Honolulu rail gets federal boost, tax collections up 10.6%, ethics chief keeps job, bird poop bill advances, tax hikes in store for Hawaii County, more flights to Hawaii, Honolulu may ban smoking at all city parks, defamation lawsuit seeks to add online commenter, Ellison top-paid public CEO, Schatz builds Senate war chest, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

2011 Honolulu rapid transit groundbreaking, HART photo

Under President Barack Obama's budget proposal released Wednesday, Honolulu's future elevated rail system would get its full federal funding for 2014 — a move that local proponents say shows the project is in good health. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard says she's concerned about cuts to missile defense as Hawaii and the rest of the country face direct and heightened threats from North Korea. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz raised more than $1.1 million in the past three months for his election campaign next year, a warning flare to other Democrats who are thinking about challenging him in the primary. Star-Advertiser.

State tax collections are up 10.6 percent through the first nine months of the fiscal year, the state Department of Taxation announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers met at the state capitol yesterday for several hours for the second “crossover” of the 60-day working session. They debated and voted on bills before the legislation passed third reading in their respective Houses. Hawaii Reporter.

The state Ethics Commission on Wednesday gave Leslie Kondo, its executive director, a vote of confidence after the commission’s former executive director asked that he be fired. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers this session are close to passing a bill that would make feral bird feeding a public health misdemeanor. Star-Advertiser.

House Finance Chair Sylvia Luke and Senate Ways and Means Chair David Ige have announced that the first conference committee meeting on the state budget will be held on Thursday, April 11, 9:30 a.m. in room 309 at the State Capitol. Hawaii Reporter.

An online tool that predicts where and when vog may move into your neighborhood is in jeopardy because of a lack of funding. KITV4.

Homeowners with cesspools and septic tanks may breathe freely now that lawmakers have killed a bill that would have required them to pay an annual fee for monitoring water quality. Maui News.

Wednesday was a busy day for Hawaii airline news, with announcements of a new international route to China, another route to the Philippines would end, and that Mainland carrier Virgin America would introduce service to Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

State 4/11. Associated Press.

Oahu

A state agency decided Wednesday to make $6 million in repairs to the historic but vacant Royal Brewery building in Kakaako and use it as a headquarters, after a lengthy and vigorous debate over whether the move makes good financial sense. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Department refuses to release investigative details about an officer who was fired after sexually assaulting a Waikiki prostitute even though state law requires the information to be made public once a discharge is finalized. Civil Beat.

A new bill authored by City Councilman Ikaika Anderson would make smoking illegal at all city parks and beaches. Star-Advertiser.

The Slipper House, one of the few remaining original tenants at Ala Moana Center, will close at the end of May and the store's owner is going to great lengths to find jobs for his 19 employees. Hawaii News Now.

KITV takes a tour of new FBI building in Kapolei.

The population of Kalaeloa is envisioned to surge over the next two decades under a private developer's plan to add roughly 4,000 homes and 7,000 jobs to the West Oahu area that was once Barbers Point Naval Air Station. Star-Advertiser.

VIDEO: Shark surprises fishing kayaker in waters off Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii
Hawaii Island property owners could see a tax hike this year as the county struggles to meet rising costs with a budget diminished by a decrease in property values. West Hawaii Today.

The attorney for two Hawaii County employees suing former County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong and former Clerk Jamae Kawauchi is trying, again, to get information from an anonymous online commenter. West Hawaii Today.

A recent Hawaiian sovereignty protest at the Kamehameha the Great statue on Hilo’s Bayfront isn’t sitting well with some of the folks who worked to install the statue in 1997. Tribune-Herald.

The University of Hawaii’s Palamanui campus passed another hurdle late last week. West Hawaii Today.

A group that includes Big Island business and community leaders is asking the state House of Representatives to fund a permanent home for the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s pharmacy school. Big Island Now.

Hawaii Senate judiciary committee Chairman Clayton Hee has shot down two resolutions asking federal authorities to release Roger Christie from federal prison on bail. Associated Press.

Maui

Valley Island Welcomes Gov's Cabinet With Aloha. Civil Beat.

