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After 127 Arrests -- Wind plant opponents take break from protest
SA: … Few, if any, demonstrators against the project to install eight 568-foot tall wind turbines in Kahuku on the North Shore made an appearance at Kalaeloa in Kapolei Tuesday night, with opponent leaders saying a much-needed break was taken from gathering every night.
“We have many hardworking families whom also have been very committed in taking their stance every night that needed a night of rest to tend to their ohana,” said Kamalani Keliikuli, a media liaison for Ku Kia‘i Kahuku.
Comments and videos on Ku Kia‘i Kahuku’s Facebook page indicated that there were no kia‘i (protectors) at Kalaeloa and a few in Kahuku, but there was no action to block turbine parts from leaving Kalaeloa or entering Kahuku….
Prior to Tuesday night, protesters have been present in Kalaeloa every night that AES Corp. has moved turbine parts to Kahuku, which it started doing on Oct. 17.
AES Corp. has moved turbine parts from Sunday through Thursday nights from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., but also will be taking a break tonight into Friday morning in observance of Halloween…..
No arrests have been made since Sunday night, when 16 protesters in Kalaeloa were arrested, bringing the total arrests linked to the wind turbine project to 127.
Honolulu Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Yu confirmed that no arrests were made Tuesday night. She did not respond to inquiries about how many officers would be present each night going forward or if that number would change depending on the number of protesters present.
“(HPD Chief Susan Ballard) said earlier that there were about 230 officers working each night,” Yu said in an email statement. “Officers were at Kalaeloa and Kahuku last night.”…
“Ku Kia‘i is currently working on collecting more data and bringing education to the public and still standing in unity (with) various communities at Kalaeloa and Kahuku,” Keliikuli said.
Some of the concerns the opponents of the Na Pua Makani have with the project is that the wind turbines could cause health problems to people and wildlife. Those problems include shadow flicker, when spinning turbine blades in front of the sun produce a fast-moving shadow, creating a strobe-like effect, and infrasound, a constant inaudible sound produced by the turbines. They contend that the turbines contribute to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, tinnitus, headaches and other problems….
read … Wind plant opponents take break from protest
‘Shadow Flicker’ And Lost Sleep: Are Kahuku Wind Turbines Too Close To Homes?
CB: …Some of those living near the Kahuku wind turbines blame them for an array of health ailments….
…It’s time to discuss setbacks again, Riviere said. He hasn’t figured out the details, but he feels turbines should be at least a mile away from communities….
CB: Why The Fight Against The Kahuku Turbines Matters
read … ‘Shadow Flicker’ And Lost Sleep: Are Kahuku Wind Turbines Too Close To Homes?
Hawaii’s Older Students Lag On ‘Nation’s Report Card’
CB: …In Hawaii, 40% of fourth graders were proficient in math while 34% were proficient in reading, which is not that far off from the national average.
However, when it came to eighth graders, just 29% were proficient in reading — compared to 34% nationally — while 28% were proficient in math, compared to 34% nationally….
The Hawaii students’ math and reading scores at both the elementary and middle school level were not significantly different than 2017 results, with the exception of the decline in improvement among eighth grade reading proficiency….
In a press release issued late Tuesday, the Hawaii Department of Education touted the significant gains made by fourth grade English language learner students in reading and math, compared with the 2017 results….
read … Hawaii’s Older Students Lag On ‘Nation’s Report Card’
State charges Maui riot detainees thousands for damages, Gets Sued by Alleged Rioter
KHON: … The state has sanctioned 18 inmates over the Maui jail riot this spring — not with criminal charges yet, but with financial penalties for thousands of dollars each. Always Investigating and has the story.
The state stands to retrieve tens of thousands of dollars toward damage estimated at $5.3 million. One inmate, though says his money was unfairly taken, and he’s filed a federal civil rights lawsuit….
Many of them are still there, including one — Bronson Bascar — who this week told the federal court in a civil rights complaint that he was charged $2,716 without adequate due process.
