FULL TEXT: ATF Lahaina Fire Report
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Hawaiian Electric Stock Jumps after federal report classifies Maui fire as accidental
Reuters: … Shares of Hawaiian Electric Industries HE, parent of Hawaii's largest utility, gain 4.1% to $9.63
A report by U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive said the Aug. 8 fire that killed over 100 people in Hawaii's Maui county was accidental in nature
Company had already agreed to pay $1.99 billion as part of larger settlement after numerous lawsuits had blamed it for negligence
"In our view, the ATF report's findings will not affect the settlement," Evercore analysts say in a note
They say the investment advisory firm also does not expect HE to be penalized in future regulation given the accidental nature of event and the fact that no one party is to blame…
BB: Hawaiian Electric munis restore many losses after wildfire settlement | Bond Buyer
Seeking Alpha: "In our view, the ATF report's findings will not affect the settlement."
read … Hawaiian Electric gains after federal report classifies Maui fire as accidental
Will HGEA Money Grab Defeat Mayor Mitch Roth?
CB: … Perhaps the most significant election locally on Nov. 5 is the one for Hawaii County mayor between incumbent Mitch Roth and challenger Kimo Alameda. They were forced into a runoff in the Aug. 10 primary when neither candidate mustered a majority of the votes in a crowded field.
Roth is the frontrunner when it comes to raising and spending campaign money. His filing with the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission this week shows he received $278,000 in contributions and spent most of it, about $233,000.
The latest filing, which covers the period from the day after the primary through Sept. 26, shows that the mayor’s generous donors include Craig Anderson, an executive with Mauna Kea Resorts, Jaidev Watumull, an executive with Watumull Brothers, and the lobbying group Hawaii Hotel Alliance.
But Alameda, a psychologist, is holding his own in his first run for mayor. He raised $246,000 and spent $192,000, including $10,000 to Spectrum for television ads featuring double shakas.
Donors of note to Alameda include the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, Hilo attorney Lincoln Ashida, Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters, Patrick Kobayashi, a real estate developer with Kobayashi Group, and Micah Kane, president and CEO of the Hawaii Community Foundation.,,,
(CLUE: There is only one issue in this race: Roth’s refusal to give away COVID money for ‘hazard pay’ to public employees unions. LINKS: HGEA denies it is all about hazard pay, thus proving it is.)
read … The Sunshine Blog: Making Hawaii Great Again - Honolulu Civil Beat
Green defends water panel vacancy-filling protocol
SA: … Gov. Josh Green insists that he is following Hawaii law for filling a vacant special seat on the state water commission amid criticism of his procedure to do so.
A response from Green to concerns raised by about 70 Hawaii environmental and Native Hawaiian cultural organizations over the lack of a key appointment to the Commission on Water Resource Management was received by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Wednesday following a Tuesday story about the criticism.
Green, in a statement, said he needs a minimum of three applicants from which to choose a new commission member, who in this instance must have substantial experience or expertise in traditional Hawaiian water resource management techniques including riparian use.
This seat on the seven-member commission, sometimes referred to as the loea, or expert, seat, was vacated June 30 by Neil Hannahs after his completion of a second four-year term.
A selection committee that Green helped form late last year, in anticipation of the then-impending departure by Hannahs, interviewed 13 applicants in January and February, then selected four applicants in February for Green to consider appointing to the commission.
At some point since then, two applicants withdrew. So Green said he can’t select one of the two remaining candidates because he needs at least three to pick from….
A public notice was published Aug. 22 to seek new applicants for the loea seat vacancy.
The deadline to submit an online application, or for a postmark on a mailed application, is Oct. 11.
To apply online, visit boards.hawaii.gov/apply/apply-for-a-board Opens in a new tab. The water commission is attached to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources….
read … Green defends water panel vacancy-filling protocol
Jake Smith sentenced
ILind: … On Wednesday morning, Federal Judge Derrick K. Watson sentenced Jacob “Jake” Smith to 121 months in federal prison, just over 10 years, plus an additional 5 years of supervised release.
It is not clear whether this includes, or is in addition to, the six years he has spent in detention since his arrest in 2018.
