July 10, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Friday, July 10, 2026

July 10, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 11:00 AM :: 193 Views

Line-by-Line: State Energy Office Debunks UHERO Solar Report

After Wrecking Telescopes, DeFries Quits as Mauna Kea Exec Director

HNN: … John De Fries, executive director of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority (MKSOA) Board, will retire at the end of the month….

De Fries previously served as President and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority….

(IQ Test: Do you remember the wreckage DeFries left behind at HTA? That is why he was picked for MKSOA.)

The board said they plan to search for his replacement in the coming weeks, and in the meantime, Komeiji will assume leadership responsibilities and oversee staff.

“Our priority is ensuring the authority’s work continues without interruption,” said vice chair Noe Noe Wong-Wilson. “Chair Komeiji’s familiarity with the organization and its mission provides continuity while we conduct a thoughtful search for our next Executive Director.” …

PAST: Two Telescopes Stop Paying Rent on Mauna Kea and another cancels $500M upgrade-DeFries Doesn’t Notice

FUTURE: HB2592: Maunakea authority has 2 years to fail—then telescope area goes back to UH control

BIN: Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority’s first executive director announces retirement : Big Island Now

Read … Executive director of Mauna Kea Stewardship board announces retirement | Hawaii News Now

Useless Grifters Replace Astronomy: Maunakea access road to summit could become a toll road

BIN: … (After chasing away the world’s best telescopes) One proposal from the Waimea Hawaiian Homesteaders Association, also known as Waimea Nui, involves (something really advanced) charging a yet-to-be-determined access fee for vehicles traveling to the summit. (Imagining that Trillions in) Revenue would be used to build a cultural center, train cultural site stewards, create and apply protocol guides, address human impact, and develop workshops and partnerships with schools, hālau and organizations ….

(CLUE: Some people are on the road to the future. Others are on the side of the road collecting tolls. They will be left behind because nobody needs them for anything.)

Read … Maunakea access road to summit could become a toll road; state agencies discuss 2 proposals : Big Island Now

Weak Excuses from Kauai PD -- Kīlauea community says it has ‘lost trust’ in Kauaʻi police after lack of action resulted in deadly shooting

KN: … New Kauaʻi Police Chief Rudy Tai and members of the criminal justice system attended a public meeting Tuesday to explain their actions and hear concerns involving a homicide, attempted homicide and 2-day manhunt of William "Billy" Sinclair.

… many members of the community are still shaken by the terrorizing days Sinclair was on the loose with multiple weapons — and frustrated by what some say was inaction by the Kauaʻi Police Department to address repeated reports about Sinclair’s threats, gunfire and erratic behavior leading up to the shooting spree.

Three people felt so threatened by the 51-year-old Sinclair for alleged violent behavior that they obtained temporary restraining orders against him.

“We asked for help for months and months,” an emotional resident told new Kauaʻi Police Chief Rudy Tai and other top police brass on Tuesday evening during the Kīlauea Neighborhood Association meeting….

Tai explained that his 166-officer department, which is short staffed with 32 officer vacancies, also was handling an earlier homicide in Waimea on the west side and multiple major incidents. They had only 11 officers available to work islandwide during portions of the Sinclair investigation….

The second of the two homicides occurred after Reyes finished his shift on the evening of June 5. His girlfriend went to check on him at the restaurant after he didn’t come home and found him dead with multiple bullet wounds. Officers responded quickly, arriving at about 12:50 a.m. on June 6.

Less that four hours later, police were dispatched at about 4:45 a.m. to reports of gunshots in the Kīlauea area. Sinclair allegedly fired several shots at Ferguson, who was on a road outside Sinclair’s home in Kīlauea. One bullet grazed the left side of his head “like millimeters from going through” his skull, the criminal complaint said….

Assistant Chief of Police Darren D. Rose also explained that temporary restraining orders do not automatically give police the authority to seize firearms or search a residence.

“The burden is a lot higher,” Rose said, explaining that search warrants require probable cause supported by admissible evidence rather than allegations contained in protective order filings.

Residents challenged that explanation, arguing repeated complaints from multiple neighbors should have prompted additional investigative action.

“What more does it take?” Cowden asked. “If you’ve got multiple houses experiencing something similar… common sense says that is something.”

“We want to be heard,” another resident said.

Rose said police reviewed approximately 24 written reports by officers involving Sinclair dating to 2020, with only one documented report citing a firsthand statement that Sinclair was seen with a firearm.

Several audience members strongly disputed that conclusion, insisting they personally reported seeing weapons and questioned whether officers properly documented those complaints….

The 21-page criminal complaint against Sinclair outlined 20 counts dealing with illegal weapons in his possession. They included a Glock 9mm caliber pistol, a two-shot David Industries .22 caliber pistol, a Polymer 80 semiautomatic handgun, a multicolored 300 AAC Blackout 7.62 caliber short barrel rifle, black Radikal NK1 12-gauge shotgun, black unmarked rifle, Optima 50 caliber black powder rifle, unbranded AR 15, Black Palmetto State Armory PA15 rifle, Black Rossi RS22 rifle and a Black Palmetto State Armory AR rifle.

He also was charged for having illegal ammunition, a black suppressor (silencer) and a black Bulldog Case sock case containing a multicolored AR upper with suppressor.

Several speakers described living in fear for months, alleging they repeatedly reported gunshots, threats involving firearms, and intimidating behavior to police. Some said neighbors eventually stopped calling because they believed their complaints were not leading to meaningful action.

“We got treated like criminals,” another resident said. “We asked multiple times for help.”…

Read … Kīlauea community says it has ‘lost trust’ in Kauaʻi police after lack of action resulted in deadly shooting : Kauai Now

SD18 Appointment: Democrats Send Three Names to Green

HNN: … The party announced Thursday that Sechyi Laiu, Beth K Fukumoto, and Danielle Bass were submitted for selection to fill the seat.

Laiu is a senior Hawaii civil service administrator with more than 15 years of experience in commercial, family, immigration and legislative law. He is the litigation coordinator for the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and was a staff attorney for the city on transportation, public safety, legal affairs and salary compensation.

Fukumoto is a political columnist, longtime Miliani resident and former state representative. She served as vice chair of the House committees on Tourism and Veterans, Military and International Affairs and Culture and the Arts.

Bass is a fourth-generation, lifelong Miliani resident, with more than 20 years of experience serving Central Oahu and Hawaii. She served as Legislative and Committee Manager in the House and advanced sustainability and resilience initiatives and policies as the state’s sustainability coordinator.

The governor will choose one of the three to serve as the next state senator for Central Oahu….

Read … 3 candidates to be considered for District 18 seat |Hawaii News Now

Maui Council committee advances bills re-rezoning dozens of Kīhei, West Maui ‘apartment complexes’ back to hotels

MN: … The Maui County Council’s Housing and Land Use Committee voted 6-2 Monday to forward two resolutions that would begin the process of moving dozens of vacation rentals from apartment-zoned districts into newly created hotel zoning. Council Members Gabe Johnson and Keani Rawlins-Fernandez voted “no,” and Council Member Tamara Paltin was excused from the final vote.

In what one testifier said might be the (2^nd) largest county-initiated zoning and community plan change in Maui County history, the measures would allow dozens of West and South Maui transient vacation rental properties to continue operating as hotels, as many have done for decades….

Bill 88, now Ordinance 6008, created two new hotel zoning categories—H-3 and H-4—intended to match the existing use of roughly 4,500 grandfathered vacation rentals at 104 properties on the so-called Minatoya List. The passage of Bill 88 kicked off what’s happening now—the first attempts to rezone properties from apartment to new hotel zoning as the County phases out vacation rentals in apartment districts under Bill 9…

Resolution 26-110 covers properties with timeshare, leasehold or other characteristics, including Hono Kai and Milowai-Māʻalaea in Māʻalaea, Maui Sunset and Maui Hill in Kīhei, and Kahana Outrigger, Hale Mahina Beach Resort and Kāʻanapali Royal in West Maui. Resolution 26-111 covers seven properties the county says already operate like hotels, including Wailea Ekahi I, II and III, Wailea Ekolu, the Palms at Wailea, Papakea and Maui Eldorado. Both bills would shift the affected properties’ community plan designation from multifamily or light industrial to hotel….

