Mortgage Fraud: DCCA ‘Findings of Fact’ Expose Dubin Financial
New rail taxes after election?
UH Survey: HPV Vaccination Rates Low
Primary Election Day Reminders
Deedy Beats Lynch Mob—No Third Trial
SA: …Earlier today, U.S. District Court Derrick Watson issued a decision that agreed with Deedy’s attorneys, who had argued that standing trial for manslaughter after having been acquitted of murder for shooting Elderts would violate the protection against double jeopardy in the U.S. Constitution….
County Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro said today that he will appeal….
Watson directed the state to release Deedy from the conditions of bail and of his supervised pretrial release, a status he’s been under for seven years. But that order will be put on hold if prosecutors obtain a stay from the federal appeals court.
Deedy, 33, has already stood trial twice for the November 2011 shooting in a Waikiki McDonald’s. Deedy was a State Department federal agent as part of the security detail assigned to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting of leaders from throughout the region and United States, including then-President Barack Obama….
Deedy argued that he had properly identified himself as a federal agent and was acting in self defense.
The first trial ended with the jurors deadlocked 8-4 in favor of finding Deedy not guilty of murder. The jury was not given the opportunity to consider any other charge.
The second trial ended with the jurors deadlocked 7-5 in favor of finding Deedy not guilty of manslaughter. At the request of Deedy attorney Thomas Otake’s request, state Circuit Judge Karen Ahn acquitted Deedy of murder. She also ordered a third trial for manslaughter.
In the meantime, Deedy appealed to the Hawaii Supreme Court, but all of his double-jeopardy claims were rejected by the high court.
A third trial had been scheduled for October.
Otake said at the time that the trials have drained Deedy financially….
read … No Third Trial
Lo Presti Caught on Video Stealing Opponents Flyers (again)
KHON: …Rep. Matt LoPresti was caught on camera outside of a home in Ewa Beach on July 15. Video shows him taking a flyer left outside the home by Alicia Maluafiti, who is running for the same state senate seat.
LINK: VIDEO of LoPresti in Action
The homeowner, Ellis Harkins, told us he does not want to press charges …. (Dear Ellis, please reconsider.)
“We all fail sometimes (me more than others), my failure was caught on camera (again), but I've been ashamed of what I had done since the day it happened (back in 2010 2012 2014 and 2016). I am grateful for this opportunity to come clean and admit my own failures and promise to my family, my friends, and to my community to keep on the high road in the future no matter how negative a campaign gets or how clouded my emotions become. (Because as a Senator I will only have to campaign every 4 years.)" –LoPresti (with accuracy enhancements in parenthesis)
LoPresti Memory Lane:
read … Lawmaker caught on home video taking opponent's campaign flyer
State Fines Pro-Hanabusa Super PAC $3,000
CB: Defend Hawaii Now, the new outside group whose pro-Colleen Hanabusa ads started running last week, has been fined $3,000 by the Campaign Spending Commission for not filing the required paperwork with the state.
Commission officials levied the fine against the new super PAC on Thursday — just two days before the primary election, according to the commission’s associate director, Tony Baldomero. The fine covers more than $150,000 in last-minute contracts to run television and print ads supporting Hanabusa’s bid to unseat Gov. David Ige.
The group’s ads started running July 30 on KITV, KFVE, KHNL, KHON and cable stations – about a week before Defend Hawaii Now filed its organizational report with the commission. The super PAC, backed by prominent contractor and longtime political donor Dennis Mitsunaga, still hasn’t filed the required electioneering reports for those advertising contracts.
Neither Mitsunaga nor the group’s listed treasurer, Ernie Moritomo, could be reached for comment Friday….
read … State Fines Pro-Hanabusa Super PAC $3,000
Same Day Voter Registration at the Polls Today
SA: …For the first time, Hawaii offers same-day registration on Election Day for eligible voters during regular voting hours from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Those perspective voters will need to complete a registration affidavit and provide identification. Acceptable forms of ID include a Hawaii driver’s license, a Hawaii state ID card, a military ID card, a passport or current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government-issued document showing your name and address.
But people planning to register to vote on election day could face some delays.
While people in line by 6 p.m. Saturday will be allowed to both register and vote, Nedielyn Bueno with the state Office of Elections recommends that people arrive earlier to register.
They will be required to have a government-issued photo identification, such as a passport, state ID or driver’s license. If not, they can use a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or a government-issued document with their name and address.
A poll worker will then call the Office of Elections control center to verify that would-be voters are at the correct polling place….
read … Same Day Registration
160,000 Absentee Ballots Already Cast
SA: … While tens of thousands of Hawaii voters will go to the state’s 235 polling places today to cast a ballot, those voters will likely be in the minority.
At least 160,000 people already have voted either by mail or at early-voting sites set up across the state. …
The previous time there was a major Democratic primary battle for governor was in 2014. That’s when Gov. David Ige defeated incumbent Neil Abercrombie in an upset. There were 289,367 votes cast. Of those, 163,675 votes — about 56.5 percent — were cast before primary election day….
read … 160,000
Charter school overrun by lava holds out hope for emergency disaster funds
HNN: …Kua O Ka La public charter school on the Big Island could get some money back through emergency disaster funds.
The State's Budget and Finance Office will review the additional costs the school is incurring to lease space in Hilo after their Puna property was covered by lava last month.
Susie Osborne, head of the school, says that would be a relief since the Hawaii Department of Education does not provide facility funding for charter schools.
Kua O Ka La signed a multi-year lease to keep the approximately 110 elementary students at Nani Mau Gardens.
The approximately 50 middle and high school students will spend the current school year at the Boys and Girls Club of Big Island.
read … Charter school overrun by lava holds out hope for emergency disaster funds
Pounded by Uber, Eco-Cab to Focus on Handi Cab Services Only
HNN: …A vocal critic of Uber and Lyft is shutting down his taxi operations, saying he can no longer compete with the ride-hailing companies.
David Jung founded Eco Cab in 2012 with an all hybrid taxi fleet and cars equipped with security cameras and Wi-Fi. But he contends predatory business practices by Uber and Lyft are forcing him to retreat.
"I see Uber and Lyft as supported by many of the politicians in the state of Hawaii as being like a tsunami. There's no way I can fight it,” said Jung.
Jung is not closing his company entirely, but will now focus on a part of the business where he won't have to compete with rideshare apps.
Jung said he’ll keep his 15 drivers on the payroll. But the business will only provide transportation services for the disabled.
About five office workers will be given jobs with other cab companies, he added…
2016: Auditor: Handi-Van Not ADA-Compliant
read … Vocal critic of Uber, Lyft getting out of the taxi business
Election News:
QUICK HITS: