August 15, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

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Saturday, August 15, 2026

August 15, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 8:46 AM :: 160 Views

Primary Election -- After Cured Ballots Fourth Read produces Two Tie Votes

SCOTUS Asked to Discipline Three Hawaii Supreme Court Justices

$40M Libel: Princeville Q-Anon Cult Leader Loses in Federal Court (again)

Report: Energy prices higher in Blue states due to policies

Hawaii gunowner targets Denver open-carry ban

Oliveira Hired as Acting Administrator of Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense

Two GOP Primary Races to be decided ‘By Lot’ at 1pm Today

SA: … Oahu voters who cured deficiencies in their ballots over the last five days made a difference in two exceptionally close primary election races for seats in Hawaii’s Legislature — but not enough to yield winners Friday.

The two close races both ended in ties, according to a final count, and now winners will by law be determined via a drawing.

The pulling of lots is scheduled for today at 1 p.m. at the state Capitol….

HNN: History made: Two Hawaii legislative primary races end in ties. Here's how the winners will now be chosen | Hawaii News Now

Read … Oahu GOP primary election races fit to be tied | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Killer Konig Case: Otake finds new way to reverse verdict

DM: … A Hawaii doctor found guilty of trying to kill his engineer wife at a beauty spot could walk free after a text that appeared on a livestream during deliberations predicted the exact verdict.

Anesthesiologist Gerhardt Konig, 47, has suggested the jury that convicted him of the March 2025 attempted manslaughter of his wife Arielle was tampered with.

During a Law&Crime YouTube livestream while the case was ongoing, a comment popped up saying 'I've been texting with one of the juror's [sic] and they're going for count 3 attempted manslaughter.'

(CLUE: When your client is about to go down for attempted manslaughter, post this message on Court TV livestream. Be sure to reference the most likely verdict outcome. If you guessed right, you can later use your scam message to claim juror misconduct.)

Konig was found guilty of that exact crime in April, but cleared of other counts including second-degree murder, after trying to push Arielle off a cliff …

Addressing Oahu's First Circuit Court Judge Paul Wong on Friday, Konig's attorney Thomas Otake said the text suggested at least one of the jurors had broken a strict rule not to talk to anyone outside the jury about the case while it was ongoing.

(REALITY: It was just a lucky guess by someone trying to prepare to get the case reversed.)

Konig's defense acknowledged that the 'full scope' of what happened remained unknown, (and they are really glad about that) the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. But they claimed to have 'substantial concerns regarding the jury's exposure to outside influence or extraneous information during deliberations,' per a court filing reported by CNN….

SA: Jurors ordered back to court following Maui doctor verdict | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Otake at Work:

Read … Hawaii doctor who tried to kill unfaithful engineer wife at beauty spot could walk free after text that appeared on livestream during his trial predicated EXACT verdict | Daily Mail Online

Oahu man to plead guilty to threatening Michigan governor—was in ‘Behavioral Health Program’

SA: … On May 9, Saville emailed the Michigan State Police identifying himself and referencing the state Capitol in Lansing, Mich. Saville allegedly said he was “going to walk in with a gun — an AR-15 — and open fire and kill as many people as possible. I mean what I say. I’m not a joke,” according to federal court records.

Saville later that same day also allegedly sent a second email to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer stating, “just to let you know on Tuesday second, Lancy, Michigan is never gonna be the same again going to walk into the state capital shoot it up and kill as many people as possible than that I’m coming for you(.)”

He also sent a message to the Michigan State Police that he would “shoot up the place.”

Saville called the FBI on May 12 and allegedly told an FBI agent that he wanted to kill Whitmer because of her political affiliation. He told agents who interviewed him at a behavioral health program in Kailua that he had been planning a trip to Michigan to carry out his threat….

(CLUE: The ‘program’ wasn’t enough.)

Read … Oahu man to plead guilty to threatening Michigan governor | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

After Usual Cosplay Testimony, BLNR nixes long-term East Maui water license for Mahi Pono

SA: … The state Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday blocked a proposed path toward a 30-year East Maui water license for Mahi Pono and voted to authorize the chair to secure a hearings officer for a court-ordered contested case hearing over the company’s stream diversion permits.

The decisions came after nearly eight hours of testimony during a meeting that ran from 9 a.m. to shortly after 5 p.m. and drew speakers ranging from ~~children~~ (young activists) and ~~kupuna~~ (old activists), and included ~~kalo farmers~~ (activists), ~~Native Hawaiians~~ (activists), East Maui ~~residents~~ (activists) and elected ~~officials~~ (activists).

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chair Kaiali‘i Kahele, Rep. Mahina Poepoe (D-Molokai, Lanai, Hana, Paia, Haiku) and state Sen. Brenton Awa (R-Kaneohe, Laie, Mokuleia), who is running for Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District seat, testified against the proposal. At issue was whether the state should pursue a long-term arrangement that could allow Mahi Pono to continue diverting East Maui stream water for decades….

BLNR: 8/14/26 – BLNR TAKES ACTION ON TWO EAST MAUI WATER ISSUES | Department of Land and Natural Resources

Read … BLNR nixes long-term East Maui water license for Mahi Pono | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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