Kondo to OHA: I can Subpoena You
OHA Trustees to Visit Anti-Telescope Protest Site
After Saudi Drone Attack, Tulsi Gabbard says she is not being Pimped out by Donald Trump
Police Track Down Source of Anti-Telescope Shooting Threat—in Arizona—Speaker Saiki Calls for Prosecution
SA: … Police located Sopi in Arizona, according to Krishna F. Jayaram, who is special assistant to state Attorney General Clare Connors.
House Speaker Scott Saiki said Monday he will ask the Attorney General’s Office to pursue local and federal investigations into the mass shooting social media post.
“Statements like this, even if exaggerated or due to frustration, are not acceptable in Hawaii,” Saiki said in a written statement. “This is a serious matter. The Attorney General must take all steps to ensure a thorough criminal investigation and possible charges.”
“People need to understand that there are consequences,” said Saiki (D, Downtown-Kakaako- McCully).
According to the FBI bulletin, Sopi has a criminal history that includes assault, assault against a police officer and marijuana offenses.….
SA: Such threats can’t be brushed off naively.
read … HPD finds man who allegedly posted threat of mass shooting at state Capitol
Louis and Katherine Kealoha offered plea deals from federal prosecutors
HNN: … Federal prosecutors have made offers to Louis and Katherine Kealoha to avoid their upcoming trials.
Hawaii News Now has learned, the former police chief and former deputy prosecutor are considering their options.
Even though the deadline to respond was Monday, Katherine’s attorney says she wants more time to think about it, “She hasn’t been able to digest all of it,” Earle Partington said.
The terms for both the ex police chief and ex deputy prosecutor would require them to plead guilty to the financial crimes, that includes bank fraud and identity theft. Their trial for that is scheduled for January.
For Katherine, the deal means she would also need to plead guilty to the dozens of drug crimes ahead of her trial in May.
In return, the Kealohas would get credit for accepting responsibility in the remaining cases, and it’s possible the prosecutors won’t ask for all the enhancements they’re allowed to request at sentencing. Those enhancements in the federal system can dramatically increase prison time, though the judge has the final decision…..
The court is recommending 11-14 years for Katherine, when she’s sentenced on Oct. 11. For Louis, the recommendation is slightly less, his sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 15….
KHON: Attorney says it’s better for Katherine Kealoha not to risk going to trial
read … Louis and Katherine Kealoha offered plea deals from federal prosecutors
Judge allows former death row inmate to represent himself again
SA: Legal Strategy #1: Cry racism again.
Legal Strategy #2: My hoes will sext the prosecutor’s investigators again.
read … Judge allows former death row inmate to represent himself again
Hawaii County Prosecutor ‘Alarmed’ After Investigation into claims of retaliation in DLNR’s boating division comes up empty
HNN: … During the case, Hawaii county prosecutor Mitch Roth testified on behalf of Keauhou boater Bill Murtagh who claimed the the altered permit application would give his son a smaller boat mooring.
Roth also claimed he was the victim of retaliation when the head of the boating division, Ed Underwood, filed an an ethics complaint against him.
Case says last December, AG investigators sent a her a preliminary report showing possible retaliation regarding Roth so she sent the report back. She says a back and forth during an administrative investigation is not unusual and also stressed the investigation was not criminal.
“I asked them to look further specifically in regard to the question if retaliation is a proper complaint and also whether there is evidence of intentional action to be considered retaliatory. They looked at it further. They agreed with me and they issued the final report,” she said.
Roth calls the final report 'alarming'.
"We understood it was going to the Attorney General's for an independent and impartial investigation. It does not sound like it was independent nor impartial. The fact that there was a finding of retaliation which was later changed to a no decision is very troubling," he said.
Even after his complaint and so much time has passed, Murtagh says he's still without a permit.
“With no surprise, the official findings of the investigation are heavily flawed and filled with such inaccuracies that explanations must be required,” he said….
read … Investigation into claims of retaliation in DLNR’s boating division comes up empty
Sister Isle Counties: Who is Making More than You?
CB: … Big Island Mayor Harry Kim is now the highest-paid mayor among the three counties at $162,582. That represents a 23.2% increase from two years ago when he was making $132,000.
Some of Hawaii County’s top officials got even bigger percentage raises when the county Salary Commission changed the pay scale in January 2018. Commissioners noted some of those officials hadn’t gotten pay increases for almost a decade and said the big changes were necessary to make up for lost time.
Civil Beat has just added 6,841 employees of Hawaii, Maui and Kauai counties to its public salary database….
read … Harry Kim Now The Highest-Paid Mayor
Why Is the Cost of Living in Hawaii So High?
RD: … Moneyrates.com recently ranked the fifty states on cost of living, wages, taxes, unemployment rate, and working conditions—and Hawaii ranked last in terms of best states to make a living….
read … Why Is the Cost of Living in Hawaii So High?
Shortage of doctors could be disastrous
SA: … There is a 41% shortage of doctors on the Big Island, 39% on Maui and 30% on Kauai. A full quarter of Hawaii physicians have delayed retirement and are still practicing beyond age 65. This has prevented a crisis from becoming a disaster. Mahalo.
But 700 doctors will retire soon. If every single graduate of our medical school stays in Hawaii, it will take 10 years to replace 700 doctors. Simple math demonstrates the physician shortage will go from bad, to worse, to awful. Shortages on neighbor islands will soon exceed 50%. This means our families will have extremely limited access to primary care physicians and specialists. It may take months to see a physician for non-emergency health care….
read … Shortage of doctors could be disastrous
Civil Beat Blunders Big Time on Energy Story
IM: … Civil Beat published “Hawaii 2040 Will Hawaii Lead The Renewables Revolution?" (Sept. 17, 2019) as part of its climate change series.
The article has three incorrect statements:
“Hawaii has positioned itself as a pioneer in the quest to move toward a fossil-free future.”
“In 2015 Hawaii became the first U.S. state to mandate a total transition to renewable energy.”
“No one had ever done the due diligence to figure out how this could be achieved.”
The Hawai`i 100% goal covers only electricity, it does not cover air transportation, shipping, ground transportation, or various forms of gas: natural gas, liquefied natural gas, synthetic gas, etc.
Albania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iceland, and Paraguay have achieved 100% renewable-based electricity and Vermont has surpassed 99.6%. Hawai`i is below 30%.
Under existing Hawai`i law, renewable energy and clean energy include the burning of forests (local or the Amazon rain forest) to generate electricity and the incineration of coal and plastic in a municipal incinerator (H-Power).
Wikipedia used data from 2014-15 to rank states by electricity production from renewable sources
Hawai`i was #22 counting hydroelectric facilities and #17 excluding hydroelectric facilities….
Hawai`i Law: If an island has four generators which each produce the same amount of electricity per year—grid-connected coal generator, grid-connected municipal incinerator, customer-sited rooftop solar, and a customer-sited gas generator–then most people would agree the island is either 25% or 50% renewable, but under state law (relying on twisted legal definitions), the island has already met the 100% goal. (2 renewable units divided by 2 grid units equals 100%)….
CB: Will Hawaii Lead The Renewables Revolution?
read … Civil Beat Blunders Big Time on Energy Story
Bill 25: Solar Scammers want to Outlaw Cheap, Clean Natural Gas On Demand water heaters So They can Take More of Your Money
SA: … Bill 25 is necessary to ensure that future homes aren’t stuck with fossil gas (expensive solar) water heaters (whether or not there is space or sun)….
Reality: The Difference Between Real and Fake Energy Policy
read … Use of fossil gas undermines Hawaii’s clean-energy goals
Cost for monthly housing in Honolulu not hurt by illegal vacation rentals, study finds
SA: … Illegal vacation rentals may have marred the fabric of residential neighborhoods around Oahu, but a new study concludes that they haven’t inflated primary rental housing rates.
