Hawaii tourism: Once they get here, then what? Rebound slow, but Oahu home prices up, more news from all the islands of the state

State officials looking to attract more tourists and boost the economy say cultural events, like this weekend's Pan-Pacific Festival, are a big part of Hawaii's tourism mix.

The HTA's spending shows that its focus is heavy on getting tourists on a plane but less on giving them something to do once they get here.

The annual Na Kamehameha Commemorative Pa'u Parade was held Saturday morning on Lahaina's Front Street.

UHERO's economic forecast predicts it will take years before the state recovers from the 40,000 jobs lost since the recession began in 2007. But the report reveals Hawaii's economy is on the re-bound.

The crystal meth epidemic may have eased, but it is far from over, substance abuse treatment providers say, pointing to state figures that show most adult admissions to treatment centers in the islands continue to be for "ice" and that the number of people seeking help for crystal meth addictions rose last year.

State Commission on Water Resource Management Director Laura Thielen defended last week's decision by the water panel to order 12.5 million gallons of water per day - now diverted by ditches for sugar cane irrigation and other uses - back into West Maui Mountain streams.

Dozens of former baggers gathered at the Pearl Harbor Commissary yesterday, claiming they had been unfairly dismissed from their jobs.

For 68 years, no one knew who he was. He was buried at Punchbowl, another unknown casualty of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, but modern technology allowed U.S. Navy Fireman 3rd Class Gerald George Lehman to finally go home.

Getting a brand new home for under $250,000 is almost unheard of on Oahu.

According to the Honolulu Board of Realtors, home prices on Oahu continue to climb.

Hawaii's poor business climate certainly has not helped many businesses survive the challenges of a sluggish economy.

Hawai‘i clearly defines a shoreline as the upper reaches of the wash of the waves, other than storm and seismic waves, at high tide during high surf season.

The 15th annual presentation of Mealani's Taste of the Hawaiian Range and Agriculture Festival will be Friday, Sept. 10, at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. Each year, the event brings together ranchers, farmers, restaurateurs and eager eaters to celebrate a bounty of locally produced food.

It’s easy to imagine why Laysan albatross parents have found the bluffs along Kaweonui Road here suitable nesting sites for their offspring generation after generation.

Samantha Monge Kaser is fulfilling a dream by heading to Yale University to study in one of its most esteemed programs: political science.

Just sayin' -- There's more to Hawaii than just Oahu

OK, I will admit it right up front. I am a haole. A malihini. A wahine.

But in some ways, I see myself as the King Kamehameha of the Hawaii media. My aim since I started this blog in 2008 has been to unite the islands. To remind that Oahu-centric state government and that Oahu-centric media that there are, at last count, at least eight separate islands making up the state of Hawaii.

I carry that goal forward as the neighbor island representative for the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter.

I’ve been accused of just using feeds to create All Hawaii News. Not true. Day in and day out, I read all the news from all the islands and then carefully – as a blogger later to the scene calls it – “hand-curate” each news item, arranged in, I hope, a readable format. I want All Hawaii News to be just that – all of the state news, no matter where it comes from. I’ve also added a feed, “What they’re saying about Hawaii,” to capture the latest national and international take on our state. That must have been a good idea, too, if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

I now reside on Kamehameha’s original island, Hawaii Island. But my three years on Oahu showed me time and again that those islands formerly known as “outer islands,” and now known by the friendlier, but no less alienating, moniker of “neighbor islands,” are still but an afterthought most of the time.

A source of food, yes. And soon, a source of electricity. A nice spot for a day-trip or vacation away from Honolulu, where the real action is. Just consider the snotty editorial from the Honolulu Advertiser, when it was in that kick-the-dog mood of its last days in existence.

And why worry about those neighbor islands? Oahu comprises 70 percent of the population of Hawaii. A healthy chunk, but not the end-all and be-all of all that is Hawaii. Are you listening, gubernatorial candidates? Our percentage can make or break your career.

But still that perception persists. Honolulu is where it’s at, the rest of the islands be damned. Even in the media, to work at one of the numerous daily papers on the neighbor islands is like being in the farm leagues. Maybe you can hope for something bigger, better, in the big city.

Even I, at the point of my career where I’ve been that, done that, I hear it that I am somehow to aspire to a job in Honolulu, that city I left not that long ago. But, there are all kinds of successful careers. I deliberately moved from covering state government for the 4th largest state in the nation to state government for the 50th largest. I then, not so deliberately, but it turns out no less happily, moved to the little Big Island to cover local government on a smaller scale. Turns out, it’s all the same thing.

But enough about me. Back to our islands. Back to how we’ve somehow become the Rodney Dangerfield of the state. No respect, no respect.

Even the latest tempest in the Honolulu media has brought that disrespect to mind. Ten years ago, when the Honolulu Star-Bulletin threatened to fold, we heard, “How sad for Hawaii to have only one daily newspaper and one editorial viewpoint.”

