September 1, 2009 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

September 1, 2009 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 1:45 PM :: 8273 Views

Maui News Polls labor negotiations

In the bitter labor negotiations between the Lingle administration and leaders of the public worker unions, who do you think is behaving more responsibly?

Makena foreclosure could also shutter Maui Prince

The recent foreclosure of the Makena Resort has set into play a chain of events that could lead to the closure of the Maui Prince Hotel and Makena Golf Course and cost about 380 workers their jobs.

Bankruptcy filings trail in August (BKs soared 35.3% and this is the headline?)

Bankruptcy filings in Hawaii slowed to 253 in August, rising 35.3 percent, the lowest rate increase so far this year and the lowest since April 2008 when filings rose 20.6 percent from the previous year.

(Is the SB so busy trying to save Obama from Americans spotting the effects of Obamanomics that they miss an opportunity to take a swipe at Lingle? Or are they trying to undermine arguments for furloughs?)

State finds $1.5M for dialysis

Yesterday, Human Services Director Lillian Koller announced the state had identified a source of federal funds that could be used to cover dialysis treatments as an emergency service, without added cost to the state. The state will receive about $1.5 million annually in Medicaid reimbursements to fund dialysis for patients in the new Basic Health Hawaii plan.

she said the Queen's Medical Center has said it will continue providing chemotherapy to non-citizens who came to Hawaii under the Compacts of Free Association....

No worry: The Democrat-Bulletin is still running editorials accusing Lingle of killing Micronesians

"...starting today, more than 100 recipients of such services are faced with a death sentence...." (Uh, not exactly. BTW anybody hear from the HGEA? Have they accepted furloughs yet? Anybody interviewing Randy Perreira about his conscience?)

HA: New program won't threaten Micronesian lives, state says

HA: State should allow school reconstitution

Under an ARRA program called School Improvement Grants, up to $1.5 million could go to each school that a state selects for improvement — an infusion of money that many Hawai'i schools need.

But Hawai'i has only a long shot at winning that money unless there's a means of implementing a drastic turnaround.

Union leaders consider reconstitution an end run on collective bargaining and are strongly opposed.

SB: Isle schools right to limit recruiting

Hawaii's public school system has taken a bold step in protecting students from military recruiters (really? What step? It is described nowhere in this editorial.) because of deceptions made last year by a Navy recruiter (gave the transsexual recruiters and the Marxist recruiters who control the BoE a chance to do this). ~~Unpopular~~ Endless Democrat propaganda against wars in Iraq and Afghanistan ~~have created a challenge for recruiters~~ failed to cut into recruitment numbers and the school measures are necessary to ~~shield students from~~ ~~overly aggressive recruitment pitches~~ help alQaeda avoid defeat.

(Balance of editorial is a litany of stories destined to be reprinted in anti-military recruitment pamphlets and distributed statewide.)

RELATED from DoE website:

Military Recruiter “Opt Out” Requests due Sept. 15... "OPT OUT" requests will be accepted at anytime during the school year. However, the DOE is required to turn over a student list to the Inter-Service Recruitment Council (IRC) in mid-October. (090825)
• Military Recruiting Opt-Out form

Hawaii wildfire growing, puts native Molokai forests in danger

With the fire threat moving away from inhabited areas, the Department of Education said Moloka'i High School, Moloka'i Middle School and Kaunakakai Elementary School will reopen today. Officials at Kualapu'u Elementary Public Charter School will announce this morning whether students should report to that campus.

Kilauea River Clean Up Project Funding in Jeopardy

Despite $4 Million in Federal Funding and a State Plan in Place, River Devastated by 2006 Ka Loko Dam Breach Hasn't Been Dredged; Landowners Want Action, Not Threats from State.

Public housing getting facelift

The state has chosen a New Jersey-based company to undertake a $316 million redevelopment of Kuhio Park Terrace and Kuhio Homes, which will include a one-for-one replacement of public housing units along with the addition of 276 subsidized, senior and market rate rental units.

Bankers' group foreclosure survey ranks Hawaii as 9th-worst state

The state tied for ninth-worst for the percentage of home loans entering foreclosure between April and June, meaning 40 states had lower foreclosure rates, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association survey.

Some 1.31 percent of Hawai'i loans entered foreclosure in the quarter, representing 2,200 new foreclosures, the trade group said.

Foster kids sue Hawaii, abusers

(The Advertiser, focusing like a laser beam at yet another chance to take a swipe at Lingle, managed to get almost to the end of this article without mentioning that Rita Makekau is a leading "sovereignty" activist. They completely omit mention of her take over of Iolani Palace.)

During the criminal proceedings against the Kalamas and Makekau, Deputy Prosecutor Lori Wada said, "Life was torture for the children."

Makekau struck the children in the mouths with a hammer, breaking and chipping their teeth, according to court files.

Makekau also struck the children on their heads with a wooden spoon and a knife, causing "cuts, bleeding and scarring," Wada said.

One boy was forced to sleep under the house "with the dogs," according to court files....

Rita Makekau, who prosecutors called "the worst offender" in the abuse case, is appealing her conviction on grounds that as a Native Hawaiian she is not subject to the authority of state courts. (And a judge let her out--pending this garbage appeal.)

During her trial, Makekau served as "Royal Minister of Foreign Affairs" for a sovereignty group called Hawaiian Kingdom Government. (2nd to last paragraph)

DHS officials have previously said that once the Kalamas became legal guardians of the children, the state was no longer involved in their oversight.

In previous lawsuits involving child abuse, the state has denied liability if the victim was not in state custody when the abuse took place.

But in a ruling last year, the Hawai'i Supreme Court said the DHS has a duty to protect a child when given notice that the child has been a victim of abuse.

Last year, Koller strongly criticized the 2008 high court ruling and predicted that it would expose the state to costly legal claims.

(The kids should sue OHA and the UH Manoa Ethnic Studies Department for creating this situation in the first place.)

SB: 3 relatives and state sued over 5 kids' abuse (Doesn't mention ANY sovereignty connection)

Meth investigation leads to regional award for KPD

Out of over 1,000 law-enforcement agencies at the federal, state, county and city levels from five western states (Hawai‘i, California, Washington, Oregon and Alaska), KPD was chosen Agency of the Year, Perry told members of the Kaua‘i Police Commission at its regular August meeting Friday at the Historic County Building.
The meth-trafficking case that led to the arrest of eight Kauaians in October 2007 was the co-case of the year for 2008 in the federal High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area investigative arena, Tano said in a telephone interview Monday.

(Quite a turn-around from "KPD Blue")

Heavy hitters bat for multiple offender

(Here's who got probation.)

Lori Wada, first deputy prosecuting attorney, said Constantino is a repeat offender with a 10-year criminal record, including a theft charge that Watanabe said has Constantino still owing a “huge sum” of money in restitution.
“She’s been through it all. That’s why she’s back before the court as a repeat offender” at age 22, Wada said. Her mother, father and boyfriend all had drug convictions, Wada said.
“She sold ice” after being arrested, and quit stealing to support her drug habit and turned to dealing instead, Wada said, arguing against Constantino’s qualification as a first-time drug offender and arguing against probation and in favor of extended prison terms.
As of August of last year, Constantino was still dealing, Wada said. “She doesn’t get it,” and is likely to re-offend, Wada said, asking Watanabe to sentence Constantino to five years in prison, and require her to re-pay over $20,000 in restitution.
“She blew her chance,” Wada said.

(And still got probation.)

No life sentence for paroled murderer

There will be no life sentence for a paroled murderer convicted of attempting to rape a 12-year-old girl in the Pepeekeo church where he was music director.
Third Circuit Judge Glenn Hara ruled Monday that the prosecution did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Peter Kalani Bailey, 51, would present a danger to the community if released from prison.

(Read those two lines again very slowly.)

Pacifist admits to shooting son to death

Randal K. "Randy" Randrup (descrbed as a "pacifist" by his early supporters) pleaded guilty in 3rd Circuit Court to manslaughter for the Dec. 11, 2008, shooting death of Hans Christian "Chris" Randrup, whose nude body was found wrapped in a blanket the following day at the bottom of a cliff at MacKenzie State Park in Lower Puna.

(He's getting off easy. Be out very soon.)

Punaluu man honored for Vietnam service

Like many other Vietnam-era veterans, Punaluu's Ronald Ebert has had to wait most of his life to be recognized for his military service.