Watershed protection advances, sweet soft drink tax killed, rentals limited at Oahua beaches, Honolulu Council mulls plastic bag ban, UH settles data breach lawsuit, Hawaii Island may declare food emergency, family of murdered inmate files lawsuit, Kauai students want free bus, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waipio Valley watershed (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

There are more than 60 bills relating to natural forest watershed protection before the State Legislature this session. Hawaii Public Radio.

The state Senate Health Committee shelved a bill Wednesday that would have imposed a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, and the syrup and powder used to make them, in an effort to combat childhood obesity. Star-Advertiser.

House Speaker Calvin Say is raising the ire of environmental activists by sidestepping normal legislative procedures on a bill they think would weaken environmental protection in the state. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s newspapers will continue collecting some $1 million for at least another year to print government legal notices, according to the state’s Chief Information Officer. Hawaii Reporter.

The foreclosure count for January was the highest since June, it was still 34 percent below the 985 cases filed in January 2011, suggesting that Hawaii's new foreclosure mediation is still having a dampening effect and providing relief to troubled borrowers. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority approved a 5 percent increase for executive director Tony Ching at a time when other state officials are subject to a 5 percent salary cut because of tight fiscal times. Civil Beat.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii announced a lawsuit this morning against the state and a private prison company for the murder of a Hawaiian inmate in Arizona in 2010. Hawaii Independent.

Bronson Nunuha's family filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the state and its contractor, Tennessee-based Corrections Corp. of America, alleging understaffing and their failure to protect Nunuha, who was killed by fellow inmates on Feb. 18, 2010, in a CCA prison in Eloy, Ariz. Star-Advertiser.

A state judge has approved a $9 million settlement between Bank of Hawaii and 160,000 customers in a class-action lawsuit over improper overdraft charges. Associated Press.

A judge has approved the University of Hawaii's settlement over a major data breach involving thousands of students, faculty, alumni and employees. Hawaii News Now.

The state Reapportionment Commission expects to finalize new political boundaries for state House and Senate offices by the end of the month. Star-Advertiser.

A new attempt to redraw political boundaries drew opposition at the unveiling of the new election maps. KITV4.

Norwegian Cruise Line agreed to pay $526,602 in back wages to 2,059 employees in Hawaii after a federal labor investigation found that the company had violated minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions for employees on the Pride of America cruise ship. Pacific Business News.

State roundup for Feb. 16. Associated Press.

Oahu

Seeking to curb increasing commercial activity at two of Kailua's most popular beach parks, the Honolulu City Council Wednesday approved a ban on such enterprises at Kailua Beach Park and Kalama Beach on Sundays and most of Saturdays. Star-Advertiser.

A bill that would ban the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags passed the first of three required votes at the City Council Wednesday. KHON2.

The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday voted to approve the Waianae Sustainable Communities Plan with the controversial "purple spot" of light industrial zoning in Lualualei Valley inside it. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has pledged to improve a staffing shortage which resulted in just one inspector left working in the field to test the accuracy of thousands of gas pumps, supermarket check-out scanners and taxi meters on Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

The Seaside Hotel in Waikiki is about to change hands with the pending sale of the 1970s-era building from owner United Airlines to an unnamed buyer. Pacific Business News.

A killer monk seal named KE18 is expected to return to Hawaii and spend his days at Sea Life Park outside Honolulu, one of just four institutions authorized to house Hawaiian monk seals. Associated Press.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council will likely declare an emergency in order to give money to the Food Basket. West Hawaii Today.

A 10-day-long effort to gather 100,000 pounds of food for the island's only food bank reached its goal, but the "tremendous" increase in demand for food remains and the call for help is continuous, said Nani Lee, executive director of The Food Basket. West Hawaii Today.

Native Hawaiian homesteaders owe more than $1.6 million in back property taxes, penalties and interest that Hawaii County needs but is virtually powerless to collect. Tribune-Herald.

Waimea Middle School officials have scheduled a community meeting for tonight to discuss the departure of Principal John Colson. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

After years of planning and funding delays, the Kahului Airport access road and parking lot expansion projects have money lined up to start construction in mid-2013. Maui News.

Maui County Council members on Friday deferred a proposal that would require house lots on agricultural land to be taxed the same way as any other residential property. Maui News.

The EA Sports Maui Invitational brought more than 5,000 visitors, including college basketball fans, coaches, players and sports media, to the Valley Isle and generated $8.1 million for the island's economy, according to an announcement from KemperLesnik, operator of the annual tournament hosted by Chaminade University. Maui News.

Kauai

A group of Kaua‘i Community College students rode The Kaua‘i Bus from their campus in Puhi to urge the Kaua‘i County Council to continue the island’s free bus fare program for students. Garden Island.

About 50 people gathered at the Hanalei School cafeteria Wednesday evening for the first of five forums featuring candidates for the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative board of directors. Garden Island.

The Kaua‘i County Council on Wednesday unanimously approved on first reading Resolution 2012-22 calling for the following ballot question to be added to the November elections: “Shall the terms “must” and “shall,” when used in the Kaua‘i County Charter, be interpreted as mandatory directives and shall the term “may,” when used in the Kaua‘i County Charter, be interpreted as permissive?” Garden Island.

The deadline to submit an application for a seat on the Kaua'i County Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund Commission has been extended to March 2. KHON2.


Molokai

A product being sold as incense on Molokai is causing concern, especially for its possible abuse among students and teens who are reportedly smoking it. Known as Spice, K2, herbal incense and other names, the substance, legal in Hawaii, is classified as synthetic cannabis and is chemically blended with herbs. Molokai Dispatch.

Bloggers could lose shield law protection, feds mull defense, energy programs, lawmakers warned about gifts again, Tesoro sale could rattle state gas supply, cleaning up Oahu, Kauai has new clerk, Maui mulls property taxes, more top Hawaii news for smartphone and web

Hawaii state Capitol (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

A U-S House Armed Services panel was at the state capitol today to hear from defense-related businesses. Hawaii Public Radio.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack toured Pearl Harbor on a visit Tuesday meant to highlight the Obama administration's commitment to renewable energy. Associated Press.

A Hawaii state judiciary committee is recommending that the Hawaii Legislature make permanent the state's shield law that protects journalists from forced disclosure of sources and notes. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Legislature convenes next week and the state Ethics Commission is already warning legislators about ethical restrictions on gifts from lobbyists. Hawaii Reporter.

The executive director of the State Ethics Commission issued two memos Monday to state legislators informing them that he was advising against accepting invitations to events hosted by lobbyists. Civil Beat.

The pending sale of Tesoro Corp.'s Hawaii operations adds uncertainty to the island's energy market and raises the possibility of increased prices for gasoline, electricity and jet fuel. Star-Advertiser.

Renewable Energy Push Could Hurt Refineries. Civil Beat.

Chevron Corp. wouldn’t say if it plans to put in a bid to buy Tesoro Corp., after the Texas-based refiner announced on Tuesday that it plans to sell its Hawaii operations. Pacific Business News.

Joe Nathan, who helped write the nation's first charter school law, urged Hawaii educators Tuesday to celebrate the expansion and successes of the charter movement even as they grapple with growing pains. Star-Advertiser.

To address a “crisis” in backlogged elevator safety inspections, the state plans to increase inspection fees to hire new, better-paid inspectors from the private sector, state Labor and Industrial Relations Department Director Dwight Takamine said today. Hawaii Reporter.

The owner of a South Korean oil tanker was sentenced in federal court in Honolulu Tuesday to pay more than $1 million for knowingly dumping oily waste in U.S. waters off Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

This year, lawmakers want to strengthen these provisions to help the victims of labor and sex trafficking. Hawaii Public Radio.

State roundup for January 11. Associated Press.

Oahu

City officials said they will monitor the situation today on South King Street in the McCully-Moiliili area, following Tuesday's daylong effort to clear sidewalks of homeless encampments. Star-Advertiser.

Every day after work, Ernest Basamonte tries to walk fast past the homeless encampment on his way to catch the bus. KITV4.

Trash Cans Overflowing at Diamond Head Lookout. Hawaii News Now.

West Oahu City Councilman Tom Berg believes the island’s nightmarish traffic congestion could be drastically improved if a computer system allowed police to more easily identify drivers who actually belong on the road. KHON2.

Hawaii

Three West Hawaii legislators on Tuesday spelled out their priorities for the upcoming session -- ranging from geothermal energy to school improvements. West Hawaii Today.
A former Leeward Planning commissioner announced his candidacy for state House Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

West Hawaii's four County Council districts are shaping up to have competitive races, with candidates beginning to come forward weeks before the Feb. 1 start of pulling papers for nominations. West Hawaii Today.

