Inouye honored on one-year anniversary of his death, Legislature to mull police oversight, Navy expands danger zone off Kauai, FEMA sends food to Big Island, dispute over who can install solar panels, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Daniel Inouye (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

One year ago, the United States lost one of its most beloved and devoted public servants. Senator Daniel Inouye (D) was many things: a father, a husband, a decorated World War II veteran (and Medal of Honor recipient), the U.S. Senate's second-longest serving member, and the first Japanese-American to serve in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Huffington Post.

On the one-year anniversary of U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye's death, the Dec. 17 print edition of Honolulu Star-Advertiser — the state's newspaper of record — devoted only a few lines of ink. There was far more mention in the same issue of another leader who died on the same day, albeit in 2011: Kim Jong-il. Is Hawaii already over Dan? Civil Beat.

The best way to honor the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye is to build on his legacy of compassion, humility and public service, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Hawaii's congressional delegation said Tuesday on the first anniversary of his death. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono  joined other federal lawmakers who marked the anniversary of the death of Sen. Daniel Inouye today by introducing a bill to rename a Honolulu defense institute in his honor. The Senate passed it unanimously. Associated Press.

The chair of the Senate Public Safety committee wants to create a statewide police standards board that could play a key role in oversight of law enforcement officers, including weeding out bad behavior.Another lawmaker has said he plans to re-visit a proposal to require police agencies to disclose more information about disciplined officers. The courts also are scheduled to take up the issue of public disclosure of police misconduct. Civil Beat.

Hawaii May Be Key Outpost for Massive Undersea Resource Rush. International teams of mineral prospectors are making Honolulu Harbor a departure point for their expeditions into the area. Civil Beat.

There’s been a new development in a long-running controversy involving sonar and marine life. The Navy is set to ramp up testing and training activities off the coast of Hawaii and Southern California. And that’s sparked some legal opposition. Hawaii Public Radio.

A state licensing board today deferred a decision on the extent to which licensed electricians need to be involved in the installation of solar photovoltaic systems. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for December 18. Associated Press.

Oahu

A study showing 30 to 40 percent of requests for private, nonemergency ambulance service are turned down in West Oahu has prompted a City Council member and the Emergency Services Department to support having a second private provider. Star-Advertiser.

A scathing opinion issued by the Hawaii Supreme Court at the end of last week blasted Honolulu officials for blacklisting two veteran professional stagehands in August 2007 following a run-in with then-Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s older brother, Nephi. Civil Beat.

A Waimanalo charity that helps disabled children may be kicked off of its property. The Manawalea Riding Center's landlord is the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which has been cracking down on lease violations. Hawaii News Now.

There's no agreement on price yet, but more details have emerged about the state's proposal to pay the owner of Turtle Bay Resort to protect part -- but not all -- of the North Shore property from development. Star-Advertiser.

The city has broken ground on a second digester at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant that Mayor Kirk Caldwell and other supporters say is necessary to expand the city's sewage capacity and clear the way for more housing on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Housing allowances for military members will increase 14.7 percent on Oahu come Jan. 1 in one of the biggest jumps across the nation, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

An investigation into employment practices at the Myron B. Thompson Academy took a dramatic turn Monday when the state attorney general seized computers and more than 50 boxes of documents from the public charter school. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
Local families in need this holiday season will get some kokua from what seems an unlikely place — the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA has donated nine pallets of Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs) to help homeless and otherwise disadvantaged Big Islanders. Those pallets arrived Tuesday by Young Brothers barge at the Hilo Harbor. Tribune-Herald.

Concessions by the developer of the luxury Kohala Kai subdivision in response to public concerns weren’t enough reassurance Tuesday for the County Council Finance Committee, which voted unanimously to postpone acceptance of a public shoreline easement to give the developer time to meet once more with the community. West Hawaii Today.

North Hawaii Community Hospital is now part of The Queen’s Health Systems. The Waimea-based nonprofit hospital and The Queen’s Health Systems, corporate parent of The Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu, officially entered into an affiliation agreement following a system board meeting Monday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Local recycling company Maui EKO Compost agreed Monday to begin discussions with Anaergia Services, the California-based company selected to build a waste conversion facility on Maui, on how a partnership may be forged to allow EKO to continue doing what they've been doing for 18 years - turning organic waste into compost. Maui News.

A dedication ceremony was held this morning for the second phase of the Lahaina Bypass project in West Maui. Maui Now.

In his executive supplemental budget request, Gov. Neil Abercrombie asked Monday for two appropriations totaling $42 million for the Hawaii Health Systems Corp., which runs Neighbor Island public hospitals, including Maui Memorial Medical Center. Maui News.

A proposed sale of the land underneath Maui’s only Kmart store includes an option for a buyer to purchase the building at a “bargain price,” according to the commercial real estate e-newsletter Real Estate Alert. Pacific Business News.

The Advanced Technology Solar Telescope, or ATST, more than a year into construction atop Haleakala, has been renamed the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Hawaii senator's death. Maui News.

Kauai

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved the Navy’s request for an expanded danger zone in the waters fronting the Pacific Missile Range Facility. The decision comes months after the proposal drew fire from local residents during a public comment period ending July 31. Garden Island.

Despite efforts by the public to sway its decision, the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors voted unanimously Tuesday to stand by its ballot language for the upcoming special election related to smart meters. Garden Island.

One key hurdle that Coco Palms Resort developers say is needed to rebuild the iconic Wailua hotel may be cleared by the Kauai County Council today. Garden Island.

Abercrombie signs new West Hawaii fisheries rules, state retirement system faces $8.5 billion shortfall, Oahu train downsized, NOAA facility named for Inouye, telescopes on Maui, Big Island, face Native Hawaiian battles, GMO protest pops up on Oahu, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Abercrombie signs fisheries rules (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed new rules Saturday that would ban scuba spearfishing in waters of West Hawaii. The West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area Rules were developed over 10 years of discussion and hearings by the West Hawaii Fisheries Council. The council is a community advisory group formed in the late 1990s to manage conflicts over fishing. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a long-awaited fisheries rules package Saturday, as he and a host of Democratic Party leaders bid goodbye to state Rep. Denny Coffman at the Kona International Airport. West Hawaii Today.

A new scholarly work argues that pre-contact Hawaii — in particular, the society that developed in the 17th and 18th centuries on the Big Island — should join the recognized list of "cradles of civilization," primary states from which "all modern nation states ultimately derive." Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s retirement system tackles $8.5 billion shortfall. Hawaii Reporter.

Newsmakers say the darndest things, and it's time to review my favorite quotes from 2013. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

When local transit officials started planning Oahu's elevated rail project, they envisioned a flexible system that could run trains of two, three and four cars from the instant the rail line started operating — a way to adjust to growing ridership and periods of greater demand. However, after awarding a $1.4 billion contract in 2011 to Ansaldo Honolulu JV to design, build, operate and maintain that system, the local agency overseeing the rail project realized that's not what Oahu would get. Star-Advertiser.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be dedicating a new facility on Ford Island in Honolulu. The facility is named for the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye and will house 12 NOAA offices with more than 700 staff members. The state-of-the art, $331-million center is a 35-acre parcel on federal land. Associated Press.

Rain couldn't dampen "Kokua for the Philippines." Despite severe weather canceling the television broadcast and outdoor concert portions of the fundraiser, the show still raised more than $1.75 million dollars for victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan. Hawaii News Now.

After a day of close to perfect weather on Oahu's North Shore for the conclusion of the Billabong Pipeline Masters, world-renowned surfers joined anti-GMO activists Sunday for a rainy march down Kame­ha­meha Highway in Haleiwa. Their aim was to call attention to Hawaii's agricultural experimentation and genetic engineering seed production industries. Star-Advertiser.

City agencies don’t have to wait for Santa for gifts, unlike the rest of us. So far this year, the city has accepted nearly $700,000 worth of gifts from nearly 200 donors. Civil Beat.

Low-income seniors looking for rental housing on Oahu have a new opportunity to consider with a high-rise apartment project in Iwilei wrapping up construction and slated to be completed in March. Pacific Housing Assistance Corp., a local nonprofit developer, is building the 160-unit project called the Senior Residence at Iwilei with state and county assistance, and recently began accepting rental applications. Star-Advertiser.

For this high school class, students punch in when they arrive. During the day they learn how to mop the floor at a food court or plant turf on a commercial property, take a meal order at Zippy’s or change bed linens at the Hilton. They punch out when the leave for the day, too. It’s all part of a program in the works at Kaimuki High School that’s aimed at training kids for entry-level jobs in Hawaii’s hospitality industry. Civil Beat.

Stalled remedies vex homestead residents Some Department of Hawaiian Home Lands lessees have waited years for resolution of problems with their properties. Star-Advertiser.

Retail Partners Hawaii LLC, which purchased Price Busters out of bankruptcy three years ago, said Friday that all eight of the discount retail chain’s stores in Hawaii will close by mid-January. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Board of Land and Natural Resources defers Mauna Kea lease request. In an interesting turn of events, UH requested that the board make the deferral until a full EIS can be completed. Hawaii Independent.

What began in 1983 at the Hilo Lagoon Center as a small women’s clinic with five staff members has grown into a health care network serving areas in East and South Hawaii, with nine different locations and 170 employees. Tribune-Herald.

'Experiment' episode shot on Big Island helps woman conquer fears. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Hawaii's Board of Land and Natural Resources erred in approving a key permit for a controversial 14-story telescope currently under construction at the summit of Haleakala, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Friday. The decision marks a major victory for Kilakila O Halealaka, a Native Hawaiian group on Maui that has been fighting for several years against the University of Hawaii Institute of Astronomy's telescope. Civil Beat.

Haleakala Trail dispute heads for March trial. Judge Cardoza denies Public Access Trails call for summary judgment. Maui News.

The state sheriff’s office on Maui is overseeing the eviction today of an estimated 72 people who were living along the ʻĪao River between Piʻihana Road and Wili Pā Loop in Wailuku. Maui Now.

‘Don’t want to leave,’ say Wailuku parcel holdouts. While an excavator faintly rumbled, demolishing a wooden shack some distance away, Martin Aikala, 76, was trying to figure out his next move Saturday morning. Maui News.

Kauai
Residents of Kauai, the state's fourth-largest island — home to about 5 percent of Hawaii's residents — are now preparing for a future that will include a growing population. Star-Advertiser.

To prevent flooding from occurring in Waimea due to the heavy rains, the Kikiaola irrigation ditch was opened this morning, allowing storm water mixed with treated wastewater from the Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant to flow into Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor. Warning signs are posted at the harbor to inform the public that treated wastewater is present in the outflow from the Kikiaola ditch. Officials estimate that up to 300,000 gallons of treated wastewater may have been involved in the spill. Garden Island.

Inouye honored with Medal of Freedom, Hawaii County Council raises tobacco sale age to 21, state art foundation director resigns after photo brouhaha, Maui mayor, Monsanto, sign pesticide agreement, luxury Honolulu homes spared proposed tax burden, Senate to probe State Hospital, sexual harrassment lawsuit against DLNR, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Obama honors Inouye, others with Medal of Freedom

The late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye was among 16 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom presented Wednesday, 50 years after the death of the award’s founder, President John F. Kennedy. President Barack Obama awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor to Inouye and 15 others, including former President Bill Clinton and iconic talk show host Oprah Winfrey, in a star-studded and often poignant celebration at the White House. Star-Advertiser.

Senator Daniel Inouye becomes only second recipient of both Medal of Freedom, Medal of Honor. Hawaii Reporter.

Irene Inouye reacts to Presidential Medal of Freedom for Sen. Inouye. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie will likely face increased pressure for the state to intervene in the debate over genetically modified organisms now that two counties are moving to restrict GMO crops. Star-Advertiser.

The executive director of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts has opted to resign after the group’s recent, admitted misuse of a photo of a Hawaiian icon, according to the foundation chairwoman. Star-Advertiser.

Local artists and supporters of the arts, including several Native Hawaiians, are outraged over what is described as the "desecration" of a photograph in the collection of the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. Civil Beat.

State Hospital employees talked Wednesday about serious injuries from assaults at the mental health hospital in Kaneohe due to lack of staff, support and training. The comments came during a news briefing by state Sens. Clayton Hee and Josh Green announcing hearings to investigate the matter sometime after Thanksgiving. Star-Advertiser.

Assaults on Mental Health Workers Spur Hawaii Senate Investigation. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu City Councilman Joey Manahan's attempt to raise the minimum value to $1.5 million for residential properties to be appears to be failing. The Council Budget Committee on Wednesday voted 4-1 to strip out Manahan's proposal to increase the threshold for the new Residential A tax class to $1.5 million, leaving the original limit of $1 million in place. Star-Advertiser.

With Rep. Tom Brower agreeing to put down his sledge hammer and hang up his cape, we decided to take a look at his 2013 voting record on bills relating to housing and the houseless. Hawaii Independent.

OliverMcMillan Pacific Rim LLC began construction Wednesday on its 388-unit, 45-story Symphony Honolulu mixed-use condominium tower at the corner of Kapiolani Boulevard and Ward Avenue, across from the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu’s Kakaako neighborhood. Pacific Business News.
There have been several different high-rise building ideas for the mauka-Ewa corner of Kapiolani Boulevard and Ward Avenue, but none progressed to construction — until now. A San Diego-based developer held a groundbreaking ceremony and blessing Wednesday at the site of its planned 45-story condominium tower named Symphony Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii public company with major financial power and development experience is going to be the new dominant owner of commercial property in Kailua, though the firm said it won't be moving fast to redevelop what is still largely a bedroom community. Alexander  &  Baldwin Inc. is buying nearly all the Oahu real estate owned by Kaneohe Ranch Co. and the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation -- roughly 650 acres -- in a $373 million deal announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu has a chief medical examiner on the job for the first time since October 2009. Dr. Christopher B. Happy took over as the head of the city Department of Medical Examiner this week, city officials said. Star-Advertiser.

KHON2 News has learned that HECO and solar power companies have come up with a solution to a slowdown in residential solar installations.

As wood beams and logs wash up onto Hawaii's shores, most recently on Sunday on Kauai and another last week on Kailua Beach Park, the debris is usually recycled or just left on shore, but one man is turning them into tikis. At 87, he's been carving out works of art for decades, but this one's different. KITV.

Hawaii

Hawaii County will join a small handful of local governments nationwide — and become the only county in the state — raising the tobacco sale age to 21, under a measure unanimously passed by the Hawaii County Council on Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

A former state parks employee on the Big Island has filed a sexual harassment and sex discrimination lawsuit against the Department of Land and Natural Resources and her former supervisor. Tribune-Herald.

Mayor Billy Kenoi said he expects to make a decision on Bill 113 next week. The Hawaii County Council passed the bill, which restricts genetically modified crops, Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

The International Lunar Observatory Association is planning to build a global headquarters and research center in Waimea. The project, estimated to cost between $2 million and $3 million, will provide a central location for ILOA to manage and operate its four lunar missions, now in development. West Hawaii Today.

In the holistic learning model — a blend of STEM and Hawaiian spirituality that is being piloted at Ka Umeke Kaeo public charter school with the hope that it will later expand to other Hawaiian immersion and charter schools — students adapt an indigenous worldview to understand scientific processes. Civil Beat.

