Hawaii Senate downgrades gay marriage bills, teachers union to vote on new contract, state asks federal judge to overturn Hawaii County aerial hunting ban, Maui mayor pitches $573.6M budget, no bail in Chinese spy case, North Korea targets Hawaii, hikers want Oahu trail opened, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu gay rights rally

A state Senate committee Monday approved resolutions requesting a task force study the social, economic and religious consequences of enacting marriage equality legislation in Hawaii as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear two landmark same-sex marriage cases. Star-Advertiser.

Two Senate resolutions call for a task force to study the social, economic and religious impacts that enacting "marriage equality" would have in Hawaii. The resolutions — Senate Resolution 123 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 166 — passed Senate Judiciary and Labor and now await a hearing in Ways and Means. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Senate Ways and Means Committee is mulling whether to fund Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s proposed innovation initiative. Associated Press.

Hawaii lawmakers pounding out the state’s $12 billion biennium operating budget can only estimate how much money a dozen new union contract agreements will cost taxpayers over the next few years. Civil Beat.

If public school teachers ratify a proposed labor deal reached over the weekend, the teachers union has pledged to withdraw its complaint against the state over the "last, best and final offer" imposed on teachers in 2011. Star-Advertiser.

A 100-page document lays out the nuts and bolts of the tentative contract between the state and the Hawaii State Teachers Association. If it is ratified, the four-year deal goes into effect July 1. Hawaii News Now.

It’s a battle that dragged on for nearly two years. Now, a proposed new contract goes to public school teachers for approval. The deal gives them better pay and a better deal on health benefits. KHON2.

A Senate Concurrent Resolution introduced March 13 is requesting the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority work with airline companies to show ocean-safety videos on all Hawai‘i-bound flights. Garden Island.

As Congress appears close to taking up immigration reform in a couple of weeks, some activists and lawmakers including Sen. Mazie Hirono are growing concerned the latest proposal will only exacerbate the problems that kept families like Emilio Arbues' apart for 20 years. Civil Beat.

Strategic rocket and select artillery units in North Korea have been ordered by Pyongyang to be combat ready, with targets including bases in Hawaii and the Mainland United States. Pacific Business News.

North Korea's military warned today that its artillery and rocket forces are at their highest-level combat posture in the latest in a string of bellicose threats aimed at South Korea and the United States. Associated Press.

The Price of Food in Hawai'i. Hawaii Public Radio.

State roundup for March 26. Associated Press.

Oahu

Former city Deputy Parks Director Albert Tufono was slapped with a $2,000 fine by the Honolulu Ethics Commission for using his position to obtain preferential treatment from other parks employees, even after he was warned to stop doing so. Star-Advertiser.

Key members of Mayor Kirk Caldwell's Cabinet say they intend to provide by May 1 a rough draft of an action plan to deal with homelessness on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Members of the City Council and Mayor Kirk Caldwell's administration promised to try again to come up with a plan for the Haiku Stairs that would appease both hikers and Kaneohe residents who say they're tired of unruly visitors and other trespassers. Star-Advertiser.

It's one of the most popular yet forbidden trails on Oahu. Today, there's a new push to open Kaneohe's Stairway to Heaven to the public. Hawaii News Now.

A city survey done last fall found that Council District 1 had the third-highest percentage of roads that were "fair" or better, at 77.2 percent. That compares with 72.2 percent of city roads in fair shape or better islandwide. Star-Advertiser.

The City of Honolulu has been criticized for its failing road conditions. Some accuse the city of cutting corners on materials and cost. City administrators say that's not the case. Hawaii News Now.

Last weekend, local bus riders saw the first of several city-approved reversals to service cuts go into effect. Star-Advertiser.

A federal judge denied bail Monday to a civilian defense contractor accused of giving military secrets to a Chinese girlfriend half his age, saying he poses a danger to national security. Associated Press.

The 921-foot cruise ship Pride of America is in the Pearl Harbor shipyard for two weeks for more than $30 million in renovation work, officials said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is asking a federal judge to overturn a Hawaii County ordinance banning aerial hunting, at least when it’s conducted by the state or its contractors. West Hawaii Today.

The University of Hawaii has issued a notice of award to F&H Construction for the Palamanui campus construction project. West Hawaii Today.

According to a recent report by the state, the number of cattle raised in Hawaii decreased steadily for about thirty years, starting in 1970. There’s been a bit of an increase since about 2002, and today cattle are raised on each of the major islands. But on Hawaii Island, the industry is facing some challenges to its growth. Hawaii Public Radio.

Maui

Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa unveiled a $573.6 million proposed fiscal 2014 budget to the Maui County Council Monday morning, which included a large amount of funding for infrastructure improvements and upgrades to county roads, water systems and wastewater systems. Maui News.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa today confirmed his plans to trim the recycling budget for the fiscal year of 2014, and close county-run recycling facilities. Maui Now.

The Maui County Council's Budget and Finance Committee has scheduled community meetings for public comments on Mayor Alan Arakawa's proposed fiscal 2013-14 budget. Maui News.

Twenty-one women from Maui and Molokai involved in technology have been nominated for awards by the Maui County Committee on the Status of Women as part of Women's History Month. Maui News.

Kauai

Skyline Eco-Adventures plans to open its first zip line on Kauai this May. Pacific Business News.

A wall of “Dreams” discussed by Kaua‘i High School Principal Debbie Lindsey and senior Trysen Kaneshige could not be dampened by the showers which accompanied the passing of a weather front Thursday and Friday. Garden Island.

Hawaii is the happiest state, legislator's racial slurs revealed, government stuck in a time warp, Kauai's only press shuts down, Abercrombie pushes public-private partnerships in Kona, plastic bag ban a success, minimum wage, GMO, election bills advance, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi courtesy photo

People in Hawaii are the happiest and healthiest in the nation, according to an annual national survey released Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

State Rep. Faye Hanohano — unhappy with the paintings installed in her state Capitol office as part of a public exhibit — used racial and ethnic slurs in a tirade Monday, according to an email from a state exhibit specialist. Star-Advertiser.

Wednesday may have been the last day of recess for the full Hawaii Legislature, but for some lawmakers it was a marathon of voting on bills. Associated Press.

It could be up to voters to decide whether candidates have to actually live in the district they want to represent. And Hawaii could count military just like most everyone else does on the mainland — as residents, according to several measures before lawmakers. Civil Beat.

The first state minimum wage increase in six years became closer to reality Wednesday after lawmakers passed a bill mandating regular pay hikes through the Senate’s Ways and Means Committee. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii small business owners are imploring lawmakers this session to make changes that will allow them the freedom to make a profit, reinvest in their business and employ more people. Instead, key committee chairs are planning to increase the minimum wage and add even more regulations. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii lawmakers are doing more this session than ever to plug a multi-billion-dollar hole in health and retirement benefits promised to thousands of county and state workers. Civil Beat.

Walking into the windowless office where payroll is processed for the state of Hawaii is like stepping back in time. Associated Press.

Earlier this month, opponents of Genetically Engineered Food lobbied State lawmakers to encourage them to pass legislation to require the labeling of GMO foods.   Today, workers from Hawai’I’s five GMO companies … the  producers of Hawai’i’s largest agricultural commodity … visited the Capitol to tell their story. Hawaii Public Radio.

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa has introduced a bill she says will help avert defense cuts that are due to the continuing resolution and avoid the need for layoffs at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. Star-Advertiser.

A proposal is making its way through the State Legislature, that would raise the age limit for foster kids who receive support. KHON2.

Part 4 of a 5-part series. Read all the stories in Civil Beat's special report, In The Name Of The Law.

