Legislature seeks to remove shroud of secrecy surrounding police departments, Honolulu PD promotes cop with criminal record, Ige seeks $5M for United Way to combat homelessness, Honolulu voters oppose rail in poll, money for Native Hawaiians, arguments begin in Maui cane-burning lawsuit, Coco Palms races deadline, new hearings on Thirty Meter Telescope, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii police on parade © 2016 All Hawaii News

A bill that could unravel years of secrecy surrounding police officer misconduct in Hawaii  cleared its first hurdle Thursday at the State Capitol. The Senate Public Safety Committee passed Senate Bill 3016, which would change the state’s public records law to allow access to information in the disciplinary files of police officers who’ve been suspended. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige wants Aloha United Way to build on its existing efforts to combat homelessness by funneling $5 million of state money throughout the islands over the next year with the goal of immediately helping 1,300 households get off the streets or avoid becoming homeless. Star-Advertiser.

One in five people in Hawaii qualify for public housing -- but only one in 20 get in. In other words, there's too much demand for affordable rentals and not enough supply. Hawaii News Now.

A House committee this week shelved a proposal to fly homeless people back to the mainland, representing the fourth consecutive year the idea has died in the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

The state agency responsible for improving the well-being of Native Hawaiians is asking the legislature to lift a decade-old funding restriction. Hawaii Public Radio.

After listening to Hawaii residents speak out against vaccines and saying they cause everything from autism to the Zika virus, Hawaii lawmakers killed a bill to speed up the state’s process for adopting federal vaccination guidelines. Associated Press.

Hundreds of Hawaii teachers and their supporters are expected to rally today at the Hawaii State Capitol to support a 10-part education bill that officials believe will improve the state’s school system. Garden Island.

The House Higher Education Committee gave initial approval this week to measures that would impose legislative control over tuition hikes and new construction at the University of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

With less than five months until medical marijuana dispensaries are up and running, Hawaii lawmakers are considering a bill to create an oversight committee for the future industry. Associated Press.

A proposed bill could make intrastate crowdfunding in Hawaii simpler, by easing regulations required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Pacific Business News.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz had $2.6 million in cash on hand as of Dec. 31. According to his year-end filing with the Federal Election Commission, the Democrat raised a hefty $400,000 in the fourth quarter. Civil Beat.

It's been nearly seven years since the Hawaii Superferry shut down. Now there's talk of bringing a similar system back to the islands. KITV4.

Competition from Virgin America is driving down California-Hawaii flight fares. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Three out of four Hawaii voters say they either feel that Oahu’s rail project is a bad idea, or that they are troubled by how it’s progressing. A mere 16 percent of voters say they feel good about the $6.6 billion project, one marked by revenue shortages, construction delays and costs overruns. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha has promoted to assistant chief an officer who was convicted of assaulting a family member in 1994 and has had two temporary restraining orders sought against him in the years since. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha defended the promotion of a major who was arrested in 1994 for domestic violence after a lawmaker complained the selection is bad for the department's image. Associated Press.

Police are trying to cut back on the number of dismissed DUI cases, while courts are moving to clear a backlog of cases. KHON2.

The University of Hawaii-Manoa and two of its faculty members squared off before the Hawaii Labor Relations Board on Thursday in a case that could have implications for the university’s reputation and its ability to attract high-quality faculty. Civil Beat.

Overcrowding stresses Waianae bus routes. Star-Advertiser.

SunEdison Inc.’s planned 50-megawatt solar energy farm on Oahu’s North Shore may be in serious jeopardy of not being developed, according to public documents filed this week. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A judge on Thursday cleared the way for a new round of hearings by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources on the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope near the summit of Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald.

The Windward Planning Commission declared Banyan Drive “blighted” Thursday as it voted unanimously to form a new redevelopment agency. Tribune-Herald.

Two companies seeking to expand quarry operations in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates got a green light Thursday from the Windward Planning Commission, but the go-ahead comes with conditions attached. West Hawaii Today.

Residents in the heart of dengue territory in South Kona are nervous about the disease, and still want more done to address an outbreak that has dragged on for four months now. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island representatives are hoping the third try is the charm for a bill that would bolster ambulance services in Puna. Tribune-Herald.

After using a stun gun and beating a Kona man while he lay incapacitated on the ground, Hawaii County police delayed seeking medical attention for the 39-year-old resulting in his death, a lawsuit filed on behalf of Randall Hatori by his brother claims. West Hawaii Today.

An investigation is underway on the Big Island following a police-involved shooting early Friday, authorities said. Hawaii News Now.

Eighteen months after thousands of albizia trees toppled by Tropical Storm Iselle damaged homes, blocked roadways and knocked out power in lower Puna, multiple bills up for discussion by legislators this session appear poised to tackle the troublesome invasive species. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Arguments begin in Stop Cane Burning lawsuit. If Stop Cane Burning and three Maui residents prevail in their lawsuit, it could impact more than 140 agricultural operations in the state - including taro farmers - and invalidate Hawaii's air pollution controls, said an attorney for defendants in the case, which include the state and Alexander & Baldwin, parent company of Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. Maui News.

Mayor Alan Arakawa, Public Works Director David Goode and officials with the Mayor's Office of Economic Development and Maui Police Department will be attending a Makawao community meeting at 6:30 p.m. today in the Makawao School cafeteria. Maui News.

The Maui Police Department reports that their forensic facility currently has 11 unclaimed remains. Maui Now.

Rock work on a large scale progresses along the new Kahului Airport access road near the airport Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

The County Council on Thursday waded through details of changing to a council/mayor system of government that employs a county manager. Garden Island.

Developers committed to rebuilding the shuttered Coco Palms Hotel on Kauai are at risk of having their redevelopment permits revoked because of a lag in planned demolition work. Star-Advertiser.

Mount Waialeale, known as one of the wettest spots on Earth, was far from it in January. Garden Island.

Lanai
Maui County Council members will take up the Lanai Community Plan update at their regular meeting Friday and, again, at a public hearing March 12 on Lanai. Maui News.

Ige seeks cool schools, affordable housing, new Oahu jail in State-of-the-State address; hotel tax a sticking point for mayors; bills mulled for lottery, birth control from pharmacists, lower blood-alcohol for DUI; more government news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. David Ige State-of-the-State address, courtesy Sen. J. Kalani English

Gov. David Ige used the words “long overdue” five times in his second State of the State address Monday. Speaking before a packed Hawaii House of Representatives chamber, the governor identified issues that he said had been neglected but could wait no longer for action. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige vowed in his second State-of the-State speech to install fixes that will cool 1,000 public school classrooms by the end of the year, and to launch an initiative to develop water, sewer and other infrastructure to make it easier to for companies to develop affordable housing. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige outlined the broad strokes of his policy agenda for the upcoming year, promising to focus on affordable housing, homelessness and conditions in public schools in a speech that paid homage to the state’s past while embracing the need for change. Associated Press.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige discussed several funding issued during his second State of the State address on Monday, including a proposal that the state fund $30 million over the next six years to support growth in the innovation sector. Pacific Business News.

The Governor delivered his second state of the state address to the legislature today. Hawaii Public Radio.

In his second State of the State address, Gov. David Ige made a big push for affordable housing units, a key to address the ongoing concern about homelessness. KHON2.

Lawmakers agree on Governor’s priorities but want to see details. KITV4.

County mayors say they were caught off guard during a budget briefing Monday when powerful members of the Legislature questioned a recent panel recommendation that state lawmakers significantly increase the counties’ share of the state hotel room tax, known as the transient accommodations tax. Star-Advertiser.

The mayors of Honolulu, Kauai, Maui and Hawaii counties told legislators Monday that the state should give them a bigger share of the 9.25 percent transient accommodations tax that it collects from visitors. The counties currently split $103 million of the hotel tax revenue, and the cap drops to $93 million next fiscal year, which starts July 1. Civil Beat.

The powerful chairs of the state House and Senate money committees on Monday dashed the hopes of the four county mayors that the counties would easily get a bigger share of money collected from hotel rooms and other short-term rentals. West Hawaii Today.

It doesn’t have a hearing scheduled yet, but there is a bill to allow lotteries in Hawaii. It was introduced last Friday by Joe Souki, the speaker of the House of Representatives, who said recently that a lottery for the state is a distinct possibility. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers introduced legislation that would make it easier for adult women in Hawaii to get birth control. Right now, women can only get certain contraceptives through a physician. If passed, the bill would allow women older than 18 to get hormonal contraceptives such as birth control pills, patches and rings directly from pharmacists without having to visit a doctor. Associated Press.

One Hawaii lawmaker wants to impose a DUI game-changer, lowering the limit below the .08 blood alcohol percentage used in all 50 states. KITV4.

Rep. Romy Cachola says the state should spend the money to turn the reflecting pool surrounding the State Capitol into dancing fountains with bright lights and music. KHON2.

Homeless outreach specialists and volunteers walked for hours all over the state on Monday counting the homeless for the annual Point-in-Time Count. Hawaii News Now.

High school students using e-cigarettes will likely graduate to tobacco, a two-year University of Hawaii Cancer Center study found after following 2,300 Hawaii teenagers. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.2 percent in December after the number was revised upward by one-tenth of a point for November.The last time the rate was this low was in January 2008, according to data released Monday by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Property taxpayers can expect to see a 9 percent increase in rates to subsidize annual operational costs for the 20-mile rail system when it comes online in late 2021. Star-Advertiser.

The Oahu Board of Registration has concluded that Hawaii Sen. Brickwood Galuteria and his wife Abigail did in fact live in a one-bedroom apartment with the senator’s mother in Kakaako during the 2014 general election, despite a complaint brought by a political opponent. Civil Beat.

A new plan to stabilize a famous stretch of shoreline is moving forward. Funding for the Royal Hawaiian Groin Replacement project will be provided by the state and commercial property owners in Waikiki. Hawaii News Now.

Eight months after the University of Hawaii launched an internal investigation of UH Manoa’s chief academic officer over faculty and staff complaints of bullying and racist and sexist behavior, UH expects to hand the case over for an outside decision-maker. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has rejected Kamehameha Schools’ request to block a judge’s order to turn over evidence trust officials gathered in their own investigation of a former teacher charged with using a hidden camera to record students showering in his apartment. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii’s four county mayors went to the capitol on Monday to present their local needs to state lawmakers. Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi joined Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr., and the City and County of Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell for an informational briefing before the Senate Ways and Means and House Finance Committees. Big Island Video News.

East Hawaii administrators for Hawaii Health Systems Corp. say they are continuing to review changes to their long-term care services following a public grilling last week by state Rep. Richard Onishi, D-Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is requesting the state charge “sufficient” rent to observatories on Mauna Kea. Bills introduced on behalf of OHA in the state House and Senate would require University of Hawaii, which holds a master lease for the Mauna Kea Science Reserve, to account for environmental damage, impact to Native Hawaiians and administration of its management plan, among other factors, when assessing lease payments. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A road repair project on Kahekili Highway is pending while officials decide how best to protect a nearby burial site thought to contain multiple human remains. Maui News.

The hearings officer in the East Maui watershed contested case is calling for the restoration of 18 million gallons of water a day to 10 streams currently being diverted mainly for Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. operations - but he did not take into consideration the impending closure of the plantation at the end of 2016. Maui News.

Maui Electric Co. has donated $30,000 to the University of Hawaii Maui College to establish an endowment fund for students enrolled in the school's sustainable science management program, according to an announcement. Maui News.

The Maui Humane Society has received a $258,000 grant from PetSmart Charities to expand the society's veterinary clinic, according to an announcement. Maui News.

Kauai

The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whales National Marine Sanctuary expansion plan will be discussed at the sanctuary’s advisory council meeting today. But a Jan. 22 letter from Suzanne Case, chairperson for Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, was a tell for how the meeting might shake out. Garden Island.

Bills could ban homegrown medical marijuana, expand sit-lie ban to state lands, require helmets on mopeds; Ige to give State of the State today; grand jury probing bribery charges at Honolulu airport; Thirty Meter Telescope director ponders future; energy commissioner sought on Maui, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Medical marijuana sign in Hilo © 2016 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Legislature is heading into its first full week of the 2016 legislative session, and lawmakers are busy submitting new bills. The week will begin with an overview of the state as Gov. David Ige delivers his annual address on Monday. Associated Press.

A slew of bills concerning campaign spending, elections and open government are set for hearings in two committees Tuesday. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige will deliver his State of the State address Monday morning. While he’s expected to outline his vision on topics ranging from homelessness to the prison population, resistance from a frustrated Legislature could also occur. Hawaii News Now.

Governor David Ige will outline his vision and plan for a variety of issues that continue to impact the state. Maui Now.

As the state’s medical cannabis dispensary program gets underway, one lawmaker is proposing a twist — limiting purchases to dispensaries only. House Bill 1680, introduced by Oahu Democrat Rep. Marcus Oshiro, would prohibit patients from growing their own medical marijuana and instead require them to obtain it through a state-licensed dispensary. Tribune-Herald.

State Rep. Marcus Oshiro of Oahu is pushing for another way to regulate Hawaii’s medical cannabis. Specifically, the physicians who recommend it. Oshiro’s House Bill 1677 would establish a system to monitor doctors who provide medical marijuana certifications and track how many certifications they provide. Tribune-Herald.

Lawmakers are introducing a bill to require all doctors practicing in the state to treat Medicare patients. Associate Press.

A decade after Act 51 mandated that each school in the state have a school community council, it’s unclear how well the system is — or isn’t — working when it comes to giving parents and community members a voice in how schools are run. Civil Beat.

Administrators and teachers gathered at the Hawaii Convention Center Sunday for the Hawaii School Empowerment Conference that focused on what is best for the future of education in Hawaii. KHON2.

Because the University of Hawaii doesn’t have the money to make any significant dent in deferred maintenance, the costs continue to pile up. In addition to the $354 million needed for UH Manoa, another $21.5 is needed for UH Hilo and $59.2 for the system’s community colleges. Civil Beat.

Sitting and lying down on state lands in Hawaii could become illegal under a proposal in the state Legislature, and homelessness experts say they don’t know of any other state with such a ban. Associated Press.

State Sen. Lorraine Inouye will push this legislative session for at least a helmet law, safety checks statewide and a closed-toe shoe and protective jacket requirement for moped operators. West Hawaii Today.

Replacing oil with liquefied natural gas as a “bridge fuel” to generate much of the state’s electricity likely would save Hawaii billions of dollars, according to a projection from the Ulupono Initiative. Civil Beat.

Editorial: Our Beef With The Donald Trump Campaign. We work hard to be an independent, nonpartisan news operation. Even presidential candidates need to understand that. Civil Beat.

Oahu
An Oahu grand jury is investigating an alleged bribery scheme involving private security guards at Honolulu Airport. Hawaii News Now.

The federal government will help Honolulu convene a group of community leaders to help tackle homelessness among new arrivals from Micronesia, Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Thursday in an interview. Hawaii News Now.

As many as 40 Navy divers, other personnel and a salvage ship from Pearl Harbor are supporting a survey of the debris fields 2 miles off Haleiwa where two helicopters apparently collided and crashed, killing 12 Marines. Star-Advertiser.

The Kobayashi Group and The MacNaughton Group have canceled plans to build the Vida at 888 Ala Moana luxury high-rise condominium project and develop a neighboring parcel that would have added a total of 500 residential units to Honolulu's growing Kakaako neighborhood, citing slow sales in recent months. Pacific Business News.

Users say the park where they skate at Ewa Beach Community Park has fallen into such disrepair that it has become difficult and sometimes impossible to skate safely over holes in the surface and cracks in the ramps. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Despite a long wait to bolster the membership of the county Board of Ethics, the County Council on Friday postponed action on two nominees who would fill the five-member panel. West Hawaii Today.

Over objections from Kailua-Kona business interests, the Hawaii County Council agreed Friday to spend $650,000 for homeless housing in the Old Industrial Area. West Hawaii Today.

The state is about to kick off preliminary planning for a new regional public library for underserved residents in the rapidly growing Puna district. Tribune-Herald.

The executive director of the embattled Thirty Meter Telescope said Friday he wants to move forward with the project but is waiting to hear from state agencies about how to proceed after the Hawaii Supreme Court invalidated a key construction permit. Associated Press.

The future of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Hawai‘i Island’s Mauna Kea remains uncertain. Construction has been halted on the project since protests began last April. And in December, Hawaii's Supreme Court ruled the permit invalid, sending the matter back for a new contested case hearing. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui County has begun advertising to fill the position of energy commissioner, a job that pays between $75,000 and $80,000 per year. Maui News.

A resolution to authorize the Maui County Council to hire special attorneys for second opinions in disputes with Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration was sent back to the Committee of the Whole on Friday after the proposal appeared to lack the votes for approval. Maui News.

The hearings officer in the East Maui watershed contested case is calling for the restoration of 18 million gallons of water a day to 10 streams currently being diverted mainly for Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. operations - but he did not take into consideration the impending closure of the plantation at the end of 2016. Maui News.

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. has officially given Maui Electric Co. notice that the plantation's Puunene Mill will no longer provide power to the island's electric grid. Maui News.

A road repair project on Kahekili Highway is pending while officials decide how best to protect a nearby burial site thought to contain multiple human remains. Maui News.

Maui Electric Company announced that it has established the Maui Electric Company Sustainability Scholarship Endowment fund through a grant from the Hawaiian Electric Industries Charitable Foundation for students enrolled in the Sustainable Science Management program at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College. Maui Now.

Kauai
The Pentagon would have to decide whether a combat-ready Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai would protect either Hawaii or the mainland against a possible North Korean ballistic missile attack, because the missile defense system there would not be capable of shielding both, an East-Asia security analyst said Friday. Star-Advertiser.

There’s a new suggestion for how to regulate homestays on Kauai, and the county’s planning committee decided to defer the discussion until they could hear more details and compare the two bills. Garden Island.

Lisa McDonald, the Hanalei Elementary School principal who was removed from her post in September, will stay at the district office instead of returning to head the school, after a decision by Complex Area Superintendent Bill Arakaki. Garden Island.

Ten Syngenta employees were taken to Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital on Wednesday after walking onto a field too soon after it had been sprayed with an agricultural pesticide. Garden Island.

Obama vacation costs Honolulu Police Department $341,000 in overtime, state senator seeks tax hike to pay for universal long-term care, downed Marines to be honored today, council mulls $650k for Big Island homeless, experts recommend UH Cancer center go private, Kauai police bodycam laws, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Obama swimming during one of his Hawaii vacations (Associated Press)

The Honolulu Police Department says it spent about $341,000 in overtime costs to help protect President Barack Obama and his family during their annual winter vacation. The department said Thursday it's the highest amount during an Obama Hawaii vacation since he was elected president in 2008. Associated Press.

State Sen. Rosalyn Baker hopes to push through a bill this year that would add a 0.5 percent surcharge to the statewide general excise tax to help cover the cost of in-home health care services for seniors and the disabled. Star-Advertiser.

Citing a “public health crisis,” a state senator wants a half-percent surcharge on the general excise tax to fund elder caregiving. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii state senator plans to reintroduce a bill that would make the Aloha State the first in the nation to offer universal long-term care to elders. Pacific Business News.

The cost of long term care in Hawai’i averages more than 10-thousand dollars a month, according to AARP.   And some lawmakers want to help. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii’s economy is on a normal growth path with a slowing tourism industry, but buoyed in part by improving labor and construction markets, economists told Hawaii lawmakers Thursday. Civil Beat.

Work-related deaths in Hawaii spiked in 2014, reaching the highest level since the federal government began tracking the number in 1992. Star-Advertiser.

At least 31 people died on the job in Hawaii during 2014, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Civil Beat.

The 12 Marines killed last week when two cargo helicopters collided and crashed on the North Shore will be remembered at a memorial service today. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

External consultants are recommending the University of Hawaii strongly consider changing the struggling UH Cancer Center to a semiautonomous business entity, co-owned and run with community hospital partners, to keep the research facility viable. Star-Advertiser.

A $5 million cash infusion plan for the University of Hawaii Cancer Center is already facing opposition from some lawmakers. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. David Ige is about to tackle an issue that’s been 100 years in the making. In his State of the State address slated for Monday, the governor is expected to unveil his plans for what to do with the Oahu Community Correctional Center, the largest jail facility in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

The state’s HI-5 recycling program was meant to be an incentive to recycle. But that’s getting a lot harder to do. KHON2.

The number of Oahu neighborhoods with a median single-family home price of $1 million or higher doubled in 2015 from the year before, with year-over-year price increases that ranged from 3 percent to 37 percent, according to local market report by the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

A new monthly event organized by Common Cause Hawaii is set to debut Monday evening at Manifest with a look at why the Legislature is important and the work that state lawmakers plan to focus on this session, which opened Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Broken glass, food containers and spray paint cans are among the leavings on the excrement-smeared floor of a little building that once represented big plans to combat homelessness in Puna. West Hawaii Today.

Attorneys for the parent company of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald are seeking to overturn a judge’s decision to seal a crucial court document in the case of a state law enforcement officer accused of raping a minor girl on a Hilo beach. Tribune-Herald.

After months of inaction because it couldn’t seat enough people to vote, the county Board of Ethics is getting reinforcements. West Hawaii Today.

State health officials identified six new cases of dengue fever Thursday, bringing the total number on Hawaii island to 230. Meanwhile, an entomology team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is returning to Hawaii this week to continue working with the state Department of Health on mosquito surveillance in the Kona area. Star-Advertiser.

A consultant hired by the state has finished a draft of alternatives for improving and managing the Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park. Those plans will be up for public scrutiny and comment later this month. West Hawaii Today.

Leaders of the Thirty Meter Telescope haven't said much since construction atop Mauna Kea was halted last April. But for the first time, we now know how much the company had already spent before protests blocked construction. Hawaii News Now.

The first Kama’aina Observatory Experience tour was held this Saturday, giving Hawaii Island residents a chance to visit the summit of Mauna Kea and see the world-class telescopes operating above the clouds. Big Island Video News.

George Yokoyama says he first got the idea of a botanical garden at Rainbow Falls 20 years ago while observing the arrival of visitors from his office at the Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council across the street. Tribune-Herald.

A pack of mutt-loving locals is mulling ways to install more public off-leash dog parks throughout the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Republicans will hold their presidential caucus from 6 to 8 p.m. March 8 at five Maui locations and at sites on Molokai and Lanai. Maui News.

County Department of Liquor Control Deputy Director Traci Fujita Villarosa is seeking to become the next Liquor Control director, she confirmed Wednesday. Maui News.

For those of you who look over Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar’s 36,000 or so acres of Central Maui that won’t be growing sugar anymore this time next year and think that maybe we might start growing hemp on at least a portion of that land, there’s good reason to be optimistic. Really optimistic, if state Rep. Kaniela Ing, D–South Maui, gets his way. MauiTime.

Leila Hayashida, a former principal at Waihee Elementary School, has been named Central Maui complex area superintendent, the state Department of Education announced Wednesday. Maui News.

A multimillion-dollar social hall and office building project for the Portuguese Association of Maui and Maui Puerto Rican Association is expected to be completed by the end of March after a donation from a local business owner on Monday. Maui News.

Kauai

It’s been nearly one month since the Kauai Police Department became the first in the state to implement body-worn cameras and legislators have taken notice. Garden Island.

Island Air is heading back to Kauai after less than a year’s absence. The state’s second-largest airline, which ceased flights to the Garden Isle in June amid a company restructuring, will restore service with six daily round-trip flights between Honolulu and Lihue on March 15. Star-Advertiser.

If you were wondering just how busy the Kauai Lifeguard Association was last year, these numbers tell a pretty good story: Garden Island.

A new law on Kauai allows enforcement officers to fine dog owners who don't control their dogs from incessant barking. KITV4.

Legislative panel mulls more money for jails, universities, tourism; EPA fines Puna Geothermal Ventures; Honolulu council spars over rail tax cap; Kona courthouse out for bid; task force formed to help displaced Maui sugar workers; more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Community Correctional Center © 2016 All Hawaii News

Hawaii’s overburdened jail facilities could get $45 million for expansion under Gov. David Ige’s supplemental budget proposal. The governor’s plan calls for the Hawaii Department of Public Safety to pump $15 million to each of the three jails on the neighbor islands — the Hawaii Community Correctional Center, the Kauai Community Correctional Center and the Maui Community Correctional Center — to make more room for inmates. On Thursday, members of the House and Senate public safety committees will hold an informational briefing to learn more about the department’s plan for such a move. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers don’t appear eager to deliver the more than $16 million the University of Hawaii says it needs for operations next year. Star-Advertiser.

A bill expected to be introduced in the Hawaii Legislature this year would offer universal long-term care to the state’s senior citizens. Civil Beat.

The state legislative money committees are continuing their pre-session supplemental budget hearings this week. Today, the focus was on business, economic development and tourism. Hawaii Public Radio.

In a move that will likely make it easier for citizens and the media to follow their state government, the Hawaii Legislature plans to launch a video-on-demand channel. Civil Beat.

State Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland wants to tap “the wisdom of the Hawaiian people” to come up with environmentally friendly and low-cost ways to house some of Hawaii’s homeless, possibly in rural, agricultural areas. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers are considering using traditional Native Hawaiian housing to house the homeless. Thatched huts, though they don’t necessarily need to be thatched. KITV4.

A new report by the state breaks down just how much a person needs to earn to live in Hawaii. In 2014 statewide, about 18.5 percent of couples with no children, 45.5 percent of couples with two children, and 45.3 percent of single adults had incomes below the self-sufficiency standard. KHON2.

Hawaiian Airlines employees represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers have ratified tentative five-year contracts with the airline. Pacific Business News.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has awarded $500,000 in support of the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress to be held in Hawaii later this year. Garden Island.

A presently creeping section of the Aleutian subduction zone fault could potentially generate an earthquake great enough to send a large tsunami across the Pacific to Hawaii according to recent fieldwork in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Garden Island.

Oahu

Gov. David Ige’s administration hopes to fast-track relocation of the Oahu Community Correctional Center, the state’s largest prison, as public safety officials continue to grapple with perpetual overcrowding and deteriorating conditions. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council leaders continue to seek a cap on the amount of general excise tax surcharge money that can go toward the construction of the contentious, 20-mile rail transit project. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council Committee on Executive Matters and Legal Affairs adopted a resolution Tuesday to study public electrical utility ownership as a potential alternative to NextEra Energy Inc.’s purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries. Star-Advertiser.

Two months after obtaining building waivers and exemptions from the Honolulu City Council in exchange for constructing a mostly affordable 45-story residential tower, a Kakaako developer wants to alter the agreement. Star-Advertiser.

The deaths of at least three albatrosses and the destruction of 15 nests at Kaena Point last month may have been caused by teenagers. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday that Puna Geothermal Venture agreed to pay a civil penalty of $76,500 for chemical safety violations the EPA uncovered in a 2013 inspection. Tribune-Herald.

Puna Geothermal Venture has entered into a consent agreement taking steps to prevent accidental releases of hydrogen sulfide gases and settling safety violations with a fine of $76,500, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Star-Advertiser.

Puna Geothermal Venture, the operator of Hawaii’s sole geothermal power plant on the Big Island, has been fined $76,500 for Clean Air Act chemical safety violations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a settlement today with Puna Geothermal Venture for Clean Air Act chemical safety violations that occurred three years ago at the energy plant in Pohoiki. Big Island Video News.

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With a proclamation Tuesday from auctioneer Antonio Roldan, a historic North Kona church was saved to continue hosting religious services another day. West Hawaii Today.

The astronomy community in Hawaii has taken its lumps over the past year, from the Native Hawaiian-led rebellion against the Thirty Meter Telescope to the state Supreme Court ruling invalidating the project’s construction. Now the observatory community on Mauna Kea is fighting back. And it begins Saturday. For the first time in its 50-year history, the world-class telescopes on Hawaii’s tallest mountain will be opening their doors to the public for tours. Star-Advertiser.

The Kona Judiciary Complex has been put out for bid, and officials expect to award the $90 million project by the end of March. West Hawaii Today.

A former employee of the county Department of Finance Vehicle Registration and Licensing Division pleaded no contest Tuesday to embezzling from the county. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa said Tuesday that his office and Alexander & Baldwin have created a “sugar operators work assistance task force” to aid more than 600 Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar employees who will be displaced by the closure of A&B’s 36,000-acre plantation on Maui. Pacific Business News.

In conjunction with Alexander & Baldwin, Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa today announced the creation of a task force to assist Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar employees who will be displaced as the plantation ceases sugar operations and transitions to a diversified agriculture model. Maui News.

A task force organized by Mayor Alan Arakawa has been formed to assist more than 650 Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. workers who will be losing their jobs when the plantation shuts down at the end of the year. Maui News.

The Maui Planning Commission approved a two-year permit extension Tuesday for a construction and demolition landfill in Maalaea, giving the site operators until Feb. 1, 2018, to fill and close the landfill. Maui News.

Maui software developer Code Rebel Corp. could be in for a difficult 2016 as it may come under regulatory scrutiny and investors should be cautious about holding shares of the company, according to a report by hedge fund group Dane Capital Management, LLC. Pacific Business News.

A Honolulu-to-Kapalua route and more direct Mainland flights could be headed Maui's way over the next few years as Hawaiian Airlines expands its fleet and operations, said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines and its parent company, Hawaiian Holdings Inc. Maui News.

The president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines says more flights could be headed to Maui over the next few years as the company expands its fleet and operations. Associated Press.

While shovels met the dirt on the site of the long-awaited high school in Kihei on Monday, the celebration was tempered as state and community officials said that there still is much work to be done. Maui News.

Kauai

A recent assessment of residential materials disposed at county refuse transfer stations and in refuse carts has prompted officials to issue a reminder about the proper disposal of household hazardous waste. Garden Island.

Monk seal succumbs to fish-hook surgery, Hawaii touts gay marriage tourism, court denies teacher certificate over views on sex with minors, Obama family snorkels, state and counties spar over hotel tax, humpbacks late to Hawaii, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Monk seal surgery, courtesy NOAA

An 8-month old Hawaiian monk seal that swallowed a large fishing hook died following surgery to try and save it. Star-Advertiser.

An endangered Hawaiian monk seal has died after swallowing a large fishing hook. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Tuesday the hook was lodged in the throat of the eight-month-old seal. Associated Press.

Federal officials are encouraging the use of barbless circle hooks and J hooks when fishing in Hawaii waters after the death of an 8-month-old endangered monk seal. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers should lift the cap on the counties’ share of hotel tax money and instead give them a 45 percent cut, so their funding can grow as the tourism industry does, according to a working group’s report released Tuesday. Civil Beat.

Circuit Judge Gary Chang on Tuesday halted a solar advocacy group’s lawsuit against the state Public Utilities Commission, which the group filed after it objected to how the PUC ended a popular solar incentive program. Star-Advertiser.

Despite its longtime leadership on issues such as anti-discrimination laws, civil unions and marriage equality, Hawaii has been shy about using that street cred to leverage more same-sex destination wedding tourism. Until now. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's high tech industry is trying to lure former residents back home as well as keep current residents who excel in the field from moving to the mainland. KITV4.

Been looking in vain for the flash of flukes and the awe-inspiring breach of the humpback whale? It’s not your eyes, and you’re not the only one. The giants really are late this year. West Hawaii Today.

While recent catches apparently aren’t approaching last year’s record-breaking levels, there should be a nice range of quality and prices to choose from for New Year’s ahi poke and sashimi. Star-Advertiser.

The first family headed off to Hanauma Bay on Tuesday morning, to enjoy the preserve on a day it’s typically closed to the public. President Barack Obama and his family went snorkeling at the bay with friends, pool reports said. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The University of Hawaii didn't violate First Amendment rights when it denied a teaching certificate for a Caltech-educated aspiring high school teacher who expressed views condoning adults having sex with minors, a panel of federal appeals court judges ruled Tuesday. Associated Press.

Officials report they’re keeping pace with Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s goal to repave Oahu’s worst city-run roads in five years, although some of the island’s most-used and hardest-to-fix streets — the ones that leave a lasting impression on commuters — still need to be repaired. Star-Advertiser.

Dr. Michele Carbone—the former director of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center who was asked to resign in November of 2014 after evidence that he had grossly mismanaged the Manoa unit was publicized, and who was at the center of the power struggle that led to the controversial decision by the Board of Regents to remove former Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple—failed to disclose significant financial conflicts of interest to either the university or the National Institute of Health. Hawaii Independent.

Calls about illegal fireworks are skyrocketing this month, surpassing all fireworks-related calls last year. Star-Advertiser.

Mericia Palma Elmore describes the large mound of illegally dumped Christmas trees, large appliances and furniture across the street from her Makakilo condominium as a disaster waiting to happen. Star-Advertiser.

He didn’t figure to live past his 50s. For almost six years, Robert Binnie lived on the streets of Waikiki. The words scrawled across his cardboard sign: “Anything helps. God bless.”  Civil Beat.

Office Depot is closing its location in Honolulu’s Ward Village in January to make way for a planned mixed-use condominium project that will include Whole Foods Market’s flagship Hawaii store. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Tuesday officially vacated a 3rd Circuit Court order and judgment that had authorized the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope project on Mauna Kea, following the high court's decision in the case earlier this month. Pacific Business News.

An attempt to save the endangered palila has included the sound of rotors, gunfire, arguments and sheep and goats eating the trees the bird needs to survive. Now, as the number of sheep and goats drops, the pressure to end the aerial shooting is as high as ever. West Hawaii Today.

A new venture looking to successfully rear octopus on land has set up shop at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

With an empty field serving as the play area for more than 700 students at Puu Kukui Elementary School, a group is seeking help from the community as it continues fundraising to build a playground on the Wailuku campus. Maui News.

It's the busy time of year for people wanting to view the sunrise from the summit of the "House of the Sun," or Haleakala, said an official with the National Park Service, noting that there can be more than double the number of cars for available parking at popular overlooks during that time. Maui News.

The Maui Fire Department reminds residents of the following rules in relation to fireworks as the New Year holiday approaches: Fireworks and firecrackers can only be legally set off from 9 p.m., New Year’s Eve to 1 a.m., New Year’s Day. Maui Now.

Kauai

In observance of New Year’s Day, County of Kauai offices, all refuse transfer stations, the Kekaha Landfill, Kauai Resource Center, Puhi Metals Recycling Center and all HI-5 bottle redemption centers will be closed on Friday. Garden Island.

Molokai

When Molokai resident Nancy Gove got into the salt-making business in 1999, she was one of a handful of local artisans crafting the condiment. Her backyard-cultivated sea salt filtered from Molokai waters eventually turned into a thriving operation and gained national recognition. Maui News.

Lawmakers grill University of Hawaii officials on spending, Ellison's Lanai plans probed, Land Use Commission denies Maui development, NextEra says electric grid lacking, attorney general investigates stadium fallout, state cancels Honolulu airport commuter terminal, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii-Hilo © 2015 All Hawaii News

In what’s become a December tradition, leaders from the University of Hawaii went to the state Capitol on Tuesday to make their case to the House Committee on Higher Education for additional budget appropriations. What UH President David Lassner got — this year and last — was a stern talking-to from Rep. Isaac Choy, who heads the committee. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawai’i briefed lawmakers about additional funding they are requesting for the next fiscal year. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state Public Utilities Commission met behind closed doors Monday for the second time in five days of hearings on Florida-based NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co.’s efforts in reliability are currently poor at best, an executive with a NextEra Energy Inc. subsidiary said Tuesday at the ongoing regulatory hearings regarding the Florida energy giant’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of the Honolulu-based utility. Pacific Business News.

