Hawaii scientists create glow-in-the-dark pigs, Obama vacation, Hee attempted Senate coup, same-sex marriage battle continues, fishing limits set to start Thursday, Larry Ellison's Lanai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

UH engineers neon pigs courtesy photo

A technique developed by reproductive scientists from the University of Hawaii medical school helped scientists create ten piglets that glow green under black fluorescent lights. Star-Advertiser.

Glowing green pig

Read the UH news release about transgenic pigs here.

At least 248 same-sex couples married this month under a new state law, and they should not have a legal challenge lingering over them, state attorneys argued Monday. The lawyers filed court papers asking a state judge to throw out a lawsuit challenging the Marriage Equality Act that made Hawaii the 15th state to legalize same-sex marriage. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama enjoyed a morning round of golf followed by a visit to the beach Monday afternoon, joining his family at Pyramid Rock Beach at Marine Corps Base Hawaii after finishing 18-holes at the Mid Pacific Country Club early Monday afternoon. The Obamas left the beach at about 4:30 p.m.and spent the rest of the evening at their rented Kailua vacation home. Star-Advertiser.

How President Barack Obama spent the third day of his holiday vacation in Hawaii on Monday. Associated Press.

The Presidential vacation continues in full swing. Day three of the first family's vacation and the President took on his second round of golf. Word spread fast in Lanikai and before you know it a gallery appeared. Hawaii News Now.

It's not news to anyone that when the president comes to town, he comes with a ton of security. But when the president comes to a small island in the middle of the Pacific -- a small island that is already home to the nation's second worst traffic -- his security apparatus is a bit more noticeable. Huffington Post.

The Hawaii State Teachers Assocation announced Monday it is backing Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa in her challenge against U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz while supporting state Rep. K. Mark Takai's bid to replace Hanabusa. Star-Advertiser.

Word from Hawaii state Senate circles is that Clayton Hee sought support from his colleagues in late autumn to topple Senate President Donna Mercado Kim and Vice President Ron Kouchi. But he fell well short of the 13 required votes. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Health is restricting the use of electronic smoking devices known as "e-cigarettes" on its properties. The ban will take effect Jan. 1. Star-Advertiser.

It can cost a local high school student as much as $1,032 to enroll in a single University of Hawaii course as part of a college jump-start program offered to eligible public school students across the state. Civil Beat.

The state teachers union says it will lobby legislators next year to fund pre-kindergarten classes at public schools in an effort to preserve teaching jobs and help a set of children who will be too young to enter kindergarten. The Hawaii State Teachers Association lists the initiative among its legislative priorities for the session that begins Jan. 15. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Connector, the online marketplace created by President Barack Obama's signature health care law, has extended through today the deadline to sign up for medical insurance to take effect Jan. 1. The Connector said it was following a decision by the Obama administration to delay Monday's deadline by one day to "accommodate the high demand in last-minute enrollments" for individuals and families seeking coverage on Jan. 1. It was the second time the deadline was pushed back. Enrollees originally had until Dec. 15 to enroll for coverage starting Jan. 1. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
State transportation officials followed through Monday on their plans to erect concrete barriers to block vehicles from parking at one of the North Shore's most popular beaches. Meanwhile, some in the community are preparing to sue to have those barriers removed. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Film Studio will be able to move forward with some much-needed repairs, thanks to the release of an additional $3.5 million in state funds announced Monday. The money is in addition to $1.7 million Gov. Neil Abercrombie released last fiscal year for improvements at the facility near Diamond Head where the TV series "Hawaii Five-0" is filmed. Star-Advertiser.

A space to make our own. A Kaka‘ako haven for creatives leads off our series on the new spirit of island industry. Hawaii Independent.

Hawaii
Stiff new penalties and prohibitions against scuba spearfishing and the taking of various species in West Hawaii waters are hallmarks of a package of new rules that go into effect Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Electric Light Co. announced that none of the six bids met its technical and cost-of-power requirements, and will ask each of the companies to submit additional information for a contract for another 50 megawatts of geothermal power on the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

High surf Friday and Saturday caused damage at two West Hawaii boating facilities. Efforts are now underway by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to assess and rectify the situation. West Hawaii Today.

The state Public Utilities Commission has approved an agreement by Hawaii Electric Light Co. to purchase up to 10 percent of the isle’s energy needs a year from a bioenergy plant in Pepeekeo that remains under construction. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island students interested in science, technology, engineering and math will have a chance to apply for new scholarship and grant funds next year, pending the construction of what is poised to be one of the world’s largest telescopes atop Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Socrates Buenger has done something extraordinary in the film industry — outfoxed one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. Buenger's gone from a starstruck child running errands for crew members on movie sets in Los Angeles to become chief executive officer of the largest sound stage in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration head Kathryn Sullivan, who was also the first American woman to walk in space, made more than a dozen site visits in Hawaii last week but said Thursday that being able to see humpback whales off Maui's shores up close was "one of the standout and fondest memories" of her trip. Maui News.

Six Maui resorts earned honors in the 2014 Gold List annual reader’s survey conducted by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council approved a resolution that will guide a county study of large agriculture impacts on Kauai. If the “Environmental and Public Health Impact Study” is done correctly, Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura said the county is in a position to break new ground. Garden Island.

A retired police lieutenant has refiled a civil suit against the County of Kauai, Kauai Police Department, Chief Darryl Perry and Assistant Chief Mark Begley. Retired Vice Lt. Eric Shibuya is seeking damages for an alleged punitive transfer and resulting meritless investigation. Garden Island.

Lanai

Larry Ellison’s purchase of the majority of Lanai was one of the top stories for 2012, and the billionaire CEO of Oracle Corp. continued to make news in 2013 with his plans for Hawaii’s Pineapple Isle. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii County Council bans GMOs, Brower puts down sledgehammer, group wants minimum wage increase, sentencing in police extortion case, keeping the country country, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii County GMO rally (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Efforts underway to raise Hawaii's minimum wage. Last increase in minimum wage 2007. KITV

State Rep. Tom Brower is packing away the sledgehammer he has used through the past few weeks to wreck stolen and abandoned shopping carts homeless people use to carry their belongings. Brower's unusual cart-destroying tactics made national news and sparked a storm of controversy after the Star-Advertiser on Monday first reported his actions.

