Hawaii's new tourism brand: 'safest place in the world,' airport arrivals triple, thousands wait hours in Oahu food line, Kauai goes to 4-day workweeks, taxing the rich, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii beach scene ©2020 All Hawaii News

Plans in the works to market Hawaii as the ‘safest place in the world’. Most Hawaii businesses remain closed and the stay-home orders have not yet been lifted, but plans are already in the works to begin marketing the state to tourists as the safest place on earth. Star-Advertiser.

Senate committee wants passenger quarantine improved and scaled up to accommodate rising visitors. The Senate Special Committee on COVID-19 today criticized loopholes in the mandatory passenger quarantine and said they want them sealed before visitor counts to Hawaii begin rising again. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Officials Mull Further Restrictions On Tourists, But Data Show Most Virus Cases Are Residents. Data from the Hawaii Department of Health show that most confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the islands are local residents. But some legislators are calling for increased quarantine restrictions on visitors. Hawaii Public Radio.

Airport arrivals triple in May, says state. Senators fear a resurgence of the coronavirus in Hawaii, citing lax airport visitor screenings and inconsistent quarantine enforcement. KITV4.

Airports official criticized over quarantine enforcement failures. An official tasked with overseeing the arrival of passengers at Hawaii’s airports was raked over the coals Thursday by members of the state Senate’s Special Committee on COVID-19. Tribune-Herald.

COVID-19 Monitoring Could Turn Hawaii Into A Tourist ‘Prison Camp,’ Critics Say. Among the possibilities state Attorney General Clare Connors has floated for monitoring tourists in quarantine are ankle bracelets and GPS monitoring. Civil Beat.

Mid-week visitor count moves higher, but out-of-state passenger trend remains low. Wednesday brought one of the highest counts of out-of-state visitor arrivals into the state since tourism lockdowns began in mid-March. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines adding one daily flight between Seattle, Honolulu. When people are ready to travel again, we wanted to know what airlines are doing to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus. KHON2.

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Hawaii Lawmakers Are Trying To Figure Out How To Get Back Into Session. If details on social distancing and constitutionality can be worked out, the Hawaii Legislature could meet this month. Civil Beat.

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Clinical Labs of Hawaii ramps up antibody testing to further understanding of coronavirus. Clinical Labs of Hawaii started coronavirus antibody testing Thursday and is partnering with Hawaii Pacific Health which will start testing its employees Friday for free. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Pacific Health to begin coronavirus antibody testing for its employees. Hawaii Pacific Health will begin coronavirus antibody testing for 7,200 employees to assess the level of infection in the health care workforce. Star-Advertiser.

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No Quick Recovery, Say Hawai‘i’s Business Leaders. BOSS Survey of 404 local executives asks about Hawai‘i’s economic recovery, expected changes within their companies, the challenges of working from home, how they’ve adjusted their personal habits and more. Hawaii Business Magazine.

Eateries look to reopen dine-in areas with strict social distancing, hygiene practices. Lt. Gov. Josh Green said he wants to see restaurants open their dining rooms by the end of May. Hawaii News Now.

Federal help for independent contractors, gig workers in Hawaii still weeks away. The state has already received more than 7,500 unemployment claims from independent contractors since a state web portal was launched Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

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Judges have released more than 500 Hawaii inmates during pandemic. More than 500 Hawaii inmates have been released early by state judges in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report by a court-appointed special master. Hawaii News Now.

Hundreds of Hawaii inmates freed from overcrowded facilities to limit exposure to COVID-19. More than 650 inmates at Hawaii’s correctional centers have been released since March in the ongoing effort to reduce crowding in jails and prisons and to limit inmates’ exposure to COVID-19. Star-Advertiser.

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Information Lockdown At Hawaii Labor Department Stymies Coronavirus Stories. Civil Beat tried to pursue stories about workers in unsafe conditions or denied workers’ compensation claims, but the state labor department says it’s too busy to answer questions. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige to step back from blanket suspension of open meetings law. State attorneys are working on language that would restore at least some portions of the Sunshine Law that requires government meetings to be public, a law that was suspended as part of an emergency proclamation issued by Gov. David Ige in mid-March to lessen the spread of the new coronavirus. Star-Advertiser.

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Hawaii coronavirus cases rise by 5 to 618. Hawaii’s tally of coronavirus cases has risen to 618, up five from Wednesday, the state Department of Health announced today. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii DOH Reports 5 New COVID-19 Cases. New infections were reported on the Big Island and Maui on Thursday. Civil Beat.

Public school round up: budget cuts and support for homeless students. Administrators looking at where it can cut from the budget; also considering buying buses to deliver supplies to homeless children. KITV4.

Walmart workers in Hawaii receive a total of $380K in bonuses. To give back in this time of uncertainty, one big box store is saying thank you to their employees in a big way. Walmart says associates in Hawaii received a bonus in their paychecks Thursday, which adding up to $380,000 statewide. KITV4.

No trims, no dyes, no perms for over a month. Under the state’s phased reopening plan, salons will be among the last to reopen. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

‘Mind-blowing': Advocates say huge turnout for food distribution underscores scope of need. In a startling display of the scope of need on Oahu, thousands turned out Thursday to get free food at the first of a series of distribution events aimed at helping laid off workers. Hawaii News Now.

Thousands wait in line for food distribution. Thousands of Oahu residents lined up for free groceries Thursday — many enduring a 2-mile line of cars and a four-hour wait — in one of the most dramatic examples of economic suffering brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Star-Advertiser.

Thousands of people wait in line for hours for food on Oahu. Thousands of Oahu residents waited in long lines for hours on Thursday for 50 pounds of food provided by the City and County of Honolulu, the Bank of Hawaii Foundation, Hawaii Community Foundation and the Hawaii Foodbank. KHON2.

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The job of leading the City’s proposed COVID-19 testing program has been reassigned. The job of leading the City’s proposed COVID-19 testing program has been reassigned after the department director who had been spearheading the initiative was placed on paid leave. KHON2.

Select businesses allowed to reopen in first steps toward reopening economy.  Oahu is dipping a toe into efforts to reopen Hawaii’s economy. Hawaii News Now.

Some businesses on Oahu allowed to reopen under mayor’s recovery plan. One of the services allowed to re-open is automated car washes. KITV4.

Waipahu woman released due to pandemic is now back in custody for a carjacking. She was among the hundreds of Hawaii inmates released early due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

County mulls extra property tax on the rich: Revenues sought as COVID-19 cripples budget. Both County Council Chairman Aaron Chung and Mayor Harry Kim said Thursday they’re considering an additional tax for residences where the building plus land is valued at more than $1.5 million or $2 million. West Hawaii Today.

West Hawaii’s lawmakers set blueprint for reopening. The process to reopen Hawaii has officially begun. On Wednesday night, nine of West Hawaii’s leaders held a virtual town hall laying out the plan for opening the state following its closure due to the COVID-19 outbreak. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo jail population down 160 inmates due to court order. The inmate population at Hawaii Community Correctional Center continues to shrink as a result of an order by the Hawaii Supreme Court to reduce populations in the state’s jails and prisons to help prevent a COVID-19 outbreak in those facilities. Tribune-Herald.

Despite pandemic, Big Island real estate market fairly stable. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic affects industries worldwide, real estate activity on the Big Island remains relatively steady. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Parks for limited use, golf courses to reopen Friday. Face masks required when in public. Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino announced Wednesday afternoon the first round of reopenings, starting with some beach and inland parks and golf courses at 7 a.m. Friday. Maui News.

Texas visitor disobeys quarantine order several times. Houston man is arrested; opts to leave voluntarily. Maui News.

Speeding Citations Up 92% Since Start of Maui’s Stay-at-Home Order. Speeding citations on Maui are up 92% since the start of Maui’s stay-at-home order was implemented on March 20, 2020.  The data covers a five-and-a-half week period through April 29, 2020. Maui Now.

35-MW wind farm is proposed in Ulupalakua. Auwahi 2 would sit next to sister project on ranch land. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai County is giving the 4-day work week a try. Starting next week Monday, some 400 county workers will have Fridays off. Their pay is not being cut. Hawaii News Now.

Not a furlough; Kauai County will test out a four-day work week. Kauai County Mayor Derek Kawakami implemented a schedule change for county employees. KHON2.

Small businesses slowly readying for reopen. Slowly businesses are gearing up to open their doors after county and state officials have announced they’re starting to loosen up their restrictions and emergency rules. Garden Island.

Gov. Ige seeks to double food production by 2020, homelessness as medical condition, Honolulu bill would strengthen plastic bag ban, state could tighten drunk driving laws, activists plan march on Zuckerberg property, Kim injury keeps him from important hearing, Rep. Ing pleads no contest to citation, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hilo Farmers Market © 2017 All Hawaii News

BREAKING: Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan: 'We are dropping our quiet title actions' Garden Island.

Money Sought To Protect Watersheds And Grow More Food. Hawaii Gov. David Ige joins department heads asking legislators to approve funds for his Sustainable Hawaii Initiative. Civil Beat.

Doubling Hawaii's local food production by 2020 is one of Governor Ige's marquee promises, and the state's Department of Agriculture is tasked with making it become a reality. But with the deadline just three years away, many are asking whether that number is still realistic. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority is considering measures to increase public transparency in the wake of criticism from the visitor industry and state lawmakers that it isn’t forthcoming about how it spends tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to market the islands. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii bill would classify homelessness as medical condition. Associated Press.

Measures Aim To Help Domestic Violence Victims Get Help. The Hawaii Women’s Legislative Caucus is also backing bills to ensure access to health care and to keep kids safe. Civil Beat.

The chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Energy said Thursday she would not consider bills about Hawaiian Electric Co. if the utility was not included in the process. Star-Advertiser.

The state is looking into tightening drunk driving laws. Right now, the legal limit is 0.08, but an effort is underway to lower that threshold to 0.05. KHON2.

State Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald says lawmakers have advanced some troubling bills in recent years to make dramatic changes in the selection, retention and pensions of state judges but that he doesn’t know if the measures were designed to convey some message of disapproval to the state Judiciary. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii public schools look to lessen food waste. Hawaii News Now.

A proposal to put Office of Hawaiian Affairs CEO Kamana‘opono Crabbe on paid leave while the Board of Trustees works on a deal to buy out his employment contract failed Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

In a dramatic moment Thursday, Native Hawaiian activist Bumpy Kanahele called for an investigation into OHA's finances, throwing a handful of salt onto the group's meeting table and suggesting the board invite federal authorities to examine its business its dealings. Hawaii News Now.

Stephen Schatz, deputy superintendent for the state Department of Education, is leaving his post for a job at the University of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A bill to make Honolulu’s plastic bag ban more stringent has been languishing at the City Council despite concerns that the existing law isn’t doing enough to protect Oahu’s environment. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City council member Brandon Elefante has introduced a bill that would make it illegal to use your cell phone while crossing the street, or highway. KITV.

State Health Department officials have issued a public advisory for one of the lagoons at Ko Olina, saying there are high levels of a dangerous bacteria in the water. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu Police Commission violated state law when it met behind closed doors to discuss Chief Louis Kealoha’s employment, including agreeing to allow him to retire with an added payment of $250,000, a lawsuit filed Thursday alleges. Civil Beat.

City regulators in Honolulu on Thursday ordered the owners of the shuttered Polynesian Plaza hotel in Waikiki to immediately stop construction work on the property until a new general contractor and plumber are found, Pacific Business News has learned.

Advanced Fresh Concepts Franchise Corp., doing business as AFC Sushi at Safeway Kapahulu, was fined $6,000 Thursday by the state Department of Health for food-safety violations and removing a health inspection placard from public view. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu, where the median price of a single-family home rose 5 percent last year, was one of the coolest spots in the U.S. for house flipping in 2016, when compared with other metropolitan areas. Pacific Business News.

Three utility-scale solar farms that Hawaiian Electric Co. terminated last year are going to be revived. Star-Advertiser.

The architects who favor street-level rail from Middle Street to Ala Moana Center have launched a website. KITV.

Ledcor Construction Hawaii LLC is suing the owners of the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina, claiming the contractor wasn't paid for doing nearly $1 million of work on the hotel’s redevelopment project, Pacific Business News has learned.

Hawaii

Mayor Harry Kim injured his arm and missed an important hearing in Honolulu on Monday, sparking renewed concerns about his health. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island state lawmakers introduced an ambitious long-term plan to revitalize Hilo’s urban core during the ongoing legislative session. Tribune-Herald.

The county Planning Department wants input on a draft version of its Downtown Hilo improvement plan, which recommends converting multiple roads from one-way to two-way and more than doubling off-street public parking spaces. Tribune-Herald.

Hilo’s state senator has introduced a bill to unlock the economic potential of his district’s urban core. Big Island Video News.

Two years ago, the State Legislature appropriated $90 million dollars to build a new judiciary building in Kona.  Now, Hawai‘i State Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald is asking for more funding. Hawaii Public Radio.

After threats to historic trails halted construction on Queen Kaahumanu Highway late last year, the Hawaii Department of Transportation announced Thursday plans to resume the second phase of the highway widening project beginning next week. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Saying “I was mistaken” when he made earlier statements about his citation for not having vehicle insurance, state Rep. Kaniela Ing pleaded no contest Wednesday to the traffic crime. Maui News.

Maui Criminal Case Filings Increase 50% in Five Years. Maui Now.

Maui’s two licensed medical marijuana dispensaries are weeks away from beginning to grow their first crop, but it may take another four to five months before residents can get their hands on products. Maui News.

Kauai

More than 200 people on Kauai are planning a protest on Saturday near Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s 700-acre property in Kilauea. Hawaii News Now.

A California couple is asking $7.5 million for a 552-square-foot, one-bedroom home set on three-quarters of an acre within Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s 700 acres of oceanfront property on the island of Kauai’s North Shore, Pacific Business News has learned.

A store providing free school supplies for teachers on Kaua‘i will open its doors this weekend.  An organization called Kumu’s Cupboard in the Kukui Grove Center will provide resources for local teachers who would otherwise be using their own money to buy basic school supplies. Hawaii Public Radio.

Settlement in polygraph suit may cost state $400K. Star-Advertiser.

Alakai O Kauai Public Charter School is enrolling students. The school unanimously approved by the Hawaii State Charter School Commission is on track to open in August with 165 students. Garden Island.

Fighting coral bleaching, Djou's 911 vote at issue in mayoral campaign, high food costs, environmental director's qualifications back in court, Thirty Meter Telescope protesters stand with Standing Rock, raises for UH brass, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Damaged coral with ornate butterflyfish © 2016 All Hawaii News

Establishing a network of no-take protected coastal zones, restrictions on lay gillnets and a ban on commercial fishing of parrotfish are among the actions being considered to help Hawaii’s coral reefs fend off the lethal effects of ocean warming and climate change. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii officials on Thursday proposed a series of steps to fight coral bleaching that's threatening the state's reefs, including new marine protected areas, limits on fishing and controlling polluted runoff from land. Associated Press.

How Fishing Interests Infiltrated Conservation’s Biggest Event. The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council advocates most often for Hawaii’s fishing industry, but yet it managed to become a voting member of the World Conservation Congress. Civil Beat.

The largest environmental symposium is underway this week in Honolulu. And the more than 9,000 participants are doing their best to go green. Hawaii Public Radio.

Newly released federal data confirms the cost of food in Hawaii is significantly higher than it is on the mainland. A government defined "thrifty food plan" for a family of four in Hawaii costs $1,161 a month, about $500 more than the same amount of food costs a family of four on the mainland, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture figures. Associated Press.

The state has proposed a $39 million biosecurity plan to be implemented over the next decade that seeks to bolster its fight against invasive species. Associated Press.

Most of the University of Hawaii’s more than 200 executives are eligible for merit-based raises totaling approximately $800,000 under criteria approved Thursday by a Board of Regents committee. Star-Advertiser.

A class-action lawsuit was filed as a result of the hepatitis A outbreak in Hawaii that affected about 250 people since June. Garden Island.

Oahu

Mayoral candidate and former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou says his 2010 vote on funding for Sept. 11, 2001, first responders has been mischaracterized by Mayor Kirk Caldwell in a campaign ad now running on television. Star-Advertiser.

A scalding new TV spot by Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell attacks former Congressman Charles Djou for not supporting a bill funding benefits for 9/11 first responders — a charge that Djou calls “disgusting” and a “clear misrepresentation of my record.” Civil Beat.

Charles Djou received the backing of two members of the Honolulu City Council Thursday. Civil Beat.

The holding company for Japan’s second-largest bank has put up $1.3 billion in financing for four prominent Hawaii hotels owned by Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts that total 3,461 rooms, Pacific Business News has learned.

The city is working to notify homeless people — and formerly homeless people — that their constitutional rights may have been violated as part of the city’s homeless crackdown. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu's newest police commissioner is getting praise for holding Honolulu's police chief accountable. Hawaii News Now.

Bringing Kaneohe Bay Coral Back From the Brink. Coral bleaching is a reality. The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources is looking for ways to keep our reefs alive despite it. Civil Beat.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew stopped in Honolulu to meet with business and community leaders for a roundtable discussion following his trip to the G-20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou, China. Pacific Business News.

Teachers at Castle High School have been cleaning their own classrooms and taking out the trash themselves because the school has not been able to hire janitors. KHON2.

The Hawaii Department of Public Safety is revising a visitation policy at the Oahu Community Correctional Center, a move that it says will give more options to families and friends of inmates. Civil Beat.

Families of inmates at Oahu Community Correctional Center will be able to schedule visits once during the week instead of waiting for the traditional visitation days of Saturdays and Sundays, but will no longer be able to touch them. Star-Advertiser.

North King Street focus of $8M repaving, pedestrian safety project. Hawaii News Now.

A deputy attorney general has been arrested for driving under the influence. Hugh Jones was arrested just after 8 a.m. Thursday on the H-3 Freeway near the Harano Tunnel. KHON2.

Hawaii

The qualifications of county Environmental Management Director Bobby Jean Leithead Todd are again in question, following an Intermediate Court of Appeals opinion Thursday that vacates a lower court judgment favoring her and kicks the case back down to Circuit Court. West Hawaii Today.

Native Hawaiians who oppose construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea are seeing reflections of their cause in the waters of the Missouri River. Members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in North Dakota have been protesting a new oil pipeline planned to cross the river upstream from their reservation, stirring fears of contamination of their drinking water source and damage to sacred sites. Tribune-Herald.

Taking one step closer to a permanent quarantine on transport of ohia plants from the Big Island, state Department of Agriculture officials concluded a series of public hearings Wednesday night. Tribune-Herald.

Emotional testimony was delivered Wednesday evening in favor of – and against – new federal rules concerning Hawaii’s spinner dolphins. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The state Public Utilities Commission is seeking written public comment on the Molokai ferry's petition to surrender its certificate to operate between Lahaina and Kaunakakai. Maui News.
http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/623652/Comment-wanted-on-ferry-closure.html?nav=5161

Three environmental groups and the University of Hawaii have collaborated to form a citizen science and coastal water quality monitoring program to supplement data collection by the state Health Department in hopes of protecting reefs and maintaining nearshore water quality in West Maui. Maui News.

Maui teachers and administrators see positives in the country's new education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, but how it will translate to Hawaii's classrooms is still to be determined. Maui News.

Kauai

Rental applications are being accepted for the second phase of Kaniko’o. The affordable housing community for seniors in Lihue is set for completion in the next few months. Garden Island.

One inmate costs more than $50k annually, Tulsi Gabbard won't debate, Ige may veto bill protecting employees on social media, feds may grant Honolulu rail plan extension, more on Zuckerberg's wall, lava rises on Big Island, late Maui mayor remembered, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Corrections officer oversees inmates © 2016 All Hawaii News

The amount it takes to house one prison inmate for a year is more than many Hawaii residents make in a year. According to the Hawaii Department of Public Safety, the state spends about $140 per inmate per day, which includes program services, food, health care, and administrative costs. When you add it up, that amounts to $51,100 per year per prisoner locked up in Hawaii. KHON2.

Nearly half of the states in the U.S. have adopted laws to prevent employers from accessing their employees’ private social-media accounts. But Gov. David Ige this week announced his intent to veto such a bill for Hawaii. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is seeking public input on sea level rise adaptation in Hawaii. The DLNR will hold its first public informational meeting on this topic on Wednesday night. Hawaii News Now.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is being taken to task by her opponent in the Democratic primary for refusing to debate her after the congresswoman blasted the leadership of the Democratic National Committee last year for limiting the number of debates in the presidential primary. Star-Advertiser.

One day after 170 Democrats ended their sit-in on the House floor over a lack of movement on gun control, a bipartisan group of representatives that included Tulsi Gabbard sprang into legislative action. Gabbard (D-Hawaii) joined eight other House members Friday, including four Republicans, in the introduction of legislation aimed at restricting the sale of firearms to individuals placed on the No-Fly list and Selectee list, subsets of the broader Terrorism Screening Database. West Hawaii Today.

A typical household in the County of Kauai spends more than an average household on the Big Island and Oahu, according to a new study by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The County of Kauai results include survey data from the islands of Kauai and Lanai. Pacific Business News.

A favorable settlement has been reached for Volkswagen owners in 43 states including Hawai’i. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Federal officials said Tuesday they’re weighing whether to give the city an additional 10 months to deliver its rail recovery plan, an extension that would buy Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and rail leaders more time to pursue the dollars they hope will be enough to finish the full 20-mile line. Star-Advertiser.

Less than two weeks after Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell backed a focus on getting rail to Middle Street, he’s telling the feds he still wants to get it all the way to Ala Moana and asking for more time to find the funds to get there. KHON2.

City contractors have successfully bored a 3-mile tunnel beneath Oneawa Hills, a critical component of the $371 million Kaneohe-Kailua Waste Water Conveyance and Treatment Facilities Project, Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

The tunnel boring machine called "Pohakulani" is expected to complete its 3-mile journey from Kailua to Kaneohe on Tuesday in an underground sewer tunnel. KITV4.

Nearing its one-year anniversary, a program in Kalihi that helps Micronesians connect to health, social, education and employment services has now served more than 2,000 people. But it has also come in for some criticism lately. Civil Beat.

As many as 100 working-yet-homeless families across the islands will each be eligible for up to $9,000 over the next year, beginning July 15, with the funds aiming to get them off the street and into rental housing as fast as possible. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Charter Commission is holding a series of community meetings this week to accept testimony on proposed city charter amendments. Civil Beat.

Hawaii officials are asking websites and blogs to stop pointing people to the off-limits crumbling remains of a Hawaiian monarchy palace. Officials said last week vandals etched crosses on 180-year-old walls of King Kamehameha III's former summer palace in Honolulu. Associated Press.

Castle Medical Center plans to buy Hawaii Pacific University’s sprawling Windward Oahu campus to expand its health-care offerings. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Smoke from burning trees and open channels of lava could easily be seen Tuesday from Kalapana as the lava flow from Kilauea’s Pu‘u ‘O‘o vent traveled down Pulama pali. Tribune-Herald.

The nonprofit company trying to build the Thirty Meter Telescope is continuing with its pledge to donate $1 million annually for educating students on Hawaii Island, where the project is planned, even though its future in the state is in limbo. Associated Press.

Eight candidates for Hawaii County Mayor – Eric Drake Weinert Jr., Timothy Waugh, Shannon McCandless, Wally Lau, Harry Kim, Pete Hoffmann, Marlene Hapai, and Paul Bryant – are asked about how they would handle the Big Island’s budget, including personnel and capital improvement projects. Big Island Video News.

If poverty is an island, Hawaii Community College Chancellor Rachel Solemsaas said she wants to be captain of the boat sailing over to help. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Local politicians and others remembered former Maui Mayor and House Speaker Elmer Cravalho as a strong negotiator and great businessman who will be dearly missed. He died Monday at age 90. Civil Beat.

Maui’s first mayor, Elmer Cravalho, who moved the Valley Isle from plantations to a top visitor destination and served as speaker of the Territorial House of Representatives during the fight for statehood, died Monday afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

Elmer F. Cravalho, who served as Maui County chairman and mayor for 12 years, died Monday afternoon under hospice care after a long illness. He was 90 years old. Maui News.

Food Network’s popular "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" will premiere its "Soakin’ Up Maui" episode on July 1 featuring Da Kitchen in Kahului, Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse in Kihei and the Like Poke? food truck, the owner of Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse told Pacific Business News.

The installation of the 24 streetlight fixtures on Maui Lani Parkway is part of a three-month pilot project by the utility. Maui News.

Kauai

An assistant chief of police with more than 20 years with the Kauai Police Department filed a civil lawsuit Monday against the police chief, the department and the county of Kauai. Garden Island.

Some of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s neighbors are grumbling about a rock wall he’s having built on his property on the north shore of Kauai. Associated Press.

Facebook’s billionaire founder Mark Zuckerberg made a big splash on Kauai two years ago when he bought about 700 verdant acres for more than $100 million, but now he’s begun to change the landscape on his property and some neighbors don’t like it. Star-Advertiser.

With demolition of Coco Palms underway, officials turned their attention to permitting for the $175 million hotel. Garden Island.

Hawaii Legislature mulls food, ethics, hospitals, poor, power; state senator backs off child sex comments; Kauai mayor trims budget; Maui tackles feral chickens, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii local food (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Key industry leaders put together the Local Food Coalition several months ago to spearhead and back efforts to get farm-related legislation passed by state lawmakers this year. More than a dozen bills originating from the coalition, along with a few independent of the group, have passed the halfway point in the legislative session, crossing from the House to the Senate or vice versa. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers want to give the working poor some relief this legislative session through targeted tax credits, rent subsidies and upping the minimum wage. Civil Beat..

Members of the Hawaii Senate Health Committee have approved a bill that would explore whether some of the state’s public hospitals should become private. Associated Press.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz describes himself as a "pragmatic progressive" who has passion for Demo­cratic values but understands politics is about compromise. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard discussed U.S. missteps in Iraq and the failure of the Department of Veterans Affairs to clear its backlog of obligations during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. Star-Advertiser.

With the rhetoric coming out of North Korea heating up and its military capabilities advancing, is Hawaii adequately protected? According to Denny Roy, a senior fellow at the East-West Center, parts of Hawaii and Alaska already may be in range of North Korean missiles, so it could make sense to add some anti-missile defenses here. Pacific Business News.

While the state's four mayors and county councils worry about retaining transient accommodations tax revenue, the counties also face another threat - the loss of half their current public utility franchise tax revenues. Maui News.

A proposal to legalize casino gambling in Hawaii is not likely to pass into law this legislative session. But elsewhere in the Pacific, the industry is growing—and this weekend marks a new level. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lawmakers last year granted themselves broad exemptions from the state ethics code in a move that was framed as an accident, an oversight made during the sometimes messy process of bill writing. But this year, efforts to fix it have so far proved fruitless. Tribune-Herald.

The union contract that helps keep police officer misdeeds under wraps is now in the hands of an independent arbitrator who is expected to release a decision soon. Civil Beat.

Lobbyists serving on the Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force could be cleared of potential ethics violations with the help of lawmakers. Tribune-Herald.

The House Labor Committee passed a bill Friday that strays from the Senate's approach to managing state funds needed to cover employee and retiree benefits in the future. Associated Press.

The Public Charter School Commission has approved a new contract with the state's 32 charter schools that is designed to measure their performance from year to year. Star-Advertiser.

Two House representatives from Maui joined colleagues in introducing resolutions this week that seek alternatives to a proposed inter-island undersea transmission cable system powered by wind generation on the outer islands. Maui Now.

Rep. Mele Carroll (13th District) voiced many Molokai residents’ concerns in Honolulu today, urging the Governor and the public utilities commission to find alternatives to proposed wind turbines and undersea cables on the island. Carroll introduced House Concurrent Resolution 189, which urges that island-specific alternatives be considered in order to reduce negative impacts on Molokai and Lana`i. Molokai Dispatch.

