Feds will have no egrets, Hawaii Supreme Court reinstates Kauai trail protection, unemployment tax break for businesses, Big Island raises tobacco age, geothermal hazards at issue, firefighters get 18% pay hike, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Egrets in Hilo (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

The Federal Government may soon declare open season on birds you see just about everywhere…cattle egrets. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has published proposed rules that would allow state and federal agencies to euthanize egrets and also barn owls. Hawaii News Now.

For the first time in five years, Hawaii businesses will see their unemployment tax bill go down thanks to progress made in replenishing the trust fund used to pay jobless benefits.The average annual payment per employee will drop to an estimated $591 next year from $887 in 2013, a decline of nearly 35 percent, officials from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

A state judge ruled Thursday that the private citizens who are suing five Oahu churches for underpaying for the use of public school facilities did not provide enough detail to support their fraud claim. Because of that, Circuit Judge Virginia Crandall ordered the dismissal of the complaint filed by Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of Church and State founder Mitch Kahle and his wife, public advocate Holly Huber. Crandall did, however, say Kahle and Huber can refile an amended lawsuit. Star-Advertiser.

President Obama and his family will be in Hawaii for their annual holiday vacation. The first family will be staying in their usual private location in Kailua away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but the buzz is already in the air. KITV4.

Obama's Hawaii Vacation Home And The Luxury Rentals Of Kailua. Huffington Post.

A University of Hawaii press release is describing Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s most recent budget proposal as “an early Christmas gift” for students who are in the thick of end-of-semester exams. The $24 billion supplemental executive spending plan, unveiled earlier this week, “gives them hope for their future and the future of their university,” the press release says.  The plan honors the $14 million university regents requested in their own proposal to restore UH faculty salaries to pre-recession levels and another $19.5 million for the 3 percent faculty raises that were negotiated for the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years. Civil Beat.

David Lassner has spent much of his University of Hawaii career in the virtual world: Information technology, his specialty, is like that. He believes IT can continue to expand the reach of the state's largest educational institution and wants to go back to it, once his temporary position in the top UH office comes to a close. Star-Advertiser.

A state lawmaker suing the state for legalizing same-sex marriages says a controversial sex education program being taught in some public schools is inappropriate because it promotes a "homosexual lifestyle as a positive or 'pono' choice." Huffington Post.

Hawaii entered 2013 as a changed state — a state in mourning — and now we leave it, still changing — but with celebration in the air. The state has just completed its first year in a half-century without the leadership of the late-Sen. Daniel K. Inouye. And, after more than two decades of debate, gay marriage finally became legal in early December. A look back over the last year makes clear that there were plenty of other important issues in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Oahu

City firefighters will see their base pay rise by about 18 percent through the next three years under a wage package that will cost taxpayers an estimated $88 million more under a binding award issued by a state arbitrator last month. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu transit officials on Thursday touted their plan to debut the island's elevated rail system with four-car trains instead of two-car models, telling the board overseeing the project that the change would save millions of dollars and provide better customer service. Star-Advertiser.

Today is the last day to buy permits to set off firecrackers on Oahu on New Year's Eve. The permits, which will be available until 4:30 p.m. at satellite city halls around the island, are required to buy firecrackers from licensed retailers. Star-Advertiser.

Scientists have found evidence that strong earthquakes in the Aleutian Islands could send an extreme tsunami that could bring huge waves through Waikiki and cripple Oahu's main electrical power plant. The study from the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology at the University of Hawaii and the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai stemmed from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan and caused damage in Hawaii. Hawaii News Now.

Two laws banning smoking at city parks and bus stops take effect Jan. 1, and city officials began installing signs on Wednesday as a heads up. Mayor Kirk Caldwell, flanked by several City Council members and community groups supporting the new laws, climbed a ladder to post the first no-smoking sign at Thomas Square. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi on Thursday signed a bill raising the tobacco sale age to 21, effective July 1. West Hawaii Today.

A game of bureaucratic pingpong has Mayor Billy Kenoi taking matters into his own hands and asking for an environmental assessment of an old Puna geothermal energy site leased by the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority. West Hawaii Today.

The same day the CEO of the Hu Honua Bioenergy plant in Pepeekeo said developers were forced to “hit the pause button” on construction because of the slow pace of regulatory permit approvals, a subcontractor said it’s owed more than $215,000 for bills allegedly unpaid between January and October. Honolulu attorney Patricia Kehau Wall filed Wednesday in Hilo Circuit Court for a mechanic’s and materialman’s lien on behalf of Wesco Distribution Inc. Tribune-Herald.

The Big Island’s unemployment rate inched down in November while the state’s rate held steady, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial relations. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
Council Member Mike White wants Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration to negotiate a deal to only buy a portion of the 186 acres in Launiupoko that landowners are offering for $13 million. Maui News.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed an age discrimination lawsuit Wednesday against Maui County, claiming a 45-year-old Hawaii resident was denied employment as a police officer because of his age. Maui News.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against the County of Maui, alleging that a qualified candidate was not hired by the Maui Police Department due to his age. County Corporation Counsel Pat Wong issued a comment in response, saying the allegations are “false” and “without merit.” Maui Now.

The unemployment rate for Maui for November was 4.9 percent, which was 0.6 percentage points lower than the same month last year, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said Wednesday. Maui News.

Kauai

The Hawaii Supreme Court reinstated a circuit court lawsuit Thursday seeking to protect a historic trail from a development on Kauai's south shore. Star-Advertiser.

Isolation, limited fleets, taxes and high demand make car rentals a rare commodity during the holidays on Kauai, and it is reflected in the prices and availability. Garden Island.

Molokai

The remains of St. Marianne Cope, who cared for thousands of Hansen's disease patients on Molokai, will return to Hawaii, her religious order announced Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii, VA, near catchment tank solution, polar bear activist to trail Obama, pesticides reportedly sicken Kauai schoolchildren, legislative committees mull budget, EEOC sues Maui County over police, Hawaii County advances $61.5M bond issue, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii veterans with catchment tank (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Veterans in Hawaii may once again qualify for VA home loans on property served by rainwater catchment systems now that the federal and state governments appear close to untying a bureaucratic knot. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs stopped guaranteeing the financing for VA loans on homes with catchment systems in late 2011 because of a state Department of Health policy that did not recognize the water as safe for drinking or food preparation. Star-Advertiser.

A trio of top Hawaii economists presented a relatively rosy state financial forecast to the Legislature’s money committees Wednesday at the Capitol, but with caveats. The state has a record $844 million surplus on its hands but the carryover balances are expected to be smaller over the next few years. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie and the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations will announce on Thursday the unemployment insurance tax rate for 2014. Hawaii News Now.

Republican Rep. Bob McDermott and Sen. Sam Slom are slamming the Hawaii Department of Education and University of Hawaii for what they’re describing as a deliberate effort to stonewall them in their recent attempts to access all materials in the “Pono Choices” sexual education pilot program.Civil Beat.

A state lawmaker suing the state for legalizing same-sex marriages says a controversial sex education program being taught in some public schools is inappropriate because it promotes a "homosexual lifestyle as a positive or ‘pono' choice." Rep. Bob McDermott (R, Ewa-Iroquois Point) said he heard from concerned parents during the state's debate over marriage equality that middle school students were being taught about same-sex relationships and oral and anal sex as part of the curriculum for a pilot sex education program called Pono Choices. Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama is expected to arrive with his family early Saturday for a 17-day holiday vacation at an oceanfront Kailua house with incredible views. This year, it appears Congress will reach a budget deal before the Christmas holiday, raising hopes for a more restful vacation and allowing additional time for bodysurfing, working out at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, shooting hoops and visiting his favorite local hangouts. Star-Advertiser.

An activist in a polar bear costume will be following President Barack Obama around Oahu during his upcoming holiday vacation with the goal of convincing him to reject the Keystone XL pipeline and take action on climate change. Pacific Business News.

Alleged nepotism, broken or unused facilities and key positions unfilled for long periods of time are several of the problems plaguing the Hawaii State Hospital, where employees have complained about suffering serious assaults from patients. Hawaii News Now.

Federal officials are starting a new effort to try to get better health data from Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday it’s launching a new project with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to increase the number of households from those groups in a national health interview survey. Associated Press.

The State Energy Office will provide technical assistance to the Department of Transportation for a recently announced energy efficiency program at state airports that is expected to save $518 million in energy costs over 20 years, the state announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
Opponents of a controversial plan to block off parking across the street from Laniakea Beach on Oahu's North Shore say they'll file suit if the Hawaii Department of Transportation puts up barriers along the road. The plan is the state's first effort to improve traffic in the area despite years of complaints by residents and motorists. Civil Beat.

It's called Kapakahi Stream and there's definitely something out of sorts with the Waipahu stream's water quality. Hawaii News Now.

Former Kamehameha Schools teacher Gabriel Alisna was indicted Wednesday on multiple felony charges involving several students and sexual allegations. KHON2.

Patricia Hamamoto will retire from her post as principal of Saint Louis School at the end of the month, school officials announced Wednesday. Before taking on the post about four years ago, Hamamoto had served more than three decades in Hawaii's public school system -- the last eight years as superintendent of schools. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii plans to retain Michele Carbone as head of its Cancer Center, despite calls for a leadership change by some faculty who say the director's poor management has tarnished the center's reputation and jeopardized its funding. UH is working on a solution that would involve the embattled director keeping his job, while providing him support to help stabilize the center. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Three County Council members must have been feeling the holiday spirit Wednesday, attempting to load another eight projects and $2.4 million onto a $61.5 million bond authorization requested by Mayor Billy Kenoi. A parliamentary move by Kona Councilman Dru Kanuha stopped the projects before they even got a hearing, when he forced the council to vote for the original bill without considering the amendments. West Hawaii Today.

Developers of the Hu Honua Bioenergy plant in Pepeekeo scaled back work at the site as they await regulatory permits and approvals, according to company CEO John Sylvia. Tribune-Herald.

An apparent landlord-tenant dispute between Alahou Clean &Sober and its landlord, Tante Urban, has resulted in Urban taking over the current clients until a new organization steps in. Meanwhile, Alahou Clean &Sober Executive Director Sandra McCoy is working to move a downsized program to another location. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed suit against the Maui County Police Department, alleging that it violated federal law by not hiring a police applicant in 2009, according to a statement released from the commission. Pacific Business News.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Maui County for age discrimination Wednesday, saying it didn't hire a 45-year-old to be a police officer because of his age. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Honolulu alleges Maui County police passed over Lars Sandstrom even though it hired several less qualified candidates as police officers. Associated Press.

Christmas came early to West Maui on Tuesday when the second phase of the Lahaina bypass was blessed and opened, allowing motorists the option of skipping several of Lahaina town's busiest intersections. Maui News.

A project was launched Sunday to renovate the first floor of the University of Hawaii Maui College's Noi'i Building as the Daniel K. Inouye Allied Health Center, according to an announcement. Maui News.

Kauai
A noxious smell reportedly left dozens of students at Elsie H. Wilcox Elementary feeling nauseous around 1 p.m. Wednesday, authorities said. But the incident, which county officials believe was caused by a nearby neighbor spraying pesticides, occurred 15 minutes before the end of the school day, so students didn’t have to miss class time. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council approved a measure Wednesday that Coco Palms Resort developers say will give them enough time to obtain building permits and begin restoring the well-known Wailua hotel. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council has given new life to an expedited permit process enacted by ordinance 20 years ago to speed the repair of structures battered by Hurricane Iniki. The Council's 6-1 vote on Wednesday gives an Oahu investment group, Coco Palms Hui LLC, more time to work with the county on matters such as building permits and restoration plans for the iconic Coco Palms Resort, which has remained shuttered since the Category 4 storm hit the island 21 years ago. Star-Advertiser.

Inouye honored on one-year anniversary of his death, Legislature to mull police oversight, Navy expands danger zone off Kauai, FEMA sends food to Big Island, dispute over who can install solar panels, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Daniel Inouye (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

One year ago, the United States lost one of its most beloved and devoted public servants. Senator Daniel Inouye (D) was many things: a father, a husband, a decorated World War II veteran (and Medal of Honor recipient), the U.S. Senate's second-longest serving member, and the first Japanese-American to serve in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Huffington Post.

On the one-year anniversary of U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye's death, the Dec. 17 print edition of Honolulu Star-Advertiser — the state's newspaper of record — devoted only a few lines of ink. There was far more mention in the same issue of another leader who died on the same day, albeit in 2011: Kim Jong-il. Is Hawaii already over Dan? Civil Beat.

The best way to honor the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye is to build on his legacy of compassion, humility and public service, Gov. Neil Abercrombie and Hawaii's congressional delegation said Tuesday on the first anniversary of his death. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono  joined other federal lawmakers who marked the anniversary of the death of Sen. Daniel Inouye today by introducing a bill to rename a Honolulu defense institute in his honor. The Senate passed it unanimously. Associated Press.

The chair of the Senate Public Safety committee wants to create a statewide police standards board that could play a key role in oversight of law enforcement officers, including weeding out bad behavior.Another lawmaker has said he plans to re-visit a proposal to require police agencies to disclose more information about disciplined officers. The courts also are scheduled to take up the issue of public disclosure of police misconduct. Civil Beat.

Hawaii May Be Key Outpost for Massive Undersea Resource Rush. International teams of mineral prospectors are making Honolulu Harbor a departure point for their expeditions into the area. Civil Beat.

There’s been a new development in a long-running controversy involving sonar and marine life. The Navy is set to ramp up testing and training activities off the coast of Hawaii and Southern California. And that’s sparked some legal opposition. Hawaii Public Radio.

A state licensing board today deferred a decision on the extent to which licensed electricians need to be involved in the installation of solar photovoltaic systems. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for December 18. Associated Press.

Oahu

A study showing 30 to 40 percent of requests for private, nonemergency ambulance service are turned down in West Oahu has prompted a City Council member and the Emergency Services Department to support having a second private provider. Star-Advertiser.

A scathing opinion issued by the Hawaii Supreme Court at the end of last week blasted Honolulu officials for blacklisting two veteran professional stagehands in August 2007 following a run-in with then-Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s older brother, Nephi. Civil Beat.

A Waimanalo charity that helps disabled children may be kicked off of its property. The Manawalea Riding Center's landlord is the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which has been cracking down on lease violations. Hawaii News Now.

There's no agreement on price yet, but more details have emerged about the state's proposal to pay the owner of Turtle Bay Resort to protect part -- but not all -- of the North Shore property from development. Star-Advertiser.

The city has broken ground on a second digester at the Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant that Mayor Kirk Caldwell and other supporters say is necessary to expand the city's sewage capacity and clear the way for more housing on Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Housing allowances for military members will increase 14.7 percent on Oahu come Jan. 1 in one of the biggest jumps across the nation, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

An investigation into employment practices at the Myron B. Thompson Academy took a dramatic turn Monday when the state attorney general seized computers and more than 50 boxes of documents from the public charter school. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
Local families in need this holiday season will get some kokua from what seems an unlikely place — the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA has donated nine pallets of Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs) to help homeless and otherwise disadvantaged Big Islanders. Those pallets arrived Tuesday by Young Brothers barge at the Hilo Harbor. Tribune-Herald.

Concessions by the developer of the luxury Kohala Kai subdivision in response to public concerns weren’t enough reassurance Tuesday for the County Council Finance Committee, which voted unanimously to postpone acceptance of a public shoreline easement to give the developer time to meet once more with the community. West Hawaii Today.

North Hawaii Community Hospital is now part of The Queen’s Health Systems. The Waimea-based nonprofit hospital and The Queen’s Health Systems, corporate parent of The Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu, officially entered into an affiliation agreement following a system board meeting Monday. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Local recycling company Maui EKO Compost agreed Monday to begin discussions with Anaergia Services, the California-based company selected to build a waste conversion facility on Maui, on how a partnership may be forged to allow EKO to continue doing what they've been doing for 18 years - turning organic waste into compost. Maui News.

A dedication ceremony was held this morning for the second phase of the Lahaina Bypass project in West Maui. Maui Now.

In his executive supplemental budget request, Gov. Neil Abercrombie asked Monday for two appropriations totaling $42 million for the Hawaii Health Systems Corp., which runs Neighbor Island public hospitals, including Maui Memorial Medical Center. Maui News.

A proposed sale of the land underneath Maui’s only Kmart store includes an option for a buyer to purchase the building at a “bargain price,” according to the commercial real estate e-newsletter Real Estate Alert. Pacific Business News.

The Advanced Technology Solar Telescope, or ATST, more than a year into construction atop Haleakala, has been renamed the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Hawaii senator's death. Maui News.

Kauai

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved the Navy’s request for an expanded danger zone in the waters fronting the Pacific Missile Range Facility. The decision comes months after the proposal drew fire from local residents during a public comment period ending July 31. Garden Island.

Despite efforts by the public to sway its decision, the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative Board of Directors voted unanimously Tuesday to stand by its ballot language for the upcoming special election related to smart meters. Garden Island.

One key hurdle that Coco Palms Resort developers say is needed to rebuild the iconic Wailua hotel may be cleared by the Kauai County Council today. Garden Island.

Abercrombie proposes budget increase, Obama family arriving Friday, Honolulu audit dings rail transit, NTSB to recover plane in Fuddy crash, Hawaii military gearing up to face China, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Budget Director Kalbert Young and Gov. Neil Abercrombie release budget, courtesy photo

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie has unveiled a $24 billion plan to run the state for the next two years that relies heavily on record surpluses. The supplemental budget request he sent to the Legislature calls for $53.2 million less spending in fiscal year 2014, which starts July 1. But he wants $183.3 million more than the current appropriation for 2015. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie asked the state Legislature on Monday to expand the state's construction budget to $2.6 billion next fiscal year, an aggressive $1.8 billion increase that would improve public infrastructure but also include money to preserve prime agricultural land in Central Oahu and conserve the unspoiled shoreline around Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore. Star-Advertiser.