Officials, coaches and parents of Big Island Pop Warner football and the Panaewa Alii team are in what one parent called “crazy fundraising mode” to try to get their midget team to the Pop Warner Super Bowl — the league’s national championship — in the wake of disclosure of embezzlement of $100,000 or more in league travel funds.Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa has signed a pesticide disclosure agreement with agricultural giant Monsanto. The county said Wednesday the deal requires Monsanto to disclose what types of restricted-use pesticides it's using and how much. Hawaii News Now.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa has signed a pesticide disclosure agreement with agricultural giant Monsanto. The county said Wednesday the deal requires Monsanto to disclose what types of restricted-use pesticides it's using and how much. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa announced that he has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Monsanto, “obtaining assurances from the company that they will engage in safe practices involving restricted-use pesticides.” Maui Now.

Mayor Alan Arakawa has signed a memorandum of understanding with Monsanto, obtaining assurances from the bioengineering company that it will engage in safe practices involving restricted-use pesticides, according to a Maui County announcement. Maui News.

Maui's three homeless shelters served 1,557 people last fiscal year, but experts estimate there are likely twice that number still staying in cars, parks and beaches across the county. Maui News.

Kauai
The fight against drunken driving is one that Kekaha resident Kira Seabury and at least three generations of her family has been engaged in for the last decade. Garden Island.

Hawaii County Council bans GMOs, Brower puts down sledgehammer, group wants minimum wage increase, sentencing in police extortion case, keeping the country country, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii County GMO rally (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Efforts underway to raise Hawaii's minimum wage. Last increase in minimum wage 2007. KITV

State Rep. Tom Brower is packing away the sledgehammer he has used through the past few weeks to wreck stolen and abandoned shopping carts homeless people use to carry their belongings. Brower's unusual cart-destroying tactics made national news and sparked a storm of controversy after the Star-Advertiser on Monday first reported his actions.

A bill banning "lying on sidewalks" was shelved by the Honolulu City Council Public Safety and Economic Development Committee today after it became clear it did not have enough support to pass. Star-Advertiser.

Stanley Chang's Bill 59, CD1 was deferred by the Honolulu City Council Committee on Public Safety and Economic Development earlier today. Bill 59, Relating to Public Sidewalks, would have (with a few exceptions) made it illegal to lie down on sidewalks in Honolulu.  Hawaii Independent.

A labor arbitration panel has reached a draft contract with the union that represents 2,000 firefighters statewide, although details are not expected to be made public until the end of the month. Bobby Lee, president of the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, said the union was informed of the draft award Friday. He declined to provide details such as the length of the contract, pending a 15-day review period by the parties, but said he was pleased with the plan. Star-Advertiser.

State agriculture inspectors found slugs in six of 60 shipping containers of Christmas trees arriving over the past weekend in Hawaii and held them. Last year, 50 percent of containers were infested with slugs and other pests. Star-Advertiser.

Russell Kokubun is stepping down from his post as chairman of the state Department of Agriculture to return to his Volcano farm and, to some extent, help friend and former Hawaii Senate colleague Colleen Hanabusa campaign for the U.S. Senate. West Hawaii Today.

Russell Kokubun, director of the state Department of Agriculture, is retiring at the end of the year. The former Hawaii island state senator and county councilman said he will return to his family farm in Volcano. His wife, Anne, an administrator for the state Department of Education, also plans to retire. Star-Advertiser.

Internationally renowned architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners of New York City has been selected along with Honolulu-based Clifford Planning & Architecture to design the Daniel K. Inouye library at the University of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

One or both of Hawaii's two oil refineries are likely to close by 2020 as their already thin profit margins are squeezed further by a shift to renewable energy sources, tougher environmental standards and other factors, members of a state task force warned. Star-Advertiser.

Doctors already contending with reams of paperwork brought on by the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and its 30,000 new pages of rules and regulations say a 2008 federal law set to go into effect next year will compound their misery. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

A government witness who told a federal grand jury that she and retired police Maj. Carlton Nishimura schemed to accept protection money from the operator of an illegal gambling house, recorded herself later telling her lawyer that she lied to the grand jury, then went in front of the grand jury again to say she didn't lie, could be released from custody as early as Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A Honolulu City Council committee is meeting Wednesday to hear a new version of a resolution urging the city to address the sewer problems in Kakaako. Civil Beat.

A group adamant about keeping the country country sought answers from Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell Tuesday night. KHON2.

The co-owner of the Assaggio restaurants said business is continuing as usual despite her husband admitting in federal court last week that he laundered more than $1 million of illegal gambling proceeds through the popular Italian eateries. Star-Advertiser.

The state attorney general is conducting a theft investigation of teachers and staff at the Myron B. Thompson Academy who may have been paid improperly for compensatory time, chief investigator Dan Hanagami told a state judge Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council passed Bill 113 today in a landmark 6-3 vote. The bill restricts the expansion of transgenic crops grown on the Big Island by limiting most of their use to enclosed structures, such as a greenhouse. Tribune-Herald.

Despite opposition from most of Hawaii’s farming industry, the Hawaii County Council passed a bill Tuesday that prohibits biotech companies from operating on the Big Island and bans growing any new genetically altered crops.  Civil Beat.

Maui

Three public hearings are planned this week to collect testimony on proposed rule changes for Maui and Lānaʻi fisheries bag and size limits. The hearings are scheduled at 5:30 p.m. on the following dates and locations: Nov. 19 on Lānaʻi at the Senior Center on 7th Street; Nov. 20 in Hāna at Helene Hall at Hāna Bay Beach Park; and on Nov. 21 in Kahului at the Maui Waena Intermediate School cafeteria on Oneheʻe Avenue. Maui Now.

DT Fleming Beach Park in West Maui was closed at around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, following the discovery of possible unexploded ordnance offshore. Maui Now.

Tommy Russo has a nose for bullshit. Political malfeasance? Animal cruelty? Police corruption? Environmental hazards? The Maui Time publisher and his shoestring staff routinely sniff out stuff people in power don’t want discovered — and then air it out in the alternative weekly Russo founded in 1997. Civil Beat.

Kauai

To an untrained eye, it can appear to look like just a pile of rocks. But the structures signify much more than that. Garden Island.

Veterans honored throughout Hawaii, state prepares for same-sex marriage, schools lag on digital learning, Kauai hit by invasive bingabing trees, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Soldier at Pohakuloa Training Area @2013 All Hawaii News

Events across the state have been planned for Monday to celebrate Veteran's Day and honor the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces. Hawaii News Now.

Today, on Veterans’ Day, we recognize the 110 thousand veterans in Hawai’i.  Most are living happy productive lives, but service providers here say housing is the biggest challenge.  The U.S. Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs, Eric Shinseki, has set a goal of ending homelessness among veterans by 2015. Hawaii Public Radio.


The late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye will receive another tribute on Veterans Day -- this time for his service with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in World War II, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. On Monday, the U.S. Postal Service will introduce a new format, the prestige folio: 20 stamps of the Medal of Honor in a four-page design, with the first page highlighting historic photographs of the last 12 living recipients of the Medal of Honor. The two center pages list the names of all 464 medal recipients. Star-Advertiser.

With the state Senate poised to send a marriage equality bill to Gov. Neil Abercrombie's desk Tuesday, the Department of Health says it is ready and willing to implement the law by its Dec. 2 effective date. Dr. Alvin Onaka, the state's registrar of vital statistics, said Friday that his agency, which manages marriage certificate applications, won't need to do too much to enable same-sex couples to apply because of changes that were required when civil unions became legal Jan. 1, 2012. Star-Advertiser.

Garret Hashimoto of the Hawaii Christian Coalition is asking opponents of same-sex marriage to give money to the attorney handling a lawsuit against the state should Senate Bill 1 become law. Civil Beat.

With the state Legislature poised to pass the controversial same-sex marriage bill, gay and lesbian couples are beginning to line up at wedding podium. Hawaii News Now.

The head of Hawaii’s Senate judiciary committee said Saturday he expects an amended bill legalizing gay marriage to pass easily in the Senate next week, with no changes to the measure passed by the House Friday night after two grueling floor sessions and a lengthy public hearing. Senate approval would send the bill to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for his signature. He is expected to sign after calling the lawmakers into special session and saying he approved changes to the bill made by the House. Associated Press.

Same-sex marriage legislation is expected to smoothly pass the Hawaii Legislature Tuesday and head to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for his expected signature. Clayton Hee, chairman of Senate Judiciary and Labor and the key legislator behind Senate Bill 1, told reporters Saturday that he did not expect a drawn-out Senate floor session along the lines of what happened this week in the Hawaii House of Representatives. Civil Beat.

Eager to avoid the loud and lengthy protests over  same-sex marriagethat disrupted the Hawaii House of Representatives this week, the state Senate may act swiftly on Senate Bill 1. Senators are considering accepting the House's amended version of SB 1 that expands religious exemptions, removes language concerning parental rights and changes the effective date to Dec. 2. Civil Beat.

New House Majority Floor Leader Under Scrutiny for Campaign Spending Violations, After Legislator She Replaced Resigned for Similar Problems. Hawaii Reporter.

Eight schools were selected in July to pilot a digital device program that could eventually put laptops in the hands of all public school students, but students at only two of the schools are learning on the devices. The state Department of Education bought more than 6,700 devices for students and teachers at all eight schools, but teachers at the remaining six schools requested additional time for training before their laptops are delivered. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

As the Army re-evaluates its warrior transition units for wounded soldiers nationwide, five members of Congress have raised alarm at plans to downsize Schofield's Warrior Transition Battalion. Star-Advertiser.

Tommy Tanaka of the Military Order of the Purple Heart congratulated Sgt. 1st Class Takumi Abe of the Hawaii Army National Guard's 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team after Abe received a Purple Heart during a ceremony Sunday at the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Headquarters at Kalaeloa. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Department wants to draw $4.2 million in unspent money from a variety of its accounts to help pay for recruit classes this year. Police Chief Louis Kealoha, in a letter to the City Council earlier this month seeking approval of the transfer, said the move is necessary "due to insufficient salary funding for police recruits" and "shortages due to lump-sum vacation payouts for personnel." Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

At 102, Pahoa resident Gerald Booken may well be the oldest veteran living on Hawaii Island. Tribune-Herald.

