Public Utilities Commission curtails solar credits, criminal charges dropped against Mauna Kea protesters, Micronesian immigrants seek better life, Health Department pushes medical marijuana laws, new Navy chief says U.S. could patrol South China sea, Maui panel drops cane-burning plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Solar panels in Honolulu

A controversial program that has been one of the main drivers behind the record-breaking growth of rooftop solar in Hawaii is getting curtailed, according to a ruling this week by state regulators. Pacific Business News.

The state Public Utilities Commission cut the credit amount that new rooftop solar owners on Oahu will receive for the excess energy their photovoltaic systems send to the grid. Star-Advertiser.

Advocates of Net Energy Metering call it the most successful method so far to get people off fossil fuels. Now the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has ended the program for new solar customers. Hawaii News Now.

There’s a major shake-up in how homeowners are paying for solar systems. Some homeowners will now have to pay more for keeping their systems on the grid, thanks to a new pricing structure approved by the Public Utilities Commission. KHON2.

New Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said that if international law allows freedom of navigation near China’s man-made islands in the South China Sea, then it should come as no surprise that the United States would exercise that right. The U.S. government is said to be preparing to send a surface ship within 12 nautical miles of the artificial islands China has created in the contested Spratly Islands as a freedom-of-navigation demonstration. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s first system of medical marijuana dispensaries are slated to open next summer, but certain rules adopted this past July are already in effect for current patients and caregivers. Pacific Business News.

Medical marijuana plants are to be tagged with the patient’s state registration number and expiration date, under rules adopted by the state in July. West Hawaii Today.

Outnumbered by Democrats 24-1, Sen. Sam Slom can’t even make a motion on the state Senate floor without a Democrat’s help; otherwise it will die for lack of a second. Civil Beat.

An Untold Story of American Immigration. First we nuked their islands and then we took control of the whole region. In exchange, Micronesians can move to the U.S. without restriction. And they are coming  — by the tens of thousands — for health care, education and jobs. Civil Beat.

It’s hard to miss the growing numbers of Micronesians pitching tents and temporary shelters in Honolulu’s burgeoning homeless camps. Why are so many moving to Hawaii and ending up in what seems like worse conditions than they left behind in their islands? Civil Beat.

Despite pending litigation and concerns about disrupting international agreements, the U.S. government has decided Hawaii’s longline fishing fleet can reel in an extra 1,000 tons of bigeye tuna by making payments one of the Pacific island territories. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Commission is trying to figure if it has the legal authority to put Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha on paid leave while he's under federal investigation. Hawaii News Now.

City crews completing a block-by-block sweep in Kakaako cleared the remaining two dozen homeless people from Ohe Street on Tuesday morning. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii Cancer Center has received $5.5 million from the National Cancer Institute for its collaborative research with the University of Guam. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Criminal charges under the now-defunct Mauna Kea emergency rules will be dismissed, Hawaii County’s top prosecutor said Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to drop charges against seven individuals arrested Sept. 8 for violating the state’s emergency rule that prohibited camping near the summit of Mauna Kea. Star-Advertiser.

Some low-lying major roadways and beloved landmarks on Hawaii Island are destined to sink beneath the waves, according to a new study on sea-level rise. Tribune-Herald.

The state director of the Humane Society of the U.S. says the county should be denied a state permit to acquire two Bengal tiger cubs for the Panaewa Zoo and Gardens, while the zoo’s director says the organization is basing its opposition on misinformation. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui Planning Commission denied a petition Tuesday that would have the panel consider sugar cane smoke when evaluating special management area use permits for projects near shorelines. Maui News.

The burning of large sugar cane fields on Maui has been linked to acute respiratory distress in a new study by health professionals. The study was the first of its kind to separate symptoms caused by cane burning from vog, said Dr. Lorrin Pang of the Maui Department of Health, a co-author. Civil Beat.

Shan Tsutsui restless as Lt. Gov, but will there be a Maui Mayor job for him in 2018? MauiTime.

Windward Community College is preparing more graduates to enter Hawaiʻi’s veterinary work force by expanding its Vet Assisting Certificate program to Maui. Maui Now.

Rising sea levels in the next 200 years could swallow up the homes of nearly 10,000 current Kihei residents, according to a study published online Monday that analyzes how cutting carbon emissions could protect millions of homes in the U.S. Maui News.

Reducing carbon emissions might be the only way Maui residents and visitors can help reduce the devastating effects from unprecedented levels of coral bleaching the island has seen in the last two years. Maui News.

Another “Aloha Aina Unity March” is being planned Sunday in Lahaina, Maui, organizers announced Tuesday. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Lepeuli Beach, popularly known as Larsen’s, has for years been the center of a dispute over a controversial fence that went up in 2011, blocking off the easiest access to the narrow strip of sand on the North Shore. Beachgoers eventually tore the fence down. Garden Island.

Young birds and young people came together at Lydgate Park Tuesday for the ceremonial release of fledgling Native Newell’s Shearwater birds. Garden Island.

ACLU to sue over Honolulu homeless sweeps, rail shortfall tops $1B, year delay; most students not proficient in reading, math; Mauna Kea stone alter removal protested; GMO discussed on Big Island; more sewage than first thought; electric power dispute on Maui, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu rail project, courtesy HART

n a letter sent Tuesday to the mayor and the City Council chairman, two of rail’s top leaders said the project could cost an additional $200 million to build on top of the $910 million budget shortfall that it already faces. That would push rail’s shortfall above $1 billion and its  total price tag well above $6 billion. Also, the 20-mile, 21-station system could take about a year longer to complete, opening at full capacity sometime in 2021 instead of 2020, they said. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu will likely have to push back the opening of its full 20-mile commuter rail line by at least a year due construction delays and changes in how the project will be built. The elevated rail line could also cost up to $200 million more than currently projected, which would push its growing shortfall to more than $1 billion. Civil Beat.

Four miles of rail guideway are competed, with 16 more to go. KITV4.

In a letter, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation told the mayor and city councilmembers that the project is facing a $900 million shortfall. HART now believes that number could grow another $200 million, which would mean a shortfall of more than $1 billion. KHON2.

Fewer than half of Hawaii public school students tested proficient in language arts while roughly 2 in 5 students met or exceeded benchmarks in mathematics on the new, more rigorous Smarter Balanced Assessment, according to scores released Tuesday by the state Department of Education. Star-Advertiser.

