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Thursday, September 4, 2014
September 4, 2014 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 3:17 PM :: 4318 Views

Hughes Corp. Fails to Wheedle Out of Affordable Housing Requirement

Wong, Dwyer, Namuo: Betray for Pay

In Hawaii, Your Housing Dollar Worth Less Than 63 Cents

Research Institute for Hawaii USA Hit With $843K Fine

The State of Obesity in Hawaii

Mufi Pulls Union Support Away from Ige

MN: There is a true three-way race for governor this year - Democrat David Ige, Republican James Aiona and Independent Mufi Hannemann. Hannemann is the wild card in the race.

Usually, labor lines up solidly behind the Democratic candidate. But Hannemann has already received endorsements from the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, the Sheet Metal Workers and the Teamsters.

Republicans generally have strong support from business. But Hannemann is known as a moderate with strong business ties. He has received the endorsement of Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, a leader who is considered business-friendly on the Valley Isle.

read ... An interesting, expensive race

State DoH Should Support Housing First

DN: The supports that are needed for a proper Housing First program do not exist at a city level and those that you see on the slides do not appear in the RFP.

The state Department of Health knows how to provide these services. I recommend that anyone interested in the success of Housing First in Hawaii study how ACT and case management (including intensive case management) have been provided in the past. The documents are on the State Procurement Policy Office website organized by year. I chose 2005 because that year was before former governor Lingle’s devastating cuts to mental health services. Pretty much chosen at random: an RFP for Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) - Island of Maui. This RFP is in response to a federal court order.

Check out, for example, the Scope of Services on page 38 of Part I of the RFP. It’s too long to include here, but well worth skimming if you are interested in Housing First.

I doubt the city is able to put together an RFP for the necessary support services. It took the DOH years to learn to manage these services, but in the end, they got it mostly right. Too bad they cut them, but that’s another story, though very related to the homelessness we are now seeing in the state.

The city could, of course, either crib from one of the state RFPs, or perhaps work something out with the state for a joint Housing First program done correctly.

read ... State DOH

Unfair property tax hike another case of poor city planning

SA: The Residential A real property tax classification that increases the tax rate by 71 percent — to $6 from $3.50 per $1,000 of assessed value on non-owner occupied properties — has been in the news recently, but in all the hubbub, some major impacts and related issues have not surfaced.

This new classification and the huge tax increase were the result of poor planning and the belief that people who can afford to own a home they don't live in themselves can, and therefore should, bear a much higher share of the tax burden than others.

But what about the unintended consequences of this classification?

One elderly gentleman told me his lease provides for his tenant to pay the real property tax directly. The tenant is 87, deaf and lives on Social Security of $10,000 per year. Her taxes went from about $3,330 to about $6,300.

Another woman and her husband, who just recently retired, said they will be increasing their tenant's rent by $400 per month to cover the tax hike. The tenants were paying $1,750 per month and will soon be feeling the pinch of an almost 25 percent increase in rent.

read ... Unfair

Hawaii Just Did What No Other State Would for GMOs

PM: GMO Hawaii: Which is why the state has become a mecca for seed companies and farmers. Corn and soy are the two main crops in an industry that has ballooned 548% since 2000. Most of the food harvested there is eaten elsewhere; 100% of its corn is exported to North and South America.

If Hawaii says yes to GMO crops — which, as the court's most recent decision indicates, could happen sooner than we thought — it could signal to the rest of the country that genetically modified foods are, rather than a threat to nature, the best means we have yet of feeding the planet. 

OCJ: Illegal action against GMOs still heating things up in Hawaii

read ... A Signal to the Rest of the Country

Much of the current debate about food and agriculture in this country is elitist

KE: As I've witnessed the denigration of biotech, the trendiness of organics and locavorism, the Islands' flailing efforts to achieve food sustainability and self-sufficiency, I've noticed that an important issue is often overlooked: feeding the poor.

read ... Musings: Food for Thought

Settlement reached in dental tragedy case regarding 3 year old girl

HNN: There is a bit of closure for the grieving family of three year old Finley Boyle who fell into a coma during a dental procedure last December. The settlement between the Boyle family and Dr. Lily Geyer's insurance company has been reached. The exact terms were not made public, however her attorney Rick Fried said they are pleased with the amount of the settlement.

The civil case is complete but Dr. Lilly Geyer is still facing two other investigations.  The State Narcotics Enforcement Division is looking into criminal charges for Geyer's use of the sedatives on Finley Boyle.

Background: Notorious Hilo Dentist Licensed Thanks to Schatz, Baker, Oakland

read ... Dental Tragedy

Alleged Homosexual Child Molester Attacks Boy at Kanoelani Elem School

HNN: The details are disturbing. A little boy goes to the bathroom at Kanoelani Elementary School in Waipio at 10:30 in the morning and is allegedly fondled by the school custodian.

The boy told the teacher right away and the school's Vice Principal called police.

The custodian, 53-year old James Holt, was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.

That happened Wednesday, August 27. Six days later, the school sent a note home with all students alerting parents about the investigation.

"That's unacceptable," says Alyson Tugaoen, who has two kids attending Kanoelani Elementary.

SA: DLNR Shark Expert Sentenced in Kiddie Porn Case

read ... Another Homosexual Child Molester

Break the cycle of absenteeism

SA: The Department of Education has made improving attendance a key factor of its Strive HI Performance System, and points to great improvements in just the last year, thanks to a combination of public awareness campaigns instilling in parents and children the importance of regular attendance; curricular and instructional upgrades to make school more engaging, and other improvements.

During the 2013-14 school year, the percentage of students who were absent 15 days or more dropped to 11 percent from 18 percent the year before — a significant change that signals greater student achievement ahead, perhaps even higher graduation rates, if those students maintain good attendance.

It's crucial to break the cycle of poor attendance early, because students who are chronically absent one year are 35 percent more likely than their peers to be chronically absent the next — and ultimately are more likely to drop out of school altogether.

read ... Break the cycle of absenteeism

Big Island lava within one mile of closest subdivision

KHON: Oliveira says lava is approximately 0.9 miles from the boundary that separates the Wao Kele O Puna forest reserve and the nearest subdivision, Kaohe Homesteads.

So when is the lava expected to reach homes, if at all? Civil Defense tells KHON2 that’s hard to say.

“This lava flow could change direction. It could stall. It could stop. So we’re taking appropriate action based on that’s the closest or in close proximity, but it doesn’t in any way imply that they are destined to be affected by the lava flow,” Oliveira said.

Meanwhile, the morons have other concerns: Panel to consider geothermal health study: 67 pounds of hydrogen sulfide

Iselle: USDA names Hawaii County as primary natural disaster area in wake of Iselle

read ... Lava

Solar, Wind Contractors Line up to Protest HECO Plan

PBN: More than a dozen companies, community groups, individuals and other industry stakeholders have filed comments or paperwork with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission seeking to take part in the big case.

Some of the companies hoping to “intervene” in the case, include AES Hawaii Inc., the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Eurus Energy America Corp., First Wind Holdings LLC, Hawaii PV Coalition, Paniolo Power Co. LLC, Sierra Club, Sunpower Corp. and Tawhiri Power LLC, just to name a few.

Then there are several letters from individuals, such as one Big Island homeowner who has a rooftop solar photovoltaic system, who wrote that she’s “disgusted” by Hawaii Electric Light Co.’s proposed plan, noting that she and her family made the investment in solar, which has allowed them to save money to eventually send their kids to college.

But now, she said that HELCO is proposing to charge them more for using less energy.

read ... Hawaiian Electric's new energy plan gains interest from industry, customers

Acting UH Manoa chancellor to relax hiring freeze

KITV: Bley-Vroman previously served as the dean of the College of Language, Linguistics and Literature.  He stressed that in the last four years, the carryover account for the UH Manoa campus has gone down from $110 million to $30 million.

Bley-Vroman says he intends to reinstate an annual budget review for all deans as part of his plan.

"We have a freeze on lecturers and graduate assistants hiring and student help that made it difficult to get everything done before the semester started," said Bley-Vroman.  "I think it was necessary because we had to take action quickly.  Now, we have a little more time and we can have a more relaxed approach to how that works."

read ... Acting Up

Hughes Claims Innocence

KITV:  "Under no circumstances were we going to change the number of units at 988 Halekauwila, nor were we going to request to build fewer reserve units at Ward Village. We were simply trying to understand the rules as it applied to us," said Striph.

Striph said the request was tied to the project financing of 988 Halekawila.

He added that their research showed that there are five times more people interested in renting than buying.

"This is reserve housing tower and there are certain rules that apply and all we were doing was to clarify what the rules are," said Striph.

"Historically, developers don't like to do rentals. So, there hasn't been many projects. It's been typically for sale. So, the fact that someone is interested in potentially doing rentals, it would make sense to have our rules abundantly clear," said HCDA executive director Tony Ching.

The HCDA board is reviewing its reserve housing policy, and Ching indicated there could be changes ahead.

The company said it plans to start construction on the Halekauwila tower next year.

It may still refile its request....

CB: Hoopili Decisions Loom: ‘Prime Farmland’ May Give Way in West Oahu

Read ... Trust Me, I'm a Developer

54.6% of Voters Voted in 1998 Republican Primary

40% of the primary voters are available to jump in to whatever primary has the most interesting race

45% will vote in the Dem primary no matter what

15% will vote in the GOP primary no matter what

read ... `En masse'

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