Hawaii's national parks bring in tourist dollars, Ige gives Legislature a 'B,' National Transportation Safety Board reports on Molokai crash that killed state health director Fuddy, rail lawsuit ends in apology, Kondo begins job as state auditor, senior housing coming to Chinatown, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park © 2016 All Hawaii News

Visitors who travel to the Aloha State to experience its national parks are spending more, according to a new analysis by the National Park Service. Last year, park visitors spent approximately $364.5 million during trips to NPS lands in Hawaii, supporting 4,500 jobs, $170.5 million in labor income, $289.4 million in value added, and $448.3 million in economic output for the Islands’ economy. Pacific Business News.

Gov. David Ige praised the Legislature on Wednesday for moving to solve problems that have long plagued the state but become mired in governmental inertia, including cooling sweltering classrooms, renovating the state psychiatric hospital and pouring millions into homeless and affordable housing programs. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige on Wednesday said he gives state lawmakers a “resounding B” as a grade for their work this legislative session, which started in January and ends Thursday. Civil Beat.

Ige gives lawmakers a 'B' grade for session. KITV4.

The Hawaii State Ethics Commission is seeking applicants to fill Les Kondo’s shoes as executive director. He started his new job as state auditor this week. Civil Beat.

Transgender advocates are calling on the Hawai‘i State Department of Education to move more quickly on creating specific guidelines for transgender students. An online petition supporting those plans has already received more than 5,600 signatures over the past two weeks. Hawaii Public Radio.

Two decades after Hawaii passed its first charter school law, many charter school leaders say finding, maintaining — and paying for — basic school facilities remains a frequent, pressing problem. Civil Beat.

The parent of Hawaiian Electric Co., which is being acquired by NextEra Energy Inc. in a $4.3 billion deal awaiting state approval, spent $1.6 million in the first quarter on costs associated with the pending sale, about a third of what the Honolulu-based company spent in the same quarter of last year, according to Hawaiian Electric Industries' first-quarter earnings report. Pacific Business News.

Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. (HE) on Wednesday reported first-quarter profit of $32.8 million. Associated Press.

The Army will stay at about 80,000 active-duty soldiers in the Pacific, and 106,000 total personnel with reserve soldiers and civilian employees, as part of the rebalance to the region, the new four-star head of U.S. Army Pacific said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Democrats tout closed primaries in Oregon election. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Standing in front of dozens of supporters outside Honolulu Hale, many of them City and County employees, Kirk Caldwell made it official Wednesday: He’s running for another four years as mayor. Civil Beat.

The developer of a senior affordable rental tower in Chinatown won a major victory today when the Honolulu City Council voted unanimously to support a development agreement for its River Street project. Star-Advertiser.

Rail Contractor Gets ‘Public Apology’ After Bitter Lawsuit Ends. Contractor who accused Nan of defrauding federal government now says it was a mistake and a misunderstanding. Civil Beat.

The spending scandal surrounding the Bishop Museum's ousted CEO is widening. Hawaii News Now.

Kapiolani Community College Chancellor Leon Richards will step down after commencement exercises May 15, a decision that followed calls by faculty, staff and student groups to remove him from the post. Star-Advertiser.

Radio’s power pair will part ways, as Larry Price will step away from co-hosting the long-running, top-rated “Perry and Price” morning radio show on KSSK-FM 92.3/AM 590 at the middle of this month. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County is poised to become the first county in the state to have a full-scale composting facility capable of taking green waste, food-contaminated paper and restaurant waste and turning it into salable compost for the public. The County Council paved the way Wednesday for the new organics processing facility by unanimously approving a $10.6 million bond to pay for it. West Hawaii Today.

Much to the delight of some Hawaii Island drivers — and to the chagrin of law enforcement — the speed limit on Saddle Road might be raised from 55 mph to 60 mph starting next year. Tribune-Herald.

The University of Hawaii has canceled permits for geothermal exploration on Hualalai, and a lead researcher on Wednesday said the university has no plans for future scoping of the dormant volcano’s potential for producing geothermal energy. But that doesn’t mean plaintiffs plan to back down on a lawsuit originally launched to block the exploration. West Hawaii Today.

A financially troubled Puna charter school is under investigation by the state Ethics Commission, according to a letter obtained by the Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Transportation is wrapping up final restriping of the bike lanes on Queen Kaahumanu Highway between Makala Boulevard and Henry Street, a project which has moved segments of the bike lane back to the right side of traffic over the past few months. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Demolition of the Old Kahului Store, some 100 years old, has begun near Kahului Harbor to make room for future cargo and shipping containers, county officials said. Maui News.

A much debated bill allowing Alexander & Baldwin to continue to divert water from East Maui for at least three years under current lease terms passed the full Senate on Tuesday and is currently undergoing legal and policy reviews before heading to Gov. David Ige's desk. Maui News.

Kauai

A Honolulu attorney suing DuPont Pioneer wants to stop representing three plaintiffs who refused to sign a waiver that would prevent them from suing the seed company for medical issues associated with dust from the company’s fields on Kauai. Civil Beat.

Opinions were mixed Wednesday as Kauai residents spoke during a public hearing that concerned a proposed bill that will allow property owners to build additional rental units, or ARU’s. Garden Island.

Affordable housing, health and the environment, food and energy self-sufficiency, traffic congestion, and “keeping a lid on local taxes”: these are Gary Hooser’s top priorities. Garden Island.

An Eleele man accused of beating a monk seal at Salt Pond Beach, an incident that sparked massive public outcry statewide, will have his preliminary hearing next week. Garden Island.

The trial for a former Department of Land and Natural Resources officer charged with 30 counts of sexual assault has been continued to late October. Garden Island.

Molokai

A National Transportation Safety Board report says the pilot of the small plane that crashed off Molokai in December of 2013 did not give a federally mandated safety briefing to his eight passengers on board, including former state Health Director Loretta Fuddy, who later died from a heart condition after exiting the Cessna 208B that crashed in the water. Hawaii News Now.

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its findings for a deadly crash off Molokai that killed then-state health director Loretta Fuddy. KHON2.

Hawaii voters could take selfies with ballots under bill passing Legislature, cool schools funding advances, dengue fever over, Maui council mulls $654.5M budget, church v. state for Honolulu council, insurance companies to be barred from transgender discrimination, hotel tax stalemate, geothermal home rule at issue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Seniors at Waikiki beach © 2016 All Hawaii News

The state has launched a campaign to inform travelers about a website that provides almost real time updates on surf, weather and safety conditions at beaches across Hawaii. Associated Press.

Editorial: Disappointed? New Warning Signs Soft-Pedal Real Danger. State and tourism officials just don’t want to say anything that could scare tourists — especially when it comes to drowning in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Hawaii House lawmakers passed a bill Tuesday explicitly supporting a voter’s right to take a selfie showing their marked ballot, even in the voting booth. The bill, which had already cleared the Senate, now heads to Gov. David Ige for his signature. Civil Beat.

House and Senate negotiators appear close to agreeing on proposed legislation to pay for Gov. David Ige’s pledge to cool 1,000 public school classrooms by the end of 2016. Star-Advertiser.

Insurance companies would not be allowed to discriminate against transgender patients under a bill passed Tuesday by the state House of Representatives. Associated Press.

House and Senate lawmakers have a lot of negotiating to do over the next two days if they want to reach an agreement on how much state hotel tax money to give the counties. The Senate version of the bill simply increases the cap to $103 million for fiscal 2017, which starts July 1, up from $93 million. And it preserves the percentage that each county has long received. The House version of the bill blanks out the overall allocation and dramatically changes the percent each county would get. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers have agreed to give long-term care facilities more money to help them afford to take care of clients on Medicaid.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii Medical Service Association's new pre-authorization policy has stirred opposition from many Hawaii doctors who say it is delaying critical imaging tests, resulting in harmful consequences for patients. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet commander said he plans to expand the role of the U.S. 3rd Fleet commander and her staff in the Asia-Pacific region. Associated Press.

Hawaii is the only state in which both legislative and executive branches are perceived to be very corrupt. Civil Beat.

A monument honoring Hawaii's fallen law enforcement officers is almost complete after years of delays. Once the construction work is done, Hawaii will no longer be the only state without a memorial honoring county, state, and federal officers killed in the line of duty. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu
Honolulu City Councilmen Ernie Martin and Joey Manahan contend their proposal to subsidize the expansion of a Christian evangelical megachurch in Kalihi will benefit the community, despite criticism that it’s unconstitutional. Martin and Manahan have suggested providing $250,000 of taxpayer funds to help New Hope Oahu’s $10 million capital campaign to renovate and expand its Sand Island headquarters. Civil Beat.

Using public money to pay for new church facilities. According to the latest budget amendments, two city councilmen want to blur the line between church and state. KHON2.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell tried a soft-sell approach with City Council members Tuesday in his latest attempt to gain funding for a proposed eight-person housing development division. Star-Advertiser.

An Ewa Beach campaign for State House is getting ugly. One man is accused of taking down political signs while the other is accused of violence. Now, the courts and police are involved. Hawaii News  Now.

Honolulu Harbor dredged after 17 years. KITV4.

A luxury condominium-hotel in Waikiki will be opening soon. But first, the developer must obtain approvals from the city two years after construction started. Hawaii Public Radio.

A Chinese company that plans to develop a luxury hotel and residential condominium on 23 acres of land in West Oahu is buying a planned 516-acre master-planned golf course community from James Campbell Co. that would connect the City of Kapolei with Ko Olina Resort, the seller confirmed to Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

State lawmakers will meet today in a conference committee to discuss the fate of a bill aimed at curbing the ability of counties to pass their own geothermal regulations. Tribune-Herald.

The nonprofit corporation that wants to build a giant telescope atop Mauna Kea is asking to participate in a hearing about the project’s construction permit. Associated Press.

After the state Department of Health posted on its website Tuesday that it would no longer be updating daily its dengue fever outbreak numbers, a spokeswoman confirmed to West Hawaii Today that Gov. David Ige would be addressing the vector-borne illness today. West Hawaii Today.

Public opposition to a proposed 306-unit condominium development in Kahaluu has led to a contested case hearing on the massive timeshare plan. West Hawaii Today.

After months of clear skies during a drier-than-usual rainy season, wet weather has pushed back the expected opening date of the Pahoa roundabout. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council budget Chairman Riki Hokama unveiled a $654.5 million budget for the county for the next fiscal year, a 5 percent increase over the current year's budget, but $57 million less than Mayor Alan Arakawa's proposal. Maui News.

Protesters gathered on three islands Tuesday morning to send a noisy message to Alexander & Baldwin: Give up the rights to the millions of gallons of water diverted each day from East Maui streams. Star-Advertiser.

Demonstrators on three islands led chants of “e ola i ka wai, mauka to makai” — water is life, from the mountains to the sea — in separate “Free the Streams” rallies focused on water rights and opposition to Alexander & Baldwin’s continued stream diversions. Maui Now.

Dozens protest bill allowing diversion of Maui water. Associated Press.

The photographer who caught a rainbow over cinder cones at Haleakala Crater in an image that will appear on a commemorative U.S. Postal Service Forever Stamp had one chance to be picture perfect. Maui News.

Kauai
In order to give Coco Palms developers time to make sure finances are in order to start demolition on the hotel, the Kauai County Planning Commission voted Tuesday to defer the the topic until next week. Garden Island.

A Kauai man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault involving two young girls who belong to the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii Lihue Clubhouse, where he was a volunteer. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric sale faces June deadline, rift in Native Hawaiian constitutional convention, Wasserman Schultz rallying Hawaii Democrats tonight, doctors needed stat, county probe finds Maui tires missing, homeless have great view atop Diamond Head, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu lights up at night © 2016 All Hawaii News

NextEra Energy Inc. is likely to pull the plug on its proposed purchase of Hawaii’s largest electric utility if state regulators do not approve the sale by June, according to analysts. Star-Advertiser.

NextEra Energy Inc. and Hawaiian Electric Co. say they hope the Florida utility giant’s $4.3 billion proposed acquisition of Hawaii’s largest utility is finalized by March 14, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

The monthlong Na‘i Aupuni constitutional convention moved into its final two weeks Monday with a consensus to draft formal documents establishing a Native Hawaiian government. Star-Advertiser.

A hui calling itself Aha Aloha Aina 2016 plans a series of meetings on Oahu, Hawaii island and Maui later this month “to identify the very broad movement in the Hawaiian movement for Independence and educate the community on the various initiatives.” Civil Beat.

Hawaiian activist Bumpy Kanahele has walked away from the Hawaiian Constitutional Convention, saying the process is rigged. Hawaii News Now.

A growing number of Hawaii voters — 56 percent in the last primary — already request early ballots so they can vote from the comfort of their own homes and then mail in their ballots. But now there’s legislation, Senate Bill 2496, to phase in all-mail balloting in the islands. Civil Beat.

House Higher Ed Leader Takes Aim At the University of Hawaii. The nearly two dozen bills introduced by Rep. Isaac Choy may be indicative of a larger sense of frustration with the university. Civil Beat.

Home-growers can breathe a sigh of relief: A bill that would have prohibited patients from growing their own medical marijuana is essentially dead. The measure, HB 1680, had not been heard by the House Committee on Health by Thursday, which was the filing deadline for bills referred to at least three committees. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian and English are both official languages in the state but as of the 2010 Census only 3% of the islands' population actually speak Hawaiian. The push to increase the number of Hawaiian language speakers topped the agenda at the 2nd annual 'Aha Kumu at Disney's Aulani Resort and Spa on Monday. KITV4.

The state has hired the private company Securitas to provide security at all of Hawaii’s airports for at least three more years, despite recent allegations of bribery. The state says the new contract takes effect this week. KHON2.

Oahu
The Honolulu Traffic Code says street parking isn’t allowed within 4 feet of a driveway. A bill moving through the Honolulu City Council would allow an exception, under a pilot project, to that law in one tightly packed Ewa Villages neighborhood. Star-Advertiser.

A bill expected to be heard Wednesday at the Hawaii State Capitol calls for $1.5 million to restore part of Waikiki Beach. Civil Beat.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz will lead a fundraiser at The Plaza Club in Honolulu Tuesday evening. Civil Beat.

They live on the best real estate in Hawaii, perched on cliffs above $10 million dollar oceanfront mansions on Diamond Head Road. The homeless of Diamond Head pay no rent or property taxes but enjoy postcard ocean views and the balmiest weather in the islands. Civil Beat.

When traffic is moving smoothly, it takes about six minutes for drivers to get from Maili to Nanakuli. On Saturday, it took drivers 90 minutes or more to travel that stretch. Hawaii News Now.

The Howard Hughes Corp. officially began construction Thursday on its third mixed-use condominium tower in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako, with a groundbreaking ceremony for Aeo, which includes what will be Whole Foods Market’s flagship Hawaii store. Pacific Business News.

The federal government will soon list the endangered Oahu elepaio as a bird species distinct from other elepaio in what environmentalists describe as an attempt to better protect them. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A bill amendment to be introduced in the state Senate today would undo Hawaii County’s nighttime drilling ban for geothermal power projects and further restrict — if not entirely prohibit — efforts by counties to enact similar regulations. Tribune-Herald.

The chances of the majority of sitting County Council members facing opposition this election year is increasing, with new potential challengers pulling nomination papers last week. West Hawaii Today.

Calling all orthopedic surgeons, pediatric specialists, obstetricians and psychiatrists: Hawaii Island needs you. Those specialties and more have been identified as pressing needs on the Big Island, according to the latest assessment of the state’s physician workforce. Tribune-Herald.

A humpback whale can stretch more than 50 feet from nose to tail, but sometimes it takes a 45-foot Coast Guard station boat to keep it safe. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

More than $73,000 were spent in just over one year on nearly 200 tires, none of which can be accounted for, and they’re not to be found on any county cars and trucks. KHON2.

Coast Guard crews with Hawaiʻi Department of Natural Resources conservation officers conducted joint patrols off Maui Thursday in conjunction with Operation Koholā Guardian.  Maui Now.

Kauai

A measure scheduled to be heard before the Kauai County Council would restore a lobbying ordinance on the island that was eliminated some 20 years ago. Civil Beat.

Just half of Hawaii visitors stay at hotels, state gives cheap land leases to well-connected, Hawaii County mulls 'Styrofoam' ban, Maui philanthropist Mary Cameron Sanford dies, plenty of blame in May 17 Osprey crash, Go-Go's rock star seeks animal protection, dengue emergency, state to release medpot names, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki street scene © 2016 All Hawaii News

There were approximately 212,953 visitors in Hawaii on any given day in 2015, and approximately 53 percent of them, or 113,203 visitors, stayed in a Hawaii hotel last year, according to a new report by Hospitality Advisors and STR, Inc. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii lawmakers are heading into their fifth week of the 2016 legislative session, and they are scheduled to take on bills relating to marijuana, police oversight and pesticide buffer zones. They are up against a deadline Friday, when all bills must be in their final committee. Associated Press.

Tenants ranging from a global agricultural conglomerate to the state’s most exclusive private school have been leasing land from the Department of Land and Natural Resources for decades, paying as little as pennies per acre monthly under a program that operates with no formal rules and is limited by law to temporary, month-to-month uses. Star-Advertiser.

DLNR program controversy echoes flaws found at DHHL. After the Honolulu Star-Advertiser exposed a deeply flawed revocable permit program at the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in 2013, then-Gov. Neil Abercrombie appointed a task force to recommend ways to improve the program.

Recent political action committee filings with the state Campaign Spending Commission provide a peek into the election year ahead when it comes to how money influences campaigns. Civil Beat.

A bill that would establish “continuous background checks” to alert police when Hawaii gun owners have been arrested in another county or state is advancing at the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

A proposed constitutional amendment to allow the public to elect Hawaii’s attorney general advanced a step forward in the state Senate on Wednesday over the objections of current Attorney General Douglas Chin. Star-Advertiser.

Judges and lawyers came out in strong opposition this week to legislation that would let Hawaii voters elect their state attorney general and judges instead of the current appointment process. Civil Beat.

Responding to pressure from the news media and the public, the Hawaii Department of Health has agreed to release the names of the people who are on a review panel for applications to grow and sell medical marijuana. Civil Beat.

Some Hawaii lawmakers and advocates say medical marijuana dispensary applicants could be at a disadvantage because health department rules don’t allow greenhouses. Associated Press.

A 1980s female rock musician is teaming up with state Sen. Russell Ruderman to tackle to what they believe is a widespread problem in Hawaii — animal cruelty. Ruderman, a Democrat who represents Puna, introduced Senate Bills 2263, 2273 and 2270 upon request from his friend, Jane Wiedlin, a musician and member of the band, The Go-Go’s. Tribune-Herald.

State lawmakers want to move some long-term tenants out of Hawaii’s public housing complexes to make room for new occupants to help solve the state’s homeless crisis, but they are finding that strategy won’t be easy to implement. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Governor David Ige on Friday signed an emergency proclamation to mobilize efforts against mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue fever and the Zika virus. Pacific Business News.

The state's growing illegal fireworks problem is prompting legislation targeting smugglers. A measure now making its way through the state Senate calls for random inspections of cargo containers and the use of explosive sniffing dogs on the state's waterfronts. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

A long-running dispute over reserved parking along privately owned roads in Kakaako has literally spilled from the streets — as well as from a state courthouse and a city advisory panel — into the state Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

A Marine Corps investigation into the May 17 fatal crash of an MV-22 Osprey at Bellows, after consecutive landing attempts in the same severe brownout conditions, apportioned blame all the way around but said pilots could have picked an alternative flight profile or alternative landing site when it became clear the engulfing sand and dust were far worse than expected. Star-Advertiser.

To last for more than a century, an organization has to reinvent itself. That’s what Bishop Museum president & CEO, Blair Collis, has been doing. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

Hawaii County Democrats have selected three nominees to succeed the late Gil Kahele in his state Senate seat. The senator’s son, Kai Kahele, former Lyman Museum executive director Dolly Strazar and county Office of Housing and Development division chief Kaloa Robinson were chosen via precinct balloting Saturday during an open process conducted at Keaukaha Elementary School. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Democratic party has chosen three names to fill the 1st district senate seat of the late Gilbert Kahele. Kahele’s son, Kaiali’i Kahele, joins Dolly Strazar and Kaloa Robinson as the candidates who will go before Governor David Ige. One of them will be chosen as the governor’s nomination to represent Hilo in the state senate. Big Island Video News.

Almost three weeks after state Sen. Gil Kahele’s death, friends, family and colleagues have been busy — carrying out what they say was the Hilo Democrat’s political vision. Tribune-Herald.

Those old foam to-go containers might soon need to be gone. A bill banning polystyrene foam food containers in Hawaii County is scheduled to be heard Tuesday by the County Council Environmental Management Committee. West Hawaii Today.

Two women who run a small Native Hawaiian group dedicated to the protection of whales and other marine animals face a $5,000 fine for violating the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act during their response to a stranded whale in 2014. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii developer Peter Savio has closed on his purchase of Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel and has renamed the 145-room Big Island hotel the Pagoda Hilo Bay Hotel. Pacific Business News.

Kumu call for kapu on ohia harvest. West Hawaii Today.

Bids to build the University of Hawaii’s new pharmacy school in Hilo are at least $2.5 million more than expected. Associated Press.

A sewage treatment plant is the best option for keeping human waste off a fragile and environmentally significant reef at Puako Bay. That’s according to an engineering report that recommends the treatment plant over the more expensive option of building a sewer line so the community of around 160 homes can connect to a treatment plant at Mauna Lani. West Hawaii Today.

A company that lost a bid to build the next geothermal power plant on Hawaii Island filed a complaint with the state Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday — the day before Hawaii Electric Light Co. announced talks with Ormat Nevada Inc. had ceased. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

"The Last Harvest" series chronicles the various aspects of Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co.'s final harvest as it shuts down at the end of the year after a 145-year run. The shutdown of HC&S represents the end of sugar in Hawaii. The installments will run periodically throughout the year. Today's story is the first in the series. Maui News.

Seventeen candidates had checked out nomination papers as of Friday for Maui County Council or state House seats serving county districts, according to a Hawaii Office of Elections report. Maui News.

Mary Cameron Sanford, a beloved philanthropist whose family roots go back five generations on Maui, died Sunday afternoon at The Queen's Medical Center on Oahu at age 85. Family members said that she died of heart failure. Maui News.

Around 70 Ka'anapali Beach Club workers rallied Thursday afternoon to protest expired labor contracts. Maui News.

Kauai

More than 50 citizens, including employees of Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital, took to the streets for picketing along Hofgaard Park to bring awareness to the Legislature about funding cuts resulting in the hospital’s downsizing. Garden Island.

Kani Blackwell hopes the third time is the charm for the approval of a new charter school on Kauai. Garden Island.

Thirty Meter Telescope could leave Hawaii; lawmakers mull general excise tax hikes, GMO fish bans, $100M for cool schools; charter school head to resign; Honolulu police has backlog of 1,500 untested rape kits; geothermal contract nixed; Maui sugar layoffs looming; lobbyist disclosure bill on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Conceptual drawing of Thirty Meter Telescope, courtesy photo

Thirty-Meter Telescope project officials say they’re beginning to review possible sites outside Hawaii, and say they could pull out of the state if they don’t get a clear path to approval soon. Hawaii News Now.

Ed Stone, Thirty Meter Telescope executive director, said in an interview Wednesday that the $1.4 billion project will need assurances from the state that it can obtain a permit for unhindered construction on Mauna Kea no later than September 2017 — or it will take its next-generation telescope to another mountain. Star-Advertiser.

When state Sen. Roz Baker announced in her committee room Wednesday that her colleagues had agreed to a plan to increase the general excise tax to help long-term care providers, supporters applauded and issued heartfelt thanks. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers gave initial approval Wednesday to legislation that would provide the tens of millions of dollars needed for Gov. David Ige’s aggressive plan to cool 1,000 public school classrooms by the end of the year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers say they don't want genetically engineered fish grown in the islands. Lawmakers are moving forward with a bill to ban farming genetically engineered fish, which critics dub "frankenfish." KITV4.

The head of a state agency tasked with implementing sweeping legislative changes to Hawaii’s charter school system is resigning in the midst of pushback from school leaders who say they are being over-regulated. Civil Beat.

The House Transportation Committee unanimously passed a measure Wednesday to require annual inspections and registration for mopeds. Civil Beat.

The state Health Department’s selection process for medical marijuana license applicants is layered in secrecy. The department won’t identify the people who are deciding who will get the coveted licenses, and it also won’t say who appointed those people to a selection committee. Civil Beat.