A new pharmacy school building for the University of Hawaii at Hilo, a potable water well for the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority and several other Big Island projects are included in the supplemental budget released Monday by Gov. Neil Abercrombie. Abercrombie’s proposed operating budget asks for $11.8 billion for 2014 and $12.3 billion for 2015, a 2.37 percent increase. It socks away $100 million to a budget reserve fund and a hurricane relief fund during the fiscal year beginning July 1, raising Hawaii’s total reserves to more than $370 million, more than 5 percent of the state’s general fund revenues next fiscal year. West Hawaii Today.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday proposed setting aside money for less prosperous times while Hawaii enjoys a record budget surplus. The state had an $844 million surplus at the end of June, which is a record. Instead of starting new programs, however, the governor wants to focus on putting money toward financial reserves and filling shortfalls in state employee pension and retiree health care funding. Associated Press.

Governor Neil Abercrombie submitted his Executive Supplemental Budget for the Fiscal Biennium 2013-2015, along with the updated Program and Financial Plan for 2013-2019 to the state Legislature Monday. Hawaii News Now.

The Abercrombie Administration submitted its 2013-2015 fiscal biennium budget to the Hawaii State Legislature Monday, allocating over $12.4 billion over next two years. KITV4.

Leaders of the state House Finance Committee will experiment with zero-base budgeting, a concept that forces government spending to be justified annually, rather than presumed. The strategy helps prioritize government spending by starting the budget discussion at zero. Seventeen states have tried some form of zero-base budgeting in recent years, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, although no state uses it as a primary budgeting technique. Star-Advertiser.

It would be easy to write off Mufi Hannemann as politically dead after his two crushing losses — first to Neil Abercrombie in the 2010 governor’s race, and then his defeat to Tulsi Gabbard in the 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary in 2012. But Hannemann at age 59 doesn’t appear ready to roll over. His friends say he considering running for the 1st Congressional District seat to be vacated by Colleen Hanabusa in her bid for the Senate seat held by Brian Schatz. Civil Beat.

Environmental groups are suing the National Marine Fisheries Service for allowing the U.S. Navy to ramp up sonar testing and live-fire training off the coasts of Hawaii and southern California even though millions of marine mammals, including whales, dolphins and seals, are expected to be hurt or displaced, even for short periods. NMFS approved a permit for the Navy’s five-year testing and training plan on Friday. Environmental groups, anticipating the move, filed suit in federal court in Hawaii on Monday. Civil Beat.

An additional five dozen Hawaii public school teachers have earned an advanced teaching credential this year, joining more than 100,000 teachers nationwide who have obtained the prestigious National Board certification, the state Department of Education announced Monday. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for December 17. Associated Press.

Oahu

The now familiar signs that President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia and First Dog Bo will be arriving in Hawaii for Christmas are appearing in the close knit beachside community on Oahu’s windward side. Coast Guard officials have contacted boat owners in the area to remind them the canal and popular surf spot fronting the private beachfront homes where the President will vacation beginning Friday are off limits for 17 days. Hawaii Reporter.

The agency overseeing Oahu's rail transit project "generally" followed federal rules in its spending of nearly $14 million on public outreach. However, it must keep a closer eye on its consultants to ensure their taxpayer-funded expenses are justified, a city audit released Monday found. Star-Advertiser.

When it comes to public relations for Honolulu's $5.26 billion rail project, the city's auditor is OK with coloring books and lanyards. But paying a consultant more than a half-million dollars to spout hyper-political, pro-rail sentiments on his blog is another story. On Monday, Honolulu Auditor Edwin Young released his agency’s findings related to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation's public relations and community involvement contracts. Civil Beat.

The landing of a big Air Force C-17 cargo jet on Wheeler's 5,600-foot runway was a test of piloting skill and a sign of increased Army training with the Air Force and Navy as the latter two services seek to refine an "Air-Sea Battle" concept that some experts say is aimed at an increasingly threatening China. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Navigation Co. has said it will clean up the mess it caused when a faulty pipeline spewed 233,000 gallons of molasses into Honolulu Harbor, causing a massive fish kill and damaging sensitive coral reefs. But there's still a lot of uncertainty about the company’s future responsibilities for the spill. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii developers who are planning to build seven ultra-luxury condominium towers with some 200 units on what is now a parking area of Ala Moana Center, said the project is expected to create more than 300 construction jobs. Pacific Business News.

Investigators from the state Attorney General's office raided the Myron B. Thompson Academy charter school Monday morning as part of a theft investigation. Investigators hauled one banker's box after another filled with financial documents and computers from the charter school's offices on the second floor of the Richards Street YWCA in downtown Honolulu. Hawaii News Now.

A solar park in Kalaeloa able to generate enough electricity to power 1,000 homes went online Monday. The Kalaeloa Renewable Energy Park is now feeding power to Hawaiian Electric Co. customers on Oahu, after four years of development and construction. The 5-megawatt solar park on a 20-acre lot next to the Barbers Point Golf Course has 21,000 photovoltaic panels. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The parent company of Queen's Medical Center officially entered into an affiliation agreement on Monday with North Hawaii Community Hospital on the Big Island. Under the agreement, North Hawaii will become a corporate entity of Queen's Health Systems on Jan. 1, similar to an arrangement between the Oahu hospital and Molokai General Hospital. Star-Advertiser.

North Hawaii Community Hospital on the Big Island will become a corporate entity under The Queen’s Health Systems, parent of The Queen’s Medical Center, under an affiliation agreement announced on Monday. Pacific Business News.

Maui

A hui of beachfront homeowners in Spreckelsville want to begin construction on rock groins at a beach along Stable Road by next spring or early summer to replace temporary sand-filled "geotubes" that were laid two years ago to slow beach erosion. Maui News.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has released $500,000 for Maui Economic Opportunity Inc.'s transportation facility on 10 acres of former sugar cane land at Puunene. Maui News.

Kauai

Should the costs of reading and servicing old electric meters — at an estimated $340,000 per year — be shared by the entire utility or remain with those who opt not to use the new smart meter technology? During a special ballot election beginning Jan. 3, all members of the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will have an opportunity to weigh-in on the issue. Garden Island.

