The ‘mailbox conspiracy’ and what it says about corruption in Hawaii
Text and Video of Testimony: HPD Hearing on Gun Registration Rules
Jones Act is a problem, especially during disasters
Ballots to be Mailed Monday, October 17
Moody's revises Hawaii's outlook downward
Hawaii judge halts ban on short-term rentals
Another Foster Care Disaster--Alleged Molester Trades Food for Sex
HNN: … In filings, an FBI investigator said the charges against 30-year-old Bryson “Bula” Mahoe are connected to other allegations. Experts, meanwhile, said they expected more charges in the case.
“I don’t think it can get much worse,” said retired Honolulu Deputy Police Chief John McCarthy.
“This is almost a definition of insanity. How many times have we seen this happen? Children are taken from one family, put in a foster home, they’re adopted. And then the children are victims of a crime.”
Federal investigators said the abuse began when Bula Mahoe moved back to his parents home in Aiea in 2016. There were two foster kids in the home — one was 8 years old at the time and the other just 6.
Authorities said one of the foster parents “withheld food” from the young girls.
They added that Bula Mahoe “would give them food ... but in exchange” he sexually molested them.
The authorities said the abuse went on for nearly six years.
Mahoe was arrested Tuesday and is in federal custody. Although he has a detention hearing on Monday, federal prosecutors are asking that Mahoe remain behind bars at least until his trial.
The charges against Mahoe stem from nude videos he allegedly took of the two girls.
“I would suspect there’s additional charges to follow,” said attorney Myles Breiner.
“They may discover (more evidence) after looking at his various electronic devices, cell phones, surveillance cameras if he’s also been recording things and storing them elsewhere.”
Child Welfare officials previously investigated the case and turned it over to Honolulu Police Department, which arrested Mahoe in February, court records indicate.
FBI investigators said a search of Mahoe’s Wahiawa home and computers this year also uncovered additional pornographic videos and images of other children….
HNN: Child welfare advocates blast state over alleged sex assaults of 2 girls at foster home
PDF: Mahoe indictment
read … ‘Definition of insanity’: Feds detail sex abuse allegations against Hawaii man
Hawaii Panics. Not Enough Tourists. Diversification Never Happened.
BH: … Many in Hawaii travel are worried about the latest visitor statistics and data just starting to come in about our fast-cooling and non-diversified economy. It’s becoming increasingly evident that managing tourism may not be as big an issue as was thought a month ago. Wasn’t it just yesterday that people were complaining about too many tourists? And well, now, to be honest, we hear that far less frequently….
The latest forecast by the state’s UH Economic Research Organization (UHERO) shows that the state of Hawaii’s economy is worse than it had predicted six months earlier. That is due to high inflation, with the US heading towards a recession and a slipping global economy. The only bright light at this point is the return of Japanese visitors, which recovery is finally underway….
read … Hawaii Panics. Not Enough Tourists. Diversification Never Happened.
DoH Refusing to provide COVID Booster to Homebound Seniors
SA: … “Federal funding used by the Department of Health to support in-home vaccinations ended in March 2022. DOH continued to connect those seeking in-home vaccinations with the handful of vaccination providers who found ways to continue in-home vaccinations on their own.
“However, the independent in-home vaccination programs on Oahu and Maui will cease at the end of October, and no new home-visits are being scheduled as all available slots are filled. There are currently no in-home vaccination programs on Kauai. DOH continues to connect residents with a clinic that provides in-home vaccination service on Hawaii island.
“Those seeking in-home vaccinations should explore options with their healthcare provider, pharmacy, or other vaccination provider. As outlined in the April 2022 COVID-19 Transition Plan, the administration of COVID-19 vaccines has moved to providers in the community who offer other routine vaccines such as flu shots.” …
read … Will Health Department bring COVID booster to homebound seniors?
Pediatric ICUs overflowing on Oahu due to respiratory virus
KITV: … But COVID hasn't been the main worry. Hilton Raethel of Healthcare Association of Hawaii says serious cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (or RSV) could require antibiotics to be administered by IV, or oxygen if the airway is constricted….
In addition COVID, RSV is another virus now taxing Hawaii's health care system.
"When it comes to pediatric intensive care, most of that is done at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. They have a 14 bed pediatric intensive ICU, and right now that unit is completely full and actually overflowing," Raethel said.
"Our capacity or ability is being stretched right now. It has been that way a number of weeks and what we're most concerned about is this is early in the season," he concluded….
read … Pediatric ICUs overflowing on Oahu due to respiratory virus
Good News: Hu Honua Rip-Off Schemers Says They Can’t Afford To Ride ‘Merry-Go-Round’ Any Longer
CB: … In a motion filed Sept. 22, lawyers for Hu Honua had asked the high court to expedite its appeal saying “quite simply, after more than five years of delay and more than $500 million invested, Hu Honua cannot afford to ride this merry-go-round much longer.”…
Lawyers for the PUC objected, saying Hu Honua should not be allowed to “manufacture a sense of urgency” to reduce the commission’s opportunities to prepare their position on appeal. The state Consumer Advocate, environmental group Life of the Land, and wind-energy company Tawhiri Power also objected, successfully as it turned out.
On Oct. 5, the court denied Hu Honua’s motion to expedite the appeal….
PDF: Hu Honua Appeal Brief
IM: Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce Filed Another Improper Amicus Brief re Hu Honua
read … Hu Honua Says It Can’t Afford To Ride ‘Merry-Go-Round’ Any Longer
Mother of Four Murdered--Judiciary Plays Patty-Cake for 9 Years
MN: … Second Circuit Judge Peter Cahill granted the dismissal without prejudice Thursday, giving the prosecution a Jan. 27 deadline to recharge Marlin Lavoie, 42.
Until then, he continues to be held without bail at the Maui Community Correctional Center.
Lavoie was arrested shortly after using a rifle to shoot 24-year-old Malia Kahalewai, the mother of his four children, on March 20, 2013, in front of several of her friends at a friend’s house where she was staying. After testimony at a preliminary hearing April 5, 2013, in District Court, a judge found probable cause to support charges of second-degree murder, using a firearm in the commission of a separate felony, being a felon in possession of a firearm and keeping a loaded firearm in an improper place.
The case went to 2nd Circuit Court and Lavoie was found guilty as charged in a jury trial in 2015. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole plus 20 years before the state Supreme Court overturned the convictions in November 2019 and sent the case back for a new trial.
On May 9, Lavoie pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter, as well as using a firearm in the commission of a felony and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Lavoie was set to be sentenced next month before his attorney, Megan Kau, filed a motion to dismiss the case based on a Hawaii Supreme Court opinion Sept. 8 in the case of Richard Obrero…
In Maui County, Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Martin has said about 50 cases have been affected by the Supreme Court ruling….
read … Complaint dismissed against man charged with murder
Judge halts Honolulu’s 90-day short-term rental law
SA: … A U.S. District Court judge has granted a preliminary injunction ordering the city not to enforce the provisions in a new Oahu law that pertains to increasing the minimum allowable stay for Oahu rentals outside of resort districts to 90 days from 30 days.
The ruling issued Thursday by U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson enjoins the city “from enforcing or implementing Ordinance 22-7, signed into law on April 26, 2022, insofar as it prohibits 30-89-day home rentals, or the advertisement of such rentals, in any district on Oahu, pending further order from this Court.”
Watson added, “The court declines to stay this ruling or hold it in abeyance should an emergency appeal of this order be filed.”…
Watson’s ruling, which could prompt additional legal action, is in response to a lawsuit filed in federal court in early June by the nonprofit Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance asking for an order to stop the city from enforcing a new law that increases the minimum allowable stay to 90 days from 30 days.
HILSTRA’s lawsuit alleges that the new city ordinance, which goes into effect Oct. 23, is unconstitutional because it interferes with owners’ vested rights to own and rent property and violates state zoning law….
read … Judge halts Honolulu’s 90-day short-term rental law
Star-Adv: Council Must Extract More from Developer so project doesn’t become too affordable
SA Editorial: … On Thursday, the HHFDC signed off on a proposal from Kobayashi Group LLC to qualify for these valuable tradeoffs, for a $619 million residential tower complex in Moiliili, on 3.2 acres of land now occupied by 141 low-rise rental apartments. The state agency should’ve insisted on more.
The Kuilei Place plan now moves to the Honolulu City Council, where additional requirements should be placed on the developer….
SA: State board OKs Moiliili tower
read … City needs more from developer
Lawyers Argue About How to Force Homeowners out of Oceanfront Real Estate
SA: … Proposed state rules governing emergency permits for sandbags and so-called burrito systems installed by property owners to protect their homes and hotels are getting a mixed reception, with some environmental law attorneys saying the changes would do little to safeguard shorelines threatened by mounds of heavy sandbags and tarps….
read … Rule changes for Hawaii oceanfront property owners questioned
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