Hirono Defends University Discrimination Against Asian Students
Red tape hurts Maui housing
Census: Hawaii Gains 7% in Decade
Sen J Kalani 'Powdernose' English Resigns--Ige to Appoint Replacement
Miske Complains his Cell is too Small—Will use this as an excuse for appeal
ILind: … During Miske’s extended time in solitary confinement, his attorneys say he has “been in a small cell with extremely limited human contact, restricted visits and phone calls with his family, limited access to the commissary, and little time out of his cell.” They say these conditions violate Miske’s constitutional rights, as they are affecting his health and hampering his ability to participate effectively in his own defense.
Miske’s attorneys say the extended term of solitary confinement is contrary to repeated representations made by FDC officials during a court hearing in January, when they assured Magistrate Judge Kenneth Mansfield he was to be returned to the general population within days. That did not happen. And limitations associated with being held in solitary confinement violate terms of an order issued by Mansfield at the conclusion of the January hearing, they say….
(Actually, all this whining proves that Miske is very much able to assist in his own defense. He is vigorously creating excuses for a failure to win his case. These will be used on appeal. These assertions therefore contradict themselves.)
ILind: Court documents related to Miske “show cause” motion filed April 20, 2021
Meanwhile: Bulk of $63K from sale of Louis and Katherine Kealoha’s Hawaii Kai home goes to uncle
read … Alleged Crime Boss Says He’s Being Thwarted From Preparing A Defense
Courts Also Letting other Sykap Go Again and Again
SA: … Prosecutors charged an 18-year-old man in connection with Saturday’s robbery near a makeshift memorial in McCully.
The memorial was created for his younger brother, Iremamber Sykap, who police fatally shot after he rammed through police cars with a stolen vehicle in oncoming traffic on April 5 following an alleged crime spree.
(Akamai readers will remember that Iremamber Sykap is dead because he wasn’t locked up in a nice, safe jail after 30 arrests.)
Mark Sykap was charged Tuesday with second-degree robbery. His bail is set at $50,000.
Police said two men, ages 18 and 21, used physical force and an unspecified dangerous instrument to take property from a 20-year-old woman near Kalakaua Avenue and Philip Street at about 1:10 a.m. Saturday. They then fled the scene.
Police noted the suspects and victim are acquaintances.
The woman was treated and released at a hospital for a non-life-threatening stab wound to her upper torso that she sustained in the robbery.
That night, police located one of the suspects later identified as Sykap near the makeshift memorial and arrested him.
This is the second time police arrested Sykap this month.
Officers arrested him on April 5 in connection with an alleged crime spree with his younger brother and others….
According to court records, police cited Sykap for disorderly conduct on April 18….
(Really Easy IQ Test: Do you see a pattern here?)
read … Older brother of teen slain in recent Honolulu police shooting is charged with robbery
Hawaii commercial rent relief bill stalls—Counties May Step in
PBN: … A bill that would have used a portion of the $6 billion of Hawaii’s federal stimulus funds for commercial rent relief failed to move from conference committee in the Legislature, but help may still come from the City and County of Honolulu for Oahu.
House Bill 1324 was deferred by the conference committee on Friday, making it unlikely to win final passage by Thursday, when the 2021 session is scheduled to adjourn.
“It is disappointing that [the Legislature] deferred the bill but we did expect it up front,” said Ryan Tanaka, president of Island Business Management, who has lobbied for the measure and was the coordinator of four commercial rent surveys of Hawaii businesses.
Tanaka said it was his understanding that lawmakers did not have the funds in the budget for the commercial rent relief program. Instead, they are focused on allocating more than $700 million in the state budget to fund the state’s unemployment insurance fund in lieu of raising the Unemployment insurance tax on employers. Gov. David Ige signed House Bill 1278 into law on March 2.
Tanaka said he is working with Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi on creating a commercial rent relief program for businesses on Oahu, and said the funding would come from the City and County’s allocation of the federal stimulus funds….
read … Hawaii commercial rent relief bill stalls
Hawaii tobacco trust fund targeted by lawmakers
KITV: … Hawaii's quit line is one of the programs funded by the 20 year old Tobacco Settlement.
Every year, the state gets millions of dollars from tobacco sales. 26% of that money goes to the University of Hawaii for the medical school, 15% goes for emergency budget reserves, 46.5% goes into the state's general fund while 12.5% goes to the Tobacco Prevention and Control Trust Fund.
The fund now stands at $59 million.
But House bill 1296 would take the annual allotment for tobacco prevention and spend it on other things, including EMS, and staff for human resources and the governor's office.
"Scoop the extra, not the base funds, but the extra into the general fund for general assistance, medicaid and other programs for the people of Hawaii," stated Rep. Ryan Yamane.
That would mean current tobacco prevention programs, anti-smoking education efforts, and teen vaping awareness would whittle away the trust fund, until it was all gone in 4 years.
"The best way to use tobacco profits is to help people quit and our youth quit. But we will have this trust fund repealed in 2025. We are disappointed with that," stated Irvin….
read … Hawaii tobacco trust fund targeted by lawmakers
HB499 would allow 99-year leases of public lands poised for approval
HNN: … The full state House and Senate are set to vote on the proposal Tuesday.
House Bill 499 gives the Board of Land and Natural Resources the authority to extend leases of public lands by 40 years ― on top of current 65-year maximum leases.
Resorts, commercial, industrial, government and mixed-use leases would be eligible for an extension as long as they meet several requirements, including making substantial improvements to the property in the form of renovations or developments.
Hilo’s Prince Kuhio Plaza, for example, sits on land owned by DHHL and has undergone millions of dollars in renovations in recent year. In testimony, the plaza said a lease extension would help re-affirm a commitment to future investments as a gathering spot for the Hilo community.
Lawmakers advanced the bill despite an overwhelming amount of testimony in opposition. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs along with the the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation have both come out against the measure, pointing to ignored concerns over land rights for Native Hawaiians.….
read … Despite opposition, bill that would allow 99-year leases of public lands poised for approval
Lease Retention Priority for new Pohakuloa Commander
WHT: … The current 65-year lease between the military and state of Hawaii in 1964 expires Aug. 16, 2029, but work is already in progress, including a draft environmental impact expected to be published next spring. The Army last fall held scoping meetings and took the first round of public input for the lease retention.
The lands, the largest contiguous live-fire range in the state, have been used routinely for military training since 1943, and the state-owned land has been leased by the Army since 1964. Under the lease, the Army paid $1 for the entire 65-year period.
Army officials say PTA is a good neighbor, providing jobs, economic drivers and community assistance. For example, PTA staff provide fire and rescue services for a 420-square-mile area and maintain collections of endangered plants for conservation. The training area’s 230 employees live and contribute in communities across the island, but primarily in Hilo. Units coming in for training also engage in community projects from beach cleanups to building playgrounds.
Construction at PTA is pumping money into the economy by employing more than 100 construction workers in two projects — new troop barracks and drainage and utility updates — totaling $37 million, PTA Public Affairs Officer Michael Donnelly said in a press release last month.
“The combined construction contracts involve more than 100 trade workers from the local area doing masonry, heavy equipment operations, utility work and general labor,” he said. “During the pandemic, these types of contracts provide consistent and well-paying jobs to Hawaii Island based families.”…
read … Changing of the guard: New PTA commander to oversee lease retention
The ‘taking’ of Aloha Stadium parking and loss of tailgating
SA: … Interpreting seemingly innocuous recent statements by the state about Aloha Stadium redevelopment, the reality emerges: 83% of the current stadium and surrounding parking area will be converted to “mixed use development.” The whole scheme results in keeping 20 acres for the stadium but “taking” 98 acres away. With hardly a whimper of resistance from anybody.
One glance at a “conceptual rendering” by Crawford Architects of Kansas City tells it all: THERE’S LITTLE OR NO OUTDOOR PARKING!
Condominiums, office buildings, retail buildings and a vague “entertainment district,” all gobbling up most of the current stadium parking area. How will the residents near Aloha Stadium feel about off-site parking come game and concert time? And how will fans feel, forced to park up to a mile away and walk? Can you imagine the hue and cry from college football fans nationwide if they faced a similar “taking?”…
What percentage of University of Hawaii season ticket holders will switch to pay-per-view if they can’t tailgate? Lanais all over the island will become remote tailgate sites, with one TV on. The UH Athletic Department’s bottom line will no doubt be impacted. And how about the Stadium Authority’s cash cow, the swap meet? With insufficient outdoor parking, another bottom line casualty at taxpayers’ expense….
read … The ‘taking’ of Aloha Stadium parking and loss of tailgating
Council to Spend County Taxpayer Money to get Federal Taxpayer Money
SA: … In an effort to maximize the amount of federal funds it receives, the Honolulu City Council is considering creating three full-time positions dedicated to applying for competitive federal grants in coordination with the mayor’s office….
In her city budget amendments, Councilwoman Esther Kiaaina, who represents the Kaneohe area, wanted to see $300,000 allocated to the Office of Economic Revitalization for the three federal grant positions….
