March 1 2026 News from HawaiiFreePress

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March 1 2026

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Luke subpoenaed by AG? She won’t say

... CLUE: Refusal to answer = ‘Yes’ ....

Legislators finally do Something About Bribery: Find new way to protect crooked politicians

… SB2824 would give 5th Amendment protections to those who refuse to rat out bribesters ….

“Multiple, active, complex white collar investigations” by Hawaii U.S. Attorney’s office

… Chief of Major Crimes at the Hawaii U.S. Attorney’s Office overseeing hundreds of cases/investigations ….

Caught Lying to Senate, Airports Division now blames Legislators for $23M Contract

... Otaguro admits HDoT has not sought a legal opinion from the Attorney General’s office on whether Act 152 really requires the project ....

“Constituents do not understand how lawmakers could boastfully promise a tax cut and then reverse themselves less than two years later.”

… “We’re already getting the phone calls” ….

Green’s $1.8B Tax Hike on Middle Class Can Be Stopped

… there are many other ways the governor and Legislature could balance the state budget without increasing our taxes ….

COVID PAY: $200M HSTA Giveaway to buy Election Support

… despite that Hawaii public schools were among the last to reopen for in-person learning in the pandemic ….

Union Money Grab: State pensions up for negotiation under proposed law

… A proposal that would allow public unions to negotiate with employers for better retirement benefits is still alive despite strong opposition by state agencies ….

Election 2026: 178 Candidates Pull Papers to Run

... Still no candidates for Governor and Lt Governor ....

Democrats Consider Five Candidates for HD28

... the Selection Body, composed of the district council officers of House District 28, will vote to advance three names to be sent to the Governor ....

The Cruise Fee Quandary

... there are bills that would undo the TAT extension to cruise lines and, instead, impose a per-passenger charge on cruise ship docking ....

Grassroot: Reducing the Cost of Living--Bills on the Move

... state and county testimonies submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii in the latter half of February 2026 ....

More Rail Delays: Blame Game as HART Whipsaws Hitachi (again)

… the relationship between HART and Hitachi has soured considerably ….

HART Wants $1.5B Just to make it to Ala Moana Mall—preparing ‘half-baked plan’ to begin agitating for GE tax hikes

… funding comes from the state from the general excise tax… we're going to need extensions to that funding stream ….

HB1875: Hawaii to Become Sanctuary for Juvenile Sex Change

... testifiers raised concerns about parental rights, medical accountability, and the breadth of the legal shield being created ....

Babykiller gets plea deal-may be out in 20 months

… Rodrigues appeared high on methamphetamine when he kicked and slapped the toddler and tried to give her a meth pipe ….

Green Nominates 'Racially Inferior' Gluck for Another Try at ICA Judgeship

... State Senators, July 29, 2021, rejected the nomination by a 6-17 vote after critics openly complained about Gluck’s ethnicity and gender. ....

Gun Bills on the Move in Legislature

... HB206, SB2575 ....

The hidden problem with emergency powers

... there are bills still alive this session that propose much-needed reforms ....

UHERO: Hawaiʻi moves beyond recession

... Tourism has stabilized ....

Tourist Headcount up 10.4% for January--spending up 19%

... spending by visitors in January 2026 was $2.26 billion up 19.0 percent compared to January 2025. A 10.4 percent growth in total arrivals to 874,358 visitors ....

Supreme Court to hear Challenge to Big Oil Climate Change Lawsuit

... A ruling for the defendants could halt similar lawsuits nationwide and reaffirm that energy and climate policy must be set by Congress, not by local courts ....

More Spaghetti on the Wall: Climate Activists Push Insurance Companies to 'Sue Big Oil'

...'sue big oil' lawfirm Hagens Berman was referred to the U.S. Department of Justice by a federal judge, citing findings of “misconduct bordering on the criminal”....

Washington’s Misplaced Shipbuilding Obsession

... The United States is nowhere close to becoming a competitive builder of large oceangoing cargo vessels, either under current conditions or under any plausible combination of subsidies or mandates ....

Ethics in Hawaii: Hire your Family and Keep Their Frequent Flyer Miles

... travel rewards earned through official state travel, such as frequent flyer miles and similar promotional benefits, may be retained by state officers and employees ....

Maui County Fraud Risk, Let Me Count the Ways

"...the County's existing controls are not adequate to mitigate likely fraud risks because they do not cover significant areas of fraud exposure...."

Plaintiffs Suing Kamehameha Schools Are Getting Death Threats – to make Case Go Away KSBE asks Court to Reveal their Identities

… Kamehameha (smirked at) the violent rhetoric (and therefore) says the family should reveal their identities (so) they (won’t) want to proceed ….

61-Time Loser Finally Catches Federal Case--Gets 14 Years

... Manago has 61 cases going back to year 2000 on ECourtKokua ....

Former Maui Police Officer Sentenced to 65 Months for Unjustified Tasing

... Frate admitted that on January 6, 2024, Frate repeatedly tased an arrestee, even though the arrestee was not resisting or posing any threat ....

Honolulu Deputy Prosecutor Indicted for Witness Tampering

... She accused Moon of forcing her to have sex with other men for his “pleasure,” starting in April 2024 and continuing until September 2025 ....

Hawaii County Police Officer Pleads 'No Contest' to Tampering with Evidence

"...Should Hilo Circuit Judge Henry Nakamoto grant deferred acceptance of Kenolio’s no-contest plea, the conviction will be erased from his record if he stays out of further trouble with the law for a year...."

Sheriff Employee Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement

...manipulated computer records that tracked her time and attendance between October 1, 2021 and June 20, 2024, in order to receive more than $64,000 in unearned compensation....

Job Posting up for Honolulu Police Chief

"Honolulu seeks a forward-thinking leader capable of modernizing operations and advancing a fully integrated, community-centered policing model."

Free Public Pre-K Applications open next week

... EOEL’s Public Pre-K Program provides free, high-quality prekindergarten to eligible children who are 3 or 4 years old and in the two years prior to entering kindergarten ....

Turning Point USA at UH Manoa

... at University of Hawaii at Manoa – Campus Center Courtyard ...

Army Corps of Engineers announces “Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork” initiative

... USACE Honolulu District highlights potential to strengthen pacific Navigation mission ....

Recycled Wastewater for Kapalua Irrigation?

... Hawaii Water Service is moving forward with a feasibility study for a decentralized wastewater treatment plant in Kapalua that would produce recycled water and give the community a drought-resistant supply of irrigation water ....

VIDEO: Drone Footage Shows Extent of Flooding in Waialua, Haleiwa

... drone video from Waialua, Haleiwa Saturday, Feb 21, 2026 ....

Travel Update: Pre-Check--YES, Global Entry--NO

... due to the ongoing partial federal government shutdown ....

Hawaiian Electric Releases Full Year 2025 Results

"Typical Residential Bill Stable in 2025."

Share your thoughts on future transportation needs

... Long-Range Land Transportation Plan -- Public Meetings Begin Tuesday March 10 ....

Blangiardi announces 2026 town hall meeting schedule

... April 9 thru May 21, 2026 ....

UH launches search to re-establish UH Mānoa chancellor position

... Currently, the UH president also holds UH Mānoa chancellor responsibilities, while academic affairs, research, enrollment management and student affairs are led by the UH Mānoa provost ....

Hawaii Congressional Delegation How They Voted February 27 2026

... votes cast and bills introduced in Congress ....

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