Hawaii tourism hot, audit finds University of Hawaii funds lacking, Obama meets with school chums, task force recommends medical marijuana dispensaries, $100M for Oahu roads, shopkeepers want to return to Pahoa despite lava threat, gaming company sues Honolulu prosecutor, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Girls at Waikiki surfboard rental © 2014 All Hawaii News

Hawaii's tourism industry is on track to reach another record number of visitors and spending in 2014, for the third year in a row. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s tourism industry is on track to contribute nearly $300 million more to the state’s economy compared with last year, according to data from the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Civil Beat.

More than a quarter of the so-called special funds and revolving funds maintained by the University of Hawaii — including the Manoa athletics special fund — do not meet legislative criteria and should be repealed or reclassified, a state audit released Tuesday concluded. Star-Advertiser.

The state auditor’s office, led by Jan Yamane, has found that 17 of 65 funding sources for the University of Hawaii have at least one thing wrong with them and some should be repealed altogether because they no longer serve their original purpose. Civil Beat.

Since returning to his childhood home this month on vacation, President Barack Obama has spent a good part of most days cloistered with three people whose company puts him at ease. They're not his wife and daughters, who came with him, but a trio of pals whose friendship dates back to Obama's high school days in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

The Medical Marijuana Dispensary Task Force has finished its work and recommended that the state establish dispensaries to make it easier for patients with certain conditions like cancer, glaucoma and HIV, among others, to get the drug legally. KHON2.

Management of individually owned vacation units is handled differently statewide, but their spread has created similar controversy across the islands. The one exception is Hawaii island, where officials say creating extra places for visitors to stay is mostly welcomed. Star-Advertiser.

Blake Oshiro is rejoining the law firm of Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing to work on its government relations team. Oshiro spent the past three years as deputy chief of staff to Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Civil Beat.

2014 in review: Top news was Ige's election and No. 2, Pele's projection. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu

City officials are spending more than $100 million annually to dig out from years of road-repair neglect, and new data show that paving crews are sustaining their scheduled pace to fix the worst of the island's city-owned roads. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council will inaugurate new members this week. Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Sabrina McKenna is scheduled to administer the oath of office on Friday. Associated Press.

Honolulu's controversial $5.16 billion elevated rail project saw some highs and lows in 2014, the former when courts cleared the way for the project, the latter as the agency charged with overseeing the project reveals mounting costs beyond what was budgeted. Pacific Business News.

The lead defendant in a state case regarding gambling machines is suing the city, Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro, the two deputies Kaneshiro assigned to the case and a department investigator for allegedly knowingly presenting false information to the grand jury that returned an indictment against him. Star-Advertiser.

It was one of the largest white-collar crime cases in Hawaii history. But one month after a state judge tossed the case, the main defendant is suing. In a Circuit Court lawsuit filed today, Tracy Yoshimura accuses Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro of malicious prosecution. Hawaii News Now.

Neighbors of the 7000 Hawaii Kai Drive project by Avalon are beginning to get a sense of what they have to look forward to by the summer of 2016. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Lava continues to close in on Pahoa Marketplace, but some businesses that fled earlier this month already inquired with Hawaii County Civil Defense about returning. Tuesday morning’s overflight of the June 27 lava flow revealed the leading edge crept 40 yards further downslope within 24 hours, bringing it to within a half-mile of Highway 130 and 660 yards from the rear of the marketplace. Tribune-Herald.

The only Hawaii-owned and operated large-scale dairy left in the state is in the process of being sold to Ulupono Initiative, Hawaii News Now has learned. Ed Boteilho, whose family has owned and operated Cloverleaf Dairy in the Big Island's Kohala district since 1962, said he's in the process of selling his nearly 900-acre dairy to Ulupono Initiative, the investment company financed by eBay founder, billionaire Pierre Omidyar.

The Nature Conservancy has purchased a 222-acre property at the southern end of Hawaii Island. The conservation organization announced the purchase of the parcel, known as Kahuku Iki, in a Tuesday afternoon news release. West Hawaii Today.

The number of people visiting Hawaii Island rose 4.8 percent and spending climbed 6.8 percent in November compared to the same month in 2013, the Hawaii Tourism Authority reported Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

The average statewide price of gas has declined 43 cents from New Year’s Eve a year ago. Still, paying an average $3.51 a gallon for regular while the national average stands at $2.27 may have Hawaii drivers wondering why prices here haven’t fallen more quickly than they have. And West Hawaii drivers may be wondering why they’re still having to pony up an average of $3.78 a gallon for regular. West Hawaii Today.

A strong ahi catch late in the year should help East Hawaii residents ring in 2015 with plenty of sashimi and poke on their plates and perhaps a few extra dollars in their pocket. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Based on the 30 or so private Lear, Gulfstream and Falcon jets parked earlier this week on the Haleakala side of Kahului Airport, there are quite a few of the rich and famous spending their holiday season on Maui. Maui News.

Kauai

A bill relating to additional dwelling units recently passed by the Kauai County Council, was signed into law by Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. The new law, Ordinance 981, extends the deadline for obtaining a building permit from Dec. 15, 2014, to Dec. 15, 2024, for property owners that obtained an ADU facilities clearance form before June 16, 2007. Garden Island.

Molokai

After a nearly yearlong closure, Kaunakakai's main hub will reopen Tuesday with new renovations completed. Maui News.

Hawaii pitches Obama library, Honolulu mulls 300-sq-ft micro-apartments, whale freed from fishing line, Hawaiians sue over Pohakuloa munitions, Omidyar dairy spurs Kauai community opposition, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Allied Works Architecture conceptual design of Obama presidential library

Hawaii's formal pitch to win the Barack Obama presidential library was submitted Thursday in a bid that projects between $25 million and $40 million in tax revenue and more than $2 billion in economic activity over its first 10 years. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii hopes it has an offer Honolulu-born President Barack Obama won't be able to turn down. It hopes to build him a presidential library on the ocean, with a dramatic view of his hometown's famed Diamond Head volcanic crater. The state's abundant sunshine would generate solar power and support vegetable gardens on site. Associated Press.

On Thursday, Hawaii officials submitted a written proposal to host the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Honolulu. The effort was coordinated by the University of Hawaii with the full backing of the State of Hawaii, the City and Council of Honolulu and numerous community partners, including the nonprofit group, Hawaii Presidential Center. KHON2.

A Journey Into the Basement With Hawaii Tech Chief Keone Kali. The chief information officer talks about the precarious state of information locked in outdated equipment in the bowels of downtown Honolulu. Civil Beat.

Hawaii wildlife officials freed a young humpback whale from fishing line that was wrapped around its tail. The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary said Thursday the line had cut deep wounds into the 30-foot whale. The weakened animal also had parasites and shark bites. Associated Press.

The Land Use Research Foundation convened its 2014 Housing Summit today. The goal is to develop policies and strategies to build more affordable rental and for sale units throughout the state. Star-Advertiser.

Allowing Aloha United Way to solicit donations from state workers gives the charity an unfair advantage over other nonprofits and violates the state ethics code, Hawaii's state Ethics Commission has concluded. Associated Press.

If Ben Jay had known the depth of the task confronting him at the University of Hawaii, he said Thursday, he might not have taken the job as its athletic director. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Micro units, or small efficiency apartments, are seen as one part of a solution to Hawaii's housing shortage, and the state agency regulating development in Kakaako is looking to build more of them. Star-Advertiser.

Park Lane Ala Moana, the $300 million luxury condominium project being built on what was once a parking area at Ala Moana Center by a trio of Honolulu firms — Kobayashi Group, The MacNaughton Group, BlackSand Capital — and landowner General Growth Properties Inc., plans to price the units between at least $1 million and at least $20 million. Pacific Business News.

The City Council postpones a vote on Bill 62, which would ban sitting and lying on sidewalks and planters in five downtown Honolulu and Chinatown malls. Civil Beat.

Federal, state and city officials on a task force asked to evaluate the effects of the January fuel leak at the Navy's Red Hill Fuel Storage Facility recommended Thursday that the giant tanks be double-lined to prevent groundwater contamination. But the Navy continues to have serious objections to that approach. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a man police pulled out of a car window and kicked in the torso, and $165,000 to the mother of a boy who cut his leg on an irrigation valve at a Liliha park. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Two Native Hawaiians are suing the Department of Land and Natural Resources, saying the state has breached its duty to protect ceded lands at the Pohakuloa Training Area. West Hawaii Today.

University of Hawaii President David Lassner and John Morton, vice president for community colleges, sketched their vision for the new Hawaii Community College — Palamanui at a forum Thursday evening in Kealakehe. The forum was attended by about 170 people. West Hawaii Today.

Lava flow T-shirts a hit for Pahoa merchant. Tribune-Herald.

The June 27 lava flow was continuing to follow a path of steepest descent Thursday morning that could take it through Pahoa Marketplace. Hawaii County Civil Defense said the flow front was 1.9 miles from the intersection of Highway 130 and Pahoa Village Road after advancing 340 yards within 24 hours. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Former Maui County mayoral candidate Beau Hawkes, who was Tasered as he ran from a police officer in a viral video, was found guilty as charged Wednesday for disregarding the officer's orders and driving away from a traffic stop. Maui News.

The Westin Maui Resort & Spa is seeking a special management area permit and a shoreline setback variance as part of an estimated $55 million in master plan improvements that call for, among other things, a new four-level parking garage and more ballroom and spa space, according to a final environmental assessment. - Maui News.

AAA Hawaiʻi Weekend Gas Watch metro area report for Wailuku showed the price of a gallon of regular gas at $4.05 today, down six cents from last week, 20 cents from last month, 12 cents from last year, and down 93 cents from the high of $4.98 reported on May 9, 2011. Maui Now.

On Tuesday, Dec. 9, Ka‘ala Buenconsejo became the new County of Maui Parks Department Director, according to an inter-office email sent out by the department’s interim director. Maui Time.


Kauai

A set of annual audit reports found that Kauai County officials are still struggling to address longstanding financial and record-keeping deficiencies that were raised as red flags over the past several years. Garden Island.

The lush Mahaulepu Valley on Kauai's South Shore is the setting of a growing environmental battle pitting local residents against Hawaii's richest man. About 200 people packed the Koloa Neighborhood Center Thursday night to voice their concerns about billionaire eBay founder Pierre Omidyar's plans to build a high-tech dairy there. Hawaii News Now.

A promising outlook for attracting visitors to Hawaii was evoked by a host of speakers at the Kauai Visitors Bureau annual luncheon Thursday. Garden Island.

Real property owners that believe their properties were given the wrong tax classifications for the 2014 tax year can apply for reclassification if the application is received no later than Dec. 31. Garden Island.

Japanese WWII sub found off Oahu, year's 2nd shark-bite death on Maui, DOT employee lives high life off contractors' dime, foster parents want more money, Omidyar group plans Kauai dairy, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Unidentified scuttled vessel discovered by Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory

A World War II-era Imperial Japanese Navy mega-submarine, the I-400, lost since 1946 when it was intentionally scuttled by U.S. forces after its capture, has been discovered in more than 2,300 feet of water off the southwest coast of O‘ahu. The discovery resolves a decades-old Cold War mystery of just where the lost submarine lay, and recalls a different era as one war ended and a new, undeclared conflict emerged. Hawaii Reporter.

Japanese I-400

This is a photo of the Japanese crew and its submarine, the I-400. KITV.

A class-action lawsuit is expected to be filed today against the state, alleging it has failed to pay foster parents enough to adequately care for their foster children. The suit will be filed by a sole foster parent, Raynette Nalani Ah Chong of Kaha­luu, on behalf of more than 1,000 Hawaii foster parents, who haven't had their reimbursement payments increased since 1990. The federal Child Welfare Act requires that reimbursements cover the expenses of children in foster care, but the $529 monthly payment does not come close, said Victor Gemi­ni­ani, executive director of Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice. Star-Advertiser.

