August 25, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

August 25, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 9:22 AM :: 155 Views

Leaving Hawaii: Wall Street Journal Misses the Boat

HECO Predicts Power Restoration by September 8

‘No Way’: Two Ballot ‘overage’ behind Souza’s desperate challenge in deadlocked primary race

HNN: … State Rep. Kanani Souza filed a (pro-se) Hawaii Supreme Court challenge Monday over the outcome of the primary election in House District 43 after she said she discovered a discrepancy in the state’s post-election report.

Souza and challenger Sheila Medeiros finished tied with 842 votes each. Medeiros was declared the winner after the chief election officer drew her name out of a basket.

Souza said the report shows an overage specifically from Precinct Three.

The report shows two more ballots were cast, 56, than the number of envelopes that came in, 54….

Chief Election Officer Scott Nago said overages happen.

“Sometimes that’s due to people putting in two ballots in one envelope,” Nago said. “We try and catch that, but, you know, human error. It’s not an unusual occurrence.”

Nago said no election is perfect but agreed that normally the number of ballots to envelopes doesn’t usually make a difference because the gap between the winner and loser is greater.

HNN Political Analyst Colin Moore said the overage does not point to wrongdoing.

“In no way is this evidence of fraud or anything like that,” Moore called it part of the bookkeeping process, “Sometimes it just doesn’t quite match for a variety of reasons.” ….

PDF: Complaint (144pg)

KHON: Rep. Souza files challenge to election result tie-breaker

SA: Legal challenge filed over tiebreaker for state House seat | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

SA: Editorial: Special election must decide ties | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Read … ‘Zero margin’: Ballot overage behind challenge in deadlocked primary race | Hawaii News Now

State Supreme Court to hear arguments over Tommy Waters’ election eligibility

SA: … The Hawaii Supreme Court today is set to hear oral arguments in two legal challenges stemming from the Aug. 8 primary election for the City Council’s East Honolulu seat now occupied by Tommy Waters.

The high court’s ruling could determine whether Waters or Tara Malia Gregory advances to the Nov. 3 general election against Trevor Ozawa for Council District 4, which represents communities from Waikiki to Hawaii Kai….

BACKGROUND: The Councilman, the Crime Boss, and the “Hostage” Trees | i L i n d

Read … State Supreme Court to hear arguments over Tommy Waters’ election eligibility | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Supreme Court lifts one of two blocks on Trump’s mail-in ballot restrictions

SA: … The U.S. Supreme Court today lifted a judicial decision blocking President Donald Trump’s administration from implementing his executive order to restrict the use of mail-in ballots ahead of the November midterm elections that will decide control of Congress — though another remains.

The justices granted a Justice Department emergency request to put on hold an injunction that Boston-based U.S. Judge Indira Talwani imposed in June, preventing Trump from proceeding with his directive in a coalition of 23 mostly Democratic-governed states and Washington, D.C., that had sued to stop it….

B: Everyone, Take a Deep Breath About That SCOTUS Decision

WaPo: Supreme Court eases path for Trump’s sweeping limits on mail-in balloting - The Washington Post

BACKGROUND: Will USPS deliver mail-in ballots in Hawaii?

MEANWHILE: Long Lines Suppress Votes on Election Day: Election Officials Plan to do it Again in 2026

Read … Supreme Court lifts block on Trump’s mail-in ballot restrictions | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Fake AI-generated endorsement sets up test of Act 247?

HNN: … Berning initially told Hawaii Public Radio, which first reported the story 10 days ago, that he had never heard of Trask and that the woman shown in the ad was a model. That claim was proven false because the AI-generated photo used in the ad was a well-known image of Trask that is often attached to articles about her.

Trask’s sister, Mililani Trask, said she is certain Berning knew who her sister was.

“It’s clearly a violation and a perpetration of fraud on the voters in our state,” Mililani Trask said.

The 30-second ad claims a lack of support for mothers causes abortion. It includes a photo of a mutilated fetus. The ad also uses an AI-generated version of Trask’s voice and image, appearing to show her endorsing Berning’s campaign.

Haunani-Kay Trask passed away in 2021.

“Everyone had seen it and was very upset about it,” Mililani Trask said. “He was trying to send a message about abortion, and he wanted it to come out through my sister’s face and voice, and he wanted to desecrate the death of a young infant by showing that photo and making that connection.”

State Rep. Scot Matayoshi, chair of the Consumer Protection Committee, said Trask’s family can now sue over the misuse of her image under a new law, Act 247, which took effect earlier this year.

“This was certainly one of the things that we were afraid of when we passed this law,” Matayoshi said. “People are justifiably outraged at this.”…

The ad’s use of a graphic fetus photo is a tactic being used by 10 other candidates funded by a PAC organized by anti-abortion activist Randall Terry, who is also a candidate in Virginia.

His fundraising website states that federal law forbidding censorship of congressional ads means television stations cannot refuse to run the graphic photos….

Berning received fewer than a thousand votes in the primary, but it was enough to place him on the general election ballot, which means he could insist on running more uncensored ads….

Read … AI-generated endorsement depicting late activist outrages Hawaiian community | Hawaii News Now

In A Big Hurricane, Hawaiʻi has almost zero Shelters To Protect You

CB: … Civil Beat contacted each county’s emergency management agency to inquire about the strength of their shelters. Only Hawaiʻi island responded to say two facilities were built to withstand Category 3 hurricane force winds: Hilo High School Gym and Robert N. Herkes Gymnasium and Shelter in Pāhala. No projects are underway to fortify the others.

Honolulu, Maui and Kauaʻi counties said information on the strength of their islands’ facilities is not being tracked or was not readily available. Oʻahu’s emergency manager, however, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in March that 20 of the island’s 25 shelter sites were retrofitted to stand up to only a Category 1 hurricane — the weakest classification on the five-step scale.

The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency, or HIEMA, said it was unable to provide a breakdown of island storm shelters and their level of fortitude. Jeffery Hickman, director of public affairs at the Department of Defense, said counties are responsible for tracking that information ….

Many Hawaiʻi residents live in single-wall structures at severe risk of collapsing in a heavy storm. Category 2 storms are marked by winds of over 96 miles per hour, which are capable of tearing through single-wall construction, ripping off roofs and shattering windows. Those living in newer high rises may be unsure whether to stay or go….

SA: Hurricane strike on Oahu would be catastrophic | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Read … In A Big Hurricane, Don’t Count On Hawaiʻi Shelters To Protect You - Honolulu Civil Beat

Feds: Wanted Criminal, Escapee got $458K COVID Money

SA: … Likout has had dozens of bank accounts closed over the last eight years because of fraud, according to federal court documents. Bank records subpoenaed by federal prosecutors revealed a “pattern of fraud,” from applying for loans using the personal identifying information of other real people, to submitting false documents.

He was arrested in Hauula on Oct. 16. The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking $458,597 in cash in forfeiture from Likout.

He used companies he incorporated in February 2018 — No Ka Oi Tours Oahu, No Ka Oi Oahu and Hale Me Ke Malama LLC — to create business accounts that looked legitimate.

Likout is wanted for felony theft in Washington and Florida. He has more than $18,000 in financial obligations after credit card fraud convictions in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2011 following crimes in 2006. Likout also was convicted for escape on Maui in 1997.

He has committed “numerous traffic offenses, including multiple charges for driving without a license,” according to federal court documents.

Likout failed to appear in Hawaii state court at least 10 times. He has three prior state convictions in Hawaii for escape and two for felony theft, according to the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center.

Likout is currently “selling” tools and other items on Facebook Marketplace under the name “Jake Keating,” according to federal prosecutors….

Read … Man indicted for stealing IDs to get COVID funds | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Deaths Spiking as Meth-Heads Age Out

CB: … Experts on the mainland say that polysubstance use — mixing meth with opioids, primarily fentanyl — has become far more common. That’s true among younger victims in Civil Beat’s review. But many older victims using meth showed no signs of fentanyl use at the time of their deaths.

About a quarter were homeless, but many held responsible jobs, owned property and even volunteered to help their communities. At least 30% suffered from a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy that can be caused by meth use and makes it hard for the heart to pump blood. One study found that Hawaiʻi had the highest rate of DCM among the states. It did not specify meth as the cause, and there can be other triggers, but considering the prevalence of meth in Hawaiʻi, the statistic is telling.

Many victims had told doctors they used meth but continued to smoke despite the peril, a testament to the drug’s addictive powers.

REALITY: Mehau in Majuro – How the US Meth Epidemic Began

CB: 100 Autopsies: Meth Deaths Spiking 40 Years After Ice Seized Hawaiʻi - Honolulu Civil Beat

MEANWHILE: Department of Health warns about fentanyl-laced cocaine | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Read … 5 Takeaways From Our Investigation Of Methamphetamine In Hawaiʻi - Honolulu Civil Beat

To Support N Korea, U.S. withdraws from military exercises with South Korea (Yes, you read that right.)

WaPo: … The United States will not join South Korea in large-scale amphibious landing exercises next month because of demands ~~in the Middle East, the South Korean military said Monday — raising further questions about the sustainability of U.S. military commitments in Asia as the Iran war strains resources~~ (from Trump).

The U.S. Marine Corps informed its South Korean counterparts in June that in light of “the situation in the ~~Middle East~~ (White House),” the U.S. wouldn’t participate in the Ssangyong, or “Twin Dragon,” exercises carried out every two years, said Han Seung-jeon, a South Korean marine corps spokesman, at a Monday news briefing….

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump said he directed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, citing costs and his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said such exercises send a “totally inappropriate and hostile” signal to North Korea, which he said “has been unthreatening and respectful” during his tenure ….

(TRANSLATION: S Korea is to become part of China’s sphere of influence, thanks to Trump.)

2025: South Korea presidential ouster part of China’s plan to grow regional influence: expert | Fox News

Read … U.S. withdraws from military exercises with South Korea set for next month - The Washington Post

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