Higher revenues without higher taxes
DLNR Hires Helicopters to Exterminate Sheep on Mauna Kea
ICA Decision: Telescope Wins Again
Managing emergencies and protecting liberties
Gays: Hawaii “Working Toward Innovative Equality”
Lung Assn: Hawaii Legislators Score 'F' on Tobacco Control
Hawaii: Billionaire Claims $21.8B Spent on Cars for the Little People
Flirting with Disaster
Bizarre News: Hawaii Public Employee Loses Pension Due to Criminal Conviction
Sony Pictures Shooting Movie at Miske Home -- ‘news’ misses the story
ILind: … The Honolulu Star-Advertiser yesterday reported two items that hinted at the underlying stories, but failed to provide key details.
One story dutifully reported that the road from Hanauma Bay around to the Blow Hole will be closed during the nights for a week because of a scheduled movie shoot.
According to the story, state transportation department officials “did not say which film production was using the roads.”
I have to wonder whether they were asked the question, and if not, why not? If they declined to answer, did anyone pretend to be a reporter and find out?
(Editor’s Note: Meanwhile the media didn’t ‘miss’ the fake story of the not-a-100’-wave ridden by son of N Shore drug dealer. The media is either present or absent as it suits the mafia.)
At this point, it doesn’t appear to be a secret. Sony Pictures is in town filming for the new Amazon series based on the 1997 movie, “I know what you did last summer.” It has been reported filming began this week. One Sony exec was quoted earlier saying the new series is “a perfectly twisted update to the iconic slasher movie.”
Also somewhat twisted is word Sony will also be filming at the 8,206 sq ft Hawaii Kai mansion owned by Michael Miske, the former Honolulu businessman now held at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu pending trial for racketeering, murder, kidnapping, drug dealing, and other crimes.
How much Sony is paying for use of the house, which sits on more than 3/4 acre on Lumahai Street in the Portlock area, overlooking Spitting Cave, is not known. Federal prosecutors have already declared the Lumahai house as one of several properties they will seek to seize if Miske is convicted, because it was allegedly built using illegal profits from Miske’s racketeering organization.
(Related: Miske Mob Were All Union Drivers on Set of Hawaii 5-0)
(DoT: KALANIANAOLE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC DETOURED THROUGH KALAMA VALLEY FOR FILMING FEB. 2 – 9)
A second Star-Advertiser story reported Honolulu Police seized more than a dozen gambling machines, along with cash and drugs, in a raid on two illegal game rooms in Kakaako on Wednesday night, January 27. The location was described as in the 900 block of Queen Street….
At that time, police also raided another game room across the street at 975 Queen Street.
Real property records show the property at 980 Queen Street is owned by Butch Burke, who previously operated Queen Auto Sales at the same location….
Both locations are just down the block from the former Kamaaina Termite and Pest Control office at 940 Queen Street…
SA: Police seize gambling machines, drugs, cash in Kakaako raid
Yelp: ‘Queen Auto Sales’
read … Filling in gaps in the “news”
SB263: Mystery Bill Scheduled for Hearing
IM: … SB 263 “Appropriates unspecified funds for economic development.”
The bill on unspecified development will be heard by the Hawai`i Senate Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism (EET) on Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Most short form bills are filled in and re-referred to the initial committee. The bill is sent directly to the money committee.
Rail? Hu Honua? Jails? Political Rewards? Luxury Developments? ….
read … Hawai`i Mystery Bill Scheduled for Hearing
Panel: Hawaii Justice System Needs Better Data Collection
CB: … Alm said specialty courts, such as drug courts and mental health courts, should be expanded, echoing comments from Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald who called on lawmakers Wednesday to continue funding those programs.
Alm also called for more rehabilitation programs, as well as programs for individuals who are currently incarcerated.
The Honolulu prosecutor said his office will work more closely with the Honolulu Police Department to share data. Alm said he specifically wants to look at data regarding arrests and race, among other topics.
“Over the years at the prosecutor’s office, there was an intention not to identify race because we didn’t want to be accused of targeting anybody, so we just wanted to ignore, as far as I know, and never collect that kind of data. At this point, it’s something that should be done just so we can know how people are being impacted,” Alm said….
One of those policy suggestions has been an end to cash bail. Something lawmakers rejected in 2019, but one that several bills, including Senate Bill 1244, propose this year.
read … Panel: Hawaii Justice System Needs Better Data Collection
Civil Beat Sues Honolulu Police To Make Officer Overtime Data Public
CB: … The suit comes after HPD’s denial of a public records request Civil Beat filed in November for data showing all HPD employees, their job titles and their overtime totals from 2015 through 2020.
“This is really straightforward information about how taxpayer money is being spent,” said Brian Black, an attorney representing Civil Beat in the case and executive director of The Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest.
“It’s well established in every jurisdiction, and well established here, that this information should be public. The idea that the police department is withholding it is odd.”
Data on police officer overtime is routinely shared with the public in other cities, including Boston, Phoenix, New York and Seattle.
Civil Beat requested the information after Hawaii News Now reported several dozen officers on the COVID-19 enforcement teams had violated department limitations on overtime. The department has since disbanded the teams and launched a criminal investigation of four officers who were accused of leaving work early.
Civil Beat later obtained HPD documents that showed officers have been able to double their salaries with overtime for years. In 2019, some officers were on track to earn more than the police chief and the mayor, according to the records…..
Related: Honolulu PD ‘Top 10 Earners’ List Revealed–Did Corporal make $341K?
PDF: Complaint
read … Civil Beat Sues Honolulu Police To Make Officer Overtime Data Public
State Health Department Is Mum On Former Epidemiologist’s Departure
CB: … The department says that Dr. Sarah Park, criticized for her leadership during the pandemic, left the department the last day of 2020….
Dr. Sarah Park, who was placed on paid administrative leave for four months, had worked at the Department of Health for more than 16 years.
Park and former department director Bruce Anderson, who retired in September, were the subjects of considerable public criticism for their handling of the department’s COVID-19 contact tracing and testing efforts last year….
Park, who is also a pediatric infectious disease doctor, is no longer active as an assistant professor of pediatric medicine at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, according to spokeswoman Paula Bender….
SA: Former state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park leaves Hawaii Department of Health
read … State Health Department Is Mum On Former Epidemiologist’s Departure
Green: Let the Vaccinated Travel Without Testing or Quarantine
CB: When the majority of vaccinations through Phase 1B are completed, the state can begin to reopen inter-island travel, schools and move to Tier 3.
- Inter-island travel would require individuals to receive two COVID-19 vaccine doses, plus two weeks to allow for full immunity.
- Projected date would be Feb. 15 through March 1.
When the majority of vaccinations through Phase 1C are completed, the state can reopen mainland travel.
- Travelers can bypass the state’s Safe Travels program if they receive two COVID-19 vaccine doses, plus two weeks.
- Projected date: April 15 through May 1.
When all vaccinations in Phase 1 are complete, the state can begin to reopen safely to large events.
- Projected date: Summer 2021
HNN: Video
SA: Hawaii Lt. Gov. Josh Green seeks looser rules for vaccinated travelers
read … Green Proposes New Plan For Reopening Hawaii As Vaccine Distribution Ramps Up
Looking to revitalize Oahu’s economy, Honolulu mayor considers easing restrictions
HNN: … Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi is looking to loosen restrictions on bars, restaurants, and youth sports.
Mayor Blangiardi plans to meet with the Hawaii Restaurant Association and Honolulu Liquor Commission to discuss the possible changes for the food industry, which would bring back a livelihood to local bar and restaurant owners.
“I believe that they are owners, and they are responsible people, and that they’re ready to enforce themselves, what they will do with respect to our restaurants and buyers,” Mayor Blangiardi said.
For many, it’s a step in the right direction, but for others the tier system has already pushed them to their breaking point.
“I have no hopes I’m leaving Hawaii. Why? I’ve been here for 40 years, had a successful business,” said Bill Comerford, chairman of the Hawaii Bar Owners Association. “What was their choice? Kill my business and not even say sorry.” …
read … Looking to revitalize Oahu’s economy, Honolulu mayor considers easing restrictions
State: There’s no timeline for distribution of key unemployment extension benefits
HNN: … thousands of Hawaii’s unemployed workers have been waiting for weeks to start receiving benefits from a federal jobless benefits extension program and the state Labor Department’s director says there’s no definitive timeline on when aid will be disbursed….
…. We see the emails every single day, thousands of them, constant emails, people constantly emailing over and over again because the issue still has not yet been completed.”
Claimants who opted for the federal extension will have a chance this weekend to change their minds and apply for the state-funded Extended Benefits program instead.
Those benefits can be processed within two business days.
Perreira-Eustaquio is asking claimants to check their emails Sunday for an update from the Labor Department.
Eustaquio warned that those who choose to wait on the PEUC and forgo the EB program may have gap weeks with no payments. “Those individuals that choose not to have EB and want to wait for PEUC, they might be paid even after all of the regular 11-week extended PEUC claimants get paid,” she said.
“I don’t want to give claimants false hope and tell them to go one path and then we don’t get an extension of PEUC,” she said. “But those who are forgoing the EB (extended benefits) are really losing out on weeks upfront. Those are what we call gap weeks. There’s no recovery for those gap weeks.”….
read … State: There’s no timeline for distribution of key unemployment extension benefits
UHERO study says Hawaii residents not staying home as much as they did at start of pandemic
SA: … Over the holidays and into the start of the new year, at least a third, or 30% to 40% of Oahu and Lanai residents were staying home all day most days of the week —which is at about the same level as in July — when there were just a handful of cases. On neighbor isles, roughly 20% to 30% were staying home.
By contrast, last March, the share of people staying at home all day peaked at 42%, and over 40% again in August, when cases rose again. …
read … UHERO study says Hawaii residents not staying home as much as they did at start of pandemic
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