September 28, 2010 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

September 28, 2010 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 12:43 PM :: 12463 Views

Rothenberg: Democratic poll shows Djou ahead by double digits

CB: Duke 'n Lynn Firing on All Pistons

The video series definitely shows a united campaign for governor and lieutenant governor that has hit the campaign trail harder, faster and slicker than the Democratic team of Neil Abercrombie-Brian Schatz.

Political Radar: Glossy

RELATED: Duke and Lynn Team Up Online

SA: Aiona’s proposed four-day workweek worth exploring

Aric Jensen, a planning director for the Salt Lake City suburb of Bountiful, wrote in the Salt Lake Tribune that the lengthy work day has been "a traffic demand management tool. ... The state's 10-hour work day helps take the 'peak' off of peak rush hour and completely eliminates commuter trips on Fridays."

In Hawaii, a 10-hour four-day workweek would require approval by public employee unions, which may not be as difficult as one might imagine.

A survey of Utah state employees who worked such shifts say they feel just as productive as before its launching and want to maintain the four-day workweek. So does the public in Utah.

SA: Democratic-backed anti-Djou commercial's claim does not add up on closer examination

The DCCC cites the Washington Post Congressional Votes Database for its claim that Djou voted with his party in Congress 90 percent of the time. But a closer look reveals more.

The database lists 98 votes and two abstentions. On 82 of the votes, Djou took the party line. That seems to be the basis for the Post's figure, 89.4 percent, although the math works out to 84 percent.

But on 46 bills the two parties were in agreement.

Only on 36 bills (37 percent) did Djou side with the GOP against the Democrats.

On 14 bills, Djou sided with the Democrats against the Republicans -- and twice he went against the wishes of both parties.

"I am actually the most independent, bipartisan member of Hawaii's congressional delegation," Djou said.

HFP: Djou: Most independent, bipartisan member of Hawaii delegation

CB: Obama Backs Hanabusa, but GOP Not Scared

"We're very pleased and honored to have President Obama's outspoken support," Hanabusa campaign spokesman Richard Rapoza said in an e-mail of his own on Saturday. "Standing at the center of the debate on the direction our nation will take, he understands better than anyone what is at stake in this election."

What direction does Hanabusa take? >>> Cayetano: Hanabusa's Broken Trust connections lead to Ko Olina, Hanabusa, Souza tied to Pali Golf course shooters’ mob

The Rundown (post-primary)

Republicans have set the modest goal of doubling their numbers in both chambers. With a handful of open seats in competitive districts — and the potential for the civil-unions debate to bring religious conservatives to the polls — Republicans have a chance to pick up a few seats….

Pamela Young: Top BoE vote-getter

Pamela Young is an accountant with the city. She is also running for the state Board of Education.

She has a website and Facebook page and a clearly developed set of issues and concerns about the problems facing education in Hawaii.

She is a CPA, a 13-year veteran of the Mililani Mauka-Launani Valley Neighborhood Board and heads the city's accounting section.

Finally, she is president of the Hawaii Government Employees Association professional and scientific unit and was endorsed by HGEA.

Her real claim to fame, however, is that after spending $1,801 for her campaign, Pamela Young picked up 70,436 votes, coming in first in the Sept. 18 primary election school board vote.

Visitor spending up 18%: Hotel occupancy rose by more than 10 percentage points in July

While the rest of the country stagnates under the Obama Depression, the Lingle-Aiona administration has done a great job of turning Hawaii's economy around.

U.S. officials threaten to temporarily take over the state's enforcement of workplace safety

In a Sept. 23 letter to Gov. Linda Lingle, Michaels said enforcement staffing has been reduced to 12 from 27 positions in Hawaii, well below a court-mandated compliance agreement of 18.

Michaels said federal officials also had concerns about the degree of training provided to compliance officers, including the lack of trained staff.

Michaels is asking the state to voluntarily suspend its authority so that federal officials can "provide enforcement assistance for a period of time."

He said if the state does not voluntarily suspend its authority, federal labor officials will seek legal action to revoke Hawaii's authority to oversee workers' safety….

Interim state Labor Director Pearl Iboshi said the number of inspectors has decreased in the past few years, but there has not been any noticeable increase in workplace injuries.

"In terms of accidents, we've been pretty good," she said yesterday.

Iboshi said there are fewer inspectors because many have left or retired, and the state has been unable to fill the positions because it does not pay as much as the private sector. The (HGEA negotiated) starting salary for a safety inspector is $33,756. (Thanks HGEA for maximizing the number of voters you control by minimizing their pay.)

City Council to Homeless: Get Off Our Sidewalks!

Should Bill 39 become law, it will certainly affect homeless people who have begun to set up camp — or just sleep — on sidewalks as the city pushes them out of parks and other city facilities. And it clearly targets them, just the way the council bills that banned shopping carts and tents from the parks did.

EXCELLENT! That is exactly what the Council should do: Defeating the "homelessness industry" before it gets a grip on Hawaii, Kapiolani Park: Homelessness industry takes Hawaii tourism hostage, Homeless tent cities: Seattle’s decade-long nightmare coming to Honolulu?

Kaua‘i firemen caught fishing off Ni‘ihau in fireboat

“Unfortunately, your Kaua‘i Fire Department’s fire rescue boat happened to wander into range of the video camera crews while it was doing some recreational fishing close in one of the main monk seal pupping areas,” he told the mayor in the letter.

County spokeswoman Mary Daubert said that following the incident, Carvalho asked KFD Chief Robert Westerman to conduct a full investigation, which resulted in disciplinary action.

Abandoned for 13 years, Hilo housing project stumbles again

"The project being proposed at the Lanakila Homes site has attributes of a strong community project; however it has many challenges. From a community perspective it appears that HPHA may have abandoned the site just given its deserted appearance and the regular acts of vandalism. It is a project that has languished for over 13 years primarily due to a lack of funding; and there isn't funding to both demo(lish) and replace the units either as new construction or (a) major modernization project."

Commemorations will mark the anniversary of a tsunami that raked the Pacific islands

Village and church bells will ring 34 times tomorrow across American Samoa in remembrance of the 34 lives lost when a series of earthquake-driven waves began pounding the island territory one year ago at 6:48 a.m….

Shapiro: The feds have a place in our schools

Shapiro: A lot of critics resent federal education initiatives like “No Child Left Behind” and “Race to the Top,” feeling public schools are a local responsibility and the feds should butt out. I disagree….

REALITY: Education Reform's Kryptonite

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Jeremy Harris is long gone but his unsold books live on

When Mayor Jeremy Harris published his vanity piece "The Renaissance of Honolulu" in 2004, there were vehement assurances from his administration that all profit from the sale of the book would be returned to the city's general fund.

That assumed the book would be profitable, a big assumption in the book world and a bigger assumption in the world of political publishing.

Initial reaction was widespread eye-rolling. We could see just where this was heading. Boxes of unsold books published with taxpayer money sitting in some Honolulu Hale closet catching mold and spiders while Harris was ... someplace else.

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Obama tells questioner he's 'Christian by choice'

Obama says he came to his Christian faith as an adult because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to him in terms of the kind of life he wanted to lead. Obama says human beings are flawed and make mistakes, but that he tries to see God in others and does his best to help them.

Obama also said he thinks his public service is an expression of his Christian faith.

(Star-Advertiser columnists will immediately begin denouncing Obama’s violation of the separation of church and state…any time now…..)

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