Lawsuit: Gangsters Terrorize Union Members Forced to Fund Illegal Pro-Rail PAC Headed by Hawaiian Homes Commissioner
HB7 Gets State out of Solemnization Business, Protects Rights of Biological Parents
House Republican Infighting: Move to Dump Thielen, Johanson Fails
Six Marriage-Related Bills Proposed in House
Council Hearing on Kakaako Sewer, Traffic Problems
Searching for the Searcher: UH Regents to Interview Presidential Search Firms
DHHL Releases Draft Oahu Island Plan
Civil Rights Commission Helps Litigious Mainlander Harass Local Family
ILind: ...in the complaint filed with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission in November 2010, Abramson claimed discrimination, saying he once phoned to ask for details on the property, and Mrs. Kashiwa asked him, “Are you white?” to which he answered, “yes.”
When his offer was later rejected, Abramson said it was “because he is Caucasian.”
Although Gail Kashiwa strongly denies saying anything of the kind, and there appears to be no independent evidence of any such conversation ever taking place, it was the centerpiece of his complaint.
After the commission determined there was insufficient evidence to support the discrimination charge, Abramson withdrew his complaint and the matter seemed to have been put to rest. But the process left the Kashiwas with thousands of dollars in legal fees, and it took a toll on Gregg’s health.
Then earlier this year, the Kashiwas were notified of a second complaint by Abramson, this time reasserting the original discrimination claim and tacking on an additional charge of “retaliation” based on the fact that part of the property had been sold to an Asian buyer without being offered to him. The complaint includes the Kashiwas and the realtor who represented them in the transaction....
Also surprising, and disturbing, are the demands made by the Civil Rights Commission, even before an investigation had been done.
In May 2013, Gregg and Gail Kashiwa received a notice giving them just 10 days to file a lengthy list of documents, including everything related to the property, background on all permits, all correspondence over a 15-month period with the eventual buyer, a copy of all other offers for the parcel in any configuration, and a list of every person (including realtors) who inquired about the property between September 1, 2011 and November 21, 2012, including the date of the inquiry, the race or color of the person, the content of any conversation, and any available documentation including emails, memos or letters about the inquiry.
Ten days to respond, they were told, and the clock is ticking....
In 1990, Abramson sued his parents, blaming them for “serious emotional and physical injuries” he suffered when they “incarcerated” him in two mental institutions as a child. He spent a total of seven years in these institutions....
Totally Related: Hoshijo Announces Plan to Impose Public Accommodations Law on Churches
read ... A Good Reason to Dissolve the so-called Civil Rights Commission
Machado: Abercrombie's Assault on Religious Freedom 'Takes Breath Away'
Colette Machado: The nation is watching Hawaii as our Legislature engages in a special session that Gov. Neil Abercrombie called to debate his proposed law to enact same-sex marriage. The bill threatens to breach the sanctuary of sacred boundaries long protected in this country. Houses of worship and similar religious organizations will be subject to legal penalty for not hosting same-sex ceremonies. The only way to avoid this penalty is to close the doors to non-members hoping to be married on their grounds.
When compared with the other 10 or so states that have enacted same-sex marriage, Hawaii's proposal takes one's breath away. No other state forces churches, synagogues and mosques to host same-sex weddings against conscience and doctrine....
Do Hawaiians want the government inside our houses of worship, dictating how we exercise our faith? The peaceful diversity that has always defined Hawaii will be compromised if we codify a mentality that seeks to punish people of faith based on their deeply held beliefs. Hawaii's history of protecting religious diversity and individual rights of conscience is not — and must never — be strong-armed by political headwinds....
Until the governor demonstrates that he understands this crucial principle, the Legislature should reject this bill.
SA: Gay Spokesman: We Like Hawaiians to be our Mahus
read ... Never forget the value of freedom of religions
HB6: Oshiro, Jordan to Propose Religious Freedom Amendment
SA: Rep. Marcus Oshiro (D, Wahiawa-Whitmore-Poamoho) and Rep. Jo Jordan (D, Waianae-Makaha- Makua) will likely urge the House to review a draft introduced by Jordan that would allow gay marriage but would also significantly expand religious protections. Her proposal, which could be offered as an amendment, would prohibit the state from placing a substantial burden on the exercise of religion unless the state demonstrates a compelling government interest and that the burden is the least restrictive in furthering that interest.
The proposal would provide a broad religious exemption to the state's public accommodations law that would not only apply to clergy, churches or other religious organizations, but individuals and small businesses as well. The broad exemption would sunset by July 2016, providing time for lawmakers to assess the impact.
HB6: Text, Status
Lege: SB1 Passes Second Reading
read ... Senate bill due for vote today
Saiki: House Will Address Religious Freedom
KHON: Despite the morning bickering, House Majority Leader Scott Saiki believes the House will pass the same-sex marriage bill.
"I'm confident we have the votes and once the House Judiciary and Finance Committees roll out of the bill, we'll have even more support," said Rep. Saiki, (D) House Majority Leader.
He expects lawmakers will add changes to the Senate bill that addresses religious exemptions and mirror bills of other states that have already legalized same-sex marriage.
KITV: 63% Say Let the Voters Choose
WHT: Hee Testimony 60-40 Against Gay Marriage
read ... House lawmakers argue over same-sex marriage bill
Lesbians Conspire to Steal Child from Biological Father
SA: On Thanksgiving Day 2009, I married the love of my life in British Columbia, Canada. Just before Thanksgiving this year, we will welcome home our first child. Despite holding a valid marriage license, as it now stands, our baby will be born into what Hawaii will only legally consider a civil union. Why won't Hawaii recognize our marriage? We are a same-sex couple.
Needed: HB7 Gets State out of Solemnization Business, Protects Rights of Biological Parents
read ... Theft
Council considers charter amendment to end BWS back-billing
KITV: After months of complaints from irate constituents about Board of Water Supply billing practices, the Honolulu's City Council's Committee on Executive Matters and Legal Affairs approved a resolution Tuesday that would ask voters whether back-billing by BWS should end....
BWS released statistics during the committee hearing that showed 94,000 customers received estimated bills in March. Of those, 89 percent were under estimated, meaning customers really owed more. From January through September, 235,253 customers received estimated bills, with 186,198 being undercharged. BWS says it would have lost $3.89 million in revenue if water bills from January through October had not been readjusted.
Lau said the large number of estimated bills since the start of the year was the result of new billing software, a switch to monthly billing for residential customers and deferred maintenance on water meters that can be read by radio frequency. He said about 3 percent of all BWS customers are now receiving estimated bills, and bills are estimated for a maximum of three consecutive months before an internal review begins.
Lau promised to update the City Council on changes to the BWS billing system ahead of the agency's audit, which could be released sometime in the spring.
Although the Executive Matters and Legal Affairs Committee voted 9-0 to move the BWS ballot question forward to a public hearing and second reading, Chairman Ron Menor warned that banning retroactive billing could be difficult for the city to undue. He added that the council should approach the matter cautiously.
SA: Engineer grilled over estimates on water bills
read ... Council considers charter amendment to end BWS back-billing
Wind Farm Consultant Controls Big Cable Docket IM: On July 11, 2013 the PUC opened a regulatory proceeding “to Investigate whether an Oahu-Maui Interisland Transmission System May Be in the Public Interest.”....
On October 28, 2013 the PUC notified all parties that PUC attorney Ryan D. Hurley was assigned to handle the docket.
LinkedIn stated that as of October 4, 2013, Ryan Hurley was the Wind Energy Specialist at DBEDT. That is, Hurley was working for one of the parties in this docket.
An HPU publication from last summer quoted Hurley. "I help wind and solar developers navigate the often complex permitting process when developing utility-scale projects.”
He said his two biggest accomplishments so far are his work with the Kawailoa Wind farm on O‘ahu’s north shore and the Auwahi Wind farm on Maui.
Best Comment: Auwahi likely sees Big Cable as a way to reduce 'curtailment' thus increasing its profits. See page 9: LINK
read ... There’s something in the Wind
Solar City Cronies Get Fast Tracked While Homeowners Stew
SA ... the commission needs to decide whether to waive the requirement that projects exceeding a 5-megawatt capacity be put out to bid in a public procurement process. HECO spokesman Peter Rosegg said the utility went through its own internal bidding process to select Solar City as the contractor and believes the company has the acumen to do the work.
Other PV projects are in the HECO pipeline, but those are not on property owned by the utility, offering such a potential for savings.
Nevertheless, the PUC must ensure that there's enough benefit in cost savings, one that would be shared with the ratepayers, to justify the waiver and approval. The utility may be feeling pressure to speed up other projects as well: Federal tax credits are scheduled to diminish from 30 percent to 10 percent by the end of 2016. The commission owes HECO's customers some assurance that competition will be maintained to rein in contract costs.
Some of those customers may be feeling dismayed by HECO's fast-tracking proposal emerging at about the same time their own hopes for PV installations at their homes are being delayed.
Reality: WSJ on Solar City: Cronyism in Full Force
More Reality: HECO Solar Project Pays More Wholesale than Mainland Retail Rates
Claim: HECO: Secret Green Energy Deal Eliminates Need for Big Cable
read ... Cronies
Funding shortage puts Kauai hospitals at risk
SA: A public hearing will be held Friday as part of the special legislative session to deal with a bill seeking an emergency appropriation to keep two Kauai rural hospitals afloat.
House Bill 3 requests $7.3 million in stopgap funding to sustain Hawaii Health Systems Corp.'s Kauai regional health care system through next spring. The hearing will be held by the Senate Health and Ways and Means committees.
House Health and Finance committees passed the bill earlier this week and approved increasing funding to $7.3 million from $2.5 million after system officials testified that more money is needed for services on Kauai.
In written testimony, the health system's Kauai Regional Board of Directors stated that the funding is desperately needed to allow Kauai to sustain operations and pay off obligations as well as reduce accounts payable to 30 days from more than 110 days.
read ... HHSC Crisis Continues
Marijuana #1 among Hawaii youth getting drug treatment
KITV: Researchers found that marijuana was the primary substance used by the majority of adolescents (52.8 to 63.1 percent) admitted to drug treatment services. Alcohol came in second with 26.9 to 39.9 percent of youth admissions.
For adults 18 to 49 years, methamphetamine, also known as "ice" was the most frequently reported primary substance (42.4 to 53.2 percent) followed by alcohol (21.8 to 31.5 percent).
Alcohol was the most frequently used primary substance for adults 50 years and older (52.2 to 64.4 percent).
Among the discharged cases, the majority completed treatment with no drug use or with some drug use. About one quarter of the cases left the facility before completing treatment and 12.4 to 14.7 percent were discharged due to non-compliance with program rules. A very small percentage of clients were incarcerated or died while receiving treatment.
HTH: County sees decline in substance abuse treatment
Read ... Drug Stats
Neighborhood Watch Beats Back Crime at Mayor Wright
CB:...100 percent less murder, 84 percent less aggravated assault, 72 percent less nuisance complaints, 66 percent less auto theft and 50 percent less graffiti, drunk nuisance, robbery and property damage at Mayor Wright Homes.
read ... Neighborhood Watch
Soft on Crime Policy Gets Crook Shot
HNN: Sugimura was seen getting onto a stolen motorcycle outside an Aiea home. He wrecked out a short time later, then took off running. Police say he broke into a home on Moanalua Road, right next to Alvah Scott Elementary School. The 68-year old man who lives there was assaulted, punched in the face and hurt his head when he fell.
Police say the man then took the keys to the home owner's pickup truck. As officers tried to stop Sugiumura, he threw the truck in reverse and struck two officers.
Honolulu Police Major Richard Robinson says four officers then fired.
Sugimura has multiple gunshot wounds but is expected to survive.
Sources say he is currently out on bail for a previous arrest. And he has an extensive criminal history that includes robbery, theft and burglary. (Moral of the story: Sugimura was shot because of soft-on-crime policies failed to protect him from himself by keeping him in prison where he belongs.)
read ... Soft on Crime
Judge Still Offers Hope Probation after Four Violations, Two Escapes
SA: Vogt said McPeek failed to take advantage of opportunities to complete drug treatment. He was placed in the HOPE Probation program in late 2012 after being terminated from the Kauai Drug Court program and regular probation. After placement in the HOPE program, McPeek violated probation four times and absconded twice.
Prior to his arrest on Oct. 21, McPeek continued to evade capture and fled in one incident that led to a police officer's injury, according to the Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
Valenciano said he was inclined to give McPeek another chance at HOPE probation, but since the defendant requested prison time, the judge agreed to sentence him to prison with credit for time served.
read ... Soft on Crime...
Former police sergeant sentenced in child sex case
MN: Originally charged with four counts of third-degree sexual assault of the girl, who is a relative, Bailey had pleaded no contest to two amended charges of second-degree assault.
Police said the sexual molestation occurred May 21, 2012, when Bailey was working as a police sergeant.
Bailey had been an MPD officer for 18 years.
read ... Former police sergeant sentenced in sex case
Omidyar Buys Two More Progressive Hack Journos
PBN: Pierre Omidyar’s new media venture now has a temporary name — NewCo — and a temporary home page as well as two more journalists — Dan Froomkin and Liliana Segura — who are now known to be affiliated with the project, according to The Omidyar Group website.
Glenn Greenwald, who recently left The Guardian to become one of the first journalists to join the eBay founder’s new media firm, announced in a blog post on Tuesday the addition of Froomkin and Segura, who will be working with Laura Poitras, Jeremy Scahill and himself on this venture.
Froomkin, who had stints at The Huffington Post and The Washington Post, was about to launch a website called FearlessMedia.org before being asked to join Omidyar’s group.
Segura, who has extensively covered prisons and prisoners, worked for The Nation Magazine and AlterNet.
read ... About a Doomed Venture
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