Cleaning up Hawaii’s permitting mess
Gov. Green on military land leases: ‘I think that we will be able to settle pretty straightforwardly’
HPR: … We can't walk away from security of the nation, and they do need to train in the region. I acknowledge that ….
If, ultimately, a land swap is fully proposed, I'll get input from everybody. And the land swap would have to be very thoughtful for the people of Hawaiʻi. It would have to give us extra capacity to preserve the land. I'm sure it would result in much more land coming to us…
The federal government has certain capacity, which I don't love, and that's to use a nuclear option, and simply, 'I'm going to domain the land.' I don't think it will come to that. I don't even think that will really be threatened, but it is out there as a possibility, and that's why I have little choice but to always work with people….
I think that we will be able to settle pretty straightforwardly. I don't think that that's going to be difficult….
read … Gov. Green on balancing national security and the environment in military land leases
Activists surprised by Army’s willingness to let go of Makua Valley land lease
HNN: … The Army has a 65-year lease of 782 acres of state land at the front of Mākua Valley, but that lease expires in 2029.
The military stopped controversial live-fire training more than 20 years ago and in 2023, the Pentagon officially said it was no longer necessary.
Currently, there’s helicopter and drone training at Mākua, but now the Army, in its final environmental impact statement, says it determined that wasn’t needed on state property after listening to public feedback.
“The 782 acres that are currently leased at Mākua Military Reservation are no longer needed for the Army to continue to maintain readiness and and warfare capabilities,” said Alice Roberts, U.S. Army Pacific land retention program manager.
“I was really surprised,” said Spark Rodrigues, Mālama Mākua board member.
Rodrigues protested against the military back in the ’90s and now works with the Army on ensuring cultural access….
SAS: Army lowers sights in pursuit of lease renewals for state property on Oahu | Stars and Stripes
CB: Army Proposes Downsizing Its Training Grounds On Oʻahu - Honolulu Civil Beat
read … Activists surprised by Army’s willingness to let go of state-land lease
Claim by Miske’s mother to represent his granddaughter’s interests denied by judge, at least for now
ILind: … The problem in this motion is that the child’s maternal grandfather had already been granted guardianship by Family Court, which Burch acknowledged in a subsequent court filing. Burch said he had not yet seen the paperwork and had been unable to verify the appointment. Some legal observers said it looked like Burch arrived and tried to bigfoot into the case, but hadn’t done his homework on the guardian issue….
read … Claim by Miske’s mother to represent his granddaughter’s interests denied by judge, at least for now | i L i n d
Soft on Crime: After 10 State Felony Convictions, Meth Dealer Finally Catches a FEDERAL Case
SA: … Sky Akira Kaia Sakuma, 43, was charged May 15 with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On May 13 HPD officers saw Sakuma, who was wanted on an outstanding state warrant for reckless driving, operating a black 2011 BMW two-door sedan, according to federal court records.
Sakuma was pulled over, and a search of the BMW turned up a black-and-brown Beretta pistol with four rounds of .22-caliber ammunition in the magazine and one round of .22-caliber ammunition in the chamber.
HPD arrested Sakuma for the warrant and on suspicion of the state offenses of place to keep ammunition, promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree, place to keep pistol or revolver, and felon in possession of a firearm.
Sakuma allegedly admitted to FBI agents that the gun was his, he knew he was banned from possessing a firearm, and allowed agents to search his BMW.
Agents allegedly found 31.43 grams of methamphetamine in two plastic bags, two glass pipes with suspected methamphetamine residue, seven rounds of .30 carbine ammunition and two rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition, and “numerous empty clear plastic baggies.”
Sakuma was sentenced in 2015 to 10 years in state prison for intimidating a witness in a 2013 burglary case and felony assault.
He has 10 prior felony convictions in state court…. (Key Word: ‘State’)
read … 2 felons face federal gun and drug charges | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Local fireworks industry contends with possible sky-high tariffs on China
HPR: … “During Trump's first term, our industry got an exemption, and so our industry trade group immediately went into action to try to get an exemption for this time around as well,” Albrecht said. “To have it announced that it was triple digits and across the board was definitely shocking. I don't think anybody expected that.”
He added that there is no way to absorb that significant of a price increase, and that the 145% tariff would essentially be a trade embargo.
This week, the tariffs on China were lowered from 145% to 30% for 90 days while Washington and Beijing negotiate a trade agreement ….
read … Local fireworks industry contends with possible sky-high tariffs on China | Hawai'i Public Radio
Bill To Guard Against Imitation Hawaiian Tea Could End Up Hurting Industry
CB: … It’s been a rocky year for Matt and Andrea Drayer, two of the state’s largest growers of Hawaiian māmaki tea. In late 2024, the company saw the closing of its largest buyer, Shaka Tea, whose bottled, ready-to-drink māmaki beverages created a new market for the Hawaiian herb.
The Drayer’s 25-acre Ancient Valley Growers farm on the Big Island and a neighboring māmaki ranch they manage previously sold as much as 1,000 pounds per day of wet māmaki to Shaka Tea and another 1,000 pounds per month of dry tea to other buyers. The bulk of their business vanished overnight when Shaka Tea went out of business, Matt Drayer said.
Now, a bill passed by the Legislature intended to help farmers like the Drayers could have the opposite effect by restricting the sale of māmaki mixed with other herbs, such as mint and lavender. Other māmaki proponents have raised the same concern, saying the bill could unintentionally hurt the māmaki industry as it’s poised for growth.
“I think it would be safe to say it would be the nail in the coffin because we’re already hurting,” Matt Drayer said of the measure….
read … Bill To Guard Against Imitation Hawaiian Tea Could End Up Hurting Industry - Honolulu Civil Beat
Hu Honua Bioenergy Files (another) State Antitrust Lawsuit Against HECO
IM: … The (latest) filing was made in the First Circuit State Court on May 16, 2025. Hu Honua seeks a jury trial (or something) ….
CN: Electric monopoly | Courthouse News Service
PDF: hu-honua-hawaiian-electric-complaint-oahu.pdf
read … Hu Honua Bioenergy Files State Antitrust Lawsuit Against HECO | Ililani Media
Nuisance money: City Council approves $40K Liquor Commission settlement
SA: … Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii in 2023, Waite’s complaint had named HLC investigators Jacob Fears, Catherine Fontaine and Glen Nishigata as defendants in the case. The litigation alleged the trio, in their official and individual capacities, violated portions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as state laws related to discrimination against Waite.
Waite — who had worked as a Honolulu liquor investigator starting in 2022 but later resigned — is gay and Filipino, the complaint stated ….
read … City Council approves $40K Liquor Commission settlement
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