Hawaii drought expected to worsen, rail estimate spikes upward to $8.1B, massive wind turbines planned for Oahu coastline, judge gets first look at Thirty Meter Telescope controversy, polystyrene ban advances, bonds for University of Hawaii, Maui groups plan for sugarcane lands, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kona drought © 2016 All Hawaii News

Little rainfall and an ongoing drought suggests that Hawai‘i is in for a hot, dry summer. It’s also stoking concerns that the islands will experience a busy fire season. Hawaii Public Radio.

It’s only May and wildfires have burned more than twice as much land in Hawaii as they did in all of 2015. More than 60 percent of the state is experiencing moderate drought conditions, and parts of the Big Island are facing extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Civil Beat.

After several unsuccessful attempts, the University of Hawaii says it expects to finally begin whittling down its massive repair backlog now that lawmakers have agreed to let UH float revenue bonds that would be repaid in part with tuition. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu rail’s federal partners say they estimate the transit project won’t be completed until December 2024 — about five years behind the original schedule — while costing $900 million to $1.2 billion more than local rail officials’ latest price estimate. Star-Advertiser.

The city Department of Transportation Services would operate and maintain the Honolulu rail line, not the semi-autonomous Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, under a plan that Oahu voters might be asked to approve this fall. Star-Advertiser.

City officials are considering their next move with Honolulu’s rail project after federal officials informed them Wednesday that the construction could ultimately cost taxpayers up to $8.1 billion. Civil Beat.

Local businessman Colbert Matsumoto, who was recently appointed to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board by Mayor Kirk Caldwell, has significant financial interests in several properties along the future rail line. Civil Beat.

Republican Rep. Gene Ward announced Monday that he is seeking his 10th term, ending conjecture that he would leave his seat representing Hawaii Kai to run for the state Senate against incumbent Sam Slom in the Aug. 13 primary. Civil Beat.

Today, almost every school in the state has at least one homeless student, the state Department of Education reports. By far the hardest hit communities are on Oahu's Leeward coast, where 754 students don't have a permanent place to live. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Electric Co. customers on Oahu saw an uptick of more than a dollar in their electrical bills in May, following a smaller increase in April. Star-Advertiser.

Massive wind turbines could end up floating in deep ocean waters off Oahu’s shores under proposals to bring more renewable energy to the island. Associated Press.

A federal agency is reviewing three proposals from two companies who want to build floating wind farms in waters off Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

As a federal grand jury considers corruption and abuse of power allegations involving the police chief and his county prosecutor wife, they spoke exclusively to Always Investigating about key episodes that started it all. KHON2.

Demanding more staffing and better working conditions. Local 5 union members of the Hale Nani Rehabilitation and Nursing Center began a 3-day strike Monday outside the facility in Mo'ili'ili. KITV4.

Hawaii chef Andrew Le is opening a second Honolulu location of his modern Vietnamese restaurant, The Pig & The Lady, at The Howard Hughes Corp.’s Ward Village in Kakaako. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

The retired Big Island judge overseeing a contested case hearing for the Thirty Meter Telescope project said Monday she wants a fresh look at the issue. Associated Press.

The Thirty Meter Telescope contested case hearing started in Honolulu on Monday with a show of opposition from a standing-room-only group of Native Hawaiians who oppose the $1.4 billion project. Star-Advertiser.

Even as a judge called Monday for a fresh start in considering whether to let a huge telescope project on Mauna Kea proceed, protests and legal maneuvering pointed to a rocky road to a key hearing in June. Civil Beat.

A divided County Council on Monday advanced a bill banning polystyrene takeout containers starting in 2018, but only after a heated discussion about potential health hazards and environmental damage from the breakdown of the containers. West Hawaii Today.

A plan for a commercial gravel crushing operation off of Hualalai Road is drawing fire from neighbors. West Hawaii Today.

Residents participating in a public review of the draft Hamakua CDP bristled at a proposed land use map for Hakalau Point that appears to favor residential development over open space preservation. Big Island Video News.

A memorial dedicated to the four Hawaii Police Department officers who gave their lives in the line of duty was unveiled Monday during Police Week ceremonies at the Hilo police station. Tribune-Herald.

A case about some cabbage on the highway in Hamakua made it all the way to the Hawaii Supreme Court, which reversed a Waimea judge’s decision on May 9. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A group spearheading a voter initiative for legislation to take over sugar cane lands and turn them into organic farms has gathered around 11,500 signatures and turned them into the Maui County Clerk's Office for verification, Community Farmland Council spokesman Bruce Douglas said Saturday. Maui News.

Findings of a nearly two-year long tagging and tracking study of tiger sharks off Maui and Oʻahu will be unveiled during a press conference later this week, with new information to be released on shark behavior around the Valley Isle. Maui Now.

Free informational sessions are being offered through June 19 for Maui residents interested in purchasing an affordable home at the new Kamalani residential community in north Kihei. Maui News.

Maui County, state and private groups have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the threats of wildfires and drought. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council recently trimmed $350,000 from the proposed fiscal year 2017 budget. The proposed budget, which begins July 1, is about $190 million. After Thursday and Friday discussions, council members came up with $355,160 in cuts, said Yvette Sahut, legislative assistant. Garden Island.

Kauai Police Chief Darryl Perry cited national statistics during a short ceremony where Hawaii’s fallen law enforcement officers were honored before the ranks of Kauai Police Department officers and members of the 87th Recruit Class. Garden Island.

Malama Kauai is offering 25 paid agriculture internships for exploring careers in farming this summer through two organizations, AmeriCorps and Alu Like, and they’re only open to Kauai residents. Garden Island.

The risk of contracting rat lungworm disease on Kauai is small, according to the state Department of Health — there has only been one documented exposure to the parasite in the last few years, and it was a visitor to the island. Garden Island.

Hawaii unveils online restaurant inspection tool, Honolulu rail transit head quits amid cost overruns, parents of downed Marine blame military for Honolulu helicopter crash, seed industry drops out of Kauai pesticide study, Maui mayor quizzed on land holdings, busy day today for Hawaii Legislature, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Food inspection placard in Hilo restaurant front © 2016 All Hawaii News

Online tool to access restaurant inspection data, via Hawaii Department of Health. Get link here.

Launched on Monday by the state Department of Health, a restaurant inspection website is intended to supplement the state’s color-coded restaurant inspection placard program initiated in July 2014. Reports on all of Oahu’s food establishments are now available, and the department wants to add reports for eateries on the neighbor islands by the end of the year. Star-Advertiser.

You can now look up restaurant food safety inspection results through an online tool created by the state Department of Health. Civil Beat.

A new website published by the Hawaii State Department of Health lets foodies inspect how Hawaii restaurants and other food service organizations fare in food safety inspections. The website rolled out Monday with data from 7,000 Oahu inspection reports to start, and will be expanded. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii State Department of Health has launched a new online portal that lets consumers see how Hawaii restaurants and other food service organizations fare in food safety inspections, starting first with Oahu inspection data. KHON2.

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After decades of tough-on-crime policies, Hawaii is one of four states that solve their prison crowding problem by shipping inmates out of state, usually to facilities run by for-profit companies such as Corrections Corporation of America and The GEO Group.  Civil Beat.

Women would be able to obtain a year’s supply of birth control pills under a bill aimed at improving access to contraception and reducing unintended pregnancies. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers prepare for a heavy voting day Tuesday and cleanup Thursday, which is the deadline for bills to pass third reading in their non-originating chamber in order to “cross back” to the originating chamber. Civil Beat.

With less than a week to go before the state Department of Health announces the names of Hawaii's first medical marijuana dispensary owners, applicants are rushing to meet last-minute requirements for background checks. Associated Press.

Will ‘pot’ become too pricey? Some fear dispensaries will limit access and be cost-prohibitive. Tribune-Herald.

In hopes of keeping the ferry issue afloat, the state Senate passed a resolution last year asking transportation officials to study whether Washington state’s ferry system could be used as a model for Hawaii. After seeing no action, the Legislature appears to be ready to do the same again, though this time with a mandate and funding to go with it. Tribune-Herald.

State Sen. Sam Slom will undergo coronary bypass surgery this week, according to his office. Slom, the only Republican lawmaker in the 25-member Senate, was hospitalized last week. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Don Horner, former CEO for First Hawaiian Bank, is the first political casualty in Honolulu’s struggle to rein in cost increases on its $6.6 billion commuter rail project. Civil Beat.

Don Horner, who once oversaw the state’s largest financial institution, will no longer help oversee the state’s largest public works project. Horner tendered his resignation to Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Monday as the rail agency’s volunteer board chairman, as the transit project faces rising costs and growing uncertainty. Star-Advertiser.

Don Horner has resigned as chairman of the board of the Honolulu Area Rapid Transit Authority.  He submitted his resignation to Mayor Kirk Caldwell today….after a meeting of about 20 minutes at Honolulu Hale. Hawaii Public Radio.

Despite the resignation of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation's chairman, the rail transit system still faces significant challenges and critics said that even more changes are needed. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu’s rail budget has ballooned over the years. When the project began in 2008, it was estimated at $4 billion. In 2012, that number shot up to $5 billion, and then $5.2 billion two years later. Currently, the project is $2.5 billion over its original budget at $6.5 billion. KHON2.

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The parents of a Hawaii Marine killed in the Jan. 14 crash of two helicopters off Oahu’s North Shore say the CH-53E Super Stallions shouldn’t have been flying because of safety concerns over worn-out Marine Corps choppers. But beyond that, Mike and Lisa De La Cruz say they are angry and maintain that the Marine Corps wasted lots of time in trying to make a recovery at sea that has yielded remains identifications for nine of 12 aboard — but not their son. Star-Advertiser.

Lower-income residents in Honolulu live shorter lives than people in similar circumstances elsewhere in the nation, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

State lawmakers passed a bill providing additional funds to combat rapid ohia death. But they are not ready to write the check just yet. Tribune-Herald.

Every Big Island judge has recused, or removed, themselves in the felony theft case against Mayor Billy Kenoi, which led to the assignment of Oahu Circuit Court Judge Dexter Del Rosario. That is also true in the case of where a man allegedly burned the Big Island Drug Court, which is being handled by Maui Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Loo. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A Kihei resident is asking the Maui County Board of Ethics to seek more information from Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa on possible income from his holdings in Arakawa Farms and three Omaopio Road parcels. Maui News.

Kamalani, a new residential community in north Kīhei, will begin accepting sales applications for its first neighborhood on Sunday, April 17, 2016.  Maui Now.

A crew from Sea Engineering Inc. of Oahu takes a core sample at Maalaea Small Boat Harbor on Friday morning. The sample will help determine the size and depth of new pilings scheduled to be set at the harbor. Maui News.

Kauai

Two seed industry employees have dropped out of a Joint Fact-Finding group that was charged by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Kauai County to evaluate the environmental and health impacts of agricultural pesticide use on Kauai. Civil Beat.

The county is still replacing sand that’s eroding near Pono Kai in Kapaa, even though they just completed a $950,000 project to restore the integrity of the seawall. Garden Island.

Huge turnout as Hawaii Republicans vote for Trump, hundreds of bills passed to legislative crossover, gas tax hike advances, county employees reap frequent flier miles, Honolulu juvie hall to get new life, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii GOP caucus in Honolulu, courtesy Charles Djou

Billionaire Donald Trump won the Hawaii Republican Party’s presidential caucus voting Tuesday night, dramatically demonstrating his local appeal by spurring a strong voter turnout that swamped his competition. With all the precincts counted, Trump won handily with 42 percent of the vote, with Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz finishing second at 33 percent, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida a distant third-place with 13 percent, and Ohio Gov. John R. Kasich fourth with just under 11 percent. Star-Advertiser.

Republican front-runner Donald Trump clinched Hawaii's Republican presidential caucus Tuesday night, beating out U.S. Senator Ted Cruz by a significant margin. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Republicans helped Donald Trump continue his domination of the Republican presidential field Tuesday night. The New York real estate magnate won the GOP presidential caucus in the islands. He had 45 percent of the vote with 53 percent of the precincts reporting when the race was called by news networks at about 9:30 p.m. Civil Beat.

For the first time in many decades, Hawaii Republicans could make a dent in national politics. The plan would be both simple and complex. Star-Advertiser.

Although local GOP officials were anticipating large turnouts Tuesday night, it appears they might have been caught off guard by just how large the turnout was. KHON2.

In response to U.S. Rep. Charles Djou’s attack on Donald Trump Monday, local supporters of the presidential frontrunner for the Republican nomination have some comments of their own to make. Civil Beat.

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Opposition mounted in the Senate on Tuesday to a proposal by Gov. David Ige’s administration to hike the gasoline and motor vehicle weight taxes and increase the cost of registrations. If enacted, Senate Bill 2938, part of the governor’s legislative package, is expected to increase costs for a typical motorist by about $83 a year. Star-Advertiser.

It’s crossover week in the Hawaii Legislature, that time when the House and Senate each pass hundreds of bills and send them over to the other chamber for its consideration. While many bills are expected to survive the marathon voting sessions Tuesday and Thursday, many others will be considered dead for the year. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s House and Senate each passed hundreds of bills Tuesday on topics ranging from gun control and medical marijuana to cooling public school classrooms and establishing an all-mail voting system. Civil Beat.

Today the House passed more than 180 bills, including measures to implement a heat abatement program in Hawaii's public schools and to fund construction/relocation of Oahu and Maui prisons. KITV4.

It’s a busy day for Hawaii lawmakers who are considering most of the bills that have a chance at becoming law this year. Associated Press.

Leaders of the state Senate and House of Representatives said Tuesday they are making good on promises to make helping the homeless and providing affordable housing a top priority. Civil Beat.

If there are any worries that the state Senate’s only Republican is out of action, worry no more. Sam Slom was his usual self Tuesday, voting “no” on countless bills sponsored by his Democratic Party colleagues. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige maintained his opposition Tuesday to NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed buyout of Hawaiian Electric Utilities after the top executive at the Florida-based company’s subsidiary said earlier in the day that most of the governor’s reasons for opposing the sale “do not stack up.” Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Undeterred by rain that blew sideways and broke umbrellas, Republican voters lined up Tuesday night to cast their ballots in the Hawaii Republican caucus. Star-Advertiser.

In spite of rainy blustery weather, Oahu Republicans came out in what appeared to be record numbers to cast their ballots in their presidential caucus Tuesday night. Hawaii News Now.

Voters will have the final say, but the Honolulu Charter Commission has begun the debate over who should oversee the city’s transit operations — including the setting of fares for TheBus, Handi-Van and rail. Star-Advertiser.

A deteriorating and underused juvenile detention center in Honolulu owned by the state is being eyed as an opportunity to increase the supply of affordable housing and produce new facilities serving troubled children. Star-Advertiser.

Police and school safety officers patrolled three public school campuses Tuesday in response to a written threat, but classes continued as usual and no incidents were reported. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Public Radio has a new leader in a former Florida public radio and TV station CEO. HPR is scheduled to announce today that Jose Fajardo will succeed the 17-year tenure of Michael Titterton as president and general manager of the nonprofit member-supported station. Star-Advertiser.

Kamehameha Schools’ $90-million Keauhou Lane rental project in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako, is expected to start construction in the first or second quarter of this year and be completed in the second or third quarter of 2017, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

It was crush turnout at a Republican caucus location in Kona — nothing like 2012, when the entire island cast 1,417 votes — poll workers said. West Hawaii Today.

The skies will remain friendly for Hawaii County employees. Officers and employees are allowed to continue to use the frequent flier miles they accrue on their purchasing cards during government-paid travel for their own personal use. West Hawaii Today.

Puna State Senator Russell Ruderman spoke for twenty minutes on the senate floor Tuesday in a last-ditch effort to derail a geothermal bill he says is bad for his district and the renewable energy industry. Big Island Video News.

In an effort to protect native plants from wild pigs, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources is proposing to fence an additional 2,659 acres in the Laupahoehoe forest. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Republicans came out to vote Tuesday in their state presidential caucus in numbers unseen in the memories of local party officials, braving rain, full parking lots and waits of over one hour to cast their ballots. Maui News.

Ethics board set to scrutinize financial disclosure reports. County administration, officials must disclose income, holdings, gifts. Maui News.

Central Maui Regional Sports Complex to Open March 12. Maui Now.

Monday marked the last day for 88 workers at Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co., as the company began gradual layoffs that will see most of its workers lose their jobs by the end of the year as sugar operations come to a close. Maui News.