We’re hearing that same tune again about the buy-out of the Honolulu Advertiser and the new merged product, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Only one voice for Hawaii. Who are we kidding? Every major island in this state has at least one, and in some cases, two, daily newspapers. All islands also have at least one weekly and/or alternate newspaper. And then, there are the zillion bloggers on each island, each with their particular take on government and their well-thought-out or not-so-well-thought-out opinions as well.

But enough about them too. Because, it’s all good. No matter which island it is, lucky we live Hawaii. Just sayin’

Kamehameha festivities on all islands, HSC: shoreline belongs to the public, cables from Molokai and Lanai to feed power-hungry Oahu, brushfires on Hawaii, Maui persist, more news from all the isles

President Obama signs King Kamehameha Day proclamation

This year marks the 200th anniversary of King Kamehameha's unification of the Hawaiian Islands, and Honolulu festivities that kick off today to celebrate the monarch will be accordingly bigger, breathing new life into gatherings that have in recent years struggled to secure funding and volunteers.

With the theme “E Ho‘okahi Ka Mana‘o, Ho‘okahi Pu‘uwai, Ho‘okahi Ke Aloha” (Be of one mind, one heart, one love), Lahaina’s Na Kamehameha Commemorative Pa‘u Parade and Ho‘olaule‘a will be held Saturday, June 12.

The public owns lands formed along the Hawaii's shoreline decades ago that are now above the beaches, according to a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling this week that left intact a lower court's decision.

Most sectors of Hawaii's economy are starting to grow again but it will take years to recover the tens of thousands of jobs that were wiped out during the recession.

Six more Hawaii state parks will soon begin charging parking or entry fees to visitors and tour companies

Hawaii is planning to lay power cables along the ocean floor to connect yet-to-be-built wind farms on the gusty and rural islands of Molokai and Lanai to power-hungry Oahu.

The state administration is moving ahead with its long term plans to use less imported oil to meet Oahu's power needs.

The state Com- mission on Water Resource Man- agement has ordered 12.5 million gallons of water per day be restored to the Na Wai Eha streams, about one-third of the water that was being considered for restoration a year ago.

Honolulu City Council members said a proposed ban on smoking at Oahu bus stops will address a loophole in city law.

Plumes of smoke began billowing into the air in the subdivision of Ocean View late Thursday afternoon.

Maui firefighters appeared to have gained the upper hand Wednesday in battling a wild-land blaze that had consumed an estimated 5,800 acres of brush in the West Maui Mountains above Maalaea.

The state's leading business organization is urging Gov. Linda Lingle to veto House Bill 444, the civil unions measure.

Hawaii County's first Furlough Friday is just three weeks away, and department heads are attempting to minimize the effect on the public.

Big Island taxpayers spent $470,000 extinguishing three fires in South Kona earlier this year, Fire Chief Darryl Oliveira said Wednesday.

Nearly four years after earthquakes damaged West Hawaii reservoirs, the completion date for one of the most severely damaged locations has been pushed back -- again.

In October, Hawaiian Airlines will begin a twice-weekly, nonstop service between Kahului and Las Vegas

The farm-worker-housing bill seemed to have reached the end of its rope Wednesday.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get ready for more Furlough Fridays, Hawaii County style.

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

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

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

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

Nuns Evicted From Public Housing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Honolulu City Council takes up budget as other counties raise taxes, prison inmates hungry, farmers dry, wasp to tackle stinging caterpillar, monk seal protected, more Hawaii news

The Hawaii County Council is finding it more palatable to raise property taxes than cut spending.

There was a great deal of saber rattling but little slicing of Mayor Billy Kenoi's budget in a marathon Hawaii County Council meeting Monday.

Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares announced Tuesday that she would allow the Maui County Council's 2011 budget to become law without her signature.

Although they are unsure of who will emerge as the newest Council member, City Council leaders say they do not expect the newcomer to affect the vote on the city's $1.82 billion operating budget.

Statewide, farmers are struggling to keep their crops irrigated and are using more water, planting fewer crops or letting crops die because of extreme drought conditions that started nearly a year ago—and are only getting worse.

State workers on Tuesday released a wasp in hopes of trying to control the nettle caterpillar that has plagued Hawaii plants.

A 13-state survey of honeybee colonies could have a profound effect on how Hawaii Island bee- keepers manage their hives, a state agriculture official said Monday.

Hawaii prisons nearly ran out of food for inmates in May and are now asking for an exemption to state procurement rules to speed up purchases.

The Teach For America program may double the number of teachers on the Big Island, federal program officials said Monday.

The civil unions bill before the governor, should it take effect, may mean people who take advantage of the law would owe more taxes.

Local census officials expect to complete door-to-door census taking within the next week, capping a surprisingly efficient enumeration effort more than a month ahead of schedule and potentially boosting overall census participation in Hawaii to more than 80 percent, compared with just 64 percent 10 years ago.

