Ninth Circuit to rehear Hawaii butterfly knife ban
Green Kills off 'Affordable' Housing Group, Hands Authority to HHFDC
133 Candidates Pull Papers Statewide
After Wrecking Tourism Industry, DeFries to Take Over as Executive Director of Mauna Kea Oversight Authority
CB: … The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority is scheduled to approve the appointment of John De Fries at a meeting Thursday. De Fries is a former president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
(TRANSLATION: ‘OverTourism’ = ‘OverAstronomy’. Same problem, same solution. Locals should move to Vegas.)
“We are confident that Mr. De Fries has the experience and skills to effectively lead us through this period of transition where the Mauna is at the center of discussions, decisions and actions,” John Komeiji, chair of the Mauna Kea oversight authority, said in a press release Friday.
The Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority was established by the state through a 2022 act. In July 2023 it began a five-year governance transition period of all general leases, easement and permits from the the University of Hawaii and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.….
(TRANSLATION: CNHA will soon control the Mauna Kea Master Lease. If there are any astronomers left, they will have to pay CNHA for viewing time. Astronomers should move to Chile.)
HTH: De Fries tapped to be first Maunakea authority chief
read … Executive Director Named For Mauna Kea Oversight Authority
Schatz points to ‘paralysis by analysis’ in Maui housing debate
HNN: …“This idea that we should be subsidizing people to stay in hotels, rather than using those resources to live in permanent structures makes no sense,” said Schatz.
Schatz says there’s what he calls “paralysis by analysis” over what Lahaina will look like decades from now instead of focusing on the next few weeks.
“We need to bring in some modular housing, lay down some concrete slabs and just give people a roof over their head,” he said.
At roughly $160,000 dollars each, there are modular home projects on Maui by nonprofits, but he wants more….
HNN: West Maui residents divided over bill that would create elected Lahaina board (hawaiinewsnow.com)
RELATED: SB3381: Stop Lahaina Property Owners from Rebuilding
read … Schatz points to ‘paralysis by analysis’ in Maui housing debate
M Nightclub photos invite questions about Miske’s hidden ownership
ILind: … Kennedy confidently described, through his questions, how Miske had owned the nightclub for several years but sold it in 2016 to the club’s manager, Jason Yokoyama, and retained no ownership interest after the transfer.
The club was renamed “Encore,” remodeled, and its appearance changed. It was, Kennedy asserted, now a different business. Nothing to do with Miske, so nothing to see there.
It sounded good when stated in Kennedy’s authoritatively manner. But it was an argument that could come back to bite Kennedy and Miske.
Why? Because Miske’s ownership of the nightclub had been fraudulently concealed from the Honolulu Liquor Commission due to a state law that prohibits granting a liquor license to any entity in which a convicted felon owns 25% or more of the business.
Miske had been convicted of four felonies before his 22nd birthday.
Miske’s ownership and control of the M Nightclub was disguised and covered up during the entire time it was in business through an elaborate and long-running scheme to provide incomplete, contradictory, and fraudulent information to the liquor commission, using underlings as “fronts” who falsely claimed ownership while concealing Miske’s illegal controlling interest….
Jason Yokoyama was not among Miske’s original ten co-defendants indicted in June 2020. He was added to the list of defendants in a 2nd superseding indictment filed in July 2021. He pleaded guilty in December 2023 to a single count of wire fraud conspiracy for concealing income from the M Nightclub and thereby avoiding taxes due to the federal government. He acted according to Miske’s directions, his plea agreement states….
read … M Nightclub photos invite questions about Miske’s hidden ownership
Hawaii Will Pay $60K To An Inmate Who Suffered A Broken Jaw In 2019 Maui Jail Riot
CB: … During the uproar, prisoner Kevin Lifoifoi was assaulted by another inmate and suffered a broken jaw. He had to undergo a surgical stabilization procedure, and his jaw was wired shut to minimize nerve injury, according to the AG’s account.
(All paid for by the taxpayer. No left-over medical debts.)
Lifoifoi later sued the state, and the $60,000 settlement was included in House Bill 2340 for lawmakers’ approval along with a variety of other settlements and court judgments.
Lifoifoi is currently on supervised release after serving prison sentences for theft, unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, unauthorized entry into a dwelling, and resisting arrest, according to corrections and court records….
(QUESTION: Did he break anybody’s jaw while committing those crimes.)
read … Hawaii Will Pay $60K To An Inmate Who Suffered A Broken Jaw In 2019 Maui Jail Riot
HB1601 Stop Arresting Wife Beaters and Drunk Drivers
HNN: … House Bill 1601 would require officers to basically write a ticket for misdemeanors, petty misdemeanors and violations. But misdemeanors include crimes like driving under the influence and domestic abuse.
Police currently have the discretion to make arrests for certain non-felony crimes….
Committee chair David Tarnas is one of the lawmakers who introduced the measure…
The bill would also require citations for crimes such as DUI.
“If you stop somebody that’s driving really erratically -- they have alcohol on their breath, they fail the field sobriety test -- if they can’t arrest them and issue a citation, then the person is going to leave,” Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm told Hawaii News Now.
“Right now, in order to do a breath or a blood test, they have to arrest them, frisk them, put them in the back of a police car and drive them to the station,” he added….
Domestic violations suspects would also get a citation.
“A citation in lieu of an arrest really minimizes the seriousness that domestic violence has for families on our island for our safety,” Domestic Violence Action Center CEO Monique Ibarra, who also expressed shock at the bill.
“Think of the amount of times that someone may not, or may think twice about violating or harming somebody because they know they’re going to be arrested,” she told HNN.
“If we come to a domestic violence situation where we normally arrest, we could give the offender a citation and then leave to allow this person to continue whatever violence was going on,” Honolulu Police Maj. Brian Lynch said during the hearing. “It just doesn’t work that way.”…
HB1601: Text, Status
read … Bill to require citations for misdemeanors -- including DUI -- draws criticism at the legislature
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