Corruption: Civil Suit Against Kaneshiro Thrown Out of Court
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UH Mānoa launches national search for athletic director
HB1001: $4B Maui wildfires settlement bill moves toward secretive Conference Committee
KITV: … The state legislature passed a bill for the $4.037 billion settlement agreement that will provide compensation for residents affected by the Lahaina wildfires in 2023.
HB 1001 is the collective agreement from seven defendants to pay billions of dollars back to 2,200 parties who filed lawsuits after the disaster. The defendants include the State of Hawaii, the County of Maui, the Hawaiian Electric Company, the Kamehameha Schools, Charter Communications/Spectrum, Hawaiian Telcom and the West Maui Land Company….
How these funds will be allocated and how much compensation survivors will receive are still being finalized.
(CLUE: Conference Committee.)
As of now, the Hawaii Supreme Court is reviewing questions regarding whether insurance companies can recover payments made for wildfire damages from policyholders. These decisions could affect the settlement's implementation….
read … $4B Maui wildfires settlement bill moves forward
Maui County’s proposed short-term rental ban is still awaiting a decision, but already business in the industry is falling
MN: … Before the Lahaina wildfire in August 2023, Lucrecia Ayala’s cleaning business was bustling.
We Clean Maui had contracts with about 30 Kīhei vacation rentals, of which 20 or more usually required four to six cleanings after each of their bookings.
But in the wake of the fire and Maui County’s proposal to phase out nearly 7,000 short-term rentals in apartment districts, tourists disappeared and bookings dropped, leaving Ayala with a much smaller clientele of about 12 rentals that need cleaning only two to three times a month.
“It’s not just for us; it’s everybody that depends on tourism,” Ayala said. “It’s the A/C guys that do the service or the upholstery cleaning, carpet cleaning, just name it. Whoever works indirectly or directly with tourism gets affected.”
It’s been nearly a year since Mayor Richard Bissen, flanked by members of Lahaina Strong, proposed the short-term rental ban in hopes of providing much-needed housing after the fire displaced thousands of residents. At the time, Bissen said the change would start July 1 for West Maui units and Jan. 1, 2026 for other areas of the county.
But as short-term rental owners and businesses connected to the industry wait for the Maui County Council to make a decision on the mayor’s bill, the industry already has started to see the effects. Owners are selling their units or lowering their rates. Businesses connected to the vacation rentals, including property management and cleaning services, are seeing fewer jobs and losing income.
“The worst part of it is, I think, we’re just kind of in purgatory,” said David Englert, general manager of Rentals Maui, which manages more than 300 vacation rental properties in Kīhei, Wailea and Mā‘alaea.
REALITY: Meet the Meth Gang Behind ‘Lahaina Strong’
read … Maui County’s proposed short-term rental ban is still awaiting a decision, but already business in the industry is falling
Schatz, Hirono Vote for Arms Embargo Against Israel
TI: … The US Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected a pair of resolutions by progressive Senator Bernie Sanders aimed at blocking the transfer of weapons to Israel, with the minority of Democrats voting in favor falling since the last time such an initiative was advanced several months ago.
Sanders’s motions were virtually guaranteed to fail given the Republican majority in the Senate and the still small minority of Democrats willing to vote against Israel. However, such votes are often framed as a litmus test on how much the Democratic Party is shifting in its support for Israel…
…The other fourteen Democrats who voted in favor of blocking weapons to Israel were Mazie Hirono, Ben Ray Luján, Bernie Sanders, Chris Van Hollen, Jeff Merkley, Ed Markey, Tim Kaine, Elizabeth Warren, Martin Heinrich, Brian Schatz, Tina Smith, Dick Durbin, Peter Welch and Chris Murphy.
The first resolution was blocked by a vote of 82 to 15 and the second resolution was blocked by a vote of 83 to 15. …
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch of Idaho urged defeat of Sanders’s resolutions, saying, “They would abandon Israel, our closest ally in the Middle East, during a pivotal moment for global security.”…
read … US Senate overwhelmingly votes down Sanders' motions to block arms sales to Israel
Council questions Honolulu transportation director about rail audit
SA: … The audit, conducted from January through December 2024, stated DTS’ goal in operating Skyline was to accommodate 8,000 riders a day after a full year of service.
“We found that despite a favorable reliability rate of 99.2 percent, ridership on the Skyline rail system has fallen short of expectations, with a 44 percent decline from its opening in July 2023 to December 2023,” acting city Auditor Troy Shimasaki wrote in a message to the Honolulu City Council. “This decline is attributed to several factors, including limited service area coverage, inadequate operating hours, and insufficient integration with other transportation modes.
“Additionally, public transportation commuters face disproportionately longer travel times compared to solo drivers, diminishing Skyline’s appeal as a commuting option,” Shimasaki said. “Lastly, marketing efforts, including social media campaigns, have been less effective compared to peer transit systems, resulting in missed opportunities for collaboration with local events and businesses.” …
read … Council questions Honolulu transportation director about rail audit | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
State considers changes to permit process for coastal single-family homes
HPR: … Lawmakers are advancing a bill to amend the permitting process for certain coastal residences despite pushback from some conservation groups and community members.
A Special Management Agency minor permit is required for developments within the shoreline setback area that are valued at $500,000 or less.
House Bill 732 would increase that cut-off to $750,000 for single-family homes no larger than 3,500 square feet, which the supporters say would streamline the permitting process and account for inflation. It was last increased from $125,000 in 2011.
The state Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, the City and County of Honolulu, and Maui County support the measure.
But Earthjustice and others are wary of loosening the permitting requirements….
read … State considers changes to permit process for coastal single-family homes
Police investigate officer-involved shooting in Kona; no serious injuries
HTH: … At about 3:03 a.m., the officer at the Konalani Street intersection was outside his police vehicle, laying out additional flares, when a red Volvo C30, approached the officer’s position at a high rate of speed, HPD said.
The officer used his flashlight and arms to signal the driver and gain his attention, warning him of the road hazard ahead and directing him onto the Konalani Street detour.
According to HPD, the driver disregarded the officer’s instructions and drove into the oncoming traffic lane directly at the officer. Believing the vehicle would strike him, the officer — in fear for his life — fired at the vehicle at least two times.
The vehicle sped past the officer and came to a stop approximately 100 yards beyond the officer’s vehicle.
The officer rushed to the Volvo to render aid and detain the driver, HPD said. The driver was not struck by the officer’s bullets but sustained a laceration to his head and forearms from broken vehicle glass.
The driver, identified as 21-year-old Akira Kauilani of Kailua-Kona, was later arrested for reckless endangering, operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, and other traffic-related offenses.
There were no passengers in Kauilani’s vehicle, and the officer was not injured as a result of the incident….
read … Police investigate officer-involved shooting in Kona; no serious injuries
Lawmakers, parents urge change after school ‘death list’
HNN: … Teachers and parents told HNN police were not called until two weeks after the incident ….
read … Lawmakers, parents urge change after school ‘death list’
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