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Rep Kaniela Ing Calls Dan Inouye ‘An Accused Serial Rapist’
HNN: A local Congressional candidate enraged members of Hawaii's Democratic party on Friday with a series of explosive tweets that called the late Sen. Daniel Inouye "an accused serial rapist" and equated him to the infamous Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein.
State Rep. Kaniela Ing also used the social media platform to question the renaming of the Honolulu's primary airport as the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
"In order for sexual violence to end, men need to know they can no longer get away with it. But when we name an airport after an accused serial rapist, we show them that they can. #TimesUpDanInouye," wrote Rep. Ing on his Twitter account….
In another post, Ing wrote: "... we have to talk about Inouye. He was my hero growing up, so it's hard. But he's our Weinstein. Esp. now that rape accusations are emerging from decades ago. Memorializing him has a chilling effect for victims to come out against their abusers."
Ing told Hawaii News Now he felt compelled to speak out because of the #MeToo movement and Thursday's celebration of International Women's Day.
"I think that's just fact, that he (Inouye) is an alleged rapist who is alleged of committing these very violent sexual acts against women," said Ing.
Inouye was accused of rape by his hairdresser in 1992 – allegations that the senator vehemently denied. The story surfaced again recently as a result of the #MeToo movement; Ing denies that he's speaking out for political points or media attention.
"I've been told not to say anything. Politically, it can really damage me. I have nothing to gain, everything to lose. If men aren't speaking up, especially men in power, then we are just part of the problem," he said.
The director of the Daniel K. Inouye Institute in Honolulu issued the following statement to Hawaii News Now in response to Ing's series of tweets:
“Senator Daniel K. Inouye passed away more than 5 years ago. It is incredibly mean spirited to accuse him of a crime when he is not here to defend himself. It is unfortunate that Mr. Ing would attempt to smear the Senator and his family’s name to attract attention to his congressional campaign. This is not conduct becoming of a member of Congress.”
Fun Read: Ing’s Twitter Feed
Flashback:
read … Kaniela Ing, the Gift that Just Keeps Giving
Cayetano: Abolish OHA or Reform Trustee Selection
HNN: …Former Hawaii Governor Ben Cayetano on Friday called for the abolishment of the state's Office of Hawaiian Affairs, a day after learning the FBI had joined a criminal investigation into spending by the agency.
After nearly 40 years, Cayetano said, the agency is failing at its mission.
"We are in the state now where you have to make a critical decision about what OHA will be, or whether they should continue to be in existence," Cayetano told Hawaii News Now. “Either you abolish OHA or you find another way to choose the Trustees.”
Sources say state and federal authorities have broadened their probe into OHA, requesting copies of contracts, trustee emails and financial records of the agency's non profit subsidiaries.
"I think it's good the FBI is looking into it, because that would be something very important, to determine if there's any criminality," said Cayetano.
At a board meeting on Thursday, OHA's attorney declined to give any details of the investigation to a beneficiary. In a later closed session, sources say, the attorney reported to OHA trustees and advised each to hire personal attorneys.
"That indicates trouble," said Cayetano. "If you're a government agency, you should put it all on the table for people to see."….
Abolishing OHA would take a constitutional amendment and a statewide vote. …
"It's a rarity when Hawaiians receive positions of power," said OHA Beneficiary Germaine Meyers. "Just fire the CEO and oust the chair, not shut down OHA. I feel it's warranted that the FBI is investigating them, and I'm grateful for it."
Hawaii News Now reached out to several OHA trustees for comment; only one responded. Keli'i Akina relayed that he couldn't comment on the investigation but welcomed efforts to ensure that trustees fulfill their fiduciary duties. …
Letters: Top leaders at OHA need to step down
2017: SR33: Appoint OHA Trustees?
2017: SB1303 Reform OHA Trustee Elections
read … Former Hawaii Governor Ben Cayetano wants OHA abolished
Hawaii Electric Users to Save $13.76 per Month Thanks to Republican Tax Cuts
KHON: …Expect money back from Hawaiian Electric, and your bill should be going down.
That's because HECO is going to have to share its corporate tax windfall with customers.
The Public Utilities Commission worked to ensure HECO passes some of its savings on to you.
Instead of a jump of what could have been around $10 to $13, HECO customers could soon see a credit on their account, with the average resident saving around 76 cents a month.
"That may not seem like a lot to people, but think of where it could have been, and what the parties did to get it down this far," said Randy Iwase, Public Utilities Commission chairman.
Iwase says an interim settlement was reached in November based on the old tax rate, "so effective Jan. 1 of 2018 to the effective date of the new rates, that period result in a credit." ($13.76 x 3 = $41.28 off your next bill.)
The new rate, according to Iwase, should be effective for the next two to three years. He says this could also affect rate cases for neighbor islands….
($13.76 x 12 x 3 = $495.36)
HEI: News Release
read … Thank a Republican
Ernie Martin Tries To Return As City Council Chairman
CB: …On Friday, four Council members introduced a resolution to restore Martin as their chairman, replacing current chairman Ron Menor. A fifth council member, Carol Fukunaga, is named as the floor leader in the resolution, which also proposes that Kymberly Pine serve as vice chair.
Martin and Pine have signed the resolution along with Council members Ann Kobayashi and Trevor Ozawa. Fukunaga did not respond to a request for comment late Friday.
Previously, Pine helped form the five-member bloc that narrowly tilted power to Menor when, in December 2016, she signed a resolution to make him chairman….
read … Ernie Martin Tries To Return As City Council Chairman
Court Documents: Ex-Honolulu Chief, Wife Agree to Sell Home
AP: …Louis and Katherine Kealoha's former attorney has a lien on the home because they owe him money. But a credit union is foreclosing on the home because the Kealohas haven't been paying their mortgage….
Sumida filed declarations Friday by the Kealohas saying they agree to list the home.
Sumida's filing includes a real estate agent's declaration saying she can sell the home for $1.2 million to $1.3 million….
read … Sell
Maui County Council passes short-term rental legislation on first reading
MN: …A bill that would require a person to own a property for at least five years before seeking a short-term rental permit passed on first reading at the Maui County Council on Friday.
Council members hope the bill will discourage people from buying homes and immediately turning them into vacation rentals. All except Council Member Don Guzman voted for the measure….
Under current laws, a person can apply for a short-term rental home permit if the dwelling unit was built five years prior to the permit application date. The proposed bill also would require a person to own the dwelling unit for at least five years before applying for a permit.
But some testifiers said the bill would infringe on property owners’ rights and would do nothing to curb illegal rentals. Lawrence Carnicelli, speaking on behalf of the Realtors Association of Maui, said less than 1 percent of legal home sales become short-term rentals, and that the current county laws already cap countywide rentals at 382.
“Lengthening the (permitting) process will only increase the illegal rentals that proliferate our community and take away needed housing for our local families,” Carnicelli said. “The real issue with short-term rental housing springing up all over our neighborhoods is the lack of enforcement.”
Others warned the county could open the door to litigation if it passed the bill….
read … County Council passes short-term rental legislation on first reading
Foster Parents Will Finally Get a Raise?
SA: …After several years of legal wrangling, state House Finance Chairwoman Rep. Sylvia Luke indicated this week that the Legislature is likely to agree to increase payments to foster families.
The increases would settle a class-action lawsuit, filed in 2014 after years of fruitless lobbying efforts to raise the pay. The suit accused the state of violating the federal Child Welfare Act by failing to cover the minimum costs of a foster child’s basic necessities. For 24 years, the stipend in Hawaii was fixed at $529 a month. The plaintiffs argued that just keeping up with inflation would have increased that amount to $950.
That’s not what foster parents will get. Still, the new rates are better, and are tiered: $649 for ages 0-5; $742 for ages 6-11; and $776 for ages 12 and up. As any parent knows, older kids cost more than younger ones.
A settlement actually was reached in 2016, but Luke last year cut the funds to pay for it, objecting to the $1.1 million in attorneys’ fees included in the deal. This time, Luke said the lawyers will settle for $850,000, a far cry from the $2.9 million in costs incurred by plaintiffs’ three law firms over the course of the litigation…. good news for the estimated 2,000-plus children in Hawaii’s foster care system….
read … Foster
Coral Hysteria Subsides
TGI: …Yellow antler corals, pink cauliflower corals, and purple lobe corals are all healthy in the area, and researchers say they’ve seen up to eight inches of coral growth there — and that’s just in 2017.
“I just did my bi-monthly survey at Anini and the corals were all disease free and continuing to grow at a rapid rate,” said Terry Lilley, who has been shooting underwater footage in the area for more than five years.
He continued: “An example is the yellow antler coral, white finger coral and brown rice coral, (which) all grew about eight inches in one year. This is so exciting as we all thought that corals grew, at best, a few inches a year.”
Harry Rabin, with ReefGuardians, said it’s not just the coral that’s thriving underwater, either.
“So many fish, too,” Rabin said, “It’s amazing.”….
read … Save the Hysteria for next time
Bills to Liberate Hilo from DLNR Still Alive in Legislature
HTH: …Here’s a breakdown of the legislation as they stood Thursday:
• Senate Bill 2972: Introduced by Sen. Kai Kahele, D-Hilo, this bill would direct 10 percent of the state’s lease revenue on the Waiakea Peninsula, where Banyan Drive is located, to support redevelopment efforts there. The state also would assist Hawaii County, which established its own redevelopment district for the area, with funding a redevelopment plan, plus studies to support it. The county would provide matching funds.
• House Bill 2641: Introduced by Rep. Chris Todd, D-Hilo, this bill would create a 10-year redevelopment district pilot project that includes the Waiakea Peninsula and KIA. The program would set guidelines for state land leases and plan for districtwide improvements. Seven members of the nine-member district would be appointed by the governor and must be Hawaii County residents. The chairperson of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and county planning director also would be members.
• House Bill 2073: Introduced by Rep. Mark Nakashima, D-Hamakua, this bill also would create a pilot project for those areas. In addition, it would exempt construction of nonresidential uses from the general excise tax in the project area.
• Senate Bill 3058: Introduced by Kahele, this bill would designate the Waiakea Peninsula as a redevelopment district and create a planning committee and revolving fund. This also would have a nine-member committee, which would create a redevelopment plan and would appear to replace the county’s existing redevelopment board.
The county’s redevelopment group for Banyan Drive created a conceptual plan in 2016, but the effort has stalled without funding to do all the studies to support it….
read … Liberation
Hawaii County Restrooms to Install Needle Bins in Public Restrooms for Homeless Drug Addicts
WHT: …A form to report discarded syringes and needles has been created, to facilitate safe retrieval. The form is posted on the county’s website at http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/report-discarded-syringes. People who find syringes or needles may also call the police non-emergency number at 935-3311.
(A form? Paperwork is the solution to all problems.)
The county is also developing a program involving the installation of “amnesty sharps disposal bins,” which are (claimed to be) tamper-proof boxes for the disposal of syringes or needles. (Great. Addicts can smash the boxes with a hammer to grab a needle when they run out.) The bins will be installed at public restrooms at parks and other facilities. (And maintained just as well as those facilities are maintained.)
(Idea: Pay the tranny Democrats have already stationed in each bathroom to monitor the needle bin.)
read … Public asked to report discarded syringes, needles
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