September 16 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

September 16 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 6:31 AM :: 113 Views

Lawyers take $222M from Maui wildfire settlement -- Will Supreme Court Give Them More?

Bribery Case: How the AG is sabotaging extradition of Solidum

CB: … Prosecutors could initiate an extradition process that would have Solidum arrested and brought back to the United States to face charges, experts say, but that’s far from a guarantee. Toni Schwartz, spokeswoman for the AG’s Office, declined to comment.

(CLUE: Could but aren’t.)

Ali Silvert, a former federal public defender who called on the Legislature to open an investigation into the bribery allegations, said Solidum’s presence or absence during a future trial could greatly influence the outcome. Whether he comes back to the U.S. voluntarily or through extradition, it’s in the state’s best interest to have him here, Silvert said.

(CLUE: In the best interest of the State, not in the best interest of all the indicted and unindicted bribe takers.)

Solidum, according to the indictment filed by state prosecutors in July, is accused of bribing Luke, then state-Rep. Ryan Yamane and Ford Fuchigami, who at the time was working for the Senate Ways and Means Committee. The bribes, given between 2020 and 2022, were allegedly meant to spur the officials to act on bills and budget appropriations that would direct millions of dollars in Covid-19 funds toward a foundation Solidum was involved with….

(TRANSLATION: If the AG asked for extradition, the Philippines would comply. Therefore the AG isn’t asking. Solidum has waaaaay too many stories to tell.)

The state has other options besides extradition, Silvert said.

As things stand now, if Solidum entered the U.S., he’d be arrested on a warrant that orders him to be held without bail. But prosecutors could offer him a deal to come back to the U.S. and testify as a cooperating witness, he said.

“Come back, we’ll give you probation if you testify and cooperate,” Silvert said. “Now, that might be a strong incentive for him to come back.”

(TRANSLATION: If the AG offered Solidum a deal, he might take it. Therefore the AG isn’t offering. Solidum has waaaaay too many stories to tell.)

If Hawai’i can’t get Solidum back for the trial, it could have negative implications for the state’s case against the other defendants, Silvert said.

“We’re led to believe that Tobi Solidum is the most culpable person involved, that he’s at the center of this,” Silvert said. “If he’s not at the trial, the jury’s always left with, well, why should we convict these lesser players if the main player isn’t going to get convicted?”

(BINGO!)

Read … Bribery Case: What It Would Take To Extradite Lobbyist Back To Hawaiʻi - Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawaiʻi Spends $100M On Public Preschool Seats--Private preschools shrink.

CB: … In 2020, Hawaiʻi lawmakers made an ambitious promise: Every 3- and 4-year-old in the state would have access to preschool by 2032.

At a time when only about half of those kids were attending preschool, and parents were spending thousands on private tuition, state leaders promised to improve the lives of working families and tackle Hawaiʻi’s high cost of living.

Six years, over $100 million and more than 100 public pre-K classrooms later, the results are in: Hawaiʻi has fewer preschool seats today than it did when it began.

The state had 25,426 seats as of August – roughly 2% fewer than what it had at the start of the decade, according to an analysis of state data by Civil Beat. That means for every public preschool seat the state has opened, it’s lost at least one in private programs.

Over the past three years, 40 traditional private preschool sites have closed and more are shrinking, with directors citing lower enrollment, staffing challenges and rising costs.

Thousands of individual families have benefited from increased access to free schooling because of the state’s expansion efforts. But the closure of private preschools means some communities have fewer options offering year-round care and catering to working families’ schedules.

“The state has never had more money in this sector,” said Kimberly Pierce, a private preschool director on the Big Island. “And we are not seeing any improvement.” …

Read … Hawaiʻi Spent Millions On More Preschool Seats. Now, There Are Fewer - Honolulu Civil Beat

Mail-in ballots printing, elections office moving forward

KHON: … State election officials said the first batch of ballots for Hawaii’s general election is set to be mailed out this Friday to our servicemen and women overseas….

… A couple of dates to remember. Election officials said you should receive your mail-in ballot by October 16. If not, they said to reach out to them to get a duplicate ballot. Also, Oct. 20 – that’s when in-person voting stations should open across the state – not including the satellite locations – and they will remain open until general election day.

Nago is urging voters who want to vote in person to do so ahead of general election day. He also advises voters in Honolulu to prepare themselves for the 20 constitutional amendment questions to help speed up the voting process….

Read … Mail-in ballots printing, elections office moving forward

Abortion Pill Use Has Tripled In Hawaiʻi Over Past Decade

CB: … A decade ago, getting an abortion in Hawaiʻi usually involved going to a clinic for a procedure. Those who took medication abortion were in the minority. In the years since, the trend has reversed.

Last year, of the 2,012 abortions reported in Hawaiʻi, the use of an abortion pill accounted for more than 3 out of every 4 abortions, while the procedural abortion rate has fallen to its lowest point in at least 10 years, according to newly obtained data by Civil Beat from the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health. This comes as the Trump administration pushes to restrict access to abortion pills.

Medication abortion involves taking oral prescription medications, mifepristone and misoprostol. It is recommended as a two-part process, although it can be done with just misoprostol. Procedural or in-clinic abortion is a procedure performed by a healthcare provider….

Read … Abortion Pill Use Has Tripled In Hawaiʻi Over Past Decade - Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawaii’s crime rate fell nearly 12% in 2025

SA: … Oahu’s crime rate fell furthest last year. A total of 30,758 offenses were reported to HPD, a rate of 3,116.3 offenses reported per 100,000 residents, a 16.6% decrease. HPD solved 6,890 offenses last year, increasing the department’s clearance rate to 22.4% in 2025, up from 20.6% in 2024….

On Maui, MPD officers responded to 9,284 offenses last year, a rate of 5,726.8 offenses reported per 100,000 residents. It was a 6.2% decrease from the total crime rate in 2024. MPD officers solved 2,249 crimes last year, tallying a clearance rate of 24.2%, up from 20.7% in 2024….

In Kauai County, 3,298 offenses were reported to KPD officers at a rate of 4,494.7 offenses per 100,000 residents, down 6.1% from the total crime rate in 2024. The department’s clearance rate went up to 28.7% in 2025, up slightly from 28.5% in 2024. KPD officers solved 947 crimes last year….

On Hawaii island, police responded to 10,749 offenses last year, a rate of 5,110.6 offenses per 100,000 residents, a 0.9% decrease from 2024. Hawaii police solved crime last year at the same rate officers did in 2024, 29.5%. Police cleared 3,174 crimes in 2025…

Read … Hawaii’s crime rate fell nearly 12% in 2025 | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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