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$1.275M UH Buyout Would be Record: University of Hawaii's football team is miserable. Players say the culprit is head coach Todd Graham.
SFG: …One player told SFGATE, “I would go as far to say it’s verbal abuse the way he talks to guys. … It’s personal. It’s not like, ‘Oh, you need to be faster.’ He’s calling guys useless, jackass and a sack of s—t.”
(CLUE: This story is in the San Francisco papers because they don't rely on ad dollars from UH athletic boosters.)
Another player reiterated to SFGATE that Graham insults his players constantly, reportedly calling players “dogs—t,” among other demeaning terms. Multiple players also said Graham constantly threatens to take away playing time from anyone who questions him. One player recalled Graham telling a teammate to “stop talking back or I’m going to take away your senior year.”
Graham’s behavior has reportedly had a negative impact on the rest of his coaching staff as well. Multiple players mentioned that they believed staff promotions were given to coaches who challenged Graham the least.. …
Meanwhile, according to multiple players, Graham’s own future aspirations are abundantly clear. They recall different instances when Graham had openly discussed his aspirations to leave Hawaii for the NFL. “He basically kept telling us he’s using us as a stepping stone,” as one player put it.
Said another player, “I see why he wants the bowl game so bad. It ain’t for the seniors. It ain’t for Hawaii. It’s for his reputation and the extra bowl game check.” (Graham will receive a $20,000 bonus for participating in the Hawaii Bowl. If Hawaii wins the game, he will receive an additional $40,000.)…
It’s unclear how the university’s athletic department views Graham. Athletic Director David Matlin did not respond to email or phone inquiries from SFGATE. Graham agreed to a five-year contract before the 2020 season, which will pay him an $800,000 base salary through 2024. The school would owe him $425,000 for every year remaining on his contract if he was removed, which would total $1.275 million this offseason. Hawaii has never spent more than $600,000 to buy out a coach.
The financial situation in Manoa is part of what’s driving the mass exodus. One player who has not entered the transfer portal told SFGATE, “I’m probably not coming back this year because [Graham] has three more years. … It’s not like we have the money to buy him out.” Another player said, “Most of the freshmen are either quitting or trying to transfer.”…
read … University of Hawaii's football team is miserable. Players say the culprit is head coach Todd Graham.
It Could Cost $10B and 30 years For The Navy To Move Red Hill Fuel
CB: … A 2018 study found that building a new jet fuel facility to replace the aging tanks at Red Hill could cost as much as $10 billion and could take until 2051….
read … It Could Cost Billions For The Navy To Move Red Hill Fuel
Navy temporarily suspends Red Hill fuel tank operations (sort of)
SA: … “The Navy is not moving fuel from operational tanks at Red Hill at this time,” Navy spokesman Mike Andrews told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser today. “However, please remember that the fuel stored at Red Hill is vital to the nation and Hawaii, providing fuel not only to the Navy, Air Force, Army and Marines, but also Coast Guard and Hawaii National Guard.” ….
“The Navy is currently using the above ground fuel tanks on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to support all operational requirements,” Andrews wrote to the Star-Advertiser today….
It is unclear exactly when the Navy stopped using the Red Hill fuel tanks….
(Answer: Last time they filled up the surface tanks at Hickam.)
(CLUE: Next time the Navy moves fuel from Red Hill to the tanks at Hickam, claim that they lied and broke trust with the public or something.)
read … Navy temporarily suspends Red Hill fuel tank operations
Ex-Maui police officer convicted of federal crimes arrested again in child sex sting
HNN: … Brandon Saffeels, the ex-MPD officer fired after a Hawaii News Now investigative report, is back in custody accused of trying to have sex with a teen.
Saffeels was arrested Saturday night during Operation Keiki Shield — a joint operation by county, state and federal agencies to track down child predators.
Saffeels was allegedly communicating with an agent, pretending to be a 13-year old girl, sources said.
He was booked into the Maui jail early Sunday morning. Bail has been set at $500,000.
Last month, Saffeels was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to honest services fraud, he admitted to soliciting sex from a woman he arrested for DUI in 2019….
…Saffeels was scheduled to self surrender on Jan. 7, 2022 to a facility in Oregon, but his plea agreement could be thrown out now that he’s been arrested for another, serious crime….
read … Ex-Maui police officer convicted of federal crimes arrested again in child sex sting
Lawsuit Alleges Honolulu Police Shot, Killed Thief and Thug With No Justification
CB: … Dana Brown was shot and killed at Campbell Industrial Park on Dec. 17, 2019 by a 13-year HPD veteran assigned to District 8 after the officer saw Brown driving his moped on the wrong side of the road, then-Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said at the time, adding that he had an outstanding warrant for abuse of a family member and the moped he was riding was reported stolen….
Video showing the moments before Brown was shot in the torso was captured on the officer’s body-worn camera and released to the public after the shooting.
The footage shows the officer approaching Brown with his gun drawn shouting repeatedly “put the knife down,” and “get on the ground.”
Brown is then seen lifting the moped’s front tire off the ground with both hands twice while the officer tells him to “put the knife down.” Brown then begins rummaging through the moped’s seat compartment while holding a silver object that appears to be a knife in his right hand.
Throughout the video, Brown is seen ignoring the officer’s orders. The officer also appears to fire his taser twice at Brown, but misses, before pointing his handgun at Brown.
Brown then starts the moped’s engine and the officer fires three shots.
Ballard said that the footage does not capture the moment Brown lunged at the officer with the knife….
After the officer fired the trio of shots, Brown can be seen sitting on the ground while the officer repeatedly tells him to “get on the ground.”
Paramedics arrived a short time later and transported Brown to Queen’s Medical Center West, where he was pronounced dead a short time later, according to the lawsuit….
According to Matthew Dvonch, special counsel to the prosecuting attorney, the shooting is still under review by Alm’s office….
PDF: Lawsuit
read … Lawsuit Alleges Honolulu Police Shot, Killed Man With No Justification
Voter service center opens, ballots coming in for Kaua‘i special election
TGI: … About 17% of registered Kaua‘i voters have already returned their ballots for the Prosecuting Attorney Special Primary Election.
The election, sparked by the early resignation of Justin Kollar, is between former county prosecuting attorney Shaylene Iseri and Acting Procesector Rebecca Like, and is scheduled for Dec. 18.
About 42,243 ballots were mailed out to 47,513 registered voters. And as of last Friday, 8,158 have been returned….
“Like we did in the 2020 elections, we will begin processing ballots prior to election day, but of course not generate any results until after 7 p.m. on election day, Dec. 18,” Election Administrator Lyndon Yoshioka said Monday….
Monday, the county’s Voter Service Center opened in the basement of the Historic County Annex Building in Lihu‘e on Rice Street.
The center will be open the next two weeks on Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., up until election day. On Dec. 18, the center will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“Everything is by mail, we have the Voter Service Center open for individuals who still wish to register to vote as well as to provide accessible voting equipment for individuals who need that,” Yoshioka said.
The VSC offers accessible in-person voting, same-day registration and serves as a mail ballot collection site, no appointment is necessary….
read … Voter service center opens, ballots coming in for Kaua‘i special election
The median price of a single-family home on Oahu jumps to $1,050,000 from $872,500
SA: … Single-family homes fetched a median price of $1,050,000 to mark the fourth straight month they had reached seven figures, according to data released Monday by the Honolulu Board of Realtors. That number tied the all-time high achieved in August and September and was $50,000 higher than the $1 million median price in October. It also was 20.3% above the $872,500 reached in November 2020. Single-family homes moved into escrow at a quick pace of just 11 days on the market.
Condominiums, meanwhile, sold at a median price of $500,000 in November to match their previous highs reached in August and October. The median condo price was up 19% over $420,000 in the year-earlier period. Moreover, condos set a record for low median days on the market of only nine days.
With buyers piling into more-affordable condos, sales soared 47.7% during November to 601 from 407 in the year-earlier period. Single-family home sales also rose, but at a slower pace of 9.8% to 371 from 338 in November 2020.
The Honolulu Board of Realtors only counts sales of previously owned homes…
read … The median price of a single-family home on Oahu jumps to $1,050,000 from $872,500
More data on entities registered in international tax havens
ILind: … Just for fun, I typed “Hawaii” into their search box. This is the list that was returned. It appears to have found names that included “Hawaii” rather than necessarily based in Hawaii….
RELATED: Lawsuits Close in on Hawaii’s Largest Carbon Credit Scheme
read … More data on entities registered in international tax havens
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