New $50 registration fee for electric vehicles, NTSB investigating fatal Kauai tour helicopter crash, Honolulu officials enjoy contractor-paid lunches, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Electric vehicle at Hawaii charging station ©2019 All Hawaii News

Hawaii joins states charging more for electric cars as new laws kick in. The new year will bring new charges for some owners of electric vehicles, as an increasing number of states seek to plug in to fresh revenue sources to offset forgone gas taxes. Associated Press.

Sun shines for solar PV, despite tax credit step-down. Solar companies are rushing to finish up installations as part of the usual end-of-year crunch, but are particularly busy this year due to a step-down in federal tax credits for residential solar PV systems set to begin in 2020. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Congressman Ed Case Renews His Crusade Against The Jones Act. Case’s attempt to exempt Hawaii from the 1920 maritime law isn’t supported by others in the state’s federal delegation. Civil Beat.

$30 million in ‘ohana zone’ funding has led to multiple state projects. In the 2018 legislative session, lawmakers approved a whopping $30 million to fund a homeless concept that started out as tent cities, then morphed into undefined “safe zones” and finally became law under the banner of “ohana zones.” Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Free Lunch From A Contractor Is Annual Tradition at Honolulu Hale. The Ethics Commission is considering a zero-tolerance policy on “tokens of aloha.” Civil Beat.

ACLU says Honolulu's "midnight homeless sweeps" unconstitutional, cruel during holidays. Civic groups call for end to enforcements they say are ineffective, inhumane and illegal, citing a federal ruling that applies to Hawaii. KITV.

Barbers Point air museum files suit to stay in business. The nonprofit Naval Air Museum Barbers Point, which maintains that it is being wrongfully evicted by state airport officials over a convoluted contract history, has filed a lawsuit claiming it has an “implied agreement” with the state to occupy certain space at what is now known as Kalaeloa Airport. Star-Advertiser.

Kaneohe Cemetery Expansion Threatens Rare Damselfly. State officials will decide at a hearing that starts next month if the developer’s mitigation plan adequately protects this endangered species. Civil Beat.

Wahiawa residents say planned homeless shelter is unsafe. Alea Bridge’s Resource and Navigation Center will provide showers, hygiene and laundry facilities. Hawaii News Now.

Kaimuki residents: City isn’t doing enough to rein in monster home builder. Kaimuki residents are up in arms about another monster home proposed in their neighborhood. The city is still investigating but neighbors said it isn’t doing enough. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

GET increase to take effect Jan. 1. For the second time in two years, the new year will bring another increase to the county’s general excise tax. Tribune-Herald.

Mauna Kea road cleared as protesters shift focus. The Mauna Kea Access Road was finally cleared of tents and protesters Saturday for the first time since mid-July, but the opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope vowed to shift the focus of their protest campaign to the mainland during a two-month pause in the standoff on the mountain. Star-Advertiser.

$90M penciled in for Saddle extension. State transportation officials are targeting a new source of funding to help cover some of the cost of extending Daniel K. Inouye Highway to Queen Kaahumanu Highway. West Hawaii Today.

$4 million for Kukuiola, Village 9 road project. The county is poised to receive $4 million from the Hawaii Housing Finance &Development Corp. to build a road accessing the Kukuiola emergency shelter project and Village 9 affordable rental community project on Kealakehe Parkway. West Hawaii Today.

Plotting the road to recovery: Disaster task force to review strategies at meeting. Hawaii County’s Disaster Recovery Task Force will begin reviewing proposed strategies related to recovery efforts from the 2018 eruption of Kilauea volcano at its meeting next month. Tribune-Herald.

Inaba to run for County Council. A contender for the County Council District 8 seat being vacated by Karen Eoff is poised to announce his candidacy. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Alice Lee new council chairwoman. Committees reorganized in wake of King's resignation as chair. Maui News.

King’s Term as Chair Cut Short: Lee Pledges “Unifying” Style. The Maui County Council voted 7-2 on Friday in favor of changing council leadership from the current chair, Kelly King, to the selection of Alice Lee, who will take over chairmanship on Jan. 2, 2020. Maui Now.

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County Council overrides Victorino’s property tax veto. New classifications to take effect July 1. Maui News.

Extra care goes into Iao Valley grounds. Maui Native Hawaiian Club members and volunteers worked on the grounds surrounding the foundation of the Hawaiian Hale at Kepaniwai Heritage Gardens in Iao Valley on Saturday morning. Maui News.

Kauai

NTSB arrives on Kauai to investigate fatal tour chopper crash. An NTSB team arrived on Sunday to launch their investigation of what caused the tour helicopter crash on Kauai’s Na Pali Coast that left no survivors. Hawaii News Now.

