Navy corruption probe widens in Hawaii, state is first to sign onto elements in Paris Accord, Hawaii County property taxes raised, Maui first to ban 'Styrofoam' containers, Honolulu mayor wants plastic bag ban, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Dave Kapaun, right, with Republic of Singapore Navy Major Danny Tan, left, and Republic of Singapore Major H .C. Lim at a reception on board the U.S. Navy dock landing ship USS Rushmore, July 4, 2001, Kevin H. Tierney/U.S. Department of Defense

 Navy’s Widening Bribery And Sex Scandal Has Many Hawaii Connections. A former Seventh Fleet commander from Oahu pleads guilty in Honolulu for concealing his relationship with a Malaysian defense contractor. Civil Beat.

A retired U.S. Navy commander in Hawaii charged in a growing corruption scandal pleaded guilty today to lying about his relationship with a Malaysian defense contractor known by the nickname “Fat Leonard.” Associated Press.

Two distinctive missile telemetry ships are in Honolulu Harbor after participating in a first-of-its-kind test intercept of an intercontinental ballistic missile target high over the Pacific on May 30. Star-Advertiser.

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Gov. David Ige today signed a bill into law to document sea level rise and set strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, aligning the state’s goals with the Paris climate accord. Associated Press.

Hawaii became the first state in the nation to enact portions of the Paris climate agreement into law Tuesday with Gov. David Ige signing Senate Bill 559. Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i’s elected officials gathered in Honolulu on Tuesday to show their support for the Paris Climate Accord, following President Trump’s announced withdrawal from the international agreement. Big Island Video News.

Hawaii is the first state in the nation to implement parts of the Paris Climate Agreement. Hawaii Public Radio.

In a show of support for the Paris climate agreement, Gov. David Ige and Hawaii’s county mayors and representatives gathered for the signing of two bills and a mayors’ agreement that support the commitments and goals of the Paris climate accord. KHON2.

Gov. David Ige  and the county mayors gathered Tuesday for the signing of two environmental bills and a mayors' agreement that support the commitments and goals of the Paris climate accord. KITV.

Hawaii's governor said Tuesday that the state has become the first in the nation to enact legislation that implements portions of the Paris climate accord, which the Trump administration rejected last week by pulling the United States out of the multi-nation agreement. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii was the first in the nation to commit to goals outlined in the Paris agreement Tuesday. Garden Island.

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Gov. David Ige gives himself a seven out of 10 for his work since taking office in 2014. Garden Island.

Nearly two-thirds of Hawaii voters who responded to The Civil Beat Poll want the Legislature to pass a bill next year to legalize medical aid in dying for terminally ill adults. Civil Beat.

Hawaii public school students are expected to spend less time taking standardized assessments next school year under efforts announced Tuesday to move away from a testing culture some educators have called toxic. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

The city’s troubled $10 billion rail project faces another critical vote today in the Honolulu City Council. Star-Advertiser.

City council to hold final vote on several tax, fee increases. KHON2.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell today urged the Honolulu City Council to pass a bill banning all plastic bags from retail checkout counters, and threatened to veto any measure that falls short of that. Star-Advertiser.

Get ready drivers: Rates for street parking are poised to go way up starting this summer. Hawaii News Now.

City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro's request for $75,000 to fund a retrofitted van for his office won't be approved any time soon. Hawaii News Now.

A federal jury found the company and its top manager involved in a deadly 2011 fireworks explosion in a Waikele bunker not guilty today of permit violations for storing and treating hazardous waste. Star-Advertiser.

Medical Marijuana Dispensary To Open Without Any Marijuana. Licensed companies are still waiting for the Department of Health to certify labs to test the products before they can start selling. Civil Beat.

The Kahala Hotel’s New Shoreline Plan Could Reduce Public Beach Access. The high-end resort wants a long-term easement allowing it to hold more weddings and other events that could take up more of the public beach. Civil Beat.

Former Kapolei raceway becomes illegal, potentially toxic, dump site. Hawaii News Now.

Permit numbers for solar systems on Oahu continue to fall, dropping 62 percent in May compared with the same month last year. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority and the Hawaii Convention Center recognize University of Hawaii for securing over $170M in convention business. Pacific Business News.

Sales of single-family homes and condominiums on Oahu rose by double digits in May, as prices posted single-digit gains, according to statistics release Monday by Honolulu real estate firm Locations. Pacific Business News.

Aiming to replicate the water quality impact of oysters on places such as Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay, the state Division of Aquatic Resources on Tuesday announced the expansion of its own oyster-growing experiment with the target of helping to clean up Pearl Harbor. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Property tax rate hikes passed by the Hawaii County Council late Monday pack a wallop for residential and apartment properties, while sparing homeowners and affordable rentals from increases. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County Council members spent an entire day, working deep into the night, trying to find the right mix of Big Island property tax increases across the different classes in order to balance the budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year. Big Island Video News.

As Hawaii County considers large increases to the fuel tax, should any of that extra revenue go to help improve substandard private roads? That was a question raised Tuesday as the Hawaii County Council considered a resolution seeking to authorize grants for private roads used as main thoroughfares, such as in large subdivisions, during a Finance Committee meeting. Tribune-Herald.

The Hamakua Soil and Water Conservation District voted Tuesday to rescind the conservation plan for Big Island Dairy and others that weren’t signed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. Tribune-Herald.

The Hawaii County Wastewater Division posted warning signs near the Pua sewage pump station and the Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resource Center in Keaukaha after tests with dye suggested repairs made to pipe joints were ineffective. Tribune-Herald.

Alexander & Baldwin Inc. said Tuesday it has paid $10 million to acquire five multi-tenant industrial buildings within the Honokohau Industrial Park, the Honolulu-based company’s first industrial properties on the Big Island. Pacific Business News.

