Hawaii zipline regulation costly, University of Hawaii wines and dines Honolulu newspaper staff, tries to silence critics, Land Development Corp goes back to public hearings, four Hawaii names on Boy Scout sex abuse list, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii zipline, Hawaii auditor report photo

A state proposal to regulate zip line tour companies in Hawaii would cost $400,000 to set up and $350,000 to implement each year, with unclear benefits to making rides safer, Hawaii's state auditor said Thursday. Associated Press.

Zipping thousands of feet over ravines is inherently risky, according to a new state audit on ziplines and canopy tours. Hawaii News Now.

Umauma zipline courtesy Damontucker.com

Hawaii’s auditor has issued a report critical of a plan to regulate the state’s zipline operators, saying they are “basically self-regulating,” and it would cost the state up to $400,000 to establish an inspection and permitting system. Big Island Now.

Full auditor's report on ziplines.

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono and former governor Linda Lingle will square off on Tuesday, Oct. 16 from 8 p.m. through 9 p.m. on KITV. 

A once-secret Boy Scout list of child sex abuse suspects includes several cases in Hawaii. KHON2.

A state corporation formed to raise revenue through public land development will be going through a second round of statewide hearings about its proposed rules after being blasted by critics in the first round. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii's Board of Regents meet in closed-door executive session Friday afternoon to discuss the future of embattled UH President M.R.C. Greenwood. Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents has not yet released documents related to the annual evaluation of UH President M.R.C. Greenwood, despite a legal opinion that her evaluation and the president's performance expectations are public records. Star-Advertiser.

An analysis of almost five years of University of Hawaii Athletics Department expense reports that were reimbursed by the UH Foundation shows wining and dining of Honolulu's daily newspaper. Civil Beat.

University of Hawaii at Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple attempted Thursday to clarify his testimony to a Senate panel last week when he said nearly all UH coaches "thanked him" after the removal of Jim Donovan as athletic director. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii Board of Regents could face criminal or civil penalties if they disclose to media or the public information they learned in closed door meetings. Hawaii Reporter.

When asked her thoughts on the ongoing controversy surrounding fallout from the botched Stevie Wonder concert at the University of Hawaii, Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa told PBN reporters and editors that the community ultimately should be the ones who decide whether the self-governing structure currently in place is the best model. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii’s statewide gas price held at $4.41, the same average as last week, despite slight increases in several areas, according to AAA Hawaii’s Weekend Gas Watch. Pacific Business News.

Two cannons dating to Hawaii's turbulent revolutionary days are back in the hands of the Hawaii National Guard 117 years after they were first delivered to the governmental militia. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for October 12. Associated Press.


Oahu

U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye has formally thrown his support behind Honolulu mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano spent about $30,000 this week on his first TV ad buys since the primary election. Civil Beat.

A union-backed group is exploiting a loophole to spend almost $600,000 on behalf of mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell. Hawaii News Now.

Questions about bidding procedures taint a $142 million affordable housing deal that is the crowning achievement of Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle’s administration. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council voted 6-2 on Thursday to give the OK for Mayor Peter Carlisle's plan to sell the city's 12 affordable rental complexes for $142 million despite reservations raised by people from Chinatown and a competing developer who said the plan would force 700 tenants from their homes. Star-Advertiser.

Despite several concerns, the Honolulu City Council voted Thursday to pass a resolution approving a deal for the city to sell its affordable housing units to a private developer. KITV4.

The Honolulu City Council’s Transportation Committee held a discussion Thursday about the federal government’s new Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, or MAP-21, as it’s more commonly called. KITV4.

Hawaii

The candidates for Hawaii Island Mayor debated the issues during a televised forum. KHON2.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has set aside $100,000 to remove a large container from a remote Ka‘u shoreline. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council will take an offer for an alternative route to Papaikou Mill Beach under advisement, but it will need more details before making a decision, Chairman Dominic Yagong said Thursday. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui County Film Office is making it possible for residents' properties to have a starring role as a location for an upcoming movie or television production. Maui News.

It was youth versus experience - and a few agitated exchanges - as Democratic state House candidate Kaniela Ing met side by side, and sometimes face to face, with Republican Rep. George Fontaine of South Maui. Maui News.

A group of volunteers on Maui spent National Public Lands Day caring for the historic Mokuʻula site in West Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

A portion of Kaua‘i’s energy needs will soon be met from burning woodchips. Green Energy of Kaua‘i received this week  a $72.9 million loan guarantee to build a $90 million state-of-the-art facility to burn woodchips from trees grown and harvested on Kaua‘i. Garden Island.

Kauai’s small, member-owned electric utility is quickly becoming a leader when it comes to renewable energy. By the end of 2014, the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative expects to be generating 35 percent of its energy from sources such as solar, biomass and hydroelectric. Civil Beat.

A judge granted a motion to remove claim against a landowner in the case against a genetically modified seed grower on West Kaua‘i. Garden Island.

Mounting discoveries of historic Native Hawaiian burials have created challenges for Kawaiaha‘o Church and the city's planned rail line in Kakaako, and now a third construction project in the area must deal with the sensitive issue. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu rail costs rise $114M, Kauai plans wood-burning power plant, Hawaii County council chairman clears election ethics charge, Oahu landfill decision delayed, remains found on military site, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu rail route courtesy photo

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation now estimates that contractor delay claims, change orders and new expenses tied to the court-ordered construction shutdown of the rail project will cost the city more than $114 million, the City Council was told Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

The discovery of more human bones in Kakaako along the rail route will mean more delays and more costs to the $5.2 billion dollar project. Hawaii News Now.

Ben Cayetano says the bus rapid transit system he plans to implement instead of rail if elected mayor will be in line for some of the same federal funding as the project it's replacing. Civil Beat.

Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners urged the head of the Honolulu rail authority on Wednesday to find a way to leave burials and other human remains in place when they are discovered along the rail route. Star-Advertiser.

The effects of a state law forcing foreclosure actions in Hawaii to go through the judicial system continued to slash the number of properties going through the process in September, as the number of foreclosure filings dropped 72 percent compared to the same month a year ago, according to RealtyTrac. Pacific Business News.

State Sen. Donna Mercado Kim said she has sent University of Hawaii at Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple a letter asking him to "clarify" some of the statements he made to the Senate Special Committee on Accountability on Oct. 2. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for October 11. Associated Press.

Oahu

A resolution urging Mayor Peter Carlisle's administration to proceed with plans to continue using the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill was shelved by the City Council's Public Works and Sustainability Committee after it received written testimony from West Oahu leaders opposing the idea. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Councilman Tom Berg was fined $250 by the state Campaign Spending Commission on Wednesday for failing to disclose that he had received 24 T-shirts from a campaign supporter. Star-Advertiser.

A former staffer for City Councilman Tom Berg has claimed in a sworn affidavit that he collected $28,643 in city salary for 77 days of work he actually performed for Berg’s political campaign. Hawaii Reporter.

Honolulu City Council member Tom Berg tongue-lashed his former chief of staff Wednesday morning as he defended himself during a tense Campaign Spending Commission meeting. Civil Beat.

A new federal study of security failures at Honolulu International Airport in 2010 partially blames Transportation Security Administration officers for the lapses but mostly faults top TSA managers for poor planning and supervision. Hawaii Reporter.

Three residential high-rises could start coming out of the ground at Ward Centers in 2014 as part of a revised master plan transforming 60 acres of retail and industrial businesses into an almost entirely new neighborhood dominated by condominium towers and twice as many shops and restaurants. Star-Advertiser.

A pre-20th Century linear fish pond once owned by Victor Ward is the inspiration for an open-air plaza that's the centerpiece of redevelopment plans for 60acres of Kakaako land owned by the Howard Hughes Corporation. Star-Advertiser.

Waihonua at Kewalo, a half block from Ala Moana Center, has been under construction for months. In recent weeks, workers came across a burial site with 18 sets of human remains some believe are of historic significance to Hawaii. KHON2.

Beginning Monday, the Haleiwa-bound lane of Karsten Thot Bridge in Wahiawa will be open for afternoon rush-hour traffic as major repairs continue. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) will conduct controlled underwater explosions of unexploded ordnance on Thursday that will close Mâlaekahana State Recreation Area. Hawaii News Now.

Unexploded Ordnance Found Off Oahu’s N. Shore. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

A divided county Ethics Board couldn’t muster the votes Wednesday to proceed on a request forwarded by state Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago for an investigation into County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong’s involvement in the county Elections Division. West Hawaii Today.

The county Board of Ethics today deadlocked on whether it should pursue an investigation into whether County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong may have been inappropriately involved in the operations of the county Elections Division. Big Island Now.

Human skeletal remains have been discovered at Pohakuloa Training Area, an Army spokesman said Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

A call has been issued for Native Hawaiian individuals or organizations with ancestral claims or cultural affiliation with human remains found recently in the US Army’s Pohakuloa Training Area. Big Island Now.

The two men running for Hawaii County mayor highlighted actions their administrations took to help the island’s poorer residents at a forum Wednesday night in Waimea. West Hawaii Today.

The owners of the only trail to Papaikou Mill Beach have made an offer that may be hard for Hawaii County to refuse. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A hui of beachfront homeowners in Spreckelsville wants to move ahead with installing rock groins at a beach along Stable Road, replacing temporary sand-filled "geotubes" that were laid two years ago to slow beach erosion. Maui News.

A project is being proposed to protect a stretch of beach along Stable Road in Central Maui. Maui Now.

A conversation on plastic pollution comes to Maui this week in a series of presentations planned across the island. Maui Now.

Maui hotel rooms were occupied at a rate of 75 percent in August, a 3.9 percent increase over the same month in 2011, Hospitality Advisors reported. Maui News.

Kauai

A company plants to generate electricity for Kauai by burning wood chips from trees grown and harvested on the island. Garden Island.

A renewable-energy developer building a wood-fired power plant on Kauai has finalized its financing plans and is scheduled to begin construction early next year on the facility that will provide an estimated 11 percent of the island's electricity needs. Star-Advertiser.

The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday by a 4-2 vote approved a request of the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney to apply for a federal grant to establish a Keiki POHAKU program. Garden Island.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai‘i, was honored Wednesday on Kaua‘i for a lifetime of public service in Washingont, D.C. Garden Island.

Hawaii coffee production drops, Waikiki restrooms no longer 24/7, human remains could change Honolulu train route, Maui groups sue to stop development, endangered shearwater rebounding on Kauai, Kilauea lava lake popping, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii coffee cherries (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Hawaii coffee farmers suffered production setbacks this past season due to bugs and dry weather, but higher prices offset some of the decline, according to a preliminary estimate in a government report tracking the industry. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Governor Gets F Grade in Cato's Fiscal Reform Study. Hawaii Reporter.

Hokulea, the famous Hawaiian canoe that has navigated the Pacific, will soon have a sister to help it sail farther than ever. Civil Beat.

In the almost five years he headed the University of Hawaii athletic department, Jim Donovan and his staff spent more than $800,000 in private discretionary donations on a wide range of goods and services, including taking staff members to the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament, paying for dinners to entertain donors and corporate sponsors, and hiring a limousine service to ferry Norm Chow around town when he was introduced as UH's new football coach, according to expenditure records. Star-Advertiser.

Documents released by the University of Hawaii show former UH Athletics Director Jim Donovan spent more than $622,000 of donated UH funds on travel, meals, drinks and other events for himself, his staff, the media, supporters and athletic boosters over the last four and a half years. Hawaii News Now.

State roundup for October 10. Associated Press.

Oahu

The city of Honolulu said it will no longer keep any public restrooms in Waikiki open around the clock, fueling debate over how the city's park closure law affects tourists and residents in the state's top destination. Star-Advertiser.

More human remains were found Friday and Saturday at two sites in Kakaako along the route of the city's rail project, and one of those sets of remains is a complete burial that might prompt the city to design the rail line around the site to avoid it. Star-Advertiser.

More human remains have been discovered along the Honolulu rail route. Civil Beat.

More human remains were found late last week during archaeological survey work along the route for Honolulu's rail-transit project, according to a report by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Pacific Business News.

More human remains have been found along Honolulu's rail route -- this time they include a completely intact burial. KHON2.

Archeologists surveying the 20-mile route of the planned Honolulu rail transit line over the weekend discovered what appears to be ancient Hawaiian burial sites in Kakaako. Hawaii Reporter.

Human remains were found at two sites on the route of the city's rail project in Kakaako on Friday and Saturday, according to the State Historic Preservation Division. KITV4.

The expansion at the Honolulu Program of Waste to Energy Recovery or H-POWER, which broke ground on Dec. 21, 2009, added another boiler capable of burning 300,000 tons of mass per year. Hawaii News Now.

A second attempt to force the Hawaiian Humane Society to announce publicly its intent to euthanize animals failed to garner enough support before the City Council Parks and Recreation Committee on Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General has finished an audit looking into the improper screening of checked baggage at Honolulu International Airport. KHON2.

Former Hawaii Gov. and mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano has a knack of getting people to come to his defense.Civil Beat.

Aviation enthusiasts, history buffs and military veterans fear that Ford Island is under a new threat. The Navy plans to use a swath of the famous airfield for a solar power plant with 60,000 photovoltaic panels. Los Angeles Times.

The vog that obscured views over the long weekend lay in a heavy band over Oahu before largely dissipating Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County is owed more than $4 million in past-due landfill fees and sewer bills, a number that’s creeping upward even as Environmental Management officials implement new procedures to recoup the bad debt. West Hawaii Today.

For the last few nights, visitors to the Thomas A. Jaggar Museum overlook at the summit of Kilauea have been hearing constant “booming and popping sounds” from the glowing lava lake. Tribune-Herald.

Kona Community Hospital ended last fiscal year with $1.6 million in revenue, its first positive bottom line since 1997. West Hawaii Today.

A large metal container found on a remote Ka‘u shoreline last week, possibly debris from the Japan tsunami, may not be going anywhere soon. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Two environmental and cultural groups have gone to court to challenge the Maui Planning Commission's approval of a final environmental impact statement for the Honua'ula project in South Maui. Maui News.

Maui hotel rooms were occupied at a rate of 75 percent in August, a 3.9 percent increase over the same month in 2011, Hospitality Advisors reported. Maui News.

Widespread haze is in the forecast for yet another day as voggy conditions prevail across much of Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kaua‘i Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a farm-worker house at Ned and Marta Whitlock’s 28.5-acre organic farm in Moloa‘a. The Whitlocks are the first farmers on Kaua‘i to benefit from a  bill that the Kaua‘i County Council passed more than two years ago. Garden Island.

At least 11 breeding or prospecting pairs of ‘A‘o, or Newell’s Shearwater, have been recorded at the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge this year, the highest number ever found on the refuge. Garden Island.

Surf's up! Hirono and Lingle debate heated, UH West chancellor retiring, protests around Hawaii against Land Development Corp., Honolulu rail PAC funds Big Island candidates, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii resort pool party (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

A high surf warning starting at noon today has been issued by the National Weather Service for the north and west shores of all islands. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Senate candidates Lingle, Hirono

Mazie Hirono and Linda Lingle went after each other Monday night in their second of five debates before the Nov. 6 election, and the first debate broadcast on television statewide. Civil Beat.

Former Gov. Linda Lingle said Monday that U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono has attacked national Republicans during their U.S. Senate campaign because she does not "have a record of her own to stand on." Hirono countered that Lingle's bipartisan theme is a facade and that had she been in the Senate, there would be no federal health care reform law. Star-Advertiser.

