Entries for 'News Release'

“This trip to China is another important component in our ongoing effort to expand long-term economic development and business opportunities for Hawai‘i in the emerging China market,” said Governor Lingle.  “It is vital that our state continue to build and strengthen relationships in Asia, especially China, that will position Hawai‘i businesses and residents to capitalize on future economic and investment opportunities and strengthen our cultural and educational partnerships.”

On Saturday, you can also drop your ballot off at the State Capitol near the Father Damien statue until 6pm. 

HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Approximately 200 Soldiers assigned to the 307th Integrated Theater Signal Battalion (ITSB)’s Headquarters, Headquarters Company (HHC) and Bravo Company, are deploying to Afghanistan for one year to provide signal support as part of the Operation Enduring Freedom surge.

This is the 307th's first deployment into combat since the Vietnam War.

HONOLULU - Lt. Governor Duke Aiona today announced more than a thousand jobs that pay $8 or more per hour are available immediately for young people, ages 14 through 23, from low-income families through the new 2010 Summer Youth Employment Program.

We are reprinting excerpts from an April 23 letter to Honolulu Councilmember Ann Kobayashi from Honolulu Attorney John C. McLaren who wrote “on behalf of former Governor Ben Cayetano and other unidentified people” according to the May 6 Advertiser.  Kobayashi and Cayetano are key supporters of Neil Abercrombie.    The allegations contained in the letter have been forwarded to the State procurement office for investigation.  

As of April 30, 2010, actual tax revenue collections indicate the revenue decline for the current fiscal year will be smaller than forecasted by the Council on Revenues.  For the first 10 months of FY10, actual tax collections were down 1.0 percent.  In contrast, the Council on Revenues has forecasted negative revenue collection growth of 2.5 percent.

“The fact that the decline in actual tax collections is less than what the Council on Revenues projected is an encouraging sign,” said Governor Lingle. 

Lt. Governor Aiona on Thursday announced at a news conference at the State Capitol that Hawai`i residents will soon be able to save money on new energy-efficient refrigerators when they replace their old models, as a result of $2 million in federal stimulus funds allocated to the State of Hawai`i to be used for Energy Star appliance rebates.

Whereas marriage is a fundamental institution of society, which must be protected and reserved for the unique and complementary union between one man and one woman; it is in the interest of the Government to accord special rights and privileges to the institution of marriage in order to foster and support marriage between one man and one woman so as to maintain society in the optimum family setting providing benefit to the couple and a father and a mother for any resultant offspring; no other human relationship provides that optimum setting for a child;

“It is no surprise that the three former governors would come out in full support of electing someone who would perpetuate Hawai'i’s broken political system since they are responsible for creating it.  Their encouragement to vote for any Democrat only illustrates that they want to continue the culture of wasteful out of control spending and high taxes in Washington D.C.,” stated Ka’auwai. 

HILO, HAWAI‘I — Teams of local middle and high school students competed today using underwater robots that they designed and built over the past weeks and months.  At the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Student Life Center Pool, students used their underwater robots, known as remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs), to navigate the precarious terrain of active undersea volcanoes in a mock setting. 

“Charles has run a great campaign and his message bold, independent leadership is exactly what people want to hear," said Hawai'i Republican Chairman Jonah Ka’auwai.  “The state party has been an active partner with his campaign and the grassroots support has been tremendous.  It is this type of energy we will take into November and the state convention helped showcase the future of the Republican Party.” 

Kalani HS: Political indoctrination?

HONOLULU – Joining a boisterous crowd of 700 convention delegates and grassroots supporters wearing t-shirts and waiving signs in support of Duke Aiona at the 2010 Hawai`i Republican Party State Convention, Lt. Governor Duke Aiona, the leading Republican candidate for Governor, delivered a keynote address highlighting his grassroots campaign for balanced, efficient and accountable government while setting an agenda to create jobs, improve education and strengthen the economy in Hawai`i.