Police have wrapped an internal probe into an Aug. 4, 2016, police pursuit of a stolen vehicle in Hilo that concluded with a two-car crash that resulted in the deaths of a 17-year-old boy and a 20-year-old woman in the stolen car and critical injuries to a 39-year-old woman driving the other vehicle. Tribune-Herald.

Sales of homes on the Big Island rose last month, with the number of condominiums sold jumping by 40 percent, even as prices dropped by 20 percent, compared to the same month last year, according to statistics provided by Hawaii Information Service on behalf of Hawaii Island Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa signed into law Monday a bill banning foam polystyrene food service containers, which include the popular plate lunch container and certain types of coffee cups. Maui News.

Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa signed Bill 127 into law on Monday relating to restricting the use and sale of polystyrene foam containers in Maui County.  The law is set to go into effect on Dec. 31, 2018. Maui Now.

Polystyrene foam containers will be banned on Maui beginning Dec. 31, 2018. Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa signed a bill on Tuesday making the sale and use of polystyrene food containers illegal. Maui is the first Hawaii county to ban foam containers. Associated Press.

County prepares as liability coverage for lifeguards ends. Maui News.

Maui Grown Therapies will hold an open house and a job fair this week to answer questions and recruit employees for the company’s production center and dispensary. Maui News.

Kauai

After five years of renovations, Diamond Resorts International is re-opening The Point at Poipu Resort on Kauai. Pacific Business News.

The median price of a single-family home on Kauai shot up by nearly 50 percent in May, compared to last year, while the number of sales rose by nearly as much, according to statistics provided by Hawaii Information Service on behalf of the Kauai Board of Realtors. Pacific Business News.

Four-hundred-year-old coral fragments in Kauai’s Makauwahi Cave appear to have been left there by a tsunami generated by a magnitude 9 earthquake in the Aleutian Islands, according to a team who recently re-examined the cave. Garden Island.

Gov. Ige's popularity tanks in poll, Kauai poi mill nets OHA employee ethics complaint, Hawaiian men unhealthy, Big Island council dithers over tax hikes, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Gov. David Ige during 2014 election campaign © 2017 All Hawaii News

Civil Beat Poll: Gov. David Ige Could Be In Trouble In 2018. Hawaii voters responding to our poll prefer “someone else” over the incumbent by a wide margin. Civil Beat.

The health of Native Hawaiian men is considerably worse than their counterparts in Hawaii’s general population, according to a new report that found higher rates of obesity, asthma, deaths from cancer, mental health problems and the shortest life expectancy, among other disparities. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s visitor industry is joining nationwide partners in protesting President Donald Trump’s proposed fiscal 2018 federal budget, which would eliminate investment in Brand USA, the nation’s international travel marketing arm. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard is gaining popularity as a possible presidential candidate in 2020. But her approval rating continues to drop here at home. KITV.

Hawaii political leaders, including Gov. David Ige, have joined a growing coalition of governors, mayors, business leaders and academics throughout the country who have pledged to continue combating climate change despite President Donald Trump’s announcement last week that he was pulling the United States out of the Paris climate agreement. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii State Department of Health’s Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division has received a $3 million federal grant to provide funding over four years for the treatment of adolescents with substance abuse and mental health issues. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii ranks in the bottom half of a new study comparing the economies of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii ranks 38th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of “innovation potential,” according to WalletHub, a personal finance and credit research firm based in Washington, D.C. Civil Beat.

Clearer laws on collecting in and access to the forest are among changes the state is proposing for the rules that govern state Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife lands. Garden Island.

May was an extraordinary month for housing markets on Kauai and Hawaii island, with industry trade associations reporting several gains of at least 40 percent in sales volume and median prices. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Within a few hours of the city sweeping homeless from a grassy median along busy Nimitz Highway on Monday morning, at least one homeless person returned as city officials vowed to continue clearing the state-owned land. Star-Advertiser.

City crews cleared out homeless camps on Nimitz Highway medians Monday without giving the customary 24-hour notification. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Katherine Kealoha, who is under federal investigation for corruption and abuse of power, is asking a state judge to block city officials from releasing documents about her employment history to Civil Beat. Civil Beat.

Prosecutor's $75K request for 'mobile command' unit questioned. Hawaii News Now.

Construction is underway to transform the former longtime Bank of Hawaii building on Kapahulu Avenue into one of the state’s first medical marijuana dispensaries. Star-Advertiser.

A big celebration is being planned for Hōkūleʻa’s homecoming at Magic Island a week from Saturday – marking the end of the Mālama Honua voyage. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii Island

The Hawaii County Council was working into the night Monday sifting through a combination of budget cuts and tax increases, trying to arrive at a number acceptable to two opposing economic philosophies. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii’s congressional delegation is urging U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly to stop the deportation of a Big Island coffee farmer. Associated Press.

Hawaii’s congressional delegation is joining the fight to stop the deportation of a respected Kona coffee farmer. KHON2.

Waimea man Graham Ellis seeks postponement of deportation. West Hawaii Today.

East Hawaii’s major provider of services for homeless residents is shifting strategies. Tribune-Herald.

At least eight employees at North Hawaii Community Hospital have been given notice or terminated since late March alone. West Hawaii Today.

The Department of Public Works inspected a dirt road in Waimea, Monday, to determine whether or not it was a county road. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

After six months, the Pools of Oheo in the Kīpahulu District of Haleakalā National Park remain closed following a rock slide reported on Jan. 3. Maui News.

The last day that Kmart will be open to the public is June 18, a manager at the Kahului store said Monday. Maui News.

Sewer pipe installations will prompt alternating lane closures in both directions of Waiehu Beach Road at the intersections with Nukuwai Place this week, according to the state Department of Transportation. Maui News.

Kauai

OHA staffer faces conflict of interest allegations over Kauai poi mill venture. Hawaii News Now.

New school bus contracts awarded, concern over student safety a factor. Garden Island.

An update on the proposed Pu’u Opae Pumped Storage Hydro Project from Kauai Island Utility Cooperative is set for today at Waimea Theatre. Garden Island.

The Kilauea Neighborhood Association will hold its first summer meeting at 7 tonight at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center. Garden Island.

Ige may face challengers, line forms for Lt. Gov., Tulsi loses popularity, Honolulu council to tackle plastic bags, Kahaluu development stalls, Wailuku workforce housing coming, Kauai council defends defunding auditor, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

University of Hawaii's James Brewbaker in field of seed corn, courtesy photo

Industrial agriculture companies producing seeds in Hawaii mainly for corn research and reproduction had a second consecutive season of steady operations after three years of declines, according to a preliminary government estimate. Star-Advertiser.

More than a year out from the 2018 election, Gov. David Ige presents a tempting but also formidable target for some ambitious Democrats, and several are weighing the possibility of a run against him. Star-Advertiser.

At least a half-dozen politicians are already eyeing the race for Hawaii lieutenant governor next year, including Maui’s mayor and a number of state legislators. Star-Advertiser.

Civil Beat Poll: Tulsi Gabbard’s Surprising Plunge In Hawaii. Statewide, Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono are viewed more favorably than Gabbard while Colleen Hanabusa’s numbers are slightly lower. Civil Beat.

Hawaii’s wealthy make up the majority of residents who have rooftop solar, and two programs the state created to change that are floundering. Star-Advertiser.

More than a year after the state awarded its first eight medical marijuana dispensary licenses, three companies have each harvested their first crop, but not a single bud has been sold. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s Tech Sector Is Suffering From A Lack Of Top Business Execs. There is marketable technology in the islands, but commercial success requires talented entrepreneurs who are hard to find. Civil Beat.

Hawaii has received $4.1 million for AmeriCorps projects from the federal agency that oversees volunteering and service programs. Star-Advertiser.

Native Hawaiians face a greater risk of developing, and dying from cancer-associated sepsis. Experts at the University of Hawai'i Cancer Center made this discovery from analyzing decades of research. KITV.

Honolulu-based Matson Inc. will increase the frequency of its South Pacific Express service to Samoa and American Samoa from 28 days to 14 days. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council members Wednesday will consider two different versions of a bill aimed at closing loopholes in Oahu’s existing plastic bag ban: one supported by business interests and the other by environmental groups. Star-Advertiser.

The city plans to take a new approach this week to clear out a handful of persistent homeless encampments on state-owned, grassy medians along Nimitz Highway that thousands of tourists drive past on their way from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to Waikiki. Star-Advertiser.

Developer Wants To Convert Farmland To Housing In Haleiwa. He calls it “working class housing.” Opponents decry more traffic congestion and the loss of agricultural space. Civil Beat.

The mayor’s representative erred when he told attendees at Tuesday’s Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board meeting that the city dropped previous efforts to condemn a certain private lane for beach access in the late 1990s after the state Supreme Court overturned the condemnation. Star-Advertiser.

The city intends to refund nearly $500,000 in property taxes that it inappropriately collected over two years from farmers for a controversial off-the-grid agriculture development in Kunia. Star-Advertiser.

NOAA researchers are mourning the death of a Hawaiian monk seal that some have known for years. KHON2.

Henry B. Clark, who retired as chairman, president and CEO of Castle & Cooke more than 30 years ago after a 40-year career, has died. He was 101. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Second homes, commercial and industrial property and hotel/resorts would bear more of the property tax burden in order to give homeowners and farmers less of a rate hike, under proposals to be heard Monday as the County Council takes its final vote on the budget. West Hawaii Today.

Evans: Raises the reason for tax increase. West Hawaii Today.

Citing a “need for a deeper awareness and understanding” of historically and culturally significant sites in a Kahaluu parcel eyed for development of a 306-unit condominium, the county’s planning director is asking the officer overseeing the contested case to reopen the hearing to hear more evidence and testimony from himself and other potential witnesses. West Hawaii Today.

The Kamehameha Schools are accusing two companies of illegally harvesting eucalyptus trees on its properties along the Hamakua Coast. Associated Press.

On May 25, Kamehameha Schools filed a complaint in the 3rd Circuit Court requesting the court grant immediate and permanent injunctive relief against defendants Jonathan P. Spies and his companies Hamakua Renewable Enterprises, LLC, and Golden Lion Hawaii, LLC, for trespassing and the illegal harvesting of eucalyptus trees on the school’s property in the Kapulena area. West Hawaii Today.

Money for a joint state-county planning effort to revitalize the Banyan Drive resort area appears to be drying up. Big Island Video News.

Parker Land Trust, a sister entity of Parker Ranch, claims in a foreclosure lawsuit that German industrialist and biofuel pioneer Michael Saalfeld owes more than $50 million for 3,500-plus acres of land he bought from the Waimea ranch in 2010. Tribune-Herald.

Reforms could be on the way for the Hawaii Island Humane Society, where high euthanasia rates have frustrated Big Island residents. Civil Beat.

Debbie Cravatta, president and founder of the nonprofit Kohala Animal Relocation and Education Service, was working with the veterinarian of the Molokai Humane Society, and the only veterinarian on that island, to sterilize a total of 30 animals Wednesday in Ocean View when conversation turned to a separate ongoing effort to rescue dozens of dogs from another property in the area and how her group could help. West Hawaii Today.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo is increasing marketing efforts to spread the word about its new dorm repricing plan, which will knock the annual cost of its most underused residence hall by about $1,400 next year. Tribune-Herald.

On the heels of the state Legislature approving funding for continued development of an industrial hemp program, Hawaii Island hosts the first Hawaii Hemp Conference next weekend. Tribune-Herald.

A Hilo food business has issued a recall of frozen ahi that tested positive for hepatitis A. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Two real estate firms are close to submitting an application to the county to build a 324-unit workforce rental apartment project along Waiale Road in Wailuku. Maui News.

The world of Korean natural farming is like a glimpse into a mad scientist’s lab. Garden Island.

The County Council’s Policy, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee will meet Monday at 9 a.m. in the Council Chambers to discuss the Federal Food Safety Modernization Act, or FSMA. Maui News.

Maui’s first two utility-scale solar power projects in South and West Maui, which could supply up to 6 megawatts of power, are expected to come online by the second half of this year, a Maui Electric Co. spokeswoman said last week. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Council Chairman Mel Rapozo responds to news reports of the council eliminating the auditor's office: The council partially funded the office, using a term referred to in government accounting as “dollar funding.” With the exception of the building lease and electricity costs, which received three months of funding, and the copier machine under contract, $1 of funding was left as a placeholder for each salaried position and related benefits and other office expenses in place. Garden Island.

Council Chair Mel Rapozo said he can’t approve a request to apply for state funds to relocate the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge overlook because of a lack of community participation. Garden Island.

The Kauai Humane Society needs your help. As of Friday, KHS had 71 dogs and puppies, 75 cats and kittens, six guinea pigs and a rabbit up for adoption. Garden Island.

Hawaii dislikes Trump's climate accord withdrawal, bill banning aquarium fish taking on Ige's desk, health worker benefit bill signed, Maui mayor signs $705M budget, mumps cases reach 81, Kauai rose-ringed parakeet bill signed, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Golden dawn over Hawaii © 2017 All Hawaii News

Hawaii’s Democratic congressional delegation quickly panned President Donald Trump’s decision Thursday to withdraw from the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change, describing it as sad, irresponsible, shortsighted and an abandonment of American leadership. Star-Advertiser.

Disgusted by President Trump’s decision Thursday to pull the United States out of the Paris climate accord, elected officials and nonprofit leaders in Hawaii said they are not backing down from their commitments to combat global warming. Civil Beat.

Local scientists are reacting with anger and dismay after President Trump's decision Thursday to pull the United States out of the Paris accords aimed at slowing global warming and climate change. Hawaii News Now.

President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris climate accord drew sharp criticism from Hawaii’s congressional delegation on Thursday. Tribune-Herald.

Hawaii lawmakers and members of the state's Congressional delegation railed against President Trump's decision Thursday to pull the United States out of a global agreement aimed at slowing the pace of global warming. Hawaii News Now.

President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord was universally criticized by Hawaii Democrats in the hours following the announcement made from the White House’s Rose Garden. Big Island Video News.

US Senator Brian Schatz of Hawai‘i, co-chair of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, said he is “appalled and disappointed” with President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.  Maui Now.

President Donald Trump’s decision Thursday to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord will hamper efforts to stem global warming throughout the world — the primary cause of rising ocean temperatures that pose the single greatest threat to Hawaii’s marine ecosystems. West Hawaii Today.

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The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to immediately reinstate its ban on travelers from six mostly Muslim countries, saying the U.S. will be safer if the policy is put in place. Associated Press.

A bill awaiting Governor Ige's signature would end the commercial collecting of Hawaii reef wildlife for the aquarium trade. Hawaii Public Radio.

Civil Beat Poll: Voters Dislike Trump, Support Lawsuit Against Travel Ban. The president’s approval rating of 32 percent is actually higher than the percentage of the state vote he received in November. Civil Beat.


Madison, Wis.-based Hartung Brothers Inc. is expected to acquire Syngenta’s Hawaii operations, which include about 100 full-time employees and 4,000 acres of land on Oahu and Kauai. Star-Advertiser.

Maui Land & Pineapple Co., Inc. has seen its stock price more than double since the beginning of the year, while the majority of Hawaii's publicly traded companies suffered losses in May. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

The Hawaii Supreme Court heard oral arguments Thursday in a lawsuit brought by Honolulu Civil Beat against the City and County of Honolulu after city officials denied access to budget documents and material that Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell used to shape his spending plan for fiscal year 2016. Civil Beat.

Rail officials will receive $900,000 in federal grant funds to revitalize “brownfields,” which is name for the contaminated properties in need of an environmental cleanup. Pacific Business News.

A new freeway lane from the Red Hill area to Aiea is expected to open in a few months in an effort to ease westbound traffic congestion. Star-Advertiser.

Could Oahu’s West Side Be The New Vacation Hot Spot For Millennials? The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival is promoting island agriculture by taking travel writers to the Leeward Coast. But will it sell? Civil Beat.

Aloha Green Holdings Inc. said Thursday it is dropping plans to sell non-THC products at its King Street medical marijuana dispensary starting next week. Star-Advertiser.

So far, 81 cases of the highly contagious respiratory disease mumps have been reported, all but two of them on Oahu. The total is far beyond any annual tally in Health Department records dating back to 1990 — and the year isn’t even half over. Star-Advertiser.

Federal law makes city’s struggle to get abandoned cars off streets even harder. KHON2.

An Oahu grand jury Thursday indicted a 57-year-old man who allegedly broke etched glass panes on three doors at historic Iolani Palace and a glass door at the state Capitol. Star-Advertiser.

A school name change on Oʻahu is raising awareness in that community about the origin of place names in Hawaiʻi. Hawaii Public Radio.

Searider Productions produces Emmy Award winning stories and animation. With the $10.7 million they received from the state Legislature, they're hoping to produce more awarding projects out of a much better facility. KITV.

Deep in the quiet Manoa Valley, the fight to protect the ohia plant plays on. Hawaii News Now.

Unusual 6-foot-long fish rescued after washing up in Ko Olina lagoon. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

County employee survey: Morale mostly high, but employees afraid to speak out West Hawaii Today.

