Hawaii nears special session on gay marriage, surf's up, but sand is down, dealing with tsunami debris, cattle call on Hawaii Island, Honolulu one of top Conde Nast cities, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu gay marriage rally file photo (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Support for gay marriage is growing. Hawaii voters are split over making same-sex marriage legal in the islands, with 44 percent in support and 44 percent opposed. When Civil Beat asked voters where they stood on the same issue in April 2012, a majority (51 percent) said they did not believe same-sex couples should have the legal right to get married. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Pastors Roundtable, declaring that God's word is the highest law in the land, issued a statement Monday urging Hawaii to uphold traditional marriage. The message from the round table, which includes Pastor Wayne Cordeiro of New Hope Christian Fellowship, Bishop Larry Silva from the Diocese of Hono­lulu and Kahu Curt Kekuna from Kawai­aha‘o Church, comes as state House and Senate leaders prepare for a special session on gay marriage next week. Star-Advertiser.

With one week left before a special session that could legalize same-sex marriage, opponents are ramping up their lobbying efforts. A new TV ad was released Monday to state their case. The public can expect a lot of lobbying through rallies and sign waving, but also a good amount of money from outside sources. KHON2.

Legislation to fund pay raises for government professional and scientific employees will be introduced by House Republicans during the Special Session scheduled to convene on Oct. 28. Hawaii Reporter.

Ocean Safety personnel participated in 14 rescues and took hundreds of preventive actions as high surf pounded the north and west shores of Oahu on Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Government officials, beach cleanup activists and environmental experts have gathered in Honolulu this week to discuss how to deal with trash in the ocean. Associated Press.

It's been more than two years since a horrific, earthquake-generated tsunami wrecked much of Japan's eastern coast, claiming thousands of lives and sucking millions of tons of debris into Pacific waters. Yet despite government researchers' best efforts, it's not clear how much of that debris remains scattered across the ocean or exactly where it will wind up. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for October 22. Associated Press.

Oahu

A handful of oceanfront residents of Sunset Beach sweated out another anxiety-filled day Monday as high surf in combination with high tides continued to threaten homes above an eroded beach at Ke Nui Road. Large waves out of the northwest actually pushed some new sand onto the beach Sunday and Monday, but the homes are far from being secure as they sit dangerously close to a newly carved cliff that drops 20 feet to the beach. Star-Advertiser.

NOAA

Two of Oahu's most popular beaches are experiencing erosion at unprecedented levels. Kuhio Beach in Waikiki and Sunset Beach on Oahu's North Shore are more than 40 miles apart, but the growing winter swells and extreme tides have caused rapidly shifting sands in both spots. HuffPost Hawaii.

A new state law is creating friction between the City and County of Honolulu and Kailua residents who are concerned about their eroding beach. Act 120 was signed into law this June.  It prohibits removing sand from Hawai'i's coastlines with a few exceptions, including if it is used for the replenishment or protection of public shorelines, but only if the restoration efforts won't cause water quality issues. Hawaii News Now.

About 1,000 East Honolulu residences receive their drinking water from Aina Koa Water Well II, where broken chlorination equipment led to trace amounts of E. coli bacteria found in water samples taken in the area last week, Hono­lulu Board of Water Supply officials said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu is among one of the Top 10 Cities in the United States, according to the Conde Nast Traveler 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards. Honolulu ranked No. 4 on the list, with a readers’ choice rating of 79.5. Pacific Business News.

The fired former head of one of the Hawaii's largest charter schools was arrested Monday and has been charged with stealing more than $100,000 from the school. An investigation by Hawaii News Now first raised questions about spending by Jeff Piontek at Hawaii Technology Academy early last year.

A former Waipahu elementary school principal was ordered to pay a fine after pleading no contest to record-tampering charges Monday in Circuit Court. The state attorney general's office had charged Florentina Smith in June with two counts of tampering with a government record, a misdemeanor. The state alleged she authorized $200 stipends to each of nine staff members for training sessions that they did not attend. The state alleged the crimes were committed Nov. 12 and 19, 2011, while Smith was serving as principal of August Ahrens Elementary. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

It’s a cattle call of a different color. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is renewing its call for hunters to participate in a lottery to help eradicate feral cattle from the Puu Oo area of the Hilo Restricted Watershed, near mile marker 22 of Saddle Road. The deadline to sign up has been extended a week after a less-than-enthusiastic response from area hunters. West Hawaii Today.

