Active lava lake mesmerizes Hawaii visitors, water quality warnings posted on Kauai, ag tax break loopholes tightened, Ige meets with Microsoft, Alaskan Airlines, potable water at issue, road woes plague Oahu, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Kilauea volcano lava lake, USGS

In this Sept. 10, 2016, photo released by the U.S. Geological Survey shows the east edge of Halemaumau Crater spattering lava at the south corner of the Kilauea's summit lake after it rose over the weekend, to within about 5 m (16 ft) of the floor of Halemaumau Crater, before dropping back down slightly with the onset of spattering in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, in Hawaii. (Tim Orr/U.S. Geological Survey via AP)

The lava lake at the summit of Kilauea volcano has been rising in recent days, offering visitors a dramatic view of rolling, spattering hot rock. Associated Press.

VIDEO: Kilauea Volcano Lava Lake Level Fluctuates. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii organizers of the World Conservation Congress are still smiling from a successful gathering that brought more than 10,000 delegates from 192 countries to Honolulu from Sept. 1 through Saturday for the largest such event ever. Star-Advertiser.

How Hawaii Plans To Make Sure It Doesn’t Run Out Of Water. The goal is to come up with an extra 100 million gallons of potable water a day in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige was in Washington state on Monday for briefings and meetings with Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) executives and the president and CEO of Alaska Airlines. Pacific Business News.

Gov. David Ige has pledged to double local food production in Hawai‘i by the year 2030.  To help meet that demand the University of Hawai‘i is expanding its “GoFarm Hawai‘i” agriculture program to Hawai‘i island.  The program currently maintains teaching fields on O‘ahu, Maui and Kaua‘i. Hawaii Public Radio.

Announcing Hawaii's Best Workplaces 2016 (Video). Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Honolulu taxpayers could be on the hook for nearly $1 million in legal fees involving a landmark lawsuit over how the city has been conducting homeless sweeps. Civil Beat.

The needle-exchange CHOW Project and University Health Partners of Hawai‘i began handing out the first of 50 free anti-overdose kits to Oahu drug users on Monday to try to keep opioid abusers alive. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu law prohibits peddling in city parks. Yet the city continues to allow so-called First Amendment permit holders to sell merchandise in Oahu parks in violation of the city’s own rules. Civil Beat.

Large crowds will gather in front of the federal building on Ala Moana Boulevard on Tuesday afternoon to protest the controversial North Dakota oil pipeline. Hawaii News Now.

A nine-person military team has been digging up mud four days a week in the Koolau range in search of a missing World War II pilot whose fighter crashed in cloud cover during a night training flight. Navy Reserve Ensign Harold P. DeMoss was circling the island with two other F6F Hellcats on June 23, 1945, when his plane became separated from the others near Kahuku Point. Star-Advertiser.

A Honolulu woman accused of stealing more than $37,000 in school lunch money from an Oahu public school is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 19 on theft charges. Star-Advertiser.

It was meant to be a temporary solution to ease traffic for those heading east and home to West Oahu, but the contraflow lane running through Nanakuli continues to cause headaches for those drivers. KHON2.

It's been five weeks since the state Department of Transportation began its contraflow lane pilot project in Nanakuli and some residents still have concerns. Hawaii News Now.

There are about 800 traffic signals on Oahu, and enough driver frustration with them to fill a freeway. Hawaii News Now.

A mound of trash at an apartment building in Moiliili is reported to be crawling with rats. Residents and neighbors say it’s been an ongoing problem and now the city is taking action. KHON2.

Hawaii

Some farmers and ranchers are feeling the pinch as Hawaii County tightens loopholes in its generous property tax breaks for farmers and ranchers. West Hawaii Today.

Native Hawaiians, fishermen and divers who opposed the recent creation of a marine reserve at Kaupulehu, which includes a no-take period for the next 10 years, aren’t interested in waiting a decade before getting back to fishing the reef. West Hawaii Today.

A judge will decide Friday whether Hawaii County attorneys must turn over 40 emails sought by the attorney general’s office in Mayor Billy Kenoi’s theft case involving alleged abuse of a county credit card. Star-Advertiser.

It’s going to remain dark at parts of the Old Kona Airport Recreation Area a little longer yet. The new and improved lights slated for the field won’t be ready by Thursday, the originally scheduled turn-on date. West Hawaii Today.

It took three dives — one down to where the only light is the stabbing ray of a flashlight or the biolumensce of sea life — to check if the seawater pipes at the National Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority are staying put. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Current construction on locked gates that would restrict vehicle access to Kanaha Beach Park at night isn't sitting well with fisherman, who say the gates will deter night fishing at one of the most easily accessible fishing grounds on Maui's north shore. Maui News.

A protest is planned today at the site of a shoreline hardening project just north of Olowalu near mile 15.9 of the Honoapiʻilani Highway. Albert Perez, executive director for the Maui Tomorrow Foundation, Inc. said the project calls for a 900 foot long boulder revetment up to 40 feet offshore with construction scheduled to start at 7 a.m. Maui Now.

Maui County's real estate market showed signs of stability in August, albeit at the high end of the market with the median price of a single-family home reaching $669,125, the highest for any month so far this year and nearly 22 percent higher than August 2015, according to statistics released last week by the Realtors Association of Maui. Maui News.

Kauai

Three signs have been posted at Niumalu Beach Park in Lihue warning of high bacteria levels in the water. Garden Island.

Steering toward solutions. Kauai residents, council members discuss funding options for backlogged road repairs. Garden Island.

Hawaii children in poverty, Ige support tepid on Oahu, group wants EPA to revoke state pesticide oversight, state posts bacteria warning signs on Kauai, RIMPAC pau, mixed results for plastic bag ban, Thirty Meter Telescope hearing today, Kaiser $40M in to Maui hospital buyout, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Children paddleboard in Hawaii © 2016 All Hawaii News

One-third of children in Hawaii would be living below the poverty line without federal and state help, according to a new report from a Washington, D.C. group that studies the impact of assistance programs like Social Security. Associated Press.

The first U.S. president from Hawaii has 60 percent of Oahu voters viewing him in a positive light, according to The Civil Beat Poll. Obama is viewed negatively by 36 percent. By contrast, Gov. David Ige’s positive and negative numbers are nearly identical — 41 percent and 42 percent respectively.

A nonprofit environmental law firm is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to revoke the Hawaii Department of Agriculture‘s authority to investigate and enforce federal pesticide law. Civil Beat.

A law that President Barack Obama signed last Friday will require mandatory labeling of bioengineered food products across the country no later than two years from now, and while some in Hawaii believe it's "a step forward," others think it's a "slippery slope" that lets seed companies off the hook for testing genetically modified products. Maui News.

 Campaigning in Maine on Thursday, Donald Trump called for restrictions on immigrants from the Philippines and other countries with high rates of terrorism — and earned a rebuke from Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz in the process. Civil Beat.

The monthlong Rim of the Pacific 2016 maritime exercises have wrapped up in Hawaii with a number of firsts, and impacts near and far. Star-Advertiser.

Photos: In one of the final exercises of the Rim of the Pacific war games, American and Japanese forces made an amphibious landing at Kaneohe Bay. Civil Beat.

An Army officer who has infantry combat experience; was director for Russia on the joint staff; speaks Italian, Russian and French; was a foreign area officer with a focus on Eurasia; and has degrees from Princeton and Yale universities took command of more than 12,000 Hawaii soldiers Thursday as the new head of the 25th Infantry Division. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's state tourism agency is hiring a New York firm to help it attract sporting events to the islands. The Hawaii Tourism Authority said Thursday it's awarding a one-year $200,000 contract to Ascendent Sports Group. Associated Press.

First Hawaiian Inc. visited the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square today to celebrate its initial public offering on The Nasdaq Stock Market. Maui Now.

A new program called "self-supply" allows households to supply electricity to their own homes and stay connected to the grid. But it doesn't allow customers to get reimbursed for exporting energy to the grid. Associated Press.

Oahu

For the past year, shoppers on O‘ahu have not received single-use plastic bags at the checkout line. But in many grocery stores, thicker plastic bags that are considered reusable are still allowed. That’s a problem for environmentalists who are calling on the city and county to propose a better ban. Hawaii Public Radio.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell's re-election campaign spent more than $524,000 from July 1 to July 29, much of it for political advertising, according to state Campaign Spending Commission reports filed Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Campaign contributions are starting to flow to mayoral contender Charles Djou, who has an edge in the political polls. Hawaii News Now.

A posted warning about potential health risks tied to high bacteria levels in Keehi Lagoon’s waters has prompted several canoe clubs to withdraw from competing in the Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association State Championship regatta on Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

Anthony DeLuze keeps his ancestors’ traditions alive in 21st century Hawaii by growing the staple crop taro on a suburban plot sandwiched between wings of a sprawling shopping mall.But the aquifer that hydrates the starchy vegetables sits under 20 enormous underground tanks the Navy uses to store fuel for military ships and aircraft. One tank leaked tens of thousands of gallons of jet fuel into the ground in 2014, worrying DeLuze the tanks are a threat to his farm’s natural springs and well. Associated Press.

Hawaii

The Thirty Meter Telescope contested case hearing starts up again in Hilo today with a packed house of newly approved hearing participants and a variety of motions by TMT foes ranging from disqualifying the state attorney general’s office from advising the hearings officer to vacating the entire process. Star-Advertiser.

Participants in the Thirty Meter Telescope contested case have filed a flurry of motions ahead of today’s meeting in Hilo, from declaring Mauna Kea sacred to ongoing challenges to Riki May Amano’s selection as hearings officer. Tribune-Herald.

East Hawaii residents have a chance to discuss hot-button issues including homelessness and the Thirty Meter Telescope on Tuesday with Gov. David Ige. Ige will be in Hilo for the town hall “community connection” meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the UCB Building (301) at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island residents commented to state education leaders Wednesday at a meeting designed to gather feedback on proposed updates to Hawaii’s current “joint strategic plan” — a multiyear, plan-of-action to meet a series of statewide education goals. Tribune-Herald.

The developer of a long-delayed mixed-use master-planned community in Kohala on the Big Island has withdrawn from a planned initial public offering that was expected to raise $27.5 million. Pacific Business News.

The $3.5 million sale of the ancient, 59-acre Kauleoli fishing village south of the Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park cleared escrow Thursday, ensuring the area will be preserved in perpetuity. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii said it has already invested $40 million as it prepares to take over three Maui County public hospitals. Star-Advertiser.

The chairman of the panel that oversees three Maui County public hospitals said Wednesday that he is "pretty confident" that a settlement will be reached between the state and the United Public Workers union "pretty soon" that would allow the transfer of operations to Kaiser Permanente to resume. Maui News.

When Central Maui voters head to the primary polls to cast their ballots for the 8th District representative in the state House of Representatives, they'll have two candidates to choose from. Maui News.

Kauai

Warning signs are now standing guard at the Waiopili Stream near Gillin’s Beach, alerting beachgoers of contaminated water in the area. Garden Island.

Overcrowded jails, incarceration rates, prosecuting police officers and extensive plea bargaining were topics at the Kauai candidates forum, county prosecutor session Thursday. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council has decided to spend up to $15,000 in taxpayer money on special counsel to represent the police commission should a legal battle against the mayor go to the Hawaii Supreme Court. Associated Press.

A $130,000 remodeling and expansion project to the Philippines Cultural Center started Thursday under the supervision of Sweat Construction, the Kapaa-based general contractor. Garden Island.

Honolulu mayoral candidates spar over ethics, Hawaii inmates to stay in Arizona, state trails in housing homeless vets, Maui hospital deal falters, Kauai may appeal to regain mayor's power over police, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Road construction © 2016 All Hawaii News

Gov. David Ige’s decision to defer indefinitely almost all major new projects to increase highway capacity and reduce traffic congestion on state roadways is a major policy shift, but Ige says he had little choice. Star-Advertiser.

On Monday, the Obama administration released new numbers that show from January 2015 to January 2016 the total number of homeless veterans in America fell by 17 percent. But in Hawaii the drop was only 3 percent. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii will continue housing hundreds of inmates on the mainland — at an estimated cost of nearly $45 million a year. The Hawaii Department of Public Safety awarded a new, three-year contract last week to Nashville, Tennessee-based Corrections Corporation of America, the largest for-profit prison company in the country, to house up to 1,926 Hawaii prisoners in Arizona. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Education has yet to fill hundreds of teaching positions across the state as school has started for more than 180,000 students. Associated Press.

Two years from now, Hawaii residents may see labels on some food products at the grocery store indicating that they contain genetically modified ingredients. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co. President Alan Oshima says his company is clear on what it is supposed to do; now HECO just has to do it. In a series of discussions about the past, present and future of Hawaiian Electric, Oshima comes across as an agent of change as he talks up the company’s devotion to renewable energy. Civil Beat.

First Hawaiian Bank is expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange by the end of this week in an initial public offering that is expected to raise as much as $558 million. Pacific Business News.

A push to survey the seafloor for undersea mining has revealed an abundance of life on the seafloor in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) — an area the size of the US mainland in the equatorial Pacific Ocean being targeted for deep-sea mining. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou and former Mayor Peter Carlisle ganged up on Mayor Kirk Caldwell at a live mayoral candidate forum Monday night, accusing him of engineering the resignation of longtime Ethics Commission Executive Director Chuck Totto. Star-Advertiser.

There were a couple of offensive strikes from two leading candidates for Honolulu mayor Monday. Civil Beat.

As early primary election voting got underway Monday throughout the state, it was a slow first day at Honolulu Hale with just a few hundred residents casting ballots. Star-Advertiser.

A public meeting at the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu Monday night drew more than 300 people. The topic was whether to expand the current boundaries of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. KHON2.

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge ruled Monday to dismiss Honey Bee’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. The company had been desperately seeking new investors to revive its $24 million plan called Waikiki Landing. Star-Advertiser.

The cost of renting an apartment in Honolulu declined in July, according to the apartment rental website Zumper, which analyzes data from more than 1 million active listings. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment during the month was $1,790, down 2.7 percent from June, and for a two-bedroom unit was $2,520, down 3.1 percent. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A property owner has agreed to tear down an illegal seawall built on the shore of Hilo’s Lalakea Pond. Tribune-Herald.

Meet the challengers. More needs to be done, they say, about ethics. About the cost of government. About listening to the public. All four West Hawaii County Council races will be decided in the Aug. 13 primary, as each incumbent faces a single challenger. West Hawaii Today.

The opening of the new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) station at the Hilo International Airport was celebrated today. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The historic privatization of three Maui County hospitals is in jeopardy, following another setback Friday when the state was unable to reach a settlement over benefits for unionized workers. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Association of Public Accountants has endorsed Deidre Tegarden, who is running for the South Maui residency state House seat. Maui News.

Maui Research & Technology Park is close to updating its master plan, which will allow for housing aimed at park workers, new business opportunities, a site for Kihei Charter School and upgrades at Maui Brewing Co., officials said last month. Maui News.

Kauai

The Office of the County Attorney is requesting $45,000 to take the mayor and police chief feud to Hawaii’s highest court. The request comes after an Intermediate Court of Appeals decision in June, which said the mayor could not suspend and or discipline the chief of police and that the authority lies with the police commission. Garden Island.

Ron Kouchi, seeking re-election to the state Senate, said the Kauai legislative team made impacts in several areas, and if re-elected, he will continue to push and advocate for residents. Garden Island.

Kanoe Ahuna says that more and more people are coming to Kauai, and if elected Hawaii state senator for District 8 serving Kauai and Ni‘ihau, her goal is to ensure that residents and travelers alike continue to enjoy the Garden Isle. Garden Island.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the state Health Department to post signs at Gillin’s Beach on Kauai to alert the public of high bacteria levels. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii short 625 teachers, Honolulu to pay kissing lesbian couple $80k in lawsuit, homeless dollars go to people in houses, challenger says Tulsi's out of touch, serious charges dropped against Maui telescope protesters, EPA pushes for dirty water warning signs on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Back to school shoe shopping © 2016 All Hawaii News

Hundreds of teaching positions across Hawaii’s public schools remain unfilled as the new school year gets underway today for more than 180,000 students. The Department of Education says 100 teacher vacancies were filled over the summer, leaving 625 positions as of last week that need to be filled for the 2016-17 academic year.  Star-Advertiser.

Air conditioning is delayed for some hot schools while education officials push for lower prices. Associated Press.

How The Quest For Clean Energy Sunk HECO’s Biggest Deal Ever. Hawaii political leaders and regulators didn’t think selling Hawaiian Electric to a mainland company would help get the utility off oil. Civil Beat.

The lion’s share of state dollars earmarked since April to provide direct, immediate aid in tackling Hawaii’s homeless crisis has gone to keeping struggling families in their homes versus getting homeless people off the street. Star-Advertiser.

The state of Hawaii knows its technology infrastructure is behind the times. Now government officials are reaching out to the tech community for help. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is broadening its annual Hawaii Tourism Conference into a weeklong international gathering that draws visitor industry attendees from across the globe. Star-Advertiser.

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson has qualified to be on the Hawaii ballot in November. Johnson, a former Republican governor of New Mexico, is running with vice presidential partner Bill Weld, a former Republican governor of Massachusetts. Civil Beat.

A Maui mom thinks U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has lost touch with her district, and she’s challenging her in the Aug. 13 Democratic primary. West Hawaii Today.

An environmental group has filed a complaint with federal officials over Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds’ role in orchestrating opposition to the proposed expansion of the marine monument around the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council is on track to approve an $80,000 settlement for a lesbian couple who sued the city contending a Honolulu police officer harassed and arrested them after he saw them kissing in a North Shore grocery store. Civil Beat.