It will stay afloat for another year. Faced with the sink-or-swim position of needing to raise enough money to keep its Olympic-sized swimming pool open, the YMCA has reached its goal, meaning swimmers will be able get their laps in through 2014. Garden Island.

Molokai

The National Transportation Safety Board said Monday it plans to recover the plane that crashed off Kalau­papa last week with eight passengers aboard, including Department of Health Director Loretta Fuddy, who died after safely evacuating the aircraft. Spokesman Eric Weiss said a helicopter spotted what's suspected to be the downed Cessna Grand Caravan about 400 to 500 yards off the north shore of Molo­kai at a depth of about 60 to 70 feet. The agency initially said recovery would be unlikely because the wreckage, belonging to Makani Kai Air, was thought to be at a greater depth. Star-Advertiser.

The National Transportation Safety Board says it will try to recover the plane that crashed off the Hawaiian island of Molokai after the aircraft was spotted in the water. Associated Press.

The body of former state Health Director Loretta Fuddy was returned to Oahu on Monday. Fuddy died last Wednesday in a plane crash off Molokai. KHON2.

Abercrombie signs new West Hawaii fisheries rules, state retirement system faces $8.5 billion shortfall, Oahu train downsized, NOAA facility named for Inouye, telescopes on Maui, Big Island, face Native Hawaiian battles, GMO protest pops up on Oahu, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Abercrombie signs fisheries rules (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed new rules Saturday that would ban scuba spearfishing in waters of West Hawaii. The West Hawaii Regional Fishery Management Area Rules were developed over 10 years of discussion and hearings by the West Hawaii Fisheries Council. The council is a community advisory group formed in the late 1990s to manage conflicts over fishing. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a long-awaited fisheries rules package Saturday, as he and a host of Democratic Party leaders bid goodbye to state Rep. Denny Coffman at the Kona International Airport. West Hawaii Today.

A new scholarly work argues that pre-contact Hawaii — in particular, the society that developed in the 17th and 18th centuries on the Big Island — should join the recognized list of "cradles of civilization," primary states from which "all modern nation states ultimately derive." Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s retirement system tackles $8.5 billion shortfall. Hawaii Reporter.

Newsmakers say the darndest things, and it's time to review my favorite quotes from 2013. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

When local transit officials started planning Oahu's elevated rail project, they envisioned a flexible system that could run trains of two, three and four cars from the instant the rail line started operating — a way to adjust to growing ridership and periods of greater demand. However, after awarding a $1.4 billion contract in 2011 to Ansaldo Honolulu JV to design, build, operate and maintain that system, the local agency overseeing the rail project realized that's not what Oahu would get. Star-Advertiser.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be dedicating a new facility on Ford Island in Honolulu. The facility is named for the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye and will house 12 NOAA offices with more than 700 staff members. The state-of-the art, $331-million center is a 35-acre parcel on federal land. Associated Press.

Rain couldn't dampen "Kokua for the Philippines." Despite severe weather canceling the television broadcast and outdoor concert portions of the fundraiser, the show still raised more than $1.75 million dollars for victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan. Hawaii News Now.

After a day of close to perfect weather on Oahu's North Shore for the conclusion of the Billabong Pipeline Masters, world-renowned surfers joined anti-GMO activists Sunday for a rainy march down Kame­ha­meha Highway in Haleiwa. Their aim was to call attention to Hawaii's agricultural experimentation and genetic engineering seed production industries. Star-Advertiser.

City agencies don’t have to wait for Santa for gifts, unlike the rest of us. So far this year, the city has accepted nearly $700,000 worth of gifts from nearly 200 donors. Civil Beat.

Low-income seniors looking for rental housing on Oahu have a new opportunity to consider with a high-rise apartment project in Iwilei wrapping up construction and slated to be completed in March. Pacific Housing Assistance Corp., a local nonprofit developer, is building the 160-unit project called the Senior Residence at Iwilei with state and county assistance, and recently began accepting rental applications. Star-Advertiser.

For this high school class, students punch in when they arrive. During the day they learn how to mop the floor at a food court or plant turf on a commercial property, take a meal order at Zippy’s or change bed linens at the Hilton. They punch out when the leave for the day, too. It’s all part of a program in the works at Kaimuki High School that’s aimed at training kids for entry-level jobs in Hawaii’s hospitality industry. Civil Beat.

Stalled remedies vex homestead residents Some Department of Hawaiian Home Lands lessees have waited years for resolution of problems with their properties. Star-Advertiser.

Retail Partners Hawaii LLC, which purchased Price Busters out of bankruptcy three years ago, said Friday that all eight of the discount retail chain’s stores in Hawaii will close by mid-January. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Board of Land and Natural Resources defers Mauna Kea lease request. In an interesting turn of events, UH requested that the board make the deferral until a full EIS can be completed. Hawaii Independent.

What began in 1983 at the Hilo Lagoon Center as a small women’s clinic with five staff members has grown into a health care network serving areas in East and South Hawaii, with nine different locations and 170 employees. Tribune-Herald.

'Experiment' episode shot on Big Island helps woman conquer fears. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Hawaii's Board of Land and Natural Resources erred in approving a key permit for a controversial 14-story telescope currently under construction at the summit of Haleakala, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Friday. The decision marks a major victory for Kilakila O Halealaka, a Native Hawaiian group on Maui that has been fighting for several years against the University of Hawaii Institute of Astronomy's telescope. Civil Beat.

Haleakala Trail dispute heads for March trial. Judge Cardoza denies Public Access Trails call for summary judgment. Maui News.

The state sheriff’s office on Maui is overseeing the eviction today of an estimated 72 people who were living along the ʻĪao River between Piʻihana Road and Wili Pā Loop in Wailuku. Maui Now.

‘Don’t want to leave,’ say Wailuku parcel holdouts. While an excavator faintly rumbled, demolishing a wooden shack some distance away, Martin Aikala, 76, was trying to figure out his next move Saturday morning. Maui News.

Kauai
Residents of Kauai, the state's fourth-largest island — home to about 5 percent of Hawaii's residents — are now preparing for a future that will include a growing population. Star-Advertiser.

To prevent flooding from occurring in Waimea due to the heavy rains, the Kikiaola irrigation ditch was opened this morning, allowing storm water mixed with treated wastewater from the Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant to flow into Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor. Warning signs are posted at the harbor to inform the public that treated wastewater is present in the outflow from the Kikiaola ditch. Officials estimate that up to 300,000 gallons of treated wastewater may have been involved in the spill. Garden Island.

Lawmakers may take over nonprofit Health Connector, Trump, conspiracy theorists grab Fuddy crash debate, Gabbard fights TSA fee hike, Hawaii shipping in price-fixing probe, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Health Connector website

State lawmakers are considering turning the nonprofit Hawaii Health Connector into a state agency nearly two months after it fumbled the start of the online insurance marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers are worried about the sustainability and accountability of the Hawaii Health Connector, the state's quasi-government nonprofit agency that's in charge of implementing the Affordable Care Act. Legislators questioned health officials during an informational briefing at the state Capitol on Wednesday. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Health Connector would need to enroll an estimated 10,000 individuals and 40,000 small businesses in health plans in the current fiscal year for the organization to be sustainable after federal funds dry up in 2015, officials told state lawmakers Thursday. Pacific Business News.

A 2014 defense bill passed Thursday by the House includes more than $400 million in military construction projects for the state, focuses on ballistic missile defense and calls for reviews of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting command, including whether operations should be moved from Hawaii to the mainland. The National Defense Authorization Act is a compromise between previously passed House and Senate versions, and now heads to the Senate for approval. Star-Advertiser.

With Congress poised to approve a budget before the end of the year, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard sent a letter to House Budget Committee leaders Tuesday requesting that Hawaii be exempt from Transportation Security Administration fees that would increase by more than double. Star-Advertiser.

An ongoing price fixing case being prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division that involves most of the nation's domestic shipping companies, has led to a half a dozen senior executives going to prison and fines totaling more than $100 million. Now, industry experts say there are hints that Hawaii shipping routes may also be part of the investigation. Hawaii Reporter.

As the Obama family is likely packing for their annual vacation to Hawaii, the birther movement is pouncing on yet another conspiracy theory about the President's Hawaii birth certificate. HuffPost Hawaii.

Two survivors of the plane crash off Molokai were sitting directly behind Hawaii Department of Health Director Loretta Fuddy when the aircraft went down Wednesday afternoon.  Fuddy died in the crash. KITV4.

A 70-year-old survivor of the Makani Kai crash Wednesday said state Health Director Loretta Fuddy was conscious before he struck out to swim to Kalaupapa. C. Phillip Hollstein Jr. said he helped everyone out of the plane, was the last one off, and recalls seeing Fuddy in the water. Star-Advertiser.

The family of Loretta Fuddy, Hawaii’s Department of Health director who died in yesterday’s Molokai crash, came forward to thank the community and emergency response members, who saved eight other victims in the crash. Civil Beat.

Alan Downer arrived early this month in the Kapolei offices of the State Historic Preservation Division, an agency that has been under the gun over the past several years. Downer, the new SHPD administrator, is contending with the pressures of bringing his office into compliance with National Park Service requirements concerning records management and other issues, so that it would not lose federal funding. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

At dawn, as traffic jams snake through the Koolau mountain range, the Kawainui Marsh offers a soothing respite from the bustle of Honolulu. The state’s largest freshwater wetland spans more than 800 acres in Kailua on the east side of the island. Some residents fear that could change if the state adopts a proposed land use plan that allows for the construction of several buildings and parking lots on the periphery of the marsh. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The West Hawaii Community Health Center at Kealakehe moved one step closer to fruition Thursday as dozens feted its ground breaking. Construction of the medical and dental facility’s nearly 11,000-square-foot first phase within the Lai opua Community Center Complex is expected to get underway next month with a projected opening date to patients of May 2015. West Hawaii Today.

A delayed sale of the Naniloa Volcanoes Hotel in U.S. Bankruptcy Court is expected to be completed next week, though the buyer has alleged that hotel equipment and inventory is missing from the oceanfront Hilo property. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

While the Maui County Council refuses to turn over minutes of a closed session to discuss an investigation into the demolition of the old Wailuku Post Office, the county has gone to court to try to keep the state Office of Information Practices from issuing an opinion about a possible Sunshine Law violation. Maui News.

When Loretta Fuddy took over as director of the state Department of Health, one of the first things she did was help save the Maui County medevac helicopter from falling victim to the budget ax. On Wednesday that same helicopter carried her body and survivors of a commuter plane crash off the Kalau­papa peninsula for further medical treatment. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai
The cost of cars, and dumping, may be on the rise soon. The Kauai County Council is proposing to increase the county’s disposal fees as well as its motor vehicle weight tax, although not every council member is wild about the idea of raising costs. Garden Island.

Molokai

Kalaupapa residents detail Health Director's last day. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii health director and Birther foe Fuddy killed in plane crash, auditor dings state tourism agency, Maui Council fights Sunshine Law, Honolulu moves to bus advertising, 14th shark attack of the year, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Health Director Loretta Fuddy and Gov. Neil Abercrombie

State Health Director Loretta Fuddy was killed, but eight other people survived, after a small commuter airplane crashed into the ocean shortly after taking off from Kalaupapa Airport Wednesday afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

Loretta Fuddy, the director of Hawaii's Department of Health, died in a plane crash off Molokai Wednesday. She was one of nine people aboard a Makani Kai Air flight scheduled to take off at 3:15 p.m. and fly to Honolulu. The flight crashed about a half-mile off the coast of Molokai. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Health Director dies in plane crash off Molokai. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 8 people were rescued, but Loretta Fuddy, 65, who is the director of the state Department of Health, did not survive. Deputy Health director Keith Yamamoto was rescued.Hawaii Reporter.

Multiple sources tell Hawaii News Now that Loretta Fuddy, director of the state Department of Health was killed in a small plane crash Wednesday afternoon off Kalaupapa.  Eight others survived. The Cessna Grand Caravan operated by Makani Kai Air reportedly went down at about 3:45 p.m. while heading from Molokai to Oahu.

