Monk seals to tote cameras in study, labor board takes Hawaii teachers case, recycling costs rise, protestors target reef fish sales, Abercrombie signs 16 bills, Civil Defense: geothermal evacuation plan not needed, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian monk seal (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Government scientists plan to glue submersible cameras onto the backs of endangered monk seals, using the footage to prove to fishermen the animals are not harming their way of life. It may even end up on reality TV. Associated Press.

A man who was photographed throwing rocks at a monk seal on Rabbit Island earlier this year was sentenced in Kaneohe District Court today to 80 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council member Tulsi Gabbard has overcome an early 45-point deficit to pull into a dead heat with the former Honolulu mayor two months before the Democratic primary likely to determine Hawaii's new representative in Congress. Civil Beat.

U.S. senate candidate Linda Lingle last week launched her own cable channel on Oceanic Time Warner, calling the move unprecedented in U.S. history. Civil Beat.

The state and teachers union filed final briefs Friday in a prohibited-practice complaint over the state's decision to impose a contract offer for teachers nearly a year ago. The Hawaii Labor Relations Board will now weigh the arguments made from both sides in the case. Star-Advertiser.

A dispute between Hawaii and the union representing teachers over a state-imposed contract is now in the hands of the Hawaii Labor Relations Board. Associated Press.

Department of Health officials plan to increase the nonrefundable handling fee paid by consumers, retailers and the beverage industry despite opposition from those groups and legislators. Star-Advertiser.

Gary Gill, deputy director for the Environmental Health Administration in the Department of Health, will take over for Director Gary Hooser until Hooser either wins election in November or loses and returns to his post. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed 16 bills into law Friday. The governor must notify the Legislature by June 25 of what bills he might veto. Star-Advertiser.

A mix of homegrown solar companies, construction firms, electrical contractors and entrants from the mainland are all boosting their payrolls as they push to meet the growing demand from homeowners and businesses for rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems. Star-Advertiser.

Career technical education courses at Hawaii high schools are seeing big enrollment increases amid statewide efforts to incorporate new technologies, more rigorous standards and better partnerships with industry professionals. Star-Advertiser.

Later this month, the students from the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources will be setting up an aquaponics system on the national mall as part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. KHON2.

Oahu

Saturday's Grand Opening of Petco at the Koko Marina Shopping Center drew curious shoppers as well as angry protestors. Both the Reef Rescue Alliance and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) were out there to boycott Petco. Hawaii News Now.

More than a quarter of Honolulu’s gross metropolitan product is generated by federal, state and local agencies, according to an analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Pacific Business News.

The city of Honolulu will add 12 new garbage trucks to its fleet this fall, hoping to reduce delays in curbside trash pickups that have plagued residents for a year. Star-Advertiser.

Construction on Honolulu's 20-mile rail line has just begun, but the city is already chewing through cash reserves set aside to cover budget overruns or other unexpected costs related to construction of the project, according to city records. Star-Advertiser.

The Shack Waikiki, a popular but violence-plagued bar-restaurant in the center of Hawaii’s tourism industry, owes its landlord more than $500,000 in back rent and is facing imminent sale or closure, according to court records and interviews. Hawaii Reporter.

Federal Prosecutors Accuse Private Attorney Michael Green of Conflicts Of Interest in The Shack Waikiki cases. Hawaii Reporter.

The waters of Waikiki are starting the week a little bit cleaner thanks to the efforts of a few dozen people. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

An emergency response and evacuation plan for a disaster at Puna’s geothermal power plant is not needed, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Benedict Fuata, who says that existing emergency plans would cover such an incident. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County voters could face two nearly identical charter amendment questions on the Nov. 6 general election ballot - both dealing with extending County Council members' terms from the current two years to four years. Maui News.

Plans to expand the Makawao Veterans Cemetery have received a boost in recent weeks with the governor's release of $250,000 for the cemetery project and submission of a subdivision application that includes the expansion parcel. Maui News.

Kauai

Economic indicators give Kaua‘i optimistic outlook. Garden Island.

Tourism has to remain strong to make the state’s economy stronger, U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai‘i, said during a business roundtable, Wednesday at the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort and Beach Club. Garden Island.

Molokai

Molokai Livestock Cooperative (MLC), the island’s only slaughterhouse, is fostering a shift in the way people think about the meat on their plates. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii raises $1.6M for Japan tsunami, lawmakers mull Internet sales tax, former Rep. Ed Case to run for Akaka's Senate seat, Maui revamping permit process, Big Island studyng garbage, more news from the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii at Manoa

One consequence of the state's current budget crisis could be another attempt to close the University of Hawaii's tourism school and make it a part of the Shidler College of Business. Civil Beat.

Ed Case is the first candidate to officially announce a bid for Senator Daniel Akaka's seat when Akaka retires at the end of his term. KHON2.

Former Congressman Ed Case announced yesterday that he will run in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate next year, vowing to change a political culture in Washington, D.C., he believes is too partisan. Star-Advertiser.


A bill pending in the state House would give online retailers like Amazon.com a choice: collect and pay the state's 4 percent general excise tax on sales from consumers in Hawaii, or provide the state with the names, dates and dollar amounts from each sale so the state Department of Taxation can collect the money annually. Star-Advertiser.

Japan Airlines says it will ask some of its employees to take special unpaid leave this summer due to the temporary reduction of flights on certain domestic and international routes. Pacific Business News

The Hawaii Government Employees Association has released to its members a summary of the tentative contact agreement reached with Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Hawaii Reporter.

When it comes to thankless jobs, police dispatchers top the list. Tribune-Herald.

Kokua For Japan -- a television, radio and Internet fundraising event for the victims of last month's earthquake and tsunami -- pulled in $1.6 million in donations as of 5:30 PM Sunday. Hawaii News Now.

Concert raises $1.6M for tsunami victims. Star-Advertiser.

Music swelled over the great lawn at the Hilton Hawaiian Village this afternoon. Legendary musicians and entertainers shared their talents to raise money for Kokua for Japan. KITV4.

The City Council Budget Committee will meet on Wednesday, April 13 to take action on a number of bills and resolutions that will determine what taxpayers will pay for City services and in real property taxes. Hawaii Independent.

Hawaii County has signed a $199,950 contract for a consultant to compare the cost of trucking garbage to West Hawaii to expanding the Hilo landfill. West Hawaii Today.

Authorities investigating the blast at a fireworks storage bunker that killed five people intend to question the facility's operators and hope to finally be able to enter the unstable site. Associated Press.

The winds are changing. First Wind is out, Pattern Energy is in. Molokai Dispatch.

There are roads that need to be rebuilt and hotel expansions in the works, but new Public Works Director David Goode said his most important achievement would be revamping the county's antiquated permitting process. Maui News.

Computer modeling by researchers at the University of Hawaii projects that debris from Japan's tsunami will reach the Big Island in three to five years. Tribune-Herald.

Peace Corp to mark 50 years of service. West Hawaii Today.

The Association for Asian Studies (AAS) held a four-day conference last March 31 to April 3, 2011 at the Hawaii Convention Center . Filipino Chronicle.

Hawaii mayors want to end furloughs, Mauna Kea telescope hearings slated, Kileaua quiets, county governments reorganize, biofuels spotlighted, unemployment lapses, more news

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii says a Pearl Harbor submarine wharf has been upgraded to accommodate the Navy's new Virginia-class submarines. Associated Press.

Hawaii Mayors Want To End Furloughs. KITV4.

Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle wants to eliminate public worker furloughs in his city. Associated Press.

The following furlough days and holidays will affect certain state or county services in December. Star-Advertiser.

The state plans to hold two public hearings this week on a proposal to build the world's largest telescope at Mauna Kea's summit. KITV4.

Outgoing DLNR director says parks, harbors and trails are in disrepair because the state won't commit the needed funding. Civil Beat.

Across the country cities are setting aside money they don't have to replace perfectly good traffic signs. KHON2.

Hawaii has applied to be the 32nd state to borrow from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration to pay state unemployment benefits. Hawaii Reporter.

Yesterday was the first day that people who otherwise would have received extended unemployment checks went empty-handed. Star-Advertiser.

Almost 17,000 Hawaii residents receive regular unemployment benefits up to 26 weeks. Another 11,000 are on extended benefits that go up to a maximum 73 weeks. Hawaii News Now.

Former state House Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan, who was the Republican lieutenant governor nominee, is the new executive director of the Hawaii Charter Schools Network. Star-Advertiser.

