Firefighters get 2 percent raise, Cayetano urges Trump to cut rail funds, new rules for Aloha Stadium, lava boat tours face fines, another 30 days for Thirty Meter Telescope case, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii County firetruck © 2017 All Hawaii News

An arbitrator has awarded raises of more than 2 percent for each of the next two years to Hawaii firefighters in a binding decision that may be the bellwether of ongoing contract negotiations with all of the state and county public worker unions this year. Star-Advertiser.

Health care lobbyists in Hawaii are pushing lawmakers to kill part of a bill that would expand access to fertility treatments to same-sex couples who want to have a child. Associated Press.

A bill to generate school funding through a surcharge on investment properties and visitor accommodations has died. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii’s unemployment rate resumed its descent in March, falling to 2.7 percent, its lowest level in nearly 10 years. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s unemployment rate has continued its downward trend and dropped to its lowest figure in 10 years last month. Pacific Business News.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions drew fire Thursday for comments about the federal judge from Hawaii who halted President Donald Trump’s travel ban. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s Democratic lawmakers on Thursday criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions after he expressed amazement on a radio show that a “judge sitting on an island in the Pacific” could stop the president’s travel ban. Associated Press.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono raised nearly $300,000 in the first three months of the year, bringing her cash-on-hand total to more than $1 million. Civil Beat.

A state Circuit Court judge ruled Wednesday that the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General can keep secret its year-long investigation of the state auditor’s office. Civil Beat.

The future of cannabis in Hawaii -- that was the controversial topic of a forum held Thursday night at the Hawaii Democratic Party headquarters. Hawaii News Now.

One of Hawaii’s newest agricultural initiatives, industrial hemp, slowly is gaining its footing as state agencies lay groundwork for a long-term commitment to the crop. Tribune-Herald.

Professor says state’s coral reefs have chance to bounce back from bleaching. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

Hawaii Senate To Propose 10-Year Extension On Rail Tax. But Honolulu would receive a smaller share of the surcharge while some money goes to the state highway fund. Civil Beat.

Former Gov. Ben Cayetano is urging President Donald Trump to cut funding for Honolulu’s beleaguered rail project, arguing that cost estimates are the some of the highest in the world. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu’s rail agency has started the process to acquire a First Hawaiian Bank-owned facility next to Kalihi Stream via eminent domain. Star-Advertiser.

The deed restrictions on the 100 acres of land under Aloha Stadium in Honolulu has officially been lifted, paving the way for a planned major redevelopment project that includes building a mixed-use community using a rail transit station, as well as a brand new, smaller stadium that could accommodate more events. Pacific Business News.

It took city, state and federal government officials assisted by attorneys and others, but the paperwork to lift restrictions against using the 98-acre Aloha Stadium property for anything other than recreation is officially done. Star-Advertiser.

City Council considers rules that would add accessibility to new homes. KHON2.

More than 1000 people are expected to March for Science in Honolulu Saturday. KITV.

New signs promoting environmental and cultural care are being installed around Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Participants in the Thirty Meter Telescope contested case will have another month to submit their final arguments. Tribune-Herald.

Two men could face substantial fines for allegedly operating illegal lava boat tours. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is recommending fines of $60,000 against Henry Pomroy, $20,000 against William Fujimoto and $60,000 against Ho‘okupu Fish Company LLC, which they co-own. Tribune-Herald.

Miss Aloha Hula 2017 is hula sister of last year’s winner. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

More than 1,000 Maui residents attended a Town Hall meeting hosted by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on Thursday night at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Maui Now.

HC&S shutdown adds urgency to wildfire training. Firefighters prepare for their busy season, the first without the help of sugar plantation crews. Maui News.

Flurry of Activity at Flower Farm Followed by Private Property Reminder. Maui Now.

Pono Life Sciences Maui, LLC is opening up an office in Downtown Honolulu to help further the company’s education mission. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Some locals say marijuana should be legalized, regulated. Garden Island.

The Department of Public Works will hold a meeting Tuesday on the proposed alternatives for the repair work planned for ‘Aliomanu Road in Anahola. Garden Island.

Airport authority advances, minimum wage hike dead but paid sick leave survives, fishermen ask Trump to ease restrictions near Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, Kauai dairy permits revoked, House releases CIP project list, Honolulu mayor spurns raise, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu International Airport © 2017 All Hawaii News

The House Labor Committee approved a proposal Tuesday to change how Hawaii's airports are operated. Hawaii News Now.

Leaders of a quasi-government agency tasked with helping manage Pacific fisheries are urging President Donald Trump to reverse restrictions on commercial fishing within the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument that were expanded by former President Barack Obama just months before he left office. Star-Advertiser.

The debate over fishing regulations at the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is heating up again. Hawaii News Now.

Maui, Hawaii Island and Oahu are ranked second, third and fourth, respectively, as the top U.S. destinations in the annual TripAdvisor.com Travelers’ Choice Awards. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii has taken the next step in its battle against President Donald Trump by filing a motion to convert the temporary restraining order against the administration’s travel ban into a preliminary injunction. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii is asking U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson, who blocked President Donald Trump’s revised executive order on immigration, to turn his temporary ruling into a preliminary injunction. Civil Beat.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) introduced a bi-partisan House Resolution, that aims to de-criminalize marijuana nationwide. HR 1227 is known as the "Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act." KITV.

The state Board of Education still anticipates hiring a new schools superintendent by June 30 despite setbacks over the last two weeks that saw a former board member submit and then withdraw his name from consideration. Star-Advertiser.

Educators and others are concerned that an outside donor paying for the search for a new Hawaii schools superintendent has too much influence over the outcome. Civil Beat.

Bills to further increase Hawaii’s minimum wage appear dead this legislative session. But workers could be helped by a proposed sick leave measure still alive in the state Legislature. Tribune-Herald.

Paid Sick Leave Being Considered by Legislature. Hawaii Public Radio.

An attempt to address pesticide disclosure at a statewide level will be heard today before the House Committee on Agriculture. Tribune-Herald.

The owners of community-based care homes for the elderly and disabled are pressing state lawmakers, government officials and others to address what they say is a growing trend of illegal care facilities in neighborhoods throughout Hawaii. Civil Beat.

A new model for reimbursing doctors at the state's largest health insurer is causing concern -- and some argue it could hit the sickest patients hardest. Hawaii News Now.

Lawmaker Blows Smoke At Teen Lobbyists: On Monday, the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Hawaii (a program of the Hawaii Public Health Institute) held its annual Kick Butts Day youth rally at the Capitol to urge state legislators to prohibit smoking in motor vehicles when keiki are present. Civil Beat.

A $2 billion destroyer named after Dec. 7, 1941, hero Chief John Finn will be commissioned July 15 at Pearl Harbor but will be based in San Diego, the Navy said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Years of delays in construction of a maintenance and cargo hangar for Hawaiian Airlines at Honolulu Airport have effectively stalled hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of other airport improvements, leaving the airline and the state in an expensive holding pattern until the hangar project can be completed. Star-Advertiser.

A proposal that would increase how much Honolulu’s mayor and other top-level city officials get paid ran into opposition Tuesday, including from the mayor himself. Hawaii News Now.

What was once one of the largest sugar plantation towns on Oahu is again at the forefront of change.  Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu City Council is considering approving a $900,000 settlement with the sons of an elderly woman who was run over by a garbage truck in 2013. Civil Beat.

Ray Soon is retiring as Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s chief of staff and will be replaced by Gary Kurokawa, the city’s deputy budget director. Star-Advertiser.

City to assist affected residents ahead of parking permit pilot project. KHON2.

A former Honolulu Police Department officer has been indicted on seven counts of sexual assault, according to court documents. KITV.

“Dying For Vacation,” a Civil Beat series that examined the high rate of visitor drowning deaths in Hawaii, has been named a winner in the annual Society of American Business Editors and Writers contest. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The recently approved House budget proposal, which state representatives sent to the Senate on Tuesday, includes nearly $361 million in capital improvement project funding for Hawaii Island, the lion’s share of which would prioritize upgrades to roads and airports. West Hawaii Today.

Outreach providers helping homeless regardless of pending cleanup. West Hawaii Today.

County Council members are considering moving oversight of the Hawaii Island Humane Society from the Police Department to the mayor’s office or Finance Department to give the council more say over the nonprofit’s costs and procedures. West Hawaii Today.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu has settled one of three civil lawsuits that allege a prominent retired Big Island priest sexually molested teenage boys decades ago, according to the attorney for the plaintiffs in the cases. Tribune-Herald.

The media and public can now find Hawaii County documents and correspondence for all departments in one spot online. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The state House has targeted $382 million for capital improvement projects in Maui County, including $63 million for the new high school in Kihei and $40 million for another phase of the Lahaina bypass road. Maui News.

The head of Honolulu contracting firm Allied Builders System plans to redevelop his recently purchased medical office building into a new retail building, the broker handling leasing for the project confirmed to Pacific Business News.

An explosive device was detonated in Mākena on Maui Monday afternoon by members of the Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal team. Maui Now.

Molokai, Lahainaluna and Lanai high schools were the only public high schools in Maui County whose college enrollment rates increased over the past four years, according to a report released Monday. Maui News.

Kauai

A judge Tuesday revoked all developer permits and approvals for construction of a dairy in Poipu, pending an environmental assessment. Garden Island.

The permits for a controversial Kauai dairy have been revoked after a circuit court judge ruled the farm must complete and Environmental Impact Statement before construction can begin. Hawaii News Now.

Local resort developer Jeff Stone is proposing to build an 80-unit hotel complex along a ridge overlooking Hanalei Bay on Kauai after eBay founder Pierre Omidyar failed to advance a bigger project on much of the same site four years ago. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai legislators are seeking $167.5 million in Capital Improvement Project funds. Garden Island.

A different way to process waste could be the answer to the problem of cesspools leaking bacteria, nutrients and pharmaceuticals that can affect human and marine health. Garden Island.

While they do not want the Lihue post office on Rice Street to close, some Kauai residents say the building could serve as a community center. Garden Island.

Task force urges delay of new jail, Maui wind farm seeks to kill more endangered bats, most want recreational marijuana, homelessness as a medical condition, Ellison's Lanai water at issue, rat lungworm debated, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Jail guard in Hilo © 2017 All Hawaii News

A 13-member task force led by Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Michael Wilson is recommending that the state hold off on its plans for building a new jail on Oahu until the group can issue a final report at the end of the year that provides a road map for reforming the state’s correctional system. Star-Advertiser.

The State Legislature created a task force last session to provide recommendations to improve Hawai’i’s Correctional System.  They briefed lawmakers on an interim report today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Legislation that would classify chronic homelessness as a medical condition and allow the state to pull from its $2 billion annual Medicaid fund to house those who qualify is on its way to a vote on the floor of the Hawaii State Senate. West Hawaii Today.

A growing number of Hawaii residents want marijuana to be legalized for recreational use, a poll released Thursday by the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii shows. Star-Advertiser.

A bill in the Hawaii Legislature could limit some people's rights to file public records requests with public agencies, raising concerns that it could reduce journalists' and community members' access to information. The proposal would allow a state office to declare a person a "vexatious records requester."  Associated Press.

The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands didn’t produce any new housing units for Native Hawaiians last fiscal year, even though it has $38 million in unspent federal funds. Civil Beat.

Flaws in protective order system leave abuse victims vulnerable. KHON2.

Hawaii lawmakers are considering putting up hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight rat lungworm disease, a condition in which parasitic worm larvae infect people's brains. Associated Press.

State lawmakers were briefed on the current status of rat lungworm disease that is worrying East Hawai’i Island residents. Hawaii Public Radio.

An informational briefing was held at the State Capitol on Wednesday, providing state legislators with an update on Rat Lungworm Disease from the Department of Health and a state-wide RLD Joint Task Force. Big Island Video News.

Based on the state's latest data, Hawaii has about 450,000 homes. A little more than 194,000 of those are rentals. Real estate analyst Rick Cassiday estimates the military occupies between 10,000-to-20,000 of those units. KITV.

Anti-Trump Movement Urges Hawaii Politicians To Take A Stand. Members of a new hui called Indivisible Hawaii are letting the state’s congressional delegation know they are worried about the country. Civil Beat.

Oahu

State lawmakers have advanced a bill aimed at providing some relief to Waianae Coast residents who endure hours of daily traffic congestion. Star-Advertiser.

Condominium sales in Kakaako helped the owner of Ward Village earn a $202 million profit last year that was up about 60 percent from $127 million the year before. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Mayoral Luncheon will be held at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay from 11:30 a.m - 1:30 p.m. Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

East Hawaii lawmakers want to beef up Hawaii Community College’s agriculture program. Tribune-Herald.

A Hilo nursing home facing loss of Medicare certification instead achieved a flawless inspection. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A Maui wind farm wants the government to increase the number of endangered Hawaiian hoary bats it is allowed to kill, after passing the limit 15 years ahead of schedule. Star-Advertiser.

Maui coffee farmers worry that state Department of Agriculture standards are tainting the image of an industry that’s already losing good beans to the coffee berry borer. Maui News.

Maui Land &Pineapple Co. kept liquidating assets during the final three months of last year in a continuing strategy that enabled the company to produce a $7.4 million profit in the fourth quarter that compared with a $900,000 loss in the same period the year before. Star-Advertiser.

Pacific Biodiesel Technologies plans to begin farming Hawaii’s largest biofuel crop project with a ground blessing scheduled for Friday on the Valley Isle, the Maui company said this week. Pacific Business News.

Safeway will anchor the new Hoʻokele Shopping Center, a 94,000-square-foot center located at the gateway to Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.’s Maui Business Park in Central Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

The US Postal Service plan to close the Rice Street post office throws a wrench into the revitalization plan for downtown Lihue, but it could also help with safety concerns for pedestrians. Garden Island.

The state has said its plan to harvest non-native trees in the Lihue-Koloa Forest Reserve and the ongoing construction of the bridge over the Keahua Stream at the entrance to the reserve are not connected. Garden Island.

County administration has made it clear it doesn’t support establishing a pedestrian easement to get to a Koloa beach, and that’s what concerns Councilman Mel Rapozo. Garden Island.

Lanai

When the billionaire co-founder of Oracle Corp., Larry Ellison, purchased the majority of the Hawaiian island of Lanai for $300 million in 2012, there was at least one major unresolved issue on the Pineapple Island — the water used at the Manele Golf Course near the Four Seasons Resort Lanai. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii governor, attorney general, public protests denounce Trump immigration policies; lawmakers mull sunscreen ingredient ban, internet tax, drones, death with dignity, marijuana decriminalization, housing shortages, free tuition, homeless medical vans, more top government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Immigration rally Honolulu International Airport Jan. 29, 2017, courtesy Sen. Karl Rhoads

Hawaii State Attorney General Doug Chin has joined 16 other state attorneys general in condemning President Donald Trump’s executive order banning citizens from seven Muslim countries from entering the U.S. and suspending the admission of all refugees. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s AG Joins Others Opposing Immigration Ban. Doug Chin is among 17 attorneys general condemning Trump’s order blocking entry to the U.S. for citizens of seven countries. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Attorney General and Governor issue statements on Trump's Immigration policies. KITV.

Hawaii State Attorney General Doug Chin and 16 other state attorneys general released a joint statement Sunday condemning President Trump’s executive order that placed a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. KHON2.

=========

Hawaii lawmakers are tackling drones, presidential tax returns and housing shortages as they head into their second full week of the Legislative session. They’re filling the calendar with legislative hearings after introducing more than 2,900 bills in the past week. Associated Press.

With tax collections apparently leveling off this year, lawmakers are now pressing state tax officials to explain what they plan to do to capture millions of dollars in uncollected taxes owed for internet sales in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

This could be the year Hawaii legislators pass a “death with dignity” bill, several told the Tribune-Herald.

Advocates for decriminalizing marijuana and drug paraphernalia think this may be the year the Hawaii Legislature takes action. But Gov. David Ige doesn’t want to pass new laws regarding marijuana until the state’s medical marijuana dispensaries get up and running. Civil Beat.

The state would spend $1.4 million every year to operate two mobile medical clinics aimed at helping sick or injured homeless people under a Senate bill aimed at cutting emergency room costs to treat homeless people for non-life-threatening issues. Star-Advertiser.

In an effort to protect our reefs, some lawmakers want to ban the sale of sunscreens that contain the chemical oxybenzone. Studies show it increases the rate of coral bleaching. KHON2.

Legislation related to paid leave, equal pay and family tax credits are included in the Hawaii women's legislative caucus package this year. Pacific Business News.

A new payment model the Hawaii Medical Service Association began rolling out with its primary care physicians in April has been expanded to include paying a fixed monthly rate to specialists such as cardiologists, oncologists and orthopedists. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii wants to provide a free education to community college students in financial need. Garden Island.

The Hawaii Employers Council Board of Governors has named KTA Super Stores President and Chief Operating Officer Toby Taniguchi its chairman for 2017. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Oahu vehicle owners could see their motor vehicle weight and fuel taxes, as well as their registration fees, rise significantly if both the Ige and Caldwell administrations get their way in the coming months. Star-Advertiser.

The city will continue to pay lawyers thousands of dollars to defend itself in lawsuits by outgoing Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha because his retirement agreement does not include his legal claims against the city, said the city’s Ethics Commission and the commission’s former executive director and investigator. Star-Advertiser.

Scores of protesters gathered Sunday at Honolulu International Airport, chanting and unfurling banners to denounce President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive order that has sparked spontaneous demonstrations across the country. Civil Beat.

