Tiger sharks come to Hawaii to give birth, House Democrats meeting on gay marriage, school superintendent to get raise, OHA slammed in audit, Honolulu solar reaching limits, judge dissolves Maui Main Street association, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii tiger shark study

A new study has found female tiger sharks migrate from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to the main Hawaiian islands during fall pupping season — a period that historically coincides with a higher frequency of shark bites in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

A recent University of Hawaii and University of Florida study backs up what Hawaiians knew for centuries about sharks. Hawaiian oral tradition held that the number of sharks in waters around the main Hawaiian Islands increased in late summer and early fall. The study, which will be published in the November issue of Ecological Society of America’s journal Ecology, tracked tiger sharks for seven years, noting where the animals moved between the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and the main islands. West Hawaii Today.

A quarter of the mature female tiger sharks near the remote coral atolls of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands leave for the Main Hawaiian Islands in the late summer and fall, swimming as far as 1,500 miles, according to new research from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the University of Florida. Associated Press.

A new study shows that female tiger sharks depart from the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands toward the main Hawaiian islands in the late summer and fall, during pupping season, researchers said. Maui Now.

Matayoshi

The Board of Education plans to ask lawmakers to lift the salary cap that has kept schools Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi's annual pay at $150,000 since her hiring three years ago. Star-Advertiser.

Democrats in the state House plan to meet with Gov. Neil Abercrombie and the attorney general today to discuss a draft of gay marriage legislation as Abercrombie considers whether to call a special session on the issue. Associated Press.

Governor Neil Abercrombie can call a special session on gay marriage and expect to pass it, according to a detailed Civil Beat analysis of conversations with legislators and a look at secondary sources. But it will be a close call. Civil Beat.

Economic growth in the current fiscal year is expected to remain steady but could slow down due to uncertainties over looming military action in Syria, a potential federal government shutdown and impact of the Affordable Care Act on small businesses, state economists said Thursday. Although a specific numerical forecast from the state Council on Revenues was awaiting final calculations, the panel's new chairman said the overall tenor of discussions indicated a conservative approach for the coming year. Star-Advertiser.

An audit of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs says the agency needs to improve management of real estate holdings and do a better job of monitoring grants it awards. Associated Press.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs' vote in favor of buying the Gentry Center violated the agency's own investment policy, the State Auditor says. The audit, released Wednesday, hits the agency pretty hard for its inability to manage its own land holdings to make money and to ensure oversight of its grant program. Civil Beat.

The state auditor is looking into Hawaii’s 13th largest landowner, the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The land management infrastructure of the agency charged with serving native Hawaiians is “inadequate, unable to support the office’s growing portfolio nor any future land involvements,”acting State Auditor Jan Yamane said in a 64-page report to the Legislature. Hawaii Reporter.

As President Barack Obama continues to press his case for punitive U.S. military action in Syria, at least two of Hawaii's four-member, all-Democratic congressional delegation say they are opposed to such intervention, while the others are skeptical that the move would accomplish its intended goals or advance U.S. interests. U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz have gone on record this week opposing U.S. action against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, which the U.S. has blamed for an alleged Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack in a rebel-held suburb of Damascus. Star-Advertiser.

The introduction of an Oahu-based president for Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group Inc.’s interisland subsidiary airline go! may be a sign the airline is solidifying its Hawaii operations. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for September 6. Associated Press.

Oahu

Hawaii's solar energy boom has grown to the point where rooftop photo­voltaic panels are providing all of the electricity consumed during some daylight hours in about 13 percent of Oahu neighborhoods, the Hawaiian Electric Co. said. While HECO is taking steps to integrate more solar energy, that could result in added costs for some new solar customers. Star-Advertiser.

The nonprofit Hawaii Agriculture Research Center in Kunia on Oahu plans to build a 500-kilowatt solar photovoltaic facility on two acres of land owned by the center and Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., according to a City and County of Honolulu Planning Commission public hearing notice. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu motorists will no longer be able to phone in payments when parking at stalls equipped with the city's "smart" meters. Star-Advertiser.

Disturbing surveillance video of babies falling onto train tracks greeted board members of the Honolulu Authority of Rapid Transportation today. Civil Beat.

An exasperated crowd of more than 200 North Shore residents crammed into a school cafeteria Thursday night in hopes of hearing immediate answers to the growing Laniakea Beach traffic woes. But with no state Department of Transportation officials in attendance and no clear way forward presented to fix the problem, the community meeting, organized by state Rep. Richard Fale, quickly devolved into a chaotic series of outbursts from frustrated residents. Star-Advertiser.

The city's biggest ever sewer tunneling project will soon cut an underground hole from Kaneohe to Kailua. The ten-foot-wide pipe meets the mandate ordered by federal agencies to upgrade Oahu's wastewater collection. Hawaii News Now.

Anyone passing through the Ala Moana area can’t miss the rumble of demolition at what used to be the Sears wing. We wanted to know where the large piles of rubble end up, and what’s the plan for an even bigger building boom ahead? KHON2.

A Waipahu High School track coach never sexually assaulted a member of his team, but became the target of "teenage revenge" by a girl upset that he stopped coaching her, a defense attorney said Thursday in the opening of the coach's trial. The prosecutor, however, told the jury that Erik Tamura violated the girl's trust and the teenager testified that Tamura molested her at school and once at her home during her sophomore and junior years in 2010 and 2011. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council passed a bill Thursday expected to help increase housing in downtown Hilo. The bill allows apartment buildings with a unit density higher than 1,000 square feet per unit to get away with fewer parking spaces. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Transportation is anticipating construction of a new cargo yard for Hilo Harbor to resume later this month. Work on the $10 million cargo yard, to support a new 602-foot-long pier, was suspended last spring after petroleum-based contaminates were found in the soil. Tribune-Herald.