Ongoing milo tree thefts on Maui will prompt the temporary closure of parking at the area commonly referred to as “Baby Beach” in Spreckelsville, officials said. Maui Now.

Target Corp. has reached an agreement to build its fifth Hawaii store — and first on Maui — in a shopping center being built by a subsidiary of Safeway Inc. Pacific Business News.

Maui County is inviting bids from contractors to demolish and dispose of the Montana Beach house. May 1 is the deadline to submit bids. Maui News.

Kauai

The county Parks and Recreation Department presented Tuesday to the Kaua‘i County Council its plans for the upcoming fiscal year and operational budget, which is slightly smaller than its current budget. Garden Island.

Four monitors broadcasting an ocean safety video were dedicated Wednesday at the Lihu‘e Airport. Kaua‘i has seen 11 drownings this year, and community members hope the video will help spread water safety awareness. Garden Island.

Lanai

Larry Ellison, the billionaire majority owner of Lanai, was the top paid CEO of a public company in the United States in 2012 with total earnings of $96.2 million, a 24 percent increase from 2011, according to CNN Money. Pacific Business News.

More housing, a skateboard park, keeping the shorelines development-free and restoring an old bowling alley were some of the ideas that came out of a two-day Lanai community planning workshop on the Pine Isle last week, county officials said Tuesday. Maui News.

Hawaii tax collections rise; Hirono dubbed a 'silent senator'; Legislature advances campaign spending, minimum wage, environmental bills; state to get money from Google snooping; UH spending scrutinized; no need for new Oahu landfill; Hawaii County defies impact fee law; Maui dogtags returned 70 years later, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki shoppers (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

State tax collections are up 12 percent through the first eight months of the fiscal year, the state Department of Taxation reported Tuesday.The revenue is coming in higher than the 5.1 percent growth projected by the state Council on Revenues, which is scheduled to update its forecast on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono is part of a new bipartisan group in the Senate. Call it the Talk To My Press Secretary Caucus. Politico.

Proposals aimed at decreasing the influence of private money on state elections are making headway in the Hawaii Legislature. Associated Press.

Hawaii is one of 38 states that, along with the District of Columbia, will share in a $7 million settlement from Google Inc. over its collection of personal data from unsecured wireless networks while taking photos from its Street View vehicles. Pacific Business News.

The body that accredits the University of Hawaii says fallout from last year's Stevie Wonder concert debacle included inappropriate external interference from government officials and "revealed the fragility" of the university's autonomy. In a strongly worded four-page letter to UH President M.R.C. Greenwood on Monday, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges also raised concerns about the effectiveness of the Board of Regents, overlapping and "confusing" lines of authority at UH and a series of policy gaps. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii Procurement Under Fire for Wasting Millions of Dollars on Fraud and Corruption. Hawaii Reporter.

Lawmakers advanced a bill Monday that would provide a tax credit to public and private school teachers for out-of-pocket classroom expenses. Star-Advertiser.

The House Committee on Labor and Public Employment advanced a measure today to raise the minimum wage in Hawai’i.   The president …governor and local labor unions all support it … employers and their organizations by in large oppose it … and low-wage earners are caught in the middle. Hawaii Public Radio.

Members of the state House energy committee are moving forward several of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s environmental initiatives. Associated Press.

Rock climbers and their supporters attended a public hearing in Hale­iwa on Tuesday night, saying they support a legislative bill to give the state immunity from lawsuits involving their recreational activity. Star-Advertiser.

This year lawmakers have introduced some 270 resolutions, and as usual the range is broad: some are congratulatory, some express condolences and some — called concurrent resolutions — request action or state a position. Civil Beat.

Souki-led House majority has delivered solid agenda. Star-Advertiser.

Bank of Hawaii Corp.’s top executives, including CEO Peter Ho, have voluntarily reduced proposed salary increases that would have boosted their pay between 6 percent and 20 percent, the bank said Tuesday in a regulatory filing. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for March 13. Associated Press.

Oahu
Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Tuesday he does not believe another landfill on the island will be needed because technology is advancing at a rate that the city will soon be able to get rid of the most objectionable, if not all, solid wastes without putting them into the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill at Kahe Point. Star-Advertiser.

When the Senate Ways and Means Committee deferred action on Senate Bill 51 late last month, effectively killing the bill for this legislative session, it marked the quiet end to yet another chapter in a classic 25-year power play by a small group of well-connected local business owners who control the Sand Island Business Association. Civil Beat.

The cost of food, gasoline and education in Honolulu rose moderately during the second half of 2012, but overall inflation remained relatively muted, according to a government report. Star-Advertiser.

The Army said it found about $495,000 to prevent the layoff of nearly 300 contract workers at Schofield Barracks through the end of March with the hope that Congress will address a militarywide funding shortfall by then, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

The city Tuesday suspended permits issued to developer Jeff Stone to build two single-family houses in Aina Haina after state officials said a historic site might exist or had existed on the site. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Impact fees for West Hawaii schools — a state law largely ignored for almost three years — will be postponed a little longer following a heated, but ultimately fruitless, discussion Tuesday by the County Council Planning Committee. West Hawaii Today.

A parade of county department heads made its way through council chambers Tuesday, as the County Council Finance Committee heard explanations for hundreds of thousands of dollars in contract changes. West Hawaii Today.

Government officials have been eyeing Ka‘u for a spaceport as far back as the 1960s. But the latest proposal — revealed by Rep. Cindy Evans, D-North Kona, Kohala, at a community meeting last week — may be a hard sell, particularly in a county where the top executive wrote the legal brief that brought down the last spaceport plan. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A state Department of Agriculture informational meeting on plans for the release of a moth to combat fireweed, a plant toxic to most livestock, will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani. Maui News.

The first double-decker bus of the Maui Bus fleet was dedicated this morning, with the vehicle set to start servicing the Kihei Islander route by the end of March or beginning of April, said county officials. Maui Now.

Dog tags lost in Hawaii returned to family 70 years later. Hawaii News Now.

A male humpback whale with small-gauge line wrapped around its tail was totally freed on Monday, following the efforts of multiple agencies and organizations, according to a news release from the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Maui News.

Kauai

Kaua‘i’s drinking water is safe and free of the chemical herbicide atrazine, according to David Craddick, manager of the Kaua‘i County Department of Water. Garden Island.

A trial date was set in the theft case against former state representative Roland Sagum. Garden Island.

More than a handful of Kilauea residents on Tuesday let the Kaua‘i Planning Commission know they don’t want an 80-foot cell phone tower next door, even if the federal government has already established that health hazards cannot be argued against the tower. Garden Island.

The county’s Building Division is scheduled to launch a Web-based permitting system by the end of April. Garden Island.

Hawaii hotels raking it in; Legislature mulls Medicaid gap, minimum wage, reapportionment, rock climbing; Hirono's gay joke goes viral; Hawaii County seeks to buy more land; tsunami debris washes up on Maui, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii hotel pool (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hawaii’s hotel industry kicked off 2013 in record-setting fashion, reaching new highs for average room rates and total revenue. Star-Advertiser.

The House Judiciary Committee is planning to consider a bill today to include all military members when drawing district lines for state Senate and House seats. Associated Press.

Roughly 21,000 people in Hawaii who were previously covered under Medicaid will need to buy their own health insurance once President Barack Obama’s sweeping federal health care overhaul takes effect next year, the chief executive of the Hawaii Primary Care Association told a state Senate committee Monday. Associated Press.

Allowing Hawaii residents who earn up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level to return to the state’s Medicaid program could save more than $20 million in health care costs, health care providers told state senators Monday. West Hawaii Today.

The state House of Representatives’ Labor and Public Employment Committee will vote today on a bill that would raise the state’s minimum wage by $2 over the course of two years, with the first increase in July 2014. Garden Island.

One third of the tsunami warning buoys that Hawaii and others rely on for advance notice of impending waves aren't working or sending data, federal officials say. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Gets a C on Transparency Report Card. Hawaii Reporter.

