Hawaii Co Council Sends GMO Ban to Mayor 6-3
Petition: Support Hawaii Farmers Now!
Task Force: Both Hawaii Refineries May be Closed in Seven Years
New medical codes for injuries from duck bites, drone strikes create headaches for doctors
Matson's New Jones Act Ships Deemed an “Expensive Luxury”
Ft Shafter Troops Mobilize for Philippine Typhoon Relief
Hawaii, Illinois Last of the ‘Easy Targets’ for Gay Marriage
Judge Sam King: A Memoir
Cam Cavasso Launches Senate Campaign
SBH News: Cavasso for Senate. Former State Legislator, businessman and farmer, Cam Cavasso, will formally launch his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2014, as a Republican this Saturday. The event will be held at the Cavasso Farm in Waimanalo, 1-4 pm. It will be fun, a BBQ, and Talk Story with Cam. See you there.
read ... SBH News
Secret New Firefighters Contract Behind Caldwell Admin Claims of $156M Shortfall?
SA: A labor arbitration panel has reached a draft contract with the union that represents 2,000 firefighters statewide, although details are not expected to be made public until the end of the month.
Bobby Lee, president of the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, said the union was informed of the draft award Friday. He declined to provide details such as the length of the contract, pending a 15-day review period by the parties, but said he was pleased with the plan.
"It's a good award," Lee said. "I think it's fair for employers and fair for employees."
Union officials are meeting with members across the state to explain the terms....
appearing before the city Ethics Commission on an unrelated matter Monday, Honolulu Managing Director Ember Shinn referenced the firefighters' arbitration award in explaining the need for fiscal restraint. Shinn told commission members that the city is facing a projected $156 million shortfall in its 2015 operating budget....
An arbitrated four-year contract awarded to police officers in the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers in July includes wage increases amounting to about 16.8 percent over four years, or about $121.5 million for the city. But officials from the counties were caught off guard by a "standard-of-conduct differential" increase that added, for Honolulu, an additional $43.4 million over four years.
read ... New Contract
Willie: My Anti-GMO Delusions Trump Your Agricultural Reality
HTH: Despite opposition from most of Hawaii’s farming industry, the Hawaii County Council passed a bill Tuesday that prohibits biotech companies from operating on the Big Island and bans growing any new genetically altered crops.
"We are at a juncture — do we move forward in the direction of the agro-chemical monoculture model of agriculture, (translation: I intend to shut down all the real farms) or do we move toward eco-friendly, diversified farming?" (And you will either import all your food or be reduced to a subsistence economy) Councilwoman Margaret Wille, who introduced the bill, told Civil Beat after the vote.
For Wille, the 6-3 vote in favor of Bill 113, is a decisive victory for the latter.
"There is no sacred cow when it comes to how do we protect the future health of the island and the kids (from the non-existent threat of GMOs)," she said....
...many in the farming industry say opponents are making pseudo-scientific attacks on tools that can help farmers increase yields, reduce pesticide use or even save crops from viruses and fungi.
"What bothers me is the anti-science position of so many people," said Richard Ha, owner of Hamakua Springs Country Farms, who testified numerous times against the bill. "And I think there is a real lack of education...."
Hoosier: My mob of Eco-Terrorists is being Bullied
read ... Ignorance and Prejudice on Display
Council Drops Sidewalk Ban: Big Win For Homelessness Industry on Heels of Tom Brower Antics
SA: A bill banning "lying on sidewalks" was shelved by the City Council Public Safety and Economic Development Committee today after it became clear it did not have enough support to pass.
Several Council members, primarily Breene Harimoto and Ikaika Anderson, said they did not think the bill would solve the issues it sought to address.
Bill 59 originally called for the ban to take place across Oahu but recent drafts limited the prohibition to Chinatown, the Capitol District and Waikiki after city attorneys raised concerns about potential legal challenges based on time and place restrictions....
A few people testified in favor of the bill, arguing it would be helpful for the public and businesses affected by people blocking their entrances.
Thanks to Tom Brower, this decision is easier to make: Worldwide Headlines: Sledgehammer Wielding 'Vigilante' Rep Brower is 'Extreme, Scary, Potentially Dangerous'-- Should be 'Behind Bars' (Question: Intentional?)
DN: Homelessness Industry Hopes to Use Brower's Episode to Boost Minimum Wage, Block Homeless Sweeps
read ... Council panel shelves bill banning lying on sidewalks
Star-Adv: Outrigger Models 'Compassionate Disruption' Of Homelessness
SA: Elsewhere in Waikiki, a better model than Brower's is unfolding to combat the blight associated with homelessness. Outrigger Enterprises has adopted Princess Kaiulani Triangle Park from the city, hired a commercial landscaper to maintain it and wants to close the green space nightly from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., so that it will be in better condition for all in the daytime.
Forcing folks out of the area at night follows the "compassionate disruption" model that some advocates herald as a way to steer the chronically homeless into shelters and drug- and mental-health treatment. Having a hotel chain take a leading role seems right, given Waikiki's importance to the tourism industry.
Such initiatives need to be employed, just as the city needs to step up its continual clearing of encampments. Clearly, though, there is no need for vigilantes to reach for a sledgehammer.
read ... Compassionate Disruption
Maui: More than 1/3 of Homeless Never Seek Shelter
MN: Maui's three homeless shelters served 1,557 people last fiscal year, but experts estimate there are likely twice that number still staying in cars, parks and beaches across the county.
"A lot of people don't feel like they can come to a shelter for various reasons. There are a lot more people out there than are being counted," said Maude Cumming, executive director of the Family Life Center in Kahului. The center houses men, women and children.
A study by the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the state Department of Human Services counted 2,272 individuals in Maui County who received either shelter or outreach services during the 2013 fiscal year, down slightly from 2,358 people the year before.
read ... Need to Apply more Force
Common Cause: Restriction of Sister Island Public Testimony is Justified
Camille Lim, Chair of Common Cause: Despite the volume of public participation, people have accused our Legislature of acting illegally. Hundreds of pieces of testimony included cut-and-paste statements about how the "democratic process was not being upheld." This is a serious charge.
It should be noted that the claim that the governor called a special session "illegally" is unfounded. According to Article III, Section 10 of Hawaii's Constitution, the governor may call a special session. (Notice how Camille Lim introduces the word "illegally" into the text--not as a quote--and then puts it into quotations and refutes it? Standard straw-man argument. Who could possibly be fooled by this?)
...lawmakers were in the right to limit substitutes under the circumstances, and prevent citizens from blatantly abusing the process....In our opinion, oral testimony was properly limited to those who speak on another's behalf only when representing an organization, or when someone is disabled or needs a translator....
We at Common Cause did not see any glaring procedure violations...
Some neighbor island citizens have claimed that they were purposely excluded from the session since public hearings were not held on neighbor islands "during special session." But even during regular session, public hearings are not held on neighbor islands....
...this special session was a good case study displaying how the legislators can conduct such a session efficiently....
(Notice that Common Cause has no complaint about anti-GMO testimony at County Council meetings.)
read ... Common Cause
Hawaii Procurement Institute Joins Call for Health Connector Transparency
CB: In the context of the Affordable Healthcare Act website and the Hawaii Health Connector website, we are all a bit to blame because we have not insisted on real accountability, transparency, and competency of those to whom we entrust with the public procurement function....
Part of Hawaii’s procurement difficulties stem from the government’s almost immediate reaction to exempt certain agencies, such as the Hawaii Health Connector, from the state’s procurement code laws and rules.
Many state officials rely on arguments that “streamlining” is necessary for the special procurement they must oversee. To achieve the necessary “streamlining,” these officials seek (and often obtain) exemption from the procurement code’s statutory and regulatory scheme of “Best Practices.” These public officials seem to overlook the fact that Hawaii’s procurement code is built upon more than 100 years of contracting experience and offers the very streamlining needed for successful completion of complex government requirements.
Our state and local public contracting shortcomings have nothing to do with the need to “streamline” existing procurement procedures. Our shortcoming is in failing to ensure competency of our contracting professionals and their inability to ensure accountability in contract performance. We can correct these failures by ensuring (1) comprehensive training and education of government contracting personnel about procurement “Best Practices”, and (2) by making a concerted effort to create a professional corps of contract managers who know how to hold the contractor accountable for successful performance of the contract Statement of Work.
For more information on public procurement policy and professional training initiatives, please visit the Hawaii Procurement Institute website.
Related: Hawaii Health Connector Built by Same Contractor Responsible for Federal ACA Failure
read ... Procurement Problems
Defending Hawaii by Failing?
CB: In terms of quantifying school failure, at least by Department of Education standards, Nawahiokalaniopuu Iki is nearly unbeatable.
The school, whose student body is among the poorest in the state, earned just 20 points out of a possible 400 on Strive HI, the state's new system for measuring student achievement and improvement. Statewide, the school — Nawahi for short — ranked 287th out of 288 public schools.
So are the students dejected?
Hardly. The "failing" score is a political weapon — and a source of Hawaiian pride at Nawahi.
Nawahi is one of 20 schools in the state where a total of about 2,400 students learn in Hawaiian, not English. These Hawaiian immersion programs are publicly funded, and many are housed on regular public school campuses. Six of the immersion programs are charter schools, meaning they operate under their own, independent governing boards.
read ... Learning Hilo — Defending Hawaii
Four Hawaii companies Among Hundreds Competing for $5.3B in Defense Gold
MS: Four Hawaii companies are among the 914 contractors selected by the Naval Surface Warfare Center to compete for contracts included within 22 service areas for the Navy and the Marine Corps. Premier Solutions HI LLC, Haka Inc., Referentia Systems Inc. and Wakelight Technologies Inc., all based in Honolulu, will compete for the requirements solicited by Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, Naval Supply Systems Command, Military Sealift Command, Naval Facilities Command, Strategic Systems Programs, Office of Naval Research and the Marine Corps in 22 service areas, the Defense Department said.
read ... Don't Worry, Brian Schatz is on the Job lol
State investigates charter school's teacher, staff pay
SA: The state attorney general is conducting a theft investigation of teachers and staff at the Myron B. Thompson Academy who may have been paid improperly for compensatory time, chief investigator Dan Hanagami told a state judge Tuesday.
There could be a case to be made if the school has paid people for time they were not at the school, Hanagami said. He also said there were other entities being paid in a manner not in line with normal business practices.
"If these people we are investigating are members of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, they cannot receive comp time benefits without a special agreement with the HSTA," Hanagami said.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser first reported on allegations of nepotism at the charter school in 2010....
read ... Myron B Thompson
Fired charter school head, under investigation for theft, found new executive job
HNN: The fired former head of a Waipahu charter school, who was able to find a new job as an education executive even while under criminal investigation by the Hawaii Attorney General's office, is asking for reduced bail.
Jeffrey Piontek, 47, has been held at the men's central jail in Los Angeles since he was arrested in Santa Monica Oct. 21. Piontek has been charged by the Hawaii Attorney General's office with stealing more than $150,000 from Hawaii Technology Academy before he was fired as head of the charter school almost two years ago.
Piontek's attorney Marcus Sierra has asked for his $500,000 bail to be lowered....
...He later admitted he had entered school grounds with Ana Matsumoto, the school's vice principal, after being instructed not to
Cook said Piontek stole money from the Waipahu charter school for international trips to Australia, Germany, Qatar, and New Zealand. Pinotek also improperly spent Hawaii Technology Academy money on trips to Alaska, New York, Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, and San Francisco, Cook said in court filings.
A financial statement first reported by Hawaii News Now in February 2012 showed the school spent $107,860 on travel, including airfare, hotels, meals and car rents in the year that ended July 1, 2011. Most of that travel money was for Piontek and Matsumoto, who often traveled together, sources said.
Matsumoto was placed on leave from HTA in late 2011 and also left the school's employment.
Sources at Academic Advantage said she was working with Piontek in the online division of the company and living in the Los Angeles area. Company employees said they wondered why they hadn't seen Piontek in the office since late October but then received a link to Hawaii News Now's story about his arrest and recognized both Piontek and Matsumoto as their co-workers....
read ... New Job
Colorado Voters Reject Abercrombie's Soda Tax
NHBT: Dear Friends, Just like those in Maine, California and Washington State before them, voters in Telluride, Colorado earlier this month defeated a ballot measure to tax soft drinks.
Sixty nine percent of Telluride voters said NO to a one-cent per ounce beverage tax!
The Telluride tax proposal was the same exact proposal that has been defeated over the past few years in the Hawaii state legislature. Local advocates here in Hawaii will continue to push for singling out one product for increased taxation resulting in higher grocery bills for consumers.
Thanks again for your support in rejecting beverage taxes in Hawaii. We'll keep you informed as the threats continue in 2014.
read ... No Hawaii Beverage Tax
Civil Beat Reporter Describes Conspiring With Gay Activists in Military
CB: ... As Hawaii continued to debate same-sex marriage earlier this month, I was a bridesmaid in the Washington, D.C., wedding of two of my dearest friends from Honolulu.
It was only about three minutes into the ceremony before I could feel tears welling up. I wasn't the only one. Both grooms cried, too.
My friends Bud and Kimo were legally married in our nation's capital, Bud in a Tuxedo that made him look like a movie star and Kimo in his Army dress blues.
I think I'll always get chicken skin when I recall what it took for them to make it to their wedding day. I first met Bud and Kimo — William and James, if you want to use their formal names like The Washington Post did — back in 2008.
We became friends when I was managing editor of Honolulu Weekly....
CB: Runs Fluff Piece on Maui Time Publisher Russo
read ... About your unbiased media
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