Chief Logan Signs First Concealed Carry Permit
Applicants Sought for District Family and/or District Court of the Third Circuit (Hawaii Island) Per Diem Judges
Saiki, Kouchi Plan to Block GE Tax Exemption for Food, Medical Care
CB: … The two top leaders at the state Legislature made it clear Wednesday they have serious doubts about Gov. Josh Green’s plans to eliminate the state excise tax on food….
House Speaker Scott Saiki and Senate President Ron Kouchi both sounded skeptical ….
Saiki raised another concern Wednesday, pointing out (repeating the debunked claim) that tourists pay some 30% of the excise tax. (Reality: 14.1%.) ….
REALITY: GE Tax: Audit Shows Tourists pay only 14.1% of Rail Surcharge
SA: Kouchi, especially, wants to see a hotel near a new Aloha Stadium
SA VIDEO: State House Speaker Scott Saiki and state Senate president Ron Kouchi join ‘Spotlight Hawaii’
read … Top Legislative Leaders Pour Cold Water On Some Of Green’s Best-Known Proposals
Council Gives 42% Salary Hike to Maui County Clerk
CB: … If confirmed by the new council next week at its first meeting, Moana Lutey will replace outgoing county clerk Kathy Kaohu.
Moana Lutey is in line to become the next Maui County clerk at a salary of nearly $157,000.
That’s more than the county’s top executive currently earns. Mayor-elect Richard Bissen is set to receive a salary of $152,000.
If confirmed by a majority on the new County Council when it convenes on Monday, Lutey will replace outgoing clerk Kathy Kaohu, who said she earns $110,000.
Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee said Wednesday that the huge pay raise is justified since Lutey is an experienced county attorney, unlike Kaohu who is a former legislative aide to council member Tamara Paltin….
read … New Maui County Clerk Will Earn More Than Mayor
Rep Garcia to introduce bill to reduce gay recruitment in grades K-3
KHON: … Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay" law, which bans teachings on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through the 3rd grade, has sparked a months-long divisive discussion. …
Lawmakers in more than a dozen other states have proposed similar measures -- including here in Hawai'i.
State Rep. Diamond Garcia, a Republican who represents Kapolei and Ewa, plans to introduce a similar bill, but acknowledges the move would be an uphill battle in a predominantly Democratic state.
"The bill will most likely die just because I'm a Republican, but the fact is if we have the conversation it allows the public the opportunity to come in and share their thoughts," Garcia argued. …
Garcia argued some conversations do not belong in the classroom.
"Trying to counsel them to search for their true gender, all that's 'BS.' Stick to math, reading, and science and let parents do their jobs as parents and talk about those sensitive issues at home where it should be," Garcia asserted.
Garcia said he plans to introduce the bill before the beginning of the upcoming legislative session next month. …
KITV: Hawaii leader could introduce law similar to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay" bill
2006: The transsexual agenda for Hawaii schools
read … Hawai'i lawmaker looks to introduce bill similar to Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' law
Most Video Cameras At Hawaii’s Women’s Prison 'Broken’
CB: … Poor video monitoring in the facility’s control stations has been an issue for years and a recent inspection found only 40% of the cameras worked….Lawyers for current and former inmates who were sexually assaulted at the women’s prison in Kailua years ago are again asking a federal court judge to order the state to finally install cameras in the control booths at the prison, where they say many of the assaults occurred….
read … Preventing Prison Rapes: The Fight For Video Cameras At Hawaii’s Women’s Prison Continues
Violence Against Women Act amended to funnel money to Native Hawaiian Groups
SA: … The reauthorization of VAWA, which was first passed in 1994, was signed into law in March 2022, providing funding to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex-trafficking, dating violence and stalking. The act also offers “Services, Training, Officers Prosecutors” (STOP) grants to Native-serving organizations to help them combat sexual violence and support survivors.
However, due to a drafting error in the law, while Native Hawaiian organizations were able to apply for STOP grant funding, they could not use the funds to actually serve the Native Hawaiian community. As a result, Native Hawaiian women have been unable to access critical resources included in VAWA.
Hawaii’s U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, who introduced the amendment, said in a news release: “Like other Native communities across the country, Native Hawaiians experience disproportionately high levels of sexual and gender-based violence.” She added, “Despite this crisis, Native Hawaiian women have long been unjustly excluded from accessing much-needed resources for survivors provided through the Violence Against Women Act. This bill addresses this injustice and allows Native Hawaiian Organizations to better serve Native Hawaiians (get money).”
