Hawaii high school students lagging behind, congressional delegation seeks Red Hill fix, Mauna Kea stewardship at issue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii graduates pre-COVID PC:Department of Education

Nearly 20% of Hawaii high school students not on track to graduate. Almost 20% of Hawaii’s high school students are not on track to graduate after being sent home to learn during the COVID pandemic. Educators said these students are disengaged and chronically absent. KHON2.

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Hawaiʻi congressional delegation asks US House, Senate to tackle Navy's fouled water. Hawaiʻi’s congressional delegation on Thursday asked House and Senate leaders to make sure the military spends whatever money it has available to address the contamination of Pearl Harbor drinking water by a Navy fuel storage facility that has leaked petroleum. Associated Press. Hawaii News Now. 

Water system now meets guidelines, Navy says. The Navy announced Thursday that its most recent testing shows that its water system no longer has contamination levels above the state Department of Health’s “environmental action limit,” or the level at which the water is regarded as unsafe for human consumption.  Star-Advertiser. KITV4.

Some In Pearl City Say Clean Water Run Through Navy Pipes Also Seems Tainted. The Board of Water Supply says its water is clean and safe, but it’s traveling through Navy pipes, and residents in Manana Housing are reporting problems. Civil Beat.

Oahu businesses deal with Red Hill water contamination crisis. About 15 food operators in the Pearl Harbor NEX Food Court are still temporarily shuttered while the Navy works to resolve water contamination caused by a jet fuel leak from its Red Hill underground fuel tanks. Star-Advertiser.

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Corrections Commission Again Urges A Pause In Planning For A New Jail. After hearing that a new lockup could cost as much as $1 billion, members again ask the state to study alternatives. Civil Beat.

SHOPO Elections End In Shake-up For Union Leadership. Robert Cavaco was elected to be the state police union’s next president and will take over for Malcolm Lutu next month. Civil Beat.

State unemployment rate hits 20-month low of 6.0%. Hawaii’s unemployment rate fell in November to a 20-month low as the state’s labor market continued to improve despite an ongoing worker shortage. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Health Department reports 14 omicron cases as averages continue to climb. The state Department of Health’s latest variant report now lists 14 omicron variant cases on Oahu. Star-Advertiser. KHON2.

Hawaii records 2 new coronavirus-related deaths, 395 additional infections. The new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 295 new cases on Oahu, 55 on Hawaii Island, 26 on Maui, seven on Kauai, one on Molokai and 11 Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Oʻahu Transit Services network slowly coming back online after cyberattack. Honolulu’s Transportation Services Director Roger Morton says full services, such as the DaBus tracking app and the HandiVan’s mobile data terminal, should be back up in a matter of days. Hawaii Public Radio.

Priority #1 for Honolulu’s new fire chief: Filling upwards of 120 vacancies. Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Wednesday morning officially introduced Honolulu’s 35th fire chief: Kalani Hao. Hawaii News Now.

Hoyt Zia Stepping Down From The HART Board. The retired Hawaiian Airlines executive joined the local oversight group in 2017 and saw rail’s ‘P3’ effort collapse. Civil Beat.

Data shows repairs to Koko Crater trail significantly reduced emergency rescue calls. An organization that helps maintain the popular Koko Crater trail said recent repairs to the stairs has cut emergency rescue calls by over half. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Regents get Maunakea update: UH officials discuss streamlined structure for stewardship of the mountain. Tribune-Herald.

Contract For Kalanianaole Avenue Reconstruction Terminated. The County of  Hawaii
says it has made the decision to terminate Goodfellow Brother's contract for the reconstruction project. Big Island Video News.

Waimea Middle School cancels classes Friday amid nationwide threat of school shootings. Waimea Middle School has decided to cancel school today as a precautionary measure due to a nationwide social media rumor that school shootings will take place on Friday, Dec. 17. West Hawaii Today. Big Island Now. Hawaii News Now. KITV4.

Maui

Council to consider mayor’s veto of housing waitlist bill. Victorino worries about liability as measure would put county in charge of list. Maui News.

Mayor calls for more review of tax, sunscreen bills. Mayor Michael Victorino is asking for further review of two bills he recently signed into law that would offer tax relief to certain residents and ban nonmineral-based sunscreens in Maui County. Maui News.

County Issues Stop Work Order for Construction of Large Home in Nāpili, Maui. The County of Maui issued a Stop Work Order to Nāpili Beach House, LLC, developer of a large single-family residence under construction in Nāpili. The home has been the subject of an ongoing dispute over its permits and size, as well as community concerns involving the height of the structure. Maui Now.

30 Acres of East Maui Coastline Protected at Makaʻalae. Hāna-based nonprofit community organization Ke Ao Hāliʻi (Save Hāna Coast), in partnership with the State of Hawaiʻi, County of Maui, and Hawai‘i Land Trust, announce the purchase and protection of more than 30 acres at Makaʻalae along Maui’s Hāna coast. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kaua‘i group files complaint against mayor, county, governor in federal district court. A local group has filed a complaint in federal district court against the County of Kaua‘i, Mayor Derek Kawakami and Gov. David Ige, claiming the coronavirus pandemic that has killed 800,000 Americans to date “is a manufactured public-health event.” Garden Island.

Former litigant responds to Iseri’s claims that lawsuits were planned to derail 2012 election. A county employee, who settled a complaint against former Prosecuting Attorney Shaylene Iseri for $108,000 in 2016, has responded to Iseri’s allegations that multiple lawsuits brought against her office were intended to sabotage her failed 2012 reelection campaign. Garden Island.

Kaua’i County continues to lead in state unemployment. Kaua‘i unemployment rate dropped to 7.2% in November from 7.8% in October, according to the latest data from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Garden Island.

Ige confident facing Hanabusa challenge, black Hawaiian Airlines employee files suit after noose found near locker, Legislature gets extra $13M to spend, almost half of residents struggle to make ends meet, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Japanese training sailing ship Nippon Maru visits Hilo, PC: Hollyn Johnson, Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Hawaii Gubernatorial Candidates Up to the Challenges. Governor David Ige won a lopsided victory in the 2014 primary election.  He says it wasn’t a fluke. It was a voters’ mandate. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii health officials are bracing for at least $6.2 million in federal cuts to state programs that cover everything from emergency preparedness and immunizations to water-quality testing, air-pollution control, children’s health and hazardous waste. Civil Beat.

Legislature Gets An Extra $13M To Spend This Session. The Council on Revenues slightly upgraded its growth projection for this fiscal year to 4.5 percent. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will announce its annual homeless grant awards in support of thousands of local housing and service programs across the U.S. Thursday. Garden Island.

Nearly half of Hawaii’s households earn too little to cover their basic needs, even though many are holding down more than one job, according to a study released Tuesday by Aloha United Way. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly Half Of Hawaii Residents Struggle To Make Ends Meet. Finding affordable housing and a job that pays enough on the same island is tough, according to a new report. Civil Beat.

According to a new report from Aloha United Way, nearly half of Hawaii’s households can’t make ends meet. KITV.

Officials acknowledged Tuesday that connecting houseless or at-risk people with the services they need is paramount to solving Hawaii’s homeless crisis. Garden Island.

A Hawaiian Airlines employee stationed in Kona has filed a racial harassment and discrimination suit against the carrier, saying that his life was threatened by colleagues who placed a noose and a lynching rope near his locker. Hawaii News Now.

Trump Immigration Plans Would Hit Hawaii’s Filipino Families Hard. Filipinos have become the state’s largest ethnic group, in part because of family-friendly immigration policies. Civil Beat.

Results are in from a new state study: The ferry isn’t going to happen. There’s more hype than actual interest. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and state identification cards will be issued with a new “star in a gold circle” marking starting Tuesday, Jan. 16. Tribune-Herald.

The PGA Tour and the Hawaii Tourism Authority signed a $2.1 million contract Tuesday extending their marketing partnership through 2022. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

 The Hawaii Public Housing Authority is planning to build 800 units of affordable senior rentals as part of a $370 million mixed-use development on the six-acre site of its current administrative campus in Honolulu under a public-private partnership with Retirement Housing Foundation. Pacific Business News.

