Hawaii energy policy scrutinized, state mum on dengue cases, Schatz campaigns for Clinton, space rocket to be launched off Kauai, UH fires football coach Chow, Native Hawaiian election begins, more top government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Coffee beans on a drying floor © 2015 All Hawaii News

Heading into the 45th annual festival showcasing their trade, Kona coffee growers have a lot to celebrate. Abundant rain and an early and extensive coffee bloom have brought loads of cherry — filling drying platforms and mills with the fragrant product. West Hawaii Today.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz is spending the weekend in Maine and Boston, fundraising and offering his support and advice to some grass-roots groups that are mobilizing for the presidential campaign of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Star-Advertiser.

Gov David Ige Talks About The State’s Energy Future. The state’s chief executive discusses the road map to a renewable energy revolution, the NextEra-HECO merger and hopes for affordable electricity. Civil Beat.

Political insider’s role in state energy policy is called into question. Robbie Alm has a dozen years of experience in the top management ranks of the state's largest utility, Hawaiian Electric Co ., and he has the ear of Gov. David Ige.That makes some people nervous. Star-Advertiser.

Two proclamations on homelessness from Gov. David Ige will make it possible to pump another $300,000 into programs around the islands that help people. Catholic Charities and Helping Hands will now divide the additional $300,000 from Ige's proclamations and can use it to help both homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless. Star-Advertiser.

Virgin America, named the best in U.S. air travel for eight straight years by Travel + Leisure magazine, is making its inaugural flight to Honolulu from San Francisco with a new 149-seat Airbus 320 aircraft aptly named the Pineapple Express. Virgin America will expand its Hawaii service further on Dec. 3 when it begins flying between San Francisco and Kahului. Star-Advertiser.

The National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint today against Aqua-Aston Hospitality in response to five unfair labor practice charges filed by UNITE HERE Local 5 against Aqua-Aston (formerly Aston Hotels & Resorts) since July. Hawaii Independent.

Oahu

As costs continue to climb, Honolulu rail remains by far the most expensive transit project per-capita being built in the U.S., a Honolulu Star-Advertiser analysis shows.

They’re public records, but the City and County of Honolulu often makes it difficult — and expensive — for the public to obtain them. The Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest is looking to change that with four amendments it proposed to the Honolulu Charter Commission. The Charter Commission is in the midst of assessing dozens of proposals as part of its 10-year review of the city charter. Civil Beat.

Live Christmas trees will be allowed in hotel lobbies, larger restaurants and other assembly areas this holiday season, provided those settings have sprinklers in place, under a compromise proposal reached among businesses, the Honolulu Fire Department and the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

Friends of Haiku Stairs say potential hike fee revenue could be key to reopening the famous Hawaii hiking trail known as "Stairway to Heaven" and to preserve its surrounding Windward Oahu valley for the long term. Pacific Business News.

Mounting losses and dwindling attendance added up to Norm Chow's dismissal as head coach of the University of Hawaii football team. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Tom Hasslinger has been named managing editor of West Hawaii Today. Hasslinger’s primary responsibility will be working with the newspaper’s editorial department to produce compelling local content.  West Hawaii Today.

Gov. David Ige continued to offer support for building the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea and improving the state’s stewardship of the mountain while speaking last week at Oahu’s Windward Community College. Tribune-Herald.

A pair of prolific internet vloggers have documented their battle with an illness they believe was contracted on the Big Island during a recent visit, while the state of Hawaii investigates two confirmed cases of “locally-acquired” dengue fever on the same island. Big Island Video News.

Health officials said they cannot reveal information about the patients or where the dengue cases have been reported because the investigation into the source of the mosquito-borne disease is ongoing. Tribune-Herald.

Ballots begin going out today to the 95,000-plus Native Hawaiian voters who registered by the deadline to help choose 40 delegates to an aha, or constitutional convention. West Hawaii Today.

Operators hopeful, wary of new manta tour regulation. West Hawaii Today.

The charitable and political powerhouse Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council has turned 50, and it’s inviting the community to join the celebration. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A Maui County Council committee on Monday will consider a resolution to establish an advisory body to review a county manager form of governance. Maui News.

Maui County Council committee to discuss county manager form of government this Monday. MauiTime.

The county Department of Planning is soliciting bids from consultants to study the feasibility of using sand nourishment as a way to reduce shoreline erosion in Kahana, where seawalls stop the ocean from washing condominiums out to sea. Maui News.

Establishing a temporary "sanctuary" for the homeless, along with more development of transitional housing and workforce housing, are all part of Mayor Alan Arakawa's multimillion-dollar "Homeless Initiative." Maui News.

Maui County is considering sanctuaries as the population of homeless individuals rises faster than anywhere else in the state. Associated Press.

State airports in Hawaiʻi will implement a fee increase for parking at six facilities on Dec. 1, 2015, including fee increases at Kahului and Kapalua Airports on Maui. Maui Now.

Scott Parker, who was seeking to become one of three Maui delegates to a Native Hawaiian convention, said Friday that he is withdrawing from the Na'i Aupuni election that gets underway Sunday. Maui News.

Kauai

A Hawaii police union will file a labor board complaint if it doesn’t get final approval on a policy governing the first widespread use of body cameras in the state. The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers says a body camera policy implemented without its final approval would violate Kauai County’s contract with the union. Associated Press.

Kauai County is asking the state to incentivize competition and help make interisland travel cost less. Associated Press.

The Kauai County Council wants the state to take up what it feels is a serious, islandwide issue: expensive costs for residents to fly from one island to another. Garden Island.

Frances Nelson Hali’aalohanokekupuna Frazier known as a legendary Hawaiian language translator, “beloved auntie,” and outspoken writer of “sassy letters to the editor” died on Oct. 19. She was 101. Garden Island.

University of Hawaii officials say the state's much-delayed first space launch could be finally set for takeoff. According to the university's Space Flight Laboratory, the 55-foot "Super Strypi" rocket will be launched from Kauai's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Monday. Associated Press.

