1853 Hawaiian Mission to Marquesan Cannibals
Council Candidate Texeira Gets DUI
Important Reminders on Your Ballot
Pro-Telescope Voter Guide
Hawaii Gasoline Tax 6th Highest in USA
Unemployment Tax in the Nonprofit Sector
COVID Count: 45 new cases out of 638 tests
Hawaii Congressional Delegation How They Voted August 1, 2020
HART to Sign Secret $4B Rail Contract
Shapiro: … Taxpayers face more potentially ruinous hits from the city’s rail debacle if the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation is allowed to sign a massive contract to finish the final 4 miles to Ala Moana Center without full public vetting.
HART has received at least two proposals for a public-private partnership to complete the last construction on the $9.2 billion project as well as operate the system for 30 years.
HART has refused to identify potential partners and said it won’t reveal terms of the deal until the contract is awarded late this month, claiming dubiously that state procurement laws prohibit any disclosure.
The city and its rail agency have made one dumb mistake after another in running the cost of Hawaii’s largest public works project ever to nearly twice its original budget, with completion six years behind schedule.
The proposed P3 is the biggest single rail contract, entailing $1.4 billion to build guideway and stations through the city center and a parking structure at Pearl Highlands, plus operating costs that could exceed $4 billion over 30 years.
If Mayor Kirk Caldwell and the City Council allow HART to sign this contract and obligate these funds without thorough public review, it’ll be the most egregious negligence yet in their shoddy oversight of this project — especially with current economic instability….
Aug 6, 2020: Pine urges direct federal oversight of rail’s P3 contract awards
read … Oahu rail careens toward yet another fiscal train wreck
COVID: Hawaii Heading for 5,000 Cases by Sept 1
SA: … Hawaii health officials warn that the state is headed up a dangerous slope of COVID-19 infections and could plunge off an economic and public health cliff in the next month if it continues to see daily triple-digit cases.
“At this current trajectory we’ll have 5,000 cases by Sept. 1,” said Lt. Gov. Josh Green, an emergency room physician on Hawaii island, who estimates that at the current rate of infection, hospitals will soon be full of COVID-19 patients.
He projects 90 more coronavirus patients will be hospitalized over the next few weeks, and at an average of 100 cases per day, there could be 3,000 new cases in the next month alone, about 11% of them severe enough to require inpatient care….
read … Hawaii’s recent surge in COVID-19 could further cripple the state, health officials warn
Borreca: Democrats Must Vote for Mafia Candidate for Mayor
Borreca: … The big separation is that Blangiardi is liked by 13% of the Democrats and 33% of the Republicans. (Mafia) Hanabusa gets the nod from 27% of the Democrats and 12% of the Republicans.
(The purpose of this column is to falsely tag the independent Blangiardi as a Republican in order to steer Dem votes to the Mafia candidate, Hanabusa.)
I doubt there is a voter who recognizes (Mafia) Hanabusa that doesn’t also know she is a Democrat — a vocal, spirited, Waianae Democratic leader.
Blangiardi, however, is another story. When I asked him about his political party preference, he wouldn’t say.
“I am truly an ‘Independent’, and neither a ‘D’ or an ‘R’ because my career in broadcast media required me to always remain neutral politically,” Blangiardi said. On his campaign webpage, he added that “I’m an independent. Always have been. I am liberal in some areas and conservative in others, and I don’t believe either party can lay claim to all of the best ideas in every area.”
Blangiardi is supported by Democrats and also Republicans such as former Gov. Linda Lingle, arguably Hawaii’s most popular Republican….
(Skip several paragraphs on how terrible Lingle was—and no paragraphs on Hanabusa’s decades-log record of mafia dealings.)
Then go here for some Reality: www.TheRealHanabusa.com
read … Mafia Sales Pitch for Votes
More Mafia News: Miske defendant seeking release from federal detention also faces felony assault charges in state court
ILind: … Evelyn Cullen is the mother of two young men prosecutors say were violently assaulted by Buntenbah and other bouncers in a January 31, 2016 incident at the M Nightclub, which was managed by Miske. She wants to make sure the attack on her sons and their friends isn’t ignored.
