State tax revenue tops forecast so far
State tax collections are up 12 percent through the first eight months of the fiscal year, the state Department of Taxation reported Tuesday.
The revenue is coming in higher than the 5.1 percent growth projected by the state Council on Revenues, which is scheduled to update its forecast today. The council’s forecast could influence debate at the state Legislature over the two-year budget, particularly spending for new initiatives or tax incentives.
General excise and use taxes, the largest single category, were up 9.5 percent, according to the department. Individual income taxes were up 21.8 percent. Hotel room taxes were up 12.9 percent.
Team rescues troubled humpback
A male humpback whale was freed Monday from a life-threatening entanglement of more than 200 feet of fishing gear between Kahoolawe and Lahaina, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary reported Tuesday.
The tour vessel Man-of-War reported the entanglement Friday near Lahaina.
A response team was immediately dispatched and initially cut 40 feet of small-gauge line wrapped several times around the whale’s tail and cutting into the animal.
The team also attached a satellite tag buoy to the whale, relocated it Monday and removed the remainder of the gear.
Sanctuary personnel could not determine the type of gear in which the animal was entangled.
There have been three confirmed reports of humpback whales entangled this season, and this was the first successful rescue, the sanctuary said.
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
Plans to release fireweed moth to be discussed
The state Department of Agriculture will hold an informational meeting on Maui to present plans to release a moth that is a natural enemy of the fireweed, a plant that is toxic to most livestock and has infested hundreds of thousands of acres of pastureland.
The meeting will be at 6 p.m. today at the Hannibal Tavares Community Center, 91 Pukalani St. in Pukalani.
Fireweed, also known as Madagascan ragwort, can kill cattle, horses, sheep and goats that feed on it. Agriculture officials said fireweed infestations are so extensive on Maui and Hawaii island that other control methods are cost-prohibitive and impractical.
The Agriculture Department has studied the natural predator, the Madagascan fireweed moth, for more than 13 years, officials said. After reviews at state and federal levels, final approval for release was granted in December. The moths have already been released on Hawaii island.
Outage will cut water service in Kauai regions
The Kauai Department of Water is asking residents in the Wainiha and Haena areas to limit water consumption to essential needs due to a scheduled power outage from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. today.
DOW will have a generator to operate a pump to provide water to the area, but the water capacity will be at a reduced level.
Essential needs include cooking, bathing and toilet flushing.
For more information, call the department at 245-5461 during business hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or police dispatch at 241-1711 after business hours.
