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John Pritchett

Government & Politics

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<title>Pritchett Cartoon: Supreme Court rules on basket case</title>

Pritchett Cartoon: Supreme Court rules on basket case

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Haley Lehman

Crime & Courts

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court found on Friday afternoon that no candidate was validly nominated in the House District 43 primary after the tie between two Republican candidates was broken by a drawing from a lauhala basket in August. The two candidates will be placed on the general election ballot in November.

Candidates for House District 43, Kristen “Kanani” and Sheila Medeiros, both Republicans, tied in the August primary. Medeiros was named representative elect after election officials drew her name from a lauhala basket on Aug. 15.

Souza challenged Hawaiʻi Chief Election Officer Scott Nago, Acting Honolulu City Clerk Chadd Kadota and Honolulu Elections Administrator Rex Quidilla

 and justices ruled in her favor on Friday.

According to Quidilla’s testimony on Wednesday, two District 40, precinct three voters were mistakenly given ballots to vote in District 43, precinct 3 on election day at Kapolei Hale. That created two overages for House District 43-03 and two underages at House District 40-03 in which there was a discrepancy between envelopes received and the ballots counted.

In two opinions issued Friday afternoon, justices invalidated the House District 43 primary results. Medeiros and Souza will be on the general election ballot under a section identified for “Republican Party Voters Only.”

Souza told Aloha State Daily on Friday that she believes the justices made the right decision and she looks forward to being in the general election.

“This really is about the preservation of democracy, the voters right to vote and making sure that we have eligible voters voting in the proper district,” she said.

She said that this case will lead to the Hawaiʻi legislators revisiting election laws during the next session, primarily the tiebreaker statute.

“I think this is going to spearhead a lot of things going forward and I’m glad to be a part of this very historic moment,” she said. “This has a far greater ripple effect than just about me and my house seat. This was never about me. I just did what was right and today I think the outcome was gratifying.”

Associate Justice Lisa Ginoza, Intermediate Court of Appeals Associate Judge Sonja McCullen and Intermediate Court of Appeals Associate Judge Kimberly Guidry, wrote that evidence from Quidilla, Kadota and Nago supports that the two-ballot overage could cause a difference in election results.

The found that Nago erred by not complying with state rulemaking process and ordered Nago to “expeditiously promulgate rules to implement the tie-breaker statute.”

Associate Justice Todd Eddins, joined by Associate Justice Sabrina McKenna, wrote that the “primary is not pau” and the choice returns to the voters.

“The right to vote means little if the result cannot be trusted. Here it could not. So the voters will settle it,” the justices wrote.

According to Eddins and McKenna, the two-vote overage made a difference in the election with no margin, showing that “there was no reliable tie to break.” 

“The cause is known. Not the effect. Whether either ballot carried a vote in the Republican race, and for whom, the record doesn’t say. At a tie, that’s enough. Two ballots that do not belong, in a race decided by none, put the true result beyond reach,” Eddins and McKenna wrote.

Eddins and McKenna wrote that Nago’s method of sealing candidates’ names in plastic egg captures, dropping them into a lauhala basket and drawing one was a rule. They found that tiebreaker method invalid and the selection of Medeiros falls with the rule.

Aloha State Daily reached out to Sheila Medeiros for comment.

Kanani Souza

<title>“The primary is not pau:” The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court orders new primary election in tied…</title>

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruled Friday that the House District 43 primary race will go back to the voters in November.

“The primary is not pau:” The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court orders new primary election in tied Makakilo race

Square Mike Brestovansky Headshot RGZ3736 Large

Michael Brestovansky

Even though Hurricane Lowell’s forecasted path appears to be pulling westward, residents shouldn’t be complacent, warn state and county officials.

National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist John Bravender said Friday that 

 is continuing westward south of Hawai‘i, and is expected to make its northward turn around late Saturday or early Sunday.

“Any time you see a sharp turn like this in a hurricane track, it’s uncertain as to both where exactly it occurs and when exactly it occurs,” Bravender said. “For us, later is better. Later means it keeps going west and turns north later and tracks north farther west of the state.”

Current preliminary models by the National Weather Service show a trajectory where the eye of the storm passes to the west of Ni‘ihau. However, Bravender said there is still a wide margin for error in predicting the movement of a storm four days out, and that the heart of the storm could move an average of 150 miles off the projected course.

Even if Lowell maintains its predicted path, its winds will still reach Hawai‘i. Bravender said Lowell’s northward movement will expose it to high wind shear, which will reduce the hurricane’s power but also expand its wind field.

Consequently, Gov. Josh Green said Friday that emergency preparations are being made statewide, particularly in Kaua‘i County.  Green said the Agribusiness Development Corporation is monitoring reservoirs on Kaua‘i in anticipation of high winds and rainfall, while the Department of Health will open hurricane refuge centers on Kaua‘i.

Kaua‘i Mayor Derek Kawakami said he is in constant communication with the Robinson family — the owners of the island of Ni‘ihau — and added that he has “supreme confidence” that the island’s small population is well-prepared for Lowell.

“Our Ni‘ihauans are extremely resilient,” Kawakami said. “In fact, the Robinson family has come to our assistance more times than they’ve ever asked for help.”

Nonetheless, Green said the state Department of Human Services will keep hotel rooms available on Kaua‘i in case any Ni‘ihau residents need to relocate temporarily.

Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, Adjutant General of the State of Hawai‘i Department of Defense, said 146 Hawai‘i National Guard personnel are standing by throughout the Islands, with more to come over the weekend. On Kaua‘i, 20 National Guard personnel are there already, with another 16 to come on Saturday, while several high-water vehicles and a potable water trailer have been brought to the island as well.

Green on Thursday signed an emergency proclamation in advance of Lowell authorizing the activation of the National Guard as needed to support disaster relief operations, and streamlines the process to secure and distribute resources among state agencies.

The emergency proclamation extends through Nov. 1, unless Green chooses to terminate it early. Therefore, the proclamation also covers potential impacts from Hurricane Karina, which approaches the state from the northeast, and Hurricane Marie, which is distantly to the east, near Baja California.

Bravender said Karina is expected to steadily weaken over the weekend and likely dissipate after Monday, without substantial impacts to the state beyond high surf on east-facing shores.

Kawakami said surf conditions this weekend are for expert surfers only, as Lowell brings powerful swells to south- and west-facing shores statewide.

Bravender said there is the possibility of intensely heavy rainfall this weekend, but estimates are still uncertain; he gave a ballpark estimate of about four to six inches of rain, with Kaua‘i and the Big Island getting about 10 inches of rain.

Kawakami said the approach of Lowell may bring traumatic memories of 1992’s Hurricane Iniki, the most powerful recorded storm to strike the state. He recommended that anyone feeling anxious to call the Hawai‘i CARES helpline at 988.

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<title>Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau prepare as Lowell approaches</title>

Hurricane Lowell to turn northward this weekend.

Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau prepare as Lowell approaches

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court will rule by Friday on the future of state House District 43 after incumbent Kanani Souza challenged the tiebreaker in the Republican primary election.

Candidates Kristen “Kanani” Souza and Sheila Medeiros, both Republicans, tied with 842 votes in the August primary. 

 that if a race ends in a tie, the chief election officer in a state race, or the clerk in a county race, will decide the tie "by lot."

Election officials put Souza and Medeiros’ names in plastic eggs, placed those eggs in a lauhala basket and selected Medeiros in a drawing on Aug. 15. Since Souza and Medeiros were the only candidates in the election and from the same political party, Medeiros was named the representative-elect for House District 43.

, suing Hawaiʻi Chief Election Officer Scott Nago, Acting Honolulu City Clerk Chadd Kadota and Honolulu Elections Administrator Rex Quidilla

asking the justices to invalidate the tiebreaker method.

Quidilla testified Wednesday that two District 40, precinct three voters were mistakenly given ballots to vote in District 43, precinct 3 on election day at Kapolei Hale. That created two overages for House District 43-03 and two underages at House District 40-03 in which there was a discrepancy between envelopes received and the ballots counted. Quidilla called this an “isolated error” based on his review of the investigation.

Once ballots are in the machine, election officials cannot tie ballots back to individual voters to ensure every voter’s right to secrecy.

While state law requires election offices to decide ties by lot, there is no rule or policy that dictates the method.

Nago said that the tiebreaker method mimics how the Office of Elections decides the order that political parties show up on the primary election ballot, and that the office has been using that method since prior to 2020.