The bill for the amendment passed in the House on Dec. 14, the same day that a task force created by Hawaii’s Legislature last year released its Holoi a nalo Wahine ‘Oiwi report, which analyzes data regarding sex trafficking, sexual exploitation and domestic violence that disproportionately affect Native Hawaiian women and girls….
REALITY: Native Hawaiian Girls LESS Likely to be 'Missing'
read … Violence Against Women Act amended to support Native Hawaiians
Sen Shimabukuro ‘understands’ Thug ‘Steward’ of remote West Oahu beach as he fights charges against him in court
HNN: … A west side man accused of harassing beachgoers made his second appearance in court on Thursday.
Just a few hours later, he was posted back at Makua Beach….
“I will continue to go to court because I’m going to fight it,” said Souza. “Nothing will make me go home. Not even money.”
Officials said they sent field officers to look into Souza’s complaints but didn’t find enough evidence to make a case….
According to HPD, Souza is on state land. But the Department of Land and Natural Resources said he’s on the shoulder of Farrington Highway so the Department of Transportation may be responsible for removing him….
(Question: Which officer is he related to?)
“Many of us understand where he’s coming from,” said Shimabukuro.
(Translation: She supports this thug.)
Souza’s next court appearance is set for Jan 8. He can decide if he wants a trial by jury or by judge….
read … ‘Steward’ of remote West Oahu beach to fight charges against him in court
Homeowner Removes Concrete Seawall After Fines Threatened
HNN: … At Ke Nui Beach on the North Shore, there appears to be a rare success story in the state’s ongoing battle against illegal beach erosion abatement structures.
In the fall, homeowner Joshua VanEmmerik created an unpermitted concrete and rebar berm to support a house as erosion threatened to undermine it.
Facing thousands of dollars in fines, his attorney told the city he would comply with state and county orders to remove the structure.
A visit Wednesday by Hawaii News Now confirmed that the structure was gone.
He apparently followed through on his promise to have a contractor use portable hand tools to chip the concrete away instead of hiring a shoreline excavation contractor.
The work left behind pieces of concrete and bailing wire in the sand near the house….
read … On Oahu’s North Shore, state celebrates a rare success story in battle against illegal seawalls
Navy criticized for paving over toxic foam spill area with tests pending
HNN: … The investigation into a toxic foam spill is being finalized and will soon be submitted to the Joint Task Force for Red Hill for review, the Navy said on Tuesday.
In an update posted on Tuesday, military officials said that they have “successfully” removed the contamination and paved over the excavated areas.
That drew concern from some environmentalists, who said the area shouldn’t have been paved until testing is complete.
It’s almost been a month since nearly 1,300 gallons of toxic firefighting foam concentrate leaked at the Red Hill Fuel Facility….
read … Navy criticized for paving over toxic foam spill area with tests pending
Oahu sees a big dip in fireworks permits, but don’t expect a quiet night
SA: … Firecracker permits on Oahu are down this year compared with 2021 — 13,679 permits vs. more than 20,000 sold last year — and local officials aren’t sure what caused this year’s drop….
Last year, as the world returned to normal, there was an increased demand for fireworks, but supply was still a problem, as the production of firecrackers was down, Honolulu Fire Department officials said.
“Last year the consumers didn’t have enough supply to purchase. They had a permit, but they ran out (of firecrackers),” said HFD Acting Battalion Chief Malcolm Medrano. “This year it’s a different problem: vendors have way more supply.”…
read … Oahu sees a big dip in fireworks permits, but don’t expect a quiet night
UH Helps DoE with New Excuse: Vog hurts student test scores
HTH: … “One of the surprises was that the particulate pollution was affecting kids who were on free or reduced lunch by such a huge magnitude compared to kids who aren’t,” Halliday said, adding the effects of PM2.5 particulates increased by a factor of 10 among those receiving free or reduced lunch, and the effects of sulfur dioxide increasing by a factor of six….
HPR: Study: Vog could be the culprit of lower student test scores on Hawaiʻi Island
UH News: Vog, air pollution predicted to hurt Hawaiʻi student test scores, especially on Hawaiʻi Island
read … UH: Vog hurts student test scores
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