Cullen said her sons and two friends were attacked as they were preparing to leave the club at around 3:30 a.m.
One of the men, Chase Aki, was allegedly attacked without warning by a group of bouncers dressed in matching black clothing, including Buntenbah….
Pat Cullen was left unconscious on the ground outside the entrance to the club, with a broken collar bone and bleeding badly from a head wound. His brother worried Pat was going to die and refused to leave him.
“I wasn’t about to leave my brother in case he died,” Kaipo Cullen was quoted as saying. “I didn’t care if they were pummeling me and beating me because if he was gonna die, he was gonna die with me holding him.”
Hawaii News Now reported on the incident and included several post-attack photographs as well as video….
read … More Mafia News
Pushing Overpriced Hu Honua Electricity, PRP, ILWU Trying to Buy Big Island Council Seat
HTH: … In a replay of a 2014 West Hawaii council race, a powerful Honolulu pro-construction political action committee has targeted a sitting councilwoman by standing up a well-financed challenger in an attempt to unseat her.
In the latest case it’s the Kona District 7 council seat now held by freshman Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas. The super PAC Be Change Now has spent $85,897 in advertising promoting challenger Jane Clement, a former aide to then Kona Councilman Dru Kanuha….
Forward Progress was headed by John White, the former executive director of Pacific Resource Partnership. White has since taken the helm of Hawaii operations for Strategies 360, a Seattle-based research, public relations and communications firm boasting it shapes business, politics and culture. Strategies 360 and its employees have together contributed another $5,500 to Clements’ campaign account.
Clement is also a veteran of Strategies 360, where she worked with White. She said Friday she has since left the position….
It’s been a tough week for Villegas. On Thursday, she was notified the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 142 withdrew its endorsement of her because she is opposed to Honua Ola, a 21.5-megawatt biofuel power plant under construction in Pepeekeo.
“Effective immediately, we are asking your campaign to remove any ILWU local 142 logos from your campaign material, as well as from any website and social media account that you may have during this election year,” ILWU Hawaii Division director Elmer Gorospe said in a letter….
“It’s unfortunate that the ILWU have resorted to this strong arming tactic,” said Hamakua Councilwoman Val Poindexter. “That’s the message they are sending out — do as I say or else.”..
HTH: Kim’s friends, employees chip in, Roth maintains strong money lead as election draws nigh
read … Only the names have changed: Honolulu super PAC resurfaces in West Hawaii races
Health official says COVID-19 cluster on Maui is tied to large beach parties
HNN: … In Maui County, indoor and outdoor social gatherings are limited to no more than 10.
Victorino said they have done enough education. Now it's time for arrests.
“I don’t think the education is necessary anymore. They will be cited or arrested,” he said.
The crackdown on the Valley Isle comes as the county logged four more COVID-19 cases on Friday.
Video taken last month at Baldwin Beach Park in Paia shows dozens of people not practicing social distancing and not wearing masks.
“The accounts are 50, 75, 100, 200 people on various different occasions, it occurs every Friday night at Baldwin Beach,” said Kipahulu resident Theresa Kapaku. “The residents have told me that they avoid this area because of those activities.”
Dozens of fed up residents held signs along Hana Highway Friday afternoon saying they have had enough.
“You can tell on social media that there is a line in the sand and there are people who don’t believe that this a problem. Therefore, they continue to get together in social gatherings and highly risking the community to exposure to this virus,” Kapaku said.
Maui’s District Health Officer Doctor Lorrin Pang said about half a dozen coronavirus cases are tied to large beach parties and dozens of people were seriously exposed.
“There’s a case and he exposed other people, over 100, 150,” Dr. Pang said. “Of the cases we know, there might be five or ten others and we’ve seen these big gatherings where people kind of get a little bit forgetful of those things.”
Organizers of Friday’s protest said they were successful in stopping Friday night’s but say more needs to be done….