Travelers walking out of the international arrivals gate at Honolulu Airport on Sunday were greeted by a welcoming party of more than 100 demonstrators chanting, “No hate, no fear. Refugees are welcome here.” Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii has selected a master developer to begin negotiating the planned build-out of more than 180 acres of vacant land next to the UH-West Oahu campus in Kapolei. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii would be fine with a new, slightly smaller Aloha Stadium but is more concerned about an opportunity to generate revenue there, President David Lassner said. Star-Advertiser.

After more than a decade the Pupukea Play Courts was blessed and reopened to the North Shore community Saturday. Hawaii News Now.

New affordable housing for local artists coming soon to Kaka'ako. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Sunday for Ola Ka 'Ilima Artspace Lofts. KITV.

Commentary: Consider this time-honored Hawaii option for rail problem: Just ignore it and let it linger. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Legislation introduced this session by Rep. Cindy Evans (D- North Kohala, South Kohala, Kona) would allow for so-called “tiny homes” — houses that are less than 500 square feet — to be built on agricultural-zoned land for farm workers. House Bill 2 is specific to Hawaii Island. Tribune-Herald.

Kona’s state representative Dr. Richard Creagan chaired his first House Committee on Agriculture hearing last Friday, and with the bang of a gavel helped advance a bill to combat the threat of rat lungworm disease in Hawaii. Big Island Video News.

The cost of Hawaii County’s organic waste diversion program doubled last year with the signing of a new contract that includes construction of a composting facility next to the Hilo landfill. Tribune-Herald.

For one week every January, a handful of volunteers roam over the hills and into the bush, through the lava tubes and onto the beaches, scouring every secluded corner of Kona on the hunt for Hawaii Island’s most elusive, and often most desperate, population — its homeless. West Hawaii Today.

Each year, volunteers with HOPE Services — the isle’s largest provider of homeless services — hit the streets to conduct the Homeless Point in Time Count, a yearly national effort that aims to gauge the current number of sheltered and unsheltered people by asking participants where they slept on a single night in January. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui County Board of Ethics has whittled down a complaint against council Chairman Mike White over his organization of the Maui County Council and will hear the remaining allegations at its Feb. 8 meeting. Maui News.

No one really knows when Maui Waena Intermediate School’s new science building will open, aside from a final inspection of the elevators Feb. 9, the acting principal said Friday. Maui News.

Kauai
Instead of the hundreds of protesters that were expected to march along Mark Zuckerberg’s wall Saturday, only about 10 gathered in solidarity. Garden Island.

A meeting regarding the potential closure of the Rice Street post office will be held Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. at Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall. Garden Island.

Projects proposed to improve Kapaa vehicle flow detailed at meeting. Garden Island.

Supreme Court won't hear Hawaii spiritual marijuana case, fired Kulani prison warden sues, new book lays bare Hawaii politics, a post-sugar Maui, Kahaluu Lagoon still polluted, $100M sewer reclaim project planned, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Oklevueha Native American Church Facebook photo

The Supreme Court won’t take up an appeal from a Native American church in Hawaii that wants to be exempt from federal marijuana laws. Associated Press.

Hawaii hotel occupancy saw a slight boost during the week before Thanksgiving, mainly on the Neighbor Islands, but the statewide average daily room rate rose by 7 percent, according to the weekly report from Hospitality Advisors LLC and STR Inc. Pacific Business News.

Will Trump Be Able To Undo Papahanaumokuakea? The president lacks the express authority to revoke a national monument designation but Congress can do it. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Since the days of George Ariyoshi running for governor, when the question “Who you going to call?” was asked, Rick Tsujimura was the Hawaii political ghostbuster who answered. Tsujimura, the insider’s insider, remembered those campaigns in a new, interesting political book, “Campaign Hawaii,” published by Watermark Publishing. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Two years after the Department of Health warned residents to stay out of Kahaluu Lagoon and the channel leading to Kaneohe Bay because tests indicated raw sewage from cesspools was likely polluting the water, there’s no indication that the water quality will improve anytime soon. Star-Advertiser.

When Jesse Souki leaves the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation on Wednesday, he’ll be the latest in a string of about a dozen prominent personnel to leave a rail agency that’s grappling with vacancies and high turnover. Star-Advertiser.

City Managing Director Roy Amemiya said Friday that Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration did not delay the announcement of Honolulu Zoo Administrator Baird Fleming’s resignation until after the Nov. 8 general election to ensure a key City Charter amendment won passage. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Tops For Mortgage Debt. The high cost of housing “helps explain why it’s the most maxed-out metro for housing debt” among the 100 most populous metro areas. Civil Beat.

Honolulu councilman proposes bill to establish AED requirement for all city, newly-constructed buildings. KHON2.

Fund-raising is a continuing challenge for all non-profit organizations. And a recent gathering in Honolulu highlighted several trends that have developed in the pursuit of donations. Hawaii Public Radio.

To honor the late U.S. Rep. Mark Takai, an Iraq War veteran, for his service and commitment, a City Council measure seeks to rename the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center at the Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park in Waipio after him. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The fired former warden of Kulani Correctional Facility is suing the state Department of Public Safety, claiming she was wrongfully terminated from the position. Tribune-Herald.

It’s not the kind of project that inspires a community celebration, but a $100 million-plus upgrade to the Kealakehe sewer plant could help the environment while sending treated wastewater to thirsty North Kona landscapes. West Hawaii Today.

The state is paying more than $2 million to have two geothermal wells plugged in Pahoa on the Big Island. Associated Press.

A planned East Hawaii Organics Facility is raising concern in the Panaewa community. Big Island Video News.

After nine days of exhaustive questioning of a half-dozen witnesses in a contested case hearing for the Thirty Meter Telescope, some TMT supporters are now privately describing the lengthy proceedings as a “filibuster” that will stall the project, and may even effectively block the $1.4 billion telescope from ever being built in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

If you’re getting a Christmas tree at Hooluana Tree Farm this season, be sure to bring your boots. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

With the final harvest nearing an end at Maui’s Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company, we asked company executives what will happen to the landscape as the island enters a post-sugar operation. Maui Now.

The sun-baked, wind-blown sugar cane that Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. burns, harvests and mills arrives here, where soft raw sugar crystals form more than several-story-high mountains of golden sweetness. Maui News.

Dispute threatens Manele Golf Course with possible closure. Land Use Commission meeting debate centers around the claim that drinking water used to irrigate a golf course. Maui News.

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will hold public hearings next month in Maui County on proposed administrative rule changes. Maui News.

Kauai

After he is sworn in to the Kauai County Council next month, Derek Kawakami said he will strive to find compromises between differences of opinion among councilmembers. Garden Island.

Nakamura, Morikawa, Tokioka tabbed for roles. Legislators named to committees. Garden Island.

Commentary: With input now, we can still shape the future of Kauai. Garden Island.

Hawaii blocks access to Mauna Kea visitor's center and summit as protests continue, state Supreme Court rules against marijuana initiative, Hawaii worst state to do business, Honolulu pushes for general excise tax hike for rail, Maui residents fight sugarcane burning, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Mauna Kea TMT blockade, courtesy Big Island Video News

Construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope remained on hold for a second straight day Thursday after two rock altars were discovered on the access road leading to the Mauna Kea summit. Star-Advertiser.

Police named the 12 individuals arrested and charged Wednesday with obstructing Mauna Kea Access Road while protesting the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope. Tribune-Herald.

The boulders and rock walls were cleared Thursday, but the road to the top of Hawaii’s tallest mountain remained inaccessible to the public following a dramatic protest against the Thirty Meter Telescope the day before. Tribune-Herald.

Despite a handful of arrests, officers and protesters treat each other well. But this week’s attempt to resume construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope gets off to a rocky start with boulders strewn across the mountain road, forcing its closure. Civil Beat.

Mauna Kea's summit access road, visitor's center remain closed indefinitely. Hawaii News Now.

Boulders cleared, Mauna Kea road remains closed. Hawaii Independent.

Protesters arrested while preventing construction from resuming on a giant telescope have returned to the Hawaii mountain they say they’re protecting from desecration. Associated Press.

The gravel road leading to the summit of Mauna Kea has been cleared of boulders, however the road has been temporarily closed until further notice. Big Island Video News.

VIDEO: Mauna Kea TMT Showdown – Part 1 of 3. Big Island Video News.

VIDEO: Mauna Kea TMT Showdown – Part 2 of 3. Big Island Video News.

VIDEO: Mauna Kea TMT Showdown – Part 3 of 3. Big Island Video News.

The Office of Mauna Kea Management is working on a set of rules that will for the first time give the office legal tools to govern public and commercial access on the mountain. Associated Press.

What happened on the mountain top Thursday took some state officials by surprise, but according to the state's top lawyer, the decision about access sits squarely at the University of Hawaii. KITV4.

Hawaii has ranked as the worst state to do business for the second time in three years, according to CNBC’s annual America’s Top States for Business ranking. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii: Sun, Surf and Suicides. The islands seem to be part of a phenomenon one expert dubbed “suicide tourism,” in which some people seek out final-destination spots in well-known places. Civil Beat.

U.S. Census Bureau released the 2014 state and county population information Thursday, including estimates broken down by age, sex, the five major race groups and Hispanic origin between April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation estimated that the city would have to raise the median property tax bill by 5.6 percent to cover the existing project’s massive shortfall. How to finance that $900 million shortfall and whether to extend the half-percent surcharge were major issues at the Legislature this year, and Gov. David Ige is now considering whether to sign a bill to extend the excise tax surcharge for Oahu residents for five years to cover the rail project’s cost overruns. Star-Advertiser.

The state has a constitutional obligation to protect productive farmland, Hawaii Supreme Court justices were told Thursday during oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging a land reclassification for D.R. Horton’s 11,750-home Hoopili development. Civil Beat.

The Hawai’i Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in the case challenging the 12-thousand home Ho’opili development project in Ewa. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Howard Hughes Corp. has changed its plans for a Kakaako residential project back to a mostly affordable for-sale condominium tower after requesting a Hawaii agency approve the project as a rental development. Pacific Business News.

The Bikeshare Hawaii program got a big boost when the state and city pledged $1 million each to help put an estimated 1,700 bicycles on Oahu roads next year. Star-Advertiser.

A 14-year police veteran and a former reserve officer are facing federal charges in connection with assaults in September on two gambling house patrons at the hands of another officer. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Hawaii Supreme Court on Thursday snuffed out proponents’ hopes of enforcing a voter-approved ballot initiative making adult personal use of marijuana on private property the lowest law enforcement priority of Hawaii County. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

It was a packed house Thursday night at the Kihei Community Center as residents concerned about cane burning met with the Department of Health and Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company. KHON2.

A long-awaited high school stadium on Maui finally has the green-light. It certainly seems to have been on the fast track since there’s resolution. KHON2.

Bus drivers at Maui Economic Opportunity voted to form a union Tuesday night, an official with Hawaii Teamsters Local 996 said Wednesday. Maui News.

Kauai

A public meeting to discuss Kauai’s housing shortage started with a bit of irony: so many people showed up that several were turned away due to lack of space. Garden Island.

Next month, a public hearing is set for a measure that would require hikers in need of rescue — who disregard warnings — to pay the county for recovery missions. Garden Island.

Ige returns from Washington, state economy stagnates, marijuana decriminalization advances, power companies & military top polluters, Hawaiian Electric CEO makes $5.6M, good reviews for Honolulu police chief, Kauai auditor settles, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ige at NGO conference, courtesy Governor's Office

Hawaii Gov. David Ige said Thursday that he met with several of members of President Barack Obama’s cabinet during his latest trip to Washington and talked about transportation funding, airports and Native Hawaiian sovereignty, among other topics. Associated Press.

