One inmate costs more than $50k annually, Tulsi Gabbard won't debate, Ige may veto bill protecting employees on social media, feds may grant Honolulu rail plan extension, more on Zuckerberg's wall, lava rises on Big Island, late Maui mayor remembered, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Corrections officer oversees inmates © 2016 All Hawaii News

The amount it takes to house one prison inmate for a year is more than many Hawaii residents make in a year. According to the Hawaii Department of Public Safety, the state spends about $140 per inmate per day, which includes program services, food, health care, and administrative costs. When you add it up, that amounts to $51,100 per year per prisoner locked up in Hawaii. KHON2.

Nearly half of the states in the U.S. have adopted laws to prevent employers from accessing their employees’ private social-media accounts. But Gov. David Ige this week announced his intent to veto such a bill for Hawaii. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is seeking public input on sea level rise adaptation in Hawaii. The DLNR will hold its first public informational meeting on this topic on Wednesday night. Hawaii News Now.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is being taken to task by her opponent in the Democratic primary for refusing to debate her after the congresswoman blasted the leadership of the Democratic National Committee last year for limiting the number of debates in the presidential primary. Star-Advertiser.

One day after 170 Democrats ended their sit-in on the House floor over a lack of movement on gun control, a bipartisan group of representatives that included Tulsi Gabbard sprang into legislative action. Gabbard (D-Hawaii) joined eight other House members Friday, including four Republicans, in the introduction of legislation aimed at restricting the sale of firearms to individuals placed on the No-Fly list and Selectee list, subsets of the broader Terrorism Screening Database. West Hawaii Today.

A typical household in the County of Kauai spends more than an average household on the Big Island and Oahu, according to a new study by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The County of Kauai results include survey data from the islands of Kauai and Lanai. Pacific Business News.

A favorable settlement has been reached for Volkswagen owners in 43 states including Hawai’i. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Federal officials said Tuesday they’re weighing whether to give the city an additional 10 months to deliver its rail recovery plan, an extension that would buy Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell and rail leaders more time to pursue the dollars they hope will be enough to finish the full 20-mile line. Star-Advertiser.

Less than two weeks after Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell backed a focus on getting rail to Middle Street, he’s telling the feds he still wants to get it all the way to Ala Moana and asking for more time to find the funds to get there. KHON2.

City contractors have successfully bored a 3-mile tunnel beneath Oneawa Hills, a critical component of the $371 million Kaneohe-Kailua Waste Water Conveyance and Treatment Facilities Project, Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

The tunnel boring machine called "Pohakulani" is expected to complete its 3-mile journey from Kailua to Kaneohe on Tuesday in an underground sewer tunnel. KITV4.

Nearing its one-year anniversary, a program in Kalihi that helps Micronesians connect to health, social, education and employment services has now served more than 2,000 people. But it has also come in for some criticism lately. Civil Beat.

As many as 100 working-yet-homeless families across the islands will each be eligible for up to $9,000 over the next year, beginning July 15, with the funds aiming to get them off the street and into rental housing as fast as possible. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Charter Commission is holding a series of community meetings this week to accept testimony on proposed city charter amendments. Civil Beat.

Hawaii officials are asking websites and blogs to stop pointing people to the off-limits crumbling remains of a Hawaiian monarchy palace. Officials said last week vandals etched crosses on 180-year-old walls of King Kamehameha III's former summer palace in Honolulu. Associated Press.

Castle Medical Center plans to buy Hawaii Pacific University’s sprawling Windward Oahu campus to expand its health-care offerings. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Smoke from burning trees and open channels of lava could easily be seen Tuesday from Kalapana as the lava flow from Kilauea’s Pu‘u ‘O‘o vent traveled down Pulama pali. Tribune-Herald.

The nonprofit company trying to build the Thirty Meter Telescope is continuing with its pledge to donate $1 million annually for educating students on Hawaii Island, where the project is planned, even though its future in the state is in limbo. Associated Press.

Eight candidates for Hawaii County Mayor – Eric Drake Weinert Jr., Timothy Waugh, Shannon McCandless, Wally Lau, Harry Kim, Pete Hoffmann, Marlene Hapai, and Paul Bryant – are asked about how they would handle the Big Island’s budget, including personnel and capital improvement projects. Big Island Video News.

If poverty is an island, Hawaii Community College Chancellor Rachel Solemsaas said she wants to be captain of the boat sailing over to help. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Local politicians and others remembered former Maui Mayor and House Speaker Elmer Cravalho as a strong negotiator and great businessman who will be dearly missed. He died Monday at age 90. Civil Beat.

Maui’s first mayor, Elmer Cravalho, who moved the Valley Isle from plantations to a top visitor destination and served as speaker of the Territorial House of Representatives during the fight for statehood, died Monday afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

Elmer F. Cravalho, who served as Maui County chairman and mayor for 12 years, died Monday afternoon under hospice care after a long illness. He was 90 years old. Maui News.

Food Network’s popular "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" will premiere its "Soakin’ Up Maui" episode on July 1 featuring Da Kitchen in Kahului, Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse in Kihei and the Like Poke? food truck, the owner of Fat Daddy’s Smokehouse told Pacific Business News.

The installation of the 24 streetlight fixtures on Maui Lani Parkway is part of a three-month pilot project by the utility. Maui News.

Kauai

An assistant chief of police with more than 20 years with the Kauai Police Department filed a civil lawsuit Monday against the police chief, the department and the county of Kauai. Garden Island.

Some of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s neighbors are grumbling about a rock wall he’s having built on his property on the north shore of Kauai. Associated Press.

Facebook’s billionaire founder Mark Zuckerberg made a big splash on Kauai two years ago when he bought about 700 verdant acres for more than $100 million, but now he’s begun to change the landscape on his property and some neighbors don’t like it. Star-Advertiser.

