On Thursday, United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) called on Japanese high technology conglomerate Hitachi to end its business in Iran. Hitachi maintains an active presence in Iran, having provided Iran with gas turbines and induction motors used in its oil and gas sector.

The Hawaii Supreme Court recently completed a three-year evaluation of the progress made by the Hawaii Access to Justice Commission toward the goal of increasing access to justice in civil legal matters for low-income Hawaii residents.

"We are honored to have the sponsors we do to support the festival each year," says Representative Corinne W. L. Ching, "'I LOVE LILIHA' is nothing if not individual gems of the community arriving at one place and time, to remind residents why they should be proud to call Liliha home."

The boundaries pit two Big Island Democrats against each other: Jerry Chang, D-Piihonua-Kaumana, and Mark Nakashima, D-Hawi-Hilo. On Oahu, Rida Cabanilla, D-Waipahu-Ewa, would face Kymberly Pine, R-Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point; and Mark Hashem, D-Hahaione Valley-Aina Haina, would compete against Barbara Marumoto, R-Kalani Valley-Diamond Head.

The public is invited to attend the second and final Federal Section 106 PUBLIC HEARING Meeting on Thursday, August 4, 2011 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. which will be held at the Hale Pono`i Building at the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) facility at 91-5420 Kapolei Parkway.

(Handy Tip: Deposit $100M and make OHA give you $400M. Not only will you prosper, but by bankrupting OHA, you will make Hawaii a better place.)

 ....

...good government means more than just saying what people want to hear. It means identifying problems that concern our community and proposing constructive solutions....

• Senate: Confirmation of Robert S. Mueller III to be Director of the FBI
• Senate: Budget Control Act of 2011
• House: North American-Made Energy Security Act
• House: Budget Control Act of 2011

The Employer-Union Trust Fund (EUTF) has completed the periodic process of selecting providers of life, vision, dental, medical and pharmacy insurance—with significant savings for employers, active employees and retirees....

In a Washington Post article published this morning, the national Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee takes the unusual step of attacking a Democratic Senate Primary candidate--Ed Case....DSCC is working hand in glove with Sen. Dan Inouye. Even DSCC’s choice of words -- “not honest” -- echoes Inouye’s lengthy record of attacks on Case.

Americans are disappointed. They are disappointed that the debate over our debt limit was about the needs of politicians instead of the needs of the country. They are disappointed with a broken government that refuses to fix itself. And they are disappointed that the Budget Control Act that passed the House last night and is likely to pass the Senate today does not make the transformative changes this nation requires. 

The poll shows Ed Case ahead of Mazie Hirono in the Democratic primary 53%-37% and ahead of Linda Lingle in the general 48%-38%, and Lingle ahead of Hirono in the general 48%-43%. 

The Gordian knot that seems to be confronting public officials is how to keep the state and county governments solvent while avoiding either having to make deep cuts in public services or, on the other hand, raising taxes and fees that will infuriate the tax paying public.

 Put the security of the nation at risk or raise taxes. This is the sour "deal" liberal lawmakers are offering in exchange for insufficient spending cuts, according to reports of this weekend's debt negotiations in Washington....

Driving the compact is the memory of the 2000 presidential election, in which George W. Bush won the slimmest of electoral-vote majorities even though Al Gore gained a plurality of popular votes. But that election itself suggests a fatal flaw in the proposal....

Defense spending is 18% of Hawaii’s economy….

According to the Companies, the application of the biofuel surcharge “would apply to HELCO and HECO customers, and would add about 1/3 of a cent per kilowatt hour.”

... a "waste of time" because of the billion of euros it has lost over the years. The division, AnsaldoBreda, makes trams, trains and subways....

Here's the latest in a case we've been following. In Bridge Aina Lea, LLC v. State of Hawaii Land Use Comm'n....

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today signed a formal project partnership agreement for the construction of the Kawainui Marsh Environmental Restoration Project in Kailua, O‘ahu.

Tomorrow, look for a new editorial in Pacific Business News on problems with fiscal responsibility in our government.

Even if the Boehner bill passed and became law, America would continue its downward spiral into a fiscal abyss with no end in sight....

Last week President Obama made an alarming statement to the nation's senior citizens. He told CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley he couldn't guarantee that $20 billion in Social Security checks will go out on Aug. 3, the day after the government would go into default if it doesn't raise the debt ceiling. "[T]here may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it," Mr. Obama said.

This statement completely overlooks the existence of the Social Security Trust Fund....

The Stimulus Program created 2,046 jobs in Hawaii.  The cost for these 2,046 jobs? $1.329-billion in taxpayer dollars!  That’s about $650,000 per job!

The Governor’s objectives are to avoid interruptions to programs that depend heavily on federal funding....

Hawai'i Bankers Association Executive Director Gary Fujitani said, “Our banking community has substantial liquidity that is ample to weather any temporary financial correction. We are ready to work with the state to ensure the continuance of a stable economy in Hawai'i.”

Say goodbye to cars and trucks as you know them. Say hello to a brave new future ushered in by the Environmental Protection Agency. It's one where the federal government reshapes a major U.S. industry by administrative fiat, all in pursuit of a policy goal that will cost money, jobs, and lives—all to satisfy the left's environmentalist factions while dishing out taxpayer dollars to an Obama-favored unionized industry.

When I was considering serving as State Chair, I was told by Former State Chair, Governor Linda Lingle, that I would not understand what it meant to be the chair until I served as Chair. Having now served a full term and having been re-elected to serve yet another term as your State Chair, I find these to be great words of wisdom and completely true!

As we look forward to 2012, I remain disappointed with our delegation's adherence to a partisan agenda that places party loyalty above the best interests of Hawaii's residents and our nation. If we are to protect and advance Hawaii's best interests in our nation's capital, we need a balanced delegation with representatives who can and will work with both Republicans and Democrats alike....

Queen Kaomileika'ahumanu - was buried at the Waipouli cave in the One'ula area. She died on October 31, 1796, but was removed from her burial without approval from the State's OIBC.  

VIDEO: Jason Martin, of Secure DNA and Christopher Van Marter Senior Deputy of the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney White Collar Crime Unit discuss Cybercrime with Representative George Fontaine.... 

Do you heat your home? Light your rooms? Buy and cook food? Watch TV? If the answer is "yes," then you've fallen under federal regulation. And you're paying for it, too. Gattuso and Katz explain how every product imaginable costs more because of regulations....

A growing list of women leaders from across the state have joined the Executive Advisory Council for Hawai‘i’s 8^th annual International Women’s Leadership Conference (IWLC), taking place on September 20, 2011 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) introduced legislation to raise the debt ceiling this week. In evaluating his plans for future government spending, it becomes clear that budgeting for prudent defense is considered just another line item.

• DATE: Friday, July 29th, 2011
• TIME: 11:30 am ~ 1:30 pm
• LOCATION: Japanese Cultural Center / Manoa Grand Ballroom, 2454 S Beretania St, 5th Floor

• HILO -- JULY 27, WEDNESDAY—1:00PM-3:00PM.
• MAUI -- JULY 28, THURSDAY-- 5PM youth session, 6:30PM general session.
• OAHU -- JULY 29, FRIDAY—6:30PM to 8:30PM.

The Council will meet quarterly and report annually to the Governor, the Legislature and county mayors, including policy recommendations supporting the statewide plan.

A program funded by the federal government allowed 60 Hawai‘i public schools to keep serving free breakfast and lunch this summer. All children 18 years old and younger, even those not enrolled in that particular school, are able to have a free meal ....

...the East-West Center is under fire again, as Congress is looking at completely eliminating the center. The House Foreign Affairs Committee recently voted to wipe out the UH based facility. The center might again be saved in the U.S. Senate, but these difficulties will continue as long as Hawaii continues to send a one-sided and unbalanced delegation to Congress that is unable to speak with the new GOP majority in the U.S. House.... 

Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, chairman of defense and aerospace group Finmeccanica (Parent Company of Honolulu Rail Contractor Ansaldo), has been put under investigation by Rome prosecutors examining allegations of secret slush funds, legal sources said on Friday.

The report, “Valuing the Invaluable: The Growing Contributions and Costs of Family Caregiving, 2011 Update”, finds that the “average” caregiver is a 49-year old woman who works outside of the home and spends nearly 20 hours per week providing unpaid care to her mother over the course of nearly five years.

Strong support among liberal Democrats for Obama's jobs record has plummeted 22 points from 53% down below a third. African Americans who believe the president's measures helped the economy have plunged from 77% to barely half.

Americans tuning in last night to watch President Barack Obama's primetime address from the East Room of the White House might have thought they stumbled upon yet another re-run from the networks.

 [T]here's a certain element of waiting for the markets to weigh in and show Congress that they have to get serious here...You see the Administration almost kind of, almost daring the markets to respond, yesterday saying that the Congress had to act by 4:00 yesterday afternoon before the Asian markets started to open.

• Senate: Military Construction-VA Appropriations, FY2012
• Senate: Motion to Table; Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2011
• House: Cut, Cap, and Balance Act
• House: Consumer Financial Protection Safety and Soundness Improvement Act of 2011
• House: Legislative Branch Appropriations, FY2012

Kaiser Permanente announced today that the Honolulu Clinic and Kihei and Lahaina Clinics on Maui, and their primary care providers have received the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Physician Practice Connections Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition....

In the early 1990's Eric Ryan was the first student in Chaminade history to be convicted of forging student signatures and election ballots thus beginning his career of graphic design so he continue forging documents. He later took Chaminade to court for defamation of character.

Documents filed with the Hawaii State Ethics Commission show that a $1000 per person March 15 campaign fundraiser for Honolulu Council Chair Ernie Martin held at the home of Kamehameha Schools lobbyist Linda Y Wong was organized by convicted cocaine dealer Chad Tsuneyoshi—who now serves as Martin’s campaign treasurer.

Details about the 1941 Ewa Field Battlefield history and Section 106 process will be presented by the US Navy on August 4th at the DHHL Building in Kapolei.