Samoa: Biden's Giant Sanctuary Proposal Behind Back of Pacific Territories
Rookie House Democrats Tout Bills
Koko Head Archery Range reopening Friday, March 24
Hawaii Tax Burden 14.1% of Income -- 3rd-Highest in USA
Lancet: Hawaii Lowest COVID Death Rate--Highest Economic Impact
The Number of People Killed by Police Officers in Hawaii in the Last 10 Years
Another Bank of America Lawsuit Crashes and Burns
Army Corps of Engineers Seeks Comment on Honolulu Harbor Modifications
HB710: Which Felons Can Become Legislators?
CB: … The Government Operations Committee also moved along House Bill 710, a bill that has been cut apart and put back together again a few times in its short legislative life. This is the bill that would bar officials who are convicted of, essentially, felony corruption (defined as making false statements or entries) from holding public office for 10 years post-conviction.
The House Judiciary Committee declared that provision unconstitutional and amended it so that a convictee just couldn’t get public financing for 10 years. The Senate Judiciary Committee shook its collective head at that change and restored the bit about not holding elective office at all and applied it to legislators.
The Government Operations Committee went a step further and applied the 10-year ban on holding office to the legislative, judicial and executive branches. That one now goes back to the Senate Judiciary Committee for another review….
read … The Sunshine Blog
Good News: The First Responders Boondoggle Bill Is Dying
CB: … The venture had commitments from agencies including the Hawaii Department of Public Safety and support from Senate Ways and Means Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz, a longtime advocate for the Mililani complex, which would be in his district.
There was just one problem: the 2,000 plus-employee Honolulu Police Department testified it had no intention of being part of the campus.
Now, despite support from Hawaii’s two most powerful senators, a project some critics deride as Hawaii’s equivalent of Atlanta’s controversial “Cop City” may have stalled….
The bill must pass out of the House Higher Education and Technology Committee by Friday to remain alive, and the committee chair has vowed not to let that happen.
Rep. Amy Perruso cited the fact that the police have no plans to use the facility as part of her decision.
Perruso, who is Dela Cruz’s House counterpart representing Oahu’s historically agricultural region, also cited costs. Infrastructure alone for the park will cost the state $150 million, she said, which is three times the annual budget of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture.
“How could we even look at ourselves in the mirror if we did that,” she said. “It’s ludicrous.”…
Kouchi didn’t respond to a request for comment. But Dela Cruz, who has advocated for the project for years, remains undeterred.
The bill’s death wouldn’t necessarily preclude funding. If Perruso fulfills her promise, money for the project could be put into the state budget, said Len Higashi, executive director of the Hawaii Technology Development Corp., a state agency spearheading the project….
(Translation: Look for a scoop or gut-n-replace maneuver now.)
read … The First Responders Park Bill Is Dying
Sen Fevella urges ouster of Republican representative over LGBTQ flags at Ewa Int. School
SA: … The senior Republican state senator has asked voters to reject a freshman Republican House member in the 2024 election after Rep. Elijah Pierick questioned why ‘Ewa Makai Middle School has LGBTQ flags on campus, including outside the principal’s office.
In an Instagram video last weekend, Pierick did not condemn the flags he saw during a campus tour on March 13, but he asked viewers to call or email Principal Kim Sanders with their thoughts and provided her phone number and email.
“And you might be thinking to yourself, ‘What does that flag actually represent?’” Pierick asked. “‘What is it conveying to our middle school students?’ This is what it means: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual plus. Are these the kinds of concepts and lifestyles we want to be conveying to our middle school students every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday all year round? Or should this be a conversation geared toward the home?”
In response, state Sen. Kurt Fevella (R, Ewa Beach-Ocean Pointe-Iroquois Point) called Pierick “rubbish” and a “hater” and asked him to apologize in a Facebook video that Fevella posted.
“He’s up for election in two years,” Fevella said. “Vote that hater out. … Elijah, I’m disappointed in you, big time.”
Fevella worked as a custodian at ‘Ewa Makai Middle School before resigning in 2018 after he was elected to the Senate, and supported Principal Sanders in his Facebook video ….
read … GOP leader urges ouster of Republican representative over LGBTQ flags
HSTA: Our Gay Flag Rules Middle Schools
HNN: … Pierick (R-Royal Kunia, Village Park, Honouliuli, Hoopili) went on to praise school Principal Kim Sanders.
And then he pointed out something that caught his attention.
“There’s one object I want to point out, and that is the LGTBQ flag outside of her office, and in different office spaces around the school,” Pierick says in the video.
“Well, what does that flag actually represent?”
Pierick questioned whether the flag, representing gays, lesbians, transgenders and others, is appropriate at a public school.
“Are these the kinds of concepts and lifestyles we want to be conveying to our middle school students?,” he asks.
The backlash to the video has been resounding.
The public school teachers union said schools must be inclusive, especially for LGTBQ students.
“These students are some of our most vulnerable students, and we want to make sure that these students are willing to come in to our classrooms, to our schools, and they don’t feel that they’re being pushed out,” said Osa Tui, Jr., president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association.
Fifteen state representatives (the usual suspects) have also filed a letter of complaint with the state House’s chief clerk, claiming the video may have broken state laws, and harasses students and faculty.
“Not only are their rights of expression regarding gender identity protected, but defended by your local governments and by your school administrators,” said state Rep. Sonny Ganaden (D-Kalihi), one of the writers of the letter ….
read … Lawmaker’s post about LGTBQ flags at Hawaii school draws backlash
Hawaii Board Of Education Approves Salary Boost For Complex Area Superintendents
CB: … Complex area superintendents, who supervise their school principals, currently receive a salary between $152,250 to $183,750.
That range will jump from $165,000 to $205,000, depending on their experience. …
HNN: Amid push to boost DOE executive salaries, some advocates say focus should instead be on schools
SA: Proposed raises for Hawaii DOE executives reduced
read … Hawaii Board Of Education Approves Salary Boost For Complex Area Superintendents
Mediation canceled before Honolulu landlord murder
KHON: … According to the documents, Matsumoto was attempting to evict Gray from an apartment unit on Sheridan Street when the assault occurred.
Surveillance video allegedly shows Gray stomping on Matsumoto’s head and chest several times before dragging his body onto the sidewalk and fleeing the scene.
Gray and Matsumoto were court-ordered to attend mediation over $3,200 owed in past due rent, but Gray canceled.
In February, the court ordered possession of the unit to be returned to Matsumoto, effective this past Monday, March 20. Tragically, Gray allegedly killed Matsumoto the day before….
read … Mediation canceled before Honolulu landlord murder
After spate of tragedies on Oahu roads, city prosecutor pushes for jail time in more traffic cases
HNN: … In order to avoid clogging the courts, prosecutors for years have been willing to deal down criminal traffic offenses to non-criminal citations. But after recent tragedies involving repeat offenders, that policy is changing dramatically.
“This is really serious. We have dangerous roads now and we have got to get people to pay attention,” Alm said, in an interview with Hawaii News Now.
The death of 16-year-old Sara Yara on her way to school ― and her courageous mother’s campaign to get tougher on chronic traffic criminals ― brought more public attention to the practice of plea agreements that allowed repeat offenders to avoid jail.
HNN began reporting on the issue in January after discovering that the driver charged in the deaths of a tourist couple in Kahuku was unlicensed and had avoided penalties, including more than $3,000 in fines sent to collection agencies. He, too, had plea agreements when he could have been sentenced to some time in jail….
read … After spate of tragedies on Oahu roads, city prosecutor pushes for jail time in more traffic cases
Four HPD officers plead not guilty in connection with horrific crash
HNN: … They all face felonies for allegedly pursuing a sedan without their lights and sirens on and then failing to render aid after the horrific September 2021 crash.
Officer Joshua Nahulu was charged with collisions involving death or serious bodily injury. He faces 10 years in prison.
While Officers Erik Smith, Jake Bartolome and Robert Lewis face counts of first-degree hindering prosecution, punishable by up to five years in prison, along with conspiracy to commit hindering prosecution. They face up to 5 years in prison if convicted….
SA: 4 Honolulu police officers plead not guilty in Makaha crash
CB: HPD Officers Plead Not Guilty To Charges Stemming From Makaha Crash
read … Four HPD officers plead not guilty in connection with horrific crash
Maui’s mayor wants to buy company that controls water flow to thousands of acres
HNN: … “There are a lot of challenges with this system. There are challenges around the infrastructure. It’s old. It’s dilapidated. We’re concerned about the management.”
Wailuku Water Company owns almost nine thousand acres of watershed land in Waihee, Waiehu, Wailuku, and Waikapu – collectively called Na Wai Eha.
The company has been tied up in legal battles for decade for diverting water for off-stream use.
On Tuesday, Bissen announced his administration wants to take over.
“We are speaking with and seeking the acquisition of the Wailuku Water Company,” Bissen said.
Pellegrino said he and others are cautiously optimistic because of so many previously failed attempts….
read … Maui’s mayor wants to buy company that controls water flow to thousands of acres
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