Granting Eruption Recovery Wishes
Green: Army Land Negotiations Advance
Red Hill: Judge Rules Against Navy
Foster Care Child Molester leaves trail of mental illness, drug abuse, homelessness and suicide
CB: … In 2024, JR would win a major court verdict for the sexual abuse he suffered over several years at the hands of his foster father and three of the older boys. Teixeira molested JR 100 times, the judge found, and also sexually abused another foster boy. Teixeira shared his bedroom – and the boys believed his bed – with a different foster son….
But the 2024 verdict was not against Teixeira, who had already reached an out-of-court settlement with JR. It was against the state of Hawaiʻi’s child welfare system.
That bureaucracy was on trial in the Honolulu courtroom. And many of the failures revealed by the lawsuit have never been fixed.
Foster boys were isolated from their families. Some later said they rarely or never saw the social workers who were supposed to check up on them in person each month.
When bad things started to happen, there was no one to tell. A few reports of abuse did surface only to be discounted or ignored….
The foster boys who went through the home are now in their 30s and 40s.
…among the almost 60 boys who lived with him are serious criminal histories, mental illness, drug abuse, homelessness and — in at least one case — suicide….
“… they just kept plugging kids into my house,” Teixeira, now 67 and living in a house in rural Mountain View on the Big Island, told Civil Beat during a 15-minute phone call in May….
…One said he only saw his social worker once after being dropped off, another that he might have had one, but if so, he can’t recall any interactions.
James Pitts doesn’t ever remember seeing a social worker….
The story is a microcosm of what was happening to foster children across Hawaiʻi in the 1990s and 2000s — and, evidence suggests, to this day. Lack of oversight. Failure to thoroughly investigate reports of sexual and physical abuse. Shortcomings in providing for the children’s physical and mental health needs….
the federal report found that Hawaiʻi’s foster children were being mistreated at a rate almost double the national standard…
read … 'Lord Of The Flies': How Hawaiʻi's Model Foster Dad Preyed On Boys - Honolulu Civil Beat
AGAIN: YB Grabs for $25M Rate Hike—who will be fooled this time?
KHON: … Young Brothers (claims it) is losing millions of dollars, having lost $14 million last year and expecting losses to top $25 million in 2025 if nothing changes….
(CLUE: Saltchuck is partly regulated—interisland—and partly deregulated—trans-Oceanic. In any mixed business, the role of management is to make the regulated business look as unprofitable as possible in order to justify rate hikes. If Saltchuck management were not cooking the books, they would and should be fired for incompetence. Cooking the books is their #1 job.)
MN: Young Brothers urges approval of rate reset to secure future of interisland shipping : Maui Now
IM: PUC`s Young Brothers Evidentiary Hearing This Week | Ililani Media
HTH: PUC holds public hearings on Young Brothers’ rate hike request - Hawaii Tribune-Herald
SA: Interisland shipping lifeline argues for rate-hike rescue | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
BACKGROUND:
read … Young Brothers warns interisland shipping is at risk
Arbitrator awards police officers their largest pay raise in 17 years
SA: … Police officers in Hawaii secured the largest pay increase “in at least 17 years” after an independent arbitrator issued a decision on a new four-year contract that was lauded by union leadership.
The State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, in a message to members obtained by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, said the total compensation package will provide most members an increase of more than 27.5%.
That includes base wages, step increases for years of service and a $1,800 retention bonus in July 1, 2026….
Officers will receive a 5% across-the-board, pensionable raise that started July 1 and will happen each year through 2028. From 2011 to 2020, base pay for officers increased about 2.43% each year.
Police officer pay will increase 40% between 2021 and 2028, according to SHOPO….
The union noted that a neutral arbitrator “validated” SHOPO’s view of the retention crisis….
read … Arbitrator awards police officers their largest pay raise in 17 years | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Update law to protect patients from HMSA’s AI Robot
SA: … Many patients in Hawaii are facing serious challenges obtaining health care. The University of Hawaii has documented severe shortages of doctors and nurses, especially for our state’s rural areas and neighbor islands for 15 years. These shortages appear to be getting worse this year.
Further, medical care prescribed by your health care professionals is often denied or delayed because of prior authorization policies by insurance companies. Hawaii does have an external review process where denials of care can be challenged, but very few doctors and patients even know about this system.
Providers in Hawaii currently spent about 20 hours a week trying to deal with the administrative burdens of prior authorization. Too often, medical orders by your health care providers are overruled by insurance agents, who do not know you or your family’s needs….
To make things more challenging, artificial intelligence (AI) is being increasingly used to deny care for patients, without any human oversight….
RELATED: HMSA: AI Robot will be 'Single Source of Truth'
read … Column: Update law to protect patients’ rights | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Burned out by Bums: Pāʻia Elementary School to remain closed until Oct 13; asynchronous distance learning to begin Wednesday
MN: … Pāʻia Elementary School will remain closed to students and staff through Friday, Oct. 3, as post-fire restoration efforts continue.
