Hawaii population growth slows, contempt motion filed in Native Hawaiian election, Hoopili development approved, rich and famous vacation on Maui, Obama climbs Honolulu trail, corrections officers charged with smuggling drugs, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Awaiting theBus © 2015 All Hawaii News

Hawaii’s population grew by about 11,000 people in 2015 to more than 1.43 million, an increase of a little less than 1 percent. Star-Advertiser.

The Native Hawaiian self-governance campaign run by Na‘i Aupuni came under attack once again Tuesday as foes formally asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block its election end run. Star-Advertiser.

The plaintiffs in Akina v. Hawaii on Tuesday filed a motion for civil contempt at the U.S. Supreme Court, naming Nai Aupuni, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission and other defendants. Civil Beat.

Opponents of a now-canceled election are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stop efforts to send all of the candidates to a convention for Native Hawaiian self-governance. Associated Press.

A definition in the interim administrative rules for medical marijuana dispensaries posted this month could cost Kauai dispensary investors millions of dollars in utility and construction costs. Garden Island.

Commentary: What has it meant to Hawaii, in the last seven years, to be the birthplace of the 44th president? Star-Advertiser.

Some people on the Koko Head Crater Trail got an unexpected thrill Tuesday morning as they met President Obama while on a hike. KHON2.

Oahu

Hawaii’s highest court cleared the way Tuesday for a controversial master-planned Hoopili community with 11,750 homes on 1,526 acres of prime farmland on Oahu’s Ewa plain. Star-Advertiser.

In a 4-1 ruling, the Hawaii Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a challenge to a state Land Use Commission decision that allowed for the development of more than 1,500 acres of prime farmland on Oahu. Civil Beat.

D.R. Horton - Schuler Homes’ long-planned 11,750-home master-planned Hoopili project in Ewa in West Oahu is moving ahead after the Hawaii State Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Texas developer, saying that the state Land Use Commission properly reclassified the 1,525 acres for the project from agricultural to urban, according to a ruling Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

Rail officials have awarded Nan Inc. — not Watts Constructors — the contract to build the final trio of stations along rail’s first 10 miles, even though Watts had submitted the lowest bid for that work. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation awarded the contract for the Kamehameha Highway Stations group to Nan, Inc. on Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

Five corrections officers -- including two supervisors -- are accused of smuggling drugs and other contraband to inmates at Oahu Community Correctional Center, the state's largest jail, sources told Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa’s student-run radio station will install a new transmitter and antenna on Tantalus on Oahu in January. The new equipment will increase the station’s power from 3,000 watts to 7,000 watts and extend its reach to more than 870,000 listeners. Pacific Business News.

A federal jury has concluded the state and its Transportation Department’s airports division discriminated against a former Honolulu International Airport employee by not doing enough to stop her from being sexually harassed by a co-worker. Associated Press.

The owner of Affordable Casket and Moanalua Mortuary was sentenced Tuesday and immediately began serving 30 days in prison for stealing from customers. Hawaii News Now.

The University of Hawaii men's basketball team was put on three years of probation Tuesday by the NCAA after an investigation found former coach Gib Arnold violated ethical conduct rules and provided false or misleading information. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Two of the most problematic county boards and commissions — the Board of Ethics and the Transportation Commission — are finally on their way to being filled following months of missed meetings because of a lack of a quorum. West Hawaii Today.

The number of cases of dengue fever on Hawaii Island continues to climb. Yesterday the Hawaii Department of Health confirmed 170 cases locally acquired since September. Hawaii Public Radio.

Ohia wilt, also known by the more disturbing moniker “rapid ohia death,” so far has claimed hundreds of thousands of Hawaii’s most iconic tree. Today, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and its state and federal partners are expected to announce a new awareness campaign tasked with spreading the word about ohia wilt and how Hawaii residents can do their part to slow the disease’s spread. Tribune-Herald.

Some holiday traditions on Hawaii Island are being reconsidered in light of a newly identified disease killing mature ʻōhiʻa trees. For example, the annual Native Species Wreath Making Workshop hosted by the Department of Land and Natural Resources on December 19th went ʻōhiʻa-free this year, due to the onset of Rapid Ohia Death, or ROD. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Gov. David Ige's supplemental budget for the 2016 Legislature contains some big ticket items for Maui County, including $29 million for the widening of Hana Highway in Kahului, $8 million for improving a holding room area and gates at Kahului Airport and $4 million for the lengthening of the Lanai Airport runway. Maui News.

