Chronic absenteeism in Hawaii schools, Honolulu rents drop, constitutional questions emerge, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii classroom, courtesy Department of Education

A quarter of isle public schools have high rates of chronic absenteeism. More than one-fourth of public schools in Hawaii have high or "extreme" rates of chronic absenteeism, according to a new national report. Hawaii News Now.

Panel To Study Constitutional Convention Question Before Election. The citizens group will release a list of pros and cons just weeks before voters decide the issue in November. Civil Beat.

Large sums of cash help major candidates, but not necessarily those backed by super PACs. The winners of the Democratic and Republican party nominations for governor and lieutenant governor in last month’s primary election all outspent their opponents on their way to victory, with state Sen. Josh Green becoming the first lieutenant governor candidate in Hawaii to spend more than $1 million in the effort. Star-Advertiser.

Brett Kavanaugh No Friend Of Special Rights For Native Hawaiians. Trump’s Supreme Court nominee once called the Office of Hawaiian Affairs a “naked racial spoils system.” Civil Beat.

Norman strengthens to a major hurricane as it continues west toward Hawaii. Packing maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, Norman was about 480 miles east of Hilo and 670 miles east of Honolulu and heading west at 12 mph at 5 a.m. today, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

An ongoing dispute over the use of state-owned beachfront land in Kahala is heading to the Board of Land and Natural Resources next week. Hawaii Public Radio.

Erosion at a Makaha shoreline is gobbling up the beach and threatening homes. Hawaii News Now.

Three city and county of Honolulu parks will close beginning Wednesday, September 5. Old Stadium Park, Moilili Community Park and Crane Community Park will shut down for two months. KHON2.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve will be closing an hour early starting Wednesday as it switches over to its winter schedule. Star-Advertiser.

Affordable units make up 20% of new Waikiki rental tower. The developer of a planned rental apartment tower in Waikiki has given the project a name and increased the length of time homes would be affordable to residents earning less than the median income. Star-Advertiser.

A new 455-unit development being built on Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki will offer 91 affordable rental units. KITV.

Can A Woman Who Lost Her Arm In A Lab Explosion Sue UH? The University of Hawaii Manoa contends the former postdoctoral fellow must seek relief through the workers’ compensation system. Civil Beat.

United Airlines catering workers in Honolulu and four other cities will vote on whether to unionize this month after gaining federal approval to hold the election. Civil Beat.

Remnants from Lane lengthen timeline for Kuhio Highway emergency repairs. Hawaii News Now.

Babysitter accused of child sex assault found dead in Laie. Star-Advertiser.

Waikiki Aquarium’s resident monk seal dies at 34. One of the Waikiki Aquarium’s two resident Hawaiian monk seals has died, aquarium officials announced this morning. Star-Advertiser.

Median rent for 2BR apartments in Honolulu drops 8%. Rents in Honolulu have declined over the past year by between 1 percent and 8 percent, respectively, according to two September market reports by Apartment List and Zumper. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii Island property owners could end up paying an extra $75 million annually if a constitutional amendment passes that would allow the state to carve off a piece of county property taxes for public education. West Hawaii Today.

Jaggar Museum Artifacts Being Moved to Pahoa. Mainstreet Pahoa Association’s Board of Directors reports that they are in discussions with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, in cooperation with Mainstreet Pahoa Association, in allowing the contents of the world renowned Jaggar Museum in the park to be transferred to Pahoa and be housed for temporary exhibit in the newly renovated building next door to Kaleo’s Restaurant. Big Island Now.

Kilauea’s sulfur dioxide emissions drop to lowest level in 11 years. Between Kilauea summit, the lower East Rift Zone and Puu Oo, sulfur dioxide emission rates have dropped to less than 1,000 tons per day, the lowest since 2007. Tribune-Herald.

Lava access draws tourists, locals. Tourists and locals trickled into the gated MacKenzie State Recreation Area to get a closer look at the cooled aa lava flow during the recent lull in the spectacular lower East Rift Zone eruption. Star-Advertiser.

Input sought for proposed Maunakea rules. Residents will get a chance to weigh in later this month on proposed rules for public and commercial activities at Maunakea lands managed by the University of Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A statue of Queen Liliuokalani will be dedicated Friday morning a the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea. Maui News.

Hotel workers rally on Kaanapali Beach for higher wages, contract. Union members working to get a contract: About 200 marched in the Labor Day rally Monday. Maui News.

Professor will detail causes of stress to Maui’s reefs and ways to aid recovery. Maui News.

Seven Airlifted from Iao During Swift Water Rescue. Maui Now.

Young children among those rescued from Iao Valley State Park due to rising water. KHON2.


Kauai

Charter Amendment questions on the Nov. 6 ballot. Taking ownership of your government, means understanding the items upon which you are called upon to vote on. Garden Island.

With the Animal Balance sterilization project in full swing, teams of trappers are canvassing the Lihue and Kapaa areas for community cats. Garden Island.

Goose has been wintering on Kauai for 18 years. Garden Island.

