Hawaii: A far-left state trying to hijack U.S. energy policy
Trump Squeeze Leads to Suspension of 'Faculty Special Salary Adjustments' at UH
UHERO Survey Documents Declining Physical and Mental Health
Hawaii Mortgage Delinquency Jumps
Medical Malpractice? Hawaii 5th Worst
Miske Drug Overdose Death Shapes Legal Strategy to keep Money in Family
ILind: … The 13-page answer was filed in Honolulu’s Federal District Court on behalf of the trustees by San Francisco attorney Edward M. Burch, a criminal defense attorney who specializes in forfeiture defense….
… Burch raises seven affirmative defenses, arguing that forfeiture of some or all of the property “is barred by the applicable statute of limitations, and that Miske’s properties “were derived from legitimate activities and were otherwise unconnected to any violations of law….”
He asserts “some or all of the Defendant properties is not subject to forfeiture because it constitutes that of an innocent owner as defined by 18 U.S.C. § 983(d),” apparently a reference to the status of the trust’s primary beneficiary, Miske’s granddaughter, who is not named in the court filings. She was the daughter of Miske’s late son, Caleb Miske, who died in March 2016.
He then argues the civil forfeiture provisions of federal law “are unconstitutional and unenforceable, in that they constitute a denial of claimant’s due process and equal protection rights under the United States Constitution – the procedures used to adjudicate the seizure of the property should require the government to carry its burden by either beyond a reasonable doubt or by clear and convincing evidence rather than by a preponderance of the evidence.” …
PDF: Answer to the government's civil forfeiture action by the Miske Revocable Living Trust | PDF | Affirmative Defense | Complaint
read … Miske Trust files an answer to the government’s forfeiture complaint | i L i n d
Mokulele Methamphetamines News: 33-Time Loser Finally Catches a FEDERAL Case
SA: … “Multiple sources of information provided intelligence” that Kane smuggled “pound quantities” of crystal methamphetamine from Oahu to Maui on Mokulele flights, according to an affidavit authored by a DEA agent….
(CLUE: Mokulele again.)
In March 2021, Kane was awaiting trial for habitually operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant when he was arrested again for habitual impaired driving and was ordered by a judge not to drive and to wear a device to continuously monitor alcohol in his system, according to The Maui News.
Kane has convictions in 2007, 2011 and 2021 for habitual operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant and was sentenced to over one year of imprisonment.
He has a lifetime revocation of his driver’s license.
He has three prior felony convictions and 33 prior convictions in STATE court dating back to 1997. They include five misdemeanor convictions for cruelty to animals….
read … Man, 50, charged with moving meth between Oahu and Maui | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
After HPD Raid, CBD Dealer Shocked, SHOCKED to Discover His Products Contained THC
USAH: … Oahu Dispensary and Provisions, a Hawaii-based CBD retailer, has filed a pro se lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii alleging that a supplier sold it products falsely represented as CBD but containing unlawful levels of THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis. The retailer claims this misrepresentation led to law enforcement seizing multiple shipments and caused serious illness to one of its customers.
L360: Hawaii Shop Alleges CBD Wares Were Actually THC - Law360
read … Hawaii CBD Shop Sues Over Fake THC-Laced Products
Total Fail: HECO ‘Time-of-Use Rates’ Abandoned
IM: … Time-of-use rates, with high evening rates and lower daytime rates, (were supposed to) encourage people to shift electricity demand from the evening to the daytime (but they didn’t succeed)….
(TRANSLATION: We tried to rearrange your lives for the convenience of the solar industry. It didn’t work.)
The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission issued an order at 7:58 a.m. yesterday, two minutes before the start of the 12th annual Hawaii Energy Conference. The Commission ended the current Time-of-Use proceeding.
(TRANSLATION: We wanted all you geniuses in one place so we could rub your collective noses in your failed social engineering project.)
Time-of-Use rates evaluated in the Advanced Rate Design (ARD) Study “did not achieve the essential goals of meaningfully shifting electricity use to daytime hours and empowering all customers to save money.”
“Therefore, the rates in their current form should not be expanded to apply to all Hawaiian Electric customers and instead should be reassessed in a separate, future proceeding that pairs ARD TOU rates with complementary demand management technology and/or programs.”
FLASHBACK: Solar Users Hit Hard by HECO 'Time of Use' Rate Increases
FLASHBACK: Solar Shaft: HECO Evenings hit $0.66 per kwh
read … Time-of-Use Rate Concept Is Transitioning to a More Holistic Regulatory Process | Ililani Media
Bill 47: Hawaiʻi County Council revisits more oversight on the short-term rental industry
HPR: … Bill 47 is a renewed effort by some council members to reform what the measure calls “transient vacation rentals,” or short-term rentals offered on sites like Airbnb and Vrbo.
Under the measure, properties would have to register with the county’s director of finance and provide information such as the location and number of units for rent. A registration fee of $250 for hosted and $500 for unhosted rentals would apply, and failing to register could result in a $10,000 fine….
read … Hawaiʻi County Council revisits more oversight on the short-term rental industry
$70M to rebuild Lahaina homeless shelter?
MN: … With $8 million committed to providing emergency shelter and affordable housing in Lahaina, a Maui group is moving forward to rebuild at the Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center in Lahaina following the 2023 fire….
The center plans to rebuild 120 units to accommodate more than 300 people. Sadecki said two preliminary initial quotes for the cost of construction ranged from $60 million to $70 million.
The complex, located mauka of the county swimming pool in Lahaina, included two-bedroom affordable rental housing units, a men’s dormitory, a women’s dormitory, studio units and two-bedroom units for families experiencing homelessness.
The center provided shelter for some families as large as 10 to 11 people as well as single parents with children and individuals, some of whom required medical respite as they recovered from physical injuries….
read … Support grows to rebuild Lahaina homeless shelter | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News
How The Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor Has Gone From Cash Cow To Eyesore
CB: … a recent waterborne tour also showed many problems remain, including numerous derelict harbor slips, an unrecovered wreck that sank in 2022, overflow parking where the harbor’s fuel dock and boat repair slip used to be, and law enforcement officers occupying what used to be the harbor’s general store….
… Commercial dive boats blared dance music, a handful of decrepit party boats were moored and listing, and parking lots were pockmarked. The two public boat ramps there are sinking….
read … How The Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor Has Gone From Cash Cow To Eyesore - Honolulu Civil Beat
TRUMP NEWS:
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA:
QUICK HITS: