Hawaii reaction mixed on Affordable Care Act ruling, new state office replaces junior kindergarten, Honolulu releases details on $1.55B rail plan, almost half of Big Island properties in foreclosure, Ellison closes on Lanai purchase, RIMPAC brings 20k military, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Early childhood Coordinator Terry Lock and Gov. Abercrombie courtesy photo

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed legislation Thursday that ends junior kindergarten in 2014, and establishes a state Office of Early Learning to begin phasing in a publicly funded preschool network. Terry Lock, who has been serving as the state's first early childhood coordinator, was appointed by the governor to head the early learning office. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii bet correctly that the Supreme Court would uphold the bulk of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, but the state plans a full analysis to see how the lengthy ruling affects plans to implement the law. Associated Press.

In the home state of President Barack Obama, government officials and healthcare executives were all smiles Thursday over the U.S. Supreme Court decision favoring Obama’s national health insurance initiative. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii government and health care industry leaders applauded Thursday's U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding President Barack Obama's historic health care reform act and pledged to work across agencies to tie in and blend the federal standards with Hawaii's own landmark legislation. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s top government officials celebrated Thursday as word came down that the U.S. Supreme Court had upheld the major tenants of President Barack Obama’s health-care reform legislation. Civil Beat.

Not long after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act on Thursday, the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation — all Democrats — were in unison in welcoming the surprise decision. Civil Beat.

Hawaii insurers have said they have been implementing the law's provisions as required and that the Supreme Court's ruling was unlikely to change anything. Pacific Business News.

Health insurance is a necessity for all, but mandates that citizens buy insurance or pay a penalty may be cause for concern, Big Island residents and visitors said Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

Regardless of what the Supreme Court decided, public opinion is split on Obamacare. Tribune-Herald.

Affordable Care Act's effects on Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

There was a round of applause by state leaders Thursday after the Supreme Court's ruling to uphold the President's Health Care Law. KHON2.

The world's largest international maritime training exercise starts Friday in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

State roundup for June 29. Associated Press.

Oahu

With just over a month left until the primary election, Honolulu mayoral candidates and PACs — including two newcomers — are ramping up their TV ad spending. Civil Beat.

A change in city bus routes is leading some riders to switch to driving their cars and overloading buses on some routes to the point where they have to bypass people at bus stops. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Rail Transit officials marked a major milestone today in their effort to secure 1.55 billion dollars in federal funding for the city’s largest public works project, ever. Hawaii Public Radio.

Thursday, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) submitted an application to the Federal Transit Administration for a full funding grant agreement, the first step in securing up to $1.55 billion in federal subsidies for the city's controversial rail project. KITV4.

The city of Honolulu Thursday released details of its formal application for $1.55 billion in federal funding for the Honolulu rail line, the submittal of which rail advocates described as one of the most significant milestones yet for the controversial project. Star-Advertiser.

A seemingly innocuous statement by one of the leading candidates for Honolulu mayor has reignited a blaze of accusations and concerns about a potential merger of the city's Fire and Emergency Services departments. Civil Beat.

Three different groups gathered in Kunia to protest Monsanto. KHON2.

Hawaii

Hawaii Island has more than 500 foreclosures pending in the 3rd Circuit Court, appraisers say. Compare that figure with the 1,289 active real estate listings the county has, appraiser Larry Baird said. West Hawaii Today.

New claims for unemployment compensation on the Big Island dropped last week, while total claims, including repeat filers, remained low. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A “Permitting Open House” will be held on July 6 by Mayor Alan Arakawa’s Permit Process Improvement Team (PPIT) taskforce and the public is encouraged to attend this free event. Maui Now.

Last Fourth of July, the Maui County Fire Department responded to 73 fireworks-related calls - about the average number for the past three years. Maui News.

Kauai

A cross-cultural event recently celebrated the return of traditional food sourcing and preparation in the interest of health and heritage. Garden Island.

Voters will not decide in the November elections what “shall” really means when it’s spelled out in the Kaua‘i County Charter. Garden Island.

Lanai

The third-richest man in America, Oracle Corp. co-founder and CEO Larry Ellison, has completed his acquisition of Lanai, seller Castle & Cooke Inc. said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

The sale of most of Lanai and its assets to billionaire Larry Ellison was successfully completed, seller Castle & Cooke Inc. announced Thursday morning. Maui News.

Castle & Cooke announced today the completion of sale of its Lāna‘i assets by David Murdock to Lawrence J. Ellison to Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. Maui Now.

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.

Hawaii gears up for election year, GOP changes caucus strategy, Honolulu doesn't want lowest bidder, Hispanics account for almost 10% of population, Maui to protect Kaehu Bay, more Hawaii news for smartphone and web

Gov. Neil Abercrombie (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The 2012 Hawaii election will be the first since 1974 in which Neil Abercrombie will not be a candidate for office. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Republican Party changes caucuses in hopes of gaining more members. KHON2.

President Barack Obama ended his 10-day winter vacation with his family Monday, departing Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam aboard Air Force One. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama and his family and friends left Oahu on January 2, 2012, after a 17-day, notably low key vacation. Hawaii Reporter.

With an eye on the 2012 campaign, President Barack Obama wrapped up a low-key Hawaiian vacation Monday and planned to quickly get back in front of voters as he ratchets up his bid for re-election. Associated Press.

Hawaii voters say the wealthy are calling the shots in Congress. Civil Beat.

Nearly 1 in 10 Hawaii residents identifies as Hispanic, an increase of 38 percent over the last decade, and some observers expect the group to attract more attention this year as political campaigns heat up. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie says Hawaii is seeing a record number of visitors from China and Korea thanks to efforts by his administration over the past year. Civil Beat.

As part of a push to drive down the cost of home insurance and ensure consumers aren't paying for coverage they don't need, the state has released home insurance quotes for 14 providers who volunteered the information. Star-Advertiser.

The state Insurance Division released today resources intended for comparison shopping for the best property insurance rates statewide. West Hawaii Today.

The National Weather Service has issued a high surf warning as giant surf is expected to hit the north and west shores of most islands late Tuesday through Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for January 3. Associated Press.

A historic Hawaiian practice has been resurrected just in time for the 176th anniversary of Queen's Emma's birth at her Summer Palace Monday morning. KHON2.

Oahu

The amount of empty office space on Oahu hit a nine-year high of 13 percent in 2011, and likely will rise again this year, according to a new report. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu city officials are looking to change the way they award construction contracts, so instead of being automatically awarded to the lowest bidder, construction projects would be given to companies with records of on-time performance and good workmanship. KITV4.

Ben Cayetano said he wasn't doing anything except watch football today, but if he does decide to run for mayor his schedule will get a whole lot busier. Hawaii News Now.

At the Hearts for Animals Wellness Center in Laie, there is no shortage of chores for JoAnn Chisholm-Dueno but after five years, she is still driven to care for the animals. KITV4.

Hawaii
January on the Big Island is Volcano Awareness Month. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

After years of work, Kaehu Bay supporters think they may be just a few months from changes that will protect the large bay and its wetlands from development and make it a nature preserve forever. Maui News.

Kauai

A new Web-based directory of “green employers” released by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations includes 28 Kaua‘i businesses and nonprofit organizations. Garden Island.