The number of foreclosure sales in Hawaii during the fourth quarter of 2012 fell 11 percent compared to the year before, but the average sales price of a foreclosed home jumped 24 percent, according to the latest data from RealtyTrac. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Some 3,585 Oahu families who receive rental housing subsidies have been notified that massive federal budget cuts set to kick in Friday could leave them without a roof over their heads. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is suing the city and Waste Management of Hawaii Inc., the operator of the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Leeward Oahu, over gas emissions. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii senators are moving forward with a bill to direct the governor to purchase land owned by Turtle Bay Hotel and Resort on the North Shore. Star-Advertiser.

After hearing hundreds of complaints from riders who had longer waits for overcrowded buses, city leaders unveiled a plan Wednesday to reverse many of the cost-saving service changes for TheBus system that serves more than 200,000 riders daily. Star-Advertiser.

The company that oversees all police-initiated automobile tows for the city is continuing to overcharge motorists even though the city says it is closely monitoring the contract because of previous problems with overcharging, according to testimony at a hearing Wednesday and towing invoices reviewed by the Star-Advertiser.

Police disciplinary records are supposed to be released when an officer is discharged. But getting those records can be tough — and so expensive that most people likely can’t afford it — as Civil Beat has learned in researching this special report.

For some disabled students at Kipapa Elementary School, it was a nightmare of physical abuse, verbal assaults and emotional attacks. Hawaii News Now.

Chevron Corp.’s Hawaii operation is planning to develop a solar thermal demonstration project at its Kapolei refinery, which will be used to offset burning fossil fuels utilized to generate heat and steam for internal use. Pacific Business News.

Developer accused of ruining Hawaiian cultural site. Hawaii News Now.

Three bills aimed at clearing the homeless and their possessions from city sidewalks passed first reading at the Feb. 20 City Council meeting. Honolulu Weekly.

Hawaii

The first month of Hawaii County’s plastic bag ban seems to have been a resounding success, members of the county Environmental Management Commission learned Wednesday. West Hawaii Today.

Five of the nine County Council members will travel to Washington, D.C., this week for the National Association of Counties legislative conference. Tribune-Herald.

Neil Abercrombie came to Kona on Wednesday to push one message: Hawaii needs public-private partnerships. West Hawaii Today.

Police Chief Harry S. Kubojiri gave an overview of crime and traffic trends in Hawaii County on Tuesday to members of the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce. Tribune-Herald.

A state transportation official will hold a meeting next week to update the public on the status of an expansion project at Kona International Airport. Big Island Now.

The former home of Miko Meats is undergoing transformation to a new business incubator, creating jobs and building community in East Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
A new county office building on the old Wailuku Post Office site moved a step closer to being built as a Maui County Council committee recommended approval of $1.5 million for planning and design. Maui News.

Maui Planning Commission members approved Tuesday a special management area permit for HFM Maui to build a 45,000-square-foot warehouse at 120 Kane St. in Kahului on the 2.5-acre former site of Maui Land & Pineapple's administrative and corporate offices. Maui News.

With a 6-3 vote, the state Land Use Commission determined that owners of Kihei property slated for retail--Pi'ilani Promenade and Maui Outlets--and apartment development violated three conditions of the original 1995 order that changed the permitted land use from "Agricultural" to "Urban." Maui Weekly.

Kauai

Kaua‘i is the first major Hawaiian island to not have a press. Starting with Friday’s edition, The Garden Island will be printed on O‘ahu Publication Inc.’s $80,000,000 state-of-the art printing facility launched in 2004 at Kapolei. Out of 42 staff, the new operations retained 17 workers.

The Kaua‘i Planning Commission on Tuesday approved an office building in Hanalei in the front portion of a highway-facing lot, despite the outcry of members of the Hanalei to Ha‘ena Community Association, who wanted the building far from the highway as possible. Garden Island.

Hawaii technology lacking, school system faces audit, Hawaiian Airlines considers kama'aina program, state may get second saint, migrant workers decry conditions, Pearl Harbor remembered and more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

undersea cable connects Hawaii broadband courtesy photo

One trillion computing devices will be connected to the internet by 2013 … and 3 out of 4 citizens will be dealing electronically with government agencies. But Hawai’i’s information technology is lagging far behind … according to one study…it’s among the bottom third in the nation. Hawaii Public Radio.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and his Department of Education say they want even more money to run school buses next year — even though the Legislature told them to cut costs. Civil Beat.

The Department of Education is facing a series of tough budget decisions in the coming school year that -- in worst-case scenarios -- could result in the elimination of school bus service on Oahu and an 85-cent increase to school lunch prices, officials warned Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

The governor's appointed Board of Education approved on Tuesday plans for a two-year, internal audit of the state's school system. Tribune-Herald.

Special Investigation: Laotian Workers Suffer Health and Financial Problems on Oahu Farms. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaiian Airlines working on possible pricing options for locals. Hawaii News Now.
http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/16205051/hawaiian-airlines-working-on-possible-pricing-options-for-locals

The Dec. 7, 1941, bombing of Pearl Harbor and those who lost their lives that day are being remembered Wednesday on the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack that brought the U.S. into World War II. Associated Press.

On the eve of the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, I helped lead a field trip to Ke Awalau o Puʻuloa (Pearl Harbor) for 57 inner-city Honolulu high school students. Hawaii Independent.

Helicopters from the 25th Infantry Combat Aviation Brigade at Wheeler Army Airfield are set to lift off for a mission in Afghanistan. KITV4.

Oahu

Oahu's jobless rate improved to 5.6 percent in October from 5.7 percent in September but slipped in a ranking of 372 metropolitan areas to the 39th lowest, according to a report Tuesday from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Star-Advertiser.

Dozens of exemptions to the city's property tax system have rendered it unfair and inefficient. Civil Beat.

A former chief of staff fired by Honolulu City Council member Tom Berg is now calling for his impeachment. Civil Beat.

After decades of neglect eight roads in east Oahu will be getting a much needed facelift in the form of new asphalt by March. KHON2.

Safeway plans to open its new Honolulu store on South Beretania Street next week. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Hawaii County's $7.5 million road maintenance "windfall" should be spent on specific projects with individual price tags, County Council members told Mayor Billy Kenoi's administration Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

Some members of the Hawaii County Council have apparently taken to heart Henry David Thoreau's adage, "That government is best which governs least." West Hawaii Today.

It's only five words, but it makes a world of difference to South Kona Councilwoman Brenda Ford, chairwoman of the Finance Committee. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Ground was broken for the long-awaited Kihei police station Monday morning, with politicians, police officers and community members saying they are excited to see the area's growing population finally getting a station to fit its needs. Maui News.

Kauai

A temporary septic system is coming with price tag for residents of a housing complex in one of the island’s sunniest and hottest places. Garden Island.

The Salvation Army recently accepted a $7,800 donation to continue its Soup Kitchen program for 2012, Garden Island.

Molokai

Known affectionately as the "beloved mother of the outcasts," Blessed Marianne Cope, who ministered to Hansen's disease patients in Kalaupapa for the last 39 years of her life, is one step away from being canonized as a saint, Hawaii's second after St. Damien. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii IT needs work, PUC nixes HECO biofuel deal, Kauai council doesn't require solar water heaters, Big Island redistricting road show begins, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waikiki natatorium (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

A comprehensive assessment of Hawaii state government's information technology infrastructure reveals a system suffering from lack of investment and multiple inefficiencies. But it also suggests ways to improve it. Civil Beat.

A consultant hired to assess the state's information technology systems found that many state services are not being performed or were less timely because of excessive backlogs, a lack of staff and an absence of technical support. Star-Advertiser.

The latest disaster declaration signed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie was a long time in the making, state records and interviews show. Hawaii Reporter.

The Institute for Human Services saw a nearly 13 percent increase in people using Hawaii's largest emergency shelter last year, but donations are down and badly needed federal and state money will dry up after December. Star-Advertiser.

The state Public Utilities Commission denied Thursday Hawaiian Electric Co.’s biodiesel supply contract with Aina Koa Pono LLC, according to a PUC docket. Pacific Business News.

State regulators rejected Thursday a controversial plan by Hawaiian Electric Co. to buy 16 million gallons of locally produced biofuel a year for electricity generation, saying the high cost of the alternative fuel was too much for ratepayers to bear. Star-Advertiser.

The state Reapportionment Commission has scheduled a special meeting next week to correct an error in the way the state's 25 Senate districts were split into two- and four-year terms, affecting two districts. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Hawaiian Electric Co. announced Thursday it has signed a deal to buy up to 150,000 gallons of locally made algae-based biofuel to burn in its Kahe Generating Station as part of the utility's shift away from its reliance on fossil fuels. Star-Advertiser.

Inouye's Committee Recommends Reinstating East-West Center Funds. Civil Beat.

Honolulu has decided to the crumbling seawall around the historic Waikiki war memorial is enough of a threat to require immediate action. KITV4.

It’s time for the City and County of Honolulu to decide what it wants to do with the aging and crumbling Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial. Pacific Business News.

The first-ever National Diabetes Symposium is being conducted in Honolulu. Hawaii Public Radio.

A long anticipated project to slow erosion at Kailua Beach has stalled. Hawaii News Now.

Discussion underway to fix flooding issues on the Waianae coast. KHON2.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County redistricting roadshow begins Saturday with six sample maps depicting how new County Council district lines could be drawn. West Hawaii Today.

With a Hawaiian blessing and the untying of a maile lei, the Keaukaha Military Reservation's Armed Forces Reserve Center was opened for business Thursday in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Damage to Kona Village Resort from the March tsunami reached into the tens of millions of dollars, CEO Patrick Fitzgerald said Thursday, but he is certain the iconic hotel will open again. West Hawaii Today.

Anyone caught importing live axis deer to Hawaii Island could end up spending a year in jail, according to a bill pending before the County Council. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given final approval to Maui County's consent order that requires it to improve the treatment of sewage at the Lahaina Wastewater Treatment Plant before it is disposed of in injection wells. Maui News.

While Hawaii's visitor industry was breathing a sigh of relief that March's earthquake and tsunami in Japan did not seem to have affected tourism for long, it seems that another aftereffect of the disaster is still beating on island shores. Maui News.

Kauai

The County Council’s Intergovernmental Relations Committee on Wednesday unanimously rejected a proposal to address a variance in a 2004 state law that mandates new homes be equipped with solar-powered water heaters. Garden Island.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawai‘i completed its final inspection on Sept. 20 for a photovoltaic (PV) system at Pacific Missile Range Facility, which is expected to generate 760 kilowatts of continuous power during the day when it is fully online. Garden Island.

Molokai

DHS Molokai Office Increases Staff. Molokai Dispatch.

Radiation reaches Hawaii milk, half of Abercrombie cabinet campaign donors, state technology lacking, Case leads in early poll, Hawaii women paid $10k less than men, Legislature folds on poker, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Big Island cattle (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

Radiation from Japan's nuclear crisis has reached Hawaii's food stream in milk from a Big Island dairy, but the trace amounts are nowhere near levels of concern, a state health official said. Star-Advertiser.

A Disaster Assistance Recovery Center will open Tuesday at Keehi Lagoon. KHON2.

A Civil Beat analysis of campaign finance records found that half of Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie's Cabinet donated money to help get him the job. Civil Beat.

A poll conducted by SMS Research shows former U.S. Congressman Ed Case leading former Honolulu mayor Mufi Hannemann in a hypothetical primary election race for the United States Senate. Hawaii News Now.

The primary and general elections for filling Dan Akaka's U.S. Senate seat are more than a year and a half away, but polls are already surfacing about who might stand the best chance. KHON2.

Three weeks ago, Ed Case met with the kingmaker of Hawaii's Democratic Party to make amends. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii has discarded the idea of legalizing both online and live poker in the islands. Associated Press.

State House Says No To New Schools. KITV4.

Some counties are looking for more flexibility in the proposed contract with Hawaii's largest public worker union. KHON2.

The only Republican in the Hawaii Senate says the state's budget can be balanced by making deep cuts and laying off government employees instead of raising taxes. Maui News.

Hawaii state agencies have increasingly embraced technology to make their operations more efficient, but to some degree, they've fulfilled the expectations of English writer Aldous Huxley, who opined, "Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards." West Hawaii Today.

Full-time working women in Hawaii are paid on average $9,934 less per year than their male counterparts, according to a study released yesterday.Star-Advertiser.

Council hopefuls frustrated by process. Maui News.

Castle & Cooke has agreed to allow Pattern Energy to use a portion of its 400-megawatt wind allocation for Lanai for the purpose of developing a wind farm on Molokai. Pacific Business News

Hawaii’s Power Out(r)age: A powerful play in six acts. Hawaii Independent.

The recommendations on how Hawaii County can address the growing amount of solid waste collected haven't changed significantly in two decades. West Hawaii Today.

KITV 4 News has learned the group trying to revive the bankrupt Honolulu Symphony has made an initial agreement with unionized orchestra musicians. KITV4.

The two losing bidders of Honolulu's rail car contract, Bombardier Transportation and Sumi­tomo Corp. of America, filed protests with the city yesterday. Star-Advertiser.

The Maui Academy of Performing Arts is seeking the public's help in finding two large puppets that were stolen when thieves broke into one of the organization's vans Saturday night in Kahului. Maui News.

Over the weekend, a cavalcade of artists from the islands and with local ties came together as part of Kokua For Japan. Hawaii Public Radio.

President's sister puts their mom in picture book. Associated Press.

A dog bill that may lack teeth was advanced by the Hawaii County Council last week. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii House moves budget, governor proposes tech czar, Honolulu symphony assets on auction block today, Maui postpones end to furloughs, Honolulu 30% gas tax hike proposed, Kauai mayor wants 12% budget increase, tsunami relief, more news

Puuhonua o Honaunau Photo (c) 2011 All Hawaii News

Powerful tsunami surges hit Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, stole the sand and uncovered "cultural and historical evidence," including sites where posts once stood and fires ignited, said Eric Andersen, the park's chief of interpretation. West Hawaii Today.

The state House yesterday approved its draft of the two-year state budget, but with an asterisk. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie is saying that he's "flexible" on raising the state's general excise tax, its broadest source of tax income. Associated Press.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie is establishing a new Office of Information Management and Technology, assisted by a $3 million grant from e-Bay founder Pierre Omidyar. Pacific Business News

A $3 million effort to modernize the state's computer and technology systems aims to streamline core governmental functions and eliminate redundancy across departments, Gov. Neil Abercrombie said yesterday in announcing the public-private partnership.Star-Advertiser.

The chairman of the Council on Revenues says the effects of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant crisis could materially affect Hawaii tax revenues, a development that would exacerbate the state budget shortfall. Hawaii News Now.

Governor Neil Abercrombie said Wednesday the state will be agressive and not "lie down" and accept the consequences of falling Japanese tourism. KITV4.

The Governor says the tragic tsunami in Japan … …the nuclear threat there and the potentially long road to recovery are foremost in the minds of state leaders.Hawaii Public Radio.

The U.S. Postal Service in Hawaii has begun checking mail arriving from Japan after mail in San Francisco and New York showed low levels of radiation, USPS officials said. KITV4.

So what’s all the potassium iodide hype about? Hawaii Independent.

Island banks are teaming to serve as collection points for the "Aloha for Japan" relief effort. KHON2.

The Hawaii Ethics Commission today opposed a bill that would loosen restrictions on gift-giving to public officials, including legislators. Hawaii Reporter.

Ron Tam and Ed Watamura are just two of the state's many commercial and recreational fishermen who disagree with the state's outright ban on bottom fishing in a dozen so-called spawning areas. Hawaii News Now.

The defunct Honolulu Symphony’s assets will be auctioned beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Waikiki Resort Hotel. Assets include its music library, two grand pianos and other instruments. Pacific Business News

Hawaii Electric Light Co. is working to correct recent Big Isle customers' electric bills that were higher than normal following the company's use of estimated meter readings while utility workers were on strike. West Hawaii Today.

The Honolulu City Council advanced measures to raise the gas tax 30 percent over three years. KHON2.

The mayor's proposed city budget for the 2012 fiscal year reached the city council Wednesday and was criticized for raising fees and taxes while showing no effort to reorganize city priorities or cut waste. KITV4.

Mayor Peter Carlisle is recommending setting aside more than $43 million to fund 1,095 vacant positions as part of his operating budget for next year. Civil Beat.

Mayor Peter Carlisle’s administration has informed the City Council that it won’t be submitting an operating or capital improvement budget for the rail project in the upcoming year, saying instead that will be the purview a new authority that begins work on July 1. Hawaii Reporter.

A proposal to end furlough days for Maui County workers was deferred without objection Tuesday afternoon by members of the County Council's Budget and Finance Committee. Maui News.

Kauai mayor's budget proposal up 12% over current fiscal year. Garden Island.

In the face of a gloomy economy and uncertain impacts from the disaster in Japan, Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s administration has put forward an operating budget for next fiscal year that would almost entirely clean up the county’s reserve fund. Garden Island.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie made a brief visit to Maalaea Harbor on Tuesday afternoon to assess damage at the state's small-boat harbor, one of the areas hardest hit by last week's earthquake-generated tsunami. Maui News.

County Council members on Tuesday took a step toward rescinding their endorsement of selling 737 acres in Paauilo to balance the county budget. Tribune-Herald.

Authorities say lava-ignited fires from a volcano eruption in Hawaii continue to spread across Volcanoes National Park. Associated Press.

County budgets moving forward, tech tax break resurrected, massive Maui fire getting under control, Kauai planners looking at barn, more top Hawaii news

The city's $1.82 billion operating budget - balanced in part on a tax increase for landlords and others who own property they do not live in - heads to Mayor Mufi Hannemann for consideration as one of his final acts before resigning to run for governor.

Homeowners in Honolulu now fall under two categories: occupants or non-occupants. If you're the latter expect to pay an additional 16-cents for every $1,000 of value on your property.

West Hawaii will soon be paying a greater share of the cost of county government, thanks to County Council votes taken as the clock ticked toward 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Mayor Billy Kenoi will sign the $376 million Hawaii County budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Mayor Billy Kenoi's budget passed through the County Council early Tuesday morning with no major amendments, but Kenoi didn't back off from defending the virtues of his plan Tuesday evening.

Get ready for more Furlough Fridays, Hawaii County style.

The Honolulu City Council has appointed the replacement for Charles Djou.

No sooner had Lee Donohue taken his seat on the City Council than he was being asked to decide on a property tax rate increase for a new class of property owners.

Every winter, Honolulu Weekly anticipates the coming legislative session with the fervor of football fans. We discuss line-ups, make predictions and revisit the play-by-play of the previous session’s wildest victories and ugliest defeats

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona vetoed a bill yesterday that would have prevented investors from claiming high-technology tax credits for three years to help with the state's budget deficit.

Nuns Evicted From Public Housing

State wildlife officers shot and killed four bulls Wednesday inside a Big Island forest reserve.

Hundreds of Hawaii hotel workers, members of Local 5, held a loud rally in the heart of Waikiki Wednesday.