Generous public support and an untiring effort by the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation has led to more than $100,000 for the Hawaii County Fire Department. West Hawaii Today.

A long day of testimony on two proposed laws prohibiting Genetically Modified Organisms on Hawaii Island was held on Wednesday. A crowd filled the chamber at the Hawaii County Council’s Public Safety & Mass Transit Committee meeting. Hours of passionate discussion stretched the hearing into the evening hours; some of the most interesting discussion happened outside, after the meeting was over. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The embattled nonprofit Wailuku Main Street Association Inc./Tri-Isle Main Street Resource Center was dissolved Wednesday morning by a 2nd Circuit judge. Maui News.

Although plans for two controversial South Maui malls have been scrapped, developers of former ranch property in north Kihei still want some retail development on the site, including national clothing stores and restaurants currently not found on the island. Maui News.

Similar to what is occurring on other islands, gains in Maui's visitor industry are now filtering through the rest of the island's economy, a top local economist said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

While tourism remains the driving factor in Maui County’s economy, continued growth in commercial construction, real estate and jobs will further assist the county in its economic recovery. Maui News.

The business outlook for Maui is positive in the next year, according to economists who spoke at the 39th Annual Maui County Business Outlook Form, held Thursday, Sept. 5, at the Maui Beach Hotel in Kahului. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council met with county attorneys Thursday morning behind closed doors to discuss legal aspects of Bill 2491. The bill requires disclosure of pesticide use and genetically modified organisms, creates 500-foot buffer zones for large ag operations and imposes a temporary halt to the expansion of fields of GMO crops. Garden Island.

The big news to report in our first column of the school year is that Kauai Community College has been honored with a ranking of 16th in the country among 700 community and junior colleges by Washington Monthly, a prestigious journal of public policy based in the nation’s capital. Garden Island.

HuffPost coming to Hawaii, Construction to drive economy, Maui council advances $559M budget, Kauai council passes $209M budget, Native Hawaiians fight easing of development laws, Honolulu police short of ammunition, more news from all the Hawaian Islands

 The Huffington Post and Honolulu Civil Beat today announced a partnership to create HuffPost Hawaii, a site that will bring together the resources of The Huffington Post and CivilBeat.com.

The state Council on Revenues on Tuesday left the growth forecast for this fiscal year unchanged but increased the projection for next fiscal year because of an expected improvement in the construction industry. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Council on Revenues on Tuesday left the forecast for the state’s economic growth unchanged at 6.7 percent for the fiscal year that ends June 30, but raised the forecasts for the next two years. Pacific Business News.

Big construction projects in Hawaii like the Honolulu rail project could have an easier time moving forward under a new law signed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Abercrombie signed a bill last week to allow the State Historic Preservation Division to approve state projects in phases rather than all at once, depending on circumstances. Associated Press.

Lawmakers say a new Hawaii law could help the state develop commercial harbors faster and more efficiently. Associated Press.

After racking up a $16 billion tab and alarming creditors, Hawaii is finally getting serious about fundamentally transforming the way it finances the post-employment benefits of thousands of public workers. But county leaders argue that the new legislation will tie their hands in budget decisions and will likely lead to higher property taxes. Civil Beat.

Native Hawaiian activists said Tuesday they will ask the state Legislature next year to repeal a new law that allows for the phased review of the impact of development projects on historic preservation. Star-Advertiser.

Led by Walter Ritte, a group of Native Hawaiian activists are demanding the repeal of a new law they claim weakens Hawaii’s legal apparatus to protect historic properties, which includes native Hawaiian burials. KITV4.

A Honolulu telecom company that has enjoyed exclusive rights to provide phone and Internet services to residents on Hawaiian Home Lands is under fire by the Federal Communications Commission for questionable business practices. Civil Beat.

President Barack Obama dug deep into his Hawaii roots and invoked the memory of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye as he pushed his immigration reform proposal Tuesday evening at a White House event marking Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Star-Advertiser.

UH president sheds light on governor's interference. Star-Advertiser.

Senate President Donna Mercado Kim has been under fire in recent weeks after University of Hawaii President MRC Greenwood acknowledged during an exclusive May 20, 2013, television interview on Hawaii News Now that Kim called her last spring to check on the status of her son’s application to the University of Hawaii law school. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu
A nationwide ammunition shortage is having an impact on the training of Honolulu Police officers. Some firearm training is being scaled back at HPD and the department is having to plan ahead so they don’t run out of bullets. KHON2.

Online petitions are seeking to remove or retain Kapaa Middle School Principal Nathan Aiwohi, who was placed on paid leave last month while the Department of Education investigates complaints against him. Star-Advertiser.

An open-air lounge and tapas bar featuring unobstructed views of Diamond Head Crater and Waikiki Beach will debut next spring on the 19th floor of the Waikiki Business Plaza. Star-Advertiser.

The owner of the former Gold Bond Building in Kakaako said Tuesday the company will spend $14 million to renovate the 12-story building on Ala Moana Boulevard, including adding a new facade. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii is continuing to pay $1 million a year in rent for office space that's nearly one third empty just two blocks away from its new Cancer Center, which is about 25 percent unfilled. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

A proposal to raise parks fees — in some cases doubling the rates — drew a tepid community response in hearings on both sides of the island Tuesday evening. West Hawaii Today.