Less than half of the state’s keiki are currently making the grade in English and mathematics, according to new public school assessment scores. The Hawaii Department of Education reported Tuesday afternoon that 48 percent of third- through 11th-graders met or exceeded standardized test benchmarks in English language arts, and 41 percent did the same in math. Tribune-Herald.

A total of $8,610,632 in federal grants were awarded to 11 projects in Hawaiʻi to support Native Hawaiian education. Maui Now.

Hawaii Department of Education officials say the effort to cool overheated classrooms is being treated as a crisis, likening the matter to its response to the lava flow threat on the Big Island last year. Associated Press.

Randy Iwase, chairman of the state Public Utilities Commission, said Tuesday recent statements from politicians — including Gov. David Ige and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz — will not affect his decision on whether to approve NextEra Energy Inc.’s purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The City and County of Honolulu’s recent sweeps targeting homeless populations will face a legal challenge after the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii said Tuesday it will file a federal lawsuit against the city. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii’s largest emergency homeless shelter recently settled a civil rights complaint after it allegedly turned a disabled woman away. Other disabled people experience similar discrimination when seeking housing. Civil Beat.

A state-owned industrial property next to the Pier 38 Honolulu Fishing Village on Nimitz Highway is being eyed as the site for a state transitional homeless shelter, state homeless services coordinator Scott Morishige told the Honolulu City Council on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

A Honolulu City Council Committee was briefed today on affordable housing options for people who are one step away from being homeless. Hawaii Public Radio.

Crews will start installing sections of a fence along the Kapalama Canal on Wednesday in an effort to prevent homeless from camping out in the area that was once lined with tents on both sides. Hawaii News Now.

A mathematical error caused city engineers to underestimate by about 200,000 gallons the size of a massive sewage spill that closed Waikiki Beach and Ala Moana Beach Park last month. The spill, now estimated at 587,150 gallons, with 462,050 gallons reaching the ocean, occurred Aug. 24 during heavy rainfall. Star-Advertiser.

Less than a year since the protected bike lane on South King Street opened to the public, City Councilman Joey Manahan wants to build another one on North King Street. KITV4.

The battle between the city and a company claiming to own portions of streets in Kakaako is nearing a deadline. KHON2.

The State Executive Committee of the Hawaii Republican Party has voted to remove Tito Montes “for cause” from the office of chair of House District 40 (Ewa Beach, Ewa Gentry, Iroquois Point). Civil Beat.

Hawaii retailer Hilo Hattie will close its flagship Honolulu store on Nimitz Highway after more than 30 years in the same location and plans to relocate the company's office and warehouse within the next two months as a part of its attempt to re-emerge from bankruptcy for a second time. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii
It may be a small island, but folks on the two sides of the GMO debate seem to be worlds apart. When Margery Bronster took the podium at an annual meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture in Keauhou to sketch out the reasons she’s fought with the counties over the cultivation of genetically modified organisms, she did so as GMO opponents pointed to the one-sidedness of hearing only from Bronster and not the other side of the GMO debate. West Hawaii Today.

The destruction of an ahu on the side of Mauna Kea Access Road has angered Thirty Meter Telescope opponents who dedicated it to the god Kane more than two months ago. Tribune-Herald.

Opponents of building a giant telescope on Mauna Kea are decrying the destruction of a stone altar they built near the construction site. Star-Advertiser.

People protesting the construction of a giant telescope on a Hawaiian mountain they hold sacred are decrying the destruction of a stone altar they built near the construction site. Associated Press.

A couple’s plans to subdivide their Holualoa property so their daughter can build a house there has met with so much opposition that they’ve asked that it be pulled from today’s County Council agenda. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Two renewable energy projects proposed by California-based Anaergia Services are on hold until Maui Electric Co. agrees to buy the energy that would come from the projects. Maui News.

Several County Council committee meetings have not been aired live recently because of a fire in a county building broadcast room and a video switch "inadvertently" being turned off, county and television officials said. Maui News.

When you’ve already lost the same election twice in a row, I guess you need to try some unusual campaign tactics. In his third attempt now at winning the Wailuku-Waihee-Waikapu Maui County Council seat, land broker Joe Blackburn has already told the press that he and his people would pluck weeds from Eha Street in Wailuku and give out free pancakes. Now he’s trying donuts. MauiTime.

Coral bleaching has been reported along the coastline from the Ahihi Kinau Natural Area Reserve in South Maui to Kapalua Bay in West Maui and off Molokini and is expected to be "the worst we have ever seen," a state Department of Land and Natural Resources official said. Maui News.

Kauai
The Kauai County Council will meet at 8:30 a.m. today in the council chambers at the Historic County Building. The council will consider a bill for an ordinance to amend the county’s fiscal year 2015-2016 budget to revise the amounts in the general fund, highway fund, liquor fund, solid waste fund, sewer fund and golf fund. Garden Island.

One of the biggest elections for Native Hawaiian self-governance is set to take place in November, and certified Kauai County voters will have a chance to elect two representatives in a 40-member delegation. Garden Island.

The Department of Agriculture could not determine the exact cause of death for more than 10 chickens that died last week in front of the Historic County Building, but have ruled out avian flu. Garden Island.

Hawaii Island under tropical storm watch, University of Hawaii to ban teacher-student romance, consumer advocate opposes Hawaiian Electric/NextEra deal, homeless czar named, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hurricane Hilda storm track, Central Pacific Hurricane Center

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the Big Island of Hawaii as Hurricane Hilda continues on a path toward the state. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Consumer Advocate Jeffrey Ono believes that the proposed $4.3 billion NextEra Energy, Inc. merger with Hawaiian Electric Industries is not in the public interest. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Division of Consumer Advocacy on Monday filed testimony recommending state regulators reject NextEra Energy Inc.’s $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co., saying the Florida-based energy giant has failed to prove that the sale will result in significant benefits to consumers. Pacific Business News.

The Division of Consumer Advocacy of the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs filed Monday its Direct Testimony recommending that the Public Utilities Commission  reject the $4.3 billion NextEra Energy, Inc. – HECO Companies merger as proposed. KHON2.