Two state senators are visiting Kauai farmers to hear about their problems and concerns in preparation for next month's legislative session. Associated Press.

Sometime this week, the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on a bill that could radically change how the federal government--in fact, how the world -- handles food safety. Big Island Weekly.

Biofuels: Boom or Bust? The future of energy in Hawai‘i. Honolulu Weekly.

Recently re-elected Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. drew a standing ovation at his inauguration ceremony, after a speech that revealed many grand plans for the island in the next 10 years. Garden Island.

Another day and another set of appointments for top Maui County positions from Mayor-elect Alan Arakawa. Maui News.

The new County Council, during its inaugural meeting held Wednesday at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihu‘e, gave County Clerk Peter Nakamura and County Attorney Al Castillo the green light to keep their jobs. Garden Island.

A wave of public opposition Tuesday persuaded a lame-duck County Council to postpone a $56 million bond authorization until it can be heard by a new council seated Dec. 6. West Hawaii Today.

The County Council played Grinch to Mayor Billy Kenoi on Tuesday, postponing till after the holidays his request to borrow $56 million. Tribune-Herald.

With mutual allegations of insincerity flying, the County Council Water Resources Committee on Tuesday decided to allow its resolution about exploring the possibility of acquiring the Piiholo South water well to expire. Maui News.

The show is over at the ocean entry point at Kilauea Volcano. KHON2.

A 3rd Circuit Court judge took under advisement arguments about whether a mainland bonding company should deposit about $35 million with the court while Hawaii County's case against it proceeds. West Hawaii Today.

A small gathering at the state Capitol marked World AIDS Day in Hawaii. KHON2.

Those red ribbons all around the world on Wednesday, reminded people that AIDS continues to take lives. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Democratic Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka are calling for the repeal of the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy that bars gays and lesbians from openly serving in the armed services. Associated Press.

It was supposed to be a family vacation to celebrate their parents 45th wedding anniversary and spend the holiday with relatives. KHON2.

During the second part of a two phase expansion, Molokai’s Coffees of Hawaii anticipated bringing the community a full restaurant menu, extended hours and a safe place a have a drink with friends in the evenings in Kualapu`u. Molokai Dispatch.

The Social Media Club of Hawaii wants to recognize local accomplishments, online good deeds. Hawaii Independent.

Advocates, unions seek huge GET tax hike, governor, unions still sparring over furloughs, Hawaii County Band pleads for its life, state population growth slows as households spend more, other Hawaii news

Advocates for the poor and members of Hawaii's largest public worker unions rallied at the state Capitol on Tuesday to urge lawmakers to hike the general excise tax 1 percent.

Advocates for the poor and labor union workers rallied yesterday for an increase in Hawaii's version of the sales tax as anti-tax demonstrators urged the government to back off.

Despite two new proposals aimed at ending Furlough Fridays for public school students, the issue does not seem any closer to being settled.

Hours after education officials and Gov. Linda Lingle announced competing proposals to end teacher furloughs in Hawai'i's public schools yesterday, it was already clear that no breakthrough was at hand.

Two competing plans have been released, to end Furlough Fridays in Hawaii schools.

The Board of Education and teachers union Tuesday reached tentative agreement to end public school teacher furloughs.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said today that Kmart Corporation will pay $120,000 and furnish other relief to settle an age discrimination suit involving a 70-year-old pharmacist at a Honolulu store.

Kaua'i County and UPW officials yesterday signed a supplemental agreement on an automated refuse collection service for up to 3,200 homes in Puhi, Lihu'e and portions of Hanama'ulu starting July 1.

Kaua‘i County and United Public Workers signed an agreement Tuesday that clears the path for a “milestone” program to replace traditional three-worker trash collection teams with mechanized, side-loading trucks operated by a single employee.

The opening day of the Maui County fiscal year 2011 budget review Monday was a day of pie charts, spreadsheets and phrases like "tightening belts" and "sharing the pain."

Members of the Hawaii County Band gave perhaps the most important performance of their lives Monday, yet there was nary a musical instrument in sight.

The Hawaii County Band accounts for a scant one-tenth of 1 percent of the county's $375.3 million budget. But Monday night, it consumed 96.7 percent of a three-hour County Council hearing on the budget.