A medical marijuana group, the Alternative Pain Management Club of Hawaii, has cancelled a meeting it said was scheduled for today with County Prosecutor Mitch Roth, but a spokesman said the group plans to establish a “medical cannabis transfer station” — with or without the blessing of local law enforcement. Tribune-Herald.

The Naniloa Volcanoes Resort could soon be in new hands. On Nov. 6, a federal bankruptcy judge will consider a motion to sell the troubled Hilo hotel following the submission of sealed bids last Friday, said David Farmer, the Naniloa’s bankruptcy trustee. Tribune-Herald.

The Leeward Planning Commission signed off last week on a Kohala resident’s plan to open a home business. Rebecca Jacobs filed the special permit request with the Planning Department, seeking permission to open an acupuncture clinic in her Hookela Place garage. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A public presentation on a proposed county integrated waste conversion and energy project will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the University of Hawaii Maui College's new science building, 'Ike Lea. Maui News.

A Maui-based company is seeking approval from state regulators to take over water and sewer services from the Navy at the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station. Kalaeloa WaterCo. is proposing to raise rates for customers in the area now known as Kalaeloa to pay for "massive capital expenditures" it says are needed to upgrade the aging infrastructure it would inherit if its proposed acquisition is approved by the Public Utilities Commission. Star-Advertiser.

A $10,000 challenge grant was awarded to the Kite Surf Pro World Championship Tour to produce a second consecutive annual tournament at Ho’okipa Beach Park next month, county officials announced. Maui Now.

Kauai
A regional ocean observation network has installed its first-ever wave detection buoy off Kauai just in time for the winter wave season that rolled in during the weekend. The bright yellow buoy, moored three nautical miles off Hana­lei in more than 700 feet of water, is ideally suited to gauge Hawaii's winter swells, which typically move in from the northwest. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai County officials will ask the state for a bigger slice of Hawaii's hotel room tax. Visitor-related expenses cost the county $44.2 million in fiscal year 2012, including nearly $25 million in operation expenses such as police and fire calls, said County Council legislative assistant Ashley Bunda. Kauai County receives $13.7 million in hotel tax money and would like to see that doubled to $27.4 million. Associated Press.

Part of the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye’s dream is being fulfilled, and a part of the dream is still being worked on. The Kauai Community College celebrated the opening of its Daniel K. Inouye Technology Center during a dedication and blessing ceremony honoring the support and advocacy provided by the late Senator Friday afternoon. Garden Island.

Molokai

Sixty Molokai residents traded in their old refrigerators - some 20 years old - for new more energy-efficient ones Tuesday - for $250. Maui News.

Hawaii's ocean: Officials tackle coral health, beach erosion, mooring and paddling rules. Plus poll shows split on gay marriage, University of Hawaii president search and more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii coral reef (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

A University of Hawaii researcher's idea to breed "super corals" that can endure warmer and more acidic ocean waters has won a new global competition that seeks novel ways to deal with climate change. Ruth Gates, a researcher at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, submitted the $10,000 winning concept. Star-Advertiser.

State proposes to change rules for commercial use of oceans. The number of businesses is growing, and licensing instructors and operators overwhelms officials. Star-Advertiser.

UH Luukai

Scientists from the University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology welcomed a new remotely operated vehicle to its fleet last week. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii expects to hire an executive search firm by the end of the month to help recruit and vet candidates for its top job. The Board of Regents last week approved allowing a presidential selection committee to directly contract a search firm to save time. Otherwise, a hiring decision wouldn't be made until the regents' next full meeting in late November. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii voters are split over making same-sex marriage legal in the islands, with 44 percent in support and 44 percent opposed. Only a handful of residents surveyed by Civil Beat earlier this month said they hadn't made up their mind on the controversial issue. The trend in Hawaii is similar to national polls showing growing support for gay marriage, also known as marriage equality. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Health Connector site is finally fully operational, but operators don't know how many people are actually using it to purchase insurance. At the regular board meeting Friday, Executive Director Coral Andrews reported to members that hundreds of people have completed applications online, but admitted, she didn't know how many people actually purchased a plan. Hawaii News Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie is standing as firm in his position on travel records as the Queen Liliuokalani statue outside the Capitol. His office just isn’t going to give up the records for little or no cost, and refuses to consider other ways to accommodate a public records request, according to Amy Luke, executive assistant to Abercrombie's chief of staff, Bruce Coppa. Civil Beat.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs recently kicked off a new Hawaii Broadband Map speed test campaign to measure the spread of new technology and high-speed broadband availability across the state. Hawaii Reporter.

Many Children Face Exclusion from Hawaii Kindergarten in 2014. Civil Beat.

First Hawaiian Bank reached record levels for assets, deposits and loans during the third quarter even as low interest rates ate into profits. The state's largest bank reported $50.9 million in net income that exceeded by just 0.6 percent the $50.6 million achieved in the year-earlier period. Star-Advertiser.

The state of Hawaii will continue to see an increase in disability claims, class-action lawsuits related to labor law and more legal conflicts between companies who try to parse terms of various noncompete contracts so they can secure the best and brightest talent. Pacific Business News.

The state wants to give customers more confidence they won't get sick when they eat out. Inspectors will look at things like employee hygiene, food and cooking temperatures and equipment contamination. The rules are similar to what is in place right now however one of the main differences is all of you will know how a restaurant scored. Hawaii News Now.

With the end of hurricane season slightly more than a month away, it's clear that the Central Pacific Region so far has had an unexpected slightly above-average season. The tropical cyclone count in the Central Pacific was six as of Sunday, which surpasses the average of about four to five cyclones. Star-Advertiser.

Civil Beat journalists took home two prestigious national awards Saturday at the annual Online News Association gathering in Atlanta. "In the Name of the Law," our investigative series on police misconduct records and why they are not available for the public to review, won the top honor in the Gannett Foundation Award for Innovative Investigative Journalism. That series was reported and written by Nick Grube and Patti Epler. Sophie Cocke's series on the Ala Wai Canal — "Hawaii's Biggest Mistake?" — won the Explanatory Reporting category.

State roundup for October 21. Associated Press.

Oahu

Erosion troubles at Sunset and Kuhio beaches have rekindled fears about a chronic problem that isn't going away. Experts say too much development is nudged up against the beach in Hawaii at a time when sea level is on the rise, a predicament that will inevitably lead to a growing number of coastal erosion emergencies. Star-Advertiser.

The high surf is a sight to see, but it's been a source of problems for homeowners near Sunset Beach. KHON2.

Honolulu Ethics Commission Finds No Gift Law Violation by Mayor Kirk Caldwell for Luau But Restricts Future Donations. Hawaii Reporter.

The Board of Water Supply confirmed the presence of the E. coli bacteria in water samples from the Aina Koa Neighborhood Park. The equipment that adds chlorine to disinfect the water is to blame. Crews fixed the equipment and restored chlorine levels Friday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Department of Land and Natural Resources officials are awaiting federal approval before moving ahead with plans to double the number of moorings at Keauhou Bay. West Hawaii Today.

Student enrollment at the University of Hawaii at Hilo dipped by 3 percent this year, bringing to an end at least a decade of regular, record-breaking population increases. Tribune-Herald.

The state is proposing to prohibit the use of stand-up paddleboards in Hilo’s Waiakea Pond. That is one of several proposed changes to rules for fishing and other activities at the Waiakea Public Fishing Area at Wailoa River State Park. Big Island Now.

Hawaii County now knows how big of a check it may have to write for placing the Papaikou Mill Beach trail into the public’s hands. An appraisal finished last week pegs the private path at a value of $28,500. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Global Positioning System devices have been installed on 199 Maui County vehicles, giving managers an eye-in-the-sky view of vehicle use and wear and tear. Maui News.

The message that standardized testing is "an abusive and inaccurate assessment" of both students and teachers was shared with more than 1,000 Maui teachers who attended Teacher Institute Day on Maui, hosted Thursday by the Hawaii State Teachers Association. Maui News.

Kauai

A pair of attorneys are calling for Kauai’s mayor to sign Bill 2491, regulating GMO and pesticides, into law. In a letter Friday to Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr., attorneys Paul Achitoff, of Earthjustice, and George Kimbrell said they would be willing to defend the bill in court should it come to that and urged the mayor to sign it. Garden Island.

Hawaii's healthy ocean, Fukushima risks, pollution countering global warming, celebrating end of WWII, Queen Liliuokalani's 175th, union power and more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Four-spot butterflyfish (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Researchers working on a government-funded project said they've figured out a more accurate method to analyze animal movements in the ocean, including fish migration. The new method could help provide researchers and marine managers with better analysis to support marine conservation activities for threatened species. Star-Advertiser.

Surveys of the undersea canyons around Hawaii show high levels of bio­diversity among small invertebrates in seafloor sediments, making the canyons the equivalent of oases in the desert, Hawaii scientists report. And the vitality of these small organisms are likely key to the livelihood of larger fish, they conclude. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii scientists are seeking to lessen anxieties about the potential health risks from Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster in the wake of recent international reports warning that dangerous levels of radiation could hit the west coast of the United States next year. Civil Beat.

Global warming’s effect on rainfall distribution so far has been limited by an unexpected source: airborne pollutants, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Hawaii’s International Pacific Research Center and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. But as greenhouse gases increase, they will overwhelm the influence of aerosols — that is, airborne dust, soot and other pollutants, the researchers say. Their paper was published online Sunday in the journal Nature Geoscience. Star-Advertiser.

A Civil Beat analysis of recently released data on student absenteeism in the state’s elementary schools suggests that problems with attendance are strongly linked to poverty and where pupils live.

Starting in the fiscal year that begins in July, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will receive the last of the $30 million in payments the state has made annually for the past 19 years. That installment will bring the two-decade total to $600 million — the amount agreed to by the state to settle breach-of-trust claims from 1959 to 1988 involving the 203,000-acre trust that DHHL oversees. Star-Advertiser.

As millions of American workers took time off Monday to celebrate Labor Day, the state of organized labor in Hawaii remains among the strongest in the country. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Hawaii's union participation rate of 21.6 percent is bested by only Alaska (22.4 percent) and New York (23.2 percent). KITV.

Initial reports after Wednesday's meeting between Speaker of the House Joseph Souki and the minority caucus indicated that there were only 26 votes in favor of a Special Session. Our own sources put that number closer to 30. Hawaii Independent.

The former Hawaii resident who threatened to decapitate Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard made an uneventful initial appearance Friday in a San Diego court after being captured Wednesday in Tijuana, Mexico, by Policia Estatal Preventiva, Baja California State Police Fugitive Unit. Hawaii Reporter.

A number of major hospitals have agreed to share patient data through a nonprofit that aims to connect Hawaii's health providers with electronic medical records. Star-Advertiser.

Interisland cargo volumes rose during the second quarter of this year at five of six ports that receive shipments from Honolulu. Kawaihae Harbor was the lone exception, with a 1.9 percent decline compared to the same quarter last year, Young Brothers officials said in their quarterly report, issued Friday. The company releases the report as a snapshot of economic activity within the state. West Hawaii Today.

Monday marked the 175th birthday of Hawaii’s last reigning monarch. Dozens turned out to commemorate the birth of Queen Lili’uokalani, who is buried at the Royal Mausoleum. KHON2.

With the growth of eco-tourism in Hawaii, there is now a push to make sure tour companies show off spectacular natural resources without making a big impact on the environment. KITV.

Bloomberg had an item earlier this summer asking If Politics Is So Easy, Why Can't Journalists Do It? It linked to a study showing that only 20 current members of Congress have worked in journalism at some point in their careers. Civil Beat.

In brief | State 090213. Associated Press.

State roundup for September 2. Associated Press.

Oahu

The $5.16 billion Honolulu rail transit project could resume construction as early as next month following the Hawaii state Historic Preservation Division’s approval of the archaeological survey reports, which clears the way for permit applications to be submitted for the system, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation said Friday. Pacific Business News.

A year after a Hawaii State Supreme Court ruling halted construction on Honolulu's controversial $5.2 billion elevated steel on steel rail project, construction will likely resume in a matter of weeks, according to a statement issued Friday by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Hawaii Reporter.

The fired chief financial officer of a Honolulu tug and water taxi company has filed a whistleblower and wrongful termination lawsuit, claiming she was let go after raising questions about unethical and illegal practices involving disability fraud and improper donations to members of Hawaii's congressional delegation. Hawaii News Now.

Historians would like to solve one of the remaining mysteries of the Pearl Harbor attack: What happened to the approximately 29 Japanese airmen and four sailors still missing in action? The majority are thought to have been lost at sea around the isles and in Pearl Harbor, but four aircrew members may still lie buried in unmarked graves in Ewa Beach and in the hills above Aiea. Star-Advertiser.

