Wind turbines planned in ocean off Oahu, Hawaii Tourism Authority wants more money, green sea turtle to remain protected, lead slows bridge repair, Kaho‘olawe records to be preserved, more grads college-bound, Honolulu racetrack bill revs up, state lags in budget transparency, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii green sea turtle, honu © 2015 All Hawaii News

The feds have denied a petition to take Hawaii green sea turtles off the list of threatened species. The honu news came Friday from the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Civil Beat.

The threatened green sea turtles around the Hawaiian Islands will be managed separately from other populations under a plan floated Friday by federal agencies. But the status of Hawaii’s turtles as threatened under the Endangered Species Act won’t change under the plan, despite a petition for delisting by an organization of Hawaii civic clubs. West Hawaii Today.

© 2015 All Hawaii News

Hawaii’s green sea turtles should continue to be classified as threatened because its population is small and nearly all of them nest at the same low-lying atoll, federal wildlife agencies said Friday. Associated Press.

Federal wildlife officials propose keeping Hawaii's green sea turtles' threatened status under the Endangered Species Act, meaning it would continue to be illegal to kill or hunt them. Maui News.

More than 300 people are expected to attend a conference featuring more than 25 sessions and professional development training courses on rising sea levels and other natural hazards. The theme is "The Rising Pacific: Currents of Change and Solutions for Resilience." Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority, the agency tasked with marketing Hawaii to the nation and the world, says it needs more money to cover its expenses. The HTA is asking state lawmakers to allow it to increase its administrative spending by as much as 30 percent a year. Star-Advertiser.

Even as legislators consider more stringent regulations, the state Department of Agriculture hasn’t complied with a law passed in 2013 that requires it to post sales records for restricted-use pesticides on its website. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers hope that a proposed bill would encourage more of Hawaii’s youth to become farmers. House Bill 853 passed through the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Education and Judiciary and Labor during a hearing Friday, and would teach students and teachers how to produce some of their own food. Civil Beat.

Hawaii state senators are taking up a proposal to develop a system of medical marijuana dispensaries, which would give patients legal access to the drug nearly 15 years after it became legal in Hawaii. Associated Press.

Hawaii's Department of Budget and Finance last year launched a new website designed to provide a one-stop source for state spending and financial information, but the state still earned only a grade of "C" on the latest "transparency scorecard." Hawaii trails 42 other states in the annual report on how well states provide spending data online, conducted by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers plan to tackle the state's troubled health exchange, public-housing issues and a slew of resolutions this week at the Legislature. Most of the action will be in committee rooms as lawmakers take up bills passed by the other chamber. Associated Press.

Opinion: One of the tax increase bills that is still afloat at our Legislature concerns the environmental response, energy, and food security tax, which we refer to as the barrel tax. This tax started off as the environmental response tax, imposed at 5 cents a barrel of imported petroleum product as a way to create a fund for environmental cleanup in case of an oil spill in Hawaiian waters. It was hoisted to its present rate of $1.05 in 2009, and the difference was used not only to shore up our general fund, but also to feed various special funds that pay for environmental conservation programs, energy and food security, and related activities. Civil Beat.

If HCR 90 passes through the House Committees on Education and Finance, it would ask the governor, Board of Education, and the Hawaii State Teachers Association to establish a minimum median teacher salary that would be adjustable to Hawaii’s cost of living. Civil Beat.

The state Ethics Commission will make public the detailed financial disclosure forms of members of 15 boards and commissions in June rather than next year. The powerful entities include the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the Public Utilities Commission. A law that took effect in July makes those disclosure forms public, but the details could have remained confidential until 2016 because only short forms are required in odd-numbered years. Star-Advertiser.

After several years of stagnancy, the number of Hawaii public school graduates enrolling in college after high school has climbed amid efforts by the Department of Education to better prepare students for college and careers. Star-Advertiser.

Many Hawaii families have fallen into a cycle of debt precipitated by deceptively easy payday loans. The industry was legalized in 1999 when the Legislature passed a law exempting it from the state’s usury law, which caps the interest rate for loans at no more than 24 percent each year. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A Danish developer is planning to develop a major offshore wind energy project, which would include more than 100 turbines, in federal waters in Hawaii off Oahu’s northwest and southern coasts, according to a published report. Pacific Business News.

Oahu car-racing enthusiasts have picked up some traction on a drive to finance a new motor sports raceway on the island after the demise of two track facilities in the past eight years. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell's Housing First initiative to provide shelter and related social services to the chronically homeless has achieved mixed results nine months after the Honolulu City Council dedicated $35 million toward the effort. Star-Advertiser.

On Friday, landowners, fed up with all the foot traffic for “Dead Man’s Catwalk,” asked various hiking websites to take down posts promoting the popular East Oahu trail and threatened further action if nothing was done. KHON2.

Martin Nesbitt, a Chicago businessman and President Barack Obama’s close friend, has been confirmed as the buyer of Hawaii beachfront estate known as the home of Tom Selleck’s 1980s television character “Magnum P.I.” Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Time to fix those leaky faucets. The less water you use, the more you’ll save, under a five-year rate plan to be considered Tuesday by the Hawaii County Water Board. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Island Portuguese Chamber of Commerce is dusting off old plans to construct a cultural and education center in downtown Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

The discovery of lead in the soil below Umauma bridge near Hakalau likely will delay completion of the span’s ongoing $30.8 million rehabilitation project, state officials say. The lead, left from paint that fell into the gulch during past maintenance work, was found where new bridge footings need to be installed. Tribune-Herald.

A new courthouse and hospital for Kona are among more than $200 million in Big Island projects in the $2.2 billion two-year capital improvement budget passed Wednesday by the state House. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Police Department Assistant Chief Henry Tavares said a spike in property crime in downtown Hilo is related to the city’s ongoing homeless problem. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

This Saturday, the 2015 Maui County Republican Party Convention will take place at Pu’u Kukui Elementary School. Registered Republican delegates are welcome to hear a featured guest speaker, conduct party business and elect new Executive Committee officers. MauiTime.

The recent agreement restoring water to four Central Maui streams has some parties in an East Maui stream restoration case optimistic that a "just ruling" will come to them as well. Maui News.

After the worst coral bleaching event ever recorded in Hawaii last fall, environmental groups are rallying to bring more community awareness to help protect the reefs. Maui News.

The 12-acre Maui Arts & Cultural Center opened its gates nearly 21 years ago. Today, it can accommodate up to 270,000 visitors a year, spans 22 acres, and generates $4.35 million annually, on average, in revenue to community businesses. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Kauai had the fewest applications for firearms of all state counties in 2014. But the number of applications on the Garden Isle increased for the fourth straight year — although county officials aren’t attributing that increase to a gun craze, but rather something that accompanies an uptick in population. Garden Island.

Kahoolawe

This year hundreds of thousands of historic documents relating to Kaho‘olawe will be published in an online database. Hawaii Public Radio.

Sunken ship discovered, Ige campaign pinched pennies, people grow tolerant of coqui frogs, Kona developers want to renege on road deal, 9 Kauai plants may be added to endangered list, 3k pine trees to be uprooted on Maui, elders commemorate Pearl Harbor bombing, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

USS Kailua state library of Queensland

Researchers with the University of Hawaii’s Marine Heritage Program have discovered a “Ghost Ship” off of Oahu. The wreckage of the USS Kailua sits about 20 miles off the coast of Waikiki in 2,000 feet of water. The ship was originally named the USS Dickerson and served as a cable ship between Hawaii and Midway before being used by the US Navy.  When no longer needed, the ship was used as torpedo target practice and sunk in 1946, its location forgotten until now. Hawaii Public Radio.

Researchers on a Hawaii underwater submersible found a sunken ship off Oahu that was commissioned into military service during World War II, according to the University of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Researchers from the University of Hawaii and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced on Friday the discovery of the USS Kailua, a ship that disappeared off the coast of Oahu in 1946. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige was the first successful gubernatorial candidate in two decades to stay under the state’s spending limit and qualify for public funds. Associated Press.

Gov. David Ige spent $2 million on his historic campaign — or roughly $11.25 a vote. The Democrat raised $2.4 million overall and had a $435,029 surplus, according to his final state campaign-finance report for the November election. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a yearly status appraisal of plants and animals that are candidates for Endangered Species Act protection. Twenty-two species from Hawaii and one species of bird historically from American Samoa were added to the candidate list, one species was removed, and one has changed in priority from the last Candidate Notice of Review conducted in November 2013. West Hawaii Today.

NextEra Energy’s announcement Wednesday of a $4.3 billion deal to buy Hawaiian Electric Industries has spurred state regulators to start gearing up for one of the biggest utility cases in Hawaii’s history. The Public Utilities Commission, headed by Mina Morita, will soon be scrutinizing the proposed sale and considering whether to accept it, reject it, or — most likely — impose conditions. Civil Beat.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division approved an 8.4 percent increase for Hawaii Medical Service Association individual transitional, or “grandmother,” plans, saving plan purchasers $2.3 million in health care premiums and affecting over 8,250 covered lives, the DCCA announced Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

Thousands attended ceremonies marking the 73rd anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, an event that also marked the end of an era for the few remaining survivors from the U.S.S. Arizona. Hawaii News Now.

At 92, Tom Berg made the trip from his West Coast home to Oahu to join roughly 3,500 others Sunday morning at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the bombing that brought America into World War II. Star-Advertiser.

The drone revolution isn't coming; it's hovering overhead — and the Federal Aviation Administration is playing catch-up with new technology that has rapidly outpaced regulations and is flying off retailers' shelves for Christmas. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A new Honolulu law will make it easier for the city to remove abandoned vehicles from front yards or get rid of fire hazards like dead wood and overhanging trees. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Electric Co. is moving forward with six large solar energy farms on Oahu totaling 207 megawatts that will be developed by SunEdison, First Wind, Eurus Energy America and Forest City, the Honolulu-based utility said Friday. Pacific Business News.

With a blessing, chants and the symbolic passing of rocks among supporters, a group of Windward Oahu residents last week launched fundraising and volunteer efforts to complete the restoration of an 800-year-old Hawaiian fishpond. Star-Advertiser.

The median price of a home in Honolulu hit a historic $719,500 in November, according to new data from the Honolulu Board of Realtors. The previous record high was $700,000 in June. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The developers of the Palamanui educational, commercial and residential complex are asking to be relieved of the obligation to build a mauka to makai connector road that would link Queen Kaahumanu Highway to Highway 190. If they don’t get it, plans for the development could be scuttled, consultants for the project say. West Hawaii Today.

Study: People growing tolerant of coqui frogs. West Hawaii Today.

Sunday observation of the June 27 lava flow front revealed burning along the edges and some widening, but very little forward advancement. Tribune-Herald.

A small, historic Big Island theater will keep its lights on thanks to overwhelming support from this close-knit community. More than 500 local families donated to save the Hono­kaa People's Theatre, an institution since plantation days. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

The Old Kahului Railroad Building, one of the last remnants of Maui's rich plantation past, is one step closer to being immortalized in the state and nation. Maui News.

The National Park Service plans to remove 3,000 invasive pine trees at Haleakala National Park with the help of helicopters. The operation begins Monday and will last through Thursday. Associated Press.

A biotech group backed by Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences spent a record-breaking $7 million in its failed attempt to defeat a Maui County voter initiative that will temporarily ban genetically engineered farming — if it survives a legal challenge by the companies. Civil Beat.

Maui County Council members hope that reducing the county's stringent residential workforce housing criteria will encourage developers to build more affordable housing. Maui News.

Alvin Amaral, a state House member and Maui County Council member in the 1970s, died Nov. 18, according to an obituary. The Wailuku resident was 86 years old. Maui News.

Kauai

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering listing nine plant species from Kauai under the Endangered Species Act. The USFWS recently released a yearly status appraisal of plants and animals that are candidates for ESA protection. A total of 22 plant species from Hawaii are on the list. Garden Island.

