Hawaii election oversight scrutinized, Democrats take aim at Lingle, Hawaii Island Senate candidate to protest close vote, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Democratic Unity Breakfast, courtesy Richard Halverson

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Sunday that the state should review oversight of elections after irregularities on Hawaii island during the primary. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's Democratic party candidates woke up early Sunday to prepare for the general election and to signal that they're uniting to battle Linda Lingle in the race for the U.S. Senate. Hawaii News Now.

Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle is opening the final push in Hawaii’s race for U.S. Senate seat by tying her opponent Mazie Hirono to a Congress that has abysmal approval ratings. Associated Press.

Hawaii's U.S. Senate campaigns heat up as candidates take aim at one another. KITV4.

Former Gov. Linda Lingle on Sunday sought to tie U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono to a deeply unpopular Congress, while Hirono said national Republicans do not care that Lingle portrays herself as bipartisan in Hawaii because she would vote with their interests in the U.S. Senate. Star-Advertiser.

In the race for Hawaii's U.S. Senate seat, it's one person versus an entire party. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Councilwoman Tulsi Gabbard grabbed the majority of votes in all but one of 27 state House districts on her way to besting former Mayor Mufi Hannemann and four other candidates for the Democratic nomination for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District seat. Star-Advertiser.

Where They Won: Breakdown of Senate, Congress, Mayor Races. Civil Beat.

Despite a hotly contested Honolulu mayor’s race and primaries for the Senate and U.S. House, Hawaii appears likely to remain among the states with the lowest voter turnout following Saturday’s primary election. Star-Advertiser.

The political and economic winds are shifting for plans to build wind farms on Lanai and Molokai and ship the power to Oahu via undersea cable. Civil Beat.

Hawaii is the second worst in the nation for patient safety during hospital surgeries but has the lowest number of breast and prostate cancer deaths, according to a recent federal government report on health care quality. Star-Advertiser.

A growing dispute between the state and two private schools that serve special-needs students at public expense is putting a spotlight on new efforts to hold private schools that get public money for special-education students to tougher accountability standards. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for Aug. 13. Associated Press.

Oahu

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano won 33 of the 35 legislative House districts on Oahu on his way to becoming the top vote-getter in the mayoral primary election Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

The most notable aspect of Saturday’s primary was that the incumbent, Mayor Peter Carlisle, lost, with only 25 percent of the vote. This just doesn’t happen in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Jim Donovan and Rich Sheriff are scheduled to return to work at the University of Hawaii today after a three-week external investigation cleared both of wrong­­doing in the Stevie Wonder concert fiasco. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

State Senate candidate Lorraine Inouye has refused to concede her race, choosing instead to prepare for a possible legal challenge against the narrow election victory to incumbent Sen. Malama Solomon. Tribune-Herald.

One Big Island candidate feels that polling problems on her island may have affected the race. KHON2.

For the first time in Hawaii County’s history, the number of people voting absentee exceeded the number of regular voters who cast their ballots on Saturday. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A statewide community forum - with videoconferencing from Maui - will be held Wednesday to discuss changes to Medicare and Medicaid services as allowed by the federal Affordable Care Act. Maui News.

The Public Land Development Corporation (PLDC) will hold statewide public hearings, starting Monday August 20, for adoption of new Hawai‘i Administrative Rules (HAR) for the PLDC. Maui Now.

Kauai

Saturday’s lowest-ever percentage turnout for a primary election on Kaua‘i is somewhat offset by the highest-ever number of registered voters for the general election. Garden Island.

The Kaua‘i Planning Commission will continue Tuesday a public hearing initiated July 24 on the expansion of the Princeville Center. Garden Island.

Molokai

A once-in-20-year opportunity is coming up for Molokai residents to share feedback and suggestions for the cable television service provided by Oceanic Time Warner Cable. Molokai Dispatch.

On Molokai, one of the largest landowners in the state is attempting to legalize its controversial method of transporting drinking water. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii's largest newspaper endorses Hirono for U.S. Senate, rail transit defines Honolulu mayoral race, tourism, economy ticking upward, Hawaii County clerk investigates voter fraud, Kauai electric co-op celebrates, Colt Brennan arrested, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Mazie Hirono campaign photo

Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case took an assertive tack Thursday night in the final debate with U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono before the Demo­cratic primary for U.S. Senate, casting Hirono as a fringe liberal who considers the federal budget deficit "an inconvenience." Star-Advertiser.

Ed Case and Mazie Hirono traded jabs and took every opportunity to outline the differences between them in their only major televised debate before the August 11 primary election. Hawaii News Now.

Case Versus Hirono, But Lingle's In the Mix. Civil Beat.

Ed and Audrey Case (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Ed Case and Mazie Hirono had no one to focus on but each other. KITV4.

Honolulu Star-Advertiser endorses Mazie Hirono for U.S. Senate. Star-Advertiser.

EMILY's List, a political action committee based in Washington, D.C., this week spent $121,600 to air a commercial endorsing 2nd Congressional District candidate Tulsi Gabbard. Civil Beat.

University of Hawaii economists are predicting Hawaii’s economy will grow 2.4 percent next year as more tourists visit the islands and the travelers who come spend more. Associated Press.

State roundup for July 27. Associated Press.

Oahu

Primary voters on Oahu could decide the fate of the city’s $5.26 billion rail project. Star-Advertiser.