Public schools will be on fall break from Oct. 6–10….
While the campus did not sustain direct fire damage, soot continues to impact parts of the campus. The school will remain physically closed through the end of the week as mitigation efforts continue.
Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 1, the school will pivot to asynchronous (self-paced) distance learning. Instructional materials — either physical packets or digital access to those materials — will be provided for students. Details about pick-up times and locations will be shared with families on Tuesday, Sept. 30….
(REMEMBER: Nothing is more important than the sacred right of drug addicted bums to live in dry brush and light fires. If we have to sacrifice our children and our homes, we can do so knowing we are upholding the holy doctrine of ACLU.)
read … Pāʻia Elementary School to remain closed through Friday; asynchronous distance learning to begin Wednesday : Maui Now
Rate Hike Coming: Kauaʻi Water Utility Hawks $1.3B Plan To Overhaul Water System
CB: … Water rates have remained flat on Kauaʻi for the last 12 years. But the department is poised to request a rate increase to cover costs associated with the new water plan. It’s likely to be a significant hike for the utility’s 88,000 customers, Tait said.
(DO THE MATH: $1.3B / 88,000 = $14,773 per customer)
Ratepayers can’t be asked to cover all the expenses associated with infrastructure expansion and improvement, however. That’s why Tait said he’s counting on securing “a tremendous amount of money” from federal grants in the coming years. The utility will also seek out state funding, grants and loans.
The county manages nine independent water systems. The absence of connections between them makes large parts of the island particularly vulnerable to wildfire….
(CLUE: Lahaina fire being exploited to justify unnecessary linking of the 9 systems at cost of $1.3B.)
(SOLUTION: Reject this plan.)
read … Kauaʻi Water Utility Hawks $1.3B Plan To Overhaul Century-Old System - Honolulu Civil Beat
QUICK HITS:
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Big Q: How are you feeling about Tuesday night’s looming federal government shutdown? | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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Hamada: Hawaiʻi’s General Excise Tax — helping or hurting the cost of living?
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Who Has the Authority to Levy Tariffs?
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Off the news: No damage, but fire disrupts life in Paia | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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Fewer international visitors made for a desolate summer in L.A. - Los Angeles Times
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Astronomy, Parker Ranch to be discussed during Waimea community meeting Thursday
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Girl, 14, arrested following Big Island school shooting threat
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Frightening moments after pieces of concrete fall from roof to the parking lot
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Maui bowlers say second alley is desperately needed
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HNN Investigates woman’s mysterious death at Schofield Barracks
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Amazon brings next-day delivery to select Hawaii orders
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106-year-old widow makes heart-felt donation to Pearl Harbor museum
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New sustainability project modernizes Ala Wai Golf Course
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Skyline stations transform into community food hubs
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Governor Josh Green, M.D. | NEWS RELEASE: HAWAI‘I AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO CONDUCT ITS FIRST BOARD MEETING ON MAUI ON OCT. 16
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Governor Josh Green, M.D. | DCR News Release – Hālawa Correctional Facility Hosts Wellness Fair For Corrections Officers and Non-Uniformed Staff
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Still salty: Only one desalination project in Hawai‘i still alive
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Governor Josh Green, M.D. | DCCA NEWS RELEASE: FREE ONLINE TOOL HELPS CONSUMERS CLAIM LIFE INSURANCE BENEFITS
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Governor Josh Green, M.D. | Office of the Governor – Flag Order – Gov. Green Lowers Flags to Mourn Lethal Gun Violence at Michigan Church
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UFC Hawaii talks heat up again | KHON2
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Historical walking tour brings the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom to life | Hawai'i Public Radio
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There's a Motorcycle Helmet Law Fight Brewing in Hawaii
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Are We In A Second Hawaiian Renaissance?? | News | kitv.com
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UH launches new educational video emphasizing how a deadly fungus is decimating ohia population
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Forum on political history of Native Hawaiians seeks to help navigate the future | Hawai'i Public Radio
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Hawaii Business Magazine's new editor-in-chief talks next generation, media landscape | Hawai'i Public Radio
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Transitions in leadership at Alaska Air Group reflect commitment to growth, innovation : Big Island Now
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Kauaʻi County’s Housing Agency to open applications for community development block grants : Kauai Now
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New Off-Broadway musical explores the false 2018 missile alert in Hawaiʻi : Kauai Now
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Maui County Fair returns this week | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News
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The Oceans just turned into boiling pots of acid or something
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Changing Course, Honolulu Is Now Planting Food In Public Spaces - Honolulu Civil Beat
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Shutdown would add to Hawaii’s economic woes | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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Department of Hawaiian Home Lands | Waipouli RWOP Workshop
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Hele-On Bus overturns near Laupahoehoe; dozens hurt
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Native Hawaiian Convention unites community on tribal land | News | kitv.com
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Editorial: Back buildout of construction jobs | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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Community vows to protect Oahu’s water amid Red Hill contamination concerns | Honolulu Star-Advertiser