Abercrombie touts accomplishments, pushes minimum wage hike, preschool, keiki and kupuna programs in annual State of the State address; undersea electric grid aired, Hawaii council rejects outright GMO ban, Kauai tsunami maps updated, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Abercrombie's 2014 State of the State courtesy photo

Gov. Neil Abercrombie declared Tuesday that the state now stands on solid financial ground and is entering a new phase in which investments in early childhood education, a minimum wage increase, land conservation and tax relief for seniors are possible. Closing the book on the recession, Abercrombie used his annual State of the State address to mark the state's economic turnaround. The governor said a record $844 million budget surplus provides the state with an opportunity to take action. Star-Advertiser.

The governor of Hawaii began his fourth State of the State address Tuesday asking lawmakers to "set aside our political preoccupations" and reflect instead on public service and the concerns of others. Yet, the major theme in Neil Abercrombie's speech was that the state has an $844 million budget surplus and that "hard choices," "tough decisions" and "fiscally prudent decisions" made it possible. Civil Beat.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Tuesday that Hawaii’s solid financial position will allow lawmakers to focus on such initiatives as expanding funding for preschool, providing tax relief for seniors and increasing the minimum wage. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie used his State of the State address Tuesday to push for priorities that included tax relief for elderly residents, a minimum wage increase and state-funded preschool. The Democratic governor, during his fourth annual speech before lawmakers, also took time to tout the state’s recent accomplishments, notably concerning the state budget. Associated Press.

Governor Neil Abercrombie highlighted the state's $844 million surplus and pushed for tax breaks for seniors, along with raising the minimum wage during his fourth State of the State Address Tuesday morning at the State Capitol. Hawaii News Now.

In his fourth State of the State speech to a joint session of the legislature, Gov. Neil Abercrombie proposed an increase to Hawaii's minimum wage, while also asking for support in setting aside more than 20,600 acres of land on the North Shore and Central Oahu. KITV4.

In his fourth State of the State address, Gov. Neil Abercrombie highlighted the economic turnaround, one of the reasons for the $844 million general fund surplus. KHON2.

"I realize this is an election year. Political agendas and ambitions are being formulated, but let us take children out of these equations," said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. KITV4.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s 2014 State of the State speech on Tuesday was peppered with facts highlighting the progress that Hawaii has made under his administration. Given that it's an election year and Abercrombie is not shy about showcasing his accomplishments, Civil Beat decided to take a closer look to check whether the statements he made tell the full story. Civil Beat.

Text of the governor's State of the State speech.

Boost in Minimum Wage Is Only the First Step. Civil Beat.

A proposal to connect the electrical grids of Maui and Oahu with an undersea cable would save utility ratepayers on both islands an average of 6 cents a kilowatt hour over the life of the project by increasing the amount of renewable energy that could be tapped and allowing the two grids to operate more efficiently, a state officials said tonight at a state Public Utilities Commission meeting. Although the cable would cost an estimated $700 million to construct, it would result in a net savings to ratepayers of $423 million over the 30-year life of the project, state Energy Administrator Mark Glick said in a presentation at the meeting called by the PUC.  Star-Advertiser.

An undersea electrical cable between Maui and Oahu will save consumers more than $420 million over 30 years, a state official said. But critics said that consumers will bear most of the upfront costs. Hawaii News Now.

Castle & Cooke is not giving up its fight to build a wind farm on Lanai to power Oahu despite a plan to connect Maui and Oahu instead via an undersea cable. Hawaii’s Public Utilities Commission held a hearing Tuesday evening at Farrington High School on Oahu to hear public comments on the Oahu-Maui connection, which would allow for the adoption of increasing amounts of renewable energy. Civil Beat.

Oahu
Oahu revelers may be able to light sparklers and fountains on New Year's Eve and Independence Day under a new proposal expected to be unveiled by two Hono­lulu City Council members today. Council members Ikaika Anderson and Ann Koba­ya­shi plan to introduce a bill today allowing sparklers and fountains to join standard firecrackers as items that can be set off via permits. Star-Advertiser.

Results of laboratory tests on drinking water -- conducted after Navy officials found a possible jet fuel tank leak last week at Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility --are continuing to meet federal regulatory Safe Drinking Water and State of Hawaii standards, and the water's safe to drink, according to a Navy news release issued this afternoon. Star-Advertiser.

The owner of Ward Centers is preparing to open a public sales gallery soon for the first two of 22 planned condominium towers envisioned to transform 60 acres of Kaka­ako into a largely residential community called Ward Village. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

It was deja vu for the Hawaii County Council on Tuesday as it voted against a full ban on genetically modified crops while meeting in committee. The vote was the second time the council’s Public Safety and Mass Transit Committee had considered Councilwoman Brenda Ford’s bill. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Council members seemed at odds Tuesday on whether they’d rather have the state give the county back its share of the transient accommodations tax or allow it to raise general excise taxes. The discussion in the council Finance Committee ended with no vote, but it gave a glimpse into which council members preferred which mode of financing county operations. West Hawaii Today.

As chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Public Employment, state Rep. Mark Nakashima has already been hard at work crafting legislation to raise the minimum wage. So it’s no surprise that Nakashima, D-Hamakua, North Hilo, South Hilo, lists a 75-cent increase in the hourly wage over three years as one of his priorities for the 2014 legislative session. Nakashima said he hasn’t yet had an opportunity to review a proposal promised by Gov. Neil Abercrombie, but he said there will be minimum wage legislation heard in his committee this year. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A Maui-based technology fund called mbloom LLC, the first early-stage fund of its kind in Hawaii, said Tuesday that it secured $10 million through a public-private partnership formed with Hawaii State Development Corp. and East Coast-based hedge fund Rosemont Seneca Technology Partners. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaiʻi Public Utilities Commission hosts a public meeting on Maui this week on the proposed Maui to Oʻahu Undersea Cable interisland transmission project to connect the electric grids on the two islands. The PUC is gathering input as part of its investigation to determine if the Oʻahu-Maui interisland transmission system, or grid-tie, is in the public interest. Maui Now.

Hawaii's C-minus grade on emergency care environment should not totally reflect on Maui County and Maui Memorial Medical Center, which is "always striving to improve" its services by investing in emergency preparedness, the hospital's top official said last week. Maui News.

Kauai

Two local legislators gave good reviews to Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s State of the State speech Tuesday. Garden Island.

County officials announced that Kaua‘i's tsunami evacuation zone maps have been updated, replacing the maps from the 1990s. The updated maps are based on the latest technology, which utilizes bathymetric/ocean-floor mapping and computer modeling done by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Hawaii News Now.

