Army to Green: 'We cannot wait'
Little-Known Law Makes Hawai‘i Flights More Expensive
Maui Police Release Bodycam Video Surrounding Officer Death
No, Surviving Lahaina Fire Doesn’t Give You License to Kill
HNN: … Sekonaia Takafua is charged with second-degree murder for the death of Shawn Lewis, a well-known amputee surfer, in Waikapu in September, 2024.
He’s also being prosecuted for firearms and drug charges from a previous incident.
In court Thursday, Takafua’s defense team argued that his right to a speedy trial was violated, and requested a reduction to his nearly $3 million bail.
But the judge refused, denying both motions.
“If the defendant allegedly had these guns at that time and then now he’s charged with committing alleged murder with firearm, there is a potential danger and I can’t just ignore that,” said Judge Peter Cahill, Second Circuit Court.
Takafua’s attorney, Michael Sweetman, also claimed a prosecutor improperly dismissed a grand jury member, and a detective used excessive hearsay during the indictment process.
Judge Cahill continued the hearing on that matter until Sept. 2 in order to fully read the transcript from the grand jury indictment….
Aug, 2023: ‘Indescribable grief’: Loved ones identify family of 4 killed while fleeing Lahaina wildfire -- The four were identified as Faaso and Malui Fonua Tone, their daughter Salote Takafua, and her son, Tony Takafua. They were found Thursday in a burned-out car near their home.
read … Trial proceedings to continue for wildfire survivor accused of murder
Bill 9: Maui Council panel recommends Temporary Investigative Group on vacation rentals
MN: … In a move to address lingering concerns about a proposed law to phase out transient vacation rentals, the Maui County Council’s Housing and Land Use Committee voted 8-0 on Wednesday to form a Temporary Investigative Group. The TIG, a “permitted interaction group” under Hawaiʻi’s Sunshine Law, would investigate policies and procedures for vacation rentals in apartment-zoned districts.
The decision comes as the Council considers Bill 9, a measure that passed out of the Housing and Land Use Committee on July 24 by a 6-3 vote. The bill, which has not yet been scheduled for first and second readings before the full Council, seeks to phase out more than 7,000 vacation rentals on the so-called “Minatoya List” over the next three to five years to increase long-term housing for residents.
Council Member Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins, who introduced the proposal and chairs the new TIG, said the investigative group “would provide the council some time to do our due diligence in order to really take a deeper dive into Bill 9, which we really didn’t have the opportunity to do.” she said
Council Member Tom Cook has previously expressed frustration with the lack of “actionable” procedures in the bill for rezoning or obtaining conditional use permits, saying the bill “didn’t end up with enough tools” to provide a clear path toward rezoning. The TIG is intended to address such gaps.
The TIG’s membership includes Council Members Cook, Tamara Paltin and Shane Sinenci. If the group is approved by the full Council, they will interview County officials and consult with various stakeholders, including property owners, land-use planners, housing advocates, and economists. Its findings and recommendations are to be submitted to the Housing and Land Use Committee by Dec. 31….
read … Council panel recommends Temporary Investigative Group on vacation rentals : Maui Now
Puna Geothermal Venture moves forward with long-awaited upgrades
HNN: … Puna Geothermal Venture is moving ahead with a project to boost its renewable energy production after receiving long-awaited approval from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission.
PGV says its project will increase production by 8 megawatts — to produce up to 46 megawatts — lower electricity costs for Hawaii Island residents, and result in a smaller company footprint….
After lava destroyed its transmission lines and shut down the company for two and a half years, PGV built a new path to the facility and is now moving forward with its “Repower Project” using new equipment.
PGV announced its approval from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission for equipment upgrades and increased power generation from the plant. The company said it has 12 generating units that are more than 30 years old….
The state has a 100-percent clean energy goal by 2045.
“I hope that we can do a lot more geothermal, because that’s one overlap that the federal government is in support of,” said Green.
PGV expects to complete the project late next year.
The company is holding a public (Punatic) meeting next Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Pāhoa Neighborhood Facility….
read … Puna Geothermal Venture moves forward with long-awaited upgrades
New Hawaii county property tax credits for subdivision property owners
HTH: … Draft two of Bill 38 proposes a one-time tax credit of up to $1,000 for property owners who install solar water heaters on qualifying dwellings and introduces a new credit of up to $250 for residents who contribute to private roadway maintenance….
“The county made decisions to create these nonconforming subdivisions, and folks are just left to really fend for themselves,” Kierkiewicz said.
To qualify for the private road credit, property owners must receive a home exemption, rely on ungated private road access, and pay at least $75 annually to a road maintenance organization. That organization must report qualifying payments to the county by Sept. 30 each year….
read … New county property tax credits in the works - Hawaii Tribune-Herald
20% of 911 calls Homeless-related
ASD: … The Honolulu City Council is asking the City Auditor to conduct an investigation into the Honolulu Emergency Services Department’s Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement (CORE) Program.
The program, launched in Dec. 2021, responds to non-violent 911 calls involving homeless people in Honolulu. The program touts response teams that include emergency medical technicians and community health workers who are able to connect homeless people to necessary services instead of requiring the intercession of armed police officers.
But Councilwoman Andria Tupola, who represents Kapolei, Wai‘anae, portions of ‘Ewa Beach, and others, is calling for an audit of the program.
“We can’t waste time and we can’t waste money,” Tupola told the Council Committee on International and Legal Affairs on Wednesday. “We think that it’d be better to have a neutral third-party audit so that … it’s a really good look at comparing what we’re doing [with other programs].”
Liam Chinn, facilitator of the Reimagining Public Safety in Hawai‘i Coalition — a group of legal reform advocates — told Aloha State Daily that the program has not been particularly effective since its launch, despite being ostensibly modeled after more successful crisis outreach programs elsewhere in the country.
In particular, Chinn highlighted the “gold standard” of crisis outreach programs: the Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS) program developed in Eugene, Oregon in 1989.
Chinn said most other crisis programs in the U.S. are modeled after CAHOOTS, which at its peak was able to divert about 20% of the area’s 911 calls away from police and toward social service workers.
Where CORE differs from CAHOOTS, Chinn said, is in that diversion process. Whereas CAHOOTS and its derivative programs send a tandem team of EMTs and crisis counselors to respond to 911 calls, CORE only deploys an EMT.
“EMTs are not skilled in de-escalation,” Chinn said. “Programs like CAHOOTS emphasize de-escalation, but as it is, CORE is just about medical intervention.”…
read … Council calls for crisis program audit
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