No survivors in Kauai helicopter crash; tours scrutinized. Tour helicopter operations in Hawaii have come under increased scrutiny after the deadly crash this week, one of several recent accidents in the state, with a congressman calling the trips unsafe and lacking proper oversight. Associated Press.

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Park limitations having impact. One of the sure signs of the new management paradigm for this state park and the adjoining Ha‘ena State Park on Kauai is a truer wilderness experience for people hardy enough to hike 11 miles one-way from Ke‘e Beach to Kalalau Beach. Garden Island.

Rise of EVs. Two sleek cars — one red and the other blue — sit in adjoining parking spaces at Kukui Grove Center in Lihue. They are testimony to the speed with which Kauai is embracing electric vehicles. Garden Island.

Lanai

Lanaʻi Veterans Cemetery Improvements Complete. State dignitaries gathered on Saturday to mark the completion of a nine-year, $600,000 project at the Lanaʻi Veterans Cemetery. Maui Now.

Mauna Kea Thirty Meter Telescope stalemate drags on, Kauai mulls mayor-less government, Hawaii council to change law to suit judge's rezoning, Health Department wants comments on Maui cane burning, needles washing up at Keehi beach, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Photovoltaic panels in Honolulu

Hawaiian Electric Co. has submitted a new plan to Hawaii regulators regarding rooftop solar, which includes raising the cost of new systems being installed. Pacific Business News.

If there are new challenges to the construction of telescopes on Mauna Kea, the expansion of Turtle Bay Resort or the Honolulu rail system’s impact on historic sites, they could be heard in Hawaii’s Environmental Court, which debuted Wednesday. Supporters hope it will bring more consistency to environmental rulings. Last year, opponents said judges designated to the Environmental Court would be prone to improper influence. Civil Beat.

Oahu

City Environmental Services Director Lori Kahikina acknowledged a shopping bag ban will be an adjustment for residents of Oahu, the last county in the state to implement an ordinance aimed at stepping up use of environmentally friendly checkout bags, but said the law is a compromise between environmentalists and businesses that have to pay more for compostable or paper bags. Star-Advertiser.

Several of the homeless people living in a warren of plywood- and pallet-hardened tents around the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center worry that Monday’s attack on state Rep. Tom Brower by two homeless teenagers will bring unwanted attention and force them to set up shop in someone else’s neighborhood. Star-Advertiser.

Those who frequent Keehi Lagoon Beach Park say needles have been washing up on shore more often. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The County Council will fast-track changes to its concurrency laws to accommodate a Hilo District Court judge’s application to subdivide his property. Judge Harry Freitas and his wife, Sandra, want to rezone their 50-acre Mountain View property from agriculture 20 acres to agriculture 5 acres. The Windward Planning Commission had recommended against the rezoning. West Hawaii Today.

As University of Hawaii officials offer no timeline for reopening the Mauna Kea summit road and visitor center, some tour operators who rely on the mountain for business say that each day brings them closer to layoffs. West Hawaii Today.

Tourists and island residents hoping to visit Mauna Kea’s summit anytime soon likely will be left disappointed as the road closure is expected to continue through the end of the week. Tribune-Herald.

The Mauna Kea summit will remain closed to the public well into next week while officials ensure the safety of a road damaged last week during the protest that blocked construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope, officials said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Many of the protesters opposed to plans for a giant telescope atop Mauna Kea came down from the mountain for a large gathering Wednesday around the King Kamehameha statue in Honolulu. Associated Press.

A Hawaiian mediation process known as ho‘oponopono is being offered to the first group of protesters arrested on Mauna Kea as an alternative to prosecution. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources approved more than $9,000 in fines for a Big Island tour company that operated unpermitted tours of the lava flow near Pu‘u ‘O‘o. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The state Department of Health is soliciting public comments regarding cane burning on Maui after residents called in earlier this month with concerns about a May 27 burn that enveloped South Maui, an official said. Maui News.

Sign-waving protesters line Piilani Highway near the entrance to a Monsanto farming operation in north Kihei on Wednesday morning. The protest came a day after a federal judge struck down the Maui County moratorium on genetically engineered crops passed by voters last fall. The judge ruled Tuesday that the ordinance was "invalid and unenforceable." Maui News.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council unanimously approved a resolution on Wednesday to form a council subcommittee to study a county manager form of government. Garden Island.

Members of the public testified Wednesday on a measure that would charge hikers who ignore warning signs for costs to rescue them if they get in trouble. Garden Island.

Inouye honored on one-year anniversary of his death, Legislature to mull police oversight, Navy expands danger zone off Kauai, FEMA sends food to Big Island, dispute over who can install solar panels, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Daniel Inouye (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

One year ago, the United States lost one of its most beloved and devoted public servants. Senator Daniel Inouye (D) was many things: a father, a husband, a decorated World War II veteran (and Medal of Honor recipient), the U.S. Senate's second-longest serving member, and the first Japanese-American to serve in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Huffington Post.

On the one-year anniversary of U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye's death, the Dec. 17 print edition of Honolulu Star-Advertiser — the state's newspaper of record — devoted only a few lines of ink. There was far more mention in the same issue of another leader who died on the same day, albeit in 2011: Kim Jong-il. Is Hawaii already over Dan? Civil Beat.

The best way to honor the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye is to build on his legacy of compassion, humility and public service, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Hawaii's congressional delegation said Tuesday on the first anniversary of his death. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono  joined other federal lawmakers who marked the anniversary of the death of Sen. Daniel Inouye today by introducing a bill to rename a Honolulu defense institute in his honor. The Senate passed it unanimously. Associated Press.

The chair of the Senate Public Safety committee wants to create a statewide police standards board that could play a key role in oversight of law enforcement officers, including weeding out bad behavior.Another lawmaker has said he plans to re-visit a proposal to require police agencies to disclose more information about disciplined officers. The courts also are scheduled to take up the issue of public disclosure of police misconduct. Civil Beat.

Hawaii May Be Key Outpost for Massive Undersea Resource Rush. International teams of mineral prospectors are making Honolulu Harbor a departure point for their expeditions into the area. Civil Beat.

There’s been a new development in a long-running controversy involving sonar and marine life. The Navy is set to ramp up testing and training activities off the coast of Hawaii and Southern California. And that’s sparked some legal opposition. Hawaii Public Radio.

A state licensing board today deferred a decision on the extent to which licensed electricians need to be involved in the installation of solar photovoltaic systems. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for December 18. Associated Press.

Oahu

A study showing 30 to 40 percent of requests for private, nonemergency ambulance service are turned down in West Oahu has prompted a City Council member and the Emergency Services Department to support having a second private provider. Star-Advertiser.

A scathing opinion issued by the Hawaii Supreme Court at the end of last week blasted Honolulu officials for blacklisting two veteran professional stagehands in August 2007 following a run-in with then-Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s older brother, Nephi. Civil Beat.

A Waimanalo charity that helps disabled children may be kicked off of its property. The Manawalea Riding Center's landlord is the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which has been cracking down on lease violations. Hawaii News Now.

There's no agreement on price yet, but more details have emerged about the state's proposal to pay the owner of Turtle Bay Resort to protect part -- but not all -- of the North Shore property from development. Star-Advertiser.

The city has broken ground on a second digester at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant that Mayor Kirk Caldwell and other supporters say is necessary to expand the city's sewage capacity and clear the way for more housing on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Housing allowances for military members will increase 14.7 percent on Oahu come Jan. 1 in one of the biggest jumps across the nation, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

An investigation into employment practices at the Myron B. Thompson Academy took a dramatic turn Monday when the state attorney general seized computers and more than 50 boxes of documents from the public charter school. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
Local families in need this holiday season will get some kokua from what seems an unlikely place — the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA has donated nine pallets of Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs) to help homeless and otherwise disadvantaged Big Islanders. Those pallets arrived Tuesday by Young Brothers barge at the Hilo Harbor. Tribune-Herald.

Concessions by the developer of the luxury Kohala Kai subdivision in response to public concerns weren’t enough reassurance Tuesday for the County Council Finance Committee, which voted unanimously to postpone acceptance of a public shoreline easement to give the developer time to meet once more with the community. West Hawaii Today.

North Hawaii Community Hospital is now part of The Queen’s Health Systems. The Waimea-based nonprofit hospital and The Queen’s Health Systems, corporate parent of The Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu, officially entered into an affiliation agreement following a system board meeting Monday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Local recycling company Maui EKO Compost agreed Monday to begin discussions with Anaergia Services, the California-based company selected to build a waste conversion facility on Maui, on how a partnership may be forged to allow EKO to continue doing what they've been doing for 18 years - turning organic waste into compost. Maui News.

A dedication ceremony was held this morning for the second phase of the Lahaina Bypass project in West Maui. Maui Now.

In his executive supplemental budget request, Gov. Neil Abercrombie asked Monday for two appropriations totaling $42 million for the Hawaii Health Systems Corp., which runs Neighbor Island public hospitals, including Maui Memorial Medical Center. Maui News.

A proposed sale of the land underneath Maui’s only Kmart store includes an option for a buyer to purchase the building at a “bargain price,” according to the commercial real estate e-newsletter Real Estate Alert. Pacific Business News.

The Advanced Technology Solar Telescope, or ATST, more than a year into construction atop Haleakala, has been renamed the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Hawaii senator's death. Maui News.

Kauai

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved the Navy’s request for an expanded danger zone in the waters fronting the Pacific Missile Range Facility. The decision comes months after the proposal drew fire from local residents during a public comment period ending July 31. Garden Island.

Despite efforts by the public to sway its decision, the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors voted unanimously Tuesday to stand by its ballot language for the upcoming special election related to smart meters. Garden Island.

One key hurdle that Coco Palms Resort developers say is needed to rebuild the iconic Wailua hotel may be cleared by the Kauai County Council today. Garden Island.

Filibusters delay gay marriage vote, SHOPO chief won't enforce it, state procurement officer replaced, Historic Preservation head tapped, Honolulu mayor fights ethics, state backs Kauai GMO veto, Maui hospital earns trauma center designation, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gay marriage rally Yahoo News photo

Legislative progress on same-sex marriage had to wait another day. The Hawaii House Judiciary and Finance committees decided at 10:30 p.m. Monday to defer any decision-making on legislation granting same-sex couples the right to marry until Tuesday, at the earliest. The Judiciary and Finance committees are set to resume hearing testimony at 10:30 a.m. Civil Beat.

Garret Hashimoto of the Hawaii Christian Coalition dubbed it another "People's Filibuster." Thousands of religious conservatives, taking full advantage of the state House's commitment to hear from everyone on gay marriage, have deliberately sought to prolong a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee and the House Finance Committee. Star-Advertiser.

Two Hawaii House committees considering a bill to legalize gay marriage are tightening rules on testimony at a joint hearing after some people used a registration list to speak for others. Associated Press.

As the Hawaii Legislature inches closer to legalizing same-sex marriage, opponents of the bill have been voicing their concerns with increasing fervor. One persistent concern has emerged: that legalizing same-sex marriage could force public school teachers to teach kids about "the homosexual lifestyle."  Civil Beat.

Tenari Maafala, the President of Hawaii’s police union and an active police officer with the Honolulu Police Department, who testified that he would never enforce a law requiring same-sex marriage. “You would have to kill me,” he told the lawmakers. HuffPost Hawaii.

Special Session rolls into week two. What's left on the agenda? Hawaii Independent.

A new procedure is speeding up the testimony process at the Capitol, as lawmakers make their way through a fourth, and possibly final, day of a public hearing on a controversial same-sex marriage bill. Hawaii News Now.

For the masochists who have sat through more than 50 hours of mind-numbingly repetitive testimony in the House and Senate on legislation that could open up marriage to homosexual couples, some things have become abundantly clear. Civil Beat.

Rep. Clift Tsuji, who has long described himself as a supporter of “traditional marriage,” said that, based solely on the sheer amount of testimony he has received in opposition to Senate Bill 1 — which would legalize gay marriage in Hawaii — he will likely vote against the measure. Tribune-Herald.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday appointed Maria Zielinski as interim State Procurement Office administrator Monday after Aaron Fujioka unexpectedly retired last week. Right before Fujioka stepped down, he suspended the procurement delegation that he’d given state department heads. He sent an order out Oct. 31 that said any subsequent authority would be issued by his successor. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers question timing of procurement office job-fill. KHON2.

A veteran archaeologist from the mainland has been chosen to take over the beleaguered State Historic Preservation Division. Big Island Now.

Small groups like exercise classes and Cub Scout troops across the state are finding themselves caught in the fallout over a lawsuit against the Department of Education. The lawsuit claims five large churches have underpaid the state more than $5 million in rent, so prices are going up for small groups as a result. Hawaii News Now.

Green, yellow, red — those are the colors that would alert restaurant patrons to whether the establishment has passed health inspections, under rules proposed by the state Department of Health. Star-Advertiser.

One in five stars has an Earth-sized planet in the habitable zone, according to researchers with University of Hawaii and University of California, Berkeley. West Hawaii Today.

State roundup for November 5. Associated Press.

Oahu
Honolulu Ethics Commission Executive Director Chuck Totto doesn’t want to lose control of his agency, but he says that’s becoming a real possibility under the increasingly heavy thumb of the Caldwell administration. Civil Beat.

Oahu’s solar photovoltaic industry suffered its sixth straight month of decline in October for permits issued when comparing statistics from the same period last year. Pacific Business News.

A federal judge said she's inclined to deny a motion by a North Carolina man to move his trial over a failed University of Hawaii concert that was supposed to feature Stevie Wonder. Associated Press.

Harbor officials fear state could be partially to blame for molasses spill. Special legislative hearing on spill yet to be scheduled. KITV4.