Smith, who appeared via a video link from an undisclosed location, was one of the first of Miske’s associates to begin cooperating with federal investigators immediately after his arrest on drug charges in August 2018, and the first of the key witnesses against Miske to be sentenced. He has been in federal custody since his arrest.
Smith, now 31, pleaded guilty in 2020 to being part of Miske’s racketeering conspiracy, and to distributing or possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The sentence was actually 121 months on each of the two counts, but Watson specified that the two terms would run “concurrently,” meaning they would be served together at the same time….
Watson also recommended that the Bureau of Prisons place Smith “at a facility near Nevada or Arizona to be near family, or at a dropout yard facility.”
So-called dropout yards are a type of facility established by the Federal Bureau of Prisons in 2010 to house gang dropouts, former law enforcement officers, and other inmates found to require additional protections beyond that offered in traditional prisons.
One of these dropout yards is located in Tucson, Arizona….
HNN: Former top associate to Hawaii crime boss sentenced to 10 years, 1 month in prison (hawaiinewsnow.com)
CB: Ex-Miske Associate Sentenced To More Than 10 Years In Prison - Honolulu Civil Beat
read … Jake Smith sentenced | i L i n d
From call bonuses to step raises, ‘everything’s on the table’ to retain veteran EMS field crews
HNN: … Honolulu paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians are answering more calls than ever this year, with nearly 90,000 responses already logged through September.
Veteran field workers are sometimes taking multiple calls in an hour.
“No time for a meal, barely time to go to the bathroom, so we understand that they’re working so hard,” said Dr. Jim Ireland, head of Honolulu Emergency Medical Services.
Ireland is pitching to city leaders the idea of beefing up the benefits package to keep the more experienced on the roads….
Honolulu EMS has 230 paramedics and EMTs. There are 27 vacancies with 17 recruits currently in the academy.
But 30 veteran workers are now eligible to retire and could leave at any time.
One option Ireland is offering to the administration is called a run bonus.
Crews get extra money for every call they respond to even if the patient is not transported….
read … From call bonuses to step raises, ‘everything’s on the table’ to retain veteran EMS field crews
Experts say timing of worker strikes are calculated
KHON: … Experts say there are a couple of reasons for the timing of these strikes. First, businesses are starting to rebound from COVID.
“They’re profiting, they’re making a lot of money, and great for them; we’re happy for them, but they didn’t do it alone,” said Alapa. “The workers got them there. They got the profit; they made the business successful. And it’s not just the workers, it’s all of us.”
Second, the presidential election is approaching.
“Well, the timing is just really quite interesting because we’re coming up to a national election, and, of course, positions on labor are a voting issue,” said Konan….
read … Experts say timing of worker strikes are calculated
Kapolei Homeless Whine About Overdevelopment
HNN: … As development expands in Kapolei, there are concerns the second city’s homeless population is running out of places to stay.
Residents pointed out what they call “a hidden village” in the bushes, right across the street from Kapolei Hale.
The camp is not visible from the street, but after a one-minute walk down a small dirt path, HNN’s cameras found a small living space with mattresses, dog cages, shopping carts, and other items….
Lagamo said that as more new buildings go up in the ‘second city, ' camps are popping up in the smallest spaces in the bushes, away from the public eye.
“The way development is rapidly growing, there is a limitation for land or places for them to stay,” explained Lagamo.
A woman named “Susan,” who said she’s been homeless in Kapolei for years, told HNN she’s had to move three times.
“Running out of room and places to go. This is probably the second to the last block in Kapolei,” said Susan….
It comes as the city’s Honu program is setting up shop in Kapolei.
It’s a managed campsite with showers and sleeping quarters meant to provide temporary shelter with the hopes of transitioning into long-term housing.
Workers with the program say they conducted outreach in thae area for the last several weeks.
News of the city-run camp has reached Susan, who is considering checking it after a fire burnt much of her belongings….
HNN: As development expands in Kapolei, residents raise concern over growing homeless population
read … ‘There are few places left’: Kapolei homeless feel impact of development
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