As Kauai considers new restrictions against dogs that bark too much, some residents worry the rules could fuel arguments between neighbors. Associated Press.

The National Tropical Botanical Garden has announced it is bringing together a host of top musicians from Hawaii with a Grammy-winning artist in celebration of the Garden’s 50th anniversary. Tickets to the Saturday, April 5 “Musical Legends in the Garden” are now on sale for the four-hour concert set in NTBG’s open-air Southshore Visitors Center in Poipu. Garden Island.

U.S. Supreme Court upholds Hawaii reapportionment, Abercrombie's State of the State today, Hanabusa opens headquarters, former Maui mayor to run for state House, corruption crackdown at prison, Health Dept. refutes metals found in Hanalei Bay, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

undersea cable courtesy photo

State regulators are looking into whether an undersea power cable between Maui and Oahu would be in the public’s interest. The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission is inviting the public to comment on the cable at meetings today at Farrington High School in Honolulu and Thursday at Pomaikai Elementary School in Kahului. Associated Press.

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld Hawaii's reapportionment plan that leaves out some military personnel and students when calculating population and determining state legislative districts. The justices affirmed a lower court ruling without comment today. Associated Press.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie will address the Legislature this morning in his fourth State of the State address, in which he is expected to tout Hawaii's economic recovery while setting the stage for his re-election bid this year. The speech, set to begin at 10 a.m. in the House chamber of the state Capitol, will likely include Abercrombie's proposal to raise the state's minimum wage and for state-funded preschools. Star-Advertiser.

Governor Neil Abercrombie will lay out his administration's focus for the next year during the State of the State Address Tuesday morning, and one of the key issues he's expected to touch on is Hawaii's rapidly growing elderly population. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii lawmakers last week started hearing bills to boost government transparency, improve elections and hold public officials more accountable. In the first week of the 2014 legislative session, one of the many so-called good-government bills has already cleared its final House committee and is headed to a final vote before all the reps. House Bill 1072 would make public the financial disclosure reports filed by the University of Hawaii Board of Regents. Civil Beat.

Lawmakers Seeking to Outlaw 'Conversion Therapy' in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Hanabusa

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, who's trailing her Senate Democratic primary opponent U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz by 2-to-1 in fundraising, got some high-powered help Monday when she opened her campaign headquarters along Beretania Street in Chinatown. Hawaii News Now.

With the announcement Saturday of former state Sen. Russell Kokubun as Big Island campaign chairman, U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa increased her Hawaii Island presence in a Democratic battle for U.S. Senate that has captured national attention. West Hawaii Today.

The recent death of a 3-year-old girl who went into a coma after visiting the dentist’s office raises questions about the regulation of children's dentistry in Hawaii and whether the state is doing enough to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future. Civil Beat.

Three Hawaii resorts on Maui and the Big Island and two restaurants in Honolulu have earned AAA Five Diamond ratings for 2014, while 20 hotels and resorts and eight restaurants have been given with the organization’s Four Diamond rating. Pacific Business News.

People talk about Hawaii as a racial melting pot but for many years club bigotry was common. Civil Beat.

Consumers who selected a health or dental plan through the Hawai'i Health Connector by Wednesday are reminded about upcoming premium payment deadlines for coverage that begins Feb. 1. Maui News.

Oahu

The crack down on corruption at Halawa prison will likely mean more arrests. Hawaii News Now has learned that up to a dozen workers at the state's maximum security prison are being targeted. That comes on the heels of the recent arrest of prison guard James Sanders, who is accused of smuggling in crystal meth to prisoners.

North Shore residents affected by coastal erosion braced themselves Monday for what could be the largest ocean swell in a decade. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii tourism is expected to fly higher this year with the addition of scheduled nonstop service from Beijing to Honolulu. Air China, founded in 1988, brought its first group of 270 visitors, including top airline officials, travel agents and Chinese media, to Hawaii on Monday. Star-Advertiser.

The Army is studying a potential biofuel-capable power plant at Schofield Barracks. The public has an opportunity to provide input on alternatives, potential environmental impacts and other issues of concern that should be included in an environmental impact study. Public scoping meetings will be held Feb. 5 at Mililani Mauka Elementary School and Feb. 6 at Wahiawa District Park. Associated Press.

If you live on Oahu, you may not think it's that out of the ordinary. But Honolulu is the only county left in the state where you'll still see plastic bags used in grocery stores. An estimated tally finds 400 million plastic bags are used each year on the island of Oahu. KHON2.

Some city officials want to flip the "pave paradise, put up a parking lot" notion on its head by transforming on-street stalls into parks and plazas. Resolution 13-290, asking the Caldwell administration to establish a demonstration project for "parklets" around Oahu, was approved by the City Council's Transportation Committee on Thursday. The full Council will vote on it Jan. 29. Star-Advertiser.

The rhino beetle has surfaced on Oahu. They're ugly to look at, and what they do to palm trees is even uglier. KITV4.

A senior Pearl Harbor shipyard manager says he was falsely accused of espionage, taken off the job in March and has not been paid since July — even though an investigation cleared him of the "foreign influence" allegations. Gerald "Gino" Palermo, a former submariner who has worked in the shipyard since 1981, most recently in the "Code 930" mechanical group as a process manager, said he was cleared in June of allegations involving contact with several Chinese women and a Japanese female. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

A Hawaii House member from the Big Island is introducing five bills designed to keep hunting lands intact and promote the culture of hunting to children and others. Rep. Cindy Evans, North Kona and Kohala, said Friday that hunters should be recognized as conservationists who care about the land and wildlife. Associated Press.

It’s been a whirlwind first week for newly minted state Rep. Richard Creagan, who was appointed Jan. 10 to the District 5 post vacated by former state Rep. Denny Coffman. West Hawaii Today.

Drug reform in Hawaii will be the topic of two talk-story sessions on the Big Island. Hosted by the Drug Policy Action Group and Medical Cannabis Coalition of Hawaii, the meetings are intended to highlight marijuana-related legislation before the state Legislature and take input on ways to improve the Aloha State’s medical marijuana program, according to the groups. Tribune-Herald.

It’s been several years since a group of more than 20 Waikoloa residents gathered in the home of state Rep. Cindy Evans to ask for a library, but plans for the community’s first library are finally under way for 2014. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi joined 280 of the nation’s mayors at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 82nd Winter Meeting on Monday in Washington, D.C. Kenoi, chair of the Hawaii Conference of Mayors, will the meeting with Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, and Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Longtime politician and former Maui County Mayor James "Kimo" Apana has announced his intent to run for the state House District 9 seat, which covers parts of Central Maui and is now occupied by political newcomer Justin Woodson. Maui News.

When the Hawaii Center of Independent Living shuttered all five of its Neighbor Island offices in July, Nani Watanabe, an independent living specialist working at the Wailuku office, thought, "Here we go again." Maui News.

Public input is being sought on a Community Wildfire Protection Plan for the West Maui Community. The non-profit Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization, in collaboration with the West Maui Fire Task Force, is hosting a series of meetings this month to gather comments and suggestions. Maui Now.

Kauai

The County of Kaua‘i Division of Purchasing has issued a professional services solicitation to procure pro bono legal representation in a lawsuit filed against the County relating to Ordinance 960, regulating pesticides and GMOs. Hawaii Reporter.

The Hawaii Department of Health is refuting a study that reportedly found high levels of metals found in sediment samples in and around Hanalei Bay. Dr. Roger Brewer, a senior geologist with the DOH’s Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response Office, said there is no indication of any contamination in the samples. Garden Island.

Retired sugar industry executive and former Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee Donald Bruce Cata­luna has died at the age of 77, leaving a legacy of service beyond the plantation. Born in Koloa, Kauai, Cata­luna worked almost every job on the sugar plantation, from taking care of the pack mules to managing some of the largest plantations in the islands. He spent his career with C. Brewer & Co., becoming one of the industry's first part-Hawaiian plantation managers. Star-Advertiser.

A storyteller, public servant, family man and instructor whose mind was a trap for details. Friends and family reflected on the life of Donald Bruce Cataluna on Monday after the retired sugar industry executive and Kauai native died Saturday from natural causes. Garden Island.

Martin Luther King's wearing of lei, his historic address to the Hawaii Legislature and other Hawaii ties, a special report in honor of his day.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and civil rights leaders wear lei during their 1965 march

Ever wonder why the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders on that famous march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. wore lei? Turns out King had special ties to the Aloha State, and to the family of U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii.

Hawaii and the rest of the nation on Monday commemorate what would have been King's 84rd birthday. King, in his 1959 address to a special session of the Hawaii Legislature, praised Hawaii for its ethnic diversity.

"We look to you for inspiration and as a noble example, where you have already accomplished in the area of racial harmony and racial justice, what we are struggling to accomplish in other sections of the country, and you can never know what it means to those of us caught for the moment in the tragic and often dark midnight of man’s inhumanity to man, to come to a place where we see the glowing daybreak of freedom and dignity and racial justice," King said in his address.

Five years after those words, King carried a bit of Hawaii to Alabama. That five-day, 54-mile march from Selma, where an Alabama state trooper had shot and killed church deacon Jimmie Lee Jackson, to the state capital, helped bring King to the forefront of the nation's imagination, spurring the cause of nonviolent protest that would be picked up and championed by an entire generation, fomenting the hope of equality for all mankind.

The lei were no artifice. King had strong Hawaii ties, from his 1959 address to the Hawaii Legislature to his relationship with the Rev. Abraham Kahikina Akaka, older brother of Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii. Abraham Akaka, kahu (shepherd) of Kawaiahao Church in Honolulu, developed a close friendship with King when King came to Honolulu in 1964 to participate in a Civil Rights Week symposium at the University of Hawaii, according to Akaka's obituary in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.  Abraham Akaka later sent the lei to King as a gift, according to a 1991 article in Jet Magazine by Simeon Booker.

Here's the text of King's speech, as recorded in the Journal of the Hawaii House of Representatives:

The following remarks were made by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Thursday, September 17, 1959 at the Hawaii House of Representatives 1959 First Special Session:

“Mr. Speaker, distinguished members of the House of Representatives of this great new state in our Union, ladies and gentlemen:

It is certainly a delightful privilege and pleasure for me to have this great opportunity and, I shall say, it is a great honor to come before you today and to have the privilege of saying just a few words to you about some of the pressing problems confronting our nation and our world.

I come to you with a great deal of appreciation and great feeling of appreciation, I should say, for what has been accomplished in this beautiful setting and in this beautiful state of our Union. As I think of the struggle that we are engaged in in the South land, we look to you for inspiration and as a noble example, where you have already accomplished in the area of racial harmony and racial justice, what we are struggling to accomplish in other sections of the country, and you can never know what it means to those of us caught for the moment in the tragic and often dark midnight of man’s inhumanity to man, to come to a place where we see the glowing daybreak of freedom and dignity and racial justice.

People ask me from time to time as I travel across the country and over the world whether there has been any real progress in the area of race relations, and I always answer it by saying that there are three basic attitudes that one can take toward the question of progress in the area of race relations. One can take the attitude of extreme optimism. The extreme optimist would contend that we have come a long, long way in the area of race relations, and he would point proudly to the strides that have been made in the area of civil rights in the last few decades. And, from this, he would conclude that the problem is just about solved now and that we can sit down comfortably by the wayside and wait on the coming of the inevitable.

And then segregation is still with us. Although we have seen the walls gradually crumble, it is still with us. I imply that figuratively speaking, that Old Man Segregation is on his death bed, but you know history has proven that social systems have a great last-minute breathing power, and the guardians of the status quo are always on hand with their oxygen tents to keep the old order alive, and this is exactly what we see today. So segregation is still with us. We are confronted in the South in its glaring and conspicuous forms, and we are confronted in almost every other section of the nation in its hidden and subtle forms. But if democracy is to live, segregation must die. Segregation is a cancer in the body politic which must be removed before our democratic health can be realized. In a real sense, the shape of the world today does not permit us the luxury of an anemic democracy. If we are to survive, if we are to stand as a force in the world, if we are to maintain our prestige, we must solve this problem because people are looking over to America.

Just two years ago I traveled all over Africa and talked with leaders from that great continent. One of the things they said to me was this: No amount of extensive handouts and beautiful words would be substitutes for treating our brothers in the United States as first-class citizens and human beings. This came to me from mouth of Prime Minister Nkrumah of Ghana.

Just four months ago, I traveled throughout India and the Middle East and talked with many of the people and leaders of that great country and other people in the Middle East, and these are the things they talked about: That we must solve this problem if we are to stand and to maintain our prestige. And I can remember very vividly meeting people all over Europe and in the Middle East and in the Far East, and even though many of them could not speak English, they knew how to say ‘Little Rock.’

