U.S. Rep. Takai faces surgery for pancreatic cancer, Gov. Ige flies to Seoul and Tokyo, election officials want more money and easier voter registration, air conditioners for Oahu schools, Hawaii County passes ethics bill, Maui mulls county manager government, petrels protected on Kauai, dengue fever fears rise, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai on Facebook

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai’s doctors have confirmed he has pancreatic cancer, and the congressman will undergo surgery at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., next week to remove a tumor in his pancreas. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Congressman Mark Takai revealed Tuesday that a tumor in his pancreas is malignant. Civil Beat.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai says he will have surgery to remove a small cancerous tumor in his pancreas next week. Associated Press.

Gov. David Ige will be traveling to Seoul and Tokyo through Nov. 12. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige will be traveling to Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo, Japan from Nov. 3 through Nov. 12. Garden Island.

County and state election officials advocated for major voting reforms — including all-mail elections and automatic voter registration — during a joint legislative briefing Tuesday at the state Capitol that included members of the Senate Judiciary and Labor and House Judiciary committees. Star-Advertiser.

If you’re evicted from state-run public housing for any reason in Hawaii, you can’t go back — ever. But now the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, which manages over 6,000 units statewide, is looking to change the rule in light of the state’s homelessness crisis. Civil Beat.

Getting a view into Hawai‘i’s current state of health may be a little easier thanks to a new website from the State Department of Health. The Hawaii Health Data Warehouse is a collection of information gathered from surveys conducted year round. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Travelers in air-travel-dependent Hawaii can now apply for faster, easier security checks at a new kiosk at Honolulu Airport. The Transportation Security Administration opened the new application site for its PreCheck expedited security program last week at the airport’s Interisland Terminal. Star-Advertiser.

Even as Wahiawa’s homeless count appears to have doubled over the past 11 months, state Rep. Marcus Oshiro maintains that efforts underway could serve as a template for other rural communities struggling to address island homelessness. Star-Advertiser.

The Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu has withdrawn as an intervenor taking part in the regulatory review of NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co., according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

A mysterious closed-door meeting of the Honolulu Ethics Commission was cancelled Tuesday just hours before it was scheduled to begin. Last week, the Ethics Commission announced it would hold a special session Tuesday night to talk with the agency’s attorney about “personnel and management matters.” No other details were given. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Education has received a final shipment of 100 portable air conditioners that officials say will go into five West Oahu schools as part of an ongoing effort to cool more classrooms. Star-Advertiser.

When a patient aboard a city ambulance allegedly attacked two medics outside Queen's Medical Center a week and a half ago, one of them had to begin an anti-AIDS cocktail. Hawaii News Now.

The group that filed a complaint with the state, claiming labor violations at Ala Moana Center’s Ewa Wing expansion, is raising more concerns. KHON2.

Former University of Hawaii football coach Norm Chow, who was in the fourth year of a five-year contract when he was fired over the weekend, will receive nearly $340,000 for his termination, the university confirmed Monday. Pacific Business News.

On Sept. 25, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources approved a one-year special use permit to Mark Hixon, a professor of marine biology at the University of Hawaii, for the deployment and study of artificial reef modules in the Hanauma Bay Marine Life Conservation District and Waikiki. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

As Hawaii health officials wrestle to contain a dengue fever outbreak on the Big Island, a review of how the state handled a 2001 outbreak on Maui reveals some of the challenges in store. Tribune-Herald.

Kona Community Hospital says it is being “overwhelmed” by phone calls from Big Islanders concerned about dengue fever. West Hawaii Today.

Without the support of the public, state health officials fear the current outbreak of dengue fever on the Big Island could be here to stay. On Tuesday, the state Department of Health confirmed the mosquito-borne virus so far has infected 11 people, with many possible cases remaining to be verified. Tribune-Herald.

An ethics bill now on its way to Mayor Billy Kenoi lost many of its stricter provisions during an arduous trip through the County Council, but sponsor Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille says it’s still tough enough to do the job. West Hawaii Today.

Before the candidates for ‘aha delegate spoke at the Moku O Keawe Alliance forum in Panaewa on Sunday, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement President and CEO Michelle Kauhane gave an overview of Kana’iolowalu and the Na’i Aupuni process. Kauhane, herself an Oahu candidate for delegate, also explained the federal rules for a government-to-government relationship, as proposed by the Department Of The Interior.Big Island Video News.

Should Kona International Airport host Hawaii’s first commercial space flights? That’s a question that could be brought before Big Island residents close to the new year following the completion of a draft environmental assessment for a proposed spaceport certification. Tribune-Herald.

More than a year after Department of Land and Natural Resources officials said work was set to start on the north side of Honokohau Harbor, the improvements have not begun. West Hawaii Today.

The County Council’s unanimous approval Tuesday of no-parking zones around Manini Beach marks the beginning of a strategy that supporters hope will bring state assistance with parking for the beach and Kealakekua Bay area. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Testifiers encouraged Maui County Council members Monday to study the possibility of having a county manager form of government, as initially put forward in a resolution by Council Chairman Mike White. Maui News.

The County Committee on Public and Intergovernmental Affairs will reconvene on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber to further discuss a county manager form of government instead of one run by a mayor. Maui Now.

The burn of a 75-acre sugar cane field 3 miles southeast of Kahului brought smoke and haze to Central Maui Tuesday morning, but Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. received only two direct complaints, said General Manager Rick Volner. Maui News.

An association for a 19th-century Maui cemetery where several influential Hawaii figures are buried is suing federal and state agencies over a planned expansion project at a neighboring veterans' cemetery. Maui News.

Na Hale O Maui, which had been placing families in affordable homes through rehabilitating foreclosed homes, has returned to its original business model and has begun building its first home, John Andersen, executive director of the nonprofit group said Friday. Maui News.

Kauai

A 67-foot military-funded rocket that blasted off a rail launcher at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai at sunset Tuesday in Hawaii’s first satellite launch failed shortly after takeoff. Star-Advertiser.

What sounded like a successful liftoff soon turned into a realization that something went wrong. Shortly after liftoff at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday from Barking Sands, Kauai, ORS-4 – the rocket carrying a satellite – malfunctioned. It was designed and built by University of Hawaii faculty and students. KITV4.

A historic project more than 30 years in the making took place on Kauai’s North Shore on Monday when 10 downy endangered Hawaiian Petrel chicks were flown by helicopter to a new colony protected by a predator-proof fence at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. Garden Island.

Endangered Hawaiian petrels now have a predator-proof place to live on Kauai. Civil Beat.

A Kauai elementary school was scrambling for substitute teachers Tuesday, a day the school's principal made controversial comments about their performance. Six of the 27 teachers at Kekaha Elementary School called in sick, according to the Department of Education. Hawaii News Now.

The halls of Kekaha Elementary School were missing a key fixture Tuesday — teachers. Garden Island.

Hawaii Rep. Takai diagnosed with pancreatic tumor, Ige and cabinet on the road, $300M lost on Hawaii Obamacare, possible dengue fever on Big Island, group appeals Hawaiian election ruling, Waste Management settles with EPA on landfill charges, no expansion for Molokai national park, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Congressman Takai, courtesy photo

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has been diagnosed with a small tumor on his pancreas after undergoing tests to determine why he had been experiencing some stomach pain in recent weeks, according to a spokesman. Takai, 48, was elected to his first term in Congress last year representing urban Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has been diagnosed with a tumor on his pancreas. Civil Beat.

Congressman Takai releases statement on personal health. Takai press release.

Gov. David Ige and members of his cabinet highlighted some of the administration's early achievements tonight — including speeding up the use of federal dollars on transportation projects, closing on the Turtle Bay conservation deal and boosting the state's bond rating — at a community meeting at Windward Community College in Kaneohe. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly 40,000 Hawaii Health Connector enrollments are shifting to the federal healthcare.gov site in a week. Hawaii Health Connector Executive Director Jeff Kissel said $300 million in taxpayer dollars would have been saved if the state had used the federal program to enroll residents. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Department of Health doesn’t plan to hold a public hearing or accept public comments on rules governing the state’s new medical marijuana dispensary system before releasing draft rules by Jan. 4, 2016. That means entrepreneurs will have only a few days to review the rules before applying between Jan. 11 and Jan. 29, for eight coveted licenses to grow and sell medical cannabis. Civil Beat.

Over 60 percent of patients registered for medical marijuana cards in Hawaii are over the age of 56, according to new data revealed by the Department of Health. Scottina Malia Ruis, the agency’s medical marijuana registry coordinator, presented the information during the Hawaii Bar Association’s conference at the Hawaii Convention Center on Friday. Civil Beat.

Last week’s decision by a federal judge to allow the election for delegates to a Native Hawaiian constitutional convention to proceed is being appealed by the Grassroot Institute. Civil Beat.

A federal judge ruled Friday that an election can go forward to choose delegates to draft a document allowing Native Hawaiians to govern themselves. Associated Press.

Kaiser Permanente employees have ratified a new contract that gives 1,900 workers at 22 facilities in Hawaii at 2.5 percent wage increase this year. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly 2,000 Kaiser Permanente employees in Hawaii have ratified a three-year deal with one of its employee unions after three years of bargaining, the union and the health maintenance organization said Monday. Pacific Business News.

Why Is Hawaiian Electric Ready To Cash Out? A company that thrived for more than a century in the islands is ready to sell. It is a good deal for executives and, the power company’s CEO argues, for the rest of us, too. Civil Beat.

A decades-long fight over the future of the aquarium industry’s collecting of fish in Hawaii was renewed last week when two state agencies requested an emergency moratorium on the practice in light of unprecedented coral bleaching. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Rail officials announced Monday that for July, August and September, the transit project will receive $64.8 million from Oahu’s general excise tax surcharge to fund construction. That’s $8.3 million more than what the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation had expected to take in for the quarter, based on the project’s financial plan. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation said Monday that it is $30.5 million behind its projections for revenue from Hawaii’s general excise and use tax surcharge, despite its latest quarterly installment being higher than anticipated. Pacific Business News.

Some 130 people living in three oceanside homeless encampments that grew in size after the city cleared out the adjacent Kakaako makai encampment have at least three more weeks before state sheriff’s deputies push them somewhere else. Star-Advertiser.

A large segment of the homeless population in Kaka’ako has moved to nearby state parks.  In response to this development, the Governor announced plans for a coordinated effort to enforce park closure rules. Hawaii Public Radio.

Two West Oahu nonprofits will receive $100,000 each under the terms of a plea agreement reached between federal prosecutors and Waste Management of Hawaii to settle a case involving the spillage of millions of gallons of contaminated stormwater from the island’s only landfill into the ocean several years ago. Federal prosecutors agreed to drop more serious felony charges against Waste Management and top employees Joe Whelan and Justin Lottig in exchange for their guilty pleas to misdemeanor counts of negligent discharge of pollutants for violating the U.S. Clean Water Act. Star-Advertiser.

Investigators from the state tax, labor and business departments raided construction sites Monday at at least nine boutiques and food establishments near Bloomingdale's in Ala Moana Center’s newest wing, which is still under construction. Ala Moana Center's Ewa Wing Expansion opens Nov. 12.More They were acting on a complaint by the Hawaii Construction Alliance, which represents five unions including the carpenters, after their undercover informants made troubling findings. Hawaii News Now.

Nearly 630 acres of Oahu’s north shore coastline have been preserved from development in perpetuity, thanks to an agreement finalized this week between Turtle Bay Resort and the state of Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

A few months ago the state sent letters to Diamond Head shoreline homeowners asking them to cut back overgrown vegetation encroaching onto the public beach. And they listened. Hawaii News Now.

The U.S. government has agreed to pay $850,000 to settle a man's medical malpractice lawsuit that says prostate cancer surgery at a Honolulu military hospital left him incontinent, impotent and blind. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi said Monday no homeless sweeps are planned on the Big Island such as those recently carried out at an encampment in Oahu’s Kakaako neighborhood — or like the ones Gov. David Ige says will take place at two Honolulu parks if individuals and families don’t move soon. Tribune-Herald.

The governor’s coordinator on homelessness said about 45 percent of the $1.3 million Gov. David Ige allocated under an emergency proclamation to address the issue statewide will go to Neighbor Island programs. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Health is awaiting test results in two possible cases of mosquito-borne dengue fever on the Big Island. Star-Advertiser.

A desire to save consumers money and reduce their environmental footprint has led the county Department of Water Supply to expand into energy generation, said Keith Okamoto, the department’s manager-chief engineer on Monday night. West Hawaii Today.

They say you can’t fight city hall. But people can — and it seems increasing numbers do — sue their local government. Since 2010, Hawaii County residents have sought redress for everything from an avocado falling from a tree in a county-owned right of way striking a windshield to contracting a flesh-eating bacteria in a county hot pond to vehicle damage from hitting a feral goat on Mamalahoa Highway to fingerprint dust spilled in a burglary victim’s home causing carpet damage to purchasing a grave site that was already occupied. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A lottery for vouchers for federally subsidized rental housing assistance will be held from Monday through Nov. 8, according to an announcement from the Maui County branch of Mental Health America of Hawaii. Maui News.

Currently under new management and with a new name, a film studio in a leased warehouse at the Maui Lani Village Center has lined up at least three film or TV projects starting in early December and running into 2016, Maui County Film Commissioner Tracy Bennett said last week. Maui News.

Kula Produce has begun construction on a new produce facility at the Maui Lani Village Center, which should be completed at the end of 2016. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai County learned Monday it landed $13 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funds will be used for the revitalization of the Lihue Town Core. Garden Island.

Colorado-based Timbers Resorts is planning a $750 million to $800 million development of the unfinished Kauai Lagoons master-planned oceanfront community that will include 468 units in a mix of oceanfront and golf course homes, condominium units, hotel and townhomes. Pacific Business News.

Molokai

The National Park Service has nixed the idea of expanding Molokai's Kalaupapa National Historical Park's boundaries within nearby Pelekunu and Halawa valleys because of opposition voiced at public meetings and during a comment period earlier this year. Maui News.

The National Park Service is seeking new members to appoint to the Kalaupapa National Historical Park Advisory Commission. Maui News.

Hurricane Olaf nears Hawaii, Gabbard, Takai fatten campaign coffers, Section 8 vouchers return to Oahu, Maui march draws thousands, E-Trade founder Porter dies on Kauai, Pahala gym floor redo, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hurricane Olaf 5 a.m. Monday, courtesy Central Pacific Hurricane Center

Olaf is now a major hurricane as it approaches the Central Pacific, according to the National Hurricane Center. At 5 a.m. Monday, Olaf had winds of 115 miles per hour, making it a Category 3 hurricane. It was located approximately 1,345 miles east-southeast of the Big Island. It was moving toward the west at 14 miles per hour. Hawaii News Now.

There’s still six weeks to go, but the 2015 Central Pacific hurricane season is already one for the record books. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s freshman in the U.S. House of Representatives, Mark Takai, raised $234,335 in the most recent fundraising cycle — more than Hawaii’s other House delegate, Tusi Gabbard. But not by much. Gabbard raised just $129 dollars less than Takai — or $234,206 — for the July-September reporting period. Civil Beat.