Astronomers announced a small discovery that may have big implications for the number of planets orbiting other stars. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council members continued wrestling Monday with illegal vacation rentals, a problem made more difficult by limited county resources available for enforcement. Maui News.

Public testimony will be taken on a bill that would change the way homes are taxed on agricultural property during meetings throughout Maui County this month. Maui News.

Residents and visitors will have an opportunity to visit Haleakala National Park for free. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kaua‘i County Council announced Tuesday that Interim County Clerk and former council services administrator Ricky Watanabe was selected for the position of county clerk. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council selected Rick Watanabe as the new county clerk, the county announced today. Star-Advertiser.

The Kaua‘i Planning Commission Tuesday unanimously confirmed Jan Kimura, one of the commission’s more vocal members, as the commission’s chair for 2012. Garden Island.

Kaua'i RSVP, an organization that's part of the Agency on Elderly Affairs, announced today the kick-off of its cell phone and eyewear recycling campaign. Hawaii News Now.

Molokai

Maui County officials said Cooke Memorial Pool on Molokai be closed on Friday, January 13 and Saturday, January 14 for black algae maintenance. KITV4.

Hawaii on Obama watch, feds pan early education plan, Young Bros. granted 16.6% rate hike, UH to pay student for peeping tom, Maui to ban booze at park, Hawaii County studies property taxes, Kauai seeks landfill space and more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Mother Marianne Cope at Father Damien's funeral historical photo

Pope Benedict XVI has approved seven new saints for the Catholic Church, including Hawaii’s Mother Marianne and a 17th-century Native American, Caterina Tekakwitha. Associated Press.

First lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha seem to have been enjoying a respite from the television cameras since arriving at their Kailua vacation home on Saturday, according to area residents. Star-Advertiser.

First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughters, Sasha and Malia, spent the night in Kailua, Oahu, on Saturday. Hawaii Reporter.

First lady Michelle Obama and first daughters Malia and Sasha are on day two of their Hawaiian holiday vacation. KHON2.

Federal reviewers ranked Hawaii's application for a competitive, $49 million federal grant to improve the state's early-learning network last among 35 states vying for the money, calling elements of the plan "minimally implemented" and "low quality," documents show. Star-Advertiser.

Recently ratings by the federal government show how Hawaii hospitals compare with ones across the country and the grades could also lead to better quality care. KITV4.

Hawaii's big bond sale this month was great news for the state because of how much it will save in lower interest rates. But for the Hawaii State Department of Education, it was a routine event. Civil Beat.

It's been a month since the head of Hawaii's largest union demanded to reopen labor talks with Gov. Neil Abercrombie's chief negotiator, claiming another union got a better deal. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii must pay about $31,000 to a former student who was showering at a UH dormitory four years ago when an intruder tried to take photos or a video of her with his cellphone, a state judge has ruled. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission on Friday approved a 16.58 percent rate increase for interisland shipping company Young Brothers Ltd. Pacific Business News.

State Roundup for Dec. 18. Associated Press.

Hawaii Soldiers Last Division To Exit Iraq. KITV4.

There were many hugs and kisses at Wheeler Army Airfield Sunday night, as the families of about 50 soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division welcomed them home from their deployment to Iraq. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

Residential electric bills on Oahu hit a record high in December for the third consecutive month, continuing a trend that has prompted a growing number of homeowners to install rooftop photovoltaic systems to cut their soaring power bills. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii state Department of Agriculture will inspect a Kahuku farm where undocumented workers from Laos said they were sickened by exposure to toxic pesticides. Hawaii Reporter.

The Council had approved to hear a bill in 2012 that would require grocers or wholesale food clubs to post signs or labels signifying that a food product included genetically engineered material. Hawaii Independent.

Hawaii

Hawaii County has begun an outside review of its property tax structure, the first step in ensuring fairness and perhaps bringing additional money to county coffers. West Hawaii Today.

The Transportation Security Administration is hoping to prevent concerns that new body scanning machines it began using at Hilo International Airport are an invasion of privacy. Tribune-Herald.

Organizers of the Laupahoehoe Community Public Charter School have been notified that they will not be allowed to launch next year. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Council members voted 8-0 Friday to give initial approval for a ban on the consumption of alcohol at the new South Maui Community Park. Maui News.

Xorin Balbes maintains that he renovated a historic landmark and created a self-awareness retreat, Lumeria Maui, while at least one opponent to reopening the Fred Baldwin Memorial Home said it looks more "like the Ritz." Maui News.

28 families were selected to receive homestead leases in the Kula, Waiohuli Hikina and the Waiehu Kou communities. KHON2.

Kauai

The island’s only landfill may operate another 10 years before closing down for good. With the clock ticking — and after a few extensions and expansions — the county has yet to find a site for the next landfill. Garden Island.

The Kaua‘i Police Department has a new deputy chief. Garden Island.

Hawaii preps for Obama ohana, Kauai residents sue Pioneer GMO seed corn company, Abercrombie to release cautiously optimistic budget, union woes unending, PUC clears First Wind project for Oahu, Honolulu EMS racks $16M in OT, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kilauea lava flows into sea USGS courtesy photo

Volcanologists on Tuesday mapped the newest ocean entry from the ongoing eruption of Kilauea volcano. Tribune-Herald.

Kailua residents began bracing for the possibility of a fourth consecutive Christmas visit from President Barack Obama and the first family as activity picked up Tuesday around the beachside compound that's come to be known as Obama's Western White House. Star-Advertiser.

Cautiously optimistic. That's the tone Hawaii taxpayers can expect when Gov. Neil Abercrombie releases his budget update Monday. Civil Beat.

The National Transportation Safety Board recommendation Tuesday that all states should ban drivers from using any cellphones, including hands-free devices, would be "drastic" and a tough sell in the islands where county restrictions already exist, a key Hawaii lawmaker said. Star-Advertiser.

The Legislature passed an anti-bullying law this year, but it wasn't in time to keep Hawaii out of a federal report that names the state as one of four without such a statute. Star-Advertiser.

For the last five months the Hawaii State Teachers Association has been making its case before the Labor Relations Board — and in the media — that Gov. Neil Abercrombie violated collective bargaining law when he unilaterally implemented a new contract on teachers in July. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Telcom workers have rejected the company's latest contract offer. Associated Press.

State roundup for Dec. 14. Associated Press.

Oahu

Skies over Oahu are expected to clear this morning as a storm system that prompted a flash-flood watch Tuesday moves to the east, the National Weather Service said. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has approved First Wind and Hawaiian Electric Co.’s plan to construct a 69-megawatt wind farm on the North Shore of Oahu that will be the largest wind-energy project in the state. Pacific Business News.

CBS's executive producer for the television series Hawaii Five-O, Peter Lenkov, issued an apology on Tuesday, December 14, 2011, on behalf of the Hawaii Five-0 production unit, to "veterans and members of the Greatest Generation Foundation whom we unintentionally offended when our events coincided." Hawaii Reporter.

Local Nisei soldiers who received the coveted Congressional Gold Medal in Washington D.C. last month, will be honored during several celebrations in Honolulu this weekend. KITV4.

The city auditor found the city's Emergency Medical Services operation spent $15.7 million in non-holiday overtime costs between fiscal years 2008 and 2010. KITV4.

Hawaii

Although still without a contractor to clean its dry wells and drainage culverts, Hawaii County safely "weathered" recent rains that drenched much of the island. Tribune-Herald.

A reward of up to $30,000 is being offered for information leading to charges against the person or people who destroyed 10 acres of papaya trees in Kapoho this summer. Tribune-Herald.

Federal Justice Officials Ignore Questions About Hawaii Pot Minister. Civil Beat.

The low bidder for the next phase of the Kaloko Housing project is protesting its disqualification, its president says. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees left the replacement of former member Boyd Mossman in the governor's hands, after they were unable to reach a decision on the appointment Monday. Maui News.

The origin of a fire that knocked out 911 emergency service and caused other communications problems Sunday was unknown Monday, but a Hawaiian Telcom spokesman said all service was restored by 3:15 a.m. Monday. Maui News.

Kauai

On behalf of more than 150 Waimea residents, attorneys on Tuesday filed a lawsuit in Fifth Circuit Court on O‘ahu against Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a DuPont company. Garden Island.

Photovoltaic systems will be installed at 15 Kauai schools at no cost to the State. KHON2.

A handful of bills recently introduced by the Kaua‘i County Council may jolt the county’s main revenue generator — real property taxes. Garden Island.

An anonymous letter from a county employee takes aim at what is described as marijuana use during the workday by employees who never seem to come up for random urinalysis testing. Garden Island.

Lanai

When a former employee who became one of David H. Murdock’s most avid supporters sat down with the billionaire owner of Lana'i in July, she created quite a stir among residents when she wrote Murdock was contemplating selling the island. KHON2.