Hawaii voters seek legal marijuana, Oahu teacher sprays sanitizer into mouth of swearing student, Election Commission report due today, Senate sets priorities, norovirus outbreak in hospitals, Kauai council mulls rainy-day fund, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Pohakuloa military training area (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The Marine Corps stands to see the biggest military increases in Hawaii in coming years as other services here go through less of a change and as all shift from a wartime footing to greater engagement in Asia and the Pacific, officials said at an annual military-business conference Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii has lost a lot of firepower in the U.S. Congress, when it comes to the military, with the death of Sen. Daniel Inouye, but the state’s younger congressional delegation and its strategic importance will ensure that it plays an important part in the country’s pivot to the Pacific. Pacific Business News.

More than half of Hawaii voters want the state to follow the lead of Colorado and Washington and make recreational marijuana legal for adults, a new poll shows. Civil Beat.

The state Election's Commission is expected to release the findings of its investigation into problems during November's general election at a meeting on Friday morning. Hawaii News Now.

Thousands of public correctional, institutional and health workers will receive pay raises in the next six months under a draft arbitration award that could lead other public employees to seek similar raises. Star-Advertiser.

Representatives from the state Department of Education and the Hawaii State Teacher's Association will resume negotiations on Friday, nearly a month after the teacher's union rejected the state's latest proposal. Hawaii News Now.

The uproar over Hawaii’s solar tax credits will fuel a good deal of the debate on energy policy this legislative session, which opens next week. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Co. customers will be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars if the utility doesn't switch to liquefied natural gas to power its generators, the executive vice president of the company says. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii State Senate Majority Caucus today unveiled its priorities for the 2013 Legislative Session, which begins on January 16. Hawaii Reporter.

The Senate Committee on Energy and Environment, with Senator Mike Gabbard as the Chair, will host an informational briefing on invasive species issues on Friday, January 11, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. in Conference Room 229 in the State Capitol. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii lacks a state-funded preschool program, something that Gov. Neil Abercrombie is making a top legislative priority this year. Civil Beat.

The state will bestow the prestigious Aloha Order of Merit upon former US Sen. Daniel K. Akaka during a ceremony on Monday, January 14. Maui Now.

Island Air, the interisland carrier that has struggled to find its niche among rivals Hawaiian Airlines and Mesa Air Group's go!, is being sold to an undisclosed buyer. Star-Advertiser.

Exhibit highlights honor bestowed upon Japanese-American veterans. Star-Advertiser.

State health officials monitoring outbreak of possible norovirus. KITV4.

State roundup for January 11. Associated Press.

Oahu

The cost of construction delays tied to a recent Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that suspended the city’s $5.26 billion rail transit project are coming in lower than anticipated, the project’s oversight agency announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation officials said Thursday the costs of construction delays for September and October stemming from an Aug. 24 Hawaii Supreme Court were 31 percent lower than what they had anticipated. Pacific Business News.

Members of Defend Oahu Coalition gathered at City Hall on Thursday to urge state and city government leaders to stop the planned expansion of Turtle Bay Resort. Star-Advertiser.

A 79-year-old man who was paralyzed by a fall 15 to 20 feet from the illuminated first tee at the Mid Pacific Country Club late at night in 2009 was awarded about $6.2 million in a jury verdict Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

One of the figures in the Stevie Wonder Blunder, Hawaii promoter Bob Peyton, died Thursday morning at Castle Medical Center. Hawaii News Now.

A Hawaii extreme sports athlete plans to liven up a dingy block in Kakaako with a year-round fairgrounds featuring a stationary surfing wave, skateboard park and go-kart track. Star-Advertiser.

An Oahu middle school teacher is on leave after allegedly squirting hand sanitizer into the mouth of a eighth-grade student on Wednesday in front of the class. KHON2.

Hawaii

The Windward Planning Commission was poised Thursday to give the Connections Public Charter School a failing grade for its Kaumana campus proposal. Tribune-Herald.

Waimea’s North Hawaii Community Hospital on Thursday appointed an interim CEO and hired a consulting firm in an effort to improve the facility’s financial performance and attract a permanent chief executive officer. West Hawaii Today.

A professor of Hawaiian language believes he has traced the ancestors of Hawaii’s first inhabitants to the remote, Polynesian Outlier atolls to the southwest. Tribune-Herald.

The same day plaintiffs in a lawsuit against 1250 Oceanside Partners announced they had reached an impasse after several years of negotiations, a South Kona property owner signed a $13 million complaint against the developer. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island's economy is gradually improving, but it still has a lot of catching up to do to match other parts of the state. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui
Complete with nine different teaching laboratories, an observatory, a rooftop garden, wind turbines and a photovoltaic system, University of Hawaii Maui College's long-awaited $26 million science facility is expected to open in the next few weeks. Maui News.

David Raatz Jr., the new director of Maui County's Office of Council Services, had worked as a legislative attorney for the same office for 16 years until March 2012. Maui News.

Maui Memorial Park is planning to rebuild 153 feet of wall within the next three to four weeks, cemetery officials said this week. Maui News.

Kauai

After routinely ending each recent fiscal year with tens of millions of dollars with a budgetary surplus, the county may start using some of that money for a permanent rainy-day fund. But will it cost more to taxpayers? Garden Island.

Five Kaua‘i residents have been selected to appear on the ballot for the board of the Kaua‘i Island Utilities Cooperation. Garden Island.

After a few weeks in plain view on the island’s busiest traffic corridor, the graffiti on the rockwall of the southbound Wailua Bridge was removed Wednesday. The same cannot be said about the graffiti at the bridge’s foundation. Garden Island.

Hawaii refinery closure raises fuel concerns, Dems seek applicants for Maui House seat, corrections officer files whistleblower lawsuit, Kauai solar a no-go, Honolulu trims drivers license wait time, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tesoro Hawaii refinery, corporate image

The impending closure of one of Hawaii’s two oil refineries is bolstering calls from energy experts and state officials to diversify Hawaii’s energy sources and wean the state off of its near total dependence on imported oil. Civil Beat.

Tesoro Corp.’s Hawaii refinery in Kapolei, the largest of the two oil refineries in the state with a capacity of 94,000 barrels a day, is closing its refining operations in April and will convert it to an import, storage and distribution terminal. Pacific Business News.

Most energy experts Hawaii News Now spoke with Tuesday said they do not expect the price of gas at the pump in Hawaii to jump because of the shutdown of Tesoro's refinery in Kapolei. Hawaii News Now.

The refinery shutdown means Hawaii will be more fuel dependent on outside markets but experts say there is no need to worry over added pain at the pump. KHON2.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz plans to meet next week with former Gov. John Waihee, chairman of the state Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, to develop a strategy on how to continue the state delegation's pursuit of federal recognition of Native Hawaiians. Star-Advertiser.

At least one local health insurance plan for state and county workers offered through the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund (EUTF) violated provisions of federal law for an unspecified period by limiting access to outpatient mental health services, according to a case summary published in the 2011-2012 annual report of the Office of the Ombudsman. Civil Beat.

A little over a year after the state announced a comprehensive initiative to tackle bullying in schools, Department of Education officials say they have made progress — but that there's still much more to do. Star-Advertiser.

Education leaders are facing a tough assignment. Despite an anti-bullying campaign in Hawaii schools, bullying and harassment cases went up during the 2011- 2012 school year. Hawaii News Now.

State roundup for January 9. Associated Press.

Oahu

Help is on the way for those stuck in line waiting for a state identification card or driver's license. The city is hiring seven part-time people on a temporary basis to help deal with the influx of people showing up at Oahu's five licensing offices, Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

The DMV hasn't had the best reputation for efficiency.  Now wait times in Honolulu are even worse because the City is processing drivers licenses and state identification cards and the lines have been painfully long. Hawaii News Now.

The state plans to add more lanes to a large portion of the H-1 Freeway and possibly to a major road in Leeward Oahu. This comes at a time when Honolulu has been named one of the most traffic-congested cities. KHON2.

The Honolulu District Court is functioning although its four elevators still are not. Star-Advertiser.

The Chinatown Business and Community Association is trying to rally more support for an alcohol ban during street parties, like First Friday events. KITV4.

A Circuit Court jury will resume deliberations today on whether to award about $14 million to a 79-year-old man who was paralyzed in a fall of 15 to 20 feet from the elevated first tee late at night at the Mid-Pacific Country Club. Star-Advertiser.

HPD K-9 gets Kevlar vest protection. KITV4.

Hawaii

The County Council’s Finance Committee gave its support Tuesday to a proposal that would add composting to its green waste operation, currently limited to recycling yard clippings for mulch. Tribune-Herald.

The county is looking to expand its green waste program to provide an improved product for the public – but at a price. Big Island Now.

Schatz to ‘work very hard’ for Saddle Rd. funding. West Hawaii Today.

As the nation debates whether armed guards are necessary on school premises in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, Hawaii school and police officials are continuing their assessments of security protocols and procedures. Tribune-Herald.

Department of Land and Natural Resources officials don’t yet know when their governing board will consider a package of proposed rule changes for West Hawaii’s waters. West Hawaii Today.

The new Hawaii County Council is having its first meetings of the year today and tomorrow in Hilo. Hawaii Public Radio.

Two public hearings have been scheduled this month regarding a plan to re-open the Kulani Correctional Facility. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

Those interested in filling the District 9 state House seat vacated by Democrat Gil Keith-Agaran have until noon Friday to apply for the spot. Maui News.

The Maui County Democratic Party is now accepting applications from individuals interested in filling the District 9 state House vacancy created by the governor’s appointment of Gil Keith-Agaran to the state Senate. Maui Now.

A Maui Community Correctional Center jail guard has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the state Department of Public Safety, alleging retaliation when he made complaints that a jail sergeant used an inmate work crew to do landscaping for his private business. Maui News.

$6 million in state funding has been released for the construction of part of the new Kahului Airport Access Road. The funds cover a portion of the road from Puunene Avenue to the Hana Highway. Maui Now.

Nearly a year after public discussion about the urgent need for a major overhaul of Kahului Airport's 71-year-old, 7,000-foot main runway, state Department of Transportation officials remain undecided about which repair option to choose and how long Maui's air overseas lifeline would need to be closed, if at all. Maui News.

Kauai

Poipu Solar LLC’s 3-megawatt solar photovoltaic facility on Kauai’s South Shore is not happening, a source told PBN. Pacific Business News.

The University of Hawai‘i hosted a Community Forum at Kaua‘i Community College Monday with President M.R.C. Greenwood. Garden Island.

Permits for Hanalei’s new building deferred. Differing opinions on ‘what is rural’ stall decision at Planning Commission meeting. Garden Island.

The Kaua‘i Planning Commission unanimously approved Commissioner Wayne Katayama to preside as chair of the volunteer group during 2013 in its first meeting of the year. Garden Island.

Hawaii lures Japanese tourists, 3 Hawaii Boy Scout leaders in 'Peversion Files,' 817 voters get double ballots, fired Maui liquor officer sues alleging officers took bribes, Honolulu mayor sells affordable housing complex, Big Island radio personality 'Mynah Bird' dies, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki Spam Jam (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Tourism Authority and the Japan Association of Travel Agents are committed to returning visitor arrivals from Japan to Hawaii to 2 million per year by 2016. Star-Advertiser.

Three Hawaii residents are identified in a just-published database that documents thousands of sexual abuse allegations in the Boy Scouts of America. Civil Beat.

At least three adult Boy Scout leaders in Hawaii resigned or were forced out of the organization in the 1970s and '80s because of alleged improprieties involving children, according to documents released Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Six documents relate to six men who worked with Boy Scout troops in Hawaii in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Hawaii News Now.

