November 13, 2025 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Thursday, November 13, 2025

November 13, 2025 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 5:34 PM :: 298 Views

Hirono Voted 15 Times to Keep Government Closed--blames Republicans

UHERO: Disabled Maui residents still face steep barriers to recovery 2 years after wildfires

To Keep Case in State System, HPD decides to claim murder of Ex-federal informant not gang retaliation

SA: … A 55-year-old man whose body was found in Waipio on Nov. 5 was shot and killed after trying to collect a debt, according to Honolulu police.

Jonnaven Jo Monalim, 55, was not killed out of retribution for his work as a federal informant during the 2004 Pali Golf Course murder investigation, according to authorities. Had he been killed for testifying against his cousin in that case in 2009, his death could be prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice….

(TRANSLATION: They are making this story up to keep the case in the State Judiciary. This prevents the feds from using this case to go after more corrupt Hawaii politicians. Who? See >>> LINK 1 and LINK 2 <<<. Remember: ‘Defend Hawaii’ is the operating principle here.)

According to documents filed in federal court in January 2009, Monalim wore an FBI “body wire” and secretly recorded a three-hour conversation with Motta and others at an October 2004 benefit held on the Big Island to raise legal defense funds for Motta.

Monalim testified that Motta told him during that conversation that he had a judge in his pocket, was going to beat the state charges and was planning to take over management of illegal gambling in Hawaii.

At the time, Motta was free on $1 million bail and Monalim was on parole for a 1998 felony assault conviction.

Monalim was also convicted in 1994 with Joseph and Motta’s co-defendant in the Pali case, Gonsalves, on burglary and terroristic threatening charges after they invaded a Waianae home and threatened the occupants with a shotgun.

Motta and Joseph are serving life sentences in federal prison. Gonsalves pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 27-1/2 years in prison.

(CLUE: Gangs seeking retaliation were likely advised by their shysters that any retaliatory shooting might become a federal case and should therefore be avoided in order to protect the system that makes Hawaii what it is today.)

In a 2021 harassment case, Monalim was accused in a petition for a protective order of threatening to assault a husband and wife over a business dispute. Monalim allegedly went to the man’s work site with a group of others and later filmed an assault of another man and sent it to the man and his wife.

(TRANSLATION: Monalim was likely also an HPD informant; therefore they allowed him to get away with things a lot.)

The man who authored the petition said his project manager called him Dec. 9, 2020, and said “some gangsters came there looking for me” and that their behavior was “intimidating” and they swore at him.

“Being I have known Jonnaven for a very long time. I know what he is capable of and I fear for mine and my family’s life,” wrote the husband in a Feb. 18, 2021, petition. “He was also a professional boxer and knows his hands are weapons. This is why he keeps saying how he is going to knock me out and continues to use the fist emoji in his texts.”

Most recently, on Sept. 28, Monalim was arrested for reckless driving. He had a misdemeanor assault case from a fight in Kona in October 2023 dismissed without prejudice in December 2024, according to state court records….

KHON: As far as a motive, a KHON2 reporter asked if this was linked to the 2004 Pali golf course shooting. Lieutenant Thoemmes responded, “That at this time they can’t say.” Thoemmes also revealed that Luke did owe money due to prior gambling debts, but it hasn’t been connected to this case.

HNN: HPD is investigating claims Monalim ran a gambling house and was owed $80,000 -- and that Luke helped collect gambling debts and himself owed a lot of money to others. “It appears it has to do with money. As far as it being specific gambling that’s still hearsay for us. We still have to continue the investigation,” said Thoemmes.

KHON: GPS data ties suspect to Jonnavan Monalim's murder: HPD

SA: Suspect charged with murder of former government witness

2009: Malu Motta: “I need one governor so he can pardon me.”

2009: Billy Kenoi helped Pali Shooter

2010: Kubo nomination: Hanabusa, Souza tied to Pali Golf course shooters’ mob

read … Ex-federal informant killed trying to collect debt, Honolulu police say | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Star-Adv Admits ‘Passive’ AG Lopez is Protecting Legislative Bribe-Taker

SA: … For months, at least two House representatives — Della Au Belatti and Kanani Souza — have been trying, unsuccessfully, to get Hawaii’s attorney general and two good-government agencies to take action. As reported this week by Hawaii News Now, they sent letters on July 20 to Attorney General Anne Lopez and the heads of the state Campaign Spending and Ethics commissions, asking that the case be pursued.

