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Wednesday, August 14, 2019
August 14, 2019 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 7:19 PM :: 3080 Views

Hawaii: $100 Worth Only $84

Gun Control Study Based on Fake Hawaii Data

Hawaii 3rd-Lowest Percentage of Kids in PreSchool

Lawsuit Demands HPD be Placed in Federal Receivership: Attorney for wife of Sgt. Cachola accuses HPD of harassment

KHON: … More accusations against embattled HPD officer Darren Cachola. This time, his wife’s attorney is also accusing the police department of going back to its old ways.

Attorney Eric Seitz says he’s asking the federal government to oversee HPD because he doesn’t believe the department is able to police itself….

Sgt. Darren Cachola made headlines five years ago after a video surfaced of him and his girlfriend apparently fighting at a bar. HPD fired him but was forced to hire him back after arbitration.

This April, he was charged with abusing and harassing his wife. Her attorney has also filed a civil lawsuit against him and the police department accusing Cachola of choking her and HPD officers of covering it up.

Seitz plans to add to that lawsuit accusing Cachola of harassing his wife on two occasions this month and sending police officers to do it.

“The Honolulu Police Department continues to assist and aid and abet Mr. Cachola in his efforts to torment and harass his wife,” said Seitz.

Seitzs says his lawsuit will ask the federal government to step in.

“To have the police department direction handed over to a receiver because we do not believe that the police department can police themselves,” he said.

Seitz adds that in light of the corruption conviction against former HPD chief Louis Kealoha, he had expected improvements under Chief Susan Ballard.

“Unfortunately the current police chief has taken no steps whatsoever to remedy the corruption and the abuses which existed when she came there and they are continuing,” said Seitz….

As for the recent incidents Darren Cachola’s attorney says the officers had every right to talk to the wife because she wasn’t complying with Cachola’s right to visit their two children….

Cachola remains with the department but his police powers have been removed….

Google: Receiver Takes Control of Oakland PD 

HNN: Another complaint filed against Honolulu officer with troubled past

read … Attorney for wife of HPD Sgt. Darren Cachola accuses him and HPD of harassment

New Police Standards Board Is Putting Itself On Hold

CB: … More than a year after its creation by the Legislature, Hawaii’s law enforcement standards board still has not done what it’s supposed to do — create uniform standards for law enforcement in the state.

After blowing its July 1 deadline set by the Legislature to do just that, the board voted Tuesday — during its first meeting in nine months — to approve a resolution to ask legislators for more money and time….

The resolution doesn’t say how much money or time the board needs, but says it needs them because board members aren’t paid to come up with the standards and there’s an extensive amount of work to be done.

Connors and her first deputy, Dana Viola, said the board needs an administrator and one or two support staff.

Previously, former Attorney General Russell Suzuki worked on legislation considered this past legislative session that would have given the board $275,000 and four more years. Those measures did not pass….

The Tuesday public meeting was the board’s second meeting thus far, and the first one since the inaugural meeting in November.

Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard did not attend Tuesday’s meeting and sent a representative in her place. Neighboring islands’ chiefs declined to be interviewed, saying they needed to catch their flights back home.

Another thing that still hasn’t been done is filling six vacancies on the 15-member board. Viola said the AG’s office has forwarded a list to the governor for his review.

A follow-up meeting has not yet been scheduled.

(Translation: Designed to fail.)

2017: DLNR Finally Gets Around to Firing Rapist Cop Son of HGEA President

read … New Police Standards Board Is Putting Itself On Hold

UPW-Controlled Jails Incompetent: As Many as 10% of Prisoners Released Incorrectly

SA: … Researchers told the Star-Advertiser that DPS data indicated about 10% of inmates have been over-detained in Hawaii’s jails and prisons in past years, though they couldn’t tell whether all of those inmates had indeed been over-detained or if the data were just riddled with errors.

Edward Suarez, who served as director of the DPS-UH Research and Evaluation in Public Safety program, has said that due to an apparent flaw in a DPS database, calculation for maximum release dates for thousands of past and present inmates was not reliable. The flaw, Suarez wrote in a July 18 commentary on these pages, could be fixed with available software programming for about $50,000.

DPS officials have said that the 10% estimate is wrong. But in response to a Star-Advertiser request for data verifying that assertion, a top official last week said it would cost more than $1 million in work hours to compile the information through review of some 125,000 inmate records. The agency’s response is ludicrous.

For starters, the Star-Advertiser requested a dataset for the years 2000 to 2018 — not a tally based on DPS review. The raw numbers should be accessible to the public. And if the database is indeed error-ridden, the agency should publicly own that and prioritize a cost-efficient fix.

Back in 2004, the state entered into a $1.2 million class-action settlement agreement to resolve hundreds of claims arising from failure to release inmates on time. It’s troubling that in the subsequent 15 years, the agency has yet to nail down a foolproof means for monitoring inmate detainment.

In the latest instance, upon the return of an Oahu Community Correctional Center inmate into custody on Monday, DPS had no real answers to questions about the man’s erroneous release on Saturday, saying the case is under investigation.….

Solution: Bring CCA in to run Hawaii jails and prisons.

read … Public Safety needs to fix data snafus

Anti-Telescope Activist Josh Green Raising Money For Governor’s Race

CB: Suggested contributions start at $500 and go as high as $2,500 for a campaign fundraiser for Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green this Wednesday.

The office sought: governor.

According to a filing with the state Campaign Spending Commission, Green, a Democrat, will be raising cash at an Italian restaurant in San Francisco.

read … Josh Green Raising Money For Governor’s Race

Aquifer: Hydrologist disputes anti-TMT BS Emanating from Sierra Club

HNN: … environmentalists are ‘concerned’ about the aquifer and are demanding a contested case hearing over the project’s wastewater permit.

Deborah Ward, of the Sierrra Club Moku Loa on the Big Island, says wastewater could pollute the island’s water supplies over the Thirty Meter Telescope’s 10-year construction timeline….

hydrologist Donald Thomas, director of the Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes at UH-Hilo, agrees with TMT’s environmental impact statement ― that the project will not impact Hawaii’s aquifer.

He believes the critics have it wrong.

"Their concerns are not based on good science. They have not investigated what data is available or really try to understand it," he said….

He says if there were a contamination spill, it would take 5,000 years to reach the nearest aquifer, which is 12 miles away from Mauna Kea in Waikii Ranch.

"The water in that well is about 5,000 years old," he said.

He says because of the summit's dense rock and hydrology of the island, it's virtually impossible to contaminate the water supply from Mauna Kea.

“In terms of a release at the site impacting any of the drinking water sources down at the lower elevation, I think the probability is so near zero. I can’t distinguish it from zero,” said Thomas.

Lake Waiau at Mauna Kea has been another source of concern for many, but Thomas says it’s sitting on an impermeable layer of ash and clay with no direct link to the water table.

read … Hydrologist disputes claims TMT construction spills could contaminate aquifer

Anti-Telescope Activists Claim Poll Rigged

HTH: … The vast majority of those commenting said they were never polled and the results were biased. Several people expressed frustration that they did not get to “vote,” even though they are registered.

“Mayor Kim, your data is seriously flawed! Polling only registered voters does not include the many locals who do not register to vote because they do not necessarily support the current government. Many do, however, care deeply about this island and this important issue. Do the right thing!” commented Becky Thurston.

Colene De Mello said, “I wasn’t polled, I am a registered voter. I feel I have been discriminated against by not being included in this biased poll.”

Scott Kalei Parker chimed in: “Majority of Hawaii? Oh come on. There’s more people on Maunakea on one weekend standing firm in ‘a‘ole TMT and you expect us to believe that 1,300 people surveyed represent a ‘majority of Hawaii?’ Come out from the rock your living under Harry Kim and Governor David Ige!!!!”

Brittany Newman commented: “That’s bull. So did you go to a pro TMT event for this poll? Because I never heard ANYTHING about it. Shame on you. Manipulating the system again!”

A few TMT supporters also weighed in….

read … Reactions to poll highlight division over TMT

Kahuku wind farm to include 8 wind turbines as tall as 56-story buildings

HNN: … With Hawaii focused on renewable energy, preparation work is underway for a new wind farm that will have the tallest turbines in the state.

Some environmentalists and Kahuku residents, however, still oppose the project.

They’re holding a fundraiser on Tuesday night at the Kahuku Community Center to support the latest phase of their legal fight.

AES Hawaii took over the Na Pua Makani project last year.

The company plans to build a wind farm with eight turbines that are 568 feet high. They hope to have the farm operational by May 2020….

The transport of wind farm equipment is scheduled to happen during the nighttime hours from October 14 to November 26.

For details on traffic notifications, click here.

read … Kahuku wind farm to include 8 wind turbines as tall as 56-story buildings

Renewable Energy Goals Do Not Equal Climate Change Goals

IM: … The State argued before the Hawai`i Supreme Court in Life of the Land`s appeal of the Public Utilities Commission`s Hu Honua decision that renewable energy and climate change goals are the same thing, that is, increasing renewable energy implies reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate change is a scientific fact. Renewable energy is a political construct. Energy can not be created nor destroyed, it can only change forms. Renewable energy is a definition that changes by place and year.

Will Hawai`i achieve a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045?

It all depends upon how the Hawai`i Legislature defines renewable energy and, oddly enough, how the Hawai`i Legislature defines "100" and “percent.”

Hawaiian Electric asserts that we are all moving in the same direction. Life of the Land asserts that Hawai`i is currently aiding and abetting the global march towards a climate disaster, that Hawai`i is not moving fast enough to do its share to avert an unsustainable future.

The Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission docket on transforming the way the HECO Companies are compensated by ratepayers includes the idea that the HECO Companies are too big to fail, that any utility collapse would hurt all ratepayers and especially those without the economic and/or locational opportunity to produce their own electricity.

read … Renewable Energy ≠ Climate Change

Council bill freezes out non-union labor

SA: … The City Council is quickly advancing legislation, Bill 37, that would allow government agencies within the City and County of Honolulu to deny the majority of Hawaii’s construction workers the opportunity to work on taxpayer-funded projects through something ironically called a community workforce agreement (CWA).

More commonly known as a government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) in other parts of Hawaii and on the mainland, these controversial schemes effectively prevent nearly 60% of Hawaii’s construction workforce who don’t belong to a union from competing to build and work on projects funded by taxpayer dollars. If signed into law, Bill 37 will also needlessly increase the cost of construction and contribute to the skilled labor shortage plaguing America’s construction industry and harming Hawaii’s economic competitiveness.

When mandated by a government entity like a city or county government, PLAs and CWAs typically force builders — union or not — to follow union work rules and hire most or all workers on a jobsite from union hiring halls. That effectively limits the pool of bidders, since nonunion contractors don’t want to abandon their existing employees and quality control practices — key components of a safe and productive workplace — for strangers from union halls governed by unfamiliar rules….

read … Council bill freezes out non-union labor

Protecting Hawaii-branding

HNN: … The state will do research — to see which companies are using Hawaii place-marketing and which are actually using Hawaii ingredients in their products.

And then, Gabbard says,”The second part of the survey will be on Hawaii farmers and food processors to see which companies that they’re selling their products to.”

Lawsuits are pending against the makers of Hawaiian Kettle-Style Potato Chips and Snack Rings — and against Kona Brewing Company, because consumers believed they were made in Hawaii….

Kona Brewing pubs in the islands serve their own locally produced beer, but its bottled products are made on the mainland.

A tentative settlement has been offered to consumers in that case.

Hughes, of Shaka Tea, grows mamaki and buys mamaki from other growers on Hawaii island, to make her line of teas.

“One can only imagine if there are multi-million if not billion-dollar brands out there, and they ended up deciding to source said ingredient from Hawaii, the tremendous economic impact and ripple effect that would have on our local ag economy and community.”

Gabbard says, “Once we get the data, that’s why we need those numbers, so we can sit down and meet with Bella Hughes of Shaka Tea, other companies, and bring people into a working group to see okay what are your suggestions, to me that’s part of policymaking.”

Lawmakers expect to receive the study results before the next legislative session….

April, 2019: SCR204: OHA Insiders Exploit Aloha Poke Controversy to Grab Ownership of Hawaiian Culture for Themselves

read … Protecting Hawaii-branding

Justices: ‘Reasonable’ access to Hawaiian language immersion a constitutional right

HNN: … The state Supreme Court has ruled Hawaii’s constitution requires “reasonable access” to Hawaiian language immersion programs as a necessary component of restoring the language and ultimately the culture.

The case was brought by the parent of two schoolchildren on Lanai. The only public school on the island has not been able to build a Hawaiian language immersion program.

Lanai school officials said they tried repeatedly to hire faculty for an immersion program, but had too much trouble recruiting.

In a 3-to-2 decision, the state Supreme Court ruled that access to a Hawaiian language class a few times a week was not sufficient and said steps must be taken to attempt to build the program.

“These steps might include providing greater financial or other incentives to attract immersion teachers to Lanai, furnishing transportation for a teacher to commute to Lanai, using multiple instructors to share teaching duties, partnering with community members knowledgeable in olelo Hawaii, modifying school days or hours of instruction to accommodate the availability of a teacher, or adopting any other alternative method of providing access to a Hawaiian immersion program," the justices wrote….

read … Justices: ‘Reasonable’ access to Hawaiian language immersion a constitutional right

Rate Commission shooting for December finish

SA: … there does seem to be consensus on the seven-member commission that the rate structure should be as simple as possible.

Soon asked commissioners to discuss the idea of two rate categories. One would be a base category with a single fare for most adults, while a second discounted rate would apply for youths, seniors, those with accessibility issues and others.

“That would be pretty simple,” Soon told her colleagues. “You’re either in one category or you’re in the other.”

Soon also threw out for consideration the idea of the discounted rate being half that of the base rate.

Commissioner Ann Bouslog noted, however, that youths now pay $1.25 per one-way ride while seniors now pay $1 one way, both of which are lower than half of the standard adult fare of $2.75. Bouslog said she might be more comfortable with the discounted rate being one-third of the standard fare rate.

“We need to think about what the ratio should be,” Bouslog said.

Commissioner James Burke said another goal the panel should take into consideration is what it would take to convince Oahu motorists to give up their cars and hop onto transit.

Commissioners also appear to be indicating a preference for a single rate schedule for both bus and rail. “We’re pretty much evolving toward that,” Soon said after the meeting…..

read … Rate Commission shooting for December finish

Laniakea: Continued Finger-Pointing and Excuses

SA: … It can take as long as an hour for North Shore drivers to travel just 2 miles in front of Laniakea Beach, where a 10-year-old boy from California was hit by a vehicle Aug. 1 while crossing Kamehameha Highway to get to a popular spot to watch sea turtles….

Tourism officials are offering to help fund short- and medium-­term solutions — if any can be found — because of fears of a community backlash against visitors.

“We’re willing to assist any which way we can,” said Mufi Hannemann, president and CEO of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association. “The last thing we want to see is places with major interest and appeal to tourists and residents who say, ‘No tourists allowed.’ We have to work with government and figure out how we can manage this better.”…

But (because the State is tied up in ‘Environmental’ red tape) there are no proposed solutions that are simple or cheap….

The state Department of Transportation insists that 1,000 feet of concrete barriers installed in December 2013 on the mauka side of Kamehameha Highway prevented people from parking and jaywalking.

But the barriers had to come down in 2015 after a successful lawsuit by the Save Laniakea Coalition and five other plaintiffs.

“We know the barriers worked when they were in place,” said Ed Sniffen, the DOT’s deputy director of highways. “If the barriers were still in place, that kid never would have gotten hit. … We’ve been pushing to replace the barriers for the last four years because we know the barriers are the best short-term safety methodology we have up there.”

Witnesses at the time said the boy, from San Jose, Calif., flew 10 to 15 feet in the air after he was struck around 2:30 p.m., then was taken in serious condition to The Queen’s Medical Center. The unidentified boy returned home with his parents two days later.

Attorney Bill Saunders represented four professional surfers — including a former North Shore lifeguard — and an amateur surfer who relies on a wheelchair in their lawsuit against the state to get the barriers removed.

(Clue: The wheel chair is their ace in the hole.)

Saunders said he realizes that the lawsuit has now led to complaints about traffic that is changing how — and when — people drive around the North Shore.

“My son lives up there,” Saunders said. “My son curses me every day because of the traffic.”…

read … Some fear backlash against tourists could arise at Laniakea Beach

News from Big Island: PETA Complains About ‘Bullying’ by Animal Liberation Nuts

CB: …The Big Island would be making a big mistake if it allows anti-euthanasia bullies to pressure the Hawaii Island Humane Society into adopting misguided and dangerous “no-kill” shelter policies, which usually translate into “no help” for the community’s most at-risk animals (“Big Island: Critics Say County Ignores Animal Shelters’ High Kill Rates”)….

(How crazy is the Big Island?  PETA is now the voice of … uh … reason???)

read … Animal Shelter Stats Don’t Tell The Whole Story

News from Big Island: Chem-Trail Conspiracy Theories Rage After Aeroplane Flies over Kona

WHT: … West Hawaii Today received numerous reports from people South Kona to North Kona of what appeared to be a vapor trail arcing over the area from the ocean to over Hualalai. Calls and emails started coming in to the newspaper about 9:20 a.m.

“I just noticed something coming from the ocean,” said South Kona resident Sam Kauhaihao, who captured the cloud formation on video starting at 9:10 a.m. “It just kind of moved slowly throughout the sky.”

Another photo, submitted by Mark Sale, showed the contrail over the Magic Sands Beach Park area. He questioned if a large plan had just sprayed a “chem trail” over the area about 9 a.m.

Gavin Shigesato, a (very bored) meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu said, (really, guys) the white lines of vapor were a contrail from a plane (are you guys really asking me this?) ….

read … Smoking Waaay too Much Weed

Soft on Crime: 4th DUI Gets 10 Days After Pulling Knife on Bartender

MN: … A Wailuku man with three prior DUI convictions was taken into custody Aug. 7 to finish serving a 10-day jail term for a fourth DUI conviction within 10 years….

He had pleaded no contest to habitually driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with his arrest Nov. 2, 2017.

Shortly before 1 a.m. that day, police were sent to Lower Main Street in Wailuku to investigate a report that a man wearing a Walmart uniform brandished a knife and began yelling when he was refused service at a bar, said Deputy Prosecutor Jeffery Temas….

When the officer asked his name, Helson “looked at him blankly” before eventually blurting out his name, Temas said. “And then he said, as he laughed, ‘I’m drunk already,’ ” Temas said.

Deputy Public Defender Zach Raidmae said a plea agreement recommending the minimum sentence for Helson was reached, in part because no blood or breath test was done.

Helson has completed treatment and was attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, Raidmae said.

“He is now pastor of his church,” Raidmae said….

(And people wonder why the church is declining.)

read … Fourth conviction in decade for DUI leads to jail time

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