Hawaiian Airlines seeks to buy bankrupt competitor's assets, Ige asks Supreme Court to hurry up with Thirty Meter Telescope decision, cesspools threaten drinking water, Kahaluu residents fight homeless igloos, no rat poison found in beached whales, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian Airlines at Honolulu airport © 2017 All Hawaii News

Hawaiian Airlines’ parent to buy bankrupt Island Air’s assets for $750,000. In a surprise twist to the Island Air bankruptcy case, the trustee overseeing the liquidation filed a last-minute motion this morning disclosing that Hawaiian Airlines’ parent company has agreed to purchase the operating certificate and other assets of the failed company. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Holdings subsidiary offers to purchase Island Air assets. Pacific Business News.

The parent company of Hawaiian Airlines has offered to buy Island Air's assets and operating certificate. Hawaii News Now.

The owner of Hawaiian Airlines could soon also own Island Air. During a bankruptcy hearing for the now-defunct airlines Tuesday, an offer was made. KHON2.

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Cesspool upgrades critically necessary. A state Department of Health report released Tuesday identifies 14 areas where officials say interim cesspool upgrades are critically needed to protect public health and the environment. Star-Advertiser.

Cesspools could soon impact your drinking water, DOH says. Hawaii News Now.

‘Devastation’ Discovered In Deep Sea From Industrial Fishing. But without a $2 million donation, it may be the last expedition for the Hawaii-based research submarines and support vessel that conducted the study. Civil Beat.

A coalition of 17 Hawaii conservation supporters released its second annual state of the environment report Monday, urging greater support for environmental initiatives to help combat climate change already starting to emerge in the islands. Star-Advertiser.

Report: There Are Worse Places To Be Than Hawaii In A Health Emergency. The islands have room for improvement, but they fare well in a state-by-state comparison, according to a new survey. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Telcom expands broadband connection to 5,000 rural areas in Hawaii. In 2015, Hawaiian Telcom was awarded approximately $26 million in CAF Phase II support to continue expanding high-speed broadband internet service in Hawaii’s rural areas, mostly on the Neighbor Islands, through 2020. Pacific Business News.

Scoot: Inaugural Singapore through Osaka to Honolulu Flight. The first flight from Singapore through Osaka landed in Honolulu today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Caldwell looks to rein in ‘monster houses’. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is backing a call by some City Council members for a moratorium on large-scale houses in residential zones until permanent language can be imposed putting limits on the so-called “monster houses” that have been sprouting up in older Oahu neighborhoods recently. Star-Advertiser.

Kahaluu residents voice concerns over plans for homeless 'igloo' shelters. Plans to build "Dome Homes" for homeless people in Windward O'ahu are just waiting for a building permit from the city. KITV.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell Builds A New-Look Police Commission. His nomination of Shannon Alivado, if confirmed, would mean all seven commissioners would be his appointees. Civil Beat.

‘Beagle Brigade’ sniffs out contraband at airport to prevent spread of pests. In the midst of holiday travel, the USDA is reminding the public of what can and cannot be transported to the mainland due to tropical pests in Hawaii that pose a threat to mainland agriculture. Star-Advertiser.

The former Sports Authority location in Kakaako will be transformed into an indoor marketplace next year for as many as 250 local vendors. Star-Advertiser.

Sexual predator abused children — and treated priests who did the same. Long-hidden documents show how the same man, prominent Honolulu psychiatrist Dr. Robert Browne, played a central role in two of Hawaii's biggest sex abuse scandals. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Gov. David Ige is urging the state Supreme Court to issue a quick decision on the Thirty Meter Telescope case. The governor is hoping the high court will fast track the case because the project faces a looming deadline. Hawaii News Now.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is seeking to fine a landowner nearly $65,000 for damage done to a plantation camp cemetery it alleges was caused by heavy machinery. But Ed Olson, whose trust purchased the land in 2015, says the equipment didn’t touch the headstones. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness voted Tuesday to provide $25,000 in state funds to Hawaii County to continue operating Camp Kikaha, a legal homeless encampment in Kona on Hawaii Island known as a “safe zone". Civil Beat.

Help is on the way for the troubled Hele-On bus system. The state Department of Transportation is sending another $419,817 in federal funds to the county, on top of the $700,000 already appropriated. Bill 87, set to be voted today by the County Council, will accept the money into county coffers. West Hawaii Today.

The W.M. Keck Observatory, which hosts two of the most powerful telescopes on Earth, is getting an upgrade to its adaptive optics system. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County in November issued its highest number of solar permits in 13 months as it continued to buck the downward trend on Oahu and Maui, the other two major PV markets in the state. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

Upcountry Maui is one of 14 priority areas where cesspool upgrades are critically needed to protect public health and the environment, the Hawai‘i State Department of Health cited in a report filed today with the Legislature. Maui Now.

Erosion devouring mission property. Members of the 111-year-old Mantokuji Soto Zen Mission of Paia are hoping to save their temple building and cemetery from rapidly increasing erosion that has swept out into the shore break close to a hundred gravestones and claimed several acres of land over the years. Maui News.

Kauai

No rat poison found in beached pilot whales. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Tuesday indicates that no detectable levels of rat poison were found in the livers of five pilot whales stranded on Kauai in October. Star-Advertiser.

No detectable levels of rat poison were found in the five pilot whales that died on Kauai in October, according to a Tuesday state announcement. Garden Island.

Two months after five pilot whales died following a stranding on a Kauai shoreline, new lab results are ruling out rat poison as the cause. Hawaii News Now.

More than 6,000 cesspools should be replaced on Kauai in order to improve water quality, according to the state Department of Health. Garden Island.

Search on for unexploded bomb at Kealia Beach. An unexploded bomb is reportedly floating near Kealia Beach, and officials with the state, county and Pacific Missile Range Facility are on the hunt. Garden Island.

Erosion eating Honolulu beaches, AG Chin confirms he'll run for Congress, another Kakaako homeless sweep, Maui mayor shuffles leadership team, two fall off mules on popular Molokai trail ride, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Sand mattress installation at Kuhio Beach, courtesy City and County of Honolulu

City installs ‘sand mattress’ to combat erosion at Kuhio Beach. The city unveiled an emergency erosion control measure Sunday at Kuhio Beach Park which officials hope will thwart erosion in the middle of the state’s tourism epicenter. Star-Advertiser.

'Sand mattress' central to new effort to save Waikiki beach. Hawaii News Now.

"Sand Mattress" Installed in Kuhio Beach Park to Help Erosion. KITV.

‘Sand mattress’ technology to combat Mother Nature at Kuhio Beach. KHON2.

Public warned away from Sunset Beach after extreme erosion. The city is urging the public to stay away from Sunset Beach because of a hazardous condition caused by extreme erosion, a Honolulu Ocean Safety Division spokeswoman said. Star-Advertiser.

Building teetering on edge at Sunset Beach due to extreme erosion. Hawaii News Now.

Public advised to avoid Sunset Beach due to erosion concerns. KITV.

Erosion creates dangerous cliff conditions on Oahu’s North Shore. KHON2.

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State Attorney General Douglas Chin, who has been fighting President Donald Trump’s travel ban and other policies over the past year, has announced he will run for U.S. Congress. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s Attorney General Doug Chin says he will file for a Congressional bid. Chin will file his papers on Monday for the seat that would be left empty if, as expected, Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa runs for Governor. KHON2.

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Proposed ‘tent cities’ rouse debate. Legislators and Gov. David Ige fundamentally disagree on whether the use of legalized homeless camps known as safe zones are an effective way of helping the state’s massive homeless population.  Star-Advertiser.

Affordable Housing Tax Break in Trouble? Since 1986, a federal tax break has helped to finance affordable housing in Hawaii and throughout the country. Now it’s on the chopping block. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lack of state staff delays medical cannabis programs, dispensers say. Seven of 11 positions are vacant at the Department of Health, which oversees the medical cannabis patient registry and dispensary licensing programs. Star-Advertiser.

Hemp-growing program suffers setback. Plans for a statewide industrial hemp-growing program hit a snag after a shipment of cannabis seeds from Jamaica had to be destroyed in October. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii’s economic expansion to continue at subdued pace. Buoyed by improving global conditions, Hawaii’s economic growth is expected to continue,  according to the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization’s annual Hawaii forecast. Pacific Business News.