The state Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with Kauai County, plans to examine possible health and environmental impacts associated with the use of pesticides applied to genetically modified organism products, officials said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Contractors working on the new Hokulei Village shopping center anticipate completing construction on the roundabout at the intersection of Nuhou Street and Kaneka Street by mid-January. Garden Island.

Nene return to Oahu, labor contractor liable for worker abuse, Kauai stays with at-large council elections, Hilo judge hears GMO lawsuit, Maui court clears cops in shooting, privatizing prisons, Legislature mulls sex ed, medical marijuana, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Nene on Big Island (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

Endangered Hawaiian geese have been seen in the wild on Oahu for the first time in centuries, indicating the chances of survival for the native birds are improving, federal and state officials said. A pair of nene that migrated to Oahu has nested and hatched three goslings at the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge in Kahuku, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Endangered nene have been spotted in the wild on Oahu for the first time in centuries, a federal agency said Monday. Associated Press.

Critics of the state's controversial middle-school sex education pilot program, Pono Choices, expressed concern Monday that a working group convened to study the material has been meeting in secret and comprises members who might not deliver a fair and unbiased report. Star-Advertiser.

A Republican lawmaker in Hawaii has taken issue with one of the state's sex education programs, saying it "sexualizes the innocent" by teaching 11-year-old children about anal sex. Associated Press.

Hawaii lawmakers are considering a measure to improve the state's struggling correctional system by turning to the private sector for help. State Sen. Will Espero introduced a resolution on public-private partnerships for jails, prisons and other correctional facilities. A Senate panel listened to testimony from supporters and opponents during a hearing on Monday. Hawaii News Now.

A federal judge has found a California-based labor contractor liable for discrimination and abuse of hundreds of Thai workers at Hawaii farms. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Monday announced the ruling against Global Horizons, which placed the workers at six farms across the state. Associated Press.

A federal judge has ruled that a labor recruiting company that was previously accused of human trafficking did harass, discriminate and retaliate against hundreds of Thai workers in Hawaii. The ruling Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi leaves for a jury to decide the amount of money Global Horizons owes 530 Thai workers it imported to work on farms on Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii island and what measures it needs to implement to prevent future abuses. Trial is set for November. Star-Advertiser.

Four years after Global Horizons was implicated in the largest human trafficking case in U.S. history, a federal judge has found the California labor-contracting company liable for harassing, discriminating against and retaliating against more than 500 Thai laborers working on Hawaii farms. Civil Beat.

The Beverly Hills-based farm labor contractor, Global Horizons, Inc., is liable for “harassing, discriminating, and retaliating against hundreds of Thai workers in the U.S., in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws,” the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Monday. Hawaii Reporter.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz is up with his first TV spot of the 2014 campaign season. The spot, titled "Commitment," has one primary message: Schatz is devoted to protecting Social Security. Civil Beat.

The Smart Approaches to Marijuana Project will brief state House and Senate lawmakers at 10:30 a.m. in Room 423. Civil Beat.

Supporters of medical marijuana dispensaries in Hawai’i brought a new face to the Legislature.  Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Senate to Decide on Aaron Mahi for the Land Use Commission. Civil Beat.

A new report says Hawaii is the most expensive state in the country for renters. The National Low Income Housing Coalition says a renter would need to make a least $31.54 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment, with a fair market rent of $1,640 a month. KHON2.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: March 25. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Tuesday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

State roundup for March 25. Associated Press.

Oahu

The city broke ground Monday for the underwater portion of a project that will help transport sewage from the Ala Moana Wastewater Pump Station across Honolulu Harbor to the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in what the contractor called the most expensive microtunneling project in U.S. history. Star-Advertiser.

Former U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has lashed out at Hawaiian Electric Co., saying that the Honolulu-based utility needs a “better business model” when it comes to integrating more solar energy into its grid, according to a recent Forbes article. Pacific Business News.

The House Committee on Water and Land approved a resolution Monday to require a financial and management audit of the Hawaii Community Development Authority.  The agency in charge of managing land in Kakaako, Kalaeloa and Heeia has been under fire from critics who are worried about the fast pace of development in Kakaako. Civil Beat.

A long-awaited project to re-do Moanalua High School's main athletic field has been delayed for two years because of problems obtaining city and state permits. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Does requiring farmers growing genetically modified crops to register with Hawaii County result in the release of proprietary information? That’s the question Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura will consider after hearing from witnesses and attorneys on both sides of the issue Monday. Tribune-Herald.

Improvements to Hawaii Island’s two airports take up the bulk of the $436 million in capital improvement projects the state House is proposing for the island this year. West Hawaii Today.

Construction of Hawaii Island’s first roundabout could begin as soon as August. Salvador C. Panem, state Department of Transportation Hawaii district engineer, said Isemoto Contracting Co. Ltd. won the bid for the Pahoa roundabout earlier this month. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County is preparing to ask a federal bankruptcy judge to lift a stay and allow corporation counsel to initiate foreclosure proceedings on 80 acres of oceanfront land in South Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Ruling that Maui police officers used reasonable force in firing shots at the driver of a fleeing truck that had struck a police officer at Honolua Bay, a judge dismissed a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by two men who were in the bed of the truck when they were hit by bullets. Maui News.

Several state transportation projects are planned this week that will result in lane closures or detours in Pukalani, Kāʻanapali, and Māʻalaea. Maui Now.

Maui Paving LLC has begun work on two road resurfacing projects in Pukalani, according to an announcement from the contractor. Maui News.

Kauai

The voting map won’t be carved up. The Kauai County Charter Review Commission rejected three proposals Monday that would have let county voters determine whether County Council districts, and the election of those seats, should be changed. The decision to forego a ballot question on County Council redistricting, at least for now, followed several months of discussions on whether it was time to change how the seven-member board is elected and represented on the island. Garden Island.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said they support the Kauai County Council’s call to lawmakers to stop initiatives regulating coastal and marine resources around the island of Niihau. Garden Island.

One of the largest solar energy farms in Hawaii is about halfway done and is expected to be completed in early July, the project’s development team told Pacific Business News on Monday.

Medical marijuana task force evolves, Legislature to halt cop sex with prostitutes, flood insurance rising, Hawaii County councilman, corporation counsel seek judgeship, state to fight child death ruling against Human Services Department, Kauai to suspend well project, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pololu Valley Overlook (C) 2014 All Hawaii News

State parks are not only a place of natural beauty, they are also turning into an important source of funds for Hawaii. KITV4.

Several bills to establish medical marijuana dispensaries in Hawaii have failed in recent years in the State Legislature, and this year's session is no exception. But a resolution aimed at laying the groundwork for such dispensaries has been approved by a House committee. Hawaii News Now.

A state House Health Committee passed resolutions Friday that aim to develop a task force for the establishment of a regulated statewide medical marijuana dispensary system. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii lawmakers will be tackling everything from prostitution to school lunches this week in hearings on bills and resolutions. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to remove the legal protection that allows undercover police officers to have sex with prostitutes during investigations in the version of House Bill 1926 it's taking up Friday. Associated Press.

Lawmakers are going forward with changes to a bill that would end a police exemption allowing undercover cops to have sex with prostitutes. Hawaii Public Radio.

Under Hawaii law, police officers may engage in sexual penetration during investigations into prostitution. Senate Judiciary and Labor Chair Clayton Hee and his committee members are backing a request by sex trafficking advocates to put a stop to the practice through new legislation that also aims to strengthen Hawaii's anti trafficking laws. Hawaii Reporter.

Premiums are going up on nearly 14,000 federally subsidized flood insurance policies in Hawaii as Congress looks to get a federal program out of a $24 billion hole. Legislation signed by President Barack Obama on Friday means homeowners won't see premiums jump all at once, as scheduled under a 2012 overhaul. Associated Press.

Hawaii taxpayers paid the tab for Gov. Neil Abercrombie, his deputy chief of staff and two security guards at the swanky St. Regis Hotel in Washington, D.C. for a few nights last December. Their lodging alone cost $3,520. Add $7,929 to fly the four of them there — including the governor’s nearly $5,000 first-class ticket — and the five-day trip totaled $11,449. They were there for a mixed plate of state business. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz says he plans to focus on Social Security, climate change and middle-class issues such as college affordability in his work in the Senate and his campaign to hold on to his seat. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Audubon Society is opposed to a proposal that could take the Hawaiian hawk off the endangered species list. Star-Advertiser.

House Bill 2560, which would allow family care centers to operate on agricultural land, is one of several that the Legislature is mulling this session that would add more exemptions to the growing list of structures that are permitted on Hawaii’s farmland. Civil Beat.

A Big Island state senator has started an email campaign seeking to stop colleagues from reappointing Richard Ha to the state Board of Agriculture. Tribune-Herald.

The ongoing practice of OCCC prison guards calling in sick on weekends and big sporting event days appears to have consequences for everyone except the guards who abuse leave. Star-Advertiser.
Are We Criminalizing Homelessness in Hawaii? Civil Beat.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: March 24. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Monday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The state plans to appeal a judge's ruling in which the state Department of Human Services was found negligent — along with a Navy diver based at Pearl Harbor — in the 2009 death of the sailor's 14-month-old boy, who was struck or shaken to death. Star-Advertiser.

Hunt Cos. Hawaii is expected to bring about 12,000 new residents to Kalaeloa after its master-plan for the area is all said and done in the next two decades. Pacific Business News.

Public meeting will provide updates on Makaha Valley flood study. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
In one of the early signs that Hawaii County is serious about what is likely to be its largest public works project in county history, officials on Friday shuttled a dozen potential bidders to the Hilo landfill. West Hawaii Today.

A group of Puna residents is intensifying its battle against a bill that would authorize Hawaii and Maui counties to issue so-called “sustainable living research permits” that would skirt building and zoning codes on parcels from 1 to 15 acres. West Hawaii Today.

Two Hawaii County officials are among six finalists to fill a vacancy in the District Court in Hilo. Corporation Counsel Lincoln Ashida and County Council Chairman J Yoshimoto both made the short list. West Hawaii Today.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie told a class of 26 adult corrections officer recruits Friday that they are getting in on the ground floor of what he described as a statewide initiative to revamp and reorient the corrections program. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County is in the final stages of permitting for an estimated $4.5 million rock revetment extension to protect the Wailuku-Kahului Wastewater Reclamation Facility from erosion, county officials said. Maui News.

Motorists may get some relief from the most congested portion of Puunene Avenue if state lawmakers continue to support a $10 million project to expand the two-lane portion of the street to four lanes. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Department of Water is recommending the county suspend its proposed Kahili Horizontal Directional Drilled Well project. Garden Island.

Is China spying on Hawaii? Top Hawaii news of the day, including gay marriage progress, Omidyar's and Ellison's plans, underwater electric cable, endangered species, hospital woes and more from all the Hawaiian Islands

People's Liberation Army-Navy ship Qingdao (DDG 113) as it arrives in Hawaii for a scheduled port visit Sept. 6, 2013. Courtesy photo.

Media sources in Asia reported that a Chinese Navy spy ship has recently been placed near Hawaii in response to the continuing U.S. naval presence in the South China Sea and recent drills with Japan and South Korea. But U.S. Pacific Command said Tuesday that no People's Liberation Army ship was detected either within or just outside of Hawaii's 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone — leaving a bit of a mystery regarding the spy ship reports. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa (HI-01), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, announced the launch of a bipartisan oversight effort entitled the HASC Asia-Pacific Oversight Series, which will focus on educating both Members of Congress and the general public about long-term national security challenges the United States faces in the Asia-Pacific. Hawaii Reporter.

The state Senate advanced a bill to legalize gay marriage during a special session Tuesday, sending it to a final floor vote that would get the legislation to the House. The final Senate vote is planned during a session that starts Wednesday morning. The bill is expected to pass there easily, then travel to the House where its prospects are less certain. Associated Press.

Expecting gay couples in Hawaii to travel to other states to marry in order to obtain federal tax benefits would impose a "heavy burden" and create an inequality compared to other married couples, state Attorney General David Louie has told state lawmakers. Louie submitted a seven-page analysis to lawmakers on Tuesday after facing questions from the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee on Monday about whether access to federal tax benefits for gay couples in Hawaii is as close as a trip to California or another state that has legalized gay marriage. Star-Advertiser.

The House Judiciary and Finance Committees will take testimony from 10 a.m. until midnight on Thursday, Oct. 31, at the public hearing on SB1 on equal rights. KHON2.

The House Finance and Judiciary committees are set to hold a joint hearing on the gay marriage legislation, Senate Bill 1, Thursday morning. To up the odds of defeating it, House Republicans tried to pull Rep. Cynthia Thielen from the 13-member Judiciary Committee. She’s the lone Republican in the Legislature who supports gay marriage. Civil Beat.

A power play to remove the sole House Republican who plans to vote for same-sex marriage stirred up controversy and political tension at the Capitol Tuesday, but failed. Hawaii News Now.

There were fireworks on the House floor Tuesday after Rep. Bob McDermott introduced House Resolution 5, which if passed, would have replaced the hierarchy of the Republican leadership with a more conservative faction and dissolved support by the Republican caucus for the current Democratic faction in power. Hawaii Reporter.

House Republican Bob McDermott introduced several resolutions that would change House committee assignments today. Speaker Joseph Souki and Scott Saiki also introduced their own committee assignment resolution to counter McDermott’s. Hawaii Independent.

A bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Hawaiʻi heads to the Senate for third and final reading at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013. Maui Now.

In a major change that could effectively nix plans for the long-debated industrial-scale wind farm proposed for Lanai, state policymakers have in recent months shifted their interest toward connecting the Oahu and Maui electric grids. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii did not select an executive search firm Tuesday as planned to help with recruiting presidential candidates but said it will ask three finalist firms to make in-person presentations over the next two weeks. Star-Advertiser.

Time Warner Inc., the nation’s second-largest cable TV provider is doubling the download speed of its top-tier “Ultimate” service to 100 Megabits per second. The speed upgrade is being rolled out now to customers in Los Angeles and will come to New York City and Hawaii by the end of the year. Associated Press.

Pierre Omidyar’s new media venture now has a temporary name — NewCo — and a temporary home page as well as two more journalists — Dan Froomkin and Liliana Segura — who are now known to be affiliated with the project, according to The Omidyar Group website. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for October 30. Associated Press.

Honolulu

A plan to ask Oahu voters if they want to take away the Honolulu Board of Water Supply's ability to recover "back payments" from customers who are undercharged gained preliminary approval from the City Council's Executive Matters and Legal Affairs Committee on Tuesday. A number of Council members grilled board Chief Engineer Ernest Lau about a spate of estimated bills issued by the agency during the first nine months of the year. Star-Advertiser.

Problems created by the Board of Water Supply's estimated billing system came under scrutiny on Tuesday by a Honolulu City Council committee. After getting grilled by members, the agency's chief vowed to make changes to help prevent inaccurate estimates. Hawaii News Now.

Questions have been swirling about Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s plans to develop Kakaako, with many residents concerned about whether the area has adequate sewer, water and street capacity to handle new high rises and thousands of additional people. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council Public Safety and Economic Development Committee Tuesday deferred Bill 59, which would ban lying down on sidewalks except under specific circumstances. Committee Chairwoman Carol Fukunaga said she wants to incorporate new language proposed by city attorneys that would limit the ban to only the Chinatown, Honolulu Capitol and Waikiki districts, and only between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Star-Advertiser.

Seller, Beware! Discrimination Lawsuit Raises Eyebrows. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Wildlife protection officials added 15 imperiled species to the federal endangered list Tuesday for Hawaii, where native plants and animals are among the most vulnerable to extinction in the nation. The species are all native to Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined endangered species status for 15 species on the island of Hawaii. Thirteen plants, a picture-wing fly and an ultra-rare “anchialine” pool shrimp have gained final protection under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Big Island Video News.

Although the number of admissions to alcohol and drug abuse programs increased statewide between 2011 and 2012, they dropped in Hawaii County, according to data released Tuesday by the state Department of Health. West Hawaii Today.

Groups looking to restore historical Hawaiian fishponds need as many as 17 county, state and federal permits to do so, Department of Land and Natural Resources officials say. The permitting process itself could take years and cost as much as $50,000 to $80,000. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County has settled a free-speech lawsuit with the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii and two Maui Peace Action members that will involve changes to the county sign ordinance. Maui News.

Kauai

A public hearing will be held Friday as part of the special legislative session to deal with a bill seeking an emergency appropriation to keep two Kauai rural hospitals afloat. House Bill 3 requests $7.3 million in stopgap funding to sustain Hawaii Health Systems Corp.'s Kauai regional health care system through next spring. The hearing will be held by the Senate Health and Ways and Means committees. Star-Advertiser.

The state Legislature’s Senate Committee on Water and Land will conduct a hearing today to consider Shawn Smith as the island’s representative to the state Board of Land and Natural Resources. Some have hailed Smith to be the right pick for the position based on his community service and balanced business approach, but others say his role as the general manager of Falko Partners, LLC, a land investment group, puts him at odds with his duties. Garden Island.

Water and agriculture have been identified by members of the Kauai Planning and Action Alliance as top issues impacting Kauai and its future. Both will be addressed during a panel discussion Monday as part of the KPAA’s fall membership meeting. Garden Island.

It didn’t matter that smart meters weren’t on the agenda. A handful of people still testified about them Tuesday during Kauai Island Utility Cooperative’s regular board meeting. Garden Island.

Lanai
Island Air has been operating under a cloak of secrecy since billionaire Larry Ellison purchased the local interisland carrier in mid-February. It was no different Tuesday when CEO Paul Casey, the keynote speaker at the Pacific Asia Travel Association luncheon, spoke for less than four minutes and then dashed out from the banquet room without taking questions. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii to announce $300M energy plan, Navy stops Ford Island solar plan, syphilis outbreak in Kona, Microsoft opens Honolulu store, Maui gets auditor, police officers sued, coral reefs, tropical fish in jeopardy, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu night skyline (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

A $300 million plan to be unveiled today to more than double the energy efficiency in state and Honolulu County buildings could add 5,000 new jobs to Hawaii's economy by 2015 and bolster efforts to meet aggressive clean-energy goals. The state planned to make a commitment to more energy efficiency at the Clinton Global Initiative America meeting in Chicago hosted by former President Bill Clinton. Star-Advertiser.

Over the last couple of months, Neil Abercrombie has played Santa Claus, sans the red hat and coat. The Hawaii governor has been releasing tens of millions of dollars for capitol improvement projects across the state. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono are among 13 senators calling for an investigation into the legality of recently uncovered National Security Agency surveillance programs that collect data on millions of Americans. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
A new five-year Oahu energy plan released by Hawaiian Electric Co. on Wednesday calls for reducing costs to consumers and increasing the utility's use of renewable energy. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Planning Commission on Wednesday approved a proposed condominium tower at the site of the YMCA of Honolulu on Atkinson Drive that would rise 350 feet, or more than double the current height limit. Star-Advertiser.

The Navy has stepped away from a controversial plan — at least for now — to blanket the historic Ford Island runway in photovoltaic panels, a new environmental assessment reveals. Star-Advertiser.

A lawsuit has stopped the city and county of Honolulu from auctioning off a piece of public parkland on the North Shore. Last year, a group of North Shore citizens formed the Save Hale’iwa Beach Park Coalition to fight a city plan to sell 3.5 acres of city-owned land near Haleiwa Beach Park. Civil Beat.

Kamehameha Schools has shelved its plan to develop a shopping center anchored by a Foodland supermarket on preservation-zoned land in Hawaii Kai, City Councilman Stanley Chang said. Star-Advertiser.

A private association of National Guard members plans to hold its annual conference in Honolulu this year even though some at the Pentagon have questioned the wisdom of meeting in a vacation destination. Associated Press.

Microsoft will open its first store in Hawaii today at 11 a.m. at Ala Moana Center. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers have been raising red flags over a proposed high-rise housing project on Waimanu Street in Kakaako. Civil Beat.

Hawaii
The Hawaii County Council last week authorized Corporation Counsel to represent five police officers facing a federal lawsuit on claims of excessive force during a 2010 arrest. West Hawaii Today.

The discovery of five syphilis cases in the past five months in West Hawaii — more than the past five years on Hawaii Island combined — has the state Department of Health warning the public to take precautions in their sexual activities. West Hawaii Today.

An East Hawaii resident is suing Hawaii County over a shoreline setback for homes at Pepeekeo Point. Tribune-Herald.

A recent Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources study of reef fish at Puako and Pauoa shows a “drastic decline” in the populations of both bays, a marine biologist says. West Hawaii Today.

Following the removal of Dennis Simonis as president, CEO and director of Royal Hawaiian Orchards LP, Hawaii’s largest macadamia nut producer is focusing on working closely with other growers and farmers in the state and reviving the Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association to ensure the industry has a strong future in Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

Tropic Care 2013 was a massive, joint military training exercise that brought free health, vision and dental care to Big Island, Lanai, Molokai and Maui residents. On Hawaii Island, this Innovative Readiness Training Program targeted those living in Ka‘u and Ocean View — rural, largely underserved and geographically isolated communities. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui Council’s Budget and Finance Committee unanimously recommended Lance Taguchi as its selection to the newly created county auditor position. Maui Now.

A Maui organization is getting more than $300,000 in federal money to help migrant and seasonal farmworkers. The U.S. Department of Labor on Wednesday announced $9 million in grants to seven organizations through the National Farmworkers Jobs Program. Associated Press.

More than 65 years after the end of World War II, Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a bill last week that will establish a "Civil Liberties and the Constitution Day" to recognize more than 110,000 Japanese-Americans who were put in internment camps during the war. Among those interned was the late Rev. Masao Arine of Maui, who was a detainee at the Haiku Detention Center. Maui News.

Three varieties of tree snails and 37 species of herbs, shrubs, trees and ferns in Maui County have been added to the Endangered Species list. Maui News.
 
Kauai

Two studies intended to promote production and consumption of local foods and products were updated for the Kauai County Council on Wednesday. The message was that locally produced and processed foods feed more than just people; they also feed the economy. Backing this up, local cattle ranchers and producers of value-added products came to the council chambers in support of a meat processing facility and a commercial kitchen and agri-business incubator. Garden Island.

Red rice coral hit by blue-green algae off Kauai’s North Shore has responded well to a treatment involving marine epoxy, according to state and federal scientists, but they’re still trying to find out what is causing skin problems in nearby Hawaiian puffer fish. Associated Press.

The Hoouluwehi Sustainable Living Institute was at the heart of the 2013 Second Nature Prestigious Climate Leadership Award presented to Kauai Community College. Garden Island.

Hawaii coral mulled for endangered species list, sex offender list scrutinized, Hawaiian Airlines adds Taiwan flight, unexploded weapons found in underwater cable project, Molokai school most improved, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii yellow tang and coral (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing to place three species of coral found in Hawaii under the protection of the federal Endangered Species Act. Star-Advertiser.

Akaka Retiring: Plenty Aloha, But What About Accomplishments? Civil Beat.

It took Hawaiian Airlines jst two months to capitalize on Taiwan being added to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. The state’s largest and oldest carrier said this morning it plans to launch three-days-a-week service between the capital city of Taipei and Honolulu next summer. Star-Advertiser.

When the state Legislature created Hawaii's sex offender registry in 1997, proponents argued that the new law would improve public safety and inform residents about offenders living in their neighborhoods. Star-Advertiser.

Regardless of what the experts say, Kristalyn Stephenson, 18, believes that Hawaii's sex offender registry is effective and serves a vital function. Star-Advertiser.

Retailers seem to be feeling more optimistic about their futures in Hawaii by adding 4,300 jobs this past year. Pacific Business News.

It wasn't the lowest bid. And the company's not local. But Hawaii Department of Education officials determined Management Partnership Services was the best consultant to study the state's broken student transportation program. Civil Beat.

Since Monday is the first work day of the month testing will also be done the emergency sirens across the state. KHON2.

State roundup for December 3. Associated Press.

Oahu
Thousands of unexploded chemical weapons are sitting on the ocean floor about five miles off of Oahu’s famed southern beaches. Civil Beat.

The vog that rolled in this morning is expected to linger all the way into next weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County is objecting to a bill passed last legislative session that it says removes its permitting authority over new geothermal projects. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Electric Light Co. is holding a series of public meetings on the Big Island to give the public an opportunity to comment on the “Integrated Resource Planning” process. Big Island Now.

Almost three years after Hawaii County finished a study outlining potential treatment options, many homes in Kapoho Beach Lots and Kapoho Vacationland Estates remain on cesspools despite being adjacent to the Wai Opae tide pools and Champagne Pond. Tribune-Herald.

On Dec. 31, Gerald De Mello will retire after serving for 21 years as the Univeristy of Hawaii-Hilo University Relations director. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Bids for the demolition of the 51-year-old former Wailuku Post Office/Federal Building across the street from the Kalana O Maui building are being accepted. Maui News.

Air traffic controllers lost radar and radio contact with a Cessna 172 that departed Kahului Airport for Molokai on Saturday night, said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor. Maui News.

The small plane that disappeared off of Maui's north coast Saturday night belonged to Jose Krall, the pastry chef and owner of Maui Bake Shop & Deli in Wailuku, his wife, Claire Fujii-Krall said Sunday. Maui News.

Kauai

Visitors to the Garden Isle during October spent 18.5 percent more this year from the same period in 2011. Garden Island.

Molokai

Molokai Middle School was recently recognized by the Department of Education as the most improved school in the state.  Molokai Dispatch.

Molokai teachers are joining public school educators around the state to raise awareness of their efforts of negotiating a fair contract with the state. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lanai

A Hawaii company that struggled to start a fish farm raising opakapaka in ocean cages submerged off Lanai gave up the effort last month, filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii coffee production drops, Waikiki restrooms no longer 24/7, human remains could change Honolulu train route, Maui groups sue to stop development, endangered shearwater rebounding on Kauai, Kilauea lava lake popping, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii coffee cherries (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Hawaii coffee farmers suffered production setbacks this past season due to bugs and dry weather, but higher prices offset some of the decline, according to a preliminary estimate in a government report tracking the industry. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Governor Gets F Grade in Cato's Fiscal Reform Study. Hawaii Reporter.

Hokulea, the famous Hawaiian canoe that has navigated the Pacific, will soon have a sister to help it sail farther than ever. Civil Beat.

In the almost five years he headed the University of Hawaii athletic department, Jim Donovan and his staff spent more than $800,000 in private discretionary donations on a wide range of goods and services, including taking staff members to the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament, paying for dinners to entertain donors and corporate sponsors, and hiring a limousine service to ferry Norm Chow around town when he was introduced as UH's new football coach, according to expenditure records. Star-Advertiser.

Documents released by the University of Hawaii show former UH Athletics Director Jim Donovan spent more than $622,000 of donated UH funds on travel, meals, drinks and other events for himself, his staff, the media, supporters and athletic boosters over the last four and a half years. Hawaii News Now.

State roundup for October 10. Associated Press.

Oahu

The city of Honolulu said it will no longer keep any public restrooms in Waikiki open around the clock, fueling debate over how the city's park closure law affects tourists and residents in the state's top destination. Star-Advertiser.

More human remains were found Friday and Saturday at two sites in Kakaako along the route of the city's rail project, and one of those sets of remains is a complete burial that might prompt the city to design the rail line around the site to avoid it. Star-Advertiser.

More human remains have been discovered along the Honolulu rail route. Civil Beat.

More human remains were found late last week during archaeological survey work along the route for Honolulu's rail-transit project, according to a report by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Pacific Business News.

More human remains have been found along Honolulu's rail route -- this time they include a completely intact burial. KHON2.

Archeologists surveying the 20-mile route of the planned Honolulu rail transit line over the weekend discovered what appears to be ancient Hawaiian burial sites in Kakaako. Hawaii Reporter.

Human remains were found at two sites on the route of the city's rail project in Kakaako on Friday and Saturday, according to the State Historic Preservation Division. KITV4.

The expansion at the Honolulu Program of Waste to Energy Recovery or H-POWER, which broke ground on Dec. 21, 2009, added another boiler capable of burning 300,000 tons of mass per year. Hawaii News Now.

A second attempt to force the Hawaiian Humane Society to announce publicly its intent to euthanize animals failed to garner enough support before the City Council Parks and Recreation Committee on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General has finished an audit looking into the improper screening of checked baggage at Honolulu International Airport. KHON2.

Former Hawaii Gov. and mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano has a knack of getting people to come to his defense.Civil Beat.

Aviation enthusiasts, history buffs and military veterans fear that Ford Island is under a new threat. The Navy plans to use a swath of the famous airfield for a solar power plant with 60,000 photovoltaic panels. Los Angeles Times.

The vog that obscured views over the long weekend lay in a heavy band over Oahu before largely dissipating Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County is owed more than $4 million in past-due landfill fees and sewer bills, a number that’s creeping upward even as Environmental Management officials implement new procedures to recoup the bad debt. West Hawaii Today.

For the last few nights, visitors to the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum overlook at the summit of Kilauea have been hearing constant “booming and popping sounds” from the glowing lava lake. Tribune-Herald.

Kona Community Hospital ended last fiscal year with $1.6 million in revenue, its first positive bottom line since 1997. West Hawaii Today.

A large metal container found on a remote Ka‘u shoreline last week, possibly debris from the Japan tsunami, may not be going anywhere soon. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Two environmental and cultural groups have gone to court to challenge the Maui Planning Commission's approval of a final environmental impact statement for the Honua'ula project in South Maui. Maui News.

