Hawaii Legislative Session: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Hawaii Land Use Policy Designed to Keep Housing Expensive
Kahala Beach Stabber is Grandson of former Judicial Selection Chair--Did he get special treatment?
WH: … Willis had his trial called off as he waits behind bars without bail at the Oahu Community Correctional Center for a court appeal. In April the appeal was filed by Eric Seitz, claiming Honolulu Police obtained evidence from Willis’ grandparents’ house without a warrant and can not be used as evidence in the case.
During hearings last month, police officers said they weren’t able to obtain a search warrant for the shoes and shirt because another judge denied their request.
Willis lawyer said much of the case is based on surveillance camera video showing Willis in the Kahala neighborhood but not at the scene of the crime. The shoes were tested and found to contain traces of blood that were matched to the victim’s DNA. Police reports filed in court say the victim positively identified Willis as her attacker….
Why do you suppose they would not mention that he was living with his grandfather, the former head of the Hawaii Judicial Selection Commission, since one judge denied the warrant, and another judge threw out the evidence?
The first judge would not grant the search warrant of the house of the former head of the Hawaii Judicial Selection Committee. A police officer who recognized Erik Bernard Willis from a security video near the crime scene could not go immediately to his known address and then the second judge throws out the evidence -the bloody shoes and shirt with the victim’s blood on them that were found at the grandparents house…
Why do you imagine that local news will not report the connection between Willis, Wong, the unnamed judge who would not grant a warrant of Wong’s house, and the judge who threw out the evidence?….
SA: Man, 19, guilty of attempted murder in stabbing of 17-year-old girl at Kahala Beach
read … Grandson of The Former Head of the Hawaii Judicial Selection Committee Proves That The Truth Is Not The Most Important Thing In Criminal Justice
Ige to Declare Water Emergency to Hasten Drilling of New Wells?
HNN: … The Board of Water Supply has shut down the Halawa shaft and two nearby wells indefinitely to prevent the tainted water from spreading to the public system.
It also wants to dig new wells to make up the lost capacity.
Gov. David Ige says an emergency order could speed up the permitting process.
“We are exploring whether an emergency order to help facilitate that would really lead to development of new wells and water sources,” said Ige.
The governor’s chief of staff added an emergency proclamation expires every 60 days so it might not be the right vehicle for a years-long project.
Ernie Lau, chief engineer and manager at Honolulu Board of Water Supply, said potential mandatory water restrictions and a moratorium on new water permits add to the political pressure as the Honolulu rail project tries to build toward Kakaako. He said he’s met with the governor and Honolulu’s mayor on the issue.
“Transit oriented development is real and there’s going to be tremendous pressure and need to develop affordable housing,” said Lau.
Critics (Legacy landowners like KSBE and A&B) are dismayed (thrilled) after hearing the crisis could last three to five years…..
(Clue: Supply and Demand)
HPR: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reaffirms pledge to defuel Red Hill
read … Ige considers emergency water order as conflicting statements cloud contamination issue
Arrest a ‘Long time Coming’ -- Now Top DPS Trainer Gets Paid Vacation as Reward for Being Arrested
HNN: … Nishihara did publicly question Martinez’s background in 2019 ahead of Nolan Espinda’s re-confirmation as DPS director.
State Sen. Karl Rhoads did too, but Espinda got enough votes to continue to lead DPS….
Despite the criminal investigation that was launched following the outcry by lawmakers, Martinez was not placed on restricted duty and continued training law enforcement and prison guards.
Martinez’s attorney, Myles Breiner, said she is now on paid administrative leave….
KITV: How will this affect pending civil cases regarding use of force?
read … State’s hiring, promotions process faces scrutiny following top trainer’s arrest
More Amendments: Maunakea Management Authority Bill Passes Committee, Heads to Senate Floor for Final Vote
BIVN: … In a decision-making meeting today, the Senate Committee on Ways and Means voted to pass a measure that would establish the Mauna a Wākea stewardship authority as the sole authority for management of state-managed lands on Mauna a Wākea, while also directing the authority to develop a single plan that dictates the management of land uses.
HB 2024 HD1 SD2 passed with substantive amendments. Amendments were previously added when the measure was up for consideration by the Senate Committee on Higher Education in mid-March….
HTH: Change to Maunakea bill gives joint authority to UH, new state entity
SA: University of Hawaii would have joint management of Mauna Kea in revised bill
HNN: State House and Senate on a collision course over future of astronomy on Mauna Kea
read …. Maunakea Management Authority Bill Passes Committee, Heads to Senate Floor for Final Vote
Corrupt DPP Delays Cost Homeowners Money
HNN: … There's a current backlog of more than 3,200 building permit applications, according to DPP. A spokesman said people are waiting on average four to five months.
But contractors said it's actually much longer.
Atlas Construction has 28 applications in the pipeline. The contractor does almost 60 projects a year and said building costs are escalating at about 6% by the time permits are issued.
"It's about nine months what we're averaging on our building permits," said Rodney Kim, vice president of Atlas Construction. "They're operating at 30% capacity and it's just because there's been a big overturn attrition rate in that position."
Delays in processing have been a problem for years. The department came under scrutiny last year when six people were charged with taking bribes to expedite permits….
DPP at Work: Hawaii Theatre Center issued Honolulu "Notice of Violation" over banner visuals
read … Building permit delays cost Oahu homeowners big money
Will Hawaiian Airlines Be Acquired Next?