A handful of companies consistently cash in on lucrative contracts in Hawaii, a Civil Beat analysis of 10 years of federal contracting data indicates. The federal government spent $159 billion in contracts in Hawaii over the past 10 years. From that pool of money, the top 10 corporate contractors secured at least $200 million apiece since 2003, with two of them crossing the $1 billion threshold. That's according to eight years of data from the Census Bureau's Consolidated Federal Funds Report and two years of data from USASpending.gov, a government-run website that replaced the Census reporting system. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii State Department of Education will place its sex education program, Pono Choices, on hold after the completion of the 2013 Fall semester to conduct a review of the pilot curriculum. The DOE calls the program a “medically accurate” program that informs teens about pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Diseases and gives students greater knowledge of the risks associated with unsafe sexual behaviors and be more likely to report safe sex practices, including abstinence. Parents were concerned their children in sixth, seventh and eighth grade, were learning to put condoms on dildos and about performing oral sex, vaginal sex, and anal sex. Hawaii Reporter.

The state has awarded a $17.4 million contract to a mainland company to undertake energy efficiency improvements and install solar panels at 33 government buildings on five islands. The project is expected to cut energy costs by more than $1 million in the first year and $28 million over two decades, according to Ameresco Inc., the Massachusetts-based company that was awarded the contract by the Department of Accounting and General Services.Star-Advertiser

The Hawaii Ethics Commission has charged a state employee for improperly accepting gifts from businesses doing business with the state and failing to report them. The Department of Transportation engineer, identified only as John Doe, has agreed to pay $7,500 to resolve the charge. He apparently accepted a number of invitations to play in charity golf tournaments and recreationally at places like Mauna Lani Resort from 2007 to 2010. His entry fees, which ranged from $150 to $800, were paid for by DOT vendors directly subject to his official action as an engineer, according to the commission’s Nov. 20 resolution of the charge. Civil Beat.

After decades of sound and fury, the first same-sex marriages early Monday morning happened in almost complete silence and intimacy. Standing in huddles on a stage in a Waikiki lounge, the couples read their vows and their officiants performed an act which had only minutes-before become legal. Hawaii Independent.

Retired professors Rod Powell and Bob Eddinger have been partners in life since they met at the University of Hawaii in 1977. On Monday, they joined in marriage on the first day their home state allowed same-sex couples to form such unions. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Airlines is launching a codeshare program with Taiwan’s China Airlines this month that will extend its network in Asia and allow members of both airlines’ frequent flyer programs to earn and redeem miles on both airlines. Pacific Business News.

Another hurricane season came and went in the Central Pacific this year without unleashing destruction on the Hawaiian Islands. The season was, however, twice as active as scientists initially predicted in May. Star-Advertiser.

The Legislature wants the public to take part in the process of creating the laws and policies that govern Hawaii. With the next session set to start in January, the House communications office has put together a public service announcement that encourages people to get informed and get involved. Civil Beat.

State roundup for December 3. Associated Press.

Oahu

Trial will remain in Honolulu for a North Carolina man accused of scamming the University of Hawaii out of $200,000 in a failed concert that was supposed to feature Stevie Wonder, a federal judge ruled Monday. Associated Press.

Kakaako Rising: Is This Community Development? Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Is a waste-to-energy plant a done deal for Hawaii County? A resolution urging Mayor Billy Kenoi to consider other alternatives comes back before the County Council Waste Management Committee today after being panned by both the Environmental Management Commission and the director of the Department of Environmental Management. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Electric Light Co. says awarding a contract for another 50 megawatts of geothermal power will take more time. But how long remains unclear. The utility was initially expecting to make a selection among the six companies that submitted proposals by September. It later pushed that timeline to the end of November. That deadline was missed, and HELCO Administration Manager Rhea Lee said Monday that a new date is in the process of being determined. Tribune-Herald.

The Big Island is expected to have at least seven warning sirens upgraded or installed over the next few months. State Civil Defense spokeswoman Shelly Kunishige said work orders are being released for the department’s $25.6 million statewide siren upgrade project. Priority locations are being addressed first, and work should occur over the next three months, she said. Tribune-Herald.

If the old adage “Practice makes perfect” holds true, then the union of the first same-sex couple to tie the knot Monday in Hilo is likely to be perfect indeed. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A visiting kayaker from Washington state died Monday morning after part of his right leg was bitten off by a shark about a half-mile off Little Beach in Makena, state and county officials said. Maui News.

Maui police have since identified the victim who sustained fatal injuries in a shark attack offshore of Mākena, Maui on Monday as 57-year-old Patrick A. Briney. Police say Briney, who is from Stevenson, in Washington State, was kayaking with a friend when the incident occurred. Maui Now.

Maui County police identified a kayak fisherman killed in a shark attack Monday morning as Patrick A. Briney, 57, from Stevenson, Wash. This is the eighth shark attack off Maui and the second death statewide this year. Star-Advertiser.

A kayaker died on Monday morning after a shark attacked him in the waters off of Maui. Hawaii experienced strong rains over the weekend, and murky waters are known to both attract and confuse sharks who often can't tell the difference between prey and humans. HuffPost Hawaii.

Hawai’i made international news yesterday with another fatal shark attack on Maui. Makena State Recreation Area was closed after the attack that happened before 10:30 am. Hawaii Public Radio.

Typically Hawaii will see four shark attacks a year, but this year there have been 13 in the state and eight of them around Maui. The most recent killed Patrick Briney, 57, as he was kayak fishing half mile off Makena Beach on Maui. Hawaii News Now.

The phrases "now I pronounce you husband and husband" and "wife and wife" were heard at same-sex marriages around Maui on Monday, the first day that gay marriages in Hawaii were legal. Maui News.

The county's proposed integrated waste conversion project may have the potential to double the amount of trash currently diverted from the Central Maui Landfill, but a couple of longstanding local recycling companies are worried that they will be displaced. Maui News.

The US Army Corps of Engineers hosts a public meeting this Wednesday, Dec. 4, to gather public input on its proposal to perform an environmental cleanup of the former Maui Airport Landfill. Maui Now.

Kauai

A socially minded investment organization is moving ahead with plans to establish a new model of dairy farming in Hawaii: a $17.5 million venture on Kauai called Hawai‘i Dairy Farms projected to start milk production in 2015. The farm would be the biggest dairy in the state and roughly double the supply of local milk, according to Ulu­pono Initiative, the local investment firm that announced the project Monday. Star-Advertiser.

EBay founder Pierre Omidyar’s Ulupono Initiative is investing $17.5 million to build a grass-fed dairy farm on Kauai on 583 acres of pasture land leased from Grove Farm. Pacific Business News.

The ballot question is crafted. But before going out to vote, Kauai Island Utility Cooperative wants to know what its members think of how to word the yes-or-no decision point. Beginning next week, the public will have two opportunities to provide input on ballot language for KIUC’s special election related to smart meters. The upcoming election — expected to cost co-op members $63,000 — will take place in January, although exact dates have not been determined. Garden Island.

Is China spying on Hawaii? Top Hawaii news of the day, including gay marriage progress, Omidyar's and Ellison's plans, underwater electric cable, endangered species, hospital woes and more from all the Hawaiian Islands

People's Liberation Army-Navy ship Qingdao (DDG 113) as it arrives in Hawaii for a scheduled port visit Sept. 6, 2013. Courtesy photo.

Media sources in Asia reported that a Chinese Navy spy ship has recently been placed near Hawaii in response to the continuing U.S. naval presence in the South China Sea and recent drills with Japan and South Korea. But U.S. Pacific Command said Tuesday that no People's Liberation Army ship was detected either within or just outside of Hawaii's 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone — leaving a bit of a mystery regarding the spy ship reports. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa (HI-01), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, announced the launch of a bipartisan oversight effort entitled the HASC Asia-Pacific Oversight Series, which will focus on educating both Members of Congress and the general public about long-term national security challenges the United States faces in the Asia-Pacific. Hawaii Reporter.

The state Senate advanced a bill to legalize gay marriage during a special session Tuesday, sending it to a final floor vote that would get the legislation to the House. The final Senate vote is planned during a session that starts Wednesday morning. The bill is expected to pass there easily, then travel to the House where its prospects are less certain. Associated Press.

Expecting gay couples in Hawaii to travel to other states to marry in order to obtain federal tax benefits would impose a "heavy burden" and create an inequality compared to other married couples, state Attorney General David Louie has told state lawmakers. Louie submitted a seven-page analysis to lawmakers on Tuesday after facing questions from the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee on Monday about whether access to federal tax benefits for gay couples in Hawaii is as close as a trip to California or another state that has legalized gay marriage. Star-Advertiser.

The House Judiciary and Finance Committees will take testimony from 10 a.m. until midnight on Thursday, Oct. 31, at the public hearing on SB1 on equal rights. KHON2.

The House Finance and Judiciary committees are set to hold a joint hearing on the gay marriage legislation, Senate Bill 1, Thursday morning. To up the odds of defeating it, House Republicans tried to pull Rep. Cynthia Thielen from the 13-member Judiciary Committee. She’s the lone Republican in the Legislature who supports gay marriage. Civil Beat.

A power play to remove the sole House Republican who plans to vote for same-sex marriage stirred up controversy and political tension at the Capitol Tuesday, but failed. Hawaii News Now.

There were fireworks on the House floor Tuesday after Rep. Bob McDermott introduced House Resolution 5, which if passed, would have replaced the hierarchy of the Republican leadership with a more conservative faction and dissolved support by the Republican caucus for the current Democratic faction in power. Hawaii Reporter.

House Republican Bob McDermott introduced several resolutions that would change House committee assignments today. Speaker Joseph Souki and Scott Saiki also introduced their own committee assignment resolution to counter McDermott’s. Hawaii Independent.

A bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Hawaiʻi heads to the Senate for third and final reading at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013. Maui Now.

In a major change that could effectively nix plans for the long-debated industrial-scale wind farm proposed for Lanai, state policymakers have in recent months shifted their interest toward connecting the Oahu and Maui electric grids. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii did not select an executive search firm Tuesday as planned to help with recruiting presidential candidates but said it will ask three finalist firms to make in-person presentations over the next two weeks. Star-Advertiser.

Time Warner Inc., the nation’s second-largest cable TV provider is doubling the download speed of its top-tier “Ultimate” service to 100 Megabits per second. The speed upgrade is being rolled out now to customers in Los Angeles and will come to New York City and Hawaii by the end of the year. Associated Press.

Pierre Omidyar’s new media venture now has a temporary name — NewCo — and a temporary home page as well as two more journalists — Dan Froomkin and Liliana Segura — who are now known to be affiliated with the project, according to The Omidyar Group website. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for October 30. Associated Press.

Honolulu

A plan to ask Oahu voters if they want to take away the Honolulu Board of Water Supply's ability to recover "back payments" from customers who are undercharged gained preliminary approval from the City Council's Executive Matters and Legal Affairs Committee on Tuesday. A number of Council members grilled board Chief Engineer Ernest Lau about a spate of estimated bills issued by the agency during the first nine months of the year. Star-Advertiser.

Problems created by the Board of Water Supply's estimated billing system came under scrutiny on Tuesday by a Honolulu City Council committee. After getting grilled by members, the agency's chief vowed to make changes to help prevent inaccurate estimates. Hawaii News Now.

Questions have been swirling about Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s plans to develop Kakaako, with many residents concerned about whether the area has adequate sewer, water and street capacity to handle new high rises and thousands of additional people. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council Public Safety and Economic Development Committee Tuesday deferred Bill 59, which would ban lying down on sidewalks except under specific circumstances. Committee Chairwoman Carol Fukunaga said she wants to incorporate new language proposed by city attorneys that would limit the ban to only the Chinatown, Honolulu Capitol and Waikiki districts, and only between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Star-Advertiser.

Seller, Beware! Discrimination Lawsuit Raises Eyebrows. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Wildlife protection officials added 15 imperiled species to the federal endangered list Tuesday for Hawaii, where native plants and animals are among the most vulnerable to extinction in the nation. The species are all native to Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined endangered species status for 15 species on the island of Hawaii. Thirteen plants, a picture-wing fly and an ultra-rare “anchialine” pool shrimp have gained final protection under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Big Island Video News.

Although the number of admissions to alcohol and drug abuse programs increased statewide between 2011 and 2012, they dropped in Hawaii County, according to data released Tuesday by the state Department of Health. West Hawaii Today.

