Seafood found safe after Fukushima disaster, Hanabusa political aspirations questioned, audit blasts Big Island hiring practices, entire island of Kauai loses electricity, hurricane shelters lacking, new rules for boat harbors, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Slicing ahi at Hilo fish market © 2017 All Hawaii News

It’s OK to keep salivating over seafood. A new study from an international research team has found that migratory marine predators in coastal waters near Japan and Hawaii had negligible contamination from the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused a Fukushima power plant to release large quantities of radioactive material. Star-Advertiser.

Saving Coral: Researchers in Hawaii are involved in cutting-edge science aimed at countering the effects of climate change on the world’s oceans. Civil Beat.

The Board of Land and Natural Resources Friday approved amendments to a wide range of state boating rules intended to improve management of state small boat harbors and ocean recreation-related activities in state waters. Associated Press.

Reversal by Hanabusa prompts criticism. Colleen Hanabusa said she will soon file papers to form a new campaign committee to run for governor, confirming long-standing speculation in Hawaii political circles that she would challenge fellow Democrat and incumbent Gov. David Ige in 2018. Star-Advertiser.

Immigration and Island Dreamers: The cancellation of DACA could cost Hawaii more than half a billion dollars. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Prison Warden’s Case Shows Firing A Public Worker Isn’t Easy. Despite dozens of sexual harassment and discrimination concerns, appeals board says her prior clean record counts for a lot. Civil Beat.

Twenty-five years after Hurricane Iniki pummeled Kauai, Hawaii has made substantial progress in some ways to prepare for the next major hurricane. But the state remains significantly ill-prepared in other areas, including not having adequate facilities to house everyone who would likely seek public shelter from an Iniki-like storm. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s students are making strides in their ACT college exam scores, though their performance as a whole still trails behind some of their counterparts nationally, according to test score data for the class of 2017 released this week. Tribune-Herald.

Alexander &Baldwin Inc. is about to join a special group of companies — mostly mainland firms — that funnel almost all their profits to stockholders and qualify for a unique tax break known as Real Estate Investment Trusts, or REITs. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The typical household electrical bill for Oahu residents in September declined 40 cents from the previous month. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Officials Push For $200 Million Ala Wai Canal Makeover. Devastating storms on the mainland are prompting a renewed effort to finally fix the Ala Wai’s potential for flooding that could wipe out Waikiki. Civil Beat.

As the search for Honolulu's next police chief continues, two more names have emerged as candidates. Sources confirmed for Hawaii News Now that Gary Yamashiroya and Paul Putzulu are in the running for the position. Hawaii News Now.

The redevelopment of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority’s Mayor Wright Homes into a mixed-income, mixed-use project would add more than 2,000 new residential rental units to what is currently a 15-acre public housing project near Downtown Honolulu, according to a draft environmental impact statement filed with the state. Pacific Business News.

A $100 million public housing project has been further delayed after Hawaii officials voted to end a partnership with a private developer. Associated Press.

Some investors question claims over partially submersible vessel. Curtiss Jackson, owner and CEO of Semisub Inc., says he expects his partially submersible vessel to start commercial tours in Hawaii’s waters next month. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Hawaii County’s hiring practices, long a source of complaints of unfairness and favoritism, are sharply criticized in a report released last week by the county’s legislative auditor. West Hawaii Today.

The state Department of Transportation might need to keep its options open for how it spends $40 million added to the state’s capital budget for improving Highway 130. Tribune-Herald.

A community forum on Puna roads was held at the Hawaiian Paradise Park Activity Center on Saturday. Big Island Video News.

The Kailua Village Design Commission this week signaled its approval for Kona Brewing Co.’s proposed brewery, recommending only some minor changes to the proposed plan. West Hawaii Today.

One year after its inception, Kona’s bikeshare program is rolling right along. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim recently sat down with Sherry Bracken to discuss his decision to bar a handful of visiting hula halau from staying overnight in county gyms during the Merrie Monarch Festival. Big Island Video News.

Kailua-Kona has been named one of the top foodie towns in the United States, according to a new rankings. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Meeting set to discuss Iao Valley State Monument closure, stabilization. Maui News.

Almost a year has passed since one of the largest floods in Maui County’s history destroyed homes, properties and swept up entire landmasses in Iao Valley. Maui News.

For the first time in four years, Newell’s shearwaters have started laying eggs in an artificially created seabird colony in West Maui. Maui News.

Central Maui, consistently the busiest housing market in Maui County, hit a 12-month-high median housing price at $650,000 in August as median prices countywide held steady at $700,000. Maui News.

Maui’s residential real estate market was mixed in August as the median price and sales of single-family houses rose during the month but condominiums saw decreases in both categories. Star-Advertiser.

Condominium sales dropped 11.3 percent to 110 in August, while the median price decreased 4.8 percent to $400,000, from $420,000 last year, according to statistics by the Realtors Association of Maui. Pacific Business News.

Kaanapali Beach and Lahaina Beach have just been named as two of America’s favorite beaches in 2017. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai residents were without power for some time Sunday as Kauai Island Utility Cooperative officials worked to restore an island-wide blackout. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai is suffering. A 2017 suicide epidemic is increasingly worrying police and service organizations with the death toll so far this year already nearly double the number reported in all of 2016 and far higher than any year since at least 2012. Garden Island.

Reflections on the past decade of Hawaiian monk seal conservation will be offered Wednesday at the Princeville Library in a program that will focus on the research and conservation efforts to help the species. Garden Island.

Monday marks 25 years since Iniki pummeled Kauai. Hawaii News Now.

Hurricane Iniki made landfall on Kauai on Sept. 11, 1992. Garden Island.

Actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have sold a Kauai compound above Secret Beach that was once owned by NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for $12 million, according to a report in Variety. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii dislikes Trump's climate accord withdrawal, bill banning aquarium fish taking on Ige's desk, health worker benefit bill signed, Maui mayor signs $705M budget, mumps cases reach 81, Kauai rose-ringed parakeet bill signed, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Golden dawn over Hawaii © 2017 All Hawaii News

Hawaii’s Democratic congressional delegation quickly panned President Donald Trump’s decision Thursday to withdraw from the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change, describing it as sad, irresponsible, shortsighted and an abandonment of American leadership. Star-Advertiser.

Disgusted by President Trump’s decision Thursday to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord, elected officials and nonprofit leaders in Hawaii said they are not backing down from their commitments to combat global warming. Civil Beat.

Local scientists are reacting with anger and dismay after President Trump's decision Thursday to pull the United States out of the Paris accords aimed at slowing global warming and climate change. Hawaii News Now.

President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris climate accord drew sharp criticism from Hawaii’s congressional delegation on Thursday. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii lawmakers and members of the state's Congressional delegation railed against President Trump's decision Thursday to pull the United States out of a global agreement aimed at slowing the pace of global warming. Hawaii News Now.

President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord was universally criticized by Hawaii Democrats in the hours following the announcement made from the White House’s Rose Garden. Big Island Video News.

US Senator Brian Schatz of Hawai‘i, co-chair of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, said he is “appalled and disappointed” with President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.  Maui Now.

President Donald Trump’s decision Thursday to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord will hamper efforts to stem global warming throughout the world — the primary cause of rising ocean temperatures that pose the single greatest threat to Hawaii’s marine ecosystems. West Hawaii Today.

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The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to immediately reinstate its ban on travelers from six mostly Muslim countries, saying the U.S. will be safer if the policy is put in place. Associated Press.

A bill awaiting Governor Ige's signature would end the commercial collecting of Hawaii reef wildlife for the aquarium trade. Hawaii Public Radio.

Civil Beat Poll: Voters Dislike Trump, Support Lawsuit Against Travel Ban. The president’s approval rating of 32 percent is actually higher than the percentage of the state vote he received in November. Civil Beat.


Madison, Wis.-based Hartung Brothers Inc. is expected to acquire Syngenta’s Hawaii operations, which include about 100 full-time employees and 4,000 acres of land on Oahu and Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Land & Pineapple Co., Inc. has seen its stock price more than double since the beginning of the year, while the majority of Hawaii's publicly traded companies suffered losses in May. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The Hawaii Supreme Court heard oral arguments Thursday in a lawsuit brought by Honolulu Civil Beat against the City and County of Honolulu after city officials denied access to budget documents and material that Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell used to shape his spending plan for fiscal year 2016. Civil Beat.

Rail officials will receive $900,000 in federal grant funds to revitalize “brownfields,” which is name for the contaminated properties in need of an environmental cleanup. Pacific Business News.

A new freeway lane from the Red Hill area to Aiea is expected to open in a few months in an effort to ease westbound traffic congestion. Star-Advertiser.

Could Oahu’s West Side Be The New Vacation Hot Spot For Millennials? The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival is promoting island agriculture by taking travel writers to the Leeward Coast. But will it sell? Civil Beat.

Aloha Green Holdings Inc. said Thursday it is dropping plans to sell non-THC products at its King Street medical marijuana dispensary starting next week. Star-Advertiser.

So far, 81 cases of the highly contagious respiratory disease mumps have been reported, all but two of them on Oahu. The total is far beyond any annual tally in Health Department records dating back to 1990 — and the year isn’t even half over. Star-Advertiser.

Federal law makes city’s struggle to get abandoned cars off streets even harder. KHON2.

An Oahu grand jury Thursday indicted a 57-year-old man who allegedly broke etched glass panes on three doors at historic Iolani Palace and a glass door at the state Capitol. Star-Advertiser.

A school name change on Oʻahu is raising awareness in that community about the origin of place names in Hawaiʻi. Hawaii Public Radio.

Searider Productions produces Emmy Award winning stories and animation. With the $10.7 million they received from the state Legislature, they're hoping to produce more awarding projects out of a much better facility. KITV.

Deep in the quiet Manoa Valley, the fight to protect the ohia plant plays on. Hawaii News Now.

Unusual 6-foot-long fish rescued after washing up in Ko Olina lagoon. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

County employee survey: Morale mostly high, but employees afraid to speak out West Hawaii Today.

A federal civil lawsuit alleges that a dorm mother at an elite Hawaii boarding school had sex with a male student in her campus apartment. Associated Press.

A former Hawaii island boarding student and his parents are suing Hawaii Preparatory Academy, alleging the private school failed to protect the minor from repeated sexual abuse by a female dormitory supervisor and concealed evidence of the inappropriate relationship. Star-Advertiser.

The parents of a former Hawaii Preparatory Academy student on Wednesday filed suit against the school, alleging it failed to prevent or investigate a relationship between that student and a former employee. West Hawaii Today.

A longstanding, Hilo-based Hawaiian immersion public charter school is vacating Keaukaha Elementary School’s campus next year after three decades accommodating students there. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa on Thursday signed into law a $705.2 million county budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 that keeps the Waiehu Municipal Golf Course open and imposes a new $3 per vehicle tipping fee for residential dumping at the Central Maui Landfill. Maui News.

Gov. David Ige has signed into law a bill that would provide severance benefits to employees affected by the privatization of three Maui County public hospitals. Maui News.

How Anne Morrow Lindbergh Battled Maui’s Wild Side. Today, the famous author’s granddaughter faces similar struggles keeping the critters and climate at bay in remote Kipahulu. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Gov. David Ige signed House Bill 655 on Thursday aimed at reducing the rose-ringed parakeet population. Garden Island.

In front of a crowd of nearly 300 people at the 19th annual Governor’s Luncheon at Koloa Landing Resort, Gov. David Ige said collaboration with county and state officials and the Legislature made a difference. Garden Island.

The county is considering creating a university district for Kauai Community College. Garden Island.

New milk rules worry ranchers, rare House Republican defects to Democrats, new Cray computer for UH, Obama golf game forces wedding move, nesting nene killed, Puna residents in lava path surveyed, more money for health exchange, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waimea Naked Cow Dairy courtesy photo

Hawaii's milk industry has new price rules after the state's only processor, Meadow Gold, privately warned that it would quit buying milk from local dairies as of Thursday unless it could pay less than what regulators permitted. The state Board of Agriculture voted 7-0 at an emergency meeting Monday to amend state Department of Agriculture rules governing wholesale prices paid to Hawaii farmers for fresh milk. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s only milk processor has convinced a regulatory board to relax a price floor for locally produced milk to help the company compete with mainland imports. But one dairy producer is afraid that the decision will put him out of business. Civil Beat.

Less than two months after winning election as a Republican in a traditionally Republican district, Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson on Monday announced his switch to the Democratic Party in a move he maintains will allow him to seek common ground and best policies over partisan politics. Star-Advertiser.

Republicans, voters react to losing Rep. Aaron Johanson to Democrats. Rep. Aaron Johanson defects to Democratic Party. KITV4.

Hawaii’s troubled health insurance exchange needs state taxpayers to shore up an estimated $2.5 million deficit next year. Hawaii Health Connector CEO Jeff Kissell, who just took over the state-created nonprofit in October, told a legislative oversight committee Monday that the state appropriation should be viewed as an investment that will produce $500 million in federal tax subsidies within the next decade. Civil Beat.

Governor David Ige has appointed Catherine Awakuni Colón to serve as director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Hawaii Independent.

The University of Hawaii has installed a new high performing computing system produced by American supercomputer manufacturer Cray Inc., and is inviting researchers to start working with it. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Obama golf game forces Army couple to move wedding. Associated Press.

The widespread proliferation of mostly illegal vacation rentals on Oahu is pitting neighbor against neighbor, highlighting the city of Honolulu's inability to enforce its own laws, and likely leaving millions of tax dollars uncollected. Star-Advertiser.

Opinion: It’s hard to put a positive spin on a shortfall of up to $700 million shortfall, but Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and top officials from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation sure tried when publicly announcing the bad news that now hangs over the city’s $5.2 billion rail project. Civil Beat.

Rising property taxes a concern for Oahu home owners. KHON2.

What to do About Chinatown’s Stinking Streets. Merchants are frustrated with the homeless, but a little help is on the way with plans to open a public restroom and shower facility next month. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

A new survey reveals the needs and concerns of Puna-area residents as they continue to wrestle with a threatening lava flow. Tribune-Herald.

Air quality, lost business and access to basic needs are among the top concerns of about 800 Hawaii island residents contending with a lava flow inching toward Pahoa's main highway. Star-Advertiser.

Individuals will no longer have to provide “competent, efficient, loyal and ethical service to the public” to qualify for employment with Hawaii County. Instead, people will be hired based on their “fitness and ability for public employment,” and be retained based on their “demonstrated appropriate conduct and productive performance.” West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The National Park Service says a nesting nene was killed by a car at Haleakala National Park. The endangered Hawaiian goose was killed Friday. Associated Press.

With his lawyer saying a man was trying to be a good Samaritan when he punched a suspected shoplifter in Lahaina last year, the defendant was spared a jail term and was given a chance to keep an assault conviction off his record. Maui News.

Kauai

So far, Kauai seems to be escaping an alarming trend happening across the islands. Scammers who fraudulently advertise Hawaii rental properties have ripped off hundreds if not thousands of visitors to the state, according to Honolulu police, who say it’s difficult to prosecute the con artists because most of them operate out of state. Associated Press.

Tourists still flocking to Hawaii, Schatz out-raises Hanabusa in Senate race, Hawaii youth don't vote, Civil Beat takes on government records costs, surf threatens Sunset Beach homes, Kauai councilwoman opts for manager job, Maui mulls windmills at landfill, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hula girls file photo (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hawaii set a record for the number of tourists in 2012 and will most likely set another one this year. Star-Advertiser.

Sen. Brian Schatz raised nearly $678,000 during the July-September fundraising cycle, according to his re-election campaign. He now has more than $2 million in cash on hand. His Democratic primary challenger, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, raised about $441,000 for the third quarter, according to her Senate campaign. Hanabusa has raised more than $1.1 million to date and has about $772,000 in cash on hand. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz has expanded his fundraising edge over U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in their Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, as Hanabusa struggled through a subpar quarter. Schatz raised more than $677,900 from July through September, according to a draft of his campaign finance report, and has brought in $2.7 million overall. Hanabusa raised more than $440,800 for the quarter and has brought in $1.1 million, her campaign announced, including money transferred from her House account. Star-Advertiser.

Fewer than one third of people in the islands between the ages of 18 and 29 bothered to vote in the presidential election that pitted Hawaii native Barack Obama against Republican John McCain. It was by far the worst youth turnout in the country. Such numbers got teachers wondering whether more young people would have capitalized on their democratic duty if they had gotten a more substantive dose of Civics 101 before becoming adults. Civil Beat.

Attorneys representing churches being sued over renting Hawaii public school buildings for services said last week that the churches aren't doing anything wrong and the state knows how the facilities are being used. Star-Advertiser.

The state of Hawaii has enacted a temporary hiring freeze for vacant positions within the executive branch, effective immediately, according to a memorandum signed by Acting Gov. Shan Tsutsui on Friday afternoon. Pacific Business News.

Neil Abercrombie’s job as Hawaii governor takes him around the world. Tourism meetings in Tokyo. A trade show in Los Angeles. A forum in Beijing. Those kinds of trips sound pricey. But independently reviewing the travel expenses to see if they are worth taxpayers’ money is definitely cost-prohibitive. Civil Beat.

The arguably unreasonable cost to check up on where our governor has been traveling and what he’s been doing while he’s away was the final straw for us in the often frustrating pursuit of public information. Civil Beat.

State roundup for October 13. Associated Press.

Oahu
The transportation company responsible for a molasses spill that killed more than 26,000 fish and other marine life in Hawaii said Friday that it had been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury for documents relating to the spill. Associated Press.

Bureaucratic snags continue to stall attempts to reach a long-term solution to the city's Haiku Stairs disagreement. On one side are hiking groups and environmental interests who want to see the long-stalled hiking path reopened so hikers can once again see the panoramic views at the top of the 2,800-foot path. On the other are Haiku residents who in recent years have seen their properties trashed and trespassed on by hikers visiting the stairs illegally at night to avoid detection by a security guard. Star-Advertiser.

With a multimillion-dollar land sale to the Roman Catholic Church gone sour, the University of Hawaii-West Oahu says it's moving away from the school's original concept of selling or leasing lands surrounding its Kapolei campus to pay for operations. It instead will seek more public funds from the state Legislature next year. Star-Advertiser.

A professional surfer's Sunset Beach home is now threatened by the very waves he learned to surf on. And the man's father says that ten other homes in the neighborhood remain threatened by the surf and that the state is doing nothing to protect them. Hawaii News Now.

New York, Chicago and about 30 other cities across the United States already offer public bike-share programs, through which bicycles can be rented to get around and dropped off at various stations. Now, grass-roots advocates have teamed with city and state leaders, hoping to bring bike-sharing to Hono­lulu's urban core by the summer of 2015. It would not be Oahu's first bike-share program. A pilot program in Kai­lua that started in 2011 already pays for itself through user fees, state Department of Health officials say. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

This month, for the first time, Hawaii will join an international effort to prepare citizens for the impact of a large earthquake. Known as The Great Hawaii Shakeout, the informal, statewide event is an opportunity for schools, businesses and individuals to practice what to do in the event of an earthquake. Tribune-Herald.

A 6-month-old male seal, called Kamilo and known by the bleach mark on his back, H05, was relocated after nipping two triathletes who were swimming in Kamakahonu Bay on Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

With a bill to restrict genetically modified crops passed out of committee, the Hawaii County Council will have only a few more chances to decide whether it wants to adopt the legislation, and, perhaps just as important, how it would be implemented. Tribune-Herald.

Business for contractors working on big jobs is up on Hawaii Island, a labor union organizer said. West Hawaii Today.

Shark victim makes triumphant return to water. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Whale season in Hawaii officially started with a splash with sightings of two whales off Maui less than one week into October, and two more Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Maui County is planning to build three wind turbines at the Central Maui Landfill to offset thousands of dollars in energy bills at the site and is looking for prospective bidders. Maui News.

Officials with Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. are apologizing for what residents are saying is an excessive amount of ash from sugar cane fields burning. Associated Press.

Furloughed workers at Haleakala National Park have been "glued to the news" and eager to get back to work as the government shutdown ended its second week, park workers said. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai County Council Vice Chair Nadine Nakamura, who topped the council elections last year, announced Friday she is leaving her position to replace county Managing Director Gary Heu. Garden Island.

Kauai heading down a slippery slope. Garden Island.

Several events supporting traditional marriage are scheduled on Kauai. Garden Island.

