West Maui Stage 2 Water Shortage--Bissen Dumps Water Down Streambed
Ousted Damien HS President confidential settlement after group sex whistleblower lawsuit
Hawaii Republican Legislators Rally in Support of Kamehameha Schools Admission Policy
HNN: … “We will not stand idle while outside forces attempt to rewrite the legacy of Princess Pauahi,” Fevella said. “This policy was created to address generations of social and economic injustice, and we will stand shoulder-to-shoulder to defend it.”
Fellow lawmakers and community leaders also spoke at the rally.
“We’re here to show solidarity and unity and to call on the community, for everyone in the community to stand by and fight these encroachments that are coming from these folks on the mainland who are trying to come in and attack the legacy and the trust of Pauahi,” said Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, co-chair of the Native Hawaiian Caucus.
Kamehameha Schools graduate Jacob Aki said, “There are hundreds of federal statutes that provide that sort of protection and recognition for the Native Hawaiian community.
“So this isn’t purely giving students preference based on race. This is a private will that was founded and created in 1883 prior to Hawaii becoming a territory, prior to Hawaii becoming a state,” Aki said.
Rep. Kanani Souza is also a Kamehameha Schools graduate, and said the state can lend its support to institutions that serve Native Hawaiians.
“There’s so many things that we can do here legislatively separate and apart from our support of the Kamehameha Schools, which is making sure that OHA (Office of Hawaiian Affairs) is properly funded with their proper pro-rata share of ceded land revenues, making sure that the DHHL (Department of Hawaiian Home Lands) is properly funded with money so that Hawaiians can have homes,” said Souza.
Kamehameha Schools has a web page with information about its admissions policy, history and mission, as well as an online petition to gather supporters that had more than 16,000 signatures as of Friday afternoon.
The institution has survived two previous federal lawsuits by settling with the plaintiffs…
read … Supporters rally for Kamehameha Schools in light of newest challenge to admissions policy
2 adults, 6 juveniles charged in connection with viral attack video
HNN: … Disturbing video of the assault circulated widely on social media in May, showing the woman, Carly Ng, being hit and bullied by multiple suspects on April 17….
Jasmine Keola, 18, was indicted on charges of kidnapping, assault in the third degree, two counts of theft in the fourth degree, and attempted theft in the fourth degree.
Her mother, Anela Vierra, 44, was charged with attempted theft in the second degree, extortion in the third degree, and attempted theft in the fourth degree.
Six juveniles were also charged in connection with the case and subject to proceedings in Family Court….
Ng’s family responded to the charges in a statement Friday:
“We, Carly’s family, are relieved that charges have been brought against those responsible for bullying her. While nothing can erase the pain, injuries and trauma that were inflicted, the charges represent an important step toward accountability and justice.
“The repeated bullying dated back to February 2025 and continued through May 2025. As a result of HPD’s Investigation Division working in coordination with the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, criminal charges, including felony charges, were brought against Jasmine Keola and her mother, as well as the six juveniles who were involved….
read … 2 adults, 6 juveniles charged in connection with viral attack video
Family of Sara Yara objects to a plea deal for alleged hit-and-run driver
SA: … The mother of Sara Yara said she objected to a plea deal for the alleged driver in a hit-and-run incident that killed her 16-year while she was walking to school in a crosswalk one February morning in 2023.
Chevylyn Borce said when presented with a possible 10-year sentence in exchange for Mitchel Miyashiro’s guilty plea to first- degree negligent homicide, she rejected the idea, instead holding out hope for a conviction and a 20-year sentence.
“He asked for 10 years, and I said ‘no,’” Borce said. “My daughter’s not here anymore. He doesn’t look like he has any remorse. Her daughter’s twin, Phoebe, said, ‘No.’”
“He walks into court like he didn’t do anything wrong, my daughter (Phoebe Yara) said. And to go through all of this, knowing what he did and still trying to prolong the case, it just hurts everybody … . There’s no closure.”
Miyashiro was scheduled Friday to change his not guilty pleas on four counts of an indictment without a plea deal, but on Thursday it was taken off the court’s calendar. No hearing was held Thursday and no explanation was given on the court’s minutes, except that it will be rescheduled to a later date or for a further trial call, meaning that it would be back on track for trial….
Miyashiro’s trial had been scheduled this week, but the defense said at an Aug. 21 hearing it was waiting to receive medical records from a doctor at The Queen’s Medical Center.
“Defense will review (the records) and barring anything special, defendant will change his plea to guilty as charged on all counts with no deal,” the Aug. 21 court minutes say….
She said those records are Miyashiro’s own medical records to which the defense is referring….
What drew the ire of the community at the time of Miyashiro’s initial arrest was that he had racked up 164 prior traffic citations without serving any jail time.
Her hope for a 20-year term is not unfounded. Honolulu Prosecutor Steve Alm vowed to invoke “Kaulana’s Law,” enacted in 2018, which could be used to get a harsher 20-year sentence rather than 10 years for anyone found guilty of negligent homicide and failing to render aid.
“We cannot allow these things to happen,” she said. “You’ve seen how many (traffic) deaths we’ve had this year, how many hit-and-runs we’ve had this year.”…
KHON: Justice delayed: No guilty plea in Sara Yara hit-and-run
read … Family of Sara Yara objects to a plea deal for alleged hit-and-run driver | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
State hospital cannot be sued over case of mistaken identity, judge rules
HNN: … The Hawaii State Hospital will be dropped from a civil lawsuit stemming from a case of mistaken identity that led to the wrong man being locked up and committed.
(Schizophrenic) Joshua Spriestersbach was 46 years old (and homeless, living on the sidewalk) when he was arrested by Honolulu Police officers in 2017 for a probation violation that stemmed from drug crimes committed by Thomas Castleberry, a career criminal.
No one checked the fingerprints, even after Spriestersbach insisted he was not Castleberry.
It was his insistence that led to people calling him “delusional” and (schizophrenia that) got him moved from the Oahu Community Correctional Center to the Kaneohe psychiatric facility where he spent about three years (finally getting the mental health care that he desperately needed). He was forced to take powerful medication that he didn’t (did) need….
(SUMMARY: Only because of an error and a coverup did this mentally ill person get the help that he needs. Because of the treatment he received, he now lives on a farm in Vermont with his sister.)…
read … State hospital cannot be sued over case of mistaken identity, judge rules
Maui Condo Market Collapses 44%
BH: … Maui’s condo market just nosedived, with average sales prices plunging 44% in a single year. But this is not only a real estate story. It is a warning sign for travelers, as the future of vacation rentals on the island becomes increasingly uncertain….
Maui condo prices fall sharply in August while single-family homes hold steady, report says : Maui Now
read … Maui Condo Market Collapse: What It Means For Travelers - Beat of Hawaii
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