September 19, 2026 News Read

Hawaii Daily News Read

Saturday, September 19, 2026

September 19, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 9:40 AM :: 353 Views

Maui doctor loses bid for new attempted murder trial

Hawaii County Fire Chief Candidates Announced

Teachers Union Plans Big for Honolulu Gay Pride Parade—‘appropriate for all ages’

HSTA: Hawai’i State Teachers Association members, please join us for the 2026 Honolulu Pride Parade on Saturday, Oct. 17….

For this year’s parade, HSTA will be walking as a group! We have reserved a trolley that seats 90….

When you arrive at Magic Island, look for colleagues wearing rainbow HSTA T-shirts. Members of HSTA’s Human and Civil Rights Committee will check you in as part of our walking group. Please note that we can only provide rainbow T-shirts for HSTA members while supplies last; family and friends are encouraged to wear their own rainbow-colored attire….

You are also free to accessorize and bring props as you please, as long as they are appropriate for all ages. Parade organizers say any group they deem inappropriate will not be allowed to participate….

Consider bringing a battery pack for your cell phone, especially if you plan to attend the Honolulu Pride Festival at the Tom Moffatt Waikīkī Shell or remain in Waikīkī after the parade….

Once our walk is complete, please make your way to the Kapiʻolani Park Bandstand for a post-parade photo. Please stay after the parade and photo and join us for fellowship with your HSTA ʻohana….

“… Unfortunately, you will likely see protestors stationed along the route. Please do not engage with them. Remember that you are representing HSTA and must act professionally. We do not want to acknowledge or draw attention to their message….”

FLASHBACK:

Feb 22, 2023: HSTA: Our LGBTQ Students are 'Lovable'--Raise Money for Sex-Change Clinic
Oct 28, 2022: Gay Socialist Teacher Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ to Child Molestation
Oct 1, 2022: Socialist Ex-teacher charged with child porn now indicted in sex assault
DoJ June 22, 2022: Oahu Schoolteacher Detained on Charge of Sexually Exploiting Minor Student

read … Join HSTA in the 2026 Honolulu Pride Parade - Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association

Souza-Medeiros race on ballot directed to Republicans only

SA: … A special request is being made of voters in one Leeward Oahu district to determine their state House representative in the Nov. 3 general election.

Because the contest for House District 43 representing Kapolei and Makakilo is a rerun of the Aug. 8 primary election between two Republicans, incumbent Rep. Kanani Souza and challenger Sheila Medeiros, ballots instruct that the choice should be made by “Republican Party Voters Only.”

Yet voting in the primary election for either Souza or Medeiros, which resulted in a tie, wasn’t limited to members of the Republican Party. And because party affiliations or preferences aren’t required or disclosed for voting in the general election, the instruction on the ballot for the House District 43 race can’t be enforced….

In a 5-0 ruling, the court determined that two voters from another district were mistakenly given ballots for House District 43 at the Kapolei Hale Voter Service Center run by county elections officials, potentially skewing the number of valid votes cast enough to make Souza or Medeiros the winner rather than tying with 842 votes each.

The justices, which also faulted the state Office of Elections for not promulgating administrative rules for a method to carry out a state law for breaking a tie by “lot” or random decision, ordered that a new election between Souza and Medeiros be held concurrently with the general election.

“The ballot for State Representative District 43 shall plainly identify for that race: ‘Republican Party Voters Only.’ ” the order said….

Souza filed a motion with the court on Sept. 11 asking that the ballot language be reconsidered in part because the language and state Constitution conflict. Souza suggested instead that the ballot identify the race as a “Republican Primary Election.”

On Wednesday, three justices affirmed the original decision over two dissenting justices who agreed with Souza….

Read … Souza-Medeiros race on ballot directed to Republicans only | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Maui woman pleads guilty to voting unlawfully in 2024 election

SA: … Acaso was born in the Philippines and came to the U.S. in 2018 on an immigrant visa. She became a lawful permanent resident. Acaso cast a mail-in ballot in the 2024 general election, according to federal court records.

The FBI received a referral on Jan. 29 from the Maui County clerk’s office, whose records “indicated Acaso submitted a mail-in ballot in the 2024 general election” on Nov. 5, 2024.

Acaso was interviewed on June 17 when she told FBI agents. She was not in custody when she, “admitted she voted by signing and mailing a ballot for the 2024 presidential election” while she was living on Maui.

