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.

Hawaii Rep. Takai diagnosed with pancreatic tumor, Ige and cabinet on the road, $300M lost on Hawaii Obamacare, possible dengue fever on Big Island, group appeals Hawaiian election ruling, Waste Management settles with EPA on landfill charges, no expansion for Molokai national park, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Congressman Takai, courtesy photo

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has been diagnosed with a small tumor on his pancreas after undergoing tests to determine why he had been experiencing some stomach pain in recent weeks, according to a spokesman. Takai, 48, was elected to his first term in Congress last year representing urban Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Mark Takai has been diagnosed with a tumor on his pancreas. Civil Beat.

Congressman Takai releases statement on personal health. Takai press release.

Gov. David Ige and members of his cabinet highlighted some of the administration's early achievements tonight — including speeding up the use of federal dollars on transportation projects, closing on the Turtle Bay conservation deal and boosting the state's bond rating — at a community meeting at Windward Community College in Kaneohe. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly 40,000 Hawaii Health Connector enrollments are shifting to the federal healthcare.gov site in a week. Hawaii Health Connector Executive Director Jeff Kissel said $300 million in taxpayer dollars would have been saved if the state had used the federal program to enroll residents. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Department of Health doesn’t plan to hold a public hearing or accept public comments on rules governing the state’s new medical marijuana dispensary system before releasing draft rules by Jan. 4, 2016. That means entrepreneurs will have only a few days to review the rules before applying between Jan. 11 and Jan. 29, for eight coveted licenses to grow and sell medical cannabis. Civil Beat.

Over 60 percent of patients registered for medical marijuana cards in Hawaii are over the age of 56, according to new data revealed by the Department of Health. Scottina Malia Ruis, the agency’s medical marijuana registry coordinator, presented the information during the Hawaii Bar Association’s conference at the Hawaii Convention Center on Friday. Civil Beat.

Last week’s decision by a federal judge to allow the election for delegates to a Native Hawaiian constitutional convention to proceed is being appealed by the Grassroot Institute. Civil Beat.

A federal judge ruled Friday that an election can go forward to choose delegates to draft a document allowing Native Hawaiians to govern themselves. Associated Press.

Kaiser Permanente employees have ratified a new contract that gives 1,900 workers at 22 facilities in Hawaii at 2.5 percent wage increase this year. Star-Advertiser.

Nearly 2,000 Kaiser Permanente employees in Hawaii have ratified a three-year deal with one of its employee unions after three years of bargaining, the union and the health maintenance organization said Monday. Pacific Business News.

Why Is Hawaiian Electric Ready To Cash Out? A company that thrived for more than a century in the islands is ready to sell. It is a good deal for executives and, the power company’s CEO argues, for the rest of us, too. Civil Beat.

A decades-long fight over the future of the aquarium industry’s collecting of fish in Hawaii was renewed last week when two state agencies requested an emergency moratorium on the practice in light of unprecedented coral bleaching. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Rail officials announced Monday that for July, August and September, the transit project will receive $64.8 million from Oahu’s general excise tax surcharge to fund construction. That’s $8.3 million more than what the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation had expected to take in for the quarter, based on the project’s financial plan. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation said Monday that it is $30.5 million behind its projections for revenue from Hawaii’s general excise and use tax surcharge, despite its latest quarterly installment being higher than anticipated. Pacific Business News.

Some 130 people living in three oceanside homeless encampments that grew in size after the city cleared out the adjacent Kakaako makai encampment have at least three more weeks before state sheriff’s deputies push them somewhere else. Star-Advertiser.

A large segment of the homeless population in Kaka’ako has moved to nearby state parks.  In response to this development, the Governor announced plans for a coordinated effort to enforce park closure rules. Hawaii Public Radio.

Two West Oahu nonprofits will receive $100,000 each under the terms of a plea agreement reached between federal prosecutors and Waste Management of Hawaii to settle a case involving the spillage of millions of gallons of contaminated stormwater from the island’s only landfill into the ocean several years ago. Federal prosecutors agreed to drop more serious felony charges against Waste Management and top employees Joe Whelan and Justin Lottig in exchange for their guilty pleas to misdemeanor counts of negligent discharge of pollutants for violating the U.S. Clean Water Act. Star-Advertiser.

Investigators from the state tax, labor and business departments raided construction sites Monday at at least nine boutiques and food establishments near Bloomingdale's in Ala Moana Center’s newest wing, which is still under construction. Ala Moana Center's Ewa Wing Expansion opens Nov. 12.More They were acting on a complaint by the Hawaii Construction Alliance, which represents five unions including the carpenters, after their undercover informants made troubling findings. Hawaii News Now.

Nearly 630 acres of Oahu’s north shore coastline have been preserved from development in perpetuity, thanks to an agreement finalized this week between Turtle Bay Resort and the state of Hawaii. Pacific Business News.

A few months ago the state sent letters to Diamond Head shoreline homeowners asking them to cut back overgrown vegetation encroaching onto the public beach. And they listened. Hawaii News Now.

The U.S. government has agreed to pay $850,000 to settle a man's medical malpractice lawsuit that says prostate cancer surgery at a Honolulu military hospital left him incontinent, impotent and blind. Associated Press.

Hawaii

Mayor Billy Kenoi said Monday no homeless sweeps are planned on the Big Island such as those recently carried out at an encampment in Oahu’s Kakaako neighborhood — or like the ones Gov. David Ige says will take place at two Honolulu parks if individuals and families don’t move soon. Tribune-Herald.

The governor’s coordinator on homelessness said about 45 percent of the $1.3 million Gov. David Ige allocated under an emergency proclamation to address the issue statewide will go to Neighbor Island programs. Tribune-Herald.

The state Department of Health is awaiting test results in two possible cases of mosquito-borne dengue fever on the Big Island. Star-Advertiser.

A desire to save consumers money and reduce their environmental footprint has led the county Department of Water Supply to expand into energy generation, said Keith Okamoto, the department’s manager-chief engineer on Monday night. West Hawaii Today.

They say you can’t fight city hall. But people can — and it seems increasing numbers do — sue their local government. Since 2010, Hawaii County residents have sought redress for everything from an avocado falling from a tree in a county-owned right of way striking a windshield to contracting a flesh-eating bacteria in a county hot pond to vehicle damage from hitting a feral goat on Mamalahoa Highway to fingerprint dust spilled in a burglary victim’s home causing carpet damage to purchasing a grave site that was already occupied. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A lottery for vouchers for federally subsidized rental housing assistance will be held from Monday through Nov. 8, according to an announcement from the Maui County branch of Mental Health America of Hawaii. Maui News.

Currently under new management and with a new name, a film studio in a leased warehouse at the Maui Lani Village Center has lined up at least three film or TV projects starting in early December and running into 2016, Maui County Film Commissioner Tracy Bennett said last week. Maui News.

Kula Produce has begun construction on a new produce facility at the Maui Lani Village Center, which should be completed at the end of 2016. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai County learned Monday it landed $13 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The funds will be used for the revitalization of the Lihue Town Core. Garden Island.

Colorado-based Timbers Resorts is planning a $750 million to $800 million development of the unfinished Kauai Lagoons master-planned oceanfront community that will include 468 units in a mix of oceanfront and golf course homes, condominium units, hotel and townhomes. Pacific Business News.

Molokai

The National Park Service has nixed the idea of expanding Molokai's Kalaupapa National Historical Park's boundaries within nearby Pelekunu and Halawa valleys because of opposition voiced at public meetings and during a comment period earlier this year. Maui News.

The National Park Service is seeking new members to appoint to the Kalaupapa National Historical Park Advisory Commission. Maui News.

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Tax Foundation sues over state's share of rail tax, solar companies sue over end to net metering, Honolulu Police Commission sees no need to discipline chief, NASA Mars mission scouts Kilauea lava fields, EPA fines over cesspools, Department of Education wants $70M increase, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii Convention Center © 2015 All Hawaii News

The Hawaii Convention Center is looking for a contractor to conduct up to $7.5 million in repairs and improvements, according to a public call for proposals released this week. Pacific Business News.

The Tax Foundation of Hawaii filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday challenging the state’s practice of siphoning 10 percent of the money collected from the excise tax surcharge for the city’s rail project and depositing it into the state’s general treasury. Star-Advertiser.

A new lawsuit is accusing the state of skimming millions of dollars from the Honolulu rail project. Since 2007, the State Tax Department has charged Oahu residents nearly $170 million just to collect the half percent tax to fund the rail project. Hawaii News Now.

A group representing rooftop solar interests sued the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission on Wednesday over its decision last week to cap a popular program that let residents with photovoltaic systems sell excess energy back to the electric companies at the full retail rate. Civil Beat.

The Alliance for Solar Choice, which is made up of national solar firms, including both SolarCity and Sunrun which operate in Hawaii, has filed a lawsuit that challenges a recent Hawaii Public Utilities Commission’s decision to cap net metering to existing customers. Pacific Business News.

Nearly six years after it was established by the Legislature, the state’s Re-entry Commission is failing to fulfill its job of overseeing programs to help Hawaii’s inmates stay out of prison after they’re released. The commission has only met once since 2013. That’s because eight seats on the 10-member commission have been empty for more than three years. Civil Beat.

The state Department of Education is seeking $70 million in budget add-ons for school operations next fiscal year and $30 million in bond financing for so-called heat abatement efforts that include air conditioning classrooms. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii fisheries may soon receive stronger protection from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing thanks to legislation that unanimously cleared the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. Civil Beat.

For years, scientists have warned sunscreen is killing the world’s coral reefs. Now, a new study confirms those concerns, revealing the chemical oxybenzone, found in more than 3,500 sunscreen products worldwide, can be harmful in concentrations as small as 62 parts per trillion — the equivalent of a single drop of water in six-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools. Tribune-Herald.

Two state agencies, backed by environmental groups, are calling for a moratorium on the collection of aquarium fish — a proposal that is highlighting still-deep divisions over the harvesting of the fish for export and captivity. West Hawaii Today.

Two Hawaii resorts and one nightclub must pay over $300,000 in fines to the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to close large-capacity cesspools, according to a press release from the federal agency. The Travaasa Hotel Hana Resort in Hana, Maui, owes $187,500; Vacation Inns International on Oahu’s North Shore owes $40,000; and Shaka’s on the Big Island must pay $82,425. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The Honolulu Police Commission has found no reason to impose disciplinary action against Police Chief Louis Kealoha, commission Chairman Ron Taketa told reporters Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with his colleagues. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha will stay on the job as the FBI and a special prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office continue their criminal probe into the circumstances surrounding the HPD’s own investigation into his missing mailbox. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha will remain on the job because his bosses at the Honolulu Police Commission cannot verify what Hawaii News Now first reported almost two weeks ago: that there's a full-fledged federal criminal investigation targeting him and his wife.

The proposed cap on general excise tax dollars used to build rail would likely be more of a flexible limit than a hard one with no exceptions, Honolulu City Council leaders say, as project costs have soared even higher in recent weeks. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell agrees with City Council Chairman Ernie Martin, a potential political rival, that the city needs to hold rail officials more accountable for their spending, especially as costs for the Honolulu Rail Transit Project escalate beyond $6.5 billion. Caldwell just wants a little more flexibility when doing it. Civil Beat.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell is expressing skepticism regarding a plan by City Council Chairman Ernie Martin to cap revenue generated by a 5-year extension of Oahu's rail tax at $910 million dollars. The mayor said such a cap could deter companies from bidding on the remaining contracts for the controversial project. KITV4.

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation will end up spending millions more after the cancellation of a major rail contract. KHON2.

One week after the city and state wrapped up its high profile homeless sweep in Kakaako makai, new homeless camps are springing up in nearby parks. Hawaii News Now.

The ACLU of Hawaii says the City and County of Honolulu has “reversed course” and is now going to permit survivors of domestic violence and persons with mental illness to access a new homeless shelter in Sand Island. Civil Beat.

State seeks to crack down on off-roading at Kaena Point. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii

Scientists are scouting lava flow fields around Kilauea this week as part of a NASA-funded study that could help lay the groundwork for a manned mission to Mars. Tribune-Herald.

The County Council in 2012 unanimously passed a bill, sponsored by then Chairman Dominic Yagong, to prohibit disposal of trash from Hilo and Puna in the West Hawaii landfill at Puuanahulu. But a bill now making its way through the County Council would undo that. West Hawaii Today.

The East Hawaii Regional Board of Hawaii Health Systems Corp. voted Tuesday to actively pursue partnerships with other health care providers. Tribune-Herald.

On Friday, the Board of Land and Natural Resources will vote on whether or not to establish a volunteer agreement with Friends of the Future non-profit at Lapakahi State Historical Park. Here is the background – and favorable recommendation – from the Department of Land and Natural Resources submittal. Big Island Video News.

Maui

The US Environmental Protection Agency completed enforcement actions with the Travaasa Hotel Hāna Resort in East Maui for failure to close its large capacity cesspool.  Travaasa will pay a penalty of $187,500. Maui Now.

A Maui parent has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education, claiming that the department is incapable of providing the deaf and hard-of-hearing services that her daughter needs at school. Associated Press.

Opinion: Hey, Maui County: if you need more evidence that the people pulling the strings over the liquor department are inept fools , look no further than the Liquor Commission. It now looks like they’re backing off their Oct. 7 appointment of one of their own–Dana Souza–to assume the mantle of Liquor Control Director, a post held not so long ago by Dana’s own father Joe. MauiTime.

Kauai

‘Find your voice’ Candlelight vigil unites community with goal of ending domestic violence. Garden Island.

The public is advised that a rockfall mitigation project along Menehune Road near the Waimea Swinging Bridge is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Garden Island.