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Saturday, October 25, 2014
October 25, 2014 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 4:43 PM :: 3785 Views

Takai ‘Can’t Carry the Cooler’ for Hawaii

$40.8M Missing: Rail GE Tax Revenues Short Again

Hawaii Welfare Pays Better Than Teaching, Military

Bonds: Fitch Rates Hawaii's Next $1.1B 'AA'

Hawaii tuition increases 34% in five years--#1 in USA

Photos: Molokai Unites to Defend GMO Agriculture

Djou $416K Cash on Hand With 20 Days to Go

DLNR Approves Community Management of Haena Fishpond

Poll: 50% Yes to public funding for private preschools--only 42% No

HNN: Yes on 4 supporters call public funding for private preschools a "yes brainer."

Our new Hawaii poll suggests the ballot battle is too close to call. 50 percent said they would vote yes.

42 said no.

Deborah Zysman, Executive Director of the Good Beginnings Alliance said, "We think some of the reason it's so close is that HSTA has been out there trying to confuse people and raise questions, many of which have clear answers."

Democrat David Ige said, "As you know I am opposing it. We don't have the funds and private schools aren't in the communities where they need to be." ...

Hawaii Poll Tables: Click for a breakdown of the numbers:http://hine.ws/hp14earlych, Ward Research Inc 2014 General Election Poll (Part 3 of 3)

SA: Support has dropped off from 62 percent of voters in a February Hawaii Poll, and from 54 percent in favor in a Hawaii Poll taken in July. Meanwhile, those saying they would vote against the initiative grew from 33 percent in February and 40 percent in July

read ... Close

Democrat Poll Djou 42% - Takai 49%

RC: A new Democratic poll shows the party’s nominee in an open House contest in Hawaii with a 7-point lead over the Republican.

State Rep. Mark Takai, a Democrat, led former Republican Rep. Charles Djou, 49 percent to 42 percent, according to the survey, which was conducted for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and obtained by CQ Roll Call.

Public polling has shown a closer race, either a dead heat or with Djou slightly leading Takai. Both are seeking to succeed Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, a Democrat who lost the primary for Senate earlier this year.

This week, American Action Network, a GOP group, went up with $300,000 on Honolulu broadcast attacking Takai’s past comments on taxes. They hope Djou will upset the Aloha State’s 1st District, which voted for President Barack Obama by a 41-percent margin in 2012.

On Friday, the Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call to moved the race rating to Leans Democratic.

The DCCC’s poll, conducted by the Global Strategy Group, found a generic Democrat leading a generic Republican, 55 percent to 33 percent. It also showed President Barack Obama with a relatively high approval rating of 60 percent.

The poll surveyed 400 likely voters via live telephone calls on Oct. 20 and Oct. 21. It had a margin of error of 4.9 percent.

read ... Poll

Political opponents form friendship during one candidate's illness

HNN: Sam Kong, 54, is a Democrat who runs his own taxi company. He's running for the Aiea State House seat being vacated by Mark Takai, who's running for Congress.

"Physically, I knew I couldn't do what needs to be done in a normal campaign. I couldn't walk the district. Sign waving, I had a feeling, would not be easy for me either," Kong said.

Kong has been sick in recent months, fighting a serious infection that sometimes leaves him with a high fever.

When he was hospitalized at Pali Momi Medical Center for eight days last month, he heard from his Republican opponent, Robert Helsham, who texted and called him.

"Please let me know if there's anything I can do and come and just bring some comfort and just be there to lift him up and encourage him that you know what, we're praying for you and we're with you," Helsham said.

Helsham, 49, is a worship minister at First Assembly of God Church in Red Hill, and is athletic director at the church's Christian Academy.

Helsham visited Kong in the hospital five times, played guitar and sang for him, brought him a minister who he admires and prayed with him.

read ... Friendship

Star-Adv Endorses Ozawa for E Oahu Council Seat

SA: Ozawa offers a fresh, independent voice, while being well-versed in constituents' needs, and his election would best serve the voters.

He supports the immediate transitioning of homeless people into shelters that provide medical and housing assistance, stressing a "compassionate yet firm" approach. He also backs increased efforts to expand the city's curbside recycling program.

Ozawa, 31, gained insight from his year serving as an aide to Chang, representing him at community meetings. He is married and a new father and has lived most of his life in the district, attending elementary school there before becoming a Kamehameha Schools graduate.

He is a real estate attorney who describes himself as a fiscal conservative, and his perspective on open government is welcome. Ozawa proposes posting a website for tracking constituent complaints and televising Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board meetings....

Waters moved to the district in the past year....

Waters: A Moment of Silence 

read ... Ozawa

Hawaii High Tech Development Corp Backs Defeated “patent troll”

ILind: ...GPNE Corp, which brought the claims, is based in Honolulu. It’s office is in the state-backed Manoa Innovation Center, run by the High Technology Development Corporation, according to its current business registration on file with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Despite the Hawaii connection, the case apparently wasn’t noticed by the local media.

After the verdict, Apple denounced the company, GPNE Corp, as a “patent troll.”

In HTDC’s 2010 annual report, a GPNE officer is quoted concerning the support provided by the State of Hawaii via HTDC.

“HTDC has helped our company by providing us with essential services, access to facilities and other support that a company just starting out needs but usually cannot afford. Through the use of the facility, we have been able to interact with businesses and technical experts in Hawaii in ways that had previously been difficult to coordinate. This has allowed us to concentrate and expand our business in many ways.”

If Apple’s “patent troll” allegations are true, does it raise questions about the allocation of limited available resources to this type of company? It would certainly be interested to hear how the local tech community views the case and its lessons, if any.

read ... Your Tax Dollars at Work

Stinking Hypocrisy: Surfrider Foundation Threatens Suit to Block Farm on Behalf of Luxury Resort

KGI: ...Friends of Mahaulepu says it’s prepared to take legal action to stop Hawaii Dairy Farms’ proposed $17.5 million, 578-acre dairy in the Mahaulepu Valley....

Carl Berg of the Surfrider Foundation Kauai Chapter presented his findings from water quality sampling he’s been doing in the area since March, following HDF’s meetings about their proposed dairy. Already, with no cows on the land, high levels of bacteria, nutrients and mud being found in nearby Waiopili Stream.

“This thing is off the wall,” he said. “It’s worse than the Ala Wai Canal (in Honolulu). And we thought this was a pristine stream.”

(And this is related to the proposed dairy farm how?)

HDF spokeswoman Amy Hennessey said she and other dairy representatives were not invited to the meeting....

Kawailoa Development, LLP, owner of the nearby Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa and the Poipu Bay Golf Course, filed suit against HDF in 5th Circuit Court July 10, claiming its business, recreational, environmental and aesthetic interests would be adversely affected should the dairy move into the neighborhood. It is asking the court to require HDF to complete an environmental assessment.

That same month, in light of public outcry, HDF announced it would gradually phase in its operations over several months, beginning with between 650 and 699 cows and eventually reaching the initial 2,000.

In previous statements, Hennessey called the lawsuit an “insidious attack on local food,” and said that if development cannot coexist with agriculture, Kauai’s farmers, local food industry and, ultimately, families will be the “victims of unfettered growth.”

read ... Surfrider Against Agriculture

Battle brewing between BIA-Hawaii and state preservation officials over historic buildings law

PBN: A battle continues to brew between the Building Industry Association of Hawaii and historic preservation officials in the state over a law that subjects homes built more than 50 years ago to a historic preservation review whenever a homeowner applies for a building permit for a rebuild or remodel.

read ... Battle

Exclusive: New, disturbing video of an attack by a Honolulu Police Officer inside a game room

HNN: Officer Vince Morre walks in and within seconds, kicks a 25-year old man in the face.

Morre and Officer Nelson Tamayori then walk to the back of the game room. They are looking for someone who is not there.

When they return from the back, Officer Tamayori heads to the door, but Officer Morre stops and begins assaulting the two men sitting next to him. Neither is resisting or engaging Morre but he begins to slap, punch, then kick one of them.

He then turns his attention to the 25-year old man again, kicking him in the head a second time. The blow is so hard, the man flies off of his chair. As he is trying to sit back down, Officer Morre picks up a stool and throws it. It hits the man in the head.

The FBI is investigating for possible civil rights violations.

read ... New Video

Honolulu inmate accidentally released instead of taken to jail

HNN: It's not an escape, but another inmate is at large after he was accidentally released from custody this week.  It is another embarrassing incident involving the state's correctional system and authorities are still trying to figure out how it happened.

Kekoa Courtney, 25, was in jail at Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) accused of felony drug dealing and driving without a license.  The State took him to Circuit Court on Wednesday for an 11:30 am hearing.  Judge Karen Ahn denied the request for a temporary supervised release.  However that afternoon Courtney was accidentally released anyway.

We're told there was a mix up with the paperwork.

After 6:00 that night OCCC called to see if he was going to be returned and the erroneous release was realized.

read ... Released

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