The Democratic and Republican nominees for US Senate squared off in a live televised debate Monday night in our KHON2 News studio. KHON2.

US Senate candidates Linda Lingle and Mazie Hirono have been challenging each other on the airwaves for weeks, and faced off on live television Tuesday. KITV4.

New online tools may soon help the public determine how well state agencies comply with records requests filed under the Uniform Information Practices Act. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie appointed former congressional candidate Esther Kia'aina to be the deputy director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Associated Press.

Leaders of the Hawaii State Teachers Association will be heading to schools soon to talk to teachers about the union's next steps in attempting to end a protracted labor dispute. Star-Advertiser.

UH Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple sent a campus-wide letter on Monday calling the past few weeks rough times for the university. KHON2.

Amidst Controversy Over Management, UH Chancellor Assures Faculty, Students. Hawaii Reporter.

We’ve got the last quarter moon, three major planets on view, another meteor shower to look for and a discovery over at the Mauna Kea summit as HPR’s Dave Lawrence speaks with Shawn Laatch from the Imiloa Astronomy Center for this week’s Stargazer report. Hawaii Public Radio.

State roundup for October 9. Associated Press.

Oahu

Gene Awakuni, the man in charge of the newest campus in the University of Hawaii system, plans to retire months after opening the UH West Oahu campus which suffered a "cash-flow" problem because of change orders to the project. Hawaii News Now.

Former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano has a knack of getting people to come to his defense. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning plans to take deep ocean water through pipes that will chill the city's downtown high rises. The plan calls for driving about 100 piles about a quarter to a half mile offshore. KITV4.

Waikiki resident Richard Perez found out the hard way that using a city restroom in a closed park at night is serious business. Star-Advertiser.

Tourists: Little Action Taken On High Rate Of Oahu Rental Car Theft. Civil Beat.

The median price of a single-family home on Oahu rose 12 percent in September on higher sales, while prices of condominiums were flat on lower sales, according to statistics from the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Several Hawaii County Council candidates are receiving unexpected, but nonetheless welcomed, support from a Honolulu political action committee mostly associated with Oahu’s rail dispute. Tribune-Herald.

County Council Candidates talk trash and more. West Hawaii Today.

Teachers, family and supporters came out Monday morning along Palani Road and Queen Kaahumanu Highway intersection for the Hawaii State Teachers Association Kona Chapter’s Unity Day rally. West Hawaii Today.

The Public Land Development Corporation is a terrible mistake that should be abolished, protesters across Hawaii said in sign-waving demonstrations Monday. Tribune-Herald.

A first-of-its-kind demonstration project to stabilize the Big Island electric grid while creating hydrogen for public transportation could be off and running by the first quarter of 2013. West Hawaii Today.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources is looking for answers to two important questions regarding the giant yellow metal object that recently washed ashore four miles south of Naalehu on Hawaii island: Where did it come from? Where is it going? Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island home prices rose substantially in September with the price of single-family homes up a whopping 13%. Big Island Now.

Maui

Scientists have confirmed that a whale found stranded in East Maui in 2010 was of a species that is among the rarest and least known in its family. Prior to 2010, scientists had little information about the Longman's beaked whale in Hawaii, said researchers with Hawaii Pacific University. Star-Advertiser.

New research from Hawai'i Pacific University on a rarely documented whale has central Pacific scientists on alert for a disease which may affect the mortality rate of dolphins and other marine mammal species. KHON2.

Kauai

For a few hours Monday afternoon, the entire state connected through simultaneous events linked by one moving force: Repeal Act 55. Community members on Kaua‘i, O‘ahu and Big Island got together from 2 to 4 p.m., and on Maui from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., to protest against the controversial act. Garden Island.

The Hawai‘i Army National Guard announced members of Troop C, 1st Squadron, 299th Cavalry of the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will be conducting Small Arms Live Fire Exercises on Saturday between 6 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. at the Kekaha Rifle Range. Garden Island.


Molokai

Thousands of Molokai residents were without power for more than seven hours Sunday night and early Monday morning after an islandwide power outage that began at 10:04 p.m., Maui Electric Co. officials said. Maui News.

With the upcoming Oct. 21 canonization of Mother Marianne at the Vatican, and their numbers dwindling, the remaining 17 leprosy patients banished to the remote peninsula of Kalaupapa are eager to make sure their stories are recorded and their home preserved. Associated Press.

Akaka tells Native Hawaiians to cling to values, Lingle takes offensive as poll standings slip, teachers union ends mediation, rail transit to eat fifth of Honolulu budget, Abercrombie talks tech, bad state for entrepreneurship, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian poi pounding (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka told a crowd at the Native Hawaiian Convention in Honolulu that it's important to remember to live Hawaiian values and draw courage from those that came before. Associated Press.

The Cook Political Report on Thursday shifted its rating in the Hawaii U.S. Senate race from "toss up" to "lean Demo­crat," concluding that former Gov. Linda Lingle's campaign would need a big break to prevail over U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono. Star-Advertiser.

Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle on Thursday escalated brewing political tensions with U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye by saying the longtime lawmaker thinks he should be able to hand-pick the state’s next U.S. Senator. Associated Press.

Democrats Colleen Hanabusa and Tulsi Gabbard hold leads over their Republican opponents and appear likely to keep Hawaii's congressional delegation blue for at least the next two years, according to The Civil Beat Poll. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association, representing more than 12,000 public school teachers, has ended mediation with the state in its continuing contract dispute, Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced Thursday night. Star-Advertiser.

More than a month after both sides entered federal mediation, the Hawaii State Teachers Association has informed the state it is no longer participating in contract negotiations. Hawaii News Now.

Federal mediation between the state and public school teachers has failed after the governor said the union broke off talks with the mediator. KHON2.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Sanjeev "Sonny" Bhagowalia, who was hired last summer as Hawaii's first chief information officer, unveiled the state’s Business and Information Technology/Information Resource Management Transformation Plan Thursday at the Hawaii Convention Center. Civil Beat.

The state of Hawaii fell four spots to No. 45 in the newly released State Entrepreneurship Index (SEI), a nationwide analysis and ranking system that compares how states stack up in terms of business formation and innovation. Maui Now.

Compassion & Choices Hawaii, a nonprofit organization working to improve care and expand choice at the end of life, received 31 local inquiries in its first year of service. Civil Beat.

State roundup for October 5. Associated Press.

Oahu

City taxpayer subsidies of transit operations in Honolulu will climb to 19 percent of overall city tax collections after the new rail system launches operations, and that extra cost will require that Hono­lulu limit its spending on other city operations, according to a new report from a federal consultant. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation officials said Thursday that an independent review of their financial plan by the Federal Transit Administration is proof that it is “reasonable and able withstand and successfully address risks” of building and operating the city’s elevated-rail project. Pacific Business News.

Mayoral contenders Kirk Caldwell and Ben Caye­tano continued to poke holes in each other's mass transit plans during a final forum on live television Thursday night. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu's mayoral candidates squared off at a forum in Waikiki Thursday. KHON2.

The developer of a $250 million system using cold seawater to provide energy-saving air conditioning to downtown buildings is almost ready to start drilling tunnels and laying pipe for the project. Star-Advertiser.

City officials are pushing for a project in which in a three-mile-long tunnel, about ten to 13 feet in diameter, would be built to carry wastewater from Kaneohe to Kailua. Hawaii News Now.

The state Intermediate Court of Appeals has ordered Kawaiahao Church to stop any work that could lead to the disinterment of more burials. Honolulu Weekly.

Drug and liquor violations at dorms and other campus residences at the University of Hawaii's flagship Manoa campus soared last year, while campus-related burglaries and aggravated assaults also rose. Star-Advertiser.

Sean Barriero, a principal in the Miami, Florida-based organization Epic Talent LLC, who claimed he could organize a Stevie Wonder concert at the University of Hawaii, but disappeared with the University's $200,000 deposit after the real Stevie Wonder agent contacted the school, may be on the run. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii

The Windward Planning Commission adjourned Thursday still looking for answers on how to allocate funds for a geothermal health study. Tribune-Herald.

Fearing urban sprawl could begin creeping down the Highway 11 corridor, the Windward Planning Commission on Thursday nixed an Ocean View man’s plan to put a coffee shop on his Aloha Boulevard corner lot. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi on Thursday thanked voters for their patience after the mishaps of the August primary and said she would work collaboratively with the state to ensure a "fair and well-run election" in November. Star-Advertiser.

Problems that plagued Hawaii County’s primary election Aug. 11 have been resolved, and the focus has shifted to running a smooth general election on Nov. 6. That was the consensus among Hawaii County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi and state Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago Thursday, after a nearly two-hour meeting at the state Attorney General’s office in downtown Honolulu. KITV4.

A culmination of community, police and administrative collaboration resulted in the apprehension of almost a dozen people allegedly involved in a rash of burglaries and car crimes in Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Staffers working for Sen. Daniel Inouye have been helping state and university officials make sure that a $300 million solar telescope on Maui gets built, according to internal government emails. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Republican Party has filed a second campaign finance complaint against Democratic candidate Kaniela Ing, who is running for the South Maui state House district against incumbent Republican Rep. George Fontaine. Maui News.

Kauai

The public is invited to attend a meeting and provide comment on a study being conducted by the Department of Water for the Lihu‘e–Kapa‘a water system. Garden Island.

The public is invited to honor U.S. Sen. Daniel Kahikina Akaka for his service to Hawai‘i at a dinner Oct. 10 at the Kilohana Carriage House starting at 4:30 p.m. Garden Island.

Hawaii County Council seeks election investigation, Honolulu mayoral candidates debate, more opposition to the Public Land Development Corp., Maui cane-burning health study inconclusive, solar companies gaming the system, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Jamae Kawauchi, Hawaii County Council (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Now that the state Office of Elections has taken over Hawaii County’s general election, the Hawaii County Council wants a full investigation into what went wrong in the primary election that ultimately led to the state taking back its authority. West Hawaii Today.

A day after an unprecedented move by the state to take over elections on the Big Island the county's chair is biting back and defending embattled County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi. KITV4.

Hawaii County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi says she will meet with Scott Nago, the state's chief elections officer and other officials at the state attorney general's office. Associated Press.

A day after the state said it would take over Hawaii county's election, the county clerk has called for a meeting with the state attorney general. KHON2.

