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Wednesday, September 10, 2025

September 10, 2025 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 1:56 PM :: 582 Views

The Mystery of the 1835 Burning of the Moku'aikaua Church

Federal Judge Pecks Away at Hawaii Firearms Restrictions

DHHL Assigns 1,100 More 'Project Leases' on Maui

Educational Innovation: Hawaii Ranks 44th

Green: Army Lease Negotiations -- 8a Millions, Geothermal, Housing, Transit

HNN: … Green also went into specifics about current military land lease negotiations.

While the leases don’t expire for several years, the Trump administration recently sent the state a demand letter, calling for the negotiations to start now.

Green said he plans to respond with a long list of requests in exchange for lease renewals.

“I’m asking for several billion dollars of additional support for transportation, which will increase our security,” he said. “I’m asking for the return of Makua Valley, with funding to remediate any of the damage that’s gone on there for generations.

“I’m going to insist that those dollars go in large part to Native Hawaiian organizations (8a Corps) that are able to do that work, because it’s a sacred place. I’m going to ask for some support for energy projects for geothermal,” he added. “And I’m going to ask the Army to build up to 5,000 houses for those who are serving in Hawaii, so it takes some of the pressure off our own housing inventory.”

Green acknowledged that some Hawaii residents want the land leases to end altogether.

However, Green said the federal government made it clear that it could just forgo the negotiations entirely and claim the land….

read … Spotlight Now: Gov. Green on helmets, land leases, Kamehameha Schools

Traffic Scofflaw set to plead guilty in death of student

SA: … The defense is awaiting medical records from The Queen’s Medical Center, and after a review of the records, “barring anything special, defendant will change his plea to guilty as charged in all counts with no deal,” the minutes say.

Miyashiro’s trial had been scheduled for this week after being postponed from July 7. He had 164 traffic citations, faced no previous jail time and had no valid driver’s license when he allegedly fatally struck Sara Yara and injured her friend while they were walking in a marked crosswalk.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Kapiolani Boulevard and Kamakee Street near McKinley’s athletic field….

Miyashiro surrendered to authorities Feb. 16, 2023, the day after Yara was killed, but was released pending investigation. He was charged Dec. 5, 2023, and has remained in custody at the Oahu Community Correctional Center since then, unable to post $250,000 bail.

On Feb. 6, the judge denied a motion for supervised release and/or bail reduction.

Miyashiro was sentenced in April in Honolulu District Court to one year in jail for a Jan. 5, 2023, citation for driving without a license, and was given credit for time served.

In that case, he was stopped at 1:53 a.m. for driving a prohibited vehicle — a 2001 silver Toyota Tacoma — with its two right wheels in a bicycle lane.

It was the same vehicle he was driving on the day of the deadly Feb. 15, 2023, crash.

He was initially charged with a petty misdemeanor, which was upgraded to a misdemeanor after the fatality.

Since he was first cited for speeding in 1996, Miyashiro has been cited for speeding over 80 mph, using a fraudulent insurance card, not having insurance, driving with broken taillights and headlights, driving in a collision involving property damage, and other traffic violations.

Miyashiro has pleaded no contest, received deferred acceptances of his no-contest pleas, been found guilty and paid hundreds of dollars in fines and fees. But he had never served time in jail in any of those previous cases….

SA: Off the news: Justice in sight for Sara Yara, finally | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

read … Alleged driver set to plead guilty in death of student | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Oahu Solar Farms Drive Electric Rates UP 58%

SA: … Despite the narrative by politicians, activists and Hawaiian Electric, solar farms have not reduced your electric bill. If solar is on your roof (like mine), it probably has been a good investment. But in 10 years, despite HECO solar farms popping up in Central Oahu, our basic residential kilowatt-hour rate has gone from 24 cents to 38 cents, an increase of 58%. And the more we rely on solar farms, the more we are exposed to their destruction in a hurricane event.

Legislators spend a lot of time every year enacting and amending laws, hoping to reduce CO2 here, reacting to activist demands and climate misunderstanding.

It’s not working.

Future generations might well wonder why we doggedly chased meaningless CO2 reductions, sacrificing immediate needs, raising our vulnerability and still leaving residents exposed to whatever the world’s climate may hand our descendants….

read … Column: Find better measure for climate impact | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Hawaiian Electric Bankers Meet Investors on Possible Junk Bond

BB: … JPMorgan Chase & Co. is holding meetings with investors over a possible high-yield bond sale for Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc…..

read … Hawaiian Electric Bankers Meet Investors on Possible Junk Bond - Bloomberg

Recruitment: Hawaii Gays Open Youth Transsexualization Center

G: … Learn with Love: Haylin and Mat tells the story of a Hawaiian mom who not only embraced her transgender son but also turned that journey into a mission to help other LGBTQ+ young people.

The film centers on Haylin, a marriage and family therapist in Honolulu, and her 17-year-old son, Mat. ….

Her experience inspired her to open Spill the Tea Café, a nonprofit mental health clinic. The café is more than a gathering space, it’s a lifeline for young people of all identities who need affirming care in a state where access is limited….

read … Hawaiian Mom Opens Up in New Trevor Project Film About Supporting Her Transgender Son - Gayety

HPD takes action to deal with Oʻahu's mental health crisis

KHON: … The Honolulu Police Department is expanding its Crisis Intervention Team program to improve responses to mental health emergencies.

The effort brings together officers, mental health professionals and community advocates to deal with the mental health crisis emerging on Oʻahu.

The program trains officers to recognize signs of crisis, use empathy and apply strategies that calm tense situations. The training also emphasizes communication and safety for everyone involved.

One example took place in April 2024 when Officer Tiare Perry received Hawai‘i’s first Crisis Intervention Team Officer Award. Perry answered a call about a woman sitting on a 32nd-floor window ledge….

read … HPD takes action to deal with Oʻahu's mental health crisis

Two Years of Attacks by Homeless Drug Addicts at Kailua Beach Park

SA: …On Dec. 7, 2023, the Kailua Neighborhood Board heard from residents concerned over crime and what was described as an “aggressive homeless encampment,” at the beach park near Kawailoa and Alala roads.

Among the speakers, resident Jared Gruenberg raised concerns about the increased number of homeless people living near the park’s boat launch and, in particular, a man who allegedly threatened him and other parkgoers with a weapon that appeared to be a bullwhip.

“There is a man with a whip. He loves this whip. He will not put this whip down. He will whip trees, and the sidewalk, for like 12 hours a day,” …

“Illegal encampments are monitored by several city and state agencies, including DPR and HPD, along with outreach providers,” he said, noting the number of encampments at the beach park fluctuates. “But we estimate there were between six to 10 encampments throughout (Kailua Beach Park) prior to the establishment of park closures.”

On Tuesday morning, Serota said, HPD encountered five encampments at Kailua Beach Park and issued citations for park closure violations to those who were present ….

read … Homeless camps, crime prompted Kailua Beach Park nightly closures | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Hawaiʻi Loves 'Genki Balls' To Clean Water. New Studies Say They Don't Work

CB: … “we all loved to believe in the idea” ….

read … Hawaiʻi Loves 'Genki Balls' To Clean Water. New Studies Say They Don't Work - Honolulu Civil Beat

Lawyers Look at Hawaii Consumer Protection Laws

KD: … Strategic considerations often influence the decision to pursue consumer protection actions in state versus federal court. In Hawaii, the distinction between the two forums is particularly significant. The Hawaii Supreme Court has affirmed that the state follows a notice pleading standard, explicitly rejecting the plausibility pleading requirement on the grounds that it restricts access to the courts. In contrast, the federal court requires claims of unfair or deceptive acts and practices—often characterized as sounding in fraud—to be pleaded with particularity. In light of this, the state has typically and consistently been careful in drafting pleadings in matters to make it clear that its claims are founded on state law and not on federal law. The full webinar is available to watch here. …

read … State AGs and Consumer Protection: What We… | Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

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