In a surprise appearance, former Democratic State Senator David Matsuura introduced Lt. Governor Aiona to the supportive crowd and crossed party lines to endorse his campaign for Governor.

This year, the event will be hosted by the Hawai'i Republican Party and Convention Chairman Representative Gene Ward.  The agenda includes the adoption of a new Party Platform by Convention Delegates and remarks by Governor Linda Lingle, Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona, Congressional candidate Charles Djou and Chairman Jonah Ka'auwai.  Elected officials, including Senator Sam Slom, Representative Lynn Finnegan and Representative Cynthia Thielen as well as several Republican candidates for offices across the state will also be in attendance.

In the third and final broadcast debate of the special election in Hawaii’s First Congressional District, Charles Djou scored a resounding victory over his two opponents.  Highlighting his campaign themes of fiscal responsibility, job creation and government accountability, Djou clearly showed why the voters in the May 22 special election have a choice between the status quo in Washington, DC, or his fresh ideas and vision for Hawaii’s future. 

Ed Case has hypocritically taken more than a quarter million dollars from special interests groups. Case has taken $286,476 from political action committees (PACs) and $71,500 from labor industry PACs, as of May 2, 2010.

(Kapolei, HI)- Former local television news anchor and reporter, Ramsay Puanani Wharton, today announced her candidacy for the 2nd Congressional District. She was surrounded by family and supporters as she filed her nomination papers at the Office of Elections in Pearl City.

“I’m running for Congress because our current Representative has shown little or no leadership on the key issues upon which our voters have made clear they want our Washington Representatives to focus: job creation, restraint in spending and lower taxes,” said Wharton.

Current Hawaii law requires a homeowner to "retreat" from his or her own home when invaded by a criminal engaging in a felony. The new law establishes provisions relating to owner to felon; limited liability. Provides that any owner of any interest in real property shall not be liable to any perpetrator for any injury or death that occurs upon the real property during the course or after the commission of certain felony offenses.

Honolulu has the fifth highest debt per capita of America’s larger cities (See list below).  Note that this debt does not include our inevitable shortfall in rail taxes, the $1.2 billion liability for secondary sewage treatment (the city lost both the suit and the appeal to EPA) or the funds needed for our roads which are some of the worst in the nation and will require billions for restoration (as opposed to the wasteful two inch overlays currently done in a hurry in order to “buy votes”).

“As our campaign continues to grow, I'm adding new leaders to my core team that will help me draw upon the community to shape the next chapter in Hawai`i’s future,” said Lt. Governor Aiona. “They bring together the right mix of campaign experiences, fresh ideas and an unwavering commitment to reduce the financial burden on our working families and businesses, create jobs and improve our education system so all of our children have the opportunity to compete in a global economy based on knowledge and innovation.”

East Hawai`i campaign headquarters will officially open its doors to the public on Thursday, May 13, at 5:00 p.m. The Lieutenant Governor will be on hand for the grand opening ceremony to deliver remarks and talk story with campaign supporters and their families at the new office, which is located at 142D Kino`ole Street at the old Hilo Hotel.

KITV ran a segment in last night’s 10pm news where they picked apart the latest misleading ad from the Case campaign.  Political analyst Neil Milner called the Case commercial, “fancy political footwork in the sense that it suggests a more explicit link between Case and Obama than really exists.”  Milner goes on to say “I’m not making an ethical judgment here; I am just saying it isn’t what it says it is.”

The innovative 21st Century Platform to be proposed at the upcoming convention combines the best of a conservative tradition by creating a 1-page Platform of Hawaii Republican Values along with a much more detailed Current Issues Database designed to be updated throughout the year. “This new approach allows the Hawaii Republican Party to stand firm on its values via the Platform while delivering clear positions on issues and inviting innovative solutions via the Current Issues Database”, said Platform Chair Ryan Markham, “we’re happy to see that Panos will be among the first candidates to get engaged on this exciting new approach to solving problems that have plagued Honolulu for decades”.