Former Gov. Linda Lingle put a stop to a multi-million tax case against Expedia.com and a dozen other online travel firms after meeting behind close-doors with the companies, Lingle's former tax director said in sworn testimony. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s administration is moving decisively toward importing liquefied natural gas for Hawaii’s electricity needs. But this doesn’t mean state officials are easing up on the push for renewable energy. Civil Beat.

A highly anticipated program aimed at speeding up dozens of renewable energy projects in Hawaii is rife with problems including solar companies jockeying for advantage in order to tap into an increasingly lucrative market. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii State Energy Office has released a guidebook for commercial properties interested in installing electric vehicle charging stations. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii's beef market is backward. Nearly all the beef eaten here — 95 percent — arrives packaged on container ships from the U.S. mainland. At the same time, Hawaii cattle ranchers ship 40,000 live cattle each year to California, Kansas and other states, while just 4,000 are slaughtered for meat sales in Hawaii. Associated Press.

State roundup for October 4. Associated Press.

Oahu

Mayoral candidates Ben Cayetano and Kirk Caldwell re-staked their positions on the city's $5.26 billion rail project in their first head-to-head mayoral election debate Tuesday night on KITV. Star-Advertiser.

Forget about third-party attack ads, Honolulu mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell had his own barbs for former governor Ben Cayetano during their first televised debate since the Aug. 11 primary. Civil Beat.

For the first time since the August primary election, both candidate for Honolulu mayor faced off in a debate Wednesday night. KITV4.

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano's campaign team revised the cost of the transit plan he unveiled last week, increasing the projected cost to $1.5 billion from $1.2 billion. Star-Advertiser.

The independent engineering consultant required by the Federal Transit Administration to perform due diligence on Honolulu rail says in a new report that the project's cost estimate, risk and contingency are all reasonable and worthy of a federal funding guarantee. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council gave final approval Wednesday to Kamehameha Schools' plan to make improvements to Haleiwa town, despite lingering concerns about traffic in the area. Star-Advertiser.

Another alleged victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest is taking advantage of a Hawaii law that opens a two-year window to file civil claims in cases where the statute of limitations has expired. Star-Advertiser.

Investigation Continues into Company that Defrauded University of Hawaii of $200,000. Hawaii Reporter.

Talks are still going well between Hawaii Pacific University and Aloha Tower Marketplace. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council voted unanimously Wednesday to urge the abolishment of the Public Land Development Corp., formed by the state Legislature in 2011 to foster development of public lands. Tribune-Herald.

The County Council today unanimously approved a resolution asking the state Legislature to repeal Act 55, the law that created the controversial Public Land Development Corp. Big Island Now.

A proposed ban on geothermal drilling at night, introduced in response to recent drilling at Puna Geothermal Venture, passed its first reading Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

The long-awaited groundbreaking for a $18.1 million gym and community shelter was attended Wednesday by about 200 people, including Ka‘u High students, Gov. Neil Abercrombie, Mayor Billy Kenoi, and Ka‘u’s representatives in the state Senate, state House and the County Council. Tribune-Herald.

A groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday kicked off the construction process of the 83 homes in the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands’ Lalamilo subdivision in Waimea. West Hawaii Today.

Kona Community Hospital has hired a consultant to begin preplanning a replacement for the Kealakekua facility. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The state Department of Health has completed the first phase of a study on the health effects of sugar cane burning on Maui, and, while the preliminary results hint at people suffering ill effects downwind of cane burning, the study won't be complete until Maui Memorial Medical Center and island health clinics allow researchers access to their records, said Dr. Lorrin Pang of the state Department of Health. Maui News.

Maui County has forked over $37,500 to support the hunting of pesky axis deer on private property. Star-Advertiser.

A new group is now formally organized to control Axis deer in Maui County. Maui Now.

Kauai
The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday reached a majority vote on a decision that would allow a new youth diversion program to go forward. Garden Island.

The leak from a force main was confirmed to be the cause of Tuesday’s sewage spill in Hanapepe, according to a County of Kaua‘i news release. Garden Island.

Molokai

A large light bulb that might be debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami has been found on the south shore of Molokai. Star-Advertiser.

A skilled group of Hawaiian masons from parks throughout Hawaii Island joined park staff at Kalaupapa National Historic Park (NHP) to repair deteriorating drystack walls in the settlement and at Kahaloko Cemetery. Kalaupapa NHP has hosted the masons for rock wall repair within the park for the past five years. Molokai Dispatch.

Cayetano unveils 'FAST' rail alternative, Hawaii Supreme Court won't reconsider rail ruling, Inouye asks Lingle to take down video, Lanai group won't learn Ellison's price, UH awash in PR, Big Island archeological study delays park, Navy cruiser gets reprieve, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Cayetano's FAST rail alternative

Former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano is proposing a $1.1 billion plan to add express buses and contraflow lanes as an alternate solution to a $5 billion rail line to ease traffic on Oahu.Associated Press.

Honolulu mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano unveiled a transportation plan Thursday that features new Bus Rapid Transit routes, high-tech traffic signal systems to instantly respond to traffic snarls and plans for two-lane underpasses to ease the flow of traffic on Kapiolani Boulevard and other thoroughfares. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano presented his alternative–to-rail transportation plan today, saying the mix of expanded bus service, a two-mile extension of the airport highway viaduct, traffic underpasses beneath congested intersections and other features will cost $4.1 billion less than the planned elevated rail line. Hawaii Reporter.

