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The great debate: Hannemann v Abercrombie, and other news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Former U.S. Rep. Neil Aber- crombie and former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Han- nemann clashed last night in the last televised debate before the Democratic primary for governor, a substantive and mostly positive encounter that forced both candidates to defend their records. Star-Advertiser. Neil Abercrombie and Mufi Hannemann threw zingers at each other for 90 minutes at the final debate to be televised statewide before the Sept. 18 Democratic gubernatorial primary. Associated Press. The race for governor kicks up a notch.

DOT: 83 percent want ferry, special ed lawsuit revived, economic signals mixed, more Hawaii news

Fire officials anticipate the need to remain on the fire over the weekend. KHON2. A large wildfire continued to rage on the northern slopes of Mauna Kea Wednesday afternoon, having so far consumed more than 1,300 acres of dry brush land. Meanwhile, a second Blackhawk helicopter joined in the effort to knock the fire out. Tribune-Herald. The Department of the Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the basing and operation of 24 MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft as well as H-1 Cobra and Huey helicopters in support of III Marine Expeditionary Force units stationed in Hawaii. KHON2. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday, reversed a 2009 Hawaii District Court ruling that dismissed claims the state failed to provide adequate access to special education programs for disabled students. KITV. A federal appeals court reinstated a lawsuit yesterday by the parents of two autistic daughters seeking money for what they say was the Department of Education’s failure to provide them with appropriate special-education services. Star-Advertiser. A public opinion survey of state transportation issues revealed a yearning for an interisland ferry, with 83 percent of those polled by SMS on behalf of the state Department of Transportation saying a marine transportation system should be part of the state’s overall infrastructure, although pro-ferry sentiment was much weaker on Kauai. Maui News. Gubernatorial candidate Mufi Hannemann said on Thursday that just because the U.S. government plans to take over the former Hawaii Superferry vessels it does not mean his plan to bring back interisland ferry service to the state is sunk. KITV. The occasion was a gubernatorial forum held at Kealakehe High School in Kailua-Kona. It was the first gubernatorial forum on the Big Island’s west side this year. Civil Beat. The Democrats on Thursday filed a suit to challenge the legality of the move that put Kapa‘a contractor Harry Williams, a Republican, in the race against incumbent state Rep. Mina Morita, D-Kapa‘a-Hanalei, for District 14 state representative. Garden Island. Gov. Linda Lingle (R) accused Senator Dan Inouye of being dramatic when he begged her Wednesday to sign off on the Environmental Impact Statement to allow Oahu’s rail transit project to move forward. KITV. Twelve people, including a former California schools superintendent and two mothers who protested last school year’s teacher furloughs, are running for three Oahu at-large seats on the state Board of Education. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii is facing a daunting set of economic and leadership challenges that go well beyond how the state recovers from a dogged economic downturn that has thrown tens of thousands of people out of work. Hawaii Reporter. Despite a rebound in tourism…financial concerns for the City and County of Honolulu continue. KHON2. The Big Island economy, which suffered more economic shrinkage than other parts of the state, has stopped shrinking and is now in slow recovery, First Hawaiian Bank economist Leroy Laney said Thursday. Hawaii News Now. Five men are scheduled to go on trial in October on charges that they conducted illegal shark feeding off Oahu’s North Shore, renewing the debate over shark-encounter tours. Star-Advertiser. It turns out Oahu’s booming shrimp wagon business has not been particularly good for the state’s struggling aquaculture industry. KITV. Environmental officials are seeking mana`o from around the state for their management review process. They met with Molokai residents last week to get their input on the future of the state’s five humpback whale sanctuaries. Molokai Dispatch. A rare Blainville’s beaked whale rescued on Maui earlier this month is progressing in its recovery, officials said Thursday. Associated Press. The trickle of local milk in Hawaii that grew last year to a small flow could be on the verge of significant expansion again. Star-Advertiser. A company that leased equipment to Hawaiian Waste Systems says it wants its equipment back, and the money its owed. Hawaii News Now. A lifeguard shortage at Puna’s only public swimming pool is being offset with temporary hires and staffing reassignments, county parks Director Bob Fitzgerald said Wednesday. Tribune-Herald. North Kona Councilman Kelly Greenwell tried to take discussion of the charges pending against him behind closed doors Wednesday. West Hawaii Today. Lanai High School teacher Gaylien Kaho’ohalahala said Wednesday that he considers his brother, Sol Kaho’ohalahala, to be a member of his household in Lanai City. Maui News. There were no surprises or fireworks between the candidates as more than 50 interested voters turned out for the West Maui Taxpayers Association’s Candidates’ Night on Aug. 15 at the Maui Theatre. Lahaina News. Another school consolidation fight is brewing — this time at Queen Liliuokalani Elementary School in Kaimuki. Star-Advertiser.

