‘If you want to get mad about something, get mad about the Jones Act’
Tourist Count Reaches 95.5% of Pre-COVID Number--Spending Flat
Voting Power? Hawaii Ranks 10th
BLNR Repeals Waikiki blue card requirement
Hawai‘i Tourism in Search of the Promised Land
Hawaii Sex Offender Arrested Quickly After Foolishly Leaving State
Star-Adv Endorses Sam King for OHA
SA Editorial: … Sam K. King says his No. 1 focus is steering OHA to support early childhood education to raise the well-being of Hawaiian families through the generations. He’s drawn much public attention through his support for building the Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea, as a benefit to science and Hawaii’s economy.
King also places creation of housing for Native Hawaiians and all islanders in need at the top of his priorities list, and suggests that OHA’s disposition of land it owns in Kakaako Makai, now zoned so that housing development is not allowed, should be part of that. He calls for fiscal responsibility and recurring independent audits of OHA, along with new leadership at the agency, and would represent a conservative viewpoint on the board….
read … Sam King for OHA
Miske Got Sweet Deal on Building Permits, Tax Appraisal
ILind: … Mike Miske’s large residence above Spitting Caves in Portlock isn’t much to look at from the street, although real property tax records show the building boasts over 8,200 sq feet, with five bedrooms and 6 baths on nearly 38,000 feet of land overlooking the ocean. It is appraised for tax purposes at $6,068,100, but court records show Miske claimed to have spent more than $11 million on its construction, and another $2.3 million for his original purchase.
As you might predict, the building permits issued for the property valued the job at a fraction of this amount, meaning that the permit fee paid was also a fraction of what it might have been.
read … Money Laundering
Businesses, residents raise alarms over rail construction ‘disaster’ on Kalihi thoroughfare
HNN: … Dillingham Boulevard businesses, their customers, schools and homeowners are about to face three years or more of major disruption from rail construction.
The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation ― and the contractor it is paying $500 million to relocate utilities on the thoroughfare ― had their first meeting with stakeholders Thursday about the changes.
Some worry the work will be so disruptive it could put them out of business.
Denise Soderholm owns the state’s only certified dealership of vehicles for people with disabilities. Beginning Nov. 28, she may not be able to control when vehicles can come and go to her business because of the construction….
Soderholm says she’s negotiated with HART and the city for 10 years, and even bought a property away from the rail line three years ago to relocate.
But she said the city took until this July to approve permits — too late for her to move….
read … Businesses, residents raise alarms over rail construction ‘disaster’ on Kalihi thoroughfare
Soft on Crime: Assault charge dismissed against man accused in 2019 Mililani stabbing attack
KITV: … Honolulu prosecutors are working to re-file a first-degree assault charge against a man accused of stabbing three people -- his estranged girlfriend, her daughter, and her daughter's boyfriend -- in Mililani.
"He slashed her face and opened. And she had hundred stitches. We are still trying to recover with all the ongoing surgeries and yet she was a minor at the time. What's going on with our court system?" said survivor Patience Sallas about the attack on her and her daughter. Both were stabbed by Michael Gibbs in 2019.
The victims in this case say they were completely blindsided after hearing that one of the counts against Gibbs has been dismissed…
That's the case involving Sallas' daughter Alysa, who was slashed multiple times in the face.
The dismissal stems from a Supreme Court case earlier this year known as State v Jardine. Essentially, defendants have to be given an explanation of "substantial bodily injury" for the assault charges to move forward….
“This is so f***ed up. I don't even know what to say already. We were supposed to go to trial next week. Now it's pushed back again until next year, February. These criminals have so much more rights than us victims, it's very sad. Our Hawaii court system really sucks. It needs to do a better job protecting us victims instead of letting criminals off too easy. My poor daughter, when she heard the news yesterday that her case got dismissed, she started crying,” Sallas told KITV4….
read … Assault charge dismissed against man accused in 2019 Mililani stabbing attack
3 years after riot, an inside look into what’s changed at Maui Correctional Center
HNN: … “A lot of the chairs, a lot of the tables were used as weapons,” said Maj. Labasan. “So, TV is secured on top, and the tables are all bolted to the ground. It’s for their safety and for our safety.”…
Several of the same problems at the jail still exist today. For example, there can be up to four inmates living in one cell and phones are constantly needing repairs.
There are currently 305 inmates at MCCC. The facility was built in the 1970s to fit just over 200 inmates….
the long-term goal is to relocate the entire facility because right now it is in the middle of a neighborhood. There is no figure for relocation yet.
The first step is a site study to identify possible viable locations. That study could cost approximately $10 million….
read … 3 years after riot, an inside look into what’s changed at Maui Correctional Center
Gay Socialist Teacher Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ to Child Molestation
KITV: … Bunag is accused of sexually abusing a boy under the age of 14 multiple times in 2016 and 2017. Bunag is also accused of distributing child pornography from 2019 to as recently as this past June.
A judge scheduled a jury trial to begin the day after Christmas. Bunag remains in custody on $250,000 bail.
Bunag also faces a separate federal case. The US Justice Department says Bunag is accused of distributing, from 2019 to 2021, at least two videos of himself having sex with a then-13-year-old former student.
Jury selection and trial for this case is set to begin in January.
Individuals with information, or those who believe they are a victim, are urged to contact the Honolulu FBI at 808-673-2705.
Bunag is a public school teacher. The state education department released Bunag's work history with the state. He was most recently a substitute teacher in Leeward Oahu from 2017 to this year.
From 2020 to 2022 he taught at Pearl City High School. And in 2016 and 2017, the state says Bunag was a part-time temporary teacher at Ilima Intermediate School.
The state Department of Education (DOE) says Bunag is not currently a salaried employee with the department….
HNN: Former JROTC instructor sentenced behind bars for child porn
read … Gay Socialist teacher
More Homeless Mayhem: Wahiawa Bums Strip Copper Wiring to Buy Meth
KITV: … “We walk the children to the bathrooms, boys and girls. There are homeless people that do drugs and fall asleep in there,” said Chun.
Head coach Bryant Moniz said one of his main concerns is the cement cylinder blocks all over the field hidden under the grass. He fears one of his students may trip or face-plant onto one.
“The cement blocks were used to cover water sprinklers which were an issue before, but now the cement is. We are contacting the city and county to help,” said Moniz….
Some residents said as of Wednesday night, none of the light towers are working. They believe the homeless living at Wahiawa District Park vandalized the nearby poles….
read … Coaches and parents call for major upkeep at Wahiawa District Park
126 drivers caught by red light cameras, warnings issued
KHON: … The State Department of Transportation says that the first red light camera installed on the corner of Vineyard Boulevard and Palama Street has caught 126 violators in 25 days, averaging out to five per day.
Sniffen said two of those drivers actually caused a crash. Fortunately no one was hurt but those two drivers have been cited. The state has initiated a 30-day warning period. So the warnings will become fines of up to $200 starting on November 19….
A second red light camera is being installed on Vineyard Boulevard and Liliha Street, and will be operating on November 1.
There will be a total of ten of red light cameras that will be installed at intersections throughout Honolulu. And there will be a 30-day warning period after each one has been installed….
read … 126 drivers caught by red light cameras, warnings issued
Attorney for alleged Russian spy in Hawaii withdraws following ‘breakdown’ in relationship
HNN: … Public Defender Max Mizono withdrew as Walter Primrose’s attorney earlier this month, citing a “breakdown” in their relationship …
Federal agents also seized the suspected KGB uniform seen in photos worn by the Kapolei couple….
read … Attorney for alleged Russian spy in Hawaii withdraws following ‘breakdown’ in relationship
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