A panel of University of Hawaii faculty and staff from UH campuses around the state are putting the finishing touches on a proposed policy to make it clear that romantic and sexual relations between faculty members and their students are prohibited. Current UH policy warns against faculty-student romantic relationships but it does not ban them. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The size and makeup of the Kakaako homeless encampment continues to fluctuate as state, city and federal officials work to figure how — and when — to start clearing out the first groups of people, Gov. David Ige said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige announced his selection of Scott Morishige to be his next coordinator on homelessness Monday, while a legislative leader raised the possibility of emergency state funding to address the problem. Civil Beat.

The city has widespread support among Oahu residents to ban people from lying or sleeping on city sidewalks, but not so much when it comes to sweeping the homeless and taking their possessions. Star-Advertiser.

State transportation and public safety officials planned an early Monday morning crackdown on illegal campers who settled under and around the airport viaduct. But the Governor's Office pulled the plug on the enforcement action-- initially with no explanation. KITV4.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit experienced another fiscal shortfall, recently, when General Excise Tax surcharge revenues in the latest quarter fell $8 million short of projections. That brings rail’s total tax deficit to $39 million. Hawaii Independent.

The Honolulu Museum of Art is suing a San Francisco art collector it is paying $80,000 per year for the rest of his life — $890,000 so far — for five pieces of Southeast Asian art. Star-Advertiser.

Hooters, one of the original four tenants that remained at Aloha Tower Marketplace throughout Hawaii Pacific University's nearly $50 million renovation, has filed a lawsuit against the Honolulu-based educational institution, alleging breach of contract and claiming that the construction hurt the restaurant's business significantly. Pacific Business News.

On Monday, Dillingham Ranch representatives held a meeting to tell the community about its plans to build nearly 100 homes on the ranch, then put them up for sale. KITV4.

O’ahu real estate prices continue to climb, achieving sales volume equal to peak levels experienced a decade ago. Hawaii Public Radio.

Living Hawaii: Why Are Honolulu Rents Getting More Expensive? Housing costs — the greatest expense in most people’s lives — are poised to continue their rise in the coming years. What’s true on the mainland may be even more true in the islands. Civil Beat.

Hawaii
Electric vehicle owners will have another place to plug in by the end of the year. And they can pay their taxes while they’re at it. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County is mulling two possible routes for the first phase of the Nani Kailua road extension, a makai-mauka connector road between Alii Drive and Hualalai Road. West Hawaii Today.

The search for a new dean at the University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy has begun, but it could take until the end of the 2015-16 academic year, which has yet to begin. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui Ocean Center plans to release six juvenile green sea turtles into the open sea later this month to continue their life in the wild. Maui Now.

The Outlets of Maui is planning to expand, proposing to construct five one-story buildings in a portion of its parking lot at the West Maui mall site along Front Street. Maui News.

Kauai

A riverbank stabilization project is underway with the goal of returning the Hanalei River  back to its original form by restoring the 100-foot section of eroded stream bank located on state land above the Hanalei Wildlife Refuge. Garden Island.

Teachers union fights ethics law, PUC and Honolulu rail members love to travel, Maui mayor seeks 16% budget hike, Kauai to hike vehicle fees, Hawaii to hike water rates, $60k parking spaces at Waikiki affordable apartments, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii State Teachers Association at 2014 NEA convention, courtesy photo

The Hawaii State Teachers Association launched two legal actions this week to block enforcement of a new policy prohibiting teachers who are candidates for union offices from distributing their individual campaign materials in school mailboxes. Civil Beat.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill on Tuesday that could make voting by mail the norm in Hawaii. The panel passed HB 124, which aims to boost Hawaii's low voter turnout and increase participation in elections. It would start with smaller counties and gradually build so all voters get ballots in the mail. Associated Press.

Despite a huge backlog of cases, members of the Public Utilities Commission combined spent more than 100 works days last year attending industry conferences on the Mainland and in Korea and Puerto Rico. Hawaii News Now.

Lawmakers Consider Funding Private Projects with State Revenue Bonds. Hawaiian Electric, renewable energy companies, a Catholic school and a racetrack owner are seeking more than $1 billion in special purpose revenue bonds. Civil Beat.

A state House committee signed off Tuesday on a series of resolutions related to the pending $4.3 billion sale of Hawaiian Electric Company to Florida-based NextEra Energy. Tribune-Herald.

Mistaken identity by eyewitnesses contributed to more than 70 percent of all wrongful convictions nationwide. Hawai’i lawmakers want to implement uniform procedures to improve the accuracy of these accounts. Hawaii Public Radio.

A resolution in the Hawaii state Legislature would task a state agency with creating an 18-person, volunteer working group to create a master plan to bring broadband to Hawaii’s resort areas. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii's court system has improved the way it serves people with limited English skills, the U.S. Department of Justice said. The department announced Tuesday it is closing its review of the Hawaii Judiciary's Language Access Program. The department intervened in 2012 and provided assistance after receiving complaints about language assistance services provided by Hawaii's state courts. Associated Press.

Research done by scientists at the University of Hawaii School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology paints a grim picture for the state's coastlines. Results of their data find that by mid-century, at least 9 out of every 10 shorelines in the state will be in retreat. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii firefighters fight for workers compensation benefits due to cancer. KHON2.

Oahu

As state lawmakers continue to weigh a rail tax extension, the House Transportation Committee is considering whether to request a state audit of the project — but rail officials might not be able to provide all the details committee members want to see. Star-Advertiser.

Between July 2007 and November 2014 at least $479,000 was spent on travel-related expenses for about 90 people, paid for from the rail transit fund, according to city budget data. Civil Beat.

While the Commodore Waikiki apartment complex is offering up a lot of affordable housing units, the same can't be said about its parking stalls. They're going for a whopping $60,000 a piece. KITV4.

An aged state building on prime real estate just a block away from the State Capitol that's been vacant for 12 years is finally getting renovated. The Princess Victoria Kamamalu Building, at the corner of King and Richards streets, was built in 1957 and needed renovations in 2003 when 300 state employees moved out. Hawaii News Now.

The developer of a planned resort in Ewa Beach is advancing its plan to shift around and expand hotel sites at the growing Hoakalei Resort. Star-Advertiser.

