Deadline for rail comments extended

The city has extended the deadline for the public to comment on the environmental report for its proposed $4 billion rail transit system.

The deadline was extended to Feb. 6, giving the public another month to offer opinions.

The public can view the detailed report at state libraries, the city Department of Transportation Services' third-floor office at 650 S. King St., and online at http://www.honolulutransit.org.

Community members may also submit comments at the DTS office and online.

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement will study the proposed elevated 20-mile rail system from Kapolei to Ala Moana. The report includes detailed information on the system's cost, properties affected by the rail line, and the environmental impacts.

State tax take declines 2.6 percent

The state collected $306 million in taxes in November, bringing Hawaii's tax take for the first five months of the current fiscal year to $1.8 billion.

The state Department of Taxation calculates that is a $49 million, or 2.6 percent, decline from the same five-month period in the previous year.

General excise and use taxes constitute the largest single category of tax collections in the islands.

The department says the $1 billion the taxes garnered from July through November amounted to a 6.6 percent decline.

The transient accommodations tax also registered a year-to-date 8.2 percent drop after raising $15 million in November for a five-month tally of $91 million. On the plus side, collections from individual and corporate income taxes posted gains.

14,000 gallons of sewage spill

An ultraviolet disinfection unit shut down yesterday at the city's Wahiawa Wastewater Treatment Plant, sending 14,126 gallons of partially disinfected sewage into Wahiawa Reservoir, a city news release said.

Just before noon, a Hawaiian Electric Co. power outage caused one of two disinfection units to shut down for 15 minutes.

The state Department of Health will post warning signs in the area.

Civil Defense opens aid centers

State Civil Defense will have centers open today and tomorrow to help people affected by the recent flooding and high winds.

The following Disaster Assistance and Recovery Centers will be open:

Today, 1-7 p.m.

» Windward: Kualoa Ranch, 49-560 Kamehameha Highway
» Waipahu: Waipahu District Park, 94-230 Paiwa St.

Tomorrow, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

» Windward: Kualoa Ranch, 49-560 Kamehameha Highway
» Laie: Brigham Young University Hawaii, Aloha Center