years, according to a lawsuit unsealed this week in state court. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Mitch Kahle, founder of Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of Church and State, and public advocate Holly Huber. They filed their lawsuit under seal in March to give the state the opportunity to join in. When the state attorney general declined, a state judge ordered the lawsuit unsealed. Star-Advertiser.

Churches are massively shortchanging Hawaii’s public schools on rent and other costs for weekend-use of school facilities, according to a whistleblower lawsuit that was unsealed by the Circuit Court late Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Medical Service Association lost $2.3 million in the second quarter, reversing a $9.4 million profit in the year-earlier period. The state's largest health insurer spent more on medical benefits and administrative expenses for its nearly 720,000 members than it collected in premium revenue in the quarter that ended June 30. The health plan filed its quarterly financial statements Thursday with the state Insurance Division. Star-Advertiser.

An appeal filed in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of a group challenging the state's 2012 reapportionment and redistricting plan as unconstitutional could be decided by the end of the year, an attorney for the plaintiffs says. Star-Advertiser.

The state prison system is increasing requirements for people applying to become corrections officers and already weeded out some sub-standard applicants during its first more difficult application test earlier this month. Hawaii News Now.

State roundup for August 16. Associated Press.

Oahu

Federal judges weighing the appeal against Honolulu's rail project spent most of a pivotal court hearing Thursday questioning whether they even have jurisdiction to make a final ruling on the matter. The judges' heavy focus during oral arguments on their own role in the case — rather than the merits of the lawsuit itself — could signal more challenges ahead for opponents of the $5.26 billion elevated-train proj­ect, attorneys watching the court battle say. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco heard oral arguments from both sides in the federal rail transit lawsuit today. The proceeding was transmitted via live video feed to the Honolulu Federal Courthouse. A Circuit Court jury will return Monday for deliberations in State Department special agent Christopher Deedy's murder trial after the prosecution and defense urged the jurors Thursday to consider the type of law enforcement officer they want in the community. Hawaii Public Radio.

In a nearly hour-long hearing that was streamed live to the U.S. District Courthouse in Honolulu, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco heard arguments Thursday on whether the city adequately studied alternatives to a $5.3 billion heavy rail system. KITV

Opponents and supporters of the rail project made their way out of federal court, where they watched by television the hearing by a three-judge panel in San Francisco. KHON2.

Should a federal agent out for a night on the town with an old college buddy have waded into the middle of a brewing situation between customers at a Waikiki McDonald’s? Once he did, was he obligated as a law enforcement officer to follow through? Civil Beat.

Special-education students who exceed the state's cutoff age for services can continue to receive free public education while challenging that age limit, a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled Wednesday. The opinion stems from a lawsuit filed against the state Department of Education by a special-education student whose state-funded tuition at a private school in Hono­lulu was stopped in 2011 when he turned 20. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The creditor and debtors of the bankrupt Hokulia luxury development have come up with a reorganization plan they say will revive the long-stalled development and ensure the county gets its $20 million to complete the Mamalahoa bypass. West Hawaii Today.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie doesn’t yet have the official version of the proposed West Hawaii Fishery Management rules package, Department of Land and Natural Resources officials said Thursday evening. West Hawaii Today.

The Army is moving forward with plans for a $29 million Infantry Platoon Battle Course at Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii island, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

When other companies were struggling during the recent economic downturn, at least one West Hawaii business saw steady growth. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

After a meeting that spanned two days, most of which was conducted behind closed doors in executive session, Maui County Council's Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee advanced to the full council two proposals regarding how the committee will proceed with its investigation into the possible misuse of public funds to demolish the Old Wailuku Post Office. Maui News.

US Senator Brian Schatz today announced the distribution of $800,000 in federal funds to the County of Maui Department of Transportation for its ADA compliant Bus Stop Shelter and Signage Program. Maui Now.

A minor special management area permit for the Rock & Brews restaurant project in Paia is being challenged in an appeal to the Maui Planning Commission. Maui News.

Kauai

The administration told the Kauai County Council Wednesday that the reconstruction of Kapaia Swinging Bridge will be 10 times cheaper than a $2 million estimate two years ago. County Engineer Larry Dill said the latest preliminary estimate to replace both towers is about $100,000. Garden Island.

The Kauai Planning Commission on Tuesday deferred for two months any action related to a request from Longs Drugs CVS to build a new store on a protected coconut grove in Waipouli. Garden Island.

Mary Pigao, a resident of the Isenberg Tract, urged people to visit the results of a feasibility study on the proposed adolescent treatment center Tuesday. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative and Kauai County are planning to collaborate on energy-saving projects such as a solar photovoltaic system and battery storage on county buildings, as well as pilot programs on time-of-use rates and electric-vehicle initiatives in an effort to reduce the Garden Isle’s fossil fuel consumption and lower the cost of energy, KIUC and the county said Thursday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii wants presidential library, tax collections up 10%, state auditor broke procurement laws, lobbyist laws weak, Oahu crash leads to proposed ban on passengers in pickup beds, Hawaii County council considers staff raises, NASA to test Mars craft on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Obama reflection, courtesy file photo

The underlying question about how to woo the president is a real one for the Hawaii-based team that is pushing for the creation of the Barack Obama Presidential Center on seven acres of prime waterfront real estate in Kakaako. Obama’s political identity is so intensely linked to his adopted city of Chicago that it would be more than a little surprising if the Windy City doesn't get some lasting reminder of his presidency, like a presidential library, but the islands are angling for their piece, as well. Civil Beat.

Lobbyist disclosures in Hawaii may be a misnomer — the records don't disclose much. Hardly any individual lobbyists reported spending even $1 schmoozing Hawaii lawmakers early in the recent legislative session, making it all but impossible for state residents to tell from the filings how special interest groups are affecting state legislators. Associated Press.

The state Department of Taxation says Hawaii general excise tax revenue rose nearly 10 percent during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year. Associated Press.

The state agency tasked with making sure other agencies follow the law when it comes to spending taxpayer money also violated state procurement practices for years, the state's chief procurement officer wrote in a letter to legislative leaders earlier this year. Civil Beat.

A bill pending before Gov. Neil Abercrombie would remove charitable donations from on itemized deductions by higher-income taxpayers, which are scheduled to remain in place until January 2016. The exception for charitable donations would cost the state about $12 million a year, but Abercrombie, who is expected to sign the bill into law, has said the state is in a better financial position than it was two years ago. Star-Advertiser.

It might be a hard sell given that unions like the Hawaiian Government Employees Union will likely use its resources to push their members to support Sen. Brian Schatz. But in response to the HGEA’s endorsement of Schatz today, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who is running for Schatz’s seat, appealed on the rank and file to back her anyway. Civil Beat.

A University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine research group working to prevent chronic disease by advocating healthy behaviors may be forced to shut down half of its social service programs this year when its grant funding expires. The group, known as the Health Behavior Change Research Workgroup, is seeking private funding to prevent the closure of half of its 10 community intervention programs, which address issues including childhood obesity, cancer, oral health and substance abuse. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii scientists analyzing a Martian meteorite have found a chemical necessary for the formation of genetic material. Star-Advertiser.

Friday night, a military jury found former Pacific Command officer Maj. Seivirak Inson guilty of espionage for passing classified intelligence assessments about Cambodia to people who were not entitled to receive them between 2009 and 2012. KITV4.

For the first time, a woman is taking over as commander of Navy Region Northwest. Associated Press.

State roundup for June 17. Associated Press.

Oahu

The question of whether there should be any restrictions on people riding in the back of a pickup truck is on the minds of many people including lawmakers. The fiery crash near Makua cave that involved 16 people piled in a pickup truck continues to raise more questions. Some lawmakers say it is time to ban people from riding in the back of pickup trucks all together. KHON2.

Honolulu City Councilman Ron Menor is proposing a new website where the homeless can post personalized donation requests for food, shelter or clothing. Civil Beat.

Saks Fifth Avenue plans to enter the Hawaii market as the anchor tenant for the planned redevelopment of the International Market Place in Waikiki, developer Taubman Centers Inc. and landowner Queen Emma Land Co. said Friday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Hawaii County Council members will consider giving their staff a 4 percent raise Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

The County Council’s planned acceptance Tuesday of the Kohanaiki coastal park is a landmark event for Kohala Councilwoman Karen Eoff. West Hawaii Today.