A federal civil lawsuit alleges that a dorm mother at an elite Hawaii boarding school had sex with a male student in her campus apartment. Associated Press.

A former Hawaii island boarding student and his parents are suing Hawaii Preparatory Academy, alleging the private school failed to protect the minor from repeated sexual abuse by a female dormitory supervisor and concealed evidence of the inappropriate relationship. Star-Advertiser.

The parents of a former Hawaii Preparatory Academy student on Wednesday filed suit against the school, alleging it failed to prevent or investigate a relationship between that student and a former employee. West Hawaii Today.

A longstanding, Hilo-based Hawaiian immersion public charter school is vacating Keaukaha Elementary School’s campus next year after three decades accommodating students there. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa on Thursday signed into law a $705.2 million county budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 that keeps the Waiehu Municipal Golf Course open and imposes a new $3 per vehicle tipping fee for residential dumping at the Central Maui Landfill. Maui News.

Gov. David Ige has signed into law a bill that would provide severance benefits to employees affected by the privatization of three Maui County public hospitals. Maui News.

How Anne Morrow Lindbergh Battled Maui’s Wild Side. Today, the famous author’s granddaughter faces similar struggles keeping the critters and climate at bay in remote Kipahulu. Civil Beat.

Kauai

Gov. David Ige signed House Bill 655 on Thursday aimed at reducing the rose-ringed parakeet population. Garden Island.

In front of a crowd of nearly 300 people at the 19th annual Governor’s Luncheon at Koloa Landing Resort, Gov. David Ige said collaboration with county and state officials and the Legislature made a difference. Garden Island.

The county is considering creating a university district for Kauai Community College. Garden Island.

Japan Airlines returns to Kona, Honolulu Mayor Caldwell unpopular in poll, Kauai cuts auditor funds to balance $202M budget, murderers among work-release inmates, Portlock owner wants $2M for surf spot access, Big Island testifiers oppose gas tax hike, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Ige, state and Japan Airlines officials, courtesy photo

Japan Airlines will resume daily nonstop service between Tokyo’s Narita International Airport and Kona International Airport at Keahole this fall — a move that is expected to add millions of dollars to the state’s economy and shore up Kona’s status as an international port of entry. Star-Advertiser.

Japan Airlines will resume nonstop flights between Tokyo and the Kona airport on Hawaii Island this fall after a seven-year absence, providing $84.2 million in annual visitor spending. Pacific Business News.

Direct flights from Japan to Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole will be re-established after a seven-year absence. West Hawaii Today.

The Federal Aviation Administration is providing more than $10 million in federal funding to two of Hawaii's airports to enhance operations and runway safety. The two airports that will receive the money are Kahului Airport on Maui and Hilo International Airport on the Big Island. Pacific Business News.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency released video footage today of the successful intercept of an intercontinental ballistic missile target during a test over the Pacific Tuesday, the agency said. Star-Advertiser.

Sentencing set for Navy officer formerly stationed in Hawaii who shared military secrets. Associated Press.

Convicted murderers are among the inmates who are out in the community working while finishing their sentence. KHON2.

The state has received a $2.5 million payment from Volkswagen as part of a national settlement with the automaker. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii will receive a direct payment of $2.5 million from Volkswagen as part of a multi-state settlement, state Attorney General Doug Chin and state Office of Consumer Protection Executive Director Stephen Levins said on Wednesday. Pacific Business News.

The 2017 Central Pacific hurricane season gets underway today. West Hawaii Today.

The state’s largest carrier of interisland ocean cargo extended a more than four-year stretch of fairly level delivery volumes with roughly flat first-quarter results. Star-Advertiser.

Young Brothers, Ltd.’s intrastate cargo volumes between Honolulu and six Neighbor Island ports were flat for the first quarter of 2017, up only 0.2 percent compared to the same period in 2016, according to the company’s quarterly cargo volume report. Pacific Business News.

The Hawaii Bankers Association elected its officers for the new fiscal year, beginning Thursday. Pacific Business News.

Oahu

In Hawaii, an island oasis for Democrats, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is about as popular as Republican President Donald Trump. And it looks like Caldwell might have the rail project to blame for it. Civil Beat.

Former U.S. Rep. Mark Takai was remembered Wednesday as a “true Pacific warrior, a true patriot and a true statesman” at a ceremony renaming the Pacific Warfighting Center on Ford Island in his name. Star-Advertiser.

The owner of a gate blocking access to a lane that leads to a popular Portlock beach estimates the city would need to pay more than $2 million to condemn the lane to keep it open. Star-Advertiser.

Corals Are Dying At Hawaii’s Most Popular Snorkeling Spot. Climate change is heating the ocean and causing stronger and longer coral bleaching events at Hanauma Bay. Civil Beat.

A state board overseeing real estate development rules in Kakaako decided Wednesday to take more time to analyze proposed changes to a long list of affordable-housing production requirements. Star-Advertiser.

The decades-long erosion of the shoreline just outside the city’s Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant leaves the facility’s outfall pipeline in a precarious situation where “failure or damage to the outfall could have catastrophic health, environmental and economic consequences,” according to an environmental report made public by the city last month. Star-Advertiser.

The Department of Health's Clean Water Branch is advising the public to avoid waters near a Punaluu stream due to a contamination alert. Hawaii News Now.

In an effort to accommodate the growth of Waianae High School’s Searider Productions, the state Department of Education plans to expand the program’s facilities into a full-fledged complex. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Almost every one of the more than dozen residents addressing the County Council at a public hearing Wednesday on a gas tax increase was opposed to the idea. West Hawaii Today.

Roughly twenty Hawaii Island residents testified Wednesday at a public hearing on a possible series of fuel tax increases on the Big Island. Big Island Video News.

Smuggled into US as a teen, respected Kona farmer now faces deportation to Mexico. Hawaii News Now.

Several years ago, Hawai'i County Prosecutor Mitch Roth started a program on the east side of the Big Island aimed at working with young offenders. It links actions and consequences – and it’s been so successful he wants to start a similar program on the west side. Hawaii Public Radio.

A group of 25 conservation managers, cultural practictioners and government representatives in the Kulani tract of the Pu‘u Maka‘ala Natural Area Reserve for a ceremony to offer the Hawaii creeper a boost: its traditional name, rediscovered after decades. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui County Liquor Commission may hear public comments this month about how the Department of Liquor Control processes permits for one-day fundraising events, while commission action on repealing controversial rules changes has been put off until July at the earliest. Maui News.

Kahului Airport and Hilo International Airport will receive over $10 million in federal funds from the Federal Aviation Administration to enhance airport operations and runway safety on Maui and the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. Maui Now.

Maui’s Kapalua Bay Beach in West Maui earned the number 2 spot on Dr. Stephen P Leatherman’s 27th Annual Top 10 Beach List. Maui Now.

South Maui rescue tubes ready. Maui News.

Hawksbill and green (honu) sea turtles begin their 2017 nesting season along Maui beaches in June. Maui Now.

Kauai

Auditor’s office, overtime cut from spending plan. The Kauai County Council unanimously approved a $201.5 million budget for fiscal year 2017-2018 Wednesday. Garden Island.

A Kauai judge has ruled in favor of a Southside resident after a decade’s long tussle over a new subdivision. Judge Kathleen Watanabe recently ruled that the state, County of Kauai and the Eric A. Knudsen Trust violated laws preserving and protecting Hawaiian rights and cultural resources when the developer’s Village at Poipu Phase One subdivision was approved in 2009, according to a release from the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation. Garden Island.

Two of Kauai’s endangered seabird species are in peril, according to a study released Wednesday by the Kauai Endangered Seabird Recovery Project. Garden Island.

Milestone for Honolulu rail, Big Island coffee farmer faces deportation, China invited to 2018 RIMPAC, airport rename official, Portlock surfers seek access, Maui council passes $705M budget, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell at rail trial run, courtesy photo

Honolulu rail officials tested a rail car on the partly-built elevated guideway for the first time today. They took it for a 3-mile ride, towing it between the Waipahu Transit Center and the West Loch Station. Associated Press.

The rail project got on track — literally — Tuesday afternoon when the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation ran a train along a portion of its guideway. Civil Beat.

The public got its first glimpse of a train car moving along Oahu’s partly built elevated guideway Tuesday, as testing began on the vehicle in Leeward Oahu. Star-Advertiser.

It was a moment nearly a decade in the making. On Tuesday, the first rail cars slowly made their way across the elevated guide way in Waipahu. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu’s rail project took a step forward Tuesday when cars moved along the elevated guideway for the very first time. KHON2.

The unexpected sight of the train on the tracks startled people going about their business in Waipahu town. KITV.

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The Hawaii Council on Revenues left its quarterly fiscal forecast for the state general fund unchanged Tuesday, opting to not speculate on whether the Legislature will raise taxes to maintain funding for Honolulu’s over-budget rail project. Civil Beat.

China has been invited to return to Rim of the Pacific exercises off Hawaii in the summer of 2018 despite a new round of challenges between the United States and the rising Asian nation in the East China and South China seas. Star-Advertiser.

The University of Hawaii’s nearly 4,000 faculty members would receive annual pay increases of at least 2 percent over the next four years under a tentative deal reached with the state. Star-Advertiser.

The days of pizza and ice cream parties in Hawaii’s public schools are coming to an end. Garden Island.

Health insurers received a reprieve from an Obamacare fee this year, which in part helped to bolster the earnings of Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, the state’s largest health maintenance organization. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Hawaii’s largest airport was formally renamed the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport this morning in a poignant ceremony in the Honolulu facility’s atrium building, which sits under the new signage. Star-Advertiser.

The Honolulu International Airport is now officially known as the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. Hawaii News Now.

Honolulu International Airport renamed to honor late U.S. senator. KITV.

The notion of reselling workforce housing units — and whether the profits should be shared with the state — is at the crux of an ongoing debate over a state proposal to change the affordable housing rules in Kakaako. Civil Beat.

Residents and surfers expressed outrage Tuesday night about a new gate on a private lane blocking public access to a Portlock beach. Star-Advertiser.

A gate blocking public access to the ocean in East Oahu continues to be a hot topic issue for area residents and lawmakers. Hawaii News Now.

Residents demand action in battle over East Oahu beach access. KHON2.

An Oahu school has been without a fire alarm system for years. KHON2.

​Honolulu falls behind Mainland cities as sought after summer destination. Pacific Business News.

Three state representatives hosted a town hall meeting on medical marijuana Tuesday evening at Kapolei High School. KITV.

The sentencing of a college student charged with animal cruelty in connection with the killings of Laysan albatrosses at Kaena Point has been postponed until July. Star-Advertiser.

University of Hawaii mechanical engineering professor admitted Tuesday in U.S. District Court that he allowed someone else to download child pornography video from his computer using a file-sharing program. Star-Advertiser.

A longtime restaurant in Honolulu featuring authentic Hawaiian cuisine is preparing to close its doors after serving customers for more than 50 years. Associated Press.

Hawaii Island

The plight of a Hawaii island coffee farmer facing deportation came under the national spotlight Tuesday as a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge took a broad swipe at the Trump administration and its immigration policies. Star-Advertiser.

A Trump administration order to deport a man who entered the country illegally and became a respected businessman in Hawaii was “inhumane” and “contrary to the values of the country and its legal system,” a judge on the nation’s largest federal appeals court wrote today in an unusually impassioned opinion. Associated Press.

How folks feel about a proposed fuel tax hike may depend on how close they sit to the road. West Hawaii Today.

Parties in the ongoing Thirty-Meter Telescope contested case have submitted their final arguments for consideration by hearings officer Riki May Amano. Tribune-Herald.

An undeveloped oceanfront parcel on Hawaii’s Big Island that includes 16,455 acres of land and some six miles of coastline, including Pohue Bay, is on the market for an asking price of $18 million. Pacific Business News.

A big piece of the Big Island has been put back up for sale after its owner never went through with a remote coastal resort development plan. Star-Advertiser.

Papakolea Beach at South Point was named among the world’s 28 “most extraordinary beaches.” Beaches were selected by the travel site Expedia for their “quirky features, breathtakingly divine vistas and memorable characteristics.” Tribune-Herald.

Maui

The Maui County Council gave its final approval Tuesday to the county’s $705.2 million fiscal 2018 budget, which will include slightly higher motor vehicle weight taxes to pay for more roadway improvement projects, which the community asked for, council members said. Maui News.

Maui corrections officer: Understaffing, overcrowding putting lives at risk. Hawaii News Now.

Public comments are due June 7 on an environmental impact statement preparation notice for a project to revamp Kaanapali Resort properties owned by the State of Hawaii Employees Retirement System. Maui News.

Fair coordinators are hoping Gov. David Ige will identify Neighbor Island fairs as a “purpose for public good” and waive wharfage fees to ship carnival rides and games to keep the popular events running in the face of rising shipping rates. Maui News.

Maui Economic Opportunity Inc. will receive a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services grant of $1,047,514 to help fund 13 Head Start centers on Maui and Molokai, according to an announcement from U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz. Maui News.

The High Technology Development Corp. has partnered with entrepreneurs Nick and Brittany Heyd to share their business knowledge with tech innovators in the state. Pacific Business News.

Two New Care Providers Join Kaiser on Maui. Maui Now.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard gave the keynote address at Kihei Charter High School’s 16th commencement ceremony at the Maui Nui Golf Club in the Maui Research & Technology Park on Friday. Maui News.

Kauai

The Hawaii Tourism Authority’s recently released visitor statistics show an 18.9 percent increase in visitor expenditures on Kauai for the first four months of 2017 over the time in 2016 — from $536.4 million in 2016 to $637.6 million in 2017. Garden Island.

Conservationists at National Tropical Botanical Garden have discovered new populations of a number of species listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, including laukahi (Plantago princeps var. anomola). Garden Island.

Hawaii remembers fallen soldiers, whistleblower claims retaliation in USS Arizona ticket scheme, Camp Smith officer tangled in corruption probe, Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz rises in state Legislature, state unloading affordable housing complexes, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

courtesy James Horton, Director of National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

A sea of American flags fluttered across 38,000 graves on the green grass of Punchbowl cemetery Monday as the nation’s war dead were remembered and an overdue debt of gratitude was paid to Vietnam veterans decades after the contentious Southeast Asian war was fought and debated back home. Star-Advertiser.

About 2,000 people gathered at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific Punchbowl on Monday to commemorate those who serve -- and those who made the ultimate sacrifice in their service. Hawaii News Now.

James Horton, Director of National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, reflects on changing public perception of today’s military. Hawaii Public Radio.

After blowing the whistle on a ticketing scheme at the USS Arizona memorial four years ago, a disabled veteran is speaking out for the first time about the retaliation he faced. Hawaii News Now.

A high-ranking civilian defense employee at Camp Smith is the latest former Navy officer caught in the ongoing investigation into the corruption scandal centered around Singaporean-­based defense contractor Leonard Glenn “Fat Leonard” Francis. Star-Advertiser.

How Did Donovan Dela Cruz Just Become Hawaii’s Most Powerful Senator? The longtime pro-business, pro-rail lawmaker has a history of ethics concerns, backroom dealing and a volatile temperament. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation is moving forward with plans to sell six state-owned affordable housing properties on three different islands to a private buyer. West Hawaii Today.

Despite months of negotiation and meetings, the Every Student Succeeds Act hasn’t undergone the changes that the Hawaii State Teachers Association wants to see. Garden Island.

Applications are still being accepted for a limited number of prekindergarten spots in 13 public charter schools for next school year. Star-Advertiser.

Most Of The Imported Seafood We Eat Isn’t Inspected. Hawaii experienced a hepatitis outbreak last year due to tainted scallops and may be on the verge of another due to bad ahi. Civil Beat.

Oahu

The City Council will consider a proposal to allow a Waikiki nonprofit group to set parking fees, oversee freight and passenger deliveries, and make other transportation rules in the state’s No. 1 tourist destination. Star-Advertiser.

Beachgoers and surfers are the latest groups to object to a city plan to raise an additional $4 million by doubling parking prices and increasing parking enforcement hours in Waikiki and downtown. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu’s new “homeless court” so far has cleared a backlog of 268 cases since it began in January and — perhaps more important — has gotten four homeless defendants housed, including a chronically homeless man who now has an apartment after nearly 30 years on the street. Star-Advertiser.

A ship carrying a giant concrete-and-steel cradle built to hold ships out of the water so they can be worked on will be an unusual nautical sight to see off Honolulu International Airport today. Star-Advertiser.

The moving and visually stunning Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony remained hugely popular this year as tens of thousands of people descended on Ala Moana Beach Park on Monday. Star-Advertiser.

As the sun set Monday, tens of thousands lined the calm shores of Ala Moana Beach Park’s Magic Island to place illuminated lanterns on the water, watching them drift away into the horizon. Hawaii News Now.

A moving ceremony at Magic Island Monday evening as thousands of lanterns were released into the water at the Memorial Day Lantern Floating Ceremony. KITV.

The 19th annual Lantern Floating Hawaii ceremony has once again brought tens of thousands of people together to honor loved ones who have died. KHON2.

Hawaii Island

Feature film producers want the Big Island to ramp up its film-making gravitas with a state-of-the-art studio for indoor production. Tribune-Herald.

Mainland filmmakers spent an average of more than $17 on the Big Island for every Hawaii County resident in the past year. Tribune-Herald.

More than 100 pay respects at Memorial Day ceremony. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

A memorial for World War II veterans of Maui County was unveiled Monday at the Maui Veterans Cemetery, where a couple hundred people showed up to pay their respects on Memorial Day. Maui News.

Maui to Get $1M in Federal Funds for Head Start. Maui Now.

It's been a little more than five months since the last haul of a commercial sugar crop on Maui. The precise plans are still evolving for alternative crops on the land that was once used to plant sugar cane. But that's not the only question relating to big sugar-there's also a matter of hardware. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

Memorial Day speakers emphasize the high cost of war and the need to remember and honor the fallen. Garden Island.

Iolani Palace vandalized, Kauai cuts budget rather than raise taxes, Maui Mayor Arakawa announces Lt. Gov. bid, DLNR raises rents, Big Island man had 91 dogs, Molokai library celebrates 80 years, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Iolani Palace © 2017 All Hawaii News

A man is in custody for allegedly vandalizing three historic doors at Iolani Palace and a glass door at the state Capitol building Sunday, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Hawaii News Now.

A 57-year-old man has been arrested after Iolani Palace and the Hawaii State Capitol were vandalized. KHON2.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is wasting time and money by conducting a review of more than two dozen federally protected areas — including Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument and the Pacific Remote Islands — to determine whether they should be abolished or their boundaries restricted, according to a letter sent to Zinke on Thursday and signed by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa and 85 other House Democrats. Star-Advertiser.

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has pledged to forgo campaign contributions from political action committees, commonly known as PACs, joining just a handful of other members of Congress who have recently rejected the money from special interest groups. Star-Advertiser.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources has increased rents on nearly 300 month-to-month land permits by as much as 27 percent to account for its failure to adjust prices for years despite a 2005 board policy calling for regular reviews. Star-Advertiser.

Affordable housing and homelessness are two of the toughest problems Hawaii faces. A new non-profit is aiming the resources of homebuilders at these challenges. Hawaii Public Radio.

Hawaii’s incoming education chief says she’s a school reformer who is committed to narrowing achievement gaps — though she’s also garnered some criticism in districts she’s led in the past. Tribune-Herald.

When Hawaii’s public school students return to classes in the fall, the program that serves up chicken burgers, pizza and nachos onto their lunch trays each day will have undergone a few changes. Tribune-Herald.

Kamehameha program celebrates 50 years of sharing Hawaiian culture with kids. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu

Valuable but largely underused land along Honolulu’s urban waterfront is being readied for development again by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and this time a controversial element of residential use is not being sought. Star-Advertiser.

A City Council committee last week deferred a bill that would require periodic inspections and mandatory corrective action for unsafe conditions at commercial buildings, condominiums and apartments three stories or higher — a measure introduced in the wake of a fatal Ala Moana Center accident in which a railing collapsed. Star-Advertiser.

Oahu-based Nobscot CEO Beth Carvin launched a new social media platform on Tuesday called JamBios. Pacific Business News.

Martin Pahinui, son of famed Hawaiian musician Gabby Pahinui and a musician, vocalist, and Hoku Award-winning recording artist, died today at his home in Waimanalo, his family said. He was 65. Star-Advertiser.

Slack key guitarist, vocalist and musician Martin Pahinui died in his home Sunday morning after a long battle with cancer, according to family. KITV.

Hawaii Island

If Hu Honua Bioenergy’s long-delayed biomass power plant were to go online by the end of 2018, Hawaii Electric Light Company’s ratepayers would see increases in their electricity bills, according to an analysis HELCO filed Wednesday with the state Public Utilities Commission of a proposed power purchase agreement. Tribune-Herald.

After about eight years of planning, a mixed-use development along Komohana Street is closer to becoming a reality. Tribune-Herald.

A research and education center to be constructed about a mile north of the Puu Waawaa cinder cone moved a step forward this week with the publication of a finding of no significant environmental impact. West Hawaii Today.

The Hawaii State Department of Education and the University of Hawaii signed a memorandum of understanding with Maunakea Observatories to form an official working group for the Maunakea Scholars program. Pacific Business News.

Owner of 91 dogs praises Humane Society’s efforts to rescue animals. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits, said Friday that he intends to seek the lieutenant governor’s seat in 2018. Maui News.

Maui County officials are baffled that state lawmakers decided to end limited liability immunity for county lifeguards, which “opens the floodgates” to personal injury lawsuits, a Maui County Council member said last week. Maui News.

Principal construction began last week on turning the former 310-room Makena Beach & Golf Resort into 50 condominium units and other structures that will be part of the Makena Golf & Beach Club, a the private beachfront community. Maui News.

Entrance fees to Haleakala National Park will be increasing Thursday to cover costs of improvements at the park. Maui News.

Warrant issued for ex-Potty Boot Camp operator in Hawaii. Associated Press.

A pilot program on Maui looks to use goats to manage weeds on the shoulders of some State Highways. Hawaii Public Radio.

Kauai

When the Kauai County Council meets Wednesday, it is expected to approve the operating and Capital Improvement Projects budgets for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. submitted a $204 million budget in March. But when he submitted his supplemental budget on May 5, it reflected a $600,000 decrease, bringing it to $203.5 million. Garden Island.

Planning for a full-time Charter Review Commission is under way. Garden Island.

Nakamura reflects on first session as legislator. Garden Island.

Fisher named Kauai program director for The Nature Conservancy. Garden Island.

Molokai

The Molokai Public Library celebrated 80 years of service to the community at a ceremony held on the front lawn Saturday. Hawaii News Now.