Maui mayor gets low marks in survey, Ige reluctant to ease COVID rules, Honolulu seeks new landfill site, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Aquaculture in Hawaii PC:Jeff Milisen via Kampachi Farms LLC/NELHA

 Hawaii aquaculture sales total $66.4M. A report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Friday said the value of farm-raised marine animals sold by producers statewide slipped 15% last year to $66.4 million from $78.5 million the year before. West Hawaii Today.

Violent and property crimes fell in Hawaii last year, new FBI statistics show. The FBI’s annual report on crime shows Hawaii continues to be safer than the rest of the country, with a violent crime rate per capita two thirds of the US as a whole. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Attorney General backs up county suits against fossil fuel companies for costs of climate change. Hawaii Attorney General Clare E. Connors is supporting county claims that several major fossil fuel companies should be held accountable for deceptive trade practices and other violations of state law. Star-Advertiser.

Air Force drones fly high in Hawaii. The Air Force for the first time recently flew a pair of its big MQ-9 Reaper drones — better known for their missile-firing role in the Middle East — from the mainland to Hawaii, extending the reach of the unmanned aircraft and with an eye to aiding the Navy and Marine Corps in island-hopping operations in the Western Pacific. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Homesteaders Are First To Get Pandemic Relief Funds To Help Pay The Mortgage. The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has begun accepting applications for $5 million in federal funds to help people on Hawaiian Homelands who have fallen behind on their mortgages because of the pandemic. Civil Beat.

Potential COVID surge could bring tighter rules, Hawaii governor David Ige says. The original idea in June was to reach a target of a 60% vaccination rate by July 8 that would increase the size of gatherings — then eliminate all restrictions when eventually reaching a 70% vaccination rate. As of Monday the state’s fully vaccinated rate was 67.7%. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

60% of all state COVID cases were in people 39 and under. Keiki 12-17 and young adults 18-29 have the lowest vaccination rates against COVID-19 in Hawaii and are among the age groups that account for the most coronavirus cases, according to data from the state Department of Health. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii sees 255 new coronavirus cases, bringing statewide total to 78,404. The new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 162 new cases on Oahu, 17 on Maui, 32 on Hawaii island, 33 on Kauai, four on Molokai and seven Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu Forms Committee To Choose New Landfill Location. The Landfill Advisory Committee is made up of nine members with backgrounds in government, engineering and contracting, among other fields, who will rank potential landfill locations. Civil Beat.

DPR announces city park gymnasiums to re-open. The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) announced Monday gymnasiums are scheduled to reopen for permitted use next month, along with active use of smaller indoor facilities in November. KITV4.

Nearly sold-out condo, the Azure Ala Moana tower, opens in Honolulu. Azure represents the first residential high-rise in the Ala Moana area completed under city transit-oriented development rules that allow buildings to be taller and denser than standard zoning regulations permit because they are within convenient walking distance of a planned, yet long-delayed, city rail station. Star-Advertiser.

Despite a high vaccination rate, a skilled nursing facility in Nuuanu has seen 93 COVID infections this month. The good news: The Care Center of Honolulu on Bachelot Street says the overwhelming majority of those who tested positive have recovered. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

DOT provides update on Kolekole Bridge. The state Department of Transportation said Monday intermediate repairs to Kolekole Bridge on Highway 19 north of Hilo “will be completed within three to four months and will restore normal operations on the bridge.” West Hawaii Today. Big Island Now.

BIISC focusing on eradication of devil weed. Hawaii County residents are urged to be on the lookout for an highly invasive plant found on the island this year that could devastate the cattle industry. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Charter Commission Meets Sept. 30 about Ethics & Boards/Commissions. The Maui Charter Commission will meet Thursday, Sept. 30 at 9 am to receive public testimony about 25 proposals related to ethics and board/commissions as part of its year-long review of proposed amendments to the County Charter, Maui County’s governing document. Maui Now.

Nearly $70 million will go toward Maui County projects. Public facilities and nature conservation work are among the projects that will receive funding after the state released a total of $69,762,356 to fund capital improvement projects in Maui County. Maui News.

Maui Now Survey: Community Divided on Coronavirus Concerns, Majority Very Concerned About Economy. The majority of public opinion shows disapproval of Maui County Mayor Victorino's handling of the coronavirus pandemic - with 80% of survey participants saying they disapprove and 19% saying they approve of his handling of the pandemic.  Maui Now.

Kauai

‘Aina Ho‘okupu O Kilauea brings food to the community. ‘Aina Ho‘okupu O Kilauea is a nonprofit whose goal is to facilitate solutions to economic, social, agricultural and food security challenges on Kaua‘i. Garden Island.

Civil suits, re-examination of court cases expected to follow arrests of former Honolulu police chief and deputy prosecutor, entire island of Maui without power, advanced stealth warplane headed to Japan, homeless swept from Nimitz viaduct, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Keaukaha fish pond © 2017 All Hawaii News

Hawaii aquaculture farms generated slightly less revenue last year, marking a second annual consecutive dip after a 2014 record. Star-Advertiser.

=====

Stolen money, falsified police reports, planted evidence – what sounds like a plot for a police drama is playing out in real life in Hawaii. Former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha, his wife, and a handful of HPD officers were released on bond after being indicted by a federal grand jury in a public corruption case. Allegations of corruption at the HPD following a case of a stolen mailbox led to a two-year federal investigation that uncovered much more.  Hawaii Public Radio.

The federal public defender who first pointed out potential wrongdoing in the Honolulu Police Department to federal prosecutors is now calling for the resignation of three Police Commission members who had supported retired Chief Louis Kealoha in the wake of his federal indictment on corruption and conspiracy charges last week. Star-Advertiser.

Oversight of secretive HPD unit is urged. The five former or current Honolulu Police Department officers who are charged with being part of the alleged conspiracy were at one time members of the agency’s elite Criminal Intelligence Unit, which is handpicked by the chief to investigate terrorism and organized crime and reports directly to the chief. Star-Advertiser.

The Children’s Trust Fund At The Heart Of The Kealoha Indictment. Federal prosecutors say Katherine Kealoha stole more than $167,000 from two children for whom she was appointed guardian after their father died. Civil Beat.

The federal case against the Kealohas includes allegations that Katherine Kealoha misused money and forged documents while she was the guardian of more than $167,000 for two minors, in separate accounts of $83,884 each. KHON2.

Experts: Criminal case against former HPD chief, wife could bolster civil suits against city. Hawaii News Now.

Four current Honolulu Police Commission members will try to agree on a new police chief Wednesday or Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Commission on Monday embarked on a three-day process of interviewing the seven finalists for the next police chief, with a big shadow looming over the city’s law enforcement community. Civil Beat.

=====

Pacific Command’s advanced stealth warplane headed to Japan. The F-35A is being deployed under U.S. Pacific Command’s “theater security package” program, which has been in operation since 2004. Star-Advertiser.


Hawaii's Attorney General Doug Chin joined 16 other states in voicing their opposition on controversial concealed firearm legislation. Hawaii News Now.

The state’s only public Hyperbaric Treatment Center capable of treating decompression sickness in divers has temporarily shut its doors due to staffing shortages. Civil Beat.

Oahu

State officials hope sheriff’s patrols, private security and a new fence scheduled to go up today will finally mean the end of the notorious H-1 freeway viaduct homeless encampment, which sheriff’s deputies once again broke down Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The State Department of Transportation is leading a multi-agency effort to clear homeless encampments under the Nimitz Highway Viaduct. Hawaii Public Radio.

For the first time in more than two years the state swept one of the most entrenched homeless encampments on Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Friends say Marine fatally stabbed in Waikiki was trying to protect others. Hawaii News Now.

A teenage girl was seriously injured Monday night when a tree came crashing down onto a bus stop near Ala Moana Center. Hawaii News Now.

The Marco Polo condominium owners association, under court order, opened the doors of the McCully high-rise Monday to numerous potential claimants and potential defendants such as product manufacturers, their insurers and fire experts from across the nation, to begin looking at the evidence of the largest building fire in Honolulu history. Star-Advertiser.

One fire investigation is over, but another one is just beginning. It is a second chance at finding the cause of the fatal Marco Polo building fire. KITV.

Two weeks after a fishing boat ran aground off Waikiki, authorities are still trying to figure out how to dislodge it from the reef. Star-Advertiser.

Denver-based KSL Capital Partners, which bought Outrigger Hotels and Resorts late last year, is kicking off an aggressive Waikiki reinvestment plan with a $25 million overhaul and re-branding of the Waikiki Beachcomber. Star-Advertiser.

KSL Capital Partners plans to rebrand the Holiday Inn Resort Waikiki Beachcomber under the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts flag before undertaking a $25 million renovation next year to upgrade the 496-room hotel. Pacific Business News.

The Reef Bar and Market Grill opened Monday at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort in the former Shore Bird Restaurant and Beach Bar space, which closed last month.  Pacific Business News.

DiamondHead Land has started a $30 million renovation of the Queen Kapiolani Hotel in Waikiki, designed by Honolulu architecture firm G70 and interior design firm Philpotts Interiors and being overseen by The John Hardy Group International. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

The county Board of Ethics is looking for a way to add teeth to what has historically been a paper tiger, almost a decade after the County Council gave it authority to fine public officials who violate the ethics code. West Hawaii Today.

The South Hilo Sanitary Landfill will reach its permitted maximum capacity within the next two years, and plans to deal with the situation are underway. Big Island Video News.

Domestic violence victims told lawmakers Monday they feel let down by the judicial system and that not enough is done to protect them and their children. Tribune-Herald.

The state has approved a $25 million emergency room expansion at North Hawaii Community Hospital on Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

A new 20-year contract for the Kulaimano Elderly Housing Project will adjust the HUD-approved monthly contract rate to $700 per month. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The Maui Electric Company said severe weather has knocked out power out to the entire island as well as a portion of Molokai. Hawaii News Now.

Maui Electric officials confirm island-wide power outages on Maui. KHON2.

Kauai

About 50 people gathered Sunday at Camp Naue in Haena to reflect on the status of the historic Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area — a zone that extends a mile out to sea from Wainiha to Napali State Park, where fishing is subject to new rules enacted two years ago. Garden Island.

Auto auction benefits Anahola. Anahola may not be known as a business-rich community. However, Anahola Marketplace manager Garret Danner looks to change that. Garden Island.

Dog stuck in plastic container rescued. KHS director helps rescue Airedale with head caught in plastic container. Garden Island.

Airport parking rates to increase, $55M unspent for Native Hawaiian homes, University of Hawaii loses millions on West Hawaii campus, dengue cases grow to 10 on Big Island, Honolulu wants new transit agency, Kauai to consider property tax cap, mirrors coming for Thirty Meter Telescope, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Lihue, Kauai, airport © 2015 All Hawaii News

Parking rates at airports across Hawaii will be going up starting Dec. 1. At five airports, including Honolulu Airport (HNL), the daily maximum rate to park will increase by $3, according to the state Department of Transportation. For HNL that means it will cost $18 to park 24 hours there. For Kahului (OGG), Kapalua Airport (JHM), Lihue (LIH), Hilo (ITO) and Kailua-Kona (KOA), it will cost $15. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Care Homes: Officials Seek More Money, Not Tougher Inspections Health Department officials say they want to stop giving care home operators advance warning of inspections. But they have no plan to change that policy. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has a backlog of more than $55 million in unspent federal housing funds for Native Hawaiians, and President Barack Obama’s administration finally stopped the flow of additional housing funding last fiscal year under the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program. Star-Advertiser.

Voting is underway for more than 95,000 Native Hawaiians who will elect 40 delegates to a constitutional convention that will consider models for self-governance. Star-Advertiser.

The Pearl Harbor destroyer USS John Paul Jones, among the most capable ballistic missile defense ships in the Navy fleet, shot down a simulated anti-ship cruise missile Saturday but failed to knock down an extended medium-range ballistic missile target during a “layered defense” test. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gas plans to award a contract by the end of the year to a developer for its $300 million plan to ship in liquefied natural gas in bulk amounts to the Islands. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii aquaculture sales reached a record high in 2014, according to an annual report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sales totaled $78.2 million last year, which is several million dollars more than the previous year and more than double the sales from a decade ago. Civil Beat.

An Idaho farmer may start using mineral oil routinely if winter seed-certification testing in Hawaii confirms the 130 acres he sprayed this season with the low-cost protectant harbor less virus than his other seed fields. Capitol Press.

Oahu

The University of Hawaii paid $1.4 million to design an administration building and then a few years later paid $2.5 million more to a different architect to re-design the building at UH West Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu officials want to form a new agency that would oversee public transit operations once the city’s $6.6 billion commuter rail line is up and running. Both the city and the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation submitted proposals to the Honolulu Charter Commission that, if approved by voters, would create a single entity to operate and maintain the city’s rail, bus and paratransit services. Civil Beat.

Anthony Ching, who has headed the Hawaii Community Development Authority as its executive director since 2008, is retiring at the end of the year, a board member for the state agency confirmed to Pacific Business News.

The Honolulu City Council Zoning Committee unanimously approved an affordable housing project today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Problems are plaguing the city’s H-Power plant in Campbell Industrial Park. Two of the plant’s three boilers are down. KHON2.

Judges, landlords and nonprofits work together to prevent evictions. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The number of confirmed cases of dengue fever on Hawaii Island ballooned from two to 10 during the weekend. Since the presence of the disease on the Big Isle was first reported by the state Department of Health last week, officials have been reluctant to reveal where the cases of the mosquito-borne illness have been reported, saying that they have been working to narrow down where the disease, which is not endemic to Hawaii, originated. But on Monday, State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said that a significant portion of cases had been reported in the Hookena and Honaunau areas of West Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Health has confirmed 10 cases of dengue fever on the Big Island. Star-Advertiser.

Bulldozers at the Thirty Meter Telescope construction site have hardly moved an inch since protests against the $1.4 billion project erupted again on Mauna Kea seven months ago. But other aspects of the project are moving forward, the TMT International Observatory noted Monday. Tribune-Herald.

Mirror production is underway in Japan for a giant telescope project that's facing fervent opposition from those who oppose building it atop a Hawaiian mountain. The nonprofit organization building the Thirty Meter Telescope said in a news release Monday that more than 100 of the 574 segmented mirror blanks needed for the telescope's primary mirror have been produced. Associated Press.

15 of the 33 Na’i Aupuni ‘aha delegate candidates met with the community on Sunday in Panaewa. Hawaii Island voters registered through the Kana’iolowalu hawaiian roll can now choose the seven delegates from Moku O Keawe that will attend a future gathering (40 delegates total from all islands and the mainland) that could determine a future course for a native Hawaiian government. The election period began November 1 and will continue through the month of November. Big Island Video News.

The beach may be manini, but the parking problems aren’t. A solution has been a long time coming. But the Hawaii County Council is scheduled today to put the finishing touches on a bill officially making roads around Manini Beach no-parking zones. West Hawaii Today.

A community meeting was held on Thursday night to discuss planned improvements to Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area. The popular West Hawaii beach, located between Kawaihae and Puako, is under Department of Land and Natural Resources management. The DLNR Division of State Parks wanted to hear from the community on the plans, which are currently in design. Big Island Video News.

Maui

An estimated 1,700 individuals participated in the 42nd Annual Maui County Senior Fair held Halloween morning at the War Memorial Gym in Wailuku. Maui Now.

Weather issues hampered Haleakala National Park's efforts to eradicate pine trees in inaccessible areas in the crater during six days of helicopter operations in September and October, said a park official. Maui News.