A new, $1.2 million, two-story retail center and office building is going up at the intersection of East Kawili and Hinano streets in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Waikoloa Development Co. is seeking a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit to rebuild the Kuualii fishpond rock wall, dredge sand from the pond and restore the beach at Anaehoomalu Bay in South Kohala. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Members of a local tea party group targeted by the IRS asked Congress Thursday to appoint a special prosecutor to determine whether the federal agency used its powers unfairly to target conservative groups. Tea Party Maui was the subject of a 26-month IRS investigation following the group’s application for a 501-c-4 tax-exempt status. Hawaii Reporter.

Maui County wants to sell eight of its smaller six- to eight-passenger buses that have "outlived their useful lives," according to Department of Transportation Director Jo Anne Winer. Maui News.

Lowering customer bills, pushing toward a clean energy future, modernizing the existing power grid and creating fairness for all customers were the four priorities that Maui Electric Co. officials discussed at their Integrated Resource Planning public meeting Thursday night. Maui News.

Navy Cmdr. Eric Johnson was pleased with the reception that military personnel were receiving on Maui as they delivered free medical and dental care and exams to Maui residents at six locations throughout Maui County on Lana'i, Molokai and Hana from June 4 to 12. Maui Weekly.

For more than 17 years, members of Hui O Wa'a Kaulua have been building Mo'okiha o Pi'ilani, their 62-foot, double-hulled canoe, at Kamehameha Iki Park in Lahaina. Now the canoe is more than 90 percent complete, and the group is aiming to get it into the ocean in December. Maui News.

Kauai
Next summer, NASA plans to send a saucer-shaped Mars entry vehicle aloft by balloon from Kauai, boost it from 120,000 feet to as high as 180,000 feet by rocket, then, as it hurtles through the thin air at 2,600 mph, deploy a speed-reducing inflatable doughnut around the craft, followed by a big parachute, until it plops into the water for pickup. Star-Advertiser.

The Kauai County Housing Agency is moving forward with plans for the county’s first affordable senior housing project in Lihue after an environmental assessment found no significant adverse cultural or environmental impacts. Garden Island.

The latest development plans for Makahuena Point on the island’s southern tip will be reviewed at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Koloa Neighborhood Center. Garden Island.

Hawaii seniors healthy; Defense secretary rallies troops, Caldwell, council spar over $2B Honolulu budget; improvements coming to Kona International Airport; new cop cars for Kauai; more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii kupuna hula (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Elderly people in Hawaii are among the nation's healthiest, with low rates of obesity, hip fractures and preventable hospitalization, according to a ranking of states released Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is in the midst of his first visit to Hawaii since taking office in February, defense officials say, as part of a round-the-globe trip that includes stops in Singapore and Brussels. Star-Advertiser.

United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel will address 200 service members from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Thursday, according to the Department of Defense. Hawaii News Now.

A public university on Chicago's South Side is vying to become the home of President Barack Obama's presidential library after he leaves office, a prize also sought by the University of Hawaii. Associated Press.

About $570,000 in federal funding is heading to Hawaii to help veterans who are struggling with homelessness. Associated Press.

More than half of Hawaii schools don't have reliable Internet access, and the Hawaii Department of Education can't afford to give every student a digital device. Civil Beat.

August 5 is normally a payday for educational assistants in Hawaii's public schools. However, some 200 of them in Leeward Oahu schools won't be getting a paycheck this coming August 5. And according to the state, it's because they got that paycheck nearly a year ago. Hawaii News Now.

Lawmakers say a new Hawaii law could help the state develop commercial harbors faster and more efficiently. Associated Press.

The American Center for Law and Justice filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday in Washington, D.C., on behalf of The Honolulu Tea Party, Hawaii Tea Party and nearly two-dozen conservative groups across the country. Hawaii Reporter.

Federal regulators are pressing ahead with their decision to slash government subsidies used by Sandwich Isles Communications to provide telephone and high-speed Internet service to customers living on Hawaiian Home Lands, saying the Honolulu-based company was not able to justify “significant and wasteful expenses totaling many millions of dollars.” Star-Advertiser.