Monday is Veterans Day — a time to take a moment to stop and not only thank, but honor and remember America’s military personnel for their service and sacrifice. West Hawaii will host several services this year to commemorate those who protected the nation during war and peace. West Hawaii Today.

The Marine Mammal Center of Sausalito, Calif., is on track to open the first phase of its $3.2 million hospital for monk seals in Kona by the end of the year. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Transportation is moving forward with plans for $133 million in improvements at Kawaihae Harbor. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Veterans now have a place to call their own with the opening of a resource center at the University of Hawaii Maui College, providing a venue to study, be tutored, network and - best of all - a place to bond with buddies. Maui News.

The state Department of Health has notified the Maui County Department of Water Supply that it has violated drinking water regulations for the presence of E. coli bacteria, the water department announced Saturday morning. Maui News.

State Highway personnel officially broke ground on Phase 1 of the Kahului Airport Access Road, which was designed as a traffic mitigation measure to meet continuing growth in use and demand at the Kahului Airport, enhance traffic circulation, and alleviate congestion. Maui Now.

Safeway affiliate Property Development Centers said Friday that it has completed the purchase of a 24.5-acre parcel of land in Maui that will be the site of the Target-anchored Puunene Shopping Center. Pacific Business News.

Plans for the Maui Medical Plaza hatched nearly eight years ago when doctors sought help from Montana multimillionaire and part-time Wailea resident Ben Brown Sr. Maui News.

Kauai

Life goes on after a solider leaves the service, and some don’t know which way to turn once they hang up their helmets. Garden Island.

The Kauai Invasive Species Committee has a new, and rather large, problem on its hands. More than a dozen Bingabing trees — an invasive, large-leafed plant that chokes out nearby vegetation and can reach heights of up to 30 feet — have been discovered growing on several properties near the mouth of the Hanalei River. Garden Island.

Hawaii nears special session on gay marriage, surf's up, but sand is down, dealing with tsunami debris, cattle call on Hawaii Island, Honolulu one of top Conde Nast cities, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu gay marriage rally file photo (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Support for gay marriage is growing. Hawaii voters are split over making same-sex marriage legal in the islands, with 44 percent in support and 44 percent opposed. When Civil Beat asked voters where they stood on the same issue in April 2012, a majority (51 percent) said they did not believe same-sex couples should have the legal right to get married. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Pastors Roundtable, declaring that God's word is the highest law in the land, issued a statement Monday urging Hawaii to uphold traditional marriage. The message from the round table, which includes Pastor Wayne Cordeiro of New Hope Christian Fellowship, Bishop Larry Silva from the Diocese of Hono­lulu and Kahu Curt Kekuna from Kawai­aha‘o Church, comes as state House and Senate leaders prepare for a special session on gay marriage next week. Star-Advertiser.

With one week left before a special session that could legalize same-sex marriage, opponents are ramping up their lobbying efforts. A new TV ad was released Monday to state their case. The public can expect a lot of lobbying through rallies and sign waving, but also a good amount of money from outside sources. KHON2.

Legislation to fund pay raises for government professional and scientific employees will be introduced by House Republicans during the Special Session scheduled to convene on Oct. 28. Hawaii Reporter.

Ocean Safety personnel participated in 14 rescues and took hundreds of preventive actions as high surf pounded the north and west shores of Oahu on Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Government officials, beach cleanup activists and environmental experts have gathered in Honolulu this week to discuss how to deal with trash in the ocean. Associated Press.

It's been more than two years since a horrific, earthquake-generated tsunami wrecked much of Japan's eastern coast, claiming thousands of lives and sucking millions of tons of debris into Pacific waters. Yet despite government researchers' best efforts, it's not clear how much of that debris remains scattered across the ocean or exactly where it will wind up. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for October 22. Associated Press.

Oahu

A handful of oceanfront residents of Sunset Beach sweated out another anxiety-filled day Monday as high surf in combination with high tides continued to threaten homes above an eroded beach at Ke Nui Road. Large waves out of the northwest actually pushed some new sand onto the beach Sunday and Monday, but the homes are far from being secure as they sit dangerously close to a newly carved cliff that drops 20 feet to the beach. Star-Advertiser.

NOAA

Two of Oahu's most popular beaches are experiencing erosion at unprecedented levels. Kuhio Beach in Waikiki and Sunset Beach on Oahu's North Shore are more than 40 miles apart, but the growing winter swells and extreme tides have caused rapidly shifting sands in both spots. HuffPost Hawaii.

A new state law is creating friction between the City and County of Honolulu and Kailua residents who are concerned about their eroding beach. Act 120 was signed into law this June.  It prohibits removing sand from Hawai'i's coastlines with a few exceptions, including if it is used for the replenishment or protection of public shorelines, but only if the restoration efforts won't cause water quality issues. Hawaii News Now.

About 1,000 East Honolulu residences receive their drinking water from Aina Koa Water Well II, where broken chlorination equipment led to trace amounts of E. coli bacteria found in water samples taken in the area last week, Hono­lulu Board of Water Supply officials said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu is among one of the Top 10 Cities in the United States, according to the Conde Nast Traveler 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards. Honolulu ranked No. 4 on the list, with a readers’ choice rating of 79.5. Pacific Business News.

The fired former head of one of the Hawaii's largest charter schools was arrested Monday and has been charged with stealing more than $100,000 from the school. An investigation by Hawaii News Now first raised questions about spending by Jeff Piontek at Hawaii Technology Academy early last year.

A former Waipahu elementary school principal was ordered to pay a fine after pleading no contest to record-tampering charges Monday in Circuit Court. The state attorney general's office had charged Florentina Smith in June with two counts of tampering with a government record, a misdemeanor. The state alleged she authorized $200 stipends to each of nine staff members for training sessions that they did not attend. The state alleged the crimes were committed Nov. 12 and 19, 2011, while Smith was serving as principal of August Ahrens Elementary. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

It’s a cattle call of a different color. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is renewing its call for hunters to participate in a lottery to help eradicate feral cattle from the Puu Oo area of the Hilo Restricted Watershed, near mile marker 22 of Saddle Road. The deadline to sign up has been extended a week after a less-than-enthusiastic response from area hunters. West Hawaii Today.

A medical marijuana group, the Alternative Pain Management Club of Hawaii, has cancelled a meeting it said was scheduled for today with County Prosecutor Mitch Roth, but a spokesman said the group plans to establish a “medical cannabis transfer station” — with or without the blessing of local law enforcement. Tribune-Herald.

The Naniloa Volcanoes Resort could soon be in new hands. On Nov. 6, a federal bankruptcy judge will consider a motion to sell the troubled Hilo hotel following the submission of sealed bids last Friday, said David Farmer, the Naniloa’s bankruptcy trustee. Tribune-Herald.

The Leeward Planning Commission signed off last week on a Kohala resident’s plan to open a home business. Rebecca Jacobs filed the special permit request with the Planning Department, seeking permission to open an acupuncture clinic in her Hookela Place garage. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A public presentation on a proposed county integrated waste conversion and energy project will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the University of Hawaii Maui College's new science building, 'Ike Lea. Maui News.

A Maui-based company is seeking approval from state regulators to take over water and sewer services from the Navy at the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station. Kalaeloa WaterCo. is proposing to raise rates for customers in the area now known as Kalaeloa to pay for "massive capital expenditures" it says are needed to upgrade the aging infrastructure it would inherit if its proposed acquisition is approved by the Public Utilities Commission. Star-Advertiser.

A $10,000 challenge grant was awarded to the Kite Surf Pro World Championship Tour to produce a second consecutive annual tournament at Ho’okipa Beach Park next month, county officials announced. Maui Now.

Kauai
A regional ocean observation network has installed its first-ever wave detection buoy off Kauai just in time for the winter wave season that rolled in during the weekend. The bright yellow buoy, moored three nautical miles off Hana­lei in more than 700 feet of water, is ideally suited to gauge Hawaii's winter swells, which typically move in from the northwest. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai County officials will ask the state for a bigger slice of Hawaii's hotel room tax. Visitor-related expenses cost the county $44.2 million in fiscal year 2012, including nearly $25 million in operation expenses such as police and fire calls, said County Council legislative assistant Ashley Bunda. Kauai County receives $13.7 million in hotel tax money and would like to see that doubled to $27.4 million. Associated Press.

Part of the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye’s dream is being fulfilled, and a part of the dream is still being worked on. The Kauai Community College celebrated the opening of its Daniel K. Inouye Technology Center during a dedication and blessing ceremony honoring the support and advocacy provided by the late Senator Friday afternoon. Garden Island.

Molokai

Sixty Molokai residents traded in their old refrigerators - some 20 years old - for new more energy-efficient ones Tuesday - for $250. Maui News.

Hawaii restaurant inspections changing, race rises as campaign issue in Schatz-Hanabusa campaign, UH mulls building slowdown, Honolulu rail budget approved, Waikiki sand replaced, sharks' value touted, fishing rules protested, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ala Moana food court (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Green, yellow and red may soon apply to more than traffic lights. Those colors would telegraph how a restaurant or other food establishment fared in its most recent safety inspection, according to changes being proposed by the state Department of Health. West Hawaii Today.


The state is piloting a free laptop rental program that’s already available at 36 public libraries across Hawaii.  The netbooks, which can be rented out by any library cardholder for three weeks at a time, are equipped with broadband capacities and don’t need to have access to WiFi to connect to the internet. Civil Beat.

Brian Schatz: Ideology, Not Ethnicity, Will Win Hawaii Senate Race. Civil Beat.

A memo from U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz’s campaign is touting him as a progressive candidate who can win the Democratic primary for Hawaii’s senate race “regardless of ethnicity.” Associated Press.

The University of Hawaii is considering halting new construction projects across the university system until it can rein in a repair and maintenance backlog that has ballooned to nearly a half-billion dollars. The idea was presented at Thursday's Board of Regents meeting by Regent Benjamin Kudo, who said an "interim self-imposed moratorium" on new construction would give the board breathing room to address the needed repairs. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii’s controversial plans to develop a $27.5 million center dedicated to the late Sen. Daniel Inouye are being stalled because the UH administration now wants to ask the Legislature for just $5 million for the project — not $15 million as originally pencilled out in the university’s supplemental budget proposal. Civil Beat.

Deferring to the wishes of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye's family and addressing transparency concerns, the University of Hawaii is slowing the process for pursuing a planned center to house his congressional papers and has dramatically cut the state funding it is initially requesting for the project. The university's Board of Regents on Thursday approved seeking $5 million in state bond financing as a way to demonstrate UH's commitment to the project — a commitment that proponents said was needed to help in efforts to raise more private funds. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's Public Records: Can We Talk About This? Civil Beat.

State Department of Health officials in the past week have identified five more cases of liver damage that could have been caused by consuming a dietary supplement — bringing the current total to 34. Star-Advertiser.


Oahu

Board members overseeing the city's rail project Thursday approved its largest capital budget yet, clearing rail officials to sign $1.56 billion in contracts in the coming fiscal year to build the project. The move comes after construction resumed in September on the 20-mile elevated rail system — the largest public works project in Hono­lulu's history. Star-Advertiser.

Companies that use pipelines in Hawaii’s harbors will face intensified scrutiny after a massive molasses spill killed tens of thousands of fish and other marine life. Civil Beat.

Crews have replaced sand that eroded away from a spot at Waikiki Beach. Bulldozers and other equipment were brought in for the Thursday night project, timed to coincide with a very low tide. Hawaii News Now.

Major repair work is just about to begin on one of the most popular beaches in the world. Crews are about to fix the erosion at Kuhio Beach in Waikiki. But it's just one of many beaches across the state facing this problem. KHON2.

A federal judge sentenced retired Honolulu police Maj. Carlton Nishimura to eight months in jail Thursday for lying to the FBI and filing a false 2005 income tax return. Nishimura had also been charged with extortion conspiracy and drug promotion. Nishimura was indicted in February 2011 by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring to accept bribes from illegal gambling operators in exchange for steering officers away from the gaming rooms. Star-Advertiser.

Residential electric rates rose on Oahu in October from September, tracking an increase in the cost of fuel and power bought from independent producers, Hawaiian Electric Co. reported Thursday. Rates also increased in October on all other islands. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A recently published study by University of Toronto researchers links the number of sharks on a reef to the reef’s health, with more sharks indicating a healthier reef. The proposed West Hawaii fisheries rules package, still awaiting Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s signature, included provisions to protect nine species of inshore sharks and rays, as well as two invertebrate crown-of-thorns predators. West Hawaii Today.

Administrators are hoping that by scaling back plans for the proposed Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy building, they may render the project more palatable to state legislators. Tribune-Herald.

West Hawaii travelers will have another flying option come next summer. Hawaiian Airlines announced Thursday that it will begin its first-ever nonstop service between Kona International Airport and Los Angeles in response to growing demand during summer’s peak travel time. West Hawaii Today.

The former owners of Nihon Restaurant have filed suit against the owner of Hilo Bay Café, who plans to reopen her popular restaurant soon at the Lihiwai Street location overlooking Hilo Bay once occupied by Nihon. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Proposed limits for Maui and Lanai fisheries on popular near-shore fish are drawing criticism from those who argue that the rules would disrupt Native Hawaiian cultural traditions. A community meeting organized by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to explain the proposals drew about 100 people to Maui Waena Intermediate School on Wednesday. The changes would involve bag and size limits for fish including goatfish, parrotfish and jacks. Associated Press.

The state is proposing rule changes for Maui and Lanai fisheries that involve new bag and size limits that had members of the local fishing community concerned about what they say is an infringement upon their Native Hawaiian "cultural rights." Maui News.

The Cost of Government Commission is advising the county auditor not to take on the Old Wailuku Post Office demolition controversy, noting that "the public interest" will not be served by a prolonged investigation. Maui News.


Hospice Maui is asking a 2nd Circuit Court judge to throw out a state permit for Islands Hospice to establish a seven-bed, inpatient hospice facility in a Kahului home. Maui News.

Haleakalā National Park on Maui reopened today after being closed for more than two weeks due to the federal lapse in appropriations. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council sent Bill 2491 to the mayor's office for approval.  Under the measure, large agribusinesses would be required to disclose restricted-used pesticides applied in fields and implement buffer zones near schools, homes, medical facilities, public roadways and waterways. Star-Advertiser.

Bill 2491 has made its way to Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s desk. Bill 2491, which affects Kauai’s five heaviest users of restricted use pesticides, will go into effect nine months after it becomes law. Garden Island.

Hawaiian Airlines will offer its first non-stop service between Los Angeles and the islands of Kauai and Hawaii during next summer’s peak travel period. Garden Island.

Kauai’s federal wildlife refuge will open today with the temporary agreement to end the government shutdown in effect since Tuesday. Garden Island.

Molokai

A new documentary produced by Kauai attorney Teresa Tico, FISHING PONO: LIVING IN HARMONY WITH THE SEA tells the story of Native Hawaiians on the island of Molokai who are using traditional conservation methods to restore fisheries in the waters of their island. Hawaii Reporter.

Community members had the chance to tell county officials and representatives Thursday that although Molokai is distinct from other islands in the county, they deserve the equal support in the next Fiscal Year 2015 Maui County budget. Molokai Dispatch.

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

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hawaii Health Connector running smoother. KHON2.

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

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

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

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

Oahu

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

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

Omidyar

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hawaii

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

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

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

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

Maui

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

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

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

Kauai

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

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

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

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

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

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