Lingle vetoes UH permit exemption

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle's first veto of the year kills a measure that would have exempted the University of Hawaii from permitting requirements when doing work to protect the marine refuge at Kaneohe Bay.

Lingle wrote in her veto message Tuesday that the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology should have to get permits just like everyone else.

The governor says these permitting requirements help protect and preserve Hawaii's natural public trust resources.

She also objected to a provision of the bill allowing the university to use Department of Land and Natural Resources staff without charge. Lingle says the department does not have spare staff to loan to the university.

Owners to pay costs in failed suit

WAILUKU » The owners of five Maui homes who failed to win damages last year in a lawsuit filed against a subdivision developer have been ordered to pay nearly $88,000 of the company's trial costs.

The costs sought by Fairways at Maui Lani developer VP & PK LLC were awarded Thursday by Circuit Judge Joel August.

The judge also awarded about $9,000 in costs to the owners of six other homes who received awards totaling $232,700 in damages last September after a jury trial.

All of the homeowners had said construction had damaged their properties. They had filed suit saying that from 2006 to 2008, dirt blew into their homes and vibrations rattled and damaged their structures.

The jury had decided general contractor Kila Kila Builders was not responsible for any of the damage.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Information on poisoning of dog sought

Big Island police are renewing a plea for information about the poisoning of a dog in Hilo in November.

A Hilo man reported that his English mastiff, which had been fenced in a yard in upper Waiakea Uka, began throwing up and died Nov. 16, police said. The dog was worth $2,500.

In a post-mortem examination, a veterinarian found chunks of potato laced with rat poison.

Police are investigating the incident as a case of cruelty to animals.

Anyone with information is asked to call Big Island police at 935-3311 or, to remain anonymous, call CrimeStoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.