Schism widens over Native Hawaiian election, student test scores drop, NextEra hearing draws crowds, Maui seeks more police, Kauai mulls county manager v. mayor, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Walter Ritte leads Hawaiian rally, courtesy Makawalu Photography

Walter Ritte will announce Wednesday that he is disenrolling from the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission’s registry, withdrawing his candidacy as a Nai Aupuni election delegate and calling for a boycott of the election. Civil Beat.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs on Tuesday rolled out a website called Mo‘oaupuni, which is intended to present material relating to what’s referred to as “Hawaiian political landscapes.” Civil Beat.

The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is holding community meetings statewide on proposed rule changes that include allowing the agency to accept DNA tests to establish family ties for eligibility for the homestead program for Native Hawaiians. Maui News.

Academic gains Hawaii public school students saw two years ago on the National Assessment of Educational Progress were essentially erased this year as math and reading scores slipped to 2011 levels on the standardized test known as the “Nation’s Report Card.” Star-Advertiser.

The percentage of Hawaii fourth and eighth graders proficient in math and reading declined in 2015, scores released Tuesday show. Hawaii's scores slipped in both grades and both subjects on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is administered every two years to a representative sample of students in each state. Hawaii News Now.

A group of Hawaii legislators is tired of the Health Department ignoring a state law that requires inspection reports of adult care homes and other long-term care facilities to be posted online. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission won’t let opposition to NextEra Energy's acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co. influence its decision on whether to grant final approval of the $4.3 billion deal, the agency's chairman told Pacific Business News.

As the state Public Utilities Commission prepares to weigh evidence in the proposed $4.3 billion merger of the Hawaiian Electric Companies and NextEra Energy, the companies requested intervenors pushing alternatives to the merger be excluded from an upcoming hearing. Tribune-Herald.

The state is working to increase ocean safety education for visitors in the wake of recent tourist drownings. Associated Press.

Oahu

Hundreds crowded into McKinley High School's auditorium Tuesday to voice their opposition to Hawaiian Electric's NextEra merger. Hawaii News Now.

More than 250 Oahu residents gathered Tuesday night at the McKinley High School auditorium to voice their opinions on the proposed purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries by Florida-based NextEra Energy Inc. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission heard an unfamiliar sound Tuesday evening — strong support for the proposed $4.3 billion sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries to NextEra Energy. Unlike on Maui and the Big Island where members of the public overwhelmingly opposed the deal, the Oahu residents who testified were far more evenly split. Civil Beat.

A University of Hawaii law school degree is one of the most valuable for the mind and wallet, according to the National Jurist magazine’s latest rankings. The UH William S. Richardson School of Law was recognized again as a "Best Value" law school for its significant rate of employed recent graduates as well as its students' low levels of debt. Pacific Business News.

Board of Water Supply Critical of Navy Red Hill Fuel Leak Mitigation Plan  Hawaii Public Radio.

The Air Force apologized Tuesday for unexpected early morning noise from fighter jets roaring over Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Kevin Mulligan, a retired union agent for the Hawaii Government Employees Association, and a member of the 12-person Honolulu Charter Commission, has submitted several proposals to the Charter Commission, including one that would lower the threshold for firing a police chief and another to create a completely new oversight agency to keep tabs on the department’s internal disciplinary process. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The vast majority of Hawaii Island schools appear to be making improvements, according to the latest results of the fledgling Strive HI Performance System. However, the island as a whole continues to lag behind the rest of the state on most performance measures. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County has selected a preferred site for a wastewater treatment plant serving Naalehu. The site is located on state land makai of Mamalahoa Highway on the east side of the town. It borders property the county is considering purchasing in order to preserve former Makahiki grounds known as Kahua Olohu. Tribune-Herald.

An unhappy homeowner at the luxury Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is suing the resort and its developers, saying he and others aren’t getting the benefits they were promised when they built or purchased their homes. The suit claims that homeowners, their families and guests face crowded facilities and fees that have risen unfairly at The Hualalai Club, where a membership runs $250,000, plus $40,625 in annual dues. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
The Maui Police Department is seeking funding for five additional positions, including a police major and an emergency services coordinator, in its budget proposal for the 2017 fiscal year. Maui News.

Pregnant women can take advantage of new parking stalls designated for expectant moms at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Shopping Center in Kahului. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai County Councilman Mason Chock will present a preliminary report this morning on the findings thus far of a subcommittee formed in June to study the possibility of switching to a county manager system of government. Garden Island.

A majority of the Kauai County Council changed its own internal rules to prevent any Councilmember from asking questions of the public when they testify. Hawaii Independent.

Jim Guerber, head brewer and owner of Kauai Beer Company, was elated when he heard that Kauai County was earmarked to receive $13 million in federal funds targeted at revitalizing the Lihue Town Core. Garden Island.

Kahoolawe

The Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission intends to ask the state attorney general to clarify the law that bans commercial activity in the reserve. Maui News.

Gov. Ige reports on Japan-China trip, Honolulu rail costs rise to $6.57B, feds support Native Hawaiian election, University of Hawaii seeks $16.2M budget increase, tigers denied for Hilo zoo, ABC's Jamie Zimmerman drowns on Kauai, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard bloodies nose in surfing mishap, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Gov. Ige visits Gov. Onaga of Okinawa, courtesy photo

Gov. David Ige and first lady Dawn Amano-Ige returned from a diplomatic mission to Asia this week where they visited Okinawa, Japan, and Guangdong, China, to promote economic development, tourism, international student exchanges and the further development of renewable energy. Star-Advertiser.

Ending months of uncertainty, Hawaii Gov. David Ige announced Thursday that he has appointed Scott Glenn to serve as director of the state Office of Environmental Quality Control. Glenn will take the reins in November from Jessica Wooley, whose term ended June 30. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Gov. Ige is still opposed to NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co., even after seeing more than 50 new commitments the Florida firm made in its updated sale application. Pacific Business News.

The University of Hawaii will seek $16.2 million in additional state funding for operations next fiscal year under a supplemental budget request approved unanimously Thursday by the university’s Board of Regents. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii regents agreed Thursday to request $16 million in additional funds for the 2017 fiscal year from the state. Pacific Business News.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents voted Thursday to approve a $700,000 settlement over the removal of former basketball coach Gib Arnold. Hawaii News Now.

The $700,000 settlement between the University of Hawaii and fired head basketball coach Gib Arnold is one of several costly contract disputes for the university over the last decade. Hawaii News Now.

The U.S. Department of the Interior says a judge shouldn't grant an injunction against an election process that's underway for those with Native Hawaiian ancestry. The department filed what's known as a friend-of-the-court brief in a lawsuit challenging the election. The lawsuit says a race-based election is unconstitutional. Associated Press.

Oahu

The cost of the city’s rail project is now expected to swell to $6.57 billion as rail officials Thursday made public a new outline of the rail financial plan that incorporates additional utility work, traffic signals and finance charges that had not been included in previous cost estimates. Star-Advertiser.

For the 50.6 percent of Oahu voters who approved the city's rail project in 2008, the original price tag was estimated at $5.3 billion. Nearly seven years later, the cost of the elevated rail line has ballooned to more than $6.5 billion. KITV4.

The only quandary facing Honolulu Authority of Rapid Transportation board members Thursday was figuring out how to pay for future contracts and repay any debt incurred since the City Council has yet to approve an extension of the General Excise Tax. Civil Beat.

Construction of new Oahu SPCA shelter hit with violation notices. Hawaii News Now.

Rep. Tom Brower has been keeping close tabs on the homeless sweeps in Kakaako. KHON2.

U.S. Rep.Tulsi Gabbard injured her nose in a surfing accident Thursday morning at a surf spot area in Waikiki known as “Number Threes.”  Star-Advertiser.

For those interested in taking a look at sections of the sunken USS Arizona not normally seen — those below the murky waters of Pearl Harbor — the National Park Service is diving on the historic battleship and broadcasting it on a live webcast Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Several amenities have been trimmed from the plans of a long-awaited Waimea district park after the construction bids came in higher than anticipated. The first phase of the project, originally expected to cost about $30 million, has been downsized to $23.87 million, because of “insufficient funds to award the contract at the basic bid amount,” according to a Sept. 14 letter from the Department of Public Works to winning bidder Nan Inc. West Hawaii Today.

There will be no permit for the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens to import tiger cubs from an Oregon big cat breeder, at least for now. In a meeting Wednesday in Honolulu, the state Department of Agriculture’s Advisory Committee on Plants and Animals decided not to forward the county zoo’s request to bring in two Bengal tiger cubs to the Board of Agriculture for its consideration. Tribune-Herald.

An open discussion was held on Wednesday evening at the University of Hawaii concerning Na’i Aupuni, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs-funded nation-building effort. Big Island Video News.

Maui

State legislators come home to talk story. Maui News.

The County of Maui Department of Transportation is seeking public input on proposals to increase Maui Bus Service, as outlined in the draft Maui County Short-Range Transit Plan. Maui Now.

Kauai

In September of 1970, Tom Summers, a surfer from California, arrived on Kauai and landed his first job building a 400-room expansion at the Coco Palms Resort. Garden Island.

Jamie Zimmerman, a doctor and reporter with ABC News’ medical unit, has drowned while on vacation in Hawaii. She was 31. Associated Press.

Jamie Zimmerman, a doctor and reporter with ABC News' medical unit, has drowned while on vacation in Hawaii. She was 31. Zimmerman apparently lost her footing while trying to cross the Lumahai River on Kauai's north shore and was swept out to sea. Star-Advertiser.

County officials have issued another notice about the importance of residents using their refuse carts properly. Garden Island.

More Ige agencies oppose NextEra buyout of Hawaiian Electric, Hawaiian Independence Day set, tsunami money coming to Hawaii, monk seals increase, Maui defines dancing, Kakaako homeless sweep continues, median Honolulu home surges to $730l, coral bleaching worries Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian Electric Co. worker courtesy photo

Gov. David Ige’s administration said Wednesday it is not in favor of NextEra Energy Inc.’s purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries even after NextEra revised its proposal in August, adding more than 50 new binding commitments. The state Office of Planning; the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; and the state Consumer Advocate filed more than 480 pages Wednesday with the Public Utilities Commission, saying that even with Next­Era’s revised commitments, the sale is not in the public interest. Star-Advertiser..

The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved legislation that would improve tsunami preparedness and provide more money for research to protect coastal communities from the giant waves. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz announced Thursday that both the House and Senate have given the nod to a new bill he has co-sponsored which will increase tsunami readiness and improve the accuracy of alarms and forecasts. West Hawaii Today.

Some 148 monk seal pups were born in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in 2015. That’s up 22 percent from the 121 documented births in 2014, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Scientists recently returned from a months-long deployment monitoring the monk seal population, tallying births and intervening with sick and injured animals, according to a NOAA Fisheries update. They reported that 148 pups were born in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in 2015, a 22 percent increase over the previous year. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Department of Education is recommending changes to its school calendar after parents and lawmakers urged the state to consider starting school later due to high temperatures this summer. Associated Press.

An independent court master is recommending that Probate Judge Derrick Chan not reappoint Janeen-Ann Olds to a second term as a Kamehameha Schools trustee because she’s lost the support of her fellow trustees in the wake of scandals involving telecommunications company Sandwich Isles Communications and its parent company, Waimana Enterprises. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
Discussion on a bill extending the 0.5 percent excise tax surcharge for rail on Oahu through the end of 2027 will be heard by a Honolulu City Council committee in the coming weeks, Council Chairman Ernie Martin said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu received $9.8 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to combat homelessness last year, but any future funding could be in jeopardy. That’s because HUD is wielding the power of federal purse-strings to crack down on efforts to criminalize homelessness — something critics say Honolulu is doing with its expanding sit-lie ban. Civil Beat.

As the city prepares its final push to clear out the last of the Kakaako homeless encampment today and Friday, Mayor Kirk Caldwell said some homeless people have simply moved next door and set up an illegal camp on state land at Kewalo Basin. Star-Advertiser.

With final sweeps set to begin Thursday, people in the densest parts of the Kakaako homeless encampment were preparing Wednesday for their looming eviction. Civil Beat.

State homelessness coordinator Scott Morishige says there is shelter space available for all the residents.  Efforts of a different kind are continuing for another segment of the homeless population: military veterans. Hawaii Public Radio.

The median sales price of a single-family home on Oahu rose by more than 7 percent in September to hit a record-shattering $730,000 on a 3.5 percent jump in sales, according to Multiple Listing Service data compiled by the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

There’s been no food served at the Honolulu Community College cafeteria for the last 13 months as school officials struggled to find a new vendor and brought in food trucks to temporarily serve the campus. Hawaii News Now.

University officials confirm that after Thursday, classes will no longer be held in Building 1 on UH's College of Education campus. This comes less than 24 hours after Hawaii News Now exposed what faculty said were unsafe and unhealthy conditions.

A popular Waialua bakery known for its “snow puffies” pastries has closed after the state Health Department temporarily suspended its food safety permit due to improper temperature controls. Under the state’s color-coded food safety inspection program, the Health Department’s Sanitation Branch on Tuesday issued Paalaa Kai Bakery a red placard — the first one to be issued to a food establishment in Hawaii since implementation of the system in July 2014. Star-Advertiser.

The developer of a condominium tower that opened in Kakaako earlier this year made its argument Wednesday to a state board for why the firm should be excused for violating an ineffective rule aimed at limiting reflectivity of high-rise building glass. Star-Advertiser.

State agricultural pest officials are refocusing efforts to eradicate a beetle that has touched off the deaths of more than 100 coconut and palm trees on Oahu, shifting traps to an area stretching to Nanakuli from Iroquois Point. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Hawaiian Kingdom’s most important national holiday — La Kuokoa, or Independence Day — was officially recognized Wednesday by the Hawaii County Council in a nonbinding resolution asking the state Legislature to add Nov. 28 to its list of state holidays. West Hawaii Today.

Today marks the anniversary of the ceremonial groundbreaking celebration for the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea. The day was so mired in confusion and interrupted by opposition to the project that the actual groundbreaking for the $1.4 billion observatory never happened. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The Maui County Liquor Control Commission defined dancing Wednesday after years of pressure from Maui dance advocates, who now hope the ruling will allow customers to bob their heads or tap their toes outside a designated dance floor. Maui News.

Dana Souza was selected as the next director of the Maui County Department of Liquor Control on Wednesday, following the announced retirement of longtime head Franklyn Silva. Maui News.

A newly published study on the health effects of cane burning finds a link between sugar cane burning and acute respiratory illness on Maui, though an official with Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. disputes the findings and methodology of the research. Maui News.

More Upcountry residents may be getting their long-awaited water meters as the Maui County Council passed a bill Tuesday that offers exemptions from expensive street and fire protection improvements for some on the waiting list. Maui News.

County of Maui wants to teach us all Aloha because of the 2014 Kalama Park video guy. MauiTime.

Kauai

Kauai’s colorful corals are going white, a crisis that is spreading and devastating reefs across the globe. Garden Island.

The public is advised that a portion of Waipouli Road, about a quarter-mile from the Hauiki Road junction in Kapaa, will be closed to through traffic next week to allow for a drain culvert replacement. Garden Island.

In preparation for the next application cycle for the Community Development Block Grant funding, the Kauai County Housing Agency will be conducting workshops for those new to the program. Garden Island.

Hawaii 'Bleachapalooza' coral inventory set for Saturday, military, EPA ink agreement on leaky Red Hill storage tanks, helipads coming to Ellison's Lanai property, UH Cancer Center money unresolved, wind works on Maui, Big Island, Honolulu rail work chugging along, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Bird wrasse amid Hawaii coral © 2015 All Hawaii News

The state department of Land and Natural Resources launches a “Beachapalooza” event this weekend to bring attention to the damaging effects of coral bleaching in the islands. Maui Now.

Volunteers will be searching for the damage to the island’s coral reefs caused by high water temperatures Saturday, and more people are needed. They’re looking for coral bleaching, when corals go from their normal vibrancy to a whiteness close to death. West Hawaii Today.

NextEra Energy Inc., the company proposing to buy Hawaiian Electric Co. for $4.3 billion, won’t go through the acquisition process a second time if Hawaii regulators ultimately nix the current proposal that’s on the table, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Innocence Project is looking to revamp its image in the community. It was started in 2005 by retiring UH law professor Virginia Hench and local defense attorneys Susan Arnett, Brook Hart and Bill Harrison. Like other Innocence Projects throughout the U.S., its goal is to free the wrongfully convicted. Civil Beat.

Hawaii has a new sheriff in town. The Department of Public Safety announced its appointment Thursday of Renee Sonobe Hong to head the state Sheriff Division. Civil Beat.

Oahu

State and federal officials said Thursday that “immediate and long-term” actions being required of the Navy will help reduce the threat of future leaks at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. Star-Advertiser.

A new agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Hawaii Department of Health, the U.S. Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency outlines a plan to upgrade underground fuel storage tanks in Red Hill over the next 20 years. Civil Beat.

Senator Laura Thielen deems Honolulu’s drinking water to be at continued contamination risk even after the Navy and the state struck an agreement today concerning leaks from fuel tanks at the Red Hill facility. Hawaii Independent.

Members of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents Budget and Finance Committee couldn’t agree Thursday on how much money to seek from the state Legislature for the financially troubled UH Cancer Center, and instead passed out a budget proposal omitting the $5 million university officials had wanted. Star-Advertiser.

