July 5, 2010 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Monday, July 5, 2010

July 5, 2010 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 9:48 AM :: 9288 Views

Djou to hold Four Talk Story Meetings Monday July 5

Most isle lawmakers back civil unions: Some still struggle with issue as they await governor's decision

Friday, Rep Cindy Evans (D-Kohala) said she decided to oppose the bill because it did not strengthen families.

"I was kind of hoping for a much higher discussion about our laws around marriage that were written and developed a long time ago. If marriage is changing, we need to have that discussion," she said.

"I worry about the family unit. ... Marriage is a social custom we've had for an awful long time. If we're going to change this custom, I would rather not have it be done under the guise of civil rights."

Evans said that because HB 444 does not mention the word marriage, it would allow any couple to form a union.

"We have to talk about how far can you go with this," she said. "You can go as far as a union between a brother and a brother, or a brother and a sister, or a sister and a sister.

"We should debate the issue, think of the pros and cons. As a policymaker, you have to try to rise to that higher level of thinking beyond just now, this year, this moment. How is this going to move our culture, our society, and in what direction?"

She added that the majority of feedback from her constituents was against civil unions.

Impostors, once unusual, are emerging in ID thefts

For roughly 20 years, Isagani Alquero assumed the identity of a transgender friend with whom he had a romantic relationship, successfully obtaining a Hawaii driver's license, cabbie job, bank account, U.S. passport and other documents using his bogus moniker, federal authorities say.

WHT: Candidates eye Big Isle: Neighbor Islands' political clout growing

A recent Rasmussen Reports LLC survey showed Abercrombie leading Aiona by a 58 to 32 percent margin. Hannemann beat Aiona by a 52 to 30 percent margin.

The telephone survey of 500 likely voters in Hawaii was conducted June 24 by Rasmussen. The margin of error was 4.5 percentage points.

Aiona criticized the Rasmussen poll as "robo-calls" that aren't as valid, an interesting critique considering the polling company takes a lot of heat on the mainland for producing results too friendly to Republicans.

"It's going to be a very competitive race," Aiona said. "We know that."

A poll commissioned by the Aiona campaign conducted by the Tarrance Group found the GOP candidate in a statistical dead heat with Abercrombie and Hannemann.

The June 13-15 telephone survey of 600 likely voters showed Aiona leading Hannemann by 3 percentage points and trailing Abercrombie by 4 percentage points. The margin of error was 4.1 percent.

(Wow! THAT’S reporting! Too bad the Star-Advertiser can’t write paragraphs like that.)

SA: Sewers settlement needs affordable payment schedule

Honolulu residents should prepare for a substantial increase in water bills to pay for the settlement of lawsuits caused by an insufficient sewage treatment system.

When the price of the settlement is made public later this month, the city will need to reveal a way to pay for improvements without devastating homeowners trying to survive the recession.

Census worker taken to court for trespassing

An attempt to get one resident, a county police officer, to fill out Census forms landed Haas in the back of a patrol car with a trespassing charge.

The case is now in federal court, the latest example of disputes this year between Census workers protected by federal law and residents who don't want to deal with them. It has created a rare instance in which federal prosecutors have stepped in to serve as criminal defense attorneys….

Census officials weren't aware of any other case where federal lawyers are defending an arrested employee.

(In other words: Hawaii County has the nation’s craziest police and prosecutors)

In defense of the Jones Act

The cost to Hawaii consumers for this level of security and reliability is eminently reasonable. A 2003 review by the Maritime Cabotage Task Force (ie US shippers)found that the Jones Act costs Hawaii residents $5.52 per person per year, or less than two cents per person per day. That minimal additional cost provides tremendous value as an investment in our state's security, and remains a necessary part of providing for Hawaii residents.

Robert G. Frame is a principal in the Honolulu law firm of Frame and Nakano, which specializes in admiralty and maritime law. (Does a lot of business with US flag carriers.)