Developer to seek city concessions for Waikiki condo. OliverMcMillan, the company developing approximately 500 rental units on Queen Emma trust land, told the Waikiki Neighborhood Board on Tuesday that it plans to ask the city for variances to increase density, height and transitional setbacks in exchange for providing affordable housing. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric looks to unplug from longtime operating base. Hawaiian Electric Co. is offering up one of its biggest real estate assets for sale in an effort to consolidate operations, and the opportunity could result in more condominium towers in Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

OliverMcMillan Inc. expects to submit a draft environmental assessment later this month for what will be the first new high-rise apartment project in decades, a 500-unit market-rate and affordable mixed-use rental project in the center of Waikiki on 2.5 acres of land owned by the Queen Emma Land Co. Pacific Business News.

Homeless shuffle to avoid Kakaako park closures. More than a dozen homeless encampments returned to the mauka Kakaako Gateway Park as state and city officials continue to close and reopen parks overrun by homeless people in Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu ranch to re-establish native forest. An Oahu ranch operated on land owned by an affiliate of the Mormon Church has partnered with its landlord and a nonprofit to re-establish a native forest on most of the 750-acre property in Laie and Malaekahana. Star-Advertiser.

New Chinatown bus schedule draws complaints from businesses. Hawaii News Now.

About 500 gallons of fuel oil leaked from a Hawaiian Electric underground pipeline in Pearl City Tuesday night. Hawaii News Now.

Commentary: Conspiracy Charges Up The Ante For Kealohas. The former police chief and his prosecutor wife could be punished for crimes that were committed by other defendants. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

Ethics Board policies, procedures under review. Two 2016 ethics complaints against the Hawaii County Building Division have resurfaced in a complaint about the procedures of the Board of Ethics itself. West Hawaii Today.

As of this morning, the 25 percent mandatory North Kona water restriction, that has been in effect since Jan. 12, 2017, is officially downgraded to a 10 percent voluntary water conservation. West Hawaii Today.

Forty-seven attorneys were honored during the Hilo Self-Help Center Recognition Awards on Monday for providing free legal information to more than 1,000 people on Hawaii Island who sought assistance at the Hilo Courthouse Self-Help Center in 2017. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Lawyers to mayor: Let Dave Taylor go back to work. Attorneys for Water Supply director hand Maui County Mayor Arakawa an ultimatum. Maui News.

Senior housing project clears a hurdle. The Maui Planning Commission granted a special management area use permit Tuesday for a 164-unit affordable senior housing project near the Foodland Kaahumanu store and the Kahului Public Library. Maui News.

Smoke-Free Vehicles with Minors Passes Through Committee. Maui Now.

Maui home prices set new record. It took 11 years, but Maui’s real estate market finally eclipsed a prior record for the annual median sale price of single-family homes. Star-Advertiser.

Kihei Charter School Construction Two-Thirds Complete. Maui Now.

Kauai

Testimony continued Tuesday in the Coco Palms civil trial, with the defendants maintaining direct lineage to Hawaiian royalty and their right to occupy the land. Garden Island.

Hawaii seniors most fit, money for military, union wins hospital smoking judgment, Akana named OHA chairwoman, new Big Island police chief, E. coli in Maui water, 5k pound fishnet pulled off Kauai shore, big plans for Kakaako park, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kupuna hula © 2016 All Hawaii News

Hawaii leads the nation for the highest physical well-being for older residents, a new report shows. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's military installations will receive more than $277 million in construction under the defense spending bill passed by the U.S. Senate Thursday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii ranks among the top 10 states for percentage of households with wired and wireless broadband access at speeds in excess of 25 megabits per second, according to a study by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. Pacific Business News.

After winning a judgment from the Hawaii Labor Relations Board, a public employees union says its members shouldn’t have to follow a recently enacted state law that prohibits smoking at 12 medical facilities in the islands. Civil Beat.

The State Building Code Council proposed to update the minimal requirements for building construction and design to the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code. If approved, all state buildings will have to comply with the new code. Star-Advertiser.

Veteran trustee Rowena Akana was elected chairwoman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees on Thursday, edging out incumbent Chairman Robert “Bob” Lindsey of Hawaii island during a rancorous meeting that saw three members walk out in protest. Star-Advertiser.

At-Large Trustee Rowena Akana was elected as the new chair of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees Thursday. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is seeking public input regarding the latest overview of forest lands throughout the islands. Tribune-Herald.

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission wrapped up its annual meeting Friday as it often has in the past, with many of its international members and nonprofit advocates frustrated by the slow progress made on pressing issues like tuna overfishing and overall accountability on the high seas. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Clearly, something is going down at the BOE, and David and Dawn Ige are in the thick of it, though all we get is ham-handed obfuscation and frustrating denials. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

A major plan to overhaul the park spaces near the waterfronts in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaako that includes a sports complex, a beer garden and food concessions, cleared a big hurdle after receiving the approval from the governor. Pacific Business News.

Drug raids target public housing. Star-Advertiser.

Multiple arrest warrants were issued Thursday morning in connection with a drug operation in Honolulu, according to the FBI. KITV.

Two nonprofit organizations hope to provide farm-fresh produce and job training opportunities for the needy through a planned community farm on 14 acres of vacant state land in Waimanalo. Star-Advertiser.

Two Hawaii nonprofits plan to lease 14 acres from the state for a community farming project that includes a learning center in Waimanalo in Windward Oahu, according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

The University of Hawaii Manoa’s Graduate Student Organization is pushing to return Dole Street, a major road through the campus, to its original Hawaiian name. The name Kapaakea has ties to the area’s Native Hawaiian history, while Dole symbolizes American oppression of the Hawaiian people, students said. Civil Beat.

City officials Thursday confirmed that an estimated 201,600 gallons of untreated sewage spilled onto about an acre of vacant land near the Ko Olina Golf Club after a sewage main broke last week. Star-Advertiser.

Lots of golfers were happy when the Ala Wai Golf Course driving range reopened on Monday, Dec. 5.KHON2.

Hawaii

The county Police Commission unanimously selected Deputy Police Chief Paul Ferreira on Thursday to succeed his boss, Chief Harry Kubojiri. Tribune-Herald.

One of former Mayor Billy Kenoi’s last actions Monday was to veto a bill that would have given the County Council more say over the hiring and firing of the county’s civil attorneys. West Hawaii Today.

Tsunami Scare As Mayor Kim Seeks Civil Defense Admin. Big Island Video News.

A Hawaii Island Energy Cooperative representative said Thursday he is under a “cone of silence” regarding efforts to acquire Hawaii Electric Light Co. Tribune-Herald.

At a memorial service Thursday, one theme emerged over and over about the departed Dr. Cliff Kopp, who during his last decade of life was widely regarded as one of Hawaii Island’s most prolific community advocates. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui Department of Water Supply detected E. coli bacteria in the ʻUalapuʻe Shaft on Molokaʻi. Maui Now.

Native Hawaiian beneficiaries on Maui are supporting a rule change that would prevent the sale of empty and undeveloped homestead lots, saying that selling lots allows wealthier families to jump past those who’ve sat on the waiting list for years. Maui News.

Kauai

The community is invited to a celebration of Tim Bynum’s life at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at Lydgate Park’s main pavilion. Garden Island.

5,000 pound fishing net pulled from waters off Kapaa. Garden Island.

Hawaii Health Department sued over lack of elderly home inspection reports, cool schools bids come in lower, Kauai water quality lawsuit filed, campaign money follows incumbents, bottled volcanic water comes right from the tap, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Leahi Hospital, courtesy Hawaii Health Systems Corp.

The state’s failure to post inspection reports of state-licensed care facilities online has prompted advocates for the elderly to go to court to force the state to comply with the law. Civil Beat.

A senior citizens advocacy organization is suing the Hawaii Department of Health for failing to post inspection reports online for care homes that serve seniors and the disabled. Star-Advertiser.

Construction bids for the state’s “cool schools” initiative have started to trend lower since the Department of Education announced last month that an initial round of proposals came in significantly over budget. Star-Advertiser.

American fishermen are digging in for a fight over a proposal to shut down the vestiges of the U.S. harvest of shark fins, prized for soup and traditional medicine in Asia, and send a message to the rest of the world. Associated Press.

Why It’s So Hard To Find A Fresh Voice In Hawaii Politics. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz has an easy route to re-election. Oh, there are candidates who’d love to unseat him. They just struggle to get noticed. Civil Beat.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono isn’t up for election until 2018, but she continues to add more cash to her campaign coffers. Hirono raised $111,352 from April 1 to June 30, according the latest reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Civil Beat.

It’s interesting that U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard thinks she needs more money, as she raised more than $420,000 in the April-June period and reported nearly $1.9 million in cash on hand. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A Board of Water Supply crew is patching a water main break in a sinkhole on Punaluu Valley Road that has left residents without water and a road on which to exit their neighborhood by vehicle. Star-Advertiser.

Darby scooted off to the north a weaker storm Monday, but not before pounding Oahu with enough rain Sunday night to stop freeway traffic, knock out power, spill sewage and trigger some serious flooding. Star-Advertiser.

Feds Finalize $175 Million Plan To Protect Waikiki From Flooding. Tropical Storm Darby was a reminder that a much bigger 100-year flood could devastate Honolulu’s economic engine. Civil Beat.

Honolulu not building enough housing for its population, report says. Pacific Business News.

For the first time since state Rep. John Mizuno originally ran for the Legislature 10 years ago, he faces a Democratic primary opponent in the race for House District 28, which encompasses Kalihi Valley, Kamehameha Heights and part of Kalihi. Civil Beat.

Commentary: Rod Tam Crosses The Aisle To Try To Come Back. Talking with Rod Tam about his guilty plea, his nights in jail and why he’s running for the state Senate as a Republican. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

County water is source of premium brand. The California Department of Public Health is investigating a complaint about Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water involving “issues such as labeling and source water requirements associated with Waiakea.” Tribune-Herald.

No one on the Big Island has been issued a concealed carry license and that is unlikely to change any time soon in the wake of a recent Ninth Circuit Court ruling, attorneys say. West Hawaii Today.

The lava flow from Kilauea’s Pu‘u ‘O‘o vent crossed the Kalapana emergency route Monday afternoon as it approached the coastline. Tribune-Herald.

An active lava flow from Kilauea Volcano’s Puu Oo vent was less than a quarter-mile from the ocean as of Monday morning, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Star-Advertiser.

The 61g lava flow has crossed the coastal emergency road that connects the Chain of Craters Road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to Kalapana. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Plans call for opening a new burial site at the Maui Veterans Cemetery by mid-September, which would add much-needed space for deceased veterans and their spouses, state and county officials said last week. Maui News.

A public hearing on the revised draft Honua'ula Habitat Conservation Plan will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the J. Walter Cameron Center in Wailuku. Maui News.

Five blacktip reef shark pups have recently became a part of the marine life at Maui Ocean Center. Maui Now.

Kauai

The nonprofit environmental law firm Earthjustice filed a lawsuit Monday against Hawaii’s Agribusiness Development Corporation alleging it allows pesticides and chemicals to flow unchecked through Kauai’s Mana Plain and into waterways. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s Department of Health and Agribusiness Development Corporation are both facing a lawsuit for allegedly polluting Kauai’s Westside waters. Garden Island.

A draft environmental assessment on a proposed residential treatment facility for adolescents on Kauai battling substance abuse is now available for public review. Star-Advertiser.

A draft environmental assessment is being prepared for the repair or replacement of the Kapaa Stream Bridge, on Kuhio Highway near mile marker 10. Garden Island.

Patricia Wistinghausen said the first day representing Kauai as a delegate in the Democratic National Convention was “crazy and crowded.” Garden Island.

Hawaii counties count legislative blessings, IBEW taken over by parent as probe into nepotism widens, tax credits for organic farmers, 75th Pearl Harbor anniversary planned, University of Hawaii money has strings attached, no funding for UH Cancer Center, solar company cutbacks after incentive plan cut, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii elder hula © 2016 All Hawaii News

Hawaii ranks seventh among the 50 states in which to grow old, according to a new Caring.com report. The report looked at several factors affecting people age 55 and up. The ratings incorporated data on quality of life, health care, long-term care, support for seniors and family caregivers, affordability of senior care and more than 100,000 ratings of senior care providers. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii would become the first state to pass a plan that would set up tax breaks for farmers to offset the cost of becoming certified as organic. Under the plan farmers could get up to $50,000 in tax credits for qualifying expenses. The state Legislature approved the proposal this year. Associated Press.

New Political Parties Get Their Shot On Hawaii Ballots This Year. The Hawaii Constitution Party, the Hawaii Independent Party and the American Shopping Party have qualified. Civil Beat.

The state’s newly selected medical marijuana dispensary operators could be permitted to grow under natural sunlight, and advanced practice registered nurses might be allowed to certify new patients. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii’s solar industry continues to struggle after the state ended a popular solar incentive program in October. The Hawaii Solar Energy Association, a solar advocacy group, said Monday a survey of 11 member companies showed 73 percent have decreased staff since the incentive program ended. Star-Advertiser.

The takeover of one of Hawaii's largest unions by its international parent comes amid longtime complaints of nepotism in the office. A Hawaii News Now review of the IBEW Local 1260's filings with the U.S. Labor Department shows that the union employed at least four people related to business manager Brian Ahakuelo. Hawaii News Now.

Only half of Hawaii’s public high schools with football teams have access to the top-rated helmets, and even at the campuses with the best helmets available, your child may still be handed a lower-rated piece of equipment. KHON2.

Oahu

The Legislature passed 275 bills and appropriated more than 7 billion dollars in state general funds before it adjourned last week. But the UH Cancer Center did not receive a single cent of what it asked for. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lawmakers are trying to prohibit the University of Hawaii from spending any of the nearly $50 million the Legislature has budgeted for the university’s repair and maintenance backlog on the College of Education at UH Manoa — unless the college is relocated. Star-Advertiser.

Kakaako Waterfront Park has a reputation as a giant, uninviting grassy mound with crumbly walking paths and shade pavilions popular with the homeless. But the state’s biggest park in urban Honolulu would become a grand public recreation destination under a new master plan. Star-Advertiser.

Planners of the 75th anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941, attacks on Oahu are optimistic that either an aircraft carrier or “big deck” amphibious assault ship and vintage aircraft will participate in the milestone commemoration, which likely will be the last major hurrah for a rapidly dwindling number of Pearl Harbor survivors. Star-Advertiser.

The ordinance that bans sitting and lying on public sidewalks has been a handy tool for Honolulu Police Department officers to clear the homeless and other sidewalk dwellers off of busy sidewalks in Waikiki and the downtown/Chinatown areas over the past two years. But in the 15 neighborhoods from Waimanalo to Wahiawa that were added to the sit-lie law by City Council members, the law does not appear to have been used. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Kona International Airport improvements and an expansion of the Hawaii Community Correctional Center are among the big ticket items lawmakers approved for the Big Island this session. In total, the state Legislature approved $389 million in capital projects for the island during the session that ended last week. Tribune-Herald.

State lawmakers are touting the $389 million in Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funding secured for Hawaii Island under the state budget (biennium of Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017 ) passed by the Legislature last week. The Big Island’s elected officials were also able to secure $8.5 million in Grants-In-Aid CIP for Hawaii Island nonprofit organizations. Big Island Video News.

Travel to and from Kahakai Elementary School will soon become smoother, and Principal Jim Denight hopes substantially safer after the State Legislature allocated $355,000 to improve safety conditions on Kahakai Access Road. West Hawaii Today.

Government and nonprofit groups are pitching in to keep the vision of botanist Amy Beatrice Holdsworth Greenwell alive. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Dozens gather in solidarity with Maui lifeguards fighting for better pay. KITV4.

In a follow-up to our March 6th MAUIWatch interview with Kai Pelayo, the new Monsanto Maui community affairs director, Pelayo forwarded a 32-page update to the company’s Memorandum of Understanding with the County of Maui for the year 2015.

The Department of Natural Resources was called to investigate the discovery of an unidentified object/device that washed ashore overnight at the beach in Spreckelsville off of Stable Road. Authorities say the item appeared to be some type of Naval sonar equipment, but the DLNR Maui Boating District Manager is looking into the case to assess what it is and how to get it removed. Maui Now.

Hana and Lanai high and elementary schools are among 23 schools statewide being added next school year to a U.S. Department of Agriculture free meal program, the state Department of Education announced Thursday. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai representatives secured over $141 million in Capital Improvement Project funding for fiscal years 2016 and 2017. Garden Island.

The Kauai Community Correctional Center will be receiving $15 million for new housing and support offices after Kauai lawmakers secured more than $140 million in Capital Improvement Project funding this week. Garden Island.

Senate President Ronald Kouchi frequently drives on Puhi Road, which means he knows about its condition firsthand. Garden Island.