Fish and Wildlife Service, SpaceX Spar Over Rocket Impacts at Johnston Atoll
On March 25, the U.S. Air Force published a notice that it intended to prepare an environmental assessment in anticipation of building two landing pads at Johnston Atoll. The pads would be part of the Air Force’s “Rocket Cargo Vanguard … Continued
Lawsuits Challenge Agency Action Involving SpaceX on Two Fronts
When SpaceX was proposing its Starship-Super Heavy Launch program at its 65-acre site in south Texas, it needed to obtain permission from the Federal Aviation Administration, the sole federal agency that controlled SpaceX actions on private property. The FAA obliged, … Continued
New & Noteworthy: Punaluʻu Problems, Marconi Update
Punaluʻu Problems: Opponents of the redevelopment of Black Sand Beach, in the Big Island district of Kaʻu, celebrated in mid-May when it seemed the former owner, S M Investment Partners, LLC, had successfully sued the developer for foreclosure. But the … Continued
Defendants in Affordable Housing Case Argue It Was ‘Self-Dealing,’ Not Fraud
You can’t bribe yourself. That’s what counsel for Hawaiʻi island attorney Paul Sulla Jr. said during closing arguments last month before a jury and U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake. It’s also what counsel for another Hawaiʻi attorney, Gary Zamber, … Continued
In State Court, Housing Developer Seeks Damages from West View and PMJ Kona
The federal criminal trial of three men accused of conspiring with a Hawaiʻi County employee to defraud the county by abusing affordable housing agreements has been in the news lately. However, that is not the only litigation that has been … Continued
Before County Housing Fraud Trial, Motions Seek to Delimit Evidence
In the weeks leading up to the trial of three men accused of defrauding the County of Hawaiʻi by scheming to acquire and then resell affordable housing credits, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi has seen a … Continued
Rudo, Co-Defendants Conducted ‘Test Run’ Of Fraud Scheme in 2014, Prosecutor Says
Years before Hawaiʻi County housing official Alan Rudo became involved in the affordable housing schemes that led eventually to federal charges against him and three other individuals, the federal prosecutor is alleging that Rudo and two of the other men … Continued
PUC Adds Preferential Ag Rates to List Of Issues in Launiupoko Water Case
Since December 12, 2023, Launiupoko Water Company, Inc., has been involved in a case before the state Public Utilities Commission, seeking approval for increased rates for its sale of potable water to its customers on agricultural lands in West Maui … Continued