Some military in Hawaii to see double-digit housing increases. Some military personnel stationed in Hawaii who have no dependents will see double-digit increases in their basic allowance for housing rates for 2018, much higher than the national average. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Kakaako Gateway Parks closed again for homeless sweep. For the second time in a little more than two months, Kakaako Gateway Parks are closed to the public. Hawaii News Now.

This Court Offers The Homeless A Fresh Start Instead Of Punishment. Community Outreach Court doles out community service and uses social workers to help defendants get off the streets. Civil Beat.

Third of Honolulu renters spend half their income on rent, Harvard study finds. More than half of renters in Honolulu are spending more than a third of their income on rent each month, and 29 percent are spending more than 50 percent of their monthly income, according to a national rent study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Pacific Business News.

Waiea tower developer sues 7 insurance companies. A tangled mess of litigation surrounding the construction of what has been dubbed the most sophisticated residence in Hawaii just got bigger. Star-Advertiser.

Shannon Alivado, director of government relations for the General Contractors Association of Hawaii, has been nominated to the Honolulu Police Commission by Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Census survey: Poverty dips even as incomes remain flat. The Small Area Income and Poverty Estimate, released in November, said 15.4 percent of residents were below the poverty level, down from 18.3 percent in 2015. The statewide average was 9.5 percent in 2016. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii’s only government-sanctioned “safe zone” — Camp Kikaha in Kailua-Kona that grew out of a crisis in August — quickly burned through Hawaii County’s homeless budget while state officials continue to decide whether the approach to reducing homelessness should be part of an overall strategy. Star-Advertiser.

A Hilo bed-and-breakfast owner is suing the county’s Planning Department and Windward Planning Commission, seeking an environmental review of the Hu Honua biomass power plant under construction in Pepeekeo. Tribune-Herald.

The beach is back: Heavy rains bring black sand, ohana to Honolii shore. Just in time for Christmas, Honolii’s typically rocky shoreline has given way to hundreds of yards of black sandy beach following heavy rainfall late last month that dumped more than 10 inches of rain over parts of East Hawaii within just a few days. Tribune-Herald.

VIDEO: Lawmakers Forum At Hawaii Cannabis Open Expo. An educational conference and industry tradeshow for medical cannabis patients, caregivers, health professionals and entrepreneurs was held Sunday in Hilo.  Big Island Video News.

Maui

County Council moves forward bill to protect inland sand. A bill that would put a six-month moratorium on the mining of Central Maui inland sand passed its first reading Friday at a Maui County Council meeting. Maui News.

Council votes to keep Taylor as director of Water Supply. Dave Taylor earned the unanimous support of the Maui County Council on Friday to stay on as director of the county Department of Water Supply. Maui News.

Leadership changes are coming. Mayor Alan Arakawa is shuffling the deck chairs of his administrative team, tapping Chief of Staff Herman Andaya to lead the Emergency Management Agency, moving Budget Director Lynn Araki-Regan to Andaya’s post and returning Sandy Baz to his former position as budget director. Maui News.

New Deputy Finance Director Announced. Maui County Finance Director Mark Walker announced he has appointed Budget Analyst Marci Sato as the new Deputy Finance Director. Maui Now.

Changing lanes in Lahaina. Smoother sailing via the Lahaina bypass: Honoapiilani Highway will be widened to add dedicated lanes on and off the bypass. Maui News.

Maui police arrested and charged a 17-year-old juvenile male from Kahului for arson in connection with an investigation into a fire that destroyed several classrooms at Kahului Elementary School over the Thanksgiving weekend. Maui Now.

Kauai

Local cattle, beef operation expanding. A Kauai cattle company and livestock processor is expanding both its product selection and availability throughout Hawaii, a year after purchasing its Oahu USDA-inspected livestock harvest facility. Garden Island.

Molokai

Two Seriously Injured in Fall from Mules on Kalaupapa Cliff-Side Trail. Maui Now.

Mycogen Seeds to shut down operations on Molokai in spring. Dozens of employees of Mycogen Seeds on Molokai received bad news just a couple of weeks before Christmas — the seed crop research company will shut down on the Friendly Isle in the spring as Dow-DuPont Agriculture consolidates operations in Hawaii. Maui News.

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.