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NextEra Execs Pay $20K for The Hanabusa
CB: …In the most recent campaign finance reporting period, which covers Jan. 1 to June 30, Ige raised $734,000, spent $990,000 and had $688,000 still on hand.
Hanabusa hauled in $1.04 million, spent $1.4 million and had $300,000 cash on hand as of June 30.
During the entire election period, Ige has raised $1.9 million to Hanabusa’s $1.8 million….
Hanabusa raked in $20,000 from 13 executives for NextEra Energy….She received $6,000 apiece from seven different labor groups, including the painters union, plumbers and pipefitters, electrical workers and the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly….
In the crowded race for lieutenant governor, Sen. Josh Green raised and spent the most money during the first half of the year, and had the most cash on hand.
Sen. Jill Tokuda was not far behind and Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. made quite a surge after not raising much money at all last year for the race.
Sen. Will Espero struggled on the campaign finance front and former Board of Education member Kim Coco Iwamoto’s (who?) report was not available yet….
read … Ige, Hanabusa Power Up Their Fundraising
Kealoha Case: Chief Cuckold’s Last Chance for a Deal?
HNN: …Hawaii County Battalion Chief Jesse Ebersole, 49, told a federal judge Thursday that he did indeed have a relationship with Katherine Kealoha. He also said she was paying off his car loan.
"I lied to the grand jury," he said in court, adding that he has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. "We had an intimate relationship."
He faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison for the conspiracy charge, and his sentencing has been set for April 29, 2019.
After the hearing, he was released on an unsecured $20,000 bond.
Ebersole was brought before the grand jury last year as federal prosecutors sought to substantiate allegations that Katherine Kealoha used money stolen from relatives to pay for secret rendezvous with him, including for flight tickets and hotel rooms.
In April 2017, court documents said, Ebersole told the grand jury under oath that Kealoha and he were "just friends."
Several months later, he again lied to the grand jury, saying that he did not have a romantic relationship with Kealoha and that he was "baffled" as to why airline tickets in his name would appear on Kealoha's credit card statement….
Silvert thinks Louis Kealoha should also try to make a deal with the feds.
"If there's ever a moment in a case where you have the opportunity to come forward and work with the government and make the best deal possible this is that moment in the case," says Silvert, "If he misses that moment, I don't think he'll have another chance."….
read … Last Chance
'Arch enemies': Princess Kawananakoa's attorneys denounce foundation's board
HNN: …During a hearing in probate court on Thursday, Michael Lilly, Kawananakoa's attorney, and Worth's lawyer, Michael Rudy, said they opposed several Hawaiian leaders in the legal proceeding to determine who runs Kawananakoa's $200 million trust.
Among those they opposed included former Bishop Estate Trustee Oswald Stender, Hawaiian Studies professor Lilikala Kameeleihiwa, and Hawaiian social services executive Jan Dill.
All three are board members of the Abigail Kawananakoa Foundation, which is supposed to get more than half of the Campbell Estate heiress's assets after she dies….
"These three people are an anathema to her. They have publicly denounced her and this is more humiliation your honor," Rudy said.
"She is absolutely livid at what's happened to this foundation ... It really just forces Miss Kawananakoa's hand. This is a charity and I don't represent her but I understand her anger and what do think your honor she's going to do?" Rudy said.
"You can guess judge, you're a fairly educated man, what's going to happen to this trust?" Rudy said….
"She's 92-years-old and (every) delay is very dangerous to Miss Kawananakoa. We perceive it as an attempt to outlive her," Lilly said….
read … 'Arch enemies': Princess Kawananakoa's attorneys denounce foundation's board
OHA Race: Esther Kia’aina Backed by Crabbe Cash Against Sam Wilder King II
CB: …The race to represent Oahu on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees may come down to Esther Kia’aina and Sam Wilder King II, who are going into next month’s primary with far more money than any of their five competitors.
… reports filed Thursday with the state Campaign Spending Commission suggest King has a good chance to serve on the agency that’s supposed to represent Native Hawaiians and promote their interests.
Esther Kia’aina has the support of several local Democratic politicians and the leadership at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. She reported $48,531 in total contributions received over the past six months, but that includes $28,500 that she loaned herself.
King received more contributions than Kia’aina — $20,421 compared to her $17,619 — but had fewer donors than she did.
She spent more than $31,000 over the past six months and had about $17,000 in cash left as of June 30. King only spent about $9,400 so far leaving him with nearly $11,000 in the bank.
Both OHA chairwoman Colette Machado and OHA’s chief executive officer Kamana’opono Crabbe donated to Kia’aina.
King wants to replace Crabbe if elected, and Crabbe’s job depends on whether there are enough trustees who vote to keep or extend his contract….
Her donors include several Democratic politicians, such as state Sen. Maile Shimabukuro; former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hanneman; Honolulu City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi and former Congressman Ed Case, who is campaigning to return to Washington, D.C., this year.
Machado, the chairwoman of the OHA Board of Trustees, gave Kia’aina $500 and OHA CEO Crabbe gave her $300….
