Email Reveals Plan to Take Control of Hawaiian Homelands as Indian Tribe
Act 201 Reforms Hawaii Juvenile Justice System
Kauai property crime rates spur community to action
Stay seated: Hawaii will pay $81K for fall-prevention coordinator
Must Hawaii Employers Preserve Absent Employees Positions Indefinitely?
Volunteers Sought for Vacancies Opening Up on Boards and Commissions as Ethics law Takes Effect
List of Independence Day events statewide
Arson Attack on Home of Activist investigating Misuse of Hawaiian Homelands
HNN: Surveillance cameras captured video of intense flames on the hoods of two vehicles belonging to Carroll Cox as they sat just outside his Mililani home just before 11 p.m....
In May, Cox was treated and released from a Honolulu-area hospital after he said he was attacked by two masked men who hit him with a pipe. Cox said he was trying to record people moving a building off of Hawaiian Homelands property.
After communicating with fire and police officials following Wednesday's incident, Cox said that it looked like flares had been used to start the fire, and that he had noticed what appeared to be some kind of liquid dripping from the hood of his vehicles down into the engine block. Sources confirmed that an accelerant was used.
read ... First Beating then Burning
Arson Attack Comes After Investigation of Aiwohi
SA: Security cameras, which captured the arson, also showed the suspects driving past Cox's house before the fire, apparently to turn around in the cul-de-sac for a quicker getaway.
"These guys were really cool, calm and collected," Cox said. "They were very cocksure of themselves."
He said the fire could have jumped to his house.
"This was reckless disregard for human life," he said.
Cox said the fire may be related a May 6 attack near Boxer Road in Kalaeloa when a masked man struck him on the head with what appeared to be a pipe and another masked man stole his car keys. Nine staples were required to close the wound.
At the time, Cox was in his car photographing a modular house on Hawaiian Home Lands property that did not have a permit for use, Cox said. He said Mark Aiwohi, of trucking business Aiwohi Bros., gained access to the land and put the trailer there through a handshake deal with a DHHL land agent.
According to DHHL, Aiwohi had planned to seek a permit for the modular home, and it was put there temporarily.
Cox's friend George Grace III said Thursday that Aiwohi had threatened him in May if he didn't get Cox to back off his investigation into DHHL.
Grace, who operates Kalaeloa Raceway Park, got a temporary restraining order against Aiwohi for the threat, which allegedly happened at Grace's business a day after Cox was beaten.
read ... Aiwohi
Hilo: Hundreds More Say 'No' to Akaka Tribe
WHT: More than 130 people signed up to testify Wednesday evening to a panel of Department of the Interior, Office of the U.S. Attorney General and other Obama administration officials. Hundreds more crowded into the Keaukaha Elementary School gymnasium to listen.
It was the 10th public hearing in Hawaii for the federal panel, which is gauging community reaction to a proposed re-establishment of a government-to-government relationship with the Native Hawaiian community. Meetings continue today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Waimea Community Center and 6 to 9 p.m. at Kealakehe High School....
Patrick Kahawaiolaa, president of the Keaukaha Community Association, believes federal recognition already exists for Native Hawaiians through the 1920 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. At statehood in 1959 the compact made between the parties was “… the State and its people will uphold the Hawaiian race …” and “… as a proviso of becoming a State the State needed to accept the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920,” Kahawaiolaa said.
“I will be asking the DOI/DOJ to do their job and enforce the federal law called the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920 against the State, the DHHL and anyone else who has over the 90-year period of its existence abused, used, leased the lands having the status of Hawaiian Home Lands and any acts of State legislation enacted “without the consent” of the US.,” Kahawaiolaa said before the meeting.
read ... No no no no no
Elwin Ahu seeks re-establishment of people's trust in government
HNN: Witnessing a disregard for the people's voices as the same-sex marriage special session unfolded last year, Elwin Ahu, a senior pastor at New Hope Metro, said Wednesday if he's elected lieutenant governor, he will aim to re-establish and restore the people's trust in government.
"Everywhere we've gone, people have all expressed the same sentiment, that they're tired of the same leaders not listening to them," Ahu said. "How do we restore trust? I think it takes change, change in leadership."