Molokai

Oceanic Time Warner Cable’s franchises to provide cable service in Maui County expire at the end of 2013. The current franchises were issued by the State of Hawaii more than 15 years ago, and the cable company has filed an application with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) to continue providing cable service in Maui County for the next 20 years. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii government officials make big salaries, Honolulu mothers hold nurse-in, Obamacare to raise some insurance premiums and lower others, papaya vandalism won't stop GMO vote, Kauai Head Start loses slots, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state Capitol (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hawaii State Salaries 2013: More Employees Making More Money. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's booming economy could face setbacks under a prolonged federal government shutdown, economists and lawmakers said. With Tuesday's looming deadline, Hawaii's 23,000 civilian federal workers are bracing themselves for furloughs and wage cutbacks. Hawaii News Now.

Obamacare will mean higher premiums for thousands of Hawaii individuals and small businesses and lower premiums for thousands of others when major provisions of the federal health reform law begin Jan. 1. The state's dominant health insurer, Hawaii Medical Service Association, notified individuals and small groups in recent weeks of the changes they will see in premiums under the new federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for September 30. Associated Press.

Oahu

A four-year degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa is likely to yield a starting salary almost three times the state's minimum wage, new figures in a national salaries report show. Manoa graduates entering the workforce with a bachelor's degree typically earn $41,000 a year within five years, according to a report by Seattle-based PayScale, an online salary and compensation information service. After 10 years in their field, Manoa graduates generally make $73,000 a year. Star-Advertiser.

On Friday, close to 30 moms gathered at Target to hold a nurse-in protest. All moms breastfed their babies in the Target store. The store’s manger spoke to the mothers and said she was going to have a staff meeting to address the issue. KHON2.

Hawaiian Telcom says it's bought a Honolulu data center services company for $16 million in cash. SystemMetrics Corp. provides cloud computing and highly secure data center services to small and medium-sized businesses. Hawaii News Now.

Dawson Technical LLC of Honolulu has been awarded a $10.2 million contract, with options for the renovation of the Aloha Center, Building 690 at Schofield Barracks in Central Oahu. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Calling the incident “very unfortunate,” Hawaii County Councilwoman Margaret Wille said Saturday the debate over genetically modified organisms should not be sidetracked after a farmer had about 100 papaya trees slashed, possibly by anti-GMO activists. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

As the years go by and the number of World War II Japanese-American veterans dwindles, remembering their life stories and their tales of valor have become all the more important to the members of Maui's Sons and Daughters of the Nisei Veterans. Maui News.

Kauai

Child and Family Service officials say they lost six slots in Head Start classrooms on Kauai after the Oahu-based nonprofit was forced to trim tens of thousands of dollars from its budget. The nonprofit, which solely administers Head Start programs on Kauai, cut $58,923 from its Head Start programs on the island for this fall school year after a total of $85.4 billion in federal budget cuts — known as sequestration — took effect March 1. Garden Island.

Gay marriage bill dies, soda fee advances, Public Land Development Corp. faces repeal, Hawaii drops in ranking of government employees, charter school employee fined for conflict of interest, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii beach scene courtesy illustration

The state House Judiciary Committee has decided not to hear a bill to legalize gay marriage, likely tabling the issue for this year. Star-Advertiser.

Governor Neil Abercrombie issued a statement on the topic of marriage equality, calling on legislators to hold hearings on the marriage equality bill to further discussions on equal treatment. Maui Now.

The state Senate Health Committee voted Monday to advance a soda fee of 1 cent per ounce — or $1.28 per gallon — that would raise about $37 million a year to counter obesity. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers from two House committees have voted to repeal the Public Land Development Corporation, bowing to strong community opposition across the Hawaiian Islands. Associated Press.

Bending to public pressure, state House and Senate committees agreed Monday to repeal the Public Land Development Corp. Star-Advertiser.

House education committee Chair Roy Takumi wants to allow the state to lease unused public school land and use the revenue to help improve Hawaii’s schools. Associated Press.

A selective digest of bills and briefings of interest Tuesday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Hawaii has slipped from having the highest percentage of government employees to third behind the District of Columbia and Alaska, according to a Gallup poll report released Monday. West Hawaii Today.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono warned Monday of "devastating" sequestration budget cuts that could cost Hawaii 11,000 jobs, result in furlough days for 18,000 defense civilians and cut into defense contracts that average $2.3 billion a year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines’ parent said Monday that it has named its turboprop interisland subsidiary Ohana by Hawaiian, and said the service operated by contractor Empire Airlines will launch this summer with flights to Molokai and Lanai. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for February 12. Associated Press.

Oahu

The state has decided not to prosecute Stoneridge Recoveries, the controversial vendor that had the city's most lucrative towing contract for eight years, on allegations of insurance fraud. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The state Ethics Commission announced Monday that it has fined a Big Island charter school employee $10,000 for breaking conflict-of-interest laws. Civil Beat.

Police have arrested a 23-year-old Kona man whose threatening text messages prompted schools in Waimea and Honokaa to lock down their campuses Monday morning. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Financial pressures, including the decline of cruise ships visits to Maui, have led The Hawai'i Nature Center in Iao Valley to close its interactive museum and gift shop. Maui News.

The state Land Use Commission ruled Thursday that revised plans for a commercial and light industrial subdivision violate the commission's 1995 order to reclassify 68 acres from agricultural to urban use and ordered the project stopped. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

The Beach House Restaurant in Po‘ipu has been named one of the top 37 “Most Romantic Restaurants” in the United States by Travel + Leisure magazine. Garden Island.

Lanai

After nearly three years of waiting, Lanai residents are enjoying their own, full-time public health nurse. Maui News.

State probes gun deal, Hawaii school lunch price up, Honolulu approves APEC cams, Maui to increase vacation rentals, Big Island HR director golfs with employee he may fire, Kauai missile test a success, more Hawaii news

marine scientist (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

A nonbinding, but nonetheless controversial, resolution seeking a statewide ban on aquarium fish collecting passed the Hawaii County Council 6-2 Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Three hundred fifty brand new pistols and holsters have been stuck in storage at the state Department of Public Safety's headquarters for an entire year, while an investigation into the gun deal with Smith & Wesson begins to intensify. Hawaii News Now.

A letter obtained by KHON2 dated July of last year details a deal between gun maker Smith & Wesson and the Hawaii State Sheriffs Department to trade out 350 existing duty issued pistols for 350 new pistols. KHON2.

The Hawaii Tax Review Commission is soliciting the services of a consultant to study the fairness of Hawaii’s tax system and recommend changes, including the possible elimination of personal and corporate income taxes. Hawaii Reporter.

Abercrombie Takes Tamer Tack After Pro Bowl Gaffe. Civil Beat.

The state is seeking an 85-cent increase to the price of a school lunch under a plan that would bring the cost for a high school student to $3.35, more than double what students paid in 2006. Star-Advertiser.

Members of the state Reapportionment Commission are giving themselves more time to study a revised plan for staggering the terms for new state Senate districts so that about half come up for re-election every two years. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority said Wednesday that it has canceled a request for proposals for the contract to market Hawaii to Europe’s major market and is extending its marketing contract with AVIAREPS Tourism for one more year. Pacific Business News.

The Aloha for Japan campaign formally ended Tuesday after exceeding $8 million in contributions. Associated Press.

Oahu

The City Council has approved the use of 34 new video cameras — some of which already have been installed — to enhance security during next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Coast Guard began meeting with residents of the Ala Wai boat harbor this week, giving them a heads up about restrictions during the three-day Veteran's holiday weekend when the APEC meeting is scheduled. KITV4.

Is Honolulu Police Protection Now For Sale? Civil Beat.

Parents of school aged children on the North Shore hope to a see a charter school opened soon that would accommodate 100 seventh- and eighth-grade students. Hawaii Independent.

Hawai’I’s largest public housing project is undergoing a major renovation over the next two years in the state’s first public-private partnership. Hawaii Public Radio.

A $135 million renovation project at what was known for nearly 50 years as Kuhio Park Terrace has generated a sense of pride for those who call the area home. Residents are starting to return to their newly-renovated units, at what is now called the Towers of Kuhio Park. KHON2.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County administrator ultimately responsible for disciplining employees has been golfing with a worker he may be asked to fire. Tribune-Herald.

Legal Morass Raises Questions About Charter School Independence. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii County Council is continuing to debate modifications to the state building code, with last-minute amendments Wednesday forcing yet another postponement of the complex document. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Council, by a 7-0 vote, agreed Wednesday to a charter amendment setting aside 2 percent of county property taxes to purchase land for public access, open space and natural resources preservation. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County Council members moved closer Monday toward making it easier to legalize short-term rentals outside of resort districts, as long as they are closely monitored in the county's neighborhoods. Maui News.

The latest report from the U.S. Geological Survey shows that stream flow in Maui County and statewide is below normal and mostly "much below normal," the second-lowest category ranging from low to high. Maui News.

Kauai
A missile defense system successfully intercepted two targets at the same time during a test in Hawaii, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said Wednesday. Associated Press.

Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative on Wednesday announced its intent to pursue the development of a 10-megawatt solar farm, which would be the largest of its kind in the state. Garden Island.

The public is invited to share their ideas during community meetings on the six sites recommended for acquisition by the Public Access, Open Space and Natural Resources Preservation Fund Commission in its 2010 annual report to the county. Garden Island.

Hawaii budget up but workforce lags, Reapportionment Commission counting some military, but not enough to change Senate seats, Aina Koa Pono agrees to EA, ordnance removal coming to Maui as environmental groups object, songbirds moved to Laysan, more news

Gov. Neil Abercrombie courtesy photo

Despite growing its operating budget this year, Hawaii state government has yet to restore its work force to pre-recession levels, according to an analysis by Civil Beat. Civil Beat.

The Sierra Club Hawaii chapter and several other environmental and cultural groups urged Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday to withdraw an emergency proclamation that he made to help the Army Corps of Engineers remove unexploded ordnance, but the governor declined. Star-Advertiser.

About 16,000 residents, predominantly military members and students, will be excluded from the state's population base when the state Reapportionment Commission submits its final plan for redrawing state political boundaries. Star-Advertiser.

State negotiators had no explicit backup plan in the event that Hawaii teachers rejected their collective bargaining agreement in June, according to Don Horner's testimony before the labor board. Civil Beat.

The state of Hawaii has agreed to team up with 8 other states, the IRS and the U.S. Department of Labor to crack down on business owners who they believe are improperly labeling workers as “independent contractors.” Hawaii Reporter.

