An international trade summit, recognition of gay unions, compassion for Japan and a rough first year for the governor were among the stories that topped local news headlines in 2011:

APEC

Leaders of 21 nations, including President Barack Obama, gathered in Honolulu Nov. 8-13 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade summit, the largest international event ever held in Hawaii.

APEC brought an estimated 20,000 delegates, staff members, journalists and others to Hawaii and spurred more than $137 million in projects to spruce up the airport, roads and other facilities. The summit was estimated to pump about $120 million into Hawaii’s economy.

Oahu residents experienced road closures, off-limits zones on land and in near-shore waters, and the sight of National Guard soldiers in Humvees on Honolulu streets.

A State Department security official here for APEC, Christopher Deedy, was charged with fatally shooting Kailua resident Kollin Elderts on Nov. 5 while off duty.

Civil unions

"It’s been a long road, but through people’s efforts across the state, today is an amazing day," Renae Hamilton, 51, executive director of the YWCA of Kauai, said at a Feb. 23 ceremony during which Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed into law Senate Bill 232, legalizing civil unions in Hawaii.

The first civil union ceremonies are scheduled for Sunday. However, two churches filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday to block the law from taking effect.

The law gives couples, including same-sex couples, virtually all of the same rights and benefits of traditional marriage.

Hawaii became the seventh state to grant civil unions to same-sex couples without authorizing gay marriage itself. Five other states and Washington, D.C., permit same-sex marriage.

Tsunami aftermath

Japan’s March 11 earthquake and tsunami caused tens of millions of dollars in damage in Hawaii but prompted a surge of support in return.

Hawaii, with deep ties to Japan born of immigration and tourism, launched an Aloha for Japan relief campaign that raised more than $8 million. Sales of an iconic T-shirt drove donations, while residents opened their homes in home-stay programs for disaster-fatigued Japanese citizens.

Hardest-hit areas in Hawaii included Hawaii island, where the Kona Village Resort closed indefinitely and dozens of other businesses were severely damaged, and Oahu’s Keehi Lagoon, which suffered an estimated $3 million in damage.

Waikele explosion

Five employees of an ordnance disposal company were killed and one was injured April 8 in a fireworks explosion in a Waikele storage bunker.

The men worked for Donaldson Enterprises, which is licensed to stabilize and destroy confiscated fireworks.

The Fire Department said it was unable to determine what caused the explosion. The state Occupational Safety and Health Division said Sept. 30 it found 11 unsafe work conditions and practices that could have caused the blast, and said Donaldson Enterprises could face a $415,200 fine.

Rocky first year

Gov. Neil Abercrombie inherited a $772 million budget deficit that swelled to $1 billion by March, prompting him to seek unpopular spending cuts and tax increases.

He unsuccessfully pushed for a pension tax and soda tax, called the state subsidy for the Pro Bowl "stupid," told retirees that state reimbursements for certain Medicare premiums were unjustified and unilaterally imposed a new teachers contract with pay and benefit cuts after negotiations stalled.

A Public Policy Polling survey in October put Abercrombie’s job approval rating at 30 percent, the lowest of any U.S. governor.

"I’m not your pal. I’m not your counselor. I am the governor," he said in February.

Nonfiscal controversies included waiving state environmental rules for military bomb cleanup (and not telling the public for two months), the departure of four top aides in October and losing a legal fight to keep secret the names of judge candidates.