Fat government at Honolulu Hale, gubernatorial hopefuls talk health care, Recktenwald hearing smooth, body scanner coming to Honolulu airport, …

Honolulu’s work force grew 5 percent during Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s tenure, but the total spent on salaries ballooned 32 percent, according to an analysis by Civil Beat. Civil Beat. Hawaii’s top Democratic gubernatorial candidates on Wednesday delved into the heavy-duty policy realm of health care, taking different approaches on how they would improve its delivery to island residents. Associated Press. Democratic candidates for governor Neil Abercrombie and Mufi Hannemann went head to head on healthcare at a forum Wednesday afternoon. KHON2. Hawaii is facing the same health care problems sweeping the rest of the United States. KITV. There were two big endorsements for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mufi Hannemann. KITV . The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman indicated yesterday he’s inclined to support chief justice nominee Mark Recktenwald, who received overwhelming praise during a hearing yesterday on his appointment to lead the state’s third branch of government. Star-Advertiser Associate Justice Mark Recktenwald went before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday to describe his judicial philosophy and explain to members of the panel why he should become Hawaii’s fifth chief justice. KHON2. Candidates for public office running as nonpartisans say the system is rigged against them. Tribune-Herald. Kauai Democrats have gone to Circuit Court to try to remove a Republican state House candidate from the September primary ballot, arguing that the state GOP should not have been allowed to field the candidate as a replacement after another Republican withdrew just before the filing deadline in late July. Star-Advertiser. After 37 long years of waiting for Hawaiian homestead land, Judy Caparida still has a smile on her face. Molokai Dispatch. “When they brought us into port, they asked, ‘Why did you want to enter Israel illegally,” recalled Ann Wright. “We said, ‘We did not want to come here. You boarded us seventy miles offshore in international waters and outside your self-declared security zone. We did not want to come to Israel. You kidnapped us and brought us here.’” Big Island Weekly. Hawaiian Airlines says its new nonstop route between Hawaii and South Korea will start Jan. 12. Associated Press. Honolulu International Airport is set to receive an all body scanner. Hawaii News Now. The Maui Planning Commission lent its support Tuesday to a two-year-old plan to expand the Hana Landfill from 29 to 74 acres and add two improvements intended to monitor and mitigate the potential pollution of the nearby ocean. Maui News. It’s looking more likely Gov. Linda Lingle will run out of time before deciding whether to approve the city’s planned $5.5 billion elevated commuter rail project. Star-Advertiser. Hawaii’s senior senator is imploring Governor Linda Lingle to get behind rail transit, or risk losing more than $1.5 billion in federal money. KHON2 Maui County Council Member Sol Kaho’ohalahala said Tuesday that he packed suitcases, boxes and coolers with his belongings and began moving them to Lanai when he made the decision to change his residency back to the island in July of 2008. Maui News. Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole-Beason’s attorney responded Tuesday to a criminal complaint filed against her by her estranged husband. West Hawaii Today. The Maui County Council voted 7-1 Tuesday to give initial approval to a compromise bill aimed at getting condominium owners to pay the correct property tax rate on their units. Maui News. With roughly 30 days left in his current contract, Kaua‘i Police Chief Darryl Perry said Wednesday that he wants to continue serving the county. Garden Island. The Shells Restaurant at the Sheraton Kaua‘i was sold-out as friends and parishioners of the Koloa Missionary Church filled the restaurant to wish Pastor Niles Kageyama and his wife Aileen a happy retirement, Saturday. Garden Island. If you’ve ridden your fair share of waves, then you know Duke Kahanamoku’s story: a full-blooded Hawaiian born on August 24, 1890, and raised in Waikiki, with a natural affinity for the ocean. Hawaii Reporter. Police have arrested a man authorities believe is responsible for starting the large brush fire that has closed much of Saddle Road since Sunday morning. Tribune-Herald.

Kauai football schedule for the birds, electric coop pays $11M for bird mitigation, state raids e911 funds to plug budget, Hawaii County plagued by…

A research ship is due to return from a voyage to the marine monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Associated Press. Shark tour operators who were cited for allegedly chumming off the North Shore say they will challenge the law. KITV. It turns out the whale that tried to beach itself off Maui earlier this week is an extremely rare species.

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Keeping the culture, lots of complaints about Honolulu, dollar favors Japanese visitors, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii losing tourism war, Kauai a stand-in for Gulf, Lingle off to China again, Kenoi hit with ethics complaint, more island news

Beach destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean have raised prices faster than Hawaii, but Hawaii remains more expensive, creating a tug of war between product quality and price, a mainland travel executive reports. Hawaii News Now. Long-standing disrepair at one of Oahu’s iconic tourist destinations is finally being addressed by the city. Star-Advertiser. More than 53,000 people on the Web have watched a music video made on Kaua‘i to highlight the Gulf oil disaster, a news release says. Garden Island. Hawaii’s senators say it’s like a death in their own ‘ohana, with Senator Dan Inouye saying he has lost a brother. KHON2. Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday said she will likely travel to China in her final months of office to foster relations with tourism and government officials in the fast-developing Asian nation. Associated Press. Gov. Linda Lingle on Tuesday criticized a new federal law that will direct millions of dollars to Hawaii for Medicaid and education programs even though she and other governors sought some of the money almost six months ago. Associated Press. The future of Aloha Stadium is an issue the next administration will have to deal with. KHON2. A five-member Hawaii team made its best pitch yesterday in Washington, D.C., on why the state should get $75 million in federal Race to the Top grant money to turn around low-performing schools and make sweeping education reforms. Star-Advertiser . Five representatives from the islands traveled to Washington, D.C. this week to try to win $75 million in Race to the Top funds for Hawaii. Civil Beat. The top three candidates for mayor met for a second debate last night, hoping to show business leaders how they would improve the economic climate in Hawaii, especially in areas of mass transit, infrastructure and public-private partnerships. Star-Advertiser. At its mouth, the Waihee River was only around a foot deep Monday afternoon – but that was good news to Scott Fisher of the Maui Coastal Land Trust. Maui News. The mayor and his planning director are facing an ethics complaint, after they failed to file gift disclosures for a dinner they had last year with foreign investors in the Aina Lea development. West Hawaii Today. While Maui County Council Member Sol Kaho’ohalahala stays overnight with his family in Lahaina when he’s working on Maui, he returns to Lanai on his days off, his wife testified Monday. Maui News. Acting mayor Kirk Caldwell, former city prosecutor Peter Carlisle and engineer Panos Prevedouros participated in Tuesday evening’s debate. KITV. Arrested last month following a speeding violation, North Kona Councilman Kelly Greenwell now wants patrol officers to stop being so darned sneaky. Tribune-Herald. Consul General of Israel to visit Kaua‘i Garden Island. An 80-foot antenna plan lives on. Opponents don’t like the way it looks, but supporters say the Wi-Fi tower in Central Oahu is just what they need. Hawaii News Now. A comprehensive settlement has been reached to address federal Clean Water Act compliance at Honolulu’s wastewater collection and treatment systems. Associated Press. Ooma Beachside Village is not for sale, a consultant for the development told a commission Monday. West Hawaii Today. The state Department of Transportation is hoping its new website will help motorists navigate traffic when thousands of University of Hawaii-Manoa and private school students go back to class this month. KITV. The West Maui Health Alliance (WMHA) is ready to refocus and work on the healthcare needs of the community. Lahaina News. The Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii’s Ohana Medical Mission (PMAH OMM) recently installed a new set of officers and board of directors for 2010-2011. Filipino Chronicle.

Abercrombie lagging in money as gubernatorial race enters home stretch, Senate panel tackles Supreme Court nominee amid negative reviews from Bar,…

