Tsutsui Orders Hiring Freeze
Rep. Fukumoto Calls for Civility in Political Debates
Pine: "Eliminate the Board of Water Supply's retroactive billing policy"
Caldwell Announces Town Hall Meeting Schedule
American Legion: Phony POW/MIA Ceremonies Mislead and Insult
Same-sex marriage opponents want lawmakers to "let the people decide"
HNN: With a little more than two weeks to go until lawmakers convene at the State Capitol for the special session to decide whether to legalize same-sex marriage, both sides hope to sway legislators before they vote.
About 150 people gathered at the Capitol Friday afternoon in opposition to the proposed same-sex marriage legislation.
"The coalition to let the people decide on marriage says don't take our choice to preserve traditional marriage as a unique social institution out of the law unless you ask us. If we say yes, fine. If we say no, no," said Jim Hochberg, President of Hawai'i Family Advocates, who helped organize today's rally.
SA: Same-sex union opponents urge referendum
read ... Let the People Decide
Obamacare tax credit may not be beneficial to small businesses
HR: The up to 50 percent small business tax credit offered nationwide through the Obamacare health exchanges to small businesses that sign up for healthcare plans offered on the exchanges, are not all they are hyped up to be.
Reg Baker, Chief Operating Officer of the Hawaii Medical Assurance Association, a health care insurance company not participating on the local Hawaii Health Connector exchange, said the tax credits aren't guaranteed.
Small businesses can only qualify to receive them for two years, there is extensive paperwork to fill out, and they will only benefit if they made enough of a profit to benefit from the tax credit, said Baker, who is also a CPA.
“A great deal of effort can be spent trying to get the credit and then with the fast phase out starting at just 10 employees and the fact that it is a nonrefundable credit it results in a lot wasted time and effort,” Baker said.
read ... Obamacare tax credit may not be beneficial to small businesses
On scams and the sovereignty narrative
ILind: As I said to another trial observer this week, the defendants associated with the Hawaiiloa Foundation and its mortgage assistance scheme pitched a complex blend of a currently popular political narrative (bad U.S. used force to topple Hawaiian government, U.S. stole Hawaiian land, but Hawaiians claims now prevail and give right to land and take precedence over other laws) and techniques widely used by con artists.
Hawaiiloa Foundation and the affiliated Ko Hawaii Pae Aina appear to have been largely interchangeable and largely followed the same plan.
Tanya Andaya, a Maui High School graduate now working in medical billing on Maui, testified in federal court this this week that her mother-in-law told her about a group “that would be able to help us with our mortgage.”
Background: Naming names: Who are the alleged Sovereignty-mortgage scammers
read ... On scams and the sovereignty narrative
Hawaii Hit Disproportionately Hard by Gov't Shutdown
ECD: Did you know that that delayed mortgage closings will likely have the largest impact in Hawaii, Florida, Arizona, Maryland, and Louisiana – the five states where real estate accounts for the biggest portion of gross product?
That’s just one finding in a report by WalletHub.com on the impact of the government shutdown.
The personal-finance social network has released a report looking at which states stand to be hit the hardest by the stalemate orchestrated by U.S. lawmakers.
The report looks at states that have the highest concentration of federal employees and the most significant federal contracts.
It also examines the areas in which there are large populations of people who have lost, or are at risk of losing, key funding from federal entities, such as students, small business owners, senior citizens, and veterans.
read ... Disproportionate
Blind-Deaf: Alleged Child Molester faces Extradition from Calif
CB: A former aide to deaf children who was indicted in Hawaii last month on charges he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl was arrested in Gardena, authorities said Friday.
Alfie S. Lumabas, 36, was taken into custody Thursday in the 2500 block of West Redondo Beach Boulevard. Members of the U.S. Marshals Sex Offender Investigations Branch located him before he could escape, said Laura Vega, a spokeswoman for the federal agency.
“He did have his bags packed on the patio,” Vega said. “He said he knew all about it and was in touch with his lawyer.”
An Oahu grand jury indicted Lumabas on Sept. 25 on two counts of sexually assaulting a student at the Hawaii School for Deaf and Blind in Honolulu, a state public education facility. The alleged assault occurred in 2005, but the girl did not tell school administrators about it until 2008 after discussions with a psychologist, said her attorney, Christopher Bouslog.
Bouslog said Lumabas was 25 and engaged in sexual relations with the 14-year-old deaf girl....
Lumabas continued working with the deaf when he moved to Southern California as southwest region outreach specialist for Purple Communications, a company that provides video and text relay services, captioning services and video and on-site interpreting.
Lumabas lived and worked in San Diego before apparently moving to the South Bay. In 2011, Lumabas advertised a promotion for Purple Communications products at The Birdcage in Long Beach.
Bouslog said the victim is still recovering. She suffered an emotional toll that resulted in weight gain, suicidal gestures and trouble concentrating.
“She is a nice, intelligent woman that has a big heart and understands personal boundaries and what people can or can’t do with her,” he said.
read ... Extradition Next
96%: HGEA professional, scientific workers ratify new contract
SA: "After lengthy negotiations, HGEA has secured an equitable contract that is aligned with the goals set by our Unit 13 negotiating team to meet our members' needs," Randy Perreira, the HGEA's executive director, said in a statement. "As shown by the overwhelming vote to ratify the contract, our members are satisfied with the terms of the new agreement. We commend our negotiators for committing to fulfilling the goals they set that is fair to our members and recognizes their valuable work as public service employees."
State lawmakers could review financing for the agreement at a special session this month on gay marriage.
CB: HGEA Unit 13 Ratifies 4-year Contract
read ... HGEA professional, scientific workers ratify new contract
Hawaii: This Obamacare Insurance Exchange Isn't Working at All
BusinessWeek: After being live almost two weeks, many of the state-run Obamacare insurance marketplaces that faltered at the start now appear to be working better. It’s still not clear how many people have successfully enrolled in a health plan, but a number of states have nonetheless resolved many of the bugs that plagued their sites in the early days and have reported receiving thousands of applications. Hawaii is the exception.
The state was one of the 14 that decided to build its own health exchange—and 11 days into the Obamacare launch, construction on the Hawai’i Health Connector is still ongoing. The site is live, but it’s not fully functional. Hawaiians can log on, create an account, and begin filling out an application, but that’s as far as they can get; they can’t shop for plans and compare prices....
SA: State lags in listing premium prices on Hawaii Health Connector -- Other states have exchange rates posted
read ... Total Unmitigated Failure
Occupy Protester gets 30 Days in Jail
SA: A state judge sentenced (de)Occupy Honolulu protester Madori Rumpungworn to 30 days in jail Friday for getting in the way of city crews enforcing the stored-property ordinance at Thomas Square last year.
She essentially began serving the sentence Thursday after a jury found her guilty of obstructing government operations. After the jurors rendered their guilty verdict, Circuit Judge Patrick Border increased Rumpungworn's cash-only bail to $1,000 and ordered her into custody when she couldn't post it. Rumpungworn, a third-year Windward Community College student, had been free on $100 bail.
She is the first of three (de)Occupy Honolulu protesters to stand trial....
MW: Demonstrators Or Public Nuisance?
read ... No Longer Homeless
Deedy Shooting Victim's Parents Blast Prosecutor over Failure to Consider Manslaughter
AP: Jennell Elderts and her husband Kendall Elderts told reporters they were abandoned and lied to by prosecutors who didn't ask the judge to allow the jury to consider a lesser manslaughter charge. They said they were promised manslaughter would be an option.
But Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro said in a statement on Friday that no promises were ever made regarding charges....
Kaneshiro said after the mistrial was declared that there was no evidence to support a manslaughter charge. He said the retrial will also be handled by the same prosecutor who tried the first trial: Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Janice Futa.
"We prosecute cases according to the evidence and the law and are not influenced by civil cases," Kaneshiro's statement on Friday said.
Elderts' parents have a civil suit pending against Deedy. Their attorney, Michael Green, said it was offensive prosecutors didn't at least ask for manslaughter.
"At least it's an issue to go up to the appellate court with," Green said. "I don't buy their reason for it. It makes no sense."
Green's comments could have an impact on the retrial and the civil case, said Brook Hart, who was Deedy's lead defense attorney.
"The judge, prosecutor and defense counsel all agreed there was no evidence to support any instruction on reckless manslaughter," he said. "It's not something the prosecutors did or failed to do. It's the facts of the case."
SA: Elderts family criticizes strategy used by Deedy trial prosecutors
read ... Manslaughter
Car Dealer Alan Pflueger Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Tax Fraud
HR: Charles Alan Pflueger, head of Pacific Honda (formerly known as Pflueger Honda), one of the state’s largest auto dealerships, was sentenced on Friday, October 11, to 15 months in federal prison for tax violations. In addition to his prison sentence, which begins December 6, he was ordered to pay a $40,000 fine, an additional $26,000 in unpaid taxes, and must complete 200 hours of community service.
The IRS claimed Alan Pflueger owes up to $1 million in taxes. Alan Pflueger could have received up to three years in prison, and ordered to pay restitution and a $250,000 fine.
On Friday, outside federal court, Alan Pflueger said: "It's been a tough day for my family and I. It feels good to take responsibility for the mistakes that I've made and I'm looking forward to doing good things. And I'm thankful for all the people that supported me."
read ... One Pflueger Down
QUICK HITS: