Testifiers: Don't eat cats and dogs, Wilson Supreme Court confirmation stalled, Saiki new GOP head, 2012 Hawaii County election a bargain, Maui seeks more polling places, Legislature mulls Jones Act, more news from all the Hawaiian Islaands

Abercrombie and his dog sign bill, file photo

Animal lovers in Hawaii packed a legislative hearing room Thursday with poodles and pugs, asking lawmakers to ban the practice of eating cats and dogs in the state. The House Committee on Agriculture later advanced SB 2026, a bill to ban the practice. Associated Press.

Circuit Judge Michael Wilson's confirmation to the state Supreme Court took an unexpected detour Thursday as the state Senate women's caucus urged the nominee to open up his personnel file and judicial performance reviews to satisfy questions about his conduct toward women. The unusual request was in response to the Hawaii State Bar Association's disclosure Wednesday that its "unqualified" rating for Wilson was based in part on the propriety of his conduct toward women in professional contexts. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Women Senators Prompt Further Inquiry Into Judge Michael Wilson. Civil Beat.

The state Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee will hold another hearing on Circuit Judge Michael Wilson's nomination to the state Supreme Court on Saturday after more detailed questions have been raised about his fitness to serve. Star-Advertiser.

The State Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a second hearing on Circuit Court Judge Michael Wilson's nomination to the State Supreme Court Saturday morning, as Hawaii News Now has discovered more reasons why lawyers have told the Hawaii Bar Association and some state senators Wilson is unqualified for the high court. Hawaii News Now.

Pat Saiki, one of the most successful Republicans in Hawaii history, is going to lead the state Republican Party.  The state party’s executive committee tapped her as chairwoman in a meeting Wednesday night, a title the state committee will formalize next week. David Chang, who had led the state party since 2011, resigned the position. Associated Press.

A roll of qualified Native Hawaiians interested in participating in their own government has grown to more than 120,000. The Native Hawaiian Roll Commission announced on Thursday that more than 120,000 have signed up to re-organize a Native Hawaiian government recognized by the state of Hawaii. Associated Press.

An amended bill on hunting lands will head to the state Senate Committee on Water and Land on Monday. The bill initially would have required the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to replace any hunting lands lost to conservation or other efforts. Tribune-Herald.

Scientists say deep coral reefs in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument may contain the highest percentage of fish species found nowhere else. A study published in the Bulletin of Marine Science says nearly 50 percent of the fish scientists observed over a two-year period in monument waters 100 to 300 feet deep are unique to Hawaii. Associated Press.

Lawmakers from Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and Guam are teaming up to pressure the U.S. government for relief from a maritime law passed in the 1920s. The Jones Act was designed to protect the domestic shipping industry. It states that only ships made in the U.S. and flying the country’s flags can deliver goods between U.S. ports. Associated Press.

The state House committee on Health recently amended a bill aimed at regulating electronic smoking devices by stripping it of its taxation elements but keeping its limitations on where the devices can be used. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

A retired Army Reserve lieutenant colonel faces up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine when he is sentenced this summer for sharing military secrets with his younger Chinese girlfriend. Star-Advertiser.

It was 100 years ago that the Navy laid the keel to begin construction on the USS Arizona. On Thursday the U.S. Postal Service honored the historic vessel with the dedication of a stamp. KITV4.

Aikea rallies against condo conversion. The job preservation movement, organized by Unite Here Local 5, rallied at Honolulu Hale today in support of City Bill 16. Hawaii Independent.

Representatives from Kamehameha Schools talked about Kakaako development plans on Thursday at a "Civil Cafe," an occasional discussion hosted by Civil Beat on topics of local relevance. Civil Beat.

Sales are slated to start Saturday for units in a planned Kakaako condominium tower that has been both praised as middle-class housing produced without government subsidy and derided as an overly dense blight to the community. Star-Advertiser.

Everyone loves a carnival. But that's not entirely true in Hawaii Kai, where some residents say while the cause may be good, the venue is not. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Even counting the County Clerk’s Office staff pulled from across the hall to help out during the contentious 2012 election, it still cost less to run that election than the two elections prior. That’s the finding of an outside auditor the County Council hired last year to compare the election costs. West Hawaii Today.

The list of reasons why Hawaii Island legislators are proposing renaming the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority Gateway Center after Guy Toyama takes up nearly two pages. West Hawaii Today.

With a bit of smoke, a couple loud pops, and first responders dressed head to toe in protective gear, Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium became the epicenter of a simulated terrorist attack on Thursday. The event, which included over two dozen volunteers, was part of an annual drill with county agencies, the National Guard and Hilo Medical Center all participating. Tribune-Herald.

Mayor Billy Kenoi was the keynote speaker Wednesday evening at Waimea Middle School, where he shared advice on how to be successful with students, families, educators and mentors. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

The Maui County Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution seeking an increase in the number of early walk-in voting locations, Council Member Mike White announced. White, who introduced the resolution, said it supports voter access and equal voting opportunities across the county, which only had two early walk-in sites during the last election cycle. Maui Now.

Maui hotels and resorts set new records for average daily room rates and revenue per room in 2013, though occupancy fell slightly with a "small shift" to time shares and vacation rentals, according to a Hospitality Advisors report. Maui News.

The Kihei-to-Upcountry highway, three decades in the making, took a step toward reality when the state House passed its supplemental budget Wednesday with funds for the road in it. Maui News.

Kauai

The outspoken Mel Rapoza is running for his fifth term on the Kauai County Council. Garden Island.

The public is invited to attend Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.’s State of the County address on Monday. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Lihue Civic Center, Moikeha Building courtyard. Garden Island.

The Kauai Visitors Bureau will be sharing an update on key markets for the island’s visitor industry next week, and highlight information from the recent Hawaii Tourism Authority Spring Update. Garden Island.

State Public Utilities Commission Chair Hermina Morita, considered the state's “main diva for environmentalism” while she was in the House of Representatives from 1996 to 2011, may not be reappointed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie to the Public Utilities Commission for a second term after the state Department of Land and Natural Resources documented illegal activities by Morita and her husband, Lance Laney. Hawaii Reporter.

Lanai

The Maui County Council on Tuesday gave final approval for various bills, including those to purchase a fire rescue boat and trailer and one to increase security at Kaumalapau Harbor on Lanai. Maui News.

House passes $12.1B budget, GOP chair steps down, Bar says why Wilson unfit for Supreme Court, Hawaii council must allow free speech of GMO foes, Waikiki condo goes higher, scuba spearfishing ban in trouble, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Legislative budget hearing file photo (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

The state House approved a $12.1 billion state budget Wednesday for the next fiscal year, meeting a legislative deadline to pass a budget bill on to the Senate. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie rallied reporters to the Capitol Wednesday so he could send a message to the public that the state Council on Revenues’ significantly downgraded economic forecast is no cause for alarm. The council on Tuesday lowered its January projection of 3.3 percent growth in general fund revenues down to zero for 2014. The council also dropped its forecasts for 2015 and 2016 to 5.5 percent and 5 percent, respectively. This means the state government will have almost $1 billion less to spend over the next two years than it expected, completely recasting the budget debate. Civil Beat.

The Legislature passed the executive budget today, setting in motion deliberations throughout the Capitol on funding for the remainder of this year and next.  This on the heels of the Council on Revenues downward projection of economic growth. Hawaii Public Radio.

In advance of legislative "crossover" last week, the House and Senate collectively passed more than two-dozen bills creating or amending tax credits to benefit various industries. In the wake of the Council on Revenues prediction on Tuesday that the state is expected to receive $180 million less revenue this year than initially anticipated, it's unlikely that many of the tax credits will become a reality in 2014. But House Finance Committee Chairwoman Sylvia Luke said that despite the lowered economic forecast, the proposals are still up for discussion. Civil Beat.

Wilson and Abercrombie

The Hawaii State Bar Association rated Circuit Judge Michael Wilson "unqualified" for the state Supreme Court because of concerns about his work ethic, professionalism, the propriety of his conduct toward professional women, and his ability to serve at the level of the state's highest court. Gregory Markham, the president-elect of the bar association, explained the reasons in a letter on Wednesday to the state Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Bar Association on Wednesday submitted additional testimony on Judge Michael Wilson's nomination to the Hawaii Supreme Court that raises more specific questions about whether he is qualified and suitable to be an associate justice. Civil Beat obtained a two-page letter, sent from the bar association's President-elect Greg Markham to state Sen. Clayton Hee, chairman of the Senate Judiciary and Labor committee, which just last week voted unanimously to send Wilson's nomination to the full Senate for a final vote.

The Hawaii State Bar Association said Wednesday that it rated Circuit Judge Michael Wilson — Gov. Neil Abercrobmie’s nominee to an associate justice post on the Hawaii Supreme Court — as “unqualified,” based on negative comments from a number of bar members who cited "work ethic concerns, a lack of professionalism in the workplace and questions concerning the propriety of conduct toward women in professional contexts, and the ability to serve at the level of a Supreme Court justice." Pacific Business News.

David Chang, the chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party, will step down to concentrate on military and business commitments, sources say.  Former congresswoman Patricia Saiki is expected to be named the new party chairwoman. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, but according a report by a public policy research organization, Hawaii’s welfare wage is more than four times that amount. The study, conducted by the Cato Institute, claims that in 2013, a mother with two children in Hawaii received an average of $60,590, or $29.13 an hour. But is that number accurate and is it fair to taxpayers? KHON2.

The Hawaii Department of Education recently announced the launch of a bold plan to significantly cut down on energy costs by outfitting schools with alternative energy technologies including solar and wind. But the “Ka Hei” initiative, as it’s being called, hinges largely on schools’ ability to connect proposed solar systems to the electrical grid, which is a problem in many parts of the state because of what the Hawaiian Electric Company describes as over-saturation issues. Civil Beat.

HB1889, known as the Homeless Bill of Rights, is widely supported, but not by some of the very people whom it would supposedly protect. Hawaii Independent.

Lawmakers in the state House and Senate are making another attempt at Jones Act reform. The maritime law requires shipping vessels traveling between U.S. ports be American built, owned and manned. Critics say this leads to high transportation costs for Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

A state senator Wednesday called for the University of Hawaii to investigate whether it gave Oceanic Time Warner Cable company "preferential treatment" in extending a sports television contract. Hawaii News Now.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: March 13. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Thursday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.
 
Oahu

A developer's much-debated request to raise the height limit on a Kuhio Avenue hotel-condominium tower received a 9-0 approval from the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday, despite opposition. California-based PACREP2 LLC will now get to build its 280-unit tower at 2139 Kuhio Ave. up to 350 feet, instead of the standard 300 feet allowed within the Waikiki Special Design District, after the Council approved Resolution 14-38. Star-Advertiser.

About 1,000 community members from the Aikea Movement, a job preservation effort organized by Unite Here Local 5, are expected to rally at Honolulu Hale on Thursday in support of Bill 16, which seeks to preserve hotel jobs by requiring property owners to obtain a permit if they plan to convert 20 percent or more of their hotel rooms into condominiums.Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Co. is pursuing an interim plan to bring liquefied natural gas to Oahu in shipping containers, while pressing ahead with a longer-term strategy to import bulk supplies of LNG to replace the fuel oil it burns in many of its power plants, a top HECO official said. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Several measures that critics say are thinly veiled attempts to undo West Hawaii’s scuba spearfishing ban are advancing through the state Legislature. House Concurrent Resolution 65 passed out of the Ocean Marine Resources and Hawaiian Affairs Committee on a unanimous affirmative vote. Rep. Faye Hanohano, D-Puna, chairs the committee and cosponsored the bill, which calls for a statewide, appointed task force to consider fishery rules. West Hawaii Today.

You might not like what they have to say, but you have to let them say it. That’s the gist of a memo sent out last week to County Council members following an incident at the Feb. 19 council meeting where a testifier was cut off when he attempted to criticize Monsanto Corp. and Hilo Councilman Dennis Onishi for supporting genetically modified crops. West Hawaii Today.

Two Big Island renovation projects received funding to proceed from the state Wednesday, when Gov. Neil Abercrombie released a total of $64.7 million for capital improvement projects across the state. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Because it failed to submit information that certified it as a nonprofit organization, the Lanai Community Health Center will not receive $866,546 in federal funds, setting back its progress of constructing a new facility for a year. Maui News.

The Kula man who led the more than decadelong fight by substitute teachers to obtain back pay received his partial settlement check in the mail Tuesday. Maui News.

An estimated $72.6 million of matching state and federal grants for a Kīhei-Upcountry Highway are included in the 2014 supplemental budget that was advanced by the state House of Representatives, according to information released by Representative Kaniela Ing of Maui. Maui Now.

The Recycling Center at the corner of the Kahekili Highway and Makaʻala Drive in Waiehu will close on Monday, April 7, 2014, due to illegal dumping and infrequent use, county officials announced today. Maui Now.

Hawaiian Airlines is accelerating the start of its new service between Los Angeles and Maui. The new start date for the flights between Los Angeles and Kahului will be May 2. The airline says the start date is moving up a month in response to strong demand. Associated Press.

Kauai

Debralynn DeSilva Carveiro may not have a lot of degrees on paper, but the Hanapepe resident said she makes up for it through life experiences gleaned by raising a family and running her home-based “adult novelty items” business. And that is what the mother of six children and grandmother of 12 said she brings to the table in her run for mayor in this year’s election — her second run for a county office. Garden Island.

The Kauai County Council passed a measure Wednesday asking state lawmakers and the Department of Land and Natural Resources to cease all legislation seeking to regulate coastal and marine resources around Niihau. Garden Island.

Hawaii economy is a no-grow, Hanabusa and Schatz agree to five debates, Kauai bloggers say dirty tricks in Morita investigation, Honolulu cops to cover their tats, HELCO slows geothermal project, bioterrorist could be hiding out in Puna, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Slow day at Waikiki (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

The state Council on Revenues on Tuesday predicted zero revenue growth for this fiscal year and reduced the growth projection for next fiscal year, a significantly downgraded forecast that could handcuff state lawmakers as they draft revisions to the state budget. The council dropped the projection to zero growth for the fiscal year that ends in June, down from 3.3 percent growth in the forecast made in January, a $180 million loss of revenue for the state. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii will have almost a billion dollars less than expected to fund state government programs and pay public workers over the next two years, according to a new economic forecast. The state Council on Revenues in January had projected 3.3 percent growth in general fund revenues for fiscal 2014, which ends June 30. The council voted Tuesday to change its forecast to no growth, although the reasons varied wildly among the seven appointed members who blamed everything from Russia and rain to shark attacks and traffic. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Tuesday Hawaii’s state budget is “solid and sound,” despite a downgrade of the state’s revenue forecast by the state Council on Revenues, which is projecting zero percent growth for the current fiscal year. Pacific Business News.

Schatz, Hanabusa

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz have agreed to five primary debates in their race to complete the term of late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye. Both candidates said Tuesday they agreed to participate in three events in July and two others with dates to be determined. Three of the debates are to be televised statewide, while a fourth will air on Hawaii Public Radio. Hawaii News Now.

Of nearly 400 bills the Hawaii House sent the Senate this year, only five were introduced by Republicans. And the party’s minority caucus package of bills was shut out entirely. The dismal numbers underscore the futility Republicans find in the lopsided state Legislature. Democrats outnumber them 44 to seven in the House and 24 to one in the Senate. Associated Press.

House Speaker Joe Souki is among seven legislators supporting a resolution that asks Congress to give Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico an exemption from the Jones Act. The Jones Act requires American made ships with American crews transport goods and services between American ports. Hawaii Reporter.

Supporters of family-child interaction learning programs brought a makeshift classroom to the Capitol on Tuesday to rally for expanded early-education options. Star-Advertiser.

More than a thousand people rallied at the state capitol Tuesday to support early childhood education. KITV4.

Hawaii lawmakers have proposed that manufacturers of electronics goods must recycle 50 percent of the pounds of products that each company sells in the state. Senate Bill 2857 was heard in the House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee on Tuesday. Its goal is to give residents on neighbor islands more options to recycle their old televisions, cell phones and a myriad of electronic devices. Associated Press.

It had to have been a letdown to Gov. Neil Abercrombie's re-election campaign that a press conference announcing the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly's endorsement attracted just a single reporter. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers scrambling to keep the Hawaii Health Connector solvent are proposing a fee for private insurers who decline to take part in the local Obamacare exchange. Hawaii Reporter.

Bank of Hawaii has decided to reopen 17 Iranian customers' accounts that were closed in December 2013 in response to the bank's interpretation of U.S. sanctions against Iran. Civil Beat.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: March 12 A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Wednesday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services says that it’s facing billions of dollars in improvements to three sewage treatment plants if new environmental requirements mandated by the state Department of Health are allowed to go into effect — and it’s planning to fight them. Civil Beat.

It’s not uncommon to see Honolulu police officers with tattoos.  But that will all change on July 1. That’s when all Honolulu police officers in uniform will be required to cover their tattoos. KHON2.

Honolulu city officials Tuesday launched a $13.76 million project to repave two heavily used and deteriorating Mili­lani roads, and Mayor Kirk Caldwell reaffirmed his commitment to a five-year plan to repave 1,500 miles of worn roads. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council members are looking into whether transient vacation units and bed-and-breakfast homes should be taxed at higher rates. Also, they appear ready to tackle related issues such as allowing for more legal short-term residential vacation rentals while cracking down on illegal ones. Star-Advertiser.

A beach access that has been gated and locked in Kailua is in violation, just not what one may suspect. Hawaii News Now.

Road crews on Thursday will close Kalanianaole Highway in both directions between Hanauma Bay and the Halona Blowhole from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. as they remove heavy equipment used in the restoration of the Ihiihilauakea Stream Bridge. Starting Sunday night, there will be two consecutive weeks (excluding weekends) of full overnight closures on the westbound H-1 freeway in town, from Vineyard Boulevard to Halona Street. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu attorney Michael Green filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Kamehameha Schools that alleges the school didn't protect its students from a psychiatrist who allegedly molested them. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii Electric Light Co. put its effort to expand geothermal power on the Big Island on hold after its independent observer criticized the utility for lacking sufficient planning. Tribune-Herald.

A man on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist list may be hiding on the Big Island, the agency believes. Daniel Andreas San Diego, 36, is alleged to have been involved in the bombings of two buildings belonging to biotechnology and nutritional products corporations in 2003 in California. Tribune-Herald.

UH Hilo has a brand new  $19 million dollar student services building that was completed in time to open last Fall.  But it has not yet officially opened to the public.  School officials SAY there's a compliance issue with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Hawaii Public Radio.

The cost to connect homes in the Lono Kona Subdvision to a county sewer line project is estimated to be just under $10,000 per single family equivalent unit. That’s according to an estimate Hawaii County’s Department of Environmental Management has provided to the public prior to a hearing, set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the West Hawaii Civic Center’s council chambers. West Hawaii Today.

Registration requirements for Hawaii island's growers of genetically modified crops are on hold for now because of a judge's ruling. But the question remains: Will the broader scope of the county's new law banning the outside use and testing of modified plants be challenged in court? Star-Advertiser.

Maui

The nonprofit Hale Mahaolu is proposing to build a 61-unit affordable senior housing project in Pukalani. Maui News.