And these are the things that we must be concerned about – we must be concerned about because we love America and we are out to free not only the Negro. This is not our struggle today to free 17,000,000 Negroes. It’s bigger than that. We are seeking to free the soul of America. Segregation debilitates the white man as well as the Negro. We are to free all men, all races and all groups. This is our responsibility and this is our challenge, and we look to this great new state in our Union as the example and as the inspiration. As we move on in this realm, let us move on with the faith that this problem can be solved, and that it will be solved, believing firmly that all reality hinges on moral foundations, and we are struggling for what is right, and we are destined to win.

We have come a long, long way. We have a long, long way to go. I close, if you will permit me, by quoting the words of an old Negro slave preacher. He didn’t quite have his grammar right, but he uttered some words in the form of a prayer with great symbolic profundity and these are the works he said: ‘Lord, we ain’t what we want to be; we ain’t what we ought to be; we ain’t what we gonna be, but thank God, we ain’t what we was.’ Thank you.”

At the conclusion of his address, there was much applause.

Sex ed among Hawaii House keiki caucus priorities, senator seeks Roundup moratorium, county council to hear general excise tax plan, Lingle to teach at California college, Honolulu mayor pushes for bus ads, Kauai hit and run victim solves own case, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Namaste rests in a bamboo thicket (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

Zoo-goers were saddened Thursday by the death of Namaste, longtime star attraction at Hilo’s Pana‘ewa Rainforest Zoo &Gardens. Clayton Honma, county Parks and Recreation director, said the 15-year-old white Bengal tiger was euthanized Thursday morning because of complications from hip dysplasia. Tribune-Herald.

The state's bipartisan Keiki Caucus on Thursday announced a package of bills it plans to support this session, including measures that would help fund after-school programs and amend Hawaii's sex education law. Star-Advertiser.

A new report card evaluating Hawaiʻi's education policies and their effectiveness at improving the quality of education gave the state a C; still the 7th best in the nation. Hawaii Independent.

A popular weed killer would be pulled from store shelves under a bill a Big Island senator introduced. State Sen. Josh Green proposed a five-year moratorium on the sale and use of products containing glyphosate, a chemical found in common herbicides such as Roundup. Tribune-Herald.

A Hawaii House committee is wading into a longtime gambling debate — but not to consider legalizing it. The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday planned to debate a bill to add gambling to a list of offenses that can result in civil nuisance lawsuits. Associated Press.

Democrats in the Hawaii House and Senate presented a joint package of bills for the 2014 session on Thursday, with priorities including funding for seniors programs and addressing climate change and invasive species. Party leaders in the chambers said the bills address issues that are big concerns to many people across the state. Associated Press.

2014 House Committee Assignments and Appointments. Hawaii Reporter.

A national report card gave Hawaii an F grade for disaster preparedness and access to emergency care, ranking the state among the bottom 10 in the nation. The report card, released Thursday by the American College of Emergency Physicians, ranked Hawaii second in the nation, scoring an A grade, for its commitment to public health and injury prevention, with both low rates of chronic disease and fatal injuries. It also received a B-minus grade for quality and patient safety environment but scored a D-plus for its medical liability environment due to the lack of protections for the state's health care workforce. Star-Advertiser.

The misuse of a photograph in the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts collection has revealed improper and possibly illegal actions regarding the State’s art holdings. Hawaii Public Radio.

Lingle (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle is returning to her alma mater this spring to teach an upper-division course on public policy in California State University, Northridge’s Department of Political Science. Hawaii Reporter.

Oahu

Mayor Kirk Caldwell's attempt to make a bus advertising plan acceptable to critics is failing to win over the nonprofit group raising the loudest objections. Caldwell unveiled an amended draft of a bill, making it clear that advertising "shall be restricted to the sides and/or back of city transit buses" and that "bus wraps" or "oversized, multi-sided advertisements" would be excluded. The new version also clearly excludes exterior advertising on transit vehicles, bus stops, benches and stations. Star-Advertiser.

The appeal of a federal lawsuit seeking to stop Honolulu’s $5.16 billion rail project could stall work again if a judge doesn’t issue an opinion on the matter by late spring or early summer, the executive director of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation warned the agency’s board Thursday. Pacific Business News.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation has awarded two major contracts worth a total of $117.2 million to oversee construction of the city’s $5.16 billion rail transit project. Pacific Business News.

The Navy confirmed Thursday that jet fuel leaked from a tank at the Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility, but local and federal officials say the city's water is safe to drink. Star-Advertiser.

The U.S. Navy confirmed Thursday that one of its massive underground tanks near Pearl Harbor has a leak and may have spilled up to 20,000 gallons of aviation fuel, raising concerns about potential drinking water contamination. Civil Beat.

Five homeless men have been killed on Honolulu streets in the past six months, prompting concern from the state's homeless coordinator about the dangers facing many who live without shelter. Star-Advertiser.

High-surf warnings continue today for the North Shore, with waves up to 35 feet. In Oahu, winter waves are expected today to reach heights from 25 to 35 feet on the North Shore, 15 to 25 feet on western shores, 1 to 3 feet on eastern shores and up to 2 feet on southern shores, the weather service said. It's of the biggest swells of the season so far. Star-Advertiser.

A rezoning plan for the "Live Work Play ‘Aiea" mixed-used development project at the former Kam Drive-In in Aiea received positive testimony before the City Council Zoning and Planning Committee on Thursday but will have to wait a month to advance. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

The Hawaii County Council Finance Committee is the next venue for a proposal by state mayors to allow them flexibility to add a 1 percent surcharge to the general excise tax. South Kona/Ka‘u Councilwoman Brenda Ford has added a discussion of the proposal to the committee’s agenda for an 11 a.m. Tuesday meeting at the West Hawaii Civic Center. West Hawaii Today.

Hilo Medical Center once again showed strong improvements in an annual report rating patient satisfaction. However, the hospital might see cuts of up to $60,000 this year from its Medicare reimbursements, as its scores continue to fall below other hospitals in the state and around the country. Tribune-Herald.

Twenty years ago, West Hawaii Explorations Academy opened its doors, offering project-based learning to West Hawaii students out of a temporary facility near Keahole Point. On Thursday, crews began pouring the foundation of a permanent facility for the public charter school. West Hawaii Today.

State attorneys are appealing a court decision that overturned Hawaii Ethics Commission charges against a Big Island charter school employee. Last February the commission fined Connections Public Charter School administrative assistant Eric Boyd $10,000 for 20 violations dating back to 2006. Civil Beat.

Maui

The US Department of Agriculture declared Hawaiʻi and Maui Counties disaster areas due to ongoing “severe” and “extreme” drought conditions. Kalawao County at Kalaupapa on Molokaʻi was also named a contiguous disaster county also eligible for federal assistance. Maui News.

