The Garden Island newspaper and other media outlets are reporting that Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. is keeping Police Chief Darryl Perry on paid leave, even after Perry said he was told by the Kauai County Police Commission he could return to work today.

Hawaii News Now reports that the chief showed up to work at the station, but he couldn’t get his badge and wasn’t let into his office. 

Seven CH-53E “Super Stallion” helicopters have landed at Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe Bay. From the press release:

 The CH-53E helicopter can transport up to 55 troops or 30,000 pounds of cargo, and can carry external loads of up to 36,000 pounds. The Super Stallion has a cruise speed of 173 mph and a range of more than 600 miles. The helicopter is fitted with a forward extendable in-flight refueling probe and it can also refuel from a surface ship through a hoisted hose while hovering. It can carry three machine guns operated by the air crew mounted on the left and right sides as well as the rear tail ramp.

Turns out Kauai Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. did overstep his bounds when he put Kauai’s police chief on leave earlier this month (props to Ian Lind for first raising the question).

Chief Darryl Perry reports to the Kauai County Police Commission — and they unanimously voted him back onto the job. Perry and two assistant chiefs were put on leave on Feb. 1 pending an investigation into an “employee complaint.”

Perry was mum on the reasons for his suspension, but told the Garden Island: 

 “What I can say is, based on the county charter, I believe the mayor and the managing director exceeded their authority in placing me on suspension. That power lies with the police commission,” Perry said.

Perry said Assistant Chiefs Roy Asher and Assistant Chief Ale Quibilan remain on leave.

Here’s the latest on the attempt by counties to sidestep the state’s Sunshine Law governing open meetings. Read our story Tuesday laying out the issue.

honolulu-politics:

Just got word from the House Judiciary Committee that the controversial bill granting county councils an exemption from the Sunshine Law has been deferred.

It was discussed today as part of a busy 2 p.m. hearing.

From a cursory glance, written testimony on the bill was largely opposed. Maui County Council Chair Danny Mateo, Vice Chair Joseph Pontanilla and members Robert Carroll and Don Couch wrote in support.

The word “oppose” or “opposed” appears 65 times in the list of testimonies.

honolulu-politics:

A month after impounding items kept by homeless people on the sidewalks near Moiliili, the city has thrown that stuff away.

That’s according to city spokeswoman Louise Kim McCoy.

We asked her about the status of stored belongings, since this past weekend marked 30 days since the city enforced the “stored property ordinance” against homeless folks in the Iwilei area. Here’s what she wrote back to us:

Last Monday, DFM disposed the items that had been stored from the Jan. 10th SPO enforcement in the areas of Moiliili Field, Old Stadium Park, and Pawaa In Ha Park. The items from the Jan. 19th SPO enforcement in Iwilei area have not been disposed at this time.

So far since Jan.10th, three individuals, including the owner of the bicycle, have contacted DFM to claim their items.

Turns out Hawaii is in the difficult position of defending the landmark 1998 law banning same-sex marriage while its governor admits that it’s unconstitutional — something opponents vociferously pointed out when voters debated the controversial ballot question 14 years ago.

Indeed, the Hawaii Supreme Court reached the same conclusion in 1993, effectively launching the same-sex marriage debate nationally and leading to legalizing Hawaii civil unions just this year.

Read the state’s response to a lawsuit challenging the ban. 

The complaint alleges that Natasha Jackson and Janin Kleid were denied a marriage license by the Department of Health because they are both women.

dc808:

Did former Congressman Charles Djou break Department of Defense rules about campaigning in uniform?

In campaign literature, members of the military are allowed to use photos of themselves in uniform — but they’re also required to include a “prominent and clearly displayed disclaimer” to explain that the photo does not imply an endorsement by the Defense Department. 

Djou’s First Congressional District campaign sent an email on Monday that featured a photo of the Army Reserve officer in uniform with a message from Djou’s wife. But the email didn’t include the kind of disclaimer that the Defense Department requires for using such an image.  

Check out this screenshot: 

A spokesman for Djou did not immediately return DC808’s call on Tuesday afternoon, but it’s clear that the Djou campaign is aware of the rules because it does feature such a disclaimer on his website: 

Djou is not the only military service member who is also a Hawaii candidate for federal office. Honolulu City Council member Tulsi Gabbard is a captain in the Hawaii Army National Guard and a candidate in the 2nd Congressional District race. Here’s a photo that’s featured prominently on her campaign website: 

A spokeswoman for Gabbard told DC808 that the campaign makes sure to put the disclaimer on every page of Gabbard’s website — even pages that don’t feature photos of the council member in uniform. 

Emails from the Gabbard campaign have also featured a disclaimer. Here’s a screenshot of an email her campaign sent late last year:

Read more about the path this bill has taken:

hawaiilandblog:

The single-use bag bill that died a mysterious death last week when it was “recommitted” to the Committee on Economic Revitalization and Business, which already passed the bill, has been revived.

Lawmakers sent it on to the Finance Committee on Tuesday.

However, according to the state…

Hmmm …. This has us wondering what’s up? Civil Beat has been exploring the high cost of student transportation in Hawaii in its series, Taken for a Ride. Perhaps the Board of Education is finally working on ways to rein in the runaway costs?

hawaiieducationblog:

The Board of Education is in executive session, and waiting outside are at least four members of the Gomes family, who represent the school bus lobby. Lee Gomes is president of the Hawaii School Bus Association.

Will be interesting to hear what they have to say. There is nothing school bus-related on the agenda today.

hawaii-politics:

A new poll says that Americans love Hawaii and hate California.

Highlights:

• 54 percent see Hawaii positively and only 10 percent negatively;

• Democrats’ favorite states include Hawaii, Oregon and Washington;

• Black voters dislike 10 of the 14 Southern states.

Photo courtesy mutrock.

hawaiieducationblog:

Hawaii Technology Academy’s recently fired principal, Jeff Piontek, and his vice principal, Ana Matsumoto are under investigation for possibly misusing $100,000 in state funds.

Hawaii News Now broke the news of the investigation today. 

It’s just the latest in a series of charter school controversies in Hawaii.

K12, Inc., the private, for-profit company that owns the academy, was the subject of a recent New York Times investigation that indicated its virtual schools all over the country aren’t effective. (See our post about how HTA students perform.)

Read Katherine Poythress’ Ed Blog for more on the issue.

First an attempt to give Kalbert Young a raise, now a move to lower Marion Higa’s salary?

Nanea Kalani writes in her Money blog: 

House Bill 2179 caught my eye this morning. The measure would make it so that the state auditor — a position long held by Higa — would be subject to pay cuts along with other state executives. 

The bill notes that “heads of legislative service agencies have experienced a recent salary decrease,” but that the auditor’s salary has been untouched. “The legislature finds that the auditor’s salary should be subject to the same provisions as other legislative service agency heads.”

Higa earns a salary of $129,024, according to Civil Beat’s database of public salaries.

The bill is scheduled to be heard by the House Finance Committee Thursday afternoon. It already cleared the Legislative Management committee, where Higa testified against the bill.

Stiff sentence for a pimp who was found guilty in one of Honolulu’s highest profile prostitution cases in recent years. 

Joseph Vaimili, 29, was sentenced Tuesday morning to 40 years in prison.

U.S. Marshals arrested Vaimili in Houston last fall thanks to a Crimestoppers tip. 

Read the full story on why today’s sentencing is a big deal.

Sophie Cocke has been following the debate over use of single-use bags in Hawaii. More up-to-the minute coverage today in her blog and on Civil Beat’s home page. 

hawaiilandblog:

While Hawaii was making national news about lawmakers efforts to charge consumers for single-use bags at the check-out counter, House members were killing the measure.

Read Civil Beat’s story here.

The Huffington Post ran a story the morning of the Friday vote, saying: “If lawmakers pass…

dc808:

Former Rep. Charles Djou is en route to Hawaii after several months in Afghanistan, according to an email sent by his campaign for U.S. House.

The Republican Army Reserve officer was deployed to the region shortly after he announced his candidacy in Hawaii’s First Congressional District race in August.

Djou’s wife, Stacey, wrote that she is “happy and relieved” that he’ll soon be back in Hawaii after what seemed like a “lifetime apart.”