Connect with us

Hawaii

Hawaii woman on humanitarian mission in Gaza among thousands ordered to evacuate

Published

on

Hawaii woman on humanitarian mission in Gaza among thousands ordered to evacuate


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A Hawaii woman on a humanitarian mission in Gaza is among the more than 1 million people ordered to to flee ahead of an expected ground invasion.

Ramona Okumura, a retired Hawaii teacher and medical technician, has been communicating with her family frequently. Her brother, Glenn, has gotten texts messages periodically.

He said her sister was in a convoy moving south of Gaza.

Her escape happened as Israel warned 1.1 million civilians to flee south within 24 hours.

Advertisement

The military dropped flyers into Gaza that said “evacuate your homes immediately.”

Colleagues of Hawaii woman trapped in Gaza call for humanitarian corridor, ceasefire

“We were biting our nails and waiting for what’s going on,” said Glenn Okumura.

Ramona Okumura, a volunteer with the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, recently sent a message to her family that said, “Where can we go in a place only 25 miles long and 5 miles wide?

“Imagine all of Oahu crammed along in a space from Hawaii Kai to downtown?”

Advertisement

U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, described the situation as very dangerous.

“The war needs to end and that is where a lot of the emphasis has to go,” she said.

“But at the same time, we very much know that Israel has a right to defend itself and American support will continue to that end.”

Ramona Okumura’s family said the organization she has been volunteering for has now arranged plans for her and other humanitarian aid workers to leave Gaza.

“It’s halfway happy, elated but still apprehensive because it ain’t over till it’s over,” said Glenn Okumura. “But like Ramona said, plans always change over there in the Middle East so just gonna wait until she’s there and then we can kind of give another sigh of relief.”

Advertisement

Ramona Okumura is a Washington resident so her family has been working with state leaders there. They said U.S. Rep Pramila Jayapal confirmed the State Department was working to update their team on the ground and said assistance in Gaza is still extremely limited.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hawaii

Hawaii Adopts Fines For Excise, Rental Tax Reporting Failures – Law360 Tax Authority

Published

on

Hawaii Adopts Fines For Excise, Rental Tax Reporting Failures – Law360 Tax Authority


By Zak Kostro · June 25, 2024, 6:57 PM EDT

Hawaii will impose fines for failures to comply with the reporting requirements of the state’s general excise tax and transient accommodations tax laws as part of a bill signed by the…

To view the full article, register now.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Hawaii

California mother is arrested for confronting drag queens at Hawaii hotel over ‘inappropriate’ Pride show

Published

on

California mother is arrested for confronting drag queens at Hawaii hotel over ‘inappropriate’ Pride show


A University of California Davis employee was briefly detained after she was seen aggressively confronting drag performers at a resort in Hawaii.

Beth Bourne, a program director at UC Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies, was filmed raging at drag queens after she spotted them at the Alohilani Resort in Waikīkī, where they were to perform for a pride event.

Bourne, who is a leader for the conservative group Moms for Liberty, became enraged after she spotted the drag queens in the lobby, and accused the hotel of failing to provide a safe environment for her son.

Beth Bourne, a program director at UC Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies, was filmed raging at drag queens after she spotted them at the Alohilani Resort in Waikīkī

‘I’m sorry but I paid to be a customer at a hotel where I thought you believe that women were for real,’ the activist yelled as she held her phone up to record the drag queens.

Advertisement

‘Because you put on make-up, you’re wearing high heels, you have a Barbie outfit on – you don’t think this is degrading.

She added: ‘This is misogyny… if you give me back my money right now, I will leave the hotel, but I’m not going to have my children come down from the 30th floor and see what’s happening here.’

Bourne then asked the performers their names, saying she wants to know who they are as a hotel employee attempts to escort her away.

‘Are you a man?’ she asked one of them. ‘What do you think about my son who might think that he can put on make-up and fancy clothing and high heels and have his penis cut off and take estrogen so he can grow fake boobs?’ 

One of the performers, who goes by Marina Del Rey, shared video of the incident on social media, saying Bourne attacked his group.

Advertisement
One of the performers, who goes by Marina Del Rey, shared video of the incident on social media, saying Bourne attacked his group

One of the performers, who goes by Marina Del Rey, shared video of the incident on social media, saying Bourne attacked his group

He said on Instagram: ‘There was prior dialog from her ahead of what I filmed and ultimately she was taken off the property by the police.

‘I would like to say a huge THANK U to the resort for your care and concerns during and after, to all of us…. those within witness – guest or staff – many extended compassion of which I’m very very grateful…

‘We are all okay. A little shook & saddened but grateful to the people we were in the company of and everyone who reached out. and still keeping faith in humanity.’

Marina Del Rey explained the group was in the lobby to film a video that saw them playing roles as hotel staff.

‘This woman saw us filming and came to a slow burn and then she popped off. Her rant went on and on – possibly with the attempt to get a riled angered response,’ the performer added.

Advertisement
Bourne became an anti-trans activist following the rupture of her relationship with her nonbinary eldest of two child

Bourne became an anti-trans activist following the rupture of her relationship with her nonbinary eldest of two child

DailyMail.com has reached out to UC Davis and the Alohilani Resort for comment on this story.

Many social media users have demanded that Bourne be fired from UC Davis following her recorded actions.

Elaine Vinton said on Facebook: ‘To all of my CA friends, I am urging you to contact UC Davis Human Resources, and lodge a complaint for their employment of Beth Bourne, the chairwoman of Moms For Liberty, Davis CA. 

‘She is harassing students and staff, quoting UC Davis’s practice of cutting of the penises of male children, among other practices. She is an unhinged bigot threatening the LGBTQ+ Community. Please make a call!’

Bourne is a controversial figure and claims without evidence on her social media accounts that ‘1/22 kids is trans’ at UC Davis.

Advertisement

Responding to the video on X, Bourne wrote: ‘I am not okay with children being exposed to drag queens. 

The performers were at the hotel to participate in a brunch for Pride month

The performers were at the hotel to participate in a brunch for Pride month

‘Several other Alohilani hotel guests told me they also found it offensive so I spoke up to the manager yesterday. I was briefly detained by police, refunded my hotel charges, and have no regrets for speaking up. 

‘If we can be heard, this will end.’

Bourne became an anti-trans activist following the rupture of her relationship with her nonbinary eldest of two child.

Lily, 18, came out as nonbinary five years ago, moving out of Bourne’s home in their junior year of high school after clashes over their gender identity, as reported by The Sacramento Bee. 

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Hawaii

'Pirates Of The Caribbean' actor killed in Hawaii shark attack

Published

on

'Pirates Of The Caribbean' actor killed in Hawaii shark attack


A Hawaiian surfer who also acted on TV and in movies including Johnny Depp’s Pirates Of The Caribbean has died in a shark attack, authorities said.

Tamayo Perry, 49, died on Sunday at Malaekahana Beach on Oahu, moments after the encounter.

Perry played a buccaneer in the fourth installment of the popular swashbuckling franchise, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Advertisement

He also appeared in the re-boot of Hawaii Five-O and in cult TV series Lost, which was largely filmed on the US archipelago, as well as in the 2002 surf movie Blue Crush.

In addition to his big and small screen appearances, Perry was a lifeguard and professional surfer who was well known in the local community.

In this undated image released by Christa Funk, shows well-known Hawaii lifeguard Tamayo Perry pipeline surfing. Photo: AP

Honolulu acting Ocean Safety chief Kurt Lager said as a lifeguard, Perry was “loved by all” on Oahu’s north shore.

“Tamayo’s personality was infectious, and as much as people loved him, he loved everyone else more,” he said.

Advertisement

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi told a press conference on Sunday that Perry’s death was “tragic.”

“Tamayo was a legendary waterman and highly respected. (He) grew up right over here, and just a great member of our ocean safety team.” – AFP



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending