August 3, 2023 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

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August 3, 2023 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 5:05 PM :: 2857 Views

Queens Hospital Bum Flop Stays Full

Hawaii 2nd Lowest Student Debt

Hawaii Highest Monthly Expenses in USA

All Hawaii Firearms training affidavits void January 1, 2024

Maui Leads Statewide Push for counties to increase their TAT surcharges

OHA is Center of Nepotism: Second Trustee supervises daughter in violation of new law

SA: … OHA Trustee Luana Alapa, who was elected in 2020 to represent Molokai, supervises her daughter, who works as an aide, which violates the spirit of the anti-nepotism law that the Legislature passed during the past legislative session, while exempting state legislators.

Alapa did not respond to multiple requests for comment. But she plans to comply with the new anti-nepotism law by finding her daughter a new position, according to people within OHA.

OHA Trustee Brickwood Galuteria, who also supervises his daughter, became the first state employee to request an exemption to the anti-nepotism law before the Hawaii State Ethics Commission, which was denied on July 20.

The commission, however, granted Galuteria a three-month extension to find his daughter a new position or a new supervisor to comply with the new law….

Flashback: New Nepotism Law? Brickwood Galuteria Already Looking for Exemption

read … Second OHA trustee supervises daughter in violation of new nepotism law

High Tech Scammers’ Cashflow Lost in Political Infighting

CB: … ~~Business accelerators, small manufacturers and firms researching and developing new technologies~~ (Left over remnants from the Act 215-221 high-tech scammers of years past) are assessing a potentially rocky path over the next year after a bill to provide grant funds for economic development died following a fractious legislative session.

House Bill 999 would have provided $6 million to the Hawaii Technology Development Corp. for grants to help diversify Hawaii’s tourism-dependent economy by supporting small businesses.

But Hawaii Senate Ways and Means Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz and several colleagues added a provision changing HTDC’s enabling statute in the final days of session. The change, which Dela Cruz and his fellow senators added with no explanation or opportunity for public debate or comment, disqualified the University of Hawaii’s vice president of innovation and research from serving on the tech agency board.

Gov. Josh Green subsequently vetoed the bill saying it was wrong to change a statute to target one person….

2022: Volta Securities Fraud: Did Latest Hawaii High Tech Fail Take a Bite out of ERS?

read … Death Of Hawaii Tech Agency Funding Is A Blow For Diversification

HPD approves 409 concealed-carry licenses, making headway on backlog

SA: … The Honolulu Police Department approved 409 concealed-carry weapon licenses for 599 firearms through Wednesday, and officers hope to clear the current list of applicants by August, according to Police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan.

Since the city started accepting applications, 1,094 have been submitted for 1,500 firearms.

“We brought over multiple people into the Records and Identification Division. We basically shifted the jobs of certain individuals … to only do these applications,” Logan told Honolulu Police Commission members during their meeting Wednesday. “There will be some denials, I’m sure, in there.”

The added personnel and some overtime helped the department process 175 applications in the past two weeks alone….

Big Q: Are you concerned that more concealed-carry gun licenses are being issued in Hawaii? | Honolulu Star-Advertiser (staradvertiser.com)

read … HPD approves 409 concealed-carry licenses, making headway on backlog

HPD Chief’s Decision On Cops In Makaha Pursuit Case Remains A Mystery

CB: … Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan has decided what discipline to mete out to the four officers charged with felonies for their alleged role in a 2021 pursuit in Makaha that injured six people, but he has yet to make it public.

(Reality: They will eventually be reinstated with back pay.)

Logan has sent letters to the officers indicating his decisions, officially beginning the grievance process, he announced at a Honolulu Police Commission meeting Wednesday.

Logan said he would not go into further detail because of civil service rules and the HPD collective bargaining agreement that provides for confidentiality.

“My decision is only initial,” he said. “Things can change within those processes.”…

Jahan Byrne, a police watchdog, wrote in testimony for Wednesday’s meeting, that Logan appears more concerned about the officers than the investigation’s extensive delays and the six people the officers allegedly injured.

Logan indicated that the next step will largely depend on what the officers decide to do.

“Now the ball is in their court to follow either civil service rules and/or collective bargaining rules towards grievance processes.”

REALITY: Secret Arbitration Revealed: How DPS Official Kept Crooked Cop On The Job After FBI Raid

read … HPD Chief’s Decision On Cops In Makaha Pursuit Case Remains A Mystery

Cutbacks at Star-Adv: Spotlight Goes Dark

CB: … The Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s “Spotlight Hawaii” program is going dark, ending its three-year run.

Co-hosts Ryan Kalei Tsuji and Yunji de Nies broke the news to viewers of what turned out to be the final show on Monday. Kalei Tsuji also shared a few more details on Facebook this week.

No reason given but The Sunshine Blog has to wonder if the online interview show is the victim of other cutbacks that are currently underway at the newspaper. It’s been reported that the paper is offering buyouts to journalists and that at least four have taken them….

read … The Spotlight Has Been Turned Off But Ige Gets The Last Word

HART contractor punctures Dillingham Bl. gas line TWICE--without checking with Gas Co

HNN: … Another gas leak in Kalihi has led to the temporary closure of Dillingham Boulevard.