Prior to becoming the pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in 2000, Ahu, a Republican, served as a lawyer in Hawaii for about 15 years and a judge for 5 years. He said his experience would help propel him in the lieutenant governor's office.
"I think the judgeship really helped me to understand how the law applies to people and how to make decisions," he said. "Judges need to be trained how to gain the trust from people."
read ... Trust
Heartless Abercrombie Viciously Slashes State Budget, Poor to be Hardest Hit
SA: The Abercrombie administration is restricting discretionary spending by state departments by 10 percent, or about $14 million, as a precautionary step until the economy has shown measurable signs of improvement, the state budget director said.
As of July 1, the start of the new fiscal year, departments received 90 percent of their general fund budgets for the first quarter of the year, Budget Director Kalbert Young said Wednesday. The remaining 10 percent could be restored in the coming months if actual tax collections meet the most recent forecast set by the state Council on Revenues.
In May, the Council reduced the forecast for the fiscal year that ended Monday to minus 0.4 percent, down from zero percent in its prior prediction. State House budget analysts estimate that the lower forecast would cost about $21.9 million and also drop the revenue base going forward.
read ... State discretionary budgets cut by 10%
Schatz panders to Disgusting Anti-Superferry Mobs
KGI: When Schatz was asked what his position was on the return of the Superferry to Hawaii, it drew an audible, "Ohoo," from the audience.
"Not on Kauai," Schatz abruptly quipped with a laugh.
There were, he said, "so many problems with the Superferry."
A key mistake made by Superferry and state officials, he said, was not surveying individual communities to gauge the level of interest in the project.
"That's not just common sense if you want to get a project done," Schatz said. "It's also only fair."
Though there have been proposals raised to bring the Superferry back to Hawaii, Schatz said he doesn't believe it's worth pursuing.
"I don't think it's a good use of all of our time," Schatz said. "I believe it would, again, divide our community. I think the Superferry is an idea that was tried, that died, and we should probably leave it alone."
Hanabusa, however, had another idea.
Since the two Superferry vessels are now owned by the U.S. Navy, Hanabusa said she believes "there is a military use for one of the Superferries."
Although the vessel would not be used for the general public, the military's use of the Superferry vessel in Hawaii could be beneficial when natural disasters strike the islands.
"In the case of natural disasters, we need other modes of transportation, and nothing would serve us, I think, as well as that vessel, but it would be for a military purpose," Hanabusa said. "It would be able to hold heavy equipment, if we ever need it, and I think that's an alternative that we can also rely on."
read ... Kauai Idiot Vote?
Schatz Grilled over Winer
AP: U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz said Wednesday night that he will not go negative in the campaign. But U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa came across as ready to fight.
Schatz was put on the spot by moderator Sherry Bracken, public affairs director of Mahalo Broadcasting, who asked why he hired to his campaign Andy Winer, a Democratic strategist who was accused of being part of a negative campaign smear against former Gov. Ben Cayetano.
Schatz said he hired Winer because he was the most qualified person for the job, and that he will not let the same kind of thing happen in this campaign.
“I set the standards in my campaign. I set the tone,” Schatz said. “We are happy warriors, we are talking about the issues, we are respectful of our opponent.”
Read ... Grilled Winer
EPA officials say no health issues seen in GMO papayas
MN: Officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told members of a Maui County Council committee reviewing a voter-initiated anti-genetically modified organism measure Tuesday that they have not heard of any health issues related to eating genetically engineered rainbow papaya, developed on the Big Island to combat a commercially devastating virus.
According to the Hawaii Papaya Industry Association, the rainbow papaya, a cross between two different varieties, is the first genetically engineered papaya with resistance to papaya ringspot virus. The rainbow papaya, planted in 1997, helped stem the decline of the papaya industry in Hawaii....
After listening to more than seven hours of testimony from 205 people Monday, members queried federal, state and county experts and regulatory officials for their thoughts about issues brought up by testifiers.
The committee - in another lengthy meeting that ended at about 7 p.m. Tuesday - heard from officials with the EPA and state departments of agriculture and health, along with one of Hawaii's leading economists.