Kia’aina’s donors also include attorney Paul Alston whose law firm represents OHA; Susan Char, government relations director for Hawaiian Electric Co.; Leilani Williams-Solomon, vice president at Bank of Hawaii; and well-known lobbyist Blake Oshiro.
Kia’aina previously said she doesn’t have an opinion on whether to keep Crabbe. (Translation: She’s 100% behind him.)
As Explained: OHA Trustee Candidates Aila and Kiaaina ‘Instrumental’ in OHA’s Biggest Boondoggle
read … 2 Candidates For OHA’s Oahu Seat Have A Big Financial Edge
Microgrid Tariff: New Way to Transfer Ratepayer Money to Elon Musk
UD: Hawaii regulators have opened a new docket to consider developing a microgrid tariff for Hawaiian Electric Cos. (HECO), with an aim to strengthen the state's power grid while allowing for more integration of renewable energy.
Democratic Gov. David Ige signed legislation this week directing the Public Utilities Commission to study the tariff and grid resource. Interested parties have 20 days to file motions to intervene or participate. HECO and its three utilities, along with the state's consumer advocate, are named parties in the docket.
A microgrid tariff would allow for easier development of customer-sited, grid-tied systems
read … Hawaii opens microgrid tariff proceeding to spur customer adoption
City officials relocate 23 homeless to Shelter
HNN: …Officials say a combined “interagency effort" targeted an area between River Street to Pawaa In-Ha Park on Wednesday night. Because of the effort, 23 homeless individuals were given a ride to the shelter of their choice.
The number includes one person who opted to go into detox.
None of the homeless in Wednesday's outreach were forced to move off the street, according to city officials. According to officials, 80 of Oahu's homeless have been voluntarily moved off of the streets and into shelters since April.
"When you give people a free choice, they engage in their own decision making, they feel more empowered,” said Marc Alexander, with the Mayor’s office of Housing.
“And they do better cause they are going to a place they want to be in," Alexander said….
CB: Da Mayor’s Modest Proposal
read … City officials relocate 23 homeless people ahead of park maintenance project
Soft on Crime: After 7-year Crime Spree, Criminal gets 5 years for Spear Attack (again)
MN: Saying a defendant couldn’t comply with court orders, a judge ordered a five-year prison term Thursday for a man who attacked his girlfriend with a three-pronged spear.
Kristofer Lizada, 34, of Kahului had pleaded no contest to second-degree assault for the attack Oct. 1. Three months later, on Jan. 2, he was arrested for abuse for punching his girlfriend in the face twice during an argument at Keopuolani Park in Kahului.
After being released on supervision in March when he changed his pleas in both cases, Lizada was arrested in June for not complying with requirements of his release, court records show.
A plea agreement between the defense and prosecution recommended probation and no additional jail for Lizada.
But 2nd Circuit Judge Peter Cahill said: “The defendant is almost incapable of complying with any term and condition of probation.”
“This was a violent crime,” Cahill said. “He has not complied with anything.”
Cahill said Lizada didn’t cooperate in a report prepared for his sentencing.
“He was on the lam,” Cahill said, until being arrested for violating requirements of his release.
In 2011, Lizada was resentenced to a five-year prison term for second-degree forgery and second-degree theft after at first being placed on probation and twice violating requirements.
After that, Lizada had continued to get into trouble, Cahill said….
read … Soft on Crime
Coast Guard Medevacs Snorkeler from Molokini
MW: …Coast Guard Station Maui crews evacuated a snorkeler requiring medical assistance near Molokini Crater on Tuesday.
A Station Maui 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew along with a paramedic from the American Medical Association Medic 15 rendered assistance.
At 9:25 a.m. Station Maui watchstanders received a request from the master of the 53-foot passenger vessel Lani Kai for assistance regarding a 69-year-old man experiencing pain in both arms while snorkeling near Molokini Crater.
Once on scene, the paramedic assessed the snorkeler’s condition and recommended a medevac, which was concurred with by a Coast Guard duty flight surgeon.
The patient was transferred to the RB-M and brought to awaiting emergency services on shore who transported him to Maui Memorial Medical Center….
read … Snorkel Rentals Kill
25 Years Later—Developer Still Trying to Turn First Shovelful
MN: Developers of 88 acres in north Kihei formerly slated for construction of two “megamalls” want to hit the reset button, figuratively speaking, returning project plans to “substantial compliance” with what the state Land Use Commission approved in 1995.
Now, developer Piilani Promenade North and South, owned by Texas-based landowner Sarofim Realty Advisors, is proposing to forgo plans for a retail and mixed-use development. The commission unanimously rejected a final environmental impact statement for those plans in July 2017.
Instead, developers aim to develop the area north of the Kihei high school site with Honua’ula Partners “in substantial compliance with the representations made to the commission” in 1995, according to a status report submitted to the commission on July 5 by attorney Randall Sakumoto.
The original development plan called for building a 123-lot commercial and light industrial subdivision….
Maui Tomorrow Foundation President Lucienne de Naie reminded commissioners that the project was originally developed during the Kihei-Makena Community Plan update in 1993 and 1994….
read … Kihei developers seek to go back to the future
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