Newswatch

Mayor, prosecutor to resign this week

With the resignations of Honolulu’s mayor and prosecutor expected this week, the Honolulu City Council will soon schedule a special election.

Council Chairman Todd Apo said the Council will meet at 10 a.m. Thursday to decide whether to hold the special election in conjunction with the state primary election on Sept. 18 or the general election on Nov. 2.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann is expected to resign tomorrow, as required by the state’s "resign-to-run" law, to run for the Democratic nomination for governor.

Prosecutor Peter Carlisle is expected to resign soon after to run for the nonpartisan office of mayor.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Hooser quits Senate post to join race

State Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser has resigned to seek the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.

Hooser had planned to file for the race after resigning from the Senate on Friday.

But his campaign says documents that must first be filed with the state Campaign Spending Commission could not be processed because it was a Furlough Friday. The filing is now set for today.

Hooser has served the 7th District of Kauai and Niihau for eight years.

He says he wants to be a strong voice for the underserved, and intends to fight to preserve rural Hawaii.