UH to pay $2.5M for alleged cronyism, landowners say dam safety too costly, woman says $5.7M award won't end suffering, Native Hawaiian issues at forefront, Maui landfill hearing draws crowd, Honolulu more wealthy, more Hawaii news

Giving native Hawaiians and Pacific islanders broader access to federal agencies will be the focus of the next meeting in Washington, D.C., of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, an official said yesterday. Star-Advertiser.

Native Hawaiian leaders are getting one-on-one face time with officials from the Obama administration. Hawaii News Now.

Abercrombie and Aiona agree on the need to pass the Akaka bill, but differ on whether to do it this year or next. Civil Beat.

As expected the Office of Hawaiian Affairs debate started with questions about the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, more commonly known as the Akaka Bill. Hawaii News Now.


Gubernatorial candidates Neil Abercrombie and Duke Aiona went head-to-head in a televised debate tonight that focused on Native Hawaiian issues, as well as other broader issues. KHON2.

U.S. Rep. Charles Djou appears to have a slight edge over Democratic challenger state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa for his congressional seat, according to a public poll being released today in Washington, D.C. Star-Advertiser.

House Minority Leader John Boehner on Tuesday announced that Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Djou will win a spot on the House panel that doles out federal dollars if Djou wins re-election. Associated Press.


Hawaii Democrat Colleen Hanabusa on Tuesday criticized a new TV ad by her opponent for Congress, Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Djou, that warns voters about a storm of lies and special interests. Associated Press.

Hawaii Democrat Colleen Hanabusa is criticizing a new TV ad by her opponent for Congress, Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Djou, that warns voters about a storm of lies and special interests. KITV.

The Hawaii Superferry's vessels were recently auctioned off. But talk of an interisland ferry has re-surfaced in the race for governor.Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii has tentatively agreed to pay $2.5 million to settle a lawsuit that alleges cronyism played a role in the award of a key development contract at the $120 million Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, Hawaii Reporter has learned. Hawaii Reporter.

When it comes to income, Honolulu is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. KHON2.

The Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations is scrambling to notify hundreds of small Hawaii nonprofit groups that they have just two more days to preserve their tax-exempt status by filing with the IRS. Star-Advertiser.

New state rules on dam safety could be too costly for landowners, several people testified yesterday at the first of four public hearings this week on proposed changes. Star-Advertiser.

Credit card debt carried by the average Hawaii consumer, over $9,000 for most of the year, has fallen to $8,469, a mainland study finds. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii homeowners with good credit and plenty of equity in their homes are waiting months to get refinancing loans approved -- if they're approved at all -- and the delays are chasing hundreds of mortgage brokers out of the island market. Star-Advertiser.

The hot potato that is ethics reform has landed back at its starting place with the county Board of Ethics. West Hawaii Today.

The first public meeting about the proposed site for the island’s next landfill in Ma‘alo drew a large crowd from the Hanama‘ulu community. Garden Island.

Homeless campers said they aren’t too concerned about Wednesday’s Honolulu City Council vote on a bill that aims to ban tents and property from public sidewalks. KITV.

A woman who won a $5.6 million jury award after slipping in a McDonalds restaurant said the money will not end her suffering. KITV.

A Texas woman who slipped and fell at the Dairy Road McDonald's nearly three years ago was awarded $5.67 million last week for the injuries she suffered at the Kahului restaurant while visiting relatives on Maui. Maui News.

Rental rates for Hawaii County's only horse stable are going up incrementally, delaying the full increase until October 2012, Parks Director Bob Fitzgerald announced Monday. Tribune-Herald.

The Maui County Council Public Services Committee voted 4-1 late Monday to recommend approval of the Kula Ridge fast-track housing application with conditions. Maui News.

The need to maintain the island’s unique cultural identity is as strong as the need for more jobs and a more diverse, stable economy in the eyes of Molokai residents. Molokai Dispatch.


A lucky-me contributor, I recently received my premier, four-color, first copy autographed edition of “Practice Aloha, Secrets to Living Life Hawaiian Style,” a collection of stories, recipes and lyrics compiled by editors Mark Ellman and Barbara Santos. Lahaina News.

Kauai revisits plastic bag ban, Maui plans bird-proof football, new Honolulu mayor has big to-do list, tourism continues rebound, feds buy superferries, poll shows Hanabusa with slight lead, lawmakers probe securities purchase, airport chief says dysfunctional office jeopardizes safety, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu has a new Mayor. KHON2.

New Honolulu Mayor has long list of problems to fix. Hawaii News Now.

The final campaign spending reports for the Honolulu Mayor's race due Monday showed that former acting Mayor Caldwell raised $1,201,595 total for the race while former Honolulu prosecutor Carlisle raised a total $580,557. KITV.

In his first minutes in office, new Mayor Peter Carlisle pledged to follow up on his campaign promise to cut waste in city spending and committed to push full speed ahead on the $5.5 billion rail transit system. Star-Advertiser.