Land development-related growing pains in the quickly changing West Oahu region are a key issue in the Honolulu City Council District I race, where the incumbent faces challenges from three contenders. Star-Advertiser.

On the 173rd anniversary of Sovereignty Restoration Day (La Hoihoi Ea), supporters of two different paths toward self governance for kanaka maoli gathered Saturday to kukakuka (have a discussion) at Thomas Square in Honolulu. Civil Beat.

It’s been a while since Hawaii residents have seen gas selling for under $2 per gallon. But that will change this weekend as Par Hawaii, which is unveiling its new Hele brand, drops its price for regular unleaded gasoline to $1.99 at the first station to undergo the change as part of a grand opening event. Pacific Business News.

It's the second largest solar farm planned on Oahu and a major contributor to the state's clean energy goals. But neighbors say the Waianae Solar photovoltaic facility is one of the dirtiest they've seen. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Prosecutor’s race heats up: Roth, Kagami emphasize markedly different approaches. Tribune-Herald.

State Sen. Russell Ruderman and challenger Hawaii County Councilman Greggor Ilagan were running about neck and neck in spending as they neared the home stretch of their campaigns. Tribune-Herald.

Napoopoo Road intersection work causing backups, lost business, owners say. West Hawaii Today.

More than five years after a tsunami tore into Anaehoomalu Bay, breaching Kuualii pond, crews are expected to begin this month replacing the wall at the fishpond as well as removing sand from the pond to build up the beach. West Hawaii Today.

There’s a dustup in the local Democratic Party over an official’s endorsement of a candidate in a nonpartisan County Council race. West Hawaii Today.

The vitriol surrounding accusations that the Hawaii Island Humane Society planned and engaged in a smear campaign against Big Island Dog Rescue seeped into Third Circuit Court Friday, where Judge Ronald Ibarra rejected an attempt to have the case dismissed. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Ing’s account, police report at odds. A citation for not having vehicle insurance that was issued to state Rep. Kaniela Ing shows he was driving his car when he was stopped for having an expired safety sticker and delinquent vehicle tax, according to a source who has knowledge of the traffic crime citation. Maui News.

The most serious charge lodged against six of the eight protesters arrested nearly a year ago in Kula during the transportation of construction materials for the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope were dismissed Friday in 2nd Circuit Court. Maui News.

Four candidates vie for Gladys Baisa’s vacant Upcountry council seat. Maui News.

The high cost of construction bids has pushed back the installation of air conditioning in at least four Maui County schools, which means some students heading back to class Monday will have to bear the heat a bit longer. Maui News.

Kauai

Federal environmental officials are strong-arming the state into posting warning signs advising poor water quality at Mahaulepu and Gillin’s Beaches. Garden Island.

Federal environmental officials are requiring the state of Hawaii to post warning signs about poor water quality at two Kauai beaches. KITV.

Plea bargains, said Prosecuting Attorney Justin Kollar, are a balancing act. Garden Island.

James “Jimmy” Tokioka (D-15) is seeking his sixth, two-year term as a state House representative for Kauai. Garden Island.

Raised in Palolo, Oahu, Thomas Oi hopes his 26 years as a land surveyor will land him a seat at the state House. Garden Island.

Happy Fourth! Beach bacteria, fireworks safety top holiday concerns; DOT postpones highway projects; ACLU lawyer to head state Ethics Commission; lava awes spectators; special ed students sought for lawsuit; Honolulu hepatitis scare, Omidyar dairy opposed, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Beach baby wash © 2016 All Hawaii News

Despite some short-term spikes in fecal bacteria, waters around Hawaii Island show levels well below those considered unsafe. But most of the average readings for enterococci — the primary measure of contamination used by the U.S. Environmental Management Agency — have been steadily increasing over the past 10 years. West Hawaii Today.

Where to see the fireworks on July Fourth. Fire officials across the state are reminding the public that the safest way to enjoy fireworks on Independence Day is to leave it to the professionals. Hawaii News Now.

State Department of Transportation officials plan to defer hundreds of millions of dollars in long-awaited, major highway construction projects across the islands that were supposed to relieve traffic congestion so that they can focus more highway funding on maintaining existing roads. Star-Advertiser.

ACLU Lawyer To Be State Ethics Chief. A longtime legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Daniel Gluck will oversee enforcement of the state’s ethics and lobbyists rules. Civil Beat.

Frustrated Champley ‘Considering Options’ After Removal From PUC. Gov. David Ige replaced him on the Public Utilities Commission just before it rules on the NextEra merger, raising legal questions. Civil Beat.

Attorneys representing special-education students in a 2010 class action lawsuit against the state are still trying to track down about 800 former students who “aged out” of Hawaii’s public school system at 20 years old under a state law that was later overturned. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial could be restored to its former glory — but with a high-tech touch — by 2019, exactly 100 years after the land was first acquired to construct the site, according to the senior field officer and attorney for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Star-Advertiser.

Recent cutbacks in Institute for Human Services Waikiki outreach efforts have led to complaints that homelessness is growing again in the state’s top tourism district, but Hawaii visitor industry officials vow to shore up the program, which would have closed next month without a cash infusion. Star-Advertiser.

Councilman Calls For Audit Amid Honolulu Ethics Commission Chaos. Events leading to the dismantling of the agency staff require scrutiny to restore public trust, Councilman Trevor Ozawa contends. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Councilman Ikaika Anderson is being stripped of his positions as the Council’s second-in-command and chairman of the influential Zoning and Planning Committee following a shake-up at Honolulu Hale. Star-Advertiser.

Michael McGrane, a budget analyst for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, was offered and accepted the chief financial officer position before the current CFO rescinded her resignation. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Department of Health is conducting an investigation into at least 12 adults on Oahu infected with hepatitis A. Civil Beat.

Honolulu was one of two major U.S. cities named “most livable” by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis last week. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Cascading rivers of molten rock are attracting hundreds of awed spectators to Kalapana for a close look at a force that continues to shape Hawaii Island. Tribune-Herald.

At the end of the three mile trek along the Hawaii County-side of the Highway 130 emergency route, lava enthusiasts can get a good look at the 61g lava flow as it slides down the Pulama pali. Big Island Video News.

Kilauea’s fireworks show continues as lava slowly advances to the ocean on a coastal plain. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory released new photos and a video from a visit to the flow on Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

State Sen. Kai Kahele is selling his beachfront Milolii home back to the family he purchased the leasehold from, after questions arose about his residency qualifications for his Hilo-area Senate seat. West Hawaii Today.

Jen Ruggles, a candidate for Hawaii County Council, says she paid a delinquent $379.44 property tax bill Thursday after a reporter inquired about missed payments during the past two years. Tribune-Herald.

The state’s consumer advocate is siding with Ocean View residents in criticism of a plan to build acres of commercial solar panels in a residential area. Consumer advocate Jeff Ono’s statement of position released Thursday said the developers gamed the system by breaking the project up into smaller farms so it wouldn’t have to follow the bidding protocol that normally accompanies commercial solar operations. West Hawaii Today.

On Saturday, an estimated 8,000 island residents will gather in Hilo for the fourth annual gay pride parade, which organizers hope will bring awareness to the Big Island’s LGBT community. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A spirit of compromise pushed the Lanai Community Plan update over the Maui County Council's finish line Friday. Maui News.

Two-term state House member Kaniela Ing faces a Democratic primary challenge from an opponent who is a former gubernatorial appointee and has the backing of several construction-related labor unions. Challenger Deidre Tegarden served as chief of protocol under Gov. Neil Abercrombie and in the same capacity with Gov. David Ige before stepping down to seek the 11th District (South Maui) seat occupied by Ing since 2012. Star-Advertiser.

Adam Radford takes over as the new manager of the Maui Invasive Species Committee today. Maui News.

With the closure of the three-decade-old Makena Beach & Golf Resort on Friday, construction will begin later this year on the $240 million Makena Golf & Beach Club, a high-end condominium project with a private beachfront community and club. Maui News.

As July 4th approaches, many Maui residents will head to Lahaina to watch the firework show on Monday. Other residents, however, will provide their own firework show. Maui Now.

Kauai

Billionaire Pierre Omidyar's plans for Kauai dairy is facing new criticisms over its waste management plan. Hawaii News Now.

The 1,300-acre Kekaha Game Management Area might be closed to hunters if the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Department of Land and Natural Resources do not extend a licensed agreement to allow hunting on the Hawaiian home land area before the current agreement expires at the end of August. Garden Island.

The more than 1,600 registered medical marijuana patients on Kauai may not be getting their medicine at a licensed dispensary in July. Garden Island.

Sabra Kauka, a Kauai kumu and environmental educator, will be presenting at the 2016 Environmental Education Symposium for the Hawaii Environmental Education Alliance (HEEA) July 13-15. Garden Island.