A structural assessment of the Wilson Tunnel on Likelike Highway has identified additional deterioration of stainless-steel rods supporting the ceiling, state Department of Transportation officials said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Workers are almost done building the rail system’s Pearl City-based high-tech operations center — a milestone that rail leaders touted Thursday — but the deal for the city to own the land under that site still isn’t done and at least one key rail official is concerned about how that might affect the project. Star-Advertiser.

HART Executive Director Dan Grabauskas, along with Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, sounded upbeat when showing off the structures and rail already being laid down at HART’s Rail Operations Center. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu buildings deal with elevator issues, maintenance problems. KHON2.

A city crew patched potholes on Halekauwila Street in Kakaako on Thursday following weeks of heavy rain, but the public shouldn’t expect the same to be done for several nearby streets in shabby condition. That’s because the city has discontinued maintenance of at least five streets in central Kakaako after the private owner of the public thoroughfares restricted parking along major portions of Queen, Waimanu, Kawaiahao, Ilaniwai and Cummins streets. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge sentenced a former executive director of the Hawaii Center for Independent Living to 21 months in prison Thursday for embezzling nearly $180,000 in federal grant money from the now-defunct nonprofit organization, which provided services to people with disabilities.Star-Advertiser.

A third former employee of Waianae Community Outreach has been charged with felony theft, Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin announced Thursday. Civil Beat.

Firefighters are investigating a potentially toxic gas release at the Waiau Power Plant that occurred Thursday evening. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

A massive energy kite being developed in California could be deployed for testing near Waimea by early next year. West Hawaii Today.

Cinder mining operations will likely be expanded in Hawaiian Ocean View Estates without the county being forced to regulate assessments on private roads there, if the Windward Planning Commission follows through on planning director recommendations following a protracted contested case hearing that wrapped up Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

How to keep energy costs down dominated the public hearing at Kealakehe High School on a possible merger between Hawaii Electric Company and Florida-based NextEra Wednesday night. The hearing was organized by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, part of a series running across the state. West Hawaii Today.

On the Big Island, work is underway for a wind farm in South Kohala. The project will consist of five wind turbines – generating 3.3 megawatts of energy – for the Department of Water Supply wells. KITV4.

This weekend, Puna residents will have another opportunity to live through the harrowing approach of the June 27 lava flow. “The Pahoa Flow,” a documentary made by Pahoa-area residents Josh Ballauer, Jeremiah Lofgreen and Matt Tavares, will premiere Saturday at Uncle Robert’s Awa Bar in Kalapana. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A Maui County Council committee Wednesday recommended fast-track approval of the 184-unit Kenolio Apartments affordable rental housing project in Kihei, with a member saying affordable housing is "direly needed." Maui News.

Maui Electric Co. has steadily increased the amount of wind energy that it utilizes for power generation, leaving less curtailed, or wasted, energy on the table, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

South Maui state Rep. Kaniela Ing and Hawaiian activists Walter Ritte Jr. and Dr. Noa Aluli are among the candidates vying to be delegates to a Native Hawaiian constitutional convention. Maui News.

Kauai

Former deputy prosecutor Lisa Arin will officially announce her bid for the office of Kauai’s Prosecuting Attorney in the 2016 election Tuesday. Garden Island.

The planned revival of the shuttered Coco Palms Resort on Kauai is back on track after the county approved demolition permits for the famous resort. Star-Advertiser.

A local subsidiary of a Texas-based gasoline company has made a deal to acquire a mix of gas stations, convenience stores and Subway restaurants on Kauai from a 57-year-old kamaaina firm. Star-Advertiser.

Molokai

Molokai residents voiced largely opposition two weeks ago to a proposed merger between Hawaiian Electric and NextEra, a Florida-based energy company. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is gathering public feedback on the proposed $4.3 million merger and will make a decision within the next six months. Molokai’s feedback, said Commission Chair Randall Iwase, has been in keeping with what they’ve heard so far around the state. Molokai Dispatch.

Lanai

Billionaire Larry Ellison, who purchased 98 percent of the Hawaiian Island of Lanai several years ago for $300 million, has plans to develop helistop pads at the two luxury Four Seasons resorts that he owns on the Pineapple Island. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii set to lose federal Safe Drinking Act funds, state #2 in military money, Affordable Care Act waiver makes Hawaii first, more on medical marijuana dispensaries, Punchbowl condo project opposed, sex offenders get special treatment, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Freshwater stream enters Pacific Ocean © 2015 All Hawaii News

The federal government is withholding $8 million — or all of the 2015 fiscal year funding that’s earmarked for repairing Hawaii’s drinking water infrastructure — because the Hawaii Department of Health continues to do a poor job of spending federal funds, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s Department of Health shouldn’t receive any more federal funds under the Safe Drinking Water Act until it cleans up its own act, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General said in a report made public Monday. Daily Caller.

Read full EPA report on Hawaii's drinking water infrastructure spending here.

Hawaii still ranked No. 2 in the nation in fiscal 2014 among states with the greatest military spending as a percentage of gross domestic product, but those expenditures slipped to $7.6 billion in 2014 from $8.1 billion the previous year, the Department of Defense said in a new report. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s first draft of an Affordable Care Act waiver proposal is the first of its kind in the nation. The state is seeking public input on a waiver to harmonize its relatively progressive Prepaid Health Care Act, which passed in 1974, with the federal health care law. Pacific Business News.

Protections Proposed for 49 Hawaii Species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to add 10 animals and 39 plants to the Endangered Species Act. Civil Beat.

Should lawyers be allowed to represent medical marijuana dispensaries that are legal under Hawaii state law but not under federal law? That’s the question the state Supreme Court is grappling with, and it’s asked for public input. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii’s record run of visitor arrivals and spending could be in jeopardy next year even though airlines are bringing more seats to the islands than ever before. Star-Advertiser.

While the visitor growth in August was not as strong as in previous months, Hawaii’s visitor industry continues to exceed 2014 records in spending and arrivals. Spending reached $10.3 billion for the first eight months of 2015 and contributed $1.1 billion in state tax revenue. West Hawaii Today.

Virgin America, AirAsiaX and Jin Air will begin operating flights between Hawaii and the West Coast and Asia by the end of the year, the Hawaii Tourism Authority says. Pacific Business News.

State lawmakers have confronted the issue of how to allow charitable giving by candidates in a way that creates a public benefit but doesn't give incumbents an unfair advantage over those seeking to challenge them politically. Maui News.

Treating Hawaii’s Sex Offenders: ‘Here, We Don’t Give Up on People’ Of the state program’s 800-plus “graduates,” only 20 have returned to prison after committing a new sex crime, a recidivism rate of slightly more than 2 percent. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Plans for a contentious condominium project on the makai slopes of Punchbowl crater will be subject to a public hearing Wednesday morning. Star-Advertiser.

Pearl Harbor was once known as Oahu’s “bread basket” because it was such an important fishing area, teeming with ocean life. But since the construction of the iconic U.S. military base, the pristine harbor has been marred by environmental disaster. Civil Beat.

The cost of a parking ticket and other traffic violations on the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus would significantly increase next summer under a proposal that would bring campus fines in line with citations from Honolulu police and state sheriff’s deputies. Star-Advertiser.

More than a year after a violent fight between a Honolulu police officer and his girlfriend was caught on surveillance video, the internal investigation is finally done. HPD Sgt. Darren Cachola was not indicted for domestic violence but his own department could hand down stiff punishment against the 19-year veteran of the force. Hawaii News Now.

Goto Construction has been contracted by the city to refurbish 15 playgrounds across Oahu, and they’re hoping to bring a new one online every week. KHON2.

Hawaii

NASA’s announcement Monday that it found evidence of liquid water on Mars was reassuring for a University of Hawaii at Hilo team hoping to select the landing site for the first manned mission to the red planet. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Public Utility Commission has granted the request made by Parker Ranch subsidiary Paniolo Power Company, LLC to withdraw from the HEI-NextEra merger docket. Big Island Video News.

A trial begins today in a lawsuit that accuses the state Department of Land and Natural Resources of failing to properly oversee the Army’s use of ceded lands at the Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Kahului is one of the most tax-friendly places for retirees in Hawaiʻi, according to a recent study from SmartAsset, a New York-based financial technology company. Maui Now.

Kauai

Visitor expenditures on Kauai increased 15.5 percent (to $1.1 billion), which was boosted by the growth in visitor arrivals (up 4.5 percent to 802,554) and air seats into Lihue (up 5.2 percent to 473,200). Per person per day spending also saw a double-digit increase of 12.2 percent, which helped the island maintain its momentum for the first eight months of 2015. Garden Island.

The Department of Public Works used sand to fill holes at Kapaa Beach Park after an old cesspool was removed Monday morning. Garden Island.

Hawaii State Hospital revamp planned, no ho‘oponopono for Mauna Kea protesters, Thirty Meter Telescope fight costs University of Hawaii, Maui candidate files campaign spending complaint Pacific Resource Partnership, ACLU loses bid for restraining order against homeless sweeps, weather brings pumpkin shortage, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii State Hospital, courtesy asylumprojects.org

The Hawaii Department of Health is planning to overhaul the state’s psychiatric hospital in Kaneohe — more than doubling the number of beds and installing tighter security — in light of hundreds of reported assaults by patients against staff in recent years and a sharp increase in the number of people being committed to the facility. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Hospital would more than double its capacity while improving employee safety under an updated master plan unveiled Tuesday, health officials said. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Health is unveiling an updated plan for the Hawai‘i State Hospital, that would more than double the amount of available beds for patients. Hawaii Public Radio.

Six years after President Obama launched the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the commission created to support the initiative is making its first official visit to Hawaii. Civil Beat.

The State of Hawai‘i has ranked fourth in Kiplinger’s list of the country’s least tax-friendly states, topped only by California, Connecticut and New Jersey. Maui Now.

A public charter school’s academic and financial performance for the first time will determine whether its contract with the state should be renewed when the first round of performance-based contracts expire in 2017 — a move that has some schools anxious. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawyers must not provide legal services to clients seeking a license to run the state’s first medical marijuana businesses, according to a new formal opinion released by the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A federal judge on Tuesday denied the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i’s request to stop the city from using its sidewalk enforcement laws to remove the homeless from Honolulu streets. Star-Advertiser.

A federal court has denied a request for a temporary restraining order to halt city sweeps of homeless encampments in Honolulu. U.S. District Court Judge Helen Gillmor ruled Tuesday that the court lacked “sufficient information” to determine whether the continued enforcement of the stored property and sidewalk nuisance ordinances would cause “irreparable harm.” Civil Beat.

The civil rights battle for those who live on the streets hit a major speed bump on Tuesday. A federal judge denied a Temporary Restraining Order that would have prevented the City from removing personal belongings from public sidewalks. KITV4.

A federal judge has denied the American Civil Liberties Union's request to immediately stop Honolulu officials from clearing homeless encampments. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation plans to recommend on Friday that the state terminate its lease with Honey Bee USA Inc., the developer of the planned Waikiki Landing at the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, for nonpayment of more than $425,000 in back rent and for failing to pay the nearly $1 million performance bond and keep the lease free of encumbrances and liens. Star-Advertiser.

Sidewalk cafes are rare in Honolulu, despite the city’s famously good weather. That’s because a city ordinance doesn’t allow them anywhere except in Waikiki. Kakaako, a state redevelopment district, is also exempt from the ban that’s in place by default because the city defines sidewalks as places for walking, not dining. Civil Beat.

Honolulu architecture firm Ferraro Choi and Associates Ltd. has been tapped to design a part of the 5.5-acre “Kakaako Makai Innovation Block,” a partnership between the Hawaii Community Development Authority and the High Technology Development Corp. Pacific Business News.

O’ahu’s over-budget rail transit project is completing mile 5 of its elevated guideway and making its way through the heart of Waipahu.  Officials announced the resolution of a major issue that impacted a number of businesses there. Hawaii Public Radio.

