USS Arizona Memorial closed for repairs, doctors' records kept secret, dengue informational meetings set on Big Island, longtime legislator Takamine dies, Hanalei Stream restored, county settles 2008 honeymoon drowning lawsuit, housing costs and homelessness rise, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

USS Arizona Memorial, courtesy national Park Service

The National Park Service is indefinitely suspending visits to the USS Arizona Memorial while engineers study a potential safety issue with its dock. The park service said Thursday officials noticed bolts connecting the dock to the memorial were stressed. Associated Press.

Policies block out full picture. Consumers can’t easily find potentially troubling information on doctors because state law and practices limit what’s public. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s housing shortage now has a number — nearly 66,000 housing units are needed over the next ten years. What happens next? Hawaii Public Radio.

Homelessness in Hawaii has grown in recent years, leaving the state with 487 homeless per 100,000 people, the nation's highest rate per capita, above New York and Nevada, according to federal statistics. Associated Press.


Homelessness in Hawaii grows, defying image of paradise. Associated Press.

Raising marine animals for sale was a record- breaking business in Hawaii last year, according to a new federal report, though the major driver of the growth in local aquaculture farming is murky. Star-Advertiser.

The Trans Pacific Partnership and its corresponding and supporting military "pivot" have been impacting the lives of Pacific peoples for years through military-industrial buildups, the removal of indigenous self-determination, environmental degradation and wealth extraction. Hawaii Independent.

Oahu

A Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board member serves as a director at the law firm that will be paid to defend the city in a challenge to the validity of key votes on the rail project. Star-Advertiser.

The median price of a single-family home on Oahu rose 4.3 percent in October to $720,000 as sales jumped by 5 percent, while the median price of a condominium increased by 5 percent to $370,000 on a smaller bump in sales, the Honolulu Board of Realtors reported Saturday. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu doesn’t just coincidentally have some of the highest-priced median homes, condos and rents in the country. A panoply of intertwined public policies, rules and regulations have helped to drive prices up and, recent data suggests, they continue to do so. Civil Beat.

The Institute for Human Services had one year to test the Housing First concept and find 115 permanent homes for clients — helping to alleviate Oahu’s homeless crisis. Star-Advertiser.

The number of sexual assault reports on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus remained unchanged in 2014 compared to the previous year. Hawaii News Now.

State officials say they hope the Aiea Public Library’s photovoltaic solar panels will be activated early next year, nearly a year and a half after the facility opened at the former Aiea Sugar Mill site. Star-Advertiser.

Weeks of wet weather may have left Oahu a greener place, but it’s causing headaches for city crews trying to keep up with the out-of-control growth. But now the city thinks it may have a solution, but some in the public are not too happy about it. KHON2.

Tammy Mencel has been named publisher and market president of Pacific Business News, effective immediately, Whitney Shaw, president and CEO of American City Business Journals, PBN's parent company, announced Thursday. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii

Department of Health: Late information hampered fight against dengue. West Hawaii Today.

Public informational meetings have been scheduled throughout the island to update residents on the recent dengue fever outbreak. Big Island Now.

Hawaii County has closed the book on a negligence lawsuit stemming from a 2008 honeymoon tragedy at Punaluu Black Sand Beach. West Hawaii Today.

The results of Bleachapalooza, the recent statewide attempt to survey coral bleaching, shows that it’s been more severe on West Hawaii compared to the east side of the state — with some species showing nearly 100 percent bleaching, one of the organizers reported. West Hawaii Today.

Yoshito Takamine, a longtime advocate for Hawaii labor laws and one of the architects of the groundbreaking Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act, died Tuesday, October 27, at his home in Honokaa surrounded by family. He was 89 years old. Hawaii News Now.

Maui

Maui state Rep. Angus McKelvey pleaded no contest Friday in Honolulu District Court for failing to file a complete and accurate candidate spending report with the state Campaign Spending Commission and for allowing an unauthorized person to receive and disperse campaign funds, according to an announcement from the state Department of the Attorney General. Maui News.

Heavy rainfall this summer caused Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. to sustain significant losses in the third quarter, furthering a trend that could spur drastic changes for Hawaii's last sugar plantation. Maui News.

Kauai

On Kauai, 480 homeless people received services last fiscal year from the state homeless outreach program the Care-A-Van, a mobile outreach program operated by Kauai Economic Opportunity, Inc. That number, according to KEO, is the best and most up-to-date estimate of the total number of homeless people on the island. Garden Island.

State officials joined local taro farmers on Friday to commemorate the completion of an extensive, $2.1 million restoration of Hanalei Stream on Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

A multi-million dollar stream restoration project of Hanalei Stream is finished, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Garden Island.

Anahola is now home of the largest solar array in the state. And the solar panels contributing to that designation — all 59,000 of them — were celebrated Saturday at a dedication ceremony attended by about 60 people. Garden Island.

Lanai

Maui County Council members adopted a resolution Friday to extend by approximately three months the amount of time they have to finish the Lanai Community Plan update. Maui News.

DLNR chief vows to protect Thirty Meter Telescope builders as two Mauna Kea protesters sentenced, state Senate panel confirms judges in special session, possible dengue on Oahu as Big Island battles spread, Honolulu rail strife continues, former Maui parks director spared criminal charges for taking free golf, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Thirty Meter Telescope protester file photo courtesy Occupy Hilo Media

The contractors building the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea have a right to be up there, the chairwoman of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources said Thursday, adding that the state will enforce the laws over which it has jurisdiction to ensure they are unmolested by protesters. West Hawaii Today.

Two people were convicted Thursday in the first two trials against protesters of the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea. Star-Advertiser.

The Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee on Thursday unanimously approved two nominations by Gov. David Ige to the the state Circuit Court and a third nomination by Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald to the Honolulu District Court. The judicial nominees — Shirley M. Kawamura, Melvin H. Fujino and James C. McWhinnie — now face a full floor vote by the Senate today, part of a two-day special session. Star-Advertiser.

Lawmakers Thursday heard yet another description of a state agency that is struggling to promptly spend its federal grant money, with Transportation Director Ford Fuchigami detailing challenges the state Airports Division faces as it tries to spend about $40 million a year it receives from the Federal Aviation Administration. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige is looking to fill well over 300 empty seats on dozens of different state boards and commissions, some of which can barely hold meetings due to lack of quorum. The governor’s office sent out a release Thursday asking for qualified volunteers to apply. Civil Beat.

The question of whether state Sen. Brickwood Galuteria really lives in the Kakaako legislative district he has represented since 2008 just won’t seem to go away. Two hearings on the issues are scheduled this month, and the ultimate answer could help determine if he is allowed to retain his Senate seat. Civil Beat.

Sen. Breene Harimoto back on job after battling pancreatic cancer. KITV4.

Scientists at a research center on Oahu’s Coconut Island have embarked on an experiment to grow “super coral” that they hope can withstand the hotter and more acidic oceans that are expected with global warming. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s native forest birds will need a substantial helping hand if they are to survive the growing impacts of climate change, a new study has concluded. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission has been trying for over a year to get the electric utilities on Maui, Oahu and Big Island to each come up with a power supply improvement plan that can serve as a “strategic basis” for resource acquisition and system operation decisions. In a new order issued Wednesday, the PUC said there are still “substantial concerns” and the proposals are unacceptable. Civil Beat.

The state Public Utilities Commission scolded Hawaiian Electric Co. for its “repeated failures to properly plan” a path to lower electrical rates using renewable energy. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Kalama Valley residents warned of potential dengue case. Hawaii News Now.

Members of the Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee got an earful from supporters and opponents of the city’s $6.57 billion rail project during an evening meeting at Kapolei Hale on Thursday. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu City Council Chairman Ernie Martin is questioning whether there needs to be a shake-up at the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation to get the $6.6 billion rail project back on track. Martin broached the subject during a special Budget Committee meeting in Kapolei on Wednesday to consider a bill that would extend by five years a general excise tax surcharge to cover most rail costs. Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration will seek new proposals for a project to convert nearly 52,000 streetlights to light-emitting diode technology, administration officials said Tuesday. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Public Radio President and General Manager Michael Titterton will step down at the end of June, and a nationwide search is underway to find a successor. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Hookena Beach Park remained closed Thursday as the number of confirmed dengue fever cases on the Big Island rose to 19. West Hawaii Today.

The Windward Planning Commission approved permits Thursday for a Hele-On bus base yard in Hilo and a cell phone tower in Hawaiian Paradise Park. The $11.2 million base yard on Hoolaulima Road will include a 26,500-square-foot building and a 19,500-square-foot warehouse. It will consolidate the Hawaii County Mass Transit Agency’s administration and maintenance facilities. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Council has given final approval to a $6 million funding request for a new fire station on Kawailani Street in Hilo. The 8-0 vote Tuesday brings total funding for the project to $12 million. Tribune-Herald.

On the face of it, both a fledgling Hawaii Island energy cooperative and the mainland giant NextEra Energy want the same things — lower rates for island residents, more renewable energy and care of an aging grid. The real questions seem to revolve around how to get there and who is most likely to succeed. West Hawaii Today.

The issue of squatters has been discussed at length in the community, especially in Puna where business leaders, community organizations and elected officials have been brainstorming solutions to the problem. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The state Department of the Attorney General has decided not to pursue a complaint involving free rounds of golf that led to the resignation of former county Department of Parks and Recreation Director Glenn Correa. Maui News.

The Maui County Council Budget and Finance Committee on Tuesday recommended approval of a land purchase that would add 373 acres and double the size of the Kula Agricultural Park. Maui News.

Local leaders, businesspeople and community activists were identified Wednesday to serve on a special committee to study the possibility of having a county manager form of government for Maui County. Maui News.

Maui senator recalls ‘intense pain’ with dengue fever. KHON2.

Members of the group Stop CaneBurning.org took issue Wednesday with a report from Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. that there were only two complaints arising from Central Maui cane harvesting on Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

A small island in the middle of the Pacific is doing some big things for renewable energy. By the end of this year, 37 percent of the electricity generated on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai will come from a mix of renewable resources, including solar, hydropower and biomass. Civil Beat.

The first 12 homes for the Eleele Iluna neighborhood project by Kauai Habitat for Humanity are getting closer to rising from the ground. Garden Island.

Defense attorneys for the police officer charged in the death of a man struck on Kaumualii Highway said no evidence exists to prove the state’s probable cause argument. Garden Island.

ACLU sues to save homeless possessions, Trans Pacific Partnership details released, Gabbard blasts Red Hill fuel tank agreement, Sunshine Law confounds Honolulu Ethics Commission, jails packed with mentally ill, Maui liquor appointee demurs, Kauai ponders barking dogs, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Homeless Honolulu man with possessions ©2015 All Hawaii News

After failing in September to halt Honolulu city sweeps of homeless encampments, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii now wants a federal judge to prevent the immediate destruction of homeless individuals’ property that city workers pick up. Star-Advertiser.

Citing new evidence that the City and County of Honolulu is using ‘sweeps’ of homeless individuals to continue bypassing Hawaii laws and violate the state Constitution, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai‘i Foundation (ACLU) and the law firm of Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing, filed a new request in federal court for a preliminary injunction. Hawaii Independent.

Details of a sweeping Pacific Rim trade deal released Thursday set the stage for a raucous debate in the U.S. Congress but also may provide reassurances to those who worried the agreement could gut protections for the environment, public health and labor. Associated Press.

State health officials are preparing to impose new licensing fees on long-term care facilities. For decades, the industry has beaten back such efforts, leaving it one of few business segments that doesn’t pay for licensing in Hawaii. Civil Beat.

Last year, the Legislature adopted a measure creating a two-year pilot program to divert up to 100 “nonviolent, low-risk drug offenders” from prison into treatment. It was supposed to start July 1, 2014, but, thanks to bureaucratic red tape, Hawaii’s Department of Public Safety has yet to get the program off the ground. Civil Beat.

The state Public Utilities Commission said Wednesday it will not be flexible with the 12-day timeline for the upcoming trial-like hearings in its regulatory review of NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries. The PUC will host 12 days of intervenor, or official participant, hearings at the Blaisdell Center Hawaii Suites starting Nov. 30. Star-Advertiser.

Alternative energy proponents can continue providing testimony in the ongoing Public Utilities Commission docket on the proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaii’s electric utilities. Tribune-Herald.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, the top financial performer in the company’s fleet and the only home-ported ship in Hawaii, is going into dry dock as part of an aggressive schedule of upgrades planned for eight of NCL’s vessels. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Inc., the largest ocean cargo carrier serving Hawaii, said Wednesday its third-quarter profit jumped 93 percent to $41.5 million with the addition of its new Alaska service bought from Horizon Lines. Star-Advertiser.

John McNamara, the associate athletics director for external affairs at the University of Hawaii, is leaving his position to take over as president of Communications Pacific on Nov. 16. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu
The Queen's Medical Center paid $1.5 million to the U.S. Justice Department to settle a case involving implanted cardiac devices that were in violation of Medicare coverage requirements. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council passed three resolutions to spend up to $220,000 to fund the city’s defense in two lawsuits relating to the Honolulu rail project and the seizure of homeless people’s property, and a criminal case involving a police officer. Civil Beat.

A scheduled closed-door meeting of the Honolulu Ethics Commission was canceled abruptly Tuesday — hours before it was to take place — after the state Office of Information Practices issued an informal opinion that called into question the validity of the meeting’s agenda. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu City Council is considering a bill that would add another step in the approval process for O’ahu’s City’s Bike Plan. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday lambasted the Oct. 1 agreement among the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Hawaii Department of Health, the U.S. Navy and the Defense Logistics Agency that outlines a plan to upgrade underground fuel storage tanks in Red Hill over the next 20 years. Civil Beat.

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply said Tuesday it has changed its position on NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries and now supports the deal. Star-Advertiser.

A new list published by The Economist has shaken the conventional notion of college rankings and places the University of Hawaii at Manoa in the top half of more than 1,200 schools examined. Pacific Business News.

Liquor law violations on the University of Hawaii Manoa campus soared by nearly 50 percent last year. It's the most citations since at least 2007. Hawaii News Now.

A growing number of students are earning undergraduate degrees within four years from the University of Hawaii’s flagship Manoa campus, an improvement university officials attribute to better academic support. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Inmates screaming, throwing feces, refusing to wear clothes. That’s the new reality, corrections workers say, at Hawaii Community Correctional Center, which is bursting at the seams with mentally ill inmates. West Hawaii Today.

In light of a recent Hawaii County Planning Department decision to reduce the monthly meetings of the various action committees working on the Big Island’s numerous community development plans, Kohala councilwoman Margaret Wille called for a discussion on Tuesday (Nov. 3). Big Island Video News.

Hawaii County has closed Hookena Beach Park to help contain the spread of dengue fever. Tribune-Herald.

A nonprofit organization seeking to buy and preserve the historic Kuamoo battlefield and burial ground in Keauhou has missed two deadlines to finalize the deal. But the goal is close. West Hawaii Today.

The parents of an abused 6-year-old boy whose disappearance in 1997 set off a statewide media firestorm were arrested in an investigation unrelated to the child’s disappearance. Tribune-Herald.

The Big Island man bitten by a shark Wednesday told Hawaii News Now he never got a look at the shark that attacked him and he was swimming in the nude when the attack happened.

If you’re in the market for Hilo’s hottest ticket — seats at the Merrie Monarch Festival’s hula competition — you’ll need to get your request in earlier this year, and it will cost just a bit more. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Twice selected as director of the Department of Liquor Control director, Dana Souza has decided not to accept the job. Souza was to have succeeded Franklyn Silva, who retired as department director as of Sunday. Maui News.

A Public Works district supervisor had been caught spending tens of thousands on a commercial kitchen that rivals a restaurant, tucked away inside a Wailuku baseyard building. Sources say side-business catering was going on out of there. The suspect has since retired from the county. KHON2.

The County Committee on Public and Intergovernmental Affairs today identified 11 individuals to serve on a special committee tasked with studying and providing recommendations on a county manager form of governance. Maui Now.

Kauai

The Kauai County Council heard testimony Wednesday on the latest proposed law regarding barking dogs. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative recently flipped the switch on its 12-megawatt Anahola solar facility, which is Hawaii's largest solar project, on the east side of the Garden Isle. Pacific Business News.

U.S. Rep. Takai faces surgery for pancreatic cancer, Gov. Ige flies to Seoul and Tokyo, election officials want more money and easier voter registration, air conditioners for Oahu schools, Hawaii County passes ethics bill, Maui mulls county manager government, petrels protected on Kauai, dengue fever fears rise, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai on Facebook

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai’s doctors have confirmed he has pancreatic cancer, and the congressman will undergo surgery at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., next week to remove a tumor in his pancreas. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Congressman Mark Takai revealed Tuesday that a tumor in his pancreas is malignant. Civil Beat.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai says he will have surgery to remove a small cancerous tumor in his pancreas next week. Associated Press.

Gov. David Ige will be traveling to Seoul and Tokyo through Nov. 12. Star-Advertiser.

Gov. David Ige will be traveling to Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo, Japan from Nov. 3 through Nov. 12. Garden Island.

County and state election officials advocated for major voting reforms — including all-mail elections and automatic voter registration — during a joint legislative briefing Tuesday at the state Capitol that included members of the Senate Judiciary and Labor and House Judiciary committees. Star-Advertiser.

If you’re evicted from state-run public housing for any reason in Hawaii, you can’t go back — ever. But now the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, which manages over 6,000 units statewide, is looking to change the rule in light of the state’s homelessness crisis. Civil Beat.

Getting a view into Hawai‘i’s current state of health may be a little easier thanks to a new website from the State Department of Health. The Hawaii Health Data Warehouse is a collection of information gathered from surveys conducted year round. Hawaii Public Radio.

Oahu

Travelers in air-travel-dependent Hawaii can now apply for faster, easier security checks at a new kiosk at Honolulu Airport. The Transportation Security Administration opened the new application site for its PreCheck expedited security program last week at the airport’s Interisland Terminal. Star-Advertiser.

Even as Wahiawa’s homeless count appears to have doubled over the past 11 months, state Rep. Marcus Oshiro maintains that efforts underway could serve as a template for other rural communities struggling to address island homelessness. Star-Advertiser.

The Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu has withdrawn as an intervenor taking part in the regulatory review of NextEra Energy Inc.’s proposed $4.3 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co., according to public documents. Pacific Business News.

A mysterious closed-door meeting of the Honolulu Ethics Commission was cancelled Tuesday just hours before it was scheduled to begin. Last week, the Ethics Commission announced it would hold a special session Tuesday night to talk with the agency’s attorney about “personnel and management matters.” No other details were given. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Education has received a final shipment of 100 portable air conditioners that officials say will go into five West Oahu schools as part of an ongoing effort to cool more classrooms. Star-Advertiser.

When a patient aboard a city ambulance allegedly attacked two medics outside Queen's Medical Center a week and a half ago, one of them had to begin an anti-AIDS cocktail. Hawaii News Now.

The group that filed a complaint with the state, claiming labor violations at Ala Moana Center’s Ewa Wing expansion, is raising more concerns. KHON2.

Former University of Hawaii football coach Norm Chow, who was in the fourth year of a five-year contract when he was fired over the weekend, will receive nearly $340,000 for his termination, the university confirmed Monday. Pacific Business News.

On Sept. 25, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources approved a one-year special use permit to Mark Hixon, a professor of marine biology at the University of Hawaii, for the deployment and study of artificial reef modules in the Hanauma Bay Marine Life Conservation District and Waikiki. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

As Hawaii health officials wrestle to contain a dengue fever outbreak on the Big Island, a review of how the state handled a 2001 outbreak on Maui reveals some of the challenges in store. Tribune-Herald.

Kona Community Hospital says it is being “overwhelmed” by phone calls from Big Islanders concerned about dengue fever. West Hawaii Today.

Without the support of the public, state health officials fear the current outbreak of dengue fever on the Big Island could be here to stay. On Tuesday, the state Department of Health confirmed the mosquito-borne virus so far has infected 11 people, with many possible cases remaining to be verified. Tribune-Herald.

An ethics bill now on its way to Mayor Billy Kenoi lost many of its stricter provisions during an arduous trip through the County Council, but sponsor Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille says it’s still tough enough to do the job. West Hawaii Today.

Before the candidates for ‘aha delegate spoke at the Moku O Keawe Alliance forum in Panaewa on Sunday, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement President and CEO Michelle Kauhane gave an overview of Kana’iolowalu and the Na’i Aupuni process. Kauhane, herself an Oahu candidate for delegate, also explained the federal rules for a government-to-government relationship, as proposed by the Department Of The Interior.Big Island Video News.

Should Kona International Airport host Hawaii’s first commercial space flights? That’s a question that could be brought before Big Island residents close to the new year following the completion of a draft environmental assessment for a proposed spaceport certification. Tribune-Herald.

More than a year after Department of Land and Natural Resources officials said work was set to start on the north side of Honokohau Harbor, the improvements have not begun. West Hawaii Today.

The County Council’s unanimous approval Tuesday of no-parking zones around Manini Beach marks the beginning of a strategy that supporters hope will bring state assistance with parking for the beach and Kealakekua Bay area. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Testifiers encouraged Maui County Council members Monday to study the possibility of having a county manager form of government, as initially put forward in a resolution by Council Chairman Mike White. Maui News.

The County Committee on Public and Intergovernmental Affairs will reconvene on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber to further discuss a county manager form of government instead of one run by a mayor. Maui Now.

The burn of a 75-acre sugar cane field 3 miles southeast of Kahului brought smoke and haze to Central Maui Tuesday morning, but Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. received only two direct complaints, said General Manager Rick Volner. Maui News.

An association for a 19th-century Maui cemetery where several influential Hawaii figures are buried is suing federal and state agencies over a planned expansion project at a neighboring veterans' cemetery. Maui News.

Na Hale O Maui, which had been placing families in affordable homes through rehabilitating foreclosed homes, has returned to its original business model and has begun building its first home, John Andersen, executive director of the nonprofit group said Friday. Maui News.

Kauai

A 67-foot military-funded rocket that blasted off a rail launcher at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai at sunset Tuesday in Hawaii’s first satellite launch failed shortly after takeoff. Star-Advertiser.

What sounded like a successful liftoff soon turned into a realization that something went wrong. Shortly after liftoff at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday from Barking Sands, Kauai, ORS-4 – the rocket carrying a satellite – malfunctioned. It was designed and built by University of Hawaii faculty and students. KITV4.

A historic project more than 30 years in the making took place on Kauai’s North Shore on Monday when 10 downy endangered Hawaiian Petrel chicks were flown by helicopter to a new colony protected by a predator-proof fence at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge. Garden Island.

Endangered Hawaiian petrels now have a predator-proof place to live on Kauai. Civil Beat.

A Kauai elementary school was scrambling for substitute teachers Tuesday, a day the school's principal made controversial comments about their performance. Six of the 27 teachers at Kekaha Elementary School called in sick, according to the Department of Education. Hawaii News Now.

The halls of Kekaha Elementary School were missing a key fixture Tuesday — teachers. Garden Island.

Airport parking rates to increase, $55M unspent for Native Hawaiian homes, University of Hawaii loses millions on West Hawaii campus, dengue cases grow to 10 on Big Island, Honolulu wants new transit agency, Kauai to consider property tax cap, mirrors coming for Thirty Meter Telescope, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Lihue, Kauai, airport © 2015 All Hawaii News

Parking rates at airports across Hawaii will be going up starting Dec. 1. At five airports, including Honolulu Airport (HNL), the daily maximum rate to park will increase by $3, according to the state Department of Transportation. For HNL that means it will cost $18 to park 24 hours there. For Kahului (OGG), Kapalua Airport (JHM), Lihue (LIH), Hilo (ITO) and Kailua-Kona (KOA), it will cost $15. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Care Homes: Officials Seek More Money, Not Tougher Inspections Health Department officials say they want to stop giving care home operators advance warning of inspections. But they have no plan to change that policy. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has a backlog of more than $55 million in unspent federal housing funds for Native Hawaiians, and President Barack Obama’s administration finally stopped the flow of additional housing funding last fiscal year under the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program. Star-Advertiser.

Voting is underway for more than 95,000 Native Hawaiians who will elect 40 delegates to a constitutional convention that will consider models for self-governance. Star-Advertiser.

The Pearl Harbor destroyer USS John Paul Jones, among the most capable ballistic missile defense ships in the Navy fleet, shot down a simulated anti-ship cruise missile Saturday but failed to knock down an extended medium-range ballistic missile target during a “layered defense” test. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Gas plans to award a contract by the end of the year to a developer for its $300 million plan to ship in liquefied natural gas in bulk amounts to the Islands. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii aquaculture sales reached a record high in 2014, according to an annual report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sales totaled $78.2 million last year, which is several million dollars more than the previous year and more than double the sales from a decade ago. Civil Beat.

An Idaho farmer may start using mineral oil routinely if winter seed-certification testing in Hawaii confirms the 130 acres he sprayed this season with the low-cost protectant harbor less virus than his other seed fields. Capitol Press.

Oahu

The University of Hawaii paid $1.4 million to design an administration building and then a few years later paid $2.5 million more to a different architect to re-design the building at UH West Oahu. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu officials want to form a new agency that would oversee public transit operations once the city’s $6.6 billion commuter rail line is up and running. Both the city and the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation submitted proposals to the Honolulu Charter Commission that, if approved by voters, would create a single entity to operate and maintain the city’s rail, bus and paratransit services. Civil Beat.

Anthony Ching, who has headed the Hawaii Community Development Authority as its executive director since 2008, is retiring at the end of the year, a board member for the state agency confirmed to Pacific Business News.

The Honolulu City Council Zoning Committee unanimously approved an affordable housing project today. Hawaii Public Radio.

Problems are plaguing the city’s H-Power plant in Campbell Industrial Park. Two of the plant’s three boilers are down. KHON2.

Judges, landlords and nonprofits work together to prevent evictions. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

The number of confirmed cases of dengue fever on Hawaii Island ballooned from two to 10 during the weekend. Since the presence of the disease on the Big Isle was first reported by the state Department of Health last week, officials have been reluctant to reveal where the cases of the mosquito-borne illness have been reported, saying that they have been working to narrow down where the disease, which is not endemic to Hawaii, originated. But on Monday, State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said that a significant portion of cases had been reported in the Hookena and Honaunau areas of West Hawaii. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Health has confirmed 10 cases of dengue fever on the Big Island. Star-Advertiser.

Bulldozers at the Thirty Meter Telescope construction site have hardly moved an inch since protests against the $1.4 billion project erupted again on Mauna Kea seven months ago. But other aspects of the project are moving forward, the TMT International Observatory noted Monday. Tribune-Herald.

Mirror production is underway in Japan for a giant telescope project that's facing fervent opposition from those who oppose building it atop a Hawaiian mountain. The nonprofit organization building the Thirty Meter Telescope said in a news release Monday that more than 100 of the 574 segmented mirror blanks needed for the telescope's primary mirror have been produced. Associated Press.

15 of the 33 Na’i Aupuni ‘aha delegate candidates met with the community on Sunday in Panaewa. Hawaii Island voters registered through the Kana’iolowalu hawaiian roll can now choose the seven delegates from Moku O Keawe that will attend a future gathering (40 delegates total from all islands and the mainland) that could determine a future course for a native Hawaiian government. The election period began November 1 and will continue through the month of November. Big Island Video News.

The beach may be manini, but the parking problems aren’t. A solution has been a long time coming. But the Hawaii County Council is scheduled today to put the finishing touches on a bill officially making roads around Manini Beach no-parking zones. West Hawaii Today.

A community meeting was held on Thursday night to discuss planned improvements to Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area. The popular West Hawaii beach, located between Kawaihae and Puako, is under Department of Land and Natural Resources management. The DLNR Division of State Parks wanted to hear from the community on the plans, which are currently in design. Big Island Video News.

Maui

An estimated 1,700 individuals participated in the 42nd Annual Maui County Senior Fair held Halloween morning at the War Memorial Gym in Wailuku. Maui Now.

Weather issues hampered Haleakala National Park's efforts to eradicate pine trees in inaccessible areas in the crater during six days of helicopter operations in September and October, said a park official. Maui News.

Kauai

A property tax cap scrubbed from the books two years ago could make a comeback. County Councilman Gary Hooser said he will introduce a bill at Wednesday’s council meeting that would limit the growth of property taxes on Kauai for owner-occupied properties and for those utilized as long-term affordable rentals. Garden Island.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative will hold a public dedication ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday for its new Anahola solar facility. The dedication will be followed by a community open house until 3 p.m. Garden Island.

Hawaii energy policy scrutinized, state mum on dengue cases, Schatz campaigns for Clinton, space rocket to be launched off Kauai, UH fires football coach Chow, Native Hawaiian election begins, more top government and political news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Coffee beans on a drying floor © 2015 All Hawaii News

Heading into the 45th annual festival showcasing their trade, Kona coffee growers have a lot to celebrate. Abundant rain and an early and extensive coffee bloom have brought loads of cherry — filling drying platforms and mills with the fragrant product. West Hawaii Today.

U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz is spending the weekend in Maine and Boston, fundraising and offering his support and advice to some grass-roots groups that are mobilizing for the presidential campaign of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Star-Advertiser.

Gov David Ige Talks About The State’s Energy Future. The state’s chief executive discusses the road map to a renewable energy revolution, the NextEra-HECO merger and hopes for affordable electricity. Civil Beat.

Political insider’s role in state energy policy is called into question. Robbie Alm has a dozen years of experience in the top management ranks of the state's largest utility, Hawaiian Electric Co ., and he has the ear of Gov. David Ige.That makes some people nervous. Star-Advertiser.

Two proclamations on homelessness from Gov. David Ige will make it possible to pump another $300,000 into programs around the islands that help people. Catholic Charities and Helping Hands will now divide the additional $300,000 from Ige's proclamations and can use it to help both homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless. Star-Advertiser.

Virgin America, named the best in U.S. air travel for eight straight years by Travel + Leisure magazine, is making its inaugural flight to Honolulu from San Francisco with a new 149-seat Airbus 320 aircraft aptly named the Pineapple Express. Virgin America will expand its Hawaii service further on Dec. 3 when it begins flying between San Francisco and Kahului. Star-Advertiser.

The National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint today against Aqua-Aston Hospitality in response to five unfair labor practice charges filed by UNITE HERE Local 5 against Aqua-Aston (formerly Aston Hotels & Resorts) since July. Hawaii Independent.

Oahu

As costs continue to climb, Honolulu rail remains by far the most expensive transit project per-capita being built in the U.S., a Honolulu Star-Advertiser analysis shows.

They’re public records, but the City and County of Honolulu often makes it difficult — and expensive — for the public to obtain them. The Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest is looking to change that with four amendments it proposed to the Honolulu Charter Commission. The Charter Commission is in the midst of assessing dozens of proposals as part of its 10-year review of the city charter. Civil Beat.

Live Christmas trees will be allowed in hotel lobbies, larger restaurants and other assembly areas this holiday season, provided those settings have sprinklers in place, under a compromise proposal reached among businesses, the Honolulu Fire Department and the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

Friends of Haiku Stairs say potential hike fee revenue could be key to reopening the famous Hawaii hiking trail known as "Stairway to Heaven" and to preserve its surrounding Windward Oahu valley for the long term. Pacific Business News.

Mounting losses and dwindling attendance added up to Norm Chow's dismissal as head coach of the University of Hawaii football team. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

Tom Hasslinger has been named managing editor of West Hawaii Today. Hasslinger’s primary responsibility will be working with the newspaper’s editorial department to produce compelling local content.  West Hawaii Today.

Gov. David Ige continued to offer support for building the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea and improving the state’s stewardship of the mountain while speaking last week at Oahu’s Windward Community College. Tribune-Herald.

A pair of prolific internet vloggers have documented their battle with an illness they believe was contracted on the Big Island during a recent visit, while the state of Hawaii investigates two confirmed cases of “locally-acquired” dengue fever on the same island. Big Island Video News.

Health officials said they cannot reveal information about the patients or where the dengue cases have been reported because the investigation into the source of the mosquito-borne disease is ongoing. Tribune-Herald.

Ballots begin going out today to the 95,000-plus Native Hawaiian voters who registered by the deadline to help choose 40 delegates to an aha, or constitutional convention. West Hawaii Today.

Operators hopeful, wary of new manta tour regulation. West Hawaii Today.

The charitable and political powerhouse Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council has turned 50, and it’s inviting the community to join the celebration. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A Maui County Council committee on Monday will consider a resolution to establish an advisory body to review a county manager form of governance. Maui News.

Maui County Council committee to discuss county manager form of government this Monday. MauiTime.

The county Department of Planning is soliciting bids from consultants to study the feasibility of using sand nourishment as a way to reduce shoreline erosion in Kahana, where seawalls stop the ocean from washing condominiums out to sea. Maui News.

Establishing a temporary "sanctuary" for the homeless, along with more development of transitional housing and workforce housing, are all part of Mayor Alan Arakawa's multimillion-dollar "Homeless Initiative." Maui News.

Maui County is considering sanctuaries as the population of homeless individuals rises faster than anywhere else in the state. Associated Press.

State airports in Hawaiʻi will implement a fee increase for parking at six facilities on Dec. 1, 2015, including fee increases at Kahului and Kapalua Airports on Maui. Maui Now.

Scott Parker, who was seeking to become one of three Maui delegates to a Native Hawaiian convention, said Friday that he is withdrawing from the Na'i Aupuni election that gets underway Sunday. Maui News.

Kauai

A Hawaii police union will file a labor board complaint if it doesn’t get final approval on a policy governing the first widespread use of body cameras in the state. The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers says a body camera policy implemented without its final approval would violate Kauai County’s contract with the union. Associated Press.

Kauai County is asking the state to incentivize competition and help make interisland travel cost less. Associated Press.

The Kauai County Council wants the state to take up what it feels is a serious, islandwide issue: expensive costs for residents to fly from one island to another. Garden Island.

Frances Nelson Hali’aalohanokekupuna Frazier known as a legendary Hawaiian language translator, “beloved auntie,” and outspoken writer of “sassy letters to the editor” died on Oct. 19. She was 101. Garden Island.

University of Hawaii officials say the state's much-delayed first space launch could be finally set for takeoff. According to the university's Space Flight Laboratory, the 55-foot "Super Strypi" rocket will be launched from Kauai's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Monday. Associated Press.

Dengue fever spreads on Big Island, Ethics Commission probes lawmaker spending, special session set to confirm judges, Kewalo Basin development planned, Maui Dems to learn about presidential contenders, Lihue’s Town Core revitalization, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hotels along Waikiki © 2015 All Hawaii News

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is reportedly in talks with a couple of suitors, including Hyatt Hotels and multiple Chinese entities, and while anything is possible, a Hyatt-Starwood marriage could start some waves in Waikiki. Pacific Business News.

State Ethics Commission staff say lawmakers may have misused their taxpayer-funded annual allowances, and they plan to take a closer look at recent expenditures, particularly those for meals, hotels and event tickets. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii state Senate will convene in special session next week to consider three judicial nominations. Last week, Gov. David Ige appointed Shirley M. Kawamura, the current District Court Judge of the First Circuit, to the First Circuit Court, and Melvin H. Fujino, the current District Family Court Judge of the Third Circuit, to the Third Circuit Court. Also last week, Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald appointed James C. McWhinnie to the District Court of the First Circuit. Civil Beat.

State health officials are pulling overtime to resume posting inspection reports for long-term care facilities online as required by law, but so far it’s only for certain types of homes and there are no guarantees how long the agency will keep up with it. Civil Beat.

A bitter — and increasingly costly — dispute between an Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee and her fellow trustees is entering its third year, with no settlement in sight. Earlier this month a state circuit court judge in Honolulu set a trail date of Oct. 31, 2016, in the case of Akana v. Machado, named for Rowena Akana and Colette Machado, a former chairwoman of the OHA Board of Trustees. Civil Beat.

Oahu

After a decade of trying, Chad Callan and his team at the Oceanic Institute of Hawaii Pacific University have finally unlocked the mystery of the yellow tang. Star-Advertiser.

People who serve their full prison sentences are at great risk of becoming homeless on O’ahu. Hawaii Public Radio.

As part of a program that encourages people to get off public assistance, state officials recently gave a Waipahu family a $30,000 check. The money represented five years of savings: As part of the program, rather than the state keeping rent increases that public housing or Section 8 families must pay when their income goes up, those funds went into an escrow account. Hawaii News Now.

