Hawaii fights for conventions, Matson apologizes for Honolulu Harbor molasses spill, UH brings back employee under fire for bid favoritism, accidental sirens on Oahu, Maui and Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. Neil Abercrombie promotes Hawaii, file photo

Gov. Neil Abercrombie had wanted to host the nation’s governors for their annual summer meeting in two years. He found out Wednesday the governors will be going to West Virginia instead. The problem? Hawaii is one of the world’s most exotic destinations but also a place where public officials go at their own risk. Few states depend on one industry to fuel their economy as much as Hawaii relies on tourism. Yet state officials must constantly defend Hawaii as a venue for conferences involving public officials who are vulnerable to criticism back home that they took a taxpayer-financed junket. Stateline.

The man at the center of a procurement scandal at the University of Hawaii has returned to work. Brian Minaai, associate vice president for Capitol Improvements since 2008, has been on paid leave for nearly eight months as the state attorney general investigated allegations of favoritism in the procurement of construction projects. Hawaii Reporter.

Sweeping education reforms that Hawaii and other states promised in return for millions in federal Race to the Top dollars are "unrealistic and impossible" to achieve, a new report issued Thursday argues. Star-Advertiser.

Mastering the art of the field trip — that’s one skill that doesn’t get much attention in college teacher preparation programs. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie plans to force state lawmakers’ hands, pledging to call them into special session on Oct. 28 to vote on whether to legalize gay marriage. Hawaii already has a reciprocal beneficiaries law and a civil unions law, but Abercrombie wants a special session to pass a gay marriage bill now. Hawaii Reporter.

Between 2000 and 2002, Hawaii was spending less than the rest of the country on energy, when compared to the gross domestic product. But the positions were reversed and energy spending has out-paced the national average. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Airlines won't be the only carrier flying nonstop between Honolulu and Beijing next year. Air China has issued a notice that the state-owned carrier will begin three-days-a-week service between the two cities beginning Jan. 21 as part of its winter schedule. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii State Civil Defense officials have confirmed that the emergency warning sirens that sounded overnight on Oahu, Maui and Molokai were accidental and that there is no alert at this time. Hawaii News Now.

Drivers, get ready to pay more for your vehicle’s safety check. The state wants to raise the yearly inspection fee by as much as 36 percent. It’s even higher if you ride a motorcycle. KHON2.

State roundup for September 13. Associated Press.

Oahu

Matson Inc. officials said Thursday that the shipping company did not have a response plan for a molasses spill, even though its vessels export as much as 2,000 tons of the viscous liquid each week to the mainland from a pipeline at Honolulu Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

Matson apologized Thursday for Monday's molasses spill disaster and said the company will not "run from responsibility. Hawaii News Now.

The massive molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor this week has placed a spotlight on a little know sector in Hawaii agriculture industry. Hawaii's molasses is produced by a single plantation -- Alexander & Baldwin Inc.'s Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. -- which makes about 50,000 tons of molasses each year on Maui. Hawaii News Now.

Four days after a Matson pipeline broke spilling 233,000 gallons of thick, syrupy molasses into Honolulu Harbor and killing thousands of fish and other sea creatures, a Matson executive stood in front of the harbor perspiring heavily.  Civil Beat.

It’s been 4 days since a devastating molasses spill caused by a ruptured pipeline erupted into the waters of Honolulu Harbor, killing thousands of fish and marine life. Matson, the company responsible for the spill, says it's still grappling with a course of action. Hawaii Public Radio.

A $1.5 million state grant to Damien Memorial School, a private sectarian school, is unconstitutional and may be withheld, state attorneys say. The funding —approved by the Legislature this year as a grant-in-aid included in the state budget — is under review by the Governor's Office. Star-Advertiser.

The future of Aloha Beer Co., which closed its Honolulu brewery restaurant for renovations in July, is up in the air as the company works out tax and organizational issues. Pacific Business News.

A bill rezoning 576 acres of agricultural land in Waipio for Castle and Cooke's large-scale Koa Ridge project was given a preliminary approval by the City Council Planning Committee late Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County is asking a 3rd Circuit Court judge to allow it to intervene to help defend Bobby Jean Leithead Todd’s position as Environmental Management director after discovering that Councilwoman Brenda Ford’s petition challenging her relies on a relatively obscure legal premise that prevents the county from doing so. West Hawaii Today.

The Board of Land and Natural Resources will consider giving the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort a lifeline today as a new owner is sought to take over the beleaguered operation on Hilo’s Banyan Drive. Tribune-Herald.

A buyer for Big Island Carbon LLC, which filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy late last year, may emerge in the next couple of months, according to former CEO Rick Vidgen. Pacific Business News.

A civil suit filed Monday in Delaware alleges that the owners of the Hu Honua Bioenergy plant currently under development in Pepeekeo attempted to defraud the former majority owner of the project by attempting to back out of an agreement to pay a sum of $5.5 million following state approval of a power purchase agreement with Hawaii Electric Light Company Inc. Tribune-Herald.