Why National Standards Won't Change Hawaii Schools

Plastic caps and lids can now be recycled

 Hawaii has tough- ened penalties against people who harm en- dangered species, in particular against those who would harm the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal.

Hawai‘i boosted the penalty Tuesday for those who harm the en- dangered Hawaiian monk seal after three of the marine mammals were found killed on Kaua‘i and Moloka‘i in recent years.

A legislative panel is set to hear how the state has used federal economic stimulus funds.

The Maui County Council's Planning Committee on Monday agreed to "slog ahead" with the Maui Island Plan, after being warned that it will be difficult to meet the council's Oct. 18 deadline to pass the bill.

Fifth Circuit Judge Kathleen Watanabe on Tuesday dismissed a citizen challenge of the planned widening of Kuhio Highway in Wailua.

Haole in Hawaii, insurance commissioner leaving, newspaper union argues severance pay, bees to be counted, more news from around the state

Kaua‘i Nonviolent Communication will soon host its first ever “conscious community dialogue” to answer the often controversial question: “What does it mean to be ‘haole’ in Hawai‘i?”

Brothers Mike and Alec Sou own and operate Aloun Farms in Kapolei, one of the largest agricultural operations in the state. They each face five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine after pleading guilty last January to charges of human trafficking.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday announced it will conduct a survey of 13 states, including Hawaii, looking into honey bee pests and diseases.

This summer, the Board of Education will be weighing the fates of four rural schools being considered for possible closure, a touchy prospect that communities are mobilizing to fight.

Gov. Linda Lingle addressed more than 300 members of the American Chamber of Commerce yesterday in Shanghai.

Economists say the worst is over. But is that really true?

J.P. Schmidt, who has regulated Hawaii insurers since 2003, is leaving his post as state insurance commissioner at the end of the month.

Two construction companies have been fined for a deadly tower collapse last year in Kapolei, but some lawmakers expressed concern that the fine was so small it sends the message that safety isn't valued.

About 20,000 tons of trash sits unmoved, stinking and drawing flies at Campbell Industrial Park.

Grievance regarding severance pay headed for arbitration

My strongest impression arriving at the University of Hawaii at Hilo 12 years ago was the enormous potential at the university, in the community and across the state.

The northern portion of the Mamalahoa Bypass is now open to traffic in both directions for 12 hours a day, seven days. This new agreement was finalized and made last week between Hawaii County and Hokulia developer 1250 Oceanside Partners, said Mayor Billy Kenoi Sunday.

Maui County firefighters were still trying to wrangle a 2-acre brush fire under control Sunday evening on the hillside far below the Kaheawa wind farm.

A group on Kaua‘i is working on a plan to help the homeless.

Media merger starts today, EPA, Maui at odds over water, city, counties continue budget debates, more

The sun is climbing high, but business is still bustling for the 60 vendors at the farmers market in the shady Kapiolani Community College parking lot behind Diamond Head.

Saturday was a great day to hang out at the beach with that special someone, and a pair of monk seals were no exception.

The final chapters of Hawaii's two largest newspapers have been written and Monday, the new Star-Advertiser makes its debut.

The merger of century-old rivals into today's new Honolulu Star-Advertiser should bring readers a stronger newspaper, with more muscle for investigative reporting and a deep perspective on the state that both papers helped shape.

The lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender community took part in a 20-year old tradition in Waikiki Saturday, but their focus is on the future.

Hawaii Family Forum, a Christian group that has been one of the loudest voices against civil unions, must limit its lobbying activity to keep its tax-exempt, charitable status with the Internal Revenue Service.

Top of mind for many who participated in Saturday's 20th annual Honolulu LGBT Pride Parade was the fate of House Bill 444, the civil unions measure.

Gov. John A. Burns, a devout Catholic who attended Mass every day, felt his reputation was being unfairly tarnished. He was the subject of warnings, even threats, from clergy and lay members of his own church.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered the Maui County to conduct water sampling and testing off West Maui, saying two studies found "substantial evidence" that wastewater injected into the ground was seeping out of submarine springs off Kaanapali.

State Attorney General Mark Bennett, considered a strong possible candidate to be the next Hawaii chief justice, is not seeking the job, leaving Associate Supreme Court Justice Mark Recktenwald as the leading contender for the post.

With popular programs such as Summer Fun and the Royal Hawaiian Band saved, the City Council now turns its attention to property taxes, the main source of income for city operations.

Hundreds of volunteers took to the streets of Chinatown and got dirty, picking up trash and painting over graffiti.

A major road project gets underway Monday in Hawaii Kai.

Box jellyfish invade the south and west shores of Oahu.

Much of the Big Island has been in extreme drought for nearly a year, according to the National Weather Service.

Making tea is a painstaking process requiring a great amount of patience, time and love, but experts say Hawaii's tropical weather and acidic soil provide fertile ground for specialty teas to become a new agricultural industry in the state.

In 1810, Kamehameha the Great unified the eight major islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaii.

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

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

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

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

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

So why can’t we develop this knowledge economy?

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

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

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

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

How about this one?

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

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

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

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

Maui seeks to regulate aquarium trade, kingmaker Inouye stays out of gubernatorial primary, Ku statues return to Hawaii, Big Island in budget turmoil, more

Maui County's coral reefs and colorful fish are under assault by permitted collectors - and outside poachers - who capture the fish to sell to aquarium owners across the globe, according to two Maui County Council members who presented bills on Wednesday to regulate the industry here.

From different corners of the world, the last three Hawaiian god or "Ku" statues known to exist have been brought together at Bishop Museum—two of them after an absence of more than 160 years.

History was made yesterday as the Bishop Museum debuted three ancient kū brought to the Islands from England and Massachusetts .

The White House on Thursday announced the dates for next year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Honolulu.

Senator Dan Inouye has no plans to throw his endorsement behind any candidate in the primary race for Governor.

A bill sitting on Gov. Linda Lingle's desk that seeks to strengthen prostitution laws by recognizing some prostitutes as human trafficking victims has drawn strong criticism from prosecutors and law enforcement, raising questions about whether the measure, if passed, would ever be put into use.

Hawai'i has the lowest gun death rate in the country, according to figures released this week by the Washington-based Violence Policy Center.

The price of summer school is going up. The Board of Education has agreed to raise next year's tuition by $30, to $190.

Six East Honolulu residents survived the first cut in the Honolulu City Council's selection of a ninth member.

Charlie Wedemeyer, one of Hawai'i's finest athletes, who defied the medical world with his 34-year battle with Lou Gehrig's disease, died yesterday morning in California.

Parents, principals and faculty of Haleiwa showed a united front as they spoke out against a proposal to shut down their school.

Mayor Billy Kenoi on Wednesday lashed out at "minority members" of the County Council for their eleventh hour budget amendments and said he'd "certainly veto" a budget containing them.

Should the County Council make deep cuts in the county budget that threaten core government functions, Mayor Billy Kenoi is ready to veto it.

Gov. Linda Lingle signed into law Tuesday a bill making it easier for police to enforce traffic laws on private subdivision roads that serve the public.

As Puna Geothermal Venture struggles to meet its contract with Hawaii Electric Light Co., a group met for the first time Wednesday to begin evaluating the potential for geothermal energy to serve as the primary source of electricity on the Big Island.

Geothermal is safe, clean and a gift of nature to residents of the Big Island, members of the 11-member Geothermal Working Group said.

Kaua‘i County Council members constantly deal with ordinances to improve the island’s ability to sustain itself regarding oil dependence.

In 1810, Kamehameha the Great unified the eight major islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawaii.

State panel considers homeless problem, some Advertiser reporters picked up, gay pride coming to Waikiki, counties mull tax hikes, more top Hawaii news

What does it say about the state Legislature when only two lawmakers showed up for a hearing on dealing with Hawaii's growing homeless problem?

Placing time limits on public housing and revisiting the idea of buying one-way plane tickets to send homeless people back to the mainland are among the ideas lawmakers might consider next year as they search for cost-effective ways to manage the state's growing homeless problem.

As service providers report increases in homelessness, and with no new funding to address the situation, some lawmakers yesterday said the state needs to crack down on people who abuse the system and needs to start asking tough questions, such as whether residents should have preferences for services over new arrivals.

Some state lawmakers are trying to get a better understanding of just how many new homeless people are arriving in Hawaii every year.

The new Honolulu Star-Advertiser will welcome more than two dozen soon-to-be-former Honolulu Advertiser employees come Monday, the day the new broadsheet format debuts.

The news behind the scenes at the Honolulu Advertiser isn't good.  Nearly four out of five people in the news department will be out of work after this weekend when the paper merges with the Star Bulletin.

Veteran journalists will soon be joining the ranks of the unemployed as Honolulu becomes a one newspaper town after this weekend.

In a state that generously flaunts rainbows on its license plates and storefronts, denizens of Waikiki may not notice the spike in rainbow-colored accoutrements that’ll pervade street corners this week.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is asking the state Supreme Court to resolve a $200 million dispute with the state.

More than 3,500 acres of lowland forest in the Wai'anae Range that are a prime source of O'ahu's drinking water and home to dozens of endangered species are now protected thanks to a purchase involving a federal, state and private partnership.

Republican Gov. Linda Lingle has issued an executive order to establish surfing reserves at two of Hawaii's most beloved surfing areas.

Popular surf areas along Waikiki and Sunset Beach have been designated surfing reserves under an executive order that Gov. Linda Lingle said highlights "the importance of protecting, nourishing and developing Hawaii's world famous surf sites."

Lieutenant Gov. James “Duke” Aiona recently urged nonprofits across the state to enroll in the 2010 Summer Youth Employment Program and receive help from young workers immediately through September 30.

Leave Kaaawa alone - that's the message from parents in Windward Oahu as the Board of Education considers a plan to close Kaaawa Elementary School to save money.

Insufficient funding is the cause of delays in constructing the Ocean View-Kahuku water system, said the manager of the county Department of Water Supply.

Mayor Billy Kenoi wanted to know how County Council members can cut his proposed $376 million budget.

Despite a land title cloud cast by litigation, a Waikoloa affordable housing project is progressing and homes should be ready to sell by fall.

WAILUKU - Condominium owners turned out Tuesday to oppose legislation that would push thousands of units into a higher property tax classification, saying it would be an unfair burden and could drive more condominium units into foreclosure.

The 2010 Census is well underway and census takers are canvassing the Big Island right now to get the best up-to-date information about the population of the U.S. The census is used to determine many important factors from legislation representation to federal grant money.

A veterinarian who had earlier treated some of the 16 horses seized from Lara Butler-Brady by Kaua‘i Humane Society officers Sunday said Tuesday all of the horses should survive.

Hawaii peace activist captured by Israelis, Lingle not ready to decide on civil unions, only 26 Advertiser editorial employees picked up by Star-Bulletin, Kauai considers eminent domain to get beach access, crowd seeks open city council seat, more top state news

Dozens of hotel workers turned out for a hearing to discuss the future of a redevelopment project in Waikiki.

Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday said she would likely take the full amount of time she has available to consider whether to sign, veto or allow a civil-unions bill to become law without her signature.

Honolulu peace activist Ann Wright was one of about 700 people taken into custody by Israeli defense forces after a raid on a flotilla of boats carrying aid to Gaza left nine people dead, friends of Wright's confirmed.

A Honolulu woman was among seven hundred activists taken into Israeli custody after soldiers raided a flotilla carrying relief supplies to Gaza.

Hawaii's primary election is more than three months away but The Outdoor Circle, a leading civic group, said Tuesday it's already receiving complaints about political signs that are too big and up too soon.

Ed Case says he will not run for any other political office this year.

Count a former police chief and three former state lawmakers among the 27 East Honolulu residents interested in filling the temporary vacancy in the City Council District 4 seat created by Charles Djou's election to Congress.

Only 26 editorial employees from the Honolulu Advertiser will be hired by the new Star-Advertiser. That will leave about 100 workers at the Advertiser without jobs.

When the Kaua‘i County Council disclosed recently that a portion of Waipouli would be acquired through eminent domain, or the county acquiring property needed for the path either through friendly or unfriendly acquisition actions, the reaction was instantaneous.

State agricultural officials will accompany Gov. Linda Lingle on her two-week trip to Asia to sign an agreement with the Chinese government to develop procedures for exporting Hawaii agricultural products to China.

Kaua‘i Fire Department and state Airport Crash Fire firefighters spent several hours the afternoon and evening of Memorial Day battling a pesky brush fire near Lihu‘e Airport.

A fledgling nonprofit has set a goal to establish a charter school in Keanae.

Kulani Correctional Facility (KCF) on the Big Island, which was closed last year for financial reasons, specialized in just the sort of rehabilitative services that Bronson Nunuha and others weren’t receiving at Arizona’s Saguaro Prison.

He's been a farmer for 10 years now, but Al Santoro sometimes still sounds like a naval intelligence analyst.

Unity in remembrance was a theme of Monday's Memorial Day ceremony at the West Hawaii Veterans Cemetery.

It is a moment both to prevention and preparation and, significantly, to perpetually honor island veterans.

Mufi "Hannemanns it up" with a medley of hits during Hilo campaign HQ opening

Gubernatorial candidate Mufi Hannemann at the opening of his Hilo campaign headquarters on Tuesday.

Flags, lei, drum beat and floating lanterns mark Memorial Day events, gubernatorial race, filling Honolulu Hale priorities as Case bows out, horses seized by Kauai Humane Society, more state news

Drum beats echoed from the sacred dancing circle and onto the banks of Waiakea Pond on Saturday.

Total bankruptcy filings jumped 34.4 percent in May over the year-earlier period.

Hundreds turned out for the Governor's Memorial Day Ceremony at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in Kaneohe Monday afternoon.

With a peach-colored sunset as a backdrop and aided by gentle trade winds, more than 2,000 candle-lit lanterns representing the souls of the departed made their way from the Magic Island end of Ala Moana Beach Park into the Pacific.

More than 40,000 people watched some 2,000 floating lanterns drift to sea last night from Ala Moana Beach, ferrying wishes of healing and peace and honoring those who have died under hardships.

Five battle-tested political veterans are already at the starting gate for the special election to replace Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who announced last week that he will resign July 20 to run for governor.

The Honolulu City Council is expected to pick the next member for Hawaii Kai as early as Thursday if five of the eight members can agree on the right person.

With Democrat Ed Case out of the September primary election, the challenge for Hawaii Democrats is to get Case's supporters to back Colleen Hanabusa.

