HONOLULU — Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii was crowned Miss USA 2023, more than a week after the previous titleholder resigned for mental health reasons.

Born and raised on the island of Maui, Gankiewicz is a model who leads a female empowerment nonprofit organization. Gankiewicz, who was the first runner-up at the pageant last September, accepted the title on Wednesday during a special coronation attended by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, Hawaii News Now reported. She will hold the title until August.

Miss USA 2024 is scheduled to take place from July 24 to Aug. 4.

Gankiewicz told KHON-TV she received backlash for deciding to take on the remainder of the title’s term. “But I wanted people to know that I’ve taken this title because I feel like it is a responsibility and an opportunity to make a positive change from within, and I can only do that from inside the organization and not standing out,” she said.

Gankiewicz replaces former Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt, a former Miss Utah who stepped aside May 6, citing her mental health. In a statement, Voigt thanked her fans and wrote, “Never compromise your physical and mental well-being.”

Miss Teen USA, UmaSofia Srivastava, also resigned her title within days of Voigt’s resignation, dealing a shock to the Miss Universe Organization, which runs both pageants.

Srivastava, the former Miss New Jersey Teen USA, wrote in a statement that her “personal values no longer fully align with the direction of the organization.”

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – After nearly two days of deliberation, a federal jury returned a not guilty verdict Friday in the sprawling bribery case against Keith Kaneshiro, Honolulu’s longest-serving prosecutor.

The decision comes nearly two years after Kaneshiro and five others were indicted on conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, bribery and conspiracy against rights. Verdicts were also handed down for the others in the case — all campaign donors affiliated with a high-profile Honolulu engineering firm.

Firm owner Dennis Mitsunaga, who was jailed during trial following new allegations of witness tampering, was also found not guilty.

The jury also delivered not guilty verdicts for the others in the case: Executive Aaron Fujii, executive Chad McDonald, firm Executive Director Terri Ann Otani, and firm attorney Sheri Tanaka.

After the verdict was read, Kaneshiro spoke to reporters, reacting to the decision and expressing his frustration over how the media handled the case.

“I feel vindicated,” he said. “But how am I going to get back my reputation? Because all the information that’s been going out how been negative about me.”

Attorney Sheri Tanaka also spoke, getting emotional about how everything played out.

“This was completely wrong what happened,” she said. “And I think … what the government did for each one of our families, what they put us through, the horrific things they did, of pitting family members against friends, and every step of the way, it was awful. And we’re so very grateful that justice was served today.”

Jurors started their deliberations in the case on Wednesday, after closing arguments wrapped up on the 26th working trial day. In their final pitch to the jury, defense attorneys argued the government hadn’t shown evidence of bribery but had twisted Hawaii traditions of giving and omiyage into something sinister.

The government’s case revolved around campaign donations.

Mitsunaga and his employees, federal prosecutors argued, funneled nearly $50,000 to Kaneshiro’s coffers in exchange for his office going after an enemy of the firm — Laurel Mau, a fired employee who had sued for discrimination.

Mau was an architect at the firm and she’d been accused of stealing by taking side jobs. During trial, Mau said she was directed to take on some of those jobs by firm employees. Meanwhile, some of the jobs were offered pro bono.

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A state judge ultimately threw out the criminal charges against her.

And during the bribery trial, a key witness for the government — retired HPD Officer Rudy Alivado — admitted he lied under oath in multiple court proceedings in order to protect his longtime friend, Mitsunaga, who he’d gone to school with.

One of those cases was Mau’s civil discrimination trial, which she lost.

The Kaneshiro trial was another stunning chapter in a years-long federal corruption probe that previously ended with guilty verdicts against ex-Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his wife, Katherine, who was a high-ranking city prosecutor, along with several police officers. The Kealohas remain behind bars.

Separately, the government is pursuing a case against three former high-ranking city officers in connection with a $250,000 payout to Louis Kealoha in 2017.

The Kaneshiro trial also had no shortage of twists and turns.

In addition to Mitsunaga being jailed during the proceedings, the judge in the case — U.S. District Court Judge J. Michael Seabright — recused himself after being identified as a victim or witness in a murder-for-hire case linked to the trial.

A new judge was selected to preside over trial.

This story will be updated.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A 59-year-old man is dead after ramming his motorcyclist into a rock embankment on Hawaii Island Thursday evening.

Police responded to the scene around 5:40 p.m. at the intersection of Mamaloha Highway and Leilani Street.

Officials said the motorcyclist overtook several vehicles near the Manuka State Park entrance, before striking a rock embankment and flying off his motorcycle.

He was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The motorcyclist remains unidentified at this time, pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

It’s part of a deadly trend on Hawaii Island roads.

This is now the 18th traffic fatality this year compared to just 8 at this time last year.

Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.