May 3, 2010 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Monday, May 3, 2010

May 3, 2010 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 11:08 AM :: 12004 Views

Pollster claims 66% of Hawaii residents favor recognition for Native Hawaiians (even though 73% of Native Hawaiians are excluded from Tribe)

(This confirms the ability of Ward Research to manufacture any poll result desired by sponsors—just in time to push for passage in the Senate.)

Longtime opponents of the Akaka bill and/or federal recognition said the Hawai'i Poll numbers show only that a majority of Hawai'i's residents don't know what federal recognition means.

"I think the big problem is nobody knows what's inside the bill," said Thurston Twigg-Smith, former Hono- lulu Advertiser owner. "They keep changing it, people don't have a chance to read it."

Congress should hold hearings on the measure in Hawai'i so the public can get a better understanding of the language, he said.

Hawaiian rights activist Dennis Pu'uhonua "Bumpy" Kanahele said the poll "only tells me that people aren't even aware of what the Akaka bill is all about."

PDF: Details of Akaka bill poll

Here’s another ‘poll’: Akaka Bill: More than 73% of Hawaiians not "Qualified” for membership in Akaka tribe

read more

After civil unions: Gay divorce

Divorce & Family Law Attorney P. Gregory Frey says entering into a civil union is one thing, ending it is another.

"We are absolutely, positively gonna deal with it, but the issue becomes where are we gonna deal with it?"

Like in a divorce, the same needs to be done to dissolve a civil union.

"How do you divide the home, how do you divide the assets, how do you divide the debts?" questions Frey.

But Frey says the family court system may turn couples away. Saying it's a civil union take it up in civil court.

"My best guesstimate that won't last long. People will be knocking down the doors of family court to say we now have civil union rights we want family rights just like that married couple down the hall," says Frey.

If civil unions do become law in Hawaii, couples who enter into the partnership may not be recognized as so in other states.

REALITY: The Overhauling of Straight America, Hooser, Hanabusa predict HB444 will bring gay marriage back before Courts

Governor Lingle reacts to end of legislative session

Lingle says it's a hard decision and one that she won't take lightly.

"When the bills come up, which they really haven't come up yet, haven't been signed off yet by the senate president, once that official signature is there and it comes up, we then distribute it to various groups," she said.

She says the issue may require assistance from county governments, as well as from people who testified for or against the measure.

But the civil unions bill isn't the only issue on her mind. …

Kalapa: Don't think the fiscal crisis is over just yet

instead of breathing a sigh of relief, taxpayers should demand their legislators get back to work instead of glad-handing, sign waving and knocking on doors to solicit their re-election. Voters should demand their lawmakers work on solutions other than raising taxes to close the shortfall in the state's budget. While lawmakers may be crossing their fingers hoping the economy will recover and tax revenues will start flowing back into the state's treasure chest, most observers agree the comeback will be a long time in coming.

Shapiro: It's BOE, HSTA's move on furloughs

The schools dodged a bullet when lawmakers took money to end furloughs from the hurricane fund instead of from Department of Education general funds, as originally proposed by the House.

If House budget writers thought up to $50 million could be cut, surely the BOE can find $5 million or $10 million to bridge the gap with Lingle and end this prolonged stalemate that has ripped apart our community.

To continue bickering instead of settling this when they're so close would be obscene. Toguchi has made his political fight with Lingle personal, and if he can't see that it's his first responsibility to get the kids back in class, then it's up to other board members to set him straight.

Families Threaten Lawsuit Over Care For Autistic Children

HONOLULU -- Kaneohe residents Mike and Martha VanDriel are both officers in the U.S. Army. Their 7-year-old son, Micah, has been diagnosed with autism. They claim under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) the windward school district is required to pay for special education for Micah.

He has attended the Pacific Autism Center, a private institution, and they said it has improved his communication skills.

The VanDriels claim the district has withheld payment for Micah’s special education for the months of March, April and May. They said four other families with autistic children have similar complaints, and all have hired an attorney to file a federal injunction to force Windward to pay…..They said it costs $16,000 per month for a child to attend the center.

Obamamedia claims Stimulus brings 2,566 more jobs to Hawaii (Can you find them?)

(They think that by repeating these completely debunked job creation claims over and over again they can wear you down and make you believe.)

During the first quarter, $218 million in stimulus money was spent in Hawai'i. There were 1,219 new and retained jobs attributed to state public education during that period.

The second-biggest job generator during the first quarter was a Maritime Administration drydock overhaul that created 109 jobs. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water projects created another 61 jobs, according to Recovery.gov. (Drinking water projects???)

When jobs created indirectly by stimulus money are included, the total is much higher. In mid-April, the White House Council of Economic Advisers estimated that the stimulus program created a total of 11,000 direct and indirect jobs in Hawai'i in the first quarter. That was up from an estimated 8,000 total jobs the prior quarter.

Determining the cumulative job impact of the stimulus program is difficult because the government changed the methodology for calculating jobs after the program was created. (In other words, they are making it up as they go along.)

Despite the large infusion of federal money that started last summer, there were 14,740 fewer jobs statewide during the first quarter, (ooops) versus the first three months of 2009, according to the University of Hawai'i Economic Research Organization.

REALITY: The Fake Jobs of Obama’s Failed Stimulus

1-stop center for abuse victims a 'done deal'

Juliet Lighter, a former Miss Hawai'i who survived a violent, abusive relationship with a boyfriend a decade ago, thinks the city's planned family justice center is desperately needed.

City prosecutor Peter Carlisle, whose office obtained the grants and is coordinating planning efforts, said he expects the site to open within 24 months. "It's a done deal," he said.

Economy slowing residency program

"A hospital has to subsidize a program like this," he said. "But if the hospital grows its volume, it can make up some of the cost for the care being provided.

Kauai Electric bills to increase

This is the first rate increase from the co-op since the mid-1990s and is expected to not only help balance margins, but stabilize financials and make members slightly less susceptible to fluctuations, Bissell said Saturday. “In my opinion, this will be a minor impact.”

“We know that any rate increase isn’t easy for our members,” said KIUC President and CEO Randy Hee in the press release. But with the rate structure, KIUC’s margins and financial stability “will be much less dependent on volatile fossil fuel prices.”

Visit www.kiuc.coop for more information.

United, Continental boards OK merger: sources

CHICAGO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - UAL Corp , parent of United Airlines, will buy Continental Airlines Inc for $3.2 billion, forming the world's largest carrier in a merger that further shrinks the embattled U.S. airline industry and could drive up air fares, sources said on Sunday.