A decision on the fate of the shuttered archery range at Kapiolani Park should be made in the coming months, city Parks Director Michele Nekota said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

It's legal. But some say it's not right. A homeowners group in Kailua wants to keep people off their private street at night. But beach-goers worry about losing yet another path to a public shoreline. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Water rates would rise 3 percent next year, followed by 4 percent the following year and then 5 percent annually for the next three years, under a proposal floated Tuesday by the county Water Board. West Hawaii Today.

A Senate bill seeking funding to control albizia trees on Hawaii Island has stalled after failing to cross over to the state House of Representatives. Proponents of the bill say they were surprised by the failure of the measure, in light of the devastation wrought by the invasive trees following Tropical Storm Iselle. Tribune-Herald.

Five tractor-trailers carrying heavy equipment slowly ascended Mauna Kea early Tuesday morning as construction of Hawaii’s Thirty Meter Telescope prepared to get underway. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County residents could see hikes in their water and sewer bills, trash collection fees and in the county's fuel and vehicle weight tax under Mayor Alan Arakawa's nearly $700 million county budget for fiscal 2016, a whopping 16 percent increase. Maui News.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii for the first time will be providing round-the-clock pediatric care at the state-owned Maui Memorial Medical Center. Star-Advertiser.

Kaiser Permanente today announced its plans to provide 24/7 inpatient pediatric care to patients at Maui Memorial Medical Center. Maui Now.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii has concluded a new contract with Maui Memorial Medical Center to provide 24/7 inpatient pediatric care, according to an announcement Tuesday. Maui News.

Maui County is the healthiest county in Hawaii, followed by Honolulu and Kauai, according to a new report released Wednesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Pacific Business News.

Ocean Safety crews were assigned to patrol waters offshore of Kaʻa Point near Kahului Airport in Kahanā after sharks were seen feeding on a decomposing baby whale carcass. Maui Now.

Goodwill Industries of Hawaii has opened a new donation center on the mauka side of Kahului Shopping Center. MauiTime.

Kauai

To help offset the estimated $100 million needed to pay for road repairs and funding other initiatives such as The Kauai Bus, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and his administration are asking the Kauai County Council to approve gradual increases to the county’s motor vehicle weight tax. Garden Island.

Honolulu airport weak link in pregnant Chinese migration; medical marijuana dispensaries, pesticide disclosure, Maui hospital privatization bills advance; prison guard sick days out of control; rail costs skyrocket; Maui prosecutor retained, geothermal lawsuit continues, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu International Airport © 2015 All Hawaii News

Some pregnant Chinese nationals bound for "birthing houses" in Los Angeles to deliver their babies as U.S. citizens were instructed to enter America through Honolulu Airport, where custom inspectors were considered to be more lax, according to federal affidavits unsealed Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

With Clayton Hee Gone, Campaign Finance Reform Is Moving Forward. Among other measures, Hawaii lawmakers are advancing bills to address the influence of super PACs and other outside money. Civil Beat.

A bill that would create a statewide medical marijuana dispensary in Hawaii is moving on to the full House of Representatives. The state Department of Health estimates at least 13,000 people qualify for medical marijuana in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

On Tuesday, the full Senate passed a bill that would require agricultural pesticide users to disclose their usage of the chemical to neighbors sharing fence lines with their fields. KITV4.

Tokuda Shoots Down Pesticide Buffer Zones Bill Without a Hearing. Despite pressure from its supporters, the Hawaii senator refuses to call a hearing for a bill to require buffer zones around schools. Civil Beat.

Nearly half of the corrections officers at four prisons across the state called in sick on Super Bowl Sunday this year, a problem a key lawmaker called “disturbing,” prompting him to call for prison sick leave audit. All told, 251 guards at eight prisons called in sick on the day when families and friends gathered at parties statewide to watch the final football game of the pro season. Hawaii News Now.

There are two new Republicans in the State House of Representatives this session. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Public Utilities Commission is giving a seat at the table to all 28 interested parties who applied to be part of the agency's decision on whether to approve the sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries to Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy Inc. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has granted access to all of the entities that seek have a say in the acquisition application of NextEra Energy Inc. and Hawaiian Electric Co., which is currently being reviewed by the state agency. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige has appointed nine new members to his administration who will serve on his communications team and in the departments of Health and Public Safety. The appointments, announced Tuesday, are not subject to Senate approval. Civil Beat.

Governor David Ige today announced appointments to his administration in the departments of Health, Public Safety and Transportation, as well as to his communication team. None of the appointments are subject to confirmation by the Senate. Hawaii Independent.

Former TV anchorwomen Jodi Leong and Yasmin Dar have been appointed to Gov. David Ige's communications team and will help craft the way the governor's messages get out to Hawaii residents. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Each of the new bids opened Tuesday to build three West Oahu rail stations came in above estimates, indicating that transit officials have yet to pin down the true picture pertaining to how much the island's elevated rail system will cost. Star-Advertiser.

Officials at the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation had known for months the city’s rail project was headed for serious financial trouble but didn’t fully share that knowledge with the public until last December.Civil Beat.

Turtle Bay Resort has settled a lawsuit with Keep the North Shore Country, bringing the resort one step closer to completing its $48.5 million conservation easement. The Senate money committee is taking up a bill Wednesday that would extend funding for a conservation easement that's taking longer than expected to complete. Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell's administration is now exploring the possibility of holding onto some of the city's affordable-housing projects and converting some units into permanent shelter for the homeless and those in low-income brackets. Star-Advertiser.

The Army is hosting a meeting in Waianae this week on a study related to Makua Military Reservation. The study assesses whether military training at Makua poses a health risk to those who eat limu or seaweed, sea cucumber and octopus caught in the ocean nearby. Associated Press.

Manoa neighborhood board to hear testimony about renovating Paradise Park. KHON2.

Hawaii

The dispute about nighttime well drilling at Puna Geothermal Venture remains headed toward litigation after a compromise proposed by Hawaii County Council member Margaret Wille failed to gain support from either side of the issue. Tribune-Herald.

VIDEO: Puna Pono Alliance Opposes Geothermal Mediation Measure. Big Island Video News.

Dozens of people came out Tuesday to support two nonbinding resolutions asking the county administration to seek long-term contracts to divert materials from the county’s two landfills. West Hawaii Today.