In 1995, the Hawaii Legislature passed a bill that made secret the names of county police officers who had been suspended for misconduct. Less than two years later, the Hawaii Office of Information Practices wrote a formal opinion that undercut that law, saying the public has a fundamental right know about cops who were getting in trouble. Civil Beat.

A state lawmaker is now launching Senate hearings into whether the Department of Public Safety is capable of keeping inmates like Cyril Chung safe. Hawaii News Now.

Dangers at Hawaii's correctional facilities are hurting not just the inmates involved, but also are racking up costs for taxpayers. KHON2.

A student dressed as an Oompa Loompa from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" was seen walking the state Capitol halls Monday, encouraging legislators to limit youth access to tobacco products. Star-Advertiser.

The state Legislature hit halftime last week, sealing the fate of bills that failed to pass the House or Senate by mid-session. Tribune-Herald.

The Department of Defense could start furloughing civilian employees April 26, including 19,000 people in Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

Federal budget cuts affect military jet flyovers. Hawaii Air National Guard forced to trim Memorial Day flybys. KITV4.

State Legislature Focus on Rock Climbing. Hawaii Public Radio.

Months after cracking a joke on the campaign trail, that joke has launched Hawaii's newest U.S. senator to ‘viral status' in the world of social media. Hawaii News Now.

State roundup for March 12. Associated Press.

Oahu

The USS Freedom, an aluminum-and-steel warship that will chart the Navy's future in the shallows where shipping and people are prevalent, pulled into Pearl Harbor on Monday on its way to history as the first ship in its class to head to Singapore on rotational deployments. Star-Advertiser.

The long-awaited Ewa Mahiko Gym opened to park-goers over the weekend, more than 18 months behind schedule and $600,000 over budget. Star-Advertiser.

Graduate students at UH Manoa haven’t received a raise in nearly a decade. This low pay combined with Hawaii’s high cost of living is making life for graduate students in Hawaii a struggle … forcing many to get second jobs to supplement their income. Hawaii Public Radio.

A report issued last month by the city's Department of Facility Maintenance pinpoints which Honolulu City Council districts have the worst roads on Oahu. KITV4.

Down to Earth Organic & Natural said its five stores in Hawaii will begin requiring foods with ingredients containing genetically-modified organisms to be labeled as such by 2018, following Whole Foods Market's announcement last week that it will do the same. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Having acquired almost 1,000 acres for protection since its inception in 2006, the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Commission is asking the public to nominate more parcels for consideration. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Farmers Union is asking state legislators to restore $1 million to fund research into the coffee berry borer situation on Hawaii Island. West Hawaii Today.

Stop calling it "the Big Island." That's the request of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, the top marketing arm of the state's Hawaii Tourism Authority. Civil Beat.

The Mokupapapa Discovery Center in downtown Hilo is getting a new home just in time for its 10th anniversary in June. Big Island Now.

The Three Fat Pigs and The Thirsty Wolf, a new restaurant and gastropub by 24-year-old Waimea chef Philip “Ippy” Aiona, is a foodie fairy tale come to life. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Council committees on Maui are finalizing items this week before the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Session begins at the end of the month. Maui Now.

The state Senate has approved a bill to establish a daily, around-the-clock special emergency services medical response vehicle based at Maalaea, but the amended version includes no specified funding and wouldn't go into effect until 2050. Maui News.

A refrigerator-sized piece of ocean debris, possibly from the Japanese earthquake/tsunami two years ago, was removed by helicopter from the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve shoreline Monday. Maui News.

Kauai

A trial date has been set for former state Rep. Roland Sagum III, accused of stealing rocks from a heiau on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

What do they wish you to do? The question was posed by the Rev. Noriaki Fujimori of the Waimea Higashi Hongwanji Sunday during the Japan Disaster Memorial Service and Concert, in memory of the 2011 tsunami in Japan. Garden Island.

