‘Defense wins championships’

HECO Admits De-carbonization Means Rate Hikes

Study Links Hawaii JROTC to positive education and career outcomes

Honolulu Lowest Starting Salaries in USA 

$2M Settlement for Female Inmates 

Hawaii burned thru $1.2 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Ikaika Anderson, arrested for allegedly abusing girlfriend (is represented by Michael Miske’s lawyer)

HNN: … Honolulu police have arrested and charged Ikaika Anderson, former Honolulu City Councilmember and candidate for lieutenant governor, for allegedly abusing his girlfriend in Waimanalo on Monday night.

Authorities said Anderson has been charged with alleged abuse of a family member — a misdemeanor offense.

Honolulu police arrested the 45-year-old at a Waimanalo residence on Hinalea Street at about 7:45 p.m.

According to a police report, the victim — a 34-year-old woman — reported a “domestic violence situation” to a third party, who then reported it to the Hawaii County Police Department.

From there, officials said Hawaii County police requested the assistance of the Honolulu Police Department since the victim was reported to be with her boyfriend in the Honolulu area. Honolulu police then got in touch with the victim.

The victim told HPD that she had been physically abused by her boyfriend, reportedly causing “pain and visible injuries.”…

Anderson’s attorney issued a statement following the arrest, saying that it was “based on a one-sided accusation of a misdemeanor offense.”  Attorney Thomas Otake (who also represented Michael Miske) continued (Blablabla)…

Anderson was released after posting $1,000 bail…. 

HPR: Ikaika Anderson arrested on domestic abuse charge

SA: Ex-councilmember Ikaika Anderson charged in domestic abuse case

CB: Ikaika Anderson Arrested On Domestic Violence Charges

• 2020: Corona Towers: Council Hides Behind Quarantine, Gives Development Deal to Convicted Felon
• 2020: Full Text: Council Chair Cries a River After Being Busted Giving Development Deal to Convicted Felon
• 2020: City Council Chair Ikaika Anderson resigns suddenly
• 2020: Honolulu Council Chair Ikaika Anderson Already On Payroll Of Local Union
• 2022: Indicted Kealoha Conspirator is First to Donate to Ikaika Anderson LG Campaign
• Dec 13, 2022: $600M Gift to Carpenters Union--Ikaika Anderson To Direct Hawaiian Home Lands
• Jan 16, 2023: Legislators ‘Rough Up’ Ikaika Anderson, Prepare to reject Appointment
• Feb 2023: DHHL Nomination Withdrawn: 'Evasive' Anderson 'Misrepresents Commission'

read … Former Honolulu City councilmember Ikaika Anderson charged for allegedly abusing girlfriend

Sentencing delayed in large public corruption case

SA: … Milton J. Choy now is set to be sentenced at 9 a.m. Aug. 29 before Chief U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson. Previously, his sentencing was to be Wednesday. The sentencing was moved due to case and schedule requirements, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson, chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Criminal Division.

Choy is central to an ongoing investigation that so far has taken down a former Maui County department head, a Maui County wastewater official and two members of the state Legislature….

read … Sentencing delayed in large public corruption case

Soft on Crime: Thousands could have their brass knuckle arrest records expunged after state Supreme Court ruling

HNN: … A Supreme Court of Hawaii ruling could give thousands of people a chance to have their arrest records expunged.

The decision affects those who were arrested for a crime, but were actually convicted of a violation.

A violation is one step above a citation and is not punishable with jail time.

One of those who’s now eligible to get their arrest records expunged: A Kalihi man who was going on vacation and ‘forgot’ that he had a set of brass knuckles in his bag.

The man, who asked that his name not be used, was arrested after going through a security checkpoint….

The Supreme Court of Hawaii ruling that came down in March said:

“A person arrested for or charged with a crime (including a petty misdemeanor) but convicted of a violation is eligible for expungement because a ‘violation’ is not a ‘crime.’”

Bakke said the decision is a huge win for people who have no other arrests (been caught carrying brass knuckles)…. 

PE: Ruling From the Supreme Court of Hawaii Could Expunge Arrest Records for Thousands

PDF: Supreme Court Decision

read … Thousands could have their arrest records expunged after state Supreme Court ruling

Hawaii Legislature dials back aid grants

SA: … The Legislature included about $40 million of aid grants in its recently passed budget bill, down from $49 million in 2022 but still up from around $30 million in other recent years before suspensions of the program in 2020 and 2021 amid a reeling local economy during the coronavirus pandemic.

There were 188 grant awards made this year, with about half of total award dollars given to support operations and half to fund capital improvement projects….

…“We put a lot of money into diaper banks.”….

read … Hawaii Legislature dials back aid grants

Honolulu Council P.I.G. discusses real property tax bills

SA: … The Honolulu City Council’s subcommittee meant to sort through a slew of largely Council-initiated real property tax measures to aid homeowners affected by the approximately 10% or greater increase in real property tax assessments on Oahu is scheduled to hold its first meeting today.

Established on April 19, the Council’s Permitted Interaction Group, or PIG, includes Chair Tommy Waters, Vice Chair Esther Kia‘aina, Radiant Cordero and Matt Weyer. According to its agenda, the group’s 10 a.m. meeting will discuss real property tax bills addressing long-term rental classifications or exemptions, modification to the real property tax credit, homeowner exemptions and Residential and Residential A real property tax rate classifications.

If approved, many to all of these Council-initiated tax proposals would not take effect immediately, likely not until 2025….

The Council’s stated tax relief measures coincide with Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s offered one-time $300 tax credit — now called Bill 14 — that would be given to nearly 152,000 qualifying homeowners as part of the city’s proposed $3.41 billion operating budget for next fiscal year. The rebates — funded in the mayor’s budget for a total of about $45.5 million — would be granted to those with an active home exemption on their 2023 assessments, regardless of property value….

Cordero said she wanted to hold further review and discussion on Bill 14 till the next Committee on Budget meeting, May 23….

A full list of grant awards is included in the budget measure, House Bill 300, which still awaits action by Gov. Josh Green.

Grant money approved by the 2022 Legislature was held up from release until late December when Green, who was elected in November, reversed “a very conservative, narrow interpretation” of disbursement rules that had delayed the release of 2022 grant funding under his predecessor, David Ige….

HPR: Honolulu Council's latest property tax bills aim to confront rising home values

read … Honolulu Council committee meets over real property tax bills

Green Picked Tokioka to Save the Hawaii Tourism Authority

CB: … After escaping death at the hands of lawmakers during the past legislative session, the agency in charge of marketing Hawaii as a tourist destination has found new life — and support from a former tourism executive now running the department overseeing the agency.

Jimmy Tokioka, acting director of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, said he’s committed to working with lawmakers to keep the Hawaii Tourism Authority alive, despite efforts by lawmakers to kill or reshape it – or reduce it to some kind of zombie entity, shuffling along without funding and uncertain political support.

“It almost happened that way,” Tokioka said.

Instead, while lawmakers did cut funding to the agency, Gov. Josh Green’s administration plans in the short run to steer money to the tourism authority from a(n) discretionary (illegal $200M slush) fund.

Longer term, Tokioka said, the plan is for the authority to do a better job communicating to legislators what the authority is doing to not only market Hawaii but also to mitigate the negative side effects of tourism. The hope is to win support from lawmakers….

read … The Hawaii Tourism Authority Just Won’t Die Despite Some Lawmakers’ Best Efforts

Kids Targeted Again: 'Pride week' at Hawai'i Island school

KITV: … Some Hawai'i Island parents have been pushing back against an LGBTQ event held at Waiakea High School last week, voicing criticism on social media.

A flyer posted on Waiakea High's Facebook page shows what the week entailed -- students were encouraged to dress in different colors on different days according to the flags representing the multiple identities in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Community….

read … 'Pride week' at Hawai'i Island school sparks controversy

Federal bust nets ‘significant player’ in Hawaii fentanyl trade--after State Drops Ball 10 Times

HNN: … The suspect, former Maui resident Drew Allen Ward, was taken into custody last week after a six-month investigation….

The FBI arrested Ward last week in Edgewood, Wash., alleging that he tried to smuggle more than a pound of fentanyl and nearly three ounces of heroin into Maui using FedEx.

“Law enforcement investigations suggest that Ward is the mainland distributer of large quantities of controlled substances in Maui,” FBI Special Agent Kyle Carpenter said, in court papers.

Ward, 41, has 10 prior convictions for minor state drug offenses in Hawaii and served about two years in prison. …

(Pathetic.)

The state Health Department said the drug is likely linked to 60 deaths in the islands….

PDF: Complaint

CB: Feds Arrest Former Maui Resident For Shipping Fentanyl And Heroin To Hawaii

read … Federal bust nets ‘significant player’ in Hawaii fentanyl trade

Because we don’t have Mental Hospital Beds, HPD Answers 947 Mental Health Calls in 2022

CB: … In 2021, police used force most often when responding to mental health calls — accounting for 17% of all incidents the report found.

Of the 454 mental health calls officers responded to in 2021, just one incident was resolved by a verbal command. The rest included three uses of a chemical agent (like pepper spray), 22 uses of a specialty weapon including a Taser, 34 uses of deadly force (including the threat or preparation to use it), 98 uses of “physical contact” and 295 uses of “physical confrontation.”

“Officers are routinely sent to calls involving mentally ill persons, and these calls are more likely to involve use of force than incidents involving non-mentally ill persons,” Yu, the HPD spokesperson, said. “HPD is continuing to require de-escalation and crisis intervention training for officers.”

In 2022, HPD reported 947 responses to mental health calls, almost double the year before. Police physically confronted the person 569 times, used a Taser eight times, sprayed them with a chemical agent 14 times, and put three in head locks. Police unholstered a gun 32 times, wielded a rifle 21 times, and a shotgun twice.

In 370 of the 452 times a subject showed no resistance in 2021 — about 82% — an officer “threatened or prepared to use deadly force,” the researchers found….

SA: Honolulu police used force in fraction of 2022 incidents

read … HPD Still Answers Mental Health Calls With Force, Data Shows

Legislative Agenda: 

• CNMI lawmakers concerned about proposed National Marine Sanctuary

• New legislation on campaigns and lobbying

• Under Questioning From Schatz, Defense Secretary Testifies Red Hill Certification, Defueling, Shut Down On Track, Reiterates Commitment To Never Use Facility For Fuel Operations Again

• REP. KILA ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING NĀNĀKULI INCIDENT INVOLVING KŪPUNA

• WATCH LIVE: State housing and homelessness officials join ‘Spotlight Hawaii’

• Schatz, Rounds Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill To Protect Education Benefits For Veterans

• Survey On Red Hill’s Future Use Closes Soon 

• Want to fight that red light camera citation? HNN analysis find you’ll face an uphill battle

• LAWMAKERS TO HOLD COMMUNITY TOWN HALL WITH GOVERNOR GREEN

• Tourism consultant floats idea for interagency destination management 

• State Inches Closer To Restoring Access To Big Island Boat Ramp 5 Years After Eruption 

• With So Much Rage In Everyday Life Do We Want People Armed In Public?

QUICK HITS:

• Police department honors fallen officers

• Hawaii’s police week honoring fallen officers 

• HPD honors fallen officers as part of National Police Week

• Ehrlich, Goodall, and Thanos: Superspreaders Of The Deadliest Virus In History

• Food insecurity survey launched

• High measles vaccination rates allow American Samoa to re-open early childhood, daycare centres

• Maui Humane Society CEO resigns

• Couple seen taking photos with Hawaiian monk seal at Kaena Point

• Experts recommend earlier mammograms, especially for women in Hawaii

• Now on the menu at some public schools: Fresh poi

• Kewalo Basin boaters urge others to stop chumming waters after recent shark encounters

• “They stand in the middle of the road, dance in the middle of the road, any kind. But there’s a lot more people on the road, especially at night,” said Jilliann Tabara, a Makaha resident.

• 'Stay the course': 4 years in, how is Southwest Airlines making its mark in Hawaii?

• DOA NEWS RELEASE ON GRANT PROGRAM FOR SMALL-SCALE FARMING

• EK Fernandez: Rides, midway won’t be coming to any of the outer islands

• This Group Is Working To Bring Iwi Kupuna Home To Rest In Hawaii

• Reduction of air tours over Hawaii national parks is proposed

• Kokua Line: How do residential restricted parking zones work?

• SA Editorial: Uncertain future for Hanauma Bay

• Susan Oki Mollway, First Asian American Woman on Federal Bench: ‘Believe in Yourself’

• The Wind and The Reckoning is about a family from Kauai that gets caught up in the leprosy pandemic.

• I-Team: Hawaiian Airlines efforts to prevent another nightmare of delays