Harbor fees going up, Kahuku wind farm protested, Land Use Commission to consider Thirty Meter Telescope, water increase for Mahi Pono, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ala Wai boat harbor ©2019 All Hawaii News

Hawaii Boaters Upset About Steep Fee Increase At State-Run Harbors. It’s unknown whether the increase will cover a backlog of maintenance and improvements at the 16 small boat harbors. Civil Beat.

Foreign students add $446M to state’s economy. International students had a total economic impact in Hawaii of $446 million last year, according to a new report by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Star-Advertiser.

Plastic marine debris on Hawaii’s windward coasts comes mostly from abroad, study finds. A study conducted at Hawaii Pacific University has found that the majority of marine debris washing up on Hawaii’s shores is not from the isles, but from abroad. Star-Advertiser.

Making strides in renewable energy. Hawaii has landed on a new list of states making big strides in renewable energy, tying with Vermont at number 14 on the list that looks at state policies and incentives as well as carbon emissions and renewable energy production. Garden Island.

12% of Hawaii children are obese, study finds. An estimated 13,800 Hawaii children ages 10 to 17 are obese, according to a new study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Star-Advertiser.

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Running For President, Gabbard Faces Challenge In Hawaii. The campaign Kai Kahele is building for Congress is putting Gabbard's day job in jeopardy as she fights to break through a crowded Democratic presidential primary field. Associated Press.

Gabbard Backs Off Boycott, Will Debate After All. The Hawaii congresswoman, who is struggling to breakthrough on the national stage, said she was considering skipping Tuesday’s presidential debate. Civil Beat.

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Investigators set their sights on owners of Hawaii’s illicit massage parlors. Hawaii law enforcement agencies, unable to curtail the proliferation of such businesses over the years, are readjusting their approach, delving into ownership ties and looking for ways to disrupt the financial infrastructure that supports the industry. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Protesters gather in attempt to block Kahuku wind farm construction. Opponents of the AES Na Pua Makani wind farm began gathering Sunday evening in an attempt to block construction of the project on Oahu’s North Shore. Hawaii News Now.

Kia’i say that they don’t plan to move, construction for North Shore wind project begins Monday. Those opposed to the Na Pua Makani wind project have formed a line to block the construction of wind turbines in Kahuku Sunday night, October 13. KHON2.

Oahu residents hold peaceful protest against wind turbine project. Many O'ahu residents participated in a peaceful protest on Sunday night against plans to build eight 568-foot wind turbines. KITV.

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New B&B property tax category proposed. A bill moving through the Honolulu City Council would carve out a new property tax category for homeowners who operate bed-and-breakfast establishments. Star-Advertiser.

Navy officials to brief public on Red Hill plans. Navy officials will brief lawmakers and the public about their proposed plans for improving tank safety at the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility during meetings on Tuesday and Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Developer, city fail to keep timely promises on Waikiki parking lot. A 50-stall metered parking lot still hasn’t been returned to the city a year after the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, opened its second tower. Star-Advertiser.

Waikiki eyesore set for long overdue makeover. Construction is expected to begin in December to transform a nearly one-acre gravel lot on Aloha Drive in central Waikiki into a community park. KITV.

HART’s Shoddy Relocation Program Took A Toll On Those Displaced By Rail. For years, the agency didn’t follow the proper federal rules moving businesses on the path of the rail line. Civil Beat.

Councilwoman wants tourists to sign pledge to protect the environment. City Councilwoman Kymberly Pine wants visitors to Oahu to pledge to be “environmentally responsible and culturally sensitive” during their stay here. Star-Advertiser.

Redevelopment of Aloha Stadium to take next step. The process of selecting a developer for the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District will take a major step in coming months as the state prepares to send out requests for qualifications from prospective partners before the end of the year. Star-Advertiser.

Kawaiahao iwi still stored in church basement as years-long controversy drags on. The families of more than 600 burials — unearthed during a construction project at Kawaiahao Church — are nearly finished with a burial treatment plan. Hawaii News Now.

Army zeroes in on rapid artillery raids in new era of ‘great power’ competition. For the first time, the 25th Infantry Division last week practiced moving two M777 howitzers — which each weigh nearly 10,000 pounds — by air using a CH-47 Chinook helicopter, setting up the big guns as fast as possible and firing at a target during the rapid artillery raid. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Mauna Kea “industrial uses” challenged by protestors. A hearing has been scheduled before the state Land Use Commission later this month to consider a petition that challenges the legality of “the industrial uses” atop Mauna Kea, including the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope. Star-Advertiser.

Maunakea VIS face-lift complete. A million-dollar renovation at the Maunakea Visitor Information Station has been completed for months, but nobody has been able to experience it yet. Tribune-Herald.

With summer ended, weather could affect the TMT protests. Summer is over, and colder weather could soon have an impact on the months-long blockade of Mauna Kea Access Road. Star-Advertiser.

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‘This is totally unacceptable’: Mayor Kim riled by siren inaction. Mayor Harry Kim vowed Friday to get to the bottom of why 10% of Hawaii Island’s emergency warning sirens are inoperable. West Hawaii Today.

PGV drilling new well this week. Puna Geothermal Venture will begin drilling a new production well this week, according to a letter sent out earlier this month to neighbors and community members. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

State board OKs more water for Mahi Pono. A&B revocable permits subject of controversy for many years. Maui News.

Recent violence belies Maui’s progress in getting the homeless into more stable situations. Maui continues to see progress in reducing its homeless population — now down to 862 individuals, according to the latest count — but back-to-back violence at a new homeless encampment underscores lingering problems. Star-Advertiser.

Organizers Are Trying to Inform Tourists About Maui's Fragile Reefs. In an effort to educate the nearly 3 million tourists that visit Maui each year, a Lahaina-based environmental group is raising awareness on protecting the islandʻs marine life. Maui Now.

UH Student Enrollment Down on Maui College Campus and Across the State. Enrollment at the University of Hawaii Maui College campus is down to 2,992 students, a 3.2 percent drop this fall semester when compared to fall 2018. Maui Now.

2 county sites could receive $2.7 million for land purchases. Panel favors grants for Mapulehu and Makaalae lands. Maui News.


Kauai

Bill proposes bus fee changes. The Kauai County Council is considering legislation that would change bus fares and establish a passenger code of conduct. Garden Island.

Kilauea ag park becoming something bigger. When the Kilauea Community Agricultural Center (now also known as Aina Ho‘okupu O Kilauea) was first incorporated as a nonprofit in 2015, it was probably true that most people on Kauai — if they’d heard about it at all — thought of it as small plots that community gardeners would tend. Garden Island.

Rice Street work is meeting topic. The Rice Street revitalization project is the topic of the Lihue Business Association meeting Thursday, Oct. 24, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Duke’s Canoe Club on Kalapaki Beach. Garden Island.

Molokai

Molokai residents outraged over conditions at island’s only health center. Some Molokai residents are calling for the head of the island’s only community health center to resign after the facility was forced to close for four days in August because of staff shortages. Hawaii News Now.

Uber and Lyft allowed at Honolulu airport, pension fund up 7.7%, wind farms seek to kill more bats, cannabis dispensary gets green light, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ala Wai boat harbor ©2018 All Hawaii News

State floats ideas for future of Ala Wai Boat Harbor. KHON2.

Waikiki crowd criticizes state’s public-private plan for Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

Waikiki residents demanded answers from state officials about plans for improvement to the Ala Wai Boat Harbor at Tuesday night’s neighborhood board meeting. Hawaii News Now.

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Nov. 6 Constitutional Amendment Question: Investment Property Surcharge for Education? The State Legislature is expected to submit a Constitutional Amendment question next week for placement on the General Election ballot. Hawaii Public Radio.

Wind Farms Want Permission To Kill More Bats — A Lot More. In a “conservation conundrum,” projects to produce more clean energy are a threat to Hawaii’s only native land mammal. Civil Beat.

State pension fund up 7.7%, surpasses target. The state Employees’ Retirement System, Hawaii’s largest public pension fund, achieved a 7.7 percent investment return for the fiscal year to exceed its annual target and take a step toward narrowing its $12.93 billion shortfall. Star-Advertiser.

After his successful showing during Hawaii's Primary elections last Saturday, Governor David Ige went out of state to spend time with his family. KITV.

Why American Samoans Can’t Run For Office — Or Even Vote. Unlike people born in other U.S. territories, they are not citizens but U.S. nationals. Civil Beat.

Voter turnout was down compared with 2014. Hawaii had 3,357 fewer people voting in the primary this year than in 2014 despite the fact that the state population has grown in the past four years. Star-Advertiser.

This year’s Democratic primary election saw the defeat of three major female candidates by men in top races, disappointing some political observers and advocates who say women are still struggling to navigate gender bias despite a heightened consciousness around women’s rights issues in the past couple of years. Star-Advertiser.

The Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce is urging the reform of American trademark and patent laws and reiterating calls for a boycott of a Chicago fast-food chain that trademarked the words “Aloha Poke.” Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Uber and Lyft will be able to operate at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu on a permanent basis after amended administration rules were approved today, state officials said. Star-Advertiser.

State To Allow Lyft, Uber To Operate Permanently At Honolulu Airport. The companies have been operating there as part of a pilot program since last year. Associated Press.

Ride-hailing apps get permanent OK for Honolulu airport pick-ups, drop-offs. Hawaii News Now.

Uber and Lyft to stay at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. KITV.

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A new bill before the Honolulu City Council seeks to increase bus fares in 2019, some by more than 200%. KHON2.

City Encourages Resident Feedback with Urban Planning. The Department of Planning and Permitting has just kicked off a weeks’ worth of pop up outreach events and plans more over the next year. Hawaii Public Radio.

Sex offender registry is supposed to offer peace of mind. That could be an illusion. Hawaii News Now.

Private Moiliili road dispute takes new turn. A confusing scene might greet the first tenants of the Hale Mahana collegiate rental housing tower opening Thursday in Moiliili. Star-Advertiser.

Don Quijote is new owner of Pan Am Building. A retail chain with a focus on Japanese merchandise is now the owner of a Honolulu office tower named after a long-gone airline. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Marker To Honor Hundreds Of WWII Prisoners Of War. Ceremony planned for Allied prisoners who were killed when U.S. forces sank a Japanese ship. Civil Beat.

A 96-year-old former U.S. Army veteran who was held prisoner by Japan during World War II will help dedicate a memorial stone to other prisoners of war at a national cemetery in Honolulu. Star-Advertiser.

Chick-fil-A will host session for interested franchise operators on Oahu. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

County asks lawmakers to mull $680 million disaster recovery plan. Hawaii County has increased the price tag of its draft Kilauea disaster recovery plan to $680 million as administrators begin to make their pitch to lawmakers. Tribune-Herald.

New panel to be charged with finding solutions to helicopter noise. Dennis Roberts, regional administrator for the FAA’s Western-Pacific Region, said after the meeting that the community has 30 days to provide additional feedback and come together with regard to representation on the committee. Tribune-Herald.

Big Island residents want an end to constant 'disruptive' drone of helicopters. On the Big Island, residents have been complaining about the noise pollution caused by commercial helicopters for years. Hawaii News Now.

Waikoloa asphalt plant permit sought. The Leeward Planning Commission on Thursday is scheduled to hear a request from Goodfellow Bros Inc. to extend the life of its permit for a base yard at the Waikoloa Quarry and approve an asphalt/concrete batching plant in the area. West Hawaii Today.

Big Island Dispensary Gets Green Light To Grow Medical Pot. Hawaiian Ethos is the first dispensary to open in Hawaii County, and the seventh statewide. Associated Press.

The Big Island’s first marijuana production center got the green light today to begin growing plants, a year after Hawaii’s first dispensaries opened on Maui and Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Ethos gets approval to grow marijuana. The state Department of Health authorized the first business on the Big Island to grow cannabis and manufacture cannabis products. Tribune-Herald.

First Hawaii Island Medical Cannabis Licensee Given The Go Ahead. Big Island Video News.

Maui

Maui County’s voter turnout of 36.2 percent of registered voters in Saturday’s election was the highest percentage for a primary election in two decades, but local election officials are hoping for better in the general election. Maui News.

PUC agrees to interim rate hike for Maui Electric. Typical Maui bill will rise $7.75 a month. Maui News.

Kauai

Seeking the new normal on the North Shore. About 150 people showed up for a meeting in Hanalei held by the county’s Public Works Department Monday night to talk about repairs to Black Pot Beach Park and Weke Road set to begin soon. Garden Island.

Hanapepe Bridge transitions. The project to replace the Hanapepe River Bridge is changing hands as construction on the temporary bridge is completed, and traffic will soon be changing as well. Garden Island.

Lanai

Patients who receive health services in their own homes on Lanai are worried about the future. Their concern: The partnership that provides at-home assistance to dozens of senior citizens is ending. Hawaii News Now.

Safe zones for homeless top Legislature's agenda, candidate filing begins Thursday, occupiers refuse to leave Coco Palms, full-face snorkel masks investigated in Maui drownings, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Demonstration homeless igloo ©2018 All Hawaii News

‘Safe Zones’ For Homeless A Hot Topic At Legislature. Meanwhile, advocates for the homeless want more money for programs that place people in permanent housing. Civil Beat.

US, South Korean Defense Chiefs Meet on Oahu. US Defense Secretary James Mattis says diplomacy must take the lead in the effort to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula. Hawaii Public Radio.

Missile scare caught hotels flat-footed. Star-Advertiser.

The starting gun for Hawaii’s official election year for federal, state and county offices goes off Feb. 1, the first day candidates can check out nomination papers. The last day for candidates to file is 4:30 p.m. June 5. Maui News.

For the second year, a bill is before the Hawaii state Legislature to create an independent airport authority. Hawaii Public Radio.

PUC probing tax impact on Hawaii utilities. The state Public Utilities Commission said Friday it has opened a new proceeding to investigate the impact on regulated utilities in Hawaii of the recently signed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s Judiciary says those who want to speak Hawaiian in court will be able to use an interpreter. Associated Press.

The state’s only Hyperbaric Treatment Center able to treat divers suffering from decompression sickness is up and running again after several months offline, according to a release from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. West Hawaii Today.

Racial harassment alleged in workplace lawsuits at Hawaiian Airlines, Queen’s. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Airlines has selected Lee Anne Wong, chef and owner of Honolulu’s Koko Head Cafe, to lead its in-flight dining program as the carrier’s new executive chef starting June 1. Star-Advertiser.

Iced coffee with partial Hawaiian name offends cultural groups. The name is King Kameha Iced Coffee. KITV.

Oahu

Plans proceed for offshore wind farms. Five years after offshore wind energy burst onto the scene as an intriguing new candidate in Oahu’s future power generation mix, the idea continues to quietly gain momentum. Star-Advertiser.

Botched Illegal Gambling Case Prompts Lawsuit Against Prosecutors. Tracy Yoshimura says that Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro charged him with crimes after he challenged him publicly in the press. Civil Beat.

Tour operators who want to make “recreational stops” at Waimanalo Bay Beach Park will soon be able to do so, but only if they get monthly permits from the city, under a Honolulu City Council bill up for a final vote Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A container of what appears to be a type of oil that first washed up on the beach at Kailua Bay during New Year’s Day weekend — along with tons of other marine debris — was taken away and disposed of by city workers Friday morning, three weeks after it came ashore. Star-Advertiser.

Workers strike at Waikiki Sheraton hotels over concierge plan. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly 2,300 Hawaii hotel employees didn't go to work Friday as part of a strike between UNITE HERE Local 5 members and Kyo-ya Hotels and Resorts' four Waikiki hotels. Pacific Business News.

The botany program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa just completed a helpful expansion. Construction is finished on a new classroom which will be used to study Hawaii's rarest plants. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

A bill introduced Wednesday would replace University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Office of Maunakea Management with a new entity, managed by a governor-appointed board. It also would limit the number of telescopes to nine by 2028. Tribune-Herald.

Astronomers are calling it “the most important delivery of the decade” at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. On January 26, during a small window between the snow flurries atop Mauna Kea, the observatory’s newest and most advanced instrument arrived. Big Island Video News.

Public offers mixed reviews of service as the cost of government grows. Since 2000, Hawaii County’s population has risen by 33.5 percent. The number of county employees has increased by 27.6 percent. But during that time, the county budget, adjusted for inflation, has doubled. West Hawaii Today.

While 2017 proved to be a dry year for Kona residents, it also tapped deeply into water department maintenance funds. West Hawaii Today.

The Hilo Drag Strip is slated to open the weekend of March 10-11 after being closed more than two years for renovations. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Safety questions surface for full-faced snorkel masks. Two recent ocean deaths linked to new mask design: Are full-faced snorkel sets safe? Maui News.

Bypass work to get an adjustment at busy Keawe Street intersection. Ige directs DOT to get community input for ‘best way to move forward’. Maui News.

Chief who brought lifeguards to Fire Department retires. Maui News.

Kauai

Hundreds Turn Out To Back Hawaiian Occupiers Of Famed Coco Palms Site. The 19th century home of Kauai’s last queen was later the resort where “Blue Hawaii” was filmed. Now a new resort is planned. Civil Beat.

Despite 6 p.m. deadline to move out, Coco Palms occupiers still there. The deadline has passed for activists staking their claim to the land at the Coco Palms resort on Kauai, but they're not budging. Hawaii News Now.

Senator profits in state contract, Hawaii population declines, Learmont replaces Oshiro in state House, new pier at Hilo harbor, candidates already lining up for 2020 Honolulu mayoral race, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu Ala Wai boat harbor © 2017 All Hawaii News

Conflicts arise over harbor contract. A legislator as well as a member of the Board of Land and Natural Resources have ties to the public relations firm hired by the state to help determine redevelopment of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Lawmakers Are Used To Hearing About Potential Conflicts Of Interest. Legislators argue there are good reasons to vote even on issues where they may have potential conflicts. Associated Press.

State DOE on track with plan to meet new federal benchmarks. The Hawaii Department of Education says it’s working with federal education officials to finalize the state’s plan for complying with new requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Star-Advertiser.

Appeals court: Trump exceeded authority with travel ban. A federal appeals court panel has ruled that President Donald Trump once again exceeded the scope of his authority with his latest travel ban, but the judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put their decision on hold pending review by the U.S. Supreme Court, meaning the ban involving six majority Muslim countries will remain in effect. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s Population Declines For The First Time In Several Years. Hawaii was one of eight states, plus Puerto Rico, that saw a net decline. Civil Beat.

Health insurance premiums on the rise. More than 320,000 Hawaii workers and individuals will pay higher health insurance premiums starting Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Learmont

Learmont To Replace Oshiro In Hawaii State House. She is a former legislative aide to the former longtime lawmaker, who resigned to join the labor board. Civil Beat.

Iwamoto seeks lieutenant governor post. Kim Coco Iwamoto says corporations spend millions of dollars to get their voices heard at the Hawaii Capitol. Garden Island.

More Tuna For Hawaii Fishing Boats In 2018. An international commission slightly expanded catch limits for U.S. longliners based in Honolulu but the industry is still hoping for more. Civil Beat.

Attorney General: Landowners must pay for use of their own land once sea rises.  Oceanfront property owners who once were well shy of the protected state shoreline could find themselves having to purchase easements for their existing homes and structures such as seawalls as the sea creeps inland. West Hawaii Today.

California Approves Saito Extradition To Hawaii. The Hawaii State Hospital patient escaped in November and flew to the mainland. Civil Beat.

Hawaii's economy to benefit from preclearance agreement with Canada. Pacific Business News.

Young Brothers’ cargo volume edges up. The state’s largest interisland cargo carrier said in a report due out today that volume edged up 0.3 percent from the year-earlier period and is up just 0.7 percent for the first nine months of 2017. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Anderson, Pine eye 2020 mayor’s race to replace Caldwell. The jockeying has begun at Honolulu Hale over who will take over the third-floor corner office at City Hall after incumbent Mayor Kirk Caldwell leaves when his term runs out in 2020 — if not sooner. Star-Advertiser.

Privately owned memorial tour website under investigation. The state Office of Consumer Protection said it is investigating representations made by a website that touts itself as the “Pearl Harbor Visitors Bureau,” offers tours and says more than 750,000 visitors have been served. Star-Advertiser.

State scales back work on airport space. The state Department of Transportation is building a $40 million to $45 million structure under Gate 6 at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport that was meant to provide operating space for Island Air, but that space will now be left vacant in the wake of the airline’s bankruptcy. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority has fallen short of making its full state reimbursement for the Hawaii Convention Center for the past two years and may extend the facility’s debt repayment schedule again — even though the agency still owes 79 percent of the center’s original $350 million balance. Star-Advertiser.

City sweetens tow deal. Starting New Year’s Day, the city will have a new contract in place to cover the dozens of police-initiated vehicle tows that occur across the island daily. Star-Advertiser.

Volunteers Keep One of Makiki’s Best-Kept Secrets Afloat. The state wants to convert Hawaii’s only volunteer-run public library into a state-run facility, but it’s waiting on a lease agreement from the city. Civil Beat.

A woman's struggles after a crash with an HPD officer renew questions over discipline. The renewed attention is coming at a time when a new chief, Susan Ballard, has taken the reins at the department and, according to one of her deputies, has ordered a review of HPD’s entire discipline system to bring more consistency to the process. Star-Advertiser.

Filipino WWII vets help select artist for monument on Oahu. After decades of injustice and neglect, Filipino WWII veterans are finally winning recognition for their dedication to Allied forces during the war. Star-Advertiser.

Preserving Hawaii's Railway History. The Hawaiian Railway Society in Ewa runs the only continuously operating historical railroad in the state. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

State officials and other dignitaries marked the opening of a new pier Friday at Hilo Harbor. The 602-foot-long reinforced concrete pier, built parallel to the shoreline, will allow workers to load and unload barges more safely and efficiently, and separates cargo from the docks used by cruise ships, officials said. Tribune-Herald.

Preserving historic Honokaa. The Historic Honokaa Town Project, which aims to preserve and commemorate the unique plantation buildings of Honokaa, is expected to place a total of 14 Honokaa entries on the Hawaii Register of Historic Places by early 2018, with seven of those properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well, said project coordinator Gerald De Mello. Tribune-Herald.

A draft burial treatment plan for iwi found on lands of the former Moaula Plantation were debated on Thursday. Big Island Video News.

The problem of feral pigs. Although feral pig populations on the Big Island appear to remain steady, for some residents, swine incursions will make the holiday a brown Christmas. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Wind farm seeks OK to ‘take’ more endangered bats. Auwahi Wind wants to increase permitted bat fatalities from 21 to 197 over 25 years. Maui News.

Maui home sales fall amid lower inventory. Sales of single-family homes in Maui County plunged last month amid dwindling inventory while the median price increased. Star-Advertiser.

Life after sugar – a year later. It has been 12 months of transition for former plantation workers. Maui News.

Kauai

Rats are nowhere to be found on tiny Lehua Island four months after the conclusion of an eradication project. Star-Advertiser.

People monitoring the ecosystem recovery on Lehua Island report that four months after the conclusion of a rat eradication project there are still no signs of the invasive Pacific Rats. Garden Island.

Canines used to find human waste in Kauai streams. Three samples were collected at Waiopili stream mouth in October and all samples tested positive for human sewage by both dogs. Garden Island.

Neighbor Islands could help pay for Honolulu rail, new undersea cable connects Hawaii to Asia, U.S. mainland, endangered bat at center of Oahu windfarm fight, Trump administration says Pacific bluefin tuna not endangered, more news from all the Hawaii Islands

Undersea cable installation

This month web, data and voice traffic will begin flowing through a new $250 million undersea fiber cable connecting Hawaii, the U.S. mainland and Asia. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers Consider Having Neighbor Islands Help Pay For Oahu’s Troubled Rail Project. Hawaii lawmakers are weighing five options to provide funding to complete Honolulu’s over-budget rail line from Kapolei to Ala Moana, including a statewide increase in the general excise and hotel taxes, according to a state Senate presentation. Civil Beat.

The state Legislature is hosting a public informational briefing on state funding for the City & County of Honolulu’s rail project at 10 a.m. Aug. 14 in the State Capitol auditorium. Garden Island.

