Magnitude 4.9 at 12:57PM HST 2-11-13....

• Senate: Gender-based Violence Prevention - Substitute Amendment
• House: Budget Submission Requirement - Final Passage

...advocates could potentially use these new data from the Department of Education to support a civil rights complaint....

How did your school do? Find out by clicking here....

...Recktenwald delivered his biennial State of the Judiciary address on the Judiciary’s new YouTube channel....

The bill, named after – indeed, written by – the Aerosmith frontman, could punish anyone who takes a photograph of a celebrity in public. That includes a tourist who takes out her iPhone to snap a pic of an aging rocker, or perhaps the Obama family....

...the United States has more than a century’s worth of natural gas beneath its soil....

...states that have enacted malpractice reforms experienced a mere 2 percent to 5 percent reduction in health care spending compared to states that have not....

Candidate filing is open through Friday, February 15, 2013 for Honolulu Neighborhood Board elections. Candidates may register online at the NB election webpage....

How can American foreign policy meet the challenge of radical Islam?  -- By adopting the principles America used to win the cold war, said Senator Rand Paul....

...everything is on the table from an increase in the general excise tax rate to fund education to new fees on cell phone use to the administration’s proposals to tax sugary drinks and single-use bags....

...Somebody is playing a joke on Sen Thielen, making her oppose her previous proposal....

Positions remaining to be filled are:

• Director of Budget and Fiscal Services
• Director of Information Technology
• Medical Examiner

"The most recent annual evaluation for certain employees date back to 1998...."

"Seeing it first hand myself was stunning. That even at the highest levels of enforcement, the Attorney General himself...."

...Five of his brothers and sisters opposed his appointment and not only communicated with the Mayor and county council to voice their thoughts, but filed a complaint with the attorney disciplinary board....

For the freedom to marry (undermine the nuclear family) to advance this year, a hearing on the marriage bill must be on the legislative calendar by Tuesday....

Just bluff an increase in TAT and they all line up in favor of extending the ‘temporary’ 9.25% rate....

"Given the magnitude of the contract, we want to make sure the vendor has the capacity to perform." -- HART Finance Committee Chairman Don Hor­ner

The tax credit for photovoltaic systems will be incrementally phased down from 30 percent of the actual cost to 15 percent over the next 5 years....

...view state activity, EPA activity, or combined activity....

Gov. Neil Abercrombie today announced the appointment of Max Otani as deputy director of corrections with the state Department of Public Safety, effective immediately....

To get ready for the proposed legislation that is coming our way, here are some helpful tips to get involved in the Hawaii legislative process....

In light of these trends, some states like Texas, Florida and Wisconsin are considering the $10,000 college degree....

The next time a cashier asks "paper or plastic?" think of Abbie Schoenwetter. He spent more than six years in federal confinement for shipping lobster in plastic instead of cardboard....

Any successful program "must be mandatory (no one can opt out), public (government-supported and managed) and limited (will not provide full coverage)," the ILWU said....

The oral argument calendar of the Hawaii Supreme Court  looks pretty interesting.... 

The long term economy of Waste to Energy (WtE) plants is very good....

Highest rate of nonvoting due to registration or absentee ballot problems: Hawaii was the only state with an increase in the rate of registration and absentee voting problems of more than 1 percent between 2008-2010.

...such taxes can shrink the economy unnecessarily by discouraging investment and artificially raising the price of basic needs....

Senator Brian Schatz, Senator Mazie K. Hirono, and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard announced today that Maui has been awarded a grant of technical assistance....

OHA this year received 148 proposals from nonprofits that requested a combined total of $36 million in grant money ....

Six of the missiles were shown during the parade...intelligence agencies believe it can range Alaska and Hawaii and possibly the U.S. West Coast....

State Senator Josh Green has introduced legislation, SB 639, to require a prescription for medications that contain the decongestant pseudoephedrine (PSE).

...creation of a civil cause of action for “constructive invasion of privacy” is overly broad and vague and imposes greater civil penalties upon otherwise protected forms of speech and expression....

Hutton is a national authority on education law and policy and was a co-founder of a noted Washington D.C. charter school, Thurgood Marshall Academy....

Today, while government spending is soaring, defense spending relative to the size of the economy is near historical lows....

This January, Keaau students in kindergarten through grade 8 began working under a digital curriculum that includes a digital device, such as a laptop or tablet, assigned for their personal use....

Under this proposed legislation, Hawaiians would be subject to warrantless entry into their homes, warrantless seizure of their firearms and other weapons based solely on a mere “report” by a so-called “mental health professional.” 

“Although the US Jones’ Act fleet only accounts for 10% of the total capacity of containerships used in cabotage trades, its impact is disproportionately higher due to the requirement for vessels to be US-built, unlike most other countries...."

Following an article in Hawaii Free Press, Honolulu’s stodgy and turgid media establishment slowing began to acknowledge the story....

This week, we are highlighting America's Opportunity for All, The Heritage Foundation's plan to help people secure these dreams....

The strategy focuses on improving health, development, and learning experiences and outcomes of Hawaii’s youngest children, prenatal to age eight....

How does cronyism affect your life? Tell us in the comments.... 

Minnesota (-8) and Hawaii (-9)  -- the first time since Gallup initiated daily tracking in 2008 that confidence has been this close to crossing into positive territory in any of the 50 states. 

Thursday, February 7, in the Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs (PSM) Committee at 2:45 p.m. in conference room 224 ....
 

"...remove dead standing trees along roads...."

 ...we're going to take our arguments to all Americans....

A number of tax department employees who were investigated in connection with the security breaches have been “arrested and relieved of their duties,” said state Rep. John Mizuno....

People inquiring about what the legislature is doing are surprised when told that lawmakers are hard at work trying to find ways to take even more of their money. Of course, it starts at the top....