Tanioka’s Seafoods & Catering and about 20 other Waipahu businesses along the rail line will get a partial reprieve from construction now that the left-turn lane into their shopping complex is back, surprisingly. Star-Advertiser.

Aloun Farms has reported a pumpkin shortage due to recent storms and frequent heavy rain. Production has dropped nearly 50 percent. KHON2.

Hawaii

It’s back to court for 10 Thirty Meter Telescope opponents arrested on Mauna Kea after state officials declined to participate in a Hawaiian mediation process known as ho‘oponopono. Tribune-Herald.

The financial impact from legal and other challenges to the Thirty-Meter Telescope at Mauna Kea and the Dan K. Inouye Solar Telescope at Haleakala is beginning to be felt on the University of Hawaii Manoa campus. The UH has already spent $2.2 million in attorney fees defending the construction of the telescopes. Hawaii News Now.

Residents now have a better idea of the cost of protecting water quality and ensuring healthy reefs at Puako Bay. The cost to build private aerobic wastewater processing systems would run about $6 million for Puako residents, and a sewage plant would be $9 million, according to an engineer’s study completed last month. West Hawaii Today.

Leaky pipes can cost big bucks, not only for residents who don’t catch them in time, but also for the Water Department, which generally picks up half the cost of overages, provided the resident fixes the leak. Property owners are allowed one such forgiveness every three years. West Hawaii Today.

The final environmental assessment (EA) for a proposed development mauka of Kahalu’u Beach Park has been published with a Finding of No Significant Impact. Big Island Video News.

Vehicles will be banned from Hilo’s Bayfront Beach beginning Friday. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Councilwoman Elle Cochran filed a state Campaign Spending Commission complaint Tuesday against the political action group Pacific Resource Partnership/Forward Progress, alleging that it plotted illegally with a political opponent to unseat her. Star-Advertiser.

An eight-bed special treatment facility for alcohol- and drug-dependent men in a Kihei neighborhood moved closer to reality after receiving a key approval from the state Health Department last week. Maui News.

Maui County's population has grown 5.3 percent in the last five years, pacing ahead of other counties in the state, according to newly released 2014 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Maui News.

Haleakala National Park’s Headquarters Visitor Center, near the park’s entrance, closed down Sunday afternoon for roof repairs that began Monday. The center will be closed until late November. Maui News.

Kauai
The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will start a pilot program that offers discounted rates to a group of residential customers to encourage them to shift their energy use to the daylight hours to take advantage of the utility’s robust solar resources, the nonprofit co-op said Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

The number of falling endangered seabirds has slowed. A Save Our Shearwaters organizer said only two birds have fallen at Kokee Air Force station since early last week — a big drop off from the 126 reported felled from mid-August to mid-September. Garden Island.

Hawaii coral endangered as hot El Nino persists, rail consultant under ethics investigation, lawmakers seek caregiver training, NextEra takes merger message across islands, UH sells $185M in bonds, council may reprimand Kenoi, principals under fire, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Researchers study coral off Hawaii Island © 2015 All Hawaii News

Researchers say warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures are bleaching large sections of Hawaii's coral for the second year in a row. Meteorologists say waters around Hawaii have been anywhere from 2 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit above normal this summer. Associated Press.

An updated El Nino forecast that predicts a 95 percent chance of warmer ocean temperatures through the winter means Hawaii can expect an increased chance of hurricanes, and muggy weather and hotter-than-usual temperatures, for several months. Star-Advertiser.

© 2015 All Hawaii News

Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say we now have a “strong” El Niño event, upgraded from a “moderate” forecast last month. Maui Now.

A Legislative Working Group is looking at addressing some of the issues facing the estimated 150-thousand-plus Family Caregivers in Hawai’i. Lawmakers heard from community stake-holders today as part of their on-going public hearings. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kamehameha Schools wants to be thought of as an educational system, and not so much as a real estate developer, the head of the $11 billion private charitable educational trust endowment said Thursday. Pacific Business News.

Keli'i Akina is one of six plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed recently against the state of Hawaii and others seeking to stop an election and convention that possibly would help establish a sovereign Native Hawaiian government. Star-Advertiser.

With its board of regents' approval, the University of Hawaii began selling $185 million in revenue bonds Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A high-ranking consultant who oversees construction on Honolulu’s $6 billion rail project is under a city ethics investigation for a sailing excursion he took with his family to watch fireworks along the coast of Oahu on New Year’s Eve. Civil Beat.

Illegal dumping of green waste and years of accumulated silt contributed to the overflow of Waikane Stream on Sunday night, which flooded Kamehameha Highway and blocked Windward Oahu traffic for hours, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

A new group at the University of Hawaii plans to hold three public meetings in September to gather community feedback on the proposed merger of Hawaiian Electric Industries with NextEra Energy. Civil Beat.

Enforcement efforts begin to lower the population of a homeless encampment in Kakaako. Meanwhile, residents are asked to provide some personal information in advance of an emergency to help dispatchers send help quicker. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille wants the council to reprimand Mayor Billy Kenoi for inappropriate use of his county credit card, and she’s put a resolution on Wednesday’s council agenda to do just that. West Hawaii Today.

It was a quiet meeting as all cable service for the state was commented upon Thursday night in the West Hawaii Civic Center. There were only two comments made about pending change in service providers.  West Hawaii Today.

NextEra Energy Inc.’s foray into Hawaii has turned out to be a tougher slog than anticipated, according to Eric Gleason, president of the Florida-based company’s Hawaii division. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Robust tourism, a strengthening labor market and a construction sector that appears poised to break out all point to a promising 2016 for Maui, a local economist told business leaders Thursday at the 41st annual First Hawaiian Bank Economic Outlook Forum. Star-Advertiser.

Wastewater overflowed twice in two months at the entrance to one of Maui's major tourism centers, literally creating a major stink, but a Kaanapali resort official had no complaints about Maui County's reaction to the spills and its operation of the sewer system. Maui News.

A Maui principal is reassigned after getting tough on students at their welcome back assembly. The back-to-school message riled-up students and parents and the Department of Education has now launched an investigation. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Lisa McDonald, Hanalei Elementary School principal, stood outside of the school Thursday morning, shoulder-to-shoulder with Superintendent Bill Arakaki, watching protesters line the entrance to the parking lot. Garden Island.

A blessing was held Tuesday to mark the start of the seawall repair project fronting Pono Kai Resort. Garden Island.

Council ethics scandals mar $6B Honolulu rail, 11,750-unit Hoopili development projects, 8 more arrested on Mauna Kea, new federal judge named, Molokai coconut grove protected, Kamehameha statue spear recovered, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu Hale © 2015 All Hawaii News

Separate efforts to halt the city’s $6 billion rail project and the 11,750-unit Ho‘opili development project in West Oahu started Tuesday in different forums. City ethics laws require Council members who have a direct or indirect interest in pending legislation to disclose such interests publicly before voting on them. Star-Advertiser.

Abigail Kawananakoa, a descendant of Hawaiian royalty and millionaire heiress to the James Campbell estate, filed a lawsuit Tuesday that could pose some problems for Honolulu’s $6 billion commuter rail line that’s slated to open in 2019. Civil Beat.

A report conducted by The Friends of Makakilo, Inc. shows that all nine of Honolulu’s City Council members owe their seats, in large-part, to businesses that profit from real estate development. The organization is using the report to ask the City Ethics Commission to take a look at the council votes that went into two of the most lucrative development projects in the history of Hawaii: Honolulu Rail and the accompanying Hoopili housing development. Hawaii Independent.

Honolulu attorney Clare E. Connors was nominated to the federal bench, replacing Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway in U.S. District Court in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

A Honolulu attorney has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as a U.S. District Court judge in the Hawaii District. Clare E. Connors has been an attorney at the law firm of Davis Levin Livingston in Honolulu since 2011, where her practice focuses on civil litigation. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Department of Education is seeking to purchase 1,000 portable air conditioner units on short delivery notice to address its short-term crisis in trying to alleviate heat problems in its classrooms across the state, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

When it Comes to Social Media, David Ige Plays It Safe. The Hawaii governor’s online presence is professional and thorough, but are there ways he could improve his “brand” to govern more effectively? Civil Beat.

Commentary: Lobby the Legislature, and there’s a healthy degree of transparency. Lobby the governor, or department directors or their deputies, and the activities never see the light of day. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A Circuit Court jury awarded about $27 million Tuesday in special and punitive damages to Ewa Beach homeowners who filed a class-action lawsuit against Haseko over a marina dispute, saying the developer violated a consumer protection law. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii jury has awarded Ewa Beach homeowners about $27 million in a lawsuit against a developer trying to build a recreational lagoon instead of the marina it originally planned. Associated Press.

There were only three tents for a cleanup crew to dismantle when the city made good on Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s promise to begin clearing out the Kakaako homeless encampment Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

City officials cleared an area on the outskirts of one of Honolulu’s largest homeless encampments on Tuesday. Associated Press.

Sand Island homeless facility to be ready by end of the year. City plans to have all 25 containers ready for move-in by December. KITV4.

Construction defects may be to blame for the flooding problems at University of Hawaii’s West Oahu’s campus, which opened just three years ago.  Hawaii News Now has learned taxpayers will have to pay nearly a quarter of a million dollars for drainage improvements to stop a persistent flooding threat to the school’s library.

An oceanography professor and director of the University of Hawaii’s Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education is among the winners of the 2015 Balzan Prize, an international award that honors achievements in the humanities, natural sciences and culture, as well as peace-focused endeavors. Star-Advertiser.

Groundbreaking for construction of the $25 million first phase of the Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Diamond Head on Tuesday marked the beginning of a new era in culinary education in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Law enforcement officers arrested eight protesters of the Thirty Meter Telescope early this morning at a camp near the Mauna Kea Visitors Center on Hawaii Island, according to officials with the State Department of Land and Natural Resources. Seven women, ranging in ages from 26 to 65, and one 23 year old man were arrested for allegedly being present in the overnight restricted area along Mauna Kea Observatory Access Road, outlined in the emergency rule passed by the Board of Land and Natural Resources and signed by Governor Ige. Hawaii News Now.

Eight people were arrested early this morning atop Mauna Kea. The Department of Land and Natural Resources tells us it was the second round of arrests under the 120-day-long emergency rule signed by Governor Ige. KHON2.

Members of the Hawaiian community celebrated the finding of a long spear tip snatched from the King Kamehameha statue in Hilo during the holiday weekend as police continued to search for clues to explain the vandalism. Detectives found the six-foot-long ‘ihe Tuesday in overgrowth along the banks of a channel leading to the Wailoa River. Tribune-Herald.

The slaughter last week of Ernest the goat, the beloved mascot of Volcano Garden Arts, is raising awareness of the problem of roving packs of dogs around the island, and in the process, raising money for the Hawaii Island Humane Society. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The West Maui Taxpayers Association will host a meeting to discuss housing needs for the unsheltered, houseless and homeless Sept. 16 at the Lahaina Civic Center. Maui News.

St. Louis-based Charter Communications, Inc. wants to merge with Time Warner Cable, a deal valued at $78.7 billion. That move potentially affects Oceanic Time Warner’s 200,000 or so customers in Hawaii, since the merger will transfer Time Warner’s cable TV franchises over to Charter. As a result, the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) is holding a series of public hearings on this franchise transfer. The first one for Maui County takes place tomorrow, Sept. 8. MauiTime.

Kauai

Students in Sue Schott’s Kekaha Elementary fourth-grade class try to stay focused on learning in a classroom where the heat index has been in the low 100s since late August. Garden Island.

Molokai

With help from the community, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has cleaned up Molokai's historic Kapuaiwa Coconut Grove and taken steps to put up a fence to protect the area from pollution and "disrespectful behavior." Maui News.