On Sept. 2, 1945, peace was restored as World War II came to an end with Japan’s surrender on the decks of the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. On Monday, the Battleship Missouri — now a memorial and museum in Pearl Harbor — hosted a special “End of World War II” commemoration to mark the 68th anniversary of that historic occasion and the sacrifice that made it possible. Star-Advertiser.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii is unveiling its new $12 million clinic today at Pearlridge Center in Aiea. The 7,000-square-foot center will open Oct. 4 and offer family medicine and pediatrics, as well as a pharmacy and laboratory services. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The power of water: Hamakua Springs aims to cut energy dependence. Tribune-Herald.

The parent company of Hawaii Electric Light Co. today announced a search for suppliers of “cleaner” types of diesel to power electrical plants on the Big Island and in Maui County. Big Island Now.

Maui

A bill to permit and regulate home-based businesses in Maui County will be reviewed Thursday morning by the Maui County Council's Planning Committee in the eighth-floor Council Chambers of the Kalana O Maui building. Maui News.

A few "birthday bash" political fundraisers are signaling the beginning of Maui County's election season, more than a year before voters cast general election ballots on Nov. 4, 2014. Maui News.

A new study by the University of Hawaii shows the state is on pace to lose 100 feet of beach in the coming decades and Maui is most at risk. Kailua beach has been fighting erosion for years but now a new study finds that Maui beaches are disappearing even faster. Hawaii News Now.

Haleakala Ranch Co., with its origins dating back to the Hawaiian monarchy, will celebrate its 125th anniversary with an exhibit that includes hand-woven rawhide lariats and traditional boots worn by its original Spanish-trained "paniolo" cowboys. Maui News.

Kauai

Without an explanation, the Kauai County Council deferred a bill that would bring significant increases to dog licensing fees. After passing the council’s Finance Committee last week, the bill was up for second and final reading Wednesday. Garden Island.

Kauai officials are stepping up efforts to teach visitors how to enjoy the Garden Isle without falling prey to its natural dangers. Pacific Business News.

The comfort station at the west end of the Poipu Beach Park is open following several months of renovations. The only evidence of the row of blue portable toilets is the overgrown grass marking the boundaries where the temporary facilities were located. Garden Island.

Molokai

U.S. Department of Agriculture Molokai inspector Chevy Levasa said it was just a regular day at work for her, but a finding a fungi last year landed her some recognition. She now holds the first report in the U.S. of a strain of fungi called frog-eye spot, or P. morindae, on a noni leaf on Molokai. Molokai Dispatch.

A small team in Kalaupapa is changing the way people think about trash with their award winning solid waste management program. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii early voting way up, state to help beleaguered Hawaii County Elections Office, UH tracks tsunami debris, Maui BYOB law stands, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii early voting (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Early voting wrapped up Thursday ahead of Saturday's primary election, in what's shaping up to be a record primary for early voting. KHON2.

More than 126,000 Hawaii voters have already cast their ballot through Thursday, moving the state close to the primary election absentee voter record set two years ago. Civil Beat.

Early Walk-in Voting ended today … and the State Elections Office estimates close to 60 percent of all voters casting ballots will do so at precinct polling stations Saturday. Hawaii Public Radio.

Candidates and independent expenditure committees spent almost $800,000 on ad time in the last week leading up to Saturday's primary election, according to Civil Beat's most recent review of TV stations' political files. Civil Beat.

A new computer model for the spread of marine debris from the March 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami shows that a large portion of the wind-driven flotsam has already arrived along the West Coast, while the main Hawaiian Islands and Northwestern Isles have so far been spared. Star-Advertiser.

An environmental group says it has new data supporting its lawsuit aimed at saving false killer whales in Hawaiian waters, with the data coming from the federal agency it is suing. Hawaii News Now.

The U.S. Department of Energy is asking for public comment on the revised scope of the Hawaii Clean Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, which looks at ways in which renewable energy and energy efficiency resources are planned and used in the state. Pacific Business News.

The state is working to create a voluntary quality rating system for preschools that would give parents more information about what they're getting for their child care dollars. Star-Advertiser.

Beppie Shapiro has had an active life in Hawaii, both professionally and as … an activist! Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for August 10. Associated Press.

Oahu

Honolulu City councilman Tom Berg will find out next week what type of disciplinary action he faces for an outburst during a transportation committee meeting two weeks ago. KITV4.

Residents who represent themselves in civil cases will be able to get free help from a volunteer lawyer at Honolulu District Court starting this month. Star-Advertiser.

Two days after leaving the hospital, former Gov. Ben Cayetano was back on the campaign trail Thursday — a campaign trolley, to be specific. Meanwhile, former city Managing Director Kirk Caldwell planned a trolley tour of his own, while Mayor Peter Carlisle tried to work campaigning around a busy city work schedule. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano, hospitalized briefly this week for treatment of a bleeding ulcer, was back on the campaign trail this afternoon, greeting sign-waiving supporters in front on the state Capitol. Hawaii Reporter.

Adding 10 seats to each train car for the Honolulu rail system would cost an extra $1.5 million to $1.9 million total but would make travel on the 20-mile rail route more comfortable, officials with the Hono­lulu Authority for Rapid Transportation were told Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

A popular farmers' market on Oahu has reopened in a new location. Thursday was the first time the Haleiwa Farmers' Market was held at Waimea Valley. KHON2.

Hawaii

The state Office of Elections is sending an employee to help make sure Saturday’s primary election runs smoothly, a spokesman said Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Council members will get another chance to question Department of Environmental Management officials about a recent study of hauling rubbish from East Hawaii to the Puuanahulu landfill. West Hawaii Today.

Seven area businesses are preparing to set up shop at Hilo’s newest shopping center, Manono St. Marketplace. Tribune-Herald.

Almost 99 years ago, an Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co. steamboat foundered on the reef at Mahukona, one of four official ports of entry for the Kingdom of Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
Maui restaurants will continue having the option of allowing customers to bring their own bottle of wine to enjoy with meals. Maui News.

A salesman, an attorney and a teacher are seeking the Maui County Council's Kahului residency seat, which is being vacated by Council Member Joe Pontanilla because of term limits. Maui News.

Democrat Mazie Hirono opened her Maui headquarters in Wailuku on Wednesday night, several days before she faces off against other Democrats running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retiring U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka. Maui News.

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association's 34th annual Visitor Industry Charity Walks in Maui County raised a record $613,025, topping last year's record by nearly $121,000. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday deferred three requests from County Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho to apply for state and federal funds totaling $300,000, which are supposed to pay for the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney’s victim witness program, the VOCA Expansion Program and the Keiki POHAKU diversion program. Garden Island.

Toxicity levels of ground contamination found in Kilauea and Kekaha are low enough for special permit dumping at a certified landfill, say officials, but some residents want it moved off-island. Garden Island.

Foreclosure ads can be a significant revenue source for an area’s largest daily print newspaper and also arguably provides the broadest possible audience to advertise an auction for a property in that county. Garden Island.

Lanai

A dedication ceremony was held today for the new $6.4 million Lanai Airport Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting station. Maui Now.

Marine issues surface this week, gu bernatorial candidates address early childhood issues, Hyatt lays off 70, more Hawaii news

An international effort to create a Census of Marine Life was completed Monday with maps and three books, increasing the number of counted and validated species to 201,206. Associated Press.

Oil spill prevention and response officials in the Pacific are due to discuss lessons learned from this summer's oil spill off the Gulf Coast at meeting in Waikiki this week. Associated Press.

A Humane Society official said Friday that federal wildlife officials botched an operation intended to keep birds from endangering planes at Hilo International Airport. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii will be part of an unprecedented long-term study of children's health in the United States. Hawaii News Now.

An Olowalu Mauka resident is suing Maui County, claiming the developers of his subdivision violated numerous permit requirements, and county officials did nothing to enforce the law. Maui News.

Thousands of visitors stop at Sunset Beach every year to take in one of the best surf breaks in the world. KHON2.

The Kokua Kailua Village Stroll brings hundreds, if not thousands, of people into the downtown Kailua-Kona area, however, some business owners say the street fair has grown so large it's competing with the very people the event set out to help. West Hawaii Today.

The Kaua‘i Planning Commission approved Tuesday a bill that would ultimately give the county Planning Department the power to impose civil fines on zoning-ordinance violators, plus allow revenues to go to the county general fund. Garden Island.

Both Charles Djou and Colleen Hanabusa say one way to spur the economy is to avoid raising personal income taxes. Star-Advertiser.

Former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie said yesterday that if elected governor he would create a state Department of Early Childhood and restore funding for Healthy Start, a child-abuse prevention program, while Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona said he would propose a tax credit to help middle-class families afford preschool for their children. Star-Advertiser.

Early childhood education was the main issue addressed by the Democrat, Republican and Independent candidates. KHON2.

Allies of Republican gubernatorial candidate James ''Duke'' Aiona are employing a phrase in television ads and brochures that has been used innocuously in different contexts over the years. Associated Press.

Owners of historic homes on Oahu are getting substantial tax breaks to help offset the cost of preserving their properties, yet they are not required to reinvest the savings into the dwellings. Star-Advertiser.

Residents on the Big Island of Hawaii were shaken by a magnitude 3.9 earthquake Sunday morning. Hawaii News Now.

There will soon be more new The Kaua‘i Bus vehicles on the road, as U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawai‘i, said the county will receive $925,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation for new vehicles. Garden Island.

70 Hyatt employees laid off. Garden Island.

Hawaii transportation officials are seeking to buy a section of land that is now used to store sand and other materials as part of a move to expand facilities at Kalaeloa Barbers Point Harbor. Associated Press.

The state has launched an automated telephone directory that will ease the way for callers to reach executive and legislative branch offices. Associated Press.

A rather large object is attracting quite a bit of attention just offshore Kalama Beach Park in Kailua. KITV.

Environmental issues take top billing today

Years ago, while sailing off Coast Rica, I saw something so amazing, I sometimes wonder if, having seen pictures of the event, I just dreamed I saw it. But Craig was there and confirms the facts: Floating in the water, looking like so many army helmets, were thousands of olive-green turtles, ranging as far as we could see. Unknowingly, we'd sailed into an arribada.

A group of environmental leaders is meeting in Honolulu this week to develop a national policy for protection of oceans and lakes.

An abandoned lay gillnet recently removed from Kane'ohe Bay contained a macabre catch of the dead and dying: a 3-foot blacktip shark, slipper lobsters, uhu, kala and other reef species, and a collection of fish skeletons.

The state's Environmental Council has suspended all further meetings until the state provides it with a staffer to take minutes and resources for Neighbor Island members to participate.

Preserving Kaua‘i’s natural habitats is “remarkably important,” said science and environmental blogger Jan TenBruggencate, who served as moderator for the Lihu‘e Business Association’s public forum this week.

With the economy unable to sprout out of its slump, more and more people are turning to sustainable agriculture.

An influx of commercial activity has clogged the streets of the popular Lanikai community and prompted some fed-up residents to seek restrictions on one of those activities: beach weddings.

State Rep. Joe Bertram stands out among his straight-laced peers: He's a Hawaii legislator who wears sandals, advocates medical marijuana and same-sex civil unions.

The streets were jammed and the musicians were jammin' as thousands partied, island-style, at the 16th KWXX Ho'olaule'a held Saturday night in downtown Hilo.

From the air, it was a ribbon-shaped sea of pink. From the ground, it was hundreds of Big Islanders attempting a Guinness World Record to raise breast cancer awareness.

A very big and costly pest has placed state lands, Hawaiian home lands, public and private watersheds, golf courses, parks, ranches, farms and home gardens under siege.

Big fish farm for Big Island, other top news

A dozen spherical cages each with a diameter half the length of a football field would be sub- merged in state waters off the Big Island if plans are realized to establish the largest open-ocean fish farm in Hawai'i.

A team of scientists led by a University of Hawaii oceanographer had a big surprise when they looked to the ancient past for clues to global warming.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has awarded more than $1.7 million to the University of Hawaii.

State funding cuts are battering the nonprofit sector, which has laid off scores of people over the last 12 months and is preparing for more bad news as state departments scrutinize their contracts looking for more savings.

About 420 low-income households in Hawai'i will soon be getting solar water heaters paid for with $3.7 million from the federal economic stimulus program.

The so-called "novel" H1N1 Influenza A (swine flu) "is not novel anymore," says Dr. Chris Whelen, State Laboratories Division administrator.

Some of the state's top tech-savvy innovators Saturday fused together to exchange ideas and find ways to get more people to use this valuable resource.

A less-than-hoped yield for a well drilled by Maui Land & Pineapple Co. at Piiholo has put the company and Maui County water officials at odds over a deal to use the water.

Funding has already been set aside for curbside recycling to begin next year, Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. told community members at last week’s Apollo Kaua‘i meeting.

They say a man can't serve two masters, but Lincoln Ashida finds himself serving many more than that.

While Gov. Linda Lingle was meeting with union leaders last week in an attempt to resolve their labor dispute, some of the state's Big Island employees were receiving layoff notices and pondering their financial futures.