(HMMMM: Souza Miske >>> LINK)

Unfortunately, the replies were passive: Lopez said her office “stands ready, able and willing to assist” the feds in public corruption investigations should they reach out to her office. That’s not good enough — especially since acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson had told Au Belatti that “if there were state law enforcement officials interested in these reports, a request could be made directly to his office and/or the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” …

read … Editorial: Conduct Hawaii legislator corruption probe | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

While Legislator Evades Justice for $35K Bribe--Architect, 92, On Trial For Failed $20 Gift To City Worker

CB: … Honolulu permit office worker Alexander Laurente was shaking the hand of one of his permit applicants in 2022 when he felt something strange (familiar) in his palm…

(STATE SYSTEM: Catch the small fish--Let the big fish escape.)

CB: Elderly Honolulu Architect Convicted For Attempted $20 Bribe - Honolulu Civil Beat

read … Bribery Case: Architect, 92, On Trial For Failed $20 Gift To City Worker - Honolulu Civil Beat

Biggest water users in West Maui are Hotels and Resorts not TVRs—Bill 9 will make it worse

MN: … For example, in the Kapalua area served by Hawai‘i Water Service, owner-occupied homes averaged 781 gallons per day across 52 water meters, while non-owner-occupied homes averaged 2,709 gallons per day across 207 water meters.

Overall, the average daily water use of non-owner-occupied, single-family dwelling meter homes was 1,469 gallons per day, about twice that of the 721 average gallons per day used by owner-occupied single-family dwelling meter homes, the report showed. When classified by land use, non-owner-occupied homes on agricultural and apartment-zoned properties used over 4.5 times more water than owner-occupied homes on the same types of parcels.

(CLUE: This is a sham comparison designed to pass Bill 9.)

MEANWHILE … In Lahaina town, 802 of the 1,901 water meters (42%) were for non-owner-occupied homes, but in other areas, they were the majority. In Launiupoko, 219 of the 266 single-family dwelling meters (82%) were for non-owner-occupied homes, and in Olowalu, 39 of the 51 single-family dwelling meters (76%) were for non-owner-occupied homes.

Calculating water use by hotel rooms was harder because hotels use different water systems and vary in terms of landscaping, pools and water features, restaurants and other amenities, the report said. Some are on private systems and can irrigate with non-potable water, while users on the county system only have access to potable water to use for irrigation and other non-potable water uses.

Among the hotels and resorts, water use was as follows:

Kā‘anapali, 2.8 million gallons per day for an average of 82,532 gallons per day per meter
North Lahaina, 1.6 million gallons per day for an average of 15,815 gallons per day per meter
South Lahaina, 166,274 gallons per day for an average of 27,712 gallons per day per meter
Kapalua, 75,863 gallons per day for an average of 12,644 gallons per day per meter

Kahahane said the hotels’ use of potable water for irrigation is an infrastructure problem — the county doesn’t have a dual-line system that would allow delivery of non-potable water to the hotels on their system. Kapalua and Launiupoko have dual-line systems, as do some areas of Kā‘anapali. …

(TRANSLATION: The hotels waste potable water on irrigation because the County has chosen not to bother with this problem. If Bill 9 passes, the hotels will gain tourists and therefore waste even more water.)

Tadashi Yanai, the billionaire founder of the clothing brand Uniqlo and the owner of Kapalua Golf, thinks there’s enough water to go around but believes it’s not being managed well. In August, Yanai’s TY Management Corp. sued Maui Land & Pineapple Co., claiming they failed to maintain the Honokōhau ditch system that supplies the golf course, forcing the closure of the courses for two months and the cancellation of The Sentry PGA golf tournament.

Yanai told the Hawai‘i Journalism Initiative Wednesday that water is being wasted in Maui Land & Pine’s system.

“It starts with the responsibility to supply the water,” Yanai said through an interpreter. “If they did a very good job of preserving the water, we would not come into this situation where we are suffering from the tight supply of water. So if they did a better job, this situation would not have happened.”…

SA: West Maui water usage study to underpin better regulation ahead | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

PDF: PR202502.pdf

read … Biggest water users in West Maui before fire were non-owner-occupied homes, report finds (a false headline from) Maui Now

500 Grifters Grab for Green Fee Money

KN: … The Green Fee (slush fund) Advisory Council (usual insiders) will host a webinar next week via Zoom to update the public about its ongoing (piñata) evaluation criteria along with timelines and next steps in its recommendation process for possible Green Fee (cash grab) projects.

Participants in the Nov. 20 webinar also will have the opportunity to submit questions. The meeting is scheduled for 12:30 to 1:30 p.m….

The council is now reviewing possible Green Fee projects it received from individuals, community groups, nonprofits, local businesses, counties, state departments and agencies.

Projects were submitted via the council’s Public Ideas Portal — which was open from Oct. 15 to Nov. 1 — as well as from state departments through the Hawaiʻi Department of Budget and Finance.

“We’ve seen an incredible response, with nearly 500 ideas from the public and more than 100 project proposals from state departments,” said Green Fee Advisory Council Chairman Jeff Mikulina in a state release. “It’s clear there’s no shortage of ~~good ideas~~ (snouts at trough) for using these funds to protect Hawaiʻi’s environment, strengthen communities and support sustainable tourism.”…

(TRANSLATION: This is almost as big as the scrum for marijuana dispensary licenses.)

read … Green Fee Advisory Council to give update about project evaluation, recommendations : Kauai Now

Only Five Honolulu Businesses Hurt By Rail Construction Got $10K from City

CB: … the maximum yearly award of $10,000 is too small to offset the impacts of essentially turning Dillingham into a traffic obstacle course, and the application requirements are too onerous….

“Not many people qualify,” Hawaii Sewing Supplies manager Joseph Hong said in an interview. His business was one of only five awarded a grant from the city last application cycle, Honolulu City Budget Director Andy Kawano said, out of 30 that applied….

(TRANSLATION: The offer of ‘help’ is a PR stunt.)

read … Honolulu Businesses Hurt By Rail Construction Find City Help Falls Short - Honolulu Civil Beat

The Old Aloha Stadium Was A Failure

CB: … Aloha’s sleek modern bells and whistles — protective “patinas” of rust and movable seats — did not work.

And over time, Aloha became more and more damaged in other ways, as going big time faded away in our field of dreams.

No major league team, the minor league baseball team that had so much support at the old Honolulu Stadium drew pitifully tiny crowds at Aloha, then left.

Major events like concerts dwindled. Football attendance dropped big time. Bowl games left

And then the biggest damage of all. The stadium suddenly shut down forever…

(IDEA: Restore Honolulu Stadium.)

read … Neal Milner: Aloha Stadium Was A Failure — Except In Our Hearts - Honolulu Civil Beat

Parents of infant abused at Navy day care in Hawaii file federal lawsuit

SAS: … The parents of a toddler who was physically abused by employees at a Navy child care center in Hawaii filed suit Monday in federal court seeking damages for what they say was government negligence. Jeremy Kuykendall and Kaitlin Kuykendall are seeking unspecified damages for themselves and their daughter, Bella, who was 15 months old in 2022 when she was abused by employees at the Ford Island Development Center in Pearl Harbor….

read … Parents of infant abused at Navy day care in Hawaii file federal lawsuit | Stars and Stripes

Get a Job: 6,000 Medicaid Recipients will need to work at least 20 hours

KITV: … "We find that 6,000 of those 25,000 will be under that work requirement. So to keep people in Medicaid a year from now we're gonna have to find jobs or training programs for 6,000 individuals," said WCCHC President and CEO Rich Bettini….

(CLUE: This will help reduce Hawaii’s worker shortage.)

KHON: Concerns over uninsured in Hawaii as funding bill signed

read … Obamacare subsidy reduction not the only healthcare concern for Hawaii residents | Local | kitv.com

Hawaiʻi DOE Spending More On Buses For Fewer Students

CB: … This year, 545 bus drivers are serving Hawaiʻi schools, up from 436 last fall, according to recent data from the DOE. The department is still short 130 drivers, who are primarily provided through the bus companies Ground Transport Inc. and Roberts Hawaiʻi….This fall, nearly 13% of students rely on the bus services available to regular education students, down from roughly 16% in the 2023-24 academic year. Special education students receive their own bus services that are required under federal law….

read … Hawaiʻi DOE Spending More On Buses For Fewer Students - Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawaii’s speed enforcement cameras -- zero citations due to tech failure

HNN: … Hawaii’s new speed enforcement camera system has issued zero speeding citations in its first 12 days of operation at 10 intersections, despite state officials issuing half a million warnings over the prior seven months.

A computer programming glitch has prevented citations from being processed, according to state officials.

“It’s just a setup thing for us, so we’re working on the software setup on the back ends to ensure that when it gets to judiciary, it’s as efficient as possible,” said state transportation director Ed Sniffen….

Sniffen said the issue could be fixed by the end of the week, but citations will only be issued to the fastest drivers due to staffing limitations.

Only three Honolulu police officers are available to process citations.

“They cannot take care of the roughly 60,000 or so we would have had per month when we’re issuing warnings for 11 mph over the speed limit,” Sniffen said….

read … Hawaii’s speed enforcement cameras off to slow start with zero citations

Tsunami Alert: NOAA ending contract with Alaska Earthquake Center

K5: … As the Trump administration looks to further cut funding and resources for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), we're learning the agency has cut ties with the Alaska Earthquake Center.

Losing the center could mean delays in tsunami warnings along the West Coast. The accuracy of those alerts depends on the quality of data.

The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network operates more than 600 seismic stations. The center in Alaska added an additional 250 stations, working with NOAA in real time to ensure warnings were accurate and timely.

Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and a UW professor, told KING 5 that the move means monitoring centers will receive less information to base their assessment of seismic events. This could also delay warnings from events out of Alaska by minutes, and degrade the quality of warnings over, including how strong an event was. These are both "steps backward" in the ability to warn people of deadly events, Tobin said.

Tobin said neither the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network nor the Alaska Earthquake Center saw this coming. However, NOAA and the National Weather Service were previously hit with job cuts as the Trump administration worked to reduce government spending….

WaPo: This lab is key for tracking deadly waves. Its sensors are about to go offline.

read … NOAA ending contract with Alaska Earthquake Center could have ramifications in the PNW | king5.com

Kona Park to be Irrigated with Treated former Injection Well Sewage

CB: … long years of delay may finally be ending, thanks in part to a federal lawsuit filed over the nearby Kealakehe sewer plant. To settle that lawsuit the county agreed in April to upgrade the plant to produce highly treated wastewater, which would provide recycled water clean enough to spray on playing fields.

At the same time, Mayor Kimo Alameda’s office is pursuing a new proposal to develop the park on a new site on Hawaiian homelands between the sewer plant and Honokōhau Harbor, which would make it far easier to develop the park and deliver water to it from the plant….

The legal settlement also requires the county to complete a Reuse Feasibility Study by next fall to analyze various projects for reusing the effluent, including plans “to establish and maintain the Kealakehe Regional Park.”

Within six months of completing that feasibility study the county must select a reuse project that must be operational by spring of 2031, according to the settlement. The reuse project must use at least 100,000 gallons of effluent per day….

… land owned by DHHL across the highway and next to the sewer plant is flat, and Alameda said DHHL officials like the idea of a land swap that would allow it to develop homes on the slope where the park was originally planned….

read … How Overhauling A Big Island Sewer Plant Is Energizing A Long-Stalled Park - Honolulu Civil Beat

Stolen truck, guns, hazards recovered during Maui wildfire risk reduction program

HNN: … County officials say Wednesday’s efforts is not a sweep, but rather an effort to reduce wildfire risk in an area near an elementary school, a church, homes, and businesses

“Our job and our function for the county is to look at risk, and it’s to reduce and eliminate risk completely if we can. We specifically look at wildfire risks. So, it has nothing to do with a sweep. It has everything to do with what causes fire and where that risk related to that fire is in relationship to the community and its impact to the community,” said Maui Emergency Management Agency administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett.

County officials said there have been 13 fires in the area so far this year.

They also said 911 calls have increased by 174% compared to the same time last year for various crimes, including theft, criminal property damage, and drugs.

They said during Wednesday’s efforts they recovered a stolen vehicle, multiple guns, and electrical hazards….

read … Stolen truck, guns, hazards recovered during Maui wildfire risk reduction program

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