'No Kings Day' Kona, June 14, 2025: Democrats still haven't figured out why they are more repulsive than Donald J Trump.
A blue wave is helping rock the boat on Jones Act reform
Intent to Veto
Supreme Court decision makes it easier for disabled students to sue school districts for bias
How To Protect Politicians from Ethics Investigations? Eliminate Staff
CB: … Take the Honolulu Ethics Commission. A decade ago, its aggressive approach to investigations led to significant achievements, including a $50,000 fine for former City Councilman and state Rep. Romy Cachola for his alleged acceptance of unlawful gifts and accusations that he used his city vehicle fund to cover thousands of dollars in expenses even though his political campaign fund had already paid for the same expenses.
And the commission was the first to investigate former Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his then-city prosecutor wife Katherine Kealoha in what became a federal case that led to prison sentences for both of them.
But the commission’s take-no-prisoners approach also ruffled political feathers at Honolulu Hale and ultimately led to the demise of its executive director, Chuck Totto.
His successor, Jan Yamane, has taken a decidedly less aggressive approach, launching fewer investigations and emphasizing ethics training to encourage good behavior.
At least the Honolulu commission has a choice. Like the State Ethics Commission, its executive board is supported by a full-time staff. The Honolulu commission has 11 staff members and spent $962,345 during the last full fiscal year.
That’s not the case for the state’s other three counties, where all-volunteer boards with no full-time staff struggle to do more than process financial disclosures and answer employees’ questions about ethics. Occasional investigations may be conducted with the help of each county’s corporation counsel, but much more could be done on Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi island ….
Related: Hawaii Ethics and Audit Function at Lowest Level in Years
read … How To Make Hawaiʻi's Volunteer County Ethics Boards Better? Provide Staff - Honolulu Civil Beat
No Robots Day: Ed Case Thinks for Himself on Defense, Immigration
CB: … Rep. Ed Case is also not happy, but his angst is with a proposed annual defense funding measure that he says does not support Ukraine and lacks a “coordinated strategy” for the Indo-Pacific region, a priority of the Hawaiʻi congressman. He voted against the proposal in a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee and of its Subcommittee on Defense on Thursday — even though he said the bill funds “key Hawai‘i and Pacific initiatives.”
They include:
- $30 million to continue efforts to replace O‘ahu’s “outdated air surveillance radar, which is needed to defend Hawai‘i from missile attacks”;
- $186 million for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, “which maintains critical scientific laboratories” at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam; and
- $177 million for the Sea-Based X-Band Radar, “which will help defend Hawai‘i from ballistic missile threats.”
The Blog has always been fascinated that someone in Congress can vote against something that the someone is largely in favor of.
But in another vote last week, Case was one of only 11 Democrats who supported a House bill that nullifies sanctuary city status for the District of Columbia. “Specifically, it vacates any D.C. laws and memoranda that prohibit cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers,” The Hill reported Thursday.
In an email to Civil Beat, Case defended the vote (he’s been doing a lot of that lately).
“First, I fully agree that some of the actions taken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under this administration are deeply concerning. Where they are exceeding their authority, they should be held fully accountable in the courts and otherwise,” he wrote.
“However, I cannot agree that state and local governments should deliberately pass state and local laws or direct practices that require them to be willfully uncooperative with federal agencies charged with enforcing existing federal laws. This includes immigration, where the Supreme Court has consistently upheld the federal government’s exclusive jurisdiction over both law and enforcement.”
Hawaiʻi’s other U.S. representative, Jill Tokuda, voted against the bill. Of course she did….
read … The Sunshine Blog: No Faux-King Way - Honolulu Civil Beat
Army to Trade Oahu Leases for Pohakuloa Renewal?
SA: … Army follows through on its stated preference for three Oahu land leases when they expire in 2029: to relinquish all state acreage at the Kawailoa-Poamoho Training Area and at Makua Military Reservation (MMR), and greatly downsize the 1,150 acres at Kahuku Training Area (KTA) to just 450 acres.
Those intentions are detailed in the Army’s final environmental impact statement (FEIS) unveiled in mid-May; a state Board of Land and Natural Resources hearing on whether to accept the FEIS has been requested for June 27….
