Superferry joins the Navy, Hawaii education foundering, Maui CSI complete, Birthers smacked down, Oahu beach access enforced, Hawaii County redistricting pau, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Superferry (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

The Navy has received congressional approval to buy two high-speed superferries from the U.S. Maritime Administration. Associated Press.

Hawaii lacks a "sense of urgency" about meeting the commitments it made to secure $75 million in federal education funding, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Thursday. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Department of Education is struggling to make the grade and now the state has been warned it could lose $75 million in federal funding as a result. Hawaii News Now.

Don Horner is retiring as CEO from First Hawaiian Bank at the end of this month and building a second home on the North Shore, but he's hardly stepping out of the limelight. Star-Advertiser.

The scene at the Hawaii Labor Relations Board Thursday — one day after the federal government issued a harsh warning to the state about its $75 million Race to the Top grant — was unlike anything that's happened until now. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration say updated computer models show that debris from the Japan tsunami earlier this year could impact the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as early as January or February 2012. KITV4.

Statewide initial unemployment claims dropped 5.6 percent last week, the Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism said Thursday. Pacific Business News.

These are hardly happy days for Hawaii Democrats. New York Times.

The so-called birther movement was dealt another legal blow Thursday when a federal appeals court tossed out a lawsuit challenging President Barack Obama's U.S. citizenship and his eligibility to serve as commander in chief.  Associated Press.

State Roundup for Dec. 23. Associated Press.

Oahu

State coastal enforcement officials are cracking down on beachfront homeowners whose property landscapes encroach on public rights of way in Kahala and elsewhere. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council Chair Ernie Martin says he will move to have the city join Hawaii's three other counties in banning or regulating plastic checkout bags. Civil Beat.

The nearly 1,000 Hawaii Medical Center workers who will lose their jobs when the bankrupt hospitals shut down through the next few weeks are expected to push state unemployment to its highest rate in almost two years. Star-Advertiser.

The State has conducted 24 assistance sessions for Hawai’i Medical Center employees facing unemployment due to the closure of two O’ahu hospitals. Hawaii Public Radio.

KITV4 News has learned the company that transports dead bodies to the Medical Examiner's office has two convicted felons on its payroll. KITV4.

The final numbers are in for firecracker permit sales on Oahu, and they could be an indication that residents are in for a quieter New Year's. KHON2.

Hawaii

"We have completed our work."With that terse comment by Chairwoman Rene Siracusa, the Hawaii County Redistricting Commission on Thursday adjourned its meeting for the last time, not to return for 10 years unless someone challenges the final product. West Hawaii Today.

Big Island resident Eric A. Lighter, 61, has been convicted in California of federal crimes including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit blackmail and witness tampering. Hawaii Reporter.

West Hawaii residents homed in on one state transportation project -- widening Queen Kaahumanu Highway -- during a talk story with Department of Transportation Director Glenn Okimoto. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County could save millions of dollars, generate money and create "green" jobs by privatizing its little-used, multimillion-dollar Hilo recycling facility, the County Council decided Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

Filtration upgrades at the Waimea Water Treatment Plant and replacement of a long-defunct reservoir in North Kohala are in the works.  West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Pacific Wings has petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration to reconsider its award of nearly $2 million in subsidies to Makani Kai Charters to fly into Kalaupapa. Maui News.

The new $4.5 million Maui Police Department Forensic Facility will be fully operational before the end of the year. Maui Now.

At the blessing of the Andaz Wailea Hotel on Wednesday, on the site of the long-closed Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort, Bud Pikrone, executive director of the Wailea Community Association, said the revival of the property "will definitely help" the image of the resort. Maui News.

Maui County Council Member Joe Pontanilla is the latest victim of a vehicle theft on Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

Construction crew members were retrofitting the Kaua‘i Bus shelter by the Kapa‘a Neighborhood Center this week to accommodate persons with disabilities. Similar improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be made at Hanama‘ulu’s Kalepa Village bus stop, county spokeswoman Beth Tokioka said. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i Police Department recently recognized three officers for outstanding service: Lt. Richard Rosa, officer Anthony Abalos and officer Colin Nesbitt. Garden Island.

Abercrombie battles low ratings, Perry stirs Birther issue, Solomon chided for grading historic site, Inouye victim of ID theft, Native Hawaiian recognition in appropriations bill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie in Okinawa courtesy photo

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday accepted blame for his administration's missteps and said he would use his low job approval rating as a spur to regain the public's confidence. Star-Advertiser.

In a press conference Monday ostensibly about a recent trip to Asia but really about his difficult first 10 months in office, Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie acknowledged that the actions of his administration have not been wildly popular. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Monday that he could benefit from explaining issues to the public more clearly, but he otherwise plans to keep his administration on its current track, even after several aides resigned in rapid succession and a recent public opinion poll gave him low ratings. Associated Press.

Governor Abercrombie said he will not change his administration's direction despite the results from a poll indicating that he is the most unpopular governor in America. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said he doesn't take personally recent job approval ratings that make him the least popular governor in the nation, but he expressed regret Monday for not explaining issues to the public more clearly. KITV4

Governor Abercrombie says he will not change his direction after a recent poll suggested he was the least popular governor in the country. KHON2.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie met with reporters today to recount his success stories from his travels in Beijing, Okinawa and Tokyo over the past two weeks. Hawaii Reporter.

The Governor briefed the media today on what he called was a successful two-week trip to Asia to boost tourism and business. But as HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports … the state’s chief executive also addressed his 30 percent approval rating which is the lowest in the nation. Hawaii Public Radio.

Resuscitating an issue that flared earlier this year, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said in a new interview that he isn’t sure that President Barack Obama’s birth certificate is real. Washington Post.

A new and controversial agency tasked with developing state lands through public-private partnerships will not be grinding to a halt as some state officials had cautioned. Civil Beat.

On October 14, 2011, the Senate Appropriations Committee released a proposed draft of its Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which includes legislation to recognize Native Hawaiians as a federal Indian Tribe. Hawaii Reporter.

A Georgia woman was in court Monday for allegedly stealing Senator Daniel Inouye's credit card information. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

After Monday's cleanup of a homeless encampment along Beretania Street, homeless advocates and government officials are now targeting six to 10 other encampments across Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

As the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) approaches, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii Foundation (ACLU) has announced the release of its “First Amendment Toolkit” and a “Know Your Rights” telephone line, 808-522-5906. Hawaii Independent.

A growing group of like-minded citizens called Occupy Honolulu, in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, considers itself a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders, and political persuasions. And they’ve got a lot on their mind. Hawaii Independent.

As many as 50 homeowners on Oahu seeking building permits have been told by the Board of Water Supply that they can't proceed until they install a fire prevention sprinkler system because their homes are too far from the nearest fire hydrant or the water flow from a hydrant is too low. Star-Advertiser.

A developer has refined plans to develop the former Kam Drive-In theater property next to Pearlridge Center in response to community feedback, though some area residents still feel the project, with three residential towers, is too much. Star-Advertiser.

Robertson Properties Group unveiled its revised plans Monday for the former Kamehameha Drive-in property in Aiea. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A state senator goes before the Board of Land and Natural Resources Friday, following complaints that she damaged archaeological sites on her land and state property. West Hawaii Today.

Monday afternoon marked the blessing that begins the final portion of the Saddle Road realignment project. West Hawaii Today.

The state is moving ahead with plans to reopen Kulani Correctional Facility and relocate the Hawaii National Guard's program for troubled youths closer to Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong wants to give local construction firms a boost while fixing dilapidated Parks and Recreation structures. West Hawaii Today.

The owners of a Big Island zipline attraction that was the scene of a fatal accident last month has suspended all future operations. KHON2.

Maui

Job creation, sustainability and the protection of social services were among the hot topic issues Maui residents brought up with U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono as the congresswoman held "coffee talk" sessions on Maui on Saturday. Maui News.

Ninety-year-old Mary Nicolas can no longer maintain her yard and clean up the rubbish that she says comes from two trees in a next-door county park in Kahului. Maui News.

Kauai

State election officials should not have allowed a Republican candidate to run in the 2010 election for a Kauai seat in the state House, the state appeals court ruled Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawai‘i Intermediate Court of Appeals on Monday overturned a Fifth Circuit Court ruling last year that dismissed a complaint against a Republican Party candidate who filed at the last minute to run in the 14th District state House race against Democrat Mina Morita. Garden Island.

The county will hold six community meetings next month as part of an ongoing planning process to update its Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Garden Island.

Lawsuits threatened over Hawaii reapportionment, tax revenues up, Big Island councilwoman wants DUI vehicles confiscated, Abercrombie declares civil defense emergency to remove ordnance, Maui considers single-member districts, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

checking reapportionment maps (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

The state Reapportionment Commission was put on notice Tuesday it will get sued if it persists in including nonresident military and students in determining state legislative boundaries. West Hawaii Today.

The state Reapportionment Commission can expect to be sued if its final plan for redrawing state political boundaries is based on a population count that includes nonresident population groups such as military members and their dependents. Star-Advertiser.

Big Island residents slammed the state Reapportionment Commission on its boundary proposals and threatened legal action if commissioners deny the island a fourth seat in the state Senate. Tribune-Herald.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie declared a civil defense emergency earlier this summer in a largely unpublicized move that gives the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sweeping authority to bypass state laws to investigate and remove unexploded ordnance. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers agree with Gov. Neil Abercrombie on the danger of discarded military explosives scattered across the islands, but many believe the governor should have been more transparent before using his emergency powers to assist with the cleanup. Star-Advertiser.

State tax revenue collections grew last month, thanks in part to strengthening tourism numbers. KHON2.

Dean Haskins, executive director of The Birther Summit, is in Honolulu to promote a $10,000 award for whomever can produce the actual edition of the Honolulu Advertiser or the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that reported Obama's Aug. 4, 1961, birth. Civil Beat.

As a result of efforts to raise the bar for the level of the education available at Hawaii’s public schools, six more schools recently attained adequate yearly progress. Hawaii Independent.

Nationally poverty numbers have increased, while the number of people living in poverty in Hawaii has dropped to 12.1% from 12.5% a year ago. KITV4.

Hawaii is not considered a pedestrian's paradise. KITV4.

Oahu

The Honolulu Council Reapportionment Commission on Tuesday narrowed down its list of four potential district plans to the one it will take out to the community next month. Civil Beat.

Superblocks with 40-story buildings linked by walkways suspended 45 feet above streets never materialized in Kakaako, but the vision of state planners nearly 30 years ago is about to get updated with more down-to-earth ideas. Star-Advertiser.

Bombardier Transportation USA has lost its latest attempt to overturn its disqualification in the bidding war for a lucrative City and County of Honolulu rail contract. Pacific Business News.

The Solar One project in Kalaeloa is meeting resistance. Hawaii Independent.

The 3rd Annual Asia Pacific Clean Energy Summit started today. Hawaii Public Radio.

A Honolulu police officer is dead and another is in the hospital following a traffic collision during a routine traffic stop on Farrington Highway near Ko Olina Tuesday night. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Airlines expects to offer daily nonstop flights between Honolulu and Fukuoka starting next year. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Intoxicated, unlicensed or fraudulent drivers would risk having their vehicles towed at their expense or even sold under a bill heading for County Council consideration. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County is looking for a good spot to build a park in Puna, after being rebuffed by Hawaiian Paradise Park. Tribune-Herald.

For years, millions of dollars have been invested, mostly in the form of human labor and chemicals, in an attempt to control super weeds, such as strawberry guava, clidemia hirta, miconia, kahili ginger and Australian tree fern. West Hawaii Today.

Pot choppers took to the air over East Hawaii on Monday and Tuesday, a top state law enforcer said. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Members of the Charter Commission agreed Monday to continue discussing proposals to establish single-member County Council districts - even as many commissioners said they were personally opposed to the idea. Maui News.

The Maui County Council on Monday took up a bill on short-term rental properties in residential districts in depth for the first time in years and is looking at comprehensively examining, legalizing and streamlining the law in its Planning Committee. Maui News.

Dozens of letters of support have been written to the state on behalf of embattled Maui housing project manager Lisa Faleafine by residents of the apartment complex she oversees. Hawaii Reporter.

Kauai

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources announced on Monday it will close the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park and Kalalau trail from Hanakapi‘ai to Kalalau Beach, starting Thursday in order to restore the Kalalau camping area after a busy summer season. Garden Island.

A Wainiha Valley taro grower says she was alarmed when her taro patches suddenly and unexpectedly dried out last month. Garden Island.

Hawaii governor rejects teachers mediation request, new congressional lines favor Hanabusa, 16,000-acre Ka'u development seeks EIS, Kauai courthouse could get new life, more Maui solar, another birther visits Honolulu, Queens Medical Center to get redo, more Hawaii news

Native Hawaiian convention cultivating community energy. Hawaii Independent.

The teachers union pledged to consider "all of our other options" Monday night after the state declined an offer to enter arbitration. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii governor has upper hand in contract standoff with teachers union. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday rejected the Hawaii State Teachers Association's request for mediation of the contract he unilaterally imposed on teachers July 1. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie refused Monday evening a request by the state teachers' union to return to the negotiating table over the contract he enacted last month. Tribune-Herald.

Honolulu should “count on” full federal funding for its rapid transit project, U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye said in a press conference today. Hawaii Reporter.

Reapportionment Commission's Congressional Lines Draft Favors Hanabusa. Hawaii Reporter.

Tax advantages and falling prices for solar electric components are leading more Maui businesses and homeowners, and the county government, to build clean, electricity-producing photovoltaic systems. Maui News.

Developers are seeking to transform a 16,000-acre site next to Hawaiian Ocean View Ranchos into Hawaii's newest resort area. West Hawaii Today.

The Queen's Medical Center is seeking city approval for an estimated $100 million expansion of its bustling 17-acre campus on Punchbowl Street. Star-Advertiser.

The old Lihu‘e Courthouse has sat empty for years, but if Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s wishes come true in the next legislative session the more than 80-year-old building may once again serve the state. Garden Island.

A major airline out of China has agreed to try twice a week non-stop service between Shanghai and Honolulu. China Eastern Airlines is to arrive Tuesday. KITV4.

As the Dow drops Hawaii residents worry. KHON2.

President Obama got a new landlord last year, and now he’s going to have a new neighbor the next time he comes to Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

An outspoken critic who believes President Barack Obama's birth certificate is a forgery visited the Hawaii Department of Health on Monday. KHON2.

Work started Monday on the removal of a hollow, concrete tile wall at Kailua Beach due to concerns by the city that exposed, rusted rebar could pose a hazard to beachgoers. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Billy Kenoi's administration has missed a County Council mandated deadline for proposals to lease 737 acres of Hamakua land to the community, even as an administration project on another Hamakua parcel is fast-tracked toward completion. West Hawaii Today.

University of Hawaii scientists have installed a new observatory on the ocean floor about 70 miles north of Oahu. Associated Press.

Big Island blogger Damon Tucker claims he was the victim of police brutality in Pahoa early Saturday morning and that he will be filing a lawsuit against the Hawaii County Police Department. Hawaii News Now.

The Waikiki Aquarium made a tough decision on Friday when it decided to euthanize one of its two Hawaiian monk seals. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii expects calm storm season, slow economic growth, no tax increases in Kauai, Hawaii counties, Abercrombie moves in,Obama birth certificate on shirt, mug, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Obama birth certificate shirt, mug

You have seen President Barack Obama's Hawaii birth certificate. Now you can wear it. Associated Press.

Governor Neil Abercrombie and his wife moved into their official residence “earlier this month” after spending some $40,000 on repairs and maintenance of the eight-year-old home, his office said. Hawaii Reporter.

Survey: Hawaii's Most and Least Effective Lawmakers. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's new appointed Board of Education says it wants one diploma for high school graduates, not two separate tracks that the previous elected board approved last month. Associated Press.

Forecasters with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center are expecting a below average number of tropical cyclones to form in the Central Pacific this season. KITV4.

Hurricane Preparedness Week begins Sunday… in anticipation of the official start of the Season, June 1st. Hawaii Public Radio.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's latest demographic profile of the state, Hawaii is looking a little older, a tad whiter, perhaps a bit lonelier. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s economic growth is expected to slow but not stop, and be even stronger in 2012, according to a report issued Wednesday by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii's job market is on pace to grow this year for the first time since 2007 and the visitor industry is expected to post solid gains despite a drop in Japanese tourists, according to an upbeat economic forecast the state released yesterday. Star-Advertiser.

Emerging from the depths of a bad economy, more than 160 employers -- looking not to trim, but to expand their workforce -- greeted some 7,000 job seekers at the Neal Blaisdell Center Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Some service groups are refusing to heed Gov. Neil Abercrombie's plea to stop feeding Oahu's homeless people in parks and beaches, while others are torn about how to proceed. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii County Council on Wednesday slashed the West Hawaii golf subsidy, dipped into the open space and rainy day funds and cut overtime in order to bolster retirees' future health care while sparing the county bands and Hilo Municipal Golf Course. West Hawaii Today.

A last-minute amendment to the county’s budget for Fiscal Year 2012 would have increased real property taxes for hotels and resorts, but the Kaua‘i County Council’s Committee of the Whole voted to keep the status quo. Garden Island.

Maui County is seeking contractors to install more than 1,000 solar panels on rooftops of county buildings to save the government money. Maui News.

A team of University of Hawaii electrical engineering graduate students has placed second at a miniature robots competition in Shanghai, China. Associated Press.

The Honolulu Police Department is upgrading its motorcycles. KHON2.

People will go to great lengths to try to get their hands on a few dollars worth of copper, but they could be costing themselves and the environment much more. Hawaii News Now.