Kauai

The chairwoman of the state Public Utilities Commission is under investigation for allegedly illegally building and operating a Hana­lei bed-and-breakfast for more than a decade, The Garden Island newspaper on Kauai reported Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Commentary: It looks like Kauai's Mina Morita, chair of the Public Utilities Commission, is the target of a political hit. The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is suddenly moving to enforce against Morita and her husband, Lance Laney, for operating illegal vacation rentals in Hanalei Valley — just as Gov. Neil Abercrombie is making an unpopular move to dump her as PUC chair. Kauai Eclectic.

Commentary: The Attack against Hermina Morita. Ililani Media.

Students of all ages are learning more than basic geometry and science at Kula Aupuni Niihau A Kahelelani Aloha Public Charter School, also known as Kanaka. They’re learning life lessons and how to create a sustainable food environment. Garden Island.

Hawaii could host America's Cup, Morita under investigation, Honolulu to get smart grid, sustainability bill spurs ethics complaint, lobbyist finally registers, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

America's Cup courtesy photo

Hosting the America's Cup could mean hundreds of millions in economic activity for Hawaii and priceless exposure for the islands' tourism industry. When word spread Monday that billionaire Larry Ellison, the owner of 98 percent of Lanai, has set his eyes on the islands to hold the 2017 America's Cup yacht race, the reaction in Hawaii was quick and mostly positive. Star-Advertiser.

Larry Ellison's vision for the 35th America's Cup in 2017 includes regattas raced around the globe leading up to the winners racing AC60 yachts in Hawaii for the Louis Vuitton Cup, with the winner of that race facing defending champion Oracle Team USA's AC60 in the waters off Honolulu for the America's Cup. Pacific Business News.

Plenty of measures that have been proposed in the Hawaii Legislature no longer have a shot this session, including bills to ease access to medical marijuana and outlaw shark and ray fishing. Associated Press.

Morita

A former state representative and current chair of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission is being investigated for illegally building and operating a Hanalei bed and breakfast for more than a decade.The state Department of Land and Natural Resources alleges that Hermina ‘Mina’ Morita and her husband, Lance Laney, ran the vacation rental Taro Patch Hale without permission, and built the secluded North Shore vacation getaway in a state conservation district without the proper permits. Garden Island.

Hawaii Senate President Donna Mercado Kim is one of two state senators running for the 1st Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and one of seven candidates in the race. Kim has been described as the CD1 frontrunner, has proved very effective at raising campaign money for the race and currently leads in the polls. Civil Beat.

State lawmakers are clashing with the Executive Office on Aging over whether Kupuna Care services should be provided to poor seniors — a disagreement that flared up in a committee hearing on aging program funding Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The March for Meals drew hundreds of Hawaii seniors to the State Capitol to lobby lawmakers for funding for Kupuna care. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii lawmakers are hashing out ways to get air conditioning into the state’s public schools. Sen. Suzanne Chun-Oakland said Monday that students and teachers in her school district have become sick and a pond of fish has died because of the heat. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii lawmakers are proposing charging a fee to insurers that are not participating in the state’s insurance exchange under President Barack Obama’s federal health care overhaul. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s prisons are crumbling under the weight of overcrowding and neglect. The newest facility — Halawa Correctional Center in Central Oahu — is more than 20 years old and bursting at the seams. Civil Beat.

Long-time lobbyist goes legit. The tale of how media inquiries brought a prominent land development lobbyist to register with the ethics commission. Hawaii Independent.

The Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations expects statewide employment will jump 4 percent by 2015. In its latest forecast, the state anticipates that statewide employment will expand by 26,880 jobs from the first quarter of 2013 to the first quarter of 2015. Tribune-Herald.

Great news for jobseekers -- statewide employment is expected to grow by 4%, or 26,880 new jobs, in the next two years. Hawaii News Now.

Glenna Owens, the director of the Department of Education's Food Services Branch, says school-grown food cannot be served in any school cafeteria, primarily for food safety reasons. Civil Beat.

Details in the autopsy report of Hawaii's former health director who died after a plane's ocean landing reveal how traumatic the ordeal was for her. The autopsy report obtained by the Associated Press on Monday says Loretta Fuddy was "markedly afraid" while waiting for help to arrive after the small plane crashed off Molo­kai on Dec. 11. Star-Advertiser.

Military service-members in Hawai’i received a 14.7 percent housing allowance increase in January, which is a tax-free subsidy to help pay for housing in the civilian market. Hawaii Public Radio.

State roundup for March 11. Associated Press.

Oahu

Hawaiian Electric Co. will soon start testing a smart-grid program on Oahu that will wirelessly transmit real-time information on customers' electricity use to the utility, allowing HECO to integrate more renewable energy into its grid and respond faster to power failures. Star-Advertiser.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell's revamped Housing First plan will provide 180 to 200 permanent residences for homeless individuals and families, 110 of them by June 2016, city housing officials told the City Council Budget Committee on Monday. Star-Advertiser.

During a Monday briefing before the City Council's Budget Committee, Community Services Director Pamela Witty-Oakland said the city is considering a voucher program for its Housing First initiative, which seeks to find shelter for the chronically homeless before focusing on issues of drug abuse or mental health. KITV4.

Former Kaneohe Ranch CEO Mitch D'Olier has turned his attention from the Windward side of Oahu to Honolulu, with his take on the island's so called "Third City" of Kakaako. Pacific Business News.

City Ethics Commission Director Chuck Totto took his case for more money directly to the Honolulu City Council Budget Committee on Monday. He's been fighting with Mayor Kirk Caldwell and the administration for months over what he sees as an effort to undermine his office by cutting short its cash flow. Civil Beat.

Sharie Shima, Hawaii's first broadcast meteorologist, has died. Shima, the longtime KHNL and KITV weathercaster, died over the weekend at the age of 52. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

A bill that would allow so-called “sustainable living research sites” skirt county building codes in Maui and Hawaii counties is moving through the state Legislature despite opposition from several state agencies and an ethics complaint against the bill’s sponsor. West Hawaii Today.

The state Board of Land and Natural Resources will consider a proposal Friday to use an old pipeline to transport biofuel from ships docked at Hilo Harbor. The 10-inch pipe was initially constructed in the 1960s to transport asphalt products to the former Shell Oil location near the harbor entrance. Tribune-Herald.