Maui hotel rooms were occupied at a rate of 75 percent in August, a 3.9 percent increase over the same month in 2011, Hospitality Advisors reported. Maui News.

Widespread haze is in the forecast for yet another day as voggy conditions prevail across much of Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kaua‘i Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a farm-worker house at Ned and Marta Whitlock’s 28.5-acre organic farm in Moloa‘a. The Whitlocks are the first farmers on Kaua‘i to benefit from a  bill that the Kaua‘i County Council passed more than two years ago. Garden Island.

At least 11 breeding or prospecting pairs of ‘A‘o, or Newell’s Shearwater, have been recorded at the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge this year, the highest number ever found on the refuge. Garden Island.

Kinder, gentler TSA? Van Jones rallies state Capitol, Abercrombie names ag appointees, civil unions law tweaked, rare dengue-carrying mosquito prompts Health Department warning, bacteria high in Kauai waters, skink vanishes from Hawaii, Maui Charter Commission gives nod to Native Hawaiians, Hawaii council mulls paying for recyclables, more news from all the islands

TSA screening photo, courtesy conspiracyplanet.com

After a series of abuses by TSA officials across the country, Hawaii senators on the Transportation and Public Safety/Military Affairs committees unanimously passed a "Travelers Bill of Rights" on Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Van Jones, President Barack Obama’s former green jobs adviser who heads the “Rebuild the Dream” organization, keynoted a rally and a “mass action event” at the Hawaii State Capitol Tuesday night to promote “economic fairness” and “economic justice.” Hawaii Reporter.

The Biker for Christ was among the last to testify, but what he had to tell two Senate committees Tuesday was among the most memorable testimony submitted on House Bill 2569 — a civil unions bill. Civil Beat.

State senators are supporting a bill that would allow Hawaii high school graduates without legal immigration status to get resident tuition at the University of Hawaii and be eligible for state-funded financial aid. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is considering the creation of a "clean economy bank." And it’s attracted the attention of Obama’s former green energy czar. Civil Beat.

The state House Judiciary Committee approved a bill today that sets aside money to settle claims against the state with the addition of more than $5.6 million in recent settlements. Star-Advertiser.

honeybee

Two bills are advancing in the Legislature this session to protect honey bees in Hawai’i.   These winged insects are a major economic driver in the state. Hawaii Public Radio.

Big Island state Rep. Bob Herkes, D-Puna, Ka‘u, Kona, is working to temper legislation that was enacted last spring to curtail the high rate of home foreclosures in Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

The years-long controversy over whether or not to shut down a major research center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has led faculty members to draw up a damning resolution condemning the center's interim director, who they've repeatedly asked to resign. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has announced five appointments to fill seats on the Board of Agriculture and the Agribusiness Development Corporation. Associated Press.

Hawaii Websites Promote Extreme Hiking. KITV4.

For many of the 3,500 Schofield Barracks soldiers now returning from Af­ghani­stan, a decade of war in two countries finally may be over. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii hoteliers had the home-court advantage this week as they competed with other destinations for millions of dollars' worth of high-stakes deals at a gathering of meeting planners in Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

blue-tailed skin

The native-to-Hawaii copper striped blue- tailed skink, Emoia impar, is the latest vertebrate species to be declared extinct in the Hawaiian Islands, Robert Fisher, a biologist and research scientist for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Ecological Research Center in California, said Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

Scientists are baffled about why the copper-striped blue-tailed skink has become extinct from the Hawaiian Islands — and might have been gone for decades without much ado. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has imposed rather modest import tariffs on Chinese-made solar modules as part of its preliminary determination into unfair pricing from the Chinese. Pacific Business News.

Oahu
After more than 30 years, the city of Honolulu is finally moving to fulfill a constitutional mandate to protect Oahu’s important agricultural lands. Civil Beat.

About 500 traffic-related citations were issued to motorists during a five-hour period along the Leeward Coast by Honolulu Police Department solo bike officers today. Star-Advertiser.

Cayetano's Transit Plan Mirrors Harris' in 2000. Civil Beat.

A rare mosquito has been found on Oahu for the first time in more than 60 years. Now the state is reminding people to get rid of standing water on their property. Hawaii News Now.

Tsunami debris contingency plan to be voted on by Honolulu City Council. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of State and Church is demanding the Hawaii Public Housing Authority evict a church from a state owned building at a low income housing complex in Kalihi. Hawaii News Now.

Nuuanu Hillside Development Draws Fire From Neighbors. KITV4.

It's a dangerous stretch of road in Kapolei. That's how some West Oahu residents, including Honolulu City Councilman Tom Berg, are describing a part of Kapolei Parkway. KHON2.

Hawaii

A measure to encourage island residents to recycle more cardboard, glass, plastic and metal was postponed Tuesday afternoon after gaining some favorable testimony. West Hawaii Today.

When it comes to the future of Medicare and Social Security, Kona resident Nancy Callahan fears more benefits will be slashed, and more funding will be needed to keep what few benefits remain. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Charter Commission supported a last-minute proposal Monday that would verbally acknowledge the importance of Native Hawaiians to the community. Maui News.

Maui Mayor Arakawa will unveil his proposed budget for the 2013 Fiscal Year this Friday, March 23, during a presentation in the Council Chambers. Maui Now.

County officials hope to know by midweek the extent of the damage and the scope of repair work required for the Hanawana Bridge in Kailua that collapsed during heavy rains earlier this month, cutting off vehicular transportation for about 40 residents. Maui News.

Kauai

While waters from open ocean surf breaks are flushing out clean in the wake of storms and flooding earlier this month on Kaua‘i, Surfrider Foundation volunteers found high bacteria counts in some streams and nearby coastal areas. Garden Island.

It’s a dirty business, but in the aftermath of heavy rains earlier this month, trucks full of untreated sewage were kept busy in some Kaua‘i neighborhoods. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will "indefinitely defer" the installation of smart meters for any ratepayers who object to the devices, company officials announced after a federal lawsuit was filed by a KIUC member attempting to block the project. Star-Advertiser.