Feds to Target Honolulu Domestic Violence Gun Prosecutions
PRP Report: Silver Tsunami Creates Construction Workforce Shortfall
UPW Insiders Stealing Money (again)
CB: … A top-ranking official of one of Hawaii’s most politically influential unions is facing allegations that he misused union funds, triggering a formal hearing before a panel of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
(FUN FACT: UPW has only been out of receivership for a little over a year and they are already accused of stealing. Again.)
The case against United Public Workers State Director Kalani Werner marks the second time in four years that a UPW leader has been tried by AFSCME for alleged financial misconduct.
The charges against Werner were filed by UPW Secretary-Treasurer Valoaga “Junior” Moananu earlier this year.
Moananu said Werner arranged for a severance package worth nearly $50,000 to be paid to former UPW Director of Finance Luther Beck without the required approvals from the union’s state executive board. Beck resigned from his job with UPW in late September 2022.
Werner said in a written statement that the payment was actually a consulting fee and that Beck “continued to work while remaining on salary.”
“As the finance manager, they played a critical role in the organization and were available to assist staff with any questions related to their work in a consultant capacity,” according to Werner’s statement regarding Beck.
But Beck said Wednesday that he was not a consultant to the union after he left his job with UPW.
“That would be brand new news to me,” Beck said. “I had moved on, they had given me a package, and I left, and I’m thankful for that.”
Werner also was accused of instructing a staffer to use a union credit card to book several mainland flights for Werner’s wife — who is not a union member — in 2022. Those flights cost nearly $1,500….
The accusations come at a particularly sensitive time for Werner, who is seeking re-election as state director in union voting for new leadership, which begins Oct. 9. The union has not yet released a complete list of candidates, but at least two UPW members are expected to run against Werner.
Werner worked as a corrections sergeant for the state Department of Public Safety until 2022, and won election as state director that year with support from corrections officers who are represented by UPW….
Dayton Nakanelua, the former longtime leader of UPW, was removed by AFSCME in 2020 after a union trial that year. A scathing audit in 2019 faulted the union under Nakanelua’s leadership for poor oversight of spending by union officials and sloppy record keeping.
AFSCME then appointed a temporary administrator for UPW after Nakanelua was removed, and Werner was elected as the new state director in 2022.
UPW became embroiled in a far more famous scandal two decades ago with the federal criminal investigation of politically connected UPW State Director Gary Rodrigues….
KITV: Hawaii Public Workers leader responds to allegations of misusing funds
read … Hawaii United Public Workers Leader Accused Of Misusing Funds
Hawaiian Electric shares drop sharply after $250M stock offering plan
SA: … Shares of Hawaiian Electric fell 9.7% today after the parent company of the state’s largest utility said it plans to sell up to $250 million worth of shares to partly fund its portion of the Maui wildfire settlement.
The company will conduct an “at-the-market offering,” selling shares at prevailing market prices rather than a predetermined rate, according to a regulatory filing.
In August, Hawaiian Electric raised going-concern doubts after disclosing it lacked a financing plan for its share of a more than $4 billion settlement to compensate victims of the 2023 Maui wildfires, which claimed over 100 lives….
read … Hawaiian Electric shares drop after $250M stock offering plan | Honolulu Star-Advertiser (staradvertiser.com)
PUC Questions Hawaiian Electric about Broken Power Pole at Origin of Lahaina Fire
IM: … The Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission is continuing to probe the Hawaiian Electric Companies role in the 2023 Lahaina fire.
The Commission filed Information Requests to HECO on September 17, 2024. HECO`s answers are due on October 1, 2024….
read … Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission is Probing HECO`s Role in Lahaina Fire
Hawaiian Airlines Takeover: Acquisition By Alaska Will Mean Loss Of Some Non-Union Jobs
CB: … Some of Hawaiian Airlines’ 1,400 non-union employees will lose their jobs and other positions may be relocated to Seattle as part of the carrier’s merger with Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian’s new chief executive said.
The vast majority of non-union jobs – plus all of Hawaiian’s 6,000 union workers — will remain untouched by Alaska’s acquisition of Hawaiian, said Joe Sprague, a former longtime Alaska executive who succeeds Peter Ingram as Hawaiian’s interim chief executive.
The combined companies will maintain a substantial headquarters in Honolulu, Sprague said. Most current non-union employees will have long-term positions, others interim positions of a year or more, Sprague said Wednesday during an interview.
But, he said, a “small number will not have a position.” ….
read … Hawaiian Airlines Takeover: Acquisition By Alaska Will Mean Loss Of Some Non-Union Jobs
Progressives: Make Housing Affordable by … Taxing Housing 5%
SA: … Appleseed recommended a 3% to 5% EHT, which could generate annual revenue ranging from $183 million to $305 million …
read … Report backs empty-homes tax to address housing crisis on Oahu
Self Defense News: Law Abiding Gun Owner who Saved Lived by Ending Waianae Rampage will not be Charged
SA: … The 42-year-old man who shot and killed the neighbor who rammed his house and shot and killed three women at the home on Waianae Valley Road will not be charged in the incident.
“This case was conferred with the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney and on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, it was declined due to issues related to self-defense and defense of others,” read an update to a Honolulu Police Department highlight.
Hiram James Silva Sr. was fatally shot with a handgun Aug. 31 after he used a front-loader carrying fuel drums to push cars into the side of his neighbor’s home, then shot and killed three women who were visiting the home for a party.
Rishard Kanaka Keamo-Carnate, a licensed firearm owner, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the second degree at 12:15 a.m. Sept. 1 and released pending investigation at 7:55 that night….
RELATED: Stand your ground here and get hours of lockup
read ... Shooter who ended Waianae rampage won’t be charged
Police Commission Urges HPD Chief To Use Social Services, Not Just Force, On Westside
CB: … When asked what other state agencies HPD was already partnering with, Logan said officers with the state’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement were stationed at the Waianae Boat Harbor, and the Department of Law Enforcement was helping as needed.
However, he said they “have another operation that they’re working which I can’t go into right now.”
Westside residents also testified at the meeting about various concerns, including the high number of transitional housing and group homes in the region, heavy traffic, lack of employment opportunities and dearth of services for youth….
Mayor Rick Blangiardi said Tuesday that HPD is sending 12 additional reserve officers per shift to assist at various crime hot spots on the Westside.
But commissioners said they also want to see more focus on social programs, like mediation, in the community.
“This is not entirely an HPD issue, it’s a whole community issue,” said commission member Elizabeth Char. “And so HPD definitely has a role in this, but as chief is saying, HPD shows up and diffuses a situation, and if that’s all that’s done and there’s no follow on to that, you’re probably not going to get rid of the problem and it’s going to flare up again at some point in some way.”….
RELATED: Kahuku and Waimanalo Protests show why Hawaii Needs Municipal Government
read … Police Commission Urges HPD Chief To Use Social Services, Not Just Force, On Westside
Hawaii Gun Control Nuts Have no Real Data on so-called ‘Gun Violence’
CB: … Data collection and sharing is so limited that the Attorney General's Office says researching ways to prevent firearm violence is "virtually impossible."….
read … Gun Violence Data In Hawaii Is Incomplete – And Unreliable
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