Read … Maui Council committee advances bills rezoning dozens of Kīhei, West Maui apartment complexes as hotels : Maui Now

Fuel-price shock hits Hawaii’s visitor industry as Iran conflict continues

SA: … Fuel costs have roughly doubled since the Strait of Hormuz first closed, UHERO said, hitting about $4.90 a gallon in early April and driving fuel’s share of airline operating expenses to nearly 45%, up from the typical 25% to 30%. UHERO estimates that spike adds $120–$145 to a round-trip economy fare from the U.S. West Coast and $200 or more from the East Coast. Major carriers including United Airlines and Delta Air Lines already have announced schedule cuts, and UHERO warned that the combination of higher fares and reduced capacity poses a direct threat to Hawaii arrivals.

Visitor arrivals remain up 2.9% year to date through May, but Hawai‘i Tourism Authority interim President and CEO Caroline Anderson said the agency is watching fuel prices closely to gauge the impact of airfare volatility across major markets. She said U.S. travelers — 3.3 million through May — continue to anchor the state’s tourism base. Still, average length of stay has fallen across all markets, a sign that inflation, higher fares and currency pressures are tightening visitor behavior….

Read … Fuel-price shock hits Hawaii’s visitor industry as Iran conflict continues | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Cash Cow? Ritte, Rawlins Protest Kalaupapa Tours

CB: … “To me the dangerous thing is these tours were started up without any community consultation,” Rawlins-Fernandez said. “There was no community meeting. As this island’s council member I did not know. We know that Kalaupapa can be a cash cow for NPS and that has always been a real fear.”….

2025: Meet the Meth Gang Behind ‘Lahaina Strong’ > Hawaii Free Press

2020 Fun fact: 2020 Primary Election Precinct Detail shows all Ritte's support comes from haole wannabees in Upcountry Maui pcts 13-1 & 13-2. Ritte is VERY unpopular on Molokai pcts 13-5,6,7,8,9.)

2008: Molokai Ranch: Protesters to Cash in with Takeover Plan? > Hawaii Free Press

HNN: Council member, residents protest new Kalaupapa hiking tours

Read … Protest Delays National Park Service’s Reopening Of Kalaupapa Tours - Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawai‘i's fraudulent vape ban

ASD: ... If you’re a street junkie, shooting up heroin in Chinatown, the State of Hawai‘i has your back. It’ll take our tax dollars and turn them into clean needles, so you can keep on shooting safely.

Fentanyl addict? Go for it! Chances are you’ll never get busted for public intoxication (though it’s a crime), or possession (a crime), and if you overdose, the state will once again turn tax dollars into Narcan to save your life. All your emergency rooms visits? Not to worry! “The people” have you covered with their tax dollars and inflated insurance premiums.

If you’re an alcoholic, the State of Hawai‘i just doesn’t care. Legislators drink, after all, they’re not going to go after their own Heineken and Merlot. Just don’t drink and drive, that’s the only area where we see public policy put any time and money. Everyone seems perfectly confident that ID checks at the liquor store are keeping booze out of the hands of children.

Love pot? Lucky you live Hawai‘i! Hawai‘i loves pot and Hawai‘i loves you! It’s de facto legal, based on how often you can smell pot in the open. And it’s trivially easy to go the law-abiding medical marijuana route. Tell a doctor you’re anxious, get a prescription and it’s off the pot pharmacy you go. Enjoy! After all, we’ve hashed this issue out for years now and all sensible people agree that drug prohibitions never work. You have to respect people’s choices and just legalize and tax their habit.

But if you’re a smoker who’d like to quit smoking cigarettes by going to a safer but similar alternative, this same State of Hawai‘i has just two words.

Screw. You.

As ASD reported yesterday, Gov. Josh Green just signed a law that as of January 1, 2027, will ban “99.9% of disposable vapes” in Hawai‘i. Flanked by public health officials and the obligatory Child For Whom We Do This, he positively beamed with pride…

READ … Pipikaula Corner: Hawai‘i's fraudulent vape ban

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