With demolition of Coco Palms underway, officials turned their attention to permitting for the $175 million hotel. Garden Island.

Sunscreen killing coral reefs, Ige signs gun control database bills, lawmaker seeks criminal probe of school AC bids, vandals damage Hawaiian king's summer palace site, Health Department crackdown on HI-5 recycling programs, Maui restaurant to be on 'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,' more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Beach-goers in Hawaii © 2016 All Hawaii News

Personal care products like shampoo, soap, lotion and especially sunscreen are decimating coral reefs and weakening their ability to mitigate the effects of climate change, scientists said Thursday at the International Coral Reef Symposium. Oxybenzone and about 10 other chemicals are the real culprits, which is why groups have started ramping up campaigns to educate the public, service industries and government officials about the problem and what they can do about it. Civil Beat.

The bigger picture surrounding the state of our reefs just became a bit clearer. New technology and imaging data are helping scientists quickly survey coral reefs from around the world. Hawaii Public Radio.

In the case of global climate change, convincing the world that time is of the essence has been no easy task for the scientific community. Coral reefs, however, which have been devastated by the “longest and most widespread“ bleaching event on record, are telling a story that may shine a global spotlight on the the seriousness of the threat. HuffPost Hawaii.

Scientists using facial recognition technology and 360-degree underwater photos said Wednesday they have developed new software to quickly assess coral bleaching and other damage to the world’s imperiled reefs. Associated Press.


========================

Gov. David Ige is signing a bill that makes the state the first to enter gun owners into an FBI database that will automatically notify police if an island resident is arrested anywhere else in the country. Star-Advertiser.

As the U.S. Congress failed to agree on meaningful gun-control measure this week, the governor of Hawaii quietly signed three bills regarding local firearms ownership. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige signed SB 2954 (ACT 108) which authorizes county police departments in Hawai‘i to enroll firearms applicants and individuals registering their firearms, in a criminal record monitoring service. The system, also known as the “Rap Back” system, is a service of the Federal Bureau of Investigation that provides continuous criminal record monitoring for authorized government agencies such as law enforcement agencies. Maui Watch.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige is signing a bill that makes the state the first to enter gun owners into an FBI database that will automatically notify police if an island resident is arrested anywhere else in the country. Associated Press.

Scores of people headed for Hawaii Kai for the two-day Shooting Sports Fair and a chance to try out firearms ranging from tactical shotguns to high-powered rifles. Civil Beat.

With construction bids coming in significantly over budget for the state’s plan to cool 1,000 public school classrooms, one state lawmaker is calling for a criminal investigation into possible collusion among contractors. Star-Advertiser.

State Rep. Matthew LoPresti, a Democrat who represents the Ewa area on Oahu, wants Hawaii’s attorney general to investigate “if there is a conspiracy to defraud taxpayers by artificially inflating bids for profit at the expense of school children — who will suffer through yet another unbearably hot summer in stifling classrooms.” Civil Beat.

The term “Asian American” is too general to describe ethnicity in Hawaii, said Jonathan Okamura, an ethnic studies professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Garden Island.

One more sure sign that election season has come to Hawaii is on Civil Beat’s website, where we’ve begun publishing candidates’ answers to Civil Beat questionnaires. Nearly 200 surveys have been emailed to candidates for every Hawaii office in the Aug. 13 primary ballot.

Oahu

A relatively rare vacancy in the state House in urban Honolulu has attracted a crowded field of five candidates to the Democratic primary to compete for the chance to represent Chinatown, Iwilei and parts of Kalihi. State Rep. Karl Rhoads, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is abandoning his House seat in an effort to move up to the state Senate this year. Star-Advertiser.

Soaring construction costs have caused Outrigger Enterprises Group to abort plans to build a new 32-story hotel tower at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort. Instead, Outrigger plans to spend its $100 million budget on a new plan that adds a few hotel rooms to the property and creates about a half-acre of open space that runs from curb to ocean. Star-Advertiser.

Vandals etched crosses on the crumbling remains of the 180-year-old palace of a former Hawaiian king, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said Thursday. Associated Press.

The National Park Service announced $1.19 million in grants Thursday to preserve American battlefields — including $63,000 to help place Ewa Field’s World War II aircraft revetments on the National Register of Historic Places. Star-Advertiser.

A plan by two nonprofits to buy a long-vacant residential estate in East Honolulu and preserve a rare freshwater spring is still in jeopardy. Star-Advertiser.

An August deadline for a rail recovery plan is unlikely to be met as the feds’ own numbers now raise the question: Could the project hit $11 billion? KHON2.

The Hawaii State Department of Health made an example of a Costco store while cracking down on beverage distributors to make sure they meet state reporting requirements for the state's HI-5 recyclable beverage container fees. Pacific Business News.

The Haleiwa Beach House has a temporary liquor license that will expire at the end of this month. But the Honolulu Liquor Commission won't hold a hearing on renewing that license until August. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Plans to remove Hoku Kea, the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s teaching telescope, from Mauna Kea are being delayed after a group of Native Hawaiians who support astronomy on the mountain and others urged officials to consider the impact to students. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council is so concerned about the island’s trees it added $120,000 to the budget to hire and equip a professional arborist. But a committee charged with protecting trees has languished for eight years without ever having members appointed. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County officials plan to reopen a lava-viewing and parking area if a lava flow that began last month reaches the Pulama pali and becomes visible from Kalapana — something that could happen soon or not at all. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s population is growing — and graying. Hawaii County has the highest percentage of residents older than 65 (18.3 percent) and the highest median age (41.3 years old). Tribune-Herald.

Making Hawaii Island the breadbasket it was in antiquity — but also increasing modern jobs and shifting county employees into areas where they will be most useful. Those themes, along with reducing pollution and keeping a cautious hand on the purse strings dominated center stage as West Hawaii heard from eight mayoral candidates Wednesday evening. West Hawaii Today.

Eight candidates for Hawaii County Mayor – Eric Drake Weinert Jr., Timothy Waugh, Shannon McCandless, Wally Lau, Harry Kim, Pete Hoffmann, Marlene Hapai, and Paul Bryant – are asked about how they would handle the Big Island’s budget, including personnel and capital improvement projects. The candidates spoke at a mayoral forum held on Wednesday night at Kealakehe High School. Big Island Video News.

The decision of some Big Island pharmacists to stop filling a doctor’s prescriptions after his arrest made its way to the state pharmacy board in Honolulu on Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Hana Steel is one of five individuals running for the Maui County Council seat representing Wailuku, Waihee and Waikapu, which is currently held by Mike Victorino (who can’t run again because of term limits). She is/was the County’s Recycling Coordinator, but has been on paid leave for the last two years. MauiTime.

An upcoming episode of the Food Network show "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" will feature Maui restaurant Da Kitchen, co-owner Mariah Brown confirmed to Pacific Business News on Wednesday.

The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa has embarked on an at least $13 million renovation of its Kaanapali property, including work on its ballroom, meeting rooms and event lawn. Maui News.

A 5-megawatt capacity limit was reached this week for rooftop solar systems connected with the islandwide power grid, Maui Electric Co. reported Wednesday. Maui News.

Representatives from Maui, along with Florida residents with Hawaii ties, place a milelong ti leaf lei Wednesday afternoon at a memorial for victims of the Orlando shooting. Nearly 200 volunteers spent four days creating the lei on Maui, which contains shells inscribed with the names of the 49 victims killed at the Pulse nightclub on June 12. Maui News.

A mile long Lei of Aloha from Maui was placed at three memorial sites in Orlando on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, as a demonstration of good will and a reflection on the 49 people who lost their lives in last week’s night club shooting. Maui Now.

Kauai

Growth, climate change, taxes and affordable housing were just some of the survey topics recently sent out by County Councilman Gary Hooser to 21,000 Kauai households. Garden Island.

A Kauai legislator said the majority of the Hawaii Senate identified three major areas affecting the state in the recent legislative session. The next step was finding funds for homelessness and housing, education, and health service. They managed to do it. Garden Island.

Three Kauai companies were cited by the Hawaii Department of Health for HI-5 violations, ranging from failing to inspect deposit containers for redemption labels and not turning in their semi-annual report to missing payments. Garden Island.

Hawaii could be first to put all gun owners in FBI database, Kauai skydiving plane crash kills five, Hanabusa may run for Congress, union endorsements begin, rail's future eyed, 30 shorebirds killed by dogs, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

SIG Pro semi-automatic pistol, Wikipedia photo by Augustas Didžgalvis

Hawaii could become the first state in the United States to enter gun owners into an FBI database that will automatically notify police if an island resident is arrested anywhere else in the country. Associated Press.

Hanabusa To Run For Takai’s Seat In Congress? The Democrat and former congresswoman likely would scare off many potential challengers for the seat she won twice before Takai. Civil Beat.

Not all candidates have filed to run for the state House and Senate, but the Hawaii State Teachers Association already knows who it is supporting in the Aug. 13 primary election. The filing deadline is June 7, but the teacher's union announced its preferred slate last Thursday, nearly all of them incumbents and all but five Democrats. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Rail board members will hold a special public meeting today to discuss the cash-strapped transit project’s ongoing costly challenges with overhead utility line clearances — a problem that an independent oversight firm has dubbed rail’s “most significant risk.” Star-Advertiser.

A new federal estimate that Honolulu rail construction could cost up to $8.1 billion — nearly $3 billion over the original budget — is forcing city officials to re-evaluate the size and scope of the largest public works project in the state’s history. Civil Beat.

John Henry Felix, longtime Oahu businessman, philanthropist and former Honolulu city councilman who once helped block rail from proceeding on Oahu during a pivotal 1992 Council vote is now poised to join the rail board. Star-Advertiser.

The state attorney general has filed criminal charges against the principal and elementary school vice principal of Myron B. Thompson Academy state charter school. Star-Advertiser.

The number of Honolulu drunk-driving arrests is down, so is the number of court cases prosecutors are initiating, and there’s another legal threat looming just months after refusing a breath test got a whole lot easier. KHON2.

Brian Ahakuelo, the embattled leader of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1260, announced his retirement for the second time, telling union officials Saturday that he and his wife would step down as the parent union investigates the local’s finances. Star-Advertiser.

The retirement of a longtime Hawaii state senator has several candidates looking to win the open seat. Democrat Suzanne Chun Oakland, whose District 13 includes Liliha, Palama, Iwilei, Nuuanu and neighboring areas, already has state Rep. Karl Rhoads, a fellow Dem, in the running. Now Kim Coco Iwamoto, another Democrat, is in the race as well. Civil Beat.

Jose Fajardo, the new president and general manager of Hawaii Public Radio, says he knew from an early age that he wanted to pursue a career in radio and public broadcasting. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

It’s beginning to look a lot like an election year. With just two weeks to go before the filing period closes, 10 candidates have filed and another seven pulled nomination papers in a crowded mayoral race. West Hawaii Today.

A vacant parcel of land measuring a little more than 3 acres within the Kukio Golf and Beach Club resort community on the Big Island has been sold for $20 million, one of the highest land sales of its size ever in the state. Pacific Business News.