Kauai

Ten minutes after the voting opened at the presidential Republican caucus on Tuesday, a line wrapped around the foyer of the Kapaa Neighborhood Center. Garden Island.

The big question is: How does Kauai want to manage its invasive rodent population in forests and conservation areas? Monday and Tuesday evenings, members of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife held preliminary scoping meetings in Waimea and Lihue to find out the answer. Garden Island.

King Kamehameha statue vandalized, courts hear high-profile cases, Maui crowds oppose Hawaiian Electric NextEra deal, more government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

King Kamehameha statue before spear was stolen © 2015 All Hawaii News

Hawaii Island police are seeking the public’s assistance in locating the top section of the Hilo Kamehameha statue spear, taken from the Wailoa State Park area. West Hawaii Today.

To James Kealii Pihana the act of severing the spear of the Kamehameha statue in Wailoa State Park in Hilo this weekend was more than upsetting. It was an act of war. Star-Advertiser.

Having spent hours snoozing by the pools in their pens at Ke Kai Ola, the monk seal hospital in Kailua-Kona, Pearl and Hermes were as content as two seals could be. Star-Advertiser.

An information technology company that allegedly defaulted on a multimillion-dollar contract to set up a new transportation department computer system contends the lawsuit filed against it this week by the state Attorney General’s Office “contains numerous lies and misstatements.” Star-Advertiser.

Telecommunications entrepreneur Al Hee is asking that his seven federal tax convictions be vacated and he be granted a new trial because, he says, Internal Revenue Service investigators misled him about the nature of their inquiry into the finances of his companies. Star-Advertiser.

Opponents of NextEra Energy’s $4.3 billion bid to buy Hawaiian Electric have publicly blasted the merger. But that posturing has sparked negotiations that over the next few months should lead to more benefits and cost-savings for consumers. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Supreme Court granted a writ of certiorari on Friday in a case of potentially great public interest. Mark H. K. Greer v. Rosalyn H. Baker and State of Hawaii seeks to establish if state senator Rosalyn Baker retaliated against a Department of Health whistleblower by eliminating his position. This means that the Supreme Court will schedule a hearing on the matter. Disappeared News.

Difficult ends to personal relationships aren’t usually news, but when the couple involved are Sam Slom, the sole Republican in the Hawaii State Senate, and reporter Malia Zimmerman, the high-profile co-founder of Hawaii Reporter who pushed a conservative spin on news for well over a decade, there’s legitimate public interest in what might otherwise be dismissed as simply gossip. Zimmerman filed a lawsuit in First Circuit Court two months ago accusing Slom of refusing to follow through with a mutually agreed cash settlement reflecting her share of a Hawaii Kai home where the couple lived together for ten years. Ian Lind.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council Chairman Ernie Martin said Friday that he will ask his colleagues to consider revoting on key bills and resolutions tied to the city’s $6 billion rail project that have been called into question by recent Ethics Commission investigations. Star-Advertiser.

In under a month, nearly 20 percent of the homeless individuals living in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako have been assisted into shelter, the state of Hawaii said Friday. Pacific Business News.

After being told for the past week city crews would remove their belongings from sidewalks in parts of Kakaako Makai Tuesday morning, some of those living in the area began moving out. KITV4.

Parents of some kindergartners at Mokapu Elementary School in Kailua say their kids were denied water in class.  About three weeks into the school year, one 5-year old boy was taken to the emergency room suffering from dehydration. Hawaii News Now.

A new report from The Economist magazine places Honolulu among the top 10 cities worldwide for improved livability — or “liveability,” as it is spelled in the report by the London-based publication. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Lease payments from the TMT International Observatory are rolling in, but that won’t necessarily mean more funds for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, which receives a share of revenue from Mauna Kea and other ceded lands. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

More than 200 people filled an elementary school cafeteria Friday evening to take three-minute turns telling the state Public Utilities Commission what they think about the proposed $4.3 billion sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries to NextEra Energy. Civil Beat.

Some Maui residents are hesitating to support a utility merger that NextEra Energy says would lower electric bills. Associated Press.