The measure being discussed was spearheaded by the nonprofit SHAKA Movement. SHAKA stands for Sustainable Hawaiian Agriculture for the Keiki and the Aina. The initiative calls for the suppression of all "genetically engineered operations and practices" in Maui County until companies prove the activity is safe, through an environmental public health impact statement submitted to the County Council for approval.
read ... EPA officials say no health issues seen in GMO papayas
Kauai Judge Tells Lesbians to Stay out of GMO case
CB: A federal judge has refused to allow both anti-GMO and biotech support groups to wade into a lawsuit challenging Kauai County’s right to regulate genetically modified organisms and pesticides.
A number of organizations had asked to be allowed to file amicus curiae, or “friend of the court,” briefs in the case which is garnering national attention....
The judge also reviewed requests from the other side — Free Speech for People, Equal Justice Society, National Center for Lesbian Rights and EarthRights International as well as local and national organic farmers led by Kauai Kunana.
read ... No GMO Lesbians
Cancer Research Being Sacrificed Because of Homeless Tent City
HNN: Less than 24 hours after Honolulu police swept the sidewalk of homeless camps across from the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kaakako, the same stretch was filled with 20 tents again Wednesday, as some UH employees said the homeless make them uneasy after hours.
UH Cancer Center intern Sasha Canovali , who walks several blocks to her parking lot, said the homeless problem has gotten worse there in the last month.
"It's definitely increased. I've seen a lot more tents. I saw the police out here yesterday moving people but they came right back the same afternoon," Canovali said.
She told us on camera what other med school and Cancer Center personnel said off-camera: that they're scared to walk these streets at night and on the weekends.
"Sometimes I leave late and I get a little nervous when I walk to my car," Canovali said.
Another UH Cancer Center employee sent us an email that said “I used to work late nights and even on weekend but I no longer do because it feels unsafe.”...
The med school and cancer center sent its employees an email this week reminding them that they can ask for security guards to escort them to their parking lots.
"Please call for help when you feel threatened. If someone is accosted or hurt by someone else the police need to know about it in order to take appropriate actions," said Elwyn Watkins, the John A. Burns School of Medicine building and security systems engineer.
"Nothing can be done if everyone only talks amongst each other and no one reports it. Non-reporting only leads our community leaders to believe there is no problem,"Watkinss wrote in the email.
Star-Adv: Ticket-home plan can help homeless
read ... Bums Rule You
Online Access to Hawaii Care Home Inspections May Be Delayed
CB: The public will likely have to wait longer than promised before gaining free and easy access to the inspection reports of more than 1,600 long-term care facilities in Hawaii.
Despite an 18-month lead time and receiving all its requested funding, there are doubts that the state Health Department will be ready to start posting inspection reports online by Jan. 1 as required by law, according to government officials and lawmakers.
Complicating matters, a working group tasked with providing recommendations dissolved Monday after legislators ignored its request to remain on the job a second year.
After years of yielding to the powerful lobbying force of the adult care home industry, the Legislature in 2013 passed a bill that made Hawaii the 28th state to require the inspection reports to be posted online. Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed Act 213 last summer at a special ceremony in his executive office.
read ... Online Access to Hawaii Care Home Inspections May Be Delayed
Hawaii County Angered by Aggressive Federal Water Grab
WHT: The National Park Service’s request for a water management area designation would imperil several “much-needed” community projects, Hawaii County’s Water Board says in a letter to the Commission on Water Resource Management.
Those projects that could be affected by the designation, which would require every existing water user to apply for the right to continue drawing as much water as it is already using, as well as start a new process for new users to apply for water use, include Hawaii Community College — Palamanui, the West Hawaii Judiciary Complex, the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, Kona International Airport and affordable housing projects in the area, Chairman Kenneth Kaneshiro said in the June 18 letter.
The designation could “delay, halt and increase the costs” for those projects, the letter said.
The board and Department of Water Supply officials worked together on the letter, DWS Manager Quirino Antonio said during a meeting Wednesday at the West Hawaii Civic Center.
“The board wanted to inform you that it is extremely disappointed in the (National Park Service’s) initiation of the petition,” the letter said. “Their aggressive action and relentless and patronizing politicking have angered the board and many in our community.”
read ... Feds Grab for Water
Obama's marine reserve plan 'betrays' American fisherman
RA: The Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council says the expanded no-fishing zone will do nothing to improve the health of the Pacific, cut illegal fishing, or reduce acidification caused by greenhouse gases.
read ... Betrayal
Depleting federal highway fund could put Hawaii projects at risk
KHON: Each year the federal government receives $34 billion in gas tax money. But it pays out $50 billion for its share of the cost of projects across the country. That could force local and state governments to make drastic decisions.
“And it’s more likely we’ll see delays,” said Espero.
And while the H-1 rehab project will be wrapping up soon, the state will still want to do more improvements to the H-1 freeway system, including improvements to the Waimalu viaduct. It’s on the list of 10 other H-1 improvement projects the state will be soliciting for more federal funding.
While the state and local governments will pay all expenses for a project up-front, they will later turn to the federal government who will cut them a reimbursement check for 80 percent of the project’s cost. But with the fund in trouble, it may be a long time before anyone sees a reimbursement check in the mail. That may force local and state governments to bear more of the cost of projects with even a 50/50 split as an option.
read ... Depleting federal highway fund could put Hawaii projects at risk
SEC Waiver Allows Crooked Bank to Stay in Hawaii
R: An official at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission broke ranks with other commissioners and voted against granting BNP Paribas a waiver to continue operating several investment advisory units in the United States....
BNP's application was granted the same day that BNP, France's largest bank, pleaded guilty to criminal charges it violated U.S. sanctions and agreed to pay a $9 billion penalty.
The temporary waiver will become permanent, unless an "interested person" in the matter is granted a hearing. The deadline for requesting a hearing is July 25....
BNP argued in an SEC filling why the waiver should be granted. Regarding its Hawaii-based advisory firm, BNP said it is a "relatively small state" where its 12 employees would experience "great difficulty" finding new jobs. Denying the waiver would force the advisers to end relationships with third-party funds and hurt the expansion of its business, disrupting "highly valued long-term client relationships," the bank said.
Federal securities laws contain so-called "bad actor" provisions which automatically disqualify companies and individuals from participating in certain activities, such as raising private capital or acting as an investment adviser.
Companies who trigger the bad actor provisions, however, are generally allowed to apply to the SEC for a variety of waivers to avoid disrupting their business.
read ... Bad Actor
Hawaiian Air Pushes to Reform Ex-Im Bank
MF: For decades, U.S. aerospace giant Boeing has benefited from the support of a little-known U.S. government-sponsored agency called the Export-Import Bank. The Export-Import Bank helps arrange financing for U.S. exports, and Boeing planes represent a large chunk of its financing volume.
Delta Air Lines and (to a lesser extent) Hawaiian Holdings have claimed that the Export-Import Bank props up their competitors. As a result, both carriers want Congress to reform the Export-Import Bank -- or shut it down....
Boeing jets account for about 40% of the Export-Import Bank's financing volume in dollar terms. This makes Boeing by far the bank's largest beneficiary, and has led to some people calling the Export-Import Bank "The Bank of Boeing."
Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Holdings have both protested the organization's support of Boeing: particularly its financing of wide-body airplanes. The two airlines argue that foreign carriers -- many of which are government-owned or have ample private access to credit -- use below-market financing from the Export-Import Bank to compete with U.S. airlines.
In this effort, Delta and Hawaiian have found support from an unlikely corner: the Republican Party. The GOP has traditionally had pro-business leanings, and has therefore been a staunch backer of the Export-Import Bank.
However, a new generation of conservatives are more attracted to a pure free market approach, and thus plan to vote against reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank's charter. This includes several prominent Republicans, including new House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, former vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan, and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling....
Neither Delta Air Lines nor Hawaiian Holdings is demanding the demise of the Export-Import Bank. Unlike some of the bank's most strident critics, they recognize that the bank has stimulated demand for U.S. exports, helping numerous small businesses grow. They even see a role for the Export-Import Bank to continue supporting some Boeing exports.
However, Delta and Hawaiian both want to ensure that the bank is not helping foreign competitors dominate international routes to and from the U.S. They believe the bank should have to show on a case-by-case basis that loans to foreign airlines won't endanger U.S. airline jobs.
PBN: How Hawaii is playing a role in the Export-Import Bank debate
read ... "Bank of Boeing"
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