Gov. David Ige took advantage of his recent trip to Washington, D.C., to make a direct pitch to President Barack Obama, encouraging him to choose Hawaii as the location for his presidential library. Ige briefed reporters Thursday about his trip to the National Governors Association Winter Meeting last week as well as a variety of meetings he held with Cabinet members, including Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige took time Thursday to debrief reporters on his recent visit to Washington, D.C., highlighting his meetings with President Obama, federal officials and other governors. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige on Thursday released the names of the people on his transition team who have been advising him on key decisions to appoint members of his Cabinet, including the highly controversial nominee Carleton Ching. The governor’s transition team includes Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui; former vice president of Hawaiian Electric Co. Robbie Alm; real estate attorney Gordon Arakaki; Ige’s campaign manager Keith Hiraoka; University of Hawaii vice president Dan Ishii, who served as an assistant to former Gov. George Ariyoshi; Ige’s longtime office manager Joyce Kami; the governor’s Chief of Staff Mike McCartney; and Lorrie Stone, a land use attorney who is married to developer Jeff Stone. Civil Beat.

Gov. David Ige sent state senators a letter Thursday urging them to support Castle & Cooke lobbyist Carleton Ching to lead the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority says the number of travelers visiting the islands declined 0.6 percent last month over the same month a year ago. Spending by travelers dropped 2.5 percent. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority has set a target of hosting nearly 8.6 million visitors this year, up from the 8.3 million who came last year, despite a dip in January arrivals. The board also set a goal to increase visitor spending to $15.58 billion in 2015. Star-Advertiser.

It's going to be 2014 all over again for the state economy. Hawaii is expected to continue its moderate expansion this year with nominal gains in visitor arrivals, steady labor market improvement and additional income growth, the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization said in a report set for release Friday. Star-Advertiser.

Possession of an ounce or less of marijuana would be punishable by a fine of not more than $100 under a decriminalization bill that is moving through the state Senate. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday unanimously approved Senate Bill 879 to allow Hawaii to join 19 other states and the District of Columbia that have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana. Star-Advertiser.

If Senate Bill 879 becomes law, getting busted with an ounce or less of marijuana would no longer be a petty misdemeanor. Hawaii News Now.

A bill that would relax the state's annual motor vehicle safety check requirement to allow vehicles on the neighbor islands to be inspected just once every two years has won the approval of the key House Consumer Protection Committee. Star-Advertiser.

A full suite of bills related to aquarium fishing continues to move ahead at the state Capitol, and several are set to be heard in the House Committee on Judiciary today. West Hawaii Today.

No Political Pedigree: Can Tulsi Gabbard’s Top Advisor Succeed in D.C.? Many questions surround the Hawaii congresswoman's pick of Kainoa Penaroza as her new chief of staff, mainly his lack of political experience that the job demands. Civil Beat.

It looks more and more like the Obama Presidential Library is headed for Chicago. But Honolulu could play the role of the second city. Hawaii News Now.

Thirty-five Hawaii facilities — mostly power companies, fuel industries and the military — combined to release 3 million pounds of toxic material into the islands' air, water and land in 2013, representing a 12 percent increase from the year before, according to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Star-Advertiser.

Award-winning journalist Naomi Klein blamed Hawaiian Electric Co. for limiting the progress of solar energy during a motivating speech Thursday evening at the University of Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Constance Lau, the president and CEO of Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc., received $5.6 million in total compensation in 2014, more than the $3.8 million in compensation she received the previous year, according to the Honolulu-based firm's 2014 annual report released Thursday. Pacific Business News.

KHON2 has learned the state is issuing an order to Hawaiian Electric following the utility’s decision not to approve solar applications.

The nominating committee for state water commission members is accepting applications for one open position. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources said Wednesday the four-year term for the position begins on July 1. Associated Press.

Oahu

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha's handling of an incident involving an off-duty officer captured on video punching a woman at a Wai­pahu restaurant may have negatively affected his annual review, but the Hono­­lulu Police Commission still rated his 2014 performance as above average. For the third year in a row, the Police Commission determined Kealoha "exceeds expectation" in his annual review. Star-Advertiser.

According to  Dan Grabauskas, the executive director and CEO of the Honolulu Authority of Rapid Transportation, contract termination would set the city back $1.4 billion on top of the $1.3 billion that's already been spent. Then there are contract obligations at another $400 million and an estimated $100 million to tear down what's already been built. The grand total equals $3.2 billion, or about half what the rail project is now projected to cost. KITV4.

Despite City’s Sit-Lie Crackdown, Homeless Aren’t Moving Into Shelters. Instead, they're moving to other parts of the island as the city enforces bans on sitting and lying on sidewalks in Waikiki and business districts throughout Oahu. Civil Beat.

Bill 82 would create the Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District, where private sector funds would be collected for restoration and improvement projects. However, it's in the language--and the district boundaries---of the bill, where opposition is fervent. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu inflation remained far below its historical average and finished 2014 below the U.S. rate for the first time in 13 years, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Star-Advertiser.

A hotel could be part of a new mixed-use project being planned for the corner of Kapiolani Boulevard and Atkinson Drive in Honolulu across from the Hawaii Convention Center and near Ala Moana Center, the developer told Pacific Business News.

In his State of the City speech Tuesday, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said he wants to tackle that negative perception of the island's parks by pumping $2 million for park refurbishments into the 2016 budget he will submit to the Hono­lulu City Council on Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii Athletics Department is dealing with a projected $3.5 million deficit. But the department received a big donation from an unknown angel. An anonymous donor has given the athletics department $1.2 million. KHON2.

Hawaii

Some landscape companies are crying foul over a new county policy requiring them to truck their green waste to the Puuanahulu or Hilo landfills and pay a tipping fee to dispose of it. The requirements and tipping fee have been on the books since 2005, but Mayor Billy Kenoi’s administration delayed implementing them during the recession. The law is slated to go into effect Monday. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s chief scientist will step aside next month to focus on research. Associated Press.

Naalehu will lose its only grocery store today after Island Market shuts its doors. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A monthlong debate among Maui County Council members over whether to confirm the appointment of Maui County Prosecuting Attorney John D. Kim may come to a head at a special council meeting scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Maui News.

Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. has grown sugar cane in Central Maui for more than a century, but a company official said Wednesday that the last sugar plantation in Hawaii is now looking to move into biofuel production. Maui News.

Hawaii’s last sugar cane plantation wants to transition to growing plants for energy. But it hasn’t found another crop that grows as well as sugar cane in a variety of soils or one that can stand up to Maui’s strong winds. Associated Press.

Hawaii's last remaining sugar plantation might not stay a sugar plantation for long. An official with Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company says it has been looking into diversifying its crop, possibly moving more toward biofuel. Hawaii Public Radio.

The infestation of little fire ants in Nahiku is unlike any other in the state - and that may mean that eradicating one of the world's worst invasive species is hopeless if it's not dealt with quickly, an international ant expert said. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai County Auditor Ernesto Pasion has reached a settlement in his retaliation and whistleblowers complaint against the county. Garden Island.

Kukui Grove Center installed a combination recycle and trash solar-powered system Wednesday in the food court area fronting the Starbucks Coffee and Jamba Juice  — making the shopping center the first in Hawaii to make the transition to such high-tech waste reducing bins. Garden Island.

The Garden Isle saw the biggest increase in visitor arrivals in January while overall traffic to the state was down slightly compared to the year before, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Garden Island.

Former Gov. Lingle takes job with Illinois governor, military in Hawaii: love it or lose it, marijuana decriminalization on legislative agenda, doc shortage worsens, broadband lagging, breathing life into Coco Palms, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Former Gov. Linda Lingle in 2012 campaign © 2015 All Hawaii News

n a move that could signal the end of her political career in Hawaii, former Gov. Linda Lingle on Thursday was tapped by the new Republican governor of Illinois to serve as a senior adviser working to help turn around that state's sinking finances. Star-Advertiser.

Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle is headed for Illinois to serve as the chief operating officer for Gov. Bruce Rauner. Civil Beat.

Legislative leaders from the Hawaii House of Representatives say they plan to focus on fixing infrastructure, encouraging business and increasing participation in government in the new legislative session. Associated Press.

House Democrats held a news conference Thursday afternoon at the Capitol to announce the majority caucus legislative package but offered little in the way of details about any of the priorities they plan to focus on this session, which convened Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers in Hawaii are beginning to introduce a series of bills that aim to make marijuana more freely available in the state. A bill to decriminalize marijuana is currently being drafted, said Sen. Will Espero, chairman of the Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee. That bill would reduce punishment for using marijuana to a civil violation instead of a felony, he said. Associated Press.

Genetically Modified or Engineered crops will be a hot topic at the Legislature this session. And lawmakers could learn from a Hawai’i State Bar Association forum that looked at the issue from a purely legal standpoint. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii’s doctor shortage is getting worse, and it’s getting especially difficult to find a physician on neighboring islands. Associated Press.

Feverish and aching patients continue to inundate Hawaii's overstressed health care system during a flu season that has no end in sight. Star-Advertiser.

One boat sank, several beaches around the state were closed, and state facilities on Hawaii island sustained minor damage from high surf that is expected to stick around statewide until 6 p.m. Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

Opinion: The Army in Hawaii: Fight to Save It, Prepare to Lose It. Business leaders are right to pull out all the stops to preserve the Army's Hawaii presence at its current level, but we also need to start thinking about what comes next if major cuts are made. Civil Beat.

Opinion: A case for army downsizing in Hawaii. Why the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and our Congressional delegates have it wrong. Hawaii Independent.

Broadband internet access is both a luxury for modern entertainment and a necessity for business. But Hawaii is falling behind when it comes to fast connections. Hawaii Public Radio.

The University of Hawaii is studying the possibility of selling off investments in companies that produce fossil fuels. The university's Board of Regents on Thursday appointed a task group to examine the feasibility and desirability of such a move. Associated Press.

On Thursday, Yelp released its second annual list of Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S., and eight Hawaii eateries have made the cut. KHON2.

Oahu

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s desire to protect $210 million in federal bus funding means the city’s $6 billion rail project needs even more money than officials had recently announced. Civil Beat.

Honolulu police and prosecutors have gotten tough on suspected pimps — more than 45 times tougher than three years ago. Civil Beat.

Two high-profile employees at the Hawaii Theatre Center will lose their jobs Jan. 31 as part of a plan to reduce costs that have left the Chinatown venue in the red for the past five years. Star-Advertiser.

Paying around $3 a gallon for gas thrills most Honolulu drivers, but it's less of a joy when you learn the average cost should be $2.49 if our prices had dropped as much as they did on the mainland in the last year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council has entered a new era of accessibility to the public — starting today, council and committee meetings will be streamed live on the county’s website. West Hawaii Today.

A settlement is in the works between Hawaii County and the state Department of Health, which last year fined the county more than $350,000 for violations at two landfills. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island’s doctor shortage grew by 17 percent in the last year. The need for physicians in 2014 was estimated at 554, but only 327 were practicing on the island, according to the latest figures from the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine’s Area Health Education Center. That puts the island’s shortage at 41 percent of its need, far ahead of the statewide shortage of 24 percent. Tribune-Herald.

More than a dozen West Hawaii beaches were closed Thursday because of warning-level surf aloha west-facing shores of the Big Island. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui Mayor's Office of Economic Development issued over $4.64 million in grant funds to local organizations over the last six months. Pacific Business News.

Homeless shelters have effectively become affordable housing on Maui, according to governmental and nonprofit agencies speaking at a panel discussion Wednesday night at the Maui Economic Opportunity Conference Room. Maui News.

After moving its monthly meeting Wednesday to the University of Hawaii Maui College, the Maui Police Commission had its biggest public turnout in more than a year. Maui News.

If Maui County residents think it's tough to get a doctor appointment now, then just wait - a statewide physician's shortage will worsen as nearly a third of Hawaii's practicing doctors have reached retirement age, according to a University of Hawaii study submitted to state lawmakers this week. Maui News.

Kauai

As a place that once served as the home of Kauai’s last reigning queen, Deborah Kapule Kekaiha‘akulou, and the backdrop for the 1961 film “Blue Hawaii” starring Elvis Presley, there is no dearth of historical features at Coco Palms Resort. Preserving that history while paving the way for a new Coco Palms Resort, however, is a question that several state and county agencies are still wrestling with. Garden Island.

A circuit court judge Tuesday ruled in favor of the County of Kauai and the Planning Commission in response to the county’s lawsuit against a Hanalei resident’s unpermitted boatyard operation. Garden Island.

A mariner’s union said a lawsuit filed against a tug operator for negligence is full of errors. Garden Island.

Permits required for Kaena Point, Air Force to stay strong in Hawaii, Rosen to head state hospital group, Big Island man busted with 85 marijuana plants, electric rates drop on Oahu, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kaena Point panorama, courtesy Alaska Dave

After consulting with a community advisory group, the Department of Land and Natural Resources will implement a vehicle access permit system for the roads at Kaena Point State Park Reserve’s Mokuleia section. Civil Beat.

Ignoring signs, damaging natural resources and causing erosion. That's what the Department of Land and Natural Resources says careless drivers are doing at Ka'ena Point. KITV4.

Kaena Point has long been a favorite place for off-roading. Now, the state is hoping to get a better handle on vehicles in the area. In the coming weeks, a gate will be put up that can only be opened by people who have permits. KHON2.

Hawaii Department of Human Services officials say that their plan to reduce funding for medical coverage for roughly 7,500 adult migrants from the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands will save the state roughly $21.5 million while maintaining vital health care coverage. Star-Advertiser.

The Air Force is reducing its ranks overall due to budget cuts, but staffing in the Pacific will remain at 100 percent due to the re-balance to the region, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The Air Force’s top boss said Monday she hopes to make all jobs in the service open to qualified women in the next year and a half. Seven jobs in the service are closed to women, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told reporters during a visit to Hawaii on Monday. Associated Press.

Opinion: Hawaii stands to lose nearly 50,000 people, more than 25,000 jobs and $1.35 billion in total economic impact by 2020, if we do not step up to keep thousands of soldiers and their families here in the islands. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Health Systems Corp. announced Monday afternoon that Linda Rosen, M.D., M.P.H., will be its new chief executive officer. She will start her new position with HHSC on Dec. 16. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Health Systems Corp.'s board of directors has appointed Linda Rosen as chief executive officer of the public hospital system effective Dec. 16. Star-Advertiser.

New car and light truck registrations will rise about 8.8 percent in 2014, according to a forecast from the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The Arizona Memorial ticket scandal has been brewing for a year but so far, the man at the center of the controversy, Frank Middleton, remains on the job. Two internal reports by the National Park Service show that Middleton and other memorial officials were aware that tickets intended to be distributed to the public for free were being diverted to tour companies that charged visitors anywhere from $39 to $89. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu customers will see the lowest electrical rates in more than a year this month as residential bills dropped more than $10 due to reductions in fuel prices. Star-Advertiser.

Sources tell Always Investigating that Honolulu city bus workers were involved in a long-time scheme to clock in and out for a staffer who barely showed up. The timecard scheme is said to have taken place at a maintenance yard of TheBus and centers around a mechanic. KHON2.

A plan to allow more Oahu homeowners to create second dwellings on their lots is gaining momentum at Hono­lulu Hale. Star-Advertiser.

Last summer, developers of seven new luxury condo buildings at Ala Moana held a groundbreaking for their $300 million project. Amid calls for more affordable developments in Kakaako, these “ultra luxury” towers are rising quietly without the need for public hearings or any units set aside for moderate or low-income people. That wouldn’t happen under Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s proposed islandwide housing strategy. Civil Beat.

A march, rally and sit-in were held at University of Hawaii's Manoa campus Monday to protest proposed budget cuts rumored to target teaching assistants and other areas that affect graduate students. Star-Advertiser.

The YMCA of Honolulu is making another move to get out of the housing business on Oahu by offering to sell or lease two historic Manoa residence halls occupied by University of Hawaii students. Star-Advertiser.

The YMCA of Honolulu Central branch across from Ala Moana Center will temporarily close on Feb. 28 for a redevelopment project that will result in a smaller Y building next to a 128-unit condominium on its 1.8-acre property on Atkinson Drive. Pacific Business News.

Homeowners in the Ewa communities of Ocean Pointe and Hoakalei are complaining that the man-made recreational lagoon serving their communities contains algae. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Farmers will have to dedicate their property to agricultural use a minimum of three years to get tax breaks, under a bill to be considered today by the County Council Finance Committee. West Hawaii Today.

A perennial battle between aquarium fish collectors and conservationists will be played out in County Council chambers today, as a council committee takes up a measure regulating the transport of fish off-island. West Hawaii Today.

A 26-year-old Naalehu man accused of possessing 85 marijuana plants and 52 pounds of dried marijuana will stand trial on a half dozen felony charges, a Kona District Court judge ruled Monday afternoon. West Hawaii Today.

The June 27 lava flow offered little for geologists and Civil Defense officials to observe Monday around Pahoa as it focused its activity miles upslope from the town it has left on edge for the past few months. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

For years, Hawaii's public hospitals have relied on state subsidies to offset the rising cost of health care. That’s especially true on the Neighbor Islands.  But now hospitals are receiving less funding from the state, and on Maui, administrators are looking at other options. Hawaii Public Radio.

Now that the state has completed its acquisition of Lipoa Point from Maui Land & Pineapple Co., the state Department of Land and Natural Resources is calling on the public to be diligent stewards of the land. Maui News.

The Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety today announced the promotion of five fighters including Firefighter III Chad Pacheco to the rank of Captain. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai Invasive Species Committee confirmed that an unfamiliar plant growing along Kuhio Highway near Kalihiwai Bridge is an invasive mule’s foot fern. Garden Island.

A construction zone accident has led to a lawsuit seeking medical and other damages. Narciso Nicolas, of Honolulu, is suing William Waialeale and his employer, Robert’s Tours and Transportation, Inc., for injuries incurred while working on Kokee Road in 2012. Garden Island.