Mayor Alan Arakawa asked state legislators Wednesday for more state agriculture inspectors to help combat the little fire ant, a stealthy invasive species confirmed to have made its way from the Big Island to Maui and Oahu late last year. Maui News.

Perry Artates, a former Maui Hawaiian Homeland commissioner and prominent labor leader, will spend 45 days in federal prison for his role in a mortgage fraud case that left a Maui family homeless. Hawaii Reporter.

A judge dismissed a case against a man charged with threatening to kill Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa. But prosecutors are expected to refile the terroristic-threatening charge against Austin Gerard Jr. Associated Press.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is planning to build a new, nearly $5.7 million replacement administration building on an acre in Wailuku and next to The Maui News offices.

Maui police cordoned off a section of Papohaku Park in Wailuku on Thursday afternoon, but police on scene could not say what they were investigating. Two individuals with gloves were observed sifting through the contents of a dumpster and taking photographs. Maui Now.

Kauai

Unleashing a new law? Public weighs in on proposed county dog barking ordinance. Garden Island.

A victim of a hit and run accident one year ago found some closure from solving the case with her own detective work. Another chapter to the victim’s remarkable saga closed Thursday in 5th Circuit Court when the suspect was sentenced to probation during an emotional hearing. Garden Island.

Federal court criminal hearings for violations and some offenses that occurred on Kauai can be now be heard quarterly at 5th Circuit Court. On Wednesday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii held hearings in Lihue with U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Chang and courtroom manager Shari Afuso. The hearings were held in Courtroom No. 5, which is usually vacant at 5th Circuit. Garden Island.

Hawaii Legislature opens with 55 years of statehood, poi pounding, talk of taxes, medical marijuana, GMOs and more. News reports from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Senate opening day courtesy photo

State House Speaker Joseph Souki on Wednesday called for bold shifts in tax policy, urging the state to give the counties a greater share of hotel room tax revenue, collect taxes on Internet commerce and impose a pension tax on wealthy seniors. Souki suggested raising the $93 million annual cap on hotel room tax revenue that goes to the counties to $141 million, perhaps over several years, a recognition that the counties cover police, lifeguard, parks and other services used by tourists. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Legislature opened its 2014 session Wednesday with lei and speeches, and by recognizing former representatives and senators, including Gov. Neil Abercrombie, former Gov. John Waihee and Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, in honor of 55th anniversary of statehood. Pacific Business News.

The Legislature convened for its 27th session today, with both Houses honoring more than 80 former lawmakers who served since Statehood 55 years ago. Hawaii Public Radio.

The 28th session of the State Legislature opens with several proposals that may impact your pocket book. KITV4's Andrew Pereira has more on what topics made the most impact on the House's first day. KITV4.

Hawaii House Speaker Joseph Souki started the 2014 legislative session Wednesday by calling for lawmakers to remove a cap on how much counties can share in the state’s hotel room taxes, a move that would be welcomed by mayors on the islands. Associated Press.

If House Speaker Joseph Souki has his way, Hawaii could be the next state to allow marijuana dispensaries for residents using the drug for medicinal purposes, following a national trend to loosen laws restricting access to cannabis. More than 12,000 residents take advantage of the Hawaii law that allows people to use marijuana for medical reasons, but patients have to grow their own weed. Civil Beat.

Shops selling pakalolo. State House Speaker Joe Souki says it's the next step given Hawaii's medical marijuana law, and not to raise state revenue. KHON2.

The University of Hawaii told lawmakers Tuesday it needs $33.5 million to replenish tuition revenues that have been used to cover salary restorations and increases in a six-year faculty contract. In return, the university promises to dedicate about half of the money to debt service on revenue bonds to start tackling the university's massive repair backlog. Star-Advertiser.

It's difficult to picture Donna Mercado Kim as a little girl, riding a bicycle and drinking water from a garden hose. And yet, there was the Senate president waxing nostalgic at the Capitol today about Hawaii's past, a time before PlayStation and bottled water. She was inspired by the presence of 40 former state senators who were honored on opening day of the 2014 Legislature. Civil Beat.

Rising Waters, Stinging Ants and GMOs Top Legislative Environmental Priorities. Civil Beat.

Minimum Wage, GMOs and How to Spend $844 Million Surplus, Will Take Center Stage at Legislative Session. Hawaii Reporter.

(c) 2014 All Hawaii News

Today was opening day at the Hawaii State Legislature. Hundreds came to the Hawaii State Capitol to pound kalo into pa‘i ‘ai and poi. Hawaii Independent.

As Senate and House leaders proposed ways to propel the state toward a more prosperous future, a hui of community groups rang in the 2014 legislative session by gathering in the Capitol courtyard to honor the past by continuing one of Hawaii's most-revered ancient practices: pounding taro into poi. Until 2011, producing and consuming handmade poi was illegal because it violated Department of Health food safety laws, event coordinator David Anthony said. A law passed that year exempted hand-pounded poi, or paiai, from those laws. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s four mayors stood together before the House and Senate money committees Wednesday afternoon in the Capitol Auditorium and asked the Legislature to give the counties a broad new taxing authority. But the reaction from state lawmakers suggests their plea for the power to raise the General Excise Tax by as much as 1 percent will not pass this legislative session. Civil Beat.

Opening Day speeches:

Speaker Souki Calls on House to Create Opportunities for All.

Creating a Better Day for Hawaii - Senate Minority Opening Day Speech.

Opening Day Remarks by House Minority Leader Aaron Ling Johanson.

Oahu

Navy officials said Wednesday night they're investigating a possible fuel leak in a tank at an underground facility built in Hawaii in the 1940s. Associated Press.

Federal Authorities are taking the city to task for delays in spending $8 million in federal housing money. In a Dec. 13 report, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said the city may have to repay the money if it's unable to spend the money this year. Hawaii News Now.

Opposition is building to plans from Los Angeles-based PACREP LLC to construct a second tower in its Ritz-Carlton Waikiki Beach Residences complex — an addition the developer and proponents say could bring a much-needed boost to an aging and constrained tourist destination. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii
House lawmakers are peeved over a public service announcement they say is aimed at pressuring the Legislature to fund the controversial pharmacy college building at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Gov. Neil Abercrombie's proposed budget includes $28 million in state-backed bonds for the Daniel K. Ino­uye College of Pharmacy building, and state Budget Director Kalbert Young has said the project is a top priority for the administration. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi has a laundry list of projects he wants the state Legislature to consider during the 2014 session that began Wednesday. But he emphasized at a hearing of the Senate Ways and Means and House Finance committees that the projects he’s outlined are the responsibility of the state, not the county. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Last legislative session, Maui's lawmakers were able to secure more than $300 million in funds for various initiatives on-island, including $130 million for a long-awaited Kihei high school, $20 million for the acquisition of Lipoa Point and millions more in airport and harbor improvements. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai’s largest agricultural companies have shared how much restricted use pesticides they applied in December. Garden Island.

A County Vehicles Audit Report says the county needs to improve how it monitors, reports and authorizes employee vehicle use. Garden Island.

Hawaii legislative session opens today, Kauai ag firms post pesticide reports, mayors seek to raise excise taxes, Maui tourism agency reveling in same-sex weddings, Honolulu PAC funding exposed, more government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Capitol courtyard, courtesy photo

Hawaii lawmakers have several issues on their agenda as they get set to report for the 2014 legislative session today. Health care and education funding debates are expected to divide legislators. And other priorities include bills that would legalize marijuana for recreational use, increase the state’s minimum wage and direct officials to plan for a significant sea level rise. Associated Press.

An anti-paparazzi celebrity privacy law and proposals to decriminalize marijuana were among the bills that kept lawmakers busy last session – both made headlines, neither became law.  Several Representatives and Senators who spoke to Hawaii News Now say they don't think either will be major issues during the 2014 Legislative Session, which convenes Tuesday. One topic that is expected to be widely discussed is the use of genetically modified organisms.  In recent months, counties across Hawai'i have taken up the GMO issue.  Now all eyes are on the State Capitol.

The state House and Senate will open the 2014 legislative session this morning by honoring the past and celebrating the 55th anniversary of statehood. Hundreds of former lawmakers have been invited to attend the opening-day ceremonies, and each chamber has prepared booklets that document the state's legislative history. Star-Advertiser.

The message delivered at the annual Diocese of Honolulu's Red Mass, held on the eve of opening day at the Legislature, stressed stepping up collaboration in providing affordable housing for Hawaii's most vulnerable residents. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Connector will be on the hot seat as it heads into the legislative session today without permanent leadership or an adequate funding source once federal grants expire at year's end. Lawmakers are considering turning the nonprofit they created in 2011 into a state agency three months after it fumbled the start of the online insurance marketplace created by President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Star-Advertiser.

The number of small businesses that have signed up for health-care through Hawaii’s exchange network is decidedly miniscule. Of Hawaii’s 30,000 small businesses, 296 registered for insurance through the Hawaii Health Connector by the Dec. 25 deadline, according to the exchange. Hawaii Reporter.

The Hawaii Department of Education is asking lawmakers for $25 million to help keep classrooms cool. The department presented its supplemental budget request before the state House Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. The request totals nearly $32 million in operating funds and $164 in capital improvement project funds. Associated Press.

Lawmakers took the Department of Education to task Tuesday for moving ahead with a "Cadillac" version of a new performance-based teachers evaluation system, saying resources to implement it are "grossly underfunded." The criticism comes as the DOE seeks $14 million for next year for schools to each hire the equivalent of one teaching position. Star-Advertiser.

The $1 trillion federal omnibus bill includes more than $744 million for Hawaii for military, education, health care, transportation and the environment. The bi-partisan bill would fund the U.S. government through October, the rest of fiscal year 2014. Civil Beat.

Local, state and national regulations intended to protect the public and the environment can be swiftly overturned if President Obama signs the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the world’s most ambitious and far reaching free trade agreement yet. On January 9, the U.S. Congress introduced “fast-track” legislation allowing the Obama administration to sign the TPP without undergoing public debate. Fast-track authority would grant the White House the power to speed up negotiations, while giving Congress only 90 days to review the TPP before voting. Hawaii Independent.

University of Hawaii's interim president, David Lassner, will be at the White House for a national workshop on increasing college access and success for disadvantaged students. Associated Press.

Skepticism Over Kingdom Land Title Claims. Civil Beat.

Oahu

(c) 2014 All Hawaii News

City Councilman Ikaika Anderson has introduced a bill that aims to get police more involved in enforcing the sidewalk nuisance law despite objections by homeless advocates who say the ordinance unfairly punishes the disadvantaged. Star-Advertiser.

The East-West Center, hit by the recent resignation of its energy research team and criticized for "poor leadership," would see its pre-sequestration funding of $16.7 million restored under the omnibus spending bill now being considered by Congress. Hawaii U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said Tuesday that Senate appropriations leaders increased East-West Center funding by nearly $6 million above the request in President Barack Obama's budget, and the $16.7 million allocation was included in the bill even though the House of Representatives originally dropped financial support altogether. Star-Advertiser.

When the Pacific Resource Partnership began its work to keep former Gov. Ben Cayetano from becoming Honolulu’s next mayor, it was a campaign unlike any seen before in local politics. But tax forms filed with the IRS are now providing a clearer picture of how much PRP actually invested in 2012 to keep rail on track and Cayetano out of Honolulu Hale. Civil Beat.

First Wind's wind farm sits north of 300-plus homes in Kahuku's Koolau housing area. Now another wind farm company -- Champlin GEI Wind Holdings -- wants to plant 15 more wind turbines above Kahuku. The Kahuku Community Association opposes the idea. Hawaii News Now.

The state Department of Health ordered warning signs at Keehi Lagoon Beach Park to be taken down on Friday after a sewage spill, even though its own test data showed that bacteria levels in the water significantly exceeded Hawaii's safe water standards. Civil Beat.

A Hawaii National Guard soldier who was the married father of a 4-year-old son with another child on the way was killed in the crash of a surveillance plane in Afghanistan on Friday. Star-Advertiser.

The selected buyer of 12 rental complexes is asking for an additional six months to a year to pay a large share of $142 million it promised to Honolulu -- and 20 more years to pay the rest, city administration officials said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi says he isn’t seeking a higher general excise tax, but he’s supporting fellow mayors in asking the Legislature for the flexibility to raise it with a county surcharge. The Hawaii Council of Mayors is asking the Legislature to allow counties to add a surcharge of up to 1 percent on the state GET, which is currently at 4 percent. West Hawaii Today.

Ordinarily, finding bones in a cemetery wouldn’t be considered much of a stretch. But in the case of an incomplete set of human remains found Monday at the East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2 in Hilo, there was no record of a body having been buried there, said Lt. Greg Esteban with the Hawaii County Police Department. Tribune-Herald.