Lanai

Lanai island continued posting double-digit increases in visitor arrivals and spending in July, a trend that has been ongoing at least since the beginning of this year, Hawai’i Tourism Authority monthly statistics show. Maui News.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to reopen, lava stirs in Fissure 8, FBI targets Honolulu city prosecutor, flooding not covered in hurricane insurance, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

A team including National Park Service Geomorphologist Eric Bilderback log earthquake damage and assess stability along Crater Rim Trail. NPS Photo/Jon Christensen

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ‘can’t wait to welcome the world back’. The plan to reopen Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Sept. 22 remains on schedule, with the park announcing several details of its scheduled reopening. Tribune-Herald.

Just when Kilauea's eruption seemed to be quieting down, new lava has covered the floor of the crater within the fissure 8 cone. Hawaii News Now.

Lava remains weakly active in the Fissure 8 cone in Leilani Estates, and continues to fill the deep crater, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reported on Monday morning. Big Island Video News.

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Hawaii voters will have the opportunity in November to decide whether to revise the state Constitution for the first time in 40 years, but ongoing fears about what those changes might bring and the potential influence of money and special interests on the process continue to worry some. Star-Advertiser.

Brian Schatz Has Become A Big Shot In Campaign Fundraising. Hawaii’s senior senator isn’t on the ballot again until 2022, but he’s raised more than $2 million for fellow Senate Democrats in recent years. Civil Beat.

In Governor’s Race, Ige Has Huge Cash Advantage Over Tupola. The incumbent emerged from a bruising primary battle with more than $206,000 on hand. The Republican challenger has $11,700. Civil Beat.

Why The Hawaii Elections Office Doesn’t Do More To Encourage Voting. Federal voter-education dollars can’t be used to promote voting, and state elections officials say it’s not their job anyway. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Turns To Military In Search For More Teachers. The state received a $600,000 grant to help recruit current and former service members for new careers in island classrooms. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Be honest about schools tax before it goes on ballot. The four counties make a fair point in their lawsuit trying to stop a poorly written constitutional amendment that would allow the state to raid real property taxes purportedly to finance public education. Star-Advertiser.

United Airlines, the No. 1 airline flying to Hawaii, plans to invest $200 million in upgrades to Hawaii airports through 2027. Star-Advertiser.

F-22 alternative would save taxpayers money. When Hawaii Air National Guard F-22 Raptors fly out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam at $62,000 per hour on training missions, that effort is hampered by a multitude of inefficiencies, a recent government report said. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

City prosecutor appears to now be focus of federal corruption probe. In a sign that the federal grand jury at the center of a years-long corruption probe is once again focusing on Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro, multiple current and former employees of his office were called to testify last week. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an election complaint against state Rep. Romy Cachola that alleged election fraud and vote tampering in the District 30 primary. Civil Beat.

Rape Reports Spike On The UH Manoa Campus. University of Hawaii officials said the increase in reports wasn’t surprising because of new federal policies and heightened awareness. Civil Beat.

Opponents of The Kahala Hotel &Resort’s use of the beach for commercial purposes are ramping up efforts to protect the public shoreline. Star-Advertiser.

Kakaako road owner violating new law, state agency says. A 4-month-old Hawaii law aimed at resolving a vexing issue over the use of private streets in Kakaako is being put into action. Star-Advertiser.

The construction boom in Kakaako now appears to have shifted to Ala Moana. The already busy area near the shopping center could be seeing as many as eight new high rises in the coming years. KHON2.

Petitioners want Haseko’s lagoon opened to ocean. It was planned as a boat marina. Then it became a recreational lagoon with no swimming allowed. Star-Advertiser.

City to remove sand plug at Maili Stream at Ulehawa Beach Park. The city will be removing the sand plug at the mouth of Maili stream at Ulehawa Beach Park on Tuesday. KHON2.

Instead of spending the Labor Day holiday picnicking at the beach, thousands of hotel employees picketed the streets of Waikiki on Monday demanding better wages. Hawaii News Now.

Researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa have received a grant to study a new species of limu found only in the Hawaiian archipelago’s deep and dimly lit waters. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

More than 9 million gallons of waste and storm water was released from three sewer pumps as rainfall from Hurricane Lane caused them to overflow. Tribune-Herald.

Insurance won’t cover Hurricane Lane flooding, homeowners told. Flood coverage generally must be purchased from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program, and it can be pricey. Star-Advertiser.

Homeowners told hurricane insurance won’t cover flooding from Lane. Tribune-Herald.

Vacation rental bill: 16 tweaks recommended as bill heads to Planning Commission. Planning Director Michael Yee is asking the commissions to send a favorable recommendation on the bill with 16 suggestions for changes, some administrative in nature and some more substantive. West Hawaii Today.

Army training effects up for comment. A programmatic agreement that officials say will streamline and improve management of historic resources at two Army installations on the Big Island is up for public comment. West Hawaii Today.

Water bottling plant proposed. The proposed facility, located at the intersection of Piilani and Mililani Streets, will extract groundwater via 1,050-foot-deep wells and package such water for local distribution, according to a project assessment filed with the Hawaii County Planning Department. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Options mulled to reduce sediment flowing to reefs. Working to stem ocean runoff: West Maui residents favor natural alternatives over some man-made solutions. Maui News.

