A Hawaii without Democrats: Lincoln reached out to grieving Hawaiian king in 1864
(Lincoln's Civil war-era diplomacy with a Union ally. And here's what happened in Honolulu when one fool hung the Democrat flag...)
Honolulu newspapers at the time documented the sometimes fierce attitudes in the Islands toward the Civil War and the fight to end slavery. You'll find substantial coverage of things that were happening in Hawai'i that were responses to the things that were going on at the national level," Horton said. "There was an interesting story of a Southern-born woman who hung a Confederate flag on her lanai that was destroyed by her neighbors."
(Naval combat with a Democrat ship...)
Some American and Hawaiian whaling ships did get pulled into the conflict, however, when they were attacked by the confederate ship CSS Shenandoah in the north and south Pacific, said Susan Lebo, a researcher who is compiling the names of Native Hawaiian sailors who worked on whale boats.
"A fair number of ships were overtaken and burned," Lebo said yesterday. "The CSS Shenandoah was indiscriminate whether it attacked American vessels or ones flying under the Hawaiian flag."
read more ...
Will DoE actually be able to transfer its own employees? House moves schools bill
Despite opposition from unions concerned that the measure would violate employees' rights, House Bill 172 cleared its first hurdle yesterday when it passed joint education and labor committees. It still needs several more approvals before becoming law.
The bill would allow the schools superintendent, with Board of Education approval, to replace workers at public schools under so-called restructuring for four years or longer, change membership of school community councils and hand over control of the campus to private companies....
The number of Hawaii schools being restructured - the harshest penalty of the law - rose to 78 from 48 in the past year. To exit the sanctions, schools need to meet goals for two straight years.
The federal mandate calls for every child to be proficient in reading and math by 2014. The Hawaii State Teachers Association and the Hawaii Government Employees Association object....
read more ...
Caldwell denies deal with mayor led to post
Kirk Caldwell, grilled during a City Council confirmation hearing on his appointment as managing director, denied that he made any deals with Mayor Mufi Hannemann last year to leave a state House post to run for a Council spot....
Caldwell said his main motivation to give up his state seat for City Council was to push for the city's proposed $4 billion rail transit system. "I wanted to run because I wanted to be on the Council, and I wanted to be involved in the debate," he said.
read more ...
Bribery, Money Laundering Convictions may hinder former union official
Federal law disqualifies a person with a federal conviction for certain crimes from holding a union position for 13 years after being released. But Kupau contends money laundering isn't among the prohibited crimes and he should be allowed to work for the union.
(Soft on crime...) Gillmor sentenced Kupau to four months in prison, three years of supervised release, and fined him $3,100. Under the law, he will not be eligible to work for the union until May 2016.
Despite his conviction, Kupau was rehired by the Local 368 as a business representative in 2002 and paid about $90,000 a year. Last year, he was elected as the union's business manager by an overwhelming margin.
read more ...
24 hr park camping ban splits council
Councilman Charles Djou, who introduced the measure and who is chairman of the Kapi'olani Park trustees, said the park has become a "squatters village." He urged council members to act before crime becomes a major problem in the neighborhood.
Officials from the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai'i also testified against the bill, saying it has serious constitutional problems since it would single out homeless users of the park but not other users.
(Is any of this connected to the Legislature's 2008 decision to prohibit the Gov from using her emergency powers to build shelters?)
read more ...
Foreclosures again above 300 statewide
The company said it counted 337 filings, up more than double from 123 in the same month last year. ...However, January's count was the lowest since August, when there were 336 filings. Between September and December, the monthly foreclosure filing total ranged between 393 and 594.
read more ...