With the departure of Ed Case  from the Democratic primary for Congress, all eyes turn to the gubernatorial contest between Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann and former Congressman Neil Abercrombie.

The state Campaign Spending Commission has launched an investigation into Nuuanu City Councilman Rod Tam’s campaign expenses.

Sixteen emaciated and dehydrated horses have been rescued from a Lihue property.

The Kaua‘i Humane Society seized 16 horses in emaciated and dehydrated condition from a property in off Ma‘alo Road here Sunday after investigating calls from concerned people about “skinny” horses, said Dr. Rebecca Rhoades, KHS executive director.

A 47-year-old Mountain View man faces charges in the stabbing death of his wife following an attack Saturday night in Hilo.

Calling Kihei Public Charter High School a laboratory of innovation, Gov. Linda Lingle said graduates only needed to heed the words of their own student speakers to guide them in their future.



Jonah Ke‘eaumoku Kapu is a man of passion, willing to stand by his convictions and walk the talk to make a difference.

Oak Park Chimney Corporation is currently installing 17 carbon steel tension bands around the Pioneer Mill Smokestack to stabilize it.

Just sayin' -- Media map points to dwindling coverage

In this brave new world of media mergers, sales and downsizes, you certainly don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. But in the latest game of media musical chairs, it doesn’t hurt to have a map.

While I tried to take a light approach, I’m offering this column with the utmost aloha, empathy and compassion for my inkstained brethren at the Honolulu Advertiser, the latest casualty of the New Age of Journalism and the legacy media corporate lust for obscene profits. Friday is the last day on the job for many of those journalists, while a few will be lucky enough to take a job for less pay at the Honolulu Star-Bulletin in the newly christened Star-Advertiser.

Believe me, I’ve been there. In my three decades of living by the pen, I’ve been downsized, rightsized, outsized and offered the Morton’s Fork of an out-of-state transfer or a new job description. I want the latest casualties to know that yes, it hurts. You pour your all into this vocation, sacrifice a social life, a family life and better paying gigs on the PR side of the street. Your termination probably has absolutely nothing to do with your ability, your drive or your journalistic worth. But I am here to tell you there is life – and it can be a good life – afterward.

Some of it is our own fault. We became victims of our own complacency. We thought just because we read and reread our bylined stories and watched and rewatched our video clips start to finish, everyone else did too. We paid too close attention to the handful of followers applying the high gloss of praise, and not enough attention to the thundering quiet from the rest.

Enter the new media and bloggers – those pamphleteers of the New Age of Journalism.

It’s an exciting era we have entered. The Internet and personal Web sites are components of the greatest revolution in journalism since the invention of the printing press. Like the printing press, the Internet has opened publishing to a whole new class of hoi polloi. I’m glad it’s happening in my lifetime.

These New Age pamphleteers have a lot in common with their 18th century counterparts. Many are quick to opine, quick to set aside a few inconvenient facts while making their points. Some are even quick to accept free trips and gifts in return for glowing reviews. Nothing new about any of that.

Lest bloggers get too enamored of their own steadily rising numbers on the stat counters, here’s a cautionary tale about pamphleteers. Thomas Paine may have been the most famous of the lot, yet only six people attended his funeral. Some to mourn and some to make sure he was truly dead.

And then there’s Honolulu Civil Beat. It exists, says Editor John Temple, to "ask the important questions citizens might have in the face of the complex issues facing our community." In its first month, the new site has demonstrated it can do that.

But it remains, as pointed out by blogger Larry Geller, a gated community with a rather stiff ($19.99 monthly) paywall. The new venture has hired a few bright young and not-so-young reporters and their output is promising. But it still has a way to go breaking out of its annoying insularity, with employees primarily retweeting and hash-tagging only each other, seemingly afraid to credit other sources that break the news they dutifully tweet at their first opportunity.

Can it survive? Can any of us survive this shakeup of the status quo? Will the pendulum soon swing, once the public realizes the watchdogs have been silenced and government is running amok? Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, here’s your map. And, it’s already obsolete. But isn’t that the whole point? Just sayin’

Waikiki beach makes top 10 list, Hannemann's gubernatorial bid sets dominoes falling, economic upturn noted, Pierce Brosnan illegally renting his Kauai home? More news from around the islands

The Oahu beach named after Olympic swimming legend Duke Kahanamoku has been listed among the top 10 beaches in the nation in an annual survey for 2010.

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann said his campaign in the Democratic primary for governor will stress issues such as education, economic recovery and sustainability, but he also said his personal values and roots growing up in Kalihi would shape his vision.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann's political aspirations and management of the city's $5.5 billion rail project are parting ways.

The race is officially on.

Just moments after Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann officially announced he is running for governor, a war of words is was being waged between the candidates. Democrats Mufi Hannemann and Neil Abercrombie, along with Republican Duke Aiona were all exchanging strong words.

The battle between Mufi Hannemann and Neil Abercrombie - a sparring match between Hawaii political heavyweights is deja vu. It's a rematch 24 years in the making.

The wait is over. The race has begun.

After months of waiting and wondering, Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann made his anticipated next political move official this afternoon.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann's announced bid for Hawaii governor Thursday is creating a domino effect with politicians now lining up for a special election to fill the remainder of his term.

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann's desire to be the state's next governor is one of the worst-kept secrets in recent politics.

The Democratic Party of Hawaii will come together for three days of meetings and speeches at the Hilton Hawaiian Village beginning today.

The state's top economists on the Council of Revenues on Thursday said Hawaii's economy is seeing a faster and bigger turnaround than expected.


Hawai'i's economy continues on the upswing with the state Council on Revenues' latest forecast showing an increase in general fund tax revenue for the remainder of this fiscal year and next.

Hawaii's economic recovery is well under way, and revenues for this fiscal year are expected to be 0.5 percent more than last year, said the state Council on Revenues.


Nearly 400 people losing their jobs in the next two weeks when The Honolulu Star-Bulletin merges with The Honolulu Advertiser may have to wait months for millions of dollars in severance pay.

Near Waipahu High School crews began closing off a portion of Farrington Highway to begin the task of testing where Honolulu's rail route might go.

  How cool would it be to stay at James Bond’s house, maybe not even legally?

Earthquakes. Termites. Brush fires. Torrential downpours. The heat of the tropical sun. Hurricanes. Soaring utility bills.

Just days before bids were due, Hawaii County has canceled a request for proposals to privatize the county's green waste collection.

The day after the state Commission on Water Resource Management made another precedent-setting decision to restore millions of gallons of water a day to East Maui streams, Hawaii's last sugar producer issued a statement of thanks with a plea for mercy in the next rounds of decision-making for disputed access to stream water.

A refurbished Japanese cruise ship made its inaugural Hawai‘i appearance Thursday following the dedication of its refurbishing project in late March.

Hannemann to announce today, Abercrombie v Hannemann battle nothing new, one-third islander marriages mixed, cops' dirty dancer no prostitute, more Hawaii news

Nearly one-third of marriages in the Islands are between interracial couples — by far the largest percentage in the country and four times the national average, according to a new analysis of the latest census figures.

Diabetes, heart disease, strokes, cancer and other diseases -- many lifestyle- related -- have reached "epidemic" proportions in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands, a crisis that grips Hawaii because many islanders choose to live here under the Compact of Free Association.

Big Islanders live shorter lives and face higher cancer, heart disease and suicide rates compared with the rest of Hawaii, according to a recent report on health on Hawaii Island.

In 1986 Neil Abercrombie was the experienced, confident front-runner, while Mufi Hannemann was the aggressive, well-funded newcomer. Yet both ultimately lost the battle for the 1st Congressional District.

Hanneman opens campaign office, announcement expected soon

Central O'ahu could become home to the largest solar energy farm in the state under a proposal by Castle & Cooke Hawai'i Inc. to produce enough electricity from the sun to power 6,000 homes.

State Labor Director Darwin Ching has submitted his resignation, effective June 15, to seek election as Honolulu prosecutor.

Hawaii's wedding industry has been hit hard by the struggling economy, but the summer season and an easy to remember wedding date are offering up a much needed boost.

A bar employee who performed a "dirty dance" with a customer after a Honolulu Police Department undercover officer bought her two $40 drinks did not commit prostitution because the state did not prove the employee performed the dance in exchange for the drinks, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

Two giant pipes filled with holes - that's the solution to help prevent property damage in Manoa. Four years after the some of the worst flooding in Hawaii's history, residents got a look at how it'll work.

The Hawaii Department of Education said Wednesday even though the teachers' union has agreed with the State and the Board of Education to end 17 teacher furlough Fridays next school year, two other unions representing school workers still have not signed off on the deal.

Gov. Linda Lingle signed tougher anti-graffiti legislation into law earlier this month, but for it to work, offenders must first be caught, police and community leaders said.

As David Lyman walked through the future West Hawaii Civic Center Tuesday morning, construction workers placed a steel roofing frame on the last building at the project site.

Photographs taken by more than 10 residents show reef damage, which they claim was caused Friday by fishermen trying to net a school of akule, or big-eyed scad, off Keauhou.

A large crowd, from serious bidders to the "niele" attended Maui County's first property tax foreclosure auction in more than a decade Tuesday.



As Kaua‘i’s unemployment rate fell 0.3 percent in April to 8.9 percent, WorkWise in Lihu‘e continued to experience the same amount of “traffic” through its doors, said Bill Grier, the branch manager of Kaua‘i’s “one-stop job center.”

We all know the greats of Hawaiian music. You can’t walk through the airport or the mall without hearing The Brothers Cazimero or IZ floating into your ears.

DOE administrators seek big pay hikes as Furlough Fridays end, Honolulu crime up, Maui water deal struck, Big Island land sale pau, more top state news

Starting in July, the salaries of Hawaii's top secondary public school administrators could go up, including the state superintendent's — to as high as $240,000 from $150,000.

