Lucky we live longer in Hawaii! Elders enjoy longer lives; unemployment falls, tax revenues rise, last frigate retired, Pfleuger guilty of reckless endangerment in Kauai dam burst, state to consider thrill-craft rules, Honolulu homeless sweep, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii kupuna hula (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

If you’re 65 and living in Hawaii, here’s some good news: Odds are you’ll live another 21 years. And for all but five of those years, you’ll likely be in pretty good health. Hawaii tops the charts in the government’s first state-by-state look at how long Americans age 65 can expect to live, on average, and how many of those remaining years will be healthy ones. Associated Press.

Hawaii tops the charts in the government's first state-by-state look at how long Americans age 65 can expect to live, on average, and how many of those remaining years will be healthy ones. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii tax revenues deposited in the general fund rose nearly 10 percent during the most recent fiscal year to $5.5 billion. The state Department of Taxation said Thursday general excise tax revenue rose just over 9 percent to $2.9 billion during the 12 months ended in June. Associated Press.

Hawaii's unemployment rate fell in June to its lowest level in nearly five years as local businesses continued to ramp up hiring, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations reported Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last month was the lowest since September 2008.Associated Press.

Reflecting the visibility of her race against Sen. Brian Schatz, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa was named one of Politico’s Top 50 Politicos to Watch. Civil Beat.

A former aide to the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye has chosen U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa's Democratic primary campaign for Senate over a corporate government relations job. Peter Boylan, a former deputy chief of staff to Inouye, has resigned as a senior manager for Time Warner Cable in Washington, D.C. He will serve as communications director for Hanabusa's campaign against U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz. Star-Advertiser.

USS Reuben James courtesy photo

The Navy started the day with 18 frigates in the fleet. It ended it with 17 after the retirement of the USS Reuben James at Pearl Harbor. The last remaining frigate home-ported in Hawaii was decommissioned Thursday after 14 deploy­ments and 27 years of service — including some tense moments in the Persian Gulf region. Star-Advertiser.

Drones are garnering increasing attention in the islands, whether in reaction to President Obama’s defense of his extensive use of remote-controlled aerial surveillance and bombing overseas, or as a result of peace-minded protests against drone usage and testing at Pohakuloa on the Big Island, at Wheeler Air Force Base and at UH-Manoa on Oahu. Civil Beat.

What began as a look at the unregulated use of water-propelled jet packs around Oahu has turned into a state review of thrill-craft operations overall. State Land Board Chairman William Aila Jr. said he was broadening his review to include the impact of thrill craft on traditional fishing and on fish and coral larvae. Star-Advertiser.

The time for new leadership to step up at Hawaiian Electric Co., the state’s largest electric utility and part of the biggest public company in Hawaii, took a big step on Wednesday after Robbie Alm, who has been the public face of the company, announced he is leaving his executive vice president post on Aug. 30, after a little more than a decade with the utility. Pacific Business News.

Father Francis X. Hezel, a Catholic priest who has lived and worked in Micronesia for more than four decades, visited Hawaii this week to meet with government officials and others to discuss what the state and federal governments can do to help Micronesians. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents is in talks with a candidate to temporarily replace outgoing President M.R.C. Greenwood but isn't ready to make the person's name public. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii Board of Regents on Thursday elected John Holzman as its new chairman, along with Vice Chair Saedene Ota and returning Vice Chair James Lee. Pacific Business News.

The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has an ambitious plan to build more than four thousand new homes for Hawaiian homesteaders. It's something that will take them 20 years to do. Hawaii News Now.

There were 15,258 hybrid vehicles registered in the state of Hawaii, according to a June state energy trend report. The number of electric vehicles was 1,551 — an uptick of 83 percent compared to the same time last year. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Greg I. Nishioka will resign Aug. 30 as administrator of the Honolulu Liquor Commission, six months after admitting to the  Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court he commingled and misappropriated funds in his law practice. Star-Advertiser.

The administrator of the Honolulu Liquor Commission has resigned, months after admitting to dozens of legal ethics violations through his law practice. Hawaii News Now.

Thursday's sweeps dispersed dozens of homeless who camp overnight around the Kakaako Makai Gateway Park area and the Ala Wai Promenade. Star-Advertiser.

During the eighth day of testimony in State Department special agent Christopher Deedy's murder trial, a witness for the first time noted that Deedy did not appear to be intoxicated in the early-morning hours of Nov. 5, 2011, after he fatally shot a 23-year-old Kailua man at a Waikiki McDonald's. Star-Advertiser.

Retired Honolulu Police Department Sgt. Kenneth Schreiner was in charge when Christopher Deedy was arrested on Nov. 5, 2011. He saw Deedy kneeling over Kollin Elderts. Both men were covered in blood. A worker at the Waikiki McDonald's told him Deedy was the shooter. Hawaii News Now.

A Waikiki hotel is accused of discriminating against a combat veteran and his service dog. Hawaii News Now.

Beachgoers are breaking out in a blistering rash, and it’s not because of jellyfish or Man o’ War. KHON2 heard from several people who reported getting stung by “stinging seaweed.”

The Historic Hawai’i Foundation cites up to four heiau in Kaimuki, one up Sierra Drive, two on Kaimuki Hill and another at Leahi hospital. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii
Sandra Dawson has been shepherding plans for the Thirty Meter Telescope through Hawaii's regulatory labyrinth for the past five years, and now, pending resolution of one last appeal, construction of the estimated $1.4 billion astronomy endeavor near the top of Mauna Kea is poised to begin. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation may have found a colorful solution to the issue of illegal activity at Kalakaua Park. Parks and Recreation Director Clayton Honma said he will look at adding flower boxes along a wall on the makai side of the downtown Hilo park that nearby businesses complain is used too frequently as a hangout spot for the homeless and vagrants. Tribune-Herald.

Leeward Planning Commissioners are asking for more information from county departments and the developer of a proposed Hualalai Road subdivision before deciding whether the land should be reclassified as urban and rezoned. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County will get a new public shoreline access easement as part of a 1999 special management area permit, as a luxury development begins to take root on one of the few remaining large private holdings on Kohala’s Gold Coast. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Medical Service Association plans to open one of its new neighborhood centers in Hilo’s Waiakea Center. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled today that a wrongful death lawsuit against Ala Moana Center can move forward. The high court said Ala Moana had a duty to aid 22-year-old Jasmine Fry, who died in 2005 after she fell into an exhaust vent above the center's food court. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

In light of a looming investigation over the Old Wailuku Post Office demolition, Mayor Alan Arakawa has proposed directives that limit communication between council members and county department heads that he admits could bring the county to "a grinding halt." Maui News.

The Maui County Civil Defense Agency has updated tsunami evacuation zone maps - with major changes in the Kahului area and the addition of new maps for two areas on Maui. Maui News.

Maui police will be increasing speeding enforcement, education and patrols during a week-long campaign that runs from July 22-26 on all major Maui roadways, police said. Maui Now.

It takes a community to build a food forest. That was the message delivered by Paul Massey to a receptive crowd of both seasoned permaculture enthusiasts and self-proclaimed "greenhorns" at a recent talk at the University of Hawai'i Maui College. Maui Weekly.

Kauai
In a nearly empty courtroom, retired auto dealer James Pflueger was found guilty of reckless endangering in the Ka Loko dam tragedy after pleading no contest Thursday and ending years of denying that he had any responsibility in the 2006 disaster that left seven people dead. Star-Advertiser.

A retired car dealer pleaded no contest Thursday to reckless endangering in a dam breach in Hawaii that swept seven people to their deaths in 2006. Associated Press.

The defendant involved in the 2006 Ka Loko dam failure pleaded no contest to first-degree reckless endangering Thursday in 5th Circuit Court. Garden Island.

James Pflueger, the owner of the land under the dam, was indicted on seven counts of manslaughter and one count of reckless endangerment in the first degree in November 2008 after witnesses said he illegally graded around the dam and covered its main safety feature, a concrete spillway, causing it to overtop and breach during heavy rains. Pflueger, an 87-year-old retired auto dealer with assets of $71 million, was able to use his power, wealth, influence and political connections to delay his criminal trial for years through multiple appeals. Hawaii Reporter.

Kauai now has its first 320-slice computed tomography scanner, an X-ray imaging machine. Now installed and in operation at Wilcox Memorial Hospital, the CT scanner is the fastest and most advanced scanner in the state, according to hospital officials. Garden Island.

Hawaii deep-sea reefs explored, Mazie finding her mojo, Ellison buys another airline, ACLU sues Maui for sign ordinance, Kauai joins GMO battle, park fees increase, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands coral reef NOAA photo

Exploration of deep-sea coral reefs in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands is just beginning but already has revealed a slew of species previously not known to inhabit the island chain. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers returned last week from a 26-day trip to four of the northwestern islands and the Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge with specimens of new species of deep-water algae and the first recorded specimens of black coral from Johnston Atoll. Star-Advertiser.

Shark tours are more valuable than shark soup, study finds. Hawaii News Now.

Deep-sea adventure captures humpback whales’ song off Kona. KHON2.

A bureaucratic scuffle between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the state Department of Health is leaving veterans unable to qualify for VA loans or refinance existing VA loans at lower interest rates. The VA has declined to approve home loans on properties with rainwater catchment systems in Hawaii because the state does not recognize the water as safe for drinking or food preparation. Star-Advertiser.

As Congress works to frame a sweeping immigration reform deal, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and 12 other female senators Thursday introduced an amendment they say would treat women more fairly as they seek to come to the U.S. Star-Advertiser.

In a church auditorium here this week, Senator Mazie Hirono enjoyed something of a rock-star welcome. At a female-rich rally on immigration, Hirono was introduced to more than a hundred women from across the country, including the president of the National Organization for Women, as a “champion” of women’s issues. The crowd cheered wildly and began chanting: “Ma-zie! Ma-zie!” Civil Beat.

Local Enough To Be UH Prez? Take Our Quiz! Civil Beat.

The executive director of a Kauai foundation trying to prevent drownings says rescue tube kiosks that have worked on the island are coming to other parts of Hawaii. Associated Press.

Friday Factoid: How Many Pesticides Are Licensed for Sale in Hawaii? Civil Beat.

State 6/21. Associated Press.

State roundup for June 21. Associated Press.

Oahu

A former Honolulu police officer faces possible state and federal drug charges after police and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted separate raids at his Pearl City house through the past two months. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii News Now has learned that the FBI is looking into the case of a 35-year-old Kaneohe man who died after he was arrested by police.

What’s the cost of restarting an oil refinery just two months after it was shut down? About $27 million, according to the new owner of Tesoro Corp.’s Kapolei oil refinery. Star-Advertiser.

Honey Bee USA Inc. has revealed more of its $20 million plan to redevelop a part of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor called Waikiki Landing with wedding chapels, restaurants, retail and office space, as well as a boat repair facility and fuel dock. Pacific Business News.

Repairs are under way for a historic downtown Honolulu building that houses the Hawaii Supreme Court. Associated Press.

HI Spy: Out of the Honolulu Weekly’s Ashes. Hawaii Public Radio.

Picking up art is not foremost in most customers’ minds as they rummage through the boxes and stacks of literary and musical goodies at the annual Friends of the Library of Hawai‘i Book Sale. But this year’s sale, which begins Saturday, will include catalogs of paintings, prints and art books, according to Friends Executive Director Byrde Cestare. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Those graduation and birthday picnics at a park pavilion will soon cost you more — more than twice as much, in fact. The increases, along with hikes in property taxes, vehicle registration and weight fees and bus fares, all go toward balancing the county’s $394.3 million 2013-14 budget. West Hawaii Today.

The federal Department of Transportation is considering making a new agreement for regular scheduled service to the Waimea airport. Flights are guaranteed to the North Hawaii community through the federal Essential Air Service program, which subsidizes service to rural areas. Tribune-Herald.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District, in coordination with the Hawaii Department of Health and various Hawaii County safety and law enforcement agencies, on Wednesday successfully completed investigations for ordnance at the Sandalwood subdivision area and along Kawaihae Road in South Kohala. West Hawaii Today.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office announced Thursday afternoon releasing more than $134.7 million for capital improvement projects at Hawaii public schools, including $850,000 for work at two Big Island schools. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaiʻi has filed a lawsuit against the County of Maui seeking changes to laws relating to the display of signs on sidewalks and along roadways. Maui Now.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii filed a federal lawsuit against Maui County on Thursday, saying an ordinance placing restrictions on roadway sign-waving is unconstitutional. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Maui residents Chuck Carletta and Mele Stokesberry, who said police threatened to fine them for carrying signs in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Wai­luku in January. Star-Advertiser.

Two Maui residents are suing to change a county law prohibiting sign waving on sidewalks and roadways. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit Thursday in federal court in Honolulu on behalf of Chuck Carletta and Mele Stokesberry. Associated Press.

A divided Maui County Council voted down a request by Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration Wednesday to expedite a bill that would amend the current county budget to explicitly call for the demolition of the Old Wailuku Post Office after the fact in an attempt to resolve a simmering dispute between the mayor and the council. Maui News.

The Maui County Council accepted a donation Wednesday of a personal watercraft and sled and approved some funding for the Department of Fire and Public Safety's budget shortfall this year. Maui News.

Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. has begun construction on its new transportation facility located on 10 acres of former sugar cane land in Puunene, according to an announcement Wednesday. Maui News.

Kauai
Kauai County Councilman Gary Hooser introduced an ordinance Thursday that would give authority to the county to govern the commercial use of pesticides and genetically modified organisms. Garden Island.

The latest buzz from the Kauai Beekeepers Association is a plea to local government for more transparency and regulations on pesticide use. Garden Island.

State regulators have cleared the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative to build a $42.2 million solar energy facility that would be the state’s largest. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai residents will experience an 11.2 percent water rate increase July 1. It's the third of four increases to pay for upgrades to the island's aging water system. Hawaii News Now.

Officials held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday at Kauai Raceway Park, also known as Mana Drag Strip, to mark the start of construction of a $1 million project to repair the facilities and resurface the pavement, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said. Star-Advertiser.

The deadline to provide input on phase two of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance update is June 28, according to county officials. The CZO, which regulates land use and development on Kauai, is being updated in two phases by the Planning Department with assistance from the consulting firm Helber, Hastert and Fee. Garden Island.

Lanai

Oracle Corp. CEO Larry Ellison, who bought the island of Lanai a year ago and recently purchased Island Air, is now buying the Hawaii interisland airline go!, Pacific Business News has learned.

Abercrombie unlikely to veto much, Oahu prison guard dies when rescuers can't find the key, shark taste-tests Kona man, Honolulu rail depot downsized, more on Dems lawsuit, Hawaii Island faces hikes on vehicle taxes, bus fares, Maui sugarcane fires suspicious, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Abercrombie bill signing

Gov. Neil Abercrombie says he is likely to complete his list of potential vetoes ahead of Monday's deadline to notify the state Legislature and that the list will probably be a short one. Star-Advertiser.

The Democratic Party of Hawaii has taken the politically risky step of asking a federal judge to throw out a provision of the state constitution protecting the “secrecy of voting” and the confidentiality of voters’ party affiliations. Civil Beat.

In a federal lawsuit, the Democratic Party of Hawaii claims the state's primary election law is unconstitutional. Associated Press.

The new leader of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, a nonprofit hui focused on public policy, has already identified two policy areas as priorities: the cabotage laws that govern maritime rules in U.S. waters (the Jones Act) and the formation of a race-based government (the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission). Civil Beat.

Hawaii's elementary- and high-school teaching degree programs are among the worst in the country when it comes to preparing new teachers for the classroom, according to a new report that slams many of the nation's teacher colleges. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii is one of six states chosen by the National Governors Association to receive help with early childhood education. Associated Press.

Hawaii is home to one of the largest and most powerful military complexes in the world yet fails to produce a large cadre of local kids who are qualified to enter its ranks, according to experts who say declining military eligibility across the country is posing a threat to national security. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Community feedback on the size and scope of Honolulu's future rail stations has helped save the project some $100 million in design and construction costs, the city's top rail official said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation on Tuesday released renderings of three proposed rail station designs, and it plans to hold a series of public meetings next week to gather input on the designs. Pacific Business News.

A veteran Oahu Community Correctional Center sergeant died on the job Saturday night after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest, and prisons officials were delayed in getting him medical treatment because they couldn't find the key to get to his secured post. Hawaii News Now.

A community group opposing Turtle Bay Resort expansion plans has renewed a push to block the project by challenging the validity of a 27-year-old state approval for enlarging the resort on Oahu's North Shore. Star-Advertiser.

When the sun goes down, beaches up and down the Leeward coast are filled with night fishermen. That's when Ro Domondon catches ulua and other fish that swim close to the shoreline. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu’s first stand-alone zip line planned for Aiea. KHON2.

Hawaii

By bus or by car, your ride is soon going to cost you more. The Hawaii County Council on Tuesday advanced bills doubling bus fares and car registration and vehicle weight taxes. West Hawaii Today.

