September 22, 2010 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

September 22, 2010 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 3:03 PM :: 10273 Views

Gubernatorial Debates? Abercrombie says “It’s not my job”

Hanohano: Abercrombie is ducking debate challenge

Shapiro tells Hawaii media how to spin debate story

CNBC VIDEO: Djou on Summers’ resignation, House GOP policy agenda

Aiona presses Abercrombie: Dem accused of ducking debates

HTH headline story today: “Republicans are firing back in the debate over gubernatorial debates, suggesting Democrat Neil Abercrombie is trying to duck the issues.”

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Volcanic Ash: Abercrombie's passion, energy and focus aid in election victory

Obsequious drivel which echoes Abercrombies self-righteous arrogance but makes it literate—something Abercrombie himself cannot do.

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Hawaii gov. candidates begin fall campaign short on funding

Abercrombie, a former congressman, had only $275,000 in his campaign treasury as of September 3 after raising $2.8 million in a highly competitive primary election race against ex-Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann.

Abercrombie collected an additional $177,000 - but spent an unknown amount on TV ads and other purchases - in the two weeks preceding Saturday's balloting….

Aiona only had $487,200 in his treasury as of September 3.

True Djou: "I Have Never Voted For a Tax Increase"

But is it possible that in almost a decade of public service, in the state House, the Honolulu City Council and now, the U.S. House, that Djou never voted for an increase.

It sure seems like it.

Civil Beat went through his votes on bills from his tenure in the City Council, as well as the state House and Congress. We found just one procedural possibility, but nothing of substance.

Hawaii-based eBay founder won't endorse Whitman for governor

Omidyar praised Whitman's leadership skills and said she would do a "great job" if elected, but said he could not back her candidacy because of her stance on gay marriage and her alignment with former Gov. Pete Wilson.

Wilson, who is a co-chairman of Whitman's campaign, was a vocal supporter of taking away taxpayer-funded benefits from illegal immigrants.

(Omidyar won’t back the woman who made his company into something big because she hasn’t got his religion.)

Obama's policies drag down Democratic governors

Democrats are not supposed to be trailing there in times like these. The old political rule is that economic distress moves voters in the industrial heartland toward Democrats. Oldtimers remember that that is what happened in recession years like 1958, 1970 and 1982.

In addition, Democrats are also trailing by margins that have been growing in U.S. Senate races in Pennsylvania and Ohio and are running even at best in Illinois. They're trailing by significant margins in the races for governor and senator in Wisconsin and Iowa, which Obama carried with 56 and 54 percent.

The industrial heartland is where Democrats hoped their economic policies -- the stimulus package, the auto company bailout, the health care bill -- would win over voters uneasy about their cultural liberalism.

They hoped that increased government spending would be seen as a tonic an ailing economy. Instead it seems more like poison.

Honolulu mayoral transition off to a bumpy start

Carlisle then asked for cooperation from city employees during the upcoming probationary period, when their positions will be up for review.

"I hope you will come to me with your intentions, I hope you tell me what you would like to do, if you are someone who is hugely qualified and there are many of you in this particular room and you are planning on going out to that vast forest of wealth, the private sector, then please let me know" said Mayor-elect Carlisle.

But before long, the smooth transition hit a snag as the subject shifted to where Carlisle's transitional office should be located….

HNN: Carlisle names Douglas Chin as new managing director

SA: Carlisle bites off a lot to chew

Molokai veterans sue Tavares over ‘threats’

WAILUKU - A group of upset Molokai veterans said they are tired of fighting the system for nearly five years to get what they view as a simple building permit needed to construct a meeting hall and counseling offices.

Now fed up, they have sued Maui County in federal court in Honolulu.

The stress and threats imposed by county officials, namely Mayor Charmaine Tavares and her executive staff, on members of the nonprofit Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans have been so great that they've brought on new onsets of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms with the vets, according to the lawsuit.

Former state labor inspector indicted on identity theft charges

Messier used the personal information of 10 people from October 2007 to January 2008, according to the indictment.

He prepared false inspection reports and put their names, addresses and telephone numbers on the reports without the people's permission, said Vince Kanemoto, deputy state attorney general.

"He wasn't doing those inspections," he said.

Messier even claimed mileage reimbursements, Kanemoto said.

KITV: Former State Inspector Indicted

Fireworks bill: Council set to vote Wednesday

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The way you ring in 2011 could be very different this year….

The latest version of the bill would only allow professional grade displays and firecrackers purchased with a special permit for religious and cultural events.

SA: Fireworks bill up for vote

Council delays action on ethics reform: Mayor Kenoi's proposal seen as too stringent

So Kenoi took it to the council, where it languished for months, including the four months leading up to last weekend's primary election. Council Chairman J Yoshimoto brought the measure to the floor Tuesday at the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort and Spa, but recused himself from discussing or voting on it, because his wife contracts with the Office of Aging.

Construction project aims to revitalize Big Island

It's a college-prep school with a science and technology focus.

100 percent of the students at this charter school go on to attend a four-year college.

The multi-million dollar development project on the Big Island is still in the planning and approval stages and is hoped to take more than 200 acres of unused land and transform it.

Public hearings are scheduled for next month.

Non-profits could lose tax exempt status (Thanks, Obama)

"We don't take in that much money and so we need every dollar that we possibly can get," Legion Executive committee member Andy Johnson said.

The Internal Revenue Service has warned the McCully Legion office to file IRS form 990N or lose its tax exempt status.

In all, 1,700 Hawaii non-profits that take in less than $25,000 annually must do the same.

They did not file returns from 2007 to 2009.

"This list contains a lot of civic clubs, hula halau, canoe organizations. Basically, almost everybody's in here. We've seen homestead associations on the list," said Trisha Kehaulani Watson of Honua Consulting..

The IRS is offering a one-time filing relief program. The non-profits fill out the form and all is forgiven..

Shapiro: Has the train to nowhere reached its destination?

Nothing has been thrown more up in the air in the wake of Mufi Hannemann’s resignation as mayor and failed run for governor than his $5.5 billion O‘ahu rail project.

Hannemann got the 20-mile commuter line from Kapolei to Ala Moana approved on the force of his will and showed immense political skill in advancing it further in his first term than his predecessors managed in 30 years.

Now it’s a big question mark.

Construction jobs resurgent at Honolulu job fair

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - You can read a lot into our economy by who turns up at job fairs and who doesn't. There were far fewer hospitality related employers at Tuesday's Job Quest Fair, but construction companies made a comeback in a big way.
Hawaii's construction boom from a few years ago dried up when the real estate market tanked, but, signs of a turnaround could be found inside the latest job fair at the Blaisdell.

"There are a lot of opportunities coming down the pipe" said Charles Moore of Swinerton Builders.

(The word “rail” does not occur in this article.)

KITV: 5000 Attend Honolulu Job Fair

Rep. Mark Takai hosts rare D.C. fundraiser

I may be overly cynical, but I do recall that Takai led an effort in the House earlier this year calling on Lingle to approve the EIS for Honolulu’s rail project. Does a D.C. fundraiser provide an opportunity for those rail contractors or their lobbyists to stop by and visit with Rep. Takai?

http://www.wongwilliamgeekong.com/

Navy opposes changes to 90-year-old shipping law

But the Navy says the act's repeal will erode the U.S. shipbuilding industry and hamper the service's ability to meet strategic ocean transport requirements and Navy shipbuilding.

U.S. Rep. Charles Djou, a Republican from Hawaii, also supports ending the Jones Act. But Democratic Sens. Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye, and Rep. Mazie Hirono back it.

Pacifists defeat ultra pacifists -- knotted gun to be displayed

American pacifism is the most violent ideology of all.

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