The Trump administration on Monday announced that a sushi restaurant staple — Pacific bluefin tuna — is not in danger of becoming extinct, despite historically low numbers. Star-Advertiser.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries branch has determined that Pacific bluefin tuna are not endangered and do not need protection under the federal Endangered Species Act. Garden Island.

Hawaii will receive around $477,000 as part of a multi-state settlement with pharmaceutical manufacturer Celgene Corp. over its alleged illegal marketing activities. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell said he supports the idea of barring adults from smoking in vehicles when children are present, and would likely sign such a measure should it make it to his desk. Star-Advertiser.

An endangered native bat is at the center of a fight over a controversial wind farm proposal on Oahu's North Shore. Concerned residents showed up for Monday's contested case hearing for the Na Pua Makani project in Kahuku. Hawaii News Now.

Crews begin work on clearing homeless at Pearl Harbor bike path, Neal Blaisdell Park. Hawaii News Now.

Safety check system goes down, bringing inspections to a halt. KHON2.

State leaders are highlighting their latest efforts to help ease the island’s back-to-school traffic, which this year is expected to bring an estimated 53,000 students onto the roadways. Star-Advertiser.

A delegation from Honolulu -- made up of representatives from the city, tourism industry, and business owners -- recently traveled to Nagaoka, Japan to discuss possible partnerships between the two cities.  Hawaii News Now.

The Waianae Neighborhood Board isn’t buying into the idea of a proposed subdivision near Pokai Bay. Civil Beat.

Hawaiian Electric Company is proposing updates to Oahu's power grid that could cost about $205 Million. KITV.

Close to $150 million in condominium sales revenue from four towers in Kakaako helped the developer of Ward Village turn a profit in the second quarter. Star-Advertiser.

Howard Hughes Corporation Shifts to Build for Families in Kakaako. Hawaii Public Radio.

Valley of the Temples Memorial Park held a ceremonial groundbreaking Monday for a new mortuary and chapel to be created by expanding a historic main building at the Kaneohe cemetery. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Mayor Harry Kim has renewed his transit consultant’s $9,584-a-month contract after the county Human Resources Department deemed Kim’s pick ineligible for the permanent civil service position of transit administrator. West Hawaii Today.

Mayor Harry Kim is nearly ready to bring his plan to attack the problem of homelessness to the Hawaii County Council. Tribune-Herald.

Life At Camp Kikaha. Big Island Video News.

The lawyer for a Kona coffee farmer who was deported back to Mexico despite being called a “pillar of his community” by a U.S. judge plans to file an appeal with the Board of Immigration Appeals on the grounds that he was legitimately married to a U.S. citizen and should not have been deported. Star-Advertiser.

Hilo Hattie’s is returning the Big Island with the soft opening of a scaled-back storefront tentatively planned for some time around Labor Day. West Hawaii Today.

The Big Island’s eucalyptus trees have been a financial albatross for two decades. Now there may finally be a use for the trees: burn them for electricity. Civil Beat.

The state is seeking an operator for its planned initiative selling carbon offset credits for reforestation and recovery of 4,700 acres of Hawaii island pasture land. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

The Department of Education continues to modify Maui school bus routes as its new bus vendor works to recruit more drivers during what the DOE is calling a critical shortage. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Fishermen and conservationists on Kauai are leading a rally against the proposed aerial drop of rodenticides on Lehua Island. Garden Island.

The Democratic Party of Kauai is looking for people to take the helm. Garden Island.

The number of single-family homes sold on Kauai jumped last month, but the median price dropped 25 percent, according to statistics from the Kauai Board of Realtors provided by Hawaii Information Service. Pacific Business News.

Task force urges delay of new jail, Maui wind farm seeks to kill more endangered bats, most want recreational marijuana, homelessness as a medical condition, Ellison's Lanai water at issue, rat lungworm debated, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Jail guard in Hilo © 2017 All Hawaii News

A 13-member task force led by Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Michael Wilson is recommending that the state hold off on its plans for building a new jail on Oahu until the group can issue a final report at the end of the year that provides a road map for reforming the state’s correctional system. Star-Advertiser.

The State Legislature created a task force last session to provide recommendations to improve Hawai’i’s Correctional System.  They briefed lawmakers on an interim report today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Legislation that would classify chronic homelessness as a medical condition and allow the state to pull from its $2 billion annual Medicaid fund to house those who qualify is on its way to a vote on the floor of the Hawaii State Senate. West Hawaii Today.

A growing number of Hawaii residents want marijuana to be legalized for recreational use, a poll released Thursday by the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii shows. Star-Advertiser.

A bill in the Hawaii Legislature could limit some people's rights to file public records requests with public agencies, raising concerns that it could reduce journalists' and community members' access to information. The proposal would allow a state office to declare a person a "vexatious records requester."  Associated Press.

The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands didn’t produce any new housing units for Native Hawaiians last fiscal year, even though it has $38 million in unspent federal funds. Civil Beat.

Flaws in protective order system leave abuse victims vulnerable. KHON2.

Hawaii lawmakers are considering putting up hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight rat lungworm disease, a condition in which parasitic worm larvae infect people's brains. Associated Press.

State lawmakers were briefed on the current status of rat lungworm disease that is worrying East Hawai’i Island residents. Hawaii Public Radio.

An informational briefing was held at the State Capitol on Wednesday, providing state legislators with an update on Rat Lungworm Disease from the Department of Health and a state-wide RLD Joint Task Force. Big Island Video News.

Based on the state's latest data, Hawaii has about 450,000 homes. A little more than 194,000 of those are rentals. Real estate analyst Rick Cassiday estimates the military occupies between 10,000-to-20,000 of those units. KITV.

Anti-Trump Movement Urges Hawaii Politicians To Take A Stand. Members of a new hui called Indivisible Hawaii are letting the state’s congressional delegation know they are worried about the country. Civil Beat.

Oahu

State lawmakers have advanced a bill aimed at providing some relief to Waianae Coast residents who endure hours of daily traffic congestion. Star-Advertiser.

Condominium sales in Kakaako helped the owner of Ward Village earn a $202 million profit last year that was up about 60 percent from $127 million the year before. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Mayoral Luncheon will be held at the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay from 11:30 a.m - 1:30 p.m. Thursday. West Hawaii Today.