Sen. Slom explains controversial comment that "an underlying cultural problem here where some of our diverse cultures actually don't see any problem or any crime in having sexual relations with young children." UH Sociology Chair: No evidence child sexual abuse is viewed as acceptable in any social group, community. KITV4.

Oahu

The biggest beach replenishment project ever undertaken in the state is taking shape at Iroquois Point, where nine big T-shaped rock groins are going in along nearly a mile of shoreline. Star-Advertiser.

With nearly 460 units, the Ritz-Carlton Residences Waikiki Beach, also known as 2121 Kuhio, will go up right behind Kalakaua Avenue's luxury row. Hawaii News Now.

Starting next year, the American Cancer Society will discontinue its support of camp opportunities nationwide for children who have been diagnosed with cancer, including three camps in the islands, to focus more funding on cancer research. Star-Advertiser.

Aiea residents are one step closer to getting a new library. KHON2.

For 20 years Challenger Center Hawaii has been providing middle school students from across the state with the opportunity to experience simulated space missions, despite budget cuts two years ago that could have spelled the end for the learning center. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Protesters begin their walk toward downtown Hilo from the Kamehameha statue for the March in March to Evict Monsanto on Saturday morning. Hundreds of people protested Monsanto’s leasing of land in Hawaii to grow genetically modified food.Tribune-Herald.

Hundreds of Big Island residents took part in a “March to Evict Monsanto” this morning along Kamehameha avenue. Big Island Now.

The State of Hawaii is in negotiations with the US Army for a new lease for Pohakuloa Training Area. Hawaii Independent.

Maui

The Maui County Council gave first-reading approval Friday for $3.25 million in additional bond funding for the new Kihei police station over the objections of two council members who questioned the need for and the amount of the money. Maui News.

Maui County's administration has asked the Maui Humane Society to develop a response to the feral chicken problem that a county official said may be a "mild nuisance" now but could be "something worse" if it's not addressed soon. Maui News.

Tails were wagging and mouths were drooling as pooches and their owners excitedly waited for Central Maui's first off-leash dog park to officially open Saturday at Keopuolani Park. Maui News.

Kauai

Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. released Friday the county’s proposed $158.51 million operating budget for Fiscal Year 2014, which is $7.87 million less than the current fiscal year’s budget of $166.39 million. Garden Island.

The results of two studies regarding environmental health issues in Waimea that were funded by state and county agencies will be presented at an informational meeting this week. Garden Island.

The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution supporting the Hawaiian Islands Land Trust’s efforts to secure a state grant to set in motion a planning process to acquire the Coco Palms Resort for the public benefit. Garden Island.

The public is invited to attend a presentation this week by representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a Hanapepe levee project. Garden Island.

Molokai

Molokai has the highest unemployment rate in the state, but now there’s an economic bright spot on the island — a once-thriving coffee industry is making a comeback. Civil Beat.

Big Island #3 hidden culinary gem, unions ratify contract, shark bites man and Neki no threat

The Big Island is the No. 3 "hidden gem" Culinary Travel Destination in the world, according to travel Web site Away.com.

Hoping to avoid further layoffs, the Hawaii Government Employees Association has voted for a new two-year contract that includes 18 furlough days this fiscal year and 24 furlough days next fiscal year for most state workers represented by the union.

KP2, the first Hawaiian monk seal pup reared by humans from birth, and who was found "playing rough" with people on Molokai, has lost his sight and will not be re-released into the wild, said a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration official.

A part of old Hilo dies right here.

The sudden merger of go! and Mokulele airlines had a rough weekend, but executives said all of its customers got to their destinations.

Thousands of people embarked Sunday on the annual autumn pilgrimage to Hawaii Preparatory Academy in Waimea, where they searched through more than 500 pumpkins of all different sizes and shapes.

Maui shark-bite victim Scott Henrich wants to apologize.

Tropical storm Neki today remains far south of Hawaii and continues to follow a northwest track that will take it near Johnston Island tomorrow.