FAA Exposes $23M Airports Division Lie: We did not order HDoT to Replace Firefighting Systems

Auditor: Not Much to Show for $324.3 M Burned by City Office of Economic Revitalization

FEMA Extends Lahaina Emergency Housing One More Year

Eight Missing Children Found

States Race To Launch Rural Health Transformation Plans

Notice of Judicial Vacancy – Oahu District Judge

Isabella Kalua murder trial delay affecting civil case

KHON: … Isaac and Lehua Kalua are accused of the 2021 death and dismemberment of their six-year-old adopted daughter, Isabella Kalua. The couple saw their criminal trial week postponed to Aug. 3, 2026, during a status conference on Friday, Jan. 23, and it directly affects a separate civil case tied to Isabella’s death.

(CLUE: Lawyers hooked into the child welfare system know the system’s need for secrecy benefits by delay.)

“We’re going to have to postpone things until the criminal case runs its course. Of course, we don’t want to do that. We would prefer just to get this thing done on the civil side. But these are the issues that we’re dealing with,” said civil attorney Randall Rosenberg.….

Rosenberg confirmed the defendants will not participate in civil depositions while the criminal case is active, and they have a right to plead the Fifth Amendment.

“Because their lawyers will make them take the Fifth Amendment and not answer those questions. Until the criminal case has run its course, they have the right to the Fifth Amendment,” Rosenberg said…

The civil attorney in the Kalua proceedings said the parties involved — including the State of Hawaii and three contracted agencies — have indicated they want to resolve the case by settlement, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

(CLUE: Settlement = Secrecy.)

“It’s a difficult case to settle because there’s a lot of parties, and the numbers that we’re going to need to resolve this case are fairly significant. I should say substantial is a better word,” Rosenberg said….

read … Isabella Kalua murder trial delay affecting civil case

Another DOE employee indicted for Child Molestation

KHON: … Chang was arrested at the Department of Education’s Food Service Office last week. The DOE tells us he has been placed on leave.

Chang had previously been associated with the American Youth Soccer Association Hawaii, where he was interim Director of Coaching….

AYSO officials told us that Chang voluntarily resigned in December 2025 and that all required background checks at the time came back clear.

AYSO said that it “continues to put child safety as a priority” and stressed that the organization is cooperating fully with law enforcement.

Court records do not indicate the contact originated through any athletic program…

read … DOE employee and former youth sports leader indicted

What are the backgrounds of the 8 finalists for Hawai‘i County police chief?

BIN: … Of the eight finalists, two already work on the force. The others come from as far away as Maryland and the Pacific island of Niue. One has been a chief, one is an interim chief and two have served as acting chiefs. They have worked at small agencies and large ones, in San Diego and Las Vegas.

The Police Commission will interview the top eight candidates over the course of two meetings on Thursday, Jan. 29, and Friday, Jan. 30, at the West Hawai‘i Civic Center in Kona.

Community members will have an opportunity to testify at those meetings before the interviews began, which will be conducted in alphabetical order. The meetings, which will be available online, start at 9 a.m.

“By the end of (next) Friday, we should know who our new chief is,” Yamada said, adding that it will be a conditional offer as a background check will need to be completed….

HTH: Seven men and a woman in running for Big Island’s top cop - Hawaii Tribune-Herald

read … What are the backgrounds of the 8 finalists for Hawai‘i County police chief? : Big Island Now

Kaiser Permanente workers launch open-ended strike Monday in Hawaiʻi, California

BIN: … About 31,000 nurses and other health care workers plan to strike because of what they say are unfair labor practices at more than two dozen Kaiser Permanente hospitals and hundreds of clinics across California and Hawaiʻi.

The strike is scheduled to start at 7 a.m. at the Moanalua Medical Center in Honolulu and will continue until a labor agreement is reached, according to a press release from the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, which represents the workers….

HNN: Kaiser Permanente nurses announce plans to strike

read … Kaiser Permanente workers launch open-ended strike Monday in Hawaiʻi, California : Big Island Now

Kahului residents still begging county for help after decades of flooding

HNN: … Heu said she has been asking the county for help since the 1980s but feels forgotten.

“Born and raised on Maui, and you’re living in a system where you don’t matter, your life doesn’t matter,” she said.

She is asking once again for help.

“The address is on the voting cards you guys drop off over here,” Heu said….

The spokesperson also said much of the Kahului area and other older developed areas throughout Maui County have limited or no sub-surface drainage systems.

“The Public Works Engineering Division is working on the Palama Drive Drainage Improvements project, which is currently in design,” the spokesperson said….

(IDEA: Blame it on sea level rise.)

read … Kahului residents beg county for help after decades of flooding

Legislative Agenda:

1. UH Mānoa requests $22M to upgrade student-athlete services

2. Civil Service and Exempt Empioyees Excluded from Bargaining Units 2, 3, 4, 9, and 13

3. EMCP Employees Excluded from Bargaining Units 2, 4, 9, 10, and 13

4. Kids ride for free, goal of legislation on public transit

5. Illegal gameroom crackdown brings new city law | News | kitv.com

6. Hawaii lawmakers propose ‘Natalie’s Law’ to increase penalties for assaults on education workers

7. Lawmakers question drivers education access in public schools

8. HFD-Audit-Final-Report.pdf

9. Sponsors sought for Summer Food Service Program to (pretend to) provide meals for children during summer break  – Hawaiʻi State Department of Education

10. Hawaii Task Force Considers Impacts of Legalizing Casinos

11. Hawai‘i organizations outline their top legislative priorities

12. Inflation fears are high. A new poll shows AANHPI are particularly worried | Hawai'i Public Radio

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