RIMPAC brings controversy, currency, to Hawaii; Honolulu City Council shuffle; Hawaiian Electric Co.'s stock falls after Public Utilities Commission change; plastic bag ban increases shoplifting; Supreme Court: Kauai mayor can't suspend police chief; Crabbe kept at OHA; zika battle renewed; more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Fire Controlman 2nd Class Michael Klimek mans the rails aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay on June 28, 2016 at Pearl Harbor, courtesy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan J. Batchelder, U.S. Navy

Twenty-six nations, 45 ships, five submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel will participate in the biennial  Rim of the Pacific  exercise, which got underway Thursday and wraps up Aug. 4, mostly in and around the Hawaiian Islands but also in Southern California. Ships from participating nations are flooding into Pearl Harbor this week. Expect noise, risk to marine life, garage door glitches and $52.5M from RIMPAC. Star-Advertiser.

This summer’s Rim of the Pacific military drills in Hawaii will bring an initial $52.5 million to the Aloha State with tens of millions of more coming to the state by the end, according to a study from the state Department of Business and Economic Development. Pacific Business News.

Dozens of ships from 26 nations are arriving in Pearl Harbor this week for the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. RIMPAC 2016 will be held in and around the Hawaiian islands and off the coast of Southern California through Aug. 4. It officially began Thursday. Associated Press.

Starting today, the largest international maritime exercise begins in Hawai‘i. The Rim of the Pacific, also known as RIMPAC, is in its 25th year since the military training exercise begin in 1971. Parts of it involve explosives and underwater sonar -- a point of concern for environmental groups. Hawaii Public Radio.

A tale of two navies is emerging from this year’s Rim of the Pacific exercises: Chinese and U.S. cooperation in Hawaii, and Chinese and U.S. suspicion in the South China Sea. Star-Advertiser.

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Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. saw its stock price tumble nearly 5 percent, or about $1.70 per share, on Thursday, the day after Hawaii's governor named a new member to the the state regulatory commission expected to issue on the $4.3 billion sale of HEI subsidiary Hawaiian Electric Co. to Florida's NextEra Energy Inc. Pacific Business News.

The Attorney General’s Office said Gov. David Ige had the right to make an interim appointment to the state Public Utilities Commission before Ige exercised that right Wednesday. The governor announced he had selected Tom Gorak, the commission’s chief legal counsel, to replace Commissioner Mike Champley, whose term expired Thursday. Civil Beat.

State lawmakers are firing back and threatening legal action against Gov. David Ige after he decided to replace a utility commissioner before the panel decides whether or not to allow the Hawaiian Electric-NextEra Energy merger. KHON2.

The state Thursday filed an appeal of a court decision requiring the state to sufficiently fund administrative and operating expenses for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin said the state would appeal a ruling regarding funding of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Three Native Hawaiian beneficiaries sued the state in 2007, alleging that it had inadequately funded DHHL. The department is tasked with placing qualified Hawaiians on their own land. Civil Beat.

Kamanaʻopono Crabbe, the CEO of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, received a new three-year contract Thursday. Civil Beat.

The state and counties are ramping up efforts to prevent the mosquito-borne Zika virus from taking hold in Hawaii in spite of a congressional impasse over $1.1 billion in emergency funding to combat the virus, which can cause devastating birth defects, including microcephaly, a condition in which babies are born with abnormally small heads. Star-Advertiser.

In a move that Gov. David Ige described as unprecedented, the mayors of four islands and other key staff flanked the state’s top executive on Thursday at a news conference in Honolulu, pledging to take mosquito control to the community with a relaunch of education efforts as Hawaii Island’s dengue outbreak disappears in the rear view mirror but the state faces the possibility of new diseases and outbreaks. West Hawaii Today.

Despite rising homelessness in Hawaii, a bill that’s on track to become law may force emergency homeless shelters to cut more than 200 beds and turn away people who want to get off the streets. Civil Beat.

KHON2 found out the state lawmakers who had the most full-day absences during the session of 60 days: Rep. Sam Kong, D, Aiea, with 12 days; Rep. Cynthia Thielen, R, Kailua, Kaneohe Bay with 11; and Rep. Marcus Oshiro, D, Wahiawa, Whitmore Village with nine. We asked all of them about their absences.

The state Department of Education is expected to spend nearly $1 billion on electricity by 2035, but can save hundreds of millions through progress toward clean energy goals established by House Bill 2569, signed by Governor David Ige today. Maui Now.

Oahu

Ikaika Anderson will be leaving his post as vice chair of the Honolulu City Council. Council members are scheduled to vote next week on a resolution that would replace him with Councilman Joey Manahan from Kalihi. Civil Beat.

A senior couple filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Thursday seeking to invalidate state laws that prevent them from living together in the same licensed care home. State licensing laws and related administrative rules prohibit community care foster family homes from having more than one private-pay client, like the Kawamotos. Spouses on Medicaid, however, may live in the same home. Star-Advertiser.

A year after Oahu’s single-use plastic bag ban took effect July 1, 2015, prices have increased, and shoplifting is on the rise as thieves find more ways to walk out of stores without paying for their goods. Star-Advertiser.

A major real estate deal in Windward Oahu could have ramifications for Downtown Honolulu. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

Jen Ruggles, a candidate for Hawaii County Council, says she paid a delinquent $379.44 property tax bill Thursday after a reporter inquired about missed payments during the past two years. Tribune-Herald.

Lava Spectacle Filmed From Above. Incredible views of lava rushing down the Pulama pali in bright orange channels were recorded during an overflight on Thursday morning. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The State Attorney General Doug Chin and the United Public Workers union today announced that the parties are discussing settlement of the union’s appeal regarding the transfer of Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and the Lānaʻi Community Hospital to a new Kaiser Permanente entity. Maui Now.

Water development and sewer fees and water rates will be going up Friday, the first day of the new Maui County fiscal year, two county departments said. Maui News.

A professor who was one of 20 people arrested during a protest over the construction of a solar telescope on Maui last year has been ordered to pay a $200 fine for disorderly conduct. Associated Press.

A University of Hawaii Maui College assistant professor would not apologize Wednesday to a Wailuku District Court judge for protesting last July against the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope being built at the Haleakala summit. Maui News.

County-manager idea shelved, for now. On a slim 5-4 vote, council members believed proposal not ready for voters. Maui News.

Kauai

Only the Kauai Police Commission and not the mayor can suspend that county’s police chief, according to a long-awaited ruling from the Hawaii Supreme Court. The case stems from a bitter 2012 dispute in which Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho suspended Police Chief Darryl Perry for his handling of a hostile workplace complaint. Civil Beat.

Human activities can impact reef health, making it less resilient, according to a recent study conducted by researchers with The Nature Conservancy, and Kauai-based marine biologist Katie Muzik thinks that’s the case on the island. Garden Island.

Hawaii homelessness creeps up, new Public Utilities Commission pick as NextEra deal looms, audit to probe Hawaii County hiring practices, no 'strong mayor' government for Maui, Zuckerberg to build home as well as wall, Ige signs ivory sales ban bill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Homeless man reading © 2016 All Hawaii News

Hawaii, which already has the highest per capita rate of homelessness in America, saw its homeless population jump another 4 percent between January 2015 and January 2016, but officials revealing the data see signs of progress. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is seeing a stubborn rise in homelessness, despite the concerted efforts of state and county officials to address the issue. According to the “point in time” count released Wednesday, the state’s homeless population stood at 7,921 when the annual survey was conducted during the week of Jan. 25. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Point-In-Time Count, an annual survey of the state’s homeless population, was released Wednesday, and the results were a mixed bag of both encouraging and disconcerting numbers. West Hawaii Today.

© 2016 All Hawaii News

The results of this year’s statewide Homeless Point in Time Count were released today. Hawaii Public Radio.

A report on the number of homeless who live in Hawai‘i, called the “Statewide Point In Time Count,” revealed an overall increase in the number of homeless in the state compared to last year. Maui Now.

According to the annual Point in Time count released Wednesday, the number of Kauai’s homeless population increased by about 30 percent in 2016 compared to last year. Garden Island.

The latest "Point In Time" homeless count showed that on January 24, 2016, there were nearly eight thousand homeless statewide, with more than half on Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

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Hawaii, one of the top visitor destinations in the world, is bucking a trend now that Gov. David Ige said he intends to veto a bill that would allow online lodging services like Airbnb to collect state and local taxes. Associated Press.

Ige Signs Act Prohibiting Most Ivory Sales in Hawaii. Retailers of products made out of endangered species have one year to purge their inventory before the sales are banned. Civil Beat.

Gorak

Gov. David Ige is booting Mike Champley from the state Public Utilities Commission just days before the three-member body was expected to release its final decision on the $4.3 billion deal to sell Hawaiian Electric Industries to Florida-based NextEra Energy. Ige has made an interim appointment of Tom Gorak, the commission’s chief legal counsel, who will take over starting Friday. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige shuffled the deck Wednesday with a new Public Utilities Commission member just days before the three-person panel is expected to vote on whether NextEra Energy Inc. may purchase the state’s largest electric utility for $4.3 billion. Star-Advertiser.

The biggest business deal in state history is in a new state of limbo as the governor makes a new appointment to the Public Utilities Commission that some are calling illegal and unethical. KHON2.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Wednesday named Thomas Gorak, chief counsel of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, as the replacement for Michael Champley, whose term on the three-member commission charged with making key energy and other utility decisions, ends on Thursday. Pacific Business News.

Gov. David Ige is appointing a new member to the commission that’s expected to rule on Florida energy company NextEra’s proposed purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries. Ige is naming Thomas Gorak to the state Public Utilities Commission. Gorak is now the commission’s top legal adviser, a job he’s had since 2013. Associated Press.

Since June 23, Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and more than a dozen of her Democratic colleagues have not been able to use their official websites. Civil Beat.

Rising sea levels bring a wave of worry for many residents of our island state. Wednesday evening, experts showed how bad the increase in the ocean could be, while also detailing what some cities are already doing to prepare. KITV.

Oahu

There may be suspense in a hotly contested mayor’s race, but don’t expect changes in the Honolulu City Council after this year’s election. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

It’s not what you know; it’s whom you know. That lament has a long history on Hawaii Island, where a county government job ranks right up there with a college degree for many parents’ aspirations for their children. West Hawaii Today.

Somewhere between 38 and 92 percent of West Hawaii’s reefs will be declared bleached and dead, once scientists are comfortable enough with their figures to release final results this summer. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo residents got their first chance to weigh in on proposed redevelopment plans for the Banyan Drive area on Tuesday afternoon. More than 60 people attended the standing-room only informational meeting at the Aupuni Conference Center, where county planners gave an overview of possible new land uses and revitalization efforts for the peninsula, which was declared “blighted” earlier this year. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Planning Director Duane Kanuha presented a future vision for Banyan Drive to a crowd of business representatives and enthusiasts on Tuesday night. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii County officially is opening a lava viewing area near Kalapana today after the Pu‘u ‘O‘o lava flow reached the base of Pulama pali. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island residents armed with a cellphone camera and a $1 magnifying glass are becoming science sleuths, contributing to research that would have been handled by a drove of scientists a decade ago. Thanks to a crowdsourcing initiative launched in May 2015 to map the distribution of “yellow fever” mosquitoes on the island, scientists and health officials will have more information to go on when they are deciding how to combat mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and Zika — scourges which will appear sooner or later. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

One of the most controversial charter amendments of the Maui County Council’s 2016 calendar, which would have allowed a fundamental change in county governance from a “strong mayor” to council-manager, died in committee Wednesday. Maui Watch.

Despite taking no action Tuesday on several of Mayor Alan Arakawa's bills seeking funding for homeless programs and temporary shelters, council Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Riki Hokama said he and the mayor are working to "find more common ground on the homeless issue" and are moving forward. Maui News.

State Pulls Plug On Mbloom, But Still Wants To Help Tech Startups. The venture capital fund sputtered from the start, with questions about conflict of interest in its investments. Civil Beat.

The contract for construction of the next phase of the Lahaina bypass, a 2.7-mile stretch that runs from Hokiokio Road toward Launiupoko, has been awarded to Hawaiian Dredging Co., the state Department of Transportation announced Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai County Council unanimously voted to defer a bill on Wednesday that would allow vending on county-owned streets. Garden Island.

The Center for Biological Diversity is threatening to take legal action to protect rare seabirds that it says are being harmed by bright lights at an Air Force radar facility in Kokee, Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg apparently has plans to build a home on his Hawaii estate on the North Shore of Kauai, in addition to that six-foot-high wall that has irked some of his neighbors and caught the attention of websites around the world, Pacific Business News has learned.

For the past two weeks, Tabitha Smith has been camping in a spot dubbed “The Cage” at the Lihue Civic Center. Garden Island.

Small savings, possible layoffs from NextEra sale of Hawaiian Electric, net metering could survive Public Utilities ruling, second homeless shelter for Kakaako, Hawaii County Council rejects bigger Ethics Board, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Utility sale pending in Hawaii

The $60 million that NextEra Energy Inc. is promising to save customers if its purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries is approved comes out to only $1 on a monthly bill, the head of the state’s largest utility company acknowledged Tuesday when testifying during trial-like hearings put on by state regulators. Star-Advertiser.

Sometimes a Public Utilities Commission hearing isn’t public at all. That was the case on Tuesday afternoon at Blaisdell Center where, on the second day of a quasi-judicial process that will decide whether NextEra Energy’s $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric is allowed to go through, the public was cleared from the room for 45 minutes while the PUC and other parties directly involved in the hearing met behind closed doors. Civil Beat.

Alan Oshima, the head of Hawaiian Electric Co., which could be purchased by NextEra Energy Inc. for $4.3 billion, could not guarantee that there would be no layoffs after the two-year period following the closure of the acquisition. Pacific Business News.

The Alliance for Solar Choice, a group representing rooftop solar interests in Hawaii and on the mainland, released a poll Tuesday the group said showed most Hawaii residents oppose the sale of Hawaiian Electric Co. to NextEra, especially when told they could lose local control of their utility company. Civil Beat.

The Public Utilities Commission has suspended the Hawaiian Electric Companies (HECO) proposed community based solar tariff and instead opted to open a formal investigative docket. Ililani Media.

More than 25 Hawaii companies and organizations have thrown their support for NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co. in recent weeks, the two firms said Monday. Pacific Business News.

Commentary: A recent study by a nonprofit consumer watchdog agency ranked Hawaii as one of three states doing the best job of informing the public about consumer complaints against businesses and licensed professionals. Civil Beat.

More than 18-thousand homes are sold each year in Hawai’i. And now, for the first time, we have data to show us where these buyers are coming from. Hawaii Public Radio.

Timothy Ray Brown, the renowned Berlin patient whose recovery was chronicled in the New England Journal of Medicine, is in Honolulu to help kick off a multimillion-dollar initiative that aims to transform Hawaii into the first HIV-free state in the U.S. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A second homeless shelter will open in February in Kakaako, where three homeless encampments have been allowed to mushroom as city and state officials wrestle with how to handle Oahu’s persistent homeless population — the largest per capita in the nation. Star-Advertiser.

Construction is underway for a temporary shelter for homeless families near the Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park. Hawaii Public Radio.

Your voices will be heard. That was the message that State Homeless Coordinator Scott Morishige stressed at the Waianae Coast Neighborhood Board meeting on Tuesday, while also trying to reassure people that no sweeps are currently planned for The Harbor homeless community. Civil Beat.

A homeless encampment continues to grow along a bustling avenue heading into Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

Trash pickup problems aren’t going away. In fact, they seem to be getting worse. While we’ve had several reports of lingering trash in Kaimuki, Kalihi, and Hawaii Kai, more residents are now having problems. KHON2.

On Wednesday, a second access route to the Mehana Subdivision in Kapolei will officially open. The access route connects the subdivision to and from Kapolei Parkway via Kama’aha Avenue. KITV4.

Hawaii

A bill seeking a larger Board of Ethics with more County Council authority over its members found very little traction Tuesday in the council Finance Committee. West Hawaii Today.

Between 2008 and 2015, mainland buyers purchased more homes in Hawaii County than anywhere else in the state, according to a new report. Tribune-Herald.

A bill making it easier for small agricultural tourism enterprises to operate in Hawaii County is a long way from fruition. West Hawaii Today.

An updated map showing the locations where dengue fever has been investigated and confirmed on Hawaii Island has been released by the Hawaii County Civil Defense. The map depicts case locations as of November 30th when the number of confirmed cases of dengue fever totaled 112. Today that number rose to 117. Big Island Video News.

Several weeks after work began on the Big Island’s first roundabout project, a significant change to traffic patterns is beginning. A construction detour located near mile marker 10 on Highway 130 goes into effect today. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Since January 2008, a solid 52 percent of homes sold in Maui County have been to buyers from either the Mainland or foreign nations, states a new report from the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). MauiTime.

Visitor arrivals and spending on Maui rose slightly in October, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority reported in preliminary data Monday. Maui News.

More than 2.1 million visitors spent $3.5 billion on Maui from January through October of this year, an increase of 5.3 and 5.9% respectively. Maui Now.

