Should Hawaii prisons decide who may marry?

The ACLU filed a lawsuit today in federal court on behalf of four women who were banned by the state from marrying their fiancés, all of whom are men incarcerated at the Saguaro Correctional Facility in Eloy, Arizona.

OHA subsdiary to suspend operations at Makaweli Poi Mill this month

May 23 will be the last day of operations for the West Kauai factory.

• Na pulapula o Haloa Via Island Breath

Mayor launches “Pathways,” a transitional housing project for urban houseless

The city is soliciting bids for a transitional housing project in urban Honolulu.

The City has issued a Request for Proposals to invite agencies interested in partnering on the project, and will provide $3.5 million from the City's Affordable Housing Fund to acquire and/or renovate an existing structure to provide transitional housing to homeless persons with special needs. A specific project site has not been identified. Funds will be awarded to a nonprofit agency that will be responsible for working with neighborhoods in urban Honolulu to obtain a community consensus that The Pathways Project is an acceptable means to address homelessness in their neighborhood. A specific project site will be identified to implement the project only after a positive community consensus has been achieved.

Abercrombie releases $37.5 million to address storm damage, safety upgrades

Community meeting held to discuss pedestrian safety in Makiki, Ala Moana

Sen. Carol Fukunaga, Rep. Karl Rhoads and Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi will host the 9 a.m. meeting at Makiki Christian Church. They've invited city Department of Transportation Services Director Wayne Yoshioka to discuss plans for public safety in Makiki and the Ala Moana areas.

The meeting is scheduled for this Saturday, 9 am, at Makiki Christian Church.

All aboard the USNS Guam and USNS Puerto Rico

US Naval Secretary Ray Mabus renamed the two Hawaii Superferry vessels – the Alakai and its sister ship, the Huakai, which never entered service in Hawaii waters – on Tuesday.

The selection of the name Guam honors the long-standing historical and military relationship between Guam and the United States. This relationship began in 1898 when the United States acquired the island from Spain as a result of the “Treaty of Paris” that ended the Spanish-American War. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese captured Guam which they occupied until U.S. troops retook the island on July 21, 1944, a date commemorated every year as “Liberation Day”. Guam continues to host many of the United States’ critical military installations in the Pacific Ocean.

Teachers union re-elects Okabe – but only 22% of members vote

"I am humbled by the vote of confidence the teachers have given me. These are difficult times. We must remain united in the pursuit of what is best for our profession and the children we teach," Okabe said. "I want to thank those who voted for me and I want all members to know that I will work as hard as I can to do as much as I can for every member of our Association," he said.

The Associated Press reports that only 22% of the union's 13,000 members participated in the vote.

Restaurant Row bar closes after 20 years

The outdoor bar in the center of Honolulu's Waterfront Plaza office and restaurant complex has closed but may reopen under new ownership.

RIMPAC - coming soon to an ocean near us

RIMPAC, the multinational military training exercise, will run this year from June 27 to August 7.

State ready to start hiring again

The state is poised to start hiring to fill jobs vacated due to budget constraints. On the list: food safety inspectors, quarantine inspectors, staffers in MedQuest, and more. Carol Okada, Plant Quarantine Branch Manager:

"We're dealing with a lot of snakes a lot of reptiles coming in. Hiring these inspectors means that we'll be back in baggage claim looking at the passengers, looking at the freight forwarders, doing a better inspection."