KHON: Large gatherings continue as officials warn of more restrictions and a possible shut down
read … Health official says COVID-19 cluster on Maui is tied to large beach parties
Hawaii business owners hold virtual rally to call for government action
KITV: … "We need to recognize ineffective leadership that is disconnected to the everyday struggles of common people and as small business owners, we cannot continue to go down this another shutdown or diminished business," said Thomas Ray, Partner of Square Barrels and Heiho House.
Bar owners like Ray say they're being unfairly targeted, due to the actions of what he calls a few negligent people that prompted Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell to close all bars for three weeks.
Ray was among more than 100 people who took part in the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii's virtual SOS Biz Rally on Zoom this morning. The Chamber said an additional 200 people viewed the event live on Facebook.
The owner of a 50-year-old institution in Hilo spoke about the uncertainty.
"What we're gonna do now I think is is a long waiting game. I don't have any ideas of how we'll hang on because I don't know how long we have to hang on," said Debbie Ching-Maiava, owner and manager of Ken's House of Pancakes and Ponds Restaurant….
read … Hawaii business owners hold virtual rally to call for government action
Lab result delays cause lower case count as health leaders continue call for self-sustained testing
HNN: … On Saturday, Hawaii health officials reported 87 new cases of COVID-19, all on Oahu.
That was reflective of nearly 3,400 tests, and had a positive rate of about 2.5 percent. But the health department says there’s a good chance cases are actually higher, due to a delay in mainland labs reporting results.
“87 historically would have been a terrible number, but as compared to 123, it’s a lot better. So, we’re hoping that we’re trending that way,” Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh green said.
Health officials are now continuing their push for Hawaii to be more self-sufficient in testing and processing samples.
It would not only cut down on the wait time for a result, but it would also help get an upper hand on tracking the virus.
Right now, tests from the most at-risk and symptomatic patients are being processed locally by Clinical Labs of Hawaii, according to Dr. Scott Miscovich.
“They have to respond to emergencies first. They have to respond to the hospitals and intensive cares where we clearly know those are going up,” he said.
From there, it’s the lesser urgent tests from A-symptomatic, low-risk patients that are being sent to partner labs in Texas.
Results there can take up to a week to be returned. It’s that lengthy delay that is cause for concern for health officials.
“How do you stop a disease unless you get those people in 12 hours — 24 at the most? Isolate them, take care of them,” Dr. Scott Miscovich of Premier Medical Group said.
Meanwhile, efforts to increase Hawaii’s local testing capabilities have stalled.
The pooling method approved by the FDA last month isn’t yet being done in Hawaii. Pooling allows up to four samples to be run at once….
read … Lab result delays cause lower case count as health leaders continue call for self-sustained testing
Hawaii Wanted To Save Insurance Money. People Died
CB: … When Josie Howard heard that Gov. David Ige planned to push thousands of low-income Pacific Islander migrants off state-funded public health insurance in 2015, she worried about what that would mean for her community….
Her fears were confirmed by University of Hawaii researchers last week. A new study found that the mortality rate for Micronesians in Hawaii has grown every year between 2015 and 2018, curving upward compared with that of white and Japanese residents.
Approximately 94 additional Micronesians died between 2015 and 2018 after the Ige administration removed the migrant community from Med-QUEST — the state version of Medicaid that provides health coverage for impoverished people — and transferred them onto more expensive private insurance….
read … Hawaii Wanted To Save Insurance Money. People Died
Maui Uses COVID Rules to Clamp Down on TVRs (again)
MN: … The County of Maui has clarified its section on transient vacation rentals in its latest Emergency Rules document. The changes are in regards to new or “intended” Hawaiʻi residents.
Under the updated rules issued on July 31, 2020, no TVR may be designated as a quarantine location; however, new or intended residents may use a long-term rental for their 14-day mandatory quarantine.
A long-term rental unit can be used only once as a quarantine location in any six-month period…..
read … Updated Public Health Emergency Rules Related to Maui TVRs
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