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Thursday, September 18, 2014
September 18, 2014 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 5:59 PM :: 3433 Views

Slom: State Set to go Bust Unless Major Changes Made in 2015

Seabright: Green Card Holders Have Second Amendment Rights in Hawaii

Korea: Caldwell Pushes the Bubble

Council Action Needed to Restore Honesty to Water Board’s Billing

Public school students earning AP honors at all-time high

Costs Of Raising Children Burden Hawaii Families

Anti-GMO Initiative Will Destroy Agriculture base of Molokai, Maui

MN: ...Suyderhoud did not directly talk about the Nov. 4 ballot initiative calling for a moratorium on genetically modified organisms, but he did discuss the seed corn industry and how it has diversified Maui County's economy.

He pointed out that Monsanto owns 3,100 acres on Maui and Molokai, farming about 1,900 of those acres, and he said the company employs 540 people, taking home an annual payroll of $17.8 million. Also, Monsanto has invested $100 million in the county and spends $17 million annually for local sources of supplies and services. Dow Agro Sciences employs another 100 people on Molokai, he said.

The biotech industry "faces strong resistance from parts of the community who fear their products and production techniques," Suyderhoud said. "The basis for the fears is controversial. What is not controversial is that if Maui loses this part of its economic base it will be impossible to replace in the near future, and there will be significant adverse economic impacts on both Maui and Molokai."

read ... Wipe out Molokai

Kauai to Burn at Least $62,750 on 'Free' Appeal of anti-GMO Ordinance

KGI: The Kauai County Council voted 5-1 Wednesday to approve funding to appeal a court ruling that County Ordinance 960 regulating pesticides and genetically modified crops on the island is pre-empted by state law, and therefore invalid.

The cost of that appeal, even if it goes all the way to the Supreme Court, has been capped at $12,750 following an offer from the county’s special counsel to waive all future legal fees beyond the $210,000 previously authorized....

Carvalho said he was disappointed because of the “potential cost of a lengthy appeal and the exposure we face if we lose the appeal.”

“As I have always said, the state’s authority in matters regarding pesticides and agriculture is clear, but that doesn’t stop us from working collaboratively with the state to ensure that the unique needs of our county are met,” he wrote.

Carvalho added that the success of the voluntary Good Neighbor Program, the addition of a second pesticide position on Kauai and the talks his administration is currently having with the Department of Agriculture about the possibility of doing the joint fact finding process and environmental public health impact studies as a collaborative effort all lead to “getting the job done without a costly legal battle.”

“We will continue to move forward and I predict we will make significant progress in addressing the public’s concerns, as this matter winds its way through the legal process toward an uncertain conclusion that could be very costly for the residents of this island,” he wrote.

To date, the McCorriston firm has billed the county for about $160,000 of the $210,0000 that has been authorized, according to county spokeswoman Beth Tokioka.

In other words, by those figures, the appeal could cost up to $62,750 — $12,750 added to the $50,000 difference.

Kirby Kester, president of the Hawaii Crop Improvement Association, a trade group representing Hawaii’s agricultural seed industry, voiced similar disappointment.

“As an industry, public health and safety are priorities in our operations,” he wrote. “We believe existing federal and state regulations already safeguard our community and our environment and that the industry exceeds these requirements. Additional burdensome and redundant laws do not advance the health and well-being of the community and have become a distraction to Hawaii’s agricultural industry.”

KE:  Musings: Still Truckin'

read ... Waste of Money

UH Manoa Faculty Senate censures President David Lassner

KITV: But despite those calls and a split vote over whether to censure or call for a no- confidence vote, the Faculty Senate chairman Ron Bontekoe broke the tie opting to censure -- while still sending a strong message about shared governance.

"I think a motion of  non-confidence would be a statement of we want you to resign. He will not, and he will not continue speaking with us. I would hope a resolution of censure will not have that effect," said Bontekoe....

"I think this Board of Regents is in cahoots over the Cancer Center I think it’s terrible the way they have behaved," said Liliha Kame'eleihiwa of the School of Hawaiian Knowledge.

"It's not as if there is not a fairly strong and implicit criticism of the Board of Regents contained in this resolution. The suggestions we are offering are radical, but we think are fairly justified based on the problems we have had," said Bontekoe.

read ... Lassner

UHWO has no Land Plan

SA: The 500 makai acres, in particular, hold much leasing potential for near-term development, which means crucial revenue to benefit the financially strapped Kapolei campus. But pity UH-West Oahu — it is land rich but cash poor, and its leaders are floundering to devise a coherent strategy on how to move forward.

The flip-flopping over UH-WO land-use policy in the past year has made it painfully clear that, essentially, there is no policy now.

As recently as last October, UH-WO announced a major shift from its original concept of selling or leasing lands around its Kapolei campus to pay for operations. Apparently, that decision came after a $12 million deal to sell 39 acres to the Catholic Church fell through, unsettling UH decision-makers. Now, UH President David Lassner is floating a thin conceptual map as a "strategic plan."

Unfortunately, a truly visionary plan for UH-West Oahu's land holdings is sorely lacking

read ... Bumbling Leadership at UHWO

New Hope Church Buys Air Conditioning for Kaiser HS

KHON: From Campbell High School to Ilima Intermediate School, for the past two days we’ve heard from teachers about students struggling to focus in the classroom because of the unbearable heat.

But over at Kaiser High School, a community partnership is helping students to stay cool.

“The New Hope Hawaii Kai had approached Kaiser High School administration with an offer to install air conditioning into this dining hall, so both the students could benefit and as well as the church when they hold their activities over the weekend,” said Justin Mew, principal at Kaiser High School.

(The atheists will sue.)

Principal Mew says it’s been very useful for students, who are there for lunch, school assemblies, and study hall. Sometimes, it’s even used as a classroom.

“Behind me, what you see are three classes who are using the cafeteria because our library AC unit went down. And it’s really humid in there,” said Principal Mew.

read ... Community partnership helps cool East Oahu school

Kihei HS: Kanela Ing Fails to Get Full Funding

MN: ...the announcement from the Department of Education at a Kihei Community Association meeting Tuesday that only about $30 million is accessible next year and the school will have to be built in phases. The DOE spokesman declined to say why the full funding wasn't available.

However, Andrew Beerer, chairman of the Kihei High School Action Team, said it was his understanding that the project "didn't have what they call a funding mechanism behind it. The money needs to be bonded and in this case it wasn't bonded, so the DOE can't write a check against that fund if it's unbonded."

Our question is: Why isn't it bonded? The governor bragged in his recent campaign that he had protected and built Hawaii's bond rating.

The governor and the Legislature approved the project - in full. Who was supposed to secure the bonding?

read ... What a Loser

Small business owners fret over rail’s impact

KITV: Cliff Garcia of Tropical Land and Shade Co. on Queen Street says he was completely blindsided in February when he discovered the elevated guideway would be built 50 feet closer to his property. The original plan had the railway traversing a large warehouse behind his business.

“On that section of the building where it tapers down, they're telling me they'll be taking an aerial right (and) that the rail will be coming over me 20 feet," Garcia explained, as he pointed to the back of the old quonset hut that houses the business his father started 65 years ago.

The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation says the guideway was moved closer to Garcia’s property to save an estimated $20 million in property acquisition costs. HART needs 148 properties, partial properties and easements in the city center where the rail line will be built, but as of July, just nine of the acquisitions had been completed.

The transit authority has yet to approve a final design for the project as it traverses the city center, but the location of the guideway has already been established. HART Executive Director and CEO Dan Grabauskas says there’s a possibility the rail column that would impact Garcia’s property can be moved.

“The actual location of the column could shift slightly,” Grabauskas told KITV4. “It could be based on a conversation with a property owner that says, 'You know, if you could move that column 10 feet that might impact less of my property.' That kind of stuff, we can still have those conversations."

Related: RAILROADED: Rail construction Could put Small businesses out of business

read ... Impact

Census: Hawaii's poverty rate lower than nation

AP: ...nearly 11 percent of Hawaii's population lived in poverty in 2013. That was down slightly from nearly 12 percent in 2012.

But advocates for the poor in Hawaii say the state ranks among the worst for poverty when its high cost of living is considered.

Nationwide the poverty remained flat at around 16 percent in 2013.

Only four other states — Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland and New Hampshire — had smaller percentages of their populations living in poverty.

The median household income for Hawaii was $68,020 in 2013, up from $67,053 in 2012. That's higher than the national average of $52,250.

Only three states had higher median incomes than Hawaii.

Census: PDF of Report

read ... Poverty

Police officer arrested on suspicion of sex assault

KHON: A Honolulu Police officer was arrested Wednesday morning on suspicion of third-degree sex assault.

HPD isn’t releasing any details on what led to the arrest, but they do say the officer has been with the department for six years, and is assigned to the Wahiawa district.

read ... Another One

After Chief Cancels, Sept 30 Hearing Set on Police, Domestic Violence

KITV: HPD released a statement which said, "We were notified there would be an informational hearing on domestic violence on Sept. 30 at the State Capitol. So we postponed the meeting...because those who were notified included several members of the Women's Caucus....and we want to address everyone at the same time."

Lawmakers wanted a private conversation with the chief before tough questions are asked of the police in public.

"It is not something we want to be confrontational about, but sometimes at public hearings things can get confrontational" said Kim.

CB: Hawaii Women Lawmakers Slam Police Chief for Canceling Domestic Violence Meeting

read ... Meeting canceled between police chief, lawmakers

Soft On Crime: 30 Convictions out on Street with Runaway Teen Girl

HNN: Police say, he started fighting with the officers who were trying to arrest him. Two officers were hurt in the scuffle and needed treatment at hospitals.  A third officer was injured jumping out of the way of the car.

Atiz has a long criminal record that includes 30 arrests for crimes like assault, abuse, and drug violations. 

He was arrested Wednesday for attempted murder, assault, resisting arrest, and numerous traffic violations.  He has not been charged.

There was a teen girl in the car with him, a runaway who was also taken into custody.

read ... Convicted criminal arrested again after chase, crash, fight with police

Punatic Vandalizes Bulldozer Sent to Clear Lava Emergency Escape Road

HTH: A Civil Defense overflight Wednesday morning observed that the June 27 lava flow has picked up speed since the beginning of the week.

Meanwhile, Hawaii County Department of Public Works confirmed Wednesday afternoon a pair of police reports were filed concerning theft of fuel and vandalism of bulldozers involved in efforts to clear alternative routes to Highway 130.

In a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory update released Wednesday morning, it was reported that the flow was heading in a northeast direction through thick forest in the northwest portion of Kaohe Homesteads.

read ... Gratitude

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