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Saturday, April 18, 2015
April 18, 2015 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 5:20 PM :: 4437 Views

Ige: Telescope Legally Entitled to Proceed With Construction

Auditor: City Unable to Track Federal Transportation Funds

Desperate to Pass Rail Tax, HART Finally Agrees to Televise One Meeting

BoE to Debate Sex Education Policy

DoH: Tobacco Use Down 20%, E-Cigs Up

OHA Refuses to Reveal Geothermal Investments, Losses -- Like Bishop Estate

HTH: Office of Hawaiian Affair’s current money scandal (Tribune-Herald, April 12) is going to bite them soon.

First, they give taxpayers’ money to a entity that has OHA board members on the board. Then, that entity gives it back as “campaign contributions.” That’s money laundering, pure and simple, and completely illegal.

Then, they give more taxpayers’ money on the day they lose their geothermal bid. Why? For more campaign contributions?

They also freeze out trustee Oswald Stender when he has questions (it’s tough being the only honest guy in town).

When they get caught, the only lame excuse they have to hide the evidence is “the information is confidential.”

The Bishop Estate trustees tried that years ago, and look where it got them....

Background: OHA Illegally Refuses to Reveal Geothermal Investments, Losses

read ... Plead the Fifth

Abigail Kawananakoa Funds Anti-Telescope Protests

HNN: Hawaii News Now has learned that Abigail Kawananakoa, an heiress to the Campbell Estate fortune and a descendant of Hawaiian royalty, has given $25,000 to the cause. Sources said that Kawananakoa will likely provide additional funding if the situation escalates.

"We recognize her stewardship as very alii-like and we aloha her for that and hope that others can look to her and see the value of our efforts," said Kamahana Kealoha, facilitator with the Sacred Mauna Kea Hui.

The money will go towards food and water for protesters, many of who have been on the mountain for more than 20 days.

It also will go towards bail. Previously, police have arrested 31 people for blocking access to the $1.4 billion project. Some expect more to come.

read ... Until OHA Gets More Rent Money

Student’s pro-TMT stance gains traction

KHON: “I wanted to create this petition as a way to bring attention that there is a group of individuals that supports the project,” Mailani Neal, a senior at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, said in an interview Friday with KITV4. “We have over 2,000 signatures as of this morning, and the petition started Monday morning.”

Neal, 18, will attend the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York after graduating high school and plans on studying applied physics with a concentration in space science. Her dream of becoming an astronomer began at the age of 10 while spending Christmas Eve atop Mauna Kea with her family. Neal said that’s when something spoke to her and she settled on a career path.

"While we were stargazing I just felt something within me, it's kind of hard to explain, but I think I might've felt my calling was to connect being a Hawaiian individual with the scientist within me," she said.

“For the past couple of years I've been working on a few projects that deal with detecting planets outside of our solar system, and one of the projects I'm working on now is in collaboration with a European space agency to confirm these planet detections.” ...

Neal’s petition on GoPetition.com has generated plenty of comments in support of her effort. Honolulu resident John Marlowe lauded the high school student’s “Courage to express her convictions and wish to spread Hawaii’s Aloha to the world.”

Related: HS Senior Launches pro-Telescope Petition

read ... PRO TMT

Cronies Develop Garbage Projects, Want to Risk Taxpayer Money

PBN: On Oahu, Pelatron Q, which is part of Pelatron Inc., an engineering and technology development government contracting firm, is looking at developing a waste-to-energy plant on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands property with a capacity of up to 5-megawatts in Kalaeloa in West Oahu.

“We’re still in talks with DHHL,” Rayten Vares, project coordinator for Pelatron Q, told PBN. “We have submitted a land use request, and the process has been initiated.”

The company plans to use feedstock from the PVT Land Co. Ltd. construction and demolition material and solid waste landfill in Waianae in Leeward Oahu.

“We engaged [PVT Land Co. Ltd.] on a [memorandum of understanding] and we are still working that through,” Vares said. “We would like to take that [waste] and throw it into our system to produce electricity for Hawaiian Electric Co. or NextEra Energy Inc.”

On Kauai, Pelatron Q is working on a 9-megawatt waste-to-energy project that would utilize feedstock from the Kekaha Landfill on the westside of the island.

Vares said that the County of Kauai has issued a request for proposals for the project, which could create up to 35 permanent jobs.

“We can reduce the current footprint of the landfill in Kekaha,” he said. “[Kauai] has some serious waste management issues.”

Pelatron Q, through Senate Bill 1047, is asking state lawmakers to authorize the use of $44 million in special purpose revenue bonds to help fund the projects.

Background: Galuteria Pushed Kakaako Makai Bill While on Payroll of OHA Trustee

read ... Garbage Projects

Senate committee unanimously approves DLNR nominee Suzanne Case

KHON: Case still needs to be approved by the full Senate.

read ... Approved

Senate Panel Recommends Balfour to Water Commission

CB: The Senate Water and Land Committee voted Friday to recommend that William Balfour be confirmed to a four-year term on the state Water Commission, despite opposition from environmental and Native Hawaiian organizations.

The vote was 5-2. Sens. Laura Thielen, Brickwood Galuteria, Les Ihara, Sam Slom and Maile Shimabukuro voted in favor of the nomination. Sens. Russell Ruderman and Gil Riviere voted against it.

The nomination goes next to the full Senate for a vote.

Over 3,700 people signed a petition opposing Balfour, more than twice the number who signed a petition against Carleton Ching, Gov. David Ige’s failed nominee for the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

ILind: Don’t fault the Senate if Balfour’s nomination is approved

read ... Balfour

A case of legislative immunity in the ongoing Say saga

DN: In a letter dated April 10 (see below), Speaker of the House Joseph Souki shrugged off a complaint filed against Rep. Karl Rhoads relating to Rhoads’ conduct in investigating whether Rep. Calvin Say lives in his district and is qualified to hold office.

The response includes a “coded” phrase that looks innocent enough, but turns out to have a very troubling meaning in the context of this complaint:

… I believe that all of Representative Rhoads' actions were appropriately
taken in the exercise of his legislative functions

This is “code” for “But in any case, Rhoads could claim legislative immunity even should there be a violation of the law.” No, Souki didn’t say exactly that, but what it suggests is that there is no use proving the case against him, because, as a legislator, he can’t be hauled off to jail for it anyway.

read ... A case of legislative immunity in the ongoing Say saga

Hawaii County Releases More P-Card Statements

KHON: Click to view statements for:

Department of Finance

Department of Liquor Control

Department of Water Supply

Mary Kenoi-Okajima

Police Chief Harry Kubojiri

WHT: Kenoi Should Make a Choice

read ... P-Cards

Hawaii County Water Board Used P-Card to Evade Sunshine Law?

SA: The manager for Hawaii County's Department of Water Supply billed the county more than $7,000 for post-meeting lunches with board members over two years, raising concerns that Hawaii island taxpayers have been picking up the tab to have public issues discussed in private.

But a department spokes­woman said no official business was discussed during the lunch meetings, which have been held at public expense because the department "is appreciative of the service and value the Water Board members provide as volunteers with substantial responsibilities."

Quirino Antonio, the Department of Water Supply's manager and chief engineer, regularly used his county-issued purchasing card — or pCard — to buy lunch for the Water Supply Department's nine board members and staff primarily at the Hilo Yacht Club and Kona's Bite Me Fish Market following monthly board meetings.

Antonio is also in charge of overseeing the Department of Water Supply's pCard expenditures, according to the State Procurement Office....

read ... No Sunshine

Kauai mayor releases pCard statements

KHON: Click to view the pCard statements for Kauai County Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr., 2013, 2014, 2015 ....

County purchasing or pCard procedures are clear. Purchases must serve an official purpose and the employee needs to turn in an explanation along with receipts.

That didn’t always happen on the Big Island as Kenoi’s recent pCard scandal has shown, in which he used taxpayer money to fund personal outings to hostess bars, or buy a bike and a surfboard before eventually paying it back.

There are no receipts and it went on for years.

Over on Kauai, it’s a different story. Always Investigating has learned that county has yanked pCards from staff, like an administrative assistant with the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney and another who worked at the parks department.

They didn’t buy anything prohibited. They were just sloppy or slow with the paperwork.

“When that occurs, basically, and its repetitive, then the pCard administrator has the authority to consult with the director of finance and seek permission to suspend pCard use or revoke it altogether,” said Ernest Barreira, assistant chief procurement officer with the Kauai Department of Finance. “There were some minor procedural errors, but it occurred more than once where receipts were not being maintained properly.”

read ... Not Like Kenoi

Not Fooled by Battery Scammers: KIUC, Paniolo go for Pumped Hydro

SA: The neighbor islands are betting on the power of falling water to support expanding renewable energy as Kauai, Hawaii island and Maui look to an energy storage solution called pumped storage hydro.

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, a member owned utility on Kauai, is developing a pumped storage hydro project, which would use solar power produced during the day to push water uphill to a pond. At night the water would flow downhill through a pipe to turn a turbine and generate electricity.

Jim Kelly, communications manager for KIUC, said he expects the project will be operating by 2019 with a cost of roughly $60 million to build.

As weather and time of day affect Kauai's grid with 40 percent of the energy mix coming from solar projects, the pumped storage hydro would help the island level out the fluctuating production of solar power, Kelly said.

"Whenever you have the most plentiful cheap power, you pump it uphill," Kelly said. "At night when we actually need it and the sun isn't shining, you let it go and it comes down the pipe, turns the turbine and makes electricity."

Paniolo Power Co., a subsidiary of Parker Ranch Inc. on Hawaii island and Innovative Power Project LLC on Maui are also working to build pumped storage hydro systems for their islands....