The state is remaining tight-lipped about details surrounding its budding medical marijuana dispensary program — and so are most of the applicants. Tribune-Herald.

Twenty days into generally amiable regulatory hearings about NextEra Energy’s proposed $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries, the tone of the hearings has become decidedly less civil. Civil Beat.

The regulatory hearings regarding NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co., recessed on Wednesday and are scheduled to resume on the last day of the month for one week, the chairman of the Hawaii Public Utilities said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Department has 1,500 rape kits dating back more than a decade that haven’t been tested, a spokeswoman for the department confirmed Wednesday afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

More than 1,000 rape kits are sitting at the Honolulu Police Department’s crime lab, waiting to be tested. KHON2.

The State dedicated a refurbished rental building overlooking historic Pearl Harbor today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Thousands of spectators gathered at Waimea Bay early Wednesday for “The Eddie,” but the monster waves that were expected didn’t arrive on time — prompting organizers to cancel the competition’s highly anticipated run. Star-Advertiser.

City officials say a “no tolerance” parking ban will be in place along all streets and road shoulders in Lanikai this Presidents Day weekend. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Nevada’s Ormat Technologies, which was awarded a contract by Hawaii Electric Light Co. to develop a 25-megawatt geothermal energy project on Hawaii’s Big Island, has withdrawn from contract negotiations with the utility, HELCO said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

After a year of negotiations, Ormat has withdrawn from contract talks with Hawaii Electric Light Co. for providing the next 25 megawatts of geothermal power on Hawaii Island, the utility announced Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative has produced a plan that it says could satisfy nearly 100 percent of the Big Island’s electricity needs with renewable energy before 2045. Civil Beat.

Puna Councilman Dan Paleka was cleared by the county Board of Ethics on Wednesday to accept a trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with a nonprofit group on alternatives to incarceration for the mentally ill. West Hawaii Today.

A new dengue fever risk map shows the Captain Cook area of South Kona has been downgraded from “red” – or high risk – to “orange” – or moderate risk for acquiring the mosquito-borne disease. Big Island Video News.

Three years after it closed its doors for renovations, the 18-hole oceanside golf course at Kona Country Club is now open for business. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaiian Style Cafe, a popular Hilo restaurant will pay more than $53,000 in unpaid wages and damages to employees after being found in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Warren Haruki, chief executive officer of Maui Land & Pineapple Co., sees Maui at an “inflection point” and talked to Pacific Business News about some of the challenges that will face Alexander & Baldwin Inc. after sugar.

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co., which will be shutting down operations at the end of the year, has announced its first set of layoffs. Ninety-five workers will lose their jobs on March 7, company officials said Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

Two Kauai residents testified against proposed legislation that sets up regulations for lobbyists on the island at a public hearing on Wednesday, and the County Council received 55 written testimonies on Bill 2614. Garden Island.

By Tuesday afternoon, thousands of dead fish were reported along the beaches, according to Don Heacock, Kauai district aquatic biologist with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. The aquatic carcasses were also reported at the mouths of Kinikini Ditch, which follows along the Pacific Missile Range Facility, and MacArthur Park Ditch. Garden Island.

Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard disinvited from today's Democratic presidential debate, Maui to fly its homeless one-way elsewhere, state senator says Honolulu police chief should be on leave pending ethics probe, Puna group fights Hualalai geothermal drilling plan, newspaper tours Syngenta secret seed research facility, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Rep. Tulsi Gabbbard promoted to major, courtesy photo

The Democratic National Committee has taken the highly unusual step of disinviting one of its own leaders from Tuesday’s presidential debate: U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who serves as one of five vice chairs of the organization. The reason for the very public slap at the second-term Hawaii congresswoman? Apparently, it stems from her call earlier this fall for more debates. Civil Beat.

For the past several weeks, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been outspoken in her calls for more Democratic Party presidential debates. But after renewing that point during an interview with MSNBC on Saturday, she said officials with the Democratic National Committee told her not to show up for first presidential debate Tuesday in Las Vegas. Hawaii News Now.

Comparing it to childish games by those still in high school, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard spoke out against DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz Monday after she says she was disinvited from the Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas Tuesday evening. KITV4.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D, Hawaii, is making national headlines for saying she has been asked not to attend Tuesday’s Democratic debate in Las Vegas. KHON2.

Representative Tulsi Gabbard, a vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, said she was disinvited from the first Democratic presidential primary debate in Nevada after she appeared on television and called for more face-offs. New York Times

Democratic U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was promoted from captain to major in the Hawaii Army National Guard on Monday morning in a ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Army National Guard promoted U.S. Congressional Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, to the rank of major. At a ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on Oahu, former U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka led her in taking her oath of office, according to a a news release sent out by her office. MauiTime.

The proposed sale of Hawaii’s electric company to a giant energy firm based in Florida has played out publicly since the deal with announced last December. At times, it’s felt more like an election campaign than an agreement between two utilities that must clear regulatory hurdles, not win a majority of voters’ hearts. Civil Beat.

Voter registration for one of the biggest elections for Native Hawaiian self-governance will close this week. Nearly 100,000 Hawaiians have been certified by the state-sanctioned Native Hawaiian Roll Commission to vote in a private election for delegates who will gather in Honolulu this winter at a constitutional convention. The governing document these delegates write will form the foundation of a new government by and for Native Hawaiians. Garden Island.

Oahu

State Senate Vice President Will Espero said HPD Chief Louis Kealoha should step aside from his leadership role until the FBI completes its criminal investigation over allegations that he abused his power. Hawaii News Now.

A proposed modular housing project for homeless families in Waianae is drawing criticism from residents who contend that it is not a good fit for their community. Star-Advertiser.

The last vestiges of the Kakaako homeless encampment are expected to be removed from Ohe Street beginning at 7:30 a.m. today — a day later than had been anticipated. Star-Advertiser.

One of the longest-lived military airplanes in Hawaii — the P-3 Orion turboprop — is starting to fade away, with the Navy deciding its sub-hunting jet replacements could be more economically based in Washington state. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A group that has long fought geothermal development in Puna plans to challenge a geothermal survey on Hualalai for lacking an environmental assessment. Terri Napeahi, Pele Defense Fund vice president, thinks the state erred by not requiring the review for the exploration project, which will measure very low-frequency electromagnetic waves underground, and plans to file a lawsuit. Tribune-Herald.

The public has a right to read emails exchanged between Hawaii state legislators and the agribusiness industry, Ashley Lukens, program director for the Hawaii Center for Food Safety told scores Thursday night in Kona. West Hawaii Today.

South Kona paniolo should see about $3 million in improvements to the Honaunau Rodeo Arena by this time next year, as the county begins sprucing up the old arena to better serve the public. West Hawaii Today.

Higher education enrollment on Hawaii Island continues to dwindle, leading University of Hawaii administrators to look for ways to boost revenue. The last three fall semesters at University of Hawaii at Hilo have begun with consistent dips in enrollment, with overall numbers dropping by 328 students, or 7.9 percent, since 2012, according to head counts provided by the University of Hawaii Institutional Research Office. There currently are 3,829 students enrolled. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Hawaiʻi Lodging and Tourism Association will donate a $25,000 grant toward a new project to fly an estimated 120 homeless individuals on Maui back to the mainland. The non-profit, statewide trade organization will present a check to Kahului’s Family Life Center this weekend as part of its initial neighbor island funding for the repatriation program. Maui Now.

As Hawai‘i continues to wrestle with the highest rate of homelessness in the nation, one Maui group has come up with a creative solution to alleviate the problem. Hawaii Public Radio.

The burning of large sugar cane fields on Maui has been linked to acute respiratory distress in a new study by health professionals. Civil Beat.

A Final Environmental Assessment has been filed for the proposed Kuhua Street Extension project that is designed to provide an alternate local transportation corridor parallel to the Honoapiʻilani Highway between Front Street and Keawe Street in West Maui. Maui Now.

Except for a double-digit jump in single-family home sales, little has changed significantly in Maui County residential and condominium real estate when comparing the first nine months of this year with the same period in 2014, according to statistics released last week by the Realtors Association of Maui. Maui News.

Opinion: Oh, to be a fly on the wall in Mayor Alan Arakawa’s 9th Floor county office today. You guys saw The Maui News’ huge front-page story yesterday on the dramatic Mar. 5, 2013 meeting at Starbucks in Kahului between then-Maui Film Commissioner Harry Donenfeld (who secretly recorded the meeting because he was worried about his job) and three key aides to Mayor Alan Arakawa: Managing Director Keith Regan, Chief of Staff Herman Andaya and Communications Director Rod Antone. It’s quite the tale of power and influence, concerning the Maui Film Studio (the island’s first locally financed and run film studio, which has since gone out of business) and big-time Hollywood producer Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity Media (which recently declared bankruptcy). MauiTime.

Kauai

On a recent sun-drenched afternoon at Syngenta’s seed research facility, tidy rows of spring green leaves peered out of cracks in the earth. Garden Island.

Maui telescope protesters arrested, Honolulu mayor plans fence to keep out homeless, Hawaii councilwoman drinks geothermal water, $135M Coco Palms project advances, teachers plan ethics lawsuit, Lanai's Ellison rescues cats, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii coffee cherry © 2015 All Hawaii News

Prices for Hawaii-grown coffee rose to a record this past season, but growers of the crop statewide produced fewer beans that added up to less total revenue, according to a new report. Star-Advertiser.

State Lawmakers were briefed today on the latest tax collection modernization effort started more than 15 years ago. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii State Teachers Association may take legal action against new educational travel rule. KHON2.

A social investment firm has joined Hawaii Gas in calling on the state Public Utilities Commission to force NextEra Energy and Hawaiian Electric to turn over internal emails about using liquefied natural gas to help power the islands. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii agency wants NextEra Energy Inc., which is proposing to buy Hawaiian Electric Co. for $4.3 billion, to commit to not having any involuntary workforce reductions for four years after the closing of the deal, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Sitting on the Diamond Head bank of Kapalama Canal, Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed a bill Wednesday that adds more pressure on the persistent homeless encampment by making it illegal to put anything into the already fetid and littered drainage canal. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced Wednesday morning that a one-mile fence will be constructed along the Kapalama Canal from Olomea Street to Kalani Street on both sides of the waterway. Hawaii News Now.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell vetoed a bill Wednesday that would expand the city's ban on sitting and lying down in public to more pedestrian malls. Associated Press.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell vetoed a bill Wednesday that would expand the city's ban on sitting and lying down in public to more pedestrian malls.KITV4.

In a city with a growing homelessness crisis, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell visited an Oahu canal lined with tents sheltering homeless people to sign a bill banning camping on the banks of city-owned streams. Associated Press.

A business deal brokered more than 10 years ago during a clandestine meeting at an Italian restaurant in Hawaii Kai has set the stage for a bitter legal dispute that today embroils a Honolulu rail contractor in allegations of fraud, deception and profiteering. Nan Inc. recently won a $56 million contract to build three West Oahu rail stations. The company, which has taken advantage of federal minority business programs, is at the center of state and federal lawsuits alleging questionable business practices. Civil Beat.

The honu hubbub at the USS Arizona Memorial has been resolved. The famed sunken battleship, a grave for most of the ship’s 1,177 crew members killed on Dec. 7, 1941, was deemed a no-go when the Navy detachment piloting launches to the memorial’s floating dock noticed threatened green sea turtles nibbling on algae near the boat landing, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

City Council Chair Ernie Martin urged Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Wednesday to re-evaluate his current effort to find a private company to replace Honolulu’s streetlights with LED lights. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu City Council Budget Committee gave tentative approval Wednesday to a subsidy for recycling companies that would cost taxpayers more than $1.2 million annually, with nearly $1 million going to an Oregon-based scrap metal company. Civil Beat.

Shirokiya Holdings Inc. will more than triple the size of its food court and beer garden when it opens a $35 million Japanese food village next year on the ground floor of the new expanded Ewa wing at Ala Moana Center. Star-Advertiser.

Fans for Ewa schools are courtesy of state Rep. Matt LoPresti’s “Cool Schools 4 Ewa” initiative, which seeks donations from businesses for fans and air conditioners for Ewa schools. Launched Wednesday, the program had already obtained a donation of 54 fans — six of them purchased by LoPresti — with money from an anonymous donation and a discount from City Mill in Ewa Beach. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Ka‘u Councilwoman Maile David has her concerns about tapping geothermal sources for energy, but that didn’t stop her from drinking water allegedly sourced from a geothermal well or spring Wednesday during a County Council meeting in Kailua-Kona. Tribune-Herald.

North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff wants protection of natural and cultural resources to be a foundation of all future planning decisions. West Hawaii Today.

The parent company of Oahu's Castle Medical Center is considering an acquisition of three public hospitals on the Big Island. Associated Press.

East Hawaii’s financially strapped public health care facilities might have a potential suitor in California-based Adventist Health. Tribune-Herald.

A Hilo Circuit Court judge ruled Wednesday he doesn’t have jurisdiction in a case seeking a preliminary injunction to halt construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope. Tribune-Herald.

A woman arrested on Mauna Kea Access Road two consecutive nights last month said her motives have been misunderstood and she intended no disrespect to those attempting to stop the building of the Thirty Meter Telescope on the mountain. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
At least eight people were arrested early Thursday morning as hundreds of protesters attempted to block construction of the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on the summit of Haleakala, organizers say. Hawaii News Now.

Several demonstrators were arrested overnight during a blockade on Crater Road as they encountered a convoy carrying equipment and telescope parts to Haleakala for ongoing construction of the Daniel K Inouye Solar Telescope. Maui Now.

Demonstrators rallied once again late Wednesday night in an effort to prevent a convoy with parts and materials from reaching the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope under construction on the summit of Haleakala. Star-Advertiser.

Less than three weeks after 20 protesters were arrested for trying to block a transport of telescope equipment headed for Haleakala, members of Kako'o Haleakala have planned another demonstration tonight in hopes of stopping another wide-load convoy from reaching the summit. Maui News.

An official with the Global Virtual Studio Accelerator will be providing information today about its efforts to aid the launching of media businesses and projects. Maui News.

Kauai

The $135 million project to redevelop the famed Coco Palms Resort on Kauai came one step closer to becoming a reality after Kauai County officials on Wednesday released the first set of permits needed to begin demolition work. Pacific Business News.

The Kauai County Planning Department received verification from the State Historic Preservation Division that Coco Palms Hui, LLC has met its agency requirements related to the demolition and reconstruction of the Coco Palms Hotel, the county stated in a press release Wednesday evening. Garden Island.

Hanalei Bay’s blue hue has turned a yellowish brown, and state regulators say sediment runoff originating from the upper watershed are to blame. Garden Island.

A Kauai police officer is facing up to five years in prison for allegedly striking a teenage pedestrian with his patrol car while responding to the scene of an accident earlier this year. Civil Beat.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was the featured speaker at the Kauai Chamber of Commerce luncheon Wednesday. Garden Island.

Lanai
Buzzfeed has a fun story about how billionaire Larry Ellison, the owner of Lanai, also owns an animal rescue center on the island. The center is needed, as there are more than 400 feral cats on Lanai. Civil Beat.

Prosecutor fights sex trafficking bill, Thirty Meter Telescope work ongoing behind the scenes, lawmakers scrutinize work furlough program, 90 Big Island hospital workers face layoffs, governor signs stormwater fee, B&Bs buck Kauai law, Honolulu Handi-Van woes continue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki at night © 2015 All Hawaii News

Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro is urging Gov. David Ige to veto a bill that would establish "sex trafficking" as a crime in Hawaii, while supporters of the same measure are mobilizing to persuade Ige to sign it into law. Star-Advertiser.

A Senate committee looked into the state’s work furlough program for prison inmates today.   The focus was on the increasing number of inmates who walk away from the program. Hawaii Public Radio.

While the state's work furlough program for prison inmates has proved to be successful, a recent rash of nearly two dozen prisoners walking away from custody has lawmakers considering tweaks to improve the system. Star-Advertiser.

Some high-profile escapes unresolved, work furlough program scrutinized. KHON2.

Governor signs 'rain tax' bill into law. Bill gives counties power to impose new stormwater fee. KITV4.

Cigarette use among island children ages 12 to 17 has dropped, according to a new federal study, and health officials hope that a bill that would make Hawaii the first state to raise the legal smoking age to 21 will further cut young people's cigarette use. Star-Advertiser.

Nelson Doi, a self-acknowledged political maverick, was remembered Tuesday as among the best political orators in Hawaii after World War II and a staunch supporter of the economically underprivileged. Star-Advertiser.

Nelson Kiyoshi Doi, former lieutenant governor, judge and state senator, died earlier this month in Waimea. He was 93. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

Some seven months after the Handi-Van system was upgraded with badly needed new vehicles and real-time scheduling software, Oahu transit officials acknowledge that the big fixes they'd hoped to see aren't taking hold yet — and riders still have plenty of horror stories to share. Star-Advertiser.

Can Honolulu’s Sit-Lie Ban Pass Constitutional Muster? What started with a push by the mayor to get the homeless out of Waikiki is now an ever-expanding effort by the City Council in the face of a migrating homeless population. Will a legal challenge put a stop to it? Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell is expected to sign a rezoning bill Wednesday for the contentious 11,750-home Ho‘o­pili project in West Oahu, but opponents say their fight is far from over. Star-Advertiser.

At least one classroom at James Campbell High School in Ewa Beach will be getting air conditioning later this year, after a student-run fundraising campaign raised $21,710. Civil Beat.

For the third time in the past three decades Hawaii will once again play host to the Asia-Pacific Real Estate Congress, with more than 300 attendees expected to attend this fall. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Nearly 90 employees will be laid off and some services will be cut at Hilo Medical Center, Ka'u Hospital and Hale Ho'ola Hamakua because of a projected $7 million deficit in the fiscal year starting July 1. The hospitals comprise the East Hawaii Region of Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, the state funded hospital system which is facing a $50 million shortfall overall for fiscal 2016. Hawaii News Now.

Despite the ongoing standstill atop Mauna Kea, those behind the Thirty Meter Telescope are moving forward with the $1.4 billion project. Tribune-Herald.

A new law allowing hospital privatization will likely lead to a public-private partnership between Kona Community Hospital and The Queen’s Medical Center within five years, and the construction of a free-standing emergency room near the Kona International Airport. West Hawaii Today.

Puna Geothermal Venture finished drilling a new well earlier this month intended to offset a drop in production at the 38-megawatt power plant outside Pahoa. Tribune-Herald.

The Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority has improved its transparency and accountability to the public, but some problems remain, the state auditor said in a report issued Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development announced that it was issuing a new Request for Proposals (RFP) on a proposed Maui County municipal utility or co-op. MauiTime.

Slowly, more bits and pieces of a former home of Hawaiian royalty are becoming visible to archaeologists, researchers and a group trying to restore a West Maui gem. Maui News.

Phase I of the bypass road between Hana Highway and Puunene Avenue is expected to be completed by July. Maui News.

Kauai

“The Planning Department’s tactics are bullying tactics.” That comment from Greg Allen gave voice to the anger and frustration many B&B operators are feeling after the county sent cease-and-desist letters telling them they had two weeks to shut down or risk facing $10,000-a-day fines. Garden Island.

Honolulu may get tiny piece of Obama presidential library, state tax returns delayed, Kauai council trims open space fund, Maui mulls public electric utility, Hawaii geothermal minerals valuable, Oahu chases homeless, police honor their fallen, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii early plans to locate Obama presidential library, courtesy photo

President Barack Obama has decided to build his presidential library on the South Side of Chicago, where his political career began. However, the foundation said it plans to collaborate with each of the other three finalists, including the University of Hawaii. Associated Press.

With Chicago on the verge Tuesday of being named the future home of Barack Obama's presidential library, University of Hawaii officials still couldn't say on the eve of the expected announcement that Hono­lulu would win some component of the project. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama's presidential library will be located on the South Side of Chicago, not in Kaka'ako, the president confirmed in an online video released early Tuesday morning. Hawaii News Now.

It’s official: Obama library will be in Chicago, presence in Honolulu. KHON2.

State tax returns could be delayed 16 weeks. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Health Connector has prepared a contingency plan to shut down operations by Sept. 30 after lawmakers failed to pass legislation to keep the state's troubled Obama­care insurance exchange afloat. Star-Advertiser.

The state Office of Planning is accepting comments on its draft analysis of Hawaii’s land use system, which points out “system-wide weaknesses” in how Hawaii manages growth and development. The deadline for submitting comments is May 31. Civil Beat.

Always Investigating found the state’s out-of-date paper system can delay payday for thousands of public workers. Even if you’re not a state worker it can affect you, because all of that manual processing has cost taxpayers millions in overpayments that are very hard to get back. KHON2.

Oahu

How Can ‘Housing First’ Work When the Housing Isn’t There? If Oahu is ever to solve its stubborn homelessness problem, a big influx of affordable housing units will be required. Meeting the challenge is difficult and costly, but the state might save money in the long run. Civil Beat.

An effort to build more housing for Hawaii's struggling families gets a big “no thanks” from the neighbors. The state is hoping to partner with a developer to turn some office space into new units in Kalihi. Hawaii News Now.

One of Oahu's most notorious homeless hangouts is about to be cleaned up yet again. So why are people saying it's just a waste of time? KITV4.

Profit keeps flowing as more cement gets poured and construction cranes raise the "ultra luxury" Waiea condominium tower in Kakaako where units have sold for an average price of $3.7 million. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Pacific University is a little more than three months away from moving its first group of students into the newly-renovated Aloha Tower Marketplace in Downtown Honolulu. Pacific Business News.

As she does every year, Kay Lindemann Allen attended the Honolulu Police Department's Remembrance walk and memorial ceremony Monday evening to honor the memory of her father and to show solidarity with the family members of other officers who have died in the line of duty. Star-Advertiser.

A double change of command for two of the Pacific's highest-ranking military members will show off some four-star power May 27 at Pearl Harbor now that the Pentagon's top military job is sorted out. Star-Advertiser.

The State Legislature did not provide additional funding this session for the University of Hawai’i Cancer Center which is operating with an annual 13-million dollar deficit. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council witnessed a presentation last Tuesday that is likely to spark a state-wide discussion on the use of Hawaii’s geothermal mineral resources. Big Island Video News.

In response to increased seismic activity along the East Rift Zone, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed backcountry trails and campgrounds below Kilauea’s summit for overnight use. Tribune-Herald.

For some, getting up close and personal with a swollen, boiling lake of lava might sound terrifying, even nightmarish. For 37-year-old Matt Patrick, it’s a dream come true. Tribune-Herald.

Fifth-graders from Na Wai Ola Public Charter School in Mountain View were among those who joined the Hawaii Police Department in celebrating Police Week on Monday at the Hilo police station. Tribune-Herald.

Former Hawaii County Prosecutor Jon Ono died April 30. He was 68. Tribune-Herald.

The Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems is facing the possibility of shutting down next year after lawmakers approved $8.5 million for a new headquarters and test facility but not the $1.4 million the Hilo-based aerospace agency requested to fund its operations. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi is scheduled to appear before the Board of Ethics Wednesday to respond to a citizen's complaint relating to his use of a county-issue credit card, called a PCard. KITV4.

The uncut version of Kenoi's interview with Honolulu media in early April.

Maui

As Hawaiian Electric Industries and Florida-based NextEra Energy Inc. continue to hammer out the details of their $4.3 billion merger deal signed in December, Mayor Alan Arakawa suggests Maui County consider all options, including a publicly owned electric utility. Maui News.

The Kapalua Resort Association says extending its West Maui coastal trail will be a boon not only for resort guests but also for the public. Maui News.

The proposed protection and restoration of habitat for native species at Nuʻu on the leeward slopes of Haleakalā will be discussed at two upcoming public scoping meetings. Maui Now.

Victory Development, which currently is constructing condominium and commercial spaces in Kihei, is proposing to build a 39 unit, three- and four-story hotel-condominium project in a busy area of the South Maui town mauka of Kamaole Beach Park II. Maui News.

Opinion: State to spend even more money on Kahului Airport restrooms. MauiTime.

Kauai

The County Council, by a 4-3 vote, reduced the amount of money it will contribute to a fund set up specifically to purchase land for public use. Garden Island.

Two community groups opposing the proposed south side dairy are petitioning state officials to post signs at Waiopili Stream cautioning the public about health risks associated with exposure to what they say are highly polluted waters. Garden Island.

A federal court jury has awarded more than $500,000 to 15 Kauai residents who say they can’t enjoy their homes because of red dust from test fields operated by DuPont Pioneer. Associated Press.