Kauai

A property tax cap scrubbed from the books two years ago could make a comeback. County Councilman Gary Hooser said he will introduce a bill at Wednesday’s council meeting that would limit the growth of property taxes on Kauai for owner-occupied properties and for those utilized as long-term affordable rentals. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will hold a public dedication ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday for its new Anahola solar facility. The dedication will be followed by a community open house until 3 p.m. Garden Island.

NOAA expands humpback whale sanctuary, marijuana dispensaries fast-tracked, lava threat downgraded, census shows islands' growth, rail audit bill advances, Matlin named UH AD, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Humpback whale breaches in Hawaii, courtesy NOAA

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday proposed to expand the focus of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to include all the marine species within its boundaries. Star-Advertiser.

It looks like 2015 tourism is off to a slow start, with arrivals and spending below targets. Although visitor arrivals came back in February, the Hawaii Tourism Authority reported Wednesday that total visitor spending continued trending down, dropping by 4.3 percent from a year ago to $1.2 billion. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii could have medical marijuana dispensaries much sooner than initially anticipated — perhaps as soon as next year. On Wednesday, the Senate Health and Public Safety committees passed House Bill 321, the bill that would create medical marijuana dispensaries and production centers in each Hawaii county. Civil Beat.

A legislative committee has approved a bill related to the state's health exchange. But it removed part of the proposal that would allow the exchange to issue $28 million in debt financing. Associated Press.

Some state lawmakers want the State Capitol to reduce the hours its open to the public to increase security since homeless people are entering the building early in the morning and late at night. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

More people left Oahu between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014, than moved in, but births made up the difference and nudged the island's population closer to 1 million, according to data released Thursday by the Census Bureau. Star-Advertiser.

A House resolution that would call for a state audit of Oahu's cash-strapped rail project is gaining momentum. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers, who are considering the extension of a tax hike to pay for Honolulu’s $6 billion rail project, want more assurances before they sign off. Civil Beat.

More than a year's worth of work to keep development off a big piece of Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu's North Shore avoided a serious setback Wednesday after receiving a life-sustaining vote at the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

The House Committee on Water and Land advanced a bill today to fund the state’s portion to purchase Turtle Bay Resort land for conservation. Hawaii Public Radio.

Twenty-two years after he beseeched the University of Hawaii athletic department for an opportunity to get his foot in the door, David A.K. Matlin was handed the keys to the place as its new director on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Sophina Placencia, 32, was arrested Wednesday for five felony theft counts for improperly diverting more than $200,000 in state funds from the Waianae Community Outreach for use by herself, family members and friends, said Attorney General Doug Chin. KITV4.

Hawaiian Electric Co., which flipped the switch on smart meters for 5,200 customers on Oahu as part of a pilot program late last year, has had fewer than 1 percent of customers opt out, the head of the Honolulu-based utility said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

When it comes to population increases in Hawaii County, more of us flew here than grew here, according to the latest data released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau. Hawaii County’s population grew 4.9 percent, to 194,190 people, according to the data that tabulated births and deaths and estimated domestic and international migration between the 2010 census and June 30, 2014. West Hawaii Today.

With the threat level from Kilauea volcano downgraded Wednesday, Hawaii County will consider scaling back its lava flow updates and overflights that have been a nearly daily occurrence for the past six months, said Civil Defense chief Darryl Oliveira. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists on Wednesday downgraded the alert level for Kilauea volcano from warning to watch for the first time since warning levels were reached in September. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is downgrading the alert level for Kilauea. The observatory said Wednesday the alert level goes from warning to watch. Associated Press.

The world’s largest defense contractor, Lockheed Martin, is teaming up with NELHA-based Kampachi Farms on a venture to make open-ocean aquaculture commercially viable. West Hawaii Today.

The state Commission on Water Resource Management is chiefly concerned with how much water is available and how those quantities should be managed. But West Hawaii residents are just as worried about threats to water quality, judging from a scoping meeting held by CWRM in Kailua-Kona on Tuesday evening. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Arrivals to the island of Maui rose 3.5% in February to 195,624, according to new information released by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority. Maui Now.


Kauai

A photovoltaic project at Hanalei Elementary School is set to resume after a change in contractors forced a work delay. Garden Island.

Proposed Hawaii legislative districts put 6 incumbents at risk, Board of Education rethinks impact fees, Hawaii a financial 'sinkhole,' Kilauea Volcano on the move, Honolulu sludge-slinging continues, Maui mulls island names, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Aquaculture courtesy photo

A lawsuit filed today in Hawaii’s Federal District Court challenges a fishing gear permit issued to Kona Blue Water Farm by the National Marine Fisheries Service for its open ocean aquaculture “aquapods.” Hawaii Independent.

Two environmental organizations have sued the federal government to block a permit issued to a Big Island company aiming to grow amberjack, or Hawaiian yellowtail, at a farm in federal waters off the Big Island. Associated Press.

New Hawaii political maps unveiled Wednesday create competitions among incumbents in three state House districts, preserve each island's representation in the state Legislature and move the urban Honolulu congressional district to the west. Associated Press.

Six state representatives would find themselves in House districts with another incumbent under a proposed redistricting plan that redraws the state's political boundaries to represent changes in the isles' population over the past decade. Star-Advertiser.

The non-partisan Institute for Truth in Accounting has identified Hawaii as a "Sinkhole" state because it is one of five states in the worst financial position in the country. Hawaii Reporter.

Governor Neil Abercrombie addressed the nearly one thousand attendees at the Hawai’i Conservation Conference today. Hawaii Public Radio.

How do other states deal with members of task forces lobbying legislators on task force matters? Civil Beat.

Despite tight finances, the state Department of Education was able to lengthen the school day at dozens of campuses, exceeding the requirement of a new instructional-hours law for this school year. Star-Advertiser.

A series of legal stumbling blocks have Hawaii State Board of Education members rethinking a tax designed to help construct new schools. Civil Beat.

Prosecutors in the Aloun Farms forced labor trial lost another bid Wednesday to delay the proceedings, then took testimony from a key witness who implicated defendant Alec Sou in a scheme to underpay imported Thai workers and to collect $2,500 in kickbacks for every laborer he hired. Hawaii Reporter.

Lava flooded out of the base of the western flank of Pu'u 'O'o on Wednesday afternoon, sending a broad flood of pahoehoe downhill and into virgin forest. Tribune-Herald.

One of Hawaii's two refineries isn't producing gas right now and will not be for days.Hawaii News Now.

After a year and a half of work, the Maui Visitors Bureau has to come up with one word that reflects the character of each island. Garden Island.

After weeks of back-and-forth finger-pointing, the Honolulu City Council might be ready to give Mayor Peter Carlisle the money he asked for to build new sewage infrastructure. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council member Ikaika Anderson said he will submit a letter to Mayor Peter Carlisle today, asking him to approve funding for an alternative method for treating sewage sludge so the city can avoid trucking raw sewage sludge from the Sand Island treatment plant. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee held an informational briefing Wednesday about the administration’s plan to place police initiated tows under a single contract. KHON2.

Hawaii County taxpayers are on the hook for $117,000 in legal fees stemming from a failed condemnation action for the Hokulia bypass road. West Hawaii Today.

The American Civil Liberties Union is asking five law enforcement agencies in Hawaii what procedures they use to track citizens using cell phone location data, part of a nationwide campaign targeting police, sheriffs and other law agencies across the country. KITV4.

The ACLU has formally asked the Hawaii Police Department to disclose whether police have ever used citizens' cell phone location data without a warrant. Tribune-Herald.

Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative starts capital patronage refunds. Garden Island.

HiBeam, a Hawaii nonprofit created to help launch and build promising early-stage Hawaii technology companies, is focusing on bridging the gap between businesses here and global markets in Asia. Pacific Business News.

The Nature Conservancy has received a $1.1 million grant to protect Hawaii forests from invasive weeds. Associated Press.

The sudden, early Wednesday morning removal of Pine Tree Inn is being received with mixed emotions depending on who you ask in the community. Garden Island.

Hawaii's bottom fishing season begins September 1. KITV4.