“Hawaii families work hard, pay their taxes and play by the rules,” said Djou. “During these tough economic times, the people of Hawaii do not need another representative who will fall prey to the demands of Washington insiders. Instead, they deserve a representative who will stand up for them in Washington and put Hawaii families first. In Congress, I will fight corruption, stop wasteful government spending and control tax increases so that the people of Hawaii may have a better tomorrow. ”

Djou reported raising $525,150 in the month of April from 2,983 donors.  Since his entry into the race, Charles has raised $1,217,339 from 4,680 donors.  The campaign reported having $362,711 cash on hand at the end of the reporting period.  In addition to the tremendous financial support, the Djou campaign has 4,150 Facebook fans, 1,207 Twitter followers and a volunteer list totaling over 1,100 supporters.  The Djou team has assembled one of the largest grassroots efforts the State of Hawai’i has ever seen. 

Our state needs well thought out proposals based on a fiscally responsible budget. However, Mr. Abercrombie's proposals will amount to nothing more than empty campaign promises because he and other Democrats continue to bow to union leadership and ignore the needs of our keiki.

Most of the dbte on "net neutrality" is arcane, but one fact leaps out.  If the Federal Communications Commission grabs regulatory ovesight of the Internet, it will be able to begin subtly controlling content as it does with TV nd radio broadcasts.  The Internet equivalents of radio>>>satellite shock jock Howard Stern will not be their only targets.... 

"I pledge to stay true to the ideals of a State government that places residents ahead of bureaucracy; supporting businesses so that they might thrive, not just survive; a public education system that puts students and families first; a clean energy economy which accelerates Hawai’i’s economic diversification and recovery; and a new vision for the 21st century Hawai‘i that places our island state on the world stage as leaders in innovation.”

“I am running for Lt. Governor because I believe we must keep Republican leadership in the Executive Branch in order to have a balanced and honest government which serves all the people of Hawai‘i.”

In a dramatic step forward, the Committee transformed the previous 2008 platform into a “Current Issues Database” and created an entirely new one page, values-based platform based on HRP's "L.L.I.F.E. Values:" Liberty, Limited Government, Individual Responsibility, Fiscal Accountability, and Equality of Opportunity.

The Current Issues Database is an entirely new body that holds party positions on various issues and is designed to be updated on a regular basis.  This new approach allows the party to adopt both a timeless, easy to understand platform while addressing current issues in a flexible and responsive way. 

Complete details for Hawaii military and overseas voters....

This legislative session, in the face of the worst fiscal and economic crisis in our state’s history, the people of Hawaii were counting on their elected representatives to find solutions to balance the budget, create jobs, stimulate the economy, control the spiraling cost of living for our residents, reduce government spending, improve the quality of education and move us toward energy independence.

The Republicans said yes to the public. The Democrats said no.

“We have some of the best and brightest minds right here in Hawai‘i,” said Lt. Governor Aiona. “Our long-term economic diversity and growth will depend in part on our ability to transform Hawai‘i into an economy based on knowledge and innovation.”

Hawaii GOP Chairman Jonah Ka’auwai responded to the new television ad: 

“Ed Case will do absolutely anything to get elected.  In the course of this campaign, Case has described himself as an Independent, a strong Democrat, a moderate and a conservative.   During Monday night’s OHA, Honolulu Advertiser and Hawaii News Now debate, he told us he voted for the Bush tax cuts before he voted against them.  The truth is, Case has voted for dozens of tax increases and seems to have a hard time keeping his positions straight in his own head.

A recent study has found that global warming has impacted the nature of symptoms experienced by obsessive compulsive disorder patients. Climate change related obsessions and/or compulsions were identified in 28% of patients presenting with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

As Unemployment Rises, White House Waves White Flag On Creating Jobs While Pushing Job-Killing, European-Style Agenda--White House to allow high jobless rate to be 'new normal'

A study by Edmunds.com, the premier resource for automotive information, shows that owning a vehicle in Alaska, California or Hawaii over a five-year period is about $10,000 more expensive than owning the same vehicle in New Hampshire, South Dakota or South Carolina for the same duration.

Approximately 200 Soldiers assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Company (HHC) and Bravo Company, 307th ESB, are deploying to Afghanistan for one year to provide signal support as part of the Operation Enduring Freedom surge.

Keynote speakers are scheduled to include Hawaii's Lt. Governor James R. "Duke" Aiona and Major General Susan S. Lawrence, Commanding General, United States Army Network Enterprise Technology Command and 9th Signal Command.

Each lawmaker is rated, regardless of political party, from 1 to 5.

• 1 = "most supportive and outspoken advocate for a better business climate"
• 5 = "least supportive of small business and an improved Hawaii business climate" 

Ratings may be helpful at election time.

HONOLULU--Chairman of the Hawai'i Republican Party Jonah Ka'auwai responded to the announcement by U.S. Rep. David Obey that he would not seek reelection this November:

“Today, House Appropriations Chairman David Obey, the author of $862 billon failed stimulus, has announced he will retire from Congress.  Clearly an entrenched Congressman like Obey who has been in Congress for over 40 years is afraid to face his constituents because his hallmark bill failed to keep the national unemployment rate under 8 percent, like he promised.  Which poses the question: Why do Ed Case and Colleen Hanabusa still support the so-called stimulus that failed to create real jobs and only drove our country deeper into debt?”

OAHU – Over 4,000 volunteers will fan out on May 8^th across Oahu as part of a herculean effort to renew and beautify 47 city and state parks throughout the island as part of the ‘Mormon Helping Hands’ program.  In all, 6,500 volunteers throughout the state plan to clean-up a total of 81 parks in this one-day effort.

The live Talk Story event embraced by the Djou campaign falls within their new media strategy that has enabled them to communicate directly with thousands of voters throughout the district through digital means.  The results of their strategy have resulted in 4008 fans on Facebook, 9 times more than Ed Case and 5 times more than Colleen Hanabusa.   

Duke Aiona captures 43% of Independents against both Democrats, with another quarter of Independents remaining undecided in each race.  Further, though Aiona gains the support of 73% and 76% of Republicans in each match-up, Hannemann can rely on just 63% of Democrats and Abercrombie ticks up to just two thirds of Democrats (67%).

As part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s comprehensive process of reviewing legislation passed this session by the Legislature, Governor Linda Lingle is encouraging the public to provide input and comments on 250 bills.  A list of these bills may be found here.

The Governor has until July 6 to sign, veto or allow the measures to become law without her signature.

Killed in the House, SB2646 would have designated two Hawaii surfing reserves, comprising surf breaks off Waikiki from Ala Wai to the War Memorial Natatorium and the north shore of Oahu from Alii beach in Haleiwa to Sunset beach.

MYTH: Ed Case said tonight he 'understood' DC and talked about his 'experience' representing Hawaii's other district. Case also attempted to defend his 148 missed votes, stating 148 was not that much.

FACT: Ed Case was rated one of the least effective members of Congress and missed numerous important votes:

“Two members of Congress ranked as some of the least effective – Rep. Ed Case [D-Hawaii] and Sen. Dan Akaka [D-Hawaii] – are battling over who has the worse rating on a national political Web site.” (Richard Borreca, “Case to Akaka, Akaka to Case: You’re ineffective,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 08/29/06)

The poll, conducted by the mainland Democrat polling firm Harstad Strategic Research, Inc., and paid for by the Democratic National Committee, shows amongst likely voters Djou actually does better than reported by the Honolulu Advertiser poll yesterday.  Among likely voters, the poll shows:

• Djou - 39%
• Case - 31%
• Hanabusa - 20%

See VIDEO clips from debate...

"Unlike my opponents, I am the only major candidate to live in the first Congressional district. Also unlike my opponents, I am not in this race for political gain; I am in this race to do what is best for the people of Hawaii.”