Incredible video is making its rounds online showing a tiger shark being caught off-shore at Honokohau Harbor on Hawai'i Island.  Reaction to the YouTube clip has been fierce, as a great majority of the comments come from people who can't believe what they're watching and want justice – some even calling for revenge. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

The Chair of the state’s Senate Health Committee will host a talk story session at the Maui Memorial Medical Center on Friday. Maui Now.

Prices for single-family homes and condominiums in Maui County showed strong growth in August with median prices at $585,000 and $420,000 respectively, the Realtors Association of Maui reported earlier this week. Maui News.

Officials with the Maui Civil Defense Agency on Maui reported a siren malfunction early this morning in various parts of the island. Maui Now.

A Pacific Whale Foundation catamaran was removed Wednesday morning from the shoreline near McGregor Point after striking rocks early Tuesday morning, a U.S. Coast Guard official said. Maui News.

Kauai

The Department of Water will resume its discussion on the Kahili Horizontal Directionally-Drilled Well and Energy Savings Project during a special board meeting Tuesday. Garden Island.

U.S. Reps. Colleen Hanabusa and Tulsi Gabbard announced that Hawaii will receive more than $17 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for airport improvement projects statewide. About $3.5 million will go for the State of Good Repair Program, which will purchase replacement buses for Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai counties. Garden Island.

Abercrombie unlikely to veto much, Oahu prison guard dies when rescuers can't find the key, shark taste-tests Kona man, Honolulu rail depot downsized, more on Dems lawsuit, Hawaii Island faces hikes on vehicle taxes, bus fares, Maui sugarcane fires suspicious, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Abercrombie bill signing

Gov. Neil Abercrombie says he is likely to complete his list of potential vetoes ahead of Monday's deadline to notify the state Legislature and that the list will probably be a short one. Star-Advertiser.

The Democratic Party of Hawaii has taken the politically risky step of asking a federal judge to throw out a provision of the state constitution protecting the “secrecy of voting” and the confidentiality of voters’ party affiliations. Civil Beat.

In a federal lawsuit, the Democratic Party of Hawaii claims the state's primary election law is unconstitutional. Associated Press.

The new leader of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, a nonprofit hui focused on public policy, has already identified two policy areas as priorities: the cabotage laws that govern maritime rules in U.S. waters (the Jones Act) and the formation of a race-based government (the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission). Civil Beat.

Hawaii's elementary- and high-school teaching degree programs are among the worst in the country when it comes to preparing new teachers for the classroom, according to a new report that slams many of the nation's teacher colleges. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is one of six states chosen by the National Governors Association to receive help with early childhood education. Associated Press.

Hawaii is home to one of the largest and most powerful military complexes in the world yet fails to produce a large cadre of local kids who are qualified to enter its ranks, according to experts who say declining military eligibility across the country is posing a threat to national security. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Community feedback on the size and scope of Honolulu's future rail stations has helped save the project some $100 million in design and construction costs, the city's top rail official said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation on Tuesday released renderings of three proposed rail station designs, and it plans to hold a series of public meetings next week to gather input on the designs. Pacific Business News.

A veteran Oahu Community Correctional Center sergeant died on the job Saturday night after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest, and prisons officials were delayed in getting him medical treatment because they couldn't find the key to get to his secured post. Hawaii News Now.

A community group opposing Turtle Bay Resort expansion plans has renewed a push to block the project by challenging the validity of a 27-year-old state approval for enlarging the resort on Oahu's North Shore. Star-Advertiser.

When the sun goes down, beaches up and down the Leeward coast are filled with night fishermen. That's when Ro Domondon catches ulua and other fish that swim close to the shoreline. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu’s first stand-alone zip line planned for Aiea. KHON2.

Hawaii

By bus or by car, your ride is soon going to cost you more. The Hawaii County Council on Tuesday advanced bills doubling bus fares and car registration and vehicle weight taxes. West Hawaii Today.

A shark bit the leg of a man swimming at a West Hawaii beach Tuesday afternoon but released him and swam away, allowing the man to get back to shore. Star-Advertiser.

A 28-year-old Kailua-Kona man is recovering from shark bites to his leg following an attack Tuesday afternoon in waters off the Mahaiula area of Kekaha Kai State Park in North Kona. West Hawaii Today.

A man was bitten by a 14-foot shark while swimming at Kekahakai State Park's Mahaiula Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii Tuesday afternoon. Hawaii News Now.

A proposal to give the County Council members’ appointed staff a 4 percent raise was tabled Tuesday after a lengthy discussion over step increases. Tribune-Herald.

Dozens of construction workers could lose their jobs on a bioenergy plant project in Pepeekeo following a decision in a labor dispute. Tribune-Herald.

A parade of county dignitaries and former leaders came to the West Hawaii Civic Center on Tuesday to witness the final chapter of a 35-year saga. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A spate of suspicious sugar cane field fires in Central Maui within a month has resulted in the loss of an estimated $182,500 to the sugar crop, firefighters said Tuesday. Although the cause of the fires remains undetermined, fire officials believe the fires may have been intentionally set because there are no obvious points of ignition. Star-Advertiser.