Supporters of Ben Cayetano on Thursday launched a round of radio ads aimed at Pacific Resources Partnership and its executive director, John White, defending themselves against the pro-rail group’s ad campaign opposed to the former governor’s mayoral campaign based on killing the city’s rail project. Star-Advertiser.

Rail Makes Caldwell The Man In The Middle. Civil Beat.

Former University of Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan is facing possible drug and drunken-driving charges following his arrest late Wednesday in Kailua. Star-Advertiser.

Police responded Thursday afternoon, following an outburst by Councilman Tom Berg during a public hearing. KITV4.

Democratic primary voters will have to choose between two longtime state legislators who suddenly find themselves battling one another to represent the new state Senate 11th District seat covering Makiki, Tantalus and Manoa. Star-Advertiser.

It's hard to find a vacant spot on Waikiki Beach or a beachfront hotel with available rooms since June ushered in the best summer season that Hawaii's visitor industry has seen in about five years. Star-Advertiser.

The number of homeless people living on the streets of Honolulu has remained level, while more people are getting help at shelters, according to an annual count released Thursday by the city. Star-Advertiser.

The first Affordable Housing Project in Wai’anae opened a year ago and has been full ever since. Hawaii Public Radio.

An opossum turned up Wednesday in a trap set for feral cats near Sand Island. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A possible voter fraud case on the Big Island is the subject of an investigation, a law enforcement source told Hawaii News Now Thursday. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii County Elections Division will send out new voter information cards to nearly 175 voters because of a ZIP code error, County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi said Thursday in a news release. Star-Advertiser.

The state’s top election officer has sent a letter to the official in charge of Hawai`i County’s Elections Division saying he is concerned that her recent actions may have shaken the public’s confidence in the upcoming primary election. Big Island Now.

County offices in both Hilo and Kona are now closed to new building permit applications a half-day a week to help Public Works clerks clear up backlogs. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii’s tourism economy is on pace for a record-breaking year in 2012 with double-digit increases in visitor arrivals and expenditures through June. Tribune-Herald.

Residents from Wainaku up through the Hamakua Coast have a few fresh faces to choose from in this year’s Hawaii County Council District 1 contest. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County has awarded a $6.4 million contract to ABHE and Svodoba Inc. for reinforcing the Reed’s Island bridge. Tribune-Herald.

Governor Neil Abercrombie has released $14 million in airport revenue bonds to finance an incomplete Capital Improvement Project at the Hilo International Airport. KHON2.

Maui

State Rep. Mele Carroll, who represents East Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe, has been flagged for again failing to report campaign contributions and expenses on time. Maui News.

Democratic candidates for the South Maui 11th House District seat expressed opposition Tuesday night to Eclipse Development's work on two mega-malls in Kihei, with one candidate taking some flak for seeking to accommodate anticipated heavy traffic and for not opposing the projects outright. Maui News.

Olive Garden and Trader Joe’s, two of the most talked-about national brands that have yet to enter the Hawaii market, could be among the mix of retailers and restaurants to open at a large retail development under development on Maui. Pacific Business News.

The Maui County Council's General Plan Committee will meet earlier than scheduled to continue deliberating on proposed growth boundaries for West Maui. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative celebrated its 10th anniversary by outlining its accomplishments during the year and anticipating its coming year, Thursday before about 200 members who attended the annual membership meeting at the Kaua‘i Community College Performing Arts Center. Garden Island.

A Lihu‘e postal worker was arrested Wednesday on a federal complaint related to selling unregistered guns that were shipped through the U.S. Postal Service, a Department of Justice press release states. Garden Island.

Hawaii County bans aerial hunting, Honolulu rail scrutinized, debated, UH officials on leave for $200k Stevie Wonder fiasco, Hurricane Emilia strengthens, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Mouflon sheep, courtesy photo

Shooting animals by helicopter on Hawaii Island, even by government agencies such as the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, is now illegal. Mayor Billy Kenoi on Wednesday signed into law a largely symbolic bill that prohibits “any person to engage in the eradication of any animal for any reason while being transported by helicopter, airplane, or any similar means.” Tribune-Herald.

Both Democrats U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono and former U.S. Rep. Ed Case, and former Republican Gov. Linda Lingle, have received the endorsement of the Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association in its respective primaries for the state's open U.S. Senate seat. Star-Advertiser.

Republican Senate candidate Linda Lingle on Wednesday released the results of an internal poll showing her ahead of Mazie Hirono and tied with Ed Case in projected November matchups. Civil Beat.

While Hawaii languishes at or near the bottom among the states in voter turnout, several other states have established enviable records of high voter participation. Civil Beat.

Hawaii consumers carried the nation's second-highest credit card debt in June despite the average balance falling 3 percent over the previous year, according to CreditKarma, a California-based credit scoring website. Star-Advertiser.

After downgrading Emilia to a Category Two hurricane, the National Hurricane Center says it has strengthened to a Category Three. Hawaii News Now.

A memo sent to Hawaii sheriffs ordering them to stand down, needs to be clarified. That's according to the interim director who didn't even see the memo before it was sent. KHON2.

State roundup for July 12. Associated Press.

Oahu

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano, campaigning for mayor on a platform to halt the city's $5.26 billion rail project and use the money to improve Honolulu's crumbling infrastructure, would be unlikely to accomplish any of that if he wins the office, his campaign rivals charged. Star-Advertiser.

Peter Carlisle and Ben Cayetano focused many of their attacks on Kirk Caldwell in the KITV-Civil Beat debate Wednesday night, offering a window in the strategies the candidates are implementing a month before the Aug. 11 primary. Civil Beat.

Pacific Resource Partnership is a leading pro-rail spender in this year’s election cycle just as it was in 2008 and 2010, but where the group’s money comes from is shrouded in secrecy. Hawaii Reporter.

Resolutions requesting an audit of all rail-related public relations contracts and seeking tighter controls on rail contract change orders won easy approval from the Honolulu City Council Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii has placed two longtime officials on indefinite leave and is seeking the help of an independent investigator and the FBI to get to the bottom of its ill-fated Stevie Wonder concert venture. Star-Advertiser.

Just a day after the embarrassing announcement that a University of Hawaii athletics fundraising concert featuring Stevie Wonder was canceled, the UH placed Athletics Director Jim Donovan on paid leave and began an investigation into the botched event. Hawaii News Now.

A debate raged during a community meeting Wednesday night, over the spread of deadly infectious diseases and plans for a bio-safety laboratory at Kalaeloa. KITV4.

The Honolulu City Council voted 7-2 on Wednesday to approve a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week ban, on commercial activity at Kailua Beach Park and at nearby Kalama Beach Park. Star-Advertiser.

Aloha Petroleum Ltd. and AeroVironment have installed electric vehicle fast chargers at three Aloha gas stations on Oahu. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

The state Department of Health Underground Storage Tank Section has issued a Notice of Violation against Aloha Petroleum Ltd., the registered owner and operator of Island Mini Mart, a fuel service station in Kailua-Kona. West Hawaii Today.

A local tour company that led youth to Kealakekua Bay’s Kaawaloa shoreline did not have a permit to be in the area where large waves a week ago swept a 15-year-old New York boy into the ocean. West Hawaii Today.

As quickly as David Choe painted an eye-catching mural below Big Island Harley-Davidson on Palani Road, it was painted over and rendered back to its original form: a gray cement retaining wall. West Hawaii Today.

Everybody knows astronauts like Tang, but what about Spam musubi? Six men and women, culled from a field of 700 applicants, will help to answer that question and many more from their perch upon a Hawaii Island lava field next year as part of HI-SEAS, or Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation, a joint NASA study between the University of Hawaii and Cornell University that will simulate a mission to Mars. Tribune-Herald.

The slopes of Mauna Loa are often described as “Mars like” terrain. Soon a handful of people will spend 4 months there living as they would on Mars. It’s a collaborative effort including researchers from the University of Hawai`i and one surprisingly qualified O`ahu mom. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui landowners in agricultural districts could be in for a shorter permitting process to offer short-term rentals under a new state law. Maui News.

The San Francisco-based investment firm co-developing a planned wind farm on Molokai says that it is interested in buying Hana Ranch in rural East Maui. Maui News.

Deer watch, wait while management plan developed. Maui News.

Judge Kelsey Kawano on Wednesday dissolved a temporary restraining order that had kept Dallas-based RadCare from taking over exclusive radiology services at Maui Memorial Medical Center. Maui News.

State crews begin emergency repair work next week to restore damaged sections of the Hana Highway. Maui Now.

Kauai

The biennial exercise known as RIMPAC is hosted by the U.S. Pacific Fleet, with some ships of the 22 participating nations training with hull-mounted active sonar around Hawai‘i’s islands. Despite efforts to reduce deadly exposure of high-pressure sound waves to sea mammals, advocates say the measures fall short. Garden Island.

The memories of Kaua‘i’s Taylor Camp still ripple across the globe, even though the camp was dismantled some 35 years ago. Garden Island.

The Kaua‘i Planning Commission on Tuesday granted a set of permits to McBryde Gardens in Lawa‘i, allowing the National Tropical Botanical Gardens to move along with a new philosophy of making its gardens more accessible and utilizing its vast collection as a tool to teach sustainability. Garden Island.

Hawaii can regulate beach weddings; Native Hawaiian tax breaks, incarceration at issue; big bucks budgets pass Honolulu, Maui councils; Hawaii council challenges aerial hunting, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii can regulate weddings on public beaches without violating people’s right to marry, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. Associated Press.

The state of Hawaii has the right to require a permit for commercial weddings on the state’s beaches, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld Hawaii's right to regulate commercial weddings on public beaches. KITV4.

News agencies are reporting that the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday upheld the State of Hawaii’s right to regulate commercial weddings on public beaches. Maui Now.

The Native Hawaiian Justice Task Force is gathering information on why Native Hawaiians are disproportionately represented among the state’s prison population. Associated Press.

In direct response to concerns about the disproportionate number of Native Hawaiians who are in prison in Hawai’i and the U.S. mainland, members of a newly-created task force are using their collective reach and access to engage policymakers in the issue, build public awareness and identify and support comprehensive solutions. Garden Island.

Final Brief In Case Challenging Hawaiian Homes Property Tax Exemption As Racial Discrimination: SG's Assertion That HAWSCT Decision Was One Of State Law "Dead Wrong." Hawaii Reporter.

Former Gov. Linda Lingle, candidate for U.S. Senate is about to get her own cable television channel. KHON2.

The Democratic Party of Hawaii appears poised to take legal action as early as this week to stop Laura Thielen from running for the state Senate. Civil Beat.

Centuries ago Hawaiians used knowledge of the stars and planets to guide their daily lives. King Kala--kaua’s Interest in astronomy helped scientists around the world measure our solar system. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu resident Jim Nabors, best known for his 1960s television role as Gomer Pyle, was among the first patients in Hawaii to get a heart valve replacement using a new procedure that avoids the stress of open-heart surgery. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for June 7. Associated Press.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council voted 8-1 on Wednesday to approve a $1.96 billion operating budget and $588.7 million capital improvements budget for the new fiscal year that begins July 1. Star-Advertiser.

The message from Wednesday's marathon Honolulu City Council hearing was clear: this nine-member body is decidedly pro-rail. KITV4

The Honolulu City Council wasted little time passing the $620-million Capital Budget bill Wednesday. The biggest dollar signs went toward improving Honolulu roadways.KHON2.

Honolulu City Council member Romy Cachola is questioning whether a public relations consultant hired by a city contractor to promote Honolulu rail inappropriately used public money to lobby him to support the controversial $5.2 billion project. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council Chair Accuses Mayor of 'Quid Pro Quo' Politics on Sewage Project. Civil Beat.

A state agency is moving closer to privatizing a $22 million renovation and expansion of Kewalo Basin to better serve commercial and recreational boaters. Civil Beat.

The general manager of Turtle Bay Resort has been appointed to the Oahu Burial Council, making it possible for the committee to meet for the first time after a five-month hiatus. Civil Beat.

About 150 opponents of a plan to expand Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu's North Shore demonstrated at Honolulu Hale Wednesday in an effort to raise public awareness and urge the City Council to reconsider decades-old approvals for the estimated $1.2 billion project. Star-Advertiser.

The man challenging Honolulu City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro in November's election said there's been a "mass exodus" of lawyers from the office since Kaneshiro took over about 18 months ago. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit will have the ability to tap up to $450 million via low-interest city loans under a bill passed by the City Council today. Star-Advertiser.

Incoming University of Hawaii Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple, who's already being paid more than the UH president, will also receive car and relocation allowances, according to Apple's employment agreement. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Council Chairman Dominic Yagong found plenty of support Wednesday for two bills challenging the state Department of Land and Natural Resources by taking up the cause of island hunters. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Council moved one step closer toward asking voters whether they support the creation of a Game Management Advisory Commission. They also approved a bill to ban the practice of eradication by aerial shooting in the county. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council passed two geothermal bills through their first reading Wednesday evening, clearing the way for final approval at a later meeting. Tribune-Herald.

Kahili ginger, a beautiful and fragrant, but prolific ornamental species, has taken root atop Kohala Mountain, slowly destroying the area’s native Hawaiian forest that many rare flora and fauna not only call home, but also require for survival. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Council this morning unanimously passed on second and final reading a $549.9 million spending plan for fiscal 2013, which includes property tax hikes and water rate and bus fare increases. Maui News.

Longtime County Council Member Joe Pontanilla will challenge attorney and incumbent Gil Keith-Agaran for the Central Maui state House seat in the Primary Election. Maui News.

A Maui County Council committee Tuesday reversed itself and decided to add 390 acres near the Makena Resort's golf course to future growth boundaries for South Maui. Maui News.

The Maui County Department of Environmental Management will begin work on a second sewer line replacement project in West Maui this month. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai County Council members have been pressing the administration for years to step up recycling efforts on the island as the Kekaha Landfill nears capacity. Garden Island

Molokai

Molokai’s ocean resources are fragile, and many say they’re rapidly disappearing. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii historic preservation agency may have misspent state funds, federal panel could decide reapportionment injunction today, Kapiolani Community College instructors miss paychecks, Hana Highway to be fixed soon, elections Commission to consider Big Island complaints, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

King Kamehameha statue, Hilo (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Hawaii's historic preservation agency was given more than $600,000 by the Legislature in the past year to beef up staff in order to avoid losing its federal certification. But the State Historic Preservation Division didn't spend any of that money on new hires. Instead it bought iPads and new cars and extended the contract of a private company. Civil Beat.

A three-judge federal panel could decide as early as Monday as to whether to grant an injunction stopping new legislative maps in the upcomng election. Even if they don’t, the case will still move to trial after the 2012 election, potentially impacting elections in 2014. Hawaii Reporter.

Deputy Attorney General Brian Aburano predicts chaos if a three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court throws out redistricting maps for Hawaii's House and Senate precincts. KITV4.

A new state program to begin this fall will offer people an alternative route to public school leadership, allowing those who have strong management skills but perhaps no classroom experience to serve three-year "residencies" as vice principals before becoming eligible to apply to be principals. Star-Advertiser.

After the Democratic Party of Hawaii "postponed" the first and long-awaited U.S. Senate candidate primary debate between Congressman Ed Case, D-HI (2002-2007) and Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, D-HI, this Friday, Case said told Hirono he still wants to debate on Thursday as scheduled. Hawaii Reporter.

Three well-known leaders remain mum on the issue of same-sex marriage: U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, a Democrat, and Republicans Linda Lingle and Charles Djou. Civil Beat.

Elvis may have left the building 40 years ago, but he will be remembered in January at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center where he originally performed the first concert ever broadcast globally via satellite to an audience estimated at 1.5 billion. Star-Advertiser.

Research shows a drastic drop in the numbers of reef sharks around populated islands -- including Hawaii. KITV4.

Oahu
Some instructors who teach noncredit courses at Kapiolani Community College say they have not been paid in several months and are owed as much as $4,000 each, but have hesitated to speak out because as "casual hires" they have no job security. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Department of Energy is providing $500,000 to a project testing wave energy in Oahu's Kaneohe Bay. Hawaii News Now.

It may be one of the most coveted ZIP codes in Hawaii, but many of the houses there are abandoned. The man who owns them is rarely seen in the neighborhood. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser said Friday that it will begin printing a Hawaii edition of USA Today next week that will condense the newspaper’s usual four sections into two and include two pages of local news. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii
Hawaii County is planning its first evacuation drill for a disaster at Puna’s nearly two-decades old geothermal power plant. Tribune-Herald.

The state Elections Commission will hear concerns about Hawaii County’s Elections Office at its May 30 meeting, according to one of its commissioners. West Hawaii Today.

West Hawaii’s pristine coastal waters are home to an estimated 200 manta rays threatened more by entanglement in fishing line and gear than hunting thanks in part to a 2009 state law, said Keller Laros, a local diver and Manta Pacific Research Foundation co-founder. West Hawaii Today.

A challenge has faced Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ever since it acquired the 115,653-acre Kahuku unit in 2003. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

East Maui residents are pleased that finally next month more than $10 million in repair work will begin along portions of Hana Highway and its surrounding areas that suffered damage from soil erosion and landslides from severe stormy weather in March. Maui News.

Maui’s Energy Future Comes Into Focus. Maui Now.

Kauai

The fate of the Hanama‘ulu branch Post Office was to be decided by May 15, but no decision has been issued yet. Garden Island.

A new flight school is now operating at the Lihu‘e Airport. Garden Island.

Molokai

Molokai’s Kanemitsu Bakery is appealing $90,000 in fines from the Department of Health. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii tourism, jobs, construction picking up, Honolulu rail project clears hurdles, teachers union Labor Board hearings end, pay raises in Honolulu council, bonuses in Maui's, Big Island ag report shows cash crops rule, sewer spill closes Kalapaki Beach, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu hula (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Hawaii residents will see their incomes grow slightly in 2012 and pick up more in following years as hiring and business profits improve, according to a University of Hawaii forecast released Friday. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s unemployment rate fell to 6.3 percent in April from 6.4 percent in March, reaching its lowest level in more than three years, the state reported Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

The long-running construction industry slump on the neighbor islands is finally reaching bottom, setting the stage for expansion over the next several years, according to a report released today by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii hotel rates rose nearly 8 percent last week on higher occupancy, according to a report by Hospitality Advisors LLC and Smith Travel Research. Pacific Business News.

The U.S. Chamber plans to spend at least $500,000 this year in support of Linda Lingle's bid for the U.S. Senate. Civil Beat.

Mainland PACs made the biggest splash this week with local political ad buys, spending more than $152,000 on Hawaii TV networks, according to Civil Beat's latest sweep of public files. Civil Beat.

After 10 months of hearings, the Hawaii teachers union wrapped up a prohibited-practice case Thursday before the Hawaii Labor Relations Board, where it argued that the state's decision to impose a contract in July violated members' rights. Star-Advertiser.

The 10-month-old case over whether Gov. Neil Abercrombie was wrong in imposing a new contract on teachers is finally coming to a head, clearing the way for negotiations to resume. Civil Beat.

A state program that provided Hawaii motorists with $4,500 toward the purchase of plug-in electric vehicles has ended earlier than expected because high consumer demand depleted the fund. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A federal judge has dismissed a number of claims from a lawsuit that alleges the $5.27 billion Hono­ulu rail proj­ect would have a harmful effect on recreational and historic sites. Star-Advertiser.

The city has won federal approval to produce the first sections of elevated guideway for the 20-mile Honolulu rail system. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu officials celebrated a federal court ruling on the rail project Thursday that reduced the number of disputed recreational and historic site claims. Civil Beat.

A U.S. District Court of Hawaii judge has ruled that Oahu’s rail-transit project will impact fewer than 10 recreational and historic sites, not the more than 40 locations cited by plaintiffs in a lawsuit. Pacific Business News.

Ninth Circuit Court Senior Judge A. Wallace Tashima, who is overseeing a federal lawsuit filed by seven plaintiffs against the City & County of Honolulu and the FTA challenging the validity of the Environmental Impact Statement for the city's $5.3 billion elevated steel on steel rail system, ruled in favor of the defendants today on one motion. Hawaii Reporter.

Proposed pay raises for Honolulu elected officials are “unaffordable” and should be rejected by the City Council, according to a resolution introduced by Council chairman Ernie Martin. Hawaii Reporter.

Tom Apple, provost of the University of Delaware, was unanimously selected as the next chancellor of the University of Hawaii's flagship Manoa campus Thursday after two UH regents said their initial dissenting views were changed during private discussions among the regents. Star-Advertiser.

Milestones are being marked by Hawaii's private-school community as something of an end of an era for two campuses that built their brands on single-gender education. Star-Advertiser.

The federal agent charged in a fatal shooting at a Waikiki McDonald's restaurant claims he was performing his duties as a law enforcement officer and is immune from prosecution. Associated Press.

The City and County of Honolulu has a new solar energy system paid for 3 years ago with federal America Reinvestment and Recovery Act --- or ARRA funding. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu prosecutors are asking a state judge to keep sealed a request to dismiss a murder charge against a State Department special agent and its supporting exhibits, which include surveillance videotapes of the fatal shooting at a McDonald's Waikiki restaurant last year. Star-Advertiser.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating a series of violent and disturbing death threats against Duane ‘Dog' Chapman and his family, according to sources close to the Chapman family. Hawaii News Now.

It's been decades in the making. But in just a few months, the University of Hawaii West Oahu's new campus will open in Kapolei. KHON2.

Hawaii

Big Island farmers have more than 42,700 acres of land in crop production, but only a small portion of that product enters the local food supply. Tribune-Herald.

West Hawaii’s four main agricultural areas constitute 37.2 percent of the 42,700 acres in crop production on the entire island, but the majority of the crops grown here do not contribute to the island’s food supply. West Hawaii Today.

If another State Historic Preservation Plan is created, the State Historic Preservation Division needs to take action on its contents — not shelve it, Big Island residents voiced Thursday in Kailua-Kona. West Hawaii Today.

As friends, family and loved ones seek to heap praise — and lei — on high school graduates this weekend, they are likely to feel their pocketbooks getting a little lighter than usual. Tribune-Herald.

West Hawaii Today was honored recently at the 27th annual Hawaii Publishers Association’s Pa‘i Awards in Honolulu. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Five Maui County Council members have continued a practice of giving pay bonuses to office staff members, according to records released for the first three quarters of this fiscal year. Maui News.

Maui County and state officials are working together to help start the first community center for the people of Nahiku. Maui Now.

Maui County paramedics will hold open houses at their stations during Emergency Medical Services week from Sunday to May 26. Maui News.

Kauai

County officials closed Kalapaki Beach Thursday morning after a substantial sewage spill Wednesday evening at the Lihu‘e Wastewater Treatment Plant on Ninini Point Street above Kaua‘i Lagoons Golf Course. Garden Island.

Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs were on Kaua‘i Wednesday and Thursday to hear from the community, in two forums that were dominated by interest in poi mills and taro farms. Garden Island.

Who in their right mind would envision a garden with at least 50 different kinds of vegetables and fruit trees facing Kaua‘i’s windward coast? Garden Island.

Molokai

New leadership at Molokai Ranch hopes to get a fresh start with the community as they bring sustainability to the forefront and develop and share their ideas for the island. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii residents getting older, Maui's Haleakala summit trail may reopen after 70 years, Honolulu City Council considers raises, Hawaii County Council debates geothermal fund, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Older beachgoers on Waikiki Beach (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The number of Hawaii residents age 65 and older grew more than three times faster than the rest of the total state population from 2010 to 2011, according to a state analysis of new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Pacific Business News.

A Hawaii Supreme Court decision requiring the state to fund the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will do little to help the struggling agency in the short term. Civil Beat.

The State Historic Preservation Division wants to hear from residents as they craft a new historic preservation plan. The office is seeking input from residents on how to best define and set priorities for  historic preservation statewide. Hawaii Public Radio.

Fifty-three percent of Hawaii’s public high schools’ Class of 2011 enrolled in college for the fall semester following their commencement, an increase of three percent over the previous years’ graduating class enrollment, according to a new study released Wednesday by the Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education and the Hawaii State Department of Education. KITV4.

With a little more than a week remaining in the school year, public school teachers will begin voting today on a proposed contract offer they overwhelmingly rejected in January and that Gov. Neil Abercrombie says has no legal standing. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s teacher union members begin voting this week on a contract they rejected earlier this year, despite warnings from the state that the agreement is no longer valid. Associated Press.

This election season, a number of public employees are also working to help their boss get re-elected, raising the question of whether it's fair for people who are collecting a public paycheck to also work for a political candidate who has opponents. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Ocean Resources Management Plan's value lies not in the paper on which it’s recorded, but in the collective and ongoing actions that happen after, officials with the state Office of Planning’s Coastal Zone Management Program and its Honolulu-based consultant SSFM International said Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaiians set the model for sustainable aquaculture, with traditional fish ponds, a Sierra Club member said Wednesday evening. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

Mayor Peter Carlisle’s administration and Honolulu City Council members have less than six weeks to decide whether to accept pay raises awarded to them by the City Salary Commission. Hawaii Reporter.

University of Hawaii regents are expected to approve the next chancellor for UH's flagship Manoa campus today, with a proposed salary of $100,000 more a year than his predecessor. Star-Advertiser.

Concrete pouring for rail-column foundations has been underway in West Oahu for weeks. Today the first up-close look was allowed. KHON2.

The holes are dug and now concrete is being poured on the Honolulu rail transit line. Hawaii News Now.

The embattled Wahiawa elderly care center at the heart of a federal investigation for alleged misuse of $7.9 million in federal grants has been awarded money from the Hawaii Legislature. Civil Beat.

The effort by St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii to sell two shuttered medical facilities on Oahu that it recently took back in bankruptcy has attracted an offer from a partnership led by someone very familiar with the properties in Liliha and Ewa. Star-Advertiser.

The operator of four Hawaii hospitals has agreed to allow more than half of its compensation increases be tied to performance standards, starting in two years. Hawaii News Now.

Modest improvements in Oahu's job market were reflected at the WorkForce job fair Wednesday at Blaisdell Center, which attracted more employers and a higher quality of applicants than the same event a year ago. Star-Advertiser.

The State Department special agent accused of fatally shooting a man at a McDonald's restaurant in Waikiki in November claims he was performing his duties as a federal law enforcement officer and is therefore immune from prosecution under state law, according to records filed in the case this week. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Proposed amendments to the Big Island’s geothermal royalty policy cleared its first legislative hurdle Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

A charter amendment to give the County Council more say in how taxpayer money is spent faces an uphill climb following a deadlock vote Wednesday by the council’s Finance Committee. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
Hikers may be taking the old trail to the summit of Haleakala for the first time in seven decades later this year following an agreement approved by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday in Honolulu. Maui News.

Former governor Linda Lingle returned to the Valley Isle on Tuesday for the opening of her Maui headquarters in her campaign for US Senate. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kaua‘i Marathon caused some stir among some residents last year when the Kaua‘i County Council approved substantial subsidies for this year’s event, scheduled for Sept. 2. Garden Island.

Syngenta Seeds brought the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank’s Spring Healthy Food and Fund Drive to a healthy close Tuesday. Garden Island.

The Agency on Elderly Affairs has scheduled another round of the popular workshop series for older adults titled “Better Choices, Better Health” Garden Island.

Hawaii Supreme Court affirms native rights stop at state parks, governor's mansion upgrades include $12k dog run, GOP continues push for relevance, UH chancellor wins $300k sabbatical, Maui debates bus fares, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands for smartphone and web

Keaukaha (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Supreme Court has affirmed that a Native Hawaiian practitioner violated state park rules by setting up residence in a closed area of Kalalau Valley, despite his defense that he had a constitutional right to live there as a caretaker. Civil Beat.

Bank of Hawaii announced on Monday it is working with the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Office of Hawaiian Affairs    to be the first bank to offer Hawaiian language prompting in its ATMs. Pacific Business News.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and First Lady Nancie Caraway have spent more than $41,000 in taxpayer money on improvements to the governor's residence since moving in about a year ago. KITV4.

Hawaii's 20 Republican delegates in the presidential primary are breaking down as expected following the state's caucus in March. Associated Press.

Two years ago … 46-thousand registered Republicans voted in Hawai’i … a little more than 6 percent of all voters in the state.    Hawai’i Republican Party delegates gathered for their 2012 State Convention this weekend … and the goal of GOP leaders is to rebuild the party from the ground up. Hawaii Public Radio.

Charles Djou

FACT CHECK — Charles Djou: I Accepted No PAC Money Last Quarter. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers this year pushed hard and passed a bill that enables Department of Land and Natural Resources officers to carry the electric weapons. Civil Beat.

Hawaii will get more than $128,000 to help protect and preserve Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles and hawksbill turtles. Associated Press.

The state Judicial Selection Commission has forwarded to Gov. Neil Abercrombie the lists of nominees to fill an impending vacancy on the Hawaii Supreme Court and a vacancy on the Circuit Court bench on Maui. Star-Advertiser.

PBN has received more than a dozen new entries for the Social Madness social media challenge over the past week and a half, which means we’re nearing the four-dozen mark for the challenge. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

University of Hawaii at Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw will be paid nearly $300,000 for a ten- month sabbatical after she steps down from her position this summer and she will land another high paying UH job next year. Hawaii News Now.

A change in the electric rate system implemented last year means a slightly larger bill for Oahu residents. KHON2.

With bagpipers and motorcycle officers leading the way, more than 200 police officers, their supporters and dignitaries marched down Beretania Street from the main police station to the state Capitol on Monday to observe the start of Police Week 2012 and pay homage to those who died in the line of duty. Star-Advertiser.

As Hawaii honors its fallen police officers this week, the push continues to build a permanent memorial. Hawaii News Now.

An attorney for three Honolulu Police Department officers who filed a federal lawsuit charging HPD with race and gender discrimination alleges that top-ranking HPD officers, city attorneys and the city Equal Opportunity Office conspired to cover up wrongdoing by officers. Star-Advertiser.

A Teamsters Union supervisor on the “Hawaii Five-0” television production was asphyxiated by police at his Nanakuli home in February and was in a “cocaine-induced excited delirium” when he died, according to the City Medical Examiner’s office. Hawaii Reporter.

The book shelves in Washington Middle School's library are overflowing, not so much with books, but termite droppings. KHON2.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is visiting Pearl Harbor on the way home to San Diego after a six-month deployment to Asia and the Middle East. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Koyo USA Corp. will pay $2 million in two installments to settle an alleged violation involving use of an unapproved manufacturing process for its bottled water, known as Mahalo Hawaii Deep Sea. West Hawaii Today.

Mayor Billy Kenoi’s $365.1 million budget moved forward with few changes Monday, but it’s likely to face many more amendments when it comes up for a final vote May 31. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Council members debated the merits of a community relief shelter in the middle of Puna’s Leilani Estates subdivision before sending it back for further refinement. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A $1-per-ride fee and a $2 daily pass would be eliminated for riders of the Maui Bus public transit service under a proposal that has advanced in the Maui County Council. Maui News.

Maui County Council members paid nearly $77,000 in bonuses to office staff members over two fiscal years, but they maintain that the compensation is justified because their employees work long hours, get no overtime pay and can't count on long-term job security. Maui News.

Kauai

A “change of operations” is the term used to describe what will happen at the Makaweli Poi Mill next week, said Bryna Storch, operations manager at the mill. Garden Island.

Operations at Makaweli Poi Mill will be suspended soon, according to a statement from Hi‘ipoi LLC, the mill’s operating company. Hawaii Independent.

Federal officials are asking the public to keep their distance from two newborn Hawaiian monk seals on Kauai for the safety of the pups — and onlookers. Star-Advertiser.

Molokai

An informational meeting will be held on Molokai to discuss the planned construction activities and improvements for the Molokai to Maui commuter ferry. Maui Now.

Federal judge lets Hawaii Family Forum intervene in gay marriage case, Legislature focuses on spending bills, near-miss over Oahu investigated, hostess bars limited on Maui, Hawaii County pay held stable, push polls concern Honolulu candidates, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands for smartphone and web

Honolulu gay rights rally (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

A federal judge ruled Monday that the Hawaii Family Forum can intervene against a legal attack on Hawaii's marriage laws. KITV4.

With Gov. Neil Abercrombie opposing the request and his state Health Director Loretta Fuddy supporting it, a federal judge granted a motion Monday by the Hawaii Family Forum to intervene in a court case and defend Hawaii laws banning same-sex marriages. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge says the Christian organization Hawaii Family Forum may participate in a legal case addressing the issue of gay marriage. Associated Press.

After a weekend of budget negotiations, House and Senate committee members agreed on Monday to focus spending on public health and safety, social services and education. Associated Press.

In their last act under an extended deadline, state lawmakers agreed Monday to provide $11.6 million for social service programs, restoring some of the money that had been cut during the recession. Star-Advertiser.

With the wrangling over the state budget complete, Hawaii is poised to infuse more than $3 billion worth of construction projects into the economy over the next year. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers want to expand early learning opportunities statewide. KHON2.

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa

Civil rights activist Mitchell Kahle and his friend Kevin Hughes filed a Circuit Court lawsuit Friday against former Senate President Colleen Hanabusa over Kahle's ouster from the State Capitol after he objected to opening the Senate session with a prayer. Star-Advertiser.

An overhaul of the state’s 1-year-old foreclosure law is expected to pass the Legislature today. Star-Advertiser.

Senate lawmakers have shelved a controversial bill that would have banned health insurers from serving on the board of the state's new health insurance exchange. Star-Advertiser.

Seventeen million dollars. That's the hole the Hawaii Department of Education has to fill in its school bus budget. On Tuesday the Board of Education is expected to hear an official recommendation from the department on how to cover the shortfall. Civil Beat.

State roundup for May 1. Associated Press.

Oahu
A mistake by an air-traffic controller resulted in two jets being put on a collision course as they approached Honolulu International Airport in January. A Hawaii News Now investigation revealed the incident was never reported to higher ups at the Federal Aviation Administration, resulting in an FAA probe and the retirement of the longtime head of air traffic control in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Architecture and engineering students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa will have the chance to design and engineer homes at a state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands subdivision in Kapolei, under agreements signed Monday by UH President M.R.C. Greenwood and Hawaiian Homes Commission Chairman Alapaki Nahale-a. Star-Advertiser.

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano

Both former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano, a candidate for Honolulu mayor, and Honolulu City Council Member Tom Berg who is up for re-election, are reporting push polls are targeting their campaigns. Hawaii Reporter.

A Honolulu City Council committee gave preliminary approval Monday to a bill that would make it easier for transit officials to tap up to $450 million via low-interest city loans, but not before several Council members demanded more details. Star-Advertiser.

It's actually more expensive to grow food locally than to import it from California, according to Honolulu mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell. Civil Beat.

TJ Maxx is getting an early start for the opening of its new Hawaii store on Thursday. Pacific Business News.

A series of community meetings is scheduled for this week to discuss the rail project proposed for Honolulu. The meetings will be held in communities along the proposed route from Kapolei to Ala Moana Center. Hawaii Public Radio.

Tucked away in a secure location in Pearl City, microbiologists at the Department of Health's State Laboratory Facility monitor a wide variety of public health risks. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

There will be no raises, but no pay cuts, either, for top Hawaii County executives this year, following a unanimous vote Monday by the county Salary Commission. Salaries for County Council members will be dropping a little in December, however, under the plan. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo International Airport should be slightly less noisy in 2015, according to a state Department of Transportation report. The agency’s draft Noise Exposure Map is projecting a small drop drop in air carrier and general aviation flights that year, when compared to 2010. Tribune-Herald.

The anticipated opening date for the Ane Keohokalole Highway has been pushed back another month, from some time this month to mid-June. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa doesn't want his county to have more than a dozen hostess bars. Associated Press.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa

No additional hostess bars will be allowed in Maui County, as Mayor Alan Arakawa recently signed off on administrative rules to leave a hostess bar cap in place at 12 establishments. Maui News.

Retailers located near the intersection of Lahaina's Front and Prison streets are bracing for temporary road closures next month when Maui County begins work on sewage lines. Maui News.

The combination of smart people and serious money made the day-long conference focused on the future of plug-in electric vehicles a memorable event. Maui News.

Kauai
Federal Emergency Management Agency officials arrived on Kaua‘i Monday to help island agencies apply for as much as $1.65 million in federal aid available in the wake of the violent storms in March. Garden Island.

Justin Kollar

After running unopposed in her first election in 2008, Kaua‘i County Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho will have at least one opponent in the 2012 race. Carvalho will face Deputy County Attorney Justin Kollar. Garden Island.

A long awaited Hawaii Supreme Court ruling has affirmed Kuleana Rights, a Hawaiian law established 160 years ago that assures property owners with land located within a larger private property owned by someone else have the right to access their property. Hawaii Reporter.