Local

» The state Land Use Commission approved two major new residential projects to be built on Oahu farmland. It voted 7-0 Thursday in favor of Koa Ridge, the estimated $2.2 billion proj­ect calling for 5,000 homes, a hospital and commercial center on 768 acres between Mililani and Wai­pio. On Friday it voted 8-1 for Ho‘opili, which will have 11,750 homes, five schools, commercial space and farms on 1,554 acres in Ewa.

» A series of brush fires that began Monday burned more than 1,300 acres in Waianae and Lualualei valleys through the week and prompted the evacuation of some residents.

» The median price of single-family homes on Oahu rose in May to $664,000, the highest level in nearly five years, the Honolulu Board of Realtors said Thursday.

» Three hundred sixteen candidates for 118 political offices filed by Tuesday’s deadline to run in the 2012 Hawaii elections. The primary election is Aug. 11.

» David Lee Becker, charged with 153 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty for his role in a Waimanalo puppy mill, is being extradited to Hawaii to face charges, the city prosecutor’s office said Wednesday.

» Hawaiian Airlines began nonstop service Monday to New York City, the carrier’s first foray to the East Coast.

» Colin Kippen, a Native Hawaiian educator, was named Friday as the state coordinator for homelessness programs by Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

Mainland

» Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker overcame a recall challenge Tuesday, gaining the right to finish his term and a voter endorsement of his strategy to curb state spending by restricting union rights for most public workers. Walker became the first governor in U.S. history to survive a recall attempt.

» The suicide rate among the nation’s active-duty military personnel has spiked this year, eclipsing the number of troops dying in battle and on pace to set a record annual high since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Friday.

» The judge overseeing Jerry Sandusky’s child sexual abuse case on Friday denied the defense’s request to have the charges dismissed, leaving all 52 counts intact with opening statements scheduled to begin Monday. Sandusky, 68, a retired assistant Penn State football coach, is accused of sexually abusing 10 boys.

» Two U.S. attorneys will lead a pair of criminal investigations already under way into possible unauthorized disclosures of classified information within the executive and legislative branches of government, Attorney General Eric Holder said Friday.

World

» A U.S. drone strike in Paki­stan killed al-Qaida’s second-in-command, Abu Yahya al-Libi, officials from both countries confirmed Tuesday. The killing was the biggest victory so far in the controversial bombing campaign and the worst setback to the terror network since the death of Osama bin Laden.

» Britain ended four days of national celebrations to mark the 60-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Commentators said the scale of the celebrations, which wrapped up Tuesday, had been "remarkable."

THIS WEEK

Local

>> Wednesday: The Hawaii Community Development Authority will hold a contested case hearing on Kamehameha Schools’ request to amend its 2009 master plan permit, 9 a.m., 461 Cooke St., Makai Room.
>> Friday: The University of Hawaii Board of Regents’ Committee on Community Colleges will discuss accreditation reports for six campuses and compensation for Honolulu Community College’s interim dean and vice chancellor for academic affairs, 10 a.m, UH-Manoa, Bachman 113.
>> Friday: The city Ethics Commission will consider several cases of alleged conflict of interest or misuse of city resources, 11:30 a.m., 715 S. King St., Suite 211.
mainland & Pacific

>> Tuesday: Arizona will hold a special election to replace Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
>> Wednesday: NASA will launch a mission from a base in the Marshall Islands to study extremely active galaxies.