Space jockey lands in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii hopes Obama birther controversy behind it, milk radiation levels drop, Legislature in budget stalemate, state Supreme Court rejects Native Hawaiian tax issue, Maui to sell bus signs, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kilauea lehua (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

For kumu hula Maelia Loebenstein Carter, a certain lehua tree at the edge of Kilauea Caldera holds symbolic meaning. Star-Advertiser.

Time is running out in the Hawaii legislative session and lawmakers have reached a stalemate over the budget. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers are racing to craft a State Budget that provides essential government services but closes a 1.3 billion dollar spending gap over the next two years. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii lawmakers are nearing decisions on raising a variety taxes and cutting government programs, but they haven't agreed on how to do so yet. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Supreme Court yesterday rejected a taxpayer lawsuit by non-Native Hawaiians seeking the same tax exemptions given to Native Hawaiian lessees under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. Star-Advertiser.

For the first time since the nuclear disaster in Japan, extremely miniscule amounts of radioactive strontium has been found in milk samples taken from the Big Island. KHON2.

The state Health Department confirmed that strontium-89 from Japan's nuclear release was detected in Big Island dairy milk after a nationwide high level of cesium also was found in the same April 4 testing. Star-Advertiser.

Until this week, Hawaii officials said they wouldn't release original birth records for anyone, under any circumstances. Even if it was President Barack Obama. Associated Press.

Short-handed staff at the offices of the governor, attorney general and Health Department hope they can finally move on from spending untold hours devoted to the issue of President Barack Obama's place of birth after he released copies of his "long form" birth certificate yesterday. Star-Advertiser.

President Obama’s birth certificate delivers news to doctor’s family. Hawaii News Now.

Ivalee Sinclair always knew her late husband lived an accomplished life, but a call from her daughter early Wednesday morning exceeded her imagination. KITV4.

Dr. David Sinclair's six children grew up accustomed to him often leaving home at all hours and holidays to deliver babies. Associated Press.

According to the state, the president sent a letter April 22 requesting two certified copies of the original certificate of live birth. KHON2.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said it's an insult for anyone to continue to question if President Barrack Obama was born in Hawaii after the state issued his original Certificate of Live Birth Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii State Health Department announced that it complied with a request by President Barack Obama for certified copies of his original Certificate of Live Birth, which is sometimes referred to in the media as a “long form” birth certificate. Hawaii Independent.

Real Estate Mogul Donald Trump received international publicity recently when he dispatched an investigative team to Hawaii to find President Barack Obama’s long form certificate of live birth. Hawaii Reporter.

State Sen. Josh Green, an emergency room physician from Kona, said he has seen too much abuse of the medical marijuana law, especially by young people who claimed severe, chronic pain in order to get a doctor to certify them as a marijuana patient. KITV4.

The county could sell advertising space on the Maui Bus, under a proposal before the Maui County Council. Maui News.

Maui County Council members are balking at a proposal that could significantly increase some Department of Planning permit fees. Maui News.

People whose property was damaged in the March 11 tsunami aren't required to obtain permits before starting repairs. West Hawaii Today.

Honolulu’s jobless rate improved to 5.1 percent in March, down from the 5.3 percent in February and 5.6 percent in March 2010, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary data that has not been seasonally adjusted. Pacific Business News

State Librarian Richard Burns recently sent a press release stating that libraries have seen “impressive increases” in circulation as e-books and e-readers have surged in popularity. Garden Island.

The friendly Hawaiian monk seal known as KP2, later named Ho`ailona, that frequented Molokai waters and made many friends is turning three years old this May. Molokai Dispatch.

State continues to rebut Obama birth rumors

One small statement resonates around the country, as Hawaii's health director reaffirms that President Barack Obama is in fact a citizen of the country he serves. But still, some aren't convinced.

Hawai'i's Health Department confirmed yesterday that it has President Obama's original Aug. 4, 1961, birth certificate in storage, but the announcement is unlikely to satisfy conspiracy theorists who insist Obama was born in Kenya.

The issue of President Barack Obama's birthplace that came up during the presidential election keeps resurfacing. video.

The U.S. House of Representatives said happy birthday to the 50th State yesterday, peripherally stepping into the "birther" fray with a resolution that notes, "President Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on Aug. 4, 1961."

Hawaii public schools moved up two spots nationally in state spending per pupil in fiscal 2007.

Two members of Congress have called on the Pentagon to open a new investigation into a July 13, 2008, firefight in eastern Afghanistan in which nine U.S. soldiers were killed and 27 were wounded as they were about to return home.

Invading wasps in Haleakala National Park, which in their home range make nests the size of a football, have grown nests "the size of a '57 Buick."