Many Hawaii homeless new arrivals, Abercrombie says same-sex marriage highlight of gubernatorial term, PAC spending case sent to prosecutor, Hawaii council advances e-cig ban, Kakaako construction gone wild, Maui could hike water rates in droughts, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu homeless © 2014 All Hawaii News

About 6 percent of Hawaii's homeless population — or about 600 people — arrived in the Aloha State in only the last 12 months, according to a new University of Hawaii report. In addition, about 16 percent of the homeless population — or about 1,600 people — told Hawaii social service workers they became new residents within the last five years. Star-Advertiser.

Opponents of a proposal to put in place the city's "sit-lie" ordinance in business districts across Oahu plan to hold rally at Hono­lulu Hale starting shortly before midday Thursday to urge Mayor Kirk Caldwell to veto the bill passed by the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

A Statewide Homeless Awareness Conference on O’ahu is scheduled for Friday. It will bring service providers and government agencies together to look for viable solutions. Hawaii Public Radio.

An immigration reform proposal expected to be unveiled by President Barack Obama today could protect hundreds of undocumented immigrants living in Hawaii from deportation. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Wednesday described the legalization of same-sex marriage as his proudest accomplishment as governor and said he wished he had done more to convince the public of the need for shared sacrifice near the end of the recession. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Attorney General David Louie plans to appeal a court’s decision requiring the release of financial disclosure statements of certain state board members, which is expected to keep the records private while that lengthy process plays out. Civil Beat.

Opinion: Hawaii Needs to Spread a Little Digital Aloha. Our new governor should take steps — even if they're costly — to drag the islands’ computer systems into the modern world. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The city prosecutor's office is now tasked with deciding whether criminal charges are warranted in connection with two complaints related to the 2012 mayoral campaign activities of the Pacific Resource Partnership Political Action Committee. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu prosecutors will decide whether to file criminal charges against the Pacific Resource Partnership’s political action committee for failing to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars spent during the 2012 mayoral campaign, among other violations. The state Campaign Spending Commission voted 3-1 Wednesday to refer two complaints against PRP to city prosecutors. Civil Beat.

A global engineering and design firm that holds three Oahu rail project contracts has purchased a rival company that holds the contract to oversee the design firm's work, forcing city officials to look at ways to resolve an apparent conflict of interest. Star-Advertiser.

The former lead prosecutor in the gambling, money laundering and racketeering case involving arcade sweepstakes machines is facing possible sanctions for failing to show up in state court Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Pearl Harbor is getting a fourth Virginia-class submarine next week, adding to the high-tech firepower the Navy has said will accompany the rebalance to the Pacific. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii developer Stanford Carr's Keauhou Lane project, which includes 388 residential units in a 400-foot high-rise tower, along with 35 townhouse units in a 42-foot mid-rise tower, is slated to start construction in late March or early April. Pacific Business News.

Better coordination between landowners, developing a business improvement district and subsidizing retailers were some of the ideas tossed around at a town hall meeting in Downtown Honolulu that focused on the pedestrian experience in the growing Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako. Pacific Business News.

Opinion: Imagining Kakaako — How Our Hearts Lead Us Astray. The area is developing all too quickly thanks to public/private cooperation on steroids and the lack of urban vision. Civil Beat.

Reece Huculak-Kimmel has become known as the million-dollar baby. The 11-month-old Canadian girl was prematurely born at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children on Dec. 10 and her parents are now responsible for a $950,000 bill that insurance won't cover. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A bill prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes anywhere smoking traditional cigarettes is banned moved ahead Wednesday to its final vote, after attempts to first amend, then delay, the measure were batted away by a County Council majority. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County’s Civil Defense chief said he will continue to assess whether road restrictions should be lifted as the June 27 lava flow remains calm near Pahoa. Tribune-Herald.

US House Panel Gets Volcano Hazard Update. Reps. Hanabusa and Gabbard were among those at the congressional hearing that included testimony from Hawaii officials. Civil Beat.

The June 27 lava flow took centerstage Wednesday during a Congressional subcommittee hearing on volcano monitoring in the United States. Tribune-Herald.

The comptroller for the state Department of Accounting and General Services has joined the lineup of opposition to placing the Keauhou aquifer under the control of the state’s water commission. West Hawaii Today.

Two top administrators of the state Department of Health’s Adult Mental Health Division appeared in a Hilo courtroom Tuesday to explain delays in performing a mental examination for a woman jailed several months for relatively minor offenses. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Members of the council committee on water resources today passed a bill on first reading that seeks to establish special water rate actions and conservation measures during times of water shortages and drought. Maui Now.

Lahainaluna High School staff, students, supporters and local politicians have formed a Lahainaluna Boarding Department Working Group to sustain the historic and nearly 200-year-old program that has been hit with funding problems and the phasing out of traditional and lucrative farming programs. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council soundly defeated a proposal encouraging Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s administration to create a low-interest loan program that would help residents upgrade their cesspools to septic systems on the heels of imminent changes to state Department of Health rules on wastewater. Garden Island.

Reorganization pits Hawaii House vs. Senate in GMO fight, Maui residents sue for GMO home rule, Abercrombie sparse with pardons, woman sentenced to jail for damaging Iolani Palace, Kauai anti-war group allowed in job fair, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state Capitol © 2014All Hawaii News

The coalition of dissident Democrats and minority Republicans that brought state House Speaker Joseph Souki to power last year has officially ended. Souki's postelection reorganization of the House reflects his expanded support among Democrats and sheds the alliance with Republicans, who had held three committee vice chairmanships — including the vice chairmanship of the House Finance Committee — through the coalition. Star-Advertiser.

GMO Debate to be Shaped by New Senate, House Ag Chairs. Sen. Russell Ruderman and Rep. Clift Tsuji are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to regulating the seed industry. Civil Beat.

House Speaker Joe Souki and the Democratic majority met in caucus briefly Wednesday afternoon before unveiling the 2015 leadership team and committee chair assignments for next legislative session, which convenes Jan. 21. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii House of Representatives has named new leaders for its key committees and top posts. Speaker Joseph Souki and Vice Speaker John Mizuno will head the chamber with Majority Leader Scott Saiki. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Ethics Commission must release the financial disclosure statements of all members of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents, state Land Use Commission and Agribusiness Development Corp.'s board of directors, a state judge ruled Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

First Circuit Judge Rhonda Nishimura has granted Honolulu Civil Beat’s request for a preliminary injunction to require the Hawaii State Ethics Commission to make public the financial disclosure statements of certain state board members. Civil Beat.

Consumer finance site NerdWallet has a new study out that estimates gay weddings could have a $26.6 million benefit to Hawaii in additional annual revenue. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has pardoned significantly fewer criminals than his three most recent predecessors, according to records obtained by Hawaii News Now.

While the Hawaii Supreme Court already has dinged the state for failing to provide sufficient funding to operate the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, the debate now turns to what constitutes sufficient funding. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai'i Short 50K New Housing Units by 2016. State Lawmakers conducted a comprehensive briefing on Housing requirements state-wide today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

A 22-year-old woman who admitted that she damaged a 130-year-old glass panel when she kicked in a door to break into Iolani Palace could be spending 12 more months in jail. Star-Advertiser.

A Civil Beat analysis of Honolulu death records found that 139 of the 417 homeless people who passed away from March 2006 to July 2014 died of natural causes, most often heart disease and pneumonia. That’s second only to drug and alcohol-related deaths, which totaled 142 in the same period.

A decision to expand the city's contentious sit-lie law outside of Waikiki and into business sections of other Oahu neighborhoods is delayed until Friday to allow Honolulu City Council members more time to examine and research the latest draft they received Wednesday morning. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday suspended a final vote on a bill that would extend the city’s ban on sitting and lying on sidewalks in Waikiki to commercial districts throughout Oahu after four council members said they hadn’t been given sufficient time to review last-minute amendments. Civil Beat.

Construction equipment may begin rolling again next week on the site of the 801 South St. Building B condominium tower in Kakaako after a state court injunction that stopped work in May was lifted Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

For the first time in four years, Honolulu motorists can look forward to seeing $3.50-per-gallon gas prices, and not five or 10 years from now, but in three to six months. Pacific Business News.

Bikeshare Hawaii, a nonprofit that will work to establish a bike-sharing transportation system on Oahu, is under new leadership. Star-Advertiser.

The public will get its first look at a planned $38 million affordable rental complex aimed at local artists in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako on Dec. 17. Pacific Business News.

Starting Wednesday night, it’ll be a nightmare to drive through the Kalihi area. That’s when a Department of Transportation pavement resurfacing project begins. KHON2.

Hawaii

Following the destruction Monday of the first home in Pahoa to be hit by the advancing lava flow, one question is likely on the minds of many homeowners in the area. When will the state request federal assistance for individual homeowners and renters as a result of the June 27 lava flow? Tribune-Herald.

As lava slowly oozed its way into Pahoa last week, University of Hawaii at Hilo researchers were out on the flow field, providing aerial imagery to emergency responders. Big Island Video News.

courtesy Hawaii County

Firefighters doused two power poles threatened by lava with water and foam Wednesday to help protect them from temperatures that can exceed 2,000 degrees. Tribune-Herald.

The lava flow from Kilauea Volcano is lingering near Pahoa's $3.9 million waste and recycling center while county officials keep an eye on a breakout upslope that moved 225 yards Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

If public meeting laws were applied to the scientific investigations of a board trying make a determination on public policy, they would create “unworkable and absurd conditions.” So argues the state Commission on Water Resource Management in its response to an allegation it violated the Sunshine Law during site visits to West Hawaii this fall. West Hawaii Today.

Facing sanctions from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and striving to keep Kailua Bay clean, Hawaii County is undertaking a $6.5 million sewer project mauka of Kuakini Highway in an area residents have dubbed “Hamburger Hill.” West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Global seed companies Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences promised litigation after Maui County residents approved a voter initiative to ban on genetically modified crops on Election Day, but five residents have beaten them to the punch. Civil Beat.

The group responsible for putting a moratorium on genetically engineered crops on the Maui County ballot launched a pre-emptive strike against agricultural giants Wednesday by filing a lawsuit in Maui Circuit Court. Star-Advertiser.

With the dust still settling from last week's election, two dozen California lawmakers are flying to luxury resorts in Hawaii for conferences subsidized and attended by interests that lobby the Legislature: oil companies, public employee unions, drug and tobacco firms, and others. L.A. Times.

Kauai

Hawaii Peace and Justice — an organization that supports the demilitarization of Hawaii — will be allowed a spot at the upcoming Hawaii College and Career Fair after initially being told it could not participate. Garden Island.

A decision could be issued soon on whether two Kauai fishermen will get a chance to challenge new rules approved for the state's first community-based subsistence fishing area in Haena on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Former Hanalei boatyard owner Michael Sheehan’s civil action alleging former neighbors built un-permitted structures that caused environmental damage will move forward with the same judge in 5th Circuit Court. Judge Kathleen Watanabe on Wednesday denied a plaintiff’s motion to recuse herself as presiding judge in the case. Garden Island.

Shipping company buyouts to change Hawaii's commerce, HUD investigates public housing, Supreme Court to hear gay marriage, lava reaches garbage transfer station, Maui 'coup' changes council leadership, Sheraton fined for coastal work, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Matson shipping company courtesy photo

The domestic shipping business that is Hawaii's main lifeline for goods is reverting to a duopoly next year after nearly a decade of three-way competition, though local consumers and businesses are not expected to see significant price or service changes. Star-Advertiser.

Two business transactions announced Tuesday will significantly change the seascape of the shipping industry in Hawaii. Matson Inc., which has the largest share of the U.S. mainland-to-Hawaii market, said it will buy Horizon Lines Inc. for $69 million. Matson also will acquire Horizon’s debt. Tribune-Herald.

Matson Inc., which has the largest share of the U.S. Mainland-to-Hawaii market, said it will buy the Alaska operations of Horizon Lines Inc. for $69 million. Matson will also acquire Horizon’s debt. Separately, Horizon will sell its Hawaii operations to The Pasha Group for $142 million and shut down its Puerto Rico business. Garden Island.

Commentary: State Senate will lean left, House will go right. In analyzing the power shifts in leadership and committee assignments for the upper house of the Hawaii State Legislature, we predict a more liberal Senate in the 2015-16 Legislature. But the House will likely shift right. Hawaii Independent.

The state Supreme Court will hear arguments in December on a state House lawmaker's legal challenge to Hawaii's marriage equality law. Star-Advertiser.

A federal investigation is underway into whether tenants at 68 federal housing projects across the state are violating the rules and taking advantage of taxpayers, sources told Hawaii News Now. The U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department, known as HUD, began an Inspector General's investigation into tenants at federal housing projects across Hawaii several months ago, sources said.

The Hawaii Health Connector has quadrupled the number of call center workers at the state's insurance exchange to make it smoother for residents to enroll in medical coverage after a disastrous rollout a year ago. Star-Advertiser.

The nonprofit Faith Action for Community Equity is hosting a summit on Saturday focused on Hawaii’s affordable housing crisis. Civil Beat.

Opinion: Voters Didn’t Show Up Because the Election Was Boring. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Service to the country by veterans past and present — including a legacy of contributions by Hawaii's sons and daughters — was remembered Tuesday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. Star-Advertiser.

More than 400 homeless people have died on Oahu in the past eight years, a Civil Beat review of medical examiner’s death records has found. Civil Beat.

State and city agencies want the Navy to either double-line its operational underground fuel storage tanks at Red Hill within the next 10 years or shut them down, according to a draft report issued last week by the Red Hill Fuel Storage Facility Task Force. Star-Advertiser.

PBS Hawaii held a groundbreaking ceremony Monday morning morning on the site of its future home — 315 Sand Island Access Road in Kalihi. The public television station’s lease with the University of Hawaii at Manoa is expiring. Thus far, PBS Hawaii — it’s a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — has raised more than 75 percent of its $30 million capital campaign goal. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

A day after the June 27 lava flow claimed its first Pahoa home, Hawaii County Civil Defense reported that the leading edge of the flow remained stalled 480 feet from Pahoa Village Road. But activity taking the form of a number of breakouts further up slope behind the flow front continued. Tribune-Herald.

courtesy Hawaii County

Lava from Kilauea Volcano flowed through a fence surrounding Pahoa's $3.5 million waste and recycling center Tuesday afternoon, one day after it burned a nearby house. Star-Advertiser.

As the lava flow from Kīlauea’s Pu’u ‘O’o Vent continues to creep through Puna just outside of Pahoa, Hawai'i County officials are facing a series of decisions. A major one concerns roads. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawai‘i County Civil Defense officials say they're very closely monitoring three active Puna lava flow breakouts in the Apa‘a Street vicinity. Hawaii News Now.

A local resort is scrambling to get an after-the-fact permit after it was cited by the county Planning Department for unauthorized construction and landscaping work. West Hawaii Today.

The new Hawaii Community College — Palamanui center must become its own master while pushing the envelope to develop innovative offerings. That was the message at a community forum Tuesday evening at Old Kona Airport Park, with several speakers saying the West Hawaii population has lacked proper access to higher education for too long. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Council Member Mike White announced Monday that he will chair the Maui County Council in the next term, unseating current Chairwoman Gladys Baisa, who characterized her deposing as a "coup." Maui News.

The Maui region of Hawaii Health Systems Corp., which includes Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital and Lanai Community Hospital, could plunge into a $46.4 million cash-flow deficit by fiscal 2017 if it continues on its current financial trajectory. Maui News.

A standing room only crowd showed up to testify at an informational briefing and hearing on Maui focused on the state health system and district plans to address anticipated budget shortfalls. Maui Now.

Kauai

Company officials from ABC Stores, a popular Honolulu-based convenience store chain, are seeking to build a fourth store on Kauai. Garden Island.

Puna Lava flow burns first home, Abercrombie starts new business, Honolulu named best place to retire, state sues Hawaii County over hunting, raises for Kauai officials, Patsy Mink awarded posthumous Medal of Freedom, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

First house torched by lava courtesy Ena Media Hawaii and Blue Hawaiian Helicopters

The destruction of her grandparents’ house Monday brought the reality of the June 27 lava flow home for Kanoe Pelfrey. Tribune-Herald.

First video of the house fire ignited by lava in Pahoa, filmed by Mick Kalber of Tropical Visions Video aboard Paradise Helicopters. Big Island Video News.

 

 Lava from Kilauea Volcano's so-called June 27 flow ignited its first house in Pahoa on Monday and threatened more destruction in the days ahead. Star-Advertiser.

The slow moving lava flow on Hawaii Island has set fire to its first home, making contact with the residence just before noon.  The home’s renters had already left the residence. Hawaii Public Radio.

The first home has been claimed by the Puna lava flow, just across the street from the Pahoa Transfer Station along Cemetery Road/Apaa Street. Hawaii News Now.

A home is burning after coming into contact with the June 27 lava flow. Darryl Oliveira, Hawaii County Civil Defense administrator, said he received confirmation at about 11:55 a.m. that the home off Cemetery Road had ignited after lava reached the vacant 1,152-square-foot residence. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Civil Defense says that an upslope lava breakout on Cemetery Road destroyed a home and shed at around noon Monday.  This is the first residence claimed by the June 27th lava flow. KITV4.