Maui County Council's Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee advanced a resolution Monday to formally investigate possible misuse of public funds by Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration over the demolition of the Old Wailuku Post Office. Maui News.

The Texas-based landowner of a controversial 700,000-square-foot retail shopping complex in Kihei has taken over development of the project and plans to change its concept to a "mixed-use" development with business, commercial and residential uses, a representative for the project said Tuesday. Maui News.

The Polynesian voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa arrived at Māʻalaea Harbor on Maui last night as part of the Mālama Hawaiʻi leg of its worldwide voyage. Maui Now.

Kauai
Despite Kauai being ranked No. 2 on Trip-Advisor’s 2013 list of “Top 10 Islands” in the United States, the latest report from Hospitality Advisors LLC shows a decline in occupied hotel rooms during the month of April. Garden Island.

State and county officials expect the number of emergency medical response calls to rise as the elderly population on Kauai grows. Garden Island.

Molokai
‘Bureaucratic abuse’: Hawaii vets wait a decade for center, services. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii election snafu prompts investigation, firing, defamation lawsuit tossed against Hawaii County officials, Kauai county manager to cooperate in mayor gas card theft case, HECO sets hearings on electric grid, Oahu school roof collapse prompts statewide inspections, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii election officials Lori Tomcyzk and Scott Nago (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Saying ballot shortages at dozens of voting sites on election day "eroded public confidence," Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Monday he wants Hawaii elections to be conducted entirely by mail. Star-Advertiser.

Lori Tomczyk, a long-time state election section chief, is taking the fall for Oahu's ballot shortages on Election Day, and resigned at her boss' request earlier this month. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced Monday he will be proposing a measure in January to move our state toward 100 percent mail-in voting.  He says this has been effective in other parts of the country. KITV4.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Monday he wants Hawaii to move toward 100 percent mail-in voting, following the lead of two other states, Oregon and Washington.  It's a move supported by state lawmakers. Hawaii News Now.

Frustrated over election day foul-ups, Gov. Neil Abercrombie is putting his administration's support behind converting the state's voting system to an all-mail-in and electronic voting system by 2014. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has asked his appointed attorney general, David Louie, to investigate problems that arose during the November 6 General Election on Oahu, saying "the handling of election operations raises legitimate concerns." Hawaii Reporter.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie says his administration will propose voting entirely by mail in the wake of snafus during both the Primary and General Elections this year. KHON2.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie announced his support for mail-in voting Monday as he criticized ballot shortages during the Nov. 6 general election. Tribune-Herald.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie's administration has signaled that the biennial budget it submits to the Hawaii Legislature in December will assume Congress finds a way to fix the sequestration cuts set to take effect at the end of the year.Civil Beat.

The tsunami warning buoys that ring the Pacific and alert Hawaii and others to impending tidal waves could lose $1 million in funding if federal budget cuts take effect as proposed. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co. has scheduled a series of meetings around the state starting today to gather public comment as it considers the best mix of energy resources and efficiency measures to meet demand for the electricity it produces. Star-Advertiser.

A proposed bill that would mandate the labeling of transgenic food in Hawaii could die in Honolulu Hale without reaching the state Legislature. Tribune-Herald.

State and federal officials are reminding the public to report any Hawaiian monk seals in distress after one came close to dying from a fishhook. Star-Advertiser.

Cyber Monday, typically the largest annual online shopping day, proved profitable for many Hawaii retailers. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for November 27. Associated Press.

Oahu

The state will conduct inspections of roofs at schools, designated disaster shelters and other state facilities following Friday's roof collapse at the Farrington High School auditorium. Star-Advertiser.

Structural engineers are trying to figure out what caused the Farrington High School roof to collapse and the state plans to make precautions to prevent another accident. Hawaii News Now.

The state is poised to spend $13 million on 1,750 acres of agricultural land in a plan to boost farm production and food security. But obstacles remain to making the farming experiment on central Oahu lands owned by the George Galbraith Estate a success. Civil Beat.

Should public restrooms in Waikiki remain open around the clock? The Honolulu City Council will take up the issue during a meeting on Tuesday. KHON2.

Federal agent Christopher Deedy “appeared intoxicated and was slurring his words” when he fatally shot Kollin Elderts during an altercation last year inside a Waikiki fast food restaurant, according to prosecutors. Hawaii Reporter.

Downtown Honolulu's Class A office towers recorded nearly 28,000 square feet of new tenancy in the third quarter, as businesses moved in a "flight to quality," according to a new report by Hawaii Commercial Real Estate. Pacific Business News.

Christmas arrived early for an Oahu tree farm with a jump in sales in the wake of pest problems with tree shipments from the Pacific Northwest.Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
A 3rd Circuit Court judge on Monday threw out a defamation lawsuit against Hawaii County, County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong and County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi. West Hawaii Today.

Members of the Mauna Lani Resort Association are asking 3rd Circuit Court Judge Elizabeth Strance for an injunction against DW Aina Lea until the developer can get a more complete environmental impact statement finished and accepted. West Hawaii Today.

Mayor Billy Kenoi may have a new managing director when his administration takes office next Monday. Big Island Now.

Kohala Councilman Pete Hoffmann can tick off a number of accomplishments during his eight-year tenure, but he’s had his share of regrets, as well. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

New Maui Bus routes for Upcountry and the University of Hawaii's planned solar telescope project for Haleakala are on Wednesday's community meeting agenda of the Kula Community Association. Maui News.

A 51-year-old Maui resident is the Hawaii distributor for EZ-Access ramps, a Washington state manufacturer of portable aluminum ramps that can be placed over steps to grant on-demand wheelchair access. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai county manager indicted on an accessory to theft case involving the mayor’s gas card will make her initial appearance in 5th Circuit Court today with Chief Judge Randal Valenciano presiding. Garden Island.

The Kauai county’s Division of Purchasing started its move back into its original office space in the Pi‘ikoi Building Monday. Garden Island.

Solar panel credits dim Hawaii recovery, Hirono-Lingle debate shows strategies, rail proponents ask Supreme Court to reconsider, Hawaii County sued for defamation, Honolulu PD opens Facebook site to comments, Kauai settles discrimination claim, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu solar panels courtesy photo

In a sobering message to Gov. NeilAbercrombie and the state Legislature, the state Council on Revenues on Thursday downgraded the state's revenue forecast because of the cost of a renewable-energy tax credit. Star-Advertiser.

It's a case of "green," turning the bottom line "red." Or at least that's a fear of number-crunching economists on the Council of Revenues. KITV4.

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono says former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle is key to Republican plans to take over control of the Senate, while Lingle says Hirono hasn’t mastered issues she’d need to vote on as a U.S. senator. Associated Press.

Former Gov. Linda Lingle on Thursday depicted U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono as ineffective in Congress and unprepared for a role in the U.S. Senate, while Hirono said Lingle is campaigning as bipartisan but would vote with national Republicans who do not share Hawaii's values. Star-Advertiser.

In their first meeting since winning their party's nomination Linda Lingle and Mazie Hirono squared off in a face to face debate that at times got testy. Hawaii News Now.

Mazie Hirono, the Democrat, talked a lot about Republicans while Linda Lingle, the Republican, said very little about either party in the first of five debates in their U.S. Senate race. Civil Beat.

A forum hosted by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce Thursday grew contentious as Democratic U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono squared off against her Republican rival for U.S. Senate, former two-term Gov. Linda Lingle. KITV4.

Hawaii's candidates for U.S. Senate faced off this afternoon in the first of several showdowns between now and November's general election. KHON2.

The first U.S. Senate candidate forum for the General Election was conducted today by the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce. Hawaii Public Radio.

Fired up and ready to go four years ago, Hawaii delegates to the Democratic National Convention were just as enthusiastic Thursday night after President Barack Obama laid out his vision for the next four years in accepting his party's nomination for another term in the White House. Star-Advertiser.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is an important, quasi-state agency with a huge kuleana — protecting Hawaii's native people and environmental resources and a growing financial portfolio. OHA's nine trustees have a great deal of autonomy. On Nov. 6, five of those seats are up for election. Civil Beat.

Initial unemployment claims in Hawaii decreased by 22.4 percent last week, according to data released Thursday by the Department of Business, Economic Developments and Tourism. Pacific Business News.

State Sen. Donna Mercado Kim has refused a University of Hawaii Board of Regents request to postpone a Sept. 24 hearing into the Stevie Wonder concert debacle. Star-Advertiser.

State Senator Donna Kim expects University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood and former UH Manoa Athletics Director Jim Donovan to appear before a special senate committee that is looking into the “Wonder Blunder” fundraising fiasco at Manoa. Hawaii Reporter.

The 22nd Annual Hawaii International Tropical Fruit Conference kicks off September 13-16 at the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus on Oahu and continues with a free mini gathering on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. Maui Now.

Hawaii tourism goes authentic: What's not Hawaiian. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Department has changed its Facebook posting policy after a federal lawsuit claimed the department arbitrarily deletes posts and bans those who make comments that are unfavorable to the department. Associated Press.

Lawyers for the city of Honolulu are asking the Hawaii Supreme Court to reconsider its unanimous decision that shut down construction on the city's $5.26 billion rail line. Star-Advertiser.

Attorneys for Honolulu are asking the Hawaii Supreme Court to reconsider its recent ruling that effectively halted construction on the $5.26 billion Honolulu rail project and could result in millions of dollars in added costs. Civil Beat.

The City and County of Honolulu has filed a motion for the Hawaii Supreme Court to reconsider its August ruling on the rail project. Pacific Business News.

