Long week ahead for Hawaii Legislature, state to pay Turtle Bay to conserve North Shore land, attorney general wants more money, Pacific Biodiesel leaves Maui, Hawaii County plans Mauna Kea park takeover, tipping fees to rise on Kauai, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii House of Representatives

Hawaii lawmakers are preparing for an onslaught of bills to move through their chambers this week, in advance of a legislative deadline to pass bills out of the second chamber. Associated Press.

A House committee approved a bill to outlaw eating cats and dogs in Hawaii, a measure supported by animal lovers who lobbied lawmakers with their pets. Associated Press.

Hawaii Attorney General David Louie asked the Legislature in December to give his office an extra $5.3 million for fiscal 2015, which starts July 1. But the latest draft of the budget, which lawmakers will finalize over the next few weeks, adds only $1.5 million. Civil Beat.

Rep. Bob McDermott is troubled about new classroom materials that are being tested out by some Hawaii public school teachers. The vocal, socially conservative Ewa Beach lawmaker recently wrote a memo to Hawaii Department of Education Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi requesting that the department prohibit teachers from using any materials or lesson plans from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance program in their classrooms. Civil Beat.

With affordable-housing and homelessness problems persisting, measures aimed at promoting affordable-housing construction, assisting the Hawaii Public Housing Authority with repair and maintenance, encouraging Housing First programs and funding the up-and-coming concept of micro-apartments continue to move through the Legislature. Star-Advertiser.

A measure that would have allowed rock climbers to resume their sport has been amended, catching outdoor enthusiasts by surprise. Hawaii News Now.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is canvassing communities in an effort to expand a roll of qualified Native Hawaiians interested in participating in their own government. Associated  Press.

Charles Djou, a Republican who served six months in Congress in 2010 after winning a special three-way election, has launched a campaign to reclaim his District 1 Congressional Seat. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

Time is running out for the state and the owners of Turtle Bay Resort to decide how much Hawaii should pay the hotel to conserve some of the land it owns on Oahu's North Shore. Civil Beat.

City officials are promising at least one public hearing in the coming weeks on rules governing how food trucks can operate in Hono­lulu's Capitol Special District under a two-year pilot program that became law last week. Star-Advertiser.

Selling rail. Yes, half of the audience at this public meeting were HART employees. Hawaii Independent.

Tuition at three of Hawaii's largest private schools — ‘Iolani School, Mid-Pacific Institute and Punahou School — will hit the $20,000 mark for the first time next school year as most schools plan hikes of between 3 percent and 7 percent. Star-Advertiser.

They were small, but price gains achieved by Oahu's housing market last month continued a rising trend reaching further into its third year. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County will be able to improve and maintain its portion of the Mauna Kea State Recreation Area without a big budget increase or neglecting other county parks, officials assured the County Council Finance Committee on Friday. West Hawaii Today.

A bill establishing a temporary working group to help the state acquire lands in Waipio Valley was passed by the state House committees on finance Wednesday with amendments. Tribune-Herald.

Whether residents and business owners think it’s a good idea or not to limit commercial use of the ocean, they appear to agree on one thing — a package of proposed rules governing commercial use is convoluted and confusing. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui businesswoman and former vice chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Maui Del Rosario has been appointed the party chairwoman of the newly formed Hawaii Independent Party. Maui News.

Pacific Biodiesel has eliminated two employee positions and closed its biodiesel production plant at the Central Maui Landfill in Puunene, according to an announcement Friday from the pioneering Maui alternative fuel company. Maui News.

Sales of Maui condominiums soared by 31 percent last month, while prices of both condos and single-family homes in Maui County increased by double digits in March, according to statistics from the Realtors Association of Maui. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Businesses owners may soon be paying more to dump or haul their waste into County of Kauai landfills. That’s if the Kauai County Council chooses one of two options before it to raise the landfill tipping fee. Garden Island.

A Kauai councilman who sued the county for claims his civil rights were violated for going against political foes agreed to settle the lawsuit for $290,000. Associated Press.

Challenging times, state Department of Transportation consultants say, lie ahead for Kauai. The Garden Isle is expected to face a nearly $2.2 billion shortfall in transportation project funds at a time when it will also face a significant population and economic boom. Garden Island.

Fear the frog: coquis invade Oahu, bill limits state liability on public land, Monsanto employees rally on Maui, Molokai, Djou runs for U.S. House, record firearm registration, Honolulu mulls banning sweepstakes machines, upgrades for military at Pohakuloa, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Waipio Valley trailhead (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

A key state House committee advanced a bill Thursday evening that limits the state's liability on public lands, relieving outdoor enthusiasts worried that litigation fears could lead to parks being shut down. Associated Press.

In a last-minute hearing Thursday, a key House panel passed a bill to protect the state in the case of lawsuits over accidents on public land. It was a surprise victory for fans of extreme sports in Hawaii, particularly rock climbers who have been frustrated by the state's decision to close all rock-climbing sites two years ago over liability issues. Civil Beat.

A bill establishing a framework to allow partnerships between the Hawaii Health Systems Corp. and private health care providers is headed to a conference committee, after the House Finance Committee unanimously passed it Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi has ruled that a lawsuit brought by eight Native Hawaiian inmates alleging a violation of religious rights can proceed to trial. The ruling issued Monday by Kobayashi clears the way for a trial that could affect the way prison administrators handle Native Hawaiian religious practices. Star-Advertiser.

A record number of firearms were registered in Hawaii last year, prolonging a run of steady increases since 2000, the state attorney general’s office said in a report released Thursday. A total of 60,757 firearms were registered in 2013, marking a 21 percent increase from the 2012 record of 50,394, the report states. Associated Press.

Jason Bryant says there are two major factors driving an increase in Hawaii’s firearm registration: Individuals who move to Hawaii and bring their firearms with them, and the general populous that is increasingly interested in personal defense measures in this rocky economic climate. Garden Island.

