RIMPAC 2024 Kicks off in Hawaii
Five candidates are running for Hawaii’s two U.S. House districts—the fewest in the last 10 years
Veto? Hawaii governor under fire over authority to suspend electronic media transmission
‘You’re Nothing!’: Hawaii Black Cop Was Belittled and Racially Bullied By Colleagues, Leading to Four Officers Arrested, Nine Others Placed on Paid Leave
Christian Good News Clubs Win Equal Access in Hawaii Schools
One Day's Media Debunk
Makawao meth trafficker gets nine years in federal prison
Rate Hikes Coming: ‘Wheeling’ Scam will funnel ratepayer money to Wind and Solar Developers
KHON: … “I think it (wheeling) does give conniptions to HECO, but it has also raised major concerns in the past from the consumer advocate, from Ulupono Initiative and from Life of the Land, because we’re worried about cross subsidizations,” Curtis said. “We’re worried about that if there is a choice piece of property that would be magnificent to produce solar on it, why shouldn’t that solar go into the grid and help everybody lower their costs, instead of having it benefit just one entity?”
(TRANSLATION: The Solar Industry will bribe department heads to direct their department to buy ‘discount’ electricity ‘from’ solar providers. This is a way to pretend to reduce ‘curtailment.’ It is all an illusion. The power actually comes from diesel plants.)
“If large users are able to bypass that and not pay their share of these embedded costs,” Curtis adds, “then they will be absorbed by everyone else, right? I would say it’s ultimately much better if you’re on a continent and there are large players and multiple transmission lines in multiple places to get renewables, but on small, isolated grids, you really have to be very careful.”….
(TRANSLATION: Rate hikes for everyone else.)
“This docket dips one’s toe into it by requiring government-to-government,” explains Henry Curtis, executive director of Life of the Land, a Hawaii advocate since the 1970s on environmental policies including energy. “If there are any subsidies or cross-costs involved, we can work that out now, and then if it all works out, then you can open it up on a retail level to everyone else.”…
(TRANSLATION: The Solar Industry can provide illegal kickbacks to department heads who will then direct their department to buy ‘discount’ electricity ‘from’ solar providers.)
2000-01: Enron Deathstar California
2012: FERC Issues $2.5M Sanction in Electric Market Manipulation Investigation: Company Pursued Wheeling Transactions to Benefit Other Electric Transactions at Same Point – Power & Pipes (morganlewis.com)
HFDC: What are Wheeling Charges in Electricity Bill | PayZapp (hdfcbank.com)
May 7, 2024: Legislature Kills Electricity Wheeling Bills | Ililani Media
read … New wheeling docket could usher big energy market shift in Hawaii
LOL! HART board looks to hire PR firm to improve its image
SA: … Allegations of “bullying and harassment” of Kahikina by Hanabusa eventually prompted Mayor Rick Blangiardi to issue a memo in early June urging the board to offer his appointee a multiyear contract. The mayor also requested HART to fully cooperate with an investigation into any alleged harassment of Kahikina by board members.
Hanabusa said that on May 22 she referred concerns to the city’s human resources department for investigation in a move that she called “self-reporting myself.”
Amid that investigation, Hanabusa last week stated — though did not fully explain — that she intends to step down from chairing the board later this year but remain on the panel. That news came the same day the board provisionally granted Kahikina a multiyear contract, with a minimum of three years, subject to terms and conditions to be negotiated.
(CUE THEME MUSIC: ‘To Dream The Impossible Dream’)
At HART’s Friday board meeting, the panel also discussed whether to tap $110,000 — money earmarked from HART’s new $138.3 million operating budget, which took effect Monday — to either hire a PR firm or appoint a PR person to serve the board only.….
(IQ Test: How hard are you laughing?)
Meanwhile: Former HART Board Members Violated Sunshine Law By Discussing $1M Hanabusa ‘Consulting’ Contract In Private
read … HART board looks to hire PR firm to improve its image
Sen Karl Rhoades Suddenly Doesn’t Want Convicted Felons to have the Right to Vote or Hold Office
CB: … On Wednesday, the day before Trump and Joe Biden debated (if “debated” is the right word to describe what took place on CNN), the Rhoades took to his X account to point out that many states do not allow convicted felons to run for or hold office.
It’s true. Hawaii also prohibits felons (e.g., Donald Trump) from voting in elections, unless they are placed on probation or paroled.
(TRANSLATION: Inmates cannot vote. Released criminals can vote and hold office. Hawaii Democrats have pushed to open up the process to other criminals for years. For instance: Convicted drug dealer J Kalani ‘Powdernose’ English got elected to the Senate. Surprisingly, he turned out to still be a criminal.)
There is no such restriction in the U.S. Constitution, which means Trump could indeed serve as president again even if behind bars. It would take a constitutional amendment to fix that. What a country, eh?...
COMPLETELY UNRELATED: The Secret History of the Mercado Kim Crime Family
read … The Sunshine Blog: Put Down Your Pencils. Our Political Cartoonist Contest Is A Wrap
State to soon start sending out checks to descendants of DHHL beneficiaries
HNN: … Lawyers told Hawaii News Now that about 10% of the descendants’ claims have been processed since the first hearings in March.
Despite the progress, they believe it will likely be years before the settlement money is completely paid.
It’s been two years since the state settled the Kalima lawsuit over a range of things, from lost applications to mismanagement and even corrupt use of homelands.
Now, the state must pay about 1,200 known descendants of plaintiffs who’ve died. Each one requires the approval of the probate court….
read … State to soon start sending out checks to descendants of DHHL beneficiaries
Kula fire victims still waiting for back-up power source to keep hydrants working
HNN: … Today, a key way to fight fires in Kula still relies on electricity — and that’s not a given.
Kula homeowners on Kualono Place are now all trained to use a stand pipe next to a gulch.
“Water will come flying out of it and there’s tons of pressure in this thing,” said resident Mark Ross, who added they have donated fire hoses and tools to turn on the hydrant….
The stand pipe was there, but, during the Kula Fire, a power outage rendered it useless.
Ross said a water truck had to drive up and down the mountain to fill up then douse the flames….
Kula residents asked about backup power sources in a public meeting last month with the Maui Emergency Management Agency. MEMA Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett said plans are being developed to address the issue — 10 months after the Aug. 8 wildfires.
“But they are not complete yet,” Hewett said, on the Zoom meeting.
He also said back-up power generators have been ordered by the county water department, but he didn’t know if Kula was on the list to receive one.
“There’s a huge effort to get backup power, county wide, and obviously that’s going to be based on priority where the most risk of vulnerability exists,” Hewett told the meeting attendees….
read … Kula fire victims still waiting for back-up power source to keep hydrants working
Some Maui residents trying to stop 'largest-ever' housing development in Makena
KITV: … Some Valley Isle residents are trying to stop a proposal to develop about 1,000 acres in South Maui into homes, one of the largest housing projects in the island's history.
The project is called "Makena Mauka" and it would involve building about 850 to 900 units within the Makena Golf and Beach Club.
Developers are set to hold a public meeting on the plan at 6 p.m. Monday at the Malcolm Center in Kihei. Community members are encouraged to attend and provide input.
You can also submit written feedback online here….
read … Some Maui residents trying to stop 'largest-ever' housing development in Makena
Big Island Planning commissions support proposal for residential beekeeping
HTH: … A proposal that would allow Big Island beekeepers to work closer to home remains popular among residents and policymakers alike.
While apiaries and beehives are currently only allowed on agricultural-zoned land, Hawaii County Council Bill 144 would open them up to be kept in any zoning district while revamping statutory language governing beekeeping….
read … Planning commissions support proposal for residential beekeeping
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