October 5, 2010 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

October 5, 2010 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 2:31 PM :: 12761 Views

KOS Poll: Aiona, Abercrombie tied with 48% of the vote

In major interview published today, Inouye ignores Abercrombie

Aiona Finnegan announce affordable housing plan (Full Text)

Aiona hits “arrogant” Abercrombie as polls tighten

The differences between him and Abercrombie are like "night and day," Aiona said. He drew contrasts with the Democrat on the issues, leadership styles and their backgrounds.
"The person that's going to win this election is the person that's going to get their vote out," Aiona said. "The other side, the Abercrombie side, they believe that this race is already won."

(Not included in article: Aiona pointed out that Abercrombie’s absence from the campaign trail shows Abercrombie’s arrogance--an arrogance which comes from the one party system.)

Hanabusa meant only that there is no waste in STATE government

A television ad for Charles Djou that features a video clip of Colleen Hanabusa saying, "I can tell you right now, in government I don't think there's waste, per se," is drawing criticism that her comment is being taken out of context.

Hanabusa's comment elicited guffaws from the crowd, but she went on to clarify that she was talking about the state budget.

"I think Gov. Lingle, seriously, Gov. Lingle has cut that budget as much as she can. She has cut it," Hanabusa said. "You've got a Republican governor -- believe me, this is an opportunity of a lifetime -- to come in here and cut government. I'm talking about the state. We don't have any more to cut."

Hanabusa's campaign is calling the Djou ad "deceptive" and "a clumsy attempt to mislead the public with a quote taken grossly out of context."

"Sen. Hanabusa was talking about the state budget….”

(So in summation: After Lingle’s budget, Hanabusa says there is no longer any waste in Hawaii State government. That probably explains why Hanabusa is against a full audit of the DoE.)

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Star-Advertiser panics as Christians prepare to vote

Saying that "our faith should influence our values in life and this includes the political arena," the political arm of Hawaii Right to Life is sponsoring a family day at the Bishop Museum Sunday….

A linked website, Bound4life Oahu, features an open letter exhorting voters to pick pro-life candidates, saying "In America, it is legal for Christians to vote….”

(That’s a good point to make because of THIS: Star-Bulletin comes out against voter registration drive)

In an e-mail to church leaders, Kaauwai warns that "the liberal secular progressive left of the Democrat party is intending on furthering its agenda in the state Legislature next year."

Kaauwai uses a straightforward plan to get the churches involved in the GOP.

"Find the district your church is in and where you live and find church members for the next 38 days who will get behind these candidates. ... Ask for a total of 20 hours from each person in your church for the next five weeks.

"Please consider bringing together your financial leaders in your church to have them contribute as individuals to the candidates," Kaauwai asserts.

Local GOP leaders were able to accomplish a preliminary goal this year by having almost every incumbent Democrat facing a GOP challenger in the general election. The question now is whether the GOP, with its strong link to local churches, will prevail next month.

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Akaka Bill Still Alive?

A lame-duck session has been scheduled in the U.S. Senate, giving supporters of the Akaka bill hope the landmark legislation may yet pass this year.

Risks shroud births in isles

Some healthy-pregnancy advocates are calling for a re-examination of Hawaii's outreach to expectant mothers after a state Health Department report shows that nearly half of all Hawaii births are unintended (code for 'should have been aborted'), 19 percent of women binge-drink leading up to their pregnancies and 16 percent of island women are obese before they become pregnant.

Roth: Appointed school board would help accountability

Voters will soon have a chance to answer the following question: "Shall the Board of Education be changed to a board appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, as provided by law?"

We strongly support the proposed change…

RELATED: Hawaii Children First

SA: Debate scheduled on whether to appoint BOE

Retired car dealer James Pflueger pleads not guilty to tax fraud

James Pflueger and his accountant Dennis Duban are two of the five people from Pflueger Incorporated who are charged in a 21-page indictment. Judge Kevin Chang ordered them to surrender their passports and set trial for December.

The indictment alleges that the defendants set up tax shelters in the Cook Islands and Switzerland, and deducted personal expenses as business expenses. Pflueger had no comment as he left the court house.

Isles see California welfare spending

LOS ANGELES » Nearly $69 million in welfare money meant to help California's neediest families has been spent or withdrawn in places like Hawaii, Las Vegas casinos and cruise ships from Miami.

The finding reported yesterday in the Los Angeles Times is based on data compiled between January 2007 and May 2010 by the California Department of Social Services.

Data showed the biggest chunk of out-of-state money -- $11.8 million -- was spent at casinos or withdrawn from ATMs in Las Vegas….

Feds: 2 Hawaii groups join reinsurance program

It provides $5 billion in financial assistance to employers and unions to help them maintain coverage for early retirees ages 55 and older who are not yet eligible for Medicare.

Businesses and other employers and unions that are accepted into the program will receive reimbursement for medical claims of their early retirees and their spouses, surviving spouses and dependents.

SA: Protect safety net from abuse

The state will need to be prepared to pay a share of the cost greater than the current amount being spent. Hawaii reduced Medicaid-covered dental service in August 2009 to emergency only but it would be unfortunate to scale back other medical services because of the cost.

One avenue of revenue that Hawaii and only five other states have chosen not to use is charging patients a nominal "copayment," generally defined as $3 or less per service, according to the Kaiser report. A 2005 federal law allows states to charge patients more than nominal amounts, but states understandably have been reluctant to do so.

KPD: No connection between Jackson, Westside murders

LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i Police Department officials say detectives are continuing to investigate several murders on island — including the most recent, Amber Jackson of Kapa‘a.

While they would not comment on whether any persons of interest have been identified in the Jackson case, they did say they have definitive evidence that the Jackson case and two murders and rapes that occurred on the Westside in 2000 are not related.

ALSO: Firefighters Discover Skeletal Remains At Nanakuli Brushfire, Buried 1970s body found with gunshot wounds in Manoa

Ooma hearing carries on

The project will be stopped in court by the activists who now legally have an absolute veto over any new development projects.

Samoa: Wage Delay Law Shows Faleomavaega Weakness

At literally the last minute before adjournment, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted the Senate version of a bill that originated in the House that delayed the implementation of a scheduled increase in the minimum wage for American Samoa. The hike was to have taken effect October 1.

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