July 31, 2010 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Saturday, July 31, 2010

July 31, 2010 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 12:44 PM :: 9521 Views

Abercrombie, if defeated in primary, refuses to endorse Hannemann

From KGI interview: Endorse Mufi Hannemann?: “We’ll take a look at that,” said Abercrombie, adding that he doesn’t know what the Democratic Party expects from candidates who lose in the primaries. “(Hannemann) is not interested in my support. He told me that to my face.”

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ILWU supports Kirk Caldwell in his campaign for mayor

(Three way race Caldwell vs Carlisle vs Prevedouros with Rod Tam acting as court jester.)

(Just like Hanabusa vs Case vs Djou)

International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 142 announced its endorsement of Caldwell yesterday.

"He has experience in every branch of government and at all levels -- federal, state, and county," ILWU Oahu Division Director Dave Mori said in a news release. "Kirk's depth of knowledge and experience is why we need him as our mayor."

Caldwell, who became acting mayor on July 20, has picked up the endorsement of three unions that also support his predecessor, Hannemann, for governor. Those endorsements were made by the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association.

Carlisle has been endorsed by the Hawaii Carpenters Union, the state's largest construction union, which also has endorsed Hannemann.

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CB busts another Mufi lie: “Only Candidate Who's Lived and Worked on Neighbor Islands” -- FALSE

It is true that Hannemann spent several years working for C. Brewer & Company as its vice president of development and marketing on the Big Island.

But is he the only candidate who's lived and worked on one of the other Hawaiian Islands? No.

Political Radar Puna HD 4: “Hapai could be competitive”

Hapai, a former University of Hawaii regent appointed by Gov. Linda Lingle, could be competitive.

Dems running for Lt. Governor rev up campaigns (Sakamoto vs Hooser?)

(Eco shake down favorite) Former State Senator Gary Hooser (and anti-Superferry protester) picked up the endorsement of UNITE HERE! Local 5. A campaign video, The Hooser Story, has been available for viewing online since last year.

(Old boy favorite) Sen. Norman Sakamoto has been on the air a lot, with both television and radio ads. All can be viewed on his web site.

Here’s something else that has been available for viewing since last year: Sen. Gary Hooser campaign website linked to Holocaust deniers

ALSO: Drunks, tax cheats, and other wannabees: Scary Democrat Lieutenant governor candidates air ideas

BoE: Furlough moms campaign, face off with union boss and transsexual foster parent seeking reelection

In June, Bailey stood next to the lieutenant governor at the governor’s office, when he signed a bill requiring public schools to offer 180 days of instruction a year.

"I wanted to see what we could do to make sure we never had to come into a situation like this again," she said, as she explained why she pushed for the bill’s passage before the legislature.

Bailey and a friend called schools across the mainland to find out Hawaii had the fewest classroom hours in the country. Bailey and Bryant-Hunter lobbied legislators to pass the minimum instruction requirement.

Another candidate for the at-large BOE seats is Roger Takabayashi, 62, the former president of the public school teachers union, HSTA.

The teachers union and the BOE did not support the new minimum instruction requirement.

The only incumbent at-large member running for re-election this year is Mr. Kim Coco Iwamoto, a transsexual activist.

REALITY: The transsexual agenda for Hawai`i schools, Board of Education: the Transsexual-Libertarian Connection, Beyond Marriage The Confession: Hawaii Gay marriage advocates let the polyamorous cat out of the bag

$18K in Unreported Gifts: Lobbyists feeding legislators, staff throughout session

During the January-February 2010 period, Capitol Consultants reported $1,691 spent on gifts to legislators, with another $857.51 on food and beverages.

Legislative Information Services of Hawaii, and veteran lobbyist Dick Botti, reported $25 spent on gifts on their own behalf and another $25 by the Food Industry Association.

Blue Planet Foundation spent $1,775.84 on gifts. Sierra Club reported $200, and Common Cause added $40.

Retail Merchants of Hawaii reported spending $6,848 on food and beverages for lobbying. Hawaiian Airlines reported $7,192 for food/beverages. Both groups said no legislator received a value of more than $25, but with just 76 legislators, the math gets tricky….

(The army of corruption, travelling on its stomach….)

HECO’s Green Energy scam to take 2.3% more ‘green’ out of your pocket

The average residential bill on Oahu will rise by $7.08 a month next year if Hawaiian Electric Co. gets approval for two new rate increases.

The utility said it is seeking a 3.1 percent revenue increase to cover the operation and maintenance of the electrical grid on Oahu. Another 2.3 percent increase is being sought for initiatives HECO is deploying as part of its move to generate more of its electricity from renewable energy sources.

Steve Case boosts investment in ML&P: AOL founder could have majority stake after stock sale done

Grove Farm and ML&P don’t get protested by Suzanne Case’s Nature Conservancy buddies. But outside competitors like Hokulia and Molokai Ranch sure do. I wonder why. And Dan H. Case is an owner of the Star-Advertiser. This is starting to look like one of those old Big 5 charts of interlocking directorships.

