The O'ahu forum is set for 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Monday at the Pacific Beach Hotel in Waikiki. The Maui event is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. Tuesday at Maui Economic Opportunity in Wailuku.

Officials scheduled to attend include, Sen. Daniel Akaka, AARP Hawaii director Barbara Stanton, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hawaii representative Mary Rydell, Social Security Administration public affairs officer Christina Messner, and Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SagePLUS) director Pamela Cunningham. For more information, call 545 6000.

Refining industry official cast doubt on gas price cap practicality

Robert Slaughter, the president of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, today cast doubt on the practicality of Hawai'i's planned cap on wholesale gas prices, saying such price regulation "has been demonstrated to lead to shortages, poorer service for consumers."

"We understand that consumers, not just in Hawai'i, but across the nation, are concerned at the price increases for gasoline that have occurred this year. But you can't exempt yourself from the market. You can't pretend you're not part of the world market for gasoline and other petroleum products," Slaughter said in an interview with Bloomberg News Service.

"Hawai'i is a beautiful state, but it does have a higher cost of living and also higher cost of doing business than other states. You will see that in the price of everything done in the state, which includes refining and marketing gasoline."