The embattled Sandwich Isles Communications Inc. owes $108.6 million to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for loans it obtained to finance its telecommunications network on Hawaiian home lands, and has been in default on some or all of those loans for the past two years, according to federal records. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige issued an emergency proclamation Friday to address Hawaii’s homelessness crisis, a move that allows him to tap into the state’s general revenue funds reserved for “the immediate relief of the conditions created by the disaster.” Civil Beat.

The state Division of Aquatic Resources has scheduled public hearings in November on a proposed rule to permanently regulate the harvesting of sea cucumbers in state waters. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

For the first time in a decade, the state’s public housing office will begin handing out Section 8 vouchers to individuals and families living on Oahu. However, demand is forecast to greatly outstrip available housing units because of the island’s tight housing market and the reluctance of landlords to accept low-income tenants. Star-Advertiser.

The City and County of Honolulu has chosen Massachusetts-based Ameresco Inc. to replace about 52,000 of its streetlights with more efficient LED lighting. Pacific Business News.

As the administrations of Gov. David Ige and Mayor Kirk Caldwell continue to search for new ways to address the estimated 4,900 people who are homeless on Oahu, IHS continues to receive emails, phone calls, tweets and Facebook messages from homeless people on the mainland who are considering coming to Hawaii with no housing and no idea how much it actually costs to live here. Star-Advertiser.

Former Honolulu police officer Vincent Morre was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison Friday for civil rights violations after attacking two men in a Hopaka Street game room last September. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The first sneaker didn’t squeak across the floor of a new gymnasium in Pahala before it was ripped out to start over. A sign near the massive new green-roofed Ka’u gym and shelter looming over the public school campus in Pahala bears an optimistic completion date of Nov. 15, 2014. But chances are, the $17.3 million project won’t be ready a year from then. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Fire Department is asking for another $6 million to build a new station on Haihai Street in Hilo. The 12,000-square-foot facility will replace a smaller and aging fire house on Kawailani Street. It will serve Panaewa makai to Waiakea Uka, according to the project’s environmental assessment. Tribune-Herald.

The Mohouli Heights Senior Neighborhood is getting ready to expand with the planned addition of 30 new units. The existing 60-unit senior housing project on Mohouli Street in Hilo opened in April 2014 and has a waiting list of more than 400 people, said Keith Kato, Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation executive director. Tribune-Herald.

Next to sparsely stocked shelves at The Food Basket’s Kona Warehouse, Marshall Akamu holds a wicker basket. West Hawaii Today.

It’s rare that a day goes by when Issa Hillweh, owner of the Hilo Town Tavern, doesn’t have a customer ask for the house brew. But a Hilo Town Tavern brew could be on its way soon. Hillweh is in the final stages of the permitting process for a new type of liquor license approved during the last state legislative session. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island police are investigating damage to a fiber optics cable network on Mauna Kea mountain, the site of a hotly disputed project to build a massive telescope. Associated Press.

It may be 10,000 to 100,000 years before Hawaii’s smallest and youngest volcano breaches the surface of the ocean. The Loihi Seamount, whose summit lies some 3,200 feet beneath the waves nearly 22 miles southeast of Ka‘u, was only discovered in 1952 when a flurry of earthquakes drew scientists’ attention offshore. The earliest known mention of Loihi was on bathymetric charts in 1940. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Aloha ʻĀina Unity March down Front Street in Lahaina on Sunday was a huge success, according to event organizers, calling it a “a beautiful day of activation.”  Maui Now.

West Maui march focuses on overdevelopment, resources. Front Street ran red with marchers Sunday morning as more than 5,000 people joined in the Aloha 'Aina Unity March. Maui News.

West Maui-Maalaea-north Kihei state Rep. Angus McKelvey said Saturday that he "screwed up royally" and apologized to constituents after acknowledging that he was charged last week with failing to report campaign contributions and for unauthorized expenditures of campaign funds. Maui News.

Maui County Council members unanimously approved Friday a 186-unit, fast-tracked affordable rental housing project, the Kenolio Apartments in Kihei, although lingering concerns remained about the capacity of the area's infrastructure. Maui News.

Kauai
Hawaii regulators have approved the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative’s plan to retrofit nearly 3,500 street light fixtures owned by the county and state with energy-saving LED lights, becoming the first island in the state to switch virtually all of its street lights to LED lights, the Lihue-based cooperative said Friday. Pacific Business News.

Two months after Kauai County’s dog barking ordinance was repealed, another rule regulating noisy pups may be ready to get back on the books. Councilman KipuKai Kuali’i is crafting regulation that would try to hold pet owners responsible for excessive barking — one that would require more parties to notify authorities of a potential problem before a dog owner could be cited. Garden Island.

Alaska Airlines and the Kauai Humane Society are setting records this year in dogs and cats flown for free to the mainland for adoption. Hawaii News Now.

Bill Porter, the E-Trade founder who funneled generous portions of his fortune into businesses and nonprofits benefiting organic farming, recreation and community building on Kauai’s North Shore, died Wednesday at his home in Princeville, surrounded by family and friends. Garden Island.