Bag fee advancing in Hawaii Legislature, adult care industry lobbies to keep inspections secret, Hawaii court says online commenter can remain anonymous, Honolulu revisits commercial beach ban, Young Bros. seeks shipping increase, tsunami debris washing onto Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii KTA grocery clerks (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Gov. Neil Abercrombie's plan to raise money for watershed protection and invasive species control by charging consumers a 10-cent fee on disposable checkout bags or increasing taxes on multimillion-dollar real estate transactions is alive at the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

Amid a downpour of last-minute criticism from the adult care home industry, Hawaii lawmakers further diluted a bill that would require the state to post online its inspection reports of facilities for the elderly and disabled. Civil Beat.

Representatives from three House committees are moving forward a plan to let Hawaii raise revenue by developing unused public school lands. Associated Press.

A bill that would require coverage and benefits for patients with autism spectrum disorders passed committee approval in the state House on Friday. Maui Now.

Let the solar wars begin. The Hawaii Solar Energy Association on Friday denounced the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization’s recently released report on the controversial solar photovoltaic tax credits. Pacific Business News.

A bill labelled “Draconian” by the county’s prosecuting attorney because it could result in government seizure of land for crimes such as harassment is being considered by the state Senate. Big Island Now.

Young Brothers Ltd. has filed a request with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission that would allow the interisland shipper to adjust its rates for the next three years using the cost of labor, cargo volume and inflation as the determining factors. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

In the 2012 elections, Hawaii saw one local dark money group emerge and play a major role in the Honolulu mayoral race. The Pacific Resource Partnership didn't have to disclose its donors and yet spent $3.6 million to defeat anti-rail candidate Ben Cayetano. Civil Beat.

The controversial law that banned commercial activities at city beaches and parks is being revisited. KHON2.

The city of Honolulu says a new Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division substation is needed in case the Waikiki Natatorium, which houses administrators and lifeguards covering Oahu's South Shore, is deemed unsafe. Star-Advertiser.

Since November 2011, the (de)Occupy Honolulu movement has been planted along a stretch on Beretania street. The Honolulu City Council is proposing two bills could that could pack up its tents and free pathways around Oahu for good. Hawaii News Now.

A Minnesota-based developer of housing for artists has partnered with a Hawaiian cultural group to build low-income rental apartment lofts on state land in Kakaako where artists can live and create and showcase their art. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The newspaper website commenter known only as “Taxedtodeath” won’t have to reveal his or her identity, a 3rd Circuit Court judge ruled Friday afternoon. West Hawaii Today.

The University of Hawaii is seeking ways to close an $8.8 million shortfall so it can begin construction of a long-planned community college campus in West Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

State wildlife officials say large swaths of koa forest on the Big Island are losing their leaves, and a sudden outbreak of a native moth is to blame. Big Island Now.

Police say the Waimea Foodland Super Market was evacuated for more than three hours Saturday morning after a grenade was found in the produce section of the store. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Community to initiate effort to rebuild play area in Haiku. Maui News.

A voluntary coral management plan, which was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coral Reef Conservation Program, is the first in the state that comprehensively addresses how runoff is affecting deteriorating reef health. Maui News.

Mayor Alan Arakawa and three council members, including new Council Chairwoman Gladys Baisa, will make presentations at Tuesday's meeting of the Kula Community Association. Maui News.

Kauai

Without discussion, the Kaua‘i County Council passed in first reading a bill which corrects an oversight that has erased from the Kaua‘i County Code a late-night prohibition on alcoholic beverages at county parks. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i residents have seen a spike in the amount of debris — including pieces of refrigerators — on Kaua‘i’s beaches, and experts say it’s part of the Japanese tsunami debris making the unpleasant new waves. Garden Island.

Sen. Mazie K. Hirono kicks off a four-day Bringing Hawai‘i’s Voice To Washington listening tour Monday on the Garden Isle. Garden Island.

Molokai

This year marks 20 years of coffee production on the island of Molokai. Also in 2013, the entire coffee industry in the State of Hawaii celebrates 200 years of producing the crop. Coffees of Hawaii will host a free two-day festival March 15 and 16 at the plantation in Kualapu`u. Molokai Dispatch.

Fragile sand dunes of Moʻomomi on Molokai, once overrun with alien kiawe thickets, are blooming with new native growth. Molokai Dispatch.

Land Board considers Thirty Meter Telescope, Hawaii Legislature snuffs out pot bill, Honolulu rail opponents file appeal, Coco Palms resort seeks more time, power for Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Thirty Meter Telescope rally in Hilo (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Dozens of supporters, and an even larger cadre of opponents, lined the streets outside and the hallways inside the Hawaii County Building in Hilo on Tuesday morning in anticipation of the final hearing for a construction permit for the Thirty Meter Telescope before the state Board of Land and Natural Resources. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii will not be following Colorado and Washington state on legalizing marijuana — at least not this year. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would have legalized marijuana in Hawaii died in the state House on Tuesday. Associated Press.

State tax credits for residents who install rooftop solar systems are no longer a good deal for the state and could end up costing Hawaii taxpayers $1.4 billion over the long term, according to a new report by University of Hawaii economists. Civil Beat.

Hawaii representatives are pushing forward a bill that would require certain businesses to post signs with information on resources for victims of human trafficking. Associated Press.

Critics are taking aim at a bill moving through the Legislature that they say is an attempt to shield one member of the now-defunct Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force from state ethics laws. Civil Beat.

House lawmakers advance gambling measure. Bill clarifies gambling laws to cover 'sweepstakes' machines. KITV4.

Tenacious anti trafficking advocacy organizations are working to get passed new laws that increase penalties for patrons of prostitution. Hawaii Reporter.

A bill working through the Legislature would impose a penny per ounce fee on sugary beverages — sports drinks, juice and soda — at the distributor level. West Hawaii Today.

The Tourism industry experienced record visitor arrivals and spending last year … prompting the Governor to propose a bill to raise hotel room taxes. Hawaii Public Radio.

University Officials Find It Hard to Break Habit of Secrecy. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Senate President Donna Mercado Kim has chosen a Monsanto lobbyist to be on the group that recommends candidates for the state water commission. Civil Beat.

State roundup for February 13. Associated Press.

Oahu

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano and other plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit trying to stop Honolulu’s elevated-rail mass-transit project filed an appeal Tuesday in the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Pacific Business News.

Representatives of the city Department of Planning and Permitting got more than an earful of negative comments at a public hearing Tuesday about the orientation of a planned $180 million condominium-hotel tower proposed for Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council is asking the mayor for a moratorium on enforcing certain components of a parks commercial-activity ban. KHON2.

A city law that took effect last summer has all but canned this year's nonprofit Pineapple Festival in Wahiawa, and the Hale­iwa Arts Festival will also have to be scrapped unless a change is made. Star-Advertiser.

Bill to increase chicken ownership. Hawaii News Now.

A planned project to build two homes near the entrance of a popular hiking trail in Aina Haina has stirred questions from some area residents who worry the project will lead to more construction. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The federal Social Security Administration on Tuesday resumed face-to-face visits in Kona and has scheduled two more visits at the West Hawaii Civic Center before once again discontinuing the service. West Hawaii Today.

A 3rd Circuit Court judge has stopped at least some development at the Villages of Aina Lea project in South Kohala until the land owner files a supplemental environmental impact statement. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Community College at Palamanui may soon clear a hurdle if the University of Hawaii Board of Regents decides to issue revenue bonds to cover the remaining cost of the long-awaited project. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Upcountry Maui is the heart of the island’s agricultural community, with a bounty of flowers, produce, livestock and, of course, world-famous Maui onions. Star-Advertiser.

For a second time, Haiku clothing designer Lisa Letarte Cabrinha has landed one of her bikinis on the coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition cover, which hits newsstands today. Maui News.

Goodfellow Bros. says that it is laying off 100 workers as a result of a Land Use Commission ruling against the Kihei Malls development (aka “Kihei Mega-Mall”). Maui Now.

Maui County has been awarded a grant for technical assistance to develop green streets strategies that would use a combination of vegetation and innovative engineering techniques to manage storm water, the Environmental Protection Agency and members of Hawaii's congressional delegation announced last week. Maui News.

Kauai

Retired car dealer James Henry Pflueger lied about how much in taxes he owed on the sale of a commercial property in San Diego because he needed the money for his legal expenses in the Ka Loko Dam disaster and other judgments, federal prosecutor Les Osborne said Tuesday in opening statements of Pflueger’s conspiracy and tax evasion trial. Star-Advertiser.

The owner of Coco Palms Resort, after allowing a set of key permits to expire last month, has requested an extension, saying that they are in negotiations with a “Hawaiian group” to develop the property. Garden Island.

Hawaii regulators have approved the power-purchase agreement between the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative and Unitek Solvent Services Inc. Pacific Business News.

Senator Mazie Hirono will be on Kaua‘i Feb. 18 to meet with U.S. military veterans of all eras. Garden Island.

Molokai

A kapa pattern symbolizing ancestry, family and transportation will mark the turboprop aircraft flown by Hawaii’s newest interisland operation when `Ohana by Hawaiian inaugurates service to Molokai and Lanai this summer. Molokai Dispatch.

Gay marriage bill dies, soda fee advances, Public Land Development Corp. faces repeal, Hawaii drops in ranking of government employees, charter school employee fined for conflict of interest, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii beach scene courtesy illustration

The state House Judiciary Committee has decided not to hear a bill to legalize gay marriage, likely tabling the issue for this year. Star-Advertiser.

Governor Neil Abercrombie issued a statement on the topic of marriage equality, calling on legislators to hold hearings on the marriage equality bill to further discussions on equal treatment. Maui Now.

The state Senate Health Committee voted Monday to advance a soda fee of 1 cent per ounce — or $1.28 per gallon — that would raise about $37 million a year to counter obesity. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers from two House committees have voted to repeal the Public Land Development Corporation, bowing to strong community opposition across the Hawaiian Islands. Associated Press.

Bending to public pressure, state House and Senate committees agreed Monday to repeal the Public Land Development Corp. Star-Advertiser.

House education committee Chair Roy Takumi wants to allow the state to lease unused public school land and use the revenue to help improve Hawaii’s schools. Associated Press.

A selective digest of bills and briefings of interest Tuesday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Hawaii has slipped from having the highest percentage of government employees to third behind the District of Columbia and Alaska, according to a Gallup poll report released Monday. West Hawaii Today.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono warned Monday of "devastating" sequestration budget cuts that could cost Hawaii 11,000 jobs, result in furlough days for 18,000 defense civilians and cut into defense contracts that average $2.3 billion a year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines’ parent said Monday that it has named its turboprop interisland subsidiary Ohana by Hawaiian, and said the service operated by contractor Empire Airlines will launch this summer with flights to Molokai and Lanai. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for February 12. Associated Press.

Oahu

The state has decided not to prosecute Stoneridge Recoveries, the controversial vendor that had the city's most lucrative towing contract for eight years, on allegations of insurance fraud. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The state Ethics Commission announced Monday that it has fined a Big Island charter school employee $10,000 for breaking conflict-of-interest laws. Civil Beat.

Police have arrested a 23-year-old Kona man whose threatening text messages prompted schools in Waimea and Honokaa to lock down their campuses Monday morning. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Financial pressures, including the decline of cruise ships visits to Maui, have led The Hawai'i Nature Center in Iao Valley to close its interactive museum and gift shop. Maui News.

The state Land Use Commission ruled Thursday that revised plans for a commercial and light industrial subdivision violate the commission's 1995 order to reclassify 68 acres from agricultural to urban use and ordered the project stopped. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

The Beach House Restaurant in Po‘ipu has been named one of the top 37 “Most Romantic Restaurants” in the United States by Travel + Leisure magazine. Garden Island.

Lanai

After nearly three years of waiting, Lanai residents are enjoying their own, full-time public health nurse. Maui News.

Manhunt on for Hilo man who shot two cops, Obama vacation cost up $3.2M, kids grade teaachers, Hawaii congressional delegation to be sworn in today, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kilauea Volcano thermal image, courtesy USGS

The ongoing eruption of Kilauea's East Rift Zone has lasted longer — and spewed out more lava — than any other in at least the last half-century of the volcano's history. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama's decision to rejoin his family on their Hawaii vacation will cost taxpayers another $3.2 million for an already pricey holiday stay. Hawaii Reporter.

President Barack Obama not only returned to Hawaii Wednesday but also was back on the golf course. Associated Press.

How President Barack Obama spent the first day of his holiday vacation in Hawaii on Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

A renewed Hawai‘i congressional delegation is hitting the ground running this week in Washington, D.C., in the aftermath of Congress’ last-minute bi-partisan compromise on New Year’s Day to avert the fiscal cliff. Garden Island.

Hawaii's first woman senator is being sworn in with the new Congress today. Associated Press.

The new session of the U. S. Congress gets underway tomorrow. Among those being sworn in is the new representative of Hawaii's second congressional district. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii's teachers are worried that kids may be allowed to say some pretty damaging things about them as part of a new evaluation process that lets students as young as kindergarten rate their teachers. Civil Beat.

Getting state ID card takes 2- to 3-hour wait. With the counties now issuing identification, driver’s licensing sites become quite crowded. Star-Advertiser.

Rep. Gil Keith-Agaran, who is in line to become the House majority leader in the next Legislature, plans to seek the state Senate seat made vacant by the promotion of former Senate President Shan Tsu­tsui to lieutenant governor. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly every employee in Hawaii will see their take-home pay take a 2 percent cut, thanks to the payroll tax reductions that expired on Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

Defense contractors in Hawaii are bracing for a one-two punch: federal budget cuts as a result of the fiscal cliff and the potential for fewer federal contracts awarded to island companies because of the death of U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii's lone commercial producer of biodiesel says it won't have to raise its prices for the alternative fuel thanks to the decision by Congress to extend a tax credit for the industry. Star-Advertiser.

Officials from the state Department of Agriculture say a live raccoon was captured aboard a Matson cargo ship after it arrived in Honolulu from Long Beach, Calif. on Monday. Hawaii News Now.

State roundup for January 3. Associated Press.

Oahu

Restoring bus routes, ensuring rail is done right, repaving and maintaining roads and improving park maintenance top the priority list for Mayor Kirk Caldwell, who was sworn in Wednesday as the 14th mayor of the City and County of Honolulu in a ceremony that also included the new members of the City Council. Star-Advertiser.

For the first time in Honolulu history, the mayor and City Council on Wednesday morning shared the stage in a joint swearing-in ceremony. Civil Beat.

Caldwell inaugurated as Honolulu mayor. KITV4.

A city pool plagued with problems has not been used for years. KHON2.

Macy’s downtown Honolulu store, long rumored to be on the chopping block, will close in early spring as part of what the company calls  “normal-course adjustments to its portfolio.” Star-Advertiser.

The new year appears likely to usher in a building boom in Honolulu as Kakaako’s two major landowners move ahead with plans to develop a forest of new high-rise condominiums in the area between Ala Moana and downtown. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Two police officers were shot Wednesday night in Hilo near the site of the former Green Onion Restaurant along the 1200 block of Kilauea Avenue. Hawaii News Now.

Two police officers responding to a report of shots fired near the Wailoa River in Hilo were shot by a man hiding under a parked vehicle Wednesday evening. Star-Advertiser.

Two police officers shot in Hilo. Hawaii Police Department.

Kealakekua Bay closed to kayakers Wednesday morning with little fanfare. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Police Department is adding a hostage negotiation control center to its fleet of vehicles. West Hawaii Today.

The Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant is in need of $12 million to upgrade the North Kona facility’s aeration system and remove sludge from treatment lagoons. West Hawaii Today.

No free rides home for drunks during holidays. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Kalbert K. Young, the Director of Budget and Finance for the State of Hawai’i, and former finance director for Maui County, delivered the keynote address for the 2013 Maui Council Inauguration today. Maui Now.

More than 100 new applications for the Upcountry water meter list came through in the final days before Monday's deadline to sign up. Maui News.

Kauai

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced Wednesday the release of more than $70.2 million for several capital improvement projects statewide. At least $2.19 million — with a hefty match from the federal government — will find its way onto Kaua‘i’s highways. Garden Island.

Visitors help Kaua‘i Habitat for holidays. Garden Island.