Vaccine passport coming to Hawaii, coronavirus surge could take Honolulu back to Tier 2, Maui to begin vaccinating 16-year-olds and up, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

 

Hawaii travel ©2021 All Hawaii News

New CDC Guidance Paves The Way For Hawaii To Implement ‘Vaccine Passports’. Guidance issued Friday by the CDC gives Hawaii the green light to modify the program that lets arriving travelers avoid a 10-day quarantine by showing proof of full vaccination, the program’s author said. Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Hawaii Parents Say ‘So Far, So Good’ As Schools Push Toward Full Reopening. Schools had to get creative to accommodate more in-person students while maintaining safety protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Civil Beat.

DOE still waiting on funds, approval to address COVID learning loss. Under the state's allotment of the American Rescue Plan funds for education, the department must use 20 percent of the money to mitigate learning loss, or about $78 million. KITV4.

Hawaii lawmakers poised to reform program that allows police to seize cash and cars. Hawaii lawmakers are poised to pass legislation reforming the state’s civil asset forfeiture program, which allows law enforcement agencies to seize property, such as cars and cash, that they suspect is connected to criminal activity. Star-Advertiser.

Police reform bills progress in Legislature. As the 2021 legislative session got underway, lawmakers were facing calls to pass measures aimed at law enforcement reforms largely in response to police-involved shootings and other deadly incidents here and on the mainland. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Data Landscape: Antiquated Infrastructure, Widespread Distrust. New report from the Hawaii Data Collaborative lays out the challenges faced by the state’s data ecosystem and recommendations on how to move forward. Civil Beat.

State unemployment office to offer help via phone or video appointment. Come Monday, April 5, claimants can sign up for an appointment to speak directly with unemployment staff, either by phone or via video. KITV4.

Consumer aid, vaccines keep state bankruptcies declining. Statewide bankruptcies in March declined 4.3% to 135 from 141 in the year- earlier period, according to new data released by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Hawaii. Through the first quarter of the year, filings are down 20% to 318 from 398 at the same time a year ago. Star-Advertiser.

April 4, 2021 COVID-19 Update: The state Department of Health reports that there were 96 additional COVID-19 cases reported in Hawai‘i on Sunday, including 51 on O‘ahu, 26 on Maui, 15 on Hawai‘i Island, and four in Hawai‘i residents diagnosed while out of state. Maui Now.

Oahu

Oahu moved up to Tier 3 on Feb. 25; the case count has climbed since March. Mayor Rick Blangiardi will likely have a tough decision to make this week when the Wednesday COVID-19 numbers are reported for Oahu. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

HPD Chief Susan Ballard Is Up For Review This Week. Is She Still Up To The Job?. Four years ago, she was praised for righting a department in turmoil. Now, under fire from critics inside and outside the department, Ballard faces a new assessment from the Honolulu Police Commission. Civil Beat.

Watchdogs question HPD chief’s personal purchases from vendors awarded CARES Act funds. Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard bought personal equipment from companies that her agency awarded CARES Act contracts to, Hawaii News Now has learned. Watchdog groups are calling the purchases a conflict of interest. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu mulls registering, regulating, short-term vacation rentals. On Oahu, regulation of short-term rentals has been an especially contentious issue, which some hope will soon come to a head — especially given the rebounding market. There’s a chance for both sides to contribute to bringing additional clarity to the issue Tuesday when the city Department of Planning and Permitting holds a public hearing on the draft rules to regulate and register short-term rentals on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii study offers ways Honolulu can adapt to rising ocean waters. Scientists have been warning that Hawaii could face as much as 3 feet of sea level rise over the coming decades, and Honolulu is perhaps the most vulnerable as coastal flooding threatens to force as many as 13,300 people from their homes and cause an estimated $12.9 billion in economic losses. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii News Now.

Embattled hotel and condo project near Ala Moana Center hits another major snag. The Hawaii Ocean Plaza — whose plans call for 175 hotel rooms and 216 condos — is part of the city’s transit-oriented development program that allows developers to build more hotel and apartment units. Hawaii News Now.

Remote-working trend for Honolulu employees is here to stay — one year later. More than a year after most companies sent office employees home to work remotely to comply with COVID-19 government mandates, many continue to do so, even as vaccinations are well under way. Star-Advertiser.

Tourism in Waikiki surges, but will it stick? The beaches along world-famous Waikiki on Saturday looked a lot like they did before COVID-19 took hold of the planet: packed. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Auditor candidates narrowed to two: County has been without an auditor five months. A County Council subcommittee searching for a county auditor has narrowed the list to two mainland candidates. West Hawaii Today.

Councilman calls for county to curb climbing coverage costs. Puna Councilman Matt Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder will introduce a resolution at the County Committee on Governmental Operations, Relations and Economic Development on Tuesday urging the Department of Finance to investigate options to lower home insurance premiums in Lava Zones 1 and 2. Tribune-Herald.

Airport hotel bond bill still alive: Bill would provide up to $50M in revenue bond funding. A bill to issue up to $50 million in revenue bonds for a planned hotel at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole continues to make it through the Legislature for a final hearing. West Hawaii Today.

Vaccinating the homeless: Clinics in Hilo, Kona slated for April 14. HOPE Services Hawaii will work with West Hawaii Community Health Center and Bay Clinic to help vaccinate the Big Island’s homeless population. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Health to Expand Vaccine Registration to All Residents 16 and Older Starting Monday, April 5. Maui Health announced this afternoon that it will follow the recent announcement by the Maui District Health Office as well as Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi counties and expand its vaccine efforts to include registration for all residents ages 16* and older, starting Monday, April 5, 2021. Maui Now.

Want to rent a car? It’ll cost you. High demand and short supply that are causing exorbitant prices for rental autos have also been a boon to locally owned rental car companies on Maui. Maui News.

Maui small businesses have no choice but to change. Economists optimistic for recovery but uncertain over long-lasting damage. Maui News.

Kauai

Managing feral-cat populations. In fiscal-year 2021, the county allocated $50,000 to feral-cat control. This upcoming fiscal year, the budget proposes $120,000. Garden Island.

Hyatt associates get more food. The Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort &Spa’s lobby fronting the registration desk bustled with activity Thursday during the final food drive for its furloughed associates. Garden Island.

Ige vetoes vacation rental and REIT taxes, asset forfeiture bill, 15 others. Foes file lawsuit against Thirty Meter Telescope bonds, NTSB releases skydiving crash report, plus more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ige veto press conference screenshot

Ige vetoes REIT and vacation rental tax bills. Gov. David Ige on Tuesday vetoed bills that would have imposed the state’s corporate income tax on real estate investment trusts and required vacation rental platforms such as Airbnb and Expedia to collect taxes from operators of vacation rentals. Star-Advertiser.

Ige Vetoes Property Forfeiture Reform Bill, 17 Others. Big Island Video News.

Ige Vetoes Reform Of Hawaii’s Civil Asset Forfeiture Program. The governor also killed tax proposals approved by the Legislature for vacation rentals and real estate investment trusts. Civil Beat.

On deadline day, Gov. Ige announces list of vetoed bills from 2019 session. In a press conference at the State Capitol on Tuesday, Gov. David Ige revealed the list of 18 bills he has decided to veto this legislative session ― along with two he is allowing to become law without his signature. Hawaii News Now.

Governor Ige vetoes number of bills, including controversial vacation rental bill. KITV.

Ige vetoes asset forfeiture reform. State Rep. Joy San Buenaventura said Tuesday she’s “very disappointed” that Gov. David Ige vetoed a bill aimed at reforming the statute governing the seizure of an individual’s property by civil asset forfeiture. Tribune-Herald.

Governor Vetoes Reform Of Controversial Police Funding Program. Hawaii Public Radio.

Governor vetoes 18 bills. Gov. David Ige on Tuesday decided not to kill two bills on his veto list. Garden Island.

Marijuana To Be Decriminalized In Hawaii Come Jan. 1. The new law will make possession of 3 grams or less of pot punishable by a $130 fine. Civil Beat.

Marijuana decriminalized. Walking around with a small amount of weed won’t land you in jail anymore, as the state has decriminalized marijuana. KHON2.

Annual cap on tax credits for film, digital media industry to increase after Gov. Ige backs off on veto. Gov. David Ige allowed two bills that he initially intended to veto to become law today without his signature. Star-Advertiser.

Full list and rationale of bills vetoed by Gov. David Ige is found here.

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10 Million Visitors: Can Hawaii Survive Its Own Popularity? The impact of a growing army of tourists has government leaders and residents questioning how to better manage Hawaii’s largest industry. Civil Beat.

