Bid for charity

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu’s online holiday auction runs through tomorrow at 10 p.m. Items have been introduced for "The Big’s Bid" holiday auction through the past two weeks and can be found at www.biddingforgood.com/bbbsh. Proceeds will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters one-to-one youth mentoring programs.

Ewa board to discuss sewage plant

The Ewa Neighborhood Board’s legislative committee is holding a public meeting tomorrow about the city’s proposal to expand the Honouliuli sewage treatment plant.

The meeting starts at 10 a.m. tomorrow in Room 329 at the state Capitol.

Another public meeting is being held 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at Asing Park at 91-1450 Renton Road.

Earlier this year the city announced it bought the land from Ewa Industrial Park LLC for $26.5 million, saying it planned to upgrade the treatment at the Honouliuli plant by 2024 to comply with a consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The existing facility treats 26 million gallons of sewage daily.

About half of the sewage is handled through primary sewage, then sent through a mile-long outfall to the deep sea.

The other half is processed in secondary treatment — a more rigorous form of treatment — and a portion is recycled into irrigation water.

The EPA wants all the waste to be processed in secondary treatment at Honouliuli by 2024.

Fee to review court records waived

Hawaii is waiving the charge to review court records during a review of its rules governing fees.

The state judiciary told The Associated Press today that the $5 fee will be suspended because of concerns that it could diminish access to court records.

Rodney Maile, administrative director of the courts, wrote in a letter that all state courts will suspend collection of the search fee for on-site documents while the Judiciary reviews its rules.

Judiciary spokeswoman Marsha Kitagawa said eight other state courts have the authority to charge fees to access court records.

Maile said the courts should be as accessible as possible and that the fees were never intended to deter retrieval of records.

Instead, he said, the fee was imposed to help defray court costs.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Ex-councilman plans to seek Senate seat

Former Hawaii County Council Chairman Gary Safarik has signaled his bid for the state Senate seat held by Russell Kokubun.

"I’m going to be throwing my name in the hat for the Senate District 2 (opening)," Safarik told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie has appointed Kokubun director of the state Department of Agriculture.

Safarik represented lower Puna on the Council from 2000 to 2006, when he lost a re-election bid to current Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole.

"I don’t think I really ever got it out of my system," Safarik, 61, said Sunday when asked whether he is seeking a return to public service.

If Kokubun’s Senate colleagues confirm him to the Cabinet position, then Abercrombie will have to find replacements for two of the island’s three state senators.

That is because he has already tapped Sen. Dwight Takamine (D, Hilo-Hamakua-Kohala) to run the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Also facing Senate confirmation, Takamine said his resignation from the remaining two years of his four-term took effect last night.

Apply now to join Maui charter panel

Applications are being accepted for the Maui County Charter Commission, which convenes every 10 years.

The deadline to apply is Dec. 22. The commission will begin meeting March 31.

Every 10 years the mayor, with the approval of the County Council, appoints an 11-member Charter Commission to study and review the operation of the county government and to propose amendments or draft a new charter.

Applications are available online at www.mauicounty.gov under the "Boards & Commissions" box.