October 23, 2025 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Thursday, October 23, 2025

October 23, 2025 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 1:28 PM :: 404 Views

Time for new choices on how to fix Hawaii’s shortage of housing

Hawaii DoE Disciplines Teacher for Student-Initiated Charlie Kirk Free Speech Discussion on Constitution Day

Bissen Admits Tax Hikes Coming: ‘Will Cost us Millions’ after we steal all 6,700 TVRs on Minatoya List

MN: … He clarified the scope of the measure, which is aimed at short-term rentals within apartment districts. “This measure affects about 6,700 of the nearly 15,000 short-term rentals countywide….”

He noted that while passing a “clean bill” is important, it will require “commitment in legislation to follow,” including “additional measures” to strengthen tax incentives for long-term housing and balance revenue adjustments….

(TRANSLATION: Tax hikes.)

While acknowledging “some real property tax impacts are expected,” Bissen assured committee members that the county is “planning adjustments to help offset those losses,” and that the “long-term benefits of this bill are well worth the short-term implications, which we will navigate with responsibility and foresight….”

(TRANSLATION: Tax hikes.)

The mayor also took aim at off-island, special-interest groups opposing the measure. A group called Progress Action has been running widespread negative media ads that contend a ban on short-term rentals “will cost us millions.” …

(TRANSLATION: They are right.)

The committee closed public testimony at 11:41 a.m. after hearing from 39 public testifiers. After committee deliberations for about 30 minutes, Uʻu-Hodgins recessed the meeting until 11 a.m. Thursday in Council Chambers….

read … Mayor Bissen urges Council to pass Bill 9, citing need to restore housing balance : Maui Now

Josh Green for President: Are you laughing?

CB: … On a sweltering New Orleans evening in July, the final night of the 2028 Democratic National Convention, the party chair introduces its new presidential nominee.

“With great pride, I present to you proud and patriotic Democrats our chosen nominee and the next president of the United States of America, Dr. Josh Green!”

Josh Green? Come on! How is this possible? He doesn’t even register in the polls. Get serious.

Green himself says it is “highly unlikely” that he will be president as he, in NBC’s words, “toyed rhetorically” with the possibility of leading the country. Translation: “Maybe, maybe maybe. Pretty please. But not now.”

Chortle all you want. But frankly, if you’re laughing at Green, it’s because you don’t understand why he would be an important candidate or, for that matter, what’s really going on around you….

read … Neal Milner: Democrats Like Josh Green Are Clueless About Fighting Trumpism - Honolulu Civil Beat

After wasting two decades on useless solar and wind, Will Oil-Soaked Hawaii Finally Start Using Cheap, Clean Natural Gas?

CB: A tentative agreement between Green’s office and Tokyo-based JERA Co. Inc reached last week would bring liquefied natural gas to Hawaiʻi. It would also unlock a $2 billion investment into Hawaiʻi’s energy system — nearly equal to the market value of Hawaiian Electric Co.’s parent company, Hawaiian Electric Industries, which was valued at $2.03 billion as of Wednesday.

It’s the biggest proposed energy deal since NextEra Energy unsuccessfully tried to take over Hawaiian Electric Industries in 2016.

If it goes through, the investment would make JERA a major player in Hawaiʻi, expanding business ties between the islands and Japan, a major tourism market and ancestral home of almost a quarter of Hawaiʻi residents. And it would transform Hawaiʻi’s energy economy.

The proposed deal comes as the Trump administration has expressed hostility to state renewable energy mandates, and renewables in general, while supporting the U.S. liquefied natural gas industry. In June, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced four 20-year agreements under which JERA will purchase up to 5.5 million tons per year of LNG from U.S. suppliers….

… JERA’s six-page, non-binding agreement with Hawaiʻi calls for the company to pay for fuel-flexible infrastructure with the goal of starting with liquefied natural gas ~~— a fossil fuel — and transitioning to renewables such as hydrogen~~ ~~by 2045~~.

Opening the door to LNG in Hawaiʻi wouldn’t need legislative approval. But anticipated regulatory changes would have to go through the Public Utilities Commission, and projects would be subject to environmental reviews and permitting. HECO would also have to be a major player….

~~Environmentalists~~ (Solar industry lobbyists) have expressed opposition to the effort. Hawaiʻi Rep. Nicole Lowen, who (they own,) chairs the House Energy and Environmental Protection Committee, is calling for more details….

(CLUE: The solar industry turns back into a pumpkin on Dec 31 with the end of federal subsidies.)

Mark Glick, who heads the Hawaiʻi State Energy Office as the state’s Chief Energy Officer, said a more detailed preliminary analysis is expected by year’s end (ie around Dec 31)….

SWS: Will Hawaii’s Largest Renewable Fuels Facility Joint Venture Redefine Par Pacific Holdings’ (PARR) Sustainability Story? - Simply Wall St News

read … Hawaiʻi Balked At Natural Gas. Now, It Could Lower Energy Bills - Honolulu Civil Beat

Complaints about DPPs HNL Build Already an Old Story?

CB: … The recent Civil Beat article titled “‘Complete Failure’: Honolulu Permit Workers Say Tech Upgrade Is a Bust,” paints a deeply concerning and, frankly, dated picture of our new HNL Build permitting software system and the headline could be nothing further from the truth. While we understand and respect the frustration expressed by some employees in August 2025, the story reflects a moment in time that has long since passed – and it omits the real progress that has occurred since those early days….

read … Change Is Hard But Progress Is Real: Setting The Record Straight On HNL Build - Honolulu Civil Beat

New Maui Ethics Board Rules Silence Citizens With Pending Complaints

CB: … The Maui Board of Ethics unanimously approved sweeping new rule changes Wednesday, including what several members of the public described as a gag order against anyone who files an ethics complaint against a county employee or elected official.

Most of the 44 changes were in response to a county charter amendment voters approved last year to give the board greater independence and improve its operational efficiency, modeling many amendments after similar rules long utilized by the state and Honolulu ethics commissions.

But one significant rule change unique to Maui binds the complainant to a confidentiality requirement, forbidding that person or citizens group from disclosing the pending complaint’s existence or sharing details of it publicly. If the ethics board or staff find that confidentiality was violated, they can use that as grounds to dismiss the complaint without further investigation. …

read … New Maui Ethics Board Rules Silence Citizens With Pending Complaints - Honolulu Civil Beat

Kapahulu barricade: ‘I am a doper and as soon as I get out of here, I’m gonna go back and smoke dope again’

SA: … Morris has 26 prior arrests and citations at the state level, according to court records, including for drug offenses….

… On April 7, 2008, Kauai Police Department officers tried to execute a search warrant obtained for Morris and his maroon, four-door station wagon, according to federal court records.

Officers found Morris and his station wagon parked off of Kaumualii Highway near the Kipu Road Junction. Officers announced their presence, declared they secured a search warrant and ordered Morris out of his car.

“F— you guys. F— this. I am not coming out,” Morris told the KPD officers. Morris tried to speed off but a KPD officer reached into the driver’s side of Morris’ car and grabbed his arm.

The officer tried to use pressure points to get control of Morris, and officers used pepper gel to get him under control.

When he was on the ground outside the car, he told the officers, “You don’t need a warrant. I’ll tell you where everything stay. I have a gun, meth, weed, stolen stuff, and porno tapes. I’m going federal.”

Back at the KPD station, according to federal court records Morris told the officers, “I could have shot you with the gun. I thought about doing this but I did not want it to end like that. I am a doper and as soon as I get out of here, I’m gonna go back and smoke dope again. I’ve been smoking dope since 17 years old.”

Morris was sentenced to 81 months in federal prison on Feb. 5, 2009.

On July 14, 2016, Morris was sentenced to 163 days in federal prison for violating his probation in that case. In September and October 2015 Morris admitted to possessing and using methamphetamine and hydrocodone.

He was kicked out of the Sand Island Treatment Center and had his federal probation revoked.…

read … Suspect in officer’s shooting, Kapahulu barricade is felon from Kauai | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Hawaii film industry shrunk 80% since Miske Gang Busted

KHON: … “One of the first things they say is like, ‘Oh, you’re writing a script based in Hawaii? That’s great. Can we shoot it somewhere else?’….”

REALITY: Miske Mob Were All Union Drivers on Set of Hawaii 5-0

read … Hawaii film industry shrunk 80% since pandemic

10 endangered, missing youth recovered in multi-agency operation on Oahu

HNN: … A multi-agency operation, called “Operation Shine the Light,” successfully recovered 10 endangered missing children and youth on Oahu over the weekend.

The effort, led by the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General and the Hawaii Department of Human Services, also resulted in several arrests and investigations into child victimization.

The recovered individuals, ranging in age from 13 to 18, were reported as runaways and were considered to be at high risk of abuse, exploitation, and/or trafficking….

read … 10 endangered, missing youth recovered in multi-agency operation on Oahu

Hawaii set to offer aid for SNAP families as federal shutdown threatens to disrupt food stamp program

HNN: … On Nov. 1, people who rely on food stamps may find their EBT cards no longer working if Congress doesn’t reopen the government by the end of the month.

That would leave about 85,000 households in Hawaii scrambling to put food on the table.

But state officials say they have a contingency plan called the Hawaii Relief Program that would help at least a third of beneficiaries of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Gov. Josh Green plans to tap into $110 million from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families federal grant program that provides cash to low-income families with minor children to help with basic living expenses like housing and utility bills.

About 28,000 SNAP households are families with minor children….

read … Hawaii set to offer aid for SNAP families as federal shutdown threatens to disrupt food stamp program

Will New Bonuses Keep Honolulu's 911 Staff On The Job?

CB: … The dispatchers will get from $500 to $2,000 extra per month depending on their job….

read … Will New Bonuses Keep Honolulu's 911 Staff On The Job? - Honolulu Civil Beat

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