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Hawaii County beekeepers rejoice at Council's passage of Bill 144
County Councils Consider tax relief, housing, simpler permitting and roadside vending
Identifying Regulations that Hinder Lahaina Rebuild
“Everybody knows you’re probably going to die before you ever get to the top”
West Oahu is a new Republican ‘stronghold’
SA: … The west side of Oahu has taken a political turn to the right after electing four Republican state House members, a state senator and two members of the Honolulu City Council.
State Rep. Diamond Garcia (R, Ewa-Kapolei) called the region Oahu’s new “Republican stronghold. … It used to be Hawaii Kai, Aina Haina and Kailua. Now Kapolei, Ewa, Waipahu, the Waianae Coast — they’re all switching.”
Two years ago, Garcia joined fellow House freshmen Republican Reps. Elijah Pierick (R, Royal Kunia-Waipahu-Honouliuli) and David Alcos III (Ocean Pointe-Barbers Point)….
Their support comes from voters’ frustration at Democrats for not doing more to address the cost of living in Hawaii and other problems facing everyday people, according to Tulba and other Republicans.
“Democrats have been in power for over 60 years and their policies are why people are leaving the State and can’t afford to live here,” said Tulba in a text to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “People are sick and tired of the same political machine ruining their home and only benefiting select groups of insiders. Folks on the west side want change, and they aren’t afraid to vote for change. … The west side people are dynamic and they want to elect people who represent their values and protect their freedom and safety.”
Garcia said the area has seen massive change since the plantation era died a generation ago, leading former sugar cane land to be replaced with suburbs and strip malls.
Republicans’ message, Garcia said, resonates with constituents that Hawaii’s Democratic-controlled political system hasn’t dramatically improved the lives of working families, many of whom moved to West Oahu to buy cheaper homes only to face frustrating commutes to and from town.
According to Garcia, many Native Hawaiians in the district “have socially conservative values and they realize their values align with Republican values of limited government and putting local families first.”
In a text to the Star-Advertiser, Alcos wrote that “Conservative values, such as smaller government, lower taxes, and traditional family values, have resonated with voters on the west side, guiding their decisions and preferences. Additionally, the party’s emphasis on economic growth and job creation has appealed to residents seeking financial stability and prosperity … .
“The growing support for Republicans is further amplified by the backing of local churches in our districts, such as Inspire Church, Bread of Life, and New Hope Leeward, which promote conservative values and contribute to the thriving community,” Alcos wrote. “These churches, along with local politicians who understand and address the daily struggles of the community, have played a vital role in shaping the political landscape and garnering support for Republican candidates.”…
Borreca: On Politics: More candidates needed to counter decrease in voters
read … West Oahu is a new Republican ‘stronghold’
Hawaii legislature to see 11 new faces even before November election
SA: … Gates gave up what was considered a safe House District 45 seat to run for Shimabukuro’s Senate District 22 seat. Gates won his Senate primary with 1,807 votes and in November faces Samantha Decorte, who won the Republican primary with 1,586 votes.
Gates’ general election race to replace Shimabukuro could be close to represent the leeward side of Oahu that continues to elect Republicans in both the Legislature and Honolulu City Council, in a state otherwise dominated by Democrats.
Moore called Senate District 22 “one of these West Side seats that’s really competitive. It’s one of these purple-to-red districts. It’s going to be a squeaker.”
In the election to fill Gates’ former House seat, Desire Desoto won the Democratic primary with 976 votes and now faces Chris Muraoka in November after Muraoka won the Republican primary with 631 votes.
There are currently six Republicans in the House and two in the Senate, and the Senate District 22 race represents “probably the best chance for a Republican pickup this cycle,” Moore said. “This will be extremely close. That’s an area that’s been trending Republican. So there’s a very good chance for Decorte to win.”…
Meanwhile, Rep. David Alcos III (R, Ocean Pointe-Barbers Point) won his Republican primary with 1,183 votes. His Democratic opponent in November, Navy veteran John Clark III, won his primary with 1,452 votes.
Moore called Clark “a sleeper” and Alcos “vulnerable.”
“Even relatively unknown John Clark got more votes than Alcos” in their respective primaries, Moore said. At the same time, he called the House District 41 seat “not overwhelmingly Democratic.”
Close races expected
Rep. Elijah Pierick (R, Royal Kunia-Waipahu-Honouliuli) won his primary reelection bid to represent House District 39 with 1,151 votes and now faces Corey Rosenlee, the former head of the powerful Hawaii State Teachers Association, who won his Democratic primary with 1,763 votes.
“Pierick beat Rosenlee in 2022 by 704 votes,” Moore said. “Rosenlee fits the profile of a Hawaii Democrat: a teacher with labor connections. Pierick draws strength from evangelicals and this is a place where those churches have a lot of influence. So this is a classic Hawaii labor candidate against a candidate who draws support from evangelicals. They can turn out voters like the unions can.”
Rep. Diamond Garcia (R, Ewa-Kapolei) won his Republican primary with 1,020 votes and now faces a November challenge from Anthony Paris, who won the Democratic Party primary with 1,074 votes to represent House District 42.
BACKGROUND: Long Lines Suppress Republican Votes on Election Day: City Clerk Plans to do it Again in 2024
read … Hawaii legislature to see 11 new faces even before November election
Stand your ground here and get 40 hours of lockup
Shapiro: … Logan’s explanation turned somewhere between unsatisfying and bizarre on why Keamo-Carnate was arrested for second-degree murder and detained 40 hours before being released pending further investigation.
It appeared clear self-defense. After shooting his victims, the assailant shot holes in four fuel drums on his front loader and seemed ready to set the Keamo house and its occupants ablaze before he was stopped. Keamo-Carnate could have better spent those 40 hours with his traumatized family….
Nowhere does the law say, “Thou shalt not comment on ongoing investigations.”
There are times it’s ill-advised, certainly, but in most cases it’s a dodge by overly bureaucratic officials to avoid reasonable questions the public has about their actions….
“Even if you have a license to carry, if you are an individual who discharges a firearm that is involved in injuring another person, you will more than likely, if not almost guaranteed, going to be arrested,” Logan said. “It’s just one of those things, doesn’t matter where the person was, you discharge a firearm … you’ve injured another person, you are going to be arrested.”
Seriously? Police have no choice but to arrest first and investigate later? If it seems clear self-defense, they can’t exercise the judgment to investigate first and then decide whether evidence warrants arrest?
The state law on self-defense says, “Use of deadly force is justifiable under this section if the actor believes that deadly force is necessary to protect himself against death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping, rape, or forcible sodomy.”…
LET: Hawaii man arrested after neutralizing armed attacker who killed three women could face murder charges | Law Enforcement Today | lawenforcementtoday.com
read … David Shapiro: Stand your ground here and get 40 hours of lockup
St. Francis Healthcare pensions face chopping block
SA: … In a July 23 letter to pension recipients, President and CEO Kathy Morimoto said she and the board of directors were considering a resolution to terminate the plan….
The latest development from St. Francis calls attention to an ongoing controversy over the exemption of church plans from these requirements — and to what extent Opens in a new tab pension plans established by church-affiliated hospitals and schools count as church plans.
Congress enacted the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act Opens in a new tabin 1974, establishing rules for pension plans. It set minimum standards for how or when the plan has to be funded, and requires information be provided to participants.
It also requires most traditional defined benefit plans to be protected by federal insurance through the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., similar to how bank accounts are backed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
Without those federal protections, a church pension could simply end once the funding is gone, leaving participants empty-handed.
Church pension plans can choose to be covered by federal pension laws, according to the Pension Rights Center, but very few do….
read … St. Francis Healthcare pensions face chopping block
Hilo mother charged in child abuse case
HTH: … A 24-year-old Hilo woman faces charges stemming from what police in March described as “the heinous abuse and starvation of a two-year-old girl.”
Lahiki Caitlyn Fujio Judd was arrested Tuesday on a warrant charging her with first-degree assault and two counts each of second-degree assault and persistent nonsupport.
The charges make Judd a co-defendant of Clayton Saragosa, Judd’s former live-in boyfriend, who was arrested in March for the abuse and starvation of Judd’s daughter, who was 2 at the time and has since turned 3.
“This occurred over a period of time, but we responded to (Hilo Benioff Medical Center) on March 23, 2024. And soon afterward, we arrested her boyfriend for similar charges,” said Lt. Robert Pauole, commander of Hawaii Police Department’s Juvenile Aid Section.
According to police, the child had been admitted with various burn marks, physical signs of dehydration and malnutrition, bruising at various stages of healing, and a fractured rib and femur bone, also in the healing stages.
Because of the extent of the injuries and the apparent starvation, the toddler was medivaced to Kapi‘olani Women’s and Children’s Medical Center for further treatment.
“She was there for just over 10 days,” Pauole said.
According to Pauole, the child remains in the custody of Child Welfare Services, which has placed her with a foster family….
read … Hilo mother charged in child abuse case
County buys refrigerated containers to store bodies; Morgue at Hilo hospital is overcapacity
HTH: … Hawaii County has purchased two 40-foot refrigerated containers and is exploring the possibility of an emergency proclamation to start using them as a temporary storage facility for the bodies of decedents whose deaths occurred somewhere other than Hilo Benioff Medical Center.
According to county Managing Director Deanna Sako, the purchase price for the two containers was “just under $80,000.” …
HBMC spokeswoman Elena Cabatu told the Tribune-Herald in July that the morgue — which is in the basement of the hospital built in 1984 — was originally built for a capacity of 16 bodies. She said it’s not uncommon for there to be 25 bodies, with HPD consistently accounting for “over 60% to 70% of the bodies held in the HBMC morgue.”…
Meanwhile, the county is working toward a more permanent solution. On Thursday, Roth signed into law Bill 180, introduced by Puna Councilman Matt Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder.
The legislation adds $1.5 million for a county morgue to HPD’s capital budget and authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to fund the project.
“It’s kind of a work in progress; there are a lot of details that still need to be worked out,” said Sako, describing the entire situation, not just the new ordinance….
read … County buys refrigerated containers to store bodies; Morgue at Hilo hospital is overcapacity
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