Officials are working to get a $6 million project to expand Maui’s only cemetery for veterans back on track before burial space runs out. Associated Press.

The "regulars," Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Aniston, currently are on the island, based on jets parked at Kahului Airport. Maui News.

With an average daily rate of $412, Wailea had the highest hotel room rate in Hawaii during the Christmas period, a survey from CheapHotels.org said Monday. Maui News.

Kauai

The Young Brothers Community Advisory Board distributed more than $17,000 to eight Kauai nonprofits Monday afternoon at the Nawiliwili Port. Garden Island.

How to fix Waikiki beach, Obama addresses troops, minimum wage going up, new geothermal well coming to Puna, 10,500 more people, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki Beach © 2014 All Hawaii News

The City and County of Honolulu  is considering creating a Special Improvement District to maintain and restore Waikiki Beach. Half of the $1.3 million budget to do the first part of renovation would come from the state legislature. The other half would come from a special assessment to commercial landowners. KHON2.

Diamond Head, the extinct volcano that has become synonymous with Waikiki Beach isn’t going anywhere, but much of the sand that both locals and visitors enjoy has vanished. KITV4.

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greeted military service members and their families at a holiday dinner held Thursday afternoon at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

After a day at the beach, Barack and Michelle Obama go to the Marine base at Kaneohe, where they visit with hundreds of service members and their families. Civil Beat.

President Barack Obama marked the end of more than a decade of combat in Afghanistan by paying tribute to America’s military, telling troops on Christmas Day that their sacrifices have allowed for a more peaceful, prosperous world to emerge out of the ashes of 9/11. Associated Press.

How President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama spent the sixth day of their holiday vacation in Hawaii on Thursday. Associated Press.

More Hawaii residents moved to the mainland than came the other way, but the state still added more than 10,500 people in the past year ending July 1, according to a census report. Births and foreign migrants largely accounted for Hawaii's population boost from 1,408,987 in 2013 to 1,419,561 in 2014, according to Census Bureau estimates released this week. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations announced Wednesday that per Act 82, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, the minimum wage will increase to $7.75 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2015. West Hawaii Today.

Civil Beat’s 10 Most Read Stories of 2014. Hawaii's cost of living, GMO farming and homelessness were among the issues that attracted a lot of attention from our readers.

One Christmas present of sorts that came early for consumers in Hawaii and across the country: cheaper gas prices. That fall in fuel prices has also made a difference for a number of publicly-held companies based in Hawaii. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Honolulu’s current affordable housing rules produced only 68 units in fiscal year 2014. That’s despite a housing shortage that helped drive up the median cost of a home to $719,000 last month. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii Cancer Center is facing an uncertain future as revenue streams shrink and financial losses mount at the research facility. At the same time, federal requirements call for operations to expand. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige said the state has not done a good job coordinating what public facilities should be built on state property along the rail transit line but he said affordable housing and a new state office building are two important needs. Hawaii News Now.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has rejected Tommy Waters’ challenge of the election results in the Honolulu City Council District 4 race, in which Trevor Ozawa won by just 41 votes. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co. is asking Hawaii regulators for more time to negotiate an updated power purchase agreement with AES Hawaii, the owner and operator of the state's only coal-fired power plant, as well as the single-largest generating plant on Oahu. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Puna Geothermal Venture plans to drill a new geothermal well to maintain production levels. Mike Kaleikini, director of Hawaiian Affairs for Ormat, PGV’s parent company, said drilling could begin in January and take about three months to complete. Tribune-Herald.

Two University of Hawaii at Hilo students are being called the "champions of freedom" for their efforts to protect First Amendment rights on campus. Star-Advertiser.

Visitors to the Hilo Naniloa Hotel will find major renovations, long talked about, have begun in earnest. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

What began as a civics lesson for a Maui Preparatory Academy student in April became a new ordinance banning smoking in Maui County parks and on its beaches. Maui News.

Maui leads the state in estimated number of vacation rental units advertised on the Internet, according to an SMS Research study conducted at the end of 2013 and between August and September of this year. Maui News.

Kauai

A Hawaii vacation rental market study shows that alternative renting models continue to make inroads on hotels — and on Kauai, it’s about even on how visitors are choosing to overnight. Garden Island.