Hawaii tourism projects get $2.7M boost, lawmakers scrutinize Abercrombie's preschool plan, UH rec center 14 months behind schedule, Michelle Obama on Maui, indigent moms get attorneys, fire damages Hawaii Five-0 star's home, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki Spam Jam file photo (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Tourism Authority has awarded more than $2.7 million in 2014 grants to 138 organizations statewide that enrich tourism through culture, natural resources and county-specific events across the isles. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority has selected 138 statewide programs and events to receive funding and other resources through its Product Enrichment Programs for 2014, the state’s tourism agency announced Monday. Pacific Business News.

Some of the programs include Chinese New Year Festival 2014, Waikiki Spam Jam, World Whale Day on Maui and the Kau Coffee Festival on the Big Island. Associated Press.

Some lawmakers are wary of the Abercrombie administration's plans to move ahead with state-funded preschool, calling a nearly $6 million funding request premature ahead of a constitutional amendment that will be on the November ballot. The proposed amendment, which lawmakers reluctantly agreed to last session, will ask voters whether public funds should be spent on private preschool programs. Star-Advertiser.

A top priority for the governor is a $4.5 million funding request for 32 preschool classrooms at public schools in underserved or rural Hawaii communities. Associated Press.

Downer

 

New Head of Cultural Preservation in Hawaii Pledges Transparency. Federal and state officials are hoping that Alan Downer, who spent the last 27 years working for the Navajo Nation, will help mend the agency's relationships with the public, shore up its internal operations and, most importantly, lead the agency out of the cross-hairs of the National Park Service. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Republican Party has turned down a plea from the Hawaii Health Connector to use party leadership and legislators to recruit for the exchange. Hawaii Reporter.

State roundup for January 7. Associated Press.

Oahu

A recreation center project being built at the University of Hawaii's flagship Manoa campus has suffered further delays and is now expected to be completed one year and two months late, Hawaii News Now learned Monday.  The $33 million project is being funded in part by $100-a-year athletic fees that UH Manoa began charging students in the spring of 2011.

Fire damages Alex O'Loughlin's Diamond Head home. Firefighters were called to Hawaii Five-0 star Alex O'Loughlin's home Monday afternoon after neighbors say they heard a loud boom. Hawaii News Now.

Last year was a record year for Oahu's housing market, as the median price for single-family houses and condominiums reached new highs. Yet, the growth was a relatively modest 5 percent, which economists predict will pale in comparison with much stronger gains this year and beyond. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu officials brokered a deal Monday to resuscitate the $142 million sale of 12 public affordable housing complexes to a private developer. The agreement relies on city coffers to make the transaction possible. Civil Beat.

The continuation of negotiations between the city and the group that agreed to pay $142 million for the lease interest in 12 Oahu housing complexes is contingent on the city's agreement to arrange "seller financing" to the partners. Star-Advertiser.

A painting project at a downtown Honolulu high-rise has been temporarily put on hold following complaints to the Department of Health. KHON2.

An ongoing stalemate between Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration and the Honolulu Ethics Commission could have long-standing implications for the ways city officials address government corruption and misconduct. Civil Beat.

A state judge has fined a defense lawyer $250 for telling the jury in federal agent Christopher Deedy's murder trial that the man he shot had resisted arrest in a prior case. City prosecutors wanted Circuit Judge Karen Ahn on Monday to fine Karl Blanke $1,000 and prohibit the Virginia lawyer from practicing law here. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Indigent Hawaii parents who face losing custody of their children are guaranteed the right to a court-appointed attorney, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday. The ruling overturns a decision to terminate parental rights of a Kona mom who was 15 when she gave birth in 2009. Associated Press.

With a flourish of a brush stroke, Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi set in motion Monday a project that promises to put a new face on downtown Hilo businesses. Tribune-Herald.

A month has passed since Mayor Billy Kenoi signed Bill 113, limiting the use of genetically engineered crops on the Big Island, but the Hawaii County Council may still get a second helping of the contentious issue. Ka‘u/South Kona Councilwoman Brenda Ford is bringing her own bill that would ban all modified crops back for discussion after the council’s Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee voted it down last September. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island residents and visitors celebrated North Hawaii Community Hospital founder, Hawaii Island philanthropist and pacemaker inventor Earl Bakken’s 90th birthday Monday. West Hawaii Today.

December was a generally weak month for the housing markets on Hawaii island and Kauai, though the softness did little to undermine what was mostly a positive year. Star-Advertiser.

Almost two years since it was completed, The Kohala Center’s Health Impact Assessment on Hawaii County’s Agriculture Plan has garnered national attention and helped produce meaningful effects on the local food system. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A caravan of Maui police cars and black sport utility vehicles was sighted near Oprah Winfrey's house in Kula on Sunday morning, local residents said, fueling speculation that first lady Michelle Obama is visiting the island. Maui News.

With the use of a new one-man robotic total station, police traffic investigators could be spending half as much time mapping the scenes of fatal crashes. Maui News.

Hawaiian Airlines today announced plans to add daily non-stop service between Los Angeles and Maui this summer. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative has spent about $14,000 campaigning for a yes vote in its current special election related to smart meters. Garden Island.

Anyone interested in ocean safety is invited to attend the Kauai Water Safety Task Force meeting at 3 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Department of Health office on Umi Street in Lihue. Garden Island.

It has taken a group of local residents and community volunteers more than three years to begin construction on a dog park in Wailua Homesteads Park. But it only took one night and one act to set those efforts back. Garden Island.

Food bank targets reached. Garden Island.

Taxes, bag fee sought for watershed protection, homeless, public housing smoking ban mulled in Legislature, Maui to monitor vehicle use with eye in the sky, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Freshwater stream flows into Kawa Bay (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Environmental advocates are urging the Hawaii Legislature to help preserve Hawaii’s water by increasing taxes on high-end property sales. Associated Press.

Boosting funds for watershed and forest preservation programs, either through an increase in taxes on expensive real estate transactions or a fee on single-use plastic checkout bags, remains a priority for the Abercrombie administration, the state's land and natural resources director said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Legislature: Thousands of Bills, So Little Time. Civil Beat.

Several Hawaii lawmakers want tougher ethics laws for lobbyists and public officials. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Filipino Chamber of Commerce says Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui will lead the organization's upcoming trade mission to the Philippines. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s consumer advocate has reached a settlement with the state’s major electric utility that rejects $60 million in expenditures that Hawaiian Electric Co. was hoping to recover from customers. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co. has agreed to reduce by $60 million the amount of revenue it will seek to recover from ratepayers as a result of a settlement the utility negotiated with the state consumer advocate. Star-Advertiser.

The number of new foreclosure lawsuits filed against Hawaii property owners stayed above 300 for a second consecutive month in December, as lenders continue to file more cases since state foreclosure law was overhauled in June. Star-Advertiser.

A bill seeking the establishment of a return-to-home program for homeless in Hawai’i is being considered at the state Legislature. Maui Now.

A bill that would provide an overnight parking lot for homeless persons narrowly survived a committee hearing at the House Monday morning. Garden Island.

More than 10-thousand families are on the wait-list for Public Housing in Hawai’i. As a result… state lawmakers want to curb systemic abuse and tighten the rules to qualify for low rental housing. Hawaii Public Radio.

Anyone living in public housing can forget about smoking at home if a proposed ban passes. KHON2.

Rock climbers lobby lawmakers. Bills to limit liability for rock climbing on state land. KITV4.

Conservationists say they've successfully eliminated harmful, non-native rats from remote, uninhabited Palmyra Atoll. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for January 29. Associated Press.

Oahu

The film industry brings roughly $180 million and 2,500 jobs to Hawaii each year, but productions that choose to film here are met by a dilapidated studio that has suffered from scarce funding and years of wear and tear. Civil Beat.

With tuition at the University of Hawaii rising 141 percent over the last 11 years, female students have found an unconventional method to cover the cost of education that can now cost nearly $10,000 a year for an undergraduate degree. They are signing up in record numbers with SeekingArrangement.com, a dating web site that openly boasts it will find them their perfect "Sugar Daddy." Hawaii Reporter.

The 40th Honolulu Marathon generated a record $132.8 million in visitor spending in December, according to a study released Monday by Hawaii Pacific University. Hawaii News Now.

Two boulders dislodged during heavy rain tumbled about 20 feet down a Kalihi Valley hillside early Monday morning, damaging a home and narrowly missing four people sleeping inside. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie, former Governor Ben Cayetano, former Lt. Governor Duke Aiona, State Senator Sam Slom and former Senator Richard Henderson were among the people who spoke at a memorial service for Wilfred Clinton "Buddy" Soares on Saturday at Holy Trinity Church in Hawaii Kai. Hawaii Reporter.

On Facebook he describes himself as a "wounded warrior … very wounded." Schofield Barracks soldier Brendan Marrocco, the first service member to survive losing all four limbs in the Iraq War, received a double arm transplant Dec. 18, doctors revealed Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The state of Hawaii and Hawaiian Electric Co. have reached an agreement that will result in the withdrawal of a rate increase request submitted for the Big Island, Gov. Neil Abercrombie said in a statement. Pacific Business News.

Big Island legislators say they have serious concerns about a construction company’s decision to withdraw its bid for the Hawaii Community College at Palamanui project. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo Medical Center and other public health care facilities across the state face having to resort to “painful choices” as they deal with diminishing resources, according to an editorial distributed Monday by CEO Howard Ainsley. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii Electric Light Co. filed on Friday a final request for proposals for expanding geothermal power on the island. Tribune-Herald.

Flying steerage just took on a whole new meaning. Pacific Air Cargo, using 727 airplanes leased from Kalitta Air, is taking Big Island cattle to the West Coast on a weekly basis, CEO Beti Ward said. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County has adopted a comprehensive vehicle use policy and has taken steps to use eye-in-the-sky technology to track employees' use of official vehicles. Maui News.

The Legislature is again trying to serve the counties with a footloose challenge, as two state senate bills are trying to get the counties find the elusive definition of dancing. Garden Island.

Five Mauians, including the late planner Chris Hart, will be honored for their work to preserve Maui's environment by the Maui Group of the Sierra Club at its annual meeting from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Kaunoa Senior Center in Spreckelsville. Maui News.

Kauai

Kaua‘i’s elected leaders say that Hawai‘i has tough gun laws and that it may be premature to enact more legislation without a deeper look. Garden Island.

County employees donated $18,900 in total to the Kaua‘i United way in 2012, officials announced this week. Garden Island.

Mainland tourists returning to Hawaii, reapportionment lawsuit headed to court, spike in shark attacks, Oahu beach smoking ban advances, new AD to be named at UH, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii tourists returning (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Despite economic uncertainty and lagging consumer confidence, North American leisure and business travelers are expected to make more trips to Hawaii next year. Star-Advertiser.

A lawsuit over the 2011 drawing of political boundaries that resulted in Hawaii Island getting a fourth state senator will be heard next month in U.S. District Court. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii-born President Barack Obama recognized retiring U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka today during the president's remarks at the Tribal Nations Conference in Washington D.C. Star-Advertiser.

After reviewing a consultant's study that some hoped would be the silver bullet to bring down soaring student transportation costs, state lawmakers left a legislative briefing Wednesday still wondering how much money the Department of Education will be able to save through the recommended policy changes. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's elderly may be victims of the upcoming congressional budget deal, according to an analysis done by the American Association of Retired People. Civil Beat.

University of Hawaii officials say they expect to announce the name of a new athletics director either late Thursday or Friday. Pacific Business News.

Wil Okabe, president of the 13,500-member Hawai‘i State Teachers Association, issued a statement Wednesday in response to the state’s definition of “work to rule.” Garden Island.