A candidate night hosted by the Haiku Community Association and Paia Town Association has been rescheduled to Wednesday, the association announced. Maui News.

County luxury hotels outperform rest in state. HTA reports average daily rate of $674.89 for luxury rooms in July. Maui News.

Volunteers are being sought for the 14th Annual Lahaina Town Clean Up to be held Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018. Maui Now.

Kauai

The County of Kauai, Office of the County Clerk, recently received a 2018 achievement award from the National Association of Counties “Engage, Educate and Enlighten the Community in the Legislative Process” Program. Garden Island.

Kauai United Way has secured $25,000 in federal funds for emergency food and shelter for our island, said Scott Giarman, executive director for the Kauai United Way. Garden Island.

Surfrider celebrates 34 years of service. In 2017 alone, volunteers with Surfrider Kauai retrieved enough litter from Kauai’s beaches to match the weight of two adult humpback whales. Garden Island.

Ige's executive order bars non-net neutrality contracts, lifeguard survey pinpoints needs, Honolulu releases police discipline report, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii lifeguards ©2018 All Hawaii News

From staffing to storage, lifeguards outline needs in light of ocean safety shortfalls. We surveyed lifeguard units statewide to find out what all the county crews need, and it boils down to hiring more of them, assigned to more places, and for more hours. KHON2.

Gov. David Ige signed an executive order Monday directing state agencies to do business only with internet providers willing to contractually “abide by net neutrality principles.” Tribune-Herald.

Gov. David Ige signed an executive order that directs all state government agencies to contract for internet-related services only with providers who contractually agree to abide by net neutrality principals. Maui Now.

Ige signs executive order on net neutrality. Hawaii Gov. David Ige Monday signed an executive order, directing all state government agencies to contract for internet-related services only with providers who contractually agree to abide by net neutrality principals. Pacific Business News.

What A Constitutional Convention Might Mean For Hawaiians. The 1978 rewriting of the state constitution improved the lives of kanaka maoli. Could that happen again? Civil Beat.

New Solar Panel Tariff Won’t Hurt Hawaii. The Trump administration recently decided to impose a 30 percent duty on imported solar panels to help U.S. panel makers. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is disputing the account of the warning officer who mistook a drill for the real thing and sent an erroneous Jan. 13 missile alert to cellphones, causing 38 minutes of needless fear and panic. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii emergency worker gets threats after misleading photo. When an erroneous alert was sent out last month telling people in Hawaii that there was an incoming ballistic missile, Jeffrey Wong was an island away from the state's emergency management agency office where he works as an operations officer. Associated Press.

In wake of high-profile child deaths, lawmakers eye greater home schooling oversight. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Department last year fired or recommended for firing police officers in 22 cases ranging from sex assault to kidnapping and malicious use of physical force to use of illicit drugs, according to an annual report the agency submitted last week to the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

Man who was allegedly forced to lick public urinal afraid of police retaliation The man at the center of an investigation involving four Honolulu police officers is afraid to speak to investigators, sources say. KHON2.

Handi-Van Riders Are Fuming Over Proposed Fare Increases. Honolulu’s paratransit service has the nation’s highest demand, but that makes it more expensive to run. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers propose to remove bicycle stations and bulbouts from Chinatown. City Council member Carol Fukunaga introduced a bill seeking to ban all bike-stations and curb extension bulbouts in the Chinatown district. KITV.

The Honolulu City Council is expected to fast-track a temporary ban on so-called “Monster Houses.” Hawaii Public Radio.

FilCom Center files for bankruptcy in clash with caterer. The biggest Filipino community center outside the Philippines — a stately facility in Waipahu — is in financial straits after clashing with a local catering and events management company that was supposed to benefit the center. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge has ruled against the family of one of two California-based Marines killed in an Osprey crash in Waimanalo who sued the manufacturers of the tilt-rotor aircraft. Star-Advertiser.

A dispute over permitting may jeopardize whether the World Surf League continues to hold championship tour competitions in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is preparing an environmental assessment for developing a vacant 12.7-acre parcel near Prince Kuhio Plaza to support its beneficiaries in Panaewa. Tribune-Herald.

Lawmakers will hear a bill today that would provide funding to the University of Hawaii at Hilo to conduct rat lungworm research. Tribune-Herald.

Fee increase proposed for park. More than 420,000 people visited Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park in 2016, according to the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. West Hawaii Today.

Single-family home sales on Hawaii’s Big Island jumped 12 percent in January, compared to a year ago, as condominium sales dipped, as prices for both categories were mixed, according to statistics released by Hawaii Information Service on behalf of Hawaii Island Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Restoration Manager for the Kahoolawe Island Reserve Commission Restoration Program, Paul Higashino, will lead a discussion about watershed restoration on Kahoolawe. Maui Now.

A public lottery for workforce housing units at the Kahoma Village late last month drew about 75 people to the developer’s sales office on the west side. Maui News.

Kauai

Native tenants remain on Coco Palms property over a week after their court-ordered ejectment date. Garden Island.

Gov. David Ige will be holding a talk story session with Kauai teachers today from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Kauai High School library. Garden Island.