Gov. David Ige extended the emergency proclamation for the lava flow Monday until the end of the year. The proclamation initially was issued Sept. 5. The move grants the governor emergency powers to respond to the lava flow until Dec. 31. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council votes to approve Prosecutor J.D. Kim after bizarre hearing. MauiTime.

The state hospital system has been losing tens of millions of taxpayer dollars each year, and frustrated state lawmakers Tuesday moved a step closer to authorizing a partnership between the state-owned Maui Memorial, Kula and Lanai Community hospitals and a private health care provider to try to finally curb those losses. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would allow the Maui region of the Hawaii state hospitals to enter a private partnership passed the Hawaii House of Representatives Tuesday morning and may continue to the Senate chamber after a final floor vote. Pacific Business News.

Former Maui County mayoral candidate Beau Hawkes, who was seen being Tasered as he ran from a police officer in a video that went viral, was sentenced Monday to a 30-day jail term for disregarding the officer's orders and driving away from a traffic stop last year. Maui News.

Members of the Sugar Cove Association of Apartment Owners have submitted plans to the state to protect their 4-acre Spreckelsville oceanfront property from erosion on a nearly 520-foot shoreline. Maui News.

Low sugar prices and rainy conditions led Alexander & Baldwin's agribusiness sector, which is predominately Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. on Maui, to suffer an $11.8 million operating loss in 2014, the company reported in its full-year and fourth-quarter earnings report released Monday. Maui News.

Kauai

A retired Kauai resident has pledged to match up to $100,000 in donations to pay for attorney fees and hire experts in Friends of Mahaulepu’s ongoing effort to stop a proposed dairy on Kauai’s south side. Garden Island.

Hawaiian Electric Co. barred from denying solar applications, excise tax surcharge advances, Calvin Say cleared, police kill, injure civilians during busy Big Island weekend, Honolulu, Hawaii County, Kauai mayors offer basic budgets, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Solar panels in Hilo © 2015 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission says Hawaiian Electric Co. can’t deny rooftop solar applications for any reason except technical difficulties. An agreement signed Friday by commission Chairman Randy Iwase and electric company CEO Alan Oshima says the utility has a duty to approve photovoltaic systems. Associated Press.

The price of oil has plummeted by more than 50 percent since July, falling to its lowest point in six years and buoying the hopes of cash-strapped residents that they will see major reductions in their electricity bills. But as statements covering February power usage begin rolling out, those residents may be disappointed by the relatively moderate dip in rates. Hawaiian Electric customers on Oahu, the Big Island and Maui will still be paying two to three times the national average for electricity. Civil Beat.

A proposal in the state Legislature that would give all Hawaii counties the opportunity to enact a 0.5 percent surcharge for public transportation projects on top of the 4 percent general excise tax is gaining some traction. Garden Island.

A Hawaii senator who is backed by the state’s powerful police union hit the brakes on a bill Friday that would have made public the names of officers suspended for misconduct. Civil Beat.

A coalition representing Native Hawaiian homesteaders has created a plan outlining ways to improve the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Their plan calls on the state government to fully fund the department, which is responsible for administering the Hawaiian Home Lands Commission Act. Associated Press.

A special panel of state lawmakers decided that Rep. Calvin Say meets the qualifications to serve in the House of Representatives, saying there was no compelling evidence behind a group of voters’ claims that Say doesn’t live in the district he represents. The House committee had been formed to investigate the latest challenge to former Speaker Say’s residency. Associated Press.

The commanding officer of the Pearl Harbor-based Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Mississippi was relieved of his duties Friday due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command, the Navy said. Star-Advertiser.

Opinion: A controversial staff hire and her persistent digs at the president have caused many to question U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Whether the criticism endures depends in large part on her. Civil Beat.

Oahu

After delivering a no-frills State of the City speech last week, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell will likely submit an equally low-key budget package to the City Council on Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council is seeking qualified applicants for the vacant post of city clerk. Former City Clerk Bernice Mau retired last year. Glen Takahashi, assistant city clerk, has been acting clerk since then. Star-Advertiser.

The Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services has received a $246,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for its programs that assist Hawaii public housing residents. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Union-negotiated pay hikes and federal and state mandates contributed to a workaday county budget expected to rise 4.3 percent to $434.7 million next year. The 2015-16 spending plan released by Mayor Billy Kenoi late Friday has few new frills, projects or services. West Hawaii Today.

A 31-year-old Hilo man is hospitalized in critical condition after a police-involved shooting late Saturday night in downtown Hilo, police said. Lt. Greg Esteban said two officers were involved in the shooting, which occurred on the Kilauea Avenue extension in downtown Hilo, shortly before midnight. Tribune-Herald.

A 63-year-old Michigan man was killed Sunday after being struck by an on-duty Hawaii Police Department officer in what the Hawaii County Fire Department described as a hit-and-run incident on Waikoloa Road in South Kohala. West Hawaii Today.

Following an outcry from local landscapers, Hawaii County has postponed implementing a program requiring commercial operators to haul their green waste to the landfills rather than dumping it at transfer stations. The program, originally slated to go into effect Monday, won’t be implemented until July 1. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is apparently looking into whether the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. plantation is operating in compliance with federal clean air regulations. The agency sent a seven-page letter to the state's last remaining sugar grower Nov. 24, asking for documents and records about its biomass energy plant and cane burning operations. Star-Advertiser.

In a sign of Maui's worsening doctor shortage, Maui Memorial Medical Center is working on a contract with Kaiser Permanente to have its pediatricians cover patients at the hospital after private physicians told hospital officials they would no longer provide the service as of May 1. Maui News.

Alarm bells were rung again at the state Capitol on Friday, warning of the dire financial condition of Maui Memorial Medical Center and the Maui region of Hawaii Health Systems Corp. Maui News.

By early next month, a 40-bed skilled nursing and intermediate care facility may get the green light from the state to begin construction at the Maui Research and Technology Park in Kihei. Maui News.

Cary & Eddie's Hideaway Restaurant and Bar served its final last call Saturday night after being a mainstay eatery on Maui for 15 years. Maui News.

Rules for drones proposed. Maui enthusiasts offer differing opinions on FAA regulations. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai County will start to charge property owners for garbage pickup based on the size of their trash bin. Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. says the county is trying to reduce the waste going to the landfill. Associated Press.

