The last time Congress created a new state
Mass Disenrollment from 'Campus of Fear': COVID Money Disappearing from Hawaii Community College?
HUD: Hawaii 2nd Highest Number Of Homeless Veterans
House Finance Committee Approves State Budget – with Amendments
Grassroot Institute Legislative Update
Resolution reached between City and Kokonut Koalition for Koko Crater safety mitigation
Mayor Blangiardi meets with wedding industry demonstrators
How the media grotesquely distorted the Atlanta massacres
Andrew Sullivan: … Accompanying one original piece on the known facts, the NYT ran nine — nine! — separate stories about the incident as part of the narrative that this was an anti-Asian hate crime, fueled by white supremacy and/or misogyny. Not to be outdone, the WaPo ran sixteen separate stories on the incident as an anti-Asian white supremacist hate crime. Sixteen! One story for the facts; sixteen stories on how critical race theory would interpret the event regardless of the facts. For good measure, one of their columnists denounced reporting of law enforcement’s version of events in the newspaper, because it distracted attention from the “real” motives. Today, the NYT ran yet another full-on critical theory piece disguised as news on how these murders are proof of structural racism and sexism — because some activists say they are ….
read … How the media grotesquely distorted the Atlanta massacres
Proposal to Rename McKinley High School and remove statue stalls at Hawaii Legislature
SA: … A push to change the name of McKinley High School and remove its towering bronze statue of President William McKinley ran aground Thursday at the Legislature after passionate testimony on both sides.
“With a very heavy and sad heart, we have to defer this measure today,” said Rep. Jeanne Kapela, vice chairwoman of the House Education Committee and one of the sponsors of the resolution….
(Translation: They’ll be back to try this again.)
many people weighed in against the move, including McKinley’s principal, some current and former staff members, and alumni. Former Gov. George Ariyoshi, 95, penned a handwritten letter opposing the change, while McKinley’s student government officers were split on the issue.
“History is the most powerful teacher, and to erase our past is doing a disservice to our country,” Principal Ron Okamura testified. “My question is, When does this end? If we change one, we need to change all places that are named after people to not offend anyone or hurt their feelings. It’s ridiculous. … My students will learn all sides of history.”
In its testimony, the Department of Education pledged to follow up by researching the issue and “ensure all input is received and all facts are analyzed.”…
(Translation: They’ll be back to try this again.)
other teachers opposed the move and criticized the union’s board of directors for taking a public stand without consulting the broader membership — or even staff at the school….
read … Proposal to rename McKinley High School and remove statue stalls at Hawaii Legislature
ACLU Complains Groper Won’t be Getting 8th Chance
HNN: … The prosecutor has sent a motion to the state Supreme Court, urging it to change a mandate issued last August that was intended to ease jail overcrowding during the height of the pandemic.
“They were ordering district court judges not to set bail for most misdemeanors,” said Alm.
”They carved out exceptions for family abuse of a household member, for temporary restraining orders, for protective orders. But that was about it.”
The prosecutor’s action was initiated after a deputy prosecutor was allegedly groped by a man near a Honolulu courthouse. The suspect, Randy Jacob, has a lengthy arrest record.
After the incident on Tuesday, Alm issued a warning to the public about Jacob. The 37-year-old was arrested six times this month for theft, harassment and four counts of fourth-degree sex assault.
“Mr. Jacob was arrested, went to court and was released. And then a couple days later he was released again,” Alm said. “That tells us he’s not afraid of the law. He’s not going to follow the law.
“Pre-COVID we would have asked for bail to be set and that might’ve altered his behavior.”
Joshua Wisch, head of the Hawaii chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, found out about the motion late Thursday. He said bringing back the old system isn’t a solution.
(Solution: Let groper out so he can find an ACLU lawyer to grope. It worked for the prosecutor.)
“If you require cash bail for all of these lower level offenses, all that means is you’re going to be detaining people simply because they do not have enough money,” he said. “While the people who do have money are still going to be able to get out of jail.”
(IDEA: Higher bail for rich gropers.)
He argues Hawaii’s prison and jail system is not doing enough to keep inmates safe.
“Our jails and prisons have been historically and wildly overcrowded,” said Wisch (because my soft-on-crime buddies do everything they can to obstruct new jail construction.)
“And since the pandemic began (and we encouraged a COVID release) more than 1,900 people in PSD custody have (given each other COVID and) tested positive for COVID (because I led them to believe they could get out this way) and nine of them have died.”
Alm says he hopeful the Hawaii Supreme Court could come back with a ruling as early as next week….
