The hidden story of the third Thanksgiving: 1623--giving thanks for freedom
Lost Opportunity: Schatz Secures Extension Of $493 Million Honolulu Rail Funding Grant In Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal
COVID: Ige allows counties to go their own way
Blangiardi Eases COVID Restrictions
Reapportionment: Statewide Public Hearings Begin November 30
‘A clear red flag’: Records show adoptive parents previously investigated for suspected abuse
HNN: … Isabella ‘Ariel’ Kalua was adopted in January 2021, by Lehua and Isaac Kalua, but the couple had been her foster parents for years prior.
The first investigation triggered a Honolulu Police Department response on July 22, 2019.
The report says a Child Welfare Services caseworker turned over records to HPD about possible abuse but the case was quickly closed.
“After a thorough review of the circumstances, it was determined that there will be no action taken by HPD in this case,” the report synopsis said.
The document continued, “The welfare of the child would best be met by the actions of CWS instead of the HPD” and it said the caseworker had made contact with children. The record said the child “was well cared for.”
Former foster parent and child advocate Stephen Lane said CWS should have also passed on the records to family court.
“Report it to the judge,” Lane said, “Had they done so, a judge in family court in Ariel’s case would have appointed a special master to investigate those allegations.”
The second abuse investigation happened three months later in October 2019.
The girl suffered a broken finger, which wasn’t reported quickly, sources told Hawaii News Now.
The Kaluas responded saying a sibling slammed the girl’s hand in a door accidentally. A multidisciplinary panel reviewed the case and determined there was ‘no maltreatment’.
Three months later in January 2020, Isabella ‘Ariel’ Kalua had a broken leg. Then, the adoptive parents said in that case that she was hurt on a trampoline.
Again a multidisciplinary panel, made up of experts including doctors, determined, ‘no maltreatment’.
Lane said the use of panels were a sign.
“A multidisciplinary team is only convened when they suspect abuse,” Lane said.
“It’s a clear red flag to me that CPS considered there was abuse taking place on at least two occasions.” …
read … ‘A clear red flag’: Records show adoptive parents previously investigated for suspected abuse
Ige pushes back against efforts to limit his emergency powers
HNN: … House Minority Leader Val Okimoto applauds Ige’s efforts to minimize the overall health impacts, but says there are other factors to consider.
”No, I don’t think that we’ve made the best decisions overall,” said Okimoto. “And it’s hard to say we have come out on top when you want to compare just that (us to other states). I think we should look at other statistics. How has the education system favored? How has the economy fared?” I feel that we need to use common sense, listen to our community and move forward.”
The National Conference of State Legislatures says at least 12 states have curbed their governor’s powers during the pandemic — both Republican and Democrat.
House Speaker Scott Saiki has tried before to limit executive powers and says the pandemic is a good example of why his bill should pass next year.
“I’ve actually heard from different kinds of people who have basically told me that, you know, unfortunately, they don’t really keep track of the orders anymore, because there are so many orders,” said Saiki….
HTH: Former governors defend emergency proclamations
read … Ige pushes back against efforts to limit his emergency powers
Remove age bias in triage allocation plan
SA: … in the sole state with the highest life expectancy nationwide at 81.3 years old, why are we using evidence from elsewhere — that is, “multiple countries including the U.S.,” as an indicator for poor prognosis here?….
read … Remove age bias in triage allocation plan
50 Years Later, Hawaii’s Law Requiring Professional Licenses Could Be In For An Overhaul
CB: … The occupational licensing requirements for many professions may be hindering qualified professionals from moving to Hawaii and getting work….
While more than a dozen other states have made sweeping changes to recognize occupational licenses granted in other states, Hawaii continues to rely on an ad hoc, patchwork approach built up on a law passed almost half a century ago.
That may be about to change.
“There are fields where there are shortages where it makes sense to look at reciprocity,” said Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson, who chairs the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee. “The door is certainly open to continued reform and to explore reciprocity.”
Although Johanson said protecting public health, safety and welfare remains the paramount concern for his committee, lawmakers have shown an openness to reform the laws. Last session, for example, the Legislature passed a bill to make it easier for military dependents to transfer licenses to Hawaii, Johanson noted.
And it makes sense to consider more such changes, said House Speaker Scott Saiki.