More than 14,000 pages of "confidential" files kept by the Boy Scouts of America  on suspected pedophiles are now public. KITV4.

Hawaii cases in the file -- link here.

Former Gov. Linda Lingle challenged U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono on Thursday to explain why she voted for the Budget Control Act of 2011, which raised the debt ceiling and avoided a government default but also created the possibility of automatic spending cuts to national defense. Star-Advertiser.

In Tuesday's U.S. Senate debate, Democratic Congresswoman Mazie Hirono and the Republican candidate Linda Lingle once again butted heads over who is more bipartisan. Civil Beat.

Former Gov. Linda Lingle has flatly denied ever describing President George W. Bush as the "greatest president," but she acknowledged making the statement in an email a decade ago.Star-Advertiser.

The consultant the Hawaii Department of Education hired to clean up its student transportation services mess has figured out why the cost of busing kids to and from school has skyrocketed in recent years — and what school officials must do to fix the problem. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents met for about 2 1⁄2 hours behind closed doors Thursday, continuing a discussion on the future of embattled UH President M.R.C. Greenwood. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii regents went into executive session again this afternoon to discuss UH President M.R.C. Greenwood’s employment contract, but no resolution of the matter was expected today. Hawaii Reporter.

UH Board of Regents approve biennium budget. KHON2.

The Public Land Development corp. Will Vote to Finalize Rules Next Month. Hawaii Public Radio.

Retail gas prices across the state have increased for the 10th straight week. KHON2.

Hawaii’s unemployment rate fell to a seasonally adjusted 5.7 percent last month, its lowest rate in nearly four years. Associated Press.

Oahu

The 817 voters in upper Manoa who received two absentee ballots in the mail this week are being told to destroy them and wait for another envelope to show up in the mail next week, city election officers said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu elections officials said Thursday that 817 voters in the city’s Manoa neighborhood received duplicate absentee ballots for the upcoming election because of a printing error. Associated Press.

With less than three weeks to go until the election, the Honolulu City Clerk's office has flagged a problem. A processing error led to duplicate absentee ballots being mailed out to hundreds of registered voters in Manoa. Hawaii News Now.

Mayor Peter Carlisle signed an agreement Thursday clearing the way for the lease of the city's 12 affordable housing complexes to a private group for $142 million, carrying out the goal of several mayoral administrations to get the city out of the affordable rental management business. Star-Advertiser.

SaveOurHonolulu.com, a new independent expenditure committee dedicated to stopping the $5.26 billion Honolulu rail project, has begun airing two commercials that bash the pro-rail mayoral candidate Kirk Caldwell. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The absentee ballots have been mailed, the precinct cans are being packed and phone lines at the control center are being connected. Tribune-Herald.

A marine salvage company contends a sunken sailing vessel it found off Hawaii island may contain valuable cargo and is hoping to claim the wreckage. Star-Advertiser.

Progress on the long-sought Laaloa Avenue extension was delayed again after Leeward Planning commissioners on Thursday deferred voting on a special management area permit to determine whether an area resident can contest the case. West Hawaii Today.

Seventeen people have been apprehended in connection with the recent crime spree in South Kona, and a majority of them are facing their share of 61 felony charges, area residents learned Thursday evening in Kealakekua. West Hawaii Today.

Melvin “Mynah Bird” Medeiros, both beloved and controversial as the signature voice of Hilo’s radio airwaves for more than five decades, died Thursday morning in Fremont, Calif. He was 72. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A fired Maui County liquor control officer is alleging liquor control officers overlooked violations and received free food, drinks and gifts from liquor establishments they were charged with inspecting, in a lawsuit against Maui County and four Department of Liquor Control employees. Maui News.

A Maui paddler escaped injury Thursday morning after an encounter with an 8-foot shark that took a bite of his paddleboard. Star-Advertiser.

Officials closed beaches around Kanaha Beach Park Thursday morning after a shark bit a stand-up paddle board around 7:30 a.m. off of an area known as "Kite Beach," or Kaa Point. Maui News.

A California-based retail investment trust is moving ahead with buying the bankrupt Lahaina Gateway Center from Central Pacific Bank, which foreclosed on the shopping center last year. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative said Thursday that it will build a $40 million solar-energy facility that will generate 12 megawatts of electricity on 67 acres leased from Grove Farm near Koloa on Kauai’s South Shore. Pacific Business News.

Kaua‘i will soon have three solar facilities under construction or in development. Garden Island.

The Kaua‘i County Council’s five-member Transportation Committee by a 4-1 vote approved a bulk rate for bus passes at an 80 percent discount for Kaua‘i Community College students. The entire student body will have to pay for the passes, which will be included in the tuition. Garden Island.

Hawaii Tax Commission seeks General Excise Tax hike, solar companies want lower China tariffs, Lanai group fights golf course irrigation, Kauai remembers Iniki, Big Island tour company faces license loss, Molokai burial site upgraded, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Mai Tai bar (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

As one state advisory panel is predicting lower-than-expected tax revenues in coming years, another is recommending that the state increase the general excise tax rate by a half-percentage point. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii Tax Review Commission report recommending increase in General Excise Tax.

Companies seeking to develop projects on state lands aren’t required to go through a competitive bidding process under recently proposed rules that would govern Hawaii’s controversial Public Land Development Corporation. Civil Beat.

Coconut bras aren’t Hawaiian. Neither are grass skirts. Tiki bars? They’re from California. Yet they’re all among the most recognizable symbols of a Hawaiian vacation. Associated Press.

The National Weather Service Employees Organization on Sunday endorsed U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono for U.S. Senate, citing her opposition to House Republican budget cuts in 2011 that could have diminished operations at facilities such as the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. House candidate Tulsi Gabbard weighed in on Republican "obstructionism," the influx of outside funding to Hawaii races, the future of the U.S. military in Af­ghani­stan and other topics during a two-hour appearance on the MSNBC program "Up w/ Chris Hayes" on Sunday. Star-Advertiser.

An official from Hilo-based ProVision Solar plans to join dozens of other businesses at a hearing in Washington, D.C., next month to testify that tariffs being levied on imported Chinese solar panels are doing more harm than good to the U.S. economy. Star-Advertiser.

Between 2007 and 2009, Hawaii Tech Support boosted revenues by almost 300 percent, making it one of the fastest-growing companies in Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

Oahu
The Hawaii Supreme Court has given Native Hawaiian Paulette Kaleikini, the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed against the Honolulu rail project, a week to respond to a motion submitted by the City and County of Honolulu that asked the state high court to reconsider its ruling. Pacific Business News.

A U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in a Los Angeles case it is unconstitutional for the government to seize homeless people's temporarily unattended property could influence Honolulu's homeless ordinance. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii medical students have treated homeless shelter patients more than 7,600 times in the six years since the university started its homeless outreach program. KHON2.

The Honolulu City Council has a solution in mind to offer farmers on the Leeward Coast the opportunity to place as many as five retrofitted shipping containers on their land to serve as workforce housing. Hawaii Reporter.

Ben Cayetano and Kirk Caldwell talk journalism and politics at high school journalism day forum. Civil Beat.

Harriet Natsuyama said she can run her fingers along the Japa­nese characters etched into decades-old gravestones at the Moiliili Japa­nese Cemetery and know whether her grandfather's hands worked to carve them. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Board of Realtors says the Oahu real estate market ended with summer with strong numbers. Hawaii News Now.

In preparation for the Kaneohe Bay Air Show "Wall of Fire" pyrotechnics display, a rehearsal was conducted Saturday at 10 a.m. and lasting less than five minutes, according to Marine Corps Base Hawaii. KITV4.

Hawaii

Complaints against the chairman of the Windward Planning Commission, the chairman of the Hawaii County Council and union-endorsed candidate forums on the taxpayers’ dime: The county Board of Ethics has a full plate of issues when it meets Wednesday in County Council chambers. West Hawaii Today.

The jury is still out on the effectiveness of publicly financed County Council campaigns in erasing the advantage of big money in elections. Tribune-Herald.

A Kealakekua Bay kayak tour company may lose its ability to take visitors to the Captain Cook monument. Tribune-Herald.

August produced a bumper crop of burglaries on the Big Island, with 142 reported islandwide, up from the previous month’s 95 burglary reports. Tribune-Herald.

West Hawaii Community Health Center — a nonprofit working to provide health care to the underserved and underinsured — anticipates a new clinic at Lai Opua will open in April 2015. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Some Maui candidates who lost their primary election bids wound up spending more money per vote than their winning opponents. Maui News.

A broken pump at the Kaupakalua Well led to a water conservation advisory in the Haiku area for the weekend by the Department of Water Supply. Maui News.

The Maui County Department of Fire and Public Safety will begin installing smoke alarms at high risk homes in October, under the federally funded Smoke Alarm Maui Program. Maui Now.

Kauai

Since Hurricane Iniki barreled over Kauai 20 years ago Tuesday, the county's communication system has vastly improved, but the island still has too few shelters able to with­stand gale-force winds, emergency planners say. Star-Advertiser.

How did Kaua‘i Community Radio (KKCR) come to be linked to the emergency system tower in Princeville? The Category 4 Hurricane ‘Iniki played a part in it. Garden Island.

A proposal to give Kaua‘i Community College students substantial savings in Kaua‘i Bus fares has a trade off: All students would pay for it, regardless of who rides the bus. Garden Island.

County Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo on Wednesday unveiled to the Kaua‘i County Council the administration’s plan to work with the skateboarding groups on Kaua‘i to design and build two skate parks, one in Lihu‘e and another in Hanapepe. Garden Island.

Lanai

A legal dispute over the water source for a Lanai golf course that has spanned more than two decades has been kept alive by a state appeals court ruling that could mean more litigation for months, if not years. Star-Advertiser.

Molokai

Translations of letters written by the earliest Hawaiian Hansen's disease patients exiled to Molokai in the late 1800s paint a much different picture of early life in the settlement than the brutal image perpetuated by English-speaking, mostly Caucasian authorities at the time. Star-Advertiser.

Thanks to $438,000 in federal funding, two new columbaria, or vaults to hold urns containing ashes, were installed last month at the Molokai Veterans Cemetery in Ho`olehua. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii libraries go digital, Maui land-use permit fees to skyrocket, opposition rises to Hawaiian Homelands appointee, pension plan a rocky investment, feds to fix Kona wetlands, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii library (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

In its bid to remain relevant in the digital age, Hawaii's library system appears to be making some gains, new figures show. Star-Advertiser.

Former Gov. Linda Lingle would gradually raise the payroll tax cap for Social Security so workers with higher incomes would pay a greater share, a position that mirrors the approach U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, her Demo­cratic opponent for U.S. Senate, would take to help stabilize the federal retirement program. Star-Advertiser.

Just as they did four years ago, delegates to the Republican National Convention dialed down the enthusiasm for the first official day of events as a tropical storm bore down on the Gulf Coast. Star-Advertiser.

The new head of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is facing mounting opposition to her leadership that could derail her confirmation by the Senate next year. Civil Beat.

Investors who buy bonds issued by the state of Hawaii are not being compensated adequately given the risk presented by the state’s high unfunded pension liability and debt load, according to analysis by Barron’s, a weekly financial newspaper. Star-Advertiser.

A new report says Hawaii is one of the least affordable states for daycare for infants, with parents spending nearly 15 percent of their income each month on child care. Pacific Business News.

The federal government has given Hawaii millions of dollars to help ensure the state is ready to launch a new online health insurance marketplace by January 2014. Civil Beat.

State roundup for Aug. 28. Associated Press.

Oahu

The city on Monday agreed to temporarily halt construction on the $5.26 billion rail project apart from some short-term tasks required for an orderly shutdown, according to statements from the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation and the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. Star-Advertiser.

As expected, Friday’s Hawaii Supreme Court ruling has resulted in the city and county of Honolulu temporarily halting construction on its $5.26 billion rail project. Civil Beat.

The City and County of Honolulu has stopped construction on its $5.16 billion elevated-rail mass-transit project following last week's Hawaii Supreme Court ruling against the project. Pacific Business News.

The state will spend $2 million to study the H-1 Freeway and other major roads to find out what improvements are needed and how to prioritize those needs. KHON2.

The Hawaii Supreme Court has dismissed the election complaint filed Aug. 16 by Honolulu City Council candidate Martin Han. Civil Beat.

A community group says block parties and events including "First Fridays," which were meant to help revitalize Chinatown, is leaving the historical area trashed. Hawaii News Now.

The Battle of the Islands Pacific Roller Derby Tournament is coming up on O’ahu next month, and the Paradise Roller Girls from Hawai’i Island are hoping to be there. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

One of the two naturally occurring brackish wetlands on the Kona Coast is due for major restoration work, which National Park Service officials hope will help improve conditions for endangered bird species within the park. West Hawaii Today.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo’s troubled Hoku Kea telescope is still in pieces and is on its third director, with extensive problems that have included an improperly shaped primary mirror, a damaged secondary mirror and no operating system to control the telescope. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii residents will be among the first to get their hands on a new quarter featuring a Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park design. Star-Advertiser.

A Big Island blogger has been ordered to stop posting salacious cartoons and false comments about an online news publisher. Hawaii Reporter.

The U.S. Geological Survey says surface flows remain active on the pali and coastal plain, but have not made significant progress toward the ocean. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

The cost of various Maui County land-use permit application fees could go up significantly - some by as much as 450 percent - as county officials look to realign fees with actual processing costs. Maui News.

Gary Toth of Project for Public Spaces will present “Principles of Great Streets” and “Why Streets as Places” in a three hour interactive workshop scheduled from 1 to 4 p.m. on Friday, August 31. Maui Now.

Kauai

Island School broke ground on a solar project Monday. When completed, it should take care of its daytime power needs. Garden Island.

The Charter Review Commission on Monday addressed a couple of grammar mistakes in the proposed amendments to the Kaua‘i County Charter it had transmitted Aug. 9 to County Clerk Ricky Watanabe. Now, it’s all up to the voters to decide at the Nov. 6 General Election on eight proposals to amend the charter. Garden Island.

Hannemann, Gabbard fight for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District, Family Forum, Catholic conference pay for lobbying violations, big earnings for HECO, new biofuel deal for Aina Koa Pono, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Tulsi Gabbard, Mufi Hannemann (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The Democratic race in the 2nd Congressional District is boiling down to whether neighbor island and rural Oahu voters prefer a seasoned politico in former Mayor Mufi Hannemann or the newer face of city Councilwoman and Iraq War veteran Tulsi Gabbard. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Family Forum and the Hawaii Catholic Conference have filed new and revised spending reports with the state Ethics Commission and will pay a total of $3,000 to the state general fund to resolve complaints about their lobbying activity. Star-Advertiser.

Monumental Dispute: Case, Lingle Tangle Over Papahanaumokuakea. Civil Beat.

Each legislative session, since 1986, PAYCHECKS HAWAII, the independent non-partisan, political action affiliate of Smart Business Hawaii (created in 1984), rates each of Hawaii’s 76 state legislators (51 House and 25 Senate). Hawaii Reporter.

Council on Revenues Retains 5.3% General Fund Forecast. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc.'s earnings rose sharply in the second quarter, largely reflecting the timing of a rate increase at its main utility subsidiary that wasn't in effect for the comparable quarter a year earlier. Star-Advertiser.

A new report sheds some light on solar energy, one of the fastest growing industries in the state. Installed capacity in Hawaii rose from 25 megawatts in 2009 to more than 85 megawatts in 2011 and is forecast to reach nearly 150 megawatts by the end of this year, according to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a nonprofit research and educational organization that has offices in Washington D.C. and Minnesota. Pacific Business News.

A federal district court judge ordered the state to allow two women to marry their fiancés, who are incarcerated at the Saguaro Correctional Facility in Arizona, according to the ACLU of Hawaii. KITV4.


Karen Street was getting a touch of cold feet when she was first named chairwoman of the new Hawaii Public Charter School Commission, the body standing at the helm of reforms to the state’s 32 charter schools. Star-Advertiser.


Oahu

The Transportation Security Administration is paying a financial settlement to Glen Kajiyama, the former federal security director in charge of TSA operations at Honolulu International Airport who was one of 36 TSA employees fired in a baggage screening scandal last year. Hawaii News Now.


A couple of months after closing, the Haleiwa Farmers Market is getting ready to reopen Thursday at a new location, the Pikake Pavilion and nearby lawn in Waimea Valley. Star-Advertiser.

Aina Koa Pono courtesy photo

Hawaii

Hawaiian Electric Co.'s Hawaii island subsidiary has submitted a new proposal to buy locally produced liquid biofuel for electricity generation after a previous plan was rejected by regulators as being too expensive. Star-Advertiser.

Aina Koa Pono, the renewable energy company that plans to build a plant in Ka‘u, has reached a biofuel supply agreement with Hawaii Electric Light Co. and is asking the Public Utilities Commission to approve the contract. Tribune-Herald.

State regulators rejected the first biofuel contract. But Aina Koa Pono is back with a new proposal to provide 16 million gallons of biofuel a year to Hawaii Electric Light Co. on the Big Island. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Electric Light Co. said Thursday that it has asked the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to approve a new biofuel supply contract with Aina Koa Pono LLC. Pacific Business News.

