AG Chin preparing for congressional race, Hawaii slips to second healthiest state, worker's comp fails workers, mayors pledge to ban fossil fuels in vehicles, Honolulu cop hits pedestrian, basalt fiber plant planned, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Attorney General Doug Chin with U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, file courtesy photo

State attorney general eyes Congress. State Attorney General Douglas Chin is laying the groundwork for his first political campaign, which will be a run for the U.S. House seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, sources said. Star-Advertiser.

Civil Beat Poll: Support Is Still Strong For Medical Aid In Dying. Proponents of the legislation outnumber opponents by a 3-to-1 ratio. Civil Beat.

Hawaii slips to second healthiest state in the nation in annual report. After five consecutive years in the No. 1 spot, the Aloha State has fallen to second place behind Massachusetts, according to the America’s Health Rankings 2017 report by the United Health Foundation. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is no longer the nation's 'healthiest state'. Hawaii News Now.

Recent Court Decisions Beneficial For Injured Workers. The Hawaii Supreme Court made two rulings in 2015 in favor of workers who had been denied treatment for their injuries. Civil Beat.

Part 2 of an ongoing series about Hawaii’s workers’ compensation system. Hawaii’s workers’ comp system developed over more than a century, allows insurance companies to pay doctors of their choosing to examine injured workers. Civil Beat.

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Using the worldwide-traveling Hokulea docked at Pokai Bay as inspiration, leaders from all four major counties Tuesday signed pledges to eliminate the use of fossil-fuel-powered ground transportation vehicles by 2045. Star-Advertiser.

The leaders of Hawaii’s four counties have pledged to eliminate all fossil fuels from ground transportation by 2045. Pacific Business News.

Mayors pledge 100% ground transportation powered by renewable energy by 2045. KITV.

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New Ag Department Pesticides Manager Appointed. Hawaii Entomologist John McHugh, Ph.D., has been appointed as the new program manager of the Pesticides Branch of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Big Island Now.

Cannabis Cardholders Increase, But They Aren’t Flocking To Dispensaries. A by-the-numbers look at the medical marijuana landscape now that dispensaries have opened on Oahu and Maui. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Medical Assurance Association, which provided the majority of the health services rendered to Island Air employees in November, said Tuesday it will absorb the more than $137,000 in costs incurred during the month even though the now-bankrupt airline did not pay its premiums for the month. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A state effort to partner with a private developer to overhaul several sites in the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor has prompted community skepticism from those who fear redevelopment could leave them with a soaring tower on prime public land intended for recreation. Star-Advertiser.

Political candidate with history of incendiary remarks sparks new controversy. Hawaii News Now.

Homeless return to popular bike path despite major cleanups. After two large-scale cleanups along a popular bike path in Aiea, homeless campers are starting to return. KHON2.

HPD vehicle strikes pedestrian during morning rush. KITV.

Products made by Hawaii inmates will be featured in the Hawaii Correctional Industries Holiday Showcase Sale. KHON2.

Worst erosion in years on Sunset Beach forces tough decisions. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Officials still making rounds urging vigilance for N.Korean attack. It’s an emergency message no one wants to hear: “The U.S. Pacific Command has detected a missile threat to Hawaii. A missile may impact on land or sea within minutes. This is not a drill”. West Hawaii Today.

Isle lava could be source of high-tech building materials. A state research organization wants to know if turning volcanic rock dust on Hawaii island into a versatile, high-strength building material can become a new local industry. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii aerospace center seeks proposals for basalt fiber manufacturing feasibility study. Pacific Business News.

Back out to bid for Waimea Highway project. About a month after Hawaii County scrapped a bid solicitation for the Mamalahoa Highway widening project amid concerns about fairness, the county is once again soliciting bids for the work. West Hawaii Today.

Mobile spay, neuter clinic down the road for HIHS. The Hawaii Island Humane Society is raising money to purchase a vehicle for a mobile spay and neuter clinic. Tribune-Herald.

Police, HDOA say parasites may be playing role in Ka'u cattle deaths. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Sand Mining Moratorium Resolution to Resurface in Council. A resolution recommending a moratorium on sand mining in Central Maui surfaces again for first reading at the council’s next meeting on Dec. 15 after the item was deferred earlier this month. Maui Now.

No support found for lifeguard tower move. Testimony calls for the funding of new tower at popular tourist beach. Maui News.

The median price of a single-family home on Maui increased by more than 8 percent last month, compared to last year, even as the number of sales dropped 21 percent, while condominiums recorded increases in sales and prices for November, according to the monthly report by the Realtors Association of Maui. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

KIUC plans changes to Wailua River diversions. Water is going to be returned to the North Fork of the Wailua River, at the Blue Hole and Waikoko diversions. Garden Island.

Hokua Place may face fight. Members of the community are expected to show up in force at a county meeting today in opposition to a development that would be located behind Kapaa Middle School. Garden Island.

Waikiki icon demolished, Honolulu smoking ban begins, undersea cable could connect electric grids, Schatz Bloomberg fundraising controversy continues, Kauai mulls single-member districts, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki International Marketplace (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

The International Market Place, the last truly open green space for commerce in the heart of Waikiki, will be closed for good. It will be replaced by a three-story Saks Fifth Avenue, which will be next door to Macy’s and attached to a planned shopping mall. Civil Beat.

More than 100 small retailers at the International Market Place in Waikiki have to vacate their spaces by 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Pacific Business News.

How President Barack Obama spent Day 12 of his holiday vacation in Hawaii on Wednesday. Associated Press.

President Barack Obama on Wednesday morning sent a tweet touting the benefits for his signature federal health care law and, along with first lady Michelle Obama, wished a "speedy recovery" to former first lady Barbara Bush, who was hospitalized with a respiratory-related problem. Afterward, the president went golfing at the Mid-Pacific Country Club in Lanikai. Star-Advertiser.

The First Family, First Dogs in tow, arrived in Hawaii at midnight December 21, for a 17-day vacation in a private beachfront home in Kailua, Oahu. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi had her own Hawaiian vacation this month, which overlapped the president’s by one day. The Hawaii Police Department provided nine days of security detail for Pelosi during her stay on on Hawaii Island. Hawaii Reporter.

A campaign fundraising appearance by one of the country's most recognizable politicians is at the center of the latest political mudslinging in Hawaii's U.S. Senate race. Thursday evening, Michael Bloomberg, who just completed his third and last term as mayor of New York City, will headline a $1,000-a-head campaign fundraiser for Sen. Brian Schatz at the Kahala home of Hawaii developer Duncan MacNaughtan. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s population is getting older. Right now over a third is over 50 years old. And that number is expected to grow by 29% over the next 20 years. HPR’s Molly Solomon reports some of the challenges of serving an elderly population. Hawaii Public Radio.

All three of the counties in Hawaii have passed legislation banning plastic bags at checkout counters, making it the first state in the country to pass such a ban. Huffington Post.

New year, new laws. West Hawaii Today.

State roundup for January 2. Associated Press.

Oahu

Roads encircling Diamond Head and the route along the rugged and pristine Ka Iwi coastline are now designated as Hawaii Scenic Byways. The state Department of Transportation recently approved proposals for the Diamond Head Scenic Byway — the Lei Around Le‘ahi, and the Maunalua-Makapuu Scenic Byway to be listed among Hawaii Scenic Byways. Star-Advertiser.

The punishing surf has apparently diminished on the North Shore for now, allowing beleaguered Rocky Point homeowners to take temporary actions to fortify their wave-eroded properties. But the window for such work may be narrow, as the surf is expected to rise again by the weekend. Star-Advertiser.

It Is Time to Plan an Orderly Retreat From the Beach. Civil Beat.

You can no longer smoke cigarettes at any City & County of Honolulu beach, park, or bus stop. KHON2.

Honolulu's new car-towing contract uses GPS to keep tabs on wreckers. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu's first responders reported they were not as busy during this week's New Year's celebration compared with last year's New Year's revelry. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A short list of three candidates to finish state Rep. Denny Coffman’s unexpired term is on its way to Gov. Neil Abercrombie, culled from nine Democrats who submitted applications for House District 5 representing West Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Cameras on top of Mauna Kea captured a rare lightning show. KITV4.

Maui

Hawaii regulators are holding a public meeting on Maui in January regarding the planned undersea cable that would connect the electric grids of both Oahu and Maui. The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission said that it is looking for input from stakeholders regarding whether an interisland transmission system connecting Oahu and Maui grids may be in the public interest. Pacific Business News.

The stinging little fire ant has spread from the Big Island to Maui and Oahu, the state Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday afternoon, and officials have already ranked it as "the most serious insect pest" for the "foreseeable future." Maui News.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture today confirmed that an invasive stinging ant called the Little Fire Ant has spread from Hawaiʻi Island to Oʻahu and Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

Public meetings regarding whether County Council seats should be selected by districts will begin next week. A subcommittee of the Charter Review Commission has scheduled three  meetings to discuss and gather input on a proposed charter amendment that would establish seven geographic districts on Kauai. Garden Island.

As residents kick off the new year with a new list of resolutions, including, perhaps, a few old ones from last year, Kauai County officials are doing the same and setting their sights on new goals for 2014. Garden Island.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has sent a case regarding the Hapa Trail preservation back to 5th Circuit Court. The case alleges that the county and state failed to protect historic sites and Native Hawaiian rights, the historic review process, as well as the Coastal Zone Management Act when those agencies approved a 208-acre subdivision for the Eric A. Knudsen Trust’s Village at Poipu project. Garden Island.