A South Kohala factory is up for auction, before it ever was used for production. Big Island Carbon’s Kawaihae plant was built through a combination of private financing and a $5 million federal stimulus loan. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County officials have downsized proposed improvements to Alii Drive, while still attempting to create a wider space for pedestrians walking on the mauka side of the road fronting the Kona Islander Inn and the Kona Alii condo building. West Hawaii Today.

A defiant state Rep. Faye Hanohano insists her behavior has been mischaracterized and she has been unfairly "thrown under the bus" by the House leaders who reprimanded her. Star-Advertiser.

Maui

A bill to reallocate funding for repairs to the Kalakupua Playground at the Fourth Marine Division Memorial Park in Haʻikū will be considered at the Budget and Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 11. Maui Now.

Maui County agencies are reconsidering how much government employees should travel by air for work after recent deadly plane crashes on Lanai and Molokai. Associated Press.

The Lanai plane crash that killed two Maui County Planning Department workers and injured three other county workers has some county and state departments rethinking air transportation to Molokai, Lanai and Hana, officials said last week. Maui News.

Kauai

Officials from The Kauai Bus say they are facing staffing challenges as they expand morning and afternoon routes to reduce overcrowding during peak times of the day. Garden Island.

United States Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard will be the guest of honor when the Kauai County Committee on the Status of Women hosts its gathering from 6 to 8 p.m. March 19 at the Kauai Museum courtyard. Garden Island.

Kauai Humane Society has launched an investigation after receiving disturbing photos of a chicken killed by what appears to be a blowgun dart. KHON2 has learned that other chickens have been targeted as well, and it’s happening in an area frequented by locals and tourists.

Legislature to tackle budget, Ige pushes gubernatorial bid, Hanohano speaks up, schools lag but some want school year shortened, senator seeks football over shearwater protection, Honolulu studies bike paths, judge blocks GMO law, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state Capitol (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

With first crossover now past, the two chambers of the Hawaii Legislature heaped one another with bills last week — moving about 500 combined on Tuesday alone. The remainder of the session, which hits its midway point Wednesday, will begin with those bills grinding through another round of committee hearings on their way to becoming laws or castaways. Associated Press.

Here is the status of major bills at the halfway point of the 60-day legislative session. The bills that are alive have passed in at least one chamber of the Legislature. The bills that are failing were not approved by the state House or Senate by Thursday’s procedural deadline. Star-Advertiser.

State Sen. David Ige said Friday that Gov. Neil Abercrombie has sought to "politicize" the legislative session by blaming him for stalling tax relief for seniors. Star-Advertiser.

Polls offer a glimmer of hope for Ige. Senator seeks bid for governor, says he will win primary. Maui News.

Hawaii lawmakers have killed proposals aimed at raising the legal age for buying tobacco to 21 and clamping down on smoking at beaches statewide. But they’re advancing bills that would restrict smoking and make it more expensive, continuing a trend in Hawaii to crack down on smoking in public places. Associated Press.

The rise of super PACs in Hawaii is an outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which said that the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting politically independent expenditures made by corporations, unions and associations. Hawaii's super PACS have caught the attention of the Campaign Spending Commission. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s public schools aren’t rated the nation's best, according to a variety of national rankings. Apparently, many state lawmakers aren’t interested in the numbers. They say teachers and students should not spend more time in the classroom, and the superintendent should make more money. Hawaii Reporter.

State Rep. Bob McDermott filed an ethics complaint against Hawaii State Department of Education District Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi Thursday after she ignored his Feb. 28 letter requesting she halt the implementation of a new teacher training program. The program, Teaching Tolerance, was created by the Southern Poverty Law Center in Alabama for K-12 English and history teachers nationwide. Hawaii Reporter.

Hawaii hotel sales reached a record $1.97 billion last year, and the blistering pace has continued into 2014, with another half-billion in estimated transactions in the first two months alone. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Bike advocates say that Oahu could be on the verge of a biking renaissance that ushers in not only safer conditions, but hopefully a lot more bikers. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has promised to make biking infrastructure a priority and plans to construct Oahu’s first protected bike lane along King Street, running from downtown all the way to the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Civil Beat.

City housing officials say they will explain to City Council Budget Committee members Monday that more than $20 million being set aside for their Housing First initiative will help homeless families as well as individuals find permanent shelter. Star-Advertiser.

Dr. Christopher Happy, chief medical examiner, wins the title of being the City and County of Honolulu’s highest paid worker. He filled the long-vacant position in November at an annual salary of $250,000, salary data shows. Civil Beat.

Starting Monday the city’s going to start a sand replenishment project at Kailua Beach Park. KHON2.

The Navy says it will install more monitoring wells around its massive Red Hill fuel storage facility to make sure that leaked fuel that has contaminated the groundwater isn’t migrating toward county drinking water supplies, an environmental threat that state and county officials say is a growing concern for them. Civil Beat.

Station Aloha: A laboratory for studying the sea. Oceanographers gauge man-made changes. Star-Advertiser.

Hundreds lined the street to oppose residential development in the waterfront area of Kakaako. The demonstrators said it's one of the last open spaces along the south shore, Kakaako makai, and it should be kept like that. KITV4.

A contentious plan to raise the Waikiki height limit for a second hotel-condominium tower on Kuhio Avenue to 350 feet cleared the City Council Zoning Committee on Thursday, but with a requirement that the developer increase the space between the buildings and add open space and other amenities. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hawaii County’s effort to register farms growing genetically modified crops was put on hold Friday. Hilo Circuit Court Judge Greg Nakamura granted a temporary restraining order in favor of John Doe, an unnamed plaintiff, two days after the deadline for farmers to comply with the county’s registration program. Tribune-Herald.

After criticism, state-wide media coverage, and an official letter of reprimand from House leadership, Puna State Representative Faye Hanohano returned to Hawaii Island where she gave her side of the story in an exclusive interview. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii County has a new legislative auditor. The County Council, by an 8-0 vote, approved Bonnie S. Nims to the six-year post, which has been vacant more than a year. Nims, who most recently worked for the U.S. Department of Defense, starts May 1. West Hawaii Today.

The pending sale of 5,880 acres of land in Ka‘u is leaving coffee farmers anxious. The property, acquired by Lehman Brothers last year through foreclosure, includes the Moaula coffee lands, known for producing some of the best coffee in the state. Tribune-Herald.

Kohala Kai developers were finally successful Friday relieving County Council members’ trepidation over approving a public easement through the luxury subdivision after assuring them the historical Ala Loa trail would be protected. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County Council Chairwoman Gladys Baisa was recovering Friday at Maui Memorial Medical Center after she fractured her pelvis in two places on Wednesday as she was rushing from one meeting to another, she said Friday. Maui News.

Haleakala National Park is looking for "fit and enthusiastic" Maui residents to serve as trail stewards. Associated Press.

Kauai

A U.S. senator is asking for a reprieve from the county shearwaters settlement that would allow high school night football games again on Kauai. Garden Island.

Three incumbent members of the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative board of directors — David Iha, Phil Tacbian and Peter Yukimura — won re-election on Saturday. Pacific Business News.

Connecting the coastal path. New proposal calls for 1.2-mile route to bridge current segments. Garden Island.

Native Hawaiian nation advances, Senate panel clears Wilson Supreme Court confirmation, Hanohano reprimanded, Wooley nominated for environmental post, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Native Hawaiian protest sign (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees, standing alongside some of their critics, announced Thursday they will help facilitate and fund steps to "build a Hawaiian nation" once the Native Hawaiian Roll is complete but stay neutral in the effort. The Native Hawaiian Roll Commission has gathered 170,000 names for an official registry of Hawaiians so they can come together to form a governing entity. It is in the process of confirming their ancestry. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii state senators made light work of the last handful of bills to cross over to the House before a legislative deadline. The chamber passed seven bills Thursday, covering topics ranging from drones in the air to marine life in the seas. Associated Press.

State House Speaker Joseph Souki on Thursday issued a reprimand to Rep. Faye Hanohano, concluding that her behavior at committee hearings has been unacceptable, in violation of the House's code of conduct and disruptive to the workplace. A public admonishment of a fellow lawmaker is extremely rare but less severe than other options House leaders had considered against Hanohano, such as censure or removing her as committee chairwoman. Star-Advertiser.

House Speaker Joe Souki has publicly reprimanded Rep. Faye Hanohano for her “intimidating” conduct after substantiating complaints that she made racially charged remarks to a college student and state employees. Souki sent her a letter Thursday threatening to remove her from all five of her committee assignments if she fails to behave properly and let her know that House leadership will be watching her closely until the legislative session ends in May. Civil Beat.

In a unanimous vote of confidence, the state Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee on Thursday recommended the confirmation of Circuit Judge Michael Wilson for the state Supreme Court. Senators rejected the Hawaii State Bar Association's conclusion that Wilson is "unqualified" for the nomination and condemned the unsubstantiated allegations about Wilson's character that surfaced during the bar's review process.Star-Advertiser.

In a tense — and sometimes intense — confirmation hearing that one state senator called "frickin' surreal," the Senate Judiciary and Labor committee on Thursday unanimously approved sending Mike Wilson's Hawaii Supreme Court nomination to the floor of the Senate. Civil Beat.

The chairwoman of the Hawaii House Agriculture Committee says she intends to fight for a bill that would establish a task force to study genetically modified foods. But Democratic Rep. Jessica Wooley said Thursday she thinks the bill doesn’t include enough meaningful regulation. She says she would like to see labeling of genetically modified foods because many people want to know whether their groceries include those ingredients. Associated Press.

State Rep. Jessica Wooley has been named the new director of the state Office of Environmental Quality Control. Gov. Neil Abercrombie appointed Wooley, an attorney known for her environmental advocacy, to the post Thursday. The appointment is subject to state Senate confirmation. Star-Advertiser.

For Hawaii Rep. Jessica Wooley, being nominated by Gov. Neil Abercrombie to lead the state’s Office of Environmental Quality Control is a pretty big deal. But some worry that Wooley’s departure could change the way the Legislature deals with the highly contentious issue of genetically modified organisms in food and farming. Civil Beat.

A bill that would create a public funding program for state House elections is getting mixed reviews. Tribune-Herald.

It usually takes about two weeks to process a tax payment. But businesses and individual taxpayers now complain that the state is taking five to six weeks. Hawaii News Now.

Oahu

The chants of more than 500 Campbell High School students, teachers and parents echoed throughout the state Capitol on Thursday in a second rally to get legislators to push for air conditioning in public schools. Students from all grades held up signs like "No A's and B's in 100 degrees" and "Need to stay cool in school" as they waved at passing cars and then marched around the Capitol. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell welcomed a panel of experts from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Daniel Rose Center for Public Leadership to Honolulu this week to provide technical assistance on creating a vibrant culture and arts district in urban Honolulu anchored by the redevelopment of the Neal S. Blaisdell Center complex. KHON2.

Members of the Honolulu City Council’s Zoning and Planning Committee are requiring developers of a controversial luxury hotel-condominium project in Waikiki to increase the space between their two towers, pay for sewer upgrades, improve landscaping and make the area more friendly to pedestrians. Civil Beat.

The Howard Hughes Corp.’s two ultra-luxury condominium high-rises in Kakaako, which began the sales process last month, is expected to start construction this summer, the Texas-based developer said in its 2013 annual report to shareholders. Pacific Business News.

A Honolulu City Council Committee approved a plan to build a second luxury tower in Waikiki today, on the same block that another high-end building is already under construction. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii

Hawaii County officials want garbage diverted from the Hilo landfill and turned into something useful. While waste-to-energy incinerators are the first thing that comes to mind, the ultimate facility may not be a burner. West Hawaii Today.

DLNR seeking input on fishpond restoration permitting.  West Hawaii Today.

Maui
Maui County Council Chairwoman Gladys Baisa was admitted to a hospital after slipping and falling on her way to a meeting Wednesday night. Star-Advertiser.

A contested case hearing involving permits and instream water flow standards at Nā Wai ʻEhā or “the four great waters” in Central Maui, begins next week. Maui Now.

The Maui Fire Department has appointed its first battalion chief of ocean safety, who will help facilitate the long-awaited merger between the department and the county's Division of Ocean Safety. Maui News.

Kauai

One of two runways at the Lihue Airport lacks a 1,000-foot Runway Safety Area, or overrun zone, as required by the Federal Aviation Administration. The plan is to shift the runway southwest, toward the Kauai Lagoons Golf Club, to provide for the necessary clearance. Garden Island.

Eleele resident Debralynn DeSilva Carveiro filed her nomination papers on Thursday to run for mayor in this year’s election, becoming the first person so far to try unseat Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. Garden Island.

Molokai

Ikehu Molokai — the project proposed jointly by Princeton Energy and Molokai Ranch with the goal of lowering the island’s electricity rates and creating a 100 percent renewable energy source – has changed directions since its inception. Molokai Dispatch.

Hawaii tourism forecast trimmed, Bar says Supreme Court nominee unqualified, Abercrombie fights for seniors, university official cleared in contract probe, Kona courthouse funds cut, state hospital scrutinized, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii hotel pool party (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

State tourism officials aim to lure 8.4 million travelers to the islands this year, instead of the 8.7 million targeted earlier, David Uchiyama, the Hawaii Tourism Authority vice president, said Wednesday. The less ambitious goal comes after several months of slowing growth in the state’s biggest industry, but it’s still 2.5 percent higher than the record number of visitors who came to Hawaii last year. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Wednesday that he will not give up on tax relief for seniors even though state lawmakers have shown little interest in the idea this session. he governor will continue pushing for bills that would offer income tax exemptions for about 25,000 low- to middle-income seniors at a cost of about $5 million a year and would double a refundable food and excise tax credit for about 110,000 low- to middle-income seniors, a cost of about $7 million a year. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii House money committee trimmed Gov. Neil Abercrombie's executive budget request by $53 million Wednesday in light of a dramatic downgrade that's expected in the state financial forecast. Finance Chair Sylvia Luke said she and her colleagues believe the Council on Revenues will further reduce the rate at which Hawaii’s economy is expected to grow in 2014 when it meets Tuesday. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii State Bar Association has rated Circuit Judge Michael Wilson "unqualified" for the state Supreme Court, a potential setback for his state Senate confirmation. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Bar Association has given State Supreme Court nominee Michael Wilson an "unqualified" rating. The local attorneys' organization does not release the reasons for its ratings of candidates for the bench or what the vote was of its board that makes the assessments. Hawaii News Now.

The state Department of Education Wednesday announced the creation of a renewable energy and efficiency program at public schools statewide that it estimates will save the department roughly $1 billion in operating costs over 25 years while expanding educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math. Star-Advertiser.

Faced with a key deadline this week, lawmakers in both chambers chose to advance many bills related to Native Hawaiian issues. Civil Beat.

Five top-level state health administrators will be the first officials subpoenaed to testify in a legislative investigation into whether poor management at the Hawaii State Hospital left workers there vulnerable to patient attacks, state lawmakers said Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

A Senate committee investigating violence, nepotism and mismanagement at the Hawaii State Hospital announced its first round of subpoenas Wednesday along with a stern warning to top administrators that any form of retaliation against employees called to testify will not be tolerated. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Health Connector on radar for congressional audit. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Health Connector, the local Obamacare exchange, has a new campaign to boost enrollment — “Tell a friend.” Hawaii Reporter.

Experts want Hawaii lawmakers to update regulations meant to protect opihi, a tasty mollusk whose numbers have crashed in parts of Hawaii. Associated Press.

On Tap at the Hawaii Legislature: March 6. A selective list of bills, resolutions, hearings, briefings and events for Thursday at the state Capitol. Civil Beat.

Oahu

A 114-year-old building in Kakaako that has stood abandoned for the past 50 years, despite being an architectural gem, may finally be put to use after numerous failed efforts and ideas in recent decades. A proposal to rehabilitate and reuse the historic Ala Moana Pump Station, which was Honolulu's first sewage disposal facility, was endorsed Wednesday by a state agency that owns the property. Star-Advertiser.

Taxpayers are on the hook for $180,000 to settle a decade-old case involving a few prison guards who slapped, punched, choked and otherwise inappropriately handled kids detained at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility. The lawsuit blames the state for failing to properly train and supervise the youth correctional officers involved in the incidents, which took place in the early 2000s. Civil Beat.

A $1.1 million fence is being taken down just three years after it was put up. Some are calling it a waste of taxpayer money, but the State says there was a good reason. Hawaii News Now.

Bakeries and other companies here in Hawaii that rely on flour are bracing for what could be a major disruption in their local supply of the product. That’s because the only flour mill in town has given notice to the state that it will not renew the lease on its operations at Honolulu Harbor. KHON2.

Representatives from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs went to the Capitol today to brief House members on their plan to build residential buildings in Kaka’ako Makai.  Instead, they received a strong recommendation from the committee chair to go back to the negotiating table with the Governor. Hawaii Public Radio.

A Honolulu attorney who’s represented some of Hawaii’s largest hotel, resort and commercial landowners is leading a local hui of investors who are developing a community of 24 homes priced at an average of $1.6 million each in Honolulu’s lush Pauoa Valley that will include open space and a nonprofit component focusing on sustainability. Pacific Business News.

Diamond Head Theatre officials are hoping a new venue will offer a stage experience worthy of the group's long and storied history. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Despite the sorry state of many of Hawaii Island’s highways, and Mayor Billy Kenoi’s promise to use capital projects to stimulate the economy by putting people to work, some $2.3 million of gas taxes collected during the bottom of the recession is sitting in a bank instead of being used to build roads. West Hawaii Today.

The House Finance committee cut $50 million out of the funding request for a new Kona Judiciary Complex Wednesday afternoon. Judiciary officials had requested $81 million, the amount needed to build the long-sought complex in North Kona, which would combine services now happening at three separate courts. West Hawaii Today.

A top University of Hawaii executive accused of favoritism and unethical conduct related to construction of a UH-Hilo dormitory project has been cleared of any alleged wrongdoing in a state attorney general's report released Wednesday by the university. Star-Advertiser.

There are 57 issues inhibiting organic food production and distribution in Hawaii, and 93 potential opportunities and solutions to address them, according to a recent report. Tribune-Herald.

A Hawaii island papaya farmer is suing for relief from new registration requirements for growers of genetically modified crops. The lawsuit filed earlier this week claims the county's new registration law is "burdensome and intrusive." Associated Press.

Maui
The Maui Fire Department has appointed its first battalion chief of ocean safety, who will help facilitate the long-awaited merger between the department and the county's Division of Ocean Safety. Maui News.

The Maui Police Department released a report today confirming the identities of those aboard a plane that crashed on Lānaʻi last week. The report also states that the cause of death for the three individuals that died in the incident has not been determined pending a coroner’s physicians report. Maui Now.

Maui Land & Pineapple Co. reported a $1.2 million net loss (6 cents a share) for 2013, a marked improvement from the $4.6 million loss (25 cents a share) logged in 2012. Maui News.

Kauai

James Alalem and other local residents have created a grassroots burial council for the purpose of honoring iwi kupuna (ancestral bones) and the history and culture of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Garden Island.

Kapaa resident Steven Yoder filed his nomination papers on Wednesday to run as a Republican candidate in this year’s election for the state House District 15 seat now held by Rep. James “Jimmy” Kunane Tokioka. Garden Island.

Minimum wage, hospital privatization, shorter school year, 300 bills moving at Hawaii Legislature, Big Island farmer sues over GMO law, record solar sales leaving middle-class behind, former Maui mayor running for state House, researchers study acid-loving coral, Democrats caucus tonight, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii House chambers

Nearing the halfway point of the legislative session, the state House and Senate have traded bills that would increase the minimum wage, finance preschool for low-income children, lift the cap on hotel room tax revenue to the counties, and guide residential development in Kakaako. House and Senate leaders said after positioning hundreds of bills for exchange between the chambers by Thursday's deadline that they would still like to settle the minimum wage debate early, avoiding the pressure of end-of-session negotiations. Star-Advertiser.

State lawmakers have passed measures in both chambers to set the public school year at 990 instructional hours over 180 school days. Both the House and Senate have advanced bills that would repeal a 2010 law that scheduled an increase in the school year to 1,080 hours by 2016. Associated Press.

As expected, most bills heard by the Hawaii Legislature on Tuesday were approved, allowing them to cross from one chamber to the other. They include measures to increase Hawaii's minimum wage, improve education and take care of kupuna. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Senate made short work of a heap of bills Tuesday, passing more than 300 measures to send to the House. Proposals aimed at curtailing invasive species, preparing for climate change and addressing aging in Hawaii sailed through the chamber as lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol debated a host of bills in advance of a major legislative deadline. Associated Press.

Some Lawmakers Oppose Ukulele as State Instrument. Hawaii Public Radio.

Commentary: Why Is There No Record of Many Legislative Hearings? Civil Beat.

A Senate bill to transfer state public hospitals to a private nonprofit has crossed over to the state House of Representatives, keeping it alive this lawmaking session. Maui News.

Hawaii lawmakers have taken a major step toward opening up police officers to more public scrutiny and oversight when it comes to their misconduct. On Tuesday, Hawaii House of Representatives voted unanimously on a bill that would eliminate a provision from the state's public records law that for 19 years kept information about most police misconduct out of public view. Civil Beat.

House and Senate lawmakers on Tuesday passed a pair of bills aimed at increasing the state’s minimum wage. What is uncertain, however, is which of the proposals will survive and pass through the Legislature, if any at all.  Garden Island.

State lawmakers are trying to do what they couldn't last year. They want to raise the minimum wage, and hope to agree to pass one of two competing bills. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii lawmakers are trying to level the playing field for retailers on the islands by mandating taxes on Internet sales transactions. Associated Press.

The installation of solar photovoltaic systems in Hawaii set another record in 2013, although the once-explosive pace of growth slowed significantly as electric utilities took a cautious approach to allowing PV systems to connect to the grid in areas where high levels of solar power generation are raising concerns about safety and reliability. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii tourism officials are sharing updates on their outlook for the state's biggest industry and their plans for promoting the islands to travelers around the world. Associated Press.

UH researcher sees oceans growing too acidic. The search is on for "supercorals" that can sustain reefs threatened by a warmer, more acidic ocean. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Connector is working with the Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly to reach out to Native Hawaiians who may not have health coverage. The two groups signed a $675,000 agreement on Tuesday. Associated Press.

Commentary: Is Part of the Sovereignty Debate Just a Matter of Faith? Civil Beat.

The Democratic Party is looking for a few good men and women. The party’s Biennial Precinct Meetings, commonly known as the precinct caucuses, are happening Wednesday night across the state. KHON2.

Oahu

A woman from Oahu who has led Salt Lake City's municipal parks system is coming home to take over the Honolulu parks director job. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu remains the second-worst city in the nation for traffic congestion: Drivers in this crowded capital city wasted 10 more hours on average sitting in traffic in 2013 than they did the previous year, a new report finds.Star-Advertiser.

President Barack Obama's proposed budget includes promised money for Honolulu's planned rail line. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation said in a statement Tuesday the president's budget proposal for the fiscal year beginning in October includes $250 million for the rail transit project. Associated Press.

President Barack Obama’s U.S. Department of Transportation budget for the next fiscal year includes $250 million for the Honolulu rail project, the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation said Tuesday. Pacific Business News.

The Pentagon released a $496 billion defense budget request Tuesday and a planning road map that call for a smaller Army and retirement of OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopters — more than 25 of which are based at Wheeler Army Airfield. Star-Advertiser.

It’s been a long-awaited road project — repaving Kalanianaole Highway through East Honolulu. The State Department of Transportation just announced the work will start sometime between late spring and early summer. KHON2.

Keiki Care: Revolutionary Pilot Program's Campus Health Care Targets Teens. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

An unnamed farmer filed a lawsuit seeking relief from requirements of Hawaii County’s recently enacted ban on genetically modified crops. The suit, John Doe vs. County of Hawaii, was filed Monday in Hilo’s 3rd Circuit Court and seeks relief from the registration provisions of the GMO ban, which were required to be fulfilled by today. Tribune-Herald.

Warnings from Honolulu legislators that they may not support fully funding the Kona Judiciary Complex project this year has Big Island public and private practice attorneys rallying. The bill authorizing the funding is scheduled to go before the House Finance Committee today. West Hawaii Today.

The middle class and poor are increasingly footing the bill for Hawaii Island’s electric grid when wealthier homeowners, businesses and government agencies opt out by installing photovoltaic systems, the county energy coordinator said Tuesday. West Hawaii Today.

The former general contractor for a power plant under construction in Pepeekeo is suing the developer and a construction crisis consultant, claiming they locked the contractor out of the construction site for the purposes of theft and corporate espionage. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Former Maui Mayor James "Kimo" Apana has officially filed to run for the 9th House District seat held by Democratic state Rep. Justin Woodson. Maui News.

An officer of Maui Air, the company whose plane crashed last week on Lanai, killing the pilot and two county workers, said Tuesday that she doesn't know what happened to cause the crash and is fully cooperating with authorities investigating the incident. Maui News.

Governor Neil Abercrombie today announced the release of $1.5 million in capital improvement grant funds for Heritage Hall, the multi-purpose community complex that honors the history and culture of the Portuguese and Perto Rican immigrants to Maui. Maui Now.

Kauai

Arthur Brun, a 10-year employee of Syngenta, is the third person to declare his candidacy for the seven-seat county council. Hawaii Independent.

A group of cab drivers is suing the Lihue Airport for unlawful dispatching practices and negligence in preventing acts of retaliation by airport management. The suit, filed at 5th Circuit Court, alleges that unregulated transportation providers are ignoring protocol and cutting in line when it comes to picking up arriving passengers. Garden Island.