Officials said a HART contractor accidentally punctured an old gas line on Wednesday around 2:45 p.m. The line got temporarily plugged until repairs can be made.

According to Hawaii Gas, this is the second time in three days that the same contractor hit a gas line along the boulevard.

The previous incident happened on Monday and caused several nearby businesses to close for the day.

Hawaii Gas said contractors are required to call 811 before digging and are also required to hand dig to verify the location of buried lines prior to excavation using power equipment.

However, in a statement the company said, “These requirements were not followed in this case, nor in the case on Monday 7/31. The contractor still has not opened an active ticket to request information about underground facilities in the area.”…

read … HART contractor punctures old gas line adding to disruptions along Dillingham Boulevard

COVID surge: Hawaii County hospitalizations up 64%

HNN: … The CDC considers COVID-19 hospitalizations to be “medium” in 17 counties around the country (including Hawaii County). That means between 10 and 19.9 people are hospitalized with the virus for every 100,000 residents....

SA: Increase in Hawaii COVID cases points to late-summer wave | Honolulu Star-Advertiser (staradvertiser.com)

read … COVID surge: These areas saw hospitalizations triple

Homeowners Insurance: State high court asked to intervene in lawsuits over alleged price-fixing

HTH: … Attached to the writ petition is a report by Charles Baum, a Middle Tennessee State University economics professor, that concluded Lloyd’s engaged in price-fixing in Hawaii.

In his report — which was commissioned by the plaintiffs — Baum found that in 2017 “Lloyd’s … and six other underwriters … fixed insurance premiums (in) the state of Hawaii.” ….

read … State high court asked to intervene in lawsuits over alleged price-fixing - Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Maui County tightens regulations for air and replica guns

KHON: … “Open carry is prohibited for air guns, they must be unloaded and in an enclosed container when transporting,” said Tamara Paltin, Maui County Councilmember.

Violating the ordinance is considered a misdemeanor and comes with penalties, including a $500 fine or up to one year in prison. Honolulu already has a similar law.

“You can’t transport an air gun or air rifle, airsoft in public unless it’s secured and that’s kind of common sense to most people,” said Andrew Namiki Roberts, Hawaii Firearms Coalition Director. “You don’t want people accidentally thinking you’re carrying a firearm when it’s a toy.”

According to MPD, officers often recover replica guns in narcotics cases involving felons. Police said there are no regulations to buy air or replica guns unlike firearms where individuals need to pass backgrounds check and be a certain age.

“Felons and other seasoned criminals, they’re using these air powered firearms and replica firearms to carry out robberies, carjackings , burglaries, and other crimes and using it as a loophole to get around traditional firearm laws,” said Nicholas Krau, SHOPO Maui Chapter Chair.

The Maui County Council plans to work with the legislature to make purchasing air or replica guns illegal for felons….

read … Maui County tightens regulations for air and replica guns

‘Zoom-bomb’ forces cancellation of 2 public meetings

KHON: … Full nudity during an online public meeting is what caused the Hawaii School Facilities Authority to cancel an agenda meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 1.

The executive director called the incident a “Zoom-bomb.”…

“We got through the acceptance of our meeting minutes from our previous meeting when the Zoom-bomb began,” Farias said. “There was some drug use, but mostly just nude shots being, taking over on our screens and then some sexual behaviors as well, it’s really embarrassing to say.”

Officials shut down the meeting twice while they tried to adjust their security settings….

“On the third attempt, I believe the screen said, ‘Haven’t you all learned?’ We decided to shut down the meeting.”…

“If it happened once and it was successful, like they were able to stop a meeting or stop some sort of public proceeding because they were, you know, able to disrupt it in this manner, it’s going to happen again, I promise you,” Seress said.

The Hawaii Community Development Authority said they are also looking into a similar incident during their meeting that occurred on Wednesday, Aug. 2, without clarifying further. …

read … ‘Zoom-bomb’ forces cancellation of 2 public meetings

State Capitol Metal Detectors Delayed

MN: … Hawaii had been set to join 37 other state capitols that have incorporated metal detection into their security measures. The enhanced screening is planned for three entrances — two at rotunda (street) level elevators and one at the chamber level (basement) — and was supposed to roll out July 10.

However, on July 7, the state said the new security measures had been tentatively pushed to Aug. 7 due to supply chain, equipment calibration and additional installation requirement issues.

Announcing the latest delay on Wednesday, the state did not provide a specific date for implementation but said it will be announced at a later date….

News Release: Governor Josh Green, M.D. | PRESS RELEASE: UPDATE – HAWAI’I STATE CAPITOL TO EXPAND SECURITY MEASURES (hawaii.gov)

Meanwhile: Alleged Oahu Crime Boss’ Nightclub Was A Popular Place For Political Fundraisers

read … Capitol security measures delayed | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News

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