No police reform in 2017 Legislature; Honolulu taxpayers fund police chief PR campaign, legal fees; Hawaii one of worst states for doctors; Canary Island more appealing to Thirty Meter Telescope board; immigrants an issue at Kona coffee farms; Ellison changes Lanai energy advisor, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii police © 2017 All Hawaii News

Hawaii lawmakers so far haven’t had much of an appetite for passing police reform legislation this year, despite widespread concerns both locally and nationally about the need for more accountability of law enforcement. Civil Beat.

The chairwoman of the Hawaiian Homes Commission is asking federal authorities whether the state’s long-standing and exclusive agreement with embattled telecommunications provider Sandwich Isles Communications Inc. might run afoul of federal law. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers are moving forward on a bill that would allow hundreds of low-income Hawaii students to attend college for free. Tribune-Herald.

Doctors in Hawaii live in one of the worst states to practice medicine, according to a new study by WalletHub. The personal finance website placed the Aloha State toward the bottom of its list of best states to be doctor, in 43rd place. Pacific Business News.

Interest slows for Hawaiian Electric's pilot rate program. Pacific Business News.

The president's proposed budget includes deep cuts to a number of federal agencies, and federal workers fear in the islands fear that could translate into layoffs, furloughs and big impacts to services for residents. Hawaii News Now.

Condo boards brace for medical marijuana smoke complaints. KITV.

Hawaiian Airlines flight HA47 from Oakland to Honolulu was diverted to Kahului on Monday due to an odor of smoke in the cabin, according to the airline. KITV.

A rare collection of Hawaiian and Polynesian artifacts will be going up for auction in Paris. Hawaii News Now.

Commentary: Money Talks To Lawmakers During Legislative Session. Numerous legislators continue to hold campaign fundraisers at the same time they’re making decisions on their benefactors’ issues. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A just-ended, $125,000 one-year contract with a downtown public relations firm netted the Honolulu Police Department about a dozen training classes for top HPD officials, a department wide communications plan and a customized, seven-page “crafting your message” strategy guide. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday approved payment of up to $10,000 to a private law firm to represent former Police Chief Louis Kealoha in yet another lawsuit against both him and the city. In December the Council had authorized up to $150,000 be paid to three law firms to represent Kealoha in four other civil cases that name him (in his capacity as chief) and the city. Star-Advertiser.

HPD accepts recruit applications, looks to fill more than 100 vacancies. KHON2.

The Honolulu Rail Transit Project is facing an April 30th deadline to come up with a funding source to complete the downtown segment of the 20-mile system. Hawaii Public Radio.

A $900,000 settlement for the family of an elderly woman struck and killed by a Honolulu garbage truck in 2013 was approved Wednesday by the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu might seem crowded these days, especially during the morning commute. But new Census figures show the island's population actually shrank in 2016. Hawaii News Now.

Residents in a Mililani neighborhood are worried as a nonprofit prepares to open a group home for mental health patients. Hawaii News Now.

Hilton Garden Inn hotel workers ratified their first union contract between management and Unite Here Local 5. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

One year out from the time Thirty Meter Telescope officials are insisting that construction must begin, the TMT International Observatory board is making the case for why a mountain in the Canary Islands will be an “excellent” alternative site for the $1.4 billion next-generation telescope. Star-Advertiser.

ICE officials deny any ‘large scale enforcement actions’ around Kona coffee farms. West Hawaii Today.

A lack of staff has pool hours reduced at the Kona Community Aquatic Center — a temporary set back the county says it hopes to remedy by April although some people are skeptical they’ll get the extra lane time back. West Hawaii Today.

Repairs to a century-old bridge in Hakalau valley might have to wait until October to avoid the Hawaiian hawk’s breeding season. West Hawaii Today.

VIDEO: Lava Fire Hose Fizzles, New Delta Forming. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The Maui County Democratic Party will hold its annual convention Saturday in the Maui Waena Intermediate School Cafeteria. Maui News.

Kauai

The Department of Land and Natural Resources is accepting proposals for projects or programs submitted by public or private agencies or organizations to increase water security in Hawaii. Garden Island.

On the Garden Isle, two people are born and one person is moving to the island per day, according to census data. Garden Island.

A Hawaii estate once owned by actor Sylvester Stallone has been sold for $11 million. In 1990, Stallone paid $401,800 for the property on Kauai’s North Shore and sold it in 1998 for $875,000, public records show. Pacific Business News.

Lanai

Billionaire Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison is not using the expertise of an energy veteran and Punahou School alumnus to lead his sustainability efforts on the Hawaiian island of Lanai that he purchased for $300 million in 2012, the company heading operations on the island on behalf of Ellison confirmed to Pacific Business News.

Assisted suicide bill clears Senate panel, property taxes could rise to pay for income tax cut, Caldwell's State of the City tonight, Maui may allow advertising at county facilities, firefighters union seeks insignia on uniforms, fewer whales entangled, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii sunrise © All Hawaii News

Hawaii bill would allow medical aid in dying. Associated Press.

Senate Bill 1129, the “medical aid in dying” bill, which would allow terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less to live to self-administer medication to end their own lives, with an amendment to allow advanced practice registered nurses in addition to doctors to prescribe lethal drugs, passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health  on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Medical Aid In Dying Bill Stays Alive In Hawaii Senate. The proposal, which didn’t even receive a hearing last year, has cleared one committee and its prospects seem good in a second. Civil Beat.

The state Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health voted 6-0 Wednesday to recommend passing a “death with dignity” bill after testimony poured in during an emotional hearing Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

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

A bill that could force Hawaii’s four counties to raise property taxes was passed Tuesday by the House Tourism Committee. Maui News.

House Bill 1586 aims to reduce income taxes on low-income and middle-income families, as well as seniors, by eliminating the counties' share of the transient accommodations tax on hotels and short-term rentals. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii lawmakers have advanced hotly contested bills this month that would allow Airbnb, and similar online vacation rental platforms, to collect taxes on behalf of the state. Star-Advertiser.

A proposal to deploy high-tech cameras for traffic enforcement by photographing the license plates of motorists who run red lights has been approved by two committees in the state Senate. Star-Advertiser.

Tightening The Rules For Lobbyists. Lobbyists spent millions trying to influence lawmakers last year. Civil Beat.

Operators of Hawaii’s wind farms are poised to spend more than $4 million on efforts to fill critical knowledge gaps regarding the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat, and may eventually spend up to $6 million. Civil Beat.

The federal government has filed a lawsuit against Discovering Hidden Hawaii Tours Inc., alleging that the company’s president sexually harassed male employees for more than a decade. Star-Advertiser.

A man who controls three related Hawaii tour companies subjected male employees to sexual harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday. Associated Press.

If, as the classic 1980s TV commercial advises, you’re looking for the union label, you’re not likely to find it on Hawaii firefighters uniforms any time soon. West Hawaii Today.

The number of whales getting tangled up in fishing gear in Hawaiian waters has been on the decline. Associated Press.

Not a single whale entanglement has been reported almost four months into whale season in Hawaiian waters. Maui News.

Kelvin Taketa, who has led the Hawaii Community Foundation for nearly 20 years, said Wednesday that he will step down as soon as the board names a new CEO. Pacific Business News.

Gary Caulfield, First Hawaiian Bank vice chairman and chief information officer, is retiring after 34 years at the bank. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s fifth State of the City address tonight will focus on a revamped plan to give incentives to housing developers in exchange for providing more affordable rentals to those most in need — and keeping them affordable longer. Star-Advertiser.

Bills that would extend Oahu’s rail tax easily advanced in both Legislative chambers Wednesday, but the measures now face tougher scrutiny in the House and Senate’s money committees. Star-Advertiser.

Most of the action so far regarding finding more money for Honolulu’s rail project has taken place in the state Senate, but now the House of Representatives is getting involved. Civil Beat.

There were a few key junctures in the long, convoluted story of Honolulu’s rail project.  Getting the point five percent general excise tax increase was one, and the decision to go with an elevated system is another. Hawaii Public Radio.

Traffic and affordable housing are the most pressing issues for Island residents according to a statewide survey for the Hawaii Association of Realtors, though less than half of Oahu respondents support extending the general excise tax beyond 2027 to fund rail completion beyond Middle Street. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu International Airport could lose one of its runways under a plan to improve runway safety. KHON2.

University of Hawaii President David Lassner has recommended suspending for two years the search for a chancellor for the Manoa campus, following an unsuccessful nationwide search to fill the position. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Commission is aiming for the department's new chief to be sworn-in this summer. Associated Press.

The Honolulu Police Department may reopen a criminal case involving the suspected assault of a toddler at a day care run by the wife of a Honolulu police officer in response to a Civil Beat story that uncovered serious flaws in the investigation.

A former student at Pearl City High School has filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Education in a case where she was sexually assaulted by a special needs student in 2012. Hawaii News Now.

Senia, long-planned and recently opened by chefs Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush, and Vino, run by master sommelier Chuck Furuya, have been nominated for 2017 James Beard Awards in separate categories. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The third try might be the charm for securing legislative funding for rat lungworm disease research. Tribune-Herald.

A state Department of Land and Natural Resources enforcement officer on trial for the alleged sexual assault of a then-16-year-old girl on a Hilo beach on New Year’s Day 2016 admitted Wednesday he kissed the girl but testified she initiated it. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County is seeking more income through a bill that would allow businesses and nonprofits to advertise at county parks, sponsor an event or allow an entity to become an exclusive provider for things such as soft drinks at county concessions. Maui News.

Saying “nobody here wants this,” angry residents voiced overwhelming opposition to TEACH, the group that plans to turn Old Maui High School into a center for agriculture, housing and education. Maui News.

Kauai

Increasing tourist traffic, adding user fees and allowing people to book tee times online are just some suggestions to drum up business at the Wailua Golf Course. Garden Island.

County officials hope an audit of the Kauai Humane Society, paired with new leadership, will help steer the organization in a positive direction. Garden Island.

Gary Hooser, former Kauai County councilman, is joining Kauai Community Radio. Garden Island.

Hawaii students improve test scores, tax refund unlikely after surplus, Pflueger completes Kauai mudslide repairs, mosquito-borne disease topic at World Conservation Congress, home business irks Maui neighbors, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii students, courtesy photo

Hawaii high-schoolers posted modest gains in English, reading and science on the ACT exam, but many in this year’s graduating class appear unprepared for college-level coursework, according to results released Wednesday for the national college entrance exam. Star-Advertiser.

The number of hepatitis A victims in Hawaii continues to climb, reaching 228 on Wednesday, but the outbreak appears to be slowing now that the scallops that triggered it have been taken off the market. Star-Advertiser.

Two longtime lobbyists have donated $303,479 to candidates for state and local offices in the past 10 years, according to a Civil Beat analysis of Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission data. Civil Beat.

The state is looking at a $1 billion surplus, but don’t expect a refund any time soon. This is the first time that the surplus has reached this amount. KHON2.

A news conference Wednesday highlighted the state's conservation efforts in conjunction with the World Conservation Congress, the premier conference of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, being held Sept. 1-10 in Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

The World Conservation Congress will convene for the first time in the U.S. in Honolulu next week. Hawai’i researchers will co-host a workshop on mosquito-borne diseases that is gaining international interest. Hawaii Public Radio.

Supporters of the fourfold expansion of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument have fired back against an advertisement claiming the proposal would result in people being unable to eat fresh local fish. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Mark Garrity, Honolulu’s deputy director of the Department of Transportation Services, is now acting director of the agency. Civil Beat.

A new analysis of booking and revenue data for Airbnb has found the short-term rental platform isn’t likely causing rents to increase much at this point, but the company’s rapid growth and incentive for a larger commercial share could change that in the future, FiveThirtyEight reported Wednesday. Honolulu has 1,400 active listings on Airbnb, roughly the same as Las Vegas and Boston. Civil Beat.

Kamehameha Highway near Waimea Bay was closed for a second day on Wednesday to finish repairs after a truck knocked down utility poles a day earlier. Star-Advertiser.

At 345,000 square feet spreading over 6 acres, the new International Market Place has gotten much more than a facelift. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

After decades of trying to get a handle on the island’s growing garbage problems, county officials are taking a wait-and-see approach to a private company’s plan to step into the breach. West Hawaii Today.

Carolyn Ma, interim dean of the University of Hawaii at Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, has been recommended to permanently fill the position. Tribune-Herald.

The Hilo council chamber was packed on Tuesday night with Big Island residents interested in helping to shape the future of Hawaii County. Big Island Video News.

Maui
Nearly 70 testifiers were divided Tuesday over resident Leona Rocha Wilson's proposal to host special events, including weddings, at her spacious Lona Ridge property in Wailuku Heights. Maui News.

The Mayor’s Office of Economic Development issued more than $5.07 million in grant monies to various local organizations during the first half of the 2016 calendar year. Maui Time.

A 1st Circuit Court judge has granted the Employees' Retirement System request to grant a temporary restraining order to block, at least for now, the state's implementation of a law that retirement system officials maintain could jeopardize the pension system's tax-exempt status and retirement benefits for its members. Maui News.

Work goes on as usual at HC&S even as the company prepares to end production. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

A Honolulu federal district court judge has granted an order to close a long-standing case against retired car dealer James Pflueger for environmental damage to coastal property in Pilaa on Kauai’s North Shore. Star-Advertiser.

The Clean Water Act consent decree that required former Kauai developer and Oahu auto dealer James Pflueger to stabilize and restore previously owned property at Pila’a on Kauai’s north shore has come to a close. Garden Island.

There are three multi-million dollar projects that can mitigate traffic in Kapaa. But the problem is they are all state-funded projects, and there’s no money for them. Garden Island.

A Hawaii couple has purchased the property that was once occupied by Hanamaulu Cafe, a Kauai restaurant institution that closed about two years ago after opening in the 1920s, they confirmed to Pacific Business News.

Hawaii solar panels nearing grid capacity, lobbying law finally comes to Kauai, Department of Education rebuffs lawmaker, tourism up, 3 Honolulu mayoral candidates debate, rail chief under review, Maui rep apologizes for arrest, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Solar panels in Hilo © 2016 All Hawaii News

Oahu and the Big Island are closing in on the total capacity the state allows for residential solar systems that can export excess power to the grid and receive credit. Oahu is at 70 percent of its total limit, and the Big Island is at 70.6 percent, according to Hawaiian Electric Co. numbers released last week. solar applicants on Maui hit the limit in June. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s visitor industry achieved its best midyear performance ever, putting it on pace to achieve its fifth consecutive record-setting year. Star-Advertiser.

A state lawmaker concerned about hot classrooms in his district was rebuffed when he tried to attend a meeting Thursday morning with school officials and contractors involved with an expedited $100 million air-conditioning project. Civil Beat.

The applications for three startup charter schools will be recommended to the state Public Charter School Commission for approval, while three others got a thumbs-down Thursday from the agency’s Applications Committee. Star-Advertiser.

Federal researchers returning from a 30-day expedition to study whales and dolphins around the Hawaiian Islands said Thursday they are looking for clues to help sustain healthy populations of the marine mammals. Associated Press.

Oahu

At the KITV and Civil Beat mayoral debate Thursday night, candidates were asked about Honolulu Police Department mismanagement, homelessness, neighborhood boards — and, of course, rail.

With just over two weeks remaining before the Aug. 13 primary election, the three major mayoral candidates attacked one another’s positions on rail transit and personal backgrounds in their first televised debate. Star-Advertiser.

KITV Island News and Civil Beat hosted a debate with the top candidates running for mayor of the City & County of Honolulu.   Incumbent mayor Kirk Caldwell, former mayor Peter Carlisle and former Congressman Charles Djou participated in the debate.

Honolulu’s policy of moving homeless people out of sight of tourists isn’t likely to change anytime soon, because it’s supported by all three of the best-known candidates for mayor. Civil Beat.

The board overseeing Honolulu’s rail project will hold a special meeting early next month to continue its behind-closed-doors assessment of the executive director’s job performance. Star-Advertiser.

Congressman K. Mark Takai passed away last week with nearly 6 months left in his term. Takai’s chosen successor is now gearing up her campaign to regain her seat. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Navy said it is working on placement of a new $500,000 groundwater monitoring well near the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Facility to check water quality and evaluate how groundwater moves in the vicinity. Star-Advertiser.

Four days after Tropical Storm Darby dumped about a foot of rain on Oahu, some businesses in Kalihi are still suffering from the storm’s impacts. Hawaii News Now.

The muddy, garbage-infused muddle of junk left behind by Tropical Storm Darby in the waters and along the shoreline of Keehi Lagoon is threatening the state sport of outrigger canoe paddling’s largest annual event. Star-Advertiser.

Costco has confirmed a worker at its Hawaii Kai store tested positive for hepatitis A. The employee worked in the store’s bakery department and, according to a Costco spokesman, may have inappropriately handled food products. KHON2.

Hawaii

There’s a dustup in the local Democratic Party over an official’s endorsement of a candidate in a nonpartisan County Council race. West Hawaii Today.

The Big Island race to represent the poorest Senate district in the state pits a lifelong environmentalist and successful businessman against the youngest person to ever be elected to the Hawaii County Council. Civil Beat.

Having made a series of broad sketches over the past months, the Banyan Drive Hawaii Redevelopment Agency and the Hawaii County Planning Department are beginning to tweak details for the ambitious long-term project that will renovate one of Hilo’s most recognizable areas. Tribune-Herald.

Political hopefuls went on the record Wednesday night in regard to one of Hawaii’s most divisive issues. 8 of the 11 Hawaii County mayoral candidates present for a forum held at Aunty Sally’s Luau Hale in Hilo declared their support for the Thirty Meter Telescope project planned for Mauna Kea. Big Island Video News.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources, the American Bird Conservancy and the Mauna Kea Forest Restoration Project have created the Palila Forest Discovery Trail — a one-mile, interpretative loop trail located in the game management area of Kaohe, which falls within the boundaries of the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Representative Kaniela Ing of Maui was apologetic for missing a court date and being served a subsequent bench warrant for failure to appear in court for a vehicle insurance violation. Maui Now.

Last night, state Representative Kaniela Ing, D–South Maui, released a statement on his July 26 arrest on a $250 traffic infraction bench warrant issued back in February of this year. MauiTime.

State Rep. Kaniela Ing was arrested by Maui police Tuesday on a warrant for failing to appear in court for a vehicle insurance violation that the South Maui representative described as "a human mistake." Maui News.

The closure of Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. is costing parent company Alexander & Baldwin less than expected, and the company now expects the cessation of operations to be "a cash positive event" for the full year, A&B said in its second quarter report released Wednesday. Maui News.

Kauai

Lobbyists have to register with the Office of the County Clerk, effective Thursday, thanks to Ordinance 999, passed by the County Council in March. Garden Island.

For more than a decade, county leaders have been working toward a treatment and healing center for Kauai’s youth. On Thursday night, about 50 people gathered at the Lihue Civic Center for the unveiling of the draft environmental assessment of the proposed center. Garden Island.

A measure that would allow vending on county-owned streets was deferred Wednesday to an Oct. 12 Kauai County Council committee meeting. Garden Island.

Hawaii Supreme Court affirms Koa Ridge development, Legislature seeks contested case fast-track, lawmakers forge China ties, church can't use marijuana, Slom back in hospital, Banyan Drive redevelopment advances, Puna man gets police to pay for seized marijuana, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Luau in Kona © 2016 All Hawaii News

The state agency promoting Hawaii is increasingly going digital, using social media and virtual reality to reach potential visitors. Leslie Dance, director for marketing and product development for the Hawaii Tourism Authority, told industry representatives at a tourism marketing meeting in Waikiki on Wednesday the agency plans to unveil its first virtual reality offering at its September tourism conference. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers are seeking to speed up the resolution of important contested cases brought before certain state boards and commissions in the wake of the Thirty Meter Telescope debacle. Star-Advertiser.

Health insurance providers, energy firms, a private prison company and other organizations collectively spent nearly $1 million on lobbyists to influence legislators in January and February, according to filings with the Hawaii State Ethics Commission. That brings the total spent on lobbying connected to the Legislature to nearly $14 million since 2013, the commission’s data shows. Civil Beat.

The two majority leaders of the Hawaii Legislature traveled to China in late March as part of an effort to facilitate formal relations between the United States and China at state and local levels. Sen. Kalani English said the trip could lead to increased Chinese tourism to Hawaii, thanks to visitor industry ties already established between China and Hawaii, and an interest in Sun Yat-sen, the early 20th-century Chinese revolutionary who spent significant time in the islands. Civil Beat.

Several hundred seniors converged at the state Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday morning for the fourth annual Kupuna Power Day, a mix of entertainment and educational activities. Star-Advertiser.

State Sen. Sam Slom remained hospitalized Wednesday for what his staff described as “routine testing and treatment following his hospitalization last month for a stubborn infection.” Star-Advertiser.

A federal court is ruling that a church for Native Americans in Hawaii should not be excused from federal marijuana laws despite the group’s claim that ingesting cannabis is part of its sacred sacrament. Associated Press.

Plans are in the works to launch a statewide system enabling people to send 911 text messages during an emergency. Star-Advertiser.

The coral on the sea floor around the Pacific island of Kiritimati looked like a boneyard in November — stark, white and lifeless. But there was still some hope. Associated Press.

Oahu

Hawaii’s highest court ruled today that an initial phase of the planned Koa Ridge residential community in Central Oahu may proceed.Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has issued a ruling that allows developer Castle & Cooke to proceed with building a 3,500-home community known as Koa Ridge in central Oahu. Civil Beat.

Castle & Cooke Hawaii’s long-delayed 3,500-home Koa Ridge master-planned community in Central Oahu will move ahead after the Hawaii State Supreme Court ruled in favor of the developer on Wednesday, saying the Hawaii Land Use Commission properly reclassified the 768 acres of land from agricultural to urban for the project. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has paved the way for the Koa Ridge housing development in Central Oahu to finally move forward. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has given the green light to a controversial Castle and Cooke development that’s been in the works for nearly 20 years. KHON2.

Plans by Mayor Kirk Caldwell to create a housing development division appear doomed, and the future of the Hale Mauliola homeless center at Sand Island and related programs could be as well, under the latest draft of the $2.3 billion operating budget that moved out of the City Council Budget Committee on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

As many as half the patrol officers on one shift in Honolulu Police Department’s Kalihi district staged a sickout for three days last month in protest of their managers' attempt to crackdown on overtime, sources told Hawaii News Now on Wednesday.

The changing profile of Kakaako, as high-rise condominiums fill the historic district, underscores the need for public open spaces, said Kiersten Faulkner, executive director of Historic Hawai‘i Foundation. Star-Advertiser.

A landowner apologized residents on Oahu's North Shore, promising that they will have a say in a development mauka of Shark's Cove. Hawaii News Now.

Home sales on Oahu took off in March, posting gains of more than 20 percent, while the median price of single-family home and condominiums also increased by single digits, according to statistics released Thursday by the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Most County Council members don’t like the idea of enlarging the Board of Ethics, or giving the council more say over its appointees. But that didn’t stop them Wednesday from spending more than an hour in discussion before once again postponing a bill that would do just that. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii County Council gave its support Wednesday to forming a new development agency tasked with improving the Banyan Drive area. Tribune-Herald.

The county settled a lawsuit with a Puna man who claims police illegally confiscated the medical marijuana growing on his Fern Acres property almost four years ago. Tribune-Herald.

When a single rental listing on Craigslist can get 30 or more responses in its first day, it’s not hard for shrewd landlords to bend the law to weed out families and the disabled. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

In response to the high volume of animal emergency calls, the Maui Humane Society revived its 24-hour, seven-day-a-week animal emergency response hotline on Monday to assist domestic animals and livestock. Maui News.

Ron Youngblood was remembered Tuesday as a craftsman writer who elegantly captured Maui life and the spirit of its people, an intelligent blue-collar newsman who could turn a phrase, a mentor to young writers and journalists and a loving brother. Maui News.

Kauai

Addressing the well-documented need for more affording housing on Kauai is a noble cause, but it should not come at the expense of losing the island’s rural character, a Kauai councilman said Wednesday. Garden Island.

Green Aloha, Ltd., one of the consortiums applying for Kauai’s first medical marijuana dispensary license, has struck an agreement with United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 480. Pacific Business News.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources will hold a public meeting on the proposed Haena Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area Management Plan at Kilauea School Cafeteria from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday. Garden Island.

Tulsi Gabbard feels the Bern of Democratic National Committee politics, Clinton opens campaign office, Caldwell wants $21.6M for parks, term limits mulled in Legislature and Hawaii County Council, water for Kauai ag park, Maui tourism head retires, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gabbard on the 2012 campaign trail © 2016 All Hawaii News

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard resigned her post as a vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee on Sunday, allowing her to formally endorse Bernie Sanders for president. Star-Advertiser.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard says she’s resigning the Democratic National Committee to support Bernie Sanders for president. Associated Press.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard announced Sunday that she is supporting Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for president. The Democrat from Hawaii will resign her position as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee so that she can actively endorse Sanders. Civil Beat.

In a bold political move, Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard today announced she is resigning as Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee effective immediately, so that she can endorse Senator Bernie Sanders to be the next President of the United States. Big Island Video News.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard resigned from her Democratic National Committee post on Sunday to endorse presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard rejected the notion that intra-party squabbles with the Democratic National Committee led to her resignation from the organization and her endorsement of Bernie Sanders. Politico.

Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Tulsi Gabbard resigned from her post on Sunday to endorse Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, following months of rising tensions within the group. Reuters.

Former U.S. Sen.Daniel Akaka and former Hawaii Governors George Ariyoshi, John Waihee and Ben Cayetano will speak this Sunday about the “importance of caucusing for Hillary on March 26th.” Civil Beat.

A ranch, a sugar cane plantation owner and a wealthy investor trying to start a dairy farm have received state tax credits under a program that rewards preservation of privately owned farmland in Hawaii. The three entities — Parker Ranch, Alexander & Baldwin Inc. and Pierre Omidyar — acquired $1.5 million in state tax credits for making investments in agricultural operations in 2014, according to a recent state Department of Agriculture report to the Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

Should members of the Hawaii Legislature be term-limited? The Hawaii Senate Judiciary committee has scheduled a hearing Wednesday at the Capitol on Senate Bill 2753, which calls for exactly that. Civil Beat.

Hawaii legislators are exploring ways to bring back more than 1,300 inmates housed in an Arizona prison operated by the Corrections Corp. of America. Star-Advertiser.

Legislation urges more to use food stamps. Tribune-Herald.

Key lawmakers are wavering on whether they will require law enforcement agencies to test hundreds of unprocessed rape kits that have sat in county storage facilities for years and sometimes decades. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii has no law requiring government agencies to take proper care of public records. But that could change under a bill now moving through the Hawaii Legislature. Civil Beat.

A bill that would transfer $3 million from the state tourism special fund to support travel expenses for the University of Hawaii athletics program advanced through three senate committees Friday. Pacific Business News.

With less than five months to go before medical marijuana dispensaries can open in Hawaii, business owners could be facing unique obstacles in a state of islands separated by federal waters. Associated Press.