A bill banning "lying on sidewalks" was shelved by the Honolulu City Council Public Safety and Economic Development Committee today after it became clear it did not have enough support to pass. Star-Advertiser.

Stanley Chang's Bill 59, CD1 was deferred by the Honolulu City Council Committee on Public Safety and Economic Development earlier today. Bill 59, Relating to Public Sidewalks, would have (with a few exceptions) made it illegal to lie down on sidewalks in Honolulu.  Hawaii Independent.

A labor arbitration panel has reached a draft contract with the union that represents 2,000 firefighters statewide, although details are not expected to be made public until the end of the month. Bobby Lee, president of the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, said the union was informed of the draft award Friday. He declined to provide details such as the length of the contract, pending a 15-day review period by the parties, but said he was pleased with the plan. Star-Advertiser.

State agriculture inspectors found slugs in six of 60 shipping containers of Christmas trees arriving over the past weekend in Hawaii and held them. Last year, 50 percent of containers were infested with slugs and other pests. Star-Advertiser.

Russell Kokubun is stepping down from his post as chairman of the state Department of Agriculture to return to his Volcano farm and, to some extent, help friend and former Hawaii Senate colleague Colleen Hanabusa campaign for the U.S. Senate. West Hawaii Today.

Russell Kokubun, director of the state Department of Agriculture, is retiring at the end of the year. The former Hawaii island state senator and county councilman said he will return to his family farm in Volcano. His wife, Anne, an administrator for the state Department of Education, also plans to retire. Star-Advertiser.

Internationally renowned architectural firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners of New York City has been selected along with Honolulu-based Clifford Planning & Architecture to design the Daniel K. Inouye library at the University of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

One or both of Hawaii's two oil refineries are likely to close by 2020 as their already thin profit margins are squeezed further by a shift to renewable energy sources, tougher environmental standards and other factors, members of a state task force warned. Star-Advertiser.

Doctors already contending with reams of paperwork brought on by the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and its 30,000 new pages of rules and regulations say a 2008 federal law set to go into effect next year will compound their misery. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

A government witness who told a federal grand jury that she and retired police Maj. Carlton Nishimura schemed to accept protection money from the operator of an illegal gambling house, recorded herself later telling her lawyer that she lied to the grand jury, then went in front of the grand jury again to say she didn't lie, could be released from custody as early as Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A Honolulu City Council committee is meeting Wednesday to hear a new version of a resolution urging the city to address the sewer problems in Kakaako. Civil Beat.

A group adamant about keeping the country country sought answers from Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell Tuesday night. KHON2.

The co-owner of the Assaggio restaurants said business is continuing as usual despite her husband admitting in federal court last week that he laundered more than $1 million of illegal gambling proceeds through the popular Italian eateries. Star-Advertiser.

The state attorney general is conducting a theft investigation of teachers and staff at the Myron B. Thompson Academy who may have been paid improperly for compensatory time, chief investigator Dan Hanagami told a state judge Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council passed Bill 113 today in a landmark 6-3 vote. The bill restricts the expansion of transgenic crops grown on the Big Island by limiting most of their use to enclosed structures, such as a greenhouse. Tribune-Herald.

Despite opposition from most of Hawaii’s farming industry, the Hawaii County Council passed a bill Tuesday that prohibits biotech companies from operating on the Big Island and bans growing any new genetically altered crops.  Civil Beat.

Maui

Three public hearings are planned this week to collect testimony on proposed rule changes for Maui and Lānaʻi fisheries bag and size limits. The hearings are scheduled at 5:30 p.m. on the following dates and locations: Nov. 19 on Lānaʻi at the Senior Center on 7th Street; Nov. 20 in Hāna at Helene Hall at Hāna Bay Beach Park; and on Nov. 21 in Kahului at the Maui Waena Intermediate School cafeteria on Oneheʻe Avenue. Maui Now.

DT Fleming Beach Park in West Maui was closed at around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, following the discovery of possible unexploded ordnance offshore. Maui Now.

Tommy Russo has a nose for bullshit. Political malfeasance? Animal cruelty? Police corruption? Environmental hazards? The Maui Time publisher and his shoestring staff routinely sniff out stuff people in power don’t want discovered — and then air it out in the alternative weekly Russo founded in 1997. Civil Beat.

Kauai

To an untrained eye, it can appear to look like just a pile of rocks. But the structures signify much more than that. Garden Island.

Hawaii restaurant inspections changing, race rises as campaign issue in Schatz-Hanabusa campaign, UH mulls building slowdown, Honolulu rail budget approved, Waikiki sand replaced, sharks' value touted, fishing rules protested, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ala Moana food court (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Green, yellow and red may soon apply to more than traffic lights. Those colors would telegraph how a restaurant or other food establishment fared in its most recent safety inspection, according to changes being proposed by the state Department of Health. West Hawaii Today.


The state is piloting a free laptop rental program that’s already available at 36 public libraries across Hawaii.  The netbooks, which can be rented out by any library cardholder for three weeks at a time, are equipped with broadband capacities and don’t need to have access to WiFi to connect to the internet. Civil Beat.

Brian Schatz: Ideology, Not Ethnicity, Will Win Hawaii Senate Race. Civil Beat.

A memo from U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz’s campaign is touting him as a progressive candidate who can win the Democratic primary for Hawaii’s senate race “regardless of ethnicity.” Associated Press.

The University of Hawaii is considering halting new construction projects across the university system until it can rein in a repair and maintenance backlog that has ballooned to nearly a half-billion dollars. The idea was presented at Thursday's Board of Regents meeting by Regent Benjamin Kudo, who said an "interim self-imposed moratorium" on new construction would give the board breathing room to address the needed repairs. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii’s controversial plans to develop a $27.5 million center dedicated to the late Sen. Daniel Inouye are being stalled because the UH administration now wants to ask the Legislature for just $5 million for the project — not $15 million as originally pencilled out in the university’s supplemental budget proposal. Civil Beat.