Loretta Fuddy

Loretta Fuddy, 65, became acting health director in January 2011, after Gov. Neil Abercrombie's first nominee, Dr. Neal Palafox, withdrew his name at the governor's request. Just after being appointed and confirmed as the permanent health director, Fuddy made news in April 2011 when she verified the authenticity of certified copies of President Barack Obama's birth certificate proving that he had in fact been born in Hawaii. Obama had requested the release to end years of so-called birthers' claims that he was born in Kenya and not eligible to be president. Star-Advertiser.

Even after Hawaii took over the top spot as the healthiest state in one national report, state Health Director Loretta Fuddy was advocating for even more services for the disadvantaged. Hawaii News Now.

KITV4 has confirmed from two state government sources Hawaii's Health Department Director Loretta Fuddy died in the plane crash off Molokai Wednesday.

The news is hitting close to home for those who worked with Department of Health Director Loretta Fuddy as well as those she helped. People who knew her say she was a genuine person who always cared for others. KITV4.

Governor Neil Abercrombie appointed Loretta Fuddy to her position more than two years ago. In her role as state health director, she also served as the mayor of Kalawao County on Molokai. KHON2.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority plans to ask the state Legislature to make changes to a law outlining the requirements for a single tourism marketing plan and will implement other internal improvements after a critical state audit. The audit accused the HTA of poor stewardship of the public money that supports Hawaii's $14.4 billion visitor industry, which accounts for 20 percent of Hawaii's economy. Star-Advertiser.

The state agency that is supposed to help academic researchers secure grants from government institutions and private funding sources is under scrutiny by Hawaii lawmakers who say it's being used to facilitate projects completely outside of its purview. The Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii is attached to the UH for administrative purposes only and is exempt from a range of state regulations, including the procurement code and certain civil service laws. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The Honolulu City Council gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a bill that would allow advertising on the exteriors of city buses. Bill 69 now goes to the Council Budget Committee for further discussion. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council members shelved two resolutions that could have forced the city to either cancel or postpone the planned sale of 12 affordable housing complexes to a private group but also rejected a proposal to reaffirm support for the $143 million plan. Mayor Kirk Caldwell, who has been pushing Council members to support the so-called Honolulu Affordable Housing Preservation Initiative deal first reached by his predecessor, former Mayor Peter Carlisle, said he and his staff will meet with officials from Honolulu Affordable Housing Partners LLC today to try to salvage the deal. Star-Advertiser.

A $142 million business deal that would transfer ownership of a dozen of Honolulu’s public housing complexes to a private developer was left on the verge of collapse Wednesday night. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Councilmember Ikaika Anderson will announce his plans Thursday regarding a homeless community under the Nimitz viaduct. Anderson's plan will involve using a state-owned vacant lot adjacent to the viaduct to provide temporary shelter and basic sanitary services for the homeless. He said he would like the city and state to work together in finding better shelter. The press conference takes place at 12:30 p.m. at the Makai lot of Nimitz Highway. Hawaii News Now.

Current and former faculty of the University of Hawaii's Cancer Center are imploring the Board of Regents to support a change in leadership at the research center, citing a host of alleged offenses by embattled director Michele Carbone, including mismanagement of funds and retaliating against employees. Star-Advertiser.

King's Village Shopping Center, a retail complex in Waikiki designed to resemble Honolulu around 1900, may be redeveloped into a luxury condominium hotel. A local development partnership that bought the center last year announced its redevelopment idea Wednesday, saying that planning is in a preliminary phase and that more details will be made public as they are finalized. Star-Advertiser.

Organizers of this past weekend’s Honolulu Marathon say nearly 31,000 people signed up for this year’s race. As usual, about half of them came from Japan, many bringing relatives and friends. It’s simply the latest statistical reminder of the importance of the Japanese tourism market to the state’s economy. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Hawaii recorded its 14th shark attack of the year Wednesday as a 29-year-old Captain Cook man reported being bitten by a 10- to 12-foot tiger shark off Punaluu on Hawaii island. Star-Advertiser.

A Captain Cook man is recovering from wounds to his hand and leg following an apparent shark attack Wednesday morning in waters near Punaluu Beach Park in Ka‘u. West Hawaii Today.

Parker Ranch on the Big Island, one of the largest private landowners in Hawaii, could become a major energy player following the University of Hawaii’s recent discovery that the Waimea ranch’s land might have potential for geothermal resources, Parker Ranch CEO Dutch Kuyper told Pacific Business News on Tuesday.

The county Board of Ethics, concerned that some Finance Department employees have a say about how their own property is valued for tax purposes, has scheduled a fact-finding hearing for next month. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Council has gone to court to keep the state's public information agency from forcing the county to turn over minutes from a closed-door executive session. It's a case that could have significant ramifications for the state's ability to crack down on violations of the state's Sunshine Law, which requires meetings to be held in public.  Civil Beat.

The Maui Planning Commission unanimously rejected appeals Tuesday that were aimed at challenging permits for the Rock & Brews restaurant, with project partners that include KISS hard rockers Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Maui News.

The Maui Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of land-use changes that would allow expansion and greater development flexibility for the Maui Research & Technology Park in Kihei. Maui News.

After a total of eight shark incidents in Maui waters this year, two of them fatal, Mayor Alan Arakawa shared with us his thoughts about mitigation and ocean safety. Maui Now.

The Maui Highways Division will resurface Kahekili Highway starting Monday and continuing through April 30. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

Kauai's auditor is claiming he's being retaliated against for an audit that reported a high-ranking elected official was improperly using a county gas card. Associated Press.

The Hanalei Plantation Resort project has entered a new phase with the publication Monday of its environmental impact statement preparation notice. Garden Island.

Lucky we live Hawaii, the healthiest state. Molasses spill killed coral, Hawaii Obamacare premiums disclosed, Molokai may buy electric utility, rail evictions loom, Honolulu faces $2.5M fine in affordable housing deal, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kupuna hula (c) 2013 All Hawaii News

Hawaii is the healthiest state in the nation, while Mississippi brings up the rear, according to the 2013 America's Health Rankings released today. The 50th state has consistently ranked near the top in the long-running index issued by United Health Foundation, which provides a comprehensive look at the well-being of each state. Hawaii placed second last year and third the year before. Star-Advertiser.

Ranked in the top five healthiest states for the past decade, Hawai`i this year rose to the top spot in a survey conducted by the United Health Foundation. The rankings in the “America’s Health Rankings: A Call to Action for Individuals & Their Communities” released today analyzes states based on data relating to behaviors, community and environment, health policies and clinical care. Big Island Now.

The state Insurance Division released a health insurance rate comparison sheet Tuesday to make it easier for consumers to compare plans under President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. The Obamacare plans range from a monthly premium of $72.40 for a Bronze-level option (60 percent of medical expenses covered by the insurer, 40 percent out of pocket) for an individual under 21 years old to an $871.26 Platinum policy (90 percent covered, 10 percent out of pocket) for a 64-year-old. Star-Advertiser.

Unity, empowerment and self-governance were again themes of this year's State of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs address, with special attention paid to the importance of preparing a new generation of Native Hawaiian leaders. Star-Advertiser.

Holiday giving seems to be off this year, according to charities that rely on seasonal donations. It might not have to do with people being any less charitable, but rather with the fact that there are fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. In addition, donations may have been spread thin because of the Typhoon Haiyan relief effort. Star-Advertiser.

State roundup for December 11. Associated Press.

Oahu

The Matson molasses disaster killed more than a thousand colonies of coral, Hawaii News Now has learned. The September spill's damage to the Honolulu Harbor's coral system extended beyond the waterway, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The company that agreed to buy 12 city-owned housing projects warned Tuesday that Honolulu likely will have to forfeit at least $2.5 million in damages for jeopardizing the deal's financing. The "notice of default" from Honolulu Affordable Housing Partners LLC claims the City Council's proposal to rescind the sale contract has already undermined the company's financing for the $143 million deal. Star-Advertiser.

Waimanu Street businesses preparing to be evicted for rail. Transit authority gives eviction notice: Summer 2014. KITV.

The incoming operator of the Hawai‘i Convention Center has hired a former Outrigger executive to be its new general manager. Teri Orton, former vice president of condominium resort marketing for Outrigger Enterprises Group, will be the first woman to serve as general manager since the center opened in 1998. Orton will begin Dec. 18. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Departments of Education and Health are conducting an investigation to determine what caused several Waipahu Elementary students to become ill today shortly after lunch. About 40 students were identified as being sick with symptoms that may indicate food poisoning starting at about 1:15 p.m. Hawaii News Now.

New school bus contracts are about to be signed, worth more than $100 million on Oahu over the next five years. But we wanted to know if the safety measures we were told about a few weeks ago are included and we were surprised to find out most are not. In a recent investigation, KHON2 confronted the Department of Education about school bus safety and discipline policies when things go wrong onboard.

The Honolulu Marathon is big business in Hawaii, but it owes much of its financial clout to another Pacific island chain. Japanese visitors often make up the largest share of participants in the race, and have ever since the late 1980s when the number of entrants from Japan first surpassed 50 percent. Civil Beat.

A former traffic signs supervisor with the city was indicted Tuesday on a felony theft charge. Honolulu Police say Patrick Costa stole more than $45,000 by getting paid for hours he didn't work. Hawaii News Now.

Ko‘olau Loa neighborhood board votes in favor of Envision Lā‘ie. Amid continued opposition from residents outside the Lā‘ie and Mormon communities, the board voted 6-4 to support the major development plan. Hawaii Independent.

Hawaii

Biofuel Industry on Big Island Fails to Follow Through on Big Plans. Five years ago, state land on the Big Island experienced the biofuel equivalent of a gold rush. Today, not one biofuel company has obtained a lease of state land under the 2002 law. Civil Beat.

Volunteers wage war against invasive albizia. Tribune-Herald.

Apartment owners at the Country Club condominium are suing the Banyan Drive property’s leaseholders and management, alleging a decades-long scheme to improperly use apartment owners’ common area maintenance fees to finance the building’s hotel operation and pay its state transient accommodations taxes. Tribune-Herald.

The state wants to block the sale of the Naniloa Volcanoes Hotel to a new operator as part of a bankruptcy reorganization involving the hotel on state land in Hilo.the state Department of Land and Natural Resources objected to the sale and said it intends to appeal to U.S. District Court, claiming that assigning the land lease to the new buyer requires state consent under state law. Star-Advertiser.

The buyer of the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort said he has finished transferring money for the $5.2 million purchase to escrow. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Developers are reviving a plan for a Central Maui housing development that would include 450 multifamily units, retail and office space, and a 15-acre park. The Puunani subdivision would be built west of the Kehalani master-planned community south of Wailuku. Star-Advertiser.

Developers have revived and revised a plan for 208 acres just below Wailuku Heights that proposes about 450 multifamily units, 25,000 square feet of commercial retail and office space, and a 15-acre park. Maui News.

Some Maui County Council members were still optimistic Monday about the full council taking a vote on a deal to purchase 186 acres in Launiupoko for $13 million for a coastline parkway in West Maui. Maui News.

Kauai

It has been nearly 25 years since the county approved a Princeville Development Corporation plan to expand the Princeville Center and required that the project also include nearby employee housing. Garden Island.

Lanai

The island of Lāna’i was named to Lonely Planet’s Top US Destinations list, rounding out the top ten. Maui Now.

Molokai

Residents on Molokai may follow in the footsteps of Kauai and buy their island’s electric utility, including its power grid, which could be entirely powered by alternative energy sources. The push for energy autonomy is an outgrowth of frustration with Hawaiian Electric Co. that was repeatedly on display during protests against the Big Wind project over the last four years. It also highlights a deep independent streak on Molokai. Civil Beat.

Amid recent concerns over proposed renewable energy project Ikehu Molokai, I Aloha Molokai has cancelled its third annual Renewable Energy Festival that was scheduled for January. The nonprofit feared the event would act as a showcase for Ikehu, falsely implying IAM’s endorsement of the project. While IAM leaders say they feel the project has potential for Molokai, they are not ready to support it based on what they consider to be a lack of public input. Molokai Dispatch.