March 21, 2014 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

...he hasn’t said where we’re going and why. His election theme of “A New Day” is joke material for pundits. It’s been a revolving door with staffers.... Even veteran PR man Jim Boersema found things to be dysfunctional in the inner sanctum and quit. Agriculture director Russell Kokubun resigned to help Colleen Hanabusa rather than the governor’s man Brian Schatz in the U.S. Senate race.

But the campaign money is pouring in. Fat Cats always can smell a winner like kitties smell canned tuna....The problem this year for opponents is that, in the Democratic primary, David Ige will not be a statewide-known candidate, is unlikely to draw the big money, and the eventual GOP challenger Duke Aiona is doomed as a known religious conservative in a progressive state.

Yes, there could be unexpected twists – as when many Democrats defected to GOP candidates Pat Saiki and Linda Lingle, or when Hawaii Island voters abandoned Democrat Dante Carpenter for mayor in favor of the who’s-ever-heard-of-him Republican Bernard Akana....

Boylan: Now You See It, Now You Don’t

read ... Bob Jones

State GOP chair confirms Djou congressional run

HNN: In an appearance on Hawaii News Now Sunrise, Pat Saiki, the newly-elected chairwoman of the Hawaii Republican Party, confirmed that former congressman Charles Djou will soon declare his candidacy in the upcoming election for the state's 1st Congressional District.

During her interview, which aired on Friday morning's program, Saiki also said she expected Duke Aiona to formally enter the state's gubernatorial race.

read ... Djou for Congress

Hawaiian Electric expects cost savings of up to $500M a year using LNG

PBN: Hawaiian Electric Co. expects a cost-savings of up to $500 million each year for its customers when it begins utilizing liquefied natural gas as a replacement fuel for power generation on Oahu, the Big Island, Maui, Molokai and Lanai, a top official from the state’s largest electric utility said Thursday.

Hawaiian Electric expects to begin shipping in LNG in containers as early as in 2016, according to a recent request for proposals obtained by Pacific Business News.

Besides the major cost-savings, the pivot towards this cleaner fuel, also will help HECO comply with more stringent environmental regulations.

“This critical piece of the puzzle [should allow us] to bring people’s rates down as quickly as we can,” said Scott Seu, vice president of energy resources and operations for Hawaiian Electric, said during at a Hawaii Society of Business Professionals luncheon at the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki. “We can’t keep laying on more costs to our customers. It’s an important bridge [as] we are still going for as much renewable as we can.”

HECO: Requests for Proposals - Containerized LNG Supply

read ... $500M Savings

Legislature's Move to Shorten School Year Puts Exclamation Point on Deceptive Partisanship

MW: Former Gov. Linda Lingle must be doing backflips over the Legislature’s decision to shorten the school year after she was blamed for – that’s right, shortening the school year.

It’s history now, but back then, you may remember, there was quite a battle of words about the state Department of Education’s decision to furlough teachers. Lawmakers, with the support of some lazy journalism, did an effective job of getting the public to believe that Lingle had furloughed the teachers.

Then, to put an exclamation point on their deceptive partisanship, the politicians worked with the parents’ group to prove how much they cared about the students by introducing legislation to lengthen the school year.

This was done to contrast with what they told the public Lingle had done to “shorten” the school year. It’s that bill passed back then to lengthen the school year they now are talking about repealing.

Lingle must be speechless.

read ... The Right Price

Hawaii House revives, kills GMO food label bill

KITV: ...members of the committee challenged the way the bill was written and questioned how the state would enforce labeling laws. Rep. Isaac Choy asked exactly how the state would figure out if a food had been mislabeled.

Chairwoman Wooley deferred the bill indefinitely, so it's out of consideration for this legislative session unless an unusual effort is made to bring it back.

read ... Not over until Sine Die

4 complaints follow doctor involved in dental tragedy on Hilo

HNN: Dr. John Stover does a lot of procedures, everything from cosmetic to plastic surgery in addition to the oral surgery. His medical and dental licenses are in good standing.

However we discovered Dr. Stover has had four previous complaints with the state since 2010. Two complaints for "failure to comply with laws governing professional conduct" were resolved without enough evidence. Two other complaints from 2012 and 2013 are still ongoing.

He has also been sued for medical malpractice, however that case was dismissed.

Sources say Dr. Stover requested the use of full anesthesia for his dental practice in 2005, however that was denied. In 2007 he was granted the permit to use "intravenous-conscious or moderate-conscious sedation."

On his medical license he is allowed to use full anesthesia. Since oral surgery, including wisdom teeth extraction, is considered a medical procedure he would be allowed to use full anesthesia if necessary.

The section regarding anesthesia on his website says it is in development.

read ... 4 Complaints

Cachola Expenses Under Fire--Bought SUV With Campaign Funds

HNN: The state Campaign Spending Commission is taking aim at longtime state lawmaker Romy Cachola's spending habits.

The investigation is focusing on more than $60,000 in political expenses, which includes the purchase of an SUV and dozens of meals at local restaurants, sources familiar with the probe said.

"The public is not well served when politicians use campaign funds as a personal expense account," said Kelii Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

The expenditures under scrutiny include:

-- More than $30,000 to purchase a Nissan Pathfinder in 2008;
-- $20,000 in gasoline and car insurance expenses;
-- $9,100 for food and beverages;
-- and, $2,700 in public relations expenses.

Cachola has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1984 -- a tenure that was interrupted by two four-year terms in the Honolulu City Council.

GRIH: Grassroot Discusses Campaign Spending on HNN

2012: Vote by Mail Fraud: Romy Cachola Barged In, Wanted Ballots

read ... $30,000 SUV

Hawaii Law Lets Police Have Sex With Prostitutes

AP: Police haven't said how often — or even if — they use the provision. But when they asked legislators to preserve it, they made assurances that internal policies and procedures are in place to prevent officers from taking advantage of it.

But expert Derek Marsh says the exemption is "antiquated at best" and that police can easily do their jobs without it.

"It doesn't help your case, and at worst you further traumatize someone. And do you think he or she is going to trust a cop again?" asked Marsh, who trains California police in best practices on human trafficking cases and twice has testified to Congress about the issue.

read ... Fringe Benefits

Daily KOS Readers Support Second Amendment

DK: Shall issue concealed carry looks like it might be on its way in the Aloha State. I might be jumping the gun a bit when I say the list of may/no issue states continues to shrink but considering the recent trends in regards to concealed carry, I think it's a safe bet.

What would shall issue in Hawaii look like? Anyone have any theories? Reciprocity?

I look forward to the comments.

read ... Read the Comments -- They're positive

9th Circuit Calls for Briefings in Hawaii Gay Marriage case

EOT: The Ninth Circuit has filed an order asking for briefing in Jackson v. Abercrombie the challenge to Hawaii-s now-repealed same-sex marriage ban. The appeals court is concerned about “whether the enactment of Hawaii’s Marriage Equality Act of 2013 moots these consolidated appeals.” The briefing schedule: “The opening brief is due April 25, 2014; the answering brief is due May 27, 2014; and the optional reply brief is due within 14 days after service of the answering brief.”

read ... Jackson v Abercrombie

Hirono, Schatz, Hanabusa Demand Executive Order Mandating More Trannies on Base

SA: Earlier this week, nearly 200 lawmakers signed a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to use executive authority to ban workplace discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees of federal contractors. (Need a job? Wear leather to the interview.)

read ... Trannies on Base

Hanabusa: Bought and paid for by Turkish Government?

DK: Yesterday, Congresswoman Hanabusa and the Turkish Coaliton of America hosted an event at the Filipino Community Center (FilCom) with FilCom directors and a few other invitees to honor a $25,000 contribution from the Turkish American community to aid Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts....

In 2012, TCA attempted to pass legislation permitting Turkey to invest in Native American tribes, and Rep. Hanabusa was one of just 43 Democrats to support the legislation. This special interest bill in favor of a foreign country (which incidentally just banned Twitter) allowed six Indian tribes to lease land to Turkish companies without securing the usual, often time-consuming Bureau of Indian Affairs approvals....

It is also noteworthy that TCA paid nearly $5,000 for a Hanabusa staffer to travel to Turkey.

PI: Turkish Americans present second $25K check for ‘Haiyan’ relief

read ... The strange story of Anti-Armenian groups in Hawai'i

Judge denied second term for 'erratic' and 'bizarre' behavior

HNN: A controversial Circuit Court judge is losing his job after complaints from lawyers about his on-the-job performance, a rare "firing" of a judge.

Sources said the Judicial Selection Commission will not retain Oahu Circuit Judge Patrick Border for a second 10-year term when his term expires April 7.

Attorneys who declined to be identified describe him as "erratic," "unpredictable" and even "bizarre."

The judiciary moved Border from handling civil cases to misdemeanor criminal cases in the last year or so, sending him to "the minor leagues," send one judiciary official....

First appointed to the court by former Governor Linda Lingle in 2004, Border made headlines two years later when he cited a man with contempt of court and put him in the court cell block for several hours for exclaiming "Thank you Jesus" after a jury found him not guilty of physically abusing his son....

Border might withdraw his application for re-appointment, instead of having his request for a second term rejected by the Judicial Selection Commission, a source said.

Before becoming a judge in 2004, Border spend twenty years at an attorney in the law firm Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina and Fairbanks. Before that, he was a deputy corporation counsel and deputy prosecutor for the city of Honolulu and a deputy attorney general for the state of Hawaii.

Border earned his law degree from the University of Nebraska in 1974.

read ... Erratic and Bizarre

Firefighter arrested for trying to run down cyclists, impersonating cop

HNN: Police sources say Carlin Jones told arresting officers, he was angry that the three men on bikes were "doing figure eights in the road." Witnesses said Jones drove to the top of Pualei Circle in Waikiki, but then turned around to chase after the cyclists. At the intersection of Leahi Avenue, the police report says, Jones intentional drove toward the men.

Source say he then got out of his truck and allegedly told them he was going to shoot them because he was a cop. He did tell police at the scene that he was a firefighter.

read ... Arrested

Dangerous trend with children and e-juice grows in Hawaii

KHON: An alarming trend is growing in Hawaii, involving children who are getting their hands on the liquid used in e-cigarettes and ingesting it. The liquid can cause a variety of health problems for young children, even death.

In just one year, the number of poisoning cases in Hawaii involving children under the age of five doubled, rising from eight cases of exposure in 2012 to 17 cases in 2013, though none of them were fatal. Seventy-four poison cases were reported nationwide in 2013.

Experts say because of the juice’s color and pretty packaging, children may think it’s candy. (And the juice often sits unused because ecigs are really for smoking marijuana oil. Tobacco is just a cover story.)

read ... Vaping

Borreca: Kakaako will be Worse than the Bronx

Borreca: Left on its own, Kakaako's undeveloped acreage is hot and smelly. In the 1970s it was taken away from city governance by the state after a series of tiffs with former Mayor Frank Fasi. The decades of talk are now matched by what appear to be a solid decade of high-rise construction that will be capped with Honolulu's $5.5 billion heavy-rail system roaring through it.

Open space is an afterthought, the tiniest 381-square-foot apartment starts at $250,000, and the first new building, 801 South Street, was exempted from the LEED building energy saving standards.

I know we could do better, because I grew up in the East Bronx in New York City in a housing complex called Parkchester.

Forty thousand people lived in some 51 apartment buildings on 129 acres, an area smaller than what is planned for Kakaako.

CB: Should Kamehameha Schools Be the Answer?

read ... Kakaako will go down as a ‘what could’ve been’

Kalaeloa: Home to Solar Farms 'Plagued with Blackouts'

PBN: Every now and then, when city Planning Director George Atta bumps into executives from the Hunt Cos.’ Hawaii Division or someone from the Hawaii Community Development Authority, the infrastructure issues that have stalled the redevelopment of Kalaeloa invariably come up.

The two sides — the city and the state — haven’t been able to agree on some of the most basic issues, such as how wide the roads should be, while Hunt sits on the sidelines, keeping its multimillion-dollar development plans for the region on hold....

The one roadblock standing in the way of the planned, major infusion of hundreds of millions of dollars in economic development and opportunities for the area, including new housing and businesses, is infrastructure.

The few businesses that do operate there say they have a hard time attracting new customers to the area and must put up with intermittent power outages that sometimes last 12 or more hours.

PBN's View: State and city drop the ball on Kalaeloa

read ... Dead End at Kalaeloa

Council panel OKs shoreline-wall bill

SA: A bill making it easier for shoreline property owners to put up retaining walls and other structures is advancing through the Honolulu City Council, although some members said they want more information before they'll give it final approval.

Bill 17 was approved unanimously by the Council Zoning and Planning Committee on Thursday, with members Breene Harimoto and Ron Menor voicing reservations.

Harimoto said he's bothered by objections raised by the city Department of Planning and Permitting, Sierra Club Hawaii and others that the bill is too permissive and could allow structures that accelerate the decline of Oahu's beaches.

read ... Walls

Legislative Motion:

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