Testimony: 76% say No Fake Tribe for Hawaii
AAA Hawaii: Lower 2015 Gasoline Prices Save Drivers $400
KGI: Election year is here. Who are you going to vote for?
Former Cancer Center director failed to disclose major financial conflicts of interest
HI: Dr. Michele Carbone violated federal regulations when he failed to disclose both his additional annual income from expert testimony in asbestos litigation and the $4.3 million gift he received from a company involved in ongoing asbestos litigation that he is using in his mesothelioma research.
Dr. Michele Carbone—the former director of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center (UHCC) who was asked to resign in November of 2014 after evidence that he had grossly mismanaged the Manoa unit was publicized, and who was at the center of the power struggle that led to the controversial decision by the Board of Regents to remove former Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple—failed to disclose significant financial conflicts of interest to either the university (UH) or the National Institute of Health (NIH). A deposition from an asbestos litigation (Antonio Perez vs. ArvinMeritor, Inc.,et al.), obtained from the Kazan law firm in California, shows that Dr. Carbone admitted, under oath, to failing to disclose either his half-million dollar additional annual income from expert testimonies in asbestos litigations, or the multi-million donation he received for his genetic research on mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by asbestos exposure) from a Fortune 100 company currently involved in ongoing asbestos litigations.
This income was collected during Dr. Carbone’s tenure as director of the UHCC (2009–14) and as a faculty member (2006–8 and 2013–present). Neglecting to disclose these significant financial relationships constitutes a serious violation of UH rules and federal NIH regulations on financial conflicts of interest. Carbone’s decision to hide his additional sources of income potentially exposes UH to devastating penalties, including the shut‐down of the $400 million federally‐funded research conducted at the Cancer Center.
In his deposition, Dr. Carbone admits to having received over 5 million dollars in consultant fees from asbestos companies for their asbestos‐mesothelioma litigations over nearly two decades. He also admits that he has never disclosed these relationships. In addition, in 2010 he sought and received for his research $4.3 million in gifts from Honeywell, a construction materials company involved in ongoing asbestos litigations. The company made its donation to Dr. Carbone’s research under the cover of anonymity through the University of Hawaii Foundation.
The current Manoa Chancellor, Robert Bley-Vroman, as well as the system Vice President for Research and Innovation, Vassilis L. Syrmos, confirmed to university faculty that they read this deposition in November of 2014 and that its content led to the decision to ask Dr. Carbone to resign as UHCC director at that time. The Manoa Faculty Senate recently learned from the Chancellor and the VPR that the ongoing investigation in the matter by the University of Hawaii is limited to Dr. Carbone’s outside employment and does not include his undisclosed financial conflicts of interest. According to UHCC faculty, it has become apparent that UH is in violation of NIH regulations about financial conflicts of interest and, in doing so, has exposed itself to a potential investigation by the NIH, and to potential penalties that could jeopardize federal research dollars at the university. The following is a summary of important evidence from within the deposition. The entire deposition can be read here….
read … Mesothelioma
State Takes $13.2M from Conservation to Subsidize Fancy Eco-Conference
SA: The state is providing millions of dollars in public funds to support a major international gathering of conservationists, called the World Conservation Congress, in Honolulu in September, including at least $4 million from the state department that oversees Hawaii environmental protection, park maintenance and land management programs.
Last year, Gov. Neil Abercrombie transferred $4 million from the state’s Special Land Development Fund to pay for preparations for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature event, which will be held at the Hawai‘i Convention Center from Sept. 1-10. The congress is expected to attract up to 8,000 delegates from around the world.
The Special Land Development Fund is normally used to pay for programs under Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, such as the upkeep of state parks, invasive species control, endangered species protection, restoring watersheds and native vegetation, beach restoration and other environmental programs.
The Special Land Development Fund also finances the state Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, which is responsible for overseeing about 2 million acres of public and private conservation lands. Those lands include the most environmentally sensitive areas of the state.
Gov. David Ige has asked state lawmakers to this year authorize another $4 million in DLNR special fund money to support the congress, but a spokeswoman for the department said it hasn’t been decided yet if that money will also be drawn from the Special Land Development Fund.
In all, the state has pledged to deliver support for the congress valued at $13.2 million, said Deborah Ward, communications specialist for DLNR….
Totally Unrelated: 24 days to Al Gore’s ’10 years to save the planet’ and ‘point of no return’ planetary emergency deadline
read … Money for Talk, not for Action
Star-Adv: Counties should get more of TAT
SA: It’s become a longstanding battle between the counties and the state as the legislative session rolls around: the tug of war over how to fairly divvy up the statewide hotel room tax.
With so much at stake — $421 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30 and likely more this year — it’s abundantly clear why the perennial conflict exists.
This year, however, the counties begin the skirmish with a strong argument for a greater share of the 9.25 percent transient accommodation tax (TAT) levied on hotel stays.
The State-County Functions Working Group, established by lawmakers in 2014, has recommended the state revamp the hotel tax distribution formula to deliver an extra $69 million to Honolulu and the other counties next year….
read … TAT
Hawaii would be better off with a true two-party system
HNN: …We are coming into another election year in Hawaii .. and while it is too early to predict winners and losers… it is probably safe to say one thing: Unless something changes dramatically - when it's all over in November virtually all major state…federal and city offices will be held by Democrats….
Another issue are the politicians who may be Republican on the inside...but don't have the courage to admit it…and they run as Democrats.
No matter the why… or the who….or what party you prefer… I've even head Democrats say Hawaii would be better off with a true two-party system.
Let's hope that by election day… local republicans can put more on the table.. and give voters the best choices possible….
read … Don’t Have the Courage
Deregulate Transportation-Let the PUC Focus on Energy and Telecom Utilities
IM: December is traditionally the month for numerous reports to be filed in anticipation of the start of the Hawai`i State Legislature in January. One report issued in December was the Public Utilities Commission Annual Report.
“In Fiscal Year (‘FY’) 2015, the Commission regulated 1,657 entities, which includes all chartered, franchised, certificated, and registered public utility companies that provide electricity, gas, telecommunications, private water and sewage, and motor and water carrier transportation services in the State.”
Over the years there have been a number of failed attempts to deregulate transportation companies, put their regulation in a different agency, or to assign them to a Commission sub-division.
“In FY 2015, the Commission also filled vacancies and hired 14 new employees, including one commissioner.”
There has been a lot of staff turnover. Insiders assert that the agency has brought in the needed people to make a difference. Several staffers have asked that I do not delve into who they are and how the staff make the agency work effectively.
read … Reflections on the Hawai`i Public Utilities Commission
Thanks to Feds, Ethanol still in gas, even with new state law
SA: Effective Friday, Gov. David Ige and the state Legislature eliminated the state requirement that most gasoline sold here must be blended with ethanol. However, Hawaii’s largest refinery plans to continue blending ethanol into gasoline sold here anyway.
Lance Tanaka, director of government and public affairs for Hawaii Independent Energy, said federal Renewable Fuels Standards approved by Congress still require refineries to either blend biofuels with the gasoline they produce, or purchase “credits” on the national market if they decide not to blend.
Buying those credits would impose an extra cost if the company were to stop blending, and that cost would be passed on to Hawaii consumers. The company is a subsidiary of Par Pacific Holding Inc., and operates the state’s largest refinery.
Al Chee, spokesman for Chevron Hawaii, declined to divulge Chevron’s plans, other than to say it will produce gasoline that is “perfectly fine” for vehicles, and will meet the demands of the marketplace. Chevron operates the second-largest refinery in the state, and produces more than half the gasoline consumed by motorists here….
read … Ethanol
Visitors still being arrested for enjoying moonlight on Waikiki Beach
IL: …the city’s policy remains unchanged, and the various visitor industry associations haven’t provided a “fix” so that tourists can avoid suddenly having criminal records….
(NOTE: By doing this, the city prevents the ACLU from claiming ‘selective enforcement’ against the homeless.)
read … Thank the ACLU
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