For the past two years and four months, a detachment of the Montana Air National Guard has been watching over Hawaii’s skies as part of an air defense “alert” mission, with two pilots ready to fly 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the event of an emergency. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Prohibitions on smoking are becoming more commonplace around the world and a ban on lighting up at popular Honolulu beach parks would have little impact on tourism, supporters of such a measure told the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Newly re-elected Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro says he's beefing up his staff dedicated to fighting elderly abuse in Hawaii and laying the groundwork to put pimps behind bars. Civil Beat.

Within days of his election in 2010, Mayor Peter Carlisle traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with Federal Transit Administration officials to pledge support for the previous administration's rail transit project. Star-Advertiser.

A $200 million high-rise condominium project that would create 635 affordable homes at the former Hono­lulu Advertiser property in Kakaako was unanimously approved Wednesday by the Hawaii Community Development Authority. Star-Advertiser.

A $50,000 donation to the University of Hawaii Cancer Center from UH President M.R.C.Greenwood and her longtime partner, Patricia Johnson, has earned the couple prominent recognition at the front entrance of the new center. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii

The Big Island is continuing to have problems activating all of its 71 Civil Defense sirens following the Oct. 27 tsunami warning. Tribune-Herald.

A proposal to make West Hawaii the lone area in the state to ban scuba spearfishing sparked contentious debate at a public hearing in Kona that was still going at press time Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Biomass fuel could eventually replace oil at one of Hawaii Electric Light Co.’s power plants, HELCO President Jay Ignacio said Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

A handful of Hawaii Island residents brought suggestions for Hawaii Electric Light Co. to consider as the company pursues a state-mandated Integrated Resource Plan. West Hawaii Today.

The Windward Planning Commission today will reconsider the fate of a popular performing arts center in Kalapana Seaview Estates. Tribune-Herald.

The Hoppa-on, Hoppa-off bus was hoppin’ along for a few days last week until the lack of a pesky permit put the brakes on the operation. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A 2nd Circuit judge on Wednesday granted a request by the state Attorney General's Office to have Wailuku Main Street Association and its board chairman, Thomas Cannon, to comply with a subpoena to turn over various association documents as well as for Cannon to appear for sworn testimony. Maui News.

The Wailuku Main Street Association is refusing to comply with an additional subpoena, calling it "unreasonable and oppressive" and adding that a state attorney is just "fishing" for information to "harm us." Maui News.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa will be among the dignitaries present during the Hawaii Presidential Center Inaugural Gala on Jan. 19 in Washington, D.C., according to an announcement. Maui News.

Kauai

A shark bit a 60-year-old surfer off Kauai’s west shore Wednesday, raising the attack total for Hawaii to 11 this year, an exceptionally active period for the ocean predators. Star-Advertiser.

Many award recipients honored Tuesday during a Transportation Security Administration ceremony were with the organization when it rolled out at the Lihu‘e Airport, said Monika Mali of the TSA. Garden Island.

Kona lava graffiti removed, raises for Honolulu officials, council, rate hike for health insurer HMSA, Kauai in top 10 for film locations, still no GOP candidate for Congress, rail project needs more credit, waste to energy on Maui mulled, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kona lava (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Less white coral graffiti decorates the lava on the shoulders of Queen Kaahumanu Highway these days. West Hawaii Today.

Families of fallen war heroes have been invited to a special joint session of the state Legislature on Wednesday. Associated Press.

March is almost over and still no Republican candidate in the open 2nd Congressional District race. Civil Beat.

Two good government advocacy groups are taking state Sen. Rosalyn Baker to task over her conduct of a confirmation hearing Friday. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers question UH Manoa Chancellor's necessity. KHON2.

Hawaii Medical Service Association plans to raise health insurance premiums for roughly 84,000 small-business members by 3.8 percent after posting a more than eightfold profit to $43.8 million in 2011. Star-Advertiser.

The State Department of Education is being put to the test.  Federal officials are in town to decide if Hawaii should get $75 million in Race to the Top grant money. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu

Honolulu's job market still had not recovered fully from the 2008-2009 recession by the end of last year, although the city fared better than three-quarters of the nation's largest metropolitan areas, according to a report due out today by the Brookings Institution. Star-Advertiser.

The Salary Commission of the City and County of Honolulu voted to recommend raises of 5.5 percent for the police chief and his deputies, 4 percent for the fire chief and his deputy, and 3 percent for city council members, and most directors and department heads and their deputies. KHON2.

Rhetoric is heating up over the financial impact of the city's planned $5.27 billion rail transit project as two top contenders for the mayor's job traded accusations Tuesday of reckless spending and misinformation. Star-Advertiser.

Extending Honolulu's line of credit is the "big piece that's outstanding" before officials can formally ask for funding from the federal government to help pay for Honolulu's $5.2 billion rail project, incoming HART CEO Daniel Grabauskas told Civil Beat in an exclusive interview Tuesday. Civil Beat.

The new CEO and executive director of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation met with the head of the Federal Transit Administration and with Hawaii's congressional delegations in Washington Tuesday. KITV4.

Rail debt is going up, and spending on other capital projects is coming down. Civil Beat.

This letter was submitted March 26, 2012 to Leslie T. Rogers, the Regional Administrator for the Federal Transit Administration, Region IX with the U.S. Department of Transportation, 201 Mission Street, Suite 1650, San Francisco, CA 94105 by University of Hawaii Law Professor Randall Roth, Honolulu Transportation Expert Cliff Slater and Retired Judge Walter Heen, who are plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the City & county of Honolulu and the FTA over the city's planned $5.3 billion elevated steel on steel rail project. Hawaii Reporter.

Honolulu City Council members learned yesterday that one possible step to lower obesity rates is to link health with transportation options. Hawaii Public Radio.

Community, Castle complex in high-risk redesign program. KITV4.

Hawaii

The county Water Board approved a budget Tuesday that’s 6 percent less than this year’s spending plan and relies on an already approved 2.2 percent increase in water rates starting July 1. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union employees improperly accessed the names, addresses and last four digits of Social Security numbers of “several hundred” Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union members, President James Takamine said Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

A “fecal incident” over the weekend, and a slowed water filtration rate, closed the Kona Community Aquatic Center Sunday, Parks and Recreation Director Bob Fitzgerald said Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

Major changes at Old Kona Airport Park are unlikely to happen until the state transfers the 117-acre recreation and beach area to the county. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration is exploring ways to turn waste into energy at the Central Maui Landfill. Maui News.

Eight years after becoming stuck on a reef off of Lahaina, Maui, the “Dolphin” vessel was finally carted away in pieces by helicopter at around 11 a.m. today, according to state officials. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kaua‘i Planning Commission on Tuesday approved a $10 million multiplex cinema project, complete with nine movie screens and 1,274 seats, to be built on the back parking lot of Kmart, at Kukui Grove Center. Garden Island.

The Hawaiian island of Kauai has made a list of the top 10 film locations around the world. Pacific Business News.

With the global box office success of the Hunger Games movie filmed in North Carolina, Cheapflights.com listed the top 10 film locations worldwide that included Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Kaua‘i will share in $600,000 in federal grants that were awarded to public housing agencies in Hawai‘i to help homeless veterans transition into permanent housing. Garden Island.

Big boost in Hawaii tourism spending, interisland mega-yacht coming to Molokai, Honolulu woman wants to ban smoking in public housing, Hawaii supports APEC, seabirds released on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Convict tang congregate on Hawaii coral reef (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

Up to 20 million tons of tsunami debris floating from Japan could arrive on Hawaii's shores by early 2013, before reaching the West Coast, according to estimates by University of Hawaii scientists. Associated Press.

Total visitor spending rose almost 20 percent to top $1 billion in September, as visitors from the West Coast, Japan and Canada increased their average daily spending, the Hawaii Tourism Authority said Tuesday. Pacific Business News

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents is scheduled to approve a proposal that would increase tuition on all campuses over the next five years. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's Future Leaders: Where Are They? Civil Beat.

A disabled woman at a Honolulu public housing complex wants the state to ban smoking at all 6,000 of its housing units across the state, and she's considering legal action to make that happen. KITV4.

The Civil Beat Poll: Hawaii Supports APEC. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Governor Neil Abercrombie tomorrow will unveil a new plan to create jobs and build new housing in the Kakaakao area of Honolulu. Hawaii Reporter.

State prisoners and Department of Transportation landscaping crews are busy clearing homeless people and their belongings from 17 different areas along Nimitz Highway and the H-1 Freeway that will be seen by delegations attending next month's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Peter Carlisle and City officials today dedicated the Middle Street Intermodal Center, located at the intersection of Middle Street and Kamehameha Highway and adjacent to the existing Kalihi-Palama Transit Facility. Hawaii Independent.

Waikiki merchants are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the first wave of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC meeting attendees in less than two weeks. Hawaii Public Radio.

A group that saves prostitutes from sex trafficking fears women working the street could double during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. It said evidence is already out there. Hawaii News Now.

A recent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Ko Olina developer Jeff Stone includes a description of the resort as ‘providing casino facilities.’ KHON2.

Hawaii

Multimillion-dollar state construction projects expected to generate Big Island jobs actually have triggered layoffs. Tribune-Herald

Five years after the Kiholo Bay earthquakes, the Department of Water Supply is down to one final repair project. West Hawaii Today.

A group claiming Native Hawaiian rights to property Hawaii County is trying to buy on Kawa Bay had its case sent back to state court Tuesday, when a federal judge decided he had no jurisdiction over the issue. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The state will pay considerably more for property management services at a troubled Maui affordable housing project under a six-month non-bid contract that took effect last week, according to procurement records. Hawaii Reporter.

Charter Commission members on Monday killed a proposal that would give the mayor powers to hire and fire the fire chief, but they supported a plan to move county ocean safety officers under the authority of the Maui fire department. Maui News.


Kauai

State workers, environmental groups and students joined forces Tuesday morning at Lydgate Park to release several endangered seabirds back into the wild. Garden Island.

Molokai

A blessing was held on Molokai on Tuesday for an interisland mega-yacht that will start making regularly scheduled cruise voyages this week. KHON2.

Members of the Hawaii Legislature and guests will be visiting Molokai on Wednesday, Nov. 2 to hear from island residents about a wind farm proposed for Molokai. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii one of the three freest states, tight times hit education, rest of state government, new CIO named, bridges need work, toxin found in monk seal, bird droppings plague Capitol, bin Laden burial ship on shore stop, more Hawaii news

Hawaii House courtesy photo

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie will likely have to exhaust the state's hurricane relief savings to balance the current fiscal year's budget, according to his finance director. Associated Press.

The security blanket known as the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund will likely be no more after July 1. KHON2.

Doing more with less was the theme of the legislative session that ended last month, a group of lawmakers said Tuesday evening in updating constituents in Hilo. West Hawaii Today.

Per-pupil money schools receive will be cut by nearly $8 million, and direct funding to popular programs such as learning centers and adult education will be eliminated as part of the state Department of Education's plan to tackle a $32.8 million budget reduction over the next two fiscal years. Star-Advertiser.

The new Board of Education had its first finance meeting today and voted to go with the Department of Education recommendation to subtract another $16.4 million from the budget. Hawaii News Now.

We’re only three meetings in, but the new appointed Hawai‘i State Board of Education is already being accused of discouraging public participation in its meetings. Civil Beat.

Years of neglect have created a problem at the State Capitol: bird droppings staining the famous building, a state official said. KITV4.

The aircraft carrier that buried Osama bin Laden's body at sea arrived in Hawaii Tuesday morning on its first stop on U.S. soil since its historic six-month deployment to Asia and the Middle East. KITV4.

