Caldwell Secretly Appoints ‘Chief of Staff’--Convicted Criminal Harry Mattson
New York Fed Recommends Jones Act exemption for Puerto Rico
Nobriga vs DHHL: Some Days You Get the Bull
Celebrity Incentive To Move To Hawaii: We'll Give You An "Inoffensive" Space
HB1357 / SB1343 Limit Development to Freeway Capacity
Audio: Grassroot Perspective Podcast (1% GE Tax Hearing Tuesday)
Energy Secretary Steven Chu resigns; led green energy push
Te’o Hoaxer Was Turned Gay by Child Molester
KHON: In Ronaiah Tuiasosopo's exclusive interview with Dr. Phil on Friday, Tuiasosopo dropped the bombshell that he was molested as child.
Many people tuned in to finally hear whether or not Tuiasosopo was truly the voice behind Lennay Kekua. But they may not have not been prepared to hear why he hid behind this persona….
He said he had been abused by a family friend for years since he was 12, and that ‘Lennay’ gave him an outlet to find the good in himself again.
For many people, it just didn't make sense. But psychiatrist Denis Mee Lee of Castle Medical Center, says for individuals who have been abused, it makes all too much sense.
"They're often, in a simple sense, looking for mature parent type objects to relate to and they might do that in kind of unrealistic ways," said Mee Lee.
Dr. Mee Lee says that … many factors, including being raised without a father, could enhance the desire for a man.
(Gay activists have been claiming they were ‘born this way’ for how long? It is all a lie.)
Reality: Psychologists dump 'Gay Gene' theory
More Reality: Honolulu Federal Inmate Discovers 'Gays Not Born That Way'
read … They’re NOT ‘born that way’
$5M Settlement in Homosexual Rape Gang case at DoE Blind-Deaf School
HNN: Green filed the class-action lawsuit filed in August 2011, which claimed that for more than 10 years the school was terrorized by some of its students who called themselves "The Ringleaders."
The lawsuit says older students routinely attacked younger and smaller students, assaulting, robbing, raping even gang raping them on a regular basis. (Then the victims would grow up and rape the next generation.)
The lawsuit said the school's administrator was informed in 2007 that some boys at the school were raping other boys on school grounds, but she failed to take action to stop the activity.
"There's a lot of people who had a lot of contact with this school, people who knew or should have known, and nothing was done," said Green.
The lawsuit also accused former counselor Scott O'Neal of engaging in inappropriate activities with male students, including overnight stays at his off-campus home. He will have to pay $750,000 under the settlement.
(Question: Will O’Neal face criminal charges?)
Read: The Settlement (pg4: Settlement only open to victims of homosexual rape who did not later become perpetrators.)
read … How Homosexuals are created
State IT Upgrade tied to DoTax Arrests
SA: The Abercrombie administration is asking the Legislature for $120 million over the next two years to modernize the state government's information technology systems, including armoring them against hackers….
Bhagowalia said internal threats pose an even larger problem than external threats.
"The inside threat problem is actually even more dangerous than the external one," he said. "The external ones you can kind of track. Insider breaches have happened here before, with the tax system and other cases around the world. So insider breaches can actually be more dangerous."
To further address state cybersecurity, both the state House and Senate are considering two bills, HB 767 and SB 1003, that would give the state CIO the authority to safeguard state data.
A hearing on the Senate bill is scheduled for Tuesday at 1:15 p.m.
read … A response to DoTax arrests?
Star-Adv: House Judiciary Committee Weakens Shield Law
SA: Forty states and the District of Columbia protect journalists from having to provide varying information about sources; Hawaii has provided one of the nation’s best protection of journalists since 2008. The following year, a state judge ruled that a documentary filmmaker did not have to reveal sources in a case on a dispute over Native Hawaiian burials on a building site. The law also protected a Web journalist from giving up her notes in the case of the Kaloko dam failure on Kauai.
The House Judiciary Committee has agreed to a proposal by the state Supreme Court’s appointed Standing Committee on the Rules of Evidence, which asserted that the exception of the shield “is too narrow” and “should apply to felonies and civil actions generally.”
If the journalist refuses to reveal a source of information under those broad circumstances, “then the normal contempt remedies should apply,” the committee opined. That would be a troubling threat to the media trying to convey to the public as much information as possible.
Exceptions proposed by the high court’s committee on the shield for journalists in civil cases worsens and weakens the law, which was drafted by the Lingle administration and excepts civil actions only in defamation cases, according to Jeff Portnoy, the attorney for news media interests, including the Star-Advertiser.
Stripping the shield in civil cases “is totally unacceptable and really going back to a position that was rejected five years ago and should remain rejected,” Portnoy said.
AP: Most isle senators back anti-paparazzi 'Steven Tyler Act'
read … Keep intact journalist shield law
Hawaii Preschool Initiative Passes Committee Votes
CB: Both the state Senate and House education committees on Friday approved measures proposing a constitutional amendment that would allow the state to spend public money on private preschools. That's a key part of an initiative to provide a statewide early learning program for all Hawaii’s 4-year-olds.
Accompanying the proposed amendment are two measures that would allow the state to launch an early learning program in partnership with existing private preschool providers. Both proposals were also approved by the committees this week.
“While we’re perfectly capable of engaging in partnerships right now ... as we move forward, we do not want to have someone contend that we are not capable of signing contracts with folks in the private sector” and disrupt the initiative, said Gov. Neil Abercrombie at the House hearing Friday.
A section in Article X of Hawaii’s constitution prohibits the appropriation of public funds to any private educational institution. There are roughly 570 child care centers in the state, the vast majority of which are private.
Senate Bill 1084 and House Bill 853 propose amending the section to make an exception for early childhood education programs.
“[P]ublic funds may be appropriated for the support or benefit of private early childhood education programs as provided by law,” the amendment would say. If approved by the Legislature, voters will be asked to decide on the measure on the November 2014 ballot.
The amendment is being proposed at the recommendation of Hawaii Attorney General David Louie, who pointed out that the original constitutional provision was designed to ensure that public schools are competitive with private schools.
Reality: Abercrombie 'School Readiness' Plan Based on Proven Failure?
read … Vouchers, but only for Preschool
Fake Marijuana Legalization Bill Vote Postponed
KGI: The effort to decriminalize the use and possession of marijuana in Hawaii faced its first committee hearing Friday at the state Capitol. However, a vote on the controversial bill (HB 699) will have to wait.
House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Karl Rhodes announced there would be no vote on the measure since the hearing had gone beyond 2:45 p.m., and neighbor island colleagues on the committee needed to fly back home. Rhodes said a vote would likely take place next Thursday.
Members of Hawaii's law enforcement community, including the Honolulu, Maui and Hawaii County police departments, came out in opposition to the bill….
The effort to legalize marijuana was introduced by 11 Democratic House lawmakers, including Speaker of the House Rep. Joe Souki, Majority Leader Rep. Scott Saiki and Majority Floor Leader Rep. Karen Awana.
A similar bill in the state Senate (SB 738) was introduced by Sens. Donovan Dela Cruz and Michelle Kidani, both Democrats.
read … Fake Legalization
Activists Continue Push for Sovereignty Movement Training Center at Kulani Prison
HTH: A large crowd made a strong plea for “restorative justice” programs in the new Kulani Correctional Facility at a hearing Thursday night in Keaau.
State Department of Public Safety Interim Director Ted Sakai led discussions on an environmental assessment of plans to reopen the minimum-security prison 20 miles southwest of Hilo that was closed in 2009.
The proposed reopening of Kulani supports Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s goals to bring back Hawaii prisoners housed at mainland prisons, reduce spending on corrections and reinvest savings generated in strategies that “will reverse recent crime trends,” said the study.
Most of the audience of more than 60 people focused on instilling the concept of puuhonua, or refuge, where inmates can be rehabilitated through programs that would make them productive members of the community before their release from prison.
read … New Blood for the Sovereignty Movement
After 42 Arrests in 11 years, Kapa‘a man finally sentenced
KGI: Lani Kamakani Kaili Aloha Clark, 29, was sentenced to the 10-year term for a second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug charge, and to a five-year term for unlawful use of drug paraphernalia in the same case. (29-18 = 11 Juvenile record anyone?)
In another case, Clark was sentenced to five years for drug paraphernalia, and to 30 days for a mutual affray charge. All sentences will run concurrently and Clark will receive credit for approximately 10 months time already served in county jail.
Court appointed defense attorney Caren Dennemeyer said that Clark has made life-changing decisions while in custody and asked the court to help him address an underlying addiction issue. She said his criminal history is matched by a difficult upbringing. (Mommy wouldn’t buy me an Xbox.)
After 42 arrests between 2004 and 2012, the defendant was sentenced for two felony convictions. He said the court must consider the criminal history as a determinant factor in the likelihood to reoffend.
read … Soft on Crime
Liquor Commission Pretends to Investigate after Pro-Bowl Incident, Shooting
SA: The Honolulu Liquor Commission is investigating whether a 22-year-old Schofield Barracks soldier who was shot and killed while trying to evade police in Waikiki last month was served alcohol at a Kuhio Avenue bar after he was drunk.
The commission also is investigating a fight Jan. 24 at the M Nightclub in Restaurant Row in which Washington Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams was hit on the head with a dangerous instrument, reportedly a Champagne bottle.
read … Why does a felon have a Liquor License?
Advertising on Police Tape? Civil Beat Falls for Bogus Occupy Story
CB: …Honolulu workers rousting the deOccupy Honolulu encampment at Thomas Square Park earlier this week used a different kind of yellow caution tape to rope off tents they confiscated. This tape was emblazoned with a logo for Suzuki, along with promise of $1,000 off select models as part of the dealership's "Countdown Sales Event." (What this shows is that anytime ‘Occupy’ says jump, Civil Beat says “How High?”)
UPDATED (after CB ran with the bogus story) "It seems like we have a case of good intentions gone wrong," city spokesman Jesse Broder Van Dyke said Friday in an email. "Someone on the city crew thought they were doing good by saving taxpayer money, using the tape they had lying around rather than buying new tape."
"We apologize to the company whose logo was on the tape," he said.
DN: Breaking news: Police tape was probably leftover, looks like a try to save money…
Jesse Broder Van Dyke in this story, too: Caldwell Secretly Appoints ‘Chief of Staff’--Convicted Criminal Harry Mattson
read … Straight to the Top on this Biiiiig story
Bill would affect future UH athletic contracts
SA: A bill before the State Senate would cap the amount of bonuses or awards highly paid state employees, including University of Hawaii coaches and athletic administrators, could receive in a single year at $25,000.
The limit would be effective to all contracts written or renewed after July 1, 2013 and apply to those whose base salary is more than $275,000.
In 2012 there were 19 UH employees whose salaries were listed above that threshold.
CB: UH Officials Short on Answers About Executive Salaries and Perks
SA: UH defends six-figure salaries to skeptical Senate committees
Crimp MRC’s Style: Executive compensation at UC: MRC Greenwood and the $871 million dollar secret
read … Pay Cap
Blood in Water: Anti-Superferry Hypocrites Slice Whale Open With Propeller
MN: The two collisions in a 24-hour period this week caught the attention of whale protection officials.
The number of collisions - to be delineated from incidental bumps such as calves rubbing up against hulls of stopped boats - vary per year. Last whale season, there were two reported; five the year before that. Twelve was the largest number in a season that NOAA has logged, Lyman said.
* On Tuesday at 4:40 p.m., about a half mile off Mala Wharf, a 50-foot tour boat struck a whale calf. Blood was seen in the water after the collision. Lyman said there is no way to determine if the calf's injuries were superficial or worse.
* A week ago off Lahaina, a tour boat struck a whale in the late afternoon.
read … Anti-Superferry Hypocrites…
Big Island Braces for Tourism Decline
HTH: While the rest of the state is enjoying a boost, Hawaii Island is expected to welcome fewer airline visitors this year compared to 2012….
The Hawaii Tourism Authority reported Friday that ticket sales for airline seats to the state are projected to grow by 6.8 percent in 2013. But Hawaii Island will see decreases at both Hilo and Kona international airports, at 11.6 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively….
SA: Visitor records set to fall with 6.8% rise in air seats
read … The Beginning of the End?
Hilo sort station diversion rate falls short of promises
HTH: County crews were able to divert only 5.6 percent of the 12,524 tons of garbage brought to the sort station during its first eight months of operation, a far cry from the up to 40 percent diversion rate originally anticipated by county officials….
The county last year added four new positions to sort garbage (how motivated could they be?) at the $9.3 million sort station after the facility sat vacant since its 2010 construction. The diverted garbage, 706 tons between May and December, was picked up by the county’s recycling contractor, thus extending the life of the Hilo landfill.
Goodale anticipates the sort station’s track record will improve as the employees get more practiced at their jobs.
read … No Surprise here
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