Mayor Billy Kenoi has so far spent almost half a million dollars to hold onto Hawaii County’s top office, a full $135,911 more than he spent campaigning for what was then an open seat in the 2008 primary election. West Hawaii Today.

Puna voters have a history of taking out their frustrations on their County Council representatives. Tribune-Herald.

A first-of-its-kind conference drew big names and experts Thursday to the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa, where they shared views on sustainability and the power of the local economy. Speakers also stressed the importance of humility and community matters. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The master-planned Olowalu Town project gained key support from a Maui County Council committee Thursday that will allow the 600-acre development to move forward. Maui News.

Rep. Gil Keith-Agaran, who is seeking re-election to the state House District 9 seat, has out-raised and out-spent his opponent, longtime Maui County Council Member Joe Pontanilla. Maui News.

Maui County's accounting system administrator has been named deputy director of the state Department of Accounting and General Services. Maui News.

Kauai

The Kaua‘i County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney’s offender diversionary program was cleared this week of wrongdoing by special outside counsel. Garden Island.

If the Kaua‘i County Council approves a recommendation from its Public Safety Committee, it may get a bit costlier to have a home or residential alarm system, as a $150 permit and an annual renewal fee of $50 are being considered. Garden Island.

Chief Judge Randal Valenciano of the 5th Circuit Court recused himself Thursday from a condemnation case brought by the County of Kaua‘i against Hanalei boatyard owner Michael Sheehan. Garden Island.

The Kekaha lifeguard tower was moved approximately 25 feet inland Thursday morning. Garden Island.

Lanai

David Murdock has sold his Hawaiian island, but he’s keeping his seven-bedroom Lanai home, a woodworking shop containing koa furniture, two carved elephant tusks in a resort lobby, and 1,000 rare orchid plants. Associated Press.

Hawaii deposit fee going up, Navy tests biofuel at RIMPAC, Hirono misses votes to campaign, Kona coffee farmers warn of fakes, OSHA to take over safety inspections, Lanai group gets standing in Larry Ellison utilities decision, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii recycling center (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

The deposit fee for beverage containers in Hawai’i will increase by a half-cent to keep the successful HI-5 recycling program in operation for two more years. Maui Now.

The cost of a beer or soda likely will creep up in September as the state kicks in a half-cent increase of the beverage container fee. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii will increase by a half-cent the bottle deposit fee that the state charges beverage manufacturers, distributors and importers, state health officials said Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

The federal government begins conducting some workplace safety inspections for the State Labor Department next month as part of the recovery from budget cuts and layoffs under the administration of former Gov. Linda Lingle, state officials said Wednesday. Hawaii News Now.

Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case had the worst fundraising quarter of his U.S. Senate campaign, raising doubts about the strength of his organization with the Democratic primary against U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono just weeks away. Star-Advertiser.

Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, who is a hotly contested primary race for U.S. Senate against former Congressman Ed Case, (D-Hawaii/2002-2007), missed several votes in the last few weeks, so she could continue to fundraise and campaign for the seat left open by the retirement of U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii. Hawaii Reporter.

Colleen Hanabusa and Charles Djou ran in three separate elections — a special, primary and general election — for the 1st Congressional District just two years ago. Civil Beat.

U.S. Navy ships and planes operated on a biofuel blend off Hawaii during Rim of the Pacific war games Wednesday as part of a renewable-fuel push by Navy leaders — the biggest test of its kind and one that has become politicized and opposed by some in Congress because of its costs. Star-Advertiser.

As part of this year's RIMPAC exercises the US Navy is emphasizing its push to go green. KHON2.

Honolulu, Hilo, the Kahului-Wailuku area on Maui and Kapaa on Kauai posted declines in private-sector employment of between 1 percent and 4 percent, according to an analysis by Pacific Business News affiliate On Numbers, which used new U.S. Census Bureau data to analyze year-to-year employment trends for all metropolitan and micropolitan areas. Pacific Business News.

Kapalua, Molokai and Lanai airports are "absolutely all on the list" of places Hawaiian Airlines is considering to fly as it takes its first steps in the process of forming a subsidiary airline, a Hawaiian official said Tuesday. Maui News.

State roundup for July 19. Associated Press.

Oahu

Windward Oahu residents met Wednesday night to come up with a way to convince the city not to move forward with its plans to construct a Kaneohe to Kailua sewer tunnel. KHON2.

The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation is expanding its video surveillance program at city parks thanks to an $11,000 gift by the Palehua Community Association. KITV4.

The Sierra Club will hold off on endorsing a candidate for Honolulu mayor until someone emerges who backs rail and fights urban sprawl, the Hawaii nonprofit's leaders said Wednesday. Civil Beat.

The race between state Senate candidates Pohai Ryan and Laura Thielen is nearly tied — at least in terms of fundraising. Civil Beat.

Former state Rep. John Medeiros died Friday morning in his sleep after battling Parkinson's disease and a heart condition, his wife said. He was 83. Star-Advertiser.

The first glimpse in more than a decade into former Hawaii Governor Ben Cayetano’s financial backers shows he can still count on some old friends for support. Civil Beat.

Mayor Peter Carlisle: Profile. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

A County Council committee on Wednesday had a sunny outlook for a nonbinding resolution asking the state Public Utilities Commission to make it easier for homeowners to hook up solar panels. West Hawaii Today.

Two seasoned politicians will face off next month to become the Democratic candidate for state senator of the newly created 4th District on Hawaii Island. Star-Advertiser.

A group of mostly small-scale Kona coffee farmers wants to alert consumers that a new state law could affect the quality of Hawaii’s premier specialty crop. Associated Press.

More than 30 years after a federal judge ordered the state to fix a broken fence on the upper slopes of Mauna Kea on the Big Island in order to protect endangered birds, officials will finally spend about $1 million to patch the holes. Civil Beat.

The mauka-makai beach access road to Kohanaiki Coastal Community Park will close for approximately six weeks for road improvements. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Memorial Medical Center will be the only non-Oahu hospital participating in a mock disaster exercise Friday as part of the U.S. Navy's ongoing Rim of the Pacific international exercises in Hawaii. Maui News.

A drier climate would jeopardize Maui's water supply and native ecosystems, said UH-Manoa geography professor Tom Giambelluca. Maui News.

State regulators have granted Lana'ians for Sensible Growth limited participation in the ongoing review of whether transferring Lanai's public utilities to Larry Ellison, who owns the vast majority of the island, is in the public interest. Maui News.

Kauai

Despite a drop in the number of Kaua‘i public schools that have met federal standards this year, local schools have shown an overall improvement, according to Bill Arakaki, Kaua‘i Complex superintendent at the state Department of Education. Garden Island.

With many summer programs coming to an end and the first day of school looming two weeks away, youngsters can take advantage of this window to plan their entries for the Lego Contest, which is part of the Home Economics Show at the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair, Aug. 23 through 26. Garden Island.

Case-Hirono debates not so great, groups rally for solar energy tax credits, plastic bag fee, $3.2M award in Maui cliff death despite alcohol, marijuana use, state financial securities enforcer demoted after probe into his past, Hawaii councilors wonder whether tax hike was necessary, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ed Case, Mazie Hirono

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono will appear with former U.S. Rep. Ed Case at five joint forums and debates before the Demo­cratic primary for U.S. Senate in August, but she agreed to only one televised forum and bypassed debates offered by the state's major news outlets. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono's decision not to accept any debates on major television networks has prompted her opponent to call the decision "an insult to Hawaii voters." Civil Beat.

After months of prodding from Congressman Ed Case (D-HI, 2002-2007), Congresswoman Mazie Hirono has finally agreed to debate him. Hawaii Reporter.

Mazie Hirono and Ed Case are at odds over the number of debates and joint appearances scheduled before the primary election in their race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka. Hawaii News Now.

Congresswoman Mazie Hirono will participate in five debates with former Congressman Ed Case leading up to Hawaii's Primary Election, in her bid for the U.S. Senate. KHON2.

Seeking elected office means defending your positions against your rivals' — including within your own party. But when U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono refused any debates on network TV with her Democratic primary opponent Ed Case, she did a disservice to the people of Hawaii. (commentary) Civil Beat.

With Earth Day just days away, environmentalists and retail merchants made a last-ditch effort Thursday to convince state lawmakers that a bill that would impose a statewide 10-cent fee on disposable plastic and paper checkout bags deserves to be heard and voted on. Star-Advertiser.

With the Legislature set to adjourn in just two weeks, supporters of solar energy tax credits are ramping up their efforts to hang on to incentives they say are needed to ensure the industry's continued success.Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s renewable energy tax credits, which are credited with helping the state’s solar energy industry to reach new heights, are now backed by a report saying that they yield a clear, significant net fiscal benefit to the state. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii lawmakers are on the verge of lopping off some $22 million from the Department of Education's school bus budget, which officials say will force thousands of students to find new ways to get to class. Civil Beat.

House Finance Chairman Marcus Oshiro said the state Department of Education's repeated warnings about possible massive cuts of school bus service are "irresponsible fear-mongering." Star-Advertiser.

House and Senate conference committee members have just over a week to reach agreement on measures they want to see passed this legislative session. Associated Press.

Three Board of Education members have been confirmed by the Senate for terms through June 30, 2015. Star-Advertiser.

The state Senate has confirmed the appointment of four new members of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents, effective July 1, and renewed the appointment of two others, effective immediately. Tribune-Herald.

Peter Hsieh, the newly-hired head of enforcement in the state office that regulates financial securities, has been demoted following news stories in Hawaii Reporter about his serious personal financial problems, the state said today. Hawaii Reporter.

A federal grand jury yesterday indicted a Correctional Officer at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, on five counts of sexual abuse of a prison ward. Maui Now.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has released $34 million to upgrade state facilities. KHON2.

Oahu

The first mayoral debate of 2012 is scheduled for less than two weeks from now, when Kirk Caldwell, Peter Carlisle and Ben Cayetano all participate in what organizers are calling “pupus and politics” at the Plaza Club. Civil Beat.

The U.S. Senate appropriations committee is supporting a bill allocating $250 million for a rail line in Honolulu.  Associated Press.

A major rail contractor won approval for a $15.9 million change order Thursday to cover increasing prices for steel and other materials for the 20-mile Hono­lulu rail system. Star-Advertiser.

More than a dozen Traffic Division officers with the Honolulu Police Department left the state Capitol disappointed Thursday after House and Senate negotiators failed to reach a compromise on the so-called "Move Over" bill. KITV4.

City transportation officials want to make changes to 21 of Oahu's 100 city bus routes this summer, giving riders until May to have a say in the final plan. Star-Advertiser.

You could tell who was at the Kaimuki Community Park Thursday night by the dozens of bicycles that were parked and locked all over the park and surrounding areas. Hawaii News Now.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources is calling an emergency meeting for authorization to enter private property where boulders rolled down a Honolulu mountainside and crashed into houses. KHON2.

Hawaii

Two West Hawaii council members are asking why Mayor Billy Kenoi’s administration had urged the County Council to raise property taxes in 2010 to the tune of $23 million when the county ultimately ended that year with a $24 million surplus. West Hawaii Today.

Three County Elections Office employees who say they were wrongfully terminated and publicly humiliated by county of Hawaii officials have made their Settlement Offer with the county public. Hawaii Reporter.

The attorney representing three fired election workers stood outside council chambers Thursday, blasting the “gang of four” inside who denied his offer to settle their claims without a lawsuit. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County’s Fire Department will soon be getting at least five new trucks, free of charge. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A dangerous scenic Maui overlook remains open despite a $3.2 million court decision that found the state liable for the death of a 16-year-old in a car that plunged off the cliff, according to the teenager's mother. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Circuit Court Judge Joseph Cardoza ruled this week that the state was entirely at fault, writing: "The court finds and concludes that the condition of the accident site, and not the presence of alcohol and/or marijuana in Denis Callo's body, was the sole cause of the accident." Civil Beat.

A Maui judge found the state was liable for the deaths of two people in a car that plunged 150 feet from a scenic overlook in 2005 and must pay more than $3.2 million in damages. Associated Press.

Board members of the embattled Wailuku Main Street Association appealed to the Maui County Council on Wednesday to restore their $243,000 county grant, saying they had been "good stewards" of taxpayer dollars. Maui News.

The Walmart Foundation today donated a $115,000 refrigerated food truck to the Maui Food Bank in Wailuku as part of the Feeding America campaign. Maui Now.

Kauai

Alexander & Baldwin Inc. and the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative on Thursday jointly broke ground on what will become the largest solar energy facility on Kaua‘i, a 6-megawatt utility-scale solar photovoltaic facility at Port Allen. Garden Island.

Waikiki sand project snarls, Honolulu, Hawaii mayors release staus quo election-year budgets, Senate honors 'Descendants' author, more solar for Kauai, new publisher for Pacific Business News, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki Beach sand groins (c) 2012 All Hawaii News

A monthlong sand-replenishment project undertaken to widen a stretch of Waikiki Beach will be more disruptive than initially planned, officials said Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Long stretches of the usually majestic Waikiki Beach will be turned into roads for dump trucks and other heavy machines over the next few months while the City makes changes to its plans for replenishing the beach between the Duke Kahanamoku Statue and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Hawaii News Now.

The state and visitor industry have to turn to an inconvenient plan "B" on the Waikiki sand project due to a sand-blowers shortcomings. KHON2.

Taxpayers are on the hook for $90,000 following a whistleblower lawsuit claiming state officials failed to comply with environmental laws when issuing dozens of permits for activities at the protected Papahānaumokuākea monument. Civil Beat.

The financial picture for the state's two largest health insurers significantly improved in the fourth quarter, as premiums caught up with actual medical costs after a series of rate hikes over the past year. Star-Advertiser.

Hundreds of kupuna marched at the state Capitol Thursday, fighting to keep Kupuna Care a priority. KITV4.

More steps have been taken to make good on HGEA's favored nations clause, but the state and counties don't yet know how budgets will be affected in this fiscal year. KHON2.

Good news for Hawaii’s fastest growing industry — the state has been ranked fourth for U.S. Renewable Energy Attractiveness. Pacific Business News.

Members of a dissident faction of Democrats who have long opposed Hawaii House Speaker Calvin Say argue that Say is behind new political boundaries that could force some of those dissidents out of office this year. Civil Beat.

Days after returning from the Academy Award in Los Angeles, Kaui Hart Hemmings was recognized by the state Senate for the success of her novel "The Descendants." Hawaii News Now.

Two weeks after emailing questions about email retention to the state's Department of Accounting and General Services — and 10 days after our article ran — we heard back. Civil Beat.

State roundup for March 2. Associated Press.

Oahu

Mayor Peter Carlisle's $1.953 billion operating budget proposal for the next fiscal year would increase city government spending by $28 million compared with last year but does not increase real property tax rates or user fees. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Peter Carlisle's operating and capital budgets for next year are nearly flat, together up just 2.3 percent from this year's budgets. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle outlined his new spending plan on Thursday for the fiscal year that starts in July. The $1.953 billion dollar operating budget is $28 million higher than the current one. Hawaii News Now.

A bill allowing food trucks and other vendors to operate on city roads and highways for up to three hours at a time advanced from the City Council Transportation Committee Thursday afternoon.Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit CEO Daniel Grabauskas is now the highest paid city employee. Hawaii Reporter.

Mary Beth Lohman, publisher of Pacific Business News    since December 2009, is resigning. Advertising Director Bob Charlet will succeed her and become publisher on March 2. Pacific Business News.

A group of tech savvy designers in Honolulu wants to hear from people to help design new applications to improve life around the city. It’s called, Code for America. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi on Thursday unveiled an election year status quo budget that holds the line on property taxes, maintains monthly employee furloughs, eliminates the West Hawaii golf subsidy and again postpones advance payments on health care for retired employees. West Hawaii Today.

Mayor Billy Kenoi is proposing to eliminate the county-operated lava viewing program at Kalapana to save $300,000 in the next fiscal year. Tribune-Herald.

The final settlement terms in the long-running Hokulia bypass saga will be revealed today. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The more than 1.1 million visitors to Haleakala National Park in 2010 spent nearly $75 million in the park and on the island, and supported 861 jobs, a new National Park Service report showed. Maui News.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa is eager to grab a piece of the film industry saying the neighbor islands saw only $5 million dollars last year, compared to Oahu's $100 million. KITV4.

Officials with the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands led a presentation on the proposed Public Safety Complex in Puunene before the Council’s Policy Committee on Wednesday. Maui Now.

A nasty virus causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain has flared up all over Maui, a state heath official said last week. Maui News.

Work on the $21.6 million Science Building at the University of Hawaii Maui College continues on pace for an August completion, in time for next school year. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative officials said Thursday that they plan to pursue a second major solar farm of up to 10 megawatts. Pacific Business News.

Within hours of the end of the fifth and final forum on Thursday for Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors candidates, the co-op announced its intent to build a second large-scale solar project in the 8 to 10 megawatt range. Garden Island.

An oversight in the final version of the Lydgate camping ordinance, which took more than six years to be approved, prompted the Kaua‘i County Council to revisit the rules once again. Garden Island.