East Hawaii lawmakers want to beef up Hawaii Community College’s agriculture program. Tribune-Herald.

A Hilo nursing home facing loss of Medicare certification instead achieved a flawless inspection. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A Maui wind farm wants the government to increase the number of endangered Hawaiian hoary bats it is allowed to kill, after passing the limit 15 years ahead of schedule. Star-Advertiser.

Maui coffee farmers worry that state Department of Agriculture standards are tainting the image of an industry that’s already losing good beans to the coffee berry borer. Maui News.

Maui Land &Pineapple Co. kept liquidating assets during the final three months of last year in a continuing strategy that enabled the company to produce a $7.4 million profit in the fourth quarter that compared with a $900,000 loss in the same period the year before. Star-Advertiser.

Pacific Biodiesel Technologies plans to begin farming Hawaii’s largest biofuel crop project with a ground blessing scheduled for Friday on the Valley Isle, the Maui company said this week. Pacific Business News.

Safeway will anchor the new Hoʻokele Shopping Center, a 94,000-square-foot center located at the gateway to Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.’s Maui Business Park in Central Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

The US Postal Service plan to close the Rice Street post office throws a wrench into the revitalization plan for downtown Lihue, but it could also help with safety concerns for pedestrians. Garden Island.

The state has said its plan to harvest non-native trees in the Lihue-Koloa Forest Reserve and the ongoing construction of the bridge over the Keahua Stream at the entrance to the reserve are not connected. Garden Island.

County administration has made it clear it doesn’t support establishing a pedestrian easement to get to a Koloa beach, and that’s what concerns Councilman Mel Rapozo. Garden Island.

Lanai

When the billionaire co-founder of Oracle Corp., Larry Ellison, purchased the majority of the Hawaiian island of Lanai for $300 million in 2012, there was at least one major unresolved issue on the Pineapple Island — the water used at the Manele Golf Course near the Four Seasons Resort Lanai. Pacific Business News.

Waterfalls do not make good neighbors, homeless czar's future uncertain, high tech corp seeks neighbor island mentors, more ethics complaints for Mayor Kenoi, Honolulu airport security guards unionize, staff cuts threaten vector control program, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Maunawili Falls, Wkipedia photo

Maunawili residents are bracing for another busy summer, anticipating an onslaught of visitors by the busload along with local hikers passing through the otherwise quiet neighborhood to get to the Maunawili Falls Trail. Star-Advertiser.

A $740,000 grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could give state Department of Health officials a better understanding on the reasons why suicides and other violent deaths happen. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s High Technology Development Corp. has released a request for proposals in search of mentors to coach technology companies on the Neighbor Islands. HTDC is based in the Manoa Innovation Center and has had difficulty expanding its program outside of Oahu. Pacific Business News.

For all he knows, Colin Kippen will be out of his job in two weeks. Since June 2012, Kippen has been serving as the governor’s coordinator on homelessness, a job overseeing Hawaii’s homelessness response system. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Na Pua Makani Power Partners LLC countered recent community opposition to a second wind farm in Kahuku Wednesday by saying the new turbines will lower electricity bills. Star-Advertiser.

To help ease traffic congestion caused by rail and other construction projects in Central and West Oahu, City Councilman Brandon Elefante has introduced a resolution urging public and private employers to provide some help to employees, including those commuting into downtown from Waipahu and Pearl City. Star-Advertiser.

The city will relocate its bustling Kapalama satellite city hall and driver licensing offices at City Square this fall to the former Sprint building several blocks away on Dillingham Boulevard, city administration officials confirmed Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Board of Water Supply officials told members of a City Council committee Wednesday that they worry a draft plan to make improvements at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility does too little over too long a period of time. Star-Advertiser.

Security guards at Honolulu International Airport voted overwhelmingly to join a Hawaii-based union Wednesday, joining neighbor island colleagues who have already done the same. The union's president said he hopes to negotiate a master agreement to raise the guards' pay and improve what he called “meager” benefits. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi and his campaign manager, who was hired in April to head the Office of Aging, are the subjects of an ethics complaint alleging political favoritism in county hiring. West Hawaii Today.

The nonprofit Hawaii Island Electric Cooperative has retained an investment banker with years of experience with mergers and acquisitions as it continues to explore the idea of public ownership of the Big Island’s electric utility. Tribune-Herald.

Finance Factors is selling its 13,130-acre Koa Forest on the Big Island of Hawaii, which is one of the single-largest privately-owned tracts of old growth native koa trees in existence, for $14 million. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Police Chief Tivoli Faaumu said two police officers "followed what they were trained to do" when they were confronted by a fugitive who shot at the officers before shooting himself following a traffic stop Saturday afternoon in Wailuku. Maui News.

Maui County Corporation Counsel Patrick Wong regularly visits Las Vegas each year, according to the Financial Disclosure Statements he’s filed with the Maui County Board of Ethics. And over the past four or five years, these statements show, his trips to Vegas have clearly been worth far more than the nearly six hours it takes to fly there. In fact, they show that since 2011, Wong has earned somewhere between $500,000 and $1.2 million gambling in Vegas. MauiTime.

Health officials say they couldn’t investigate an increase in mosquitoes on Maui because of a lack of resources. The state Department of Health’s vector control unit suffered severe cuts years ago and we’ve been following the issue since. Vector control handles animals that have the potential to carry disease, from rodents to insects. KHON2.

Kauai

Kauai Bus riders have until the end of June to buy monthly and annual passes before rates go up. Monthly fare prices will increase by $5 starting July 1. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council on Wednesday gave its stamp of approval to new collective bargaining agreements that will raise public employee wages and other benefits by more than $1.3 million in the coming fiscal year, forcing the county to again dip into its reserve savings. Garden Island.

The future is uncertain for tours of one of Kauai’s most famous resorts, as partial demolition of the hotel is pending state and county approval. Bob Jasper, owner of Coco Palms Tour, said he’s unsure how demolition work at Coco Palms Resort will affect his business. Garden Island.

Molokai

A devastating pest known as the coconut mite was recently found on Molokai and now threatens to destroy the island's historic Kapuaiwa Coconut Grove. Maui News.

