April 25, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

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April 25, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 3:41 PM :: 247 Views

Feds say Hawaii crime boss orchestrated his own death to shield millions in assets

Federal Justice: Three Sentenced in Big Island Affordable Housing Scam

KIUC to Retire $2.7 Million in Patronage Capital to Members

Judge grounds flyers' attempt to undo Alaska-Hawaiian airlines merger

It’s all over now and we can get back to bribery as usual

SA: … Sylvia Luke was so ~~affected emotionally and physically over~~ (tainted by) a state Attorney General’s investigation, Gov. Josh Green said, he worried about ~~her health~~ (himself becoming entangled) and intentionally left her out of important meetings, such as the state’s responses to the back-to- back-to-back storms that began in March.

“It was really affecting her and that was a concern I had just as a governor,” Green told the Honolulu Star- Advertiser in his Capitol office on Friday. “I was worried that she couldn’t be at her best. And you have to be at your best in this job. You have to be able to focus. I mean we had a gigantic flood. And because of this circumstance, I really had no choice but to do it just with my adjutant general. We couldn’t bring in the lieutenant governor or her team because this whole thing was hanging over them. Decisions have to get made in the moment as the investigation seemed to be more and more serious. (And then I might get caught in her corruption scandal.) So I wasn’t able to really lean on her or her team, even though we’ve had a very good run for three years.”

As speculation increased that Luke may be the “influential state legislator” who allegedly accepted $35,000 in cash in a paper bag, Green canceled multiple trips that would have left Luke temporarily in charge of the state.

Green has not been interviewed as part of the investigation and has purposely kept it at arm’s length, he said.

(See? Told you.)

“I really don’t know any of the details of the Attorney General’s investigation,” Green said (without smirking) ….

On Wednesday, Lopez informed Green that her office had sent target letters to Luke and others.

“That’s when everything kind of started to explode,” Green said. “In order to maintain public trust, if there’s a circumstance in which things are so serious that there’s a target letter and a possible indictment, then that’s too much to hang over somebody and they need to step away. … So when it crossed that threshold with a target letter, that’s when I knew that we had to sit down and talk about a potential leave of absence or other alternatives that we could discuss. There was no question that we had to meet.”

Green asked Luke to see him in his office Thursday morning to discuss her future.

“There was some discussion as to whether she would resign altogether,” Green said. “But in truth, I don’t want to ever be judge and jury. It was emotional. It was very tough for her. It was also tough for me to be so direct. And we just had a heart-to-heart talk.”

Luke left for about an hour to consider her future and then told Green that she would go on a leave of absence.

“To the lieutenant governor’s credit, she insisted that it be an unpaid leave,” Green said. “That was her idea. So I think that was the right thing to do. My hope is that she’s able to now spend time and find whatever kind of closure or resolution she can.

(TRANSLATION: She is the sacrificial lamb. It’s all over now and we can get back to bribery as usual.)

“I’m sad that this event from 2022 caught up with her (after a lifetime of similar transactions went unnoticed) and it has to be resolved.” ….

FLASHBACK 2019: Caldwell’s ‘Ethics’ Commission Still Making Excuses for its’ Kealoha Coverup (Today Green is reading from Caldwell's 2019 playbook. The AG is covering for roiling scrum of corruption surrounding Luke just as Honolulu Ethics Comm tried to cover for Kealoha and Caldwell.)

Read … Gov. Green addresses questions about Luke’s future | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Chin: Since When does the State AG Send out ‘Target Letters?’

HPH: … CHIN: Getting the target letter is, I don't want to say it's what always happens, but it is definitely a construct of the federal law enforcement system where, before they even bring charges and indict somebody, there's an initial target letter which is written to the individual saying here are the potential charges that you might be facing, there's substantial evidence that could be brought against you. There's often an invitation to meet with law enforcement to try to explain their position. It puts the individual who is receiving the target letter on notice that this is happening, so that they can, in fairness, present a defense, or find a lawyer, put together a legal team if they need to do something like that. I have to say this: I've never seen it happen at the state or county level. That doesn't mean that state prosecutors like the attorney general or county prosecutors can't do something like that. It's just not part of the state and local system, if you will. There's no requirement. It is unusual. Not wrong to do it, but it is unusual….

HNN: Governor describes dealing with Luke scandal | Hawaii News Now

Read … Former attorney general Doug Chin recalls acting lieutenant governor stint | Hawai'i Public Radio

3-2 Senate Panel Narrowly Approves Chief Justice Nominee

CB: … two of the five senators, including the committee chair, voted against Gov. Josh Green’s nominee.

(TRANSLATION: 2 ‘Progressives’ vs 3 ‘Old Boys’. The rest is rationalizations and excuses.)

(‘Progressive’) Rhoads told the largely pro-Devens audience representing the labor and legal circles that it was “a sad day” for him, as he had voted to approve 69 previous judicial selections. The Devens’ nomination was his 70th and first to oppose.

(Devins may be a crook but so are the progressives. His nomination will shift the judiciary in ways unfavorable to the soft-on-crime crowd and the green energy absolutists. That is what this vote is all about.)

“This is the first time where I felt like I wasn’t getting all the information needed to make my decision from the paperwork or the nominee themselves,” he said. “Too many important facts came to my attention through the press. For these reasons, for those reasons, I reluctantly recommend that we not consent to the nomination.”

Rhoads was referring to Civil Beat stories that reported Devens had not disclosed his membership on the board of Be Change Now, a super PAC operated by Pacific Resource Partnership….

