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'Ready To Die Boys?' Multiple Oʻahu Shootings Linked To Gang
CB: … Prosecutors have attributed two deadly shootings on Oʻahu’s Westside in 2023 as well as another in May — the result of a botched murder-for-hire plot — to a gang called the “Shark Boys.” …
“The gang is known in the Mākaha community for robbing people, mobbing people, fighting, and prior shootings,” Deputy Honolulu Prosecutor Kyle Mesa wrote in a court memo on July 24 opposing the release of suspects in the May shooting.
The Shark Boys also go by SB or the “Mākaha Sharks” and were formerly known as “Brothers by Heart” or BBH. The gang has about 20 to 40 members, most of them from Mākaha, between 19 and 22 years old, according to prosecutors….
The allegations come amid heightened concern about gang violence on Oʻahu.
In court documents, prosecutors attributed a shooting last year involving a 20-year-old at the Kūhiō Park Terrace housing complex in Kalihi to “escalating gang behavior.” Three inmates in Hālawa who are members of the prison gang Murder Inc. are currently standing trial for the 2023 killing of fellow inmate Chris Vaefaga.
Murder Inc. is said to be connected to another Waiʻanae gang known as West Side, which at one point ran cockfights and game rooms. West Side leader Edward Caspino, 47, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison earlier this year on drug and cockfighting charges. His accomplices charged in that case ranged in age from 31 to 80.
Witnesses at a deadly shooting at a cockfight in 2023 said the two shooters, ages 16 and 23 at the time, were affiliated with Caspino and his gang, according to court records….
Gang membership peaked around 1996, when there were about 192 gangs with a combined 1,900 members. A statewide gang-tracking database was phased out in 2000.
But estimates put the number of gang members in 2002 at about 736 members, according to a University of Hawaiʻi report.
That study from 20 years ago was the last in-depth statewide assessment of youth gangs in Hawaiʻi.
Since then, local law enforcement agencies haven’t kept track of gang membership and statistics, gang task forces and units have largely been disbanded, and funding for gang enforcement and intervention has slowed, Chesney-Lind said.
The Honolulu Police Department didn’t respond to an inquiry regarding gang enforcement efforts….
read … 'Ready To Die Boys?' Multiple Oʻahu Shootings Linked To Gang - Honolulu Civil Beat
AG Demands Files on Four Disciplined Hawaii County Officers
BIN: Two years ago, four Hawaiʻi Island police officers were investigated internally for misconduct and received suspensions ranging from six days to 50 days. The officers all served their suspensions, and returned to active duty with the department, according to court records and a disciplinary report.
The officers — Noah Serrao, Blane Kenolio, Andrew Springer and Sheldon Adviento — all appear on the Hawai‘i County Police Department’s 2024 Legislature Disciplinary Report for a myriad of offenses that occurred in May of 2023, including alleged evidence tampering.
But now, two years later, the cases are in the middle of a court battle between the Hawaiʻi State Department of the Attorney General, and Hawaiʻi County and its police department.
In June, state Attorney General Anne Lopez’s Office subpoenaed the Hawai‘i County Police Department to produce administrative investigative files compiled by the department into the alleged misconduct of the four officers. This information is for the state’s criminal investigation of the officers….
According to the 2024 disciplinary report that is published on the Hawaiʻi Police Departmentʻs website, Serrao, Kenolio, Springer and Adviento were among 21 officers who had disciplinary action taken against them that year. Two officers were discharged.
It has not been made public what exactly the officers were accused of doing. Big Island Now requested on Tuesday the police department’s complete finalized disciplinary reports on the four officers. As of Thursday, the reports were not released.
All that is publicly known comes from the legislative disciplinary report that provides only a paragraph about each case.
According to the report, Serrao was disciplined for tampering with evidence, conducting a search on a bag without consent or a search warrant, tampering with government records, falsifying records, and being untruthful. He was suspended for 50 days….
PDF: Attorney General subpoena to Hawai‘i Police Department | PDF
read … Hawai‘i County fights subpoena from state Attorney General for investigative files on 4 disciplined police officers : Big Island Now
HECO Plays Monopoly with Hu Honua
IM: … Hawaiian Electric Company`s filing of the latest round of power purchase agreements with the Public Utilities Commission is being delayed for two reasons.
