Evidence made public in Kealoha case, former Kauai police chief files $2M harassment claim, Case seeks re-election, Kamehameha Schools $80M sex abuse settlement, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ohia lehua captures the rain ©2019 All  Hawaii News

To Save Ohia, A Genetic Resistance Program Will Be Grown. In an effort to save Hawaii’s native forests from the devastation of Rapid Ohia Death, scientists are touting the use of natural, genetic resistance as the most promising tool. Big Island Video News.

Kamehameha Schools and St. Francis lock horns over sex abuse settlement. Two of Hawaii’s charitable heavy-hitters are engaged in a fierce legal battle over the $80 million settlement of a sex abuse case that has roiled both organizations. Star-Advertiser.

Rhodes scholar comes forward as a plaintiff in the Kamehameha sex abuse lawsuit. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmaker wants to take away licenses from drivers with 2+ violations in a moving vehicle. State Senator Glenn Wakai plans to turn his idea into a bill the next legislative session. KITV.

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Hawaii Congressman Ed Case on Sunday announced his intention to run for reelection. Star-Advertiser.

Rep. Case Announces Candidacy For 2020 Re-Election. The Hawaii congressman says “this is as good a time as any.” Civil Beat.

Ed Case announces his candidacy for re-election in 2020. He's currently in a two-year term that runs through 2020. KITV.

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Late lawmaker with a troubled past remembered for his kindness and compassion. Flags in Hawaii flew at half-staff Saturday in honor of former lawmaker Rod Tam, who was remembered as a troubled figure with a big heart. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The Kealoha trial took a break last week. That gave the court a chance to release some of the exhibits prosecutors have presented to the jury. Civil Beat.

Contributions grow as vacation rental bills advance. A Honolulu Star-Advertiser review of campaign finance records over the last 2-1/2 years shows that Council members have received contributions both from major donors who support and would benefit from the bills, and from heavy hitters who oppose and would be negatively affected. Star-Advertiser.

Sale of seedy Kuhio corner could finish transformation. A derelict plot of land along Kuhio Avenue has been put on the market, likely bringing an upgrade to a critical portion of Waikiki’s expanding tourism center. Star-Advertiser.

Ocean-friendly Kakaako garden project blossoms. Amid the parched fields and tent-covered sidewalks of Kakaako during a mid-June heat wave, the two dark-green plots and freshly turned topsoil of a new community garden on Ilalo Street made a refreshing and hopeful sight. Star-Advertiser.

Civil Beat journalists took home more than 20 awards for their work in 2018 at the Society of Professional Journalists annual awards dinner Friday, including being named the state’s best overall news site for the ninth year in a row. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Planning Commission to take up CDP amendments Thursday. The Leeward Planning Commission this week is expected to take up for consideration a batch of amendments proposed for the Kona Community Development Plan. West Hawaii Today.

Grassroots community effort seeks to tackle homelessness before it gets worse. West Hawaii Today.

Meet Argos: Friends of the Missing Child Center donates tracking dog to West Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Vexed by vaping: Schools see increase in use, find it harder to police. The use of electronic smoking devices, or “vaping,” remains a problem in East Hawaii high schools, and it’s becoming more difficult to detect, local administrators say. Tribune-Herald.

Coping With The ‘Big Litter’ Of Abandoned Vehicles. Like everywhere else in the state, Hawaii County is looking for solutions to the increasingly costly problem of people leaving their junkers on the side of the road. Civil Beat.

Mauna Lani gets $200M overhaul, brings luxury Auberge brand to isle. The Mauna Lani will reopen by January as the state’s first hotel in the luxury Auberge Resorts Collection after doubling its renovation budget to $200 million. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Calls made to end recreation activities at Ko'ie'ie Fishpond in Kihei. Residents want pond restored to historic site. Maui News.

21 Graduate as Correctional Officers, One Assigned to Maui Jail. Twenty-one recruits graduated from Basic Corrections Recruit Class 19-01 training and will begin their careers as correctional officers in facilities across the state. Maui Now.

Shortage of horses almost stops Kamehameha Day parade. This weekend’s Kamehameha Day parade on Maui almost didn’t happen this year due to a shortage of horses. Hawaii News Now.

Maui News staff, columnist earn 19 SPJ awards. Newspaper sweeps three catagories — Spot News, Feature Writing/Long Form, Photography/Video. Maui News.

Kauai

Retired police chief Darryl Perry claims harassment. Retired Kauai Police Department Chief Darryl Perry is asking the County of Kauai to pay him $2 million in damages due to what he described in a claim filed against the county last month as 'a nine-year vendetta of continuous harassment'. Garden Island.

Haena State Park and the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park will reopen on Monday, June 17. KHON2.

Brand new signs stolen from Kilauea site. A gravel road runs from Kahili Makai Road to the edge of the Kilauea River, and signs should be welcoming people to the area. Garden Island.

Along with long-awaited Kauai highway reopening comes new rules — and an ‘aloha pledge’. The state will reopen a two-mile section of Kauai’s Kuhio Highway on Monday that’s been closed since historic flooding in April 2018. Hawaii News Now.

Kuhio Highway reopens Monday for the first time since 2018. KHON2.

Homelessness down slightly, former lawmaker Tam dies, $5.1M for Maui jail riot repairs, GOP retains state Chairwoman Ostrov, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Homeless in Chinatown, Honolulu ©2019 All Hawaii News

Count shows homelessness down, but number of unsheltered homeless swells. The figures from the count, conducted on a single night in January, were released Wednesday and show slight declines in the overall homeless population. Hawaii News Now.

Airbnb says it would have hauled in $64M in taxes for Hawaii last year. If the vacation rental platform Airbnb had been authorized to collect taxes on behalf of the state last year, it would have hauled in $64 million in Hawaii hotel room and excise tax revenues, the company says. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii health care takes top spot in nationwide survey. Hawaii was No. 24 overall in the U.S. News & World Report’s annual 2019 Best States rankings but took the top spot for health care. Star-Advertiser.

Kailua Crash Puts Hawaii’s Copter Tours Under A Microscope. Regulators are updating the one flight manual that governs the state’s air tours, but the public won’t get to participate. Civil Beat.

Gun Group Sues FBI For Records On State Fingerprint Program. The Hawaii Firearms Coalition says it’s trying to find out why the state is retaining registered gun owners’ fingerprints. Civil Beat.

Hawaii GOP Keeps Ostrov As Party Chair. The minority party boasts of unity in a Democratic-controlled state. Civil Beat.

Nonprofit Group Says DOE Is Withholding Key Financial Data. The Education Institute of Hawaii is trying to pressure the state into providing information for a financial database to shed light on school funding practices. Civil Beat.

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Former Hawaii lawmaker Rod Tam dies from leukemia. Tam spent three decades in office between the House, Senate, and Honolulu city council. His political career however was overshadowed by a run-in with the law and brief time spent behind bars. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii politician Rod Tam dies due to complications from leukemia. Colorful and controversial political figure Rod Tam died this afternoon due to complications from leukemia, a family spokesman said. Star-Advertiser.

Former Hawaii politician Rod Tam has died at age 65. Former Hawaii politician Rod Tam has died due to complications from leukemia. KITV.

Oahu

Oahu saw only a 1% drop in homelessness in January — not the 4% decline reported in February, according to data released Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

How Honolulu Property Tax Decisions Could Affect Owners. The Honolulu City Council on Tuesday overrode Mayor Kirk Caldwell's veto of a bill that increases the standard home exemption on property taxes while advancing his proposal to hike the tax rate on hotels and resorts. Hawaii Public Radio.

Council member seeks to revive proposal after 17-year-old was hit in a mid-block crosswalk. Councilman Ron Last year, Menor had proposed a bill that would allow cars to turn on their hazard lights at mid-block crosswalks to alert other drivers that someone is crossing. KHON2.

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Pool of potential jurors for Kealoha trial shrinks. The pool of prospective jurors for the federal conspiracy trial of retired Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha; his wife Katherine, a former deputy prosecutor; and three former members of the Honolulu Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit is down to 249. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly 200 prospective jurors already eliminated for Kealoha ‘mailbox trial’.  Despite incredible amounts of publicity, lawyers in the Kealoha trial say they are confident they will have an impartial jury -- perhaps faster than expected. Hawaii News Now.

TV Reporter No Longer Sought As Witness In Corruption Trial. Hawaii News Now reporter Lynn Kawano had said the move to call her to the stand was retaliation for her prior coverage. Civil Beat.

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Pali Highway Repair Pegged At $20 Million To Date. Emergency work continues to install a rockfall mitigation system. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Lieutenant governor visits East Hawaii as part of state’s ongoing efforts to address homelessness. Lt. Gov. Josh Green visited several sites where homeless people congregate in East Hawaii, including a homeless camp nestled in the woods off Railroad Avenue and the homeless congregation around the Mooheau Park Bandstand in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

‘Action plan’ necessary for county to access federal disaster recovery grant. A $66.9 million federal grant heading to the state for disaster recovery was welcomed news for Hawaii County officials. Tribune-Herald.

Noise From Helicopter Tours Leaves Residents With Frayed Nerves. It’s been a hot-button issue on the island for decades, but many say the problem has grown worse as more tourists are drawn to the site of the lava eruptions. Civil Beat.

State expects report about feasibility of restoring access to Pohoiki boat ramp by early June. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources hired consultant Sea Engineering to determine the feasibility of restoring access to the ramp. Tribune-Herald.

OSHA violations settled with Mass Transit. The Federal Transit Administration isn’t the only U.S. agency finding problems at the county’s beleaguered Mass Transit Agency. West Hawaii Today.

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Chief, mayor react to charges on retired officers; Fukui, Miller turn selves in. Former police officers indicted on charges ranging from drug offenses to conspiracy and tampering are scheduled to make their first appearances today in Hilo Circuit Court. West Hawaii Today.

Two Former Hawaii County Police Officers Indicted. Hawaii County Police Chief Paul Ferreira says the investigation began with cocaine and hashish missing from police custody. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Council budget up for first reading. $823.6M budget is about $43 million, or 5.5 percent, higher than mayor’s proposal. Maui News.

Mayor Victorino to Visit Japan and Korea in a Goodwill, Business Trip. Maui Now.

Ige Signs Bill To Cover $5.1 Million In Repairs After Maui Jail Riot. The measure also includes $2 million to temporarily house 248 additional Hawaii inmates at a private prison in Arizona. Civil Beat.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is seeking the community’s input for the development of the agency’s new strategic plan through an online survey and a series of statewide meetings, with the first one on Maui on Monday. Maui News.

$340M rental car facility opens at Kahului Airport. CONRAC relied solely on rental car funds; ‘no taxpayer dollars were involved’. Maui News.

Kauai

Can $13 Million Save Lihue? A federal grant to reconfigure roads in the core of this island’s county seat could spur enough private investment to bring back the good times. Civil Beat.

Group protests 5G, doesn’t want it on Kauai. In a national day of protest against the fifth generation of cellular network technology, 5G Action Kauai rallied on Kapule Highway and Ahukini Road Wednesday afternoon. Garden Island.

Lanai

Lanai Airport gets $10M in federal money for runway improvements. The U.S. Department of Transportation grant is part of $779 million dollars in funding for more than 100 airports, nationwide and in Puerto Rico. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Supreme Court rules for more open police disciplinary records, National Park Service improperly demolishes historic Pearl Harbor home, depression and vaping rises in teens, Honolulu $1.4B short on retirement funds, lava heading to ocean, sugar workers laid off, feral cats infecting endangered nene, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii police © 2016 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Honolulu police officers don’t have an absolute right of confidentiality regarding their disciplinary suspension records, and that their privacy interests should be weighed against the public interest in determining whether to release their names and details of their misconduct. Civil Beat.

The National Park Service said Thursday it demolished a historic home at Pearl Harbor without consulting historic preservation authorities as required. Associated Press.

Nearly 1 in 3 high school students in Hawaii report feeling depressed on a regular basis, and 1 in 6 students say they have seriously considered attempting suicide — statistics that haven’t improved in the past five years, according to new survey results released Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii On The Hill: Keeping The Islands On Washington DC’s Map. The third annual event sponsored by Sen. Mazie Hirono and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii shows off island businesses in the nation’s capital. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard issued a statement Thursday saying there has been “speculation that I might be interested in becoming Chair of the Democratic National Committee,” but said she isn't interested. Civil Beat.

When the filing deadline for Hawaii elections closed Tuesday, it turned out that Brian Schatz was facing 11 challengers in his re-election to the U.S. Senate. But many of the candidates are political also-rans who have lost previous races for a variety of seats, or they are first-time contenders. And none currently holds any office, let alone much of a campaign fund. Civil Beat.

Colleen Hanabusa, a former Hawaii congresswoman who is running for a congressional seat in the upcoming election, said she will step down as chair of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board of directors when her campaign heats up. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii, which was ranked the No. 5 state in solar energy installations just two years ago, has failed to make the top 10 for the second straight year, according to a new report. Pacific Business News.

A former University of Hawaii- Manoa scientist is leading a NASA-funded, $15 million project that aims to take the study of coral reefs to whole new heights. Star-Advertiser.

NASA takes 23,000-foot view of the world’s coral reefs. Associated Press.

Ocean currents that might have carried radioactive materials from Japan to Hawaiian shores never made direct contact with the near-shore environment of the Hawaiian Islands, and so ocean water and sediment samples collected by the researchers off Oahu never showed a spike in cesium levels. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

Honolulu is short more than $1.4 billion in what it must pay to cover future public-employee retirement benefits. And, according to city financial reports, Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration has not set aside any money to cover that shortfall in Honolulu’s account at the Hawaii Employees’ Retirement System. Civil Beat.

A proposal by Best Hospitality LLC to build a 350-foot tower on a Waikiki site with a 25-foot height limit will have to complete a more arduous round of city vetting. Star-Advertiser.

A planned condominium-hotel project at the former Kyo-ya Restaurant site on Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki is still aiming to start construction in the second quarter of 2017, with a completion date estimated for the end of 2019, according to its recently published final environmental assessment. Pacific Business News.

Opinion: Oh, man. Rod Tam. He’s back, like one of those viruses that hang out at the base of the spine and flare up when defenses are down. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Almost half of Big Island public high school students have tried electronic cigarettes, according to data from a survey released Thursday by the state Departments of Education and Health and the University of Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

Developers of Hualalai Kai, a senior housing project planned for Hualalai Road, are asking for a pass on a long list of permit fees and concurrency requirements to help keep their project affordable. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii airline Island Air has hired 22 employees to accommodate its new daily service to Kona International Airport on the Big Island. Pacific Business News.

Lava could again reach the ocean if breakout from P‘u ‘O‘ continues flowing. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. has laid off 158 employees so far, as the company winds down its sugar operations this year. Maui News.

The Maui Police Department issued a total of 1,596 citations during a two-week Click It Or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign that ran from May 23 to June 5, 2016. Maui Now.

Kauai

The connection between nene and feral cats is the subject of a new study, published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, which focuses on the prevalence of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii among Hawaii’s state bird. The study found that 21 percent of nene have tested positive for past infection on Kauai. Garden Island.

Fuel tax hikes proposed for roads, three counties mull general excise tax increase, attorney general says fantasy sports betting illegal, military wants to beef up Kauai missile range, opposition rises to homegrown marijuana ban bill, more than 2k bills filed this legislative session, two Hawaii billionaires among world's top 10 wealthiest, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Road construction in Hawaii © 2016 All Hawaii News

In an unusual election-year move, Gov. David Ige is asking lawmakers to raise the state’s gasoline tax from 16 cents to 19 cents per gallon while also boosting the state’s vehicle registration fees and weight taxes, steps the administration expects will cost a typical motorist about $55 extra per year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin issued a formal advisory opinion Wednesday stating that daily fantasy sports contests, such as DraftKings and FanDuel, are illegal under Hawaii gambling laws, and his office is considering pursuing criminal or civil enforcement actions against companies operating the websites. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Attorney General’s office issued an opinion Wednesday saying daily fantasy sports contests like those run by FanDuel and DraftKings constitute illegal gambling in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

The state Attorney General says daily fantasy sports contests, such as FanDuel and DraftKings, are illegal gambling under Hawaii law. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii lawmakers have filed more than 2,000 new bills in the 2016 legislative session. They're racing to turn in their proposals before a legislative deadline. Associated Press.

With the high cost of incarceration, many states are increasingly turning to ankle bracelets as a more cost-effective way to supervise offenders — while freeing up space in prisons and jails. But, in Hawaii, the concept of electronic monitoring has yet to fully take hold. Civil Beat.

Hawaii state lawmakers are pushing for a new bill to make wrongdoings by officers become public knowledge. KHON2.

A bill that would ban homegrown marijuana in Hawaii is riling pot advocates as the state prepares for the opening of medical cannabis dispensaries this year. Star-Advertiser.

The people have spoken, and lawmakers have finally heard them: Hawaii’s sweltering classrooms need to cool off. How to accomplish that will be a top priority this legislative session, possibly snagging even more attention than the Hawaii State Teacher Association’s ambitious proposal for wide-ranging education reforms. Civil Beat.

A no-tipping model has been gaining popularity across the nation and Hawaii restaurants may soon jump on the bandwagon. Pacific Business News.

As of Jan. 23, approximately 13,194 Hawaii residents had signed up for coverage through HealthCare.gov during the enrollment period that began in November, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Pacific Business News.

Candidate filing for the elections for federal, state and county offices later this year gets underway Monday and runs through June 7, the state Office of Elections said Tuesday. Maui News.

A new report ranking all 50 states based on residents’ sense of well-being puts Hawaii at No. 1, followed by Alaska, which held the top spot last year. Associated Press.

Oahu

Oahu residents and visitors will be paying a 0.5 percent surcharge on goods and services through 2027 for the $6.57 billion rail project after the Honolulu City Council voted Wednesday to approve a five-year extension. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council extended state funding for the rail transit project today.  But the lawmakers imposed a few restrictions on spending. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council approved a five-year extension of a 0.5 percent general excise tax surcharge Wednesday to help cover cost overruns and lost revenues on the $6.6 billion rail project that’s currently under construction. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council 7-2 vote boils down to this. For the average taxpayer, it’s not a forever tax. But it's continuing to pay a half percent more on goods and services until 2027. KITV4.

Is Rod Tam returning to politics? An outspoken and controversial figure, he spent two nights in jail in late 2011 and early 2012 for stealing city funds and violating campaign spending laws. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Navy is asking officials from government agencies that want to participate in the implementation of an agreement to update underground fuel tanks at Red Hill to sign non-disclosure agreements that would prevent them from sharing information related to procurement and national defense. Civil Beat.

Bikeshare Hawaii planned to roll out its bike rental system this month, but the start date has been delayed because of a lack of capital. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

A measure currently being considered by Hawaii County officials would add another half-percent to the general excise tax charged on goods and services. West Hawaii Today.

All seven members of the Big Island’s state House delegation are co-sponsoring a bill that would bolster efforts to combat invasive little fire ants. Tribune-Herald.

Extending roads across five lots between subdivisions would be enough to connect upper Puna communities and provide another route in case of an emergency, an ad hoc committee concluded. Tribune-Herald.

A pair of House and Senate bills would pave the way for privatization of Honokohau Small Boat Harbor. West Hawaii Today.

An off-duty Kona Patrol officer has been arrested and charged with the alleged assault of a 72-year-old man living above him in a Kailua-Kona apartment. Big Island Video News.

Scientists from University of Hawaii at Hilo and the San Diego Zoo, are trying to bring the Hawaiian crow back from the brink of extinction. Researchers were able to successfully sequence the genome of the bird, also known as the alala. KHON2.

Maui

ATC Makena Holdings came up against strong opposition Tuesday to its plans to develop 47 acres in the Makena Resort. Maui News.

Kauai

It was a mixed bag at the Kauai County public hearing Wednesday for the proposed one-half percent general excise tax surcharge increase. Garden Island.

Findings from N&K CPA Inc.’s audit report were in the same areas as the findings from the last fiscal year’s audit report. But the county has made progress in each of the areas. Garden Island.

The head of U.S. Pacific Command said Wednesday that the U.S. military should consider enabling an Aegis Ashore facility on Kauai to protect against North Korean missile threats. Star-Advertiser.

A school bus rear-ended a sedan on Kaumualii Highway near the Kauai Humane Society Tuesday morning. There were no injuries. Garden Island.

Lanai

Billionaire Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle Corp. to bought Hawaii’s island of Lanai for $300 million, is the seventh-richest person in the world, according to a new ranking by Wealth-X, in collaboration with Business Insider, of the world’s 50 wealthiest people. Another Hawaii landowner, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, 31, was ranked just below Ellison at No. 8 with a net worth of $42.8 billion. Pacific Business News.