Electric vehicles near 10K mark, Capitol threat resolved, feds offer Kealohas plea deals, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Electric vehicle powered by solar on Henk Rogers' Hawaii energy farm ©2019 All Hawaii News

Passenger electric vehicle registrations nearing 10,000 milestone in Hawaii. Hawaii is inching closer to reaching a milestone with 10,000 passenger electric vehicles registered in the state. To be precise, the state is just short of the milestone by 95, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism’s monthly energy trends report. Star-Advertiser.

Will Hawaii Lead The Renewables Revolution? Hawaii has positioned itself as a pioneer in the quest to move toward a fossil-free future. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Health Department gets additional $4M to combat opioid crisis. The state Health Department announced Monday that it has received an additional $4 million in federal grant funds to address and prevent the opioid crisis in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Sheriff’s Office: No Threat To Hawaii State Capitol. The Honolulu Police Department located an Arizona man who apparently encouraged a mass shooting in a social media post. Civil Beat.

Hawaii State Hospital now under new leadership. There’s a new head of the Hawaii state hospital. Doctor Run Heidelberg took over for William May as the facility’s administrator on Tuesday. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Cost for monthly housing in Honolulu not hurt by illegal vacation rentals, study finds. Illegal vacation rentals may have marred the fabric of residential neighborhoods around Oahu, but a new study concludes that they haven’t inflated primary rental housing rates. Star-Advertiser.

Louis and Katherine Kealoha offered plea deals from federal prosecutors. Federal prosecutors have made offers to Louis and Katherine Kealoha to avoid their upcoming trials. Hawaii News Now.

Whistleblower suspects Kealoha’s investigation into Board of Water Supply was a sham. New questions are being raised about an apparent investigation headed up by disgraced ex-deputy Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha into the Board of Water Supply, and a whistleblower involved in the probe now believes it was all a sham. Hawaii News Now.

Neighborhood board sends letter to FAA, requesting tour helicopter ban over Kailua. The Kailua Neighborhood Board has passed a resolution asking for a federal ban of all tour helicopters over the beach community, and has sent a formal letter to the Federal Aviation Administration outlining details of that request. Star-Advertiser.

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New Bags Required Of Chinatown Merchants To Combat Trash. Chinatown merchants are now required to use city-mandated yellow bags to dispose of their curbside trash, otherwise it won't be picked up by city trash collectors. Hawaii Public Radio.

Bright yellow garbage bags are the city’s solution to Chinatown’s trash problem. The city has started handing out big, bright yellow garbage bags to businesses in Chinatown to try and tackle the community's chronic trash problem. Hawaii News Now.

Chinatown businesses urged to use city-issued yellow trash bags. In an effort to keep trash off the streets of Chinatown, the city is re-emphasizing its new policy. KHON2.

New trash bag aimed at reducing illegal dumping, rummaging in Chinatown. A revised ordinance also makes it illegal to open garbage bags that have been put out for collection -- a tool for environmental inspectors to fine violators up to $2,500. KITV.

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Where A Developer Sees Houses, Enchanted Lake Residents See A Wetland To Protect. Residents adamantly oppose a housing development in Kaelepulu, an area that was once a fishery. Civil Beat.

It’ll take a bit longer to remove toxic soil buried beneath Kalihi street. Work to remove toxic soil buried beneath Factory Street in Kalihi is being pushed back a few weeks -- just as alarming new details are coming out about the lead contamination under the asphalt. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Investigation into claims of retaliation in DLNR’s boating division comes up empty. Department of Land and Natural Resources chair, Suzanne Case, told Hawaii News Now she asked investigators from the attorney general's office to help her agency look into corruption and retaliation complaints. Hawaii News Now.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustees To Visit Mauna Kea, Ka'u and Hilo. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs will hold a community meeting in Pahala on Wednesday evening. The next day they will meet in Hilo and visit Pu'uhuluhulu. Big Island Video News.

Second accomplice sentenced in fatal officer shooting. A second accomplice was sentenced Monday in Circuit Court for her role in aiding and abetting cop killer Justin Waiki. West Hawaii Today.

Big Island program gives hope to dwindling Hawaii fish populations. Generations of community leaders and Kupuna of Kaupulehu on the west side of Hawaii Island converged to devise a plan to replenish their coral reef fish, creating the Kaupulehu Marine Reserve. KHON2.

Maui

Maui County Hosting Community Meetings To Help Craft Next Budget. Community meetings throughout Maui County are being held to help Mayor Michael Victorino and his administration craft its first budget that will cover fiscal year 2020-2021. Hawaii Public Radio.

“What’s up in Ha‘iku?” Subject of Ha’iku Community Association Meeting. The meeting will feature updates on local infrastructure and community projects from county officials and local community members. Maui Now.

Kauai

Tensions rise over parking at Hanalei Bay Resort. When Ian Jung, the lawyer representing the Association of Apartment Owners of Hanalei Bay Resort pulled the microphone away from Jimit Mehta mid-sentence, it became clear that what they were discussing — the number of parking spaces at HBR — was a heated issue. Garden Island.

Fire chief search continues. Nearly a year and a half into the search for a new fire chief, the Kauai County Fire Commission is essentially starting again from scratch. Garden Island.

Tulsi Gabbard jumps into crowded pack of presidential contenders, public hearing today on temporary Honolulu City Council member, Maui council confirms Victorino administrators, $5k rebates for EV charging stations, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tulsi Gabbard campaign photo

Tulsi Gabbard offers progressive platform at campaign kickoff. Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard officially kicked off her presidential campaign Saturday with an ominous message about an increasingly dangerous world in which the United States sits on the “precipice of nuclear war” amid worsening international tensions. Star-Advertiser.

Tulsi Gabbard On Running For President: ‘We Must Fight For The Soul Of Our Country’. The U.S. representative from Hawaii held her first public rally on Saturday in her quest to win the White House in 2020. Civil Beat.

In front of scores of supporters in Waikiki on Saturday and with hundreds more watching online, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard officially kicked off her 2020 presidential campaign, saying that she wants to “build a movement of peace at home and abroad that will fulfill the promise of America." Hawaii News Now.

Congresswoman Gabbard calls on supporters to join her in her bid for the presidency. KHON2.

Tulsi Gabbard officially announces 2020 presidential run. She is entering a crowded race for the presidency. KITV.

VIDEO: Tulsi Gabbard Kicks Off 2020 Presidential Campaign. Big Island Video News.

Tulsi Gabbard’s foreign policy stance sets her apart in crowded field. Star-Advertiser.

Tulsi Gabbard Kicks Off 2020 Campaign With $2 Million In The Bank. The Hawaii congresswoman will need to raise a lot more if she expects to compete with Democrat heavyweights such as Elizabeth Warren, who reported having $11 million in cash on hand. Civil Beat.

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The push to legalize pakalolo is building strong momentum this year, with more than two dozen state lawmakers introducing legislation to allow its recreational use by Hawaii adults. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers kill plan to lower voting age. A key Senate committee scuttled a plan to allow Hawaii residents to begin voting in state and local elections when they reach the age of 16 but is moving forward with proposals for automatic recounts in close races along with another plan for statewide voting by mail. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii businesses looking to go green could get some help installing electric vehicle charging stations. Hawaii Energy and Ulupono Initiative are offering a limited-time rebate for installing or upgrading to EV charging station at workplaces and multi-unit dwellings. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai, Big Island Mayors Dubious About Raising Minimum Wage. Honolulu’s mayor supports the pay increase, but leaders of islands hit hard by disasters last year say now is not the time. Civil Beat.

Looks Like We’ll Still Be Using Private Prisons On The Mainland For A While. Legislative leaders who are trying to solve Hawaii’s prison crisis say it’s unrealistic to think we can move hundreds of inmates back here anytime soon. Civil Beat.

A bill wants to ban plastic rings that connect multiple cans of beverages. The legislation also intends to fine companies that make the rings. KITV.

Lawmakers introduce new bills to combat ticket scalpers and bots. KHON2.

Counterfeit coffee: Senate bill to re-introduce mandatory certification for green advances. Clearing the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment, Senate Bill 869 came one step closer Friday to reinstating a mandatory certification process for green coffee coming out of the state. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council members have submitted their list of candidates to temporarily fill the District IV seat currently left vacant while a special election is pending. The council will be holding a public hearing on Monday, February 4, to consider names that have been submitted by the council members. KHON2.

Homeless flock to rest stop but few use social services. The number of homeless adults, children and pets using the city’s Punawai Rest Stop, a “hygiene center” in Iwilei, has steadily grown in less than a month of operation — from eight people on the first day to 174 on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

A largely deserted piece of the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station in Kalaeloa is being prepared for re-population as part of a plan to build the first new homes in the area since the military base closed in 1999. Star-Advertiser.

A $2.08 million project to address cliff erosion and rock slides along two makai portions of Diamond Head is set to begin Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Many chafe at tourism growth. Once a secret spot for locals, Laie Point isn’t the most welcoming place for tourists. Star-Advertiser.

Higher-than-expected levels of the chemical chlordane in the soil beneath the former Henke Hall have delayed construction of the new Life Sciences building at the University of Hawaii at Manoa by nearly a year, and raised the cost of construction by nearly $4 million. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: Wild attacks on high court could backfire on Trevor Ozawa. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Mayor Harry Kim signed a proclamation Friday announcing the county’s commitment to eliminating all traffic deaths and serious injuries on island roads. Tribune-Herald.

Property tax changes coming. Eliminating the solar water tax credit, reclassifying small agriculture lots to residential and repealing an obsolete program are three ways the county could generate revenue and make its property tax code more equitable, according to a report to be considered next week by the County Council. West Hawaii Today.

A public meeting will be held Wednesday in Hilo on a proposed spaceport. The informational open-house is part of the environmental assessment process for the small satellite launch facility the Alaska Aerospace Corp. is seeking to build on W.H. Shipman land. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island lawmakers have renewed their efforts to secure lifeguards for Kua Bay in North Kona. Two bills have been introduced in the Senate and another bill in the House to fund lifeguards at the popular beach site. West Hawaii Today.

A state Senate committee advanced bills Friday in support of a new boat ramp for Puna and demolition of the former Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel. Tribune-Herald.

Hu Honua Bioenergy faces more litigation, while construction of its biomass power plant near Pepeekeo falls further behind schedule. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Hart to divest stake in company before joining mayor’s staff. Deputy planning director hopes to take up his new post mid-February. Incoming Deputy Planning Director Jordan Hart has not yet taken his position in the Michael Victorino mayoral administration as he works to divest himself of the company his father founded, which is involved in land-use planning and landscape architecture. Maui News.

Two more directors pass muster in council panel. Pearson for water, Teruya for finance are recommended. Maui News.

A council committee on Friday advanced recommendations in support of Jeffrey Pearson as director of the Department of Water Supply, and Scott Teruya as director of the Department of Finance. Maui Now.

Maui’s Mahi Pono to offer lots to local farmers. The company that bought a vast expanse of land in Central Maui from Hawaii’s last sugar cane plantation plans to kick off its new operations by offering lots to local farmers to grow their crops. Associated Press.

‘Hope and skepticism’: Mahi Pono reaches out to community. Mahi Pono officials making rounds; details about who they are beginning to emerge. Maui News.

Tearing up over famous onion’s end. Maui Pickled Products has sent its last shipment . Maui News.

Kauai

Hawaii may become the first state in the nation to get a new type of ground-based missile interceptor — in addition to the powerful $1 billion radar that’s already in the works — to better protect against North Korean missile attack.  A long-awaited Missile Defense Review recently released by the Pentagon calls for the Missile Defense Agency and the Navy to study the viability of “operationalizing” the Aegis Ashore missile defense test site on Kauai, either temporarily or permanently, with interceptor missiles. Star-Advertiser.

Home sales up, Realtors cautious. The total number of properties sold last month on Kauai is slightly higher than a year before, but some Realtors are saying those numbers are not necessarily a positive sign. Garden Island.

Hawaii smoking age to be highest in nation, Ige signs second homeless proclamation, press following Obama on Oahu, Kauai police begin wearing body cameras, state plans condo closures on Hilo's Banyan Drive, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Overflowing ashtray in Waikiki beach park

Hawaii will become the first state in the country to raise the smoking age to 21 from 18 in January. Star-Advertiser.

On Thursday Gov. David Ige signed a second supplemental proclamation that the administration said will allow the state to continue coordinated efforts with the counties to provide emergency shelter, long-term housing and services “to those without homes.” Civil Beat.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige has extended the state’s emergency proclamation on homelessness by 60 days, which will allow for continued coordination on social service and housing efforts, his office said Thursday. Pacific Business News.

The federal government is allowing more time for a group of migrants in Hawaii to enroll in health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act. Associated Press.

Overall, the statewide average hotel occupancy rate was 77.2 percent, up 6.7 percentage points, while the average room rate rose 1.7 percent to $229.37 a night. Pacific Business News.

Maui County and Oahu are outpacing the rest of the state in getting residents behind the wheels of electric vehicles, according to an annual report issued this month by the Hawaii State Energy Office. Maui News.

Oahu

In keeping with their holiday tradition, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama paid a visit to the U.S. Marine Corps Base in Kaneohe Bay on Christmas Day to express the nation’s gratitude to service members. Civil Beat.

After the First Family spent the morning at their Kailua vacation home opening Christmas gifts and singing carols, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama made their annual visit to the cafeteria of Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay Friday afternoon to briefly speak to troop members and their families. KHON2.

After several days of rainy weather, Sunday provided just enough sunshine for President Barack Obama and family to strike the most visible presence of their Christmas holiday in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama may be one of the most powerful men in the world but he admits to feeling "small" when working out alongside Marines at their gym on base in Hawaii. Associated Press.

As President Barack Obama and the first family criss-cross the Hawaiian island of Oahu for their annual holiday vacation, the White House reporters tasked with following Obama and his entourage, known as the pool, are documenting his every move. Sometimes things get a little weird. Politico.

Greg Jaffe, a Washington Post reporter who is part of the White House press pool during the Obama family vacation, has co-authored a piece titled Hawaii can’t seem to name anything after native son Obama. Civil Beat.

An outpouring of concern and support for nearly 260 homeless people living near the Waianae Boat Harbor encourages Twinkle Borge to work even harder for those who call the area home. A leader in the encampment situated on about 19 acres of preservation-zoned state land between Waianae High School and the boat harbor, Borge is looking into forming a nonprofit to help generate funding for her “houseless” community known as Puuhonua O Waianae Village. Star-Advertiser.

A new way of registering students for classes and tracking their progress at the University of Hawaii Manoa could help students graduate faster and possibly save families and taxpayers millions of dollars, administrators say. Civil Beat.

The Hawaiian Humane Society is once again taking on a larger share of the city’s animal care and control services on Oahu thanks to an $800,000 boost by the City Council and a new agreement between the nonprofit and the Caldwell administration. Star-Advertiser.

According to numbers from the Honolulu Fire Department more people are buying fireworks permits. KHON2.

Hawaii

Expiration of land leases on Banyan Drive and in the Kanoelehua Industrial Area is prompting the state to look at changing the way it manages the rental agreements and possibly consolidating properties. Tribune-Herald.

Most of the time, Cliff Kopp is a Kailua-Kona dentist. But come Christmas, he’ll be homeless, at least temporarily. West Hawaii Today.

The Thirty Meter Telescope project — thwarted by the one-two punch of protesters blocking construction and the Hawaii Supreme Court invalidating its permit — lost more than $1.76 million this year while its grading equipment sat idle atop Mauna Kea.Star-Advertiser.

No safety check? No insurance? No license plate? No problem. That’s according to a group of Big Island residents who think they have a constitutional right to travel without state and federally imposed licensing, registration and safety checks. West Hawaii Today.

The future of Hawaii Island meat is parked in Waimea. The state’s first producer-owned mobile slaughterhouse arrived in October, and will provide a means for small-scale ranchers and farmers to access local retail markets when it opens for business. Tribune-Herald.

The banana bunchy top virus, a plant disease that stunts the growth of banana plants and deforms their fruit has been found north of Hilo, where farmers worry it could find its way into the deep gulches of the Hamakua Coast, making containment a more difficult task. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The state Department of Transportation has issued a finding of "no significant impact" for its plans to construct the next phase of the Lahaina bypass project. Maui News.

With the blessing of generous donations, Kaahumanu Church’s steeple has been patched, and the roof of the church’s preschool building has been replaced, said Kahu Wayne Higa. Maui News.

The next Maui Energy Conference + Exhibition will tackle the issue of whether Hawaii's 100 percent renewable energy target is realistic and whether utilities are on board, according to a draft program for the conference scheduled for March 16 to 18 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai police officers are the first in the state wearing body cameras as a dispute lingers over whether the union should have gotten final say on the policy. Associated Press.

In a room police use for briefings, Kauai Police Department Officer Troy Sakaguchi was showing seven patrol officers how to use their brand-new body-worn cameras. Garden Island.

Chinatown to get an entrance, first stretch of Honolulu elevated rail erected, Hawaii Supreme Court to mull Big Island marijuana laws, Superferry docks linger in harbor, endorsements for candidates, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu Chinatown © 2014 All Hawaii News

Despite being one of the oldest Chinatowns in the country, Honolulu's lacks an entry arch or any other significant landmark. That will soon change.Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Thursday picked up the endorsement of the Iron Workers Union Local 625 and the Iron Workers Stabilization Fund. The union represents 2,000 workers statewide. Star-Advertiser.

An ironworkers union is endorsing Gov. Neil Abercrombie in his bid for re-election as Hawaii governor. Associated Press.

Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann was endorsed by two unions in his bid to become Hawaii’s next governor. The Hawaii Independent Party candidate was endorsed Thursday by the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and the Hawaii Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 293. Associated Press.

The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers on Thursday endorsed former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann for governor, a show of confidence in Hannemann's independent campaign. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz is stepping up his television ad buys as the Aug. 9 primary draws closer. Schatz spent nearly $80,000 in just two weeks, buying hundreds of spots on all Hawaii’s major TV stations and Time Warner Oceanic Cable, according to public records kept by the stations. Civil Beat.

Ad Watch: Duke Aiona Plays the Ohana Card. The GOP gubernatorial hopeful says leadership is about the next generation. Civil Beat.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs continues to push forward with its state mandate to guide the process to establish self-governance for Native Hawaiians. Hawaii Public Radio.

Five hundred laborers brought to Hawaii from Thailand over four years beginning in 2003 by the Beverly Hills-based farm labor contractor, Global Horizons, Inc. to work on six farms will see some financial relief. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Tuesday announced a multi-million dollar settlement reached in a class action national origin and race discrimination lawsuit the agency filed in 2011 against six farms. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

The first stretch of guideway for the island's elevated rail system is now up between columns, offering a clearer glimpse of what the project will eventually look like as it takes shape in the farmlands of West Oahu. Rail officials, state and local elected leaders, and construction managers gathered Thursday at the site of the proposed controversial Ho'opili community development in Ewa to laud the new guideway work. Star-Advertiser.

A bill in the U.S. Senate would enable Hawaii to open a new veteran health care facility on Oahu. Associated Press.

Hawaii's two U.S. senators are co-sponsors of legislation that would give Hawaii another health care facility for veterans, possibly built in Leeward Oahu and named after retired Sen. Daniel Akaka. Star-Advertiser.

Almost one year after they were sold to an equipment dealer, three barges that once were used to load and unload passengers on the now-defunct Hawaii Superferry are still floating in Honolulu Harbor, but they could be on their way out. Pacific Business News.

Federal officials are in Honolulu to help decide whether they will give a standard recertification to a somewhat obscure local transportation planning agency -- and if they don't, the move could cost traffic-plagued Oahu up to $15 million in annual federal highway dollars, local officials have warned. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu police gave out more tickets-per-mile along King Street in the last four years for drivers using cell phones or texting than any other roadway on Oahu, according to data uncovered by Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

There have been at least two recent victories in what electric car advocates say has been a long uphill battle to make the vehicles viable on Hawaii Island. West Hawaii Today.

Circumnavigating Hawaii Island is something many residents and visitors might take for granted, soaking in the views and experiences in a wide range of landscapes unlike anywhere else in the world. But for those who drive the most popular and affordable types of electric vehicles (EVs), it’s a trip that can’t be done. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to consider an appeal of a lower court’s rejection of a lawsuit over the Hawaii County ballot initiative making  personal use of marijuana the “lowest law enforcement priority.” Big Island Now.

The Hawaii County Council took a step toward expanding Ahalanui Park in Puna and Kipapa Park in North Kona earlier this week. Tribune-Herald.

Curbside garbage pickup is coming to Hawaiian Ocean View Estates within the next few weeks, following approval of a special permit Thursday by the Windward Planning Commission. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island builder Scott Watson and his partner had big dreams when they purchased a coastline property in Ninole and set about building what they called “the ultimate playground for the rich and famous” Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Amid of the recent scandal surrounding the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and subsequent resignation of VA Secretary Eric Shinseki last week, ongoing dissatisfaction with VA services on Maui also is coming to light. Maui News.

Incumbent Office of Hawaiian Affairs Maui Trustee Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey will be challenged by Mahealani Wendt, the former head of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. in the fall election. Maui News.

A Maui man who sued the county over allegations he was pressured to stop working on a Facebook page is running for mayor. Associated Press.

Volta Industries LLC has opened two electric vehicle charging stations at the Whalers Village in Kaanapali, the company announced Thursday. Maui News.

Kauai

A coalition of concerned Kauai organizations and individuals will kick off a series of public events Saturday in protest of Rim of the Pacific — the biennial international military war games — which returns to Hawaiian waters later this month. Garden Island.

The Department of Water has installed a temporary low-capacity submersible pump to its Kalaheo deep well, to provide supplemental water service to the Kalaheo area until full restorations are completed. Garden Island.

Hawaiian Airlines on time, fiscal watchdogs dispute Abercrombie's claims, Koreatown for Honolulu, Legislature mulls minimum wage, e-cigarette regs, massage therapists, vehicle charging stations; Hawaii County Dems to tighten elections, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian Airlines at Honolulu airport (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

Hawaiian Airlines had the best on-time performance of any U.S. airline in 2013, 93.3 percent, making it the 10th consecutive year the Honolulu-based airline led all U.S. carriers in punctuality, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report released Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie maintains the government is on strong financial footing, but fiscal watchdogs say because Hawaii’s unfunded liabilities are in the billions of dollars, the governor’s claims are grossly inaccurate. Hawaii Reporter.

So far this session, the Hawaii Legislature is working to make good on its promise to raise the minimum wage, something Gov. Neil Abercrombie supports. HB 2580 also eliminates the tip credit, the 25 cents employers can deduct from the wages of waiters and other employees who depend on gratuities. And it lets the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations adjust the wage in accordance with the Consumer Price Index beginning September 2017. Civil Beat.

Supporters of electronic smoking devices gathered at the Capitol on Tuesday for the third time in less than a week to oppose proposed measures that would highly tax, regulate or ban the increasingly popular products. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers consider new restrictions on e-cigarettes. KHON2.

Massage, spa and escort ads would be restricted under a bill Hawaii lawmakers are considering. The bill targets ads that use the words “massage,” “relaxation,” “escort,” “spa” or “body rub.” It says those ads cannot include physical descriptions or photos of the therapist except for the person’s hands, wrists and forearms. Associated Press.

A bill to impose fines for owners of parking lots who fail to provide a minimum of one electric vehicle charging station and exclusive space is advancing in the Hawaii Senate. Maui Now.

Hawaii's prison system is housing fewer inmates these days. Last year, the state saved $2.5 million by holding fewer prisoners on the mainland, and the state's inmate population decreased by 4 percent overall. A new report credits this to the Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI) that Hawaii implemented in 2012. Civil Beat.

Doctors, nurse midwives and lay midwives will have nine months to discuss reform of rules regulating home births in Hawaii, based on proposed amendments to several measures before the state Legislature this session. West Hawaii Today.

Beneath the sparkling blue waters of Waikiki's world-famous beaches, an unwelcome visitor called alien algae is killing native coral, chasing away the natural sea life and upsetting the fragile balance of the ocean's ecosystem. Three types of alien algae — Acanthophora spicifera, Gracilaria salicornia and Avrainvillea amadelpha — have formed strongholds around the famous South Shore swells, choking the reefs and overtaking some of the native algae that once grew. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

New condominium towers in Kakaako would be spaced farther apart and rise no higher than existing towers under bills that were advanced Tuesday by a legislative committee that also deferred more radical measures that included a one-year development moratorium for the urban Honolulu area. Star-Advertiser.

A State House Committee today passed 4 of the 7 bills introduced this session to restructure the Hawai’i Community Development Authority.  This following a day-long hearing Saturday involving many Kaka’ako residents who wanted the state agency abolished. Hawaii Public Radio.

Keeaumoku — or as some call it, Korea-moku — is known as Honolulu’s informal ethnic Korean neighborhood, a place to get delicious bibimbap from Sorobel restaurant or pick up gochujang at Keeaumoku Supermarket. A bill introduced by Rep. Sharon Har of West Oahu would set aside money for the state to officially designate the area near Kapiolani Boulevard and Ala Moana Shopping Center as Koreatown. Civil Beat.

Three Senate panels voted on Tuesday to move forward a bill to exchange state land in West Oahu with private agricultural land in central Oahu.  Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz has been advocating for the measure, Senate Bill 3065, as a way to preserve Hawaii’s farmland and help transform the rural town of Wahiawa into an agribusiness hub.  Civil Beat.

A state judge ruled Monday that the Honolulu Police Department must turn over certain disciplinary records requested by Peer News, which does business in Hawaii as Honolulu Civil Beat. Star-Advertiser.

A state judge said she’ll rule within three weeks on a request by a Honolulu newspaper and a television station to unseal transcripts of closed proceedings when she declared a mistrial for a federal agent charged with murder. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Allegations of a “rigged” election have been dismissed by local Democrats, who vowed Tuesday to create clearer rules governing the process of replacing state lawmakers who leave before their term is complete. At issue was the Dec. 27 District 5 Council election that sent three candidates to Gov. Neil Abercrombie to replace former Rep. Denny Coffman, who resigned a year shy of the completion of his third term. West Hawaii Today.

Legal counsel acting on behalf of Thirty Meter Telescope Corp. will head to court at 8 a.m. next Thursday. The move comes after the TMT Corp. requested to file an amicus curiae brief, also known as a friends of the court brief, in the case involving six petitioners opposing the state’s approval process for issuing a permit for the construction of one of the world’s largest telescopes atop Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald.

Hunters working for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources are allowed to use suppressors, sometimes called silencers, on their rifles, the department’s chairman said Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A controversial measure giving the Legislature more authority to determine what is a public trail cleared a key Senate committee Tuesday. But Senate Bill 2728, backed by Maui Sen. Kalani English, is particularly raising the eyebrows of a trail-advocacy group that has sued a Maui company over trail access. Civil Beat.

Maui County's administration wants to outlaw electronic smoking devices at all county properties where tobacco smoking is prohibited. Maui News.

Kauai

A review committee has rejected free legal services offered by attorney Teresa Tico to defend Kauai County against a lawsuit filed by three seed companies to block a new GMO and pesticide law. Kauai County solicited pro bono legal services concerning a lawsuit filed by Syngenta, DuPont Pioneer and Agrigenetics Inc., doing business as Dow AgroSciences. Star-Advertiser.

A review committee rejected an offer from a pair of attorneys to defend the County of Kauai for free in the lawsuit challenging county Ordinance 960 related to pesticides and genetically modified crops. The lone offer to provide pro-bono representation was submitted Jan. 27 by Teresa Tico, former head of the Kauai Bar Association, and Peter Schey, head of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law. Garden Island.

Bird’s-eye view. NestCam gives world close-up look at Kauai albatross. Garden Island.

Ala Wai legal fight looms; Gabbard, Hanabusa at odds over spying; China to play Pacific war games; Kauai water wars, sewage polluting Maui; no threat from TS Flossie, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Along the Ala Wai (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

A legal fight brewing in federal court is raising questions about the integrity of the new six-foot-in-diameter pipe that snakes under the Ala Wai. The Frank Coluccio Construction Co. installed a pipe that it believes to be substandard. The Seattle-based company wants to be absolved of any blame should the force main fail, and it is seeking more than $10 million from the city for delays and damages resulting from various issues allegedly caused by having to use that pipe. Civil Beat.

Twenty nations — including China — sent representatives in May to the first planning conference for 2014 Rim of the Pacific war games off Hawaii, which the Navy said could be bigger than ever next summer. Star-Advertiser.

Curtail NSA Surveillance? Hawaii Congressional Reps Split Votes, with Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-CD2) voting yes and Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-CD1) voting no. Civil Beat.

Vice President Joe Biden may be stopping by Hawaii this weekend. He’ll be returning from a week long trip to Asia, where he’s spending most of his time in India. Hawaii Public Radio.

Alaska Airlines and Hawaii BioEnergy LLC have signed an agreement for the Seattle-based air carrier to buy biofuel for its planes, both companies said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii is tied with Alabama in a new study that ranks the states by honesty. The beverage company, HONEST Tea, conducted a hidden camera experiment a 61 locations throughout the United States between July 8- 18. The company staff left bottles of tea for sale in unmanned kiosk with a sign that said to leave $1 to purchase the tea. People in Hawaii and Alabama were the most honest in the country and they were honest 100 percent of the time. Hawaii Reporter.

Fish, it's what's for dinner for many families in Hawaii. Unfortunately new research from the University of Hawaii, Manoa shows some fish are eating a lot of plastic. Hawaii News Now.

As of 11 p.m. Wednesday, the cyclone now known as Tropical Storm Flossie was still more than 2,000 miles east-southeast of the Big Island. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The transition of Hawaii's largest electric vehicle charging network to new ownership has hit a bump in the road, with several hundred of the company's new customers unable to access its network of charging stations. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Transportation is working with the state Department of Health to stop the spread of a mosquito that can be a transmitter of dengue fever. Beginning today, July 24, 2013, and continuing throughout the week, state crews will be removing bromeliads currently in planters along the H-1 Freeway near the Honolulu International Airport. Civil Beat.

The Lanikai Pillbox hike on Kaiwa Ridge was once a sleepy neighborhood trail, but it’s not so secret anymore. KHON2.

A McDonald's cashier testified Wednesday that she told Kollin Elderts to stop his verbal exchange with a customer at the restaurant counter before the deadly 2011 confrontation with U.S. State Department Special Agent Christoper Deedy. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
More than two hours of discussion wasn’t enough Wednesday for the County Council to decide whether council members could give nonprofits money from their district contingency funds. Stephens Media.

A trial will be held in September for two sovereignty activists who are challenging charges that they were illegally camping on state land earlier this year while protesting the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Abel Simeona Lui and Kittrena Morgan were among 11 people arrested for camping near the King Kamehameha the Great statue in Hilo in April. Stephens Media.

The public got its first look at the much-anticipated final master plan of the Kealakehe Regional Park Tuesday evening at the West Hawaii Civic Center. Stephens Media.

Maui

A final study has been released with data supporting claims that county wastewater discharge negatively impacted nearshore water quality, according to the environmental law firm, Earthjustice. “This study confirms what we’ve been saying for years: wastewater injected at the Lahaina facility travels underground and ends up in the ocean offshore of Kahekili Beach, contributing pollutants to nearshore waters,” said Caroline Ishida, an attorney for Earthjustice. Maui Now.

With the number of brush fire calls in less than seven months this year approaching 12-month totals for previous years, Mayor Alan Arakawa said that the Fire Department may need additional funding if brush fires continue at the same rate. Maui News.

Maui Film Studios - boasting the largest soundstage in the state - is booked through next year with three projects lined up, including a pilot television series to begin production in September and a feature film. Maui News.

Kauai

Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law firm, filed a petition Wednesday accusing a farmers’ cooperative and a state-run corporation of excessively diverting water from Waimea River and wasting some of it. Garden Island.

A community group has filed a complaint against a state agency, claiming that water diverted from Kauai's Waimea River is being wasted, contrary to Hawaii law and policy that fresh water resources are a public trust, which the state is obligated to protect and restore. Star-Advertiser.

The river that weaves through Waimea Canyon on the west side of Kauai has lost its luster over the past few decades due to stream diversions for a sugar plantation that shut down 12 years ago, according to a petition filed against the state Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Volunteers to visit dive sites around Kauai. Garden Island.

Kauai County is asking the public for input on a draft master plan for the county's parks and recreation facilities. Associated Press.

Hawaii flower sales wilt, homeless could be sent to Mainland, Biden stopping in Hawaii, state to get two new cutters, county shorted HI-5 funds, Maui wind turbines removed, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tropical flowers at farmers market (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Dry weather, pests, vog and lackluster customer demand took a toll on commercial growers of ornamental plants in Hawaii last year, pushing the sector of the state's farm industry into a fifth straight year of lower sales. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers hope to save taxpayers millions of dollars in welfare costs by shipping some of the state’s estimated 17,000 homeless back to their families on the mainland. Civil Beat.

Vice President Joe Biden will reportedly stop in Hawaii this weekend after a six-day trade and diplomatic trip to India and Singapore. Associated Press.

Al Gore has endorsed Brian Schatz for U.S. Senate. Who cares? When it comes to the media, at least, quite a lot of people. Civil Beat.

In Hawaii, there are certain instances when someone can legally stand their ground, but generally the state’s self-defense law is in agreement with the sentiments expressed by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who said citizens have a duty to retreat from an attacker if they can do so safely. KITV4.

More than 70 cost-free charging stations for electric and hybrid vehicles – that were installed with the help of about $580,000 in federal stimulus funds – cannot be used by thousands of early adopters of emissions-free vehicles. Civil Beat.

A new study by the University of Hawai'i Cancer Center finds young people who want to quit smoking are turning to e-cigarettes. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The Coast Guard's seventh and eighth new National Security Cutters — ships whose construction was in doubt last year — will be funded and based in Honolulu, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The nonprofit company dedicated to helping those with developmental disabilities and now under scrutiny by the federal government currently has contracts to run janitorial and cafeteria services in Hawaii with the Navy and the Army totaling more than $9 million, the two military branches told the Star-Advertiser.

Oahu is on pace to record more pedestrian fatalities than in any year since 2008. Star-Advertiser.

Christopher Deedy’s former college roommate testified Monday that the State Department special agent ordered five beers at five different bars before the 2011 fatal shooting at a McDonald’s restaurant in Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

Call volume over water bills hits 1,200 a day. KITV4.

The fees from the small number of city employees who park in the city's nearly-empty new parking garage fail to bring in enough revenue to pay for the building's annual upkeep, never mind its expensive mortgage, Hawaii News Now has learned.

The state agency regulating development in Kakaako has scheduled two additional public comment sessions on two condominium towers planned for Ward Centers. Star-Advertiser.

Friends, colleagues and fans are pouring out their aloha and sharing stories of Don Gordon, a former Hawaii Public Radio jazz show host and impresario who died Sunday afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

The median sales price of an existing business in Honolulu during the second quarter was $265,000, a drop of 14 percent from the same quarter last year, according to BizBuySell.com. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Hawaii County residents are paying an extra half-cent fee every time they buy a drink in a HI-5 bottle or can, but the county is seeing less of its money coming back from the state to operate its redemption centers. West Hawaii Today.

A combination of federal and state belt-tightening — as well as increased competition from other nonprofit organizations for vital grants, with the number of applicants in Hawaii roughly doubling — served to cut various sources of program funding for the Big island Substance Abuse council this year, resulting in the organization shutting down on July 1 three of its offices in Kealakekua, Waimea and Oahu. Tribune-Herald.

A U.S. Geological Survey scientist has adapted a Hawaii-born method of measuring coral growth. West Hawaii Today.

At $1,833 Hilo residents pay the highest average amount of rent than anywhere else in the country. A family of four needs a combined income of more than $87,000 a year to live comfortably. Hawaii News Now.

Maui
After nearly five years of operation, the wind turbines atop the Maui Ocean Center building in Māʻalaea have since been removed, company officials announced. Maui Now.

With boxes of bike helmets, an electrocardiography machine and pairs of vision-impaired goggles - adults and children alike, were educated and entertained Saturday during the 2nd annual Summer Safety Fair at Maui Mall. Maui News.

The Haleakalā park road and summit area above the 9,740 foot elevation will be closed to vehicles, pedestrians, horses and bicyclists through Thursday, July 25, park officials said. Maui Now.

Kauai
Traffic violation numbers have dipped this past year and Kauai Police Department officials attribute the decline to effective enforcement and safer driving habits. Garden Island.

Koloa Plantation Days in full swing. Garden Island.