UPW mulls strike, Hawaii airports filling vacancies, kids don't see dentists, revised Maui wind farm gets nod, Pepeekeo power plant could pollute, Kauai hydroelectric hurts native species, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian monk seal

Hawaiian monk seals and local fishermen haven’t been getting along very well. And fishermen aren’t happy about a proposal to extend a conservation zone around the main Hawaiian islands to further protect the endangered species. Civil Beat.

Board of Land and Natural Resources and others conduct site visit on Mauna Kea in permitting case for Thirty Meter Telescope. Tribune-Herald.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has urged the federal government to take more of the financial responsibility for providing social services and education to Pacific migrants as costs to Hawaii have increased substantially over the past decade. Star-Advertiser.

A complaint the union representing Hawaii's public school teachers filed against the state is getting the attention of other unions. Associated Press.

United Public Workers union authorize a possible strike. KHON2.

FACT CHECK — Abercrombie: State Has Not Met With UPW. Civil Beat.

The state airports division has filled a little more than half of the 203 vacancies it reported at the beginning of the year, so more janitorial and maintenance workers are working to repair and clean up airports statewide. KITV4.

Oral Health America indicates that nearly one in five kids in Hawaii under the age of 9 has never been to a dentist. KITV4.

Some of Hawaii's biggest hospitals have a new program to electronically share patient records to improve patient care. Associated Press.

The Honolulu Ethics Commission has imposed a $650 fine on a member of the city Planning Commission and referred the matter to the Carlisle administration to determine whether further disciplinary action is warranted. Star-Advertiser.

If Thursday's meeting of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation's Finance Committee is any indication, HART's interim executive director and the city's transportation services director are no longer in charge of the $5.3 billion needed to construct the rail system. Civil Beat.

Hawaii County Redistricting Commission considers political boundary maps. West Hawaii Today.

The proposed Pepeekeo power plant could be more polluting than both the operator and state regulators claim, a federal agency said after reviewing draft air permit conditions. Tribune-Herald.

Renewable and sustainable don’t necessarily go hand in hand in Kaua‘i’s 100-year legacy of hydroelectric power, according to two biologists on the island. Garden Island.

Plans for Auwahi Energy's major new wind farm at Ulupalakua Ranch have been significantly revised to account for environmental and archaeological impacts and community comments. Maui News.

A ten year old boy has become the talk of the town after he fished a strange looking octopus from the ocean at Heeia Kea Pier. KHON2.

NASA's Web site is showing several opportunities to spot the International Space Station in Hawaii skies over the next few days, weather permitting, of course. Hawaii News Now.

After much talk and secrecy, the Aloha Stadium’s new artificial surface was unveiled Thursday afternoon. Pacific Business News.

Kona, your new community college is moving closer to reality. West Hawaii Today.

State Sen. Ronald Kouchi is hosting two listening sessions to enable senior officials from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to hear the concerns of people on Kauai. Associated Press.

Caregiving Focus of Hawaii Society of Business Professionals. Hawaii Public Radio.

A California lawyer filed a lawsuit in state court this week seeking to review President Obama's long-form birth certificate. Star-Advertiser.

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.

Birthers don't back down, Obama buddy fined for soliciting prostitute, Hawaii mayor kills no-bid police contract with campaign manager, pay raise, APEC, foreclosures, hospitals still on lawmakers' plate, PUC denies First Wind extension, reward for info on Kauai goat-killer, more Hawaii news

Kawaiaha‘o Church (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

Kawaiaha‘o Church resumed construction on a multipurpose building yesterday after making changes that include reducing the amount of ground excavation that could disturb unmarked graves. Star-Advertiser.

Work has resumed at Hawaii's oldest church and Christian cemetery for construction of a multi-purpose building. Associated Press.

Leaders of the so-called "birther" movement argued their case over President Barack Obama's U.S. citizenship before a federal appeals court Monday in Southern California, claiming the full birth certificate he released last week had been doctored. Associated Press.

President Obama awarded the nation's highest military decoration to a Maui solider who died on the battlefield while saving the men in his company. Hawaii News Now.

Obama honors Maui soldier killed in Korean war. Associated Press.

State lawmakers are scheduled to vote today on legislation to require hospitals in Hawaii to make public reports of health care-associated infections, a key measure in the industry's move toward improving health care. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii families in danger of losing their homes will be able to meet their lenders face-to-face in an attempt to avoid foreclosure, according to a broad overhaul of state foreclosure laws nearing approval. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, asked Hawaii lawmakers today to reconsider funding the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, which will attract leaders from around the world to Hawaii in November 2011. Hawaii Reporter.

Lawmakers Scramble To Avoid Pay Raise. A Bill To Extend 5% Pay Cut For State Officials Is One Of 120 Left Unfinished. KITV4.

A bold move to buy Oahu's only slaughterhouse may have failed. But lawmakers have found another way to help the struggling facility, opting to give it $750,000 in the state's capital improvement budget. Civil Beat.

The Public Utilities Commission has denied First Wind’s request for an eight-month extension to secure land and finalize details of an agreement on Molokai for a proposed 200 megawatt wind farm. Pacific Business News

Mayor Billy Kenoi late Monday put an end to a planned Police Department contract with his 2008 campaign manager after the no-bid project drew media scrutiny. West Hawaii Today.

Robert R. "Bobby" Titcomb, a close friend of President Barack Obama, accused of soliciting a prostitute in Kakaako, pleaded no contest and was fined $500 yesterday. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Maya Soetoro-Ng, President Barack Obama's sister, will speak at a town hall on education tomorrow at Kapiolani Community College. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Company crews restored power to roughly 60,000 customers affected by an outage caused by severe weather. Hawaii News Now.

There is a weather disturbance nearby that has triggered the thunderstorms, heavy rains and even hail on Kula, Maui. KHON2.

Longline fishermen are Hawaii's small boat commercial fishermen's No. 1 concern, followed by criticisms of the state's bottomfishing policies. West Hawaii Today.

A city bus driver who's admitted to reading a newspaper while driving a bus full of passengers won’t lose his job. KITV4.

Homeless people who've lived in vehicles and makeshift structures on Queen Street in Kakaako were cleared from the area Monday. KHON2.

In order to meet fire safety requirements, the state is on the move to build a new 12-inch water line and six-inch sewer line along Kaunakakai Place. Molokai Dispatch.

Sometime between dusk on Thursday and dawn on Friday, a pregnant goat from Kilauea’s Kunana Dairy was gutted and beheaded, her unborn kids dumped next to her insides, sources said Monday. Garden Island.

Obama birthers discredited, Abercrombie meets with Hawaii mayors, new senator suing the state, fugitive causes ruckus outside Obama vacation home, job market up, Big Island doubles police discipline, Lahaina library gets facelift, Maui beach issues unresolved, Kauai beaches hazardous, Oahu infrastructure failing, more Hawaii news

Neil Abercrombie knew Barack Obama's parents when the future president was born here in 1961, and he has been aggravated by the so-called birther movement, which alleges Obama was not born in the United States and thus should be expelled from office. Los Angeles Times.

Hawaii's four mayors met for the first time with Gov. Neil Abercrombie in his state capitol office Thursday. KITV4.

Newly appointed State Sen. Malama Solomon is suing the state over a water usage issue on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands pastoral property her family holds on the Big Island. Hawaii Reporter.

President Barack Obama, who planned to keep a low profile on his vacation in Hawaii, managed to avoid a bizarre turn of events yesterday just outside his security bubble. Star-Advertiser.

Associated Press Video

A man wanted by police is in custody tonight after tense moments in the Kailua neighborhood where President Obama and his family are vacationing. KHON2.

After a little bit of work and a morning workout, President Barack Obama hit the links on his first day of vacation in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

With warrants out for his arrest and police following his pick-up truck, Leon Rodrigues tried to get away by turning off Kalaheo Avenue onto Kailuana Place. Bad move. Hawaii News Now.


Parts of Hawaii could be in for another bout of very wet weather early next week. Hawaii News Now.

Many travelers are heading home for the holidays on what's considered one of the busiest travel days of the year. KHON2.

Disciplinary actions against Hawaii County police officers doubled in 2010 compared to previous years, with most suspensions coming from not filing incident reports on time. West Hawaii Today.


A state water official says a headline-grabbing water study that found a probable carcinogen in Honolulu's tap water was "irresponsible," since it drew its conclusion based on a single water sample. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island's drinking water is clear of dangerous concentrations of the "Erin Brockovich chemical" found in Honolulu's tap water. Tribune-Herald.

For construction workers in Hawaii, recent economic news has been bleak. But there may be some reason to cheer for job seekers in other industries. KITV4.

Wholesaler Pacific Fireworks will move 200,000 pounds of product this year. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaiian Electric Co. hopes to replace a destroyed transformer for Ala Moana Center by this weekend, but the utility fears there could be further outages as it slowly switches from shaky backup systems. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Telcom customers around Oahu are reporting a number of outages to land-line services. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii has lost one of its most visionary and productive real estate developers, Herbert K. Horita, whose projects included Ko Olina Resort & Marina and thousands of Oahu homes. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii State Department of Health officials announced Thursday that a large quantity of storm water and landfill waste was discharged from the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill into ocean waters between Ko Olina and the Kahe Power Plant.  KHON2.

Only 8,000 of 48,000 ballots for West Oahu’s City Council seat have been cast so far. Hawaii Independent.

From broad-ranging policy to specific projects, Hawaii County's legislators and a top administrator are looking ahead to 2011 and lining up their priorities. West Hawaii Today.

A hearing on the Keawakapu Beach parking dispute Tuesday was adjourned until Jan. 24. Work remains suspended under a restraining order from 2nd Circuit Judge Joel August. Maui News.

While Kipu Falls in the southeast and Queen’s Bath in Princeville may be some of Kaua‘i’s more popular visitor attractions, they’re also some of island’s more hazardous places to take a dip. Garden Island.

Scientists now have hard evidence for something they have long believed — that establishing no-fishing zones in the ocean will help replenish fish populations far away that have been over-harvested. Associated Press.

Permaculture may be a relatively new word, but the idea behind it is ancient. Permaculture comes from studying traditional native systems that were truly sustainable, one of them being the ahupua`a system of Hawaii. Molokai Dispatch.

Design work is under way on Lahaina Rotary Club’s “Operation Facelift” for Lahaina Public Library, said club President Carmen Karady. Lahaina News.

New! Weekly blog feature Just sayin' -- Bidding aloha to the 2010 legislative session in Hawaii

"No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session."
 -- Mark Twain

Whew! They're gone. The Hawaii Legislature adjourned sine die on Thursday, and reporters around the state are busily figuring out just what lawmakers accomplished during the 60-day session that in Hawaii Time stretches from Jan. 20 to April 29.

The debate over civil unions grabbed most of the headlines this legislative session, but tax and access issues hit equally close to home.

Old Samuel Langhorne Clemens had it right about property, at least as far as this year’s legislative session is concerned. In this tough economic climate, lawmakers raised the barrel tax from 5 cents to $1.05, an action expected to hike the cost of gas, electricity and shipping. Lawmakers also reinstated the death tax and tapped their old favorite, smokers, who face a 40-cent-per pack increase.

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."