Psychiatric hospital employees cleared in killer's escape, state shorted in federal funds, CIO stepping down, pilot rescued in military 'Sentry Aloha' crash, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaii road construction ©2018 All Hawaii News

Hawaii only state shut out of federal DOT grants. The federal Department of Transportation will disburse some $1.5 billion to fund 91 infrastructure projects around the country — none in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

State information chief Todd Nacapuy resigning at year’s end.  Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii’s Chief Information Officer Is Stepping Down. The state’s top technology official, Todd Nacapuy, was appointed by Gov. David Ige in 2014. Civil Beat.

=====

Hawaii State Hospital workers cleared in killer’s escape. The Hawaii State Hospital employees who were put on paid leave and suspected of possibly helping dangerous psychiatric patient Randall Saito make an infamous escape to Maui and California using cash and fake identifi­cation have been cleared and face no discipline, state officials announced Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

State Hospital Employees Won’t Be Disciplined For Patient’s Escape. Attorney General Russell Suzuki said no employee aided Randall Saito in the killer’s 2017 escape, but that hospital security was lax. Civil Beat.

State Hospital Staff Cleared of Wrongdoing in Randall Saito 2017 Escape. Hawaii Public Radio.

No state employees disciplined after investigation into admitted killer’s escape. Hawaii News Now.

State concludes no Hawaii State Hospital employee responsible for Randall Saito's escape. KHON2.

AG investigation concludes Hawaii State Hospital staff did not assist escapee Randall Saito. The AG and the Hawaii Department of Health held a press conference Wednesday to discuss the closure of investigation of Randall Saito’s escape from Hawaii State Hospital. KITV.

=====

Pilot rescued after small military training plane crashes off Oahu. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam officials said in a statement that the jet was being operated by a civilian contractor flying in conjunction with the Hawaii Air National Guard’s “Sentry Aloha” exercises, which are scheduled through Dec. 19. Star-Advertiser.

Military exercises to resume as officials investigate cause of offshore fighter jet crash. Multiple agencies will meet Thursday morning to determine who will handle the investigation and salvage efforts following a fighter jet crash off Honolulu that seriously injured a pilot. Hawaii News Now.

Pilot Survives After Plane Crashes Into Ocean Near Honolulu Airport. The pilot was a civilian contractor for the Hawaii Air National Guard taking part in an exercise called Sentry Aloha. Associated Press.

=====

Hawaiian Airlines to offer cheaper seat option starting in 2019. Starting 2019, a fourth tier will be added: the addition of Main Cabin Basic. It's a bare-bones version: no ticket changes or standby; seats are assigned after check-in, and though you can earn HawaiianMiles, travelers who choose this option will not be eligible for bonus miles. KHON2.

The owners and officers of a Japanese-flagged fishing vessel were charged Tuesday with smuggling and trafficking 962 shark fins into and out of Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Ag tech and resource management offer opportunities for Hawaii-Israel collaboration. When it comes to agricultural technology and resource management, Hawaii is finding a partner in collaboration nearly halfway around the world. West Hawaii Today.

Oahu

Honolulu Police Corruption Probe Now Includes Katherine Kealoha’s Brother. A federal grand jury continues to expand its investigation, now delving into prescription pain medications that were seized during a 2015 drug raid. Civil Beat.

Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro is free to disclose that he is a target of a federal investigation into government corruption and owes it to the people who elected him to do so, several criminal defense attorneys told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Wednesday. Star-Advertiser.

Experts: Kaneshiro Can Talk About Federal Investigation If He Wants To. There’s no rule that prohibits Honolulu’s elected prosecutor from telling the public whether he is the target of a Justice Department probe. Star-Advertiser.

=====

Private Guards Help Keep The Homeless From Camping In Parks. Calling it a success, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is extending a program in which the guards shuttle between nine parks. Civil Beat.

First of its kind renewable gas facility opens on Oahu. The purpose is to turn sewage into energy and hopefully eliminate the need for nearly 15,000 barrels of oil per year. KITV.

Opening of Hawaii’s first Daiso in Pearl City draws hundreds. The 5,000-square-foot Japanese discount store at the Pearl City Shopping Center is the first of three or four planned on Oahu by HouseMart, the parent company of Ben Franklin Crafts and Ace Hardware, which has an exclusive licensing agreement to open Daiso stores in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

The county Board of Ethics is trying to add teeth to what has historically been a paper tiger, more than a decade after the County Council gave it authority to fine public officials who violate the ethics code. West Hawaii Today.

A Kalapana woman is headed to jail for failing to complete court-ordered community service stemming from a 2017 case of vandalism atop Maunakea. West Hawaii Today.