Honolulu mayoral candidate and former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano on Thursday formally unveiled his mass-transit plan, which he touted as being a cheaper, better and more flexible alternative than the city’s $5.16 billion rail project. Pacific Business News.

Instead of being a candidate running against something, Ben Cayetano is now a candidate running for something. Civil Beat.

After waiting months to reveal deeper details about his traffic plans Honolulu mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano announced his bus rapid transit plan today.  But his opponent says it's too little too late. Hawaii News Now.

It's called FAST, for Flexible Affordable Smart Transportation, and mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano said Thursday it will be one-fifth the cost of rail. KITV4.

The mayor and city council chairman say mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano's bus rapid transit plan would not get federal backing for the current round of funding the rail authority has applied for. KHON2.

Cayetano's FAST website. click here.

Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle and City Council chairman Ernie Martin reacted quickly and negatively to Ben Cayetano's plan for a new Honolulu transportation plan. Hawaii Reporter.

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Thursday denied a request by the city to reconsider the court's unanimous Aug. 24 ruling that stopped construction of the $5.26 billion rail project. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Thursday denied a City and County of Honolulu motion for the high court to reconsider its ruling on the city’s controversial $5.16 billion rail project. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii's peak summer tourist season is coming to a close, but visitor traffic is holding its own into fall. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye on Thursday asked Republican Senate candidate Linda Lingle to pull down a web video touting a relationship between the two, and said the video has given him the incentive to actively campaign for Lingle's opponent, Democrat Mazie Hirono. Civil Beat.

A national grant that provides training, test prep and incentives helped four Hawaii high schools make big gains in the number of students taking — and passing — Advanced Placement exams in 2012, officials announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii has hired two public relations firms with contracts worth $150,000  to supplement the work of 13 PR people already on the UH system payroll.  More than 30 other UH public relations staffers work on other UH campuses and at different UH schools statewide. Hawaii News Now.

The Navy said the Pearl Harbor cruiser USS Port Royal and three others based elsewhere that had been slated for early retirement in March will be kept on duty for an undetermined length of time. Star-Advertiser.
 
Oahu

The company hoping to sell alcohol at the Honolulu Zoo has two more weeks to come up with a better plan. KHON2.

A new device that could rid Kaneohe Bay of invasive algae by 2015 was shown off Thursday by the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

The latest attack ad from the Pacific Resource Partnership that features footage of Honolulu mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell raises questions about whether either of the two parties violated Hawaii's campaign spending laws. Civil Beat.

How much can the Pacific Resource Partnership spend on ad time in a single week? Here's a hint: it's a hefty fraction of the $1.3 million the pro-rail trade group spent airing TV ads before the primary.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Hawaii County is about to embark on an archaeological survey of its 784-acre Kawa Bay property, a process likely to add months to plans for an oceanfront park there and push any eviction of several Native Hawaiians laying claim to the property into the new year. West Hawaii Today.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie releases funds to bring more doctors to Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

The Public Utilities Commission’s public hearing on Hawaii Electric Light Co.’s rate increase and biofuel surcharge proposals is a month away, and all sides are digging in for what could be an explosive meeting. Tribune-Herald.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources will vote Friday  on a management plan for the Ka`u Forest Reserve. Big Island Now.

Maui
Federal and state authorities are trying to locate, track and hopefully sink at sea a floating dock that could be tsunami debris from Japan, a state Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman said today. Maui News.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) is coordinating with NOAA and the U.S. Coast Guard to identify the current location of a 30 by 50-foot floating dock that was last seen on Wednesday, Sept. 19, by fishermen off the north coast of Molokai. Hawaii News Now.

Plans are under way to renovate the Lahaina Center on Front Street into Maui's first outlet shopping center by next summer. Maui News.

Maui's tourism industry ended a strong summer with both increased visitor arrivals and spending in August, according to new data released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Maui News.

Kauai

The annual Legislative Forum hosted by the state Council on Developmental Disabilities wrapped up an unusual week that had four political events crammed into four days. Garden Island.

A federal lawsuit claims teenage employees working at a Panda Express in Kapa‘a were groped and demeaned. Garden Island.

Taxpayers’ money that has already been approved to be spent on private attorneys’ fees on matters related to POHAKU (Productive Optimism Helps All Kaua‘i) diversionary program keeps snowballing: It is now at $35,000. Garden Island.

Lanai

Lanaians for Sensible Growth, which was given approval by Hawaii regulators to intervene in the case of the transfer of utilities to Lanai owner Larry Ellison, have been denied access to confidential documents, including the price of the sale. Pacific Business News.

UH takes hot seat for Stevie Wonder blunder, Oracle racing coming to Lanai, Honolulu mayoral candidates debate, Hawaii SAT scores lag historically low national numbers, Hawaii County elections lawsuit can't find a judge, union settlement at Turtle Bay, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state Capitol (c) 2012 all Hawaii News

University of Hawaii officials were grilled for more than six hours Monday in a hearing that sought answers on a Stevie Wonder fundraising concert that never was. Civil Beat.

Amid tough questions Monday night from state senators, Board of Regents Chairman Eric Martinson pledged greater transparency in tackling the fallout from the botched Stevie Wonder concert and said the body would play a role in making sure a similar debacle doesn't happen again. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood was grilled by more than two hours by a special State Senate committee Monday looking into the botched Stevie Wonder concert and its aftermath. Hawaii News Now.

