From West Hawaii Today:

The proposed reopening of East Hawaii’s Kulani prison will return more than $4.7 million to the local economy, according to state Public Safety Interim Director Ted Sakai.

That amounts to 90 new jobs, he said, while also helping to foster lower recidivism rates.

Sakai spoke to about 30 members of the Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce for a little over an hour and a half on Thursday evening, presenting the plan to reactivate Kulani Correctional Facility, which was shut down by Linda Lingle’s administration in 2009 as a cost-saving measure.

The facility, which dates back to the 1940s, is located on 614 acres of forest land on the slopes of Mauna Kea, about 20 miles southwest of Hilo. Since November 2010, it has operated under the state Department of Defense as a training camp for at-risk teens, called the Hawaii National Guard’s Youth ChalleNGe Academy-Kulani. Read the full story.

And here’s the latest in other neighbor isle gov’t and politics:

Search continues for Kauai fugitive Klein

Arakawa administration next for Mateo, Pontanilla

Art or vandalism? Spray-painted “Halo” on Wailua River Bridge

Term limits force two Maui councilors to eye options (Pt. 1)

Term limits force two Maui councilors to eye options (Pt. 2)

Kauai memorial service for Inouye set for Friday

Samoa gets a check from National Tropical Botanical Gardens

Local teacher to open culturally based preschool on Kauai’s Westside

Big Isle state beach parks to close early New Year’s Eve

Pacific Missile Range Facility celebrates 50th anniversary

Photo courtesy U.S. Missile Defense Agency.