Kauai

A recent ruling by the Hawaii Supreme Court is expected to affect fewer than a dozen drunken driving cases on Kauai, according to the prosecuting attorney. Garden Island.

Federal court rejects lawsuit to stop Native Hawaiian election, National Guard called to help dengue fever fight, Maui settles religious pamphleteering lawsuit, Honolulu homeless possessions protected in ACLU lawsuit, grand jury hearing police chief case, state out $3.2 million in overdue library books, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu public library © 2015 All Hawaii News

The state of Hawaii is trying to collect $3.2 million in fees from overdue library books. KHON2.

A move to block a Native Hawaiian convention was rejected Thursday by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, prompting a pledge to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday rejected an attempt to stop the counting of votes in the election of delegates to a Native Hawaiian constitutional convention, or ‘Aha. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and 46 other Democrats joined 242 Republicans in the U.S. House on Thursday in passing a bill to restrict the admission of Iraqi and Syrian refugees to America by requiring extra security procedures. Civil Beat.

Responding to criticism over transparency, the state Public Utilities Commission now plans to post online the transcripts of the upcoming evidentiary hearing on the proposed $4.3 billion sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries to NextEra Energy. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Community Foundation is adjusting its approach as it marks its centennial next year and welcomes the former head of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands as its new president and chief operating officer. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Navy is asking the public to weigh in on how it can tailor its training exercises to better protect whales and other marine life from harm. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

The city’s efforts to address homelessness by routinely cleaning up city sidewalks suffered a setback Thursday when a federal judge ordered officials to stop the immediate disposal of property seized in the sweeps and start videotaping items they destroy. Star-Advertiser.

The City and County of Honolulu has reached a court-sanctioned agreement that temporarily prevents it from immediately disposing of any personal items during the enforcement of the stored property and sidewalk nuisance ordinances. Civil Beat.

A new study said today that Honolulu has the largest number of homeless of any small U.S. city, underscoring the seriousness of Hawaii's homeless problem. Associated Press.

A federal grand jury is now hearing evidence in the criminal case against Honolulu's police chief and his wife, a prosecutor, Hawaii News Now has learned.

The University of Hawaii Athletics Department's deficit hit a record $4.2 million in the 2015 fiscal year, and is expected to grow to $4.8 million the following year, UH Athletics Director David Matlin said Thursday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Electric Company is proposing to offer customers on Oahu electricity rates as low as some found in high-end states on the mainland — at certain times. The pricing is part of an effort to get customers in Hawaii to change how, and when, they consume electricity. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Hawaii’s Department of Health announced Thursday that the National Guard will be assisting the agency in a “support” role after 79 cases of dengue fever have been confirmed on the Big Island since Sept. 11. Civil Beat.

The state epidemiologist says the Big Island dengue outbreak, now poised to eclipse the 2001 Maui outbreak, is just getting started. Star-Advertiser.

On Wednesday afternoon, the state Department of Health revealed a new version of a map showing the Big Island and the areas were the dengue virus likely is to have been transmitted to people from mosquitoes. Tribune-Herald.

In a press conference held today on Oahu, Governor David Ige said the state has been in communication with the federal Center For Disease Control and Prevention over dengue fever from the beginning, and that the White House is monitoring the situation in Hawaii. Big Island Video News.

The Hawaii State Department of Health said Thursday that the number of cases of dengue fever reported on the Big Island had reached 79. Pacific Business News.

A cluster of locally acquired cases of dengue fever on Hawaii Island is growing, heightening concerns that the painful mosquito-borne disease could spread to other islands. Garden Island.

It’s been a year since West Hawaii Battalion Chiefs Steve Loyola and Ty Medeiros were suspended, reportedly for publicly criticizing Hawaii County Fire Chief Darren Rosario. West Hawaii Today.

A Kona resident frustrated by a lack of response from Gov. David Ige’s office on the decision to resettle Syrian refugees in Hawaii is creating an online petition seeking to pause immigration to the state. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A pastor and his wife who were passing out religious material on a sidewalk fronting the Maui Fair in 2013 and were ordered by police to leave have reached a settlement with Maui County in a federal lawsuit over violations of their First Amendment free speech rights. Maui News.

The state Land Use Commission voted this morning to approve the 15-day extension requested by the applicants, Olowalu Town LLC and Olowalu Ekolu LLC. Maui Now.

Fifteen days were added Thursday to the state Land Use Commission's deadline to take action on a draft final environmental impact statement for development of a 1,500-home Olowalu town in West Maui. Maui News.

Five Hawaiian youth delegates from Maui will be joining nearly 200 world leaders in Paris on Monday - the site of last week's terrorist attacks - for a United Nations conference on climate change. Maui News.

Commentary: If you’re headed to Wailea this week, watch out! California lawmakers–and their attendant lobbyists–are out in force. It’s the work of the California Independent Voter Project, and their annual conference is taking place at the Fairmont Kea Lani. MauiTime.

Kauai

Jeni Kaohelaulii of Work It Out was determined to find her workers during the Kauai Community College Job Fair Wednesday. Garden Island.

Ige seeks EPA waiver on pollutants, Caldwell fund-raises in Washington while on city trip, prevailing wage rule snarls rail work, Maui cemetery work halted, groups want NextEra-Hawaiian Electric documents published, state issues media guidelines for Mauna Kea, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Ige and Mrs. Ige briefed by on-site engineer of the Tidal Power Plant, courtesy photo

Gov. David Ige is asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to postpone or waive new regulations that restrict the amount of mercury and other toxic pollutants that Hawaii’s power plants can release into the air, arguing that the rules will distract from Hawaii’s push to convert to clean energy. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige returned Thursday from his second official trip to Asia, where he continued to promote tourism, intercultural student exchange and collaboration on renewable-energy technology. Star-Advertiser.

Sierra Club, Friends of Lanai and other groups are calling on the state Public Utilities Commission to post online the transcripts of the upcoming 12-day evidentiary hearing on the proposed $4.3 billion sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries to NextEra Energy. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co. has unveiled new voluntary time-of-use rates for residential customers aimed at encouraging the use of power during times when solar and wind resources are most productive, the Honolulu-based utility said Friday. Pacific Business News.

Several key lawmakers said they plan to introduce legislation in the coming session to address concerns about the state’s oversight of physicians and other licensed professionals. Star-Advertiser.

Carleton Ching has a new job, just not the one he had been expecting earlier this year. Ching will take the position of director of land development for the University of Hawaii on Nov. 30, the university announced Friday. Civil Beat.

Carleton Ching has been selected as the director of Land Development for the University of Hawaii. His appointment will be effective on Nov. 30. Garden Island.

In response to protests against the Na‘i Aupuni election for Native Hawaiian self-governance, the nonprofit organizing the voting process is emphasizing that the end result is not predetermined. Garden Island.

Pidgin, the local lingua franca that emerged so the people of many different ethnicities who toiled on sugar plantations could converse with each other, now is recognized as one of Hawaii’s official languages by the U.S. Census Bureau. Tribune-Herald.

It seems like someone flipped the storm off-switch in the Central and Eastern Pacific basins. However, meteorologists say, the threat of a hurricane could be far from over despite the season’s ending slated for Nov. 30. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit has encountered other complications in its dealings with Hawaiian Electric Co., beyond the 50-foot clearance requirement: HECO’s union contract with its employees does not meet the requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires that laborers and mechanics on federally funded construction projects must be paid the prevailing local wage. Star-Advertiser.

The “most significant risk” today to Honolulu’s rail project is a complex knot of technical challenges involving power lines along the transit route that could dramatically increase costs and delay the project, according to an outside consultant that monitors the project for the federal government. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell says $250 million out of $1.5 billion dollars will not be given to the project until the Honolulu City Council approves the general excise tax surcharge extension. But KHON2 found out the rail meeting wasn’t the only thing on his agenda during his trip to Washington, D.C.

Only a few tents and shacks are visible from the dirt parking lot that borders the Waianae Boat Harbor, where more than 200 people have found a relatively undisturbed refuge on the rocky edge of the Leeward Coast. The true size of Oahu’s oldest and now largest homeless encampment is obscured by a heavy cover of overgrown kiawe trees and thick underbrush. Civil Beat.

Plans are advancing to improve a major road in Kalaeloa. An agreement would transfer a portion of Franklin D. Roosevelt Avenue from the state Department of Transportation to the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which would be tasked to improve the road based on the city’s standards. Roosevelt Avenue from West Perimeter Road to Enterprise Street would then be dedicated to the city upon completion of the improvements. Star-Advertiser.

City and state officials are making efforts to extend traffic camera coverage past Kapolei as residents call for solutions to the traffic backlog on Farrington Highway in Waianae. Star-Advertiser.

Voting is open for the representatives running for the Maunalua Bay Recreation Advisory Committee. KITV4.

Hawaii

A new hospital or free-standing emergency facility in North Kona, more programs for the homeless and a hard look at alternative ways to structure the state’s utilities — those are just some of the plans West Hawaii lawmakers will discuss at a legislative outlook to be held in Kailua-Kona Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

There are hundreds of acres of state land just across the highway above Kona International Airport that would make a convenient home for a new Kona hospital — one which could serve a teaching function. That’s according to Naalehu Rep. Richard Creagan, a retired physician who says he has the support of House leadership for pursuing the funds it would take to build such a facility. West Hawaii Today.

Two West Hawaii lawmakers are taking the state Department of Health to task for saying it is beyond the agency’s purview to launch mobile dengue testing units that could go deep into rural areas and ferret out the disease. West Hawaii Today.

The state Dept. of Health confirmed on Saturday, Nov. 14, that there were 49 cases of dengue fever on Hawaii Island, up 11 from Friday, Nov. 13. KHON2.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources is conducting aerial eradication of feral ungulates in four Maui state forest reserves — and that’s making some hunters on the Big Island and Maui uneasy. Tribune-Herald.

State Issues New Guidelines On Media’s Mauna Kea Access. The Department of Land and Natural Resources says it wants to keep everyone safe, but some First Amendment advocates worry the guidelines go too far. Civil Beat.

Maui Pacific Solar installed a 100-kilowatt, $376,000 photovoltaic project at the Gemini Observatory atop Mauna Kea in early September, a project that took about six weeks to complete, according to an announcement from the observatory. Maui News.

Hilo isn’t the only county recycling facility experiencing overflows as Big Island residents increasingly embrace recycling rather than landfilling their waste. West Hawaii Today.

Board members for a neighborhood association in North Kona’s Nalani Street subdivision have become a mini-water department, reading the single meter and allotting shares of the bill to residents in some 30 homes. They’re also the collections department, collecting the checks and making sure everyone pays his or her fair share. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Construction work at the Maui Veterans Cemetery has come to a halt after the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was found to be noncompliant with federal historic preservation laws, a state attorney said. Maui News.

The Maui County Liquor Control Commission will go through the formal selection process to find the next director of the Department of Liquor Control. Maui News.

Maui candidates vying for three seats to a constitutional convention to draft a document allowing Native Hawaiians to govern themselves spoke about their vision and skills to about 50 people Wednesday night at the Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center. Maui News.

The Maui Department of Public Works will be closing down a portion of Central Avenue in Wailuku for one day only on Nov. 23, 2015. The repairs are slated for Central Avenue between Loke and North streets. Maui Now.

Kauai

Driving in Kauai is a challenge, that’s no secret — and the county’s transportation department wants to hear your ideas for solutions in a series of open-house meetings it’s holding this week. Garden Island.

