State Capitol Signs up for Non-Existent Seawater Air Conditioning Scheme
Senate Holding Special Session to Confirm Judicial Appointments
HECO Biofuel Contract—$7.69 per gallon
‘Psychopathic’ escapee from Hawaii arrested in Stockton
FBI Investigating How HGEA Allowed Lunatic to Escape
KITV: … All the way to San Jose.
That is how far a Hawaii State Hospital patient, with a violent past, got before law enforcement was notified he escaped.
Randall Saito caught a cab, a chartered plane to Maui, then a commercial jet to California.
Unlike at the main airport, charter flights don't have TSA checkpoints and extensive screening.
Island News learned Randall Saito went to Royal Pacific Air on Lagoon Drive, after he walked away from the hospital.
After Saito was dropped off at the charter service Sunday morning, a 6 passenger twin engine Piper Navajo plane was chartered to Maui.
While the doors were locked at Royal Pacific Air on Tuesday, and they did not answer repeated phone calls from Island News, other companies on Lagoon Drive quoted a one-way charter with similar planes at more than $2,000 dollars.
Charters must also be booked with an ID and a credit card.
"Credit cards they would not be allowed to have," said State Hospital Administrator Bill May. He added patients wouldn't have cellphones either and only limited access to computers, but they are allowed visitors. May could not detail the level of security Saito's visitors would undergo, and how thoroughly they would be searched.
There are dozens of cameras monitoring the hospital grounds, one even captured Saito leaving the facility. But May will not say who or what allowed the patient to walk away.
"Due to the active criminal investigation we can't do that -- anything we presume, may affect that criminal investigation," stated May….
read … Jail HGEA
Lunatic Escape ‘An Inside Job’?
SA: …The FBI’s violent crimes task force and U.S. marshals have joined in the manhunt.
Court records indicate Saito has relatives in California who manage money he inherited from his father. Records also show Saito informed a doctor that his family “sends him some as necessary.”
Meanwhile, State Hospital Administrator William May and Adult Mental Heath Division Administrator Mark Fridovich on Tuesday were short on answers….
They also said it’s possible the escape could have been an inside job. But they added any such scenarios likely wouldn’t emerge until after a full investigation into the matter.
Fridovich said the State Hospital is obligated to treat its patients in the least restrictive setting.
“And that means, as part of their rehabilitation, affording them the opportunity to explore relative autonomy and some independence around their movement,” he said. “It’s not a custodial environment; it’s not a prison environment where people are locked up for periods of time.”…
In 1993 city prosecutors consulted with the FBI when Saito applied for release. FBI agents interviewed Saito for six hours, according to a 1997 account in The Honolulu Advertiser.
During the interview Saito remembered how the blood smelled when he shot Yamashiro behind the ear, how it felt when he stabbed her and how she looked when she died.
“This was important to him. He remembered all the details,” FBI Special Agent Jim McNamara told the paper. “It became clear there was no way he should be on the street again.”….
AG: FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR BENCH WARRANT ISSUED FOR ESCAPEE RANDALL SAITO
read … Inside Job?
Escapee married HGEA hospital worker
KHON: …in 1990, Saito got married on the grounds of the Hawaii State Hospital to a woman who had worked at there as a patient advocate.
According to court records, that marriage lasted 10 years….
“He was going to go to California when he got released, buy a gun, return to Hawaii, and blow away the staff,” FBI criminal behavior expert Alan Brantley said in 1993….
read … He Runs the Asylum
Documents: Hospital escapee had sexual relations with at least 3 staff
HNN: Documents from 1993 obtained by Hawaii News Now revealed that Saito had sexual relations with at least three hospital staff members. Saito has been known for his manipulative nature, and sources say sexual relations took place on multiple occasions where he was able to obtain contraband….
Saito was acquitted by reason of insanity for the gruesome 1979 killing of 29-year-old Sandra Yamashiro at Ala Moana Center.
Sources confirm that despite Saito's dangerous past and violent tendencies, he was allowed to roam the grounds of the hospital freely, with a requirement that he check in with staff periodically (for quickies?).
read … HGEA Laying Down on the Job
Housing? Only 900 units Built on Oahu
HPR: The Building Industry Association of Hawai’i sponsored its 3rd Summit titled, “Still Houseless in Hawai’i.” HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.
The state estimates the Island of O’ahu needs close to 26-hundred housing units built each year over the next decade. But, less than 900 units were built last year. Economist Paul Brewbaker says the government regulatory process is to blame.
“I graduated from Kailua High School in 1973, a year in which there were 13-thousand housing units authorized by housing permits. In one year. Koa Ridge and Ho’opili combined, without computers. Okay. If you’ve got a process that issued 13-thousand building permits a year and now, with computers, and apps and whatever. Braddah. The problem is you.”
Brewbaker says since the mid-1970s, less than 1 percent of existing housing stock is built each year. .
But, the State says it’s on track to build 10-thousand units by 2020. Denise Iseri-Matsubara is the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant.
“About 53-hundred units have been produced since the Governor first took office. Forty percent of those are affordable. Another 14-hundred units are under construction. And another 45-hundred units are in some stage of the planning phase.”…
Meanwhile, Economist Brewbaker, says the supply-side of housing -- the developers -- cannot navigate the regulatory process in time to meet increased peaks in demand….
read … BIA Housing Summit: "Still Houseless in Hawai'i"
All Sister Isle Mayor Planning to Establish Massive Festering Homeless Tent Cities
HNN: …Big Island Mayor Harry Kim created the state's only homeless safe zone this summer in Kona.
As the county works to triple its capacity, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa says he's hoping to have a temporary legal encampment set up on his island early next year.
"We are actually working with several areas. One of them is Old Maui High School. We have a group that is trying to put the equivalent of a safe zone there. And places where people can actually go park their car at night," said Arakawa.
Arakawa says he's also looking at establishing a mobile home park.
"If we could actually create a trailer park where we're using mobile vehicles and we don't have to go through all the zoning and rezoning process that would take years and years hopefully we'll be able to get this done very quickly," he said.
The mayor of Kauai agrees safe zones are a good thing.
"I believe we need at least one for now," said Mayor Bernard Carvalho.
Carvalho says legal encampments can act as a bridge to get people from the street to permanent housing…
(This is a good idea. With homelessness exploding up 25% on the West Coast, they will soon be flying to Hawaii and Oahu residents will be happy to know that the Sister Isles are preparing to keep the homeless happy.) .
read … Tent City Coming to an Island Near You
Biofuel Questioned
IM: …“Maui Tomorrow strongly supports MECO’s commitment to shrinking its carbon footprint, but we cannot see how the stated preference for lower carbon emissions is built into these RFPs. We also specifically note that the liquid fueled power plant which is allowed as a bidder option at the company owned Waena site would seem to be inconsistent with these promises if it is fueled with high carbon fuels. Biofuels are renewable but not necessarily carbon neutral, let alone carbon reducing.”….
read … HECO & MECO Proposed Renewable Energy RFP Raises Questions
HECO Biofuel Contract—$7.69 per gallon
SA: …Under the new deal, Pacific Biodiesel would annually provide HECO with 2 million to 4 million gallons of biodiesel made from recycled cooking oil and other sources, including sunflower seeds grown on Maui. That represents a potential increase of 1 million gallons over the existing contract for 2 million to 3 million gallons a year, though Pacific Biodiesel has already produced over 4 million gallons for HECO in a year.
“This new contract accomplishes our goal of using locally produced biofuel to the greatest extent possible,” Ron Cox, HECO’s senior vice president for operations, said in a statement.
The amount of fuel in both contracts represents a small portion of what HECO uses to run its Oahu power plants. Last year biodiesel represented 2 percent of HECO’s oil and diesel consumption. (Translation: Its a fig leaf for diesel plants.) The alternative fuel also helps the company meet renewable-energy standards, and the new contracts are reducing costs for ratepayers.
HECO wouldn’t disclose its contract price for biodiesel because it said that keeps pricing competitive with other potential biodiesel suppliers.
The existing contract produced a 13 percent savings on what HECO previously paid for biodiesel from Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group Inc….
When HECO proposed its first deal with Pacific Biodiesel, the utility said the lower price for one year amounted to roughly $3 million saved. Spread among HECO customers, those savings would be 30 cents a month, or 0.2 percent less, for a typical residential customer using 600 kilowatt-hours of electricity.
(Do the Math: $3M / 0.13 = $23M / 3M gallons = $7.69 per gallon)
Under the current biodiesel contract, the renewable fuel is used by an 8-megawatt emergency power plant at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, a 110-megawatt generation station at Campbell Industrial Park and other power plants if needed.
Last year Pacific Biodiesel provided HECO with 4.8 million gallons of biodiesel, well over the contract’s upper range, by mutual agreement….
The Campbell plant would switch to burning regular diesel fuel after the Schofield plant starts operating, the company said….
read … Biofools
Honolulu Council to Vote on Styrofoam Ban
SA: A bill proposing a ban on polystyrene foam on Oahu is scheduled for a hearing before a Honolulu City Council committee Wednesday afternoon.
The Committee on Public Works, Infrastructure and Sustainability is expected to vote on Bill 71, introduced by councilman Kymberly Pine, which proposes a ban on the use of polystyrene foam containers by food vendors as well as food packagers.
The bill, which amends an existing ordinance, passed first reading in early September and is similar to one that passed on Hawaii island that same month.
Fines for the first violation in the Honolulu bill would be up to $250 for the first violation within a one-year period, and up to $500 for second and subsequent violations in a one-year period…..
read … Regressive Leftism
Sunscreen, Styrofoam and Dairies: The State of Regressive leftism in Hawaii
KGI: …Arguably, Hawaii County also has the most progressive (sic) and environmentally sensitive (hysterical) council in terms of the programs and policies it has passed into law. They are the only county council to pass laws effectively banning new GMO crops from being grown in the county, they recently passed an ordinance banning polystyrene single-use food containers….
And it is important to point out, their council members (unlike their counterparts on Kauai) are not afraid to criticize a local industrial dairy operation that has raised odor and health concerns within their county.
While correlation does not necessarily imply causation, one might argue that there is a noticeable trend of more people- and earth-friendly policies when there are more women in office. Consider, for example, Maui County. They were actually the first County Council to ban polystyrene food containers. They have set up a program to shift the county park weed-control programs off of commercial herbicides such as glyphosate (Round-Up) to more earth/health-friendly practices, and they are currently reviewing a bill that would ban certain sunscreen products known (NOT!) to kill our coastal reef systems.
Again, in third place is the City and County of Honolulu. They are currently at least considering a ban on those nasty single-use food containers, but have yet to pass it into law.
And perhaps somewhat predictably, in a distant fourth place is Kauai County. The Kauai County Council will not even hear a bill to ban polystyrene food containers, nor will they voice criticism or attempt to regulate commercial diaries or the related impacts. You will also hear no proposals to limit the county use of herbicides such as glyphosate on county roads and parks. And, in case you are wondering — it is highly unlikely there will be any proposals coming out of the Kauai County Council to prevent the use of reef-killing sunscreen…..
read … The State of Regressive leftism
Kauai Dairy: Tourism Industry Strikes Another Blow Against Agriculture
HNN: …A federal court ordered Hawaii Dairy Farms to pay $506,000 to The Friends of Mahaulepu, an environmental watchdog organization.
The money will go to cover legal fees encountered over a three-year legal battle.
The group brought to light violations of the Clean Water Act by the dairy, and the courts sided with The Friends of Mahaulepu.
Hawaii Dairy Farms was forced to adjust their operations and pay $125,000 for environmental work.
The awarding of legal fees is also meant to encourage citizen groups to continue serving as environmental watchdogs.
On the Big Island, similar violations resulted in fines for an Ookala farm that polluted the nearby area with fecal runoff earlier this year…..
read … Dairy farm violated Clean Water Act, told to pay up
Two Local Attorneys Assigned to Represent Kealohas
SA: …The federal court has named the lawyers who will represent former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his deputy prosecutor wife Katherine Kealoha against charges that they conspired to and obstructed justice, lied to investigators, and committed bank fraud and identity theft.
The court has tapped Rustam Barbee to represent Louis Kealoha and Cynthia Kagiwada to represent Katherine Kealoha.
According to the Hawaii State Bar Association, Barbee got his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School and entered the state bar in 1992. Before starting his private practice Barbee worked as a prosecutor for the Wisconsin attorney general’s office then as an assistant federal public defender for Hawaii and Guam.….
read … Your Tax Dollars at Work
Electrician’s speeding ticket zapped after working for Kealohas
SA: Adam Wong told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “I did something for her. I just asked her to do something for me.”…
Colin McDonald, a special attorney for the Justice Department, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Puglisi at the Kealohas’ arraignment Oct. 20 that Katherine Kealoha made false statements in state court in 2014 to get a case dismissed against someone with whom she and a law enforcement officer had a potential business relationship. McDonald did not name the law enforcement officer or defendant or say what kind of case was dismissed.
McDonald also told Puglisi that Kealoha contacted the defendant in January 2016 and told him that the dismissal was a mistake. Then in May 2016 Kealoha allegedly met with the defendant at her office to lay out a false narrative about the case…..
read … Zapped
Ex-guard gets 10-year prison sentence for sexual assault
MN: …She videotaped a sexual encounter between her and Siugpiyemal on Aug. 11, 2014, in her car at the Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapu. At the time, she was a work furlough inmate at the Wailuku jail.
The woman reported that Siugpiyemal had threatened to have her work furlough privileges taken away after he saw a photo of her wearing a bikini that she had posted on Facebook. He called her and the two exchanged text messages before she reported having sexual contact with Siugpiyemal on July 31, 2014, and Aug. 11, 2014…..
…Siugpiyemal had joined the Yap Police Department and was managing the U.S. census there…..
read … 10 Years
New Council Proposal Cuts Back Fire Sprinkler Requirements
CB:Only about half as many high rises built before 1975 would have to be retrofitted under an amended version of the measure….
The City Council legal affairs committee on Tuesday considered an amended version of Bill 69….
Under Caldwell’s original proposal, 358 buildings would need to be retrofitted.
The amended version, introduced by Council Chair Ron Menor requires roughly 150 buildings to be retrofitted within 12 years of the measure passing, with a possible three-year extension…..
SA: Don’t give up on sprinklers
SA: Don’t require sprinkler retrofits
read … Sprinkler
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