9 Charts That Show How Hawaii Tourism Is Changing. From soaring numbers of visitors to declining rounds of golf, a by-the-numbers look at how at the industry’s impacts have grown in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

‘We’re Not Scared’: Hawaii Confronts Next Wave Of Climate Change. Local emerging leaders and experts in their fields expound on the importance of bringing diverse minds to the table to develop solutions. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Push to impeach Kaneshiro remains strong despite judge’s petition dismissal. A Honolulu judge has dismissed a petition to impeach prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Councilwoman Wants Increased Lifeguard Coverage. Kymberly Pine criticizes Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration for what she considers a lack of action to decrease drownings. Civil Beat.

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Preliminary Report: Skydiving Plane Twisted In The Air Before Crash. An NTSB report offers some early details about last month’s crash. Investigators could spend the next two years trying to determine what happened. Civil Beat.

Skydiving plane was upside down when it hit the ground, report finds. The skydiving plane that crashed June 21 at Dillingham Airfield, killing all 11 aboard, seemed to be fine as it taxied down the runway to take off, but at about 150 to 200 feet in the air, it began turning, then hit the ground nose first and burst into flames. Star-Advertiser.

In NTSB preliminary report, witness describes seeing a fireball after skydiving plane crash. Hawaii News Now.

Witness describes final moments of skydive plane in NTSB preliminary report. KHON2.

Feds: 2 Skydivers Joined Doomed Hawaii Flight At Last Minute. The National Transportation Safety Board says two skydivers made a last-minute decision to board the Hawaii plane that crashed and killed 11 people last month. Hawaii Public Radio.

Former pilot of Oahu Parachute Center believes mechanical issues and inadequate training are likely reasons for skydiving tragedy. Hawaii News Now.

Federal authorizations, legal challenges may have complicated state’s enforcement of cease-and-desist against skydive company. KHON2.

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Lawsuit cites police in deadly pedestrian crash. Two survivors of a deadly Kakaako crash that killed three say the police officer who was pursuing the driver of a speeding pickup truck that plowed into a group of pedestrians contributed to the tragedy by not using his flashing lights or siren. Star-Advertiser.

City Sued In Crash That Killed Three Pedestrians After Police Pursuit. Two people who were among the injured say an officer violated HPD policy. They are also suing the alleged drunken driver. Civil Beat.

Hawaii County

TMT foes go to court again over bond issue. In the latest legal maneuver aimed at subverting the Thirty Meter Telescope, foes of the $1.4 billion project are accusing the state of failing to require a construction security bond. Star-Advertiser.

Thirty Meter Telescope Opponents File New Lawsuit To Stop Project. This is the latest complaint against the planned observatory, which is on the cusp of breaking ground atop Mauna Kea. Civil Beat.

New lawsuit against TMT. Opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to halt the project on the grounds that the developers failed to post a security bond in accordance with the state’s 1977 Maunakea Plan. Tribune-Herald.

New Legal Challenge To TMT Takes Aim At Security Bond. Big Island Video News.

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Landowner agrees to cancel plans for condominium near Banyans surf spot. The developer behind a proposal for a five-story condominium near the Banyans surf spot has agreed to take that plan off the table. West Hawaii Today.

Bank of America, state in dispute over $150M loan. The Hawaii County Council on Tuesday joined Maui and Kauai in backing Gov. David Ige’s request that Bank of America return to the table to discuss a decades-old dispute over $150 million in home loans for Native Hawaiians. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

MPO pushes back Puunene Avenue expansion in draft. Maui News.

Working families land brand new ocean-view condominiums. 40-unit Kalama Kai project blessed in Kihei. Maui News.

Makani Kai Air Announces Maui to Kona Flights. Makani Kai Air announced it will launch service between Kailua-Kona and Maui starting on Aug. 1, 2019. Maui Now.


Kauai

Sludge spill. County officials on Tuesday morning discovered partially-treated sewage sludge that overflowed overnight from the Lihue Wastewater Treatment Plant to the drainage channel next to the facility. Garden Island.

Arborist reports finding strange insects on Kauai. An arborist has discovered some strange-looking ants on Kauai and though there’s some question about exactly what species they are, they’re most likely invasive. Garden Island.

Lanai

Test of stratospheric flying wing planned for Lanai. A joint venture between Japan’s SoftBank and unmanned aircraft systems developer AeroVironment plans to test-fly a 260-foot-long solar-powered flying wing on Lanai that one day could be part of a network of drones loitering in the stratosphere providing 5G cellphone coverage. Star-Advertiser.

No special session for veto overrides, police standards board falters, Blaisdell Center plans unveiled, Maui bans commercial activities at beach park, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Capitol ©2019 All Hawaii News

Legislature Won’t Hold Special Session To Fight Possible Vetoes. Senate and House leaders had considered reconvening to try to enact some of the measures that Gov. David Ige says he’s likely to reject. The Hawaii Legislature will not convene a special session to override Gov. David Ige’s potential vetoes of bills after the Senate determined it didn’t have enough votes to overturn any of the governor’s decisions and legislative leaders couldn’t agree on which measures to try to save, according to memos circulated among lawmakers. Civil Beat.

No Special Session to Override Governor's Vetoes. Leaders in the state Senate and House of Representatives announced on Friday that lawmakers will not attempt to override any vetoes issued by Governor David Ige. Hawaii Public Radio.

State lawmakers won’t convene a special session to override governor’s vetoes. Governor Ige’s vetoes will stand after the House speaker decided not to hold a special session. Hawaii News Now.

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Agencies urge Gov. David Ige to veto civil asset forfeiture reform bill. Law enforcement officials said they’ve implemented key recommendations of a 2018 state audit of Hawaii’s civil asset forfeiture program as they urge Gov. David Ige to move forward in vetoing a bill aimed at reforming the program, which allows police to confiscate property believed to have been used in the commission of certain crimes such as drug offenses and gambling. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Ignores Deadline To Create New Standards For Cops. The Law Enforcement Standards Board has only met once. It was supposed to establish training and certification standards by July 1. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Provided ‘Inaccurate’ Data On Student Restraint And Seclusion. The state erroneously reported there were no such cases in 2015-16, the latest school year studied nationwide. Last school year, 66 Hawaii schools reported at least one restraint case. Civil Beat.

Medical cannabis raises issues in the workplace. Several of Dr. Clifton Otto’s medical cannabis patients are facing job termination or fear failing pre-employment drug screenings as Hawaii employers hold fast to zero-tolerance policies when testing workers for drugs. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii has highest gap between wages, rent required for a 2-bedroom. Hawaii’s rent is so high, it is inaccessible to the majority of residents working in the state’s largest occupations, according to the 2019 “Out of Reach” report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group for affordable housing. Star-Advertiser.

Future uncertain for ‘golf ball’ radar ship. The Sea-Based X-Band Radar recently did yeoman duty in the Pacific watching for North Korean missiles and participating in testing as the Pentagon develops a web of new land-based radars and space-based sensors that are expected to make the seagoing vessel less necessary. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

City unveils what a $722M redevelopment of Blaisdell Center might look like. New renderings showing a dramatically redeveloped Neal S. Blaisdell Center are being released by city officials this month as they begin selecting a private partner for the $772 million project. Star-Advertiser.

HPD training videos show disgraced Kealohas lecturing officers about ethics. When Louis Kealoha was police chief, he made several training videos that all Honolulu Police Officers were forced to watch. Hawaii News Now.

Waikiki residents want to force owners to improve or sell long-vacant, blighted walk-up. According to public records, the 9,500-square-foot property is owned by Norman Nip, a small-business owner who was known for Nip’s Potato Chips Factory Inc., teacher Alvin Nip and their sister Donna Chang. Star-Advertiser.

New clinic for the homeless is in the works in Kaneohe. The new facility is a three year pilot project and will become Oahu's second outreach center. KITV.

Hawaii Island

Affordable housing challenges: Subsidized housing applications pile up, county closes wait-lists. Despite a waiting list of more than 2,000 applications — some going back nine years — Hawaii County hasn’t built any new affordable housing units since 2017. West Hawaii Today.

Council committee to get Maunakea update. Puna Councilman Matt Kanealii-Kleinfelder wants to know what’s going on atop Maunakea. West Hawaii Today.

Stakes are sky high for contentious telescope project. A lot has happened in the four years since construction of the landmark Thirty Meter Telescope was stopped in its tracks by protesters and ultimately the Hawaii Supreme Court. Star-Advertiser.

Petition Grows In Support Of Pohoiki Boat Ramp. Over a thousand people have signed a petition to the State of Hawaii asking that a boat ramp be located at Pohoiki, as opposed to an alternative ramp at Kaakepa. Big Island Video News.

Boat ramp meeting set for Saturday. A community meeting will be held Saturday to discuss a recent engineering study that recommended a new boat ramp be built in Puna. Tribune-Herald.

New police rigs ready to roll. New marked police SUVs are hitting Big Island streets, the first additions to the Hawaii  Police Department’s fleet in over a decade. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Ban on commercial activities at beach park becomes law. Businesses await word from county on a new location for operations. Maui News.

Visualizing Sea Level Rise on Maui: Sea Grant scientist Tara Owens explains how computer modeling helps prepare for climate change. Mauitime.

West Maui offshore mooring permits are deferred. BLNR asks for public engagement; decision affects five businesses. Maui News.

Surfing Goat Dairy for sale. Owners of a local brand that put Maui goats on the map have announced that they will be selling the successful Upcountry business, land, infrastructure, equipment and livestock. Maui News.

Kauai

Black Pot meeting on reopening set. A public meeting regarding the reopening of Black Pot Beach Park is set for Thursday, July 11, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Hanalei School cafeteria. Garden Island.

Volunteers exercise visitor education initiatives on the North Shore. Amidst one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year, a new resident organization on Kauai implemented visitor education initiatives to relieve the resurfacing pressures of tourism on the communities of Haena and Wainiha. Garden Island.

‘The hearts of the people care for the land’. It’s the first Saturday of the month at the Lawai International Center, a 32-acre sanctuary that hosts an extraordinary restoration project of 88 Buddhist shrines that were constructed in 1904 by workers at the nearby Koloa Sugar Company, the likeness of which exist on Kauai and Shikoku, Japan. Garden Island.

Senate working group to study water rights, NTSB releases preliminary copter crash report, Maui clears homeless camp, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pipe brings water down from mountain ©2019 All Hawaii News

Senators convene working group to address water use. Sens. Kai Kahele and Jarrett Keohokalole will begin overseeing monthly meetings with officials from the Department of Land and Natural Resources in an effort to ensure ranchers and farmers on the neighbor islands, as well as the electric utilities, don’t lose access to public water after the year’s end. Star-Advertiser.

Rod Becker Will Stay At State Budget Agency — But Not In The Top Job. He is the second Ige Cabinet member who the governor had hoped would continue to lead an agency but whose appointment ran into trouble in the Senate. Civil Beat.

Cops, Prosecutors Want Gov To Veto Seized Property Bill. The reform measure changes whose property can be seized and where the proceeds from its sales will go. Civil Beat.

For Hawaii businesses, an increase of tariffs on China would not be so sweet -- because those price increases would be passed on to island consumers. Higher tariffs on more than $200 billion of imports could impact thousands of goods -- from electronics to cars to clothes. Hawaii News Now.

Gabbard introduces sunscreen legislation in U.S. House. Two Hawaii politicians are taking the issue of reef safe sunscreens national. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

Menor chairs 2 committees under new Council plan. Ron Menor emerged as among the most influential — if not the busiest — of the nine Honolulu City Council members under a revamped committee assignment plan released by new Council Chairman Ikaika Anderson on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Wind Farm Submits Study On Endangered Species Impacts. North Shore windmills expect to kill more endangered bats and birds than originally expected. Civil Beat.

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Witnesses Saw Helicopter Break Apart In Mid-Air Before Kailua Crash. A preliminary federal report provides key details about the crash as investigators continue to examine the wreckage. Civil Beat.

Witnesses saw nose down and vertical descent in Kailua helicopter crash, preliminary report says. The National Transportation Safety Board today released its preliminary report on the fiery helicopter crash in a residential neighborhood of Kailua in late April. Star-Advertiser.

NTSB releases preliminary report on Kailua helicopter crash. KHON2.

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Relatives of OCCC inmate killed during escape to sue state for wrongful death. Relatives of an Oahu Community Correctional Center inmate killed during an escape in February plan to sue the state for wrongful death. Hawaii News Now.

Housing Advocates Might Love This Project, But The Neighbors Don’t. A private developer wants to “get some of the homeless people off the streets.” Maili residents are concerned about traffic and infrastructure. Civil Beat.

State seeking farm tenants in Central Oahu. The Agribusiness Development Corp. is offering to rent six parcels ranging from 10 acres to 194 acres for up to 35 years at prices starting between $100 and $200 a year per acre. Star-Advertiser.

Waikiki residents fed up with unsafe sidewalk. Plywood covered repair work that has long gone uncompleted on a stretch of heavily trafficked sidewalk. Star-Advertiser.

Mother, son found guilty of animal cruelty at no-kill shelter. A state jury found David “Lanny” Moore guilty this afternoon of 24 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty and his mother June Moore guilty of one count in connection with the seizure of more than 300 dogs from their Friends for Life no-kill animal shelter in Makaha. Star-Advertiser.

Mother-son duo found guilty in animal cruelty case involving hundreds of animals. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Council budget process to remain public. The County Council has dropped its plan to work on the budget out of public view, after the state Office of Information Practices issued an opinion saying a subcommittee as structured would violate the Sunshine Law. West Hawaii Today.

Construction of phase two of Bayfront trails project expected to begin later this year. A  small group of Hilo Bayfront Trails board members, county leaders and donors gathered Thursday on a section of trail near Kamehameha Avenue and Pauahi Street — completed during the first phase of the project — to announce phase two. Tribune-Herald.

Hilo Bayfront Trails Phase II Begins. The next segment of the trail will wind behind the Bayfront soccer fields, and even has a spot for a future playground. Big Island Video News.

$243 Million For Big Island Projects, Region-By-Region. The lion's share of Capital Improvement Project funds are going toward Hilo-based projects, but tens of millions have been allocated for projects in other areas, too. Big Island Video News.

State House capital improvements list includes nearly $250M for Hawaii County projects. The majority of the county’s improvement projects are school-related, with 22 schools receiving funding for various improvements and repairs in the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Homeless Cleared from Kahului Encampment. Truckloads of personal belongings were removed this morning as 30 individuals were evicted today from a homeless encampment in Kahului where authorities say complaints have surfaced over illegal activity. Maui Now.

Panel defers rule change extending liquor-to-go hours. Residents oppose rule; department says it’s already a state law. Maui News.

The state land board approved a Legacy Land Conservation Program grant of $2.2 million to a Hana nonprofit group to acquire 27 acres in East Maui at Mokae-Makaalae. Maui News.

Former Maui County clerk and councilman says 'mahalo' to Vegas first responders after health scare. Danny Mateo and his family were at the LINQ Hotel when things took a turn. KITV.

Maui home sales plunged in April. A report from the Realtors Association of Maui said the number of single-family home sales fell 17% to 76 in April from 92 in the same month last year, and the number of condominium sales sank 22% to 137 from 176 in the same period. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

More Trouble For Hanalei As Unstable Hillside Forces Traffic Delays. Only one lane of the Kuhio Highway will be open on the stretch approaching the North Shore community for months. Civil Beat.

One lane near Hanalei Bridge to remain closed. The North Shore town already hammered by the flooding in April 2018 that damaged stores and homes, still slowly but surely recovering, is about to take another punch in its economic gut that could leave some down and out. Garden Island.

Kauai receives $89M from state. Kauai receives $89M from state. Garden Island.

Public hearings set for harbor fee hikes, Ige named to defense council, another subpoena for Honolulu rail authority, pay increases planned for Maui mayor and council, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ala Wai harbor ©2019 All Hawaii News

People who use any of Hawaii’s small boat harbors, offshore moorings, landings or wharfs will have a chance to comment on new proposed fees and rules at a series of five public hearings to be held around the state in early March. KHON2.

White House Picks Hawaii Governor Ige For Council. Governor David Ige has been appointed co-chair of the Council of Governors, a defense-related body consisting of five Democrats and five Republicans. Big Island Video News.

A yearlong operation to crack down on the diversion of pharmaceutical drugs in California, Nevada and Hawaii has resulted in 41 doctors having their licenses or U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration registrations to prescribe controlled substances taken away and the seizure of $3.1 million. Five  of the 41 licenses or registrations taken away were from Hawaii medical professionals. The Hawaii operation also resulted in the execution of five search warrants and seven arrests. Star-Advertiser.

Seven arrested, five search warrants served in year-long federal drug operation. US Attorney for Hawaii Kenji Price warns the public that while the federal operation may officially be ending, his office will still be vigilantly prosecuting medical workers who break the law. KITV.

Legislation to negotiate for the acquisition of the Federal Detention Center is moving rapidly through the Legislature, but the idea still faces big obstacles. Civil Beat.

US Supreme Court Ruling Boosts Hawaii Effort To Limit Property Forfeiture. Hawaii’s policy for seizing property has long been criticized because it can affect people who are only suspected in crimes, sometimes not even charged. Civil Beat.

Hawaii attorney Isaac Moriwake was recently named the new managing attorney for Earthjustice’s Mid-Pacific office in Honolulu, succeeding Paul Achitoff, who recently retired. Maui Now.

Hawaii ocean cargo transportation firm Matson Inc. increased its revenue last year but earned less profit because of a huge tax benefit the year before. Matson on Thursday reported earning $109 million last year on $2.2 billion of revenue. That compared with a $232 million profit on $2 billion of revenue a year earlier. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has been served with a new grand jury subpoena seeking information about payments made to tenants and property owners who were relocated to make way for the $9.2 billion Honolulu rail project. Star-Advertiser.

Feds Are Investigating HART’s Relocation Payments. The criminal probe widens as the Honolulu rail agency is served with its second subpoena, this time seeking records concerning payments to property owners along the rail route. Civil Beat.

HART Second Federal Subpoena Covers Relocation Move. A federal investigator is expected to visit Honolulu next month as part of a developing grand jury probe into the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, the agency charged with building the city's rail project. Hawaii Public Radio.

Another HART subpoena, targeting overpayments to move out of rail's way. HART has received a second subpoena, this time from the federal Department of Transportation OIG, collecting documents for a grand jury looking into relocation payments and real estate acquisition management, for people and companies that had to move out of rail's right of way. KHON2.

'Hold on to your pocketbooks!' says city council chair after second subpoena to HART. The head of the city council says this second subpoena further erodes public confidence on the rail project and could cost taxpayers even more money. KHON2.

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Embattled city prosecutor was denied access to officer-involved shooting scene. Embattled city Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro was denied his usual crime scene access in Mililani on Wednesday night after HPD officers shot and killed a 26-year old man. Hawaii News Now.

Katherine Kealoha Says She’s Mentally Unfit To Stand Trial But The Judge Disagrees. Newly unsealed court records show how the former city prosecutor and her attorney tried to have her declared mentally incompetent. Civil Beat.

Some 400 potential jurors will be called for first of 3 trials against the Kealohas. A federal judge on Thursday rejected Louis and Katherine Kealoha’s effort to have fraud, conspiracy and obstruction charges against them thrown out. Hawaii News Now.

Two Honolulu Police Shootings In Less Than A Day, One Of Them Fatal. The fatal shooting involved a man who attempted to ram an officer with his truck in Mililani, police said. Hours later, officers shot a suspect in Waikele. Civil Beat.

The closure of Pali Highway due to multiple landslides is affecting foot traffic for some Kailua businesses, but mostly it’s an inconvenience for those who live and work in the area. Star-Advertiser.

A Virginia-class attack submarine, one of the most valuable Navy warships in the era of “great power” competition with China and Russia, served as a platform for the U.S. Pacific Fleet Submarine Force’s change of command Thursday at Pearl Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Hilo landfill closer to closure. The state Department of Health is seeking public comment on a draft permit for closure of the Hilo landfill. Tribune-Herald.

Sometime in 2019, the South Hilo Sanitary Landfill will close. And that will only be the beginning, says the Hawaii County Environmental Management director. Big Island Video News.

The County Council passed Bill 12 on final reading on February 20, appropriating $170,355 in private donations into a 2018 lava disaster relief account, earmarked for specific projects in Puna. Big Island Video News.

Opportunity Zones: A federal program designed to boost investment in low-income communities could unlock a windfall for businesses in some of the nation’s poorest regions, but without much oversight written into the law, it’ll take those communities’ residents, stakeholders and policymakers working together and with investors to make it work. West Hawaii Today.

A preliminary map released this week by the U.S. Geological Survey shows the thickness of lava flows from Kilauea volcano’s most recent eruption. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Pay hikes for mayor, council on agenda. The county Salary Commission will be meeting at 8:30 a.m. Friday to discuss possible salary adjustments for the mayor and County Council. Maui News.

The Maui Salary Commission plans to discuss and take possible action on salary increases for Maui County Council members and the Mayor during a special meeting set for 8:30 a.m. Friday in the Mayor’s Conference Room. Maui Now.

After once being proposed as a “megamall” in north Kihei and undergoing many revisions thereafter, the embattled Piilani Promenade project may revert back to its original form — as a commercial and light industrial subdivision. Maui News.

Kauai

Managing mangrove. Makaloa is now growing in a wetland behind the pavilion at Niumalu Beach Park, a slender reed that’s traditionally been used for basket- and mat-weaving. Garden Island.

Group urges expansion of marine protection, state lawmakers seek info on police property seizures, breastfeeding moms may skip jury duty under bill, Kenoi pushes for general excise tax increase, wayward shopping carts big issue in Honolulu, wrong gauge caused UH researcher to lose arm, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Millet butterflyfish, courtesy NOAA

A group of Native Hawaiian leaders have urged President Barack Obama to expand what’s already one of the largest marine conservation areas in the world. Associated Press.

Hawaii lawmakers want to know how often police are seizing people’s property, and what happens with money they make from selling it. Associated Press.

Senate OKs breast-feeding bill to let new moms skip jury duty. Star-Advertiser.

Advocates for legislation that would allow psychologists to prescribe powerful medications argue the change is badly needed because there are too few psychiatrists on the neighbor islands. Star-Advertiser.

With the 2016 legislative session rapidly nearing sine die May 5, House and Senate lawmakers have started appointing members from their respective chambers to serve on conference committees tasked with trying to reach agreements on the final language of hundreds of bills such as the state budget. Civil Beat.

Those selected to open Hawaii’s first medical marijuana dispensaries later this month might eventually be able to grow in greenhouses and shadehouses, under certain conditions. Tribune-Herald.

An inmate at the Halawa Correctional Facility filed a lawsuit Thursday claiming the Hawaii Department of Public Safety has a “statewide policy and/or custom” that prevents Native Hawaiian inmates from practicing their religion. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Not So Public: Hey DLNR, We’re Still Waiting For That Info On Commercial Tours. Four months later, and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources has yet to provide information about permits, fees and fines. Civil Beat.

About one in four residents in Hawai‘i speak a language other than English at home. That’s according to a new report by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Hawaii Public Radio.

What really happened at the ʻAha, part V The purpose of the ʻAha is fulfilled and a federal recognition-friendly constitution is adopted, but the call for true self-determination still grows louder. Hawaii Independent.

Oahu
A new City Council bill aims to crack down on wayward shopping carts on Oahu. But at least one veteran supermarket executive says the measure might be more trouble than it’s worth. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers consider tougher rules to squelch abandoned shopping cart ‘graveyards’ KHON2.

A powerful explosion at a University of Hawaii science lab that ripped an arm off a researcher was likely caused by a digital pressure gauge that shouldn’t have been used around flammable gases, the Honolulu Fire Department said today. Star-Advertiser.

A visiting researcher who lost an arm last month in a laboratory explosion at the University of Hawaii told fire investigators the blast occurred after she turned off a digital pressure gauge she was using to check the pressure in a gas cylinder. Associated Press.

There’s something in the air at University of Hawaii Manoa’s St. John Plant Laboratory Complex — and if you ask some of the employees there, an outdated ventilation system is to blame. Civil Beat.

The type of Japanese torpedo bomber that wrought destruction on Battleship Row on Dec. 7, 1941, can be seen again at Pearl Harbor for the first time in nearly 75 years. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai wants the Army to extend the special status granted previously to the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment to allow it to continue to wear its liberty torch unit patch. Star-Advertiser.

Lanikai parking solution creates initial confusion. KITV4.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi is recommending the County Council pass a one-half percent increase in the general excise tax, but not all council members are on board. West Hawaii Today.

The talk is supposed to be about money, but a Hawaii County Council member wants to bring something more to the table Tuesday when the county council’s finance committee meets: a discussion on Mayor Billy Kenoi. KHON2.

Riki May Amano served as a judge on the Big Island for more than a decade where she built up a reputation for fairness. But now, the Hilo native's impartiality has come under heavy criticism by native Hawaiian opponents of the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope project. They want her removed as the hearings officer on the controversial project. Hawaii News Now.

A 60-megawatt power plant will remain out of service through Friday, leaving the Big Island’s power grid vulnerable to outages, Hawaii Electric Light Co. cautioned Monday. Tribune-Herald.

There’s a new form of guidance at Kohanaiki Beach Park — a star compass made of concrete and cut lava. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

In a town where bustling storefronts are a stone's throw away from where Kamehameha III once tended kalo, Lahaina residents have kick-started a project they hope will balance culture and commerce around the harbor. Maui News.

The County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation announced today that Phase One of several parking lot improvement projects are now underway in West Maui. Maui Now.

Details are still sketchy, but the developers of the proposed Olowalu Town–which will add 1,500 homes and a variety of commercial structures to tiny Olowalu–withdrew their petition with the state Land Use Commission (LUC), according to an Apr. 7, 2016 letter from LUC Executive Officer Daniel Orodenker posted on the LUC website. MauiTime.

Britain's first official spaceman, Timothy Peake, shot this photo of Maui on a cloudless March 23 from the International Space Station. Maui News.

Kauai

Sanoe Ho‘okano, a staff water safety officer at the Kekaha tower, has been named the Kauai County Lifeguard of the Quarter presented by Duke’s Kauai, said Mariko Lum of Duke’s Kauai at Kalapaki Beach. Garden Island.