Election Integrity? Hawaii Dead Last
Nine Years After Katherine Kealoha's Bungled Prosecution, Supreme Court Orders Return of Alleged Gambling Machines
UH funding priorities included in Governor’s 2022 budget
‘I didn’t know how much better it is outside of Hawaii’
To Make the Red Hill Crisis Take Hold, Hawaii Congressional Delegation Stopped the Navy from Flushing Tainted Water Into Storm Drains
(Editor’s Note: Look at how much needs to be corrected to make this article accurate.)
CB: … In the early days of the Red Hill water contamination crisis, the Navy opened fire hydrants and flushed contaminated water directly on to sidewalks and residential streets that rushed into storm drains and flowed into the ocean without the required state permits, according to residents and the Hawaii Department of Health….
(CLUE: The DoH has no authority over the Navy so the permits are not ‘required.’ However, Congress does have authority over the Navy ….)
On Friday, the Navy, Army, the DOH and the Environmental Protection Agency reached an agreement on a more stringent plan designed to ensure petroleum-laced water does not end up in the ocean.
(Translation: The Congressional delegation pressured the Navy to pretend the DoH regs are binding, so the Navy stopped flushing the water and let it sit in peoples’ homes while negotiating with the hacks at DoH. Meanwhile the Navy flew in giant water filters so the dirty water could be cleaned up before dumping it in open fields of grass. The net effect--as intended by Hawaii Democrats-- was to exacerbate the crisis by making it last longer.)
The agreement came well after the Navy’s initial action, which the DOH says was illegal. (Key Word: 'says') But rather than sanctioning the Navy, the health department says it is focused on “resolving imminent threats to the public.”…
(Translation: We know we have no authority and this is all a charade orchestrated by the Congressional delegation--since Congress actually DOES have authority.)
The week of Thanksgiving, residents reported gasoline-like odors near sinks and bathtubs. On Nov. 30, the Joint-Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Facebook page asked all residents within military housing areas to run the water for three to five minutes to “possibly alleviate the odor.”
But according to residents, the smell only intensified as they ran their sink and bath water. In addition to the individual flushing in each household, fire hydrants were opened directly onto neighborhood streets.
“The fire hydrants were being flushed for about an hour to an hour and a half down our street,” Aliamanu Military Reservation resident Abbi Sharpe said. “And then I even saw the guys try to clear some of the water that was collecting by sweeping it into the storm drains.”…
The DOH confirmed that the Navy illegally flushed contaminated water. Arita-Chang said the department sent the Navy an email providing flushing guidelines on Dec. 3.
As the Navy continued to violate guidelines over the following days, the DOH ordered the Navy to stop all flushing.
In general, discharges into any storm drain system are not authorized without the written consent of the owner of the storm drain. The Navy is required by the DOH to identify where the storm drain empties into state waters….
Despite the lack of information and testing, the DOH said it has not observed negative impacts at the outfalls….
On Friday, the Navy, Army, DOH and EPA agreed to a “Drinking Water Distribution System Recovery Plan” that, among other things, details a plan for flushing the system that complies with state law….
(This is the charade demanded by the Congressional delegation. In 2022 the Republicans are likely to take over House and Senate and the Navy will be less inclined to put up with petty crisis manipulating interference from silly Hawaii Democrats.)
CB: What Red Hill Says About The Decline Of American Empire (THIS is what we were made to wait for? Pathetic.)
SA Column: Hawaiians pay dearly for military presence (THIS is what we were made to wait for? Pathetic.)
CB: Moving the tanks above ground would increase their risk of being targeted and destroyed, Roy said, but “on the other hand, clean drinking water is a pretty basic need.” (THIS is what we were made to wait for? Pathetic.)
SPUTNIK: Kaniela Ing tells Putin’s propaganda outlet Hawaii wants Independence (THIS is what we were made to wait for? Pathetic.)
read … The Navy Illegally Flushed Tainted Water Into Storm Drains As Red Hill Crisis Took Hold
Closing arguments over Red Hill fuel tanks emergency order
KITV: … As personnel ramp up filtering of contaminated water, attorneys for the Navy made their closing arguments. They said a Department of Health emergency order to de-fuel the Red Hill tanks is not needed because the military already suspended operations there. It is also cleaning up the contaminated water.
"The Navy will develop a work plan to do necessary repairs, we have it right, the Department of Health has it wrong," said attorney Craig Jensen….
And why didn't they stop the 14,000 gallons from poisoning their own water system? Because they can't," stated David Henkin, the attorney representing the Sierra Club….
"It is really not a question of IF the Department of Health can exercise its emergency power in this case, but how can it not? " asked Deputy Attorney General Wade Hargrove.
Attorneys for both sides now have until Thursday to submit their briefs to the hearings officer. He plans to issue a ruling on the emergency order, early next week….
(CLUE: The DoH has no authority over the Navy so the permits are not ‘required.’ However, Congress does have authority over the Navy. Therefore these pretend hearings are occurring ONLY because the Hawaii Congressional delegation demanded the Navy pretend the DoH has authority.)
KHON: Hawaii hearing over tainted Navy water ends without a ruling
read … Closing arguments for Red Hill fuel tanks emergency order
Hawaii hospitals full of Non-COVID Patients
SA: … As of Tuesday, 60 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized statewide, with nine in intensive care units and seven on ventilators, according to the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency’s COVID-19 dashboard. Although considered manageable, that number is expected to rise in the coming weeks….
Hawaii’s hospital beds are already full of noncoronavirus patients, according to Raethel, with 2,239 of about 2,600 available beds filled as of Tuesday, just shy of the 2,365 during the peak of the summer delta surge….
“Our hospitals are already pretty full and fairly close to the peak we had during the (delta) surge, which is why we’re very concerned,” he said. “It would be a surge on top of hospitals that are pretty full.”…
read … Rapid rise in COVID-19 cases prompts Hawaii hospitals into crisis preparation mode
City jacks up property tax assessments
SA: … Recently I received the 2022 real property assessment on my primary (only) residence and was astounded by the 33.9% increase in the property value over 2021. ….
read … City jacks up property tax assessments
Chinatown merchants frustrated with ongoing crime, mental illness and politicians
KITV: … Almost every day, Sabrina Stephen said she's literally chasing out people trying to steal from her workplace at Kimi's Beads, Fashion and Gifts in the Maunakea Marketplace.
Sometimes they become violent.
"You never can let your guard down," she said. "They want to fight with you."
Between COVID-19 and the growing number of people living on the streets, she said business has plummeted.
It's a daily battle for merchants despite promises by the city to clean up crime and get more homeless into treatment programs and permanent housing.
"A whole bunch of politicians have come down here….”
Johnny Ng, assistant manager at the Maunakea Marketplace, said on any given week he calls the police at least once or twice.
One of those times was to report a man wielding a knife wildly at people on the street.
"That's the kind of dangers that we're talking about here," Ng said. "And then there's some people that just scream loudly, they won't leave. There's one particularly lady that just walks around topless -- completely topless -- and she'll just walk around and it scares customers."…
read … Chinatown merchants frustrated with ongoing crime, mental illness and homelessness
More Homeless Mayhem: HFD investigating blaze at Aiea home that previously went up in flames
HNN: … HFD said the previous fire on Jan. 18, 2020 had left the building “severely damaged, vacant, and unsecured.” Officials had opened an arson investigation into that blaze.
Neighbors reported that squatters had been seen numerous time on the property.
Officials said damage to the building is $0 due to the previous blaze. However, the fire caused an estimated $5,000 in damage to the neighboring home….
read … HFD investigating blaze at Aiea home that previously went up in flames
Results from Kauai Prosecutor special primary election; general in February
TGI: … As of Saturday’s election night, Rebecca “Becky” Like garnered 8,184 votes, over Shaylene Iseri, who came in with 3,645 votes in the county’s special primary election for prosecuting attorney, according to a first print-out of results.
Just over 11,829 residents voted in this mail-in election, signaling a 24% turnout….
This is just the first round between Iseri and Like, who will both be on the general-election ballot in February….
The Kaua‘i County Charter states that a special primary election must be held within 45 days after the vacancy and a special general election to follow, requiring both elections to take place. The remaining term of the county prosecuting attorney is through Dec. 1, 2024.
(CLUE: Amend the Charter to allow elimination of the general election after a two-person primary or when a candidate in the primary beats 50%)
The special general election will again be by mail with an option to vote in person with the mailed ballots. Results will be revealed coming Feb. 26, 2022. Ballots will be mailed on or before Feb. 1….
HOOSER: Sometimes leading means stepping back
read … Like on top of OPA special primary election; general in February
Corona Virus News:
QUICK HITS: