Tourists flocking to Hawaii, nuclear attack siren test today, state tax officials told consultant to alter report, Jim Nabors mourned, Uber and Lyft allowed to pickup at Honolulu airport, Kauai natives claim title, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki beach beauties © 2017 All Hawaii News

Hawaii posts solid tourism gains in October. Hawaii tourism continued its blistering pace in October, kicking off the fourth quarter ahead of forecasts with further gains expected. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii sees big gains in tourism spending. Visitor spending in Hawaii increased 4.4 percent last month to $1.3 billion, while year-to-date spending rose 6.8 percent to $13.8 billion, according to preliminary statistics released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority says the number of visitors to the state rose nearly 3 percent in October compared to the year before. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority says the number of visitors to the state rose nearly 3 percent in October compared to the year before. Garden Island.

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Emergency sirens will blast new ‘attack’ warning in first test. Today, sirens will blast in wavering unison to a sound not heard in Hawaii since the Cold War — an “attack warning.” Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Revives Cold War Relic: Test System For Nuke Attack. The siren will be tested Friday. It includes a wailing sound in the middle to distinguish it from the storm siren. Civil Beat.

Get ready, Hawaii. For the first time since the Cold War, an "attack warning" siren with a wavering tone will sound Friday across the state. Associated Press.

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Firm says state tax officials told it to alter report on $60M computer project. A consultant hired by the state to oversee the $60 million modernization of the Department of Taxation’s computer systems was instructed by state tax officials on which subjects “should and should not” be addressed in its supposedly independent monitoring reports to lawmakers and the public, according to a new report. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii has a critical need for more infant and toddler care, and some rural areas are “child care deserts” with few options for working parents, according to a report released Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Study: Child care in Hawaii is pricey and in short supply. Hawaii News Now.

Emotions 101: Why Hawaii Schools Are Focusing On Feelings. Hawaii schools have joined a growing educational movement that emphasizes “whole child” development, not just academics. Civil Beat.

Among Kamehameha Schools alums, no consensus on how to handle sex abuse case. Hawaii News Now.

A state program helping Hawaii consumers and businesses conserve electricity said it delivered record energy savings last fiscal year despite a 29 percent budget cut and fewer incentives. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines will unveil two changes today by launching a new meal program in the main cabin for its North American routes and debuting uniforms by Hilo-based designer Sig Zane across its network. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s 2017 hurricane season officially ended Thursday as one of the quietest yet. Tribune-Herald.

Jim Nabors, 87, dies at Diamond Head home. Hawaii friends of beloved entertainer Jim Nabors say he wasn’t far removed from the gentle, amiable television character, Gomer Pyle, that first brought him fame in the 1960s. Star-Advertiser.

Legendary singer and actor Jim Nabors being remembered around the world. He died at his Diamond Head home early Thursday morning at the age of 87. KITV.

'It wasn't a facade': Friends, fans remember Jim Nabors' talent, wit and folksy charm. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Department is reviewing a controversial policy that requires legal marijuana patients to turn in their firearms. Star-Advertiser.

A unanimous Hawaii Supreme Court ruled last week that the Honolulu Police Department conducted an illegal search when, acting on an anonymous tip, it made several helicopter flights in October 2012 over a Waipahu home and spotted a number of marijuana plants growing alongside the house. Civil Beat.

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Uber, Lyft OK’d to pick up at airport. Several Hawaii taxicab companies are objecting to an agreement between the state Department of Transportation and ride-hailing services to allow pickups at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

Starting Friday, ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft will be able to pick up passengers at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Civil Beat.

Uber and Lyft have been granted a temporary three-month permit beginning Friday to pick up passengers from the Honolulu International Airport for a pilot program announced Thursday by the Hawaii Department of Transportation. Pacific Business News.

Starting Dec. 1, Uber and Lyft can pick you up at the airport. KITV.

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Rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in Honolulu drops 11%, Zumper report finds. The median rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Honolulu is $2,110, which is 11 percent less than the same time last year, when it was $2,370, according to the Zumper report, which analyzed rental data from more than 1 million active listings in the U.S. available in the month prior to publication. Pacific Business News.

City to spend $46M to replace street lamps with energy-efficient LEDs. The city is finally ready to kick off a project to convert all 53,500 street lights on Oahu to energy-efficient LED lamps. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu is going to get brighter. The city plans to convert 53,000 street lights island-wide into LED lights. KITV.

City’s bright idea aims to save millions of tax dollars each year. KHON2.

KouWork, a co-working space that recently opened in the ground floor of a two-story, 6,000-square-foot building at 814 Ilaniwai St., has brought in such tenants as The Wedding Café, Brue Bar and its parent company, HonBlue. Pacific Business News.

Stevenson teacher wins $100,000 to set up campus technology hub. Hundreds of students erupted in raucous cheers at Stevenson Middle School as teacher Patricia Morgan was named Thursday as a national winner of a $100,000 grant to set up an “Imaginerium” on campus. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

The Hawaii Police Department has a letter it sends to medical marijuana patients seeking a gun permit that’s similar to a letter sent by the Honolulu Police Department which has cannabis advocates up in arms, so to speak. Tribune-Herald.

Hilo selected as one of the best places for snowbirds. Hilo has been named among the “20 best places for snowbirds this winter” by the travel site Expedia. Tribune-Herald.

Two California men who posted photos of themselves on social media holding an endangered green sea turtle have been fined. KHON2.

A man and woman were arrested on drug charges after a search of a homeless housing unit Tuesday afternoon. West Hawaii Today.

Flood Warning Prompts Shelter Opening, East Hawaii Parks Closed. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui Police Captain Enters Not Guilty Plea in Sex Assault Case. Maui Police Capt. Stephen Orikasa was charged with fourth degree Sex Assault for an alleged incident reported in October 2017. Maui Now.

Councilmember Yuki Lei Sugimura will introduce a resolution at the Maui County Council’s meeting on Friday, Dec. 1, urging the Governor and the State Legislature to mandate the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement, to proactively administer the state statute relating to the preservation of historic properties and native Hawaiian burials. Maui Now.

Work continues on Lahaina bypass extension. Maui News.

Visitor spending on Maui grew (+7.6% to $368.3 million) in October 2017, boosted by increased daily spending (+5.6% to $219 per person) and growth in visitor days (+1.9%), according to preliminary data released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Maui Now.

Hospice Maui’s new land parcel blessed. Maui News.

Kauai

More than 20 people claim interest in quiet title suit. Judge Randal Valenciano’s courtroom was full on Thursday as more than 50 people filed in to be a part of quiet title proceedings related to land on Kauai’s Westside. Garden Island.

Postal service pledges vigilance as Kauai woman sentenced for drug packages. A Kauai woman was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for smuggling drugs in the mail. KHON2.

Intrigue at state Capitol: Souki, Tokuda expected to lose posts today, Ige rejects extended session, Bounty Hunter wife could help pick Honolulu police chief, senator accused of trying to influence police commissioner, Maui sand removal stopped, Banyan Drive revitalization bill killed, gun registration up, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. David Ige press conference, courtesy Rep. Kaniela Ing

Gov. David Ige rejected the notion Wednesday of extending the 2017 legislative session to try to salvage a rail-funding deal, calling it a “waste of time” if state legislators don’t already have an agreement in place. Star-Advertiser.

With the Hawaii House and Senate unable to resolve fundamental differences over how to help pay for Honolulu’s beleaguered rail project, Gov. David Ige said Wednesday he will not extend the legislative session unless legislators can reach an agreement. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige rejected calls Wednesday to extend the Legislative session to break the deadlock over funding Honolulu's embattled rail project. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. David Ige said Wednesday he will not extend the session, which adjourns Thursday, unless lawmakers can come together. KHON2.

The state’s top-elected official said Wednesday an extension of the legislative session to resolve issues involving Honolulu’s rail project would be a waste of time.” Garden Island.

Mayors of all four Hawaii counties are asking Gov. David Ige to extend the 2017 legislative session to find funding for the troubled Honolulu rail transit project, but Ige says he’s not inclined to do so. Associated Press.

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House Speaker Joe Souki and Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Jill Tokuda are expected to be ousted from their positions of power today in an end-of-session leadership shakeup. Star-Advertiser.

House Speaker Joe Souki Expected to Lose His Post, Members Say. The expected shakeup in House leadership comes as the Senate is undergoing its own significant reshuffling. Civil Beat.

State Sen. Jill Tokuda is being forced out of her position as head of the powerful money committee in the midst of 11th-hour debate over funding for the Honolulu rail project. Civil Beat.

Sen. Jill Tokuda will be removed as chair of the Ways and Means committee. KHON2.

Retaliation blamed: Some legislators say a Big Island rat lungworm funding bill died because of a political fight between Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Jill Tokuda and Sen. Kai Kahele, who played a central role in trying to reorganize the Senate, including plans to oust Tokuda from her powerful position overseeing the budget. Star-Advertiser.

First Term House of Representative Members Talk About Their First Session. Hawaii Public Radio.

Why The Stakes Are So High In Hawaii Police Union Negotiations. There are huge financial ramifications, especially for Honolulu. Meanwhile, a state senator wants to make it easier to fire bad cops. Civil Beat.

Consumer Reports, the respected consumer product testing organization, on Wednesday unveiled a new study on home-sharing services such as Airbnb that should make the Hawaii hotel industry and the tens of thousands of people who work in the business more than a little nervous. Pacific Business News.

The Department of the Attorney General released new numbers from 2016 that show an increase in registered firearms in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

First-quarter profit at Matson Inc. tumbled 61 percent as the largest ocean cargo transportation company serving the state absorbed higher fuel prices and small cargo volume declines in Hawaii, Alaska and Guam. Star-Advertiser.

Shipping company Matson Inc. reported a 61 percent decrease in net income for the quarter ending March 31. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Beth Chapman, reality TV star and wife of Dog the Bounty Hunter, could help select the next police chief of one of the largest departments in the country. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii state senator tried to influence a Honolulu Police Commission member to vote against a pricey severance package for a retiring chief under federal investigation, according to a letter from the commission chairman. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii State Senator is accused of trying to influence a controversial vote with the Honolulu Police Commission. KITV.

Former Police Chief Louis Kealoha is threatening to complain to the Honolulu Ethics Commission about Police Commissioner Loretta Sheehan if she doesn’t disqualify herself from an upcoming vote. Civil Beat.

Environmentalists pushing for a ban on all plastic checkout bags to reduce litter and protect marine life maintain that a Honolulu City Council bill that was advanced Wednesday does not go far enough. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would require stores to charge 10 cents for bags, while allowing businesses to continue offering thick plastic bags, passed out of a Honolulu City Council committee Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Oahu's residential real estate market has experienced the tightest supply conditions and shortest days on market in over 10 years in April, according to Locations. Pacific Business News.

A Waipahu cultural center troubled with overnight homeless campers. Hawaii News Now.

In a ceremony Wednesday, the city opened the South Street Protected Bike Lane to give bicyclists a mauka-makai route in the heart of Honolulu, improving access to downtown and Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

Oceanit has been awarded a $750,000 Phase II contract by the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate to develop a prototype of a device for first responders. Pacific Business News.

The developer of Ward Village announced Wednesday that it sold an additional 34 condominium units among five towers in the emerging Kakaako community during the first quarter. Star-Advertiser.

Former Hawaii first lady Vicky Cayetano is in talks to expand her laundry business on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The state Senate rejected the last remaining Banyan Drive redevelopment bill Tuesday following the return of broad language intended to help extend land leases for Mauna Kea observatories. Tribune-Herald.

Of the eight bills introduced by East Hawaii legislators this year to address economic revitalization in Hilo, just one will make it to Gov. David Ige’s desk. Tribune-Herald.

It’s use it or lose it time for the County Council. Facing a possible cutback of contingency funds in next year’s budget, council members Wednesday polished off $73,060 for 19 projects as they rushed to meet the deadline to spend their 2017 largess. West Hawaii Today.

A parade of Bodacious Ladies and their supporters testified in favor of a Food Basket grant from the Hawaii County Council. Big Island Video News.

Still working to fill the gap left when its popular Senior Produce program ended this year, the Food Basket, Hawaii Island’s food bank, is starting a new kupuna initiative and expanding other efforts to offer fresh fruits and vegetables. Tribune-Herald.

Following concerns from community residents and an environmental legal group, Marine Corps Base Hawaii agreed to reduce operations at North Kohala’s Upolu Airport. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Environmental and cultural preservation groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to invalidate the Maui Planning Commission’s approval of the proposed $354.5 million, mixed-used Makena Resort project. Maui News.

The Honolulu-based concrete production company that has been moving sand from Central Maui to other places off-site, including Oahu, has stopped transporting sand, following a formal notice from Maui County regarding permit issues on Monday. Maui News.

Small businesses are a favorite target of cyber criminals, and owners need to prepare for attacks as they would a flood, fire or other risk, experts said Wednesday at the Hawaii Small Business Conference. Maui News.

A notice has been posted in Baldwin Beach Park informing the homeless community they have until May 23 to vacate the area. Associated Press.

Kauai

Hawaii shouldn’t be held for “nuclear ransom” by North Korea and needs to activate its Aegis Ashore missile testing facility on Kauai in times of emergency to provide a layered missile shield for the isles, a defense expert told Hawaii state lawmakers Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Developers may be facing a ticking clock on the North Shore if a policy on resort-designated land is approved by the Planning Commission. 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.

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.

Farm bills up for debate, disclosure sought for long-term car homes, pioneering legislator Hale dies, gas prices spike, Kauai council seeks garbage plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waipio Valley taro farms (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

From protecting taro lands to regulating genetically modified food, the House Agriculture Committee is expecting to have a full plate when it meets today in Honolulu. Tribune-Herald.

Lawmakers will consider a number of proposals this week related to the budget, university tuition and local farms. Hawaii News Now.

Unlike the majority of states, Hawaii does not place its state inspection results for long-term care facilities online. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Human Services, which oversees some of the care homes, isn’t so much concerned with having to post the records online as it is in clarifying the legislation to reflect which department oversees which care homes. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers want to spend $100,000 to get unwanted guns off the streets, saying it will help the state avoid a mass shooting like those seen in Colo­rado and Connecticut last year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's four mayors are aligned with the president when it comes to strengthening federal gun laws. But they don't think we need stricter regulations here at home. Civil Beat.

Sleeping at a bus stop could soon come with a stiff penalty. KHON2.

To provide the best education, higher education facilities must look to industries in their vicinity and businesses must look to how they can support research universities in a critical partnership, University of Hawai‘i President M.R.C. Greenwood said recently. Garden Island.

The number of bankruptcies in Hawaii last month dropped 25 percent to the lowest level in January since 2008, according to statistics from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Honolulu. Pacific Business News.

There is nothing wrong with rejoicing over a record visitor year in 2012 - but it's useful to take note of areas where more growth will be needed to attain the last peaks of the local hospitality industry. Hawaii News Now.

Prices at the pump have jumped seven cents in just one week, 17 cents from a month ago.  And local economists say prices are only expected to rise. KITV4.

State roundup for February 4. Associated Press.

Oahu

Should the State Buy Turtle Bay For $50M to Keep Country, Country? That’s what one bill before lawmakers would seem to suggest. Civil Beat.

Economists think the closure of the Tesoro refinery was unavoidable, given the small size of Hawaii's oil market and the state's pursuit of alternative energy policies designed to make the local oil market even smaller. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Helene Hale, whose political career started before Hawaii’s statehood and who, as chairman of the county Board of Supervisors in the 1960s, was the first woman mayor in the state, died of natural causes Friday night at her Hilo home. She was 94. Tribune-Herald.

A specific memory came to mind when Brian DeLima learned that Helene Hale, Hawaii's first female mayor and a Merrie Monarch Festival founder, had died. It was one he said encompasses her widely known spunk and fearlessness. Star-Advertiser.

County crews were able to divert only 5.6 percent of the 12,524 tons of garbage brought to the sort station during its first eight months of operation, a far cry from the up to 40 percent diversion rate originally anticipated by county officials. West Hawaii Today.

Several Big Island lawmakers are once again seeking to put someone else in charge of Hilo’s resort district. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

An appeal pending before the Hawaii Supreme Court is holding up the start of construction on the $300 million Advanced Technology Solar Telescope, a joint project atop Haleakala by the University of Hawaii and the National Science Foundation. Maui News.

Maui High School has captured its fifth state title at the Hawaii Regional Science Bowl since 2002 and is headed to the nation's capital after defeating private and public schools from across the state. Star-Advertiser.

Work has begun on two fenced enclosures in the West Maui Mountains that aim to attract two threatened native seabirds to protect them from predators and to encourage them to nest with techniques including broadcasts of their calls. Maui News.

Following a record-breaking year for Hawaii’s visitor industry, Honolulu, Kahului and Lihu’e airports have won US ANNIE Airport Awards for traffic growth and success in establishing new routes and increasing air sets in 2012. Maui Now.

Kauai

A $1.8 million contract with a consulting firm — which includes the environmental consequences of a new landfill and a feasibility study on a mega-recycling center piggy-backing on the landfill —allows for only two informational meetings with the Kaua‘i County Council. Garden Island.

Kauai's second-largest private landholder wants the state to designate about 11,000 acres it owns as "important agricultural land" under a 2005 state law, but advising agencies are divided on whether the entire area deserves the special status. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is issuing an executive order to allow the state to take emergency actions to restore fire-damaged forest on Kauai. Garden Island.

Molokai

After 40 years in the same location, Molokai Fish and Dive is being moved into the gas station next door in a process that will bring several changes to the popular ocean gear and tour provider. Molokai Dispatch.

On Wednesday, Jan. 16, a unified group of charter school students and teachers, environmentalist, conservationalist, Hawaiian rights activists, people of all ethnic backgrounds, and families trekked a three mile march, from Buckman Hall on the University of Hawaii campus to the State Capital, in an effort to push for labeling GMO foods. Molokai Dispatch.