Groups looking to restore historical Hawaiian fishponds need as many as 17 county, state and federal permits to do so, Department of Land and Natural Resources officials say. The permitting process itself could take years and cost as much as $50,000 to $80,000. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County has settled a free-speech lawsuit with the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii and two Maui Peace Action members that will involve changes to the county sign ordinance. Maui News.

Kauai

A public hearing will be held Friday as part of the special legislative session to deal with a bill seeking an emergency appropriation to keep two Kauai rural hospitals afloat. House Bill 3 requests $7.3 million in stopgap funding to sustain Hawaii Health Systems Corp.'s Kauai regional health care system through next spring. The hearing will be held by the Senate Health and Ways and Means committees. Star-Advertiser.

The state Legislature’s Senate Committee on Water and Land will conduct a hearing today to consider Shawn Smith as the island’s representative to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources. Some have hailed Smith to be the right pick for the position based on his community service and balanced business approach, but others say his role as the general manager of Falko Partners, LLC, a land investment group, puts him at odds with his duties. Garden Island.

Water and agriculture have been identified by members of the Kauai Planning and Action Alliance as top issues impacting Kauai and its future. Both will be addressed during a panel discussion Monday as part of the KPAA’s fall membership meeting. Garden Island.

It didn’t matter that smart meters weren’t on the agenda. A handful of people still testified about them Tuesday during Kauai Island Utility Cooperative’s regular board meeting. Garden Island.

Lanai
Island Air has been operating under a cloak of secrecy since billionaire Larry Ellison purchased the local interisland carrier in mid-February. It was no different Tuesday when CEO Paul Casey, the keynote speaker at the Pacific Asia Travel Association luncheon, spoke for less than four minutes and then dashed out from the banquet room without taking questions. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii national parks reopen, congressional delegation points fingers; Hawaii, Kauai counties pass anti-GMO bills; fracking ban passes Hawaii County; kids to start kindergarten later; Abercrombie aide resigns; Omidyar starts new media venture, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will reopen today after being closed for more than two weeks because of the partial government shutdown. Tribune-Herald.

With the government shutdown coming to a close, many people are anxiously awaiting the green light for federal facilities like national parks to open up again. Tour groups are counting on parks to be open again on Friday. Hawaii News Now.

After voting to reopen the government and avoid default Wednesday, Hawaii's congressional delegation said they were exasperated about how close the nation came to being unable to meet financial obligations and underscored the importance of moving forward. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii administration plans to ask the Board of Regents today to give the go-ahead on a proposed $27.5 million facility to house the congressional papers of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz's advisers have prepared a campaign status memo for potential donors that depicts U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa's campaign as "badly foundering" and not up to the rigors of a U.S. Senate race. The memo argues that Schatz has built a winning campaign that leads Hanabusa in fundraising and endorsements. Star-Advertiser.

Hanabusa Camp: Schatz Memo Is ‘Cynical, Mechanical Political Calculation’ Civil Beat.

The state will be able to help pay for an extra year of preschool for only a quarter of the estimated 5,000 4-year-olds who will be affected next year when junior kindergarten is eliminated at public schools and the state's higher age requirement for kindergarten takes effect. Star-Advertiser.

Starting next school year, students must be at least 5 on July 31 to enter kindergarten the same year. Previously, children could enter kindergarten if they turned 5 by December 31. The Senate and House committees on education held a briefing Wednesday on what's being done to prepare families and preschools for the change. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Health Connector running smoother. KHON2.

Officials claim that HawaiiHealthConnector.com, the online Obamacare exchange designed to provide individuals and small businesses with information about health care plans, federal subsidies and tax credits, is now fully operational. But that wasn't the case yesterday for some who tried to log on. The website went live Oct. 1 after a great deal of media hype, but for two weeks, the exchange had no information on the 95 health insurance plans it would eventually offer, including pricing. Hawaii Reporter.

University of Hawaii engineers unveiled a new robotic boat Wednesday designed to explore potentially dangerous disaster zones before first-responder personnel. Star-Advertiser.

Louise Kim McCoy, who has served as Gov. Neil Abercrombie's communications director and press secretary since November, is leaving the post. Star-Advertiser.

The Aloha State ranks near the bottom when it comes to providing access to records at a reasonable cost, according to a 2012 report from the Center for Public Integrity that measured government transparency and accountability throughout the U.S. Hawaii’s poor score is in large part because of the fees associated with searching for records and reviewing them for information officials believe should be withheld. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation awards new contract to DC lobbying firm. From April 2007 through July 2013, Dwyer's firm Williams & Jensen has been paid $1.43 million by HART. KITV.

Honolulu City Councilman Stanley Chang has raised nearly twice as much as his nearest competitor in the race for Hawaii's 1st Congressional District. But another councilman, Ikaika Anderson, may have the bragging rights coming out of the latest fundraising cycle. Civil Beat.

Omidyar

Pierre Omidyar said Wednesday that after looking into buying The Washington Post over the summer, he’s in the early stages of creating a new mass media organization that will cover general news utilizing independent journalists. Pacific Business News.

Pierre Omidyar: My Next Adventure in Journalism. Civil Beat.

For years, tech billionaire Pierre M. Omidyar has been experimenting with ways to promote serious journalism, searching for the proper media platform to support with the fortune he earned as the founder of eBay. Omidyar also confirmed that he would be personally financing just such a new "mass media" venture, where he will be joined by journalist Glenn Greenwald of The Guardian, the British daily, who reported news about the NSA leaked by Edward Snowden. New York Times/Star Advertiser.

Unusually high tides may be largely responsible for recent episodes of severe erosion at Sunset Beach and Waikiki Beach, a coastal scientist said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A former Honolulu police major faces sentencing for lying to FBI agents and filing a false tax return. Carlton Nishimura is scheduled for sentencing Thursday. Garden Island.

Some Hawaiian Airlines passengers using the Honolulu Airport's interisland terminal's check-in kiosk were surprised to find a TSA PreCheck symbol on their boarding pass that allowed them to bypass the normal security line and speed through a separate queue without having to remove their shoes, coats, belts, liquids or laptop computers. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

With a sense of urgency largely unseen over the last five months, the Hawaii County Council expeditiously passed an amended bill to restrict GMO, or genetically altered crops during its first reading Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council today gave preliminary approval to a bill restricting the use of genetically modified crops on the Big Island. Big Island Now.

