TheBus expands routes, Hawaiian practitioner fights Lanai drone landing strip, green building code irks architects, DOE tackles bullying, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

TheBus in Honolulu ©2019 All Hawaii News

TheBus has made changes to dozens of routes across Oahu. The changes went into effect Sunday. Among some of the major routes impacted include the City Express Route A and the Country Express route E. Hawaii News Now.

Windward Oahu bus routes expand. The city expanded several Windward Oahu bus routes and the changes began Sunday, Aug. 18. KHON2.

Hawaii pension fund up 5.8% for fiscal year. Hawaii’s largest public pension fund failed to meet its 7% investment target in fiscal 2019 amid a volatile December and unsettling U.S.-Chinese trade war. Star-Advertiser.

Some Six-Figure Salaries At The State’s Watchdog Agencies. At look at the payrolls of the State Auditor’s Office, Ethics Commission and Ombudsman’s Office. Star-Advertiser.

Board of Education passes new rules for discipline, civil rights. Bullying and harassment will be treated as among the most serious offenses for high school students in Hawaii under a revised discipline code passed by the Board of Education. Star-Advertiser.

A report that faulted Hawaii’s public schools for suspending students far longer than the rest of the country was wrong and the Aloha State is actually near the national norm, according to Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto. That erroneous data formed the basis of a widely publicized report by the American Civil Liberties Union in June claiming that Hawaii’s suspension policies were the most punitive in the country. Star-Advertiser.

Trump Weakens Protections For Hawaii’s Imperiled Plants And Animals. The revised Endangered Species Act regulations flabbergasted environmentalists who are concerned about warding off more extinctions. Civil Beat.

DBEDT Releases Latest Hawaii Data Book. The 2018 edition contains plenty of factoids on the state and its people. Civil Beat.

Invasive sponge found to feed on own bug juice. An invasive species of sponge common throughout Hawaii packs its own lunch, scientists have found. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

6 candidates ‘seriously interested’ in Honolulu mayor’s race. Several big-name candidates have emerged as serious contenders for Honolulu mayor with now less than a year to go until Hawaii’s 2020 primary election day. Star-Advertiser.

How A Design Detail Caused A Multi-Million Dollar Headache For Honolulu Rail. Canopy arms, meant to anchor the sail-like fabric covers for the stations, were already plagued with design and construction problems. Then, they started cracking. Civil Beat.

Volunteers prep Arizona Memorial for reopening. Volunteers continue to clean and polish the USS Arizona Memorial in preparation for the as-yet announced reopening of one of the state’s most visited tourist attractions. Star-Advertiser.

The opening of Espacio in Waikiki caters to Hawaii’s strong luxury hotel market. Espacio’s Japan­ese-based owner, Kowa Waikiki LLC, purchased the 88-unit Waikiki Beachside hotel for $25 million and spent $50 million to convert it into an ultraluxury suite hotel with only nine units. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Building a house on Hawaii Island just got a lot more complicated — and more expensive — because the county missed a deadline to enact local exemptions to a strict new statewide energy code. West Hawaii Today.

Residents Say Voices Stifled on Homelessness. County officials hosted a public forum on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2019, at the West Hawai‘i Civic Center, where they presented an overview of a project known as the Kukuiola & Village 9 Affordable Rental Community. Big Island Now.

Facts vs. myths: Debunking oft-cited claims abut TMT Tribune-Herald.

Big Island mayor: Ige made ultimate call to stop arrests at TMT protest. At a key moment in the TMT conflict, as protesters were being arrested at Mauna Kea, Mayor Harry Kim says the governor made the call to pull back law enforcement. Hawaii News Now.

Officials should follow Maui’s example, former mayor says. Another cutting-edge observatory, the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope atop Haleakala, is nearing completion after escaping a similar fate during protests in 2015 and 2017 involving some of the same people embroiled in the TMT protests. Star-Advertiser.

Last week the Hawaii County Council got an update in committee on the status of various post-eruption projects in the Pahoa Recreational Complex. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Surveys find no Rapid Ohia Death along East Maui. Drone, helicopter surveys follow first detection on island. Maui News.

Maui County residents had to make $31.13 an hour to afford two-bedroom rental last year. Maui County Data Book 2018 shows local statistics on population, education, labor, government and more. Maui News.

Hawaiian Practitioner Seeks to Intervene in Proposal for Drone Landing Strip on Lanai. The request is being made by the Research Corporation of University of Hawaii for its Lanai High Altitude Platforms (HAPS) Drone project. Maui Now.

Kauai

Fish, limu returning to restored stream. The Waipa Stream is coming back to life, thanks to a restoration project within the watershed. Garden Island.

Kauai Coffee certified non-GMO. Harvesters are getting tuned up and coffee cherries are transitioning from green to yellow and red as Kauai Coffee Company’s busiest season of the year approaches. Garden Island.

Lanai

Hawaiian Practitioner Seeks to Intervene in Proposal for Drone Landing Strip on Lanai. The request is being made by the Research Corporation of University of Hawaii for its Lanai High Altitude Platforms (HAPS) Drone project. Maui Now.

Hawaii Supreme Court allows prostitutes' johns to wipe record, Maui spent taxpayer money opposing ConAm, Kona coffee yield down, electric rates to go up, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Matson ship off Honolulu © 2018 All Hawaii News

Ships vying for fuel oil expected to boost Hawaii electric bills. Hawaii, which already struggles with the nation’s highest electric bills, could see them jump by as much as 20 percent in just two years thanks to new regulations on fuel use in oceangoing ships. Bloomberg News Service.

State Supreme Court rules those who solicit prostitutes can wipe record. Under current state law, prostitutes and those who solicit prostitutes are punished differently. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Ballot Issues Draw $2.7 Million In Campaign Spending. Most of that money won’t end up influencing voters since the measure to raise taxes to fund public schools was thrown out by the state Supreme Court. Civil Beat.

Hawaii high school students reported fewer physical fights but more suicide attempts than their U.S. peers, while bullying rates approached the national average, according to data to be presented to the school board today. Star-Advertiser.

UH Wants $40 Million To Help Students Lower Their Tuition Costs. The university is asking legislators for money to expand the Hawaii Promise program to the Manoa, Hilo and West Oahu four-year campuses. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Medical Service Association is notifying some members currently enrolled in older health plans that they will be moved to coverage compliant with the federal Affordable Care Act as of Jan. 1. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Planning panel endorses Caldwell’s new plan on vacation rentals. The Honolulu Planning Commission on Wednesday gave its thumbs-up to the latest version of Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s omnibus short-term vacation rental bill, adding its own suggestions for the City Council, which will make a final decision on the proposal. Star-Advertiser.

BWS balks at study that says sizable leak of Red Hill fuel tank wouldn’t harm water supply. The Navy says critics are misreading the research. The Honolulu Board of Water Supply and environmentalists are protesting a study that suggests a fuel leak in a huge Navy tank farm buried in Red Hill might not harm the island water supply. Hawaii News Now.

Why The State Wants To Build This Ala Moana High-Rise Above A Shelter. Unlike the luxury condo towers rising nearby, all 200 units in the complex would be affordable housing. It’s considered a model for future use of state-owned land. Civil Beat.

State considers Leeward Oahu property as site for homeless ‘ohana zone,' but not everyone is on board. After a decade of helping hundreds of families, a Leeward Oahu homeless shelter closed its doors permanently Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Houseless Encampment Leaders Want Seat at the Decision-Making Table. Leaders from 3 homeless encampments came together at the Honolulu Museum of Art to discuss their futures. Hawaii Public Radio.

New bikeshare program in Honolulu looks like competition for Biki. Riders can rent a bike for $3.50 for 30 minutes. Hawaii News Now.

In response to community outrage, Kamehameha Schools has suspended plans to remove geese and ducks from a property it owns in Enchanted Lake. Hawaii News Now.

Sewage spills into Manoa Stream from overflow on St. Louis Heights Dr. More than 12,500 gallons of raw sewage spilled into Manoa Stream from a overflow on St. Louis Heights Drive. KHON2.

Kailua sinkhole may take months to repair. A portion of Kanapuu Drive near the Kahako Street intersection remained closed, as well as adjacent sidewalks, as crews Wednesday inspected the sinkhole on the shoulder of the road. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope say they plan to meet Monday to discuss their legal options in the wake of Tuesday’s Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that gives the green light for construction of the $1.4 billion project. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Supreme Court decision to allow the controversial TMT project is still reverberating across the community. We hear reactions from the University of Hawaii President David Lassner, Big Island businessman and supporter Richard Ha, and Thirty Meter Telescope opponent Kealoha Pisciotta. Hawaii Public Radio.

Expectations delivered Wednesday by both Hawaii County and the "Thirty Meter Telescope" project. KITV.

The geologists who monitor Hawaii’s volcanoes can still count themselves among those displaced by the recent Kilauea eruption. Tribune-Herald.

The issue of what comes next for the beleaguered residents of Leilani Estates continues to divide a community worried about the possibility of busloads of tourists pouring in to gawk at Kilauea volcano’s most productive and famous outlet — fissure 8. Star-Advertiser.

Kulani Correctional Facility superintendent pleads not guilty to theft. A state prison superintendent charged with theft pled not guilty to third degree theft on Wednesday. Jerry Crivello is accused of stealing gates. KHON2.

Yield and profits down, prices up after coffee season cut short. Coffee season ended abruptly, some two months earlier than usual, for West Hawaii farmers. West Hawaii Today.

Lau Ola cleared to grow marijuana. A second marijuana dispensary on the Big Island was authorized by the state Department of Health to grow and sell cannabis products. Tribune-Herald.

Project explores viability of using canines to hunt for harmful tree fungus. Cobra was trained to detect a fungus that causes rapid ohia death. Tribune-Herald.

Bubba Gump to close. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. on Alii Drive will cease operations in December “due to lease expiration,” company senior vice president and chief operating officer Jim Dufault said Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Panel: Council’s ConAm flyer is campaign spending. County funds used to send what some see as an ad opposing a ‘vague’ ballot measure. The Campaign Spending Commission is asking the Maui County Council to register as a ballot issue committee for allocating $50,000 on a “public education” flyer addressing a state constitutional amendment. Maui News.

Looking to students as the future, mayoral candidates Elle Cochran and Mike Victorino offered their thoughts on increasing job, housing and recreational opportunities for Maui’s youth during a debate held at King Kekaulike High School on Tuesday night. Maui News.

Molokai candidates for council offer contrast. Maui County Council Member Stacy Helm Crivello faces a familiar opponent, Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, in the general election race for the council’s Molokai residency seat. Maui News.

Kauai

Armed with sample ballots, notebooks and questions, about 60 people crowded into Ha Coffee Tuesday night to learn more about what they’ll be voting on Nov. 6. Garden Island.

County Council candidate: Arryl Kaneshiro. Growing up on Kauai with strong family support and the support of teachers and coaches has given County Councilman Arryl Kaneshiro, 37, the ability to make tough decisions. Garden Island.

A blessing was held on Tuesday at the Kapaa bus stop near the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex to mark construction of the fourth phase of the islandwide bus stop passenger shelter project. Garden Island.

The blue color surrounding the construction at Hanalei Pier and Black Pot Beach Park area is hydro-mulch, put on the ground to grow grass, according to county officials. Garden Island.

Oahu sidewalk homeless camps to be counted, cleared; EPA and Kamehameha Schools enter cesspool agreement, sex-abuse hotline lights up after Kavanaugh hearing, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu sidewalk homeless camp ©2018 All Hawaii News

Honolulu City Council passes bills aimed at stopping homeless campers from blocking sidewalks. The bills include language requiring the city administration to first submit a report, or reports, to the Council on the status of its initiatives to combat homelessness. Star-Advertiser.

Council passes bills requiring studies before homeless encampment crackdowns. KHON2.

Honolulu City Council passes 2 bills to keep Oahu sidewalks clear. KITV.

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Hawaii In The Thick Of DC Battle Over Ballast Water Dumping. Environmental groups say the shipping industry wants to loosen regulations, which could make it harder to fight invasive species. Civil Beat.

Sexual assault hotline calls spike in Hawaii following Kavanaugh hearing. Ssince the Kavanaugh hearing on Thursday, the number of calls into the Hawaii's Sex Abuse Treatment Center's 24-hour hotline nearly doubled. KITV.

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Kamehameha Schools’ EPA accord will lead to closure of cesspools. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hopes a consent agreement with Kamehameha Schools to close any large-capacity cesspools on its more than 3,000 properties and pay a penalty of nearly $100,000 will encourage other Hawaii landowners to voluntarily shut down their cesspools. Star-Advertiser.

Kamehameha Schools reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in which more than 3,000 properties owned by the educational trust will be audited to identify and close large-capacity cesspools. Tribune-Herald.

EPA, Kamehameha Schools to conduct cesspool audit on 3,000 properties. An agreement will help the state eliminate cesspools by 2050. Hawaii News Now.

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Kaiser Permanente Reaches Tentative Labor Agreement. The contract will cover nearly 48,000 health care workers: 32,100 workers in California; 6,300 in Oregon and Washington; 2,100 in Colorado; 2,200 in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and northern Virginia; 2,800 in Georgia; and 1,900 in Hawaii. The workers span job classifications from registered nurses and pharmacists to maintenance and service workers. Maui Now.

Two Insurers Offer Basic Dental Care For Poor Adults. Hawaii stopped paying for non-emergency dental care for low-income adults back in 2009. Civil Beat.

B-2 bombers conclude new mission out of Hawaii. Pacific Air Forces recently concluded a pioneering B-2 stealth bomber deployment to Hawaii — setting the stage for the isles to be used as one of a growing number of temporary bomber bases across the region in the face of advancing threats from China and Russia. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii DOE Wants To Classify Bullying At Highest Offense Level. The department’s proposal to make bullying a Class A offense is among the proposed revisions to its student misconduct code. Civil Beat.

2018 General Election Voter Registration Deadline, Oct. 9. To be eligible to vote, you must be a US citizen, a resident of Hawai‘i, and at least 18 years old. Maui Now.

The state Office of Hawaiian Affairs has named a new chief operating officer, longtime Kamehameha Schools administrator Sylvia Hussey. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The city cannot meet a Federal Transit Administration deadline to provide $44 million to help fund construction of the Honolulu rail project, and Mayor Kirk Caldwell says he plans to ask for an extension. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council wants to investigate building permit delays. Councilmember Kymberly Marcos Pine introduced Resolution 18-208 which would establish a group within the Honolulu City Council to investigate the delays in the permitting process by the city’s Department of Planning and Permitting. Pacific Business News.

Greenpeace announced today that its historic ship, the Arctic Sunrise, is scheduled to arrive in Honolulu next Thursday to highlight the threat of plastic pollution to the world’s oceans, waterways and communities. Star-Advertiser.

Erosion unearths more remains at Kawaiahao Church construction site. Descendants growing tired of waiting for 600 iwi kupuna to be reburied. Hawaii News Now.

High bacteria levels reported in Waikiki, Ala Moana waters. The elevated levels were detected during routine monitoring. Hawaii News Now.

What seemed to be a piece of wood led to a bomb squad investigation in Moiliili. An artist had it in his possession for over a month. Hawaii News Now.

Kapiolani campus becomes a lab for sustainability. A chain of projects by chemistry, culinary and economics students at KCC to complete a sustainability loop on the Diamond Head campus is already reducing waste and their carbon footprint, and has earned a University of Hawaii 2018 President’s Green Initiative Award of $10,000. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Thousands visit HVNP after reopening. More than 15,000 people visited Hawaii Volcanoes National Park since it partially reopened last month. Tribune-Herald.

Panel not sold on tax break measure for Pahoa, Volcano businesses. Hawaii County Council members gave a measure intended to help struggling businesses in Pahoa and Volcano a negative recommendation this week. Tribune-Herald.

Despite Eruption, No Support For Pahoa, Volcano Business Tax Breaks. Big Island Video News.

Forum held on ballot measure. While supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment say it could raise much-needed funds for the state’s public schools, opponents argue the proposal has too many ambiguities and too few guarantees. West Hawaii Today.

Being anchored in coral, in too shallow water and too close to the Kailua Pier navigation channel may land the owner of a 196-foot yacht in Kailua Bay a misdemeanor offense and a fine.West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County administration officials explained to the County Council on Tuesday their roles in informing the public during brown water advisories and/or a sewer discharges. Big Island Video News.

The 2018 IRONMAN® World Championship in Kailua-Kona is set for Oct. 13. Big Island Now.

Maui

Work on Waiopai Bridge will block traffic at night. Maui News.