Federal officials have moved two dozen endangered songbirds from Nihoa in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to Laysan 650 miles north in the hope they will establish a new population there and prevent the extinction of the species, officials said Monday. Associated Press.

Hawaii continues to be a hot travel deal, according to a popular travel company. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Don Horner, who has devoted more than half his life to First Hawaiian Bank and helped turn the company into the state's largest financial institution, will retire as chief executive officer at the end of the year. Star-Advertiser.

Topless Protesters Don't Have Day In Court. KITV4.

The owner of the Kamehameha Drive-In property in Ai’ea is planning to develop it for mixed residential and commercial use. Hawaii Public Radio.

More than 60 laptops stolen in school burglary. KHON2.

Hawaii
A company that plans to build a biofuel plant in Pahala will commission an environmental assessment even though it's not required. West Hawaii Today.

Business has picked up at Hawaii County's Building Division, but that hasn't translated into jobs for the island's beleaguered construction industry, experts say. Tribune-Herald.

Protections built into a proposed impact fee ordinance and in state law should assure taxpayers that needed infrastructure will be built when new development puts a strain on existing facilities, Kohala Councilman Pete Hoffmann said Monday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

By the end of this month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its contractors will begin a $2 million investigation at the Ahihi-Kinau Natural Area Reserve to assess the type and location of old, unexploded shells and bombs in the area formerly used for military exercises. Maui News.

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official said Gov. Neil Abercrombie's proclamation that lets the corps bypass state laws to investigate and remove military ordnance helps gain access to state lands, but the corps still has federal rules to follow. Maui News.

Kauai

The Rotary Club of Kapa‘a along with a handful of local Kapa‘a residents spent Saturday morning removing ocean debris from the Kealia Beach area. Garden Island.

Molokai

A joint venture including Pattern Energy will bid on the proposed 200-megawatt wind farm on Molokai as part of the so-called “Big Wind” project. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii car owners facing hit, freight tax going up, Big Island adds bus fare, public workers to get less sweet retirement deal, Honolulu rail nears bond float, tsunami sirens to become zoning requirement, Kauai sewer rates to rise, Thai labor contractor admits trafficking, oil from algae, more news

Hawaii driving (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

When proposed increases of vehicle registration fees and weight taxes kick in next year, a Honda Civic owner will pay $46.76 more for the 2,672-pound car's annual sticker. Star-Advertiser.

Proposals to begin taxing online shopping won't become law in Hawaii this year. Associated Press.

Tax on the net weight of imported freight will increase 50 percent to fund 15 of 22 agriculture inspector positions the Legislature helped restore last year, said Rep. Clift Tsuji, Chair of the House Agriculture Committee. West Hawaii Today.

Several state agencies will be putting "help wanted" signs out for new employees, thanks to the new state budget approved Monday by House and Senate. KITV4.

New Hawaii government employees will work more years, contribute higher amounts toward their pensions and get paid less after retirement, according to sweeping proposed changes to the state's underfunded pension system. Associated Press.

A final vote on the bill affecting top executive, judicial and legislative branch salaries is set for Thursday. Hawaii News Now.

Nearly a third of the state's $2.9 billion in spending on construction projects over the next two years will go to harbors and highways. Civil Beat.

A state lawyer has laid out for the first time Gov. Neil Abercrombie's legal arguments for refusing to disclose the names of judicial candidates, saying the governor cannot be required to do so unless ordered to by a state judge. Star-Advertiser.

State energy office scrambling for funds. Pacific Business News.

From cockfights in remote and guarded locations to game rooms raided in the heart of urban Honolulu to sports betting through the Internet that hits a fever pitch during the football season, illegal gambling maintains a foothold in the 50th state. Hawaii News Now.

High fuel prices are affecting operations at The Bus, where officials expect to go nearly $1 million over their fuel budget this year. KITV4.

The Honolulu City Council is considering granting permission to float $2 billion in bonds to pay for initial rail contracts. Hawaii Independent.

The late disclosure of a gift the city received from a rail contractor drew criticism from City Council members in a Transportation Committee meeting Wednesday afternoon. It's the latest in a series of complaints from council members about a lack of transparency about the city's polarizing $5.3 billion rail project. Civil Beat.

The City and County of Honolulu purchased its first property last month to make way for the $5.3 billion rail system from East Kapolei to Ala Moana.. KHON2.

County Council members Wednesday approved Mayor Billy Kenoi's proposed bus fares. West Hawaii Today.

The county's current emergency services radio system must be replaced, Maui police officials said, in a project expected to cost more than $16 million only to begin the system's total overhaul. Maui News.

Kauai County sewer rates are to rise incrementally over the next four years starting in July. Associated Press.

The Windward Planning Commission on Wednesday gave unanimous approval to a measure requiring developers to provide emergency warning sirens in order to rezone property. West Hawaii Today.

A Hawaii bio-fuel company is to receive more than $5.5 million from the federal government to produce affordable animal feed from marine algae. Associated Press.

Cellana Inc. said it has begun producing oil from algae grown at its Kona facility and is on track to begin commercial production by 2014. Star-Advertiser.

Shane Germann stood before Hawaii’s U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway on Wednesday, May 4, remorsefully reciting details of crimes he committed in Hawaii between May 2003 and February 2006 as the on site manager and regional supervisor for the California-based labor recruiter, Global Horizons Manpower Inc. Hawaii Reporter.

When it comes to an easy to grow fruit in Hawaii, guava tops them all. Molokai Dispatch.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources will begin construction of road and parking improvements at Waimea Canyon State Park lookout on Monday. Garden Island.

The Office of Mauna Kea Management is taking the first steps toward establishing administrative rules for the summit region of Mauna Kea. Tribune-Herald.

Superferry may return, more government jobs may be lost, bar owners want smoking back, more news

If you thought the Hawaii Superferry issue was gone, you may be wrong.

The House Transportation Committee approved a bill yesterday to study a state-sponsored ferry system that would be able to buy at least one high-speed vessel to carry passengers and vehicles between the islands

The Army said it plans to look at the environmental impact of basing up to three "joint high-speed vessels" in Pearl Harbor — speedy craft capable of carrying large loads, similar to the defunct Hawaii Superferry's ships.

More than 200 state workers who process applications for government assistance programs could lose their jobs, their union said, and at least 50 eligibility offices statewide could close under a cost-cutting proposal that advocates are worried will make it harder for the poor to access key social services.

Hawaii's largest government worker union says up to 400 people could be on the chopping block and 60 offices may shut down.

State legislators are reviewing bills that would require a minimum of instructional hours or days in Hawaii public schools as they look to restore school days lost because of budget cuts.

A group of bar owners is asking for an exemption from the state's three-year-old workplace smoking ban.

In another sign of hard times, residents have been without a place to swim in Lanai City since landowner Castle and Cooke Resorts closed the island's only public pool nine months ago.

Construction has begun at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands near Kekaha on an Advanced Radar Detection Laboratory facility

Top Hawaii Headlines: Thursday morning edition

Matson Navigation Co.'s top unionized officers could strike tomorrow -- putting a crimp in Hawaii's delicate supply chain -- if they do not reach accord during scheduled talks with the shipping company today.

Crew members, including captains, on Matson Navigation Co.'s trans-Pacific cargo ships have authorized their union to call a strike if a contract agreement is not reached.

Moderate to "exceptional" drought conditions have gripped much of the state, leaving firefighters prepping for a potentially busy summer of brushfires and spurring calls for water conservation on the Neighbor Islands.

Swine flu is spreading through the community, with 205 confirmed cases in the past week, the state Department of Health reported.

Ten Hawai'i students and two chaperones remain in quarantine in South Korean hospitals over swine flu concerns and likely will not be cleared until tomorrow or the weekend, officials with the Korean consulate in Honolulu said.

The United Public Workers yesterday filed a complaint against Gov. Linda Lingle and Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann with the Hawai'i Labor Relations Board, seeking to prevent them from talking publicly about potential layoffs and contract negotiations.

Taking the first official step of her weeks-long promise, Gov. Linda Lingle signed yesterday an executive order to force tens of thousands of state employees to take three unpaid days off each month, starting in July.

People who have been illegally living on state-owned land next to the Kahului Airport runway have been asked to move by day's end or face criminal trespassing charges, state officials said.

Only one more week until Oahu drivers experience a big change in how they drive. Beginning next Wednesday, cell phone use while driving is banned unless you use a hands-free device.

Hawaii County government gets high marks for its financial controls over more than $34.6 million in federal funds, according to its most recent outside audit.

Consolidated Resorts Inc. appeared headed for bankruptcy on Tuesday, and employees of its activity desk subsidiary Lahaina Ticket Co. were told it was shutting down.

The bulldozers are busy in the corner of land where the Pahoa Bypass diverges from Old Government Road, a.k.a. Pahoa Main Street.

Student numbers for fall are up sharply at both the University of Hawaii at Hilo and Hawaii Community College -- and the main reason appears to be the slumping economy

Dismayed and surprised are how the teachers describe their reaction to the news that Waters of Life Public Charter School has lost its charter.

Top Hawaii Headlines: Tuesday morning edition

Exposed steel bars, crumbing concrete and other hazards have prompted Hawaii County to close the only boat ramp along the Hamakua Coast.

The Hawai'i Government Employees Association went to court yesterday, seeking to stop Gov. Linda Lingle from unilaterally imposing new layoff procedures if her furlough plans are blocked by legal challenges.

With the help of federal mediator Ken Kawamoto, the four public employee unions and the state and counties bargained for four hours yesterday, but no agreements were reached.

Another session of negotiations has wrapped up regarding, among other things, the planned state furloughs.

Faced with the largest cuts ever to Hawaii's public schools, state Board of Education members yesterday again delayed a decision on a budget reduction plan, this time saying they are concerned the state's fiscal situation may change between now and the time the governor signs the budget bill in July.

For University of Hawaii political science professor Ira Rohter, open government, citizen participation and public policy nurturing the environment weren't just subjects for academic discussion.

An emergency call for firefighters to respond to a traffic crash ended in a cautionary tale for everyone who cooks food when the firefighters got a second call to put out a fire — back at their own station house in Waipahu.

Maalaea resident Ed Begley said he "got lucky" as a brush fire roared close on both sides of his oceanfront home Sunday, but never burned his property.

After Kaua‘i County Council members Tim Bynum and Lani Kawahara lobbed allegations at Council Chair Kaipo Asing and County Clerk Peter Nakamura earlier this month, more clarity is being sought on existing policies related to government transparency.