County Managing Director Nadine Nakamura and Ernest Barreira, county assist procurement officer and budget team leader, presented the mayor’s budget analysis and recommendations at the Kauai Police Commission meeting Friday. The mayor intends to spread $8.2 million in cuts across all departments, agencies and offices. Garden Island.

For a little more than two decades, efforts have been made to divert not just discarded items but especially green waste from the Kekaha Landfill. Garden Island.

Obama to name Japanese internment camp a national monument, medical marijuana dispensaries advance in House, Senate to hear GMO labeling bill, school lunch prices could increase, Iwase popular PUC pick, Maui biogas project on hold, Galuteria owes $7k for declaring wrong residence, 160 acres on Oahu to be blanketed in solar panels, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Old Honouliuli Internment Camp in Kunia, courtesy National Park Service

President Barack Obama will announce Thursday the designation of the old Honouliuli Internment Camp in Kunia as a national monument to "help tell the difficult story of the internment camp's impact on the Japanese American community and the fragility of civil rights during times of conflict," the White House said. Star-Advertiser.

For more than half a century, what had once been Hawaii’s largest and longest-operating internment camp was ignored and forgotten. To the hundreds of Japanese Americans who had been forcibly confined at the camp, the experience was a source of shame and rarely spoken of until it was rediscovered by historians more than a decade ago. Tribune-Washington Bureau.

A bill that would establish medical marijuana dispensaries and production centers in Hawaii passed through the House committees on Judiciary and Health on Tuesday afternoon. Civil Beat.

A bill to allow medical marijuana dispensaries across Hawaii — nearly 15 years after state leaders made medical use of the drug permissible — is still alive in the House. Star-Advertiser.

Michelle Tippens is one of nearly 13,000 patients in Hawaii who have conditions that could be treated with medical marijuana. But because there are no dispensaries in Hawaii, they’re left to fend for themselves, buying on the black market or growing it themselves. Associated Press.

The state Senate committees on Health and Agriculture will take testimony Thursday on a bill calling for the labeling of food with genetically modified organisms. Civil Beat.

Randy Iwase, whose nomination to head the state Public Utilities Commission was unanimously recommended Tuesday by a Senate committee, said it could take a year to 18 months for the commission to decide whether to approve the sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries to Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy Inc. Star-Advertiser.

There seems to be nothing but love for Randy Iwase. Gov. David Ige’s nominee to head the state Public Utilities Commission easily cleared a Senate committee hurdle Tuesday. He’s on track to be confirmed by the full Senate, possibly by the end of this week. Civil Beat.

Randall Iwase told state senators that if he’s confirmed as chairman of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, he will make public input a priority when tackling the commission’s biggest issue — reviewing NextEra Energy’s plan to take over Hawaiian Electric. Associated Press.

The Governor’s nominee to head the Public Utilities Commission was unanimously approved by a Senate panel today. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Board of Education's finance committee Tuesday tabled a proposal to raise school lunch prices by 30 percent over the next three years and challenged officials to instead look at cutting costs and boosting student demand for meals. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Education is asking for an increase of 10 cents more for breakfast and 25 cents for lunch not just for next year, but for the next three years. KITV4.

Warmer temperatures and unstable conditions created by climate change could make it harder for Hawaii's native species to survive, while creating a opening for invasive disease-spreaders like mice and mosquitoes, state Health Department officials said Tuesday. Maui News.

ALTRES Office/Professional and ALTRES Technical, divisions of ALTRES Staffing, Hawaii’s largest human resources organization, announced today a significant spike in demand for office and technical professionals across all islands. While the state continues to experience unemployment rates at record lows, Hawaii’s available workforce is thinning out. Hawaii Independent.

Opinion: Gov. David Ige’s nomination of development lobbyist Carleton Ching to head the Department of Land and Natural Resources continues to generate lots of heated reaction. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Hawaii Sen. Brickwood Galuteria owes the City and County of Honolulu more than $7,200 in property taxes and fees after improperly claiming a homeowners’ tax break on property in Palolo Valley for the past four years. Civil Beat.

About 200,000 solar panels may soon cover about 160 open acres of land laced with kiawe trees and brush that stretch from the edges of Kamaile Academy to the base of the Waianae Mountains. The 27.6-megawatt project is one of eight large solar farms planned for Oahu that are expected to break ground by the end of the year in order to take advantage of lucrative federal tax credits. Civil Beat.

Two plans aimed at making it easier for Oahu properties to have two living units, and a bill cracking down on illegal vacation rentals, will be aired by the Honolulu Planning Commission at a public hearing Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Building a 95-unit condominium in place of 19 homes on the slopes of Punchbowl didn't go over well with neighbors when it was proposed eight years ago. Now a revised plan with 140 condo units is raising even more opposition. Star-Advertiser.

Nasty weather over the weekend wreaked havoc on many parts of the windward side including one of Oahu's very popular and illegal hiking trails. Haiku Stairs, better known as the Stairway to Heaven, saw "extensive damage" according to Ernest Lau, Manager and Chief Engineer at the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. Lau says that plans are being made to conduct an assessment of the "stairs" and they want to see if a landslide was responsible for some of the damage. Hawaii News Now.

In an effort to combat websites and blogs that have been driving people to the off-limits Sacred Falls State Park, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is stepping up its communication efforts about the consequences of trespassing. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii officials have long been warning people to stay away from Sacred Falls, a dramatic waterfall where a landslide killed eight hikers more than 15 years ago. Associated Press.

Hawaii

What if Hawaii Island residents owned their own electric utility? That’s the question being posed by a nonprofit group that filed on Feb. 11 a motion with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to intervene in the pending $4.3 billion sale of Hawaii Electric Light Co’s parent company, Hawaiian Electric Co. (HEI), to NextEra Energy. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative is seeking a seat at the table as the Public Utilities Commission considers the proposed merger of Hawaiian Electric Industries and NextEra Energy. Star-Advertiser.

Big Island business and community leaders have formed a nonprofit coop called the Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative to explore taking over Hawaii Electric Light Co., a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Co. Civil Beat.

An Ocean View man who has become the poster child for the debate over the harvest of aquarium fish pleaded no contest Tuesday to tearing the regulator from the mouth of Maui reef activist Rene Umberger in West Hawaii waters last May. Jay Lovell, an aquarium fisherman of 30 years, received a deferred six-month prison sentence on the charge of second-degree terroristic threatening. West Hawaii Today.

