Hawaii's 'Lost Decade' Was Historic
Gabbard Missed Veterans Hearing to Surf Waikiki
CB: The Hawaii congresswoman now says a video shoot with Yahoo News ran late so she was unable to attend a Senate inquiry into the VA care crisis. Asked to explain where she was, she never mentioned the surfing delay. The video is being sent out with a campaign fundraising pitch.
read ... Movie Star
5% of Oahu Population Leaving--Thanks to Congressional Delegation
SA: Hawaii needs to step up if it wants to keep thousands of soldiers and their families and $1.3 billion in annual soldier-related sales, the former head of U.S. Army Pacific said. (Translation: No leadership by Congressional delegation.)
"If we want the military here, we need to show it," said retired Lt. Gen. Frank Wiercinski, a member of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii's Military Affairs Council. "And now is the time to do it."
That would translate chiefly to more support for training, a key element as the Pentagon studies force reductions, Wiercinski said. Live-fire training has stopped at Makua Military Reservation on Oahu, making Hawaii island's Pohakuloa Training Area all the more important.
"Training is a key component to military readiness and is essential for Hawaii-based units to remain headquartered in Hawaii," Pohakuloa's commander, Lt. Col. Jacob Peterson, agreed in recent statement.
In June the Army laid out a worst-case scenario for downsizing that included the potential removal of 19,800 soldiers and civilian workers on Oahu.
The chamber said that could mean the overall exodus, with 30,035 family members, of roughly 5 percent of Honolulu's population....
The days when Hawaii could rely on U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye to protect Hawaii's defense infrastructure are gone. (B-b-but we've got Brian Schatz on the job.)
read ... About What Happens When Liberals Get Elected
Hospitals? Ige Bought n Paid for by Unions
SA: Aiona has cast the Hawaii Government Employees Association, the state's largest public-sector labor union, which, along with the United Public Workers, represents workers at public hospitals, as the obstacle. He has questioned whether Ige could stand up to the HGEA, which has endorsed the state senator.
"I think the leverage right now is the public," Aiona said. "I really believe it's the public that's putting the leverage on this thing, putting the pressure on this thing. Not that it wasn't there in the past, but, I think, it wasn't a campaign issue."
Both Aiona and Hannemann argue that Ige cannot take credit for his legislative experience and his leadership of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and Senate Health Committee and yet not accept some blame for the problems at public hospitals....
This year, after months of talks among the Abercrombie administration, hospital administrators, union leaders and key lawmakers who oversee health care, lawmakers were close to an agreement on a bill that would have allowed the HHSC to make a transition into a nonprofit or public-benefit corporation with a local partner, such as the Queen's Health Systems, Kaiser Permanente or Hawaii Pacific Health. Negotiators presumed that labor unions would still likely represent hospital workers.
But the bill died in conference committee negotiations, in part because the HGEA pulled its support. Several sources involved with the talks said privately that other interests, including some hospital administrators who support public-private partnerships, were also disappointed with late drafts.
Hawaii Pacific Health and Kaiser have shown interest in Maui Memorial, sources say, and a more detailed partnership plan might emerge before the next session of the Legislature opens in January....
Randy 'F*** You' Perreira, the HGEA's executive director, said Aiona's claim that the union is the obstacle is wrong.
"He's as wrong on this as he's wrong on a lot of other things," he said. "He is oversimplifying. And suggesting that we're the obstacle is just really ignorant of what's really been happening, frankly."
Perreira said the state may have to decide whether to split Maui Memorial, which has been the loudest voice for change, off from the system. He also said the state should re-centralize the system to create greater efficiencies, ending the experiment with regional governance.
Ignorance, Oversimplification: Hospital Reform? Randy Perriera Says "F*** You"
read ... Governor must lead reform, rivals say
Ige, Tsutsui Supported Clayton Hee Harassment of Appointee
CB: Clayton Hee has a tendency to make comments suggesting he is possessed by an unfortunate and unattractive bias. An instructive example occurred during Hee’s failed attempt to derail the confirmation of Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Glenn Kim for judge of the First Circuit Court of the State of Hawaii. As Chairman of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee, the notoriously mild-mannered Hee had doubts about Glenn Kim’s judicial temperament and recommended his rejection to his fellow senators.
I had the pleasure of working with Glenn Kim when I was Prosecuting Attorney. Glenn Kim’s personal and professional accomplishments are blindingly brilliant. He served in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star, earned not one but two degrees from a school called Harvard and graduated at the top of his law school class at the William S. Richardson School of Law. One member of the staff of Hawaii’s only law school informed me that no other student in the school’s history equaled Glenn’s level of academic achievement.
Prior to the floor vote on Hee’s recommendation to reject Kim, Gov. Linda Lingle and I engaged in an intense lobbying campaign to overcome this potential travesty. We went door to door to ask senators for their support. Former Senate President Robert “Bobby” Bunda deserves credit and gratitude for being instrumental in lining up votes for Kim. Former Sen. Russell Blair, a former deputy prosecutor who had worked with Kim had moved to California, emailed senators that “Glenn’s resume is backed by his personal qualities. He is bright, hard-working, honorable generous and is called to public service.”
The confirmation vote was highlighted by Senator Hee’s providing all present with a vaguely coherent and impressively repetitive rant that lasted nearly half an hour. Fortunately he was not persuasive. Glenn Kim by a 16 to 9 vote was confirmed as judge of the First Circuit Court. (Sens David Ige and Shan Tsutsui were among the 9.)
read ... Peter Carlisle
Excuse for Failed Politicians: Abercrombie, Hannemann Joined in Gay Marriage
PR: Hannemann, a Mormon running for governor as an independent, said he has been "punished severely" for holding that view on marriage, which is contrary to the Democratic Party's platform on equal rights and support for marriage equality.
"Because I ran against opponents who won -- who were for same-sex marriage -- some of them changed their positions on same-sex marriage before the election," the former mayor said during a governor's forum at New Hope Leeward's Kapolei campus. "I don't believe in that. You are what you are."...
But no single issue can explain the size of Hannemann's losses to Gov. Neil Abercrombie in 2010 and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, in 2012.
While civil unions was an issue against Abercrombie, and Gabbard did change her position on marriage equality and abortion before the election, the results were more a reflection of voter dissatisfaction with Hannemann personally than any policy difference.
Abercrombie has also sought to use marriage equality to explain away his historic Democratic primary loss to state Sen. David Ige, but the governor made the exact opposite argument as Hannemann. The governor suggested that evangelicals and Republicans flooded the primary because of their disappointment with his decision to call a special session last year to approve marriage equality, a theory that is not supported by turnout comparisons with previous elections....
The New Hope forum on Sunday, which included Hannemann, former Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, the Republican, and Jeff Davis, the Libertarian, was held to help engage the faith-based community in the political process. (Ige was invited to participate but declined.)
Religious conservatives also plan a "We Believe" rally on Friday evening at the Blaisdell Center.
read ... New Hope
Today is Last day for Voter Registration
KITV: 2014 Drive-thru Voter Registration locations:
Hawaii Locations: Kona Kmart, Kea'au Sack 'n Save, Old GMC in Hilo
Date: Oct. 4 and 6
Time: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Kauai Location: Office of the County Clerk, Elections Division
Date: Oct. 6
Time: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Oahu Location: Hawaii State Capitol (front of the Capitol facing Beretania St.)
Date: Oct. 6
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
read ... Drive-thru voter registration on Monday
We Need Police Accountability in Honolulu
CB: This essay focuses on two issues that have recently attracted attention to the questionable performance of the Honolulu Police Department: Domestic violence and police use of lethal force.
Both problems suggest the need for deep reform of Hawaii’s most important law enforcement institution. In our view, the most important change is the establishment of an effective institution of citizen oversight. At present, HPD does not have one....
Statistics from the Honolulu Police Commission create further reason to wonder about the police use of force. The HPC is made up of seven persons appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Members serve staggered five-year terms and receive no compensation.
A review of the current members reveals that none has a background in criminal justice. The HPC Chair runs an industrial chemical company, and other members include a lobbyist for the hotel industry, a life coach, a local restaurateur and an employee of the carpenters union.
By comparison, the Civilian Complaint Review Board that provides citizen oversight of the New York Police Department has seven lawyers with criminal justice experience, three community activist/organizers, one law enforcement agent and one person with experience as a criminal defense lawyer and a police officer....
...no HPD officer has been fired for domestic violence in 14 years even though HPD’s own internal affairs unit investigates about 50 domestic violence case complaints against its officers each year....
read ... Accountability
Absenteeism? Improve Health of Prison Guards
SA: ...When Hawaii corrections officers call in sick en masse on special events, such as Super Bowl Sunday, it tends to make news. These obvious cases of sick-leave abuse require a strong response from the Department of Public Safety, and demand cooperation from organized labor to stem unprofessional conduct by union members.
A deeper problem, though, according to DPS, is the absenteeism of adult corrections officers who are unquestionably ailing, beset by a range of chronic conditions including diabetes, gout and migraine headaches. Many diseases and disorders are related to the continuous stress associated with working in a jail or prison, a closed 24-7 workplace that requires hypervigilance and can be punctuated by violence or the threat of it. The negative impact of this working environment on some employees' mental and physical health is well documented.
Indeed, it's an issue of growing concern nationally, as researchers conclude that corrections officers are far more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety and to attempt or commit suicide than the general population. The rate of post-traumatic stress disorder among corrections officers is similar to that of combat veterans, one 2013 study found....
read ... Improve health of prison guards
Pro and Anti-GMO Blocs Form in Kauai Council Races
KE: ...As the election nears, Kauai County Council candidates are taking the unusual step of forming political blocs.
Saturday night's “meet and greet” with the “Super Six” — incumbents Mel Rapozo and Ross Kagawa, newcomers Arryl Kaneshiro, Darryl Perry and Arthur Brun, and former Councilman KipuKai Kualii — marked the first time I can remember a group of candidates banding together to support one another.
Mel and Ross — top vote-getters in the primary, respectively — discussed their family connections with KipuKai, and they both made it clear the divisiveness that is currently stymying Council business will continue unless they are able to form a majority.
Meanwhile, as I reported last week, Councilmen Gary Hooser, Tim Bynum and Mason Chock are linking with hopefuls Felicia Cowden and Tiana Laranio under the “Keep Kauai Alive, Only Vote for 5” bloc — a single issue movement focused on pesticides.
The blocs reflect the exact same dynamics of “North Shore vs the rest of the island” and “locals vs newcomers/haoles” that drove the fight over the pesticide/GMO Bill 2491 (Ordinance 960).
read ... Super Six
Kauai County Trying to Finish Off Destruction of Island's Only Water Bottling Company
KGI: In February, the state Supreme Court — in what has been called a landmark decision for Hawaii’s Public Trust Doctrine — sided with the County of Kauai by striking down a 2008 circuit court ruling that the Kauai Planning Commission “exceeded its jurisdiction” in denying Kauai Springs, Inc. permits for its operation.
(Reality: OHA, on behalf of a competitor, harassed Kauai Springs all the way to the Supreme Court.)
Seven months later, and contrary to that ruling, the Koloa-based water bottling and distribution company’s doors remain open.
“They continue to operate,” said Attorney David Minkin, who was hired as special counsel to represent the county in the Kauai Springs case. “Working with the Planning Department, we have sent them a notice of violation telling them that, if they don’t shut down, we will start fining them and turn it over both at the Planning Commission level as well as the prosecutor’s office to go after them for violating the law.”
The notice was sent to Kauai Springs on Tuesday, following a site investigation of the property by the Planning Department a week before. It orders the company to cease and desist all water bottling and distribution activities. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to $10,000 per day, as well as criminal prosecution, the letter states.
Kauai Springs has been given until Oct. 14 to respond.
On Wednesday, at the request of Councilman Tim Bynum, Minkin briefed the Kauai County Council’s Planning Committee on the Supreme Court ruling in the case and its application and relevance to the law....
The county has spent about $111,000, under the budget of $115,000, on the case, including the appeal, according to Minkin....
read ... County Harassment, OHA corruption, and Judicial Malfeasance
Kauai County Employment Doubles, Services Decline
KGI: ...When Mayor Maryanne Kusaka finished her terms of office, there were a little over 700 employees of the county providing adequate services to the people. The surpluses were much lower and yet the county did not experience furloughs, RIF (Reduction in Force) or layoffs. Now the county has almost doubled with even lower quality of services being provided....
read ... Double for Nothing
New bill aims to Allow Volunteers to clean up Oahu filthy parks
HNN: Kymberly Pine, District 1, hopes the measure will make it easier for volunteers to fix facilities in their communities.
Aside from the new bill, Pine launched her Hoa Paka Adopt-a-Park Leeward Program in March. Makaha Community Park is the first park to be adopted under that program. Graffiti, makeshift toilet paper holders, and worn out rooftops are just a few things those in Leeward Oahu community hope to get rid of. But Pine says right now it's not that easy.
“It's been very frustrating and difficult to do because of the bureaucracy. We hope that this legislation simplifies the entire process so groups and businesses, large and small, can give back what they want to give back without any roadblocks," said Pine, District 1.
For example, she says under the current law, if plumbing is backed up at one of the park bathrooms, someone in the community can't just fix it, and months go by before something is done.
Pine says through this new bill and her already-existing program, Makaha Community Park will hopefully lay the foundation for all parks island wide.
The first reading for Pine's bill will be on Wednesday, Oct. 8....
SA: Proposed bill looks to transform Adopt-a-Park program
read ... Adopt a Park
Church makes security changes after back-to-back vandalism
KITV: The church just celebrated its 45th anniversary. Church leaders said these days the church has to worry about problems like vandalism. In August, Mother Mary statues kept getting knocked over and windows were shattered with a metal pipe during noon Mass. Also, someone recently turned on all the water spigots and left them running.
read ... Vandalism
Supreme Court Will not Hear Gay Marriage Case this Term
AP: On the first day of its new term, the high court without comment rejected appeals in cases involving five states - Virginia, Oklahoma, Utah, Wisconsin and Indiana - that had prohibited gay marriage, leaving intact lower-court rulings striking down those bans....
The court did not explain why it was not taking up the issue. Among the possibilities are that a majority believes it would be premature to intervene and wants to see more lower court action, or that on this deeply polarized court neither the liberals nor the conservatives could be certain of how the issue would resolved and did not want to risk forcing a national precedent now.
In order for the Supreme Court to hear a case, at least four of the nine justices must vote to hear it....
ADF: “The court’s decision not to take up this issue now means that the marriage battle will continue. Several federal courts – including those in the 5th, 6th, 8th, and 11th circuits – still have cases working their way to the Supreme Court. ADF will continue to remain a leader in the critical effort for the freedom of the people. The people should decide this issue, not the courts.”
read ... Supreme Court dodges gay marriage
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