hawaii
Police chief in Hawaii faces lawsuit for alleged racial discrimination against Asian officer
The police chief in the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i is being accused of discriminatory and racist behavior toward an Asian American officer in a lawsuit.
What the suit is saying: Kaua’i Police Department (KPD) Captain Paul Applegate, 55, filed a suit against KPD Chief Todd Raybuck last week for allegedly discriminating against him when he applied for a promotion last year, reported the Associated Press.
California father and son arrested in Hawaii over bogus COVID-19 vaccine cards
A father and his son flying to Hawaii from Los Angeles were arrested as soon as they had landed after allegedly presenting fake documents to bypass the state’s mandatory quarantine policy.
The allegation: Norbert Chung, 57, and Trevor Chung, 19, of the Pacific Palisades, are accused of using bogus COVID-19 vaccine cards to get around Hawaii’s Safe Travels Program, which requires visitors to present a vaccine card or a negative COVID-19 test result in order to avoid a 10-day quarantine.
Kaiser Permanente gives three Hawaii organizations $100K each to combat racial hate
Kaiser Permanente is donating $100,000 each to three Hawaii organizations to support their ongoing work to address hate crimes and related incidents within their communities.
Joint project: The funding is part of the “Stop Anti-Asian Hate and Violence Initiative,” which the health care provider established this month with non-profit Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) in Washington, D.C., reported the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
Honolulu Councilman Accused of Racism, Transphobia for Blackface in ‘America’s Next Top Model’ Skit
Social media users expressed concern after Filipino American Honolulu Council member Augie Tulba shared a video showing him in blackface in a parody of “America’s Next Top Model.”
Video resurfaces: The clip, which is more than 10 years old, was reshared by Tulba on Instagram over the weekend, according to KITV. The caption of his post read: “We laughed so hard filming this segment. #FunTimes.”
Hawaiian Police Chief’s Racism Exposed After Investigation Over Discrimination
The police chief in the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i has a history of racist and discriminatory acts, a recent discrimination investigation has revealed.
The Kaua’i Police Commission investigation found that Kaua’i Police Department Chief Todd Raybuck violated anti-discrimination policies for several questionable actions including “squinting of the eyes and bowing of the head up and down” and mimicking a Japanese accent while telling stories, reports the Garden Island.
Hawaii Security Guard Gifted a New Car After Biking 3 Miles to Return Lost Wallet
A security guard in Hawaii has been rewarded by the public with a car after biking for miles to return a woman’s lost wallet.
Aina Townsend, who works at a Foodland grocery store in Kahului, found the wallet in a shopping cart and decided to return it as soon as his shift ended.
Pacific Islanders Make Up 33% of Patients Hospitalized in Hawaii for COVID-19
Pacific Islanders comprise the most COVID-19 hospitalizations of all ethnic groups in Hawaii, according to the state’s Health Department.
Figures released on Monday show that the group accounted for 33% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations, despite making up only 4% of Hawaii’s entire population.
First-Time Candidate Becomes Only Openly Gay Member of Hawaii’s House of Representatives
Hawaii has elected its only openly gay Asian American member for the House of Representatives, defeating the state’s chapter leader of the far-right extremist group, the Proud Boys.
Big win: Adrian Tam, a 28-year-old first-time candidate of the Democratic Party, won the November election with a 63% vote against Nicholas Ochs, according to NBC News.
Hawaiian Filipino American Wins Miss Teen USA 2020
Ki’ilani Arruda, a Filipino American teen from Kauai, Hawaii, won the Miss Teen USA 2020 crown out of 51 contenders during the event on Saturday.
Arruda is the second teen from Hawaii to win the annual competition, according to CNN. The previous Miss Teen USA from the island was Kelly Hu, who won the title in 1985.
Bartender Who Created the Iconic ‘Blue Hawaii’ Cocktail Turns 102
Harry Yee, the man behind the iconic Blue Hawaii cocktail, celebrated his 102nd birthday over the weekend at his home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hilton Hawaiian Village typically throws a special celebration for Yee’s birthday on Sept. 26, but the hotel and resort held a small event at his home instead, according to Hawaii News Now.
Elderly Woman Body Slammed By 18-Year-Old in Honolulu Chinatown Robbery
An elderly woman in Honolulu’s Chinatown became the target of a violent robbery in broad daylight last Friday afternoon.
Violet Hoi was walking unprovoked on the River Street side of the Chinatown Cultural Plaza when the stranger, circled around and punched her.
First Asian American President of a Major US University Passes Away at 95
The first Asian American president of a major U.S. university has died at the age of 95.
Fujio “Fudge” Matsuda, who led the University of Hawaii (UH) from 1974 to 1984, passed away in the morning of Aug. 23 surrounded by his family.