Hundreds turned out for a day-long vigil and rally in Hilo Wednesday in remembrance of Catherine Dingle, a Mountain View woman who died after she was stabbed along Hilo's bayfront on May 29th.

The latest tax collections have a bit of good news for the state's budget.

It's difficult to resist the temptation to request a table for two when entering Neil Abercrombie's campaign headquarters at Ward Warehouse — and maybe order the Wagon Wheel Sampler Platter as an appetizer.

A wildfire that has burned an estimated 5,800 acres was reported 75 percent contained, according to a Maui County news release.

Every now and then the Kaua‘i Planning Commission is faced with a decision to approve a mansion on agricultural land

Driving 25 mph or less through roadway construction zones — especially during the weekend or evening when no workers are present — might be frustrating, but it is the law, according to county and state officials.

Just sayin' -- End this paralysis by analysis. It's past time to move into the Internet world.

I was privileged to be in a big room with a lot of smart people last week, and, naturally, the subject of Hawaii’s economic future came up.

The event was the Pacific Congress on Marine Science and Technology PACON 2010 at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, and scientists from around the world were there to discuss, among other things, the state of the planet’s oceans and new technologies in measuring and evaluating ocean data.

Soon I began hearing a familiar refrain: Why can’t Hawaii create a knowledge economy? Why indeed? We live on the most beautiful islands on the planet. The weather is consistently moderate. Rich people like to live here. You know, smart people wish they could afford to, too.

We’ve got state-of-the-art telescopes. We’ve got some good research going on in our university system, even though it has a long way to go to rank among the country’s best. We’ve got a huge military presence that should bring, if not the great minds, at least the necessary infrastructure.

So why can’t we develop this knowledge economy?

Back in the late ‘90s, I was in a chat room with someone from Malaysia, who described his country as a “jungle with computers.” Malaysia was one of the earliest adopters of an aggressive online community, and, in 2009, this tiny country – split in half by the South China Sea -- has achieved a 67.5 percent Internet penetration. That compares favorably with 76.2 percent for the whole of  North America.

Do we even know what the Internet penetration is in Hawaii?

I couldn’t find it. But I’m betting it’s low: “Comparisons of broadband speeds rank Hawaii among the slowest in the nation. Speed Matters, a project of the Communications Workers of America, ranking Hawaii 47th in the country in 2009, up from 48th in 2008,” said West Hawaii Today earlier this year. “The Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs will use a $1.9 million federal grant to map broadband availability in the state.”

You know what? I think it’s high time to move beyond the mapping and the study stage. We already have studies gathering dust on shelves in the cumbersome bureaucracy that is this state’s government.

How about this one?

The Hawaii Broadband Task Force disbanded in late 2008 after publishing a 74-page report detailing four major recommendations necessary for Hawaii to achieve broadband capability comparable to the world’s leaders:

• Broadband is Vital to Hawaii: The task force recommends that Hawaii establish an aggressive and forward-looking vision that positions the State for global competitiveness.
• Driving Broadband Deployment: The task force recommends that the State consolidate all relevant regulatory and permitting responsibilities in a new, one-stop, broadband advancement authority that promotes Hawaii’s policy objectives and provides advocacy at all levels of government.
• Maximize Hawaii’s Connectivity to the World: The task force recommends that Hawaii aggressively promote the landing of new trans-Pacific submarine fiber in Hawaii, including a shared access cable station that reduces barriers to fiber landing in Hawaii.
• Stimulate Broadband Adoption and Use: The task force recommends that Government lead by example in demonstrating the value of broadband to our citizenry, deploying broadband services to the public, and ensuring that we do not leave behind the economically disadvantaged members of our communities who may be inhibited from full participation in the 21st century.

OK, there’s the plan. Anyone read it lately? Better yet, anyone created steps toward implementation? Anyone throw some money into it? What are we waiting for?

We could move forward now. Or we can stay forever in this mode of paralysis by analysis. Just sayin’.