Hawaii Small Businesses Slowest to be Paid in USA
Tourism: US Arrivals Make up for Japanese Decline
There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Student Loan
Solar Schemers Deploy Poll Results
Caldwell’s Crooked ‘Ethics’ Commission Targets Police Whistleblowers
HNN: Sources say Louie Kealoha's attorney has asked the City Ethics Commission to investigate whistleblowers and the commission is doing that. Subpoenas have been sent out to dozens of police officers, former officers, and civilians are being ordered to testify under oath.
Ethics commission probes are supposed to be kept secret, so no one will say why officers must be questioned under oath. But sources say the chief is trying to find out who's been leaking details about the cases….
Legal experts say the commission putting potential witnesses under oath could interfere with the FBI's case. (BINGO! Now you know why this is being done.)
"Ethics commission complaints can be used as a litigation tool, a strategy, a tactic. The commission knows that, or should know that and this sort of investigation can in fact influence witnesses and that's something the commission should be mindful of and careful of," says attorney Bruce Voss.
Two of the city ethics commissioners declined to speak to Hawaii News Now.
Virginia Marks was seen going into private meetings that included the Kealoha's attorney, Kevin Sumida.
Sumida has also filed an anonymous lawsuit against the commission on behalf of the Kealoha's demanding the commission turn over details of the case against them.
read … More Unethical Ethics
Hauula: Protest Nai Aupuni—Tonight
LINK: Hauʻula Elementary 7 pm Thurs November 19, 2015
Telescope: Does Stay Mean Supreme Court Will Rule in Protesters Favor Soon?
SA: …Monday’s ruling had Native Hawaiian activists hailing the “excellent news,” but left all observers trying to decode any signals that might be emanating from the high court regarding its ultimate decision on the TMT’s fate. Does the temporary stay mean the court’s eagerly awaited ruling is imminent, nearly three months after arguments were heard? Does the court’s emergency stay on work, through Dec. 2, hint at its leaning on the Big Decision? ….
Reality: Telescope Prediction: Hawaii Supreme Court Will Rule for Challengers
read … Decision
Jones Act Leaves US Vulnerable to Sea Strangulation
SA: “China is testing us,” states a new report from Hawaii Pacific University that warns of a shortage of U.S.-flagged merchant ships and China’s ability to potentially withhold its own booming shipping to limit U.S. deliveries of consumer goods or troop supplies in a crisis.
An increasingly hostile China could use its growing domination of global shipping to enforce its strategic and military objectives, say the report’s authors — Patrick Bratton, chairman of the Department of History and International Studies at HPU, and retired Navy Capt. Carl Schuster, a visiting assistant history professor.
The United States is at risk of “sea strangulation” — also the name of the new report — in particular by China but also by other foreign powers, the two say .
read … Jones Act
Sand Island Homeless Facility Opens
KHON: It will offer shelter to homeless looking to get off the streets….
The first six people move into the facility Thursday, with full capacity at 90 people.
According to IHS’ Connie Mitchell, the goal is to have people transitioned into permanent housing within 60 days.
“We’re really about welcoming people who are motivated and really ready to work toward getting into housing, so we’re going to be connecting them up to all of our housing resources, making sure that they’re really focused on doing the things they need to do to get out of here in 60 days,” Mitchell said.
CB: Tweekers in Waianae Camp Should be in control of Homeless Policy
read … Hale Mauliola transitional housing, services center opens on Sand Island
Private Sector Willing To Foot The Bill To Help Hawaii’s Homeless Families
CB: The barren, 13-acre parcel is just off Nimitz Highway and right across the stream from Keehi Lagoon Park….
…In Hawaii, 13 funders pooled their resources last year to launch HousingASAP, a three-year, $4 million initiative to help homeless families secure permanent housing.
The initiative, led by the Hawaii Community Foundation, is aimed at getting eight homeless service providers to adapt Housing First, a national model that prioritizes placing people into permanent housing first and follows up with supportive services later….
To realize this vision, Kurisu says he’ll eschew public funds.
“The reason why we think it needs to be that way is because we don’t want to be pigeonholed into a position where we’re mandated to give free access to all the people in need,” Kurisu said. “We want to be prejudiced in a good way — to make sure that the priority is to help children.”
The project would still need some public support in the form of permits and zoning changes, as well as buy-in from nearby residents and businesses….
Related: Mental Health: Can Reform Solve Hawaii’s Homeless, Prison and Unfunded Liability Problems?
read … Because Homeless Are Expensive to Hospitals
After 10 Years Lawmaker wants Waianae Harbor homeless Meth-addict encampment cleared
HNN: For more than a decade, tents and makeshift shelters have dotted the 19 acres of state property at Waianae Boat Harbor.
Today, the site is home for 244 homeless people, including three families that just moved in.
Now, state Rep. Jo Jordan is asking whether it's time the state move the encampment out….
read … Meth
12 Per Day—Hawaii drug overdose epidemic
HNN: In Hawaii, drug overdoses kill more people than guns, car accidents or drownings.
Every day, emergency rooms see people who have overdosed on drugs. Doctors in the state treat close to 4,300 people each year. And according to the state Department of Health, the number of fatal drug overdoses in 2014 -- 155 -- is the highest it's been since 2011.
4,300 / 365 = 12
read … Overdose
Hawaii's 'housing ladder' under strain, driving up prices for middle class
HNN: A typical housing ladder allows people to move up a rung -- and into bigger homes at higher prices as their income increases. When that happens, experts say it opens up inventory on a lower rung -- of either affordable housing or moderately priced homes. This allows residents to build wealth.
"The problem with Hawaii's housing ladder is that typically developers have not been building for the middle segment of the ladder," said Jason Nishikawa, the real estate broker in charge for Marcus &Associates.
That middle segment equates to primarily workforce housing -- individuals making $60,000 to $85,000 a year or families of four with a combined income of $87,000 to $121,000.
"The need is tremendous, I think. Anybody that's currently looking for a home in town will tell you that it's very difficult. The inventory is very, very low," said Nishikawa….
SA: Hawaii jobless rate falls to 7-year-low of 3.3%
read … Strain
Housing: ‘Locals’ Outbuy Californians 10-1 – Or Not?
PBN: Between January and September, buyers with local addresses bought 11,638 properties in Hawaii worth a combined dollar volume of $6.3 billion. California buyers outpaced other Mainland states by purchasing 1,167 Hawaii properties, totaling $955.6 million, during the first nine months of this year.
But some real estate industry experts say those numbers don't tell the whole story.
Mike Imanaka, senior vice president of data services for Title Guaranty, said the recorded addresses of some Mainland and foreign buyers, particularly those who have purchased high-priced Hawaii homes and condominiums, can be tied to law firms or limited liability corporations with a local address. These kind of property purchases, he explained, would be grouped with sales made to Hawaii residents.
read … 10-1
Costly Maui baseyard kitchen revealed, investigation turned over to prosecutors
KHON: …A Maui resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said it started off as a staff kitchen.
“The purpose for the kitchen was for the working men that come out on call-outs, because they would come like bad kine times, really early in the morning or evening when they had bad weather,” the resident said.
Sources say that’s around the time these pictures were taken, when what would become a commercial catering kitchen first started to take shape.
“I’d say 10 years, it’s been there quite a while,” the resident said.
More appliances were added over the years, including an even bigger commercial refrigerator, plus a new upright freezer, and a big stove hood.
A donated meat cutter pictured in the old kitchen was later replaced with a brand new commercial meat cutter that cost thousands.
What began with a trickle of side cooking favors cascaded into a catering enterprise that sources say other onsite staff were made to work.
“This is people’s tax money. I feel like I should be the voice of the people. The people cannot come here and look and see what there is here or what’s going on, so I just feel I’m doing the right thing,” the resident said….
read … Kitchen
PUC demands that HECO report all incidents after questions go unanswered
KHON: KHON2 asked the PUC about Friday’s fire in Kalihi, which was sparked by a snapped power line. We went to the commission after HECO couldn’t answer our questions about how it happened, and what’s being done to keep it from happening again….
When we asked HECO about it Tuesday, a spokesman said, “There is no specific regulatory requirement for us to submit a report to the PUC for this type of incident.”….
But Iwase says it’s in the law books and he plans to enforce it….
KHON: HECO investigates downed power line that sparked two-alarm fire
read … Demands
HPD officer, former UH football star charged with abuse
KHON: …A Honolulu police officer was arrested earlier this week, accused of abuse of a household member.
Taase Faumui, 44, was taken into custody on Sunday.
He’s a former University of Hawaii football star who went on to play in the NFL. He joined the Honolulu Police Department 15 years ago….
read … Charged
Dengue Cases 72 and Counting
QUICK HITS: