Ige Signs HB2171 Establishing State Department of Law Enforcement
Visitors Less Likely to Return
(Another) Chief Procurement Officer Flees HTA in Midst of CNHA Scandal
SA: … The Hawaii Tourism Authority on Friday announced a high-ranking personnel departure that, along with other recent departures, could exacerbate its procurement challenges.
HTA Chief Administrative Officer Keith Regan resigned from his position as the second-highest HTA executive effective Aug. 3. Regan is leaving to become business management officer at the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs….
HTA hired Regan in December 2018. He had oversight for the authority’s administrative, fiscal, procurement and human resources operations, as well as management of the Hawai‘i Convention Center.
Since the December departure of Ron Rodriguez, HTA’s senior contract specialist and procurement officer, Regan’s department had been handling procurement, most notably for the disputed U.S. tourism contract, worth tens of millions of dollars.
HTA extended the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau’s U.S. tourism contract and its global support services contract to Sept. 28 as a stopgap measure to give HTA time to sort out a procurement protest.
On June 21 the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau formally protested HTA’s June 2 decision to award a multiyear U.S. tourism contract to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement worth more than $34 million during the first two years.
HTA had previously awarded HVCB a multiyear U.S. tourism contract worth $22.5 million the first year, but rescinded it when CNHA protested in December….
While HTA searches for Regan’s successor, HTA Vice President of Finance Marc Togashi will serve as acting chief administrative officer. Following a formal delegation of authority from state Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism Director Mike McCartney, Togashi also will serve as HTA’s procurement officer.
Togashi has been with HTA for over a decade and had served as acting CEO during a previous leadership transition at HTA, where there have been many executive and staff departures….
Background:
read … Hawaii Tourism Authority executive’s resignation adds to departures
3 former prison guards await verdict in beating of inmate at Hawaii Community Correctional Center
SA: … Three former prison guards accused of punching, kicking and severely injuring an inmate seven years ago at the Hawaii Community Correctional Center are awaiting a federal jury’s verdict after a 10-day trial that ended Friday.
The three Department of Public Safety corrections officers were the “alphas” or “alpha dogs” at the prison, big guys who puffed out their chests, used force against inmates and made sure the inmates “follow our words or else,” special litigation counsel Christopher Perras of the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division told jurors in his closing argument….
The four corrections officers, indicted June 2020, were caught on surveillance video beating and kicking Kaili while he was lying facedown on the asphalt in HCCC’s recreation yard on June 15, 2015…..
read … 3 former prison guards await verdict in beating of inmate at Hawaii Community Correctional Center
Oahu buildings may be required to publicly report energy use
SA: … the City Council this week passed a measure that requires many Oahu building owners to report and publicly publish data about their energy and water use.
The proposed requirement applies to buildings over 25,000 square feet. It exempts residential buildings with fewer than five units….
In addition to submitting annual reports that include information on matters ranging from greenhouse gas emissions to energy use by fuel type and water use, the building owners would also report their Energy Star score — a numeric rating about energy efficiency created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The score is determined, in part, by taking information about the building, such as its size and location, and calculating potential high- and low- performing scenarios….
The Council voted unanimously in favor of the bill Wednesday, and Mayor Rick Blangiardi has until July 21 to decide whether to sign the measure into law….
read … Oahu buildings may be required to publicly report energy use
Militia group files more ‘frivolous motions’ after arrests of members in Kunia
SA: … On June 9, Arensmeyer filed a writ of possession, authorizing law enforcement to remove the defendants from the Kunia property.
On June 23, Kaiulani Mokiao, one of the defendants and a member of OFHA, filed a motion in 1st Circuit Court asking for a recusal of their judge. OFHA members have requested an investigation on allegations of judicial misconduct by Judge James McWhinnie, according to Hu‘eu.
“WE THE defendants who represented ourselves pro se feel we are victims of offensive piracy tactics by the Plaintiff, further enabled by Judge James C. McWhinnie,” Mokiao wrote in his statement to the Star-Advertiser.
Since judgment was filed in the court case, the defendants have filed a number of “frivolous motions,” Arensmeyer said. The motion asking for a recusal should have been filed earlier in the case, he added.
“Had they raised a genuine issue earlier in the case and said, ‘This judge has a conflict,’ then maybe,” Arensmeyer said. “You can’t wait around until the system has run its course and you’ve lost and then claim, ‘Well, the judge was unfair.’” ….
read … Militia group awaits court response after arrests of members in Kunia
11 time Loser from Maui Does it Again--In New Jersey
PBT: … In Evesham, NJ, it was around 7:12 p.m. on July 4 when officers assigned to the local celebration at Savich Field, 525 East Main Street, were “advised by an alert citizen about an intoxicated male who possibly had a firearm.”
“Officers immediately converged on the male, identified as Blaine McCammack, 29, of Wailuku Hawaii” it was further noted in the statement from Evesham Police. “McCammack began acting disorderly and was immediately taken into custody.”
A search purportedly resulted in McCammack being found in possession of an airsoft revolver style handgun that was “loaded with rubber bullets.” McCammack was also found in possession of pepper spray that was “over the weight threshold permitted to be carried in New Jersey,” along with a butterfly knife and handcuffs…
Maui News April 13, 2022: Blaine McCammack, 29, was charged with first-degree terroristic threatening and possession of a butterfly knife in the commission of a crime at Queen Kahamanu Mall…McCammack allegedly brandished a butterfly knife. “It was unprovoked, based on irrational thought,” Temas said. Judge Chris Dunn kept bail at $2,000, “in light of the seriousness of the behavior alleged.” He noted that McCammack has 11 prior convictions…..
read … Soft on Crime
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