How much — or little — commercial development is appropriate around Hawaii’s only commercial small-boat harbor is being assessed by a state board after two developers presented revised proposals Thursday to develop underutilized state land bordering Kewalo Basin in Kakaako. Star-Advertiser.

A controversial permit request to construct a church, parking lot and other facilities on a Mililani Mauka site that serves as a water quality detention basin was approved Monday, despite opposition from several community members. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii

At least two people, and likely four more, have been infected with dengue fever after being bitten by mosquitoes on the Big Island. Tribune-Herald.

Maui
Despite calls from the public for more openness and transparency, the Maui Liquor Control Commission waived its selection process again Wednesday - choosing not to solicit a list of applicants - and after meeting behind closed doors re-appointed Dana Souza as director of the Department of Liquor Control. Maui News.

The Maui County Democratic Party will host a County Committee Meeting and a Democratic Presidential Caucus Information Session on Tuesday, Nov. 3, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Lihikai Elementary School Cafeteria in Kahului. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai’s vision for the future of Lihue’s Town Core is what helped secure $13 million in federal money to improve the city. Garden Island.

In the last dozen years, Ed Lyman has helped free 22 humpback whales from entanglements, recovering buoys and more than 9,000 feet of fishing line that were once wound around the bodies of these majestic endangered species. Garden Island.

Molokai
Native Hawaiian activist and Molokai resident Walter Ritte Jr. announced Wednesday that he is no longer seeking to be a delegate to a Native Hawaiian constitutional convention, calling the process "not pono" and asking others to boycott the election of delegates beginning next month. Maui News.

Hawaii pays $500k in pensions to dead people, vacationing lesbian couple sues Honolulu Police Department after being jailed for kissing in public, medical marijuana benefits to be expanded, state lawmakers tour islands, Maui sugarcane burning studied, garbage hauling to increase, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii state Capitol © 2015 All Hawaii News

A public policy think tank says the state Employee Retirement System has paid out more than $500,000 in public pension benefits to dead people. The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii said the payments cover a five-year period and that the largest individual payout was over $50,000. Hawaii News Now.

It’s been only three months since Gov. David Ige signed a bill legalizing medical marijuana dispensaries in Hawaii, but lawmakers are already drafting new legislation to amend Act 241. Potential amendments range from eliminating the ban against inter-island transport of medical cannabis to adding new qualifying ailments such as anxiety and insomnia. Civil Beat.

Under pressure from lawmakers and health care advocates who accuse it of not complying with a 10-month-old law, the Hawaii Department of Health has increased the number of inspection reports it’s posted online for long-term care facilities serving seniors and the disabled. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority reported Wednesday that September visitor arrivals grew to 652,616, a 4.7 percent increase over September 2014. But even with the influx, visitors spent 1.2 percent less, bringing total expenditures to just under $1. 1 billion. Star-Advertiser.

More than 650,000 visitors traveled to Hawaii last month, setting a record for the month of September. Associated Press.

Veteran Molokai activist Walter Ritte Jr. formally renounced his candidacy to the Native Hawaiian convention Wednesday and called for the boycott of a self-governance process he described as rigged. Star-Advertiser.

Nai Aupuni releases strange, defensive statement regarding Native Hawaiian protesters. Hawaii Independent.

Dr. Keanu Sai is a political scientist at the forefront of an emerging understanding of Hawaii as an existing Kingdom under U.S. occupation. In this lengthy interview, Sai talks about his recent trip to the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom where he was invited to present a paper on Hawaii as a non-European power. Big Island Video News.

The election for Native Hawaiian convention delegates is scheduled to begin Sunday and last for one month.   As HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports, there are deep divisions within that island community. Hawaii Public Radio.

NextEra Energy Inc., the Florida-based company looking to buy Hawaiian Electric Industries, said Wednesday its third-quarter profit jumped 33.2 percent to $879 million primarily due to new investments at its utility and energy development subsidiaries. Star-Advertiser.

NextEra Energy Inc. and Hawaiian Electric Co., the two companies involved in the Florida energy giant's $4.3 billion acquisition of the Honolulu-based utility, want to nix talk of liquefied natural gas or other utility ownership models, including municipality-owned or co-op owned utilities at the upcoming evidentiary hearings. Pacific Business News.

Wealthy video-game industry businessman and renewable energy crusader Henk Rogers, in 2006 created the Blue Planet Foundation, which aims to make Hawaii into a “global model for energy independence.” The non-profit organization has been pushing for greater energy efficiency and opening up a broader space for renewable electricity generation. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Department opened an internal investigation Wednesday into allegations that an officer wrongfully arrested a vacationing lesbian couple after seeing them kissing in a grocery store. Courtney Wilson and Taylor Guerrero, who were visiting Hawaii from Los Angeles in March, said in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday that they were harassed and arrested because the officer didn't like their public displays of affection in a Foodland store on Oahu's North Shore. Associated Press.

A lesbian couple that was vacationing in Hawaii last spring filed a lawsuit Tuesday against a Honolulu police officer who violently arrested them after watching them hug and kiss in the aisles of a North Shore grocery store. Civil Beat.

In March, Courtney Wilson and her girlfriend Taylor Guerrero came to the islands from Los Angeles for what was supposed to be a restful vacation. Instead, the trip turned into a nightmare when the pair was arrested after kissing in Foodland Pupukea. Hawaii News Now.

A same-sex couple has filed a lawsuit, accusing a Honolulu police officer of discrimination, assault and battery, and violation of their Fourth Amendment rights. KHON2.

University of Hawaii journalism students have launched a lovely looking online news site, kicking it off this month with a series that investigates pesticide use on Oahu’s north shore farms. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

Cross-county garbage hauling moved a step closer to reality Wednesday, with the Environmental Management Commission’s unanimous approval of a bill giving the mayor’s administration much more leeway in deciding whose trash goes where. West Hawaii Today.

The long process of bolstering Hilo Harbor’s cargo shipping capacity continues. Construction work on the third phase of the ongoing Pier 4 project is on track to be completed in January 2016, state Department of Transportation spokesman Timothy Sakahara wrote in an email. Construction work on the pier itself — the final stage of the project — is estimated to begin in December. Tribune-Herald.

