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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
May 22, 2012 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 6:20 PM :: 18161 Views

Hawaii Reapportionment Case: Motion For Preliminary Injunction Denied

Rep. Barbara Marumoto will not be running

New Poll: Case 46%, Hirono 45%

Hoku Corp Lays off Workers, Lienholders Move to Seize Polysilicon Plant

Honolulu Passes Los Angeles as Worst U.S. City for Drivers

Most Important Historical Sites Remain in Rail Suit

Hawaii Congrressional Delegation: How They Voted May 21, 2012

Maui Judicial Conference Threatened in Wake of GSA Scandal

Servicemembers Law Center Weighs in on Hawaii Reapportionment

HPU Agrees to Host Thursday Case-Hirono Debate, but Mazie Refuses

HELCO Inks Deal to Burn Trees for Electricity

Mazie Hiding Behind Her Money: Chickens out of Two Debates in One Week

PR: U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono will briefly address the state Democratic convention on Sunday morning, not long after U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, the man she wants to succeed in the Senate, speaks to the faithful.

Hirono is taking the party’s offer to buy rally time — at $500 per minute for eight minutes….

Democrats had suggested a forum between Hirono and Case at the convention, but the Hirono campaign did not include it on her debate schedule.

Case said Democrats deserve a debate. “No, we’re not buying rally time,” he said in a text message, “and this is just another example of Mazie hiding behind her money and refusing to act like a U.S. senator.”

Related: HPU Agrees to Host Thursday Case-Hirono Debate, but Mazie Refuses

read … Mazie Hiding Behind Her Money

Abortion Activist Will Keynote Hawaii Democrat Convention

Alice Germond, the secretary of the Democratic National Committee, is scheduled to deliver the keynote address on Saturday at the state Democratic convention at the Sheraton Waikiki…. A strong advocate for issues and party values, Alice led the historic effort to put Geraldine Ferraro on the Democratic Ticket while Chair of the National Women’s Political Caucus Democratic Task Force. During her tenure as Executive Vice President of NARAL Pro-Choice America, Fortune Magazine ranked NARAL as the most effective women’s organization in the nation. Alice also worked for the AFL-CIO’s Women’s Division and for SEIU.

read … Anti-life, pro-mafia

Pflueger Auto Owner Alan Pflueger, Dealership CFO, Plead Guilty to Federal Tax Fraud Charges

HR: Alan Pflueger is an award-winning veteran Pro-truck driver, who on the web site Pflueger Forum, is categorized as "fearless." He has competed in some of the toughest races in the world, and in a 2002 news article in Racing West, was deemed "one of the fastest rising drivers in off-roading."

Pflueger's racing talents and fearless attitude are reminiscent of his father, James Henry Pflueger, 85, also a successful race car driver. Both built their wealth from the dealership that James Pflueger opened, as well as family trust money inherited from Mary Lucas, James Pflueger's grandmother. Both Alan and James Pflueger are star athletes, and well known in business, ocean sports and car racing circles.

Hawaii Business magazine recently ranked James Pflueger as one of the wealthiest individuals in Hawaii. About him, Hawaii Business said: "In 1989, James Pflueger was paid $33 million for the old lot at 1100 Alakea St. in downtown Honolulu. James Pflueger also owned the lot beneath Capitol Place, which he co-developed with The Kobayashi Group and The MacNaughton Group."

On September 5, 2010, James Pflueger and Alan Pflueger were indicted on charges of “conspiracy to defraud the United States for the purpose of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service in its collection of taxes.” Also charged were two Pflueger employees, Julie Ann Kam and Randall Ken Kurata, and Los Angeles-based accountant Dennis Duban.

read … Pflueger Auto Owner Alan Pflueger, Dealership CFO, Plead Guilty to Federal Tax Fraud Charges

Abercrombie’s Doing: New Orleans Reportedly in Running to Host Pro Bowl

NBC Sports: There’s been a lot of talk about the Pro Bowl being on its last legs, but a report in the New Orleans Times-Picayune suggests that there could be a game in 2013 after all.

And it also suggests that the game could be in New Orleans the week before the Super Bowl. According to Nakia Hogan of the Times-Picayune, league sources are saying that New Orleans is a “leading candidate” to host the game in the event that it is played. When the Super Bowl was in Miami in 2010, the Pro Bowl was played there as well and it was a much more successful game than this year’s unwatchable contest.

Superdome General Manager Alan Freeman said that the league has asked him to keep the venue free on January 27th….

read … An Entire Article Without mentioning “Neil Abercrombie”

Civil Beat Gets Spanked Again

CB: Civil Beat got the question wrong in its ‘Does Lingle support the Chamber of Commerce?’ commentary on May 18, 2012.

The questions Civil Beat should be asking are: "Why does the Chamber of Commerce support Lingle?" and "Is that good for Hawaii?"

The Chamber of Commerce represents over 3 million businesses nationwide of all sizes, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

read … A Spanking

A&B Gets OK to Develop Reputed Battle Site with 100 Burials

MN: The state Land Use Commission voted 6-1 Monday to approve a reclassification of a little more than 545 acres in Central Maui to make way for A&B Properties' plans to develop the Wai'ale master-planned community.

As a result of an archaeological survey, 100 burials were found, he said, with 93 of those preserved in place and seven relocated.

Matsubara said that while there has been testimony before the commission about the project area being the site of one of Maui's most significant battles in ancient times (the battle of Kakanilu'a, the battle of sand dunes),

read … Its OK, it’s A&B

Akaka Says ‘Inouye’, Inouye says ‘Indian’

CB: Bet you could have guessed a few of Sen. Daniel Inouye most commonly uttered words on Capitol Hill:

Hawaii’s, Hawaiian, Hawaii, Hawaiians, Indian

Also in the running, according to The Sunlight Foundation’s Capitol Words tracker: “Nurse;” “Filipino;” “coral;” “tsunami’” and “earmarks.”

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa’s top five include: “Kamehameha;” “worst-case;” and “guitar.” For Rep. Mazie Hirono, “mahalo” makes it into the top 10. For Sen. Daniel Akaka, the words “veterans;” “Inouye” and “aloha” are all common.

read … The Sunlight Foundation’s Capitol Words

Bill to require posting agency minutes online failed on the session’s final day

ILind: HB2404. In its original form, the bill added a simple online posting requirement to the current provision of the sunshine law regarding minutes….

The first Senate move was to do a “gut and replace” by “by deleting its contents and replacing them with the language from S.B. No. 2233, S.D. 2, and S.B. No. 2234, S.D. 2, which address the issue of enhanced access to public information in a more comprehensive manner,” according to the accompanying committee report.

In this new version, SB2404 would have eliminated the requirement to file a hard copy of meeting agendas with the Lt. Governor, instead requiring electronic posting, with copies to be emailed to anyone who requested notice. It would also require minutes, as well as any supporting materials distributed at the meeting, as well as legal notices, to be posted online.

It was now much more detailed and more robust than the version that crossed over from the House, but the addition of legal notices brought other interests into the picture (newspapers?) and may have changed the dynamics. The idea of moving to online publication, especially on government websites, was strongly opposed by newspapers and the Hawaii Publishers Association.

The bill was then further amended in the Senate WAM Committee to provide funding to the Hawaii State Library System to provide electronic access for people who don’t have access to their own computers….

Conferees voted to approve this as CD1, and recommended approval by the full House and Senate. But on the final day of the session, House leadership killed the bill by recommitting it to conference….

read … Bill to require posting agency minutes online failed on the session’s final day

SB2508 Could Move Up Filing Deadline for Campaign Spending Reports

CB: The deadline for the next round of campaign spending reports could move up a couple of weeks from the existing July 31 due date.

Senate Bill 2508 would change the deadline from a set date to “thirty calendar days prior to a primary election,” which is set for Aug. 31 this year. That would make the reporting deadline July 12.

The bill has been enrolled to Gov. Abercrombie….

read … SB2508

SA: Keep evidence, motion public in Deedy / Elderts Case

SA: …a Honolulu prosecutor has gone too far in trying to keep secret from the public a video of a fatal shooting that certainly will be used as evidence in the murder trial of a State Department special agent.

The surveillance videotapes record the fatal shooting of Kollin Elderts, 23, on Nov. 5 at a McDonald's Waikiki restaurant leading up to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference. Special agent Christopher Deedy, 28, is scheduled for trial in September but Brook Hart, his attorney, wants it delayed to next year….

read … Keep evidence, motion public

D.R. Horton to ask Hawaii LUC for more time for Hoopili project

PBN: D.R. Horton — Schuler Homes LLC will ask the Hawaii Land Use Commission for more time on its Hoopili project case. The LUC is expected to make a decision on Tuesday on the planned 11,750-home subdivision on 1,554 acres of land in Ewa.

D.R. Horton is asking for approval to change the classification of prime agricultural land to urban.

But according to Cameron Nekota, vice president for D.R. Horton’s Hawaii Schuler Division, the developer will ask for three more weeks so it can draft more legal briefs, concerning the argument that the LUC does not have the authority to reclassify ag lands.

read … DR Horton

Watford: Another Liberal Confirmed for 9th Circuit

TH: Sen. Chuck Grassley said he planned to vote against Watford's confirmation.

"I'm disappointed that the majority leader has brought this nomination to the floor," Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said. "My opposition to this nomination is based upon substantive concerns that I have based on Mr. Watford's views on immigration and the death penalty."

Grassley cited court cases where Watford argued against a controversial immigration law in Arizona and when Watford worked on another case "that would undermine the death penalty."

"I have other concerns this nominee has taken in his legal advocacy as well as his presentations," Grassley continued.

read … Another Brick in the Wall

Three Maui Mayors Back Hannemann

CB: Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, a candidate for Congress, picked up the endorsement of Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa and former mayors Kimo Apana and Charmaine Tavares….

Maui County Council Member Gladys Baisa is serving as an honorary co-chair of Hannemann’s campaign.

Read … Three Maui Mayors Back Hannemann

False Killer Whales Next Weapon in War on Fishing

EH: The National Marine Fisheries Service has released its most recent stock assessment reports for marine mammals. As before, the status of the Hawaii false killer whale stocks has been designated as strategic, meaning that the number of individuals killed or injured by human causes exceeds the losses that the population can sustain.

The determination was made over the objections of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council and the Hawai`i Longline Association.

Read … www.environment-hawaii.org

CB: D.R. Horton Tries to Put the Brakes on Hoopili Decision

Genshiro Kawamoto walks Thru Occupy Honolulu Protest

CB: Those who have met Kawamoto describe dueling characteristics of cunning and naiveté. When Kawamoto was well into his 50s, newspapers still described his "boyish" good looks, but also his haughty decisiveness. A recent anecdote that illustrates this persona: Kawamoto's stroll through an Occupy Honolulu protest in Waikiki. The irony of a billionaire casually cutting his way through a crowd of people speaking out against government favoritism for the supremely wealthy was not lost on photographer Jeff Fujimoto.

"I was actually photographing an Occupy Movement march through Waikiki and he happened to appear out of nowhere walking in the opposite direction," Fujimoto told Civil Beat in an email.

Read … Land Barren: Who is Genshiro Kawamoto? 

Arizona Birthers Arrive in Hawaii, Immediately Go To Work Helping Obama Get Reelected

SA: Two men who identified themselves as being from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in Phoenix went to the Hawaii Department of Health this morning requesting verification of President Barack Obama's birth certificate, said a state spokeswoman.

A Hawaii deputy attorney general gave the men information concerning the legal requirements to obtain such a document; the requirements are posted on the Health Department's website. The two men then left the office, Health Department spokeswoman Janice Okubo said.

The two men showed Maricopa County Sheriff's Office badges and identified themselves as Michael Zullo and Brian Mackiewcz, Okubo said. They are "authorized by the Sheriff of Maricopa County, who is conducting an official investigation," a spokesman for the sheriff's office said in an email.

TPM: Emails Show How Hawaii Stiffed Arizona Secretary Of State’s Birther Investigation (Stiff the Arizona AG to produce even more hype.) 

read … Birtherism Being Hyped Again in Desperate Effort to Reelect Obama

New Title Transfer Service for Californians Owning Hawaiian Timeshares

News Release: Californians have many options to sell their Hawaiian timeshares, but have limited options to change ownership or title due to divorce, to gift, to fund a trust or for post-death trust administration. www.DeedAndRecord.com is an independent service for quit claim deeds to change ownership or title of timeshares in Hawaii without using escrow, title insurance or probate.

read … Timeshare

A&E Cancels 'Dog the Bounty Hunter'

THR: The cable network has opted not to move forward with a ninth season of the unscripted series starring Duane "Dog" Chapman.

read … Hollywood Reporter


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