September 4, 2010 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

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Saturday, September 4, 2010

September 4, 2010 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 5:28 PM :: 13103 Views

Early Voting sites open now across state

Cardines: “Improve the future of Hawaii’s families by voting”

Adrienne King’s pro-life conversion

Aiona: Hawaii’s economic recovery being slowed at federal level

Aiona: Democrats ‘two peas in a pod’

WAILUKU - Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona, the presumptive GOP candidate for governor, called the two leading Democratic candidates "two peas in a pod" during an interview Friday, saying they are both "tax-and-spend" Democrats….

He said he resonates with voters because he has raised four children with his wife, was a basketball coach and knows the struggles families face. When asked further about the differences between him and Democrats Neil Abercrombie and Mufi Hannemann, Aiona said he possesses "character, integrity and leadership," and spends a great deal of time getting out to meet regular folks across the state.

"I have a good sense of what the people want," Aiona said, "and their sense of frustration."

…Aiona also distanced himself from a letter - written by state GOP Chairman Jonah Ka'auwai, and made public this week - alleging that Hannemann and Abercrombie are "unrighteous."

Aiona on Friday called the letter "divisive" and said, "Our campaign has been one of inclusiveness. . . . His statement is a personal statement."

Arakaki: Abercrombie is not for Christians

HONOLULU (AP) — A strong supporter of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mufi Hannemann has formed an independent group that is airing a radio ad criticizing Democrat Neil Abercrombie for not declaring a religious affiliation.

The 60-second ad, voiced by former Hawaii Family Forum chief Dennis Arakaki, also calls Abercrombie an unsuitable choice for voters who hold "traditional Christian values."

"Neil Abercrombie is unacceptable," Arakaki states in the ad. "He declares no religious affiliation. In Congress, he voted for partial birth abortion and human cloning. And it's no secret that he will enact same-sex marriage."

Arakaki asks voters to back Hannemann, whom he says "strongly supports traditional Christian values," based on the candidate's responses to a questionnaire from Hawaii Family Forum. Republican Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona also is "acceptable," Arakaki adds.

(Now we know what Jonah Kaauwai was doing--launching a pre-emptive strike.)

"Christians can make a difference" by voting against "the unacceptable candidate, Neil Abercrombie," Arakaki adds. "Please pull a Democrat ballot and vote for the acceptable candidate, Mufi Hannemann."

The ad is financed by Island Values, which on Aug. 23 filed documents with the state Campaign Spending Commission announcing its formation. The group's deputy treasurer, Honolulu lawyer Kenneth Wong, also sat on a large exploratory committee that was established last year for Hannemann.

Island Values' chairman, real estate broker Joel Criz, on Friday said he is a Hannemann supporter and that Wong asked him to assist with the group. He referred additional questions about the group and its ad to Wong.

(Now check out the Obama-style trick Abercrombie’s media are playing…)

Told that Abercrombie has said he is an Episcopalian, Arakaki said he would apologize if the ad is wrong. (Bull. Abercrombie has been listed as “decline to state a religious preference” in Congress for DECADES. Now the Abercrombie media wishes to pretend he is suddenly Episcopal.)

The ad is airing through mid-September on Christian format KGU-AM and KAIM-FM, according to a spokeswoman for the jointly owned stations…

ALSO: Dueling Christians , Unacceptable, Hannemann rejects flier's claims against opponent (Democrat DePledge peddles Episcopal line for Neil.)

Hannemann’s Venture Capitalist Splinter cell

Several venture capitalists, upset that the Hawaii Venture Capital Association endorsed former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie in the Democratic primary for governor, have hastily formed their own rival group called the Venture Capital Association of Hawaii….

However, one of group’s members — Dustin Shindo, the founder of Kai Medical and Hoku Scientific — is listed as a member of Hannemann’s campaign committee.

Bill Spencer, the president of the Hawaii Venture Capital Association, calls the splinter group “a sham.”

“Obviously, the Hannemann campaign was very mad at us for endorsing Abercrombie, and they’re trying to create confusion,” he said.

Abercrombie has touted the association’s endorsement as an example of how he is the candidate for the new, high-tech economy.

The Hannemann campaign has not taken lost endorsements very well. Hannemann said at several public forums that he lost the Hawaii State Teachers Association endorsement by one vote, but dropped the claim after the HSTA released a letter saying it was not true.

Honolulu Mayoral Candidate Caldwell Launches Negative Ad

The ad begins, "Caldwell growing our economy and jobs.$ 2.1 billion dollars for new infrastructure. Caldwell moving permits for hundreds of millions in new construction."

As as fact check --- Caldwell is exaggerating his role. The $2.1 billion dollars budget is the city council's budget signed by former Mayor Mufi Hannemann in June.

Then, the commercial goes on to criticize Peter Carlisle, the former Honolulu Prosecutor who is the front-runner in the Honolulu mayor's race.

The commercial says, "Peter Carlisle, spending in his office spiraled out of control, up 60 percent and Carlisle has taken six separate pay raises. Pay raise Sky rocketing budgets, and Carlisle has taken six separate pay raises --- six pay raises --- sky rocketing budgets --- makes you wonder is Peter Carlisle really ready to be mayor?"

Carlisle said Friday his budget increased 18 percent not 60 percent and he said in the same period, the city's budget increased 63 percent.

And about the pay raises. Carlisle's pay raises are set by state law by the State Salary Commission….

(Shocking. Just shocking. A Mufi Hannemann associate going negative. Will the wonders never cease?)

SA: Mayoral candidates clash over Caldwell ad

Quitting erodes public trust (Ko Olina’s Apo management reshuffle)

The latest is City Council Chairman Todd Apo. This week he decided to leave politics for a job in public affairs for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, now developing a Kapolei resort. Certainly it's better that he leave office rather than remain and try to navigate conflicts of interest; this bombshell, however, was dropped amid voters already weary of politicians jumping ship.

The further complication in Apo's case is that his job offer came on the cusp of key deadlines: With a little push, it would have been possible to schedule balloting for his replacement to coincide with the general election. As it is, Apo said he wanted to remain long enough to help oversee the discussions on rescinding the homeowner tax classification, fireworks legislation and other pending issues.

(Jeff Stone needed him in a different job.)

Thus the taxpayer will have to pay for the $175,000 cost of a special election. Although Apo said the funds are available in the city clerk's budget, the bottom line is that this remains an unfortunate outcome. The money will have to be replenished, and the bill lands at the taxpayers' feet.

The only element that mitigates in Apo's favor is the burden on his potential replacement. Ginning up a special election campaign between now and November would be a heavy lift for all but the candidates with monied connections. Postponing it will make a lower-cost grassroots campaign more affordable for average political hopefuls.

KITV: Judge Dismisses DUI Charges Amid HPD Investigation

HONOLULU -- A state judge has dismissed charges against 12 drunken driving suspects on Oahu because the police officers who arrested them may be facing criminal charges of their own and may be not be available to testify against them.

Attorneys for 20 DUI suspects asked District Judge William Cardwell to make public more than 1,000 documents related to a police administrative probe of several officers.

The Honolulu Police Department's Internal Affairs office is investigating whether several officers, including two sergeants, falsified records relating to DUI arrests, sources have told KITV4.

The defense attorneys wanted the documents, saying they would go to the credibility of the officers. Cardwell denied the request.

However, charges against 12 of the suspects were dropped.

Human trafficking suspect surrenders

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewNow)- The head of an alleged human trafficking operation surrendered to the FBI in Honolulu Friday afternoon and was being held without bail after pleading not guilty in federal court.

Mordechai Orian is accused of importing foreign workers, then mistreating them and failing to live up to promises. The FBI calls it the largest human trafficking case ever prosecuted in the United States.