A hurdle to residential development in downtown Hilo would be removed under a proposal before the Windward Planning Commission next week.Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Community College at Palamanui reached another long-awaited milestone Tuesday as officials broke ground for the long-promised institution of higher education in North Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie praised former County Council Chairman Pete Hoffmann Tuesday for the Waikoloa resident’s dedication to the island and to community service. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Council unanimously passed the $559 million fiscal year 2014 budget on first reading today. Maui Now.

Parking at the Haleakala Visitor Center will be drastically reduced through June 6 as construction to improve park accessibility continues, according to a National Park Service announcement. Maui News.

In the ongoing battle against thousands of acres infested with Madagascan fireweed, Maui ranchers will be able to pick up buckets of moth larvae to feast on the problem this summer, said officials from University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Maui News.

Kauai
The Kauai County Council on Wednesday approved Kauai’s $209 million budget for fiscal year 2014. Garden Island.

The leader of the Atooi nation resolved two cases involving rocks from Hawaiian Homeland and obstruction during Hawaii Superferry protests in 2007. Garden Island.

According to the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, visitor arrivals in 2013 will see the largest gains on the neighbor islands as Oahu fills up and international arrivals continue to grow. Garden Island.

Navy names destroyer for Inouye, Obama senior prom photos on Time, Ellison's ultra-luxury Lanai hotel approved, neighbor island economies catching up, Hawaiian Home Lands critics skeptical, vog spikes doctor visits, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Arleigh Burke-class destroyer at Pearl Harbor, courtesy U.S. Navy

The Navy destroyer USS Daniel Inouye will be sailing by mid-2018, carrying with it the name of a Japanese-American from Hawaii and evoking the heroism of a Medal of Honor recipient and the statesmanship of a 50-year U.S. senator. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Navy plans to name one of its ships after the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. Associated Press.

The Department of Defense today announced that the Navy will name an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer after the late US Senator Daniel K. Inouye. Maui Now.

The Navy announced Thursday it will name one of its next two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in honor of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye. Garden Island.

The U.S. Navy names a destroyer for the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and the delegation begins to make its own mark, scoring some legislative successes in Congress this week. Civil Beat.

Despite the director's pledges to make tangible progress within six months on proposed changes, critics remained skeptical that recommendations contained in a recent audit of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will lead to any meaningful reform in an agency long plagued with management and oversight problems.Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is on track to join 27 other states that place annual inspections of all long-term care facilities on their respective websites, state long-term care ombudsman John McDermott said. Civil Beat.

Hawaii doctors are seeing more residents suffering from allergies and asthma because thick vog is aggravating their ailments. Star-Advertiser.

Sen. Brian Schatz announced Thursday that he's introducing legislation to fulfill a goal of the late-Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and retired Sen. Daniel Akaka. The bill would create a national memorial honoring Native American, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native veterans. Civil Beat.

The neighbor island economies are continuing to gain on Oahu, setting the stage for the statewide economic expansion to continue through at least 2015, according to a forecast released today by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island and the other neighbor islands are catching up steadily to the economic recovery first experienced on Oahu, according to a 42-page report released today by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. West Hawaii Today.

Are neighbor islands finally ready to catch the wave of recovery? A new University of Hawaii forecast says it's already happening, and gives a timetable for prosperity. Hawaii News Now.

Obama’s senior prom photos hit Time magazine. Kelli Allman (nee McCormack), a 1981 Punahou School graduate, saved her yearbooks, and they came in handy when Time magazine called to obtain “exclusively” Barack Obama’s 1979 senior prom photos, which appear in this week’s edition. The magazine identifies them as “previously unpublished photos.” Star-Advertiser.

State 5/24. Associated Press.

Oahu

The public got its first look at massive development proposal for Kakaako on Thursday. KITV4.

Imagine Kakaako being more like Denver or Portland. That’s what the Hawaii Community Development Authority envisions. They are sharing that vision with the public who are not completely sold on the ideas. KHON2.

One of the biggest gripes the Honolulu City Council has about Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s operating budget was that it didn’t do enough to restore bus service. Civil Beat.

While canoe paddlers usually spend the final weeks of May fine-tuning their technique, form and timing, a pesky wastewater problem in one of the sport's most heavily used venues has canoe clubs and organizations focusing on flushing out an answer. Star-Advertiser.

The city of Honolulu knows who secretly carted in cement and steel and illegally built a skateboard bowl on city park property on the North Shore, and how much it will cost to tear it down. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Problems might delay opening of new dorm. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County will have to go back into arbitration over a Waikoloa workforce housing project contract, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Young Brothers’ cargo volume between Honolulu and six neighbor island ports dropped nearly 4 percent during the first quarter of this year, a report issued Thursday said. West Hawaii Today.

Lehman Brothers was the top bidder earlier this week in the auction of 5,800 acres of land in Ka‘u that went into foreclosure. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Real property tax rates will increase beginning July 1 after the Maui County Council on Wednesday morning approved a resolution setting the higher rates for fiscal 2014. Maui News.

While developers of the 670-acre Honua'ula golf community have made efforts to meet a number of the 30 conditions set by the Maui County Council when the project's zoning was approved in 2008, some community groups said on Tuesday that many critical conditions have still not been met. Maui News.

