January 23, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Friday, January 23, 2026

January 23, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 3:46 PM :: 163 Views

Eight Hawai'i County Police Chief Candidates Announced

House Updates Leadership and Committee Assignments

Rep Ed Case Seeks Federal Review Of 8a Native Hawaiian Contracting Program

CB: … A Hawaiʻi congressman has called on the Small Business Administration’s inspector general to launch an inquiry into a federal program intended to give Native Hawaiians and other Indigenous groups access to massive no-bid contracts in exchange for a promise to use profits to uplift their people.

The request by Rep. Ed Case stems from an ongoing investigation into Native Hawaiian defense contractor Christopher Dawson, who died by suicide in December 2024 while the target of a federal criminal probe into whether he cheated the program to enrich himself.

Dawson owned a suite of companies that had landed more than $2 billion dollars in contracts largely through the SBA’s 8(a) business development program. But SBA officials and U.S. Justice Department prosecutors claim Dawson abused the program by siphoning millions of dollars away from his companies to spend on luxury properties, private jets and polo. …

In a Jan. 2 letter to SBA Deputy Inspector General Sheldon Shoemaker, Case cited an investigation by Civil Beat and ProPublica that detailed Dawson’s alleged transgressions and the SBA’s actions. In it, he requested a review of the agency’s oversight of the 8(a) program’s contracting preferences for Indigenous groups, including Native American tribes, Alaska Native corporations and nonprofit Native Hawaiian organizations.

Specifically, Case asked for an assessment of the “effectiveness and transparency” of 8(a) participants’ community give-back efforts and whether there are any “gaps or areas for improvement.”

“While I strongly support federal efforts to help the indigenous peoples of our nation, recent news reports have highlighted potential concerns with the contracting preferences provided to at least one NHO,” Case wrote. “Such allegations and publicly acknowledged criminal investigations undermine Americans’ trust in the 8(a) Program and the goal of ensuring our nation’s indigenous peoples have a fair opportunity to participate in federal contracting opportunities.”

In an interview at his congressional offices in Washington, Case said he has yet to receive a response from the inspector general’s office. But he described Dawson’s case as serious, and said it warrants more scrutiny of the 8(a) program as a whole.

Case said he wants to know whether the Dawson situation was an isolated incident or a reflection of broader deficiencies. He also encouraged anyone with concerns about the program to share them with his office.

“One thing that’s patently obvious,” Case said, “is that the actual oversight by SBA is insufficient.” …

BACKGROUND:

read … Hawaiʻi Democrat Seeks Federal Review Of Native Hawaiian Contracting Program - Honolulu Civil Beat

HB1807: Socialists Introduce Tax On High Earners

L360: … DSA State Reps propose Hawaii would charge a surtax on income over $1 million for joint filers and income over $500,000 for individuals under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives....

(IQ Test: Do you fall for this DSA trick?)

LINK: Measure Status Details for HB 1807

read … Hawaii House Bill Would Create Tax On High Earners - Law360 Tax Authority

Bleeding Money, HART board of directors cancels today’s meeting

SA: … “My understanding is that it was something related to the timely posting of the agenda or agendas,” Iwasa said.

Still, the HART board’s deferred meeting included several agenda items of note.

Among them, the board was to consider proposed eminent actions on privately owned properties along the more than $10 billion rail line’s Segment 3, now headed toward Kakaako, according to meeting material posted to HART’s website earlier this week.

Today’s meeting was also to include updates of Honolulu City Council’s Bill 60, which calls for plans and feasibility studies toward construction of future rail routes to the University of Hawaii at Manoa or to West Oahu locations, possibly near Ko Olina.

Bill 60 still awaits final Council approval.

And according to meeting materials, HART staff has requested the board take action to approve a contract change order involving its prime contractor.

To that end, HART staffers want the board to consider paying a total of $3.088 million to Hitachi Rail Honolulu JV — its so-called “core systems contractor” — for “unavoidable costs incurred as a direct result of HART- directed suspension and subsequent partial resumption of Segment 3 work,” a HART presentation states.

The rail agency states that on Oct. 8, 2021, HART issued a directive suspending Segment 3 related work “due to broader project delays.”

“During suspension, (Hitachi) demobilized staff and specialty subcontractors and placed manufactured equipment into long-term storage,” the presentation states.…

read … HART board of directors cancels today’s meeting | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Hawaiian Airlines Lost $189M Under Alaska As Uncertainty Grows

BH: … Hawaiian Airlines just posted another year of losses, even as its Seattle-based owner celebrated beating Wall Street expectations and placing the largest aircraft order in its history. The contrast could not be clearer, and the timing is telltale for anyone hoping the Hawaii side of this story is already settled….

Losses were cut roughly in half compared to the airline’s pre-acquisition collapse, bringing the daily burn rate down to about $518,000. That improvement is real, and Alaska deserves credit for stopping the bankruptcy-headed free fall, even as the absolute numbers remain deeply negative….

read … Hawaiian Airlines Lost $189M Under Alaska As Uncertainty Grows

Hawaii working group conspires to create legalized gambling at Aloha Stadium Site

SA: … The Tourism and Gaming Working Group, which stems from a resolution state lawmakers adopted last year after a divisive vote, is in part tasked with developing a comprehensive tourism gambling policy framework for Hawaii.

The 24-member panel, which includes lawmakers, law enforcement officials and gaming industry representatives, is also to ‘research’ legalized gambling costs, benefits and legislation in other states and deliver a report to the Legislature by the end of this year.

(TRANSLATION: Their job is to develop a strategy to achieve legalized gambling at Aloha Stadium.)

Another task the panel has is to examine the potential for gambling on the 98-acre site of a planned future mixed-use community surrounding a redeveloped Aloha Stadium in Halawa, and on ships operated within Hawaii’s exclusive economic zone….

IGT: Hawaii lawmakers hear blunt warning: illegal game rooms are shrinking in number, not in money - iGamingToday.com - News, insights and Slots review

TF: Sports Betting Tax Revenue Forecast from Expanded Legalization

read … Hawaii working group begins research on legalized gambling | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Illegal gambling in Hawaii rakes in big money, authorities estimate

HNN: … The Department of Law Enforcement and HPD said they estimated some game rooms could be raking in upwards of $10,000 a day.

(TRANSLATION: DLE is making up these figures as part of the conspiracy to create legal gambling at Aloha Stadium.)

Conservatively, DLE director Mike Lambert estimates there’s anywhere from $700 million to $800 million circulating in Hawaii’s illegal gaming industry statewide….

Law enforcement officials, alongside Honolulu’s prosecutor, said that the Honolulu Police Department is currently aware of about 50 game rooms across Oahu.

That number is down from more than 100 known game rooms since increased enforcement began….

KHON: State working group takes on gambling's risks and rewards

KITV: HPD requires permits for video amusement devices to fight illegal gambling | Local | kitv.com

read … Illegal gambling in Hawaii rakes in big money, authorities estimate

Hawaiʻi State Association of Counties calls for prevention gun safety measures

KN: … One HSAC proposal would appropriate funds to ensure that at least two gun buyback events are held annually in each county….

The second HSAC proposal focuses on improving implementation of Hawaiʻi’s GVPO law, which was enacted in 2019 to allow law enforcement officers, family members, medical professionals, educators, and coworkers to petition the courts to temporarily remove access to firearms when an individual poses a serious risk to themselves or others.

HSAC says that “despite its proven effectiveness nationally, the law remains significantly underutilized in Hawaiʻi.” ….

Since 2020, only ten GVPO petitions have been filed statewide. Notably, the Honolulu Police Department and the Kauaʻi Police Department have filed none, citing challenges such as limited training, insufficient staffing, and low public awareness of the law….

read … Hawaiʻi State Association of Counties calls for prevention gun safety measures : Kauai Now

House GOP Caucus Wants Voters To Pick Chief Election Officer

CB: … Hawaiʻi GOP lawmakers rolled out their priorities for the legislative session on Thursday ….

read … House GOP Caucus Wants Voters To Pick Chief Election Officer - Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawaii red light, speed camera program to expand

KHON: … The HDOT is planning to expand due to the success and plans to add devices at 10 more high-priority intersections in Honolulu by summer.

Sniffen said a list of potential locations will not be made public until they analyze crash data at various intersections….

“The people are slowing down, especially at the intersections, great thing to see that at the red light — where we have red light cameras — we have reductions in people running red lights, over 60% reduction, which is awesome,” said HDOT director Ed Sniffen….

read … Hawaii red light, speed camera program to expand

Kamehameha Schools free tuition plan backed by special master

KHON: … A court-appointed master for the will of Bernice Pauahi Bishop says Kamehameha Schools’ plan to go tuition-free is in the best interests of the trust and is economically sustainable.

In a filing on Jan. 22, the court-appointed master said there are also “benefits with respect to the legal challenges” and “it is imperative during these unprecedented times that the trustees defend claims against the trust.” …

read … Kamehameha Schools takes big step towards free education

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA:

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