With only one more day of class left in the school year, Governor Lingle announced today that school furloughs are over.

Furlough Fridays at Hawai'i public schools are a thing of the past

After enduring a school year cut short by 17 Furlough Fridays, public school students and their parents, along with principals, teachers and other education officials, head into next year with a complete academic calendar once again.

What started last September as a breakthrough by Gov. Linda Lingle and educators to reduce labor costs and help with the state's budget deficit ended yesterday with a face-saving compromise to cancel teacher furloughs and return students to the classroom for a full calendar next school year.

Furlough Fridays are over. Governor Linda Lingle made the announcement around 4:15 in a press conference Tuesday afternoon at the State Capitol.

As you might expect, most parents are thrilled to see the school furlough saga come to an end, although many are wondering why Hawaii's leaders couldn't figure it out months ago.

Frozen Investments Could Have Helped Solve State Budget Crisis

Gov. Linda Lingle on Tuesday afternoon announced the state has reached an agreement to end school closures on furlough days next year.

Gov. Linda Lingle on Tuesday spent a little more than an hour with supporters of civil unions in a private meeting in her office. The legislation would provide rights similar to marriage to unmarried couples.

Property crime in Honolulu increased 5 percent in 2009, ending a six-year streak of declining offenses in the category. Authorities said the increase is disappointing, but probably won't jeopardize Honolulu's standing as the nation's safest large city.

Once it was Cash for Clunkers. Now it's rebates for refrigerators, and the chance to save $250 while going green is proving just as irresistible to Hawaii consumers.

On the day new U.S. Rep. Charles Djou was formally sworn into office in Washington, D.C., a handful of candidates offered their services as potential candidates to fill out the remainder of his term on the City Council.

State Commission on Water Resource Management members reached a historic compromise late Tuesday night, returning some water to six East Maui streams, but leaving both sides in the water dispute dissatisfied.

Mayor Billy Kenoi took the offensive Monday, calling a news conference urging the Hawaii County Council to make public its budget-cutting plans.

With the administration giving up for now on selling Hamakua lands, one councilman wants to revoke the county's authority to do so without future council approval.

A hearing on the voter registration of Maui Council Member Sol Kaho'ohalahala will be held in Lanai City today

Koloa and Po‘ipu house some of the richest archaeological sites in the entire state. Despite widespread development, new sites are still being discovered there.

Lingle meets with civil union opponents, economic impact weighed, Honolulu buses to get spy cams, staff report says Maui sugar company should return water to streams, Honolulu City Council seeks property tax hike, more news from around the state

Tourism and other businesses might benefit by about $7 million a year, but legalizing civil unions would otherwise have a minimal economic impact in the state, according to two University of Hawaii researchers.

One week ago, Gov. Linda Lingle said she needed more information before deciding on state House Bill 444. Monday she began two days of face-to-face meetings behind closed doors.

The civil union critics put a youthful face on their message Monday, bringing to the governor’s office dozens of young people, mostly Christian home-schoolers, many armed with notes they’d prepared in advance.

The governor wants to hear from both sides before she makes a decision on civil unions -- and she held the first of two private meetings on Monday.

Nearly six months after recommending that Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Co. restore water to only one of 19 streams in East Maui, staffers for the state Commission on Water Resource Management have changed their minds - at the direction of balance-seeking commissioners in the heated controversy.

Back in December, the state Commission on Water Resource Management deferred a decision on a staff recommendation to return water to only one of the 19 East Maui streams at the heart of a 10-year-old legal petition by the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., saying it was not enough of a compromise.

Waiting for a turnaround - Hawaii's construction industry has taken a big dive this year, losing more than 3,000 jobs from the year before, which was already way down.

Democratic Party Candidate Ed Case Monday pointed to the website of a national Republican group, Independent Women's Voice, as proof he was hurt by $200,000 worth of negative ads geared to help Republican Charles Djou win.

Twitter data beats phone polling in Hawaii special election

Hawaii home-care horror tales underscore risk to elderly

Non-occupant homeowners would pay less in property taxes than proposed by Mayor Mufi Hannemann, but at a higher rate than they're paying now, under a budget plan passed by the City Council Budget Committee yesterday.

Nonoccupant homeowners would face a higher real property tax rate next year, while most city departments would have to make do with fewer dollars under the operating budget advancing in the City Council.

Starting as soon as this week, Honolulu may begin using surveillance cameras on city buses.

Kamehameha Schools' expansive $118.5 million redevelopment project at its main Kapalama campus will be a boon to Hawaii's struggling building industry.

Firefighters made headway in defeating a brush fire that has burned roughly 300 acres in North Kohala. The blaze was fully contained and advanced no further Sunday, said Battalion Chief Warren Sumida, of the Hawaii County Fire Department.

Should County Council members be elected solely by residents of their districts? Maui voters say “yes!”