An opponent of a construction project that has displaced close to 600 burials at Kawaiaha‘o Church is seeking a court injunction to stop work given the recent Hawaii Supreme Court decision that halted the city's rail project. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against an appeal by the owners of the Pacific Beach Hotel of unfair labor practice charges, an enforcement order, and a second injunction. Hawaii News Now.

In a one-minute commercial that hit the airwaves this week, Honolulu mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell's wife Donna Tanoue gets personal. Civil Beat.

Dozens of artists, musicians and street performers in Waikiki have been arrested in recent weeks in response to numerous complaints. KHON2.

Hawaii

Two fired elections employees have filed defamation lawsuits against Hawaii County, the county clerk, the chairman of the County Council and a county-contracted private investigator, alleging information was leaked about an investigation into drinking parties and a private business operation at the elections warehouse that led to their termination. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County elections administrator and a former senior elections clerk, who were fired in January, have filed separate defamation and negligence lawsuits against County Clerk Jamae Kawa­uchi, Council Chairman Dominic Yagong, the county and a private investigator. Star-Advertiser.

Elections Administrator, Patricia Nakamoto, and former Senior Elections Clerk, Shyla Ayau, filed separate defamation and negligence lawsuits. Hawaii Reporter.

Two employees fired by embattled Hawaii County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi filed defamation lawsuits against her, County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong, and the county on Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Two former Big Island election workers have filed lawsuits against the county and county officials alleging defamation and negligence. KHON2.

The state should establish a “mechanism” to monitor the readiness of the counties to conduct an election and to intervene if necessary, the Hawaii County Council declared on Thursday. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council will revisit its electricity code later this month to address complaints from contractors. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian Airlines has the weight of several elected officials — including Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Sen. Daniel Inouye — behind its application for a direct Kona-Haneda, Japan, flight, an official said Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The state Land Use Commission on Thursday unanimously approved allowing three parties to intervene in the commission's review of whether or not the landowners developing two proposed shopping centers in Kihei have violated land-use conditions placed on the property. Maui News.

A former Wailuku Main Street Association board chairman said he felt "vindicated" Wednesday after the release of a scathing state attorney general's report confirmed the organization had failed to produce pertinent information to its directors, as he originally alleged. Maui News.

A 2nd Circuit Court judge granted a motion Wednesday to lift parts of a temporary restraining order in the ongoing case over operations at the troubled Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences at Kapalua Bay. Maui News.

Kauai

The County of Kaua‘i has agreed to another settlement with a former deputy prosecuting attorney. Garden Island.

Kauai County paid $120,000 to settle a claim by a former prosecutor who said she was racially harassed because she is Caucasian, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

A federal civil rights agency says Kauai County Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho likely harassed a white lawyer who worked for her based on her race. Civil Beat.

The Office of the Kaua‘i County Auditor released the results of a county road maintenance program audit on Wednesday, noting deficiencies in management and non-permitted use of roads resources. Garden Island.

The Kaua‘i Fire Department on Wednesday received unanimous approval from the Kaua‘i County Council to go ahead with a one-time federal grant to temporarily address a shortage of firefighters in the Lihu‘e Fire Station. Garden Island.

Many local residents may not realize this, but Kaua‘i is the headquarters of the only congressionally chartered botanical gardens in the nation. Garden Island.

Case-Hirono debates not so great, groups rally for solar energy tax credits, plastic bag fee, $3.2M award in Maui cliff death despite alcohol, marijuana use, state financial securities enforcer demoted after probe into his past, Hawaii councilors wonder whether tax hike was necessary, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ed Case, Mazie Hirono

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono will appear with former U.S. Rep. Ed Case at five joint forums and debates before the Demo­cratic primary for U.S. Senate in August, but she agreed to only one televised forum and bypassed debates offered by the state's major news outlets. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono's decision not to accept any debates on major television networks has prompted her opponent to call the decision "an insult to Hawaii voters." Civil Beat.

After months of prodding from Congressman Ed Case (D-HI, 2002-2007), Congresswoman Mazie Hirono has finally agreed to debate him. Hawaii Reporter.

Mazie Hirono and Ed Case are at odds over the number of debates and joint appearances scheduled before the primary election in their race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka. Hawaii News Now.

Congresswoman Mazie Hirono will participate in five debates with former Congressman Ed Case leading up to Hawaii's Primary Election, in her bid for the U.S. Senate. KHON2.

Seeking elected office means defending your positions against your rivals' — including within your own party. But when U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono refused any debates on network TV with her Democratic primary opponent Ed Case, she did a disservice to the people of Hawaii. (commentary) Civil Beat.

With Earth Day just days away, environmentalists and retail merchants made a last-ditch effort Thursday to convince state lawmakers that a bill that would impose a statewide 10-cent fee on disposable plastic and paper checkout bags deserves to be heard and voted on. Star-Advertiser.

With the Legislature set to adjourn in just two weeks, supporters of solar energy tax credits are ramping up their efforts to hang on to incentives they say are needed to ensure the industry's continued success.Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s renewable energy tax credits, which are credited with helping the state’s solar energy industry to reach new heights, are now backed by a report saying that they yield a clear, significant net fiscal benefit to the state. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii lawmakers are on the verge of lopping off some $22 million from the Department of Education's school bus budget, which officials say will force thousands of students to find new ways to get to class. Civil Beat.

House Finance Chairman Marcus Oshiro said the state Department of Education's repeated warnings about possible massive cuts of school bus service are "irresponsible fear-mongering." Star-Advertiser.

House and Senate conference committee members have just over a week to reach agreement on measures they want to see passed this legislative session. Associated Press.

Three Board of Education members have been confirmed by the Senate for terms through June 30, 2015. Star-Advertiser.

The state Senate has confirmed the appointment of four new members of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents, effective July 1, and renewed the appointment of two others, effective immediately. Tribune-Herald.

Peter Hsieh, the newly-hired head of enforcement in the state office that regulates financial securities, has been demoted following news stories in Hawaii Reporter about his serious personal financial problems, the state said today. Hawaii Reporter.

A federal grand jury yesterday indicted a Correctional Officer at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, on five counts of sexual abuse of a prison ward. Maui Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has released $34 million to upgrade state facilities. KHON2.

Oahu

The first mayoral debate of 2012 is scheduled for less than two weeks from now, when Kirk Caldwell, Peter Carlisle and Ben Cayetano all participate in what organizers are calling “pupus and politics” at the Plaza Club. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Senate appropriations committee is supporting a bill allocating $250 million for a rail line in Honolulu.  Associated Press.

A major rail contractor won approval for a $15.9 million change order Thursday to cover increasing prices for steel and other materials for the 20-mile Hono­lulu rail system. Star-Advertiser.

More than a dozen Traffic Division officers with the Honolulu Police Department left the state Capitol disappointed Thursday after House and Senate negotiators failed to reach a compromise on the so-called "Move Over" bill. KITV4.

City transportation officials want to make changes to 21 of Oahu's 100 city bus routes this summer, giving riders until May to have a say in the final plan. Star-Advertiser.

You could tell who was at the Kaimuki Community Park Thursday night by the dozens of bicycles that were parked and locked all over the park and surrounding areas. Hawaii News Now.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources is calling an emergency meeting for authorization to enter private property where boulders rolled down a Honolulu mountainside and crashed into houses. KHON2.

Hawaii

Two West Hawaii council members are asking why Mayor Billy Kenoi’s administration had urged the County Council to raise property taxes in 2010 to the tune of $23 million when the county ultimately ended that year with a $24 million surplus. West Hawaii Today.

Three County Elections Office employees who say they were wrongfully terminated and publicly humiliated by county of Hawaii officials have made their Settlement Offer with the county public. Hawaii Reporter.

The attorney representing three fired election workers stood outside council chambers Thursday, blasting the “gang of four” inside who denied his offer to settle their claims without a lawsuit. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County’s Fire Department will soon be getting at least five new trucks, free of charge. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A dangerous scenic Maui overlook remains open despite a $3.2 million court decision that found the state liable for the death of a 16-year-old in a car that plunged off the cliff, according to the teenager's mother. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Circuit Court Judge Joseph Cardoza ruled this week that the state was entirely at fault, writing: "The court finds and concludes that the condition of the accident site, and not the presence of alcohol and/or marijuana in Denis Callo's body, was the sole cause of the accident." Civil Beat.

A Maui judge found the state was liable for the deaths of two people in a car that plunged 150 feet from a scenic overlook in 2005 and must pay more than $3.2 million in damages. Associated Press.

Board members of the embattled Wailuku Main Street Association appealed to the Maui County Council on Wednesday to restore their $243,000 county grant, saying they had been "good stewards" of taxpayer dollars. Maui News.

The Walmart Foundation today donated a $115,000 refrigerated food truck to the Maui Food Bank in Wailuku as part of the Feeding America campaign. Maui Now.

Kauai

Alexander & Baldwin Inc. and the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative on Thursday jointly broke ground on what will become the largest solar energy facility on Kaua‘i, a 6-megawatt utility-scale solar photovoltaic facility at Port Allen. Garden Island.

Hawaii to get wet, economic forecasters upbeat, lawsuits filed about UH records, foodstamps, health care, homeless among us, Hawaii County ignores safety sticker laws, 20-year Kauai councilman retires, UH to leave WAC, more state news

The National Weather Service says there is an increasing threat of heavy showers and thunderstorms for all islands through today. KHON2.

It's been an unprecedentedy dry year, and Ka'u ranchers have felt the impact of a lack of rain. West Hawaii Today.

The official state forecast suggests Hawaii's economy is upshifting, even if only from first to second gear. Hawaii News Now.

As the year winds down, the state is growing more optimistic about Hawaii's economic forecast for 2011. KHON2.

Gov.-elect Neil Abercrombie won't attend a Colorado seminar for new governors because his mother-in-law is ill. Associated Press.

The Center on the Family at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the State Department of Human Services have released the Homeless Service Utilization Report: Hawaii 2010.

The holidays are when family and friends gather around hearth and home. But many Hawaii residents will spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with no place to call home. Tribune-Herald.

Data misleading, says homeless center CEO. Maui News.

The homeless rate for the state rose 3 percent for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, but on Kaua‘i the homeless rate declined 7 percent, to 625 people. Garden Island.

A federal lawsuit seeks to force Hawaii's government to more quickly hand out food stamps to families in need because the state has been falling behind. Associated Press.

A class action lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Honolulu Thursday alleging the University of Hawaii exposed the private information of 100,000 citizens including students, faculty and guests at the university. KITV4.

Through Class Action, Micronesians Challenge Hawaii’s Attempt to Curb Taxpayer-Sponsored Healthcare Benefits. Hawaii Reporter.

Thousands of Hawaii residents could see their extended unemployment benefits run out early after Congress failed in its first attempt to renew the program that funds them. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii County administration routinely ignores automobile safety check laws, according to a quick survey of parking lots surrounding county buildings in Hilo this week. West Hawaii Today.

The people expressed their wishes loud and clear when they passed a constitutional amendment that replaced the elected board of education with one appointed by the governor. Civil Beat.

Mayor Billy Kenoi's $56 million loan request was approved Wednesday by the County Council, which could overturn that action when three new lawmakers take office next month. Tribune-Herald.

Two big items before the County Council got favorable votes Wednesday, but one will be called back before the legislative body for reconsideration. West Hawaii Today.

What you see from the outside of the restaurant doesn't always tell the story even if you are paying top dollar just to get into an establishment. Hawaii News Now.

A craft fair that was canceled after a state Tax Department crackdown on "cash economy" businesses has been rescheduled for Dec. 4 at the Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall's Hawaii Suites, Mayor Peter Carlisle announced yesterday. Star-Advertiser.

After months of anxiety, the University of Hawaii's athletic future suddenly came into focus last night with the stunning revelation that it expects to leave the Western Athletic Conference to join the Mountain West Conference in football and place most of its other sports in the Big West Conference. Star-Advertiser.

Big Island residents have long suspected volcanic smog, or vog, has played havoc on the respiratory system. West Hawaii Today.

Pacific Wings is planning to apply for a federal subsidy that will lower the price of its Kalaupapa flights.Molokai Dispatch.

The Mortgage Store, a Maui business that was started by investment adviser George Lindell and sold to his daughter, has filed for bankruptcy, with liabilities of about $14.7 million and assets somewhat less. Maui News.

If Kaua‘i County Council Chair William U. “Kaipo” Asing had his way, there would be no story, no council certificate honoring his three decades of public service, no fanfare, period. Garden Island.

Hawaii veterans celebrated, new state committee favors civil unions, Lingle mulls Senate run, Health Department changing restaurant rules, tourism up, Queen Liliuokalani Elementary fears closure, Maui business bucks sign rules, Hawaii sues for drug overcharges, more news

Hawaii celebrates Veterans Day with a number of ceremonies on Thursday. KITV4.

Honoring veterans is shared experience. Garden Island.

Hope for Homeless Veterans. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii arrivals by air for the first third of November were up 14% from the same time last year, with strong increases in mainland arrivals to all four operating counties. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Linda Lingle said yesterday she will take six months off before deciding whether to run for the U.S. Senate in 2012. Star-Advertiser.

The new composition of the Hawaii Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee favors same-sex civil unions. Associated Press.

As chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Daniel Inouye's schedule is packed with meetings and special events. KHON2.

The state health department is working to draft new food rules that will affect every restaurant in the state. KITV4.

Hawaii on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against two companies to recover what the state believes were prescription drug overcharges. Associated Press.

Attorney General Mark Bennett announced today that the State of Hawai`i has filed a complaint against McKesson Corporation and First DataBank, Inc., as part of an ongoing effort to recover for what the State believes were prescription drug overcharges to the State. Hawaii Reporter.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources will hear an update Friday on an investigation into a Dec. 2, 2009, incident in which 125 concrete slabs were mistakenly dropped on a living reef at Keawakapu. Maui News.

Acting city Managing Director Doug Chin appears headed to confirmation after sailing through his committee hearing yesterday. Star-Advertiser.

Results in all races in the 2010 Hawaii elections are expected to stand after the last likely challenger conceded his race for Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

A review by Civil Beat casts doubt on lieutenant governor's assertion that his only involvement with the founder and president of Harvest Evangelism was at 2006 meeting. Civil Beat.

Surrounded by landowners, neighbors and Hawaiian activists, the Hawaii County Council Finance Committee on Tuesday took a firsthand look at a public road one of its members is asking to turn over to property owners. West Hawaii Today.

Kaheawa Wind Power II's draft habitat conservation plan and environmental assessment are available for public review, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday. Maui News.

As one of the older schools on Oahu, and bearing the name of Hawaii’s beloved last reigning monarch, the prospect of closing Queen Liliuokalani Elementary is a source of great concern to many within Kaimuki. Hawaii Independent.

Man is giving Mother Nature a hand to protect and preserve one of the last frontiers on Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

The once abandoned pool at Kaluakoi Hotel was recently revitalized by Molokai Ranch workers and is now open to residents and guests. Molokai Dispatch.

Even after being threatened with a county citation, Maui Coffee Roasters owner Nicky "Beans" Matichyn refused to remove a window painting that announced what he was selling in his store. Maui News.

Hilo repair shop to close after nearly six decades in business. Tribune-Herald.

On any given day at the Kaunakakai arena, Chelsea Sakamoto is saddled up on a horse with rope in hand, heart pumping, and a gaze fixed on an all-too unpredictable steer. Molokai Dispatch.

If you eat seafood, chances are good it came from a fish farm somewhere in the world. Big Island Weekly.

In 1971, Pentagon consultant Daniel Ellsberg leaked 7,000 pages of documents on the Vietnam War to the New York Times. Honolulu Weekly.

This land is my land, this land is my land

HONOLULU -- Hawaiian activists plan to set fire to Gov. Linda Lingle’s U.S. Supreme Court petition and light their torches with it as they rally at the state Capitol against the administration’s plans to sell some of the land it holds in trust.

Like a government version of Kramer vs. Kramer, two state agencies will duke it out in a courtroom Wednesday when the Lingle administration and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs each tells the highest court in the land that the other has no right to property ceded to the state following the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

“This state appeal has the potential to undermine all Native Hawaiian programs and assets as well as undermine the legal basis for Native Hawaiian federal recognition,” OHA Chairwoman Haunani Apoliona said during a news conference today on the grounds of Iolani Palace, an important symbol to the Native Hawaiian community.

While the lawyers fight, Native Hawaiians, alongside those “Hawaiian at heart,” will hold a vigil at the Capitol from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday. There will be prayers, pahu drums, chanting every hour, on the hour as part of a series of events planned that day in Honolulu, Seattle, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, New Haven, Conn., and Washington, D.C.

Activists are also calling for Hawaiians and sympathizers to take a day off work Wednesday to join the rally and send a message about the strength of the movement.

“A far-reaching decision by the U.S. Supreme Court could affect OHA’s ability to carry out its mission of bettering the conditions of Native Hawaiians,” Apoliona said.

Underscoring how divided the state is over the issue, the Democrat-controlled Hawaii Senate today passed a bill requiring a two-thirds vote of the Legislature before ceded lands can be sold and a resolution urging the Republican governor and her attorney general to withdraw their appeal. The Democrat-controlled House, meanwhile, didn’t move similar bills by the deadline for consideration.

OHA’s response to the state petition bases its argument on the Apology Resolution, enacted by Congress in 1993, on the 100th anniversary of the Hawaiian monarchy. OHA maintains it places a cloud on the title to ceded lands, forcing the state government to hold them intact until questions of Native Hawaiian self-governance can be answered. Last year, the Hawaii Supreme Court upheld that view.

The state disagrees.

“These public trust lands were transferred by the Congress to the people of the state of Hawaii in 1959 for the benefit of all the people of the state of Hawaii to be used for the public purposes set out in the Admission Act like for the establishment of public schools and public improvements for betterment of homes and farms,” says Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett. “The Admission Act explicitly gave the state the right to sell or transfer ceded lands for the purposes set out in the Admission Act.”

Ceded lands comprise 1.2 million acres of land on all Hawaiian islands - about 29 percent of the total land mass of the state and more than 95 percent of the public lands held by the state.

Substitute teachers seek pay parity

More than five years after suing the state to get better pay for substitute teachers, attorneys will press their case for back pay, this time to the Intermediate Court of Appeals.

Three judges of the court -- Corrine Watanabe, Daniel Foley and Katherine Leonard -- will hear oral arguments at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Supreme Court courtroom in Aliiolani Hale.

Paul Alston, an attorney representing the substitute teachers seeking more than $25 million in back pay, is fighting for retroactive raises after Circuit Judge Karen Ahn ruled in 2006 that the state Department of Education failed to comply with a 1996 law requiring it to pay substitutes the same daily rate as fulltime teachers.

The Legislature last year passed, and Gov. Linda Lingle signed, a bill that requires the DOE to give substitute teachers the same across-the-board raises that regular teachers, under collective bargaining, get each year. Now it’s just the back pay that’s at issue.

Among other things, the Circuit Court ruled that the state is liable to the substitute teachers for some but not all of the back pay sought by the teachers but doesn’t have to pay interest. The state is liable for contract claims, but is immune from direct claims under sovereign immunity, according to the court.

But the Circuit Court also refused to expand the rights to part-time employees, sparking an appeal. Attorneys for the substitute teachers also appealed rulings on statutes of limitations, tolling, sovereign immunity, pre-judgment interest, class certification and intervention. The state challenges the circuit court's orders allowing a third amended complaint, finding a waiver of sovereign immunity.