Deferring to the wishes of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye's family and addressing transparency concerns, the University of Hawaii is slowing the process for pursuing a planned center to house his congressional papers and has dramatically cut the state funding it is initially requesting for the project. The university's Board of Regents on Thursday approved seeking $5 million in state bond financing as a way to demonstrate UH's commitment to the project — a commitment that proponents said was needed to help in efforts to raise more private funds. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's Public Records: Can We Talk About This? Civil Beat.

State Department of Health officials in the past week have identified five more cases of liver damage that could have been caused by consuming a dietary supplement — bringing the current total to 34. Star-Advertiser.


Oahu

Board members overseeing the city's rail project Thursday approved its largest capital budget yet, clearing rail officials to sign $1.56 billion in contracts in the coming fiscal year to build the project. The move comes after construction resumed in September on the 20-mile elevated rail system — the largest public works project in Hono­lulu's history. Star-Advertiser.

Companies that use pipelines in Hawaii’s harbors will face intensified scrutiny after a massive molasses spill killed tens of thousands of fish and other marine life. Civil Beat.

Crews have replaced sand that eroded away from a spot at Waikiki Beach. Bulldozers and other equipment were brought in for the Thursday night project, timed to coincide with a very low tide. Hawaii News Now.

Major repair work is just about to begin on one of the most popular beaches in the world. Crews are about to fix the erosion at Kuhio Beach in Waikiki. But it's just one of many beaches across the state facing this problem. KHON2.

A federal judge sentenced retired Honolulu police Maj. Carlton Nishimura to eight months in jail Thursday for lying to the FBI and filing a false 2005 income tax return. Nishimura had also been charged with extortion conspiracy and drug promotion. Nishimura was indicted in February 2011 by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring to accept bribes from illegal gambling operators in exchange for steering officers away from the gaming rooms. Star-Advertiser.

Residential electric rates rose on Oahu in October from September, tracking an increase in the cost of fuel and power bought from independent producers, Hawaiian Electric Co. reported Thursday. Rates also increased in October on all other islands. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A recently published study by University of Toronto researchers links the number of sharks on a reef to the reef’s health, with more sharks indicating a healthier reef. The proposed West Hawaii fisheries rules package, still awaiting Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s signature, included provisions to protect nine species of inshore sharks and rays, as well as two invertebrate crown-of-thorns predators. West Hawaii Today.

Administrators are hoping that by scaling back plans for the proposed Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy building, they may render the project more palatable to state legislators. Tribune-Herald.

West Hawaii travelers will have another flying option come next summer. Hawaiian Airlines announced Thursday that it will begin its first-ever nonstop service between Kona International Airport and Los Angeles in response to growing demand during summer’s peak travel time. West Hawaii Today.

The former owners of Nihon Restaurant have filed suit against the owner of Hilo Bay Café, who plans to reopen her popular restaurant soon at the Lihiwai Street location overlooking Hilo Bay once occupied by Nihon. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Proposed limits for Maui and Lanai fisheries on popular near-shore fish are drawing criticism from those who argue that the rules would disrupt Native Hawaiian cultural traditions. A community meeting organized by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to explain the proposals drew about 100 people to Maui Waena Intermediate School on Wednesday. The changes would involve bag and size limits for fish including goatfish, parrotfish and jacks. Associated Press.

The state is proposing rule changes for Maui and Lanai fisheries that involve new bag and size limits that had members of the local fishing community concerned about what they say is an infringement upon their Native Hawaiian "cultural rights." Maui News.

The Cost of Government Commission is advising the county auditor not to take on the Old Wailuku Post Office demolition controversy, noting that "the public interest" will not be served by a prolonged investigation. Maui News.


Hospice Maui is asking a 2nd Circuit Court judge to throw out a state permit for Islands Hospice to establish a seven-bed, inpatient hospice facility in a Kahului home. Maui News.

Haleakalā National Park on Maui reopened today after being closed for more than two weeks due to the federal lapse in appropriations. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council sent Bill 2491 to the mayor's office for approval.  Under the measure, large agribusinesses would be required to disclose restricted-used pesticides applied in fields and implement buffer zones near schools, homes, medical facilities, public roadways and waterways. Star-Advertiser.

Bill 2491 has made its way to Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s desk. Bill 2491, which affects Kauai’s five heaviest users of restricted use pesticides, will go into effect nine months after it becomes law. Garden Island.

Hawaiian Airlines will offer its first non-stop service between Los Angeles and the islands of Kauai and Hawaii during next summer’s peak travel period. Garden Island.

Kauai’s federal wildlife refuge will open today with the temporary agreement to end the government shutdown in effect since Tuesday. Garden Island.

Molokai

A new documentary produced by Kauai attorney Teresa Tico, FISHING PONO: LIVING IN HARMONY WITH THE SEA tells the story of Native Hawaiians on the island of Molokai who are using traditional conservation methods to restore fisheries in the waters of their island. Hawaii Reporter.

Community members had the chance to tell county officials and representatives Thursday that although Molokai is distinct from other islands in the county, they deserve the equal support in the next Fiscal Year 2015 Maui County budget. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii researchers probe mercury in fish, Deedy jury was leaning to acquittal, health costs climb, special session for gay marriage would cost $25,800, solar may get more pricey, Honolulu has bad drivers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii fishermen (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hawaii and Michigan researchers say they've discovered how large quantities of toxic mercury end up in the fish we eat — and their work suggests that levels will rise in the coming decades. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai'i took an especially hard hit during the recession, and families with children are among those who suffered the most, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. A new report using data from the American Community Survey and Current Population Survey released Tuesday indicates the number of unemployed parents trying to raise a family in Hawai'i skyrocketed by 95% from 2005 to 2011. Hawaii News Now.

Malama Solomon and other members of Hawaii's Senate Water and Land Committee say the state should sue the U.S. Navy for roughly $100 million because it didn’t clean up all the ordnance that it dropped on the small island of Kahoolawe. Civil Beat.

A State Senate Committee conducted a hearing today on the impact of federal cuts on departmental operations and state jurisdiction over Hawaiian waters. Hawaii Public Radio.

Health care costs in Hawaii have grown 6.2 percent annually for nearly the past two decades but are still rising at a slower rate than the national average. Statewide costs rose to an average of $6,856 per person from 1991 to 2009, according to a study due out today by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. That compares to the national average of 6.5 percent and health spending per person of $6,815. Star-Advertiser.

A special session to consider same-sex marriage legislation would cost Hawaii taxpayers about $25,800 — or about 1.9 cents for each of the 1.39 million men, women and children in the state. That cost estimate, provided to Civil Beat from state House Chief Clerk Brian Takeshita, assumes that a session would last just five days. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Hawaii Democratic Party and numerous special interest groups are pushing lawmakers to hold a special session to legalize gay marriage. The governor, a long time proponent of gay marriage, can call lawmakers into session, but first wants to ensure he has the votes. Hawaii Reporter.

A proposed rule change that would allow only licensed electricians to install solar photovoltaic panels may increase the cost of installations in Hawaii and limit the number of companies that install projects, according to several sources within the solar PV industry. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for August 28. Associated Press.

Oahu
Honolulu is among the worst when it comes to safe driving, ranked at 128 of 200 cities in Allstate America's Best Drivers Report. Island drivers aren't as bad as those in New York; Oakland, Calif.; New Orleans; Buffalo, N.Y.; Pittsburgh; San Jose, Calif.; Los Angeles; Miami; Dallas; San Francisco; and last-place Washington, D.C., the report shows. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu ranks among the worst cities for road conditions and traffic congestion, but a new study by Allstate Insurance gives Oahu drivers a bad rating as well. Honolulu comes in a No. 128 of 200 U.S. cities in the newly released 2013 “Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report” and is considered one of the least safe cities for drivers. Hawaii Reporter.

People who work in town and drive through Central Oahu to get home can easily easily spend an hour in pau hana traffic. But the State Department of Transportation is working to ease afternoon commute times by creating a PM zipperlane, and the project is about to ramp up. KHON2

About 40 workers within the Athletics Department at the University of Hawaii Manoa campus have been forced to forgo overtime compensation after a memorandum of agreement with the state’s largest public worker union expired June 30. KITV.

A Circuit Court jury reached an impasse at 8-4 in favor of acquitting State Department special agent Christopher Deedy of murdering Kollin Elderts in the 2011 shooting at a Waikiki McDonald’s restaurant, the foreman of the jury said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro was unapologetic Tuesday for how his office handled the Christopher Deedy murder trial that ended Monday in a hung jury. Civil Beat.

Next summer Christopher Deedy will be retried on second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Kollin Elderts. Hawaii News Now.

A protest on behalf of shooting victim Kollin Elderts was held in Waikiki Tuesday. Protesters are angry about the mistrial and believe Christopher Deedy is guilty of murder. KHON2.

Oahu fishermen will get an opportunity to air their concerns before the chairman of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. DLNR Chairman William Aila Jr. will listen to fishermen and answer questions at an informal "talk story" session on Sept. 4. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Hawaii County will pay another $400,000 for a water tank completed in 2004 that hasn’t yet been put into use. West Hawaii Today.

Jessica R. Walsh and Victoria C. Fiore testified in U.S. District Court on Tuesday in a hearing to determine whether the court will allow marijuana advocate Roger Christie and his wife, Sherry­anne, to use the religious defense in their upcoming trial for marijuana possession, distribution, manufacture and conspiracy charges. The trial is scheduled for early October. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island led the way in the state during the first half of 2013 in new car sales, according to the latest Auto Outlook scorecard from the Hawaii Auto Dealers Association. Big Isle new retail light vehicle registrations increased by 16 percent through the end of June this year, compared to the same period last year, when a total of 2,517 new registrations were filed. Tribune-Herald.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources has approved a plan to construct 22 miles of fencing to protect a key watershed in Ka`u from the negative impact of pigs and other ungulates. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa said he believes most shark bites are accidental in nature, and does not personally like the idea of hunting sharks or setting up barrier fences off shore. Maui Now.

Jeff Bagshaw's first visit to Haleakala National Park was a "light bulb experience." On that 1988 hiking and camping trip with his college group from Washington state, he saw more endangered wildlife in three days than he had in months on the mainland. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

After months of searching, Kauai County officials are still looking for a vendor to set up shop in a vacant Wailua Golf Course clubhouse concession area. “The county has not received any bids on the operation of the Wailua Golf Course restaurant to date,” County of Kauai spokeswoman Mary Daubert said in an e-mail. “Our hope is to find an operator and get the concession running as soon as possible.” Garden Island.

For the second time in a week, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard returned to the Garden Isle Tuesday, with a jam-packed schedule. Garden Island.

A juvenile Hawaiian green sea turtle found entangled in a fishing line or netting off Kauai's north shore was euthanized Monday after it suffered irreparable damage to its flippers. Star-Advertiser.

A coalition of 35 volunteers removed more than 1,500 pounds of marine debris from Hanamaulu Beach on Saturday. Garden Island.

Hawaii to lose money on Superferry docks, Honolulu faces property tax hike, Hawaiian Airlines starts nonstop Taiwan flights, federal agent trial begins, ahi decline, Big Island council busts travel budget, Maui pushes solar, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Superferry dock on Oahu (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The last of the controversial Hawaii Superferry project will be auctioned off next week in an online auction whose starting bid of $250,000 for barges and ramps at harbors in Honolulu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island is a fraction of the $40 million the state of Hawaii spent to build them. Pacific Business News.

Hawaiian Airlines became the only U.S. carrier offering nonstop service between Hawaii and Taiwan early this morning when it took off from Honolulu to the capital city of Taipei. Gov. Neil Abercrombie was among the passengers on the scheduled 1:55 a.m. flight that state tourism officials hope will lead to a jump in visitors from Taiwan to Hawaii. Other dignitaries on the flight included the governor’s chief of staff, Bruce Coppa; and V.C. Chu, director general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

More mahimahi may end up on your plate than ahi if the forecast made in a recent study holds true. Longline fishermen are reducing the amount of bigeye tuna, marlin and other large fish in the Pacific, according to a paper by NOAA scientists Jeffrey Polovina and Phoebe Woodworth-Jefcoats. Civil Beat.

Department of Defense sequestration furloughs took hold this week, forcing more than 16,000 civilian workers in Hawaii to start taking a day off without pay. Star-Advertiser.

The debate about genetically altered seeds and biotech has moved from picket lines at the state Capitol to heated public hearings on the Big Island and Kauai. Both county councils are debating bills that could have far-reaching impacts on Hawaii’s agribusiness and farming industries after state legislation requiring labels on imported GMO foods failed to pass this session. Civil Beat.

Families with students in public schools will be able to earn a little more and still qualify for free or reduced school meals, Department of Education officials say. The department recently released the revised income eligibility guidelines for the program, which subsidizes the costs of school meals. West Hawaii Today.

Projects for federal preservation program sought. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Faced with mounting bills for city worker raises, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is looking to increase some property taxes and city fees. Hawaii News Now.

A Honolulu police officer testified Monday that State Department special agent Christopher Deedy smelled of alcohol, had glassy eyes, slurred his speech and had a hard time balancing himself after the 2011 fatal shooting of a Kailua man at a McDonald's restaurant in Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

A federal agent was fueled by alcohol, a sense of authority and a friend’s warning about hostility of locals when he shot and killed a man in a Waikiki McDonald’s, a prosecutor told jurors Monday. Associated Press.

After a day of opening arguments in the Christopher Deedy murder trial one thing is apparent: much of the case will rest on a choppy surveillance video and the perceptions of jurors. Deedy is a U.S. State Department special agent who was in Honolulu in November 2011 as part of a diplomatic security detail for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Civil Beat.

Before 29 year old Federal Agent Christopher Deedy even walked into court, and before any testimony was given, protestors outside the courthouse already had him pegged as guilty of the murder of Kollin Elderts. Hawaii News Now.

After a nearly four-year search and several pay boosts, the city announced Monday it has finally hired a new chief medical examiner. Dr. Christopher B. Happy, a forensic pathologist, is expected to take the helm of the city Medical Examiner's Office in several months, once he's licensed to practice medicine in Hawaii and confirmed by the Hono­lulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

A hospital and clinics, commissaries, and even a beach. Those are just some of the Oahu facilities affected by Department of Defense furloughs that began on Monday. KHON2.

It could be just a blip — or a sign of more to come — but Oahu's housing market got within a hair of breaking a price record in June.  Honolulu Board of Realtors report released Monday showed that buyers paid a median $677,250 for single-family houses on the island last month, just 1 percent shy of the peak for any month set in June 2007 at $685,000. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu is likely to continue to get "extreme" doses of ultraviolet radiation from the sun over the summer months, putting people at high risk for sunburns and increasing long-term risks for developing skin cancers, say weather and medical experts. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi is holding the line on travel. The Hawaii County Council, not so much. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo will sport a shiny new coat of paint after being named a winner of a promotional contest. Representatives from Benjamin Moore & Co. announced that Hilo will join a total of 20 towns across the U.S. and Canada in receiving a paint job free of charge as winners of its Main Street Matters competition. Tribune-Herald.

A state plan to reopen Kulani Correctional Facility cleared an environmental hurdle this week, when the Department of Health’s Office of Environmental Quality Control issued a finding of no significant impact for the project. West Hawaii Today.

Police were called to the Waiakea Intermediate School campus Monday morning after custodial staff found homemade bottle bombs there. State Department of Education spokesman Alex Da Silva said the devices appeared to be soda bottles filled with Mentos candies, while police Lt. Melvin Yamamoto of Hilo Patrol said that police don’t know the chemicals that were in the plastic bottles. Tribune-Herald.

Forest City Hawaii’s mostly affordable 2,330-home planned community on 272 acres in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island has recently begun its first phase, which includes building out roadways and infrastructure, the project’s developer told PBN. Pacific Business News.

Renovations worth $5.8 million are under way at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel. Tribune-Herald.

A Hawaii Island minister in jail for three years on drug charges is treated more like a terrorist than a free-spirited minister whose religious beliefs include the cultivation and use of marijuana, some lawmakers and civil rights advocates say. Hawaii Reporter.

Maui

With a mere 30 solar water heating systems in Hana, a program teaching students how to install the systems and educate them about its benefits could prompt more East Maui residents to invest in alternative energy, with proponents saying that a household could save as much as 40 percent on its electric bill with the systems. Maui News.

It wasn't close to a record, but the median sale price for single-family houses on Maui in June ticked up to its highest point for any month in almost five years. The Realtors Association of Maui issued its June sales report Saturday showing that houses sold for a median $615,000 last month. Star-Advertiser.

After living in the Sea Country subdivision in Maili for about seven years, Melissa Lauer said she's disappointed that the well-utilized, 11-acre city-run park in the center of the community remains mostly unchanged and still lacks restroom facilities. Star-Advertiser.

Mokulele Airlines will begin offering service next week between Kona International Airport on Hawaii island and Kapa­lua Airport on Maui. Star-Advertiser.

A 44-year-old Napili woman died Sunday afternoon as police said Monday she had shot herself at the Ukumehame Firing Range while taking a firearms education safety class. Maui News.

Kauai

A recent spike in burglaries around Kauai seems to be declining, police say, but victims say they fear thieves are spreading into more neighborhoods. Garden Island.

The Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai is getting a new commander this week. Associated Press.

Google Street View captures Hawaii scenery, Honolulu Rail gets $250M, security guard laws take state by surprise, NSA probes reporter, historic preservation still in trouble, spear fishing at issue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Rob Pacheco at Akaka Falls, Google Street View courtesy photo

Hawaii’s volcanoes, rainforests and beaches will soon be visible on Google Street View. Google Inc. said Thursday it was lending its backpack cameras to a Hawaii trail guide company to capture panoramic images of island hiking trails. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau will be using a Google Maps trekker to provide one more way to get visitors to see that the isles mark the spot for their next journey. Star-Advertiser.

As U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye lay dying in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last December, his two closest confidants were given a somber task: Deliver one final letter to Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Civil Beat.

Solar energy has been saving customers hundreds of dollars on their electricity bill, but only for homeowners who can afford thousands of dollars in upfront installation costs. That's about to change. Through green infrastructure financing, residents can apply for state loans to cover the costs of installing rooftop photovoltaic systems or solar water heaters. Customers then repay the loans over time from the energy savings on their electrical bills. Hawaii News Now.

Federal officials previously established a list of 43 criteria that the state agency in charge of protecting Hawaii’s historic and cultural resources had to improve on to avoid being decertified and defunded. A new report from the National Park Service on Thursday found that the state agency had satisfied just nine of the criteria outlined in a two-year "corrective action plan" that was designed to put the State Historic Preservation Division on track. Civil Beat.

A battle is brewing between the state and federal government and it centers on sharks. Three years ago Hawaii was the first government in the world to ban the sale, possession, trade and distribution of shark fins. But now a federal rule threatens to supersede that law which local lawmakers and advocates aren't happy about. Hawaii News Now.

The law was passed nearly three years ago, but new licensing requirements for security guards are still catching many by surprise. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has been flooded with applications, which began arriving by the hundreds in late March. KITV4.

Three more cases of hepatitis A in Hawaii have been linked to a recalled Townsend Farms frozen organic berry mix that caused a multistate outbreak of the illness, bringing the isle total to seven cases. Star-Advertiser.

According to data from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, there are about 153 Hawaiian monk seals left in the eight main Hawaiian Islands and a little over 900 in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Civil Beat.

State roundup for June 28. Associated Press.

Oahu

Federal lawmakers agreed Thursday to give Honolulu's planned rail project its full $250 million funding share for 2014 — the single largest grant for any new startup project in the nation, officials say. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Police Department officers upset over one captain's attempts to check up on them led to an outbreak of the "blue flu" Monday night, when about half the officers in East Honolulu's District 7 called in sick, sources said. Hawaii News Now.

The long-delayed update to the Ewa Development Plan was approved unanimously by the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee on Thursday, positioning it for a final vote of the full Council in the weeks ahead. Star-Advertiser.

Reporter's Diary: How I Got Probed at the NSA. Civil Beat.

When Paul Groesbeck became executive director of the Life Foundation in 1992, the HIV and AIDS treatment and prevention organization was working with 306 patients — and a year later about 100 of them had died. Star-Advertiser.

City crews uncovered a possible sinkhole in the Kaimuki area Thursday night. It’s on Saint Louis Drive next to City Mill. KHON2.

Hawaiian Telcom, Inc. said Thursday that it has sold a three-acre portion of its 10-acre baseyard in Mapunapuna on Oahu to Honolulu-based Wasa Electrical Services Inc. for about $13.9 million. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources will consider strengthening fishery regulations off the Kona Coast when it meets today. The board is scheduled to discuss and vote on several proposed rules, including ones that would ban spear­fishing by fishermen diving with the aid of scuba gear and limit the collecting of fish for aquariums to a list of 40 species. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources will consider strengthening fishery regulations in waters off the Big Island’s western coast when it meets on Friday. The board is scheduled to discuss and vote on several proposed rules, including ones that would that would ban spearfishing by fishermen diving with the aid of scuba gear and limit aquarium fish collecting to a list of 40 species. Associated Press.

Hawaii County has purchased additional air monitors for the Fire Department to help detect the release of hydrogen sulfide at Puna Geothermal Venture. Tribune-Herald.

A “stakeholders” task force to recommend ways to make the Hawaii County property tax system more fair has become mired in controversy even before it has been formed. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island farmers and ranchers plan to rally in opposition of Bill 79 today at 2 p.m. in front of the county building in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council members began to untangle Wednesday financing arrangements that enabled Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center to provide low-income housing but also left taxpayers with millions of dollars in unpaid loans.Maui News.

The animal rights organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, also known as PETA, has filed a lawsuit in US District Court against the USDA, that includes implication of the East Maui Animal Refuge in Haʻikū, an announcement said. The suit claims the USDA allegedly failed to protect birds covered by the federal Animal Welfare Act. Maui Now.

The embattled Wailuku Main Street Association Inc./Tri-Isle Main Street Resource Center soon may be dissolved following a motion filed Tuesday in 2nd Circuit Court by the state Attorney General's Office. Maui News.

Verdict on reopened pool: warm and wonderful. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council unanimously voted to move forward a bill that would allow the county to govern the use of pesticides and genetically modified organisms on the island. Garden Island.

Kauai County is preparing for a large crowd at a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to strictly regulate pesticide use by large farms. The County Council voted 7-0 Wednesday night to pass Bill 2491 on its first reading. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would increase license fees for dogs met strong opposition from hunters Wednesday. Garden Island.

Hawaii fishermen lament development, new law gives beekeepers a break, Abercrombie praises Ellison, Tesoro sale saves jobs, pro-rail group snags Inouye aide, Dems file suit over primary, Kauai mulls raises, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii shore fishermen (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hawaii fishermen asked policymakers to address how runoff caused by land development harms reefs, fisheries and oceans when they consider how to cope with the effects of climate change. Associated Press.

The Democratic Party of Hawaii filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court challenging the state's open primary system as an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment right to free association. Star-Advertiser.

It’s a honey of a bill for local beekeepers. Starting today, small beekeepers can produce up to 500 gallons of honey a year and sell it to retail establishments, as well as directly to the consumer, without having to get a Department of Health permit or use a certified kitchen. West Hawaii Today.

The state has made it easier for at-home honey producers to package and sell their product, enacting a law that exempts small operators from obtaining a Department of Health permit if they sell fewer than 500 gallons of honey per year. Star-Advertiser.

Sweet! A new law will make room on supermarket shelves for locally produced honey. Garden Island.

Governor Neil Abercrombie signed a proclamation to designate Pollinator Week and a related piece of legislation into law today to bolster the honeybee industry in Hawai’i. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission is many things: underfunded, understaffed, ineffectual, indecisive and absolutely essential. The commission marks its 100th anniversary this year at one of the most critical times in its existence. Civil Beat.

With air travel vital for getting between the islands, local airline officials and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz are pushing to give many interisland commuters new options to zip through airport security. Star-Advertiser.

Today, the Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) announced it has unanimously endorsed Brian Schatz for United States Senate in 2014. HGEA joins a fast-growing list of grassroots organizations, now totaling 24, supporting Schatz’s candidacy. Hawaii Independent.

Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui has received the endorsements of the Ironworkers Union Local 625 and Sheet Metal Union Local 293 as he seeks re-election in 2014. Maui News.

Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, who died last year, was posthumously awarded the U.S. Army Pacific Mana O Ke Koa “Spirit of the Warrior” award during the U.S. Army Pacific’s birthday commemoration ceremony Friday. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for June 18. Associated Press.

Oahu

The non-profit pro-rail group Move Oahu Forward, whose job is to galvanize support for the 20-mile elevated rail line, has just named Inouye’s former chief of staff, Jennifer Sabas, as its new executive director. The group played a lead role in promoting rail during the 2012 mayoral election. Civil Beat.

Tesoro's Corp.'s 18-month quest to find a buyer for its Kapolei oil refinery finally paid off with the company announcing Monday that it will sell the facility and preserve at least 165 jobs that were scheduled to be eliminated. Star-Advertiser.

Tesoro Corp. said Monday that it has signed an agreement to sell Tesoro Hawaii, LLC, which operates the 94,000 barrel-per-day Kapolei refinery as well as dozens of retail gas stations to a subsidiary of Texas-based Par Petroleum Corp. called called Hawaii Pacific Energy LLC for close to $400 million. Pacific Business News.

The city of Honolulu's Department of Community Services is holding a series of mandatory workshops to ensure nonprofit groups who receive taxpayer grants know exactly what's expected of them as well as the paperwork involved. KITV4.

Farrington auditorium rebuild will go out to bid by year's end. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

A bill before the Hawaii County Council to restrict the use of genetically modified crops will be the subject of a meeting next week held by GMO Free Hawaii Island. Tribune-Herald.

The lava rocks on this narrow, irregular pathway are hundreds of years old and are part of the 175-mile Ala Kahakai, “trail by the sea,” that linked communities, temples, fishing areas and other important locations along Hawaii Island’s western coast. West Hawaii Today.

Volunteers with the Volcano Community Association and Cooper Center Council invite folks of all ages and locales to join in the village’s annual Fourth of July celebration. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

‘The steals are gone’: Real estate market improving. Maui News.

A council committee today recommended a formal investigation into the potential misuse of county funds for the demolition of the Old Wailuku Post Office. Maui Now.

Kauai

In its first meeting of 2013, the Kauai Salary Commission got a short message Monday from Boards and Commissions Administrator Paula Morikami: Get ready to discuss potential pay raises for elected and appointed officials. Garden Island.

More than two hours into a passionate discussion, the Kauai County Council by a 4-3 vote deferred for 90 days a resolution to prompt an investigation into the handling of non-conforming use permits for transient vacation rentals operating outside visitor destination areas. Garden Island.

Molokai

Hawaiian Airlines is now hiring Molokai personnel for its new flight service, `Ohana by Hawaiian, which will serve Molokai and Lanai later this year. Positions will include part time ramp service clerk/agents and a full time supervisor for ramp and passenger services. No start date for launching the new service has been released by Hawaiian, but Worldwide Flight Services, handling Molokai hiring, announced the local positions would tentatively start in mid-August. Molokai Dispatch.

The Molokai Community Health Center is in the midst of transforming its facility to better serve the Friendly Isle’s underserved populations as it nears the end of a three-phase, $8.5 million capital campaign. Pacific Business News.
Lanai

A year after software billionaire Larry Ellison purchased the island of Lanai, Gov. Neil Abercrombie praised what he called Ellison's "very successful" first year as owner of the former Pineapple Island. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu rail agency could run theBus, Legislature gears up for week of votes, bonds could pay for solar panels, Kauai landfill problems mount, airport becomes beach park for Kona, sequestration contingency in budget, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu bus system (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

With rail construction slated to resume later this year, city officials will soon have to decide how they want to manage Oahu's 100 or so bus routes with its future 20-mile elevated train stretching from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers are gearing up for a marathon of voting this week as they figure out which of the session’s remaining initiatives merit further debate. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Legislature included a $25 million sequestration contingency fund in the budget. It’s not enough to cover up to $45 million in direct federal grants that are at risk, but it would dampen the blow. Civil Beat.

State House lawmakers are growing uncomfortable with a bill that would allow the state to conduct phased reviews of the impact of construction projects on burials or other historic property. Star-Advertiser.

Less than six months after the 2012 elections, Hawaii's 2014 political season is already under way. Civil Beat.

Bonds might fund solar gear. The state urges loans for PV installations that borrowers could repay via electric bills. Star-Advertiser.

State and federal officials are on the alert for a new bird flu virus that has infected at least 14 people and killed six in China after they suffered severe respiratory illnesses. Star-Advertiser.

Two Hawaii-based fighter squadrons that fly F-22 Raptor fighter jets are combat capable and able to deploy all of their aircraft in any contingency, Hawaii Air National Guard officials announced Sunday. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for April 8. Associated Press.

Oahu

Less than a year after launching nonstop flights between Washington D.C. and Honolulu, United Airlines has decided to cut the daily service back to once a week at the end of the summer. Hawaii News Now.

Walmart Stores Inc. said Friday that it has purchased the 80,000-square-foot former Macy’s department store and parking garage in Downtown Honolulu and plans to open a Walmart store there next year. Pacific Business News.

In the nearly two years since a blast ripped through a Waikele storage bunker and killed five men, many remembrances have been left at the site. On Sunday, the day before the second anniversary of the explosion, the family of one of the men came to leave more flowers in tribute. Hawaii News Now.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced the winners of the lion cubs naming contest and revealed the cubs’ new names on Saturday. KHON2.

Hawaii

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi wants to finish the first phase of Old Kona Airport Park improvements before he leaves office in 2016, but county officials don’t yet know how much that will cost — or even what will be built. West Hawaii Today.

Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui told the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce that his Maui background gives him broad insight to the concerns of Neighbor Island residents. Tribune-Herald.

The Department of Water Supply expects the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates fill station to remain open through 7 p.m. Sunday. West Hawaii Today.

Residential real estate sales volume rose 30 percent on the Big Island in March, according to the MLS Database compiled by the Hawaii Information Service. Sales volume stood at $54.8 million in March 2012, but reached $71.1 million in March 2013. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

An average household on Maui could see its water fees based on usage rise by at least $4.37 a month under a worst-case scenario in a declared emergency water shortage, according to a rate structure proposed by Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration. Maui News.

Maui Island food product owners agree that they have a good brand base because the Maui name is known worldwide. On the downside, owners have to bear the higher cost of doing business in the middle of the Pacific. Maui News.

With a month of experience under her belt, things are coming naturally to Haleakala National Park's new superintendent. Maui News.

Kauai

Liability in county settlements and foreclosures due to unpaid property taxes were just two of the topics scrutinized Friday by Kaua‘i County Council members during the ongoing review of Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s proposed budget for FY 2014, which starts July 1. Garden Island.

The private consultants tasked with figuring out how to fit more trash in and around Kekaha Landfill are saying the state Department of Health came up with additional concerns late in the game, prompting Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. to propose a vertical expansion and postpone a lateral one for the island’s only landfill. Garden Island.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz visited Kaua‘i Friday as part of a neighbor island tour he launched earlier in the week to speak with constituents about issues facing Hawai‘i. Garden Island.

The developer of the 46,800-square-foot Kilauea Lighthouse Village shopping center, approved to be across the street from Kong Lung Center, expects to break ground in August, and the project could be finished in about 14 months. Garden Island.

Molokai

Traditional fishing practices along Molokai’s north shore could soon be supported by law if a new proposal is approved by the state. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii Tourism Authority predicts record year for tourists, teachers and state agree to mediation, marijuana advocates aim for respectability, pidgin taught in schools, military warn Legislature about budget cuts, $10M fairground coming to Kakaako, former Kauai lawmaker in court over rock removal, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Polynesian Cultural Center (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Tourism Authority expects a record 8.5 million visitors will come and spend $15.8 billion in 2013, according to new projections released Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is unlikely to see growth in visitors from China like it did in 2012. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority highlighted the importance of the state’s meetings, conventions and incentives business, particularly to be held at the Hawaii Convention Center, during its 2013 spring marketing update on Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association and the state have agreed to enter into mediation talks to help reach a new contract agreement for public school teachers. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Department of Education doesn't have a policy governing the use of Pidgin in the classroom, leaving it up to teachers to decide how to approach Pidgin. Civil Beat.

The Army, Navy, Marines, Hawaii National Guard and business leaders laid out for state lawmakers Wednesday the harmful effects sequestration and other budget cuts could have on a U.S. military that pumped $14.7 billion into the local economy in 2011 and accounted for more than 102,000 jobs. Star-Advertiser.

Military leaders and contractors say automatic federal spending cuts will have a snowball effect on Hawaii businesses and taxpayers. Associated Press.

New Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard broke ranks with Democratic leaders on Wednesday, voting for a House Republican budget proposal that authorizes funding for the rest of the fiscal year but leaves large sequestration cuts in place for now. Civil Beat.

Marijuana advocates in Hawai’i have announced the launch of two statewide coalitions to support the reform of local marijuana laws. Maui Now.

Lightening Up On Cannabis. The changing landscape of marijuana laws. Honolulu Weekly.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources has obtained the state procurement officer’s approval to purchase a herbicide that can target remote stands of Australian tree ferns, kahili ginger, and banana poka. What makes it even more unusual is the method of delivery: paintballs, shot from airguns by marksmen in helicopters or on the ground. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s longline fishing industry could lose the right to fish for tuna in a large swath of ocean south of the islands under new federal rules limiting the number of accidental catches that kill or seriously injure false killer whales. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The Hawaii Community Development Authority's board of directors Wednesday approved a proposal for a year-round fairground in Kakaako with go-kart racing, a zip line, indoor skydiving and a surfing wave pool. Star-Advertiser.

An amusement park between downtown Honolulu and Waikiki is one step closer to becoming a reality … as the Hawai’i Community Development Authority approved the project’s permit application. Hawaii Public Radio.

FACT CHECK — Pine: Leeward Coast Has Longest Commute Times. Mostly True. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii is launching a new first-in-the world master of public health program concentrating in Native Hawaiian and Indigenous people, as its public health office takes steps to become a stand-alone school once again. Hawaii News Now.

More than 200 members of the union representing Kaiser Permanente Hawaii workers rallied Wednesday across the street from its Honolulu Clinic to protest the elimination of jobs. Star-Advertiser.

Japanese-American soldiers who fought in the Pacific and Europe during World War II will be honored over the next six weeks in a special Congressional Gold Medal exhibit and series of panel discussions beginning Saturday at Bishop Museum. Star-Advertiser.

Tenants at the Ala Wai Boat Harbor are in an uproar over the temporary shutdown of its only fueling dock. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

New clerk positions on both sides of the island are aimed at reducing wait times for people seeking to obtain or renew driver’s licenses, state identification cards and vehicle registrations. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is working to have Japan Airlines fly 10 flights from Tokyo’s Narita airport to Kailua-Kona this summer in hopes strong ticket sales will lead the carrier to restore regularly scheduled service to the Big Island, an official said Wednesday. Associated Press.

Bills supporting the privatization of Hawaii public hospitals on Hawaii Island and Maui continue to advance in the Legislature, making it through the halfway point in the session on Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Police Department is keeping the South Kona Police Station on the books with requests for nearly $6 million in general obligation bonds through 2015. West Hawaii Today.

Old Kona Airport Park users may soon have more places to escape the glaring sun and heat. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The saga of the troubled Montana Beach house is continuing, but perhaps there's an end in sight. Maui News.

Central Maui’s first leash-free dog park will officially open on Saturday, March 16 at Keopuolani Park in Kahului. Maui Now.

Kauai

The theft charge against former state Rep. Roland Sagum III, accused of taking rocks from an archaeological site on Kauai, stems from some misunderstandings, according to his attorney. Star-Advertiser.

The attorney representing former state Rep. Roland Sagum said he believes the rock-theft charges against his client are based on “some misunderstandings,” and Sagum would plead not guilty at his arraignment in 5th Circuit Court today. Garden Island.

A former Kauai politician will head to court Thursday to answer charges of disturbing and damaging a historic Native Hawaiian site. KITV4.

The County of Kaua‘i has given Serge and Jennifer Marcil the green light to move forward with producing a reality TV series about the Kaua‘i Junior Lifeguards program. Garden Island.