HNN: Suspect in ‘sexual assault spree’ ordered to undergo mental health evaluation
More Homeless Mayhem: Honolulu police arrest man for allegedly assaulting officers and security guard after downtown theft
read … City prosecutor wants COVID-era policy changed so judges can jail misdemeanor offenders
Honolulu Planning Commission Considers 5-Mile Wind Turbine Setbacks
IM: … The Honolulu City Council passed Resolution 19-305 to establish a five-mile setback for wind turbines greater than 100 kW (0.1 MW)
“The City Council initiated a proposal to amend the Land Use Ordinance (LUO), relating to wind machines that will require wind machines with a capacity of 100 kilowatts or more to be setback five-miles from all property lines.”
The Planning Commission took up the matter on March 18, 2021. Five Commissioners were present: Chair Brian Lee, Ken Hayashida, Gifford Chang, Ryan Kamo, and Arthur Tolentino. A video recording of the meeting was posted on the internet….
“The Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) proposes `Bill A` as an alternative to the amendment proposed by Resolution No. 19-305. Bill A’s proposed amendment increases the current setback to a distance of 1,500 feet or a distance equal to no less than two feet for each foot of height, measured from the highest vertical extension of the system, whichever is greater, from all property lines. The DPP recommends approval of Bill A.”
There was overwhelming public support for the Resolution.
State Representative Gil Riviere wrote, “Nobody can argue with a straight face that the Na Pua Makani wind turbines are appropriately sited. They are indisputedly too big and too close to the Kahuku residents and schools. …Please ensure a reasonable and rational setback is established so that no community on Oahu will have to suffer another wind turbine fiasco.”
Ko Olina Community Association stated, “Given a choice between two proposals, KICA preference is City Council Resolution No. 19-305. However, KOCA would contend that in some cases, City Council resolution does not go far enough.”
read … Honolulu Planning Commission Considers Wind Turbine Setbacks
Business Have Hard Time Filling Jobs
PBN: … To my surprise, another policy-based problem Maui Brewing Co. faces is that good help is still hard to find. How can this be? This was not a surprising problem when Marrero was one of countless business owners talking about a crucial labor shortage in our pre-Covid tourism boom. Maui now has some of the highest unemployment in the nation; people should be jumping at any opportunity. But they’re not, he says, because state unemployment policies, plus federal plus-ups, have created a financial incentive for people not to work yet still get paid….
HNN: Despite new ‘bot blocker,’ claimants still struggle to reach unemployment call center
read … Government disconnect a top concern of Hawaii business leaders
Della Au Bellati to lead investigation of colleague Rep. Sharon Har
SA: … House Majority Leader Della Au Belatti will chair a special House Committee tasked with investigating state Rep. Sharon Har following her arrest on suspicion of drunken driving on Feb. 22.
The committee will consider whether Har violated Rule 62 of the House Code of Legislative Conduct — essentially whether Har’s behavior benefited her office or provided public confidence in the House, House Speaker Scott Saiki previously told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
The other members of the special committee appointed by Saiki are:
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>> Rep. Mark Nakashima, (D, Kukuihaele-Laupahoehoe-North Hilo), who will serve as the committee’s vice chairman;
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>> Rep. Linda Ichiyama, (D, Salt Lake-Moanalua Valley);
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>> Rep. Scot Matayoshi, (D, Kaneohe-Maunawili-Kailua);
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>> Rep. Lauren Matsumoto, (R, Mililani-Schofield-Kunia);
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>> Rep. Amy Perruso, (D, Wahiawa-Whitmore-Poamoho)….
KITV: Representative Har is scheduled to appear in court April 20th.
read … Catfight at Big Square Building
HART, Hitachi At Odds Over Wheel Defect As Rail Costs Soar
CB: … The problem affects at least five crossings on the Westside, and 12 total such crossings planned for the entire 20-mile line to Ala Moana Center. HART was hoping to deliver the first 10 miles to Aloha Stadium to the city later this year to start interim service.
HART and Hitachi are at odds over who’s responsible and who should pay for it, according to Interim Executive Director Lori Kahikina.
“It’s probably going to be a drawn out discussion between us and Hitachi,” Kahikina told the board Thursday. “Our stance is, what we have is correct” and that the specifications in the package were properly laid out.
Hitachi’s 2011 core systems contract states that the company “shall finalize the (wheel) profile and retain final responsibility for obtaining satisfactory wheel/rail interface performance and minimum rail/wheel wear rates.”
It adds: “In particular, the vehicle supplier shall verify that the wheel flange dimensions are matched with the flange bearing frogs so as to provide quiet crossing of the frogs with a minimum of impact forces.”
After the meeting, HART officials confirmed that’s the contract language they believe holds Hitachi responsible for the wheel snafu….
SA Editorial: Clarity needed on Honolulu’s rail future
SA: Larger rail budget packs generous contingency plans
read … HART, Hitachi At Odds Over Wheel Defect As Rail Costs Soar
Big Island Saves $160M--Scales Back Plans For Recycled Water
CB: … Hawaii County’s Department of Environmental Management said it’s ready to scrap long-standing plans to build a state-of-the-art $160 million wastewater treatment plant in Kealakehe on the island’s western shore.
Ramzi Mansour, environmental management director, said he’s exploring a much simpler, cheaper alternative. Instead of building out a multi-million sand-filtrated treatment plant focusing on R1 water — the highest-grade of recycled water — Mansour wants to produce R2 water, which can still be used for golf courses and agricultural irrigation at a fraction of the price.
“We are not going to spend the $160 million and that by itself is a relief,” Mansour said this week, shortly after Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth’s cabinet participated in a forum on what the administration has accomplished in its first 100 days. “Depending on the operational techniques and the Department of Health concurrences, we may be able to do it in tens of millions rather than hundreds of millions.”
R2 water is one step down from R1 water, but still highly useful.
Mansour said the department’s short-term goal is to explore the techniques for processing R-2 water — or even better, R-1 water – without major facility improvements, and to secure the proper permits for those discharge levels once it does.
read … Big Island Scales Back Plans For Recycled Water
Hawaiians set to receive $20M COVID Aid
SA: … The $1.9 trillion relief package signed into law last week by Biden contains more than $31 billion for tribal governments and other federal programs to help Native populations, a record level of assistance intended to help bolster health care and a variety of other services in some of the nation’s poorest communities.
The money is a crucial plank of Biden’s vow to address racial and economic inequities and is a potentially transformative lifeline for tribes, who were among the hardest hit by the spread of the coronavirus….
including a $20 million fund for Native Hawaiians…
Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic majority leader, said during a floor speech that the legislation “takes us a giant step closer to fulfilling our trust responsibilities to all Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians.”…
The legislation also includes two separate grant funds for education programs for Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians….
read … Tribal communities set to receive big new infusion of aid
FAIL: Maui Criminals Having Trouble Maintaining COVID Count at MCCC
CB:: … But the state public safety director says the case count in the jail dropped from a peak of 43 down to 12. …
read … Questions Raised Over COVID Outbreak At Maui Jail
Police commissions are supposed to be watchdogs. Are Hawaii’s up to the challenge?
HNN: … Police commissions are expected to act as watchdogs, holding police departments and their chiefs accounts.
But some experts are questioning whether commissions in several counties are willing to play that role.
Their case in point: What played out at a Honolulu Police Commission meeting on Wednesday.
Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard has been criticized on many levels lately, including for: trying to implement quotas, low morale among her officers, and questionable spending of CARES money.
But at Wednesday’s meeting, she got no tough questions.
When asked about the quota system ― a weekly checklist of requirements for officers that is still a work in progress ― she deflected, saying the information got out before the plan was complete.
“It was released by someone who had no authority to release it,” Ballard said, adding disciplinary action is coming for that person. She did not offer input into the quota system being developed.….
CB: Ige, Lawmakers Need To Quit Stalling When It Comes To Police And Prison Reforms
read … Police commissions are supposed to be watchdogs. Are Hawaii’s up to the challenge?
The business of game rooms
ILind: … I had an opportunity recently to talk with someone who owns a building where an illegal game room was operating. It had been raided by HPD, money and machines confiscated, but no arrests made.
He said that when a previous tenant had moved, he advertised the space for rent. Several people responded, and came to inspect the property.
One wanted to know what he could do to assure he would be selected. He then offered an amount more than twice the monthly rent being asked. The owner thought that was for the first and last month’s rent. No, the man said. He would pay that every month, and then reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick stack of bills. That sealed the deal.
The new tenant was apparently open about the business. He said it was not the only game room he ran. He told the building owner that the legality of the machines themselves is still an unsettled question bouncing around in the courts. So when police seize or destroy machines, new ones are available to quickly replace the old. He stated his belief that this was why arrests and convictions are infrequent.
Police, he said, often smash machines and just take any cash, leading to suspicions it doesn’t all end up as evidence….
read … The business of game rooms
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