Kahoolawe

In one month, the cash-strapped Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission raised about $38,000 to assist with operations through the summer, but the group still is short of its $100,000 goal and may have to reduce volunteer trips to the one-time practice range for the military. Maui News.

Thirty Meter Telescope to be the last on Mauna Kea, Hanabusa joins Honolulu rail board, windmills posed for Oahu coastal waters, Hawaiian Telcom to double Internet speeds, EPA, and Navy reach deal on Red Hill storage tanks, Kauai buses could be powered by landfill gas, mayor's entertainment spared in Big Island budget, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Telescopes on Mauna Kea, courtesy photo

University of Hawaii officials affirmed Monday that the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope project will be the last new observatory developed on Mauna Kea and pledged to decommission one-quarter of existing telescopes atop the Hawaii island mountain as requested by Gov. David Ige. Star-Advertiser.

Following Gov. David Ige’s lead, the University of Hawaii on Monday outlined its plan for improving stewardship of Mauna Kea that includes a commitment to reduce the number of observatories by the time the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope is complete. Tribune-Herald.

The University of Hawaii announced a plan Monday that will lead to the removal of several large telescopes on Mauna Kea. School officials will meet with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources this week to discuss the decommissioning process. Associated Press.

On Monday, June 1st, the University of Hawaii issued its promised written response to Governor David Ige’s requests concerning stewardship of Mauna Kea, which were announced at a news conference on May 26. The governor’s intervention comes as construction of the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea has been delayed due to strong opposition. Big Island Video News.

It’s been one week since Governor David Ige told the University to do a better job of managing land atop Mauna Kea. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaiian Telcom will double its fastest Internet speeds to 1 gigabit-per-second, starting next week, the Honolulu-based company said Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii’s energy future could hinge on a June 10 vote by Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. shareholders. During a special meeting last month, a majority of the company’s shareholders voted in favor of the $4.3 billion sale of Hawaiian Electric Co. to Florida-based NextEra Energy. However, the 75 percent super-majority required by Hawaii law was not secured. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is seeking to fill seven alternate and one primary seat on its advisory council. The sanctuary is accepting applications for the following seats: commercial shipping (primary), commercial shipping (alternate), Hawaii County (alternate), Lanai Island (alternate), citizen-at-large (alternate), education (alternate), tourism (alternate), and whale watching (alternate). MauiTime.

Oahu

State and federal regulators will meet Wednesday to discuss a Danish company's plan to build 102 floating wind turbines off Oahu's shores and generate about 30 percent of the island's electric power needs. Star-Advertiser.

Former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa was appointed to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation Board of Directors by Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Monday. Civil Beat.

Colleen Hanabusa is taking on a new challenge outside of the political arena: Honolulu's public rail transit project. Starting later this month, the former congresswoman from Waianae will replace Carrie Okinaga on the Hono­lulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board of directors, which oversees the cash-strapped rail project that's currently under construction. Star-Advertiser.

When Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell announced his preliminary affordable housing strategy last September, housing advocates praised it as aggressive, even revolutionary. Nine months later, little has changed. Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell is now looking at putting up modular or container-style transitional shelter units at Sand Island for between 75 and 100 of Honolulu's chronically homeless. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Hawaii state Department of Health on Monday announced a tentative deal with the military to better prevent and detect leaks from 20 giant fuel storage tanks near Pearl Harbor. Associated Press.

The Navy has reached an agreement with federal and state regulatory agencies to improve technology aimed at better preventing and detecting fuel leaks at its Red Hill Bulk Storage Facility following last year's spill of an estimated 27,000 gallons of aviation fuel from one of its World War II-era tanks. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Teed-off golfers were able Monday to persuade the County Council not to dip into Hilo Municipal Golf Course accounts to beef up recycling programs during a long day of tweaking the county’s $438.8 million annual budget. West Hawaii Today.

Four tsunami warning sirens on Hawaii Island failed Monday’s test, according to Hawaii County Civil Defense. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Before serving as a hearings officer in the Haleakala Telescope contested case, attorney Lane Ishida had never done any legal work for the University of Hawaii. But two years after he issued an order giving the controversial, $300 million project the green light, the university awarded him with four contracts for legal work, budgeting $110,000 for the work. Three of those contracts were issued during a two-day period in October 2014. Hawaii News Now.

The economic downturn in 2007 sparked a series of delays for a proposed 103-unit condominium project in Kahului, but Alexander & Baldwin Properties executives said they're optimistic that the project will come to fruition now that the Maui County Council has relaxed workforce housing requirements. Maui News.

East Maui County Councilman Robert Carroll is hosting a community meeting tomorrow, June 2, at 5 p.m. at the Hāna Community Center cafeteria to address community concerns regarding the proposed operation of Skydive Hawaiʻi out of the Hāna Airport. Maui Now.

Kauai

A NASA flying saucer is set to take to the skies offshore of the Pacific Missile Range Facility as early as Wednesday, a test flight designed to land heavier payloads on Mars during future human and robotic missions. Garden Island.

The launch window for the low density supersonic decelerator officially begins Tuesday. Late Monday, Scientists decided ocean conditions were not right and would have made recovery operations unsafe.  They have postponed any testing until Wednesday, no earlier than 7:30 a.m. KHON2.

Methane gas generated by the decay of organic matter in the Kekaha landfill could one day be used to power Kauai County’s public bus fleet. The plan is part of a long-range strategy to reduce the island’s dependence on fossil fuels and move toward a more sustainable system. Garden Island.

If you’re looking for a home on Kauai — and have an extra $18 million handy — your search could be over. Garden Island.

Wind turbines planned in ocean off Oahu, Hawaii Tourism Authority wants more money, green sea turtle to remain protected, lead slows bridge repair, Kaho‘olawe records to be preserved, more grads college-bound, Honolulu racetrack bill revs up, state lags in budget transparency, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii green sea turtle, honu © 2015 All Hawaii News

The feds have denied a petition to take Hawaii green sea turtles off the list of threatened species. The honu news came Friday from the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Civil Beat.

The threatened green sea turtles around the Hawaiian Islands will be managed separately from other populations under a plan floated Friday by federal agencies. But the status of Hawaii’s turtles as threatened under the Endangered Species Act won’t change under the plan, despite a petition for delisting by an organization of Hawaii civic clubs. West Hawaii Today.