A bill allowing licensed clinical psychologists to prescribe medication in Hawaii cleared two state Senate hearings this week. Tribune-Herald.

By a vote of 88 to 30, a Native Hawaiian constitution was adopted Friday by participants in the Nai Aupuni aha, or convention. Civil Beat.

A constitutional convention of Native Hawaiians has adopted a governing document that will go out to a vote for ratification, the organization behind the gathering announced. Associated Press.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell will announce that he will seek $21.6 million for parks projects from the Honolulu City Council during a no-frills State of the City address tonight. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell plans to give his fourth State of the City address on Monday at Mission Memorial Auditorium by Honolulu Hale. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell will deliver his fourth State of the City address on Monday. KHON2.

Old Case Sheds New Light On Police Major’s Domestic Violence Past. Honolulu Police officials pushing to promote Maj. Ryan Borges never mentioned another time the cops were called and his wife ended up in the hospital. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Eight is apparently not enough for Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille, who is proposing a charter amendment to increase council members’ terms to three consecutive four-year stints. West Hawaii Today.

Battling dengue outbreak, Hawaii faces small staff, pesticide fears. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s last remaining native crow species, extinct in the wild for about 14 years, will begin to be released from a captive breeding program in September, with a dozen in all to be offered freedom by year’s end to seed what biologists hope will be their comeback. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Terryl Vencl has led the Maui Visitors Bureau through the crippling lows of the Great Recession to the record-breaking highs of today. After 13 years, though, the longtime executive director plans to retire later this year. Maui News.

Neighbor Island medical equipment companies are bracing for change as new Medicare reimbursements take effect this year. Maui News.

Resort installs photovoltaic system. Maui News.

Kauai

Access to water was a major problem for the first phase of the Kilauea Community Agricultural Park. But no longer. Garden Island.

Council members on Wednesday put the brakes on passing a bill that would regulate lobbying on Kauai in order to answer a few lingering questions and to have a full council present for the decision. Garden Island.

Hawaiian Electric sale faces June deadline, rift in Native Hawaiian constitutional convention, Wasserman Schultz rallying Hawaii Democrats tonight, doctors needed stat, county probe finds Maui tires missing, homeless have great view atop Diamond Head, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu lights up at night © 2016 All Hawaii News

NextEra Energy Inc. is likely to pull the plug on its proposed purchase of Hawaii’s largest electric utility if state regulators do not approve the sale by June, according to analysts. Star-Advertiser.

NextEra Energy Inc. and Hawaiian Electric Co. say they hope the Florida utility giant’s $4.3 billion proposed acquisition of Hawaii’s largest utility is finalized by March 14, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

The monthlong Na‘i Aupuni constitutional convention moved into its final two weeks Monday with a consensus to draft formal documents establishing a Native Hawaiian government. Star-Advertiser.

A hui calling itself Aha Aloha Aina 2016 plans a series of meetings on Oahu, Hawaii island and Maui later this month “to identify the very broad movement in the Hawaiian movement for Independence and educate the community on the various initiatives.” Civil Beat.

Hawaiian activist Bumpy Kanahele has walked away from the Hawaiian Constitutional Convention, saying the process is rigged. Hawaii News Now.

A growing number of Hawaii voters — 56 percent in the last primary — already request early ballots so they can vote from the comfort of their own homes and then mail in their ballots. But now there’s legislation, Senate Bill 2496, to phase in all-mail balloting in the islands. Civil Beat.

House Higher Ed Leader Takes Aim At the University of Hawaii. The nearly two dozen bills introduced by Rep. Isaac Choy may be indicative of a larger sense of frustration with the university. Civil Beat.

Home-growers can breathe a sigh of relief: A bill that would have prohibited patients from growing their own medical marijuana is essentially dead. The measure, HB 1680, had not been heard by the House Committee on Health by Thursday, which was the filing deadline for bills referred to at least three committees. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian and English are both official languages in the state but as of the 2010 Census only 3% of the islands' population actually speak Hawaiian. The push to increase the number of Hawaiian language speakers topped the agenda at the 2nd annual 'Aha Kumu at Disney's Aulani Resort and Spa on Monday. KITV4.

The state has hired the private company Securitas to provide security at all of Hawaii’s airports for at least three more years, despite recent allegations of bribery. The state says the new contract takes effect this week. KHON2.

Oahu
The Honolulu Traffic Code says street parking isn’t allowed within 4 feet of a driveway. A bill moving through the Honolulu City Council would allow an exception, under a pilot project, to that law in one tightly packed Ewa Villages neighborhood. Star-Advertiser.

A bill expected to be heard Wednesday at the Hawaii State Capitol calls for $1.5 million to restore part of Waikiki Beach. Civil Beat.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz will lead a fundraiser at The Plaza Club in Honolulu Tuesday evening. Civil Beat.

They live on the best real estate in Hawaii, perched on cliffs above $10 million dollar oceanfront mansions on Diamond Head Road. The homeless of Diamond Head pay no rent or property taxes but enjoy postcard ocean views and the balmiest weather in the islands. Civil Beat.

When traffic is moving smoothly, it takes about six minutes for drivers to get from Maili to Nanakuli. On Saturday, it took drivers 90 minutes or more to travel that stretch. Hawaii News Now.

The Howard Hughes Corp. officially began construction Thursday on its third mixed-use condominium tower in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako, with a groundbreaking ceremony for Aeo, which includes what will be Whole Foods Market’s flagship Hawaii store. Pacific Business News.

The federal government will soon list the endangered Oahu elepaio as a bird species distinct from other elepaio in what environmentalists describe as an attempt to better protect them. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A bill amendment to be introduced in the state Senate today would undo Hawaii County’s nighttime drilling ban for geothermal power projects and further restrict — if not entirely prohibit — efforts by counties to enact similar regulations. Tribune-Herald.

The chances of the majority of sitting County Council members facing opposition this election year is increasing, with new potential challengers pulling nomination papers last week. West Hawaii Today.

Calling all orthopedic surgeons, pediatric specialists, obstetricians and psychiatrists: Hawaii Island needs you. Those specialties and more have been identified as pressing needs on the Big Island, according to the latest assessment of the state’s physician workforce. Tribune-Herald.

A humpback whale can stretch more than 50 feet from nose to tail, but sometimes it takes a 45-foot Coast Guard station boat to keep it safe. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

More than $73,000 were spent in just over one year on nearly 200 tires, none of which can be accounted for, and they’re not to be found on any county cars and trucks. KHON2.

Coast Guard crews with Hawaiʻi Department of Natural Resources conservation officers conducted joint patrols off Maui Thursday in conjunction with Operation Koholā Guardian.  Maui Now.

Kauai

A measure scheduled to be heard before the Kauai County Council would restore a lobbying ordinance on the island that was eliminated some 20 years ago. Civil Beat.

Thirty Meter Telescope could leave Hawaii; lawmakers mull general excise tax hikes, GMO fish bans, $100M for cool schools; charter school head to resign; Honolulu police has backlog of 1,500 untested rape kits; geothermal contract nixed; Maui sugar layoffs looming; lobbyist disclosure bill on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Conceptual drawing of Thirty Meter Telescope, courtesy photo

Thirty-Meter Telescope project officials say they’re beginning to review possible sites outside Hawaii, and say they could pull out of the state if they don’t get a clear path to approval soon. Hawaii News Now.

Ed Stone, Thirty Meter Telescope executive director, said in an interview Wednesday that the $1.4 billion project will need assurances from the state that it can obtain a permit for unhindered construction on Mauna Kea no later than September 2017 — or it will take its next-generation telescope to another mountain. Star-Advertiser.

When state Sen. Roz Baker announced in her committee room Wednesday that her colleagues had agreed to a plan to increase the general excise tax to help long-term care providers, supporters applauded and issued heartfelt thanks. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers gave initial approval Wednesday to legislation that would provide the tens of millions of dollars needed for Gov. David Ige’s aggressive plan to cool 1,000 public school classrooms by the end of the year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers say they don't want genetically engineered fish grown in the islands. Lawmakers are moving forward with a bill to ban farming genetically engineered fish, which critics dub "frankenfish." KITV4.

The head of a state agency tasked with implementing sweeping legislative changes to Hawaii’s charter school system is resigning in the midst of pushback from school leaders who say they are being over-regulated. Civil Beat.

The House Transportation Committee unanimously passed a measure Wednesday to require annual inspections and registration for mopeds. Civil Beat.

The state Health Department’s selection process for medical marijuana license applicants is layered in secrecy. The department won’t identify the people who are deciding who will get the coveted licenses, and it also won’t say who appointed those people to a selection committee. Civil Beat.

The state is remaining tight-lipped about details surrounding its budding medical marijuana dispensary program — and so are most of the applicants. Tribune-Herald.

Twenty days into generally amiable regulatory hearings about NextEra Energy’s proposed $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries, the tone of the hearings has become decidedly less civil. Civil Beat.

The regulatory hearings regarding NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co., recessed on Wednesday and are scheduled to resume on the last day of the month for one week, the chairman of the Hawaii Public Utilities said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Department has 1,500 rape kits dating back more than a decade that haven’t been tested, a spokeswoman for the department confirmed Wednesday afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

More than 1,000 rape kits are sitting at the Honolulu Police Department’s crime lab, waiting to be tested. KHON2.

The State dedicated a refurbished rental building overlooking historic Pearl Harbor today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Thousands of spectators gathered at Waimea Bay early Wednesday for “The Eddie,” but the monster waves that were expected didn’t arrive on time — prompting organizers to cancel the competition’s highly anticipated run. Star-Advertiser.

City officials say a “no tolerance” parking ban will be in place along all streets and road shoulders in Lanikai this Presidents Day weekend. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Nevada’s Ormat Technologies, which was awarded a contract by Hawaii Electric Light Co. to develop a 25-megawatt geothermal energy project on Hawaii’s Big Island, has withdrawn from contract negotiations with the utility, HELCO said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

After a year of negotiations, Ormat has withdrawn from contract talks with Hawaii Electric Light Co. for providing the next 25 megawatts of geothermal power on Hawaii Island, the utility announced Wednesday. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative has produced a plan that it says could satisfy nearly 100 percent of the Big Island’s electricity needs with renewable energy before 2045. Civil Beat.

Puna Councilman Dan Paleka was cleared by the county Board of Ethics on Wednesday to accept a trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with a nonprofit group on alternatives to incarceration for the mentally ill. West Hawaii Today.

A new dengue fever risk map shows the Captain Cook area of South Kona has been downgraded from “red” – or high risk – to “orange” – or moderate risk for acquiring the mosquito-borne disease. Big Island Video News.

Three years after it closed its doors for renovations, the 18-hole oceanside golf course at Kona Country Club is now open for business. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaiian Style Cafe, a popular Hilo restaurant will pay more than $53,000 in unpaid wages and damages to employees after being found in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Warren Haruki, chief executive officer of Maui Land & Pineapple Co., sees Maui at an “inflection point” and talked to Pacific Business News about some of the challenges that will face Alexander & Baldwin Inc. after sugar.

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co., which will be shutting down operations at the end of the year, has announced its first set of layoffs. Ninety-five workers will lose their jobs on March 7, company officials said Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

Two Kauai residents testified against proposed legislation that sets up regulations for lobbyists on the island at a public hearing on Wednesday, and the County Council received 55 written testimonies on Bill 2614. Garden Island.

By Tuesday afternoon, thousands of dead fish were reported along the beaches, according to Don Heacock, Kauai district aquatic biologist with the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. The aquatic carcasses were also reported at the mouths of Kinikini Ditch, which follows along the Pacific Missile Range Facility, and MacArthur Park Ditch. Garden Island.

Hawaii may return to the little grass shack, lawmaker seeks better vetting of state officers following rape, Honolulu incinerator procurement violations probed, bid window opens for marijuana dispensaries, Kauai to consider lobbying law, Bishop Estate to sell Waipio Valley, expert doubts NestEra purchase will happen, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Little grass shack, Hana, Maui, courtesy Forest & Kim Starr

State lawmakers are considering a unique solution to the housing crisis: They want to make it possible for people to live in traditional Hawaiian grass huts. Associated Press.

Hawaii lawmaker proposes grass huts to help homeless. KHON2.

A state senator is raising questions about the Department of Land and Natural Resources’ employment practices after the agency hired an officer who had been fired about a year earlier from the Honolulu Police Department and was arrested last week on allegations he sexually assaulted a female minor while on the job. Star-Advertiser.

A state law enforcement officer charged with five counts of sexual assault of a minor on the Big Island is a former Honolulu policeman who was fired in 2012 after falsifying reports and lying to investigators about his whereabouts when he was transporting an underage runaway. Civil Beat.

The vice president of the state Senate said he plans to introduce a bill in the upcoming legislative session requiring all state and county law enforcement agencies to list in a database all officers fired or forced to resign from their agencies. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources will host a meeting Friday regarding the future of more than 80 commercial and industrial parcels in Hilo, but there is one site in particular expected to garner a lot of attention. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Health opened an 18-day bidding window today for companies interested in competing for medical marijuana dispensary licenses. Star-Advertiser.

NextEra Energy Inc. will not win state approval for its $4.3 billion buyout of Hawaiian Electric Industries, according to UBS Financial Services Inc., a Zurich-based investment research firm.Star-Advertiser.

NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co. won’t go through because of the current challenges the Florida energy giant is facing, according to a recent analysis by financial services giant UBS. Pacific Business News.

Several bills are being drafted to clarify the current mandatory peer review for accountants, according to the Hawaii Association of Public Accountants. Pacific Business News.

The U.S. Supreme Court started its January session today by listening to arguments in a case that could have huge ramifications for unions in Hawaii. Friedrichs V. California Teachers Association, challenges the ability of unions to collect mandatory dues. Civil Beat.

The number of two-year degrees awarded through the University of Hawaii’s community colleges has doubled in recent years thanks in large part to an initiative that tracks transfer students who move on without an associate degree. Star-Advertiser.

Measures Adopted To Protect Fishery Observers In Western, Central Pacific. Following another recent disappearance, a regulatory commission finally takes steps to discourage abuse of observers aboard fishing vessels. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A City Council committee will hold a public hearing Wednesday on findings from the city auditor that the Department of Environmental Services violated policies and procurement laws in awarding contracts to build and operate the HPOWER waste-to-energy plant. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council enters the new year with push coming to shove on the $6.6 billion commuter rail project. For months, Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation officials have appeared before the full council and its budget committee urging the leaders to approve a five-year extension of the 0.5 percent general excise tax surcharge for rail. Civil Beat.

Mayor weighs in on alcohol park controversy. KITV4.

A Waialua bakery will pay a $6,000 settlement for food safety violations that prompted the state Department of Health to temporarily close the store. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Bishop Museum is committed to include Waipio Valley community members in the process as it works to find a new owner for its land within the historic agricultural community and popular tourist attraction, museum CEO Blair Collis said Monday. Tribune-Herald.

The commission charged with prioritizing county land purchases isn’t ready to commit to buying a popular Kaloko trailhead, despite advocates’ concerns the land could slip from the public’s hands. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii residents interested in seeing and learning more about the telescopes on Mauna Kea’s summit will soon get a closer look through a new program ready to launch on Saturday. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

After decades of petitioning and planning, the long-awaited Kīhei High School in South Maui broke ground off Pi‘ilani Highway at 9 a.m. this morning, Monday, Jan. 11. Maui Now.

When Don Medeiros was hired as the county's first transportation coordinator in 2002, there was no Department of Transportation and no public county bus system. Now, the man who had a hand in building both from the ground up is back at the helm of county transportation issues. Maui News.

Rep. Angus McKelvey and Sen. Rosalyn Baker will hold their annual Pre-Legislative Session Community Talk Story meeting on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, beginning at 10 a.m. at Kaunoa West Maui Senior Center in Lahaina. Maui Now.

The County of Maui Department of Environmental Management, Solid Waste Division, announced that due to a staff shortage, a residential refuse collection route in the Kahului area was not picked up today. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai is the only county in Hawaii that doesn’t have an ordinance governing lobbying. On Wednesday, the county will be taking a first look at a draft for an ordinance doing just that. Garden Island.

Even though the county’s barking dog bill is back before the County Council for a second reading — the last step in the process before it becomes law — Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura doesn’t believe there’s enough information to make a good decision. Garden Island.