Destination acquires Classic Resorts properties. Kaanapali Alii among properties switching hands. Maui News.

Kauai

State officials have abandoned any pretense that storm-damaged Kuhio Highway west of Hanalei can reopen before late January, and some sources familiar with what they describe as an “unsettled” situation say the road might not be reopen until the second half of 2019 — or even later. Garden Island.

Lobbying workshops coming. This year, the Public Access Room is offering two workshops at locations on Kauai. Garden Island.

Hawaii sets tourism record, FEMA, Homeland Security, tour state disasters, lawsuit filed over school bullying, Honolulu advances new homeless laws, more news from all the Hawaiian islands

Waikiki beach ©2018 All Hawaii News

July sets single-month record for Hawaii visitors. Despite volcanic-activity related softening on Hawaii island, more visitors came to Hawaii in July than in any other month in the state’s history. Star-Advertiser.

Federal pay freeze could affect tens of thousands of civilian workers in Hawaii. According to the latest numbers from the government, Hawaii has more than 23,000 federal workers including those that work at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. KHON2.

State investigating "price gouging" complaints. About 30 people from Oahu, the Big Island, Maui, and Kauai filed complaints with the state that they paid too much. KITV.

Federal response to Hurricane Lane 'just the beginning'. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen arrived in Hawaii on Thursday, one week after rain from Hurricane Lane began pounding Hawaii island, and said the federal government will continue to respond in the wake of the powerful storm. Star-Advertiser.

Lawsuit Slams DOE For ‘Grossly Inadequate’ Anti-Bullying Policies. The suit asks for a court-appointed special master to oversee the anti-harassment program in the Hawaii Department of Education. Civil Beat.

Three families who say their children were bullied or harassed in Hawaii public schools have filed a class-action lawsuit against the state Department of Education. Hawaii News Now.

Classrooms getting more crowded as more kids enroll in public school. KHON2.

Hawaii counties are seeking to block a ballot question that would amend the state constitution to give the Legislature the power to tax investment real estate to fund schools. Associated Press.

During this year's legislative session, state lawmakers approved the language for a statewide ballot referendum on a new amendment to the state constitution. If approved by voters, the amendment would create a state-wide property tax on certain investment properties to fund public schools. But attorneys from all of Hawaii's county governments are now challenging the proposal. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii County joins ballot fight: Lawsuit seeks to strike education tax off Nov. 6 ballot. West Hawaii Today.

A group commissioned by Gov. David Ige has created guidelines for earlier diagnosis and prevention of the potentially crippling rat lungworm disease. Star-Advertiser.

Steroid, spinal tap among new rat lungworm guidelines. Tribune-Herald.

Local Tech Company Aims to Help Farmers Work Smarter. With recent funding from a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, Smart Yields is now trying to make it easier for local farmers to comply with food safety standards. Hawaii Public Radio.

More than 100 people have applied to become the next CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority to replace George Szigeti, who will step down at the end of October. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Committee advances 2 bills targeting building violations. The City Council Zoning Committee on Thursday advanced two bills that target unscrupulous builders and property owners, but postponed a decision on a third bill. Star-Advertiser.

Committee OKs bills to clear homeless from city sidewalks. A City Council committee Thursday approved two bills that would make it illegal for people to obstruct or lodge on city sidewalks. Star-Advertiser.

More Oahu parks to be secured overnight in expanded effort to curb vandalism. Starting this weekend, more than a dozen parks in Leeward, Ewa, and Central Oahu, will be secured and monitored overnight. KHON2.

Applicants sought for Waikiki affordable housing complex for seniors. The Ainahau Vista II project is intended for low-income seniors ages 55 or older. Hawaii News Now.

Jim Nabors' Diamond Head estate on the market for $15M. The oceanfront Hawaii estate belonging to the late Jim Nabors, known best for playing Gomer Pyle on “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Gomer Pyle: USMC” in the 1960s, is on the market for $14.88 million. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

County wish list grows to $800M. The cost of Hawaii County’s wish list for what is needed to recover from the Kilauea disaster has increased to $800 million, according to the county’s No. 2 official.Tribune-Herald.

Tentative steps toward relaxing restrictions on access to the Puna eruption zone are in the works, with Hawaii island officials preparing to remove two roadblocks in the next week on routes that lead to rugged, 40-foot-tall cooled lava flows that crossed a highway near the coastline. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen joined state officials for a briefing on various disaster recovery efforts. Big Island Video News.

No lava spotted at fissure 8. That appears to mark the first time that lava was not seen anywhere since the eruption on Kilauea’s lower East Rift Zone subsided almost four weeks ago. Tribune-Herald.

Pahoa’s Future Discussed With Community Leaders. Approximately 40 to 50 people met at Liko Lehua Pauahi Café on Thursday, Aug. 30, at 2 p.m. to discuss some of their ideas and concerns with government officials that were available. Big Island Now.

The new commander at Pohakuloa Training Area worked a room of both military supporters and critics during a public meeting in Hilo Wednesday night. Big Island Video News.

Commentary: Puna councilwoman should leave now. Even though it’s only been a week since Puna Councilwoman Jen Ruggles stunned her colleagues by announcing she will refrain from voting or sponsoring legislation because she fears she would be violating international law and committing war crimes against the Hawaiian Kingdom, that’s a week too long to waste on nonsense. West Hawaii Today.

Hurricane Lane Adds to a Wet Year for Big Island Farmers. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Ex-Maui Police Officer Sentenced In Theft, Bribery Scheme. The officer took $1,800 from a man during a traffic stop in 2015. Associated Press.

Kuleana landowners and volunteers confront officials. Frustrated kuleana landowners who felt abandoned by the county and community volunteers, who sorted piles of donations, confronted officials Wednesday night in the wake of three brush fires that burned more than 2,000 acres and destroyed at least 21 structures — most of them belonging to kuleana landowners. Maui News.

Restoring water to Kauaula Valley residents top priority. Kuleana families are busy cleaning up before they can rebuild after devastating fire. Maui News.

Kauai

A former Kauai Police Department officer who was convicted of harassment by stalking and the use of a computer in the commission of a separate crime was sentenced to five years of probation and community service in Fifth Circuit Court Thursday. Garden Island.

After enduring pummeling from Lane, Kauai in 'disaster mode'. Hawaii News Now.

Alakai O Kauai charter school opened to 148 students Wednesday for a full day of class. Garden Island.

While the islandwide brown water advisory hasn’t yet been canceled by the state Department of Health, the county Department of Water has canceled the do not drink advisory for customers in Wainiha. Garden Island.

State may divert rail money, Hee as gubernatorial spoiler, Sandwich Island Communications plans to close and layoff 62 workers, students plan walkout, Kauai County sues for Secret Beach access, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu rail project PC: HART

State May Divert $500,000 A Year To Cover Its Own Rail Project Costs. A House bill could take a total of $6.5 million out of rail’s recovery plan, which is already stretched thin. Civil Beat.

At private and public schools across the state, students are planning to walk out of class for 17 minutes on March 14 in solidarity with the 17 victims of the Florida high school shooting. Star-Advertiser.

Feds Say Hawaii Falls Short In Dealing With School Bullying. The Hawaii Department of Education says improvements have already been made, but the federal findings are bleak. Civil Beat.

Nearly 1 in 3 Hawaii public school students said they've been the victims of bullying or harassment, according to a survey conducted as part of a years-long federal compliance review of the state Education Department's handling of bullying and harassment complaints. Hawaii News Now.

Sandwich Isles Communications Inc. submitted a letter to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on Jan. 3 announcing it could close as early as March 4 and lay off its 62 employees. Star-Advertiser.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the medical aid in dying measure today. Hawaii Public Radio.

As popularity of electric cars grows, lawmakers want to require more charging stations. Hawaii News Now.

Cyclists urge Hawaii lawmakers to adopt 'safe passing' bill. Hawaii News Now.

Spying On Injured Workers Often Adds To Their Pain. Surveillance is accepted practice in workers’ comp cases. It can lead to a cutoff of benefits, but things are not always as they appear. Civil Beat.

Meet the Detective Who Tails Injured Workers. George Copeland’s tricks of the trade include cameras hidden in a key fob or shirt button, or hours spent staring at an apartment door. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s state epidemiologist says she’s hopeful the mumps outbreak might be slowing. The state’s tally of confirmed mumps cases reached 902 as of March 1, the anniversary of the outbreak’s first diagnosis, including 719 people in the City and County of Honolulu, 131 in Hawaii County, 49 in Kauai County and three in Maui County. Tribune-Herald.

Gov. David Ige made it clear Monday he disagrees with with proposals to arm teachers, or have armed guards at schools. Garden Island.

Commentary: Guns Suddenly Become An Issue In Governor’s Race. Challenger Clayton Hee demonstrates that he has not lost his ability to shake things up, politically and policy-wise. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Hee poised to roil gubernatorial race with ideas to legalize gambling and marijuana. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Back in mid-January, a political “hit” piece was quietly making the email rounds. Among other things, it accused a cabal of Governor David Ige’s campaign insiders of soliciting former senator Clayton Hee to enter the governor’s race in order to “siphon off Hawaiian Votes from Colleen Hanabusa.” Ian Lind blog.

Oahu

City starts citing ride-hailing drivers; taxis bear brunt. A few ride-hailing drivers have been caught violating city regulations since March 2017, when restrictions on ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft were brought more closely in line with taxicab companies. Star-Advertiser.

Rideshare driver's confrontation with city inspectors reveals communication breakdowns. Hawaii News Now.

The civil lawyer of former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his deputy prosecutor wife, Katherine Kealoha, is asking a federal judge to allow the Kealohas to sell their Hawaii Kai home so he can collect the attorney fees the Kealohas owe him. Star-Advertiser.

Lienholder On Ex-Police Chief’s Home Wants It Sold. Attorney Kevin Sumida wants to recoup money he says he’s owed by Louis and Katherine Kealoha. Civil Beat.

City looks to convert barely-used safe house for abused women into homeless shelter. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and the city prosecutor are in discussions over the future of a $5.5 million shelter for abuse victims that's been barely used since it opened in 2016. Hawaii News Now.

Black-Footed Albatross Chicks Take Refuge From Climate Change On Oahu. The North Shore’s James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge now hosts 23 birds that faced threats in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Civil Beat.

A federal bankruptcy judge approved a business divorce between The Filipino Community Center and a prominent local catering company Monday, though the two will share custody of some clients through the end of the year. Star-Advertiser.

Sales of condominiums on Oahu rose 5 percent in February, as prices rose by the same percentage point, while single-family home sales recorded a slight decline in sales and a slight increase in prices, according to a report from Hawaii real estate firm Locations. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Hu Honua says outfall issue now moot. The project, which would burn wood from eucalyptus trees to generate electricity, has faced numerous fits and starts because of legal disputes, including with a contractor and Hawaii Electric Light Co. Tribune-Herald.

New mass transit administrator hits the ground running. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island’s lone sheriff’s lieutenant publicly opposed a bill that would allot money to fund a second lieutenant on the island, despite strong support for the measure by his superiors. West Hawaii Today.

The Royal Order of Kamehameha I received a building permit to construct an annex at the back of Kamehameha Hall in Keaukaha. Tribune-Herald.

Former Big Island coffee farmer among 300 people suing agribusiness giant Monsanto. KITV.

Sales of single-family homes on Hawaii’s Big Island declined last month, compared to February last year, along with median prices, according to statistics from Hawaii Information Service on behalf of Hawaii Island Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Maui

A bill that would’ve raised rental car taxes at the Kahului Airport to pay for Maui bypass projects has morphed into a proposed statewide rental car tax to fund projects most likely on Oahu, frustrating the Maui lawmakers who originally introduced it. Maui News.

While Alexander & Baldwin continues work to diversify its Maui agricultural lands, redeploying 4,500 acres of former sugar cane lands last year, the company sees progress as slow, difficult and unlikely to turn a profit, A&B President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Benjamin told investors. Maui News.

Kauai

For decades, a legal public trail to the eastern side of Kauapea Beach has been closed. Now, the county is taking legal action to reopen access to the area known as Secrets Beach. Garden Island.

Kauai County filed a lawsuit seeking public access to East Kauapea Beach, also known as Secret Beach. KITV.

The County of Kauai Housing Agency announces a public meeting to present the draft Environmental Assessment for the Pua Loke Affordable Housing Development project. Garden Island.

Democratic Party of Hawaii precinct meetings set. Garden Island.

Home sales on Kauai rose in February, along with the median price of a single-family home, while the median price of a Garden Isle condominium fell by 28 percent, according to statistics from Hawaii Information Service on behalf of Kauai Island Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu homeless funds cut, Navy brass wants more female sailors, El Nino could bring more hurricanes, UH investigates officer over bullying, racism complaints, Hawaii Community College-Palamanui on schedule, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu homeless © 2015 All Hawaii News

A full-court press lobbying effort by Mayor Kirk Caldwell and his top lieutenants failed to persuade the City Council Budget Committee to restore $616,000 that the administration insists is critical to providing housing for the homeless. Star-Advertiser.

Thousands of warnings, a couple of hundred citations, but only a few arrests. That's what the latest data shows when it comes to removing the homeless from city sidewalks under Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s program of compassionate disruption. KITV4.

After 11 terms on the Kauai County Council and five years in the Legislature, Ron Kouchi is hardly new to politics. And yet his ascension last week to the state Senate presidency caught many off guard. Civil Beat.

Concerns over implementation costs and oversight requirements stymied efforts to pass comprehensive anti-bullying legislation this session, but Hawaii lawmakers and advocates say they are optimistic they can resurrect the bill next year. Civil Beat.

The No. 2 officer in the Navy envisions a day when 25 percent of warship crew members are women. Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michelle Howard knows that percentage on ships and across the Navy is a ways off, but efforts are underway to reach that goal, she said. Star-Advertiser.

Watch out, Hawaii. As sea surface temperatures heat up in the Pacific under the spell of El Nino, the islands could see a replay of the busy 2014 hurricane season. Star-Advertiser.

Today kicks off hurricane season for the Eastern Pacific, and even though we are in the Central Pacific, we need to keep an eye to the East for any development, especially with the rise of a strong El Nino year. Hawaii News Now.

The current Council on Revenues members’ terms end on June 30, but all were reappointed for another term starting July 1. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

A record number of Oahu residents have cast their vote for the 2015 Neighborhood Board election, according to the Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office. With a day still left before the ballot closes, nearly 18,500 people have already voted in the all-online election, surpassing the previous record set during the last election in 2013 by nearly 20 percent. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii has launched an internal investigation of UH-Manoa's chief academic officer over faculty and staff complaints alleging bullying and racist and sexist behavior. Star-Advertiser.

The former chief attorney for the city is expected to join the University of Hawaii as general counsel. Star-Advertiser.

As chairman of the Mililani/Waipio/Melemanu Neighborhood Board, Dick Poirier supported a bill that would reinvest rental fees and other revenue collected at the 269-acre Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park — equipped with aquatics and sporting facilities — to help pay for much-needed improvements and maintenance. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A grass-roots drive to reduce pesticide applications along the roadways is getting encouragement from Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille, who said she’s suggested people come to the County Council meeting on Monday to testify about taking the products out of the county budget. West Hawaii Today.

Because of the community’s insistence and persistence, Hawaii Community College-Palamanui will open on time, University of Hawaii administrators told a crowd in Kailua-Kona Thursday evening. West Hawaii Today.

It’s still not clear when the Kona Country Club’s ocean golf course will open. Renovations that began in the first quarter of 2013 could wrap up by the fall, but the completion date is still a moving target, the project’s superintendent John Hamilton said. West Hawaii Today.

VIDEO: Ethics Board Defers Action On Mayor Kenoi. Big Island Video News.

Maui

More than 10 years ago, a new stadium was envisioned for Lahainaluna High School on Maui. The project is finally just about at the end, but what’s holding it up from getting an opening day? KHON2.

A $123,640 project for ADA Improvements at Hoʻokipa Beach Park is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. on Monday. Maui Now.

A free community workshop on how to nominate historic properties for the state and national registers of historic places will be held Friday in Wailuku. Maui News.

Kauai

The North Shore Shuttle will come to an abrupt halt at 9 tonight after the County Council approved a motion to eliminate funding for the service by a 4-2 vote Thursday. Garden Island.

Kahoolawe

The state legislature failed to provide 2 million dollars for the restoration of Kaho’olawe this session.   But the William S. Richardson School of Law hosted a panel discussion recently on the island’s future. Hawaii Public Radio.