The overage/underage report for Oʻahu was compiled on Aug. 20, five days after the drawing, according to Nago. He said that the overage/underage report is not part of the initial tabulation but the post election audit, and does not impact the results of the election.

Associate Justices Todd Eddins and Lisa Ginoza grilled Nago, Kadota and Quidilla, and their attorneys, Wednesday morning at Aliʻiōlani Hale.

Souza’s attorney, Thomas Otake, argued that the justices should order a new primary election.

that candidates or political parties can file a complaint in the supreme court when there are “provable fraud, overages, or underages, that could cause a difference in the election results.”

“We now know that there were two illegal ballots that were cast and that could have affected the outcome,” Otake said. “The question is not whether or not something needs to be done, but what.”

Otake suggested that a new primary election could take place at the same time as the general election or at a later date.

“Essentially what we’re suggesting is that if there was no other way to decide on who the winner was, then we should leave it to the voters,” he said. “We don’t just throw our hands up in the air and say ‘we can’t do anything so we’re just going to let it stand.’”

Otake also took issue with the lack of a formal rule determining how a tie is broken, and argued that the state should provide a plan, hear public input and decide on a rule.

“I cannot imagine that if it went through that process, that an Easter egg in a lauhala basket would’ve been the rule,” he said.

Justice Eddins asked, “even if it wasn’t the Easter egg and lauhala basket for a tie in the general election, say it was a flip of a coin, don’t you still need a rule for that anyway?” Otake said that was his point exactly: “there needs to be a rule. It needs to be promulgated.”

Deputy Attorney General Kendall Moser, representing the state, stood by state statutes that dictate that the chief elections officer decides a tie by lot.

“We assume that the statutes that govern the Office of Elections are constitutional and that the chief elections officer and the office generally follow those statutes," he said. “We simply have a set of statutes as written as the Office of Elections, we follow them.”

If something does need to change in how a tie is broken, that’s “for someone else to decide.”

Ginoza asked, “is it the state’s position that the most important thing is to declare a winner, even if the votes cannot be accurately counted?”

Moser said that it was the state’s position that a winner has been declared, and Souza has to prove that Nago’s decision on how to break the tie was incorrect.

The justices challenged Moser with multiple hypotheticals, like what the court should do if there was fraud that caused a tie, what should happen if the same situation involving the two voters at Kapolei Hale impacted the senate district and what the remedy would be if they declared the tiebreaker method improper.

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Associate Justice Sabrina McKenna said the court will rule in the case by Friday.

Justices brought Nago back to the stand near the end of the hearing and asked what a second primary election would look like if they did rule in Souza’s favor. Nago said that the Office of Election could place a second primary race between Medeiros and Souza on the general election ballot, but those ballots would be sent to all District 43 voters, not just residents who identify as Republican voters in a primary. The office could also call for a special primary election after the general election.

Ballots for the general election will be printed by Sept. 11.

Medeiros told the court that she did not object to the tiebreaker method in August.

“I respectfully request that the certified results remain in place unless the court determines that the law requires otherwise,” she said.

Souza told reporters after the hearing that she believes the justice’s questioning was a sign that they will call for a new election.

“I’m very pleased today that truth came to light, transparency prevailed and that’s ultimately what matters to me,” she said. “I do think that I’m not here fighting for myself, I’m here fighting for the voters of House District 43 who deserve a representative that they’re actually electing.”

<title>Supreme Court to decide future of House District 43 primary</title>

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in the election contest of the Makakilo primary race that was settled by a tiebreaker in August.

Supreme Court to decide future of House District 43 primary

A U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel was sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempting to sexually exploit a child.

 on two counts each of attempted sexual enticement of a minor, attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and attempted receipt of child pornography. In August, Brown received his sentence for those charges: 240 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, along with $115,600 in assessments.

Brown was arrested in 2023 through a sting conducted by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Division. A CID agent, posing as a 14-year-old girl, was able to use the social media app Whisper — which is now defunct, but allowed users to remain anonymous — to convince Brown to attempt to meet the alleged child for sex.

During his conversations with the agent, Brown repeatedly made sexual comments toward a person he believed to be a child. He also sent photographs of his face, allowing CID analysts to identify him, the investigation report noted; according to Brown’s professional biography at the time, as cited in the investigation, he was a legal advisor for the 613 Air Operations Center, whose military legal experience included prosecution of child sex offenses.

Eventually, in April of that year, the two arranged to meet at Schofield Barracks, according to the investigation. The agent requested that Brown bring a specific type of gum; surveillance teams watched Brown stop at a store to purchase that gum en route to their prearranged meeting place.

[{"type":"text","text":"CID personnel arrested Brown at the pre-arranged location."}]

During Brown’s sentencing investigation, further evidence showed that Brown had engaged in similar online conversations with people purporting to be minors over an approximately two-year period. During these conversations, Brown also attempted to initiate sex with those minors and requested sexually explicit images of them.

According to a sentencing memorandum, investigators were able to contact at least one of those users and confirmed that she was indeed a minor while she was in communication with Brown.

Despite this, Brown reportedly testified at trial that he “never believed” he was chatting with minors. The sentencing memorandum stated that Brown’s apparent refusal to admit fault signals “heightened risk for recidivism” and necessitated a sentence close to the statutory maximum.

“Brown’s leadership position and legal experience also amplified the damage he was able to cause,” the memorandum read. “His stature and expertise gave him unique insight into how to exploit others and, undoubtedly, how to avoid being caught.”

In addition to his sentence, Brown is required to register as a sex offender and is prohibited to having any direct contact with a child under the age of 18 without the permission of his probation officer.

Brown has appealed the court’s judgment to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

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<title>Air Force lieutenant colonel gets 20 years for child enticement</title>

Ross Brown of Kailua was busted earlier this year for sending sexual messages to an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old girl.

Air Force lieutenant colonel gets 20 years for child enticement

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta Headshot

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta

Food & Dining

, formerly known as Harry’s Hardware Emporium, is officially open within Pint + Jigger. The speakeasy opened in May, and it’s currently open Fridays to Sundays only.

Customers can make reservations for the speakeasy using OpenTable. Search for Pint + Jigger; Hush Hush is listed under “Experiences.” When you click on it, you’ll be able to choose your preferred time slot. The speakeasy is open starting at 6 p.m. until 10 or 11 p.m.

For those who have visited Harry’s Hardware in Pint + Jigger’s previous location on South King Street, you’ll notice some familiar elements. The countertop is from the old location — it’s just been trimmed down, since the current space is smaller — and the speakeasy has the same wallpaper, stools and lighting, according to lead bartender Max Kamm, who explains that the intimate lounge now features New Orleans-inspired cocktails.

“We wanted to do a nod toward the New Orleans bar scene,” he says. “If you look at the menu, it’s going to seem like there’s a lot of usage of cognac, absinthe and French ingredients. A lot of New Orleans staples are on there — like Sazerac, Grasshopper — that are real prevalent there. I think there’s something on there (the menu) for just about anybody.”

The “HH” logo stood for Harry’s Hardware, but after Dave Newman stepped away from Pint + Jigger, the team changed the speakeasy’s name.

“It was named after his (Newman’s) grandpa,” Kamm says. “We’re doing the same concept — just wanted to do good cocktails, and we have a nice space to do it in.

“Harry’s (Hardware) closed right before the Covid-19 pandemic,” he adds. “We got to this location just about four years ago, and we just opened it (the speakeasy) now, so it’s been a long time. The reason we never opened this prior was because we’re just always shorthanded when it comes to the bar staff.”

The bar seats around 12 individuals, and there are three booths in the speakeasy. The speakeasy space can seat approximately 25 guests, according to Kamm.

“The booths are really different (compared to the old location),” he explains. “When they were doing the buildout for this, it was during the Covid-19 pandemic, so it made more sense to do it this way (with booths).”

The cocktail menu features a variety of barrel-aged options — which are popular, according to Kamm — refreshing libations, “guilty pleasures” and slushies. There are also beers and wines by the glass or bottle.

“If you’re into Manhattans and Old Fashioneds, a lot of the cocktails under the ‘boozy’ section are in your wheelhouse,” Kamm says. “If you’re looking for something fun and playful, but still tasty and leaning toward the dessert side, the ‘guilty pleasures’ section is good to look at.”

An example of this is the Grasshopper ($15), made with Raynal Cocnac, crème de menthe, crème de cacao, fernet branca and cream.

“For the Grasshopper, I wanted to make it look like you’re drinking a diner milkshake,” Kamm says. “If you like mint chocolate chip ice cream, I think you’ll enjoy it.”

The barrel-aged Vieuxcarre ($25) has also been a customer favorite. It comprises Rittenhouse rye, Old Overhault Rye, Raynal Cognac, Carpano Antica, Benedictine and bitters.

“The barrel-aged cocktails are always a hit,” Kamm says. “I think people are just intrigued by the fact that they’re barrel-aged.

“The only drink I have to talk to people about is the Frappe,” he adds. “Absinthe is such a huge thing in New Orleans. It’s one of those if you don’t like black licorice, you’re going to hate it (the cocktail).”

The speakeasy’s slushies ($16-$18) have also been well received. Choose from Irish coffee — Bushmills Irish whiskey, cold brew and cream — and Henny Colada, made with Hennessy VS (an iconic cognac), coconut and pineapple. (During our visit, we were indecisive about the flavors, so Kamm gave us samples of both.)

Right now, the speakeasy features cocktails only; customers can go downstairs to Pint + Jigger to order food. However, a small food menu might be coming soon to Hush Hush, according to Kamm.

“Eventually, the goal is to be open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays,” he says. “Our chef is (also) working on getting some food here; the idea is to continue wit the New Orleans scene (for the food menu).”

Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting at 6 p.m.

Hush Hush decor 070126

<title>Hush Hush is a new speakeasy in Pint + Jigger</title>

The speakeasy is currently open Fridays to Sundays for cocktails. The entrance is hidden in plain sight inside Pint + Jigger. The speakeasy’s menu now features a New Orleans-style theme with drinks like Sazerac, Grasshopper, and libations with absinthe.

Hush Hush is a new speakeasy in Pint + Jigger

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Business & Tourism

t has announced its next director and CEO, David Odo, who will start on Sept. 1.

Odo, who grew up in Kailua, is currently the director and chief curator at the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia. There he oversees institutional vision and strategy, as well as fundraising, collections, educational direction, and more. 

Under Odo’s leadership, the Georgia Museum of Art had paid membership increase 67%, donors grow 8% and overall museum revenue increase 141%, according to numbers shared by HoMA.

“David brings the experience, vision and leadership that HoMA needs as we prepare to enter our second century,” said Amber Strong Makaiau, chair of HoMA’s board of trustees, in a written statement. “His record of strengthening museums through thoughtful strategic growth, sound institutional stewardship, and meaningful community engagement gives us every confidence that he is the right leader for HoMA at this important moment in our history. His understanding of Hawai‘i and international experience uniquely position him to lead the museum forward.”

, who led the museum for about a year, and former director 

, who led it for five years, from 2020 to 2025, before becoming director at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.   

He is the son of Franklin Odo, who helped found the 

 at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Previously, he held leadership positions at Harvard Art Museums and Yale University Art Gallery

“I am honored to work alongside the Honolulu Museum of Art’s talented team, trustees, members, supporters, educators, and community partners at this important moment in its history,” said Odo, in a written statement. “HoMA holds a world-class collection, deep civic roots, and a community that has claimed it as its own for nearly a hundred years. What excites me is honoring that legacy while boldly positioning the museum for its next century.”

Founded in 1927, HoMA has more than 55,000 works for art from around the world. As a middle school student, Oda remembers being drawn to the sculptures in the Buddhism gallery.

“They sparked my curiosity about world religions,” he said, in a written statement. “That’s one of the things I love about art museums — they hold so much possibility to encourage one’s interest in a limitless number of subjects, and I’m excited to continue that legacy for others in our community.”

HoMA is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, with extended hours until 9 p.m. on Fridays. Admission is $15 for kamaʻāina. It is free for youth 18 years old or younger, as well as college students attending Hawaiʻi state universities or colleges, and SNAP beneficiaries. 

David Odo

<title>HoMA announces new director and CEO</title>

The Honolulu Museum of Art has announced its next director and CEO, who will assume the role on Sept. 1. Learn more about the executive, who grew up in Kailua.

Pritchett Cartoon: Supreme Court rules on basket case

John Pritchett

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