(‘Progressive’) Sen. Joy San Buenaventura ~~was~~ also (said that being) troubled by Devens failure to disclose his political ties (was a good enough excuse) and voted against him ….

But (old boy) Sens. Stanley Chang, Mike Gabbard and Brenton Awa voted in favor of Devens….

ASD: Senate committee narrowly approves Chief Justice nominee

ASD: Supreme Court nominee questioned over Carpenters Union ties

KEY FACT: Enviros win 90% in Hawaii Supreme Court

Read … Senate Panel Narrowly Approves Chief Justice Nominee - Honolulu Civil Beat

HMSA-HPH Merger Is Not A Solution To Hawaiʻi Health Care Problems

CB: … The first priority should be reducing practice costs with a much simpler, more transparent payment system….

Read … HMSA-HPH Merger Is Not A Solution To Hawaiʻi Health Care Problems - Honolulu Civil Beat

Trump extends Jones Act waiver 90 days to ease energy costs

SA: … The decision adds roughly three months to the existing waiver that was set to expire on May 17, enabling foreign-flagged vessels to move commodities between U.S. ports through mid-August….

SFC: California has a new way of getting gasoline, for the first time in modern memory

Read … Trump extends Jones Act waiver 90 days to ease energy costs | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Bill honoring 2 crash victims fails as family continues pushing for change

HNN: … A bill aimed at making roads safer by targeting unlicensed drivers failed in the state legislature.

House Bill 2589 would’ve made it a felony if the driver in a deadly crash was behind the wheel without a license. Penalties would have be even stiffer if they were repeat offenders.

The bill was named in honor of two people who died as a result of reckless drivers: Sara Yara and Koali Denning Ring….

Read … Bill honoring 2 crash victims fails as family continues pushing for change | Hawaii News Now

3,700 Oahu properties will require flood insurance under new FEMA maps

PBN: … The updated FEMA maps take effect June 10. Homeowners with mortgages will have 45 days to purchase coverage or face force-placed policies….

Read … 3,700 Oahu properties will require flood insurance under new FEMA maps

‘Degassing’ of Red Hill tanks nearing completion, Navy says

SA: … Decommissioning the Red Hill Bulk Storage Facility will continue next week, with the Navy announcing Friday that it will be “degassing” Tank 11, which it called “another significant milestone.” …

The Navy Closure Task Force Red Hill said in a news release that tank decommissioning is a multistep process that involves defueling, venting and cleaning before the permanent closure of each tank. “Degassing” removes volatile organic compounds by circulating clean air from the bottom of the tank and forcing emissions through a ventilation system….

Tank 12 began its degassing process in March, with the process completed on April 13, task force spokesperson Joanna Delfin confirmed. Total emissions for the tank showed readings below 4.82 pounds per hour and an undiluted volatile organic compound concentration below 15 parts per million by volume based on a one-hour, time-weighted average…

The tank is the 11th of 14 to go through the process, which the Navy said is a “critical step” to prepare it for cleaning and decommissioning. Last month, the task force announced another tank to begin degassing, which leaves three remaining tanks that need still need to degas: Tank nine, Tank 10 and Tank 16. Six of the facility’s 20 tanks were empty and out of service before defueling began.

According to the task force, this first step in decommissioning the tanks takes two to three months. The process in its entirety, from degassing to closure, takes six to 10 months.

As of March 27, four tanks were in the final step of decommissioning, according to the latest data available on the Task Force’s Operations Dashboard. The dashboard had not yet been updated with tank 11 as of Friday, but Delfin said she expects the data to be updated by next week.

Two tanks were in the solid sludge removal process, the second step, while three tanks were in the pressure-washing process.

The dashboard said it also had removed 2,512 gallons of residual fuel as of March 27, with two pipelines reaching 91% clean and one pipeline reaching 96% clean. Once cleaned and approved, the pipes will be cut, removed and transported to the mainland for recycling….

Read … ‘Degassing’ of Red Hill tanks nearing completion, Navy says | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Trial for couple accused of killing adopted daughter delayed until 2027

HNN: … The trial for accused child killers Lehua and Isaac Kalua is now delayed until the first week of April next year.

The couple is accused of torturing, starving, and locking their adopted daughter, Ariel Sellers, 6, also known as Isabella Kalua, in a dog cage.

Her body was never found.

A judge granted the continuance Friday at the request of the couple’s attorney, and the state did not object.

The trial had been previously delayed until August 2026….

Read … Trial for couple accused of killing adopted daughter delayed until 2027 | Hawaii News Now

Maui Council considers 9% sewer fee hike

MN: … Department of Environmental Management officials now forecast the planned Central Maui Wastewater Reclamation Facility in Waikapū will cost from $298 million to $420 million, or two- to three-times higher than the $130.6 million project estimate published in the project’s final environmental impact statement in February.

The ballooning price tag for the Waikapū plant emerges as a sign of rapidly rising construction costs while the Maui County Council considers an overall $698.2 million capital improvement project budget and takes up a 9% sewer rate increase for the upcoming fiscal year. The increase in sewer user fees is estimated to generate an additional $2.2 million in revenue for Wastewater Division operations.

Overall, the department is seeking a 3.7% increase to $141.9 million for operations and $124 million for capital improvement projects. The department also is requesting two expansion positions, which would bring its full-time equivalent employee total to 264.

Mayor Richard Bissen has proposed a $1.61 billion budget for fiscal 2027….

Read … Waikapū sewer plant costs more than double as Maui Council considers 9% sewer fee hike : Maui Now

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