Acaso alleged her uncle pressured her to vote and told her to vote for a particular candidate….

Acaso is the second Filipino national charged with illegal voting by federal prosecutors in Hawaii since June.

On June 2, Remedios A. Alasaas, 66, of Kahului, who is in the U.S. illegally, was charged with misdemeanors for allegedly voting in a federal election as a migrant without legal status.

Alasaas faces two misdemeanor counts of unlawfully voting, according to federal court records. Alasaas entered the U.S. in 2014 on an immigrant visa from the Philippines and registered to vote.

Alasaas was not a U.S. citizen when she cast votes: first, in a general election on Nov. 8, 2022, for U.S. House and Senate races; and then in a primary election on Aug. 10, 2024, for president, vice president, U.S. House and Senate races.

She pleaded not guilty June 9 and is scheduled for trial Dec. 1….

Read … Maui woman pleads guilty to voting unlawfully in 2024 election | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Hawai‘i joins multi-state lawsuit against DHS over immigration

ASD: … Less than a week after being sued by the federal government over illegal immigration, Hawai‘i has returned fire with its own immigration lawsuit.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint against the state over an administrative rule allowing illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition benefits at the University of Hawai‘i, which the suit alleged was a violation of federal law.

That suit remains pending, but on Tuesday, Hawai‘i joined more than 20 other states in suing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over proposed changes to laws allowing noncitizens to be eligible for public benefits.

This suit revolves around the definition of the phrase “public charge”: in the context of immigration laws, a noncitizens could be denied entry to or permanent residence in the county if they were deemed likely to become a “public charge,” or someone unable to support themselves who would likely become dependent upon public benefits.

In 2019, during President Donald Trump’s first administration, the federal government redefined “public charge” as “an alien who receives one or more public benefits … for more than 12 months in the aggregate within any 36-month period.”

In 2022, during the administration of President Joe Biden, the definition was reverted to be closer to the original definition; in July, DHS passed a rule re-reverting the definition to that from 2019.

This sequence of events — in which laws have ping-ponged between two different forms between the Trump and Biden administrations — mirrors another pair of suits between Hawai‘i and the federal government concerning endangered species protections….

read … Hawai‘i joins multi-state lawsuit against DHS over immigration

Five years after Red Hill fuel spill, Navy touts progress as residents express skepticism

HNN: … Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam said it is preparing to put the Aiea-Halawa shaft back into routine operation to supply drinking water.

“We’ve installed a treatment system there to enable us to reactive that well,” said Cmdr. Benjamin Dunn of the Navy Closure Task Force-Red Hill. “We’re doing the same thing for the Red Hill shaft, so when we complete that we will be positioned to work through the reactivation approval process.”…

The Aiea-Halawa Shaft we disconnected after the November 2021 release of fuel that tainted Pearl Harbor’s tap water and sickened thousands of people…..

HPR: 5 years after the Red Hill fuel spill, Navy seeks to reopen one of its shafts | Hawai'i Public Radio

read … Five years after Red Hill fuel spill, Navy touts progress as residents express skepticism | Hawaii News Now

Kalaupapa's drinking water system is down for repairs. When can residents return?

HPR: … “We're continuing through that diagnostic and repair cycle on a variety of components.”

She hoped for repairs to be done early next week, though that estimate was subject to change.

“Part of that has to do with the isolation and remote nature of the site means that getting specialized equipment and personnel on site and parts can often take a longer period of time,” she said.

About 40 years ago, NPS changed how Kalaupapa gets its water.

“In 1985, the National Park Service installed a well-based system that replaced the system that was pulling water out of Waikolu Stream,” Holman said. “The system went from essentially a surface system into a well-based system, and that allows for consistency of water quality and sourcing.”

Holman said this is the first time both the primary and secondary systems have failed, despite regular maintenance.

It's also the first time that residents have had to leave the peninsula for this long.

While the number fluctuates, the average population of Kalaupapa is around 60. Most of them have left the settlement during this time, except for staff working on the water system….

read … Kalaupapa's drinking water system is down for repairs. When can residents return? | Hawai'i Public Radio

Hawaii Supreme Court weighs dual compensation claims in exonerees’ case

HNN: … Justices will decide if Schweitzer brothers can make claims in both state and federal court ….

read … Hawaii Supreme Court weighs dual compensation claims in exonerees’ case | Hawaii News Now

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