The controversy over the dumping of tons of sludge in Waianae is now a criminal case. Hawaii News Now has learned that the Honolulu Police Department is working with the city Department of Planning and Permitting in its investigation into SER Trucking of Waianae.

It's been 42 years since the last whistle blew ending work at the Kahuku Plantation Co., though in some respects, life in one neighborhood has gone on as if the sugar mill never closed. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A lawsuit alleging police used excessive force against a 25-year-old Mountain View man in the Hilo cellblock after a drunken driving arrest has been moved to federal court in Honolulu. Tribune-Herald.

Volunteers are breathing new life into a home built more than a century ago, when its closest neighbor was a large grass shack. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui Memorial Medical Center was awarded designation as a Level 3 Trauma Center following evaluation and inspection conducted over a one-year period, the hospital announced. Maui Now.

Wailuku attorney Lloyd A. Poelman became Maui County's newest District Court judge after being confirmed by the state Senate during the special legislative session Monday. Maui News.

Members of the public get a rare look inside the Maui Bird Conservation Center. Maui News.

Homelessness will be the focus of discussion for the next edition of Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa’s County on Your Corner Event. The discussion will be televised in a live broadcast, scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, on Channel 54. Maui Now.

Kauai

The state Department of Agriculture issued a statement Monday endorsing Kauai County Mayor Bernard Carvalho’s assessment of a bill to regulate genetically modified crops and pesticide use on the Garden Island. Carvalho vetoed the bill last week due to legal concerns, prompting a backlash from its supporters. Associated Press.

The Kauai County Council is planning a special meeting in the next two weeks to consider candidates for a vacant council seat — a process that could begin after a final decision has been made on the veto of Bill 2491. Garden Island.

The Hawaii state Intermediate Court of Appeals has vacated a prior judgment that said the former permit-holders would not be responsible to defend claims brought against the state related to the 2006 Ka Loko dam disaster. Garden Island.

Hawaii lawmakers mull solar glut, attorney general bows out of GMO debate, Kauai, Hawaii county councils take up GMO bills today, Matson paying businesses for molasses spill, public records pricey, helmet law unlikely, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

solar panels (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The Hawaiian Electric Company answered to lawmakers Monday afternoon about a new policy requiring its approval before solar photovoltaic installations.  HECO says the change, which went into effect, September 6, ensures its circuits have the capacity to remain reliable as PV growth skyrockets in Hawai'i. Hawaii News Now.

HECO warns that so much solar power is passing through its circuits that the extra energy could cause power disruptions for others and possibly jeopardize the safety of some of its employees. When the utility reviews proposed solar systems, it decides whether the customer may have to pay for studies of its electrical grid, as well as costs associated with upgrades of the grid so that it can handle power that the solar customer generates. Civil Beat.

Safety first. That's what Hawaiian Electric Company is telling people who are still waiting to get their photovoltaic systems approved. KHON2.

The Hawaii Health Connector expects to launch its online marketplace for health insurance policies today, two weeks after failing to meet its original Oct. 1 start date. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Agriculture wants to fill several positions in its pesticides branch, including jobs for inspectors that were eliminated because of budget shortfalls. The department said it will seek funding from the Legislature next year to fill positions statewide. Star-Advertiser.

A mandatory helmet bill is periodically introduced in the state Legislature, and it often doesn’t get a committee hearing, much less get passed. The 2014 legislative session may be no different, despite a move by the Honolulu City Council to include mandatory helmets for riders of motorcycles, mopeds and motor scooters in a package of priorities being put together by the Hawaii State Association of Counties. West Hawaii Today.

The Aloha State is ranked sixth among the top 10 best states for young adults, according to MoneyRates.com. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii residents and visitors spent more money in the third quarter on convenience store items, insurance, furniture and other goods and services, according to the bank that handles most credit and debit transactions in the state. Associated Press.

Hawaii's Public Records: Law's Creators Didn't Expect Cost To Be An Issue. Civil Beat.

Documents requested from state and county agencies under the Uniform Information Practices Act are often handed over with black streaks through words, sentences, paragraphs and even entire pages. Agencies are supposed to provide a legally justified reason for every redaction, but they're often chalked up to privacy concerns or broad categorical exemptions such as the ubiquitous "frustrates a legitimate government function."  Civil Beat.

State roundup for October 15. Associated Press.

Oahu
Matson Inc. is starting to cut checks to businesses hurt by last month's molasses spill disaster. About a dozen companies have filed claims against the shipping giant after the spill shutdown Keehi Lagoon and much of Honolulu Harbor for nearly two week. Hawaii News Now.