A shark bit the leg of a man swimming at a West Hawaii beach Tuesday afternoon but released him and swam away, allowing the man to get back to shore. Star-Advertiser.

A 28-year-old Kailua-Kona man is recovering from shark bites to his leg following an attack Tuesday afternoon in waters off the Mahaiula area of Kekaha Kai State Park in North Kona. West Hawaii Today.

A man was bitten by a 14-foot shark while swimming at Kekahakai State Park's Mahaiula Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii Tuesday afternoon. Hawaii News Now.

A proposal to give the County Council members’ appointed staff a 4 percent raise was tabled Tuesday after a lengthy discussion over step increases. Tribune-Herald.

Dozens of construction workers could lose their jobs on a bioenergy plant project in Pepeekeo following a decision in a labor dispute. Tribune-Herald.

A parade of county dignitaries and former leaders came to the West Hawaii Civic Center on Tuesday to witness the final chapter of a 35-year saga. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A spate of suspicious sugar cane field fires in Central Maui within a month has resulted in the loss of an estimated $182,500 to the sugar crop, firefighters said Tuesday. Although the cause of the fires remains undetermined, fire officials believe the fires may have been intentionally set because there are no obvious points of ignition. Star-Advertiser.

Maui County Council's Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee advanced a resolution Monday to formally investigate possible misuse of public funds by Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration over the demolition of the Old Wailuku Post Office. Maui News.

The Texas-based landowner of a controversial 700,000-square-foot retail shopping complex in Kihei has taken over development of the project and plans to change its concept to a "mixed-use" development with business, commercial and residential uses, a representative for the project said Tuesday. Maui News.

The Polynesian voyaging canoe, Hōkūleʻa arrived at Māʻalaea Harbor on Maui last night as part of the Mālama Hawaiʻi leg of its worldwide voyage. Maui Now.

Kauai
Despite Kauai being ranked No. 2 on Trip-Advisor’s 2013 list of “Top 10 Islands” in the United States, the latest report from Hospitality Advisors LLC shows a decline in occupied hotel rooms during the month of April. Garden Island.

State and county officials expect the number of emergency medical response calls to rise as the elderly population on Kauai grows. Garden Island.

Molokai
‘Bureaucratic abuse’: Hawaii vets wait a decade for center, services. Hawaii Reporter.

15K Hawaii civilian defense employees face furloughs, hepatitis alert from Costco, Honolulu fixing sewers, Hawaii County faces fee hikes, Godzilla movie cast call draws hundreds, Maui hires deer expert, Lt. Gov. Tsutsui opening Maui office, Kauai to hire cops, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

U.S. Navy Marching Band in Hilo parade (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Nearly 15,000 civilian Department of Defense employees in Hawaii are expected to receive furlough notices by Wednesday, while employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration won't face any furloughs at all. Pacific Business News.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has invited the defense ministers from the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to meet in Hawaii next year. Pacific Business News.

The state Department of Health is investigating two cases of hepatitis A that may be linked to a frozen organic berry drink that was pulled from Costco shelves on Wednesday. DOH spokesperson Janice Okubo said one case was reported on Oahu, the other on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Next year's congressional elections represent the first time in 55 years that Dan Inouye won't be directly involved, either as a candidate or kingmaker. Civil Beat.

A private mainland health care provider remains interested in a possible takeover of Hawaii Island public hospital facilities, according to Hawaii Health Systems Corp. — but legislators will have to clear the way if such a public/private partnership is to occur. Tribune-Herald.

The gap between supply and demand of medical doctors in Hawaii is only going to widen in the next few years, according to University of Hawaii researchers. Garden Island.

It will have a huge impact on the future of Hawaii's farming industry. There are only a few days left for farmers to fill out the 2012 Agriculture census. KITV4.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie is releasing more than $21.8 million for capital improvement projects for airports and highways statewide. Associated Press.

Less than five years ago, Hawaii ranked number one in the nation for the rates that youth considered suicide, planned a suicide, and actually attempted suicide. But no more, said Elaine de Mello, who helped develop a program that’s increased awareness of the crisis and lowered the rate of suicide among Hawaii’s youth. Tribune-Herald.

State roundup for June 3. Associated Press.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell says the city is making good progress on a federal agreement requiring a major overhaul to Oahu's sewer system. Civil Beat.

Oahu skateboarders would be required to wear helmets under two separate bills scheduled to get their first airings by the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council members and Mayor Kirk Caldwell have been arguing for weeks over how much public money should be set aside for nonprofit special interest groups in the new city budget. Civil Beat.

Condo Mania! The nearly 5,000 units planned for Honolulu’s urban core are expected to meet pent-up demand — or could even fall short. Star-Advertiser.

A "community paramedic" program intended to reduce overuse of ambulances by chronic 911 callers has been dropped by the new city administration, but the state hopes to start a similar effort. Star-Advertiser.

Hundreds of aspiring actors and film extras braved long hours and lines Sunday along Pohukaina and Keawe streets for a shot at being cast in the "Godzilla" remake reportedly planned to be filmed this summer on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

More than 1,000 people vie for a chance to be in Godzilla movie. KHON2.

After seven years, the city of Honolulu is set to remove the large black sewage pipe that snakes along the bottom of the Ala Wai Canal and out toward the mouth of the boat harbor, adjacent to Waikiki’s famous beaches. Civil Beat.

A metallic graduation balloon is to blame for a power outage that affected nearly 2,000 customers in Waipahu overnight, according to the Hawaiian Electric Company. Hawaii News Now.

It wasn't the 95-percent-off, everything-must-go sale that brought 57-year-old Ray Feguis to the Ala Moana Center Sears last night. It was the opportunity to say goodbye to an old friend. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council signed off on Thursday on Mayor Billy Kenoi’s proposed operating budget for next year, but county residents get another chance to weigh in on proposed tax and fee increases. On Tuesday, the council’s Finance Committee picks up Kenoi’s recommended increases to the vehicle weight tax, minimum vehicle tax and yearly registration fee. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaiian Electric Companies are targeting four goals in their latest round of long-term planning: lowering customers’ bills, creating a clean energy future, modernizing the companies’ grids and fairness. West Hawaii Today.