Fracking won’t be coming to Hawaii County. County Council members unanimously approved a bill banning hydraulic fracturing, a controversial process by which fluids, including water and sometimes chemicals, are injected deep into the ground to access resources. West Hawaii Today.

A task force formed to evaluate the fairness of property taxes across the county plans to finally start its business next week, more than 18 months after its formation was recommended by an outside assessment. The task force, one of 40 recommendations in a 99-page March 2012 report by the International Association of Assessing Officers, plans to meet at 9 a.m. Oct. 25 in Hilo council chambers. West Hawaii Today

Maui

Maui police are increasing officer presence during Halloween festivities in Lahaina this year in anticipation of a larger crowd projected at between 30,000 and 35,000–up from the 28,000 revelers who attended last year, officials tell Maui Now.

A Maui County Council committee Tuesday advanced bills to fund the design of a new building to replace the old Wailuku Post Office that was demolished in a controversial process earlier this year. Maui News.

The Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck service was expanded and implemented at several neighbor-island airports this week, enabling low-risk passengers to move more quickly through checkpoint screening. The addition of the program on Maui is part of a larger national effort to expand the program from 40 to 100 airports across the US this week. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council has voted to require large agribusinesses operating on the island to disclose pesticide use and the presence of genetically modified crops. The measure was approved shortly after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday following a marathon meeting that began Tuesday. Associated Press.

Legislators on the island of Kauai in Hawaii have approved a bill that would restrict the use of pesticides by companies developing genetically modified crops there. New York Times

After 14 hours of discussion and public testimony, the Kauai County Council approved a measure early Wednesday requiring large agribusinesses to disclose the types of restricted-use pesticides they spray on fields and implement buffer zones around schools, dwellings, medical facilities, public roadways and waterways. Star-Advertiser.

In a marathon special meeting that lasted 19 hours, Kaua'i County councilmembers voted to approve a controversial GMO disclosure bill around 3:30 Wednesday morning. Officials say some residents lined up around 3 p.m. Tuesday to participate in the discussion. Hawaii News Now.

It’s approved. At 3:35 a.m. Wednesday, nearly 19 hours after Tuesday’s special meeting kicked off, the Kauai County Council voted 6-1 to approve controversial legislation that will allow the county to regulate pesticides and genetically modified crops. Garden Island.

What are the thoughts on the street about Bill 2491 passing? Garden Island.

FBI releases files on Sen. Daniel Inouye, Matson to pay for molasses cleanup, Honolulu rail restarts, Omidyar only Hawaii resident on Forbes wealthy list, Kauai investigates auditor, Sam Choy returning to Maui, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Sen. Daniel Inouye (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Newly released FBI files on Dan Inouye show that the Hawaii senator was subject to several anonymous death threats during his long service in Washington. He was also accused of accepting bribes to help Matson Navigation control shipping to Honolulu, and to secure a military research center at the University of Hawaii. Civil Beat.

The FBI on Monday publicly posted its documents on the late Hawaii senator in The Vault, the bureau's online reading room, which also contains once-private files on other prominent politicians, celebrities, gangsters and fugitives. The trove provides a fascinating window into the FBI's intelligence operations and reveals the kinds of threats Ino­uye experienced during his remarkable political career. Star-Advertiser.

Newly released FBI files reveal numerous death threats against Senator Daniel Inouye dating all the way back to the 1950s. Hawaii News Now.

FBI Files: Honolulu Agents Kept On Short Leash During 1989 Investigation Into Senator Daniel Inouye’s Alleged ‘Payoff’ From Matson. Mauitime News.

Download and read the 22 documents on Daniel Inouye at the FBI Vault.

Articles following Inouye's death in December at All Hawaii News.

Congress has just a few voting days left to pass a budget plan that will avert a government shutdown before it faces another major hurdle — the looming debt ceiling — in mid-October. This double-whammy could have major implications for Hawaii, including for local schools and universities that are highly dependent on federal funding.  Civil Beat.

Forbes on Monday released its annual list of the top 400 richest Americans, which included one Hawaii resident: eBay founder Pierre Omidyar. While most of the top names and rankings didn't change from a year ago, the majority of the elite club's members saw their fortunes grow over the past year, helped by strong stock and real estate markets. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for September 17. Associated Press.

Oahu

After a nearly 13-month delay caused by a lawsuit, construction restarted on the state's largest public works project following a blessing in the Ewa fields. The columns are the most visible sign that the rail line is advancing. Sixteen of 422 columns planned for the East Kapo­lei-Aloha Stadium segment had been erected when work was halted. There will be about 50 between East Kapolei and Fort Weaver Road. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Inc. will pay for the cleanup of a 1,400-ton spill of molasses into Honolulu Harbor that killed thousands of fish and other marine life, CEO Matt Cox said Monday. Pacific Business News.

Matson will not pass on cleanup and damage costs for last week's spill of 233,000 gallons of molasses into Honolulu Harbor to its customers or to taxpayers, according to the shipping company's president. Star-Advertiser.

The same day Hawaii lawmakers opened up their investigation into the massive molasses spill that has killed more than 25,000 fish, the head of the company responsible for the environmental disaster said Matson Inc. is footing the bill. Civil Beat.

Matson Inc., the shipping company that spilled 233,000 gallons of molasses into Honolulu Harbor earlier this month, has pledged to pay all the costs stemming from the disaster that has devastated marine life there. Hawaii Public Radio.

One week after 233,000 gallons of molasses leaked into Honolulu Harbor, the sticky intruder is sticking around, still visible and killing fish. Hawaii News Now.

Two Oahu Community Correctional Center guards face a criminal trial next month over the beating of an inmate. Adult Corrections Officer Kevin Ignacio is accused of repeated punching prisoner Jeffrey Diaz in the head and face while fellow prison guard Ismael Castro is accused of kicking Diaz. Hawaii News Now.

Businesses sink in aftermath of molasses spill. KHON2.