WHEA student designs, builds 3-D printer. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Two Maui businesses have arranged more than 50 same sex nuptials since a new law went into effect in December, legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, according to new information released by the Maui Visitors Bureau. Maui Now.

Maui-based Ocean Vodka is reporting strong visitor traffic to its new solar-powered home on the slopes of Haleakalā, since opening doors to its new organic farm and distillery in April 2013. Maui Now.

Molokai

The Molokaʻi Landfill was reopened today after an explosive ordnance team detonated a suspected piece of unexploded ordnance found at the facility on Monday, county officials said. Maui Now.

Kauai

Today is the deadline for Kauai’s largest agricultural companies to submit summaries of all restricted use pesticide applications to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. The monthly post-application reports are one portion of the state’s voluntary Kauai Agricultural Good Neighbor Program, which kicked off Dec. 1. Garden Island.

Early education, invasive species, public hospital funding, and pesticides and genetically modified organisms. These are just a few of the issues state lawmakers will be considering over the next few months as the Legislature convenes today for its first regular session of 2014. It is one that, some Kauai legislators say, promises to deal with a range of issues that have direct ties to the Garden Isle. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will host a candidate’s forum from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Kapaa Public Library. Garden Island.

Hawaii gears up for legislative session, Pflueger sentencing delayed, Fuddy died from stress, new spokesman for Abercrombie, Kauai GMO battle intensifies, new sub for Pearl Harbor, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Palmyra Atoll courtesy photo

The science being done on Palmyra atoll, conservationists say, holds valuable lessons for Hawaii, especially when it comes to understanding sharks, preserving coral reefs and combating invasive species. Star-Advertiser.

Legislative Preview 2014: Will Lawmakers Play It Safe in an Election Year? Civil Beat.

Lawmakers are looking further into the future this year when it comes to Hawaii’s renewable energy goals. Leaders of Hawaii’s energy and environmental committees hope to pass a law requiring the state to derive 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2050. The current goal is 40 percent renewable energy by 2030. Civil Beat.

The University of Hawaii has been plagued by bad decisions, lack of accountability, construction backlogs and growing public criticism. Lawmakers aim to take action when the legislative session kicks off Wednesday, particularly at the trouble-plagued flagship campus UH Manoa, UH West Oahu and UH Hilo. Civil Beat.

Pearl Harbor will be getting a fourth new Virginia-class attack submarine this summer, bringing a crew of more than 130 and a $10 million payroll to Hawaii, U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa said Monday. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie said Monday that former KITV weatherman and reporter Justin Fujioka will become his press secretary effective Jan. 27, replacing another former news reporter, Louise Kim McCoy, who left the post late last year to move to the Pacific Northwest. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii’s health director died of an irregular heartbeat that was triggered when a small plane she was riding in lost power and crash-landed off Molokai, police said Monday. Loretta Fuddy’s irregular heartbeat was the result of stress from the Dec. 11 crash, Maui police announced, revealing the findings of an autopsy conducted two days after the crash. Associated Press.

The brother of state Health Director Loretta Fuddy said his sister had no heart problems or pre-existing conditions that would have contributed to her death following a December plane crash off Molokai. A Maui County police spokes­man said Loretta Fuddy, 65, died of cardiac arrhythmia because of stress following the Dec. 11 crash into the ocean after takeoff about a half-mile from Kalaupapa. Star-Advertiser.

The remains of a Native Hawaiian man and woman will be returned to their home state after spending more than 50 years in Texas, officials said. The skulls were taken by a U.S. Air Force airman after being found at an undetermined Oahu hotel site near or on a beach between 1940 and 1960. Associated Press.

Honolulu

City Councilwoman Carol Fukunaga is pressing the administration to install public restrooms downtown and in Chinatown, saying businesses, residents and visitors are growing frustrated at more homeless people using the area as their toilet. Star-Advertiser.

The back and forth between the homeless and the city continues but a new proposal hopes to take enforcement to a new level. The city did a sidewalk enforcement on Iwilei Road and Kuwili Street Friday removing the illegal camps, but they're back. Now a councilman wants to get police involved. Hawaii News Now.

The City Council is introducing a new item on the food truck menu. Council Chair Ernie Martin has introduced Bill 1 that calls for designating certain parking spaces in the city and outlying areas specifically for lunch wagons. Vendors would bid on the spaces. Hawaii News Now.

An affiliate of German carmaker Daimler AG is interested in establishing a car-sharing service in Hono­lulu, where 150 or so of Daimler's small Smart cars would be deployed on city streets available for public use. Star-Advertiser.

Amid the asphalt and concrete trappings of the urban neighborhood, a nonprofit group called Urban Farm Hawaii is growing a plot of taro along Ala Moana Boulevard. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Thirty Meter Telescope representatives are looking to offer input on the case involving six petitioners challenging the state’s decision to grant a permit for the construction of one of the world’s largest telescopes on the top of Mauna Kea. Representatives from the California-based project are expected to file an “amicus brief” or a “friend of the court” brief Thursday that would allow them to speak on the case involving the Board of Land and Natural Resources’ decision to grant a permit to the University of Hawaii at Hilo for the construction of the $1.3 billion initiative. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County’s commission charged with buying land for preservation and a public-private partnership trying to protect mountain watersheds agree that public access is an essential component of protecting the environment. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
The Maui Axis Deer Working Group is trying to quantify the invasive animal’s population, while exploring whether developing a venison meat industry is a feasible solution for controlling its growth. A September aerial survey counted about 8,000 deer in East Maui, the most heavily affected area. Associated Press.

While some West Maui residents know that the planned hospital in Kaanapali won't be a cure-all for every medical situation, they say the facility is greatly needed and are pleased its construction is on schedule to be completed in 2016. Maui News.

Kauai

The biotech firms suing Kauai County aren’t just contesting the law – they’re trying to rewind the dramatic vote on Bill 2491: As part of their complaint filed against Kauai County last Friday, the biotech seed companies are seeking to void the County Council’s selection of Mason Chock to fill a vacancy on that panel. Hawaii Independent.

Kauai County will be taking law firms up on their offers for free legal help defending an ordinance regulating the use of pesticides and genetically modified crops by large agricultural businesses. While the bill was going through the process of being passed, several firms offered attorneys to fight legal challenges, county spokeswoman Beth Tokioka said. Associated Press.

Hawaii automobile mogul Jimmy Pflueger, the sole defendant in one of Hawaii’s most notorious criminal cases, will have his sentencing delayed. Pflueger, who pled no contest in July 2013 to reckless endangerment for causing the deaths of seven people on March 14, 2006, when his Ka Loko dam breached, was scheduled to appear in Kauai’s Fifth Circuit Court on January 23, 2014. Hawaii Reporter.

A medical condition will keep retired car dealer James Pflueger from traveling to Kauai next week for sentencing. Pflueger was scheduled to appear in Kauai’s 5th Circuit Court Jan. 23 after pleading no contest in July to first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony, for his role in the 2006 Ka Loko dam failure. Garden Island.

Families of Ka Loko Dam break victims react to delay in Pflueger sentencing. Hawaii News Now.
Brad Kelley, the Tennessee billionaire and fourth largest private landowner in the United States, who recently purchased more than 3,000 acres of agricultural land on the island of Kauai, seems to have good intentions for the land, a senior vice president of Grove Farm Co., which formerly owned the land. Pacific Business News.

Molokai

The Molokaʻi Landfill will be closed until further notice following the discovery of potentially unexploded ordnance at the facility on Monday, Jan. 13, 2014. County Communications Director Rod Antone said the Molokaʻi Police Department has been notified and is “monitoring and securing the facility.” Maui Now.

Hawaii homeless count to begin, Maui mayor signs waste-to-energy contract, seed companies sue over GMO, pesticide law, congressional delegation's wealth, votes tallied, Honolulu food truck law mulled, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii homeless (c) 2014 All Hawaii News

An annual count of the homeless in Hawaii, which will get underway next week, is part of a national snapshot taken on a single night to track the problem and target where resources are needed. Similar "Point-in-Time" homeless counts are conducted across the country under guidelines developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Star-Advertiser.

How Rich Are Hawaii’s Congressional Representatives? Compared to the rest of Congress, Hawaii's reps are middling, at best, in their personal wealth. Hawaii Independent.

Mazie Hirono missed only one vote in 2013, Colleen Hanabusa reached across the aisle a lot to co-sponsor legislation and Tulsi Gabbard and Brian Schatz each had a bill enacted. All four also worked with each other to push legislation jointly. Those are some of the highlights from the 2013 Report Cards for All Members of Congress, released last week by GovTrack.us, a government transparency website. Civil Beat.

Kingdom still in place, courts told. Some homeowners fight foreclosure by claiming that the United States is illegally occupying Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii this week is hosting a series of events as part of its first "Chamber Week," coinciding with the start of the state legislative session, in which the group plans to aggressively promote a pro-business package of bills. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Rep. Bob McDermott has at least one good point. State education officials should have turned over a copy of Hawaii's controversial sex education program as soon as he asked for it. Civil Beat.

State roundup for January 13. Associated Press.

Oahu

Oahu's food trucks and lunch wagons could bid for exclusive rights to park in stalls designated for them under a bill proposed recently before the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

35 Honolulu Police Department officers were suspended or discharged for misconduct in 2013, according to the department's latest annual report that county police agencies are required to file with the Legislature. That’s more than in 2012, when 30 officers were punished for 35 incidents of misconduct. Civil Beat.

Honolulu's Chinatown is an eclectic mix of restaurants, shops and markets. But, when nature calls, you may be on your own.... there are no public restrooms. KITV4.

Hawaii

From living off the land to exploring space, from shielding constituents from eyes in the sky to legalizing Granny’s banana bread, Hawaii Island’s delegation of state representatives and senators is gearing up to present a host of new ideas — as well as time-worn ones that have yet to be fulfilled — to their legislative colleagues starting next week. West Hawaii Today.

There will once again be a doctor in the House. Just days before the regular legislative session is set to begin, Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Friday appointed Richard Creagan, 68, a Naalehu physician, to fill the District 5 post vacated by former state Rep. Denny Coffman. West Hawaii Today.

A man soliciting people at Kealakekua Bay to rent kayaks will pay more than $3,000 following an undercover operation conducted by the state. The Board of Land and Natural Resources authorized Friday a civil penalty fine of $2,500 and associated administrative costs of $750 against Captain Cook resident Alexander Aquino, 39, for violating Hawaii Administrative Rules prohibiting commercial activities without a written permit from the board of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks, according to a prepared statement from the DLNR. West Hawaii Today.

The Kailua Village Business Improvement District — tasked with making historic Kailua Village a better place to live, work, play and invest — is rolling out a new series of events and activities, in addition to its mainstays, that it hopes will promote the downtown area to residents and visitors alike. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa announced the signing of an agreement this week to finance and build an Integrated Waste Conversion and Energy Project on Maui. Maui Now.

The controversial demolition of the Old Wailuku Post Office is on a list of proposed audits that Maui County Auditor Lance Taguchi plans to conduct by the end of the fiscal year in June. Maui News.

The Maui County Council gave its final approval Friday for the $13 million purchase of 186 acres at Launiupoko. Maui News.

Single-family home prices in Maui County rose 13 percent last year, while the median price of a condo in 2013 rose 5 percent, compared to 2012, according to statistics from the Realtors Association of Maui. Pacific Business News.

Kauai

Three seed companies have sued Kauai County in an attempt to block the implementation of a new law that would regulate their use of pesticides and the growth of genetically modified crops on Kauai. Syngenta, DuPont Pioneer and Agrigenetics Inc., doing business as Dow AgroSciences, filed a joint complaint at the U.S. District Court Friday against the county, requesting a permanent injunction on Ordinance 960 (formerly Bill 2491), claiming the new law is flawed and invalid. Star-Advertiser.

It was a move many expected and one the industry itself had promised. On Friday, three of Kauai’s biotech seed companies filed a federal lawsuit aimed at blocking implementation of County Ordinance 960 (formerly Bill 2491) related to pesticides and genetically modified crops. Garden Island.

The battle over genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, on Kauai continues as three companies sue the County of Kauai, hoping to stop the county from implementing a new law. The three companies are Syngenta, Agrigenetics and DuPont Pioneer. They claim that the new law is invalid. KHON2.

It’s clear that gambling is illegal in Hawaii, but that doesn’t stop advocates from pushing for legislation to allow casinos, lotteries and even church bingo each year. Many hotels, stores and organizations on Kauai aren’t publicly supporting a pro-gambling idea. And there isn’t a legislator on island who has signed on to any pro-gambling bill. Garden Island.

Billionaire Brad Kelley, one of the largest private landowners in the United States with more than 1.5 million acres of ranch lands in Kentucky, Tennessee, New Mexico, Florida and Texas, has recently purchased “thousands of acres” of agricultural land in Hawaii on the island of Kauai from landowner Grove Farm, according to sources close to the situation. Pacific Business News.