Longtime state lawmaker Romy Cachola is facing a new investigation into claims that he abused his taxpayer funded car allowances. Hawaii News Now.

Djou

Frustration over the obstacles faced by survivors of soldiers killed in Afghanistan seeking benefits during last year's federal government shutdown helped persuade former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou to enter the Republican primary for the seat he once held. Star-Advertiser.

As was widely expected, Charles Djou is once again running for Congress. Civil Beat.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel wrapped up the ASEAN defense ministers gathering Thursday, saying the group held "an extremely valuable meeting here in Hawaii." Star-Advertiser.

Six state health exchange directors, including the head of Hawaii’s Obamacare exchange, were grilled Thursday by multiple U.S. House committees trying to determine why the websites aren't working properly. Hawaii Reporter.

State roundup for April 4. Associated Press.

Oahu

State agricultural crews have been busy attacking invasive species on Oahu this week, capturing three coqui frogs and taking 1,000 samples from a newly discovered infestation of little fire ants in Waimanalo. Star-Advertiser.

Two crews from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture captured three coqui frogs last night in separate areas of Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

The Honolulu City Council is proposing to reallocate $41 million in the fiscal year 2015 capital budget to fund a range of projects. This would cut into some of Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s top priorities, including his homeless initiative. Civil Beat.

Sweepstakes machines have been the target of numerous raids by Honolulu Police. Now there’s a new push to make the controversial machines illegal. KHON2.

State Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees voted Thursday to commission a master plan that will guide the agency in developing 31 acres in Kakaako makai of Ala Moana Boulevard. Star-Advertiser.

So who's buying in Kakaako? The answer surrounding one of the most burning questions regarding Oahu's so called “Third City,” at least in one condominium, is mostly locals. Pacific Business News.

A new city law bans rainbow shower and monkeypod trees from being planted on city property. The city must plant indigenous or Polynesian plants, brought over to Oahu prior to western contact, at new or renovated facilities whenever “feasible.” Civil Beat.

A bottled water program at UH West Oahu is not gaining much support from state lawmakers. KITV4.

Hawaii

A new $29 million battle course at Pohakuloa Training Area has gone out to bid, and U.S. Army officials expect to award a contract by May 25. West Hawaii Today.

Days after announcing the selection of their first class of four medical residents, organizers of Hilo Medical Center’s Primary Care Residency Program got word that their request for operations funding had been thrown out of the state budget bill. Tribune-Herald.

A major technology overhaul for Hawaii County government will bring in 600 new desktop computers, 100 laptops and network and security upgrades. West Hawaii Today.

Citing a perceived lack of openness of process and failure to adhere to the state’s environmental rules, the Keauhou Canoe Club is taking legal action against the Department of Land and Natural Resources. West Hawaii Today.

A Circuit Court judge has rejected an attempt by opponents of the Thirty Meter Telescope to overturn a construction permit issued by the state. Big Island Now.

Maui

The Maui County Planning Department expects to spend more money in the next fiscal year to accommodate overnight stays on Lanai for planning staff, instead of chartering late-night flights back to Maui. Maui News.

Hundreds of Monsanto employees turned out this morning to demonstrate their support for Monsanto and Hawaiʻi agriculture at rallies on Maui and Molokaʻi. Maui Now.

The county Department of Water Supply has begun issuing Upcountry water meters, a long-awaited announcement for hundreds of property owners who've been on a waiting list for years for water service. Maui News.

Kauai

A large crowd is expected to gather at Poipu Beach Park on Saturday, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., for a community-organized celebration to honor the late Stella Burgess. Garden Island.

Thirty Meter Telescope gets the go-ahead, minimum wage hike advances, Hawaii Obamacare head testifies in Washington, Hagel shows war machines, Honolulu's secret budget, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Thirty Meter Telescope, artist rendering, courtesy photo

Hilo Circuit Court Judge Greg Nakamura ruled in favor of the Thirty Meter Telescope project Wednesday. Nakamura based his decision off four points, including one that found that the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ approval of a conservation district land use permit to the University of Hawaii at Hilo prior to holding a contested case hearing did not warrant reversal of the decision or order. Tribune-Herald.

A bill to protect the state from unlimited liability for accidents on public land is in danger of dying for the second year in a row if a key committee doesn’t take up the legislation this week. The proposal, Senate Bill 1007, has incited a groundswell of support from paragliders, bikers, hikers, rock climbers and others who worry about the potential closure of public trails if the state is left vulnerable to lawsuits. Civil Beat.

A key committee in the state House of Representatives advanced a bill that would increase the minimum wage to about $10 an hour, lower than the $10.10 that was previously called for in the proposal. Associated Press.

Is there still an argument to be made — either in favor of or in opposition to — an increase in Hawaii’s minimum wage that has not already been made? After four hearings on Senate Bill 2609, two floor debates and hundreds of pages of written testimony, it seems that there is nothing new to be said. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Reporter has obtained a copy of the testimony that Tom Matsuda, the Interim Executive Director of the Hawaii Health Connector, will present on April 3 to the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Job Creation and Regulatory Affairs and Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements during a hearing on “Examining ObamaCare’s Problem-Filled State Exchanges.”

Improved science and the vast distance between Hawaii and the magnitude-8.2 earthquake that rocked Chile on Tuesday helped the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to decide not to put the state in tsunami warning status, a move that would have likely triggered a costly evacuation and inconvenienced thousands. Star-Advertiser.

It took nearly four hours between the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's first bulletin to when it sent out a tsunami Advisory Tuesday. The Center's director Chip McCreery said scientists needed the time to evaluate data. Hawaii News Now.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel showed off a state-of-the-art $1.3 billion Navy ship for foreign defense ministers Wednesday and Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft zoomed overhead — not in a demonstration of combat firepower but as a sign of the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief the U.S. military can provide. Star-Advertiser.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: April 3. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Thursday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Things at Kailua District Park's pool haven't been so ducky. A sign posted Wednesday read: "CLOSED due to Duck Feces," and that's been the case since Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

State pest control officials on Thursday were moving to assess and eradicate an infestation of little fire ants in Waimanalo, but not before landing a scolding from a key state lawmaker. Star-Advertiser.

