November 25, 2025 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

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Tuesday, November 25, 2025

November 25, 2025 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 3:37 PM :: 109 Views

TMT Exploring 'Promising Path Forward' in Spain

DCCA: Obamacare Plans to Increase 11.6% in 2026

DOJ Files Historic Supreme Court Brief in Support of Hawaii Second Amendment Case

NRA Urges SCOTUS to Invalidate Hawaii Carry Restriction

Hawaii AG Wins Federal court order blocking Trump from dismantling four agencies

Legislators Release 2026 Legislative Calendar

Green Names New Budget Director

Miske Loses Termite License

Designed to Fail: How Hawaii System lets Criminals Escape Justice

CB: … Crucial evidence has to be shipped to crime labs on Oʻahu or even the mainland, often in a FedEx box that can get lost in the mail. Victims hop on planes and leave the island and there’s only so much prosecutors can do to make witnesses feel safe when the accused shares the same small island.

That’s on top of a lack of resources.

“We don’t have enough detectives. We don’t have enough patrol officers to support those detectives. We don’t have enough crime scene analysts. We don’t have enough lab analysts,” Michelle Puʻu, supervising deputy attorney general in the criminal justice division, said at a briefing for lawmakers last week.

Hawaiʻi doesn’t have enough lab equipment either, and what agencies do have isn’t sophisticated enough for some kinds of drug and alcohol analysis, according to Puʻu, making it impossible to do some “very basic things.”

All that has contributed to slippage in Hawaiʻi’s clearance rate — the number of cases that end in an arrest or are closed when a suspect dies or a witness backs out.

read … Hawaiʻi Police Face Unique Barriers To Solving Violent Crimes - Honolulu Civil Beat

Police positive on media access proposal

ASD: … A proposal to allow certain media organizations access to police radio channels is on the verge of passage.

Honolulu Police officials and media representatives alike were largely favorable Thursday toward the latest version of a contentious bill aimed improving police transparency regarding in-progress operations.

The proposal would designate certain media organizations as “trusted,” allowing them access to HPD’s dispatch radios. Such organizations must be certified broadcasters by the Federal Communications Commission, to have been a reputable outlet for at least 10 years, or be otherwise listed as a publication of note for the dissemination of public notices ….

read … Police positive on media access proposal

Drill a Well: Maui Council advances plan to secure low-interest loans for water infrastructure projects (will end fake water shortage)

MN: … According to the Department of Water Supply, projects selected for funding are designed or near final design, with several already bid on or ready to award. These projects include:

Waipuka and Kanahā Wells motor-control-center and electrical upgrades with an emergency generator. (Those wells lack a permanent generator.)
Lahaina Waterline Improvement Project.
Launiupoko L1 and L2 exploratory and development well phases.
Māhinahina backup well development.
Honolua H1 and H2 exploratory and development well phases. The Waipuka and Kanahā Wells sites lack a permanent generator, which underscores the need for resiliency upgrades.

In other action, council members:

Passed Bill 110 on second-and-final reading, which exempts property owners rebuilding after the August 2023 wildfires from requirements to construct or improve public streets. Council Member Tom Cook noted the bill provides targeted relief for those whose structures were destroyed or severely damaged….

read … Maui Council advances plan to secure low-interest loans for water infrastructure projects : Maui Now

Deed forgery scheme impacts properties across Oahu

HNN: … Valencia’s client owned a lot on Self Lane until October 2024, when he says her deceased mother’s signature was forged along with a forged notary signature and seal.

State investigators found similar patterns in eight properties spanning from Waianae and Nanakuli to Wahiawa, Aiea, town and Hawaii Kai. Valencia says he’s been told that’s just the beginning….

“If the Office of Consumer Protection identified 15, that means there’s probably way more out there that they don’t know about,” Valencia said….

Two felons, Guy Villanueva and Eldon Simer, were indicted and are being held without bail as prosecutors investigate more cases.

Their names, Simer’s business, S&E Drywall, and other individuals and entities appear on multiple allegedly fraudulent documents accepted by the state Bureau of Conveyances….

read … Deed forgery scheme impacts properties across Oahu

2 years after left lane truck ban, no vehicles cited

KHON: … Almost two years after a new law took effect banning most heavy commercial vehicles from using the far-left lane, Honolulu police confirm they have not issued a single citation under the statute, raising questions about enforcement and whether the law has the ability to improve safety on Hawaii’s roads….

read … 2 years after left lane truck ban, no vehicles cited

15.7% teacher turnover challenges Hawaii public schools

SA: … The teacher turnover rate averages 15.7% statewide, according to the state Department of Education’s recent analysis. Some schools have posted turnover rates of 30% to 50% over two years.

Efforts in recent years to recruit and retain teachers include the state expanding faster, more flexible licensure pathways ….

About half of new teachers leave the profession within five years and turnover in some schools outpace retirements. A statewide survey of DOE employees found that 41% are considered “retention risks,” largely due to the high cost of housing across the islands….

read … High teacher turnover challenges Hawaii public schools | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Bonuses Aren't Solving Hawaiʻi's Special Education Teacher Shortage

CB: … The Hawaiʻi DOE offers at least $10,000 to special education teachers to fill open positions, but most schools have reported worsening shortages ….

read … Bonuses Aren't Solving Hawaiʻi's Special Education Teacher Shortage - Honolulu Civil Beat

PRP: Housing Construction Expands

SA: … According to PRP’s report, a drastic shift has occurred with diminished public-sector projects that left private-sector projects representing 74% of all work statewide.

Private-sector construction spending was $3.2 billion this year through September after reaching $3.9 billion for all of 2024. That compared with public-sector construction spending of $1.1 billion this year through September after reaching $4.5 billion for all of 2024.

The biggest dropoff in public sector work was from county projects, which sank to $442 million this year through September after reaching $2.6 billion last year, according to PRP.

For state projects, spending fell to $488 million from $1.5 billion in the same two periods, while spending for federal projects fell to $207 million from $421 million, PRP reported.

Housing is the biggest type of construction contributing to industry spending this year through September, led by $1.3 billion for multi-family housing that can include townhomes and high-rise apartment or condominium buildings. The total for single-family housing was $1 billion. PRP also reported $70 million in spending on tract housing that it defines as mass-produced homes on a large subdivision of land…..

PRP: Quarterly Hawai‘i Construction Market Update | Pacific Resource Partnership

read … Hawaii construction report shows drop in public-sector projects | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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