The study by local housing market researcher Ricky Cassiday found that monthly rents for housing in residential communities with the highest concentrations of vacation homes generally didn’t become more expensive during the industry’s explosion in recent years compared with the whole island or most neighborhoods with relatively few vacation rentals.
Instead, average monthly rental rates for available housing between 2016 and this year declined in areas most popular with vacation rentals, including a 1.5% dip for apartments in the Waikiki-Kapahulu area, where most vacation rental property listings exist.
By comparison, rents for available apartments in the same period rose 2.9% around downtown Honolulu and 1.1% in the McCully- Moiliili area, the study said.
Rental rates for single- family residences in Kailua, the top market for such vacation rentals, decreased 3.5%, which was weaker than eight out of nine other predominantly single-family home communities examined.
More broadly, the average rental rate for homes on Oahu from 2016 to this year rose 2.6% for apartments and slipped 3.3% for single- family homes, according to the report….
read … Cost for monthly housing in Honolulu not hurt by illegal vacation rentals, study finds
Impact of Oahu’s Vacation Rental Crackdown
HB: … A new law went into effect Aug. 1 on Oʻahu that limits the number of new short-term rentals — which are rented for less than 30 days at a time — bans the advertising of unpermitted rentals and imposes hefty fines on violators.
The law permits only 1,715 new bed-and-breakfasts — where the owner-occupant is present — and prohibits whole-home rentals.
An internet search by the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting found the new law is reducing the number of vacation rental advertisements. The department identified 5,044 vacation rental listings on July 19 and 3,287 on Aug. 13….
read … Impact of Oʻahu’s Vacation Rental Crackdown
Hawaii State Hospital: Bureaucrats Rotate After Lunatic Escapes to California
HNN: … Doctor Run Heidelberg took over for William May as the facility’s administrator on Tuesday.
Heidelberg served as the interim hospital administrator since May of this year, and has worked with the Hawaii State Hospital for nearly 25 years.
He’s taking over the job from previous leader May, who has been scrutinized after the escape of admitted killer Randall Saito in 2017.
An investigation after the escape found significant lapses in policies and procedures at the facility, but no evidence of employee wrongdoing.
Despite the mishap, officials previously said they were pleased with May’s work upon the announcement of his departure earlier this year….
HTH: Aging Mental Patient Allegedly Torches Dumpster at Mental Health Clubhouse
read … Musical Chairs
Soft on Crime: Alleged Homeless Shooter has long criminal record
MN: … Nunes is on probation for a violent offense, abuse.
Nunes is a flight risk, Smith said, noting the defendant has no permanent address, no employment “and nothing stable in his life right now.”
Nunes’ criminal history includes nine convictions for contempt of court and two convictions for failure to appear, as well as convictions for resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, Smith said.
Judge Blaine Kobayashi said he was taking into consideration the prosecution and defense positions, Nunes’ financial status and his prior criminal history in reducing bail to $250,000.
Edayan Nunes, who also made her initial appearance in Wailuku District Court on Monday afternoon, had her bail increased from $5,000 to $16,000 on charges of keeping a pistol in an improper place, keeping ammunition in an improper place and first-degree hindering prosecution.
Smith sought the bail increase, saying Edayan Nunes has no known permanent residence and no employment. He said she is accused of hiding the gun used in the shooting from police.
“Based on that conduct, she’s a flight risk and a danger,” Smith said….
The public defender’s office was allowed to withdraw from representing both defendants after attorneys said the office has represented the victim of the shooting (also homeless)….
read … Homeless people are expensive
Snorkeler using full-face mask in critical condition
HNN: … The rescue took place around 5 p.m. The swimmer was about 20 feet from the shoreline.
Ocean Safety officials said he was wearing a full-face mask, which has been criticized as being unsafe by industry experts.
Lifeguards performed CPR and paramedics took him to the hospital in critical condition.
The snorkeler is said to be a visitor from Canada.
This incident involving the full-face snorkeling mask came in light a of yet another tour company restricting the use of such masks.
The Pride of Maui announced they would no longer allow the masks ….
read … Snorkel Rentals Kill
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