June 10, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

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Wednesday, June 10, 2026

June 10, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 8:19 AM :: 315 Views

June 14, 1900: The Abolition of Slavery in Hawaii

Kids Count: Failing DoE, High Cost of Living Make Hawaii a Bad Place for Kids

Uber’s Hawaii Captive Insurance: Part of Scheme to Save Self-Driving Vehicles from Rapacious Shysters

Union: Kaiser Patients Wait too long for Mental Health Care

Hawaii Mortgage Scammers Make FBI Most Wanted List

UH Prof: Social Sciences have become Politicized

Alleged Kauai Killer was Convicted Felon with Gun: In Soft-on-Crime Hawaii all he got was a TRO

HNN: … Police confirmed Sinclair had no criminal history in Hawaii but is a convicted felon in California, with convictions for destroying or concealing evidence, participating in a criminal street gang, obstructing public officers and firearms offenses.

“We’re still reviewing all of that but from my understanding, there is some active TROs here on island potentially with his neighbors,” Rose added.

Court records show two other TROs were granted in 2025.

(REALLY OBVIOUS QUESTION: Why didn’t these TROs turn into police reports?)

A neighbor wrote that Sinclair came to his home on two occasions — once swinging a large knife and another time threatening him with a gun while saying, “Get out of my house. Get on the ground.”…

(REALLY OBVIOUS QUESTION: Why wasn’t this convicted felon arrested for possessing a gun?)

May 28, 2026: TROs Denied Before Puna Killing Spree, Manhunt

KN: Kauaʻi police said financial dispute reason Billy Sinclair allegedly killed a 37-year-old in Hanalei : Kauai Now

Read … Newly filed TRO petition details dangerous past of Kauai murder suspect | Hawaii News Now

Hawaii Police Among Last to Compare Ballistics

SA: … Hawaii joined the rest of the nation recently by joining a computer network run by the U.S. Department of Justice that captures, stores and compares digital images of ballistic evidence pulled from shell casings found at gun crime scenes.

Until now, police departments in Hawaii had their own separate policies and procedures for gathering, analyzing and comparing evidence from spent shell casings at crime scenes. That process was measured in weeks or months, a frustrating timetable in an era of privately manufactured “ghost guns” and criminals who quickly move firearms around the state and nation.

But thanks to $250,000 in federal funding from the Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the four county police departments and the Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement will be able to analyze evidence from gun crimes and make connections and identifications in near real time.

Hawaii is among the last states to join the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, a specialized automated computer network administered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The computer system linking Hawaii to the national network and components used to analyze cartridges and casings are housed in an office at the end of a hallway on the third floor of the Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement’s King Street headquarters.

Established in 1999, NIBIN allows federal, state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement agencies to capture, store and compare digital images of ballistic evidence, according to the ATF….

KITV: Hawaii's new ballistic analysis site named after fallen Maui Police Officer | News | kitv.com

Read … Hawaii joins national network of gun crime evidence | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Lahaina Weak: HGEA endorses Meth Dealer’s Son for House District 14

MN: … The Hawaii Government Employees Association has endorsed Green Party candidate Pāʻele Kiakona in the race for Hawaii House District 14. (Kiakona is son of convicted 20-lbs-a-month meth dealer Moses Kiakona….) The new endorsement comes after ILWU Local 142 announced its support for Kiakona last month….

REALITY: Meet the Meth Gang Behind ‘Lahaina Strong’

MN: HGEA Joins ILWU in endorsing Green Party candidate Pāʻele Kiakona for House District 14 : Maui Now

Read … HGEA endorses Kiakona for House District 14 | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News

Workers fear for safety at overcrowded state hospital

HNN: … The union representing staff at Hawaii State Hospital says it is considering filing a grievance over unsafe conditions as overcrowding increases while staff resources fall.

Nearly 390 patients were in the mental health facility this weekend, according to sources. The hospital was built for about 300 patients.

Advocates say the overcrowding means dangerous people are still on the streets.

Randy Perreira of the Hawaii Government Employees Association said the situation has created an unsafe environment for workers.

“The census is extraordinarily high. Tensions are high, and we are getting an increased number of calls from employees,” Perreira said. “They’re reporting incidents of assault, incidents of challenges with the patients.”

Sources say there were 387 patients in the hospital this weekend, the most since new beds were added in 2021. They say there are also more staff vacancies and absences which makes it more difficult to supervise patients almost all refered from the criminal justice system.

HGEA represents nurses and professionals whose contracts guarantee a safe workplace.

“We will pursue some kind of litigation, if necessary, to address the safety and health of the staff to make sure that the hospital takes every precaution possible,” Perreira said….

2025: Lawsuit by State Hospital Medical Director Details How Retaliation Games Keep Hospital Understaffed

2018: Whitewash: HGEA Members at State Hospital Get No Punishment for Saito Escape -- House Health and Human Services Chairman John Mizuno said at a hearing in February that an evaluation of Saito in 2010 revealed he had six “significant relationships” while committed. “There seems to be significant evidence that the person in question had sexual relations with at least three staffers,” Mizuno said. “That’s part of the reason how Randall Saito probably got his privileges and was able to escape. He got a lot of contraband, and this is a major concern.”

2014: Hospital Crisis: How to Use Union Work Rules for Fun and Profit

Read … Workers fear for safety at overcrowded state hospital | Hawaii News Now

If Hawaiʻi Roads Damaged Your Car, Don't Expect A Payout

CB: … Thirteen claims against the education department remain open. Only seven were denied.

Compare that to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, which has a denial rate of about 64% — higher than any other department with more than one claim.

Two people alleged they were assaulted at Hālawa Correctional Facility. Details in the records obtained by Public First Law Center are scant, but both claims were denied.

Still, some claims against the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation were granted. The Attorney General’s Office settled a complaint that Hālawa Correctional Facility violated someone’s right to practice their religion, resulting in a $8,500 settlement. Another claim resulted in $10,000 to the victim of an assault at the Maui Community Correctional Center. …

Read … If Hawaiʻi Roads Damaged Your Car, Don't Expect A Payout - Honolulu Civil Beat

Zombie News: OHA revisits possible purchase of KITV and KIKU

HNN: … The proposal is back on the board agenda after a majority of trustees rejected it last month in a 5–4 vote. Now it’s back (from the dead) on the agenda with slightly different wording.

Two decades ago, OHA rejected a proposal to buy KGMB. OHA’s latest agenda item would authorize spending up to $172,500 for due diligence activities associated with OHA’s potential acquisition of KITV, Inc. and KIKU, LLC from Allen Media Group.

(Bad ideas never die. They just come back with ‘different wording.’ BTW: Who gets that $172,500???)

“It’s unorthodox for a Hawaiian organization, especially OHA, to move into an area like media,” said Kūhiō Lewis, Hawaiian Council CEO….

Trustees who voted no said OHA had other priorities, like development at Kakaʻako and ʻIwilei. OHA Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele said he’s had discussions with KITV’s owner, Allen Media Group, and would look for partners down the road.

OHA Vice Chair Keoni Souza is chairperson of the Investment and Land Management Committee, which will take up the agenda item. He said the issue needed to be kept alive and deserved more discussion….

FUN FACT: Souza’s campaign manager in 2020 and 2022 was Michael Miske’s lawyer Thomas Otake.

2020: Miske Lawyer Behind Campaign to Unseat OHA Trustee Keli’i Akina

Read … OHA revisits possible purchase of KITV and KIKU | Hawaii News Now

Dramatic Shakeup Coming To Hawai‘i County Council

CB: … Three council members — Ashley Kierkiewicz, Matt Kealiʻi-Kleinfelder and Rebecca Villegas — are termed out. Michelle Galimba is not seeking another two-year term. This could lead to a dramatic shift in how the council operates, former council chair Valerie Poindexter said.

“Four new members is significant,” she said. “It creates an opportunity for a shift in priorities, alliances and leadership.”

Candidates have lined up to challenge three of the five incumbents in districts 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9. Some hopefuls are familiar: such as UFC Hall of Famer BJ Penn; former council member Eileen O’Hara, who lost to Kierkiewicz in 2018; and Kealiʻi-Kleinfelder’s wife, Dawn Kealiʻi-Kleinfelder, who is running for his open seat as he seeks higher office.…

The Aug. 8 primary will narrow each council district race to the top two candidates who will advance to the Nov. 3 general election. Primary ballots are expected to arrive by mail starting July 21….

District 9 council member James Hustace was one of few on the council to amend the mayor’s budget this year. Included in Hustace’s additions is a $3 million appropriation for the planning and design of a new gym in Waikōloa Village, which had been in previous year’s budgets. Hustace, of Kamuela, is running unopposed this election along with Council Chair Holeka Inaba, who represents District 8.

Jenn Kagiwada, who represents Hilo, added $25,000 to Animal Control’s budget for dangerous dog signs. Adding signage is a requirement for owners whose dogs have been deemed dangerous under a new state law. She faces four challengers this election in the District 2 race, including Blaine Bautista, Wendy Botelho, Jonelle Fukushima and William Halversen.

Other races are similarly crowded. The open District 5 contest pits Dawn Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder against Shannon Matson, Chantel Makuaole-Perrin, Ikaika Rodenhurst and Jr Tupa‘i. The District 6 race features Zed Kaapana Aki, Justin Canelas, Guy Enriques, Kyle Jones and Jason Masters. And in the open District 4 election, O’Hara is facing Cyd Hoffeld, Lloyd Enriquez and Shannon Burrows….

Read … Dramatic Shakeup Coming To Hawai‘i County Council - Honolulu Civil Beat

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