DLNR chief vows to protect Thirty Meter Telescope builders as two Mauna Kea protesters sentenced, state Senate panel confirms judges in special session, possible dengue on Oahu as Big Island battles spread, Honolulu rail strife continues, former Maui parks director spared criminal charges for taking free golf, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Thirty Meter Telescope protester file photo courtesy Occupy Hilo Media

The contractors building the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea have a right to be up there, the chairwoman of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said Thursday, adding that the state will enforce the laws over which it has jurisdiction to ensure they are unmolested by protesters. West Hawaii Today.

Two people were convicted Thursday in the first two trials against protesters of the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea. Star-Advertiser.

The Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee on Thursday unanimously approved two nominations by Gov. David Ige to the the state Circuit Court and a third nomination by Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald to the Honolulu District Court. The judicial nominees — Shirley M. Kawamura, Melvin H. Fujino and James C. McWhinnie — now face a full floor vote by the Senate today, part of a two-day special session. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers Thursday heard yet another description of a state agency that is struggling to promptly spend its federal grant money, with Transportation Director Ford Fuchigami detailing challenges the state Airports Division faces as it tries to spend about $40 million a year it receives from the Federal Aviation Administration. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige is looking to fill well over 300 empty seats on dozens of different state boards and commissions, some of which can barely hold meetings due to lack of quorum. The governor’s office sent out a release Thursday asking for qualified volunteers to apply. Civil Beat.

The question of whether state Sen. Brickwood Galuteria really lives in the Kakaako legislative district he has represented since 2008 just won’t seem to go away. Two hearings on the issues are scheduled this month, and the ultimate answer could help determine if he is allowed to retain his Senate seat. Civil Beat.

Sen. Breene Harimoto back on job after battling pancreatic cancer. KITV4.

Scientists at a research center on Oahu’s Coconut Island have embarked on an experiment to grow “super coral” that they hope can withstand the hotter and more acidic oceans that are expected with global warming. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s native forest birds will need a substantial helping hand if they are to survive the growing impacts of climate change, a new study has concluded. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has been trying for over a year to get the electric utilities on Maui, Oahu and Big Island to each come up with a power supply improvement plan that can serve as a “strategic basis” for resource acquisition and system operation decisions. In a new order issued Wednesday, the PUC said there are still “substantial concerns” and the proposals are unacceptable. Civil Beat.

The state Public Utilities Commission scolded Hawaiian Electric Co. for its “repeated failures to properly plan” a path to lower electrical rates using renewable energy. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Kalama Valley residents warned of potential dengue case. Hawaii News Now.

Members of the Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee got an earful from supporters and opponents of the city’s $6.57 billion rail project during an evening meeting at Kapolei Hale on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council Chairman Ernie Martin is questioning whether there needs to be a shake-up at the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation to get the $6.6 billion rail project back on track. Martin broached the subject during a special Budget Committee meeting in Kapolei on Wednesday to consider a bill that would extend by five years a general excise tax surcharge to cover most rail costs. Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration will seek new proposals for a project to convert nearly 52,000 streetlights to light-emitting diode technology, administration officials said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Public Radio President and General Manager Michael Titterton will step down at the end of June, and a nationwide search is underway to find a successor. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hookena Beach Park remained closed Thursday as the number of confirmed dengue fever cases on the Big Island rose to 19. West Hawaii Today.

The Windward Planning Commission approved permits Thursday for a Hele-On bus base yard in Hilo and a cell phone tower in Hawaiian Paradise Park. The $11.2 million base yard on Hoolaulima Road will include a 26,500-square-foot building and a 19,500-square-foot warehouse. It will consolidate the Hawaii County Mass Transit Agency’s administration and maintenance facilities. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council has given final approval to a $6 million funding request for a new fire station on Kawailani Street in Hilo. The 8-0 vote Tuesday brings total funding for the project to $12 million. Tribune-Herald.

On the face of it, both a fledgling Hawaii Island energy cooperative and the mainland giant NextEra Energy want the same things — lower rates for island residents, more renewable energy and care of an aging grid. The real questions seem to revolve around how to get there and who is most likely to succeed. West Hawaii Today.

The issue of squatters has been discussed at length in the community, especially in Puna where business leaders, community organizations and elected officials have been brainstorming solutions to the problem. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The state Department of the Attorney General has decided not to pursue a complaint involving free rounds of golf that led to the resignation of former county Department of Parks and Recreation Director Glenn Correa. Maui News.

The Maui County Council Budget and Finance Committee on Tuesday recommended approval of a land purchase that would add 373 acres and double the size of the Kula Agricultural Park. Maui News.

Local leaders, businesspeople and community activists were identified Wednesday to serve on a special committee to study the possibility of having a county manager form of government for Maui County. Maui News.

Maui senator recalls ‘intense pain’ with dengue fever. KHON2.

Members of the group Stop CaneBurning.org took issue Wednesday with a report from Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. that there were only two complaints arising from Central Maui cane harvesting on Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

A small island in the middle of the Pacific is doing some big things for renewable energy. By the end of this year, 37 percent of the electricity generated on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai will come from a mix of renewable resources, including solar, hydropower and biomass. Civil Beat.

The first 12 homes for the Eleele Iluna neighborhood project by Kauai Habitat for Humanity are getting closer to rising from the ground. Garden Island.

Defense attorneys for the police officer charged in the death of a man struck on Kaumualii Highway said no evidence exists to prove the state’s probable cause argument. Garden Island.

ACLU sues to save homeless possessions, Trans Pacific Partnership details released, Gabbard blasts Red Hill fuel tank agreement, Sunshine Law confounds Honolulu Ethics Commission, jails packed with mentally ill, Maui liquor appointee demurs, Kauai ponders barking dogs, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Homeless Honolulu man with possessions ©2015 All Hawaii News

After failing in September to halt Honolulu city sweeps of homeless encampments, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii now wants a federal judge to prevent the immediate destruction of homeless individuals’ property that city workers pick up. Star-Advertiser.

Citing new evidence that the City and County of Honolulu is using ‘sweeps’ of homeless individuals to continue bypassing Hawaii laws and violate the state Constitution, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i Foundation (ACLU) and the law firm of Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing, filed a new request in federal court for a preliminary injunction. Hawaii Independent.

Details of a sweeping Pacific Rim trade deal released Thursday set the stage for a raucous debate in the U.S. Congress but also may provide reassurances to those who worried the agreement could gut protections for the environment, public health and labor. Associated Press.

State health officials are preparing to impose new licensing fees on long-term care facilities. For decades, the industry has beaten back such efforts, leaving it one of few business segments that doesn’t pay for licensing in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Last year, the Legislature adopted a measure creating a two-year pilot program to divert up to 100 “nonviolent, low-risk drug offenders” from prison into treatment. It was supposed to start July 1, 2014, but, thanks to bureaucratic red tape, Hawaii’s Department of Public Safety has yet to get the program off the ground. Civil Beat.

The state Public Utilities Commission said Wednesday it will not be flexible with the 12-day timeline for the upcoming trial-like hearings in its regulatory review of NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries. The PUC will host 12 days of intervenor, or official participant, hearings at the Blaisdell Center Hawaii Suites starting Nov. 30. Star-Advertiser.

Alternative energy proponents can continue providing testimony in the ongoing Public Utilities Commission docket on the proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaii’s electric utilities. Tribune-Herald.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, the top financial performer in the company’s fleet and the only home-ported ship in Hawaii, is going into dry dock as part of an aggressive schedule of upgrades planned for eight of NCL’s vessels. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Inc., the largest ocean cargo carrier serving Hawaii, said Wednesday its third-quarter profit jumped 93 percent to $41.5 million with the addition of its new Alaska service bought from Horizon Lines. Star-Advertiser.

John McNamara, the associate athletics director for external affairs at the University of Hawaii, is leaving his position to take over as president of Communications Pacific on Nov. 16. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
The Queen's Medical Center paid $1.5 million to the U.S. Justice Department to settle a case involving implanted cardiac devices that were in violation of Medicare coverage requirements. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council passed three resolutions to spend up to $220,000 to fund the city’s defense in two lawsuits relating to the Honolulu rail project and the seizure of homeless people’s property, and a criminal case involving a police officer. Civil Beat.

A scheduled closed-door meeting of the Honolulu Ethics Commission was canceled abruptly Tuesday — hours before it was to take place — after the state Office of Information Practices issued an informal opinion that called into question the validity of the meeting’s agenda. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council is considering a bill that would add another step in the approval process for O’ahu’s City’s Bike Plan. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday lambasted the Oct. 1 agreement among the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Hawaii Department of Health, the U.S. Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency that outlines a plan to upgrade underground fuel storage tanks in Red Hill over the next 20 years. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply said Tuesday it has changed its position on NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries and now supports the deal. Star-Advertiser.

A new list published by The Economist has shaken the conventional notion of college rankings and places the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the top half of more than 1,200 schools examined. Pacific Business News.

Liquor law violations on the University of Hawaii Manoa campus soared by nearly 50 percent last year. It's the most citations since at least 2007. Hawaii News Now.

A growing number of students are earning undergraduate degrees within four years from the University of Hawaii’s flagship Manoa campus, an improvement university officials attribute to better academic support. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Inmates screaming, throwing feces, refusing to wear clothes. That’s the new reality, corrections workers say, at Hawaii Community Correctional Center, which is bursting at the seams with mentally ill inmates. West Hawaii Today.

In light of a recent Hawaii County Planning Department decision to reduce the monthly meetings of the various action committees working on the Big Island’s numerous community development plans, Kohala councilwoman Margaret Wille called for a discussion on Tuesday (Nov. 3). Big Island Video News.

Hawaii County has closed Hookena Beach Park to help contain the spread of dengue fever. Tribune-Herald.

A nonprofit organization seeking to buy and preserve the historic Kuamoo battlefield and burial ground in Keauhou has missed two deadlines to finalize the deal. But the goal is close. West Hawaii Today.

The parents of an abused 6-year-old boy whose disappearance in 1997 set off a statewide media firestorm were arrested in an investigation unrelated to the child’s disappearance. Tribune-Herald.

The Big Island man bitten by a shark Wednesday told Hawaii News Now he never got a look at the shark that attacked him and he was swimming in the nude when the attack happened.

If you’re in the market for Hilo’s hottest ticket — seats at the Merrie Monarch Festival’s hula competition — you’ll need to get your request in earlier this year, and it will cost just a bit more. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Twice selected as director of the Department of Liquor Control director, Dana Souza has decided not to accept the job. Souza was to have succeeded Franklyn Silva, who retired as department director as of Sunday. Maui News.

A Public Works district supervisor had been caught spending tens of thousands on a commercial kitchen that rivals a restaurant, tucked away inside a Wailuku baseyard building. Sources say side-business catering was going on out of there. The suspect has since retired from the county. KHON2.

The County Committee on Public and Intergovernmental Affairs today identified 11 individuals to serve on a special committee tasked with studying and providing recommendations on a county manager form of governance. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council heard testimony Wednesday on the latest proposed law regarding barking dogs. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative recently flipped the switch on its 12-megawatt Anahola solar facility, which is Hawaii's largest solar project, on the east side of the Garden Isle. Pacific Business News.

Tax Foundation sues over state's share of rail tax, solar companies sue over end to net metering, Honolulu Police Commission sees no need to discipline chief, NASA Mars mission scouts Kilauea lava fields, EPA fines over cesspools, Department of Education wants $70M increase, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Convention Center © 2015 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Convention Center is looking for a contractor to conduct up to $7.5 million in repairs and improvements, according to a public call for proposals released this week. Pacific Business News.

