September 2, 2010 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Aiona owes the most personal debt of the leading gubernatorial candidates. His disclosure forms said he owes anywhere from $620,000 to $1 million to seven creditors, including Bank of America, the U.S. Department of Education and Sallie Mae.

An Aiona campaign spokesman did not return phone calls late Wednesday afternoon to answer questions about his creditors.

Aiona has four children who attended private schools in Hawaii and colleges on the mainland, costing lots of money for tuition and travel, explaining some of his personal debt. Abercrombie and Hannemann have no children.

Seeking the Business Vote: Top candidates for governor explain how they would make it easier for businesses to succeed

• Aiona focuses his remarks around the achievements of the Linda Lingle-Aiona administration of the past eight years and, if elected, promises to take those initiatives further and faster.
• Hannemann casts his ideas for the governorship as a reflection of what he did as mayor of Honolulu, talking about such things as infrastructure, transportation and regulatory reform.
• Abercrombie talks about getting the state administration in better tune with the people – including the business community – so that it reflects rather than thwarts their interests.

State Senate To Vote On Recktenwald Nomination

No fuss, no muss. the old boys have already decided that Recktenwald will not change anything. This editor will get a good laugh if it turns out that those last three HAWSCT decisions were just a head fake so Recktenwald can get the big chair.

GOP’s Ka‘auwai raises national eyebrows

It’s getting difficult to pin down whether the local GOP is standing behind Ka‘auwai’s statement or not. (Translation: We want to pin this letter on the GOP as a whole.)

Aiona has criticized it as divisive, and when I asked Ka‘auwai a couple of days ago about the “righteous leader” assertion, he said, “This letter was sent out as a private email to Christian Pastors not intended for publication. Upon reflection, I can see that some of my words carry implications which I did not intend. I did not intend to make a broad-brush judgment about all of Hawaii’s Governors, Republican or Democrat.”

But in a subsequent interview with KITV, he defended it as effective in reaching the conservative Christian audience it was aimed at. (There is a BIG difference between defending the letter and defending the general strategy of keeping non-Democrats out of the Democrat Primary.)

And GOP executive director Dylan Nonaka told KITV that despite Aiona’s attempt to distance himself, “Obviously, it would not have been done if there wasn’t some benefit.”

Ka'auwai Says Churches Now Refusing To Let Mufi Campaign (Neil kneels in joyful prayer)

"I know of at least six churches and hundreds of leaders who are confirming they will not have Mufi go on top of the platform of their church. They will welcome him as well as all candidates to come to their churches, but as for getting on the platform to talk, a lot of that has been stopped," said Ka'auwai.

(That sound you heard in Manoa was Neil Abercrombie shouting “Thank You Jeeesus!”)

But Ka'auwai defended his use of scripture saying it was pointed at a conservative Christian audience in a powerful way they would understand perfectly.

Ka'auwai said he thought it was important to point out to churches his belief that Hannemann was deceptively using churches for his own gain rather than being honest about his message.

Aiona has distanced himself from Ka'auwai's letter and on Tuesday called it divisive and upsetting to some of his supporters.

"I'm running for governor to serve all the people of Hawaii regardless of their religion," said Aiona.

But State Republican Executive Director Dylan Nonaka said Ka'auwai's effort should help Aiona.

Nonaka said that's because party strategists believe Aiona would have a better chance of winning in the general election against liberal Abercrombie who favors civil unions than against Hannemann who supports the conservative Christians' rejection of the civil unions bill as too close to same sex marriage.

Oi tries to hang scarlet letter around Aiona’ neck

Wrapping religion and Republicanism isn't exactly unprecedented, and I wonder if Aiona concurred with Kaauwai's message. Though he noted that he would "serve all the people of Hawaii - regardless of their religion," the lieutenant governor's reaction was less than robust. (Bull.) He would have been more convincing had he not turned the tables on those who might have been offended, characterizing Kaauwai's message as being "seen by many as divisive." (The only good thing about this column is that nobody really takes Oi all that seriously anyway.)

REALITY: Aiona: “Chairman Ka’auwai’s personal comments are seen as divisive”

SA Begins endorsements

· White, Turbin and Lavoie rise to top in Council races

· Franklin 'Don' Pacarro should be next prosecutor

Voters to decide on housing office

Oahu voters in 1998 chose to eliminate the city's housing agency as part of a government wide reorganization plan initiated by former Mayor Jeremy Harris and designed to streamline government operations and make it more efficient.

In the wake of the Ewa Villages scandal, in which housing agency employee Michael Kahapea was found guilty of stealing $5.8 million from taxpayers, there was little resistance to the end of the agency.

~~Housing advocates~~ Homelessness industry leaders, however, testified yesterday that times have changed. (They were later seen dancing to the tune of “We’re in the money”.)

REALITY: Kapiolani Park: Homelessness industry takes Hawaii tourism hostage, Defeating the "homelessness industry" before it gets a grip on Hawaii, Homeless tent cities: Seattle’s decade-long nightmare coming to Honolulu?

Rep. Oshiro: Carlisle's No Donkey, Either

Did headline writers at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser take some liberties in declaring mayoral hopeful Peter Carlisle "draws multiparty support?" Some Democrats sure think so.

After Tuesday's story featuring Carlisle, State Rep. Marcus Oshiro sent out a statement…

Ballot error distresses candidates: Three Democrats from District 25 find their names mistakenly left off absentee forms

State elections officials could not be reached yesterday. But Debi Hartmann, executive director of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, said last night a state elections official informed her that a letter will go out to District 25 this morning and that further information will be available this morning.

"The original ballots that went out will be treated as spoiled ballots," Hartmann said. "New ballots will be provided, and it will be the new ballots that will be used for tallying."

"It's a big error," said Democratic candidate Pohai Ryan, who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Fred Hemmings. "There's nothing that can be done about it. The mistake is made."

Republican candidate Joe Pandolfe said a friend informed him that the Democrats were left off the ballot.

"I told him, it's too bad they didn't leave off my (Republican) opponent and the Democrats," he said jokingly. Then "everything would be just fine."

Republican candidate Virginia Enos said, "Voting is one of the most rights we have as U.S. citizens, and we look forward to this being resolved quickly."

Waimea-Ni‘ihau state House race: Westside issues at forefront

This is the second in a series of stories on the West Kaua‘i Business and Professional Association candidate forum at Waimea Theatre.

Civil Beat Shares University of Hawaii Salaries

Civil Beat filed a request under the state’s open records law with the university’s Department of Human Resources asking for the names, positions and salaries of all UH employees across its 10 campuses and executive offices.

UH provided a list of 7,510 employees, organized by department, not by name or salary. For employees represented by the Hawaii Government Employees Association, United Public Workers union and the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, the university provided Civil Beat with salary ranges. (To learn more about the salary classifications, go to this university website or this other university website.)

· Highest Paid at University of Hawaii

· Lowest Paid at University of Hawaii

· Who Works at University of Hawaii

Telescope plan advances: Mauna Kea board sends application to UH-Hilo chancellor

When the floor was opened for public comment, three speakers opposed the TMT, six spoke in favor and one urged the board to remember "the kanakas."

Speaking against TMT were Deborah Ward, Cory Harden and Nelson Ho.

"This TMT proposal represents a major push for more industrialization," Ho said. "It will not go unchallenged." He accused UH- iloof "fronting" for Californians who don't have islanders' best interest at heart.

"When does it end?" Harden asked. With the TMT, "it's always one more, and one more, and one more."

The environmental activists spoke of protecting Mauna Kea, but almost everybody else spoke about the need to protect the economy, their livelihoods and jobs, and said the TMT was committed to following the rules of the mountain.

More Abuse in Long Term Care: Wahiawa man charged with sexually assaulting a Queen's patient

The victim was an 86-year-old woman who said she was sexually assaulted about 7 p.m. Monday, police said.

Officers arrested the man later that night on suspicion of first-degree burglary and third-degree sexual assault.

A Queen's spokeswoman said patient safety is the highest priority, and the hospital is conducting an internal investigation.

CODA to Launch All-Electric Sedan in Hawaii

The Coda sedan is a four-door, five-passenger car powered by an all-electric drive system, including a Coda-designed 33.8 kWh Lithium-ion battery system with 40% more usable energy than any electric vehicle in its class. Coda's proprietary battery management and thermal management systems keep the battery within a specified temperature range which, a written statement issued by the company explains, “enhances safety and durability, and allows for a consistent and dependable range of up to 120 miles across all U.S. weather conditions.”

Proposed coal ash rule would impact Hawaii

The Environmental Protection Agency has started a series of public hearings on a proposed new rule for regulation of coal ash that could impact us in Hawaii….

Coal ash is produced by the AES power plant in Campbell Industrial Park, and its transportation and disposal has been questioned by residents at leeward Neighborhood Board meetings in the past.

In addition, coal ash produced by the former C. Brewer power plant in Pepeekeo, north of Hilo on the Big Island, has been an issue for a decade after the plant closed, leaving tons of coal ash in place.

Island birds vulnerable to global warming

The Star-Advertiser still has room in its pages to peddle that old-time eco-religion. Maybe they need a massage?

REALITY: Environmentalism as Religion

Maryland hostage-taker listed Maui as hometown (Here’s what happens to people who believe in the Cult of Gore)

The Associated Press reported that Montgomery County police shot and killed the gunman who took three people hostage for several hours at Silver Spring, Md.'s Discovery Channel building.

All three hostages escaped and are safe.

Lee's website, SaveThePlanetProtest.com, urged the Discovery Channel to save the planet puts its focus on "how people can live without giving birth to more filthy human children since those new additions continue pollution and are pollution."

Associated Press reported that a lengthy posting which could be seen today on a website registered to Lee expressed anger against the Discovery Channel and said it promoted overpopulation.

He said it and its affiliates should stop "encouraging the birth of any more parasitic human infants." Instead, he said, the network should air "programs encouraging human sterilization and infertility."

"NO MORE BABIES! Population growth is a real crisis," he wrote, underlining the core anti-human nature of environmentalism.

Compare and Contrast: Ed Case's 2006 "felony" vote: Greens vs. Illegals

Maui News: Discovery suspect from Maui, 3 hostages taken in apparent protest