Hawaii Property Tax Rates Creeping Up
Hawaii governor still has long list of bills to sign
How Tommy Waters Engineered Salary Hike via Honolulu Salary Commission
JJ: … Rebecca Soon and David Hayakawa were key votes in passing the 64% City Council Pay Raise.
Rebecca Soon was a supporter of Tommy Waters in his Campaign for City Council as depicted in the Star Advertiser photo below. She is also a significant financial contributor to other Democrat candidate campaigns.
A second member of the Commission, Attorney David Hayakawa also contributed to Waters campaign for City Council.
The HSC vote to advance the 64% Increase was 5-1 with Carolee Kubo voting against. The Soon and Hayakawa votes were critical is passing the increase….
CB: Here’s Why The Salary Commission Thinks Big Raises For The Honolulu Council Are Warranted
read … Tommy Waters and the Honolulu Salary Commission
Ban on outside work for City Council proposed
SA: … Two Honolulu City Council leaders have put forward two pieces of legislation that, if approved, would both strictly prohibit any outside employment or financial gain beyond an elective Council seat.
Council Chair Tommy Waters and Vice Chair Esther Kia‘aina on Thursday co-introduced Resolution 109 — a proposed amendment to the Honolulu City Charter, effectively the city’s constitution — to formally prevent a Council member from maintaining any outside employment, having any controlling interest in a business or receiving any salary, wage, allowance, stipend or profit from an outside business interest while working as a public servant.
As drafted, the proposed charter amendment is targeted toward the 2024 general election ballot and, if approved by voters, would take effect Jan. 1, 2025….
read … Ban on outside work for City Council proposed
Shooting complex still closed to some activities
SA: … The entire west end of the facility remains closed, with skeet, trap and action pistol ranges shuttered and no timeline or plan for reopening them. Users have been told that lead reclamation is the concern, and yet no reclamation was performed on the now-open rifle and pistol line.
The city’s position is puzzling in that Koko Head Crater sits on no aquifer and poses no threat to the water table.In addition, a commissioned study found the lead not to be a hazard and recommended no attempt be made to disturb it. Shooting facilities across the country that do not reclaim lead, stabilize it by adding lime to the soil, mitigating any harm to the environment and people….
read … Shooting complex still closed to some activities
More Homeless Mayhem: State sees surge in syphilis infections, including for unborn babies
KITV: … "In the past, women had very few syphilis infections, but we are seeing a rapid increase in women, especially women of child bearing age," added Felton.
That is particularly concerning because syphilis can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus, what is known as congenital syphilis.
"The mom has syphilis and transfers it to the baby. The babies get very sick and can die, they can be stillborn, or end up with deformities and nerve damage," stated Felton.
Hawaii had zero cases of congenital syphilis for years but jumped to a dozen cases in 2020 and around twice that amount by 2022.
The state found women testing positive were not receiving adequate prenatal care, because they might be houseless, in unstable housing, or faced cultural barriers.
Which is why the HHHRC mobile clinic stops at the women's shelter in Kalihi, and has found its rapid STI testing is working.
"We've found positives with syphilis - not as much with the other STIs. Normally, we see more gonorrhea and chlamydia in the community," stated HHHRC Executive Director Heather Lusk.
"If any results comes back positive, we carry medications and antibiotics to immediately treat patients if they are positive," added Ramirez.
When it comes to syphilis, a simple shot of penicillin will take care of it for most people. Pregnant women have to be treated with three doses of the antibiotics….
"Unlike other sexually transmitted diseases that require intimate contact, syphilis can have skin to skin contact in the first 2 stages. People should know, the stage 1 involves chancres, stage 2 is rash on the palms or torso, and by stage 3 you may not see the symptoms," stated Lusk.
read … State sees surge in syphilis infections, including for unborn babies
Makaha crash trial for HPD officers is delayed
SA: … Four HPD officers charged in connection with an alleged September 2021 car chase, crash and cover-up had their trial put off against the objection of city prosecutors until Aug. 21, according to state court records….
Officer Joshua J.S. Nahulu, 37, was charged March 16 Opens in a new tab with collisions involving death or serious bodily injury for allegedly causing the crash near the corner of Farrington Highway and Orange Street that paralyzed a teenager and left the driver of a white 2000 four-door Honda Civic with a traumatic brain injury.
Nahulu faces a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Officers Erik X.K. Smith, 25, Jake R.T. Bartolome, 35, and Robert G. Lewis III were charged with hindering prosecution in the first degree, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison. Smith, Bartolome and Lewis were also charged with conspiracy to commit hindering prosecution in the first degree, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.
All four entered not-guilty pleas March 23, and their trial had been scheduled to start this week….
read … Makaha crash trial for HPD officers is delayed
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