New AIS Testimony: Rail Route Illegally Damages Hawaiian Cultural Properties
More Flooding in Kakaako's Future
NRA Debunks Ammo Shortage Rumors
.05% Solution: Abercrombie Quietly Appoints DUI Taskforce
Abercrombie Angered by "Damn Idiot who got Stoned and drove off bridge"
KGI: “I know that this is going to disappoint everybody who is against the PLDC, but this is $60,000 for the camp, not the hotel that we were secretly trying to plan for Kokee,” he said....
“When people bag them up at the public school … they haven’t gone to the public school, they don’t have a clue as to what’s going on in a public school,” said Abercrombie, raising his voice.
They “shoot their mouths off” and don’t understand the dedication and professionalism at public schools, he said.
From there, he criticized Native Hawaiians representatives.
“Who says they speak for Native Hawaiians?” said Abercrombie, adding that he was accused of breaking the law for signing a bill regarding transportation projects being built in phases.
“I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States,” he said, beating his closed fist on his heart. “I understand what the Constitution says.”
He said “these folks” are saying he has to do a cultural Environmental Impact Statement for entire projects, not just sections.
“If you’re on Kauai, there’s one damn road around the island,” said Abercrombie, adding that federal funding for highways comes in sections. “I can’t command the federal government to give me money for the entire damn 10-year or 20-year project for Kauai.”...
“Am I supposed to not do that because I can’t necessarily guarantee that I dealt with every possible iwi or burials for 50 miles down the road?” he said.
Abercrombie said he had to ask the Legislature for $15 million or $20 million to settle a lawsuit “because the guardrail wasn’t there, somebody stoned or drunk drove off the damn thing” and killed himself.
“I’m serious, I had that kind of thing happen on Kauai,” said Abercrombie, calling out to County Prosecutor Justin Kollar. “Justin you know what I’m talking about. Some DUI, right? Some idiot, right?”
He said he wasn’t glad that the person died, but questioned “why the hell” should he pay taxpayers’ money to the family of “some idiot who got stoned and drove off a bridge.”....
He said he is “sick of reading stuff in the paper where somebody says they represent everybody.”
“I don’t think they represent anybody,” said Abercrombie, adding he speaks for the “silent majority” and for the people who do not think it’s a sin to make a living and take care of their families.
Flashback: Abercrombie Super Senator Getting Stoned and Flying
read ... Abercrombie Flips Out Again
Shortage: No More TB Tests at Child Care Centers
MN: Child care facilities licensed or registered by the state Department of Human Services will be exempt from tuberculosis clearance requirements due to a nationwide shortage of testing solution needed for skin testing, the department announced.
The emergency temporary suspension of TB clearance requirements will pertain to family care providers, group child care homes and centers, infant and toddler child care centers, and before- and after-school child care facilities licensed by the state, according to a spokeswoman for the department.
There are 163 licensed or registered child care facilities or homes on Maui, she added.
The announcement comes more than a month after the state Department of Health announced a temporary suspension of TB clearance requirements for school and health workers, which did not include child care facilities because they do not fall under the Health Department's administrative rules.
read ... Just the Beginning of Obamacare
Supreme Court: Medicated Potheads May Smuggle Up to 3 oz on Airplanes
SA: The Hawaii Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of a Hawaii island medical marijuana user who was found with a small amount of cannabis at Kona Airport.
Geoffrey Woodall had a valid medical marijuana certificate but was still convicted under state laws for the two grams of marijuana discovered when he went through airport security screening.
In a 4-1 ruling Friday, the justices held that a conflict in state laws on the issue must be resolved in favor of Woodhall.
The majority said he must be acquitted.
The ruling suggests that a person holding a medical marijuana certificate can transport a small amount of cannabis at an airport for medical use.
But it stopped short of saying medical marijuana users can possess the substance at other locations, such as their workplaces, schools and public parks and beaches....
She said it affirms that medical marijuana users with valid certificates have a defense to state marijuana laws, but added that the narrow ruling makes clear that the defense must establish certain conditions.
Those conditions as outlined by the court include the amount must be under the three-ounce medical marijuana limit, the cannabis cannot be used or carried in open view and the marijuana is being transported for medical use.
The majority’s 30-page ruling was written by Associate Justice Sabrina McKenna.
read ... Legalized Smuggling
Elections Coming: Maui Council Members Attack Arakawa
MN: After Friday's committee meeting, county spokesman Rod Antone said: "Our project has always been public. It's in the middle of downtown Wailuku for everyone to see. We are looking forward to clearing up any misunderstanding that some of the council members might have."
At the meeting, Council Member Don Couch said the issue was over a matter of words, and that entities such as the Public Works Department and even the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency use the word rehabilitate, when the action calls for removal or demolition.
"I don't know where the disconnect is over the definition of that word," Couch said, adding that the $20,000 for special counsel is a "big waste of taxpayer money."
Couch said it appeared that the council was already putting the blame on the administration with the special counsel request.
"It's almost like they are guilty until they are proven innocent," he said.
Couch added that the administration has come before the council several times to discuss the demolition of the building and not one time did council members say "stop" to the project.
"It smacks like, sort of, some kind of agenda now," Couch said.
read ... Campaign Preparations
Aquarium Collecting: Ecos Lose First Round in Court
WHT: Aquarium fish collecting does not trigger an environmental assessment under state law, a 1st Circuit Court judge ruled this week.
Several environmental groups — Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Conservation Council for Hawaii and the Humane Society of the United States — as well as Maui resident Rene Umberger, Milolii residents Kaimi Kaupiko and Willie Kaupiko, and West Hawaii resident and business owner Mike Nakachi, sued the Department of Land and Natural Resources in October, claiming the department should have conducted an environmental review before issuing tropical fish collection permits.
Judge Jeannette Castagnetti, in a short-form order issued Tuesday, denied the groups’ motion “on the ground that there is no applicant ‘action’ that triggers Hawaii’s Environmental Protection Act.”...
DLNR Chairman William Aila said Friday he expects an appeal.
reality: Enviros win 90% in Hawaii Supreme Court
read ... Judge: Fish collecting no reason for review
Honolulu Official: Synagro Bankruptcy Won’t Impact City
CB: Honolulu Environmental Services Director Lori Kahikina says. The bankruptcy won’t impact city operations or the construction of second egg-shaped digester at the plant.
Here’s what Kahikina said in a May 22 letter to the Honolulu City Council:
Synagro has assured ENV that the pending bankruptcy proceedings will not impact operations at the Sand Island WWTP. ENV has requested that Synagro provide additional information regarding the bankruptcy and regular updates concerning the bankruptcy status. ENV is following this situation vigilantly to ensure that Synagro continues to provide quality service for the City and County of Honolulu.
WSJ: The Daily Docket: Synagro Enters Bankruptcy
ILind: Bankruptcy of wastewater treatment contractor stems from Carlyle Group leveraged buyout
read ... Honolulu Official: Synagro Bankruptcy Won’t Impact City
17,000 Hawaii students borrow $64M subsidized college loans
KITV: The White House says college students in Hawaii have borrowed more than $64 million in subsidized college loans that are the subject of debate in Washington over interest rates....Proposed changes would only affect new loans. The White House says more than 17,000 students have borrowed an average of more than $3,700 with the Stafford loan in Hawaii.
read ... Double
Ben Jay Backs Apple, Calls for New Stadium
SA: Q: Should UH have its own stadium?
A: The university needs to have its own stadium, or at least control of the stadium, because that, I think, is what we can do to generate additional revenues that would help pay for our program, ... and also be able to not rely on so much institutional support in order for us to do what we need to do.
Q: It was suggested at one time that a stadium could be near Kapolei, near the University of Hawaii's West Oahu campus. What do you think about that?
A: You ought to have a place where the infrastructure is such that you can get traffic in and out. If there's available space for an event, you ought to consider it. If there's enough space at the current stadium, where you go into the parking lot and then turn on the old stadium, you ought to look at it.
But I think in this day and age, the only smart play in all of this is to do a private-public partnership and build a development around it -- retail, housing, whatever it may be -- to help pay for it and to help support it.
I think on game days it would be terrific because of all the garage spaces and everything you would need to help support what in my mind should be a 30,000-seat stadium. In order to support that bill, to support garages for that, you need daily traffic and you need businesses around that, in order to be able to fill cars up in those garages.
Q: What would you like to see in the next president of UH?
A: President (M.R.C.) Greenwood has done many, many good things at this university and has put this system in the right direction, in terms of looking forward, growing the university. ... I hope that the next president has the same idea of progressing and advancing this institution academically. I know that's what Tom Apple wants to do.
read ... Ben Jay
First Time Since 2001 No Hawaii-Based Army Units in Mid East
SA: The Army is back in the Pacific region after more than a decade of deploying soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq, the outgoing top Army commander in the region says.
All four brigades of the 25th Infantry Division, which are based in Alaska and Hawaii, are not scheduled to go to the Middle East, Lt. Gen. Francis Wiercinski said. The I Corps, a command based in Washington state that includes three Stryker brigades, is refocusing on the Pacific.
"For the last 11 to 12 years, the (Pacific Command) commander has not had his Army arrow in his quiver. We've been rotating into the Middle East. You've either been prepping for that, or you've been there or you've been recovering. And the PaCom commander didn't have an Army. He has an Army now," Wiercinski said in an interview Thursday at his Fort Shafter headquarters.
read ... Its Over
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