The family of a Puna man allegedly murdered by an escaped mental patient is suing the state and county, claiming their negligence resulted in the victim’s death. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

A study, “Association between sugar cane burning and acute respiratory illness on the island of Maui,” published in the October 2015 issue of the Environmental Health journal, is already being referenced in a lawsuit to stop sugarcane burning on Maui—the first case to be heard by Hawaiʻi’s recently established Environmental Court. Maui Now.

The number of Maui County residents to receive treatment for drug and alcohol abuse over the last five years has remained fairly steady, according to a new report published by the state Department of Health. Maui News.

Kauai

Members of the Hawaii House of Representatives Finance Committee got a view of Kauai from the sky Wednesday to see projects that are funded, at least in part, by the Legislature. Garden Island.

The Black Pot Beach Park Master Plan community meeting has been rescheduled to 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Hanalei Elementary School cafeteria. It had been scheduled Oct. 29. Garden Island.

New research about sunscreen’s destructive effects on coral reefs has Sharon Eacott thinking twice before slathering it on. Garden Island.

Molokai

Last week, House Finance Committee members visited Molokai for the first time in years to get an up-close picture of problems facing island residents. Molokai Dispatch.

Schism widens over Native Hawaiian election, student test scores drop, NextEra hearing draws crowds, Maui seeks more police, Kauai mulls county manager v. mayor, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Walter Ritte leads Hawaiian rally, courtesy Makawalu Photography

Walter Ritte will announce Wednesday that he is disenrolling from the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission’s registry, withdrawing his candidacy as a Nai Aupuni election delegate and calling for a boycott of the election. Civil Beat.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs on Tuesday rolled out a website called Mo‘oaupuni, which is intended to present material relating to what’s referred to as “Hawaiian political landscapes.” Civil Beat.

The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is holding community meetings statewide on proposed rule changes that include allowing the agency to accept DNA tests to establish family ties for eligibility for the homestead program for Native Hawaiians. Maui News.

Academic gains Hawaii public school students saw two years ago on the National Assessment of Educational Progress were essentially erased this year as math and reading scores slipped to 2011 levels on the standardized test known as the “Nation’s Report Card.” Star-Advertiser.

The percentage of Hawaii fourth and eighth graders proficient in math and reading declined in 2015, scores released Tuesday show. Hawaii's scores slipped in both grades and both subjects on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which is administered every two years to a representative sample of students in each state. Hawaii News Now.

A group of Hawaii legislators is tired of the Health Department ignoring a state law that requires inspection reports of adult care homes and other long-term care facilities to be posted online. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission won’t let opposition to NextEra Energy's acquisition of Hawaiian Electric Co. influence its decision on whether to grant final approval of the $4.3 billion deal, the agency's chairman told Pacific Business News.

As the state Public Utilities Commission prepares to weigh evidence in the proposed $4.3 billion merger of the Hawaiian Electric Companies and NextEra Energy, the companies requested intervenors pushing alternatives to the merger be excluded from an upcoming hearing. Tribune-Herald.

The state is working to increase ocean safety education for visitors in the wake of recent tourist drownings. Associated Press.

Oahu

Hundreds crowded into McKinley High School's auditorium Tuesday to voice their opposition to Hawaiian Electric's NextEra merger. Hawaii News Now.

More than 250 Oahu residents gathered Tuesday night at the McKinley High School auditorium to voice their opinions on the proposed purchase of Hawaiian Electric Industries by Florida-based NextEra Energy Inc. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission heard an unfamiliar sound Tuesday evening — strong support for the proposed $4.3 billion sale of Hawaiian Electric Industries to NextEra Energy. Unlike on Maui and the Big Island where members of the public overwhelmingly opposed the deal, the Oahu residents who testified were far more evenly split. Civil Beat.

A University of Hawaii law school degree is one of the most valuable for the mind and wallet, according to the National Jurist magazine’s latest rankings. The UH William S. Richardson School of Law was recognized again as a "Best Value" law school for its significant rate of employed recent graduates as well as its students' low levels of debt. Pacific Business News.

Board of Water Supply Critical of Navy Red Hill Fuel Leak Mitigation Plan  Hawaii Public Radio.

The Air Force apologized Tuesday for unexpected early morning noise from fighter jets roaring over Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

Kevin Mulligan, a retired union agent for the Hawaii Government Employees Association, and a member of the 12-person Honolulu Charter Commission, has submitted several proposals to the Charter Commission, including one that would lower the threshold for firing a police chief and another to create a completely new oversight agency to keep tabs on the department’s internal disciplinary process. Civil Beat.

Hawaii

The vast majority of Hawaii Island schools appear to be making improvements, according to the latest results of the fledgling Strive HI Performance System. However, the island as a whole continues to lag behind the rest of the state on most performance measures. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii County has selected a preferred site for a wastewater treatment plant serving Naalehu. The site is located on state land makai of Mamalahoa Highway on the east side of the town. It borders property the county is considering purchasing in order to preserve former Makahiki grounds known as Kahua Olohu. Tribune-Herald.

An unhappy homeowner at the luxury Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is suing the resort and its developers, saying he and others aren’t getting the benefits they were promised when they built or purchased their homes. The suit claims that homeowners, their families and guests face crowded facilities and fees that have risen unfairly at The Hualalai Club, where a membership runs $250,000, plus $40,625 in annual dues. West Hawaii Today.

Maui
The Maui Police Department is seeking funding for five additional positions, including a police major and an emergency services coordinator, in its budget proposal for the 2017 fiscal year. Maui News.

Pregnant women can take advantage of new parking stalls designated for expectant moms at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Shopping Center in Kahului. Maui Now.

Kauai

Kauai County Councilman Mason Chock will present a preliminary report this morning on the findings thus far of a subcommittee formed in June to study the possibility of switching to a county manager system of government. Garden Island.

A majority of the Kauai County Council changed its own internal rules to prevent any Councilmember from asking questions of the public when they testify. Hawaii Independent.

Jim Guerber, head brewer and owner of Kauai Beer Company, was elated when he heard that Kauai County was earmarked to receive $13 million in federal funds targeted at revitalizing the Lihue Town Core. Garden Island.

Kahoolawe

The Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission intends to ask the state attorney general to clarify the law that bans commercial activity in the reserve. Maui News.