“The House seeks modernization and reform in state government, and this plays right into that,” he said….
read … 50 Years Later, Hawaii’s Law Requiring Professional Licenses Could Be In For An Overhaul
Hawaii County Water Board pushing another massive rate hike
HTH: … Members of the island Water Board favored a 9.5% annual rate increase over options of 12% and 8% after a presentation Tuesday from consultants anticipating revenues and expenses over the next five years.
The rate increase, assuming the pass-through power charge increases on average 3% a year and the CIP energy charge stays the same, would take the bimonthly bill of a typical home with a 5/8 inch meter and 12,000 gallons per month water use from the current $140.64 to $199.30 in 2026….
The increase, which would, if implemented, go into effect in July, follows an increase last January of about 13%….
read … Water Board mulls rate hikes
Maui County Mulls An Agreement Between Police And US Immigration Agency
MN: … The proposal would authorize the mayor to enter into an agreement with the homeland security division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, allowing federal officials to designate Maui police officers as customs officers and train them in the use of body cameras.
The Maui County Council is considering the bill in a committee hearing on Wednesday.
During a virtual committee hearing on Nov. 16, Maui County prosecuting attorney Andrew Martin testified that immigrant advocates’ worries were misplaced.
He emphasized the agreement between Maui Police Department and ICE explicitly prohibits police officers from having the authority to enforce immigration law violations.
“This has nothing to do with immigration at all,” Martin said in an interview Tuesday. “The type of agreements that everyone is concerned about is not this.”
Rather, the agreement will help provide resources to Maui County officers to investigate child exploitation, financial exploitation and drug trafficking, Martin said, adding that Maui police has had this partnership in place for several years.
“We want to identify and prosecute pedophiles in our community and that’s what this agreement assists with,” Martin said….
read … Maui County Mulls An Agreement Between Police And US Immigration Agency
Maui Antivaxxers will have 20 days to add more signatures
MN: … On Saturday, recall organizers turned in signatures they collected during the 30-day signature gathering period allowed by county law. Now the county clerk has 20 days from that time — from Sunday to Dec. 10 — to determine the sufficiency of the documents submitted. It will be followed by the certification showing the results of the examination process.
Lead organizer Sheila Walker of South Maui declined to divulge the number of in-person signatures they obtained or if they had reached the threshold of having no less than 20 percent of Maui County registered voters (21,586) in the last general election sign the petition.
(Translation: They don’t have 21,586.)
But she did say on Monday that they obtained “a lot of signatures” and that about 95 percent of the approximately 500 clipboards that were used to circulate the petition around the island had been returned to them by the deadline.
(Translation: They got 400 clipboards in the last two hours and just threw them at the County Clerk without checking anything.)
Walker said there were still people calling her after the deadline Saturday night and Sunday trying to turn their clipboards in. She said this shows the group had more signatures that could have been provided to the clerk.
(Translation: I admit my followers are idiots.)
Walker had told The Maui News on Friday morning that 75 of the approximately 500 clipboards had been returned with about 3,000 signatures.
“I’m super excited,” Walker said on Monday. “I’m charged up. I’m ready for round two. We are not going to back down. We are going to push forward.”
(Translation: We will cry fraud.)
Walker was referring to receiving the results of the number of signatures deemed sufficient or insufficient and the opportunity to obtain more signatures.
(Translation: Then we will turn in more signatures and cry fraud again.)
In an email, County Clerk Kathy Kaohu explained, “In the event the initial petition contains insufficient signatures, the recall petition may be supported by supplemental signatures, in the same manner and requirements as the recall petition. The supplemental petition time-frame allows for 20 days to gather supplement signatures.”
If the total signatures on the petition do not meet the 20 percent Maui County Charter requirement, the petition could be deemed “insufficient.” A signature could also be deemed “insufficient” due to missing required voter information….
read … Quack Havoc and unleash the Ducks of War!
Hawaii Should Abolish the Bar Exam so Even The Dumbest Grads from UH Richardson can become Shysters
CB: … because bar examinations are …uh… ‘racist’ … yeah, that’ll convince ‘em… 'raaaacist' ….
read … Hawaii Should Abolish the Bar Exam so Even The Dumbest Grads from UH Richardson can become Shysters
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