U.S. Rep. Ed Case, D- Hawaii, who is on the House Committee on Appropriations, was supportive of the idea.
“I’m focused on competitive grant awards, which are somewhere in the range of about 1,300 federal grant programs that have funding that is administered and distributed throughout the country on a competitive basis,” he said.
“So how good are you at identifying that there is a match with a federal competitive grant that you might be able to go after? … Do you have the raw staff resources to go out there and actually assemble all of the information and track the grant all the way through? And do you have the knowledge of the federal government?”…
read … Honolulu City Council proposal seeks to maximize federal funding
Hawaii residents most searched question on Google—‘How do I file for unemployment?’
KITV: The loss of jobs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in the past year has played an impact on Hawai'i's most Googled question: "How do I file for unemployment?" Alaskans and Nevadans also Googled the same question.
LINK: Americans Need Help with Their How-To’s. They’re Turning to Google For Answers.
read … Hawaii residents most searched question on Google
Hawaii suit over gun rights could be shaped by another case before US Supreme Court
HNN: … Hawaii’s strict gun laws could be put to the test at the U.S. Supreme Court.
On Monday, justices agreed to hear a case from New York over the right to carry a firearm in public for self-defense. Hawaii is one of eight states with restrictive laws in place that are relevant to the case.
The review of the case comes amid a federal push to tighten gun laws under the Biden administration in light of recent mass shootings across the mainland. The court previously turned down reviewing the issue in June, prior to the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It will now be heard in the fall….
A similar gun rights case from Hawaii is also making its way toward the high court.
George Young, of Hilo, sued Hawaii County after being denied a license to carry a handgun in public. He said he wanted to carry the firearm for self-defense, and not being able to do so is a civil rights violation.
Young appealed the decision to reject his permit. Three federal appeals court judges later ruled in his favor, but the state asked more judges to hear the case….
That 11-judge panel on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said “the Second Amendment does not guarantee an unfettered, general right to openly carry arms in public for individual self-defense. Accordingly, Hawai’i’s firearms-carry scheme is lawful.”
Young’s attorney told Hawaii News Now on Monday he thinks the Supreme Court will review his case, but will wait until the outcome of the New York case….
AP: Supreme Court to take up right to carry gun for self-defense
read … Hawaii suit over gun rights could be shaped by another case before US Supreme Court
Local youth crime-fighting program at risk of shutting down turns to community for help
KHON: … In 2018 to 2019, juvenile arrests in Weed and Seed’s Ewa Beach site dropped by 31 percent.
To help keep the program going, members have put in their own money.
“The board of directors are doing a emergency campaign fund. They put in $100 from their pocket and they’re reaching out to their friends and family to beat that $100 contribution. That’s what we’ve been really depending on to continuing our program,” Braceros said.
“You think about all the great things they do with law enforcement, community policing, prevention, intervention and treatment and neighborhood restoration? How can we not be worried that this program could end without the funding,” said Councilmember Tulba.
Now the community can step in and help by donating via PayPal or by check. For more information on how to contribute, click here….
read … Local youth crime-fighting program at risk of shutting down turns to community for help
Honolulu police are cracking down on illegal game rooms, but is it enough?
KITV: … In over a week, Honolulu police have shut down three illegal gambling operations in Waikiki, Liliha and Waianae.
How effective are these busts to shutting down illegal game rooms for good? And what happens to the machines?
Sources in the HPD confirm with KITV-4 that seized gambling machines are stored until the case is closed. The owner of the machines has 30 days to claim their property -- if no one shows up, they're destroyed. Kalihi resident Keali'i Lum says he's glad to see HPD cracking down but believes the busts are not enough.
Lum says he knows of 30 active illegal game rooms in his residential neighborhood -- the problem he says is when one gets raided, the owner has backup machines and can open again. Lum echoes what HPD says that criminal activity spills into the community, and residents pay the price. …
"They're not even from Kalihi. They're coming in from other parts of the island, coming in and and breaking into cars, stealing, breaking into homes, reselling things, so that they can go back to the game room, but it's a huge problem," he said. "The police officers do their best, but their hands are tied, it starts at the legislation level, there needs to be more stricter laws."
Lum wants state legislators to create harsher penalties for landlords who rent to illegal operators and anyone listed on their lease agreements.
Sources in the HPD tell me the department has a long term strategy for closing illegal game rooms for good, but that was set back when courts were closed due to the pandemic….
SA: Police seize more than 1 dozen gambling machines, cash in Waianae raid
read … Honolulu police are cracking down on illegal game rooms, but is it enough?
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