© 2015 All Hawaii News

Hawaii’s green sea turtles should continue to be classified as threatened because its population is small and nearly all of them nest at the same low-lying atoll, federal wildlife agencies said Friday. Associated Press.

Federal wildlife officials propose keeping Hawaii's green sea turtles' threatened status under the Endangered Species Act, meaning it would continue to be illegal to kill or hunt them. Maui News.

More than 300 people are expected to attend a conference featuring more than 25 sessions and professional development training courses on rising sea levels and other natural hazards. The theme is "The Rising Pacific: Currents of Change and Solutions for Resilience." Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority, the agency tasked with marketing Hawaii to the nation and the world, says it needs more money to cover its expenses. The HTA is asking state lawmakers to allow it to increase its administrative spending by as much as 30 percent a year. Star-Advertiser.

Even as legislators consider more stringent regulations, the state Department of Agriculture hasn’t complied with a law passed in 2013 that requires it to post sales records for restricted-use pesticides on its website. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers hope that a proposed bill would encourage more of Hawaii’s youth to become farmers. House Bill 853 passed through the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Education and Judiciary and Labor during a hearing Friday, and would teach students and teachers how to produce some of their own food. Civil Beat.

Hawaii state senators are taking up a proposal to develop a system of medical marijuana dispensaries, which would give patients legal access to the drug nearly 15 years after it became legal in Hawaii. Associated Press.

Hawaii's Department of Budget and Finance last year launched a new website designed to provide a one-stop source for state spending and financial information, but the state still earned only a grade of "C" on the latest "transparency scorecard." Hawaii trails 42 other states in the annual report on how well states provide spending data online, conducted by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers plan to tackle the state's troubled health exchange, public-housing issues and a slew of resolutions this week at the Legislature. Most of the action will be in committee rooms as lawmakers take up bills passed by the other chamber. Associated Press.

Opinion: One of the tax increase bills that is still afloat at our Legislature concerns the environmental response, energy, and food security tax, which we refer to as the barrel tax. This tax started off as the environmental response tax, imposed at 5 cents a barrel of imported petroleum product as a way to create a fund for environmental cleanup in case of an oil spill in Hawaiian waters. It was hoisted to its present rate of $1.05 in 2009, and the difference was used not only to shore up our general fund, but also to feed various special funds that pay for environmental conservation programs, energy and food security, and related activities. Civil Beat.

If HCR 90 passes through the House Committees on Education and Finance, it would ask the governor, Board of Education, and the Hawaii State Teachers Association to establish a minimum median teacher salary that would be adjustable to Hawaii’s cost of living. Civil Beat.

The state Ethics Commission will make public the detailed financial disclosure forms of members of 15 boards and commissions in June rather than next year. The powerful entities include the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the Public Utilities Commission. A law that took effect in July makes those disclosure forms public, but the details could have remained confidential until 2016 because only short forms are required in odd-numbered years. Star-Advertiser.

After several years of stagnancy, the number of Hawaii public school graduates enrolling in college after high school has climbed amid efforts by the Department of Education to better prepare students for college and careers. Star-Advertiser.

Many Hawaii families have fallen into a cycle of debt precipitated by deceptively easy payday loans. The industry was legalized in 1999 when the Legislature passed a law exempting it from the state’s usury law, which caps the interest rate for loans at no more than 24 percent each year. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A Danish developer is planning to develop a major offshore wind energy project, which would include more than 100 turbines, in federal waters in Hawaii off Oahu’s northwest and southern coasts, according to a published report. Pacific Business News.

Oahu car-racing enthusiasts have picked up some traction on a drive to finance a new motor sports raceway on the island after the demise of two track facilities in the past eight years. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell's Housing First initiative to provide shelter and related social services to the chronically homeless has achieved mixed results nine months after the Honolulu City Council dedicated $35 million toward the effort. Star-Advertiser.

On Friday, landowners, fed up with all the foot traffic for “Dead Man’s Catwalk,” asked various hiking websites to take down posts promoting the popular East Oahu trail and threatened further action if nothing was done. KHON2.

Martin Nesbitt, a Chicago businessman and President Barack Obama’s close friend, has been confirmed as the buyer of Hawaii beachfront estate known as the home of Tom Selleck’s 1980s television character “Magnum P.I.” Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Time to fix those leaky faucets. The less water you use, the more you’ll save, under a five-year rate plan to be considered Tuesday by the Hawaii County Water Board. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii Island Portuguese Chamber of Commerce is dusting off old plans to construct a cultural and education center in downtown Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

The discovery of lead in the soil below Umauma bridge near Hakalau likely will delay completion of the span’s ongoing $30.8 million rehabilitation project, state officials say. The lead, left from paint that fell into the gulch during past maintenance work, was found where new bridge footings need to be installed. Tribune-Herald.

A new courthouse and hospital for Kona are among more than $200 million in Big Island projects in the $2.2 billion two-year capital improvement budget passed Wednesday by the state House. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii Police Department Assistant Chief Henry Tavares said a spike in property crime in downtown Hilo is related to the city’s ongoing homeless problem. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

This Saturday, the 2015 Maui County Republican Party Convention will take place at Pu’u Kukui Elementary School. Registered Republican delegates are welcome to hear a featured guest speaker, conduct party business and elect new Executive Committee officers. MauiTime.

The recent agreement restoring water to four Central Maui streams has some parties in an East Maui stream restoration case optimistic that a "just ruling" will come to them as well. Maui News.

After the worst coral bleaching event ever recorded in Hawaii last fall, environmental groups are rallying to bring more community awareness to help protect the reefs. Maui News.

The 12-acre Maui Arts & Cultural Center opened its gates nearly 21 years ago. Today, it can accommodate up to 270,000 visitors a year, spans 22 acres, and generates $4.35 million annually, on average, in revenue to community businesses. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Kauai had the fewest applications for firearms of all state counties in 2014. But the number of applications on the Garden Isle increased for the fourth straight year — although county officials aren’t attributing that increase to a gun craze, but rather something that accompanies an uptick in population. Garden Island.

Kahoolawe

This year hundreds of thousands of historic documents relating to Kaho‘olawe will be published in an online database. Hawaii Public Radio.