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Tuesday, October 21, 2025

October 21, 2025 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 4:27 PM :: 267 Views

Lawsuit Filed Over Kamehameha Admission Policy

US Senate is laying down terms for military land use negotiations in Hawaii

Milk Recall: Children Sickened at More Elementary Schools

100th Pre-K Classroom Opens

Former Navatek CEO Gets 33 Months Prison for Corruption

CB: … A former Hawaiʻi defense contractor was sentenced Monday in Washington, D.C., to 33 months in prison for orchestrating a scheme that sent more than $200,000 in illegal campaign contributions to Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and a super PAC that backed her 2020 bid for reelection.

Martin Kao was the president and CEO of Navatek LLC, a Hawaiʻi-based engineering firm that received contracts from the U.S. Defense Department and had a satellite office in Collins’ home state of Maine. Kao’s illegal donations to Collins and the super PAC were made shortly after Navatek won an $8 million contract that Collins secured funding for and celebrated alongside company executives during an August 2019 ceremony. …

“Despite getting no personal benefit,” Peterson said, “it was important to him to come fully clean about his role in a pervasively corrupt system that crossed party lines and went very far up the political system and business community.”

Peterson did not provide specifics about the information Kao provided or whether it resulted in any further investigation. She similarly declined to comment on the case Monday ….

read … Former Hawaiʻi Defense Contractor Gets Prison Time For Illegal Donations - Honolulu Civil Beat

Even on Free Ride Weekend, Skyline Passenger Count Comes up Short

HNN: … The system delivered about 20,000 rides on the first two days (10,000 per day) and 40,000 on the free ride weekend (20,000 per day).

“We are going to build our ridership to 25,000 a day. I think we are off to a good start. Quite honestly the first two days were encouraging,” Blangiardi said….

SN: Skyline welcomes 11,879 riders on opening day for Segment 2

SA: Skyline counts 61,968 rides in first 4 days after new segment opened | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

read … Skyline riders inconvenienced by mechanical, communications failure

Hawaii County Police Chief Application Deadline Oct 31

HTH: … The commission will meet at 9 a.m. Friday in the Council Chambers of the County Building in Hilo to finalize key parts of the hiring process, including written questions for qualified applicants. The application deadline is Oct. 31.

The commission at its Sept. 19 meeting expressed interest in speeding up the process, noting that other counties also are conducting police chief searches. Members cited the previous hiring cycle — which lasted about four months — as a model that could be streamlined further. In that cycle, recruitment opened on Aug. 1 and closed on Aug. 28, with a chief appointed by Dec. 16.

Commissioners said filling the role quickly is important not only for departmental stability but also to remain competitive in attracting qualified applicants, according to the commission’s meeting minutes….

read … Commission to discuss search for next Hawaii County police chief - Hawaii Tribune-Herald

HECO to PUC: LNG for Oahu & Maui & 138-kV Electric Lines for Oahu

IM: … Hawaiian Electric filed an application with the Public Utilities Commission, noting that they had already started to spend money to determine which Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) should be enhanced with new high-voltage power lines.

Hawaiian Electric provided a what-if scenario. “For illustration purposes, the O‘ahu REZ Study development estimates span a wide range from $24.5M to $2.7B depending on the location and capacity target.” …

HECO proposed this grid expansion to be in alignment with two non-legislative acts: the Commission’s 2024 Inclinations and Governor Green’sExecutive Order No. 25-01….

HECO is a participant in the Commission`s review of the Hawaii Gas Integrated Resource Planning proceeding. HECO issued information requests to the gas utility.

"Hawaiʻi State Energy Office published an Alternative Fuel, Repowering, and EnergyTransition Study in January 2025 that contemplates importing LNG for power production… How would this strategy regarding importing LNG for power production, as proposed by HSEO, impact Hawaii Gas’ Preferred Resource Plan as set forth in Hawaii Gas’ Final IRP Report, filed on April 6, 2023."

"If the State were to import LNG as described in the HSEO Study, would [HG pick a different preferred plan] to diversify the Hawaii Gas portfolio with additional renewable natural gas projects and prepare for a transition to hydrogen? …

JERA has created a JERA Hawaii website in anticipation of importing Canadian and/or Alaskan LNG into Hawai`i.

read … HECO to PUC ---> LNG for Oahu & Maui & 138-kV Electric Lines for Oahu | Ililani Media

Global Warming Teenyboppers just keep Losing

PP: … Twenty-two young people behind the case Lighthiser v. Trump filed notice Monday with the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana that they will fight Judge Dana Christensen’s decision in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The young people from Montana, Oregon, California, Hawaii and Florida had challenged three energy-related executive orders Trump signed earlier this year, but Christensen "reluctantly" dismissed their case last Wednesday, finding that the courts can't provide the fix they sought.