Promises of lower electric bills might not be enough to sway Maui residents to support NextEra Energy Inc.'s pending $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Industries, especially if it means less rooftop solar and loss of local control. Maui News.

Over the last-minute outcries of some Hana residents, the Maui County Council on Friday approved a bill on second and final reading allowing some commercial structures, including roadside stands, as accessory uses in county agricultural districts. Maui News.

Upcoming Maui County hearings on Time Warner-Charter Communications cable franchise transfers. MauiTime.

Kauai

A Kauai man is suing his health insurer over a $36,000 air ambulance bill — a case that illustrates the high costs of emergency air transport, which is essential for people living on the neighbor islands. Associated Press.

A Kauai man is suing his health insurer over a $36,000 air ambulance bill. Garden Island.

The Hawaii Department of Transportation in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, Central Federal Lands Highway Division will be holding a public meeting to share information on the Kuhio Highway-Mailihuna Road Intersection Improvements and Kapaa Stream Bridge Replacement project. Garden Island.

Health care top Hawaii concern as doctors flee state, tight budgets ahead, HECO asks to cut customer rebates, Honolulu airport seeks free WiFi, Waikiki sand returns, property owners face tax, more politics and government news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Leahi Hospital, courtesy Hawaii Health Systems Corp.

Hawaii's doctor shortage jumped 20 percent over the past year as more physicians left the field amid a growing demand for medical services. New estimates on physician supply and demand peg the current shortage at 890, and that's expected to jump as high as 1,500 by 2020, according to the latest figures from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine's Area Health Education Center. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers and the state’s newly elected governor are heading into the upcoming legislative session with a tight budget and a slew of looming priorities that include dealing with struggling hospitals, medical marijuana and a creeping lava flow. Associated Press.

With pronouncements already from Gov. David Ige that excessive government spending must stop and the state must live within its means, lawmakers are taking the cue and preparing for a low-key 2015 legislative session. Star-Advertiser.

2015 Legislature — Time To Stop the Financial Bleeding. Lawmakers are expected to focus on major fiscal problems facing the state with less attention to hot-button political issues. Civil Beat.

Officials from the state’s public health care provider, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, say they will likely need more than a quarter of a billion dollars in taxpayer money over the next two fiscal years to fully offset potentially crippling debts, ranging from new federal changes to collective bargaining raises. Some officials, however, say they are not convinced the request should be approved. Garden Island.

Time and the tenacity of Maui County's state lawmakers will tell if this year's legislative session will be the one that takes Maui Memorial Medical Center off life support. Maui News.

The new chairmen of the House and Senate agriculture committees are both from the Big Island, but their stance on genetically modified crops couldn’t be more different. The strong positions Senate Agriculture Chairman Russell Ruderman and House Agriculture Chairman Clift Tsuji have taken on each side of GMO laws almost guarantee a stalemate on issues such as state pre-emption of county farming regulations, counties’ home-rule rights and just about anything dealing with GMO limits or labeling when the state Legislature convenes for its regular session Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

In the wake of recent federal court rulings that Hawaii counties don’t have the authority to regulate farming, it is now up to legislators to address growing concerns about pesticides. Civil Beat.

A nonprofit foundation headed by state Sen. Sam Slom had its tax-exempt status revoked last year by the Internal Revenue Service for failing to file its federal tax return for three years. Slom, the sole Republican in the state Senate and a staunch opponent of new taxes, is president of the Small Business Hawaii Entrepreneurial Education Foundation. Star-Advertiser.

Fresh from winning a new four-year term, incumbent West Hawaii Sen. Josh Green is sitting on the fattest war chest of any state or local candidate in the 2014 election. Green, D-Kona, Ka‘u, ended the election season with $493,438 left over, according to new statistics posted Thursday to the state Campaign Spending Commission website, ags.hawaii.gov/campaign/2014-election. Coming in second was Gov. David Ige, with $435,030. Some 298 candidates sought office in 2014, according to the commission. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaiian Electric Co. is expected to file a proposal Tuesday with the state Public Utilities Commission to cut nearly in half the net energy metering reimbursements offered to customers with rooftop photovoltaic systems. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gas, the state's only regulated gas utility, is looking to be the sole provider of liquefied natural gas to help the state reach renewable-energy goals. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii temporarily suspended its online Medicaid eligibility system over the weekend as health center workers complain it's fraught with problems. The system known as Kolea is set to cost taxpayers as much as $144 million. It launched in October 2013. Associated Press.

NASA has selected Hawaii as the preferred site to establish the world's first laser communications ground terminal, which could spur major economic activity in the state, translating to job creation and revenues, according to public documents obtained by Pacific Business News.

One trend of Hawaii’s tourism industry over past year has been a growing number of visitors from China. While the numbers are still small compared to Japan, they’re increasing. And China’s government is taking a new step that may improve the travel experience for all parties concerned. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Passengers waiting for flights at Hawaii's largest airport could have access to free Wi-Fi by the end of the year — if state transportation officials can make it happen. Star-Advertiser.

A plan to get Waikiki property owners to pool their resources to help pay for maintenance and restoration of Oahu's most iconic beach cleared its first hurdle before the City Council Zoning Committee on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Not that long ago the popular section of Kuhio Beach known for beach boys and surfing lessons was very low on sand. The shore was so stripped and bare, you could see blocks and boulders. But the shoreline has expanded in what seems like an overnight growth spurt. Hawaii News Now.

Opening statements were scheduled for Tuesday in the state civil trial of Katherine Kealoha, a deputy city prosecutor and wife of Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. government is modifying terms of a plea deal reached with a shipping company for spilling 233,000 gallons of molasses into Honolulu Harbor. The judge who accepted the guilty plea from Matson Terminals Inc. in October was concerned that the $1 million the company agreed to pay is higher than the maximum fines allowed by law. Associated Press.

Opinion: Urban Hawaii: When the World Is Your Neighbor, Do You Ever Meet? When a big, fancy tower is built it creates a different sort of “neighborhood” from the ones many of us grew up in. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Parker Ranch and NextEra Energy Resources, a subsidiary of the company buying Hawaiian Electric Industries, reached a deal for the development of wind farms on its land. Tribune-Herald.

Kua Bay should have lifeguards, many say. West Hawaii Today.

More than 50 friends, patients and colleagues of Dr. Frederick Nitta lined Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo on Saturday, holding up signs and showing their support for the embattled obstetrician. The doctor has practiced in Hilo for about 20 years and helped deliver “tens of thousands” of East Hawaii’s newborns in that time, by his own estimation. Now, he stands accused of overbilling Medicaid to the tune of about $1.2 million and faces the possibility of having to shut his practice down after the federal health care program stopped reimbursing him in September. Tribune-Herald.

Hilo Hattie, one of Hawaii’s largest retailers of Hawaiian fashions and goods, closed its nearly 30-year-old Kailua-Kona store and plans to pursue a new direction — expanding and broadening cultural experiences. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui now has a voice for cyclists and pedestrians seeking a safe and fun place to bike and walk. The Maui Bicycling League, a nonprofit Maui chapter of the Hawai‘i Bicycling League, officially formed on Dec. 19, 2014, will spearhead efforts to put more bike lanes on Maui roads. Maui Now.

Haleakala National Park will be hosting two community meetings for public review and comment on a draft of the park's foundation document, which defines the park's core mission and significance, its most important resources and values and interpretive themes. Maui News.

Kauai

A federal court ruling in Washington state is being eyed as a victory and potential game changer by those battling to stop Hawaii Dairy Farms’ proposed dairy on Kauai’s south side, including the Friends of Mahaulepu group. HDF, however, doesn’t see a connection. Garden Island.

The Kauai Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol is experiencing a drop in numbers and volunteers who left are saying its ability to carry out emergency services and tsunami watch missions is in peril.  Garden Island.

Subdued opening day for Hawaii Legislature, leaders' speeches promote austerity, public records, plastic bag fees, gambling among top topics, teachers union votes today, more government and politics news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Legislature (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

State House and Senate leaders, on a spartan opening day of the legislative session, said they would avoid new taxes and major spending increases but may invest in bond-financed construction projects to upgrade  Hawaii’s aging infrastructure and hopefully create jobs. Star-Advertiser.

Slideshow: Hawaii Legislature's 2012 opening day. Pacific Business News.

Opening remarks

Senate President Shan S. Tsutsui
So, let us unite and move forward “Pupukahi I Holomua” with “The Invest in Hawaii Act of 2012,” the Governor's New Day initiatives, and all of the Senate's priorities to create a better Hawaii for today and the future. Text.

House Speaker Calvin Say
Let us be confident that our unselfish work of today will lead tomorrow to the Hawaii that we all dream about. Text.

Senate Minority Leader Sam Slom
Every day is a “new” day; it is time we make it a BETTER DAY for all of Hawaii’s people. Text.

House Minority Leader Gene Ward
We're world class and this session has the potential to prove it. Text.






The state Capitol came alive Wednesday as lawmakers, lobbyists and interest groups anxious to be heard gathered for opening day at the Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

State Senate leaders expressed bipartisan support for the "Invest in Hawaii Act of 2012," which sets forth an aggressive, $500 million capital improvement project package aimed at stimulating the economy. Associated Press.

In austere and abbreviated fashion, the Hawaii House of Representatives opened for business this morning, with Speaker Calvin Say stressing economic issues in his opening address.Hawaii Reporter.

The 26th State Legislative Session convened today at the Capitol. Celebrations this year were scaled back in both Houses to observe the continued slow economic recovery in the islands. Hawaii Public Radio.

The 2012 state Legislature opened Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the state Capitol in Honolulu without much of the pagentry of previous years. Garden Island.

A bill introduced last year in response to Civil Beat's publishing of state and city government salaries has resurfaced and will receive a hearing Friday. Civil Beat.

Protecting the state's water resources and imposing fees on plastic bags are already gaining attention from lawmakers and environmental groups this session. Civil Beat.

Gambling at top of opening lesiglative session issues. KHON2.

A task force assigned to perform an extensive review of Hawaii foreclosures presents its 2012 findings to state lawmakers Thursday. Hawaii News Now.

The public school teachers union says it might prepare for a strike vote or continue a legal challenge to a contract offer imposed in July if members do not ratify a proposed six-year pact today. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii public school teachers are preparing to vote on a proposed six-year contract to end a labor dispute that has contributed to placing a $75 million Race to the Top grant on "high-risk" status. Associated Press.

Hawaii's public school teachers will be voting on a proposed 6-year contract that includes moving to a performance-based compensation system. Associated Press.

State roundup for January 19. Associated Press.

Oahu

Honolulu rail planners are unlikely to request an extension to the general excise tax surcharge that's paying for the bulk of the project. Civil Beat.

Enforcing limits on chromium-6, a naturally occurring toxic chemical found in Oahu's drinking water, is a priority on the environmental health agenda for the state Legislature this session. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Peter Carlisle proclaimed Wednesday "Hire Our Heroes Day" in support of a nationwide initiative to hire veterans and military spouses. KITV4.

A University of Hawaii at Manoa building is the first research laboratory in the state to receive the highest level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification. KHON2.

Hawaii

Hawaii County is facing a fourth straight year of lowered property tax collections, which will force additional cuts, Mayor Billy Kenoi wrote in a letter presented Wednesday to the state Legislature's two money committees.  Tribune-Herald.

Bids for a long-anticipated roof repair in Honokaa have come in more than three times higher than county officials expected. West Hawaii Today.

The most recent results from Hilo Medical Center's patient satisfaction surveys show that the hospital continues to lag behind state and national averages in most key areas. Tribune-Herald.

Food grown in Hawaii has more than just perfect farm-fresh flavors, a visiting chef said Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County Council members endorsed more than $16 million in water infrastructure projects Tuesday, including plans to replace the aging Waikamoi flume. Maui News.

An old Navy landing craft broke loose from its mooring line and washed onto Sugar Beach in north Kihei on Tuesday morning. Maui News.

More than two dozen Hana residents reacted with enthusiasm and hope in helping shape an income initiative aimed at improving the economic well-being of Native Hawaiians in the area. Maui Now.

Kauai

Monk seal hospital closer to reality. Garden Island.

Kauai County workers won't accept green waste  at the Hanalei, Kapaa and Hanapepe transfer stations due to safety concerns caused by muddy conditions in the drop-off areas caused by Tuesday's heavy rains. Star-Advertiser.

Molokai

Tsunami Debris Exploration Uncovers New Theories, More Questions. KITV4.