From West Hawaii Today:

The Hawaii County Council has paid blogger Damon Tucker $17,500 to settle a lawsuit charging police officers roughed him up and damaged his equipment while he was shooting video of police responding to an early morning brawl outside a Pahoa nightspot.

A stipulation signed Tuesday by Deputy Corporation Counsel Kimberly Angay and Tucker’s attorney Gerard Lee Loy prohibits Tucker from talking about the settlement and states that the county denies liability or wrongdoing but is settling the case in the interest of compromise.

Tucker referred calls to Lee Loy, who didn’t return telephone messages Thursday or Friday.

The County Council had agreed with the settlement by an 8-0 vote in a Feb. 20 executive session. Tucker was originally seeking more than $250,000 in damages plus attorney’s fees, according to a Feb. 2, 2012, claim Lee Loy filed with the County Council. Read the full story.

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

Kilauea residents rally against cell tower

Maui man accused of shooting pellets at golfers, police

Lihue lands on Smithsonian’s best small towns list

Turning trash into treasure

Volunteers hope to beat the ‘cancer of fishponds’

Hilo homeowner voices frustration over cell phone tower

Maui Time publisher sues, alleges assault in incident

Kamalani and Lydgate friends celebrate Earth Day

Sustaining growth of tourism on Big Island

Maui mayor vetoes bill amending circuit breaker tax credit

Kawa Bay decision delayed

Hooser: ‘Challenge is to keep people from dying’

Evaluation team penalizes pharmacy school

Kauai County considers $253 million repair plan

Revamp for tax credit nixed by Arakawa

Moth swarms devour koa forest along Saddle Road

Life of more attention and protection for Shan Tsutsui

Residents question highway widening proposal

Judge says theft of entire ATM in Kaanapali ‘pretty bold’

Photo courtesy korny.brot.

—Chad Blair