Researchers from NOAA have discovered a potent and highly-debilitating toxin in the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, a first-of-its-kind chemical finding that is now prompting investigations of other marine mammals in the state. Associated Press.

An experienced leader of government technology oversight, Sanjeev “Sonny” Bhagowalia, was named Tuesday as Hawaii's first full-time chief information officer. Associated Press.

Sanjeev “Sonny” Bhagowalia has been named the state’s first chief information officer, effective July 6. Pacific Business News

Mercatus Report: Hawaii is 47th Least Free State. Hawaii Reporter.

The Waiahole Bridge is one of 34 bridges around Hawaii the state Department of Transportation hopes to rehabilitate or rebuild during the next five years at an estimated expense of $350 million dollars. Hawaii News Now.

The federal government has notified Honolulu officials that they may have to return $7.9 million if the city fails to act on possible misuse of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant monies.Civil Beat.

Former Honolulu Councilman Rod Tam pleaded no contest Tuesday to new misdemeanor charges of campaign spending violations, but he will have to wait until August to find out whether he will spend time in jail.Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii County Council is set to switch vice chairmen next week, with Kohala Councilman Pete Hoffmann handing the reins to North Kona Councilman Angel Pilago. West Hawaii Today.

The latest affordable neighborhood was dedicated today in Leeward O’ahu … the center of the state’s largest homeless population. Hawaii Public Radio.

A&B Properties has released for public review a draft environmental impact statement for Wai'ale, a master-planned community on about 545 acres in Central Maui. Maui News.

Corporate industrial agriculture is taking over food and farming on many different levels around the globe. Hawaii Independent.

A Hilo veterinary clinic has agreed to pay $101,000 to settle a federal sexual harassment lawsuit filed on behalf of eight former employees. Tribune-Herald.

Honolulu media reports on new rail pricetag, Pearl Harbor gears up for 69th anniversary, Speaker Say still counting votes, affordable housing bogs down on Big Island, Maui, more news from the Hawaiian Islands

It's a reality check for rail. Hawaii News Now.

An analysis of Honolulu's proposed rail transit system that Gov. Linda Lingle commissioned is raising serious concerns about its financial viability. Associated Press.

The proposed 20-mile rail transit system is likely to cost the city an additional $1.7 billion over the next 20 years, raising the total price tag to at least $7 billion, according to a state review of the project's finances. Star-Advertiser.

A state funded financial study of Honolulu’s rail project cautions about higher costs and lower ridership. KITV4.

Outgoing Governor Linda Lingle says she has given the City, and incoming Governor a 116-page final report her administration has compiled about the financial impact of rail. KHON2.

Outspoken critic of rail was part of group governor hired to assess the project's finances, raising questions about fairness of findings. Civil Beat.

We now have a price tag to go with Neil Abercrombie's gubernatorial victory: $4.1 million. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Speaker of the House Calvin Say is one vote short of keeping his leadership post, while his opponents are pushing for a compromise candidate. Associated Press.

Worried Hawaii farmers and ranchers say a ruling allowing a new cargo carrier to break up Young Brothers' inter-island shipping monopoly could result in higher prices and less locally produced food. Associated Press.

The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to violating the Endangered Species and Migratory Bird Treaty acts and paid fines totaling $40,000. Star-Advertiser.

Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative members will see a rise in their rates, although it will likely be minimal and won’t take place for a few years, to help pay for measures to protect endangered seabirds, a KIUC official said Thursday. Garden Island.

It's one of the swankiest locations for office space in all of East Hawaii, and the University of Hawaii at Hilo is leasing it for almost $12,000 a month. Tribune-Herald.

The state Board of Education has re-elected Garrett Toguchi to a third consecutive one-year term as chairman. Associated Press.

On Oahu’s Leeward Coast, Kamaile Academy plays an important role for Waianae’s families—38 percent of the charter school’s students are at-risk, 27 percent come from single mother families, 26 percent of their parents are on public assistance, 26 percent live in poverty, and 84 percent are Native Hawaiian students. Hawaii Independent.

The 69th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor is days away, and for this year's commemoration, the second phase of the new $56 million Pearl Harbor Visitor Center will be open to the public. KITV4.

Pearl Harbor survivors in Texas heading to Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.


A new online tool makes it easy for people to see when, where and what kind of property crimes are being reported in their neighborhoods on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

State Department of Human Services (DHS) Director Lillian Koller announced today that Hawai‘i residents can now submit online applications for Medicaid and other forms of public health insurance. Hawaii Reporter.

As of January 2, 2011, most consumer fireworks like fountains and even sparklers will be illegal on Oahu.  KHON2.

A brighter future for Hawaii's improving hotel industry will lead a statewide economic recovery. Star-Advertiser.

A group of beachgoers hope that a trail to Papaikou Mill Beach -- known by surfers as "The Mill" -- will become public. Tribune-Herald.

Oceanic telephone customers experienced a state-wide service outage Thursday night. KHON2.

A litigation cloud has been lifted from a $40 million Waikoloa affordable housing project, but battles continue on several other legal fronts. West Hawaii Today.

A Maui County Council committee rejected a proposed "fast-track" affordable housing project Wednesday - not based on its merits, which were not considered - but because of what panel members called "bad timing." Maui News.

The state Commission on Water Resource Management has scheduled decision-making on applications for existing use withdrawal permits from Na Wai Eha for April 20 to 21, but at a hearing Wednesday, almost all parties asked the commission to go slow. Maui News.

The Nature Conservancy’s Molokai office is sporting a new look – a large rooftop photovoltaic system that will significantly reduce energy  costs while providing enough power to meet the office’s electricity needs for years. Molokai Dispatch.
Hawaii County could lower its construction expenses by allowing public scrutiny of cost overruns and contract supplements, says Hamakua Councilman Dominic Yagong. Tribune-Herald.

John D. "J.D." Kim, a veteran Maui County deputy prosecutor with a reputation for intelligence and fairness, has been nominated to be on Maui County prosecuting attorney. Maui News.


Duke’s Beach House, the newest addition to T S Restaurants in Hawaii, will host its one-year anniversary party on Friday, Dec. 3, from 3 to 5 p.m. Lahaina News.

Gimme Shelter

Gov. Linda Lingle, along with State Comptroller Russ Saito, who also serves as the state’s homeless solutions team leader, beginning at noon today will dedicate two new homeless transitional shelters on Oahu’s Leeward Coast.

The two facilities -- Kumuhonua (formerly Building 36), a former military building at Kalaeloa, and Ulu Ke Kukui (formerly Villages of Ma‘ili) in Ma‘ili -- are the final shelters to be developed under an emergency proclamation Lingle declared to address health and safety issues due to so many people living in parks and beaches along Oahu’s Leeward Coast.

The two shelters to be dedicated have the capacity for about 450 people, in addition to the more than 1,500 people Lingle says have been served in other transitional shelters since 2006.

The University of Hawaii last month released its “Homeless Service Utilization Report,” a study that attempts to get a handle on the breadth of the homelessness problem on the islands and how best to address it.

Affordable Housing on the Agenda

The House Committee on Housing was scheduled today to hear from a range of experts on the state’s housing problems. Hawaii is known as one of the most expensive states to live in, with its cost of living currently 8 percent higher than Los Angeles and 30.9 percent higher than Chicago, according to Move Inc.

That’s one reason the U.S. Census shows that only 56.5 percent of Hawaii residents own their own homes, compared to 66.2 percent nationwide. The 2000 median home value in Hawaii of $272,700 was more than twice the U.S. average of $119,600.

Among the experts invited to present housing data to the committee:

• Kathleen Hasegawa and Sherrilee Dadson, directors, Habitat for Humanity
• Karen Seddon, executive director, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation
• Jo-Ann Ridao, deputy director, Department of Housing and Human Concerns, Maui County
• Nani Medeiros, executive director, Housing Hawaii
• Chad Tanaguchi, director, Hawaii Housing Authority