First, to maintain liquidity following the 2023 Wildfires, Hawaiian Electric is delaying or deferring as much as they can. In theory, the Commission can halt this delay.
Second, Hawaiian Electric is attempting to monopolize part of the role of independent power companies that submitted proposals to generate electricity from biofuels.
Hawaiian Electric came up with a monopolistic solution. What if Hawaiian Electric approves third party proposals for biofuel generators but then control the acquisition of the fuel.
Hawaiian Electric buys the fuel, sells it to third parties to convert the fuel into electricity, and then but the electricity produced. Hawaiian Electric controls the process. Ratepayers pay the costs.
Ironically, this appears to be tied to the third HELCO-Hu Honua Power Purchase Agreement….
read … Hawaiian Electric Seeks to Increase its Monopolistic Control | Ililani Media
True Colors Show: Maui Council Minority Votes Against Massive Affordable Housing Development
MN: … Maui County Council’s 5-4 vote to finalize amendments to the Honuaʻula master-planned community project has reignited a debate over the project’s long-term impacts on South Maui.
While project critics contend the revised plan is a significant reduction in promised affordable housing, proponents maintain it will lead to at least hundreds of workforce housing units, more jobs, a wider Pīʻilani Highway, and other community benefits.
During Wednesday’s special Council meeting, Council Member Gabe Johnson said he was conflicted about voting against the project district amendments, but ultimately he voted “no” with minority council members.
“I don’t like voting against affordable housing projects,” he said. “What are we doing here if we’re not willing to do any kind of movement? I’m not a rubber stamper, so I think that question still stands: What are we doing?”
“Sweeps, fires, tsunamis, floodings, traffic, wealthy income inequality,” Johnson said. “If this was a movie, it would be a tear-jerker. And yet no reaction.”
“I don’t think we have the best product on the table,” he said. “And I don’t agree that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and just because we got some we should just be happy with what we got. That’s what gives us trouble.”
Earlier in debate, he said this type of development is “the same old thing where they get the cake and we get the crumbs.”
Addressing those concerns, Honuaʻula attorney Cal Chipchase – whom Johnson called the “10th council member” as a backhanded compliment to his influence – said that while he respects Johnson’s “advocacy and desire to obtain as much as possible for the community,” he has “seen many times, though, the effort to get more ends with the community getting less, as the heavy burdens placed on projects causes them to be delayed or to fail entirely.” He added, “We need to look for balance so projects will move forward and the community will benefit.”
Johnson asked why the developer wouldn’t consider building more affordable homes if Maui County were to financially subsidize the project as a partner.
Chipchase told Johnson that Honua’ula has “no interest in slowing down this project for further Council proceedings,” which would be required to add a county subsidy….
read … Honuaʻula continues to stir controversy over South Maui’s future development : Maui Now
Maui suffering from severe lack of mental health workers
MN: … According to Dave Fields, a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and founder of Fields Psychiatric Consultants, the situation has reached a point that it poses a public health threat. He said Maui’s mental health system was overburdened prior to the wildfires, and the tragedy has only exacerbated the problem.
“Studies tracking survivors show alarming spikes in mental health problems,” Fields said. “About half of adults have developed depressive symptoms that include insomnia, fatigue, loss of appetite and anxiety levels have increased tenfold compared to before the fire.”
Fields said Maui would need a 59% increase in adult psychiatrists and a 77% increase in child and adolescent psychiatrists to meet the population’s current needs.
read … Maui suffering from severe lack of mental health worker | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News
Waialua Fresh Eggs boosting local production
CB: … Waialua Fresh Eggs is building four new barns at its Central Oʻahu farm, which will add 120,000 hens to the farm’s flock of 400,000. Those hens will lay an egg a day, to help supply about one-third of Hawaiʻi’s daily egg demands. …
read … As Mainland Egg Prices Drop, Waialua Fresh Eggs Invests In Hawaiʻi - Honolulu Civil Beat
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