Akaka Tribe mobilizes 5,000 to oppress Hawaiians

Earlier this week, Lingle said her administration will not drop the U.S. Supreme Court appeal. "We feel we are defending all of the people of Hawaii and that includes native Hawaiians," Lingle said. "It is our obligation to represent all the people of the state. This land is owned by all the people of the state."

Lingle noted that it was Gov. John Waihee, a native Hawaiian, who wanted to sell the former monarchy lands as part of an affordable housing development. That proposed sale led to the lawsuit that is now before the U.S. Supreme Court.

(And why is it that Hawaiians--and others--are leaving Hawaii???  Lack of affordable housing.)

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Kauai Garden Isle: Nearly a dozen protesters

Photo: Anti-Semites show up

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Legislators prepare for 2009 term, ‘scary time’

Maui News: Sen. Roz Baker, D-South Maui and West Maui, said she would introduce legislation to allow Maui Memorial to partner with other hospital systems and "provide some infusions of cash."

Rep. Joe Souki said Maui legislators will fight for Maui Memorial.

"The big thing for Maui is how we're going to get the hospital to stay afloat, because that's the only hospital we have," he said. "As a delegation, we should at a minimum work hard to see they get the money they need to survive."

On the revenue side, Oshiro said, lawmakers would look at "all viable options, including uncollected taxes, fines and fees, as well as other revenue opportunities, such as additional fees, and some tax changes also."

The Legislature will likely look at other revenue sources before tax increases, Baker said.

It's a scary time for all of us," said Sen. J. Kalani English, D-Upcountry, East Maui, Molokai, Lanai. "There's no doubt at all there's going to be huge cuts, and in many instances, it's going to be whole programs."

The cutbacks could also mean layoffs for state workers, he warned.

"It's really a last resort," he said. "The shortfall is so huge that the likelihood of layoffs is very real. Nobody wants to talk about it, but it's part of the equation."...

As legislators take a hard look at programs they can cut, English worried that remote parts of the state, such as his district of Upcountry, East Maui, Molokai and Lanai, could suffer the most.

"Usually the slightest change has the most impact in those areas," he said. "In these rural areas, it's going to be devastating."

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Bill would grandfather Kaua`i ag land vacation rentals

The legislation says the council has found that “recent unprecedented events have caused major upheaval in the national and world economy, producing a significant reduction in visitor arrivals to Kaua‘i and a negative impact on Kaua‘i’s economy, small businesses and families.

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Residents protest Papaikou development

HILO -- About 80 Papaikou residents lined the edge of Hawaii Belt Road Saturday to protest a planned housing development in the area....Many at the rally wore orange shirts with the logo of the community group Protect Papaikou Ohana, formed to fight the development.

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