December 18, 2008 > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Thursday, December 18, 2008

December 18, 2008
By Andrew Walden @ 7:12 PM :: 4314 Views

Campaign News: Panel won't call for repeal of campaign donation law (Abercrombie loses out)

(Some 80-90% of Neil Abercrombie's congressional campaign funds come from the mainland, the State's 20% limitation on out-of-state campaign contributions for State office is an obstacle to conversion of most of these federal donations into state donations usable for a run for Governor in 2010....)

High court hears Hawaii Superferry arguments

An attorney for three Maui groups told the Hawaii Supreme Court Thursday that a law permitting Hawaii Superferry to operate while an environmental impact study is conducted is unconstitutional....At the hearing’s conclusion, Chief Justice Ronald Moon said the five-member court will take the case under advisement. He did not indicate when the court will make a ruling.

(They will wait until the second Superferry arrives and then declare the law unconstitutional a day or two before service is to begin. This ensures the maximum damage to the private enterprise insufficiently sponsored by old boys.)

Target’s job fair attracts huge crowd

The company, which plans to hire up to 1,200 people for the two stores, began turning people away around 9:30 a.m., just 30 minutes after the 9 a.m. start time, because of the overwhelming response

Hawaii state auditor criticizes Superferry exemption law

A state law that gave Hawaii Superferry a lifeline last year set a "worrisome precedent" that places the interests of a single business ahead of the state's environmental, financial and public safety responsibilities, the state auditor found in a report released yesterday.

('Large capacity ferry vessels' only needed an exemption because the Supreme Court suddenly decided that putting a boat in the water required an EIS. The EIS is only a problem because eco-activists use the process for obstruction.)

Read Marion Higa's Audit (LINK)

"Affordable" Waikoloa housing costs skyrocketing

The developer working on the Waikoloa workforce housing project has apparently pursued engaged vendors without contracts, failed to take steps to create a community facilities district to fund construction and avoided and denied requests by the trust governing the project, the project's chief executive said Tuesday.

Mortuary case goes to court Thursday

Perhaps the most chilling allegation is that Memorial buried people in body bags so they could resell caskets. An 2002 affidavit supporting a search warrant on Memorial said investigators were seeking evidence that paid-for caskets were missing from the graves of Lily Pa, buried in 1982, and Manuel Rosa, buried in 1983. Rosa was disinterred for reburial 1993 as was Pa in 1994. Relatives of both said at the time that there was no sign of a casket in either grave.

(State inaction under Ariyoshi, Waihee, and Cayetano finally comes to court 26 years later.)

UPDATE: State settles

Rains cause yet another Kailua, O'ahu sewage spill

A week after heavy rains spurred massive flooding, runoff and sewage spills, brown water advisories remain in effect for O'ahu and Kaua'i beaches, and health officials are asking swimmers to steer clear of murky, debris-laden waters as a precaution at least through tomorrow. (Where are the enviros on this? They're too busy chasing the Superferry.)

Dowling loan for daughter, Nishiki says

(An interesting peek into the personal finances of an old-boy politician.)

Nishiki told the board he obtained a $100,000 loan from development firm Dowling Co. in 2005 to help his daughter with her business, after she was unable to borrow the money on her own....Nishiki said he didn't provide any collateral for the loan and hadn't made any payments on it yet. He said he didn't remember the terms under which he was supposed to repay the money....

Update: Anti-development activists Crockett, Vanderbilt defend developer-owned Democrat

Nishiki told the board that he used personal savings he keeps in a safe-deposit box to help make the $2,900 monthly payments on a $355,387 mortgage for his condominium at 2895 S. Kihei Road. On his financial disclosure form, Nishiki reported only $18,000 in annual retirement income from being a longtime County Council member, and said his wife was unemployed and had no income - leading some board members to question how he could afford his mortgage.

Nishiki is in the process of getting divorced.

Nishiki also told the board he bought the condominium for a "discounted" price of $125,000 from a woman he described as his girlfriend, and later refinanced the property.

Hawaii tax revenue down in November

General fund deposits for the first five months of the fiscal year are down 2.6 percent compared to the same period last year....