March 4, 2009 > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

March 4, 2009
By Andrew Walden @ 11:17 AM :: 8460 Views

No witchcraft allowed: Complaints filed against pastor running Hawai`i homeless shelter

When the $16.5 million Kahikolu 'Ohana Hale 'O Wai'anae transitional homeless shelter opened last year, it was hailed as the model for future projects that would greatly relieve O'ahu's mounting homelessness crisis.

Six months later, executive director Wade "Boo" Soares is accused of requiring residents to attend mandatory religion classes or face eviction, threatening and intimidating staff and clients, and taking in people who have not been verified as homeless.

Caseworkers say Soares even jeopardized the safety of a client by knowingly hiring her abusive husband to work at the facility, where she had gone to get away from him.

Complaints about the facility have dominated Nanakuli/Ma'ili Neighborhood Board housing committee meetings in recent months. And, on Feb. 19, four caseworkers filed complaints against Soares with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission....

Some at the facility say they have been persecuted by Soares because of their beliefs. Logan Reiher, who lives at Kahikolu with his fiancee and children, is one of them. He feels he has been discriminated against by Soares because he is not a Christian. He said he was told he had to attend mandatory Christian prayer services, and later he was told he couldn't read a book about witchcraft outside his apartment.

Election reform backers (9-11 troothers) cry foul

"The clean elections public funding is an experiment in better government that has worked in other places, and we want to see if it can work here," said Noelie Rodriguez, a lecturer at the University of Hawaii at Hilo (and a 9-11 Troother). "So some of the people in power now are threatened by it because it's a change. But we need that change. We desperately need that change."

Kaua`i woman's stabbing leaves friends in shock

According to criminal records, her husband was charged with promotion of a dangerous drug in the third degree, a class C felony, in July of last year. He was sentenced to two weeks in jail and a five-year probation term.

Leigh Prentiss not running for O`ahu Council seat

I am immensely grateful to all of you who so generously offered your support and wanted me to run for the City Council seat left vacant by the sad death of Barbara Marshall.
My heartfelt thanks. After giving it some deep thought, however, I have decided not to run this time.
I will still be as active as I can be in speaking out on the issues affecting the Windward side and Kailua in particular, and you can see where I stand on those issues elsewhere in this site.
But the race for the District 3 seat (Waimanalo-Kailua-Kaneohe) is not for me at this time.

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Hawai`i Legislature advances compromise bill to establish commission to consider limits on malpractice lawsuits

The vote was a significant hurdle for doctors and other supporters of malpractice reform, since similar bills have died before the committee in the past. The bill was drafted as a compromise to get House approval and to encourage talks with the state Senate, where many senators are opposed.

Advocates believe the bill addresses one key reason for the flight of some doctors from the Islands. Yesterday's action positions the bill for a full House vote after several years where malpractice reform has idled.

The bill would create a medical malpractice task force that would recommend caps on non-economic damages, such as emotional distress and loss of companionship, to lawmakers before the 2010 session. A separate medical malpractice insurance rate commission would recommend reasonable market-price malpractice insurance rates.

The bill initially would have placed a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages in each speciality. It would have set a $3 million award limit on non-economic damages in cases of gross negligence.

Accused Killer (tied to HI Co Mayor) Testifies In Pali Golf Course Killings

Motta said that when he shook hands with Sao and embraced him, he heard Taliese shouting in the background and then he saw a truck approaching with "a bunch of guys" in it.

That's when he pushed Sao away, pulled the gun out of the car and shot him, he said.

"I fired twice," Motta said. "I didn't know at the time that I had hit anyone."

Sao was struck in the face with a .22 caliber bullet but survived the wound and testified against Motta earlier in the trial.

Motta said he "fired again" at Taliese as Taliese approached him, then fired "three more times in the direction of Lepo who was running away."

He said he never saw Joseph fire a gun but witnessed another co-defendant, Kevin "Pancho" Gonsalves, fire a gun several times and "act crazy" during the parking lot confrontation.

Gonsalves has pleaded guilty in he case and is serving a 27 1/2 year sentence.

Beloved teacher honored

Hundreds attend a vigil Asa Yamashita, who was slain Friday in an apparently random knife attack in Eva Beach.

Pork fight: Lawmakers target Mufi's rail money as tax revenues plummet

Unofficial state Tax Department predictions have tax revenues down 6.3 percent, a big drop from the official estimate that tax collections would drop 3 percent. Partially in response to those figures, the state Senate is readying a bill to that would allow the state to take half of the $300 million in tax money collected for the city’s rapid transit project....Kim said Mayor Mufi Hannemann is already objecting to it. “He told me he is concerned that the state won’t pay the city back,” Kim said.

B2 stealth secrets: Judge denies accused Maui spy's motions to suppress evidence

The former B-2 stealth bomber engineer is accused of selling military secrets to China. His trial is due to begin at U.S. District Court in Honolulu on May 5.

Gowadia has been indicted on 21 counts of conspiracy, money-laundering and falsifying tax returns. He has pleaded not guilty. He has been held without bail since his arrest.

Some state lawmakers try to stop Honolulu's landfill extension plan

"After 18 years, the people of the Wai'anae Coast literally feel dumped on," Gabbard said. "The people in East O'ahu and on the North Shore aren't going to say, 'Hey, it's our turn.' I don't think we need a landfill."

The city handles 1.76 million tons of garbage per year with approximately 600,000 tons going to the H-Power waste-to-energy site, 600,000 tons recycled, and the remainder landfilled. (The key here is the failure of Honolulu to use the rest to generate electricity, thus reducing use of oil and eliminating the need to expand landfill.)

Kaua`i electric seeks rate rise

LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative on Tuesday filed a notice with the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission of its intent to seek an increase to its current base rate of 17.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, which would mark the first base rate increase in the cooperative’s 13-year history.

RELATED: KIUC Board Elections

Mamalahoa bypass trial use begins

Complete with a silly traffic circle, the bypass opens after years of litigation and obstruction.

Rumble on the Radio: Limbaugh vs Obama debate?

Scared socialists flood show with calls trying to negotiate terms for the Obama.