All eyes on the state Legislature as the 2016 session begins -- a special news compilation with links to majority and minority speeches and more

Opening day in the Hawaii Legislature, courtesy House GOP

Lawmakers launched the 2016 session of the state Legislature on Wednesday with brief speeches and little fanfare while activists staged a daylong rally in the Capitol courtyard to draw attention to issues ranging from pesticides and genetically modified foods to the Thirty Meter Telescope and Hawaiian sovereignty. Star-Advertiser.

Leaders in the Hawaii Legislature moved beyond generalities on housing, homelessness and fiscal order to identify specific priorities in their opening-day speeches Wednesday. Leaders called for converting commercial leasehold lands to direct ownership, building a methane biodigester on Maui and giving a bigger slice of the hotel tax to counties, among other ideas.  Civil Beat.

The State Legislature convened today for the 2016 session. Hawaii Public Radio.

Homelessness and affordable housing will be key topics as the Hawaii Legislature begins its 2016 session, with Democrats and Republicans emphasizing the need for action. The House and Senate began their legislative session Wednesday, talking about the need to create a more economically viable community. Associated Press.

State lawmakers laid out their top priorities Wednesday morning as the 2016 legislative session was called to order. Hawaii News Now.

Singing and chanting outside the State Capitol marked opening day for the 2016 legislative session. Both the House and Senate have their own agendas this year, which include health care, education, and homelessness. KHON2.

Hawaii House Speaker Joe Souki plans to introduce a bill that would consider the conversion of commercial leasehold lands to fee simple ownership as a way to slow the closure of many small businesses because of the rise of leasehold rents in recent years. Pacific Business News.

Senate President Ron Kouchi expressed his desire to address quality health care in rural areas on neighbor islands in his opening speech of the 28th Legislative Session. Associated Press.

Lawmakers moonlight as attorneys, consultants, farmers. Star-Advertiser.

Who’s Who: The State of Hawaii 2016 Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

An East Hawaii lawmaker was absent from opening day of the 2016 legislative session and will remain out until further notice, his family says. State Sen. Gil Kahele, a Democrat who represents Hilo, checked into The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu on Monday to address medical issues and undergo testing. Tribune-Herald.

Speaker Joseph M. Souki 2016 Opening Day Remarks. Hawaii Majority House blog.

House Minority Leader's Opening Day Speech Jan 20, 2016. House Minority blog.

Members of the Hawai‘i State Senate began the 2016 Legislative Session with a renewed commitment to create a better life for those who call these islands home. Senate Majority blog.

Senate Minority Opening Day Remarks. 28th State Legislature, 2016. Senate Minority blog.

Hawaii state Legislature website.

Hurricane forecast to be released today, Kauai to rescue seabirds, cable company could have new owners, Monsanto protests across the islands, radio antenna to be moved at state expense, gay marriage a money-maker, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Central Pacific Hurricane Center, U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jessica Kendziorek

Experts from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center will unveil their predictions for this hurricane season that runs from June 1 through the end of November. At 10:30 Tuesday, leading experts are expected to release the 2015 Central Pacific Hurricane Season outlook.  Joining the forecasters will be Governor David Ige and administrators from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. KHON2.

Charter Communications Inc. is close to an agreement to buy Time Warner Cable — the second-largest cable and Internet service company in the nation and parent of Hawaii’s Oceanic Time Warner Cable — for $55.1 billion in cash and stock. Pacific Business News.

Demonstrators planted coconut trees and waved signs in rallies across the Hawaiian Islands as part of an international day of protests against agriculture business Monsanto. Associated Press.

New Hawaii state Senate President Ron Kouchi announced the final lineup of committee chairmanships and leadership positions Friday morning, mostly settling unresolved posts from the rocky transition to power. Civil Beat.

The State Senate confirmed the chairs for all 14 committees under Senate President Ronald Kouchi. Hawaii Independent.

Oahu

The state Department of Transportation plans to spend $5 million to relocate a privately owned radio antenna in an effort to resolve a complex set of problems that has delayed a $550 million Honolulu Harbor modernization project more than a year. Star-Advertiser.

Details of a plan to put up a senior affordable rental housing complex and community center on a closely watched city property along River Street are to be unveiled by Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Several dozen local residents put their software coding skills to work this past weekend, competing to design phone apps and other solutions aimed at tackling Oahu's growing transportation challenges. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Since the state legalized same-sex marriage, hundreds of gay couples have tied the knot on Hawaii Island, with a majority of them coming from out of state. As of March 2, 444 same-sex couples wed on the Big Island after the state’s marriage equality law went into effect on Dec. 2, 2013. Those couples accounted for 13.7 percent of all marriage licenses issued on Hawaii Island, according to data provided by the state Department of Health. Tribune-Herald.

Faced with a county Board of Ethics delay of his complaint against Mayor Billy Kenoi, Kapaau resident Lanric Hyland has filed a separate complaint against Finance Director Deanna Sako. West Hawaii Today.

For most, it’s welcome financial help. For one, the offer didn’t settle well. With a large contribution from the Thirty Meter Telescope’s education fund, Hawaii Community Foundation has divvied out $100,000 in scholarships to 25 students from around the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

A 2007 report by a Colorado firm hired to provide an independent evaluation of the risks involved in developing the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea warned of serious headwinds, the high probability of litigation and a complicated and lengthy regulatory process. Star-Advertiser.

Organizers behind an effort to build a network of mixed-use trails through some of Hilo’s most scenic spots say that they could break ground on the first phase in September. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A bill passed by lawmakers this month to establish a regulated, statewide medical marijuana dispensary system could affect thousands of patients in Maui County. Maui News.

There's been no debate about what generated the Legislature's passage this month - over the objections of state law enforcement officials - of a bill to establish a statewide system of medical marijuana dispensaries. Maui News.

Kauai

Around 80 people rallied near the Lihue Airport on Saturday against agriculture company Monsanto. Garden Island.

The Kauai Endangered Seabird Recovery Project is conducting annual radar monitoring of two nocturnal seabird populations, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a news release Monday. Star-Advertiser.

If plans for a proposed subdivision behind the middle school on Olohena Road move forward, it could involve building a new connection to the Kapaa Bypass. Garden Island.

Honolulu homeless funds cut, Navy brass wants more female sailors, El Nino could bring more hurricanes, UH investigates officer over bullying, racism complaints, Hawaii Community College-Palamanui on schedule, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu homeless © 2015 All Hawaii News

A full-court press lobbying effort by Mayor Kirk Caldwell and his top lieutenants failed to persuade the City Council Budget Committee to restore $616,000 that the administration insists is critical to providing housing for the homeless. Star-Advertiser.

Thousands of warnings, a couple of hundred citations, but only a few arrests. That's what the latest data shows when it comes to removing the homeless from city sidewalks under Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s program of compassionate disruption. KITV4.

After 11 terms on the Kauai County Council and five years in the Legislature, Ron Kouchi is hardly new to politics. And yet his ascension last week to the state Senate presidency caught many off guard. Civil Beat.

Concerns over implementation costs and oversight requirements stymied efforts to pass comprehensive anti-bullying legislation this session, but Hawaii lawmakers and advocates say they are optimistic they can resurrect the bill next year. Civil Beat.

The No. 2 officer in the Navy envisions a day when 25 percent of warship crew members are women. Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michelle Howard knows that percentage on ships and across the Navy is a ways off, but efforts are underway to reach that goal, she said. Star-Advertiser.

Watch out, Hawaii. As sea surface temperatures heat up in the Pacific under the spell of El Nino, the islands could see a replay of the busy 2014 hurricane season. Star-Advertiser.

Today kicks off hurricane season for the Eastern Pacific, and even though we are in the Central Pacific, we need to keep an eye to the East for any development, especially with the rise of a strong El Nino year. Hawaii News Now.

The current Council on Revenues members’ terms end on June 30, but all were reappointed for another term starting July 1. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A record number of Oahu residents have cast their vote for the 2015 Neighborhood Board election, according to the Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office. With a day still left before the ballot closes, nearly 18,500 people have already voted in the all-online election, surpassing the previous record set during the last election in 2013 by nearly 20 percent. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii has launched an internal investigation of UH-Manoa's chief academic officer over faculty and staff complaints alleging bullying and racist and sexist behavior. Star-Advertiser.

The former chief attorney for the city is expected to join the University of Hawaii as general counsel. Star-Advertiser.

As chairman of the Mililani/Waipio/Melemanu Neighborhood Board, Dick Poirier supported a bill that would reinvest rental fees and other revenue collected at the 269-acre Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park — equipped with aquatics and sporting facilities — to help pay for much-needed improvements and maintenance. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A grass-roots drive to reduce pesticide applications along the roadways is getting encouragement from Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille, who said she’s suggested people come to the County Council meeting on Monday to testify about taking the products out of the county budget. West Hawaii Today.

Because of the community’s insistence and persistence, Hawaii Community College-Palamanui will open on time, University of Hawaii administrators told a crowd in Kailua-Kona Thursday evening. West Hawaii Today.

It’s still not clear when the Kona Country Club’s ocean golf course will open. Renovations that began in the first quarter of 2013 could wrap up by the fall, but the completion date is still a moving target, the project’s superintendent John Hamilton said. West Hawaii Today.

VIDEO: Ethics Board Defers Action On Mayor Kenoi. Big Island Video News.

Maui

More than 10 years ago, a new stadium was envisioned for Lahainaluna High School on Maui. The project is finally just about at the end, but what’s holding it up from getting an opening day? KHON2.

A $123,640 project for ADA Improvements at Hoʻokipa Beach Park is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. on Monday. Maui Now.

A free community workshop on how to nominate historic properties for the state and national registers of historic places will be held Friday in Wailuku. Maui News.

Kauai

The North Shore Shuttle will come to an abrupt halt at 9 tonight after the County Council approved a motion to eliminate funding for the service by a 4-2 vote Thursday. Garden Island.

Kahoolawe

The state legislature failed to provide 2 million dollars for the restoration of Kaho’olawe this session.   But the William S. Richardson School of Law hosted a panel discussion recently on the island’s future. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii sets stage for movie theaters for disabled, prostitutes charged for sex assault, Honolulu cop to be fired for fondling breasts at traffic stop, huge Hoopili development approved, county ethics board may struggle to hear Kenoi case, Maui spending scrutinized, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. David Ige, supporters, at movie bill signing, courtesy photo

Most movie theaters in Hawaii will be required to provide open captioning for hearing-impaired people in at least two movie showings per week per movie under a bill signed into law by Gov. David Ige on Wednesday. The new law is the first of its kind in the nation, and also requires companies that operate theaters in two or more locations in Hawaii to provide an "audio description" of any motion picture for the blind if that feature is offered by distributors. Star-Advertiser.

While the measure might not affect Kauai theaters in the immediate future, it was a topic close to  Rep. James Tokioka’s heart. Garden Island.

A panel of state lawmakers spent the better part of a day last March listening to Hawaii nonprofits and others take advantage of the three minutes they were each allotted to make their case for government grant money. Silence ensued for the next six weeks and then a list of winners — a sliver of those who had applied — was announced without explanation as to why some charities were selected over others. Civil Beat.

If there were any lingering doubts, Gov. David Ige dropped hints Wednesday he is likely to sign bills allowing for the privatization of state-owned medical facilities in Maui County and providing state funds to acquire land at Turtle Bay to protect it from development. Star-Advertiser.

Newly anointed state Senate President Ron Kouchi announced a new lineup of committee chairs Wednesday, clearly rewarding those who supported ousting Donna Mercado Kim on Tuesday while putting others out to pasture. Civil Beat.

The state Senate announced a new organization Wednesday under Senate President Ron Kouchi that shuffled the leadership of some committees, but left the most powerful committee posts in the hands of the same three senators. Star-Advertiser.

On his first full day as the first Kauai resident to lead the state Senate, Ron Kouchi vowed to put the people and interests of The Garden Island at the forefront of every legislative decision.

Hawaii lawmakers have put the state at the front of a national discussion over the future of ethanol in gasoline by passing a bill that puts an end to a requirement that the corn-based additive be mixed into fuel sold in the state. The move comes as Congress faces pressure to review a federal mandate that calls for ethanol and other renewables in the nation’s fuel supply. Associated Press.

