July 20, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Monday, July 20, 2026

July 20, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 7:58 AM :: 274 Views

Trustees: Kahele Used Line-Item to Illegally Buy Support for Budget

Army soldier from Ewa Beach killed in Jordan, Pentagon says

SA: … A 25-year Army soldier from Ewa Beach was identified by the Pentagon today as one of two U.S. service members killed in Jordan when Iran launched missiles at a military base there.

The Pentagon said in a statement that First Lt. Tyler James Feehan, of Ewa Beach, was killed in action Saturday, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, was killed in action Friday.

Feehan was assigned to the 32nd Army Air Missile Defense Command in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Gonzales was assigned to the 10th Army Air Missile Defense Command in Ansbach, Germany.

The two soldiers were killed in an Iranian missile barrage in Jordan that left another soldier missing. On Sunday, a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter said that remains recovered at scene were believed to be those of the missing soldier.

It was the first deadly attack on U.S. personnel since the ceasefire last month….

Read … Army soldier from Ewa Beach killed in Jordan, Pentagon says | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

‘Hawaii Builds’ initiative aims to fast-track ‘affordable’ housing

SA: … Hawaii lawmakers have given a state agency new power to accelerate affordable rental housing development under a five-year pilot project modeled on a successful program in Canada.

The “Hawaii Builds” initiative established under a bill Gov. Josh Green signed into law July 8 is described as an innovative way to cut affordable-housing project timetables at least in half, though it also has been criticized as cutting out public input and county council oversight.

Under Senate Bill 2544, which legislators passed almost unanimously on May 6, the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. is being directed to help private developers produce at least one affordable-housing project on Oahu, Hawaii island, Kauai and in Maui County under the new program in part by sidestepping county council reviews.

Instead, an “expedited review team” will be formed by state and county officials with permitting roles to prioritize decisions on Hawaii Builds projects.

In addition, regulatory exemptions to zoning and other county regulations are to be decided by a county’s planning director within 45 days in place of a county council, and state Department of Health determinations pertaining to water safety would have to happen within 60 days unless a written justification for additional time is made.

Project sites for Hawaii Builds projects must have adequate infrastructure capacity, and preferably should be zoned for residential use.

Another program requirement is that more than half the units produced per project be affordable to households with incomes at or below 140% of the median income for the county in which the project is developed….

Read … ‘Hawaii Builds’ initiative aims to fast-track affordable housing | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Home at last: New beginning for 815 Native Hawaiian families

KHON: … The Department of Hawaiian Homelands awarded 400 residential project leases in Waimanalo, 400 in Ewa and 15 in Nanakuli, the largest residential offering on Oahu this year….

Read … Home at last: New beginning for 815 Native Hawaiian families

Waimānalo Kauhale Project Catches Many Off Guard

CB: … Gov. Josh Green’s signature initiative in office has been championing a string of speedy, pop-up construction projects to house the homeless. He is propelling this work forward through his unprecedented use of executive orders that bypass ordinary financial controls and land-use regulation….

Read … Kirstin Downey: Waimānalo Kauhale Project Catches Many Off Guard - Honolulu Civil Beat

How Shysters Representing Alleged Psycho Killers Exploit Mental Health Evaluation System

CB: … It’s known as the 704 process, named for the section of Hawaiʻi law that governs mental health evaluations for people facing criminal charges. These evaluations are ordered in hundreds of cases across the state every year. But the complicated process is plagued by a lack of examiners, which can drag out cases and strain the psychiatrists and licensed psychologists who do this vital work.

Other recent high-profile cases have been slow to move through the courts because of delays in evaluations. Frank Bright sat at Oʻahu Community Correctional Center for more than seven months waiting for the court to rule whether he was fit to proceed after he was charged with killing his estranged wife, a teacher at a Honolulu charter school, in September. He was found fit in April but in May, his defense attorneys asked the court for another evaluation to determine his criminal responsibility. Two months later, it still hasn’t been completed.

Some cases drag on much longer. Henrietta Stone was in jail in Hilo for more than six years while doctors evaluated her mental health. One doctor found Stone fit to proceed while another disagreed. On other occasions, doctors couldn’t get records. She was found guilty last February – more than seven years after she was charged with manslaughter in the death of her 9-year-old granddaughter….

Read … Accused Puna Killer Faces Mental Health Evaluation. Here's What That Means - Honolulu Civil Beat

Make-Work: Another Sidewalk Collapse along Waikiki Beach

CB: … Ella Drury, 23, works at a surf school in Waikīkī and was sitting next to the fenced area Wednesday afternoon shooting photos of surfers. She said she’s not surprised the walkway is broken since it’s in an area prone to seawater erosion.

“Just a little bit shocking that they haven’t fixed it,” she said, “considering how many people I see walking out here every single day.”

The current damaged portion of walkway collapsed in March 2026, city Department of Parks and Recreation spokesperson Nate Serota said in a written statement, and it’s believed the Kona low storms contributed to it.

“We are still assessing the full scope of damage to the seawall,” he said. “From there we’ll be able to determine a design, estimated cost, permitting and emergency repair timeline.”…

(CLUE: By rebuilding the concrete walkway, contractors guarantee make-work repairs every year of two. There is a reason boardwalks are built on beaches instead of hardened concrete structures.)

(QUESTION: Why go out of your way to create make-work when there is so much real work that needs to be done?)

Read … Not Again! Another Sidewalk Collapse Next To Barefoot Beach Cafe - Honolulu Civil Beat

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