BH: … Last month, the frenzy around airline consolidation was rekindled as Spirit Airlines announced a plan to merge with Frontier Airlines. That was leapfrogged this week when relative bemoth JetBlue jumped in to compete for Spirit, sweetening the acquisition pie to the tune of $3.6 billion in cash. The result would be both airlines flying under the JetBlue name, based in New York….
Six years ago, Jet Blue lost the “apparent” fight to acquire Virgin America to Alaska Airlines. Or did it really?
Could their sights have been set for years on buying Hawaiian Airlines? We’ve suggested for a long time that a merger between Hawaiian Airlines and a larger player would, by necessity, occur at some point down the road.
A future consolidation might bring JetBlue, Spirit and Hawaiian together into a larger, more competitive alliance with far greater distribution, capable of better dealing with the likes of American, Delta, Southwest and United Airlines? Those four main players are currently responsible for two-thirds of all U.S. domestic air traffic….
read … Will Hawaiian Airlines Be Acquired Next?
Panel awards 5% pay raises to Maui mayor, council
MN: … Reversing a decision four months ago to defer pay raises for the mayor and County Council, the Maui County Salary Commission voted Friday to give 5 percent salary increases to the elected officials.
The pay raises take effect with the start of the fiscal year July 1. The percentage aligns with 5 percent pay raises that the commission voted last month to award to county directors and deputy directors, also starting July 1….
read … Panel awards pay raises to mayor, council
Republican State Senate Candidate is Leading Maui Anti-Vaxxer
MN … McKelvey is seeking to enter the state Senate and has pulled papers for the Senate District 6 seat representing South and West Maui….
The seat is currently occupied by longtime Sen. Rosalyn “Roz” Baker. In an email Wednesday, Baker said she was not yet ready to give a statement on her candidacy, noting that she is currently in session at the Legislature and that is her focus.
Baker has not yet pulled papers for her current seat, according to the latest candidate filing report by the state Office on Elections on Friday afternoon. Filing runs through June 7.
Others who have pulled papers for the Senate District 6 race are Shaina Forsyth, a Democrat from Lahaina, and Sheila Walker, a Republican from Kihei….
Walker was the lead organizer in last year’s failed recall of Mayor Victorino….
BACKGROUND:
read … Cochran shifts from county to state politics, McKelvey pulls papers for state Senate
Kauaʻi 2022 election notification in the mail
TGI: … Postcard notifications for the 2022 Election were mailed this week and should begin arriving over the next several days.
Voters who were registered on or before March 28, 2022, will be included in this mailing. Voters who registered after March 28, will be included in an upcoming mailing.
Most voters will receive an orange Election Notification postcard. This notice provides general information about the upcoming Primary and General Elections on Aug. 13 and Nov. 8, 2022, respectively. A small number of voters who completed the United States Postal Service (USPS) Change of Address process will receive a blue trifold Notice of Voter Registration Update postcard.
Voters who do not receive a notification by Monday, April 25, should contact the Elections Division at (808) 241-4800….
read … Kauaʻi 2022 election notification in the mail
Now that Captain Cook is Gone -- Bill calls for markers at significant sites to honor former President Barack Obama
SA: … A bill to place historical markers throughout the state at sites significant to the life of Hawaii-born President Barack Obama passed through the state Senate Committee on Ways and Means in a Friday hearing.
(IDEA: Skip ahead and amend the bill to restore the original Hawaiian place names.)
Rep. Cedric Gates (D, Waianae), who introduced House Bill 2329, said the markers would serve as points of recognition of the former president, whose accomplishments impacted people around the world.
According to the latest version of the bill, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources would consult with the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the state Foundation on Culture and the Arts to decide which sites would be appropriate for markers….
(Suggestion: Choom gang hangouts.)
read … Bill calls for markers at significant sites to honor former President Barack Obama
Why Waimanalo Gulch Will Remain Open
SA: … The latest deadline from the state Land Use Commission (LUC) is March 2, 2028; the city has until the end of this year to choose a new site. This week, it punted.
The Landfill Advisory Committee considered six locations to dump Oahu’s garbage — from Haleiwa to Kunia and Wahiawa — and on Monday rejected them all….
Oahu’s garbage has to go somewhere. So unless island residents somehow miraculously stop generating non-recyclable trash, a decision will be made: A new site will be chosen, Waimanalo Gulch will remain open past its close-by date, or garbage will start piling up with no place to put it.
Which will it be?
Strict rules limit the city’s options. State Act 73 prohibits a landfill in a conservation district and requires a half-mile buffer zone around residences, schools and hospitals. The state has other rules, too: not too close to airports, not in possible tsunami evacuation zones, not on lands planned for future development, not on federal lands.
If a new site isn’t chosen soon, the West Side community, understandably fed up with hosting Oahu’s dump, could find itself stuck with Waimanalo Gulch indefinitely, perhaps until the landfill reaches capacity — a decade or more from now.
Of course, no one else wants a dump in their neighborhood either. Waimanalo Gulch handles about 70,000 tons of nonhazardous waste per year, as well as 180,000 tons of ash from the HPOWER trash-to-energy plant. It will be a hard sell, requiring significant community benefits for the host community….
read … Finding a new landfill site
Legislative Agenda:
QUICK HITS: