Honolulu News (BETA)

All it took was a few minutes for Opal Sao's dog to attack and kill her 8-week-old great-nephew. Sao said she left the baby on her bed, asleep, and had gone to the kitchen for a drink of water just after midnight on Sunday.

A man who originally got one year in prison for a DUI manslaughter conviction was sent back to prison yesterday with a revised sentence of 20 years after being caught driving drunk last year on the Mainland.

Dozens of people packed a McKinley High School meeting hall and heard testimony warning of adverse affects of $46 million in public schools budget cuts, but members of a Board of Education committee said cuts must occur.

Prosecutors yesterday charged a 21-year-old Waimanalo man with a firearms offense.

The presidential campaign of Sen. Barack Obama for the first time criticized Sen. John McCain for his role in the "Keating Five" savings-and-loan scandal yesterday, saying the issue was fair game after a weekend of attacks by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin over the Democrat's ties to Vietnam-era radical William Ayers.

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HONOLULU (KHNL) - A dead monk seal was found on the coast of Waimanalo Sunday and officials from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration are asking the public to practice responsible ocean stewardship in Hawaii waters.

HONOLULU (AP) - The budget committee of the state Board of Education has approved $46 million in potential cuts to the $2.4 billion school budget. That includes a hotly contested $1.9 million elimination of funding for student service coordinators at charter schools.

HONOLULU (AP) - A Tibetan monk remains in custody at the federal detention center in Honolulu despite being granted political asylum in the U.S. Pema Wangyal is being held while the federal government appeals his case, a process his attorney says could take from six months to several years.

HONOLULU (AP) - Kaiser Permanente Hawaii is proposing to raise rates for nearly 168,000 members by 4.9% in January. Meanwhile, the Hawaii Medical Service Association has won approval to boost its rates for 22 large employers by about 13%.

A 16-year-old Ewa Beach boy faces adult charges of murder and burglary for the slaying of his neighor.

A crash between a sport utility vehicle and a motorcycle leaves a soldier dead.

The Board of Education's Budget Committee discusses up to $69 million in proposed budget cuts.

The Medical Examiner's Office says a Waianae baby died from head injuries from a dog attack.

The attorney for the mother of a 5-year-old girl killed by abuse says the federal government failed to report suspicions to state authorities.

Back in operation from fire damage over a year ago, a kitchen that's always turning out a lot of family favorites. Kaimuki Chop Suey on Waialae Avenue just below Kokohead Avenue. Chef and owner Victor Lau is cooking up some clams and more.

The mother of a young girl allegedly beaten to death by her father has filed a lawsuit against the United States government. The suit claims the government failed to report suspicion of abuse to authorities.

What to save, what to cut. That's the tough job for public school officials in the face of a dismal economic outlook. The budget committee is supposed to look at three scenarios -- cutting 10, 15 or 20 percent from public school spending.

Honolulu Police Officer John Otto took the stand in District court, called to testify what happened the night of October first. When he was called to check the park near Waikiki Aquarium for a convicted felon wanted on outstanding warrants.

Police have arrested Joseph Aina Alama-Francis and charged him with fraudulent use of a credit card. This may be one more apparent instance of someone financially exploiting a senior citizen.

Hawaii stocks all ended down on Tuesday and three of them reached new 52-week lows as the Dow Jones industrial dropped more than 500 points. (MLP) (NUT) (AXB) (BOH) (CPF) (HE)

Mesa Air Group Inc. and the Air Line Pilots Association International reached a tentative agreement to resolve scheduling-related issues between Mesa and the pilot group.

Hawaii residents have been cutting their energy use, according to the most recent data from the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Mortgage companies nationwide lost an average of $560 on every loan they originated last year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s 2008 cost study released Oct. 7.

The U.S. Navy and Ford Island Properties have signed an agreement to convey 499 acres of land at Kalaeloa.

LAHAINA — Following a peer review, West Sider Nicole Rockett recently earned membership status in the Pacific Hoof Care Practitioners (PHCP) organization and, at the same time, was certified in the trade.

HAIKU — The Haiku Community Association Candidates’ Forum will be held Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m. at Haiku Community Center. Candidates for County Council and other races will be present.

LAHAINA — October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and we are painfully aware of how domestic violence affects the keiki in Hawaii Nei. Too many children are seeing, hearing or experiencing direct abuse in their homes every day.

SOUTH MAUI — Don Couch and Wayne Nishiki will battle for the South Maui seat on the County Council in the Nov. 4 General Election. The candidates answered detailed questionnaires for the Haleakala Times. Their responses are posted below.

KAHULUI — The state Department of Land and Natural Resources invites community input at a Maui public hearing on Thursday, Oct. 2, on draft rules to establish a Civil Resource Violations System (CRVS) to strengthen DLNR’s enforcement of violations of state natural and cultural resources laws.

Thirteen-year-old Kauhi Maunakea-Forth says the Army's live-fire training is "kind of like sad that they're doing that to our land" because of cultural sites at Makua Valley.

Students made impassioned pleas to save school programs last night as a state Board of Education committee fielded suggestions on how to cut costs as the state faces massive budget shortfalls.

Thousands of Hawaii businesses could see a boost in their health insurance premiums in the wake of an economic downturn that is anticipated to only get worse in the next year.

The dog that killed a 2-month old boy has been euthanized at the family's request yesterday after one of the first fatal dog attacks on Oahu in recent years.

A Tibetan monk who arrived in Hawaii this summer and was granted political asylum last month remains in custody at the federal detention center in Honolulu as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security appeals his case.

WAIMEA — Local church officials took the latest step in an ongoing effort to apologize for and redress the hardships caused by the missionaries’ role in the late-19th century overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom when they conveyed two properties to a native Hawaiian congregation Saturday.

KALALAU — State Department of Land and Natural Resources officials, concerned about potential danger to campers, said they are investigating the possibility of clearing large loose rocks from a high slope on the western end of the quiet Kalalau Beach on the North Shore.

Theresa Koki, the county anti-drug coordinator, wields a double-edged sword.

Diana Oyakawa said she can sleep now that the Lihu‘e Christian Church bazaar is over. Hats off to all the people who worked hard to make it a success.

Monday, Oct. 6 Monday Music in Waimea — A concert will be held at noon until 1 p.m. on the first monday of every month for 2008. The performances will feature all local Kaua‘i talent. The concerts are free. They will be in the town park in Waimea — officially Hofgaard Park — across from Ishihara Market in Waimea on the Westside.

KIHEI - Maui residents can vote for a South Maui coastal trail to receive funding from the national group Save the Trails. The South Maui Coastal Heritage Corridor is one of 20 finalists for the funding.

KULA - Work on the Lower Kula waterline will shut off water for some Kula residents from late tonight to early Wednesday morning, according to contractor Maui Master Builders.

KIHEI - Northbound traffic on South Kihei Road will be diverted beginning Oct. 15 while a lane is closed for sewer line repairs and manhole upgrades, according to contractor Insituform Technologies Inc.

WAILUKU - Police said Monday that no change was reported in the condition of a 1-year-old boy who was critically injured Saturday morning when he was run over in the driveway of a Kahului home.

WAILUKU The crowds at the 86th Maui County Fair this weekend grew in size and may have spent more money than last year, according to its outgoing Fair Director Sherri Grimes.

PHOENIX (AP) _ Regional carrier Mesa Air Group Inc. says it has reached a tentative contract with its pilots union after 10 months of negotiations. The Phoenix-based airline announced the deal today. Union members will vote to ratify the new contract in November.

WASHINGTON (AP) _ An estimated 17,000 deceased U.S. prisoners of war could be awarded Purple Hearts under a new Pentagon policy. Purple Hearts are awarded to soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines wounded by enemy action.

RENO, Nev. (AP) _ Experts says geothermal energy use may grow due to an unusual combination of economic and environmental forces.

HONOLULU (AP) _ Kaiser Permanente Hawaii is proposing to raise rates for nearly 168,000 members by 4.9 percent in January. Meanwhile, the Hawaii Medical Service Association has won approval to boost its rates for 22 large employers by about 13 percent.

HONOLULU (AP) _ State senators may call for an independent investigator to find out whether the Lingle administration's improper award of a hydrogen investment fund contract intentionally violated procurement law.