State Pays a Price for Faulty Economic Forecasts Civil Beat. Mufi Hannemann has more than four times as much money as his rival Neil Abercrombie seven weeks before the Sept. 18 Democratic primary for Hawaii governor. Associated Press. Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann maintained his edge in campaign fundraising over former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie during the past six months and has substantially more campaign money available for the drive toward the Democratic primary for governor in September. Star-Advertiser. Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann has been collecting money to run for Hawaii governor for more than a year even though he officially filed to run only last month. KITV. Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann is raising more money than rivals James “Duke” Aiona and Neil Abercrombie in his run for Hawaii governor. KHON2. A clear leader has emerged in the fundraising race for the governor’s office. Civil Beat . Residents seemed optimistic Sunday that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Neil Abercrombie will create an “agricultural renaissance” in Hawaii, as well as fulfill his promise of making decisions based on the public’s priorities and values. West Hawaii Today. The Hawaii State Bar Association’s board of directors’ rating of appeals Judge Katherine Leonard as “unqualified” to be Hawaii’s next chief justice drew strong criticism last night from Gov. Linda Lingle. Star-Advertiser. The board of directors of the Hawaii State Bar Association has determined that Katherine Leonard is not qualified to lead the Hawaii Supreme Court. Civil Beat. The governor’s nominee to head the State Supreme Court, Appeals Judge Katherine Leonard, received a rating of “unqualified” from the Hawaii State Bar Association Monday, something her supporters called “outrageous” and “unfair.” KITV. The Hawaii State Bar Association has come out against Gov. Linda Lingle’s nomination of Katherine Leonard to be chief justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court. Associated Press. There’s high drama in Hawaii’s legal community. Hawaii News Now. Kirk Caldwell led all mayoral candidates in fundraising for the first six months of 2010 and heads into the final 48 days of the campaign with $295,000 left to spend. Star-Advertiser. Acting Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is way out front when it comes to campaign fundraising, according to campaign spending reports released on Monday. KITV. Critics called it a boondoggle. In 2004, city taxpayers paid $108,000 to print 5,000 copies of Mayor Jeremy Harris’ book, “Renaissance of Honolulu.” KITV. Another flight is being added from the West Coast to bring more visitors to Hawaii. KHON2. The state will receive $6.2 million to build an aircraft rescue and fire fighting building at Lanai Airport. Associated Press. Public school students and teachers were back in the classrooms today. After missing 17 school days to furloughs last year, there was plenty of optimism and excitement in the year ahead. KHON2. Classes started for hundreds of students in Kaua‘i public schools on Monday. Garden Island. Over the past few weeks, many Molokai residents have received phone calls asking for their mana`o on about some hot-button issues around here – La`au Point, Molokai Ranch and windmills. Molokai Dispatch. When it comes to graffiti, city signs are like sitting ducks – easy prey – with no protection. KHON2. Mabel Silva has had enough. Her home on Kuamo‘o Road in Wailua Homesteads sits next to state Department of Land and Natural Resources property where a path leads down toward Wailua River. Garden Island. A five-year effort to implement a community-based, long-range vision for downtown Hilo will be up for discussion by Hawaii County lawmakers today in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Campaign season officially begins, Honolulu needs a mayor, Honolulu councilman under criminal investigation, Big Island councilman fights arrest, Maui…

The Hawai‘i Superferry was sailing under a facade of success in the summer of 2008 — boasting of record ridership — but it had already begun to shortchange the state on its monthly fees, according to an Associated Press review of Department of Transportation records. Associated Press. Political hopefuls made their candidacy official for the state primaries and the general election Tuesday. KITV. Hawaii’s vastly outnumbered Republicans are looking to make a comeback this election year, with GOP candidates running in almost every legislative district of the nation’s second-most politically monolithic state. Associated Press. This year’s election is drawing a lot of interest from both parties and today as many as three dozen more people became candidates in the nick of time. KHON2. Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann said yesterday that his chief executive experience as mayor of the state’s largest city would shape his campaign for governor, but his opponent, former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, dismissed that record as a failure. Star-Advertiser. The feisty race for governor is on. Hawaii News Now. Mayor Mufi Hannemann Tuesday became candidate Hannemann after he filed to run for Hawaii governor. KITV. Neil Abercrombie also had harsh words for his democratic challenger in the governor’s race. KHON2. As Mufi Hannemann leaves one political arena for another, Hawaii News Now asked three observers to grade his job performance as Honolulu’s mayor. Hawaii News Now. The Hawaii State Office of Elections released the completed list of all candidates for office on the filing deadline, Tuesday July 20. Hawaii News Now. With a vacancy in the mayor’s office created by Mufi Hannemann’s resignation to run for governor, the City Council has scheduled a meeting tomorrow to set the date of a special election to fill the final two years of his term. Star-Advertiser. North Kona Councilman Kelly Greenwell vowed Monday to fight charges after an altercation Saturday with police that Greenwell claimed left him “tethered to a post like a goat while being booked as a criminal.” West Hawaii Today. North Kona Councilman Kelly Greenwell has been arrested and released after getting into a “wrestling match” with a police officer who cited him for speeding Saturday in Kailua-Kona. Tribune-Herald. The Lanai City hearing in the voter registration appeal against Maui County Council Member Sol Kaho’ohalahala concluded Monday, and now a decision is once again in the hands of the state Board of Registration for Maui County. Maui News. The Department of the Attorney General

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