With just weeks left in his 44-year career of public service, Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie is listed as the sole officer of a new company called Pacific Strategies LLC. The business was registered with the state Oct. 3, about two months after Abercrombie’s re-election effort was derailed by state Sen. David Ige in the Democratic primary. Civil Beat.

Some 1,853 of Hawaii’s 13,505 marriages held since Dec. 2, 2013, were between same sex couples. But Hawaii’s same sex marriage law, passed by the Hawaii Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Neil Abercrombie in Nov. 2013, could come to an end if the Hawaii Supreme Court rules the law invalid. On Dec. 18, the state’s high court will hear oral arguments in the challenge brought by Rep. Bob McDermott, a Republican in the Hawaii Legislature. Hawaii Reporter.

The U.S.-China agreement to extend short-term visas for tourists and business travelers from one to 10 years drew applause from Hawaii business leaders and politicians, including Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Mark Dunkerley, who called it a "significant step in the right direction." Pacific Business News.

Starting today, a reciprocity agreement will extend short-term business and tourist visas to-and-from China to 10 years, and student and exchange visas to five years. The move is aimed at providing economic benefits in tourism, trade and investment. Garden Island.

President Barack Obama on Monday named Patsy Mink one of 19 people to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Star-Advertiser.

Health insurance rates for nearly 13,000 individuals will rise Jan. 1, while close to 33,000 people may be pleasantly surprised to see premium decreases. The state Insurance Division has approved an average 9.2 percent rate hike for 9,600 individuals covered by Kaiser Permanente Hawaii and 3.8 percent increase for 3,141 members with the Hawaii Medical Service Association. Star-Advertiser.

The state Health Department says a restaurant can have roaches and rodents and still pass inspection. Hawaii News Now.

Switching from diesel oil to liquefied natural gas for electric power generation could drop Hawaii's highest-in-the-nation electric rates from 6 to 25 percent by the year 2040, according to a working paper posted online last month by the Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaii. Maui News.

The longtime head of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly says he’ll leave the organization next August. The search is underway for a replacement for J.N. Musto, who has been with the union for more than 35 years. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Association of Independent Schools Board of Directors has named Robert Landau the organization’s new executive director, replacing longtime Executive Director Robert Witt, who is retiring. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

Livability.com has named Honolulu a Best Place to Retire, 2014. Honolulu, the website says, “offers access to affordable and quality health care, practical cost of living, retiree-friendly businesses and services, as well as several amenities to help keep residents active.” Star-Advertiser.

Luxury high-rise condominiums planned in Kakaako have been big sellers this year. Really big. So big that a single developer has sold $783 million worth of residences slated for completion in 2016 and 2017. Star-Advertiser.

Cash, cars, jewelry. All kinds of property are taken by law enforcement every year and sometimes, there are no arrest or criminal charges. But authorities get to keep the goods, and it’s legal. KHON2.

Former state prison guard Mark Damas was sentenced Monday to just shy of five years behind bars for accepting bribe money to smuggle meth­am­pheta­mine, cigarettes and other contraband into Halawa Correctional Facility and for scheming with inmates to do so. Star-Advertiser.

An additional 6,000 hatchery-raised sea urchins were recently placed in Kaneohe Bay on Oahu by Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Aquatic Invasive Species team divers in the battle against invasive seaweeds that threaten to smother coral patch reefs. West Hawaii Today.

Unanticipated costs and delays might doom Mayor Kirk Caldwell's controversial plan for a temporary transition center for up to 115 homeless people at Sand Island. Star-Advertiser.

Starting Wednesday night, state transportation officials plan to make full and partial lane closures in both directions of the H-1 freeway in Kalihi from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The state is suing the county over its aerial hunting ban. The suit, filed Thursday in Hilo Circuit Court by the Office of Attorney General David Louie, seeks to exempt state employees and private contractors hired by the state to eradicate feral sheep, goats, swine, cattle and axis deer from the 2012 county ordinance prohibiting aerial hunting. Tribune-Herald.

Kawaihae South Small Boat Harbor, the first new harbor opened in the state in 34 years, was dedicated Monday. West Hawaii Today.

New court program gives veterans a second chance. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
A standing room only crowd showed up to testify at an informational briefing and hearing on Maui focused on the state health system and district plans to address anticipated budget shortfalls. Maui Now.

It's been a week since the controversial initiative calling for a moratorium on the cultivation of all genetically engineered crops in Maui County managed to squeak by in one of the closest races of this election. Now that the campaigning is over, its passage has left residents wondering, “What now?” Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Raises may be on the horizon for some top county officials whose salaries have been frozen for nearly five years. The county Salary Commission, by a 6-0 vote, approved a measure that would raise the maximum salary limit for 22 department heads by a total of $150,265. Garden Island.

The Missile Defense Agency released video of the Hawaii-based destroyer USS John Paul Jones shooting down a simulated ballistic missile and a "raid" of cruise missile targets Thursday off the coast of Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii officials urge U.S. Army not to leave islands, Navy working on renewable energy research, Abercrombie recognized for gay marriage, lava flow poised to consume garage, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pohakuloa Training Area © 2014 All Hawaii News

State and city officials are asking for the public's help in fending off a proposal that would reduce Army personnel in Hawaii by 20,000 and cost the state $1.35 billion. Star-Advertiser.

With the U.S. Army looking at restructuring its forces, community leaders, lawmakers and military supporters gathered at Honolulu Hale this morning to launch a campaign that aims to keep Hawaii's heroes in the islands. KITV4.

The U.S. Army is considering a proposal that would eliminate close to 20,000 soldiers and civilian workers from Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter as part of its 20-20 “force structure realignment.” This could severely impact Hawaii’s economy, with officials estimating a loss of $1.35 billion. KHON2.

The U.S. Navy is putting millions of dollars into renewable energy research in Hawaii. The Defense Department is the largest energy consumer in the U.S., and has long been worried about having to rely on expensive fuel oil for military operations. Associated Press.

Hawaii has become ground zero for a Pentagon research drive to develop alternative energy in areas including Asia and the Pacific, where the need to travel long distances -- and use lots of fuel oil to do it -- has been identified as a national security risk. Star-Advertiser.

Outgoing Gov. Neil Abercrombie will be given an award for his work to legalize same-sex marriage in Hawaii. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who leaves office Dec. 1, will be given an award next week for his work to legalize same-sex marriage in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Gov.-elect David Ige took his first step as the incoming leader of Hawaii, announcing he will appoint Mike McCartney as his chief of staff. Associated Press.

David Ige: Engineer, Technocrat … and Ballet Dad? Hawaii's governor-elect recently opened up to Civil Beat about his entry into politics, why he stayed and how fatherhood may have slowed his legislative ascent. Civil Beat.

David Ige takes office with few political debts. The new administration's first test may be dealing with powerful interests. Star-Advertiser.

With 12.5 percent of all children born prematurely in the islands, Hawaii once again earned an average "C" grade for premature births even as the national rate dropped to a 17-year low of 11.4 percent. Star-Advertiser.

Students and faculty at the University of Hawaii are joining forces to try to force solutions to the system's spiraling financial crisis. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration is having second thoughts about relocating 100 homeless people to a vacant lot on Sand Island. Civil Beat.

Interest in Hawaii as a test bed for wave energy technology is swelling as companies flock to Kaneohe Bay to prove the durability of their power-generating devices in the Pacific. Star-Advertiser.

A house in the Windward Oahu town of Kailua that Hawaii native Barack Obama once used as a getaway just months before he was elected president has been sold for $9.5 million. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A lava breakout in the area of Apa’a Street near the cemetery has entered a private property and is only 5 yards away from the garage area of a residential structure. Civil defense says it is possible that these buildings may be affected by the advancing flow later today. Big Island Video News.

According to Hawaii County Civil Defense, Sunday morning’s assessment of the June 27 lava flow from Kilauea Volcano shows that the flow front remains stalled with very little activity and has not advanced over the past 10 days. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira said Friday officials are not considering re-opening Pahoa Village Road despite the front of the June 27 lava flow from Kilauea stalling for more than a week.Tribune-Herald.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard might have been in Pahoa as a member of the Hawaii Army National Guard, but her fatigues hardly helped in her blend in with the other men and women in uniform at a lava informational meeting Thursday evening. Tribune-Herald.

People seriously late on their sewer bills could soon find their water shut off, under a measure winning initial approval Friday. West Hawaii Today.

A team of representatives from the research and development company Makani spent Wednesday evening in Waimea assuring pilots that an experimental wind project won’t interfere with flights. West Hawaii Today.

Group launched to stop alleged turtle poaching. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Some Maui parents cheered the Legislature's approval of $130 million for a new high school last year, believing it meant a new school would open by 2016. But due to how the funding was structure, the state Department of Education said the school will have to be built in phases and won't open until perhaps 2020. Associated Press.

The Maui County Council on Friday approved amendments to the county's public sign ordinance in accordance with a U.S. District Court settlement involving a free-speech lawsuit stemming from a Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in Wailuku. Maui News.

Maui County Council Chairwoman Gladys Baisa and other concerned citizens have been assured by Gov. Neil Abercrombie that he will not sign off on proposed changes to cesspool rules in Hawaii, Baisa told The Maui News on Friday. Maui News.

Kauai

Living treasures honored. Garden Island.

Delays cost Honolulu rail $75.4M, candidates and PACs face fines, Hannemann struggles to raise money, senior high-rise may come to Waikiki, lava continues northward trek, Kauai struggles with GMO ruling, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Rail column construction, courtesy Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation

In a Friday communication with the Honolulu City Council, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit says it lost $75.4 million in change orders for the West Oahu Guideway, the Kamehameha Guideway and the Maintenance and Storage Facility. KITV4.

Dozens of Hawaii candidates for elected office and political action committees are facing fines Wednesday before the state Campaign Spending Commission for various violations. In all, the commission’s agenda — its longest in years — includes 20 proposed conciliation agreements, mostly over failing to file campaign finance reports on time, and 19 dockets for complaints including the use of campaign money for personal expenses. Civil Beat.

Independent candidate for governor Mufi Hannemann, who has raised six percent of the money this year compared to his last gubernatorial race four years ago, is getting some big financial help from his multi-millionaire sister and brother-in-law. Hawaii News Now.

Despite being among the first states to approve the use of medical marijuana, certified patients in Hawaii still face challenges tied to access and transporting the drug in the isles, according to a new report to the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

A federal appeals court in San Francisco waded again into the debate over the constitutionality of gay marriage, with attorneys for both sides arguing over whether legalizing it would harm children. The three judges on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals — two of whom have ruled in previous cases in favor of gay rights — reserved many of their most pointed questions for the defenders of state bans in Idaho, Nevada and Hawaii. Associated Press.

Mark Takai Says He Wants to ‘Knock Some Sense’ into Congress. Democratic candidate for 1st Congressional District discusses a variety of topics, including the military and Hawaii's high cost of living. Civil Beat.

Opinion: What’s interesting about HECO’s recently released Power Supply Improvement Plans is what is not in them. After 2,731 pages and $17 million in taxpayer-funded studies, there is not a single mention of Big Wind on Lanai or Molokai, and the vaunted undersea cable is barely mentioned. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A plan by the Honolulu City Council to provide tax breaks for homeowners in the so-called Residential A category who live in the properties they own but do not receive a homeowner exemption could cost city coffers more than $700,000, finance officials said in a release issued late Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The per capita rate of homelessness in Hawaii already tops all other states, and service providers and advocates here say it will get worse without immediate steps to create more affordable housing so that homeless people can rapidly be placed in permanent residences. Star-Advertiser.