There are 168 hours in a week. But in Honolulu, a minimum wage worker would need an extra nine to afford housing. Hawaii Independent.

Hawaii

One employee is under investigation and another has apparently quit his moonlighting real estate practice after a summer of turmoil in the county Real Property Tax Division. Finance Director Nancy Crawford, who oversees the division, said Monday that procedures have always been in place to ensure there is no conflict of interest between the public duties of the 43 staff members and their professional and personal lives. But a formal conflict of interest policy was not put into writing until June. West Hawaii Today.

Last week, the National Park Service took a step toward getting permanent protections for the Keauhou aquifer by requesting the state’s Commission on Water Resource Management to give the area a water management designation. The aquifer runs from just north of Kona International Airport to south of Keauhou, and from the coastline to Hualalai’s summit. West Hawaii Today.

Naniloa Volcanoes Resort intends to seek support in federal bankruptcy court to continue business operations with the intent of eventually finding a buyer for the Hilo property. David Farmer, bankruptcy trustee for Hawaii Outdoor Tours Inc., which holds the state lease and operates the resort, said that he has received two letters of intent to purchase the 65-acre property for $12 million and $14 million, respectively. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Maui shopping center Lahaina Gateway has been repossessed by a lender for a second time in two years, giving the property its fourth owner since opening five years ago. Lahaina Gateway is the largest retail complex in West Maui and is anchored by Foodland Farms, Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Office Max. Star-Advertiser.

Celebrity local chef Sam Choy has not had a restaurant on Maui in more than a decade, but he is planning his return. Maui News.

More than $3 million for runway drainage improvements at Molokai Airport and more than $1 million for runway lighting at Lanai Airport are part of a package of grants for Hawaii from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Transit Administration, Hawaii U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz said last week. Maui News.

A Final Environmental Assessment was filed with a finding of no significant impact for the proposed Kahoma Village Project in West Maui. According to the FEA, the 203-unit project was proposed by Stanford Carr Development, on behalf of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. Maui Now.

Kauai
The Kauai County Council met with county and private attorneys behind closed doors Monday  to discuss an investigation of personnel matters and to consider disciplinary measures involving County Auditor Ernesto Pasion. The executive session was one more in a string of sealed meetings held by the council on the matter. While official details have been shrouded under personnel issues and attorney/client privileges, Pasion has received much support lately from some community members. Garden Island.

The Pacific Missile Range Facility was under heightened security after Monday’s shooting rampage at the Washington Navy Yard in D.C. that left 13 people dead. Garden Island.

Hawaii restricts kayaking, Steven Tyler paparazzi bill up for Senate vote, teachers fear for pay hikes, Legislature mulls arcane Maui dance ban, big Puna marijuana bunker busted, 220,000 barrels of Kona beer, Japanese billionaire Genshiro Kawamoto arrested, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii kayakers (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

There are more fees and restrictions on kayaking. The Department of Land and Natural Resources said it's to protect the wildlife, but kayak companies say it's hurting their business. KITV4.

The state Senate is expected to vote Tuesday  on a bill that would give celebrities in Hawaii a new legal tool against paparazzi. Star-Advertiser.

The state treasury has gotten itself out of a $1 billion investment pickle. The Department of Budget and Finance has arranged to cash out its remaining position in a huge investment that was hard to exit and attracted withering criticism from the state auditor three years ago. Star-Advertiser.

Citigroup Inc. has agreed to buy back from the state of Hawaii the last $231 million of $1.1 billion in auction-rate securities that it had sold to the state five years ago, before the market began to collapse. Pacific Business News.

The union for public school teachers says contract talks are at a critical point as a deadline for budget legislation looms at the state Capitol. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s old schools need more than a fresh coat of paint to make them new again, state officials say. The facilities need to be overhauled to ensure students are learning in a 21st century environment, which involves flexible floor plan designs and advanced technology. Two school land bills, which face a big test Tuesday, propose public-private partnerships to help the district upgrade existing facilities and build new schools. Civil Beat.

The federal government has started sending out furlough notices that may affect tens of thousands of workers in Hawaii as a result of sequestration. Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, the state's largest industrial employer, held a town hall meeting Monday to discuss the issue, the first of about 10 such meetings scheduled for this week with more than 4,000 affected civilian workers, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

Budget fights are continuing in Washington this week. The jury’s still out on what the impact of Friday’s so called sequestration will be for Hawaii. But it’s left many of the state’s non-profits worried about the loss in federal funding. Hawaii Public Radio.

As more people vote absentee, the potential for voter fraud and voter intimidation also grows. There are at least two bills moving through the Legislature that bar candidates from handling ballots or helping voters fill them out. Civil Beat.

Flooding and drought hit Hawaii taro farmers hard last year, reducing estimated production of the crop to its lowest level in at least 20 years. Star-Advertiser.

Lanai’s owner, Larry Ellison, wasn’t the only billionaire with strong Hawaii ties to make Forbes magazine’s annual list of the world’s richest people this year. eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, the only full-time Hawaii resident on the list, tied for No. 123 with four other global tycoons. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for March 5. Associated Press.

Oahu

Japanese billionaire Genshiro Kawamoto was arrested in Tokyo on Tuesday, Japan time, on suspicion of violating corporate tax law, the Japanese television network NTV reported. The money was used to buy art for the museum Kawamoto was building in Hawaii, the network reported. Star-Advertiser.

Plans to develop the Ala Wai Boat Harbor will shut down its one and only fueling dock. KHON2.

U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi says the sweepstakes machines that police seized from six Oahu arcades in September appear to be gambling devices prohibited under state law. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Liquor Commission Administrator Greg Nishioka told his investigators to refrain from arresting people and stop using handcuffs and other gear following an incident of alleged excessive force by two investigators about one year ago. Hawaii News Now.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell and supporters of the (de)Occupy Honolulu movement agree on at least one thing: The trees in Thomas Square should be trimmed and other park improvements made. Star-Advertiser.

Under Mayor Kirk Caldwell's newly proposed budget, Old Stadium Park and dozens of other areas around Oahu would get new life. Hawaii News Now.

Despite a series of construction delays and concern about risking NCAA certification, the University of Hawaii said the $13 million Clarence T. C. Ching Athletic Complex will be completed by its end-of-December deadline. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Despite an annual budget of only $12,600 for travel-related costs for three county professional associations, five County Council members are currently attending the National Association of Counties convention in Washington, D.C., a trip that is likely to cost $3,000 per council member. West Hawaii Today.

A two-year investigation ended with the dismantling of an elaborate underground bunker used to grow marijuana in Glenwood, the confiscation of more than 500 marijuana plants, about 10 pounds of dried marijuana and some hashish and the arrest of two people. Star-Advertiser.

A mainland-based developer has completed the purchase of 52 lots from The Club at Hokulia. West Hawaii Today.

A former Hakalau man is being accused in a lawsuit of sexually abusing boys he had adopted and using them for cheap labor on his farm. Tribune-Herald.

Attorneys have filed a lawsuit on behalf of two men accusing Father George DeCosta, a revered Big Island priest, of sexually abusing two boys while he worked as a chaplain at a Catholic school on Oahu. Tribune-Herald.

Kona Brewing Co.’s shipments totaled 220,000 barrels of beer in 2012, an increase of 27.3 percent from the 172,800 barrels that were shipped in 2011, the Hawaii-based company said. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Establishments that serve alcohol on Maui are required to limit dancing to dance floors, which have to be at least 100 square feet, clearly designated and alcohol-free. The Senate is planning to vote today on a bill that would require county liquor commissions to define the term “dancing” in response to many complaints about the regulations. Associated Press.

About 25 state Department of Land and Natural Resources employees and volunteers from the Maui Community Action Committee joined together to plant more than 50 Haleakala silverswords within the Kahikinui Forest Reserve on Saturday morning. Maui News.

Four small-town projects have been awarded an estimated total of $67,000 in the county Planning Department's first round of "small town planning" grant program awards, the county announced. Maui News.

The state House unanimously passed a bill out of its chamber for the purchase of land at Lipoa Point on Maui for permanent preservation. Maui Now.

A talk show will focus on Maui County's recent efforts to convert the island's solid waste into energy in an effort to cut down on the amount of trash that ends up in the Central Maui Landfill in Puunene. Maui News.

Kauai

More than 300 hundred people gathered at Waimea Canyon Middle School Sunday afternoon for a presentation about the effects of Atrazine, a herbicide used in agricultural fields near Waimea — a town described by Hawaiian activist Walter Ritte as the “central battle ground” in a fight against biotech companies and genetically modified organisms. Garden Island.

Kilauea lava flows to ocean, Kulani prison moves forward, schools hire without background checks, slug-infested Christmas tree deliveries stopped, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

2011 USGS photo of Kilauea lava flow

For the first time in eleven months, lava is entering the ocean from Kilauea volcano. Hawaii News Now.

Lava from Kilauea Volcano is entering the ocean in lower Puna for the first time since New Year’s Day, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii island tour operators enjoyed their own version of Black Friday weekend when lava from Kilauea Volcano's Puu Oo vent spilled into the ocean Saturday afternoon, prompting a surge of business from locals and visitors eager to witness the spectacle. Star-Advertiser.

College students from the University of Hawaii at Hilo had a chance to see the work of Madame Pele in person this weekend, as a Volcanology class left the confines of campus and studied a lava flow at Kalapana on the Big Island. Hawaii News Now.

State Rep. Marcus Oshiro says it's not clear yet who will lead the state House despite an announcement by former speaker Rep. Joe Souki that he has the vote to reclaim the post. KITV4.


A new Department of Education audit of the casual hire system that employed some 22,000 people at schools statewide last fiscal year found poor oversight and a lack of monitoring, and concluded schools were failing to follow even basic pre-employment protocols, including ensuring that background checks were conducted before an employee began work. Star-Advertiser.


Hawaii Ethics Commission Sets Sights On Charter School Employee. Civil Beat.

Pierre Omidyar

Pierre and Pam Omidyar’s plan to give $50 million to the Hawaii Community Foundation is halfway through its six-year commitment to launch community initiatives, and there is already progress on those initiatives. Pacific Business News.

Shipments of Christmas trees to stores statewide have stopped. KITV4.


The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council — a taxpayer-funded federal agency that works with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service to ensure commercial fisheries stay strong in the 1.5 million square miles under its jurisdiction, forked over at least $107,500 to publish a book, little more than a summary of a series of workshops. Civil Beat.

State roundup for November 26. Associated Press.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council will welcome four new members in the next two months, three of whom were in the state Legislature only a month ago. The fourth was in the state Senate just four years ago. Star-Advertiser.

A backlog of claims at the Honolulu Veterans Benefits Administration is keeping some Hawaii veterans waiting up to 18 months for decisions on disability benefits. Civil Beat.

Photovoltaic permits overloading city of Honolulu. KHON2.

The Honolulu rail project will make about $5 million available to buy works of art to dress up the system's 21 train stations, and the city expects to invite artists from across the nation to compete for a chance to win commissions. Star-Advertiser.

Farrington High School officials dealing with aftermath of roof collapse. KITV4.

Hawaii

Councilman J Yoshimoto intends to run a tight ship when he takes the helm of the Hawaii County Council on Dec. 3. Tribune-Herald.

About 200 Hawaii inmates will be closer to home for the holidays as early as next year if the proposed reactivation of Kulani prison comes to fruition. West Hawaii Today.

On Dec. 3, Mitch Roth will become Hawaii County’s first new elected prosecutor in a generation, having won a general election nailbiter over county Corporation Counsel Lincoln Ashida. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui County Planning Department has issued a request for proposals for a new "small town planning" grant program. Maui News.

Hamoa Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world has been without a public shower for the past month and may continue to be without one for a while. Maui News.
Kauai

With more than 17,500 smart meters already installed, the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative is more than halfway finished with the project to replace older mechanical meters at 33,000 homes and businesses. Garden Island.

The County of Kaua‘i signed on to take the Better Buildings Challenge, pledging to reduce energy use by 20 percent at its facilities by 2020. Garden Island.

Molokai

Molokai teachers are joining public school educators around Hawaii to raise awareness for their efforts of negotiating a fair contract with the state. Molokai Dispatch.