There's a new outbreak of Little Fire Ants in Waimanalo, and the state Agriculture Department is still trying to figure out the extent of the outbreak while some senators are critical of the state's response. Hawaii News Now.

The Caldwell administration is refusing to make public high-level budget documents that the mayor used to set his spending priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. These records show exactly how much money each department head — from the police chief to the managing director — asked for in 2015 along with the justification for those expenses. Civil Beat.

Who sits on the board of the Hawaii Community Development Authority historically has not been a contentious issue. But with the recent flurry of Kakaako condominium towers winning agency approval, the selection process is attracting more attention. Star-Advertiser.

Marilyn Lee has filed papers with the Office of Elections for the District 36 seat in the Hawaii House of Representatives.  Lee, a Democrat, served as the representative for Mililani, Mililani Mauka and Waipio Acres for 16 years. Civil Beat.

Renovation work on a new track field at Radford High School has been halted after debris and soil samples tested positive for contaminants including lead and arsenic, the state Department of Education announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

It’s Mayor Billy Kenoi’s biggest budget yet, and a full $18.4 million in a budget increasing by $18.3 million is going for employee raises and added benefits. Kenoi, presenting his budget Wednesday to the County Council Finance Committee, said the $412.6 million spending plan, 4.6 percent higher than last year, was accomplished without raising property taxes or user fees. West Hawaii Today.

After years of planning, an effort to build a network of mixed-use trails in Hilo will soon take its first steps along the winding path to completion. The Hilo Bayfront Trails project, spearheaded by a group of citizens working in partnership with the county and state, seeks to construct a multiuse trail system from the Wailuku River at Reed’s Island to Hilo Harbor’s cruise ship terminal, totaling about 6 miles, located on 700 acres of public land. Tribune-Herald.

The same Hawaii Island company known for its grass-fed hamburgers now wants to sell the electricity used to cook them. Parker Ranch Inc. CEO Neil “Dutch” Kuyper announced Wednesday the launch of Paniolo Power Company LLC, aimed at using renewable resources in Waimea to generate power. Tribune-Herald.

Parker Ranch on the Big Island, one of the oldest and largest ranches in the United States, has formed a new subsidiary called Paniolo Power Co. LLC to oversee its energy efforts. Pacific Business News.

University of Hawaii at Hilo officials say they are encouraged that this could be the year funding is secured for a permanent home for the university’s pharmacy school. Big Island Now.

The percentage of children in Hawaii receiving free and reduced lunch hit a new high in 2012, at the state level and in Hawaii County. That’s according to the annual Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count report, a national look at issues that affect children. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The county Department of Parks and Recreation is hoping to add several new positions to its staff in the upcoming fiscal year, including park rangers, maintenance workers and administrative staff. Maui News.

The Maui Department of Water Supply today announced it has begun the long-awaited process of issuing water meters in the Upcountry area. Maui Now.

Maui County state senators indicated that major projects were spared the ax in the state Senate's version of the budget approved Monday. Maui News.

Kauai
More than 50 Kauai teachers showed up Tuesday night to Wilcox Elementary School with complaints about a pilot program that evaluates their classroom effectiveness. Garden Island.

A Native Hawaiian charged with commercial vending in a state park says he was only practicing his religious and cultural rights. Garden Island.

Kauai residents have a chance to weigh in on the future of transportation on Kauai tonight. The state Department of Transportation will host a public meeting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the War Memorial Convention Hall in Lihue. Garden Island.

Lanai

Larry Ellison, the billionaire owner of Hawaii's island of Lanai, on Tuesday announced plans for the Lanai Documentary Film Festival, which seeks to "ignite and lead conversations for worldwide change by empowering the individual." Pacific Business News.

The Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaiʻi partnered with the Blue ʻĀina program of Trilogy Excursions this weekend to collect a total of 300 cigarette butts from Hulopoʻe Beach Park on Lānaʻi. Maui Now.

You say Kailua, we say Kailua, Micronesian migrants to get less health care, ACLU sues over religious pre-K, Gabbard named to Armed Services Committee, Maui leads in solar panels, Kauai reforestation advances, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kailua-Kona (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

State lawmakers are considering a resolution this week to urge Facebook to distinguish between the communities of Kailua and Kailua-Kona on the social networking site. Associated Press.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii is suing the state, arguing a child care assistance program that provides preschool tuition subsidies for low-income families violates the state and U.S. constitutions by providing public funds for religious observations and teachings. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii isn’t required to fund Medicaid for migrants from three Pacific Island nations in Micronesia to make up for a reduction in federal funding, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday. - Associated Press.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday issued a ruling that will likely have a dramatic impact on Micronesians living in Hawaii. The appellate court determined that the state is not required to fund Medicaid for migrants from island nations in Micronesia including the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia. Civil Beat.

A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled Tuesday that the state can resume offering fewer health care benefits to Micronesian migrants than those given other Medicaid recipients. The decision vacates a 2010 preliminary injunction handed down by U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright that prohibited the state from denying migrants full Medicaid benefits. Star-Advertiser.

A law that aimed to equalize instructional time across Hawaii's regular public schools was implemented a few years ago and is gradually being phased in, but now lawmakers are revisiting questions about how much time the state should require public school students to spend in the classroom. Civil Beat.

A bill aimed at reducing the interisland spread of invasive species was deferred in a state House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection Tuesday. Tribune-Herald.

It's looking less likely that teenagers in Hawaii will be allowed to hit the tanning salons before going to the beach. A key Senate committee in the Hawaii Legislature approved a bill Tuesday that bans minors from using tanning beds. Associated Press.

Hawaii was the first to commit to rollout of an insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act, but the last to get up and running. On Tuesday, Governor Neil Abercrombie told Hawaii News Now that execution was fundamentally flawed by a Legislature decision to set up a nonprofit.

The Pentagon is overhauling its efforts to find and identify missing service members from past wars, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Monday. Civil Beat.

Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief are providing common ground for Southeast Asian defense ministers meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in Honolulu. Hagel, who arrived Tuesday afternoon at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, will be in Hawaii for three days as the U.S. for the first time hosts a meeting of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) defense ministers. Star-Advertiser.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii has been named to the Armed Services Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Associated Press.

Hawaii scientists and emergency personnel kept watch on a tsunami generated by a magnitude-8.2 earthquake off Chile on Tuesday, the anniversary of the 1946 tsunami that devastated Hilo. Star-Advertiser.

When the Board of Directors of the Hawaii State Bar Association recently rated Judge Michael Wilson as “unqualified” to serve as a member of the Hawaii Supreme Court, based on its confidential review, it placed bar association representatives, legislators and the nominee in very awkward positions. They all had to deal with the allegations, however veiled, but had little real data to work with because the substance and sources of many charges remained behind a curtain of confidentiality. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie made it official Tuesday: Jan. 23 will be known as Saint Marianne Cope Day in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Biotech, which is focused on the research and development of vaccines for established and emerging infectious diseases, thinks that the next major outbreak of the West Nile Virus could happen next year, and when and if that happens, the Aiea-based firm will be positioned to help put out this deadly virus, its CEO, Dr. Elliot Parks, told Pacific Business News.

President Barack Obama has inserted himself into Hawaii’s most contentious political race, endorsing U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz over challenger U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in the state’s upcoming U.S. Senate election. Hawaii Reporter.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: April 2. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Wednesday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Low-income apartments with ocean views don't get built every day in Hono­lulu. Nearly 200, however, are just about finished in Kaka­ako and are getting ready for occupancy after 15 months of construction. Star-Advertiser.

A key House committee approved a bill on Tuesday evening that would allow the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to build condos on part of its land in the area known as Kakaako Makai.  OHA is already allowed to build commercial buildings in the property, but says that residential development would allow the agency to maximize its revenue for the land. Civil Beat.

A local hospitality and healthcare union has enlisted two Honolulu City Council members in its ongoing fight with Kaiser Permanente over pension benefits. Unite Here Local 5 has spent tens of thousands of dollars on three 15-second TV ads featuring Stanley Chang and Joey Manahan. They are airing on KFVE, KGMB, KHNL and KITV during the morning and evening news hours. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

More salary bumps are on the horizon for county staff. Two of Mayor Billy Kenoi’s top aides will see double-digit percentage increases and others will get slightly less under the 2014-15 budget he is scheduled to present today to the County Council Finance Committee. West Hawaii Today.

A small grass lot has stirred up a big controversy for Hawi residents, who are divided on whether the county should purchase it for open space or allow its owners to build an art gallery. West Hawaii Today.

The Democratic Party on the Big Island is in the process of refining the procedures for replacing midterm vanacies in the State House and State Senate.  This follows some controversy about the selection of the replacement for State House Rep Denny Coffman when he resigned. Hawaii Public Radio.

A bill seeking to help Hawaii County combat little fire ants in its parks will face its last committee today. SB 2920 would grant the county an unspecified amount of funding as part of a pilot project for fire ant containment. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

In the last couple of years, Maui County has installed more solar rooftop photovoltaic systems per capita than nearly anywhere else in the nation, and now industry professionals are looking to Hawaii as a pioneer in solving some of the challenges with integrating more renewable energy. Maui News.

Nearly 40 Maui Lani residents have signed a petition opposing the state's 65-acre Central Maui Regional Park, also known as the Central Maui Sports Complex, saying that the facility will negatively affect their neighborhood with noise from sporting activities and nighttime lighting. Maui News.

Student volunteers from two mainland universities spent their spring break on Maui, assisting in the construction of Habitat for Humanity’s Kahawai Street affordable housing project in Happy Valley. Maui Now.

Kauai

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is finalizing plans for a major reforestation on 1,000 acres of forest reserve land in and around Kokee. Garden Island.

Hawaii native Ernest Kanekoa, Jr. filed his nomination papers Tuesday to run for Kauai County Council. Garden Island.

Hawaii Obamacare connector falls short, top education official praises Oahu schools, Senate trims Abercrombie's spending plan, bill curbing Sunshine Law advances, Kauai protecting its roosters, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Health Connector screen capture

As of Monday, the deadline for signing up for Obamacare coverage, fewer than 8,000 Hawaii residents had successfully enrolled, among the lowest in the nation. For the past six months Hawaii's health insurance exchange, the state's version of President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, has been battling one problem after another in its attempt to connect the estimated 100,000 uninsured in the state with health coverage. Star-Advertiser.

On Monday, about 7,000 people were enrolled in health insurance plans, up from about 5,700 a week ago, said Eric Alborg, deputy executive director of the Hawaii Health Connector. That’s well below the target of 9,000 enrollees set by the federal government in September, which set state-by-state goals to keep the nation on track to enroll 7 million people. Lawmakers have said the Connector’s goal was to sign up about 100,000 people, the approximate number of uninsured people in Hawaii. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Senate on Monday passed a $12 billion state budget for the 2015 fiscal year, envisioning less spending than what Gov. Neil Abercrombie originally proposed. Associated Press

The Hawaii Senate Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed a bill on March 28th, that would criminalize the commercial sale of ivory in the state, with certain exemptions. Civil Beat.

What if county council members could meet wherever they wish, discuss official business and not let the public know in advance? That’s the type of situation that critics are concerned will arise if state lawmakers carve out the loophole in the Sunshine Law that Maui County Council Chair Gladys Baisa and some of her colleagues want. Civil Beat.

The state's tax collectors are putting together a list of condo and residential owners who rent their units for fewer than 180 days at a time. They want to make sure those owners pay the transient accommodations tax, also known as the TAT. Hawaii News Now.

The meeting was a lot like church except that no one passed the plate. But it was not a church meeting, nor was it held in a church. It was a "pastors luncheon" held in Room 423 of the Hawaii state Capitol. Civil Beat.

A resolution asking the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to adopt stricter rules governing manta ray diving operations moved ahead Monday. West Hawaii Today.
President Barack Obama and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Monday backed U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz in endorsements that could help influence undecided voters in Schatz's Demo­cratic primary campaign against U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama on Monday threw his support to Sen. Brian Schatz over Colleen Hanabusa in Hawaii’s Senate race, stepping into a primary that has been divisive for voters in the state where Obama was born. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Independent Party has announced that its state executive committee has met to organize the new political party. They voted unanimously to appoint Michelle Del Rosario as party chair. Garden Island.

An interisland service expansion by Island Air is expected to take flight at the end of the year on the wings of two new planes the carrier said it ordered Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Go! Airlines, which stormed the Hawaii market eight years ago with rock-bottom airfares, quietly exited the state Monday night after completing its final interisland flight. Star-Advertiser.

“That’s another bullshit argument,” former US Energy Secretary Steven Chu told Forbes magazine, in response to HECO’s argument that solar installations threaten grid stability. Hawaii Independent.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: April 1. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Tuesday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

State roundup for April 1. Associated Press.

Oahu

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was on Oahu on Sunday and Monday to visit public schools and recognize Hawaii's progress with Race to the Top reforms. The state Department of Education won a four-year, $75 million grant in 2010 after pledging sweeping education reforms, including plans to turn around its lowest-performing schools, boost student achievement and improve teacher and principal effectiveness. Star-Advertiser.

The nation’s top education official is vowing to look into concerns about assessments for students attending Hawaiian-language immersion schools and how Native Hawaiian-focused charter schools are funded. Noting that there was a time when the Hawaiian language was outlawed, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said he’s glad to see schools contributing to its revitalization. Associated Press.

The U-S Education Secretary had a stopover in Hawai’i this weekend and visited O’ahu schools today before returning to Washington D.C. Hawaii Public Radio.

U.S. Education Secretary calls Hawaii’s progress ‘amazing’ KHON2.

Big changes are coming to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, the embattled Hawaii-based military organization that searches for, recovers and identifies missing American war dead around the globe. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Monday that he is overhauling JPAC and other Pentagon accounting units following scathing criticism of the effort as dysfunctional, duplicative and inefficient. Star-Advertiser.

Ala Moana Center recently completed one of Hawaii’s largest rooftop solar energy projects, which includes more than 4,730 panels covering 85,000-square-feet of previously unused roof space, the state's largest shopping mall said Monday. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority has scheduled two public hearings on a proposed development permit to build a mix of condominiums and rental apartments in two midrise buildings on a half-block bounded by Auahi and Pohu­kaina streets, One Waterfront Towers and Keawe Street. The hearings, which will be conducted in a contested-case format, are slated for noon April 30 and June 10 at 461 Cooke St. in HCDA's conference room. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

It’s more important to get it right than get it done cheaply, County Council members said Monday as they considered an audit that showed the 2012 election cycle cost less than elections in 2008 and 2010. West Hawaii Today.

The Federal Aviation Administration has signed off on the state’s plans to revamp Kona International Airport, at least where the National Environmental Policy Act regulations are concerned. West Hawaii Today.

It’s not the final frontier, but it might still feel that way for six volunteers living in a dome for the next four months on Mauna Loa. Tribune-Herald.

The first class of resident physicians has been selected for a program in Hilo designed to add to the Big Island’s dwindling number of doctors. Big Island Now.

Maui

Maui County supporters of a ballot initiative to force growers of genetically engineered food to prove their crops' safety made their "last push" Sunday afternoon before they have to submit 8,500 signatures to the county clerk's office next week. Maui News.

An estimated 1,000 to 2,000 people participated in an anti-GMO march and rally held on Sunday as a deadline nears to obtain signatures for a petition calling for the suspension of genetically engineered operations and practices in Maui County. Maui Now.

Kauai

Miffed that some tourists have expressed frustration with the seemingly endless number of roosters on Kauai, a grassroots group Monday petitioned the U.S. government to place the colorful birds on its endangered species list. Garden Island.

Obama endorses Schatz, Hagel to attend Asian conference in Honolulu, Maui pushes anti-GMO ballot amendment, state cedes Mauna Kea park management to Hawaii County, Kauai council worried about big budget, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Brian Schatz and Colleen Hanabusa

President Barack Obama is endorsing Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz in his primary race against Hawaii Rep. Colleen Hanabusa. In a news release, the Schatz campaign said Obama is endorsing Schatz because of his work to protect Social Security and promote clean energy. Associated Press.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz wants to make Social Security a defining issue in the Democratic primary against U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, a tactic Hanabusa contends unnecessarily alarms seniors. Star-Advertiser.

Monday marks the end of the latest campaign finance reporting period for candidates running for federal office. That means that in about two weeks, at midnight April 15, those finance reports will need to be filed with the federal government and the public will be able to get another look at the source of all the money that’s fueling some very hot races this election year. Civil Beat.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will be in Hawaii this week as the United States hosts a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for the first time. Pacific Business News.

Police in Hawaii would no longer be legally permitted to have sex with prostitutes under a bill passed Friday by a state legislative panel that would end the unusual exemption in state law. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a larger bill that cracks down on prostitution after amending it to nix the exemption involving police conduct. Associated Press.

Just under a week before Hawaii Health Connector interim Executive Director Tom Matsuda will testify before a Congressional sub committee in Washington, D.C. about Hawaii’s troubled Obamacare system, a state senator has filed a complaint with the Government Accountability Office, asking for an investigation into the Connector’s spending of a $204 million federal grant. Hawaii Reporter.

A Maui coffee farmer said controlling invasive species such as the notorious coqui frog and fire ant is a Big Island problem. Becker is a supporter of state Senate Bill 2347, which soon will be taken up by the House Finance Committee. The legislation, written as an attempt to control the interisland spread of invasive species to the local agriculture industry, was amended last Friday. Parts of the bill would prohibit the transportation of the pests and establishes penalties for violations, including language that would require any commercial entity that transports the invasive species to pay a fine equal to the value of the infested shipment. Tribune-Herald.

Island geography, a politically balanced commission and dominance in all politics by Democrats means redistricting and reapportionment issues are different in Hawaii than in other U.S. states. Associated Press.

Lawmakers in Hawaii have been pushing and prodding hundreds of bills through the Legislature, and this week is no exception, as the Legislature enters the final month of the session. Here are five things ahead at the Hawaii Legislature this week. Associated Press.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: March 31. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Donors linked to contractors, developers and landowners involved with the increasingly controversial rebuilding of Kakaako have contributed more than $680,000 since 2009 to Gov. Neil Abercrombie's two gubernatorial campaigns, according to a Honolulu Star-Advertiser analysis of state data.

The surge of new construction projects in Kakaako over the past year made the development in the urban district a highly debated issue in the Hawaii Legislature this year. But with just a month left in the 2014 session, it’s still unclear what kinds of changes the Legislature will impose on the state agency that manages development in the neighborhood and whether or not lawmakers will allow new condos on the area known as Kakaako Makai. Civil Beat.

It is a lawsuit that draws attention to the intersection of Hawaii's political and real estate worlds. The plaintiff is Close Construction Inc., a contractor hired last year by the Hawaii Community Development Authority to renovate the historic but long-vacant American Brewery building in Kakaako. The defendant is HCDA. Star-Advertiser.

A high-level squabble between an Oahu regional transportation planning organization and the state Department of Transportation is jeopardizing millions of federal highway dollars at a time when Honolulu’s traffic congestion is as bad as it’s ever been and about to get a lot worse. The Hawaii DOT is refusing to pass some $2 million on to the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization as required by federal law. That’s forced OMPO, as it’s known, to operate on reserve funds since October and prevented it from finishing transportation projects tied to 2014 appropriations. Civil Beat.

If you have driven down Waialae Avenue in Kaimuki at night lately — or over the last year and a half — you may have felt some unexpected things: Confusion about which lane you should be in; disorientation amid the maze of orange cones that are supposed to guide you; surprise at the illuminated construction dust clouds; or fear, as you realize that the headlights of cars coming from the other direction are pointed directly at you. Civil Beat.

Efforts by two Korean community groups to set up a cultural monument park on a small patch of green in one of Hono­lulu's busiest neighborhoods have been stymied in recent years by the presence of homeless encampments. The community groups and the roughly 20 people camped in and around Pawaa In-Ha Park say they've had a relatively peaceful coexistence. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co.'s recently deactivated Downtown Honolulu power plant, which occupies a prime piece of real estate near Honolulu Harbor, won't be demolished to make way for commercial uses such as a restaurant or bar — at least for the time being, a HECO official recently said. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

A portion of the Mauna Kea State Recreation Area is expected to be put in Hawaii County’s hands after the state Board of Land and Natural Resources authorized the signing of a management agreement Friday. Under the agreement, which the state Department of Land and Natural Resources plans to sign, the county will be responsible for maintaining and improving the developed park area. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaiian Telcom Inc. plans to install rooftop solar on 24 of its buildings around the Big Island as part of a larger, 7.5-megawatt effort to cut its energy costs across the state. Tribune-Herald.

Debbi Sale lives under a makeshift shelter of tarps in Kona. She and her husband Vance cook on a one-burner stove and use public restrooms across the street. They live on Vance’s Social Security check and improvise the rest. So the Sales were grateful for a couple of hot meals and the chance to get vision screening and new glasses at the Old Kona Airport events pavilion on Saturday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County supporters of a ballot initiative to force growers of genetically engineered food to prove their crops' safety made their "last push" Sunday afternoon before they have to submit 8,500 signatures to the county clerk's office next week. Maui News.

Maui County's Service Center may soon get a new home at Kehalani Village Center in Wailuku or in the Maui Business Park II in Kahului. Maui News.

The North Shore Greenway, a pedestrian and bike path from Kahului to Paia, is on its way to being completed after more than 20 years of planning, with the project's final phase under review for government permits. Maui News.

Kauai

A decision on whether to impose penalties against the head of the Public Utilities Commission and her husband for allegedly operating illegal vacation rentals on Kauai won't be made for at least another 45 days. The state Land Board on Friday deferred action on recommendations to impose penalties against PUC Chairwoman Hermina "Mina" Morita and her husband, Lance Laney. Star-Advertiser.

Some council members have major concerns with the mayor’s proposed fiscal year 2015 county budget. They see the $180 million finance plan as a trend in the wrong direction. Garden Island.

Some health care providers know their finances need to be put in order. How they get there is still up in the air. In the meantime, several providers on Kauai are left asking the Legislature for emergency funds to support their operations, although a recent state proposal is asking the hospitals to cut costs themselves. Garden Island.

Senate panel trims state budget, anti-GMO rally set on Maui, Morita keeps PUC post, Catholic schools ban gay teachers, Kauai drops well plan, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Sen. David Ige describes budget (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

The state Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday released a new draft of the state budget, scaling back the growth in spending to reflect the dramatic decline in revenue that was projected earlier this month. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers in a key state Senate committee advanced their version of the state’s $12.1 billion budget Thursday, making tough choices for 2015 spending after the state’s revenue projections were less than expected. The Senate Ways and Means Committee reduced expenses for this year and next year’s budgets by about $192 million, said Sen. David Ige, the committee chairman. Associated Press.

Senators snipped millions of dollars off the state budget Thursday in light of a lower revenue forecast, but not before restoring funding for preschool, environment and public safety initiatives that the House had cut in the draft it passed earlier this month. The savings would help Hawaii retain a positive ending balance for the next few years, but financial projections show the state would still enter deficit-spending mode by 2017. Civil Beat.

State Budget Heads to Joint Senate-House Conference Committee. Hawaii Public Radio.

On the very day when the Senate Ways and Means committee approved a draft of Hawaii's budget, the state's leading finance officials led a panel discussion on how it was all done. The budget dealing with both this fiscal year and next is about $200 million less than Gov. Neil Abercrombie requested. Civil Beat.

Hawaii lawmakers are expected to advance a bill that will end the state's unusual provision allowing police to have sex with prostitutes. The measure (HB 1926) under consideration Friday originally included a line that would have banned police from having sex with prostitutes. Hawaii News Now.

A Hawaii Senate panel approved Richard Ha’s nomination to the Board of Agriculture on Thursday despite resistance from opponents of genetically modified farming. The farmer from the Big Island has already served on the state board for four years, but his re-appointment made headlines earlier this month when a freshman senator from the same island launched an online campaign urging people to call on other senators to oppose Ha. Civil Beat.

State Sen. Russell Ruderman hasn’t changed his opposition to genetically modified agriculture but he has changed his view of Richard Ha. Ruderman earlier this month sent an email urging recipients who share his “revulsion” over Ha’s renomination to the state Board of Agriculture to tell lawmakers to vote against it. Tribune-Herald.

Hermina Morita, the chairwoman of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission, whose term ends on June 30, will be kept on a “holdover” basis beyond when her term ends, Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Thursday. Pacific Business News.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources will decide today how to handle allegations that Hermina Morita and her husband ran an illegal bed and breakfast in Hanalei for more than a decade. But the controversy didn’t prevent Gov. Neil Abercrombie from voicing support for the chair of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission and former state representative. Garden Island.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie issued a statement today regarding the tenure of Public Utilities Commission Chairwoman Hermina Morita: We are at a very critical juncture in developing our clean energy future and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) needs stability to continue to address many of the important regulatory issues before it. Therefore, I intend to keep Mina Morita as Chair of the PUC, on a holdover basis beyond June 30, 2014 when her term ends. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Catholic schools office, which supervises three dozen Roman Catholic private schools in the state, has just approved a new contract that says teachers can be fired if they engage in homosexual activity or marry someone of the same sex. The contract goes on to list a wide array of actions and behaviors that would justify termination. Civil Beat.

The one person who could have changed safety protocols at the Hawaii State Hospital to better protect workers from assaults by patients says she was not fully aware of how often the attacks occurred. Lynn Fallin is a top administrator at the Hawaii Department of Health, and she’s supposed to be notified when a State Hospital worker is the victim of a serious assault by a patient. Civil Beat.

State tourism officials expected a downturn in visitors this year just not to this extent. Hawaii tourism continued moderating in February with total year-over-year arrivals dropping 4.3 percent and total visitor spending coming in flat against 2013. The 646,759 visitors who came to the islands in February spent $1.2 billion, a 0.6 percent drop from February 2013, according to statistics released Thursday by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Star-Advertiser.

Simeon Acoba Jr. is the latest victim of a Hawaii law that forces judges to retire at age 70, but he's actually OK with that. "That is what the law is, and that's something I basically accept," said Acoba, who until Feb. 28 had been an associate justice on the Hawaii Supreme Court. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Hawaii officials are launching a pilot project in this year’s election to give some polling-place workers shorter shifts instead of the 14-hour days they’ve worked in the past. The state will allow split shifts at 108 of Oahu’s largest polling places. The split shift will not be done at the 34 smaller precincts on Oahu or at any of the 90 polling sites on neighbor islands.Associated Press.

The recovery in Hawaii's construction industry will pick up speed this year thanks to a flurry of residential and commercial activity focused mostly on Oahu, according to a report released Friday by a group of University of Hawaii economists. Star-Advertiser.

The ambitious plan to redevelop the 15-acre Kam Drive-In site in Aiea could also help spawn hundreds of low-income housing units near the Pearlridge Transit Station and other hubs along the city's upcoming $5.26 billion rail line. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Acknowledging that the planning for a Kona Judiciary Complex has been going on for years, the state Senate Ways and Means Committee restored the Judiciary’s funding request to the full $81 million. Between that funding and last year’s $9 million, that would bring the total amount appropriated to $90 million, the amount Judiciary officials say is enough to build the courthouse. West Hawaii Today.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is proposing a master plan for Kiholo State Park Reserve that would leave it largely in its natural state. The plan allows for new campsites and an improved access area off Queen Kaahumanu Highway at the 4,359-acre reserve in North Kona. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A march and rally in support of a moratorium on genetically modified organism crops will be held Sunday in Wailuku and Kahului, according to an announcement. Maui News.

Police officers throughout Maui County will be citing drivers using cellphones and other hand-held mobile electronic devices, as part of stepped-up enforcement for Distracted Driver Awareness Month in April. Maui News.

The Maui Police Department will be aggressively enforcing distracted driving violations as part of the national “U drive. U text. U pay.” campaign, which runs from April 10 to 15, 2014, department officials announced. Maui Now.

After more than two years of overall growth, Maui County's February visitor statistics changes suggest that while fewer tourists were coming to the tri-isles, those who did come were trying to get as much value as possible from their dollars. Maui News.

Maui hotels saw the greatest increase in hotel rates, with the average daily rate soaring 8.7 percent to $330.19, the highest in the state. Occupancy at Maui hotels rose 2.3 percentage points to 85.1 percent, according to the weekly report by Hospitality Advisors LLC and STR Inc. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

A larger-than-usual crowd of about 50 people attended the gathering at Duke’s Canoe Club to hear the latest plans for the $17.5 million Hawaii Dairy Farms project. Concerns were many, including risks to the environment and economy, the location of the farm, and an onslaught of flies, smell and pollution on the South Shore. Garden Island.

The Kauai Board of Water Supply voted Thursday to suspend the Department of Water’s controversial Kahili Horizontal Directional Drilled Well Project. Garden Island.

Kauai is the fastest-growing county in Hawaii, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.bThe island's population rose 1.6 percent to 69,512 from 68,395 residents between July 1, 2012, and July 2013, according to the agency. Star-Advertiser.

Obama Hawaii vacation costs add up, ukulele designation controversial, the bridges of Waikiki, Health Connector seeks PR, tax hikes for Maui, $26.5M Hamakua mansion sold, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Obama leaves Hawaii, January 2014 courtesy photo

It cost taxpayers $7.78 million in flight expenses alone for President Barack Obama's Christmas vacation to Honolulu in December and January, according to Judicial Watch, the conservative, nonpartisan foundation. Star-Advertiser.

Judicial Watch announced today that it obtained flight expense records from the U.S. Department of the Air Force revealing that President Obama incurred $15,885,585.30 in flight expenses alone for the Obama family June to July, 2013 trip to Africa and their 2013-2014 Christmas vacation to Honolulu.

The Hawaii Health Connector has issued two requests for proposals seeking contractors to perform marketing services and public relations for the state-run online health insurance exchange. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii lawmakers are considering supporting the state’s troubled health insurance exchange with up to $15 million per year. It’s not clear whether the money would come entirely from a proposed sustainability fee on insurers or general fund appropriations. The fee would hit insurers that aren’t participating in the exchange. Associated Press.

Officially designating the ukulele Hawai’i’s State Instrument is proving to be far more difficult at the State Capitol than many lawmakers ever anticipated. Hawaii Public Radio.

Will Senate Investigators Be Able to Fix the Hawaii State Hospital This Time? Civil Beat.

Hawaii's traditional unemployment rate is low, at 4.6 percent, but newly released federal data shows that more people in the islands are underemployed than are jobless. Civil Beat.

The Blood Bank of Hawaii is relaxing its eligibility guidelines and adopting a friendlier questionnaire on Tuesday, some of the broadest changes by the state's only blood center in more than a decade, to enlarge its donor pool and attract younger donors. Star-Advertiser.

For the first time, the state will allow a limited number of polling place workers to work shorter shifts this election year instead of the 14-hour days they've had to endure in past elections. The state pays election workers $85 for a more than 14-hour shift at polling places from 5:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. or later. Hawaii News Now.

To understand political campaigns you need to answer two questions: how are the candidates doing and why this is the case. Campaign coverage in Hawaii never gives decent answers to these questions. Civil Beat.

There are still some Hawaii state senators who want to see a change in leadership, though it’s unlikely to happen during the current session and maybe not until the fall elections. Civil Beat.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: March 27. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Thursday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Waikiki would get six bridges reserved for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, including four across the Ala Wai Canal, if the city adopts a regional traffic plan designed to make the area more multi-modal. A public meeting will be held Thursday to discuss the bridges and other traffic improvements outlined in the Waikiki Regional Circulator Plan, which aims to reduce growing conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians and bikers. Star-Advertiser.

The budget battles of 2013 may continue into the mayor’s second year in office. Honolulu City Council leaders are already taking a scalpel to Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s proposed budget for the 2015 fiscal year. Council members proposed reducing funding this week for some of the mayor’s top initiatives, including his Housing First program, his energy efficient lighting plan, and even his trumpeted road repaving program. Civil Beat.

Getting a permit to build a condominium tower in Kakaako was never a cakewalk, but the process is now shifting to a more rigorous, quasi-judicial and potentially adversarial format. The state agency regulating development in Kakaako recently adjusted its public hearing process and now is inviting anyone with an interest in future proposed development projects to seek a more active role in the decision-making that includes using expert witnesses and cross-examining developer representatives. Star-Advertiser.

About 1,300 Navy and Marine Corps families in privatized housing on Oahu who got a whopping 123 percent increase in their electric bills starting in October will get their rates dialed back to a 56 percent increase beginning Tuesday and continuing until the end of the fiscal year Sept. 30, the Navy announced. Star-Advertiser.

Scientists expect more endangered Hawaiian geese to migrate to Oahu now that a pair has not only settled near Kahuku, but is raising three goslings. The family of nene is believed to be the first of the rare species on Oahu since the 1700s. Star-Advertiser.

A federal biologist said Wednesday a pair of endangered Hawaiian geese that hatched goslings and settled on Oahu’s north shore were likely on their way back to Kauai from the Big Island when they stopped in Kahuku. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Some Hawaii residents and groups are abusing the state’s environmental rules, Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Wednesday. Abercrombie’s comments came in the context of a conversation that began with the National Park Service’s request to designate the Keauhou aquifer a water management area. West Hawaii Today.



A bill making its way through the Legislature would give a cash infusion to Big Island foster families who haven’t seen a funding increase in more than two decades. West Hawaii Today.

Mansion on Hamakua Coast sold for undisclosed amount. Seventeen miles north of Hilo on Hawaii island, a developer has made a big bet at making the Hamakua Coast more known for ultra-luxury homes than farms by building a helipad-capped mansion next to an oceanfront waterfall and listing the property for sale at $26.5 million. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Electric Light Co. is giving Country Club-Hawaii a little more time to pay down the $212,385 it owes the utility. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Maui County residents could see hikes in real property taxes, water bills and trash collection fees as proposed in Mayor Alan Arakawa's $622.6 million county budget for 2014-15. Maui News.

Maui County Council members continued to grapple with a measure Tuesday to set aside $50,000 to hire outside legal counsel to represent the county in a lawsuit filed by MAUIWatch Facebook page founder Neldon Mamuad. Maui News.

Mayor Alan Arakawa is proposing $115.8 million of county funds for various capital improvement projects in his fiscal 2015 budget proposal. Maui News.

The Maui County Council's Budget and Finance Committee will hold evening meetings throughout Maui County in April to receive community input on the county's 2014-15 budget. Maui News.