Hawaii LNG Shipping Options
Is HOPE Probation Creating a False Sense of Hope?
Reports of Hawaii's Climate Death are Greatly Exaggerated
State-Provided Targeted Benefits: Help or Harm?
Mayor’s Remembrance Walk to be held on Sept. 7
Borreca: Duke Aiona Leads on Energy Self-Sufficiency while HECO Fumbles
Borreca: Hawaiian Electric may know a lot about generating electricity, but its profound fumbling of the solar energy issue has the potential to produce more than sparks.
Preparing Hawaii for alternative energy was a keystone of former Gov. Linda Lingle's successful re-election campaign, and former GOP Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona is hoping to hit the same notes by emphasizing energy self-sufficiency this year.
As the same time, the Sierra Club-Hawaii is able to organize groups to hold public demonstrations demanding that HECO get moving with adapting to a world with solar energy....
This is way too bright and shiny an object for the Legislature to ignore.
"The bigger challenge is getting the utilities to adapt their business models to become energy transmitters instead of generators to account for more PV, energy storage and other distributed-generation technologies," said state Rep. Chris Lee, House Energy Committee chairman.
New energy grids aren't built of campaign promises, so before the system changes, the solar industry will have to tie its own politically potent team to lawmakers who understand the hard work needed now.
read ... Borreca for Duke
Hanabusa Preparing for 2016 Rematch
Shapiro: I said, "You don't get a U.S. Senate seat, possibly for life, without facing at least one stern test at the polls."
Schatz said, "I know."
His 1,782-vote victory over Hanabusa in the Democratic primary was as stern a test as he could have imagined, and it may not be his final exam.
Schatz is heavily favored against Republican Cam Cavasso in the general election for the final two years of Inouye's term, but he'd have to run again in 2016 for a full six-year term.
His slim victory over Hanabusa leaves him vulnerable to another primary challenge in two years.
Hanabusa, who has yet to congratulate Schatz on his win or offer support in the general election, could well segue straight into a rematch.
Also potentially looking for a chance to move up is the ambitious U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard.
read ... Rematch
RNC invests in Hawaii Republicans
SA: Pat Saiki, the chairwoman of the Hawaii Republican Party, told party leaders on Saturday that the Republican National Committee has invested in the islands to help Republican candidates win in November.
In a memo, Saiki said the national money would be used to hire local residents as field representatives and to assist the party's "ground game" of voter outreach.
"This means that our national counterpart understands the unique opportunity we have to put a Republican back in Washington Place, to send Republicans to Washington, D.C., from Hawaii, and to increase Republican numbers in the state Legislature," Saiki wrote.
read ... RNC Invests
9th Circuit gets Gayest possible panel to Undermine marriage
KOS: "Reinhardt wrote majority in Prop 8 case and SmithKline (latter held sexual orientation must withstand heightened scrutiny). Berzon joined Reinhardt in SmithKline. Gould wrote majority in Witt v. Air Force."
Arguments in the three cases begin at 4PM in San Francisco on Monday.
Related: LA, TN, NV, HI Decisions: States May Uphold Traditional Marriage
read ...9th Circuit
Star-Adv: Sand Island Tent City Needs Dedicated Police Patrol
SA: Even on a temporary basis, the Sand Island installation needs enough bath- rooms and utilities to make it reasonably livable, and access to public transportation to make it practical for the unsheltered who have jobs and other copper-scrounging errands to manage.
It needs dedicated police patrols to ensure the security not only of the shelter residents themselves but of the adjoining properties.
A lot of the focus during recent debates over the homelessness issue has been placed on the punitive aspect of the "sit-lie" bills, but the fact is that the streets aren't safe or appropriate living spaces, and setting up camp there must be actively discouraged. That approach, however, must be paired with creative options for sheltering the homeless in a stable setting.
A temporary shelter at Sand Island is an intermediate step to start movement toward a more permanent set of solutions. The real worry is that it becomes the permanent solution itself.
DN: Tweekerville too far from Waikiki, cry activists
read ... Tweekerville
New transit companies pose risk to consumer protection and safety
SA: The business of carrying passengers for hire is fraught with potential pitfalls. So over the years, government has developed common-sense regulations, for good reason. These include requirements such as:
» To not use a smartphone while driving.
» To provide documented proof of financial responsibility, i.e., commercial automobile liability insurance.
» To have a properly regulated and certified meter and/or to be properly permitted by the state Public Utilities Commission and/or Honolulu Department of Customer Services, Taxi Control.
» To obtain proper permits to serve the airport and other high-security areas.
» To not engage in price-gouging and other anti-consumer behaviors.
In regard to the above rules and many more, new transportation network companies (TNCs) are out of compliance.
First off, Uber and Lyft are using private drivers and some licensed limousine and taxi operators, powered by the use of smartphones. Smartphones operate as the sole dispatch, way-finding and billing systems for both. This is not only dangerous, it is illegal according to Hawaii state law. The consequences can be tragic. On New Year's Eve 2013, a distracted Uber driver struck and killed a 6-year-old girl and injured her mother and 4-year-old sister in San Francisco.
read ... Uber Lyft
Hagel orders agency conducting MIA searches to be reorganized
PG: The new agency, yet to be named, is supposed to consolidate various agencies into one efficient office.
The idea is to find and identify as many remains as possible, cooperate more fully with families and private researchers and make the whole process more transparent.
Secretary Hagel said the reorganization is a “top priority” for the Defense Department.
The realignment followed a series of embarrassing reports about the two agencies that carry out the mission now — the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, or JPAC, and the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, or DPMO.
Related: http://kuentai-usa.com/project.html
read ... POW MIA
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