Sections of wall, about 12 feet high and 8 feet wide, slotted together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle Thursday morning, as construction workers erected the main building at Kaiser Permanente’s new Kona clinic. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A Maui County Council committee held off hiring private attorneys Friday to look into an allegation brought forward by a council member over the potential misuse of public funds to demolish the Old Wailuku Post Office. Maui News.

Perhaps as early as this week Lt. Gov. Shan Tsutsui will officially have an office on Maui in the county's Kalana O Maui building. Maui News.

Lieutenant Governor Shan S. Tsutsui formally announced his candidacy to continue serving the state of Hawaii in his current capacity. Maui Now.

In the struggle against one of the island's most disruptive animals, the Maui Axis Deer Working Group has hired a full-time coordinator to lead the charge against the invasive species. Maui News.

Last month, the Women's Health Center at Molokai General Hospital received a $133,232 grant from the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs to fund a new prenatal program to focus on promoting care in the first trimester of pregnancy. Maui News.

The Central Maui Landfill caught fire Sunday afternoon. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

More than 20 years after Hurricane Iniki blew the life out of the iconic Coco Palms Resort, its property owners are still hopeful of finding the right developers to return the former Wailua beachfront hotel to its former glory. Garden Island.

A plan to replace future police vacancies along with a plan to fill remaining open spots was an issue raised at the County of Kauai Police Commission meeting on Friday. Garden Island.

Hawaii GOP seeks probe of Senate president, Stryker Brigade to stay in Hawaii, Maui raises property taxes, clams coming to Kauai, Honolulu's Ala Wai studied, quiet hurricane season predicted, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ala Wai (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Ala Wai Canal: A $100 Million Problem. Complete series on the history and future of the Ala Wai. Civil Beat.

The Central Pacific, which includes the Hawaiian Islands, probably will experience another season of below-average tropical cyclone activity, the Central Pacific Hurricane Center announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s hurricane forecasters are calling for a relatively quiet tropical cyclone season for the Central Pacific Ocean Basin. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii’s wet season, which runs from October through April, was the driest wet season in 30 years, the National Weather Service in Honolulu said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

The head of the U.S. Army in the Pacific said Hawaii is expected to keep its 22,500 active-duty soldiers as the Army downsizes, but it makes sense to re-evaluate whether the Stryker Brigade should keep its 320 armored vehicles or revert to a light infantry unit without Strykers. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Republican Party on Wednesday urged the state Ethics Commission to investigate whether state Senate President Donna Mercado Kim violated the ethics code when she called the University of Hawaii president last spring about her son's law school application. Star-Advertiser.

Even if the Senate president did not exert pressure on the university president, Kim may have violated the State Ethics Code and the Senate's own rules with just the phone call itself. Civil Beat.

As the University of Hawaii searches for a new president, critics are revisiting concerns about the relatively few local hires in top positions at the university. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s office announced Wednesday that $48.3 million will be spent to improve public housing throughout Hawaii, including $25.8 million for non-routine repairs, maintenance and renovations statewide. Pacific Business News.

Two years after tests first indicated the presence of a sexually transmitted disease in a handful of Hawaii Island cattle, state officials imposed a statewide quarantine order requiring testing of new dairy and beef bulls brought to the state and moved from one herd to another. West Hawaii Today.

KHON-TV is advising viewers of the Fox network affiliate or its CW network affiliate via Oceanic Time Warner Cable that the stations may be blacked out for most of Hawaii on May 31 if negotiations for a new retransmission contract are not successful. Star-Advertiser.

State 5/22. Associated Press.

State roundup for May 23. Associated Press.

Oahu

A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought against the city of Honolulu by members of a protest group that has been camping on the sidewalks around Thomas Square. Star-Advertiser.

In the last three years, the University of Hawaii has spent $1.3 million on repairs and upgrades to College Hill, the presidents' home that UH President MRC Greenwood has chosen not to live in. Hawaii News Now.

The James Campbell Co. is looking to sell 516 acres of mostly undeveloped land in West Oahu known as Kapolei West, a potential mixed-use residential and commercial master-planned community that would connect the City of Kapolei with Ko Olina Resort. Pacific Business News.

The city's aging Neal S. Blaisdell Center could be a site of one of three proposed 700-foot residential towers under a draft plan proposed by a state agency regulating development in Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

For the more than 20,000 people who live there, there’s only one way in and out of Mililani Mauka. After years of traffic headaches, there are some options on the table to ease the frustration. KHON2.

Hawaii

Hikes in property taxes, park fees, bus fares and vehicle registration and weight taxes will balance Mayor Billy Kenoi’s proposed $394.3 million 2013-14 budget, a 7.9 percent increase over this year. But there’s still a wild card in the mix: Two major public worker unions have yet to complete collective bargaining agreements. West Hawaii Today.

All the right factors need to be in place for Hawaii County to successfully convert Alii Drive to one-way traffic in the downtown area, community members and business stakeholders told officials Wednesday in North Kona. West Hawaii Today.

Last June, the Department of Education launched a small pilot program in Kona on the Big Island, testing just how well GPS tracking systems, with real-time data, would streamline bus service. And it worked beautifully. KITV4.

The Hilo Brewfest, scheduled for June 1 from 2-6 p.m., will take place on the grounds of the Wainaku Executive Center and will feature sample beers from 20 different breweries. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A resolution that would increase property tax rates for majority of island residents and businesses was approved by the Maui County Council Wednesday morning. Maui News.

Maui Tea Partier In D.C.: IRS Scrutiny 'Chilling' Civil Beat.

Updated tsunami evacuation maps have been released by the Maui County Civil Defense Agency. Maui Now.

While developers of the 670-acre Honua'ula golf community have made efforts to meet a number of the 30 conditions set by the Maui County Council when the project's zoning was approved in 2008, some community groups said on Tuesday that many critical conditions have still not been met. Maui News.

Kauai
Community voices opposition to ‘danger zone’ Corps seeks larger safety area during live target practice. Garden Island.

For the first time in decades, the state Department of Health has approved the growing waters and sale of shellfish by a local grower. Health officials approved the permit for Sunrise Capital, doing business under the name Kauai Clams. Hawaii News Now.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources announced Friday the opening of archery, muzzleloading rifle and high-powered rifle hunting seasons for feral goats on the island of Kauai. Garden Island.

Kauai coral study complete, gas tax, park fee hikes loom, Hawaii computers unaffected by hacker blitz, Maui council overrides tax-credit veto, officials react to Greenwood retirement, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Coral scientist (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

A team of scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration wrapped up its week-long study of Kaua‘i’s diseased coral reefs Tuesday. Garden Island.

Sanjeev "Sonny" Bhagowalia, the state's chief information officer, said there did not appear to be a noticeable increase in the number of hacking attempts or scans of state agency sites Tuesday, which #OpUSA organizers had declared as the day for hackers to disrupt the websites of U.S. government agencies and banks. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz met with a high-level federal official this week to discuss mismanagement and oversight problems at the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands that were exposed in a just-published Star-Advertiser series.

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa was endorsed on Tuesday by EMILY's List, the national political action committee that helps elect Democratic women who favor abortion rights. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii leaders say one of the highlights of the 2013 legislative session was greater transparency in the lawmaking process. But advocacy groups like Common Cause and the League of Women Voters, along with more critical legislators, say a lot more needs to be done to make Hawaii’s legislative process clearer and more accessible to the public. Associated Press.

Observers were beginning to weigh in Tuesday on what they would like to see in the University of Hawaii's next president, with several saying the Board of Regents should focus on a candidate who will be a stabilizing force in the wake of a rocky year. Star-Advertiser.

A day after embattled University of Hawaii President MRC Greenwood announced her plans to retire, UH observers said she had realized she was having a difficult time being effective. Hawaii News Now.

When UH President MRC Greenwood made the announcement Monday she was resigning as UH President, no one was really shocked. KHON2.

Less than 18 hours after University of Hawaii President MRC Greenwood announced she plans to retire several months before her lucrative $475,000-a-year contract expires in 2015, the controversial academic has gone silent – at least for now. Hawaii Reporter.

The number of tropical storms and hurricanes threatening Hawaii is expected to increase significantly after 2075 due to climate change, a group of researchers said. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council budget committee has some changes in store for Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s inaugural spending plan. Civil Beat.

Managing Director Ember Shinn asked members of the City Council to reconsider Mayor Kirk Caldwell's 5-cent per gallon fuel tax increase, as recent collective bargaining agreements reached with United Public Workers and the Hawaii Government Employees Association appear to be budget busters for the city, and that's even before arbitration awards for police officers and firefighters become part of the equation. KITV4.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has released the names of the employees in his executive office, which he had been withholding for more than a week in violation of the state’s public records law. Civil Beat.

A jury has been selected for the trial of State Department agent Christopher Deedy, who was in Hono­lulu to provide security for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, on a murder charge in the 2011 shooting of a Kailua man in Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

The Oahu housing market continued to shine in April with double digit percentage increases in both the number of sales of condominiums and single-family homes, according to statistics from the Honolulu Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Fees to use park pavilions would more than double and fees for other county facilities would also jump under rule changes proposed by the Department of Parks and Recreation. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Councilwoman Margaret Wille has introduced a bill that would ban most genetically modified crops from the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

The retirement of University of Hawaii President M.R.C. Greenwood shouldn’t affect the Palamanui campus project, West Hawaii legislators and a Hawaii Community College official said Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Island and the rest of the state have been hit with heavy vog as a result of an unseasonable lack of trade winds. Tribune-Herald.

The long-awaited Kona Judiciary Complex remains on schedule for a 2019 opening despite the state Legislature this session approving just 10 percent of the $90 million the state judiciary requested for the West Hawaii project. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to override Mayor Alan Arakawa's veto of a County Council bill making changes to the county's "circuit breaker" property tax program that aims to help those with limited incomes from being taxed out of their homes. Maui News.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa issued a media statement today in response to the council’s override of his veto on Bill 16. The bill seeks to amend the Circuit Breaker tax credit. Maui Now.

Despite some concerns from committee members, the Maui County Council Budget and Finance Committee officially referred its proposed $559 million county budget - $15 million less than proposed by Mayor Alan Arakawa - to the full council for approval Monday afternoon. Maui News.

Dozens of parents and keiki rallied in the rain at Paia Elementary on Monday against a lottery process - suspended the day before - that they said would deny some of their children the right to a Hawaiian language immersion education. Maui News.

Kauai

Once the offices of the Prosecuting Attorney, a portable building will breathe life as the clubhouse for the Boys & Girls Club of Hawai‘i, Lihu‘e Outreach. Garden Island.

Kaua‘i is the island that has suffered the most from hurricanes, with Hurricane Iwa in 1982 causing more than $250 million in damages, a record for Hawai‘i at that time, and Hurricane ‘Iniki in 1992, pushing the record to $2 billion. Garden Island.

Giant telescope approved for Mauna Kea, IRs targets Maui for tax cheats, Inouye legacy funds candidates, small Hawaii farms can't catch a break, Abercrombie kicks off campaign on fiscal record, more news from all the Hawaiian islands

Telescopes atop Mauna Kea courtesy photo

The Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday granted the University of Hawaii at Hilo a conservation district use permit for the $1.3 billion Thirty Meter Telescope, saying the university can add what will be one of the world's largest telescopes to the observatories on the summit of Mauna Kea. Pacific Business News.

Construction on the $1.3 billion Thirty Meter Telescope could begin atop Mauna Kea within a year, project managers said this weekend, following Friday’s approval of a permit for the plans by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources. Tribune-Herald.

The state's recent approval to build the world's largest telescope atop Mauna Kea has thrilled astronomers eager to explore the edges of the universe. But it also has disappointed environmentalists and Native Hawaiians. Hawaii News Now.

A plan by California and Canadian universities to build the world’s largest telescope at the summit of Hawaii’s Mauna Kea volcano won approval from the state Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday. Associated Press.

Several of Hawaii's biggest companies and landowners have qualified to claim tax credits and other benefits for preserving agricultural land in perpetuity. But a hui of small farmers couldn't convince a state commission earlier this month that they deserve the same. Star-Advertiser.

Several of Hawaii's biggest companies and landowners have qualified to claim tax credits and other benefits for preserving agricultural land in perpetuity. But a hui of small farmers couldn't convince a state commission earlier this month that they deserve the same. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie, outlining themes for his re-election campaign next year, said today that the “hard choices” he has made since taking office have helped make Hawaii’s state government among the most financially stable in the nation. Star-Advertiser.

Something odd is going on in the Abercrombie administration. Officials actually seem to be scrambling to release public records in a timely fashion. Civil Beat.

On the first day of his last campaign, Neil Abercrombie recalled the last day of his first campaign. Civil Beat.

The late Sen. Dan Inouye's political legacy continues to play out as his leadership political action committee begins helping out candidates that the senator favored when he was alive. According to the latest campaign finance filings, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and Sen. Mazie Hirono each received $10,000 from DANPAC. Inouye's PAC had roughly $50,000 in unspent funds when he died. Inouye's main campaign account had more than a quarter-million dollars.  Civil Beat.

Hawaii Senate and House lawmakers plan to spend the beginning of this week in negotiations over roughly $24 billion in proposed state spending for the next two fiscal years. Associated Press.

Local Korean civic groups and supporters rallied Saturday at the state Capitol to denounce the military actions and nuclear threats by North Korea, particularly by its young dictator, Kim Jong Un, and to express frustration, anger and shame. About 200 gathered to hear speakers, march and chant. Star-Advertiser.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii claims the state Department of Public Safety is illegally withholding public records that attorneys representing families in wrongful prison death lawsuits have already paid thousands of dollars to receive. Associated Press.

A law firm has paid the Hawaii Department of Public Safety $5,300 for public records, but state officials have yet to produce a single document, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by the ACLU of Hawaii. Civil Beat.

A resolution in the Hawaii House of Representatives is asking for federal labeling of genetically modified food. Associated Press.

The state tax credit is a major incentive to install solar photovoltaic systems, and eliminating or reducing them would drive Hawaii homeowners away from using the sun to power their homes. At least that is what a recent survey by the Blue Planet Foundation suggests. Maui News.

A string of drownings across all Hawaii islands have put a new focus on ocean safety, especially targeted at tourists. Hawaii Public Radio.

State roundup for April 15. Associated Press.

Oahu

Key members of the City Council are taking steps to tighten the rules for filling vacant job positions so that city agencies cannot spend the money on other purposes. Too much is being diverted to pay for such things as mileage expenses and cashing out unused vacation pay for retiring employees, says Councilman Ikaika Anderson. Star-Advertiser.

A lag in processing tax returns led to Honolulu's rail project receiving $33 million less than it anticipated in the first half of this fiscal year — even though state GET collections are up this year, state Department of Taxation officials say. Star-Advertiser.

On Thursday, the 10-member HART board gave Dan Grabauskas a $35,000 bonus as part of his first annual performance review, boosting his overall pay for the year from $245,000 to $280,000. He also gets $42,000 for housing and transportation. Civil Beat.

One of the most controversial decisions by the city’s rail authority was to award a contract to build the elevated steel on steel rail trains to the financially troubled Italian company Ansaldo. The city’s HART CEO Dan Grabauskas maintained in a University of Hawaii student forum this week that the company was the best choice to design, build, operate and maintain Oahu’s $5.2 billion system. Hawaii Reporter.

The Diamond Head State Monument Foundation is holding a public meeting on Wednesday to discuss the proposed nomination of scenic roadways encircling Diamond Head as a designated "Hawaii Scenic Byway." Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County Council members weighed the ideas of seeking a general excise tax increase, a fuel tax increase or raising bus fares to help fund the county’s Mass Transit Agency. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Councilwoman Margaret Wille had heard enough. Before noon on Friday, the third straight day of budget talks, the Kohala representative had grown tired of the cadre of department heads highlighting needs not met in the proposed budget, and decided it was time to speak her mind. Tribune-Herald.

The makers of Mehana and Hawaii Nui beer filed for bankruptcy this week and are seeking new ownership as part of a reorganizing plan to restructure its debts.  Big Island Now.

After years of delay, a project to improve the eastern portion of Kawaihae Small Boat Harbor is moving forward. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The communities in Hawaii where you would most likely find tax cheats and audits are Lahaina and Kahului on Maui, according to a study by the National Taxpayer Advocate. Associated Press.

In Maui County, approximately 4,000 homeowners have installed solar PV systems, according to county officials. Only three out of 10 existing PV owners said they still would have switched to solar if there had been no tax credits.  Maui News.

A building in the Kenolio Recreational Complex in Kihei that was damaged by fire more than two years ago is expected to be repaired early next year, according to Department of Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Brianne Savage. Maui News.

Hawaii's Backyard: Healing energy surrounds clients at Maui retreat. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Gov. Neil Abercrombie spent Friday on island, visiting school students and lending his support to the Kaua‘i Philippines Cultural Center and the Kaua‘i Raceway Park in the form of financial aid. Garden Island.

Donna Schultze has called Kaua‘i home for 41 years, so when she heard about a proposal that includes drilling a high-elevation well through Wai‘ale‘ale, she knew one thing: She didn’t like it. Garden Island.

Honolulu rail gets federal boost, tax collections up 10.6%, ethics chief keeps job, bird poop bill advances, tax hikes in store for Hawaii County, more flights to Hawaii, Honolulu may ban smoking at all city parks, defamation lawsuit seeks to add online commenter, Ellison top-paid public CEO, Schatz builds Senate war chest, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

2011 Honolulu rapid transit groundbreaking, HART photo

Under President Barack Obama's budget proposal released Wednesday, Honolulu's future elevated rail system would get its full federal funding for 2014 — a move that local proponents say shows the project is in good health. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard says she's concerned about cuts to missile defense as Hawaii and the rest of the country face direct and heightened threats from North Korea. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz raised more than $1.1 million in the past three months for his election campaign next year, a warning flare to other Democrats who are thinking about challenging him in the primary. Star-Advertiser.

State tax collections are up 10.6 percent through the first nine months of the fiscal year, the state Department of Taxation announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers met at the state capitol yesterday for several hours for the second “crossover” of the 60-day working session. They debated and voted on bills before the legislation passed third reading in their respective Houses. Hawaii Reporter.

The state Ethics Commission on Wednesday gave Leslie Kondo, its executive director, a vote of confidence after the commission’s former executive director asked that he be fired. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers this session are close to passing a bill that would make feral bird feeding a public health misdemeanor. Star-Advertiser.

House Finance Chair Sylvia Luke and Senate Ways and Means Chair David Ige have announced that the first conference committee meeting on the state budget will be held on Thursday, April 11, 9:30 a.m. in room 309 at the State Capitol. Hawaii Reporter.

An online tool that predicts where and when vog may move into your neighborhood is in jeopardy because of a lack of funding. KITV4.

Homeowners with cesspools and septic tanks may breathe freely now that lawmakers have killed a bill that would have required them to pay an annual fee for monitoring water quality. Maui News.

Wednesday was a busy day for Hawaii airline news, with announcements of a new international route to China, another route to the Philippines would end, and that Mainland carrier Virgin America would introduce service to Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

State 4/11. Associated Press.

Oahu

A state agency decided Wednesday to make $6 million in repairs to the historic but vacant Royal Brewery building in Kakaako and use it as a headquarters, after a lengthy and vigorous debate over whether the move makes good financial sense. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Police Department refuses to release investigative details about an officer who was fired after sexually assaulting a Waikiki prostitute even though state law requires the information to be made public once a discharge is finalized. Civil Beat.

A new bill authored by City Councilman Ikaika Anderson would make smoking illegal at all city parks and beaches. Star-Advertiser.

The Slipper House, one of the few remaining original tenants at Ala Moana Center, will close at the end of May and the store's owner is going to great lengths to find jobs for his 19 employees. Hawaii News Now.

KITV takes a tour of new FBI building in Kapolei.

The population of Kalaeloa is envisioned to surge over the next two decades under a private developer's plan to add roughly 4,000 homes and 7,000 jobs to the West Oahu area that was once Barbers Point Naval Air Station. Star-Advertiser.

VIDEO: Shark surprises fishing kayaker in waters off Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii
Hawaii Island property owners could see a tax hike this year as the county struggles to meet rising costs with a budget diminished by a decrease in property values. West Hawaii Today.

The attorney for two Hawaii County employees suing former County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong and former Clerk Jamae Kawauchi is trying, again, to get information from an anonymous online commenter. West Hawaii Today.

A recent Hawaiian sovereignty protest at the Kamehameha the Great statue on Hilo’s Bayfront isn’t sitting well with some of the folks who worked to install the statue in 1997. Tribune-Herald.

The University of Hawaii’s Palamanui campus passed another hurdle late last week. West Hawaii Today.

A group that includes Big Island business and community leaders is asking the state House of Representatives to fund a permanent home for the University of Hawaii at Hilo’s pharmacy school. Big Island Now.

Hawaii Senate judiciary committee Chairman Clayton Hee has shot down two resolutions asking federal authorities to release Roger Christie from federal prison on bail. Associated Press.

Maui

Valley Island Welcomes Gov's Cabinet With Aloha. Civil Beat.

Ongoing milo tree thefts on Maui will prompt the temporary closure of parking at the area commonly referred to as “Baby Beach” in Spreckelsville, officials said. Maui Now.

Target Corp. has reached an agreement to build its fifth Hawaii store — and first on Maui — in a shopping center being built by a subsidiary of Safeway Inc. Pacific Business News.

Maui County is inviting bids from contractors to demolish and dispose of the Montana Beach house. May 1 is the deadline to submit bids. Maui News.

Kauai

The county Parks and Recreation Department presented Tuesday to the Kaua‘i County Council its plans for the upcoming fiscal year and operational budget, which is slightly smaller than its current budget. Garden Island.

Four monitors broadcasting an ocean safety video were dedicated Wednesday at the Lihu‘e Airport. Kaua‘i has seen 11 drownings this year, and community members hope the video will help spread water safety awareness. Garden Island.

Lanai

Larry Ellison, the billionaire majority owner of Lanai, was the top paid CEO of a public company in the United States in 2012 with total earnings of $96.2 million, a 24 percent increase from 2011, according to CNN Money. Pacific Business News.

More housing, a skateboard park, keeping the shorelines development-free and restoring an old bowling alley were some of the ideas that came out of a two-day Lanai community planning workshop on the Pine Isle last week, county officials said Tuesday. Maui News.