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HONOLULU -- Starting next Monday, July 18, 2016, construction will begin to repair the old and damaged loading dock on the south side of Heeia-Kea Small Boat Harbor boat launch ramp. The project will include replacement of structural members beneath the deck, installation of new fendering, and new cleats. Project contractor is Ke Nui Construction, LLC, and cost is $68,750.

HONOLULU -- The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) yesterday began construction of improvements at the Maunalua Bay boat launch ramp to expand the vessel washdown area and construct a roadway around it. Work is scheduled to continue this week and next week.

(HONOLULU) – Some campers, using the Makua section of the Ka’ena Point State Park Reserve over the holiday weekend, left piles of rubbish, toilet paper and human waste scattered throughout the vegetation. DLNR Division of State Parks Administrator Curt Cottrell said, “The continued disrespect of the Makua section and of the Keawaula section of the popular park on Oahu’s far northwestern corner, has prompted State Parks to consider a “rest period” after the busy summer season and a community stewardship effort to help determine future management options. One of those options could be temporarily closure for vehicles, while the beaches would remain open for recreation.

(HONOLULU) – Officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) patrolled on land and in the ocean on this Independence Day holiday to keep ocean users safe during what’s become known as the Waikiki flotilla or Floatopia. As of late afternoon only one person had been cited and no one had been arrested or injured as DOCARE officers focused on safety for the estimated 1000 people on boats, stand-up paddle boards, inflatable rafts, mattresses, and an infinite variety of floating toys.

(HONOLULU) – Following on its action in February 2015, the operators of the popular tourism and travel website, Exploration Hawaii, have removed information regarding King Kamehameha III’s summer palace, Kaniakapupu, on Oahu.

(HONOLULU) – Kaniakapupu, in the forest above Honolulu, in the Nuuanu district, is central to the story of modern Hawai‘i. Not only was it the summer palace of King Kamehameha III and Queen Kalama, it was the first government building built in western style with mortar and plaster. Completed in 1845, Kaniakapupu was the “scene of entertainment of foreign celebrities and the feasting of chiefs and commoners. The greatest was a luau attended by 10,000 celebrating Hawaiian Restoration Day in 1847,” (from a plaque erected on-site by the Commission on Historical Sites). Earlier it was the site of a notable heiau for Hawaiian royalty.

(LIHU'E) – Last week, researchers discovered the bodies of six endangered Hawaiian Petrels at a remote breeding colony in Hono o Na Pali Natural Area Reserve, Kauai. All had been dragged from their breeding burrows by feral cats and partially eaten, including one incident that was caught on a monitoring camera.

(HONOLULU) – Two DLNR Divisions and the Mālama Pūpūkea -Waimea Makai Watch program teamed up over the weekend for the first “Splash” event, created to continue support and evaluation of the Makai Watch program, provide education on rules and regulations, and also address people’s perceptions about the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) in our local communities.

HONOLULU — Hawai‘i Governor David Ige today signed Senate Bill 2453 authorizing alternative sentencing for aquatic violations. The new law provides clear legal authority to judges, allowing them to more effectively tailor sentences when aquatics statutes are violated. The bill covers most regulations under the jurisdiction of the DLNR’s Division of Aquatic Resources, including most fisheries violations. Judges will still be able to impose jail time or fine defendants. Now they’ll also be able to sentence offenders to an educational course or resource-specific community service work.

Governor David Ige proclaimed June 15, 2016 as Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Day in Hawaii. This is in recognition of the 10th anniversary of the designation of the Monument. Representatives from co-management agencies, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, along with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs attended a ceremony at the Governor’s Office this morning.