When Hawaii residents purchase groceries and other goods in the islands, they typically encounter prices 30 percent above what U.S. mainland shoppers will pay in their stores. Hawaii Reporter.

The Huffington Post and subscription-based news website Honolulu Civil Beat announced Wednesday that they plan to partner in a new site dedicated to Hawaii news. Associated Press.

Huffington Post Partnership Takes Hawaii Global. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s political leaders are praising the latest state revenue forecast which shows growing revenue over the next two years and say Hawaii residents and businesses should be optimistic about the improving economy. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Airlines Inc. said Wednesday that it has closed on $444.5 million in Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates to finance the acquisition of six new Airbus A330-200 aircraft over the next 18 months. Pacific Business News.

The electric utilities on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island are seeking public comment on five-year energy plans. Civil Beat.

State roundup for May 29. Associated Press.

State 5/29. Associated Press.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council's proposed $2 billion city operating budget, which includes $14 million for nonprofit groups, is "fiscally irresponsible" and is balanced through a combination of debt and money grabs that could risk the city's high bond rating, Mayor Kirk Caldwell charged Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has put some of Oahu’s nonprofits on notice. Don’t expect a handout from the city. Civil Beat.

It’s a fight to the finish as Honolulu’s mayor and City Council battle over the budget. KHON2.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. paid $25.9 million to purchase the 80,000-square-foot former Macy’s department store and parking garage in Downtown Honolulu, according to City and County of Honolulu property tax records. Pacific Business News.

The Coast Guard is proposing voluntary tsunami evacuation zones on either side of Honolulu Harbor. KITV4.

With well wishes from Gov. Neil Abercrombie and others, the double-hulled sailing canoe Hokule‘a on Wednesday began a nearly yearlong shakedown cruise through the Hawaiian Islands before embarking next May on a deep-sea global journey, "Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage." Star-Advertiser.

This time of year brings a rainbow of events to Honolulu highlighting Hawai’i’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.  The Gay Pride parade runs through Waikiki this Saturday, and the Rainbow Film Festival begins at the Doris Duke tomorrow. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

Property tax scofflaws got a reprieve Wednesday, when a County Council committee declined to shorten the time the county has to wait before foreclosing on property. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Council members will have another month to digest a bill that would restrict the use of genetically modified crops on the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

DOT breaks ground for new fire station, dedicates air tower at Kona International Airport. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo Medical Center alone will account for nearly $2 million of the state hospital system’s $7.2 million shortfall forecast for the coming fiscal year. Tribune-Herald.

Kealakekua Bay is now open to the public — as long as the public applies for a special use permit and promises not to land at Kaawaloa. West Hawaii Today.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz has two new field representatives, George “Robby” Robertson and Michael Zola. They will join Marlena Castro Dixon as regional liaisons for Hawaii Island. West Hawaii Today.

The USDA announced last week that nearly a dozen small watersheds on Hawaii Island will benefit from an influx of a little more than $433,000 to make assistance available this year to farmers, ranchers and forest owners to keep water sources on their property free of foreign matter, like sediment or bacteria. The funding comes through the agency’s National Water Quality Initiative. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
The Maui County Council gave initial approval of a $559 million county budget Tuesday, with the spending plan including water and property tax rate increases along with more funding for most nonprofit organizations and a new reduced monthly bus pass rate for people with disabilities. Maui News.

A controversial lottery for admission into the Hawaiian Immersion kindergarten at Pāʻia Elementary School was officially canceled during a stakeholders meeting at the campus on Tuesday morning.Maui Now.

The state Department of Agriculture's Animal Industry Division has ordered all beef and dairy bulls to be tested for bovine trichomoniasis prior to entry into and before movement between herds within the state, the department said. Maui News.

Kauai
The Kauai Police Department expects to spend nearly $2 million to replace an aging fleet over two years. Garden Island.

Changing out windows at the Lihue Public Library is one of the milestones of the renovation project. Garden Island.

Chinese fast food giant Panda Express, Inc. has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed last year by three former employees who worked at the restaurant chain’s Kapaa franchise. Garden Island.