How Christmas Came to Hawaii
HPD officer arrested after Niu Valley shooting
HTA: Fewer Tourists Paying More Money
Drug-Dealing Sovereignty Thug Arrested at Convenience Store after OHA Attack
ILind: … Faletoga is the only one with a serious criminal record, having pleaded guilty in state court to three counts of promoting dangerous drugs in 2007, for which he was sentenced to a ten year term in prison.
Two weeks before the January 17 incident at OHA, a group of about eight men claiming to represent the Kingdom of Atooi first entered the OHA lobby on January 4, 2019.
A civil lawsuit filed on behalf of Davis Price later described what then took place.
“While inside the lobby area, Atooi began yelling and making aggressive gestures and loud statements that they were there to take over the building, to seize assets, and arrest OHA Trustees. Employees at OHA were able to clearly hear the threats made….,” the lawsuit alleged.
The men agreed to leave, but told OHA staff they would return. And they did.
A larger group 13 men returned late in the morning of January 17, 2019 and again immediately attempted “to take control of the OHA office area by the use of force and violence,” according to the civil lawsuit.
The men confronted Price, “demanding to be allowed into the back-office area adjacent to the lobby.” Davis was blocking the door to the area, and the men from Atooi then started “forcing their way through the door and…pulling Mr. Price away fron the door striking hinm in the face, head, neck and shoulder areas.”
He was then overpowered, and forced face down on the floor. While his his arms and legs held, another man put him in a “rear naked choke hold” which left him unable to breath. He was then carried to the front door by four of the men who then swung Price and threw him head first out the lobby door, the lawsuit alleged.
According to the Kingdom of Atooi, its government officials, ambassadors and assisting diplomats, as well as its “Federal Marshalls,” are subject to the Hawaiian Kingdom Constitution and not to Hawaii or US law.
When Ene Falatogo was arrested in November 2020 after an altercation at the Nomnom Convenience Store at King and Cooke Streets in Honolulu, a letter from the Office of the Royal Magistrate addressed to the City and County of Honolulu, the chief of police, and Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm advised these officials they had been “found liable for some or all of the following: defamation of character, discrimination, terroristic threatening, detainment of a diplomat, bail fraud, lack of jurisction, illegal confiscation of Government Property of the Sovereign Polynesian Kingdom of Atooi/Hawaiian Kingdom.”
The letter, which is included in the court record, said these offenses “require monetary remedies, fines, fees, and penalties, and may include imprisonment as determined by the Royal Magistrates of the Kingdom of Atooi/Hawaiian Kingdom….”
The folks associated with the Kingdom of Atooi have reportedly leveraged their sovereignty claims to solicit donations, as well as by selling “Kingdom” drivers licenses and passports to unwary buyers….
read … Occupation of OHA offices in 2019 finally leads to felony indictments
Vacation rental supply down 41% from pre-pandemic times
SA: … Statewide vacation rental occupancy in November was 62.8%, just 5.8 percentage points below November 2019, according to a Hawaii Tourism Authority report released today that was produced by Transparent Intelligence, which analyzes short-term rental markets.
Earlier this week, HTA reported that November hotel occupancy was 59.7%, a 19.4 percentage point decline from November 2019. HTA’s hotel data came from Tennessee-based STR.
Vacation rental supply across the state was significantly down in November from pre-pandemic times, while hotel room supply was actually a little better than it was in November 2019.
In November, statewide vacation rental supply fell to 547,600 room nights, a 40.6% decline from November 2019, while vacation rental demand dropped to 343,939 units, a 45.5% decline.
In comparison, HTA reported that room supply for Hawaii hotels in November rose 16.5% to 1.62 million room nights. According to HTA, hotel room demand over the same period declined 24.1% to 996,100 room nights….
PBN: Hawaii vacation rentals report substantial drops in supply, demand for November
read … Vacation rental supply down 41% from pre-pandemic times
Navy completes ‘System-Level’ flushing at Pearl City Peninsula
KHON: … The Navy’s efforts on cleaning the fuel-contaminated water from its pipes continue as the flushing at the Pearl City Peninsula is done at a “system” level.
Flushing from house to house will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 28, through Thursday, Dec. 30, according to the Navy. Two sections of the Aliamanu and Red Hill system piping were also flushed….
read … Navy completes initial flushing at Pearl City Peninsula, prepares to flush other areas affected by contaminated water
City offers employees paid day off for booster shots as dozens out sick with COVID
HNN: … Only 25% of Oahu’s eligible population has received a third booster shot and Blangiardi says he’s worried about the health of city workers.
“Right now I believe we have 92 City and County workers that are out with COVID and obviously they are going to have to be out for a bit. We are trying to keep our core city services in tact as best we can,” said Blangiardi….
“We’ll give everybody who gets a third booster if they’ve already gotten it or if they are going to get it going forward, we are going to give them a full day off, a day off in 2022,” said Blangiardi….
read … City offers employees incentive for booster shots as dozens out sick with COVID
COVID: Hawaii Bowl canceled on eve of game after UH pulls out
AP: … The game was scheduled for Friday at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
Hawaii athletic department spokesperson Derek Inouchi said about 30 players and staff recently tested positive for COVID-19. Cases have been surging in Honolulu for the past two weeks. Oahu’s seven-day average of new cases was 11 times higher on Thursday compared to Dec. 8
“The health and safety of our student-athletes is the most important part of this decision,” Hawaii athletic director David Matlin said in a statement. “The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has forced us to not participate in the game. We are disappointed for our players, coaches, and fans. ESPN and the EasyPost Hawaii Bowl staff did everything they could for us and we appreciate their valiant effort throughout the week. We want to thank the Memphis Tigers for making the long trip to Hawaii. We are disappointed we can’t compete on the football field.”…
read … Hawaii Bowl canceled on eve of game after UH pulls out
Kamalani Academy Public Charter School files appeal over enrollment decision
SA: … Kamalani Academy Public Charter School has filed a notice of appeal in court that aims to reverse a decision by the State Public Charter School Commission that leaves a $1.4 million hole in the Wahiawa school’s budget.
The commission’s Nov. 15 decision to cut Kamalani Academy’s enrollment count in half was “a clear abuse of discretion” and based on “erroneous findings of fact,” according to the claim filed last week in 1st Circuit Court.
Kamalani Academy Principal Amanda Fung said the court filing was authorized by the charter school’s governing board because it cannot afford to continue its online program if the commission’s decision stands, an action that could affect more than 180 students….
read … Kamalani Academy Public Charter School files appeal over enrollment decision
Rail News: Airport Industrial Area to be Bulldozed for Condos
HNN: … The Honolulu Planning Commission Wednesday approved the airport transit-oriented development plan.
The plan, approved by a 9-0 vote, could result in more residential development near rail project’s Lagoon Drive station but not at the expense of current industrial tenants.
“It’s envisioned like a live-work situation where you could have up to ten residential units above industrial uses,” said Tim Streitz, lead transit-oriented development planner for the city Department of Planning and Permitting.
The area is a hub for industrial companies and manufacturers but some tenants worry that the new transit-oriented development zoning will lead to an increase in commercial businesses and will result in higher land values that force some existing businesses from the area….
read … Plan that reimagines industrial area near airport’s rail station approved in unanimous vote
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