Most of state's alleged stimulus jobs fall outside the private sector

More than half of the jobs directly saved or created in Hawaii via federal stimulus spending continue to be in the government, rather than the private sector, according to data released yesterday.

There were 3,580 jobs pegged to the massive federal program during the second quarter. Fully 1,931 of the jobs were with state and local government, according to data released by Recovery.gov and the state.

When fantasy jobs indirectly saved or created are included, the stimulus program allegedly has created or saved 13,000 jobs since it began in the spring of 2009, according to previously released data from the White House Council of Economic Advisers. … but …

During that period, total nonfarm jobs statewide were down from 599,000 in March 2009 to 593,000 at the end of June. Statewide jobs hit a peak of 627,000 in early 2008, according to the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. uh, huh…. (The stimulus consists of paying people to believe this.)

Estimate of daily rail riders rises 21,300

The League of Women Voters of Hawaii and Honolulutraffic.com, a group opposed to rail, have questioned the accuracy of the city's ridership projections, pointing to declining population estimates and uncertainty about a planned 11,750-house development in East Kapolei along the rail line.

If ridership is less than anticipated, added public funds may be needed to subsidize the elevated commuter rail operations, and there could be less interest in developing real estate along the 20-mile route.

The city's ridership projections are based in part on a 2030 Oahu population estimate of 1,117,300 released by the Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism in 2004. That estimate was revised down in 2008 by 99,700 people to 1,017,600. The city did not incorporate the new lower population number in its calculation of rail ridership. In addition, nearly all of the projected population growth between 2007 and 2030 will be in the 65-and-older age group, which is not expected to be a major source of commuters.

Curfew time's up at public housing

Kalihi Valley Homes residents and state officials say they will step up enforcement of existing rules to keep the public housing complex safe after the Hawaii Public Housing Authority lifted a four-month curfew Wednesday.

"The curfew really opened our eyes," said Sa Aiolupotea, secretary of the Kalihi Valley Homes tenants association. "Now (the residents) know how safe it can be."

During the curfew, Wise said, the number of noise complaints and other citations dropped nearly to zero.

Police officials in Kalihi said they noticed a sharp decline in calls out to the housing complex.

Moana Hampton, treasurer of the tenants association, said many of the residents who attended the meeting were happy with the results of the curfew.

"Most of the people that were there did not want to lift the curfew," Moana said. "All these years that I've lived here, I have never lived as well as I did during the curfew."

"We should protect our community," she said. "I don't think it's right for me to be afraid to live within my own unit."

SA takes another swipe at Hawaii Meth Project

Suffice it to say it's far too soon to be taking a victory lap in Hawaii's ongoing battles with addiction to crystal methamphetamine.

In June, the Hawaii Meth Project reported an encouraging shift in attitudes toward the highly addictive drug among the young. About 87 percent of young adults surveyed reported strong disapproval of trying meth, up six points from a benchmark a year earlier. And police data showed arrests plummeting by some 61 percent over the course of three years.

More recent figures, however, should give everyone pause.

School's eviction stands

A public charter school in Kaneohe will have to vacate its building on the grounds of the Hawaii State Hospital by tonight, just two days before the start of classes, after a judge denied yesterday a court injunction to stop the eviction.

Yesterday, Circuit Court Judge Rom Trader declined to issue an injunction, saying that though the school may have standing in its concerns about how the situation was handled, Hakipuu administrators should have known the eviction was coming.

"This train has been coming down the track for some time," Trader told the courtroom. (They’ve known about this problem since 2003 but did nothing.)

…John Keoni Aylett, who is on the school's board, said he was "disappointed" with the judge's ruling. But, he added, the school intends to pursue its lawsuit against the Health Department over the eviction.

"This was just a first step," he said.

Three Hawaii Diploma mills target of expose

2. Akamai University, Hawaii
8. Atlantic International University, Hawaii
12. Honolulu University, Hawaii

Hawaii 90-year old robbed by ‘power of attorney’ scammers

PASADENA - Assemblyman Mike Eng understands firsthand the importance of addressing financial insecurity and the vulnerability of seniors.

His nearly 90-year-old mother, who resides in a Hawaii nursing home, was recently approached by an individual who convinced her to sign a power of attorney letter.

"She put all her financial assets and decisions in the power of a person who refuses to disclose what the plans will be and where the assets are," Eng, D-El Monte, disclosed Friday at a forum on economic insecurity for seniors of color.

"We are seeking legal counsel to sue that person."

Marine monument named World Heritage site

HONOLULU — The Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument — a pristine haven for coral and other marine life, and a treasured site of ancient Hawaiian shrines — has been named a U.N. World Heritage site.

The area northwest of the main Hawaiian islands is the only U.S. location to make the list for both natural and cultural reasons, said monument spokesman Dan Dennison.

The World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, made the decision at a meeting in Brazil, Dennison said.

The committee aims to identify sites “considered to be of outstanding value to humanity” and encourages their protection and preservation. There are currently about 890 sites around the world on the list.