More than 50 testifiers and three experts on aquarium fish collection kept a Hawaii County Council committee busy into the evening Tuesday, as council members pondered two bills attempting to regulate sea life collectors and set standards for transporting fish. West Hawaii Today.

Kulani Correctional Facility warden Ruth Forbes has been put on leave pending a review of allegations by employees at the facility, the state Department of Public Safety said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz will hold a town hall meeting today in Hilo. The meeting will last from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Hilo High School cafeteria. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Electric Co. has decided to hold off on submitting to Hawaii regulators a power purchase agreement with California-based Anaergia Services for a proposed agricultural energy project that would generate up to 6 megawatts of biogas energy, according to a letter from the utility's president to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission. Pacific Business News.

The House Labor and Public Employment Committee on Tuesday passed House Bill 1075, which would allow the Maui region of HHSC — including Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital — to transition into a new private nonprofit under Hawai‘i Pacific Health, the state's largest medical provider. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of State Parks will close the Puʻuōlaʻi (Little Beach) area and a portion of Mākena Beach State Park in South Maui on Wednesday, Feb. 18, while DLNR staff and military ordnance experts conduct an investigation. Maui Now.

Heavy winds and rain Saturday knocked out power to more than 3,500 Maui Electric customers - and to a wastewater pump in Waiehu that caused a sewage spill. Maui News.

Kauai
Officials from Starwood Hotels and Resort say they intend to convert a portion of the Sheraton Kauai Resort into timeshares by the end of this year as a part of a larger proposal to turn the worldwide corporation’s vacation ownership arm into a separate, publicly traded company. Garden Island.

Money sought to battle invasive species, Hawaii County mayor signs e-cig ban, FBI probes Honolulu police, UH seeks new AD, nene prompting Maui park closure dies, whale bumps watchers' boat, Hawaiian Host nuts over Mauna Loa macadamias, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Confiscated boa constrictor at Hilo zoo © 2015 All Hawaii News

Hawaii Invasive Species Council coordinator Josh Atwood said the council is seeking an allocation of about $6 million from the state Legislature for fiscal 2016 and 2017. It received $5.75 million for fiscal 2015. The council, which helps coordinate environmental activity in six state departments, is also asking for a larger allocation of conveyance tax revenues, which would help fund the fight against invasive species. Star-Advertiser.

Ex-Chief of Staff Negotiates Revolving Door as Lobbyist. Bruce Coppa leaps from Governor's Office into a top spot with the state's largest lobbying firm, but the government ethics law limits what he can do for now. Civil Beat.

The next chair of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission will have big shoes to fill when Hermina Morita steps down from the agency, which charged with making key decisions affecting the industry's future in the Islands. Pacific Business News.

Commercial fishing fleets operating around the world are now doing so under the watchful gaze of environmentalists who are concerned with overfishing and other violations that have long been going on unnoticed far out to sea. But a new real-time tracking system built by two organizations — Oceana and SkyTruth — in partnership with Google promises to quickly blow the whistle on vessels that move into areas where they’re not supposed to be. Civil Beat.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs made its pre-legislative session presentation to lawmakers last Tuesday, at which time Representative Gene Ward asked OHA CEO Kamana’opono Crabbe about the status of the Nation Building effort. Big Island Video News.

Honolulu-based Hawaiian Host announced Tuesday that it has agreed to buy Hilo-based Mauna Loa from candy-making giant The Hershey Co. for an undisclosed price. Hawaiian Host said it will maintain Mauna Loa as a subsidiary and separate brand. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

FBI investigators are expected to meet Wednesday with the federal public defender who has been insisting he has evidence of corruption in the Honolulu Police Department. It’s not the first time the FBI has investigated HPD. But it’s the first time its generally well-regarded chief, Louis Kealoha, has been at the center of any concerns. Whatever happens, the problems are as serious as any the chief has faced in his 32-year career. Civil Beat.

Video of HPD Chief's mailbox being stolen, is that Puana? Hawaii News Now.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell and the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation are seeking a memorandum of understanding to issue as much as $350 million in bonds to secure short-term financing for the project. Without the bond money, the project could be forced to stop construction at some point in the future, since state procurement law doesn't allow new contracts to be issued without the money to back it up. KITV4.

Micro-units, used shipping containers, prefabricated modular units and other nontraditional but low-cost concepts are being sought from developers wanting to create a mixed-income, mixed-use housing complex on the site of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority's administrative offices. Star-Advertiser.

Prostitution is a diverse, thriving industry in Honolulu, but misinformation about the highly varied nature of sex trafficking makes it harder to change laws that could provide protection to victims. Hawaii Independent.

Institute for Human Services officials say that since they kicked off their first full-time homeless outreach program in Wai­kiki on Nov. 3, the nonprofit has helped 63 of the district's homeless people into shelter or housing. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa has formed a committee to find a new director for the university’s deficit-mired athletics department. Associated Press.

University of Hawaii-Manoa Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman has announced the formation of an eight-person search advisory committee to find a new athletic director, who will be tasked with turning around a department that’s expected to end this year $3.5 million in the hole. Civil Beat.

The troubled Kalihi charter school facing closure by the Public Charter School Commission says it will challenge the decision to revoke its charter contract amid financial and operational problems. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi has signed a bill that makes Hawaii County the first in the state restricting the use of electronic cigarettes to the same places traditional tobacco cigarettes can be smoked. West Hawaii Today.

Hawai‘i County residents who smoke e-cigarettes will soon find fewer places where vaping is allowed. Hawai‘i Island Mayor Billy Kenoi signed the bill Tuesday, making it the only county in the state to ban electronic cigarettes from public places where smoking is already prohibited. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is considering whether to file charges against former County Council District 5 candidate Tiffany Edwards Hunt after police completed their investigation into alleged voting irregularities. Tribune-Herald.

The Waimea community wants its bypass. The Kawaihae Road bypass was on state Department of Transportation project lists for the past eight years — a safety measure the North Hawaii community has agitated for over a period of decades. However, the estimated $265 million road was dropped from priority last summer in favor of a $100 million extension of the Daniel K. Inouye Highway from Mamalahoa Highway to Queen Kaahumanu Highway. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Meadows residents hope that the county will reconsider cutting the South Maui curbside recycling project known as the "3 Can Plan." Maui News.

The nesting nēnē family that prompted closure of Hosmer Grove in Haleakalā National Park on Friday, Jan. 9, lost its young gosling, the park service reported. Maui Now.

Maui campground reopened after young nene found dead. Associated Press.

Passengers on a Maui whale-watching boat had an unexpected up-close-and-personal encounter with a mother and her calf. It happened around 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan.10, about four miles off Lahaina. KHON2.

One local teacher is taking a unique approach to highlight the issue of plastic waste in the ocean and to inspire Hawaii’s youth to be the catalyst for change. Lindy Shapiro, founder of the nonprofit Bodhi Education Project on Maui, plans to take a month-long 750 mile coastal expedition around the Hawaiian Islands by foot and bike. Garden Island.

Kauai

Better days may be ahead for the state’s public hospital system, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, following a year of tough financial decisions, said Interim HHSC Kauai Region CEO Scott McFarland. Garden Island.

Padraic Gallagher has been hired as the new Kauai County Director of the American Red Cross. He takes over the position on Monday and replaces Keri Russell, who left in October for a job with another nonprofit. Garden Island.

Chinese tourists flock to Hawaii, Morita out as PUC chair, attorney general, two board members fight transparency, $25M Punchbowl improvements advance, Dems mull Johanson party switch, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Shoppers in Waikiki © 2015 All Hawaii News

According to research by Hawaii Tourism China, Chinese visitor arrivals increased by more than 25 percent during the first 11 months in 2014. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's 2015 tourism campaign to leverage visitors’ social media content. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is working with a golf course membership company to bring high-spending Chinese golfers to Hawaii. Associated Press.

The state's Public Utilities Commission chairwoman, Hermina "Mina" Morita, resigned from her position Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Mina Morita, the embattled chair of Hawaii’s Public Utilities Commission, has resigned, according to a press release from Gov. David Ige’s office. There’s no word yet on Morita’s replacement. Civil Beat.

Hermina Morita, who has played a major role in Hawaii's energy industry since becoming chairwoman of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission in 2011, has resigned from her post, Gov. David Ige's office said Monday. Pacific Business News.

Hermina “Mina” Morita has resigned as chair of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, Gov. David Ige’s office said Monday. Garden Island.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige says he's accepting the resignation of Hermina Morita as the chairwoman of the state Public Utilities Commission. The governor said in a statement Monday Morita decided not to seek reappointment. Associated Press.

State Democrats on Friday will begin reviewing a request by state Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson to switch his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat. Johanson, who last month announced he was switching parties over philosophical differences with some members of the state GOP, goes before the Executive Committee of the Demo­cratic Party's Oahu County Committee to present his case. Star-Advertiser.

Two State Board Members Fight Release of Financial Disclosure Statements. The Attorney General has asked the Hawaii Supreme Court to delay a Circuit Court order forcing the Ethics Commission to release of the records. Civil Beat.

After arguments pro and con, a task force on health care for seniors took no position Monday on a legislative resolution that would require hospitals to instruct family members in the proper care of relatives who are discharged. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Inc., the state's largest ocean shipper, is lowering its fuel surcharge for Hawaii and other Pacific islands by 4 percentage points as bunker fuel prices continue to drop. Star-Advertiser.

The number of new foreclosure lawsuits filed in Hawaii through November stayed under 200 for a seventh straight month in the wake of a tweak to state law that took effect in May. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

State housing officials want land developers to get creative and submit plans to redevelop a North School Street property, making a housing project featuring both low-income public housing and mixed-income rental units. Star-Advertiser.

The overtime costs incurred by the Honolulu Police Department to provide round-the-clock protection for President Barack Obama, his family and others traveling with him during his just-completed Christmas vacation have risen dramatically since the Hawaii native began spending the holidays here. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama and his family just spent their Christmas and New Year’s holidays in Kailua. Now it’s time for taxpayers to pick up the tab. While the Obamas and friends who accompany them pay for their own private vacation home rentals on or near Kailua Beach, taxpayers foot a multimillion dollar tab for everything from a stand-by ambulance to the fuel for Air Force One. Hawaii Reporter.

Four Oahu nursing facilities have been hit with flu outbreaks since last week, leading to restricted visits and — in one case — a temporary ban on accepting new patients. Star-Advertiser.

After two waves of rolling power blackouts, Hawaiian Electric Co. said no further outages would be needed Monday night. Star-Advertiser.

After several setbacks, a plan to expand a revered final resting place at Punchbowl is finally moving forward. The Department of Veterans Affairs just awarded a $25 million contract to Nan Inc. Hawaii News Now.

Opinion: Rail Ends at Ala Moana, But Will Tax Go on Forever? Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is being disingenuous when he claims extending a rail surcharge doesn't amount to asking the Legislature for a tax increase. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

A state senator says an idea floated by a Hilo attorney to use a helium-filled airship to take passengers over active lava could be a viable solution if Kilauea volcano’s June 27 flow crosses Highway 130. Tribune-Herald.

The Kamakana Villages affordable housing development would get a more secure water source, if developer Forest City Hawaii is successful converting an existing exploratory well into a production well. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County has issued a finding of no significant environmental impact for the construction of a central sewer system in the Lono Kona subdivision. The $6.5 million sewer project will be built mauka of Kuakini Highway in an area residents have dubbed “Hamburger Hill.” West Hawaii Today.

East Hawaii residents woke up Monday morning to find volcanic haze shrouding the landscape and a sulfuric smell and taste in the air, the odor reminiscent of a barbecue grill gone unattended too long. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Partnership talks are advancing between the operator of three Maui hospitals and Hawai‘i Pacific Health. The news comes as patients continue to pack the emergency room at Maui Memorial Medical Center. Maui Now.

State hospitals on Maui are pursuing a partnership with the privately-run Hawai‘i Pacific Health. The state’s publicly-funded facilities have been struggling for years and plan to seek approval from the legislature. Hawaii Public Radio.

While single-family and condominium sales numbers were both down in 2014, compared with the previous year, prices continued to climb and the percentage of foreclosure and short sales fell. Maui News.

Kauai

Former renters of Kauai Kalani Apartments near Lydgate Park are suing condo developers  in 5th Circuit Court for unlawful evictions and retaliation. Garden Island.