How Christmas Came to Hawaii
Judge Throws Out Atheist Lawsuit
Hawaii Obamacare exchange not fiscally sustainable, lawmakers told
Hawaii’s education department keeping sex-ed curriculum a secret
Budget: UH Rewards Mitsunaga, Abercrombie Rewards UH
Mainland Organic Activists Launch Harassment 'Investigation' of State, County Governments
Blake v Kauai: Recktenwald Court continues Moon Court's policies
Panos: Helmet Law, Jones Act Repeal Top Wish List for 2014
2013 Grassroot Report: Major Victory for the Aloha Spirit
Caldwell Signs More Smoking Bans
HART Lies to Feds About 11% Cut in Ridership Projections
SA: Oahu transit officials on Thursday touted their plan to debut the island's elevated rail system with four-car trains instead of two-car models, telling the board overseeing the project that the change would save millions of dollars and provide better customer service.
Their presentation, however, did not mention that the firm contracted to build those trains, Ansaldo Honolulu JV, has estimated the switch to four-car trains would actually cost the city about $4 million. It wasn't until after the presentation, when Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board member Mike Formby brought up the matter, that HART officials acknowledged the disparity between Ansaldo's estimated costs and their estimated savings of some $20 million....
The move to four-car trains would have passengers wait nearly three minutes longer in between trains than they would for the two-car models
Neither Hombach nor Grabauskas addressed on Thursday recently leaked ridership models from HART consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff that showed the four-car trains would net 11 percent fewer new riders than the two-car trains. Those figures also weren't included in HART reports on the proposal submitted to federal officials.
read ... Cost, ridership of 4-car trains remain in dispute
Hawaii Military Housing residents slammed with rate hike, call Navy-wide billing system 'unfair'
NT: Dozens of residents in Hawaii have written Navy Times arguing the system is“unfair” and pits neighbors against each other. Nobody wants to get stuck on the high end of energy use because, in Hawaii at least, a monthly bill could mean hundreds of dollars.
Residents living in Navy privatized housing around Pearl Harbor, one of the first places to institute RECP, are taking drastic measures to cut energy costs, Navy Times learned from interviewing a number of spouses and service members feeling the pinch. Some Navy families are living in the dark, unplugging everything in the house, throwing their breakers — one has even boiled water to do the dishes.
Many said they are skipping Christmas lights this season to ensure they’re below their neighbors’ energy consumption.
“I believe this is creating a feeling of competition and even animosity between residents,” said a cryptologic technician (interpretative) second class who requested anonymity to speak out against the Navy program.
To be clear: Hawaii residents find themselves in a worst-case scenario that’s feeding this conservation frenzy. Nobody wants to get stuck with a bill because the electricity rate in Hawaii has skyrocketed 123 percent and isn’t expected to decrease until next year.
The reason for the rate hike is mind-boggling to residents. Over the past six years, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii vastly underestimated the cost of electricity, incurring operating losses to the tune of $200 million. It was determined by Navy higher-ups in Washington that Hawaii absolutely had to recoup those losses in a single year, fiscal 2014,
read ... Navy Rates
Caldwell Using Firefighters Contract as Latest Excuse for tax Hikes
SA: Mayor Kirk Caldwell said the award won't have a significant effect on the current year's $2 billion operating budget. But it will (allegedly) require budget officials to search for about $20 million more in the new budget year that begins July 1 when the city was already anticipating a $156 million shortfall.
Last week's news that the assessed values of Oahu properties are up 8.8 percent means there will be an increase in property tax revenues that will help narrow the shortfall, Caldwell said, although city officials are reluctant to provide specific numbers, citing pending appeals. (It would blow the meme.) The administration has introduced several revenue-generating measures, most recently an already heatedly debated plan to allow advertising on the sides of city buses in order to raise up to $8 million annually. (They know this will be defeated and the inevitable defeat will then be used as another argument for tax hikes.)
But adding $20 million to next year's budget "means we've got to find more revenues somewhere else to help cover that $20 million, or we cut services, so it makes our job more challenging but not impossible," Caldwell said, (repeating his tax hike mantra once again).
read ... Doesn't this ever get old?
UH Cancer Center Profs: Director has been doing great job
SA: The University of Hawaii Cancer Center is a success that apparently some seek to derail.
The new building is finished, and the center is running smoothly, despite contrary efforts of some disgruntled faculty. It has good support from the university and community, and researchers are busy making major cancer discoveries.
As senior faculty of the center, we take exception and are compelled to counter misleading information ("UH Cancer Center faculty calls for removal of director," Star-Advertiser, Dec. 12). For balance, it is important to highlight just a few of many accomplishments since Dr. Michele Carbone assumed leadership of our center.
Since 2012, under him, we are a successful, designated Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health), the only one in Hawaii. When the NCI reviewed us in 2012, it rated Carbone's performance as director "outstanding."
When Carbone became director in 2009, the center was struggling to grow. One reason: We were unable to reach agreements to work with local hospitals....
One of Carbone's earliest accomplishments was to re-establish a good relationship with the hospitals. He laid the groundwork for the Cancer Center Consortium, and with tremendous support, including from center faculty, former UH leaders and the hospitals, we were able to turn things around. With the consortium established, we got our NCI Center Grant renewed, then were able to move into the new building, made possible by a cigarette tax.
read ... Mesothelioma
Corrections Corp. of America: We Don't Want to Manage a Prison
CB: Chad Blair’s column “Throwing Away the Key,” inaccurately portrays our company, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), and the important solutions we provide Hawaii.
First, we want to make clear that the Hawaii Department of Public Safety (DPS) is not seeking, and CCA is not pursuing, management of a facility within the State of Hawaii. The State's request for information (RFI) is only seeking guidance on ways to finance and build a facility – something CCA has strong experience with.
Translation: UPW Inc. runs for-profit prisons in Hawaii. CCA Inc. runs for-profit prisons in Arizona. Now they are going to team up.
read ... Corrections
Soft-on-Crime: Maui Rapist Gets Probation for Kidnap-Rape while Allegedly Holding New Kidnap-Rape Victim Hostage
MN: The woman said she was sexually assaulted inside and outside her car at least six times in remote areas of Haiku and Kipahulu, police said. Her hands were bound with a leather belt, and she was choked several times, police said. The woman told police she nearly lost consciousness each time.
The woman reported that the incidents ended Dec. 11 or 12, police said.
On Wednesday afternoon (Dec 18), she reported the attacks to police and an all-points bulletin was issued for the Robbennolt-O'Connell's arrest. He was arrested about five hours later at a residence in Pukalani and is being held at the Wailuku Police Station, police said.
Last week, Robbennolt-O'Connell was placed on one year's probation after more serious charges alleging sexual assault and kidnapping were dismissed.
The incident occurred in June when a 20-year-old Kula woman reported being driven to a Haiku pasture by him after he gave her two oxycodone pills. During a preliminary hearing, the woman testified she was tied up, strangled and had a bag put over her head and a knife held against her neck by Robbennolt.
He originally faced charges of three counts of first-degree sexual assault, kidnapping, first-degree terroristic threatening, two counts of first-degree attempted assault, third-degree assault and interfering with reporting of an emergency.
As part of a plea agreement on Dec. 13, the prosecution dismissed all counts except for the third-degree assault charge.
read ... Soft on Crime
UI Tax Rate Drops 35% -- Save $300 per employee
DLIR: The Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) today announced that Unemployment Insurance tax rates for 2014 will be reduced 35% on average, resulting in employers paying $130 million less in taxes, or $300 less per employee on average for 2014.
The unemployment rate has dropped to 4.4 percent from 6.8 percent in December 2010, which has helped contribute to the replenishment of the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund. As of October 2013, Hawaii had the fourth lowest unemployment rate among states.
read ... the full release click here
DLIR: ACA Does not Change Employers Obligations Under Prepaid
DLIR: The Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) is reminding small businesses that the delay in federally required online enrollment under the Affordable Care Act does not pertain to Hawaii and does not change employer obligations under the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act.
read ... the full release click here
Hanabusa: I am the right 'Optics' for TPP Talks
AP: "I tell people there's optics on the mainland and optics at home," Hanabusa said. "And always when you come home it makes you know why you're running."
Clay Schroers, a campaign manager for Schatz, said having networks with leaders across the country is part of being an effective leader for Hawaii.
"The outpouring of support from people across Hawaii for Sen. Schatz is what really counts because those are the people he fights for every day," Schroers said.
Hanabusa said she has not yet heard from Schatz or his campaign on her request for statewide debates.
Schroers said Thursday that Schatz looks forward to participating in forums and debates "when the time comes."
"We look forward to working out details that promote a vigorous exchange of ideas while of course prioritizing his responsibilities to the people of Hawaii as their U.S. senator," he said.
SA: Hanabusa, Schatz applaud passage of defense measure
www.TheRealHanabusa.com
read ... Optics
HTA develops plan to address state auditor's criticism
PBN: Doug Murdock, vice president of administrative and fiscal affairs, presented to the board a draft of a 10-point plan for addressing the auditor’s recommendations. The objectives are:
1. Internal audit: Audit contract records for compliance for all contracts still active in fiscal 2014.
2. Quality assurance: Establish a formal quality assurance process with resources.
3. Training: Increase training on procedures, program management and contract management for brand managers and administrative assistants.
4. Record keeping: Establish complete contract files in an electronic record-keeping system.
5. Policy review: Review all contract and planning policies and procedures to implement audit recommendations.
6. Annual report: Reformat the annual report to report on HTA process against HTA strategic plan and Act 100 requirements.
7. Statute: Recommend appropriate changes to HTA HRS 201B-6 and any others as needed.
8. Research: Improve capabilities of research division, and assign specific duties for evaluating HTA’s performance.
9. Committee: Review the charter and scope of the Strategic Planning Investigative Committee to ensure it will address audit concerns.
10. Performance-based acquisition: Increase rigor in procurement planning process, including revising contract documents to include a contract deliverables list and performance-based criteria.
read ... Audit Response
Kailua businesses worry about town’s ‘growing’ reputation
PBN: Kailua definitely has been discovered.
Its discovery has led to competing views about how much more growth the area, which gets some $103 million from visitor spending each year, can or wants to handle.
That conversation went national recently when various media outlets picked up the Kailua Neighborhood Board’s resolution in September that asked the Hawaii Tourism Authority to stop promoting the Windward Oahu town as a tourist destination. Among the coverage was an Associated Press article titled “Obama’s Hawaiian vacation spot: Please, no more tourists!”
But that’s not the first effort to limit the influx: Last year, beaches were closed to commercial activities, and a popular T-shirt and bumper sticker in the area says, “I liked Kailua, until you came.”
read ... Kailua
Government plans 'open season' on Hawaii's cattle egrets and barn owls
KHON: "We're talking about killing an animal so that other animals may survive we're talking about nothing that we humans have introduced has done well by the islands," said Ann Goody of Three Ring Ranch Exotic Animal Sanctuary. "To blame these birds for the entire problem is naïve and to kill them is just so abhorrent to anyone who loves animals and nature and wildlife," said Sydney Ross Singer, Director, Good Shepherd Foundation.
The public comment period on these proposed rules ends February 3 and after that a decision will be made.
If you'd like to comment click HERE.
read ... Killing Birds
New study points to possibility of 'extreme' tsunami in Hawaii
HNN: "There was a series of very large events that have happened up there about 300, 400 years, and that one in particular had a date that was basically in the same data uncertainty that this Kauai deposit had been dated as," said Butler.
Such a quake would devastate much of Hawaii, but in particular, the study theorizes that it would send a four-story high tsunami through Waikiki.
Butler said it also would wash out the Kahe Power Plant in Leeward Oahu, wiping out power to much of the island.
As for when such an extreme tsunami could happen, no one knows. The Aleutian Islands produce hundreds of earthquakes every year. The last big Aleutian quake affecting Hawaii was in 1946, when a magnitude 8.1 quite triggered a tsunami that killed 159 people.
City management officials said they are looking closely at the study. Officials said there's the possibility that evacuation lines may be expanded to allow for cases of extreme tsunamis.
read ... Tsunami
QUICK HITS: