UH takes hot seat for Stevie Wonder blunder, Oracle racing coming to Lanai, Honolulu mayoral candidates debate, Hawaii SAT scores lag historically low national numbers, Hawaii County elections lawsuit can't find a judge, union settlement at Turtle Bay, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state Capitol (c) 2012 all Hawaii News

University of Hawaii officials were grilled for more than six hours Monday in a hearing that sought answers on a Stevie Wonder fundraising concert that never was. Civil Beat.

Amid tough questions Monday night from state senators, Board of Regents Chairman Eric Martinson pledged greater transparency in tackling the fallout from the botched Stevie Wonder concert and said the body would play a role in making sure a similar debacle doesn't happen again. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood was grilled by more than two hours by a special State Senate committee Monday looking into the botched Stevie Wonder concert and its aftermath. Hawaii News Now.

UH President MRC Greenwood

University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood said she felt political pressure to let then-athletic director Jim Donovan keep his job, but instead the school offered him a position that he had neither asked for, nor wanted, at an annual salary of $211,000 for three years. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii's Stevie Wonder concert fiasco was the product of a systematic breakdown and not the fault of a single university official, internal UH documents show. Hawaii News Now.

Presidents of public universities with top-tier intercollegiate football programs must walk a  “very difficult and treacherous pathway,” University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood said as she walked that pathway at a state Senate investigative committee hearing yesterday. Hawaii Reporter.

Senators finally called it a night at seven o'clock this evening, after listening to six hours of testimony regarding the Stevie Wonder concert scam, and the re-assignment of former UH Athletics Director Jim Donovan. KHON2.

Hawaii's SAT scores continue to lag behind the national average. Star-Advertiser.

David “Kawika” Crowley has a lot to say about Tulsi Gabbard, his opponent in Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional race, but it appears he won’t have a chance to say it to her face. Tribune-Herald.

State roundup for September 25. Associated Press.

Oahu
For part of a mayoral forum Monday, candidates Kirk Caldwell and Ben Caye­tano veered away from discussing the city's $5.26 billion rail project and talked about issues on the minds of the largely elderly audience. Star-Advertiser.

During a Monday forum sponsored by the Kokua Council, both candidates for Honolulu mayor said they would support the direct funding of senior services by the city. KITV4.

Honolulu Mayoral Candidates Kirk Caldwell and Ben Cayetano squared off in their first meeting since advancing from the primary election. KHON2.

When it comes to the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, neither of Honolulu’s two mayoral candidates fully support the state’s plan to replace the dilapidated structure with a volleyball arena or concert venue. Civil Beat.

The Kaimana Beach Coalition released more emails this weekend that raises questions about the influence of a group that it is at odds with. KITV4.

The 16 candidates running to fill Tulsi Gabbard’s vacant Honolulu City Council seat range from an English professor to a Department of Transportation office assistant. Civil Beat.

The city of Honolulu will unveil draft proposals for transit-oriented development along the planned rail line in Kalihi and downtown Hono­lulu in public workshops today and Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A tentative settlement was reached Monday night on a new contract covering workers at Turtle Bay Resort. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu’s new online system for residential solar power system building permits started off with more than 300 permits issued during the first day alone. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu is one of the largest U.S. cities not to put fluoride in its water supply, but it's been nearly a decade since the issue was last up for public debate. Civil Beat.

Robertson Properties Group’s final environmental impact statement for its proposed mixed-use project for the site of the former Kamehameha Drive-in across from Pearlridge Center in Aiea has been accepted by Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting. Pacific Business News.

The Navy's Blue Angels said aloha to Kaneohe in typical fashion Monday — with six jets flying wingtip to wingtip in a diamond pattern and trailing smoke as they screamed by in a low flyover just before 2:30 p.m. Star-Advertiser.

The National Weather Service posted a high-surf advisory throughout the day as waves with faces taller than 20 feet pounded the North Shore. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

It’s been little more than two weeks since two fired elections workers filed suit against County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi and Council Chairman Dominic Yagong. But it’s already clear no Hilo judge is going to hear the lawsuits. West Hawaii Today.

County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi said Monday that she has replaced Arlene Boteilho, made acting elections program administrator after the firing of Pat Nakamoto in January, with Elizabeth Lehua Iopa. Tribune-Herald.

South Kona’s recent spate of burglaries provided ample fodder for debate and marked a bright line between philosophies when the two candidates for prosecuting attorney faced off Friday at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. West Hawaii Today.

Previous scientific studies of Hawaii Island’s fresh water resources have shown some of what scientists thought they knew about water here was wrong. West Hawaii Today.

A North Hawaii bridge and intersection will get a makeover, under a Department of Transportation proposal that got the environmental go-ahead this week. West Hawaii Today.

Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School faculty, staff, parents and community members elected the school’s first governing board on Sept. 6. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Halting the controversial Kihei shopping centers that have come under scrutiny by the state Land Use Commission could also jeopardize 250 affordable housing units promised to Maui County five years ago. Maui News.

The Mahinahina Water Treatment facility in West Maui was up and running as of early Sunday morning after crews repaired a broken waterline sooner than expected. Maui News.

Kauai
Hundreds of fans are expected to turn out Saturday for "Kauai Remembers Blue Hawaii," a commemorative event sponsored by the Kauai Visitors Bureau and the County of Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Commercial parking lots across from Tunnels Beach are no longer in operation after the state found three land owners to be in violation of land use within the conservation district. Garden Island.

Following the buzz over the statewide Public Land Development Corporation’s series of heated meetings last month, the Kaua‘i County Council will discuss Wednesday a resolution introduced by its rookie council member, echoing what the public present at those meetings has overwhelmingly asked Gov. Neil Abercrombie throughout the state: Repeal Act 55. Garden Island.

Lanai

ORACLE Racing is proposing the use of Kaumalapau Harbor on the island of Lāna‘i as a temporary base of operations for sea trials, training, and related research to support  the development of a high-performance boat for competitive sailing events. Maui Now.

Honolulu homeless counted, Land Development Corp. regroups, rail funding delayed, Kauai prosecutor sued, Big Island grass-fed beef study launched, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu homeless (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Escorted by Honolulu police officers and social workers, about 200 volunteers surveyed homeless people in Waikiki, urban Honolulu and the Leeward Coast. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu's homeless have a new place to turn to for help with finding a job and securing a roof over their head. There's a new IHS Service Center. KHON2.

(c) 2012 All Hawaii News

A new homeless shelter on the Waianae coast will give people both a place to live and work. KHON2.

Non-candidate political committees — from both Hawaii and the mainland — together spent at least $960,000 this week on TV ads endorsing or opposing candidates in the state's hottest races. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has purchased a fourth round of television advertising for former Gov. Linda Lingle's Republican campaign for U.S. Senate, bringing the business group's investment in Hawaii to more than $1 million. Star-Advertiser.

Former Gov. Linda Lingle, who's running for the U.S. Senate, and Charles Djou, running to reclaim his 1st District seat in Congress, appeared at the forum to answer questions posed by the board at the Sheraton Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

The board of the Public Land Development Corporation met for the first time Thursday since a series of heated public meetings throughout the islands brought out nearly 700 protestors. The overriding message: Abolish the PLDC. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has urged the Public Land Development Corp. to adopt a strategic plan that defines its priorities and scope, warning that public "suspicion and supposition" would continue without such a plan. Star-Advertiser.

The departure of Jim Boersema, Gov. Neil Abercrombie's communications director, at the end of this month adds to the growing number of top aides and other officials who have left the administration. Civil Beat.

Jim Boersema, Gov. Neil Abercrombie's communications director, will leave the post at the end of September. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last month was the lowest since 2009. KITV4.

The state Health Department and a special task force set up by Gov. Neil Abercrombie wants to restore many of the mental health cuts like those faced by providers like Hale Na'au Pono. Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii has retained a second downtown law firm in the wake of the Stevie Wonder concert debacle, the school confirmed Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for September 21. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

Uncertainty about the outcome of the Honolulu mayoral election may have prompted the Federal Transit Authority to delay its decision on whether to award federal funds to the city for its planned rail transit project. Star-Advertiser.

The recent Hawaii Supreme Court ruling against the Honolulu rail project's burial inventory plan delayed the federal funding application and raised new questions in the nation's capital, city leaders said Thursday after meetings in Washington. Star-Advertiser.

The race for Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney has been heating up over the last 4 months … and now… the race is even more contentious with only six weeks left before the November 6th General Election. Hawaii Public Radio.

The employment and housing divisions of the Institute for Human Services now have room to expand and better serve homeless and struggling community members around Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council Budget Chair Ann Kobayashi hoped to receive a thorough briefing on the financial picture for the city’s $5.2 billion rail project from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation department on Wednesday, but instead she and other committee members were left with more questions. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii

The state Office of Elections plans to send one of its senior staff members back to Hilo on Nov. 6 to assist Hawaii County on election day. Tribune-Herald.

County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong has called a special meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday to discuss lawsuits filed recently by two election workers who were fired in January. Big Island Now.

Hawaii Beef Producers has joined a trial by Parker Ranch and Ulupono Initiative, a social investment fund co-founded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, to study the development of large-scale grass-fed beef production on the Big Island. Pacific Business News.

The Big Island’s unemployment rate dropped in August, following the same trend as both the state and nation, state officials said Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

A judge on Thursday granted a motion to dismiss all defendants from a civil lawsuit claiming the county has intentionally failed to abide by the “lowest law enforcement priority” of adult personal use of marijuana, in effect dismissing the case. Tribune-Herald.

A public meeting tonight will test the waters for possible eminent domain action over access to Papaikou Mill Beach. Tribune-Herald.

State Rep. Clift Tsuji, D-South Hilo, Panaewa, Puna, Keaau, Kurtistown, announced Thursday that he was admitted to Hilo Medical Center last week with pneumonia, but he is expected to be released in a few days and to make a full recovery. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The County of Maui is proposing to extend the shoreline protection at the Wailuku-Kahului Wastewater Reclamation Facility. Maui Now.

As federal energy officials wrap up a statewide listening tour of sorts this week on potential environmental impacts of achieving Hawaii's ambitious clean-energy goals, Maui County residents are hopeful their staunch opposition to "Big Wind" has been made clear. Maui News.

Hawaiian Electric Co. estimates that it will be opening up 50 to 70 percent more room on a typical circuit for photovoltaic systems and reducing the number of costly interconnection studies on Maui by "changing to a different kind of standard," said a HECO official Tuesday. Maui News.

The owner of Kaunakakai's iconic Kanemitsu Bakery -- makers of the famed "Molokai bread" for the past 75 years -- says he may be forced to shut down his family's business following another failed health inspection Wednesday. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Councilman Timothy Bynum this week filed a lawsuit against the prosecutor and the County of Kauai saying that Shaylene Iseri-Cavalho violated his civil rights by falsely suing him for breaking zoning laws. Civil Beat.

A deputy prosecuting attorney has filed suit in 5th Circuit Court against her employer for retaliation, seniority and salary issues. Garden Island.

Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. held Thursday evening the first community meeting of a process that could take at least two years to decide the future of Hanalei’s Blackpot Beach Park. Garden Island.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources invites fishermen and ocean gatherers of Ni‘ihau, Lehua Rock, Ka‘ula and the Na Pali Coast to a talk story and mapping session aimed at helping to identify important use areas. Garden Island.

Molokai

A floating menace could be the biggest piece of tsunami debris Hawaii has seen yet. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian dascyllus targeted for protection, Abercrombie defends Public Land Corp., Aloun Farms bounces back after human trafficking charges dismissed, alcohol could come to Honolulu zoo, Big Island beekeeper seeks public land, food inspection rules to change, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian dascyllus (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The orange clownfish and seven types of damselfish are headed toward extinction, prompting an environmental group to ask the federal government to protect them. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has launched an enthusiastic defense of the troubled Public Land Development Corp., describing it as a potential catalyst for partnerships with the private sector on modern schools, workforce housing, long-term care and early childhood education. Star-Advertiser.

The campaign for the 1st Congressional District has been under the radar, overshadowed by a once-in-a-generation U.S. Senate race, the Honolulu mayoral runoff and Tulsi Gabbard's new rock star status in Hawaii's other U.S. House race. Civil Beat.

On Sept. 6, U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono had voted with the Democratic Party 1,465 times and against it 58 times, meaning that she sided with liberals 96.2 percent of the time. Civil Beat.

Defense budget cuts could hit Hawaii defense contractors. Pacific Business News.

Under a series of proposed new rules, the health department will also begin grading food establishment facilities using “placards” that will be on display for the public to see. Maui Now.

Oahu
Commercial activity at Honolulu city parks from ethnic festivals at McCoy Pavilion to tai chi classes at a neighborhood gym became illegal due to the unintended consequences of a law that took effect July 1. Star-Advertiser.

The campaign for Honolulu mayor, much like the rail project that is at the heart of the debate in the race, is in a holding pattern. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu rail project has fallen behind its own timetable for a federal funding guarantee, and needs to get moving soon to get a deal signed this year. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s Aloun Farms has had its best 12-month period ever, seeing revenue grow by 30 percent following a federal judge’s dismissal of human trafficking charges a year ago. Pacific Business News.

Alcohol sales could soon be coming to the Honolulu Zoo. KHON2.

There are an estimated one thousand unsheltered homeless on the streets of Oahu. Efforts are now getting underway to determine how many of them are the most medically vulnerable and at-risk. Hawaii News Now.

Some lawmakers in American Samoa are questioning the need for the territory’s office in Honolulu.Associated Press.

A new venture that replaced the John Dominis restaurant in Kakaako is creating quite a stir. 53 by the Sea, which includes wedding chapels, a restaurant and a bar, recently held its soft opening. Now complaints have come up about parking problems. Hawaii News Now.

There was a final homecoming Saturday morning for a historic Coast Guard ship that has called Hawaii home for the past four decades. KITV4.

Hawaii

A Big Isle beekeeper known for his top-quality organic honey fears that public opposition to the state’s new Public Land Development Corporation could complicate or derail his plans for a long-term lease of more than 500 acres of state land in South Kohala. Stephens Media.

The Office of Mauna Kea Management is working on a burial treatment plan and intends to take it into the Hawaiian community for review upon completion. Tribune-Herald.

The number of building permits issued on the Big Island is up so far this year, putting it on track to end six years of decline. Stephens Media.

Maui

Three months after Maui County enacted long-awaited legislation to allow permitted short-term vacation rentals in residential areas, Chris and Annie McNeil's five-bedroom Paia Surf rental recently became the island's first permitted property under the new system. Maui News.

Citing concerns about traffic and safety, county officials announced that the county-sanctioned "Fourth Friday" Paia town party is over. Maui News.

Maui Planning Commission members reviewed plans this week for construction of a sloping rock revetment to protect the Hololani Resort Condominiums from erosion in Kahana. Maui News.

Kauai
Wilcox Memorial Hospital has opened Kaua‘i’s first Cardiac Rehabilitation program to improve local access to care for patients with heart issues. Garden Island.

To paraphrase a great American writer: Rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. Garden Island.

Molokai

The Molokai Veterans Cemetery has been in need of improvements and upgrades for some time. Now, government officials have taken a series of steps that have led to a better situation. Hawaii Public Radio.

Limits sought for public land development agency, Maui scientists launch coffee-infused breakfast cereal, state pays $400k workers comp to Kauai man dead 20 years, Kaneohe Marine base faces fines for pyrotechnics, Kilauea lava flow resumes march toward sea, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pololu Valley Lookout (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Two state senators behind the Public Land Development Corp. on Monday recommended a new strategic plan to help respond to intense criticism from environmentalists, Native Hawaiians and labor about the corporation's mission. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s Public Land Development Corporation is facing an increasingly hostile political landscape as it works to partner with private companies to develop state lands. Civil Beat.

A newly released internal audit warns that a lack of oversight and accountability in key procurement and contracting processes at the Department of Education opens up the agency to a risk of theft. Star-Advertiser.

As the nation reflects today on the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that claimed about 3,000 lives, the Pacific Aviation Museum has gathered together a representation of the "war on terror" costs for America that followed. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii voters unsatisfied with either the Democratic Party ticket (Barack Obama and Joe Biden) or the Republican Party ticket (Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan) have a third and fourth option. Civil Beat.

Several hundred new apartment rentals are under construction statewide. The units will increase affordable housing options for low-income residents, but according to the state’s housing study tens of thousands of additional affordable rentals are needed. Hawaii Public Radio.

School Bullies: Hawaii Gay Kids Face High Risk Of Harassment. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle is headed to China for a conference. Associated Press.

A multimedia campaign designed to beef up support for the city's $5.26 billion rail project has been making a pitch in emails designed to solicit canvassers to walk door to door in support of rail. Star-Advertiser.

The State is considering issuing a fine against Kaneohe Marine Corps Base for not having a permit for a pyrotechnics rehearsal it conducted over the weekend. KHON2.

A potential development in Aiea has some residents concerned about whether their homes will have trade winds anymore. Civil Beat.

A community-based effort called 100,000 Homes Oahu aims to move 100 of Oahu's most at-risk homeless people and families into permanent homes within the next two years. Star-Advertiser.

A local developer is converting an office building formerly known as "Newtown Square" to medical condominium units. KHON2.

Brigham Young University-Hawaii is working to improve its newest degree program -- one of its most popular --  after the school received sharp criticism from a regional accreditation team raising questions about whether the new major amounted to a "worthless degree." Hawaii News Now.

The Queen's Medical Center is now willing to release a 95-year-old, debilitated woman — with her feeding tube in place — after a circuit judge indicated last week that he's unlikely to rule on whether to remove Karen Okada's feeding tube until late October. Star-Advertiser.

AES Solar has received approval of its environmental impact statement for Kalaeloa Home Lands Solar LLC, a proposed 5-megawatt solar farm in West Oahu. Pacific Business News.

A recycling program has started generating complaints along with cans and cardboard and some have already discontinued their efforts. Hawaii News Now.

The “Thai lottery” case being investigated by federal authorities and police here involves “a mom and pop operation that’s been going on for 20 years within the Laotian and Thai communities,” defense attorney Myles Breiner said today. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii

Astronomers at the W.M. Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea were set to begin using a new instrument Monday night that promises to speed up the process of discovering some of the universe’s oldest, and most distant, objects. Tribune-Herald.

A rash of burglaries in Kona has left residents terrified and contemplating taking their safety into their own hands. West Hawaii Today.

After months of inconclusive dithering, a lava flow from a breakout near Puu Oo is making its way downslope. Tribune-Herald.

Wainaku Ventures LLC, whose sole principal is the Edmund C. Olson Trust II, has bought the Wainaku Executive Center from the estate of the late former C. Brewer & Co. honcho J.W.A. “Doc” Buyers. Tribune-Herald.

Ken Wood is leaving his post as CEO of North Hawaii Community Hospital, but he isn’t leaving the hospital just yet. West Hawaii Today.

State parks officials are attempting to terminate a permit that allows a business to operate a coastal tour on Hawaii island after the death of a 15-year-old New York boy who was swept out to sea during a guided visit. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Maui food scientist Mike Abrams and partner Chuck Mason have launched Cappuccino Crunch, a line of toasted rice flour cereals for caffeine lovers. Pacific Business News.

The Maui-based food scientist says he's created the world's first coffee-infused cereals. Maui News.

A Final Environmental Impact Statement has been filed for the development of a public high school in Kihei. Maui Now.

Hawaii and the federal government are starting a program to reduce the amount of sediment, fertilizer and other pollution that flows into the ocean and harms coral reefs off West Maui. Associated Press.

Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge visitor center and Kanuimanu Ponds public viewing area will be open to the public on Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Maui News.

Kauai

The state paid almost $400,000 in worker's compensation benefits for a former Kauai resident who has been dead for more than 20 years. Hawaii News Now.

More than $1.3 million in federal funds for storm-related projects has made its way to Kaua‘i. Garden Island.

County Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo told the Kaua‘i County Council last week the administration has spent $34.29 million so far in “the path that goes by the coast.” The total length of already finished work is 6.8 miles. The entire path is projected to cover 23.8 miles from Anahola to Ahukini. Garden Island.

Twenty years ago, Hurricane Iniki roared across our islands. The eye of the storm passed directly over Kauai, causing catastrophic damage. Hawaii News Now.

Some people never got to go home after Hurricane ‘Iniki battered the island, said Dickie Chang, a former head concierge and head of guest services at the Westin Kaua‘i Resort, now the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort & Beach Club. Garden Island.

There's no quick fix for Coco Palms resort on Kauai. The hotel which has been in disrepair since Hurricane Iniki devastated the Garden Island 20 years ago remains in shambles. KHON2.

Lanai

The billionaire who purchased most of the Hawaiian island of Lanai will be inheriting a water dispute that has already gone before the state Supreme Court without a final resolution. Associated Press.

Hawaii Tax Commission seeks General Excise Tax hike, solar companies want lower China tariffs, Lanai group fights golf course irrigation, Kauai remembers Iniki, Big Island tour company faces license loss, Molokai burial site upgraded, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Mai Tai bar (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

As one state advisory panel is predicting lower-than-expected tax revenues in coming years, another is recommending that the state increase the general excise tax rate by a half-percentage point. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii Tax Review Commission report recommending increase in General Excise Tax.

Companies seeking to develop projects on state lands aren’t required to go through a competitive bidding process under recently proposed rules that would govern Hawaii’s controversial Public Land Development Corporation. Civil Beat.

Coconut bras aren’t Hawaiian. Neither are grass skirts. Tiki bars? They’re from California. Yet they’re all among the most recognizable symbols of a Hawaiian vacation. Associated Press.

The National Weather Service Employees Organization on Sunday endorsed U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono for U.S. Senate, citing her opposition to House Republican budget cuts in 2011 that could have diminished operations at facilities such as the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. House candidate Tulsi Gabbard weighed in on Republican "obstructionism," the influx of outside funding to Hawaii races, the future of the U.S. military in Af­ghani­stan and other topics during a two-hour appearance on the MSNBC program "Up w/ Chris Hayes" on Sunday. Star-Advertiser.

An official from Hilo-based ProVision Solar plans to join dozens of other businesses at a hearing in Washington, D.C., next month to testify that tariffs being levied on imported Chinese solar panels are doing more harm than good to the U.S. economy. Star-Advertiser.

Between 2007 and 2009, Hawaii Tech Support boosted revenues by almost 300 percent, making it one of the fastest-growing companies in Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

Oahu
The Hawaii Supreme Court has given Native Hawaiian Paulette Kaleikini, the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed against the Honolulu rail project, a week to respond to a motion submitted by the City and County of Honolulu that asked the state high court to reconsider its ruling. Pacific Business News.

A U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in a Los Angeles case it is unconstitutional for the government to seize homeless people's temporarily unattended property could influence Honolulu's homeless ordinance. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii medical students have treated homeless shelter patients more than 7,600 times in the six years since the university started its homeless outreach program. KHON2.

The Honolulu City Council has a solution in mind to offer farmers on the Leeward Coast the opportunity to place as many as five retrofitted shipping containers on their land to serve as workforce housing. Hawaii Reporter.

Ben Cayetano and Kirk Caldwell talk journalism and politics at high school journalism day forum. Civil Beat.

Harriet Natsuyama said she can run her fingers along the Japa­nese characters etched into decades-old gravestones at the Moiliili Japa­nese Cemetery and know whether her grandfather's hands worked to carve them. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Board of Realtors says the Oahu real estate market ended with summer with strong numbers. Hawaii News Now.

In preparation for the Kaneohe Bay Air Show "Wall of Fire" pyrotechnics display, a rehearsal was conducted Saturday at 10 a.m. and lasting less than five minutes, according to Marine Corps Base Hawaii. KITV4.

Hawaii

Complaints against the chairman of the Windward Planning Commission, the chairman of the Hawaii County Council and union-endorsed candidate forums on the taxpayers’ dime: The county Board of Ethics has a full plate of issues when it meets Wednesday in County Council chambers. West Hawaii Today.

The jury is still out on the effectiveness of publicly financed County Council campaigns in erasing the advantage of big money in elections. Tribune-Herald.

A Kealakekua Bay kayak tour company may lose its ability to take visitors to the Captain Cook monument. Tribune-Herald.

August produced a bumper crop of burglaries on the Big Island, with 142 reported islandwide, up from the previous month’s 95 burglary reports. Tribune-Herald.

West Hawaii Community Health Center — a nonprofit working to provide health care to the underserved and underinsured — anticipates a new clinic at Lai Opua will open in April 2015. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Some Maui candidates who lost their primary election bids wound up spending more money per vote than their winning opponents. Maui News.

A broken pump at the Kaupakalua Well led to a water conservation advisory in the Haiku area for the weekend by the Department of Water Supply. Maui News.

The Maui County Department of Fire and Public Safety will begin installing smoke alarms at high risk homes in October, under the federally funded Smoke Alarm Maui Program. Maui Now.

Kauai

Since Hurricane Iniki barreled over Kauai 20 years ago Tuesday, the county's communication system has vastly improved, but the island still has too few shelters able to with­stand gale-force winds, emergency planners say. Star-Advertiser.

How did Kaua‘i Community Radio (KKCR) come to be linked to the emergency system tower in Princeville? The Category 4 Hurricane ‘Iniki played a part in it. Garden Island.

A proposal to give Kaua‘i Community College students substantial savings in Kaua‘i Bus fares has a trade off: All students would pay for it, regardless of who rides the bus. Garden Island.

County Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo on Wednesday unveiled to the Kaua‘i County Council the administration’s plan to work with the skateboarding groups on Kaua‘i to design and build two skate parks, one in Lihu‘e and another in Hanapepe. Garden Island.

Lanai

A legal dispute over the water source for a Lanai golf course that has spanned more than two decades has been kept alive by a state appeals court ruling that could mean more litigation for months, if not years. Star-Advertiser.

Molokai

Translations of letters written by the earliest Hawaiian Hansen's disease patients exiled to Molokai in the late 1800s paint a much different picture of early life in the settlement than the brutal image perpetuated by English-speaking, mostly Caucasian authorities at the time. Star-Advertiser.

Thanks to $438,000 in federal funding, two new columbaria, or vaults to hold urns containing ashes, were installed last month at the Molokai Veterans Cemetery in Ho`olehua. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii hearts Obama, Gabbard to speak at DNC today, Oracle's Ellison foresees new yacht harbor for Lanai, worst students improve, Ritz-Carlton struggles on Maui, book highlights Mormons in Hawaii, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

2008 DNC convention scene (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Although President Barack Obama faces a tough re-election, nothing has dulled his popularity in his native state, says former Hawaii County Mayor Dante Carpenter. Stephens Media.

Tulsi Gabbard will speak at DNC 2012. KITV4.

Congressional candidate Tulsi Gabbard is among the speakers at the convention which starts tomorrow. KHON2.

Hawaii hotels set a statewide record for July monthly room revenue as the surging visitor industry remained on pace to establish full-year highs for both arrivals and spending. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's Mormons: 'Chosen People, Promised Land' Civil Beat.

The percentage of Hawaii students "well below" proficiency in reading and math fell in the 2011-12 school year in all tested grade levels, proof that schools are making gains in helping students who are struggling the most academically, school administrators said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's 2012 election is about a lot of things: about how many Democrats will control the Hawaii Legislature, whether Republicans can pick up any seats, whether there will be enough dissidents to overthrow the House speaker, whether the Big Island will stick with its current mayor or go back to its former one. But on Oahu, it's mostly about one issue: rail. Civil Beat.

School Bus Transportation Services Audit Blasts Hawaii Department of Education. Hawaii Reporter.

Over the past two weeks, hundreds of Hawaii people spoke out against the Public Land Development Corporation (and a handful spoke in favor). Hawaii Independent.

DOH: Most local produce vendors not under permit, inspection program. KITV4.

State roundup for Sept. 4. Associated Press.

Oahu

From the minute boater Ed Meixsell drove in to Heeia Kea Boat Harbor Sunday morning, he knew it wasn't going to be a typical three-day weekend at the former party spot known as the Kaneohe sandbar. Star-Advertiser.

Traffic fatalities are on the rise on Oahu and three-fourths of the deaths involved a victim who was either on a motorcycle or mo-ped, or was walking. Star-Advertiser.

More elderly pedestrians are killed in Hawaii than anyplace else in the country. Now, several efforts are coming together to try to make the streets safer for all pedestrians — no matter their age. Civil Beat.

A downtown Honolulu office building affectionately known as the “Pimple Building” is about to get a new life as a dormitory for students from Hawaii Pacific University. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Hawaii County spent $8.8 million in overtime in the fiscal year that ended June 30, an average of $2,959 extra for each of the 2,976 positions in county departments under Mayor Billy Kenoi’s administration. West Hawaii Today.

Should a proposed electricity rate increase of 4.2 percent in 2013 be approved by the state’s Public Utilities Commission, Big Island low-income families will be among those hardest hit by higher power bills. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island voters will have more decisions to make at the ballot box this November than just for whom to vote. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has tossed an election challenge filed by U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka’s granddaughter. Civil Beat.

Group wants to put telescope on moon. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The ultra-luxury Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences at Kapalua Bay - touted as "destined to become Maui's most cherished luxury homes" when it opened in 2009 - is embroiled in a lawsuit filed by homeowners who allege the developer and management company have "allowed the project to fall into disarray." Maui News.

The Surfing Goat Dairy in Kula is under assault - like most Upcountry agricultural operations - because of unyielding and costly drought conditions for the past several years, the dairy owner said. Maui News.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the nonprofit Pacific Islands Fisheries Group will join up to speak with Maui bottom fish fishermen about research activities Wednesday at Maui Waena Intermediate School. Maui News.

Kauai

A unit of the U.S. Strategic Command is conducting classified Global Positioning System tests in waters off Kauai that could disrupt civilian GPS systems on land and sea. Star-Advertiser.

Two Hawai‘i economists were optimistic for Kaua‘i’s slow but steady growth, and see recovery in most sectors with more immediate progress in tourism. Garden Island.

Stuart, Jillian and Ava Collison of Perth, Australia, never fully understood the depth of breakfast until they visited the annual Labor Day Breakfast Monday at Lihu‘e United Church. Garden Island.

Lanai

Is Larry Ellison planning a new yacht harbor for Hawaiian island of Lanai? Pacific Business News.


Molokai

“It is dangerous to put public lands in private hands,” said Molokai resident Kauhane Adams. Yet it seems that this is exactly what legislature created the Public Land Development Corporation (PLDC) to do when they passed senate bill Act 55 in 2011 that established the corporation. Molokai Dispatch.

Kilauea Volcano gets its own quarter, crowds fight new state land development corporation, Kauai budget out of balance, state Senate committee to look into UH blunders, 579 burials found at Honolulu church construction site, Maui hospital mulls partnership with Banner Health, Supreme Court dismisses election protest, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii volcano quarter courtesy photo

The United States Mint is unveiling a new quarter depicting a Hawaii volcano eruption. Associated Press.

At a rain-drenched ceremony near the national park’s visitor center, Superintendent Cindy Orlando, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye and David Croft, plant manager of the U.S. Mint in Denver, tipped their ceremonial calabashes and poured out $500 in newly minted quarters onto a koa platter, inaugurating the ceremonial rollout of what could be a red-hot collector’s item. Tribune-Herald.

Sen. Daniel Inouye joined U.S. Mint Plant Manager David Croft and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando Wednesday in launching the new Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Quarter. KITV4.

Environmentalists, Native Hawaiian leaders and University of Hawaii students crowded a state office building conference room Wednesday night to demand the repeal of the newly created Public Land Development Corp. Star-Advertiser.

The fledgling movement to abolish the Public Land Development Corporation caught fire Wednesday night during a public meeting in Honolulu about the draft rules to regulate the government agency charged with partnering with private companies to develop state lands. Civil Beat.

Hundreds of people showed up at a public hearing regarding proposed rules for the Public Land Development Corporation, formed under a new state law that would allow private development on public land. Hawaii News Now.

An overflow crowd gathered Wednesday night to protest a new law giving the state the ability to sell or lease public lands to developers. KHON2.

A special state Senate committee has been formed to look into recent management blunders at the University of Hawaii. Hawaii Reporter.

Relief has begun to arrive for many Hawaii homeowners threatened by foreclosure under a settlement between the five largest U.S. mortgage lenders and the state and federal government. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii attorney general's office says consumers in the state could receive up to $300,000 in compensation under a nationwide settlement with three of the country's largest book publishers over price fixing allegations. Associated Press.

The state's embattled historic preservation division suffered another blow last week, with the Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that the agency had violated its own rules in allowing the city to begin construction on Honolulu’s rail project without completing an archaeological inventory survey for the entire route first. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's visitor industry continued to heat up in July, with arrivals and spending gains contributing to what continues to be one of the hottest summers ever. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced the release of more than $52.5 million for Capital Improvement Projects last week, including funds for a $2.2 million Transpacific Cable Project. Maui Now.

Kawika Crowley, the Republican nominee for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional seat, pledged Wednesday to put up a strong fight against Democrat Tulsi Gabbard despite being homeless and receiving no financial support from his party. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

An excavation team has found nearly 600 sets of remains in the very spot where the historic Kawaiahao Church plans to build a multi-purpose center, and Hawaiian activists say it's one of the largest burial discoveries in state history. Hawaii News Now.

It would cost $2.5 million to return TheBus service to what it was before the city began imposing cuts earlier this year, but routes could not be restored until March 2013 even if money were available, according to Wayne Yoshioka, director of the city Department of Transportation Services. Star-Advertiser.

The parallels between Hawaii Superferry and Honolulu rail are obvious. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation … or HART … has stopped all new construction on the City’s $5.2 billion rail project. But as HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports … HART reached out to business and community leaders yesterday with a message of reassurance. Hawaii Public Radio.

The city of Honolulu chose to include only two single-toilet restrooms designated for bus drivers only in the new $19 million Alapai Street Transit Station. Honolulu Advertiser.

Ka’ena Point, Oahu’s wild and windswept northwestern tip, is the ancestral gathering place for souls of the dead, from where they jump off into the next world. Now it has new resonance as the first piece of land in Hawaii that is being allowed to revert to the way our islands were thousands of years ago, when there were no people, the only mammals were seals and bats, and tens of millions of seabirds flocked in from all over the world to nest.  Honolulu Weekly.

Hawaii

The Hawaii Supreme Court has dismissed a Puna candidate’s election protest, the third of four protests filed in the wake of the Aug. 11 primary election that the court has dismissed. West Hawaii Today.

The state would spend more than half a billion dollars in upgrades at Kona International Airport in the next decade, if it constructs all of the projects listed in a recently released draft environmental impact statement. West Hawaii Today.

Cleaning up the broken pipes, metal waste and other debris from the ocean off the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority is more than a pipe dream for Mark Barville. West Hawaii Today.

Big Island delegate Dylan Nonaka has been given a stage role on the final night of the Republican National Convention. Stephens Media.

A new open market on a Hawaiian Home Lands parcel in Puna has been ordered to shut down by the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Hawaii Health Systems Maui Regional System Board of Directors has begun discussions with Banner Health, one of the country's largest nonprofit hospital systems, to explore a public-private partnership for medical facilities including Maui Memorial Medical Center. Maui News.

Maui and the state overall continued to enjoy healthy gains in the tourism sector last month. Maui News.

The Grand Wailea could be under new ownership before the end of the year as the hotel's owners seek to auction off assets and emerge from bankruptcy protection. Maui News.

Kauai

“There is no money missing,” was the mantra in Council Chair Jay Furfaro’s presentation to the rest of his colleagues at the Kaua‘i County Council meeting Wednesday, when the council’s Committee of the Whole unanimously approved two bills to address an imbalance in the budget for Fiscal Year 2013, which started July 1. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council is working on two bills aimed at correcting a budget imbalance that occurred during the fiscal year 2013 budget deliberation process. KHON2.

The Kaua‘i Planning Commission on Tuesday gave the County Department of Water the green light to proceed with drilling for an exploratory well and with the construction of two half-million-gallon concrete water tanks in Kapahi. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i Community College surpassed the 1,500-student mark Monday, said Cammie Matsumoto, director of community relations and special projects. Garden Island.

Molokai

George Peabody, editor of the Molokai Advertiser-News, emailed several members of the Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition, the African American Heritage Foundation of Maui, and the Hawaii NAACP on Aug. 25 requesting copies of their birth certificates. Civil Beat.