Seniors seeking assisted-living options might get another option near Waikiki if a developer can pull off plans to acquire land and build a high-rise complex on Kala­kaua Avenue. Star-Advertiser.

Kamehameha Schools said it's nearly completed with the first stage of its clean up of an alleged illegal landfill site at its Kapalama Heights campus. Hawaii News Now.

The Navy's Red Hill fuel storage farm has "inadequate" fire protection infrastructure, and operations in the underground complex create a "high potential for a fire," the Pentagon's logistics agency said in a $50 million request for fire protection upgrades. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The June 27 lava flow could reach Pahoa Village Road in 16 to 18 days, according to Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. That’s based on one of several potential directions the flow could take. One path could take the lava to the area where the road and Highway 130 meet on the Hilo side, Babb said, which is why HVO’s latest update posted Monday evening references the village’s main road. Tribune-Herald.

The June 27 lava flow continues to move north in the Wao Kele o Puna Forest Reserve, and could reach the government road in Pāhoa within 16-18 days. A new Volcanic Activity Notice was issued by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on Monday evening. Big Island Video News.

Kaohe Homestead residents are learning some valuable lessons as lava from the June 27 flow sizzles and glows less than a mile away. Star-Advertiser.

A task force focused on updating county property tax policies is taking a dim view of special tax breaks for organic farms. The county Real Property Tax Stakeholders Task Force said Monday that organic produce falls into one of four current categories qualifying for lower land evaluation and there’s no need to create another just for organic farms. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

More than a hundred thousand American troops were stationed on Maui at the height of World War II. In their leisure time they would watch movies, drink with locals and take their girls to Giggle Hill in Haiku, where the giggles of young women could be heard into the night. Maui News.

Kauai

Whether the county should — or can legally — move forward with the Environmental and Public Health Impact Study portion of Ordinance 960, in light of a court ruling that struck down the county law, is up for debate. Proponents said that nothing in Kurren’s decision invalidates the fact-finding and research initiated by the County Council and authorized and funded by two council actions independent of Ordinance 960 that appropriated $100,000 for the process. County administration, however, sees things differently. Garden Island.

Appeals court to hear gay marriage bans today, medical marijuana problems outlined in new report, lava veers away from homes, Maui to audit Solid Waste Division, new GMO group spends thousands on TV ads, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gay in Hawaii, courtesy photo

The federal appeals court in San Francisco has already issued two significant gay rights rulings: In 2012, it struck down California's same-sex wedding ban and this year it extended protections against discrimination to gay and lesbians. Now, three judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals -- all appointed by Democrats and two of whom joined in the civil rights ruling this year -- are set to hear arguments Monday on gay marriage bans in Idaho, Nevada and Hawaii. Associated Press.

Three judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals are expected to hear arguments on Monday on gay marriage bans in Hawaii, Idaho and Nevada. Civil Beat.

A new report released Sunday details some of the difficulties that 13,000 medical marijuana patients go through trying to obtain the drug because there are no dispensaries or legal ways to buy pot in Hawaii, 14 years after passage of legislation to help suffering patients. Hawaii News Now.

Medical Marijuana Program Marked By ‘Glaring Uncertainties’. Dispensary task force report details recommendations to Hawaii Legislature; public testimony sought. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Medical Marijuana Dispensary Task Force has just released a report on ways to fix the system governing medical marijuana. The 87-page report could decide the future of a dispensary system for medical marijuana. KHON2.

Pat Saiki, the chairwoman of the Hawaii Republican Party, told party leaders on Saturday that the Republican National Committee has invested in the islands to help Republican candidates win in November. Star-Advertiser.

Former Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona has reintroduced himself to voters this year in a softer hue of Republican red, as a former judge, youth basketball coach, substitute teacher and grandfather who would restore trust, respect and balance to Washington Place. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Department of Education will reinstate the controversial “Pono Choices” sex education curriculum, but after pressure from some parents and lawmakers, the program for middle school students will include some key revisions. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii regulators have given the state approval to issue $150 million in bonds to provide low-cost capital for a proposed loan program that would expand access to solar energy systems and other clean energy improvements for Hawaii consumers who have had a hard time getting financing for such projects. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Operations at the city's Emergency Medical Services Division appear to be running smoothly following a conversion to 12-hour shifts that took place Aug. 31 for most of the roughly 200 paramedics and emergency medical technicians, EMS officials said. Star-Advertiser.

Work to carve out a lane of South King Street reserved only for bicyclists is set to begin Monday and be open by the end of the year, city officials said. Star-Advertiser.

There is a high risk of a fire at the Navy’s Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility in Halawa, according to Department of Defense budget documents. The federal agency wants nearly $50 million for the 2015 fiscal year to make improvements to the facility’s fire suppression and ventilation systems. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii is reviving plans to lease excess land surrounding its West Oahu campus for commercial development in hopes of both generating revenue and preventing other interests from cashing in on the lucrative real estate. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Lava advance continues, still no threat. County Civil Defense said in a Sunday morning message the June 27 lava flow advanced about 200 yards in the previous day and was continuing to move very slowly northward. Tribune-Herald.

Lava flow takes a northern turn away from Ka'ohe. Lava about 0.7 miles away from Ka'ohe Homesteads. KITV4.

Lava flow creeps north, no threat to Puna homes. Star-Advertiser.

A flyover on Sunday morning shows that lava from Kilauea is still slowly advancing. Hawaii News Now.

As the June 27 lava flow continues its advance on populated areas in lower Puna, one question consistently pops up during community discussions on the subject: Is there anything we can do to stop or redirect nature’s fury? Tribune-Herald.

Turns out you can fight City Hall after all. That’s the experience of Arlene Kimata, a petite middle-aged Hilo woman who single-handedly waged a successful campaign against the operation of an industrial baseyard in her residential neighborhood. West Hawaii Today.

State biologist Bill Walsh offered two slightly different takes Thursday on the state of reef fish in West Hawaii at the Symposium on Kona’s Marine Ecosystem. West Hawaii Today.

A conflicted Windward Planning Commission, faced with two dozen speakers asking it to slow down a study of health impacts of the Puna Geothermal Venture plant, on Thursday told the county administration to seek input from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
Maui County’s debate over genetically modified farming hit the airwaves last week as a new organization ran its first TV spots. Citizens Against the Maui County Farming Ban spent more than $80,000 last week running ads on four local TV stations during news hours and shows like “Criminal Minds” and “Hawaii 5-0,” according to data from the Federal Communications Commission. Civil Beat.

Maui County Council Member Mike White says Mayor Alan Arakawa wants voters in November to elect a more compliant County Council to advance his agenda in another four-year term. Maui News.

The Maui Police Commission has selected Tivoli Faaumu as the new Police Chief for Maui County. Maui Now.

Tivoli Faaumu, a 29-year police veteran who won support from both police officers and the community as captain of the Kihei Patrol District, was selected Friday as the new Maui County police chief. Maui News.

The Maui County Council voted Friday to conduct a performance audit of the Solid Waste Division in light of what some council members are calling a "crisis" situation created by a reduction in trash collection and landfill services in a clash with Mayor Alan Arakawa over staffing and budgeting for the division. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Planning Commission, during a recent meeting, unanimously gave its initial stamp of approval to a proposed subdivision, which would be built on one of the last vacant lots on Makahuena Point. Plans by Anchorage, Alaska-based company Cook Inlet Region, Inc. would develop 10 homes on the now vacant 14-acre property on Makahuena Point. Garden Island.

The Kauai Chamber of Commerce has scheduled a series of political forums leading up to the Nov. 4 general election. Garden Island.

Thousands comment on Native Hawaiian recognition, land reform recommended, Abercrombie thinks gay marriage sunk re-election bid, Maui group forms to save GMOs, counties seek hotel tax, lava continues slow march toward Puna homes, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

State Rep. Faye Hanohano sings at July 2014 Department of the Interior hearing © 2014 All Hawaii News

More than 5,000 comments about Native Hawaiian recognition are being processed by the U.S. Department of the Interior, according to a government website. West Hawaii Today.

A governor's task force has recommended sweeping changes to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' controversial month-to-month land leasing program, addressing flaws that the Honolulu Star-Advertiser exposed in a series of articles last year.

Maui, Kauai, Hawaii and Honolulu counties want more money from the state — tens of millions of dollars more — to help offset the cost of providing services that visitors use, ranging from roads to rescue. Council members and mayors are already ramping up for the next legislative session, which starts in January, strategizing how they might grab a bigger slice of the state’s hotel tax revenue. Civil Beat.

Attorney General David M. Louie announced Friday that the Hawaii Supreme Court dismissed three separate challenges to the primary election that was held on August 9, 2014 and August 15, 2014. Hawaii Reporter

Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Ige has won the endorsement of the state's largest union, which will help him compete with two better-known candidates but brings criticism from Republicans that he's too close to organized labor. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii state Sen. David Ige surprised political observers when he pulled off a historic upset, beating incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the Democratic primary for governor. Now, Ige is heading into the General Election in November, when even a pollster who predicted he would trounce Abercrombie in a landslide won’t call him the front-runner despite the state’s heavy Democratic leanings. Associated Press.

5 things to know about Hawaii elections. Associated Press.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie said he lost his bid for re-election in a Democratic primary because of his decision to call a special session to legalize gay marriage. Associated Press.

Opinion: Abercrombie the Martyr. Hawaii's governor blames his electoral fall on the gay marriage special session. But is he just trying to make himself feel better after a crushing defeat? Civil Beat.

Opinion: Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Ige was barely known to Hawaii voters when he trounced Gov. Neil Abercrombie last month in the biggest upset of an incumbent governor in a primary election in U.S. history. Civil Beat.

Poor school attendance resulted in lower test scores for Hawaii fourth- and eighth-graders who missed more days than their peers, according to a national study released Tuesday linking school attendance to student achievement and learning. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Honolulu’s motor vehicles department shrugged off concerns about long wait times for obtaining driver’s licenses, state identification cards and other services and failed to implement improvements put forward by Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration, according to a city audit released late Friday afternoon. Civil Beat.

Authorities on Thursday approved spending additional money for a study that will determine whether to replace or renovate the aging Aloha Stadium. Associated Press.

Labors of love help save seals. Volunteer DB Dunlap has kept an eye on Hawaiian monk seals for 13 years. Star-Advertiser.

Disaster preparedness fairs will be held in both Ewa Beach and Manoa over the next two weekends. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

In addition to a wealth of candidates on the Nov. 4 General Election ballot, Hawaii County voters will have five state constitutional amendments and one county charter amendment to vote up or down. West Hawaii Today.

Lava continued to advance northeast Sunday through the Wao Kele o Puna Forest Reserve, and was about 1.2 miles from a rural neighborhood on the reserve’s eastern boundary, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A group of some 1,500 farmers, ranchers, residents and others has formed to support genetically modified organism operations in Maui County, and rival the anti-GMO group SHAKA Movement. Maui News.

The Maui Police Commission will hold a meeting to interview and discuss Maui police chief candidates at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Maui Beach Hotel's Elleair Rainbow Room in Kahului. Maui News.

Maui County is partnering with a Canadian company to use an assessment analysis program that uses digital photographs, building sketches and analytics to expedite and more accurately assess property in the county, the company and Maui County have confirmed. Maui News.

Kauai

There will be one new class on the county’s real property tax rolls next year. A divided Kauai County Council approved a measure Wednesday that would create a new tax class called residential investor, which would apply to improved properties without tax exemptions that are worth at least $2 million. Garden Island.

Kauai’s recyclables, for the most part, don’t stick around. Instead, they are shipped as near as Oahu and as far as China. Garden Island.

Marriott Vacations Worldwide is in negotiations to sell its Kauai Lagoons project, one of the largest Hawaii construction projects to be stalled by the Great Recession, to Hawaii developer Ed Bushor for $60 million. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii tourism board targets gay marriage market, battle intensifies between aquarium collectors and environmentalists, property tax hikes mulled on Oahu, Kauai, general plan updates on Hawaii and Maui, Hawaii pension plan ekes out an increase, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki wedding © 2014 All Hawaii News

Hawai’i’s $15 billion visitor industry is in the process of diversifying and re-tooling to meet an onslaught of competition from other tourist destinations. Hawaii Public Radio.

Tourist industry gets on board. More couples are choosing Hawaii for same-sex weddings and honeymoons. Star-Advertiser.

Fisheries Panel Destroys Tape of Secret Meeting. The meeting held in the conference room of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Honolulu office on the afternoon of Jan. 29 must have been a doozy. Civil Beat
.

The underwater assault caught on camera on the Big Island is making waves nationwide and its sparking more debate between environmentalists and aquarium fish collectors. The conflict between the two sides is quite passionate and it isn't expected to end anytime soon. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii's largest public pension fund eked out a small increase in its fiscal third quarter as assets climbed to an all-time high of $13.7 billion. The state Employees' Retirement System posted a 1.5 percent investment gain in the January-March period to boost its nine-month fiscal-year return to 12.5 percent. Star-Advertiser.

The future of more than 125,000 people who registered for the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, Kana'iolowalu, is not in jeopardy following a state department inquiry seeking clarification on the legal status of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. Hawaii News Now.

The bump in hotel tax revenue that state lawmakers offered Hawaii's counties this legislative session was a glass-half-empty raise. Associated Press.

Another legislative session is over and it’s time for assessing the outcomes. For the most part, it’s pretty straightforward. The rather robust legislative website makes it much easier than it used to be to find information about what passed and how. Civil Beat.

A new poll suggests that a Democrat facing a credible primary challenge may have gained some momentum in his bid to be reelected to the Senate. The left-leaning firm Public Policy Polling released a poll Tuesday showing Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) with a commanding 15-point lead over his primary rival, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii). The poll was conducted on behalf of the progressive group Democracy for America, which came out in support of Schatz in February. HuffPost Hawaii.

A senator is vocally contesting the inclusion of a project in his home state in the 2014 “Congressional Pig Book.” Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, issued a statement over the weekend touting his effort to preserve (and in fact increase) funding for the East-West Center, a cultural and education exchange center established by Congress in 1960 that’s based in Honolulu. Civil Beat.

Members of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents' budget committee Tuesday hinted at the possibility of providing some tuition relief to students as early as next spring. Star-Advertiser.

The Right Stuff? Retired General Vies for University of Hawaii Presidency. Civil Beat.

An online petition is questioning the qualifications of one of the finalists to become the next University of Hawaii president. Associated Press.

Oahu

The City Council moved a step closer to passing Honolulu's budget for the upcoming fiscal year after approving several measures Tuesday in Budget Committee. One of the more controversial measures involves raising the property tax rate on hotels and those who own vacation or investment homes worth $1 million or more. KITV4.

City contractor Waste Management and two of its top officials entered not-guilty pleas Tuesday in U.S. District Court to charges linked to the discharge of hundreds of millions of gallons of contaminated stormwater from the city's Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill into the ocean near Ko Olina Resort. Star-Advertiser.

An unnamed city employee has admitted to misusing sick leave and accepting inappropriate gifts from an employee of a private company that had business before his/her department, according a city Ethics Commission advisory opinion. Civil Beat.

Each year the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires Honolulu county to conduct a Point in Time (PIT) count of Oahu’s houseless. Literally a snapshot of the houseless population, the PIT happens on a random day during the year. This years’ took place on the night of January 22, 2014. Hawaii Independent.

The Queen's Medical Center is putting the final touches on its $100 million Ewa hospital, which will open May 20 and restore emergency services to West Oahu after a more than two-year absence. Star-Advertiser.

About 110 Schofield Barracks soldiers stood at attention Tuesday as they prepared for something increasingly rare: a deployment to Afghanistan. Star-Advertiser.

Mokulele Airlines confirmed Tuesday that it plans to begin the first commercial service out of Kalaeloa Airport on July 1 and will gradually ease into the operation by offering three daily nonstop round-trip flights between Kahului and the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Poised to miss a deadline that was set 10 years ago, the county Planning Department on Tuesday got a three-year reprieve to update the county General Plan. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Academy of Arts and Sciences Governing Board delayed action Tuesday at a meeting regarding abuse allegations against a teacher after the teacher left the meeting out of fear of the crowd. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County could have the $20 million it needs to finish the Mamalahoa bypass within five weeks. Deputy Corporation Counsel Joseph Kamelamela said Tuesday a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge’s ruling should be finalized in one to two weeks, with the payment coming to the county two to three weeks later. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Council will hold a public hearing Wednesday to gather testimony about a bill that would adopt the implementation program of the Maui Island Plan. Maui News.

Commercial thrillcraft operators have agreed to relocate their businesses farther away from the popular Hanakao'o (Canoe) Beach Park in light of community concerns about safety, especially during regatta season. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council on Tuesday approved a broad swath of spending measures, cuts and tax increases to level out the county’s budget over the next fiscal year. What that will likely mean for residents are increases in real property taxes across five categories. Those categories range from a 30-cent increase for homeowners in the county’s residential class to a $1.85 increase for hotel and resort class properties per $1,000 in assessed valuation. Garden Island.

Dylan Hooser filed nomination papers Monday to become a candidate for the State House of Representatives District 15 seat for the 2014 elections. Hooser is a small business owner who resides in Wailua Homesteads and is the current chair of the Kauai Young Democrats. Garden Island.