Hawai'i's population grew an estimated 0.7 percent per year from July 1, 2000, to July 1, 2009, a slight decrease from the previous decade, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released yesterday.

The 1960s show tune "Hey Big Spender" may as well be dedicated to Hawaii households because we are third in the United States, according to a new report by Bundle.com.

A West Hawaii Realtor says the real estate market has reached bottom, but a long-time appraiser thinks the market, while showing improvement, has yet to stabilize.

As an 18-month trial period allowing leashed dogs on a section of the multi-use path draws to a close, canine-lovers in favor of permitting their furry friends on the entirety of Ke Ala Hele Makalae are pushing for county action.

Self-described pragmatists, who favor looking forward instead of back, tend to be skeptical of those ever-vocal members of our community who set out to save the crumbling, peeling, faded remnants of what once vibrantly surrounded us.

Kona Coffee Festival perking, symphony struggles, dining inspections down, furlough fights continue

The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival has been celebrating and promoting Kona coffee for 39 years. The theme of this year's festival, which runs Friday through Nov. 15, is "Kona Coffee: Aroma of Aloha."

Ninety-five public schools have applied to turn teacher training days into instructional days and restore some of the class time students are losing to furloughs.

A group of state Senate and House members plans to meet with staff members of the Lingle administration to discuss reducing the number of days public schools are closed due to budget cuts.

The House and Senate Republican Caucus is urging the Hawaii State Teachers Association to rework its (relatively new) contract with the Department of Education. GOP lawmakers want the HSTA and DOE to scrap the teachers' existing contract and negotiate a new deal that will end furlough Fridays.

Perennial guests at a 54-year-old Waikiki hotel say they are saddened that they might not be able to return to their favorite winter retreat, fearing it could close.

Just three years ago, inspectors used to make unannounced inspections on restaurants about once a year. However, that situation has worsened.

People in Hawaii love to dine out at all kinds of eateries. There are about 5,800 restaurants on Oahu, and the results of some inspections might make you think twice about dining out.

The Honolulu Symphony may file for bankruptcy protection as early as tomorrow, according to people familiar with the situation.

Jenna Roussy, an employee at Hilo Shark's Coffee, holds a 7-pound Keitt mango on Friday at the shop. The fruit is possibly the largest mango ever grown in the U.S., and surpassed only by the current world record holder, a 7-pound, 7-ounce Keitt cultivated in the Philippines.

Inouye heads to Afghanistan, Ironman gears up, union negotiations drone on

Sen. Daniel K. Inouye will travel to Afghanistan and Pakistan over the next week to assess the volatile situation there as the White House and the nation's top commander in the war-torn theater weigh the need for more troops there.

Ten state buildings are being retrofitted at a cost of $34 million to lower utility costs over the long term, Gov. Linda Lingle announced yesterday.

Gov. Linda Lingle's administration and the Hawaii Government Employees Association have agreed to roughly 18 furlough days this fiscal year and 24 furlough days next fiscal year for state workers, sources close to the negotiations said.

Results of an advisory vote by University of Hawaii faculty members are expected to be announced tomorrow morning.

The state land board is taking a close look at two companies that hold licenses to harvest in the Waiakea Timber Management Area.

Anyone thinking about joining an Ironman triathlete for the final yards of his race this year, might want to reconsider.

Property owners continue grappling both in and out of court over land needed to finish the Mamalahoa Highway Bypass, as the clock ticks into the 22nd month of the 60-month window for completion.

Ala Moana Road in Lahaina was closed for more than six hours Tuesday and people were asked to leave the area in a confrontation that ended when police found a man dead in his vehicle after apparently suffering a self-inflicted wound.

Kaua‘i’s representatives in the state Legislature and others who coordinate efforts and reap rewards from the film industry’s appetite for the Garden Island’s lush greenery are opposed to planned layoffs in the state film office.

Inouye seeks spending report

Despite some early stumbles due to the over- whelming scope and scale of the federal stimulus project, Hawaii government officials reported mostly positive news when U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye came to Honolulu asking for a status report.

Gov. Linda Lingle, Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann and other local officials testified on Monday at the state Capitol before Sen. Dan Inouye and the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee.

Shrinkage in Hawai'i's economy this year may not be as bad as previously thought, according to a revised state forecast released yesterday.

Hawaii's economic recovery will be a gradual one with modest growth returning by 2011, according to the State Department of Business and Economic Development.

State employee Raymond Catania now finds himself in the uncomfortable position of potentially having to put a fellow state worker out of work.

Tropical Storm Hilda is expected to intensify and become a hurricane late tomorrow or early Thursday as it approaches the state.

Pink slips and hurricanes top Wednesday news

The Lingle administration yesterday delivered written layoff notices to about 1,100 state workers who will lose their jobs in November because of the state's budget deficit.

Some 1,100 state civil servants are slated to lose their jobs in three months because of Hawaii's budget shortfall.

The state on Tuesday announced that it will begin delivering layoff notices to 1,100 employees while targeting 900 non-union workers for furloughs.

Gov. Linda Lingle's plans to lay off about 80 percent of the state's agriculture inspectors will hit the Big Island the hardest, where a small number of inspectors already scramble to get produce and nursery stock certified for export.

There's no predicting what we face with Hurricane Felicia or even if it will hit our islands. But, it's still the season be prepared.

Big Island foliage grower Enrique Martinez said he is not planning any off-island trips this weekend, and he is closely watching the forecasts for Hurricane Felicia to determine whether ocean shipments of his products might be canceled.

Beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Homes Act of 1920 began their case against the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in state Circuit Court yesterday with testimony from two people who said they had been treated unfairly by the agency.

The Kaua‘i Coffee Company Wainiha hydroelectric plant recently completed replacement of its last piece of original equipment.

A pioneer in local media, the "great matriarch" of the Maui Publishing Co. - Nora I. Cooper - died Sunday. She was 86.

Union haggling, more flu and other Tuesday news

Lingle is busy with layoffs, talks and duel with Inouye

The state and the unions were expected to be back at the bargaining table Tuesday.

The Lingle administration yesterday provided public-sector labor unions with a list of 1,100 state workers who face potential layoffs because of the state's budget deficit, but Gov. Linda Lingle did not estimate how much money the state would save by layoffs and repeated her preference for furloughs to reduce labor costs.

Employees ratified a labor agreement with The Maui News on Monday, accepting a 10 percent cut in wages and other concessions on health and pension benefits to help the newspaper survive depressed economic conditions.

What appeared to be a groundswell of support from young voters for a Hawaii-born presidential candidate never materialized into ballots cast as the 50th state once again came in last among states in voter participation.

In Hawaii, the moon will start to take a small bite out of the sun at 5:20 p.m. today, according to the Bishop Museum. By 6:14 p.m., roughly an hour before sunset, the eclipse will be over.

Local doctors said they are seeing an unusual number of flu cases, both swine flu and normal influenza.

At least 69 sailors and Marines tested positive for H1N1 swine flu within a Navy ship group now visiting Hawai'i.

The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday will consider a pair of proposed bills relating to a ban on plastic checkout bags and a curfew on drinking alcohol in county parks and recreation facilities that could impact all of island’s residents and visitors.

Public union rallies top Wednesday news

Hundreds of government union members rallied along Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo and thousands on the lawn of the state Capitol on Tuesday in a show of solidarity and strength as Gov. Linda Lingle and the state's unions remain at an impasse over unpaid furloughs.

The mandatory furloughs are equivalent to about a 14-percent pay cut for two year, although workers would have most Fridays off. Lingle is trying to close a $3 billion budget gap,and the furloughs would account for about half of that. Employees would get three Fridays a month off.

Other media accounts of the rallies and union negotiations:

State workers flooded the Capitol yesterday afternoon for a rally protesting Gov. Linda Lingle's furlough plans, accusing the governor of trying to wipe out the state's budget deficit at their expense.

More than 2,000 members from public worker unions arrived for a rally Tuesday at the state Capitol.

It was a monster rally for rights as thousands of Hawaii union employees invaded the state capitol Tuesday evening to fight Governor Linda Lingle's furlough plan, which amounts to 72 unpaid days off the next two years

University of Hawaii President David McClain says salary reductions -- whether through furloughs or pay cuts -- will have to be part of the university's response to cutting about $155 million from its budget over the next two years.

University of Hawaii President David McClain says he will seek pay cuts for faculty and administrators as part of a developing plan to address about $155 million in budget cuts over the next two years.