The Hu Honua Bioenergy company’s recent statements on its dealings with the power utility are “woefully inaccurate and misleading”, according to the Hawaii Electric Light Company president Jay Ignacio. Big Island Video News.

The family of musician Robert Keawe Lopaka Ryder, 37, who was murdered in 2013, have sued the Hawaii Police Department for allegedly allowing his identity as a confidential informant to leak out. West Hawaii Today.

Sports Authority is shutting down all of its 463 locations nationwide, including two Hawaii Island locations among eight stores across the state, as part of a liquidation process expected to span several months. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Hemp Institute for Research and Innovation hosts a nine-day Hemp Fest to promote the benefits of industrial hemp and celebrate the theme, “Grow Our Future.”  Maui Now.

Kauai

Five people were killed in a plane crash at the Port Allen Airport Monday morning. The single-engine Cessna 182H owned by Skydive Kauai had just taken off for skydive tour around 9:30 a.m. when it crashed and burned. Garden Island.

Investigators spent the day scouring the wreckage of a skydiving tour plane that crashed at the end of a runway while taking off from Kauai’s Port Allen airport Monday morning, killing all five people on board. Star-Advertiser.

Officials are investigating the cause of a fiery plane crash on the south shore of Kauai that killed all five people on board. Hawaii Public Radio.

More than 30 wedge-tailed shearwaters were found dead Sunday in the seabird colony at Spouting Horn in the Lawai area. Garden Island.

Frank VanderSloot, the billionaire founder of an Idaho-based multilevel marketing company that sells nutritional supplements, has purchased a historic 102-acre estate in Hawaii on the island of Kauai for $14.3 million. Pacific Business News.

Legislature advances more money for homelessness, tougher gun laws, easier voting; Kouchi says no conflict; Kahele lease questioned; Maui water rallies slated; tax money for church; Honolulu residents struggle for housing; lifeguard raises pending, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Homeless in Waikiki © 2016 All Hawaii News

Key lawmakers agreed Monday to give Gov. David Ige’s homeless team full discretion on how they want to spend $12 million to address Hawaii’s growing homeless problem. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers are allocating $12 million out of the state’s supplemental budget to address the intertwined issues of homelessness and affordable housing. It’s $3 million more than was requested by the Ige administration. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii State Legislature agreed on Monday to boost the state's funding to tackle the homeless crisis in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

State senators Monday unanimously approved a measure to establish “continuous background checks” that alert police when Hawaii gun owners are arrested in another county or state. Star-Advertiser.

Up for conference committee hearing Tuesday afternoon are two measures that proponents say could improve voter turnout in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Two bills aimed at making it easier to vote will head into conference committee today at the state Legislature. Tribune-Herald.

With less than a week to go before Hawaii is scheduled to announce the names of the state’s first medical marijuana dispensary owners, lawmakers are considering a bill to clarify gaps in the dispensary law passed last year. Associated Press.

The state and counties have kicked off a campaign to inform visitors about a website providing almost real-time information about surf, weather and safety conditions at lifeguarded beaches statewide. The website, www.hawaiibeachsafety.com, is sponsored by the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association. Tribune-Herald.

There has been major growth in Hawaii’s tourism industry over the years. More visitors mean more money. KHON2.

The Pipe Dream Of Teaching In Paradise Goes Global. Unemployed college graduates, Hawaii wants you! The islands need you! And they’ll pay a lot for you! Or so the viral story goes — and goes. The Department of Education is submerged with job inquiries — not just from current and aspiring teachers around the mainland, but from across the world. The problem isn’t just that many applicants don’t hold teaching qualifications; it’s that many don’t even have a work permit. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu rail could soon face another court challenge, even as it grapples with financial trouble. A new group of some 20 local residents dubbed “Do Rail Right” says it’s concerned that long stretches of the multibillion-dollar transit project are being built on Oahu’s flood plain and could be vulnerable to damage from tsunamis, storm surges and sea-level rise linked to climate change. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council Chairman Ernie Martin and Councilman Joey Manahan want to spend $250,000 in taxpayer money to pay for the expansion of New Hope, an international evangelical Christian megachurch with multiple locations on Oahu. Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell's latest request, for $477,000, would fund eight staff positions within a new asset development and management division under the Department of Community Services. The team would acquire land, select developers and oversee project developments. Civil Beat.

A turf battle over the lucrative airport taxi business is breaking out and some claim it's not a fair fight. Taxi operators say that ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft are picking up passengers illegally at Honolulu International Airport. Hawaii News Now.

A state House resolution that would provide emergency funds for Wahiawa General Hospital — which could close within nine months without financial assistance — is still pending as separate plans transpire to move the hospital to the planned Koa Ridge development. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu City and Council officials are looking for the public’s feedback on a renovation plan to Ala Moana Beach Park. Hawaii Public Radio.

The evolving nature of the 25th Infantry Division on Oahu is being demonstrated with the arrival of 24 AH-64 Apache helicopters that are adding significant firepower in the air, while the ongoing departure of Stryker armored vehicles is removing some of it from the ground. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu consumers spent 43 percent of their incomes on housing in 2014, up from 32 percent a decade earlier, according to a new state analysis. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu residents are paying 11% more for housing than they did 11-years ago. KITV4.

The state published a report Monday shedding new light on how Oahu household spending gets distributed. The report — from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism — produced data on local consumer spending that the federal government quit compiling about a decade ago. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has not yet acted on a questionable land lease by state Sen. Kai Kahele. West Hawaii Today.

Senate President Ronald Kouchi did have an investment in a company owned by Kevin Showe, who also owns some property that the legislature is looking at in South Kona. But, he said Monday his ties to the landowner don’t create a conflict of interest. Garden Island.

Maui

A water rights rally is scheduled on two islands today (Tuesday, April 26) from 7 to 10 a.m. fronting Alexander & Baldwin’s company offices on Maui and Oʻahu. Maui Now.

Officials from the union representing hundreds of lifeguards and law enforcement officers statewide are concerned that pay raises awarded to more than 700 members may be in jeopardy. The Hawaii Government Employees Association is waiting for the Maui County Council to sign off on the deal. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawai'i Nature Center's Iao Valley facility is set to get solar panels with the capacity to meet nearly all of its demand for electricity, officials said last week. Maui News.

Beginning Monday, several thousand native seed balls will be scattered on the leeward flanks of Haleakala in hopes of helping restore the dryland forests that have suffered hundreds of years of degradation due to feral ungulates, invasive plants and diseases. Maui News.

Kauai

The Charter Review Commission is one step closer in solidifying the charter Kauai residents will vote on in November. On Monday, commissioners approved findings, purposes and ballot questions for four sections of the charter. Garden Island.

New octopus discovered, prison corporation wants federal court to clarify Native Hawaiian religious practices, Legislature enters crossover week, gun control advances, Kona courthouse delayed by bid protest, Kauai seeks gas tax hike, Maui coffee comes to fore, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Octopus, courtesy NOAA

Scientists say they have discovered what might be a new species of octopus while searching the Pacific Ocean floor near the Hawaiian Islands. Associated Press.

Corrections Corporation of America is asking the federal court to force a final settlement in a class-action lawsuit over religious rights of Native Hawaiian inmates in Arizona. Civil Beat.

Despite heavy opposition from federal recognition advocates and an agenda deliberately primed to produce a federal recognition-friendly constitution, Hawaiian independence advocates at the Native Hawaiian Convention, better known as the ʻAha, succeeded in planting a stake in the ground for the “pursuit of independence.” Hawaii Independent.

Hawaii lawmakers are heading into a busy week when bills have to be passed out of the House and Senate and sent over to the other chamber. Those that don’t make it over the hurdle will die. Associated Press.

Hawaii already has some of the toughest gun control laws in the nation, but state House and Senate lawmakers are advancing a half-dozen new proposals this year to further restrict access to firearms for people who have criminal records or are being treated for mental illnesses. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would prevent known and suspected terrorists from purchasing a firearm is moving forward in the House. Star-Advertiser.

Opposition is mounting to bills that would let the online vacation rental giant Airbnb and similar companies arrange to collect general excise and transient accommodations taxes on behalf of hosts and pay the money to the state. Star-Advertiser.

Some lawmakers at the Hawaii Legislature think the state could do more to attract major national and international sports and entertainment events. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The University of Hawaii-Manoa campus is now accredited internationally as an arboretum, a designation that recognizes its more than 500 species of trees as an important collection. Star-Advertiser.

The number of single-family homes sold on Oahu jumped 19.4 percent to 240 homes sold in February, from 201 homes sold during the same month in 2015. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Recent tourism statistics suggest Hawaii Island’s dengue fever outbreak hasn’t had the overall negative impacts some feared. Tribune-Herald.

A bid protest on the new $90 million judiciary complex means that West Hawaii might have to wait a bit longer for justice to be served in a secure setting. A protest letter filed late last month by contractor Nan Inc. alleges that two lower bidders failed to respond to all of the requirements of the project. West Hawaii Today.

Sales of single-family homes on Hawaii’s Big Island soared in February as prices dropped, while sales of condominiums dropped and prices soared, according to statistics from the Hawaii Island Realtors via Hawaii Information Service. Pacific Business News.

Maui

While much of the focus of Hawaii's coffee industry centers on the Big Island's Kona brand, Maui farmers are proving it's not the only coffee from the Aloha State worth tasting. Maui News.

Kaanapali's hotel and condominium owners are baffled by a proposed 33 percent increase of their water bill for this year. Maui News.

A random sampling of Maui County residents will receive a mailed Department of Parks and Recreation survey seeking help in prioritizing future parks facilities, programs and services. Maui News.

Single-family home sales soared 15 percent to 69 homes sold, compared to 60 homes sold in February 2015. The median price of a single-family home in February was $595,000, an increase of 6.5 percent from $558,625 during the same month a year ago. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council on Wednesday will consider a proposal to increase the gas tax by 15 cents per gallon beginning Jan. 15. Garden Island.

Single-family home sales on Kauai jumped in February, even as condominium sales and prices dropped, according to statistics from the Kauai Board of Realtors via Hawaii Information Service. Pacific Business News.

Monsanto reaches out; Maui ponders GMO limits; guns up, gun crimes down; House committee wants more oversight over UH repairs; Kauai may get dairy; more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Monsanto courtesy chart

The GMO debate is considered one of the most controversial and confusing issues facing our state. Supporters say the technology behind genetically modified organisms is feeding the world at a time when the population keeps exploding and space to farm is getting scarcer.  Opponents say it poses health and environmental risks – the full scope of which is unknown, because its application is too new. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii firearms registrations have increased 72% since 2000 – but gun-related violence has dropped. Hawaii Independent.

At Hawaii Legislature, Access Equals Privilege. At the start of every annual session of the Legislature, lawmakers are invited to meals, drinks, talks and other activities sponsored by groups with business at the Capitol. Civil Beat.

Legislator jousts with U.S. high court over political spending. House Bill 1499 is state Rep. Karl Rhoads' symbolic response to Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the landmark 2010 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court which held that corporations and labor unions can spend unlimited amounts of money on elections as long as the spending is not coordinated with political candidates. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie capitalized on President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech on Tuesday to emphasize his proposals to raise the state’s minimum wage and expand access to early childhood education. Civil Beat.

State House Higher Education Chairman Isaac Choy says legislators would be putting the University of Hawaii "on steroids" to help eliminate its massive repair backlog under a bill that advanced out of his committee Tuesday, over the objections of UH officials. Star-Advertiser.

Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple surprised members of the UH Manoa faculty senate earlier this month when he told them a plan to quell public controversy surrounding the director of the UH Cancer Center by restructuring its administration is a temporary solution to “calm the waters.” Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and state education leaders pledged their commitment today to significantly boost the number of adults earning college degrees in the islands over the next decade. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is set to make his third appointment to the Hawaii Supreme Court, making him the first governor in about two decades to select a majority of the five-member court. Associated Press.

How to Get High in Hawaii Without Breaking the Law. Civil Beat.

A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Wednesday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

First Wind, which has focused on wind-energy projects in Hawaii, is diving into solar energy with its first plans to build three separate major solar farms totaling 82 megawatts in Central Oahu, the chairman of the neighborhood board where the projects will be located, told Pacific Business News.

A report commissioned by Castle & Cooke, which has plans to build a major wind energy farm on Lanai, has identified three potential wind resource areas on Oahu and six other areas on Maui that would total 813 megawatts of capacity. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Placing liens against property when water or sewer bills are overdue, and shutting off water service for past-due sewer bills were two collection avenues discussed Tuesday by the county Water Board. West Hawaii Today.

A new electronic vehicle inspection system aimed at reducing fraud, errors and time spent on manually processing Hawaii licensed drivers’ data has made the procedure easier on the state and inspection stations, but some residents say it’s costing Big Island drivers time and money. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County officials, employees and residents celebrated the completion of a long-awaited repair project in Captain Cook. The renovated Yano Hall at Greenwell Park was rededicated Tuesday morning with speeches, prayer, music, food and pride. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A bill that seeks to implement disclosure and use restrictions on pesticides and Genetically Modified Organisms in Maui County was introduced before the Council’s Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee today. Maui Now.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa is requesting two additional personnel within the Department of Agriculture to conduct pesticide inspections and alien species screening for Maui County. Maui Now.

The owner of the Pagoda Hotel, a popular and affordable rooming spot for many Mauians visiting Oahu for many years, plans to bring the brand to Maui with the prospective purchase of the Maui Beach Hotel. Maui News.

In an effort to promote open dialogue and greater understanding of its farming practices and products, Monsanto Hawaii said Monday that it is increasing its farm tours, holding community meetings and forums and having programs to promote a better understanding of the company. Maui News.

Kauai

A dairy farm could be operating on Kauai next year. Jim Garmatz, manager for Hawaii Dairy Farms, said their conservation plans have been approved by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. They are waiting approval and permits from the Department of Health. Garden Island.

Officials with the Kauai Department of Water came out Monday in hopes of discussing the cost-savings analysis report for the Kahili Horizontal Directional Drilled Well Project. Garden Island.

Hawaii Legislature kills GMO labling bill, more seats on the train, firearm registrations up, gun crimes down, $1.25M boost for Thirty Meter Telescope, state Senate seeks marijuana minister's release, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii farmers market (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Senators Thursday afternoon deferred for this session a bill that calls for genetically modified imported produce to carry labels, opting instead to pass a resolution that requests several state groups study the issue in more detail and report back to the Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

Three Senate committees tabled a measure that calls for labeling imported genetically engineered produce or else bans its distribution in the islands. Civil Beat.

After a packed joint hearing between multiple Senate committees, members voted to kill House Bill 174 in a session today at the state Capitol. Maui Now.

The state Senate committee on public safety has approved two resolutions urging the federal government to release a pro-marijuana reverend from federal prison until his trial. Roger Christie has been in federal prison without bail since his arrest three years ago for growing and distributing marijuana. Associated Press.

A bill that would provide more information about misconduct of county police officers still has life, but there’s little guarantee it will survive the legislative session. Civil Beat.

Hawaii firearms registrations shot up more than 70 percent in 2012, while gun violence continued a four-year decline, according to a new state Department of the Attorney report. Hawaii Reporter.

The number of firearm registrations in Hawaii reached a record high of 50,394 last year, matching a national trend toward more gun ownership as the nation's leaders debate stiffer laws. Star-Advertiser.

The state recorded a record high for personal firearm permit applications processed in 2012.  The findings were detailed in the annual Firearm Registrations report released by the Department of the Attorney General this week. Maui Now.

The state Department of Education this school year paid more than $12.7 million to independent education consulting companies to help revamp underperforming schools. But most of the money has gone to one mainland company that critics say has been largely ineffective. Civil Beat.

In a letter to an accrediting body Thursday, the University of Hawaii acknowledged rocky relationships with legislators in the wake of last year's Stevie Wonder concert debacle but said the situation is improving. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges had warned earlier this month that the episode had included inappropriate external interference from government officials and "revealed the fragility" of the university's autonomy. Star-Advertiser.

UH-Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple plans to ask the University of Hawaii Board of Regents to forgive the athletic department's $11.3 million — and escalating — accumulated net deficit as part of a major restructuring effort. Star-Advertiser.

Debris from the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 continues to accumulate on Hawaii’s shores, including oyster buoys, refrigerators, driftwood and a 28-foot fishing boat. Honolulu Weekly.

State roundup for March 22. Associated Press.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell released a report Thursday that identifies sites that pose rockfall hazards to city property, and announced that the city has warned about 1,000 private property owners whose land is at high risk of rockfall. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation on Thursday approved funding for additional passenger seats on the train cars for the city’s elevated-rail transit project. Pacific Business News.

A joint proposal by owners of the locally owned Foodland supermarkets and landowner Kamehameha Schools to build a new strip mall on 4.5 acres of preservation land in east Oahu has many Hawaii Kai and Niu Valley residents concerned. Hawaii Reporter.

Nearly two years after Foodland closed its Koko Marina location, Hawaii Kai residents turned out in huge numbers Thursday night to hear plans that could move the supermarket back into the neighborhood. Hawaii News Now.

A corrections officer at the Women's Community Correctional Center in windward Oahu has been indicted on four counts of alleged sex assault against an inmate.KITV4.

Upon his graduation from the University of Hawaii, Edwin S.W. Young entered the auditing profession through the arm of Congress that investigates the performance of the federal government. Many years later, he has returned to Honolulu as the city auditor. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
Four years into the job, Police Chief Harry Kubojiri continues to get rave reviews from the Hawaii County Police Commission. West Hawaii Today.

The international Thirty Meter Telescope project on Hawaii’s Big Island is getting support from the United States in the form of a $1.25 million grant from the National Science Foundation. Pacific Business News.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks will host a public information meeting to discuss parking and entry fees at Hapuna Beach State Recreational Area. West Hawaii Today.

All appeared well at the Waiopae tide pools on Thursday following a die-off of marine life earlier in the week. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui fishermen are invited to "talk story" with the chairman of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, William J. Aila Jr., 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Maui Waena Intermediate School in Kahului. Maui News.

Maui's northern coast would be one of three Hawaii areas studied as possibly being nationally significant sites to include in the National Park System, under the first bill formally introduced in Congress by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz. Maui News.

Unlike their first legislative briefing during the holidays last December, South and West Maui Sen. Roz Baker (D) and South Maui's freshman Rep. Kaniela Ing (D) presented issues and answered concerns to a full and lively house. Maui Weekly.

Kaiser Permanente will build a new home for its rehabilitation specialty services on Maui next to its Maui Lani facility. Maui News.

Officials dedicated Maui County's first double-decker bus on Wednesday, March 14. Maui Weekly.

Kauai

Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative members still have time to vote for three seats at the co-op’s Board of Directors. Voting began March 1, and will end Saturday at noon. Garden Island.

After spending hours under fire at a Kaua‘i County Council meeting Wednesday morning and afternoon, state officials and researchers went to Waimea and faced more than 150 Westside residents who were not convinced that Cleome gynandra, locally known as stinkweed, was what made students sick at Waimea Canyon School years ago. Garden Island.

Users of the public Kapa‘a Swimming Pool could be faced with the possibility of having to use “interim toilets” for several years — or until the pool is relocated elsewhere — according to county officials. Garden Island.

Hawaii Capitol rallies include preschoolers, teachers; Legislature advances gun control, marijuana bills; Kamehameha Schools teacher fired for nude student photos, 7th anniversary of Kauai dam disaster, Honolulu mayor seeks fuel tax hike, atrazine targeted, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii preschoolers (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hundreds of children, parents and education advocates descended on Hawaii’s Capitol Thursday to spur lawmakers to vote for Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s preschool initiative. Associated Press.

Thousands of Hawaii public school teachers rallied and chanted around the state Capitol on Thursday to protest the lack of a new labor contract. Star-Advertiser.

The president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association announced to teachers late Thursday that the union and the state have received approval from the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to go to mediation. Hawaii News Now.

The state is confident it has found a way to fill a void and fund much-needed after-school programs for intermediate and middle schools through community involvement and private donations, Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

The state has a new plan to fill that important gap in intermediate students' days—they're calling it the Hawai'i Intermediate/Middle School Challenge. Hawaii News Now.

A bill to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana is making its way through the Hawaii House of Representatives. Associated Press.

The Hawaii House Committee on Public Safety is moving forward a bill to require background checks for people who bring in guns from outside the state. Associated Press.

FACT CHECK — Solomon: Hawaii 'On The Verge Of Bankruptcy' Half-True. Civil Beat.

Hawaii is being hit by two amendments U.S. Senate Republicans are trying to attach to a temporary spending bill needed to prevent a government shutdown. Civil Beat.

Scheduled nonstop air seats to Hawaii are expected to jump 11.8 percent through the next three months from the year-earlier period as the tourism industry takes aim at a second straight record year for visitor arrivals. Star-Advertiser.

A state analysis of new U.S. Census data shows Hawaii’s population grew by 1 percent per year in the two years spanning mid-2010 through mid-2012, with growth distributed relatively evenly throughout the islands. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s population grew 1 percent from July 2011 to July 2012, driven primarily by a relatively high birth rate and people moving from foreign countries, the state said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s population reached 1.39 million as of July 2012, up 2.4 percent from the 1.36 million residents in April 2010, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Pacific Business News.

A new health insurer is poised to do business in Hawaii this year, boosting competition in the market dominated by Hawaii Medical Service Association and Kaiser Permanente Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for March 15. Associated Press.

Oahu

With opposition mounting against his proposal to increase the city's fuel tax by 5 cents a gallon, Mayor Kirk Caldwell is urging City Council members to keep an open mind to the idea. Star-Advertiser.

A hearing on House Bill 276, which calls for issuing about $10 million in bonds to build what is being called the Senior Residence at Piikoi, was scheduled for Thursday afternoon. Pacific Business News.

The Honolulu City Council will convene a special meeting this afternoon (Friday,1:30pm) to discuss homeless housing and services on O’ahu in an effort to look at solutions for this growing problem. Hawaii Public Radio.

State eyes encroachment at Kahala Resort. Complaints prompt closer look at beach use. KITV4.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources is walking back from a threat last summer to ban offshore parties in Waikiki known as floatopias or flotillas. KITV4.

EXCLUSIVE: Nude student images alleged in fired Kamehameha Schools teacher investigation. KHON2.

Hawaii

Hawaii County Water Supply officials say levels of atrazine in island wells are far below safe thresholds, even as 19 members of the state House on Thursday called for a task force to investigate the effects of the herbicide on human health. West Hawaii Today.

The story of Haumea, as told by astronomer Mike Brown, is a detective tale in space. West Hawaii Today.

Puna Geothermal Venture was back to normal operations Wednesday night after it was shut down that afternoon, causing a plume of steam to be released into the air. Tribune-Herald.

The population of the Big Island is currently growing at a rate of about 1% per year or five new residents per day, according to estimates released recently by the US Census Bureau. Big Island Now.

Maui
Citing questions and concerns by the public and council members, the Maui County Council's Water Resources Committee chairman called for a night meeting to allow for more public input on a bill that would give the water director, with the consent of the mayor, the power to impose higher rates during water shortages. Maui News.

The state House of Representatives voted Wednesday to approve $65 million in funding to begin construction of a new Kihei high school. Maui News.

Ask the Mayor: 7 a.m. Leaf Blowing; Feral Chickens, DMVL. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai Dam Breach Tragedy Still Not Resolved 7 Years After 7 People Were Killed. Hawaii Reporter.

Candidates for the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors gathered in front of an audience of about a dozen people Wednesday evening at the Waimea Neighborhood Center during the final panel discussion leading up to the March 23 vote. Garden Island.

The Kaua‘i Humane Society has a new executive director, and one who has a lifetime of working with animals all around the country — and says she wouldn’t want to do anything else. Garden Island.

Hawaii's best beaches, fundraiser set for Obama library, Keith-Agaran named to state Senate, Kauai taro farmers boycott poi mill, new Civil Defense chief for Hawaii Island, more news from across the state

Hapuna Beach, Hawaii (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Travel + Leisure magazine this month released for the first time a Best Beaches on Earth list, and, not surprisingly, four in Hawaii made the cut. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Rep. Gil Keith-Agaran, who was expected to become the House majority leader in the next Legislature, has been appointed to the Senate, filling a vacancy left by former Senate President Shan Tsu­tsui, who became lieutenant governor. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has appointed Kahului state Rep. Gil Keith-Agaran to the 5th Senate District seat vacated when former Sen. Shan Tsutsui accepted an appointment to lieutenant governor. Maui News.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Gilbert Keith-Agaran to the state Senate to represent Hawaii’s 5th senatorial district, a seat recently left vacant by Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui. Maui Now.

State Rep. Calvin Say is all packed up and ready to move out of the big office reserved for the head of the House. Civil Beat.

Hawaii hosting first fundraiser for Obama library. Hawaii News Now.

Health insurance premiums for about 14,400 individuals covered by Kaiser Permanente Hawaii jumped 9.7 percent on Jan. 1. Star-Advertiser.

A deadline is nearing for Hawaii residents who lost their homes to foreclosure to benefit from a settlement between the state and five large banks. Tribune-Herald.

A University of Hawaii audit found that UH short-changed students on two campuses out of financial aid, mistakes that UH officials said were later corrected. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Office of Information Practices reduced its backlog just by just six cases in the 2012 fiscal year, leaving 78 pending cases on its list — some of them years old, according to the office's director. During the 2010 fiscal year, the office cleared 37 cases from its backlog. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Airlines is expanding its fleet again with an eye toward the neighbor islands. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines is expanding again and plans to offer more routes and 1,000 new jobs. KHON2.

The difference between owning a ferret in Hawaii and one in Pennsylvania can be up to three years in jail — and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. Associated Press.

Hawaiian Language Newspapers Now Searchable Online. Hawaii Public Radio.

State roundup for January 8. Associated Press.

Oahu

Elevator workers were trying to determine Monday what caused Honolulu District Court elevators to malfunction for the second time in less than a week, resulting in a long line of people trying to get in to the Alakea Street building. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu firearms owners are increasingly frustrated with long lines at the registration desk at the main Honolulu Police Department station. Hawaii's firearms registration laws are among the strictest in the country, and mandate gun owners must register firearms within 72 hours of purchase. Hawaii Reporter.

Gordon Bruce, former chief information officer for the City and County of Honolulu, has become chief executive officer of Honolulu-based information technology company Pacxa. Star-Advertiser.

Councilman Stanley Chang is drafting a new bill in response to repeated complaints from residents both in his district and county wide. KHON2.

Hawaii

Former Fire Chief Darryl Oliveira is taking over as the administrator of the county Department of Civil Defense. West Hawaii Today.

County Legislative Auditor Colleen Schrandt has left Hawaii to take a job as an auditor with the United Nations in New York City. West Hawaii Today.

Keauhou Bay was one of the areas hit hardest by the 2011 tsunami and the harbor is still in dire need of repair — a situation that could change as soon as late summer, when state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation officials are anticipating construction to start. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

With new management in place and soon-to-be new ownership, the financially troubled Residences at Kapalua Bay appears poised to turn the corner. Maui News.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources will hold a public information meeting this week to present a technical report and corrective action plan for the Keawakapu artificial reef in South Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources reopened the Na Pali Coast State Park to the public Monday after shutting it down for three weeks while law enforcement searched for a suspect who allegedly threw a 31-year-old Japanese visitor off a cliff.  Star-Advertiser.

Upset with the transfer of Makaweli Poi Mill to Lehua Poi Company, former workers have not reapplied for employment at the new mill, and their former customers — the taro farmers — are boycotting the mill as well. Garden Island.

Several computers were discovered stolen from Kapa‘a Elementary School after students and administrators returned from winter break. Garden Island.