Hawaii Daily News Read

Thursday, November 5, 2026

November 5, 2026 News Read

By Andrew Walden @ 10:00 AM :: 209 Views

Third Read -- 2026 Hawaii General Election Results

Hawaii Socialists Claim 14 Election Victories

Kauai: The Shocking Story Behind the “Fake Filtered Cult Leader” Case

45 States Urge Congress to Pass Kids Online Safety Act

Rail, TOD, and Taxes: Green, Kawakami outline PRP’s state priorities after reelection victory

HNN: … Following their election night victory, Gov. Josh Green and Lt. Gov.-elect Derek Kawakami outlined their administration’s plans for the next four years, placing affordable housing development (TRANSLATION: Rail/TOD), energy costs (LNG), and state-county alignment (TRANSLATION: GE Tax hike for rail) at the top of their legislative agenda ….

“Coming from the counties, building a relationship with the mayors, working with the planning commission and having an understanding of how housing works, I’m really interested in building a bridge between the county and the state, pooling our resources and just getting everything aligned so that we can be efficient and we can tackle some of the biggest problems out there,” Kawakami said.

(TRANSLATION: GE Tax hike will hit all four counties.)

“First and foremost, I think I’m really lucky to be working with a governor who has made it clear that he wants to see his LG as an active partner and start working on assignments,” Kawakami said. “So I think the first thing is to assemble a good team really quick, take a look under the hood and find out where I think my skill set fits the best.”

(TRANSLATION: PRP is prepping me to run for Gov in 2030. Also, if a Dem is elected POTUS, Green may resign to become head of HHS in 2029.)

Green highlighted several specific housing strategies set to launch in his second term, including upcoming appointments to his housing leadership team and transit-oriented communities.

(TRANSLATION: “Rail, TOD”)

“You’ll see me announce some major additions to our housing team in the coming weeks,” Green said. “A lot of housing along the rail. A new plan to restore housing that’s been abandoned in the State of Hawaiʻi, and connect that to young families, people newly entering the workforce, give favorable loans to people to repair those houses and build equity.”

(TRANSLATION: “Rail, TOD”)

Green pointed to the passage of Amendment 2 on Tuesday’s ballot as a primary funding mechanism for essential infrastructure work.

“The RISE bonds can kind of, in advance, bring funding,” Green said. “I will bring the infrastructure dollars with bonds. That means the housing costs should drop, because they won’t have to put as much infrastructure money in for water and sewage and so on. And then along the rail, I would like us to build three villages.”…

(TRANSLATION: “Debt to fund Rail, TOD”)

Read … Green, Kawakami outline state priorities with major push on housing, affordability | Hawaii News Now

With Dems Back in Power, more foodstamps will flow to Hawaii

CB: … Historically, Hawaiʻi’s congressional delegation has placed a premium on bringing home the bacon. That’s why U.S. Sen. Dan Inouye — often dubbed the King of Pork — was able to amass such power and influence.

With Democrats firmly in control of Congress come 2027, Hawaiʻi’s representatives will have even more say over how federal dollars are spent. Schatz and U.S. Rep. Ed Case both sit on their chambers’ respective appropriations committees and will be moving up the ranks. The all-Democratic delegation will also be primed to pump more money into the islands through earmarks which tend to favor the party in power in terms of size and magnitude…

Schatz said the party’s top priorities should be ~~ending the conflict in Iran and~~ ~~restoring Republican cuts to~~ food stamps and Medicaid. Democrats will have to balance that policy work, he said, with the need for ~~accountability~~ (impeachment) and ~~oversight~~ (conviction) of the administration.

SA: Editorial: After blue deluge, hard work begins | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Read … More Money, New Problems? What’s Next For Hawaiʻi In A Blue Congress - Honolulu Civil Beat

2nd Term: Green Dumps Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez

HNN: … Gov. Josh Green has decided not to renew Attorney General Anne Lopez’s contract.

Lopez notified staff Wednesday by email: “While I always knew that this was a possibility, I was always hoping it would not come to pass.”

Lopez assumed her role as Hawaii Attorney General in December 2022….

The governor’s office also said they are assembling Green’s second-term cabinet and will announce appointments at a later date….

Read … Gov. Green will not reappoint Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez | Hawaii News Now

Hawaii GOP loses 3 of 10 seats

SA: … House Republicans lost three of their 10 seats Tuesday night …

Following the results of Tuesday night’s final voting, three House Republicans had lost: Reps. Elijah Pierick, (R, Royal Kunia-Waipahu-Honouliuli), who gave up his seat to run for the Senate; Elle Cochran, (R, Waihee-Lahaina-Lahainaluna), who likely was punished by Maui voters for switching from the Democratic to Republican parties midway through the prior legislative session; and Garner Shimizu, (R, Moanalua-Aliamanu-Foster Village).

Read … Hawaii’s GOP losses linked to ‘blue tsunami’ | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

HD14 Lahaina: 151 Deficient Ballots Eyed as Voters Prefer Meth over TVRs

HNN: … As of Hawaii’s third printout, which came out Wednesday morning, Green Party candidate Pā‘ele Kiakona(, son of 20-lbs-a-month meth dealer Moses Kiakona,) holds a 107-vote lead over Democrat (TVR rental manager) Sne Patel.

County Clerk Moana M. Lutey said District 14 accounts for 151 of the 838 deficient ballot envelopes flagged countywide as of 9:09 a.m. Wednesday.

Despite the close margin, the 107-vote difference does not trigger an automatic recount, officials noted, even if the gap narrows after cured ballots are processed on the evening of Nov. 10 ….

(CLUE: There is no chance that a 107 vote gap is closed by those 151 ‘deficient’ ballots.)

SFG: More Hawaii residents are getting tired of tourism's problems

Read … Maui County contacts hundreds over flawed ballots as tight West Maui House race draws scrutiny | Hawaii News Now

News from Duckburg: Loud quacking heard as Maui council flips ‘progressive’

MN: … If Bissen’s lead holds in the final printouts, he’ll likely be working with a council that appeared to have flipped quack-gressive as of the latest results Tuesday night. Quack-gressive candidates Shane Sinenci, Tamara Paltin, Kelly Takaya King and Bobby Pahia all were leading.

Pahia, who ran for the Upcountry seat being vacated by Sugimura, collected 25,462 votes (59.3%) to Jon Yokouchi’s 11,383 votes (26.5%)….

Quack-gressive Council Members Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, who holds the Moloka‘i residency seat, and Gabe Johnson, who holds the Lāna‘i residency seat, ran uncontested this year….

Read … Bissen leads Sugimura in Maui County mayoral race as council flips ‘progressive’ : Maui Now

Newly elected OHA trustees face pivotal leadership decisions

SA: … The composition of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees is poised to change, with the addition of a newly elected member.

Former Honolulu City Council member Ikaika Anderson rose to the top in the share of votes for at-large trustee, with nearly 18% of votes at the third printout, followed by incumbent Keoni Souza, who took about 17.7% of votes and rose from fourth place to second.

Brickwood Galuteria, a former state senator and popular radio personality, held onto his seat, with about 17% of votes at the third printout, edging out incumbent John Waihe‘e IV….

Prior to the elections, OHA had narrowed its choice of CEO to three finalists: former Honolulu City Council member Todd Apo, who has a background in resort development; Kaulana Park, former director of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; and interim CEO Summer Sylva.

The board initially voted to select Apo as the CEO, but deferred the decision due to pushback from the public. Kahele postponed decision-making until after the election….

Read … Newly elected OHA trustees face pivotal leadership decisions | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Man sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection to Kapiolani Blvd. hit-and-run death of Sara Yara

KITV: … A 49-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Wednesday in connection to the hit-and-run death of 16-year-old Sara Yara on Kapiolani Boulevard in 2023.

The Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney announced that Mitchell Miyashiro, 49, will serve a total of 20 years in prison for the death of 16-year-old Sara Yara. Miyashiro drove through a red light on Kapiolani Boulevard in Honolulu on Feb. 15, 2023 and struck Yara and her 17-year-old friend as they were crossing the street in a marked crosswalk on their way to McKinley High School….

Miyashiro didn’t stop to provide help to the teen victims and instead fled the scene. He later falsely reported to police that his truck was stolen.

Miyashiro pleaded no contest to first-degree negligent homicide, collisions involving death or serious bodily injury, collisions involving bodily injury and driving without a license this past March.

Miyashiro was sentenced to 10 years in prison for first-degree negligent homicide, 10 years for collisions involving death or serious bodily injury, one year for collisions involving bodily injury and one year for driving without a license. The court granted the prosecuting attorney’s request for consecutive sentences which resulted in a total sentence of 20 years, including credit for time already served….

SA: Habitual traffic offender gets 20 years for killing teen | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Read … Man sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection to Kapiolani Blvd. hit-and-run death of Sara Yara | Crime & Courts | kitv.com

Honolulu police chief on overtime costs, staffing shifts

HNN: …HPD has an annual budget of about $400 million, with 85% going to salaries and personnel costs.

This fiscal year, Lazar estimates a deficit of $34 million, blaming funding cuts and unexpected raises and hiring.

“We have some trade-offs like for example the $7 million we had allocated for cars, we had to take that off, $6.5 million in radios and there’s a whole list of things that we are going to have to sacrifice for now,” he said.

In the first quarter of the fiscal year, the department spent $13 million on overtime, double its budget….

In September, Lazar announced plans to shift approximately 100 officers back to patrol duties, citing high overtime expenses as a primary driver.

“If you have 192 shifts being staffed on overtime, just say during a week, and you could put more officers back on the road and reduce it, then that will bring the overtime back to the budgeted amount,” Lazar said.

That move went into effect on Nov. 1. About a third of those reassigned came from admin and specialized units. The rest are new recruits….

Read … Covering the Cost: Honolulu police chief on overtime costs, staffing shifts | Hawaii News Now

Tech, Science Programs Growing at UHM

CB: … Hawaiʻi attracts specialists from all over the world to work in fields such as oceanography, volcanology, marine biology, renewable energy and more. Yet many students who grow up and study here are not aware of the range of opportunities available to them close to home.

This fall, enrollment at the UH Mānoa College of Engineering reached a record high, surpassing 1,600 students for the first time. As enrollment grows, so does the importance of connecting students with local companies and research institutions that can give them meaningful professional experience and show them what a career in Hawaiʻi can look like.

SA: Column: Hawaii is natural epicenter of tech-based deterrence | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Read … Building A STEM Career At Home Starts With Opportunity - Honolulu Civil Beat

Military Protects Bellows from Civilian Bums

SA: … The military has already given a portion of Bellows to the city, a place locals call Sherwoods. Although a beautiful stretch of beach front, Sherwoods is now home to homeless encampments and a colony of feral cats being fed by some people. I sure hope that we don’t make that mistake again….

Read … Letter: Let military continue Bellows stewardship | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Shopping-cart bill faces scrutiny over homelessness concerns

SA: … The Honolulu City Council today is set to consider a controversial measure regulating shopping carts on Oahu, amid concerns over public safety and its potential effects on those experiencing homelessness.

Supporters of Bill 53 say it would address hazards caused by abandoned shopping carts. But opponents warn the measure could criminalize (drug-addicted) homeless ~~people~~ (criminals) who rely on carts to transport ~~their belongings~~ (worthless piles of garbage around because meth induces a hoarding instinct)….

Read … Shopping-cart bill faces scrutiny over homelessness concerns | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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