Hawaii attorney general gets serious about campaign spending laws, new executive director for struggling Hawaii GOP, Native Hawaiian election opponents seek injunction, Tax Office gets collection agency to nab scofflaws, NextEra Energy defends Hawaiian Electric purchase plan, Takai seeks federal road funds to backstop rail project, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Rep. James "Jimmy" Tokioka

In the first campaign spending violation ever prosecuted by the state attorney general's office, five-term state Rep. James Tokioka pleaded no contest Monday in Honolulu District Court and agreed to pay a fine of $1,000 for filing an incomplete and inaccurate campaign committee report. Star-Advertiser.

State Rep. James “Jimmy” Tokioka will pay $1,000 for violating campaign finance laws during the 2014 primary election, under a plea agreement entered Monday. Garden Island.

The plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging a Native Hawaiian voter roll and constitutional convention have asked a federal judge to halt an election of delegates while the case is being considered in court. West Hawaii Today.

State tax officials plan to hire a private collection agency to chase down tax delinquents, with a special focus on mainland accounts involving relatively long-term tax debtors who owe larger amounts. Star-Advertiser.

Na‘i Aupuni, the newly formed organization the Office of Hawaiian Affairs has entrusted with the management of the current Native Hawaiian self-determination process, set the registration deadline to file as a delegate candidate to the Native Hawaiian constitutional convention, or ‘Aha, for September 15. Hawaii Independent.

NextEra Energy Inc., the company looking to buy Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc., countered its critics in a state filing Monday, promising to bring down fixed costs on customer bills while helping Hawaii meet its 100 percent renewable electric power goal. Star-Advertiser.

NextEra Energy and Hawaiian Electric are piling on the promises to help their proposed $4.3 billion merger deal win the approval of the state Public Utilities Commission over the coming year. Civil Beat.

NextEra Energy Inc., the Florida company proposing to buy Hawaiian Electric Co. for $4.3 billion, outlined 50 new commitments Monday, including nearly $1 billion in customer savings and economic benefits in the first five years after the deal closes that are aimed at addressing concerns from Gov. David Ige, the Consumer Advocate and the 28 intervenors in the case before state regulators. Pacific Business News.

NextEra Energy hopes its latest filing before the Public Utilities Commission will show how its proposed $4.3 billion purchase of the Hawaiian Electric companies will benefit consumers. Tribune-Herald.

Florida-based company NextEra Energy is defending its plans to acquire Hawaiian Electric, saying that it is committed to Hawaii's renewable energy goals. Executives from the company filed written responses to the Public Utilities Commission addressing concerns raised by Gov. David Ige, the Consumer Advocate and others on Monday, outlining 50 new promises on issues including retaining local management. Associated Press.

NextEra Energy Inc. plans to expand Hawaiian Electric Co.'s smart meter pilot project to nearly all of its 450,000 customers in Hawaii. That's a key highlight of the Florida company's latest filing, in which NextEra promises 50 new conditions or benefits for consumers as part of its $4.3 billion buyout of HECO. Hawaii News Now.

NextEra and Hawaiian Electric filed hundreds of pages of documents in its case before the Public Utilities Commission Monday, the same day a local solar industry group began running ads against the merger on social media. KITV4.

NextEra Seeks to Control Hawai`i Message. Yesterday morning NextEra sent out copies of some of their rebuttal testimony to selected members of the press. NextEra granted interviews to some media people. Ililani Media.

Marcia Tagavilla appointed new Hawaii Republican Party executive director. MauiTime.

The Hawaii Republican Assembly, far right faction of the state’s GOP (the self-declared “Republican wing of the Republican party”) has sent out an open letter written by its outspoken president, Tito Montes, in which he accuses Fritz Rohlfing JR., current state chair of the Hawaii Republican Party, of “unethical and potentially illegal activities and repeated malfeasance…”  Hawaii Independent.

Always Investigating found a homeless-student problem far bigger than any high-profile encampment. Thousands across our state and in the classrooms face hurdles just to get to school, and some may be falling through the cracks. KHON2.

Only eight states are worse for drivers than Hawaii, according to a new study. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai is touting a new proposal that he says could help the state reduce its more than $600 million backlog in federal highway projects and, at the same time, help ease the Honolulu rail project's budget problems. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai said on Monday the state needs to spend money faster or risk missing out on new appropriations from Congress. Hawaii News Now.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proposing a $173 million project to minimize damage to Waikiki and surrounding neighborhoods if a “100-year flood” causes the Ala Wai Canal to overflow. Such a flood —  which has a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year — would destroy 3,000 properties and cause $318 million in structural damages, according to the Corps’ newly released analysis. Civil Beat.

Want some free public land on Diamond Head with a million-dollar view? Multi-millionaire Angus Mitchell has apparently used  state land beside his house on Diamond Head’s southeastern slopes rent-free for nearly a decade, according to state Department of Land and Natural Resources documents. Civil Beat.

The City and County of Honolulu plans to notify the homeless living on the outer edges of the Kaka’ako encampment that they must vacate the area by September 8th. Hawaii Public Radio.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program was recognized this week as one of the best in the nation by the U.S. Army Cadet Command and the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Foundation. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

The first-ever Big Island Cacao Conference at the Komohana Research Station was a blend of brainstorming and assessment with, of course, a bit of delicious chocolate mixed in. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A total of 100 fans were donated today to middle and intermediate public schools as part of the “Keep Our Keiki Cool” program initiated by Goodfellow Brothers and Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui. Maui Now.

Kauai
County officials announced that repair work on the seawall fronting Pono Kauai Resort in Kapaa will begin on Sept. 8. Garden Island.

Molokai

A Molokai High School junior and her sister predict that if no management plan is done on the invasive red mangrove on Molokai it will overtake nearly 40 percent of Molokai's fringing reef in the next century. Maui News.

Top elected officials popular with Hawaii voters, contrite Kenoi pitches county budget, raises for teachers, white-collar public employees, B&B big hassle for Kauai, Maui celebrates tobacco-free parks, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Sens. Brian Schatz, Mazie Hirono, courtesy photo

Hawaii voters are generally quite content with their top elected officials but the support varies by island, age, gender and income, a new Civil Beat Poll shows. We surveyed 780 registered voters April 7-9, asking their opinion of U.S. Reps. Mark Takai and Tulsi Gabbard, U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz, Gov. David Ige, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and President Barack Obama.

Newly negotiated contracts that would award raises of 4 percent per year over a two-year period to about 15,240 unionized state and county employees are being put to statewide ratification votes this week, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association, which represents 13,500 public school teachers, announced late Wednesday night that it had reached an agreement with the state for increased salary and benefits for the remaining two years of the teachers' current contract. Star-Advertiser.

As Gov. David Ige wends his way through his fifth month in office, there’s growing concern over who his administration will choose to fill several key positions guiding land and water use policy, environmental protection, longterm planning and development — all of which can literally shape Hawaii’s future. Civil Beat.

When Hilo resident Charlotte Kaide read about an elderly Oahu couple that, after 67 years of marriage, is being forced to live in separate care homes, she felt as if she was reliving a nightmare. Tribune-Herald.

The Thirty Meter Telescope isn't even on the agenda, but Thursday's meeting of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs board of trustees likely will be overwhelmed by the controversial $1.4 billion project. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell is warning Honolulu City Council members that efforts to expand the city's sit-lie sidewalk ban could make the existing law vulnerable to legal challenges. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Senate has confirmed a district court judge nomination. William Domingo was confirmed Tuesday as a judge for Oahu First Circuit District Court. Associated Press.

About 5 p.m., pau-hana commute times were running more than two hours on H-1 from downtown to Kapolei because of a pedestrian death. Star-Advertiser.

Free parking at Honolulu Zoo to end soon. KHON2.

Hawaii

A subdued and outwardly contrite Mayor Billy Kenoi came before the County Council on Wednesday to talk about the budget, but first on his plate was a serving of humble pie. West Hawaii Today.

Embattled Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi on Wednesday morning made his first apology on Hawaii island for more than $129,000 in charges he billed to the county, including trips to Honolulu hostess bars. Star-Advertiser.

If everyone in the room didn’t already know about the state-wide controversy surrounding the Hawaii County mayor’s spending habits, they might have thought Billy Kenoi was apologizing for his proposed budget. Big Island Video News.

A handful of community members sounded off Wednesday on the recent government purchase card spending fiasco plaguing the office of Mayor Billy Kenoi. Big Island Video News.

A council briefing on the Hawaii County budget was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding embattled Mayor Billy Kenoi Wednesday morning. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi appeared before the County Council Wednesday to begin a series of budget briefings. However, the hearing was dominated by the mayor's improper use of his county issued credit card, or pCard. KITV4.

Google Maps will soon offer transit directions for the Hawaii County’s bus system, Hele-On Bus, as part of a new community project. West Hawaii Today.

Of the more than 10,000 animals euthanized by the Hawaii Island Humane Society last year, only 3 percent fell into the category of adoptable, according to Hawaii Island Humane Society Executive Director Donna Whitaker. Tribune-Herald.

A breathtaking, oceanfront mega-mansion on the Big Island is back on the market and it can be yours for $8.2 million. The 9-plus acre "Waterfalling Estate" was originally listed in 2014 for $26.5 million. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

Today marks the one-year anniversary of a bill that effectively banned the use of tobacco at county parks, beaches and recreational facilities in Maui County. Maui Now.

A 40-foot fishing boat that ran aground two weeks ago and spilled 50 gallons of diesel fuel offshore of Koki Beach in Hana is expected to be removed in the next few days, U.S. Coast Guard and Maui County officials said. Maui News

Opinion: The saber-rattling between Maui County’s hospitals and their many friends in the county and state Legislature on one hand and Governor David Ige and the powerful Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) that backs him on the other is getting serious. MauiTime.

The Maui region of the quasi-public body that runs Maui Memorial Medical Center has called a public meeting for Tuesday to discuss cuts in services and personnel to meet a projected $28 million shortfall for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council’s effort on Wednesday to regulate homestay and bed-and-breakfast operations islandwide was met with resistance. Garden Island.

Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. and the county’s budget team, Nadine Nakamura, Ken Shimonishi, and Sally Motta, will present a financial overview at the Wailua-Kapaa Neighborhood Association meeting at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Kapaa Library. Garden Island.

Protesters used Earth Day to rally against the delayed Thirty Meter Telescope project on Mauna Kea on the Big Island Wednesday at Kauai Community College. Garden Island.

UH research: North Pacific hottest on record, e-cigs curb smoking. Child abuse cases drop, statewide planning meetings set, Oahu plans for extreme tsunami, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii sunrise © 2014 All Hawaii News

Heat is the fuel of hurricanes, and the North Pacific last summer was the hottest on record, a University of Hawaii climate scientist has calculated. Star-Advertiser.

State regulation of pesticide use is hampered by a lack of money despite aggressive measures passed by neighbor island counties demanding more disclosure about spraying. Civil Beat.

President Barack Obama made a brief stop at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam base Sunday morning after the G20 Summit in Australia. Associated Press.

Where many might see a deep divide and bitter partisanship that has led to congressional gridlock, U.S. Rep.-elect Mark Takai sees an opportunity. Star-Advertiser.

When Duke Aiona campaigned for governor against the state's high cost of living, he was speaking from personal experience.Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s health insurance exchange enrolled more than 40 people on the first day clients were able to sign up to be covered next year. Another 60 applied for financial assistance to pay for premiums as of mid-afternoon, Jeffrey Kissel, the CEO of Hawaii Health Connector, said Saturday. Associated Press.

Tapering off tobacco cigarettes can be a challenge, but research released by the University of Hawaii Cancer Center found some smokers can get a kick-start to kicking the habit with e-cigarettes. KITV4.

The state Office of Planning is holding meetings across Hawaii to hear from interested stakeholders on the effectiveness of the state's land use system. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Office of Planning is holding a series of meetings to gather public input on the state’s land use regulations. The public meetings are part of the agency’s comprehensive analysis on how to make Hawaii’s land use process more effective and efficient. Civil Beat.

The number of confirmed child abuse cases in Hawaii has dropped by more than half since 2005. The steep decreases have been attributed in part to the state's switch in late 2005 to a new but controversial program for determining how child welfare authorities respond to reports of suspected abuse.Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
New research has prompted Honolulu to add an "extreme tsunami" evacuation zone to its maps and change its evacuation plans, including for high-rises in Waikiki. The maps represent "an unlikely worst-case scenario" and will not replace current, standard tsunami evacuation maps, Department of Emergency Management officials said. Star-Advertiser.

UH budget crisis hits Mānoa graduate students especially hard. Hawaii Independent.

Graduate students at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa are protesting possible cuts to their departments. They’re leading a protest today in hopes of some answers. Hawaii Public Radio.

Some 24,000 Jehovah's Witnesses are expected to attend their international convention in Honolulu over two weekends, making it one of the largest conventions this year in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The breakouts above the front of the lava flow threatening Pahoa town remained active on Sunday morning, but “very sluggish,” according to Hawaii County Civil Defense. Tribune-Herald.

A newly released plan for the island’s highways drives home the fact there is significant growth ahead and not enough money to pay for the roads to support it. West Hawaii Today.

Crews worked to mop-up a fire that broke out early Saturday at the West Hawaii Sanitary Landfill in Puuanahulu. The fire, located in the dump’s green waste area, was still smoldering Saturday evening, and firefighters said it was not clear what caused the blaze. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A federal judge said Friday that Maui County may not implement a new law banning the cultivation of genetically modified organisms until he considers arguments in a lawsuit against the measure. Associated Press.

Now that the state has completed its acquisition of Lipoa Point from Maui Land & Pineapple Co., the state Department of Land and Natural Resources is calling on the public to be diligent stewards of the land. Maui News.

Maui High School Band Director Kerry Wasano admits there's "a little bit of pressure" as the Maui High School Band & Color Guard prepare to perform in the Rose Parade. Maui News.

Kauai

A Hawaii developer plans to build a private resort on Kauai’s North Shore that will have its own airport. Associated Press.

There aren’t even blueprints, let alone construction plans, but the idea of another South Shore resort already has neighbors and county officials concerned. They say they are wary of plans to designate a 13-acre section of Mahaulepu for future resort development over the next 20 years. Garden Island.

North Shore shuttle up and running. Garden Island.

Kauai's electric utility has won approval to pursue a new pumped water energy storage project on the island's west side. Associated Press.

Ige Hawaii's next governor, Maui GMO ban passes, Democrats hold congressional delegation, voter turnout low, big money PAC candidates and issues defeated, all the top election news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Governor-elect David Ige courtesy photo

State Sen. David Ige coasted to a win as Hawaii’s next governor Tuesday night, allowing Democrats to hold on to the state’s highest office after voters resoundingly ousted incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the primary. Associated Press.

State Sen. David Ige, riding disenchantment with Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the primary and party loyalty among Democrats in the general election, was elected Hawaii's governor on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Democrat David Ige has been elected governor of Hawaii. Hours after the polls closed, Ige was ahead of Republican Duke Aiona by a wide margin — 49 percent of the vote compared with 37 percent for the former lieutenant governor. Civil Beat.

Democratic candidate David Ige has been elected as the next governor of Hawaii, defeating Republican candidate James "Duke" Aiona and Independent candidate Mufi Hannemann. Hawaii News Now.

David Ige, who defeated incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the primary election for the Democratic nomination, held off Republican and Independent challengers Tuesday to be elected Hawaii's next governor. Pacific Business News.

BLUE HAWAII: While change sweeps country, Hawaii remains the same. Hawaii Reporter.

Democrat Brian Schatz easily won Hawaii's U.S. Senate race, holding on to the seat he was appointed to after the 2012 death of longtime Sen. Daniel Inouye. Star-Advertiser.

Democrat Mark Takai has defeated Republican Charles Djou in the race to represent urban Oahu in Congress for the next two years. Civil Beat.

Largely unknown outside of his own state House district when he launched his campaign more than a year ago, Mark Takai rode a surge of momentum in the final stretch of the campaign and turned out the Democratic vote in the hotly contested race for Hawaii's 1st Congressional District. Star-Advertiser.

In the closest of the top races decided Tuesday, Hawaii state Representative Mark Takai, a Democrat, defeated Republican Charles Djou in Hawaii's 1st Congressional District with 51 percent of the vote. Pacific Business News.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was sailing smoothly into a second two-year term Tuesday night, leading Republican Kawika Crowley in the race to represent rural Oahu and the neighbor islands in the U.S. House. Civil Beat.

Hawaii voters rejected the idea of using public funds for private preschool programs, defeating a proposed amendment that pitted early learning advocates against the public teachers union. Star-Advertiser.

For now, it looks like the state won’t be able to tap into private providers if it wants to develop a comprehensive preschool system accessible to all of the state’s 17,500 4-year-olds. Civil Beat.

Oahu will continue to hold all the at-large seats on the Board of Trustees for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, according to final returns Tuesday that showed the sole neighbor island candidate running fourth. West Hawaii Today.

The power of incumbency carried the day as three current Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees retained their seats Tuesday night. Star-Advertiser.

Three incumbents running for re-election to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees fared well in Tuesday’s election. Civil Beat.

Even the high stakes of this year’s general election were not enough to get many Hawaii voters to the polls. Once again, voter turnout appeared to be abysmally low Tuesday, continuing a trend that has given the state the distinction of being worst in the nation. Civil Beat.

Tuesday's general election may have set a Hawaii record for voter apathy with a turnout of 52.2 percent, as of the fourth printout at 11:30 p.m. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Carol Fukunaga was re-elected and Trevor Ozawa narrowly beat Tommy Waters in their Honolulu City Council races Tuesday night. Civil Beat

Political newcomer Trevor Ozawa beat former state Rep. Tommy Waters by just 47 votes for the Honolulu City Council District 4 seat to represent East Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

First-time candidate Andria Tupola, a music educator and Maili resident, ousted state Rep. Karen Awana, whose career was tarnished by four fines for campaign finance violations. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Billy Kenoi hugs  Daniel Paleka

Hawaii

Daniel Paleka defeated Tiffany Edwards Hunt in the Hawaii County Council District 5 race. With all precincts reporting Tuesday, Paleka had 2,294 votes, or 53.2 percent. Edwards Hunt received 2,015 votes, or 46.7 percent. Tribune-Herald.

A huge infusion of outside money wasn’t enough Tuesday to propel Council District 9 challenger Ron Gonzales over first-term incumbent Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille. With all precincts reporting, Wille led Gonzales by 1,005 votes, or 3,154, to his 2,149. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County’s Democratic candidates for state Senate seats all appeared to be smoothly sailing to victory Tuesday evening, with all precincts reporting in shortly before 10 p.m. Tribune-Herald.

There were no shakeups in the Big Island House races this election season. West Hawaii Today.

Voters Tuesday approved three proposed state constitutional amendments and the sole Hawaii County charter amendment. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui voters have approved an initiative that places a moratorium on GMO cultivation in Maui County. Maui Now.

A Maui County ban on genetically modified crops pulled off a stunning turnaround late Tuesday night. After trailing by 19 points in the first two printouts, the ballot initiative took the lead, passing by more than 1000 votes. Hawaii Public Radio.

A controversial Maui County Charter amendment temporarily banning genetically engineered crops passed Tuesday night, but just barely. About 50.2 percent of voters -- the minimum needed to pass the initiative -- voted in favor, while 47.9 percent voted against. Supporters are expecting a lawsuit by corporations opposed to the bill. Star-Advertiser.

A Maui County initiative that would ban the growing of genetically modified organism garnered support late Tuesday. The controversial measure had a slight edge of 50 percent to 48 percent as of the third printout of results with 22,647 votes supporting the ban of GMO crops and 21,807 votes against the ban. Associated Press.

Maui County voters approved a ballot initiative calling for a moratorium on genetically engineered organisms. Maui News.

Alan Arakawa has won re-election and will retain his seat as mayor of Maui County. Hawaii News Now.

In the West Maui Council race, incumbent Elle Cochran is reelected after a very close race early on in which her opponent, Ka’ala Buenconsejo led after the first printout. Maui Now.

Kauai

Bernard Carvalho Jr. will serve as mayor of Kauai and Niihau for another four years. With his re-election, he will become the first person to serve 10 years in the position. Garden Island.

Two challengers won seats to the Kauai County Council Tuesday night. Arryl Kaneshiro and KipuKai Kualii earned victories by finishing third and fourth, respectively, bumping incumbents Tim Bynum and Jay Furfaro off the seven-member board. Garden Island.

The incumbent Kauai state representatives won big on Tuesday night. Garden Island.