OHA’s Mauna Kea Payoff
ACLU Sues Honolulu in Bid to Keep Homeless out of Shelters
Report: Challenges Facing Hawaii 40 Years After the Prepaid Health Care Act
Hawaii tsunami watch after 8.3 Temblor in Chile
The Supreme Court’s ‘One Person, One Vote’ Case
Worthless Hawaii County Council Rejects Kenoi Reprimand 7-1
WHT: After 26 (crony) testifiers opposed the measure compared to 12 who testified in support, the council (stacked with Kenoi cronies) voted 7-1, with Puna Councilman Dan Paleka absent, against a resolution by Kohala Councilwoman Margaret Wille reprimanding Kenoi. Wille was the only yes vote.
The resolution comes in the midst of a criminal investigation by the state attorney general, following a West Hawaii Today report earlier this year that Kenoi had used his pCard at Honolulu hostess bars and to buy personal items including an expensive surfboard and bicycle.
Kenoi, who had for several years resisted the newspaper’s repeated public records requests for his pCard statements, generally paid the money back, but $9,559 in reimbursements didn’t occur until months later, after the newspaper broke the story....
(Ward heeler) George Yokoyama, in Hilo, called Kenoi a “wonderful, effective mayor,” and said there have been “relentless newspaper articles” on the pCard issue. “Enough, already, the newspapers,” Yokoyama said grunted.
Best Comment: "Did they all go and get a lap-dance on their pCard after the vote?"
read ... council rejects reprimand
Perhaps profits went to Hee’s massage therapist
SA: It’s hard to fathom Albert Hee’s claim that his company, Sandwich Isles Communications Inc., has never turned a profit. Under its state license, Sandwich Isles, which provides telecommunications services for Hawaiian homelands, is supposed to pay a minimum 0.5 percent of profits to job training and education programs for Native Hawaiians.
But Hee, convicted of filing false income tax returns, has refused to turn over financial records to the Hawaiian Homes Commission....
Sandwich Isles has received more than $242 million in federal subsidies since 2003 to support its phone and data network on homelands. But prosecutors cited Hee’s questionable business expenses including $718,559 paid for college tuition and living expenses for Hee’s children and $92,000 in massages for Hee. Lost profits?
read ... Massage
AG, Ethics Questions About LoPresti's 'Cool Schools' Fundraising
SA: Asked about the line of questioning from Ethics Commission staff, LoPresti said, “It was a while ago, and I can’t remember what was said.”
LoPresti (D, Ewa Villages-Ocean Pointe-Ewa Beach) contends that the larger issue is that the Ethics Commission shouldn’t be asking such questions in the first place — unless there is an official complaint or investigation.
“They were giving me the third degree,” said LoPresti, who compared the questioning to randomly being interrogated by a police officer on the street.
However, Kondo said that staffers were merely following up on some concerns from the Attorney General’s Office.
“We had gotten an inquiry from the AG’s office actually, questioning certain things and we wanted to ask Rep. LoPresti some questions just to clarify the facts,” Kondo told the five-member commission that oversees his agency on Wednesday during a monthly meeting.
Kondo also said that he planned to respond to a letter that his office received from Richard Dvonch, attorney for the House of Representatives, on behalf of Souki and LoPresti....
Interesting Comments:
"'It was a while ago, and I can’t remember what was said.' Spoken by a true politician."
"LoPresti put undue pressure on stores to donate goods and services."
"He pressured a private company to provide him with that discount or else? Yeah, I can see that! His confrontations with those who disagree with him or do not bend to his desire would be amusing if it wasn't so sad!"
read ... Cool?
Hawaii's energy chief, governor mum on stance towards NextEra-HECO sale
PBN: Hawaii Gov. David Ige and the two state departments involved in the regulatory review of NextEra Energy’s proposed $4.3 billion purchase of Hawaiian Electric Co. have, so far, been mum on their latest stances on the sale.
Ige, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the Office of Planning opposed the deal when it was first proposed.
But a couple of weeks ago, NextEra Energy and Hawaiian Electric updated their application, adding more than 50 new commitments to the state, including an outline of $1 billion in economic benefits and customer savings.
Since then, Ige hasn’t revealed his stance on the deal, and a spokeswoman for his office told PBN that there will be no immediate response to the acquisition application.
read ... Hawaii's energy chief, governor mum on stance towards NextEra-HECO sale
WaPo on Kauai: Why storing solar energy and using it at night is closer than you think
WP: SolarCity and the Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative jointly announced last week that they’ve entered into a solar power purchase agreement in which SolarCity will provide 20 years of power from a 52-megawatt-hour battery installation that will be able to send as many as 13 megawatts of electricity to the island’s grid. The battery will draw power from an accompanying solar array....
Once that happens, solar energy will be no longer confined to simply being used when the sun is shining, at least on Kaua’i. Rather, thanks to storage, its use will be shifted to other hours of the day — removing one reason that power plants have often been powered by various types of fossil fuels (on Kaua’i, diesel), which of course can burn at any hour....
There’s also the Anahola Solar Project, also on Kaua’i, which is slated to be completed soon and will also feature battery storage, according to Manghani....
read ... The Washington Post
Hawaii Senators Provide Key Votes for Obama's Nuke Iran Plan
CB: Democrats in the U.S. Senate on Thursday defeated for the third time a Republican-backed resolution that sought to disapprove President Barack Obama’s historic deal curbing boosting Iran’s development of nuclear weapons.
As in previous votes, Hawaii Sens. Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono voted “nay” on the measure, this one a 56-to-42 vote.
Thursday was the deadline for congressional action on the Iran deal.
read ... Its OK, you can trust Muslims with Nukes
BoE, DoE Squabble over Ige's 10% Budget Restriction
SA: The board’s chairman and vice chairman asked the Department of Education to instead consider de-funding vacant positions or further reducing administrative expenses.
“I’m very concerned about the fact that your biggest cut is coming out from the weighted student formula,” BOE Chairman Lance Mizumoto said during a committee meeting Tuesday. “I just don’t see enough progress being made to cut the administrative areas in order to provide continued support for the weighted student formula.”
An external audit of DOE finances showed the department spent 97 percent of governmental funds on “school-related expenses” in fiscal year 2014, with less than 3 percent spent on state and complex area administration costs.
More than 50 percent of the DOE’s general-fund budget goes toward the so-called weighted student formula, or per-pupil funds. The formula assigns “weights” to students based on their needs so that schools with higher enrollments of economically disadvantaged, special education or other special-needs students will get more of the money along with schools with higher populations of English-language learners and transient students.
This year, the funding amounts to $829 million based on enrollment of about 173,000 students. Principals have discretion over the funds, which are mainly used for payroll. They can also cover special projects and programs or supplies and equipment.
Amy Kunz, the DOE’s chief financial officer, presented a plan Tuesday to the Finance Committee, showing how the department would absorb a 10 percent budget restriction imposed on state departments by the governor’s office due to economic uncertainties. The restriction is on the discretionary portion of the department’s general-fund budget.
SA: DOE asks Ige whether it can divert $20 million to cool schools
read ... Budget
Pearl City Regrets Rail Support
HNN: ...Some are second guessing their support for rail after officials announced on Tuesday the project is likely another year behind schedule with a shortfall of $1 billion.
"At first I was for it, now I don't know. I think it's hurting the people more than helping right now," said Rachel Cruz.
"Makes me kinda wanna leave or maybe move to an area where the rail's not even touching like Kaneohe side or something like that," Pearl City resident Bianca Kuga said.
Businesses along the rail's path are taking a beating because of construction and traffic congestion, especially ones along Kamehameha Highway. Business owners say the big announcement on Tuesday is not just unacceptable to the mayor, but to them as well.
"On heavy traffic days, they just drive right by, they don't want to stop," said Pearl Kai Shopping Center merchant Sandra King.
SA: Rail has become a real gravy train
read ... Regrets
Isles have highest median housing costs, census data show
SA: ...The median spent on housing last year in Hawaii was $1,489 per month, down slightly from $1,505 in 2013.
The monthly housing costs for owner-occupied units include mortgages, real estate taxes, property insurance, homeowner and maintenance fees, land rent and utilities. Repair expenses are not included. For renter-occupied homes, these costs include rent, utilities and property insurance.
Nationally, the median monthly housing cost was $987. Rounding out the top five most expensive states for housing were New Jersey, Maryland, California and Connecticut....
read ... Highest Cost
Kaneshiro Proposes Homeless Court
HNN: So far this year, police have issued 358 sit-lie citations and more than 6,000 park rules tickets. The vast majority of the park citations involved being in parks after closing hours, with 4,494 issued in the Honolulu district which includes Waikiki, Downtown and Ala Moana.
Many of those who are cited don't even show up for court.
"We do pursue it because that's our job to pursue it," explained Kaneshiro. "We issue bench warrants and as a result the court calendar gets backlogged and congested and we cannot resolve other cases that can and should be resolved by the criminal justice system."
Kaneshiro has asked the city council to let some petty violations be settled with fines sent through the mail.
He is also suggesting creating a community court that deals exclusively with homeless issues.
HTH: Homeless Dude Pleads Not Guilty to Stealing Kamehameha Spear for Bronze Value
read ... Homeless Court
DLNR to protesters: Remove the camp
HTH: A group of Native Hawaiians protesting the building of the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea will have until this evening to remove their campsite, according to a notice from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
A copy of the DLNR notice posted on an anti-TMT Facebook page and signed by Chair Suzanne Case says the hale and tent at the campsite near the Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station will be considered abandoned at 6 p.m. Structures and material will be removed at the owner’s expense.
The notice, dated Tuesday, says the structures are in violation of state laws “prohibiting any construction or improvement in the forest reserve and camping activity that involves the possession of a tent, tarpaulin, or other obvious camping paraphernalia” in a restricted area.
DLNR conservation officers have made arrests at the unauthorized camp site twice but have left the camp itself in place.
The camp has been in place for 176 days and is used by TMT protesters to practice cultural traditions and keep a 24-hour watch on the mountain.
DN: Will Honolulu continue its illegal raids on homeless encampments now that a lawsuit has been filed?
read ... Remove
'Bi-Polar' Anti-Telescope Protester Arrested for Breaking into Car on Mountain
WHT: ...According to a police log, Cynthia Ann Lahilahi Verschuur, aka Cynthia Marlin, (the Libertarian candidate for LG) was arrested at 4:50 p.m. Tuesday at Hilo Medical Center and charged with disorderly conduct, a petty misdemeanor, and unauthorized entry to a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor.
She was released from police custody two hours later after posting $750 and has an Oct. 15 court date.
A police spokeswoman said Wednesday morning the incidents Verschuur was arrested for took place on Mauna Kea at about 1:30 a.m. Friday.
The spokeswoman said in an email Verschuur’s “actions at one astronomy facility caused alarm to an employee.”
She said Verschuur “then allegedly entered a government vehicle at another astronomy facility.”
The spokeswoman said she has no information why Verschuur, who told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald last month she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, was arrested four days later at the hospital. Verschuur said she is a student of Hawaiian language and culture and identifies with those protesting the planned building of the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea, a mountain the protesters consider sacred.
Verschuur is also accused of criminal property damage for allegedly ramming into a state truck at the checkpoint near the Visitor Information Station just after midnight July 12 and of disorderly conduct and open lewdness for allegedly taking her clothes off and creating a disturbance near the same spot the night of July 13....
read ... A Typical Punatic
Anti-Dairy Farm Protesters Funded by Tourism Industry deliver petition to Ige
KGI: Opponents of a proposed dairy in Mahaulepu hand-delivered a petition to Gov. David Ige Friday in hopes that he will take notice of community concerns surrounding the proposed Hawaii Dairy Farms operation.
“We have a big problem on Kauai,” the petition reads. “HDF must not be permitted to operate a dairy at Mahaulepu.”
The signature drive, which kicked off during an event last New Year’s Eve at Poipu Beach Park, garnered more than 3,300 signatures, according to Friends of Malaulepu President Bridget Hammerquist, who delivered the petition to Ige alongside several other activists.
The trip to Honolulu was partially funded by the Sierra Club, Hammerquist said. She said the Kauai Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation also supported the signature drive.
“We let the governor know that we really want a fair shake,” Hammerquist said. “We really want this scrutinized because we’re scared. We’re scared for our water. We’re scared for our community. It’s just not a safe place for a dairy.”
“It is disappointing and irresponsible that the Friends of Mahaulepu continue their efforts to create and sustain false fear, especially without waiting for the completion of the studies.”
read ... Tourism vs Agriculture
Shipping containers taking shape as transitional housing
HNN: ...Container Storage Company of Hawaii has started retrofitting the first two shipping containers the city will use at its Hale Mauliola transitional housing center on Sand Island.
"We're basically putting in drywall, doors and windows and some LED lights," Chris Thometz said.
Each container will have a three foot by three foot aluminum sliding window with a screen. The entrance will have a steel door outfitted with a combination lock and a screen door.
"The main security door will open inward. The screen door will open outward. And when you open the window and the main door you can have flow through ventilation nicely," Thometz said.
By November, 25 containers will be on the Sand Island site, where paving is being completed and lighting has been installed....
read ... Housing
Hawaii Deserves Better than Anti-GMO Nonsense
KE: ...One of my favorite lines in the West-Hawaii Today article came from Hawaii County Councilwoman Margaret Wille, whose anti-GMO bill was thrown out of court:
“She [Bronster] is saying things need to be science-based. Whose science?”
Uh, you know. Real peer-reviewed legitimate science. Not the discredited Seralini study or tortured statistics that correlate autism with glyphosate or claims issued by non-scientists like Jeffrey Smith and Ashley Lukens, and politicians like Wille and Gary Hooser....
People deserve much better than the nonsense that has come to characterize so much of the anti-GMO debate.
read ... Musings: Deserve Better
Are Pono Choices pono?
KL: Why the sex education program needs a fresh start....
read ... Pono?
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