The Tax Foundation of Hawaii filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday challenging the state’s practice of siphoning 10 percent of the money collected from the excise tax surcharge for the city’s rail project and depositing it into the state’s general treasury. Star-Advertiser.

A new lawsuit is accusing the state of skimming millions of dollars from the Honolulu rail project. Since 2007, the State Tax Department has charged Oahu residents nearly $170 million just to collect the half percent tax to fund the rail project. Hawaii News Now.

A group representing rooftop solar interests sued the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission on Wednesday over its decision last week to cap a popular program that let residents with photovoltaic systems sell excess energy back to the electric companies at the full retail rate. Civil Beat.

The Alliance for Solar Choice, which is made up of national solar firms, including both SolarCity and Sunrun which operate in Hawaii, has filed a lawsuit that challenges a recent Hawaii Public Utilities Commission’s decision to cap net metering to existing customers. Pacific Business News.

Nearly six years after it was established by the Legislature, the state’s Re-entry Commission is failing to fulfill its job of overseeing programs to help Hawaii’s inmates stay out of prison after they’re released. The commission has only met once since 2013. That’s because eight seats on the 10-member commission have been empty for more than three years. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Education is seeking $70 million in budget add-ons for school operations next fiscal year and $30 million in bond financing for so-called heat abatement efforts that include air conditioning classrooms. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii fisheries may soon receive stronger protection from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing thanks to legislation that unanimously cleared the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. Civil Beat.

For years, scientists have warned sunscreen is killing the world’s coral reefs. Now, a new study confirms those concerns, revealing the chemical oxybenzone, found in more than 3,500 sunscreen products worldwide, can be harmful in concentrations as small as 62 parts per trillion — the equivalent of a single drop of water in six-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools. Tribune-Herald.

Two state agencies, backed by environmental groups, are calling for a moratorium on the collection of aquarium fish — a proposal that is highlighting still-deep divisions over the harvesting of the fish for export and captivity. West Hawaii Today.

Two Hawaii resorts and one nightclub must pay over $300,000 in fines to the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to close large-capacity cesspools, according to a press release from the federal agency. The Travaasa Hotel Hana Resort in Hana, Maui, owes $187,500; Vacation Inns International on Oahu’s North Shore owes $40,000; and Shaka’s on the Big Island must pay $82,425. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Commission has found no reason to impose disciplinary action against Police Chief Louis Kealoha, commission Chairman Ron Taketa told reporters Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with his colleagues. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha will stay on the job as the FBI and a special prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office continue their criminal probe into the circumstances surrounding the HPD’s own investigation into his missing mailbox. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha will remain on the job because his bosses at the Honolulu Police Commission cannot verify what Hawaii News Now first reported almost two weeks ago: that there's a full-fledged federal criminal investigation targeting him and his wife.

The proposed cap on general excise tax dollars used to build rail would likely be more of a flexible limit than a hard one with no exceptions, Honolulu City Council leaders say, as project costs have soared even higher in recent weeks. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell agrees with City Council Chairman Ernie Martin, a potential political rival, that the city needs to hold rail officials more accountable for their spending, especially as costs for the Honolulu Rail Transit Project escalate beyond $6.5 billion. Caldwell just wants a little more flexibility when doing it. Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell is expressing skepticism regarding a plan by City Council Chairman Ernie Martin to cap revenue generated by a 5-year extension of Oahu's rail tax at $910 million dollars. The mayor said such a cap could deter companies from bidding on the remaining contracts for the controversial project. KITV4.

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation will end up spending millions more after the cancellation of a major rail contract. KHON2.

One week after the city and state wrapped up its high profile homeless sweep in Kakaako makai, new homeless camps are springing up in nearby parks. Hawaii News Now.

The ACLU of Hawaii says the City and County of Honolulu has “reversed course” and is now going to permit survivors of domestic violence and persons with mental illness to access a new homeless shelter in Sand Island. Civil Beat.

State seeks to crack down on off-roading at Kaena Point. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Scientists are scouting lava flow fields around Kilauea this week as part of a NASA-funded study that could help lay the groundwork for a manned mission to Mars. Tribune-Herald.

The County Council in 2012 unanimously passed a bill, sponsored by then Chairman Dominic Yagong, to prohibit disposal of trash from Hilo and Puna in the West Hawaii landfill at Puuanahulu. But a bill now making its way through the County Council would undo that. West Hawaii Today.

The East Hawaii Regional Board of Hawaii Health Systems Corp. voted Tuesday to actively pursue partnerships with other health care providers. Tribune-Herald.

On Friday, the Board of Land and Natural Resources will vote on whether or not to establish a volunteer agreement with Friends of the Future non-profit at Lapakahi State Historical Park. Here is the background – and favorable recommendation – from the Department of Land and Natural Resources submittal. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The US Environmental Protection Agency completed enforcement actions with the Travaasa Hotel Hāna Resort in East Maui for failure to close its large capacity cesspool.  Travaasa will pay a penalty of $187,500. Maui Now.

A Maui parent has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education, claiming that the department is incapable of providing the deaf and hard-of-hearing services that her daughter needs at school. Associated Press.

Opinion: Hey, Maui County: if you need more evidence that the people pulling the strings over the liquor department are inept fools , look no further than the Liquor Commission. It now looks like they’re backing off their Oct. 7 appointment of one of their own–Dana Souza–to assume the mantle of Liquor Control Director, a post held not so long ago by Dana’s own father Joe. MauiTime.

Kauai

‘Find your voice’ Candlelight vigil unites community with goal of ending domestic violence. Garden Island.

The public is advised that a rockfall mitigation project along Menehune Road near the Waimea Swinging Bridge is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Garden Island.