Maui Dry Dock & Boat Storage, a consortium of five commercial boat operators, is seeking a 55-year lease on about 1.2 acres of state land adjacent to the Kahului Boat Ramp to develop a vessel haul out, trailer storage and other facilities. Maui News.

A 65-year-old Pearl City woman is accusing the Salvation Army of transferring a sexual predator from Oahu to Maui more than 50 years ago after he sexually assaulted her as a child. Maui News.

"It's different when your name is on the door," said freshman Hawai'i State Rep. Mark Kaniela Ing, recalling his first term on the job. Maui Weekly.

Kauai

Early education and transportation infrastructure improvements were some of the main achievements of Kauai’s delegation at this year’s Legislature, according to state lawmakers. Garden Island.

In celebration of its 20th anniversary and in an effort to give back to the communities it serves, AdvoCare International, a health and wellness company based in Plano, Texas, recently contributed $20,000 to Kauai Independent Food Bank. Garden Island.

Lanai

The Lanai Community Plan Advisory Committee has approved plans for a new ultra-luxury hotel and to set aside 200 acres for industrial development, committee member Alberta de Jetley told PBN.

Poor oversight at Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, tax revenues up, University of Hawaii in upheaval, Democrats have all the power, lax oversight over food funds, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands property (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The federal government more than 90 years ago gave Hawaii the responsibility to administer a newly created trust designed to provide homestead lots for eligible Native Hawaiians. But the government never gave Hawaii the federal regulations to govern how the roughly 200,000-acre trust should be administered. Star-Advertiser.

Department Responds To Star-Advertiser Articles. The following is the un-edited opinion piece which was submitted to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in response to their recent series of articles critical of our Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

State tax revenues through the first 10 months of Hawaii's fiscal year were 8.4 percent higher than the same period a year ago, the state Department of Taxation said. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii’s economy will likely grow faster than the national average, but not as quickly as previously predicted for 2013 and 2014, state economists said Friday. Associated Press.

As History Is Made, Hawaii Studies Gay Marriage. Civil Beat.

Coming off a turbulent year, the University of Hawaii Board of Regents is preparing to select the next UH president, and observers say the board must take a new tack if it wants to avoid more angst. Star-Advertiser.

As she prepares to end her tenure as the University of Hawaii's 14th president, M.R.C. Greenwood said she is still trying to figure out how consequences from a botched Stevie Wonder benefit concert grew into "a full investigation of all the things the university does." Star-Advertiser.

Deferred compensation and other benefits lift the pay packages for University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood and UH-Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple past the half-million-dollar mark. Star-Advertiser.

The Democratic Party of Hawaii thoroughly dominates elective office and government at the county, state and federal level. It looks to continue that dominance in 2014, despite contested races for the U.S. Senate and one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Civil Beat.

Youth in Hawaii should have a better chance of getting the help they need with the launch of an online database of youth services that is easily searched by counselors, court officers, parents and the kids themselves. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The pilot student transportation program that the Hawaii Department of Education plans to roll out to some Oahu schools next school year is expected to do more than just test out an innovative way of buying school bus routes — officials say it'll also restore rides for many of the 2,000 kids who lost out when routes were cut this past school year. Civil Beat.

Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard said it is seeking to fill about 100 apprenticeship jobs. Those hired for the new class will begin their employment in January, with an average starting pay of $19 an hour, the shipyard said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

When the Hawaii County Council last year took the unprecedented step of dipping into the county’s disaster fund to give the nonprofit Food Basket Inc. an emergency $200,000 appropriation, strict reporting standards were put into place to ensure full accountability of taxpayer money. But a West Hawaii Today investigation has found that none of the reporting requirements in the May 3, 2012, contract were met, despite $199,000 of the emergency money given to the Food Basket, as well as $74,000 from a separate council action.

A state-owned affordable rental apartment complex on Hawaii island where more than half the units are vacant and need major renovations will be given to a Christian missionary training school after an unsuccessful attempt to sell the project about 18 months ago. Star-Advertiser.

Dean John Pezzuto conveyed Friday a sense of determination paired with lingering shellshock as he updated students and faculty on the Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy’s failed campaign to fund a permanent building this Legislative Session. Tribune-Herald.

Two South Kona residents are proposing to turn the late Herb Kane’s Honaunau home into a bed and breakfast. West Hawaii Today.

Rob and Cindy Pacheco founded Hawaii Forest & Trail back in May 1993 with a vision to share Hawaii’s natural history while educating about the importance of conserving the environment. Stephens Media.

Maui

House Speaker Joe Souki almost quit after his first term as a lawmaker in 1982. Maui News.

As Maui County's first lady, Ann Arakawa leads a very public life, often seen at her husband's side as Mayor Alan Arakawa appears in parades, gives speeches and meets dignitaries. Maui News.

No unexploded ordnance, discarded military weapons or ammunition were found during a 2011 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers investigation of Kanahena Point, a former military bombing site on Maui's south shore that is now located in a natural area reserve. Maui News.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources today told Maui Now that it would enforce swimming zones at Ka’a Point, following public concerns that kite surfers were endangering beachgoers.

Kauai

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced last week he will seek a second term, and started campaigning almost immediately, visiting three islands, including Kaua‘i on Monday, in a span of a few days. Garden Island.

Revenue Council upgrades forecast, shield law in peril, corrections officer recruitment halted in wake of prison problems, state overpays workers $1.5M, feds investigate deaf/blind school, CIO lauded, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii economic workshop (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The state Council on Revenues predicted Wednesday that private-sector economic growth in Hawaii would offset the drain from federal budget cuts due to sequestration, boosting the state's revenue forecast. Star-Advertiser.

A resurgent construction industry and booming tourism market have spurred the Council on Revenues to slightly upgrade its fiscal forecast for the state despite the uncertain impacts of pending federal budget cuts. Civil Beat.

The state Council on Revenues revised its forecast for Hawaii’s economic growth Wednesday upward by 1.6 percentage points to 6.7 percent for the current fiscal year. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii House has passed its version of a $23.25 billion state budget for fiscal years 2013-2015 that secures funding for state departments and capital improvements but falls about $600 million short of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s proposal. Associated Press.

A coalition of media outlets set out in January to simply make the state’s Shield Law permanent by removing its sunset provision. But three months and a few House amendments later, the group is faced with a watered-down version of the original bill and an uncertain future in the Senate. Civil Beat.

A Native Hawaiian filmmaker who was one of the first non-traditional journalists to use Hawaii’s 2008 journalism shield law to protect his work, is asking Hawaii lawmakers to make permanent the journalism shield law before it sunsets this year. Hawaii Reporter.

Steven Tyler can feel more comfortable at his favorite vacation spot now that Hawaii's Senate has passed a bill known as the "Steven Tyler Act." USA Today.

State lawmakers will not prevent an increase in the unemployment insurance tax, a choice that will cost businesses $66 million for the next year but could strengthen the unemployment reserve. Star-Advertiser.

The state House Education Committee on Wednesday advanced a pair of bills intended to help the Department of Education regain control of skyrocketing school bus costs. Star-Advertiser.

Third- and fourth-graders in Hawaiian language immersion programs could soon be taking state assessment tests developed in Hawaiian — instead of controversial English translations — under a bill moving through the Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

The ability for the public to access the track record of adult care homes got a boost this week from a state Senate committee. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii House Committee on Health has voted to push forward a bill to stop people under the age of 18 from buying electronic cigarettes. Associated Press.

State Public Safety Director Ted Sakai has suspended recruitment of new corrections officers and postponed the start of the latest recruit class to beef up testing and training of the people who work in state prisons. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii residents and businesses, rushing to take advantage of a solar tax credit before it was reduced, added 108.7 megawatts of solar energy generating capacity to the grid last year, up 169 percent from 40.4 megawatts installed in 2011. Star-Advertiser.

Despite decades of efforts to trim the tab on costly payroll mistakes, some have still been able to walk away with a bundle. The state is chasing more than $1.5 million from its own staff who got paid too much. KHON2.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office announced today that Hawaii’s Chief Information Officer Sanjeev “Sonny” Bhagowalia would be receiving a “Federal 100 Award” by Federal Computer Week magazine. Big Island Now.

Recent moderation in bunker fuel prices has prompted Matson to decrease its fuel-related surcharge by 3.5 percentage points. Tribune-Herald.

There is debate over a new energy experiment that could start on Oahu next month. According to Hawaii Gas, formerly The Gas Company, liquefied natural gas (LNG) will reduce the state's dependence on imported oil. Hawaii News Now.

University of Hawaii astronomers are using a $5 million federal grant to build a giant camera they say will be able to snap pictures of asteroids headed for Earth and warn of impending danger. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The Justice Department is conducting an investigation of allegations of assaults at the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind, the state Attorney General says in federal court records. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine moved up 17 places on a list of the nation's top medical schools to tie with four other schools at No. 66 in U.S. News and World Report's 2014 best graduate schools rankings. Pacific Business News.

The Honolulu Police Department will begin issuing a new type of semiautomatic pistol to its officers for the first time in more than two decades, Police Chief Louis Kealoha told the Honolulu City Council's Budget Committee on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County firefighters worked Wednesday evening to assess whether any threat was posed to area residents in Kapoho after the Puna Geothermal Venture plant went offline and vented steam for 15-20 minutes. Tribune-Herald.

Puna Geothermal Venture’s geothermal power plant released about 125,000 pounds of steam, resulting in a brief power outage in the Puna area this afternoon, a spokesman said. Star-Advertiser.

For the last four years, a Big Island doctor received more money in speaking fees than any other Hawaii physician from drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline. West Hawaii Today.

After discussing whether a Hawaiian name would be more appropriate and if the public would ever break its habit of calling it anything but “Saddle Road,” the County Council on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution in support of renaming the island’s east-west connector “Daniel K. Inouye Memorial Highway.” West Hawaii Today.

Big Island commercial operators disposing scrap metal and those getting rid of motor vehicles will have to find another outlet starting March 28. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The $72 million Downtown Kihei project cleared its environmental review Tuesday. Maui News.

The Maui Planning Commission granted a special use permit Tuesday for a bed-and-breakfast business in Launiupoko to host weddings, although the panel set more than a half-dozen restrictions. Maui News.

Several key Capital Improvement Projects on Maui were included in a budget appropriation approved today by the state House. Maui Now.

Maui hit a new high for the month of January with an average daily room rate of $289.98, which was in keeping with a record-setting month statewide, Hospitality Advisors and Smith Travel Research reported. Maui News.

Real estate, construction, politics and the development of Maui. Maui Weekly.

Kauai

Workers have removed an altar built two years ago where a shoreline path is being constructed in Wailua, Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

The sacredness of Wailua Beach is now gone, according to James Alalem, 55, of Wailua. Garden Island.

As the Lihu‘e Town Core Urban Design Plan moves forward, Lihu‘e will slowly change to accommodate more pedestrian traffic. Some of the changes just around the corner will include the elimination of parking alongside Rice Street, giving way to bicycle lanes. Garden Island.

The Electronics Benefits Transfer program will be back at select participating sunshine and farmers markets as early as March 25, said Frank Ranger, director of the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank, Tuesday. Garden Island.

Molokai

A Talking Circle for Molokai practitioners, mediators, family members and anyone else interested will be March 19 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Molokai Community Health Center. The Talking Circle will allow everyone to share and compare different ideas related to the broad spectrum of problem-solving methods available in our multi-cultural community. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii tax collections rise; Hirono dubbed a 'silent senator'; Legislature advances campaign spending, minimum wage, environmental bills; state to get money from Google snooping; UH spending scrutinized; no need for new Oahu landfill; Hawaii County defies impact fee law; Maui dogtags returned 70 years later, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki shoppers (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

State tax collections are up 12 percent through the first eight months of the fiscal year, the state Department of Taxation reported Tuesday.The revenue is coming in higher than the 5.1 percent growth projected by the state Council on Revenues, which is scheduled to update its forecast on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono is part of a new bipartisan group in the Senate. Call it the Talk To My Press Secretary Caucus. Politico.

Proposals aimed at decreasing the influence of private money on state elections are making headway in the Hawaii Legislature. Associated Press.

Hawaii is one of 38 states that, along with the District of Columbia, will share in a $7 million settlement from Google Inc. over its collection of personal data from unsecured wireless networks while taking photos from its Street View vehicles. Pacific Business News.

The body that accredits the University of Hawaii says fallout from last year's Stevie Wonder concert debacle included inappropriate external interference from government officials and "revealed the fragility" of the university's autonomy. In a strongly worded four-page letter to UH President M.R.C. Greenwood on Monday, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges also raised concerns about the effectiveness of the Board of Regents, overlapping and "confusing" lines of authority at UH and a series of policy gaps. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii Procurement Under Fire for Wasting Millions of Dollars on Fraud and Corruption. Hawaii Reporter.

Lawmakers advanced a bill Monday that would provide a tax credit to public and private school teachers for out-of-pocket classroom expenses. Star-Advertiser.

The House Committee on Labor and Public Employment advanced a measure today to raise the minimum wage in Hawai’i.   The president …governor and local labor unions all support it … employers and their organizations by in large oppose it … and low-wage earners are caught in the middle. Hawaii Public Radio.

Members of the state House energy committee are moving forward several of Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s environmental initiatives. Associated Press.

Rock climbers and their supporters attended a public hearing in Hale­iwa on Tuesday night, saying they support a legislative bill to give the state immunity from lawsuits involving their recreational activity. Star-Advertiser.

This year lawmakers have introduced some 270 resolutions, and as usual the range is broad: some are congratulatory, some express condolences and some — called concurrent resolutions — request action or state a position. Civil Beat.

Souki-led House majority has delivered solid agenda. Star-Advertiser.

Bank of Hawaii Corp.’s top executives, including CEO Peter Ho, have voluntarily reduced proposed salary increases that would have boosted their pay between 6 percent and 20 percent, the bank said Tuesday in a regulatory filing. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for March 13. Associated Press.

Oahu
Mayor Kirk Caldwell said Tuesday he does not believe another landfill on the island will be needed because technology is advancing at a rate that the city will soon be able to get rid of the most objectionable, if not all, solid wastes without putting them into the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill at Kahe Point. Star-Advertiser.

When the Senate Ways and Means Committee deferred action on Senate Bill 51 late last month, effectively killing the bill for this legislative session, it marked the quiet end to yet another chapter in a classic 25-year power play by a small group of well-connected local business owners who control the Sand Island Business Association. Civil Beat.

The cost of food, gasoline and education in Honolulu rose moderately during the second half of 2012, but overall inflation remained relatively muted, according to a government report. Star-Advertiser.

The Army said it found about $495,000 to prevent the layoff of nearly 300 contract workers at Schofield Barracks through the end of March with the hope that Congress will address a militarywide funding shortfall by then, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

The city Tuesday suspended permits issued to developer Jeff Stone to build two single-family houses in Aina Haina after state officials said a historic site might exist or had existed on the site. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Impact fees for West Hawaii schools — a state law largely ignored for almost three years — will be postponed a little longer following a heated, but ultimately fruitless, discussion Tuesday by the County Council Planning Committee. West Hawaii Today.

A parade of county department heads made its way through council chambers Tuesday, as the County Council Finance Committee heard explanations for hundreds of thousands of dollars in contract changes. West Hawaii Today.

Government officials have been eyeing Ka‘u for a spaceport as far back as the 1960s. But the latest proposal — revealed by Rep. Cindy Evans, D-North Kona, Kohala, at a community meeting last week — may be a hard sell, particularly in a county where the top executive wrote the legal brief that brought down the last spaceport plan. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A state Department of Agriculture informational meeting on plans for the release of a moth to combat fireweed, a plant toxic to most livestock, will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Mayor Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani. Maui News.

The first double-decker bus of the Maui Bus fleet was dedicated this morning, with the vehicle set to start servicing the Kihei Islander route by the end of March or beginning of April, said county officials. Maui Now.

Dog tags lost in Hawaii returned to family 70 years later. Hawaii News Now.

A male humpback whale with small-gauge line wrapped around its tail was totally freed on Monday, following the efforts of multiple agencies and organizations, according to a news release from the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Maui News.

Kauai

Kaua‘i’s drinking water is safe and free of the chemical herbicide atrazine, according to David Craddick, manager of the Kaua‘i County Department of Water. Garden Island.

A trial date was set in the theft case against former state representative Roland Sagum. Garden Island.

More than a handful of Kilauea residents on Tuesday let the Kaua‘i Planning Commission know they don’t want an 80-foot cell phone tower next door, even if the federal government has already established that health hazards cannot be argued against the tower. Garden Island.

The county’s Building Division is scheduled to launch a Web-based permitting system by the end of April. Garden Island.

Hawaii humpback whales at risk in boat collisions, Abercrombie seeks to give startups $20M, Maui Four Seasons sued to keep beach access public, hotel rates up 13%, sequestration threatens state projects, police conduct scrutinized, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii humpback whale NOAA courtesy photo

A spate of collisions between vessels and endangered humpback whales has prompted some scientists to call for stricter rules — including boating speed limits — in the animals' winter migratory waters in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Sunday night, the White House released state-by-state summaries of what automatic budget cuts would mean. Hawaii faces the loss of funding — including for Head Start, vaccinations for children and law enforcement — as well as furloughs of members of the military. Civil Beat.

The White House has released a list of cuts that could affect Hawaii if sequestration cuts take effect Friday. Hawaii News Now.

The White House released a report today showing which Hawaii programs and jobs would be on the chopping block if sequestration, or automatic budget cuts, take place. KHON2.

Schofield Barracks and other Army installations in Hawaii would see their base operations budgets cut by $106 million, and funding for Air Force operations in the Islands would be cut by $15 million if the looming federal budget cuts take place, according to a report released by the White House Sunday that details how the cuts would affect each of the states. Pacific Business News.

The forecasted cuts to Hawaii's federal programs are detailed in the study "Under Threat: Sequestration's Impact on Nondefense Jobs and Services." Maui News.

Looking to drive entrepreneurship in an economy dominated by tourism and the military, the Abercrombie administration is willing to spend $20 million over two years to help local startup companies take ideas to market. Star-Advertiser.

For the past six months, Civil Beat has been revisiting the question of whether the public can trust that Hawaii’s police officers, with their extraordinary power over ordinary citizens, are being held accountable for their actions. Civil Beat.

The state Legislature is technically on recess, but Hawaii lawmakers aren’t taking a break. Associated Press.

It’s Your Money: Taxpayers Owe $550K After Kids Are Put in ‘House of Horror’ Civil Beat.

Hawaii hotels were 89.7 percent full last week, 2.3 percentage points higher than the same week in 2012 and the statewide average daily room rate rose nearly 13 percent to $235.52, according to a report from Hospitality Advisors LLC and Smith Travel Research. Pacific Business News.

Melting ice is causing a rise in sea level and the place where that will be felt the hardest is Hawaii, according to a new study out this month from a university in Italy. KITV4.

State roundup for February 25. Associated Press.

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell will announce today a sweeping plan to fix and repave all city roads needing repair in the next five years. Star-Advertiser.

A searchable database of the 3,000 Oahu road segments scheduled to be repaired over the next five years. Star-Advertiser.

For more than a decade, some of the administrators and students at Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind covered up a terrible secret – young children between 12 and 16 years old were being terrorized - robbed, raped, sodomized and even gang raped on campus and on the school buses – not by employees, but by other children. Hawaii Reporter.

Thousands of items of clothing worn in the hit ABC television shows including "Lost," "the River" and "The Last Resort" were given to Goodwill. KITV4.

Hawaii

Relatives and friends — and Helene Hale had a lot of them — gathered Sunday night at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center to honor the life of one of Hawaii’s most remarkable women. Tribune-Herald.

A long-delayed replacement of Hilo International Airport’s cargo facilities is now under way, and East Hawaii officials say they expect it to provide a much-needed boost to the economy. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian cultural and natural history was celebrated Saturday at the Amy B.H. Greenwell Enthobotanical Garden in Captain Cook. West Hawaii Today.

Hualalai Resort estate to be sold at auction. Pacific Business News.

Maui
A 2nd Circuit Court complaint has been filed to stop the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea from taking a public portion of Wailea Beach for its guests' exclusive use. Maui News.

A council committee will review a proposal on Monday that seeks the designation of 271,062 acres on Maui as critical habitat for endangered species. Maui Now.

Deer weigh heavily on isle. Maui News.

Kauai

Strong winter tradewinds are contributing to an increase in debris from the March 2011 Japa­nese tsunami reaching coastal areas off Kauai and other Hawaii islands, sometimes smashing against reefs and carrying suspected alien species. Star-Advertiser.

Volunteers were up on Kaua‘i, but whales were not Saturday, as the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary hosted the second of three Ocean Counts. Garden Island.

Carl Berg, chairman of the Surfrider Foundation of Kaua‘i, said recently that while Kaua‘i’s beaches and surf spots remained, on the whole, pretty clean, Kaua‘i’s rivers remain contaminated with bacteria. Garden Island.

George and Shirley Snead dutifully pay the monthly maintenance fee on their Kauai condominium. But recently they had to help pay such fees for other owners as part of what some call an unanticipated consequence of recent amendments to Hawaii foreclosure law. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii House kills Public Land Development Corp., economy hits a high note, absentee voting, preschool, hospital privatization advances, teachers union loses appeal, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii House of Representatives

The state House voted unanimously Thursday to repeal the Public Land Development Corp., foreshadowing the end of a state agency that many lawmakers now admit was a mistake. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii House of Representatives may be divided into factions and parties, but on Thursday it showed unanimity in repealing one of the most controversial state laws in recent memory. Civil Beat.