Reality: Xtreme Power: A Pig-in-a-poke For Hawaii Wind Farm

read ... Pumped Hydro

SB1316: Condo Associations to be Forced to Accept Electric Car Chargers

PBN: Senate Bill 1316 would require homeowner associations to make a decision on EV charger station installation requests within 60 days or a couple of board meetings.

Under the bill, the working group, which would be established within the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, would take a look at the issues (like who's gonna pay) regarding requests to the boards of directors of an association of apartment owners for the installation of EV charging systems.

PBN: Has Hawaii’s solar energy industry become too popular?

read ... Forced to Pay?

SB1050 Community-Based Solar

IM: The Hawai`i Senate and House have passed a bill that would create a Community-based Renewable Energy Program. The floor votes for SB1050 SD2 HD3 was almost unanimous. Senator Slom and Representative Jordan voted with reservations. The bill is now headed for the House-Senate Conference Committee process....

In essence, a ratepayer can invest in a portion of a community solar facility and see a decrease in their monthly utility bill through a seamless process handled by their electric utility and regulated by the Public Utilities Commission.

In anticipation of the passage of the bill, a site has been selected on O`ahu for a 50 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) site.

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (Navfac) Pacific has released a Draft Environmental Assessment for a 50 MW solar facility to be located on 380 acres of land at West Loch area of the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH).

HECO would engage solar companies to build and operate the facility. One possibility is that the facility would be used as a “community shared solar program,” whereby HECO ratepayers who are unable to install solar at their home or business could invest in and receive benefits from the solar array.

read ... More Money

U.S. Antitrust Lawyers Said Leaning Against Comcast Deal

B:  Staff attorneys at the U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust division are nearing a recommendation to block Comcast Corp.’s bid to buy Time Warner Cable Inc., according to people familiar with the matter.

Attorneys who are investigating Comcast’s $45.2 billion proposal to create a nationwide cable giant are leaning against the merger out of concern that consumers would be harmed and could submit their review as soon as next week, said the people. The division’s senior officials will then decide whether to file a federal lawsuit seeking to block the tie-up.

read ... Antitrust

Patients Rank only One Hawaii Hospital '5-Star'

KHON: The federal government has launched a star rating system for medical centers based on patient opinion.

About seven percent of the hospitals surveyed received the top rating possible, five stars. That’s only a total of 251 hospitals across the nation.

The only hospital in Hawaii that achieved this high mark was Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Hawaii hospital star ratings based on patients’ appraisals:

  • Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital – 5
  • North Hawaii Community Hospital – 4
  • Pali Momi Medical Center – 4
  • Straub Clinic And Hospital – 4
  • Castle Medical Center – 4
  • Kaiser Foundation Hospital – 4
  • Wilcox Memorial Hospital – 4
  • Hilo Medical Center – 3
  • The Queen’s Medical Center – 3
  • Kuakini Medical Center – 3
  • Maui Memorial Medical Center – 3
  • Wahiawa General Hospital – 2
  • Kona Community Hospital – 1

read ... 5 Star

Veterans treatment court graduates first class

KHON: The Veterans Treatment Court was established to help those military members who have served, and who have thereafter suffered drug abuse and mental health issues which have led to their arrest and incarceration in Hawaii.

Each veteran had extensive and intensive two-year program of treatment and counseling.

The program included increased urinalysis, meetings with probation officers, and court appearances.

Much of the services rendered to these veterans were provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs(VA) at no cost to the State of Hawaii.

Each graduate has also been assisted with personal issues concerning homelessness and employment. Their graduation celebrates their success in achieving a clean and sober lifestyle and a chance for a successful future with a job and other opportunities.

This first graduating class consists of two U.S. Army veterans, along with a U.S. Marine veteran and an Air Force veteran.

SA: Vets Fight Back and Win

read ... Treatment

Soft on Crime: 10 Priors, out on Street now Faces Murder Charge

HNN: In a suspected case of road rage, police arrested Chantel Andrade.

Andrade, has 10 prior arrests but no felony convictions, and Hawaii News Now has learned, that she was just arrested days before the deadly crash.

She was pulled over on April 10, for speeding on Fort Weaver Road and found to have had 6 warrants.  All the warrants are for driving without a license and driving without insurance.  She bailed out the next day.

She now faces second degree murder.

HNN: Two missing OCCC work furlough inmates arrested

read ... Soft on Crime Kills

10 Maui officers wearing body cameras for department study

HNN: Some Maui police officers are wearing body cameras to study whether the department will adopt the technology.

Police spokeswoman Sgt. Audra Sellers said Friday that the study began last week.

The study involves 10 officers wearing cameras attached to their chests or on sunglasses.

KHON: Lawmakers are currently discussing a bill that would set aside money for a similar program at the Honolulu Police Department.

read ... Body Cams

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