UH President MRC Greenwood

University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood said she felt political pressure to let then-athletic director Jim Donovan keep his job, but instead the school offered him a position that he had neither asked for, nor wanted, at an annual salary of $211,000 for three years. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii's Stevie Wonder concert fiasco was the product of a systematic breakdown and not the fault of a single university official, internal UH documents show. Hawaii News Now.

Presidents of public universities with top-tier intercollegiate football programs must walk a  “very difficult and treacherous pathway,” University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood said as she walked that pathway at a state Senate investigative committee hearing yesterday. Hawaii Reporter.

Senators finally called it a night at seven o'clock this evening, after listening to six hours of testimony regarding the Stevie Wonder concert scam, and the re-assignment of former UH Athletics Director Jim Donovan. KHON2.

Hawaii's SAT scores continue to lag behind the national average. Star-Advertiser.

David “Kawika” Crowley has a lot to say about Tulsi Gabbard, his opponent in Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional race, but it appears he won’t have a chance to say it to her face. Tribune-Herald.

State roundup for September 25. Associated Press.

Oahu
For part of a mayoral forum Monday, candidates Kirk Caldwell and Ben Caye­tano veered away from discussing the city's $5.26 billion rail project and talked about issues on the minds of the largely elderly audience. Star-Advertiser.

During a Monday forum sponsored by the Kokua Council, both candidates for Honolulu mayor said they would support the direct funding of senior services by the city. KITV4.

Honolulu Mayoral Candidates Kirk Caldwell and Ben Cayetano squared off in their first meeting since advancing from the primary election. KHON2.

When it comes to the Waikiki War Memorial Natatorium, neither of Honolulu’s two mayoral candidates fully support the state’s plan to replace the dilapidated structure with a volleyball arena or concert venue. Civil Beat.

The Kaimana Beach Coalition released more emails this weekend that raises questions about the influence of a group that it is at odds with. KITV4.

The 16 candidates running to fill Tulsi Gabbard’s vacant Honolulu City Council seat range from an English professor to a Department of Transportation office assistant. Civil Beat.

The city of Honolulu will unveil draft proposals for transit-oriented development along the planned rail line in Kalihi and downtown Hono­lulu in public workshops today and Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A tentative settlement was reached Monday night on a new contract covering workers at Turtle Bay Resort. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu’s new online system for residential solar power system building permits started off with more than 300 permits issued during the first day alone. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu is one of the largest U.S. cities not to put fluoride in its water supply, but it's been nearly a decade since the issue was last up for public debate. Civil Beat.

Robertson Properties Group’s final environmental impact statement for its proposed mixed-use project for the site of the former Kamehameha Drive-in across from Pearlridge Center in Aiea has been accepted by Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting. Pacific Business News.

The Navy's Blue Angels said aloha to Kaneohe in typical fashion Monday — with six jets flying wingtip to wingtip in a diamond pattern and trailing smoke as they screamed by in a low flyover just before 2:30 p.m. Star-Advertiser.

The National Weather Service posted a high-surf advisory throughout the day as waves with faces taller than 20 feet pounded the North Shore. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

It’s been little more than two weeks since two fired elections workers filed suit against County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi and Council Chairman Dominic Yagong. But it’s already clear no Hilo judge is going to hear the lawsuits. West Hawaii Today.

County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi said Monday that she has replaced Arlene Boteilho, made acting elections program administrator after the firing of Pat Nakamoto in January, with Elizabeth Lehua Iopa. Tribune-Herald.

South Kona’s recent spate of burglaries provided ample fodder for debate and marked a bright line between philosophies when the two candidates for prosecuting attorney faced off Friday at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. West Hawaii Today.

Previous scientific studies of Hawaii Island’s fresh water resources have shown some of what scientists thought they knew about water here was wrong. West Hawaii Today.

A North Hawaii bridge and intersection will get a makeover, under a Department of Transportation proposal that got the environmental go-ahead this week. West Hawaii Today.

Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School faculty, staff, parents and community members elected the school’s first governing board on Sept. 6. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Halting the controversial Kihei shopping centers that have come under scrutiny by the state Land Use Commission could also jeopardize 250 affordable housing units promised to Maui County five years ago. Maui News.

The Mahinahina Water Treatment facility in West Maui was up and running as of early Sunday morning after crews repaired a broken waterline sooner than expected. Maui News.

Kauai
Hundreds of fans are expected to turn out Saturday for "Kauai Remembers Blue Hawaii," a commemorative event sponsored by the Kauai Visitors Bureau and the County of Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Commercial parking lots across from Tunnels Beach are no longer in operation after the state found three land owners to be in violation of land use within the conservation district. Garden Island.

Following the buzz over the statewide Public Land Development Corporation’s series of heated meetings last month, the Kaua‘i County Council will discuss Wednesday a resolution introduced by its rookie council member, echoing what the public present at those meetings has overwhelmingly asked Gov. Neil Abercrombie throughout the state: Repeal Act 55. Garden Island.

Lanai

ORACLE Racing is proposing the use of Kaumalapau Harbor on the island of Lāna‘i as a temporary base of operations for sea trials, training, and related research to support  the development of a high-performance boat for competitive sailing events. Maui Now.