Members of the state House of Representatives unanimously voted Thursday to repeal Hawaii’s heavily criticized state land development agency. Associated Press.

The PLDC was supposed to fast track the development of public lands something that would pad the state coffers. Voters expressed their outrage from the Big Island to Kauai. KITV4.

The Hawaii House of Representatives unanimously passed HB1133, which would repeal the Public Land Development Corporation (PLDC). Hawaii Reporter.

All members of the State House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly yesterday to abolish the Public Agency it had a part in creating last session to generate revenue by developing State-owned land. Hawaii Public Radio.

There was a time when the name Mililani Trask brought to mind phrases such as "native sovereignty" and "Hawaiian activist." So it's surprised many to see that the longtime Hawaiian rights advocate and attorney is championing the controversial Public Land Development Corp. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's economy is poised to grow this year at its fastest pace since 2005, buoyed by continued strength in the visitor market and a long-awaited turnaround in the construction industry, according to a forecast scheduled for release today by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. Star-Advertiser.

A University of Hawaii economic report says construction this year will join tourism in propelling the state economic recovery. Hawaii News Now.

Hiring flattens out across Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Absentee voting is gaining in popularity, so much so that Hawaii's governor has proposed all mail-in voting. The Legislature is considering the governor's idea. Civil Beat.

Legislation aimed at allowing the privatization of Hawaii’s public hospitals continues to advance, with legislators working to address some of the issues which have drawn criticism from employees who fear their jobs could be in jeopardy. Tribune-Herald.

President Barack Obama’s push this week for universal early education could breathe new life into Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s mission to provide a state-funded preschool program for all Hawaii’s 4-year-olds. Civil Beat.

The state appeals court affirmed Thursday a 2011 Circuit Court ruling against the teachers union in its labor dispute with the state. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and the state Department of Health launched a multimedia campaign Thursday to steer teenagers away from soda and other sugary drinks and toward healthier choices such as water. The $275,000 "Rethink Your Drink" campaign, funded by the state's share of tobacco settlement money, will run through May and include television, radio, print and movie theater ads. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii drivers paid more at the pump on Thursday than they did a week ago, with the average statewide price of a gallon of regular unleaded coming in 7 cents higher, according to AAA Hawaii’s Weekend Gas Watch. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii State Senate today confirmed Theodore I. Sakai as Director of the Department of Public Safety.  Sakai has been serving as the interim Director of Public Safety since June 1, 2012, when he was appointed by the Governor. Hawaii Reporter.

State roundup for February 15. Associated Press.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council is renewing efforts to clear Oahu sidewalks of tents and other belongings of homeless people and others with two bills scheduled to get their first airing at a meeting Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

City officials would be able to slap bigger fines on people who ignore repeated requests to clear weeds, garbage and other waste on their property, under a bill advanced by the City Council Zoning Committee on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

In the face of community opposition, Mayor Kirk Caldwell may relocate a lifeguard substation that was originally planned for Waikiki’s limited waterfront area to Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

Hundreds of thousands of people, but no bathrooms. That's the situation for city bus riders at the Alapai Transit Center in Honolulu. KHON2.

The Coast Guard expressed frustration Thursday about a third laser strike on its Oahu-based aircraft in the last five months, saying people need to be aware of the risk to its aircrews. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Army National Guard ceremoniously broke ground Thursday on a more than $100 million readiness center for the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Kalaeloa. Star-Advertiser.

Rockne Freitas has been tapped to lead the University of Hawaii at West Oahu as the campus prepares to boost enrollment and expand facilities in coming years. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The perennial question of whether corporation counsel has a conflict of interest representing both the mayor and County Council will again be debated by County Council members Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

The state Ethics Commission has levied a $10,000 fine against William Eric Boyd, an employee of a charter school in Hilo, for ordering and approving purchases for the school from his family business. Star-Advertiser.

If you live in West Hawaii and you receive a cancer diagnosis, there’s a good chance you’re going to cross paths with Dr. Anthony DeSalvo. West Hawaii Today.

Interisland shipping company Young Brothers, Ltd. reported a nominal increase in cargo volume to the neighbor islands last year, but steadily rising amounts of agricultural products. West Hawaii Today.

State officials say many trees in mature koa forests of East Hawaii are losing their leaves due to a sudden, sharp increase in a native moth population. KHON2.

Maui
The Maui AIDS Foundation raised $19,000 during their signature Mardi Gras Maui event held over the weekend at the King Kamehameha Golf Course. Maui Now.

The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa has entered a partnership with Maui Electric Company as part of a renewable energy pilot project. Maui Now.

Kauai

The recently released 2013 Transparency Report Card gave the Kaua‘i County Council a perfect A-plus score, topping the entire state when comes down to online government transparency. Garden Island.

After coming out of an executive session Wednesday evening, the Kaua‘i County Council approved an additional $75,000 to be used by the administration in private attorney fees to defend itself in a civil case filed by Councilman Tim Bynum. Garden Island.

The Department of Water has extended its deadline for public comment and feedback on its water system development fee to March 8. Garden Island.

The Kaua‘i Police Department Special Services Team will get some extra help from a high-precision sniper rifle. Additionally, police trucks and SUVs will be equipped with a top-of-the-line digital radio system. Garden Island.