Researchers at the University of Hawaii have put a price tag on at least one health-related complication from volcanic emissions, in one of the first studies to examine the economic impacts of a pollution source that is not man-made. Civil Beat.

Since its summit erupted in 2008, Kilauea Volcano has increased health care costs statewide by approximately $6.3 million, new research shows. Timothy Halliday, an associate professor of economics at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and co-author of the study, said it is the first time a dollar figure has been calculated for the damage associated with Kilauea’s emissions. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

The landscape-altering Ho‘opili development project won a 9-0 final approval from the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday, paving the way for up to 11,750 new homes on the Ewa Plain over the next few decades. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council has approved a bill to rezone nearly 1,300 acres in West Oahu to make way for a 11,750-home community by developer D.R. Horton. The vote was unanimous. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council cast its final vote today on a planned 12-thousand unit housing project in West O’ahu. Hawaii Public Radio.

The City Council unanimously voted on Wednesday to approve Bill 3, which would rezone 1,289 acres of agricultural land in West Oahu for the controversial Hoopili project by developer D.R. Horton. KITV4.

A plan to expand the city's existing sit-lie law was approved 7-2 by the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday, despite lingering worries that it may not pass constitutional muster. Council members Brandon Elefante and Kymberly Pine, who have consistently opposed all sit-lie measures, voted against Bill 6. Star-Advertiser.

A Mainland investment group is putting up almost the entire development cost of $34 million for the long-planned Waikiki Landing mixed-use project at Hawaii’s Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, the attorney for the developer confirmed. Pacific Business News.

The Honolulu Police Department plans to fire an officer accused of fondling an underage girl's breasts during a traffic stop, sources told Hawaii News Now Wednesday.

Honolulu police worked with two federal agencies to conduct an undercover operation that led to the arrest of 16 women last week in the latest crackdown on prostitution and illegal massage parlors. But instead of arresting the women and charging them with prostitution, the women were charged with fourth-degree sexual assault — a misdemeanor. Star-Advertiser.

About a dozen women arrested over the weekend in a Honolulu prostitution sting at massage parlors won't be charged with prostitution. Instead, they face the more severe charge of sex assault. Associated Press.

The state is paying $900,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the parents of a 3-year-old boy who died when a pickup truck crossed Farrington Highway in Nanakuli and crashed into their vehicle. Star-Advertiser.

King Street bike path design flaw creates handicap parking problems. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Hawaii County will pay travel expenses but not legal fees for a deputy corporation counsel to come from Maui to advise the Board of Ethics on charges against Mayor Billy Kenoi, following a vote Wednesday by the Hawaii County Council. But it remains to be seen whether the Board of Ethics, down to just three members from its legal complement of five, will be able to hear the case when it meets Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Despite concerns over how much a county contractor may charge residents for compost, the County Council on Wednesday gave the Department of Environmental Management the go-ahead to pursue a new green waste program. West Hawaii Today.

While requests for millions of dollars in renovations at Big Island schools were scrapped, lawmakers signed off on a project that will give future baseball and softball players at Waiakea High School an opportunity to perfect their swings in a new — and costly — batting cage. The cost to Hawaii taxpayers: $450,000. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Money misspent on Maui could lead to more questions from authorities in the wake of KHON2’S Always Investigating report, and others may have crossed the line masking personal expenses as county costs.

An estimated $172 million in Capital Improvement Project funds has been secured for various projects in Maui County under the state budget passed by the legislature this week. The largest single item was a $38 million appropriation for expansion and improvements to Kahului Harbor. Maui Now.

Maverick Helicopters opened its Maui operations last month and celebrated its new location with a Lei Day soiree. MauiTime.

Kauai

Jade Fountain-Tanigawa was appointed Kauai County Clerk Wednesday. Fountain-Tanigawa replaces former County Clerk Ricky Watanabe, who retired April 30 following more than 30 years of service to the county. Garden Island.

Three days of fiery testimony on federally proposed changes to the humpback whale sanctuary concluded in Lihue Wednesday with 50 residents voicing their opinions. Garden Island.

Ron Kouchi voted Senate president, Honolulu rail tax bill goes to governor, Szigeti named tourism chief, Hawaii to be first with 100% renewable energy, Kenoi to add 30 positions in new budget, jury sides with Maui County in takings case, humpback whale plan draws Kauai's ire, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Senate President Ron Kouchi

Hawaii Senate President Donna Mercado Kim passed the gavel to Ron Kouchi on Tuesday after a “bloodless coup” that changed leadership just two days before the 2015 session is set to end. The 16-9 vote followed a two-hour floor session in which the Senate gave final approval to dozens of bills. Sens. Les Ihara, Gil Riviere, Russell Ruderman, Sam Slom, Laura Thielen and Kim voted against the resolution that makes Kouchi president and keeps Will Espero as vice president. Civil Beat.

The State Senate ousted its president today and the new leadership vowed to set a course for a stronger legislative body. Hawaii Public Radio.

Donna Mercado Kim

Sen. Donna Mercado Kim says she never wanted to be Senate president because she knew that someday someone would seek to unseat her. That day arrived Tuesday as state Sen. Ron Kouchi was voted in by his colleagues as the new Senate president, marking the first time since 1994 that a sitting president was replaced in midsession. The Senate voted 19-6 to oust Kim and elevate Kouchi. Star-Advertiser.

There is a new State Senate president after a move to oust State Senator Donna Mercado Kim. The abrupt change in leadership came after a 19 to 6 vote in favor of State Senator Ron Kouchi of Kauai. Hawaii News Now.

The Legislature approved more than 100 bills Tuesday, including a $26 billion budget, legislation that requires Hawaii to reach 100 percent renewable energy by 2045 and a bill criminalizing sex trafficking. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Legislature on Tuesday gave final approval for a $2 million general fund appropriation to the Hawaii Health Connector, only 20 percent of the $10 million that had been initially requested. Pacific Business News.

A bill that would make Hawaii the first state in the nation with a 100 percent-renewable-energy standard cleared the Legislature on Tuesday and is headed to the governor. House Bill 623 would set 2045 as the year Hawaii should reach a goal of producing 100 percent of its electric power from renewable energy sources. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii moved a huge step closer to becoming the first state in the nation to adopt a 100 percent renewable energy portfolio standard, with a bill passed by the state Legislature on Tuesday that’s now headed to the governor’s desk for his signature. Pacific Business News.

A bill passed by the State Legislature today, May 5, makes Hawaii the first state in the nation to adopt a 100 percent Renewable Portfolio Standard, which means Hawaii utilities will generate 100 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2045. Hawaii Independent.

Opinion: The State Ethics Commission introduced a package of nine bills with House and Senate versions. Not a single one was passed. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Legislature has passed a bill that could make it a lot easier for transgender people to change their gender on their birth certificates. KITV4.

Hawaii's visitor industry reacted positively to the news that hotel industry leader George Szigeti had been tapped to lead the Hawaii Tourism Authority, which markets the state as a travel destination. Star-Advertiser.

The state Board of Education is approving the appointment of Stephen Schatz to be the Department of Education's new deputy superintendent. Hawaii News Now.

Last week, protestors of another planned U.S. military base in Okinawa rallied outside the Japanese embassy in a show of solidarity with Hawaiians and other occupied indigenous peoples around the world. Hawaii Independent.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner's chief operating officer will make an annual salary of $198,000, more than she made running the state of Hawaii. The Springfield bureau of Lee Enterprises reports Linda Lingle will start drawing the pay after her current $60,000 contract with the state ends in June. Associated Press.

Oahu

The state Legislature has approved a five-year extension of Oahu's rail tax surcharge, sending to Gov. David Ige a bill that aims to help pull the largest public works project in the state's history out of a huge cash crisis. With the Senate's 21-4 vote and the House's 39-12 vote Tuesday, lawmakers ended their months­long debate on rail by concluding that the train has already left the station. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council is expected to take a final vote on a proposed 11,750-unit Ho‘opili housing project Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

The City Council on Wednesday is expected to give final approval to Bill 6, which includes the two sides of Kapalama Canal and other areas under restrictions of the sit-lie ordinance. Specifically, the expansion would also include both sides of the street of all existing sit-lie boundaries, as well portions of McCully and the Aala-Kukui area mauka of North Beretania Street. Star-Advertiser.

Two former directors of the Waikiki Aquarium told Hawaii News Now it suffers from dysfunctional management that has led to rapid turnover in key positions and may have resulted in some of its animals dying recently, a charge the current man in charge denied.

For the next year and a half, first-time juvenile offenders busted for minor law violations in Honolulu’s 5th Patrol District — which includes the neighborhoods of Kalihi, Liliha, Nuuanu and Punchbowl — will be given the option of going to the Susannah Wesley Community Center instead of going to court. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Buoyed by an improved economy, Mayor Billy Kenoi on Tuesday released an amended budget that bumps spending up a notch and adds 30 new positions without raising property taxes. The new proposed budget, at $438.8 million, is 5.25 percent higher than last year’s budget and about $4 million higher than a proposed budget released earlier this year. West Hawaii Today.

The Attorney General's office has issued about a dozen subpoenas directed at Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi's questionable spending, Hawaii News Now has learned.

Mayor Billy Kenoi, once considered a bright star in Hawaii politics, is turning out the lights of his campaign organization. Star-Advertiser.

Ka‘u rancher Kyle Soares spread his tax bills out before the County Council Finance Committee on Tuesday, driving home his contention that farmers and ranchers need more of a tax break, not less of one. At issue for Soares and several other testifiers was Bill 317, which would tighten up requirements to qualify for special tax breaks for agriculture. The bill, a product of a task force that met last summer, would do away with the so-called “nondedicated” agricultural exemption, and require commitment to a three-year period to qualify for reduced property values. West Hawaii Today.

After being hit hard by a pair of natural disasters — Hurricane Iselle in July, followed by the June 27 lava flow — Hawaii Island’s southern district of Puna became fuel for numerous legislative bills. Some of those measures passed, including Senate Bill 1211, which increases the expenditure ceiling on major disaster fund money from $2 million to $5 million. Other bills, including those that would have appropriated funds for the removal of downed albizia trees and to establish an emergency ambulance service in the Puna area, died. Tribune-Herald.

More than two years after the Hualalai deepwell broke down, the cost of the repair project has increased more than eight-fold, and there is still no water. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A 2nd Circuit jury found in favor of Maui County on Tuesday in a lawsuit in which California venture capitalist Douglas Leone and his wife, Patricia, alleged that county officials effectively took their Palauea Beach property as a public park without paying just compensation. Maui News.

Panel sends $621 million budget to full council. Proposal includes reduced property tax rates and increased user fees. Maui News.

Major investigation into Maui County pCard abuse, misspending. KHON2’s Always Investigating has uncovered another major case of taxpayer money misspent on government credit cards, this time on Maui.

Maui County has set aside $30,000 to pay a consulting firm to study what utility model would be the best for the island. The Mayor's Office of Economic Development filed a request for proposals Tuesday seeking the costs and benefits associated with public power and energy cooperatives' forms of electric utility ownership. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai
A new management plan for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary drew widespread anger in the testimony of captains, fishermen, surfers and local business owners, who made it clear they will do whatever it takes to fend off what they view as the increasing oversight of state waters by a federal government they don’t trust. Garden Island.

Friday, May 15 is the last day for residents to tell the Solid Waste office whether they want a 96- or 64-gallon refuse cart for trash collection. Garden Island.

About 10,000 gallons of treated waste water from the Wailua treatment plant overflowed from a manhole Tuesday morning and made its way to an area just outside the fence line of the plant at Lydgate Beach Park, Kauai County officials said in a news release. Star-Advertiser.

Treated and disinfected effluent from the Wailua wastewater treatment plant overflowed Tuesday morning from an onsite manhole and made its way to an area just outside the fence line of the plant at Lydgate Beach Park near the county’s park maintenance building. Garden Island.

Molokai

Molokai residents called on Maui County Council members Tuesday to undertake "any and all efforts to sustain the ferry" system that has seen steep declines in ridership and revenue in the last six months. Maui News.