December 19, 2009 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Saturday, December 19, 2009

December 19, 2009 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 8:24 AM :: 9105 Views

Governor reaffirms opposition to new version Akaka Bill

Lingle said she spoke briefly to Akaka yesterday.

"He was very apologetic for not contacting us but really didn't explain why these changes were made," she said.

Lingle, who has supported the Akaka Bill in the past, said she was disappointed by what she called the "drastic" changes, adding that the new version "would not be something that we could support, nor could I ask the people of the state to support."

ADV: Governor objects to Senate version, says state was not consulted

State Attorney General Mark Bennett spoke with U.S. Department of Justice officials about the changes in the Senate version yesterday. He would not disclose the details but described the conversation as good and said talks would continue.

SHAPIRO: Let's play it straight on Akaka bill

read more

Burris: Akaka Bill mystery

No criticism of the reporters on the scene. (Look in the mirror, Jerry.) But there is still some mystery of the so-called “Akaka Bill,” or Hawaiian recognition bill, as it moves through the U.S. Congress.

As it morphed through Congress, the bill became something that recognized Hawaiians as a political entity – a “tribe” if you will – rather than an entity that would negotiate its future status with the state and federal governments.

That’s a big difference....someone jumped the gun. The issue now is whether now that the hand has been shown, will the entire process go down in flames?

ALSO: Akaka Bill descends into confusion

ADV Watson decides to become OHA flack for Akaka Bill

A Stand on the Akaka Bill "After a great deal of thought and soul searching, I have concluded that to oppose the bill would be to stand with people like those at the Grassroots Institute who have spent their lives attacking Hawaiians."

I had an interesting conversation with one of the Trustees today, in which we wondered what the implications would be for making us tribe-like. There are certainly legal benefits to better explaining the political status of Native Hawaiians....

The Bill's Anatomy: Understanding the Amendments (This was obviously written by OHA/CNHA/NHBA)

Criminal/Civil Authority – The amended version does not give the Native Hawaiian governing entity criminal or civil authority. (This is a lie) The governing entity recognized under this bill does not have any “Indian country” over which it could assert criminal or civil jurisdiction. (This is the excuse for the lie.) The amended version provides that setting aside Indian country for the governing entity is a matter subject to negotiation pursuant to Section 9(b)(1). As a matter of law, tribes without Indian country lack criminal and civil jurisdiction over non-members. (Does anyone think the Akaka Tribe isn't going to have land? Watson is insulting her audience by putting her name on this line.)

SHE COMPLETELY EVADES THE ISSUE OF QNHC!!!!! It is not even mentioned.

USEFUL INFO ABOUT CNHA/NHBA:

http://hehawaiiau.honadvblogs.com/files/2009/12/Akaka-Bill-CNHA.pdf

http://hehawaiiau.honadvblogs.com/files/2009/12/Akaka-Bill-NHBA-to-House-Natural-Resources-Cmte.pdf

Hawaii Public Student Enrollment Projected to Plummet

According to internal documents, the DOE is projecting a drop in current public school enrollment from a reported 170,000 to 152,049 students in the 2010-11 school year. That would likely mean a reduction in classroom teachers from 6,263 to 5,825 next year.

Case again considers run for Senate--claims Dems forgive him calling Akaka a feeble-minded fringe leftist

Former Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) says the drama he caused within the Democratic Party when he challenged sitting Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) as a feeble-minded ultra leftist is water under the bridge, (in his dreams) but he also won’t rule out another Senate run....

Still, Case won’t rule out the possibility of another Senate run. “I’ve never ruled out the Senate,” he said. “If there is that opportunity, I’m not going to sit here at the end of 2009 and say I’m not going to be a candidate.”

(Sounds like he's not really serious about representing Hawaii in the House of Representatives)

Shapiro: Inouye's a lock, but his coattails are not (Must Read)

Nonetheless, the 2010 election will be a revealing test of the strength of Inouye's coattails in other Hawai'i races.

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann is claiming Inouye's support over U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie in their likely Democratic primary showdown for governor, and Inouye is showing clear preference for state Sen. Colleen Hanabusa over former U.S. Rep. Ed Case in the race to succeed Abercrombie in the 1st Congressional District.

In recent years, however, there have been persistent questions about how much clout Inouye really has in Hawai'i Democratic Party politics beyond his own campaigns....

Fear of failure: Hanabusa to block funding for Special Election?

(Hanabusa is toast in the special election but she might have a chance if the election was in November.) Hanabusa, as Senate president, may also have to watch her colleagues struggle over how to pay for a special election. In a message to supporters today, Hanabusa described the special election as a concern:

For the moment, there is real concern that we must make the choice between bankrolling a special election we cannot afford and doing without representation in Congress for a year. I know that Hawai'`i's concerns are here, and they are the most important to me

Hawaii jobless dips to 7%, but real growth not likely till '11

The November jobless rate was an improvement from October's 7.3 percent and was the lowest since July, when it also was 7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis. Hawai'i's unemployment rate was the 15th lowest nationally and was substantially better than the 10 percent U.S. average for November.

Hawaiian Air, pilots agree to 5-year deal

Union will vote on 5-year agreement that boosts compensation.

Maui: Petition circulating to save Hawaii’s school bus system

HONOLULU - The Hawaii Bus Service Association is passing around a petition to public schools, including those on Maui, calling for emergency funding for public school transportation. The group said Thursday that it has already collected more than 10,000 signatures from students and parents.

(Will Mr Kim Coco Iwamoto recuse himself because of family tie to Roberts Hawaii???)

Honolulu Symphony files for bankruptcy, plans to downsize

HONOLULU — More than a month after announcing plans to seek bankruptcy protection, the Honolulu Symphony made it official: It filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in federal court yesterday.

Unescorted travel request denied for murderous lunatic

Ard was found guilty of first-degree attempted murder, then acquitted by reason of insanity, in May 2006, after a non-jury trial in a case involving the murder of Dr. Jon Kerns of Waimea Valley, and the attempted murder of Richard “Kai” Iwatate, Ard’s stepson....

Ard, 44, continues to be represented by state Deputy Public Defender John Calma.

Calma said Ard has been working a few days a week for the past two years at a golf course near the Kane‘ohe hospital, and takes a public bus ride lasting about 15 minutes to and from work, with state hospital staff as escorts....

Egy has another opinion.

“He is a murderer in the morning. He is a murderer in the daytime. He is a murderer in the evening,” she said. “He will do and say anything to get out of the hospital,” and is a danger to all if he’s left alone.

Egy said Ard should be prosecuted for the attempted murder of Iwatate and Claudia Kerns, wife of Dr. Jon Kerns.

Egy also scolded those who would fight for Ard’s unescorted release, asking which one of the “do-good-ers” will be murdered or responsible for murder if Ard kills again.

Presidential visit disrupting tour chopper service

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Air tour operators on Oahu are worried the upcoming visit by President Obama is going to ground their businesses.

At the direction of the Secret Service, the Federal Aviation Administration has established flight restrictions that will be in effect from December 23 through January 4. The restrictions set a ten mile perimeter around the Kailua neighborhood where the president is expected to stay. No one, except law enforcement, will be allowed to fly within that ten mile circle.