Mayor Mufi Hannemann yesterday said his administration will strive to not raise property tax rates next year on the roughly 140,000 households that fall into a new owner-occupant classification. "We're very committed to trying to keep the homeowner rate at $3.42 (per $1,000 of valuation)," Hannemann said at a signing ceremony for the bill that creates the new tax category.

HAWAII — Comedian Frank DeLima, whose Friday school visitations have been pre-empted by "furlough Fridays," has written parody lyrics to the tune of "Day-O," lamenting school closures caused by the state budget shortfall.

The commander of the nuclear attack submarine USS La Jolla based at Pearl Harbor was relieved of his post yesterday "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command," the U.S. Pacific Fleet submarine force said.