Of course, there’s practicality and strategy in the Army’s proposed Oahu downsizing: namely, a favorable outcome for its precious Pohakuloa lease, also set to expire in 2029. PTA is the critical piece for the Army, as it pursues soldier readiness training for an Indo-Pacific theater that’s grown more fraught with China’s expanding boldness and naval capabilities.
The Army’s trade-off — giving up most of its Oahu leases to retain 19,700 acres at PTA, its preference post-2029 — took on new importance after the state Land Board on May 9 rejected the Army’s FEIS on the PTA lease….
It’s unclear how the Army will respond on PTA, other than saying that it expects a record of decision (ROD) to be issued in early August; an ROD on the three Oahu leases is expected in early September. Those would then trigger official negotiations with the state on terms and disposition of the parcels, come 2029.
Of the Oahu leases, Makua Valley has been the most controversial, the subject of a successful lawsuit that halted live-fire training decades ago. Vince Dodge, of the group Malama Makua that has fought to end training there, was cautiously optimistic about the prospects for MMR: “It just now brings up the questions of cleanup, restoration, management (and) return.”
As for the Kahuku Training Area, used by the military since the mid-1950s, the Army hopes to continue jungle and helicopter training there….
read … Editorial: Reduce, redefine Army land leases | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Goal of new partnership of hospitals: More specialty doctors for Big Island, fewer medical trips to Oʻahu
BIN: … In May, 220 surgeries were performed at Kona Community Hospital by just four general surgeons, whose workload has been steadily rising and is expected to continue to do so.
They are facing burnout, said Jeffrey Palmgren, the chief medical officer of the West Hawai‘i Region for Hawai‘i Health Systems Corporation, which operates Kona Community Hospital.
Also facing burnout are the other limited number of specialty doctors on the Big Island….
The number of surgeries performed at Kona Community Hospital was 1,063 from January to May of last year. During the same time period this year, the number has increased to 1,142….
The biggest issue she noticed was the sometimes untimely transfer of patients in critical condition to O‘ahu for care they can’t receive on the Big Island.
Hemmings said a patient came in needing neurosurgery after suffering head injuries in a car accident. But the patient wasn’t able to get on a flight to O‘ahu for further treatment for at least a couple of hours….
Currently, there is only one permanent oncologist on Hawai‘i Island. That oncologist is based in Kona….
Kona Community Hospital’s needs assessment report indicates West Hawai‘i needs three oncology experts. Patients now wait up to 30 days to see one, Palmgren said. Click here to review the needs assessment report….
Palmgren said there are three part-time urologists who service Kona and three full-time urologists in Hilo. Wait times for a urology visit also is about 30 days.
There is one cardiologist in Kona and one in Waimea. Palmgren was unsure about how many cardiologists were based in Hilo. Wait times are approximately 65 days to see one, he said….
A committee was formed between Kona Community Hospital and Queen’s on O‘ahu in February to look at how the partnership can fill gaps in care. In December 2024, Queen’s announced its intention to build a hospital in West Hawai‘i.
Kona Community Hospital decided to scrap its plans for a new hospital….
read … Goal of new partnership of hospitals: More specialty doctors for Big Island, fewer medical trips to Oʻahu : Big Island Now
Elliott expected to be confirmed as Hawaii AD on Monday
SA: … In a report to the board on Monday, Hensel will make her official recommendation. The regents then are expected to go into executive session, as is the usual protocol when discussing personnel matters. Hensel will join them in executive session. Majority approval of the board members in attendance is needed to appoint Elliott.
After exiting executive session, a decision will be announced. The board also will announce changes, if any, to the salary range of the position or if the new athletic director will receive a contract. Elliott’s predecessor, Craig Angelos, had an at-will agreement — not a contract — with then-UH president David Lassner during an 18-month tenure as athletic director that was terminated last Dec. 1. Lassner retired as UH president on Dec. 31.
Jack Tsui, co-chair of the search committee, insisted that the new AD should receive a multi-year contract….
read … Elliott expected to be confirmed as Hawaii AD on Monday | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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