When I first heard rumblings from a community activist in East Honolulu about a controversy over lights on a tree in a public park along the ocean in Hawaii Kai, I thought it was worth making a few calls to see if there was a story there. I think it was early November in 2017. I got an earful in my first few phone calls, and heard the name “Mike Miske” for the first time. At least a couple of those mentions included a warning that he was considered violent and considered dangerous.
That tip, and my initial research, led to the first story that appeared at Civil Beat just after Thanksgiving (“Ian Lind: Why A Tree In Hawaii Kai Is Raising Questions Of Favoritism“). I never expected that I would still be pursuing the Miske story five years later.
Over those five years, I’ve collected public records from court cases and appeals, real estate records, procurement files, and relevant agency minutes. I’ve researched old newspapers stories, business registrations, criminal records, and have probably spent several thousand dollars to download copies of federal court documents, including many that turned out not too be relevant after all. I’ve traced family trees of key individuals and families to see connections that would otherwise remain hidden, relying on Ancestry.com and published obituaries. And I’ve heard lots of stories, many from people who can’t speak publicly, tried to run down rumors, and tried to make sense of all the pieces of this big puzzle. I’ve identified many of the pieces, but the whole picture is still a mystery.
Why am I still running with this story? Because it seems like important, the companies were quite visible so that they almost seem familiar, and the story reveals a lot about how Hawaii works. And, perhaps most important, unlike most reporters, I’m supposed to be retired, so have the time to devote to digging. My situation is pretty unique. So here I am.
I’ve written dozens of stories since Miske and his co-defendants were indicted in July 2020. You can find some of them at Civil Beat, which is now collecting links in one place for easy access, or just search for “Miske” here on this site using the search field in the right-hand sidebar, or start with this link and work back.
Here’s the problem. It’s getting harder to move the story forward, not because there’s not enough to write, but because it’s gotten so complicated that it takes me a while to “see” a new angle, sift through my notes and files, identify the items that are most relevant, and finally sit down and start writing, all the while hoping that by starting somewhere, the process of writing and revising will eventually refine my initial idea into a story worth sharing.
It’s a cycle. When I finish a story, it’s like I’ve wrung that story out of my gut and I need a break. But that usually doesn’t last more than a couple of days, because finishing one effort leaves me feeling restless. Why? Because I know there’s so much more to write. I usually get started again by looking over my notes, where I jot down ideas for future stories, some that just get abandoned and others that I circle back to several times before actually getting them written.
In the process of writing a good, substantive story, I warm up for most of a week, choosing one of those story ideas, trying to get its different parts in my head and then envisioning different ways to tell the story using as many of those building blocks as I can. When I find myself dreaming story lines, and wake up with one of those “Aha, it should go like this!” moments, I know it’s time to get serious about writing. And that usually takes me another week, before it’s over. I don’t do all-nighters any more since I’m retired and can treat deadlines as somewhat more flexible than they used to be. Usually I’ll have to shut myself away for several days, or a week of afternoons, to write, rewrite, and repeat several times before I’m satisfied. My first, second, and often third draft is almost always far too long, so the tail end of the process is editing it down so that it’s accessible to readers.
Whew.
All that is a very long way of explaining why my blog posts have gotten to be more irregular than during prior periods. I hope you’ll understand.
Right now, two more stories worth writing have crept up to the top of my priory list. I’ll have to choose between them in the next couple of days, and then next week I’ll retreat and start writing. Hopefully by the end of next week, I’ll be close to finishing another piece of the saga.
Stay tuned!
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I very much enjoy your writing. I also really am deep into the Miske case! Such a mystery and so much that will come out once the trial begins. 5 years is a long time. We too, try and figure things out, as readers. Whatever your writing process, we totally enjoy the fruits of your labors.
Mahalo Ian for sharing your writing process and your history with the Miske saga. I so enjoy reading your efforts
It’s your thorough research & dedication to high standards of credibility that keep bringing me back to
this intriguing, though frightening, subject. Retirement often brings out the best in people in that
their time & effort are selected, not mandated. Thanks for using your retirement to inform a public thirsty for honest, in-depth reporting.
Thank you, Vicki.
Your work is very much appreciated, Ian, not only with respect to this issue but others that you have brought to the forefront. Thank you very much.
Since the Star-Advertiser seems to have outsourced the Miske story to you, I am grateful for your conscientiousness in pursuing it. And if it gets too depressing, there is always Feline Friday to provide remediation.
Hi Ian,
I don’t think I’ve ever commented on here before, and I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your reporting on Miske. I’ve been following on for a few years now, and the way you present the information is captivating.
Thanks again.
Thank you, both for following my reporting and for joining in with a comment. Much appreciated.
Hello,
Not much of a reader, but your posts have me coming back for more. I absolutely love reading your articles and am always checking to see if there are any new articles posted by you. I can’t wait to read your next article! Thank you for your dedication and contributing your pieces of work to the public. Please stay safe and healthy. Happy holidays! 🙂
I started following your articles with the start over that tree! I was concerned when I saw someone taking over a public park for their own purpose. It is one of my pet peeves. I am so grateful that you were there at the start. Please don’t be concerned, at least for me, that there is not something to move forward on with this story. What you have and are sharing is/are enough. I know it is all surrounding the essential “meat” of the situation, but this is how life is. Sometimes you do not see the whole story until years later and upon reflection. Any aspect you provide is very much appreciated. It is something to think this kind of a person with this kind of mindset could grow up here and I suppose it makes me wonder what started him off? How did he get this way?
Also, I have to ask whether you were ever threatened. I know it is not a professional journalist position to talk about such things, but he seemed to threaten everyone that crossed him or he might believe would cross him even in his irrational mind.
You’re the best, Ian. When your emails come in, I’m super excited to open them up and see what’s new!
Mahalo Ian for keeping all of us out here on the sharpest knife-edge of the latest about the Miske case, but also for your in-depth coverage of almost anything that has a bite to it and is newsworthy. You are the absolute best!
I have lived away from my Hawaii home for the past seven years and now have plans to return, but thanks to you, I haven’t missed a beat because of your relentless nose for superb detailed reporting. I am a Hawaiian historian who really appreciates your journalistic excellence. Maika’i no!
This really brought out the value you bring to Hawaii Ian. Other news sources were printing straight from the press release crafted by the hired pr consultant to spin the story. You actually fact checked to tell the real story, not just a he said , she said story.
As shows like “American Greed” and “Dateline” illustrate, committing crimes and murders is getting harder and harder to get away with these days. Internet tracks, cell phone data, security cameras, DNA, even satellite imagery are all used by law enforcement. It seems to me that once motive and association are identified, it’s over.
As Ian points out, the Miske saga is fascinating because his front-businesses were so visible in the community for many years. Surely there had to be at least one regular cop or more who recognized the true nature of Miske and his associates but either failed to speak up or was ignored when they did so.
And regarding these boards and commissions that allowed Miske to own and operate a bar and nightclub, pest control business, and car dealership, they sure have a lot of explaining to do. Can hardly wait for the next big shoe to drop. Someone or some entity at the Federal or State level must have been providing some extra help and protection. My hunch is that since Miske was involved in the distribution of large quantities of drugs that had to be imported, a connection might be revealed involving an airport or harbor.