A story you can’t find in Star-Advertiser or Civil Beat: Green hypocrites: Case & Omidyar’s Maui Land & Pine tied to human trafficking case

Sierra Club forces fish farm to withdraw application

He said his company has spent "hundreds of thousands of dollars" over the past two years completing its environmental impact statement and conservation district use permit with the state. Those allow for 12 of the so-called Oceanspheres in 247 acres about three miles off the coast….

Amy Klein, a biologist project manager with the Corps, told members of the Sierra Club in an e-mail Thursday that there would no consideration of a public hearing because the application had been withdrawn. She declined to be more specific when contacted Friday by West Hawaii Today.
"The applicant withdrew the application and anything beyond that would be speculation," Klein said.

Cory Harden, a Sierra Club member (who was very concerned that the 9-11 attackers felt ‘powerless’) who had sought a public hearing, said she plans to ask for one again if the new permit application is filed.

"This is an extremely new technology, and I think it deserves being aired in public," Harden said. "I know there have been concerns in the past with the public saying we weren't really notified."

Maui News: Bogus Ocean temperature sensors record sea ice in Hawaii

The various sources for temperature measurements (buckets, buoys, inlets etc.) show odd outlier measurements. For the area selected by McIntyre for audit, there were some reports with a negative value (the sea was frozen off Oahu) and some with a value close to the boiling point of sea water.

In order to assess the data, McIntyre threw out these obvious machine malfunctions, typographical errors or whatever they were and applied stastistical analysis only to reports that were plausible for that part of the world. (Actually, his exclusion wasn't as tight as it might have been, but that's not relevant to the point I am getting to.)

So, we know beyond doubt that a fraction of the reports were mythical, in the sense that they did not report the actual temperature of the sea water. It is a necessary assumption, I think, that a mythical report could be any number. There is no valid assumption that mythical reports will identify themselves by being off by tens of degrees.

read more

Kauai night football shutdown by Federal Department of Eco-Religion

Protecting the birds already forced Kauai's high school football teams to reschedule their games. What else is going to have to change on the Garden Isle?

Kauai: Nabeshima-Costa pleads guilty to sexual assault of a minor

LIHU‘E — Originally charged with 19 counts of sexual assault, Kanoa Charles Nabeshima-Costa on Tuesday pleaded guilty in a plea agreement to one count of second-degree sexual assault.

In exchange for that guilty plea that effectively ends two separate cases against him, prosecutors agreed to drop 13 counts of first-degree sexual assault and five counts of third-degree sexual assault.

The alleged crimes took place between November 2008 and March 2009, when the female victim was 14. She is 16 now….

The single count of second-degree sexual assault is a class B felony with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine, but Lisa Arin, county deputy prosecuting attorney, and John Calma, state deputy public defender, worked out a plea agreement that calls for five years of probation and 18 months in prison.

Council OKs condominium tax rates bill

Council Member Jo Anne Johnson voted against the measure and reiterated her opposition, saying it's "a very divisive thing" that would not get the outcome sought by the county.

Bill 53, passed with a 7-1 vote Friday, requires condominium associations to file an annual report listing how owners are using their units - whether as a personal residence or a long- or short-term rental. Originally, the bill would have required condo owners to pay taxes according to the "highest and best use" of their properties, based on zoning, as other landowners do now.

After owners complained and condo associations offered up a compromise to file the required annual lists with reports of how units are used, the revised bill was drafted. The measure will be sent to Mayor Charmaine Tavares for final action.

On Friday, the only testimony provided on the condominium tax issue came from Francis Michael Patrick Lydon, the owner of a condo unit at Maalaea Banyans on Hauoli Street.

Lydon provided written testimony on 13 reasons he opposed the bill. In oral testimony, he expressed his concern that the measure would cause a "logistical nightmare" for condo associations and "destroy the willingness" of residents to serve on boards of directors.