Christensen, an Obama appointee, said he based his decision in part on a 2020 ruling by the 9th Circuit, which dismissed a similar climate lawsuit, Juliana v. United States, on the grounds that the court could not grant the challengers relief….

CB: Teens Who Successfully Sued Hawaiʻi Over Climate Change Lose On Aviation - Honolulu Civil Beat

read … POLITICO Pro | Article | Youth fight their climate court loss

Condo Boards: Legislative Reform on Agenda for 2026

CB: … education should be mandatory. Hawaiʻi already has a solution: the Condominium Education Trust Fund, managed by the Real Estate Commission, which funds courses and training for board members. But right now, participation is voluntary — and many directors never attend.

Every board member should complete basic training in condominium governance within their first year. Presidents, who lead meetings and set agendas, should take advanced courses in fiduciary duty, reserve planning, and legal compliance. Educated boards make better decisions — and reduce conflict, confusion, and costly mistakes.

Advocates are working toward new legislation for 2026 that would strengthen Reserve Study enforcement, protect minority directors from retaliation, and require board education. These changes would help ensure that decisions are based on knowledge and accountability, not politics or pressure….

read … When Condo 'Majority Rule' Goes Too Far - Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawaii Newspapers closing, news deserts growing

AP: … Since 2005, the numbers of newspapers published in the United States has dropped from 7,325 in 2005 to 4,490 now, said the Medill State of Local News report. Daily newspaper circulation that averaged between 50 and 60 million people at the turn of the century now stands at just over 15 million….

Maryland, New Jersey, Maine, Hawaii and Ohio have seen the largest percentage of newspaper closures….

LINK: The State of Local News Project | Local News Initiative

read … Newspapers closing, news deserts growing for beleaguered news industry | Courthouse News Service

The future of Miske’s fortune remains unsettled

ILind: … in late June, the parties disclosed an agreement to pursue a negotiated settlement that would avoid the expense of another protracted trial in which the government would again have to prove these properties were products of Miske’s criminal enterprise. Instead, they agreed to enter into settlement negotiations with Miske’s trust in order to seek a division of assets that would pay off the the outstanding mortgage debts, and then split the remaining assets and cash between the government and Miske’s trust.

All parties said they needed more time, and agreed to a five-month delay in the case to allow negotiations to move forward. If the stipulated delay ends in late November as scheduled, a scheduling conferece will be held before Magistrate Judge Kenneth Mansfield on December 1 to set deadlines for each of the remaining parts of the process, up to and including a trial in the unlikely event no agreement can be reached between the parties…

read … The future of Miske’s fortune remains unsettled | i L i n d

Pohoiki Dredging Project Fails To Open Boat Ramp

BIVN: … Last month, the Puna community celebrated as contractor Goodfellow Bros., LLC opened the landlocked boat ramp to the ocean once more. However, the achievement was short-lived.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources on Monday said in a written statement that it “is aware that the recently dredged Pohoiki Boat Ramp entrance channel has filled in with volcanic debris due to unusually heavy tidal conditions during the past week.” …

“The Department is currently examining the site conditions and evaluating options to address the situation and long-term solutions,” the DLNR wrote. “We thank the community for their patience and understanding.” …

(TRANSLATION: We are done trying.)

read … Pohoiki Dredging Project Fails To Open Boat Ramp

Tulsi Gabbard helps lead Trump’s ‘Deep State’ purge effort

R: … A “big pillar they pushed” at the interagency group, said the source, was purging officials involved in investigating Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and in compiling a 2017 multi-agency U.S. intelligence assessment that determined Moscow attempted to sway the race to Trump.

Gabbard said in July that the DIG had found documents showing former President Barack Obama ordered intelligence agencies to manufacture the 2017 assessment – charges an Obama spokesperson rejected as “bizarre.” The 2017 assessment’s conclusion was corroborated by a bipartisan Senate intelligence committee report released in August 2020 and by a review ordered earlier this year by CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Another focus for the interagency group was retribution for the prosecution of the Jan. 6 rioters, said the source.

Bondi tasked the DOJ Weaponization Working Group with reviewing the J6 prosecutions. Some of the documents seen by Reuters show that a smaller sub-set of employees from across the government have been convening on the topic. The Justice Department denied in its statement to Reuters that a separate January 6 group exists.

Among other issues the source recalled being discussed were the Jeffrey Epstein files, the prosecutions of Trump advisers Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro, and the possibility of stripping security clearances from transgender U.S. officials….

Where it all starts: To Stop Mufi, Mrs Abercrombie Joins the Chris Butler Cult

read … Tulsi Gabbard helps lead Trump’s ‘Deep State’ purge effort | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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