PDF: Lawsuit
A Bronson Bascar Retrospective:
read … State charges Maui riot detainees thousands for damages
Soft on Crime: Released to Terrorize Molokai (again)
MN: … The victim reportedly owed $400 to Naehu when the second man had the victim go to Naehu’s house the evening of Oct. 22, according to police. Naehu allegedly began punching the victim, who was tied to a chair in the room, police reported.
The victim was released after he promised to pay the money and walked home, police said.
The next day, the victim was taken to the emergency room to be treated for injuries including broken facial bones, according to police.
According to court records, Naehu is awaiting trial for attempted first-degree murder and firearm charges in a 2015 shooting that injured two men on Molokai. Naehu had been in jail for three years before being released on supervision in that case last December, court records show.
Naehu has prior convictions for unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and second-degree theft, according to court records…..
Chad Naehu, 36, of Kaunakakai was charged with second-degree assault, first-degree extortion and kidnapping after he was arrested Oct. 23, according to police records. He was released after posting $75,000 bail.
A second suspect, a 26-year-old Kaunakakai man, was released pending further investigation of kidnapping and second-degree assault, police records show….
LOL: Naehu FB Page
read … Soft on Crime
2 ex-adult correctional officers face trials for alleged sex assaults at women’s prison
HNN: … Two former adult correctional officers at the Women’s Community Correctional in Kailua are awaiting trial for allegedly sexually assaulting inmates.
The latest indictment ― filed in August ― alleged that former officer Gauta Vaa sexually assaulted the same female inmate four times over several months in 2015.
Another indictment filed last year alleged that former prison guard Brent Baumann sexually assaulted three different woman over a nine-month period in 2015….
Both men have pleaded not guilty, but were fired by the state Department of Public Safety….
Along with the criminal cases, several former inmates have filed a civil lawsuit against the state. That means convictions in the criminal cases could wind up costing the state a lot of money….
read … 2 ex-adult correctional officers face trials for alleged sex assaults at women’s prison
Program that has police referring 37 Chinatown homeless to services sees positive results
HNN: … An intensive social work program being tested in Chinatown has successfully reduced crime, according to a university study.
The law enforcement-assisted diversion program ― called LEAD ― had police officers referring homeless people to social workers with access to multiple services.
The program cost $200,000 and had 37 enrolled clients. They had 55% fewer citations from police, spent 38% fewer nights on the street, and had 62 more days where they felt hope for their future.
“It’s super, super exciting,” said Honolulu Police Capt. Mike Lambert. “I’m a very optimistic person and the data they are showing is much better than I had hoped for.”
Organizers say the next stage will be to motivate clients into the program by giving them a choice of either accepting help or being issued a citation.
read … Program that has police referring homeless to services sees positive results
Homeless Reality: Shocking images on Chinatown website aim to spark change
HNN: … “The guy just drops his pants and takes a dump,” said Schlieman.
He and others post anonymously on ChinatownWatch.com
From alarming videos of a man defecating to to eye opening photos showing people passed out on the sidewalk, that's just part of it.
“This is a naked man pleasuring himself near a daycare,” said Schlieman as he pointed to a photo on the website….
The website launched about a year ago after the beating death of a former sportscaster.
“We started the website because Chinatown was out of control. There were drugs, there were murders, there were stabbings, fights in the street. All this happening all day, it was absurd,” he said….
LINK: ChinaTownWatch.com
read … Shocking images on Chinatown website aim to spark change
Meth: Kauai councilman released after posting $10,000 bail
KHON: … Kauai County Councilman Arthur Brun has been released from police custody after posting bail of $10,000. He faces charges of assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting an order to stop.
Councilman Brun was pulled over Tuesday afternoon in front of the Lihue Post Office. Police say when officers approached, Brun took off and hit one of them.
Police caught up with Brun’s car a few miles away and arrested him. The council chairman released a statement saying, “The Council is currently awaiting further information in regards to the facts surrounding the arrest. Any action to remove Councilmember Brun from his seat as a Councilmember will need to follow the process outlined in (the) Kaua’i County Charter.”
According to the county clerk, Brun would be removed immediately from office if he was convicted of a felony. The pending charges are both felonies.
“That would cause the council member to be immediately removed from office or if the council member by chance moves out of the county,” said Jade Fountain-Tanigawa, Kauai County Clerk.
Records show that Brun missed a lot of council meetings this year. There’s either a full council or committee meeting every week. Council minutes show Brun was excused from at least part of those meetings 21 times. …
TGI: This was not Brun’s first problem with the law. He was arrested in 2002 for theft and computer fraud and again the following year for possession of drug paraphernalia, family member abuse, assault, terroristic threatening and resisting arrest. He pleaded guilty to one felony count, second-degree theft, and two misdemeanors in a plea deal that resolved both cases. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail, probation, and ordered to pay $14,000 in restitution. He was cited in 2017 for delinquent vehicle tax, no current safety check and an obstructed license plate.
read … Kauai councilman released after posting $10,000 bail
Former police officer is charged again with abuse
SA: … The state filed a criminal complaint against Ryan Konishi on Oct. 25 charging him with misdemeanor abuse of a family or household member. The complaint alleges that the abuse happened Oct. 17.
Konishi, 42, posted $2,000 bail Tuesday and is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
He was charged in August 2018 with multiple counts of abuse and threatening involving a different victim dating back to March 2017. Konishi was charged in December with harassing, abusing and threatening the same victim while he was on bail for the first case.
Konishi pleaded guilty in both cases and resigned from HPD on Aug. 26.
Judge Kevin Morikone of the Honolulu District Family Court immediately sentenced Konishi to two years of probation, including 21 days in jail….
Because he is accused of committing the latest domestic abuse within one year of his previous convictions, if he is found guilty he will be deemed a repeat offender subject to a mandatory minimum 30-day jail term. The maximum penalty for misdemeanor abuse is one year in jail and a $2,000 fine….
read … Former police officer is charged again with abuse
Ban on short term vacation rentals leads to influx of long term units for rent
KHON: … Short term vacation rentals were banned three months ago. Kasandra Shriver, an agent with HomeQuest Realtors said she has recently noticed a change in the market.
“Our office has been contacted by a couple of short term vacation renters… to see what the market would hold if we converted their short term rental to a long term rental. I think the initial thought was, let’s just continue making money off this space that we used to rent short term,” Shriver explained.
That is what created an influx of rentals.
“Smaller rentals, the studios, the one bedrooms–we are seeing much more competition in that rental market,” Shriver said.
KHON: “Would you say the markets being flooded with rentals now?”
“I would say that it’s having a marked effect on rentability.”
Meaning, smaller units–even units that weren’t vacation rentals– are taking longer to rent and prices are dropping slightly….
read … Ban on short term vacation rentals leads to influx of long term units for rent
Get the Lead Out: Federal Emergency Team Sent to Patch Caldwell’s Potholes
HNN: … A federal emergency response team has been deployed to Kalihi to patch potholes after a toxic dumpsite buried under the road was partially exposed.
Over the past 48 hours, crews have been filling potholes near the intersection of Factory and King streets. Work wrapped up about noon Wednesday.
Health officials confirm the soil under the road is contaminated with dangerous levels of lead left behind by an old fishing lure factory.
Earlier this month, a major clean-up of the area was postponed.
The emergency work is a Band-aid fix ― intended to keep residents from getting sick.
read … Federal Emergency
15 Unaccompanied Migrant Children Came To Hawaii In The Past Year
CB: … The previous year, only one unaccompanied child came to the islands. Since 2014, Hawaii has accepted 34 total.
John Egan, a University of Hawaii law professor who leads the Refugee and Immigration Law Clinic at the UH law school, says most of the children who end up in Hawaii are here because they have family members living in the islands who agree to sponsor them.
His clinic represents four children from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Often their family members are also undocumented and expose themselves to immigration proceedings by agreeing to care for a child.
Honolulu immigration attorney Clare Hanusz has one client living on the Big Island who fled Honduras as a child alone to escape the threat of gang violence. She says deportation proceedings often last up to five months — with up to two years for appellate processes …
read … 15 Unaccompanied Migrant Children Came To Hawaii In The Past Year
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