Sections of the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station are returning to the "wild, wild West" vandalism and lawless days that followed the base closing in 1999, a local historian and preservationist charges. Some residents and officials agree with that assessment by Ewa Beach's John Bond, while others do not, as the old 3,700-acre military base continues to occupy an awkward place between the ongoing departure of the Navy and redevelopment somewhere down the road. Star-Advertiser.

State coastal lands officials Monday reached out to Sunset Beach residents threatened by such severe shore erosion that it has left their homes dangerously close to the edge of a newly carved 20-foot cliff. A team from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources met with residents, talked to lifeguards and examined the eroded stretch of North Shore beach at Ke Nui Road that includes the home of pro surfer Fred Patacchia Jr. Star-Advertiser.

For nearly 90 years, Camp Kokokahi has weathered the salty breezes of Kaneohe Bay with a spiritual, if not physical, grace. While thousands of Hawaii families and visitors enjoyed the waterfront facilities, the buildings deteriorated, held together by an occasional new coat of paint, and the camp seemed to slip from people's minds. Star-Advertiser.

Local real estate developer Dick Gushman, who helped develop the Waikiki Beach Walk retail complex and Waikele Center, is donating $100,000 to Hawaii Public Radio as part of a philanthropic partnership that will translate into at least 1 million HawaiianMiles for the Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A Big Island lawmaker has raised questions regarding Hawaii County’s ability to regulate genetically altered crops. On Thursday, state Sen. Malama Solomon sent Hawaii Attorney General David Louie an email asking for an opinion on the issue. Tribune-Herald.

A bill seeking to ban genetically modified crops in Hawaii County passed the Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee (PSMTC) on Oct. 1 and moves on to first reading in front of the full council on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013. KHON2.

Brightly colored flotation devices, mounted to plastic pipes topped with orange flags, now adorn five North Kona beaches, thanks to the Alex and Duke De Rego Foundation. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

GMO Free Maui hosted a Maui March Against Monsanto over the weekend as part of an ongoing effort to heighten awareness about GMOs and pesticides. Maui Now.

Hundreds march to ‘Bee The Change’ against Monsanto. Maui News.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa hosts a news conference this afternoon to share his vision for a “Central Maui Regional Park” in Waikapū. Maui Now.

Hui o Wa‘a Kaulua is calling for volunteers to help with finishing and outfitting Maui’s voyaging canoe, Mo’okiha o Pi’ilani, prior to its planned launched on Dec. 21 during the winter solstice. Maui Now.

Kauai

Once outgoing member Nadine Nakamura steps away from the County Council in about two weeks, the rest of the commission will have one month to choose her replacement. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council will reconvene on Tuesday, Oct. 15, to continue the discussion over Bill 2491 regulating GMOs. KHON2.

Resurrecting the cemetery. Eleele resident cleaning up a piece of Kauai’s history. Garden Island.

Lanai

Pulama Lanai, the company formed to handle operations for Lanai majority owner Larry Ellison, is expected to reveal details about a planned $27 million makeover of its Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay at a meeting next week on the island. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii gets No Child waiver, transgender official wins White House recognition, Honolulu council sets $2B budget, Ala Wai pollution investigated, Kauai military range could be expanded, Maui sues Mainstreet Association, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii school, courtesy Department of Education

Hawaii's public schools will be allowed to ignore parts of the federal No Child Left Behind law in favor of a state-developed accountability system, under a waiver granted Monday by the U.S. Department of Education. Star-Advertiser.

The Obama administration on Monday approved Hawaii’s request for a waiver from provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind education law. Associated Press.

Everyone riding in an automobile in Hawaii must now use a seat belt, under one of two traffic safety bills Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed into law Monday. The second new law bans drivers from holding cellphones and other electronic devices, in effect replacing various county ordinances. Star-Advertiser.

Car wheel boots may soon be banned in Hawaii — depending on whether Gov. Neil Abercrombie signs into a law a bill to outlaw the devices. Star-Advertiser.

Iwamoto

The White House will honor Hawaii Civil Rights Commission member Kim Coco Iwamoto, a transgender, on Wednesday as one of 10 LGBT elected or appointed officials who are "Harvey Milk Champions of Change." Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii President MRC Greenwood's sudden decision to step down with two years remaining on her contract caught many by surprise, even those closest to her. She has not addressed on camera her decision or what led up to it, until now. Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii spent more than $53,000 hiring well-known Honolulu attorney Bill McCorriston to represent the UH Board of Regents after UH President MRC Greenwood sent the regents a letter offering to leave the university for a payment of $2 million. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council will take a final vote in two weeks on a balanced, $2 billion operating budget that neither raises property tax rates nor fees and makes no cuts in services. Star-Advertiser.

Taxpayers Pay When Ala Wai Pollution Hits Waikiki. Civil Beat.

State officials haven’t regularly monitored contaminants in the Ala Wai canal since 1999, according to the Hawaii Department of Health, which is responsible for enforcing the federal Clean Water Act that sets standards and limits on contaminants. Civil Beat.

Civil Beat Lab Tests: Ala Wai Canal Seafood Is Contaminated.

A vacationing U.S. Border Patrol agent died Sunday attempting to save a woman in distress in a pool at Waimea Falls. Star-Advertiser.

Organizers of an annual conference for people who manage more than $3 trillion in public sector pension funds in the U.S. and Canada say a significant number of administrators are skipping this year’s meeting in Hawaii to avoid the perception they’re wasting money by heading to the island paradise. Associated Press.

Hawaii

A late effort to buy Hawai'i Nui Brewing LLC, the bankrupt Hilo microbrewery, postponed a court auction Monday and has set up a potential bidding contest between a former Hawai'i Nui partner and a rival beer producer in Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

A University of Hawaii-Hilo spokeswoman insists a $28 million dorm project will be ready by August, but a report obtained by Hawaii Reporter and Watchdog.org outlines numerous flaws in the taxpayer-funded project. Hawaii Reporter.

Hilo is at the end of the line but is finally about to get a full serving of Hawaii Public Radio. Most of the state — everywhere but East Hawaii — now gets the full array of HPR programming, said Michael Titterton, president and general manager of Hawaii Public Radio. Tribune-Herald.

At nearly the last minute, the Hawaii County Democratic Party was forced to find a new location for its convention this past weekend. Civil Beat.

Maui
Maui County filed a lawsuit against Wailuku Main Street Association Inc./Tri-Isle Main Street Resource Center on Monday afternoon claiming the organization violated its county grant agreement and should return more than $11,000 worth of personal property bought with county funds and any remaining funding obtained under the agreement. Maui News.

Maui County is looking for solar photovoltaic firms to install, operate, maintain and own solar PV systems, and then sell the energy generated to the county under a power purchase agreement. Pacific Business News.

After nine months of hosting public discussion meetings and working with county planners, the Lahaina Restoration Foundation is putting the finishing touches on a number of community-based projects to improve the Lahaina harbor front. Maui News

Kauai

The Army Corps of Engineers is proposing to establish a “new danger zone” in waters near the Kekaha Range Facility, on Kaua‘i’s Westside. If passed, a six-mile wide section of the Pacific Ocean will be occasionally closed to public access during scheduled weapons firing. Garden Island.

The gates to the Hanalei Pier canopy are once again open. “The Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay, thanks to the generous support of the entire community, has just finished the rebuilding of the canopy at the end of the Hanalei Bay Pier,” said Branch Lotspeich, Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay spokesman. Garden Island.

The public is invited to share their ideas at community meetings regarding places on Kaua’i that they feel should be preserved and protected. Garden Island.

Hawaii tourism hot, Honolulu addresses solar PV permit backlog, middle class tax cut could cost Hawaii $1B, phone scammer calls Kauai police chief, state funds for Hilo hospital, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Polynesian Cultural Center (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

Increased tourism is the gift that keeps on giving for Hawaii's visitor industry, which moved past the traditional October shoulder season with nary a slowdown in sight and is heading toward a strong year-end finish and start next year. Star-Advertiser.

Japan overtook the East Coast of the United States in October to become Hawaii’s second largest visitor market, after the West Coast market, according to statistics released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii is on track to welcome a record number of visitors to the islands this year, the Hawaii Tourism Authority said Thursday. Associated Press.

Allowing tax cuts on middle class families to expire could result in almost a billion-dollar reduction in consumer spending in Hawaii in 2013. Civil Beat.

Hundreds of teachers from 51 public schools statewide participated in grass-roots “work to rule” protests Thursday to call for a resolution to a labor dispute entering its 17th month. Star-Advertiser.

As Hawaii strives to cut its dependence on imported oil, researchers at the University of Hawaii say that state policymakers are missing a major part of the equation when it comes to energy efficiency goals. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's energy costs could drop by as much as $2 billion a year if natural gas not oil was used to generate electricity, according to the head of Hawaii's gas company. Civil Beat.

Hawaii has the second-least competitive commercial health insurance market in the country, according to an American Medical Association study released this week. West Hawaii Today.

Local attorney and former state lawmaker John Carroll is taking another whack at the Jones Act, the federal law that supports America’s commercial shipping fleet but is also criticized as inflating Hawaii’s cost of living. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents will follow at least one recommendation from a Senate Special Accountability Committee that looked into the fundraising concert debacle at UH-Manoa.Star-Advertiser.

State Auditor Marion Higa will retire midway through her current eight-year term on Dec. 31, after 21 years. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for November 30. Associated Press.

Oahu

A bill allowing third-party electrical engineers to make final inspections of newly installed photovoltaic systems on Oahu got a key approval from the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee on Thursday despite objections raised by city inspectors. Star-Advertiser.

Installation of Solar Photovoltaic Systems to generate electricity on O’ahu has more than doubled each year since 2009 … fueled in large part by federal, state and public utility incentives.   But this has caused the workload for electrical inspectors to quadruple…and the Honolulu City Council is seeking temporary relief. Hawaii Public Radio.

Gun registrations on Oahu are headed toward record numbers, resulting in long lines at for buyers seeking permits for their firearms. Hawaii News Now.

In a firm show of support for rail, a Honolulu City Council committee voted 8-1 Thursday to authorize Mayor Peter Carlisle's administration to sign an agreement to accept $1.55 billion in federal funding to help finance the city's planned train project. Star-Advertiser.

Starting Saturday, the State Health Department will allow Honolulu police officers to take people an HPD psychologist believes may be suffering from mental illness to four Oahu hospitals that do not have in-patient psychiatric wards. Hawaii News Now.

Kailua residents are gearing up for the arrival of President Barack Obama and the First Family. KHON2.

Hawaii

Hilo Medical Center can begin a series of much-needed repairs and renovations to the East Hawaii hospital after Gov. Neil Abercrombie released on Thursday $3.7 million in taxpayer funds for the projects. Tribune-Herald.

The U.S. Army maintains that it does not need a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to possess depleted uranium at its training ranges in Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

Kealakehe Elementary School special education teacher Julie Vernon held a sign protesting the continuing lack of contract between the Hawaii State Teachers Association and the state Thursday morning. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The founder of an organization opposing the Public Land Development Corp. and an official with the Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter will be discussing the controversial PLDC at a meeting of Upcountry Sustainability at 7 p.m. Monday. Maui News.

Some of the new shops set to open in The Outlets of Maui in Lahaina include high-end retailers Coach, Brooks Brothers and Calvin Klein. Maui News.

Kauai

A telephone scammer dialed up a wrong number earlier this month, reaching Kauai's police chief — who recorded the conversation and shared it with the public to raise awareness about how con artists operate. Star-Advertiser.

The Kaua‘i Police Department posted an online recording of a con artist who unknowingly attempted to scam Kaua‘i Police Chief Darryl Perry, according to county officials. Garden Island.

Kana‘iolowalu is coming to Kaua‘i in an effort to reunify Native Hawaiians. The Native Hawaiian Roll Commission is hosting an informational workshop from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and a commission meeting from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Saturday at the Kaua‘i Veteran’s Center in Lihu‘e. Garden Island.

Molokai

Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono today joined three fellow representatives in introducing a House resolution honoring Mother Marianne Cope of Molokai. Maui Now.

Everything old is new again

HONOLULU -- The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii rang in the New Year with a new state-of-the-art photovoltaic system that allows the nonprofit to generate clean energy and reduce its carbon emissions.

The powerful 12.6 kilowatt PV system was just installed atop the rooftop of the Conservancy’s downtown Honolulu office. Hawaii Energy Connection engineered and supervised the project in collaboration with Siu’s

Electric, the firm’s commercial installation partner.

“We are thrilled that these panels are helping us to reduce our use of petroleum-based fuel,” Suzanne Case, the Conservancy’s Hawaii executive director, said in a statement. “With our conservation mission, it’s imperative that we do our part and walk the talk.”

The Conservancy’s high-performance photovoltaic system is typically valued at more than $100,000. In a Power Purchase Agreement structured by Hawaii Energy Connection, the cost of the system was capitalized up front by a private investor and will be paid over time by the Conservancy as the user. The group will buy the power generated by the renewable energy system at a reduced rate below current utility pricing. The agreement structures the tax incentive provided by the state and federal governments to encourage users to install photovoltaic systems, to enable the investor to take the tax credit and thereby reduce the cost to the non-profit which otherwise could not use the tax credit.

The Conservancy purchased the Wing Wo Tai Building with its graceful gray stone facade on Nuuanu Avenue in 2005 to house its Honolulu office. Originally built in 1877 and rebuilt in 1916, the wood and stone structure survived the Great Fire of Honolulu in 1900 and now demonstrates how even historic buildings can be adapted to meet 21st century needs.

By late 2009, the Conservancy’s Molokai office will be outfitted with a similar system that will fully power the building — taking it totally off the grid.

“We are just doing what we can to tackle the global climate problem on a local level,” Case said. “By taking steps to shrink our own carbon footprint, we can be part of the solution.”