It’s not often that Hawaii Island gets to hear directly from top United States Cabinet officials when major legislation gets a vote in Washington D.C., but that’s what happened on Wednesday as Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue took questions on the passage of the 2019 Farm Bill. Big Island Video News.

Progress continues on the new Puna Kai shopping center in Pahoa, which is set to open next fall, months after original plans intended. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Central Maui’s inland sand in decline. Off-island exports have fallen since 2006, report says. Nearly 2 million tons of sand have been removed from Central Maui since 2006, leaving it either depleted or very soon to be depleted and unable to replenish the island’s beaches that need some 158,000 tons of sand, according to a new study released Tuesday on sand availability in the county. Maui News.

Council takes no action after day of public testimony.  Nearly 50 people testified before the Maui County Council on Tuesday during a meeting that featured a packed agenda, including more funding for the Wailuku civic complex and bills to construct a parking lot in Kihei and relating to sand mining. Maui News.

Planning panel rejects Paia Inn permit, again. The Maui Planning Commission voted once more to deny a hearing officer’s report and special use permit for the Paia Inn, a decision that Paia Inn attorney Terry Revere said was expected to be appealed in circuit court. Maui News.

A Zipline company in Haiku and the County of Maui have reached an agreement to end a dispute over permits and subsequent notices of violation. Maui Now.

County agrees to allow zipline to continue. Haiku neighbors plan to file suit to block operation. Maui News.

Kauai

Erosion sets back beach, road work. An ongoing million-dollar project to fix Weke Road and the surrounding Black Pot Beach Park area is already starting to erode now that the winter’s big swells have arrived. Garden Island.

County officials are reminding the public that the solid waste staging area located at Kepuhi Point is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Garden Island.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Perdue tours Kilauea lava flow, campaign started to impeach Honolulu prosecutor, dairy industry suffering, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Twitter

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue was in Puna Tuesday, where he toured the damage from Kilauea Volcano alongside Hawaii Department of Agriculture Chairman Scott Enright and several local ag producers. Big Island Video News.

Once-Thriving Hawaii Dairy Industry Is On The ‘Brink Of Extinction’. There used to be 160 dairies in Hawaii. Only two remain, and one plans to close, meaning Hawaii could end up importing all of its milk. Civil Beat.

Ed Case backs Nancy Pelosi for House speaker. Ed Case, who is set to be sworn into Congress on Jan. 3, is supporting U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s bid to be speaker of the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. Star-Advertiser.

Governors from throughout the nation’s west on Tuesday came together for a talk on biosecurity as well as the potential for interstate collaboration on preventing and combating invasive species. West Hawaii Today.

Will increasing the fine for drivers who don't stop for pedestrians save lives? Council Member Ron Menor wants the State to double fines for drivers who don't stop for pedestrians. KHON2.

Investigators to release long-awaited probe into admitted killer’s State Hospital escape. More than a year after an admitted killer escaped from Hawaii State Hospital and jumped on a plane for California, the state has completed an investigation into the incident. Hawaii News Now.

No One Is Speaking Up For Hawaii’s Renters. There is no organization dedicated to advocating for the rights of tenants, and a new study finds they lose nearly every eviction case. Civil Beat.

Why Has Wall Street Punished Hawaiian Airlines? The high-flying growth of Hawaii’s largest private employer has slowed recently thanks to storms, volcanos, increased competition and lower fares. Civil Beat.

Oahu

Campaign to impeach city prosecutor launched as he shows no signs of stepping aside amid federal probe. Kaneshiro has made no moves to step aside, prompting some to look into the impeachment process. Hawaii News Now.

Former Honolulu city prosecutor calls for Keith Kaneshiro to quit or be impeached. KITV.

The City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday declined to say whether three top prosecutors who reportedly have been linked to an ongoing federal investigation of government corruption have taken leave or are still on the job. Star-Advertiser.

Neighborhood Opposes Cemetery Expansion. Longtime Kaneohe resident Rich McCreedy has opposed the expansion plan of Hawaiian Memorial Park Cemetery. Hawaii Public Radio.

City to close parts of a Chinatown park that’s become a haven for the homeless. The city is shutting down parts of Aala Park for maintenance from Wednesday through mid-January. Hawaii News Now.

A new, privately owned public park in the urban core of Honolulu is set to open Friday ahead of a state-mandated deadline, and it will debut in the holiday spirit with a high-tech display of lights. Star-Advertiser.

Niu Valley Middle School teacher Zachary Morita hopes to inspire students statewide by creating a musical Olympics with the $100,000 grant he won through the Dream Big Teacher Challenge. Star-Advertiser.

Lambchop, a Hawaiian monk seal who was a more than 30-year resident of Sea Life Park, died Tuesday from a sudden decline in health from age-related kidney disease, according to a statement released by the park. Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu condo sells for record $23.5 million. Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties announced Tuesday that it represented a buyer who paid $23.5 million for one of three “grand penthouse” units at the Park Lane Ala Moana condo. Star-Advertiser.

Park Lane Ala Moana grand penthouse sells for $23.5M (Slideshow). Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Puna Geothermal Venture was given the go-ahead to restore road access to its lava-locked property. Tribune-Herald.

Police say a woman shot by officers Tuesday morning on Kahakai Boulevard in Hawaiian Beaches subdivision brandished a rifle despite being ordered by police to drop the weapon and was wanted an arrest warrant. Tribune-Herald.

Woman fatally shot by Big Island police after pointing rifle at officers. Hawaii News Now.

A District Court judge Tuesday doled out a plethora of community service hours to a group of hikers cited for trespassing after they were swept away amid flash flooding, prompting a daring, hours-long rescue last month at Anna’s Pond. West Hawaii Today.

Future patients and the public on Tuesday evening got a chance to glance inside Kona’s first ever medical marijuana dispensary, owned and operated by Hawaiian Ethos. West Hawaii Today.

Mortgage delinquencies on Hawaii's Big Island grow after Kilauea eruption. The number of mortgages in some stage of foreclosure in Hawaii declined slightly in September, as the number mortgages facing some form of foreclosure on the Big Island grew following the eruption of Kilauea volcano, according to a new report by CoreLogic. Pacific Business News.

Maui

Maui County Managing Director Keith Regan has been appointed chief administrative officer for the Hawai’i Tourism Authority. The announcement from the authority says that Regan will begin work Monday. Maui News.

Mayor-elect Mike Victorino announced his appointees for chief of staff, managing director and 11 department directors on Monday afternoon — a slate which included five current directors and the deputy director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. Maui News.

Workers from Ono Construction LLC install sections of roofing on the South Maui Community Park Recreation Center late last month. Construction of the long-awaited gymnasium is on target to be finished next spring. Maui News.

Kauai

The public is advised that a portion of Puolo Road in Hanapepe will be closed for reconstruction work, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Dec. 13, weather pending. Garden Island.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency successfully intercepted an intermediate-range ballistic missile in a live-fire test Monday night from the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex at the Pacific Missile Range Facility. Garden Island.

FBI closing in on Honolulu prosecutors, Ige outlines biosecurity plans, man swims from Japan to Hawaii, Maui mayor-elect names top staff, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Kaneshiro Honolulu prosecutor meeting, from city website

Honolulu City prosecutor shows no signs of stepping aside after getting formal notice that he’s a target of federal probe.  City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro has received a Justice Department target letter informing him that he’s under investigation in the federal public corruption probe that has already led to two indictments against his former top deputy, Katherine Kealoha. Hawaii News Now.

Kaneshiro

Federal Investigators Are Digging Deeper Into Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office. The Justice Department inquiry into Honolulu police corruption has lasted four years and resulted in numerous indictments. But Keith Kaneshiro isn’t talking. Civil Beat.

Keith Kaneshiro is serving his fourth term in the elected position of Honolulu’s prosecuting attorney. And according to the city charter, it doesn’t take much to start the process of impeachment. Hawaii News Now.

Three top city prosecutors, including Keith Kaneshiro, should go on leave because of a taint created after the three reportedly received letters from the federal government linking them to a wide-ranging public corruption probe, according to criminal defense attorneys, a City Council member and a California law professor. Star-Advertiser.

City Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro is reportedly under federal investigation. He could be the next high-profile target in the corruption case involving former Chief of Police Louis Kealoha and his wife former deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha. KITV.

=====

Gov. David Ige wants biocontrol center to tackle invasive species. Gov. David Ige wants biocontrol center to tackle invasive species. Star-Advertiser.

Governor Ige outlined approach to combating invasive species. At the center of his philosophy, strength in numbers. KITV.

Ige talks biosecurity at Western Governors Association Winter Meeting. A contingent of governors from 19 states and three U.S. territories convened at the Fairmont Orchid Monday on the first day of the Western Governors Association Winter Meeting. The topic of note was biosecurity, an initiative for which Hawaii has considerable ambitions. West Hawaii Today.

Invasive Species Talks Held Before Western Governors’ Meeting. The day before the Western Governors’ Association 2018 Winter Meeting, a workshop is held, focused on the impacts of invasive species, pests and pathogens. Big Island Video News.

=====

Hawaii Tourism Authority fills 2 more top leadership positions. The Hawaii Tourism Authority today named two more hires marking the first time since March that the state agency has had all three of its top positions filled. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority has filled two vacant leadership positions about two weeks after appointing Chris Tatum as its new CEO. Pacific Business News.

OHA Elects Officers and Look to the Future. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs conducted its first meeting following the November 6th election of new members. Hawaii Public Radio.

Colette Machado of Molokai has been unanimously re-elected to lead the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees. Star-Advertiser.

Man swims from Japan to Hawaii to raise awareness on ocean pollution. Ben Lecomte was originally supposed to swim from Japan to San Francisco, but bad weather forced him to make a quick stop in our islands. KHON2.

The Fight Against Flight At Hawaii’s Public Middle Schools. Educators know they have to persuade parents that this isn’t the time to send their kids to private school — or a different public school. Civil Beat.

The Hawaii Department of Education is looking for a vendor to provide beef to schools as it continues efforts to locally source food for student lunches. Associated Press.

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture reports the selection of Kevin Michael Hoffman, Ph.D. as the administrator for the Plant Industry Division and as the State Plant Regulatory Official effective Wednesday, Jan. 16. Big Island Now.

Oahu

After years of planning and prep, church opens igloos-shaped shelters to the homeless. More than two and a half years after an Oahu church made international headlines for its plan to build igloo-shaped shelters for the homeless, families are finally moving in. Hawaii News Now.

New tower brings more affordable units to urban core. A predominantly affordable-housing condominium tower in urban Honolulu began filling up Monday with an initial group of new homeowners moving in. Star-Advertiser.

SamKoo's mostly affordable Kapiolani Residence condo tower opens to residents. Kapiolani Residence, SamKoo Pacific’s mostly affordable 484-unit condominium tower near Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, opened to residents on Monday, nearly two years after the project sold out. Pacific Business News.

More Burglaries, Fewer Rapes Reported At UH Manoa. Newly released statistics show the number of reported rapes dropped from 13 in 2016 to seven in 2017. Civil Beat.

City announces weeks-long, partial closure of another urban park. The city is shutting down parts of Aala Park for maintenance from Wednesday through mid-January. Hawaii News Now.

Work for Honolulu's rail project will require lane and sidewalk closures around the intersection of Queen and Waimanu streets. KHON2.

Oahu solar PV permits down 16% in November. Hawaii's largest solar market experienced a double-digit decrease in the number of solar photovoltaic permits last month, compared to November 2017, bringing the total number of PV permit issued on Oahu below last year's record low, new county data shows. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii Island

Navy seeks additional comment on planned special ops exercises. Residents can still comment on the U.S. Navy’s plans for joint special operations training off the West Hawaii coast and elsewhere in the state. West Hawaii Today.

Local boat captains are keeping a weather eye on new rules that increase fees at the state’s small boat harbors. The rules, proposed by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, raise mooring, utility, facility, storage, ramp and commercial permit fees. West Hawaii Today.

Maunakea Observatories on Monday launched a new website: www.maunakeaobservatories.org. The image-rich site is designed to enhance the community’s connection to the collaboration of observatories atop Maunakea, offering visitors insights into the observatories’ mission, community impact, environmental stewardship, cultural heritage and valuable contributions to science, as well as up-to-date access to news and career opportunities. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Mayor-Elect Michael Victorino announced 12 intended appointments to his incoming administration during a press conference this afternoon at his Wailuku headquarters. Maui Now.

From a desk job to fire captain. A trailblazing woman takes charge among a band of firefighting brothers. Garden Island.


Median prices of condos rocket up in Nov. Supply issues a factor in increase in values. Maui News.

Sale volume and prices for homes sold on Maui last month were mostly higher, according to the Realtors Association of Maui. The trade association recently reported that the biggest change was a 32 percent jump in the median sale price for condominiums, to $528,650 in November from $399,500 a year earlier. Star-Advertiser.

Kauai

US successfully shoots down intermediate-range ballistic missile in test off Kauai. The U.S. Navy and Missile Defense Agency successfully shot down an intermediate-range ballistic missile Tuesday during a test off Hawaii. The MDA said the Navy launched the interceptor from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai using the Aegis Ashore system. Hawaii News Now.

The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife is inviting Kauai residents to submit applications for positions on a community council to advise the Na Ala Hele Trails and Access Program. Garden Island.

Coworking space launched at HA Coffee. HA Coffee just celebrated its five-year anniversary, and instead of hosting a party, they’re taking on a new coworking space venture — Kuleana.work. Garden Island.

Molokai

Molokai activists warn they’ll protest if Navy goes through with military exercises offshore. The Naval Special Operations Training is proposed for next year at sites statewide and the Navy wants public feedback on the plan. Hawaii News Now.