When it comes to something as crucial in our lives as electricity, can Hawaii trust outsiders to do the right thing? That was the fundamental question emerging Monday from the high-stakes hearing at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center to decide if NextEra Energy’s proposed $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries will be approved. Civil Beat.

Fitch Ratings says it expects NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Industries to be approved and that over the long term the agency sees a bias toward positive rating actions for Hawaiian Electric Co. and HEI under the Florida utility’s ownership. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Budget and Finance is recommending that Hawaii Gov. David Ige include about $31 million in his 2017 supplemental budget request to fund public housing repairs and maintenance. That would be six times more than Ige sought last year, but still far less than the total amount needed to upgrade more than 6,000 aging public housing units. Civil Beat.

Hawaii will spend $6.8 million in tobacco settlement funds on anti-smoking campaigns this year. That’s the lowest level in years, and about half what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends. Hawaii News Now.

The deadline for comment on a proposed bridge between Native Hawaiians and the US Government is closing soon. In the fall the US Department of the Interior proposed establishing a formal government-to-government relationship as part of the reconciliation process.  The proposal would give Native Hawaiians a legal framework that would help the native Hawaiian community work with the US government. Hawaii Public Radio.

Add yet another gig to Colleen Hanabusa’s growing work load: She will teach a course on the topic of “civil liberties in times of crisis” during the spring 2016 semester at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Civil Beat.

In the midst of the third global coral bleaching event on record, local communities can help recovery efforts by curbing soil runoff and protecting herbivores like parrotfish, researchers said. Maui News.

Commentary: Why Can’t Hawaii Spend All That Federal Money? State agencies can’t seem to spend all of the $2.5 billion in federal money they get each year, but they still turn down the offer of help to manage those grants. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The state of Hawaii has canceled plans to build a new commuter terminal at Honolulu International Airport as part of the state's $1.7 billion airport upgrade, which will displace two interisland airlines. Pacific Business News.

Plans to build a new commuter terminal at Honolulu International Airport have been canceled because the project was too pricey. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii's attorney general is reviewing a letter which says Aloha Stadium defaulted on its agreement with the U.S. women's soccer team. Associated Press.

A class-action lawsuit has been filed over the last-minute cancellation of Sunday's U.S. Women's soccer game, just as the state has launched its own investigation. Hawaii News Now.


The Honolulu City Council is considering hiring the Law Offices of Cary T. Tanaka to defend city Corporation Counsel Donna Leong in a lawsuit brought by the family of Sheldon Haleck, who died in police custody earlier this year. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Scientists say that last week’s state Supreme Court ruling on the Thirty Meter Telescope puts not only that project’s future in limbo, but also jeopardizes observatories already atop Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald.

Exports of businesses at Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority played a major role in Hawaii’s aquaculture record-high sales in 2014, the ocean science and technology park’s executive director said. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The state Land Use Commission on Monday denied acceptance of the Olowalu Town LLC and Olowalu Ekolu LLC’s Final Environmental Impact Statement. Maui Now.

After a grueling 11-hour meeting Monday, the state Land Use Commission voted to not approve a draft final environmental impact statement for development of a 1,500-home Olowalu town in West Maui. Maui News.

By a vote of six to one, the Hawaii Land Use Commission  voted late yesterday to reject the Olowalu Town project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement. The vote on the decade-old proposal to add 1,500 homes and about 4,000 residents to tiny Olowalu came at the end of a marathon hearing at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center that last around 12 hours. MauiTime.

The state Public Utilities Commission has approved an amended power purchase agreement between Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. and Maui Electric Co. that makes significant changes to the pricing and the commitments of power by the state's last sugar plantation to the utility. Maui News.

Kauai

The county’s wastewater management folks are talking about using treated wastewater to irrigate various chunks of turf in Waimea, and they’re holding a public meeting from 6 to 8 tonight at the Waimea Canyon School cafeteria to bring the public up to speed on the project. Garden Island.

The Kokee Forest Restoration and Recovery Project on Kauai is being recognized by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service for the 2015 Western Regional Forester’s Honor Award. The project is ambitious in that it strives to reforest nearly 1,000 acres of burnt eucalyptus and pine plantations using koa and other native trees and plants. Garden Island.

Lanai

Some longtime Lanai residents aren’t sure how much trust to place in billionaire Larry Ellison, who bought 98 percent of the island in 2012 and hasn’t made any major public appearances on the island. Star-Advertiser.

Business owner Jeremiah Littlepage expects bookings will speed up after the much-improved Manele Bay Hotel reopens in February, especially because Ellison’s purchase generated an incredible amount of awareness about Lanai. Star-Advertiser.

On Lanai, the island’s only visibly homeless man stands in stark contrast to the island’s beachfront resort that’s undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation. Hawaii News Now.

The premier luxury vacation destination on Lanai formerly known as the Manele Bay Hotel is scheduled to reopen Feb. 1 as the Four Seasons Resort Lanai looking ever-more-finely appointed after a $75 million overhaul that included gutting the guestrooms, stripping down the lobby and demolishing the pool. Star-Advertiser.

Chinese Navy to visit Honolulu, Hawaii business is brisk, residents favor solar, Honolulu rail tax advances, dengue fever response slow, Maui Olowalu development opposed, Kauai finalizes legislative wish list, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state Capitol © 2015 All Hawaii News

The state of Hawaii plans to select a contractor for a major project to cool 11 of its Downtown Honolulu buildings, including the State Capitol — a total of nearly 1.3 million square feet of space — with a seawater air conditioning system in an effort aimed at reducing future costs. Pacific Business News.

Three Chinese navy ships will stop in Hawaii on the final leg of an around-the-world deployment meant to show China’s expanding global military capability, but also highlighting ongoing relations between the United States and People’s Liberation Army despite disagreement in the South China Sea. Star-Advertiser.

“China is testing us,” states a new report from Hawaii Pacific University that warns of a shortage of U.S.-flagged merchant ships and China’s ability to potentially withhold its own booming shipping to limit U.S. deliveries of consumer goods or troop supplies in a crisis. Star-Advertiser

A new poll done by SMS Research on behalf of The Alliance for Solar Choice reports that 97 percent of the respondents support more rooftop solar in Hawaii, and oppose state regulators’ recent decision to do away with net energy metering, a big reason for the record growth of this type of renewable energy in the Islands. Pacific Business News.

In its final quarterly forecast of 2015, the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism said Wednesday that it is slightly revising upward its visitor arrival projection for 2016 and noted that labor market conditions improved through the first three quarters with civilian labor force, employment and payroll jobs hitting historically high levels during that period. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii state economists predict 1% inflation and 2.4% economic growth this year, after their revising their forecast with summer data. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii is in the midst of a construction boom with cranes dotting the skyline throughout the islands. KITV4.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has given Hawaii a $660,422 award for the exemplary performance of its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Navy is expected to prepare a new environmental impact statement for sonar training and testing exercises in the Pacific Ocean in response to concerns for the safety of whales, dolphins, turtles and other marine life. Maui News.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council Budget Committee gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a bill that would extend Oahu’s 0.5 percent surcharge on the general excise tax through 2027 to help pay for the $6.57 billion rail project. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council Budget Committee passed a measure Wednesday to extend for five years a 0.5 percent surcharge on the general excise tax to pay for the escalating costs of the $6.6 billion rail project. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee today focused on financing for Honolulu’s rail transit project. Hawaii Public Radio.

Honolulu officials have approved a bill that would extend a tax surcharge to pay for the $6.57 billion rail project. Hawaii News Now.

University of Hawaii-Manoa Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman has initiated a search for a permanent director for the financially struggling UH Cancer Center, the university announced this afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

Almost exactly a year after Michele Carbone resigned as director of the struggling University of Hawaii Cancer Center, the UH is initiating a formal search process for his replacement. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee deferred action this week on two bills pertaining to the last undeveloped phase of Haseko’s Ewa Beach development after several community members raised concerns about building near the shoreline. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu’s Section 8 program got a “High Performer” rating from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which funds the rental subsidy program that’s officially known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Civil Beat.

The city's new facility to help the homeless officially opens Thursday in Sand Island. Hawaii News Now.

Businessman Duane Kurisu has been looking at a 13-acre parcel just off Nimitz Highway — and seeing a lot of promise. In Kurisu’s vision, the state-owned land could be the perfect place for a “plantation-style” village for homeless families and single mothers with children — up to 300 of them. Civil Beat.

A group of 20 protesters joined The Alliance for Solar Choice, a solar activist group, at the King Kamehameha statute on King Street on Wednesday to rally against the recent Public Utilities Commission decision to end a popular solar incentive program. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Two West Hawaii lawmakers are calling for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization to send medical experts to help quell the dengue fever disease before it becomes endemic. West Hawaii Today.

As the number of confirmed cases of dengue fever rises on Hawaii Island, two doctors-turned-lawmakers are challenging state officials – in writing and on video – to step up the response to the outbreak. Big Island Video News.

The state Department of Health says it addressed issues which, in some cases, slowed the delivery of results from dengue fever blood tests to Hawaii Island residents. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Health confirmed Wednesday that 72 people have contracted dengue fever on Hawaii island, up by seven from Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hilo garbage soon will be making its way across the island to the West Hawaii landfill at Puuanahulu, thanks to a unanimous vote Wednesday by the Hawaii County Council. West Hawaii Today.

A 13-acre Ka‘u property that once hosted Native Hawaiian sporting events came closer to being preserved Wednesday. In a 9-0 vote, the Hawaii County Council gave final approval to a resolution authorizing Finance Director Deanna Sako to negotiate acquisition of the land near Naalehu. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A proposed development of a small town at Olowalu with 1,500 homes, hundreds of potential ohana units, stores, schools, parks and a mauka realignment of Honoapiilani Highway ran into a buzz-saw of opposition Wednesday before the state Land Use Commission. Maui News.

As of noon on Wednesday, Nov. 18, the state Land Use Committee heard from 31 of the 84 Maui residents who signed up to testify at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s McCoy Studio Theater regarding acceptance of the Olowalu Town LLC and Olowalu Ekolu LLC’s Final Environmental Impact Statement, a 3,000-page document made available to the public 18 days ago. Maui Now.

Maui County has fully recovered from the Great Recession and is breaking previous records in labor force, employment and job count, as well as generating three-quarters of a billion dollars' worth of construction work over the past year, a state administrator and county official said Wednesday. Maui News.

It’s been six months since Always Investigating first told you about a fancy kitchen in a Maui County building, paid for with tax dollars on a county credit card. Now, we’ve finally gotten a look inside and learned more about how long it’s been there. KHON2.

Widening work has started on Old Haleakala Highway in Pukalani. BCP Construction of Hawaii Inc. is the contractor for the more than $1 million county sidewalk improvement project. Maui News.

Commentary: Dust can be a big hassle. Even a health hazard. Ask the good people at Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar (HC&S), which runs Pu`unene sugar mill–the last one in the state. State health officials recently busted the mill for producing too much dust in one of its fields. But a warning to those members of the public who wish to complain about it: you’re in for a long and frustrating duel with bureaucrats if you do. MauiTime.

Kauai

The county has finalized a $7 million list of five projects that will be seeking state funding in January. Garden Island.

A master plan that will set a vision for Black Pot Beach Park over the next 20 years was the topic of a public discussion attended by Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr., members of a Honolulu-based planning agency hired by the county and more than 100 community members. Garden Island.

Mark Oyama was recognized and congratulated by the County Council for his induction into the 2015 Hawaii Restaurant Hall of Fame in ceremonies on Sept. 21. Garden Island.