Peter Carlisle once told one of his deputy prosecutors that he would become mayor when pigs learn to fly. At his swearing-in ceremony at Honolulu Hale Monday, the winner of the September 18 special election for mayor unveiled a statue of a pig with wings and wasted no time outlining his priorities. Hawaii News Now.

The latest poll in the First Congressional District race shows Colleen Hanabusa leading Congressman Charles Djou. KHON2.


Former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie spent more than $2.8 million to win the Democratic primary for governor in September, or about $20 a vote in his victory over former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann. Star-Advertiser.

Democrat Neil Abercrombie has more campaign fundraising momentum than his Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, reports show. Civil Beat.

This afternoon, Keith Kaneshiro was sworn into office as Honolulu's new prosecutor. KHON2.

An investigative committee made-up of state lawmakers is probing whether any laws were broken when the Department of Budget and Finance purchased more than $1 billion worth of student loan auction rate securities. KHON2.

Some 93,000 public school students in Hawaii begin taking the Hawaii State Assessment tests next week. Associated Press.

The foreclosure scandal has touched a nerve with the state’s consumer protector. KITV.

The chief for airport fire stations on three islands said today he is dangerously short of firefighters -- because of what he called an “inept” airports personnel office. KITV.

Council to revisit plastic-bag ban. Garden Island.

A hotel, tourism and real estate consulting services firm says a new survey shows Hawaii's tourism industry continues to recover from the economic recession. Associated Press.

Maui hotel occupancy bounded up by nearly 10 percentage points as the entire state enjoyed a "relatively strong summer," according to the consulting firm Hospitality Advisors. Maui News.

Molokai is again without a staff planner with the county’s Planning Department. Molokai Dispatch.

The dream of Friday night lights and football at Lahainaluna High School continues to take shape on the historic campus, as a state-of-the-art system from MUSCO Sports Lighting has been installed at the Luna Athletic Field. Lahaina News.

There were lots of extras to interest buyers -- furniture, apparel, tools, machinery and spare parts. But no one was willing to outbid the federal government for the two former Hawaii Superferry high-speed catamarans at a recent foreclosure auction. Star-Advertiser.

A federal jury has awarded a Texas woman $5.67 million for injuries she suffered when she slipped and fell in a McDonald's restaurant in Kahului. Star-Advertiser.

The owners of Hawaii's second-largest farm are looking to get back $192,000 from the federal court clerk in Honolulu. Associated Press.

Of the six contested County Council races this year, only the South Maui rematch could be called a negative campaign. Maui News.

Mayoral, council candidates to discuss issues at Sunday forum. Garden Island.

Councilman Guy Enriques, responding to voters' concerns that he hasn't shared enough information about himself, is touting his accomplishments as a freshman district representative. West Hawaii Today.

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono (D- Hawaii) recently announced $10,302,629 in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grants to address pressing construction and renovation needs and expand access to quality health care at community health centers in Hilo and Waianae. Hawaii Reporter.

More good news for "Hawaii Five-0." It is the most played back show in DVR history. That's what Nielsen ratings showed when the information was released by CBS Monday. Hawaii News Now.

Obama coming home for Christmas, Hawaiians win homelands lawsuit, first female U.S. attorney, more

After a 10-year court battle and decades of waiting in vain for homesteads, plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit won a judgment against the state for failing to promptly award home lots to native Hawaiians under the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust.

More than 2,700 Native Hawaiians have won a class-action lawsuit that accused the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands of failing to meet its trust obligations.

Hawaii News Now has learned that President Barack Obama is planning to spend the Christmas holidays in Hawaii.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii is seeking double-digit rate hikes for most of its members under proposed increases pending before the state Insurance Division.

The state Department of Health is advising the public to be patient while waiting for wider availability of the H1N1 influenza vaccine — and, meanwhile, to keep washing your hands and covering your coughs and sneezes.

The District of Hawaii's very first female U.S. Attorney is now officially appointed.

Friends, family, colleagues and leaders of Hawaii law enforcement filled a federal court yesterday afternoon as Florence Nakakuni was sworn in as the first female U.S. attorney in the history of the state.

Proposals floating in the Senate would restore public school days lost to teacher furloughs by raiding the $180 million Hurricane Relief Fund or a combination of the disaster fund and federal stimulus dollars.

Just a day after five city sweepers were indicted on a charge of theft in an overtime scam, KITV has learned that two of the indicted men were city supervisors, who nearly doubled their income with overtime, making almost $100,000 a year.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources came under fire Tuesday night for a proposal to begin charging entrance fees at Akaka Falls and Hapuna Beach state parks, among numerous other proposals.

The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday unanimously passed a bill that gives the Planning Department greater flexibility in deciding when to require a costly shoreline certification.

It turns out there is a free ride after all. Just ask the thousands of people who use Hawaii County's Hele-On bus service.

More than 400 streetlights will soon be sporting a new glow, thanks to a $737,800 grant Hawaii County has received from the federal government.

When Billy Kenoi recently vetoed a trial program to allow Puna residents to live in tents on their property while they built homes, he said the bill singled out one district for unequal treatment.